DIRECT CONSEQUENCES

“It is a reality: a lack of trust of authority, a lack of trust in government, and a concern about vaccines in general,” Dr. Tony Fauci said.

He added that there need to be “boots on the ground,” especially near minority communities that he said “have not always been treated fairly by the government.”

Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, warned today that the number of new infections in the United States could more than double to 100,000 a day if the country fails to contain the surge that is now underway in many states.

He made these stark warnings at a Senate hearing where health officials spoke about the need to reassure people about the safety of vaccines.

Why it’s optional to NOT wear a mask is beyond me.

Dr. Fauci also said school administrators should take into account virus activity in their areas when they consider reopening plans for the fall.

The number of new virus cases in the US has gone up 80% !!! in the past two weeks, according to a New York Times database, a troubling statistic for states that have been moving forward with plans to reopen.

The depths of how poorly mismanaged – in every aspect – our federal response to everything related to the COVID-19 pandemic continues to be beyond the scope of reason.

Can any of you explain to me – specifically – what our national strategy is toward ‘bending the curve?’

Tuesday, November 3, 2020.

May the Mask Be With You.

NO AMERICAN NEED TRAVEL

The European Union (EU) will open its borders to visitors from 15 countries tomorrow,  but NOT to travelers from the United States.

The plan was drawn up based on health criteria, and EU officials went to great lengths to appear apolitical in their choices, but the decision to leave the US off the list – lumping American travelers with those from Brazil and Russia – was a high-profile rebuke !!! of the Trump administration’s mishandling of the Coronavirus crisis.

Travelers’ country of residence, NOT their nationality, will be the determining factor for their ability to travel to countries in the European Union.

In Europe…every American is now officially pariah non grata???!!!

Certainly NOT at the Russell Hotel, right, Kathy???

Sadly, we’re ALL paying in some way, or other, for this ban, caused and driven by weak-willed behavior on the part of leadership !!! as well as the general public.

COUNTERING OLD VOTER SUPPRESSION METHODS

How about some refreshingly good news from Atlanta, Georgia???!

After the community has endured the shooting death of Rayshard Brooks in a fast-food parking lot, ugly protest marches; and, a number of issues in this month’s primary election, there’s news to put a smile on your face.

The Atlanta Hawks are stepping up to help.

The NBA team is teaming up with Fulton County and making its home, State Farm Arena, available as the largest polling site in state history.

On July 20th, voters will be able to follow CDC social distancing guidelines as they cast early ballots for the Georgia general primary runoff election, which takes place on August 11th.

Voters also will be able to access the 21-year-old venue in October for early voting in November’s general election.

The recently renovated arena has been home to the Hawks since 1999.

Hundreds of Hawks employees and arena staff will be trained as election workers at the 700,000-square-foot venue, which hosts more than 16,000 spectators for basketball games and 21,000 for concerts.

The team says parking will be free for voters and more than 1,500 spaces will be made available.

Creativity leads to a perfect venue for voting!!!

A fantastic civic commitment by the Hawks employees, Tony Ressler, owner of the Hawks and State Farm Arena and the National Basketball Association (NBA).

 

BOUNTIES, BRIEFINGS and DEATHS

Over the last forty-eight hours, most of us have become aware of the news concerning a Russian military intelligence unit offering and paying bounties to Taliban-linked militants to kill US and coalition troops in Afghanistan.

The White House tried yesterday to play down the intelligence assessment that Russia sought to encourage and reward killings – including reiterating a claim that Cadet Bonespurs was NEVER briefed !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! about the matter and portraying the conclusion(s) as disputed and dubious.

Now, according to the New York Times and Washington Post, we’re learning that American intel officials had provided a written briefing in late February to Trump laying out their conclusions.

More specifically, a description of the intelligence assessment that the Russian unit had carried out the bounties plot was also seen as serious and solid enough to disseminate more broadly across the intelligence community in a May 4th article in the CIA’s World Intelligence Review, a classified compendium commonly referred to as The Wire.

The above point is critical in my view!!!

American intelligence officers and Special Operations forces in Afghanistan began raising alarms as early as January, and the National Security Council convened an interagency meeting to discuss the problem and what to do about it in late March.

But despite being presented with options, including a diplomatic protest and sanctions, Cadet Bonespurs authorized NO response.

To the politicians who have NEVER served, have NEVER been in harms way, and NEVER had their children in harms way, if they are downplaying this cluster, shut the f!@k UP!

American people deserve some answers, NOT posing for pictures holding upside-down Bibles!!!!!

THE FAB FOUR RETURN

There’s a congressional hearing scheduled to begin at 10 am, ET, this morning that warrants your time/attention.

It will involve, back by popular demand, the return of the Fab Four: Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert; Dr. Robert Redfield, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Dr. Stephen Hahn, the Food and Drug Administration commissioner; and Admiral Brett Giroir, the assistant secretary for health.

They, hopefully, will testify about the Coronavirus, which is spreading with increasing ferocity in at least 30 states.

Originally, the hearing by the Senate’s health and education committee was framed   as an “update on progress toward safely getting back to work and back to school.”

But…

Officials will likely grapple with an inverse idea, as a group of states pause ! or reverse course ! on plans to reopen.

 

Johnny…

Very few things, at my age, level me.

The great John Malkovich falls into that category…

When are most of you going to get around to watching Rounders…NO more excuses.

RIDING TO THE RESCUE?

There’s NOTHING like a Sunday night napalm NFL news story when relates to my New England Patriots.

NO…TB12 hasn’t change his mind.

And, yes, as of this moment, NONE of us are confident about a 2020 National Football League (NFL) season.

But…

From the darkness of the offices of Bill Belichick, the Pats have agreed in principle, pending a passed physical, to sign Cam Newton to a one-year deal, which could be worth up to $7.5 million.

Newton, arguably the most high-profile player left on the open market, was released March 24th by Carolina, where he spent the last nine seasons after being drafted with the first overall pick in 2011.

Newton, who won the national championship and the Heisman at Auburn, has thrown for 29,401 yards with 182 TDs and 108 interceptions as a professional. One of the most athletic players to ever play the position and among the league’s top dual-threat QBs, the 6-foot-5-inch, 248-pounder has 4,806 rushing yards and added 58 TDs.

That said, the last three seasons for Newton have been riddled with one injury after another.

I don’t how I feel yet about the signing of a prima donna like Cam.

What I do know is the wearing of a fedora with ostrich feathers sticking out of it won’t fly with Belichick!

Also, for ALL you haters of the dynasty out there, the Patriots will be disciplined for videotaping the Cincinnati Bengals’ sideline during a December 2019 game between the Bengals and the Cleveland Browns with a $1.1 million fine, and loss of a third-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

 

 

AS EARLY AS JANUARY

With the massive coverage given to the spread of the Coronavirus over the past week, many of us have missed a story that deserves “strobe light” attention.

Last Thursday evening, the New York Times reported on how American intelligence officials had concluded that a Russian military intelligence unit secretly offered bounties to Taliban-linked militants for killing coalition forces !!! in Afghanistan – specifically pointed toward targeting American troops.

US intelligence officers and Special Operations forces in Afghanistan alerted their superiors as early as January !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! to this suspected Russian plot to pay bounties.

Interrogations of captured militants and criminals played a central role in making the intelligence community confident in its assessment that the Russians had offered and paid bounties in 2019.

The crucial information that led the spies and commandos to focus on the bounties included the recovery of a large amount of American cash from a raid on a Taliban outpost that prompted suspicions.

The 45th president defended himself by denying the Times story that he had been briefed on the intelligence, expanding on a similar White House rebuttal last week.

But…

Leading congressional Democrats and some Republicans have demanded a response to Russia that the administration has yet to authorize.

Trump said last night on Twitter that “Intel just reported to me that they did not find this info credible, and therefore did not report it to me or @VP.”

If such accusations are true, it demonstrates the folly of cooperation with Russia against international terrorism, as well as the folly of relying on peace agreements with the Taliban.

Under a competent administration, the Executive branch would have ALREADY briefed  Congress [especially the Gang of 8] and asked for its concurrence in a covert or military response to such activities, when detected.

THE DEEPENING CASH CRUNCH

From dwindling patient counts to the confusing reimbursement landscape, the financial challenges are causing hospitals to shut down, or file for bankruptcy.

At least 42 hospitals across the the country have closed or entered bankruptcy this year, and the suffering revenue flows caused by the COVID-19 pandemic may force more hospitals to do the same before the year is out.

According to a report from the American Hospital Association, COVID-19 has created a cash crunch for many hospitals across the nation.

They’re estimated to lose $200 billion between March 1st and the end of this month.

More than $161 billion of the expected revenue losses will have come from cancelled services, including non-elective surgeries and outpatient treatment.

ROARING PASSED 10 MILLION

The numbers are mind-boggling…

Cases of the Coronavirus have now passed the 10 million plateau – world-wide, while deaths approached half a million, with cases continuing to surge in the US, as some states took steps to reverse !!! their reopenings.

According to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, the US recorded more than 42,000 cases yesterday, lower than the recorded 42,255 on Friday, but the second straight daily total over 40,000!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Florida, Texas, California, and Arizona lead the pack.

The US accounts for more than 25% ! of the just over 10 million cases world-wide, according to data from Johns Hopkins, which many healthcare experts say likely understates !!! the toll of the pandemic.