Tag Archives: news

Tuesday Tidbits 4/21/2020: Discrediting, denying, and deceiving

“Americans: We need sandwiches. Republicans: We agree you need sandwiches. Democrats: We agree you need sandwiches. Republicans: At 5 P.M. on a Sunday we will vote on this bill that gives us ham sandwiches and everyone else poop sandwiches. Democrats: Wait, we don't think poop sandwiches will help. Republicans: Democrats hate sandwiches. Media: BREAKING: DEMOCRATS VOTE AGAINST SANDWICH BILL. Americans: Democrats voted against giving us sandwiches of any kind! It's right there in the headline! Media: Actually here is information about exactly why Democrats voted against the sandwich bill, which would have given most Americans poop sandwiches only. Americans: LYING MEDIA!.”
(Click to embiggen)

Shame on GOP senators for slipping hefty tax break for millionaires into coronavirus stimulus bill.

“These Republicans spent 8 years investigating the tragic deaths of 4 Americans in Benghazi.  On April 10, 2010, 4 Americans tragically died every 2.8 minutes due to this man's {Trump's} incompetence. Where are those investigators now?”
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GOP senators, starting probe, demand WHO turn over details on COVID-19’s origin – The Republicans say a main focus will be the WHO’s relationship with China.

Oh, for fuck’s sake!

Trump is playing a deadly game in deflecting Covid-19 blame to China.

“In 1918, Philadelpia prematurely ended it's quarantine from the Spanish Flue to throw a parade in order to boost morale for the war effort. Some 200,000 people lined the streets on that late-September day. Within 72 hours, every bed in Philadelphia's 31 hospitals was filled and the city ended up with 4,500 people dying from the flu or its complications within a matter of days. What is the proverb? 'Those who cannot learn from the past are condemned to repeat it...'”
The Spanish flu had a much faster incubation period than COVID-19. Wait two weeks to see the effects of the protests this weekend. (click to embiggen(

Without More Tests, America Can’t Reopen – And to make matters worse, we’re testing the wrong people:

“If we want to control the spread of COVID-19, the United States must adopt a new testing policy that prioritizes people who, although asymptomatic, may have the virus and infect many others.

We should target four groups. First, all health-care workers and other first responders who directly interact with many people. Second, workers who maintain our supply chains and crucial infrastructure, including grocery-store workers, police officers, public-transit workers, and sanitation personnel. The next group would be potential “super-spreaders” — asymptomatic individuals who could come into contact with many people. This third group would include people in large families and those who must interact with many vulnerable people, such as employees of long-term-care facilities. The fourth group would include all those who are planning to return to the workplace. These are precisely the individuals without symptoms whom the CDC recommends against testing.”

Historical photo depicting a crowd a protestors during the Great Depression holding a sign that reads “Capitalism isn't working. Another world is possible.”
Another world is possible

Capitalists or Cronyists?

“Modern-day “capitalism” in America is to flatten the risk curve for people who already have money, by borrowing from future generations with debt-fueled bailouts for companies. We have consciously decided to reduce the downside for the wealthy, thereby limiting the upside for future generations.”

“The billionaires in business tell the millionaires in politics to tell the working and middle class that the problem is poor people and immigrants.”
(Cick to embiggen)

Shake Shack to return small business loan after uproar.

“The ability of major companies to receive funding before smaller businesses has emerged as the latest flashpoint in a program that has left many involved dissatisfied since its hurried launch on April 3.”

“Snowflakes is a word used by sociopaths in an attempt to discredit the notion of empathy.”—John Cleese
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The coronavirus fight demands unity. But Republicans just want to own the libs.

“Medicare for All - But it will cost so much! Does it though?” Info graphic shows why only some people and some procedures are covered so the insurance company can get their profits.
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COVID-19 and the Myth of ‘Choice’ in American Healthcare – The insidious root of the problem is that healthcare as a market commodity simply does not work, and we’ve known this for decades.

“Our response to the epidemic is unethical and harmful to health, just like our health system is during normal times. Fundamentally, “choice” of health insurance creates a dizzyingly complex and inefficient morass that reaps profits for insurance executives and shareholders—while creating huge financial barriers to care.

The solution is straightforward: universal single-payer health insurance, or Medicare for All, would cover everyone with the same high-quality care, progressively financed.”

No, Italy Is Not the Case Against Medicare for All – The Americanization of Italian health care plays a part in the country’s disastrous coronavirus outbreak.

“When Covid-19 reached Italian shores, it found a country in the midst of a private-sector transformation that has been turning the country’s single-payer health care system into an Italian version of Biden’s beloved “public option”—and putting millions of people at risk in the process.”

“Only in America could a billionaire make US pay for HIS golf weekends and tell us WE can't have food, health, science, or art.”
“Only in America could a billionaire make US pay for HIS golf weekends and tell us WE can’t have food, health, science, or art.”

Trump rips CNN reporter for ‘self-congratulation’ question: ‘You don’t have the brains you were born with’.

Trump won’t rule out that his business will benefit from emergency coronavirus legislation.

Friday Five (not one kind word edition)

It’s the third Friday in April.

My hay fever symptoms have been bad all week. This causes the daily panic of my reminding myself that I’m checking my temperature regularly and checking my symptoms against the list from the CDC. It so happened that also this week I was rubbing oil into the wooden veranda furniture as I do every spring and winter to keep the wood safe from the elements. So during my lunch break today I carefully rubbed off all the excess oil from the previous couple of days of work with a dry cloth. Then in the evening I went out to turn on the grill for our first grilled dinner of the year, and I noticed the wooden table looked odd. Between noon and five so much pollen had gathered on the table, I could write in it with my finger. No wonder I had the worst sinus headache in months Thursday!

Meanwhile, welcome to the Friday Five. This week I bring you: the top five stories of the week, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, five stories about the pandemic, five stories about the deplorable alleged president, and five videos (plus notable obituaries and some things I wrote).

Stories of the Week:

Dear right-wing protesters: your ‘liberty’ to swing your fist ends just where my nose begins.

That Time That Jerry Siegel Plundered the Funny Pages to Defeat Superman.

Florida panthers filmed fighting in the wild for the first time ever.

Detectives Recover Stolen Tsutakawa Memorial Gates.

The Oldest String Ever Found May Have Been Made By Neanderthals.

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

Gay men still unable to donate blood and plasma despite new FDA guidelines. Here’s why.

Prides are getting canceled, so now organizers are coming together for an online, global Pride – For the first time, Pride will come to every country on Earth on the same day as cities and countries band together to ensure LGBTQ people can celebrate despite the pandemic.

Franklin Graham claims he is not homophobic. The paper and video trail exposes him as a liar.

IMPLICATIONS OF COVID-19 FOR LGBTQ YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE PREVENTION.

Virginia Governor Signs Sweeping LGBTQ Protections into Law.

This Week in the Pandemic:

Massachusetts Joins New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Rhode Island’s Multi-State Council to Get People Back to Work and Restore the Economy.

Washington, Oregon and California to coordinate reopening of West Coast economies after coronavirus is contained.

Coronavirus could attack immune system like HIV by targeting protective cells, warn scientists.

COVID-19 spurs reckoning in crowded homeless shelters.

Biden: People are dying while Trump is ‘having temper tantrums’.

This Week in the Deplorable Thug Occupying the White House:

Editorial: Trump is playing a disgusting political game with our lives.

‘Crime against humanity’: Trump condemned for WHO funding freeze.

White House snubs Azar, installs Trump loyalist Michael Caputo as HHS spokesperson.

Trump claims it’s his call on when to ‘reopen’ the country. He’s wrong – Only the states can give shutdown orders, and only the states can lift them, legal scholars say. Many governors agree.

‘Not Enough Political Viagra in the World’ to Save Trump in Wisconsin.

In Memoriam:

Brian Dennehy, ‘Tommy Boy’ and ‘First Blood’ Star, Dies at 81.

The classic Doctor Who series writer Pip Baker has died at the age of 91.

Prof. John Horton Conway, one of the most renowned mathematicians of the past century, dead from COVID-19.

Time Bandits, Return of the Jedi actor Malcolm Dixon dies at 66.

Witchfinder General star Hilary Heath dies of coronavirus complications.

Things I wrote:

Weekend Update 4/11/2020: We have to look out for each other.

Chocolate bunnies for everyone!

A giant bee-killing hornet!

Predicting is hard… but we should still try!

A round up of Hugo round-ups.

“I’m not a lady, I’m a witch” — or, more of why I love sf/f.

Videos!

Trump Blames WHO and Rushes to “Open Up America Again”: A Closer Look:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Give Donald Trump A Radio Show And Maybe He’ll Stop Holding These Marathon Coronavirus Briefings:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

The big lesson from South Korea’s coronavirus response:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Jay MaQ No Love ft. Macc:

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ALMA – Stay All Night (Day 16: Quarantine Video):

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Predicting is hard… but we should still try!

© Statista The spread of the COVID-19 virus in the U.S. Statista

Over at FiveThirtyEight dot Com they have this wonderful explanation in comic strip form of why mathematically modeling epidemics and pandemics is so difficult:

A Comic Strip Tour Of The Wild World Of Pandemic Modeling, by Zach Weinersmith, Maggie Koerth, Laura Bronner and Jasmine Mithani. Hat-tip to Camestros Felapton for sharing the link!

Meanwhile, there have been more than 23,000 Covid-19 deaths in the U.S.. Not that you would know it going by Trump’s press conferences, which continue to be full of absurdities, lies, threats to governors, and excuses.

A giant bee-killing hornet!

Click to embiggen infographic

This is not science fiction or a horror movie!

So, there’s an invasive hornet species that’s been spotted in my state which we would really like to get rid of: WSU scientists enlist citizens in hunt for giant, bee-killing hornet.

There’s a photo on that page of a person holding one of the dead hornets and my god, it looks scary!

And it is scary, this thing’s sting can be fatal to humans who have no allergy to bees.

The hornets love to attack honey bee hives, eat not just the adult bees, but all the larva and pupae, as well. So it’s more bad news for agriculture if this species gets established.

There’s an app you can put on your phone to report sightings of invasive species. It’s also got lots of fascinating information about the invasives and how they disrupt ecosystem. Check it out!

Weekend Update 4/11/2020: We have to look out for each other

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Time for some stories that either didn’t make the cut for this week’s Friday Five, or came to my attention after I composed the Friday Five post, and/or represent new developments in stories I’ve commented on previously. With more commentary/ranting from me than usually appears in a Friday Five post. And we have some doozies this time! Pour yourself your favorite calming beverage and buckle up, because it’s going to be a bumpy ride.

First, I’ve linked to stories earlier about how some (evil) people have argued that letting part of the population die to keep the economy going is an idea to consider. Well, that’s not the only awful thing people have proposed regarding medical treatment for Covid-19 patients: Autistic support group ‘told it needed Do Not Resuscitate orders’. Or as one blog buddy put it: “Anyway, kill crazy normies control medical rationing.” So the assumption this medical group was making is that people who aren’t neurotypical, if they became sick with Covid-19 are not worthy of the most intensive medical care, because supposedly their lives aren’t as valuable as other people’s. Sure, the story ends by saying the letter had been withdrawn after people protested, but…

Let’s move on to another kind of misinformed medical idiocy: Kansas Republicans Undo Governor’s Coronavirus Order Prohibiting Large Religious Gatherings. That’s right! Because quarantines are a plot to block other people’s religious freedom. And spare me the a-hole pastors saying “We’re willing to die for our faith!” That isn’t what this is about! It isn’t about you deciding whether to risk your life, it’s you deciding to put every single person you come in contact with afterward at risk! Because you can carry the virus and be contagious for days before you feel any symptoms. And one person can cause a lot of illness:

One Chicago man may have infected 16 people when he went to a dinner, a birthday party, and a funeral — Three of those people later died. He didn’t know he was infected. You will not know you’re infected for at least a few days. Go read this for some sobering perspective: An Open Letter to All New Yorkers from the Emergency Department Frontline.

Meanwhile, the grifter-in-chief is making really bad decisions: Federal Support Ends For Coronavirus Testing Sites As Pandemic Peak Nears. He’s lied about how anyone who wants a test can get one. He’s lied several times claiming he hasn’t heard anyone calling for more testing for weeks. And now, it appears, that he’s stopping the federal funding of tests for no other reason than, if fewer people are tested, the number of known infections won’t go up as fast as the actual infection rate. In other words, he’s cooking the books. He’s treating this thing like it’s all about ratings, and not actual lives.

And it’s worse than that: Supplies could be delayed due to confusion from the White House, companies say. The headline is a bit misleading. It’s not confusion, it’s that certain people in Trump’s circle are telling companies not to ship supplies to blue states. In other words, politicizing the pandemic. Which shouldn’t surprise us, because they’ve been falsely accusing Democrats of that for months, and one of the few things you can count on this alleged president and his thugs to do is accuse other people of the crimes they are actually committing themselves.

But don’t just take my word for it: A president unfit for a pandemic – Much of the suffering and death coming was preventable. The president has blood on his hands.

And let’s not forget about the network which has been functioning as a propaganda department for the Republicans for years: Washington State Group Is 1st to Sue Fox News for Calling Coronavirus a ‘Hoax’. I hope this is the first of many, many lawsuits, and Fox finally starts paying a price.

All right, we need to lighten the mood a bit. Let’s have a song about someone who isn’t completely mismanaging this pandemic:

ANDY! – A Randy Rainbow Song Parody:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Friday Five (allocation edition)

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It’s the second Friday in April. And if we weren’t in the middle of a global pandemic, I would be writing this post in a hotel room because tonight would have been the first day of NorWesCon.

I decided not to cancel my vacation days, particularly given how stressful the previous couple of weeks of work had been. So Thursday morning when my alarm went off, instead of hitting the snooze and deciding whether to get up or doze for a bit, I turned it off and slept almost until noon. Goofing off for a day is just what I needed. There’s some household chores we’ve been neglecting that I want to work on the next few days, as well as some art and writing projects. Not sure how much I’ll actually get to, though.

Meanwhile, welcome to the Friday Five. This week I bring you: the top five stories of the week, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, five stories about the pandemic, five stories about deplorable people, five sci fi related stories, and five videos (plus notable obituaries and some things I wrote).

Stories of the Week:

What Everyone’s Getting Wrong About the Toilet Paper Shortage – It isn’t really about hoarding. And there isn’t an easy fix.

Here Are a Few of the Thirstiest Posts from the ‘Quarantine Pillow Challenge’.

Zoom Bugbears: What You Need to Know About the Latest Zoom Vulnerabilities, and: 10 free Zoom alternative apps for video chats.

Event Horizon Telescope: Black hole produces twisting jet.

Scientists Find 2 Mating Flies Trapped in Prehistoric Amber – The discovery was part of a haul of unusual fossils recovered from sites across Australia and New Zealand.

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

DuckTales introduced gay dads as new characters & the web went quackers.

Children’s book author Jacqueline Wilson comes out at age 74 – She just announced her 111th children’s book, which is about a tomboy who falls in love with “the prettiest girl in class”.

Anthony Fauci calls out “extraordinary stigma” gays face while standing right in front of Mike Pence – Fauci praised LGBTQ people’s “strength and activism” during the HIV epidemic as Pence loomed over his left shoulder.

Rebecca “It’s Friday, Friday” Black comes out.

Astronaut Anne McClain’s estranged wife charged with lying about alleged ‘space crime’.

This Week in Science Fiction:

Hugo Awards 2020 Finalists.

Where To Find The 2020 Hugo Award Finalists For Free Online.

Doctor Who: Every Doctor’s TRUE Companion.

Imaginary Space Programs Are Always Better Than Reality (But Reality Is Pretty Amazing).

The Being Not Human Awards.

This Week in Deplorables:

Teen Arrested As “Zoom Bombing” Incidents Escalate.

The Far-Right Helped Create The World’s Most Powerful Facial Recognition Technology. One of the app’s associates was allegedly working on a product that could “be useful for mass deportations.”

Falwell Accuses NYT, ProPublica Of Criminal Trespass While Covering COVID. He went on conservative talk radio and said he’s gotten a local magistrate to issue arrest warrants. But turns out that it was just the Liberty U campus police…

FDA warns Alex Jones to stop telling his viewers to drink silver to fight coronavirus.

LOUISIANA PASTOR: If Parishioners Die After Contracting COVID-19 IT’S A SACRIFICE FOR GOD AND FREEDOM!!!.

This Week in COVID-19:

Coronavirus: low antibody levels raise questions about reinfection risk.

Stunning Poll: Those with ‘Conservative News Diet’ Like Fox News Twice as Uninformed on Coronavirus Deadliness.

Experts Think We’re Flattening The Coronavirus Curve, But Hospitalizations Haven’t Peaked Yet.

Tracking the virus: US death toll tops 16,000.

Coronavirus is disproportionately killing African Americans – Early data from the US coronavirus pandemic exposes how systemic racism and inequality put minority groups at risk.

In Memoriam:

Gay police officer who proposed to his fiance in December died suddenly of coronavirus – After the Pulse shooting, he would park his patrol car outside LGBTQ venues, saying “No one is going to mess with my friends.”.

James Bond actress Honor Blackman dies aged 94.

MAD Magazine artist Mort Drucker died April 8 at the age of 91.

Phyllis Lyon, Pioneering Lesbian Activist, Dies at 95.

John Prine, One of America’s Greatest Songwriters, Dead at 73 – Grammy-winning singer who combined literary genius with a common touch succumbs to coronavirus complications.

Funerals in the Age of the Coronavirus.

Things I wrote:

Weekend Update 4/4/2020: Lying liars, flip flopping, and one funny suggestion.

What to pick?

Why do American right-wingers hate trains?

Tuesday Tidbits 4/7/2020: Grifters gotta grift.

Line up your rockets! Or, we have the 2020 Hugo Award Finalists!

Confessions of an urban transplant—or, conflicts in perceptual frameworks.

Videos!

Old Gays Play It Safe During Coronavirus:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Trump Wants Everyone to Forget He Ignored Repeated Coronavirus Warnings: A Closer Look:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Sen. Bernie Sanders, Bowing Out Of The Race, Gently Breaks The News To Supporters:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Brandi Carlile Pays Tribute To John Prine: “Hello In There”:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

“Truly Brave” (San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus Virtual Chorus):

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Tuesday Tidbits 4/7/2020: Grifters gotta grift

Let’s look at some news that broke after last week’s Friday Five that ought to be covered now rather than wait for Friday.

Just sayin’ (Click to embiggen)

First up, the Grifter-in-Chief (and his toadies) keeps recommending a drug that studies indicate does not help treat Covid-19: CNN Doctor Shreds Peter Navarro: ‘This Is Not A ‘Can’t-Hurt-Might-Help-Why-Not’ Situation!’ – Dr. Sanjay Gupta took the wind right out of Peter Navarro’s arrogance by putting some facts on the table.

When it first happened, I figured it was just the usual stupidity from the guy. Someone mentioned it to him, and as a narcissist suffering from some form of severe dementia, he has a constant need to say stuff that make it sound like he knows what he’s talking about. But after being debunked a few times, and after at least one person died trying to self-treat with it, why did he start talking about it again?

Well, it turns out it’s about greed, because of course it is: Pharma-Funded Group Tied to a Top Trump Donor Is Promoting Malaria Drug to the President. That’s right, some of the companies who make the drug that doesn’t work against this thing are donating money to Trump. So, of course, he’s going to tout it so people will buy it and put money in the pockets of people putting money in his pocket!

But it’s even worse than that! Millions of doses of Covid drug bought by Trump admin today from Novartis–Michael Cohen connection. This article links to several others, but it appears that either a shell company owned by Trump or by some of his toadies, has managed to buy up a bunch of the drug that does not work against Covid-19, and now they are selling this stockpile to the feds.

This shouldn’t surprise us, because Trump’s entire financial career has been about stealing from his investors, contractors, employees, and charities. It has also been about tricking other people into paying for his projects and making it look as if he was the person who raised the money or donated or whatever. All those seasons of his reality show, when at the end the winner (or a charity) got a big novelty check that made it look as if Trump was paying them? Every penny actually came from the network. Neither Trump or any of his businesses contributed so much as a dime. He was paid, the network paid for the production and everything related to it, the network paid the actual award money, and on those occasions when a Trump business was mentioned or a picture of one of his buildings was shown, the network paid said business a royalty.

It does leave one wondering how his faithful keep believing him after lie upon lie upon lie. Well, in this case, there is a bit of an explanation: Here’s why the tormented conservative mind is so drawn to the dangerous allure of miracle drugs.

Trump is also really good about blaming other people, no matter how implausible the blame is: Trump Earns “Pants On Fire” Rating For Insane Claim He Inherited “Broken” Virus Tests From The Obama Admin. So Trump is now claiming that the reason we have been so behind on testing is because Obama left behind thousands or millions of “broken” test kits. Big problem with that lie: when Obama was President, know one knew that the virus which causes Covid-19 existed, yet. So no one had tried to make kits, yet. The problem is that Trump didn’t think the disease was serious (or that it would hurt anyone he cared about), nor was he willing to take and pay for kits from any of the foreign entities that had developed them as the disease swept through parts of China and other countries, nor was he willing to put any money into developing our own.

Unfortunately, his base doesn’t seem to be smart enough to do anything but swallow the lie. Even when the evidence is overwhelming:

How Trump and Kushner Failed on Testing and Ventilators: A Closer Look:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Meanwhile, it’s important to remember that not everyone is hurt to the same degree by this current catastrophe, as Samanth Bee explains below:

Introducing: Coronavirus For Her! | Full Frontal on TBS:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Weekend Update 4/4/2020: Lying liars, flip flopping, and one funny suggestion

Once again it’s time for some news that either came in too late for this week’s Friday Five, or is a new development in a story I’ve commented upon previously, or otherwise didn’t quite make the cut before. As you can tell form the title of the post, I’m going to be talking about a lot of bad people here. If you would like a laugh, instead, scroll down to the bottom and click on the video. And learn something while you’re at it!

First up, you remember that there are a few Senators and Congresspeople who made suspiciously timed decision to sell of stock after getting classified intelligence briefings on the coronavirus threat? There is a bit more news on that front: U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler’s most recent financial disclosures show that millions of dollars in stocks were sold on her behalf at the same time Congress was dealing with the impact of the coronavirus. She continues to insist that these transactions were carried out by her financial advisor without any discussion with her, but the more news comes out the less credible that seems. She and her husband (who happens to the CEO of the New York Stock Exchange) didn’t just happen to sell off stocks in industries sure to take a big hit when the pandemic hit U.S. shores, but they also coincidentally bought up a lot of stock in companies that manufacture medical face masks and the like.

Right, coincidence!

Even though we now know that she had been briefed on the grim statistics of how quickly the disease would spread, how many millions would eventually get sick, and how high the death toll could go, she was making public statements to constiuents and donors that there was nothing to worry about.

Even Fox News’ most notorious liar isn’t buying it: Tucker Carlson: Sen. Kelly Loeffler Should Resign if She Knew About Stock Trades.

Resignation is the minimum that should happen.

Moving on…

Critics Pile On After Kushner’s Virus Response Lies, Federal Website Edited To Make Him Appear Truthful. Kushner claimed that the federal stockpile of medical ventilators was never intended for the states, but rather, “they belong to us.” Just who does he thing us is?

The Strategic National Stockpile of critical medical equipment was created by an Act of Congress in 1998. And the act specifies that the purpose is to make sure those critical medical supplies are ready to be deployed to any state or territory where a critical public health crisis arises.

“Gangsters don't hire family members because they're qualified. Gangsters hire family members because they're less likely to talk to the FBI.”
“Gangsters don’t hire family members because they’re qualified. Gangsters hire family members because they’re less likely to talk to the FBI.” (Click to embiggen)
I know he’s an idiot. No, seriously. He’s what certain types of really stupid people think is a smart person. Which means he’s good at lying on his feet and using words that sound like he knows what he’s talking about. But he’s an idiot and a con artist, who couldn’t pass a basic security check and is in office (in violation of The Federal Anti-Nepotism Statute) because Trump wants him there. His motives are not public service, his motives are always his own personal gain, and the personal gain of his patrons. And ordering someone to change the government website that describes the reserve doesn’t change the law.

Remember, Kushner is the idiot who did this: Inside Jared Kushner’s coronavirus research: A wide net on a giant Facebook group. That’s right, he had access to all the experts at the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control, and so forth, but what did Jared do? He called his brother’s father-in-law who happens to be a doctor.

The stupid, it burns!

Moving on!

Texas Christian radio host ‘Doc’ Gallagher gets 25 years for bilking Christian investors out of millions. Not only isn’t he a registered investment advisor (for which he was fined previously for falsely claiming), he’s not an ordained minister, so I the headline can’t call him a scamvangelist (even though that’s what he is). I’ll just quote this:

“He took advantage of some of the most vulnerable people in our society. He targeted elderly investors and individuals attracted to his Christian ideals and then stole from them.”
—lead prosecutor Alexis Goldate

Yeah, great Christian values, there.

Okay, enough about bad people. Here is a helpful video for those who need a face mask for their next excursion. I hope it at least makes you chuckle:

https://twitter.com/ActuallyEmerson/status/1246206902469459973

Friday Five (legal bloodbath edition)

“Trump held rallies on: Jan 9th, Jan 14th, Jan 28th, Jan 30th, Feb 10th, Feb 19th, Feb 20th, Feb 21st, Feb 28th... Trump golfed on: Jan 18th, Jan 19th, Feb 1st, Feb 15th, Math 7th, Mar 8th... But SURE, impeachment, which ended on Feb 5th, is what stopped him from resonding to the coronavirus until late March...”
Click to embiggen! “Trump held rallies on: Jan 9th, Jan 14th, Jan 28th, Jan 30th, Feb 10th, Feb 19th, Feb 20th, Feb 21st, Feb 28th… Trump golfed on: Jan 18th, Jan 19th, Feb 1st, Feb 15th, Math 7th, Mar 8th… But SURE, impeachment, which ended on Feb 5th, is what stopped him from resonding to the coronavirus until late March…”
We’ve reached the first Friday in April.

I’ve started on Camp NaNoWriMo, but my word count so far is pathetic. On the other hand, at one point on Thursday evening I realized that it was like the umpteenth time that day that I had shared a whiny story related to my work (I’m working from home in an industry that is considered essential, whereas my husband was furloughed last week and we’re both trying to adjust to being housebound together more than ever before)… so I recognized the expression on his face as being less than thrilled at my topic of discussion. So I said, “I need to stop talking about work, or you’re going to either divorce me or strangle me.” And he responded with: “Oh, I won’t DIVORCE you…” Which made me observe: “I see strangling is still on the menu…”

He did not contradict my conclusion.

So… I put on my headphones, picked one of my more compelling playlists, and started working on this post while trying very hard to resist any urge I had to pause and talk to him.

Meanwhile, welcome to the Friday Five. This week I bring you: the top five stories of the week, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, five stories about the pandemic, and five videos (plus notable obituaries and some things I wrote).

Stories of the Week:

Fox News purportedly bracing for “legal bloodbath” after peddling coronavirus misinformation. Couldn’t happen to more deserving people, business, or network…

Authors, Publishers Condemn The ‘National Emergency Library’ As ‘Piracy’. Let me correct this headline: “vMedia Fails to Recognize The ‘National Emergency Library’ As Piracy Until Called Out.”

A Neighborhood Celebrated A Teen’s Last Chemo Session With A Coronavirus-Appropriate Parade.

It is not ethical to pirate an author’s work without their permission.

Craving Canon Is Killing the Way We Talk About Movies and TV.

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

‘We both rolled over in bed. Me: ‘I’m gay.’ Her: ‘I’m transgender.’ Silence. Now what? I’m married. HAPPILY married!’: Couple stays together despite realizing sexual preferences weren’t as they initially thought.

U.S. Eases Restrictions on Gay Men Donating Blood Amid Covid-19.

Gay Men Barred from Donating Potentially Lifesaving Blood Plasma to Critically Ill Coronavirus Patients.

Gay Man Tearfully Recalls Husband, First ER Doctor to Die from Coronavirus, in Gut-Wrenching Interview.

California’s Same-Sex Marriage Foes Press to Keep Trial Video Under Wraps. Hateful bigots know that when their arguments are shown to the public the public embraces our side…

This Week in COVID-19:

What We Know So Far About Possible Coronavirus Treatments Promoted by Trump.

AOC Blasted the “Shameful” Corporate Bailouts in the Senate’s Coronavirus Relief Bill.

Global condom shortage looms as coronavirus shuts down production – World’s biggest producer says lockdown has already caused shortfall of 100m condoms.

Trump’s coronavirus response is a failure by his own standards.

‘Religious liberty’ argument, once hindering LGBTQ rights, is now endangering COVID-19 prevention.

In Memoriam:

Their Mom Died Of The Coronavirus. They Had To Say Goodbye Via Walkie-Talkie – “She was a supermom, you know?”.

Terrence McNally, acclaimed gay playwright, dies at 81.

Terrence McNally, Tony award-winning playwright, dies of coronavirus complications.

Rage for Terrence McNally.

Things I wrote:

Star Trek: Picard wraps season one in a retro doozy.

Sunday Night Update: We need some good news.

“You’re going that way”.

Tuesday Tidbits: No joke, some people don’t understand….

No foolin’ — and let’s go to Camp!.

A little brain dead.

Videos!

Stephen Colbert Returns With A Message: America, You Got This:

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Trump Fights with Governors, Reporters Over Coronavirus Response: A Closer Look:

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Coronavirus III: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO):

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Trump’s “New Tone” On Coronavirus | The Daily Social Distancing Show:

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:Dua Lipa – Break My Heart (Official Video)

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Tuesday Tidbits: No joke, some people don’t understand…

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Some of these links almost ended up in a Weekend Update post, but I wound up going with some more upbeat news, instead. Let’s look at some news that broke after last week’s Friday Five that ought to be covered now rather than wait for Friday.

So, first, up, a drunk Fox news host!

Saturday night Judge Pirro’s show started a bit later than usual supposedly because of technical difficulties. Once things got going, well… Was a Disheveled Judge Jeanine Pirro Tipsy After Fox News Show Delayed for ‘Technical Difficulties’?. I’ve watched the video. Slurred speech, incoherence, at least one point you could see her putting the glass down… she was frikkin’ hammered.

Of course, she can’t admit the obvious that every single person watching saw, instead she screamed “haters!” on twitter all day Sunday: Jeanine Pirro responds to critics of appearance on Fox News show – Pro-Trump anchor appeared late and apparently disheveled on Saturday night, leading to social media speculation. I get it, she was broadcasting from home, had to do her own hair and make-up and didn’t have a teleprompter. But why does that cause her speech to be slurred, and his facial expression to have that classic drunk-off-her-ass look?

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Meanwhile, let’s check in on the super hypocritical evangelical most famous for strange relationships with pool boys.

What’s he been up to lately? ‘He’s Going to Do Whatever He Wants’ – Jerry Falwell Jr.’s decision to reopen Liberty University’s campus amid the coronavirus pandemic has sparked anger and confusion—even among those usually sympathetic to him. That’s right, while other universities have switched to online classes and urged students to practice social distancing, Jerry insisted that students come back to campus! Don’t worry about the virus, he said! I’ve talked to several health experts and local government officials, and they are thanking me for insisting that all of you have to come back or forfeit tuition and room and board fees!

Except all of those experts and officials tell a very different story: Jerry Falwell, Jr. Lied About Who Supported His Decision to Re-open Liberty U.

Why is he doing this? You may remember in previous coverage of the pool boy scandals, that there is a lot of evidence Falwell, his wife, and kids have been using University resources to finance not just his lavish lifestyle but also a lot of questionable real estate deals. So, of course: Liberty University is resisting pressure from students to refund room and board costs during the coronavirus crisis.

All of which leads to the inevitable: Multiple Students Are Sick At Reopened Liberty Campus.

And never forget that Falwell Junior has never been a paragon of virtue:

Let’s move on…

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The conspiracy-spouting scam artist

So what about the man who makes money spouting off conspiracy theories, including claiming that children killed in school mass shootings never existed, and how his “vitamin supplements” can cure literally anything: Google Store Finally Bans Infowars App Over Virus Lies – Apple kicked Alex Jones out of the App Store in 2018. The Google Play Store has finally followed suit.

The two uses of the word finally are definitely called for. But there’s more…

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So there is a temporary hospital being built in Central Park in New York City. Sounds like a much needed facility, right? Well, there is one very big problem: Group Behind Central Park Coronavirus Tent Hospital Demands That Volunteers Support Anti-Gay Agenda. It’s Franklin Graham and the associated ministries behind this. And it is a very old trick of the bigots: pretend to do a charitable thing, but contrary to the teachings of the Jesus they claim to follow, they want to put conditions on the charity.

The entire point is to rub the message in the face of every faggot: “we hate you, you’re going to hell, and we think you deserve to die.” The only reason to add this kind of thing to the volunteer application is to get applauded for what they’re doing while most of the people doing the applauding don’t even look at the statement. It’s a chance to make clear they have the power to do this, the privilege to help those they deem worthy while spitting in the faces of their favorite enemies.


That’s enough news about deplorable people. Let’s close out with some sobering facts to remind us why we should be taking this pandemic seriously.

Oregon’s “Stay Home, Save Lives” campaign:

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