Sunday, August 16, 2020

And another day of questions, being misled, hoping for meetings, voting early, shortened vacations, blatant propaganda, poll watchers, thousands of protesters, and Kremlin assistance comes to a close:

“It’s not the voting that’s democracy; it’s the counting.” -- Tom Stoppard

Deaths

US: 173,128 (+522)

World: 773,032 (+4293)

Cases

US: 5,566,632 (+36,843)

World: 21,824,807 (+220,615)

Countdown: 79 days.

When and how to vote in all 50 states. -- Find your state. Note what you need to do. Then pass this on. Then please make sure to vote.

Postal Delays, Errors In Swing States Loom Over Election. Among the 13 postal districts serving key presidential battleground states, four failed to meet any on-time service goals handling first-class mail between April 1 and June 30, and six districts achieved only one...”This is the first time in my experience of studying elections that there's a genuine fear that the postal system will be manipulated in a subversive way.”

Internal USPS documents raise questions about the effectiveness of an order issued to stop the removal of United States Postal Service sorting machines. Internal USPS planning documents obtained by CNN indicate nearly 95% of the mail sorting machines that had been set for removal during the last few months were already scheduled to be taken out of service by now.

Republican and Democratic leaders of the Senate Intelligence Committee told the Justice Department last July they believed several people close to President Donald Trump, including his son Donald Trump Jr., son-in-law Jared Kushner and former adviser Steve Bannon, may have misled them during testimony in the committee's Russia investigation, the Washington Post reported.

Trump eyes Putin meeting before November election, say four people familiar with discussions. They said Trump sees a summit as an opportunity to be presidential and demonstrate he's able to negotiate agreements. "He wants it to show his deal-maker abilities," one of them said. "It's just a big stage."

Early in-person voting seen as strong option for concerned voters. Election experts, however, say there's another voting method that's proven effective at tallying counts while reducing lines on Election Day: early in-person voting.

Pelosi calls for House to return this week over USPS issues.

Voters in North Carolina have received absentee ballot request forms in the mail with Donald Trump's face on them. — WTF? No, really. WTF? Check out the pictures. This seems very...oh what’s the word...authoritarian. The inside of the ballot request is even better. One page is nothing but Trump propaganda. He is literally getting to spread his propaganda by using the entity he is trying to destroy.

Trump campaign's plan to send poll watchers to battleground states sparks fears of voter suppression.

The new doctor on President Trump's coronavirus task force is a critic of lockdowns who has pushed for kids to go back to schools and for the return of college sports. Dr. Scott Atlas has no expertise in public health or infectious disease mitigation.

Oklahoma high school student knowingly went to class with coronavirus, officials say. The school district said the Westmoore High School student was asymptomatic and believed it was safe to attend the first day of classes.

New Zealand delays general election after COVID-19 outbreak.

First leader of Belarus says Lukashenko may still cling to power with Kremlin help.

Tens of thousands of protesters have gathered in Minsk to demand a new presidential election in Belarus. These scenes followed longtime leader Lukashenko's contested victory in last Sunday's election, which independent observers have criticized for not being free and fair.

Belarus protesters gather as President Alexander Lukashenko rejects calls to rerun vote.

Belarus has been shaken by mass protests, triggered by claims of vote-rigging. What happened in the election, and how have the demonstrations evolved?

Latest Thailand pro-democracy protest draws at least 10,000.

Trump says he will look 'very strongly' at granting pardon to whistleblower Edward Snowden.

The size of Canada's last fully intact ice shelf was reduced by 43% over July 30 and 31 when the Milne Ice Shelf on Ellesmere Island in the northern territory of Nunavut collapsed into the ocean.

Life’s short. Live, love, create, and help others.

Until next time, my friends. Stay safe and stay sane. Good night.