Links 8/30/2020 – Church Security

#COVID19

A 29-Year-Old’s Strange, Unforgettable Trip Into a Covid Coma and Back Washingtonian. Must read.

Once a COVID-19 epicenter, Arizona emerges from lockdown The Hill

COVID-19 cases in North Dakota tied to Sturgis Motorcycle Rally Inforum

China’s Vaccine Front-Runner Aims to Beat Covid the Old-Fashioned Way Bloomberg

Convalescent Plasma: The Science and the Politics In the Pipeline, Science

China?

China’s rise: why US advocacy for confrontation leaves Asia cold South China Morning Post. The Middle Kingdom:

China shares over 22,000km of border with 14 nations, many of whom Beijing — citing history, politics and geography — has territorial disputes with pic.twitter.com/7ZPd1h1m1s

— SCMP News (@SCMPNews) August 28, 2020

Southeast Asia is Ground Zero in the New U.S.-China Conflict—and Beijing Is Winning Foreign Policy

China promises its Mekong neighbours priority access to a coronavirus vaccine developed in China South China Morning Post

Indonesia sees record new coronavirus cases, with clusters at factories a growing concern Straits Times

The Last Wrongs: A Woman’s Burial in Medan’s Mass Graves New Naratif

Bhutan lifts tobacco ban due to coronavirus Agence France Presse

Japanese convenience store chain begins testing remote controlled robot staff in Tokyo Sora News 24 (dk).

Mauritius

Thousands protest in Mauritius over dead dolphins, demand resignations Reuters. AFAIK, we still don’t know why the MV Wakashio changed course in the middle of the Indian Ocean to head directly for Mauritius, and who authorized the change.

EU/UK

German politicians condemn far-right attempt to storm parliament building Deutsche Welle

UK government says payouts for Iraq abuse claims ‘too many to count’ Middle East Eye

Brexit

Barnier ‘flabbergasted’ at UK attempt to reopen Brexit specialty food debate Guardian

Pessimism mounts in Brussels over Brexit talks ‘disaster’ Politico

Brexit ho: Tony Abbott’s trade deal role Independent Australia. Ah, Tony Abbott.

New Cold War

Russia’s response to Belarus crisis: possible lessons from Abkhazia Riddle

What Was Really Behind Navalny’s Poisoning? The National Interest

Russia satellite weapon test reignites space arms race fears FT

Trump Transition

Only five states making use of Trump’s expanded unemployment benefits: reports The Hill. Arizona, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana and Texas.

The Census Scales Back A Critical Step: Checking Its Own Work NPR

Dems outraged as Trump administration scales back election security briefings Politico

2020

This Is How Biden Loses George Packer, The Atlantic (Re Silc).

How the Joe Biden campaign is investing in outreach to Black men ABC. “The campaign’s strategy includes a series of conversations called Shop Talk, meant to simulate the raw conversations had in Black barber shops.” Let me know how that works out.

Republicans Run Toward Their Base. Democrats Run Away From Theirs. Jacobin. No. “He’s just not that into you”:

Then again:

This is epic, first of its kind in a Presidential agenda.

Biden has a well rounded *Muslim agenda, and an *Arab agenda- this is historic because not all Muslims are Arab and vice versa.

The days of not being seen and asked to vote are over.

Our voice, our agenda, our vote 💪🏽 https://t.co/RKPHcqgoaU

— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) August 29, 2020

Obama had principles; just bad ones. BIden’s very lack of fixed ideas can sometimes yield advantage.

What if Facebook Is the Real ‘Silent Majority’? NYT

Trump, Populism, And The Suburbs The American Conservative

Election commission orders top voting machine vendor to correct misleading claims Politico. Let’s not kid ourselves. That electronic voting machines are hackable is their manufacturers’ unique selling proposition.

Outside group pulls ad about Alex Morse after criticism it was homophobic The Hill. “Outside group” my sweet Aunt Fanny. Mass Democrats really pulling out all the slime-covered stops to protect an incumbent:

This is the ad they sent to stations with the concluding sentences: “Now Alex Morse admits to sexual relationships with college students — even while he was a university lecturer. Alex Morse, terrible judgment, we don’t need in Congress.” https://t.co/GcTSzmXBzV pic.twitter.com/6KyGT8p2Xw

— Daniel Marans (@danielmarans) August 29, 2020

“Never intended to air,” lol. Why was the ad made at all? And who’s running the Neal campaign? Karl Rover?

Top US general tells Congress the military won’t play a role in the 2020 election CNN (Furzy Mouse). A propos:

A sudden feeling of relief stole over the major. ‘Captain, you know what this is now?”

“I’m sure you’ll tell me, sir.”

“I will, Tom, I will. This is political, Tom. We’re soldiers. Political goes higher up.”

“You’re right, sir. Well done, sir!”

“Dig out a lieutenant who has been a bit slack lately and send him up to tell their lordships,” said the major.

“Isn’t that a bit cruel, sir?”

“Of course it is. This is politics now.” –Terry Pratchett, Night Watch

Republican National Convention

Trump Pulls Closer to Biden After RNC Morning Consult

Roaming Charges: Great Balls of Ire at the RNC Counterpunch (Heresy101).

Failed State

Head of police union demands Mayor de Blasio resign by ‘sundown’ NY Post

Protests and Riots

One Dead After Shooting During Pro-Trump Rally in Portland Portland Mercury

L.A. bans pepper spray, baseball bats, weapons and other items at protests LA Times

Armed civilians at US protests: ‘A threshold has been crossed’ FT

The Thin Blue Line Between Violent, Pro-Trump Militias And Police The Intercept

Kenosha Notes from Disgraceland (Re Silc). Re Silc: “So who is buying up all the ammo? Or is it just my small sector in sw Vermont????” No.

One Author’s Argument ‘In Defense Of Looting’ NPR

What’s Driving Political Violence in America? Greater Good Magazine. From 2018, still germane.

Black Lives Matter: US teen billed for police overtime after protest BBC

Black Injustice Tipping Point

Sources: LeBron James sought out Barack Obama for advice to players The Atlantic

Michael Jordan played key role in NBA boycott negotiations: report The Hill

MMT

The Fed’s New Policy Means Rates Will Stay Lower Longer. The Price: Financial Turbulence. Barrons. Mosler comments:

Barron’s:
“That means the central bank has de facto signed on to modern monetary theory…”

— Warren B. Mosler #MMT (@wbmosler) August 29, 2020

And JW Mason:

Now that we’ve won on the Fed, I think the task of radical economists is to push our liberal/centrist colleagues to defend the existence of public schools.

— JW Mason (@JWMason1) August 30, 2020

Too soon?

Why Isn’t Modern Monetary Theory Common Knowledge? Economics from the Top Down. “What we really need, then, is not so much a theory of money, but a theory of why people misunderstand money.”

Social Security Could Stay Solvent Forever by Issuing Bonds Businessweek

Class Warfare

‘A totally different ballgame’: Inside Uber and Lyft’s fight over gig worker status CNET (Hubert Horan). Horan comments: “First serious bit of journalism I’ve seen about the Uber/Lyft campaign to repeal AB5”. In CNET….

Why Jeff Bezos Is Worth $200 Billion Matt Stoller, BIG

OnlyFans denies that Bella Thorne prompted new spending restrictions on site Los Angeles Times

Who will tell us the truth about class in America? FT. “[I]f social codes could be simply stated, they would be easily overcome, and they would lose their point.”

Musk-backed Neuralink unveils upgraded brain-implant technology FT. I see you shiver with antici… pation: