Open Thread for August 13, 2021

Yesterday my new noise generator came, a day earlier than expected, and I didn’t get it set up yet. So, still “to be contiued.” Although with Mitch in Maine (though he should be back soon, maybe today), Pat away with family for the weekend (grandparents can also have empty nests), and Nameless having refrigerator issues (hopefully resolved soon?) I’m not sure there’s much interest.

Cartoon – (Incidentally, do read yesterdays cartoon again, or look up “quagga” on Wikipedia.  They are being brought back naturally, through selective breeding.  This is only possible because they are not a species but a subspecies.

Short Takes –

Crooks and Liars – New Oath Keepers Indictment Adds Defendants, Charges To Jan. 6 Conspiracy Case
Quote – The release of a fifth superseding indictment against the Oath Keepers involved in the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection—adding two more men, one from Georgia and another from Florida, to what is now a total of 16 co-conspirators in the case, as well as further charges against one of the women already indicted—is stark testament to how the evidence against the Patriot organization’s members for their key role in the attack on Congress that day has been mounting steadily, doubtlessly aided by the participants who have turned state’s evidence.
Click through for deets. I wanted to talk about this, because this is how you handle a case that you need to get a start on even though you may not be ready for court. Each superseding indictment resets the clock on the right to a speedy trial. And that suggests the question, “So why aren’t they doing this with Trump**?” Well, in my opinion (granted, that and $5 will get yu a cup of coffee) they are not doing it with Trump** because his crazy followers would pose a greater public danger if he were locked up than they do if he is merely being investigated (and that very quietly) and blathering. As crazy as the Oath Keepers are, locking up groups of them doesn’t precipitate the same publc hazard, because it’s pretty clear that, if they try, they will also get locked up speedily. MAGAts not affiliated with any particular group, or even with many different smaller groups, are more susceptible to the “They can’t arrest all of us” mentality.

HuffPost – After 8 Months, Cities And States Are Still Sitting On Rental Aid
Quote – The amount is significant: $46.5 billion, a sum that nearly matches the entire annual budget of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. States, counties and cities with populations of at least 200,000 were eligible for the money, which offers up to 15 months of rental assistance to low-income individuals (12 months of past-due payments and three months for the future). But that money has been incredibly slow in getting to the people who need it the most. Through June, only 15 states and the District of Columbia had spent 10% or more of their Emergency Rental Assistance Program funds, which were initially approved by Congress in December.
Click through for story. The bottom line, it appears to me, is that Congress actually DID think of “the people sitting around waiting for money” and authorized this so that low-income people could actually pay them. But instead of goig after this money in their own states and localities, they’d rather sue tobe able to evict people. Am I off-base here? Be honest.

Mother Jones – QAnon Hero Claims to Present Sensitive Election Files at MyPillow CEO Event
Quote – On Wednesday, computer files apparently associated with the Mesa County election system were presented and analyzed live on a giant screen behind the stage by [Ron] Watkins, who beamed into the event via livestream. In a confusing back and forth, Watkins told the crowd that his lawyer instructed him to say that the files were from hard drives taken “without authorization” from [Tina] Peters’ [top Mesa County election official] office, and the hard drives should be returned to the clerk, and “we should stop this data review.” Peters then came on stage and said the the hard drives did not come from her office, “unless it happened during the raid.” Watkins then spoke again, saying that the drives made their way to him via Sheronna Bishop, a right-wing activist from Colorado who was reportedly one of Rep. Lauren Boebert’s campaign managers in 2020.
Click through for more. Mesa County is on the Western Slope, close to the border with Utah and about halfway between the northern and southern borders of Colorado. I’m almosy glad this was Colorado, because I guarantee Jena Griswold will get to the bottom of what happened, and I can’t say that about the secretary of state of every state. But I’ll bet Jena is furious.

Food for Thought –