Verizon burns firefighters fighting the Mendocino Complex fire

Updates

  1. Originally published, August 22, 3:13 pm.
  2. August 22, 6:43 pm:
    • We’re probably just at the beginning of the reaction to Paul Manafort’s conviction and Michael Cohen’s guilty plea, but the Hill has coverage of the battle thus far.[1] (Donald Trump)
    • I forgot to mention, because it’s been a couple days, a new blog post, entitled, “Ethos and appropriation: On the use of certain words and phrases.” There have been two updates already and I now even more emphatically reject the usage of the term dogwhistling in defense against attacks on the rich and powerful.
  3. August 22, 7:26 pm:
    • It would appear that Bill Kristol is forecasting that Donald Trump will somehow leave office by next year. See the tweet added under Donald Trump.
  4. August 22, 10:48 pm:
    • Had Barack Obama ever been beset with legal difficulties like those Donald Trump now faces, it is not difficult to imagine what the Republican reaction would have been: Congress would have impeached Obama so fast that, had you blinked, you would have missed it. In the absence of such difficulties, they focused on obstructing him in every way possible. With Trump, and his very real legal difficulties, their attitude is strikingly different.[2]
    • Added a tweet, which included a forecast map (figure 1), from the National Weather Service about Hurricane Lane.
  5. August 23, 12:47 pm:
  6. August 23, 6:32 pm:
    • Jennifer Rubin sifts through and discards apologists’ defenses for Donald Trump in the wake of Michael Cohen’s guilty plea and Paul Manafort’s conviction[4] and Adam Serwer looks at the legal road ahead. (Just one spoiler: It is not 100 percent certain that the Southern District will abide by Justice Department policy against indicting a sitting president.)[5]
  7. August 24, 12:11 pm:
    • You knew this was coming, right? Or maybe you didn’t care. Donald Trump lashed back at Jeff Sessions.[6]
    • Hurricane Lane is moving slowly. I have saved a 72-hour gif as figure 2. I expect to replace what is now figure 3 with another one later.
    • That the sleazy National Enquirer purchased stories about sleazy Donald Trump’s sleazy extramarital affairs is a strand of the story so deep in sleaze that I’ve been repulsed and inclined not to bother with it. But apparently this was their game.[7] Now the Chief Executive Officer of the tabloid’s publisher and a Trump organization executive have been granted immunity.[8] And if Melania Trump has any self-respect whatsoever, she takes her son and gets the fuck out.
  8. August 24, 2:48 pm:
    • Verizon has lifted data caps on its allegedly unlimited plans for firefighters in California and for first responders dealing with Hurricane Lane in Hawaii.[9]
  9. August 24, 10:59 pm:
    • Replaced the earlier saved 72-hour gif in figure 2 with one ending August 25, at 04:30 Zulu (or 4:30 am, Greenwich Mean Time or Universal Coordinated Time). I think the replacement is a bit more useful. As before, you may need to open the gif in a separate window or tab and reload it. I’m still expecting to replace figure 3 later.
  10. August 24, 11:43 pm:
    • Replaced the earlier saved 72-hour gif in figure 2 with one ending August 25, at 05:30 Zulu (or 5:30 am, Greenwich Mean Time or Universal Coordinated Time). I think this pretty much covers it, so I’m deleting what was figure 3.
  11. August 25, 5:43 am:
    • Where’s my bailout? California legislators are considering allowing Pacific Gas and Electric and other California utilities to issue revenue bonds that would be paid by ratepayers for wildfire liabilities.[10] So, I repeat: Where’s my bailout? Until you all answer that or even get me a real job, I’m really not interested in hearing about how we can’t allow PG&E to go bankrupt. Because what you’re saying is that a corporation has more human rights—is more human—than I am. (Mendocino Complex)

Hawaii

The relevant National Weather Service page is here.

Fig. 1. The National Weather Service tweet above included this forecast map.
Fig. 2. Hawaii infrared satellite photo as of August 25, 5:30 Zulu (or 5:30 am, Greenwich Mean Time or Universal Coordinated Time).

More imagery is available here.

Mendocino Complex

That climate change and wildlands management are issues in the Mendocino Complex fire is not a surprise.[11] But net neutrality, as a fire department blames the Federal Communication Commission’s repeal of net neutrality rules for Verizon’s throttling of firefighters,[12] most certainly is. Be sure to read the promoted comments on the Ars Technica stories; some are absolutely priceless.

Rong-Gong Lin, II, Joseph Serna, and Louis Sahagun, “143-mph ‘fire tornado’ that cut a path of destruction is an ominous sign of the future,” Los Angeles Times, August 3, 2018, http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-redding-tornado-destruction-20180802-story.html

Dana Nuccitelli, “Trump reignited his war with California, but his bizarre tweet got burned,” Guardian, August 13, 2018, https://www.theguardian.com/environment/climate-consensus-97-per-cent/2018/aug/13/trump-reignited-his-war-with-california-but-his-tweet-got-burned

John Myers, “California lawmakers will abandon effort to loosen wildfire liability rules for utility companies,” Los Angeles Times, August 18, 2018, http://www.latimes.com/politics/essential/la-pol-ca-essential-politics-may-2018-california-lawmakers-will-abandon-effort-1534615963-htmlstory.html

William Finnegan, “California Burning,” review of Wildfire: On the Front Lines with Station 8, by Heather Hansen, Firestorm: How Wildfire Will Shape Our Future, by Edward Struzik, and Burning Planet: The Story of Fire Through Time, by Andrew C. Scott, New York Review of Books, August 16, 2018, https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2018/08/16/wildfires-california-burning/

Jon Brodkin, “Verizon throttled fire department’s ‘unlimited’ data during Calif. wildfire,” Ars Technica, August 21, 2018, https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/08/verizon-throttled-fire-departments-unlimited-data-during-calif-wildfire/

Ina Fried, “Verizon admits error in throttling California firefighters’ service,” Axios, August 21, 2018, https://www.axios.com/verizon-responds-to-allagations-it-throttled-fire-departments-wireless-connection-1534890751-04a282b1-e369-40c9-b8bf-779d8c7999b7.html

Jon Brodkin, “Fire dept. rejects Verizon’s “customer support mistake” excuse for throttling,” Ars Technica, August 22, 2018, https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/08/fire-dept-rejects-verizons-customer-support-mistake-excuse-for-throttling/

Dale Kasler, “Stung by criticism over wildfire response, Verizon lifts data ‘cap’ on first responders,” Sacramento Bee, August 24, 2018, https://www.sacbee.com/latest-news/article217296475.html


Donald Trump

Fig. 3. A screenshot from the New Yorker Daily Humor newsletter.

Megan Keller, “Hayden: Relationship between Trump, national security community ‘dangerously close to being permanently broken,'” Hill, August 19, 2018, http://thehill.com/homenews/sunday-talk-shows/402515-ex-cia-director-relationship-between-trump-national-security

Devlin Barrett et al., “Michael Cohen says he worked to silence two women ‘in coordination’ with Trump to influence 2016 election,” Washington Post, August 21, 2018, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trumps-longtime-lawyer-michael-cohen-is-in-plea-discussions-with-federal-prosecutors-according-to-a-person-familiar-with-the-matter/2018/08/21/5fbd7f34-8510-11e8-8553-a3ce89036c78_story.html

Jennifer Rubin, “Michael Cohen: Trump’s greatest fear comes true,” Washington Post, August 21, 2018, https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/opinions/wp/2018/08/21/michael-cohen-trumps-greatest-fear-comes-true/

Gerald F. Seib, “Michael Cohen Deals a Blow to His Former Boss,” Wall Street Journal, August 21, 2018, https://www.wsj.com/articles/michael-cohen-deals-grievous-blow-to-former-boss-1534892391

Burgess Everett and Nolan D. McCaskill, “‘It is what it is’: Republicans shrug off Trump’s legal meltdown,” Politico, August 22, 2018, https://www.politico.com/story/2018/08/22/republicans-senators-react-manafort-cohen-trump-791530

Isaac Stanley-Becker, “In Trump’s right-wing media universe, it was a day like any other,” Washington Post, August 22, 2018, https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2018/08/22/how-right-wing-media-dealt-with-a-devastating-day-for-trump/

Jeff Horwitz, “National Enquirer hid damaging Trump stories in a safe,” Yahoo, August 23, 2018, https://www.yahoo.com/news/reports-immunity-tabloid-ceo-trump-hush-money-probe-183131025.html

Peter Nicholas and Sadie Gurman, “Sessions Defends Himself After Trump Slams DOJ and Decries ‘Flipping,’” Wall Street Journal, August 23, 2018, https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-decries-law-enforcement-tactic-of-flipping-criminal-defendants-1535033248

Jennifer Rubin, “Speaking of collusion . . .,” Washington Post, August 23, 2018, https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/opinions/wp/2018/08/23/speaking-of-collusion/

Adam Serwer, “Trump’s Troubles Are Just Getting Started,” Atlantic, August 23, 2018, https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/08/trumps-troubles-are-just-getting-started/568246/

Aaron Blake, “This may be the biggest flip yet in the Trump-Cohen saga,” Washington Post, August 24, 2018, https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2018/07/26/this-may-be-the-biggest-shoe-to-drop-from-the-trump-michael-cohen-tape/

Nicole Hong and Lukas I. Alpert, “David Pecker, CEO of National Enquirer Publisher, Granted Immunity in Michael Cohen Case,” Wall Street Journal, August 24, 2018, https://www.wsj.com/articles/pecker-granted-immunity-in-cohen-case-1535041976

Carol D. Leonnig, Devlin Barrett, and Rosalind S. Helderman, “Trump Organization executive Allen Weisselberg, who allegedly helped arrange hush-money reimbursement to Cohen, receives immunity,” Washington Post, August 24, 2018, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-organization-executive-allen-weisselberg-who-allegedly-helped-arrange-hush-money-reimbursement-to-cohen-granted-immunity/2018/08/24/404ebdf2-a7b1-11e8-97ce-cc9042272f07_story.html

Veronica Stracqualursi, “Trump responds to Sessions: Go investigate Dems and critics,” CNN, August 24, 2018, https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/24/politics/trump-continues-jeff-sessions-criticism/index.html


  1. [1]Niall Stanage, “Team Trump fights back,” Hill, August 22, 2018, http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/403154-the-memo-team-trump-fights-back
  2. [2]Burgess Everett and Nolan D. McCaskill, “‘It is what it is’: Republicans shrug off Trump’s legal meltdown,” Politico, August 22, 2018, https://www.politico.com/story/2018/08/22/republicans-senators-react-manafort-cohen-trump-791530
  3. [3]Peter Nicholas and Sadie Gurman, “Sessions Defends Himself After Trump Slams DOJ and Decries ‘Flipping,’” Wall Street Journal, August 23, 2018, https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-decries-law-enforcement-tactic-of-flipping-criminal-defendants-1535033248
  4. [4]Jennifer Rubin, “Speaking of collusion . . .,” Washington Post, August 23, 2018, https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/opinions/wp/2018/08/23/speaking-of-collusion/
  5. [5]Adam Serwer, “Trump’s Troubles Are Just Getting Started,” Atlantic, August 23, 2018, https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/08/trumps-troubles-are-just-getting-started/568246/
  6. [6]Veronica Stracqualursi, “Trump responds to Sessions: Go investigate Dems and critics,” CNN, August 24, 2018, https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/24/politics/trump-continues-jeff-sessions-criticism/index.html
  7. [7]Jeff Horwitz, “National Enquirer hid damaging Trump stories in a safe,” Yahoo, August 23, 2018, https://www.yahoo.com/news/reports-immunity-tabloid-ceo-trump-hush-money-probe-183131025.html
  8. [8]Aaron Blake, “This may be the biggest flip yet in the Trump-Cohen saga,” Washington Post, August 24, 2018, https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2018/07/26/this-may-be-the-biggest-shoe-to-drop-from-the-trump-michael-cohen-tape/; Nicole Hong and Lukas I. Alpert, “David Pecker, CEO of National Enquirer Publisher, Granted Immunity in Michael Cohen Case,” Wall Street Journal, August 24, 2018, https://www.wsj.com/articles/pecker-granted-immunity-in-cohen-case-1535041976; Carol D. Leonnig, Devlin Barrett, and Rosalind S. Helderman, “Trump Organization executive Allen Weisselberg, who allegedly helped arrange hush-money reimbursement to Cohen, receives immunity,” Washington Post, August 24, 2018, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-organization-executive-allen-weisselberg-who-allegedly-helped-arrange-hush-money-reimbursement-to-cohen-granted-immunity/2018/08/24/404ebdf2-a7b1-11e8-97ce-cc9042272f07_story.html
  9. [9]Dale Kasler, “Stung by criticism over wildfire response, Verizon lifts data ‘cap’ on first responders,” Sacramento Bee, August 24, 2018, https://www.sacbee.com/latest-news/article217296475.html (Mendocino Complex)
  10. [10]Adam Ashton, “Ratepayers would help pay off utilities’ fire debts under Legislature’s proposal,” Sacramento Bee, August 25, 2018, https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article217307900.html
  11. [11]William Finnegan, “California Burning,” review of Wildfire: On the Front Lines with Station 8, by Heather Hansen, Firestorm: How Wildfire Will Shape Our Future, by Edward Struzik, and Burning Planet: The Story of Fire Through Time, by Andrew C. Scott, New York Review of Books, August 16, 2018, https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2018/08/16/wildfires-california-burning/; Rong-Gong Lin, II, Joseph Serna, and Louis Sahagun, “143-mph ‘fire tornado’ that cut a path of destruction is an ominous sign of the future,” Los Angeles Times, August 3, 2018, http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-redding-tornado-destruction-20180802-story.html; Dana Nuccitelli, “Trump reignited his war with California, but his bizarre tweet got burned,” Guardian, August 13, 2018, https://www.theguardian.com/environment/climate-consensus-97-per-cent/2018/aug/13/trump-reignited-his-war-with-california-but-his-tweet-got-burned
  12. [12]Jon Brodkin, “Verizon throttled fire department’s ‘unlimited’ data during Calif. wildfire,” Ars Technica, August 21, 2018, https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/08/verizon-throttled-fire-departments-unlimited-data-during-calif-wildfire/; Jon Brodkin, “Fire dept. rejects Verizon’s “customer support mistake” excuse for throttling,” Ars Technica, August 22, 2018, https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/08/fire-dept-rejects-verizons-customer-support-mistake-excuse-for-throttling/; Ina Fried, “Verizon admits error in throttling California firefighters’ service,” Axios, August 21, 2018, https://www.axios.com/verizon-responds-to-allagations-it-throttled-fire-departments-wireless-connection-1534890751-04a282b1-e369-40c9-b8bf-779d8c7999b7.html

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