[NYDAILYNEWS] Sex trafficking was a family affair for the Melendez-Rojas brothers ‐ and now they may spend the rest of their lives together in prison.Mexican nationals Jose Osvaldo Melendez-Rojas, 43, Rosalio Melendez-Rojas, 38, Jose Miguel Melendez-Rojas, 43 and two Queens relatives were all found guilty of spending the last decade running an international sex trafficking ring where girls were smuggled into the U.S. with promises of a better life, then forced to work as hookers, authorities said.
A Brooklyn federal jury on Friday convicted the three brothers, along with nephew Francisco Melendez-Perez, 25, and cousin Abel Romero-Melendez, 33, of sex trafficking, money laundering, sex trafficking conspiracy and interstate prostitution.
During the two-week trial in Brooklyn Federal Court, several victims broke down in tears as they testified how the siblings would threaten their families if the girls didn’t do what they wanted.
At least six victims from ages 14 to early 20s were ferried to clients in apartments in Flushing and Corona in Queens. The five men created a bargain basement escort service, where drivers took the women to clients and charged $30 for a 15-minute session.
During a seven-hour shift, the girls would have sexual relations with 15 to 20 men, prosecutors said.
"Every night before each shift (the defendants) gave their victims a set of condoms," federal prosecutor Erin Argo said in her closing argument. "And every night after each shift they counted the ones that remained to make sure they had gotten every cent their victims had been paid."
Drivers also advertised the prostitution ring by handing out "chica cards" on main commercial strips like Roosevelt Ave. in Queens that had phone numbers where people can call and request prostitution services, Argo said.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/15/2020 00:00 ||
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#1
But who -- Ruritanian? Gringo? --
Had the spirit to boom Tenancingo?
Right at AMLO's front door:
"Western Union, señor!"
And to do it, indeed, en domingo?
[Space.com] UPDATE: SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket experienced an abort at the T-0 mark for today's launch due to an engine power issue. Details to follow as available.
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
03/15/2020 09:31 ||
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[TECHNOLOGYREVIEW] In October 2014, Ezekiel Emanuel
... President Obama’s pet utilitarian ethicist, who admitted to lying to the public about Obamacare because it's important, and who continues to lie about it each time he opens his mouth...
published an essay in the Atlantic called "Why I Hope to Die at 75." Because Emanuel is a medical doctor and chair of the University of Pennsylvania’s department of medical ethics and health policy, as well as a chief architect of Obamacare ...aka the Affordable Care Act, an ineptly designed and worse executed piece of legislation designed to bring 17 percent of the U.S. economy under the direct control of the government. The previous iteration, known as Hillarycare, was laughed out of Washington. This stinker was passed on a party-line vote without being read... , the article stirred enormous controversy.
Emanuel vowed to refuse not only heroic medical interventions once he turned 75, but also antibiotics and vaccinations. His argument: older Americans live too long in a diminished state, raising the question of, as he put it, "whether our consumption is worth our contribution."
Emanuel was born into a combative clan. One brother, Rahm, recently completed two terms as the controversial mayor of reliably Democrat Chicago, aka The Windy City or Mobtown ...home of Al Capone, the Chicago Black Sox, a succession of Daleys, Barak Obama, and Rahm Emmanuel... ; another brother, Ari, is a high-profile Hollywood agent. But even given his DNA, Emanuel’s death wish was a provocative argument from a medical ethicist and health-care expert.
Emanuel, now 62, talked with me about the social implications of longevity research and why he isn’t a fan of extending life spans. I was particularly curious to get his reaction to several promising new anti-aging drugs. So we can say goodbye to this aged prune in another thirteen years? Or will he be Too Important to The Movement to peg out? I vote the entire Emanuel line off the island Earth
#12
I'm with Raj. Why is this moron still using our air?
Posted by: Whiskey Mike ||
03/15/2020 10:36 Comments ||
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#13
It may be that an 18-year old Chinese factory girl produces more widgets than her 85-year old grandma back in the sticks, but that doesn't mean that grandma isn't absolutely essential to the family's well-being. Contributions comes in many shapes and sizes.
But, once again, we've got a socialist who knows better than God who should live and for how long.
Posted by: Matt ||
03/15/2020 10:45 Comments ||
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#14
Ever notice how these advocates for age-based solutions are never in the age range.
#16
An "ethicist" who believes old people should be exterminated?
Such is the ethics of the left. Just extending Abortion, which targets the young and defenseless to include the old and defenseless. (Exempting people like #1's Richard Aubrey of course)
#17
But Sarah Palin was an idiot for pointing out the death panels in Obamacare plans...right?
Posted by: Frank G ||
03/15/2020 12:01 Comments ||
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#18
When I was about 20, I said I didn't want to live past 60. My friend said, "Wait until you're 59".
I never forgot that.
Posted by: Bobby ||
03/15/2020 12:22 Comments ||
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#19
"whether our consumption is worth our contribution."
Strictly speaking, mine has not been since I got sick in 2001. But Mr. Wife firmly believes I have nonetheless somehow still enabled him to make the kind of contributions that vicious ass would find valuable for both of us. As Matt said
but that doesn't mean that grandma isn't absolutely essential to the family's well-being. Contributions comes in many shapes and sizes.
#21
tw, I have no doubt that you brighten any room you walk into.
My mother, who grew up during the Depression and didn't finish school so that her brothers could, died at an advanced age. Within a few months, the extended family fell apart. It turned out that old lady was the linchpin of the whole operation, in ways that I can't begin to explain. And, grom, if this guy had stopped by and suggested that my mother had no further right to live, he and I would have had an extended disagreement.
Posted by: Matt ||
03/15/2020 13:29 Comments ||
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#22
So, does he argue that people who are disabled should be denied medical care? People in wheel chairs (like Steven Hawking), children with Down's Syndrome, someone who had a stroke?
And I hope I am alive to laugh at him when he finally turns 75.
Posted by: Rambler in Virginia ||
03/15/2020 13:51 Comments ||
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#25
Off the pile re p2k's comment on the late erosion of filial piety...
"Go away," snarled a young Potawatomi,
"Or at least get a goddamn lobotomy.
Although you adore me
And more or less bore me,
I'm sorry, my feelz sez, 'You bother me!'"
#26
So, does he argue that people who are disabled should be denied medical care? People in wheel chairs (like Steven Hawking), children with Down's Syndrome, someone who had a stroke?
Probably. Quite a lot of medical "ethicists" argue things like that. I got antiquated with their work after my wife gave birth to a child with Down syndrome. You see, many academics have a hard time seeing a life as having any kind of "quality" if the person in question can't read books like Simone DeBeauvoir's The Second Sex and talk about it at faculty parties. And this creeps into their attitudes, which ends up in their work.
This is also part of the problem with being an atheist. There are no uncross-able lines, so the unthinkable easily becomes the thinkable.
#27
Well, death panels can work both ways, just sayin'.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
03/15/2020 19:54 Comments ||
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#28
As you know I don't like Trump.
But I'm currently watching the "debate" Biden/Sanders.
I pray for the United States. And for us all.
Posted by: European Conservative ||
03/15/2020 20:42 Comments ||
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#29
As I recall In England medical care can be denied to the right thinking types. Then in Denmark Americans are sharing information that is not allowed on their local internet. An iron curtain so to speak has enveloped that country.
#30
#28 As you know I don't like Trump.But I'm currently watching the "debate" Biden/Sanders.
I pray for the United States. And for us all.
- European Conservative
Admitted that Trump is a vulgarian. Loud, brash, undisciplined, offensive.
He is however a necessary corrective to 30+ years of sleepwalking - disastrous sleepwalking, as it turns out - by dim witted and arrogant western elites who, drunk on their good fortune in watching the USSR miraculously self-diesteuct with nary a shot in anger, squandered our good fortune through stupid policies based on a facile misreading of human nature and of historical processes.
If you don't like Teump, then blame the elites.
Blame Obama and Merkel.
Blame Goldman Sachs and the New York Times and the Kennedy School and Henry Kissinger.
Blame McCain, and Romney, and the Bushes and the Clintons and Kerry and George Tenet and Tommy Frank and the D.C. national security establishment.
It was these individuals' and these institutions' March of Folly, as Barbara Tuchman put it, that led this country into disaster after disaster after disaster.
Disasteous immigration policies. Who thought it was a good idea to flood the low-end labor market with tens of millions - TENS of MILLIONS - of semi-literate shit-wage imported helots?
Disastrous land wars in Asia. (Did we learn nothing from Alexander's experience, from that of the British, or if the Russians? Nothing?)
And worst of all, the utterly foolish embrace and assisted rise, from third-world hellhole to superpower and global rival, of a corrupt and dishonest and nasty and implacably hostile power in China.
Unbelievable incompetence. Criminal stupidity.
And no one -- NO ONE -- in our establishment was willing to call bullshit on this trifecta of stupidity, this unanswered succession of own goals, the ball flying into our own net, again and again. And again.
Until this supposedly crazy man, the reality-show star and Barnum buffoon, stepped forth a bd asked three inconvenient questions:
Why the f--- did we import another underclass?
Why the f--- are we still pushing on a string, nearly TWO DECADES LATER, fighting inconclusive land wars in Asia?
Why the f--- did we destroy our manufacturing base and our middle class and build up COMMUNIST CHINA, of all places?
You see the Orange Buffoon.
The rest of us see the little boy in the Hand CHRISTIAN Andersen story who said, "But the Emperor isn't wearing any clothes!"
The Emperor's ugly pimply arse has been exposed for all to see.
There's no going back to the idiotic Global Grifter hegemony, EC. Those days are gone.
Trump will have four more years. And then the real messiah will arrive--- remember, Trump is merely the wild man crying in the desert in his animal skins, screaming Repent!
Trump is the symptom of an era of colossal stupidity. An era that has already ended.
#31
Lex, I agree with many of your points. I just feel that Trump shouldn't have been the answer to these points.
I still remember Reagan's Challenger speech.
Posted by: European Conservative ||
03/15/2020 23:02 Comments ||
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#32
You said Brexit couldn't happen. Impossible! Defies reason, the laws of, well, the laws of uh law and un reason.
And Brexit happened.
Trump haters said we couldn't get Mexico to stop its cynical and wicked exportation of humans -- as a greedy and vile means of ridding itself of discontented, oppressed campesinos and grabbing foreign currency repatriations amounting to ~1% of that country's entire GDP.
And yet Mexico complied with our demands, and cracked down on the millions rushing its and our borders.
Trump haters howled when OrangeMan wielded the tariff cudgel against that shitty and hostile rival, China. Horrors! What about global trade, what about our supply chains, what about shitty stupid shiny cheap electronic junk made in China under the unemployed/laid-off US factory worker's family Christmas tree??
And Trump hit China, and China capitulated, and the economy did not rank -- soared, in fact.
And now, finally, thanks to China's typically shitty and nasty and brutally incompetent handling of yet another Chinese low-grade infection, the rest of the world recognizes at long last the terminal idiocy of making this shorty and rapacious country the new Workshop of the World.
And we will end our dependence on China.
It's over. Auf wiedersehen. Пока, парень. Bye bye.
Rejoice.
Life will be vastly better for our children, and their children, than it was for the vast majority of those Americans born in the last 50 or so years.
#1
The PC has been mature for ten years now. The first 35 years was constant evolution, but the technology during the past ten years hasn't changed much and really can't be improved on any more with current hardware platforms.
#2
There are still times when my top of the line Android phone is as pokey as a PC XT with 360k floppy drive. But we are assured ARM processors will soon outstrip Xeons. Color me skeptical.
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
03/15/2020 5:38 Comments ||
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#3
Last two years Warren Boofay has managed to lose money on a scale only he and a few others can afford. Maybe his friend Bill can do the same for the gerbil worming scam now that he can give it more attention. One can hope...
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
03/15/2020 7:36 Comments ||
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[Jpost] For context, the outbreak was only first brought to the attention of the World Health Organization at the end of December.
Newly reviewed data from the Chinese government reveals that patient zero of the coronavirus ...the twenty first century equivalent of bubonic plague, only instead of killing off a third of the population of Europe it kills 3.4 percent of those who notice they have it. It seems to be fond of the elderly, especially Iranian politicians and holy men... outbreak may have been infected earlier than previously believed, The South China Morning Post reported.
According to the data, which has not yet been made public, the COVID-19 virus was likely first contracted by a 55-year-old man from China's Hubei Province on November 17, 2019.
For context, the outbreak was only first brought to the attention of the World Health Organization at the end of December.
However, women are made to be loved, not understood... this data is far from conclusive, as increasing reviews of the data from the Chinese government keep placing the beginning of the outbreak further and further back.
Since November 17, one to five new cases were reported on a daily basis, slowly increasing as time went on. On December 15, 27 cases were confirmed. By December 20, that number had jumped to 60. The year 2019 ended with 266 cases, and ended the first day of 2020 with over 380. While the first nine cases were reported in November, it is unknown if any of them are patient zero.
However, women are made to be loved, not understood... it is possible that there could have been earlier cases.
"The findings might indicate that the coronavirus started circulating weeks before the first cases were officially diagnosed and reported," wrote Business Insider's Holly Secon.
However, women are made to be loved, not understood... time running out to find patient zero, as the increasing number of infections means its harder to identify the source of it all.
The coronavirus outbreak first rose to international attention at the end of 2019, with the epicenter of the outbreak being the city of Wuhan in China's Hubei Province. Since then, it has spread across the world, infecting well over 100,000 people and killing thousands.
Now MEXICO Worries About U.S. Border, Could Restrict Amid Coronavirus Fears
[THEGATEWAYPUNDIT] Mexico is mulling measures it may take with its northern border over fears that coronavirus ...the twenty first century equivalent of bubonic plague, only instead of killing off a third of the population of Europe it kills 3.4 percent of those who notice they have it. It seems to be fond of the elderly, especially Iranian politicians and holy men... will spread from the U.S., health officials said on Friday.
The country has has confirmed 16 cases of coronavirus with no deaths, while there are more than 1,800 cases in the United States, where 41 people have died.
Mexico’s deputy health minister Hugo Lopez-Gatell said contagion from the United States is a threat, Rooters reported.
"Mexico wouldn’t bring the virus to the United States, rather the United States would bring it here," he said at a news conference "The possible flow of coronavirus would come from the north to the south."
"If it were technically necessary, we would consider mechanisms of restriction or stronger surveillance," he said.
For his part, President Trump contends that the coronavirus only strengthens his argument that a wall is needed to secure the U.S. southern border.
Total number of coronavirus cases rises to 6 in Turkey
[DAILYSABAH] The Sick Man of Europe Turkey ...Qatar's satrapy in Asia Minor... confirmed a sixth case of the coronavirus ...the twenty first century equivalent of bubonic plague, only instead of killing off a third of the population of Europe it kills 3.4 percent of those who notice they have it. It seems to be fond of the elderly, especially Iranian politicians and holy men... after a Ottoman Turkish citizen who had returned from Soddy Arabia ...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face... within the past week tested positive, the health minister said on Saturday.
Minister Fahrettin Koca said the government was concerned about the new cases and urged citizens to administer self-quarantine for 14 days after returning from abroad. "Having passed health screening tests does not mean you don’t carry any risks," Koca said.
The new case is the first diagnosis that is not related to the five cases previously confirmed. Those were all family members of the Ottoman Turkish man who contracted the virus during his travel to Europe.
Koca said the government is working on launching a special coronavirus hotline, which will help citizens determine if they are infected with the virus known as COVID-19.
Matt Colvin, a former Air Force technical sergeant, defended his actions as solving “inefficiencies in the marketplace,” in that hawking these products for profit online potentially sends them to areas of the country where it’s harder to get them. “There’s a crushing, overwhelming demand in certain cities right now,” he explained. “The Dollar General DG, +2.70% in the middle of nowhere outside of Lexington, Ky., doesn’t have that.”
[Khaama (Afghanistan)] Kabul Police arrested a man in connection with the suspicious murder of four members of a single family, the Kabul Police Commandment said.
According to a statement released by Kabul Police Commandment, the police force arrested the perpetrator, Abdul Majeed, during a special raid which they conducted in Kabul city.
The statement further added that Majeed is accused of murdering his father, mother, brother and nephew on 8th of March in the vicinity of Qala-e Barqi in the 8th district of the city.
The Kabul Police Commandment also added that the family members of the dear departed confirm that Majeed is directly involved in the brutal murder of his parents, brother and nephew.
Majeed is currently in the custody of the police forces where he is undergoing an in-depth investigation, the Kabul Police Commandment added.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/15/2020 00:00 ||
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Hat tip to Dr. Steve, who thought this might interest us here at Rantburg. A taste:
[EvieMagazine] Among the biggest Royal scandals you may not have heard of today is the divorce between the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum, and his wife, the Jordanian Princess Haya. Even though Meghan and Harry are still dominating the press regarding news of Royals, there’s another significant Royal scandal you need to pay attention to - the story about Princess Haya and why she has fled to the West.
Princess Haya was one of the many wives (#6) of the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum. Born of Jordanian Royalty, she is the half-sister of Prince Abdullah, husband of the very popular and beautiful Queen Rania of Jordan. The Jordanian royal family, if you’re unaware, closely resembles the British model: Princes and princesses have patronage, run organizations, and are highly visible. Princess Haya of Jordan, however, fell for a man who ran a very different kind of monarchy, Sheikh Mohammed of Dubai.
Haya married Sheikh Mohammed in 2004 and was known as his “public wife” because she was perhaps the only wife of the Emir of Dubai who was often seen accompanying him on his official royal engagements. Modern and glamorous, she was seen as a natural fit for this role because she represents a more conventionally Western image of women in the Middle East as contrasted to the more stereotypically oppressed, hijab covered women in the Arab world.
But on April 15, 2019, Princess Haya left Dubai with her children Sheikha Jalila (12 years old) and Sheikh Zayed (8 years old) to reside in the United Kingdom. There, she is seeking the protection of the British courts to grant her custodial rights of her children from the Emir because she was said to be “afraid for her life.”
... The reason why Princess Haya wanted to escape is simple: she is a mother who feared for the future of her children. She is a mother looking out for her children. According to statements made by Princess Haya during their divorce proceedings, the Sheikh arranged for their 12-year-old daughter to be married off to a Saudi Prince, a man who was 22 years the girl’s senior.
[Hot Air] Continuing my quest for some non-virus related news this weekend (and there’s precious little of it out there, folks), I ran across a recent survey out of Great Britain that appears to reflect some of the shifting attitudes around the world when it comes to the subject of UFOs and the possibility of extraterrestrial life visiting Earth. We previously looked at the reasons why Gallup decided to poll Americans on the topic again last year and what that survey revealed. But this British survey goes much further than simply asking people if they believe there might be life elsewhere in the universe.
This poll jumps straight past any sort of scientific theories about whether or not there might be alien microbes hitching rides on asteroids and goes straight to Hollywood. Fox UK asked 2,000 people if they thought aliens might be preparing to invade our planet and potentially even attack us. And of the Brits surveyed, more than half of them thought it might happen in our lifetimes.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law on constitutional changes that could keep him in power for another 16 years, a step that must still be approved in a nationwide vote. https://t.co/opMHbC4nQqpic.twitter.com/elf78Xe0hv
[BBC] According to German media, the borders will grudgingly close at 08:00 (07:00 GMT) on Monday.
However, goods will continue to flow between the countries and commuters may still cross the borders.
The aim is to contain coronavirus but also reportedly to curb panic-buying by foreigners which has led to some supply problems in the border regions.
Germany has seen at least nine deaths with coronavirus and 4,585 cases of infection.
Posted by: Matt ||
03/15/2020 11:40 ||
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#1
We just ended a city council meeting. Bavaria (and Munich, unfortunately a hot spot) will go into an almost complete lock down tomorrow. Bars will be closed, most restaurants and shops will see drastic measures (and close down the next days anyway).
Municipal elections did take place today. Measures will be announced when poll stations close at 6pm.
Austria has enacted even stricter measures. Any assembly of more than 5 people is not allowed anymore.
Germany will close borders to France, Switzerland, Austria an Denmark tomorrow. Poland and the Czech Republic have already closed their borders. Goods will still be transported. Very wise measures. Thanks for your participation in all of this decision making if applicable (and I'll bet you are a part of it) EC.
Posted by: European Conservative ||
03/15/2020 12:29 Comments ||
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#2
Prayers for all involved, European Conservative. Hopefully your part of the world will soon be over the peak and down the the recovery side of the curve — even more hopefully without overloading hospitals like they are in Italy.
#3
I was going to snark about Frau Merkel's attitude toward borders, but this is too serious. Normal snarking will resume in 30 days.
Posted by: Matt ||
03/15/2020 13:05 Comments ||
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#4
Though we in northwest Washington State, US, are not at the situation you face, EC, the screws are slowly tightening. M'Lady is a contract school psychologist, and the governor has closed all schools effective Tuesday 17 May.
She will be required to work remotely as her psychological services are required. I am working remotely from Alaska engineering.
We are staying away from crowds and have laid up supplies for quite a while, which we usually do.
I hope that you and yours are safe and prepared. We will all get through this. Best wishes from across the pond.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
03/15/2020 13:07 Comments ||
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#5
Thank you TW
The U.S. is going to experience the same. German hospitals should be able to deal with the situation. 25000 beds with ventilators, this should suffice.
The exponential curve must come down. In Germany, we have 30% increase per day. The drastic measures should bring this down.
Posted by: European Conservative ||
03/15/2020 13:14 Comments ||
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#6
Alaska Paul
Thank you as well. I think you will face the same situation in about a week, once testing shows that your numbers aren't any better than here.
We noticed a difference between Bavaria (pop. 1,300,000) and North Rhine Westphalia (pop. 1,700,000). Bavaria has 682 cases, NRW has 2100 . The reason? NRW had an early hotspot they didn't seal off, 10 km away a football match with 60,000 people took place, and Carnival played a role, too.
Posted by: European Conservative ||
03/15/2020 13:25 Comments ||
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#7
population 13,000,000 and 17,000,000 of course
Posted by: European Conservative ||
03/15/2020 13:26 Comments ||
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#8
Off topic.
European Conservative, yesterday you asked if quarantine is being enforced. Here is one case in Kentucky where it is, though this is a confirmed coronavirus infection, and the patient ran away from the hospital.
A CORONAVIRUS patient in Kentucky has been placed under 24/7 armed guard after refusing to self-isolate.
Gov. Andy Beshear said the state had to make the unusual move to protect others nearby.
Deputies are now stationed outside the 53-year-old man's house around-the-clock in Nelson County.
"It's a step I hoped I never had to take, but we can't allow one person who we know has this virus to refuse to protect their neighbors," Gov. Beshear told reporters.
The unidentified man is the only coronavirus patient in the county, and officials were worried that he could infect others.
A total of 18 people have tested positive in Kentucky.
The patient had left the hospital without permission, according to TV station WDRB.
"We've got to make sure that people who have tested positive, that we know could be spreading the virus, and simply refuse to do the right thing, do the right thing," the governor said, according to the Herald Leader.
County Judge-Executive Dean Watts declared a state of emergency and invoked an obscure statute to allow the forced self-quarantine, the newspaper reported.
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
03/15/2020 14:37 Comments ||
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#10
TW I understand.
Here in Germany, the Gesundheitsamt can order a mandatory quarantine, if you have been tested positive or if you have been in close contact with someone who has been tested positive (which of course means that the whole household is quarantined.
This quarantine means that you must not leave your home, not even for grocery shopping. Articles may be delivered to your door.
If you don't follow these rules you could be arrested.
Posted by: European Conservative ||
03/15/2020 14:49 Comments ||
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#11
OK, I can't be the only English speaker who chuckles at "Gesundheitsamt". No offense to the Germans or their language, but to us it sounds like a government office dedicated to reacting to people's sneezes.
Posted by: European Conservative ||
03/15/2020 16:09 Comments ||
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#17
Who ARE these people who continue to queue up and travel via air, or boat for that matter? Close the airports to international travel until this mess is cleaned up. COME ON people.
I just watched the Gov. of IL on Fox News tell everyone that the State would continue to the school lunch program. WTF ?
#18
Besoeker, these are people returning from Europe.
Posted by: European Conservative ||
03/15/2020 16:18 Comments ||
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#19
Airports are handling this irresponsibly. Waiting in thick crowds for 5 hours to be screened? What could possibly go wrong?
Posted by: European Conservative ||
03/15/2020 16:22 Comments ||
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#20
Returning from Europe... just now? Have they been in medically induced coma for the last 2-3 weeks? Shelter in fok'n place and enjoy the schnitzel and Hefeweizen until it blows over.
#21
AP, my son-in-law and daughter are both teachers in Yelm and, while school is not in session, they still have to go in and the doors are not locked. assume so students can access library, retrieve personal gear, etc.
their daughter just came home from college on east side (not WSU) and is offering to babysit for parents that have to work. not entirely sure I like that idea; for either party.
For all Burgers; do a drive-by or call that elderly or live alone neighbor to just say hi and if they need anything picked up while you are out. the karma might come back around if you need to shut down.
#23
Good luck to you EC and the Germans. We have already started shutting down everything in Colorado. I'm Work From Home until further notice and have a few weeks of supplies if a hard lockdown comes down.
#24
I can only give one recommendation. You may (and only may) be a few days behind the European curve. Which gives you the opportunity to act a few days earlier than we. Every day counts.
Don't ask what it will cost. It will cost a lot but it will cost more tomorrow, and you will have to do it anyway.
We don't see too many problems with supplies. We noticed that in Italy, grocery stores are well stocked. We expect some disruptions, so you may not get your favorite brand of cheese. But you will get cheese.
The measures I recommend nationwide:
Identify hot spots and seal them off. If New York has a lot more cases than New Jersey, New Yorkers need to stay put and people from New Jersey should not enter without a good reason. One German land had an early hotspot and didn't seal it off in time. That's how infections exploded in this land.
Close all schools, universities, bars, restaurants (delivery is ok) and just about any venue where people meet.
See to it that people are not afraid to be diagnosed with the virus and be quarantined. Nobody who is quarantined should lose a dollar. Quarantine is in the public interest.
Protect the elderly. Don't walk into a senior residence. But we decided that it's ok if relatives meet their grandparents OUTSIDE the residence, if they take appropriate protective measures.
Avoid public transport if you can. At least in Munich, this is quite feasible. Get some exercise with your bike. It's springtime, folks!
Austria wants to make people stay inside except for grocery shopping of going to work (if you can't work from home). But we decided that walking in a park should be no issue if you keep the appropriate distance. This is not World War Z. And people won't tolerate prison conditions for very long. A good mood helps, too.
If you're healthy, offer help, e.g. shopping for people in quarantine.
Don't despair: If we follow these measures, infection rates will drop. We've never had these kind of measures. They could actually starve the virus to death.
Posted by: European Conservative ||
03/15/2020 22:36 Comments ||
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#25
I might add that I personally closed a cafe today within minutes when I walked by before the meeting and saw a waitress outside sneezing in her hand and then touching the rim of the cup she served with it. It took one phone call to police. Within 5 minutes officers appeared and closed it.
Posted by: European Conservative ||
03/15/2020 22:48 Comments ||
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#26
The stores here have been devastated. Most shelves are bare. Fortunately, I have seen pallets of resupply for the stores, but hopefully supplies can keep up with the panic demand.
[BIZPACREVIEW] "An apple a day keeps the doctor away," the old saying goes.
But what do you have to consume to protect yourself from coronavirus ...the twenty first century equivalent of bubonic plague, only instead of killing off a third of the population of Europe it kills 3.4 percent of those who notice they have it. It seems to be fond of the elderly, especially Iranian politicians and holy men... ? According to one Hindu group in India, the answer is simple ‐ a tall glass of cow urine.
Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha (All India Hindu Union) will be hosting a cow urine drinking party to test their belief that the golden substance will help protect their bodies against the pandemic known as COVID-19. Because their religion says that cows are sacred, their urine is alleged to have medicinal properties.
"We have been drinking cow urine for 21 years, we also take bath in cow dung. We have never felt the need to consume English medicine," said Om Prakash, one of the pee party attendees.
It’s not just some small, no-name group that is pushing this idea either. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist party is pushing the idea that cow urine can be used to treat and even cure diseases from coronavirus to cancer.
Medical experts do not agree with this particular method and further disagree with the assertion that cow urine holds medicinal effects. As such, they don’t recommend consuming the substance.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/15/2020 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11127 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
What kind of diseases can you get from drinking cow urine?
[YNet] - capabilities could include real-time tracking of infected persons’ mobile phones to spot quarantine breaches and backtracking through meta-data to figure out where they had been and who they had contacted, experts say. Should I be happy, or should I be sad?
#5
If it is alcohol based, they shouldn't use it since it is haram.
I've heard of medical professionals in the UK who refuse to use alcohol based disinfectants.
Posted by: Rambler in Virginia ||
03/15/2020 13:07 Comments ||
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[JPost] - An Israeli start-up company that developed an anti-pathogen fabric that could be used in masks to stop the spread of coronavirus is donating its first product ‐ some 120,000 masks ‐ to Israeli hospitals, medical professionals and coronavirus patients.
"Sonovia Ltd. is determined to use its novel technology for the good of the State of Israel," the company said in a release. "In this crucial period, it is hoped that our efforts will help curtail the number of clinical cases of Coronavirus we see in Israel in the upcoming weeks and months."
h/t Hot Air
In a paper published Friday in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Casadevall and a colleague, Dr. Liise-anne Pirofski, argued that collecting blood serum or plasma from previously infected people might be the best hope for treating severe cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, at least until a better treatment can be developed. We call it "passive vaccination" (see wiki article) and nowadays there is methods from producing the necessary antibodies from animals* - first producing the immunizing protein in bacterial factories - "Protein production" (wiki)) and not bleeding people - it's 21st century not medieval Transilvania!
*cf.
#5
On the other hand, if in 20 years or so, some of the people who get this treatment get cancer or something, people will sue the FDA, the group who developed the process, and everyone else involved. Of course by then everyone will have forgotten the Wuhan flue.
Posted by: Rambler in Virginia ||
03/15/2020 13:04 Comments ||
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#6
"So there I lay, snug in my bed, when it crashed through the roof and bruised my hip!"
The TOF Spot via Instapundit
In which the author explicates some elementary probability theory to show that why universal testing for COVID-19 is a silly idea
As an aid to another discussion elsewhere regarding the latest pandemic, consider the effect of screening for the Dreaded Red Squamish of which, unbeknownst even to Health Care Professionals, infects 5% of the population.
The test, which includes the person administering it, the instruments, conditions, and all what have you, is known to be 95% sensitive -- of those with the Squamish, the test will come back positive 95% of the time -- and 95% specific -- of those without the Squamish, the test will come back negative 95% of the time.
Perceptive Reader will notice that this means a 5% risk of a false positive and a 5% risk of a false negative. The Usual Suspects may cry, "No fair!" because they want Daddy and Mommy to ensure 100% perfect. [When do we want it? Now!] But the sensitivity is about normal for lab tests while the specificity is actually better than normal. (As an example of lack of specificity is the well-known ability of drug testing to detect the consumption of poppy seed bagels.) It is also hard to imagine that the 15,000th test will be performed with the same sprightly verve and enthusiasm as the 1st.
Now, test a million people for the Red Squamish, just in case.
Of course, 5% false positive or negative is way exaggerated - it's more like 20 - 30 % for each in most clinical tests. Yesterday I posted a comment where the authors discovered 50% false-positive
#1
Fixed the usual image glitch and deleted the double post. It may have been you, g(r)omgoru, or a stray gamma ray at just the wrong moment. Thank you for this useful explanation.
#4
Whew! That certainly was exciting. g(r)omgoru dear, please don’t put the original dimensions of the image into the HTML string in addition to your target dimensions — that seems to be what gave the Burg hiccups when so done in an article. I went back and deleted that part, and it all went back to normal. Why it’s fine your way in the comment that followed is a question I have no intention of trying to find an answer to — I am keenly aware of my limits in matters computer.
The vaccine skipped animal testing stage and will be used on healthy volunteers
If the 'genetic hack' proves safe, it will be used on patients who have coronavirus
Massachusetts-based Moderna made candidate cure but using unusual methods where messenger RNA stimulates the immune system to make proteins like the virus
It comes as scientists in the UK said vaccine could be tested on humans by June after encouraging results on mice
Thermo Fisher to produce millions of coronavirus diagnostic tests
[StatNews] Thermo Fisher, the largest maker of scientific tools, said Friday it plans to produce up to 5 million of a new test to detect the novel coronavirus that causes Covid-19. The company, based in Waltham, Mass., plans to reach that level of production by the week of April 3, according to Ron O’Brien, a company spokesman.
The Food and Drug Administration granted the new test an emergency clearance late Friday.
Before Friday, the U.S. had struggled to increase its capacity to test for the virus, a key step in trying to limit the damage of the pandemic it is causing. According to a count kept by the American Enterprise Institute, a think tank, the country currently has the ability to run 26,000 tests a day. Another diagnostic test, made by Roche, was approved Friday morning. Roche said it could manufacture 400,000 tests a week.
#1
Thermo Fisher, the largest maker of scientific tools, said Friday it plans to produce up to 5 million of a new test to detect the novel coronavirus that causes Covid-19.
#2
the US may already be in the recovery stage when a vaccine is approved
but since the virus will likely show up again next year or the next or the next, it is still good that the vaccine is being developed
with respect to the testing kits, I think we would be at least a week or two ahead of where we are now except for dithering by the WHO, CDC and others.
Posted by: lord garth ||
03/15/2020 11:24 Comments ||
Top||
#1
Are E-bikes a huge problem for the French? It would seem that there are so many problems higher on the list of priorities. Reads like a Bloomberg dictum.
#2
Huge problem, probably not. But safety issues, yes. In France (and elsewhere), if it can go faster than 15 MPH, it's considered a moped, which means it needs upgraded brakes, head plus tail lights and turn-signals and so on to be legal. (Shouldn't be a problem with the current state of LED lighting.)
Kind of a shame really as France used to be a hotbed of innoviations in home build airplanes (Jodel, Cri-Cri, etc.), cars, just about anything mechanical and the like. Sadly, not anymore.
#3
My daddy said, "Son you better take a hike
If you don't driving that hot rod e-bike.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
03/15/2020 15:29 Comments ||
Top||
#4
Used to be some (gas) bikes buzzing around the neighborhood. Right out of Tati or Fellini. One would regularly swoop downhill across four lanes of traffic, Battle of Britain style, into an active parking lot. And then there were the wee hours bar and work runs. Not so much, lately. Same with scooterborne carpetbaggers after Katrina: very amusing for a time, and then there ain't as many of 'em as there was a while ago.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
...home of Al Capone, the Chicago Black Sox, a succession of Daleys, Barak Obama, and Rahm Emmanuel...
...the twenty first century equivalent of bubonic plague, only instead of killing off a third of the population of Europe it kills 3.4 percent of those who notice they have it. It seems to be fond of the elderly, especially Iranian politicians and holy men...
...the twenty first century equivalent of bubonic plague, only instead of killing off a third of the population of Europe it kills 3.4 percent of those who notice they have it. It seems to be fond of the elderly, especially Iranian politicians and holy men...
...the twenty first century equivalent of bubonic plague, only instead of killing off a third of the population of Europe it kills 3.4 percent of those who notice they have it. It seems to be fond of the elderly, especially Iranian politicians and holy men...
[Khaama (Afghanistan)] Kabul Police arrested a man in connection with the suspicious murder of four members of a single family, the Kabul Police Commandment said.
