Monday, July 31, 2023
It's Only Going To Get Worse
Longread, but our health care system is just getting worse and worse and worse and somebody needs to do something.
Free Speech
Weird the Freeze Peach crowd only seem to care when someone criticizes rich racists (they will be on Elmo's side, here, for that reason).
The New York Times didn't really mean "Americans" in this paragraph.
Elon Musk has over the last year threatened legal action against tech competitors, employees and people who use Twitter, which he owns. Now he is also taking aim at an organization that studies hate speech and misinformation on social media.Broadly speak, The Left view on speech issues is that they are complicated, various rights and potential harms in conflict with each other that have no simple obvious resolution, and these things interact with legal and constitutional issues but aren't simply that. The view of Dipshist Centrists and The Right is "free speech is I get to say what I want without criticism and fuck you."
X Corp., the parent company of the social media company, sent a letter on July 20 to the Center for Countering Digital Hate, a nonprofit that conducts research on social media, accusing the organization of making “a series of troubling and baseless claims that appear calculated to harm Twitter generally, and its digital advertising business specifically” and threatening to sue.
The New York Times didn't really mean "Americans" in this paragraph.
For all the tolerance and enlightenment that modern society claims, Americans are losing hold of a fundamental right as citizens of a free country: the right to speak their minds and voice their opinions in public without fear of being shamed or shunned.They meant important people, such as the people who work for the New York Times or write for them. Not pig people.
I Read The News Today Oh Boy
One mention of Biden or Dems on the nytimes.com front page.
Many of that guy, of course.
The point of this isn't to fault the New York Times, necessarily, it's just highlighting that Republicans are always - always - the protagonists of the Politics Show. Dems are certainly somewhat responsible for this - even if it's a rigged game you have to play it - and "liberal" pundits are too. But, still, that's how it is.
Everybody But 20000 Of Us Are Pig People
A lot of people are very invested in the idea that they are of superior stock, distinct from the pig people. If their taste and habits are middlebrow, then the pig people can want only low brow. Also their fellow elites (rich guys who run things) can't err.
Bunch of Hapsburgs complimenting each other's beauty.
Most of the people who believe they are supergeniuses are not, but they certainly know everyone else must be lesser (intelligence, ethics, charm, looks, everything).There's a general but rarely fully articulated belief, shared by elites and non-elites, that the mass public is dumber now than it was 50 years ago. Don't see real reason to believe it, but the idea seeps into everything - the arts, politics, etc - to justify the status quo. https://t.co/3lORXk94YI
— Osita Nwanevu (@OsitaNwanevu) July 31, 2023
Bunch of Hapsburgs complimenting each other's beauty.
Sunday, July 30, 2023
I Read The News Today Oh Boy
There isn't a single mention of "Biden" on the front web page of nytimes.com. Democrats are mentioned twice: once about the person who switched party (to Republicans) in North Carolina, and another about Trump pushing investigations of them.
This isn't atypical. I glance through it and word search regularly. The Politics Story, at least the background hum when there isn't specific big news coming from the president, always has Republicans as the protagonists.
Dems are at fault for this, somewhat. Gotta keep giving them something to talk about and they often don't. But talking about Republicans is what political reporters and pundits tend to do, whatever you think the reason is.
This isn't atypical. I glance through it and word search regularly. The Politics Story, at least the background hum when there isn't specific big news coming from the president, always has Republicans as the protagonists.
Dems are at fault for this, somewhat. Gotta keep giving them something to talk about and they often don't. But talking about Republicans is what political reporters and pundits tend to do, whatever you think the reason is.
Devoting My Life To Politics To Ensure Nothing Improves
I don't run the world, of course, and if I did, probably not every lefty-coded policy would top my priority list. Still quite often the choice is not "this imperfect policy" or "the perfect policy I just thought of which would be better than that" but between "the policy being discussed on the floor of Congress right now" or "
nothing."
No lefty policy that has any chance of passing is anything extreme or costly. At best they're mild correctives to the ways the bottom 80% of the population is regularly screwed by other policies.
Nonetheless there are people who seem ready to fight to the death over things like student loan debt cancellation, or extension of the child tax credit. I don't mean the ones obviously on the payroll of Evil Corp, but the ones who make noises about "yes we should do SOMETHING but no not THAT some OTHER THING."
What a life choice. Like I suppose it can be lucrative, but also it seems like many people do it for "free" as in for no particular income or career benefit.
Any policy proposal that benefits the middle class should be more progressive, and policy which is notionally progressive should be means tested to ensure that it doesn't actually reach the people who need it due to burdensome eligibility requirements. Round and round every time.
No lefty policy that has any chance of passing is anything extreme or costly. At best they're mild correctives to the ways the bottom 80% of the population is regularly screwed by other policies.
Nonetheless there are people who seem ready to fight to the death over things like student loan debt cancellation, or extension of the child tax credit. I don't mean the ones obviously on the payroll of Evil Corp, but the ones who make noises about "yes we should do SOMETHING but no not THAT some OTHER THING."
What a life choice. Like I suppose it can be lucrative, but also it seems like many people do it for "free" as in for no particular income or career benefit.
Any policy proposal that benefits the middle class should be more progressive, and policy which is notionally progressive should be means tested to ensure that it doesn't actually reach the people who need it due to burdensome eligibility requirements. Round and round every time.
Saturday, July 29, 2023
Don't See How Elon Musk Wriggles Out Of This One
Won't even say what as it doesn't really matter. Why would he not believe he could wriggle out of anything?
Greatest System In The World
I figured that after Obamacare passed, aside from the specifics of the legislation, there would a bit more "good behavior" from the various evil cogs of the health care machinery before they adapted to the new system. It's getting worse and worse and worse.
Boring Site Notes
Think both the main and mobile sites are as they were before, for better or worse.
Pretending Not To Notice Lots Of Things
Froomkin has a piece about a lot of media sins. This might not be the most important one, but it's the most obvious case of "pretending not to notice things" which is one of the most important skills for a political reporter.
HMMM WHAT CAN WE CONCLUDE FROM THAT?????
Stein describes a “growing backlash in rural Ohio,” involving “hundreds of activists” who are largely “nonideological.” He describes a county commission meeting “where more than 200 opponents of the solar project showed up in matching red shirts.”In addition to the shirt thing, you all might remember how the Tea Party freaks - also a well-funded and promoted astroturf movement - were portrayed as "nonideological." Important to note that's the highest praise (ridicuously) from political journalists - themselves "nonideological" - and *also* a label they only ever apply to obvious right wingers.
But as climate journalist David Roberts tweeted: “Amazing. Yet another piece about rural opposition to clean energy that does not even *mention* the massive, coordinated, well-funded astroturf campaign of right-wing propaganda that has been marshaled against it….. Like where do you think that roomful of old people *got* those matching red t-shirts?”
HMMM WHAT CAN WE CONCLUDE FROM THAT?????
Morning
Fixed the main site. Messed up html somewhere.
..and the mobile version is messed up. Hopefully figure out soon. Set the mobile site to just copy the desktop for now as that appears to be better than what the actual mobile site is at the moment.
Friday, July 28, 2023
What Are They For
I am not saying that I think this is their job, I am saying that at times "they" certainly do. And what conclusions should we draw from when they behave in certain ways and when they behave in others?
They Can Monster Anyone (Including Voters)
I come back to this point regularly because our glorious political journalists like to pretend they're operating in some Realm of Objectivity inaccessible to us mere mortals, until they have a few drinks or write their memoirs and admit the obvious 20 years later.
For whatever reason, they absolutely monstered Howard Dean out of the primary in 2004, and before that, they regularly treated Dean supporters as absurd, ridiculous, childish, wrongheaded, etc.
I don't care about Howard Dean in 2023, but reasonably the man facing several felony indictments - and his supporters - probably deserves at least as much monstering.
As we've been sagely informed for years, Trump's biggest fans will remain his biggest fans no matter what, a meaningless tautology. We polled 400 people wearing MAGA hats and 98% of them say the latest indictments only make them support him more!
One week of "Dean Scream" treatment and 65% of the population will puke blood every time they hear the guy's name.
Nazis Everywhere
The Right is just filled with Nazi sympathizers now (media, congressional staffers) and it is amazing how much pretending not to notice there is.
Lock Him Up!
The obstruction stuff is amazing, though not quite "Bill Clinton talking to Lynch on the tarmac."
Thursday, July 27, 2023
Don't See How Donnie Two Scoops Wriggles Out Of This One!
NBC News: Trump attorneys have been told to expect an indictment against former President Donald Trump
— Jesse Rodriguez (@JesseRodriguez) July 27, 2023
Oh Elon
Long known Tesla's range estimates were bullshit
About a decade ago, Tesla rigged the dashboard readouts in its electric cars to provide “rosy” projections maker last year became so inundated with driving-range complaints that it created a special team to cancel owners’ service appointments.
Don't See How..
Lock him up!!!
The grand jury hearing evidence from the special counsel's probe into alleged efforts by former President Donald Trump and his allies to overturn the 2020 election is meeting today at the federal courthouse in Washington, @caseyagannon reports
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) July 27, 2023
Wednesday, July 26, 2023
Congratulations, Frank!
He got what he worked for his whole life.
"The Florida Keys have lost between 80% and 90% of their coral reef systems in the last 50 years."https://t.co/oKFqP45IhH
— Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) July 25, 2023
There Is A Natural Order To Things
They don't all own caliper sets, but belief in hiearchies unites the right and dipshit centrists. Nobody who went to Yale could be bad, nobody with an abundnace of melanin gets to tell me to clean up after myself in the office kitchen.
A useful life skill is being able to intuit the pecking order of any room. Easy for those who can to spot those who can't and slot them accordingly.
A useful life skill is being able to intuit the pecking order of any room. Easy for those who can to spot those who can't and slot them accordingly.
Nate Hochman Is Joining The Harvard Institute of Politics
"The Staffer" had the prominent NYT puffery previously. He will probably get a permanent column soon.
Tuesday, July 25, 2023
Finally Some Campus Cancel Culture
I'm sure former NYTer Mikey Powell will get right on this at his new gig at The Atlantic, right after his 24 page piece about a liberal Harvard student wearing a "fuck Trump" t-shirt or something.
In an email obtained by The Texas Tribune through a public records request, Alonzo told Self the investigation had been kicked off by a student “who has ties to Texas A&M Leadership.”The "intolerant college student" types won't be bothered by this, not strictly because it's conservatives, but because a well-connected student bossing her professor around is the hierarchy asserting itself appropriately.
The Texas A&M system confirmed the series of phone calls and text messages that led to Alonzo’s investigation was kicked off by Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, a graduate of UTMB’s medical school. The Tribune confirmed her daughter, a first-year medical student at the time, attended Alonzo’s lecture. Buckingham served six years in the Texas Senate with Patrick, who endorsed her run for land commissioner last year, and she recently attended Sharp’s wedding in May.
Doomsday Cult
When you don't discount the future - the EA/longtermist types think this makes them ethically superior - you can easily if ridiculously argue that 10,000 nerds riding out the apocalypse in an underground silo until they emerge in a million years to build the future utopia is the preferred path.
Like all doomsday cults the next step would be to hasten the arrival of end times.
EA is/was a highly influential rich person cult which spread a bunch of money around to some of your faves. Donating a kidney was a cult initiation rite for wannabees who wouldn't otherwise be admitted to the bunker. It is good SBF/FTX collpased when it did because its reach was expanding (remember Gillibrand becoming a crypto evangelist).
For 2 years the influential dipshit centrist dem polling outfits were SBF/EA propaganda arms.
Do not trust dipshit centritsts.
Seems Bad
Where are we in the global warming discourse cycle: it isn't real, it isn't man made, it isn't worth doing anything, it is too late to do anything.
Maybe the ultimate example of the tragic consequences of Both Sidesing with paid liars and scientists, while generally privileging the paid liars because they have better PR budgets.
X
Just repeating what a million others have said, but throwing away Coke-level brand recognition to a generic porn-associated letter with existing trademark conflicts is Musk-level genius.
Upper Middle Class Giveaways
"Funny" how, for example, student loan debt forgiveness is criticized as a big upper middle class giveaway but this kind of thing isn't.
More states are making all students eligible for private school subsidies. In Arizona, it has often benefited wealthier families.The basic con is private schools catering to rich people increase their tuition, so the subsidy voucher doesn't cover the full amount, to make sure Those People can't afford to go.
A reasonable rule of thumb is the more the usual suspects criticize something as a benefit for the well-off, the less it actually is. Lots of silence on the real giveaways to the rich.
Monday, July 24, 2023
Look At What You Made Them Do
The rise of the far right is always blamed, by centrist dipshits, on The Left "overreaching" on the things which, coincidentally, annoy centrist dipshists.
I suspect it more has to do with centrist dipshists justifying and rationalizing the far right.
It was centrist dipshits - encouraged by some SBF money - who spent two years going after DEI training as an incredibly important thing voters care deeply about and, well, what happened next.
I suspect it more has to do with centrist dipshists justifying and rationalizing the far right.
It was centrist dipshits - encouraged by some SBF money - who spent two years going after DEI training as an incredibly important thing voters care deeply about and, well, what happened next.
Dark Brandon Shows Up
Gotta make an effort to intervene when these freak governors commit their crimes.
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The Justice Department on Monday sued Texas Gov. Greg Abbott over a newly installed floating barrier on the Rio Grande that is the Republican’s latest aggressive tactic to try stopping migrants from crossing into the U.S. from Mexico.
Spain Election
Someone on social media pointed out they the entire coverage of the Spanish election was about the inevitable rise of the far right party, which despite crashing somewhat will still receive much more international coverage than the equally successfully "far left" party.
I would characterize this coverage not as cheering its supposed rise, but more "look what you [the left] made them do" which is often how the right is covered.
Sunday, July 23, 2023
Pedestrian Deaths
Walking is an abnormal behavior, so those deviants are just getting what they deserve.
Centrist Dipshits
One cursed behavior of centrist dipshits is hijacking the language of liberal ideals for horrible ends. You know, things like, "it's racist to think Iraqis aren't ready for Democracy [and not want to drop 1000 freedom bombs on them]."
"Humanitarian interventionism." Great cover for serial killers.
It's easy to remain mad about the Iraq war because so many of those dipshits are still with us. There's been more turnover in the wingnutosphere, but we are still stuck with guys like Chait and Yglesias.
"Humanitarian interventionism." Great cover for serial killers.
It's easy to remain mad about the Iraq war because so many of those dipshits are still with us. There's been more turnover in the wingnutosphere, but we are still stuck with guys like Chait and Yglesias.
Heat Kills
Way back in the "Freedom Fries" era there was a heat wave that killed a lot of people in France, and this of course was very very funny to the people who led us to Iraq.
French people were dying - dumbasses don't even have air conditioning! - ha ha ha.
(As an aside, lots of reasons to oppose the Iraq war, but that finding themselves on the same side as horrible people like that didn't give the "liberal humanitarian interventionists" pause was a pretty good clue about the real nature of those humanitarians).
Anyway, heat kills, here, also, too. Deaths attributed to heat are a small fraction of the actual number of heat-related deaths, also.
French people were dying - dumbasses don't even have air conditioning! - ha ha ha.
(As an aside, lots of reasons to oppose the Iraq war, but that finding themselves on the same side as horrible people like that didn't give the "liberal humanitarian interventionists" pause was a pretty good clue about the real nature of those humanitarians).
Anyway, heat kills, here, also, too. Deaths attributed to heat are a small fraction of the actual number of heat-related deaths, also.
Saturday, July 22, 2023
Where Does Meatball Ron Go For His Applogy
He has faced lots of criticism. Why does this get the fromt page
treatment?
Not it shouldn't, but it is very British tabloid in a way. "X faces criticism" or "X faces outrage" is selectively used . Very objective!
Public Interest
Can be persuaded otherwise, but hard to see this as anything other than the NYT doing rich people PR/legal cover for no particular reason.
Federal prosecutors are accusing embattled crypto honcho Sam Bankman-Fried of leaking documents about his ex-girlfriend and business partner Caroline Ellison to the press in an alleged effort to taint the prospective jury pool.I read most of the SBF-related stuff and I saw that story and had no idea what the point of publishing it was.
The filing issued Thursday, July 20, alleges that Bankman-Fried was a source for a New York Times article (also published yesterday) titled “Inside the Private Writings of Caroline Ellison, Star Witness in the FTX Case.” Ellison — Bankman-Fried’s ex-girlfriend and CEO of his crypto hedge fund Alameda Research — pleaded guilty to the charges against her last December and has been cooperating with prosecutors.
Friday, July 21, 2023
Disturbance In The Force
I keep discussing SBF because there were a lot of things that didn't quite make sense until FTX imploded and I realized (maybe not fully) just how much his money likely had been influencing The Discourse - through McElwee, Shor, and some pundits.
Probably much more than "we" know.
The Glibertarian Dream
Post-apocalypse feudal cult leader.
Some of your faves are in the cult! Lots of "effective altruist" assholes. They didn't hide that the survival of the species is best served by their bloodlines.Apparently, "popularism" meant eugenicist billionaire hucksters trying to save their little cult of weirdos from end times in a remote island bunker. https://t.co/hPtUtCPC8f pic.twitter.com/5GP5KahDAY
— austerity is theft (@wideofthepost) July 21, 2023
So Much Crimeing
More bad news for Joe Biden.
Under Section 241, Smith could charge Trump and his co-conspirators with trying to deprive voters in the 2020 presidential election of their rights. That includes both the nonviolent but illegal means Trump and his co-conspirators, such as lawyer John Eastman, urged upon Mike Pence, as well as the last resort when Pence refused: the use of mob violence. Through those courses of conduct, Trump, acting with one or more others, attempted to prevent Congress from certifying the election of the president that the voters had actually selected. The voters who were harmed could be just those who cast their ballots in states where Trump and his associates attempted to submit false slates of electors, or all the voters who cast a ballot for Joe Biden, or even every American who voted. But the essential fact is that these types of schemes Trump led would be a violation of Section 241 because of the principal objective and plan to prevent a proper counting of people’s votes, or to discard their votes outright. That kind of conduct is within the heartland of prior prosecutions under Section 241.
Thursday, July 20, 2023
25 Years Later
Will American banking finally be as easy as everywhere else?
Admit I assume they have arsed it up to ensure some middleman can get a cut for payment for making it more complicated.
Multiple Felony Indictments
Consider how journalists treat indicted mayors, especially African-American ones.
I keep returning to this to make the point that our "objective" journalists regularly make coverage choices.
Disgraced Former President
This is the way they could describe him, with every single mention, but they won't despite this.
Morning
The press can monster Trump into oblivion (well down to 27%) but they wowot despite numerous indictments!
Wednesday, July 19, 2023
Nobody Who Was Elected President Could Be Bad
The political press spent decades treating Watergate as their proudest and most shameful moment. Nixon was bad but maybe they weren't supposed to tell anybody.
Generally a complicated relationship with being a check on power. They'd much prefer to hold the public - the most marginalized and powerless - to account.
Messed Up Site
Not sure why the site is suddenly not working for many people (including me!). Individual posts pages seem okay, but the main site is not. I'm not sure how quickly I can fix this as I have no idea what happened.
...Reader JS wrote in to suggest the Patreon buttons were causing problems. Seems to have fixed it for now! Thanks JS! Will investigate further when I have time...
...Reader JS wrote in to suggest the Patreon buttons were causing problems. Seems to have fixed it for now! Thanks JS! Will investigate further when I have time...
Consequences
For years reporters weren't too concerned with getting answers to questions like "Would women be arrested for having abortions?" Implying, essentially, this would so barbaric that it couldn't happen and no politician would support it despite conservatives regularly saying they supported it. Just continuing with that, generally.
It's A Trap!
I know nothing except Cannon can't be trusted so "delay Bragg, then delay her own trial, then delay Bragg..." is an obvious way to delay forever.
Most interesting detail in this IMO is that Cannon asked if Alvin Bragg would move his own case in March. It's a reasonable time for the trial and suggests she thinks this should take precedence. https://t.co/QlDVkeTkeu
— emptywheel (@emptywheel) July 18, 2023
Tuesday, July 18, 2023
I Want You To Tell Donald It Was Rudy
A hero at the end, after all?
JUST IN: Rudy Giuliani has NOT received a target letter in 1/6 probe, his lawyer tells me. As CNN previously reported, Rudy, did a voluntary interview with Special Counsel investigators several weeks back. His lawyer does not expect him to be charged.
— Paula Reid (@PaulaReidCNN) July 18, 2023
How Do You Cover A Man Like Trump
I started writing a semi-charitable take on political journalists covering Trump, but then I realized it made me a sucker. I don't know why journalists cover him like they do, but they have never covered him as they covered other candidates/presidents.
Trump will get indicted again and no matter what the charges that detail will be lost from ongoing coverage except when explicitly relevant. New stories can append ", indicted on dozens of felony charges," to every mention of his name, or they could not do that. It isn't normal to not do that. They won't do that.
Don't See How Donnie Two Scoops Wriggles Out Of This One
Trump claims he has received a letter from Jack Smith saying he is a target of the grand jury.
Wingnuts Never Disappear
This humble blogger received a tip which led to RSM's exposure.
Linkrot makes it hard to find anything from back then but here was Signorile's piece on him back in the day.
Linkrot makes it hard to find anything from back then but here was Signorile's piece on him back in the day.
Sure Why Not
Probably sold it.
Antiquities belonging to Israel have been kept for the past several months at former U.S. President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, and senior Israeli figures have unsuccessfully tried to have them returned to Israel.Right up junior's nose.
Among the antiquities are ancient ceramic candles which are part of Israel's national treasures collection. They were sent to the U.S. in 2019 with the approval of then-Director of the Israeli Antiquities Authority, Israel Hasson, on the condition that they be returned within weeks, yet almost four years later, they have yet to be returned.
Thundering Voice From The Heavens
Can't quantify these things, but I really sense that both the WaPo and the NYT have, after years of shifting away from it to something a bit more low key, reverted their unsigned editorial board "voice" back to "pompous condescending lecturing."
It really is extra funny after all these years of realizing these people often have no idea what they're talking about.
Can't forget the NYT's "freeze peach" thing from awhile back:
Just a bunch of pampered priveleged idiots boiling each others brains because someone called them shitheads on twitter (or a blog).
It really is extra funny after all these years of realizing these people often have no idea what they're talking about.
Can't forget the NYT's "freeze peach" thing from awhile back:
For all the tolerance and enlightenment that modern society claims, Americans are losing hold of a fundamental right as citizens of a free country: the right to speak their minds and voice their opinions in public without fear of being shamed or shunned.Absolutely amazing first paragraph! It doesn't get better!
Just a bunch of pampered priveleged idiots boiling each others brains because someone called them shitheads on twitter (or a blog).
Monday, July 17, 2023
Real Genius
This is about Elon's fake "pay users for advertising impressions," but in the process he just admitted to all advertisers that all the stats are bullshit and the system is overwhelmed by bots. Extra funny because "getting rid of the bots" was something he claimed the he, uniquely, knew how to do.
Where Does Meatball Ron Go For His Apology
There are a lot of reasons candidates do and don't get attention from our great political reporters. I generally don't think it's some sort of grand conspiracy, but they nonetheless reflect certain biases of the herd and the sheepdogs.
They do love candidates who Own The Libs, and this includes Democratic candidates (A candidate willing to do a daily "Sister Souljah" is the dreamboat Dem). They also love, as much as the MAGAs, candidates who tell them it's ok to be an asshole (this was Reagan's charm, too, and they loved/love that guy).
Related, they love bullies. Guys Who Yell At People. This explains Chris Christie, their Green Room buddy. He was telling harsh truths when he loved Trump, and he's telling harsh truths now that he doesn't (makes the "truth" part of this a bit suspect, as does that whole Bridgegate thing).
They do love candidates who Own The Libs, and this includes Democratic candidates (A candidate willing to do a daily "Sister Souljah" is the dreamboat Dem). They also love, as much as the MAGAs, candidates who tell them it's ok to be an asshole (this was Reagan's charm, too, and they loved/love that guy).
Related, they love bullies. Guys Who Yell At People. This explains Chris Christie, their Green Room buddy. He was telling harsh truths when he loved Trump, and he's telling harsh truths now that he doesn't (makes the "truth" part of this a bit suspect, as does that whole Bridgegate thing).
America's Mayor LIVE
Consider the judgment of the people (political journalists) who elevated this guy to sainthood.
Rudy Giuliani just cannot resist getting in on the action. The former New York City mayor on Saturday popped up outside the Long Island home of the man arrested for the Gilgo Beach serial killings, chatting with police as they searched the suspect’s home in Massapequa Park, according to the New York Post. The drive-by was for the ex-mayor’s “America’s Mayor Live” online show, an adviser told the Post. How Giuliani plans to use his “reporting”—when he didn't even leave his vehicle—is unclear. Police arrested architect Rex Heuermann on Friday for three of the infamous Gilgo Beach murders.
Sunday, July 16, 2023
Where Does Meatball Ron Go For His Apology
Normal stuff.
Three former members told the Times/Herald the program veered from its original mission.Always a bit of a question whether ambiguity and incompetence are bugs or features of these types of things..
“The program got hijacked and turned into something that we were trying to stay away from: a militia,” said Brian Newhouse, a retired 20-year Navy veteran who was chosen to lead one of the State Guard’s three divisions.
The original leadership team envisioned a disaster response team of veterans and civilians with a variety of practical skills, Newhouse said. Two other former military veterans, who asked not to be named for fear of potential consequences and later quit, expressed similar concerns over a change in the State Guard’s mission.
The Dean Scream
Regular reminder that the US political press can and does have the power to monster a political candidate into oblivion if they choose to. I don't mean they all get together in the back room and make those choices. It's more a herd phenomenon, though herds have their sheepdogs, and those dogs know what they're doing.
Ever watched a sheepdog doing its thing? Something wrong with those dogs - absolutely nuts in a way - but it's amazing.
Ever watched a sheepdog doing its thing? Something wrong with those dogs - absolutely nuts in a way - but it's amazing.
Sure Why Not
I'm sure there's a Both Sides angle even to this.
The Brevard Republican Executive Committee has joined a growing list of Florida GOP chapters calling on Gov. Ron DeSantis to ban the COVID-19 vaccine, which it called a "biological weapon" in a resolution this week.
Saturday, July 15, 2023
Fake Sugar
I don't know about the aspartame cancer issue, but I hate that fake sugar is in "everything" and now it is increasingly difficult to easily tell from nutrition labels.
Don't Expect Me To Act Like I'm On The Payroll When I'm Not
Doesn't happen much anymore - in part because I "retreated" from DC-related activities because of it, and in part because I am not a SuperInfluencer anymore - but back in the old days of blog people with more money and power than me would treat me as if I was an appendage to their messaging machine. I wouldn't say "bullying," quite, but more people trying to act as if they were my boss when of course they weren't!
Still hold some grudges about that!
Anyway, pay your workers and freelancers and don't expect people to work for free!
Still hold some grudges about that!
Anyway, pay your workers and freelancers and don't expect people to work for free!
SUMMER FUNDRAISING DAY 2
A donation here, a donation there, pretty soon you're talking about real money!
Patreon:
Become a Patron!
Thanks to all!
Patreon:
Become a Patron!
Thanks to all!
7 New York Times Reporters Expense Reporting Trip To The Vineyard
Remember when "people are mean to Alan on the Vineyard" was a multi-day news story?
Friday, July 14, 2023
Strike Discourse
Going to be a lot stupid discourse about rich actors going on strike, but of course the rich actors don't need to go on strike and mostly aren't striking for themselves. And the more prominent ones are probably hurting their careers (possibly significantly) by being vocally in support of the strike.
Solidarity, baby.
Solidarity, baby.
Summer Fundraising Week Day 1 - Afternoon Edition
Your kids don't need the college money anyway. Just let them borrow it and Dark Brandon will forgive the loan.
Patreon:
Become a Patron!
Patreon:
Become a Patron!
Return Of Dark Brandon
Don't quite get all the details, but crossing any of it out is good.
The Biden administration announced Friday that it will forgive the student loans of more than 800,000 borrowers who enrolled in income-driven repayment plans.
The plan will forgive $39 billion in federal student loans, according to the Education Department, through “fixes” to the count of monthly payments borrowers have made.
The Education Department first announced last year that it would offer a one-time adjustment to help address any inaccuracies in payment counts for borrowers in the plans.
Speaking Of The Grift
Elmo's trying to get people to pay for twitter by convincing them they can get rich if only their posts are very good.
Lots of his sycophants are enraged because while they pay for twitter, they still haven't been accepted into the supposed (but I suspect completely made up) ad revenue sharing program.
Lots of his sycophants are enraged because while they pay for twitter, they still haven't been accepted into the supposed (but I suspect completely made up) ad revenue sharing program.
SUMMER FUNDRAISING WEEK
Quarterly fundraising time!
Thanks to all who help keep this site (and me) afloat. There isn't really an "advertiser supported" model on the internet anymore, unless you are a right wing grifter hawking various types of boner pills, so reader supported it is.
For the price of a couple of cups of fancy coffee you can keep reading this site! Actually, for no price at all you can keep reading this site! But if you do have a little extra and you spend some time here consider contributing a bit!
You can donate once or recurring monthly through paypal, and patreon is a monthly "subscription" type thing. Cancelling recurring payments doesn't seem to be a problem, or at least I haven't had complaints, but if anyone ever does have any problems I'm happy to help fix the problems/refund payments as appropriate.
Patreon:
Become a Patron!
I don't have an inflated sense of what this site is worth, but I admit it is a bit depressing watching grifters across the political spectrum make bank while more worthy people (I don't even mean me - just generally!) especially on The Left constantly struggle. Anyway, pay somebody, even if it isn't me!
Thanks to all who help keep this site (and me) afloat. There isn't really an "advertiser supported" model on the internet anymore, unless you are a right wing grifter hawking various types of boner pills, so reader supported it is.
For the price of a couple of cups of fancy coffee you can keep reading this site! Actually, for no price at all you can keep reading this site! But if you do have a little extra and you spend some time here consider contributing a bit!
You can donate once or recurring monthly through paypal, and patreon is a monthly "subscription" type thing. Cancelling recurring payments doesn't seem to be a problem, or at least I haven't had complaints, but if anyone ever does have any problems I'm happy to help fix the problems/refund payments as appropriate.
Paypal:
Patreon:
Become a Patron!
I don't have an inflated sense of what this site is worth, but I admit it is a bit depressing watching grifters across the political spectrum make bank while more worthy people (I don't even mean me - just generally!) especially on The Left constantly struggle. Anyway, pay somebody, even if it isn't me!
Nothing Left To Lose
Plenty of people have pointed out what sociopaths they are - not just for it being the strategy but for the Bond villain monologueing of it - but I think it also shows they don't understand anything.
I'm not minimizing the hardship here, I just mean that the bulk of people who do have precarious not well-compensated employment aren't sacrificing all that much to strike. Certainly not longer term, or in current lost pay, even if of course there is an urgent need to keep paying the rent. They actually aren't trapped in those careers.
“The endgame is to allow things to drag on until union members start losing their apartments and losing their houses,” a studio executive told Deadline. Acknowledging the cold-as-ice approach, several other sources reiterated the statement. One insider called it “a cruel but necessary evil.”The people most on the margins - the ones who are truly at risk from striking - are also the ones who have the least to lose from the strike. If the pay - and expected career arc - is shit there *are* other jobs, as much as Powell has been trying to change that.
I'm not minimizing the hardship here, I just mean that the bulk of people who do have precarious not well-compensated employment aren't sacrificing all that much to strike. Certainly not longer term, or in current lost pay, even if of course there is an urgent need to keep paying the rent. They actually aren't trapped in those careers.
Thursday, July 13, 2023
Best Not To Admit Any Black People At All
Elie is right that universities are just going to face endless legal challenges.
As a result, the real upshot of the affirmative action ruling is this: Colleges and universities must now punish Black applicants by decreasing the enrollment of Black students, by any means necessary. That’s because the only way universities can show compliance with Roberts’s new rules is to show that they’ve decreased the number of Black kids they let into school. Anything less than that will likely trigger litigation from the white supremacists who have already promised to hunt down schools that admit too many Black people, as determined by their own white-makes-right accounting system.
All My Apes Gone
Suspect many things would be nontrivially different if crypto had imploded a bit earlier (better) or a bit later (worse).
The former chief executive officer of bankrupt crypto lender Celsius Network Ltd. was charged with fraud and sued by three regulatory agencies over the company’s collapse.
Alex Mashinsky, 57, was also charged with attempting to manipulate crypto currencies in federal court in New York Thursday. The Securities and Exchange Commission, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the Federal Trade Commission also filed lawsuits against Mashinsky and the company.
By The Numbers
So much of the student loan "debate" - like many others, but this one was Al Bundy's big game to them - was led by elite school weirdos who were absolutely allergic to anyone trying to explain the reality of student debt to them.
Our student debt research uses credit reports, both from an annual, representative cross-section of student borrowers and from a single group of borrowers we’ve been following since 2009. We found that counterintuitively, the repayment pause was the best thing that ever happened to help student loans get repaid. That’s because in normal times, student debt balances mostly increase, thanks to monthly interest payments many borrowers are unable to keep up with. In 2020, 60.7 percent of outstanding student loans had a higher balance than when they were first issued. By 2022, that number had declined to 53.7 percent because interest was waived during the pandemic and some borrowers continued to pay down their principal.tl;dr The debt isn't/can't be repaid, ever, by most people because the promised "college premium" associated with a degree when 17-year-olds signed their loan papers did not and will not materialize.
Corruption
I suppose the libertarian economist view is that simple cash for favors just makes corruption more efficient, so it is Good, Akshually. And, sure, the more creative corruption embraced in the US serves to obfuscate the extent of corruption. It's just lobbying!
Still there's something about having "sacks of cash on the table" corruption being somewhat taboo. I'm also under the impression that careers in federal politics being a full employment systems for family and friends is something which is getting more and more normalized, but that's just a vibe.
Local corruption/patronage can at least have some genuine benefits. At the federal level? Don't think so! Part of the New Democrat/Goo Goo movement was that local governments were too corrupt (run by Those People, sometimes, even) so it was best to transfer as much as possible to the federal government, where their pure incorruptible friends could run everything and I don't think that has worked out very well.
Still there's something about having "sacks of cash on the table" corruption being somewhat taboo. I'm also under the impression that careers in federal politics being a full employment systems for family and friends is something which is getting more and more normalized, but that's just a vibe.
Local corruption/patronage can at least have some genuine benefits. At the federal level? Don't think so! Part of the New Democrat/Goo Goo movement was that local governments were too corrupt (run by Those People, sometimes, even) so it was best to transfer as much as possible to the federal government, where their pure incorruptible friends could run everything and I don't think that has worked out very well.
Not that I think local governments are always good, of course, just that federal oversight/authority as an anti-corruption measure was perhaps not so clever! Technocracy!
Whenever You Feel Shitty, That's Because Of Wokeness
Amazing stuff.
“The more we learn about Farmers Insurance the more it’s clear its leadership doesn’t know what they’re doing. While they’re bad at helping people, they’re good at virtue signaling,” Patronis wrote in a statement Tuesday. “It’s clear that while Farmers was making plans to exit a significant number of policies out of Florida, they were playing politics, and weren’t focused on running a successful company.This is about an insurance company reducing exposure to Florida, which somehow has something to do with Bud Light giving a trans woman a beer.
“I sincerely believe that with today’s actions, Farmers Insurance is well on its way to becoming the Bud Light of insurance,” he wrote, a nod to the recent controversy when Bud Light hired a trans woman to run a single TikTok ad for the beverage, triggering a conservative backlash and boycott against the company over its support of the LGBTQ community.
Seems Bad
Can't sell a house that can't get insurance except to cash buyers.
Farmers Insurance became the latest property insurer to pull out of Florida on Tuesday despite repeated efforts by the state’s legislature and its Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, to try to calm the volatile market that is making home ownership less affordable.
Gee Whiz
Tangential, but I was at Brown when they hired Gee - one of those genius decisions that university Boards come up with regularly - and given how well things worked out there (ha ha) it's been fascinating to watch him just fleece university after university since.
Brown kids did have a decent sense of humor when I was there.
Brown kids did have a decent sense of humor when I was there.
Gee's tumultuous tenure at Brown is commemorated annually with the "E. Gordon Gee Lavatory Complex," a collection of portable toilets that appears during Spring Weekend.
Wednesday, July 12, 2023
Coalitions
Jon thinks this is true when he criticzes The Left, but not true when The Left criticizes Jon.
Just the most ridiculous stupid person.Greg makes a terrific point here. In general, criticism of illiberalism tends to be more credible from sources who are willing to acknowledge abuses by their own political coalition. https://t.co/A62FRfLvf9
— Jonathan Chait (@jonathanchait) July 12, 2023
Merry Christmas
The US is getting ever closer to just being a "put the bribe sack on the table" kind of country.
Several lawyers who have had business before the supreme court, including one who successfully argued to end race-conscious admissions at universities, paid money to a top aide to Justice Clarence Thomas, according to the aide’s Venmo transactions. The payments appear to have been made in connection to Thomas’s 2019 Christmas party.
BENGHAZI
I'll admit I never understood what the supposed "Benghazi" scandal was about. Any time something like that happens it's worth looking into what went wrong, but that's not why Republicans were on TV scremaing BENGHAZZZIIIII for 5 years.
And every Republican outrage defined scandal is like that. Stirring up shit for the cameras, getting journalists to type up their latest nonsense whether or not it has any relation to last week's nonsense, rarely having to justify the previous week's lies.
Was reminded of this very rare moment of correction, but even in the telling we can see how all the incentives go in the wrong direction for journalists.
And every Republican outrage defined scandal is like that. Stirring up shit for the cameras, getting journalists to type up their latest nonsense whether or not it has any relation to last week's nonsense, rarely having to justify the previous week's lies.
Was reminded of this very rare moment of correction, but even in the telling we can see how all the incentives go in the wrong direction for journalists.
The executive, Jeff Fager, conceded that CBS appeared to have been duped by the primary source for the report, a security official who told a national television audience a harrowing tale of the attack last year at the American diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya. On Thursday night it was disclosed that the official, Dylan Davies, had provided a completely different account in interviews with the F.B.I., in which he said he never made it to the mission that night.
After that revelation, CBS decided to take multiple actions Friday. It removed the report from the CBS News website, and the correspondent for the segment, Lara Logan, appeared on the CBS morning news show to apologize personally for the mistakes in the report. And the company’s publishing division, Simon & Schuster, said it was suspending publication of a book by Mr. Davies, in which he tells the same narrative he recounted on “60 Minutes.”
Freeze Peach
A minor eye opening event was when someone pointed out that it's a bit weird that the great Free Speech lesson that gets taught is the Nazis v. Skokie. What a great country we are, what a commitment we have to free speech, we *even* let the Nazis march!
And, sure, fine, let the Nazis march, but the idea that loathsome racist views are somehow the *most likely to be suppressed*, and therefore an important line to defend, is actually quite ridiculous (and definitely was when that case happened).
Things are a bit different now (and a bit different now than two years ago!) but at that time plenty of things were being suppressed on obscenity grounds that were basically just LGBT-related.
It's liberal ego-stroking at its silliest. We support the rights of the people we hate the most! Sure, but the people liberals hate the most aren't actually the people who face the most oppression, generally, of speech or otherwise. They do just fine.
And, sure, fine, let the Nazis march, but the idea that loathsome racist views are somehow the *most likely to be suppressed*, and therefore an important line to defend, is actually quite ridiculous (and definitely was when that case happened).
Things are a bit different now (and a bit different now than two years ago!) but at that time plenty of things were being suppressed on obscenity grounds that were basically just LGBT-related.
It's liberal ego-stroking at its silliest. We support the rights of the people we hate the most! Sure, but the people liberals hate the most aren't actually the people who face the most oppression, generally, of speech or otherwise. They do just fine.
Tuesday, July 11, 2023
Free Speech Extremism
I'm starting to suspect a decade stoking absolute terror about the free speech threat from lefty ungraduates was not a good faith enterprise.
In recent weeks, plaintiffs who are suing to invalidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s “Stop Woke Act” have been confronting its defenders with a seemingly loaded question: Would the law, which restricts school discussion of race, prohibit a public university professor from endorsing affirmative action in a classroom setting?
Surprisingly, lawyers defending the DeSantis administration just answered this question with a qualified “yes.” Which exposes a core truth about his anti-woke directives: They really do constitute efforts at state censorship, not just of concepts he likes to call “woke indoctrination” but also of viewpoints that are contested yet remain squarely within mainstream academic discourse.
Great Replacement
I know we're not allowed to bring up families and children, but the occasional reminder that Laura Ingraham adopted one child from Guatemala and two from Russia.
The Key Witness
Luft has been using journalists and Republicans to try to set up a protection fence for himself. You know, BIDEN's DEEP STATE THUGS ARE COMING AFTER A WHISTLEBLOWER. Good job everybody.
US prosecutors unsealed an indictment Monday charging the co-director of a think tank with illicit arms trafficking, violating US sanctions laws, and other charges, five months after he was arrested in Cyprus and fled from authorities.Probably there's a good book to be written about the numerous examples of conservative crooks who have tried - and often succeeded with - the same strategy (previous Dem presidents, too).
The US-Israeli citizen, Gal Luft, co-director of the Institute for the Analysis of Global Security, is also someone House Oversight Chairman James Comer, a top Republican, has described as an informant claiming to have incriminating information on Hunter Biden.
It Doesn't Take Much
I've chastized myself several times on this blog for, once upon a time, being somewhat less than a climate change alarmist. My thought processes are boring - I hate the popular genre of "20000 word thinkpiece of the evolution of my thoughts on a particular subject" - but one thing I didn't appreciate was how minor increases in local temperatures, and minor increases in storm variability - could be, if not necessarily catastrophic, hugely damaging.
"100 year storms" every year might not be catastrophic, but they're certainly incredibly expensive. Much more expensive than the investments we should've done 25 years ago.
Not especially optimistic that "we" will do anything. One of the great Centrist Two Steps - argue the merits of policy until that's no longer tenable, then switch to arguing on politics, then repeat - of recent years was about climate change.
Basically, centrist dipshists were "climate skeptics" in the sense of saying it was REAL but not as bad as the hippies said (I was a bit of a dipshit on this but I never argued against the hippies). Then they argued that it was politically impossible to get support for anything because it was costly and the costs would hit "normal people."* Then with Green New Deal type plans - which were, in part, designed to offset the costs for "normal people" - they argued it was ridiculous to include all of those unrelated things in a climate change package for reasons.
"100 year storms" every year might not be catastrophic, but they're certainly incredibly expensive. Much more expensive than the investments we should've done 25 years ago.
Not especially optimistic that "we" will do anything. One of the great Centrist Two Steps - argue the merits of policy until that's no longer tenable, then switch to arguing on politics, then repeat - of recent years was about climate change.
Basically, centrist dipshists were "climate skeptics" in the sense of saying it was REAL but not as bad as the hippies said (I was a bit of a dipshit on this but I never argued against the hippies). Then they argued that it was politically impossible to get support for anything because it was costly and the costs would hit "normal people."* Then with Green New Deal type plans - which were, in part, designed to offset the costs for "normal people" - they argued it was ridiculous to include all of those unrelated things in a climate change package for reasons.
*As an aside, the conceit that things happen or don't happen only if you can get popular support for them is an absurd reading of how things work in DC (and how public opinion is shaped) and insiders who use these arguments are lying because they aren't that dumb.
Monday, July 10, 2023
Also, Flood
Different climate change problem, but still a problem! So you don't think I'm just picking on the hot states.
Intense rainstorms dropped more than a month’s worth of precipitation in parts of New York’s Hudson Valley and southern Vermont, causing historic flooding across New England that killed at least one person, trapped dozens of others and washed away major roads between Sunday afternoon and Monday.
Hot
As I said before, hot days in Ariona are of course normal. Freakishly hot days (relative to the norm) happen everywhere, sometimes. But extended runs above 110 for Phoenix are not normal, and are more worrying than the occasional freakishly hot day.
Phoenix could be on track to break its record of 18 consecutive days with temperatures above 110 as a heat dome has settled over the desert Southwest.It has happened, but it isn't "normal"
So far, the Weather Service has recorded nine consecutive days of temperatures above 110 degrees in Arizona, Mr. Lojero said, and the longest stretch the state has seen of consecutive days over 110 degrees was 18, in 1974.
Florida Man
Always the ones you most expect.
Fabian Basabe used to be known as the “male Paris Hilton” in tabloid circles, a cosmopolitan socialite famous for being famous (being the son of a wealthy Ecuadorian businessman probably helped, too). Now, as a Florida state representative known for pushing anti-LGBTQ policies, he is being accused of sexual harassment by two male former staffers.
On Thursday, the Miami Herald reported on the lawsuit, which said Basabe made repeated sexual comments and advances towards a legislative aide and an intern. The suit detailed accusations including Basabe nonconsensually slapping the aide’s butt while at an elementary school career day, and groping and trying to kiss a Florida State University graduate student before then going on to hire him as an intern.
Of Course There Is The Nazi Problem
Facebook's in practice approach to moderation over the years has been "let right wingers with enough clout say anything." Given how facebook works, this stuff wasn't necessarily being pushed in front of the eyeballs of people who weren't seeking it out, but that will be different with Threads.
Killing Twitter
Probably Threads, the new Zuckerberg production, will do it. Not necessarily because all users will flee Twitter for it, but because the big advertisers/brands/advertising companies will. They'll be quite happy to check the box of "ok, we do social and this is now the official Social site."
It isn't precisely the same thing, but once sites like Huffington Post showed up, and marketing companies could say, "yes, we put ads on BLOGS" even though the new "professional" blogs weren't really blogs, all the advertising for places like this disappeared.
The big brands just want to check the box of having their BRAND out in front of (likely inflated) numbers in the place everyone says is the Official Place. If there's all alternative to Musk's increasingly freaky freak show, they'll take it.
It isn't precisely the same thing, but once sites like Huffington Post showed up, and marketing companies could say, "yes, we put ads on BLOGS" even though the new "professional" blogs weren't really blogs, all the advertising for places like this disappeared.
The big brands just want to check the box of having their BRAND out in front of (likely inflated) numbers in the place everyone says is the Official Place. If there's all alternative to Musk's increasingly freaky freak show, they'll take it.
One of my long suspicions is that amazon/twitter/google/facebook had some understanding about "dividing up the internet" and not competing with each other in certain areas. Musk's behavior is probably blowing up more things than we know!
Sunday, July 09, 2023
Journalists Against Journalism
Lots of things to criticize the NYT for, and this is what Politico's JMart chooses.
The man knows his access equations.
The man knows his access equations.
The New Indy Movie Bombed Because It Was Too Woke
Can't believe they made a Nazi the villain instead of environmentalists or trans activists.
Generation Gap
There aren't many of us, but overall Gen X had shitty political views and I shouldn't have been surprised that the younger ones (like Meatball Ron) are being driven insane by their wrinkles and the fact that their kids hate them and are trying to burn the country down with more furor than the worst boomers.
Not So Normal
People commented that this is pretty normal for Phoenix, but it isn't? Sure it's not off the charts everybody is melting now weather, but extended periods with highs above 110 aren't the norm even if they do happen.
One thing I've come to appreciate that I didn't before is that 115 isn't just a bit hotter than 108, or whatever. Those temperatures are flirting with unlivable even in air conditioned utopias like Phoenix.
115 is "fine" but 120... not really!
One thing I've come to appreciate that I didn't before is that 115 isn't just a bit hotter than 108, or whatever. Those temperatures are flirting with unlivable even in air conditioned utopias like Phoenix.
115 is "fine" but 120... not really!
Saturday, July 08, 2023
How Did That Happen
I don't know but I'd guess someone high up at Propublica (maybe even a donor!) decided they needed to not be marginalized as a Lefty outlet so they should do something - anything - to play against type. People internally fretted, the guy in charge pushed through it anyway, and it blew up immediately because of course.
That Will Age Badly
Future Trek watchers are going to be confused by this, as Musk fully establishes himself as a punchline and little else.
Loopholes
Most of them really aren't, meaningfully, just some fancy corporate lawyers saying "haha we devised a new rube goldberg accounting trick and you can't stop is!" Closing them is good, but really the entire medical sector should be imprisoned for billing fraud.
The Administration is releasing important guidance on rules against surprise medical billing. Biden-Harris Administration rules are already preventing as many as 1 million surprise medical bills every month. New guidance will help stop providers from gaming the system by evading the surprise billing rules with creative contractual loopholes that still leave consumers with unexpected costs.
Every Time
We've had decades of GOP congressional staffers feeding absolute horseshit to political reporters who eagerly type it up, and then when it almost inevitably implodes like a cheap sub, they just move on to the next steaming pile. Never any reflection, barely any correction, and certainly no change in habits.On a Friday in July, modestly played @propublica story effectively walking back their wildly trumpeted "Lab Leak" exclusive last fall (w Vanity Fair).
— James Fallows (@JamesFallows) July 7, 2023
Eg this one makes clear the previous report was from GOP staff. (Not mentioned the first time.) No byline on this story. pic.twitter.com/NZZbmAyVLx
Occasionally I google political reporters of yore, the ones I haven't seen in awhile, and so many of them make their way to PR and corporate comms.
Everyone's gotta eat but I don't think the skills should be *that* interchangeable.
I'm certainly not against uncovering Democratic corruption and similar - lock'em up! - but Dem corruption is more of the "everybody does it" variety which Republicans don't care about, because they do it more and harder.
There's another kind of story, investigative reporting which doesn't involve being spoonfed nonsense by a 24-year-old Hillsdale college grad. Those stories aren't as fun because they don't take flight.
The staffer driven story, on the other hand, can go on for weeks with the ongoing reporting/outrage cycle. Staffer leaks, newspaper reports, GOP rep goes on Fox to talk about, reporter covers the Fox segment, and on and on. Centrist dipshits are certain smoke means fire this time, especially when it caters to their weird biases.
The incentives are not good!
Friday, July 07, 2023
Rudy!
Don't see how...
July 7 (Reuters) - Rudy Giuliani's law license should be revoked over his work on a failed lawsuit challenging the 2020 election results on behalf of then-U.S. President Donald Trump, a District of Columbia attorney ethics committee recommended on Friday.
Sounds Bad
I'm sure the people in charge have a plan.
The past three days were quite likely the hottest in Earth’s modern history, scientists said on Thursday, as an astonishing surge of heat across the globe continued to shatter temperature records from North America to Antarctica.
Tory Extinction Event
Current Labour party is as if Joe Lieberman and Mark Penn took over the Democratic Party, so one can't get too excited, but I admit this would be funny.
(no one is saying this will actually happen. Stats for Lefties just plugs polls into their model, they don't suggest they are in any way predictions).🗳️NEW: Labour lead by 26pts (+4)
— Stats for Lefties 🏳️⚧️ (@LeftieStats) July 7, 2023
🔴 LAB 51% (+3)
🔵 CON 25% (-1)
🟠 LD 8% (-)
🟣 REF 5% (-2)
🟢 GRN 5% (-)
🟡 SNP 3% (-1)
Labour majority of 482 seats.
Via @Omnisis, 6-7 Jul (+/- vs 29-30 Jun) pic.twitter.com/PlG1dnRVEf
Much Like Many Of Our Substack Bros
Krgthulu on tech overlords:
So much of the "backlash" of the last decade doesn't come from former steel workers in Ohio diners, or whatever the hell stereotype of the WWC the New York Times is pushing. It comes from wealthy elite educated centrist dipshits (New York Times political reporters, for example) mad that people of color send them clown emojis on their favorite social media site. People who were at the center of the world enraged that their status is diminishing as they age.
The hippie girl rejected me in college, the trans woman told me to clean up after myself in the office kitchen, Jamelle Bouie got a New York Times column and I didn't, The Kids make fun of my balding head. RAGE RAGE RAGE.
Tech bros appear to be especially susceptible to brain-rotting contrarianism. As I wrote in my newsletter, their financial success all too often convinces them that they’re uniquely brilliant, able to instantly master any subject, without any need to consult people who’ve actually worked hard to understand the issues. And in many cases they became wealthy by defying conventional wisdom, which predisposes them to believe that such defiance is justified across the board.
Krugman doesn't go there, but while they (the tech overlords and a certain group of reactionary centrist pundits) don't all own caliper sets, their belief in rigid hierarchies of "ability" and "merit" also makes them all, at a minimum, "race science"-curious. There is a natural order to things, and they are, of course, at the top of it.
A common observation is that Twitter broke the brains of these people, as they had never before been exposed to people pointing out what stupid assholes they are. It sounds a bit silly, but having observed those brains breaking in real time I think it's actually quite true and maybe quite important!So much of the "backlash" of the last decade doesn't come from former steel workers in Ohio diners, or whatever the hell stereotype of the WWC the New York Times is pushing. It comes from wealthy elite educated centrist dipshits (New York Times political reporters, for example) mad that people of color send them clown emojis on their favorite social media site. People who were at the center of the world enraged that their status is diminishing as they age.
The hippie girl rejected me in college, the trans woman told me to clean up after myself in the office kitchen, Jamelle Bouie got a New York Times column and I didn't, The Kids make fun of my balding head. RAGE RAGE RAGE.
Elmo
Elmo gleefully fired a bunch of people and now is arguing they're stealing his vital essences by working elsewhere.
Pretty obvious his group chat of sociopathic tech weirdos was cheering him on, and Elmo is the dork trying to please the bullies, always.
No labor lawyer, but even I can see is this is similar to Trump raging at his lawyers to DO SOMETHING and them sighing, cashing the check, and coming up with some nonsense.
Pretty obvious his group chat of sociopathic tech weirdos was cheering him on, and Elmo is the dork trying to please the bullies, always.
No labor lawyer, but even I can see is this is similar to Trump raging at his lawyers to DO SOMETHING and them sighing, cashing the check, and coming up with some nonsense.
Morning
I don't think I've had a McDonald's burger in many years, but every now and then I will get a breakfast sandwich.
#morningthemedpost
Thursday, July 06, 2023
I Kept Telling You About This
People were reporting on it, but this was in the era of full sycophancy for both Musk and Cuomo, so it never entered The Narrative of the people with big microphones.
BUFFALO, N.Y.—New York spent nearly $1 billion over the past decade on Elon Musk’s ambitious plan for what was supposed to be the largest solar-panel factory in the Western Hemisphere, one of the largest-ever public cash outlays of its kind.
“You almost have to pinch yourself, right?” New York’s then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo said at a construction ceremony for the factory in 2015. “That this is too good to be true.”
Eight years later, that looks like a pretty good assessment.
The Future Of The Democratic Party
A certain set of SBF-adjacent pundits were very excited about Eric Adams, quite convinced that getting 30% in a Democracy primary race in New York City with 4 competitive candidates made him an example to be emulated all across the country.
A week later, Mr. Adams posed for a portrait in his office, holding a wallet-size photo of Officer Venable after The New York Times had requested to see it. Mr. Adams has since repeated the moving anecdote in media interviews and at a Police Academy ceremony last June, where he again displayed Officer Venable’s picture.I'm not sure if "SBF-adjacent" is important here, but we had about two years with many absolutely insane entries in the discourse that require some explanation.
But the weathered photo of Officer Venable had not actually spent decades in the mayor’s wallet. It had been created by employees in the mayor’s office in the days after Mr. Adams claimed to have been carrying it in his wallet.
National Dems were celebrating him, talk of a presidential run! Just great.
Always Play The Hits
"One World Government" is very 90s stuff. It always flirted with anti-semitic conspiracy theories, obviously, but the inclusion of "globalists" makes it explicit.
Your Liberal Media
Probably once Meatball Ron crashes and burns, the NYT will refer back to the ad as factually homophobic, but for now they gotta keep the beat sweet!Oh for chrissakes, NYT — you don’t have to qualify this with “allegations.” That’s not neutral; it’s misleading. The video *is* explicitly, extremely, murderously anti-LGBTQ+. This hedge is like saying there were allegations Mein Kampf was anti-Semitic. pic.twitter.com/l1RZmhCUAz
— THE UNDERTOW, by Jeff Sharlet (@JeffSharlet) July 6, 2023
Oh No Elmo
Don't see how Lonnie wriggles out of this one!
Tesla must send extensive new records to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration as part of an Autopilot safety probe — or else face steep fines.
If Tesla fails to supply the federal agency with information about its advanced driver assistance systems, which are marketed as Autopilot, Full Self-Driving and FSD Beta options in the U.S., the company faces “civil penalties of up to $26,315 per violation per day, with a maximum of $131,564,183996 for a related series of daily violations,” according to a letter published on the NHTSA website Thursday.
Amazing Scenes
I don't follow PA state politics quite enough to know exactly what happened here, but basically the PA governor (Dem! boo) supported a shitty giveaway to religious and rich people private schools, and the Dems in the House (+1!) stood firm and it isn't happening.
Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro on Wednesday backed off his insistence on money for a new private-school funding program after it became a sticking point in a budget stalemate between Pennsylvania’s politically divided Legislature.
Shapiro’s shift in position came as state government plowed through its fifth day without full spending authority, and the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives prepared to respond to a budget deal between Shapiro and Republicans who control the state Senate.
Walking To The Shops
A problem facing "urbanists" in America is that even many of them have a hard time understanding that you don't need "Manhattan" or even "Copenhagen" to have basic walkability in daily life. Places where you can't "walk to the shops" [and the bus stop] - even in fairly small towns and rural communities - are odd, not the norm, most places in Europe.
That doesn't mean everywhere is a pedestrian/transit paradise or people don't own cars. Small places have a limited range of "shops" [local services] and not at least having a household car isn't practical.
But generally there is something resembling a 'town center' that has a few amenities and in general "walking to places" - shops, the bus stop, a little bar/cafe, your friends' houses - is a thing one can do. The bus might have shit service, of course, but it exists, usually.
Anyway my point is, basically, building basic walkability isn't hard! Everybody does it everywhere! It's weird not to!
Consider, for example, every American suburban housing development that abuts a supermarket anchored strip mall, but there's a wall between them so the 600 foot crow flies distance is, instead, a 1.5 mile walk down a stroad with no sidewalk. Chisel a path through the wall and suddenly you can walk to the supermarket!
Also scary people can walk into your neighborhood, so who is to say if it's good or bad.
That doesn't mean everywhere is a pedestrian/transit paradise or people don't own cars. Small places have a limited range of "shops" [local services] and not at least having a household car isn't practical.
But generally there is something resembling a 'town center' that has a few amenities and in general "walking to places" - shops, the bus stop, a little bar/cafe, your friends' houses - is a thing one can do. The bus might have shit service, of course, but it exists, usually.
Anyway my point is, basically, building basic walkability isn't hard! Everybody does it everywhere! It's weird not to!
Consider, for example, every American suburban housing development that abuts a supermarket anchored strip mall, but there's a wall between them so the 600 foot crow flies distance is, instead, a 1.5 mile walk down a stroad with no sidewalk. Chisel a path through the wall and suddenly you can walk to the supermarket!
Also scary people can walk into your neighborhood, so who is to say if it's good or bad.
And What Do You Mean By That
You can suggest "changes" to SocialSecurityAndMedicare that don't involve cuts that impact recipients. Lots of Medicare fraud out there - Medicare Advantage is a big scam though "more of that" is likely the change they have in mind - and even at Medicare rates, prices in our medical system are ridiculous (there are obvious answers to everything wrong with our medical system, but they are Not Serious). But presumably they mean "old people have it too good and it should be worse."
Even "almost rich" people can't afford more exposure to the costs of our medical system, and any cuts to Social Security benefits (this is what they mean, of course, even if they don't say it) have to start dipping pretty deep down into the income distribution before there are expenditure reductions worth mentioning (this is true of all "means testing" though of course Social Security is already means tested in several ways).
My deep knowledge of Social Security has degraded a bit since we last went through this, but I suspect the people writing the editorial have no clue about the system at all, they just know "cuts" are good.
Even "almost rich" people can't afford more exposure to the costs of our medical system, and any cuts to Social Security benefits (this is what they mean, of course, even if they don't say it) have to start dipping pretty deep down into the income distribution before there are expenditure reductions worth mentioning (this is true of all "means testing" though of course Social Security is already means tested in several ways).
My deep knowledge of Social Security has degraded a bit since we last went through this, but I suspect the people writing the editorial have no clue about the system at all, they just know "cuts" are good.
Wednesday, July 05, 2023
The Little Exclusions
Remember when E. Jean Carroll won her suit against Trump? And then that detail instantly went missing from all coverage of Trump?
For years there wouldn't be a story about Bill Clinton without the name :Lewinsky" thrown in.
These are choices, individual and collective, by our "objective" reporters.
For years there wouldn't be a story about Bill Clinton without the name :Lewinsky" thrown in.
These are choices, individual and collective, by our "objective" reporters.
Starve And Die
New York Times editorial board is back on its bullshit:
This is a piece about the horrors of the deficit, which SocialSecurityAndMedicare do not contribute to. Also SocialSecurtyAndMedicare are not one program, with identical issues, so you know the sophistry is going strong when they lump them together like that.
Be on alert for your favorite Democrats repeating this stuff. Let me know!
Democrats must recognize that changes to Social Security and Medicare, the major drivers of federal spending growth going forward, should be on the table."Changes."
This is a piece about the horrors of the deficit, which SocialSecurityAndMedicare do not contribute to. Also SocialSecurtyAndMedicare are not one program, with identical issues, so you know the sophistry is going strong when they lump them together like that.
Be on alert for your favorite Democrats repeating this stuff. Let me know!
Things Change Fast
I think this would've been unthinkable 5 years ago, but likely to happen again now.
The UK is not on precisely the same timeline as the US for these cultural shifts, but not so different.
On the 28th December the BBC’s flagship News at Six bulletin (broadcast at 6:20pm due to the bank holiday) watched by almost seven million people ended with a report on the birth of Sir Elton and Mr Furnish’s first child. The report contained just one interview, with Stephen Green, of right-wing group Christian Voice, without any warning that he is someone who has in the past supported the death penalty for gay men. The report was repeated on a number of occasions throughout the evening on the BBC News Channel.That's from 2010.
BBC entertainment correspondent Lizo Mzimba introduced Mr Green by saying: “not everyone is pleased to see such a high profile same sex couple start to raise a surrogate child.” The report then contained an interview that was visibly edited together in which Mr Green told the BBC: “This isn’t just a designer baby for Sir Elton John, this is a designer accessory… [cut] Now it seems like money can buy him anything, and so he has entered into this peculiar arrangement…[cut] The baby is a product of it. A baby needs a mother and it seems an act of pure selfishness to deprive a baby of a mother.”
The UK is not on precisely the same timeline as the US for these cultural shifts, but not so different.
Too Many Nates
Silver's long been a ridiculous weirdo, but covid broke his brain completely. 
If only a global pandemic didn't have any negative consequences!
As the title suggests, Nate's not the only one.
I don't think everything was done perfectly during covid (of course not!) but the people who obsess about school learning loss do not care about school learning loss because they are not people who care about anybody but themselves. They just care about being Right On The Internet.
Yah, Nate Silver cares about The Children. Absurd stuff. Nate's just mad he couldn't go sit in Starbucks for a few months, and he's combined that with a hatred of all the lefties who call him a stupid shithead on twitter.
No one thought that keeping kids home from school was costless. It was at times the best of bad options, and at times the only option! You couldn't keep schools fully staffed and there were no subs because people were getting sick constantly!
Yes if schools had more resources maybe (maybe!) they could have opened more.
Jetelina said if given a mulligan, schools should have been given more resources, like ventilators, masks and contact-tracing.
Dr. Carlos del Rio, interim dean at Emory University School of Medicine, said public health experts didn’t foresee the effect of learning loss and isolationism on students. That impact could be the most long-lasting, UCSF professor of medicine Dr. Mark Smith said.
But a missing resource in this list is: people! You didn't have staff! You certainly didn't have any subs!
If only a global pandemic didn't have any negative consequences!
As the title suggests, Nate's not the only one.
6-3 Upheld (likely)
Federal judiciary just littered with these freaks, but we can't politicize it!!! Whatever the hell that means.
A federal judge on Tuesday blocked key Biden administration agencies and officials from meeting and communicating with social media companies about “protected speech,” in an extraordinary preliminary injunction in an ongoing case that could have profound effects on the First Amendment.Reasonable debate, of course, about appropriate government action here, but this is all just TWITTER IS CENSORING CONSERVATIVES type stuff which they are all obsessed about.
Tuesday, July 04, 2023
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