More Financial Corruption Trails Emerge, Politico’s Changing Headline Notwithstanding
Ever since his campaign began in 2015, President Donald Trump has been very vocal about China. He often brags about having the country wrapped around his finger while boasting his signature “America First” ideology. Recently, he’s not been afraid to point fingers at the country for the coronavirus either, and he uses China’s impeding global influence as a talking point in his campaign against former Vice President Joe Biden. He claims that if Biden wins the election, then China will essentially take over all of America.
Not only is this rhetoric overdramatic, but it is also quite hypocritical coming out of Trump’s mouth. The President can accuse the Biden all he wants, but a recent Politico feature exposed that Trump owed (originally published as “owes”) China millions of dollars for a real estate deal he made with them back in 2012.
Although the original Politico story has been re-published and disputed, these dealings remain part of a larger pattern of corruption and conflicts of interest by this president and need to be heavily scrutinized for the good of the country.
The deal involved Trump taking a massive loan from the state-run Bank Of China for a 30% stake in the Avenue of America skyscraper in Manhattan, a property worth over $1 billion total. Trump reportedly owes the bank $211 million for his share, and that debt could mature during Trump’s second term.
Follow the Money is Still the Mantra for Combatting Corruption
The President’s conspicuous relationship with China does not end with this single loan, though. According to Politico, “Chinese state-owned companies are constructing two luxury Trump developments in United Arab Emirates and Indonesia. The president and his daughter Ivanka Trump, a White House adviser, have been awarded trademarks by China’s government. And his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, has courted Chinese investors in at least one other real estate deal.”
Thus, Trump has clear reason to be personally invested in and politically defensive of China. Even if he plays the role of a bullish international diplomat for the media, our president has multiple questionable financial ties to China. He even brought up the Avenue of America property during a 2015 speech, citing it as an example of his business-savviness when dealing with the foreign country. What he left out, however, is that he still owed China millions of dollars, and would continue being in their debt well into his presidency.
No matter what kind of dirt Trump has (or has tried to attain) on Biden and the VP’s international dealings with Ukraine, they do not nullify his own actions with China. And it’s hard to imagine Trump always putting America first when China has a $211 million sway over his hallowed wallet.
“OUR HOUSE IS ON FIRE” COURTESY OF FRIDAYS FOR FUTURE / FF LOS ANGELES
Celebrating Earth Day’s 50th must mark a New Beginning for the Next 50
April 22nd, 2020 marks the 50th anniversary of the original Earth Day. While Earth Day is not technically a national holiday, many people in power recognize the occasion, and its momentum over the past half-century has evoked real environmental change.
Earth Day was first conceptualized in late 1969, when U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson hired Harvard grad student Denis Hayes to organize the inaugural event for the following spring. At first, the senator and student imagined the day as a nationwide teach-in to celebrate the natural world, educate about the environment, and push for activism.
According to Hayes in a recent New York Times article reflecting on the 1970 event, the first Earth Day “was not an anti-litter campaign… it was talking about fundamental changes in the nature of the American economy.” The occasion drew over 20 million people to rally in city streets across the country.
The event was a serious push for dire political and economic transformation that eventually proved immensely effective. In the months following Earth Day, President Nixon created the Environmental Protection Agency and progressive amendments were added to the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts. It also launched America’s environmental movement into full throttle.
Taking Action and Raising Awareness is Still the Most important Focus for Earth Day
Earth Day’s original incarnation occurred during a far from tranquil period in American history. The Vietnam War was at a tumultuous height, civilian protests were ubiquitous, the Civil Rights movement was ongoing, and the Cold War was far from over. Still, with passion and perseverance, the event turned out being a success and managed to evoke positive change in an unlikely time.
Now, fifty years later, America is on the brink of multiple crisis points at once. Politicians and constituents are ideologically polarized, the 2020 presidential election is starting to boil, and most pressingly, the entire world is working to combat and understand COVID-19.
Just like the first Earth Day, ED-2020 comes at a deeply turbulent time.
Climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss as a result of human activity will not stop in the face of the novel coronavirus pandemic. Neither will the political responses to it—Trump, for example, cut fuel efficiency standards right around the same time that the stateside coronavirus shutdowns began.
Simultaneously, Earth Day 2020 has the potential for inspiring a path toward great opportunities.The recent oil crash signifies the possible end for the hegemonic, dangerous and corrupt fossil fuel industry. Meanwhile, a new report from the International Renewable Energy Agency suggests that investing in green energy right now might be the economy’s best chance at recovery from the COVID-19 stock plummets.
The issues may have changed over the past fifty years. The world certainly has. Nevertheless, Earth Day still fights for the same overall goals that it did back in 1970: an environmentally sound and equitable planet for everyone sharing it.
Although social distancing orders may be hindering Earth Day’s regular festivities this year, its supporters still celebrate with virtual activities accessible from home.
Today, after much speculation in the media as to when this would finally happen, President Obama released an official and detailed statement outlining his support and endorsement of his former VP, Joe Biden.
After gaining the endorsement of his former rival Bernie Sanders, the democratic ticket is gaining clarity with the next big announcement to be the naming of Biden’s VP choice. There has been speculation that it could be, as promised, a woman, with both Kamala Harris and Amy Klobuchar mentioned, as well as Michelle Obama in what would be a bombshell, to say the least. In case a surprise male pick were to emerge, there’s been a somewhat more far-fetched prediction of Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York.
While this was no surprise, the timing of it and how it would be handled was an unknown, until now. Watch the full video above or read below for the full text.
Here is the full text of the video:
Hi everybody. Let me start by saying the obvious – these aren’t normal times. As we all manage our way through a pandemic unlike anything we’ve seen in a century, Michelle and I hope that you and your families are safe and well. If you’ve lost somebody to this virus, or if someone in your life is sick, or if you’re one of the millions suffering economic hardship, please know that you’re in our prayers. Please know that you’re not alone. Because now’s the time for all of us to help where we can and to be there for each other, as neighbors, as coworkers, and as fellow citizens.
In fact, over the past weeks, we’ve seen plenty of examples of the kind of courage, kindness, and selflessness that we’re going to need to get through one of the most difficult times in our history. Michelle and I have been amazed at the incredible bravery of our medical professionals who are putting their lives on the line to save others. The public servants and health officials battling this disease. The workers taking risks every day to keep our economy running. And everyone who’s making their own sacrifice at home with their families, all for the greater good.
But if there’s one thing we’ve learned as a country from moments of great crisis, it’s that the spirit of looking out for one another can’t be restricted to our homes, or our workplaces, or our neighborhoods, or our houses of worship. It also has to be reflected in our national government. The kind of leadership that’s guided by knowledge and experience; honesty and humility; empathy and grace – that kind of leadership doesn’t just belong in our state capitols and mayors offices. It belongs in the White House.
And that’s why I’m so proud to endorse Joe Biden for President of the United States.
Choosing Joe to be my Vice President was one of the best decisions I ever made, and he became a close friend. And I believe Joe has all the qualities we need in a President right now.
He’s someone whose own life has taught him how to persevere; how to bounce back when you’ve been knocked down.
When Joe talks with parents who’ve lost their jobs, we hear the son of a man who once knew the pain of having to tell his children that he’d lost his.
When Joe talks about opportunity for our kids, we hear the young father who took the train home each night so he could tuck his children into bed – and we hear the influence of Jill, a life-long teacher.
When Joe talks to families who’ve lost a hero, we hear another parent of an American veteran; a kindred spirit; somebody whose faith has endured the hardest loss there is.
That’s Joe. Through all his trials, he’s never once forgotten the values or the moral fiber that his parents passed on to him, and that made him who he is. That’s what steels his faith – in God, in America, and in all of us.
That steel made him an incredible partner when I needed one the most.
Joe was there as we rebuilt from the Great Recession and rescued the American auto industry. He was the one asking what every policy would do for the middle class and everyone striving to get into the middle class. That’s why I asked him to implement the Recovery Act, which saved millions of jobs and got people back on their feet – because Joe gets stuff done.
Joe helped me manage H1N1 and prevent the Ebola epidemic from becoming the type of pandemic we’re seeing now. He helped me restore America’s standing and leadership in the world on the other threats of our time, like nuclear proliferation and climate change.
Joe has the character and the experience to guide us through one of our darkest times and heal us through a long recovery. And I know he’ll surround himself with good people – experts, scientists, military officials who actually know how to run the government and care about doing a good job running the government, and know how to work with our allies, and who will always put the American people’s interests above their own.
Now Joe will be a better candidate for having run the gauntlet of primaries and caucuses alongside one of the most impressive Democratic fields ever. Each of our candidates were talented and decent, with a track record of accomplishment, smart ideas, and serious visions for the future.
And that’s certainly true of the candidate who made it farther than any other – Bernie Sanders. Bernie’s an American original – a man who has devoted his life to giving voice to working people’s hopes, dreams, and frustrations. He and I haven’t always agreed on everything, but we’ve always shared a conviction that we have to make America a fairer, more just, more equitable society. We both know that nothing is more powerful than millions of voices calling for change. And the ideas he’s championed; the energy and enthusiasm he inspired, especially in young people, will be critical in moving America in a direction of progress and hope.
Because for the second time in twelve years, we’ll have the incredible task of rebuilding our economy. And to meet the moment, the Democratic Party will have to be bold.
You know, I could not be prouder of the incredible progress that we made together during my presidency. But if I were running today, I wouldn’t run the same race or have the same platform as I did in 2008. The world is different; there’s too much unfinished business for us to just look backwards. We have to look to the future. Bernie understands that. And Joe understands that. It’s one of the reasons that Joe already has what is the most progressive platform of any major party nominee in history. Because even before the pandemic turned the world upside down, it was already clear that we needed real structural change.
The vast inequalities created by the new economy are easier to see now, but they existed long before this pandemic hit. Health professionals, teachers, delivery drivers, grocery clerks, cleaners, the people who truly make our economy run – they’ve always been essential. And for years, too many of the people who do the essential work of this country have been underpaid, financially stressed, and given too little support. And that applies to the next generation of Americans – young people graduating into unprecedented unemployment. They’re going to need economic policies that give them faith in the future and give them relief from crushing student loan debt.
So we need to do more than just tinker around the edges with tax credits or underfunded programs. We have to go further to give everybody a great education, a lasting career, and a stable retirement.
We have to protect the gains we made with the Affordable Care Act, but it’s also time to go further. We should make plans affordable for everyone, provide everyone with a public option, expand Medicare, and finish the job so that health care isn’t just a right, but a reality for everybody.
We have to return the U.S. to the Paris Agreement, and lead the world in reducing the pollution that causes climate change. But science tells us we have to go much further – that it’s time for us to accelerate progress on bold new green initiatives that make our economy a clean energy innovator, save us money, and secure our children’s future.
Of course, Democrats may not always agree on every detail of the best way to bring about each and every one of these changes. But we do agree that they’re needed. And that only happens if we win this election.
Because one thing everybody has learned by now is that the Republicans occupying the White House and running the U.S. Senate are not interested in progress. They’re interested in power. They’ve shown themselves willing to kick millions off their health insurance and eliminate preexisting condition protections for millions more, even in the middle of this public health crisis, even as they’re willing to spend a trillion dollars on tax cuts for the wealthy. They’ve given polluters unlimited power to poison our air and our water, and denied the science of climate change just as they denied the science of pandemics. Repeatedly, they’ve disregarded American principles of rule of law, and voting rights, and transparency – basic norms that previous administrations observed regardless of party. Principles that are the bedrock of our democracy.
So our country’s future hangs on this election. And it won’t be easy. The other side has a massive war chest. The other side has a propaganda network with little regard for the truth. On the other hand, pandemics have a way of cutting through a lot of noise and spin to remind us of what is real, and what is important. This crisis has reminded us that government matters. It’s reminded us that good government matters. That facts and science matter. That the rule of law matters. That having leaders who are informed, and honest, and seek to bring people together rather than drive them apart – those kind of leaders matter.
In other words, elections matter. Right now, we need Americans of goodwill to unite in a great awakening against a politics that too often has been characterized by corruption, carelessness, self-dealing, disinformation, ignorance, and just plain meanness. And to change that, we need Americans of all political stripes to get involved in our politics and our public life like never before.
For those of us who believe in building a more just, more generous, more democratic America where everybody has a fair shot at opportunity. For those of us who believe in a government that cares about the many, and not just the few. For those of us who love this country and are willing to do our part to make sure it lives up to its highest ideals – now’s the time to fight for what we believe in.
So join us. Join Joe. Go to JoeBiden.com right now. Make a plan for how you are going to get involved. Keep taking care of yourself, and your families, and each other. Keep believing in the possibilities of a better world. And I will see you on the campaign trail as soon as I can.
Last November, legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese made his debut into the world of streaming with “The Irishman.” After ViacomCBS deemed the project too costly, Paramount withdrew support from the movie and Netflix picked it up, willing to give Scorsese the creative freedom (and $159 million budget) he needed to see his vision come alive.
Click to buy “Killers of the Flower Moon” and at the same time help Lynxotic and all independent local bookstores. Also on Amazon
Now, it looks as if that recent history already about to repeat itself. Scorsese’s next big project, titled “Killers Of The Flower Moon,” has been in development under Paramount since early 2019. However, its budget has been perpetually increasing, now requiring an estimated $200 million. This is a tall price for any studio to pay for a film, but ViacomCBS in particular is already in a precarious financial situation as it struggles to keep up with conglomerate competitors like Disney, WarnerMedia, and Universal.
Furthermore, Paramount (like all other studios) is currently dealing with the COVID-19 setbacks and economic crashes. Now is not a safe time for anyone to take extravagant risks in the entertainment industry, and a $200 million Scorsese project is far from a conservative investment.
While Paramount has not officially detached itself from the film yet, Scorsese has already started eyeing other production companies, most notably his old pals at Netflix and some new faces at Apple. Last year’s “The Irishman” was one of Netflix’s biggest selling points, especially as the streaming wars started taking off in mid-November. The film set a new standard for Netflix as a company that supports creative and prestigious filmmakers. During awards season, “The Irishman” earned the streaming site an unprecedented 10 Oscar nominations. Sadly, it took home none.
Apple is the New Kid on the Block but with Very Deep Pockets
Apple, on the other hand, would be new territory for Scorsese. The tech company’s new streaming site, Apple TV+, launched just last November, and has focused more on creating quality television series than films. However, the platform recently released its first original movie—“The Banker” starring Samuel L. Jackson—and is allegedly spending big money on a Will Farrel-Ryan Reynolds musical adaptation of “A Christmas Carol” for an upcoming holiday season. Adding the new Scorsese project to the platform’s budding filmography would likely benefit Apple’s rising studio image.
Scorsese reportedly talked with executives at Universal and MGM as well, so there remains a possibility that the film will not end up on a streaming site at all.
Of course, whatever studio or website “Killers Of The Flower Moon” ends up on, the adopting company will have to go through ViacomCBS first. Paramount is not required to sell the film, and it will definitely want compensation for all of the money it has already invested. The way things are going, though, selling will probably be in Paramount’s best interest, for the film is becoming far too expensive to hold on to.
In addition to Paramount, a smaller, independent company called Imperative Entertainment is also attached to the film. Unlike Paramount, though, Imperative will likely continue its attachment, for it bares far less of the financial burden.
“Killers Of The Flower Moon” is meant to come out sometime next year, but with the coronavirus affecting schedules across the board as well as the current studio mix-ups, it very well might take longer to finish.
Book Origin is Intriguing as a Backdrop to a A-List Team Effort
The film is an adaptation of the 2017 book, “Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI,” by bestselling author David Grann. The book follows the federal investigation into the murders of Osage County Native Americans in 1920s Oklahoma. It’s a slow burning true story that will lend itself well to Scorsese’s hardboiled, historical take on narrative film.
Scorsese veterans Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro are meant to star in the movie. Di Niro starred in last year’s “The Irishman” and has appeared in nine Scorsese features since they first collaborated in 1973’s “Mean Streets.” The much younger DiCaprio last worked with Scorsese in 2013’s “The Wolf Of Wall Street” and has done a total of five movies with the auteur since 2002’s “Gangs Of New York.” He is also expected to star in a Theodore Roosevelt biopic, which Scorsese has been developing and hopes to start directing after finishing “Killers of the Flower Moon.”
This project will be the twenty-sixth feature in Martin Scorsese illustrious directorial career, which has lasted over half a century now. Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro are two of his most loyal collaborators, and their creative relationships with the director have been quite fruitful from artistic and financial perspectives. Both actors are Oscar winning leads, yet “Killers Of The Flower Moon” will be the first time they share the screen in a feature since 1996’s “Marvin’s Room.”
Regardless of where it ends up studio-wise, “Killers Of The Flower Moon” is bound to be a cinematic spectacle and a much talked about movie in the coming years. Whoever ends up getting their hands on the film will be lucky. That being said, it comes at a hefty ($200+ million) price, which is a sizable gamble even in the most normal of circumstances.
Local print and digital news industries have been in a fragile state for the past decade or so. As print journalism becomes outdated, digital news grows oversaturated, and Facebook and Google dominate the online advertising market, newspapers—both young and old, established and local—have been downsizing, reprogramming, and, in some cases, abandoning operations. Now, with the COVID-19 pandemic tanking the economy, these papers are getting yet another potentially fatal blow, this time at a moment when we need them the most.
Click to buy “Tech Trends in Practice” and at the same time help Lynxotic and all independent local bookstores. Also available on Amazon.
While subscriptions to various outlets could certainly be higher, the real culprit behind the industry’s recent setback has been a lack in ads. With businesses are closing their doors and the stock market chronically sinking amidst orders for most consumers to stay at home. Temporarily shut down businesses with no active customers naturally have no purpose in increasing or continuing advertising campaigns. People are steadfastly living in isolation, pausing the conventional market flow and thus rendering most ads futile or impotent at best.
Unfortunately for many news media outlets, ads are where most of the revenue comes from. Advertisements fund nearly all of the journalism that makes these publications worthwhile. While actual subscription sales do a part of the job, their contributions are meager compared to the ads. Therefore, while isolation might actually yield increased readership, the ad supported outlets still face financial losses and sink further into debt during this crisis.
While Journalism Struggles America Needs Professional Reporting more than Ever
“Crisis” is the apt word for the present situation, which should speak volumes to the current necessity for quality journalism. Fear, half-truths, political discord, and downright uncertainty grips the nation. The Press has a longstanding Democratic obligation to keep Americans informed and feed them the whole truth. If it ceases to operate—especially in these unstable times—then people may turn to unreliable sources, court misinformation, and render the already scary situation even more dangerous.
In previous periods when journalism hit roadblocks, such as during the Great Recession in 2008, most papers found ways around the situation by increasing pay walls on digital services or seeking private funding. These options might still be available for major publications like The New York Times or The Washington Post. However, smaller, local and regional news outlets are unlikely to find similar rescue options.
A Huge Need For Local and Regional Reporting Exists
Local news organizations are the most vulnerable outlets during the COVID-19 pandemic, as they have tighter readerships, rely on smaller business ads, and don’t share the same major connections that some of the bigger publications boast. They are no less important, though, as they cater to parts of the country removed from urban hubs and spread localized information to contained populations.
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Consequentially, the News Media Alliance and America’s Newspapers—two trade associations representing over 2000 newspapers both big and small—are turning to the federal government for help. On March 30th, NMA President David Chavern and America’s Newspapers CEO H. Dean Ridings penned a letter to President Donald Trump, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. In the letter, they beseech the feds for relief funding, making a case for journalists as essential workers and crucial parts of the current fight against COVID-19.
In the meantime, however, things are sadly only getting worse for America’s newspapers. According to PressGazette on April 1st, newspaper ad revenues have dropped by 50% since the corona virus shutdowns began. With newsrooms clearing out and many journalists working from home, papers are growing pickier about who and what is essential, cutting costs by laying off personnel and printing fewer stories.
And all of this happening at a time when the Press perseveres as a last line of defense between truth and hysteria.
Trump Cuts Obama-Era Fuel Efficiency Standards By Half, An Economic Risk With Environmental Costs
On Tuesday, March 31st, President Donald Trump delivered yet again on one of his more cryptic campaign promises—to roll back environmental policies set during the Obama Administration in order to boost the fossil-fuel economy. This time, his instrument of anti-ecological attack is the automotive industry, which he seeks to send back to the carbon spewing dark ages at the peril of destroying all life on earth.
The new standards being pushed into action are regressive from the 2012-initiated Obama standards. Eight years ago, President Obama called for automakers to increase efficiency by 5% and aim for a 54 mpg average on vehicles. Trump’s new plan reduces that efficiency to 2.5% and aims instead for a more conservative 40 mpg. The EPA and the Department of Transportation recently wrote up and expressed support of Trump’s amended standards.
The stated rationale behind this change, according to Trump and his colleagues, is that it will help the economy. These standards will decrease the price of cars by an estimated $1,000, in order to incentivize people to buy newer and safer vehicles. Meanwhile, it is meant to increase manufacturing and savings and production costs of automakers. This is probably why car companies such as General Motors, Toyota, and Chrysler champion Trump’s new standards—they buy into the trickle-down economic ideal that Republicans are also promoting.
Not only dangerous for the Environment, also Zero Economic Benefit
Many, however, question the validity behind Trump’s economic optimism. For starters, under a 40 mpg average, drivers will have to pay more for gas. According to Consumer Reports, car owners will have to spend $3,200 more on fuel over the course of a vehicles lifetime, dwarfing the original $1,000 savings at the time of purchase.
Meanwhile, the plan could hurt car manufacturers operating in international markets. Just because the United States remains lax in its fuel efficiency standards does not mean that the rest of the world will follow suit. Gas-guzzling, carbon-spewing cars might be fair game in America, but they may not meet legal requirements overseas. Thus, American-made cars may fail to turn profits in foreign markets, causing financial strife and employee layoffs stateside.
And then there is the environmental cost. Gas powered, ICE vehicles are the greatest contributors to carbon emissions in the world right now. According to the New York Times, Trump’s new plan would allow cars to emit almost a billion more tons of CO2 over the course of their lifetimes. While the long-term financial price of these increased emissions is unclear (yet probably very expensive), their consequences will inevitably extend far beyond monetary concerns.
Using Economic “Stimulus” as an excuse to gut Environmental Safeguards is the New Anti-Eco War Tactic
Carbon dioxide trapped in our atmosphere is the leading contributor to climate change. The planet is already in a dangerous situation with more parts-per-million than what is ecologically sound. Industrially, the world demands a turn away from fossil fuels and a decrease in emissions.
Trump’s new plan, however, digresses from the planet’s urgent environmental needs. The penalties could include biodiversity loss, extreme temperature shifts, natural disasters, rising sea levels, and more. Even in shorter terms, greater emissions can compromise air quality, leading to increased illnesses and health issues—something that the world certainly does not need under the current circumstances.
While Trump has his powerful profit-driven supporters for these new standards, many are pushing back against him. Most notably, the state of California continues to aim for its own emissions standards that are far more stringent than the federal ones. The Trump administration deemed California setting its own standards unconstitutional back in September, but the Golden State has not given up the fight, launching lawsuits and municipal plans to decrease its statewide fossil fuel reliance.
Environmental groups and electric car manufacturers also disagree with the President—BMW, Ford, Honda, and Volkswagen have already struck deals with California and twenty-three additional states opposing Trump’s federal standards are expected to join Cali in filing suits against the administration.
With everything America is fighting right now, environmental issues have seemed to take a temporary backseat to more immediate matters. This late addition to Trump’s ongoing list of environmental rollbacks comes at a precarious time, but it should not be overlooked. Despite everything going on, the climate continues changing and the earth continues warming. When the pandemic passes, environmental problems will still be here. The least we can do is make sure they do not gain an upper hand while we briefly focus our attentions elsewhere.
USA now at 237 Thousand Confirmed Cases and Rising
The death toll has passed 50,000 worldwide with Europe close behind the US in confirmed cases. While the increases could be partially due to accelerating testing, there is a clear pattern and the danger is unquestionable. More than 6.6 million people filed for unemployment benefits last week in the US.
The Democratic National Convention was postponed until mid-August due to concerns that the current situation will still be an issue in July, when the Milwaukee, Wisconsin located event was originally scheduled to take place.
There was an announcement that in China, the Henan province, with 600,000 residents was placed on lock-down, indicating that the temporary “victory” in the people’s republic was prematurely declared.
The lock-down was declared in Jia county, after a local hospital had reported a number of cases. According to the government, all but a few business have been closed temporally, for an indeterminate length of time.
Authorities are implementing curfew like measure due to fears that a second wave of cases may be in the early stages.
Economic issues and business paralysis is also a continued issue worldwide, including in China, Europe and the US. The overall view is still that containment must be first and at the same time balanced with economic recovery methods, stimulus and, eventually, a resumption of business activities.
Four Corona Virus Charts – Bottom right: March 16th – Upper left March 21st, Bottom left: March 21st bar chart and Upper right: logarithmic chart from March 21st
Subjective Interpretation and Projected Knowledge are always at Play with Visual Data
Looking at the four charts above – all show what appears to be an extremely rapid increase in the number of coronavirus cases worldwide. The three large charts are different methods to show the same data, and they illustrate how dangerous it is to take any emotional stance based on the “feeling” of information when presented visually.
The chart in the upper right for example is based on the same data as the chart on the upper left, and yet it appears far less alarming simply because it is plotted logarithmically, causing the “curve to appear flatter and less “alarming” unless you bring expert eyes to the charts.
Nevertheless, it does’t take a doctor or even a scientist to see events that are unfolding and make a judgment on what is likely to happen next. Unfortunately, as humans, we are often prone to clouded conclusions and even false interpretations of data, especially as a layman looking at charts and figures.
Clearly, this is the very good reason why we look to professionals, epidemiologists, doctors and event statisticians and computer modeling experts to help us make sense of something like a global pandemic outbreak.
Yet at times, perhaps this time in particular, it takes a reporter’s eyes looking at various expert sources and various aggregations of information and knowledge to try and craft an unbiased overview of the rapidly changing landscape even as it continuouslydevelops.
That is what reporters are tasked to do and, with various success rates, to do on a daily basis. It helps to use a little common sense as well, particularly at times when fear and emotion are running high.
March 16th, 2020 chart showing the rise in the number of new coronavirus cases outside Mainland China (click to enlarge)March 21, 2020 chart showing the rapid rise in the number of new coronavirus cases outside Mainland China (click to enlarge)
Many have likely seen the chart above from March 21st – which is available in a live interactive version here, posted by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University (JHU). The overall change over time can be seen when comparing the two charts, simply showing the increase in the number of cases on a daily basis. The data is separated into three categories:
Mainland China
The rest of the world (other countries)
Total Recoverd
The reason for this grouping is that, early in the breakout during January and February, the vast majority of new cases were in Mainland China and the increase in new cases was growing very rapidly. More recently, as can be seen in the second chart, the rest of the world has not only overtaken China in the total number of cases but also in the increase, or acceleration, of the number reported per day.
When breaking this data down over the past two weeks, in a “news” context, there have been stories about how various countries and governments were dealing with the crisis, and attempts were made to draw conclusions and learn from those examples.
South Korea was cited as an example of a country that took a very proactive approach to testing for the virus, which can be carried by people that do not exhibit any overt symptoms, and methods such as a government funded drive-through testing program were implemented. Tests administered per day were estimated at 15,000 in a country with a population of 51 million.
click to enlarge / chart courtesy of Business Insider
This is where pure numbers and science diverge from a common sense look at the extenuating circumstances. It is logical and often cited that the more testing and reporting done the faster the number of cases will grow. For example, at a time when the USA was testing approximately 5 patients per million in population, South Korea was testing 3,692. The chart below was created by, and is shown courtesy of, Business Insider.
Similar to the stock market, which is a vast world of endless charts and data, this is a perfect example of the adage: “correlation does not imply causation”. In other words, if you are measuring the number of new confirmed cases, as a way to show the spread of the disease, the relationship of that number, to the number of tests administered, is essential in any interpretation of the data.
Is the Glass Half Empty, Half Full or just a Cup of Confusion?
There is a planet sized elephant in the room when you begin to try to gauge the spread of the coronavirus in the USA. In essence, what this means is that the frantic counting of the “spread” in various countries to see where the number of cases is rising the most rapidly is, in effect, counting not the number of infected people but the number of tests being administered and the velocity of the reporting.
So, going back to the example of South Korea, by aggressively testing and quarantining those found to be carrying the virus they were able to “[flatten the curve]”, which is the ultimate goal of lock-downs and self-isolation and all other measures we can take in lieu of the availability of effective treatment options.
A relatively unimportant side-effect of the rapid testing was a temporary large increase in the number of confirmed cases. More important was the success based on the separation of more people carrying the virus from the general population, informed by the results of all those tests.
In a widely shared graphic, a tan curve represents a scenario without social distancing measures and where the U.S. hospital system becomes inundated with coronavirus patients. Chart source / PBS
Mainland China, along with, to a lesser extent, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan appear to also have had some success in slowing down the spread via quarantine.
Which leads to the confusion in the USA as to the severity of the spread and the steps being taken to try and flatten the curves. The USA is now taking action, in the hope to be among those countries who have had some measure of success, rather than joining Italy, Iran and others, mainly in Europe, that have been struggling with a surge in illness and deaths, due to the spread of the virus.
Testing in the USA is starting to increase, finally, after a chaotic and late response by the Trump administration. What this means, however, is that the testing itself will lead to an increase in the number of “confirmed” cases and the rate of that increase will also likely be higher, for at least several weeks.
In the Confusion, a Hidden Thread of Good News is Lurking
Essentially, this means that nobody can look at a chart of the number of cases and discern any comparisons about the real numbers of people infected, other than that the number is growing fast, unless the rate of testing is somehow factored in.
And, further, that the so-called lockdowns and other serious steps are more than warranted as , particularly in the USA, the “real” number of infected people is almost certainly far higher than the published number.
nobody can look at a chart of the number of cases and discern anything about the real numbers of people infected, other than that it is growing fast, unless the rate of testing is somehow factored in.
– E.C.
The examples in the areas where partial containment or at least a slowdown in the spread were the most successful, occurred in those locations where steps were taken, as quickly as possible, to quarantine those that could spread the disease to others.
Unfortunately, the “South Korean model”, focusing on rapid and aggressive testing, has not been an option in the USA. Instead we have basically skipped that step and proceeded to a “lockdown”, of, at this moment, over 70 million people in 5 states, with likely more to come.
Digging beneath the data we can see that the charts are best used, not to alarm unnecessarily, but to inform of the degree to which the steps toward prevention are warranted, and why we should all avoid panic and creatively isolate and maintain safe social distances.
We should all bear in mind, when looking at the charts and the statistics, that a rising chart does not necessarily mean that the situation is spinning out of control.
Incredibly, it likely means that the implementation of controlled steps, such as an increased number and frequency of people being tested, will result in a temporary “bump” in the “bad news” but that news will be, in reality, hidden good news. Namely, that we are finally beginning to proactively respond as a society and, as has been seen in South Korea, this can and should lead to a calming, flatter curve on our charts in the weeks to come.
Idris Elba announced today via his twitter account that he has been diagnosed with covid-19, also known as the novel coronavirus. He posted a video along with the tweet and indicated that he has no symptoms so far and feels ok. Along with Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson, who are in isolation recovering in Australia, this announcement is the second recent one involving a major Hollywood star.
Long lines all over L.A. with people trying to buy staples, Sports events and Concerts cancelled, empty shelves everywhere and now both Disney and Universal are releasing current upcoming films for streaming – since box office will be zero or even cancelled for an undetermined time period. Not to mention the Dow is down nearly 3000 points at closing today (-2997.10 / -12.92%). Yikes.
This morning I tested positive for Covid 19. I feel ok, I have no symptoms so far but have been isolated since I found out about my possible exposure to the virus. Stay home people and be pragmatic. I will keep you updated on how I’m doing 👊🏾👊🏾 No panic. pic.twitter.com/Lg7HVMZglZ
This news, based on the incredible familiarity that we all have with stars of this magnitude, is making the pandemic more and more “real” for all of us. In the chart below a big reason for the extreme precautionary measures can be seen:
The line all the way to the right, almost straight up vertical is the number of cases not in China. As is clear the total is nearly as many as all that have been reported in China to date and will soon overtake that number. Most alarming is the vertical rise – far steeper than the gradual increase that was seen since February 16th, after the drastic measures were taken in China by that time.
In a widely shared graphic, a tan curve represents a scenario without social distancing measures and where the U.S. hospital system becomes inundated with coronavirus patients. Chart / PBS
Just such a slow down in additional cases will “flatten the curve” of non-China cases and is the goal of the extreme and increasingly invasive measures we are taking in the US and Europe. Although the feeling in the air, especially if shopping for supplies, seems somewhat panicked, it is important to recognize that all of these measures, most of all self-quarantine and social distancing are meant to protect us, and ultimately, flatten the curve to a point where the number of cases can actually slow down enough that this chart will actually be on a downward slope.
The interactive chart of Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Cases can be accessed here, courtesy of the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University (JHU). The mobile version of the chart can be accessed here.
Urgency Remains even as Novel Coronavirus Battle is at the Forefront
A recent study published in the scientific journal Nature shows that humans may be responsible for a greater portion of the methane in the atmosphere than previously thought. The report, which came out in Nature’s latest peer-reviewed issue, illustrates how human emissions could account for 25-40% more of the methane in our atmosphere than we expected.
Methane is the greenhouse gas that contributes the most to climate change after carbon dioxide. Emissions of the chemical compound account for around a quarter of the global warming we are experiencing, and it is far more powerful than CO2 at trapping heat in the atmosphere, yet disappears much quicker.
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Like our studies of atmospheric CO2, though, scientists and laymen alike have long believed that the methane in our air was a steady balance of human emissions and natural phenomenon. This new report, however, suggests otherwise.
Scientists conducted the experiment by extracting large ice sheets from Greenland. These frozen arctic relics dig into the ground, preserving in ice the chemical condition of Earth’s air over the years. By melting these extracts and analyzing the molecules within, we get a glimpse into what kind of compounds filled our planet in the past.
For this study, the scientists looked at the methane in the ice from the year ~1750 compared to now. In the mid-18th Century, the planet was just on the cusp of wide-scale industrialization, and thus the pollutants from that period gives us an idea of what the world was (chemically) like before the current Anthropocene. What scientists found was that in pre-industrial times, only about 1-5 million tons of methane entered into the atmosphere each year compared to the 45 million tons that annually make their way up there today.
The study is troubling as it shows that human practices are damaging the ecosystem far more than we anticipated.
This 1-5 million pre-industrial figure was quite smaller than expected, and it suggests that the human methane footprint is far more severe than we imagined. Through agriculture and fossil fuel burning, humans are evidently responsible for the vast majority of methane in our skies.
Contrarily, from a more optimistic perspective, it also solidifies that we have greater agency over the amount of methane in the atmosphere. Although we may not have previously known it, we actually have a heightened ability to rein in methane emissions and pave a brighter future for the environment.
The animated movie does indeed move forward with successful numbers to prove it
Disney-Pixar’s latest movie, “Onward,” hit theaters on Thursday, March 5th and despite it coming out at the height of coronavirus hysteria, it managed to hold its own at the box office, meet critical expectations, and pave the way for a surplus and possibly the House-of-Mouse’s first 2020 blockbuster.
“Onward” had its initial premiere at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival on February 21st. Leading up to its worldwide release, however, some speculated that the film would be postponed due to the coronavirus, which has been spreading rapidly and keeping folks out of movie theaters worldwide. While most theaters remain open and operating in the US, many theaters in China have closed their doors because of the virus. Considering that Pixar’s last film (“Toy Story 4”) made over $8 million at the Chinese box office during its opening weekend last June, one could understand why “Onward” might get pushed back.
Nevertheless, “Onward” persevered and raked in over $40 million in its opening weekend, right about on par for what critics predicted. This may be a far cry from “Toy Story 4” or “Incredibles 2,” Pixar’s last two films that respectively made over $120 million and $180 during their openings. However, “Onward” expected more modest earnings from the get-go.
The movie is Pixar’s first non-sequel release since 2017’s “Coco,” which earned $50 million its opening weekend, only marginally better than “Onward’s” current figures. Unlike “Finding Dory,” “Cars 2,” “Incredibles 2,” or “Toy Story 4,” “Onward” is an entirely original film and has to herald in audiences without pre-existing IP doing the heavy lifting. On top of that, it also has to deal with the virus.
COVID-19 has already delayed the release of the upcoming James Bond movie, “No Time To Die.” MGM Studios pushed the opening back from April to November in hopes that the virus will pass and theaters will be back in full business by then. Some predict that other potential blockbusters such as “Mulan,” “Black Widow” and “F9” will also get delayed due to the virus.
Nevertheless, “Onward” stuck to its original release date and while figures might’ve been higher had Pixar waited a few months, the movie had a respectable opening all the same. Furthermore, the movie still has additional markets to debut in such as Italy, Korea, and Japan. Also, given that “Onward” is a family film, its earnings will likely increase over the next few weeks as more kids get out on spring break. Thus, we can expect an upsurge in “Onward’s” already reasonable box office success. It will likely be Disney’s first bonafide Blockbuster of the year, and earn the studio a surplus on the film’s estimated $100 million budget.
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“Onward” is directed by Dan Scanlon, a Pixar veteran with a previous directorial credit for “Monster’s University” and creative contributions with the studio that date all the way back to 2006’s “Cars.” The movie is about two adolescent elf brothers, Ian and Barley, going on a quest to bring their late father back from the dead using sorcery. Marvel stars Tom Holland and Chris Pratt lend their voices to the two protagonists. The cast also includes Julia Louie-Dreyfus, Octavia Spencer, Mel Rodriguez, and many more, all voicing mythical creatures in the movie’s fantastical (yet familiar) world.
A strong and deeply original addition to Pixar’s impressive filmography, “Onward” is touching, funny, memorable, and sweet, Given the studio’s success with the Academy and animation’s uncertain outlook for 2020, “Onward” might just be our first Oscar-winning movie to come out this year.
The Endangered Species Act (ESA)—federal law that protects and preserves some of America’s most vulnerable plants and animals—has been pretty unanimously celebrated and upheld since it went into action in 1973. Passed by the 93rd U.S. Congress during the Republican Nixon Administration, the ESA is an environmental policy that has sustained nonpartisan support over the decades. Politicians and citizens on all sides of the political spectrum seem to realize the Act’s importance and want to help the country’s most susceptible creatures.
After all, who wouldn’t want to support Bald Eagles, Polar Bears, Sea Turtles, Seals, and Whales? Leaving these magnificent animals out to dry when their species are on their last legs would seem utterly heartless.
Nevertheless, the Trump Administration has somehow found a roundabout way to assault these creatures. While the President has hardly suggested direct amendments to the ESA, his environmental policies regarding climate change as well as his push-back approach to federally protected lands are unlawful attacks on Endangered Species all the same.
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Over the past four years, President Trump has encouraged opening up National Parks, Forests, and Wildlife Refuges for privatization and extractive industries. He claims that this will stimulate the economy and create jobs. However, it does so by negating some of our country’s most steadfast conservation movements, and sacrificing some of our most sacred landscapes.
While beautiful, these landscapes are not just picturesque backdrops for human indulgence. Federally protected lands are vital spaces for many rare and endangered species. National Parks and Forests, with their strict hunting and fishing regulations, often serve as the final secure habitats for animal and plant populations that once covered the countryside.
When Trump gives companies the OK to drill or develop in these spaces, he creates ecological damage that jeopardizes these species.
On other occasions, the President has actively subverted wildlife protection when creating policies. On a recent trip to California, he supported giving out “Endangered Species Act permits” under the “Trump Administration Biological Opinions.” These BiOps allow developers to bypass ESA guidelines when pumping water from the San Francisco Bay-Delta estuary. Given that the estuary provides a protective haven for salmon and other fish species, these permits severely threaten the aquatic ecosystem. The American Fisheries Society along with several scientific groups and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service have urged Trump against granting these permits, but the President seems to pay little mind to such environmental coalitions (or science as a whole for that matter).
This would not be the first time that Trump ignored the Fish & Wildlife Service. Back in 2016, the FSW created a list of 500 species awaiting protection decisions. For four years, this list has gone unobserved under Trump and each day that it gets brushed aside, the vulnerable species in question grow weaker.
The Animal Kingdom and Caring Humans Fight Back
Now the Center for Biological Diversity is actually suing the Administration for inaction. The ESA states that decisions over whether or not to protect a species should take no more than two years. Thus, Trump’s response to the list is long (in fact, criminally) overdue.
It should really come as no surprise that Trump is against championing the Endangered Species Act. An open climate change denier since his campaign, Trump has passed countless egregious environmental policies during his term. He pulled the U.S. out of the Paris Accords, refuses to limit carbon emissions, and encourages a boom in the fossil fuel industry when the planet needs a switch to renewable energy. The large-scale, apocalyptic consequences of these decisions are palpable. In the short term, however, one can easily overlook the fact that through these policies, Trump is quietly subverting the long-loved, perseverant, and environmentally crucial Endangered Species Act. By refusing to fend off global warming, he is contributing to mass extinction, destroying habitats, and suffocating creatures in dire need of a balanced ecosystem to survive.
While protecting animals and plants might not seem like a top priority when current environmental catastrophes are putting humans at risk, one must remember that humans too require a natural ecosystem to subsist here on Earth. When wild species die out, it affects the entire chain of being and will eventually work its way up to mankind. Therefore, a sense of respect, security, and salvation for our fellow living organisms is essential for the human race to flourish.
Now, the Department of the Interior under Trump wants to make direct cuts to the ESA, finally facing the enshrined act head-on rather than obstructing it under the cowardly guises of other eco-political monstrosities. Upholding the ESA is about far more than just saving a few cute critters, though. It is about combatting the climate crisis, preserving the ecosystem, preventing disease, and making sure future generations get to grow up in a healthy world. It is about humans not taking the planet for granted, and not abusing it at the expense of those we share it with.
Ford announced that the company will be adding an all-electric model of its best selling cargo van the Transit. The electric cargovan is scheduled to be released in the U.S. and Canada by 2022. Ford is already in the works for its European launch of the electric Transit for 2021.
Currently, Ford does not have any fully electric vehicles on the market. With the Transit – that now makes at least 3 electric vehicles in Ford’s lineup, including the Mustang Mach-E crossover unveiled last November and the electric pickup truck F-150.
Sales for Ford’s US trucks and vans have risen 33% since 2015 with the expectation for that number to grow as e-commerce continues to increase.
With the insurgence of EV popularity amongst consumers, there is a clear tipping point for many big name auto makers taking steps to transition towards more clean energy and sustainable transportation options. Ford is following suit, as the company has recently invested $11.5 billion towards electrification and going digital.
“As leaders in this space, we are accelerating our plans to create solutions that help businesses run better, starting with our all-electric Transit and F-150. This Ford Transit isn’t just about creating an electric drivetrain, it’s about designing and developing a digital product that propels fleets forward. “
– jim farley / chief Operating Officer for Ford Motor Company
Global Director, Ted Cannis made the announcement of the electric Transit during a work truck show on March 3rd, 2020.
The Electric Transit will be Optimized for Maximum fleet performance
Teaser Image of the All-Electric Transit Courtesy of Ford
Consumers will have the options for varying configurations including: cargo van, cutaway, chassis cab and three different roof and body lengths.
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The all-electric Transit will offer cutting edge smart technology including high-speed data, equipped with a FordPass modem with 4G Wi-Fi hotspot, cloud-base services and tools like GPS tracking, geofencing and diagnostics, all to best optimize fleet performance.
Driver-assist technology will include: Pre-Collision Assist, Automatic Emergency Braking, Pedestrian Detection, Forward Collision Warning, Post-Collision Braking, Lane-Keeping System and auto high-beam headlamps.
There is no additional information on pricing, images or other details on the Transit have been made available yet but will surely be provided closer to release date.
Official Movie Release and Premiere Timing Reconsidered
The 25th James Bond movie and the last one to star Daniel Craig “No Time to Die” has officially been delayed. The premiere in London was originally set for March 31st and worldwide release April 10th, yet due to the increasing global outbreaks of COVID-19, the movie and production company gave word that the film will now be released in November of this year.
The official word is said to be the result of an open letter written by a popular Bond fan website named MI6-HQ that addressed EON, MGM, and Universal about the health concerns relating to the movie release. (see link for full letter):
“With the Coronavirus reaching pandemic status, it is time to put public health above marketing release schedules and the cost of canceling publicity events.
Major events around the world have already been canceled or postponed due to health risks. Leading tech companies have banned travel for hundreds of thousands of employees, including Amazon and Google. All before the US and UK outbreaks expand.”
quote from MI6 Staff / www.mi6-hq.com
MGM, Universal and Bond producers, Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, announced today that after careful consideration and thorough evaluation of the global theatrical marketplace, the release of NO TIME TO DIE will be postponed until November 2020. pic.twitter.com/a9h1RP5OKd
Two days after the letter was written, @007 the official Twitter page for the Bond movie took to social media to make the announcement of the delay. All in all this seems a wise decision as the public attendance of large numbers of people for any venue is in question due to the outbreak and the danger associated with close contact in enclosed spaces.
The entire film industry, concert and music industry and even live sports face a potentially huge challenge if this situation worsens. At this stage both the spread of the virus and the extent of quarantine measures that could become mandatory in the U.S. are unclear.
In Asia, not only mainland China but also Korea and Japan can be seen as initial examples of what could be in store for us in North America. In Europe, most notably Italy and in Iran things have already progressed beyond what we have seen thus far in the U.S.
Ultimately the question remains whether the spread of the infection can be contained, and yet, it is precisely measures such as the postponement of large public events that could be seen as part of the prophylactic response, and could help to prevent the kind of tragedy that China has already experienced.
Trend in Cancellations and Postponements Rising as Concerns of Infection Increase
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The list of events being cancelled due to fears of an increase in Coronavirus cases and even a possible eventual quarantine situation arising in the U.S. is getting longer daily. Some recent examples include the South by Southwest festival (also known as SWSX), scheduled to kick off on March 13th in Austin TX and yet is considering a cancellation after both Facebook and Twitter indicated that they would not send employees to the sow this year. The huge festival’s organizers must reconsider, it seems, after a petition online has been signed by over 40,000 people calling for the cancellation of the event. In some countries there is a ban on public gatherings altogether, naturally in China but even in Switzerland where there is a ban in place on any gathering that expects attendees in excess of 1000.
The effects on vast swaths of commerce, such as the $2.5 trillion trade show industry are looming large and could have a ripple effect throughout the economy as a whole. The Mobile World Congress, now known as MWC, originally scheduled for February 24-27, 2020 in Barcelona, Spain, for example, which is the world’s largest trade show for the Mobile Phone Industry has just been cancelled, and each of these kinds of large gatherings will mean a directly correlated drop in hotel, travel and restaurant revenue in the cities affected. To date more than 24 trade shows and conferences have been cancelled or postponed worldwide due to the concerns about the spread of the coronavirus.
Skyline of Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Headquarters of Deutsche Bank – Photo / Adobe Stock
Great Title, Extensive Research, ‘Follow The Money’ at its Best
Based on its title, David Enrich’s new book “Dark Towers” might sound like an appendix to the nine part horror-fantasy series that Stephen King wrote between 1982 and 2012. In reality, though, Enrich’s book is a true story of financial corruption, with the full title “Dark Towers: Deutsche Bank, Donald Trump and an Epic Trail of Destruction.” Nevertheless, the tale is just as riveting as any novel, and is perhaps even darker than any work of fiction.
Enrich’s book, recently released on February 18th, follows the trajectory of Deutsche Bank, a German bank that formed in 1870, helped finance the Nazi’s through World War II, and then came to America in the late 20th Century to get in on the deregulated American economy. And, in particular, during the most recent decade when Deutsche started financing a volatile real-estate tycoon named Donald Trump.
As Enrich makes clear over the book’s 400+ pages, Deutsche has been a portrait of Wall Street depravity and recklessness. The company grew to be the largest bank in the world, with 90,000 employees and nearly $2 trillion in assets. It took on Trump as a client when no one else would, for the bank, as is well documented in this tome, relished in rule-breaking and loaned the young(er) Donald billions of dollars for risky projects. According to Enrich, without the help of Deutsche, Trump probably would’ve never become the ragged edge gambler that he did, and subsequently, he probably would’ve never become President.
At the Heart of the Corrupt Story, of course, is Russia
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The book was researched over a long period of time, most notably during the period Enrich was Financial Editor for the New York Times. His direct contacts and stories relating to several top officials at Deutsche Bank that died via suicide under mysterious circumstances gave him access to some unique documents and data. During a period between 2010 and 2015 massive sums of money were loaned to Trump at a time when no banks other than Deutsche would even consider a loan, due to his multiple bankruptcies and other irregularities. Ultimately, through some complex maneuvering a Russian financial concern called VTB was involved in the process. The same VTB that was also involved in negotiations for a project to build Trump Tower Moscow.
Due to Trump’s seemingly endless legal battles to prevent his tax returns from being seen, even within a closed trial setting, it is likely that the ultimate truths in this part of the saga will only be revealed once he has left office. Needless to say, along with many other legal issues there will be a lot riding on the November elections for the Nation and, in many ways detailed in this book, for Trump personally.
Aside from the bank’s dealings with Trump—which are now the topic of federal investigation—Enrich also describes Deutsche’s multiple cases of criminal behavior. In a promotional interview the author did with NPR, he explains that Deutsche “had more money-laundering schemes than I can even count off the top of my head. They were evading taxes. They were bribing people. They were violating international sanctions. Look at any major financial scandal in the past 10 or 15 years, Deutsche Bank has been at or near the center.”
Naturally, this all leads up to the financial crash of 2008, where the bank yet again narrowly escaped dreadful consequences by using shady methods of exploitative foresight.
Some Hard Evidence is Here but the Reckoning will Require A Legal Battle
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However, Enrich’s book is not a dry account of contemporary American finances, nor is it a bland record of numbers and figures. With the voice of an accomplished journalist, Enrich shares a compelling narrative through “Dark Towers,” one filled with colorful characters and interwoven plotlines.
While it is certainly a work of non-fiction, reading the book is a novelistic experience. It opens with the mysterious death of former Deutsche employee Bill Broeksmit, which Enrich uses as the starting point to unravel the bank’s incredible history—one that spans interactions with everyone from Trump to Russian oligarchs.
As aforementioned, “Dark Towers” is an entirely true story, but that just makes it all the more twisted. It is a telling tale for the post-truth age: a story of power constructs and hard-to-digest realities that will leave you second-guessing the burden of knowing the cold hard facts.
David Enrich is the Financial Editor for the New York Times. He is the recipient of the 2016 Gerald Loeb Award for feature journalism amongst other awards. “Dark Towers” is his second book, following 2017’s “The Spider Network” which was shortlisted for the Financial Times’ Best Book of the Year award.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk took to Twitter February 21st to share and clarify a few details about the upcoming Cybertruck. One such change will be the dimensions to the body width, originally set for 84 inches shown during the unveiling in November 2019, will actually be closer to 82 inches. The adjusted dimensions of the truck will allow owners to more easily fit their pickup into most standard size garages.
He spoke how the EV Cybertruck’s active ride height and active damping systems are “game-changing”.
Current Cybertruck Dimensions- Width: 82″, Height: 75″, Length: 225-231″, and Wheelbase: 149.9″.
Also noted by Musk, all Cybertruck models will come standard with the innovative upper laser blade lights that illuminate the top of the windshield.
Btw, in some prior tweets I’d said production Cybertruck would be ~80” wide (vs ~84” body width at unveil). This is slightly too small. Will be closer to 82”, but come standard with upper laser blade lights.
When asked about a payload/towing calculator, the co-founder revealed that the EV pickup truck will indeed have features to indicate real-time changes in acceleration, braking, cornering, speed, range, elevation changes and towing and drag impact.
The payload and towing calculator will be a valuable feature for owners to understand and assist them in any necessary towing adjustments to achieve the optimal truck driving experience.
Yes, will also show real-time changes to max acceleration, braking, cornering, speed on gradient & range, latter factoring in route elevation changes & cargo or tow mass & drag impact
According to Cybertruck Owners Club, there is some indication that over 500,000 pre-orders have already been booked (an average of nearly 6,000 daily) – this is the result of calculations based on Tesla’s pre-order numbering system and with members sharing their reservation number. The EV pickup will be seen on the road in the next couple of years and with such high pre-orders its clear there is a high demand for more sustainable driving options in the truck / SUV market.
Production for the Tri and Dual Motor AWD Tesla Cybertruck are set to begin late 2021, with the more affordable Single Motor RWD model in late 2022.
With the production over a year away, there will surely be more updates and tweets regarding the final version of the futuristic looking Cybertruck.
Even Democrats are Repeating the Nonsense that Sanders is “Putin’s Choice”
On February 21st, Democratic Presidential Candidate Bernie Sanders revealed in an interview that, about a month ago, U.S. Intelligence Dept. Officials briefed him that Russia has plans to ‘assist’ him in the 2020 election. Sanders response to the prospective foreign assistance was direct—he told Russia to “Stay out of American elections, and as president I will make sure that you do.”
The Vermont Senator also went on to call Russian President Vladimir Putin “an autocratic thug” and clarified, “Unlike Donald Trump, I do not consider Vladimir Putin a good friend… I stand firmly against (Russia’s) efforts, and any other foreign power that wants to interfere in our election.” He speaks of course of Trump’s close relationship with the Russian leader, and of Trump’s encouragement, in plain sight, of Russian interference in his 2016 campaign.
Despite Sander’s straight answer to the news regarding Russia, Trump was not hesitant to bring it up during a Las Vegas rally the day before the Nevada caucus. He quipped about Bernie honeymooning in Moscow and snidely warned Democrats to be careful about foreign interference in elections. Then, he bragged that Putin really wants four more years of Trump.
Trump’s snarky speech is ironic given the fact that when Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire first informed the President about Russia’s support of him for 2020, he reportedly threw a fit, angry that Maguire would disclose such information with Democratic nemesis Adam Schiff in the room. Even though reporting such activity to the POTUS is part of the DNI job description, Trump ended up terminating Maguire for, essentially, telling the truth and doing his job.
No one Knows Who is “Electable” even though all the Candidates Try to Claim they are the One that can Beat Trump
The conventional wisdom is that only a moderate centrist Democrat can defeat Trump. There are, however, only a lot of theories, based on the standard data, to support this contention and the same people espousing those theories are the ones that said that Hillary, based on the same methods of predicting election outcomes, would beat Trump with ease.
Bernie Sanders does have “extreme” proposals, compared with the bland, compromise based plans of the more moderate wing of the party. Maybe, just maybe, going up against the most extreme most volatile and completely corrupt politician in recent history requires an extreme challenger? Trump will cheat and lie, that is clear, and someone to take him on must be ready for that and must be able to show that he (or she) can survive the shit storm he will create and then take the country out of this nightmare.
You can not compromise with a sociopath.
2016 All Over Again but with a twist, and perhaps, a Different Outcome
The propaganda spin that appears to have been planned long in advance seems to be working already. Viewing various tweets from Democrats who are not aligned with Sanders indicate that they are actively parroting the Putin planted misinformation.
The two threads they have, apparently subconsciously, picked up are:
A – Sanders has no chance and the proof is that he is the Putin’s preferred opponent for Tump (unsubstantiated inferences stated as fact and as original thought)
Or
B – That Sanders is going to be called a Communist (or is a Communist) and that his past, regardless how innocent compared to Trump, makes him an easy target that he has no chance to win in the general election. There are even those that posit that he must be a Communist because Putin “likes” him.
In other words, they have taken the bait, hook, line and sinker.
According to the New York Times:
The Russians have been preparing — and experimenting — for the 2020 election, undeterred by American efforts to thwart them but aware that they needed a new playbook of as-yet-undetectable methods, United States officials said
They have made more creative use of Facebook and other social media.
Rather than impersonating Americans as they did in 2016, Russian operatives are working to get Americans to repeat disinformation, the officials said. That strategy gets around social media companies’ rules that prohibit “inauthentic speech.”
(emphasis mine)
Typical examples of the parroting of the Russian disinformation:
Not even close…tells us something when Russia and trump are fronting for him…
The disturbing thing is that these supposedly intelligent Democratic voters are immediately jumping to the first thoughts that Putin has planted in their minds.
The real truth is that Sanders is the most dangerous candidate to both Trump and Putin and should be seen as such. They have an elaborate plan to stop him but they fear that he will do the one thing that they can not overcome; awaken the American people to the power they already have.
And Outsider Rises Up in Spite of Both Republican and Democrat Establishments being Against Him: Sound Familliar?
The cable news pundits have already started repeating that Sanders, “a socialist candidate” has little chance to win and will hurt down ballot races for the House and Senate. Naturally, they have no proof of this and no idea if another candidate would do any better in that regard. They are parroting conventional “wisdom” and creating noise just like Putin wants.
There are also already rumblings and propaganda-troll posts that are implying that because Sanders was in Moscow many years ago on his Honeymoon (supposedly) that he is therefore, obviously, a Communist.
The fact that so many have taken it at face value that Putin is “helping” him, although zero evidence has been revealed and no details exist showing what exactly this “help” consists of, creates a perfect launching pad for what is likely to be the most blatant and ridiculous-nonsense mudslinging contest in history.
Want to know more about Putin’s Corrupt Rise to power? Click to buy “Blowout” and at the same time help Lynxotic and All Independent Local Bookstores
On the other side is the rock-solid record and consistency of Sanders. People can disagree with his goals and platform but it will be difficult, indeed, to rattle him when trying to sling random insults and trying to make up lies about him to dissuade those who have followed his political career.
Likewise, Trump’s response to the briefing—both his hysterics in Washington and his jests in Vegas—illustrates a subliminal touch of fear. Fear that Bernie will win the primary, which he did, “bigly”, without but in reality in spite of, supposed Russian assistance.
As Bernie leads the Democratic race after definitive wins in New Hampshire and Nevada, it is looking increasingly likely that it will ultimately come down to “Trump v. Sanders” in November.
Trump and the Republicans will undoubtedly try to turn this murky Russian briefing report against Bernie again, spinning the wheels of propaganda over and over. We can all relate, in the meantime to the sentiment of Bernie’s final word when interviewed on the topic on the eve of the Nevada Caucuses: “I don’t care, frankly, who Putin wants to be president.”
SpaceX is currently working around the clock to prepare its Starship rocket for its first suborbital test flight and, based on the production progress shared on Twitter, it could be happening in the very near future. In the beginning of February, Musk invited via social media all eligible applicants to attend a “Starship Career Day”, and called for a massive ramp up of staffing for production shifts – having teams work day and night in order to work 24/7 on the project.
The career invitation targeted individuals in operations and engineering as well as supervisors and support personnel. Musk tweeted, “A super hardcore work ethic, talent for building things, common sense & trustworthiness are required, the rest we can train.”
Elon Musk shared a tweet from the SpaceX development facility in Boca Chica, Texas showing a video of production for the rocket nose cone. The glimpse of the nearly completed nose cone reveals that the next Starship prototype test flight is fast approaching and presumably set for the upcoming Starship vehicle, SN1 (serial number 1).
Another tweet, shows a video by Musk of the Starship high bay. According to NASA Spaceflight, the stacking for the Starship SN1 has already begun. The vehicle is to be assembled in smaller segments and then welded all together during the final assembly process. The hope is to have the entire vehicle stacked and moved by the end of the month to stay on track for a mid March launch.
High bay for stacking Starship engine bay, propellant tanks & fairing (fka nosecone) sections is almost done! pic.twitter.com/G9h0430ns2
Last year, the earlier prototype, “Starhopper” was seen near the Texas coast and rose nearly 150 meters (492 feet). The upcoming suborbital test flight called SN1 could reach heights of about 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) and may launch as early as mid March 2020, per FCC filings.
SpaceX teams are working hard to reach the end game for the Starship which is designed for Earth orbit, moon missions and eventually to go all the way to Mars.
Skepticism is Natural when the World’s Richest Person announces Fund without Details as to how it will be Administered
Jeff Bezos—the founder and CEO of Amazon— recently announced via Instagram that he will be donating $10 billion to the fight against climate change. The informal monetary pledge, which Bezos made on February 17th, will be titled the Bezos Earth Fund. It will economically support scientists, activists, and NGOs to help protect the planet in these environmentally trying times.
When the $10 billion is eventually donated, it will be the largest philanthropic contribution ever made towards combatting climate change. Worth over $130 billion, Bezos is the richest man in the world, and this donation will be about 8% of his entire net worth. Even for a man of Bezos’ stature, this certainly appears to be a generous act.
Nevertheless, the hefty donation has not gone without criticism and speculation. Bezos and Amazon have become controversial names in recent years for a number of reasons – conventionally being on the wrong side of climate change is but one of them.
Amazon has a troubling track record of supporting the fossil fuel industry. The company has troves of money and investments tied up with big gas and oil companies, some of the biggest profiteers off of the Earth’s ecological destruction. Recently, Amazon even sponsored an event for the Competitive Enterprise Institute, a think-tank promoting climate denial.
On an even darker note, Amazon has traditionally tried to silence employees who attend climate action rallies. Lately, these environmentally passionate employees have formed the Amazon Employees for Climate Justice to stand in solidarity and raise awareness about Amazon’s misdemeanors against the planet. Now, these employees risk termination for outing some of Amazon’s statistical secrets.
Only recently has Amazon revealed its numbers relating to carbon emissions and energy consumption. As the world’s largest retailer, the company naturally uses immense resources to transport products all around the planet. In 2018, Amazon reportedly released 44.4 million metric tons of CO2 into the atmosphere—the equivalent of a small nation.
These revelations about Amazon’s detrimental affects on the Earth have led to the company pledging some late changes. The corporation now aims to use 100% renewable energy by 2030 and carry out at least half of its shipments with zero net emissions. It also plans to invest more in wind and solar and wants carbon neutrality by 2040.
The Timing does Make this Pledge Look like A PR Stunt. How About Results, Soon?
Bezos’ $10 billion announcement just might be the bottleneck of all these reformations to put Amazon back on the right side of environmental history. Then again, if one reads closely, the Fund does not mention Amazon at all, and thus the company’s practices may continue business-as-usual despite whatever Bezos is doing to clear his personal name.
Furthermore, some are still scratching their heads about the conditions surrounding Bezos’ donation. After all, the only thing the CEO has done so far is announce the Earth Fund. He is bound to nothing and hasn’t outlined any concrete details.
Distribution of the fund will be a crucial element of the Fund’s impact. As aforementioned, the money will go to scientists, activists, and NGOs, but Bezos did not specify whether or not political donations are in the cards. Although funding non-profits and research can go a long way, many would argue that governmental reformation is the premiere way to create positive, tangible change.
The pacing of the distribution is also just as important. It is not clear how Bezos will go about giving away the $10 billion over the next few years, whether he will spend it down over time or hold in in an endowment. Many hope for the former as the world cannot wait much longer for the support it needs in combatting the climate crisis.
Then, there are a slew of lingering questions regarding the ownership, organization, and legality of this philanthropic contribution. Will it be connected to Bezos’ corporate enterprise? If so, what might be the underlying tax incentives of this “charitable” act? Who will be responsible for overseeing all of this and making sure that the money is distributed ethically?
It would be unfair to call a Bezos’ donation a hallow gesture. $10 billion is enough money to truly make a difference. However, it is imperative that the finer details be executed and analyzed with the upmost care. Given Amazon’s ongoing place in the world and its oftentimes nefarious position in the fight against climate change, people are right to look at the $10 billion with a quizzical eye, and not take it as a free pass to offset or pardon Bezos of his previous and current actions.
Disney’s Slate Continues to Outperform Commercially, if not always Critically
Although the first animated feature film debuted way back in 1939 with “Snow White and the Seven Dwarves,” the Best Animated Feature category at the Academy Awards has only existed for nineteen years, arriving in 2001 when DreamWorks’ “Shrek” won the inaugural prize.
Although “Shrek” may have taken home that initial award—beating out fellow nominees “Monsters Inc.” and “Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius”—DreamWorks would not be the animation studio to rein supreme over the category in the coming years. In the nineteen years that the category has taken place, Disney’s Pixar has won ten times, making it the unrivaled champion of the Best Animated Feature title.
In fact, almost every time Pixar releases a movie, it gets a nomination, and almost every time it gets a nomination, it wins. Only three times has a Pixar movie been in the runnings, but lost to one of its competitors. Following “Monsters Inc’s” initial loss to “Shrek,” “Cars” lost to “Happy Feet” in 2006 and “Incredibles 2” lost to “Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse” just last year—albeit, the studio won Best Animated short with yesteryear’s “Bao.”
Many were happy to see “Spider-Verse” win in 2019. The movie was original and its animation was captivating, far from the predictable family narratives and re-hashed 3D style of Pixar that audiences have become all too familiar with over the past twenty-six years. Furthermore, with Disney being a conglomerate juggernaut in modern Hollywood, there is something cathartic about seeing an underdog beat them out—in addition to the ten Pixar wins, Walt Disney Animation studios have also won three of the nineteen Best Animated Feature titles, leaving the House-of-Mouse with all but six of the total trophies for the category.
With “Spider-Verse” winning last year, some assumed that Pixar might be losing its power, and when “Toy Story 4” lost to the commercially unsuccessful, but critically acclaimed “Missing Link” at the 2020 Golden Globes, many were optimistically foreseeing another Pixar defeat at the upcoming Oscars—making it Disney’s first consecutive defeat in the category since 2006.
Overrated or Just still too Big to Ignore, Toy Story’s Success is Undeniable
“Toy Story 4” is by no means a bad movie, and it grossed over a billion dollars at the Box Office, but many movie goers grow weary of Pixar’s cash-out sequels. Likewise, the fourth installment in the “Toy Story” series feels a bit unnecessary, especially considering how excellently “Toy Story 3” seemed to conclude the saga in 2010. Also, it is hardly a stretch of the imagination to think that Disney insisted on a fourth film just to sell more Woody and Buzz toys to a younger generation.
Moreover, the Animated Feature category was filled with some suburb competition this year. “Missing Link” was a visual masterpiece from unsung stop-motion animation company Laika. “How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World” was a wonderful conclusion to DreamWorks’ heartfelt fantasy trilogy—all three of the films losing to Disney titles in previous years’ Oscars. Then, Netflix’s “Klaus” was an aesthetic stunner, and Jérémy Clapin’s “I Lost My Body” was a mature meditation on the human condition and the first animated movie to win the esteemed Nespresso Grand Prize at the Cannes Film Festival.
In short, the competition was stacked for Best Animated Feature and while the winner was anything but a sure thing, the divisive “Toy Story 4” hardly felt like anyone’s first pick. Thus, when actress Mindy Kaling presented the award partway through the evening, few expected and many were disappointed when she announced the Pixar title as the victor.
When director Josh Cooley and producers Mark Nielsen and Jonas Rivera took the stage, their acceptance speech was sincere. All involved in “Toy Story 4” seemed grateful for the prize, but audiences cannot help but feel like some of the other titles deserved it more.
Everything New is Old Again
In a year of Oscar firsts and progressive wins—from “Parasite” being the first foreign film to earn Best Picture, to the animated short “Hair Love” and the documentary “American Factory” winning with stories that celebrate multiculturalism—the Best Animated Feature category seemed a little regressive, championing the default, blockbuster Pixar nominee over some truly innovative pieces of cinema.
At least Pixar claims that it is done with sequels now and that the studio will be returning to original stories from here on out. 2020 promises the releases of “Onward” and “Soul” from Pixar, a couple movies with no connection to any previous intellectual properties. When they inevitably get nominated at the 2021 Academy Awards, let’s hope that they deserve their opportunity for hardware, and that the Academy keeps up its progressive tendencies when deciding on animated movies going forward.
Another Month, another High Temperature Record Smashed
Not only was another dismal record set when the Antarctic hit nearly 70º but, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in 145 years of record keeping, the month with the highest average temperature was January 2020. Additionally, the “departure”, in other words the amount that it was above the average, was the largest on record, excluding years where an “El Niño” was recorded as well.
Adding to the extreme nature of the record, and to illustrate the trend, it was also the 44th consecutive January that was above the 20th century average. The 10 warmest Januarys ever recorded were in this century, all since 2002. The four Januarys that were the warmest on record all occurred since 2016.
Across the globe record-warm temperatures were recorded in parts of Asia, the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, Scandinavia, the central and western Pacific Ocean and Central and South America. There were zero land or ocean areas having record-cold January temperatures.
Starting in 2020 the theme is no longer Affirm or Deny but Rather Commit to Action or Impede and Obstruct
At the same time, bright spots can already be seen in the rise of the EV and generally in sustainable energy development as a whole. Some regional and International governments have at least set goals for reductions in carbon emissions or an outright carbon neutral emission status, also known as a net zero carbon footprint.
Early in 2020, at the dawn of what is likely to be the decade of climate crisis and responses thereto, three major themes are emerging that show promise of an increased resolve to fight back and find solutions.
First, as mentioned above, the world transportation infrastructure and in particularly the auto industry are finally accepting the challenge of a total transition to sustainable methods of propulsion.
In a second thread – and this has only very recently become a trend – powerful financial industry leaders, often referred to collectively as “Wall Street”, are stating unequivocally that they see fossil fuel investments as unsustainable (no double entendres intended) and “Green” investments as absolutely fundamental to the future of the world economy.
An example is the CEO of BlackRock, an asset management firm with $7 trillion in assets, is pushing his firm toward sustainable investment options and at the same time demanding that all companies disclose potential risks posed by the reality of a world with a rapidly changing climate.
Jeremy Grantham, co-founder of successful asset management firm GMO, who is known for having predicted both the 2000 and 2008 bear markets, has been speaking out about the dangers of climate change for more than a decade. He says that the tide has now turned, and people in his industry are starting to pay attention. Quotes below are from a recent interview in Barrons.
The last two years have been very encouraging. The previous eight were a nightmare. I used to talk about climate change, and my clients would roll their eyes and ask why I was wasting their time. But now everyone is at least talking about it.
– Jeremy Grantham, Grantham, Mayo, & van Otterloo (GMO), in barrons interview
While he is optimistic about the potential to solve the problems using advanced technology, it is essential that the transitions start immediately.
The problem is, it’s all talk. Last year more carbon-dioxide molecules went into the air than any single year in history. We must try harder.
– JEREMY GRANTHAM
And, ultimately, the outlook for asset managers and others such as venture capitalists is shifting quickly:
Obviously, chemicals, oils, fossil fuels in general are looking pointless on a long horizon. Decarbonizing the system is a massive move that permeates every industry in the end.
– JEREMY GRANTHAM
Above: Photo / Adobe Stock
”Too Little Too Late” would not be a great Phrase for the Tombstone of the Earth
And this leads to the third thread – the eventual exposure of the fossil fuel industrial complex as a destructive, greed based system that must be forced into “retirement” since it will not quit or change fast enough voluntarily. On this topic Grantham does not mince words:
Capitalism has a way of taking perfectly reasonable human beings who play at the weekend with their grandchildren, who are occasionally altruistic, and turning them during the workweek into Milton Friedman zombies working to maximize short-term profit.
If you said, “My only objective as a human being is to maximize my own advantages,” that’s a workable definition of a sociopath.
– JEREMY GRANTHAM
For a deeper look into this rampant ethos, one that permeates the world’s most powerful industry, read “Blowout” by Rachel Maddow (yes, MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow). A mind blowing exposé of the inner workings of fossil fuel oligarchs and Oklahoma Wildcatters, it is a must read for anyone wanting to delve into the challenges we face as a species in adapting our own behavior (and particularly the behavior of the worst of us) in order to survive the climate crisis and all its evolving dangers.
Please click on photo to buy “Blowout” and at the same time you can help Lynxotic and All Independent Local Bookstores. Also available on Amazon
Politics is a Shady Business filled with DoubleSpeak, even more so if you are a Reality TV Star, it seems
Reams of digital paper and endless words have been expended in efforts to document the attempt to “ask”, coerce, bribe, blackmail or otherwise instigate a quid pro quo with president Zelensky of Ukraine: The release of promised military aid, already approved by congress but blocked by the White House, in exchange for the announcement, by Zelensky, that there was an investigation (real or imagined) by Ukraine into Joe Biden.
Other than the typically bogus claim by Trump, that Ukraine did not feel pressured, and the carefully worded quote from Zelensky, below, There has been little to no comment or investigative reporting on the bigger question beyond the question:
Why didn’t Ukraine and Zelensky simply comply with the “do us a favor, though” request and just announce the imaginary investigation?
Anonymous
As mentioned above much digital ink has been spilled speculating on possible reasons why this might be, but very little follow up or digging has been initiated or reported. This seems unusual with motives to resist this “non-pressure”, if you take Trump’s version, or outright blackmail which the facts imply, being potentially important in proving or at least shedding light on Trump’s motives (which are obvious unless you listen to Republican explanations).
Little is reported of any direct comment from Ukraine or Zelenskyy as to the real reason the “ask” was never considered or acted on. The paragraphs below from the Time.com interview are a carefully worded evasion of an answer, highlighting the difficulty for Ukraine in dealing with this issue without even more problems potentially to follow.
The War that Russia Denies ever Existed is at the Heart of the Matter
One obvious thought, also seldom mentioned, regarding reasons not to do this favor for Trump would be the understanding that, as Putin and Russia’s top preference for US President, Trump would be the last person Ukraine should want to see re-elected! And, talking about sanctions against Russia, as Zelensky mentioned often in the transcript of the call with Trump, below, these are the same sanctions that Trump tried to cancel immediately after his inauguration, before he was blocked from doing so by Congress.
The excerpt from the call that pertains to the “ask” is shown below, but the vague and submissive tone is only understood in context when compared with the more candid, yet still veiled, response to questions in a later interview:
We are great friends and you Mr. President have friends in our country so we can continue our strategic partnership. I also plan to surround myself with great people and in addition to that investigation, I guarantee as the President of Ukraine that all the investigations will be done openly and candidly.. That I can assure you.
– Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky
Excerpt from the Time.com interview with President Zelenskyy:
Interviewer: When did you first sense that there was a connection between Trump’s decision to block military aid to Ukraine this summer and the two investigations that Trump and his allies were asking for? Can you clarify this issue of the quid pro quo?
”Look, I never talked to the President from the position of a quid pro quo. That’s not my thing. … I don’t want us to look like beggars. But you have to understand. We’re at war. If you’re our strategic partner, then you can’t go blocking anything for us. I think that’s just about fairness. It’s not about a quid pro quo. It just goes without saying.”
– Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky
Interviewer: : Do you have any trust in Putin going into these talks?
”I don’t trust anyone at all. I’ll tell you honestly. Politics is not an exact science. That’s why in school I loved mathematics. Everything in mathematics was clear to me. You can solve an equation with a variable, with one variable. But here it’s only variables, including the politicians in our country. I don’t know these people. I can’t understand what dough they’re made of. That’s why I think nobody can have any trust. Everybody just has their interests.”
– Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky
Clearly, there is a visible difference between what is said on the official phone call and in the interview with Time.com. Clearer still would be the real truth on the “Ukrainian perspective” which will likely only be available once Trump is no longer president. Any more candid response from Zelenskyy would endanger him and his country and make them vulnerable to retaliation for telling the truth.
Full Transcript and Relevant Excerpt from July Call
As follows the full excerpt pertaining to the “favor” from the unclassified transcripts released in September (full transcript follows):
The President: I would like you to do us a favor though because our country has been through a lot and Ukraine knows a lot about it. I would like you to find out what happened with this whole situation with Ukraine, they say Crowdstrike… I guess you have one of your wealthy people… The server, they say Ukraine has it. There are a lot of things that went on, the whole situation. I think you’re surrounding yourself with some of the same people. I would like to have the Attorney General call you or your people and I would like you to get to the bottom of it. As you saw yesterday, that whole nonsense ended with a very poor performance by a man named Robert Mueller, an incompetent performance, but they say a lot of it started with Ukraine. Whatever you can do, it’s very important that you do it if that’s possible.
President Zelenskyy: Yes it is very important for me and everything that you just mentioned earlier. For me as a President, it is very important and we are open for any future cooperation. We are ready to open a new page on cooperation in relations between the United States and Ukraine. For that purpose, I just recalled our ambassador from United States and he will be replaced by a very competent and very experienced ambassador who will work hard on making sure that our two nations are getting closer. I would also like and hope to see him having your trust and your confidence and have personal relations with you so we can cooperate even more so. I will personally tell you that one of my assistants spoke with Mr. Giuliani just recently and we are hoping very much that Mr. Giuliani will be able to travel to Ukraine and we will meet once he comes to Ukraine. I just wanted to assure you once again that you have nobody but friends around us. I will make sure that I surround myself with the best and most experienced people. I also wanted to tell you that we are friends. We are great friends and you Mr. President have friends in our country so we can continue our strategic partnership. I also plan to surround myself with great people and in addition to that investigation, I guarantee as the President of Ukraine that all the investigations will be done openly and candidly.. That I can assure you.
UNCLASSIFIED
Declassified by order of the President
September 24, 2019
MEMORANDUM OF TELEPHONE CONVERSATION
SUBJECT: Telephone Conversation with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine
Participants: President Zelenskyy of Ukraine Notetakers: The White House Situation Room
Date, Time July 25, 2019, 9:03-9:33 am EDT and Place: Residence
The President: Congratulations on a great victory. We all watched from the United States and you did a terrific job. The way you came from behind, somebody who wasn’t given much of a chance, and you ended up winning easily. It’s a fantastic achievement. Congratulations.
President Zelenskyy: You are absolutely right Mr. President. We did win big and we worked hard for this. We worked a lot but I would like to confess to you that I had an opportunity to learn from you. We used quite a few of your skills and knowledge and were able to use it as an example for our elections and yes it is true that these were unique elections. We were in a unique situation that we were able to achieve a unique success. I’m able to tell you the following; the first time you called me to congratulate me when I won my presidential election, and the second time you are now calling me when my party won the parliamentary election. I think I should run more often so you can call me more often and we can talk over the phone more often.
The President: (laughter) That’s a very good idea. I think your country is very happy about that.
President Zelenskyy: Well yes, to tell you the truth, we are trying to work hard because we wanted to drain the swamp here in our country. We brought in many many new people. Not the old politicians, not the typical politicians, because we want to have a new format and a new type of government. You are a great teacher for us and in that.
The President: Well it is very nice of you to say that. I will say that we do a lot for Ukraine. We spend a lot of effort and a lot of time. Much more than the European countries are doing and they should be helping you more than they are. Germany does almost nothing for you. All they do is talk and I think it’s something that you should really ask them about. When I was speaking to Angela Merkel she talks Ukraine, but she ·doesn’t do anything. A lot of the European countries are the same way so I think it’s something you want to look at but the United States has been very very good to Ukraine. I wouldn’t say that it’s reciprocal necessarily because things are happening that are not good but the United States has been very very good to Ukraine.
President Zelenskyy: Yes you are absolutely right. Not only 100%, but actually 1000% and I can tell you the following; I did talk to Angela Merkel and I did meet with her I also met and talked with Macron and I told them that they are not doing quite as much as they need to be doing on the issues with the sanctions. They are not enforcing the sanctions. They are not working as much as they should work for Ukraine. It turns out that even though logically, the European Union should be our biggest partner but technically the United States is a much bigger partner than the European Union and I’m very grateful to you for that because the United States is doing quite a lot for Ukraine. Much more than the European Union especially when we are talking about sanctions against the Russian Federation. I would also like to thank you for your great support in the area of defense. We are ready to continue to cooperate for the next steps specifically we are almost. ready to buy more Javelins from the United States for defense purposes.
The President: I would like you to do us a favor though because our country has been through a lot and Ukraine knows a lot about it. I would like you to find out what happened with this whole situation with Ukraine, they say Crowdstrike… I guess you have one of your wealthy people… The server, they say Ukraine has it. There are a lot of things that went on, the whole situation. I think you’re surrounding yourself with some of the same people. I would like to have the Attorney General call you or your people and I would like you to get to the bottom of it. As you saw yesterday, that whole nonsense ended with a very poor performance by a man named Robert Mueller, an incompetent performance, but they say a lot of it started with Ukraine. Whatever you can do, it’s very important that you do it if that’s possible.
President Zelenskyy: Yes it is very important for me and everything that you just mentioned earlier. For me as a President, it is very important and we are open for any future cooperation. We are ready to open a new page on cooperation in relations between the United States and Ukraine. For that purpose, I just recalled our ambassador from United States and he will be replaced by a very competent and very experienced ambassador who will work hard on making sure that our two nations are getting closer. I would also like and hope to see him having your trust and your confidence and have personal relations with you so we can cooperate even more so. I will personally tell you that one of my assistants spoke with Mr. Giuliani just recently and we are hoping very much that Mr. Giuliani will be able to travel to Ukraine and we will meet once he comes to Ukraine. I just wanted to assure you once again that you have nobody but friends around us. I will make sure that I surround myself with the best and most experienced people. I also wanted to tell you that we are friends. We are great friends and you Mr. President have friends in our country so we can continue our strategic partnership. I also plan to surround myself with great people and in addition to that investigation, I guarantee as the President of Ukraine that all the investigations will be done openly and candidly.. That I can assure you.
The President: Good because I heard you had a prosecutor who was very good and he was shut down and that’s really unfair. A lot of people are talking about that, the way they shut your very good prosecutor down and you had some very bad people involved. Mr. Giuliani is a highly respected man. He was the mayor of New York City, a great mayor, and I would like him to call you. I will ask him to call you along with the Attorney General. Rudy very much knows what’s happening and he is a very capable guy. If you could speak to him that would be great.
The former ambassador from the United States, the woman, was bad news and the people she was dealing with in the Ukraine were bad news so I just want to let you know that. The other thing, There’s a lot of talk about Biden’s son, that Biden stopped the prosecution and a lot of people want to find out about that so whatever you can do with the Attorney General would be great. Biden went around bragging that he stopped the prosecution so if you can look into it… It sounds horrible to me.
President Zelenskyy: I wanted to tell you about the prosecutor. First of all, I understand and I’m knowledgeable about the situation. Since we have won the absolute majority in our Parliament, the next prosecutor general will be 100% my person, my candidate, who will be approved, by the parliament and will start as a new prosecutor in September. He or she will look into the situation, specifically to the company that you mentioned in this issue. The issue of the investigation of the case is actually the issue of making sure to restore the honesty so we will take care of that and will work on the investigation of the case. On top of that, I would kindly ask you if you have any additional information that you can provide to us, it would be very helpful for the investigation to make sure that we administer justice in our country with regard to the Ambassador to the United States from Ukraine as far as I recall her name was Ivanovich. It was great that you were the first one who told me that she was a bad ambassador because I agree with you 100%. Her attitude towards me was far from the best as she admired the previous President and she was on his side. She would not accept me as a new President well enough.
The President: Well, she’s going to go through some things. I will have Mr. Giuliani give you a call and I am also going to have Attorney General Barr call and we will get to the bottom of it. I’m sure you will figure it out. I heard the prosecutor was treated very badly and he was a very fair prosecutor so good luck with everything. Your economy is going to get better and better I predict. You have a lot of assets. It’s a great country. I have many Ukrainian friends, their incredible people.
President Zelenskyy: I would like to tell you that I also have quite a few Ukrainian friends that live in the United States. Actually last time I traveled to the United States, I stayed in New York near Central Park and I stayed at the Trump Tower. I will talk to them and I hope to see them again in the future. I also wanted to thank you for your invitation to visit the United States, specifically Washington DC. On the other hand, I also want to ensure you that we will be very serious about the case and will work on the investigation. As to the economy, there is much potential for our two countries and one of the issues that is very important for Ukraine is energy independence. I believe we can be very successful and cooperating on energy independence with United States. We are already working on cooperation. We are buying American oil but I am very hopeful for a future meeting. We will have more time and more opportunities to discuss these opportunities and get to know each other better. I would like to thank you very much for your support.
The President: Good. Well, thank you very much and I appreciate that. I will tell Rudy and Attorney General Barr to call. Thank you. Whenever you would like to come to the White House, feel free to call. Give us a date and we’ll work that out. I look forward to seeing you.
President Zelenskyy: Thank you very much. I would be very happy to come and would be happy to meet with you personally and get to know you better. I am looking forward to our meeting and I also would like to invite you to visit Ukraine and come to the city of Kyiv which is a beautiful city. We have a beautiful country which would welcome you. On the other hand, I believe that on September 1 we will be in Poland and we can meet in Poland hopefully. After that, it might be a very good idea for you to travel to Ukraine. We can either take my plane and go to Ukraine or we can take your plane, which is probably much better than mine.
The President: Okay, we can work that out. I look forward to seeing you in Washington and maybe in Poland because I think we are going to be there at that time.
President Zelenskyy: Thank you very much Mr. President.
The President: Congratulations on a fantastic job you’ve done. The whole world was watching. I’m not sure it was so much of an upset but congratulations.
President Zelenskyy: Thank you Mr. President bye-bye.
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