[Babylon Bee] Many Americans are growing tired of the lockdown and want to once again leave their homes and go do things. As many historians note, this is similar to the attitude of genocidal maniac Adolf Hitler.
"If there is one thing Hitler was known for," says historian Eric Reese, "it's that he would leave his house and do things -- such as go to a restaurant, go to the store, or give a speech to a large crowd. It's interesting -- and maybe scary -- that so many Americans want to do some of those same things."
There are many photos of Hitler outside, providing ironclad proof that Hitler also liked to leave his house. It's not certain, though, what the connection is between hateful bigotry and not wanting to be trapped in one's own home. "We can't know what's motivating these people who want to get out of their houses," said California Governor Gavin Newsom, "but is genocide next? History says yes."
In Hitler's final days, though, he did dutifully shelter in place -- living in a bunker -- despite wanting to go outside, so historians note that people who actually do go outside are in fact "worse than Hitler."
Posted by: Frank G ||
05/16/2020 08:17 ||
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#1
I thought it was the resident magic numbers credentialed epidemiologist guy. And no I'm not putting a buck in the stupid jar.
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
05/16/2020 8:40 Comments ||
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[Jpost] Experts caution that Islamic State ...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear western pols talk they're not really Moslems.... terror cells could be moving from east to west, potentially getting closer to Suez Canal, mainland Egypt.
Analysts say the security situation in Egypt’s North Sinai region is deteriorating following a deadly attack claimed by Islamic State.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: trailing wife ||
05/16/2020 00:00 ||
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Astute analysis of ChiCom's predicament and plans forward. It is not pretty....for them, according to Peter Zeihan's analysis.
[Zeihan] The Chinese are intentionally torching their diplomatic relationships with the wider world. The question is why?
The short version is that China’s spasming belligerency is a sign not of confidence and strength, but instead insecurity and weakness. It is an exceedingly appropriate response to the pickle the Chinese find themselves in.
#2
"Don't take any wooden nickels " It looks like Xi thinks he can follow the German models. Unfortunately Nationalism brings Nationalism in response. Trump has already canceled the China Post that gave China favored nation status to exports. Now exports you could get in your mail box are running over about two months behind.
Could the US feed China and would it ?
#6
This is probably the best analysis of China we've seen in years. Funny how it took an obscure academic who's not a shill for China or for globalism to come up with this.
#8
Right ... I meant to say, Zeihan's voice has been is almost completely shut out of the usual channels for foreign-policy analysis - you never see him on any cable show, he has no Op-Eds published in NYT or WaPo, and I've never seen any of his articles in the leading foreign-policy journals. Why so?
#9
Given the "experts" in CIA et al and their precision in predicting the "fall" of the USSR I won't get too optimistic about this until I see some new designs in Chinese lamp post decorations going up.
And "reporting" and commentary are all about narrative shaping, promulgation and reinforcement, not informing the audience.
In particular, he actually approves of Trump's handling of China; conceding that Trump does anything right is a no-no, even at many "conservative news sources".
[National Review] You can’t choose your crisis: As an Army chopper pilot in Iraq, John James
...West Point, Army Ranger-qualified aviator, CEO of the family global supply chain company, wants to be Michigans first African-American senator...
said on May 7, "I didn’t get to pick which call I would take, whether I would take a troops-in-contact call or whether I would take a point-of-origin rocket-attack call. I had to figure out how to do both." In an online interview with Rick Loughery of the Young Republicans National Federation, James called it good training for confronting the COVID-19 pandemic: "We have a dual obligation," he said, to "flatten the COVID curve without flatlining our economy."
As a GOP Senate candidate from Michigan, James refers to his military career at almost every opportunity. An op-ed he wrote in the Detroit News on May 5 carried this headline: "Leaders Should Learn These 3 Rules from West Point." His campaign’s logo features an Apache attack helicopter in its background. "I don’t want to go to Washington," he said on February 5, before the coronavirus forced him to suspend public appearances. "I want to go to the swamp about as much as I wanted to go to the desert."
He really does want to go to Washington, of course—he’s running for the Senate for the second time in two years—but his audience of Livingston County Republicans that evening seemed to appreciate the expression of modesty. Gathered at a lakeside country club about halfway between Detroit and Lansing, just a couple of hours after the Senate acquitted President Trump in his impeachment trial, they listened as James roamed around a podium and, with the fluency of someone delivering a TED Talk, made the case for his candidacy. James mentioned the importance of the Constitution, the value of free speech, and the deficiencies of his opponent, Democratic senator Gary Peters. His lines were polished but also included moments of improvisation, as when he likened "Medicare for All" to "outsourcing our health insurance to people who can’t get a caucus right." This was a jab at Iowa Democrats, whose bungled vote-counting had dominated the news just a day earlier. James didn’t mention Trump by name at all and brought him up only at the very end, with a veiled reference to the acquittal that turned out to be his biggest applause line of the evening: "I look forward to working with our president in his second term."
If Trump wins a second term, he’ll probably have to carry Michigan in 2020 much as he did in 2016, when he squeaked out a surprise victory by a little more than 10,000 votes, or about two-tenths of a percentage point. James knows that his contest also could result in a photo finish. More than 25 years have passed since Michiganders elected a Republican to the Senate. The last failed candidate was James himself, who took on Democratic incumbent Debbie Stabenow in 2018. His loss was entirely predictable during a strong year for Democrats. Yet he outperformed every other Michigan Republican who sought a statewide office, and his loss, by less than seven percentage points, was much more respectable than the blowouts suffered by Stabenow’s previous challengers. "His run was impressive," says John Engler, Michigan’s former Republican governor, "especially because he started from nowhere." In the aftermath, James found himself in an unusual position: The setback had strengthened rather than weakened him, or at least it had convinced a lot of Republicans both in and out of Michigan that he ought to try again.
#1
It's being run masterfully. I think Trump carries a couple typically blue states in the EST time zone and the election is called for Trump around 9 pm.
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
05/16/2020 6:53 Comments ||
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#2
I wish him luck, no doubt, but this gets old: "James refers to his military career at almost every opportunity."
#3
Yes, that's really not a CV item to bank on. Look at the senator from A-10.
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
05/16/2020 6:59 Comments ||
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#4
Allen West was crushed. Clarence Thomas continues to draw liberal fire. Thomas Sowell has been relegated to the dustbins of history. Fox news has dismissed 'Diamond & Silk.' Christian conservative Alveda King and renowned neurosurgeon Ben Carson generally ignored by the media. They fail to fit the popular narrative. This aspiring young man may not survive the WOKE either.
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
05/16/2020 8:37 Comments ||
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#6
A black man or woman in this country cannot win election running on an anti-government platform. Not tolerated. No matter how qualified or brilliant or accomplished he or she may be, the candidate will never get fair or neutral coverage from the media.
#7
I was never an Alan West fan. When someone finds a way to put your teeth on edge saying things you generally agree with that's a red flag.
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
05/16/2020 9:25 Comments ||
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#8
I'm not a Sawah fan either. You do the math.
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
05/16/2020 9:26 Comments ||
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#9
After McCain, Graham, McSally and yes, even Crenshaw, I'm no longer willing to automatically support someone just because they were in the military.
#10
He's running on a solid pro-business platform, and has made a number of good statements both before and since this started. I voted for him in 2018.
But that is perhaps a big part of the problem. He was also beaten in 2018 by a worse candidate. Unless he rides Trump's coattails into office (or perhaps wins because of Whitmer's rising unpopularity), he won't win this time either. It's unfortunate, but true. I personally think he would be good in office, but you have to be more than "good" to drive turnout in a mostly blue "purple" state while trying to drive Democratic incumbents out of office.
[Breitbart] The State Department’s Inspector General, Steve Linick, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama, was fired Friday night.
Ambassador Steven Akard, a former career foreign service officer, will replace him, according to Politico.
As is required by law, President Donald Trump notified House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of the move, which will take effect in 30 days, on Friday night in a letter:
But Linick had a troubled history, a source with knowledge of the matter told Breitbart News. "He was under investigation previously by the Department of Defense for mishandling sensitive material," according to the source.
Linick gained brief notoriety during the impeachment push by House Democrats against Trump last year when he demanded a congressional audience for a briefing on an "urgent matter" he claimed was related to the impeachment push. What he turned up with were documents from Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani containing a series of unproven conspiracy claims about former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden.
But Linick’s briefing on the "urgent matter" did not impress lawmakers, even Democrats, who thought it was unserious. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), one of the lead impeachment investigators for the Democrats who met with Linick for the briefing, dismissed his presentation as a "completely irrelevant distraction."
"It’s essentially a packet of propaganda and disinformation spreading conspiracy theories," Raskin said of what Linick produced, according to CNN.
Linick’s ouster also comes after a history of intimidating whistleblowers himself.
Matt Stoller, a financial newsletter author, noted that Linick targeted a whistleblower he knew during the financial crisis:
[Babylon Bee] President Trump revealed his new pick for press secretary to a horrified room of reporters Friday: an angry honey badger.
The aggravated little guy will take questions from the press and then leap out from the podium and maul their faces off.
"Is the President racist for calling the coronavirus the Chin---AHHHHHHH!!!" screamed one reporter as the badger cut him off by pouncing onto his head. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Make it stop!"
Another reporter in a fedora then slowly lowered his hand, withdrawing the question he was going to ask.
While members of the press are frightened of the new press secretary, they do say they anticipate less vicious responses than those of former press secretary Kayleigh McEnany. "Now she scared the daylights out of me," said Jim Acosta. "I'll take the honey badger."
On the badger's off days he will be replaced by a swarm of murder hornets.
Posted by: Frank G ||
05/16/2020 00:00 ||
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I knew that it was the Bee, cu, Kayleigh McEnany seems to be handling the press quite well.
Posted by: Rambler in Virginia ||
05/16/2020 0:24 Comments ||
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#4
O.K. Bee, I'm one up today. Being a Honey Badger is a press secretary job requirement to rein in the fake-news Dem press. Kayleigh's doing a great job as a spox.
#1
I've been saying this stuff needs to come out closer to the election, but it seems the volume and complexity of the material makes it necessary to get some of it out there during the normally politically quiescent summer time. I expect it was probably decided that people are taking in more news because of Chinavirus and it makes sense to catch that train.
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
05/16/2020 6:03 Comments ||
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#2
There's no reason this has to be an "either/or" choice. Roll up both the apparatchiks and the higher-ups. Trump called for Lindsay to bring in "O" for questioning before the Senate Justice Committee, which he seems to be reluctant to do. Ultimately, the conspiracy ends up in the laps of the major decision-makers and policy-makers.
[Breitbart] The Los Angeles street artist known as Sabo is no fan of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic and has plastered the L.A. area with posters depicting the Democrat governor as a character out of American Psycho.
Sabo put up his latest street art series in Venice Beach, Hollywood, and other high-traffic destinations around L.A. County. One poster shows Gov. Newsom as the Christian Bale character from the 2000 movie American Psycho, renamed "California Psycho."
Probably not the most important story of the day. There are other pictures, including the American Psycho picture, and more of the story at the link. But I just love this picture with the mask over a reptilian face. It's so...Newsom.
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
05/16/2020 00:00 ||
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Brilliant. Alinsky would approve using the lefty tactic of street art satire.
Note also the way the artist cleverly destroys this vain little strutting peacock's signature feature by pulling the face-mask over his pomaded pompadour.
#2
Cummoh and Noisome are ruined as future top shelf candidates. PeeAye gubberner Woof and wicked witch Whitless are probably going to turn in 2024 as Inslee and Klobuchar clones with the same level of success. Sweet.
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
05/16/2020 12:10 Comments ||
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[Spectator] President Trump invited World War Two veterans to Washington to commemorate the Allied victory in Europe last week — and the media and public health establishments threw a fit. ‘Ninety-three-year old veterans will be traveling to visit the White House — they should not be traveling!’ groused MSNBC anchor Nicolle Wallace on May 7, the day before VE (Victory in Europe) Day. ‘People should not be doing non-essential travel,’ fretted one of the channel’s health experts. ‘Don’t leave home!’
Trump compounded his public health heresies by not wearing a mask during the ceremony. The day after the commemoration, the New York Times complained: ‘The president hosted a wreath-laying ceremony at the World War Two Memorial in Washington on Friday to mark the 75th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany by inviting several veterans aged 95 and over, even though they were in the most vulnerable age group.’The photo of the ceremony in the print edition was captioned: ‘President Trump did not wear a mask Friday during a wreath-laying ceremony that was attended by World War Two veterans, who are in the 90s and highly vulnerable.’
The mask scolds were silent about the fact that the medal-bedecked veterans, standing yards behind the president and saluting the flag, were also unmasked.
The furor over the maskless VE celebration highlights the forces driving this moment of national fear and submission. At stake is whether there are any values more important than maximal safety and protection from risk.
The first thing to be said about the VE Day episode is that the criticism of Trump for not donning a mask outside is based on no science at all. Outdoor transmission of viruses in a wide-open space is virtually unknown. Infection occurs overwhelmingly indoors, and requires close and prolonged contact. People are less likely to get infected by the coronavirus outside than they are to die inside from falling, poisoning themselves, or choking, as Vanity Fair writer T.A. Frank has pointed out.
Either the mask hysterics in the media and political spheres don’t know those basic facts and thus should not be advising the rest of us, or they do know the facts, and yet want to maintain universal outdoor mask compliance and cowering indoor self-sequestration anyway.
Why would they want that? To preserve the safetyism ideology that has jumped from the university to the public sphere. Those unmasked vets are an affront to the safety ethic. Imagine a conversation between a mask enforcer and a vet. Enforcer: ‘Don’t get on a plane! Don’t attend the celebration! You are at risk. You might get sick and…and…die!’ Vet: ‘I am 97 years old. I have fought a war to defend democracy. I may die from the coronavirus or from another infirmity, but die I will. In the meantime, I can honor the sacrifices of my fellow fighters, or I can shut myself up at home. The choice is easy.’
#2
The person who made this statement is retarded: 'Ninety-three-year old veterans should not be traveling!' to the White House for ceremonies honoring their service and to commemorate VE/Victory in Europe Day.
They state these masks remove 95% of particles 0.3+ microns: "The masks filter out contaminants like dusts, mists and fumes. The minimum size of .3 microns of particulates and large droplets won’t pass through the barrier, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC.)"
Aren't most viruses much smaller than 0.3 microns? Wouldn't they easily pass through a N95 mask? If so, aren't these mask-tyrants just virtue-signaling and being annoying?
#5
These guys faced down Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan--and they're supposed to be scared of a virus?
Posted by: Tom ||
05/16/2020 10:00 Comments ||
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#6
#3
(a) Viruses don't float free, but suspended in drops of water.
(b) Suppose it filters 80% of particles below 3um, not good enough? Wear a chemical warfare gas mask.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.