;)
The Conversation -- September 1, 2023
Martin Pengelly of the Guardian: "The White House condemned the 'extreme' and 'hardcore fringe' of the Republican party after one high-profile, hardcore extremist, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, said she would not vote to fund the government this month without an impeachment inquiry against Joe Biden. Without a new spending measure, government funding will run out on 30 September, with federal workers furloughed and agencies shuttered.... Nodding to the May deal to raise the debt ceiling, [White House spokesman Andrew] Bates said House Republicans 'already made a promise to the American public about government funding, and it would be a shame for them to break their word and fail the country because they caved to the hardcore fringe of their party'."
Here is ProPublica's report on Clarence Thomas' financial disclosure, released Thursday. Also, here is the outlet's link to the statement by Thomas' attorney Elliot Berke, which accompanied the disclosure. ~~~
~~~ Marie: Berke wrote (in what I think was a 5- or 6-page statement), "The attacks on Justice Thomas are nothing less than ridiculous and dangerous, and they set a terrible precedent for political blood sport through federal ethics filings." Yeah, well, as several teevee commentators pointed out last night, Thomas' disclosure, such as it was, was consistent with ProPublica's findings. The disclosure did not refute any of ProPublica's reporting, and it did not address some of the findings of ProPublica and other outlets, principally the New York Times story about Thomas' dodgy financing of his fancy Walmart RV/bus. What sets "a terrible precedent" is not dogged investigative reporting of gross abuses but Thomas' arrogant refusal to adhere to minimal ethical standards, even to the point of failing -- for decades -- to make required disclosures. ~~~
~~~ Scott Lemieux in LG&$ extensively site a Slate article (don't know the author) on Thomas' belated, partial disclosure. Lemieux: "... if you know Thomas's body of work involving criminal defendants, these assertions that he cannot possibly be expected to conform to the strict letter of the law when disclosing the many expensive gifts bestowed on him by his many close personal friends who happen to be billionaires will be particularly infuriating[.]" The gist is that it's A-Okay by Thomas to condemn a person to death even if there is ample evidence he received inadequate counsel -- at the same time everyone should overlook as inconsequential his own gross errors of omission. ~~~
~~~ "Clean-up on Aisle Three." Nick Robertson of the Hill: "Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) went after Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas over his delayed disclosure of gifts and luxury vacations from a conservative donor Thursday, pledging to fully investigate the justice.... 'This late-come effort at "Clean-up on Aisle Three" won't deter us from fully investigating the massive, secret, right-wing billionaire influence in which this Court is enmired,' Whitehouse said Thursday, an apparent reference to Article Three of the Constitution, which regulates the Supreme Court.... He pushed back on claims from Thomas attorneys' that previous disclosure form omissions were simply mistakes, and that the trips only needed to be disclosed because of recent rule changes. 'These are highly contestable and significant, but largely unsupported, assertions. They matter,' he said"
Benjamin Mueller of the New York Times: "A four-line letter, signed by the attending physician of Congress and released by Senator Mitch McConnell on Thursday, suggested that his recent spells of speechlessness were linked to 'occasional lightheadedness' perhaps brought on by his recovery from a concussion last winter or 'dehydration.' But seven neurologists, relying on what they described as unusually revealing video of Mr. McConnell freezing up in public twice recently, said in interviews Thursday and Friday that the episodes captured in real time likely pointed to more serious medical problems.... The neurologists ... caution[ed] that they could not diagnose the minority leader from afar.... [But] while several possibilities were suggested, including mini-strokes, doctors said that the spells appeared most consistent with focal seizures, which are electrical surges in one region of the brain.... Whether caused by seizures or mini-strokes or something else, spells like Mr. McConnell's would not preclude most patients from working or socializing normally, doctors said. Still, experts said that seizures carried some elevated risk of cognitive or behavioral problems and could affect older patients differently."
Rudy, Rudy, Rudy. Dan Friedman & David Corn of Mother Jones: "An FBI whistleblower filed a statement asserting that [Rudy] Giuliani 'may have been compromised' by Russian intelligence while working as a lawyer and adviser to Trump during the 2020 campaign. That contention is among a host of explosive assertions from Johnathan Buma, an FBI agent who also says that an investigation involving Giuliani's activities was stymied within the bureau.... According to Buma's account, Giuliani was used as an asset by a Ukrainian oligarch tied to Russian intelligence and other Russian operatives for a disinformation operation that aimed to discredit Joe Biden and boost Trump in the 2020 presidential race. Moreover, Buma says he was the target of retaliation within the bureau for digging into this.... As Republicans keep trying to gin up a controversy over the Bidens, Burisma, and other matters, Buma's statement reinforces the case that this supposed Biden-Ukraine scandal was egged on or orchestrated by Russian intelligence. And it contradicts the narrative pushed by Trump and his defenders that the FBI and Justice Department have been in cahoots with Democrats." ~~~
~~~ According to the reporters, other FBI whistleblowers may be preparing to release statements backing up Buma's 22-page statement, which he sent to the Senate Judiciary Committee in July.
Weird News. Brad Reed of the Raw Story: "Multiple sources have told The Daily Beast that scandal-plagued CPAC Chairman Matt Schlapp held an 'exorcism' in his office to rid it of potential 'evil spirits' left behind by staff members who quit their jobs after their requests for raises were denied. The publication writes that both Schlapp and his wife, Mercedes Schlapp, decided that the exorcism ritual would be the best way to cleanse the office from the negative energies left behind by the staffers." The Schlapps called the Daily Beast "Satin's publication." MB: Look, how many human resources departments do you think have thought of using exorcisms as part of their program to improve staffing efforts? It's, like, innovative! But speaking of a place rife with evil spirits, Mercedes, who worked in the Trump White House, should have done the collegial thing & advised the Bidens to conduct an exorcism when they got to the White House.
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Nick Miroff & Maria Sacchetti of the Washington Post: "Record numbers of migrant families streamed across the U.S.-Mexico border in August, according to preliminary data obtained by The Washington Post, an influx that has upended Biden administration efforts to discourage parents from entering illegally with children and could once again place immigration in the spotlight during a presidential race. The U.S. Border Patrol arrested at least 91,000 migrants who crossed as part of a family group in August, exceeding the prior one-month record of 84,486 set in May 2019, during the Trump administration. Families were the single largest demographic group crossing the border in August, surpassing single adults for the first time since Biden took office." MB: This has been the top story on the Post's online page all night. At any given moment today, there are at least a dozen GOP candidates, their hearts beating rapidly as they pump out campaign fundraising letters.
Annie Karni & Benjamin Mueller of the New York Times: "Senator Mitch McConnell, the minority leader, on Thursday released a letter from the attending physician of Congress pronouncing him 'medically clear' to continue his schedule as planned, a day after the Kentucky Republican froze up suddenly at a news conference in what appeared to be a medical episode similar to one he had on camera last month.... Dr. [Brian] Monahan said that 'occasional lightheadedness is not uncommon in concussion recovery and can also be expected as a result of dehydration.' Mr. McConnell sustained a concussion this year after falling at a Washington hotel. Dr. Monahan did not say that he had examined Mr. McConnell, 81, whose increasingly frail appearance and recent string of medical incidents have alarmed his colleagues and raised questions about his ability to continue in his post.... Neurologists ... said that abrupt cessations in speech followed by relatively quick recoveries were not the most common patterns of symptoms in patients suffering from nothing more than lightheadedness or dehydration." ~~~
~~~ Marie: Mitch experienced his episode in Kentucky and Monahan works out of Washington, D.C., and he said he had "consulted with Leader McConnell and conferred with his neurology team." Therefore, it's pretty clear he has not examined the patient. In my mind, that means he has very little basis for "clearing" Mitch to go back to work. ~~~
~~~ Paul Kane, et al., of the Washington Post: “Publicly, Republican senators remained supportive of [Mitch] McConnell and none has questioned whether the 81-year-old Senate stalwart should set a timeline for resigning his leadership post. But the public nature of Wednesday's incident proved jarring again for senators, raising concerns about how their GOP leader was faring and prompting calls among some Republicans outside the Senate for McConnell to step down.... [Dr. Brian] Monahan's letter did not address the underlying cause of what has been a more than four-year struggle for McConnell with falling. Some of his falls were serious and resulted in injuries, while others were minor stumbles tied to balance issues. McConnell, known for treating his health like a state secret, has never explained a situation in October 2020 when he appeared in the Capitol with bruised hands and a swollen lip.... Three neurologists consulted by The Post said it is impossible to diagnose a patient through brief video clips, but the two similar episodes hinted at a few possible explanations, including localized seizures or a temporary drop in blood pressure. They said a complete medical examination and testing, including brain scans, would be needed to diagnose the problem." ~~~
~~~ Burgess Everett of Politico: "A handful of GOP senators are weighing whether to force a fraught internal debate about their leadership's future after Mitch McConnell's second public freeze-up in a month. Some rank-and-file Republicans have discussed the possibility of a broader conversation once senators return to Washington next week, according to a person directly involved in the conversations who confirmed them on condition of anonymity. Party leadership is not currently involved in those discussions, and nothing has been decided yet, this person added. It takes just five Republican senators to force a special conference meeting, which is the most direct way to have a specific discussion about the minority leader after his public pause on Wednesday revived questions about his condition. But the Senate GOP also holds private lunches two or three times a week, giving members another forum for hashing out the direction of the party's leadership...." ~~~
~~~ Very Classy, Nikki! Tara Suter of the Hill: "GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley on Thursday called the Senate 'the most privileged nursing home in the country.' In response to a question about Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) apparently freezing up on Wednesday while taking questions in Covington, Ky., Haley said on Fox News that the Kentucky senator has 'done some great things, and he deserves credit,' but emphasized that 'you have to know when to leave.... No one should feel good about seeing that any more than we should feel good about seeing Dianne Feinstein, any more than we should feel good about a lot of what's happening or seeing Joe Biden's decline,' Haley said." ~~~
~~~ Marie: I'll bet Nikki's parents taught her better manners. As RockyGirl wrote in the Comments section a couple of days ago, the immediate, visceral reaction to Mitch's second public lapse is sadness. Even if -- like Nikki -- you see Mitch's lapse as some kind of "golden opportunity" to tout your own youth & vigor, it's pretty damned crass to disparage all the geriatric Senators, especially when you're applying for a job in which you would have to work with the "privileged nursing home" denizens for the good of the nation. ~~~
~~~ Jennifer Bahney of Mediaite: “Fox News co-hosts began Outnumbered Thursday by addressing the bipartisan 'gerontocracy' of the U.S. government, citing both Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-KY) 30-second freeze-up and how President Joe Biden was 'too old to run again.'" MB: They forgot to mention, I guess, that Trump is only a few years younger than McConnell & Biden. I'll admit I'd like to see a much younger president, but one old guy's lapse isn't very good evidence that another old guy is likely to freeze up when he's meeting with world leaders, as these brainiacs claim.
Ready for His Close-up. Tim Darnell of Atlanta News First (WANF): "For the first time in American history, cameras and live streaming coverage will be allowed inside the courtroom when a former U.S. president stands trial for allegedly running a criminal enterprise designed to overturn the lawful results of an election. On Thursday, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee said he will permit a live YouTube stream of all related hearings and trials that emanating from District Attorney Fani Willis' vast, sweeping indictment of ... Donald Trump. The live stream will be operated by the court." ~~~
~~~ Marie: As you know, if the Georgia cases are removed to federal court, they most likely will not be televised unless His Majesty the Lord High John Roberts decrees cameras will be allowed in the courtroom. Speaking on MSNBC, Glenn Kirschner cited the Crime Victims Rights Act of 2004, which guarantees victims the right not to be excluded from public court proceeding. Since the American people are the victims of Trump & Co.'s (alleged!) crimes, Kirschner said the only way to cram us all into the courtroom is virtually; i.e., via teevee broadcast. I suppose most federal cases are styled United States of America v. So-and-So, but in most cases, the American public is only incidentally or indirectly harmed by the alleged bad acts of the accused. But the Trump crimes are decidedly different from the usual case: he and his cohort tried to rob us of our fundamental right to choose a president.
Peter Charalambous of ABC News: "... Donald Trump has entered a plea of not guilty in the Georgia election interference case and waived his right to appear at his arraignment, according to a filing this morning.... Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee on Monday set the date of Sept. 6 for all 19 defendants to be arraigned on charges and enter their pleas in the case. Several other defendants -- including publicist Trevian Kutti, Georgia attorney Ray Smith III and former Trump campaign lawyer Sidney Powell -- have also entered not guilty pleas in order to avoid appearing at their scheduled arraignment." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Update. Danny Hakim & Richard Fausset of the New York Times: Donald Trump's "plea came as Gov. Brian Kemp of Georgia, a fellow Republican, dismissed demands from the former president and some of his supporters to start impeachment proceedings against Fani T. Willis, the prosecutor who brought the case. Without Mr. Kemp's help, it is all the more unlikely that Mr. Trump will be able to derail the prosecution.... Mr. Kemp has the power to unilaterally call a special session; his refusal to do so for an impeachment of Ms. Willis echoes his refusal to call a special session after the 2020 election, when Mr. Trump pressured him to make such a move to help overturn his election loss." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Hannah Rabinowitz of CNN: "Trump also formally asked a judge to sever his case from his co-defendants who want a speedy trial. Trump attorney Steven Sadow says he will not have 'sufficient time' to prepare his case for trial by October 23, 2023...." (Also linked yesterday.)
Trump posted 31 video clips on Truth Social this afternoon. A brief sample. pic.twitter.com/oyOcujmkm2
— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) August 30, 2023
~~~ Marie: Forgot to mention this yesterday. annieli of Daily Kos cites a Daily Beast story:"... Donald Trump went absolutely buck wild online Wednesday, posting more than 30 angry videos railing against ... Joe Biden, the Department of Justice, Democrats in general, Fox News, special prosecutor Jack Smith, Rupert Murdoch, and ... Bill Barr, among others. He bragged that his recent interview with Tucker Carlson has beaten Oprah's interview with Michael Jackson as the most watched in history, and claimed the first Republican primary debate on Fox News was 'one of the lowest rated EVER, if not THE LOWEST.'... It's unclear if anything in particular prompted the display, though he did promise on Tuesday to post more videos covering 'many subjects in many timeframes.'" ~~~
~~~ Not sure what the significance of the rant's backdrop is. The American flags: obvious. But the picture behind Trump's fat head looks like a litho or print of an English fox hunt: not the scene you'd choose if you wanted to fake the American patriot look. Trump is in Bedminster now, and the swells used to (and perhaps still do) hold fox hunts in Bedminister -- a swell friend of mine from Bedminister said she went on a hunt with Jackie Kennedy and others -- but the countryside in the print is flat, and Bedminster is all rolling hills, as I recall.
Alan Feuer & Zach Montague of the New York Times: "Joseph Biggs, a onetime lieutenant in the Proud Boys, was sentenced on Thursday to 17 years in prison after his conviction on charges of seditious conspiracy for plotting with a gang of pro-Trump followers to attack the Capitol and disrupt the peaceful transfer of presidential power on Jan. 6, 2021. Mr. Biggs's sentence was one of the stiffest penalties issued so far in more than 1,100 criminal cases stemming from the Capitol attack and among only a handful to have been legally labeled an act of terrorism. It was just over half of the 33 years the government had requested and just shy of the 18-year term given in May to Stewart Rhodes, the leader of another far-right group, the Oath Keepers militia, who was also found guilty of sedition. The sentence, handed down by Judge Timothy J. Kelly in Federal District Court in Washington, kicked off a series of hearings scheduled for this week and next at which punishment will b meted out against the former chairman of the Proud Boys, Enrique Tarrio, and three other members of the group who were convicted of sedition and other serious crimes at a landmark conspiracy trial this spring." CNN's story is here. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Ella Lee of the Hill: "Proud Boy Zachary Rehl was sentenced Thursday to 15 years in prison after being convicted of leading an inflamed mob toward the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in an attempt to stop the certification of the 2020 election results. Addressing the court Thursday, the former Philadelphia Proud Boys chapter president said he let politics consume his life, causing him to 'lose track of who and what mattered most.... I'm done with politics, done with peddling lies for other people who don't care about me,' Rehl said, taking breaks from speaking to wipe his tears and catch his breath.... A former U.S. Marine, Rehl testified at trial that no one told him to attack the Capitol or hurt anyone, and he did not do those things, according to The Associated Press. But on cross-examination, prosecutors presented evidence that showed him spattering law enforcement with a chemical spray -- after he said he could not recall doing so.... [Judge Timothy Kelly] determined Rehl perjured himself during his testimony...."
Lindsay Whitehurst & Christina Cassidy of the AP: "More than a dozen people nationally have been charged with threatening election workers by a Justice Department unit trying to stem the tide of violent and graphic threats against people who count and secure the vote. Government employees are being bombarded with threats even in normally quiet periods between elections, secretaries of state and experts warn. Some point to former President Donald Trump and his allies repeatedly and falsely claiming the 2020 election was stolen and spreading conspiracy theories about election workers."
Jonathan Allen & Ryan Reilly of NBC News: "The No. 2 official in New Hampshire on Donald Trump's presidential campaign told police to kill themselves in an expletive-ridden Jan. 6 video shot close to the U.S. Capitol, according to a recording posted this month by an X account associated with the 'Sedition Hunters,' a group of online sleuths who have helped authorities identify hundreds of people present that day. 'If you are a police officer and are going to abide by unconstitutional bulls---, I want you to do me a favor right now and go hang yourself, because you're a piece of s---,' Dylan Quattrucci, the deputy state director of Trump's campaign in New Hampshire, says in the video. 'Go f--- yourself.'...
While the Capitol is in the background behind him, there is no evidence that he entered the building.
** Abbie VanSickle of the New York Times: "Justice Clarence Thomas reported a luxury trip, private jet flights and a real estate transaction with a Texas billionaire in his annual financial disclosure form, which was released on Thursday morning. In an unusual move, the justice, who has been under increased scrutiny in recent months after he failed to disclose gifts and travel paid for by wealthy friends, included a detailed defense of his previous filings. Justice Thomas wrote that he had 'adhered to the then existing judicial regulations as his colleagues had done, both in practice and in consultation with the Judicial Conference.' But he said he 'continues to work with Supreme Court officials and the committee staff for guidance on whether he should further amend his reports from any prior years.'... Justice [Samuel] Alito's financial disclosure form was also released on Thursday morning. [The filings were due in June,] but Justices Thomas and ... Alito requested 90-day extensions...." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Mark Sherman of the AP: "Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is acknowledging that he took three trips last year aboard a private plane owned by Republican megadonor Harlan Crow. It's the first time in years that Thomas has reported receiving hospitality from Crow. In a report made public Thursday, the 75-year-old justice said he was complying with new guidelines from the federal judiciary for reporting travel, but did not include any earlier travel at Crow's expense, including a 2019 trip in Indonesia aboard the yacht owned by the wealthy businessman and benefactor of conservative causes." CNN's story is fairly comprehensive. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ You can read Thomas's & Alito's financial disclosure statements here, via Politico. (Also linked yesterday.)
~~~ See also Akhilleus' commentary in yesterday's thread. Marie: If you think Thomas & Alito have told the truth, the whole truth & nothing but the truth on their "disclosure" forms, I've got a swell yacht AND a private jet I'll sell you for a low, low price. Indeed, Clarence admits his "disclosures" are incomplete when he says he "continues to work" with staff to amend prior years' reports. I wonder if "staff" will help him deal with "disclosures" he also accidentally forgot to mention to the IRS. It would be a pity of Clarence or Sam wound up in tax fraudster jail, which is probably not that much nicer than insurrection jail or than even armed-robbery jail.
Of Smugglers & Nazi Looters
Tom Mashberg of the New York Times: "With its flowing robes and stoic posture, the larger-than-life bronze statue believed to represent the great Roman statesman Marcus Aurelius had, since 1986, held pride of place in the Greek and Roman galleries at the Cleveland Museum of Art. Now the statue is off display, seized under a warrant earlier this month by the Manhattan district attorney's office. The office said on Thursday that the seizure was related to an 'ongoing criminal investigation into a smuggling network involving antiquities looted from Turkey and trafficked through Manhattan.' In their warrant, investigators put the value of the statue, which is headless, at $20 million, and said it was about 1,800 years old. They said it would be transported to New York in September. According to the district attorney's Antiquities Trafficking Unit, the accused traffickers were based in New York, giving the unit legal authority to seize the statue from another state because New York was the 'focal point of the conspiracy.'"
Zachary Small of the New York Times: "Christie's announced on Thursday that a second sale of jewelry from the collection of the Austrian heiress Heidi Horten had been canceled, citing the 'intense scrutiny' that the auction house had faced from Jewish organizations and some collectors. Ahead of the initial sale in May, which generated a record $202 million from diamonds, emeralds and sapphires, The New York Times reported on the connections between the Horten fortune and Nazi-era policies that helped her husband, the German retailer Helmut Horten, expand his department store chain during that time at the expense of disenfranchised Jewish business owners. Helmut Horten died in 1987 and Heidi Horten in 2022. The Heidi Horten Foundation said then that the proceeds would go toward medical research and to a Vienna museum dedicated to artwork the couple had owned. But some historians found the auction house's decision to move forward with the sale distasteful, and employees had raised concerns internally about tarnishing its reputation. After the criticism, Christie's added information to the auction materials saying that Helmut Horten had bought Jewish businesses that were 'sold under duress,' and said the auction house would donate a portion of the proceeds to Holocaust research and education."
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Arkansas. Christiano Lima of the Washington Post: "A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked an Arkansas law forcing social media companies to verify users' ages and requiring that minors get parental consent to set up account. Tech industry trade group NetChoice in June sued to strike down the state law as unconstitutional, arguing it violated users' First Amendment rights and imposed 'onerous obligations' on digital platforms. In granting NetChoice's request for a preliminary injunction against the law, U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Brooks expressed deep reservations about its constitutionality and efficacy."
Texas. Marie: If the main purpose of anti-abortion laws is not to harass young women, I don't know what it is. It certainly isn't about saving fetuses. ~~~
~~~ Caroline Kitchener of the Washington Post: "More than a year after Roe v. Wade was overturned, many conservatives have grown frustrated by the number of people able to circumvent antiabortion laws -- with some advocates grasping for even stricter measures they hope will fully eradicate abortion nationwide. That frustration is driving a new strategy in heavily conservative cities and counties across Texas. Designed by the architects of the state's 'heartbeat' ban..., ordinances like the one proposed in Llano -- where some 80 percent of voters in the county backed President Donald Trump in 2020 -- make it illegal to transport anyone to get an abortion on roads within the city or county limits. The laws allow any private citizen to sue a person or organization they suspect of violating the ordinance. Antiabortion advocates behind the measure are targeting regions along interstates and in areas with airports, with the goal of blocking off the main arteries out of Texas and keeping pregnant women hemmed within the confines of their antiabortion state." ~~~
~~~ Marie: Kitchener points out that there is a Constitutional right to travel in the U.S. and that these ordinances violate that, but it's difficult to sue because private citizens are the rats. If you can't leave your home on a public road, isn't that unlawful imprisonment?
Texas. David Goodman of the New York Times: "The Texas Supreme Court allowed a new law banning transition care for transgender minors to go into effect on Friday, halting a range of medically-accepted treatments, including hormones and puberty blockers, in the nation's most populous Republican-led state." However, legal challenges are proceeding. ~~~
~~~ Eduardo Medina of the New York Times: "A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked a new Texas law that would restrict drag shows, a victory for L.G.B.T.Q. groups that have criticized the measure as an attack against drag performers and organizers. Judge David Hittner of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas wrote in his ruling that the law was unconstitutional because it violated First Amendment rights and that his decision would remain in effect for 14 days while he deliberates on a more permanent order." ~~~
~~~ Marie: Doesn't leave you a lot of room to wonder why Canada issued a travel warning to potential visitors to the U.S. If you want to see a rodeo, try the Calgary Stampede.
News Lede
CNN: "An inmate convicted of murder escaped a prison in Pennsylvania's Chester County on Thursday morning, according to local officials. Danelo Cavalcante, 34, broke out of Chester County Prison at around 8:50 a.m. Thursday, the Chester County District Attorney's Office said. The district attorney, Deb Ryan, described Cavalcante as 'an extremely dangerous man.' Cavalcante was last seen at around 9:40 a.m. walking along a nearby road in Pocopson Township, wearing a white T-shirt, gray shorts and white sneakers. The prison is about 30 miles west of Philadelphia."
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Reader Comments (13)
I asked Dr. Google what caused falls in Parkinsons Disease and here's what she said:
"Poor balance (postural instability) and freezing are probably the most common causes but there may be many contributing factors."
Loss of facial expression and nasal speech would not be noticed because he's spoken and looked like that for years.
Meds would stop the shaking.
Maybe those doctors didn't examine McConnell because they already know what's the matter with him.
The Donald pleaded 'not guilty' but he left off the last 4 words of that
plea: 'by reason of insanity'. But that might have got him off the hook,
so maybe it's a good thing he didn't add those 4 words.
Upon checking with my sister, who lives on the Fla./Ga. border,
she had a few takes on trump. He's suffering from electile dysfunction,
is soft on the issues and can't get his numbers up.
She's been through a lot but still has a sense of humor.
Worth a quick once-over:
https://time.com/6309657/us-christian-nationalism-columbus-essay/
With two equally quick thoughts to follow:
As far as I can tell, the author has his history right. Because church and state operated hand in hand and were in fact hard to distinguish from one another back in the 1400's, government policy and behavior were often seen as the earthly manifestation of God's will.
That was then. And for those of us who smugly like to point to all the progress we've made since, I'd mention the distinct religious elements of the Cold War, our own recent religious war in Iraq and the religiously infused Dodd decision of our own Supreme Court.
So much for the history. Looked at in another way, the alliance of government and religion has always offered the ignorant, selfish assholes carte blanche to be assholes, while they thrust the benefits of their civilization to the natives.
Good ol’ Marcus…
So…a statue (headless, by the way), of Marcus Aurelius seems, as likely more objects than we’d care to acknowledge, to have an interesting, um, provenance. It was swiped.
Well, that was the case for a whole lot of ancient artifacts that have ended up in various museums in the west (see Marbles, Elgin). I love museums. Been in all kinds. And I often wonder, standing in front of a fabulous quilt, dreamed up and incarnated by some nameless Quaker lady, or a painting by Van Gogh, what they might have thought about their artwork being ogled by tens of thousands long years after they’re gone. Vincent might have thought “Gee, too bad I couldn’t have pocketed a tiny percentage of the gate. I could have eaten fresh bread instead of the moldy lump I typically gnawed on.”
And what about Marcus Aurelius? Ol’ Marcus wasn’t big on fame and notoriety, especially the sort of celebrity attained through legacy after passing on to that great coliseum in the sky. “What does that get you?” he asked. “Nothing” was his answer.*
Instead, he was concerned, in his particular stoic idiom, with being good, just, decent, and prudent, of learning from his mistakes, of not being vain, self-indulgent, officious, mendacious, narcissistic, or spiteful. Reading through his stuff one realizes quickly that Marcus was the anti Trump. Pretty much every aphorism, every epigram, every sentence, glows with qualities and concerns that scream “Don’t be an asshole…like Trump!”
But looking at the statue in question, I was wondering…what if this is just sone guy? What if the sculptor said “Hey, think I’ll make a statue of my uncle Bob.” I guess “Uncle Bob” doesn’t make the hearts of curators, docents, and contributors (especially contributors), not to mention art thieves, flutter like “MARCUS AURELIUS”. But I often think, when scrolling through a wiki on, say, Hammurabi or Nefertiti, seeing a representation of those worthies, “Yeah, right. That’s probably the guy down the street or the artist’s girlfriend.”
Which brings me to my favorite quote in the Times article, where some guy sez “Well, without a head, I can’t be sure that’s really Marcus Aurelius”. Oh? Knew him well, did you?
Reminds me of that Steven Wright joke about visiting a museum that has all the heads and arms missing from statues in other museums. “See that head? Yeah. That’s Marcus Aurelius alright”
Or maybe it’s Uncle Bob.
*Just a tiny bit of kvetching here…I have to smile sometimes when I pick up Marcus’ “Meditations” (it’s largely epigrammatic, so you can dive in anywhere. It’s not like Heidegger or Wittgenstein where if you miss a paragraph you’re screwed.) and read about how it’s important to live a good, clean, noble life and treat everyone well…yeah, of course. But you’re the fucking emperor! Slaves peel your grapes and wash your many gold threaded togas! It’s easy to be magnanimous when you’re the top of the top with money to burn. But then I realize that he could have been just another pernicious prick, like Caligula.
Or Trump.
@Ken Winkes: I'd say the church-state thing predates Christianity. Most early civilizations revolved around some form of worship. What changed that, IMO (and don't trust me on history), was imperialism. The Jews deemed the Persian emperor Cyrus the Great (600-530 BCE) the first Jewish messiah when he released them from the Babylonian captivity. As Cyrus's Wikipage attests, "he was well known for having respected the customs and religions of the lands he conquered."
Later emperors, like Alexander the Great & various Roman emperors, had the same hands-off policy. Obviously, their religious tolerance was a practical consideration. If you don't upset the people too much, it doesn't much matter to them who the ruler is. Some early Christians even got that, too. Roman temples to the gods rather smoothly became Christian churches. I forget which Roman church it is that is dedicated to Mary, mother of God. There are several, but one was previously a temple dedicated to the Greek goddess Rhea, the ancient mother of the gods. Worshippers affectionately called Rhea "Ma Rhea" (my Rhea), so they could hardly tell any difference when the Temple of Ma Rhea became the Church of Maria. Homonyms can fool you.
Of course the Holy Roman Empire tried to upend that rather sensible tradition. We all know how well that worked out.
My general sense is that "With great nations/empires comes greater tolerance." It takes a distinctively parochial mind to insist that "my own religion/culture must prevail because it's best for everybody." Although I won't pretend there's a straight-line correlation, as we regress into Sam Alito's territory, our chances of remaining a great nation and world leader diminish. If you think I'm wrong, look at what the brief reign of Donald the Terrible did for us.
My favorite: statistics!
https://youtu.be/IiA1S6NvCo4?si=sEsuMQE8Jn1wzKwR
Dr. John Campbell describes the difference between natural immunity and vaccine immunity in a huge study coming out of Israel.
Short summary: natural immunity is WAY better than vaccine immunity.
The latest surge in Covid is upon us. Let's hope that we can be realistic and not go nuts about what to do or not do about this.
@Victoria: This would work perfectly for me. I've had all the vaccinations, except of of course the one that is just about to come out. I could eschew the new vaccine and walk around in crowded public places without a mask in hopes of building up my natural immunity. If that didn't work and caused me to get one or two of whatever the latest forms of Covid are, I'd probably die as I'm a high-risk person. So I'd never need another vaccination. As I said, perfect!
Even more statistics!
(I quote the UK data because the US data sucks.)
https://youtu.be/xNYaPYkVowA?si=_dwVGf30ogmDLzDT
These are mortality data for all ages in UK, with and without covid vaccines, and deaths recorded for how many deaths by age groups and vaccine status..
You can check out the elder bracket at 7:18, but if you look at all the graphs, you can see that immune status and mortality are entwined. It's not necessarily a good thing to get injected.
One really has to give the MAGA droolers a point or two.
It looks like the 4th vaccine is not necessarily a good thing.
On I believe Sirius XM the other day, some upstate NY R congresswoman was talking about the immigrant crisis that has arisen with the forced bus and plane rides for asylum-seekers, undertaken by R governors, AND apparently officials in NY. The shelters are full, what now? Well, she could not resists throwing in how it was all Joe Biden's fault...At that point I got out of the car, so no idea what she planned to say next. She was talking to Julie Mason or someone on POTUS channel. Amazing, isn't it? EVERYTHING is Joe Biden's fault, and he is just this doddering senile old fool...they don't even hear themselves sounding like idiots. I personally blame it entirely on the Rs, as every D president and congress leader has tried to get the ball rolling for practical legislation regarding the "open border problem" and every R in the last 30/40 years has managed to sink anything possible. Yes, there are problems. The kind that could be fixed. And managed. Like mature people. Oops. That's probably untrue. Rs are not mature people.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Campbell_(YouTuber) Heads up this guy spreads Covid misinformation!
Julia
Campbell, a nurse educator in the U.K. who often spreads misinformation on his YouTube channel, said the risk shown by the Swiss study was “off the scale.” “The only way you would take this kind of risk in health care is if the alternative was certain death,” he said in a video that has over a million views. “. https://www.factcheck.org/2023/08/scicheck-posts-exaggerate-significance-of-swiss-study-on-heart-risk-and-covid-19-vaccination/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Campbell_(YouTuber) Heads up this guy is known to have spread Covid misinformation.
P.S. previous comment should be in quotes taken from fact-check.org
Julia
@Julia: Thank you. I'll put something about this in Saturday's conversation. I had no idea who John Campbell was, but as you can see from my comment above, my skepticism of his advice was intuitive.