Month: August 2023

Europe is still turning towards illiberalism

benfell

Illiberalism


Fig. 1. Photograph by Joachim F. Thurn, August 1991, Bundesarchiv, B 145 Bild-F089030-0003, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE.

Matthew Karnitschnig, “Springtime for Europe’s fascists,” Politico, August 20, 2023, https://www.politico.eu/article/germany-fascism-populism-europe-bjorn-hocke-immigration-elections-eu/

Gilead

Donald Trump
Coup attempt


Fig. 1. “Jake Angeli (Qanon Shaman), seen holding a Qanon sign at the intersection of Bell Rd and 75th Ave in Peoria, Arizona, on 2020 October 15.” Photography by TheUnseen011101 [pseud.], October 15, 2020, via Wikimedia Commons, public domain.

Jennifer Rubin, “Why Trump’s Georgia case likely can’t be removed to federal court,” Washington Post, August 20, 2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/08/20/georgia-trump-trial-move-federal-court/

Pennsylvania


Fig. 1. When you get outside urban centers, Pennsylvania is very much a white Christian nationalist kind of place. Photograph by author, January 5, 2023.

Jason Nark, “This rural Pennsylvania utopia is like a spa for the mind,” Philadelphia Inquirer, August 20, 2023, https://www.inquirer.com/news/pennsylvania/mount-gretna-lebanon-county-pennsylvania-chautauqua-paradise-20230820.html

Imperialism

Russia

Ukraine


Fig. 1. “Destroyed Russian military vehicles located on the main street Khreshchatyk are seen as part of the celebration of the Independence Day of Ukraine in Kyiv, August 24.” Photograph by Gleb Garanich for Reuters, August 24, 2022,[1] fair use.

Ishaan Tharoor, “Ukraine’s hopes for maximal victory look remote,” Washington Post, August 21, 2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/08/21/ukraine-counteroffensive-hopes-endgame-victory-difficult/

Guatemala

The corrupt ruling elite are pulling out all the stops trying to stay in power. If they succeed, it won’t be with anything like a popular mandate.[2]

Nic Wirtz and Mary Beth Sheridan, “Anti-corruption candidate scores landslide win in Guatemala vote,” Washington Post, August 20, 2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/08/20/guatemala-presidential-elections-bernardo-arevalos/

Hilary

Once upon a time, I said routinely that the hardest thing in the world to forecast was an unattached low pressure area, that is, one not part of a frontal system. They do tend to zag where you might be expecting a zig.

On the whole, though, it has to be said that the National Weather Service is doing a much better job with forecasts these days. Hell, they’re even right half the time in PIttsburgh, which is a place meteorologists could go to be abjectly humiliated.

And it’s worth noting that the outcome of the zag was to put Hilary—or its remnants—back on the original forecast track.[3] That’s not bad at all for probabilistic work.

Rong-Gong Lin, II, and Susanne Rust, “How did Hilary end up over Compton, Dodger Stadium? The crazy path of the tropical storm,” Los Angeles Times, August 20, 2023, https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-08-20/la-me-hilary-center-path

  1. [1]Reuters, “Ukraine puts destroyed Russian tanks on display in Kyiv,” August 25, 2022, https://www.reuters.com/news/picture/ukraine-puts-destroyed-russian-tanks-on-idUSRTSALV9Q↩
  2. [2]Nic Wirtz and Mary Beth Sheridan, “Anti-corruption candidate scores landslide win in Guatemala vote,” Washington Post, August 20, 2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/08/20/guatemala-presidential-elections-bernardo-arevalos/↩
  3. [3]Rong-Gong Lin, II, and Susanne Rust, “How did Hilary end up over Compton, Dodger Stadium? The crazy path of the tropical storm,” Los Angeles Times, August 20, 2023, https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-08-20/la-me-hilary-center-path↩

Vladimir Putin’s future amid inevitable Russian defeat

benfell

Imperialism

Russia

Ukraine


Fig. 1. “Destroyed Russian military vehicles located on the main street Khreshchatyk are seen as part of the celebration of the Independence Day of Ukraine in Kyiv, August 24.” Photograph by Gleb Garanich for Reuters, August 24, 2022,[1] fair use.

Yaroslav Trofimov has a good summary of the thinking generally on the possibility of Vladimir Putin leaving power, what it means for Ukraine, what it means for the U.S. and the rest of the west.[2] Mostly, I archive it so I have something a bit more recent to cite.

I agree with the assessment that Vladimir Putin cannot accept the defeat that is almost certainly inevitably headed Russia’s way and therefore fights to prolong his hold on power.[3] Given the environment Putin grew up in,[4] even if he can bear the humiliation of defeat (I doubt this), he is likely unable to even imagine being able to hold on to power in that contingency. Therefore, the question for me is not whether Putin’s downfall would be a good or bad thing for the west, but rather how it can happen, because sooner or later it must, so that the situation at least is unstuck.

Yaroslav Trofimov, “Should the West Fear Putin’s Fall?” Wall Street Journal, August 18, 2023, https://www.wsj.com/world/russia/should-the-west-fear-putins-fall-f4e0a818

Hilary

Grace Toohey et al., “Hurricane Hilary barrels toward Southern California, bringing unprecedented dangers,” Wall Street Journal, August 19, 2023, https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-08-18/hurricane-hilary-category-4-southern-california

  1. [1]Reuters, “Ukraine puts destroyed Russian tanks on display in Kyiv,” August 25, 2022, https://www.reuters.com/news/picture/ukraine-puts-destroyed-russian-tanks-on-idUSRTSALV9Q↩
  2. [2]Yaroslav Trofimov, “Should the West Fear Putin’s Fall?” Wall Street Journal, August 18, 2023, https://www.wsj.com/world/russia/should-the-west-fear-putins-fall-f4e0a818↩
  3. [3]Yaroslav Trofimov, “Should the West Fear Putin’s Fall?” Wall Street Journal, August 18, 2023, https://www.wsj.com/world/russia/should-the-west-fear-putins-fall-f4e0a818↩
  4. [4]Julia Ioffe, “About a Boy: The Roots of Putin’s Evil,” Puck, May 10, 2022, https://puck.news/about-a-boy-the-roots-of-putins-evil/↩

A shameless Donald Trump is shamed in court yet again

benfell

Illiberalism

Gilead

Donald Trump
Hush money


Fig. 1. Cartoon by Jesse Duquette, undated, via “Minneapple23” [pseud.] on Imgur, April 1, 2023, fair use.

Tori Otten, “Judge Smacks Down Trump’s Fourth Attempt to Delay E. Jean Carroll Case,” New Republic, August 18, 2023, https://newrepublic.com/post/175081/trump-loses-fourth-attempt-delay-e-jean-carroll-case

Neoliberalism

Work


Fig. 1. The spectre of Death, in the form of a large skeleton, rises with the smoke and flames of the burning Asch Building during the Triangle fire, as people jump and fall to their death. Artist unknown, from International Ladies Garment Workers Union Photographs (1885-1985) at The Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.

Alexandra Martinez, “Workers continue to call for a boycott a year after Amy’s Kitchen closed a major factory,” Prism, August 15, 2023, https://prismreports.org/2023/08/15/amys-kitchen-workers-boycott-one-year/

Jack Kelly, “White-Collar Workers Face Hyperspecialization, Fewer Job Openings And Threats To Their Job Security,” Forbes, August 16, 2023, https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackkelly/2023/08/16/white-collar-workers-face-hyperspecialization-fewer-job-openings-and-threats-to-their-job-security/

San Francisco officials still don’t like robotaxis

benfell

Neoliberalism

Self-driving cars


Fig. 1. Photograph by Mark Doliner, August 1, 2012, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.

Ricardo Cano, “San Francisco asks California regulators to halt approval of expanded robotaxi service,” San Francisco Chronicle, August 16, 2023, https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/driverless-taxi-cruise-waymo-18300237.php

Work


Fig. 1. The spectre of Death, in the form of a large skeleton, rises with the smoke and flames of the burning Asch Building during the Triangle fire, as people jump and fall to their death. Artist unknown, from International Ladies Garment Workers Union Photographs (1885-1985) at The Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.

Jack Kelly, “White-Collar Workers Face Hyperspecialization, Fewer Job Openings And Threats To Their Job Security,” Forbes, August 16, 2023, https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackkelly/2023/08/16/white-collar-workers-face-hyperspecialization-fewer-job-openings-and-threats-to-their-job-security/

Illiberalism

Gilead

Donald Trump
Coup attempt


Fig. 1. “Jake Angeli (Qanon Shaman), seen holding a Qanon sign at the intersection of Bell Rd and 75th Ave in Peoria, Arizona, on 2020 October 15.” Photography by TheUnseen011101 [pseud.], October 15, 2020, via Wikimedia Commons, public domain.

IF YOU GO AFTER ME, I’M COMING AFTER YOU![1]

Maya Yang, “Names and addresses of Trump jurors in Georgia posted on rightwing websites,” Guardian, August 17, 2023, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/aug/17/georgia-grand-jurors-information-posted-rightwing-websites

Imperialism

Azerbaijan

Nagorno-Karabakh

Ishaan Tharoor, “Armenians see a new genocide taking place. Azerbaijan sees propaganda,” Washington Post, August 18, 2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/08/18/nagorno-karabakh-azerbaijan-armenia-genocide-propaganda/

  1. [1]Donald Trump, quoted in Edwin Rios, “Donald Trump: threatening social media post flagged by prosecutors in court filing,” Guardian, August 5, 2023, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/aug/05/donald-trump-threatening-social-media-post-flagged-by-prosecutors-in-court-filing↩

Bosses talking tough about ‘return to office?’ See what they actually do

benfell

Neoliberalism

Banking

Commercial real estate


Fig. 1. “The iconic Crescent stands as recognizable landmark in the upscale neighborhood of Uptown, Dallas.” Photograph by Dallasedits [pseud.], July 5, 2016, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Bosses like to talk tough about having workers return to the office. It looks like what they actually do may be a bit different.[1]

Jeffry Bartash, “Most businesses plan to stick to current work-from-home arrangements,” MarketWatch, August 16, 2023, https://www.marketwatch.com/story/most-businesses-plan-to-stick-to-current-work-from-home-arrangements-195d1827

Imperialism

Russia

Ukraine


Fig. 2. “The atomic cloud over Nagasaki 1945.” Photograph from Office for Emergency Management. Office of War Information. Overseas Operations Branch, New York Office, News and Features Bureau, (12/17/1942 – 09/15/1945), by Charles Levy, August 9, 1945, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

It’s important to remember that the point of a warning is so you don’t have to follow through. It requires those being warned, however, to heed the warning. So the question here is whether Russia, which views its war on Ukraine in existential terms,[2] will heed the warning to permit Black Sea shipping and, if not, whether the North Atlantic Treaty Organization will follow through.[3]

It’s taking enough longer than I thought that I’ve stepped back from my expectation of nuclear war between Russia and the west. But Vladimir Putin’s logic is unchanged.[4]

Gabriel Gavin, “Russia risks war with NATO in Black Sea, former top commander in Europe warns,” Politico, August 16, 2023, https://www.politico.eu/article/russia-ukraine-nato-war-risk-black-sea/

  1. [1]Jeffry Bartash, “Most businesses plan to stick to current work-from-home arrangements,” MarketWatch, August 16, 2023, https://www.marketwatch.com/story/most-businesses-plan-to-stick-to-current-work-from-home-arrangements-195d1827↩
  2. [2]Robyn Dixon, “Russia moves toward annexing Ukraine regions in a major escalation,” Washington Post, September 20, 2022, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/09/20/russia-referendum-annexation-luhansk-donetsk-kherson-ukraine/; Julia Ioffe, “Will Putin Get His World War III?” Puck News, February 22, 2022, https://puck.news/will-putin-get-his-world-war-iii/; Julia Ioffe, “Putin’s New Iron Curtain,” Puck News, February 24, 2022, https://puck.news/putins-new-iron-curtain/; Julia Ioffe, “Europe’s 9/11,” Puck News, March 3, 2022, https://puck.news/europes-9-11/; Luke McGee and Claire Calzonetti, “Putin spokesman refuses to rule out use of nuclear weapons if Russia faced an ‘existential threat,’” CNN, March 22, 2022, https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/22/europe/amanpour-peskov-interview-ukraine-intl/index.html; Eugene Rumer and Andrew S. Weiss, “Ukraine: Putin’s Unfinished Business,” Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, November 12, 2021, https://carnegieendowment.org/2021/11/12/ukraine-putin-s-unfinished-business-pub-85771↩
  3. [3]Gabriel Gavin, “Russia risks war with NATO in Black Sea, former top commander in Europe warns,” Politico, August 16, 2023, https://www.politico.eu/article/russia-ukraine-nato-war-risk-black-sea/↩
  4. [4]David Benfell, “Nuclear survival,” Not Housebroken, January 24, 2023, https://www.politico.eu/article/russia-ukraine-nato-war-risk-black-sea/↩

Where do supporters of annexing Wilkinsburg to Pittsburgh find their hubris?

benfell

Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh

Annexations


Fig. 1. Photograph by author, November 25, 2020.

If you’re gonna go to to a lot of trouble to get something on the ballot, against daunting legal odds, you should have some confidence you can get it to pass. I don’t think advocates of a Pittsburgh-Wilkinsburg annexation have even the barest beginning of reason for that confidence.

Hallie Lauer, “Supporters of Wilkinsburg annexation by Pittsburgh appeal to Pa. Supreme Court,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, August 16, 2023, https://www.post-gazette.com/local/east/2023/08/15/pittsburgh-wilkinsburg-merger-appeal-annexation-pa-supreme-court/stories/202308150106

Pollution


Fig. 1. Photographer unknown, circa 1940-1950, from Smoke Control Lantern Slide Collection, ca. 1940-1950, AIS.1978.22, Archives Service Center, University of Pittsburgh, via Bloomberg,[1] fair use.

Marc Levy, “A Pennsylvania study suggests links between fracking and asthma, lymphoma in children,” Associated Press, August 16, 2023, https://apnews.com/article/fracking-pennsylvania-health-environment-research-79dd7cfb9b3799e628b0c3667f30dcc4

Illiberalism


Fig. 1. Photograph by Joachim F. Thurn, August 1991, Bundesarchiv, B 145 Bild-F089030-0003, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE.

My presumed incomplete list of countries threatened by or under illiberal rule lengthens with the addition of Argentina.[2] What’s increasingly clear is that the phenomenon is far from limited to a single country or even a single continent. If there is a solution to illiberalism, it will need to take this into account.

Ishaan Tharoor, “In Argentina, a new Trump rises,” Washington Post, August 16, 2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/08/16/javier-milei-donald-trump-argentina/

  1. [1]Mark Byrnes, “What Pittsburgh Looked Like When It Decided It Had a Pollution Problem,” Bloomberg, June 5, 2012, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2012-06-05/what-pittsburgh-looked-like-when-it-decided-it-had-a-pollution-problem↩
  2. [2]Ishaan Tharoor, “In Argentina, a new Trump rises,” Washington Post, August 16, 2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/08/16/javier-milei-donald-trump-argentina/↩

Could Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg (two birds) kill each other with one cage fight (stone)?

benfell

Gilead

Twitter


Fig. 1. “Elon Musk shared a video of his entrance on his Twitter account.” Photograph attributed to Elon Musk, October 26, 2022, via the New York Post,[1] fair use.

The question of whether Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg will actually stage a cage fight is, for me, entirely subsumed by the question of why it matters if they do. (Are lethal concussions possible? Is it possible, dare we hope, that the two manage to kill each other?) Along the way, however, Casey Newton points out Musk’s erratic—very erratic—behavior and the fact that he has, among other things, a security clearance.[2]

I’m wondering why Musk has a security clearance and if said clearance, given his erratic behavior, should not be revoked forthwith.

Casey Newton, “Elon Musk’s creep show,” Platformer, August 14, 2023, https://www.platformer.news/p/elon-musks-creep-show

Illiberalism

Gilead

Donald Trump
Coup attempt


Fig. 1. “Jake Angeli (Qanon Shaman), seen holding a Qanon sign at the intersection of Bell Rd and 75th Ave in Peoria, Arizona, on 2020 October 15.” Photography by TheUnseen011101 [pseud.], October 15, 2020, via Wikimedia Commons, public domain.

The devil went to Georgia. Now he’s up on charges.[3] And it would see that the district attorney who’s charging him is no slouch.[4]

Jewel Wicker, “‘He’s going to be very surprised’: Georgia DA Fani Willis prepares to face off with Trump,” Guardian, August 14, 2023, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/aug/14/donald-trump-prosecutor-fulton-county-georgia-district-attorney-fani-willis

Kate Brumback and Eric Tucker, “Trump and 18 allies charged in Georgia election meddling as former president faces 4th criminal case,” Associated Press, August 15, 2023, https://apnews.com/article/trump-georgia-election-investigation-grand-jury-willis-d39562cedfc60d64948708de1b011ed3

  1. [1]Thomas Barrabi, “Elon Musk barges into Twitter HQ as deal nears: ‘Let that sink in,’” New York Post, October 26, 2022, https://nypost.com/2022/10/26/elon-musk-barges-into-twitter-headquarters-as-deal-nears/↩
  2. [2]Casey Newton, “Elon Musk’s creep show,” Platformer, August 14, 2023, https://www.platformer.news/p/elon-musks-creep-show↩
  3. [3]Kate Brumback and Eric Tucker, “Trump and 18 allies charged in Georgia election meddling as former president faces 4th criminal case,” Associated Press, August 15, 2023, https://apnews.com/article/trump-georgia-election-investigation-grand-jury-willis-d39562cedfc60d64948708de1b011ed3↩
  4. [4]Jewel Wicker, “‘He’s going to be very surprised’: Georgia DA Fani Willis prepares to face off with Trump,” Guardian, August 14, 2023, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/aug/14/donald-trump-prosecutor-fulton-county-georgia-district-attorney-fani-willis↩

They actually hallucinate running self-driving cars with the present state of mobile data coverage

benfell

Neoliberalism

Self-driving cars


Fig. 1. Photograph by Mark Doliner, August 1, 2012, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.

Apparently, this latest incident in San Francisco’s North Beach, which is just about the last neighborhood on the planet you want this too happen, was also caused by cellular network issues.[1]

I deal with cellular data coverage issues all day long in Pittsburgh, where the terrain is far hillier—it’s the fucking Appalachian Mountains for crying out loud—than San Francisco, certainly hillier than anyplace in North Beach where robotaxis might be expected to congregate. My observation has been that coverage went completely to hell when they introduced 5G.

And you may accordingly infer something pretty unfavorable about the prospects for success with self-driving cars when the companies developing this technology actually hallucinate that mobile data coverage is anywhere near up to the job.

Russ Mitchell, “San Francisco’s North Beach streets clogged as long line of Cruise robotaxis come to a standstill,” Los Angeles Times, August 12, 2023, https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-08-12/cruise-robotaxis-come-to-a-standstill

Illiberalism

Israel


Fig. 1. “Sara Netanyahu, wife of the Prime Minister of Israel, Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu signing the visitors’ book, at Teen Murti Chowk, in New Delhi. . . . The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi is also seen.” Photograph credited to Prime Minister's Office (GODL-India), January 14, 2018, via Wikimedia Commons, GODL-India

Methinks Binyamin Netanyahu is feeling some heat.

Times of Israel, “PM said to have shouted at IDF chiefs: ‘It looks like the army is running the country,’” August 14, 2023, https://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-said-to-shout-at-top-generals-over-public-warnings-on-idf-fitness/

Gilead

Abortion, reproductive freedom and health


Fig. 1. Sign at demonstration in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, May 3, 2022. Janni Rye, via Wikimedia Commons, Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.

Abortion rights activists qualifed their abortion rights measure for the Ohio ballot and White Christian nationalists promptly sued to get it disqualified. And they lost. Unanimously.[2] This after the white Christian nationalists had failed to raise the threshold for amending the state constitution (to make the abortion rights measure harder to pass).[3]

And folks are starting to notice that abortion just ain’t the winning electoral issue that white Christian nationalists thought it would be.[4] Give it time: There will be ramifications.

Jessie Balmert, “Ohio Supreme Court rejects legal challenge, clears path for November abortion rights vote,” Cincinnati Enquirer, August 11, 2023, https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/politics/2023/08/11/ohio-supreme-court-rejects-legal-challenge-to-abortion-rights-issue/70567955007/

  1. [1]Russ Mitchell, “San Francisco’s North Beach streets clogged as long line of Cruise robotaxis come to a standstill,” Los Angeles Times, August 12, 2023, https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-08-12/cruise-robotaxis-come-to-a-standstill↩
  2. [2]Jessie Balmert, “Ohio Supreme Court rejects legal challenge, clears path for November abortion rights vote,” Cincinnati Enquirer, August 11, 2023, https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/politics/2023/08/11/ohio-supreme-court-rejects-legal-challenge-to-abortion-rights-issue/70567955007/↩
  3. [3]Andrew J. Tobias and Jake Zuckerman, “Ohio voters reject State Issue 1, defeating hurdle for abortion-rights vote in November,” Cleveland Plain Dealer, August 8, 2023, https://www.cleveland.com/news/2023/08/ohio-voters-reject-state-issue-1-defeating-hurdle-for-abortion-rights-vote-in-november.html↩
  4. [4]Matt Ford, “Voters Keep Thwarting the Right’s Plans to Build Their Post-Dobbs Dystopia,” New Republic, August 11, 2023, https://newrepublic.com/article/174956/voters-stomping-anti-abortion-movement↩

What will stop San Francisco’s ‘doom loop?’ It doesn’t look to me like Mayor London Breed has an answer

benfell

Neoliberalism

Banking

Commercial real estate


Fig. 1. “The iconic Crescent stands as recognizable landmark in the upscale neighborhood of Uptown, Dallas.” Photograph by Dallasedits [pseud.], July 5, 2016, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Pretty sure San Francisco Mayor London Breed simply isn’t up to the challenge of resuscitating The City’s downtown. What I’m seeing here[1] looks a lot more like flailing and failing than anything else. It doesn’t appear The City is yet in a ‘doom loop’ but there’s a real question about what will stop it entering one.[2]

Jim Carlton and Katherine Bindley, “Can San Francisco Save Itself From the Doom Loop?” Wall Street Journal, August 13, 2023, https://www.wsj.com/articles/san-francisco-crime-downtown-doom-loop-e5fcd7ba

Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh


Fig. 1. Along Mifflin Road in Pittsburgh’s Hays neighborhood. Photograph by author, December 1, 2020.

In case anyone is wondering, the thunderstorm I reported last night[3] was barely a beginning. The tornado watch had been expected to end at 9:00 pm, and indeed, as far as I know, there were no tornadoes. But that’s roughly the time the thunderstorms really began. I fell asleep with flashes of lightning and booms of thunder.

  1. [1]Jim Carlton and Katherine Bindley, “Can San Francisco Save Itself From the Doom Loop?” Wall Street Journal, August 13, 2023, https://www.wsj.com/articles/san-francisco-crime-downtown-doom-loop-e5fcd7ba↩
  2. [2]Jim Carlton and Katherine Bindley, “Can San Francisco Save Itself From the Doom Loop?” Wall Street Journal, August 13, 2023, https://www.wsj.com/articles/san-francisco-crime-downtown-doom-loop-e5fcd7ba↩
  3. [3]David Benfell, “Hunter Biden gets a special counsel,” Irregular Bullshit, August 12, 2023, https://disunitedstates.com/2023/08/12/hunter-biden-gets-a-special-counsel/↩

Hunter Biden gets a special counsel

benfell

Neoliberalism

Democratic (neoliberal) Party

Joe Biden
Hunter Biden

The professional worriers will worry that Hunter Biden’s travails will dog his father in 2024. This, of course, is what Donald Trump’s supporters would like you to believe. I’m not seeing it yet.

Sadie Gurman and Aruna Viswanatha, “Hunter Biden Plea Talks Break Down as Justice Department Names Special Counsel,” Wall Street Journal, August 11, 2023, https://www.wsj.com/articles/merrick-garland-names-david-weiss-as-special-counsel-in-hunter-biden-investigation-a2ad0ba4

Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh


Fig. 1. Along Mifflin Road in Pittsburgh’s Hays neighborhood. Photograph by author, December 1, 2020.

I’m going to have to start regarding Pittsburgh as tornado country. There was the tornado watch a few days ago.[1] Now, as I write this, there’s yet another, covering much of Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York.[2]

I’m sitting in the South Fayette Library parking lot, running my notebook off their WiFi. A thunderstorm rolled through and I saw a notice from Allegheny County that the Clairton Works of U.S. Steel had been struck by lightning, forcing it to flare. But I’m still not seeing anything likely to yield a tornado. I’ll publish this and head home.

Jeff Himler, “Tornado, flood watch in effect for Western Pa. counties,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, August 12, 2023, https://triblive.com/local/regional/tornado-flood-watch-in-effect-for-western-pa-counties/

  1. [1]Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, “Tornado watch issued for portions of southwestern Pennsylvania,” August 7, 2023, https://www.post-gazette.com/news/weather-news/2023/08/07/tornado-watch-pittsburgh-region/stories/202308070059↩
  2. [2]Jeff Himler, “Tornado, flood watch in effect for Western Pa. counties,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, August 12, 2023, https://triblive.com/local/regional/tornado-flood-watch-in-effect-for-western-pa-counties/↩