It’s bad enough to have a healthcare industry that is out of reach for millions but testing during a pandemic ought to be considered a public good.
Continue reading “Testing can be very, very expensive…is that a good thing to help keep it capped? Fewer test, fewer infections.” →

Va Beach man arrested for grafitti

There is no doubt that the website the stickers directed people to is odious and hateful, but are they free speech?

He has been charged under Norfolk’s graffiti ordinance, which is punishable by up to one year in prison.

There is no doubt placing stickers on public property, or private property without the permission of the owner, is defacement of the property, but is it a greater crime to place these neo-nazi advertisements than it would be to place Black Lives Matter tags or Pizza ads?

Source: Bacon’s Rebellion.

The writer invites readers to weigh in with answers. I think the explanation has two parts:

• The case spikes we’re seeing elsewhere are largely an illusion created by increased testing and shifting data reporting requirements.
• Pandemics peter out naturally.

Commenters at BR offer some other theories.

Lynchburg court suit against UBC Law

The recently passed UBC act violated Article I section 13 of the Virginia Constitution by depriving 18-20 year olds of their means to buy a handgun through private sales and gives firearms dealers the choice of refusing to conduct the checks, thus making private sales unlawful.

See the complaint at

Complaint and injuntive relief sought

https://thehill.com/opinion/white-house/505654-lessons-we-can-learn-if-we-look-back-to-july-4-1863

Rabbi Genack provides a great lesson for our leaders today.

“True leadership is demonstrated by the humility to admit your own mistakes, the graciousness to thank those with whom you disagree when they turn out to be right, and the compassion to refrain from criticizing subordinates when their errors, even though serious, were the result of mitigating circumstances. Would that our leaders take Lincoln’s example to heart and mold their method of governing in the image of his noble stewardship.” (Italics added)

Something to consider the next time praise is heaped on President Trump… BY President Trump.

Lousie Lucas sues Tim Anderson

Louise Lucas got in hot water being caught on cell phone video telling police not to arrest vandals defacing Portsmouth’s Confederate Memorial. Attorney Tim Anderson started a recall drive to remove her from office. But Portsmouth being what it is, she likely would have survived the recall. Continue reading “When you’re deep in a hole, put down the shovel.” →

Source: NPR/WHRV.

This could be a big deal. We’ll have to wait and see.

https://www.pilotonline.com/757teamz/vp-sp-track-virginia-showcase-20200701-72dsszkswrajro3zdgl3hhxtlq-story.html

A world class facility that will bring lots of good things to Virginia Beach? Count me in!

Source: Cafe Hayek.

Don Boudreaux made a point on his blog yesterday that I meant to share: “Because distinctive American innovation in the first half of the 19th century – the half of that century in which slavery still existed in some of the United States – was aimed at economizing on labor, this innovation is not explained by the availability of artificially cheap labor in the American south. Indeed, the bulk of the 19th-century American entrepreneurs who innovated – the bulk of the Americans who are truly responsible for driving forward American capitalism – were driven to do what they did by the unusual scarcity in America of labor relative to land and other natural resources. If American capitalism were rooted in slavery, nineteenth century innovation would not have been aimed at economizing on labor but, instead, at using labor more intensely.”

Details at the link.

Dr. Tabor has an excellent letter published in today’s VP titled “Masks for the economy”. It reiterates his stance made here several times on the wearing of masks. (Still dislike the fact we can no longer link to individual letters.)

Here is also a report from The Week concerning the ways to convince people to wear masks, not just for the economy, but for the overall health and well being of our citizenry. https://theweek.com/speedreads/923057/ordering-asking-shaming-whats-best-way-americans-wear-face-masks

Some say shaming is not the best way to do this. But maybe, sometimes, it is necessary because asking doesn’t work and no one really likes being told what to do.