Lockdowns Are “Saving” Our Seniors? From What, Exactly?

Elderly citizens are exceptionally vulnerable to COVID-19. Ninety thousand, or 36% of official deaths, have been recorded in long-term care facilities. Strategies like lockdowns are intended in part to protect this population from the ravages of the virus.

But saved them from what, exactly?

As reported by The Associated Press, “[A]dvocates for the elderly say a tandem wave of death separate from the virus has quietly claimed tens of thousands more, often because overburdened workers haven’t been able to give them the care they need.”

A nursing home expert who analyzed data from the country’s 15,000 facilities for The Associated Press estimates that for every two COVID-19 victims in long-term care, there is another who died prematurely of other causes. Those “excess deaths” beyond the normal rate of fatalities in nursing homes could total more than 40,000 since March. [Emphasis mine.]

In too many cases, stopping a COVID death has meant isolation, loneliness, and neglect in the patient’s last months.

I had occasion to share my thoughts on senior care back in September. Eldercare was a daily reality for me from 2014 until 2017, when both my parents passed away a few months apart.

Mom spent the last three years of her life in a nursing home. She was slowly slipping away with dementia, but remained as a sweet teenager still in love with my Dad to the end. He saw her nearly every day, but was unable to take care of her. These Depression-era savers lived modestly, which meant at the end Mom could afford a private sitter — an extra set of eyes and ears to insure proper care — in addition to the considerable expense of private nursing care.

There are good nursing homes and not-so-good nursing homes, but in the end, each one is a business. In 2017, my parents could afford a good sitter; with dementia, it’s more about preserving the patient’s dignity than it is about prolonging their life.

Take away visits from family and friends, and standards are bound to suffer.

Dad, by contrast, had all his faculties. We moved him into assisted living, a wonderful place where he made new friends. He never got used to the “chow”, as he called it. In his last three years, I listened to his old Navy stories many times over and came to appreciate just how socially engaged he was. … In a lockdown, Dad would have felt just as depressed and isolated as Mom [because he would have been denied his daily visits to her nursing home]. It may have been worse for him because he had the capacity to understand.

My parents died in their 92nd year, their 73rd year together as husband and wife. Neither was afraid to die. Toward the end …

… Dad became more patriotic than ever. He would tear up at the sight of a flag, and military displays on TV invariably caused him to weep openly. He spoke constantly of how he cherished our God-given freedoms and how his grandchildren and great-grandchildren represented our nation’s future.

Our nation has blundered in this pandemic because we have focused on counting that which is easily counted: COVID deaths and infection rates. Our strategy has been to keep those numbers low at all costs. When you’re an epidemiologist, every problem looks like a novel coronavirus.

Who is keeping score of the diffuse (but real) negative costs of our response? Not just hidden nursing home deaths, but suicide, drug overdose, domestic abuse, depression, anxiety, and mental illness are part of the tally. So are the consequences of delayed and deferred health care.

It remains to be seen if the vaccines will be effective and for how long. Political leadership seems to be slouching toward renewed lockdowns. We need clear-headed leadership who realizes that dealing with COVID is not a one-dimensional problem; interminable rolling lockdowns are of limited use.

At some point, we must get back to normal.

I AM STRONG, I AM INVINCIBLE. I AM WOMAAAN!!!!
No! NO! NO!! Boys have cooooties!!!!!

Comment o’ the Day:
They’re actually doing men in fraternities an inadvertent favor, since due process does not exist for males accused of sexual wrongdoing. Especially at Duke, where 88 professors joined The New York Times, Nancy Grace and Dan Abrams in proclaiming the Duke Lacrosse Team members guilty of rape in advance of any trial.

Men should NEVER have any sort of personal or romantic relationships with female coworkers or fellow students. If women don’t like that, they can address their complaints to feminism.

Duke sorority council bans events with male groups.

The Panhellenic Council at Duke University voted to ban chapters of member sororities from hosting “mixers” with all-male organizations, vowing to place chapters that violate the rule on social probation.

The Duke Panhellenic Association “unites women across 10 chapters” of various sororities and is the “largest unified body of undergraduate women at Duke University.”

According to a post on the Duke Panhellenic Association’s Instagram page, the Panhellenic Council voted to ban mixers with all-male organizations to focus on women’s empowerment. The post states that all-male organizations cause concern amongst other groups due to gender dynamics and the objectification of women.

The post defines mixers as “exclusive events between organizations.” Continue reading “”

Apple Looks to Soften Bill That Fights Forced Labor in China.

The Washington Post is reporting that Apple, Inc. has engaged lobbyists to try to soften language in the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act., which passed the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly in September.

It’s not known exactly what Apple wants to be altered in the bill. But given Apple’s past support for the Chinese Communist regime, one wonders exactly what they’re objecting to.

China has been brutally oppressing the Uyghurs in recent years, putting more than a million of them in concentration camps while trying to snuff out their culture and religion. But it’s also been reported that China was using the Uyghurs as slave laborers in some factories, leading Congress to act. The bill would prevent companies from relying on Chinese factories that use forced labor. Continue reading “”

MSRP  $1,849 !!

The IWI Galil ACE in 5.56×45

First slide

IWI US is proud to bring back the world famous Galil ACE family of pistols and rifles to the US commercial/civilian market.

The modernized Galil ACE is based upon the reliable mechanism of the original Galil rifle first developed by IMI in the late 1960’s. Drawing inspiration from the legendary Russian AK-47 and the Finnish Valmet RK 62, the IWI Galil ACE has been continuously improved over the last 40 years, resulting in today’s extremely reliable and highly accurate Galil ACE.

Improvements made since the original Galil was first developed include:

  • Charging handle (reciprocating) moved to the left side of the milled steel receiver allowing for weak hand operation
  • Weight reduction with the use of modern polymers
  • NATO STANAG magazine compatibility
  • Full length 2-piece Picatinny top rail
  • Picatinny tri-rail forearm with built in, slide on/off rail covers with pressure switch access
  • Fully adjustable iron sights with Tritium front post

Continue reading “”

Joe Biden Still Can’t Seem to Complete a Sentence

Allow me to do my best in transcribing. It’s a tough job but someone has to do it. I’ll pick it up where he says “that’s a fancy way of saying” because that is where he goes on to make up new words and get confused.

“That’s a fancy way of saying, governors, governors need to be able to get fundiiiiing when they dispo- when they disp- they need the, the uh and and bring, bring their national guard into play. And National Guard’s gonna have to play this, it costs a lot of money.”

Andrew Cuomo Thinks He Can Ban Thanksgiving.

Some say Andrew Cuomo is the worst governor in the United States, but I strongly disagree. Andrew Cuomo is the worst human being in the United States, if not the entire world.

The list of stupid things this absolute failure of a man has said and done in 2020 is too long for a mere blog post, but you can now add this complete lunacy. Bernadette Hogan, NY Post:

Gov. Andrew Cuomo is having a hard time getting sheriffs across the state on board with enforcing his 10-person limit on Thanksgiving dinners — his latest effort to suppress the Empire State’s rising coronavirus rate.

“I don’t believe as a law enforcement officer you have a right to pick and choose what laws you will enforce,” Cuomo told reporters Wednesday during an Albany-based press conference.

But a slew of upstate sheriffs have already declared they won’t be checking up on gatherings come Turkey Day, arguing limited resources and other public safety priorities trump “counting cars” in driveways and “investigating” how much turkey and dressing a household may purchase.

What are they supposed to do, go house-to-house? Bust down your door and throw open all your closets and cupboards? Maybe shove around some of the older relatives Cuomo hasn’t killed yet? “Hey, maybe there’s an 11th guest hiding in the attic!” I mean, what are we talking about here?

Cuomo keeps ranting about “the law,” but his edicts aren’t laws. That’s not how laws work. He’s not a dictator. He can’t just ban Thanksgiving by fiat and expect everybody to sieg heil.

And he says the cops’ refusal to enforce his imbecilic decree is “frightening to democracy” and “a violation of constitutional duty.” Well, if this wannabe third-world thug wants to bring up the United States Constitution, how does the Fourth Amendment factor into this? Has Cuomo read that one? Is there a coloring book we can give him to explain how it works?

Andrew Cuomo is behaving exactly the way he and his fellow Democrats falsely accuse Trump of behaving. He’s just the sort of tinpot fascist they claim to oppose. Yet all they do is praise him, because he’s a fascist for their team. Continue reading “”

75-year-old Meals-On-Wheels driver shoots teen in self-defense in Northeast Columbus

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX/WTTE) — A 75-year-old Meals-On-Wheels driver shot a teen in self-defense during an alleged robbery, police say.

The shooting occurred around 11:10 a.m. on Nov. 20 in the 1200 block of East 18th Street.

Columbus Police said one of the teens, a 14-year-old, pulled out a gun while the other, believed to be 15-years-old, entered his car and stole the driver’s cell phone and wallet.

The driver pulled out his legally-owned gun and shot the 14-year-old.

Medics arrived and transported the teen to Nationwide Children’s Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

The 14-year-old has a criminal record for similar crimes. Police said the boy was arrested in August of 2020 for Theft of a Motor Vehicle, a felony, and in July of 2020 for two counts of Robbery and Kidnapping, both felonies.

Police are not charging the driver, but are charging the 14-year-old. Officers are still searching for the other suspect who fled the scene.

LifeCare Alliance President and CEO Charles Gehring sent a note to LifeCare Alliance stakeholders Friday afternoon.

According to what we know,” Gehring said, “he is legally allowed to carry the weapon and, again, the young person pulled a gun on our driver. Our driver was not hurt and is home and resting. Like all of our drivers, he passed our extensive background checks.

Gun Rights Delayed are Gun Rights Denied.

This year, protests have coursed throughout the nation, and unfortunately, as Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has candidly acknowledged, “we’ve also seen . . . people who have embedded themselves in these seemingly peaceful protests and come for a fight.” As a result of such civic disorder, more people in jurisdictions such as Illinois and Minnesota, sites of widespread looting and even arson, have wanted immediate access to firearms. But some jurisdictions, including these, have failed to process licenses to purchase or carry firearms in a timely manner.

Such delays violate the right of the people to keep and bear arms. In District of Columbia v. Heller, the Supreme Court expressly held that the right to possess a gun at home was of the essence of the Second Amendment, and the right was extended to the states by McDonald v. Chicago. Yet Illinois, for instance, now imposes lengthy delays to obtain even the licenses necessary to purchase a gun for home or business use. The statute permits as much as a 30-day delay, and in June it took an average of 51 days to get the necessary FOID card. A colleague of mine still has not gotten one after 170 days. A firearm delayed is self-defense denied. That is particularly problematic at a time of increased violence and looting. A gun—even one that is never fired—may make the difference between a burned-down store and a continuing source of livelihood. Continue reading “”

Anti-COVID-19 nasal spray ‘ready for use in humans.’

Anti-COVID-19 nasal spray 'ready for use in humans'

A nasal spray that can provide effective protection against the COVID-19 virus has been developed by researchers at the University of Birmingham, using materials already cleared for use in humans.

A team in the university’s Healthcare Technologies Institute formulated the spray using compounds already widely approved by regulatory bodies in the UK, Europe and the US. The materials are already widely used in medical devices, medicines and even food products. Continue reading “”

Wisconsin police launch manhunt for gunman who shot and wounded seven adults and a teenager at a mall

  • A shooter opened fire at the Mayfair Mall in Wauwatosa on Friday around 3pm
  • The mall is around seven miles outside of Milwaukee 
  • Wauwatosa police said eight people were injured and taken away in ambulances
  • One teenager and seven adults were caught up in the shooting 
  • The suspect remains at large with SWAT teams currently circling the mall
  • Dennis McBride, mayor of Wauwatosa, said the injuries were not life-threatening 

 

Man shot and killed after breaking into Phoenix apartment

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) — A 22-year-old man is dead after breaking into an apartment in Phoenix.

Phoenix police said officers responded to a shooting call in the area of 40th Street and Thomas Road around 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

When officers arrived on the scene, they learned 22-year-old Luis Romero allegedly forced entry into the apartment of a man who was known to him.

According to police, Romero was shot by the resident of the apartment. The 22-year-old man was transported to an area hospital where he died from his injuries.

The man who lived in the apartment remained on the scene and cooperated with police.

Texas already has something similar to this

Tennessee bill would allow use of deadly force for a property crime

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The law in Tennessee is clear: You can use deadly force only in self-defense if you fear for your life or someone else’s, but, what if you could shoot someone who stole from you?

For now — that would be a felony. But a new bill expands the uses of deadly force.

“I think the last year has raised a lot of questions in Tennessee about whether you can use force or deadly force,” said John Harris, executive director of the Tennessee Firearms Association.

Harris said the thinks the destructive demonstrations and looting at the Davidson County Courthouse and the businesses along Lower Broadway this past May raised some concerns.

Now State Representative Jay Reedy has filed a bill that would allow a person to use deadly force to protect their property.

Harris said with police occupied elsewhere, store owners, for instance, under current law could not use lethal force to stop looting, and people are tired of it. Continue reading “”

Google Searches For ‘Reloading Ammo’ Explode Amid Nationwide Shortage

From Zerohedge

Americans are panic searching again. This time it’s not where to buy toilet paper online, but instead learning more about reloading ammunition as the virus pandemic and social unrest has sparked shortages of ammo and guns.

Ever since the first round of virus lockdowns that began in March, ammunition prices have surged because of unprecedented demand. Some of the hardest bullets to find this past summer, that is, if one wanted to purchase bulk, as we noted in April and August (see: here & here), was 9mm.

And, of course, a shortage and skyrocketing costs for factory-loaded ammunition forced many Americans to investigate alternative options in panic hoarding bullets.

As shown below, an eruption in US internet searches for “9mm Reloading” can be seen.

 

Reloading, also called handloading, is the process of making firearm cartridges by manually assembling the individual components rather than purchasing factory-loaded ammunition. Reloading can easily be done at home.

NSSF RELEASES MOST RECENT FIREARM PRODUCTION FIGURES

NSSF®, the firearm industry’s trade association, released the 2020 edition of its Firearm Production Report to members. The report compiles the most up to date information based on data sourced from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF’s) Annual Firearms Manufacturing and Export Reports (AFMER) as well as the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC). Key findings for public release showed:

  • In 2018, 11.4 million total firearms were produced or imported in the United States (less exported firearms).
  • Approximately one-half (48%) of all rifles produced and imported (less exports) in 2018 were Modern Sporting Rifles.
  • Since 1990, there are an estimated 19.8 million Modern Sporting Rifles (MSRs) in circulation today.
  • An interim 2019 estimate showed a total of 6 million total firearms were produced in the United States. Of those, 3.6 million were pistols and revolvers, 2 million were rifles and 480,000 were shotguns. Those are interim figures that will be updated when complete reports become available from the ATF.
  • In 2019, there were approximately 3.3 million firearms imported into the United States which included 2.3 million pistols and revolvers, 301,000 rifles and 678,000 shotguns.
  • From 1991 to 2019, nearly 214 million firearms have been made available to the U.S. market.
  • According to reports such as: ATF Firearms Commerce in the United States, ATF AFMER and Congressional Research Service data, there are an estimated 434 million firearms in civilian possession in the United States.
  • There are approximately 71.2 million pistol magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds, and 79.2 million rifle magazines capable of holding 30 or more rounds in circulation.
  • Firearm and ammunition manufacturing accounted for nearly 12,000 employees producing over $3.9 billion in goods shipped in 2018. An estimated 8.7 billion rounds of all calibers and gauges were produced in 2018 for the U.S. market.

“These figures, combined with the record-breaking 17.2 million NSSF-adjusted background checks for the sale or transfer of a firearm in the first ten months of 2020, demonstrates that Americans have a strong desire to continue purchasing firearms for lawful purposes,” said Joe Bartozzi, NSSF’s President and CEO. “The Modern Sporting Rifle continues to be the most popular rifle sold in America today, and with nearly 20 million in circulation, is clearly a commonly-owned firearm that is being used for lawful purposes every day in America. The continued popularity of handguns demonstrates a strong interest by Americans to protect themselves, their family and homes, as well as to participate in the recreational shooting sports.”

Today’s report also shows that as lawful firearm ownership in America continues to grow, criminal and unintentional misuse of firearms is falling. During the 28-year period covered by this report (1991–2018) the violent crime rate has decreased by 51.3 percent and unintentional firearm-related fatalities have declined by 68.2 percent.

Larry Elder: Don’t Expect Trump Supporters To “Heal” After 4 Years of Being Called “Nazis”

After four years of attacking President Donald Trump as “illegitimate,” “fascist,” “Nazi,” “tyrant,” “dictator,” “racist,” “anti-Semitic,” “Russian stooge,” “traitor,” “grifter,” “xenophobe,” “sexist,” “homophobe,” “ignorant,” “fat” and “lazy,” Former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive president-elect, now says, “Let’s heal.”

In his “victory speech,” Biden said: “And to those who voted for President Trump, I understand you’re disappointment tonight.

“I’ve lost a couple of elections myself. But now, let’s give each other a chance.

“It’s time to put away the harsh rhetoric. To lower the temperature. To see each other again. To listen to each other again.

If Biden wins his court challenges and becomes President while capturing both Senate run-off seats in Georgia, you can expect him to pursue a scorched earth pattern of retribution as he tries to remake America. On the other hand, if Republicans still control the Senate and can block everything other than executive order, we’ll get old smiling Joe, calling for everyone to be best pals. Of course, when liberals call for unity, what they inevitably mean is, “Unity is doing whatever we want. Let’s do that while we try to destroy you.”

For example, while liberals are out there making “lists” of Trump supporters they want to ruin, here’s what we’re hearing from Joe Biden right now.

 

So, what are we working together to do, Joe? How about working together to build that wall and stop illegal immigration? Do we want to work together to get rid of Obamacare and replace it with a free market alternative? Can we work together to reduce the deficit and kill wasteful programs? Oh….we can’t, right? What Joe Biden means is we all need to “deliver results” when it comes to getting rid of guns, producing open borders and beating the police down to make it easier for rioters to do what they want.

No thank you, Joe. Here’s a better idea. How about we block everything you want to do legislatively, file court challenges against every executive order, investigate you, take the House back in 2022 and then beat Kamala Harris in 2024 after you become too feeble and senile to continue on? Unity sounds nice, but to have unity, you need people that have some type of barebones agreement about whether America, Christianity, Capitalism, the Constitution and small government are good things or not. Until we can square that circle, there is no unity to be had.

Survey Finds Gen Z Most Likely To View Faith As VIP In Pandemic

Three-fourths (74 percent) of Gen Zers surveyed recently by the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty view religious faith are either somewhat or extremely important to them in dealing with the Covid-19 Pandemic.

“Surprisingly, Gen Z respondents, who across polls tend to be less religious and least at risk during the pandemic, were also much more likely than the average to say faith and religion had been extremely or very important,” the Becket survey said in its summary.

Gen Z individuals were born between 1997 and 2012, meaning the oldest member of the generation is now 23 years of age. Continue reading “”

Ohio Senate Approves Armed School Staff Legislation

There are already dozens of school districts across the state of Ohio that have armed school staff in place, but a lawsuit filed with the help of Everytown for Gun Safety is putting the legality of thousands of vetted and trained school staff in jeopardy. Parents in the Madison school district argue that under Ohio law, teachers and staff need to have the exact same training as police officers before they can legally carry, and the issue is currently before the state Supreme Court.

Lawmakers in the Buckeye State aren’t waiting for the court to decide if the current statutes allow for districts to determine their own training policies for armed school staff. On Wednesday, the state Senate approved legislation that specifically authorizes school staffers to carry without going through hundreds of hours of peace officer training.

State Sen. Bill Coley, a Butler County Republican sponsoring the bill, said the “court went off the reservation” with its ruling. The legislation, he said, would ensure that “school districts in my area of the state can have the same rights that all of your school districts in your areas of the state have.”

Gun-rights groups, including the National Rifle Association, have expressed support for SB 317, arguing local education officials should be allowed to determine the best policies for ensuring their schools are safe. The Madison Local School District put its policy in place after a 14-year-old student opened fire at Madison Junior-Senior High School in 2016, injuring four.

Several Democratic senators spoke against the legislation prior to the bill’s passage in the GOP-dominated Senate. They argued that the bill is unwanted by most Ohioans and makes schools less safe.

“No child in Ohio should have to worry about if there is a gun at school, or if the person with the gun has had proper training,” said state Sen. Hearcel Craig, a Columbus Democrat.

First off, no teacher or staff member in Ohio is carrying without first volunteering, being vetted, and then undergoing several days of training, typically through the Ohio FASTER program, which focuses specifically on stopping armed threats at school. Educators not only learn how to respond to an attack with their lawfully-carried firearm, but they learn de-escalation techniques, first aid, and other strategies to deal with an active assailant and the aftermath. Continue reading “”

Was That A Toy Gun In Your Living Room?

How bad has the anti-gun hysteria gotten among some in our educational system? So bad that a grade-school student from Colorado Springs, Colo., was recently suspended for having a toy gun—in his own home!

Isaiah Elliott, who is 12 years old, was home last August participating in an online class. His school was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Isaiah was sitting on his living room couch with his laptop computer. He was next to a friend who was also doing online class work with a different teacher. During his second-period class, Isaiah’s art teacher noticed the friend was holding a “gun” and asked Isaiah to move it off screen.

Isaiah then took the green toy pistol—which had the words “ZOMBIE HUNTER” emblazoned on one side—from his friend and placed it out of the teacher’s sight.

Afterwards, the art teacher informed her superior that a student had what looked like a gun. The school official called the police.

“They said they called the police for my son’s safety,” said Dani Elliott, Isaiah’s mother. “But, if they were so concerned about him and if they really thought his life might be threatened, why didn’t they call me immediately? And why did the police take four-and-a-half hours to get to our house?”

As was widely reported by local and national news media, Widefield School District 3, Isaiah’s school district at the time of this incident, repeated its “student-safety” mantra to explain the school’s reaction. The district also claimed Isaiah had violated school policy by bringing a “facsimile” firearm to school. Because of this, he was suspended for five days.

“But he was not at school,” said Elliott. “He was in our living room. Apparently, they have the right to dictate what goes on in our own home, over a Nerf gun no less!”

Elliott did receive an email from the school about an hour after the incident. She called the school and told them it was a toy gun. Bodycam footage (available on the internet) shows an El Paso County Sheriff’s office deputy at the school to take the complaint from school staff. The video shows one staffer admitting it was most likely a toy gun as they laughed over the incident.

“It really scared Isaiah when the deputy sheriff showed up,” said Elliott. “And I believe the school suspended my son to save face, to pretend they actually had some policy in place to cover this. They don’t. It’s our home, not the school building.”

Elliott soon pulled Isaiah out of the Widefield School District 3 and put him into a new school. Continue reading “”

Man shot, killed after firing round into home near Tropicana, Pecos

LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — Authorities say a man was shot and killed after he fired a gun into a home in the southeast valley Monday morning, according to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police.

The incident was reported around 4:15 a.m. in the 3600 block of Villa Knolls East, near Tropicana Avenue and Pecos Road, Lt. Ray Spencer said.

Officers arrived and found a man, who was pronounced dead at the scene