Stop the Idiocracy: February 2021

Wednesday, February 24, 2021

Week in review, 02/17 - 02/23

U.S. COVID-19 death toll surpasses 500,000

‘(O)ut of 163 countries assessed worldwide, the United States, Brazil and Hungary are the only ones in which people are worse off’ than ten years ago: The United States has transitioned from a First World power to a developing nation

‘Life expectancy in the United States fell by a full year during the first half of 2020, a staggering decline that reflects the toll of the covid-19 pandemic as well as a rise in deaths from drug overdoses, heart attacks and diseases that accompanied the outbreak, according to government data released Thursday. The last time life expectancy at birth dropped more dramatically was during World War II. Americans can now expect to live as long as they did in 2006’

Pentagon officials tell Congress that about one-third of troops offered the COVID-19 vaccine have refused

‘Pfizer and BioNTech say the first U.S. participants have been given shots in a large-scale clinical trial to assess the safety and efficacy of their COVID-19 vaccine for pregnant women. The companies are aiming to enroll some 4,000 pregnant women’

Two Florida women, ages 44 and 34, facing charges after posing as elderly women at vaccine distribution site

Finally, some degree of progress is being made: COVID-19 hospitalizations in the U.S. dip to the lowest level since November

UK Foreign Office spokesman says the government cannot guarantee there won’t be another COVID-19 lockdown as there is no way to predict how the virus will evolve

Enrollment at U.S. community colleges plummets amid the pandemic

As if we didn’t have enough to worry about: Russia registers world’s first case of human infection from the new H5N8 bird flu

Unfathomable what happened in the Lone Star State. Also shows us the chaos that would ensue if the national power grid were to collapse: Power outages leave millions of Texans desperate for heat and safety

‘Nearly seven million people in the US state of Texas have been told to boil tap water before consuming it after a deadly winter storm caused power blackouts at treatment facilities’

Fear of parasites in Texas water supply revived after winter storm damage

As Texas deep freeze subsides, some households now face electricity bills as high as $10,000

White House sending emergency generators and other supplies to Texas amid power outages and freezing weather

A disgraceful, pitiful coward that is no longer fit to serve: Sen. Ted Cruz flees to Cancun as millions in Texas freeze without power

Conspiracy theorists allege the U.S. government and Bill Gates manufactured the deadly winter storm in Texas as a ploy to prevent the state from seceding from the union

CPAC cancels a speaker who goes by the name of ‘Young Pharaoh’ after said speaker posted anti-Semitic comments on Twitter, including calling Judaism itself ‘a complete lie’

‘(A) number of these newly enlisted Republicans appear to have come to the GOP not for the ideology or the philosophy, but for the signs, the flags and, the fight.’ Republicans in one Wisconsin county refuse to vote for resolution condemning political violence

U.S. seeks to reclaim leadership role as it rejoins the Paris Agreement and UN climate change talks approach

President Biden and centrist Democrats taking a pragmatic and measured approach to the minimum wage and student loan forgiveness, angering leftists who are seeking more sweeping measures

Good fences make good neighbors: ‘U.S. Capitol Police officials told congressional leaders the razor-wire topped fencing around the Capitol should remain in place for several more months as law enforcement continues to track threats against lawmakers’

‘Six more people linked to the far-right Oath Keepers militia group have been indicted on charges that they planned and coordinated with one another in the attack on the U.S. Capitol’

DOJ and FBI investigating the role high-profile figures on the far-right - including Alex Jones and Roger Stone - played in the January 6 U.S. Capitol riot

Mars landing: Excitement builds over new images from NASA Perseverance rover

‘Two pilots flying a training mission were killed Friday when a military jet crashed near Montgomery Regional Airport in Alabama, the U.S. Air Force confirmed’

Rush Limbaugh has died. He revolutionized radio and politics itself. All for the better? Probably not, but he made a huge impact in the world. Rest in peace

Justice denied yet again: Russian court denies appeal of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny

‘The U.N. human rights office said Friday that it has asked the United Arab Emirates for evidence that an Emirati princess held against her will for almost three years is still alive’

‘Nearly a third of all freshwater fish species are threatened by extinction, according to a new report released by 16 conservation groups on Tuesday’

Prayers for Tiger Woods following a major car crash. Not a golf fan at all, but Tiger is undoubtedly one of the great athletes of our time

Tuesday, February 23, 2021

A leading education official in MA wants kids back in school full-time

A leading education official in MA wants kids back in school full-time. A horrible idea as long as this pandemic rages, and as long as children are prime vectors for germs. And even after this ends (if it ever does), we have the technology now to allow them to learn from home and for adults in many industries to work from home. I really thought that people might learn a few lessons from this, that we are not pack animals and we do not need to be breathing all over each other and be in others’ personal space at every turn. Foolish of me to have that hope, people never learn and they never change. Solitude is a good thing and keeps us healthy and sane. If anything, these kids need to be taught some self-reliance, but all any of us are ever told is how much 'people need people.' Bull! You know, I can only imagine how much better my life would have turned out if - all those years ago - I didn’t have to physically attend school and be subjected to my peers and all their crap. I think about all the times I got sick - chicken pox, mono, pneumonia - during my school years, and how that could have been avoided by being allowed to keep my distance from others. And how much better I would have turned out if I had been taught self-reliance as a child. This is why I was attracted to 'conservative' ideology before I learned how full of crap the right-wing in America is. But, no, all I’ve ever heard my entire life is ‘get out more, be around people, blah blah.’ I could go on, but the point is this: Anything that reduces traffic, congestion, pollution, and the need to have to endure other people and their germs ought to be welcomed. As Jean-Paul Sartre stated, ‘Hell is other people.'

Sunday, February 21, 2021

A tale of two populists: AOC and Ted Cruz

I am seeing a lot of folks comparing Ted Cruz's escape attempt and Ms. AOC's efforts in Texas. Not a fan of either one (once supported Ted Cruz before he lost his mind to populist idiocy, a/k/a Trumpism), but if this is a battle between the two, AOC wins this round. There, don't say I never said anything positive about the great AOC, but she is a dangerous populist just as Cruz and these phonies on the right are. Maybe a bit smarter - if the nationalist populists were smart, they'd be on the ground helping people as she is doing - but also young and still given to naivety. She may more sincerely believe what comes out of her mouth. Certainly much easier to look at, and don't think for a second that isn't a reason the media gives her so much attention. I don't think her rhetoric and ideology are helpful, but good on her for at least practicing what she preaches in this instance. As for Ted Cruz, I have to believe he and many other Republican lawmakers were caught in some very compromising situations and were forced to give themselves over to this nationalist cabal, likely controlled in part or wholly by Vladimir Putin. I wouldn't want to be in the man's shoes for all the riches on earth.

Thursday, February 18, 2021

Standing alone in an era of collective madness

While I believe President Biden is doing his best and will continue to do so - governing in good faith - Americans are still very much on the wrong track. I don’t like the direction the right-wing has gone in, going all in on nationalist populism and Trump worship even after suffering humiliating defeat after defeat. And I don’t like the direction the hard left - which is far more numerous and venomous now than before Trump was president - is going, either. Both sides are acting like, well, Nazis. No hyperbole needed. Even as we again have a moderate and sensible president, the country is splitting apart and the sides are growing ever more extreme and intolerant of anything not fitting their extremist world-views. Both extremes are absolutely out of control. Whether it’s one side storming the United States Capitol building, or the other side celebrating a man’s death and demanding that anyone who doesn’t join them is scum of the earth. The over-the-top reaction to the death of a radio host - someone who deserved his fair share of criticism, but is also now dead and can’t piss anyone off anymore - was quite telling. You know, I have never been more glad to be independent and free from having to engage in group-think and hate campaigns, because this is pathetic what we are witnessing all around us. Grown-ass adults who are so butthurt about everything and have no capability or desire to agree to disagree with others. Our country is literally dying on the vine right now - COVID, infrastructure failing, democracy being threatened by demigods, the economy collapsing, morals in the sewer, so forth - and all anyone wants to do is tear other peoples’ heads off all day and night if the other is not marching in lockstep with the tribe. No, I’m never playing that game. I will think for myself at all times, and I will conduct myself as an adult whether children like it or not. My views are nuanced and not easily confined to any one ideology, and I will express myself freely. And, again, it says right on the top of my FB profile, ‘NOT running a debating society.’ I am under no obligation to coddle anybody or to confirm anyone’s worldview, whatever that worldview may be. I’m not even under any obligation to speak to anybody or entertain their views, period. So, in other words, f**k off with the phony outrage and casting aspersions, whoever needs to hear it. And, each of you - whether you’re mindlessly cheerleading for Trump, or are a raving mad ‘social justice warrior’ out to destroy anyone who doesn’t give you exactly what you want - who are engaging in this crap know who you are. Enough of your bulls**t. Those of you who are more sensible and mature, thank you and carry on.

Wednesday, February 17, 2021

Week in review, 02/10 - 02/16

Don't have any definitive proof or documentation, but this picture has been going around and apparently the turtle is named Jonathan and is 189 years-old. Born in 1832, when Andrew Jackson was president, and still alive. God Bless this marvelous creature ...

‘This coronavirus is going to be here to stay. Eradication of this new coronavirus is basically impossible.’ Doctors warn that COVID-19 will become endemic, a seasonal illness like the flu

MIS-C syndrome in children is growing in numbers, and cases becoming more deadly

President Biden declares there will be enough vaccine for 300 million Americans by the end of July: Light at the end of the tunnel, but only if everybody were to do their part. Millions steadfastly refuse to do so

Massachusetts: ‘Hundreds of doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been reported as "wasted" to the Department of Public Health’

It’s going to take awhile to catch up after the previous administration’s dreadful handling of this pandemic. Gov. Charlie Baker: Massachusetts is not seeing anticipated increase of COVID vaccines from the federal government

First case of the South African variant (B.1.351) confirmed in Massachusetts; patient had ‘no reported travel’

‘Hundreds of students at the University of Massachusetts Amherst could face disciplinary action after officials said they disregarded Covid-19 protocols, contributing to a spike in cases and a number of new restrictions at the school’

Very interesting details emerge of the previous president’s bout with COVID-19 this past October. In the moment, many of us were confused as to whether he was faking the whole thing or not. The timing was suspect, but he did appear a bit pale and gaunt. Now we know it was for real and more serious than what was being reported

Georgia prosecutors launch criminal investigation into Trump’s efforts to overturn the election

For the historical record: How all 100 senators voted in the second Trump impeachment trial

Forty-three Republican senators just voted to piss on these peoples’ graves: Two police officers who helped fight off the U.S. Capitol mob on January 6 have committed suicide, and more are hurting

More than 120 anti-Trump Republicans (in other words, real Republicans) meet to discuss forming a center-right third party or faction. The GOP can no longer be reformed from within, it’s firmly a nationalist populist party now. A new party would be a tremendously challenging undertaking, and likely would take years to prosper. The other option is for everyone to infiltrate the Democratic Party, and try to make them a true ‘big tent’ party once again

‘55 percent of Republicans back the use of force as a way to “arrest the decline of the traditional American way of life,”’ Lisa Lerer: Whether or not Trump is convicted, the extremism that flourished under his administration is embedded in our politics

Clearly positioning herself for 2024, Nikki Haley is singing a different tune and now says ‘we shouldn’t have followed Trump.’ Of course not, you craven, shallow opportunist, and you knew that all along as you shamelessly pandered to him and his cult following. #NeverTrump #NeverHaley

Conspiracy theorists accuse President Biden of ‘altering the jet stream’ to cause deadly winter storm in Texas. Altering the jet stream is not even possible

Oh, for the love of Christ: QAnon believers now claiming that President Biden is flying on a ‘fake’ Air Force One, and therefore is not the real president

Happy to see civility being enforced again after four years of incivility and madness: White House press aide resigns after threatening Politico reporter

The United Kingdom is undergoing its worst economic decline in 300 years. Not a misprint, 300 years

‘Russia is prepared for a split with the European Union if the EU imposes new crippling sanctions amid a dispute over the treatment of opposition leader Alexei Navalny.’ An evil, brutish nation that must be contained at all costs before they start another catastrophic European war that will kill millions. In hindsight, we should have destroyed them when they were at their weakest at the time of the Soviet Union’s demise. Some would say we should have destroyed them at the end of World War II, as Gen. Patton wished to do. Instead, being the decent people we are, we chose to help build them back up each time. And look at the ‘thanks’ we got for our goodwill

President Biden imposes sanctions on Myanmar military leaders who directed the recent, successful coup in that country

Hezbollah leader declares ‘Israel will see things it hasn’t seen since its inception’ in response to IAF military drills

Nanny Facebook announces they’ll be limiting political posts in their algorithms in order to ‘turn down the temperature’

‘Murica: Where we can’t be bothered to wear masks to protect one another from a deadly virus, because ‘mah freedumb.’ But achieve fifteen minutes of fame for being a complete idiot, and we’ll reward you: More than $21,000 raised for woman who put ‘gorilla glue’ in her hair

Rest in Peace, Chick Corea. The great Jazz keyboardist has left us at age 79. A remarkable life and career. A Boston native. A huge loss

Trying to keep us all sane here: From 1973, the amazing Return to Forever album, Where Have I Known You Before. Jaw-dropping great, take a listen. #RIPChickCorea

To the extent I still care about this thing (not much), I will pick Kate Bush, Iron Maiden, Fela Kuti, Rage Against the Machine, and Todd Rundgren for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. A very weak class of nominees, and only going to get weaker the further we get away from the golden age of rock/pop music

‘Baseball trading cards are booming during the pandemic.’ I like this trend. As a kid in the ‘80s, it was a fun little hobby but one that I never took seriously. Had I taken it seriously and held onto them, perhaps I’d be sitting on a small goldmine

A glimpse into life on Prince Edward Island in the early 20th century, when at least some of my ancestors were still living there

Wednesday, February 10, 2021

Week in review, 02/03 - 02/09

I will keep up on all the impeachment trial stuff - or at least whatever I find relevant - on my own time. No interest in watching any of this live. Convict the bastard, and then let's never speak of him again except whenever necessary as a lesson in why populism is a grave danger to the republic.

An eye-opening figure: ‘At January's pace of 49,000 jobs per month, it would take roughly 17 years for the US jobs market to get back to where it was a year ago.’ U.S. job growth sluggish as COVID hampers recovery

Scientists assembled by the WHO in Wuhan say COVID-19 likely originated in animals, but further research is still necessary

Texas Rep. Ron Wright dies following two-week battle with COVID 19

Canada to require all crossing land borders to have proof of a negative COVID-19 test; fines of up to $3,000 for non-compliance

President Biden: Previous administration’s mishandling of COVID-19 ‘even more dire than we had thought;’ 75% vaccination rate or higher estimated to be necessary to achieve ‘herd immunity’ by the end of 2021

I’d estimate 30 percent is probably about the number who will outright refuse vaccination. COVID is going to be with us for a while yet. Dr. Fauci: 70 to 85 percent of Americans will need to be vaccinated for ‘a return to normal,’ but we’re at less than two percent right now (as of Feb. 3)

‘Leading vaccine scientists are calling for a rethink of the goals of vaccination programmes, saying that herd immunity through vaccination is unlikely to be possible because of the emergence of variants like that in South Africa’

South Africa suspends roll out of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine after initial trials show it offered only ‘minimal protection’ against mild and moderate cases of the virus

Large COVID-19 outbreak at UMass-Amherst forces the school to issue two-week self-sequestration order to 5,000 students living on campus and another 8,000 living in the immediate area off-campus

Good idea: ‘Gov. Charlie Baker on Friday announced that Massachusetts is launching a call center for senior residents over the age of 75 who want to make COVID-19 vaccine appointments over the phone instead of on the state’s website’

Give this lady a good citizenship award: Mass. woman creates website to help people book COVID-19 vaccinations

Seems like a fair incentive to me: Kroger offers $100 bonus to employees - ‘nearly 500,000 individuals in 35 states,’ a considerable number - who get vaccinated