The Ledes

Wednesday, October 9, 2024

The Washington Post's live updates of Hurricane Milton developments are here: “Hurricane Milton, which has strengthened to a 'catastrophic' Category 5 storm, is closing in on Florida’s west coast and is expected to make landfall Wednesday night or early Thursday, the National Hurricane Center said. The hurricane, which could bring maximum sustained winds of nearly 160 mph with bigger gusts, poses a dire threat to the densely populated zone that includes Tampa, Sarasota and Fort Myers. As well as 'damaging hurricane-force winds,' coastal communities face a “life-threatening” storm surge, the center said.” ~~~

     ~~~ The New York Times' live updates are here.

Washington Post: “The Nobel Prize in chemistry was awarded to David Baker at the University of Washington and Demis Hassabis and John M. Jumper of Google DeepMind.... The prize was awarded to scientists who cracked the code of proteins. Hassabis and Jumper used artificial intelligence to predict the structure of proteins, one of the toughest problems in biology. Baker created computational tools to design novel proteins with shapes and functions that can be used in drugs, vaccines and sensors.”

Sorry, forgot this yesterday: ~~~

Reuters: “U.S. scientist John Hopfield and British-Canadian Geoffrey Hinton won the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics on Tuesday for discoveries and inventions in machine learning that paved the way for the artificial intelligence boom. Heralded for its revolutionary potential in areas ranging from cutting-edge scientific discovery to more efficient admin, the emerging technology on which the duo worked has also raised fears humankind may soon be outsmarted and outcompeted by its own creation.”

The Wires
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The Ledes

Tuesday, October 8, 2024

The New York Times is live-updating developments Tuesday as powerful Hurricane Milton moves through the Gulf of Mexico toward Central Florida.

New York Times: “Cissy Houston, a Grammy Award-winning soul and gospel star who helped shepherd her daughter Whitney Houston to superstardom, died on Monday at her home in Newark. She was 91.”

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Public Service Announcement

Washington Post: "Americans can again order free rapid coronavirus tests by mail, the Biden administration announced Thursday. People can request four free at-home tests per household through covidtests.gov. They will begin shipping Monday. The move comes ahead of an expected winter wave of coronavirus cases. The September revival of the free testing program is in line with the Biden administration’s strategy to respond to the coronavirus as part of a broader public health campaign to protect Americans from respiratory viruses, including influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), that surge every fall and winter. But free tests were not mailed during the summer wave, which wastewater surveillance data shows is now receding."

Washington Post: “Comedy news outlet the Onion — reinvigorated by new ownership over this year — is bringing back its once-popular video parodies of cable news. But this time, there’s someone with real news anchor experience in the chair. When the first episodes appear online Monday, former WAMU and MSNBC host Joshua Johnson will be the face of the resurrected 'Onion News Network.' Playing an ONN anchor character named Dwight Richmond, Johnson says he’s bringing a real anchor’s sense of clarity — and self-importance — to the job. 'If ONN is anything, it’s a news organization that is so unaware of its own ridiculousness that it has the confidence of a serial killer,' says Johnson, 44.” ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: I'll be darned if I can figured out how to watch ONN. If anybody knows, do tell. Thanks.

Washington Post: “First came the surprising discovery that Earth’s atmosphere is leaking. But for roughly 60 years, the reason remained a mystery. Since the late 1960s, satellites over the poles detected an extremely fast flow of particles escaping into space — at speeds of 20 kilometers per second. Scientists suspected that gravity and the magnetic field alone could not fully explain the stream. There had to be another source creating this leaky faucet. It turns out the mysterious force is a previously undiscovered global electric field, a recent study found. The field is only about the strength of a watch battery — but it’s enough to thrust lighter ions from our atmosphere into space. It’s also generated unlike other electric fields on Earth. This newly discovered aspect of our planet provides clues about the evolution of our atmosphere, perhaps explaining why Earth is habitable. The electric field is 'an agent of chaos,' said Glyn Collinson, a NASA rocket scientist and lead author of the study. 'It undoes gravity.... Without it, Earth would be very different.'”

The New York Times lists Emmy winners. The AP has an overview story here.

New York Times: “Hvaldimir, a beluga whale who had captured the public’s imagination since 2019 after he was spotted wearing a harness seemingly designed for a camera, was found dead on Saturday in Norway, according to a nonprofit that worked to protect the whale.... [Hvaldimir] was wearing a harness that identified it as “equipment” from St. Petersburg. There also appeared to be a camera mount. Some wondered if the whale was on a Russian reconnaissance mission. Russia has never claimed ownership of the whale. If Hvaldimir was a spy, he was an exceptionally friendly one. The whale showed signs of domestication, and was comfortable around people. He remained in busier waters than are typical for belugas....” ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Oh, Lord, do not let Bobby Kennedy, Jr., near that carcass. ~~~

     ~~~ AP Update: “There’s no evidence that a well-known beluga whale that lived off Norway’s coast and whose harness ignited speculation it was a Russian spy was shot to death last month as claimed by animal rights groups, Norwegian police said Monday.... Police said that the Norwegian Veterinary Institute conducted a preliminary autopsy on the animal, which was become known as 'Hvaldimir,' combining the Norwegian word for whale — hval — and the first name of Russian President Vladimir Putin. 'There are no findings from the autopsy that indicate that Hvaldimir has been shot,' police said in a statement.”

New York Times: Botswana's “President Mokgweetsi Masisi grinned as he lifted the diamond, a 2,492-carat stone that is the biggest diamond unearthed in more than a century and the second-largest ever found, according to the Vancouver-based mining operator Lucara, which owns the mine where it was found. This exceptional discovery could bring back the luster of the natural diamond mining industry, mining companies and experts say. The diamond was discovered in the same relatively small mine in northeastern Botswana that has produced several of the largest such stones in living memory. Such gemstones typically surface as a result of volcanic activity.... The diamond will likely sell in the range of tens of millions of dollars....”

Click on photo to enlarge.

~~~ Guardian: "On a distant reef 16,000km from Paris, surfer Gabriel Medina has given Olympic viewers one of the most memorable images of the Games yet, with an airborne celebration so well poised it looked too good to be true. The Brazilian took off a thundering wave at Teahupo’o in Tahiti on Monday, emerging from a barrelling section before soaring into the air and appearing to settle on a Pacific cloud, pointing to the sky with biblical serenity, his movements mirrored precisely by his surfboard. The shot was taken by Agence France-Presse photographer Jérôme Brouillet, who said “the conditions were perfect, the waves were taller than we expected”. He took the photo while aboard a boat nearby, capturing the surreal image with such accuracy that at first some suspected Photoshop or AI." 

Washington Post: “'Mary Cassatt at Work' is a large and mostly satisfying exhibition devoted to the career of the great American artist beloved for her sensitive and often sentimental views of family life. The 'at work' in the title of the Philadelphia Museum of Art show references the curators’ interest in Cassatt’s pioneering effort to establish herself as a professional artist within a male-dominated field. Throughout the show, which includes some 130 paintings, pastels, prints and drawings, the wall text and the art on view stresses Cassatt’s fixation on art as a career rather than a pastime.... Mary Cassatt at Work is on view at the Philadelphia Museum of Art through Sept. 8. philamuseum.org”

New York Times: “Bob Newhart, who died on Thursday at the age of 94, has been such a beloved giant of popular culture for so long that it’s easy to forget how unlikely it was that he became one of the founding fathers of stand-up comedy. Before basically inventing the hit stand-up special, with the 1960 Grammy-winning album 'The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart' — that doesn’t even count his pay-per-view event broadcast on Canadian television that some cite as the first filmed special — he was a soft-spoken accountant who had never done a set in a nightclub. That he made a classic with so little preparation is one of the great miracles in the history of comedy.... Bob Newhart holds up. In fact, it’s hard to think of a stand-up from that era who is a better argument against the commonplace idea that comedy does not age well.”

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Saturday
Feb202021

The Commentariat -- February 21, 2021

Afternoon Update:

Daniel Arkin of NBC News: "The U.S. death toll from the coronavirus topped 500,000 on Sunday, according to an NBC News tally -- a milestone that underscores the grave threat the virus still poses nationwide even as more Americans get vaccinated. The coronavirus has claimed the lives of more than 2,462,000 people worldwide, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. The death toll in the U.S. is the highest in the world, even though the country has less than 5 percent of the global population.... More than 28,206,600 cases have been confirmed in the U.S., according to the NBC News tally."

The New York Times' live updates of Covid-19 developments Sunday are here.

Katelyn Polantz of CNN: "A leader in an alleged Oath Keepers conspiracy in the US Capitol insurrection claims she was given a VIP pass to the pro-Trump rally on January 6, had met with Secret Service agents and was providing security for legislators and others, including in their march to the Capitol, according to a new court filing. Attorneys for Ohio Oath Keeper Jessica Watkins detail how the efforts among paramilitants who are now accused of conspiracy on January 6 were closer to the apparatus around ... Donald Trump and his rally than was previously known.... The US Secret Service, in response to Watkins' claims in the Saturday filing, denied that private citizens were working with the Secret Service to provide security on January 6."

Devlin Barrett of the Washington Post: "Attorney general nominee Merrick Garland plans to tell the Senate on Monday that if confirmed to become the nation's top law enforcement official, he will strive to lead an agency committed to battling discrimination in American life and extremist attacks on democracy. In written remarks prepared for delivery at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Garland, 68, highlighted the history of the Justice Department, noting that the agency was formed in the aftermath of the Civil War, and that many of the issues it confronted then remain pressing concerns today."

Nomaan Merchant of the AP writes a good overview of the Texas power crisis.

Florida. Shopping While Hispanic. Miami Herald in a Tampa Bay Times publication: "A Mount Sinai Medical Center anesthesiologist has been arrested and charged with a hate crime after police say she attacked a Hispanic man at a Hialeah Publix, vandalizing his car, calling him a racial slur and vowing to 'get rid of every single one of you.' She became enraged, police say, after the man asked her to maintain social distancing while in line at the supermarket. Dr. Jennifer Susan Wright, 58, a white ardent supporter of ... Donald Trump, has been charged with criminal mischief, tampering with a victim and battery with prejudice, a 'hate crime' enhancement that upgraded the charge to a felony." MB: I grew up in Hialeah; it makes me so proud to see my old home town make the news. Wright, BTW, is not from Hialeah, but from contiguous Miami Springs. Back when I went to high school, the Miami Springs kids went to Hialeah High; they were the (relatively) "rich kids," and many looked down their noses on us poor kids who lived in Hialeah. More than five decades later, it appears the demographic 'tude hasn't changed.

~~~~~~~~~~

Darlene Superville of the AP: "A month into the job..., [President] Biden is seeing his disaster management skills tested after winter storms plunged Texas, Oklahoma and neighboring states into an unusual deep freeze that left millions shivering in homes that lost heat and power, and in many homes, water. At least 69 deaths across the U.S. have been blamed on the blast of unseasonable weather. The White House announced on Saturday that the president had declared a major disaster in Texas, and he has asked federal agencies to identify additional resources to address the suffering.... The president is getting regular updates from his staff and already declared states of emergency in Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana -- adding the disaster designation announced Saturday for Texas.... Biden has spoken to the governors of the seven states most affected by the winter weather. He tweeted a photo of himself on the phone with Republican Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas. Oklahoma's Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt, a staunch supporter of Trump's, was quick to praise Biden for swift action on a disaster declaration." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Christopher Falvelle, et al., of the New York Times: "The week's continent-spanning winter storms triggered blackouts in Texas, Oklahoma, Mississippi and several other states. One-third of oil production in the nation was halted. Drinking-water systems in Ohio were knocked offline. Road networks nationwide were paralyzed and vaccination efforts in 20 states were disrupted. The crisis carries a profound warning. As climate change brings more frequent and intense storms, floods, heat waves, wildfires and other extreme events, it is placing growing stress on the foundations of the country's economy: Its network of roads and railways, drinking-water systems, power plants, electrical grids, industrial waste sites and even homes. Failures in just one sector can set off a domino effect of breakdowns in hard-to-predict ways. Much of this infrastructure was built decades ago, under the expectation that the environment around it would remain stable, or at least fluctuate within predictable bounds. Now climate change is upending that assumption."

David Smith of the Guardian: The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a confirmation hearing on Merrick Garland Monday, Biden's pick for attorney general. "Progressives are expected to grill the 68-year-old about his commitment to racial justice, voting rights and domestic terror. Republicans might seek to wrong-foot him on how law enforcement should handle mass protests and on potential prosecutions, from Biden's son Hunter to ... Donald Trump." ~~~

~~~ Mark Leibovich of the New York Times: "When President Biden nominated Judge Garland last month to be attorney general, the news conjured up his ordeal in 2016 as President Barack Obama's thwarted nominee to the Supreme Court. But Judge Garland's experience prosecuting domestic terrorism cases in the 1990s was the formative work of his career.... In addition to Oklahoma City, Judge Garland supervised high-profile cases that included Theodore J. Kaczynski (a.k.a. the Unabomber) and the bombing at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996.... Judge Garland will take over what prosecutors are calling the biggest, most complex investigation in Justice Department history, the Capitol assault that led to the second impeachment of ... Donald J. Trump."

Used-prez* Fatso to speak at CPAC next week, every U.S. news outlet reports on its front page.

Josh Gerstein of Politico: "A federal judge in Washington on Friday formally referred a Minnesota lawyer for potential discipline over a lawsuit filed in December seeking to overturn President Joe Biden's wins in at least five battleground states. U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg said the suit was so flimsy and legally flawed that it could merit the attorney who filed it, Erick Kaardal of Minneapolis, facing some sort of punishment from the court." (Also linked yesterday.)

Devlin Barrett of the Washington Post: "A 95-year-old former German concentration camp guard who made a new life in Tennessee was deported to his home country Saturday after an index card found in a sunken ship helped prove his Nazi ties. Friedrich Karl Berger was deported to Germany after U.S. authorities determined he once served at a subcamp of the Neuengamme concentration camp system near Hamburg. The camp held Russian, Dutch and Polish civilians, as well as Jewish prisoners and political opponents from France, Italy and other countries. In the winter of 1945, according to Berger's removal order, prisoners were forced to live in 'atrocious' conditions and work 'to the point of exhaustion and death.'... [Besides the deaths in the camp,] hundreds more were killed when they were placed on two ships at anchor in the Bay of Lubeck in the Baltic Sea. The ships were mistakenly bombed by British warplanes in May 1945 during the last week of the war in Europe. Justice Department historians were able to document Berger's service at the camp in part with information from an index card found in one of the sunken ships several years after the bombing. The card summarized Berger's work in the camp system." It's not clear Germany will prosecute him.

The Pandemic, Ctd.

The New York Times' live updates of Covid-19 developments Saturday are here. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Lauran Neergaard of the AP: "You're fully vaccinated against the coronavirus -- now what? Don't expect to shed your mask and get back to normal activities right away.... The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hasn't yet changed its guidelines: At least for now, people should follow the same rules as everybody else about wearing a mask, keeping a 6-foot distance and avoiding crowds -- even after they've gotten their second vaccine dose.... The vaccines are highly effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19, especially severe illness and death -- but no one yet knows how well they block spread of the coronavirus."

Florida. Matt Dixon of Politico: "Florida is getting four federally-backed Covid-19 vaccination hubs in largely low-income communities of color, an announcement that comes after Gov. Ron DeSantis initially clashed with the Biden administration over federal vaccine help. The new sites, which were announced Friday, will be in areas of Jacksonville, Tampa, Miami and Orlando picked through a federal vulnerability index that considered things like minority population, socioeconomic status and housing types.... DeSantis made no mention of the four new federally backed vaccination sites during a public event held shortly before they were announced. That event in Palm Beach County was set up by DeSantis' taxpayer-funded office, but had the appearance of a campaign rally, including a [MB: maskless] cheering audience and at least one attendee wearing a shirt that said 'Masks are Slavery.'... Last month, DeSantis dismissively referred to the Biden administration's planned vaccine sites as 'FEMA camps.'" MB: DeSantis really does not want minorities & Democrats to get the vaccines. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Beyond the Beltway

Texas. Dillion Collier of KSAT San Antonio: "Top officials of ERCOT, the Texas council that regulates the state's electric grid, spent less than 40 seconds discussing the impending winter storm during the entity's [two-and-a-half-hour] board meeting last week.... ERCOT President & CEO Bill Magness briefly addressed the winter weather at the start of his report before quickly moving on." Magness said "... We do have a cold front coming this way.... And operations has issued an operating condition notice just to make sure everyone is up to speed with their winterization and we're ready for the several days of pretty frigid temperatures to come our way...." MB: That went well. ~~~

~~~ Adding Insult to Injury -- Big-time. Brooke Seipel of the Hill: "Some Texans say they're getting massive electric bills following the winter storm that caused chaos throughout the state this past week. NBC News reports that some Texans are getting bills as high as $10,000, while local ABC News affiliate WFAA in Dallas says one man's bill shows him owing more than $17,000.... The families who saw their bills spike were reportedly on variable-rate plans with Griddy, an electricity provider in the state. Griddy had recommended that customers switch to a different provider this week, warning them to find fixed-rate plans instead as it predicted the climbing cost of electricity due to the spiking demand. But many customers who tried to switch said other companies were not accepting new customers until weeks into the future, leaving them stuck with their large bills." ~~~

     ~~~ New York Times Update: "... scores of Texans ... have reported skyrocketing electric bills as the price of keeping lights on and refrigerators humming shot upward. For customers whose electricity prices are not fixed and are instead tied to the fluctuating wholesale price, the spikes have been astronomical. The outcry elicited angry calls for action from lawmakers from both parties and prompted Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, to hold an emergency meeting with legislators on Saturday to discuss the enormous bills.... The steep electric bills in Texas are in part a result of the state's uniquely unregulated energy market...." This is part of a live-blog. MB: Look how Abbott again tried to shift the blame to Democrats: "[Abbott] added that Democrats and Republicans would work together to make sure people 'do not get stuck with skyrocketing energy bills.'" Democrats had nothing to do with creating this unregulated mess, & at least one Democratic legislator tried to reform the system, but Republicans refused to even hear the proposed bill.

~~~ What's a Rich Public "Servant" to Do? Ana Murillo of the Daily Beast: "Texas state lawmaker Gary Gates lost power at his Fort Bend County home on Tuesday evening, and on Wednesday morning he hopped on his private jet to the magical land of Orlando, Florida. His ill-timed escape came on the same day Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and his family flew to Cancun, just as the extreme winter storm unfolded into a once-in-a-generation crisis in Texas.... Gates told local TV station KPRC 2 Houston in an interview that he needed to get to a place where he would have 'dependable power, dependable internet and dependable phone service' in order to continue his professional duties.... Adding confusion to an already baffling decision, a reporter from the Fort Bend Star tweeted that Gates' chief of staff told him Gates flew to Orlando for a business meeting." MB: Gates is a state rep. ~~~

~~~ Marie: A lot of Texans are secessionists. They think Texas is so exceptional that the state should declare independence & go it alone. Since I don't live in Texas, that's fine with me; they can go. Well, Texas' most exceptional quality is its multiples energy sources, so you might Texas would be the one state that never had an energy crisis. And now we see how that's worked out. They're calling FEMA & getting charity donations from Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez.

Way Beyond

Russia. Vladimir Isachenkov of the AP: "A Moscow court on Saturday rejected Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny's appeal of his prison sentence, even as the country faced an order from a top European rights court to free the Kremlin's most prominent foe. A few hours later, a judge in a separate case ordered Navalny to pay a fine for defaming a World War II veteran. During the first court hearing, Navalny urged Russians to stand up to the Kremlin in a fiery speech mixing references to the Bible and 'Harry Potter.'" (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

News Lede

New York Times: "Shlomo Hillel, a Baghdad-born Israeli operative who in the late 1940s and early '50s used bribes, fake visas and a network of smugglers to move more than 120,000 Jews from Iraq to Israel, died on Feb. 8 at his home in Ra'anana, Israel. He was 97."

Comments Off

Reader Comments (12)

I was saving this precious gem for today––Sunday, the Lord's Day.

Last week I watched an interview with Bill Cassidy, one of the few senators that voted nay after the impeachment hearing. I was not familiar with said senator so was interested in finding out more about him especially after listening to the interview. He ain't no Ron Johnson, our dimwit from Wisconsin, but there was a bit of the bulb that wasn't too bright. So when I went to his website I discovered something that might explain the lack of intellectual vigor. Tucked onto his bona fides is this:

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart
& do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him (small h) & he will
make straight your paths. Be not wiser in your own eyes; fear the Lord, & turn away from evil." Proverbs 3: 5-7

Case closed.

February 21, 2021 | Unregistered CommenterPD Pepe

To continue with this religious theme, here is an extraordinary interactive video from the NYT showing inside Israel's ultra-orthodox Jewish communities during Covid.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/02/17/world/middleeast/israel-orthodox-jews-haredim.html?searchResultPosition=1

February 21, 2021 | Unregistered CommenterPD Pepe

Well known dour, sullen, unsmiling political hack* Mitch McConnell has announced his decision that Merrick Garland should not be confirmed as US Attorney General. “That position should be filled by the next Republican president” he proclaimed, sullenly.

And if you think that’s a joke, it’s only because we won both seats in Georgia.

*One of our number out here (I think it was Jeanne) last week opined that Fatty could not possibly have written that description of the Treasonous Turtle. Possessed of only a fourth grade vocabulary, the use of “dour” and perhaps even “sullen” bespeak a command of the language that far outstrips him. I fully agree. “Political hack”? Sure. But “dour” (and even spelling it correctly)? Nope. It’s like seeing a dog walking on two legs. It’s not amazing that he’s doing it well, it’s astounding that he’s doing it at all.

February 21, 2021 | Unregistered CommenterAkhilleus

Question:
If Texas becomes an independent nation, how much foreign aid will the U.S. taxpayers be on the hook for?
Will the U.S. taxpayers be asked to cancel the debt owed by the Republic of Texas for the buyout of all Federal property post secession?
Will C.S.A. currency still be acceptable payment?

February 21, 2021 | Unregistered CommenterDan Lowery

Yes, AK-- I don't think that Fatso learned a thing from his jaunt into presidential politics except he knows he can hire any number of mumblers to write catchy phrases for him, while he awaits his next foray into lunchtime. I am curious as to who elected to be part of his doom staff-- maybe Mr. and Mrs. Steven (Stephan?) Miller and their unfortunate offspring? Of course, he does still need a speechwriter so he can make a triumphal return to CPAC. Gee, I can't wait to hear him... Today in our paper there is a piece about our new auditor general, an R, and he was asked by a Philly firebrand state senator (Kenyatta-- he is cool--) if he felt his own election was fair, and if so, how about the rest of PA's election. Yes, of course, his was fair, since he won, but he refused to answer the second part of the question. We can't save these people. And I don't want to.

I just read the Politico article on the Q-ees... I did not develop a fondness for either Q/info or the people forced to live with those devotees. Life is short, and we have a lot of things to improve and strengthen, and paying any attention to these morons takes a determination I would not have. Maybe we need new hospitals-- just stuff 'em in there and forget about them. (I know-- I sound like a 19th century ignoramus about mental health issues, but these people did it to themselves and I just don't feel like redeeming them...)

Have a lovely Sunday, everyone-- we are cold but sunny. I am thinking it is going to moderate tomorrow-- I am ready!!

February 21, 2021 | Unregistered CommenterJeanne

@Jeanne: You've made me wonder if Q devotion is at least partly a side-effect of Covid; that is, with the bars & restaurants & stock-car races closed, these people have nothing to do but search the Internet for hours & hours studying up on what Trump is the Man. Maybe many a Qbot will get over it when the tractor pulls start up again and the BBQ place is open.

As for Q himself, he might be a guy (or gal) who said to himself, "Trump probably won't go out on Fifth Avenue & shoot somebody, so how can I test his theory? Oh, I know: I'll make up a really crazy, unbelievable story to explain his supposed awesomeness, and if people buy it, then Trump's Fifth-Avenue theory is right." Bingo! Fifth Avenue, proved! Anybody could do this. I'm think the real Q is AOC. Or Bret Stephens.

February 21, 2021 | Registered CommenterMarie Burns

Jeanne’s mention of an article about those poor Qanon cultiots (idiot cult members) made me wonder when we’ll start seeing 40,000 word stories in The NY Times Sunday magazine and on the Fox News website explaining Biden voters to red state Trumpbots. Will there be interminable gauzy puff pieces on how everyone needs to understand Democrats who didn’t goosestep along with the Fatty lemmings on the road to treason? Interviews with Biden supporters in coffee shops and diners in Boston, San Francisco, New York, and (now) Atlanta?

Don’t hold your breath.

February 21, 2021 | Unregistered CommenterAkhilleus

Good news on the Repugnant Party crack-up.

https://thehill.com/homenews/politics-101/539779-almost-half-of-republicans-would-join-trump-party-poll

A past pretend-president scam I hope to see continue and prosper.

I'll laugh as the racists further impoverish themselves sending him money.

February 21, 2021 | Unregistered CommenterKen Winkes

I had forgotten that just a month ago Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez was calling out Ted Cruz for trying to get her murdered and that his fellow Texan Chip Roy was promising retribution if she did not take back her statements. Despite all that, Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez still showed up for Texas like a true Representative of the People. Democrats always having to be the better person and doing actual governance for the people. Hopefully Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema will allow us to do some of the things that the majority of Americans have been clamoring to get done for far too long.

February 21, 2021 | Unregistered CommenterRAS

Gulf Ambassador Yelled at Member of Congress Pushing to End Yemen War
"United Arab Emirates Ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba was so angry about Rep. Ro Khanna’s push to end U.S. support for the war in Yemen that he shouted at him during a meeting, said Khanna.
Otaiba’s posture toward Khanna reflects the evolving nature of the world’s governing elite. In years past, given the role of the U.S. as the undisputed global superpower, any member of Congress would be considered to outrank a foreign ambassador from a small nation and thus be off-limits from such a verbal offensive. But the UAE now considers itself to be part of the management team when it comes to overseeing the U.S.-led Western global project.
The leaders of Saudi Arabia and the UAE would later claim they had worked through Kushner to have Tillerson fired.
The UAE has provided ground troops, financed mercenaries, assisted with intelligence gathering — particularly through the deployment of a network of torture chambers in which detainees have been grilled alive"

February 21, 2021 | Unregistered CommenterRAS

How to have better arguments online

"The troubled times we live in, and the rise of social media, have created an age of endless conflict. Rather than fearing or avoiding disagreement, we need to learn to do it well
When we’re in an argument with someone, we should be thinking about how they can change their mind and look good – maintain or even enhance their face – at the same time. Often this is very hard to do in the moment of the dispute itself, when opinion and face are bound even more tightly together than they are before or after (the writer Rachel Cusk defines an argument as “an emergency of self-definition”). However, by showing that we have listened to and respected our interlocutor’s point of view, we make it more likely that they will come around at some later point."

Pretty much we all need to take some classes in hostage negotiation to deal with our digital world.

February 21, 2021 | Unregistered CommenterRAS

RAS: Just finished reading the excellent piece on how to have better arguments––thanks so much for this. It's a tough lesson to learn and in the heat of the moment difficult to achieve. Mark Danner, writing in NYRB about his experience among the insurgents on the Capitol, tells how he complimented a guy's homemade flag which set the tone right off the bat for Danner to follow him around and find out all sorts of information and when confronted later as to the criminal aspect of the surge the guy began to question his own reason for being there in the first place.

I, of course, being of the "Childhood is Destiny" class think of how children are many times made to feel as though what they say or do feel is not worthy. No wonder we cling to our beliefs as adults and will fight to the death to defend them.

February 21, 2021 | Unregistered CommenterPD Pepe
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