Odds and Ends — 21 October 2023

7 months ago

Cryptocurrency, Investing, Money, Economy, Business, and Debt:

Advocacy groups push back against Sen. Warren linking crypto with terrorism

America’s federal budget deficit appears to have roughly doubled over the year to $2 trillion, a surprising jump given the strength of the economy.

Surprising only to those who haven’t been paying attention.

Citing Hamas, the US Wants to Officially Treat Crypto Anonymity Services as Suspected Money Launderers

Coronavirus News, Analysis, and Opinion:

Pfizer to price Covid drug Paxlovid at $1,390 per course

Drugmaker is expected to offer steep discounts to ensure wide access

I have no idea how much they spent on up-front research, but at the production stage it costs them $13 per course.

Florida Man:

How Ron DeSantis’ super PAC is taking financial pressure off his campaign

Politics:

Judge Suggests Prison for Trump for Violating Gag Order

A Manhattan judge tore into former President Donald Trump on Friday for failing to delete a post attacking his clerk on his campaign page, weeks after the imposition of a gag order.
“I learned that the subject offending post was never removed from the donaldjtrump.com and in fact, has been on the website for the past 17 days,” New York Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron remarked from the bench, asking why Trump shouldn’t face “serious sanctions” for his "blatant violation of the gag order," such as fines or “possibly imprisoning him.”

In the end, he got a slap on the wrist, getting a $5,000 fine that will of course be paid by his rube donors.

And then there’s this: Don Jr. Posts Attack on Judge After Gag Order Violation

A fine isn't going to stop them.

Sidney Powell Interview Shows Why Trump Wouldn't Stop the Insurrection

This clip from September 2021 spells it out.

Donald Trump Is Going to Get Someone Killed

Mr. Trump has never respected the norms of political behavior and there’s little reason to think gag orders will provide meaningful discipline either. As on Jan. 6, his supporters shed traditional rules as well.
The day is fast approaching when someone picks up a gun or builds a bomb and then seeks to follow through on Mr. Trump’s words. If and when that happens, he will say that he did not specifically direct or cause the violence, and he will probably escape without criminal charges — but the blood will be on his hands.

https://twitter.com/AdamParkhomenko/status/1715067779450093589?s=20

Peter Thiel Was an FBI Informant

Team Trump Never Dreamed Sidney Powell Would Flip on Them

https://twitter.com/joshtpm/status/1715098399333130377?s=20

How the ‘sex act’ has become a potent weapon for book banners in Iowa

https://twitter.com/ThePlumLineGS/status/1715074439186944225?s=20

Ex-Florida GOP lawmaker who sponsored so-called ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill sentenced to prison

A Party Unfit For Government

I know you know this, but it’s still vital to remember that a major political party is backing this incoherent, unhinged, fact-free narcissist to be president of the United States. It is therefore no surprise to discover that the same party is completely incapable of forming a stable majority in the House of Representatives because it too is incoherent, divided, unhinged, and narcissistic.
We’ve never had this amount of time without a Speaker in the history of the House. But then we’ve never had a majority party as utterly vacuous as this one.

https://twitter.com/MattGertz/status/1715387387436585319?s=20

Republicans Block Each Other on Social Media as Intraparty Chaos Grows

https://twitter.com/BillKristol/status/1715104536195400076?s=20

Biden Urges Americans Not To Let Dangerous Online Rhetoric Humanize Palestinians

https://twitter.com/RepJeffries/status/1714972034998923343?s=20