The Washington Post offers tips on how to keep your EV battery running in frigid temperatures. The link at the end of this graf is supposed to be a "gift link" (from me, Marie Burns, the giftor!), meaning that non-subscribers can read the article. Hope it works: https://wapo.st/3u8Z705
Sunday
Mar222020
The Commentariat -- March 23, 2020
Afternoon Update:
Fred Imbert of CNBC: "Stocks fell sharply on Monday as U.S. lawmakers failed to push through massive fiscal stimulus to curtail the economic blow from the coronavirus. Talks are ongoing, but investors believe the longer Washington waits, the greater the damage to the economy. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 582.05 points lower, or down 3.1%, at 18,591.93, its lowest closing level since November 2016. The S&P 500 slid 2.9% to 2,237.40. The Nasdaq Composite was down just 0.3% at 6,860.67 as investors began making small bets on technology stocks." This is an update of a story linked earlier. ~~~
~~~ Have Press, Will Print. Neil Irwin of the New York Times: "The extraordinary actions of the Federal Reserve on Monday morning can be boiled down to two sentences: There is a rapidly developing shortage of dollars across the economy. And the Fed will do anything it needs to, on any scale imaginable, to end this shortage. Its announcement was phrased in the dry bureaucratese typical of statements from a central bank. But it contains a powerful idea. The Fed, the one entity in the world with the power to create dollars out of thin air, has every intention of doing so at whatever magnitude is necessary to try to reduce the severity and limit the duration of the coronavirus economic crisis."
Jordain Carney of the Hill: "The Senate on Monday failed to advance a massive coronavirus stimulus package for the second time in as many days. Senators voted 49-46, falling short of the three-fifths support necessary to move forward with a 'shell' bill, which the text of the agreement would ultimately be swapped into. Democratic Sen. Doug Jones (Ala.) broke with the party to vote in support of the measure."
The New York Times' market updates are here. "Investors remained focused on the political stalemate in the U.S. Senate that has slowed a rescue plan for the American economy. The S&P 500 fell more than 4 percent, even after the Fed unveiled its new bond buying program."
David Sanger, et al., of the New York Times: "President Trump's refusal to invoke the Defense Production Act to commandeer resources for the federal government is based on a bet that he can cajole the nation's biggest manufacturers and tech firms to come together in a market-driven, if chaotic, consortium that will deliver critical equipment -- from masks to ventilators -- in time to abate a national crisis. Over the past five days, after weeks of minimizing the virus and dismissing calls to organize a national response, administration officials have been pulling executives into the White House Situation Room, and connecting them by phone, in a desperate effort to unlock existing supplies and ramp up new production.... But it is far from clear that the effort to enlist companies like General Motors, Apple and Hanes, just a few of the firms that have promised to free up existing supplies of masks or repurpose 3-D printers to produce ventilator parts, constitutes an effective strategy.... The White House has not said who will set the priority list for deliveries. And it is not clear that any of it will arrive in time for the cities and the states that are hit the hardest...." ~~~
~~~ Tom Krisher & Hope Yen of the AP: "... Donald Trump is falsely asserting how quickly automakers including GM, Ford and Tesla can manufacture ventilators to help fill an acute U.S. shortage of the medical equipment for coronavirus patients. Ford and GM have yet to start production, and it would take them months, if not longer, to begin production, if it's even possible.
Sabrina Tavernise & Richard Oppel of the New York Times: "As the coronavirus upends American life, Chinese-Americans face a double threat. Not only are they grappling like everyone else with how to avoid the virus itself, they are also contending with growing racism in the form of verbal and physical attacks. Other Asian-Americans -- with families from Korea, Vietnam, the Philippines, Myanmar and other places -- are facing threats, too, lumped together with Chinese-Americans by a bigotry that does not know the difference.... Many described being yelled at in public -- a sudden spasm of hate that is reminiscent of the kind faced by Muslim-Americans and other Arabs and South Asians after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. But unlike 2001, when President George W. Bush urged tolerance of Muslim-Americans, this time President Trump is using language that Asian-Americans say is inciting racist attacks."
From the Washington Post's live updates of coronavirus developments Monday: "U.S. states on Monday reported more than 100 deaths from the novel coronavirus, pushing the country's total death toll past 500 and marking the first time single-day fatalities have risen into the triple-digits since the pandemic reached U.S. soil. The virus has now claimed lives in at least 34 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and has infected more than 41,000 people nationwide, according to tracking by The Washington Post.
@12:19 pm ET: "Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) said Monday that her husband, John Bessler, a law professor at the University of Baltimore, has coronavirus. After sharing the news on Twitter, Klobuchar elaborated on her husband's situation during a previously planned conference call advocating vote-by-mail options in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak. 'I just wanted to reiterate that one of the hardest things about this disease is he's in the hospital -- he's been there a few days -- and I can't even be by his side,' Klobuchar said. 'I think many families in America are now experiencing this and things that are much, much worse.' She said it took five days to get her husband's test back.... Klobuchar said in a statement that she and her husband have 'been in different places for the last two weeks and I am outside the 14-day period for getting sick.'"
Amber Phillips of the Washington Post on Rand Paul's decision to go about business as usual while he was awaiting coronavirus test results (he tested positive). There's this, for instance: "Paul had part of his lung removed last year after an attack by a neighbor. Between that and his medical background, you might think he'd be extra sensitive to the implications of spreading it. Wouldn't he understand how dangerous being around other people, including older senators, could be if there was even the remote possibility he had the virus?"Mrs. McC: Phillips doesn't say where "home" is. I assume Paul has living quarters in the D.C. area, but is that where "home" is? Or did he fly to his old Kentucky home?
Annals of "Journalism," Ha Ha Ha. Ben Smith of the New York Times: “... for two crucial weeks in late February and early March, powerful Fox hosts talked about the 'real' story of the coronavirus: It was a Democratic- and media-led plot against ... Donald J. Trump. Hosts and guests, speaking to Fox's predominately elderly audience, repeatedly played down the threat of what would soon become a deadly pandemic. The person who could have stopped the flow of misinformation was ... Lachlan Murdoch, the chief executive of the Fox Corporation. But he wasn't paying much attention.... The most-watched news channel in America has become, since the fall of its powerful founder, Roger Ailes, much more like the Trump White House: a family business where it's not entirely clear who is in charge.... even [Lachlan's] allies told me they no longer think he has the political savvy or the operational skills his job demands."
Zach Montellaro of Politico: "Bernie Sanders has won the Democrats Abroad primary, netting a handful of delegates but doing little damage to Joe Biden's big lead. Sanders won 58 percent of the vote, which included just under 40,000 Americans living abroad, and Sanders will be awarded nine delegates to the national convention over the summer, according to the release from Democrats Abroad. Biden won 23 percent of the vote and will take home four delegates."
~~~~~~~~~~
The New York Times' live updates for coronavirus developments Monday are here. The Washington Post's live updates are here. The Washington Post's live updates are here. Both are free to nonsubscribers.
Fred Imbert of CNBC: "U.S. stock futures surged on Monday, erasing steep overnight losses after the Federal Reserve unveiled new measures to keep markets working properly. Wall Street awaited Washington lawmakers to agree to an economic stimulus and rescue plan to cushion the blow from the coronavirus outbreak. As of 9:02 a.m. ET, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were up more than 400 points, or 2.4%. S&P 500 futures were up by about 2.6% Nasdaq 100 futures traded 3% higher. The SPDR S&P 500 ETF was off by 2.8% in premarket trading." This is an update of a story posted an hour earlier which read, "Dow Jones Industrial Average futures dropped more than 600 points. ;S&P 500 futures were off by about 3.3%. Nasdaq 100 futures declined by 2.8%. The SPDR S&P 500 ETF was off by 3% in premarket trading." CNBC's live market updates are here. ~~~
~~~ Sylvan Lane of the Hill: "The Federal Reserve on Monday announced a drastic expansion of its efforts to bolster the U.S. economy and stabilize financial markets plunging due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), which sets Fed monetary policy, announced Monday it would purchase an unlimited amount of Treasury bonds and mortgage-backed securities and open three new facilities to purchase corporate and municipal debt. The moves are the Fed&'s latest steps down a path of unprecedented intervention in the U.S. economy, intended to keep credit flowing to households and businesses amid an economic calamity caused by the coronavirus pandemic."
Jordain Carney of the Hill: "Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) blocked Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-Ky.) attempt to set up a Monday morning vote on the stimulus package, effectively delaying the vote until the afternoon. McConnell had vowed earlier Sunday that he would force a second procedural vote related to the stimulus package at 9:45 a.m., 15 minutes after the markets open. But when McConnell tried to lock in that time, Schumer objected, denying the GOP leader the consent he needed to enact his plan."
Erica Werner, et al., of the Washington Post: "Senate Democrats blocked a massive coronavirus stimulus bill from moving forward Sunday as partisan disputes raged over the legislation that's aimed at arresting the economy's precipitous decline. Lawmakers had hoped to pass a massive $1.8 trillion bill by Monday but Sunday night they were scrambling to revive talks, with the stock market poised for another sharp drop and households and businesses fretting about an uncertain future. Negotiations continued even as the initial procedural vote fell short, with 47 senators voting in favor and 47 opposed. The tally was well short of the 60 votes that were needed to move forward. The number of 'aye' votes was especially low because five Republicans are quarantined over coronavirus fears.... 'The legislation had many, many problems,' Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) said. 'At the top of the list, it included a large corporate bailout provision with no protections for workers, and virtually no oversight.'" The article is free for nonsubscribers. (This is an update of a story linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~
~~~ Jeff Stein of the Washington Post: "Congressional lawmakers are feuding over a central component of the massive economic relief package being debated by the Senate..., in part because the Treasury Department would have broad discretion over where the mone would go. President Trump already has said he wants the money to be used to rescue the cruise ship and hotel industries..., but at a press conference on Sunday refused to say whether his own hotel properties would apply for the funding. 'There's too much money with no oversight,' Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) told reporters Sunday.... Democratic lawmakers and labor groups say the GOP plan amounts to a 'corporate bailout' that could reward business recklessness and hurt workers. Democratic leadership has demanded funding for corporations include protections related to workers, such as ensuring their job security and health care, pensions, and 401(k) contributions, as well as prohibitions on discharging their collective bargaining agreements." ~~~
~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: IOW, this is sort of Munchkin's Syndrome by Proxy. Giving complete discretion to Mnuchin is the same as giving complete discretion to the man who has no discretion at all: Donald Trump. Do you think Mnuchin will say "no," when Donnie Junior phones up with an ask for billions of dollars to bail out the underwater Trump resorts? Ha!
~~~ ** Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon) was on MSNBC & described the bill that failed as "the worst of the worst" massive slush fund, which authorized Mnuchin & Trump to dole out money to whomever they chose without revealing who the recipients were, without restrictions on executive bonuses & stockholder dividends, and with no protections for workers. Merkley said at the last minute McConnell stripped out restrictions & conditions to create this Trumperiffic slush fund. ~~~
~~~ Mike Lillis of the Hill: "Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said on Sunday that House Democrats would draft their own coronavirus stimulus bill after all sides failed to reach a deal on a massive proposal being negotiated in the Senate." (Also linked yesterday.)
Sarah Ladd of the Louisville Courier Journal: "Sen. Rand Paul has tested positive for the coronavirus, he announced on Twitter Sunday. 'Senator Rand Paul has tested positive for COVID-19,' Paul wrote on Twitter. 'He is feeling fine and is in quarantine. He is asymptomatic and was tested out of an abundance of caution due to his extensive travel and events. He was not aware of any direct contact with any infected person.'... According to the tweet, no staff has had contact with Paul since his D.C. office began working remotely 10 days ago." Mrs. McC: I wonder if this means Randy won't be able to vote against the trazillion-dollar stimulus package Congress is negotiating, as he did against the last relief bill, a vote he also delayed so he could grandstand a nonsense amendment. Also nice he could get a test even tho he's asymptomatic, while ordinary people with symptoms still can't get the test in many parts of the country. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
Romney's in isolation? Gee. That's too bad. -- Donald Trump, at his press conference Sunday ("The reporter asked the president if he could 'detect sarcasm' in his voice. 'No,' Trump answered. 'None whatsoever.'") ~~~
~~~ Jordain Carney of the Hill: "Republicans gathered for a closed-door caucus lunch when Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) broke the news ... [that] Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), had tested positive for the coronavirus.... The first known case of a senator contracting the disease set off a domino effect throughout the chamber as colleagues tried to recall the last time they were in close contact with Paul, who was in the Capitol complex as recently as Sunday. Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) told reporters on Sunday afternoon that senators would have to weigh whether or not they would need to self-quarantine. Only hours later, he announced that he would.... He was preceded by Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), who became the first senator to announce he or she would self-quarantine because of Paul.... Sens. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) are already self-quarantined for exposure unrelated to Paul.... After McConnell's announcement, Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kansas) made an observation to his colleagues during the lunch: That he had seen Paul in the Senate gym just that morning. The disclosure sparked two questions: Why was the Senate gym still operating while gyms across the country have shuttered, and why had Paul decided to come to the Capitol even though he was awaiting test results." ~~~
~~~ Mrs. Bea McCrabbie: Got that? Rand Paul is a self-accredited medical doctor who thought it was a good idea to leave his sweat all over gym equipment used by old folks while awaiting the results of a coronavirus test. He should disaccredit himself.
Thomas Burr of the Salt Lake Tribune: "Rep. Ben McAdams [D-Utah], who has a confirmed case of COVID-19, said Sunday night that he was admitted to the hospital Friday evening after suffering 'severe shortness of breath.'... McAdams, who said last Wednesday that he had contracted the novel coronavirus, said he was following public health guidelines when he phoned the COVID-19 hotline after his breathing grew worse." The story is free to nonsubscribers.
Trump Has Not Learned Anything. It's Still All About Trump. Brett Samuels & Rebecca Klar of the Hill: "President Trump is suggesting he might lift restrictions intended to prevent the spread of coronavirus if the economic pain from the measures becomes too great.... 'WE CANNOT LET THE CURE BE WORSE THAN THE PROBLEM ITSELF,' Trump said in a late night tweet. 'AT THE END OF THE 15 DAY PERIOD, WE WILL MAKE A DECISION AS TO WHICH WAY WE WANT TO GO!'... Trump on Monday morning retweeted several accounts that urged the loosening of those restrictions in the name of getting Americans back to work.... Vice President Pence said at a briefing on Sunday that the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) would be issuing new guidelines allowing workers who may have self-quarantined or been exposed to the virus to return to their jobs more quickly by wearing masks. The guidance, paired with Trump's new tone, previews a looming clash between the president, who has tied his reelection bid closely to the strength of the economy, and public health experts who have insisted that social distancing measures and changes to daily life may drag on for weeks or months to avoid a soaring number of infections and deaths." ~~~
~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: Social distancing is not a "cure," Donald You Ignorant Prick. It's a preventive measure designed to limit the number of people who get sick & die as well as to "flatten the curve" so that fewer people get sick at the same time, straining healthcare personnel & facilities. Trump seems to think letting the virus have its way will be good for the economy and get him re-elected.
Rishika Dugyala of Politico: "In response to a reporter's question on whether he would reach out to any former presidents (George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama or Jimmy Carter), Trump implied that wasn't in the cards. 'I think we're doing an incredible job. So I don't want to disturb them, bother them,' he said at the White House coronavirus task force briefing. 'I don't think I'm going to learn much and, you know, I guess you could say that there's probably a natural inclination not to call.' The president instead pointed to his approval numbers on the job his administration is doing -- 55 percent of respondents approve of Trump's management, a recent ABC News/Ipsos poll found -- and boasted having 'the best people in the world.'... On Sunday, Trump did extensively cite one former president during his extended press briefing. In discussing the sacrifices he made in becoming president, Trump repeated a tale about ... George Washington having two desks -- one for his business, one for his presidential work. Historians have debunked that story." Mrs. McC: Trump is right about one thing: he isn't going to learn much. He never does.
I can't jump in front of the microphone and push him down. OK, he said it. Let's try and get it corrected for the next time. -- Anthony Fauci, on how he responds when Trump says something that isn't "true & factual," in an interview with Science
Brett Samuels of the Hill: "President Trump on Sunday said the National Guard had been activated in New York, California and Washington.... Trump said the federal government would fund '100 percent' of the National Guard units carrying out approved missions in those states.... The president said various additional medical supplies would be shipped out to those states in the coming days and that troops would help construct additional medical facilities at specified sites in each state. New York will receive four federal medical stations with 1,000 hospital beds, while California will receive eight medical stations with 2,000 beds and Washington will receive several stations and 1,000 beds. Trump also touted the shipment of tens of thousands of pieces of personal protective equipment from the national stockpile to those states, including gloves, masks and gowns.... Trump has repeatedly urged governors to try to acquire supplies independently and said the federal government would assist them as needed. But governors have expressed frustration that the federal government has in some cases outbid them and called on Trump to lead the supply chain efforts." Mrs. McC: No way to know how much of this is true or when states might actually receive the protective covering.
Robert Costa & Aaron Gregg of the Washington Post: "President Trump's response to the >coronavirus pandemic sparked uproar and alarm among governors and mayors on Sunday as Trump and his administration's top advisers continued to make confusing statements about the federal government's scramble to confront the crisis, including whether he will force private industry to mass produce needed medical items.... Trump -- who has sought to cast himself as a wartime leader -- reacted to criticism that his administration has blundered with a torrent of soaring boasts and searing grievances. He tweeted that Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) and others 'shouldn't be blaming the Federal Government for their own shortcomings. We are there to back you up should you fail, and always will be!' Trump changed his tone at an evening news conference, however, touting an 'amazing' relationship with New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo (D) and saying governors he spoke with on Sunday will be 'very happy' with the upcoming federal response." A related NBC News story is here. ~~~
~~~ Alice Ollstein of Politico: "Governors, mayors and front-line health care workers ... said Sunday they have not received meaningful amounts of federal aid, including the shipments of desperately needed masks and other emergency equipment that administration officials say they have already dispatched.... 'We are desperate,' New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy [D] told ABC Sunday morning. 'We've had a big ask into the strategic stockpile in the White House. They've given us a fraction of our ask.' Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer [D] ... [said] her state's hospitals ... are struggling with serious shortages of both test kits and protective equipment for medical workers. The shortages have forced hospitals to adopt risky practices like reusing masks and having staff wear bandanas when no mask is available.... 'We've gotten no indication of any factory on 24/7 shifts. We've gotten no shipments,' New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said on NBC. 'I can't be blunt enough: If the president does not act, people will die who could have lived otherwise.' De Blasio also called on the president to mobilize the military's health care workers to immediately deploy to coronavirus hot spots like his own city.... Trump ... tweeted Sunday morning that he has given a handful of car companies 'the go ahead' to make ventilators and other unnamed 'metal products' for hospitals, but gave no indication of a timeline or quantity. Converting factories from making cars to making medical equipment cannot happen immediately, and could take several months. In the meantime, hospitals need immediate help." ~~~
~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: "Metal products"?? What? Lead-lined caskets?
Nancy Cook of Politico: "... Donald Trump spent the weekend vacillating between casting himself as an empathetic leader and wartime president.... But above all, he still wants credit. Credit for cutting off travel from China. Credit for giving up money to run for office. Credit for uniting the nation. During three collective hours of briefings on Saturday and Sunday, the president extolled his administration's 'extraordinary mobilization in our war against the virus,' dropped superlatives while describing efforts to offset testing shortages and move a major economic stimulus bill on Capitol Hill and trumpeted a national emergency he declared over a week ago. 'There's never been anything like we're doing on the Hill right now,' he told reporters in one of many laudatory passages."
The New York Times live updates of coronavirus developments for Sunday are here. "Peter T. Gaynor, the administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency..., President Trump's top emergency management official, confronting growing cries from governors and other elected officials for more hospital masks, ventilators and other medical supplies, said on Sunday that localities not severely affected by the outbreak would simply have to wait.... [New York Gov. Andrew] Cuomo also said that FEMA would erect four hospitals inside the Jacob K. Javits Center in Midtown Manhattan.
"[American Dimwits.] As Americans clean and sterilize countertops, doorknobs, faucets and other frequently touched surfaces in their homes, many people are then tossing disinfectant wipes, paper towels and other paper products into the toilet. The result has been a surge in backed-up sewer lines and overflowing toilets, say plumbers and public officials, who have pleaded with people to spare the nation's pipes from further strain." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: Just saw another portion of Cuomo's daily briefing. That's presidential! And, in a way, entertaining. Cuomo is not taking any crap, either from irresponsible New Yorkers or from the useless President*. ~~~
~~~ The Washington Post's live updates are here. "President Trump last week claimed he is using the Defense Production Act to push companies to produce crucial medical equipment for hospitals.... 'I invoked the Defense Production Act, and last night, we put it into gear,' Trump said at Friday's coronavirus task force briefing. But two days later, his FEMA chief said that's not the case. 'No. We haven't yet,' FEMA Administrator Peter Gaynor said Sunday on CNN's 'State of the Union.' Not [long] after Gaynor's appearance on CNN, Trump on Sunday sent a tweet that added further confusion to the situation. 'Ford, General Motors and Tesla are being given the go ahead to make ventilators and other metal products, FAST! @fema Go for it auto execs, lets see how good you are?' Trump tweeted. [Mrs. McC: Congrats on that punctuation, Donnie.]
"D.C. officials are trying to thin crowds around the Tidal Basin, where cherry blossom trees nearing their peak bloom continue to draw many spectators in defiance of calls by officials to practice social distancing. Police will close major roads to traffic in the westernmost part of the Mall between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. and are urging pedestrians to keep their distance, too." (Also linked yesterday.)
Marisa Taylor of Reuters: "Several months before the coronavirus pandemic began, the Trump administration eliminated a key American public health position in Beijing intended to help detect disease outbreaks in China.... The American disease expert, a medical epidemiologist embedded in China's disease control agency, left her post in July, according to four sources with knowledge of the issue. The first cases of the new coronavirus may have emerged as early as November, and as cases exploded, the Trump administration in February chastised China for censoring information about the outbreak and keeping U.S. experts from entering the country to help.... The American expert, Dr. Linda Quick, was a trainer of Chinese field epidemiologists who were deployed to the epicenter of outbreaks to help track, investigate and contain diseases. As an American CDC employee, they said, Quick was in an ideal position to be the eyes and ears on the ground for the United States and other countries on the coronavirus outbreak, and might have alerted them to the growing threat weeks earlier. No other foreign disease experts were embedded to lead the program after Quick left in July, according to the sources."
Matt Zapotosky of the Washington Post: "The Justice Department this weekend brought its first case of alleged fraud stemming from the coronavirus crisis, convincing a federal judge in Texas to issue a restraining order Sunday to block a website that claimed to be distributing vaccines. In court documents, the department alleged the operator of the site, coronavirusmedicalkit.com, was facilitating a wire-fraud scheme, 'intentionally making false statements' about the vaccines, which do not exist. 'The website falsely claims that the World Health Organization is giving away free vaccine kits and that individuals who visit the website can order such a kit by paying $4.95 for shipping,' the Justice Department wrote.... A Justice Department official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing investigation, said officials do not know who created the site, and it was possible it was registered with NameCheap by someone using a fake name or other cyber tools to hide their identity. The restraining order, the official said, also covers NameCheap, though there is no allegation the company has committed a crime."
Sasha Pezenik of ABC News: "Critical medical gear is still in short supply as the nation grapples with new coronavirus, and while Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Peter Gaynor said masks are in the midst of shipping from the national stockpile, he could not provide details on a concrete timeline. 'They're shipping today, they shipped yesterday, they'll ship tomorrow,' Gaynor said on ABC's 'This Week' Sunday. 'When you say "they," how many? Which masks? The new masks?' Co-Anchor Martha Raddatz pressed. 'I mean, it is hundreds of thousands of millions of things that we're shipping from the stockpile. I can't give you the details about what every single state or what every single city is doing,' Gaynor said. 'But I'm telling you that we are shipping from our national stockpile, we're shipping from vendors, we're shipping from donations. It is happening. The demand is great.'" Read on. Mrs. McC: It doesn't get better. All we know for sure is that Trump has added another side-stepping shuffler to his bigsong-and-dance show. (Also linked yesterday.)
Florida Republicans Are So Helpful in a Crisis. Miami Herald Editors: "With Florida's economy crashing under the weight of the coronavirus pandemic, Gov. Ron DeSantis is working overtime to preserve our status as the world's leading exporter of political comedy. Friday, DeSantis mounted the bully pulpit to present House Speaker Jose Oliva, with a baseball bat inscribed with the words 'Slayer of the healthcare industrial complex.' It was a sophomoric bit of messaging on any day. It was inexcusably tone-deaf when the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in Florida topped 500. At least 10 people had died since the crisis began.... Unfortunately, DeSantis, who despite trying to appear large and in charge in front the microphone and TV cameras..., has been a timid leader in the face of the growing scourge -- and growing number of deaths -- from the disease in his state." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Lake Okeechobee News: At the March 20 meeting of the Okeechobee County Commission, Commissioner Bryant Culpepper recommended blow-drying your nose to kill the coronavirus. Culpepper learned this excellent technique on the righty-right-wing One America News. Mrs. McC: I'm waiting for Trump -- an OAN fan -- to recommend the method in his next briefing. Good luck, Tony Fauci! (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ ** Update. Hemant Mehta, the Friendly Atheist: "For what it's worth, Culpepper is now apologizing -- sort of...." Well-worth reading Mehta's entire post. P.S. Before you click on the link, try to imagine what Culpepper looks like. Bet you get it right. Many thanks to Hattie for the link.
~~~ MEANWHILE, the Kids Are All Right: ~~~
Leader of the Free World Shelters in Place. Katrin Bennhold & Melissa Eddy of the New York Times: "Germany on Sunday barred groups of more than two people from gathering, except for families, and Chancellor Angela Merkel later said she herself was going into isolation because her doctor had tested positive for the coronavirus.... The chancellor will be tested regularly in coming days while carrying out her duties from home.... In the absence of a vaccine or a cure, she said, it is up to people to curtail their interactions, she said. 'Our own behavior,' she said, 'is currently the most effective antidote we have: to reduce public life as much as is possible, to reduce contact with people through whom the virus could be transmitted.' 'In short,' she said, 'that's how we save lives.' The chancellor, a trained scientist, has won wide praise for her calm and transparency during the crisis."
Dominic Patten of Deadline: "Harvey Weinstein has tested positive for the novel coronavirus in prison. Just days after being transferred to the Wende Correctional Facility from NYC's Rikers Island, the Oscar winning producer and convicted rapist is now in medical isolation, an Empire State law enforcement official confirms to Deadline."
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Reader Comments (31)
My hope is that the OM will try the facial blow-dry and that at 136 degrees his bronzer will turn green and be permanent.
Just a thought...
What if Li’l Randy is lying about testing positive for Trump Virus? He has an insatiable appetite for the spotlight and can barely go a couple of weeks without a “What about me?” attack, requiring him to strut around and say and do whatever it takes to get his weird wig and sour little puss on the front page.
I’m betting he “tested” himself. He must have coveted the kind of sympathy enjoyed by Ted (Is my wife really ugly?) Cruz and Matt (Gas masks are funny) Gaetz. He’s been a diehard supporter of Dr. Fatty’s snake oil and it would be great for him to announce, after a few weeks of “Poor, brave Li’l Randy” adulation in the confederate media, to race back before the cameras and proclaim that he fought that virus, mano a mano, and kicked its ass, making a complete recovery with no ill effects. Dr. Fatty would make him chief of emergency medicine in his Marred-a-Lago Hospital for Poor Rich Republican Traitors.
But a Republican senator amd yuuuuge supporter of the Orange Menace would never lie about something as serious as that, would he? I mean, taking advantage of the suffering of Americans to swipe the spotlight for himself. Would he?
Just sayin’...
Wait, wait, wait...
Blow drying your nose to KILL the Trump Virus??
Virology studies have shown that heat can be effective in reducing the infectious properties of certain viruses, but we’re talking about temperatures over 38 degrees C (100 degrees Fahrenheit), for 24 hours.
So, okay, hair dryers can get up to about 140 degrees Fahrenheit, on high. Which means you’d probably only have to cook your nose at that temperature for about, oh, say 15 hours.
Sounds like a plan. Especially if you’re fond of massive third degree burns. Oh, but what about those nasty bits of viral loveliness already in your lungs? I guess you could stick a blow torch down your windpipe and breathe deeply for a few hours, or until your throat closed up and you suffocated in horrible agony. But hey, at least you wouldn’t have to worry about the Trump Virus anymore.
This Culpepper idiot sounds like a shoo-in for a spot on Fatty’s daily corona-carousel. Look, kids, see the monkeys going up and down to the music?
@Akhilleus: Culpepper has a plan for killing the coronavirus in your lungs, too: “Also, if you are worried about it going into your lungs, because that’s where it goes to turn into pneumonia, you can put a pan of water on the stove until it turns into steam and inhale it." Might scald your face, would do nothing for your lungs, but hey. as Commissioner Culpepper says, "it’s worth trying.” Besides, hospitals have nothing to do right now except treat dimwits for third-degree burns.
Wouldn't it be more effective to just fill a spray bottle with bleach and then squirt it into your nostrils and throat while taking a deep breath? How long would you need to hold it in?
Unwashed,
I know you’re being funny here (and it is funny), but some imbeciles are proposing exactly that. I kid you not. Last night I read at least four lists of cuckoo shit not to do. Gargling with bleach is a big one, meaning this option has been seriously suggested by (most likely) supporters of Dr. Fatty. See, when there’s little in the way of actual, solid, truthful and effective advice coming from the White House, but plenty that is not just wrong, but indescribably, stupidly wrong, crap like this floats up. We are reliant on an ignorant fat man whose primary preoccupation is looking good, in a reality TV show way, not providing anything approximating real leadership.
Bartender, I’ll have a Clorox, neat. And one for my friend. He’s felling a little peaked.
Mea Culpepper
“To All.my Facebook Friends, I am Heartfully Sorry for comments I made on Social Media. I was only trying to give comfort to those in Okeechobee who have no insurance to treat there families
I should have ignored the comments that I perceived as hateful and the embarrassment I caused to my Fellow Commissioners and our Administrator
And her staff
I will not offer anymore suggestions unless they are tried and proven
I ask for All of your forgiveness for anything offensive that I uttered during these exchanges. God Bless and soften your hearts.”
Clearly god-fearing and repentant, he‘s referred to Chuck Schumer as both ‘ASSHOLE’ and ‘scumbag’.
Priceless portrait within:
https://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2020/03/22/fl-county-commissioner-im-sorry-for-saying-hair-dryers-cure-covid-19/
PD Pepe (from yesterday) -
Thank you for posting Kate Novack’s “Hysterical Girl”. (A wild thought - I know, I know - but ya think there’s some distant connection to “hysterectomy”?) Absolutely brilliant. Don’t know a single woman - close friend, colleague, whatevuh - who cannot say of herself (reluctantly or full-throated) “Me Too”.
I so hope many more projects - of all stripes - will be afforded viewing options during this time of closings.
Bea wrote: "... Donald You Ignorant Prick. It's a preventive measure ..."
He knows that because they talked about it in a meeting. But one of the CDC folks said that distancing is a "preventive measure, a prophylaxis", and that was enough for DiJiT to oppose it. He never uses prophylaxis.
LARGE AND NOT IN CHARGE
We wondered and wondered till our wonder wore out what the heck would bring down the AT-Large King of the hill. Nothing seemed to do the trick–-not even impeachment seemed to nudge him from his golden throne and all his slaves and knaves said "See, all you mother fuckers, our man here is here to stay and he ain't gonna leave for many a day." When they said this this they always grinned from ear to ear–-"we are poets at heart" they thought while spittles of pink foam formed around their mouths; even Rush, with his medal of something still hanging around his neck spoke gloriously of how the King was handling this, as he called it, "Just the flu, folks, nothing to get your boxers in a bunch about." BUT––a sea change here? are we witnessing the beginning of the end of that national nightmare called DJT? Has he met his match? This "aggressive and deadly virus is unimpressed and unimpeded by the bluster of a con." as David Remnick so aptly puts it. I like that–-I like the fact that fatty falls flat on his keister when it comes to a pathogen he can't control––that he can call it all the names he wants and it won't care one wit. Finally something bigger than he thinks he is.
"Misinformation and cant, along with a kindred scorn for science and professional expertise: these things are pathogens, too. Counterfeit facts can polarize, alienate, disaffect, rouse misdirected rage, and foment social division. They have long come at a cost to our civility; at a time of pandemic, especially, they also come at a cost in human lives." David Remnick
@Hattie: I thank you so much for watching "Hysterical Girl" and I do hope everyone does because it's a winner in so many ways. I love the way they juxtapose the voice of "Dora" with our modern voices of women who have been slandered and men who do the slandering.
After my hysterectomy I remember telling my GYN that
I felt "emptied out--that something vital had been taken from me" He was a lovely, compassionate person but he brushed this off by saying–-"oh, you won't miss it–-I can assure you." I looked him in the eye and said empathically––"You have no idea what I'm feeling because you never had and never will have a uterus." Later I wrote a poem about it–– and later he told me he was wrong and thanked me for enlightening him.
HYSTERECTOMY
They did it finally! Dug it out
With their stainless steel and gloved hands
A mass of jellied substance
To be divided equally into sterilized masons.
The organ grinds no more
Mute music for a dumb monkey, labored years
Down the drain.
Still drugged, I see my fuzzy mother
Peering through the window.
She stands her vigil throughout the night
An acte gratuit—
By daybreak, gone.
The moon will ignore me now
She can’t be bothered.
I have served her well: cyclical miracles
Of infinite varieties/sacrificial blood-lettings/
Swollen bellies that bore moon babies,
Nocturnal creatures with love eyes.
Their bed is gone-a nest deserter—
Who’s to know.
I leave empty now, emptied out
With my vases of flowers,
My pictures of voids.
From 1980
an actual quote from you know who: "The medicines, and what I like to call, and people are calling, 'therapies' are things that can help, or maybe help, people who are ill, or not quite ill, but feeling a little better, or getting better, or before they even get sick in some cases..."
My first thought was I'd take a bourbon and blue cheese dressing with that word salad but quickly recalled the waiter and told him to leave out the blue cheese.
Some hilarious toilet paper humor from Carol Burnett:
https://youtu.be/XMTSbSrvcRg
PD -
Wow! (I realize that’s gotta sound both incredibly shtoopid, if not - unintentionally - dismissive.) I’m “just” letting your intimate reveal wash over me. And trust that your experience - followed by both physical and emotional recovery - was traded for a clean-bill-of-health.
Hat
Patrick re: “He never uses prophylaxis.”
Thanks for the giggles!
I’m greedily grabbing ‘em while “distancing” in NYC.
@Ak, point taken. I hope I'm not wrong assuming that the RC community has better tuned bullshit detectors than Fatty's base.
Perhaps I'm already getting a little punchy after trying to minimize social contact for the last two weeks while preparing for even more. I'm only about 3 hours north of NYC in what's called the Tri-State region of northwest CT, southwest MA and eastern NY. It's long been popular for people of means to escape the city to their weekend/summer homes.
Over the last two weeks I noticed a definite uptick in NY plates for this time of year. Last Monday I drove to the nearest town in NY. There was a fairly steady stream from NY into CT. I noticed two cars that I guessed were a couple, she in her Mercedes sedan and he following close behind in his Mercedes SUV.
For the last two Friday's I've gone to a market in MA where we get our produce and meat. I arrived shortly after they opened and was surprised to see that the parking lot was already about 1/3 full with about 1/3 of the cars from NY. It's not unusual during the summer holidays. (If fact, a couple of July 4th's ago, Al Roker was in the produce area before standing next to me at the meat counter, ordering the same bacon I had just gotten, before recognizing him. Turns out that I had parked next to his Audi Q7, not knowing that the woman sitting inside was his wife until he pushed his cart next to it and she got out to help load.) It is unusual now.
Even yesterday I went for a walk in my town. Traffic was light but I'd swear that NY plates outnumbered CT and MA.
I don't begrudge them for leaving the city. I just hope they got out before getting infected, that they self-isolate in their homes, and if not, that infections don't spread amongst us natives because of them.
I'm surprised that the president* hasn't advised businesses and
those who will be deep in debt to follow his past leads and just
file bankruptcy. It worked well for him until he couldn't get money
in this country and reportedly sought foreign money.
Guess I can't do that since I (we) have no debt. We're from the era
that our parents told us if you want something, work hard and save
for it.
Forrest: Right. When DiJiT declares bankruptcy, he's burning other people's money. When you or I do, we'd be having a garage sale of our necessities.
And we could not acquire enough debt to make it an "asset", in the sense that if you owe the bank millions you own them, if you owe them thousands they own you. The wonder remains, why would ANYONE loan DiJiT huge amounts?
I believe this to be a good summary of where we are and where we're going:
https://www.wired.com/story/coronavirus-interview-larry-brilliant-smallpox-epidemiologist
One upside for one person, a friend who has devoted much of her time to the happy pursuit of paranoia. As long as I've known her, something or someone has always been out to get her.
Now her wish has come true.
Haven't heard a thing about those Mooslims from her in weeks.
Patrick,
And if Bill Barr has his way (or if--horrors!--the Pretender is re-elected), we'll never know the answer to your question.
I forgot to mention that when I returned from NY last Monday I drove past the Gummer compound, home of Ms. Overrated Actress. It's a nice place with a beautiful view over her large pond, with an island in the middle, toward the adjacent hills. A place they've had for over 30 years with some of her husband's sculptures on display in the front lawn. I don't know if they were home but I did see 3 cars parked down by the house. Could've been the kids, or maybe just the help.
The electric gate by the road at the top of the driveway was closed. Wonder if it was to keep people in, or out.
Now that Trump is echoing Fox "News" about possibly ending the social distancing policy (so the cure isn't worse than the disease) I have to think that a big reason is a desire to return to his adoring base with loud and long rallies. Got to get his love shots.
Trump is the human embodiment of Short Attention Span Theatre.
@ Bobby Lee: run with that idea a bit. When business leaders and republican donors want the Trump administration to ease social distancing in order to save their corporations from a few quarters of loss, it's like saying that not only can Trump shoot someone on fifth avenue and get away with it, they can be mass shooters, randomly killing hundreds of thousands and can get away with it. Who is going to represent the victims - the DOJ?
Dr. Ryan of WHO spoke in today's daily briefing about our current state in the pandemic as phase one - a defensive mode. When the world's medical systems are able to keep up with the new infections we can switch to offense mode - aggressively scaling up testing to isolate and eliminate the virus like the world cooperatively did with small pox and polio. It was encouraging to hear clear strategies. Can't say that about our business and political leaders at this point who are fixating on the pile of money they will loose in the process of supporting public health.
PD -
Needed time to re-read your poetry and let it “marinate”.
Gorgeous.
And - as much as another ever might - I “get” this.
peace
I hope you all get to listen to McConnell's rant on the senate floor today––it will blow you away! Bastard! In essence, he's saying, we democrats don't care about how this virus is infecting people–-we only care about the Green deal and infrastructure that we put in this bill that you, Mitch, refuse to bring to the floor. As someone said long ago–-when a crisis occurs take advantage and get what needs to be passed, passed; if that's political, so be it. Climate change is a greater threat in the long run than this virus and this virus is a huge threat.
To Hattie: re: that hysterectomy: the reason for it was that A.H. Robbins made an IUD that was faulty and caused severe inflammatory disease; they knew about this and never alerted the public. We sued and got a small bundle. I was the first woman in CT. who did sue and soon thereafter were hundreds, ( it became a class action suit) but during the imposition their lawyers tried to make me out as some kind of loose woman who fucked many men who could have possibly infected me–-it was humiliating as well as infuriating. At the time I had been married to Joe for about five years and we had already had our son. (I had had two other sons from a previous marriage) There were many women who will never be able to have children because of this company who kept the problem from the public.
PD -
I think we may have posted at about the time.
I’m am saddened that you went through that crapola.
Yet applaud your courage in the face of all that crapola . . .
. . . which I also “get”.
‘Baby’ may have ‘come a long way’.
But there’s ‘miles to go before’ we sleep.
My minimally profitable workshop of highly skilled, underpaid craftspersons is shut down as of tomorrow noon, according to the MA governor, though in reality, we've been shut down for a week already. Our boss told everyone to stay home beginning last week, entering as many hours on the time sheet as necessary to stay afloat, eating the loss for the common good.
Wednesday will be a venture into the Unemployment system, though I suspect bandwidth on the website will be as scarce as toilet paper.
Those odd senators criticizing the littlest Covid-19 Narcissist for spreading his germs around the senatorial gym when he knew he might be a carrier of a deadly disease have it all wrong when they say that a doctor should know better. Li’l Randy is a doctor in about the same way thst Fatty is a “president”. They are both self-certified. Meaning they don’t really care what constitutes actual medical or political authenticity. They say it’s so, in their grim, predatory solipsistic bubble, it is so.
In the same way that Fatty cares only about his own standing, Li’l Randy cares only about himself. If he feels like working out, after being tested for a deadly virus and without knowing the outcome, fuck it. He’ll do it. He comes first.
Then again, the whole thing could be a scam. Which would make him less (marginally) of a horrible “doctor”, but a complete con artist trying to polish his knob while Americans die.
Any way you look at at it, a truly despicable asshole. My question now is why that neighbor didn’t hit him a lot harder.
Holy shit! I just saw a bit of trump talk, where a reporter said there was not much oversight to the corporate bailout and he said: "I will be the oversight."
Kill me now.