~~~~~~~~~~
Putin's War Crimes, Ctd.
An American friend of Reality Chex has redecorated the family's front porch:
The New York Times' live updates of developments Thursday in Russia's war on Ukraine are here: "President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine harangued his allies to find the will to take harsher measures against Moscow, as the European Union prepared Thursday to discuss another round of sanctions and a possible ban on Russian coal.... 'Russian troops have changed their tactics and are trying to remove the killed people from the streets and basements of the occupied territory,' Mr. Zelensky said in his nightly address on Wednesday. They would not succeed in hiding evidence, he said, 'because they killed a lot. Responsibility cannot be avoided.' Europe and the United States have moved to provide more weapons to Ukraine's military and further ostracize Russia economically with new penalties, including restrictions on its leading banks and on the assets of President Vladimir V. Putin's children. Russia has appeared to move closer to default on its foreign debt because of U.S. currency restrictions." ~~~
~~~ The Washington Post's live updates for Thursday are here: "... amid growing revelations over the gruesome killings in Bucha -- where The Washington Post recently saw the remnants of beheadings and a man whose body was connected to a tripwire for a land mine -- the United Nations could vote to expel Russia from its Human Rights Council.... President Volodymyr Zelensky pushed the West to go further, particularly by banning imports of Russian oil -- as the United States has done, though Europe continues to buy billions of dollars worth -- and by providing Ukraine with more weapons. Not doing so 'will be considered by Russia as a permission. A permission to go further. A permission to attack. A permission to start a new bloody wave in Donbas,' he said...." ~~~
~~~ The Guardian's live updates are here.
Kate Conger & David Sanger of the New York Times: “The United States said on Wednesday that it had secretly removed malware from computer networks around the world in recent weeks, a step to pre-empt Russian cyberattacks and send a message to ... Vladimir V. Putin of Russia. The move, made public by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, comes as U.S. officials warn that Russia could try to strike American critical infrastructure — including financial firms, pipelines and the electric grid — in response to the crushing sanctions that the United States has imposed on Moscow over the war in Ukraine. The malware enabled the Russians to create 'botnets' — networks of private computers that are infected with malicious software and controlled by the G.R.U., the intelligence arm of the Russian military. But it is unclear what the malware was intended to do, since it could be used for everything from surveillance to destructive attacks.”
Max Bearak & Louisa Loveluck of the Washington Post: "... the scale of the killings [in Bucha] and the depravity with which they were committed is only just becoming apparent as police, local officials and regular citizens start the grim task of clearing Bucha of the hundreds of corpses decomposing on streets and in parks, apartment buildings and other locations. As a team from the district prosecutor’s office moved slowly through Bucha on Wednesday, investigators uncovered evidence of torture before death, beheading and dismemberment, and the intentional burning of corpses. Some of the cruelest violence took place at a glass factory on the edge of town. On the gravel near a loading dock lay the body of Dmytro Chaplyhin, 21, whose abdomen was bruised black and blue, his hands marked with what looked like cigarette burns. He ultimately was killed by a gunshot to the chest, concluded team leader Ruslan Kravchenko. His body then was turned into a weapon, tied to a tripwire connected to a mine."
John Ismay of the New York Times: "Russian forces in Ukraine appear to be using a new type of weapon as they step up attacks on civilian targets: an advanced land mine equipped with sensors that can detect when people walk nearby. Ukrainian bomb technicians discovered the device, called the POM-3, last week near the eastern city of Kharkiv, according to Human Rights Watch, a leading human rights group, which has reviewed photos provided by Ukraine's military. Older types of land mines typically explode when victims accidentally step on them or disturb attached tripwires. But the POM-3's seismic sensor picks up on approaching footsteps and can effectively distinguish between humans and animals. Humanitarian deminers and groups that campaign against the use of land mines said the POM-3 would make future efforts to locate and destroy unexploded munitions in Ukraine vastly more complicated and deadlier." MB: In case you wondered how horrible Putin's army could be.
Cristina Marcos of the Hill: "The House passed bipartisan legislation on Wednesday that would require the Biden administration to detail its efforts to collect evidence of war crimes committed by Russian forces in Ukraine. The bill passed handily by a vote of 418-7. All seven votes in opposition were from Republicans. A spokesman for Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) confirmed that she mistakenly voted against the bill and will inform the House clerk that she meant to vote for it. The Republicans who opposed the bill were Reps. Andy Biggs (Ariz.), Warren Davidson (Ohio), Paul Gosar (Ariz.), Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.), Thomas Massie (Ky.) and Scott Perry (Pa.)." MB: IOW, the usual suspects.
The New York Times' live updates of developments Wednesday in Russia's war on Ukraine are here: "A day after President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine demanded a tougher global response to mounting evidence of atrocities by Russian forces, European Union and NATO leaders were meeting on Wednesday to consider additional sanctions against Moscow and military assistance to Ukraine. E.U. leaders were weighing a ban on buying Russian coal and a ban on Russian vessels in European ports, and deliberations were extended by a day to Thursday." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ The Washington Post's updates for Wednesday are here: "The Biden administration is escalating efforts to punish Russia amid global alarm over civilian deaths, imposing new sanctions that will include two of the country's largest banks as well as ... Vladimir Putin's adult children, said White House National Economic Council Director Brian Deese. The announcement comes as NATO foreign ministers are gathering in Brussels beginning Wednesday for discussions that include how to continue support for Ukraine, and to end fighting." (Also linked yesterday.)
David Leonhardt of the New York Times: “Donald Trump turned Vladimir Putin into a popular figure among a significant segment of Republican voters.... Putin's invasion of Ukraine has changed the situation, damaging his popularity in the U.S., even among Republicans.... Yet Trump's effect on Putin's popularity has not entirely disappeared: There is still a meaningful faction of Republican elites who feel an affinity for the Russian president.... Representative Liz Cheney, the Wyoming Republican..., describes it as 'the Putin wing of the G.O.P.'" Leonardt gathers up some remarks from the pro-Putin wing.
Luke Broadwater of the New York Times: "The House on Wednesday voted to recommend criminal contempt of Congress charges against Peter Navarro and Dan Scavino Jr., two close allies of ... Donald J. Trump, after the pair defied subpoenas from the special committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. The mostly party-line vote of 220 to 203 referred contempt charges to the Justice Department.... Only two Republicans, Representatives Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, both members of the investigative committee, voted for the charges.... [Before the vote,] Representative Kevin McCarthy, Republican of California and the minority leader, attacked the investigation in a floor speech as a 'political show trial' and accused the panel of bullying the men and trampling on their civil rights.... 'Democrats are using the power of the federal government to jail their political opponents.'... A contempt of Congress charge carries a penalty of up to a year in jail and a maximum fine of $100,000."The Guardian's story is here.
Travis Gettys of the Raw Story: "A longtime aide and spokesperson for Steve Bannon was interviewed by the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection this week. Alexandra Preate, who has been described as Bannon's 'consigliere' and reportedly worked with Donald Trump's White House staff on communications, was photographed at the 'Stop the Steal' rally that preceded the attack on the U.S. Capitol, and two sources confirmed that she met with congressional investigators, reported Rolling Stone." The Rolling Stone story is firewalled. (Also linked yesterday.)
Mychael Schnell of the Hill: "The president of a West Virginia Proud Boys branch pleaded guilty on Wednesday to one count of illegally entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds on Jan. 6, 2021, the latest individual to admit to charges connected to the attack on the Capitol. Jeffrey Finley, 29, is facing up to one year in prison, according to his plea agreement provided to The Hill. His sentencing is scheduled for July 19." Finley was pictured in photos & in videos showing him breaking into the Capitol. He later boasted on social media about breaching the building, but days later took down his posts, which included photos & videos of himself & other Proud Boys.
Alan Feuer of the New York Times: "A federal judge decided on Wednesday that a former government contractor from New Mexico who claimed that the police let him into the Capitol during last year's pro-Trump riot was not guilty of four petty offenses, the first acquittal connected to the sprawling investigation of the attack. At a two-day bench trial in Federal District Court in Washington, the defendant, Matthew Martin, admitted that he went into the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, along with hundreds of other supporters of ... Donald J. Trump. But he claimed that he had not broken the law because two Capitol Police officers had waved him in through a door.... Ruling in favor of the defense, Judge Trevor N. McFadden said he found it plausible that Mr. Martin believed the police had let him in and thus had not knowingly gone into the building improperly." Politico's report is here.
Monica Hesse of the Washington Post: During a confirmation hearing, Judge "Ketanji Brown Jackson could not ... 'provide a definition for the word "woman."' Jackson replied that she was 'not a biologist.'... And neither could the people who said it should be easy." When tested, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Josh Hawley & Madison Cawthorn failed miserably. The photo accompanying the article of Josh Hawley trying to answer the question captures an hilarious Stump the Senator moment. Kudos to WashPo photographer Jabin Botsford.
Gosar Says He's Not Going to Hitler's Birthday Party, After All. Jerod MacDonald-Evoy of the Arizona Mirror: "Prescott Republican Congressman Paul Gosar was listed as a 'special guest' with the white nationalist >American Populist Union at an event that will be on a date popular among white nationalists and Neo-Nazis: Hitler's birthday. The American Populist Social will be held in Tempe on April 20, a date revered by white suprememacista and Neo-Nazis. But Gosar’s campaign says he isn't attending and it doesn't know how he was listed as a guest of honor, even though Gosar promoted his scheduled appearance on social media." After this story, indicating Gosar would be attending the Hitler bash, was originally published, Gosar's office contacted the Mirror & said he would not attend; according to the Mirror, 'Gosar's office did not respond to multiple requests for comment before the story was published.'"
Miss Margie Is Not Amused. Josephine Harvey of Yahoo!: "Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, the Georgia Republican who liked social media posts about executing prominent Democrats, said Wednesday she had reported comedian Jimmy Kimmel to the U.S. Capitol Police for making a slap joke about her. During his monologue on Tuesday night, Kimmel ridiculed Greene for accusing three Republican senators of being 'pro-pedophile' because they voted to confirm Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson. 'Wow, where is Will Smith when you really need him, huh?' Kimmel quipped, referring to the actor who slapped comedian Chris Rock onstage at the Oscars last month." MB: So when the Capitol Police put out an APB, will it be for Jimmy Kimmel or Will Smith? Or both. I can just hear them whispering into their radios, "Be on the lookout for West Coast TV comedian accompanied by 'Men in Black' star. One arm dangerous."
Chris Cameron of the New York Times: "A fox that bit at least nine people on Capitol Hill, possibly including [Rep. Ami Bera (D-Calif.)], tested positive for rabies on Wednesday, according to city health officials, after she had been euthanized in a grim turn in an episode that had briefly captivated those who live and work around Congress. 'The D.C. Public Health Lab has confirmed the fox that was captured yesterday tested positive for the rabies virus,' a statement from the city's health agency said, advising anyone who had come into contact with the animal or its offspring to reach out to the authorities. 'D.C. Health is contacting all human victims who were bitten by the fox.'... The late vixen's children -- known as kits -- were also found on the Capitol grounds and recovered on Wednesday morning, D.C. Health said. Officials said they were still determining what to do with the kits."
CJ Agrees: the Shadow Docket Sucks. Robert Barnes of the Washington Post: "Conservatives on the Supreme Court on Wednesday reinstated for now a Trump-era environmental rule that limited the ability of states to block projects that could pollute rivers and streams, a decision more notable because Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. joined liberals in calling it an abuse of the court's emergency powers. The five members of the court who granted the request from Louisiana, other states and the oil and gas industry did not explain their reasoning, which is common in emergency requests at the court. But Justice Elena Kagan, dissenting along with Roberts and Justices Stephen G. Breyer and Sonia Sotomayor, said her conservative colleagues were turning what critics have called the court's 'shadow docket' into something it was never intended to be. The majority's order 'renders the Court's emergency docket not for emergencies at all,' Kagan wrote. 'The docket becomes only another place for merits determinations -- except made without full briefing and argument.'"
Judge Brushes off Trump's Frivolous Demand. Kyle Cheney & Josh Gerstein of Politico: "A federal judge -- nominated to the bench by President Bill Clinton in 1996 -- on Wednesday emphatically rejected Donald Trump's demand that he recuse from Trump's sprawling lawsuit against Hillary Clinton, declaring that there's no legitimate basis to demand that he step back from the case. In a five-page order, Judge Donald Middlebrooks emphasized that he has never met either of the Clintons and was confirmed by unanimous consent in the Senate, requiring backing from both parties.... Middlebrooks also pointed out he was chosen by a judicial selection commission appointed by Florida's bipartisan Senate delegation at the time: Democratic Sen. Bob Graham and Republican Sen. Connie Mack.... 'Every federal judge is appointed by a president who is affiliated with a major political party, and, therefore, every federal judge could theoretically be viewed as beholden, to some extent or another,' Middlebrooks wrote. 'As judges, we must all transcend politics.'... ~~~
~~~ “Middlebrooks observed that Trump filed his lawsuit in the Fort Pierce division of the Southern District of the Florida federal court and that the only District Court judge who sits in that division is a Trump appointee. However, under the court's docketing system, the case wound up assigned to Middlebrooks, who sits in West Palm Beach.... Middlebrooks ... suggest[ed] that Trump's legal team was judge-shopping.... Trump, Middlebrooks noted, never seemed to have those ethical qualms when his legal matters landed in front of judges he nominated to the bench."
Unexplained News. Michael Balsamo of the AP: "Federal prosecutors on Wednesday charged two men they say were posing as federal agents, giving free apartments and other gifts to U.S. Secret Service agents, including one who worked on the first lady's security detail. The two men -- Arian Taherzadeh, 40, and Haider Ali, 36 -- were taken into custody as more than a dozen FBI agents charged into a luxury apartment building in Southeast Washington on Wednesday evening.... Prosecutors said four Secret Service employees were placed on leave earlier this week as part of the investigation.... Authorities did not detail what, if anything, the men were aiming to accomplish by posing as law enforcement officers or by providing the gifts. Prosecutors said the investigation remains ongoing."
The Three Fs. Erin Doherty of Axios: "Democratic National Committee chair Jaime Harrison on Wednesday slammed the Republican Party, saying "it is a party built on fraud, fear and fascism" in an interview on MSNBC's Morning Joe. MB: I don't think Harrison likes Sen. Tom Cotton (Rrrr-Ark.) that much, either; Harrison described Cotton as a "little maggot-infested man." (Also linked yesterday.)
Matt Egan of CNN: "The Federal Reserve's fight against inflation will spark a recession in the United States that begins late next year, Deutsche Bank warned on Tuesday. The recession call -- the first from a major bank -- reflects growing concern that the Fed will hit the brakes on the economy so hard that it will inadvertently end the recovery that began just two years ago." (Also linked yesterday.)
Jesus Is a Trumpbot. Elizabeth Dias & Ruth Graham of the New York Times: "Rituals of Christian worship have become embedded in conservative rallies, as praise music and prayer blend with political anger over vaccines and the 2020 election.... At events across the United States, it is not unusual for participants to describe encountering the divine and feel they are doing their part to install God's kingdom on earth. For them, right-wing political activity itself is becoming a holy act. These Christians are joining secular members of the right wing, including media-savvy opportunists and those touting disinformation. They represent a wide array of discontent, from opposing vaccine mandates to promoting election conspiracy theories. For many, pandemic restrictions that temporarily closed houses of worship accelerated their distrust of government and made churchgoing political."
A Massive Study Finds the Obvious. Guardian & Agencies: "Most American gun owners say they own firearms to protect themselves and their loved ones, but a study published this week suggests people who live with handgun owners are shot to death at a higher rate than those who don't have such weapons at home. 'We found zero evidence of any kind of protective effects' from living in a home with a handgun, said David Studdert, a Stanford University researcher who was the lead author of the Annals of Internal Medicine study. The study followed nearly 600,000 Californians...."
Katie Robertson of the New York Times: "Eric Boehlert, a veteran journalist who was a fierce critic of right-wing misinformation and hypocrisy in the news media, died on Monday in New Jersey. He was 57. Mr. Boehlert was struck by a New Jersey Transit train while riding his bicycle near the Watchung Avenue station in Montclair. His death was confirmed by his wife, Tracy Breslin. A frequent commentator on television and radio, as well as a prolific writer, Mr. Boehlert never shied away from searing critiques of what he saw as bias in the mainstream press and the circular impact of media on politics. After more than a decade as a senior fellow at Media Matters for America, a left-leaning media monitoring group, Mr. Boehlert had in recent years started his own newsletter, Press Run, as a vehicle for his commentary." ~~~
~~~ Deadline's obituary is here. digby writes a short piece here.
The Pandemic, Ctd.
A Good Times Was Had by All -- Till They Got Covid. Paul Farhi, et al., of the Washington Post: "More than a dozen guests who attended Saturday night's Gridiron Club dinner -- including two Cabinet members, two members of Congress and a top aide to Vice President Harris -- have since tested positive for coronavirus.... A-list guests were asked to show proof of vaccination but not negative tests, and many mingled freely without masks at the dinner at the downtown Renaissance Washington Hotel. But by Wednesday, Reps. Adam B. Schiff (D-Calif.) and Joaquin Castro (D-Tex.) and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo had announced they had tested positive. They were soon followed by Attorney General Merrick Garland, who requested a test Wednesday afternoon after learning he may have been exposed -- and discovered that he, too, carried the virus. Thus far, none have reported serious illness. Jamal Simmons, the communications director for Vice President Harris, said later Wednesday he, too, had tested positive and is now isolating at home.... About a half-dozen journalists as well as members of the White House and National Security Council staffs who said they tested positive after the event." A Hill story is here.
Beyond the Beltway
Kentucky. Amelia Nierenberg of the New York Times: "Gov. Andy Beshear of Kentucky vetoed a bill on Wednesday that would prevent transgender girls and women from playing on girls' sports teams in middle school and high school. The State Legislature, which is dominated by Republicans, could override the veto with a simple majority in both chambers, and analysts expect lawmakers to do so when they reconvene next Wednesday. The bill had easily passed both chambers. Mr. Beshear, a Democrat, wrote in his veto that the bill 'discriminates against transgender children' and thus 'most likely' violates the equal protections enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. Republican governors in Utah and Indiana have recently vetoed similar legislation, and the governors of Kansas, Louisiana and North Dakota did so last year. The Utah Legislature overrode the veto, becoming the 12th state to enact legislation barring young transgender athletes from participating in girls' sports. Republican lawmakers are expected to override the Indiana veto, too."
Tennessee. Melissa Brown of the Tennessean: "A Tennessee bill to exclude same-sex couples from a proposed legal marriage contract process sparked widespread backlash after sponsors initially failed to include a minimum age limit in the legislation, though sponsors have submitted amendments to address the issue. Widespread public outcry spread Tuesday over child welfare concerns, as critics said a pathway to marriage without minimum age limits relaxes guardrails to protect minors from predatory behavior and abuse. The bill would create an alternate pathway to marriage, allowing opposite-sex couples to file marriage 'contracts,' based on common law principles that have not yet been legally recognized in Tennessee. The contracts would not be available to same-sex couples. Sponsors of the legislation have now added amendments specifying a man and woman seeking the contract must have 'attained the age of majority,' which is 18 in Tennessee." MB: So, at the last minute, the legislators decided against child abuse, but they're still pushing for LGBTQ discrimination. Nice.
Texas. Hannah Knowles of the Washington Post: "The governor of Texas said Wednesday that his state will start busing and flying undocumented immigrants to the nation's capital, escalating his clash with the Biden administration over border policy and its plans to phase out pandemic-era restrictions. Gov. Greg Abbott (R) announced the busing as part of a broader crackdown amid rising illegal crossings and fears that restoring old policies will overwhelm border communities. For two years, a federal health order called Title 42 has allowed the government to expel more than 1.7 million migrants in the name of controlling covid-19. Republicans and Democrats alike have expressed alarms about a humanitarian 'crisis' at the U.S. border with Mexico, but Abbott's critics accuse him of favoring flashy politics over effective solutions." MB: Never underestimate the cruelty of a Republican running for office. ~~~
~~~ Even Abbott Noticed He Was Meaner than a Junkyard Dog. James Barragan of the Texas Tribune: "At a press conference on Wednesday, Abbott unveiled a stunning plan that sent a shockwave through the immigration rights community: Texas would place state troopers in riot gear to meet migrants at the border and bus them straight to the steps of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., where he said the Biden administration 'will be able to more immediately address the needs of the people that they are allowing to come across our border.' But soon after the press conference, Abbott's office released more details about the plan that struck a notably softer tone. The governor's office clarified that the program is completely voluntary for migrants and would happen only after they had been processed and released by the Department of Homeland Security. And in addition to buses, Abbott also ordered the state to charter flights to transport migrants to the nation's capital."
Way Beyond
France. Norimitsu Onishi & Constant Méheut of the New York Times: "With just days to go before the first round of France's presidential election, President Emmanuel Macron is still the odds-on favorite to make it through the political juggernaut and win a second term. But even if he does succeed, and before a single ballot is cast, another clear winner has already emerged from the race. The French right. Despite a late surge by Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the leading left-wing candidate, virtually the entire French campaign has been fought on the right and far right, whose candidates dominate the polls and whose themes and talking points -- issues of national identity, immigration and Islam -- have dominated the political debate. The far right has even become the champion of pocketbook issues, traditionally the left's turf.... In a tightening race, the candidate [Macron] is most likely to face in a runoff two weeks from Sunday's initial voting is Marine Le Pen, the far-right leader of the National Rally, according to polls."
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Reader Comments (6)
Think I've said the like before- haven't had a new thought in years--but here's maybe another way to say it:
The melding of fundamentalist religion's beliefs, tropes and behaviors with the radical right's political action should surprise no one.
After all, fundamentalist religious belief, its assertions that the Bible is literally true, that each of us has a personal relationship with some sort of Higher Being who actually cares about us and will after our death provide the means of our eternal salvation has to be seen as the greatest Groomer of all.
People trained to believe that bucket of bunkum have learned to believe anything. They have been groomed in fact to worry about all kinds of things that don't exist, including their recent hysteria about all that gay grooming they only fancy.
Sorry to read of Eric Boehlert's death. He's one guy who deserves a pleasant afterlife. He earned it.
E. J. Dionne today
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/04/06/red-vs-blue-america-on-health-care-abortion/
Two thoughts on divided America's divided SCOTUS:
About that oath of office thing for SCOTUS justices: I believe the oath(s) taken by the Justices is to act impartially to defend the Constitution of the United States, not of, for instance, the constitution or laws of Mississippi or Missouri...Guess some too easily forget that United part.
And one other thing:
Those who tout the value of states' rights by lauding individual states as experimental laboratories for solving problems forget that many states "solve" problems like health care, climate change, gender fluidity and voting rights as fundamental to a democracy-- to name just a few--by denying, ignoring, or even outlawing them.
Seems there's a whole lot of forgetting at our courts' highest level.
Ken: You will love this: JamesWood reviews Fintan O'Toole's book on "How Ireland took the church and freed its soul."
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/04/11/how-ireland-took-on-the-church-and-freed-its-soul-fintan-otoole-we-dont-know-ourselves-a-personal-history-of-modern-ireland
And WE DID IT! FINALLY–- our first Black woman is going to sit on that court that will be much more Supreme because of her. And can you imagine those that nitpicked her to death are now feeling low down and dirty? Nah––they be on vacation and their vindictiveness will be forgotten just like their hypocrisies.
PD,
Yes. And treasonous Republicans will just have to put up with a black pro-molestation, child sex trafficking, pornography loving Democratic woman on THEIR court who eats babies and sells their undigested spare organs to Muslim terrorists who write CRT books and smuggle instructions into ‘merican school libberies for grooming first graders to become Trump hating, cross-dressing, sex change perverts who wipe their asses with pages torn out of the Holy Bible.
Oh, how hard their lives are.
Moscow Mitch bitches about court packing?!?!?!
This is like Trump whining that Democrats should have more respect for women, just like him.
I could go to town on similar analogies highlighting the stunning hypocrisy of such a statement, but I’m too disgusted. You can just see that tin pot testudinal tosser flashing that mirthless, self-satisfied death rictus in the R cloak room after such putrescence.
One should never underestimate the depths of depravity these vicious vipers can accommodate.