July 15, 2020

Happy Bastille Day

I love the French for giving us the Statue Of Liberty every time I see it.
I've loved American Jazz, and the fact that the French held jazz festivals of our music before we ever did.
I love that James Baldwin lived in France, was happy there, and learned what a free society felt like.

I love...
French DJ and ambient techno music.
French classical composers.
French parenting, their love of children, their schooling system,
French cooking, baking.

I love the French love of art, sun and beaches, nature,
their bullet train and so much else.

My next and probably last trip was going to be to France.
But now, American passports are worthless.

Here's some French and American history.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France–United_States_relations

I just want to remember today that the French have had Americans' back, especially about Western values and freedom. We've taken that for granted.

We're going to need our allies back soon. I can't think of a better historical ally than France.

Oh, and I love France's national anthem. If you're offended by the words, you should read the 2nd and 3rd verses of the American national anthem.

July 15, 2020

Creepy Trump

July 14, 2020

The Houston Chronicle's Sunday Obituary

43 pages, requiring a separate binder

July 14, 2020

Governor Cuomo Pandemic Update July 13 2020

"We're not going to use our children as guinea pigs...I tell the experts, determine that by science.

So the formula is this: Schools will reopen IF that region is in Phase 4
AND the daily infection rate remains under 5% or lower over a 14-day average...
that means the virus is under control.
That means it's safe to reopen, and then the schools can proceed to reopening in that region.

That determination will be made the first week in August...
Between the first week in August and school opening day, if the virus spikes,
the safety valve is a floor -- schools will close if the regional infection rate is over 9% in a 7-day average... that means the virus is moving rapidly... purely on the numbers, on the science...

Continue to monitor the 14-day rolling average across regions...

July 13, 2020

Timothy Snyder: The Road To Unfreedom -- Democracy, Neofascism, & the Importance of Language

Start 5:40

July 11, 2020

The one main thing COVID-19 teaches us: adapt to nature, not to politicians.

Evolutionary Law #1 for survival: adaptation trumps (ugh, I hate that word) domination.

Our surviving this presidency means that we do not adapt to domination politics, but that we adapt to nature.

Our surviving climate change from now on means the same thing.

Now, are we willing to learn, practice, the basics?

July 10, 2020

New ABC Poll -- The COVID-19 Recession Is All On Trump

From Kevin Drum in Mother Jones

:






https://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2020/07/the-covid-19-recession-is-all-on-trump/

July 10, 2020

Governor Cuomo Pandemic Update July 8 2020

Day 130

The two-state problem: COVID sick states, COVID controlled states

-- 36 states = increase in COVID infection rate, which is NOT due to increased testing, but because of increased hospitalizations; e.g.s, TX, FL;
-- NY has offered assistance to other states
-- The two-state problem is that sick states can re-infect well states -- 19 sick state travelers to NY must quarantine
-- To sick states: base your reopening on the numbers; stay disciplined, diligent and vigilant; NY's methods are what work
-- large indoor enclosures can open only with MERV-11to MERV-13 air filters and ventilation protocols in place
-- school districts will open subject to consultation with state officials, and district plans due July 31; afterward, NY will confirm whether they may open by the first week in August
-- re public schools, the federal govt has no authority; school reopenings are solely state decisions, as with state reopening of their economies -- COVID science, data, public responsibility must guide school and economy reopenings
-- infection rate increases don't predict spikes, and are faulty data for deciding reopening
-- varied mask policies cause varied death numbers

Never has there been a time when government decisions are life and death decisions.
-- 12,000 people/day are entering NY from uncontrolled COVID areas; quarantining methods are being implemented, which use 250 state labs to keep their testing up-to-date

Cuomo re Trump's threat:
You can't threaten when there's nothing that you have done that is positive in the first place.
Everything he's done to NY is negative, gratuitous, illegal and unconstitutional.
The death rate is going up in other states that will not learn from the methods and solutions used in NY months ago.

July 9, 2020

Supreme Court says Manhattan prosecutor may see Trump's personal financial records

Source: Washington Post

The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that a New York prosecutor is entitled to see President Trump's private and business financial records, ending an intense legal battle waged by the president to keep them secret.

The court said Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. had the authority to subpoena the records from Trump's private accounting firm. Trump had claimed an immunity from criminal investigations while in office.

The court will rule later Thursday on subpoenas issues by congressional committees for a broader range of Trump's financial records.


Washington Post Update Breaking: Supreme Court blocks House Democrats from accessing Trump's financial records, for now

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/courts_law/supreme-court-trump-tax-returns-financial-records/2020/07/09/8f274352-c1e2-11ea-9fdd-b7ac6b051dc8_story.html

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Seeing Trump's financial records is a BIG win. They're much more detailed than his tax records.


Guess Democrats won't see Trump's records. For now.

July 7, 2020

Palm Beach neighbor chips away at the base

But if 45's "silent majority" don't even want to hear this ... ? (Shown recently on The View)