Society's ChildS


Cross

Is Covid-1984 our new religion, and the face mask its cross?

Helen Buyniski
RT
Fri, 24 Apr 2020 18:21 UTC
face masks
© Reuters / Mike Blake / Sergio MoraesYou don't have to be near people - or even alive! - to wear a mask...
As fear and uncertainty swirl around the Covid-19 epidemic, an invisible evil potentially lurking anywhere, protective measures like masks have taken on a talismanic quality, and a religion built on shaming 'heretics' is growing.

Unable to see the microscopic "enemy" and bereft of a scientifically proven cure, those seeking deliverance from the new coronavirus are left with only their faith that the measures prescribed by health experts -our scientific priest class- will work to keep it at bay. That's all well and good until those who buck the new orthodoxy are scapegoated for the plague.


Comment: It's not that there aren't any safe, reliable, and effective treatments. It's that the media either won't talk about them or they will actively campaign against their use, because they're looking for a particular kind of cure - a vaccine. The silence, therefore, regarding effective treatments is not due to a lack of scientifically proven options. It is merely a means of keeping the demand for a vaccine as high as possible to the detriment of the many for the benefit of the few.


Face masks -the visual symbol of the Covid19 epidemic- have acquired the status of religious fetish for those concerned over the many unknowns about the virus (the reliability of testing, whether 'recovered' patients are really cured for good, and the many other question marks that come with a new disease). In a sea of uncertainty, the face mask is one constant that can be relied upon.
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Blackbox

In a national emergency, does the Constitution still apply? Yes, it sure does

Marc S. Strecker
American Thinker
Thu, 23 Apr 2020 00:00 UTC
Governor Gretchen Whitmer Michigan lockdown
Governor Gretchen Whitmer
An essential principle of the United States is that it is a free country, with individual liberties guaranteed, and government power limited. That concept is now being tested. A deadly worldwide pandemic has led to draconian lockdowns, forced closings of businesses, and even mandatory "stay at home" orders, some with Orwellian, friendly sounding names like "Safer at Home" or "Stay Home, Stay Healthy" - but still mandatory and enforced by police. The unprecedented, far-reaching orders have been issued by unelected county health officers as well as by governors of states.

Are these orders legal? Do state governors have the legal and Constitutional authority to forcibly close all "non-essential" businesses? To confine the entire population in their homes indefinitely without a trial? Who gets to decide which businesses are non-essential? In California, churches, synagogues and mosques have been deemed "non-essential" and ordered closed, but liquor and hardware stores are still open and doing a bustling business.

President Trump proclaimed a national state of emergency under the National Emergencies Act on March 13, 2020. However, nothing in that proclamation closed any businesses, confined anyone in their homes or infringed on any other constitutional rights or liberties. That, and other actions by the federal government merely cleared away certain regulatory roadblocks that could interfere with the government's response to the pandemic.

Comment: John W. Whitehead is a constitutional attorney and author who has been saying many of the same things stated in the article above - and in some cases takes an even broader view of how and why Americans are losing their Constitutional freedoms piece, by piece, by piece.

See also:

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Stock Down

UK universities expecting 230,000 fewer students following lockdown - Initial loss of £6 billion to the economy

Jo Grady
The Guardian
Thu, 23 Apr 2020 07:00 UTC
university
© Iain Sharp/Alamy Stock PhotoThe new analysis suggests that over 230,000 fewer students will enter higher education in 2020 as a result of the crisis."
Our universities are a vital and unique part of our society with an importance that far outweighs their considerable economic value. Yet research into the impact of Covid-19, conducted by London Economics for the University and College Union, shows that universities face a black hole of at least £2.5bn in fee and grant income for 2020-21 as students both in the UK and around the world defer or abandon their plans to study here.

The new analysis suggests that over 230,000 fewer students will enter higher education in 2020 as a result of the crisis, over half of which are international students. That fall in student numbers would translate into a drop in income of around £1.51bn from non-EU students, £350 million from EU students and £612 million from UK students opting to stay away.

The report lays bare how vulnerable some of our most renowned universities are to falls in international demand, but also how widespread the financial pain might be. All 125 universities in the report would suffer substantial falls in income, leaving 91 (almost three-quarters) in a critical financial position where income only just covers expenditure.

Comment: Education is just the latest victim of the tyrannical crackdown by the UK government over little more than the seasonal flu:

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No Entry

Taliban rejects Afghan government's offer of cease-fire during Ramadan


RFE/RL
Fri, 24 Apr 2020 20:45 UTC
Suhail Shaheen
Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen rejected the cease-fire offer, saying the militants will keep fighting because of ongoing disagreements with the government
The Taliban has rejected a Ramadan cease-fire offer from the Afghan government, saying such a move is "not rational" amid disagreements over the peace process.

The offer was made by President Ashraf Ghani on April 23 ahead of the start of Islam's holy month of Ramadan as Afghanistan battles the growing coronavirus pandemic.

Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen rejected the offer, saying the militants will keep fighting because of the ongoing disagreements with the government over a potential peace deal as well as a delayed prisoner exchange.
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Bulb

Sweden refutes basis of draconian EU lockdown

Jon Henley
The Guardian
Fri, 24 Apr 2020 20:08 UTC
restaurant Stockholm
© Tt News Agency/ReutersPeople at an outdoor restaurant in Stockholm this week.
Sweden questioned the scientific basis of other EU countries' strict coronavirus lockdowns as Germany said its number of cases needed to fall from about 2,000 to a few hundred a day before it could ease restrictions further.

As several European countries continued to cautiously lift lockdowns, sending children back to school and reopening some shops and businesses, Sweden's chief epidemiologist, Anders Tegnell, said their original measures looked difficult to justify.

Sweden has favoured civic responsibility over mandatory rules, closing senior high schools and banning gatherings of more than 50 people, but asking rather than ordering people to avoid non-essential travel, work from home and stay indoors if they are over 70 or feeling ill. Shops, restaurants and junior schools have stayed open.

Polls show many Swedes support the policy, although the interior minister, Mikael Damberg, and the mayor of Stockholm, Anna König Jerlmyr, urged people not to relax as the weather turned warmer, warning that bars and restaurants that did not follow physical distancing recommendations risked being shut down.
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Bulb

Tourism returns to South Korea as coronavirus infection curve flattens


Yonhap News Agency
Fri, 24 Apr 2020 19:57 UTC
viral pneumonia south korea
© Getty
The upcoming "golden holiday" is bringing hopes of business revival to tourist towns in South Korea, long empty for fear of COVID-19, but it is also putting authorities on high alert over the danger of a new wave of infections.

The nation is bracing for a long holiday from late this month to early May, including Buddha's Birthday (April 30), May Day (May 1), Children's Day (May 5) and a weekend in between.

With the infection curve flattening and social distancing rules eased, major tourist destinations and resort areas across the country are showing signs of recovery from virus-induced doldrums.

Many hotels in seaside and mountainous towns in the eastern province of Gangwon have been fully booked for the holiday season.
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Pistol

Gunman opens fire at funeral of Manchester man, media twists story to condemn mourners for 'breaking social distancing rules'

Jack Wright, James Gant
Daily Mail
Fri, 24 Apr 2020 19:45 UTC
Clive Pinnock
A gunman opened fire in a cemetery last night (pictured) as mourners flouting social distancing rules attended the funeral of a Manchester godfather dubbed 'Mr Ibiza'
A gunman last night opened fire in a cemetery as mourners flouting social distancing rules attended the funeral of a Manchester godfather dubbed 'Mr Ibiza'. The attacker fired three shots as well-wishers gathered for the burial of 38-year-old Clive Pinnock at Gorton Cemetery in the east of the city.

Armed police were scrambled to the scene and it is understood the culprit was disarmed by officers who said the intervention saved his life. The shooter, believed to be 34, was understood to have been stabbed and rushed to hospital with what were said to be serious slashes to his face.

Nobody is believed to have been shot and the weapon has not been found but police have taped off the crime scene as they investigate.

Comment: The Daily Mail turns an event about a man who opens fire during a funeral into an article about how people were not social distancing! What an incredible break from reality in such a short period of time.

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Black Cat

Hunkering down in Mordor: America's wealthy flee Covid-19 epicentre for their New Zealand bunkers

Anuja Nadkarni
Stuff
Fri, 24 Apr 2020 18:02 UTC
custom bunker wealthy apocolypse
© Rising SA floor plan of the most expensive bunker Rising S offers.
Apocalypse-fearing wealthy Americans, and Kiwis, are reportedly shipping survival bunkers to New Zealand where they believe they will be safe.

Rich Americans are reportedly fleeing to their bunkers deep beneath New Zealand to avoid the coronavirus outbreak.

New Zealand has been lauded internationally, and especially by media in the United States for Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's handling of the coronavirus pandemic by introducing a stringent lockdown early.

Meanwhile New York has become the epicentre of the virus, which has killed more than 30,000 Americans.

Comment: So much for "We're all in this together."

On the ground, ordinary New Zealanders are not so thrilled with their prime minister.

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Gold Bar

Peter Schiff: 'Gold mines right now are literally GOLD MINES


RT
Fri, 24 Apr 2020 12:35 UTC
refining gold
© Reuters/Rick WilkingSenior refinery technician pours liquid gold to form gold dore bars.
Jobless claims continued stockpiling in the US, having topped 26 million over the past five weeks. The government is working to improve stimulus measures as the pandemic continues to ravage the global economy.

Boom Bust is joined by the CEO of Euro Pacific Capital, Peter Schiff, who says the US Federal Reserve is just doubling down on its failed monetary policy: "In order to prop up the market, the Fed hastened to destroy the purchasing power of the dollar."

According to Schiff:
"Investors "should be buying gold stocks because gold and gold stocks would be the biggest beneficiaries of monetary policy. Precious metals are a monetary alternative to fiat currencies that are being debased the world over, particularly in the United States."
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Russian Flag

Russia passes dual citizenship law, hoping to add 10 million citizens


Moscow Times
Fri, 17 Apr 2020 17:03 UTC
russian passport
© Andrei Lyubimov / Moskva News Agency
Russian lawmakers from both houses of parliament have passed legislation Friday allowing dual Russian citizenship for foreigners, sending it to President Vladimir Putin's desk less than two weeks after introducing it.

Lawmakers have described the amendments to Russia's citizenship law, which among other steps strike down a requirement to renounce one's existing citizenship, as "revolutionary." Their authors expect up to 10 million people, primarily from Russian-speaking populations in the former Soviet republics, to obtain Russian passports as the country tries to fix its demographic crisis.

The bill relaxing current citizenship rules passed the lower-house State Duma unanimously in a 302-0 vote in a rare session Friday. The Duma usually convenes between Tuesday and Thursday.

Russia's upper-house Federation Council, which traditionally gathers once a week on a Wednesday, passed the bill shortly after.

Both votes took place within 10 days since the Russian government submitted the legislation for consideration.

Russia's dual citizenship bill will become law 90 days after Putin signs it and Russia's official gazette publishes it.

The bill also exempts spouses and children of Russian nationals from the five-year continuous residence requirement in order to become a naturalized Russian.

Comment: Putin signed the bill today.

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