From Pine View Farm

April, 2020 archive

Covert Covidiots 0

Hidden farces.

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The Disinformation Superhighway 0

Gene Lyons tells of watching truth collide with fiction in a world where facts are what people think.

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Turning Trickles on Wall Street 0

Thom discusses the path from trickle on economics to our botched response to COVID-19.

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“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0

Be polite to pets.

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The Maskless Marauder 0

Mike Littwin is in a Pence-sive mood. A snippet:

But of all of the above, nothing got to me in quite the same, visceral, gut-punch way that a mask-free Mike Pence got to me on his visit to the Mayo Clinic. You’ve seen the photos and videos, I’m sure. There’s Pence, leader of the Trump administration’s coronavirus task force no less, talking with mask-wearing Mayo workers and officials and a mask-wearing patient. According to the hospital’s rules, anyone who who enters the clinic must wear a mask. The vice-president’s office was informed of the rules, the Mayo Clinic tweeted.

And yet he purposefully and willfully and very publicly ignored them.

Follow the link for his theory as to why Pence violated policy, probity, and prudence. Methinks you may find it interesting.

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Co-opting Covidiocy 0

Snopes has an article exploring why far-right groups, like the Proud Boys, are embracing the “reopen the economy” protests. An excerpt:

For far-right groups, almost any interaction is an opportunity to connect with people with social or economic insecurities or their children. Even if some of the protesters have genuine concerns, they’re in protest lines near people looking to offer them targets to blame for society’s problems.

Once they’re standing side by side at a protest, members of far-right hate groups begin to share their ideas. That lures some people deeper into online groups and forums where they can be radicalized against immigrants, Jews or other stereotypical scapegoats.

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Trumpling Exceptionalism 0

Donald Trump says,

Click for the original image.

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QOTD 0

Alberto Manguel:

As centuries of dictators have known, an illiterate crowd is easiest to rule; since the craft of reading cannot be untaught once it has been acquired, the second-best recourse is to limit its scope.

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Geeking Out 2

Ubuntu MATE with the Fluxbox window manager using the zimek-darkblue theme, xclock, and GKrellM. The wallpaper is from my collection.

Screenshot

If anyone can tell me what the building in the picture is, I would be most grateful. It seems clearly to be in Germany or possibly Austria . . . .

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And Now for an Interlude 0

Courtesy my brother in Virginia’s Northern Neck.

Rose-breasted grosbeak

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Rx 0

In the Portland Press-Herald, a Maine doctor who is actively involved in treating victims of COVID-19 offers some words of advice for these viral times (emphasis added):

Please doubt any source who claims that a cure has been found. We have no cure for the common cold, much less this new, uncommon one.

I warn everyone away from those who call themselves “Doctor,” but either misappropriate the term (i.e., did not go to an accredited medical school) or no longer practice evidence-based medicine, using their titles to promote metaphysical ideas. Maine has a hardy crop. In the midst of a crisis, it is comforting to be around those who claim to know. Charlatans thrive in chaos. Accept a little discomfort, some unknowing, and double check all the “facts” that such people espouse ad nauseam. As Winston Churchill said, “When the eagles are silent, the parrots begin to jabber.”

Follow the link for the entire article. It is worth your while.

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Supply Change 0

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has an interesting analysis of how COVID-19 has affected the supply chain and why we are seeing shortages in grocery stores.

There’s more to it than hoarders and preppers and closed processing plants (closed, natch, due to managerial cupidity). Here’s one bit; follow the link for the list:

Consumers are home in dramatically higher numbers.

So tens of millions of households are buying from local stores for meals and needs that had been served away from home in pre-crisis days.

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Facebook Frolics 0

A medicine show frolicker.

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The Medicine Show 0

Mob of MAGA-gear wearing folks bang on door of market.  Inside, male clerk says to female clerk,

Click for the original image.

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The View from the Bleachers 0

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House of Cards Three-Card Monte 0

Writing at AL.com, Howard Bankhead argues that the economy pre-COVID-19 was not anywhere near as good as pols and pundits were saying, and that the pandemic as revealed its fundamental weakness. Here’s a bit:

I have one question about the so-call best economy of all time. If the economy was so great and good, why are state governments (Ohio and others), big businesses (airlines, etc.), small businesses (too many to name), individuals and families, one payroll, or paycheck from poverty?

My own theory is that for far too many persons the economy inhabits on short street in lower Manhattan where at one time stood a wall.

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QOTD 0

Heinrich Heine:

Experience is a good school. But the fees are high.

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A Tune for the Times 0

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Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Make Me a Match . . . . One More Time 0

Florida Man, meet Florida Woman.

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Tales of the Trumpling: Snapshots of Trickle-Down Trumpery 0

In the vanguard of Trumpling.

And, in more positive news, tailgating against Trumpling . . . .

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