WHO Keeps With Scaremongering, Warns Of Doom From More Variants

Nothing like some good old fashioned doom-saying to attempt to keep the peons under control, eh?

The WHO warns that the pandemic is not over and the world should expect ‘more dangerous variants to emerge’

The World Health Organization on Friday warned that the COVID-19 pandemic is not yet over and said there’s a possibility of new variants.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told attendees at the Munich Security Conference in Germany that vaccinations and the fact that Omicron has turned out to be a far less severe variant are “driving a dangerous narrative that the pandemic is over.”

“But it’s not. Not when 70,000 people a week are dying from a preventable and treatable disease,” Ghebreyesus added.

“Not when 83% of the population of Africa is yet to receive a single dose of vaccine,” he continued. “Not when health systems continue to strain and crack under the caseload. Not when we have a highly transmissible virus circulating almost unchecked, with too little surveillance to track its evolution.”

Except, Africa never really had a big problem with COVID. Their infection rates, and, especially their death and hospitalization rates, were way, way, way lower than in the 1st World.

Ghebreyesus also warned that the world should prepare for the potential of more variants to arise.

“In fact, the conditions are ideal for more transmissible, more dangerous variants to emerge,” he said.

At this point, not many want to listen anymore. He could be 100% correct. Maybe there will be more variants flowing around the world from the Chinese coronavirus. We don’t know. But, people are tired of the government authoritarianism. Freedom leaning folks were tired of it back in 2020. Leftists are getting tired of it now, hence why so many governments are removing masking mandates.

There were very few cities and counties left in North Carolina which had mask mandates, and almost all were run by Democrats. They originally stated, at least here in Raleigh and Wake County, that they would remove the reinstated mask mandates when the positivity rate was below 5%. Before Omicron hit it was around 3.2%, and they were still waiting. It’s well above 5% right now. So, why is it fine now but not fine then? It couldn’t possibly be due to there being an election in 2022, where the mayor is up for re-election, right? Same in most other places in NC.

Speaking of masks, the Washington Post does their normal crazy

‘A very toxic environment’: Virginia students navigate ugly mask battle

Alexandra Swan, 17, believes it is wrong to make snap judgments about other people.

But these days, when the senior walks through the doors of her high school in Louisa County, Va., she finds it hard to follow her own rules. Whenever she sees another student — friend, foe or stranger — her eyes jump to the same place: their mouth and nose, which might or might not be covered by a mask, now that Louisa County Public Schools has complied with Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s (R) controversial order that made masking optional.

“I see these people just not wearing a mask, or wearing one pulled down, like, under their chin,” said Swan, “and my brain just immediately goes, ‘That person does not share the same ideals as me. We won’t get along.’ ” She added: “They may not be a bad person. They may just be thinking the same things as their parents.”

That’s a serious bit of mask crazy, mask cult. In just 2 years many of the kids have been taught that anyone failing to wearing their mask to the conformance of the kids is a Bad Person, and, if not them, their parents. That they can’t be friends with that person. That having different ideals is Full Stop for being able to be friendly.

School now feels, Swan said, “like a war zone”: a raging partisan battle that no one can opt out of, because every single student arrives with evidence of their politics — those without masks typically lean right, she said — written across their faces. Swan said she has stopped speaking with students who go maskless because they are dismissive of the decision to mask and unwilling to hear a different opinion.

Good grief, it’s a mask cult. They maskers have been taught that a mask is only meant to protect others, not themselves, hence, it’s a war if others refuse to wear the masks, which mostly offer barely any actual protection.

Swan said she cannot wait to graduate and escape to college, where she plans to major in musical theater.

“Before, when masks were all required, you didn’t — it wasn’t like you were making a statement,” she said. “This made everything so much worse.”

Who’s surprised that the uber-mask cultist is going to major in a discipline that will most likely give little monetary reward, and most likely be one of those screeching for the government to cancel her huge student loan debt?

Read: WHO Keeps With Scaremongering, Warns Of Doom From More Variants »

If All You See…

…is a horrible bright day from too much carbon pollution, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is The First Street Journal, with a post on always checking the math.

BTW, I always get a kick out of photos like this, because they’re getting up at the crack of dawn, doing the hair, makeup, getting the clothes (or lack thereof) just right, going out somewhere to do this while most are waking up. You can tell the sun is just coming up.

Read: If All You See… »

Doctors Say No Need For Masking School Kids, The Danger Is Low

Just last week this was considered to be “dangerous dis/mis-information”, you know

WRAL would have been railing at people who were saying this over the last year plus. Seriously, we’ve known that the threat to children from COVID is very low since the beginning. We’ve known that there was little need for masks in schools since schools started reopening. That the masks would barely make any difference at all. Of course, the Experts are saying it’s OK only if the kids are vaccinated, despite kids having done well in school long before they were eligible for the shots, which are equivalent to getting a flu shot at this point.

Read: Doctors Say No Need For Masking School Kids, The Danger Is Low »

New Zealand Decides To Take Soft Approach On Protesters

Initially, New Zealand was getting a bit hard on the protesters protesting at their Parliament building, arresting some, playing loud music, turning on the sprinklers, and threatening them. Now

New Zealand Police Adopts “Hands-Off Approach” For Anti-Vaccine Protests

New Zealand police ruled out forcibly clearing anti-vaccination protesters camped around parliament in Wellington on Friday, saying they did not want to provoke violence on the streets of the capital.
Police have taken a hands-off approach after an attempt to take control of the lawns late last week resulted in violent clashes and 120 arrests.

Commissioner Andrew Coster acknowledged growing frustration among Wellington residents and business owners as protest vehicles blocked downtown streets for the 11th day.

But he insisted dialogue with the demonstration’s leaders was yielding positive results, even though the number of people squatting outside the legislature continues to swell.

“Enforcement action taken by police runs the real risk of injury to the public, escalation in numbers of people, and a transition away from a largely peaceful protest to violence,” Coster said.

Perhaps the Powers That Be realized that New Zealand actually has a Constitution which guarantees the right to protest the government and speak out against them, and it’s a really bad look to go after these protesters, as annoying as they may be. And that going after people can whip the citizens up even more. And that going after people engaged in Constitutionally protected protest can lead to Bad Things, such as the politicians getting voted out.

Those same politicians are surely watching what’s going on in Canada, with the government declaring war on people engaged in Constitutionally protected speech and protest, taking away those freedoms in a targeted manner because they are protesting government. The government is even violating their Charter of Rights and Freedoms by investigating military members who support the Freedom Truckers.

This is what happened

The Canadian government on Friday condemned an attack on a Coastal GasLink pipeline work camp in northern British Columbia, in which police said assailants brandishing axes threatened workers and damaged equipment. (snip)

Coastal GasLink said on Thursday approximately 20 masked attackers wearing camouflage surrounded a work site off a forest service road and attacked workers early in the morning. They wielded axes, fired flare guns and tried to set one vehicle on fire while workers were inside, the company said in a statement.

The workers fled and the attackers vandalized heavy equipment and construction trailers, causing millions of dollars worth of damage, the company added.

Trudeau “condemns”. But, he’s not insulting them, threatening them, not invoking emergency powers to shut them down and arrest them. Why? Because they aren’t protesting the government.

It doesn’t matter if you agree with the truckers or protesters in New Zealand (or Australia, France, other countries) who are against mandates: you either believe in freedom of speech, protest, and petitioning for redress of grievance for all or you don’t believe in it.

Read: New Zealand Decides To Take Soft Approach On Protesters »

Warmist John Kerry Says We Need To Act Like This Is An Existential Threat

By we, he means you

Not him (more below the more tag)

Read More »

Read: Warmist John Kerry Says We Need To Act Like This Is An Existential Threat »

Who’s Ready For The Next “Sticker Shock” From Chinese Flu/Brandon Economy?

At the end of the day, the main culprit in all this is China, for intentionally or unintentionally releasing COVID19. Not because someone at a bat or something. After that, you can blame politicians and bureaucrats and such “public health officials” for stoking too much fear, locking things down, shutting businesses down, and then keeping it going too long. Not just here in the U.S., but, many 1st World nations. Of course, some nations are recovering better than others. The U.S. was recovering well till Biden took office. Now? Not so much.

You’re already paying more for groceries and gas. Here’s where consumers will feel the next round of ‘sticker shock.’

Consumers may already be reeling from higher prices for things like groceries and energy, but S&P Global Ratings says inflation has more surprises in store.

“Packaged food and household products companies have yet to pass through all of
their price hikes, and so consumers will likely face more sticker shock before prices stabilize,” wrote Sarah Wyeth in a note published Thursday.

“As grocery and gas bills increasingly squeeze budgets, we expect that consumers will defer some expenditures and switch to less-expensive brands in the second half of the year.”

The U.S. inflation rate has reached a 40-year high of 7.5%. With prices heading north, some shoppers are already tightening their belts with the help of off-brand everyday goods.

But for many shoppers, government stimulus programs and other COVID-related conditions have offered a cushion.

Hmm, so all those programs are just pushing the pain off, and, really, making the coming pain worse.

The S&P forecasts that inflation will ultimately drive shoppers to more closely consider their budgets. Retailers will have to respond with discounts and other measures.

“We believe the credit quality improvement will slow in the year’s second half, as retailers will need to resort to sales and promotions to move products when consumers are less eager to shop.”

But, therein lies the problem: inventory quantity is already way, way down. It’s not really getting much better. Retailers can often not really afford to do big sales, because they do not have the amount of sales to be able to discount on quantity. Will there be enough in the 2nd half? Good thing Brandon is working hard to enact policies that make things worse.

Read: Who’s Ready For The Next “Sticker Shock” From Chinese Flu/Brandon Economy? »

Your Fault: China Sees Record Rainfall From COVID Shutdown

It just goes to prove that the climate cult will drag any and everything into their little cult world

Climate change: Covid shutdown linked to record rainfall in China

Scientists say that a rapid drop in emissions because of Covid played a key role in record rainfall in China in 2020.

The decline in greenhouse gases and small particles called aerosols caused atmospheric changes that intensified the downpours.

Hundreds of people died and millions more were evacuated during a summer of record rainfall.

But long-term cuts in emissions are unlikely to trigger similar events.

Many parts of eastern China experienced severe flooding in June and July in 2020. The researchers say the reductions in emissions contributed about one third of the extreme summer rain.

OK, so this is all China’s fault for releasing the Wuhan flu, intentionally or unintentional. And, more importantly, this goes to the notion of land use/urban heat island effect. A localized effect. This is not “global warming”. If it was, then long term cuts would cause the same thing, at least in the short term. Those short term changes in the smog and such from almost no activity changed the localized weather patterns.

Read: Your Fault: China Sees Record Rainfall From COVID Shutdown »

If All You See…

…are palm trees which will soon grow in Alaska year round, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is Moonbattery, with a post about being kicked of a flight for a Let’s Go Brandon mask.

Read: If All You See… »

California Declares Chinese Coronavirus To Be Endemic Or Something

Well, this is interesting. It was just 2 weeks ago that the California government was scaremongering and mandating and freaking out. What changed? Will their cases, which had spiked high, are way down, almost to where they were in August 2021, they were certainly freaking last August, and not even close to removing the mandates. They were putting in all sorts of mandates. Perhaps it was the live view of celebs and politicians blowing off masks at the Super Bowl?

California adopts nation’s 1st ‘endemic’ virus policy

California became the first state to formally shift to an “endemic” approach to the coronavirus with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s announcement Thursday of a plan that emphasizes prevention and quick reaction to outbreaks over mandated masking and business shutdowns.

The milestone, nearly two years in the making, envisions a return to a more normal existence with the help of a variety of initiatives and billions in new spending to more quickly spot surges or variants, add health care workers, stockpile tests and push back against false claims and other misinformation.

“We are moving past the crisis phase into a phase where we will work to live with this virus,” he said during a news conference from a state warehouse brimming with pandemic supplies in Fontana, east of Los Angeles.

Perhaps it would be better to say they are the first liberal run state, because a goodly chunk of Republican states have been living like this for well over a year, never implementing mask mandates, school mandates, vaccine mandates.

A disease reaches the endemic stage when the virus still exists in a community but becomes manageable as immunity builds. But there will be no definitive turn of the switch, the Democratic governor said, unlike the case with Wednesday’s lifting of the state’s indoor masking requirements or an announcement coming Feb. 28 of when precisely schoolchildren can stop wearing face coverings.

And there will be no immediate lifting of the dozens of remaining executive emergency orders that have helped run the state since Newsom imposed the nation’s first statewide stay-home order in March 2020.

“This pandemic won’t have a defined end. There’s no finish line,” Newsom said.

So…….it sounds like California is simply saying one thing, namely to live with the Wuhan flu, and doing another, keeping the government restrictions in place. It’ll be interesting to see if they keep the kids masked up while the politicians ditch the masks. However, it doesn’t really look like Leftist Californians are willing to ditch their own masks yet.

The World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic on March 11, 2020, and with omicron fading in many parts of the world some countries have begun planning for the endemic stage. But no state has taken the step Newsom did and offered a detailed forward-looking plan.

Most states do not have to make this plan, because most states didn’t implement the vast number of government controls.

Republicans have been frequent critics of Newsom’s handling of the coronavirus and were quick to disparage his latest effort. State GOP Chairwoman Jessica Millan Patterson called it “an extra-large helping of word salad” and renewed the call to “follow the lead of other blue states and end his state of emergency or lift his school mask mandate.”

Yup, word salad.

Newsom’s plan sets specific goals, such as stockpiling 75 million masks, establishing the infrastructure to provide up to 200,000 vaccinations and 500,000 tests a day in the event of an outbreak, and adding 3,000 medical workers within three weeks in surge areas.

Would these be the medical workers fired for refusing to take the vaccine?

California’s health secretary, Dr. Mark Ghaly, said one of the goals is to avoid business closures and other far-reaching mandates. However, he said the state’s requirement that schoolchildren be vaccinated against coronavirus by fall remains in effect.

So, yeah, forcing kids to be vaccinated.

The plan includes new education, including “myth-buster videos” to fight misinformation and disinformation and help interpret ever-evolving precautions for a confused public whiplashed by safeguards that seemingly shift by the day and vary across county lines.

Perhaps their messaging should have been not all over the place to start with. It really doesn’t look like they’re changing anything. They still want all the power.

Read: California Declares Chinese Coronavirus To Be Endemic Or Something »

‘Climate Change’ Is Gentrifying Neighborhoods Or Something

Because this is totally a science, not about politics. Hence, cities are trying to dictate everything

Climate change is gentrifying neighborhoods and cities are working to address it

The human costs of natural disasters are the most profound, but the dollar-value losses are quickly increasing due to climate change.

2021 was the second-most costly year for insurance companies as they paid out $120 billion in losses, according to Munich Re, the world’s largest reinsurer.

To compensate, insurance companies are raising premiums. In October, the federal government factored climate change into its insurance costs for the first time, as policyholders that use government-subsidized insurance in at-risk areas could pay as much as 18% more for their insurance each year for the next 20 years. According to First Street Foundation, a nonprofit that assesses flood risk, the average flood insurance policy could rise from $900 to $3,500.

In other words, the Biden admin mucked around and caused your premiums to go up, because non-government subsidized insurers certainly raised their costs to match the subsidized ones.

In 2019, the company released a study on climate change gentrification that found that as many as 50,000 households in underserved Miami neighborhoods are at risk of being priced out by people looking to move inland because of lower insurance costs and farther proximity from the water. It also found 40,000 other households in under-served communities that were in the precarious position of dealing with rising insurance costs with no options to move.

It’s just SJW word salad at this point.

“This is a national crisis,” said Miami city commissioner Ken Russell. “There is a humanitarian side to it, and [the federal government] needs to invest and work with local communities. There’s such a disconnect there.”

To combat the effects of climate gentrification, Russell added a social justice seat to the city’s Climate Resiliency Board in 2017, which has been occupied by a member of the city’s low-income neighborhoods.

Sigh. Cult.

Read: ‘Climate Change’ Is Gentrifying Neighborhoods Or Something »

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