Hold The Fake News Presses!

Wait, what?!? The big NY Times scoop about Russian bounties to the Taliban for killing Americans was raw intel the credibility of which was still being assessed? Whoa, Fake News Watch!

Although, don't rule out this scenario - Faction A is convinced the intl is legitimate. Faction B is convinced that the US/Russian relationship is complicated, we have no good responses, we don't need this aggravation right now,and anyway like most intel, this report has holes.

The upshot: Faction B is slow-walking, foot-dragging, and basically hoping to bury this under unanswerable follow-up questions. A frustrated Faction A leaks the mess to the press. And here we are, lost in the fog.

Unrelated - defund the police in NYC! Why not, its not as if they are keeping crime down.

Here is a factoid meriting a bit of homework:

Commissioner Dermot Shea says the city’s homicide rate has hit a five-year high and the amount of people shot so far this year has jumped 42% compared to the same period last year.

He said there were 100 shootings in the city in the month of May.

Not having looked, I'd have guessed homicides were below average during the March/April lockdowns. Which suggests May/June must have been nuts.

I haven't found what I want but here are the monthly NYC crime summaries for:

January   Shooting incidents:    2019: 52; 2020 67       +15

February                                 2019: 42; 2020: 45        -3

March                                     2019: 56; 2020: 56          0

April                                       2019: 62; 2020: 56         -6

May                                       2019: 61; 2020: 100     +39

28 Day is most of June            2019: 80; 2020: 149     +69

Clearly unrelated to protests, reopenings or really, anything at all.

 

 

Comments

[Another Bob]

I think that Shep/Henry stuff was a joke.

[henry]

A Bob, it’s a twitter truth for now. No facts or sources, just a tweet and off to the races.

[clarice]

Glad to hear the surgery went well, Jane. fingers crossed.
Had first mtg in months with my 101 year old mother who's in senior residence lockdown. Had to maintain distance and wear masks and meet in an outdoor tent after signing up for a lot. Told her we were moving her this month which I thought would be traumatic for her, but she took it well. Lots of paperwork involved because we're moving her from Md to DC and putting her on medicaid as her care the past 6 1/2 yrs had cost $500k and we can't continue that. Nice new place and this one's only about 8 blocks from here so no long (and getting longer) commutes to Rockville, Md. Told her 2 caretakers , too. It's incredibly complicated because of the virus situation. I can't even go to her apt to clear it out. Someone will do a facetime walk thru for me and then they'll have to pack it up and place it on the loading dock.

[clarice]

https://americanmind.org/essays/i-was-canceled-youre-next-in-line/
Catholic HS fires man who opposed BLM

[Another Bob]

Sorry to hear all that . It’s just all so stupid Clarice.

[MissMarple2]

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/novartis-pays-over-642-million-settle-allegations-improper-payments-patients-and-physicians

Novartis pays $642 million to settle improper payments to Medicare patients and physicians for the drugs Gilenya and Afinitor. The second set of payments involved illegal kickbacks.

[Buckeye]

Last few days has been a bit busy. Yesterday Buckeyette had the surgery to pin (actually a wire wrap) her broken toe.

She had to be at the surgical facility at 5:30 am, which meant I had to get up at 0 dark thirty to take her. After she came home, had to run around getting prescriptions filled.

Surgery took 20 minutes, recovery about an hour.

Today was more of the same as she needs a stool that will fit inside her tub, and yet allow her to keep her one leg out of the shower.

She will stay here until Friday, then go home because she has a date that night:)

[MissMarple2]

https://t.co/83PTi72AvA?amp=1

USMCA Replaces NAFTA as Trump Delivers on One of His Biggest Promises

[Another Bob]

The wire temporary or permanent buckeye?

[MissMarple2]

Buckeye,

Glad your girl is on the mend!

Lovely day here in Indiana. Dogs have settled down, cats are asleep, daughter is on the phone with a friend out west.

[clarice]

https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/tyler-o-neil/2020/07/01/new-gop-ad-issues-powerful-warning-about-democrats-threatening-american-culture-n596214

[clarice]

UGH https://www.dailywire.com/news/university-memo-suggests-fighting-systemic-racism-necessary-if-applying-for-enrollment-and-employment

[sbwaters]

Who recommended "Guns, Germs, and Steel" by Jared Diamond?

It is a long hard slog but enlightening, right down to the current attempts by radicals to negate the advantages of guns and other technology, widespread literacy, and political organization to enhance their expansionist agenda *yet again* -- this time against a very forward-looking, individualist, merit-based and egalitarian, and successful American culture.

Along the way, their claim of racism has been used to cover their own centuries-long history of sins against their own diversity.

Enlightening clarity that undermines the false woke.

[Jane]

Buckeye,

Amazing what it takes to fix a toe? Who knew? And who the hell schedules a 20 minute surgery at 5;30 AM?

Apparently they paralyzed my head wit my eye and it’s starting to wear off. It’s gonna be an interesting night.

[clarice]

https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2020/07/blacks_vs_radicals_democratic_bloc_in_ny_shattered_over_1_billion_in_police_cuts.html

[Captain Hate]

Who knew the academic bubble had a self popping feature? Defund them all.

[clarice]

https://www.takimag.com/article/putting-out-the-fire-with-lighter-fluid/

[clarice]

https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/2020/06/calling-racism-public-health-crisis-can-kill-black-daniel-greenfield/

[sbwaters]

Update: After repeated communications, and ultimately saying that tomorrow I was going to forward the record to our county executive and Congressman, BioReference sent a link to my COVID-19 test results:

COVID-19 Not Detected.

Yay! [And I have been so isolated that, except for hunkering down 425 miles away essentially quarantined in Maine, I likely have not been infected in that last 9 days.]

[Captain Hate]

Slutgers and Columbia need defunding

https://www.meforum.org/campus-watch/61151/profs-to-america-and-israel-burn-baby-burn

[peter]

I've just finished If I Had a Son': Race, Guns, and the Railroading of George Zimmerman, by Jack Cashill. If anyone is interested in reading it, just DM me on the facebook page, or email me--a handful of JOMers have my email address, and I'll be happy to ship it to you. Too many books in the house-- Mrs. -peter's patience is being tested. It was a good read. Jack Cashill is a dogged reporter. I like his columns and also enjoyed his book about Obama, but sometimes I feel he could use a better editor.

[peter]

Or you can text me.

[Narciso]

Congrats sbw

[Narciso]

Well ive been able to churn out mearly 150 pages so far, of this novella.

[Another Bob]

Kindle much Peter?

Or do you just like the feel of the book in your hands?

[Jane]

Clarice,

A big problem is that democrats who are not political junkies know nothing about what is going on. They haven’t heard of Chop. They know nothing about the riots. All that matters is COVID 19 that they believe is spreading like a wildfire. It’s their only issue - and whoever suggested that we have to beat them on that was right.

[Captain Hate]

Jack Cashill is a dogged reporter. I like his columns and also enjoyed his book about Obama, but sometimes I feel he could use a better editor.

Good editing is a thankless task and seems to be diminishing in usage. Sidney Powell is generally a good narrator but my eyes glazed over every time she described a wonderfully stately court building where she practiced her craft.

Sometimes authors can be pissy about accepting editors suggestions. Gordon Lish wasn't a really good writer but he turned Raymond Carver's prose into some of the most compelling short stories I've ever consumed by slashing and deleting large swaths of unnecessary verbiage. After Ray got really really popular he started listening to his whore wife, Tess "Yoko" Gallagher, who encouraged him to leave in all his gasbag meandering so it would be more like her third rate poetry. Needless to say the latter work was substandard. It was still readable because Carver was a very good writer but it wasn't nearly as good as the best work despite the publishers hiring paid liars to rave about it.

[sbwaters]

Thanks, Narc. The test was prompted by being in an "essential business" but also the prospect of Maine requiring quarantine as we assisted our DIL with our grandson while he coached coaches for waterfront activities before a camp opened in Maine.

--
On the trip, Mrs. sbw found some Highclere Gin, a creation of the owners of Highclere Castle.

Highclere Castle is where Downton Abbey was taped. She found their streamed TV through Viking Cruises — friends of the owner — and she is sipping a nice gin & tonic with orange peel. Much less edge than your typical G&T.

Highclere is trying to monitize other ways to stay afloat during COVID. Very personable people with two nice dogs.

[sbwaters]

Narc, I wasn't writing fiction, but I did put my stuff down and go back to it with a clear eye and brain. Then re-edited the hell out of it. Several times. Writing ain't easy.

[Captain Hate]

Here's an interview with Lish where he confirms everything I said

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/dec/05/gordon-lish-books-interview-editing-raymond-carver

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

--Start spending well into five-figures a year for meds, which isn’t unheard of, cuts into that pretty quickly.--

Hey, I resembled that remark for eight straight years.

[Buckeye]

The wire is temporary. They will remove it in ~ 6 weeks.

She is athletic and in great shape, so getting around on crutches is more of a game than a challenge.

The surgery started at 7:00. I think they spent more time with pre-op paperwork than the surgery.

She came home with one of those compression pump/cuff systems to counter deep vein thrombosis, but as active as she is, probably not necessary.

[peter]

Abob, I was given a kindle years ago, but didn't enjoy the experience as much as reading a bound book.

[peter]

so true, CH @ 9:40.

[sbwaters]

A bound book leaves notes for your grandchildren to discover.

[MissMarple2]

Nytol!

[Narciso]

Yes ive revised sectioms of it, added characters

https://mobile.twitter.com/ChuckRossDC/status/1278487534482448386

[Narciso]

What ive been able to do, years in high school i had tried to put some items together but i got to maybe a dozen pages or so.

[sbwaters]

My avatar seems to have disappeared. At least I can't see it. I uploaded Oakley again but he still doesn't show.

[Dave (in MA)]

sbw, your avatar shows up just fine for me. Does that mean when mine was missing last night, it was only missing for me?

[Captain Hate]

No, it was missing last night, Dave. Typhus is being fickle with avatars.

[Narciso]

Its not christopher nolans gotham

https://mobile.twitter.com/marcthiessen/status/1278504975811907585

[sbwaters]

TyphusPad! Sigh.

Always something!

[Narciso]

I dowmloaded brave but the typepad link didnt on my laptop.

[CCGirl]

Seems quiet tonight. Maybe we are all sick and tired of all this nonsense. Hannity actually shut up tonight and listened to the father of the 19 year old who was shot in CHOP. It was quite amazing. He said no one from the “govt” has communicated with him. No police, no mayor, no one.

Anyway, he and his supporting friend seemed like decent men who try to be good fathers in a messed up land. The poor father also commented that his son was born at 25 weeks or so, and that he was easily led.

Clarice, that article about the Catholic school Dept head who was dismissed in a day by the bishop is scary. Glad he’s receiving help.

Son is likely not taking any online classes with Stalag UMass. I suggested he enroll in some online accounting classes at the local community college, and continue working at the store. He is feeling so ostracized from that crazy school mentality, and is seriously thinking the hardware store is the best option.

Jane I hope the eye heals soon.

[Narciso]

I explored one sort of twist, half borrowed from ted bell half from lustbadee who took up ludlums mantle

[JimNorCal]

Comment seen at another blog:

"Have you folks seen Biden’s ‘game plan’? — https://joebiden.com/joes-vision/ — Its a mishmash of old Liberal visions right out of Jimmy Carter. Some are so old they have been either met or in other cases supplanted by new reality."

[Narciso]

Lustbader who had his own preexisting series nicholas linnear in the 80d

[Narciso]

Seattle has descended into hobbes state of nature, something he wasnt keen on

[Another Bob]

“ Hey, I resembled that remark for eight straight years.”

It wasn’t a hypothetical for me either. Been taking a $60k/year med for a few years now. I have one of the best corporate insurance packages I’ve heard of, so it cost me $300/yr out-of-pocket.

[CCGirl]

Random question. How many have cancelled their Amazon prime acct because their college-aged kids all get it for a significant discount? I do realize many of you don’t have kids in college. WTF can’t any stupid large corp extend a break to parents of these “poor college kids?” We are not all rich you know! Not that I want a hand out. I know, I know. I’m just bitchin. Anyway I refuse to renew with that company.

Sorry, I have no fun hardware tales to tell tonight. Basically people are losing patience and have about had it. I have also learned that a lot of emotion can be communicated with the eyes, for those who are looking to communicate.

[Dave (in MA)]

Yike.

[Dave (in MA)]

.

[JimNorCal]

I liked Guns Germs and Steel.
There's been some argument about his evidence, conclusions and evaluations. I can't judge the contenders.

But I recall thinking while reading the book that the Big Picture was: Since Euros took over the world, is it because they are genetically superior to others? Or ... since Euros took over the world, is it because they are fundamentally more evil than others? A topical question, even today.

Diamond's (perhaps overly) convenient answer: Through a series of accidents such as the geography, climate, biology and so on of Europe, the Euros took over the world. Euros are not better or worse than others. Any other race would have done the same if the random accidents had gone their way.

[JimNorCal]

.

[JimNorCal]

new