;)
Wednesday
Dec302020
The Last Day of the Worst Year
~~~ Marie: I replaced the original video, which went kaput. We'll see if this one lasts through the tolling of Big Ben.
~~~ Victoria Bekiempis of the Guardian: "While the crystal-encrusted New Year's Eve ball will drop in Times Square at midnight on 31 December, its descent ... will be greeted by empty streets due to Covid-19, and not hundreds of thousands of revelers. New York City authorities have announced that Times Square will not be open to the public on New Year's Eve. The party and live performances will go on, albeit virtually: Those wishing to attend can stream online, or watch on television. This dramatic shift -- New Year's Eve gatherings have taken place at the so-called Crossroads of the World since 1904 -- is not unique to Manhattan.... Some private event organizers have adapted their soirees to meet social-distancing guidelines.... At the same time, there are numerous examples of private people and businesses trying to flout restrictions. Word of planned New Year's Eve parties in Los Angeles spurred immense backlash as the area has been devastated by Covid-19.... There are numerous listings for parties across the US. Some hotel-based events are even advertising buffets." ~~~
~~~ Jenny Gross of the New York Times: "In most cities this New Year's Eve, there will be no roaring crowds, no gatherings for fireworks shows and, let's hope, no strangers kissing at midnight. But, after a year punctuated by disease, unemployment and racial unrest, people around the world, in different circumstances than usual, will still raise a glass and toast the start of 2021. Even in countries where coronavirus cases are low, like Australia, local governments have gone back and forth, making plans and then canceling them again, as they try to balance keeping people safe with allowing them to let loose after a difficult year.... The fireworks display over Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong was also canceled, along with the Lunar New Year parade in February, according to The South China Morning Post. In London, the annual fireworks along the Thames River have been canceled, but Big Ben, which has been silent while undergoing renovation, will chime at midnight.... In Rio de Janeiro, wher revelers usually wear white and flock to the beach, the authorities will block beach access to prevent crowds from gathering."
Late Morning/Afternoon Update:
House Republicans to Vote Against Democracy. Jake Tapper of CNN reported on-air that at least 140 Republican House members will vote against counting Electoral College votes for Joe Biden. As Tapper point out, none of these Republicans, some from the states whose vote count they are opposing, are questioning the validity of their own victories. No link. MB: Assuming there's a print story coming on this, I'll post it.
Tal Axelrod of the Hill: "Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.) announced Thursday that he will quarantine after being exposed to someone infected with COVID-19, taking him off the campaign trail just days before his crucial Senate runoff.... While Perdue and his wife tested negative for COVID-19 Thursday, they will still quarantine based on guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and their doctor's recommendation."
Rachel Janfaza of CNN: "Florida Congresswoman-elect María Elvira Salazar said Thursday that she has tested positive for Covid-19 and will be unable to attend the congressional swearing-in ceremony at the US Capitol on Sunday. Salazar, a Republican, said on Twitter she was admitted to a local hospital with heart arrhythmia, commonly known as an irregular heartbeat, on December 23, before being tested for Covid-19. That test came back positive, she said."
Bill Hutchinson of ABC News: "The president and CEO of an Indiana hospital has prompted backlash for releasing what medical professionals and health care advocates described as a 'blame the victim' statement about a Black physician who died of COVID-19 after alleging she was mistreated by a doctor and nurses at his medical facility because of the color of her skin. In a press release, Indiana University Hospital president and CEO Dennis M. Murphy described Dr. Susan Moore as a 'complex patient' and said that during her stay at the IU Health North facility in Carmel, Indiana, the nursing staff treating her for coronavirus 'may have been intimidated by a knowledgeable patient who was using social media to voice her concerns and critique the care they were delivering.' Moore, 52, who operated her own family practice, died at another hospital she went to a day after being discharged from IU Health North, her 19-year-old son, Henry Muhammed, told ABC News. Before being sent home from IU Health North, Moore recorded a scathing review of her treatment and posted the video on her Facebook page, saying, 'I put forth, and I maintain, if I was white, I wouldn't have to go through that.'"
The New York Times' live updates of Covid-19 developments Thursday are here: "... logistical problems in clinics across the country have put the campaign to vaccinate the United States against Covid-19 far behind schedule in its third week, raising fears about how quickly the country will be able to tame the epidemic."
Fred Imbert of CNBC: "The number of people filing for unemployment benefits for the first time unexpectedly fell last week, marking its second straight decline. Initial jobless claims declined by 19,000 to 787,000 in the week ended Dec. 26, the Labor Department said Thursday. Economists polled by Dow Jones expected initial jobless claims to rise to 828,000. The previous week's total for initial claims was upwardly revised by 3,000 to 806,000. Continuing claims, which include those who have received unemployment benefits for at least two straight weeks, fell by 103,000 to 5.219 million for the week of Dec. 19. Data on continuing claims runs on a one-week lag to the initial claims numbers."
Kate Sullivan of CNN: "On Joe Biden's first day as President, his White House will issue a memo to halt or delay midnight regulations and actions taken by the Trump administration that will not have taken effect by Inauguration Day, Biden transition spokesperson Jen Psaki told reporters on Wednesday. Psaki noted that issuing a regulatory freeze is standard practice for an incoming administration, 'but this freeze will apply not only to regulations but also guidance documents -- documents that can have enormous consequences on the lives of the American people.' The memo will take effect after noon ET on January 20, Psaki said, after Biden is inaugurated. The memo is part of a broader push the Biden transition team has previewed to immediately undo several of outgoing ... Donald Trump's policies."
Matthew Choi of Politico: "The Census Bureau will miss a Dec. 31 deadline for reporting data used to determine congressional seats, the agency announced Wednesday. The delay could hinder ... Donald Trump's effort to exclude some undocumented immigrants from the figures used to apportion House seats.... It will be the first time the bureau will miss the deadline since its 1976 implementation.... Census Bureau documents released by the House Oversight Committee earlier this month show the data may not be delivered until late January -- after President-elect Joe Biden gets inaugurated. That would give the Democratic president an opening to cease Trump's efforts to exclude undocumented immigrants from the count."
John Wagner & Rosalind Helderman of the Washington Post: "Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) called the effort in Congress to reverse President-elect Joe Biden's electoral college victory a 'dangerous ploy,' underscoring the challenge President Trump faces in persuading even members of his own party to join it. In an open letter to constituents, Sasse wrote that there is no evidence of fraud so widespread that it could change the results and said he has urged his colleagues to reject 'a project to overturn the election.' 'All the clever arguments and rhetorical gymnastics in the world won't change the fact that this January 6th effort is designed to disenfranchise millions of Americans simply because they voted for someone in a different party,' Sasse wrote on Facebook shortly before midnight on Wednesday.... His letter followed Wednesday's announcement by Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) that he will object next week when Congress convenes to certify the electoral college vote, a move that will force a contentious floor debate that top Senate Republicans had hoped to avoid."
Georgia Senate Race. Michael Kranish of the Washington Post: '... at an October rally in Macon with Trump[, Sen. David] Perdue did not mention specifics about his career, telling the crowd, 'I'm just a dumb business guy from right over that hill. That was followed by Trump promising to make the United States 'the manufacturing superpower of the world. And we will end our reliance on China once and for all.' Trump made no reference to the fact that Perdue, whom he called a 'very successful man,' made much of his fortune by heading Asian operations for a number of companies that relied on Chinese manufacturing of products sold in the United States.... Perdue was a top executive at some of the country's best-known consumer brands, spending years in Hong Kong and Singapore, which he used as bases to travel across Asia to take advantage of the region's lower-cost workforces."
U.K. Reuters: "The father of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday he was in the process of applying for a French passport to maintain his ties with the European Union after Brexit. Stanley Johnson, a former member of the European Parliament who voted Remain in Britain's 2016 referendum, told RTL radio he wanted to become a French citizen because of strong family links to France."
~~~~~~~~~~
The Trumpidemic, Ctd.
The Federal Government has distributed the vaccines to the states. Now it is up to the states to administer. Get moving! -- Donald Trump, in a tweet Wednesday morning, blaming states for chaotic federal vaccination roll-out ~~~
~~~ Isaac Stanley-Becker of the Washington Post: "The largest immunization campaign in U.S. history is off to a slow start, dimming hopes, at the end of a dismal year, of an imminent return to normal. In some places, the vaccination campaign -- among the most complex logistical efforts undertaken in peacetime -- has been marked by chaos and confusion.... The result is the delayed administration of vaccines during the deadliest month of the pandemic so far.... The reasons for the slow start in the United States include a chronic lack of public health funding and the absence of unified communication about the vaccines and their availability. Each state is deciding for itself how to prioritize residents, how to alert people of their place in line, how to sign them up, how to police eligibility, how to promote vaccine acceptance, how to configure immunization sites and how to muster the workforce to get it all done.... President Trump's approach -- furnishing states with vaccines but leaving them largely alone to conduct vaccination -- is at odds with how President-elect Joe Biden is vowing to govern."
Lauren Gambino of the Guardian: "Donald Trump's demand for $2,000 relief checks to Americans struggling financially with the pandemic was all but dead after Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell said on Wednesday that a proposal from Democrats had 'no realistic path to quickly pass the Senate'. Declaring that he would not be 'bullied' by Democrats into quickly approving the measure, McConnell effectively denied a final request for legislative action by the president in the waning days of his administration. 'We just approved almost a trillion dollars in aid a few days ago,' McConnell said, referring to the passage of a massive $900bn stimulus package that included $600 direct payments to most American adults. 'It struck a balance between broad support for all kinds of households and a lot more targeted relief for those who need help most'.... '$2000 ASAP!' Trump demanded again on Wednesday before McConnell appeared to extinguish the possibility." The New York Times story is here. ~~~
~~~ Old McConnell Has a Trick, E I E I O. Phil Mattingly of CNN: "Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell introduced legislation Tuesday to combine two additional demands from ... Donald Trump to an expansion of direct stimulus payments as part of the Covid-19 relief package, raising Democratic concern the pathway for expanded stimulus payments would soon be short-circuited. The Kentucky Republican, shortly before adjourning the Senate on Tuesday afternoon, introduced a bill that would combine increased direct payments with a repeal of the online liability protections known as Section 230 and the establishment of a commission to study voter fraud. The latter two issues have been significant drivers of Trump's ire in the wake of his general election loss -- the latter of which with zero evidence presented to this point. While the move doesn't guarantee McConnell will bring the bill up for a vote, it provides a substantive option should time -- and the political winds -- press the chamber in that direction. It's also one that would be all but certain to fail to garner the votes for passage. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York called the bill a 'cynical gambit' and said it would serve as 'a blatant attempt' to ensure the $2,000 direct payments were not signed into law." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Steve M.: "If you're a Republican, you've persuaded your voters that the purpose of government isn't to make ordinary people's lives better -- government just screws up everything it touches anyway, right?... And because [the voters] don't expect to get anything from government except validation of their hatred of liberals and the Democratic Party, they'll be fine. They won't care that the checks didn't go through. They'll still vote for Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue in the Georgia Senate runoffs. They won't punish Republicans for this in any upcoming elections." Thanks to RAS for the link.
Nelson Schwartz & Gillian Friedman of the New York Times: "Whatever the amount [of the so-called stimulus check], the reality is that most Americans right now are much more likely to save the money they receive.... For the majority of the estimated 160 million individuals and families who will receive it, spending the money is expected not to be a high priority. After an earlier round of $1,200 stimulus checks went out in the spring, the saving rate skyrocketed and remains at a nearly 40-year high. That largely reflects the lopsided nature of the pandemic recession that has put some Americans in dire straits while leaving many others untouched.... Many experts said a truly stimulative package would have earmarked the payments for those who need it most -- the unemployed." ~~~
~~~ Marie: IOW, the checks, no matter the amount, will be a boon to the financial industry. Either people will leave the funds in their non-interest-bearing checking accounts for the banks to use, or they will add them to savings, money-market, 401(k)s & similar accounts where financial institutions will profit. The butcher, the baker, the candlestick-maker; they're SOL.
Tal Axelrod & Naomi Jagoda of the Hill: "Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that stimulus payments from the most recent coronavirus relief package could begin landing in Americans' bank accounts as early as Tuesday night [i.e., two days ago]. Mnuchin said in a tweet that the Treasury Department had delivered a payment file to the Federal Reserve in association with the package and that 'payments may begin to arrive in some accounts by direct deposit as early as tonight and will continue into next week.'" (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Update: In yesterday's Comments, Bobby Lee says a friend in Georgia has already received the $600. Bobby Lee, a cynic, thinks that on accounta the upcoming senatorial election, checks went out to Georgia first. Nah!
Joseph Guzman of the Hill: "President Trump reportedly plans to hold his annual black-tie New Year's Eve gala at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla., despite the raging coronavirus pandemic that has left more than 330,000 Americans dead.... While there's no official word on how many guests will be in attendance this year, a member of Mar-a-Lago told [CNN] at least 500 reservations have been confirmed so far for the event where attendees reportedly paid about $1,000 per ticket in 2019." MB: Trump doesn't care if the event is a Covid superspreader as long as the checks clear before the guests die. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Update. Brett Samuels of the Hill: "President Trump will return to Washington, D.C., on Thursday afternoon, cutting short his trip to Florida for the holidays. According to the president's daily schedule sent late Wednesday for the following day, Trump and the first lady 'will be leaving Florida for the White House' at 11 a.m. The shift in plans means Trump will not be in attendance at the annual New Year's Eve party at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, which guests have already secured tickets for. Trump has attended the annual gathering each of the past three years, typically making brief remarks to guests." MB: Worth bearing in mind: the whole Florida trip flouts CDC guidelines to celebrate the holidays in place.
Rep. Jim Jordan (Rabid-Ohio) asked what one supposes was a rhetorical question when complaining in a tweet about stay-at-home orders necessitated by the pandemic. "What would the Founders say?" asked Jim. Bad news for Jimbo; smarter people than he follow him on Twitter. Amee Vanderpool wrote, "George Washington established quarantine guidelines, travel bans and isolated those infected with smallpox during the Revolutionary War-the colonists even passed a law in 1731 that made reporting the illness mandatory." And Ethan Bearman tweeted, "The Founders passed An Act Related to Quarantine during the 3rd Congress in 1796, signed by PRESIDENT GEORGE WASHINGTON. It directed the feds to help states enforce quarantines." MB: My sentiments are with the Rude Pundit: "It would have taken you less than a fucking minute to google this shit and discovered that George Washington ordered quarantines during the small pox epidemic in the 1770s-80s." Thanks to PD Pepe for the link to this HuffPost story. (Also linked yesterday.)
Florida. Bobby Calvan of the AP: "Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis begged for patience from anxious seniors waiting their turn to get inoculated against COVID-19, as confusion and frustration arose over the availability of the life-saving vaccine among some of the state's most vulnerable. At vaccination sites across the state, seniors formed long lines -- some camping out overnight with lawn chairs and blankets -- hoping to gain immunity to fight the virus. Before the sun had even risen Wednesday morning, one southwest Florida county's vaccine supply for the day was already accounted for, prompting officials to turn down anyone else who was arriving. Seniors in other parts of the state were frustrated by busy phone lines and websites that would no longer issue new vaccination appointments. DeSantis has prioritized Floridians older than 65 to be next in line for the state's stock of vaccine, now that most health care workers and other first responders are protected against the virus that has infected more than 1.2 million Floridians." ~~~
~~~ Silent Movie: Everything Is Going Very Smoothly. Seniors lined up Wednesday outside the Fort Myers, Florida, Stars recreation complex, to wait overnight for vaccinations. Republicans really know how to govern, don't they?:
New Hampshire. Live Free [of Masks] or Die. Kathy McCormack of the AP: "New Hampshire's Republican governor said Wednesday that he is canceling his outdoor inauguration ceremony next month because of public safety concerns -- namely, armed protesters who have been gathering outside his home in the weeks since he issued a mask order. 'My first responsibility is ensuring the safety of my family and our citizens' Gov. Chris Sununu said in a news release. 'For weeks, armed protesters have increasingly become more aggressive, targeting my family, protesting outside my private residence, and trespassing on my property -- an outdoor public ceremony simply brings too much risk....' In consultation with Attorney General Gordon MacDonald, Sununu said, he and Senate President Chuck Morse, acting House Speaker Sherm Packard [all Republicans] and the Executive Council will be sworn in during a small ceremony Jan. 7."
U.K. James Gallagher & Nick Triggle of BBC News: "The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine has been approved for use in the UK, with the first doses due to be given on Monday. There will be 530,000 doses available from next week, and vaccination centres will now start inviting patients to come and get the jab. Priority groups for immunisation have already been identified, starting with care home residents, the over-80s, and health and care workers." (Also linked yesterday.)
The Presidential Transition
Missy Ryan of the Washington Post: "President-elect Joe Biden plans to nominate two former senior officials to fill the Pentagon's No. 2 and No. 3 jobs, transition officials said, further signaling the new administration's intent to forge a more predictable foreign policy and revitalize agencies that Biden says have been 'hollowed out' by President Trump. The officials said Biden has selected Kathleen Hicks, a think tank strategist and former senior Pentagon official who is heading Biden's Defense Department transition team, as his nominee to be deputy defense secretary.... The officials said Colin Kahl, who served as a top Pentagon official for the Middle East during the Obama administration and later as Biden's national security adviser, would be nominated to become undersecretary of defense for policy, an influential role that helps shape major security decisions."
Linda Greenhouse of the New York Times tells her Joe Biden story. MB: It's a good one.
The Last Days of the Mad Kaiser
Reuters: "... Donald Trump's pardon of four American men convicted of killing Iraqi civilians while working as contractors in 2007 violated U.S. obligations under international law, U.N. human rights experts said on Wednesday.... The Geneva Conventions oblige states to hold war criminals accountable for their crimes, even when they act as private security contractors, the U.N. experts said. 'These pardons violate U.S. obligations under international law and more broadly undermine humanitarian law and human rights at a global level.'" (Also linked yesterday.)
Max Greenwood of the Hill: "President Trump called for Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp's (R) resignation on Wednesday, hammering him for refusing to back up the president's claim that he carried Georgia in the November presidential election -- despite his loss by 12,000 votes, a result that has survived multiple recounts and court challenges. '@BrianKempGA should resign from office,' Trump tweeted. 'He is an obstructionist who refuses to admit that we won Georgia, BIG! Also won the other Swing States.'" (Also linked yesterday.)
Josh Hawley, Junior Fascist. John Wagner of the Washington Post: "Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) announced Wednesday that he would object next week when Congress convenes to certify the electoral college vote, a move that all but ensures at least a short delay in cementing President-elect Joe Biden's victory." Politico's story is here. MB: When little Josh heard Missouri was called the "show-me state," he thought it meant, "Show me! Show me! Everyone should see me!" What an ass. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Kyle Cheney has a longish piece in Politico in which he explores how the new House & Senate could change their rules on January 3 in a way that would prevent Hawley or any of his fellow Trumpophiles-of-convenience from giving pence the option to muck up the Electoral College vote count on January 6.
Michael Crowley of the New York Times: "President Trump was briefed this month about intelligence reports that China had offered to pay bounties to fighters in Afghanistan who attacked American soldiers there, but the information was uncorroborated and comes months after Mr. Trump dismissed as a 'hoax' a C.I.A. assessment that Russia had paid for such attacks.... United States intelligence agencies collect enormous amounts of information, much of which turns out to be false or misleading.... [The information] comes at a time when Trump administration officials, including the director of national intelligence, John Ratcliffe, have sought to put more pressure on China, partly in the hope of limiting any plans by the incoming Biden administration to ease tensions with Beijing." ~~~
~~~ Lara Seligman of Politico: "... the [China] intelligence is 'very thin' -- thinner even than reports that Russia offered payments to the Taliban to target U.S. and coalition troops, which were never corroborated, [a] senior U.S. official told Politico. The official went on to described the recent intelligence as 'rumors' and lacking 'hard evidence.' But the allegations involving Chinese operatives in Afghanistan are being handled very differently [-- i.e., as if they were more, rather than less, credible than the Russia allegations --] by Trump officials than the those involving Moscow earlier this year."
Shayna Jacobs & Jonathan O'Connell of the Washington Post: "The Manhattan District Attorney's Office has retained forensic accounting specialists to aid its criminal investigation of President Trump and his business operations, as prosecutors ramp up their scrutiny of his company's real estate transactions, according to people familiar with the matter. District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. opened the investigation in 2018 to examine alleged hush-money payments made to two women who, during Trump's first presidential campaign, claimed to have had affairs with him years earlier. The probe has since expanded, and now includes the Trump Organization's activities more broadly.... Vance's office has suggested in court filings that bank, tax and insurance fraud are areas of exploration." (Also linked yesterday.)
Another Trump Lie about a Republican. Alex Kasprak of Snopes: "Not long after Newsmax 'broke' this story [that the brother of Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger was an executive with China's state-owned technology company Huawei]..., Donald Trump referenced it in one of many tweets to Raffensperger on Dec. 29, 2020, broadly interpreting their reporting to mean that the Georgia secretary of state's brother 'works for China[.]'... The thing is, Ron Raffensperger -- who was accurately described by Daily Beast as 'a random man with the same last name who serves as CTO for a subsidiary of the Huawei conglomerate' -- is not Brad Raffensperger's brother."
Marie: I don't usually ask for favors, but now I need some help with a domestic problem. I would like your assistance in composing a short note I can use to decorate the windshields of vehicles parked in my small lot on which I have posted this "No Parking" sign. I'd like to use proper, upper-crustly language in this note, absent profanities & obscenities, to let the drivers of these occasionally-parked vehicles know they are stupid, fucking, god-damned, narcissistic, arrogant assholes. The object is to shame them for life. Any & all suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
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Reader Comments (19)
The Hill reports that nearly a hundred Republicans might be willing to wear the mark of Cain, some two marks, into the new year.
https://thehill.com/homenews/house/532143-gop-lawmaker-thinks-100-republicans-could-challenge-electoral-college-results
Making fools of themselves as Republican primary protection may make some sense in a culture where it pays to be crazy, but I'd think it would be a stigma in most general elections.
Likely too long (and too stupid), but it's free.
"This is Private Property, the foundation of the American Dream.
That you have parked here uninvited and illegally tells everyone you are unAmerican. Most likely a socialist.
And socialists are not welcome on my property."
Okay, maybe a tad long, but my initial idea “Fuck off, asshole” doesn’t fit with the indicated guidelines.
Since you are lodged in a private, clearly marked no parking area, several possibilities present themselves.
First, your malingering parents allowed you to skip grammar school and you never learned to read. Or, you made it far enough to recognize single syllable words like “no”, but decamped prior to the introduction of far more challenging terms such as “parking”.
Of course it is possible that you are blind as a dead bat, or impaired either through ingestion of ungodly amounts of bathtub gin (and not the good kind), or your usual seven hour opium orgy, and thus any form of vehicular peregrination makes you a menace to society, in which case it is hoped that some kind citizen alerts the proper authorities so that you might, perforce, be carted off forthwith.
Leaving aside the possibilities that you are illiterate, sightless, or besotted to the point of dimwittedness, the only remaining options are that you are an ill bred lout. A boil on humanity’s bottom. The sort that parents point to when passing with their children, sternly advising against the vaguest imitation, lest acquaintances and strangers alike beat a hasty retreat upon approach.
Upon further consideration, the very real chance of idiocy in your family makes a strong case for placement at the top of the list. However, abiding by the simple request of the owner of this spot you and your eyesore of a junk box now inconsiderately, ignobly, and unethically occupy will at the very least remove blindness and illiteracy from the list and may possibly bar future philippics on my part. As to the rest...
I’ll work on something a bit shorter...
Well, my suggestion is a sheet of paper with a reproduction of your sign over the words: "Yes, this means you!" All caps suggested.
Anecdotal evidence seems to show that Joe Biden, in just a few weeks as president-elect, has done far more work towards the safety, national security, and responsible governing of the country than Fatty did in four years. And that’s even considering that he’s gotten zero cooperation from the pablum puking fascists.
If you live in a small New England town, you can go into the town clerk's office and ask what they can do to help you. In my very small town, one speaks either to a selectperson or the highway department.
You don't know the car, but it has been sitting on your property for several days. Who is in charge of removing vehicles from places where they do not belong?
THEN your note simply says: "The highway department will be by at noon to tow your car away, because you are trespassing. You can move your car right now to avoid a towing fee. Or not. Your choice."
I like the idea of a card with a referral to your favorite ophthalmologist. Those capable of feeling shame will get it. Unfortunately, a lot of people have observed that one can get to high places being impervious to shame and are marching, maskless and arrogant, towards their own sad, isolated little kingdoms.
THIS LOT WILL EXPLODE IN 15 MINUTES.
"If you can read this you were raised better, and know not to park on private property.
POSTED"
center text. 1st sentence in nicey, script copperplate. Last word centered below, huge font block poster print. Shoot three random .45's through the sign metal.
I vote for Forest's sign–-I'm still laughing. Another suggestion might be, although the lot explosion might just do the trick:
Thou hath violated my property by illegally parking: MOVE IT OR LOSE IT!
Will this "proper, upper-crustly language" suffice?
Intentional or not, this one had two good parts. The original and wholly accurate tweet directed at precisely the right audience, and the Senator's response, also true, but it appears misdirected, adding another dimension to his national pratfall.
https://www.newsweek.com/walmart-staffer-behind-josh-hawley-sore-loser-tweet-gets-offered-free-rent-money-1558187
Good entertainment, as the last day of this sorry year dribbles away.
It's also a good time to thank Bea/Marie and the rest of you for helping me get through it, so i will.
Linda Greenhouse gives us her "Joe Biden Story" and it's worth a read. She brings in his handling of the Bork hearings which still reverberate
today:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/31/opinion/joe-biden-politics.html?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage
"I've interviewed many politicians [she describes them]... What I hadn't encountered was a politician like Mr. Biden, willing to let his guard down and reflect on his vulnerabilities."
Josh Hawley, who looks like a young whipper snapper in an ad for Men's Clothing, is obviously priming himself for that seat in the Oval. Brash and sassy-like, he is determined to make himself known. He's off to a good start before he falls flat on his face and can join the other hopefuls who are still trying to ruin our fragile democracy like Cruz, Rubio, Rand, Cotton, et al.
I'm waiting to see what Stephen Miller, prime slime creature of those mucky waters, is going to do now that he's out of a job. When we have a clean sweep of Fatty's favorites will we be able to breathe better?
But since it's the last day of this disastrous year I wish all of you here a more hopeful New Year and with it some of those happy moments in our lives. And to join Ken in his thanks to "Bea-Marie" ––although I'd change that to Bee since she is definitely our Honey for making us a nest to buzz and bounce around a bit–-language wise. Praise be!
Instead of "No Parking" perhaps "Private Parking" with an additional business sign from the local towing company showing the phone number they can contact to get their vehicle out of hock...but then that doesn't satisfy the inner karen that wants to do public shaming by exhibiting their superior vocabulary and vituperate wit. What's that all about? Huh? The parking scofflaws made a careful calculation about risk and figured out that there wasn't any. Adding a put down on the sign will likely invoke some equally combative spray paint tagging along with continued unwanted parking because is there is still no risk.
PD,
It used to be that one needed to demonstrate qualities of leadership, proper temperament, a combination of book and street smarts, and a sort of je ne sais quoi before attracting serious consideration for the most powerful position in the world.
Now you just need to show your ass. At least if you’re a Republican.
Screaming “No!” has been a hallmark of that party for a generation, but that alone seems unlikely to cut it anymore with the knuckle draggers. Oh, it’s not necessary that one offer workable alternatives to whichever plans or proposals one says “no” to. In fact, alternative plans were considered déclassé, an indication of a certain level of brainpower, seriousness, or ability beyond assholism. Now, however one must demonstrate an affinity for treason. And rank stupidity.
Another gift of the Party of Traitors. This Josh Hawley prick surely demonstrates those bona fides.
I vote for: PRIVATE PROPERTY and underneath that:
If not moved immediately, look for damage to occur, unfortunately.
I worked for a dealer and I know how to do it.
You are all wonderful. I so appreciate your noble words, your abilities to get right to the heart of things and dissect it to reveal the good and the bad. Somehow I have to break myself of reading HuffPo's comment section since it is giving me ulcers and a compulsive need to slam the idiots writing there... This column is a lifesaver, and Marie the queen of all. Thanks so much, and STAY SAFE OUT THERE.
O.K. everyone, we need a year of good luck, good health, good love, etc. and hopefully that will be 2021 if you soak your black eyed peas today for cooking and eating on New Years day, even if you're not a southerner it's guaranteed to work.
@Forrest Morris: The black eyes are soaking and the jowl, rice and onions are ready to hit the pot come morning.
Here's to a joyous, healthy, and better 2021.
How the DNC and the RNC agree on almost everything, if additional evidence were needed:
https://www.dailyposter.com/p/senate-democrats-motion-to-concede
Hooray for bipartisanship.
Marie, you pose an interesting challenge but since I know nothing about the property there is one circumstance that I'm curious about: What is the attraction the draws your offenders to park there is the first place? Whatever it is needs to be within walking distance of their vehicle. Is it to shop? Or, to perform some recreational activity?
I agree with periscope in that without any fear of real financial penalty or damage to their vehicles, assholes will continue to be assholes. Despite how pleasant your current sign is, it wouldn't matter if you put up 20 of them, people will still ignore them. Any note after-the-fact won't do any good either. Neither will having them towed, or puncturing their tires. It may prevent a second incident, but the goal is to not allow a first occurrence.
I believe the only way for you to stop it is to install some form of physical barrier. A hedge, fence, stonewall, posts with a chain or cable that only you can unlock. Maybe a line of large rocks spaced close enough so people can't drive between them, and tall enough so they can't be driven over without incurring damage to the undercarriage.
Another option may be that you turn it into a money-making venture. Let them park, but only for an exorbitant fee. Turn lemons into lemonade as some say.
Best of 2021 to you and all.
Thanks for all of your suggestions. They are all pretty funny & some of them actually useful. I'm going to keep it short but combine a couple of them for my windshield decor. I think Patrick came closest to achieving my goal of humiliating the offender, so his suggestion will definitely figure into my final message. (Sorry, I'm not going to shoot up that pretty sign.)
Also, periscope's remarks gave me the incentive to take down the plate numbers of violators.
As Victoria noted, the local township can be -- and in my case was -- helpful in getting rid of the worst offenders. When I nicely asked the realtor across the road not to park up the area, he got really nasty & told me he would continue to use my property and that he would sue me for violating his "easement" to park there. I went to the town administrator, who told me the realtor was leasing the office building from the town, that of course the realtor didn't have an easement on my property and that he would send the realtor a cease-and-desist order or face eviction. I guess that happened because that was the end of the realtor's inviting his customers to park there.
In answer to unwashed, I live across the road from a public lake & park. But my property runs from where the park & lake are up to a two-lane federal & state road. (If that sounds grand, it's not; much of the property is wetlands. My little stone cottage sits on what I expect is a man-made rise.) The "parking space" near the road is where people park. The park has lots of public parking. On occasions when the town has a big function, I allow handicapped parking on my property. I also let the police, fire department & snow plow use the space for turn-arounds or speed traps, so I don't want to cordon it off.
My main concern is any liability I might have if somebody suffered personal injury while on the property. The town has liability insurance which they assured me they would invoke if they ever had a problem, but any individual who slipped in the snow or damaged his vehicle could successfully sue me but for that no-parking sign -- and enforcement of it. I'm hoping a note with suffice as enforcement.
The sign has worked pretty well since I put it up. So have similar signs at the ends of my driveway, which some park users were employing as a turn-around. One kid who drove up told me he thought my driveway was public because it was paved. Right. It looks like a one-lane driveway, not a public road. Evidently, he thought I was out shoveling snow off the "public road" because I'm so public-spirited. Jerk.