The Smoke Eater For March 23, 2020
A "shipping clerk," hackers to the rescue, and the perfect time for war.
A woman in a mask exits a Polish grocery store in Chicago hours before a “shelter-in-home” order goes into effect across Illinois to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
Good day, this is The Smoke Eater for Monday, March 23, 2020, and I hope the ghosts of the dead come haunt your soul forever.
Quick Hit
* The White House tells states fend for themselves * Republicans try to give a "slush fund" to Steve Mnuchin * Poor people are running out of options * DIY to the rescue * "Zoombombing" * Unsportsmanlike conduct in the Middle East * Trolls offer a reprieve *
NOTE: I uploaded a bunch of photos of Chicagoans bracing for the "shelter-in-home" order to take effect for all Patreon subscribers. I'll be uploading more photos throughout the week. The Smoker Eater is still mobile friendly, ad-free and supported by you, the super awesome readers. If you want to be super awesome, tip me on Ko-Fi, or subscribe to my Patreon!
"We're Not A Shipping Clerk"
Our world sits at a breaking point as the coronvavirus continues to rapidly spread around the world. U.S. Civic leaders are now making important choices that will ultimately dictate how many people live and die in the coming weeks. Governors from multiple states have criticized the Trump administration for forcing them to compete in open markets for lifesaving medical resources. Trump responded to these criticisms and cries for immediate federal assistance by saying the he was "not a shipping clerk," and shitposted that this was part of a global network of detractors working against him. Politico's Nancy Cook reports that senior White House officials feel nationalizing industries to mass produce medical equipment is a "socialist fantasy," and are more interested in blaming others for their poor decision making, or taking credit for any perceived success.
Last night Trump activated the National Guard to help New York, California, and Washington, three of the hardest hit states (so far).
Congress is continuing to hammer out a relief bill to deal with the growing economic impact of the coronavirus after failing to pass a measure last night, 47-47. Democrats contend that the $1.8 trillion Republican Senate proposal is simply not enough, and contains a provision for a secret $500 billion "slush fund" for major corporations that would be controlled by Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin. Democrats argue the bill doesn't provide enough help for hospitals, state and local governments, or the workers who are now unemployed. [The CARES Act]
Meanwhile, the number of legislators capable of voting on legislation is dwindling as members become exposed or infected (some of whom previously called the virus a "hoax”). The declining number of legislators has prompted considerations for remote voting, but Lindsey McPherson and Katherine Tully-McManus report for Roll Call that several Senators aren't keen on the idea, chief among them is Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Yesterday senators defied “social distancing” recommendations and huddled next to one another prior to voting.
In an effort to keep Wall Street investors from selling the shirts off their back, the Fed is taking "aggressive action" and buying an unlimited amount of Treasurys and securities that are, according to Market Watch, "tied to home and business mortgages" in order to keep credit markets afloat.
"All Is Well"
Kim Heart reports for Axios that the people most likely to be severely impacted by the virus rely upon a broken social safety net that's being stretched to its limits. The homeless, the poor, rural residents, incarcerated persons, and handicapped and disabled peoples all need social services that often require close or physical contact.
School districts across the country are racing to stand up digital classrooms without much prep time, but as Alia Malik writes in the San Antonio Express-News, the digital divide is exacerbating problems faced by many poor and rural students who can't afford internet access. The Trump administration's FCC chair, Aji Pai, has spent the last several years bragging about successes in closing the digital divide, but the coronavirus is proving that the administration made little headway, and may have made the situation worse by deregulating the broadband telecom industry.
The Federal News Network reports that on Friday the U.S. Census Bureau suspended its annual hiring operations until April 1. The bureau will push back non-response follow-up operations in most of the country through the end of May, and give people the option to self-respond to the census online, over the phone, or via a paper questionnaire through August 14.
Reach Out And Touch Someone
Several auto companies have agreed to begin making ventilators after governors began publicly pleading to the Trump administration to utilize the Defense Production Act to force companies to immediately start producing medical supplies.
As the Western world races ever closer to a complete quarantine, people are pushing the limits of existing technology to not only close gaps between physical barriers, but also to help alleviate the strain on the medical system. Olivia Solon writes that 3-D printing companies are utilizing niche networks of hackers and DIY crafters to churn out medical equipment like N95 masks and face shields. The Massachusetts General Hospital has even launched a "moonshot competition" called the CoVent-19 Challenge to build a rapidly deployable mechanical ventilation solution in the next 90 days. The goal is to either build new type of ventilator that can treat multiple patients simultaneously, or be inexpensive to manufacture and deploy.
The Wall Street Journal has a piece on celebrities, late night hosts, and cable news talking heads using video chats to connect with their audiences. TLDR: Everyone judges your home on video chat.
Taylor Lorenz writes in the New York Times about how trolls are spamming video conferencing app, Zoom, with porn and other graphic imagery. Because the app lets users share their screens, "Zoombombing" has become the new tool for bored jerks. The business-centered Zoom was never intended to function as an ad-hoc social networking platform, so moderation is largely in the hands of users.
South Africa is using WhatsApp to reach out to its large immunocompromised population. The high number of HIV positive people and gold miners with respiratory problems places South Africa in a potentially devastating position. The government is making preparations to combat a flood on the country's private and public health care systems by sending information and updates directly to citizens, and shoring up resources ahead of the outbreak.
Shoot First, Ask Questions Later
The Trump administration is refusing to relax sanctions on Iran even as the country faces a staggering death toll that grows larger by the day. The White House claims Iran has "vast resources," and that existing sanctions offer, "broad exemptions that allow for the sale of medicines and medical devises," but the administration's "maximum pressure" campaign was designed specifically to discourage doing business with Iran. Iran's supreme leader has refused U.S. help, and yesterday suggested U.S. aid could be a vector to "spread the virus more," and alleged the virus,"is specifically built for Iran using the genetic data of Iranians, which they have obtained through different means."
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has bitched out France for violating U.S. sanctions with Iran in a prisoner swap.
The U.S. and United Arab Emirates went ahead and conducted a major joint military exercise. Brig. Gen. Thomas Savage said the exercise was, "about stability in the region," adding that if Iran saw it as, "provocative, well, that's up to them. This is just a normal training exercise for us." The exercise involved 4,000 U.S. Army, Marines, and Navy personnel.
China's secret internet police are now knocking on the doors of people who criticize Beijing's response to the coronavirus. Citizens being forced to recant their remarks against the regime, and sign loyalty pledges.
Scheduled negotiations between the Afghan government and Taliban forces have been held on Skype, a notable achievement considering the Taliban shuns television and music, Mujib Mashal writes. The good news stops there as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has made an unscheduled trip to Afghanistan to serve as a mediator between Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and his primary political rival, Abdullah Abdullah. Pamela Constable reports for the Washington Post reports that Abdullah is attempting to form a parallel Afghan government. Complicating matters further is the issue of prisoner swaps as mandated by the U.S. agreement with the Taliban. Ghani maintains that the 5,000 Taliban prisoners give him significant leverage in negotiating with the Taliban, and fears releasing them (per the U.S. agreement) could simply send a bunch of anti-government fighters back onto the battlefield.
BONUS: If you feel like pumping yourself full of some depressing knowledge, Jake Hanrahan, who runs the quasi-consortium for independent global conflict reporters, Popular Front, has a playlist of various documentaries on international conflicts that range from the Syrian civil war, Afghanistan, the fight against ISIL (or ISIS, or IS, whatever), the Yellow vest movement, the US Civil War, and the Bosnian genocide.
One More Thing...
Lawrence Abrams writes for BleepingComputer that some ransomware operators have announced they won't target health and medical groups during the coronavirus pandemic. Thanks...
OK, now here's a warm and fuzzy critter video: RED CRABS!
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