Yesterday turned out to be a pretty busy day. Today isn’t shaping up to be quite as busy, but it is full of Zoom meetings, so this’ll just be a quick rundown of all the news and interesting reads that have leapt out at me over the last couple of days.
- New Yorker: How Mitch McConnell Became Trump’s Enabler-in-Chief <– This profile is a long hard look into the black pit that passes for Mitch McConnell’s soul.
- GQ: We Are Living In the Age of Sweatpants and Never Going Back <– Okay, comfort, sure, but also your jeans won’t be so damn uncomfortable if you stop wearing them painted on.
- CNN: Today’s biggest act of patriotic love <– Great read about the act of solidarity and public good that is quarantining.
- LA Times: Autopsies reveal first confirmed U.S. coronavirus deaths occurred in California in February <– The first US deaths of COVID-19 in the US happened Feb. 6 and Feb. 17, which means those people were likely infected in mid- to late-January, which is a lot earlier than we first thought.
- AP: AP-NORC poll: Few Americans support easing virus protections <– The vast majority of Americans are fine with quarantining to save lives.
- Oregonian: 2 pet cats in NY test positive for coronavirus; 1st confirmed cases in US <– Don’t panic. It doesn’t seem like they pass the disease to humans. They do get sick, but (so far) not deathly so.
- The Fern: Mapping Covid-19 in meat and food processing plants <– Outbreaks in meat plants and food processing plants. Bad news bears, you guys.
- Frontline: Coronavirus Pandemic <– Haven’t had a chance to watch this yet, but I hear it’s really good.
- NY Times: The Untold Story of the Birth of Social Distancing <– Interesting read.
- SF Gate: Las Vegas mayor: Reopen casinos, let the ones with the most infections then close <– The mayor of Las Vegas is a nut. Probably also a mafia flunky.
- Politico: McConnell pushes ‘bankruptcy route’ as local governments struggle <– McConnell’s pitching money for states and cities going broke dealing with COVID-19 as “blue state bailouts” and shouting “Let them eat cake!” and just, y’know, fuck Mitch McConnell.
- CNN (Opinion): The naive–and reckless–rule breakers of Covid-19 <– Rich assholes.
- Washington Post (Opinion): Coronavirus is invading Red America, new data show. That’s ominous for Trump. <– I wonder if red states will get bailouts? I bet they do.
- NPR: Virus Researchers Cast Doubt On Theory Of Coronavirus Lab Accident <– For the cheap seats: COVID-19 WAS NOT MADE IN A LAB, JFC.
- KOIN: Brown’s plan to reopen Oregon: ‘At least it offers hope’ <– Looks like May will be a wash, at least for the more populous parts of the state. Here’s hoping for June: 🤞.
- Fast Company: American billionaires have gotten $280 billion richer since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic <– Eat the rich.
- NY Times: ‘Sadness’ and Disbelief From a World Missing American Leadership <– I cannot wrap my mind around the immense and stunning magnitude of America’s failure in dealing with COVID-19.
- Reuters: Special Report: Former Labradoodle breeder was tapped to lead U.S. pandemic task force <– No, you read that right. One of the guys Trump put in charge early on was a dog breeder. That’s it. Basically just a dog breeder. See above, “immense and stunning magnitude of America’s failure,” etc.
- The Conversation: Why farmers are dumping milk down the drain and letting produce rot in fields <– Supply lines, folks.
- Reuters: Nature reclaims public spaces during lockdown <– This is just a slideshow of cute animals being cute in empty cities, but y’know, I’m in a “stare at cute animals” sort of mood, and I bet you are too.
All right, I’m out for more meetings. See y’all tomorrow.
Notes & Thoughts 