Pandemic Political Chaos

 

The footage of the Republican elite gathering in the Rose Garden a week ago has the aura of a last supper, with the likes of Kellyanne Conway and Chris Christie, among others, now having tested positive for the coronavirus.

They were maskless and hardly practicing social distancing. As more of them fall ill, they probably regret being there, but of course it is too late now.

All of us witnessing these developments are left to wonder what else the year 2020 may have to offer us.

Since the news broke late Thursday night in the Pacific timezone that Trump had tested positive for the virus, the news cycles have sped up to warp speed.

Contradictory reports continue to extend a confusing picture of the president's health. Into that vacuum, many are speculating. In the context, I'm sticking to what seems credible as reported by the most reliable media sources.

***

Speaking of cycles:

* Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said he checked himself into a hospital Saturday afternoon as a precautionary measure after announcing earlier in the day that he had tested positive for Covid-19.Christie, who suffers from asthma, said in consultation with his doctor he decided it was best to be monitored in the hospital. He said he has a slight fever and is achy but felt well enough to drive himself to the hospital. (CNN) 

* A senior administration official told CNN's Jake Tapper on Saturday that the cluster of coronavirus cases among top Republican officials likely began at President Trump's Rose Garden event announcing the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court. (CNN)

* White House chief of staff Mark Meadows offered an upbeat assessment of Donald Trump's current status but revealed the President's oxygen level had “dropped rapidly” Friday morning.Meadows said Trump has no fever right now and his oxygen levels are good, but on Friday morning, Trump did have a fever and his oxygen level had “dropped rapidly.” (Fox News)

* Secret Service agents expressed their anger and frustration to colleagues and friends Friday, saying that the president's actions have repeatedly put them at risk. "He's never cared about us," one agent told a confidant, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the internal reaction. Former Secret Service agents said it was unheard of for agents to openly complain about their president but that some currently in the ranks had become convinced during the pandemic that Trump was willing to put his protectors in harm's way. (SFGate)

* ABC News staffers who were in direct contact with former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will quarantine for 14 days, a spokesperson for the network said in a statement Saturday after Christie announced he had tested positive for the coronavirus. (ABC)

* Poll Finds Voters in Two Crucial States Repelled by Trump’s Debate Behavior -- Biden is ahead by seven points in Pennsylvania and five points in Florida, according to the Times/Siena survey. (NYT)

* One of the White House aides who works closest to President Trump has tested positive for coronavirus, a White House official confirmed. Nicholas Luna, an assistant to the President, acts as one of his "body men," whose job is to accompany the President throughout the day and night, putting him in close proximity to Trump. (CNN)

* A century ago, a new respiratory virus gripped the country at the height of World War I. It started among American troops and exploded into a flu pandemic that killed 675,000 people in the U.S. Like the coronavirus, the fast-spreading 1918 flu disrupted life in unprecedented ways. It overwhelmed health care systems, cleared public spaces, and shuttered workplaces and social events. Like President Trump, President Woodrow Wilson's administration downplayed the pandemic. And like Trump, Wilson also got infected. So did some of his closest aides and staff members. (CNN)

***

Heartaches by the number, troubles by the score
Everyday you love me less, each day I love you more
Yes, I've got heartaches by the number, a love that I can't win
But the day that I stop counting, that's the day my world will end

Heartache number one was when you left me
I never knew that I could hurt this way
And heartache number two was when you came back again
You came back but never meant to stay

Yes, I've got
Heartaches by the number, troubles by the score
Everyday you love me less, each day I love you more
Yes, I've got heartaches by the number, a love that I can't win
But the day that I stop counting, that's the day my world will end

Heartache number three was when you called me
And said that you were coming back to stay
With hopeful heart I waited for your knock on the door
I waited but you must have lost your way

Yes, I've got
Heartaches by the number, troubles by the score
Everyday you love me less, each day I love you more
Yes, I've got heartaches by the number, a love that I can't win
But the day that I stop counting, that's the day my world will end

-- Guy Mitchell

-30-

As He Lay Dying

Often I find myself interpreting life through literary references.

When it comes to my favorite American authors, Faulkner has long been near the top of the list. His 1930 Southern Gothic novel, "As I Lay Dying" -- which echoes Homer's Odyssey -- comes to mind in our present circumstances. It is painful to read. So is contemplating our common fate.

Does anyone doubt what Trump would be tweeting if it was Biden who had fallen ill? We would be subjected to a barrage of tweets about him being too weak to be President and toxic messages of that ilk.

Contrast that with our current reality. The Biden campaign has pulled its attack ads, so as not to hit Trump when he is down. (The Trump campaign has continued its attack ads against Biden.)

It is notable that no leading Democrats or media commentators are gloating over Trump's illness. Trump supporters should be asking themselves "Why?"

I have the answer. Because these people have never been the loathsome creatures Trump has portrayed them as being -- they are by and large decent, thoughtful people who may (or may not) disagree with some of Trump's political positions.

There is nothing wrong with that. It's called democracy. What is critical to note is that a bully only remains a bully as long as he doesn't encounter resistance. Once people fight back, he shrivels up into a little, hopeless ball.

Trump is huddled in a hospital bed, scared, hoping he will get well. Actually, we all are hoping he gets well, including everyone he considers his enemies. But recovering physically will not represent redemption for Trump.

That will only come if he is chastened by the experience; if he finally comes to grips with how awful his behavior in life has been. I hope he know how to pray, because if he does, he should be praying not only to get better but for forgiveness for what he has put our country through.

We elected him President, not God. He is a mere mortal, like the rest of us.

May he get some much-needed rest. And when he wakes up, may he see that the people he demonized  are not sending him messages of evil but messages of love.

And may that help him become a better. person.

***

As the smoke from wildfires has descended once again upon the Bay Area, the sun sets blood-orange in the West. The air is white. Our breathing is labored.

Our world is symptomatic; it has Covid-19.

* 74 and Overweight, Trump Faces Extra Risks From ‘a Very Sneaky Virus’ -- The president has boasted of his health and is sure to receive the best possible care, but he carries a number of risk factors as he begins his battle with Covid-19. (NYT)

* Trump’s debate guests refused to wear masks, flouting rules (WashPo)

* Last week, we won an important victory for transparency in our fight to unseal data that would help us understand how U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has handled detainees’ parole requests during the pandemic. (Reveal/CIR)

* Poll Finds Voters in Two Crucial States Repelled by Trump’s Debate Behavior -- Biden is ahead by seven points in Pennsylvania and five points in Florida, according to the Times/Siena survey. (NYT)

* 'It's Just F*ck-Up After F*ck-Up' -- Trump's COVID Advisors at Their Breaking Point (Daily Beast)

* Facebook, Google and Twitter chief executives to testify to Congress ahead of 2020 election (WashPo)

***

Why Me?

Why me Lord what have I ever done
To deserve even one of the pleasures I've known
Tell me, Lord, what did I ever do
That was worth lovin' you or the kindness you've shown

Lord help me, Jesus, I've wasted it so
Help me Jesus I know what I am
But now that I know that I've needed you so
Help me, Jesus, my soul's in your hand

Try me, Lord, if you think there's a way
I can try to repay all I've taken from you
Maybe Lord I can show someone else
What I've been through myself, on my way back to you

--Kris Kristofferson

Section 3

For at least the next few days and perhaps the next several weeks, all the other momentous stories that have convulsed 2020 will be set aside as we await further word on President Donald Trump's health condition. 

He is hospitalized at Walter Reed with multiple symptoms and is receiving various treatments. They are checking his blood oxygen level, which is done by attaching a clip to your index finger. If that should fall, further treatments will be indicated.

They will be monitoring his blood pressure and his heart rate. All of these procedures are familiar to me; I've had them scores of times over the past year.

As of yet, there is no reason to think he will be unable to carry out the duties of his office, but the contingencies have to be considered.

If his condition worsens, which is a distinct possibility, there is a process by which he will have to step aside, at least temporarily. 

Section 3 of the 25th Amendment says that a President can declare themselves "unable to discharge the powers and duties of their office" (unable to do their job). He or she must say this in a written letter to both the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. In that case, V-P Mike Pence would then take over.

There is also the possibility that Trump may die while still in office or during the transitional period from Nov. 3 - Jan 20 next year.

As a well-known germaphobe, the President' illness suggests that many others around him are probably infected as well. Despite the best possible medical support, regular testing and all the resources to protect his health and safety, Trump could not avoid getting the virus.

That means it also got through to a lot of other people as well. So far, at least nine have tested positive.

As we contemplate the consequences, we have to realize that many top officials may soon be sidelined and have to step aside. These are scenarios that suggest that the government may soon be paralyzed.

Hopefully, none of this comes to pass. Overseas, around a half dozen other leaders, including the U.K. prime minister and the presidents of several South American countries, have gotten Covid and recovered.

Let's hope that is the case with Trump.

But for now, the Biden campaign is taking the high ground -- they have pulled all negative ads about Trump in their quest to win the election a month from today.

Regardless of Trump's health, the election will occur. My own ballot arrived today.

***

Here are the headlines.

* New Layoffs Add to Worries Over U.S. Economic Slowdown -- A standoff over further federal aid and concern over the pandemic’s duration are pushing companies to eliminate jobs. (NYT)

* As QAnon grew, Facebook and Twitter missed years of warning signs about the conspiracy theory’s violent nature (WashPo)

* NYS Comptroller Audit: Up To 50% Of NYC Bars And Restaurants Could Close Permanently In Next 6 Months (CBS)

* Hundreds of earthquakes continue to rattle Southern California, USGS says (SactoBee)

* Amy Coney Barrett, Trump’s Supreme Court Pick, Signed Anti-Abortion Ad -- Her statement appears to be the most direct evidence of her personal views, ones she has vowed to set aside on the bench. (NYT)

* Amazon says nearly 20,000 employees have caught the coronavirus (WashPo)

* McMaster, Mostly Silent Until Now, Says Trump Is ‘Aiding and Abetting Putin’s Efforts’ -- “This sustained campaign of disruption, disinformation, and denial, is aided by any leader who doesn’t acknowledge it,” President Trump’s former national security adviser said. (NYT)

* Justice Dept., FBI plan for possibility of Election Day violence, disruptions (WashPo)

* A pandemic and record-setting wildfires are putting unprecedented challenges on election officials this year. Neighborhood polling places such as schools, churches and nursing homes have been harder to secure, and voting locations must adhere to strict safety guidelines. Furthermore, when 21 million ballots are mailed to voters next week, thousands of Californians displaced by wildfires might be unable to receive ballots. (NYT)

***

“I like too many things and get all confused and hung-up running from one falling star to another till I drop. This is the night, what it does to you. I had nothing to offer anybody except my own confusion.” 
― Jack Kerouac

“The only truth is music.” 
― Jack Kerouac

Trump Tests Positive

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump tested positive for coronavirus, the President has announced. "Tonight, @FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19. We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately." (CNN)

It's October. We are more than six months into this Year of Living Separately with no end in sight. The number of new Covid-19 cases goes up here, down there, but overall continues surging through our society.

Over 7 million have gotten sick; more than 200,000 have died. But many more remain at risk. Another 25,000 are expected to die this month.

As the weather grows cooler, the U.S. appears to be poised to become a carbon copy of Europe, which is coping with a second wave of the pandemic already.

Now Trump faces an uncertain health future.

***

 * White House Blocked C.D.C. Order to Keep Cruise Ships Docked -- The C.D.C. director wanted a “no sail” order extended until February, a policy that would have upset the tourism industry in the crucial swing state of Florida. (NYT)

* As Kim wooed Trump with ‘love letters,’ he kept building his nuclear capability, intelligence shows (WashPo)

* FACEBOOK BANS ADS THAT SEEK TO 'DELEGITIMIZE' ELECTION RESULTS (HuffPost)

* If Trump wins, 20 million people could lose health insurance. If Biden wins, 25 million could gain it. (Vox)

* Denver Wants to Fix a Legacy of Environmental Racism -- Historically, trees and city parks in America go to wealthy, white neighborhoods. Now, a program in Colorado’s capital is trying to correct that injustice. (NYT)

* Trump’s call for poll-watching volunteers sparks fear of chaos and violence on Election Day (WashPo)

* A prominent member of the Proud Boys was arrested Wednesday in Portland, Oregon — less than a day after President Donald Trump publicly threw his support behind the hate group. (HuffPost)

* Trump-Biden Debate Prompts Shock, Despair and, in China, Glee -- The chaos of the event has left allies and rivals alike questioning the state of American democracy and the country’s place on the global stage. (NYT)

* Trump insists on no changes to debate rules, challenges leaders of debate commission (WashPo)

* The Silverado Trail has long been a place of dreams for Napa Valley wine lovers as it winds gently through vineyards and on to Calistoga. California's Glass Fire turned much of that dream to ash, destroying a 3-star restaurant at Meadowood resort, torching wineries such as Chateau Boswell, and tainting precious grapes with smoke. (AFP)

* Biden is favored to win the election. Odds: Biden 80%, Trump 20%. (538)

***

Meanwhile, a month remains before Election Day. Many Americans, including me, will have voted by then by mail. In the "poll of polls" assembled by the data site 538 calculates that Biden is for times more likely than Trump to win the election.

But everybody remembers what happened in 2016 when Trump snuck into office by a tiny percentage of votes in swing states while losing the popular tabulation by over 3 million votes.

Trump continues to intimidate voters by shouting his baseless claims of voter fraud, and claiming that the election outcome will only be valid if he wins. Meanwhile, his administration is doing whatever it can to *suppress* the votes by people of color and poor people.

That means the election outcome will only be valid if Trump loses.

I don't know what is going to happen but our country is never going to be the same after this outrageous spectacle concludes. By then, virtually all of us may be completely worn out.

The wildfire smoke has returned to the Bay Area, as has the heat. It is suffocating. I wish I could hit the road.

Everyone around here feels the same way.

Trapped.

-30-

Nothing to be Proud Of

 

The national embarrassment of the President acting like a spoiled child in the debate is behind us, but I'm worried about what effect this spectacle has had on our youth.

It was the first debate my grandchildren have seen. This is the first Presidential election my youngest daughter can vote in. Early in the debate, she texted that it was a "train wreck" -- a term I later heard from many people, including reporters covering the event.

But no matter what any of us think, our children and grandchildren have seen what they've seen and it will affect them for years to come.

Like anyone else watching the debacle, I was shocked by Trump's embrace of the "Proud Boys," who represent the absolute worst in our society.

It is impossible for me to imagine any decent Republican voter tolerating this embrace of a white supremacist organization. What is needed, for the good of the country, is for those voters to "stand down" -- sit this election out.

You don't have to agree with Joe Biden on the issues, or even like the way he speaks. Hell, he isn't my kind of speaker; I prefer an Obama -- someone who can articulate a vision we can share, regardless of party affiliation. But Biden is a good man who will stabilize the country at a time we really need stabilization.

Normally, I would urge everyone to vote, but I cannot in good conscience encourage anyone to vote for Trump.  Perhaps a better option would be to go down-ballot and support all of the other GOP candidates, and leave the top line blank.

That would send the message that needs to be sent. We Americans stand united against hate, against racism, against police violence, against protestor violence, against inequality, against oppression and against authoritarianism.

We support tolerance, diversity, decency, equality, love, kindness, compassion, and the freedom to speak out on behalf of our beliefs. We support our right to differ, but not to attack each other with the kind of vicious rhetoric Trump employs.

BTW, the debate moderator, Chris Wallace of FoxNews, has come under severe criticism for not being able to control Trump's unhinged  behavior, but could anyone have done a better job? He was overwhelmed, as were we all.

Take a look at the first news item below. When the country's foremost conservative thinker says we should cancel the rest of the debates because of Trump's behavior, we have a problem.

***

* For the sake of the country, cancel the remaining debates-- Opinion by George F. Will  (WashPo)

* Of Course, the Debate Was Always Going to Be About Trump -- A face-off with Joe Biden devolves into an ugly shouting match as President Trump, characteristically, makes it all about him. (NYT)

* Tuesday’s Debate Made Clear the Gravest Threat to the Election: The President Himself -- President Trump’s unwillingness to say he would abide by the result and his disinformation campaign about election fraud went beyond anything President Vladimir V. Putin could have imagined. (NYT)

* Head-scratching perplexity about U.S. democracy in Australia and Denmark. Disdain for “chaos” and “insults” between America’s presidential contenders in a Chinese Communist Party tabloid. A European market watcher’s warning of a “credibility deficit” in U.S. politics amid fears that a long tradition of peaceful, amicable transfer of power could be in jeopardy. (AP)

* The Commission on Presidential Debates announced Wednesday that it would add “additional structure” to the remaining faceoffs between President Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden after Tuesday night’s chaotic clash in Cleveland, saying “more orderly discussion is needed.” (WashPo)

* Early surge of Democratic mail voting sparks worry inside GOP (WashPo)

* 'We are ready': Proud Boys threaten to act and pledge allegiance to Trump after he told the far right group to 'stand back and stand by' during presidential debate (Mail Online)

*Trump Sent a Warning. Let’s Take It Seriously. -- Our democracy is in terrible danger — more than since the Civil War, more than after Pearl Harbor, more than during the Cuban missile crisis. (NYT)

* CALIFORNIA FIRES BREAK 'ALMOST EVERY RECORD' Fires continue to grow in Northern California, continuing the state’s historic, devastating fire season after record-breaking blazes swept the state in August. California’s fires this year have “broken almost every record there is to break,” the state’s firefighting agency, Cal Fire, tweeted on Tuesday. Fires have burned more than 3.8 million acres so far this year, more than five times the average of 740,000 acres burned by this time in the past five years. Five of the six largest fires in California history have occurred this year. [HuffPost]

* ICE preparing targeted arrests in ‘sanctuary cities,’ amplifying president’s campaign theme (WashPo)

* How Trump Voters Feel About His Refusal to Commit to Transferring Power -- Many Trump supporters do not believe that he can or will lose, and say he would be justified in questioning whether Democrats manipulated the outcome. (NYT)

* Greenland ice sheet on course to lose ice at fastest rate in 12,000 years, study find (WashPo)

* BIDEN PITCHED A CLIMATE PLAN. TRUMP RAMBLED. Across the West Coast, fires have scorched a record 2.5 million acres and incinerated entire towns ― and there are still several months left in the fire season. During Tuesday night's presidential debate, the president shrugged off a question about what should be done about it. Pressed on whether he understands the role that human-caused emissions are playing, Trump extolled the need for “immaculate air and immaculate water.” Biden pitched his plan to add “millions of good-paying jobs” created by new efforts to eliminate the energy sector’s emissions by 2035 and build 500,000 charging stations for electric vehicles. [HuffPost]

* Trump’s quest to win a second term is not in good shape. He entered Tuesday night’s debate with roughly a 7- or 8-point deficit in national polls, putting him further behind at this stage of the race than any other candidate since Bob Dole in 1996. (538)

* The Carnival Parade Is Canceled, and Rio Is Reeling -- Wars, disease and political turmoil have never prevented Rio de Janeiro from putting on its famous carnival. Now, the pandemic has forced a suspension of the annual parade, at great cost to the city and its residents. (NYT)

***

I continue to reach out to old friends, connecting with two or three every week. It's extremely difficult to continue making new friends given the pandemic, but I'll do that too when I can.

One feature of 2020 is my Facebook Friend network has vastly expanded and I am extremely grateful to all of you for that.

If you're lonely
And need a friend
And troubles seem like
They never end
Just remember to keep the faith
And love will be there to light the way

Anytime you need a friend
I will be here

-- Mariah Carey

-30-

Debate Loser? America

In the end, there was no actual debate. It was the starkest example yet of a schoolyard bully misbehaving on national TV, and it is a tragedy that he is the President of the U.S.

Biden did his best to respond, but in the end a bully is a bully. And on occasion, Biden stumbled with his answers and seemed disoriented.

For one, I am disappointed, because I had hoped against hope for a discussion of the issues.

I had my pen and paper ready to take notes, but there were no substantive notes to be taken.

The moderator, Chris Wallace of Fox News, had to repeatedly request Trump to back off, but he refused.

It was an embarrassment for the country in the eyes of the world. 

***

Well, as I was compiling the latest news headlines, something weird happened. A bunch of strange stories started popping up in my news feeds -- trips to Mars and the moon, a jetpack man who comes to your aid, a hermaphrodite bird in the Midwest, and a giant robot in Tokyo. 

Far more entertaining than the debate...

* A review by The Washington Post of nearly 90 state and federal voting lawsuits found that judges have been dubious of Republican arguments about the risk of widespread fraud. (WashPo)

* TRUMP OUT TO WIN AT ANY COST The New York Times’ detailing of two decades of President Donald Trump’s federal tax returns made it even clearer that he sees a second term as a way to avoid potential prosecution and the burden of his mountainous debts. The report raises questions about whether Trump violated federal law in evading taxes, and offers a lens into why he has fought so hard to shield the returns from public view (HuffPost)

* Post-ABC poll: Biden leads Trump in battleground state of Pennsylvania (WashPo)

* Disney is laying off 28,000 employees at theme parks due to Covid-19. (CNN)

* A former federal prosecutor during the Watergate proceedings that brought down President Richard Nixon says tax revelations about Trump could ultimately send him and oldest daughter Ivanka Trump to prison. “Tax evasion is a five-year felony,” said Nick Akerman. (HuffPost)

* Trump said he would bring jobs back to Ohio’s manufacturing workers. Instead, he deserted them. (WashPo)

* Trump Secretly Mocks His Christian Supporters (Atlantic)

* Trump’s presidential election campaign attempted to discourage millions of Black Americans from voting in 2016 in a move that could have been crucial to his victory. According to an investigation by Britain's Channel 4 News, the “Deterrence” project run by Trump’s digital campaign team targeted 3.5 million Black people with ads in an attempt to get them to stay at home on Election Day. (Channel 4)

* Strange Bacteria Is Attacking California’s Trout Supply (NYT)

*  Wildfires erupt across California, damaging Santa Rosa and displacing thousands (WashPo)

* Elon Musk says humans need to move to Mars as Sun will one day engulf Earth (U.S. Sun)

* United Arab Emirates to launch spacecraft to moon in 2024 (AP)

* Jet suit paramedic tested in the Lake District 'could save lives' (BBC) Maybe this explains that guy above LAX? (DW)

* Giant robot moving in Japan harbour entrances millions on Twitter (Reuters)

* Researchers In PA Catch Rare Part-Female, Part-Male Bird (CBS)

***

According to Ancestry.com's analysis of my DNA sample, I'm 92% Scottish, 4% Irish, and 4% British. That's fine but can I ask for a second opinion?

"I don't need your rocking' chair." -- George Jones

Under the Heat Dome

Reminder: The first presidential debate before this year's election occurs tonight, Tuesday, at 7 p.m. ET.

"Red Flag" warnings of fire danger are back here on the coast, after a brief stretch when the air seemed clear and the sky brighter. The air thickened with smoke overnight early Monday, apparently from the two new fires listed below. 

I don't know if the fires are due to climate change, as Gov. Newsom says, but they do presage a necessary change in the California lifestyle.

How many people are going to continue to be willing to risk living in the fire zones if along with that sweet mountain air and the comfort of tall trees comes the constant risk of losing everything, even their lives?

As September sneaks off, we're still a long way from the rainy season, assuming we even have one this year. We may not, because California is also given to droughts, which exacerbate the fire problem. 

Come to think of it, *everything* seems to exacerbate the fire problem, even heavy rains.

That's because the rains stimulate the growth of grasses and brush that dries out and turns brown during the hot season, becoming fuel for the next cycle of wildfires that always seem to be poised to resume their race through this region.

Despite all of this, I love it here and I'm still itching to get on the road and go somewhere -- anywhere -- no doubt in rebellion against all of the restrictions I have faced the past six months.

My thoughts, admittedly irrational, go like this: "Okay, I was really sick for a long time last year. That meant being trapped in hospital beds. But I willed myself back to health and did a lot of physical therapy to build back my strength, so I wouldn't be trapped anymore. I wanted to be free. So I was good.

"Well now I am free but this effing pandemic and the fires and the heatwaves have kept me from living out that freedom. I'm feeling almost as trapped as when I was in the hospital beds.

"Looking on the bright side, at last I don't have to wear those damned hospital gowns that open in the back. But still, this good boy is gonna go bad, to misquote Tammy Wynette."

***

Here you go. Watch out for those swearing parrots.

* Two new wildfires grew by nearly 10,000 acres in a day in California, where more than 3.6 million acres have burned this year. (CNN) 

* 3 Killed in Fresh Wildfires in Northern California -- In addition to the deaths, the famous Chateau Boswell winery is gone, a community of tiny homes for homeless people has burned, and an untold number of houses are feared lost. (NYT)

* Ocean heat waves linked to climate change are disrupting the food webs of sea lions and other marine creatures. (NYT)

* During a press conference in Delaware, Biden warned Americans that their health care will be in jeopardy if Trump's nominee Barrett is confirmed and the court gains a 6-3 conservative majority. “It’s no mystery what is happening here: President Trump is trying to throw out the Affordable Care Act,” Biden said. “He’s been trying to do it for the last four years. The Republican Party has been trying to eliminate it for a decade.” [HuffPost]

* Ransomware attacks against small towns, big cities and the contractors who run their voting systems have federal officials fearing that hackers will try to sow chaos around the election. (NYT)

* Despite Trump’s repeated insistence that COVID-19 is largely a blue state problem, cases are surging in red states just five weeks before the election. Twenty-two states are currently seeing increases in cases, including in the Midwest, the Great Plains and some in the South. The biggest spikes in new cases have been in North and South Dakota (scene of the massive Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in August), Wisconsin, Utah, Oklahoma and Iowa— all of which voted for Trump in 2016. Among those states, Trump is particularly vulnerable in Iowa and Wisconsin. [HuffPost]

* Most Americans Want To Wait Until After The Election To Fill The Supreme Court Vacancy. (538)

* Trump in 2011 said lower-income Americans should have to pay taxes to 'be a part of the game' and said he paid 'a lot' (CNN) I guess zero means "a lot" (DW)

* Tax Records Reveal How Fame Gave Trump a $427 Million Lifeline -- “The Apprentice” rescued Donald J. Trump, bringing him new sources of cash and a myth that would propel him to the White House. (NYT)

* Ethics experts see national security concern in Trump’s debt (AP)

* Trump’s 'biggest fear' is 'massive' IRS bills and potential tax fraud charges, says Michael Cohen (Yahoo News)

* More than one million votes have already been cast in the November election, according to data from the United States Election Project, marking a noticeable increase over voting trends in 2016 even before the first presidential debate. (Forbes)

* Nearly three-quarters of voters plan to watch first debate, poll finds. (WashPo)

* Parrots removed from UK wildlife park after they started swearing at customers -- Steve Nichols, chief executive of Lincolnshire Wildlife Park, said the five African grey parrots were adopted in the same week and while in isolation taught each other to swear. (Mirror)

***

Road Trippin' Blues...

I don't have my license yet
But I think it might be fun to try with you
You live far and I don't have a car
But I think it might be fine and the sky looks so blue
We'd fill up with gas and we move pretty fast
Is that something you'd like to do?

-- Chloe Moriondo

-30-