The Commentariat -- May 31, 2021
Scam Alert!! Yesterday, PD Pepe and I received exactly the same set of two emails, purporting to come from a former contributor to Reality Chex. Another reader told Pepe he also got these two emails. The first email was a well-wishes sort that said the writer would be asking for an unspecified favor. When Pepe & I responded, we each got this email:
Thanks for your concern, I am sorry for bothering you with this mail, I need to get a GOOGLE PLAY GIFT CARDS for my Niece, It's her birthday but I can't do this now because I'm currently traveling and I tried purchasing online but unfortunately I have no luck with that. Can you get it from any store around you? I'll pay back as soon as I am back. Kindly let me know if you can handle this.
This clearly is a scam, and I doubt the purported writer has anything to do with it. I don't want to give her name as I think even that could unfairly implicate her. (I don't have her real email address or I would write to her to alert her of the scam using her name.) In any event, if you get a personal email supposedly from someone you know used to comment on Reality Chex, I'd suggest you not open it. If you're not a long-timer so don't recognize the name, just don't respond. This is a weird new type of scam I haven't experienced before. But here it is.
Late Morning Update:
The New York Times' live updates of Covid-19 developments Monday are here.
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The offering we bring to-day is due alike to the patriot soldiers dead and their noble comrades who still live; for, whether living or dead, whether in time or eternity, the loyal soldiers who imperiled all for country and freedom are one and inseparable.... We are sometimes asked, in the name of patriotism, to forget the merits of this fearful struggle, and to remember with equal admiration those who struck at the nation's life and those who struck to save it, those who fought for slavery and those who fought for liberty and justice.... But ... we must never forget that victory to the rebellion meant death to the republic. We must never forget that the loyal soldiers who rest beneath this sod flung themselves between the nation and the nation's destroyers. -- Frederick Douglass, Arlington National Cemetery, Decoration Day 1871 (full remarks)
Jonathan Lemire of the AP: "President Joe Biden marked his first Memorial Day weekend as commander in chief by honoring the nation's sacrifices in a deeply personal manner as he paid tribute Sunday to those lost while remembering his late son Beau, a veteran who died six years ago to the day. As a cold rain fell, Biden made his annual appearance at the commemoration in New Castle, not far from his Wilmington home, a day before he planned to do the same at Arlington National Cemetery on the official observance.... Biden had attended the ceremony nearly every year for decades, and it was at last year's event when he emerged for the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, spotted with a mask while laying a wreath." ~~~
~~~ Marie: This is what a real President does. We are fortunate to have such a President again.
MEANWHILE. Marie: The news of the day seldom lets us forget that nearly half of us "beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."
Spencer Hsu of the Washington Post: "Four more Oath Keepers associates have been indicted and three were arrested in Florida in recent days in the Jan. 6 breach of the U.S. Capitol, bringing the number of co-defendants charged in the largest conspiracy case from that day to 16, court records show. Joseph Hackett, 51, of Sarasota, Fla., Jason Dolan, 44, of Wellington, Fla., and William Isaacs, 21, of Kissimmee, Fla., each face multiple counts in an indictment handed up Wednesday and unsealed Sunday in Washington.... The name of a fourth defendant not known to be in custody was redacted.... The four new defendants are charged with conspiring to obstruct Congress's confirmation of the 2020 presidential election.... They are accused of forcing entry through the Capitol's East Rotunda doors after marching single-file up the steps wearing camouflaged combat uniforms, tactical vests with plates, helmets, eye protection and Oath Keepers insignia." A CNN story is here.
Mary Papenfuss of the Huffington Post: "Avowed QAnon disciple and confessed felon retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn has called for a Myanmar-like military coup in America. 'It should happen,' Donald Trump's former national security adviser said in an astonishing declaration at a QAnon conference Sunday.... 'I wanna know why what happened in Myanmar can't happen here?' an unidentified member of the audience asked Flynn, though he pronounced the nation as 'Minnimar.' 'No reason,' Flynn responded to wild screams of approval. 'It should happen.'" ~~~
~~~ Paul Campos in LG&$: "I know nothing about the UCMJ [Uniform Code of Military Justice], but can't Flynn be recalled to active duty for the purpose of court-martialing him?" MB: If I stood up in front of a crowd of loonytunes and advocated for overthrowing the government, I'd be charged with something -- like maybe 18 U.S. Code § 2385 -- advocating overthrow of the government -- violation of which carries a maximum prison term of 20 years. And I'm not a former general capable of raising an army.
Aaron Morrison of the AP: Commemoration of the Tulsa Race Massacre is proceeding, but not exactly as planned. "... a march this weekend [will] memorialize those who ran from what is considered one of the worst and deadliest acts of racial violence in American history. That march is just one of an array of events, culminating Tuesday with a visit by President Joe Biden, who is expected to join local leaders in marking the occasion. The weekend was to include a keynote speech from former Georgia gubernatorial candidate and voting rights advocate Stacey Abrams and a performance by singer John Legend at Tulsa's ONEOK Field in the historic Greenwood district. But organizers canceled the event on Thursday, citing 'unexpected circumstances with entertainers and speakers.'... Law enforcement organizations around the U.S. received a bulletin this week from the Department of Homeland Security warning of the potential for targeted violence at the commemoration of the Tulsa massacre...." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ The Way We Were. DeNeen Brown of the Washington Post looks back on the Tulsa Race Massacre.
Amy Wang of the Washington Post: "Democrats are striking a more urgent tone on negotiations over President Biden's infrastructure plan, as a compromise remains elusive after weeks of talks and measured optimism from both sides. In political talk shows on Sunday, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said a clear direction on the plan is needed by June 7, when members of Congress return from a week-long recess.... 'I think we are getting pretty close to a fish-or-cut-bait moment,' Buttigieg said, though he quickly added a conciliatory note that 'on the fishing side of things, the negotiations have been healthy.'" The AP's story is here.
The Pandemic, Ctd.
The New York Times' live updates of Covid-19 developments Sunday are here. (Also linked yesterday.)
Florida. AP: "A former Florida Department of Health employee has received whistleblower status a year after being fired for repeatedly violating the agency's policy about communicating with the media. The employee, Rebekah Jones, had raised questions about Florida's COVID-19 data after being ousted as the data's curator. State officials said she was fired for insubordination after being reprimanded several times, according to state records. The Miami Herald reported that the Office of the Inspector General told her attorneys on Friday that 'the information disclosed does meet the criteria for whistleblower status as described by ... Florida statutes.' Jones, who helped build the state's online presentation of its COVID-19 data, received national attention a year ago when she sowed doubt about the information being reported by the state when Florida was an epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic.... Under the state's whistleblower rules, Jones could be reinstated or be eligible for compensation if an investigation finds her firing was in retaliation for the the concerns she raised." (Also linked yesterday.) (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Marie: When Florida state law enforcement officials raided her home, they collected evidence they claimed justified charging her with a criminal offense, and in January 2021 they jailed her overnight before she posted bond.
Wingers Accuse Regulators of Being Health Nazis
Tennessee. When You Think, "At Least They Can't Get Worse." Jordan Williams of the Hill: "Several prominent hat makers have distanced themselves from a Nashville hat store amid online backlash over the store's decision to sell yellow 'not vaccinated' patches shaped like the Star of David.... HatWRKS originally defended its move on Friday in two Instagram posts, saying people were outraged by the badges but not the 'tyranny the world is experiencing.'... According to WRKN in Nashville, protestors surrounded the store on Saturday, with demonstrators holding up a 'No Nazis in Nashville' sign in front of the store. American hat maker Stetson announced on Twitter on Saturday that it was no longer selling its hats with the store.... Another hat maker, Goorin Bros, said on Instagram that it was 'horrified by the display and selling of the Jewish badge by HatWRKS.'... On Saturday evening, HatWRKS posted an apology for the badges to Instagram, saying 'in NO WAY did I intend to trivialize the Star of David or disrespect what happened to millions of people.'" MB Translation: "I never intended to hurt my business." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Texas. Derek Hawkins of the Washington Post: "A group of 117 unvaccinated staffers from Houston Methodist Hospital filed a lawsuit Friday seeking to avoid the hospital's coronavirus vaccine mandate, saying it's unlawful for bosses to require the shots. The staffers join a growing list of employees challenging compulsory immunizations at businesses, colleges and other workplaces essential to the country's reopening.... The lawsuit against Houston Methodist was filed by Jared Woodfill, a Houston-area attorney and conservative activist. It appears to mirror a legal strategy used by a New York-based law firm, Siri & Glimstad, that is closely aligned with one of the country's biggest anti-vaccination organizations but unaffiliated with the Houston litigation. The complaint ... says Houston Methodist's vaccine mandate violates a set of medical ethics standards known as the Nuremberg Code, which ... was created after World War II in response to the medical atrocities Nazis committed against prisoners in concentration camps." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ See also Patrick's comments in yesterday's Comments on the flaws in the employees' argument.
Beyond the Beltway
Massachusetts. Maria Cramer of the New York Times: "Nearly 50 years ago, the body of Danny Croteau, a 13-year-old altar boy, was found floating in the Chicopee River in Springfield, Mass. His head had been beaten with a blunt object. Richard R. Lavigne, a Catholic priest who was close to the boy's family, presided over his funeral Mass at Saint Catherine of Siena Church in Springfield and comforted his parents. But the police began investigating the priest almost immediately after the boy's death. Soon, the parents of Danny, the youngest in a family of five boys and two girls, became suspicious as well. Over the years, investigators repeatedly interviewed Mr. Lavigne and searched his house for evidence.... On May 21, prosecutors and investigators in Hampden County decided they finally had enough evidence to arrest Mr. Lavigne, who had been defrocked in 2004 for molesting two boys.... But just hours after they had begun preparing a request for an arrest warrant for murder, investigators learned that Mr. Lavigne, 80, had died, said the Hampden County district attorney, Anthony D. Gulluni." (Also linked yesterday.)
Texas. Voter Suppression, Super-sized, Ctd. Alexa Ura of the Texas Tribune: "In the course of several hours Saturday and early Sunday, Senate Republicans hurtled to move forward on a sweeping voting bill negotiated behind closed doors where it doubled in length and grew to include voting law changes that weren't previously considered. Over Democrats' objections, they suspended the chamber's own rules to narrow the window lawmakers had to review the new massive piece of legislation before giving it final approval ahead of the end of Monday's end to the legislative session. This culminated in an overnight debate and party line vote early Sunday to sign off on a raft of new voting restrictions and changes to elections and get it one step closer to the governor's desk. Senate Bill 7, the GOP's priority voting bill, emerged Saturday from a conference committee as an expansive bill that would touch nearly the entire voting process, including provisions to limit early voting hours, curtail local voting options and further tighten voting-by-mail, among several other provisions." This and related stories linked yesterday. ~~~
~~~ ** Just Not Showing Up Wins the Battle. Nick Corasaniti of the New York Times: "Democrats in the Texas Legislature staged a dramatic, late-night walkout on Sunday night to force the failure of a sweeping Republican overhaul of state election laws. The move, which deprived the session of the minimum number of lawmakers required for a vote before a midnight deadline, was a stunning setback for state Republicans who had made a new voting law one of their top priorities. The effort is not entirely dead, however. Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, indicated that he would call a special session of the Legislature, which could start as early as June 1, or Tuesday, to restart the process.... He was widely expected to sign whatever measure Republicans passed." The Texas Tribune story is here.
Way Beyond
Strange Bedfellows May Oust Bibi. Shira Rubin of the Washington Post: "A diverse coalition of Israeli opposition parties said Sunday that they have the votes to form a unity government to unseat Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving leader and its dominant political figure for more than a decade. Under their agreement, reached after weeks of negotiations spearheaded by centrist opposition leader Yair Lapid, former Netanyahu defense minister and ally Naftali Bennett will lead a power-sharing government. Bennett, 49, would serve as Israel's next prime minister, according to terms of the deal reported by Israeli media, to be succeeded in that role by Lapid, 57, at a later date." ~~~
~~~ Patrick Kingsley of the New York Times: "The longest-serving prime minister in Israeli history, Benjamin Netanyahu, faced the most potent threat yet to his grip on power Sunday after an ultranationalist power-broker, Naftali Bennett, said his party would work with opposition leaders to build an alternative government to force Mr. Netanyahu from office. If the maneuvering leads to a formal coalition agreement, it would be an uneasy alliance between eight relatively small parties with a diffuse range of ideologies. The prime minister's post would rotate between two unlikely partners: Mr. Bennett, a former settler leader who rejects the concept of a sovereign Palestinian state and champions the religious right -- and Yair Lapid, a former television host who is considered a voice of secular centrists." The AP's story is here. ~~~
~~~ Marie: Don't know if the Post is right or if the Times & AP stories are more accurate. All three are up at the same time Sunday evening ET.
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Reader Comments (7)
Buying time if nothing else. Texas House Democrats walked off the floor of the Texas capitol denying the GOP controlled legislature a quorum for their voter suppression bill. Governor Abbot (R) is naturally unhappy and says he will include the bill as part of a special session that will be called for redistricting.
Bibi bye-bye? Or bupkis? Be still my heart. This could be a case of careful what you wish for. This Naftali Bennett guy doesn’t exactly sound like Gandhi, but I’ll go with the devil I don’t know this time around. The one I do know is a serial murderer and he’s had way more than his fifteen minutes. Just to see his murdering, thieving, lying, self-righteous keister kicked out of power will be enough. For now.
Texas traitors, and other red state haters of democracy should just quit dancing around and say what they really mean: Democrats don’t get to vote. Period. As the Dear Leader sez, if we let all these people vote, we’ll never win again. And everyone else better be paying attention to what’s in the works. The authoritarians are here, and they’re heavily armed and ready to destroy democracy in order to maintain power.
The Fat Facist has taught them the value of the big Lie. They don’t have to pretend no more. Fraud, schmaud. They just don’t want Democrats of any color to have the right to vote. Some schmuck says “Oh-oh, there’s a squeaky floor board in the attic!” There isn’t, but that gives the traitors all the cover they need to torch the whole house, then beat their hollow chests and proclaim that they’re doing it to save the idea of the house.
Just say what you mean, assholes. You’re not fooling anyone.Or is lying just a way of life?
Why, yes. Lying is a way of life. Republicans play to win; Democrats not so much. https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/democrats-need-new-voting-rights-plan.html#comments.
Hope springs eternal: I have it from a good source that many millenials clearly see through the Orange Stinker and his Moscow Mitch's subterfuge - my nephew. Yet, to watch the peer pressure the R's use to hold power is like watching someone cut meat with a butter knife. The R's lack finesse and the kids can often see right through it. Whoops! Young adults.
Israel's government has been dominated by a coalition of right-wing parties led by Lukud and with Bibi at the helm has led an unabashed partisan of the Republican view of the world. He took office at the same time as Obama and the two clashed frequently over the expanse of Israeli settlements and the contours of a potential peace agreement between the Israeli's and the Palestinians. I still cringe at the display of the GOP congress who gave Bibi the respect and the standing ovation when he gave a speech here. And of course APAC had his back all the way. Enter Fatty and all changed: Bibi and the Blob joined forces and Fatty's face was showered with sloppy kisses and firm handshakes.
So it is with great glee that I see that things will change and I sincerely hope Akhilleus' heart will not be stilled.
Bibi is reacting to losing power just like the Fat Man in the Golf Cart, and for the same reasons. They're both facing an enforced change of address to a much smaller residence. Bibi is probably closer to hearing the door slam shut behind him.
"And I'm not a former general capable of raising an army."
I'm retired from the Army, and most generals get there because they're good at pleasing their superiors and very competent managers. I served under one, who became Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, and he had the kind of integrity and charisma that would rouse men to follow him, but many (most) do not. I can't imagine any grunt joining an army Flynn was raising for the purpose of waging war against the United States. I can imagine a lot of colonels rushing to join him, but not very many sergeants -- or privates.