Tuesday, September 29, 2020

And another day of debates, conversations, fear and anxiety, worms, and foul-mouthed parrots comes to a close:

“There was absolutely no argument from Trump tonight, just arguing.” -- John Favreau

Deaths

US: 210,785 (+977)

World: 1,012,657 (+6278)

Cases

US: 7,406,146 (+44,535)

World: 33,841,729 (+291,856)

Countdown: 35 days.

America is now a mafia state. A conversation with Sarah Kendzior, scholar of authoritarianism and vindicated alarmist. “People are always asking me where I find hope, and I tell them I don't think of things that way — I don't believe in hope, but I don't believe in hopelessness. I believe in the truth and in doing the right thing because it's the right thing to do, let the chips fall where they may.” — Read the whole interview. There is so much information in such a short space. Sarah Kendzior has been warning us. If you’ve never read her work, then this could be a wake up call. Good.

First 2020 presidential debate: Fact-checking Biden and Trump.

Trump banks on fear and anxiety to motivate voters. The president, who is struggling in the suburbs, particularly among women and college-educated voters, is pressing the argument that Biden can't keep them safe, even though the scenes on television are unfolding during his presidency.

“We don't rely on American banks.  We have all the funding we need out of Russia.” — Eric Trump, 2014

Biden releases 2019 taxes as pre-debate contrast with Trump.

COVID-19 cases rising among US children as schools reopen. -- Hmmm. Like this is a surprise.

Titans have NFL’s first COVID-19 outbreak: 8 positive tests. -- Shocker!

Lawyer for Flynn says she updated Trump on status of case. The attorney, Sidney Powell, was initially reluctant to discuss her conversations with the president or the White House, saying she believed they were protected by executive privilege. But under persistent questioning from U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan, she acknowledged having spoken to the president within the last few weeks to brief him and to request that he not pardon Flynn.

QAnon Is Attracting Cops. Chances are, you already don’t trust the police. Polls show that most Americans don’t. But what if the cop patrolling your neighborhood held bizarre and unsubstantiated views? What if there was a chance that officer in the patrol car idling down the block was watching videos about a conspiracy holding that a satanic cabal of high-profile liberal pedophiles is running the world’s most insidious sex ring? Or was swiping through memes popularizing a made-up plot about kidnapped children kept in underground tunnels so their blood can be harvested to help keep wealthy people alive? And what if they sincerely believed it all? In a small but growing number of places across the country, that’s just what is happening, as police officers have endorsed QAnon, the overarching conspiracy theory comprising these beliefs.

Indian rape victim dies weeks after assault triggering protests. A woman from the lowest rung of India’s caste system died in hospital on Tuesday weeks after authorities said she was raped by a group of men, triggering protests and opposition criticism over what it said was a failure to protect women.

Disney is laying off 28,000 employees as pandemic hammers its theme parks.

France announces ban on use of wild animals in circuses, marine parks.

Invasive jumping worms damage U.S. soil and threaten forests. What could be more 2020 than an ongoing invasion of jumping worms?

Five parrots have been removed from public view at a British wildlife park after they started swearing at customers. The foul-mouthed birds were split up after they launched a number of different expletives at visitors and staff just days after being donated to Lincolnshire Wildlife Park in eastern England.

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

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