REALITYCHEX.COM - Constant Comments

Constant Comments

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.

Success is not final, failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts. — Anonymous

A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves. — Edward R. Murrow

Publisher & Editor: Marie Burns

I have a Bluesky account now. The URL is https://bsky.app/profile/marie-burns.bsky.social . When Reality Chex goes down, check my Bluesky page for whatever info I am able to report on the status of Reality Chex. If you can't access the URL, I found that I could Google Bluesky and ask for Marie Burns. Google will include links to accounts for people whose names are, at least in part, Maria Burns, so you'll have to tell Google you looking only for Marie.

Sunday

Aug222021

The Commentariat -- August 23, 2021

Marie: For the SIXTH day, Reality Chex is not accepting comments, through no design or fault of my own. In desperation, I have come up with an interim plan to get around the problem, one that will mean only a little extra work for those of you who have something to say. Here are the easy instructions:

1. In the URL (address line), enter www.realitychex.com/display/Login and return. The login is case-sensitive, so that "L" in "Login" must be capitalized.

2. A log-in page will come up. Type squarespace in the Login box. Type nonsense in the password box. And return. That will get you page to the standard Reality Chex page. (Note: Don't use boldface type; I've put the stuff you have to use in boldface only to make it easier to see.)

3. Type your comment in the Comments box as usual. But at the end of the comment, sign it with your usual Reality Chex handle, because the name of the poster will say "See Above."

Special thanks to all of you who have gone to the trouble to comment under this somewhat cumbersome system.

~~~~~~~~~~

Late Morning/Afternoon Update:

The New York Times' live updates of Covid 19 developments Monday are here. The Washington Post's live Covid updates for Monday are here: "Fresh data from Israel is providing encouraging news about the effectiveness of coronavirus boosters in seniors. A study by the Israeli Health Ministry found that a third dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine provided four times as much protection against infection as two doses in people 60 and older. The level of protection was five to six times higher against serious illness and hospitalization, according to the study published Sunday, which looked at protection provided 10 days after a third dose. Israel approved booster shots for people 60 and older late last month, and lowered the age of eligibility to 40 last week."

** Ben Guarino, et al., of the Washington Post: "Federal regulators Monday granted full approval to the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine -- a milestone that could help increase inoculation rates and spark a wave of vaccine mandates by employers and universities amid a surge of new cases and hospitalizations fueled by the ferocious delta variant. The Food and Drug Administration action marks the first licensing of a vaccine for the coronavirus.... The vaccine has been approved for two doses, three weeks apart, in people 16 and older. It remains available under emergency use authorization adolescents ages 12 to 15." CNN's report is here. The FDA's press release is here.

Eliza Shapiro & Tracey Tully of the New York Times: "New York City will require every employee of the city's Department of Education -- including teachers, principals, custodians and all central office staff -- to have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine by Sept. 27, without the option of instead submitting to weekly testing, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Monday. Hours later, Gov. Philip D. Murphy of New Jersey announced that all employees of public, private and parochial schools in his state must be fully inoculated by Oct. 18 or be tested once or twice a week for the coronavirus. He said the rules also apply to all state employees and all substitute teachers, who are already in short supply."

Jenny Zhang of Gawker: "If almost-former Gov. Andrew Cuomo wasn't considered a disgraced man before (he was), he will be now. The Albany Times Union reports that the governor, who resigned after being accused of sexual misconduct by 11 women, left his dog, Captain, at the Executive Mansion in Albany and has been asking household staff members if anyone would like to keep him.... Cuomo is planning to go on vacation after he leaves office before midnight tonight." Cuomo's director of communications said the story was, like, totally untrue. MB: When I was walking my dog in downtown Manhattan, Andy's dad Mario stopped me & asked me all about the dog. Apparently a love of pets doesn't run in the family.

Getting Stupid Again in Portland. Andrew Jeong of the Washington Post: "Hundreds of far-left and far-right demonstrators clashed in Portland, Ore., on Sunday afternoon, firing paintballs, spraying chemicals and destroying property. Police have not reported any deaths or injuries. But footage from the two areas where the demonstrations occurred showed gunshots being fired, people being shoved to the ground and some protesters breaking the windows of parked vehicles. Images showed at least one person surrendering to law enforcement officials where the shots had been fired. Dennis G. Anderson, 65, was charged with unlawful use and possession of a firearm shortly after the shooting, police said."

~~~~~~~~~~

The New York Times' live updates of developments in Afghanistan Monday are here: "As the evacuation from Afghanistan plunged more deeply into chaos and violence, President Biden is considering extending the deadline for U.S. troops to withdraw, amid a groundswell of pressure from global leaders and veterans concerned that a security vacuum could risk lethal consequences. Violent clashes at Kabul's airport on Monday reinforced fears that the American withdrawal will aggravate the already precarious security situation." ~~~

~~~ The Washington Post's live Afghanistan updates for Monday are here: "A Taliban spokesman warned that the United States would be crossing a 'red line' if the Biden administration keeps troops in Afghanistan past its declared Aug. 31 deadline."

Karoun Demirjian, et al., of the Washington Post: "President Biden said Sunday that the U.S. military is 'executing a plan' to move stranded American citizens to the Kabul airport in greater numbers, including through an expansion of a safe zone around the facility and by creating conduits for people to access the compound 'safely and effectively.'... The president would not say how the plan for 'increased rational access to the airport' is being carried out or whether U.S. troops have expanded their perimeter outside the airport and further into Kabul, which could put them at heightened risk of attack from Taliban factions manning security checkpoints and Islamic State operatives who, U.S. officials warn, pose a serious threat.... On Saturday, the U.S. military operated 14 evacuation flights that took about 3,900 people out of the country, while 35 other planes evacuated approximately the same number, according to White House and Pentagon officials.... About 28,000 people have been evacuated since Aug. 14, including 11,000 over the weekend, Biden said." The AP's story is here. ~~~

~~~ It's Not Easy Being President. Matt Viser of the Washington Post: "President Biden, beset by challenges to his credibility and facing the biggest foreign policy crisis of his administration, sought on Sunday to reassert his claim to competent governance while looking ahead to twin crises in coming days: the emergency evacuation of Americans in Afghanistan and a tropical storm pummeling the Northeast. Speaking at the White House after a weekend meeting with advisers instead of traveling to Delaware, Biden touted the recent success of U.S. forces in ramping up evacuations, suggesting the military might make additional efforts to retrieve Americans and allowing for the possibility of extending the Aug. 31 deadline for the pullout. The president also gave a more direct response to criticism that he is showing little empathy for vulnerable Afghans while potentially paving the way for dangerous refugees to enter the United States. He emphasized that all refugees would be fully vetted, and he made a point of voicing compassion for those seeking to flee."

Martin Pengelly of the Guardian: "Activating a plan used only twice before, the Biden administration on Sunday ordered the use of commercial aircraft to help ferry people evacuated from Afghanistan.... The activation of the Civil Reserve Air Fleet, for only the third time in history, was ordered by Lloyd Austin, the defense secretary. A Pentagon spokesman said the aircraft would not fly into Kabul but would be used to transport people already flown out. The administration asked for three planes each from American Airlines, Atlas Air, Delta Air Lines and Omni Air; two from Hawaiian Airlines; and four from United Airlines. (Also linked yesterday.)

Brianna Keilar & Veronica Stracqualursi of CNN: "The Taliban have sentenced the brother of an Afghan translator to death, according to letters obtained by CNN, accusing him of helping the US and providing security to his brother, who served as an interpreter to American troops. A former service member who worked with the translator confirmed his service and his brother's plight. The letters are just one example of how the Taliban are directly threatening Afghans who worked with the US or are family members of those who have, leaving them scrambling to flee the country in the wake of the Taliban takeover."

Taliban Don.Tom Boggioni of the Raw Story: "During his 90-minute speech in Alabama on Saturday night..., Donald Trump praised the Taliban and talked up his relationship with them at the same time that President Joe Biden is attempting to conduct the evacuation of Americans out of Afghanistan.... [Trump] called the Taliban 'great negotiators' and 'tough fighters' before adding, '... with me in office the Taliban would not have ever dreamt of capturing our airfield or parading around with our American weapons.' Critics of Trump were quick to note that his negotiations with the Taliban led to the release of 5,000 of their members which has contributed to the turmoil in the country as the U.S military leaves after a fruitless twenty-year war." MB: It isn't that difficult to understand why the Taliban endorsed Trump in 2020. Now he's returned the favor. (Also linked yesterday.)

** Capitalism Is Awesome, Ctd. Sarah Kliff & Josh Katz of the New York Times: "This year, the federal government ordered hospitals to begin publishing a prized secret: a complete list of the prices they negotiate with private insurers. The insurers' trade association had called the rule unconstitutional and said it would 'undermine competitive negotiations.' Four hospital associations jointly sued the government to block it, and appealed when they lost. They lost again, and seven months later, many hospitals are simply ignoring the requirement and posting nothing. But data from the hospitals that have complied hints at why the powerful industries wanted this information to remain hidden. It shows hospitals are charging patients wildly different amounts for the same basic services.... And it provides numerous examples of major health insurers -- some of the world's largest companies, with billions in annual profits -- negotiating surprisingly unfavorable rates for their customers. In many cases, insured patients are getting prices that are higher than they would if they pretended to have no coverage at all." ~~~

~~~ Marie: Capitalism is awesome, my ass. This NYT report is all the evidence I need to prove that the U.S.'s private insurance system is no way to cover healthcare costs. AND if it weren't for Republicans, we would have a Medicare-for-All, Bernie Sanders-approved system that, if less than perfect, would be way better than the status quo.

The Pandemic, Ctd.

~~~ Let Freedumb Ring. Joshua Zitser of Business Insider, republished in Yahoo! News: "... Donald Trump was booed by some of his supporters at a 'Save America' rally in Cullman, Alabama, on Saturday night after he suggested that they get vaccinated against COVID-19. 'I believe totally in your freedoms, I do, you've got to do what you've got to do,' Trump said to the crowd. 'But I recommend that you take the vaccines.' The former president then told his supporters that the vaccines are 'good' and once again encouraged them to get a shot. This suggestion was met with boos, as can be heard in a video shared by Vox journalist Aaron Rupar.... Trump's speech follows the news that his allies were trying to get him to run a pro-vaccination campaign, the Daily Beast reported." Includes video. (Also linked yesterday.)

Beyond the Beltway

Arizona. Jonathan Cooper of the AP: "A cybersecurity firm plucked from relative obscurity to conduct an unprecedented review of ballots in Arizona's largest country is readying to present its findings to Republican lawmakers. Experts say there should be little anticipation about the revelations from the Maricopa County audit -- and whatever those revelations are, they cannot be taken seriously. 'There are too many flaws in the way this review was conducted to trust it,' said Tray Grayson, a former Republican secretary of state in Kentucky who was the coauthor of a paper outlining the extensive problems. Grayson cites a series of red flags, from biased and inexperienced contractors to conspiracy-chasing funders and bizarre, unreliable methods." The story takes "a look at what election experts cite as the top troubles with the election review in Maricopa County[.]" (Also linked yesterday.)

I will build a great wall -- and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me -- and I'll build them very inexpensively. I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will make Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words. -- Donald Trump, 2015 ~~~

~~~ Arizona. The Great Wall of Trump ... Is Crap. Brian Kahn of Gizmodo: "It turns out ignoring bedrock environmental laws may not have been the best choice for a multibillion-dollar construction project. Photos show ... Donald Trump's border wall in deep disrepair after summer monsoon rains literally blew floodgates off their hinges.... The damage took place near San Bernardino Ranch, a historic site that sits between Douglas, Arizona, and the San Bernardino Wildlife Refuge.... Who could of predicted this? Ah yes, just about everyone."

Way Beyond

France. Constant Méheut of the New York Times: "Josephine Baker, an American-born Black dancer and civil rights activist who in the early 20th century became one of France's great music-hall stars, will be laid to rest in the Panthéon, France's storied tomb of heroes, a close adviser to President Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday. The honor will make Ms. Baker -- who became a French citizen in 1937 and died in Paris in 1975 -- the first Black woman and one of very few foreign-born figures to be interred there. The Panthéon houses the remains of some of France's most revered, including Victor Hugo, Marie Curie and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. The decision to transfer Ms. Baker's remains, which are buried in Monaco, comes after a petition calling for the move, started by the writer Laurent Kupferman, caught the attention of Mr. Macron. The petition has garnered nearly 40,000 signatures over the past two years." MB: In France, she's Josephine "Bah-KARE."

News Lede

Plastics! New York Times: "Alan Heller, the manufacturer of elegant, often whimsical but always affordable housewares and furniture that married high design with prosaic plastic, died on Aug. 13 at his home in Manhattan. He was 81."

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Saturday

Aug212021

The Commentariat -- August 22, 2021

Marie: For the FIFTH day, Reality Chex is not accepting comments, through no design or fault of my own. In desperation, I have come up with a brilliant interim plan to get around the problem, one that will mean only a little extra work for those of you who have something to say. Here are the easy instructions:

1. In the URL (address line), enter www.realitychex.com/display/Login and return. The login is case-sensitive, so that "L" in "Login" must be capitalized.

3. Type your comment in the Comments box as usual. But at the end of the comment, sign it with your usual Reality Chex handle, because the name of the poster will say "See Above."

I've tried this a couple of times, and it works. With any luck, you won't have to do this for long.

~~~~~~~~~~

Late Morning/Afternoon Update:

Tom Boggioni of the Raw Story: "During his 90-minute speech in Alabama on Saturday night..., Donald Trump praised the Taliban and talked up his relationship with them at the same time that President Joe Biden is attempting to conduct the evacuation of Americans out of Afghanistan.... [Trump] called the Taliban 'great negotiators' and 'tough fighters' before adding, '... with me in office the Taliban would not have ever dreamt of capturing our airfield or parading around with our American weapons.' Critics of Trump were quick to note that his negotiations with the Taliban led to the release of 5,000 of their members which has contributed to the turmoil in the country as the U.S military leaves after a fruitless twenty-year war." MB: It isn't that difficult to understand why the Taliban endorsed Trump in 2020. Now he's returned the favor. ~~~

Jonathan Cooper of the AP: "A cybersecurity firm plucked from relative obscurity to conduct an unprecedented review of ballots in Arizona's largest country is readying to present its findings to Republican lawmakers. Experts say there should be little anticipation about the revelations from the Maricopa County audit -- and whatever those revelations are, they cannot be taken seriously. 'There are too many flaws in the way this review was conducted to trust it,' said Tray Grayson, a former Republican secretary of state in Kentucky who was the coauthor of a paper outlining the extensive problems. Grayson cites a series of red flags, from biased and inexperienced contractors to conspiracy-chasing funders and bizarre, unreliable methods." The story takes ";a look at what election experts cite as the top troubles with the election review in Maricopa County[.]"

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The New York Times' live updates of developments in Afghanistan Sunday are here: "As the United States scrambled Sunday to control the mayhem at the Kabul airport, the situation was growing increasingly dire for the thousands of desperate Afghans trying to flee the Taliban, with surging crowds turning deadly and the potential threat of attacks. The British Defense Ministry, which has troops at the airport, said on Sunday that seven Afghan civilians had died in the crowds, where people have been trampled to death, including a toddler. 'Conditions on the ground remain extremely challenging,' the ministry said, offering no details about the deaths." A related AP story is here.

Celine Castronuovo of the Hill: "President Biden is scheduled to address the nation Sunday afternoon to provide updates on the administration's evacuation efforts in Afghanistan, as pressure continues to mount for his security team to safely transport thousands of Americans and Afghan allies amid growing security threats. Biden is expected to deliver remarks from the Roosevelt Room at 4 p.m. EST following a closed-door meeting with his national security team in the situation room to receive updates on security in Afghanistan, according to a press schedule shared by the White House Saturday night."

Karoun Demirjian, et al., of the Washington Post: "The Pentagon on Saturday strongly hinted that U.S. troops may stage further operations outside the Kabul airport to help evacuate stranded American citizens and Afghans who aided the war effort, as the threat of violence in the capital grows amid the return of the Taliban's top political leader and increased concern about potential attacks by the Islamic State. The signal that U.S. troops could undertake enhanced efforts to rescue people outside the airport came as the Biden administration scrambles to fly thousands of people per day out of Afghanistan, and amid signs there were still significant bottlenecks to doing so. Numerous gates at the Kabul airport were closed for much of Saturday, as crowds continued to swell inside and the U.S. government struggled to process people quickly enough to alleviate the issues, said three U.S. officials.... Since the evacuation began a week ago, the U.S. military has managed to remove about 17,000 people from Kabul, including 2,500 Americans, Pentagon officials said Saturday -- a fraction of the 10,000 to 15,000 U.S. citizens the Biden administration estimated last week still remained in Afghanistan." ~~~

~~~ Barbara Starr, et al., of CNN: "The US military is establishing 'alternative routes' to Kabul airport because of a threat the terror group ISIS-K poses to the airport and its surroundings, as President Joe Biden met with senior officials Saturday to discuss the security situation in Afghanistan and counter-terrorism operations against the Islamic State offshoot. 'There is a strong possibility ISIS-K is trying to carry off an attack at the airport,' a US defense official told CNN. A senior diplomat in Kabul said they are aware of a credible but not immediate threat by Islamic State against Americans at Hamid Karzai International Airport.... [A US defense official said] ...these new routes will be available to Americans, third party nationals and qualified Afghans." ~~~

~~~ Sophie Reardon, et al., of CBS News: "Earlier Saturday, the U.S. Embassy in Kabul sent out an alert on its website 'advising U.S. citizens to avoid traveling to the airport and to avoid airport gates at this time unless you receive individual instructions from a U.S. government representative to do so' due to ongoing security threats. A defense official told CBS News that the warning was prompted by intelligence that ISIS-K is planning an attack." The embassy's alert is here.

Bob Brigham of the Raw Story: "President Joe Biden's administration is 'planning a dramatic ramp-up of its airlift from Kabul' by preparing to compel U.S airlines to help transport Afghan refugees, The Wall Street Journal reported Saturday. 'The White House is expected to consider activating the Civil Reserve Air Fleet, or CRAF, created in 1952 in the wake of the post-World War II Berlin Airlift, to provide nearly 20 commercial jets from up to five airlines to augment U.S. military efforts to transport Afghan evacuees from bases in the region, according to U.S. officials. The civilian planes wouldn't fly in or out of Kabul..., officials said. Instead, commercial airline pilots and crews would help to ferry the thousands of Afghans and others who are stranded at U.S. bases in Qatar, Bahrain and Germany,' the newspaper reported."The White House is expected to consider activating the Civil Reserve Air Fleet, or CRAF, created in 1952 in the wake of the post-World War II Berlin Airlift, to provide nearly 20 commercial jets from up to five airlines to augment U.S. military efforts to transport Afghan evacuees from bases in the region, according to U.S. officials. The civilian planes wouldn't fly in or out of Kabul, which fell to Taliban rule Aug. 15, officials said. Instead, commercial airline pilots and crews would help to ferry the thousands of Afghans and others who are stranded at U.S. bases in Qatar, Bahrain and Germany," the newspaper reported.

Loveday Morris of the Washington Post: "The [German] government's handling of its 'Ortskräfte,' or local staff, has provoked harsh criticism in Germany. Ministries and officials have traded blame over why the country failed to act sooner on evacuations, piling on pressure ahead of tightly fought elections in September. While other coalition countries are also scrambling to make rescues, Germany's process has been faulted for being particularly narrow in scope, initially only accepting those who had worked for its military or agencies during the past two years. Subcontractors were excluded.... After a public outcry and numerous demonstrations by Afghan workers at German bases, the government expanded its criteria to people it had employed from 2013 on.... The system, [one of Germany's Afghan relief leaders Marcus Grotian] contends, was set up to keep people out instead of letting them in." MB: Gee, that sounds familiar, doesn't it? ~~~

~~~ Michael Shear of the New York Times: "A homeland security adviser to former Vice President Mike Pence accused the Trump administration of distorting the truth about Afghan refugees, writing on Twitter that the former president and Stephen Miller, his top immigration adviser, sought to prevent the refugees from entering the United States. In an interview, Olivia Troye recalled sitting in meetings where Mr. Miller demanded restrictions on refugees, including those from Afghanistan and Iraq. She said the reductions in the refugee program during the Trump years hollowed out the government's ability to bring the interpreters and others to the United States." Related Independent story linked yesterday.

** S.N.A.F.U. Michael Shear, et al., of the New York Times: "The nation's top national security officials assembled at the Pentagon early on April 24 for a secret meeting to plan the final withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan.... An intelligence assessment presented at the meeting estimated that Afghan forces could hold off the Taliban for one to two years.... Four months later, the plan [developed at the April meeting] is in shambles as Mr. Biden struggles to explain how a withdrawal most Americans supported went so badly wrong in its execution.... Interviews with key participants in the last days of the war show a series of misjudgments and the failure of Mr. Biden's calculation that pulling out American troops -- prioritizing their safety before evacuating American citizens and Afghan allies -- would result in an orderly withdrawal. Biden administration officials consistently believed they had the luxury of time.... Only in recent weeks did the administration change course from its original plan. By then it was too late." Read on.

Maureen Dowd of the New York Times: "Americans are not built to occupy feudal countries under scorching suns halfway around the globe.... The idea that we were going to turn Iraq and Afghanistan into mini-mes of Jeffersonian democracy was always an arrogant miscalculation, driven by macho hubris, not national security.... Donald Trump could have made safe and orderly passage a part of his deal when he negotiated his 2020 'surrender agreement,' as his former national security adviser H.R. McMaster called it in an interview with Bari Weiss. We all know Trump is a terrible deal-maker. [President] Biden could have told the Taliban he was not abiding by Trump's fatally flawed deal and renegotiated it to avoid this pell-mell disgrace. But Trump and Biden were so impatient to get out, their screw-ups merged into strangulating red tape.... Still, it is enraging to watch a parade of dunderheads preen on cable -- anchors and generals and chatterers -- the same people whose cheerleading ensnared us in 20 years of quicksand in Iraq and Afghanistan."

Amy Wang & Maria Sacchetti of the Washington Post: "The Supreme Court on Friday temporarily halted a federal judge's order to reinstate the Trump administration's 'Remain in Mexico' policy, which under the previous administration meant asylum seekers needed to wait outside of the United States for their cases to be decided. Supreme Court Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. issued the order late Friday, granting a temporary stay until Tuesday night so the full court can consider the case. A federal judge had ordered on Aug. 13 that the program, formally known as Migrant Protection Protocols, be reinstated Saturday. Biden administration officials appealed the decision, but a federal appellate court on Thursday refused to grant a delay. Shortly after taking office, President Biden used executive orders to suspend 'Remain in Mexico' and other Trump-era immigration policies that he believed to be 'counterproductive' to an 'orderly and humane immigration system.'"

Timothy Bella of the Washington Post: "Patagonia will no longer sell its merchandise at a popular Wyoming ski resort after one of the owners hosted a fundraiser featuring Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and other Republicans supportive of ... Donald Trump. Patagonia confirmed this week that it was pulling out of three stores operated by Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, its largest single customer in the area. The outdoor gear and clothing company acknowledged that the move came after Jay Kemmerer, a co-owner of the facility, co-hosted an Aug. 5 fundraiser for the House Freedom Caucus, a bloc of conservative Congress members...." ~~~

~~~ Marie: Say, if you'd like to buy yourself some gear Margie will never wear, here's Patagonia's main page.

The Pandemic, Ctd.

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

Facebook, Your No. 1 Source for Bad Healthcare Advice. Elizabeth Dwoskin of the Washington Post: "Facebook said Saturday evening that an article raising concerns that the coronavirus vaccine could lead to death was the top performing U.S. link on its platform from January through March of this year, acknowledging the widespread reach of such material for the first time. It also said another site that pushed covid-19 misinformation was also among the top 20 most visited pages on the platform.... The new release of the January through March data by Facebook came one day after the New York Times first reported that it had been withheld by senior executives. The disclosure reflects the challenge of being open with the public at a time when the social network is being attacked by the White House as well as experts for fomenting the spread of health misinformation.... The article that surged earlier this year on Facebook's platform, which is used by more than 2.8 billion people each month, was a factual article from The South Florida Sun Sentinel ... about the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention investigating the death of a doctor who passed away two weeks after taking the coronavirus vaccine, according to the report (Months later, the medical examiner's office found that there wasn't enough evidence to say whether the vaccine played a role in the doctor's death). Facebook has said it will take down outright false information about covid-19, but has argued that conversations about factual articles should not be suppressed." ~~~

~~~ Marie: I can see Facebook's point here. You and I could read the Sun Sentinel story with reasonable objectivity, and not view it as an excuse not to get a vaccine. But a lot of people are too damned dumb to put one factoid in context -- or else they put that factoid in the context of Fox "News" fantasies. Pass me that bottle of horse dewormer, Maude.

Tennessee. Martin Pengelly of the Guardian: "A conservative radio host from Tennessee who was critical of vaccination efforts and mask mandates died on Saturday, after weeks in a Nashville hospital battling Covid-19. Phil Valentine's death was reported by his station, SuperTalk 99.7 WTN, on Saturday afternoon."

Beyond the Beltway

New York. Out Like a Lion. AP: "Gov. Andrew Cuomo pleaded with New York residents to make last-minute preparations, warning that heavy rain, winds and storm surges from Henri could be as devastating as Superstorm Sandy in some parts of the state. The governor, who will leave office in two days following a sexual harassment scandal, warned that heavy rains were expected to create problems far up into the Hudson River Valley.... New York hasn't had a direct hit from a powerful cyclone since Superstorm Sandy wreaked havoc in 2012. Some of the most important repairs from that storm have been completed, but many projects designed to protect against future storms remain unfinished."

News Ledes

The New York Times' live updates of Sunday's storm developments on Long Island & New England are here. No indication the Times has made these updates free to nonsubscribers.

New York Times: "Hurricane Henri churned up the East Coast on Saturday, communities from New York City to Boston prepared for what would be the first hurricane to make landfall on Long Island or in New England in at least 30 years. The governor of Massachusetts activated members of the National Guard to make high-water rescues and clear debris. New York City announced it would suspend outdoor dining and close beaches for swimming. And Connecticut power companies said downed trees might leave hundreds of thousands of customers without electricity for as long as three weeks." ~~~

~~~ Weather Channel: "Hurricane Henri's outer rainbands are moving into the Northeast and landfall is expected in southern New England or on Long Island late Sunday morning or early Sunday afternoon. Henri remains a Category 1 hurricane and is located about 65 miles south-southeast of Montauk, New York. Henri is moving northward at 18 mph." ~~~

~~~ AP Update: "Henri weakened slightly to a tropical storm early Sunday as it was slated to pummel a long stretch of northeastern coastline, where millions on New York's Long Island and in southern New England braced for what may be the worst storm the region has seen in 30 years." ~~~

~~~ NYT Update: "After making landfall in southwestern Rhode Island on Sunday afternoon, Tropical Storm Henri moved slowly northwest across the region, weakening quickly but still bringing heavy rain and 50-mile-an-hour winds. The storm had already left more than 135,000 customers without power from New Jersey to Maine. But heavy rain, strong winds and coastal flooding were expected to continue through Monday, and the National Hurricane Center said it expected the storm to slow further and linger near the Connecticut-New York border on Sunday night.... In a briefing at the White House on Sunday afternoon, President Biden said he had approved emergency declarations for Rhode Island, Connecticut and New York." (From the NYT's live updates, also linked above.) ~~~

~~~ New York Times Update: "Tropical Storm Henri battered the Northeast with fierce winds and torrential rain on Sunday, knocking out power in most of coastal Rhode Island, forcing evacuations in Connecticut, stranding dozens of motorists in New Jersey and shattering rainfall records in New York City. But the storm, which was downgraded from a hurricane hours before making landfall in Rhode Island, spared the region the worst of what had been predicted, and it weakened quickly as it made its way north. At its peak on Sunday afternoon, the storm left more than 140,000 households without power from New Jersey to Maine."

AP: "Catastrophic flooding in Middle Tennessee left at least ten people dead and dozens missing Saturday as record-shattering rainfall washed away homes and rural roads, authorities said." The story has been updated. ~~~

~~~ New York Times Update: "At least 22 people have been killed and more than two dozen others remain missing on Sunday after a catastrophic flash flood swept through a rural area of rivers, creeks and rolling woods about 90 minutes west of Nashville, the authorities said. The floodwater vanished as quickly as it arrived, and left in its wake was a bewildering display of its fury and strength in a collection of rural communities in and around Humphreys County. Homes had been picked up off their piers and dropped across the street. Bridges and roads were crumbling. Cars were mangled and trucks had been turned upside down."

The Root: "A Montgomery civil rights-era legend, Lucille Times, has passed away at the age of 100. Times is known for getting in a fistfight with a bus driver in 1955. That bus driver would turn out to be driving the same bus Rosa Parks sat on only six months later." Times' Washington Post obituary is here.

New York Times: "Joe Galloway, a war correspondent whose wrenching account of the first major battle of the Vietnam War was the basis for the book 'We Were Soldiers Once ... and Young,' which became a best seller and the basis of a hit movie, died on Wednesday in Concord, N.C. He was 79."

New York Times: "Don Everly, the elder of the two Everly Brothers, the groundbreaking duo whose fusion of Appalachian harmonies and a tighter, cleaner version of big-beat rock 'n' roll made them harbingers of both folk-rock and country-rock, died on Saturday at his home [in Nashville, Tennessee]. He was 84."

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Friday

Aug202021

The Commentariat -- August 21, 2021

Marie: For the fourth day, Reality Chex STILL is not accepting comments, through no design or fault of my own. In desperation, I have come up with a brilliant interim plan to get around the problem, one that will mean only a little extra work for those of you who have something to say. Here are the easy instructions:

1. In the URL (address line), enter www.realitychex.com/display/Login and return. The login is case-sensitive, so that "L" in "Login" must be capitalized.

2. A log-in page will come up. Type squarespace in the Login box. Type nonsense in the password box. And return. That will get you page to the standard Reality Chex page. (Note: Don't use boldface type; I've put the stuff you have to use in boldface only to make it easier to see.)

3. Type your comment in the Comments box as usual. But at the end of the comment, sign it with your usual Reality Chex handle, because the name of the poster will say "See Above."

I've tried this a couple of times, and it works. With any luck, you won't have to do this for long.

~~~~~~~~~~

Afternoon Update:

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

~~~~~~~~~~

The New York Times' live updates of developments in Afghanistan Saturday are here. The Washington Post's live Afghanistan updates for Saturday are here.

Ezzatullah Mehrdad & Sudarsan Raghavan of the Washington Post: "Groups of armed Afghans attacked the Taliban on Friday, driving Afghanistan's new rulers out of three northern districts, the first assault against the Islamist militants since they swept into Kabul last week and seized control of the government. Local anti-Taliban commanders claimed in interviews they had killed as many as 30 of the group's fighters and captured 20 in the takeover of the districts in Baghlan province, just over 100 miles north of the capital. Former Afghan service members were joined in the fight, they said, by local civilians.... Friday's attack is the latest sign of defiance toward the Taliban, ranging from Afghans refusing to fly the white Taliban flag to women protesting to preserve their rights. Together, they illuminate some of the obstacles the Taliban faces as it seeks to form a government deemed acceptable by a broad spectrum of Afghans and by the international community, especially donors."

Ellen Knickmeyer, et al., of the AP: "President Joe Biden is pledging to Americans still trapped in Afghanistan: 'We will get you home.' Biden also said Friday the United States is committed to evacuating all Afghans who assisted the war effort -- a potentially vast expansion of the administration's commitments on the airlift so far, given the tens of thousands of Afghan translators and others, and their close family members, seeking evacuation. Biden's comments at a White House news conference Friday come as the U.S. government struggles to ramp up a massive airlift clearing Americans and other foreigners and vulnerable Afghans through the Kabul airport.... Evacuation flights at the Kabul airport had stopped for several hours on Friday because of a backup at a transit point for the refugees, a U.S. airbase in Qatar, U.S. officials said. However, flights resumed in the afternoon.... ~~~

(AP story, ctd.) A defense official said about 5,700 people, including about 250 Americans, were flown out of Kabul aboard 16 C-17 transport planes, guarded by a temporary U.S. military deployment that's building to 6,000 troops. On each of the previous two days, about 2,000 people were airlifted.... Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said ... 169 [Americans] had gathered at the Baron Hotel near the airport and were flown across the airport perimeter to safety Thursday. He said they were transported by three U.S. military CH-47 helicopters.... Separately, senior American military officials told The Associated Press that a U.S. helicopter picked up Afghans, mostly women and children, and ferried them to the airport Friday. The 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the Army's 82nd Airborne Division airlifted the Afghans from Camp Sullivan, near the Kabul airport." The New York Times story, which details the harrowing scene at the Kabul airport, is here.

A baby is lifted over concertina wire into Kabul airport. According to CNN, the baby soon received medical treatment inside the airport. No word on whether or not the mother/family got inside, too. Update: According to the NYT story linked above, "The Pentagon said the baby was sick, received treatment and was later returned to his father.":

Marie: When I heard on TV that it took years for our Afghan allies to get special immigration visas (SIVs), I couldn't understand why. Now I do. ~~~

~~~ ** Because Racism. Helen Elfer of the (U.K.) Independent, republished in Yahoo! News: "A former White House Homeland Security official has accused the Trump administration of deliberately obstructing visa processing for US allies in Afghanistan. In a series of posts on Twitter, Olivia Troye, who served as an aide to former Vice President Mike Pence, eviscerated the previous administration's actions, which she said were steeped in racism. 'There were cabinet mtgs about this during the Trump Admin where Stephen Miller would peddle his racist hysteria about Iraq and Afghanistan' she wrote, adding that Mr Miller -- a senior aide and speechwriter for Donald Trump -- would undermine anyone who was trying to resolve the Special Immigrants Visa issue. Ms Troye went on to say that while Mr Pence was fully aware of the problem, it was impossible to make progress because Mr Trump and Mr Miller had 'watchdogs in place' at the Department of Justice, Homeland Security, State and security agencies to make the process even more difficult. According to Ms Troye, the Pentagon weighed in, and there were memos sent from General James Mattis and others attempting to expedite the visas, but to no avail." ~~~

~~~ Marie: So my repeated complaints about the Biden administration's failure to streamline the visa process need a serious amendment. (1) The system Biden inherited was designed by Stephen Miller & Co. to fail; (2) Reading between the lines of several stories, it appears the Biden administration did speed up visa-vetting procedures in July 2021.

Annie Karni of the New York Times: "President Biden on Friday nominated R. Nicholas Burns, a veteran Foreign Service officer and a former ambassador to NATO, as ambassador to China and Rahm Emanuel, the former mayor of Chicago and former President Barack Obama's first chief of staff, as ambassador to Japan. Mr. Biden settled on both nominees months ago, people involved in the process said. But the official announcement was delayed in part because the United States needs the host countries to sign off on such selections before proceeding." CNN's story is here. MB: Assuming the Senate confirms Rahm, I wonder how long it will take him to insult the Japanese.

Noam Scheiber of the New York Times: "The A.F.L.-C.I.O. has chosen Liz Shuler, its acting president since the death of Richard Trumka this month, to lead the federation until it holds elections next June. Ms. Shuler had served as secretary-treasurer, the A.F.L.-C.I.O.'s second-ranking official, since 2009. The decision to name Ms. Shuler president came at a meeting of the A.F.L.-C.I.O. executive council on Friday, which Ms. Shuler was obligated to call within a few weeks of Mr. Trumka's death under the federation's constitution. Ms. Shuler is the group's first female president." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Rachel Weiner of the Washington Post: "A man who prompted an evacuation of the U.S. Capitol and surrounding buildings on Thursday by claiming to have a bomb inside his truck faces charges of threatening to use explosives and a weapon of mass destruction. Floyd Ray Roseberry of North Carolina surrendered to authorities Thursday about five hours after he drove a truck onto the sidewalk outside the Library of Congress and launched a standoff with law enforcement officers, police said. He had demanded to speak to President Biden about a range of grievances against the Democratic Party and claimed that if he was shot, his vehicle and four others would explode.... Officials said they found no bomb in his car, but there were materials that could be used to make explosives.... Before he was taken into custody, Roseberry delivered a tirade over a Facebook Live video that circulated widely before the website and other social media platforms took it down. In the video, he repeated the false claim that the election was stolen from ... Donald Trump and called on Democrats to resign."

Ken Dilanian & Rich Schapiro of NBC News: "The Capitol Police officer who fatally shot Ashli Babbitt outside a door of the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot has been formally exonerated after an internal investigation, according to a department memo obtained by NBC News. The officer, whose name has not been released, opened fire on Babbitt as she and a mob of other Trump supporters tried to forcefully enter the Capitol. Video of the shooting showed Babbitt in front of a crowd of rioters trying to get through a door leading to where members of Congress were being evacuated on the House side of the building.... [Donald] Trump previously made the false claim that the officer who shot Babbitt was the "head of security" for a 'high-ranking' Democratic member of Congress.... Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., has said Babbitt's death was 'an execution,' and he accused the officer who shot her of 'lying in wait' to do so."

Zoe Tillman of BuzzFeed News: "Infowars host Owen Shroyer is facing criminal charges in connection with the Jan. 6 riots at the US Capitol. In a new complaint filed on Friday, the US attorney's office in Washington charged Shroyer with illegally going into a restricted area on the Capitol grounds and disorderly conduct. He's one of the highest-profile right-wing media personalities to be prosecuted in connection with the insurrection so far. Shroyer, who is based in Texas, had been photographed on a stage outside the Capitol with right-wing activist and Infowars founder Alex Jones, and the FBI said it received an anonymous tip from someone noting another video that appeared to show Shroyer at the top of a set of stairs on the east side of the Capitol. Jones has not been charged."

Rachel Frazin of the Hill: "Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett denied a last-minute petition seeking to halt construction of a presidential library for former President Obama. The court's website indicated on Friday that Barrett rejected a bid from Chicago-based organizations and individuals that said the construction should be halted on environmental grounds. Barrett handles emergency matters emanating from Illinois. She had the option to act on the petition herself or refer it to other justices. The advocacy group Protect Our Parks and several other plaintiffs claimed that federal, state and local governments illegally segmented the project planned for the city's South Side into smaller pieces in order to evade a full assessment of its environmental impacts.... The Supreme Court petition was submitted on Monday -- the same day construction on the project began. It came after both a rejection from a lower court of the arguments and a previous failure at the Supreme Court level to block construction of the library on different legal grounds." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

"Gay Corner." Andrew Yarrow of the Washington Post: "In a quiet neighborhood of Southeast Washington, Leonard Matlovich has been a persistent advocate for gay rights since the 1980s. Over the years, he has attracted dozens of followers who have gathered nearby. You won't hear him on talk shows or see his byline on op-eds, though, because Matlovich passed away in 1988. Instead, he -- or rather his tombstone -- can be found in Congressional Cemetery, which claims to be the world's only graveyard with an LGBTQ section." MB: I meant to link this story earlier in the week but got distracted. It's a sweet, uplifting punctuation to these difficult times.

Meet Some Excellent GOP Leaders from Around the U.S.:

Louisiana. Sam Carlin of the (Baton Rouge) Advocate: "Louisiana Congressman Clay Higgins has once again threatened someone on Facebook with violence. The Lafayette Republican, who has a long history of bizarre social media antics, told an Alaska man named Joel Dolphin who commented on one of his posts that Higgins is 'easy to find,' and suggested he is prepared to fight the man when he visits Alaska next year. 'I'll be in Alaska next year, with (U.S. Rep.) Don Young,' Higgins wrote after Dolphin said he'd be happy to reiterate his criticisms face-to-face with the congressman. '... Like I said. I'm easy to find. Locate us a ring, or a dojo. I'll give you a few rounds to make your point. Be seeing you. Higgins out.'... Higgins, who has easily won reelection twice since taking office in the conservative 3rd District in 2016..., gained notoriety as a St. Landry Parish sheriff's deputy by filming CrimeStoppers segments where he sternly demanded that criminals surrender, often using insults." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Minnesota. Briana Bierschbach & Alex Chhith of the (Minneapolis) Star Tribune: "Minnesota Republican leaders forced Jennifer Carnahan out as head of the state party on Thursday, turning a page on a scandal that threatened to consume GOP politics ahead of a pivotal election year. Carnahan leaves as chair of the party amid allegations that she created a toxic workplace environment, one that blurred personal and professional lines, ignored concerns about sexual harassment and retaliated against employees who didn't fall in line. The party's 15-member executive board voted 8-7 to give Carnahan a severance of three months salary, roughly $38,000, to leave her role. Carnahan, who attended the meeting virtually, was the deciding vote to give herself severance on the way out. The board also approved investigations into the party's finances and human resources protocols." (Also linked yesterday.)

Texas. What Have the Black People Done Wrong Today? Julian Mark of the Washington Post: "Responding to a question by Fox "News" host Laura Ingraham about rising Covid cases, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said,] 'Democrats like to blame Republicans on that.... Well, the biggest group in most states are African Americans who have not been vaccinated. The last time I checked, over 90 percent of them vote for Democrats in their major cities and major counties.'... While vaccination rates are low among Black Texans, the highest coronavirus case rates are among Whites and Hispanics." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

The Pandemic, Ctd.

Adam Cancryn & Erin Banco of Politico: "The Food and Drug Administration is on track to approve Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine for adults as soon as next week, three people with knowledge of the matter told Politico. The long-anticipated announcement would make Pfizer's Covid-19 shot the first to receive full licensure from the federal government, a milestone in the nation's year-and-a-half pandemic battle." ~~~

~~~ From the New York Times' live updates for Friday: "The Food and Drug Administration is pushing to approve Pfizer-BioNTech's two-dose Covid-19 vaccine on Monday, further expediting an earlier timeline for licensing the shot, according to people familiar with the agency's planning."

Tyler Pager & Laurie McGinley of the Washington Post: "Moderna's coronavirus vaccine for adolescents has yet to be authorized by federal health officials in part because they are investigating emerging reports that the shots may be associated with a higher risk of a heart condition in younger adults than previously believed, according to two people familiar with the review who emphasized the side effect still probably remains very uncommon. The investigation, which involves the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is focusing on Canadian data that suggests the Moderna vaccine may carry a higher risk of myocarditis for young people than the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, especially for males below the age of 30 or so."

Bailey Schulz of USA Today: "The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated its guidance for travelers who are at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 to recommend they avoid cruise ships, regardless of vaccination status. The new guidance applies to older adults, people with certain medical conditions and pregnant and recently pregnant people. Prior to Friday's announcement, the agency recommended that only people who were not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 avoid cruise ships.... The CDC's website says the virus that causes COVID-19 can spread easily between people in close quarters on ships, and the chance of getting COVID-19 on cruise ships is 'high.'" MB: USA Today stories are now subscriber-firewalled; I don't know how many freebies nonsubscribers get before being locked out.

Capitalism Is Awesome, Ctd. Sheri Fink of the New York Times: Abbott Labs had employees at their Maine plant destroy millions of rapid Covid-19 testing devices, then laid them all off. It isn't clear why the company destroyed the products, but the U.S. is now in dire need of more rapid tests and other countries needed the tests, too.

Paul Krugman of the New York Times: "The reason [the U.S.] hasn't [returned to more-or-less normal] -- the reason we are instead still living in fear, with hospitals in much of the South nearing breaking point -- is that not enough people have been vaccinated and not enough people are wearing masks.... So how do you feel about anti-vaxxers and anti-maskers? I'm angry about their antics, even though I'm able to work from home and don't have school-age children. And I suspect that many Americans share that anger.... In a very real sense, the irresponsible minority is depriving the rest of us of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.... So it's time to stop being diffident and call out destructive behavior for what it is." ~~~

~~~ ** Sorry, Paul, They'd Rather Be Poisoned. Mississippi. Ashton Pittman of the Mississippi Free Press: "At least one individual has been hospitalized in Mississippi after ingesting a drug intended for treating worms in livestock, the Mississippi State Department of Health revealed today. The medicine, ivermectin, is not approved for treating COVID-19. 'There are potential toxicities. So it's something, you know, as you know, I think some people are trying to use it as a preventative, which I think is really kind of crazy. So please don't do that,' Mississippi State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs said during a discussion on Zoom [Friday].... Despite a lack of scientific evidence that ivermectin is effective at treating COVID-19, it has become a popular go-to drug ... especially among opponents of COVID-19 vaccines and public-health measures like masking. It's a similar phenomenon to the push last year for COVID-19 patients to take hydroxychloroquine [MB: which Donald Trump pushed] despite studies finding it ineffective against the virus.... After this report published [two days earlier], the Mississippi State Department issued a health alert warning about an increase in ivermectin poisoning incidents." ~~~

~~~ Marie: Rachel Maddow couldn't figure out why people would ingest horse dewormer they bought at the feed store instead of getting free, safe Covid vaccines. Then she played clips of Laura Ingraham, Sean Hannity & Tucker Carlson recommending ivermectin on their Fox "News" shows.

Beyond the Beltway

Arizona. Cyber Ninjas Must Release Docs to Watchdog Group. Caroline Vakil of the Hill: "The Arizona Court of Appeals on Thursday ruled that the leading contractor of Arizona's audit of the Maricopa County 2020 election results must turn over documents related to the effort. American Oversight, a watchdog group, has been seeking documents regarding the county's recount and audit, which was initiated because former President Trump disputed the 2020 election results in battle ground states like Arizona. The watchdog group had been involved in a legal fight with Arizona's Senate over the public release of the documents, The Associated Press reported." (Also linked yesterday.)

California. Kate Conger of the New York Times: "A California law that ensures many gig workers are considered independent contractors, while affording them some limited benefits, is unconstitutional and unenforceable, a California Superior Court judge ruled Friday evening. The decision is not likely to immediately affect the new law and is certain to face appeals from Uber and other so-called gig economy companies. It reopened the debate about whether drivers for ride-hailing services and delivery couriers are employees who deserve full benefits, or independent contractors who are responsible for their own businesses and benefits. Last year's Proposition 22, a ballot initiative backed by Uber, Lyft, DoorDash and other gig economy platforms, carved out a third classification for workers, granting gig workers limited benefits while preventing them from being considered employees of the tech giants. The initiative was approved in November with more than 58 percent of the vote. But drivers and the Service Employees International Union filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the law. The group argued that Prop. 22 was unconstitutional because it limited the State Legislature's ability to allow workers to organize and have access to workers' compensation." Judge Frank Roesch agreed. Uber will appeal.

News Ledes

Weather Channel: “Tropical Storm Henri is expected to strengthen into a hurricane over the Atlantic Saturday and will track toward the Northeast, likely making landfall on Long Island near hurricane strength late Sunday. Residents of the Northeast U.S. should monitor Henri's progress closely since it may bring wind, rain and storm surge impacts to parts of the region late this weekend into early next week." ~~~

~~~ Weather Channel Update: "Henri has become a Category 1 hurricane and will track toward the Northeast, likely making landfall on Long Island or southern New England near hurricane strength late Sunday."

New York Times: "Hurricane Grace made landfall on the eastern coast of Mexico's mainland early Saturday, hours after strengthening into a Category 3 storm as it passed over the Gulf of Mexico. The National Hurricane Center said the storm made landfall near the resort town of Tecolutla just before 1 a.m., with maximum sustained winds of nearly 125 miles per hour. It was moving west at about 10 m.p.h. and was expected to weaken later Saturday as it continued inland over the mountains. The National Hurricane Center warned that preparations to protect life and property should be rushed in the hurricane warning area, which included the coast of mainland Mexico from Puerto Veracruz to Cabo Rojo."

Washington Post: "It had been raining for days when Tropical Storm Fred swept through western North Carolina this week, killing at least four people, with four others unaccounted for. The flooding ravaged this swath of Appalachia, destroying roads and bridges, washing cars away and displacing an estimated 500 families.... There was no warning before the deluge; no time to prepare."

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