Category: Uncategorized

Scott Johnson — Where Is The Metadata And Header Information? Crickets.

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Yep — truly… disappointing — but in no manner surprising.

All “just sound and fury, now” — no metadata, from Scott.

That’s all Scott, John, Paul and Steve have. Clanging cymbals — noisy gongs… but no there, there.

These losers have become what they beheld (two decades ago): they are corrupted old men who traffic in fake stories — and excuse themselves by saying… well, it may be faked, but it might be… accurate.

Where have I heard that one, before?

Hmmm….

[Rathergate. And they claim it as their crowning glory — and, so… full circle, for these sad old sacks.]

Merck’s Leader… “Takes The Lead,” Once Again. Q.: Where Is The Rest Of Corporate America?

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This is a hope-filled piece. It is filled with the hope that each of us start to more fully assert responsibility for making our brothers and sisters lives, here in our towns, counties and states. . . better. In sum, it is a calling to do more — on our shared social contract. There is real and deeply-flowing wisdom here — do go read it all.

From the Fierce Pharma piece, then, summarizing a Forbes panel:

. . .Frazier highlighted the role that private corporations play in driving societal change and said it was time for industry to step up to the plate to “stabilize society” amid rising economic inequity and racial injustice.

“I think it’s really critically important for us to not only think about what’s good for our individual businesses but what’s also good for the societies in which our businesses operate,” Frazier said. “What makes me worry ultimately, is when people don’t believe in our institutions, and they don’t believe in our system, they don’t believe there’s fundamental fairness, then I think our society begins to come apart. . . .”

He has most recently stood up to Trump — on insane, non-scientific thoughts about vaccines. Of course, he was the first corporate leader of size to speak out against Trump, after Charlottesville, now over three years ago — creating space for many others to follow him.

We would do well to listen closely to. . . more true leaders like this man — whom I’ve long admired, for obvious reasons. . . but also for his work in saving the life of a wrongly condemned man in Alabama, Bo Cochran — nearly 15 years ago, now.

नमस्ते

Paul M. Knows Nothing Of Evanston…

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…And apparently, even less of the law, since Bakke was decided. The 1970s were long ago — and that case has all but been glossed over, with thousands of coats of now yellowed varnish.

He might actually read a few of the Supremes cases on the topic from the current Millennium.

Like the one… the Supremes decided in Grutter v. Bollinger, 539 U.S. 306 (2003). It held race conscious education decisions are within limits permissible, relying on “plus factors”.

So — in sum… Paul’s view of the law is over 40 years out of date.

Thus, Paul offers his readership… nonsense tonight. Pure nonsense.

No surprise there.

Evanston’s public schools here are regularly rated as among the very best, nationwide — and Northwestern University is our able and strong partner — in bringing cutting edge new methods into our classrooms. We are all the richer for it. Sit down, Paul.

[I might boast just a little more, and note that President Obama praised our local police reform efforts — by name in a tweet this past week. We are… what Paul most fears: capable, and progressive.]

Onward.

Funny. John Fails To Mention That Rudy G. Now Says It’s “50-50” He Got The Data From “Russian Dis-Information” Contacts.

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Ahem — let’s clear this up: Hinderaker repeats lies that have already been debunked — and then fails to mention that hours before he wrote his, Rudy G., Trump’s boy who has created and fanned this non-story… has admitted that it is a 50-50 possibility that he dealt with (was played for a pawn by) known Russian agents, in allowing himself to be used as their “dis-information” channel.

Of course, John shares none of these facts from Rudy’s own mouth.

And so, John skirts perilously close to renouncing his own nation (being at least unpatriotic, and perhaps knowingly aiding an enemy foreign power), in this circumstance — aiding and amplifying dis-information — as Rudy and Donald already have.

Et Tu, Hinderaker?! Or should I say…

“…ЩЇLL ЍФ ФЙЄ ЯЇD ԠЭ ФӺ ГҤЇS ГЦЯБЦLЭЍГ PЯЇЄSҐ?….”1

John is a sad, embittered, shriveled old man, one who has now obviously lost his place in the world.

End. Of. Story.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. “Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?” — Henry II, intoned of Thomas Becket — with Vice President Biden in the role of the man of conscience, Sir Thomas Becket.

The Star On The Shoulder Of Orion… Closer, And Smaller, Than We Imagined.

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This is. . . soothing, to me. A balm — that this crazily vast ball of hot plasma — and gas. . . is both nearer, and smaller than we first thought. Oh and it is increasingly probable that we will wait around 100,000 years to see it supernova.

The news is that Betelgeuse is only about 500 light years off — instead of around 670. . . which may not sound like much, but it is in fact 170 years closer. And smaller — not quite as gargantuan — only about two thirds the circumference of Jupiter’s orbit — as opposed to engulfing Jupiter, were it at the center of our solar system.

Either way though, we’d be toast — deep inside its belly. Here are the latest findings, as summarized for a lay audience.

So, do be excellent to one another, as we. . . are all. . . we’ve got.

नमस्ते

I Suppose The Small Consolation Here — Is That, In Time, Trump’s Lawyers Will Have Trouble Sleeping At Night…

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It may take years — decades, even — but the team led by Sarah Fabian is not stupid. And each of them will, in turn… albeit slowly, come to see that they advocated for, and in fact. . . thus participated in the torture of children. And… over the decades, they will (hopefully) suffer many a sleepless night, about the awful things they wasted their estimable talents upon — as ideologue youths. That is my hope. But for now….

It is utterly deplorable, that Trump has effectively run out the clock, on meaningful redress of the rights of would-be asylee children and their families in custody near the border. By foot dragging, Sarah Fabian’s team has managed only now to come up with an agreeable for of notice, to explain to people in custody, that they have a right to a US trained immigration lawyer — and that older children may elect to be set free (to the interior of the US) in the care of a sponsor or guardian — after a maximum of 72 hours — whilst they all work to free their parents.

Of course, the morning Mr. Biden takes office — all this will end. But until then these maddeningly byzantine status reports (latest overnight version there) — once, every two weeks, will be the norm. And we may expect that until Sarah Fabian resigns — for the private sector (and some far right think tank, lobbying or law shop), this nonsense will continue. . . unabated. Here’s a bit (from a footnote in the report, No. 4, which I hope will keep Ms. Fabian awake some nights, years from now — as she reflects on the horrors she helped advocate for, and helped Trump inflict — instead of resigning and walking out):

…The American Bar Association has published a “Model Act Regarding the Representation of Children in Abuse, Neglect, and Dependency Proceedings.” While a parent’s decision to release their child may not meet the “abuse” or “neglect” child welfare definition, children who are surrendered or abandoned do traditionally appear before a court in abuse and neglect proceedings.

Accordingly, ethical standards regarding the representation of children in the context of dependency proceedings are instructive. Under the Model Act, a child’s attorney owes the same duties, including undivided loyalty, confidentiality, and competent representation, to the child. A child’s lawyer is a client directed lawyer in a traditional client-lawyer relationship with the child. This ethical duty could require that an attorney representing a child aggressively advocate for the child’s separation, or ongoing unity with their parent, in conflict with a parent’s stated wish. All children should have a voice in the decision-making process regarding their release, especially because they are the individuals with rights under the Flores Settlement Agreement….

We need to get off-world — escape the clutches of these maddeningly banal and evil actors. My next one will take us… there, to a star only some 500 light years off (not 670), it turns out.

नमस्ते

Old School Power Alley: Merck To Solve TICE BCG Supply Bottleneck

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Thanks to our long term Anon. commenter, we were alerted to the fact that Merck will dramatically increase capacity, to solve the long term “allocation” of this life saving medicine. [Our February 2019 backgrounder, on TICE stock-outs, at that link.]

Though nowhere mentioned by the company, based on my experiences in the field, I would guess we are about 24 months from seeing new capacity come online yet — as a full FDA start up site inspection will be required to get the new plant approved for manufacture. So it goes — but it does hold the possibility of no more “on allocation” notices, at some point in 2023. Here’s FiercePharma on it all:

…During its years as sole producer of a difficult-to-make cancer med in high demand, Merck & Co.’s limited capacity has hamstrung its efforts to get the drug into patients’ hands. Now, Merck is putting its money where its mouth is in a big boost to its production capacity.

Merck & Co. will build a new manufacturing facility in North Carolina to triple production of bladder cancer therapy TICE BCG, a freeze-dried medicine administered by catheter that has been plagued by supply issues for years, the drugmaker said Thursday.

The new plant at Merck’s existing Maurice R. Hilleman Center for Vaccine Manufacturing in Durham, North Carolina, will create about 100 local jobs….

Now you know. Onward, grinning — ever… grinning.

नमस्ते

Supremes Will Hear Trump’s Census Question — But It Likely Will Not Matter, By November 30 — Argument Day.

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I’ll mention it only to keep a complete record, here — but if it all turns out the way it certainly looks like it will, the census count ultimately issued will be reverted to “all whole persons” as the Fourteenth Amendement contemplates.

It is only the ghoul Stephen Miller, as enabled by Trump, that draws this plainly ludicrous debate out. In any event, here’s the brief order from the Supremes tonight (unsigned):

…Further consideration of the question of jurisdiction is POSTPONED to the hearing of the case on the merits. The case is set for argument on Monday, November 30, 2020. Appellants’ brief on the merits, and any amicus curiae briefs in support of appellants or in support of neither party, shall be filed on or before Friday, October 30, 2020. Appellees’ briefs on the merits, and any amicus curiae briefs in support of appellees, shall be filed on or before Monday, November 16, 2020. The reply brief shall be filed by 2 p.m., Monday, November 23, 2020….

Onward — only about a little more than two weeks more, of enduring this… monster. Some how, it certainly feels… like Halloween — in Mary Shelley’s hovel — just weeks before she was able to get Frankenstein published.

नमस्ते

How Much Was She Paid, To Be Seated (And Seen) Right Behind Trump: Last Night’s “Town Hall”?

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First — I didn’t watch even one minute of Trump (I opted out and watched Disney’s “Prince of Egypt” instead — seems appropos, given our escape — from his bondage — is now imminent). No ratings for him, or NBC — but I’ve read summaries now online.

Perhaps the only thing useful to come of it all is this story. See at right. There was a “prop-ish” woman who had been placed behind Trump — in a prominent seat — all night, nodding to his riffs, in full agreement. Immediately after, she shouted to him on the departure carpet. . . and it turns out that he had no idea that he endorsed her in a local Miami race, in 2018 — and his pull had helped her garner — wait for it! — a full two per cent of the vote (getting slaughtered by a powerhouse, the former U Miami President, and former Clinton Admin. Labor Secretary. . . one Donna Shalala).

Most people would end this story here. Not Trump. He asks where she’s from — she hollers the DR… but American now… he shouts “Sammy Sosa!” — and pantomimes swinging a baseball bat… still blithely unaware that she was a paid actress that night.

The hardest part about telling this story… is not knowing… what part’s the punch line. I guess the whole story… is the punch-line. Let’s hurry up and vote this blithering idiot — and his grifters, out — in a little over two weeks. Onward, to a bike ride… grinning.

नमस्ते

Hinderaker Crows — About Likely Russian Dis-Information (And He Knows It!) — Lacking A Patriot’s Sense.

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Let us pretend for a sec., that these emails aren’t complete forgeries — let us pretend, hoping beyond any reason to hope — that they are genuine. [But they are not.]

But let’s pretend — then… fair point, John. So….

Okay. Lover-ly, Hinderaker — now do… Trump himself [golf club graft ($1.1 million!), by booking his traveling team in — and USG pays the bill], Ivanka (Chinese-trademarked voting machines, an exclusive arrangement made by pull from USG), Don Jr. (bilking the campaign funds, and charging for state business — that isn’t), Melania (at a minimum, kickbacks on the $26 million in the inaugural party spending)… and that’s before we look into the $500 million plus in loans Trump owes (likely to Russian state-connected finance arms), and Jared’s 666 Bldg. bailout / lending — also likely Russian backed.

This is… REALLY a good game, John — shall we play on?

Or, have you had enough?

Out.