Every Whisper: The Tragedy on the Hill

 "What really saved me, what made me different, was that I could run." — Olympic champion Mo Farah, who says he was a victim of child trafficking

***

It’s worth watching the seventh hearing of the Congressional Jan. 6th committee on CSPAN, if only for the entertainment value. The riot was a comedy on many levels, in the Shakespearan sense of the term, which is to say it was a tragedy. It is hard to believe the blind stupidity of Trump and his allies, but these hearings make it all clear with blinding clarity.

My eyes hurt afterward.

But this hearing also included several passionate pleas from ordinary Americans to save our democracy, including a couple of guys who were there on that awful day at our Capitol, but now have seen the light.

Four of the panel members gave closing remarks that brought tears to my eyes.

What can we do? We can talk about it. We need to.

All of our eyes need to hurt together.

LATEST LINKS:

• Donald Trump advisers Roger Stone and Michael Flynn were in communication with extremist groups that led the attack on the U.S. Capitol, according to the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot. [HuffPost]

• Trump Sought to Conceal Plans for March to Capitol, Panel Says (NYT)

• Trump attempted to contact a committee witness, Cheney says (WP)

• Jan. 6 panel probes Trump’s ‘siren call’ to extremists (AP)

• The White House meeting that preceded Trump’s ‘will be wild’ tweet. (WP)

• Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) said former President Donald Trump personally reached out to a Jan. 6 committee witness, an action legal experts say could constitute obstruction of justice. Tuesday's hearing of the House select committee tied Trump to those who led the violent attacks on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. [HuffPost]

• Here's what we know about links between extremists and Trump allies (NPR)

• With tanks and artillery, Russia intensifies attacks on east Ukraine; gas supply concerns deepen as pipeline is shut down (CNBC)

• Putin to visit Iran next week (NHK)

• Iran plans to send drones to Russian forces in Ukraine, the U.S. said. It’s part of a secret effort by Tehran to support Russia’s invasion, according to officials.(WP)

• Ukraine said it had carried out a successful long-range rocket strikeagainst Russian forces in southern Ukraine, territory it says it is planning to retake in a counter-offensive using hundreds of thousands of troops. (Reuters)

• Lego pulls out of Russia 'indefinitely' (BBC)

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• Within the war between Russia and Ukraine, a war between Chechens (WP)

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• Judge orders Sen. Lindsey Graham to testify for special grand jury in Trump election probe (Cox)

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• The Biden administration said healthcare providers must offer abortion services if the life of a mother is at risk and that procedures conducted under such circumstances would be protected under federal law regardless of various state bans. Meanwhile, a state court judge in Utah blocked a sweeping new abortion ban from taking effect and a judge blocked an Arizona law recognizing 'personhood' at fertilization. (Reuters)

• Shares of Twitter slid more than 11% in the first day of trading after billionaire Elon Musk said he was abandoning his $44 billion bid for the company. Twitter is now preparing to sue Musk. [AP]

• Murphy's law comes for bitmining (Politico)

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• California firefighters gained ground Monday in the battle against a fire that is threatening a grove of giant sequoias in Yosemite National Park. (AP)

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• Iran arrests 3rd outspoken filmmaker in escalating crackdown (AP)

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• Hopes of Covid Reprieve Fade as Subvariant Takes Over (WSJ)

• The United Nations estimated that the world’s population will reach 8 billion on Nov. 15 and that India will replace China as the world’s most populous nation next year. Find out some more stats about how the world's population is faring here. [AP]

• Global population growth hits lowest rate since 1950 (Financial Times)

• DeSantis convenes top donors, fellow GOP govs as 2024 chatter builds (Politico)

• A U.S. federal judge said Subway can be sued for allegedly deceiving customers about its tuna products, including a claim it uses other fish species, chicken, pork and cattle instead of the advertised "100% tuna". (Reuters)

• Extinct’ parrots make a flying comeback in Brazil (Guardian)

• Study: Marijuana Ranks Among Best Treatment For Persistent Existence (The Onion)

LYRICS:

“Losing My Religion”

R.E.M.

Oh life is bigger
It's bigger than you
And you are not me
The lengths that I will go to
The distance in your eyes
Oh no I've said too much
I set it up

That's me in the corner
That's me in the spot-light
Losing my religion
Trying to keep up with you
And I don't know if I can do it
Oh no I've said too much
I haven't said enough

I thought that I heard you laughing
I thought that I heard you sing
I think I thought I saw you try

Every whisper, of every waking hour
I'm choosing my confessions
Trying to keep an eye on you
Like a hurt, lost and blinded fool, fool
Oh no I've said too much
I set it up

Consider this
Consider this the hint of the century
Consider this the slip
That brought me to my knees, failed
What if all these fantasies come
Flailing around
Now I've said too much

I thought that I heard you laughing
I thought that I heard you sing
I think I thought I saw you try

But that was just a dream
That was just a dream

That's me in the corner
That's me in the spot-light
Losing my religion
Trying to keep up with you
And I don't know if I can do it
Oh no I've said too much
I haven't said enough

I thought that I heard you laughing
I thought that I heard you sing
I think I thought I saw you try

But that was just a dream
Try, cry, fly, try
That was just a dream
Just a dream
Just a dream, dream

Songwriters: Peter Lawrence Buck / Michael E. Mills / William Berry / Michael J. Stipe