Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Han shot first.

Not all heroes wear capes.

This blog will pay for itself.

‘Forty-two’ said Deep Thought, with infinite majesty and calm.

Wetsuit optional.

We Survived Breitbartpocalypse!

Usually wrong but never in doubt.

Militantly superior in their own minds…

We are aware of all internet traditions.

Consistently wrong since 2002

I thought we were promised Infrastructure Week

Proof that we need a blogger ethics panel.

Lighten up, Francis.

Is it irresponsible to speculate? It is irresponsible not to.

Gastritis Broke My Calculator

Screw the Judean People’s Front. Splitters.

Almost as fun as hiking the Appalachian Trail.

Naturally gregarious and alpha

Technically true, but collectively nonsense.

Saul Alinsky is my co-pilot

Nevertheless, she persisted

And we’re all out of bubblegum.

How has Obama failed you today?

Word salad with all caps

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Horrorshow Open Thread: Maybe the Rich WANT Us to Kill Them?

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Really, this isn’t the best time to be working everybody elses’ last nerve…

… Household help, often performed by undocumented immigrants like Ms. Zamorano, has become a fixture of American homes. In a thriving economy, even middle-class families have been able to hand off their mops, brooms and lawn mowers to low-paid workers from Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala and other countries. With reliable caregivers at home, many dual-income couples have raised children while building high-powered careers.

The coronavirus crisis is compelling many families to reassess. Concerns about the safety of an outsider entering their homes coupled with financial instability have prompted even the well-heeled to dispense with their help, and severance payments are a rarity.

Unlike their employers, undocumented workers cannot collect unemployment or benefit from a government bailout. They are part of the bustling informal economy, typically paid cash and off the books for the essential work they do. Without paid sick leave, remote work capability and access to jobs, they become uniquely vulnerable.

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Thursday Evening Open Thread

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Still the catchiest pandemic-related ditty I’ve run across! Ugandan singer / activist Bobi Wine has some other fine work on YouTube, too…

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Republican Venality Open Thread: Deliberate, Criminal Negligence

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… “Is there sufficient personal protective equipment for healthcare workers who are providing medical care?” the playbook instructs its readers, as one early decision that officials should address when facing a potential pandemic. “If YES: What are the triggers to signal exhaustion of supplies? Are additional supplies available? If NO: Should the Strategic National Stockpile release PPE to states?”

The strategies are among hundreds of tactics and key policy decisions laid out in a 69-page National Security Council playbook on fighting pandemics, which POLITICO is detailing for the first time. Other recommendations include that the government move swiftly to fully detect potential outbreaks, secure supplemental funding and consider invoking the Defense Production Act — all steps in which the Trump administration lagged behind the timeline laid out in the playbook.

“Each section of this playbook includes specific questions that should be asked and decisions that should be made at multiple levels” within the national security apparatus, the playbook urges, repeatedly advising officials to question the numbers on viral spread, ensure appropriate diagnostic capacity and check on the U.S. stockpile of emergency resources.

The playbook also stresses the significant responsibility facing the White House to contain risks of potential pandemics, a stark contrast with the Trump administration’s delays in deploying an all-of-government response and President Donald Trump’s recent signals that he might roll back public health recommendations…

The NSC devised the guide — officially called the Playbook for Early Response to High-Consequence Emerging Infectious Disease Threats and Biological Incidents, but known colloquially as “the pandemic playbook” — across 2016. The project was driven by career civil servants as well as political appointees, aware that global leaders had initially fumbled their response to the 2014-2015 spread of Ebola and wanting to be sure that the next response to an epidemic was better handled.

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Did Someone Say Sourdough?

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Did Someone Say Sourdough? 1During this extended stay-at-home, many folks are exploring cooking, baking, brewing, fermenting, and other such hobbies. I know I have; unfortunately, my exercise has not increased apace, something I plan to change today.

One thing I cook with is sourdough starter. Recently, I’ve not done much with it except make a little side money. For years, I would bake bread, use it as the sponge for an incredible three-day pizza dough, and make sourdough pancakes. Those are my favorite; when things go well, they have a sharp flavor that is addictive. Since I put an extra egg into the mix, they are a good source of protein to offset some of the carbs and oil.

I’ve worked my starter a lot by heating it frequently, often to the point of death for the yeast culture, then tended it as it recovered. Repeated cycles have brought out a nice, strong sourdough flavor. Also, it’s a very active culture, often bubbling ominously on its own within the first couple of days of being activated. I’m a big fan of wild yeasts, so I keep the top of the jar open, covered with just a thin white handkerchief. This allows built-up carbon dioxide to escape, and allows wild yeasts floating in the air to join my colony of yum.

I’m sure you’re wondering what I meant by “side money” and “activated”.

I sell my sourdough starter on Ebay for fun, and business is hopping these days as more and more folks are looking for something to do that enhances home life. By hopping, I’ve sold 7 in the past week, and that’s after a two-month lull. It’s not making me rich by any means, but a little extra $ here and there is always welcome, and I enjoy spreading my love of sourdough, just don’t ask me how to bake a good loaf. My recent efforts have been sad, deflated, and uninspiring.

Once you get sourdough starter, it’s either a thick liquid (from a friend, often given in a glass jar) or it’s dry. I sell dry starter – I used my dehydrator to dry out a large batch of the liquid, and I ship these small packets of the pulverized remains. Occasionally, I pull a packet out of the fridge and activate it according to my instructions to ensure that it is still viable.

Narrator: It is always viable, it’s amazing stuff that will likely outlive us all.

Activating dried starter is as simple as adding it to warm water and flour (and a bit of sugar for day 1) and letting the colony grow. Each day you add more flour and water and in two weeks, you’ve got a full-flavored starter ready for action. Of course you can use it sooner, but the fuller flavors begin to shine after 14 or so days of growth. It is a live culture and needs flour and water to keep going, so folks tend it every day or two, keeping these starters alive for years-to-decades. You pour off part of the existing starter (or use it!) to make room for the additional flour and water otherwise you end up with a house full of starter!

Funny story – I was coming up with a name and chose “Hott Stuff” because I’m goofy and I used heat to stress the culture and encourage more of the super-yummy heat-tolerant yeasts to develop and take over. When I setup my initial Ebay store, I made some errors and so had to call support to get things sorted. The lady was gracious, but asked me the login name and I had to say “Hott Stuff” and almost giggled myself to death. She laughed too and had fun teasing me with “Mr. Stuff”, and “Oh, Hott…”.  Turns out, since this is a hobby business linked to a gmail account and my personal PayPal account and not a full, incorporated one with documents, EIN, and bank account, the approach I’d chosen was wrong. She helped me change my account, laughing all the way. I still feel the residual cheek-blush as I type this.

 

So, on the off chance that you or someone you know is looking for a good, easy sourdough starter, please take a look!

 

Open thread. I won’t be around, in my bouts of free time today, I must put some seeds and seedlings into their containers and the furnace repair folk are coming soon. And quiche won’t make itself, now will it?

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Plague Life (Open Thread)

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Whoa. Yikes. Wow.

I mean, we knew it was coming, but seeing that chart is still shocking. This is just calamitous on every level, and I don’t even want to try to wrap my mind around it. Not yet.

Made an unsuccessful TP run earlier today. I thought if I was there when the supermarket doors opened, maybe I’d have a shot at a four-pack, but no such luck. There are two grocery stores in my little burg, and sheriff cruisers were parked outside both of them, which lent an apocalyptic air to the enterprise.

A socially distanced crowd had gathered in front of the store when the door was opened by a tall, middle-aged woman with the brisk manner of a middle school principal. She had a voice to match and told the assembled that the carts had been sanitized so DON’T ASK US FOR WIPES.

She said she was going to ask everyone to enter the store in a spaced, orderly manner. She said her staff was working very hard and that if anyone disrespected them, that person would be ejected from the store immediately. That last bit got a polite round of applause from the crowd.

I made straight for the paper products aisle, where there was already a line. The person directly in front of me got the last package of TP. I was so discouraged that I went home without even seeing what else was left on the picked-over shelves.

We’ve got enough grub to last for a couple of weeks at least, so I figured I should let the rest of the shoppers have at the dwindling stock without competing with me. Will I regret that decision if the supply chain doesn’t catch up to this accursed timeline? Maybe.

How’s it going in your neck of the woods?

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Thursday Morning Open Thread: Situation Moving Fast

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… The sprawling legislation, which passed 96 to 0, would send checks to more than 150 million American households, set up enormous loan programs for businesses large and small, pump billions of dollars into unemployment insurance programs, greatly boost spending on hospitals, and much more.

The Senate’s most liberal and conservative members joined together to support the mammoth spending bill, illustrating how concerned policymakers have become about the health care strains and financial pain the country now faces.

The legislation’s goal is to flood the economy with money at a time of financial near-chaos, with entire states on lockdown, many businesses closed and the numbers of infections and deaths from the coronavirus quickly on the rise.

The Senate vote sends the bill to the House, where Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) announced a vote to approve it Friday morning. President Trump said he intends to sign it immediately…

The bill would extend $1,200 to most American adults and $500 for most children, create a $500 billion lending program for businesses, cities and states, and establish a $367 billion employee retention fund for small businesses. It would direct $130 billion to hospitals and provide four months of expanded unemployment insurance, among other things.

Lawmakers and the White House were bombarded with lobbyists and special-interest groups seeking assistance during the negotiations, and the price tag rose from $850 billion to $2.2 trillion in just a matter of days.

With confirmed coronavirus cases in the United States climbing swiftly to over 67,000 Wednesday with more than 900 deaths, lawmakers acknowledged that no amount of economic relief from Congress could stop the pain for the American public. In addition to layoffs, many workers are dealing with salary reductions or furloughs. And despite Trump’s push to restart much of the economy by April 12, there are growing signs that the drag on business could last well into the second half of the year….

The legislation ensures that taxpayer-backed loans cannot go to firms controlled by Trump, other White House officials or members of Congress. That would suggest that Trump-owned properties, including hotels that have been hurt by the downturn, cannot seek taxpayer assistance….

Much more at the link — which may have been updated by the time you read this!

Also of note (if they hold to it):

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The Pandemic Relief Bill: Nancy Pelosi Still Has Our Backs

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She’s been working the media all week. I missed tonight’s PBS interview, but there’s a full transcript here.
Finale:

Judy Woodruff: But you’re saying it could be done within a few days?

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi: Yes.

And it’s no use having a conversation about what might happen later. What is in the here and now — and I thank you for asking — is that we are ready. We hope that they would freeze the design, and whatever the difference is on the Republican side.

Please don’t resent our lowest-paid workers in America for getting $600, so that they can meet the needs of their families, spend the money. It’s immediate. Spend the money, inject demand into the economy, grow the economy, and, at the same time, give people a little more confidence and less stress as they deal with the important health issue, health challenge that this is.

We pray for those who have lost their loved ones and those whose are — whose family are affected by all of this. We pray and thank God for our health care workers, our first responders, our firefighters, and police officers, and emergency services people.

They are our heroes in all of this, and we’re grateful to them.

Further explanation, from The Hill:

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Wednesday that Democrats will press for another wave of direct payments to Americans as Congress begins weighing the next round of emergency relief in response to the coronavirus crisis.

House Democrats had proposed a $1,500 cash infusion for all Americans in their stimulus bill, up to a certain income level — a $300 increase over the Senate package, which is expected to reach the president’s desk in the coming days.

Pelosi suggested Wednesday that neither figure is high enough, calling for another round of checks in the next wave of stimulus — the fourth since the crisis began — to be considered in the weeks and months ahead…

A short time later, speaking to reporters in the Capitol, Pelosi offered a broader preview of some of the provisions Democrats will seek in a phase four package, including more funding to protect pensions, tougher work safety provisions under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and funding to provide free medical care — not just testing — to coronavirus victims.

“There are a number of issues that are not holding up this [Senate] bill … but that we need to do,” she said…

House Democrats, who have been on recess for more than a week, have complained of being shut out of the negotiations, which were conducted primarily between Senate leaders and the White House. Many are up in arms that Democratic priorities — including an expansion of paid leave, a larger increase in food stamps, vote-by-mail provisions and stronger work safety protections for medical workers — were largely left out of the Senate bill.

To ease those concerns, Pelosi and a number of Democratic committee heads conducted a series of conference calls on Wednesday with rank-and-file members to field concerns and provide policy details contained in the Senate bill. As part of that effort, Democratic leaders are reminding lawmakers that provisions excluded from the third round will be revisited in the fourth…

Pelosi had been hoping that, after the Senate passes the $2 trillion package, the House could move it through the lower chamber by unanimous consent, a procedure for advancing legislation without the need to call lawmakers back to Washington.

On Wednesday, however, she ruled out that option, citing warnings from GOP leaders that some of their members, wishing to debate the mammoth bill and have some record of how they voted, would block a unanimous consent request…

TL, DR: People aren’t gonna be able to pay their April rent because Lindsey Graham thinks nurses are lazy moochers, Tom Cotton is running for the 2024 GOP primary, and the House Repubs are morons or true believers or both. Come with us Dems, if you want to live…

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See The Difference Social Distance Makes

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I have been thinking about writing another post about modeling the coronavirus epidemic, and one of the things I have wanted is an interactive model, so that people can see for themselves how social distancing helps.

And here it is!

I know most folks here are aware, but it may be revealing to see just how much of a difference social distancing can make.

Martin had a post up today on modeling and will have one tomorrow. I’ll be writing another post too, but for now just check this out.

Open thread!

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Concerts Tonight: Jimmy Buffett (2015 from Key West) and Pete Kartsounes (Live Acoustic Grateful Dead)

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Live Concerts Tonight:

Jimmy Buffett – 8pm Eastern

Live Concerts Tonight: Jimmy Buffett and Pete Kartsounes (live acou

Pete Kartsounes – 10pm Eastern

Pete Kartsounes, a singer/songwriter is doing a live acoustic Grateful Dead set tonight at 7 pm Pacific Time (10pm Eastern)

More concerts tonight?  Add them in the comments!

Note: For those of you who have asked for open threads at the same time as  COVID posts, his should sandwich nicely between two COVID posts and the Wednesday version of the Military Life post – Moving, from Leto’s perspective, that will be up at 8pm.

Open Thread.

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Open Thread: GOP Monsters Assume Everyone Else Is A Monster, Too

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“Just a thought experiment, throwing some ideas around… “

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Who funds the Federalist, and how have they managed to stay out of jail?

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Semi-Respite Open Thread: Staying Sane in Zero-G

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(Read the whole thing — it’s quite pithy!)

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Glass Egos and Glass Ceilings

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Governors in states that are hard hit by the pandemic (which will soon number 50 plus Puerto Rico and Guam) have to devote an intolerable amount of time to tip-toeing around Trump’s gigantic ego to get the help they need, according to articles in The Daily Beast and other outlets:

As the coronavirus pandemic has deepened, Democratic governors bearing the heaviest burdens are increasingly wary that if they complain too loudly about the federal response they will anger Donald Trump and risk losing critical support during a life-or-death crisis…

“I watched Gov. Cuomo [today] and he was very nice,” the president said of the man steering the state hardest hit by the virus. Cuomo had, moments earlier, conducted a press conference in which he scoffed at how insufficient the administration’s help in procuring ventilators had been.

“He had a choice… He refused to order 15,000 ventilators,” Trump said, referencing a recent column by Betsy McCaughey, a hardened Trump supporter and longtime health-care policy crusader on the right. “It says that he didn’t buy the ventilators in 2015 for a pandemic, established death panels and lotteries instead.”

Trump would go on to insist he was not blaming Cuomo. But the magnanimity was short lived. “It’s a two-way street,” Trump said of having the feds help states with a coronavirus response policy. “They have to treat us well, too.”

The thing about Cuomo not ordering the ventilators is 100% ass-covering bullshit. That can be assumed of anything that emanates from the piehole or keyboard of Betsy McCaughey, a liar and relentless shill for healthcare profiteers before she hitched her wagon to Trump’s pandemic management malpractice.

McCaughey and other operatives are likely digging through state records nationwide in search of deflection material for future Trump pandemic cock-ups. Excuses are all they’ve got. Besides breathtaking arrogance, a degree of petulance that would embarrass a toddler and mind-blowing chutzpah:

“If you’re good and respectful to [Trump], he will treat you the same—it’s that simple,” said one senior White House official. “The president has always said that he fights back when he needs to, and the situation with [Cuomo] is no different. If you keep that in mind, their sort of seesaw relationship during [coronavirus] doesn’t come as a surprise.”

Oh, fuck you, you fucking fuck. The “senior White House official” is right about one thing, though: it is unsurprising that Trump is allowing his extra-dainty feels to become a factor in delivering (or not) pandemic relief. If, after this revolting display of fragile narcissism, anyone dares to insinuate that women are too emotional to be good leaders in my presence, he’ll get punched right in the dick.

Open thread.

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Wednesday Morning Open Thread: Good News, If They Can Keep It…

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Per the Washington Post:

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) announced the breakthrough on the Senate floor around 1:30 a.m., after a long day of talks with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and other administration officials…

The legislation, unprecedented in its size and scope, aims to flood the economy with capital by sending $1,200 checks to many Americans, creating a $367 billion loan program for small businesses and setting up a $500 billion fund for industries, cities and states.

Other provisions include a massive boost to unemployment insurance, $150 billion for state and local stimulus funds and $130 billion for hospitals.

McConnell said the Senate would pass the legislation later Wednesday. With the House out of session, action there could take longer, depending on whether lawmakers can agree to pass the bill by “unanimous consent,” which would require agreement from all members of the chamber…

Mnuchin said President Trump would “absolutely, absolutely, absolutely” sign the bill.

The package would extend extraordinary taxpayer assistance to potentially millions of American and companies that have been hammered by the fast-moving economic crisis. The bill is being rushed through Congress without public hearings or formal review, and it’s unclear how effective the measures would be in arresting the economy’s sudden fall…

The Senate bill would direct payments of $1,200 to most American adults and $500 to most children, create a $500 billion lending program for companies, states and cities, and extend an additional $367 billion to help small companies deal with payroll problems. It would bolster the unemployment insurance system and pump $150 billion into U.S. hospitals. The bill more than doubled in size in just a few days…

It sounds like the Democrats fought off the worst of the GOP’s kakistocrats, but of course the devil is in the details, and the devil votes the Repub ticket. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst…

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Late Night Open Thread: Ohio Man-Child Apologizes

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Remember the ‘sunburned dude in backwards ball cap’ video clip replayed endlessly last week?

Well, he has the excuse of being a high-school senior — and he’s apologized. (Even though he doesn’t have coronavirus himself… that we know of.)

… Brady Sluder said he has realized he’s not invincible after all.

“I wasn’t aware of the severity of my actions and comments,” Sluder posted in an apology on his Instagram account March 22. “I’d like to take this time to own up to the mistakes I’ve made and apologize to the people I’ve offended.”…

The clip has been used to highlight crowds of spring break partiers defying stay-at-home suggestions – which have since turned into stay-at-home orders for several states. The video aired on various national media outlets, including in a story Thursday, March 19, on NBC’s Today Show. His quote also has appeared in USA TODAY and the Washington Post…

“Our generation may feel invincible, like I did when I commented, but we have a responsibility to listen and follow the recommendations in our communities,” Sluder wrote. “I will continue to reflect and learn from this and continue to pray for our well-being. I deeply apologize from the bottom of my heart for my insensitivity and unawareness of my actions.”…

In the caption for his post, he added: “I’m not asking for your forgiveness or pity. I want to use this as motivation to become a better person, a better son, a better friend, and a better citizen…Don’t be arrogant and think you’re invincible like myself.”

Thank Murphy the Trickster God that the internet wasn’t around in the early 1970s. I was around his age when I wore a home-made Shanna the She-Devil costume to one of the earliest NYC ComicCons, so… I don’t agree with his actions, but I understand.

Let’s try to be kind with one another. Does not apply to professional Republicans or their media stenographers, of course!

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Respite Open Thread: Catapulting the Propaganda

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(Yeah, not my favorite song either, but just about the prettiest arrangement I’ve ever heard!)

To Palmer’s point: The local news person-on-the-mostly-deserted-street interviews covering Boston’s stay-at-home order are full of chirpy folk going After all, if my mother or my sister being treated for cancer should get this, it would be terrible, so this is the LEAST I can do!… so maybe positivity has its place, even in a mostly cynical area.

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