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HomeMy Public PortalAbout20200323plCC 701-32 DOCUMENTS IN THIS PACKET INCLUDE: LETTERS FROM CITIZENS TO THE MAYOR OR CITY COUNCIL RESPONSES FROM STAFF TO LETTERS FROM CITIZENS ITEMS FROM MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS ITEMS FROM OTHER COMMITTEES AND AGENCIES ITEMS FROM CITY, COUNTY, STATE, AND REGIONAL AGENCIES Prepared for: 03/23/2020 Document dates: 3/4/2020 – 3/11/2020 Set 1 Note: Documents for every category may not have been received for packet reproduction in a given week. 1 Baumb, Nelly From:Anu Kumar <anu_kumar75@yahoo.com> Sent:Wednesday, March 4, 2020 12:17 PM To:Council, City Subject:Charleston/Meadow train crossings CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links.  Hello, I live at and the train runs practically in my back yard. I am disappointed that the completely underground option was eliminated for the Charleston/Meadow train crossings. The above-ground options will be a visual eyesore, and be very noisy to surrounding communities. The visual appearance of these will lower property values in our community. We live in a residential community; it is not the same as in San Mateo where the crossings are in a commercialized area. I cannot attend your meeting at 4:00 today, but would like you to consider our opinion in your decision and vote to keep the trench option on. Thanks so much, Anupama Kumar       Sent from my iPhone  Redacted 1 Baumb, Nelly From:David Ephron <david@ephron.net> Sent:Wednesday, March 4, 2020 1:56 PM To:Council, City Cc:Transportation Subject:Caltrain Grade Separation CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on  links.  ________________________________    Dear Council Members and Staff,    I am writing to express my strong preference for the below ground trench option. The options that involve elevating the  tracks would be absolutely horrible for the community and a blight on the City.    I believe there is also a new option still on the table to keep the track as it with a “constant flow underpass”. I also  support this option, although I suggested some refinements to this idea in an earlier email to the Office of  Transportation.    Earlier in this long process, I went to most of the houses in my neighborhood helping to collect signatures for a petition  submitted long ago urging the City to put the tracks below ground. Everyone with whom I spoke was against the  elevated options. When considering the number of people providing opinions again this week, please keep in mind that  there is a sense of fatigue. There have been so many meetings, panels, groups, etc.  — people can’t keep up with all of  them. All of these meetings with no clear sense of which is the decisive hearing have had the effect of diffusing the voice  of the community. People haven’t changed their minds — we’re just tired of having to express our opposition over and  over again, not knowing if anyone is listening.    Finally, I would like to add that the City should be looking into adaptive traffic control systems for Charleston/Meadow  and Alma. Even if some kind of grade separation is ultimately built, it will take a long time. In the meantime, more  intelligent traffic lights could certainly help alleviate the increased congestion when Caltrain ramps up its schedule.  Maybe such a system could even obviate or blunt the need for grade separation. Several companies appear to sell traffic  light systems that use cameras in addition to coils in the pavement along with adaptive algorithms to optimize the flow  of traffic and minimize wait times per vehicle. Such a system could presumably also factor into consideration knowledge  of the approach of trains (with a time horizon longer than just the warning time needed to clear the tracks).    Best regards,    David Ephron    Palo Alto, CA    Redacted 1 Baumb, Nelly From:Raj B Apte <bhleh3e@gmail.com> Sent:Wednesday, March 4, 2020 3:55 PM To:Council, City Subject:Trench Option CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links.  Hi,    As a lifelong resident of Mitchell Park and Ventura, I'd like to ensure that Caltrain continues to operate. But only if it  remains at grade or below ground, in a trench or tunnel. Raising the train up on a wall or trestles is not acceptable.  Neighborhoods of color need to be treated fairly, and this city council seems to forget that.    Raj B Apte & Family      Redacted 1 Baumb, Nelly From:Bonny Parke <bonny.parke@gmail.com> Sent:Wednesday, March 4, 2020 4:36 PM To:Council, City Subject:Tunnel option for Meadow and Charleston CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links.  Dear City Council Members,    I heard that the tunnel option was "dead." I can't believe that Palo Alto can't swing a tunnel option given its widespread  community support.  Have all funding alternatives been explored?  And, have all tunneling options been explored?  As  you probably know, there are two methods of tunnel construction, "cut and cover" and "deep bore."    https://www.liveabout.com/methods‐of‐subway‐construction‐2798523    Deep bore is more expensive but has advantages as discussed in the above link (see links below for machines used in  "deep bore."      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPP‐39hyXV4  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYUx0qfMyQk    Either way, the cost can be reduced by building a steel "viaduct" bridge which could temporarily carry the trains above,  allowing for a tunnel to be constructed beneath, as is done in NY City.    Thank you for continuing to discuss this topic.    Bonny Parke, Ph.D.        Redacted 1 Baumb, Nelly From:Glenn Fisher <gfisher@mac.com> Sent:Friday, March 6, 2020 3:31 PM To:Council, City Subject:Business Input to XCAP CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links.  Dear Committee of the Whole for Grade Separation:     It is important to have business input on the Grade Separation plans.  There are three groups that let you easily present  and get feedback from businesses.  I contacted the XCAP committee about this, but they referred me to you as the body  that should get business input.  I strongly encourage you to present to all 3 groups ASAP, or to invite them to present at a council meeting where you  discuss Grade Separation.    Glenn Fisher  Adobe Meadow Neighborhood    Chamber of Commerce  (650) 324‐3121  info@paloaltochamber.com  Judy Kleinberg is President: judy@paloaltochamber.com    Kiwanis Palo Alto   jstinger3@comcast.net  650‐493‐6043  President: Marty Deggeller  Regular meetings are Thursday 12:10‐1:30, Sheraton Palo Alto Hotel, 625 El Camino Real    Rotary Palo Alto  Contact form  President: Dana Tom  Regular meetings are Mondays from 12:15‐1:30 at the Palo Alto Elks Event Center ‐ 4249 El Camino Real  1 Baumb, Nelly From:Sally Keyes <keyesmom@gmail.com> Sent:Sunday, March 8, 2020 8:58 PM To:Expanded Community Advisory Panel; Council, City; City Mgr; Peter Coughlan; Gretchen Hollingsworth Subject:Churchill Crossing Proposal CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links.  Dear XCAP / Nadia, City Council, and City Manager,    On 2/23 a group of about 15 residents from Mariposa Ave. in Southgate met with Michael Price to hear the details of his  proposed Churchill undercrossing option.     It was refreshing and appreciated to hear that Michael worked with another Palo Alto resident from a different  neighborhood to fine tune his undercrossing concept.    To be clear, we believe that tunneling is the best option and that Palo Alto is short sighted in not selecting this option.    That said, we strongly support a feasibility and structural engineering study of  Michael's proposal. His proposal is a  compromise for all.  No one will find it perfect.  However, this proposal addresses key concerns of different  neighborhoods:   safety for PALY students biking and walking to school in a partial undercrossing   no imminent domain   ability of traffic to flow north and south on Alma from Southgate and Old Palo Alto   the ghastly visual impact of a viaduct is gone  Thus, if Michael's proposal is not a choice, we would support the closing of Churchill after a tunnel.    We would never support a viaduct in our beautiful Palo Alto.    With best regards,  Richard and Sally Keyes    Palo Alto, CA. 94306  Redacted 1 Baumb, Nelly From:tom@tomvlasic.com Sent:Monday, March 9, 2020 1:27 PM To:Expanded Community Advisory Panel Cc:Rachel; dshenster@gmail.com; Council, City Subject:Churchill Alma Options CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links.  Dear XCAP members, Thank you for your efforts on this difficult and no-win task in getting Churchill/Alma grade separation and other grade separation recommendations to the council. We appreciate the time and sensitivity you have given to tasks you have been given. We also want to express our strong support for the Closure + Mitigations grade separation project option. While we appreciate the Price option you are also studying, and believe it should be fully vetted, we have serious concerns and reservations with it. We totally oppose any viaduct/raised track option as that will destroy our neighborhood and contribute greatly to the destruction of the overall quality of life not only in the neighborhood, but Palo Alto in general, a terrible option. The reasons for our position are: 1. Cost - at an estimated cost of around $50-65M to close the Churchill intersection AND build the bike/pedestrian underpass AND building mitigations at the Embarcadero/Alma intersection. That is orders of magnitude less than any other option (Viaduct: $300-400M, Partial Underpass: Est $200-250M). 2. It helps remove the interaction of bikes and pedestrians with cars and the train at the intersection by creating a dedicated bike/ped underpass, thereby ensuring improved safety of our residents and students attending Paly and Stanford. It also removes an opening to access the tracks by pedestrians by closing off the rail completely through a barrier. 3. It helps remove traffic on Churchill to both sides of Alma, improving the integrity of our neighborhoods. Those in Southgate who live on Churchill have gotten into accidents and cannot get out of their driveways due to traffic backups. Similarly on the other side of Alma, backups also extend beyond Emerson during peak times during the day. 4. The traffic consultants, Hexagon, have extensively researched mitigations at Embarcadero and Alma as well as Embarcadero and El Camino, and Oregon Expressway and El Camino, which show that traffic is sufficiently and effectively mitigated with some modifications to each intersection. Similarly to point 3, it also shows that traffic will be taken out of surrounding neighborhoods due to the creation of missing on and off ramps between Embarcadero and Alma. We can't support any other option at this time because: Viaduct. We do not want a trainwith support structures in the skyline, causing overwhelming visual and noise impacts. It is also much more costly and disruptive during the construction process and more separated grade crossings are not needed in North Palo Alto. Partial Underpass (Price option). While traffic would decrease on the Old Palo Alto/North side, we do not see traffic decreasing on Southgate side, thereby maintaining status quo or worsening of an already undesirable situation. We are certain it will actually increase cut through traffic in Southgate, i.e., Castilleja and Madrono at least, as drivers attempt to avoid Oregon and Embarcadero congestion and getting to these other crossings. It is also more expensive still by orders of magnitude, and would effectively mean closure of Alma for many years in order to construct. It would likely mean the eminent domain seizure of at least one property, and we do not support any option that requires the seizure 2 neighbors' homes. With full vetting we may soften a bit on this option, but at this time we cannot support it with what we now know. Please take our comments into consideration when you deliberate on your recommendations. In summary, we feel the closure of Churchill, with the construction of a bike/pedestrian underpass, and mitigations at Embarcadero and other strategic intersections will result in the most sensible solution for the City, at least until there is better overall transportation planning for not only our City but the Bay area and California too. Thank you for your efforts, patience and consideration of our comments, Sincerely, Tom and Linda Vlasic Mariposa Avenue 1 Baumb, Nelly From:Renee Kollias <rkollias@me.com> Sent:Wednesday, March 11, 2020 9:58 AM To:Council, City Subject:Churchill Crossing CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links.  Hello City Council Members,    I am writing to you to today because I am very concerned about the possibility of Churchill Avenue closing at the  tracks. While I realize that closing Churchill may be the easiest option now, I’m hoping you will consider how this will  impact Palo Alto for many years to come.    There are multiple reasons not to close Churchill.    1. Closing Churchill isolates Southgate and other parts of Palo Alto from more than half of Palo Alto. Churchill is the main  connection between Southgate and downtown, Old Palo Alto, Professorville, the Community Center (where our  neighborhood school is located), Embarcadero, and more. It's important and necessary to keep this street open as to not  divide North Palo Alto in two. Closing Churchill divides our wonderful community.    2. Entering and exiting Southgate in an emergency will be more difficult. No other neighborhood in Palo Alto has such  limited access.    3. Closing Churchill diverts more than 9,000 cars per day to other streets in Palo Alto. The mitigations do not fully  alleviate this major problem and we will therefore see much congestion on important thoroughfares such as  Embarcadero and Oregon Expressway. And as traffic increases in the years to come, we will need more open streets, not  less.    And finally, please make sure there is ample time to consider our neighbor’s partial underpass design.  See https://www.caltrainpaloalto.org/underpass.html      Thank you,    Renee Kollias  Southgate neighbor  1 Baumb, Nelly From:Ken Joye <kmjoye@gmail.com> Sent:Thursday, March 5, 2020 11:52 AM To:Council, City Cc:Shikada, Ed; Kamhi, Philip Subject:PABAC input regarding staff report #11078 CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links.    Dear City Council,    I write to express PABAC (Palo Alto Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee)’s response to Council action regarding  staff report #11078.    At our March meeting, PABAC members voted unanimously on this motion:    PABAC advises that the Bicycle Boulevard Evaluation staff report would have been significantly improved with  PABAC, CSTSC, and PTC input.  In particular, some of the recommendations in the staff report do not conform to  mandatory and current MUTCD standards and could cause operational safety and liability issues, an example  being the two‐way stop at the Ross/Meadow roundabout. PABAC urges staff to use the advisory bodies available  to them in the future before going forward with staff reports.    We recognize that city staff is now working to implement Council’s direction regarding phase1 of the Neighborhood  Traffic Safety and Bicycle Boulevard project and want you to be aware of the implications of that direction.    Ken Joye  2020 PABAC Chair, representing the  Palo Alto Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee    see: <https://dot.ca.gov/‐/media/dot‐media/programs/traffic‐operations/documents/ca‐mutcd/camutcd2014‐chap2b‐ rev4‐a11y.pdf> page 97‐of‐132  1 Baumb, Nelly From:Keri Wagner <keriwagner@gmail.com> Sent:Tuesday, March 10, 2020 1:12 AM To:Council, City Cc:Keri Wagner Subject:Bike Boulevard Projects and Ross Road CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on  links.  ________________________________    Dear City Council Members —    As I write this, a family grieves the loss of their child, who was sadly killed Friday evening while biking on California Ave.  Our community is grieving, a professional driver is grieving, and I know you grieve also. Stop fussing with Ross Road. It is  a distraction and is keeping you from focusing on the important work our city staff has planned and needs to execute.   Let staff make the corrections needed to Ross Road and move on.    At the last City Council meeting, 20+ attendees spoke to you and encouraged you to get on with the city’s bike  boulevard projects.  We bike these roads and want them made safer for all, pedestrians and drivers included. Mr Dubois  dismissed us by claiming that the council maybe wasn't hearing from everyone. Let me tell you that all of us who care  showed up or sent you email. We left our families for the evening to speak to you because we want progress made on  our bike boulevards. Perhaps the previous naysayers have adjusted to the new road configuration or now appreciate the  lower speeds of cars in their neighborhood, we can’t know.    Safety upgrades are not necessarily convenient for all users. Some drivers must spend 3‐5 extra seconds to look before  pulling out of the YMCA parking lot or before backing out of their home’s driveway. I know that drivers must slow to  25mph or less to navigate speed bumps and bulb‐outs and roundabouts. Why is this a problem when the trade‐off is a  safer road for all users.    Please move forward on the bike‐ and road‐safety projects that our city’s professional staff have designed. And thank  you for serving on the City Council, I am well aware that you also spend time away from your families to serve our  community and I so appreciate your time.    Thank you.  Keri Wagner            Redacted 1 Baumb, Nelly From:Ann Balin <alafargue@mac.com> Sent:Wednesday, March 4, 2020 1:58 PM To:Shikada, Ed Cc:Council, City; Stump, Molly; Lait, Jonathan Subject:Date for fines CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on  links.  ________________________________    Hello City Manager Shikada,    Kindly inform me of the date when the fines, concerning the College Terrace Centre case, has begun.    Thank you,    Ann Lafargue Balin  California Avenue Business District Observer  1 Baumb, Nelly From:Nat Fisher <sukiroo@hotmail.com> Sent:Thursday, March 5, 2020 12:43 PM To:Jonsen, Robert Cc:Nat Fisher; Council, City Subject:virus: students sent home CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links.  Was the parent of the 2 students taken from PA schools tested for the virus? There has been no news since the students were sent home. Are they still quarantined? Natalie Fisher Palo Alto 1 Baumb, Nelly From:Shikada, Ed Sent:Friday, March 6, 2020 2:39 PM To:susan van Riesen; Council, City Subject:Re: Would you want churches to continue to meet? Hello Susan,    I just posed this question on a conference call with the County Health Officer. She indicated that their guidance went out  to community and faith‐based organizations today. Essentially we’ve been told that organizations should make their  decisions considering the ability to achieve social distancing and enhanced cleaning strategies while also recognizing the  vulnerability of the attendees.     Sorry it’s not definitive, but hopefully helpful in making decisions.     Best regards,    Ed Shikada  City Manager    If you receive this message outside business hours, please note that I sent it at a time convenient for me. Unless  specifically requested, there is no need to follow‐up during your personal time. Thank you for all you do for our  community.   From: susan van Riesen <chovanriesen@gmail.com>  Sent: Friday, March 6, 2020 11:06:13 AM  To: Council, City <city.council@cityofpaloalto.org>  Subject: Would you want churches to continue to meet?      CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links.  Hello City Council members,  My name is Susan Van Riesen and I'm the Lead Pastor of the Palo Alto Vineyard Church.  In  response to yesterday's updated recommendations from the Santa Clara Dept of Public Health many congregations are  in the midst of considering whether we will meet this coming Sunday.  A pastor from Redwood City remarked that when  he met with their city council recently, they urged him to continue to meet as a support to their citizens.  I found myself  being curious as to what you would recommend.  We meet at JLS Middle School and usually have 180 adults and 50‐80  kids and youth.  Thanks.  Susan  1 Baumb, Nelly From:Rodolfo Vargas <rodolfo_vargas@icloud.com> Sent:Friday, March 6, 2020 2:58 PM To:Council, City Subject:Calling for a moratorium on evictions in the city for renters who have lost wages resulting from the worsening coronavirus spread CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links.  Dear City Consuls,    This was release a few minutes ago. As a Palo Altan, I believe we should follow and support this remarkable example  from the Cit y of San Jose.      https://youtu.be/KOWWTn2PdVE         Best Regards  Rodolfo Vargas        1 Baumb, Nelly From:Denny Li <dennyli2000@yahoo.com> Sent:Sunday, March 8, 2020 1:24 PM To:Victoria Maya Cc:Council, City Subject:The school attendance policy about Coronavirus issues CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on  links.  ________________________________    Hi  Ms Maya,    Since coronavirus issue seems to be getting worse, we feel very hard to decide to send our son,  Jesse Li (7th grader),  back to school in the coming weeks .  Many parents in Palo Alto school district urge our school district to start the summer vacation earlier and wait until the  coronavirus issue is under control instead of waiting for the instructions from CDC.  Thanks.    Denny Li  A parent of JLS middle school  1 Baumb, Nelly From:Kevin Ma <kevinma.sd@gmail.com> Sent:Sunday, March 8, 2020 7:03 PM To:Council, City Subject:Tenant Assistance Due to Coronovirus Outbreak CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links.  Dear Councilmembers,    The current outbreak of COVID‐19 has hit our community, with major companies encouraging people to work from  home or leaving people without contracted work. This especially hits hard for those working in the retail and restaurant  industries, as seen especially with Chinese restaurants in the Bay Area.    Given that about ~40% of the city's residents are spending more than 30% of their income on rent ("rent burden"), I  would like to ask the council to consider taking action to assist renters against these sudden economic shifts, in line with  council prioritizing housing this year. San Jose's mayor has proposed a moratorium against evictions directly tied to the  current epidemic (Memo), and San Francisco will be bringing it up this week. The California Apartment Association does  support the San Jose effort, so there's some basis for agreement from all parties.    Sincerely,  Kevin  1 Baumb, Nelly From:Loran Harding <loran.harding@stanfordalumni.org> Sent:Monday, March 9, 2020 3:11 PM To:Loran Harding; Dan Richard; Daniel Zack; Mayor; dennisbalakian; David Balakian; Irv Weissman; bballpod; hennessy; eappel@stanford.edu; terry; beachrides; leager; Cathy Lewis; vallesR1969 @att.net; Doug Vagim; dallen1212@gmail.com; francis.collins@nih.gov; kfsndesk; newsdesk; kwalsh@kmaxtv.com; Pam Kelly; jerry ruopoli; Steve Wayte; fmbeyerlein@sbcglobal.net; Council, City; Leodies Buchanan; grinellelake@yahoo.com; huidentalsanmateo; Joel Stiner; Mark Kreutzer; margaret-sasaki@live.com; midge@thebarretts.com; nick yovino; russ@topperjewelers.com; Mark Standriff; yicui@stanford.edu; shanhui.fan@stanford.edu Subject:Fwd: Mon. March 9, 2020 virus update. See Trump visit to CDC Friday. 47 min. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links.    ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Forwarded message ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐  From: Loran Harding <loran.harding@stanfordalumni.org>  Date: Mon, Mar 9, 2020 at 2:32 PM  Subject: Fwd: Mon. March 9, 2020 virus update. See Trump visit to CDC Friday. 47 min.  To: Loran Harding <loran.harding@stanfordalumni.org>      ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Forwarded message ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐  From: Loran Harding <loran.harding@stanfordalumni.org>  Date: Mon, Mar 9, 2020 at 1:54 PM  Subject: Fwd: Mon. March 9, 2020 virus update. See Trump visit to CDC Friday. 47 min.  To: Loran Harding <loran.harding@stanfordalumni.org>      ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Forwarded message ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐  From: Loran Harding <loran.harding@stanfordalumni.org>  Date: Mon, Mar 9, 2020 at 1:47 PM  Subject: Mon. March 9, 2020 virus update. See Trump visit to CDC Friday. 47 min.  To: Loran Harding <loran.harding@stanfordalumni.org>               Monday, March 9, 2020                          Here is a good COVID‐19 update as of today.                      See in there the vid. of Trump at the CDC, 47 min., I believe on Friday, March 6, 2020.  Well worth seeing. He  had to move the group closer to the cameras because the mics could not pick up what they were saying. A rare, but not  unprecedented, display of common sense by him. Richest country in history, best tech., best minds in world, and they  didn't know to move 15 feet closer to the mics until he so ordered.    2                    He said when he goes into such a facility, the doctors all stick out their hand and want to shake hands with  him, in the middle of a deadly pandemic. See link at the bottom of this mail.                     Then see the article by Dr. Bruce Aylward, team leader of the joint mission between WHO and China on Covid‐ 19 a couple of weeks ago. He says "As long as you have these discrete outbreaks, there is an opportunity to contain  them... and prevent a lot of disease and.. death".  I suggested that he should be in charge of the fight along with former  Dir. of CDC. He is not, but he made a lot of contacts among people on the front line fighting the epidemic in China and  appears to speak the language too. He should be in the inner circle of experts directing the fight in the U.S. What he  learned in China and the contacts he has there would seem to be valuable.              Listen to the 11 minute interview of him in this link. "11 minute listen":                                 https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/03/08/813401722/who‐official‐says‐coronavirus‐containment‐ remains‐possible                       But note his insight: as long as you have these discrete outbreaks, there is an opportunity to contain them.  That surprised him in China.                                  Here is the update of today which contains the vid of Trump at the CDC last Friday.                                      https://www.npr.org/sections/health‐shots/2020/03/09/813616982/coronavirus‐u‐s‐has‐564‐cases‐ stricken‐cruise‐ship‐to‐dock‐in‐california   1 Baumb, Nelly From:Loran Harding <loran.harding@stanfordalumni.org> Sent:Tuesday, March 10, 2020 2:13 PM To:Loran Harding; Dan Richard; Mayor; Daniel Zack; dennisbalakian; David Balakian; beachrides; Doug Vagim; Steve Wayte; bballpod; Irv Weissman; hennessy; eappel@stanford.edu; margaret- sasaki@live.com; Mark Kreutzer; Mark Standriff; midge@thebarretts.com; Joel Stiner; nick yovino; vallesR1969@att.net; terry; leager; Cathy Lewis; dallen1212@gmail.com; francis.collins@nih.gov; kfsndesk; newsdesk; kwalsh@kmaxtv.com; Pam Kelly; jerry ruopoli; fmbeyerlein@sbcglobal.net; Council, City; Leodies Buchanan; grinellelake@yahoo.com; huidentalsanmateo; russ@topperjewelers.com; yicui@stanford.edu; shanhui.fan@stanford.edu Subject:Fwd: Mon. March 9, 2020 virus update. See Trump visit to CDC Friday. 47 min. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links.    ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Forwarded message ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐  From: Loran Harding <loran.harding@stanfordalumni.org>  Date: Tue, Mar 10, 2020 at 2:03 PM  Subject: Fwd: Mon. March 9, 2020 virus update. See Trump visit to CDC Friday. 47 min.  To: Loran Harding <loran.harding@stanfordalumni.org>      ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Forwarded message ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐  From: Loran Harding <loran.harding@stanfordalumni.org>  Date: Tue, Mar 10, 2020 at 1:54 PM  Subject: Fwd: Mon. March 9, 2020 virus update. See Trump visit to CDC Friday. 47 min.  To: Loran Harding <loran.harding@stanfordalumni.org>      ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Forwarded message ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐  From: Loran Harding <loran.harding@stanfordalumni.org>  Date: Tue, Mar 10, 2020 at 1:40 PM  Subject: Fwd: Mon. March 9, 2020 virus update. See Trump visit to CDC Friday. 47 min.  To: Loran Harding <loran.harding@stanfordalumni.org>      ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Forwarded message ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐  From: Loran Harding <loran.harding@stanfordalumni.org>  Date: Tue, Mar 10, 2020 at 1:36 PM  Subject: Fwd: Mon. March 9, 2020 virus update. See Trump visit to CDC Friday. 47 min.  To: Loran Harding <loran.harding@stanfordalumni.org>    2   ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Forwarded message ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐  From: Loran Harding <loran.harding@stanfordalumni.org>  Date: Tue, Mar 10, 2020 at 1:07 PM  Subject: Fwd: Mon. March 9, 2020 virus update. See Trump visit to CDC Friday. 47 min.  To: Loran Harding <loran.harding@stanfordalumni.org>      ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Forwarded message ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐  From: Loran Harding <loran.harding@stanfordalumni.org>  Date: Tue, Mar 10, 2020 at 1:03 PM  Subject: Fwd: Mon. March 9, 2020 virus update. See Trump visit to CDC Friday. 47 min.  To: Loran Harding <loran.harding@stanfordalumni.org>               Tues., March 10, 2020‐                      Update of Covid19 info. on the media:           I watched Gov. Newsom's press conference about the cruise ship  docking at Oakland. Apparently he was never in the Air Force, calling it "Lockland AFB" instead of Lackland. I got  accepted to AF OTS at Lackland in ~ early 1967 to avoid Lyndon Johnson's murder machine, and then backed out. I was a  grad student at the time at the U of O,  up near the Canadian border. I made it to the MBA in June of 1968 and then on  to my 26th birthday in October. Sorry Lyndon.                   See his press conference here:    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uW3aTBcK3go                               Listen to Newsom's press conference. At ~21 minutes he has a Dr. Gallie or Gally come to the mic. He says that the  people on the ship "won't absorb precious resources for testing. We have obtained additional supplies from the CDC for  anyone who needs to be tested as they leave the ship".  "As they leave the ship, they will not be tested here".  Direct  quote. "We are not holding people in Oakland for the results of the test".  Direct quote.     So what will happen?  They  will be put on buses to go to Travis without having been tested? Will the non‐Californian U.S. citizens be flown to  Lackland AFB and Dobbins AFB from Travis without having been tested?  Maybe he meant that they will be tested on the  dock in those tents as they leave the ship but will not be held in Oakland to learn the results of the test. That alone  would be pretty shocking. It means, at a minimum, that if they are positive and infectious, they will be riding on buses to  Travis and arrive there days before the results of their test are known!                      Gov. Newsom should clarify what Dr. Gally was saying, or the CDC should.                  Now hear this re the tests:  ABC network news seen at 5:30 PM in Fresno has had a lady M.D. on to discuss the  virus. Attractive blond. She was asked a few days ago what the incubation period for Covid19 is. She said that we don't  know. It could be 3 days or 10 days. Apparently that means that one could be exposed to the virus on Monday, be tested  on Friday, still not show symptoms and still test negative on Friday and be fully infectious and spreading the virus on  Friday!!!  What implications does that have for containing the outbreak??                    Re Italy, DW in the middle of the night last night told why Italy has quarantined the entire country instead of just  Lombardy in far northern Italy and provinces around it. They don't want to virus to spread to central and southern Italy  where the HC system is "primitive".  If it spreads to those places they will have a real disaster on their hands, it was said.                     Travel into and out of Italy?  If you are coming in, you will be questioned about the purpose of your trip. If it is  to see vulnerable relatives or you have a pressing business purpose, you'll be let in.  Leaving?  If the country of  destination will accept you, you can leave Italy.  3                 LH                     ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Forwarded message ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐  From: Loran Harding <loran.harding@stanfordalumni.org>  Date: Mon, Mar 9, 2020 at 3:10 PM  Subject: Fwd: Mon. March 9, 2020 virus update. See Trump visit to CDC Friday. 47 min.  To: Loran Harding <loran.harding@stanfordalumni.org>, Dan Richard <danrichard@mac.com>, Daniel Zack  <daniel.zack@fresno.gov>, Mayor <mayor@fresno.gov>, dennisbalakian <dennisbalakian@sbcglobal.net>, David  Balakian <davidbalakian@sbcglobal.net>, Irv Weissman <irv@stanford.edu>, bballpod <bballpod@aol.com>, hennessy  <hennessy@stanford.edu>, <eappel@stanford.edu>, terry <terry@terrynagel.com>, beachrides  <beachrides@sbcglobal.net>, leager <leager@fresnoedc.com>, Cathy Lewis <catllewis@gmail.com>,  <vallesR1969@att.net>, Doug Vagim <dvagim@gmail.com>, <dallen1212@gmail.com>, <francis.collins@nih.gov>,  kfsndesk <kfsndesk@abc.com>, newsdesk <newsdesk@cbs47.tv>, <kwalsh@kmaxtv.com>, Pam Kelly <pkelly@svlg.org>,  jerry ruopoli <jrwiseguy7@gmail.com>, Steve Wayte <steve4liberty@gmail.com>, <fmbeyerlein@sbcglobal.net>,  city.council <city.council@cityofpaloalto.org>, Leodies Buchanan <leodiesbuchanan@yahoo.com>,  <grinellelake@yahoo.com>, huidentalsanmateo <huidentalsanmateo@gmail.com>, Joel Stiner <jastiner@gmail.com>,  Mark Kreutzer <mlkreutzer@yahoo.com>, <margaret‐sasaki@live.com>, <midge@thebarretts.com>, nick yovino  <npyovino@gmail.com>, <russ@topperjewelers.com>, Mark Standriff <mark.standriff@fresno.gov>,  <yicui@stanford.edu>, <shanhui.fan@stanford.edu>      ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Forwarded message ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐  From: Loran Harding <loran.harding@stanfordalumni.org>  Date: Mon, Mar 9, 2020 at 2:32 PM  Subject: Fwd: Mon. March 9, 2020 virus update. See Trump visit to CDC Friday. 47 min.  To: Loran Harding <loran.harding@stanfordalumni.org>      ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Forwarded message ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐  From: Loran Harding <loran.harding@stanfordalumni.org>  Date: Mon, Mar 9, 2020 at 1:54 PM  Subject: Fwd: Mon. March 9, 2020 virus update. See Trump visit to CDC Friday. 47 min.  To: Loran Harding <loran.harding@stanfordalumni.org>      ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Forwarded message ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐  From: Loran Harding <loran.harding@stanfordalumni.org>  Date: Mon, Mar 9, 2020 at 1:47 PM  Subject: Mon. March 9, 2020 virus update. See Trump visit to CDC Friday. 47 min.  To: Loran Harding <loran.harding@stanfordalumni.org>               Monday, March 9, 2020                          Here is a good COVID‐19 update as of today.      4                 See in there the vid. of Trump at the CDC, 47 min., I believe on Friday, March 6, 2020.  Well worth seeing. He  had to move the group closer to the cameras because the mics could not pick up what they were saying. A rare, but not  unprecedented, display of common sense by him. Richest country in history, best tech., best minds in world, and they  didn't know to move 15 feet closer to the mics until he so ordered.                       He said when he goes into such a facility, the doctors all stick out their hand and want to shake hands with  him, in the middle of a deadly pandemic. See link at the bottom of this mail.                     Then see the article by Dr. Bruce Aylward, team leader of the joint mission between WHO and China on Covid‐ 19 a couple of weeks ago. He says "As long as you have these discrete outbreaks, there is an opportunity to contain  them... and prevent a lot of disease and.. death".  I suggested that he should be in charge of the fight along with former  Dir. of CDC. He is not, but he made a lot of contacts among people on the front line fighting the epidemic in China and  appears to speak the language too. He should be in the inner circle of experts directing the fight in the U.S. What he  learned in China and the contacts he has there would seem to be valuable.              Listen to the 11 minute interview of him in this link. "11 minute listen":                                 https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/03/08/813401722/who‐official‐says‐coronavirus‐containment‐ remains‐possible                       But note his insight: as long as you have these discrete outbreaks, there is an opportunity to contain them.  That surprised him in China.                  Then I hear one expert on KCBS, Prof. Art Reingold from UC Berkely, saying that you   cannot   contain   the  outbreak.  KCBS radio ran his comment that it is too late to contain the virus. You do "mitigation" instead. So he  disagrees with Dr. Aylward, above.  Here is his interview on KPIX TV:                    https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/video/4476579‐dr‐art‐reingold‐talks‐about‐minimal‐risk‐docking‐grand‐ princess‐in‐oakland‐presents‐to‐community/                                                                Here is the update of today which contains the vid of Trump at the CDC last Friday.                                      https://www.npr.org/sections/health‐shots/2020/03/09/813616982/coronavirus‐u‐s‐has‐564‐cases‐ stricken‐cruise‐ship‐to‐dock‐in‐california                   Then last night, Monday, March 9, 2020, the news showed Trump at some rally in Florida working a fence line,  shaking hands with numerous people. That looks wreckless to me. Apparently the Secret Service can't prevent a  president from doing what he wants to do, however risky it may be. Apparently Trump really does believe that the  outbreak will be mild in the U.S. and be of low risk to any individual. He is in the high risk age group.                    The Mayor of San Jose has banned all large gatherings that the City controls. Mayor Brand in Fresno might want  to do the same.                    LH  1 Baumb, Nelly From:AnaMaria Garcia Walker <garciawalker@hotmail.com> Sent:Monday, March 9, 2020 1:31 PM To:Jensen, Peter; Council, City; ParkRec Commission Subject:No dog park or bathroom at Ramos Park Attachments:letter to Peter Jensen.docx CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links.  March 9th, 2020     Mr.  Peter Jensen  Palo Alto Public Works  Palo Alto, CA     Dear Mr. Jensen,     We live in one of the houses that is around Ramos Park. Our backyard limits with the park.     Recently we learned about the plans to make some renovations and improvements to the park.     We are very happy that the park is going to be updated and that the kids structures will be improved; however, we are  against the dog park or the building of bathrooms.     Ramos Park is very small, and we deal every day, during the whole day and sometimes nights with the noise and  occasional mess.     About the dog park, I can’t imagine how living with it, behind my house can be possible. Sometimes the dogs poop and  the owners don’t even realize it, this happens when they come close to our fence and choose the spot there.  Nature  2 helps and this waste is composted at some point but is not fun to have a BBQ and have the smell of poop mixed with  your food. Or when one open the windows of the house and the smell invades your home and the only option is to close  them all.       Having a dog park, with a syntenic material will make this odor be always there. Who’s going to clean this and keep it  neat so we can go out and enjoy our backyard? The same problem of picking up the poop will happen no matter what,  but then we will not have the option of the soil absorbing the waste and odor.     When we don’t deal with the smell, we have the constant noise of the dogs barking, running and the owners calling for  them.  I’m a dog lover and I appreciate a space for the dogs, but I don’t want this to be in my face all the  time.  Sometimes we just want the peace and quiet and is not always possible to have it.  If you go ahead with the dog  park, it seems that we will have more of this noise with more dogs.     About the bathrooms, I understand that little kids sometimes need to use a bathroom, but right now with all the viruses  going around is not safe to impose this to the houses around the park, and don’t see a possible spot where the  bathroom can be located without us living with the smell, the dirtiness, and the exposure to bacteria and germs.      There’s always Mitchell Park, a beautiful facility with all the accommodations for all ages, with a dog park there and is  only 8 minutes‐walk from Ramos Park.     I’m asking you for one moment to think if this was happening behind your house and is you and your family who has to  live with smells, dirtiness, fear of bacteria, and germs, and constant noise what will be your position to the improvement  of the park.     I urge to reconsider the plans and think of the families that live around the park we are also part of the community and  we are true to Palo Alto, but not to this renovation.     Sincerely,     Ana Maria Garcia and Family  Ortega Ct.        March 9th, 2020 Mr. Peter Jensen Palo Alto Public Works Palo Alto, CA Dear Mr. Jensen, We live in one of the houses that is around Ramos Park. Our backyard limits with the park. Recently we learned about the plans to make some renovations and improvements to the park. We are very happy that the park is going to be updated and that the kids structures will be improved; however, we are against the dog park or the building of bathrooms. Ramos Park is very small, and we deal every day, during the whole day and sometimes nights with the noise and occasional mess. About the dog park, I can’t imagine how living with it, behind my house can be possible. Sometimes the dogs poop and the owners don’t even realize it, this happens when they come close to our fence and choose the spot there. Nature helps and this waste is composted at some point but is not fun to have a BBQ and have the smell of poop mixed with your food. Or when one open the windows of the house and the smell invades your home and the only option is to close them all. Having a dog park, with a syntenic material will make this odor be always there. Who’s going to clean this and keep it neat so we can go out and enjoy our backyard? The same problem of picking up the poop will happen no matter what, but then we will not have the option of the soil absorbing the waste and odor. When we don’t deal with the smell, we have the constant noise of the dogs barking, running and the owners calling for them. I’m a dog lover and I appreciate a space for the dogs, but I don’t want this to be in my face all the time. Sometimes we just want the peace and quiet and is not always possible to have it. If you go ahead with the dog park, it seems that we will have more of this noise with more dogs. About the bathrooms, I understand that little kids sometimes need to use a bathroom, but right now with all the viruses going around is not safe to impose this to the houses around the park, and don’t see a possible spot where the bathroom can be located without us living with the smell, the dirtiness, and the exposure to bacteria and germs. There’s always Mitchell Park, a beautiful facility with all the accommodations for all ages, with a dog park there and is only 8 minutes-walk from Ramos Park. I’m asking you for one moment to think if this was happening behind your house and is you and your family who has to live with smells, dirtiness, fear of bacteria, and germs, and constant noise what will be your position to the improvement of the park. I urge to reconsider the plans and think of the families that live around the park we are also part of the community and we are true to Palo Alto, but not to this renovation. Sincerely, Ana Maria Garcia and Family Ortega Ct. 1 Baumb, Nelly From:talley kenyon <talleykenyon@gmail.com> Sent:Saturday, March 7, 2020 7:45 PM To:Council, City Subject:Safe Gun Storage changes CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links.  Dear Council Members,      I am a member of Moms Demand Action for Gun Safety and am writing in support of the adoption of the proposed Ordinance #1067 for safe gun storage in residences with one major concern. That concern is that criminal penalties are associated with this ordinance. I hope that you will make changes to Ordinance #1067 so that a violation of the code is a misdemeanor and only civil penalties will be enforced. This is the position of Moms Demand Action for Gun Safety and ordinances in Burlingame, Redwood City and the County of Santa Clara are written with this language.    The reason for this position is that criminal penalties have the potential to have a greater impact on communities of color who have long experienced injustice from our legal system. The goal of the ordinance is education and to increase community safety within private residences. An unlocked gun is more likely to result in personal tragedy within a home than to increase violence in the greater community.   In fact, I urge you to stop and consider the costs associated with criminal prosecution; money that we tax payers pay. I would rather that money go to help gun owners purchase the required safety mechanisms than to spend it putting even more people in jail. Pause and think about how to best serve all members of our community.    If you persist in including criminal penalties, as a member of Moms Demand Action I will have to speak out against its enactment. We all want our community to be a safe place to live and for families to be kept together.     I applaud your consideration of enacting a safe gun storage ordinance for Menlo Park, but please make this change.    Sincerely,  Virginia Kenyon    Menlo Park, CA 94025  Redacted 1 Baumb, Nelly From:Heidi Yauman <heidi.yauman@heidiyauman.com> Sent:Sunday, March 8, 2020 1:22 PM To:Council, City Cc:markhamplazata@gmail.com; rua@uglyjudge.com; scottlargent38@gmail.com Subject:Greetings from Heidi Yauman CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear City Council My new website is put up and now people can learn about me on the internet at www.HeidiYauman.com and find out about the Markham Plaza attacks and how Bobby Moss and Julie Stewart wound up dead and how it was covered up in the 2013 / 2014 grand jury investigation into the public guardian. I hope you have nice day. Heidi Yauman HeidiYauman.com To help protect your priv acy, Microsoft Office prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. 1 Baumb, Nelly From:jackie leonard-dimmick <akita550@hotmail.com> Sent:Monday, March 9, 2020 1:35 PM To:Council, City Subject:Homelessness and Climate Change CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links.  Palo Alto City Council Members:       After reading the article in the "Palo Alto Weekly"  'Mayor Shares Spotlight, Highlights Housing In "State of  the City", by Gennady  Sheyner (3/6/20), I wonder if building more housing will solve the 'homelessness'  problem.  Housing that is affordable today, will not be affordable tomorrow ‐ and we will be in a worse  situation.        'Homelessness' is an EFFECT.  I An EFFECT can not be dissolved until the CAUSE is  eliminated.  Why not get  back to Global Warming and Climate Change?  Most of our environmental and health issues stem from OVER  POPULATION.  When one's clothes keep getting tighter and tighter, and one can no longer bend over to tie his  shoes, one does not continue to buy bigger and eat more.   He cuts back on his food intake and exercises  more.  It is the same with the Bay Area.  The large businesses/corporations and developers keep pushing  people out of the homes they grew up in.       Hire people locally ‐ not from the Central Valley or out of state.  Support SMALL families/ Family Planning,  discourage the common practice of being in debit, and encourage people to depend more on the sun for their  daily needs.       Solar panels are a good investment, but it is expensive and of no value unless one has batteries should the  power go out.  Passive far cheaper and needs no moving appliances to make it work.  One can dry one's  clothes, heat water, keep ones home and body warm, grow food, provide light for our home and some people  cook with the sun, even on the shortest day of the year.       Whether one goes  Active or Passive, one needs the sun.  It is a natural, constant resource and belongs to  each and every one of us.  This means people need to keep their trees thinned, opened up and not growing to  the sky, so on the shortest day of the year, the least amount of sun can be utilixed to the fullest.  This would  save money and natural resources for all.  It can get very depressing, and cold  in the winter, when the sun is  shining brightly, but one can get no sun or heat in to one's home because it is blocked out by neighbors' trees  far and near.       This is another reason to discourage intensive housing. City to City concrete, asphalt and steel construction  is not good for the environment or the health and well bing of people.  It seems to me it is crucial to address  the issue of OVER POPULATION if we want to live on a healthy, sustainable Planet.      Thank you for letting me share these views.         1 Baumb, Nelly From:Jeff Hoel <jeff_hoel@yahoo.com> Sent:Tuesday, March 10, 2020 2:39 PM To:UAC Cc:Hoel, Jeff (external); Council, City Subject:TRANSCRIPT & COMMENTS -- 03-05-20 UAC meeting -- Item IX.4 -- AMI & Fiber Network Expansion Planning CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links.  Commissioners, At your 03-05-20 meeting, http://cityofpaloalto.org/civicax/filebank/documents/75498 Item IX.4 was about AMI and Fiber Network Expansion Planning. http://cityofpaloalto.org/civicax/filebank/documents/75490 Here (below the "######" line) is a transcript, plus my comments (paragraphs in red beginning with "###"). Thanks. Jeff ------------------- Jeff Hoel Palo Alto, CA 94303 ------------------- ###################################################################################### Video: https://midpenmedia.org/utilities-advisory-commission-31-352020/ 1:11:07 Chair Danaher: All right. With that, we'll move on to agenda item -- And the next agenda item, which is an update of the AMI project. Thank you, Lisa. 1:11:42: Dave Yuan: Good evening, commissioners, and Council member. I wasn't sure, if there was a guest speaker, does that go before, or after. Just to check with Chair Danaher. I think Jeff had a public ... 1:11:53: Chair Danaher: Oh. Thank you for reminding me. Jeff, would you like to speak? 1:12:02: Jeff Hoel: I just had a small thing about the AMI. When this issue was before the public on June 24th of last year, staff didn't know the details of the protocol by which the meters talked to collectors. And there were two approaches under consideration. One would have used approximately seven collectors. The other would have used approximately 30 collectors. And I guess the question I have is, has staff decided which of those two approaches it should use? And, if so, which did it choose? And if not, is it, in effect, using the RFP to ask bidders what they think? Thank you. Redacted 2 1:12:49: Chair Danaher: OK. Thank you. And, Herb, did you want to speak to this, too? 1:13:01: Herb Borock: Thank you, Chair Danaher, and good evening, commissioners. The minutes from last meeting on this topic, as well as the presentation, indicates that this is -- this contract is of a size where the City Council is the awarding authority for the contract. However, it appears from what's before me -- I may have misunderstood it -- that staff has decided to go ahead and negotiate with one of the proposers, rather than having the Council choose which of the bidders is the one that staff should negotiate with. This has both a practical effect and also a legal effect in regard to any challenges from the other bidders. My recollection is that in all contracts of this nature that involve choosing a proposer that staff would have to negotiate with, that it's the Council that is the awarding authority, that chooses which bidder to negotiate with. And that's also the case of contracts on the fiber issue over 20 years, and with all previous City Managers and Utilities Directors. In terms of the legal issue, it's that their contract is not being treated equally. You know, when it comes before Council, if one of the bidders has already had a negotiation for different terms in the contract, how can the other one say you've chosen the wrong one, we submitted a better proposal? So, therefore, I believe the procedure that's also been followed is the appropriate one, and should be followed at this time. Where it is the Council that chooses the contractor with whom the staff negotiates. 1:14:59: A second issue is that the municipal code is the Utilities Advisory Commission to be the adviser on fiber issues. However, on this particular issue, the Council decided that the UAC should replace the Citizens Advisory Committee as an adviser to staff, while leaving in the municipal code your advice role to the City Council. So, first, do you have both of those roles now? And how does the fact that you'd be first advising staff, and then, on the same issue, advise Council? And how does that affect your freedom of action? Thank you. 1:15:43: Chair Danaher: Thank you. Dave, please proceed. 1:15:47: Dave Yuan: All right. Good evening, everyone. So, tonight, we'll give you a status update, and also a tentative time line, of two of our our larger projects coming up. One is the AMI, which is the Advanced Metering Infrastructure project, also known as smart meters. And then the other one is the Fiber Expansion Plan. (Oops. Technical difficulties.) 1:16:37: All right. The plan is to issue an RFP for AMI. So, we haven't actually awarded any contracts yet. It is a fairly complicated RFP we are going to be issuing. For services (installation services), equipment (meters and radios), and also for software for the MDM system, which is the Meter Data Management system. And also the AMI network. So, the five major components are listed up above. The 1st one is the AMI network, which includes replacing all 30,000 electric meters. And also radios to retrofit any gas or water meters that we are not replacing. The 2nd component is water meter replacement. We've identified over -- almost 9,000 meters that are over 20 years old. ### The slide says 8,600. So we're going to do some sampling and testing, to see -- some accuracy -- to see the total number we'll actually replace. This is kind of the maximum number. And then, for gas we're going to do a similar exercise. There's about 12,000 meters right now ### The slide says 11,900. 3 that are over 30 years old. So we'll do some sampling and some accuracy testing on those as well. And then, the 4th component, installation services. So, we could have anywhere from 30,000 to 50,000 meters being replaced. In between an 18- to 24-month period. So, there will be lots of trucks rolling out there. And, finally, it's the MDM system. This the Meter Data Management system, which will store all the interval data. Any questions on any of these components? OK. 1:18:10: Commissioner Forssell: Component 2 is water meters. Component 3 is gas meters. Component 4 is -- MORE water meters, gas meters, but also electric meters? That's how I actually understand component 4. 1:18:19: Dave Yuan: Number 4 is actually just the installation services for all three meter types. So, so it's the installation ... 1:18:25: Commissioner Forssell: So then what's component 2? They're the meters but not being installed. 1:18:27: Dave Yuan: Right. Just the metering equipment itself. So, we're trying to actually find a turnkey solution for components 1, 4, and 5. 2 and 3 is just equipment. So, that one, we'll just do probably lowest-cost. 1:18:43: Commissioner Segal: On the software here, are there any apps to actually manipulate the data -- take advantage of the information we're getting from AMI -- factored into this RFP? Or is this just to get it up and running? 1:18:56: Dave Yuan: Just to get it -- Well, I'm not exactly sure what you said. Apps. 1:19:00: Commissioner Segal: Right. So, once we have the data ... 1:19:02: Dave Yuan: Uh huh. 1:19:02: Commissioner Segal: As I understand it, the power comes from what we can DO with that information. 1:19:08: Dave Yuan: Um hum. 1:19:08: Commissioner Segal: And so, if we don't have the ... 1:19:12: 4 Dave Yuan: It's portal information system. OK. Yes, I get it. So, the MDM software company actually offers us a portal that we can either implement -- or, we're also looking at our current My CPL (?) customer portal. So we're going to do a single sign-on that would tie into the MDM system. So customers can see their interval data. Is that what you're asking? 1:19:35: Commissioner Segal: Yeah. All kinds of information. I mean, I just think that, like, right now, we should be understanding all the way through the system, from meter replace- -- you know, equipment replacing and installation all the way to the back end -- what we're going to do with this data. Because my understanding is, there are utilities who have gone through this whole process, implemented AMI, and they're not really using the tool, because they didn't factor in, on the back end, the applications they need to really have a powerful tool. 1:20:04: Dave Yuan: Right. So, there studies and new research about what kind of data is out there, and how to use that data. So, yeah, I think we're still trying to get a handle on all that information. Hopefully, we'll get a better assessment when this comes into fruition. Which is in the next few years. So, when we are interviewing the vendors, we can ask these questions, as well. 1:20:24: Commissioner Segal: Yeah. Because I would hate to get all the way down the process and then discover that we can't really use certain apps, or it's very kludgy, or we have to make some correct- -- It just seems to me we should be thinking about what we want to do with now, so that as we go through this process, we have that in mind, and if there -- I don't if there are different decisions you make depending on the apps. But often there are. And so, we should know that on the front end. 1:20:46: Dave Yuan: Yeah. Yes. OK. Thank you. Noted. 1:20:49: Chair Danaher: So, the RFP will be issued this month, right? 1:20:52: Dave Yuan: Yes. Ideally, yes. 1:20:53: Chair Danaher: Is that draft ready? Or close to ready? 1:20:55: Dave Yuan: The draft is -- the final was reviewed by Legal today. So, it's going to Purchasing next. So, it will ... 1:21:00: Chair Danaher: OK. I just wanted to ask if there are any commissioners who are particularly interested in reviewing that? Or adding comments? 1:21:07: Commissioner Jackson: I would like to review it. I cannot imagine I need to be in a roadblock situation. But -- So, you can keep going full steam ahead. But I would like to see it when -- as soon as I could. But ... 1:21:18: Dave Yuan: OK. 5 1:21:18: Commissioner Jackson: ... I -- very -- do not imagine that I will have anything that I would need to ... 1:21:23: Dave Yuan: I was just going to warn you, it's pretty hefty. There's probably like 20 attachments with the RFP. But I'm happy to share with you. ### Would staff be willing to post the RFP on the City's website, so the public can see it? In general, the public ought to be able to see everything that UAC can see as a deliberative body. 1:21:28: Commissioner Jackson: That would be great. Thank you. 1:21:30: Dave Yuan: There will be hundreds and hundreds of pages. 1:21:32: Chair Danaher: Anybody else want to -- OK. 1:21:35: Commissioner Scharff: Just a follow-up on the app thing. I think the point is that it would be great if consumer -- you know, if the customers could look at the data. On a real-time basis. ### The 05-02-18 staff report https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/civicax/filebank/documents/64784 said (for example, on PDF page 4) that data wouldn't be available to customers until the next day (unless the customer had a display that was connected directly to the smart meter). Is staff now willing to commit to making MDM data available over the internet in (something like) real time? And that would require some sort of an app on our phone. ### The data should be accessible in a variety of ways, not just on cell phones. I mean, no one really wants to log in on the website all the time. Right? ### I don't know what Commissioner Scharff has in mind. How does the MCM know that a particular internet user has the right to access a particular customer's data? You want -- It would be great to have notifications, you know, if your water is being -- you know, is leaking. If you're using too much gas, for instance. You know. 1:22:00: Dave Yuan: So, the MDM system will have alerts and notifications, for those kinds of high usage. Or leaks. And then, the MCM portal could be on a mobile phone or a tablet. That you could get all these notifications and alerts. If it's a high bill. If there's a leak. If there's a no-consumption. Or whatever it may be. 1:22:20: Commissioner Scharff: Right. No, I'm just thinking, the more mobile-phone-based it is, the more likely people are to use it, and get value out of it. 1:22:28: Dave Yuan: I think that is one of the requirements. 6 1:22:29: Commissioner Segal: And the more robust. I mean, emergency notifications are sort of, to me, baseline. 1:22:35: Dave Yuan: Um hum. 1:22:35: Commissioner Segal: But if we're going through this, you know, huge expense, because there IS a lot of information that customers can use -- and change behavior, hopefully. So, let's make sure they get the information. 1:22:49: Commissioner Scharff: Right. Time price of -- Time of Pricing -- you know, I mean, it be nice to get notifications -- if you want to use your electricity for the cheapest, you know, use it now. As opposed to, DON'T use it now, because there's a surge in pricing. ### Time of Use (TOU) pricing for electricity is normally based on a fixed schedule, known to customers well in advance. So customers can plan well in advance when to use electricity. Dynamic pricing -- where the price of electricity can change from moment to moment -- is possible, but a home might need a computer to figure out when to buy it. https://www.utilitydive.com/news/what-will-electricity-pricing-look-like-in-2040/558708/ 1:23:00: Jonathan Abendschein: So, I think there's always more that we can do on this, and the space is changing pretty regularly. But we actually have done a lot in the last few years to prepare. One of the -- um -- clearest, most upcoming things that we've done is, we've -- when we did our RFP to get our home energy and water reports set up -- which we're trying to launch later this year -- we made sure that they were set up to be able to also handle interval data. And display that in the My CPL portal. And actually also have that be available in a mobile format. So, that's a baseline right there. We also did a number of pilots, back a few -- with the -- We did a number of pilots with our -- When we did our smart meter pilot, we did a number of pilots, to demonstrate that we could use that data for things like, for example, conserving energy by running the system at a slightly lower voltage -- still within the, you know, appropriate range, but a slightly lower voltage. So, we've actually demonstrated an ability to do that. We've experimented with home -- um -- I'm forgetting the acronym -- but, you know, home displays. ### I'm not a fan of AMI-specific home display hardware connected through the AMI network. It makes more sense to me for display hardware to be general purpose and connected through the internet. And experimented with how those might help people lower their energy use. So -- There's always more that we can do on this. We're looking at a -- potentially trying to design a flexible demand response -- automated flexible demand response pilot, that we can do in the next few years. That's something that we're going to work on this summer. So, there's always more that we can do. But we're -- you know, we're definitely thinking ahead. 1:24:44: Commissioner Forssell: Question: is the interval fixed? Is it 15 minutes? Or is it flexible? 1:24:52: Dave Yuan: I think right now it's flexible. But I think right now we're recommending is maybe 15 minutes for electric and hourly for water and gas. Currently. ### The 05-02-18 staff report https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/civicax/filebank/documents/64784 talked about (on PDF page 64) doing "over 8,760 reads per meter per year" for electric meters, which is hourly. But it also said (on PDF page 4) every 15 minutes. At some point, staff could clarify in writing. 7 ### Also, staff talked about (on PDF page 94) having water and gas meters report usage twice per day, to conserve the meters' battery power. ### I have asked if water and gas meters could be programmed to report as soon as they notice significant usage. That way, battery power could be conserved, except when the information was interesting. ### In this Letters From Citizens document, https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?t=62465.62&BlobID=65229 I comment on the 05-02-18 staff report (pages 2-19) and provide a transcript & comments of UAC's 05-02-18 discussion (pages 27-50). 1:25:00: Commissioner Forssell: But if we -- But if there was a compelling reason to report more frequently, that's -- that's not hard-coded into the system that it's 15-minute interval data? 1:25:10: Dave Yuan: Right. It's not hard-coded. You could do minute. But then the battery life will -- not for the electric, but for the water and gas meters. The battery life will be shortened. And you have to replace the meters. 1:25:19: Commissioner Forssell: Sure. OK. I'm thinking of the electric in particular. The -- What comes to mind is -- WattTime ### https://www.watttime.org/ that currently has available, on a 5-minute interval, the carbon intensity of the California grid. And I can imagine cool apps that let you see the carbon intensity of your usage in almost-real time, at 5-minute intervals. And if they were to make it -- you know, even more towards real time, it would be great if our system could keep up. 1:25:49: Dave Yuan: Yeah. We can evaluate that -- 5 minutes versus 15 minutes. 1:25:52: Chair Danaher: So, I'm going to suggest that we finish with your presentation, and then we can talk about what additional presentations we might want. 1:25:59: Dave Yuan: OK. 1:25:59: Chair Danaher: We did go into a lot of details on how it could be used a couple of years ago, in a Council presentation. Obviously, your thinking is much more advanced now. 1:26:07: Dave Yuan: Right. 1:26:07: Chair Danaher: Why don't you proceed, and they we'll come back to these. 1:26:09: 8 Dave Yuan: OK. And, quickly, to answer Jeff's earlier question about which type of technology -- we haven't decided yet. So, the RFP will help guide us -- either using a mesh network or a point-to-point network. ### Thanks for this information. But I'm concerned. Why doesn't staff already know what kind of network it wants? What are the criteria it will use to decide? 1:26:20: All right. So, here, next slide, is the time line. So, hopefully, we'll issue it by the end of this month. It's going to be on the street for about 10 weeks. Due to the complexity, and since there will be multiple vendors for the different components. And then, in the summer, we'll be interviewing the different vendors. And we're hoping to have contract negotiations done by the end of the year, if possible. And then we'll go to Council's approval in the beginning of next year. And then, the first year after that -- contracts are signed -- we going to do initial initialization and testing. ### Initial installation and testing? And making some software integration. Make sure that works, between all our different -- our ERP system, our billing system, our GIS, OMS, and all that. So, that will be about a year's worth of effort, to make sure those are working correctly. And then, full deployment will be in about '22 to '24. Anywhere from 18 to 24 months is what we're estimating. 1:27:16: OK? That's it for AMI. Before I go to fiber, do you want ... 1:27:18: Chair Danaher: So, will the vendors tell us, in the RFP -- in the response to that -- what the capabilities will be? And all the cool applications? Or will we be asking them to ... 1:27:28: Dave Yuan: We have a list of requirements in the RFP, that we're judging critical, important, or nice-to-have. So, they're all listed in the RFP. And then, if the vendors have additional functions, they can tell us as well. 1:27:40: Chair Danaher: And, I assume, once we have the platform, we can add more functionality? OK? 1:27:44: Dave Yuan: Yes. 1:27:47: Chair Danaher. Yes. 1:27:47: Commissioner Smith: Sorry. If I may, I just want to echo what Commissioner Segal -- I think it's important to have the end goal in mind, particularly when something this costly and this extensive. And if I look at it from an initial installation of software interface in 2021-2022, that's -- that's -- quick. That's 10 months away. 1:28:06: Dave Yuan: Um hum. 1:28:06: Commissioner Smith: So, when I look at it from that perspective, going through my own experience of having to do a program such -- of this nature, it took us a year to get the goal defined. 9 1:28:17: Dave Yuan: Um hum. 1:28:17: Commissioner Smith: And then we had to work back. If we install our enterprise software and make sure that we can collect all the data, but we don't know what we actually want to do with the data, or what we want to reflect with the data, or why we want to report that data, or how we want to gather, collate, analyze -- then we're kind of -- It's a good effort. Don't get me wrong. We've been talking about this for a long time. But I think it's incredibly important that we understand specifically what we CAN do. And we help the citizens of Palo Alto understand -- that there's a gas leak. It's abundantly clear, based upon usage, there's a gas leak. You're using too much water. Why are you using too much water? Is the water just leaking? Right? These are very real opportunities. Like, when I was a kid, I was growing up, what did we do? We turned the thermostat down at night. I actually don't know why we turned the thermostat down at night. Maybe that's a good reason. Right? Why DO you turn the thermostat down at night? Right? In our particular homes, we don't have air conditioning. We have boilers. Well, why would we turn down the temperature? There's a - - There are very real applications that we can -- with the data that will be made available, we can relate use to cost -- or cost savings -- to carbon. So, it drives a great story. And it just builds for a better case. 1:29:48: Dave Yuan: So, we can schedule a follow-up session, talking about the benefits, and different applications, and uses we have, with the AMI data. 1:29:54: Chair Danaher: So, I was going to ask if maybe you have that list of the capabilities that you're asking the vendors to provide, perhaps that list could be provided to commissioners. ### If it can be provided to the commissioners, can it also be provided to the public? 1:30:01: Dave Yuan: Um hum. Do you guys want an info report, or do you want us to come back and have a discussion? What do you prefer? 1:30:07: Commissioner Scharff: (unamplified) Discussion. 1:30:08: Dave Yuan: Discussion. OK. We'll schedule something. 1:30:10: Chair Danaher: Discussion? All right. Sure. I have AMI on the list of things to think about for our agendas in the future. 1:30:16: Commissioner Scharff: But as part of that discussion, they're going to lay out, you know, what the plan is, in terms of the information, and how it would be, and ... 1:30:22: Dave Yuan: Sure. Our current plans. Yes. 1:30:25: Commissioner Scharff: Great. 10 1:30:26: Commissioner Jackson: I would assume that the obvious initial application is to obtain -- is for the utilities to obtain usage reports, so they can bill customers without sending meter readers out. Without coming into fancy apps, that's a very basic app. 1:30:44: Dave Yuan: Right. That's one of the savings. 1:30:45: Commissioner Jackson: An obvious thing. I would like -- I mean, I'm all for apps, and all that stuff. That's great. As a - - I would say, I would urge you to consider, in addition to looking at other apps, to provide a real time API ### Application Programming Interface. to customers or developers, so that many apps could be developed. ### Is Commissioner Jackson thinking of an API to the MDM database (for accessing the customer's smart meter data already collected)? Or an API to the actual smart meter? For example, should the API be able to support a command that electric power to a premises be turned off? Or should the API be able to support a command that the smart meter be sampled at non-standard intervals? Obviously, I guess, the API shouldn't be able to interfere with how the MDM gets the data it wants from smart meters. They could be -- a customer -- That an individual customer could choose to use any of those apps. And if some of those apps turn out to be awesome, then perhaps the utilities themselves may provide that app in concert with that vendor or developer. But -- I just like the openness. I mean, there's a lot of innovation in Palo Alto and Silicon Valley. APIs is where it's at. It's very hard to predict the killer application. But if you provide that base capability that people can get access -- the developers can get access to the data, on the customer's behalf, that's -- that's a very key capability. And it's required for any of these other fancy apps anyway. ### Interesting idea. 1:31:43: Commissioner Scharff: So, could I just follow up on that? I just want to make sure, then, we have privacy concerns. I mean, I don't think it would be appropriate for anyone to look at anyone else's, you know, usage on your utility bills. I mean, without their permission. 1:31:57: Chair Danaher: I'm going to interject a little bit. Because I've heard presentations from you over the years from you. I know you've been thinking deeply about it. And we'll schedule at time to go into the specs, and what their capabilities are. 1:32:08: Dave Yuan: And we'll address security, privacy issues as well. 1:32:10: Chair Danaher: We may have -- We may have new suggestions you haven't considered. And we may not. But we'll have that session. And look forward to that. 1:32:19: Dave Yuan: I want you to know, though, it's only really meter data that's being sent through the network. The usage, and the meter number. There's no personal information in there. 1:32:26: 1 Baumb, Nelly From:Nancy Alfaro <alfaro.nancy@gmail.com> Sent:Tuesday, March 10, 2020 10:31 PM To:george.schlitz@gmail.com; sbarragan@aristeguinoticias.com; eric wexler; marco.pulido@yahoo.com; silvanoaureoles@michoacan.gob.mx; courage.contact@couragefound.org; newsdesk@afr.com; news@thelocal.it; sindicato@senado.gob.mx; contacto@senadomorena.com; Fiona.Ma@treasurer.ca.gov; secretary.padilla@sos.ca.gov; investor.relations@americamovil.com; William.Livermore@fsresidential.com; steven.sheh@gmail.com; parul@giulianiconstruction.com; claudia@giulianiconstruction.com; vince@giulianiconstruction.com; ElectronicSubmissionFD-1 @insurance.ca.gov; cathy.edwards@gmail.com; ariel_zach@yahoo.com; cristin.morneau@gmail.com; cbretzin@gmail.com; DCA@dca.ca.gov; VPerreira@chp.ca.gov; tips@theverge.com; tips@zerohedge.com Cc:oig@gao.gov; CavalleroJ@ctpf.org; pgjecomsoc@michoacan.gob.mx; fiscal@morelia.fiscaliamichoacan.gob.mx; contact.lapdonline@gmail.com; Ben.Meng@calpers.ca.gov; CRapolla@calstrs.com; hotline@oig.dot.gov; denuncialosaqui@ssedomex.gob.mx; educacion@senado.gob.mx; salud@senado.gob.mx; CRCExternalComplaints@dol.gov; oig@sec.gov; oighotline@nlrb.gov; aclupreferences@aclu.org; FRAudGroup@sec.gov; complianceunit@cba.ca.gov; Nathan.M.Swinton@usdoj.gov; anticorrupcion@senado.gob.mx; Criminal.Division@usdoj.gov; Jeremy.Wolfson@ladwp.com; tips@pcaobus.org; wells@wsws.org; Council, City; chackert@fppc.ca.gov; vperrerira@cho.ca.gov Subject:This Is A Test: How Will The Constitution Fare During A Nationwide Lockdown? | Zero Hedge CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links.  Correction      George,     You and I are at a stand still over you selling from under me Big Visible and ObjectiveChange and implicating yourself in a  number of frauds and collusion and a failed assassination attempt.    Weren't you in Germany and coordinating the blow up leading up to my locking down the accounting systems of  the  company in August 2014 📍?    Irrespective of the crap you keep pulling, you need to line up. People are going to be massacre in mass in this country if  we you keep being a baby. You aren't a civilian so quit your bullshit. You were in the Persian Gulf and this is your job.        https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/test‐how‐will‐constitution‐fare‐during‐nationwide‐lockdown  This Is A Test: How Will The Constitution Fare During A Nationwide Lockdown? Authored by John Whitehead via The Rutherford Institute, 2 “It takes a remarkable force to keep nearly a million people quietly indoors for an entire day, home from work and school, from neighborhood errands and out‐of‐town travel. It takes a remarkable force to keep businesses closed and cars off the road, to keep playgrounds empty and porches unused across a densely populated place 125 square miles in size. This happened … not because armed officers went door‐to‐door, or imposed a curfew, or threatened martial law. All around the region, for 13 hours, people locked up their businesses and ‘sheltered in place’ out of a kind of collective will. The force that kept them there wasn’t external – there was virtually no active enforcement across the city of the governor's plea that people stay indoors. Rather, the pressure was an internal one – expressed as concern, or helpfulness, or in some cases, fear – felt in thousands of individual homes.” ‐ Journalist Emily Badger, “The Psychology of a Citywide Lockdown” This is a test. To help protect your priv acy, Microsoft Office prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. This is not a test of our commitment to basic hygiene or disaster preparedness or our ability to come together as a nation in times of crisis, although we’re not doing so well on any of those fronts. No, what is about to unfold over the next few weeks is a test to see how well we have assimilated the government’s lessons in compliance, fear and police state tactics; a test to see how quickly we’ll march in lockstep with the government’s dictates, no questions asked; and a test to see how little resistance we offer up to the government’s power grabs when made in the name of national security. 3 Most critically of all, this is a test to see whether the Constitution—and our commitment to the principles enshrined in the Bill of Rights—can survive a national crisis and true state of emergency. Here’s what we know: whatever the so-called threat to the nation—whether it’s civil unrest, school shootings, alleged acts of terrorism, or the threat of a global pandemic in the case of COVID-19—the government has a tendency to capitalize on the nation’s heightened emotions, confusion and fear as a means of extending the reach of the police state. This coronavirus epidemic, which has brought China’s Orwellian surveillance out of the shadows and caused Italy to declare a nationwide lockdown, threatens to bring the American Police State out into the open on a scale we’ve not seen before. If and when a nationwide lockdown finally hits—if and when we are forced to shelter in place— if and when militarized police are patrolling the streets— if and when security checkpoints have been established— if and when the media’s ability to broadcast the news has been curtailed by government censors—if and when public systems of communication (phone lines, internet, text messaging, etc.) have been restricted—if and when those FEMA camps the government has been surreptitiously building finally get used as quarantine detention centers for American citizens—if and when military “snatch and grab” teams are deployed on local, state, and federal levels as part of the activated Continuity of Government plans to isolate anyone suspected of being infected with COVID-19—and if and when martial law is enacted with little real outcry or resistance from the public—then we will truly understand the extent to which the government has fully succeeded in recalibrating our general distaste for anything that smacks too overtly of tyranny. This is how it begins. The coronavirus epidemic may well be a legitimate health concern, but it’s the government’s response to it that worries me more in the long term. Based on the government’s track record and its long‐anticipated plans for instituting martial law (using armed forces to solve domestic political and social problems) in response to a future crisis, there’s good reason to worry. This is not a government with a rosy view of the future. To the contrary, the government’s vision of the future is particularly ominous if a Pentagon training video created by the Army for U.S. Special Operations Command is anything to go by. Obtained by The Intercept through a FOIA request, the training video titled “Megacities: Urban Future, the Emerging Complexity” provides a chilling glimpse of what the government expects 4 the world to look like in 2030, a world bedeviled by “criminal networks,” “substandard infrastructure,” “religious and ethnic tensions,” “impoverishment, slums,” “open landfills, over- burdened sewers,” a “growing mass of unemployed,” and an urban landscape in which the prosperous economic elite must be protected from the impoverishment of the have nots. Add health contagions to the mix, and we’re arrived there, ten years ahead of schedule. The training video is only five minutes long, but it says a lot about the government’s mindset and the way its views the citizenry. Even more troubling, however, is what this military video doesn’t say about the Constitution and the rights of the citizenry: nothing at all. In typical fashion, the government seems to consider the Constitution only when forced to do so. It complies with the dictates of the Constitution even less frequently. Indeed, the government’s efforts to systematically lock down the nation and shift us into martial law have not been stymied one iota by the restraints imposed upon it by the Constitution: when it’s not bulldozing its way through the Fourth Amendment, the government just sidesteps it (with the help of the courts). So what should you expect if the government decides to declare a national state of emergency and institute a nationwide lockdown? More of the same of what we’ve been seeing in recent years. After all, like the proverbial boiling frogs, the government has been gradually acclimating us to the specter of a police state for years now: Militarized police. Riot squads. Camouflage gear. Black uniforms. Armored vehicles. Mass arrests. Pepper spray. Tear gas. Batons. Strip searches. Surveillance cameras. Kevlar vests. Drones. Lethal weapons. Less‐than‐lethal weapons unleashed with deadly force. Rubber bullets. Water cannons. Stun grenades. Arrests of journalists. Crowd control tactics. Intimidation tactics. Brutality. This is how you prepare a populace to accept a police state willingly, even gratefully. You don’t scare them by making dramatic changes. Rather, you acclimate them slowly to their prison walls. Persuade the citizenry that their prison walls are merely intended to keep them safe and danger out. Desensitize them to violence, acclimate them to a military presence in their communities, and persuade them that only a militarized government can alter the seemingly hopeless trajectory of the nation. It’s happening already. 5 The sight of police clad in body armor and gas masks, wielding semiautomatic rifles and escorting an armored vehicle through a crowded street, a scene likened to “a military patrol through a hostile city,” no longer causes alarm among the general populace. We’ve allowed ourselves to be acclimated to the occasional lockdown of government buildings, Jade Helm military drills in small towns so that special operations forces can get “realistic military training” in “hostile” territory, and Live Active Shooter Drill training exercises, carried out at schools, in shopping malls, and on public transit, which can and do fool law enforcement officials, students, teachers and bystanders into thinking it’s a real crisis. Still, you can’t say we weren’t warned. Back in 2008, an Army War College report revealed that “widespread civil violence inside the United States would force the defense establishment to reorient priorities in extremis to defend basic domestic order and human security.” The 44-page report went on to warn that potential causes for such civil unrest could include another terrorist attack, “unforeseen economic collapse, loss of functioning political and legal order, purposeful domestic resistance or insurgency, pervasive public health emergencies, and catastrophic natural and human disasters.” In 2009, reports by the Department of Homeland Security surfaced that called on the government to subject right-wing and left-wing activists and military veterans to full-fledged pre-crime surveillance. Meanwhile, the government has been amassing an arsenal of military weapons, including hollow point bullets, for use domestically and equipping and training their “troops” for war. Even government agencies with largely administrative functions such as the Food and Drug Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Smithsonian have been acquiring body armor, riot helmets and shields, cannon launchers and police firearms and ammunition. In fact, there are now at least 120,000 armed federal agents carrying such weapons who possess the power to arrest. Rounding out this profit-driven campaign to turn American citizens into enemy combatants (and America into a battlefield) is a technology sector that has been colluding with the government to create a Big Brother that is all-knowing, all-seeing and inescapable. It’s not just the drones, fusion centers, license plate readers, stingray devices and the NSA that you have to worry about. You’re also being tracked by the black boxes in your cars, your cell phone, smart devices in your home, grocery loyalty cards, social media accounts, credit cards, streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon, and e-book reader accounts. 6 All of this has taken place right under our noses, funded with our taxpayer dollars and carried out in broad daylight without so much as a general outcry from the citizenry. And then you have the government’s Machiavellian schemes for unleashing all manner of dangers on an unsuspecting populace, then demanding additional powers in order to protect “we the people” from the threats. Almost every national security threat that the government has claimed greater powers in order to fight—all the while undermining the liberties of the American citizenry—has been manufactured in one way or another by the government. We have made it way too easy for the government to lockdown the nation. Consider that it was seven years ago when the city of Boston was locked down while police carried out a military-style manhunt for suspects in the 2013 Boston Marathon explosion. Six years ago, the city of Ferguson, Missouri, was locked down, with government officials deploying a massive SWAT team, an armored personnel carrier, men in camouflage pointing heavy artillery at the crowd, smoke bombs and tear gas to quell citizen unrest over a police shooting of a young, unarmed black man. Five years ago, the city of Baltimore was put under a military-enforced lockdown after civil unrest over police brutality erupted into rioting. More than 1,500 national guard troops were deployed while residents were ordered to stay inside their homes and put under a 10 pm curfew. Three years ago, it was Charlottesville, Va., population 50,000, that was locked down while government officials declared a state of emergency and enacted heightened security measures tantamount to martial law, despite the absence of any publicized information about credible threats to public safety. Fast forward to the present moment, with the world on the verge of a possible coronavirus pandemic, and growing numbers of Americans are already voluntarily sheltering in place in an effort to avoid falling ill. For those like myself who have studied emerging police states, the sight of any American city placed under martial law—its citizens essentially under house arrest (officials used the Orwellian phrase “shelter in place” in Boston to describe the mandatory lockdown), military-style helicopters equipped with thermal imaging devices buzzing the skies, tanks and armored vehicles on the streets, and snipers perched on rooftops, while thousands of black-garbed police swarmed the streets and SWAT teams carried out house-to-house searches—leaves us in a growing state of unease. 7 Watching the events of the various lockdowns unfold, I couldn’t help but think of Nazi Field Marshal Hermann Goering’s remarks during the Nuremberg trials. As Goering noted: It is always a simple matter to drag people along whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. This is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in every country. It does indeed work the same in every country. Unfortunately, it doesn’t take much for the American people to be terrorized into compliance by the government’s latest and greatest scare tactic, even if it means being stripped of one’s constitutional rights at a moment’s notice. This continual undermining of the rules that protect civil liberties has far-reaching consequences on a populace that not only remains ignorant about their rights but is inclined to sacrifice their liberties for phantom promises of safety. It may be that we’ve already gone too far down this road. However, don’t let this latest “crisis” cause you to panic to such an extent that you relinquish your fundamental right to make decisions for yourself and your loved ones and willingly surrender what remains of your freedoms. This too shall pass. Remember, a police state does not come about overnight. Yet as I make clear in my book Battlefield America: The War on the American People, no matter how it starts, with a questionable infringement justified in the name of safety or a nationwide lockdown to guard against a global pandemic, it always ends the same: by pushing us one step closer to a future in which the government has all the power and “we the people” have none. george.schlitz@gmail.com, sbarragan@aristeguinoticias.com, amacrine67@icloud.com, marco.pulido@yahoo.com, silvanoaureoles@michoacan.gob.mx, courage.contact@couragefound.org, newsdesk@afr.com, news@thelocal.it, sindicato@senado.gob.mx, contacto@senadomorena.com, Fiona.Ma@treasurer.ca.gov, secretary.padilla@sos.ca.gov, investor.relations@americamovil.com, William.Livermore@fsresidential.com, steven.sheh@gmail.com, 8 parul@giulianiconstruction.com, claudia@giulianiconstruction.com, vince@giulianiconstruction.com, ElectronicSubmissionFD-1@insurance.ca.gov, cathy.edwards@gmail.com, ariel_zach@yahoo.com, cristin.morneau@gmail.com, cbretzin@gmail.com, DCA@dca.ca.gov, VPerreira@chp.ca.gov, tips@theverge.com, tips@zerohedge.com oig@gao.gov, CavalleroJ@ctpf.org, pgjecomsoc@michoacan.gob.mx, fiscal@morelia.fiscaliamichoacan.gob.mx, contact.lapdonline@gmail.com, Ben.Meng@calpers.ca.gov, CRapolla@calstrs.com, hotline@oig.dot.gov, denuncialosaqui@ssedomex.gob.mx, educacion@senado.gob.mx, salud@senado.gob.mx, CRCExternalComplaints@dol.gov, oig@sec.gov, oighotline@nlrb.gov, aclupreferences@aclu.org, FRAudGroup@sec.gov, complianceunit@cba.ca.gov, Nathan.M.Swinton@usdoj.gov, anticorrupcion@senado.gob.mx, Criminal.Division@usdoj.gov, Jeremy.Wolfson@ladwp.com, tips@pcaobus.org, wells@wsws.org, city.council@cityofpaloalto.org, chackert@fppc.ca.gov, vperrerira@cho.ca.gov hatchact@osc.gov, comunicacion.on@caritasnicaragua.com.ni, inspectorgeneral@cpsoig.org, oce@mail.house.gov, Investments@ocers.org, caritas.info@caritas-sy.com, Tom.Auzenne@cityofpaloalto.org, enforcementinfo@cba.ca.gov, codigoetica@americamovil.com, secretary@caritas.ru, quejas@cdhcm.org.mx, RA-ethicsRTKL@pa.gov, cdhdf@cdhcm.org.mx, oig.whistleblower.ombudsperson.program@usdoj.gov, NewsRoom@calstrs.com, urgent-action@ohchr.org 9 Baumb, Nelly From:Nancy Alfaro <alfaro.nancy@gmail.com> Sent:Tuesday, March 10, 2020 10:29 PM To:george.schlitz@gmail.com; sbarragan@aristeguinoticias.com; eric wexler; marco.pulido@yahoo.com; silvanoaureoles@michoacan.gob.mx; courage.contact@couragefound.org; newsdesk@afr.com; news@thelocal.it; sindicato@senado.gob.mx; contacto@senadomorena.com; Fiona.Ma@treasurer.ca.gov; secretary.padilla@sos.ca.gov; investor.relations@americamovil.com; William.Livermore@fsresidential.com; steven.sheh@gmail.com; parul@giulianiconstruction.com; claudia@giulianiconstruction.com; vince@giulianiconstruction.com; ElectronicSubmissionFD-1 @insurance.ca.gov; cathy.edwards@gmail.com; ariel_zach@yahoo.com; cristin.morneau@gmail.com; cbretzin@gmail.com; DCA@dca.ca.gov; VPerreira@chp.ca.gov; tips@theverge.com; tips@zerohedge.com Cc:oig@gao.gov; CavalleroJ@ctpf.org; pgjecomsoc@michoacan.gob.mx; fiscal@morelia.fiscaliamichoacan.gob.mx; contact.lapdonline@gmail.com; Ben.Meng@calpers.ca.gov; CRapolla@calstrs.com; hotline@oig.dot.gov; denuncialosaqui@ssedomex.gob.mx; educacion@senado.gob.mx; salud@senado.gob.mx; CRCExternalComplaints@dol.gov; oig@sec.gov; oighotline@nlrb.gov; aclupreferences@aclu.org; FRAudGroup@sec.gov; complianceunit@cba.ca.gov; Nathan.M.Swinton@usdoj.gov; anticorrupcion@senado.gob.mx; Criminal.Division@usdoj.gov; Jeremy.Wolfson@ladwp.com; tips@pcaobus.org; wells@wsws.org; Council, City; chackert@fppc.ca.gov; vperrerira@cho.ca.gov Subject:This Is A Test: How Will The Constitution Fare During A Nationwide Lockdown? | Zero Hedge CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links.  George,     You and I are at a stand still over you selling from under me Big Visible and ObjectiveChange and implicating yourself in a  number of frauds and collusion and a failed assassination attempt.    Weren't you in Germany and coordinating the blow up leading up to my locking down the accounting systems of  the  company in August 2018?    Irrespective of the crap you keep pulling, you need to line up. People are going to be massacre in mass in this country if  we you keep being a baby. You aren't a civilian so quit your bullshit. You were in the Persian Gulf and this is your job.        https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/test‐how‐will‐constitution‐fare‐during‐nationwide‐lockdown  This Is A Test: How Will The Constitution Fare During A Nationwide Lockdown? Authored by John Whitehead via The Rutherford Institute, “It takes a remarkable force to keep nearly a million people quietly indoors for an entire day, home from work and school, from neighborhood errands and out‐of‐town travel. It takes a 17 Baumb, Nelly From:Nancy Alfaro <alfaro.nancy@gmail.com> Sent:Tuesday, March 10, 2020 9:14 PM To:sbarragan@aristeguinoticias.com; marco.pulido@yahoo.com; silvanoaureoles@michoacan.gob.mx; courage.contact@couragefound.org; newsdesk@afr.com; news@thelocal.it; sindicato@senado.gob.mx; contacto@senadomorena.com; amacrine67@icloud.com; Fiona.Ma@treasurer.ca.gov; secretary.padilla@sos.ca.gov; investor.relations@americamovil.com; William.Livermore@fsresidential.com; steven.sheh@gmail.com; parul@giulianiconstruction.com; claudia@giulianiconstruction.com; vince@giulianiconstruction.com; ElectronicSubmissionFD-1 @insurance.ca.gov; cathy.edwards@gmail.com; ariel_zach@yahoo.com; cristin.morneau@gmail.com; cbretzin@gmail.com; DCA@dca.ca.gov Cc:oig@gao.gov; CavalleroJ@ctpf.org; pgjecomsoc@michoacan.gob.mx; fiscal@morelia.fiscaliamichoacan.gob.mx; contact.lapdonline@gmail.com; Ben.Meng@calpers.ca.gov; CRapolla@calstrs.com; hotline@oig.dot.gov; denuncialosaqui@ssedomex.gob.mx; educacion@senado.gob.mx; salud@senado.gob.mx; CRCExternalComplaints@dol.gov; oig@sec.gov; oighotline@nlrb.gov; aclupreferences@aclu.org; FRAudGroup@sec.gov; complianceunit@cba.ca.gov; Nathan.M.Swinton@usdoj.gov; anticorrupcion@senado.gob.mx; Criminal.Division@usdoj.gov; Jeremy.Wolfson@ladwp.com; tips@pcaobus.org; wells@wsws.org; Council, City; chackert@fppc.ca.gov; vperrerira@cho.ca.gov Subject:Saudi-Initiated All-Out Oil War Could Lead To Collapse Of Kingdom Itself | Zero Hedge CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links.  Please relate to emails regarding George Schlitz, military intelligence, the Persian  Golf War along with the company that was sold while I was dealing with the  attempted assassinations and attacks against my family in 2014. Once again is the  systems of entities like Toyota, Fidelity Investments, TcW and Capital group that I  am focusing on not being defrauded of an entire company. This are again the  pension fund managers.     I aren't the only person whose business and technology is stolen courtesy of the  DOJ, lawyers and accountants. The Big Four Cartels, specifically Ernst now have  shinny practices call Agile and are selling the "Agile Audits".   Except they distorted what we were doing. Research BigVisible Solutions, Inc.     Regards,  Nancy    https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/saudi‐initiated‐all‐out‐oil‐war‐could‐lead‐collapse‐kingdom‐itself  18 Saudi‐Initiated All‐Out Oil War Could Lead To Collapse Of Kingdom Itself Submitted by South Front, Saudi Arabia launched an all-out oil war offering unprecedented discounts and flooding the market in an attempt to capture a larger share and defeat other oil producers. This “scorched earth” approach caused the biggest oil price fall since the war in the Persian Gulf in 1991. It all began on March 8 when Riyadh cut its April pricing for crude sales to Asia by $4‐$6 a barrel and to the U.S. by $7 a barrel. The Kingdom expanded the discount for its flagship Arab Light crude to refiners in northwest Europe by $8 a barrel offering it at $10.25 a barrel under the Brent benchmark. In comparison, Russia’s Urals crude trades at a discount of about $2 a barrel under Brent. These actions became an attack at the ability of Russia to sell crude in Europe. The Russian ruble immediately plummeted almost 10% falling to its lowest level in more than four years. Another side that suffered from Saudi actions is Iran. The Islamic country is facing a strong US sanctions pressure and often selling its oil via complex schemes and with notable discounts already. Saudi Arabia is planning to increase its output above 10 million barrel per day. Currently, it pumps 9.7 million barrels per day, but has the capacity to ramp up to 12.5 million barrels per day. According to OPEC and Saudi sources of The Wall Street Journal, Riyadh’s actions are part of an “aggressive campaign” against Moscow. The formal pretext of this campaign became the inability of the OPEC+ (a meeting of representatives of member states of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and non‐OPEC members) to extend output agreements. Saudi Arabia was seeking up to 1.5 million b/d in further oil production cuts, but this proposal was rejected by Russia. After the inability to reach the new OPEC+ deal, Saudi Arabia became the frist and only power that took aggressive actions on the market. However, it is hard to imagine that Saudi Arabia would go for such an escalation without at least an order or approval from Washington. This came amid the detention of two senior members of the Saudi royal family – Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz, the younger brother of King Salman, and Mohammed bin Nayef, the king’s nephew – on March 7. This development took place just ahead of the Saudi offensive on 19 the oil market, and was likely a tip of the ongoing undercover struggle between the pro-US and pro-national factions of the Saudi elites; and the pro-US bloc seems to have the upper hand in this conflict. In this case, the real goal of the Saudi campaign is not only to secure larger share of the oil market and punish Moscow for its unwillingness to accept the proposed OPEC+ deal, but to deliver a powerful blow to Washington’s geopolitical opponents: Russia and Iran. Pro-Western and anti- government forces existing in both Russia and Iran would try to exploit this situation to destabilize the internal situation in the countries. On the other hand, Saudi Arabia may soon find out that its actions have backfired. Such economic and geopolitical games amid the acute conflict with Iran, military setbacks in Yemen and the increasing regional standoff with the UAE could cost too much for the Kingdom itself. If the oil prices fall any further and reach $20 per barrel, this will lead to unacceptable economic losses for Russia and Iran, and they could and will likely opt to use nonmarket tools of influencing the Saudi behavior. These options include the increasing support to Yemen’s Houthis with intelligence, weapons, money, and even military advisers, that will lead to the resumption of Houthi strikes on Saudi oil infrastructure. On top of these, the Saudi leadership may suddenly find that the internal situation in the Kingdom is being worsened by large-scale protests rapidly turning into an open civil conflict. Such a scenario is no secret for international financial analysts. On March 8, shares of Saudi state oil company Aramco slumped below their initial public offering (IPO) and closed 9.1% lower. On March 9, it continued the fall plunging another 10%. There appears to be a lack of buyers. The risks are too obvious. At the same time, the range of possible US actions in support of Saudi Arabia in the event of such an escalation is limited by the ongoing presidential campaign. Earlier, President Donald Trump demonstrated that a US military base could become a target of direct missile strike and Washington will not order a direct military action in response. Taking into account other examples of the US current approach towards non‐Israeli allies, Riyadh should not expect any real support from its American allies in this standoff. sbarragan@aristeguinoticias.com, marco.pulido@yahoo.com, silvanoaureoles@michoacan.gob.mx, courage.contact@couragefound.org, newsdesk@afr.com, news@thelocal.it, sindicato@senado.gob.mx, contacto@senadomorena.com, amacrine67@icloud.com, 20 Fiona.Ma@treasurer.ca.gov, secretary.padilla@sos.ca.gov, investor.relations@americamovil.com, William.Livermore@fsresidential.com, steven.sheh@gmail.com, parul@giulianiconstruction.com, claudia@giulianiconstruction.com, vince@giulianiconstruction.com, ElectronicSubmissionFD-1@insurance.ca.gov, cathy.edwards@gmail.com, ariel_zach@yahoo.com, cristin.morneau@gmail.com, cbretzin@gmail.com, DCA@dca.ca.gov oig@gao.gov, CavalleroJ@ctpf.org, pgjecomsoc@michoacan.gob.mx, fiscal@morelia.fiscaliamichoacan.gob.mx, contact.lapdonline@gmail.com, Ben.Meng@calpers.ca.gov, CRapolla@calstrs.com, hotline@oig.dot.gov, denuncialosaqui@ssedomex.gob.mx, educacion@senado.gob.mx, salud@senado.gob.mx, CRCExternalComplaints@dol.gov, oig@sec.gov, oighotline@nlrb.gov, aclupreferences@aclu.org, FRAudGroup@sec.gov, complianceunit@cba.ca.gov, Nathan.M.Swinton@usdoj.gov, anticorrupcion@senado.gob.mx, Criminal.Division@usdoj.gov, Jeremy.Wolfson@ladwp.com, tips@pcaobus.org, wells@wsws.org, city.council@cityofpaloalto.org, chackert@fppc.ca.gov, vperrerira@cho.ca.gov hatchact@osc.gov, inspectorgeneral@cpsoig.org, comunicacion.on@caritasnicaragua.com.ni, oce@mail.house.gov, caritas.info@caritas-sy.com, Investments@ocers.org, Tom.Auzenne@cityofpaloalto.org, enforcementinfo@cba.ca.gov, codigoetica@americamovil.com, secretary@caritas.ru, quejas@cdhcm.org.mx, RA-ethicsRTKL@pa.gov, cdhdf@cdhcm.org.mx, oig.whistleblower.ombudsperson.program@usdoj.gov, NewsRoom@calstrs.com, urgent-action@ohchr.org 21 Baumb, Nelly From:Nancy Alfaro <alfaro.nancy@gmail.com> Sent:Tuesday, March 10, 2020 8:57 PM To:sbarragan@aristeguinoticias.com; marco.pulido@yahoo.com; silvanoaureoles@michoacan.gob.mx; courage.contact@couragefound.org; newsdesk@afr.com; news@thelocal.it; sindicato@senado.gob.mx; contacto@senadomorena.com; amacrine67@icloud.com; Fiona.Ma@treasurer.ca.gov; secretary.padilla@sos.ca.gov; investor.relations@americamovil.com; William.Livermore@fsresidential.com; steven.sheh@gmail.com; parul@giulianiconstruction.com; claudia@giulianiconstruction.com; vince@giulianiconstruction.com; ElectronicSubmissionFD-1 @insurance.ca.gov; cathy.edwards@gmail.com; ariel_zach@yahoo.com; cristin.morneau@gmail.com; cbretzin@gmail.com; DCA@dca.ca.gov Cc:oig@gao.gov; CavalleroJ@ctpf.org; pgjecomsoc@michoacan.gob.mx; fiscal@morelia.fiscaliamichoacan.gob.mx; contact.lapdonline@gmail.com; Ben.Meng@calpers.ca.gov; CRapolla@calstrs.com; hotline@oig.dot.gov; denuncialosaqui@ssedomex.gob.mx; educacion@senado.gob.mx; salud@senado.gob.mx; CRCExternalComplaints@dol.gov; oig@sec.gov; oighotline@nlrb.gov; aclupreferences@aclu.org; FRAudGroup@sec.gov; ComplianceUnit@cba.ca.gov; Nathan.M.Swinton@usdoj.gov; anticorrupcion@senado.gob.mx; Criminal.Division@usdoj.gov; Jeremy.Wolfson@ladwp.com; tips@pcaobus.org; wells@wsws.org; Council, City; chackert@fppc.ca.gov; vperrerira@cho.ca.gov Subject:Diamonds earrings CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links.  Sebastian,    In previous emails, I mentioned a pair of diamond earrings I used to bribed my way back in the United States through  Texas in February 2015. See picture below. The earrings was something I purchased in the upper East Side in New York  City 2008‐2010 and was holding for an emergency of the type I lived in 2014.     Please research who lives in the upper East Side in New York City. As usual fit this into your puzzle. Ojo (valuation es  bastante importante).  It is also related to Carl Icahn, Infracstucture, Boeign but above all the fraud that was the housing  crisis and the derivatives. When I mentioned that I caught another Lehman Brothers at  ICA Enterprises, you should also  related to what is happening to IL&FS Transportation Networks India Limited (ITNL) I sent  you. This is a very large scandal unfolding in India along with a banking crisis. Sarah  Adams from Deloitte went to India to work the and IT systems just as she had  done in Mexico.      The collusion between the accounting firms and infracstructure management and  the banks is what I am focusing on. Recall that at ICA Enterprises ICA and Deloitte  both gave me the entire scheme.       22 It is the same scheme used around the world to defraud pension,  retirement plans and covertly privatized all the critical resources around the world just as it was  sone with Mexico's airports and coast lines.    Thanks  Nancy Alfaro        sbarragan@aristeguinoticias.com, marco.pulido@yahoo.com, silvanoaureoles@michoacan.gob.mx,  courage.contact@couragefound.org, newsdesk@afr.com, news@thelocal.it, sindicato@senado.gob.mx,  contacto@senadomorena.com, amacrine67@icloud.com, Fiona.Ma@treasurer.ca.gov, secretary.padilla@sos.ca.gov,  investor.relations@americamovil.com, William.Livermore@fsresidential.com, steven.sheh@gmail.com,  parul@giulianiconstruction.com, claudia@giulianiconstruction.com, vince@giulianiconstruction.com,  ElectronicSubmissionFD‐1@insurance.ca.gov, cathy.edwards@gmail.com, ariel_zach@yahoo.com,  cristin.morneau@gmail.com, cbretzin@gmail.com, DCA@dca.ca.gov    oig@gao.gov, CavalleroJ@ctpf.org, pgjecomsoc@michoacan.gob.mx, fiscal@morelia.fiscaliamichoacan.gob.mx,  contact.lapdonline@gmail.com, Ben.Meng@calpers.ca.gov, CRapolla@calstrs.com, hotline@oig.dot.gov,  denuncialosaqui@ssedomex.gob.mx, educacion@senado.gob.mx, salud@senado.gob.mx,  CRCExternalComplaints@dol.gov, oig@sec.gov, oighotline@nlrb.gov, aclupreferences@aclu.org, FRAudGroup@sec.gov,  ComplianceUnit@cba.ca.gov, Nathan.M.Swinton@usdoj.gov, anticorrupcion@senado.gob.mx,  Criminal.Division@usdoj.gov, Jeremy.Wolfson@ladwp.com, tips@pcaobus.org, wells@wsws.org,  city.council@cityofpaloalto.org, chackert@fppc.ca.gov, vperrerira@cho.ca.gov    Investments@ocers.org, cdhdf@cdhcm.org.mx, quejas@cdhcm.org.mx, oce@mail.house.gov, hatchact@osc.gov,  enforcementinfo@cba.ca.gov, RA‐ethicsRTKL@pa.gov, comunicacion.on@caritasnicaragua.com.ni,  oig.whistleblower.ombudsperson.program@usdoj.gov, caritas.info@caritas‐sy.com, urgent‐action@ohchr.org,  NewsRoom@calstrs.com, Tom.Auzenne@cityofpaloalto.org, codigoetica@americamovil.com, secretary@caritas.ru,  inspectorgeneral@cpsoig.org          23 Baumb, Nelly From:Nancy Alfaro <alfaro.nancy@gmail.com> Sent:Tuesday, March 10, 2020 8:34 PM To:sbarragan@aristeguinoticias.com; Marco Pulido; silvanoaureoles@michoacan.gob.mx; WikiL; newsdesk@afr.com; news@thelocal.it; sindicato@senado.gob.mx; contacto@senadomorena.com; amacrine67@icloud.com; Fiona.Ma@treasurer.ca.gov; secretary.padilla@sos.ca.gov; investor.relations@americamovil.com; William.Livermore@fsresidential.com; steven.sheh@gmail.com; Parul Ihde; Claudia Castillo; Vince Rodriguez; ElectronicSubmissionFD-1@insurance.ca.gov; cathy.edwards@gmail.com; ariel_zach@yahoo.com; cristin.morneau@gmail.com; cbretzin@gmail.com; DCA@dca.ca.gov Cc:oig@gao.gov; CavalleroJ@ctpf.org; pgjecomsoc@michoacan.gob.mx; fiscal@morelia.fiscaliamichoacan.gob.mx; contact.lapdonline@gmail.com; Ben.Meng@calpers.ca.gov; CRapolla@calstrs.com; hotline@oig.dot.gov; denuncialosaqui@ssedomex.gob.mx; educacion@senado.gob.mx; salud@senado.gob.mx; CRCExternalComplaints@dol.gov; oig@sec.gov; oighotline@nlrb.gov; aclupreferences@aclu.org; FRAudGroup@sec.gov; ComplianceUnit@cba.ca.gov; Nathan.M.Swinton@usdoj.gov; anticorrupcion@senado.gob.mx; Criminal.Division@usdoj.gov; Jeremy.Wolfson@ladwp.com; tips@pcaobus.org; wells@wsws.org; Council, City; chackert@fppc.ca.gov; vperrerira@cho.ca.gov Subject:Stealing mail, intimidation, harassment | the less intelligent private security pshycopats l Name your Federal crime CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on  links.  ________________________________    Sebastian,    Below is a picture of the letter containing one of the checks for $11K I was sending to my tenants in San Francisco, CA to  reimburse them for their living expenses while they were living in a hotel as a result of my property being destroyed.    Please refer to the dates and emails where I mentioned the checks being stolen and  that out of the two checks one was returned and other details.    Note that there hasn't been any attempts to cash the other check that was stolen from my mailbox so far. I never put I  stop payment on it.    Regards,  Nancy Alfaro  24 25         sbarragan@aristeguinoticias.com, marco.pulido@yahoo.com, silvanoaureoles@michoacan.gob.mx,  courage.contact@couragefound.org, newsdesk@afr.com, news@thelocal.it, sindicato@senado.gob.mx,  contacto@senadomorena.com, amacrine67@icloud.com, Fiona.Ma@treasurer.ca.gov, secretary.padilla@sos.ca.gov,  investor.relations@americamovil.com, William.Livermore@fsresidential.com, steven.sheh@gmail.com,  parul@giulianiconstruction.com, claudia@giulianiconstruction.com, vince@giulianiconstruction.com,  ElectronicSubmissionFD‐1@insurance.ca.gov, cathy.edwards@gmail.com, ariel_zach@yahoo.com,  cristin.morneau@gmail.com, cbretzin@gmail.com, DCA@dca.ca.gov    oig@gao.gov, CavalleroJ@ctpf.org, pgjecomsoc@michoacan.gob.mx, fiscal@morelia.fiscaliamichoacan.gob.mx,  contact.lapdonline@gmail.com, Ben.Meng@calpers.ca.gov, CRapolla@calstrs.com, hotline@oig.dot.gov,  denuncialosaqui@ssedomex.gob.mx, educacion@senado.gob.mx, salud@senado.gob.mx,  CRCExternalComplaints@dol.gov, oig@sec.gov, oighotline@nlrb.gov, aclupreferences@aclu.org, FRAudGroup@sec.gov,  ComplianceUnit@cba.ca.gov, Nathan.M.Swinton@usdoj.gov, anticorrupcion@senado.gob.mx,  Criminal.Division@usdoj.gov, Jeremy.Wolfson@ladwp.com, tips@pcaobus.org, wells@wsws.org,  city.council@cityofpaloalto.org, chackert@fppc.ca.gov, vperrerira@cho.ca.gov    Investments@ocers.org, cdhdf@cdhcm.org.mx, quejas@cdhcm.org.mx, oce@mail.house.gov, hatchact@osc.gov,  enforcementinfo@cba.ca.gov, RA‐ethicsRTKL@pa.gov, comunicacion.on@caritasnicaragua.com.ni,  oig.whistleblower.ombudsperson.program@usdoj.gov, caritas.info@caritas‐sy.com, urgent‐action@ohchr.org,  NewsRoom@calstrs.com, Tom.Auzenne@cityofpaloalto.org, codigoetica@americamovil.com, secretary@caritas.ru,  inspectorgeneral@cpsoig.org              26 Baumb, Nelly From:Nancy Alfaro <alfaro.nancy@gmail.com> Sent:Tuesday, March 10, 2020 6:49 PM To:sbarragan@aristeguinoticias.com; wells@wsws.org; newsdesk@afr.com; courage.contact@couragefound.org; news@thelocal.it; quejas@cdhcm.org.mx; silvanoaureoles@michoacan.gob.mx; sindicato@senado.gob.mx; contacto@senadomorena.com; amacrine67@icloud.com; cathy.edwards@gmail.com; ariel_zach@yahoo.com; Fiona.Ma@treasurer.ca.gov; secretary.padilla@sos.ca.gov; chackert@fppc.ca.gov; hotline@oig.dot.gov; Council, City; investor.relations@americamovil.com; oig@sec.gov Cc:oig@gao.gov; pgjecomsoc@michoacan.gob.mx; denuncialosaqui@ssedomex.gob.mx; fiscal@morelia.fiscaliamichoacan.gob.mx; contact.lapdonline@gmail.com; CavalleroJ@ctpf.org; Ben.Meng@calpers.ca.gov; CRapolla@calstrs.com; educacion@senado.gob.mx; salud@senado.gob.mx; CRCExternalComplaints@dol.gov; oighotline@nlrb.gov; aclupreferences@aclu.org; FRAudGroup@sec.gov; Nathan.M.Swinton@usdoj.gov; Criminal.Division@usdoj.gov; Jeremy.Wolfson@ladwp.com; complianceunit@cba.ca.gov; tips@pcaobus.org Subject:Cheap Flights Bonanza & Near Empty Airlines - Chicago To San Francisco: ❗ CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links.  All    Please note that the e‐mail related to Purell costing $79‐109 dollars was sent to the Mexican engineered  that was  working on IRF the Boeing electronics from International Rectifier (IRF). He traveled between Los Angeles and Boston  often. He got caught in the middle of  the stupidity between a Chinese guy and one of the US corporate psychopaths.     He was "laid off" and been subjected to every imaginable shit possible.  I brought IRF to its knees over firing him and  went bankrupt. This is what I can do with my eyes closed.     Dr. Wexler, that is the Mexican you looked down on October 26, 2018 when my family couldn't locate me. He was called  and showed up in my place as I was leaving so that you can yet again assess me as neurotic or psychotic. That's  the  week when the issues and interests over logistics, transportation,  money laundering, retaliation and harassment by the  Health Care Cartel were at the highest.     The termination letter came when I threaten to call LAPD over Solomon Bernudiz and the stupidity over pitting  hispanics, blacks and Chinese against each other.     This was also when my family was being exhibited as snitches in Morelia Michoacan among politicians and various  interests around the world while I was being diagnosed with cancer, the incompetent psychopaths were trying to get me  to accuse a Chine doctor at UCLA of wrongdoing over my not falling for the pre‐diabetes , pre‐hypertensive diagnosis or  being put on any medication.    I recall very clearly, you looking down on the engineer. This is call discrimination and stupidity. Who do you think I would  be hanging around among the elites? The Kardashians or Kobe and Magic Johnson?      https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/cheap‐flights‐bonanza‐amid‐coronavirus‐fears‐chicago‐san‐francisco‐137  27 Cheap Flights Bonanza & Near Empty Airlines ‐ Chicago To San Francisco: $137 Amid the broader travel, hotel, aviation, tourism and cruise line carnage, airlines are canceling domestic flights left and right while waiving cancellation fees. To help protect your priv acy, Microsoft Office prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. And as expected, ticket prices are plummeting given that as the International Air Transport Association has predicted demand for global air travel looks to decline in a first since 2009 over coronavirus fears, resulting in a potential loss of up to $113 billion in 2020 in revenue for the industry. Covid-19 is slashing airfares worldwide, as this brief list of examples suggests, culled from around the web:  New York to Miami: $51  Chicago to San Francisco: $137  New York to London: under $500  New York-Paris Return: $285  In China: Shanghai to Chongqing for merely 29 yuan, or $4.10 28 Nearly empty British Airways fligtht from London to Milan, via ABC News. To help protect your priv acy, Microsoft Office prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. Flyers have over the past week posted images of cabins nearly completely devoid of passengers. Reporting Live from Oslo: @RashaAlAqeedi and I have the entire flight to NYC to ourselves. #CoronavirusOutbreak pic.twitter.com/cfxsD8JEwb — Eliza (@elizableu) March 7, 2020 The International Air Transport Association (IATA) predicts a devastating year for the industry: IATA now sees 2020 global revenue losses for the passenger business of between $63 billion (in a scenario where COVID‐19 is contained in current markets with over 100 cases as of 2 March) and $113 billion (in a scenario with a broader spreading of COVID‐19). This after airline share prices have already fallen nearly 25% since the start of the outbreak. A review of the price plunge in Forbes says the following: The coronavirus is slashing airfares worldwide. Currently there are some great deals to be had for flying between the U.S and Europe. Tap in New York Paris return for example on Google Flights and it turns up startlingly low prices with leading airlines, American, United, Delta and Air France, for as low as $284 round trip, flying on April 5 to April 15. Go direct to Delta’s website and the picture is the same, with the lowest return fare for the same dates of $285. 29 To help protect your priv acy, Microsoft Office prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. Currently the deals site Airfarewatchdog.com reveals price drops of $26-$49 for a number of popular US city to city trips. 30 Baumb, Nelly From:Nancy Alfaro <alfaro.nancy@gmail.com> Sent:Tuesday, March 10, 2020 6:28 PM To:sbarragan@aristeguinoticias.com; wells@wsws.org; newsdesk@afr.com; courage.contact@couragefound.org; news@thelocal.it; quejas@cdhcm.org.mx; silvanoaureoles@michoacan.gob.mx; sindicato@senado.gob.mx; contacto@senadomorena.com; amacrine67@icloud.com; cathy.edwards@gmail.com; ariel_zach@yahoo.com; Fiona.Ma@treasurer.ca.gov; secretary.padilla@sos.ca.gov; chackert@fppc.ca.gov; hotline@oig.dot.gov; Council, City; investor.relations@americamovil.com; oig@sec.gov Cc:oig@gao.gov; pgjecomsoc@michoacan.gob.mx; denuncialosaqui@ssedomex.gob.mx; fiscal@morelia.fiscaliamichoacan.gob.mx; contact.lapdonline@gmail.com; CavalleroJ@ctpf.org; Ben.Meng@calpers.ca.gov; CRapolla@calstrs.com; educacion@senado.gob.mx; salud@senado.gob.mx; CRCExternalComplaints@dol.gov; oighotline@nlrb.gov; aclupreferences@aclu.org; FRAudGroup@sec.gov; Nathan.M.Swinton@usdoj.gov; Criminal.Division@usdoj.gov; Jeremy.Wolfson@ladwp.com; complianceunit@cba.ca.gov; tips@pcaobus.org Subject:"You're Full Of Shit!": Biden Melts Down In 'AR-14' Tirade After Voter Confronts Over Plan To Take Guns | Zero Hedge CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links.  Sure lets let the psychopaths take our arms and control the the supply food chain, water.       https://www.zerohedge.com/political/youre‐full‐shit‐biden‐melts‐down‐ar‐14‐tirade‐after‐voter‐confronts‐over‐plan‐ take‐guns  "You're Full Of Shit!": Biden Melts Down In 'AR ‐14' Tirade After Voter Confronts Over Plan To Take Guns Democratic presidential frontrunner Joe Biden had a meltdown on Tuesday, telling a Detroit autoworker "You're full of shit!" when he was accused of "actively trying to end our Second Amendment Right." 31 To help protect your priv acy, Microsoft Office prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. "I support the Second Amendment," said Biden, adding in an incoherent ramble: "The Second Amendment - just like right now, if you yell "fire," that's not free speech... From the very beginning, I have a shotgun, I have a 20-gauge, I have a 12-gauge, my sons hunt. Guess what, you're not allowed to own any weapon." "I'm not taking your gun away, at all," Biden continued - to which the man interjects "You were on video saying you were going to take our guns away," to which Biden replies "I did not say that." "You did! It's in a viral video!" the man claps back. Then Biden says "Wait, wait, wait, wait, I'll take your AR‐14s" - a gun which doesn't exist. Watch: Wow. The Biden video from this morning ‐ up close ‐ is worse than previously imagined. I wonder if @DavidAFrench and @davidfrum still think this is a win for the Biden camp. pic.twitter.com/a0PCy1TalX — Pete D’Abrosca (@pdabrosca) March 10, 2020 "Don't be such a horse's ass," @JoeBiden says after the man continued to yell at him. — Bo Erickson CBS (@BoKnowsNews) March 10, 2020 Hilarious. 32 People are probably fine with Biden switching his platform to grabbing AR‐14s. I don’t think people will complain much. — Erielle Davidson (@politicalelle) March 10, 2020 Meanwhile, Biden did threaten to take your guns. Yes, Biden has promised to "Ban the manufacture and sale of assault weapons and high‐capacity magazines” if electedhttps://t.co/xUMRg7ce5f — Charlie Spiering (@charliespiering) March 10, 2020 And he wants to put Beto O'Rourke in charge of it. Joe Biden says Beto "Hell Yes, We're Going to Take Your AR‐15" O'Rourke will "take care of the gun problem" for him. Don't be fooled: Joe Biden isn't any less radical than the rest of them. pic.twitter.com/tVpGCMmy9n — Steve Scalise (@SteveScalise) March 3, 2020 Perhaps this explains why Joe received some unexpected pushback on his designs. "Trump! Trump! Trump! Trump! Trump! Trump!" Detroit auto workers shouted their support for President @realDonaldTrump during Joe Biden's plant visit. pic.twitter.com/AxvasJCFCR — Trump War Room ‐ Text EMPOWER to 88022 (@TrumpWarRoom) March 10, 2020 33 Baumb, Nelly From:Nancy Alfaro <alfaro.nancy@gmail.com> Sent:Tuesday, March 10, 2020 6:22 PM To:sbarragan@aristeguinoticias.com; wells@wsws.org; newsdesk@afr.com; courage.contact@couragefound.org; news@thelocal.it; quejas@cdhcm.org.mx; silvanoaureoles@michoacan.gob.mx; sindicato@senado.gob.mx; contacto@senadomorena.com; amacrine67@icloud.com; cathy.edwards@gmail.com; ariel_zach@yahoo.com; Fiona.Ma@treasurer.ca.gov; secretary.padilla@sos.ca.gov; chackert@fppc.ca.gov; hotline@oig.dot.gov; Council, City; investor.relations@americamovil.com; oig@sec.gov Cc:oig@gao.gov; pgjecomsoc@michoacan.gob.mx; denuncialosaqui@ssedomex.gob.mx; fiscal@morelia.fiscaliamichoacan.gob.mx; contact.lapdonline@gmail.com; CavalleroJ@ctpf.org; Ben.Meng@calpers.ca.gov; CRapolla@calstrs.com; educacion@senado.gob.mx; salud@senado.gob.mx; CRCExternalComplaints@dol.gov; oighotline@nlrb.gov; aclupreferences@aclu.org; FRAudGroup@sec.gov; Nathan.M.Swinton@usdoj.gov; Criminal.Division@usdoj.gov; Jeremy.Wolfson@ladwp.com; complianceunit@cba.ca.gov; tips@pcaobus.org Subject:UK Health Minister Tests Positive For COVID-19; Bernie And Biden Cancel Rallies: Live Updates | Zero Hedge CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links.    https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/new‐jersey‐declares‐state‐emergency‐coronavirus‐cases‐triple‐greater‐new‐ york  UK Health Minister Tests Positive For COVID‐ 19; Bernie And Biden Cancel Rallies: Live Updates Summary:  The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival set to take place in April has been postponed until October due to COVID-19.  UK Health Minister announces she's tested positive for coronavirus and is self-isolating  National Guard is deploying to New Rochelle, area businesses, schools will close, Cuomo says  Washington State reports two more coronavirus deaths, bringing the total up to 24 and 267 cases.  6th patient dies from Cov-19 in UK  US CDC Chief: "the US is beyond virus containment in some areas"  Washington State considering "Rapid Lockdown", new benefits announced for workers 34  Mortality rate in Lombardy hits 8% ‐ higher than Wuhan  Lagarde calls on European governments to embrace "rapid fiscal action."  Austria, Switzerland close borders with Italy  NJ Governor declares state of emergency  North Carolina declares state of emergency  Air Canada latest airline to suspend routes to Italy as traffic expected to plunge due to quarantine  Mass. declares state of emergency after confirming 51 'presumptive' cases; Boston cancels St. Patricks Day Parade  NYC Mayor says outbreak "evolving very rapidly"  Harvard moves classes online  Xi takes victory lap in Wuhan  Trump says had 'great' meeting with Repubs on stimulus plan, but no details released  Italy reports 36% jump in deaths, cases climb above 10,000  Three Canadians test positive in Calgary  Spain suspends parliament after lawmaker infected  Austria total cases hits 182  First case reported in Philly  EU suspends parliament indefinitely  Italian government suspends mortgage payments across country  CDC says nearly 5,000 tests have been conducted in US through Monday  New Jersey confirms first death * * * Update (1900ET): UK Health Minister Nadine Dorries announced on Tuesday that she has tested positive for coronavirus and is self-isolating, according to Sky News. She's the first MP in the country to be diagnosed with COVID-19. 35 To help protect your priv acy, Microsoft Office prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. "I can confirm I have tested positive for coronavirus," Dorries said in a statement. "As soon as I was informed I took all the advised precautions and have been self-isolating at home." Public Health England (PHE) has started detailed contact tracing and the department and my parliamentary office are closely following their advice. I would like to thank PHE and the wonderful NHS staff who have provided me with advice and support. Six people have died in the UK so far and there are currently 382 official cases, up 54 from Monday. Meanwhile, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, which typically attracts around 100,000 attendees per day, has been postponed until October in Indio, California according to Forbes. * * * Update (1820ET): A NJ coronavirus patient who died was an employee at the Standardbred Owners Association working in an office based at the Yonkers Raceway, according to a statement from MGM Resorts. He was last at the track 8 days ago. Pence added that everyone on the 'Grand Princess' would be isolated and quarantined while the crew will be quarantined on the ship offshore, and HHS Secretary Azar said about 450 passengers of the roughly 3,500 passengers and crew had been de-boarded. * * * 36 Update (1800ET): Just as VP Pence was beginning the White House coronavirus task force's press conference on Tuesday evening, Washington State confirmed two more deaths, bringing its total to 24, with 267 cases, according to state officials. * * * Update (1715ET): Both Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden have cancelled their campaign rallies in Ohio tonight as Americans in six mostly Midwestern states vote in the latest round of primaries. The pundits claim Bernie Sanders will need a big upset Tuesday night to remain viable. Bernie's campaign spokesperson Mike Casca told CNN that the campaign had cancelled the planned Cleveland Rally to celebrate "Super Tuesday 2". In a statement, Casca cited "concern for public safety" because of the coronavirus. "Out of concern for public health and safety, we are canceling tonight’s rally in Cleveland," he said. Joe Biden's Deputy Campaign Manager Kate Bedingfield announced that his campaign rally, which was also set to be held in Cleveland, had been cancelled for similar reasons. In the coming days. Vice President Biden thanks all of his supporters who wanted to be with us in Cleveland this. Additional details on where Vice President Biden will address the press tonight are forthcoming. 2/2 — Kate Bedingfield (@KBeds) March 10, 2020 * * * Update (1530ET): NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio finished his latest public press update on Tuesday (notice how he and Cuomo are apparently refusing to appear together as they tackle the crisis? It's amazing how petty political rivalries really do trump all) a few hours ago, De Blasio urged New Yorkers to do whatever they could to avoid crowds - take the subway during off-hours, telecommute, if you can. If you're sick, stay home. "Take it seriously," de Blasio said. He added that he would ask the federal government for another 300,000 N95 respirator masks, primarily for use by health-care workers. Those who are eligible and who are looking for a way to help out should donate blood, de Blasio said. 37 Across NYC, case numbers are "evolving very rapidly," de Blasio said. Since private labs started testing on Friday, the number of tests processed has improved rapidly. In other NY news, NY State's opioid trial, which had been scheduled to begin later this month, has been delayed because of the outbreak, a spokesman for NY AG Letitia James said. The Boston Globe just reported minutes ago that Mass Gov. Charlie Baker has declared a state of emergency following the outbreak at a conference for employees of biotech company Biogen. The announcement comes alongside the reporting of 51 new "presumptive" positive tests, more than doubling the number of confirmed cases in Massachusetts. As a reminder... State of emergency due to coronavirus: ‐ Colorado ‐ North Carolina ‐ Illinois ‐ Ohio ‐ New York ‐ Rhode Island ‐ New Jersey ‐ Oregon ‐ Iowa ‐ Utah ‐ Kentucky ‐ Pennsylvania ‐ Maryland ‐ Indiana ‐ Florida ‐ California ‐ Washington — Norbert Elekes (@NorbertElekes) March 10, 2020 Earlier, Boston cancelled its St Patrick's Day Parade, a huge tourism event for the city. On a day that has been particularly notable for the number of airlines cancelling routes to Italy as sales are expected to plunge given the nationwide quarantine (no one in or out for two weeks, 38 remember?), Air Canada has joined the fray, announcing that it will temporarily suspend all routes to and from Italy. Meanwhile, some things we missed earlier: Philly reported its first "presumptive" positive; after closing its borders to Italian travelers, Austria reported 70 new cases of the virus on Tuesday, bringing its national total to 182, with 43 cases in Vienna; and this tweet highlighting an alarming fact about the coronavirus-linked mortality rate in Lombardy. Coronavirus mortality in Lombardy is now 8%, more than double Wuhan! Lombardy health system is completely beyond ability to deliver adequate care ‐ hence rationing who gets ICUs. It’s sad, so so sad. #COVID19 Let’s not let this happen to us America... https://t.co/VVoycWLyhT — Eric Feigl‐Ding (@DrEricDing) March 10, 2020 Let's hope, for Italy's sake, that this quarantine works. * * * Update (1420ET): As CNBC just reported, the novel coronavirus has finally hit Wall Street. Barclays on Tuesday confirmed that an employee in its New York City midtown office has tested positive for Covid-19. The employee worked on the second floor. Morgan Stanley said an employee at its Purchase office has contracted the virus, but they started self-quarantining early enough to likely avoid exposing coworkers. An employee at BlackRock in New York has also tested positive. And let's not forget Steve Cohen's Point72, where a back-office employee who worked on the 14th floor of the firm's NYC office reportedly tested positive. Meanwhile, North Carolina Gov. Cooper declared a state of emergency Tuesday afternoon, becoming the latest state to do so. The decision activates the Emergency Operations Center to help agencies coordinate their response, while also making it easier to purchase medical supplies, protects consumers from price gouging, and increases county health funds. * * * Update (1400ET): The last half-hour has been absolutely jam-packed with virus-related news, so we're going to do a quick and dirty review of each key story. Following reports about American soldiers catching the virus in South Korea and Italy, the Pentagon has just confirmed that three active-duty soldiers have been infected with the virus. The announcement was made during a press conference at the Pentagon on Tuesday. 39 .@ChiefPentSpox delivers his opening statement at today's press conference. pic.twitter.com/udoT14rDPA — Department of Defense 🇺🇸 (@DeptofDefense) March 10, 2020 In another press conference, Washington State Gov. Jay Inslee said Tuesday that the entire state of Washington might need to be quarantined because of the outbreak. With so many expected to be out of work, Inslee said the state would be expanding unemployment benefits to cover anybody who misses work because of the virus. We’re taking steps to mitigate the impact COVID‐19 has on workers and businesses in WA.@ESDwaWorks is expanding benefits to cover workers who need to isolate, quarantine or are temporarily laid off. pic.twitter.com/BaUaOolsQ7 — Governor Jay Inslee (@GovInslee) March 10, 2020 Inslee added that state employees will have additional leave available to them. WA state employees impacted by COVID‐19 will have additional leave available to them. That way, they don’t have to take existing sick, vacation or family leave. pic.twitter.com/aaE1ZbdarE — Governor Jay Inslee (@GovInslee) March 10, 2020 Inslee said that cases could increase to 64,000 by May if the state doesn't take action. If necessary, Inslee said the state would implement mandatory restrictions on travel, possibly even a complete quarantine, as Seattle local TV station KOMO reported. people could be infected with coronavirus in Washington state within two months if actions aren't taken now to stop its spread, Gov. Inslee said Tuesday. Given the situation at the nursing home in Kirkland, where more than a dozen residents have died and families have been made furious by a perceived lack of communication, the state will also consider imposing new standards on nursing homes in the state. In Frankfurt, Christine Lagarde demanded "rapid fiscal action" by EU members to battle the virus: Italy is already planning to blow out its deficit to try and compensate for what is now a country-wide lockdown. While German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz is pushing for the country to suspend its constitutional "debt break" and shake a few more coins out of its federal purse to 40 combat the virus. Talk of a "shadow budget" has been bandied about, as has a standard-looking government rescue package. After meeting with lawmakers on Capitol Hill, President Trump announced plans to help the cruise line industry, and insisted that all Republicans in Congress would back the plan (though some privately expressed their reservations to reporters). Lindsey Graham said that the idea of a 'shale gas' bailout had been raised during the meeting. Beforehand, the Washington Post reported that the administration was indeed devising a plan to bail out American frackers who have been hard-hit by the downturn (and who have also helped the American economy achieve near-total energy independence, but this is often lost on the industry's critics...). There's been a lot of criticism of the federal government's meandering, indecisive response to the coronavirus outbreak, so it's a relief to see a bold, comprehensive plan emerging to support the fracking industry in these uncertain times https://t.co/xOx8YDLax3 — Tom Gara (@tomgara) March 10, 2020 Sen. Ron Wyden, who has been criticizing Trump's plans since...well...since before Trump really even had a plan, said Tuesday that Trump's payroll tax relief wouldn't go nearly far enough to encourage consumers to spend. More surprisingly, Mitch McConnell has also reportedly expressed some trepidation about whether this would be the right way to go about it. However, Trump offered no concrete details about the plan during a set of brief comments with reporters after the meeting's conclusion. More importantly, Trump also advised Americans to "stay calm", asserting "the coronavirus will go away," once again sound too nonchalant about the situation to assuage the market's fears that he isn't taking this seriously enough. * * * Update (1310ET): Shortly after an account associated with The League, the right-wing party led by former Deputy PM Matteo Salvini, reported another 135 deaths on Tuesday in Lombardy alone... Altri 135 morti in un giorno solo in Lombardia! Chiudete tutto, per Dio! 😞😞😞… https://t.co/qB0CXJUddO — Noi con Salvini (@Noiconsalvini) March 10, 2020 ...Italian national health officials confirmed that death toll has climbed 36% in one day, adding 168 deaths to bring the total to 631, while another 977 cases were confirmed, bringing Italy's total confirmed cases above 10,000. 41 To help protect your priv acy, Microsoft Office prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. Around the same time, Slovenia announced it would close its borders to Italian travelers, joining Switzerland and Austria. Now, all of Italy's northern neighbors - with the exception of France, which is struggling with its own spiraling outbreak - have closed their borders to Italian travelers. Air France announced Tuesday evening that it would suspend all Italian flights between March 14 and April 3, becoming the latest airline to do so. However, there still appear to be flights taking off from Italy. Here's the schedule from Milan's Malpensa Airport, according to FlightRadar24. Most flights were canceled, but some still made it out. To help protect your priv acy, Microsoft Office prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. PM Conte, meanwhile, told reporters on Tuesday that he would call on the ECB to do "whatever it takes" (borrowing some familiar phrasing from former ECB chief Mario Draghi) to save the European economy in the face of the outbreak. 42 Notably, worldwide, the new deaths reported in Italy brought the global death toll north of 1,000, according to AFP. * * * Update (1250ET): President Trump has arrived on Capitol Hill to brief Republican lawmakers on the administration's fiscal stimulus agenda, following reports that Trump was basically winging it last night when he promised payroll tax cuts and other measures to help offset the economic shock caused by the coronavirus.  TRUMP IS NOW AT THE US CAPITOL. HE’S BRIEFING REPUBLICANS ON HIS STIMULUS PLAN TO OFFSET THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE CORONAVIRUS. * * * Update (1235ET): New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced during his daily press update on Tuesday that he is establishing a 'containment zone' in the city of New Rochelle, the epicenter of the state's outbreak. All schools and businesses within one mile of the Westchester town will be closed for two weeks, and the National Guard will be sent in to help local police maintain order. Watch the rest of Cuomo's update below: In Albany giving another update on #Coronavirus. WATCH: https://t.co/IDybwlF7JR — Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) March 10, 2020 Meanwhile, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has confirmed the state's first coronavirus-related death. Read the full statement below: First coronavirus death in New Jersey https://t.co/5ZqCU7Sf82 — Steve Lookner (@lookner) March 10, 2020 * * * Update (1115ET): CDC Director Robert Redfield told lawmakers this morning during House tesimony that "the US is beyond virus containment in some areas" Additionally, Redfield warned that Europe was the "New China" on the virus front and that US nursing homes were the most vulnerable to the virus. 50 Baumb, Nelly From:Nancy Alfaro <alfaro.nancy@gmail.com> Sent:Tuesday, March 10, 2020 6:20 PM To:sbarragan@aristeguinoticias.com; wells@wsws.org; newsdesk@afr.com; courage.contact@couragefound.org; news@thelocal.it; quejas@cdhcm.org.mx; silvanoaureoles@michoacan.gob.mx; sindicato@senado.gob.mx; contacto@senadomorena.com; amacrine67@icloud.com; cathy.edwards@gmail.com; ariel_zach@yahoo.com; Fiona.Ma@treasurer.ca.gov; secretary.padilla@sos.ca.gov; chackert@fppc.ca.gov; hotline@oig.dot.gov; Council, City; investor.relations@americamovil.com; oig@sec.gov Cc:oig@gao.gov; pgjecomsoc@michoacan.gob.mx; denuncialosaqui@ssedomex.gob.mx; fiscal@morelia.fiscaliamichoacan.gob.mx; contact.lapdonline@gmail.com; CavalleroJ@ctpf.org; Ben.Meng@calpers.ca.gov; CRapolla@calstrs.com; educacion@senado.gob.mx; salud@senado.gob.mx; CRCExternalComplaints@dol.gov; oighotline@nlrb.gov; aclupreferences@aclu.org; FRAudGroup@sec.gov; Nathan.M.Swinton@usdoj.gov; Criminal.Division@usdoj.gov; Jeremy.Wolfson@ladwp.com; complianceunit@cba.ca.gov; tips@pcaobus.org Subject:Strategic Remix For The Middle East | Zero Hedge CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links.    https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/strategic‐remix‐middle‐east  Strategic Remix For The Middle East Authored by Alastair Crooke via The Strategic Culture Foundation, The End of an Era. When the first World War came to its end, intimations of an end to the European Era were already evident in symptoms: aching diplomatic joints, straitened perceptual political vision and the general financial health of the patient about to turn acute, as the constipated monetary policies of the Central Banks ushered in the Great Depression. But ‘life’ went on: European men and women wildly danced the Cancan throughout the 1920s; It was Cabaret, party time. No one wanted to acknowledge the omens of what lay afore them. Last month, an Israeli academic opined that the future shape of the Middle East lies in the hands of three ‘insider’ states: Iran, Turkey and Israel. It was an interesting observation. None are Arab; and it implied an incremental US disengagement, and a modest ‘king‐maker’ role for Russia. 51 To help protect your priv acy, Microsoft Office prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. What makes this statement intriguing is the focus on just three states and the downplay of external intervention as the key ‘shaper’ of the future strategic ‘map’. Implicit here is that all three are flexing their military muscles. But diplomats and political analysts usually prefer to stay at the plane of politics and national interests. They dislike the fact that the outcome of military contestation, per se, can determine political outcomes, and thus validate or negate national interests. It is offensive to diplomacy. But often, it is just so. The region at this time is not really susceptible to a direct conceptual approach: So, the focus on the outcome of military contestation, trials of strength, and then on the other – quite different dynamic – of Covid-19 and its economic effects, makes more sense than traditional purely political calculus of interests. And, of course, none of us find it easy to mix into this ‘pudding’ of the three powers’ military trials of strength, the possible effects of some extraneous occurrence – such as a Coronavirus outbreak, about which all is guesswork. Nonetheless, let’s try … Let us consider Turkey: It’s leadership has tossed aside its mask. Ah yes, Turkey has been supporting (moderate?) Islamist opponents to President Assad? But, suddenly, the mask is gone — “Idlib is ours” (i.e. is Turkish). “Aleppo like Hatay, is Turkish too”. Neo-Ottomanism; pan- Turkicism. Yes, the Arab world has noticed, and Gulf States are quickly making good with Damascus against this neo-Ottomanism. And, just as the moment this explicitly revanchist project seemed at risk of failing – under direct military pressure from Syria and its allies – Ankara simply threw its own troops in support of the al-Qaida forces, and even called down Uyighur and Chechen Jihadist reinforcements from Jisr al- Shagoor (the worst of the worst, extremists). Let us then hear no more from certain western circles of those ‘moderate’ forces with which Turkey is linked. 52 Some Turkish soldiers (34+), mixed in with these extremist forces, were killed, as they tried to exfiltrate from Saraqib, when it fell again to Syrian and allied forces. Turkish leaders went nuts with emotion and anger. The rhetoric of ‘betrayal’ went off the scale; and then, in defiance of their agreement with President Putin, they unleashed a barrage of ‘suicide’ attack drones on Syrian forces (and military installations) – and separately killed a fair number of Iranians and Hizbullah, by-the-by. What has this to do with the strategic future of the Middle East? Well this: Turkey’s vastly larger army got a bloody nose (well beyond the Turk’s 34+ dead after Saraqib), from the asymmetric warfare strategy turned on them. Let that sink in: NATO’s second largest standing army effectively was trounced by smaller, irregular (but experienced) forces. And worse, after 24 hours of Turkey beating its chest about the extraordinary success of its armed drones (launched during an unfortunate ceasefire called by Russia) that were to tip the balance of power in the Middle East, no less, Syrian air defences and (probably Russian) electronic warfare, fully neutralised the Turkish drone threat. Let’s add up: Turkey has been exposed as having been using Islamism (and Al-Qaida Jihadists) as mere cover for its true neo-Ottoman and Pan-Turkic revanchist ambitions. The mask has fallen. It cannot be replaced. Neither its army, nor its armed drones, have turned out to be the game- changers that the Turkish leadership imagined them to be. Turkey too, has alienated Europe by its refugee blackmail (didn’t Erdogan take into account the impact of ‘the virus’ on European migration sentiment?). Erdogan has infuriated the Russian military; and in an unprecedented joint warning, Iranian and Hizbullah militaries said that Turkish troops would become vulnerable, were Turkey to continue in this mode. This time, Turkey has ‘ticked off’ just about everyone. But that is not the end of it. The virus affects another calculus, too: Debt – especially sovereign debt – suddenly is being viewed in highly sceptical way, following the sudden global ‘supply- shock’. Turkey’s economy is in deep trouble – but unlike earlier episodes, when the Chinese helped the Turkish Lira stay afloat, they too have been unimpressed by Erdogan’s trying to protect and use (some 3,000) Uyighur jihadists as a handy Turkish tool. The troubles mount up … and there are signs that Erdogan’s domestic political support is fragmenting (even within his own ruling party). Putin saw the situation: Conflict between Russia and Turkey is only to the benefit of America. He smoothed Erdogan’s ruffled feathers, caressed his ego – and took ‘off the board’ the M4, the M5, and (ultimately) Idlib too. The 5 March “cease-fire” is a temporary agreement. It 53 won’t last, but it puts the writing on the wall. Idlib is the pin that has popped the Turkish balloon. This represents a major regional strategic shift. So, let’s visit the other pole to the strategic military equation: Iran has amply demonstrated an effective military prowess – both in terms of missile, drone and electronic warfare technology, as well as by its adoption of a radically de-centralised, amorphous and ambiguous, offensive capability. It is not perfect: it is not intended for going head-to-head with the US or Israel; but it can impose asymmetric costs on any adversary, and spread them across the region. The Gulf States have come to this understanding; and so has Israel, which cannot face a multi- front war, any more than Iran can prevail in a head-to-head war with the US. (Though the US capability to mount the latter, probably no longer exists. The US can no longer credibly invade Iran in order to supress a concealed and prolonged missile assault on American and Israeli targets.) In short, Iran has acquired something of a military edge — enough to establish deterrence, at least. And after the military dynamics, we are brought to the geo‐politics and economics of the Corona virus. The virus has brought an extraneous, sudden ‘shock’ to the real economy. The virus is not like seasonal ‘flu. It is much more infectious (the virus being in the throat, rather than lungs), and it propagates via cough and sneeze droplets that linger for many days on objects that others then touch. But unlike seasonal ‘flu, Covid-19 carriers may have the virus, but not have the disease (i.e. show no symptoms), which makes it hard to identify any chain of infection – or to take appropriate containment action. Medical experts, however, do not know the circumstances of Covid-19’s inception (presumed to be zoonotic, but lacking evidence for this); do not know its reproduction number; its fatality ratio; and do not know whether it is affected by seasons. It seems to have already mutated once, producing both a milder and a more lethal variant. In short, anyone saying how long this virus will last simply is guessing. (Spanish ‘flu – by way of illustration of the nature of viral ‘unknowns’ – began in late 1917, processed through three distinct phases in 1918; mutated, and became more lethal in August 1918; (with the peak lethality taking place in September – November); and began to wane in 1919. It infected one- third of the global population, and killed between 50–100 million persons in Europe, North America and Asia. So, in the face of such uncertainty, what can we say about the Middle East? 54 Well, the first point is that this economic shock comes toward the end to a long-term, debt and credit cycle, with the Central Banks having ‘goosed’ asset values with liquidity injections, and near zero interest rates. And here is the point: really for some decades now, all western (and Chinese) policy has been geared to demand stimulation. All the so‐called ‘tools’ were monetary, and intended to make people spend and consume more. But a sudden ‘supply-stop’ caused by a pandemic cannot be corrected by monetary or interest rate means. And factories dislocated, and supply lines cut, also implies ‘demand stop’, as merely being the obvious other side of the production ‘coin’ (as workers are laid off, or their pay is cut). Already, trade is stalling, tourism is extinct and markets are fluctuating giddily. The virus is even putting into question globalist supply chains and western monetary policy. When the US ‘Fed’ announced an emergency 0.5% rate cut – the first since 2008 – markets fell. Of course the talk will be now of fiscal measures. But even fiscal measures cannot open factories, closed through disease and quarantine. What fiscal measures can do is subsidise otherwise failing businesses, ad interim. But that would go directly against our laissez faire culture (and in the EU, its direct rules). How badly will the Middle East be affected? No one knows the timeline, or the final virulence of this virus. (Seasonal ‘flu has a 0.2% mortality rate of those infected; but the WHO is estimating 3.4% for Corona virus. The UK’s worst case scenario is half a million dead.) It is unlikely that regional healthcare can sustain the forecast 15-20% hospitalisation of those infected by Covid- 19, who will require hospital treatment. Nor can Europe’s health system, either. Estimates (guesses really) for its peak is early summer. Then there are the economic consequences: Tourism is dead; global markets have been crashing; and everyone is concerned about the massive overhang of corporate and sovereign debt – were the ‘supply-stop’ to be prolonged. Of course, oil producers will be the most vulnerable – for which, read the Gulf States. WTI is already trading in the mid $40s. But also, those most integrated in the New York financial system may be vulnerable to financial turbulence and bankruptcies – for which read Israel and the Gulf States. It is unlikely that anyone will escape Corona’s effects, one way or another. Even if Covid-19 eases today, there is unlikely to be an economic snap-back. The effects will linger into the following two quarters. At the moment it is Iran that is feeling it most; but the twists and turns in the life of a virus can be capricious: Why is it that Italy has been so badly struck in Europe? No one knows (it seems it may have the more virulent ‘L’ mutation). So to the bottom line: Strategically, Turkey has lost its game of ‘chicken’ in Syria, and may be about to experience an economic implosion – to be mitigated only by its preparedness, or not – to 55 kowtow to Moscow and Beijing’s demands. Iran will survive – the Shi’a have a long experience of hardship – and Iran is too important-to-fail, for either China or Russia. The Lebanese, Iraqi and Jordanian oligarchs and Zaim (sectarian leaderships) were on the ‘critical list’, even before the Corona economic effects hit them, anew. They cannot reform, and refuse to adapt. Discontent will get worse, and protests generated by the virus-effects will proliferate – just as discontent in South Korea and Japan over Covid-19 already has been directed towards their leaders. But the Gulf States, already politically undercut by the ‘new Sykes‐Picot’ type humiliation on which Trump insists under his ‘deal of the century’ ultimatum – and caught between the rock of Washington’s Iran policy and the ‘hard place’ of the Iranian push‐back – will suffer economically in ways for which neither its leaders, nor its stipendiary populations, are prepared. Oil in the mid $40s (WTI), and a paralysed tourist industry for as long as Covid-19 takes, represents a new ‘shock’ worse than the September Aramco vulnerability ‘shock’. The strategic map, it is a‐shifting. 56 Baumb, Nelly From:Nancy Alfaro <alfaro.nancy@gmail.com> Sent:Tuesday, March 10, 2020 6:18 PM To:sbarragan@aristeguinoticias.com; wells@wsws.org; newsdesk@afr.com; courage.contact@couragefound.org; news@thelocal.it; quejas@cdhcm.org.mx; silvanoaureoles@michoacan.gob.mx; sindicato@senado.gob.mx; contacto@senadomorena.com; amacrine67@icloud.com; cathy.edwards@gmail.com; ariel_zach@yahoo.com; Fiona.Ma@treasurer.ca.gov; secretary.padilla@sos.ca.gov; chackert@fppc.ca.gov; hotline@oig.dot.gov; Council, City; investor.relations@americamovil.com; oig@sec.gov Cc:oig@gao.gov; pgjecomsoc@michoacan.gob.mx; denuncialosaqui@ssedomex.gob.mx; fiscal@morelia.fiscaliamichoacan.gob.mx; contact.lapdonline@gmail.com; CavalleroJ@ctpf.org; Ben.Meng@calpers.ca.gov; CRapolla@calstrs.com; educacion@senado.gob.mx; salud@senado.gob.mx; CRCExternalComplaints@dol.gov; oighotline@nlrb.gov; aclupreferences@aclu.org; FRAudGroup@sec.gov; Nathan.M.Swinton@usdoj.gov; Criminal.Division@usdoj.gov; Jeremy.Wolfson@ladwp.com; complianceunit@cba.ca.gov; tips@pcaobus.org Subject:Fwd: Hand Sanitizer Is Flying Off The Shelves For $79 And $109 A Bottle At One NYC Hardware Store | Hyper inflation CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links.        Begin forwarded message:  From: Nancy Alfaro <alfaro.nancy@gmail.com>  Date: March 10, 2020 at 6:06:45 PM PDT  To: Mr C <ivan189@gmail.com>  Subject: Hand Sanitizer Is Flying Off The Shelves For $79 And $109 A Bottle At One NYC Hardware  Store | Hyper inflation  Ivan,     This is quite funny. Isn't the article below the definition free economy? Free supply and demand  determine prices? The mayor on NY calla it price gauging ‐ of course it is!!!!!!!! Law of supply and  demand, a temporary disruption 🤥      Obviously hyperinflation only happens to dictatorships like in Venezuela, Cuba , Rusia where people are  starving and don't have food to feed themselves.     Hand Sanitizer Is Flying Off The Shelves For $79 And $109 A Bottle At One NYC Hardware Store   https://www.zerohedge.com/health/hand‐sanitizer‐flying‐shelves‐79‐and‐109‐bottle‐one‐nyc‐ hardware‐store    At the Scheman & Grant Hardware at Eighth Avenue and 38th Street, the coronavirus represents shameless economic opportunity to take full advantage of the law of supply and demand. 57 Taking advantage of the ongoing panic, S&G is now selling 1200 ml bottles of Purell - a bottle that regularly costs about $5.49 - for $79.00. And the price doesn't seem to be deterring people from buying them, either. An employee at the store told the NY Post: “Everyone who comes in the store buys them. We sold about fifty of those today.” To help protect your priv acy, Microsoft Office prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. The hardware store was also offering larger size 2 liter bottles of Purell for $109 each. It sold out of its supply. Mayor Bill de Blasio, always eager to stick his nose into the affairs of someone else's private business, commented that it "sounded like" price gouging. “I’d like my Department of Consumer Affairs to pay them a visit immediately,” de Blasio said. Reached for comment, an Ace Hardware representative (the parent corporation of the hardware store) said: "Retailers are independent businessmen and women with sole control over the operation of their business, including pricing decisions and policies." Meanwhile, the rise in price reflects the extraordinary spike in demand for the product, which along with Lysol wipes, has risen 1400% from December to January, according to CBS. Laxman Narasimhan, CEO of Lysol parent Reckitt Benckiser said last week the company's "people are working around the clock with consumers in mind." One 29 year old restaurant worker in Times Square who noticed the prices while in the hardware store said: “It makes me mad, man. It’s not right what they’re doing. They’re taking advantage of everything that’s going on. My boss at work was talking 58 about. He has to make his own hand sanitizer out of alcohol and aloe Vera because look at these prices.” Economist Peter Schiff had a different take on price gouging during the coronavirus panic. "People are raising prices for certain supplies. Well of course," Schiff said Friday on the QTR podcast. "Demand's going up. Of course you're going to raise prices! What are you supposed to do? If you don't raise prices, all of your stuff is going to get bought by a few people who are then going to hoard it or resell it on the black market. Prices are a rationing mechanism."       59 Baumb, Nelly From:Nancy Alfaro <alfaro.nancy@gmail.com> Sent:Tuesday, March 10, 2020 6:11 PM To:sbarragan@aristeguinoticias.com; wells@wsws.org; newsdesk@afr.com; courage.contact@couragefound.org; news@thelocal.it; quejas@cdhcm.org.mx; silvanoaureoles@michoacan.gob.mx; sindicato@senado.gob.mx; contacto@senadomorena.com; amacrine67@icloud.com; cathy.edwards@gmail.com; ariel_zach@yahoo.com; Fiona.Ma@treasurer.ca.gov; secretary.padilla@sos.ca.gov; chackert@fppc.ca.gov; hotline@oig.dot.gov; Council, City; investor.relations@americamovil.com; oig@sec.gov Cc:oig@gao.gov; pgjecomsoc@michoacan.gob.mx; denuncialosaqui@ssedomex.gob.mx; fiscal@morelia.fiscaliamichoacan.gob.mx; contact.lapdonline@gmail.com; CavalleroJ@ctpf.org; Ben.Meng@calpers.ca.gov; CRapolla@calstrs.com; educacion@senado.gob.mx; salud@senado.gob.mx; CRCExternalComplaints@dol.gov; oighotline@nlrb.gov; aclupreferences@aclu.org; FRAudGroup@sec.gov; Nathan.M.Swinton@usdoj.gov; Criminal.Division@usdoj.gov; Jeremy.Wolfson@ladwp.com; complianceunit@cba.ca.gov; tips@pcaobus.org Subject:2.20.2020 Lawyers file new motion demanding release of Chelsea Manning CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links.       “This is the Dreyfus case of our age”  Dreyfus affair, political crisis, beginning in 1894 and continuing through 1906, in France during the Third Republic. The controversy centred on the question of the guilt or innocence of army captain Alfred Dreyfus, who had been convicted of treason for allegedly selling military secrets to the Germans in December 1894. At first the public supported the conviction; it was willing to believe in the guilt of Dreyfus, who was Jewish. https://www.britannica.com/event/Dreyfus‐affair    Lawyers file new motion demanding release of Chelsea Manning  https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/20/mann‐f20.html    By Kevin Reed   20 February 2020  Lawyers for imprisoned whistleblower Chelsea Manning filed a motion in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia on Wednesday renewing the demand that she be released from jail because her continued confinement is “impermissibly punitive.” If she is not released, Manning faces another seven months in jail on the vindictive “contempt citation” by Judge Anthony J. Trenga of the US District Court of the Eastern District of Virginia. As of this writing, no hearing on Manning’s request has been scheduled. To help protect your privacy, Microsoft Office prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. Chelsea Manning 60 In a declaration submitted along with her motion, Manning gave powerful justification for both her refusal to testify as well as her demand for immediate release from detention. “I have been separated from my loved ones, deprived of sunlight, and could not even attend my mother's funeral.” She also wrote, “It is easier to endure these hardships now than to cooperate to win back some comfort, and live the rest of my life knowing that I acted out of self-interest and not principle.” Manning went on to expose the hypocrisy of Judge Trenga’s contempt charge in relationship to the treatment of others by the judicial system, “The Attorney General was in contempt of a congressional subpoena but faced no consequences. The President has been instructing his associates not to comply with grand jury subpoenas and witness subpoenas for at least two years, and has even fired people for their compliance with subpoenas. It is clear that the rules are different for different people.” Manning has been in jail at the William G. Truesdale Federal Detention Center since March 16, 2019, except for a brief release for one week in May, for refusing to testify before a grand jury empaneled for the purpose of gathering evidence in the US criminal case against WikiLeaks founder and publisher Julian Assange. In her court submission, Manning argues that she has proven beyond any doubt over the past eleven months that she will not be coerced into testifying. According to federal statutes, the purpose of a civil contempt citation is to coerce a witness to testify and should be terminated if there is no reasonable possibility that the witness will change their mind. As Manning’s attorney Moira Meltzer-Cohen explained, “The key issue before Judge Trenga is whether continued incarceration could persuade Chelsea to testify. Judges have complained of the ‘perversity’ of this law: that a witness may win their freedom by persisting in their contempt of court. However, should Judge Trenga agree that Chelsea will never agree to testify, he will be compelled by the law to order her release.” The 27-page legal filing, known in court terminology as a Grumbles motion, requests “an in-court hearing as soon as practicable” and argues that the continued sanctions against Manning “serve no coercive purpose and must be terminated.” It further challenges the fines of $1,000 per day imposed on her by the court for refusing to testify, now totaling “nearly half a million dollars.” The brief summarizes Manning’s entire history as a whistleblower and principled fighter for the truth--first, as a whistleblower in the US Army in 2010 who turned over to WikiLeaks several troves of documents revealing US war crimes in Afghanistan and Iraq and, second, in her stance against testifying before the grand jury--and makes an overwhelming case for her immediate release. 61 It says, “Neither confinement, nor fines, nor any other sanction will convince Ms. Manning to participate in the grand jury. At this point, sanctions simply reinforce her perception that she is taking a necessary and righteous stand against abusive institutions. The impact of these sanctions is limited exclusively to exacting a cost from Ms. Manning; they will never have any coercive effect. The sanctions have therefore exceeded their lawful scope, and must be terminated.” Throughout the past eleven months, prosecutors have maintained that Manning’s testimony “remains relevant” to the US extradition case against Julian Assange. However, as Chelsea Manning’s motion explains, “On May 23, 2019, the prosecution obtained a superseding 17 Count indictment against Julian Assange. This indictment was also obtained without the benefit of or apparent need for Ms. Manning’s testimony. The related extradition proceedings are ongoing, and are not expected to conclude for many months, if not years.” Assange has been held illegally in the maximum security Belmarsh Prison since his eviction from the Ecuadorian embassy in London last April awaiting an extradition trial scheduled to begin on Monday, February 24. Assange has been charged with violating the US Espionage Act for publishing the secret war logs and diplomatic cables leaked by Manning, along with other exposures made in the public interest. Manning’s legal filing includes two documents from expert witness regarding her health and state of mind. A medical report from Dr. Sara Boyd confirms that Manning’s “personality traits and coping mechanisms insulate her from the effects of pressure to change her principles or her decisions, essentially concluding that Ms. Manning is constitutionally incapable of acting against her conscience.” A letter from UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Nils Melzer, “summarized the principle that U.S. law permits coercive sanctions only where they exert a coercive effect, and called for Ms. Manning’s immediate release” and “relied on the understanding that any purportedly coercive sanctions, as applied to Ms. Manning, are necessarily futile, and thus impermissible under our own legal standards.” Finally, the submission to Judge Trenga reports that more than 60,000 people have signed a petition stating that they are convinced that Manning cannot be coerced into testifying. There is no question that Chelsea Manning is seen throughout the world as a hero and champion for truth and each day that goes by with her in prison further undermines the legitimacy of the US court system in the eyes of masses of people. 62 The timing of the filing on behalf Chelsea Manning is significant as it comes less than a week before the extradition trial of Julian Assange is set to begin in London. Behind the imprisonment of Manning and the attempt to extradite Assange is the enormous fear within the ruling establishment over the political impact of the truth of their actions being exposed to the public. Ultimately, the persecution of Assange and Manning is aimed not only at punishing them but intimidating anyone else who would stand up and challenge the lies being told every day by the politicians and corporate media about the crimes of US imperialism around the world. The freedom of Assange and Manning will be won through the building of an independent political movement in the working class to demand their release and defend the democratic rights to freedom of speech and the press. The Socialist Equality Parties in Australia and New Zealand are holding a series of rallies over the next week to build support for their freedom. The SEP (UK) is holding a meeting this Sunday in London. The author also recommends: Chelsea Manning must not be forgotten! [18 December 2019] Free Chelsea Manning! [11 March 2019] Recipients List:   sbarragan@aristeguinoticias.com, wells@wsws.org, newsdesk@afr.com, courage.contact@couragefound.org,  news@thelocal.it, QUEJAS@cdhcm.org.mx, silvanoaureoles@michoacan.gob.mx, sindicato@senado.gob.mx,  contacto@senadomorena.com, amacrine67@icloud.com, cathy.edwards@gmail.com, ariel_zach@yahoo.com,  Fiona.Ma@treasurer.ca.gov, secretary.padilla@sos.ca.gov, CHackert@fppc.ca.gov, Hotline@oig.dot.gov,  City.Council@CityofPaloAlto.org, investor.relations@americamovil.com    oig@gao.gov, oig@sec.gov, pgjecomsoc@michoacan.gob.mx, denuncialosaqui@ssedomex.gob.mx,  fiscal@morelia.fiscaliamichoacan.gob.mx, contact.lapdonline@gmail.com, CavalleroJ@ctpf.org,  Ben.Meng@calpers.ca.gov, CRapolla@calstrs.com, educacion@senado.gob.mx, salud@senado.gob.mx,  CRCExternalComplaints@dol.gov, OIGHOTLINE@nlrb.gov, aclupreferences@aclu.org, FRAudGroup@sec.gov,  Nathan.M.Swinton@usdoj.gov, Criminal.Division@usdoj.gov, Jeremy.Wolfson@ladwp.com,  complianceunit@cba.ca.gov, TIPS@pcaobus.org    urgent‐action@ohchr.org, enforcementinfo@cba.ca.gov, cdhdf@cdhcm.org.mx, secretary@caritas.ru,  codigoetica@americamovil.com, Investments@ocers.org, inspectorgeneral@cpsoig.org, NewsRoom@calstrs.com, RA‐ ethicsRTKL@pa.gov, oig.whistleblower.ombudsperson.program@usdoj.gov, hatchact@osc.gov,  Tom.Auzenne@CityofPaloAlto.org, oce@mail.house.gov  Sent from iPath  63 Baumb, Nelly From:Nancy Alfaro <alfaro.nancy@gmail.com> Sent:Tuesday, March 10, 2020 6:10 PM To:sbarragan@aristeguinoticias.com; wells@wsws.org; newsdesk@afr.com; courage.contact@couragefound.org; news@thelocal.it; quejas@cdhcm.org.mx; silvanoaureoles@michoacan.gob.mx; sindicato@senado.gob.mx; contacto@senadomorena.com; amacrine67@icloud.com; cathy.edwards@gmail.com; ariel_zach@yahoo.com; Fiona.Ma@treasurer.ca.gov; secretary.padilla@sos.ca.gov; chackert@fppc.ca.gov; hotline@oig.dot.gov; Council, City; investor.relations@americamovil.com; oig@sec.gov Cc:oig@gao.gov; pgjecomsoc@michoacan.gob.mx; denuncialosaqui@ssedomex.gob.mx; fiscal@morelia.fiscaliamichoacan.gob.mx; contact.lapdonline@gmail.com; CavalleroJ@ctpf.org; Ben.Meng@calpers.ca.gov; CRapolla@calstrs.com; educacion@senado.gob.mx; salud@senado.gob.mx; CRCExternalComplaints@dol.gov; oighotline@nlrb.gov; aclupreferences@aclu.org; FRAudGroup@sec.gov; Nathan.M.Swinton@usdoj.gov; Criminal.Division@usdoj.gov; Jeremy.Wolfson@ladwp.com; complianceunit@cba.ca.gov; tips@pcaobus.org Subject:2.20.2020 Ontario teachers, locked out Regina refinery workers must wage a working-class political struggle CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links.     “This is the Dreyfus case of our age”   Dreyfus affair, political crisis, beginning in 1894 and continuing through 1906, in France during the Third Republic. The controversy centred on the question of the guilt or innocence of army captain Alfred Dreyfus, who had been convicted of treason for allegedly selling military secrets to the Germans in December 1894. At first the public supported the conviction; it was willing to believe in the guilt of Dreyfus, who was Jewish. https://www.britannica.com/event/Dreyfus‐affair    Ontario teachers, locked out Regina refinery workers must wage a working‐class political struggle   https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/18/otrr‐f18.html    Growing support for Julian Assange on eve of extradition hearings   https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/20/pers‐f20.html  Assange has already undergone what United Nations official Nils Melzer assessed to be psychological torture at the hands of the governments pursuing him. He now faces the prospect of being treated as a terrorist in the darkest reaches of a US prison for the rest of his life.    Recipients List:   sbarragan@aristeguinoticias.com, wells@wsws.org, newsdesk@afr.com, courage.contact@couragefound.org,  news@thelocal.it, QUEJAS@cdhcm.org.mx, silvanoaureoles@michoacan.gob.mx, sindicato@senado.gob.mx,  contacto@senadomorena.com, amacrine67@icloud.com, cathy.edwards@gmail.com, ariel_zach@yahoo.com,  Fiona.Ma@treasurer.ca.gov, secretary.padilla@sos.ca.gov, CHackert@fppc.ca.gov, Hotline@oig.dot.gov,  City.Council@CityofPaloAlto.org, investor.relations@americamovil.com, oig@sec.gov    64 oig@gao.gov, pgjecomsoc@michoacan.gob.mx, denuncialosaqui@ssedomex.gob.mx,  fiscal@morelia.fiscaliamichoacan.gob.mx, contact.lapdonline@gmail.com, CavalleroJ@ctpf.org,  Ben.Meng@calpers.ca.gov, CRapolla@calstrs.com, educacion@senado.gob.mx, salud@senado.gob.mx,  CRCExternalComplaints@dol.gov, OIGHOTLINE@nlrb.gov, aclupreferences@aclu.org, FRAudGroup@sec.gov,  Nathan.M.Swinton@usdoj.gov, Criminal.Division@usdoj.gov, Jeremy.Wolfson@ladwp.com,  complianceunit@cba.ca.gov, TIPS@pcaobus.org  urgent‐action@ohchr.org, enforcementinfo@cba.ca.gov, cdhdf@cdhcm.org.mx, secretary@caritas.ru,  codigoetica@americamovil.com, Investments@ocers.org, inspectorgeneral@cpsoig.org, NewsRoom@calstrs.com, RA‐ ethicsRTKL@pa.gov, oig.whistleblower.ombudsperson.program@usdoj.gov, hatchact@osc.gov,  Tom.Auzenne@CityofPaloAlto.org, oce@mail.house.gov  Sent from iPath  65 Baumb, Nelly From:Nancy Alfaro <alfaro.nancy@gmail.com> Sent:Tuesday, March 10, 2020 6:10 PM To:sbarragan@aristeguinoticias.com; wells@wsws.org; newsdesk@afr.com; courage.contact@couragefound.org; news@thelocal.it; quejas@cdhcm.org.mx; silvanoaureoles@michoacan.gob.mx; sindicato@senado.gob.mx; contacto@senadomorena.com; amacrine67@icloud.com; cathy.edwards@gmail.com; ariel_zach@yahoo.com; Fiona.Ma@treasurer.ca.gov; secretary.padilla@sos.ca.gov; chackert@fppc.ca.gov; hotline@oig.dot.gov; Council, City; investor.relations@americamovil.com; oig@sec.gov Cc:oig@gao.gov; pgjecomsoc@michoacan.gob.mx; denuncialosaqui@ssedomex.gob.mx; fiscal@morelia.fiscaliamichoacan.gob.mx; contact.lapdonline@gmail.com; CavalleroJ@ctpf.org; Ben.Meng@calpers.ca.gov; CRapolla@calstrs.com; educacion@senado.gob.mx; salud@senado.gob.mx; CRCExternalComplaints@dol.gov; oighotline@nlrb.gov; aclupreferences@aclu.org; FRAudGroup@sec.gov; Nathan.M.Swinton@usdoj.gov; Criminal.Division@usdoj.gov; Jeremy.Wolfson@ladwp.com; complianceunit@cba.ca.gov; tips@pcaobus.org Subject:2.20.2020 Eminent Monsters: A Manual for Modern Torture, directed by Stephen Bennett CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links.     To the monsters that made this possible:  Assange has already undergone what United Nations official Nils Melzer assessed to be psychological torture at the hands of the governments pursuing him. He now faces the prospect of being treated as a terrorist in the darkest reaches of a US prison for the rest of his life.  https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/20/pers‐f20.html    The day humans beings are not repulsed by a few lunatics attacking, terrorizing and murdering children around the word  with US militarized commandos that's the day a the one world government will achieve dominion of the planet.      “This is the Dreyfus case of our age”  Dreyfus affair, political crisis, beginning in 1894 and continuing through 1906, in France during the Third Republic. The controversy centred on the question of the guilt or innocence of army captain Alfred Dreyfus, who had been convicted of treason for allegedly selling military secrets to the Germans in December 1894. At first the public supported the conviction; it was willing to believe in the guilt of Dreyfus, who was Jewish. https://www.britannica.com/event/Dreyfus‐affair      Eminent Monsters: A Manual for Modern Torture, directed by Stephen Bennett  https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/20/mons‐f20.html    By Jean Shaoul   20 February 2020    66 Eminent Monsters is a documentary by Stephen Bennett involving extensive research and interviews. Focusing on the use of psychological torture that breaks the mind without physical evidence of harm, the film is a devastating exposure of the shocking and systematic abuse by the governments of Britain and the United States of their own citizens.  It has immediate relevance regarding the treatment being meted out to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, which Professor Nils Melzer, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture, has described as psychological torture. To help protect your privacy, Microsoft Office prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. Nils Melzer speaking at the showing of Eminent Monsters in London this week [Credit: Eminent Monsters twitter page] The film was screened at the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2019 as part of a special event discussing the use of psychological torture by governments and will be used to develop International Protocols on Non-Coercive Interviewing by Member States. It is currently screening in several cities in the UK and US. On February 28, Melzer will present his annual report, to be published on Friday, to the UN Human Rights Council. His report this year focuses on psychological torture and inhuman and degrading treatment, both of which violate the 1984 UN Torture Convention and the 1987 European Convention on Human Rights, irrespective of whether the treatment was intentional. Melzer has criticised the UK government for its inhuman and degrading treatment of Assange that has placed his life in jeopardy. He has cited Eminent Monsters as a key factor motivating his research. The film is the first feature documentary by Bennett, who has worked for 23 years on international prime-time television commissions for BBC, Sky, NHK (Japan), Discovery and History (US). He has won three BAFTA Scotland awards: Best Features & Factual Series (The Council, 2017), Best Documentary (Dunblane: Our Story, 2016) and Best Current Affairs (Walking Wounded, 2011), as well as two Celtic Media Torcs (Dunblane and Walking Wounded) and an RTS Scotland Award for Best Specialist Factual: History (Brian Cox’s Russia). To help protect your privacy, Microsoft Office prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. Stephen Bennett The film starts with a clip of US President Donald Trump voicing his approval of waterboarding, reluctantly banned by the Bush administration in 2006 as potentially illegal and ineffective, saying, “I like it a lot. I don’t think it’s tough enough.” Eminent Monsters’ original title was Do No Harm, after the Hippocratic Oath that includes the promise “first, do no harm” that medical students make. 67 The Montreal-based, Scottish-born psychiatrist Dr. Ewen Cameron pioneered, with funding from the CIA and Canadian intelligence between 1957 and 1964, sensory deprivation, mind-altering chemicals, the use of forced comas, repetitive aural stimulation and so-called “enhanced interrogation techniques.” Bennett shows how Cameron’s techniques were later used by the CIA as part of its controversial MK Ultra Project 68 during the Cold War, and by the British government against detainees in Northern Ireland in the 1970s, the US in Afghanistan, Abu Ghraib in Iraq, the CIA secret prison “black sites” and at Guantanamo Bay, and by 27 countries around the world. Cameron’s results were later published as Kubark Counter‐Intelligence Interrogation Manual. To help protect your privacy, Microsoft Office prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. A prisoner at Guantanamo The experiences gained from each conflict were used to inform the next, even though it was clear that these techniques were useful not so much in extracting information as in terrorising and traumatising people. Bennett interviews the families of Cameron’s private patients, who were subjected to his supposedly therapeutic work. They described their loved ones as “having completely lost their personalities.” The Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) in Northern Ireland used what has become known as “the Five Techniques”: wall standing, hooding, white noise, sleep deprivation, and a diet of only bread and water. It also used a sixth technique, making a prisoner wear a loose-fitting boiler suit, which in combination with the others, meant that the prisoner experienced unvarying sensory information from his environment—an effect known as “perceptual deprivation.” One of the most well-known cases involved the 14 Republican “Hooded Men,” interned without trial in 1971. They were forced to listen to constant loud static noise; deprived of sleep, food and water; forced to stand in a stress position and beaten if they fell. Most horrifying of all, they were hooded and thrown from helicopters a short distance off the ground having been told they were hundreds of feet in the air. Tim Shallice, professor emeritus and past director of the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College, London, was present in the audience. He became a vocal critic of Britain’s “interrogation in depth” methods. His research showed that these methods resulted in extreme sensory deprivation, were likely to cause serious psychological damage and constituted a form of mental torture, contributing to the UK government’s official ban on interrogation in depth and the closing down of publicly funded research in Canada in the mid-1970s. 68 The Republic of Ireland took the UK to the European Court of Justice (ECJ), accusing it of torture. In 1978, the ECJ perversely ruled that the prisoners had not been tortured, “but their treatment had been inhuman and degrading,” repeating its verdict in 2017, thereby admitting that the treatment was indeed illegal according to both international and European law. Nine of the 14 who are still alive are continuing their fight for justice against the Northern Ireland police. In September, the Belfast Court of Appeal ordered a criminal investigation into the treatment of the “Hooded Men,” with the Lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan, Northern Ireland’s most senior judge, saying the treatment of the men “would, if it occurred today, properly be characterised as torture.” Crucially, the ECJ’s 1978 ruling was used as the legal basis to justify state-endorsed torture, including by the Bush Administration after the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers in New York in 2001 and its subsequent “War on Terror.” To help protect your priv acy, Microsoft Office prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. Mohamedou Ould Slahi Bennett interviewed Mohamedou Ould Slahi, held for 14 years without charge at Guantanamo and believed to be the most tortured detainee. Another interviewee, British citizen Moazzam Begg, also imprisoned at Guantanamo, said he wanted to be killed after the interrogators used their strategy of “demonstrated omnipotence” against him. The film was followed by a Q&A session with the director, Nils Melzer and Katie Taylor, the deputy director of Reprieve, which provides legal and investigative support to those facing execution, rendition, torture, extrajudicial imprisonment and extrajudicial killing. Bennett explained how the film had a long gestation. In 2007, he read about Dr. Cameron, who was born and raised near his own home. He decided to find out more, and his research ended 10 years later in the release of Eminent Monsters. It was a story of great perseverance, he said. “It’s been quite an odyssey. You think getting the film made is hard—but getting it seen is just as hard!” To help protect your priv acy, Microsoft Office prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. Moazzam Begg family photo [Credit: Hopscotch Films] Katie Taylor of Reprieve stressed that the psychological effects of torture last a lifetime: “As well as suffering the psychological impact, Guantanamo’s victims have had problems rebuilding their lives, as the stigma of detention permeates everything. Never having been charged, they faced no trials, they were never able to clear their names and were hounded by the security services.” 69 She added, “Yet the perpetrators get off scot-free. Gina Haspel, the chief of a CIA black site in Thailand in 2002 in which prisoners were tortured with so-called ‘enhanced interrogation techniques,’ including waterboarding, now heads the CIA.” Melzer stressed that the discussion was not just about the past, but the present. Every day he received requests for intervention in cases of torture. The film reveals the scale of the activity, the use of psychological methods of torture pioneered at Dachau, because the Nazis could not break people otherwise. The ECJ’s decisions over Britain’s interrogation methods in Northern Ireland “were simply wrong,” he said. The UN definition of torture that underpins the European Union’s definition stresses that the purposeful infliction of pain or suffering, whether physical or psychological, constitutes torture. He explained that the “Hooded Men suffered way beyond torture. The state’s purpose was to show power, intimidate and break people, not to obtain information.” In the case of the CIA’s torture, he added, no one has been brought to justice. But John Kiriakou, the first US government official to confirm in December 2007 that waterboarding was used to interrogate al-Qaeda prisoners, which Kiriakou described as torture, was convicted for passing classified information to a reporter and given a prison sentence in 2013. Melzer noted, “The British Parliament had reported that the government was involved in torture, but the government refused to investigate. We are supposed to tolerate a system of torture.” He made the comparison to the Nuremburg Trials, saying, “We punished the Nazis, but what about our own governments, when they do these kinds of things? We have a system that punished the whistle blowers like Edward Snowden, Chelsea Manning and Julian Assange, not the perpetrators of torture. This means that as a society, we identify with the perpetrators not the victims.”   Growing support for Julian Assange on eve of extradition hearings   https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/20/pers‐f20.html  Assange has already undergone what United Nations official Nils Melzer assessed to be psychological torture at the hands of the governments pursuing him. He now faces the prospect of being treated as a terrorist in the darkest reaches of a US prison for the rest of his life.    Recipients List:   sbarragan@aristeguinoticias.com, wells@wsws.org, newsdesk@afr.com, courage.contact@couragefound.org,  news@thelocal.it, QUEJAS@cdhcm.org.mx, silvanoaureoles@michoacan.gob.mx, sindicato@senado.gob.mx,  contacto@senadomorena.com, amacrine67@icloud.com, cathy.edwards@gmail.com, ariel_zach@yahoo.com,  Fiona.Ma@treasurer.ca.gov, secretary.padilla@sos.ca.gov, CHackert@fppc.ca.gov, Hotline@oig.dot.gov,  City.Council@CityofPaloAlto.org, investor.relations@americamovil.com    oig@gao.gov, oig@sec.gov, pgjecomsoc@michoacan.gob.mx, denuncialosaqui@ssedomex.gob.mx,  fiscal@morelia.fiscaliamichoacan.gob.mx, contact.lapdonline@gmail.com, CavalleroJ@ctpf.org,  Ben.Meng@calpers.ca.gov, CRapolla@calstrs.com, educacion@senado.gob.mx, salud@senado.gob.mx,  70 CRCExternalComplaints@dol.gov, OIGHOTLINE@nlrb.gov, aclupreferences@aclu.org, FRAudGroup@sec.gov,  Nathan.M.Swinton@usdoj.gov, Criminal.Division@usdoj.gov, Jeremy.Wolfson@ladwp.com,  complianceunit@cba.ca.gov, TIPS@pcaobus.org  urgent‐action@ohchr.org, enforcementinfo@cba.ca.gov, cdhdf@cdhcm.org.mx, secretary@caritas.ru,  codigoetica@americamovil.com, Investments@ocers.org, inspectorgeneral@cpsoig.org, NewsRoom@calstrs.com, RA‐ ethicsRTKL@pa.gov, oig.whistleblower.ombudsperson.program@usdoj.gov, hatchact@osc.gov,  Tom.Auzenne@CityofPaloAlto.org, oce@mail.house.gov  Sent from iPath  71 Baumb, Nelly From:Nancy Alfaro <alfaro.nancy@gmail.com> Sent:Tuesday, March 10, 2020 6:10 PM To:sbarragan@aristeguinoticias.com; wells@wsws.org; newsdesk@afr.com; courage.contact@couragefound.org; news@thelocal.it; quejas@cdhcm.org.mx; silvanoaureoles@michoacan.gob.mx; sindicato@senado.gob.mx; contacto@senadomorena.com; amacrine67@icloud.com; cathy.edwards@gmail.com; ariel_zach@yahoo.com; Fiona.Ma@treasurer.ca.gov; secretary.padilla@sos.ca.gov; chackert@fppc.ca.gov; hotline@oig.dot.gov; Council, City; investor.relations@americamovil.com; oig@sec.gov Cc:oig@gao.gov; pgjecomsoc@michoacan.gob.mx; denuncialosaqui@ssedomex.gob.mx; fiscal@morelia.fiscaliamichoacan.gob.mx; contact.lapdonline@gmail.com; CavalleroJ@ctpf.org; Ben.Meng@calpers.ca.gov; CRapolla@calstrs.com; educacion@senado.gob.mx; salud@senado.gob.mx; CRCExternalComplaints@dol.gov; oighotline@nlrb.gov; aclupreferences@aclu.org; FRAudGroup@sec.gov; Nathan.M.Swinton@usdoj.gov; Criminal.Division@usdoj.gov; Jeremy.Wolfson@ladwp.com; complianceunit@cba.ca.gov; tips@pcaobus.org Subject:2.20.2020 Australia: Students and workers demand release of Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links.     “This is the Dreyfus case of our age”   Dreyfus affair, political crisis, beginning in 1894 and continuing through 1906, in France during the Third Republic. The controversy centred on the question of the guilt or innocence of army captain Alfred Dreyfus, who had been convicted of treason for allegedly selling military secrets to the Germans in December 1894. At first the public supported the conviction; it was willing to believe in the guilt of Dreyfus, who was Jewish. https://www.britannica.com/event/Dreyfus‐affair     Australia: Students and workers demand release of Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning  https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/20/auss‐f20.html    By our reporters   20 February 2020  Socialist Equality Party members and supporters have been campaigning over the past week in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Newcastle for the forthcoming rallies to demand the immediate release of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and US whistleblower Chelsea Manning. Last Saturday the SEP and the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) club at Griffith University held a lively hour-long speak-out in Inala Plaza, a Brisbane working-class suburb. They were joined by members of the Julian Assange Brisbane Facebook Group. To help protect your privacy, Microsoft Office prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. Speak‐out in Inala 72 SEP and IYSSE members and supporters who spoke on a megaphone, and a speaker from the Facebook group, won a warm response from shoppers, local residents and young people. They explained the necessity to free Assange and Manning in order to defend free speech and basic democratic rights. Speakers emphasised the contrast between the groundswell of popular support for Assange, as evidenced by the recent petition to parliament signed by over 280,000 people, and the silence of the media and political establishment. They explained the need to build a mass movement in the working class and among young people to defend Assange and Manning. Numerous people signed up to participate in the campaign and to attend the Brisbane city rally on February 29. On the same day SEP members held a speak-out, followed by a powerful march, in the Newcastle suburb of Toronto, about 130 kilometres north of Sydney. To help protect your privacy, Microsoft Office prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. SEP campaign in Toronto Danielle Dunkley, one of several who addressed the Toronto speak-out, explained the torturous conditions facing Assange in Belmarsh prison and appealed to workers and youth to attend the SEP’s rally in Parramatta, Sydney on February 22. “The defence of Assange is critical,” she said. “He is being persecuted for telling the truth, everyone needs to know the truth and defend democratic rights.” “There are a million reasons why Assange should be freed,” Ezekiel said after the event. “Trillions are spent on war, which creates refugees, kills children and workers but the people who make these wars happen are roaming free whilst Assange is being murdered by the state. “It’s a slow painful and torturous death, but they are killing Assange for telling the truth. We must have the truth because we have a goal to end war, and freeing Julian Assange is absolutely paramount to the fight against war,” he said. Mitchell, a chiropractor, said “the freeing of Assange is vitally important, because the public are unaware of the situation. You’ve got Assange in jail for exposing what their governments are doing. People have a right to know what the government is doing and have to be answerable to the people. “The only reason that the government has been able to get away with their treatment of Assange so far is because the public is largely unaware.” SEP members also held a speak-out in the western-Sydney suburb of Liverpool. 73 To help protect your priv acy, Microsoft Office prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. Sandy Sandy, a 15-year-old high school student who has family in Iraq, explained to SEP members why she opposed the persecution of Assange. “Assange has been illegally jailed because he tried to speak the truth and that is what no one else understands, and is what really pisses us off as young kids. If he can be arrested for doing such a thing what will happen to us if we want to speak the truth? “The Australian government’s refusal to defend Assange,” she said, “is horrible [because] he’s an Australian citizen. I truly think it is unfair, but we can defend Assange. The government will probably try to silence us but because of social media they can’t if all of us are combined.” IYSSE members and supporters in Melbourne won strong support for Assange and Manning from students participating in orientation week events at Victoria University’s Footscray Nicholson campus on Wednesday. To help protect your priv acy, Microsoft Office prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. Jude Jude said, “We need people like Assange and Manning to keep telling the truth. They are fighting for our freedom. We need them and we need to free him for all of our freedom.” Anna, originally from Vietnam, had not heard of Julian Assange before meeting the IYSSE. When Assange’s role in revealing US war crimes was explained, she said: “Freedom of speech is very important. I come from Vietnam. Many years ago the US invaded my country and they destroyed everything. They made Vietnamese people kill each other. We need freedom of speech to help stop these things happening.” Hope, a Victoria University (VU) teacher, denounced the imprisonment of Assange. “The US is after Assange because he broke news they didn’t like. It’s important to free him because if he goes to America, we’ll never see him again and that will be it for freedom of speech.” Liban and Nimo, siblings and health science students at VU Nicholson, spoke about Assange and Manning. Assange “is someone who knows what is right. I stand for what he believes in—that people should look after each other and tell the truth,” Liban said. To help protect your privacy, Microsoft Office prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. Liban and Nimo 74 Nimo added: “Assange is pretty brave for standing up for what he did. Not a lot of people would have the courage to do that.” The US is persecuting the WikiLeaks founder, she said, “because he was being honest. He was true to himself and others as well.” If Assange is extradited, she warned, “then there will be no more freedom of speech.” To help protect your priv acy, Microsoft Office prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. Mandeep VU student Mandeep told IYSSE members the WikiLeaks founder “didn’t do anything wrong to humanity or the world” and that he was “in favour of setting him free.” Assange had been imprisoned, he explained, “because he exposed America’s dirty war—how they make money from petroleum and that they are trying to grab especially Middle-Eastern land for the natural resources.” We urge all those who agree with the fight to free Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning to join the rallies in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, Wellington New Zealand and in cities around the world. Sydney Saturday February 22, 12:00 p.m. Parramatta Town Hall 182 Church Street, Parramatta Melbourne Sunday February 23, 2:00 p.m. State Library of Victoria Then march to Federation Square Wellington, New Zealand Sunday, February 23, 3:00 p.m. Cuba Street (intersection with Left Bank) Wellington Brisbane Saturday February 29, 2:00 p.m. Reddacliff Place, Brisbane (corner Queen and George Street) 75 The author also recommends: The international witch-hunt of Julian Assange [14 January 2020]   Ontario teachers, locked out Regina refinery workers must wage a working‐class political struggle  https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/18/otrr‐f18.html    Growing support for Julian Assange on eve of extradition hearings   https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/20/pers‐f20.html  Assange has already undergone what United Nations official Nils Melzer assessed to be psychological torture at the hands of the governments pursuing him. He now faces the prospect of being treated as a terrorist in the darkest reaches of a US prison for the rest of his life.    Demonstrations throughout California in support of wildcat strike by UC‐Santa Cruz graduate teaching assistants  https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/22/ucsc‐f22.html    Recipients List:   sbarragan@aristeguinoticias.com, wells@wsws.org, newsdesk@afr.com, courage.contact@couragefound.org,  news@thelocal.it, QUEJAS@cdhcm.org.mx, silvanoaureoles@michoacan.gob.mx, sindicato@senado.gob.mx,  contacto@senadomorena.com, amacrine67@icloud.com, cathy.edwards@gmail.com, ariel_zach@yahoo.com,  Fiona.Ma@treasurer.ca.gov, secretary.padilla@sos.ca.gov, CHackert@fppc.ca.gov, Hotline@oig.dot.gov,  City.Council@CityofPaloAlto.org, investor.relations@americamovil.com, oig@sec.gov    oig@gao.gov, pgjecomsoc@michoacan.gob.mx, denuncialosaqui@ssedomex.gob.mx,  fiscal@morelia.fiscaliamichoacan.gob.mx, contact.lapdonline@gmail.com, CavalleroJ@ctpf.org,  Ben.Meng@calpers.ca.gov, CRapolla@calstrs.com, educacion@senado.gob.mx, salud@senado.gob.mx,  CRCExternalComplaints@dol.gov, OIGHOTLINE@nlrb.gov, aclupreferences@aclu.org, FRAudGroup@sec.gov,  Nathan.M.Swinton@usdoj.gov, Criminal.Division@usdoj.gov, Jeremy.Wolfson@ladwp.com,  complianceunit@cba.ca.gov, TIPS@pcaobus.org  urgent‐action@ohchr.org, enforcementinfo@cba.ca.gov, cdhdf@cdhcm.org.mx, secretary@caritas.ru,  codigoetica@americamovil.com, Investments@ocers.org, inspectorgeneral@cpsoig.org, NewsRoom@calstrs.com, RA‐ ethicsRTKL@pa.gov, oig.whistleblower.ombudsperson.program@usdoj.gov, hatchact@osc.gov,  Tom.Auzenne@CityofPaloAlto.org, oce@mail.house.gov  Sent from iPath  76 Baumb, Nelly From:Nancy Alfaro <alfaro.nancy@gmail.com> Sent:Tuesday, March 10, 2020 6:10 PM To:sbarragan@aristeguinoticias.com; wells@wsws.org; newsdesk@afr.com; courage.contact@couragefound.org; news@thelocal.it; quejas@cdhcm.org.mx; silvanoaureoles@michoacan.gob.mx; sindicato@senado.gob.mx; contacto@senadomorena.com; amacrine67@icloud.com; cathy.edwards@gmail.com; ariel_zach@yahoo.com; Fiona.Ma@treasurer.ca.gov; secretary.padilla@sos.ca.gov; chackert@fppc.ca.gov; hotline@oig.dot.gov; Council, City; investor.relations@americamovil.com Cc:oig@gao.gov; oig@sec.gov; pgjecomsoc@michoacan.gob.mx; denuncialosaqui@ssedomex.gob.mx; fiscal@morelia.fiscaliamichoacan.gob.mx; contact.lapdonline@gmail.com; CavalleroJ@ctpf.org; Ben.Meng@calpers.ca.gov; CRapolla@calstrs.com; educacion@senado.gob.mx; salud@senado.gob.mx; CRCExternalComplaints@dol.gov; oighotline@nlrb.gov; aclupreferences@aclu.org; FRAudGroup@sec.gov; Nathan.M.Swinton@usdoj.gov; Criminal.Division@usdoj.gov; Jeremy.Wolfson@ladwp.com; complianceunit@cba.ca.gov; tips@pcaobus.org Subject:2.22.2020 Demonstration to free Julian Assange this Monday in Montreal CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links.       Demonstration to free Julian Assange this Monday in Montreal    https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/22/mont‐f22.html    By Richard Dufour   22 February 2020  A demonstration will be held this Monday outside the US Consulate in Montreal in defense of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange. A courageous journalist and publisher, Assange is being persecuted by the US, British and Australian governments, with the complicity of Canada, for exposing great power intrigues around the world and American war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan. Currently held in solitary confinement in a high security prison in Britain, Assange is facing extradition to the United States and a show trial on charges of espionage, with the prospect of a life sentence of 175 years. UN Special Rapporteur for Torture Nils Melzer and other medical experts have stated that Assange shows signs of prolonged psychological torture, and that he could die unless he is released to receive proper medical care. Assange’s extradition hearing begins in London on February 24, the same day as the Montreal demonstration. Similar actions are being organized around the world. 77 In an e-mail interview with the World Socialist Web Site, demonstration organizer Elizabeth Leier, an independent journalist, stressed the urgency of coming to the defense of Assange. “I’m holding the rally because I feel this case is tremendously important and holds serious implications for journalism, free speech and human rights around the world,” wrote Leier. “Unsurprisingly, given the state of our mainstream media, this issue has had very little traction in Canada. “This is deplorable as the prosecution of Julian Assange has very concrete and serious implications for Canadian journalism and sovereignty,” she continued. “Should he be extradited, this will set a precedent by which it will be possible to prosecute and extradite a foreign journalist for publishing truthful and meaningful information outside of the prosecuting jurisdiction. This is an absurd and dangerous prospect that should alarm all those who value freedom of the press, democracy and sovereignty.” Asked about the response she has received to this important initiative, Leier had the following to say: “The response has been quite lackluster thus far, which doesn’t surprise me. … [T]he lack of media attention this case has received is quite significant. When Assange has been covered in mainstream Canadian media, the coverage simply echoes the same misinformation we’ve heard time and time again. “Those organizations which should know about this case, the media and their union–the Fédération Profesionnelle des Journalistes du Québec (FPJQ) – have remained silent as to their position regarding this prosecution. I think we can infer from that silence that they prefer to toe the line and not disrupt official narratives, in spite of it being against their own professional integrity and interests. “I do want to highlight the positive response I’ve received from many independent media outlets, individuals and political organizations, including the World Socialist Web Site. Hopefully more people will learn about the event and recognize the importance of this issue.” The Socialist Equality Party (Canada) and the World Socialist Web Site strongly urge all their readers and supporters in the Montreal area to participate in this demonstration as part of the global campaign in support of Assange and the courageous whistleblower Chelsea Manning. The demonstration will take place on Monday February 24 at 5:30 PM, in front of the US Consulate in Montreal, 1134 Sainte-Catherine St West (corner of Stanley St and near the Peel Metro station.) 78 The author also recommends: Growing support for Julian Assange on eve of extradition hearings [20 February 2020] Canada’s complicity in the persecution of Julian Assange [27 January 2020] Free Julian Assange! [2 August 2018] Recipients List: sbarragan@aristeguinoticias.com, wells@wsws.org, newsdesk@afr.com, courage.contact@couragefound.org, news@thelocal.it, QUEJAS@cdhcm.org.mx, silvanoaureoles@michoacan.gob.mx, sindicato@senado.gob.mx, contacto@senadomorena.com, amacrine67@icloud.com, cathy.edwards@gmail.com, ariel_zach@yahoo.com, Fiona.Ma@treasurer.ca.gov, secretary.padilla@sos.ca.gov, CHackert@fppc.ca.gov, Hotline@oig.dot.gov, City.Council@CityofPaloAlto.org, investor.relations@americamovil.com oig@gao.gov, oig@sec.gov, pgjecomsoc@michoacan.gob.mx, denuncialosaqui@ssedomex.gob.mx, fiscal@morelia.fiscaliamichoacan.gob.mx, contact.lapdonline@gmail.com, CavalleroJ@ctpf.org, Ben.Meng@calpers.ca.gov, CRapolla@calstrs.com, educacion@senado.gob.mx, salud@senado.gob.mx, CRCExternalComplaints@dol.gov, OIGHOTLINE@nlrb.gov, aclupreferences@aclu.org, FRAudGroup@sec.gov, Nathan.M.Swinton@usdoj.gov, Criminal.Division@usdoj.gov, Jeremy.Wolfson@ladwp.com, complianceunit@cba.ca.gov, TIPS@pcaobus.org urgent-action@ohchr.org, enforcementinfo@cba.ca.gov, cdhdf@cdhcm.org.mx, secretary@caritas.ru, codigoetica@americamovil.com, Investments@ocers.org, inspectorgeneral@cpsoig.org, NewsRoom@calstrs.com, RA-ethicsRTKL@pa.gov, oig.whistleblower.ombudsperson.program@usdoj.gov, hatchact@osc.gov, Tom.Auzenne@CityofPaloAlto.org, oce@mail.house.gov Please enable JavaScript to view the &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://disqus.com/?ref_noscript"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;comments powered by Disqus.&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;   Sent from iPath  79 Baumb, Nelly From:Nancy Alfaro <alfaro.nancy@gmail.com> Sent:Tuesday, March 10, 2020 6:09 PM To:sbarragan@aristeguinoticias.com; wells@wsws.org; newsdesk@afr.com; courage.contact@couragefound.org; news@thelocal.it; quejas@cdhcm.org.mx; silvanoaureoles@michoacan.gob.mx; sindicato@senado.gob.mx; contacto@senadomorena.com; amacrine67@icloud.com; cathy.edwards@gmail.com; ariel_zach@yahoo.com; Fiona.Ma@treasurer.ca.gov; secretary.padilla@sos.ca.gov; chackert@fppc.ca.gov; hotline@oig.dot.gov; Council, City; investor.relations@americamovil.com Cc:oig@gao.gov; oig@sec.gov; pgjecomsoc@michoacan.gob.mx; denuncialosaqui@ssedomex.gob.mx; fiscal@morelia.fiscaliamichoacan.gob.mx; contact.lapdonline@gmail.com; CavalleroJ@ctpf.org; Ben.Meng@calpers.ca.gov; CRapolla@calstrs.com; educacion@senado.gob.mx; salud@senado.gob.mx; CRCExternalComplaints@dol.gov; oighotline@nlrb.gov; aclupreferences@aclu.org; FRAudGroup@sec.gov; Nathan.M.Swinton@usdoj.gov; Criminal.Division@usdoj.gov; Jeremy.Wolfson@ladwp.com; complianceunit@cba.ca.gov; tips@pcaobus.org Subject:1.31.2020 Britain leaves the European Union: Against nationalism, For the United Socialist States of Europe! CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links.     Britain leaves the European Union: Against nationalism, For the United Socialist States of Europe!    https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/01/31/pers‐j31.html   31 January 2020  At 11pm GMT, the UK will leave the European Union (EU) after 47 years of membership. The departure comes three-and-a-half years after the 2016 referendum on EU membership that produced a narrow 52-48 percent vote in favour of leaving. The referendum on Brexit was called by then-Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron to sideline the Eurosceptic faction of this party and placate a support base he feared would otherwise desert to the UK Independence Party (UKIP). His calculation that the backing of all three main parliamentary parties, the trade unions, the banks and financial sector, the EU states and US President Obama would result in a Remain vote backfired, producing instead a Leave vote in part animated by inchoate hostility to the “Westminster elite” and the “establishment.” Since 2016, there have been countless efforts to either delay Brexit or reverse it. Yet Brexit is now a reality. However politically confused the popular sentiment for Brexit was, its promotion by leading factions of the ruling class is the product of the huge escalation of inter-imperialist antagonisms produced by the global crisis of the capitalist system which produced two world wars in the twentieth century. 80 The Remain and Leave wings of the British bourgeoisie had opposing strategies on how to respond to the inexorable drift towards trade war between the major powers. Both factions are equally reactionary. The Remain faction wanted to preserve Britain’s global position within the EU trading bloc and its massive single market. The Leave forces viewed the EU as an impediment to the UK’s pursuing a global trade and investment policy as a totally deregulated base for financial speculation, centred on a strengthened alliance with the US and directed against Germany and France in particular. Brexit is therefore a product of global economic and social contradictions produced by capitalism. This was underscored within months of the referendum vote by the election of Donald Trump in the 2016 US presidential election, standing on his own nationalist “America First” agenda. Trump embraced Brexit as a weapon to encourage the breakup of an EU he denounced as a “competitor,” not an ally, and as a “cartel” run in the interests of Germany. Brexit has confirmed Trotsky’s insistence on the impossibility of harmoniously unifying the European continent under capitalism. It is the most advanced expression of an escalating breakdown of the EU, under the pressure of mounting centrifugal forces that are intensifying conflicts not only with the US but between the European states. Moreover, the nationalist tensions expressed by Brexit and the scramble for control of global markets and resources are leading to an eruption of imperialist militarism, directed above all at Russia and China, that threatens to plunge the entire world into war. The working class is being made to pay for trade war and military rearmament through stepped- up austerity, as the British ruling elite and its rivals seek to remain globally competitive through a relentless assault on jobs and wages and the destruction of essential social services. The real economic and social agenda of Brexit is epitomised by the Johnson government’s stated aims of “completing the Thatcher revolution” and refashioning London as “Singapore-on-the-Thames.” This class war offensive demands a crackdown on democratic rights and civil liberties that is seeing democratic rule give way to police state methods. The government’s “Operation Yellowhammer,” involving the deployment of tens of thousands of troops and riot police in the event of a “no deal” Brexit, are in reality plans to deal with the social conflict that is the inevitable product of the continued impoverishment of working people. Legislation is already planned that will ban all-out strikes, first in the transport sector and then throughout all services and industries deemed to be “essential.” At the same time the government has added numerous peaceful protest groups and left-wing parties to its “Prevent” strategy and intends to do the same regarding antiterror legislation. The responsibility for the grave dangers now facing the working class rests above all with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and his cheerleaders in Britain’s pseudo-left and Stalinist tendencies. 81 For four years, Corbyn used his popular support as a declared opponent of austerity and imperialism to suppress the class struggle and any challenge to British imperialism. He took his place alongside Cameron in the Remain campaign, claiming that the EU, though imperfect, could be reformed in the interests of workers. This apologia was an attempt to counter the widespread opposition to the EU produced by its imposition of devastating austerity programmes against workers in Greece, Spain, Portugal and other countries, and its “Fortress Europe” policy of brutal anti-migrant measures that has led to the deaths of thousands in the Mediterranean and the erection of razor wire fences and de facto concentration camps throughout the continent. In this, Corbyn played the same role as Syriza in Greece, which promised to oppose EU-dictated austerity but implemented worse attacks than the previous New Democracy government, and policed refugee detention camps and expulsions. The most reactionary role of all was played by the advocates of a “Left Leave” or “Lexit,” the Socialist Workers Party, the Socialist Party and the Stalinist Communist Party. They opposed the EU based on an espousal of economic nationalism centred on the claim that, following Brexit, Corbyn would be supposedly able to implement a “British road to socialism.” This policy politically subordinated the working class to the most reactionary elements within the ruling elite who led the official Leave campaign. It found its most degraded expression when the most prominent Left Leave spokesman, George Galloway, mounted a platform alongside UKIP leader Nigel Farage and various right-wing Tories, proclaiming, “Left, right, left, right! Forward march together.” Galloway has now established his Workers Party of Britain, which “positively embraces Britain’s withdrawal from the EU” and demands anti-immigration measures. Predicting a “patriotic surge,” he threatens that anyone on “the left” who is seen as “anti-national” and “anti-British… who cannot stomach their own flag and their own nation and its culture and tradition and history,” will themselves “be history." The net result of the policies of Corbyn and the pseudo-left has been to foster dangerous divisions that disarm workers who now face a bitter struggle against the entire ruling elite. Only the Socialist Equality Party advanced a genuinely independent programme for the working class, based on a principled struggle for socialist internationalism. The SEP called for an active boycott of the Brexit referendum in opposition to all attempts to dragoon the working class behind one or other of the reactionary camps of the bourgeoisie. Our perspective was based upon the independent political mobilisation of the working class across Europe. 82 Our statement said: “The SEP is irreconcilably hostile to the European Union. But our opposition is from the left, not the right.” We explained: “The first consideration of socialists is to safeguard not only the present interests of the working class, but also its future. The biggest political danger in this situation is the mixing of class banners on the basis of the espousal of a supposedly ’left nationalism.’” The SEP “conceives of an active boycott not as an individual protest, but as a means of beginning the political clarification of the working class and countering the disorientation created by the Labour and trade union bureaucracy and its pseudo-left apologists… Against the national chauvinism and xenophobia promoted by both sides in the referendum campaign, the working class must advance its own internationalist programme to unify the struggles of workers throughout Europe in defence of living standards and democratic rights. The alternative for workers to the Europe of the transnational corporations is the struggle for the United Socialist States of Europe.” The objective basis for realising this perspective is now emerging in the form of a global eruption of strikes and mass protests encompassing millions—in India, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Ecuador, Colombia, Chile, the United States, Algeria, Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Kenya, South Africa and India, epitomised in Europe by the Yellow Vests and public sector strikes against Macron in France. To help protect your privacy, Microsoft Office prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. Protesters demonstrate in Rennes, western France, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2019 [Credit: AP Photo/David Vincent] Rupert Murdoch’s Sun newspaper stressed its hope that Brexit will prevent the spread of the class struggle across the Channel. It was “supposed to be Britain that collapsed into chaos, while our continental neighbours basked in the stability allegedly afforded by European Union membership.” Instead “civil strife in France, including the sheer level of violence and fury now being directed at its political establishment and at the police who enforce their will, is in danger of spiralling out of control.” The Sun is engaged in wishful thinking. Social tensions are at breaking point. The attacks planned against workers and young people will inevitably lead to an eruption of class struggle in Britain, as a component part of what the World Socialist Web Site predicted would be “a decade of intensifying class struggle and world socialist revolution.” The fate of the working class depends upon its international unification against the common class enemy, under the leadership of the International Committee of the Fourth International. Together with our sister parties, the SEP will provide the necessary leadership for the 83 revolutionary struggles now on the agenda, forging a unified movement of the European and world working class for socialism. Statement by the Socialist Equality Party (UK)   Recipients List:   sbarragan@aristeguinoticias.com, wells@wsws.org, newsdesk@afr.com, courage.contact@couragefound.org,  news@thelocal.it, QUEJAS@cdhcm.org.mx, silvanoaureoles@michoacan.gob.mx, sindicato@senado.gob.mx,  contacto@senadomorena.com, amacrine67@icloud.com, cathy.edwards@gmail.com, ariel_zach@yahoo.com,  Fiona.Ma@treasurer.ca.gov, secretary.padilla@sos.ca.gov, CHackert@fppc.ca.gov, Hotline@oig.dot.gov,  City.Council@CityofPaloAlto.org, investor.relations@americamovil.com     oig@gao.gov, oig@sec.gov, pgjecomsoc@michoacan.gob.mx, denuncialosaqui@ssedomex.gob.mx,  fiscal@morelia.fiscaliamichoacan.gob.mx, contact.lapdonline@gmail.com, CavalleroJ@ctpf.org,  Ben.Meng@calpers.ca.gov, CRapolla@calstrs.com, educacion@senado.gob.mx, salud@senado.gob.mx,  CRCExternalComplaints@dol.gov, OIGHOTLINE@nlrb.gov, aclupreferences@aclu.org, FRAudGroup@sec.gov,  Nathan.M.Swinton@usdoj.gov, Criminal.Division@usdoj.gov, Jeremy.Wolfson@ladwp.com,  complianceunit@cba.ca.gov, TIPS@pcaobus.org    urgent‐action@ohchr.org, enforcementinfo@cba.ca.gov, cdhdf@cdhcm.org.mx, secretary@caritas.ru,  codigoetica@americamovil.com, Investments@ocers.org, inspectorgeneral@cpsoig.org, NewsRoom@calstrs.com, RA‐ ethicsRTKL@pa.gov, oig.whistleblower.ombudsperson.program@usdoj.gov, hatchact@osc.gov,  Tom.Auzenne@CityofPaloAlto.org, oce@mail.house.gov    Sent from iPath  84 Baumb, Nelly From:Nancy Alfaro <alfaro.nancy@gmail.com> Sent:Tuesday, March 10, 2020 6:09 PM To:sbarragan@aristeguinoticias.com; wells@wsws.org; newsdesk@afr.com; courage.contact@couragefound.org; news@thelocal.it; quejas@cdhcm.org.mx; silvanoaureoles@michoacan.gob.mx; sindicato@senado.gob.mx; contacto@senadomorena.com; amacrine67@icloud.com; cathy.edwards@gmail.com; ariel_zach@yahoo.com; Fiona.Ma@treasurer.ca.gov; secretary.padilla@sos.ca.gov; chackert@fppc.ca.gov; hotline@oig.dot.gov; Council, City; investor.relations@americamovil.com; oig@sec.gov Cc:oig@gao.gov; pgjecomsoc@michoacan.gob.mx; denuncialosaqui@ssedomex.gob.mx; fiscal@morelia.fiscaliamichoacan.gob.mx; contact.lapdonline@gmail.com; CavalleroJ@ctpf.org; Ben.Meng@calpers.ca.gov; CRapolla@calstrs.com; educacion@senado.gob.mx; salud@senado.gob.mx; CRCExternalComplaints@dol.gov; oighotline@nlrb.gov; aclupreferences@aclu.org; FRAudGroup@sec.gov; Nathan.M.Swinton@usdoj.gov; Criminal.Division@usdoj.gov; Jeremy.Wolfson@ladwp.com; complianceunit@cba.ca.gov; tips@pcaobus.org Subject:2.22.2020 Demonstrations throughout California in support of wildcat strike by UC-Santa Cruz graduate teaching assistants CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links.       “This is the Dreyfus case of our age”   Dreyfus affair, political crisis, beginning in 1894 and continuing through 1906, in France during the Third Republic. The controversy centred on the question of the guilt or innocence of army captain Alfred Dreyfus, who had been convicted of treason for allegedly selling military secrets to the Germans in December 1894. At first the public supported the conviction; it was willing to believe in the guilt of Dreyfus, who was Jewish. https://www.britannica.com/event/Dreyfus‐affair      Demonstrations throughout California in support of wildcat strike by UC‐Santa Cruz graduate teaching assistants  https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/22/ucsc‐f22.html    By Anthony del Olmo   22 February 2020  The International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE), the youth movement of the Socialist Equality Party, is holding an emergency online meeting this Sunday, February 23, at 4pm Pacific Time to discuss an international socialist strategy for the UC strike. Visit https://iysse.com/UCstrike/ for further details. University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC) graduate teaching assistants (TAs) continued their wildcat strike Friday, with solidarity actions spreading to nearly all of the nine other campuses in the UC system. Hundreds of graduate and undergraduate students marched throughout the state 85 in opposition to threats by UC president and former Obama Homeland Security secretary Janet Napolitano to fire striking TA’s if they did not return to work, and against the mobilization of police against students. 200 UCSC students have been withholding Fall 2019 final grades since December, calling for a substantial cost-of-living-adjustment (COLA) of $1,412 per month to compensate for high rents and living expenses. Last week the grading strike grew into a full-blown wildcat strike, in defiance of the no-strike clause in the contract negotiated by the United Auto Workers (UAW) union last year. Demonstrators raised similar demands as UCSC TAs at their own campuses. Friday’s demonstrations were dubbed the “Doomsday Strike” in reference to the 11:59pm deadline set by Napolitano for UCSC TAs to submit Fall semester grades or be fired. At UCSC, nearly one thousand students and faculty marched throughout campus chanting, “students and workers—one struggle, one fight!” and blockaded the two main roadways into the school, effectively forcing the administration to cancel classes for the day. At UC San Diego, roughly 150 students marched to the campus chancellor’s office to denounce the threatened mass firings and to demand COLA measures system-wide. UCSD graduate students also pledged to withhold grades for the current quarter if UCSC students are fired. Students protested in similar numbers in Los Angeles, Riverside, Merced, and Santa Barbara. Hundreds of students at UC Berkeley marched and occupied a student dining hall, where student workers continued to serve students without charge. To help protect your privacy, Microsoft Office prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. Students protesting at UCLA Strike action by UC students has received widespread support nationwide by students and faculty nationwide, including from New York University, Pennsylvania State University, University of Chicago and elsewhere. A GoFundMe account created to pay for striking students’ lost wages and supplies has received upwards of $95,000 from over 1,200 donors as of this writing. The unfolding struggle is not only against the UC administration, but the Democratic Party and the United Auto Workers union, which covers the graduate students at UCSC. Eighteen of the 26 members of the UC Board of Regents are hand selected by the Governor of California, Democrat Gavin Newsom, and seven are ex-officio members, comprised of the current Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Speaker of the State Assembly, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, the president and vice president of the Alumni Associations of UC, and the president of the University of California. Austerity has been the modus operandi of the Democratic Party, including in California. In the richest US state, home to over 150 billionaires and over 150,000 homeless, education funding has not risen to the levels before the 2008 financial crash. The United Auto Workers, whose top leadership is embroiled in a massive bribery and corruption scandal in the auto industry, and other unions in the UC system have worked with the university administration to balkanize the student workforce, which is spread across at least 15 86 different unions. On top of this divide and conquer strategy, each union has “negotiated” away students’ basic right to strike. The fact that Napolitano is using the “no-strike” clause in the UAW contract as a cudgel against UCSC grad students demonstrates that the unions are not workers organizations, but agents of management. To carry their struggle forward, graduate students should move now to break from the UAW and form rank-and-file committees, in irreconcilable opposition to the Democrats and Republicans, to expand the strike across the UC system and make the broadest possible appeal to workers and youth across the country and internationally. To help prprivacy, Mprevented download from the In Jeremy, an undergraduate student at UC Berkeley, was on a committee of UC Berkeley graduate students which wrote a letter to UC Berkeley administration denouncing the threats against UCSC students and demanding COLA implementation system-wide. To help protect your priv acy, Microsoft Office prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. Jeremy “We are demanding no retaliation for the strike, to have COLA for everyone here. We want a meeting with the Graduate Dean, and we want to make sure that all students are free from police intimidation.” Their demands are “COLA for all, everyone who is a worker,” he said. “We don’t want to exclude anyone, and following the lead of Santa Cruz, at our meetings we’ve had staff, and other local workers in the area attending. “The UAW is in a position looking after their own interests. They’ve made it clear that they cannot legally support our strike. We’re going to go our separate ways essentially.” Alec, a graduate student at UC Los Angeles, said that the students ultimately need to confront the profit system, which is the root cause of low wages for student workers and high tuition. “I disagree with the notion that living conditions are the individual responsibilities of the students themselves. Education has become increasingly corporatized. In fact, from what I know, corporatization has just exploded on campuses in recent years. So, I don’t think this is an issue that can be resolved at UCSC alone or UCLA alone. It's much bigger and systematic. To help protect your priv acy, Microsoft Office prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. Alec “But there are still things we should look into on individual campuses. Many of us get these fees that we don’t what for—processing fees, service fees. I just saw a bill for a ‘semester fee.’ I have no idea what that is. I have no doubt there’s a tremendous amount of waste and fraud that needs to be uncovered. Just look at the college admissions scandal. That’s probably just the tip of the iceberg. There’s no transparency. 87 “I worry that if concessions are made to the graduate students, that they would be made to pay for it elsewhere. Maybe they would raise tuition on undergraduates, or maybe campus housing costs would rise because graduate students got their COLA and can then afford it. I think you’re right, the only way around this is to expand the struggle to other campuses and to other workers too.” Alec offered a message of support to UCSC students. “We want to say how thankful we are for them. They are fighting against a massive police force and they need all of our support. One thing they should know, that whatever some university official tells them that they’re ‘neutral,’ there’s no such thing as ‘neutral.’ If they’re saying that, that can only mean they’re working against the students.”   Ontario teachers, locked out Regina refinery workers must wage a working‐class political struggle  https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/18/otrr‐f18.html    Growing support for Julian Assange on eve of extradition hearings   https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/20/pers‐f20.html  Assange has already undergone what United Nations official Nils Melzer assessed to be psychological torture at the hands of the governments pursuing him. He now faces the prospect of being treated as a terrorist in the darkest reaches of a US prison for the rest of his life.    Recipients List:   sbarragan@aristeguinoticias.com, wells@wsws.org, newsdesk@afr.com, courage.contact@couragefound.org,  news@thelocal.it, QUEJAS@cdhcm.org.mx, silvanoaureoles@michoacan.gob.mx, sindicato@senado.gob.mx,  contacto@senadomorena.com, amacrine67@icloud.com, cathy.edwards@gmail.com, ariel_zach@yahoo.com,  Fiona.Ma@treasurer.ca.gov, secretary.padilla@sos.ca.gov, CHackert@fppc.ca.gov, Hotline@oig.dot.gov,  City.Council@CityofPaloAlto.org, investor.relations@americamovil.com, oig@sec.gov    oig@gao.gov, pgjecomsoc@michoacan.gob.mx, denuncialosaqui@ssedomex.gob.mx,  fiscal@morelia.fiscaliamichoacan.gob.mx, contact.lapdonline@gmail.com, CavalleroJ@ctpf.org,  Ben.Meng@calpers.ca.gov, CRapolla@calstrs.com, educacion@senado.gob.mx, salud@senado.gob.mx,  CRCExternalComplaints@dol.gov, OIGHOTLINE@nlrb.gov, aclupreferences@aclu.org, FRAudGroup@sec.gov,  Nathan.M.Swinton@usdoj.gov, Criminal.Division@usdoj.gov, Jeremy.Wolfson@ladwp.com,  complianceunit@cba.ca.gov, TIPS@pcaobus.org  urgent‐action@ohchr.org, enforcementinfo@cba.ca.gov, cdhdf@cdhcm.org.mx, secretary@caritas.ru,  codigoetica@americamovil.com, Investments@ocers.org, inspectorgeneral@cpsoig.org, NewsRoom@calstrs.com, RA‐ ethicsRTKL@pa.gov, oig.whistleblower.ombudsperson.program@usdoj.gov, hatchact@osc.gov,  Tom.Auzenne@CityofPaloAlto.org, oce@mail.house.gov   Sent from iPath  1 Baumb, Nelly From:Sky Posse Palo Alto <info@skypossepaloalto.org> Sent:Tuesday, March 10, 2020 2:01 PM To:Council, City Cc:editor@paweekly.com Subject:Fw: Your Comment Submitted on Regulations.gov (ID: CEQ-2019-0003-0001) CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links.  FYI ‐ regarding problems with NEPA, and federal projects impacting Palo Alto citizens and neighbors.     From: no‐reply@regulations.gov <no‐reply@regulations.gov>  Sent: Tuesday, March 10, 2020 1:52 PM  To: Sky Posse Palo Alto <info@skypossepaloalto.org>  Subject: Your Comment Submitted on Regulations.gov (ID: CEQ‐2019‐0003‐0001)      To help prprivacy, Mprevented download from the InRegulation   Please do not reply to this message. This email is from a notification only address that cannot accept incoming email.  Your comment was submitted successfully!  Comment Tracking Number: 1k4‐9fh8‐c2a2  Your comment may be viewable on Regulations.gov once the agency has reviewed it. This process is dependent on  agency public submission policies/procedures and processing times. Use your tracking number to find out the status  of your comment.  Agency: Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ)  Document Type: Rulemaking  Title: Update to the Regulations Implementing the Procedural Provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act  Document ID: CEQ‐2019‐0003‐0001  Comment:  See attached file(s)March 10, 2020  Mary B. Neumayr,   Chairman, Council on Environmental Quality  730 Jackson Place, N.W.  Washington DC 20503    Dear Chairman Neumayr,    On behalf of Sky Posse Palo Alto, concerned residents from Mid Peninsula cities in the Bay Area ‐ Palo Alto, Los Altos, Los  Altos Hills, Menlo Park, East Palo Alto, and from across the country experiencing problems with the federal project  "Nextgen" we OPPOSE the proposed changes that would weaken NEPA.    The Federal Aviation Administration has been using a polluting standard and outdated science to obfuscate real impacts  on the ground from airspace actions ‐ impairing workforce productivity, education, health, and ignoring the welfare of  those most vulnerable. Communities never before plagued by airport flight paths are enduring exponential increases in  impacts ‐ unrelated to the economy but rather due to thoughtless, poor and flawed design by a federal agency.     Our experience is that under the cloak of Nextgen "modernization" the federal government is imposing impacts with  scant and thus misleading information that the public is not able to respond to. The single tool for dialogue between FAA  2 and communities is through NEPA. Failure to disclose what‐‐these impacts are breaches public trust, and puts countless  citizens at risk.    We support other comments in opposition from communities around the country who have stated:    •If anything, NEPA needs to be strengthened, not weakened to have standards for informed decision making.      •We are particularly concerned that this proposal would eliminate the requirement to consider the cumulative effects of  federal projects. FAA already treats levels of review as a political matter, citizens deserve better.     •Any reform should enhance NEPA's core purpose as a system for the federal government to take communities input  into account before authorizing projects and to carefully consider its actions as regards public welfare.    •Please withdraw this proposal immediately and instead, strengthen NEPA's protections for future generations.     Kind regards,     Sky Posse Palo Alto   Uploaded File(s):   SPPA Comment to CEQ.pdf  This information will appear on Regulations.gov:  First Name: Sky Posse Palo Alto  Last Name: SPPA  Organization Name: Sky Posse Palo Alto  This information will not appear on Regulations.gov:  City: Palo Alto  Country: United States  State or Province: CA  ZIP/Postal Code: 94303  Email Address: info@skypossepaloalto.org  Phone Number:   For further information about the Regulations.gov commenting process, please visit  https://www.regulations.gov/faqs.  1 Baumb, Nelly From:Sky Posse Palo Alto <info@skypossepaloalto.org> Sent:Tuesday, March 10, 2020 2:13 PM To:Council, City Subject:Re: Your e-mail to City Council was received Attachments:SPPA Comment to CEQ.pdf CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. Copy of Sky Posse letter to Chairman, Council on Environmental Quality    Reference:   Docket No. CEQ-2019-0003 https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=CEQ-2019-0003-0001  From: Council, City <city.council@cityofpaloalto.org>  Sent: Tuesday, March 10, 2020 2:00 PM  To: Sky Posse Palo Alto <info@skypossepaloalto.org>  Subject: Your e‐mail to City Council was received Thank you for your comments to the City Council. Your e‐mail will be forwarded to all seven Council Members and a  printout of your correspondence will also be included in the next available Council packet.     If your comments are about an item that is already scheduled for a City Council agenda, you can call (650) 329‐2571 to  confirm that the item is still on the agenda for the next meeting.     If your letter mentions a specific complaint or a request for service, we'll either reply with an explanation or else send it  on to the appropriate department for clarification.     We appreciate hearing from you.  Sky$Posse$Palo$Alto! 2225!East!Bayshore!Avenue,!Suite!200,!Palo!Alto,!CA!94301! ! Sky$Posse$Palo$Alto$is$a$grassroots$group$of$citizens$deeply$concerned$about$increased$aircraft$noise$and$ pollutants$from$Nextgen.$$Many$have$invested$substantial$effort$in$studying! the$issues,$attending$public$hearings$and$meetings,$and$engaging$in$outreach.! For$more$info$see:$http://www.quietskiesmidpeninsula.org$and$$www.skypossepaloalto.org! ! ! March!10,!2020! Mary!B.!Neumayr,!! Chairman,!Council!on!Environmental!Quality! 730!Jackson!Place,!N.W.! Washington!DC!20503! ! Dear!Chairman!Neumayr,! ! On!behalf!of!Sky!Posse!Palo!Alto,!concerned!residents!from!Mid!Peninsula!cities!in!the!Bay! Area!M!Palo!Alto,!Los!Altos,!Los!Altos!Hills,!Menlo!Park,!East!Palo!Alto,!and!from!across!the! country!experiencing!problems!with!the!federal!project!“Nextgen”!we!OPPOSE!the!proposed! changes!that!would!weaken!NEPA.! ! The!Federal!Aviation!Administration!has!been!using!a!polluting!standard!and!outdated!science! to!obfuscate!real!impacts!on!the!ground!from!airspace!actions!M!impairing!workforce!productivity,! education,!health,!and!ignoring!the!welfare!of!those!most!vulnerable.!Communities!never!before! plagued!by!airport!flight!paths!are!enduring!exponential!increases!in!impacts!M!unrelated!to!the! economy!but!rather!due!to!thoughtless,!poor!and!flawed!design!by!a!federal!agency.!! ! Our!experience!is!that!under!the!cloak!of!Nextgen!“modernization”!the!federal!government!is! imposing!impacts!with!scant!and!thus!misleading!information!that!the!public!is!not!able!to! respond!to.!The!single!tool!for!dialogue!between!FAA!and!communities!is!through!NEPA.! Failure!to!disclose!whatMMthese!impacts!are!breaches!public!trust,!and!puts!countless!citizens!at! risk.! ! We!support!other!comments!in!opposition!from!communities!around!the!country!who!have! stated:! ! ¥!If!anything,!NEPA$needs$to$be$strengthened,$not$weakened!to!have!standards!for! informed!decision!making.!!! ! ¥!We$are$particularly$concerned$that$this$proposal$would$eliminate$the$requirement$ to$consider$the$cumulative$effects$of$federal$projects.!FAA!already!treats!levels!of! review!as!a!political!matter,!citizens!deserve!better.!! ! ¥!Any$reform$should$enhance$NEPA’s$core$purpose$as$a$system$for$the$federal$ government$to$take$communities$input$into$account!before!authorizing!projects!and! to!carefully!consider!its!actions!as!regards!public!welfare.! ! ¥!Please$withdraw$this$proposal$immediately!and!instead,!strengthen!NEPA's! protections!for!future!generations.!! ! Kind!regards,!! ! Sky!Posse!Palo!Alto!!! 1 Baumb, Nelly From:Sky Posse Palo Alto <info@skypossepaloalto.org> Sent:Wednesday, March 11, 2020 9:50 AM To:Council, City Subject:Thank you for letter to Council on Environmental Quality CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links.  Dear Mayor and Council,     Thank you for the letter to CEQ https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/civicax/filebank/documents/75733.    The City's leadership on providing a voice for NEPA compliance and relevance is much appreciated,    Sky Posse Palo Alto       1 Baumb, Nelly From:Ng, Judy Sent:Tuesday, March 10, 2020 11:00 AM To:Council, City Cc:Shikada, Ed; Stump, Molly; Flaherty, Michelle; Dauler, Heather; Rice, Danille Subject:Letter from City of Palo Alto to Council on Environmental Quality re NEPA Attachments:Letter to Council on Environmental Quality re NEPA 03.10.20.pdf Hello Mayor and Council Members,     On behalf of City Manager Ed Shikada, please see the attached letter sent to the Council on Environmental Quality  regarding the proposed changes to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).     Thank you,   Judy     Judy Ng  Administrative Assistant  Office of the City Manager  (650) 329‐2354 | Judy.Ng@cityofpaloalto.org  www.cityofpaloalto.org                   March 10, 2020 Chairperson Mary B. Neumayr Council on Environmental Quality 730 Jackson Place, N.W. Washington, DC 20503 Sent via Fax: 202-456-6546 Citx of Palo Alto Office of the Mayor and City Council Re: Docket ID CEQ-2019-0003; Update to the Regulations Implementing the Procedural Provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act Dear Chairperson Neumayr: I am writing on behalf of the City of Palo Alto, California, to express our community's opposition to the proposed changes to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) as set forth in CEQ-2019-003. The City of Palo Alto has long been a leader in sustainability; reducing its carbon impacts, greenhouse gas emissions, and resource consumption for twenty years and serving as a role model for others. We join with environmental advocates throughout the nation in expressing our concerns over the arbitrary and difficult deadlines proposed for environmental impact statements and assessments. We are particularly troubled by several elements of the proposed changes to NEPA, including: • The elimination of climate change analysis of projects, including the effects of greenhouse gasses from projects on federal lands; • The notion that environmental analysis should focus on "relevant" human stressors and the removal of requirements to address cumulative effects, thereby excluding future impacts that may take years to become evident; • Naming the federal government as the sole arbiter on many of its own decisions, thereby removing critical oversight by states, tribal entities, local governments and the public; and • Restricting public comment and limiting the legal standing of impacted communities. We are also concerned that the proposed changes will have a disproportionate impact on marginalized communities, increasing their pollutant exposure and diminishing public health outcomes. We in local government are committed to transparency and accountability in conducting the public's business and we expect the same from our federal government. The proposed changes to NEPA would unfairly deny us a reasonable opportunity to be informed of changes that could impact our community and the practical ability to comment on their consideration. P.O. Box 10250 Palo Alto, CA 94303 650.329.2477 650.328.3631 fax It is imperative that decision makers gather all information including the public's input and an analysis of comprehensive environmental impacts before final approvals are issued. The proposed changes to this essential democratic process would undermine the important role that NEPA has played for half a century. Thank you for your consideration of our concerns. Sincerely, Adrian Fine, Mayor City of Palo Alto cc: Palo Alto City Council City Manager Ed Shikada City Attorney Molly Stump Hon. Anna G. Eshoo, Member of Congress Hon. Dianne Feinstein, U.S. Senate Hon. Kamala Harris, U.S. Senate 1 Baumb, Nelly From:Minor, Beth Sent:Monday, March 9, 2020 10:13 AM To:Council, City Subject:FW: White House Coronavirus Briefing Call for State & Local Leaders Adrian and Council please see below.    Thanks and have a great day.    B‐    Beth Minor, City Clerk  City of Palo Alto  250 Hamilton Avenue  Palo Alto, CA 94301   (650)329‐2379          From: National League of Cities (NLC) <advocacy@nlc.org>   Sent: Sunday, March 8, 2020 9:17 AM  To: Minor, Beth <Beth.Minor@CityofPaloAlto.org>  Subject: White House Coronavirus Briefing Call for State & Local Leaders    CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links.      If this message is not displaying properly, please view the online version.           2             State and Local Briefing Call on COVID-19 On Wednesday, March 11, at 1:00 PM ET, Senior Administration Officials are hosting a briefing call on the coronavirus public health emergency. If you would like to join, register now. Please feel free to share this invitation with your colleagues, as well as your community's public health officials. Date: Wednesday, March 11 Time: 1:00 PM ET     Register Now!   You must RSVP to join the call. Upon successful registration, you will receive dial-in details to the email address you use to register. If you successfully register and do not receive dial-in instructions, please check your spam/junk folder. Multiple people cannot dial-in using the same registration information. For additional information and resources for local leaders, visit NLC's Coronavirus Response Resources page.                                 3                                         You may opt out of email communications from NLC at any time. Update your communication preferences.       You may opt out of email communications from NLC at any time. Update your communication preferences.                   This message was intended for: beth.minor@cityofpaloalto.org 660 North Capitol Street, NW, Suite 450, Washington, DC 20001 Privacy Policy | © 2020 NLC, All Rights Reserved          Powered by Higher Logic   1 Baumb, Nelly From:fwms@comcast.net Sent:Thursday, March 5, 2020 4:28 PM To:tkeng@fremont.gov Subject:VIP message CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links.  Dear VIP, :, Please do not come to South Hall for the Synopsys Championship on Thursday, March 12th. After much discussion and in an abundance of caution, rather than cancel the Championship because of health concerns for our volunteers and participants, we are planning to do all of the judging via videoconferencing between students and judging teams. We do plan on seeing you next year at the Championship. Forrest Williams Board Member (Santa Clara Valley Science and Engineering Fair Association) 1 Baumb, Nelly From:Jennifer Landesmann <jlandesmann@gmail.com> Sent:Saturday, March 7, 2020 7:30 PM To:Council, City Subject:Re: CEQ’s Proposal to Update its NEPA Implementing Regulations CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links.  Hello Council,     Please see this article  ‐ my highlights ‐ and I hope the City can comment as well,     https://www.azmirror.com/2020/02/25/grijalva‐to‐trump‐put‐the‐brakes‐on‐nepa‐rewrite/?fbclid=IwAR0k1l‐ dElgwE2D9ps1Hkq_ijtHCtotIJ3oMDq92ZM‐JMhBa6CEjiDS781M    Grijalva to Trump: Put the brakes on NEPA rewrite By Allison Winter - February 25, 2020 Last Updated: February 25, 2020 2:08 pm     Rep. Raúl Grijalva, D-Tucson, testifies against the Trump administration's plans to overhaul federal environmental regulations. Photo by Allison Winter | Arizona Mirror WASHINGTON — Rep. Raúl Grijalva on Tuesday blasted the Trump administration’s effort to overhaul one of the nation’s bedrock environmental policy laws at a rare public hearing with administration officials. “This rule is a clear attempt to tear up, misinterpret, ignore and destroy important public health and environmental protections under [the National Environmental Policy Act] to keep 2 corporate polluters happy,” Grijalva, a Tucson Democrat, told leaders of the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) at the hearing. At issue are proposed changes to the National Environmental Policy Act, NEPA — which is sometimes referred to as the “Magna Carta” of federal environmental laws. President Donald Trump last month unveiled a massive rewrite of the regulations associated with NEPA, saying he wanted to fix the “regulatory nightmare” the current rules create for new projects. President Richard Nixon signed NEPA into law in 1970, following a fire on Ohio’s Cuyahoga River. NEPA requires federal agencies to conduct detailed environmental reviews when any of their actions significantly affect the environment. It comes into play for mining permits on federal lands, construction of new roads, oil and gas drilling permits and pipelines, dams, power plants and other projects. The rewrite would “modernize” the current environmental review process and put time and page limits on environmental reviews. Currently, the mean wait time to complete an environmental review currently is more than three years, according to CEQ. The new rules set a deadline of two years. The changes would also significantly narrow the scope of the reviews, and the government would no longer need to consider “cumulative” and “indirect” effects. Insome cases, it would allow industries to fund their own reviews. The administration says the changes would help reduce paperwork and make the process more manageable. In Arizona, the regulations could affect plans for remediation of old mining sites or make it easier to approve mines on public land, like the controversial Rosemont copper mine. “Agencies have limited time, and resources and the scope of agencies’ inquiries must remain manageable,” Ted Boling, the associate director for NEPA at CEQ, said in explaining the rule changes at today’s hearing. But critics say the changes would strip the public of their voice on regulations and could give the industry too much leeway to plow forward with projects. 3 Grijalva asked CEQ Chairwoman Mary Neumayr this week to hand over documents from any groups that weighed in on drafting the regulations, saying there are “troubling questions” that oil and gas companies may have had “excessive” input in crafting the regulations. “We know what is driving this,” Christy Goldfuss, the former head of CEQ during the last two years of the Obama administration, said at the hearing today. “The trade associations, [the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission] and others who want to lock in fossil fuel development.” Four CEQ staff members were positioned on stage to listen to testimony, and at one point Goldfuss looked at them and said “shame on you.” Her impassioned speech received loud applause. The White House hosted just two public comment sessions on the proposal: Tuesday’s event at the Interior Department headquarters and another listening session earlier this month in Denver. More than 100 people registered to share testimony in the public comments at Tuesday’s hearing. The available three-minute speaking spots were filled shortly after CEQ announced them online. Testimony in the morning session included representatives from wildlife and industry groups in Washington, lawmakers, former administration officials and concerned citizens from states like Michigan, North Carolina, and as far away as California. The majority of comments in Tuesday morning’s session opposed the rule changes, though at least three representatives from trade groups applauded the proposal. NEPA: ‘Our future depends on this’ Advocacy groups that oppose the changes created something of a spectacle at the event. The consumer advocacy group Public Citizen parked a truck with a massive billboard criticizing Interior Secretary David Bernhardt just outside the entrance to the Interior Department. The truck blared retro-horror movie music throughout the day, flashing between pictures of Bernhardt and a swamp monster. Protesters periodically stood near the truck holding signs or with tape over their mouths. 4 Hundreds of other environmental advocates held a rally in a nearby park during the public hearing’s lunch break. “Our children depend on this! Our future depends on this!” Mildred McClain of Savannah, Ga., shouted to the rally before leading a call-and-response cheer. McClain is the executive director of the Harambee House/Citizens for Environmental Justice in Savannah. She said she is speaking out for NEPA to give a voice to low-income communities that live near major projects like the Savannah River Site, a nuclear power plant. “I traveled more than 575 miles to get here, but that is alright because I know we are going to protect NEPA,” McClain said. NEPA requires federal officials to get input from the public, affected communities, tribal governments and land-owners before undertaking a new project. Belinda Joyner of Garysburg, N.C., traveled to Washington for the hearing because she is concerned about the effects from wood-pellet plants in her community, she said. Joyner has worked as a teacher’s aide and is an organizer for Clean Water for North Carolina. “We are impacted because people have tried to limit us, and limit our voices, it is not about need, it is about greed, because we are the ones who suffer,” said in impassioned testimony during the hearing.   On Wed, 4 Mar 2020 at 08:12, Jennifer Landesmann <jlandesmann@gmail.com> wrote:  Hello Council,    If the City of Palo Alto has not already commented on the proposed modernization of NEPA plans, I hope the City will  consider doing so, and given your interest in climate issues. "CEQ has requested public comments on or before March 10, 2020. Please visit the CEQ website for more information about how to submit comments."    Below are two links with 1) sample letter from CO Representatives, and 2) commentary from Columbia U School of  Law.     This is very relevant to the federal actions that Palo Alto suffers from with airplane noise. FAA's failure to disclose  and to use current science  to evaluate impacts has put Palo Alto in an extremely vulnerable position. The failure of  disclosure and reasonable study of aviation impacts has disrupted hundreds of lives of PA residents and it could get  worse.     5 Ideas to shorten the time frame of environmental reviews and weight of documents is fine, quality preferred over  quantity but taking away foreseeable impacts? As it is, these policies are implemented so flimsily (by FAA), this would  just be ridiculous like much of the attitude is from all who disregard public health.     I will follow up further on other serious concerns about failure to disclose important information  by team FAA,  industry, airports, roundtables. Everybody blames the other for concealing info from people being affected, and I would  hope that the City is going to stop protecting the lack of transparency.     Thanks,    Jennifer         https://degette.house.gov/sites/degette.house.gov/files/DeGette‐Rooney%20NEPA%20Letter.pdf    FIVE POINTS ABOUT THE PROPOSED REVISIONS TO CEQ’S NEPA  REGULATIONS    http://blogs.law.columbia.edu/climatechange/2020/01/10/five‐points‐about‐the‐proposed‐revisions‐to‐ceqs‐nepa‐ regulations/    1. The proposal would eliminate requirements to evaluate “cumulative” effects, and possibly “indirect effects,” as well. 2. The proposal would limit analysis to effects which are “reasonably foreseeable” and have a “reasonably close causal relationship” to the proposal. 3. The proposal redefines “significance” and limits consideration of indirect effects in significance determinations. 4. CEQ has signaled that it will move forward with its proposed GHG guidance, and is inviting comments on whether it should codify any aspects of that guidance in the regulations. 5. The proposal would undermine the environmental policy set forth in NEPA.         1 Baumb, Nelly From:Jennifer Landesmann <jlandesmann@gmail.com> Sent:Saturday, March 7, 2020 7:32 PM To:Council, City Subject:Re: CEQ’s Proposal to Update its NEPA Implementing Regulations CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links.  This is the link to where to post a comment.      https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=CEQ‐2019‐0003‐0001    On Sat, 7 Mar 2020 at 19:30, Jennifer Landesmann <jlandesmann@gmail.com> wrote:  Hello Council,     Please see this article  ‐ my highlights ‐ and I hope the City can comment as well,     https://www.azmirror.com/2020/02/25/grijalva‐to‐trump‐put‐the‐brakes‐on‐nepa‐rewrite/?fbclid=IwAR0k1l‐ dElgwE2D9ps1Hkq_ijtHCtotIJ3oMDq92ZM‐JMhBa6CEjiDS781M    Grijalva to Trump: Put the brakes on NEPA rewrite By Allison Winter - February 25, 2020 Last Updated: February 25, 2020 2:08 pm     Rep. Raúl Grijalva, D-Tucson, testifies against the Trump administration's plans to overhaul federal environmental regulations. Photo by Allison Winter | Arizona Mirror WASHINGTON — Rep. Raúl Grijalva on Tuesday blasted the Trump administration’s effort to overhaul one of the nation’s bedrock environmental policy laws at a rare public hearing with administration officials. 1 Baumb, Nelly From:Cherrill Spencer <cherrill.m.spencer@gmail.com> Sent:Sunday, March 8, 2020 2:53 PM To:Council, City Subject:Message from the City Council Home Page - time to develop the CEDAW ordinance. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links.  Dear Palo Alto City Councilors   Happy International Women's Day to all of you.   I hope you will have time to read this op‐ed (link below) about following through on the Council's motion to develop a  city ordinance based on the Convention to Eliminate all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). We  have been waiting since October 2018 for work to be done on this ordinance. The City of Palo Alto has lots to be proud  of in its past actions to improve the situation of women in our city, lets go one step further and do a gender analysis to  make sure we have rooted out all causes of discrimination.    https://www.sanjoseinside.com/2020/03/08/op‐ed‐its‐time‐for‐a‐gender‐equality‐ordinance‐in‐palo‐alto/      Yours sincerely  Cherrill Spencer (Palo Alto resident since 1974)  DATE: March 3, 2020 TO: STATE, CITY AND LOCAL OFFICIALS NOTICE OF PACIFIC GAS AND ELECTRIC COMPANY'S REQUEST TO INCREASE RATES FOR ITS ENERGY RESOURCE RECOVERY ACCOUNT COMPLIANCE APPLICATION (A.20-02-009) Summary On February 28, 2020, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) filed its 2019 Energy Resource Recovery Account (ERRA) Compliance application with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). Each year PG&E forecasts its fuel and purchased power costs for the following year in the ERRA and Portfolio Allocation Balancing Account (PABA). PG&E recovers these costs with no mark up for return or profit. The application also includes a request to increase rates to recover $3.996 million in costs related to the seis!N: n ~ 0 --1 (earthquake) studies performed at Diablo Canyon Power Plant. 3 ~-< ::i:-("") 0 :::0 I -n Background 1 r.i"'t? \D ::ol> The purpose of this ERRA Compliance proceeding is to review PG&E's costs associated with obtaining ener~or ~-f; customers and to review program costs noted above. The CPUC will review PG&E's costs to ensure compliacm:e wi~ibe previously approved forecast and energy purchasing plans. S -ri~ •• ~o &'" ("). CJ\ ,..,,n How will the application affect electric rates? l> Most customers receive bundled electric service from PG&E, meaning they receive electric generation, transmission and distribution services. Based on rates currently in effect, the bill for a typical residential nonCARE customer using 500 kWh per month would increase from $124.08 to $124.10, or 0.02%. Direct Access and Community Choice Aggregation are unbundled electric service customers who only receive electric transmission and distribution services from PG&E. On average, these customers would see an increase of 0.04%. Another category of nonbundled customers is Departing Load. These customers do not receive electric generation, transmission or distribution services from PG&E. However, these customers are required to pay certain charges by law or CPUC decision. The impact of PG&E's application on these customers is an average increase of 0.4%. Actual impacts will vary depending on usage. How do I find out more about PG&E's proposals? If you have questions about PG&E's filing, please contact PG&E at 1-800-743-5000. For TTY, call 1-800-652-4712. Para mas detalles !lame al 1-800-660-6789 • ~m~3&~ 1-800-893-9555. If you would like a copy of PG&E's filing and exhibits, please write to PG&E at the address below: Pacific Gas and Electric Company 2019 ERRA Compliance Application (A.20-02-009) P.O. Box 7442 San Francisco, CA 94120 A copy of PG&E's filing and exhibits is also available for review at the CPUC's Central Files office by appointment only. For more information, contact aljcentralfilesid@cpuc.ca.gov or 1-415-703-2045. PG&E's application (without exhibits) is available on the CPUC's website at cpuc.ca.gov. CPUC process This application will be assigned to an Administrative Law Judge (Judge) who will determine how to receive evidence and other related information necessary for the CPUC to establish a record upon which to base its decision. Evidentiary hearings (EHs) may be held where parties will present their testimony and may be subject to cross-examination by other parties. These EHs are open to the public, but only those who are formal parties in the case can participate. After considering all proposals and evidence presented during the hearings, the assigned Judge will issue a proposed decision which may adopt PG&E's proposal, modify it or deny it. Any of the five CPUC Commissioners may sponsor an 1 alternate decision. The proposed decision, and any alternate decisions, will be discussed and voted on at a scheduled CPUC Voting Meeting that is open to the public. The Public Advocates Office (CalPA) has reviewed this application. CalPA is the independent consumer advocate within the CPUC with a statutory mandate to represent customers of investor-owned utilities to obtain the lowest possible rate for service consistent with safe and reliable service and the state's environmental policy goals. CalPA has a multidisciplinary staff with expertise in economics, finance, accounting and engineering. For more information about CalPA, please call 1- 415-703-1584, email PublicAdvocatesOffice@cpuc.ca.gov, or visit CalPA's website at www .publicadvocates.cpuc.ca.gov. Stay informed If you would like to follow this proceeding, or any other issue before the CPUC, you may use the CPUC's free subscription service. Sign up at: subscribecpuc.cpuc.ca.gov. If you would like to learn how you can participate in the proceeding, have informal ,comments about the application or have questions about the CPUC processes, you may access the CPUC's Public.Advisor Office (PAO) webpage at consumers.cpuc.ca.gov/pao/. You may also contact the PAO as follows: Email: public.advisor@cpuc.ca.gov Mail: CPUC Public Advisor's Office 505 Van Ness Avenue San Prancisco, CA 94102 Call: 1-866-849-8390 (toll-free) or 1-415-703-2074 TTY: 1-866-836-7825 (toll-free) or 1-415-703-5282 Please reference 2019 ERRA Compliance Application (A.20-02-009) in any communications you have with the CPUC regarding this matter. All public comments will become part of the public correspondence file for this proceeding and made available for review by the assigned Judge, Commissioners and appropriate CPUC staff. 2