Uh, about that "massive outbreak" of COVID in Provincetown

COVID sampling, Provincetown Bear week, 2021

A gay rights activist explains why the CDC’s Provincetown study may be fatally flawed

AIDS and gay rights activist Peter Staley took to Twitter to explain why the CDC’s Provincetown study that they’re using to justify new mask guidance may be fatally flawed.

In summary, the CDC is using a sample that’s 85% male and they chose a weekend in Provincetown called “Bear Week” that included, um, lots of activities that will spread COVID-19:

(They’re kissing again? Maybe it’s time to bring back the gay bath Glory Holes. Oh, well — Ed)

Hellooo, sailors! Be careful out there.

UPDATE: For a rather thorough debunking of the CDC’s Provincetown’s report that doesn’t pick up on the gay factor, go here.

These goofs make our own CDC look almost competent; the trouble is, the Brits still listen to them

SAGE experts warn that coming COVID mutation could kill one-third of the population, urge the culling of cats

A doomsday new Covid variant that could kill up to one in three people is a 'realistic possibility', according to the Government's top scientists.

Documents published by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) today warned a future strain could be as deadly as MERS — which which has a case fatality rate of 35 per cent — [“camel flu”. Two US cases, total, no fatalities - Ed] could be on the way.

No 10's expert panel said the likelihood of the virus mutating is highest when it is most prevalent — as is currently the case in Britain.

And a downside of Britain's hugely successful vaccine drive, it appears the country's greater levels of immunity could help speed up the process. 

Scientists said Britain should bring in booster vaccine doses over the winter, minimise new variants coming from abroad and consider culling animals — including minks and even cats, which can harbour the virus — to prevent the mutant strain occurring. 

The most notorious member of SAGE is probably Neil Ferguson, who got the COVID panic roll started in January of 2020. The UK Spectator lists some of his previous follies:

In 2001, he called for the culling of farm animals to stop an epidemic of hoof and mouth disease. Six million cattle, sheep, and pigs, estimated value of £10 billion, were slaughtered and burned before it was determined that the risk had been minimal.

In 2002, Ferguson’s “computer model” told him that “between 50 and 50,000” Britains would die of mad cow disease, and “145,000 if the disease spreads to sheep”. Actual death toll, 157.

In 2005 he predicted that Bird Flu would kill 200 million people, worldwide. Actual count: 177 deaths.

In 2009, he predicted that Swine Flu would kill 65,000 in Britain and had a death rate among infected people between 0.3 to 1.5%. In fact, 457 people died, and the death rate proved to be 0.026 percent.

Does every country have a Dr. Fauci, a Dr. Ferguson? If so, why? What, and whose purpose is being served here?

It's a lament of the wealthy everywhere these days: you just can't find good help

he kind of looks like william macy in fargo, no?

Louisiana healthcare millionaire pleads guilty to kidnap plot against his ex-wife which unraveled when the two captors he hired DROWNED while trying to escape police with the wife in the back of their van

In August 2017, two men - Sylvester Bracey and Arsenio Haynes - went to Schanda's home to kidnap her. They put a bag over her head, tied her up and threw her into the back of a van then set off. 

Handley had hired them while he was high on meth and cocaine, according to his lawyer. It's unclear why Handley wanted to kidnap his ex or if he intended to kill her. 

After placing Schanda in the back of their van at gunpoint, the two kidnappers drove away but they ran into traffic. 

Rather than wait it out, they drove up the shoulder of the road and attracted the attention of a deputy who started pursuing them. 

During the chase, they turned off the road and crashed into a swampy area. They then abandoned the van on foot, leaving Schanda tied up in the back, and as they ran, decided to jump into a canal where they later drowned. 

And a price cut

10 Parsonage Lane, down $300,000, to $2.995 million. It’s a beautiful 3.7-acre property, in a good location, but mid-60s ranches generally don’t do well in our local market.

The owners paid $3.280 for it in 2004, and set off on this sales excursion in 2019 at a price of $3.5.

They’ve had since 2019 to adjust the alignment of those left-hand cabinet doors. I’d either get out a screwdriver or X the picture.

Another large sale reported

4 Cherry Blossom Lane, off upper Taconic on the Banksville border, has closed at $7.5 million on an asking price of $7.7. There’s 16,000 square feet of space here, which should be sufficient for all but the largest of Westchester migrant families.

These sellers paid $7.1 for it in 2016, and those owners, in turn, had bought it new in 2007 for $10.750.

The current listing’s photos have been disappeared, but here’s a video from 2016.

Market conditions

21 Bobolink Lane, a beautiful home built in 1937 and last renovated in 2009, was priced at $6.350 million, and closed today at $6,900,021 (always wise to toss in an odd number in price wars, just in case there’s a competitor using round figures).

This sale affords a chance to compare prices with our last bubble, at least for some houses. It was priced (admittedly, by Ogilvy, so there’s that to be factored in) at $8.9 in 2007 and sat around until 2009, when these owners paid $5 million.

Crocodille Dundee left the building long ago

I’m out of here, Mate

Australia sends in the Army to enforce COVID lockdown.

I’ve been following the flu panic in the land down under for some time now, and have probably had a half-dozen posts drafted on the situation, but then I just sigh, and figure we have our own problems.

Still, there are some alarming stories, if only because they could be harbingers of what we can expect as our overlords and their scribes build up the panic. In Melbourne last week, population 2.9 million, the premier extended a complete lockdown after 9 people tested positive for the flu, and vowed to keep the entire state closed until the infection rate is zero — in other words, forever.

Today’s story of the Army being called out is just the latest in a series of outrages the once-proud Aussies have meekly suffered. But how’s about this one, also from last week?

Shut up!

If armed troops aren’t sufficient, if locking the population inside their homes for over a year still leaves the flock with a tiny streak of rebelliousness, the good shepherd can step it up one notch further:

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA.

DON’T ACT LIKE A HUMAN. DON’T TALK TO YOUR FRIENDS, EVEN WHEN MASKED. DON’T BE FRIENDLY. THIS IS NOT THE TIME. pic.twitter.com/iiPgz2D8Bb

— NoRisk_NoReward (@noreward_norisk) July 20, 2021

Quick Flip

15 Gray Oaks Lane (off Alpine, off North) was purchased for $1.8 million in March, renovated and returned to the market 18 days ago at $2.695. Contract reported today.

Some substantial improvements/replacements were made, but the builder set the price, so presumably he knows what he put in and what he needs to take out to meet his profit goal.

This house was built in 1957; there are a lot of properties in town from that era, even if they aren’t currently for sale. There could be opportunities there.

Not looking so perky

55 Perkins took another price cut today: $500,000, to a new ask of $7.6 million. The owners paid $8,561,000 for it when it was new in 2008, a price I scoffed at at the time, but that wasn’t as dumb as the $12.8 they started off at this time, in 2019.

But who knows? This is a time of fools and their money, and poor architecture and location don’t seem to matter, so maybe this will prove the final cut.

Just when you thought it was safe to fly your freak flag high, turns out you need a new one

the inspiration

Incredibly, there’s still room for another oppressed group — today, prostitutes join the banner

the original

But now …

The latest, but surely not the last, so don’t invest in too large an inventory of righteousness banners

UPDATE: Oh, wait! Someone must have heard their plea and is coming to the rescue of the streetwalkers.