lucius septimius 3/31/2020 6:16:58 AM

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A Fish (tank cleaner drinker) Called Wanda.

Guess what!  She's a democrat!

Wanda told the Free Beacon that she and her husband were both Democrats, not Trump supporters. They heard about the potential benefits of chloroquine, an antimalarial drug, in news reports. She decided at the "spur of the moment" to try taking it, but reached for a fish tank cleaner in her pantry that contains chloroquine phosphate, a different and deadly form of the chemical. The Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency authorization for the use of chloroquine to treat coronavirus on Sunday.

"We weren't big supporters of [Trump], but we did see that they were using it in China and stuff," Wanda told the Free Beacon. "And we just made a horrible, tragic mistake," she said. "It was stupid, and it was horrible, and we should have never done it. But it's done and now I've lost my husband. And my whole life was my husband."

"We didn't think it would kill us," she added. "We thought if anything it would help us ‘cus that's what we've been hearing on the news."

In her first national news interview, Wanda told NBC News that she took the fish tank cleaner in a tragically botched attempt to follow medical advice that Trump had relayed in a press conference earlier that week.
"We saw Trump on TV—every channel—and all of his buddies and that this was safe," she said last Monday. "Trump kept saying it was basically pretty much a cure."

Which was a lie.  Will the NYT et. al. issue an apology?  

Occasional Reader 3/31/2020 6:17:32 AM

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lucius septimius 3/31/2020 7:24:14 AM

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Reply to Occasional Reader in 2:

I'm more concerned about scrubbing off the pollen.  I'm starting to look like a Simpson's character.

buzzsawmonkey 3/31/2020 7:28:47 AM

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In #2 Occasional Reader said: we are all now such compulsive hand washers.

We are all Lady MacBeth now---or Edward G. Robinson, who, as the managing editor of a sleazy tabloid in the film Five Star Final, is constantly washing his hands in a symbolic effort to expiate his guilt over what he does for the paper.  

Speaking of Five Star Final, it is one of three films that immediately come to mind when thinking of the importance of seemingly-incidental background music in older films.  In that film, the newspaper unearths an old murder case to build up circulation, driving the woman who'd been accused of the murder, but is now living a respectable life, to suicide.  When her husband finds that she has done away with herself, he is so grief-stricken that he, too, commits suicide.  There's a radio in the apartment playing a song (instrumental) as he commits that second suicide; the song is One More Time.

In Casablanca, everyone is familiar with Dooley Wilson's version of As Time Goes By (by then an "oldie" from the early '30s); most people do not notice that in the scene just before Rick meets Ilsa in the cafe, the "incidental" music is Avalon, a wistful song recalling/yearning for a lost love.

In the Paramount comedy International House (highly recommended for current viewing, since it takes place in WuHu, China), in the scene where WC Fields and Peggy Hopkins Joyce are undressing in the same hotel room, each unaware of the other's presence, the background music is a song called Look What I've Got ("Look what I've got; look what you've got"). 

Background music in older films was usually chosen with intent, as an ironic comment on the scene.

lucius septimius 3/31/2020 8:11:03 AM

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Reply to buzzsawmonkey in 4:

It's also significant that when Rick and Ilsa are dancing together in Paris the song playing is Perfidia.

buzzsawmonkey 3/31/2020 8:13:52 AM

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In #5 lucius septimius said: It's also significant that when Rick and Ilsa are dancing together in Paris the song playing is Perfidia.

Did not know that; did not know the song.  Thanks!

buzzsawmonkey 3/31/2020 8:20:26 AM

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Reply to lucius septimius in 5:

BTW, one of my favorite digs in Casablanca is when Major Strasser is talking to Rick about Victor Laszlo; he asks Rick, "You do not sympathize with the fox?" and Rick says, "Not necessarily; I understand the point of view of the hound, too."  Rick seems to be sympathizing with Strasser, as the hunter, but in calling him a "hound"---a much more common insult in English, too, in those days---he is impliedly calling him a dog, i.e., a schweinhund.

lucius septimius 3/31/2020 8:25:42 AM

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Reply to buzzsawmonkey in 7:

That whole scene is brilliant.  "Well major, there are certain parts of New York I would advise you not to try to invade."

lucius septimius 3/31/2020 8:27:00 AM

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Reply to lucius septimius in 1:

But wait!  There's more.  Woman had a long history of mental illness and had said that she wanted to divorce her husband.  Police are, I gather, investigating this.  Dimes to donuts, this turns out to be a murder.

buzzsawmonkey 3/31/2020 8:30:19 AM

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Reply to lucius septimius in 9:

She wanted to divorce the very husband that she's quoted as saying "was her whole life?"  Verrrrrrrrrry interesting...

buzzsawmonkey 3/31/2020 8:36:25 AM

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buzzsawmonkey 3/31/2020 8:40:16 AM

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lucius septimius 3/31/2020 8:53:58 AM

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In #12 buzzsawmonkey said: He was clearly poissoned!

Eye roll ...

buzzsawmonkey 3/31/2020 9:01:44 AM

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In #13 lucius septimius said: Eye roll

Eye roll was one of Jeffrey Dahmer's chef specialties.

JCM 3/31/2020 9:12:45 AM

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Reply to buzzsawmonkey in 14:

groan

Occasional Reader 3/31/2020 9:15:42 AM

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In #8 lucius septimius said: That whole scene is brilliant.

I don't recall if it's from the same scene, or shortly before or after, but I'm still puzzled by the following line by Capt. Renault:

We mustn't underestimate American blundering. I was with them when they blundered into Berlin in 1918.

Of course, neither Americans nor any other allies invaded Berlin in 1918; and 1942 audiences would have known that.  It's a very strange... well.... blunder, on the part of the writers and director.

JCM 3/31/2020 9:16:20 AM

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After report, warrant filed for Seattle prolific offender that was just released

After my report detailing a bigoted Seattle prolific offender threatening two men and a woman, followed by a quick release from jail, there’s been a change of heart. Francisco Calderon now faces likely felony charges and a warrant for his arrest. This all could have been avoided if we weren’t soft on crime in Seattle.

Francisco Calderon is accused of a bias-incident targeting two gay men he threatened with a syringe. After harassing the men, telling them that they should not be married (they weren’t), Calderon also harassed a black woman, calling her the n-word.

Calderon was arrested last Thursday night around 11 p.m., only to be quickly released Friday afternoon.

Now, after a day’s worth of bad press and a victim pursuing harsher punishment, the city has changed its tune.

lucius septimius 3/31/2020 9:18:13 AM

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In #16 Occasional Reader said: It's a very strange... well.... blunder, on the part of the writers and director.

It's one of several odd blunders.  For example, Capt Renault's medals are all US ones, including the US WWI victory medal.  

buzzsawmonkey 3/31/2020 9:18:50 AM

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Reply to Occasional Reader in 16:

It is odd.  I wonder whether it is an oblique recognition that it had been a blunder not to invade Berlin in 1918, and that that blunder would not be repeated this time.

Occasional Reader 3/31/2020 9:19:39 AM

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In #17 JCM said: calling her the n-word

And I continue to marvel at the fact that adults are using that expression - forced to, if they don't voluntarily do so - even for purposes of discussing the word.  It's really a form of collective madness.  Yes, it's a very naughty word.  But treating it like it's got some sort of evil, totemic power, such that the mere utterance or writing of the word unleashes malevolent forces, is akin to a belief in voodoo, and only gives the insult itself more power. 

Occasional Reader 3/31/2020 9:21:00 AM

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In #18 lucius septimius said: For example, Capt Renault's medals are all US ones, including the US WWI victory medal.  

Huh, I didn't know that.  I'd almost wonder if that was deliberate, in keeping with the overall portrayal of Renault as a thoroughly shady character (but who, of course, winds up doing the right thing in the end).

lucius septimius 3/31/2020 9:22:38 AM

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Reply to Occasional Reader in 21:

I think it's more a matter of "what do we have in the prop room."  They were rather less exacting when it came to costuming/set dressing in those days.

JCM 3/31/2020 9:25:51 AM

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Reply to lucius septimius in 22:

Prop room crew.... Ya think anyone will notice these are American and not French?

Nah, no will ever notice! Just use them.

buzzsawmonkey 3/31/2020 9:26:10 AM

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In #22 lucius septimius said: They were rather less exacting when it came to costuming/set dressing in those days.

Well, in SJ Perelman's stream-of-consciousness short story about the film industry, "Scenario," someone is saying to the prop/costume people, "I said Sixth Rajputana Rifles, and I don't want a lot of mugs parading around in the uniforms of the Preobazhinsky Guard, do you get me?"

doppelganglander 3/31/2020 9:34:17 AM

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Reply to lucius septimius in 22:

Watching Midway (2019) the other day, I noticed that the officers' khaki uniforms were very wrinkled. The BF told me that's how they were worn in 1942, despite what you see in movies of the period. It makes sense - it's tough to iron on board a ship, and permanent press hadn't been invented yet.

lucius septimius 3/31/2020 9:40:07 AM

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Reply to doppelganglander in 25:

Even Nimitz's uniform was wrinkled. 

Occasional Reader 3/31/2020 9:53:13 AM

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buzzsawmonkey 3/31/2020 10:36:31 AM

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Reply to Occasional Reader in 27:

The Federal Department of Gloom & Doom has apparently predicted that as many as 47 million people may lose their jobs.  I think this is an utterly useless utterance; as always, it's based on "models" and "projections" of things that we don't know with certainty in the first place, which means it comes from the Pull-It-Out-of-Your Ass School of Statistics.  And, ultimately, so what?  If it happens, we have to deal with it; if it doesn't happen, what good is the figure, and, even if we know the figure and know it has some substance, which we don't, what use is it?  It won't prevent or solve anything.  It seems calculated to do nothing but spread panic and depression and fear.

That said, I have to wonder whether a mass unemployment may actually end up being a catalyst for a new American Renaissance of entrepreneurialism and invention.  Maybe someone now stuck at home will find themselves thinking, "Hell, why should I go back to [insert job here]; maybe I should try out this idea of mine, or see if I can make a business happen?"  Wouldn't that be something?

JCM 3/31/2020 11:02:56 AM

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Reply to buzzsawmonkey in 28:

That's 1/3 of the total workforce.

33% unemployment rate?

How do they figure that?

Kenneth 3/31/2020 11:26:10 AM

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Good afternoon, all. Things are very quiet around here. My sourdough is bubbling nicely. I'm doing some drawing, currently working on a self-portrait. I take a walk each day, either with my wife or I meet up with my daughter M. 

After letting the lad stay up late playing online games & then sleeping in past noon for 2 weeks we decided it's time he got his brain in gear again. I sent up an account on Kahn Academy where he can finish his math & science Curriculum for this school year. We don't know when schools will re-open but they're saying the schools will remain closed to at least the end of April. The Toronto school board sent out an email a few days ago saying they're going to think about what they're going to do and then let us know more in a couple weeks. The teachers union is saying it would be unfair to put lessons online as not all students have access to computers & the internet. You know damn well fairness has nothing to do with it. The teacher's union is opposed to online learning because it threatens their monopoly.

On the political front, the premier of Ontario, Doug Ford (brother of the late & colourful Rob Ford) is doing an excellent job and getting praise from all sides. Meanwhile in Ottawa, Justin Trudeau continues to be a clueless dolt and is set to introduce his idiotic carbon tax tomorrow. Because we really need to "fight climate change" right now.

If that wasn't enough learning for the lad, we enrolled him in a credit course for Spanish, (online from a private school). He says he prefers to learn Spanish rather than French as Spanish is "a baseball language". He already picked up a few words of Spanish from his Cuban baseball coach, although probably not the best words. There's one hitch to this, however. During the negotiations I may have promised him a kitten, which he has longed begged for. So the deal is he must complete the course this summer and get an A, then he gets a kitten, or I should say, el gatito.

buzzsawmonkey 3/31/2020 11:40:41 AM

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Reply to Kenneth in 30:

Kenneth! Glad to see you.  There were a couple of other comments about Oliver Twist which I made after you replied to my initial ones on 3/20, and some additional followup on the Sunday thread of 3/22, which you may have missed.  

Kenneth 3/31/2020 11:46:21 AM

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Reply to buzzsawmonkey in 31:

I read them later, Buzz. That you very much. you always have some fascinating insights to share. The lad polished off Oliver Twist in the first week. Now he's reading an adventure novel about Roman Britain. He's always been an avid reader, for which I am greatful.

Occasional Reader 3/31/2020 11:55:17 AM

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In #30 Kenneth said: Kahn Academy

Be warned: they are intelligent, but not experienced. Their pattern indicates two dimensional thinking.

Kenneth 3/31/2020 12:11:27 PM

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Reply to Occasional Reader in 33:

KAAAAHHHNNNN!!!!

buzzsawmonkey 3/31/2020 12:23:11 PM

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Reply to Kenneth in 34:

One more thing---there's always one more thing---when Oliver first goes out with the Dodger and sees the Dodger picking someone's pocket, he's picking a pocket in the tail of the man's tailcoat.  Most people nowadays are unaware that tailcoats/frock coats originally had pockets in the tails, easily accessible via the center vent in the coat, and a usual place for handkerchiefs and, occasionally, things of greater value.   The frock coats worn today by Hasidim do not have such pockets, but they were a usual feature in 19th/early 20th century men's clothes.

vxbush 3/31/2020 12:27:29 PM

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In #26 lucius septimius said:

Oh, but there are pant creases, please notice. 

buzzsawmonkey 3/31/2020 12:31:15 PM

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In #36 vxbush said: Oh, but there are pant creases, please notice. 

David Brooks is thrilled...

buzzsawmonkey 3/31/2020 12:43:35 PM

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So...everyone has seen the Laurel & Hardy film "Babes in Toyland," aka "The March of the Wooden Soldiers," right?  It used to be standard fare on TV, especially around Christmas-time.  Not one of their better efforts, but...you'll recall that they are the bumbling employees of the Toymaker, and one of them gets an order wrong; instead of making 6000 toy soldiers 3 inches high, they make 3000 "toy soldiers" 6 feet high, or something of the sort, and are fired for their incompetence.  The soldiers come in handy, however, when Toyland is invaded by the evil Bogey-Men, and are activated to drive out the Bogey-Men.

Anyway, I was thinking about the GM "Toymaker," which has had not a few recalls of the vehicles it produces in its history, and was imagining some bumbling employees making a batch of accessories which were not useful for the cars---but when the American Toyland is invaded by the evil Bogey-Virus, these previously-useful accessories become readily adaptable as ventilators.  If anyone feels it worthwhile to play around with this embryonic scenario, have at it.

Occasional Reader 3/31/2020 1:04:59 PM

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WE ARE SAVED

Lady Gaga apparently has been in touch with the director of the World Health Organization, and is prepared to fight coronavirus. 

buzzsawmonkey 3/31/2020 1:08:32 PM

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In #39 Occasional Reader said: Lady Gaga apparently has been in touch with the director of the World Health Organization, and is prepared to fight coronavirus. 

WHO, Nellie!

lucius septimius 3/31/2020 1:28:14 PM

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Reply to vxbush in 36:

They had big flat presses in the laundries on most ships.  Those would put a good crease in the pants. 

buzzsawmonkey 3/31/2020 1:30:43 PM

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In #41 lucius septimius said: Those would put a good crease in the pants. 

Malayan soldiers were famous for always having a kris in their pants.

Occasional Reader 3/31/2020 1:41:14 PM

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In #42 buzzsawmonkey said: Malayan soldiers were famous for always having a kris in their pants.

"... or are you happy to see me?"

Kenneth 3/31/2020 1:47:37 PM

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In #39 Occasional Reader said: Lady Gaga ...is prepared to fight coronavirus. 

Big if true!

buzzsawmonkey 3/31/2020 1:55:09 PM

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Reply to Occasional Reader in 39: Reply to Kenneth in 44:

I still say we should call it the Miley Virus, since it came in like a wrecking ball.

Kosh's Shadow 3/31/2020 2:28:36 PM

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COVID-19 has a protein that helps its RNA look like human RNA

Scientists from Northwestern University mapped the atomic structure of two critical proteins in a complex, nsp10 and nsp16, according to a statement from Argonne National Laboratory, which helped collect the data.

The researchers noted the proteins modify the genetic material of the virus so it looks more like human RNA, allowing the virus to multiply and potentially give time for the immune system to find the virus and remove it, once a drug is developed.

Seems unlikely to me that a bat virus would evolve this protein.

Kosh's Shadow 3/31/2020 2:39:14 PM

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Reply to Kosh's Shadow in 46: 

That pushed my belief that COVID-19 contains genes from a bioweapon from plausible to likely,

JCM 3/31/2020 2:39:16 PM

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In #46 Kosh's Shadow said: Seems unlikely to me that a bat virus would evolve this protein.

Also possible and impossible to trace is COVID-19 has infected humans before. Jumped to animals, mutated and jumped back.

buzzsawmonkey 3/31/2020 3:17:10 PM

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JCM 3/31/2020 3:27:19 PM

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Reply to buzzsawmonkey in 49:

Guilt by association.

Sounds familiar.

buzzsawmonkey 3/31/2020 3:56:04 PM

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Reply to JCM in 50:

I don't mind a little guilt by association, but "guilty" of what, precisely?  

Fauci was hated by the gay-rights movement back in the worst of the AIDS epidemic, because he continually debunked the wacko theories that AIDS wasn't spread by needles and sexually-risky behavior.   I don't now recall whether he urged closing of the baths and backroom bars that were the primary contagion pestholes, but I do recall that the gay-rights movement fought every such suggestion tooth and nail, because the movement was hoping to make the disease "break out" into the larger population.  They claimed it was "cultural genocide" to close those places, and that they would serve as "safe sex" teaching facilities (har har har).  

In any event, it is interesting to see Fauci, who was vilified endlessly by the far-Left gay-rights movement for doing his job, now being vilified by the far-Right (of a sort) for...what?

lucius septimius 3/31/2020 4:01:54 PM

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In #51 buzzsawmonkey said: he continually debunked the wacko theories that AIDS wasn't spread by needles and sexually-risky behavior.  

Wait -- you mean it wasn't spread by ulta-bad thoughts of eeeeevil Evangelical Christians?

buzzsawmonkey 3/31/2020 4:07:08 PM

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In #52 lucius septimius said: Wait -- you mean it wasn't spread by ulta-bad thoughts of eeeeevil Evangelical Christians?

I don't remember now what the supposed alternative cause was supposed to be, but there were a whole lot of people back then insisting that HIV was not the cause of AIDS.