"Ever wanted to pilot a spaceship? Now you can try your luck at docking the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft with the International Space Station."
"With more than 100 coronavirus vaccines under development, researchers are reasonably confident that at least one will be successful. Skeptics, and there are some, remind us that optimism about an AIDS vaccine was once high, and 40 years later there is no vaccine." Jazz hands. The earliest it could be available is early next year with wide availability sometime in March or April and that's if one of the ones being test now works, and if production is scalable, and if… Lots of optimism in those estimates. To give you an estimate, they've already chosen which strains to include in this Fall's flu shot so enough can be produced in time. Again, just a reminder, there is no vaccine for the common cold.
And then this morning… "Novartis AG Chief Executive Officer Vas Narasimhan said a vaccine for Covid-19 may only become available in the second half of next year, echoing the consensus view in much of the pharmaceutical industry." Jazz hands.
"The U.S. has said it will not use the Russian ventilators sent to it by Moscow while an investigation is carried out into their safety, following a deadly hospital fire in St. Petersburg on Tuesday." Oopsie.
"An emergence of a local coronavirus cluster in Chinese city of Jilin has fuelled fears of a second wave of infections."
"Some protesters who descended on the Michigan state capitol to demand the state reopen the economy in spite of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic have spread infections in rural areas where they live, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer told Vice President Mike Pence in a recorded phone conversation obtained by ABC News."
"Dr. Rick Bright, the ousted director of a key federal office charged with developing medical countermeasures, will testify before Congress on Thursday that the Trump administration was unprepared for the coronavirus pandemic and warn that the the US will face 'unprecedented illness and fatalities' without additional preparations."
"The Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down a statewide coronavirus stay-at-home order on Wednesday, siding with a legal challenge from Republican lawmakers who said the state’s top public health official exceeded her authority by imposing the restrictions."
"The United States Department of Agriculture approved Ohio’s Pandemic EBT plan, which was proposed as a result of the statewide school closures… The approval allows the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services to distribute SNAP benefits to approximately 850,000 students."
"The Inn at Little Washington, a world-renowned restaurant in Washington, Virginia, that has three Michelin stars, has come up with a unique — and possibly creepy — solution to enforce social distancing while allowing the restaurant to still appear busy… On May 29, the acclaimed eatery plans to reopen with well-dressed mannequins seated at empty tables." Totally not creepy at all (strong side-eye).
"Oil prices rose on Tuesday after OPEC's de facto leader, Saudi Arabia, said it would increase supply curbs in June. Meanwhile, other members of the oil-producing group said they want to extend the deep cuts reached in April for a longer period than originally agreed."
"The total 2.981 million new claims for unemployment insurance filed last week brought the coronavirus crisis total to nearly 36.5 million, by far the biggest loss in U.S. history. The count announced last week count was revised up by 7,000 to 3.176 million, putting the weekly decline at 195,000 between the two most recent reports." Setting new records. Tired of winning yet?
"After a surge in traveler complaints about airline ticket refunds during the coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. Department of Transportation issued its second warning in as many months to airlines on Tuesday."
"The Supreme Court on Wednesday takes up a 'faithless elector' challenge to the Electoral College, a sleeper case with potentially big ramifications for how the country chooses a president and one that could allow just a few people to decide the outcome of a close election."
"The warm waters of the Gulf of Guinea, which lap across the coastline of seven West African nations, are the most dangerous in the world. It used to be Somalia, but now this area is the epicentre of modern sea piracy. Of all the seafarers held for ransom globally last year, some 90% were taken here. Sixty-four people were seized from six ships in just the last three months of 2019, according to the International Maritime Bureau, which tracks such incidents. Many more attacks may have gone unreported."
"Republican veteran Mike Garcia held onto his lead in California's special election for the 25th Congressional District, and will become the first Republican to flip a seat held by a Democrat in the state since 1998, winning former Representative Katie Hill's seat. Garcia stopped short of a full-fledged victory speech on a call with supporters late Tuesday night, as results showed him ahead of Democratic State Assemblywoman Christy Smith by double-digits."
"What you need to understand is that when you listen to people in Trump's cult and it feels like they live in an alternate reality, it's only because they actually DO live in an alternate reality." A tweet thread that helps explain Trump's appeal and where it comes from. (Grokked from Cherie Priest)
"In the Cabinet Room Wednesday and in a Fox Business Network interview aired Thursday, President Donald Trump is finally airing publicly the complaints about Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert who has served six presidents, that officials say he's been airing privately for weeks."
"Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr turned over his cellphone to FBI agents in response to a search warrant served on him as part of a federal investigation of stock sales he made early in the coronavirus outbreak, NBC News confirmed on Thursday."
"President Trump will not be able to shake off a lawsuit that accuses him of violating the Constitution by continuing to own his businesses while serving as president, a federal appeals court ruled Thursday."
Thursday, May 14, 2020
Wednesday, May 13, 2020
Linkee-poo Wednesday
"A leaked unreleased White House coronavirus task force report showing cases spiking in areas across the country has undercut President Donald Trump's claim that cases are declining across the nation."
"It is shocking. Almost 60 days after the country’s first shelter-in-place orders, there is still no clear national plan for what comes next. “The lockdown is not meant to be a permanent state of affairs; it’s intended to be a giant pause button that buys you time to get ready for the next phase,” Jeremy Konyndyk, of the Center for Global Development think tank, says." Some will call this a failure of leadership, but with Trump it's actually a lack of leadership.
We're talking baseball (but without the fans)
Hey, remember when First Energy Solutions, the spinoff company that got "saddled" with First Energy's nuclear power plants, was in such poor condition that we Ohio Consumers needed to pay an extra surcharge to keep it solvent to keep our lights on? "Leaders of a former FirstEnergy subsidiary, which Ohio electricity customers will soon begin paying $150 million annually to subsidize under a nuclear bailout law Ohio officials passed last year, have moved to spend an extra $300 million on repurchasing the company’s own stock… The stock buybacks, meant to benefit corporate shareholders, come less than a year after an aggressive multi-year lobbying effort by FirstEnergy that culminated in Gov. Mike DeWine and state lawmakers approving $1 billion in bailout money funded by surcharges on Ohioans’ electric bills. The company and elected officials who backed the bailout argued without state money, the power plants and their parent company would become insolvent." They were lying then, they're lying now. They never needed the extra money, but conservatives were willing to use this to manufactured crisis to award their patron and dismantle any remaining "green energy production" and conservation rules. (Grokked from Ferrett Steinmetz)
"President Trump’s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort has been released from prison to serve the remainder of his sentence in home confinement because of concerns over the novel coronavirus, two sources familiar with the matter told ABC News." Don't do the crime if you can't do the time. Look, if people have to serve their full time for minor infractions, such as holding a few ounces of pot, that this asshole should have to serve his entire sentence in jail. Gee, too bad there's this COVID thing, but, you know, jail sucks. Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.
"A federal judge has put the justice department’s decision to dismiss a criminal case against Michael Flynn, Donald Trump’s former national security adviser, on hold – opening the door for legal experts and other outside parties to oppose the administration’s motion to exonerate Flynn of lying to the FBI." Well, at least a few judges still believe in the law.
"Republican Mike Garcia, a former Naval aviator, maintained a lead early Wednesday over Democrat Christy Smith in a special congressional election in the Los Angeles suburbs… Though Democrats have a voter-registration advantage of nearly 30,000, the health crisis has created conditions ripe for a GOP upset. Turnout in the runoff — thus far, roughly 143,000 votes have been counted — is on track to surpass most recent special elections in the region, but the electorate has skewed older and less diverse and thus more favorable to Republicans."
"Last Thursday, Justice Clarence Thomas suggested that a major First Amendment doctrine should be abandoned, and that the right to free speech be significantly shrunk in the process. It’s the second time he’s done so in a little over a year, and at least the third time Thomas has called for a major slice of Americans’ free speech rights to be cut away… His latest call to reduce free speech rights came in United States v. Sineneng-Smith, a case involving an immigration lawyer who fraudulently charged her clients a total of $3.3 million to file for a change in their immigration status that she knew they were ineligible to receive. The Court ruled unanimously, and on narrow procedural grounds, to toss out a ruling benefiting this immigration lawyer."
"When asked if there was a chance the presidential election could be postponed past November 3 due to the pandemic, (Jared) Kushner said that isn’t his decision. 'I’m not sure I can commit one way or the other, but right now that’s the plan,' he said… 'Hopefully by the time we get to September, October, November, we’ve done enough work with testing and with all the different things we’re trying to do to prevent a future outbreak of the magnitude that would make us shut down again,' Kushner continued. 'I really believe that once America opens up, it’ll be very hard for America to ever lock down again.'" Funny how people who shout about being strict Constitutionalists often don't know what's in the Constitution. Like the timing of the Federal Election. The Executive doesn't get to decide when to hold the election. Also, his comment about how heartbroken they are about the deaths from COVID-19, but there are more important things just twigged me to Jack Nicholson's Joker saying, "You can't make an omelet without breaking some eggs." (Grokked from Chia Evers)
"Last week, the House Intelligence Committee released a transcript of a once behind-closed-doors interview with Jared Kushner in which Trump’s son-in-law evaded a question about his relationship with Rick Gerson, a New York hedge-fund manager and a longtime friend of Kushner. In a curious move, Kushner downplayed his link to Gerson, who in late 2016 and early 2017, due to his connection to Kushner, was mixed up in secretive contacts between the incoming Trump administration, the United Arab Emirates, and Russia—a weird series of actions that were investigated by special counsel Robert Mueller." For there not being anything to see here, there sure is a hellofalotata stuff to see here. (Grokked from Chuck Wendig)
"It is shocking. Almost 60 days after the country’s first shelter-in-place orders, there is still no clear national plan for what comes next. “The lockdown is not meant to be a permanent state of affairs; it’s intended to be a giant pause button that buys you time to get ready for the next phase,” Jeremy Konyndyk, of the Center for Global Development think tank, says." Some will call this a failure of leadership, but with Trump it's actually a lack of leadership.
We're talking baseball (but without the fans)
Hey, remember when First Energy Solutions, the spinoff company that got "saddled" with First Energy's nuclear power plants, was in such poor condition that we Ohio Consumers needed to pay an extra surcharge to keep it solvent to keep our lights on? "Leaders of a former FirstEnergy subsidiary, which Ohio electricity customers will soon begin paying $150 million annually to subsidize under a nuclear bailout law Ohio officials passed last year, have moved to spend an extra $300 million on repurchasing the company’s own stock… The stock buybacks, meant to benefit corporate shareholders, come less than a year after an aggressive multi-year lobbying effort by FirstEnergy that culminated in Gov. Mike DeWine and state lawmakers approving $1 billion in bailout money funded by surcharges on Ohioans’ electric bills. The company and elected officials who backed the bailout argued without state money, the power plants and their parent company would become insolvent." They were lying then, they're lying now. They never needed the extra money, but conservatives were willing to use this to manufactured crisis to award their patron and dismantle any remaining "green energy production" and conservation rules. (Grokked from Ferrett Steinmetz)
"President Trump’s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort has been released from prison to serve the remainder of his sentence in home confinement because of concerns over the novel coronavirus, two sources familiar with the matter told ABC News." Don't do the crime if you can't do the time. Look, if people have to serve their full time for minor infractions, such as holding a few ounces of pot, that this asshole should have to serve his entire sentence in jail. Gee, too bad there's this COVID thing, but, you know, jail sucks. Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.
"A federal judge has put the justice department’s decision to dismiss a criminal case against Michael Flynn, Donald Trump’s former national security adviser, on hold – opening the door for legal experts and other outside parties to oppose the administration’s motion to exonerate Flynn of lying to the FBI." Well, at least a few judges still believe in the law.
"Republican Mike Garcia, a former Naval aviator, maintained a lead early Wednesday over Democrat Christy Smith in a special congressional election in the Los Angeles suburbs… Though Democrats have a voter-registration advantage of nearly 30,000, the health crisis has created conditions ripe for a GOP upset. Turnout in the runoff — thus far, roughly 143,000 votes have been counted — is on track to surpass most recent special elections in the region, but the electorate has skewed older and less diverse and thus more favorable to Republicans."
"Last Thursday, Justice Clarence Thomas suggested that a major First Amendment doctrine should be abandoned, and that the right to free speech be significantly shrunk in the process. It’s the second time he’s done so in a little over a year, and at least the third time Thomas has called for a major slice of Americans’ free speech rights to be cut away… His latest call to reduce free speech rights came in United States v. Sineneng-Smith, a case involving an immigration lawyer who fraudulently charged her clients a total of $3.3 million to file for a change in their immigration status that she knew they were ineligible to receive. The Court ruled unanimously, and on narrow procedural grounds, to toss out a ruling benefiting this immigration lawyer."
"When asked if there was a chance the presidential election could be postponed past November 3 due to the pandemic, (Jared) Kushner said that isn’t his decision. 'I’m not sure I can commit one way or the other, but right now that’s the plan,' he said… 'Hopefully by the time we get to September, October, November, we’ve done enough work with testing and with all the different things we’re trying to do to prevent a future outbreak of the magnitude that would make us shut down again,' Kushner continued. 'I really believe that once America opens up, it’ll be very hard for America to ever lock down again.'" Funny how people who shout about being strict Constitutionalists often don't know what's in the Constitution. Like the timing of the Federal Election. The Executive doesn't get to decide when to hold the election. Also, his comment about how heartbroken they are about the deaths from COVID-19, but there are more important things just twigged me to Jack Nicholson's Joker saying, "You can't make an omelet without breaking some eggs." (Grokked from Chia Evers)
"Last week, the House Intelligence Committee released a transcript of a once behind-closed-doors interview with Jared Kushner in which Trump’s son-in-law evaded a question about his relationship with Rick Gerson, a New York hedge-fund manager and a longtime friend of Kushner. In a curious move, Kushner downplayed his link to Gerson, who in late 2016 and early 2017, due to his connection to Kushner, was mixed up in secretive contacts between the incoming Trump administration, the United Arab Emirates, and Russia—a weird series of actions that were investigated by special counsel Robert Mueller." For there not being anything to see here, there sure is a hellofalotata stuff to see here. (Grokked from Chuck Wendig)
Tuesday, May 12, 2020
Linkee-poo Tuesday
"One of the largest pieces of uncontrolled space debris fell back down and landed on Earth today, passing directly over Los Angeles and Central Park in New York City and landing in the Atlantic Ocean… However, for a few tense hours, its re-entry path and eventual landing site were a mystery to those tracking its fall."
"The scientists who study how diseases emerge in a changing environment knew this moment was coming. Climate change is making outbreaks of disease more common and more dangerous… Over the past few decades, the number of emerging infectious diseases that spread to people — especially coronaviruses and other respiratory illnesses believed to have come from bats and birds — has skyrocketed. A new emerging disease surfaces five times a year. One study estimates that more than 3,200 strains of coronaviruses already exist among bats, awaiting an opportunity to jump to people."
"The U.S. now has at least 80,000 confirmed deaths due to coronavirus, with more than 1.3 million confirmed cases, according to the latest data on May 11. There are more than 4 million confirmed cases worldwide, and nearly 285,000 people have died from COVID-19."
"Speaking remotely during a unique Senate health committee hearing, Fauci told lawmakers that his concern is that if some areas 'jump over' guidelines from the federal government and 'prematurely open up,' there will be 'little spikes that turn into outbreaks.'"
"Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday he had tested positive for the novel coronavirus and was receiving treatment at hospital, Russian news agencies reported."
"A Colorado restaurant that opened for full service on Mother’s Day in defiance of state rules banning sit-down dining was ordered to close Monday and had its license suspended indefinitely by health officials." Waits for the inevitable cries of "freedom" and government overreach with their attendant lawsuits. "'We figured if we’re going to crash, we’re going to go down and see how many people stand with us,' (restaurant owner) Jesse Arellano told the station." What most people forget that going down in a blaze of glory still leaves you dead at the end.
"Simon Property Group says it plans to have roughly 50% of its malls and outlet centers reopened again within the next week, as states begin to loosen their lockdown restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic." I'm sure that will be fine (strong side-eye).
"A Pennsylvania mask factory postponed a visit from President Donald Trump last week because it worried that the event could spread the coronavirus among workers."
"But a new report from the Small Business Administration's inspector general found that businesses owned by people of color may not have received loans as intended under the Paycheck Protection Program. There was no evidence, the report said, that the SBA told lenders to prioritize business owners in 'underserved' markets, including business owners of color — something the CARES Act had specifically instructed the SBA to do." Oopsie.
"The federal stimulus payments aimed at helping Americans weather the economic hit from the coronavirus pandemic seem to have generated as much anxiety as relief. At the top of the list are how and when the checks are being distributed, with the IRS noting on Friday that it has issued 130 million payments worth a total of $200 billion… That still leaves about 20 million Americans awaiting their money."
"Consumer prices in April took their biggest drop in history going back to at least 1957 as the economy reeled from restrictions imposed to control the coronavirus… The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Tuesday that the CPI excluding food and energy prices slumped 0.4%, the steepest monthly drop since records have been kept." So, how's your grocery bills doing?
"President Donald Trump is reportedly considering another way to get more money to struggling Americans by letting them take an advance on their Social Security benefits." Don't fall for it.
"Gunmen stormed a hospital in the west of Kabul on Tuesday, killing two newborn babies and at least 11 other people while triggering a battle with security forces, Afghanistan's Interior Ministry said."
"The shooting death of a Georgia man has thrust a complicated and often misunderstood legal tenet into the spotlight. The concept of 'citizen's arrest' is a common cultural trope, but it's also at the center of the case of Ahmaud Arbery, a black man who was shot and killed after a pair of men pursued him with the alleged intent of making such an arrest." This was a lynching, not a citizen's arrest.
"President Donald Trump’s aggressive campaign to encourage sweeping investigations of his predecessor Barack Obama met a unanimous response from Senate Republicans: No thanks." Oo, they're standing up. Nope, they've already done the investigations and found nothing. But of course they're going to continue to investigate others, because fuck all that's why.
"'I think it's a little bit classless, frankly, to critique an administration that comes after you,' McConnell told President Donald Trump's daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, during a Trump campaign live stream. 'You had your shot, you were there for eight years. I think the tradition that the Bush's set up -- of not critiquing the president who comes after you -- is a good tradition.'" Hey Mitchell, funny how you don't mention the tradition of the current president not critiquing previous administrations. Also, Merrick Garland. And finally, fuck off turtle-brain.
Meanwhile, on Bullshit Mountain… "Barack Obama is apoplectic… The always sanctimonious former president is now upset that Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn will not likely spend time behind bars, or the rest of his life as a convicted felon… In fact, Flynn was not even charged with perjury. He pled guilty to one count of making false statements to the FBI." That's some Olypmic grade mental gymnastics there, Sean. But they're not medal grade given the Q Anon folks and OANN people.
"The scientists who study how diseases emerge in a changing environment knew this moment was coming. Climate change is making outbreaks of disease more common and more dangerous… Over the past few decades, the number of emerging infectious diseases that spread to people — especially coronaviruses and other respiratory illnesses believed to have come from bats and birds — has skyrocketed. A new emerging disease surfaces five times a year. One study estimates that more than 3,200 strains of coronaviruses already exist among bats, awaiting an opportunity to jump to people."
"The U.S. now has at least 80,000 confirmed deaths due to coronavirus, with more than 1.3 million confirmed cases, according to the latest data on May 11. There are more than 4 million confirmed cases worldwide, and nearly 285,000 people have died from COVID-19."
"Speaking remotely during a unique Senate health committee hearing, Fauci told lawmakers that his concern is that if some areas 'jump over' guidelines from the federal government and 'prematurely open up,' there will be 'little spikes that turn into outbreaks.'"
"Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday he had tested positive for the novel coronavirus and was receiving treatment at hospital, Russian news agencies reported."
"A Colorado restaurant that opened for full service on Mother’s Day in defiance of state rules banning sit-down dining was ordered to close Monday and had its license suspended indefinitely by health officials." Waits for the inevitable cries of "freedom" and government overreach with their attendant lawsuits. "'We figured if we’re going to crash, we’re going to go down and see how many people stand with us,' (restaurant owner) Jesse Arellano told the station." What most people forget that going down in a blaze of glory still leaves you dead at the end.
"Simon Property Group says it plans to have roughly 50% of its malls and outlet centers reopened again within the next week, as states begin to loosen their lockdown restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic." I'm sure that will be fine (strong side-eye).
"A Pennsylvania mask factory postponed a visit from President Donald Trump last week because it worried that the event could spread the coronavirus among workers."
"But a new report from the Small Business Administration's inspector general found that businesses owned by people of color may not have received loans as intended under the Paycheck Protection Program. There was no evidence, the report said, that the SBA told lenders to prioritize business owners in 'underserved' markets, including business owners of color — something the CARES Act had specifically instructed the SBA to do." Oopsie.
"The federal stimulus payments aimed at helping Americans weather the economic hit from the coronavirus pandemic seem to have generated as much anxiety as relief. At the top of the list are how and when the checks are being distributed, with the IRS noting on Friday that it has issued 130 million payments worth a total of $200 billion… That still leaves about 20 million Americans awaiting their money."
"Consumer prices in April took their biggest drop in history going back to at least 1957 as the economy reeled from restrictions imposed to control the coronavirus… The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Tuesday that the CPI excluding food and energy prices slumped 0.4%, the steepest monthly drop since records have been kept." So, how's your grocery bills doing?
"President Donald Trump is reportedly considering another way to get more money to struggling Americans by letting them take an advance on their Social Security benefits." Don't fall for it.
"Gunmen stormed a hospital in the west of Kabul on Tuesday, killing two newborn babies and at least 11 other people while triggering a battle with security forces, Afghanistan's Interior Ministry said."
"The shooting death of a Georgia man has thrust a complicated and often misunderstood legal tenet into the spotlight. The concept of 'citizen's arrest' is a common cultural trope, but it's also at the center of the case of Ahmaud Arbery, a black man who was shot and killed after a pair of men pursued him with the alleged intent of making such an arrest." This was a lynching, not a citizen's arrest.
"President Donald Trump’s aggressive campaign to encourage sweeping investigations of his predecessor Barack Obama met a unanimous response from Senate Republicans: No thanks." Oo, they're standing up. Nope, they've already done the investigations and found nothing. But of course they're going to continue to investigate others, because fuck all that's why.
"'I think it's a little bit classless, frankly, to critique an administration that comes after you,' McConnell told President Donald Trump's daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, during a Trump campaign live stream. 'You had your shot, you were there for eight years. I think the tradition that the Bush's set up -- of not critiquing the president who comes after you -- is a good tradition.'" Hey Mitchell, funny how you don't mention the tradition of the current president not critiquing previous administrations. Also, Merrick Garland. And finally, fuck off turtle-brain.
Meanwhile, on Bullshit Mountain… "Barack Obama is apoplectic… The always sanctimonious former president is now upset that Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn will not likely spend time behind bars, or the rest of his life as a convicted felon… In fact, Flynn was not even charged with perjury. He pled guilty to one count of making false statements to the FBI." That's some Olypmic grade mental gymnastics there, Sean. But they're not medal grade given the Q Anon folks and OANN people.
Monday, May 11, 2020
Linkee-poo way too late on a Monday Night
"The White House Covid-19 outbreak is undermining President Donald Trump's narrative that it's safe to open up the country and that diagnostic testing is of limited importance."
"President Donald Trump’s oscillations over the fate of his coronavirus task force have tapped into a growing fear within the nation’s public health community: That at a critical juncture in the pandemic fight, the government’s top health experts might still be seen, but increasingly not heard."
"The White House is stepping up precautions to try to stem the spread of Covid-19 in the West Wing after Dr Anthony Fauci, the US government’s top infectious diseases official, and two other senior leaders in the fight against Covid-19 began self-quarantining on Sunday, following positive tests for the virus among staff."
"New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said on Sunday that the number of new daily Covid-19 hospitalizations had returned to the level it was at when he issued a statewide closure of nonessential businesses nearly two months ago." Wait for it…
"Boris Johnson called on people across the UK on Sunday to return to work if they cannot do so from home, as the Prime Minister laid out his vision for gradually restarting the economy." Stiff upper lip isn't going to help you keep COVID-19 at bay.
"Russia has reported a record rise in the number of daily coronavirus infections with 11,656 new cases reported Monday. The total number of cases in Russia now stands at 221,334, making it the country with the third-highest number of cases, after the U.S. and Spain, according to data from Johns Hopkins University." Stay safe, my Russian friends.
It's Raw Story, but… "'One worker who died had taken Tylenol before entering the plant to lower her temperature enough to pass the screening, afraid that missing work would mean forgoing a bonus, said a person who knows the worker’s family and who spoke on the condition of anonymity to protect their privacy,' said the Times." Welcome to late stage capitalism (actually it's just plain capitalism). Now profile all the people who go to work until their cancer eats away enough of them to cause serious problems, or work in pain, or have other diseases…
"Coronavirus infection rates are spiking to new highs in several metropolitan areas and smaller communities across the country, according to undisclosed data the White House's pandemic task force is using to track rates of infection, which was obtained by NBC News… The data in a May 7 coronavirus task force report are at odds with President Donald Trump's declaration Monday that 'all throughout the country, the numbers are coming down rapidly.'" (Grokked from Chuck Wendig)
"The worst of the nation's historic job losses are yet to come, according to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who told Fox News Sunday that 'the reported numbers are probably going to get worse before they get better.'" Gee, ya think, Stevie. Tell your boss that.
"Same guidance, different decisions. Attempting to clarify Congress’s hastily-written Paycheck Protection Program, the Trump administration issued rules and guidance that stirred new confusion, whipsawed borrowers and led dozens of firms to return loans… Now, with a deadline to return PPP loans without penalties just days away, firms and their advisers have had to grapple with rules that seem to run counter to the law they’re based on." I'm sure they'll blame Congress. Kinda sucks when government doesn't work, doesn't it. (adopts innocent voice) But but but, I thought having a "businessman" in the White House would solve all these problems (narrator's voice: it only made things much, much worse).
"No one could have prepared for Covid-19, but the Detroit automakers, including Ford Motor and Fiat Chrysler, are weathering the storm without talk of bankruptcies or the need for the same level of assistance the airline industry just received. It’s a stark contrast from 2008 and 2009." Someone learned some lessons.
"They went to work every day and built a life for themselves, put money away in a savings plan and paid their taxes. And then they got divorced or hurt on the job or sick or widowed or just plain unlucky — and found themselves in the same boat as millions of Americans who are now approaching retirement with most of the financial props knocked out from under them." The systems haven't failed, as the article suggests, the systems have been dismantled, in public. This isn't some unforeseeable accident, shucks we can't do anything, problem. This was intentional. This was planned. You see how much the 1% owns. That's where it went. This is not the people's fault, and them blaming themselves is just a symptom of the Stockholm Syndrome that has been forced on America.
"Iran navy 'friendly fire' incident kills 19 sailors in Gulf of Oman." Oopsie.
"Under cover of redressing what President Donald Trump and his allies call the FBI’s 'witch hunt' over collusion with the Kremlin, McConnell, via an amendment to the PATRIOT Act, will expressly permit the FBI to warrantlessly collect records on Americans’ web browsing and search histories. In a different amendment, McConnell also proposes giving the attorney general visibility into the 'accuracy and completeness' of FBI surveillance submissions to the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Court. Versions of the amendments circulating Monday were shared with The Daily Beast." It's like conservatives go into meeting to say, "Yes, I know it's terrible. But how can we make it worse?" (Grokked from Chip Dawes)
"The final minute of Trump's news conference this evening." (Grokked from a number of people)
"President Donald Trump’s oscillations over the fate of his coronavirus task force have tapped into a growing fear within the nation’s public health community: That at a critical juncture in the pandemic fight, the government’s top health experts might still be seen, but increasingly not heard."
"The White House is stepping up precautions to try to stem the spread of Covid-19 in the West Wing after Dr Anthony Fauci, the US government’s top infectious diseases official, and two other senior leaders in the fight against Covid-19 began self-quarantining on Sunday, following positive tests for the virus among staff."
"New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said on Sunday that the number of new daily Covid-19 hospitalizations had returned to the level it was at when he issued a statewide closure of nonessential businesses nearly two months ago." Wait for it…
"Boris Johnson called on people across the UK on Sunday to return to work if they cannot do so from home, as the Prime Minister laid out his vision for gradually restarting the economy." Stiff upper lip isn't going to help you keep COVID-19 at bay.
"Russia has reported a record rise in the number of daily coronavirus infections with 11,656 new cases reported Monday. The total number of cases in Russia now stands at 221,334, making it the country with the third-highest number of cases, after the U.S. and Spain, according to data from Johns Hopkins University." Stay safe, my Russian friends.
It's Raw Story, but… "'One worker who died had taken Tylenol before entering the plant to lower her temperature enough to pass the screening, afraid that missing work would mean forgoing a bonus, said a person who knows the worker’s family and who spoke on the condition of anonymity to protect their privacy,' said the Times." Welcome to late stage capitalism (actually it's just plain capitalism). Now profile all the people who go to work until their cancer eats away enough of them to cause serious problems, or work in pain, or have other diseases…
"Coronavirus infection rates are spiking to new highs in several metropolitan areas and smaller communities across the country, according to undisclosed data the White House's pandemic task force is using to track rates of infection, which was obtained by NBC News… The data in a May 7 coronavirus task force report are at odds with President Donald Trump's declaration Monday that 'all throughout the country, the numbers are coming down rapidly.'" (Grokked from Chuck Wendig)
"The worst of the nation's historic job losses are yet to come, according to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who told Fox News Sunday that 'the reported numbers are probably going to get worse before they get better.'" Gee, ya think, Stevie. Tell your boss that.
"Same guidance, different decisions. Attempting to clarify Congress’s hastily-written Paycheck Protection Program, the Trump administration issued rules and guidance that stirred new confusion, whipsawed borrowers and led dozens of firms to return loans… Now, with a deadline to return PPP loans without penalties just days away, firms and their advisers have had to grapple with rules that seem to run counter to the law they’re based on." I'm sure they'll blame Congress. Kinda sucks when government doesn't work, doesn't it. (adopts innocent voice) But but but, I thought having a "businessman" in the White House would solve all these problems (narrator's voice: it only made things much, much worse).
"No one could have prepared for Covid-19, but the Detroit automakers, including Ford Motor and Fiat Chrysler, are weathering the storm without talk of bankruptcies or the need for the same level of assistance the airline industry just received. It’s a stark contrast from 2008 and 2009." Someone learned some lessons.
"They went to work every day and built a life for themselves, put money away in a savings plan and paid their taxes. And then they got divorced or hurt on the job or sick or widowed or just plain unlucky — and found themselves in the same boat as millions of Americans who are now approaching retirement with most of the financial props knocked out from under them." The systems haven't failed, as the article suggests, the systems have been dismantled, in public. This isn't some unforeseeable accident, shucks we can't do anything, problem. This was intentional. This was planned. You see how much the 1% owns. That's where it went. This is not the people's fault, and them blaming themselves is just a symptom of the Stockholm Syndrome that has been forced on America.
"Iran navy 'friendly fire' incident kills 19 sailors in Gulf of Oman." Oopsie.
"Under cover of redressing what President Donald Trump and his allies call the FBI’s 'witch hunt' over collusion with the Kremlin, McConnell, via an amendment to the PATRIOT Act, will expressly permit the FBI to warrantlessly collect records on Americans’ web browsing and search histories. In a different amendment, McConnell also proposes giving the attorney general visibility into the 'accuracy and completeness' of FBI surveillance submissions to the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Court. Versions of the amendments circulating Monday were shared with The Daily Beast." It's like conservatives go into meeting to say, "Yes, I know it's terrible. But how can we make it worse?" (Grokked from Chip Dawes)
"The final minute of Trump's news conference this evening." (Grokked from a number of people)
Monday
Hey folks, with the wacky scheduling at the hospital, probably no post today (until late this evening, maybe) and probably the same on Wednesday and Thursday. Please adjust your expectations. Sorry.
Saturday, May 9, 2020
Linkee-poo woke up this morning, Lucille was not in sight
Little Richard, and so it goes.
"When the pill was approved in 1960, women had few relatively few contraceptive options, and the pill offered more reliability and convenience than methods like condoms or diaphragms, said Dr. Eve Espey, chair of the Department of Ob/Gyn and Family Planning at the University of New Mexico." How the pill changed the world, and insight as to why some people what to put it out of reach. Mostly because it gives more control of the own bodies to women.
"Jupiter is known for its massive storms, but trying to peer inside them requires teamwork by the Juno spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope and the ground-based Gemini North telescope in Hawaii. Collective observations from this dream team have produced stunning images and revealed what's happening inside Jupiter's giant, continuous storms."
"A combination of heat and humidity so extreme that it’s unendurable isn’t just a problem for the future — those conditions are already here, a new study finds. Off-the-chart readings that were previously thought to be nearly nonexistent on the planet today have popped up around the globe, and unyielding temperatures are becoming more common." We're boned.
"This week, the question of mutation has been front and center in coverage of the coronavirus — from controversial claims about changes that make the virus more contagious to reassurances that any mutations are not yet consequential… Here are some of the questions being raised — and what the specialists can (and can't yet) say to answer them."
"More than 68,000 people have died from COVID-19 so far in the U.S. and as many as 1 in 5 of them lived or worked in nursing homes and long-term care facilities, reports show—illustrating that the institutions that care for the nation's elderly have been among the hardest hit by the pandemic." Maybe this will change how we care for the elderly and how much we fund for it. But probably not.
"A new report published Thursday by the United Nations' Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said the 'peak of coronavirus in the world's poorest countries is not expected until some point over the next three to six months'…The report is an update to the U.N.'s plan to deal with the pandemic, including the World Health Organization (WHO) and other humanitarian agencies."
"A meat-packing plant in Waterloo, Iowa, where a coronavirus outbreak exploded a few weeks ago, resumed operations on Thursday after a two-week closure… The reopening of Tyson Foods' largest U.S. pork plant came the same day that health officials in Black Hawk County, where the plant is located, announced that 1,031 of the plant's estimated 2,800 employees have tested positive for the virus. That's higher than previous estimates by state officials." Pork, the other transmission vector (that's meant as satire, there's no evidence you can get COVID-19 from food unless someone recently coughed or sneezed on it).
"By Monday, at least 31 states will have partially reopened after seven weeks of restrictions. The moves come as President Trump pushes for the country to get back to work despite public health experts warning that it's too soon." The new normal is going to look a lot like the old normal.
"The governor of South Dakota has given an ultimatum to two Sioux tribes: Remove checkpoints on state and US highways within 48 hours or risk legal action." While the BIA has said tribes need to negotiate closures with the states, technically reservations/tribal lands are separate and come under federal jurisdiction. Not that state governments haven't tried to force their way in.
"This is genuine footage of Pence. However, it does not show him 'caught on hot mic' admitting that he just delivered a bunch of empty boxes to a health care facility. This video actually shows Pence making a humorous quip after delivering boxes that were truly filled with PPE." This administration is too much of a dumpster fire to have to make things up.
"A slickly produced 26-minute video called Plandemic has exploded on social media in recent days, claiming to present a view of COVID-19 that differs from the 'official' narrative." Everybody is getting into the misinformation market.
"Former President Barack Obama delivered a blistering critique of the Trump administration's response to the coronavirus crisis, describing it as 'an absolute chaotic disaster' during a private call Friday night with people who worked for him in the White House and across his administration." It was bound to happen in this "unprecedented presidency" that a sitting president would be rebuked by a former president.
"On Friday, U.S. Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas received his first haircut in three months from Shelley Luther, the owner of Salon Á la Mode in North Texas, who was jailed for violating the state's stay-at-home order by operating her business in defiance of court restraining order." Assholes patronizing other assholes.
"Protests over stay-at-home orders because of COVID-19 have become more common around the country. In California, a surprising group is behind some of them: those who oppose mandatory vaccinations." One Russia inspired group meets another.
"You don't have to think hard to imagine the huge smile on Putin's face when he heard those words from Trump. Because what it means is that Trump continues to be unable to decouple the findings that Russia actively sought to interfere in the last presidential election from the idea that admitting that fact somehow robs him of credit for winning."
"The Supreme Court has temporarily put on hold the release of redacted grand jury material from the Russia investigation to a House panel."
Meanwhile, on Bullshit Mountain… "Jesse Watters said on 'The Five' Friday that the prosecution of former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn was an 'Obama scandal' that went "all the way to the top" of the 44th president's administration." Projection is what they do best.
"When the pill was approved in 1960, women had few relatively few contraceptive options, and the pill offered more reliability and convenience than methods like condoms or diaphragms, said Dr. Eve Espey, chair of the Department of Ob/Gyn and Family Planning at the University of New Mexico." How the pill changed the world, and insight as to why some people what to put it out of reach. Mostly because it gives more control of the own bodies to women.
"Jupiter is known for its massive storms, but trying to peer inside them requires teamwork by the Juno spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope and the ground-based Gemini North telescope in Hawaii. Collective observations from this dream team have produced stunning images and revealed what's happening inside Jupiter's giant, continuous storms."
"A combination of heat and humidity so extreme that it’s unendurable isn’t just a problem for the future — those conditions are already here, a new study finds. Off-the-chart readings that were previously thought to be nearly nonexistent on the planet today have popped up around the globe, and unyielding temperatures are becoming more common." We're boned.
"This week, the question of mutation has been front and center in coverage of the coronavirus — from controversial claims about changes that make the virus more contagious to reassurances that any mutations are not yet consequential… Here are some of the questions being raised — and what the specialists can (and can't yet) say to answer them."
"More than 68,000 people have died from COVID-19 so far in the U.S. and as many as 1 in 5 of them lived or worked in nursing homes and long-term care facilities, reports show—illustrating that the institutions that care for the nation's elderly have been among the hardest hit by the pandemic." Maybe this will change how we care for the elderly and how much we fund for it. But probably not.
"A new report published Thursday by the United Nations' Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said the 'peak of coronavirus in the world's poorest countries is not expected until some point over the next three to six months'…The report is an update to the U.N.'s plan to deal with the pandemic, including the World Health Organization (WHO) and other humanitarian agencies."
"A meat-packing plant in Waterloo, Iowa, where a coronavirus outbreak exploded a few weeks ago, resumed operations on Thursday after a two-week closure… The reopening of Tyson Foods' largest U.S. pork plant came the same day that health officials in Black Hawk County, where the plant is located, announced that 1,031 of the plant's estimated 2,800 employees have tested positive for the virus. That's higher than previous estimates by state officials." Pork, the other transmission vector (that's meant as satire, there's no evidence you can get COVID-19 from food unless someone recently coughed or sneezed on it).
"By Monday, at least 31 states will have partially reopened after seven weeks of restrictions. The moves come as President Trump pushes for the country to get back to work despite public health experts warning that it's too soon." The new normal is going to look a lot like the old normal.
"The governor of South Dakota has given an ultimatum to two Sioux tribes: Remove checkpoints on state and US highways within 48 hours or risk legal action." While the BIA has said tribes need to negotiate closures with the states, technically reservations/tribal lands are separate and come under federal jurisdiction. Not that state governments haven't tried to force their way in.
"This is genuine footage of Pence. However, it does not show him 'caught on hot mic' admitting that he just delivered a bunch of empty boxes to a health care facility. This video actually shows Pence making a humorous quip after delivering boxes that were truly filled with PPE." This administration is too much of a dumpster fire to have to make things up.
"A slickly produced 26-minute video called Plandemic has exploded on social media in recent days, claiming to present a view of COVID-19 that differs from the 'official' narrative." Everybody is getting into the misinformation market.
"Former President Barack Obama delivered a blistering critique of the Trump administration's response to the coronavirus crisis, describing it as 'an absolute chaotic disaster' during a private call Friday night with people who worked for him in the White House and across his administration." It was bound to happen in this "unprecedented presidency" that a sitting president would be rebuked by a former president.
"On Friday, U.S. Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas received his first haircut in three months from Shelley Luther, the owner of Salon Á la Mode in North Texas, who was jailed for violating the state's stay-at-home order by operating her business in defiance of court restraining order." Assholes patronizing other assholes.
"Protests over stay-at-home orders because of COVID-19 have become more common around the country. In California, a surprising group is behind some of them: those who oppose mandatory vaccinations." One Russia inspired group meets another.
"You don't have to think hard to imagine the huge smile on Putin's face when he heard those words from Trump. Because what it means is that Trump continues to be unable to decouple the findings that Russia actively sought to interfere in the last presidential election from the idea that admitting that fact somehow robs him of credit for winning."
"The Supreme Court has temporarily put on hold the release of redacted grand jury material from the Russia investigation to a House panel."
Meanwhile, on Bullshit Mountain… "Jesse Watters said on 'The Five' Friday that the prosecution of former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn was an 'Obama scandal' that went "all the way to the top" of the 44th president's administration." Projection is what they do best.
Friday, May 8, 2020
Linkee-poo Friday
"The woman attacked and killed by an alligator in a gated community along the South Carolina coast was visiting the homeowner to do her nails and was trying to touch the animal when it grabbed her, authorities said." The world is not a zoo (and you should do this at a zoo either). (Grokked from Eric VanNewkirk)
"But scientists don't know whether people who have been exposed to the coronavirus will be immune for life, as is usually the case for the measles, or if the disease will return again and again, like the common cold." Ta-da! And because we don't know, that makes all the vaccine development in progress just a crap shoot.
Ask not for whom the bell tolls… "One of Trump's personal valets has tested positive for coronavirus, CNN reports." The president, VP, and "senior staff" are tested weekly. I haven't been tested once. (Grokked from Xeni Jardin)
Did he, or didn't he wear a mask in Arizona.
"As hospitals were overrun by coronavirus patients in other parts of the world, the Army Corps of Engineers mobilized in the U.S., hiring private contractors to build emergency field hospitals around the country… But nearly four months into the pandemic, most of these facilities haven't treated a single patient." If only there had been an actual plan in place. And mostly it's because more people than predicted actually followed advice on social distancing.
"The Trump administration has shelved a document created by the nation’s top disease investigators with step-by-step advice to local authorities on how and when to reopen restaurants and other public places during the still-raging coronavirus outbreak." Who needs experts when you've got instincts? Here's the thing, if they fuck up this "reopening" the damage they inflict won't take years to heal, it'll take decades.(Grokked from Kathryn Cramer)
"The White House coronavirus task force rejected detailed guidance drafted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on how workplaces ranging from schools to bars to churches should resume operations to prevent the spread of the virus because it was viewed as 'overly prescriptive.'" Because, you know, it was an actual plan.
"A for-profit college received millions of dollars from the federal government to help low-income students whose lives have been upended by the coronavirus outbreak, but that same school, Florida Career College (FCC), is also accused of defrauding students."
"The Labor Department delivered a historically bad employment report Friday, showing 20.5 million jobs lost last month as the nation locked down against the coronavirus. The jobless rate soared to 14.7% — the highest level since the Great Depression." Boom.
"It's an ironic twist as the coronavirus pandemic sweeps the nation: The very workers tasked with treating those afflicted with the virus are losing work in droves. Emergency room visits are down. Non-urgent surgical procedures have largely been put on hold. Health care spending fell 18% in the first three months of the year. And 1.4 million health care workers lost their jobs in April, a sharp increase from the 42,000 reported in March, according to the Labor Department. Nearly 135,000 of the April losses were in hospitals." Jazz hands.
Capitalism at work. "And yet, each time he arrived at work, Benjamin saw a different reality emerging… during daily calls with his three adult children, he confided that he was afraid of getting sick. On March 25 one of his daughters gave him a face mask to wear at the plant, where he operated boxing and loading equipment near the entrance and was often the first person to greet arriving co-workers… Two days later, Benjamin told his kids a supervisor had ordered him to remove the mask because it was creating unnecessary fears among plant employees." Who needs regulations when you have bosses like that. (Grokked from Kelly Link)
"University of Akron president Gary Miller announced that the university will cut six of its 11 academic colleges, Cleveland.com reported. He did not specify which will remain but said an announcement will be made in the coming days." Ohio University (not Ohio State) has announced similar cuts. Expect to hear this from most universities and colleges in the coming months. (Grokked from John)
"The Georgia Bureau of Investigation announced Thursday that it has arrested two white men in the death of Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old unarmed black man who was shot and killed in February while jogging on a residential street in Brunswick, Ga." Well that only took several months and a large outcry. Don't worry, white supremacists, the prosecutor will fuck up the case (the state needs to appoint a special prosecutor here who is competent and whose job depends on a successful conviction).
"Writing for a unanimous court, Justice Elena Kagan said that 'for no reason' other than 'political payback' the aides 'used deception' to cut access lanes from Fort Lee, New Jersey, to the bridge… The move "jeopardized the safety of the town's residents," Kagan wrote, but concluded that 'not every corrupt act by state or local officials is a federal crime.'" Wrong.
"The federal agency that regulates the U.S. television industry slapped the largest civil fine in its history on Sinclair Broadcast Group — a company with links to the Trump administration — as punishment for deceiving the government." That's not even a rounding error.
"Frustrated with the bleak advice they were getting from medical advisers, and with the November election looming, the President's economic team prevailed with a simple message: reopen the country as soon as possible."
"The Justice Department is dropping its case against President Trump's first national security adviser, Michael Flynn, who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russia's then-ambassador to the United States." A pardon by another name. Justice denied and the DoJ becomes completely political.
"But scientists don't know whether people who have been exposed to the coronavirus will be immune for life, as is usually the case for the measles, or if the disease will return again and again, like the common cold." Ta-da! And because we don't know, that makes all the vaccine development in progress just a crap shoot.
Ask not for whom the bell tolls… "One of Trump's personal valets has tested positive for coronavirus, CNN reports." The president, VP, and "senior staff" are tested weekly. I haven't been tested once. (Grokked from Xeni Jardin)
Did he, or didn't he wear a mask in Arizona.
"As hospitals were overrun by coronavirus patients in other parts of the world, the Army Corps of Engineers mobilized in the U.S., hiring private contractors to build emergency field hospitals around the country… But nearly four months into the pandemic, most of these facilities haven't treated a single patient." If only there had been an actual plan in place. And mostly it's because more people than predicted actually followed advice on social distancing.
"The Trump administration has shelved a document created by the nation’s top disease investigators with step-by-step advice to local authorities on how and when to reopen restaurants and other public places during the still-raging coronavirus outbreak." Who needs experts when you've got instincts? Here's the thing, if they fuck up this "reopening" the damage they inflict won't take years to heal, it'll take decades.(Grokked from Kathryn Cramer)
"The White House coronavirus task force rejected detailed guidance drafted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on how workplaces ranging from schools to bars to churches should resume operations to prevent the spread of the virus because it was viewed as 'overly prescriptive.'" Because, you know, it was an actual plan.
"A for-profit college received millions of dollars from the federal government to help low-income students whose lives have been upended by the coronavirus outbreak, but that same school, Florida Career College (FCC), is also accused of defrauding students."
"The Labor Department delivered a historically bad employment report Friday, showing 20.5 million jobs lost last month as the nation locked down against the coronavirus. The jobless rate soared to 14.7% — the highest level since the Great Depression." Boom.
"It's an ironic twist as the coronavirus pandemic sweeps the nation: The very workers tasked with treating those afflicted with the virus are losing work in droves. Emergency room visits are down. Non-urgent surgical procedures have largely been put on hold. Health care spending fell 18% in the first three months of the year. And 1.4 million health care workers lost their jobs in April, a sharp increase from the 42,000 reported in March, according to the Labor Department. Nearly 135,000 of the April losses were in hospitals." Jazz hands.
Capitalism at work. "And yet, each time he arrived at work, Benjamin saw a different reality emerging… during daily calls with his three adult children, he confided that he was afraid of getting sick. On March 25 one of his daughters gave him a face mask to wear at the plant, where he operated boxing and loading equipment near the entrance and was often the first person to greet arriving co-workers… Two days later, Benjamin told his kids a supervisor had ordered him to remove the mask because it was creating unnecessary fears among plant employees." Who needs regulations when you have bosses like that. (Grokked from Kelly Link)
"University of Akron president Gary Miller announced that the university will cut six of its 11 academic colleges, Cleveland.com reported. He did not specify which will remain but said an announcement will be made in the coming days." Ohio University (not Ohio State) has announced similar cuts. Expect to hear this from most universities and colleges in the coming months. (Grokked from John)
"The Georgia Bureau of Investigation announced Thursday that it has arrested two white men in the death of Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old unarmed black man who was shot and killed in February while jogging on a residential street in Brunswick, Ga." Well that only took several months and a large outcry. Don't worry, white supremacists, the prosecutor will fuck up the case (the state needs to appoint a special prosecutor here who is competent and whose job depends on a successful conviction).
"Writing for a unanimous court, Justice Elena Kagan said that 'for no reason' other than 'political payback' the aides 'used deception' to cut access lanes from Fort Lee, New Jersey, to the bridge… The move "jeopardized the safety of the town's residents," Kagan wrote, but concluded that 'not every corrupt act by state or local officials is a federal crime.'" Wrong.
"The federal agency that regulates the U.S. television industry slapped the largest civil fine in its history on Sinclair Broadcast Group — a company with links to the Trump administration — as punishment for deceiving the government." That's not even a rounding error.
"Frustrated with the bleak advice they were getting from medical advisers, and with the November election looming, the President's economic team prevailed with a simple message: reopen the country as soon as possible."
"The Justice Department is dropping its case against President Trump's first national security adviser, Michael Flynn, who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russia's then-ambassador to the United States." A pardon by another name. Justice denied and the DoJ becomes completely political.
Thursday, May 7, 2020
Linkee-poo Thursday
Also note this morning's post of yesterdays' linkee-poo (which apparently didn't post).
"Forecasters warn of a bizarre spring pattern that is expected to sweep unseasonably raw weather east of the Rockies, possibly shattering dozens of temperature records throughout the country. Highs will hover around 10 to 25 degrees below average Friday into Sunday, more like February and March than May."
"Firefighters in the Florida Panhandle have been battling wildfires that forced some 1,600 people to evacuate from their homes, and a stretch of Interstate 10 remained closed in both directions Thursday morning due to smoke, authorities said." Stay safe, my Florida friends.
Something new has been added. "Astronomers say they have discovered a black hole on our doorstep, just 1,000 light years from Earth… It was found in a system called HR 6819, in the constellation Telescopium."
"'This moon might look a little funny to you, and that's because it is an impossible scene,' McCarthy wrote on Instagram. 'From two weeks of images of the waxing moon, I took the section of the picture that has the most contrast … aligned and blended them to show the rich texture across the entire surface.'"
"The US military's X-37B space plane is heading back into space in mid-May, and while the Air Force doesn't often say much about the mysterious aircraft, the service's top civilian outlined what it will be doing this time around."
"Ahmaud Arbery, 25, was jogging in a neighborhood outside Brunswick on February 23 when a former police officer and his son chased him down, authorities said. According to a Glynn County Police report, Gregory McMichael later told officers that he thought Arbery looked like a person suspected in a series of recent break-ins in the area." Yeah, we're going to save time and just call bullshit on McMichael.
"A gas leak at a chemical factory in south-east India has killed at least nine people, including two children, and led to hundreds being taken to hospital, with fears the death toll could grow."
"Most new Covid-19 hospitalizations in New York state are from people who were staying home and not venturing much outside, a 'shocking' finding, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday… The preliminary data was from 100 New York hospitals involving about 1,000 patients, Cuomo said at his daily briefing." Jazz hands. Because people aren't really sheltering in place.
"Officials said on Wednesday that the number of children who have been hospitalized in New York City with symptoms consistent with a rare disease possibly linked to the coronavirus has nearly quadrupled to 64. Health officials said the illness has features of Kawasaki disease, a serious illness previously noted in children with COVID-19 in the United Kingdom."
"A nurse found out Wednesday what happens when you contradict President Donald Trump on how well coronavirus response efforts are going while standing near him in the Oval Office… Trump clapped back at that nurse, Sophia Thomas, who said that access to sufficient supplies of personal protective equipment 'has been sporadic.' Her comments came during a National Nurses Day event at the White House meant to honor those first responders." One does not contradict the dear leader and point out he's naked. She forgot she was there for decoration and to support the president. Except for her capitulation near the end, good on her. This is what we are taught to do as healthcare providers. We tell the truth (a much as we can, there are caveats for scope of practice and "not worrying the patient"). But if you ask me (as several patients and patient families have) about this disease and what it will take to "get beyond" it, I won't sugar coat it or blow smoke up your ass. Unless 1) we have massive testing and contract tracing or 2) an effective vaccine that people can get (cost and manufacturing) or 3) the virus mutates to a less dangerous stage this will take at least a year. Because if none of those things happen, the way we get beyond this is with a lot of deaths.
Meanwhile in Ohio… "On Wednesday, the Ohio House of Representatives voted to limit the power of state health director Dr. Amy Acton. The bill now goes to the Ohio Senate and if it passes there, would require the governor’s signature… It was mostly Republicans who were in favor of limiting Acton’s power… The bill, which passed the House 58-37, will not allow the existing stay-at-home order to be extended without approval of the ten-member Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review… Also, any further orders from the department of health will be limited to 14 days, with any extensions requiring committee approval as well." This is exactly why health departments have powers, so politics doesn't become involved. Unfortunately, since reality has a notoriously liberal bias, conservatives can't allow any power to be shared if they want to control the narrative.
Why are you hearing about so many vaccines for coronavirus that are so early in the testing stage? "Moderna shares surge after FDA approves coronavirus vaccine for phase 2 trial."
"Another 3.2 million people filed for unemployment for the first time last week, bringing the total number of jobs lost during the coronavirus crisis in the last seven weeks to at least 33.5 million."
"California’s economic rebound from the coronavirus may take longer than people may think as the state struggles with record 'Depression-era' unemployment numbers, Gov. Gavin Newsom said on Wednesday." Gee, ya think?
"The eurozone economy is set to shrink by 7.75 percent this year due to the coronavirus, a contraction overshadowing the worst of the financial crisis in 2009."
"The U.S. government has been sending out millions of stimulus checks for up to $1,200 per individual based on their tax returns for either 2018 or 2019… Some of those individuals have died since filing those returns. However, that hasn’t stopped the government from sending them checks." You gotta send them back.
I've joked about how I've seen executives go into the bathroom talking on their phones. "The Supreme Court was making history Wednesday afternoon, holding arguments over the phone because of Covid-19, when all of a sudden there was the distinct sound of a toilet flushing." Don't do that. Seriously. Just don't.
"Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was released from the hospital on Wednesday after being treated for gallstones, the court said in a statement."
"The Philippine government ordered the country's largest broadcast network, ABS-CBN, to stop broadcasting immediately on Tuesday after its license expired. The network, which employs about 11,000 people, went off the air on free TV and radio across the Philippines on Tuesday evening."
Our man in Iraq. "Iraq finally has a new government. More than five months after the country's caretaker prime minister announced he would resign amid anti-government protests, parliament early Thursday approved intelligence chief Mustafa al-Kadhimi and most of his cabinet."
"Australian Cardinal George Pell knew a notorious pedophile priest had been moved decades ago because he had sexually abused children, and should have removed an unstable priest in another parish who was also a suspected pedophile, a government inquiry concluded." Of course he did.
"The U.S.-China relationship is one of disappointment and frustration, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said on Wednesday, highlighting a deepening rift between Washington and Beijing over the deadly coronavirus." Meaning they're not doing what we say. I though Trump was the best negotiator and could get anything. It so surprising once an entity doesn't need his money that his "negotiation" style would fail so drastically. As my friend, Jim Wright, says, "You mean we can't trust China? If only we had a mechanism where we could get accurate information out of that country without relying on their government to tell us." (I'm paraphrasing here, Jim puts it much better)
"'There are 30 million Americans who are unemployed. ... There have been forecasts -- 15, 16, 17%. One of your advisers projected an unemployment rate of 19%. That's nearly 1 in 5 Americans without a job. How bad is this going to get?' Muir asked the president… 'You know, it's very interesting. Even the Democrats aren't blaming me for that,' Trump said." It's so cute when the president is delusional. Wait, not cute. It's the other thing. Dear President Trump, you are to blame for this. For our late response to the coronavirus. For not protecting the economy. For not protecting jobs. Gee, I wonder how all those Trump voters who were "economically distressed/concerned" are dealing with this?
"Forecasters warn of a bizarre spring pattern that is expected to sweep unseasonably raw weather east of the Rockies, possibly shattering dozens of temperature records throughout the country. Highs will hover around 10 to 25 degrees below average Friday into Sunday, more like February and March than May."
"Firefighters in the Florida Panhandle have been battling wildfires that forced some 1,600 people to evacuate from their homes, and a stretch of Interstate 10 remained closed in both directions Thursday morning due to smoke, authorities said." Stay safe, my Florida friends.
Something new has been added. "Astronomers say they have discovered a black hole on our doorstep, just 1,000 light years from Earth… It was found in a system called HR 6819, in the constellation Telescopium."
"'This moon might look a little funny to you, and that's because it is an impossible scene,' McCarthy wrote on Instagram. 'From two weeks of images of the waxing moon, I took the section of the picture that has the most contrast … aligned and blended them to show the rich texture across the entire surface.'"
"The US military's X-37B space plane is heading back into space in mid-May, and while the Air Force doesn't often say much about the mysterious aircraft, the service's top civilian outlined what it will be doing this time around."
"Ahmaud Arbery, 25, was jogging in a neighborhood outside Brunswick on February 23 when a former police officer and his son chased him down, authorities said. According to a Glynn County Police report, Gregory McMichael later told officers that he thought Arbery looked like a person suspected in a series of recent break-ins in the area." Yeah, we're going to save time and just call bullshit on McMichael.
"A gas leak at a chemical factory in south-east India has killed at least nine people, including two children, and led to hundreds being taken to hospital, with fears the death toll could grow."
"Most new Covid-19 hospitalizations in New York state are from people who were staying home and not venturing much outside, a 'shocking' finding, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday… The preliminary data was from 100 New York hospitals involving about 1,000 patients, Cuomo said at his daily briefing." Jazz hands. Because people aren't really sheltering in place.
"Officials said on Wednesday that the number of children who have been hospitalized in New York City with symptoms consistent with a rare disease possibly linked to the coronavirus has nearly quadrupled to 64. Health officials said the illness has features of Kawasaki disease, a serious illness previously noted in children with COVID-19 in the United Kingdom."
"A nurse found out Wednesday what happens when you contradict President Donald Trump on how well coronavirus response efforts are going while standing near him in the Oval Office… Trump clapped back at that nurse, Sophia Thomas, who said that access to sufficient supplies of personal protective equipment 'has been sporadic.' Her comments came during a National Nurses Day event at the White House meant to honor those first responders." One does not contradict the dear leader and point out he's naked. She forgot she was there for decoration and to support the president. Except for her capitulation near the end, good on her. This is what we are taught to do as healthcare providers. We tell the truth (a much as we can, there are caveats for scope of practice and "not worrying the patient"). But if you ask me (as several patients and patient families have) about this disease and what it will take to "get beyond" it, I won't sugar coat it or blow smoke up your ass. Unless 1) we have massive testing and contract tracing or 2) an effective vaccine that people can get (cost and manufacturing) or 3) the virus mutates to a less dangerous stage this will take at least a year. Because if none of those things happen, the way we get beyond this is with a lot of deaths.
Meanwhile in Ohio… "On Wednesday, the Ohio House of Representatives voted to limit the power of state health director Dr. Amy Acton. The bill now goes to the Ohio Senate and if it passes there, would require the governor’s signature… It was mostly Republicans who were in favor of limiting Acton’s power… The bill, which passed the House 58-37, will not allow the existing stay-at-home order to be extended without approval of the ten-member Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review… Also, any further orders from the department of health will be limited to 14 days, with any extensions requiring committee approval as well." This is exactly why health departments have powers, so politics doesn't become involved. Unfortunately, since reality has a notoriously liberal bias, conservatives can't allow any power to be shared if they want to control the narrative.
Why are you hearing about so many vaccines for coronavirus that are so early in the testing stage? "Moderna shares surge after FDA approves coronavirus vaccine for phase 2 trial."
"Another 3.2 million people filed for unemployment for the first time last week, bringing the total number of jobs lost during the coronavirus crisis in the last seven weeks to at least 33.5 million."
"California’s economic rebound from the coronavirus may take longer than people may think as the state struggles with record 'Depression-era' unemployment numbers, Gov. Gavin Newsom said on Wednesday." Gee, ya think?
"The eurozone economy is set to shrink by 7.75 percent this year due to the coronavirus, a contraction overshadowing the worst of the financial crisis in 2009."
"The U.S. government has been sending out millions of stimulus checks for up to $1,200 per individual based on their tax returns for either 2018 or 2019… Some of those individuals have died since filing those returns. However, that hasn’t stopped the government from sending them checks." You gotta send them back.
I've joked about how I've seen executives go into the bathroom talking on their phones. "The Supreme Court was making history Wednesday afternoon, holding arguments over the phone because of Covid-19, when all of a sudden there was the distinct sound of a toilet flushing." Don't do that. Seriously. Just don't.
"Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was released from the hospital on Wednesday after being treated for gallstones, the court said in a statement."
"The Philippine government ordered the country's largest broadcast network, ABS-CBN, to stop broadcasting immediately on Tuesday after its license expired. The network, which employs about 11,000 people, went off the air on free TV and radio across the Philippines on Tuesday evening."
Our man in Iraq. "Iraq finally has a new government. More than five months after the country's caretaker prime minister announced he would resign amid anti-government protests, parliament early Thursday approved intelligence chief Mustafa al-Kadhimi and most of his cabinet."
"Australian Cardinal George Pell knew a notorious pedophile priest had been moved decades ago because he had sexually abused children, and should have removed an unstable priest in another parish who was also a suspected pedophile, a government inquiry concluded." Of course he did.
"The U.S.-China relationship is one of disappointment and frustration, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said on Wednesday, highlighting a deepening rift between Washington and Beijing over the deadly coronavirus." Meaning they're not doing what we say. I though Trump was the best negotiator and could get anything. It so surprising once an entity doesn't need his money that his "negotiation" style would fail so drastically. As my friend, Jim Wright, says, "You mean we can't trust China? If only we had a mechanism where we could get accurate information out of that country without relying on their government to tell us." (I'm paraphrasing here, Jim puts it much better)
"'There are 30 million Americans who are unemployed. ... There have been forecasts -- 15, 16, 17%. One of your advisers projected an unemployment rate of 19%. That's nearly 1 in 5 Americans without a job. How bad is this going to get?' Muir asked the president… 'You know, it's very interesting. Even the Democrats aren't blaming me for that,' Trump said." It's so cute when the president is delusional. Wait, not cute. It's the other thing. Dear President Trump, you are to blame for this. For our late response to the coronavirus. For not protecting the economy. For not protecting jobs. Gee, I wonder how all those Trump voters who were "economically distressed/concerned" are dealing with this?
Linkee-poo Wednesday
Was in a rush yesterday, thought I posted this.
"I had initially been scheduled to deliver this afternoon keynote address at YallWest in person, but Covid-19 had other plans for the world. I was grateful, however, to be able to present via livestream from my offices in Utah." Brandon Sanderson's afternoon keynote (YouTube) on the common lies writers tell you. Brandon doesn't follow the sage advice of Johnny Carson, "Never work with children or animals." (Grokked from Kameron Hurley)
Have vintage computer hardware yellowed by sun exposure? Well, Sally Beauty Supply is here to help (not them, but they sell a product close enough to the Retr0bright formula that it works just as well). (Grokked from John)
"How did the U.S. become the country with the worst known coronavirus outbreak in the world? FRONTLINE investigates the American response to COVID-19 — from Washington state to Washington, D.C. — and examines what happens when politics and science collide." Originally broadcast on April 21, so some of it is dated, but still good.
"A new genetic analysis of the virus that causes Covid-19 taken from more than 7,600 patients around the world shows it has been circulating in people since late last year, and must have spread extremely quickly after the first infection… Researchers in Britain looked at mutations in the virus and found evidence of quick spread, but no evidence the virus is becoming more easily transmitted or more likely to cause serious disease."
But in another study… "The coronavirus that emerged in Wuhan, China, over four months ago has since mutated and the new, dominant strain spreading across the U.S. appears to be even more contagious, according to a new study." It likes us. Also… "If the coronavirus doesn’t subside in the summer like the seasonal flu, it could mutate further and potentially limit the effectiveness of the coronavirus vaccines being developed by scientists around the world, the researchers warned." Jazz hands.
"When the US coronavirus outbreak began, there were concerns about healthcare workers getting the protective gear they needed… So the senior White House adviser Jared Kushner… formed a group of volunteers to sort through hundreds of leads on personal protective equipment and funnel the most promising ones to the Federal Emergency Management Agency… But according to a new report by The New York Times, the volunteers were in fact prioritizing tips from close Trump associates, resulting in multiple botched deals." They're trying to blame the "task force." Incompetence and cronyism flows from the top down.
"Dr. Rick Bright, the ousted director of the office involved in developing a coronavirus vaccine, formally filed an extensive whistleblower complaint Tuesday alleging his early warnings about the coronavirus were ignored and that his caution at a treatment favored by President Donald Trump led to his removal."
"Marci Oberst sat down at her computer Tuesday and embarked on what’s become a daily ritual – trying to log onto the Maryland Department of Labor’s website so she can extend her unemployment insurance… At 9:30 AM, she was number 88,000 in line, according to the state's labor website." Unemployment systems haven't been "crushed" because they were never designed to actually work well.
"As Trump toured the factory, which is producing N95 masks for the federal government, he and other officials wore safety glasses but did not wear masks. In a clip from Reuters, at one point on the tour, workers blasted Guns N’ Roses’ cover of the James Bond theme song from Wings, 'Live and Let Die.'" Resistance comes in all forms. (Grokked from John)
"President Donald Trump wants to move on. 'Wartime' leadership in a national crisis no longer fits his political timetable." This is one way to appear successful, if you're not instantly a success at something, drop it and move on. The president has no follow through, he has no ability to grow and change, because he has never had to. It's just this time, instead of losing millions of dollars, he will kill hundreds of thousands of people.
"America begins to reopen but businesses and customers in no rush to get back." Wait for it… (economy crashes ever further).
"The New York state Democratic presidential primary will take place as planned next month, a judge ruled Tuesday." Correct ruling. Vote by mail.
"But even as the national political discourse has adopted reopening as the central debate, polls repeatedly show that Americans overwhelmingly back restrictions and do not support reopening most businesses. The consensus is especially notable in an era when nearly every poll question seems to serve as a referendum on Donald Trump, with his supporters lining up against his opponents. Here, despite Trump’s pleas for reopening, Americans are remaining united—and not heeding him. What if government reopened the country, and no one came?" The economy does not recover.
"Referring to grieving families, (Trump) said that 'those people can never ever replace somebody they love,' and that 'I don't sleep at nights thinking about it, there is nobody taking it harder than me… But at the same time, I have to get this enemy defeated,' he added." Well at least some of his political advisors have finally gotten through his "instincts" and he's attempting to show empathy. But it's really awkward and painful to watch because it's not his forte. Also, just a reminder, the president has famously been quoted that he doesn't sleep more than a few hours anyway.
"The Supreme Court on Wednesday will consider whether the Trump administration can give employers more leeway in refusing to provide employees with free birth control by citing religious or moral objections."
"Attorney General William Barr made a last-minute push Monday to persuade the administration to modify its position in the Obamacare dispute that will be heard at the Supreme Court this fall, arguing that the administration should pull back from its insistence that the entire law be struck down." This is a zero-risk play to try and seem moderate.
"A federal judge is calling for an investigation to find out whether Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) pressured a Washington, D.C., federal judge to retire so the senator could nominate judge Justin Walker, a 38-year-old Kentucky federal judge who was confirmed for his current role in October." Please be Merrick Garland.
"I had initially been scheduled to deliver this afternoon keynote address at YallWest in person, but Covid-19 had other plans for the world. I was grateful, however, to be able to present via livestream from my offices in Utah." Brandon Sanderson's afternoon keynote (YouTube) on the common lies writers tell you. Brandon doesn't follow the sage advice of Johnny Carson, "Never work with children or animals." (Grokked from Kameron Hurley)
Have vintage computer hardware yellowed by sun exposure? Well, Sally Beauty Supply is here to help (not them, but they sell a product close enough to the Retr0bright formula that it works just as well). (Grokked from John)
"How did the U.S. become the country with the worst known coronavirus outbreak in the world? FRONTLINE investigates the American response to COVID-19 — from Washington state to Washington, D.C. — and examines what happens when politics and science collide." Originally broadcast on April 21, so some of it is dated, but still good.
"A new genetic analysis of the virus that causes Covid-19 taken from more than 7,600 patients around the world shows it has been circulating in people since late last year, and must have spread extremely quickly after the first infection… Researchers in Britain looked at mutations in the virus and found evidence of quick spread, but no evidence the virus is becoming more easily transmitted or more likely to cause serious disease."
But in another study… "The coronavirus that emerged in Wuhan, China, over four months ago has since mutated and the new, dominant strain spreading across the U.S. appears to be even more contagious, according to a new study." It likes us. Also… "If the coronavirus doesn’t subside in the summer like the seasonal flu, it could mutate further and potentially limit the effectiveness of the coronavirus vaccines being developed by scientists around the world, the researchers warned." Jazz hands.
"When the US coronavirus outbreak began, there were concerns about healthcare workers getting the protective gear they needed… So the senior White House adviser Jared Kushner… formed a group of volunteers to sort through hundreds of leads on personal protective equipment and funnel the most promising ones to the Federal Emergency Management Agency… But according to a new report by The New York Times, the volunteers were in fact prioritizing tips from close Trump associates, resulting in multiple botched deals." They're trying to blame the "task force." Incompetence and cronyism flows from the top down.
"Dr. Rick Bright, the ousted director of the office involved in developing a coronavirus vaccine, formally filed an extensive whistleblower complaint Tuesday alleging his early warnings about the coronavirus were ignored and that his caution at a treatment favored by President Donald Trump led to his removal."
"Marci Oberst sat down at her computer Tuesday and embarked on what’s become a daily ritual – trying to log onto the Maryland Department of Labor’s website so she can extend her unemployment insurance… At 9:30 AM, she was number 88,000 in line, according to the state's labor website." Unemployment systems haven't been "crushed" because they were never designed to actually work well.
"As Trump toured the factory, which is producing N95 masks for the federal government, he and other officials wore safety glasses but did not wear masks. In a clip from Reuters, at one point on the tour, workers blasted Guns N’ Roses’ cover of the James Bond theme song from Wings, 'Live and Let Die.'" Resistance comes in all forms. (Grokked from John)
"President Donald Trump wants to move on. 'Wartime' leadership in a national crisis no longer fits his political timetable." This is one way to appear successful, if you're not instantly a success at something, drop it and move on. The president has no follow through, he has no ability to grow and change, because he has never had to. It's just this time, instead of losing millions of dollars, he will kill hundreds of thousands of people.
"America begins to reopen but businesses and customers in no rush to get back." Wait for it… (economy crashes ever further).
"The New York state Democratic presidential primary will take place as planned next month, a judge ruled Tuesday." Correct ruling. Vote by mail.
"But even as the national political discourse has adopted reopening as the central debate, polls repeatedly show that Americans overwhelmingly back restrictions and do not support reopening most businesses. The consensus is especially notable in an era when nearly every poll question seems to serve as a referendum on Donald Trump, with his supporters lining up against his opponents. Here, despite Trump’s pleas for reopening, Americans are remaining united—and not heeding him. What if government reopened the country, and no one came?" The economy does not recover.
"Referring to grieving families, (Trump) said that 'those people can never ever replace somebody they love,' and that 'I don't sleep at nights thinking about it, there is nobody taking it harder than me… But at the same time, I have to get this enemy defeated,' he added." Well at least some of his political advisors have finally gotten through his "instincts" and he's attempting to show empathy. But it's really awkward and painful to watch because it's not his forte. Also, just a reminder, the president has famously been quoted that he doesn't sleep more than a few hours anyway.
"The Supreme Court on Wednesday will consider whether the Trump administration can give employers more leeway in refusing to provide employees with free birth control by citing religious or moral objections."
"Attorney General William Barr made a last-minute push Monday to persuade the administration to modify its position in the Obamacare dispute that will be heard at the Supreme Court this fall, arguing that the administration should pull back from its insistence that the entire law be struck down." This is a zero-risk play to try and seem moderate.
"A federal judge is calling for an investigation to find out whether Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) pressured a Washington, D.C., federal judge to retire so the senator could nominate judge Justin Walker, a 38-year-old Kentucky federal judge who was confirmed for his current role in October." Please be Merrick Garland.
Tuesday, May 5, 2020
Linkee-poo Tuesday
"Flying without astronauts on a demonstration flight in Earth orbit, a test model of a next-generation Chinese crew capsule lifted off Tuesday on top of a heavy-lift Long March 5B rocket, the same launcher configuration that will loft segments of China’s planned space station."
"The White House has blocked members of its coronavirus task force from appearing before congressional lawmakers this month without the express approval of President Donald Trump’s top deputy, according to several media reports." But they can make daily appearances in press briefings.
"Doctors around the world have reported more cases of a rare but potentially lethal inflammatory syndrome in children that appears to be linked to coronavirus infections… Nearly 100 cases of the unusual illness have emerged in at least six countries, with doctors in Britain, the US, France, Italy, Spain and Switzerland now reported to be investigating the condition." This is a very tricky and destructive virus.
"A hospital near Paris says a recently performed test of a patient admitted for pneumonia in December 2019 has come back positive for the coronavirus, indicating that the virus spread farther, faster than previously known." Jazz hands.
"The Trump administration on Monday pushed back against an internal government report, obtained by The New York Times, that predicts the daily coronavirus death toll could nearly double in the United States by early June."
"In Flint, Mich., a security guard at a Family Dollar store was fatally shot on Friday afternoon after an altercation that the guard’s wife told The New York Times had occurred over a customer refusing to wear a face covering, which is required in Michigan in any enclosed public space." Put on the goddamn mask. Is it uncomfortable? Yes it is. If you think a cloth mask is bad, try an N95 for a few minutes. Then try being intubated. Put on the goddamn mask.
"Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that California will allow some retail businesses to reopen with modifications as early as Friday, amid encouraging coronavirus benchmarks."
"About 4.5 million Italians are returning to work Monday as Italy — one of the countries hardest hit by COVID-19 — begins lifting some restrictions meant to stop the spread of the disease."
A real fight begins. "Big businesses and powerful Democrats are aligning around a proposal to bail out employer health plans in the wake of staggering losses to the insurance industry, as some worry that a surge in uninsured Americans could give new life to a stalled push for 'Medicare for All.'"
"Three frontline health care workers have mysteriously fallen out of hospital windows in Russia over the past two weeks, heightening public attention to the working conditions for doctors and medical professionals amid the coronavirus pandemic… All three incidents, which are being investigated by Russian law enforcement authorities, have prompted intense discussion in the Russian press and on social media." Seems like "falling out of windows" is reaching epidemic levels in Russia. Stay safe my Russian friends. You never know when it'll be you next.
"Intelligence shared among Five Eyes nations indicates it is 'highly unlikely' that the coronavirus outbreak was spread as a result of an accident in a laboratory but rather originated in a Chinese market, according to two Western officials who cited an intelligence assessment that appears to contradict claims by President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo."
"World leaders held an online summit Monday aimed at galvanizing global efforts to develop a coronavirus vaccine. At the end of the three-hour meeting, billions of dollars had been pledged to fund the efforts… Notably absent from the meeting were any officials from the Trump administration in the U.S., the country with the highest confirmed death toll from the new disease by far. Russia also declined to join the meeting." Leading the world by (checks notes) staying home and not talking with anyone.
"Pfizer said Tuesday it has begun testing an experimental vaccine to combat the coronavirus in the United States… The U.S.-based pharmaceutical giant, which is working alongside German drugmaker BioNTech, said the first human participants in the United States have been dosed with the potential vaccine, BNT162. They began human trials of the experimental vaccine late last month in Germany."
"Donald Trump is effectively abandoning a public health strategy for the coronavirus pandemic and showing 'clear willingness to trade lives for the Dow Jones', critics say… A leaked internal White House report predicts the daily death toll from the virus will reach about 3,000 on 1 June, almost double the current tally of about 1,750, the New York Times revealed on Monday."
"Tim Bray, a well known senior engineer and Vice President at Amazon has 'quit in dismay' because Amazon has been 'firing whistleblowers who were making noise about warehouse employees frightened of Covid-19.' In an open letter on his website, Bray, who has worked at the company for nearly six years, called the company 'chickenshit' for firing and disparaging employees who have organized protests. He also said the firings are 'designed to create a climate of fear.'" Yeah, we all get that, Tim. Thanks.
"If there was an Olympics of Logical Fallacies, Donald Trump would win gold in the Begging the Question luge." Jim Wright's latest post.
Good news, everybody. "'Telework is proving a great boon to the service Social Security provides to the American people,' says Ralph deJuliis, who works at the SSA's office in Tulsa, Okla. 'We are getting the checks to people faster and quicker.'… According to deJuliis, the SSA has found that its backlog of pending cases has fallen by 11% since March 23, when the agency instituted wide-scale telework, and that calls from recipients are answered more quickly."
On why you don't tolerate mercenaries. "Venezuelan authorities have detained two US citizens allegedly working with a US military veteran who has claimed responsibility for a failed armed incursion into the oil-producing country, President Nicolas Maduro said on Monday." They supposedly had US passports on them. Fucking amateurs.
"President Donald Trump's pick to be director of national intelligence, Rep. John Ratcliffe, pledged to deliver unbiased intelligence to the President and Congress amid questions about the Texas Republican's loyalty to a President deeply skeptical of the intelligence community… Ratcliffe is appearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee after he was selected by the President a second time to be the nation's spy chief. Ratcliffe withdrew from consideration when he was first tapped for the role last summer amid concerns from even some Republicans about exaggerations to his national security resume, but Trump picked him again in February for the role."
From the Daily Beast, but… "Ratcliffe’s official, verified campaign Twitter account follows several accounts on the political fringe, including a 9/11 truther account with just one follower besides himself and four promoting the outlandish QAnon conspiracy theory, which posits that the world is run by a cabal of Democratic pedophile-cannibals—and has been ruled a potential source of domestic terrorism by the FBI."
"On a private call with members Monday afternoon, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her deputies sketched the outline of a trillion-dollar-plus package that would deliver aid to state and local governments — some on the brink of public service cuts — while shoring up safety-net programs for the nation’s most vulnerable."
"A lawyer for CNN's parent company WarnerMedia has written a cease-and-desist letter to President Trump's re-election campaign over the misleading contents of a new campaign ad… WarnerMedia says the Trump ad is misusing CNN news coverage in a way that's 'false, misleading and deceptive.'" They have no defense if they can't lie.
"The White House has blocked members of its coronavirus task force from appearing before congressional lawmakers this month without the express approval of President Donald Trump’s top deputy, according to several media reports." But they can make daily appearances in press briefings.
"Doctors around the world have reported more cases of a rare but potentially lethal inflammatory syndrome in children that appears to be linked to coronavirus infections… Nearly 100 cases of the unusual illness have emerged in at least six countries, with doctors in Britain, the US, France, Italy, Spain and Switzerland now reported to be investigating the condition." This is a very tricky and destructive virus.
"A hospital near Paris says a recently performed test of a patient admitted for pneumonia in December 2019 has come back positive for the coronavirus, indicating that the virus spread farther, faster than previously known." Jazz hands.
"The Trump administration on Monday pushed back against an internal government report, obtained by The New York Times, that predicts the daily coronavirus death toll could nearly double in the United States by early June."
"In Flint, Mich., a security guard at a Family Dollar store was fatally shot on Friday afternoon after an altercation that the guard’s wife told The New York Times had occurred over a customer refusing to wear a face covering, which is required in Michigan in any enclosed public space." Put on the goddamn mask. Is it uncomfortable? Yes it is. If you think a cloth mask is bad, try an N95 for a few minutes. Then try being intubated. Put on the goddamn mask.
"Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that California will allow some retail businesses to reopen with modifications as early as Friday, amid encouraging coronavirus benchmarks."
"About 4.5 million Italians are returning to work Monday as Italy — one of the countries hardest hit by COVID-19 — begins lifting some restrictions meant to stop the spread of the disease."
A real fight begins. "Big businesses and powerful Democrats are aligning around a proposal to bail out employer health plans in the wake of staggering losses to the insurance industry, as some worry that a surge in uninsured Americans could give new life to a stalled push for 'Medicare for All.'"
"Three frontline health care workers have mysteriously fallen out of hospital windows in Russia over the past two weeks, heightening public attention to the working conditions for doctors and medical professionals amid the coronavirus pandemic… All three incidents, which are being investigated by Russian law enforcement authorities, have prompted intense discussion in the Russian press and on social media." Seems like "falling out of windows" is reaching epidemic levels in Russia. Stay safe my Russian friends. You never know when it'll be you next.
"Intelligence shared among Five Eyes nations indicates it is 'highly unlikely' that the coronavirus outbreak was spread as a result of an accident in a laboratory but rather originated in a Chinese market, according to two Western officials who cited an intelligence assessment that appears to contradict claims by President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo."
"World leaders held an online summit Monday aimed at galvanizing global efforts to develop a coronavirus vaccine. At the end of the three-hour meeting, billions of dollars had been pledged to fund the efforts… Notably absent from the meeting were any officials from the Trump administration in the U.S., the country with the highest confirmed death toll from the new disease by far. Russia also declined to join the meeting." Leading the world by (checks notes) staying home and not talking with anyone.
"Pfizer said Tuesday it has begun testing an experimental vaccine to combat the coronavirus in the United States… The U.S.-based pharmaceutical giant, which is working alongside German drugmaker BioNTech, said the first human participants in the United States have been dosed with the potential vaccine, BNT162. They began human trials of the experimental vaccine late last month in Germany."
"Donald Trump is effectively abandoning a public health strategy for the coronavirus pandemic and showing 'clear willingness to trade lives for the Dow Jones', critics say… A leaked internal White House report predicts the daily death toll from the virus will reach about 3,000 on 1 June, almost double the current tally of about 1,750, the New York Times revealed on Monday."
"Tim Bray, a well known senior engineer and Vice President at Amazon has 'quit in dismay' because Amazon has been 'firing whistleblowers who were making noise about warehouse employees frightened of Covid-19.' In an open letter on his website, Bray, who has worked at the company for nearly six years, called the company 'chickenshit' for firing and disparaging employees who have organized protests. He also said the firings are 'designed to create a climate of fear.'" Yeah, we all get that, Tim. Thanks.
"If there was an Olympics of Logical Fallacies, Donald Trump would win gold in the Begging the Question luge." Jim Wright's latest post.
Good news, everybody. "'Telework is proving a great boon to the service Social Security provides to the American people,' says Ralph deJuliis, who works at the SSA's office in Tulsa, Okla. 'We are getting the checks to people faster and quicker.'… According to deJuliis, the SSA has found that its backlog of pending cases has fallen by 11% since March 23, when the agency instituted wide-scale telework, and that calls from recipients are answered more quickly."
On why you don't tolerate mercenaries. "Venezuelan authorities have detained two US citizens allegedly working with a US military veteran who has claimed responsibility for a failed armed incursion into the oil-producing country, President Nicolas Maduro said on Monday." They supposedly had US passports on them. Fucking amateurs.
"President Donald Trump's pick to be director of national intelligence, Rep. John Ratcliffe, pledged to deliver unbiased intelligence to the President and Congress amid questions about the Texas Republican's loyalty to a President deeply skeptical of the intelligence community… Ratcliffe is appearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee after he was selected by the President a second time to be the nation's spy chief. Ratcliffe withdrew from consideration when he was first tapped for the role last summer amid concerns from even some Republicans about exaggerations to his national security resume, but Trump picked him again in February for the role."
From the Daily Beast, but… "Ratcliffe’s official, verified campaign Twitter account follows several accounts on the political fringe, including a 9/11 truther account with just one follower besides himself and four promoting the outlandish QAnon conspiracy theory, which posits that the world is run by a cabal of Democratic pedophile-cannibals—and has been ruled a potential source of domestic terrorism by the FBI."
"On a private call with members Monday afternoon, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her deputies sketched the outline of a trillion-dollar-plus package that would deliver aid to state and local governments — some on the brink of public service cuts — while shoring up safety-net programs for the nation’s most vulnerable."
"A lawyer for CNN's parent company WarnerMedia has written a cease-and-desist letter to President Trump's re-election campaign over the misleading contents of a new campaign ad… WarnerMedia says the Trump ad is misusing CNN news coverage in a way that's 'false, misleading and deceptive.'" They have no defense if they can't lie.
Monday, May 4, 2020
Linkee-poo Mondays
Good Omens Lockdown (a video). A phone call between Aziraphale and Crowley in the middle of their social distancing. (Grokked from Neil Gaiman)
Because it's not bad enough… "A roughly 2-inch long insect known as the 'murder hornet' has made its way to the U.S. for the first time ever, researchers said. The Asian giant hornet, Vespa mandarinia, has been known to kill up to 50 people a year in Japan, according to The New York Times, and has the potential to devastate U.S. bee populations, which have already been declining." Funny how I think we had to kill a colony at the day job last year. And yes, they're mean little assholes.
Tom Hanks, general mensch. "With the coronavirus pandemic canceling in-person graduation ceremonies across the US, students are feeling robbed of one of life's biggest moments. But leave it to America's dad, Tom Hanks, to uplift spirits."
"The discovery of a giant fossilised tail belonging to the theropod Spinosaurus aegyptiacus suggests these huge predators were aquatic animals after all, using tail-propelled locomotion to swim and hunt in rivers millions of years ago."
"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently said lower-grade surgical masks are “an acceptable alternative” to N95 masks unless workers are performing an intubation or another procedure on a COVID patient that could unleash a high volume of virus particles… But scholars, nonprofit leaders and former regulators in the specialized field of occupational safety say relying on surgical masks — which are considerably less protective than N95 respirators — is almost certainly fueling illness among front-line health workers, who likely make up about 11% of all known COVID-19 cases." They forgot to mention that those of us working with COVID-19 patients also know that surgical masks, or procedure masks, aren't enough protection. But we're being sent into rooms wearing them (although recently restrictions against following our own prerogatives on PPE have been lifted in my department, before this we could be disciplined if we wore an N95 mask/gown into a patient's room who wasn't diagnosed C-19 positive, or under investigation - ie. has symptoms and is being tested). Now ask us our opinions on reuse and "sterilization" and reuse of N95 masks (we've been collecting for the sterilization process, but so far have not received any masks back).
"As Chicagoans and Illinois residents enjoyed the second straight day of warm spring weather, the governor again implored people to adhere to the state’s stay-at-home order. With restrictions in place since mid-March, some weary residents drawn outside by ample sunshine and temperatures in the 70s began to stretch the boundaries or simply ignore the statewide rules." Same here. Hello second wave of infections.
"Though the coronavirus remains a serious threat in Washington, D.C., U.S. senators return to the Capitol from their home states on Monday, more than five weeks after their last formal gathering and roll call votes." Gotta confirm those judges and fill up the courts.
"The US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, claimed on Sunday there is 'enormous evidence' the coronavirus outbreak originated in a Chinese laboratory – but did not provide any of the alleged evidence." That's because there is none. They'll move the goalposts to say SARS-CoV2 was halted and only existed in a lab, from where it escaped and began reinfecting people. This is also demonstrably untrue, but at least they won't have to defend how the virus shows no evidence for having been created or adjusted in a laboratory. We have always been at war with EastAsia.
"America's crisis centers and hotlines are themselves in crisis. As people grapple with fear, loneliness and grief, on a grand scale, those stresses are showing up at crisis hotlines. Not only are the needs greater, but their clients' problems are more acute and complex and offer a window into the emotional struggles Americans face." And sending people with suicidal intentions to the ER where they may be exposed to SARS-CoV2 might not be a good idea. Just like this pandemic exposed the fault lines in our economy, it's exposing the fault lines in our society. People are stressed, and "the home" is not the refuge we tell ourselves it is.
Also along that line of reasoning… "Mayra Jimenez had just lost the job she loved — and the health insurance that went along with it… The 35-year-old San Francisco server needed coverage. Jimenez has ulcerative colitis, a chronic condition. Just one of her medications costs $18,000 per year." Universal single payer healthcare.
"Covid-related slaughterhouse shutdowns in the US are leading to fears of meat shortages and price rises, while farmers are being forced to consider “depopulating” their animals… At least two million animals have already reportedly been culled on farm, and that number is expected to rise. Approved methods for slaughtering poultry include slow suffocation by covering them with foam, or by shutting off the ventilation into the barns." A post-apocalypse hellscape isn't just going to create itself, people.
"There was real reason to indulge in each of these hopes (of an end to the pandemic). But in the past several days, a series of developments have undermined the factual basis for all of them. So I am, finally, starting to reconcile myself to a darker reality: The miracle of deliverance is not in sight."
"Tirado received a total of $2,200 as part of the coronavirus relief aid from the U.S. government on April 15. She used the money to pay off her overdue April mortgage payment and hired a repairman to fix her garbage disposal." Most people will do this (because most people are very practical). However, paying debt doesn't help the economy.
"U.S. airline shares were down sharply again on Monday, this time after Warren Buffett said Berkshire Hathaway sold its entire stakes in the four largest U.S. carriers as coronavirus devastates travel demand."
The retail apocalypse continues… "J. Crew Group Inc filed for bankruptcy protection on Monday with a plan to hand over control to lenders, adding to a list of brick-and-mortar retailers pushed to the brink by widespread store closures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic."
"Israel's top court is deciding whether corruption charges should bar Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from forming a government." Yes.
"After admitting US coronavirus deaths could hit 90,000, President Donald Trump is bemoaning his own plight -- complaining that he has been treated worse by the press than Abraham Lincoln." Poor, little snowflake. Nobody is buying his lies. He's also moved the goalposts on deaths from COVID-19. Remember, "only 15, soon it'll be zero, just like a miracle"? You know, they shot Lincoln.
"President Trump is moving to replace the Department of Health and Human Services watchdog whose office found severe shortages of medical supplies in hospitals as COVID-19 cases surged… In a Friday night announcement, the White House named Jason Weida as its nominee to take the permanent inspector general post currently occupied by Christi Grimm, who's been in that role in an acting capacity since January." The Friday night purges will continue until moral improves.
Because it's not bad enough… "A roughly 2-inch long insect known as the 'murder hornet' has made its way to the U.S. for the first time ever, researchers said. The Asian giant hornet, Vespa mandarinia, has been known to kill up to 50 people a year in Japan, according to The New York Times, and has the potential to devastate U.S. bee populations, which have already been declining." Funny how I think we had to kill a colony at the day job last year. And yes, they're mean little assholes.
Tom Hanks, general mensch. "With the coronavirus pandemic canceling in-person graduation ceremonies across the US, students are feeling robbed of one of life's biggest moments. But leave it to America's dad, Tom Hanks, to uplift spirits."
"The discovery of a giant fossilised tail belonging to the theropod Spinosaurus aegyptiacus suggests these huge predators were aquatic animals after all, using tail-propelled locomotion to swim and hunt in rivers millions of years ago."
"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently said lower-grade surgical masks are “an acceptable alternative” to N95 masks unless workers are performing an intubation or another procedure on a COVID patient that could unleash a high volume of virus particles… But scholars, nonprofit leaders and former regulators in the specialized field of occupational safety say relying on surgical masks — which are considerably less protective than N95 respirators — is almost certainly fueling illness among front-line health workers, who likely make up about 11% of all known COVID-19 cases." They forgot to mention that those of us working with COVID-19 patients also know that surgical masks, or procedure masks, aren't enough protection. But we're being sent into rooms wearing them (although recently restrictions against following our own prerogatives on PPE have been lifted in my department, before this we could be disciplined if we wore an N95 mask/gown into a patient's room who wasn't diagnosed C-19 positive, or under investigation - ie. has symptoms and is being tested). Now ask us our opinions on reuse and "sterilization" and reuse of N95 masks (we've been collecting for the sterilization process, but so far have not received any masks back).
"As Chicagoans and Illinois residents enjoyed the second straight day of warm spring weather, the governor again implored people to adhere to the state’s stay-at-home order. With restrictions in place since mid-March, some weary residents drawn outside by ample sunshine and temperatures in the 70s began to stretch the boundaries or simply ignore the statewide rules." Same here. Hello second wave of infections.
"Though the coronavirus remains a serious threat in Washington, D.C., U.S. senators return to the Capitol from their home states on Monday, more than five weeks after their last formal gathering and roll call votes." Gotta confirm those judges and fill up the courts.
"The US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, claimed on Sunday there is 'enormous evidence' the coronavirus outbreak originated in a Chinese laboratory – but did not provide any of the alleged evidence." That's because there is none. They'll move the goalposts to say SARS-CoV2 was halted and only existed in a lab, from where it escaped and began reinfecting people. This is also demonstrably untrue, but at least they won't have to defend how the virus shows no evidence for having been created or adjusted in a laboratory. We have always been at war with EastAsia.
"America's crisis centers and hotlines are themselves in crisis. As people grapple with fear, loneliness and grief, on a grand scale, those stresses are showing up at crisis hotlines. Not only are the needs greater, but their clients' problems are more acute and complex and offer a window into the emotional struggles Americans face." And sending people with suicidal intentions to the ER where they may be exposed to SARS-CoV2 might not be a good idea. Just like this pandemic exposed the fault lines in our economy, it's exposing the fault lines in our society. People are stressed, and "the home" is not the refuge we tell ourselves it is.
Also along that line of reasoning… "Mayra Jimenez had just lost the job she loved — and the health insurance that went along with it… The 35-year-old San Francisco server needed coverage. Jimenez has ulcerative colitis, a chronic condition. Just one of her medications costs $18,000 per year." Universal single payer healthcare.
"Covid-related slaughterhouse shutdowns in the US are leading to fears of meat shortages and price rises, while farmers are being forced to consider “depopulating” their animals… At least two million animals have already reportedly been culled on farm, and that number is expected to rise. Approved methods for slaughtering poultry include slow suffocation by covering them with foam, or by shutting off the ventilation into the barns." A post-apocalypse hellscape isn't just going to create itself, people.
"There was real reason to indulge in each of these hopes (of an end to the pandemic). But in the past several days, a series of developments have undermined the factual basis for all of them. So I am, finally, starting to reconcile myself to a darker reality: The miracle of deliverance is not in sight."
"Tirado received a total of $2,200 as part of the coronavirus relief aid from the U.S. government on April 15. She used the money to pay off her overdue April mortgage payment and hired a repairman to fix her garbage disposal." Most people will do this (because most people are very practical). However, paying debt doesn't help the economy.
"U.S. airline shares were down sharply again on Monday, this time after Warren Buffett said Berkshire Hathaway sold its entire stakes in the four largest U.S. carriers as coronavirus devastates travel demand."
The retail apocalypse continues… "J. Crew Group Inc filed for bankruptcy protection on Monday with a plan to hand over control to lenders, adding to a list of brick-and-mortar retailers pushed to the brink by widespread store closures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic."
"Israel's top court is deciding whether corruption charges should bar Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from forming a government." Yes.
"After admitting US coronavirus deaths could hit 90,000, President Donald Trump is bemoaning his own plight -- complaining that he has been treated worse by the press than Abraham Lincoln." Poor, little snowflake. Nobody is buying his lies. He's also moved the goalposts on deaths from COVID-19. Remember, "only 15, soon it'll be zero, just like a miracle"? You know, they shot Lincoln.
"President Trump is moving to replace the Department of Health and Human Services watchdog whose office found severe shortages of medical supplies in hospitals as COVID-19 cases surged… In a Friday night announcement, the White House named Jason Weida as its nominee to take the permanent inspector general post currently occupied by Christi Grimm, who's been in that role in an acting capacity since January." The Friday night purges will continue until moral improves.
Friday, May 1, 2020
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