Politics This Week with John DePetro: Motha Enters RI Battle of the Monsters

By Justin Katz | July 25, 2022 |
| | | | |
Dan McKee

On WNRI 1380 AM/95.1 FM, John DePetro and Justin Katz discuss:

  • Did McKee’s mother help his image?
  • What’s with the McKee aid’s arrest in VT?
  • Should the McKee-supporter’s DUI keep him out of promotional commercials?
  • What does the AG’s stinging criticism of a former McKee aid portend?
  • Are there full tickets in the RI Democrat primary?
  • Was Kalus right to go after McKee and Biden?

 

Featured image from Daniel McKee campaign ad.

[Open full post]

Technology, Building, and Weather

By John Loughlin | July 24, 2022 |
| | | | |
The sun rising or setting

 

John Loughlin talks with Dr. Shafman about bladder cancer, Tim Taylor of the Lost 52 Project, Lori Garver, former Deputy Director of NASA, Tom Lopatosky, owner of LOPCO Contracting, and Joe Bastardi of WeatherBell Analytics.

 

Featured image by Justin Katz.

[Open full post]

Whitehouse wants a dictator in the White House.

By Justin Katz | July 22, 2022 |
| | | | |
Democrat Senator Sheldon Whitehouse

Actually, it’s worse than that.  Rhode Island Democrat Senator Sheldon Whitehouse wants an American dictator who actively harms our country for the benefit of foreign countries that are mostly hostile to us.  Objectively, the malice or mania necessary for a privileged American to make such declarations as the Wall Street Journal describes is something of a puzzle:

Progressives are furious at West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin for scuttling a big climate spending bill. “With legislative climate options now closed, it’s now time for executive Beast Mode,” Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse tweeted last week. And now the White House is leaking that the President may declare a national climate emergency as soon as this week.

The Journal likens the proposition to President Trump’s use of military funds to build a border wall.  While that was arguably an instance of executive overreach, at least its purpose was to defend the country from a wave of illegal immigration so uncontrolled as to be reasonably called “an invasion.”

In this case, progressives want to harm the U.S. (and global) economy by further restricting energy production, which will all but transfer wealth directly to America’s enemies while, as the Journal notes, making Americans suffer in order to compensate for the disregard for the environment of our greatest international adversary, China.

While it’s natural to wonder why Whitehouse so vehemently hates his own country, one must realize that he has lived his life untouchably wealthy and, no doubt, fancies himself “a global citizen.”  Demented fantasies and disregard for human life are, while not excused by that condition, at least explicable.

The real question is why Rhode Islanders hate their country so much as to put Whitehouse in a position of national influence (assuming, of course, that our elections are legitimate).

 

Featured image from Shutterstock.

[Open full post]

Politics This Week with John DePetro: Shifting Sands Under RI Elections

By Justin Katz | July 18, 2022 |
| | | | | | |
A crumbling sandcastle

On WNRI 1380 AM/95.1 FM, John DePetro and Justin Katz discuss:

  • Mack can do no wrong… or else
  • McKee can’t escape the FBI news
  • Media can’t get the consequence of voting changes
  • Paid abortion activists can’t stop short of infanticide
  • Democrats can’t escape Biden’s polls

 

Featured image by Aaron on Unsplash.

[Open full post]

Brown University Studiously Silent on Adverse Vaccine Effects and COVID-19 Cases Among Students

By Monique Chartier | July 18, 2022 |
| | | |

Anchor Rising received information that a Brown University student had been hospitalized in March, 2021 with myopericarditis after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.

This raised a couple of important matters regarding Brown University’s strict vaccine mandate on students, staff and professors.  Has the university been tracking adverse COVID-19 vaccine effects, including among the student body?  If so, had they publicized this data; in part, for the benefit of students so that they would have informed consent when they considered whether to conform to the vaccine mandate? After all, it was known early in the pandemic that not only did the virus have a sky-high all-age survival rate but it skews significantly by age, making the medical and public health necessity of vaccinating young people quizzical at best.

A search of the internet turned up no such data publicized by Brown University, or any other source. The search did turn up Brown University’s webpage entitled “Vaccine Safety and Effectiveness”, subtitled “Studies show that COVID-19 vaccines are both safe and effective at keeping individuals from getting COVID-19”. The webpage includes a partial list of non-life-threatening “Possible Side Effects” of COVID-19 vaccines but contains no data about adverse vaccine effects.  The page was last updated over a year ago.

Absent this information online, I contacted Brown University officials directly starting on July 6 and asked them the following questions.

– How many Brown undergraduate and graduate students have been hospitalized or died from myocarditis and/or myopericarditis from January 1, 2021 to the present?  If any, had the student received a COVID-19 vaccination?

– How many Brown undergraduate and graduate students have been hospitalized or died from adverse effects of a COVID-19 vaccine from January 1, 2021 to the present?

– How many Brown undergraduate and graduate students have been hospitalized or died from COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic?

No identification of any student is sought; this is a request for data only.

I e-mailed these questions to Brown President Christina Paxson; Russell Carey, Executive Vice President for Planning and Policy; and Dr. Eric Estes, Vice President for Campus Life.  When no reply was received to these e-mails, I called each office and left voicemail messages with Mr. Carey and Dr. Estes’ office.  (President Paxson’s office number routes to Brown’s main phone number so it was not possible to leave her a message.)

None of these Brown University officials has responded to this outreach.

Anchor Rising is not the first to pose such questions to Brown.  Dr. Andrew Bostom did so and also received no response.

And he reports that the concerned parent of a Brown student e-mailed President Paxson similar questions.  Dr. Paxson did reply to that person; her response was apparently short, dispassionate and non-responsive to the questions asked.

Brown University’s “Vaccinations” webpage, last updated in January, states [emphasis added]

Brown is committed to providing up-to-date information about COVID-19 vaccination and resources to help the community understand this important next step in addressing the global pandemic.

Yes, please, Brown University.  For the sake of properly informed Brown students and for the advancement of vital medical information, your own “up-to-date information about COVID-19 vaccination” is badly needed.  Please reconsider your current course and provide it.

[Photo Credit: von Vix via Unsplash]

[Open full post]

State of the State: How Therapy Helps Us Navigate through Life’s Challenges

By Darlene D'Arezzo | July 17, 2022 |
| | |
Darlene D'Arezzo and Mike Cerrullo on State of the State

Guest: Mike Cerrullo, mental health practitioner
Host: Darlene D’Arezzo
Description: Host and guest are mental health practitioners. They discuss how therapy helps us navigate through life’s challenges and the various approaches therapists, including themselves, use to help people manage their personal lives. Included in this discussion is the reluctance/resistance to seeking help and the barriers associated. Goals of therapy typically include how to remain well and healthy; understanding what factors have contributed to their situation; the troubles and problems they will learn to manage, and much more.

[Open full post]

Even the introduction of NY’s gun law is a bad sign.

By Justin Katz | July 15, 2022 |
| | | |
A handgun, bullets, and target

We’ve reached the point in the Northeast that the leaders of Democrat-run states seem to be searching for ways to trample multiple Constitutional rights with a single policy.  Consider this new law in New York:

Under the law, applicants have to provide local officials with a list of current and former social media accounts from the previous three years. It will be up to local sheriff’s staff, judges or country clerks to scroll through those profiles as they check whether applicants have made statements suggesting dangerous behavior.

So, not only will the government be applying subjective judgment to determine whether to deprive an American of his or her right to bear arms, but Americans’ right to free speech will be chilled by the expanding practice of government scrutiny.  Even in left-leaning parts of the country, enough people used to understand the values at risk, here, that such legislation would have been risky for politicians to propose.  At least the leader of New York’s Sheriffs’ Association is still clear-eyed enough to point out that the policy is unconstitutional and local officials will probably ignore the intent of the law.  Of course, that might be worse, if the law is applied selectively.

Northeasterners really don’t seem to understand the danger of their complacency.  Their attention is so easily focused on rare or imaginary threats that they are eager to give up their rights so as to remove the rights of others.

Whether deliberate or a natural development of public pathology, this trend is a trap, and we’re bound to wind up with neither freedom nor safety.

 

Featured image by Bo Harvey on Unsplash.

[Open full post]

Jeann Lugo’s Arrest Record Confirms Jennifer Rourke Grabbed Him

By Monique Chartier | July 14, 2022 |
| | | |

Anchor Rising has obtained from the Rhode Island State Police the Arrest Record of Jeann Lugo pertaining to the June 24 melee at the State House. Click here to view it.

A couple of interesting items from the record:

> The last page includes a full description of the events that led up to Jeann Lugo striking Jennifer Rourke, including the fact that Rourke laid hands on Lugo prior to his reacting.

In the background of the initial assault, Mr. Lugo is seen lunging towards Mr. Mello. At that time, Mr. Lugo’s right arm is grabbed by Ms. Rourke who was standing behind him.

> The record indicates that Jennifer Rourke explicitly states under oath that she did not touch Lugo.

During the preliminary interview, I asked Ms. Rourke is she said anything to Mr. Lugo or touched him in any way that would instigate a violent response, and she replied, “No.” During the recorded interview, I asked Ms. Rourke if she had or attempted to remove anyone from the altercation and she replied, “No.”

In fact, this is a false statement. So it appears Ms. Rourke has lied under oath – in fact, twice in the above excerpt:

1.) She did touch Lugo “in any way that would instigate a violent response”.

2.) And she states she did not attempt “to remove anyone from the altercation”. Then why did she grab Lugo repeatedly and, a few seconds later, violently shove another man, as can be seen in this video by WPRO’s Tom Quinlan?

Jeann Lugo is being held accountable for his actions. Will Jennifer Rourke – two instances of Battery, two instances of Perjury – be held accountable for hers?

[Open full post]

The economics are important to consider when undercutting gas prices.

By Justin Katz | July 13, 2022 |
| |
A gas shortage starts in South Carolina

It’s nice of Tiverton gas station owner George Alzaibak to take 50-cents per gallon out of his own pocket and give it to drivers, although one could argue that he’ll be able to write it off as a marketing expense.  However, before joining the pop-radio show hosts in calling for a revolution in his image, we should consider the economics:

“This narrative is totally wrong,” Alzaibak said. “I’m making 31 cents on the regular and 60 cents on the diesel. I’m not losing, sir.”

Alzaibak explained how the majority of gas stations are choosing to “gouge” their prices to capitalize on the gas shortage, but he decided he wasn’t going to play that game anymore.

For context, Alzaibak’s station is a good distance off Route 24 and is one of two stations near each other that serve just about everybody who lives south of there, so it isn’t clear how much elasticity exists in his market.  That is, he’s not well positioned to attract business from beyond his usual market, and at the same time, the distance to competitors probably reduces the likelihood that he’ll lose customers if he’s reasonably close to the regional average price.

So, what happens when he undercuts his competitors by that much?  He’ll probably take business from his nearest competitor (or force them to take money out of their pockets, too).  He’ll have the same effect on the station in Massachusetts right off the highway down the road, but to a lesser extent.  Then he’ll run out of gas, and they’ll be able to raise their prices even more.

When he orders gas more quickly than expected, he’ll send a signal to the market that demand is up, which means prices will go up.  After all, if his suppliers are going to give him the gas, they can’t give it to somebody else, and as he says, those competitors have plenty of margin for the supplier to bid up the price they charge.  As long as consumers are willing to pay (or have no choice), the retailers will simply pass on the additional cost in order to keep their profits.

Prices are not an individual decision.  They represent the balance of how much the market is able to supply and how much consumers are willing to pay.  That is, they are a signal of the value of a good or service in a particular place at a particular time.  When prices go up — regardless of who gets to keep the extra, if anybody does — it sends a signal that consumers should conserve and that producers should find ways to supply more.  After all, it becomes more valuable for them to spend their time on that project versus others.

Alzaibak acknowledges the gas shortage, which means producers are having a hard time on the supply side.  Yet, by selling gas under the market rate, he’s allowing consumers to avoid the need to conserve.  If other stations do join him, the shortage will get worse, inflation on all other products will accelerate, and people will suffer more.

As an individual, George’s decision may be a nice gesture, but applied broadly, it would be harmful.

[Open full post]

Anybody else get the feeling we’re not hearing much about COVID because the long-term evidence isn’t good for the lock-down artists?

By Justin Katz | July 12, 2022 |
| | |
A water drop and ripples

More data on COVID immunity over the long-term is not actually that surprising to people who looked at the data honestly a year or more ago:

“Effectiveness of primary infection against severe, critical, or fatal COVID-19 reinfection was 97.3 percent … irrespective of the variant of primary infection or reinfection, and with no evidence for waning. Similar results were found in sub-group analyses for those ≥50 years of age,” Dr. Laith Abu-Raddad of Weill Cornell Medicine–Qatar and colleagues said after studying long-term natural immunity in unvaccinated people.

That percentage is higher than the protection from COVID-19 vaccines, according to other studies and real-world data.

Swedish researchers, for instance, found in May that two doses of a vaccine were just 54 percent effective against the Omicron variant of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes COVID-19.

As time goes on, the whole thing looks more and more like a moral panic stoked in the service of political advantage and to promote a cultural and ideological shift.  Did it work?  Well, that data may take longer to develop.

[Open full post]