Wellness Craze Follow Up: Raw Milk May Have Infected and Killed Two Cats of Bird Flu

According Los Angles County Department of Public Health, two indoor cats in LA County have died of H5N1 bird flu after consuming Raw Farm LLC raw milk. Tests are underway to confirm the diagnosis, but the milk had already been recalled statewide. 

Previously this blog had covered the unscientific naturalistic arguments used by raw milk advocates to justify their consumption. Here's another reason for you to stop consuming unsanitary food... No matter how tempting their specious arguments sound. 

"Drive-By" ADA Lawsuits Shake Down Small Business Owners In California

The US of A has laws on the books known as American Disabilities Act (ADA) that mandates public businesses be accessible to people with disabilities. The law is well-intentioned and usually well implemented. However, this did not stop some vexatiously litigious people from abuising the court system and filing frivolous "drive-by" ADA lawsuits against small business owners who can't afford to fight the issue out in court, esp. during pandemic times. 

One such litigant is Potter Handy LLP, who also operates under the title "Center for Disability Access". They supposedly represented clients complained about businesses in both SF Bay Area and Greater LA Metro Area that allegedly violated ADA guidelines. Potter Handy LLP were filing up to 3 lawsuits A DAY in California's Federal District courts right up to April 2022, when they were sued by District Attorneys of both San Francisco and Los Angeles for violating California's Unfair Competition Act. 

While the civil lawsuit by the two district attorneys were dismissed in August 2022, Potter Handy LLP has mostly stopped filing lawsuits as several of the Federal judges handling the filed cases found that many of the presented facts do not add up. The pattern seems clear: there was no demand or notice of violation or request to correct before a lawsuit was filed, and the target is often (thought not always) a mom-and-pop shop (which does not have the resources of a corporate store, nor would they have lawyers on retainer to fight such).  The lawsuit claimed the plaintiff personally encountered "unlawful barriers" often something like "door handles", narrow paths, lack of ramps, inadequate handicapped parking markings, and so on. 

Most cases were settled for between 10K to 20K. 

According to a tally by Bay City News, 3142 cases (or more) in the last four years of ADA lawsuits filed in its own district handled by Potter Handy have been "resolved". And it's known that Potter Handy handled thousands of other cases in other California districts. 

Several Federal Judges have questioned whether the plaintiffs in the Potter Handy ADA cases have been truthful. One judge found that Brian Whittaker, one of Potter Handy's most prolific litigants, "traveled to Redwood City (California) for the purpose of finding business establishments to sue", not because he was visiting the area 2-3 times a month allegedly to relocate from LA. And Whittaker had sued HUNDREDS of businesses in the area. When questioned, he could not name any of the businesses despite suing and settling with hundreds of them. Note that one of the ADA claim requirements is intent to return to the business (and thus, need the barriers removed). 

Another judge, handling some of Whittaker's cases, pointed out that Whittaker took a one-day trip to San Francisco from LA, spend 2 hours moving about "to dine" or "to shop", returned home, and filed 34 lawsuits based on his experience on that one day trip to SF. This judge has also ordered the plaintiff in other Potter Handy cases before him to file additional affidavits, under penalty of perjury, for further details, and accused Potter Handy of filing "boilerplate" complaints. 

Potter Handy insists that it is protecting the rights of the clients it handled and called the civil suit brought by the district attorneys "a political stunt". 

I call it profiting off the misery of others. 

Foreign Influence COVIDiocy: Foreign Agitators Started the Occupy LA Movement

The Occupy Canada convoy shows no signs of ending, and their boldness has encouraged foreign agitators to stir up similar movement in the US, and the antivaxxers have swallowed the bait. 

Facebook has confirmed that foreign actors are controlling several trucker convoy Facebook groups. Various groups are being run by IP addresses traced to Romania, Bangladesh, Vietnam, and other countries. Many of them used to be MAGA or Trump-related Facebook groups. Facebook have removed several that are confirmed to be run by foreign IPs, but the astroturfing has caught American attention, and even RFKjr's website has settled on a March 5th "convoy" targeting Los Angeles. 

Some have tried to organize groups to disrupt the traffic in Los Angeles to target the Superbowl this weekend, but they simply did not have enough time. 

It's clear that antivaxxers no longer cared if they've been led through the nose by foreign actors. They are willing to gather in tight quarters because they prefer to care about themselves and their "freedom" to spread COVID rather than care about keeping everyone safe. 

Vaccines prevent hospitalization, and masks prevent infection. That is the science of COVID. 

Such a "convoy" will pull in agitators of every sort, from Jan 6 insurrectionists to antivaxxers to free-dumbers to Maga dreamers who still believe the election was stolen from Trump even though all evidence shows Trump tried to steal the election, not to mention anarchists who just want to see some chaos, and whichever foreign actors with their own agendas. 

I hope CHP, LAPD, and Governor Newsome have contingency plans. If they don't start making some now. This can get VERY ugly. 

And if you join up, you're a COVIDiot sheeple who don't care if you've been used by foreign actors. 

COVIDiocy Consequences: UCLA Doctor Escorted Off Work Premises After Speaking at Anti-vax Rally

Unvaccinated UCLA anesthesiologist Dr. Christopher Rake spoke at an anti-vax rally, wearing his white doctor's coat, back in September: "So they're telling me, 'take the jab or we take your job'. And I am here to say no!"  Then as a plane passed overhead, Rake held his hand and shouts, "Wave for freedom! FREEDOM!"

This is despite the August 5th California executive order that all health care workers MUST be vaccinated against COVID by September 30th. 

On October 4th, Rake showed up for work at the UCLA Medical Center and was promptly escorted out of the building by security, exactly as he wished. 

Of course, he's declaring martyrdom, i.e. they (UCLA) can't tolerate freedom, and he deserves to work even though he won't get vaccinated. 

The fact that an accredited doctor is willing to attend an anti-vax event while wearing his white coat, thus using his credentials and his employment to spread disinformation, is frankly, troublesome. 

As Lee Iacocca said, "Lead, follow, or get the **** out of the way." 

To not only be an obstructionist (attend anti-vax rally) but basically displaying your place of employment and your credentials, shows a serious lack of judgment. 

Do you really want a doctor who prioritizes his "freedom" over that of public health, i.e. YOUR health? 

If vaccine mandate will push the vaccination rate to the point that COVID becomes a non-issue, then do it. Pandemic times require extraordinary measures. 

The unvaccinated is willing to DIE for their "freedom". But you can't have freedom if you're dead. 705K people are already dead. COVID is the most important issue, and vaccine is the simplest way to end COVID. The more diddling we do is more time we give it to mutate, and kill more people, mainly the unvaccinated. 

In a way, it's the unvaccinated cutting off their own noses to spite their faces. They are basically KILLING THEMSELVES for their irrational beliefs. 

There's nothing wrong with believing in freedom, but there's a right time and a wrong time for that. 

And let's not forget that George Washington HIMSELF ordered the entire Continental Army and new recruits to be inoculated for smallpox. The disease is killing more of his men than the British. 

There is nothing unAmerican about a vaccine mandate. 

Don't be a COVIDiot like Rake.