Tiger Schlock

Finally, at last, one of the loonies associated with the obscene reality-TV miniseries, "Tiger King" has been indicted for wildlife trafficking and animal cruelty.  A Fredrick County, Virginia grand jury indicted Bhagavan 'Doc' Antle, [photo] owner of Myrtle Beach Safari, for trafficking lion cubs, conspiracy, and multiple misdemeanors for animal cruelty and violating the Endangered Species Act. 'Doc' was a character on the show appropriately titled “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness,” which featured the declassé antics of a convicted criminal and animal keeper Joseph Maldonado-Passage, born Joseph Schreibvogel, aka Joe Exotic. Mr. Exotic is currently serving twenty-two years in prison for attempting to kill a rival zoo keeper, and killing tigers.

In 2019, 119 animals were seized from a Virginia roadside zoo after a judge found Keith Wilson, owner of Wilson's Wildlife Animal Park in Winchester, Virginia, “cruelly treated, neglected, or deprived” the animals of adequate care. Wilson was indicted by the same jury that decided Mr. Antle's case. Wilson faces trial on 46 counts of animal cruelty in June. In view of the Sixth Extinction now decimating Earth's wild creatures, it is way past time animal cruelty is treated as a serious crime deserving time and resources to punish and prevent.

'Toontime: Superspreader

Wackydoodle sez: He's immune...or maybe Superman!

The count is now thirty-four, the number of VWH staff infected with SARS CoV-2. His sycophants either refuse or cannot answer the question of when was the last time Don 'Killer' Trumpillini tested negative. That is a standard question for contact tracing. Speculation now is that he may have been infectious as early as the super-spreader event in the Rose Garden on September 26th. Since he does not regularly wear a mask, he could easily have infected his closest staff personnel until he was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Thursday, October 1st and taken to Walter Reed Medical Center where he received treatment not available to ordinary 'mericans. (the CEO of Regeneron maker of the monoclonal antibody drug administered to him is a family friend. Antibody treatments are notoriously expensive and not widely available.) Clearly, The erratic Killer's fitness for office while under the influence of a mind-altering drug is a legitimate concern for Congress and the citizens who are asked to retain him for another four years.

“They have taken a crisis and turned it into a tragedy,” -- New England Journal of Medicine

US Covid-19 Deaths (est.): 223,000

Javan Rhinos Born in Wild

Last month, the 22nd, was World Rhino Day. The day brings recognition to the efforts to save Earth's two species of African rhinocerous and three Asian rhino species. All are endangered, none more so than the Sumatran (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis). Only eighty of these ancient beasts still live in the wild including seven that live in the rhinoceros sanctuary of Way Kambas National Park on Sumatra. The pandemic has slowed conservation plans. A new sanctuary on Sumatra has been delayed as has a plan put together by WWF to capture a wild Bornean female for breeding. Rhinos on Borneo (Kalimantan) have been separated for thousands of years and are now geneticallty distinct, so breeding the two will provide much need genetic diversity. Unfortunately conservation can be highly political: Indonesia abruptly cut ties to World Wildlife Fund--Indonesia. Experts generally agree that bringing in surviving rhinos in from the wild to participate in captive breeding is the best hope to save the critically endangered animal.

Luther and mom courtesy Environment Ministry

World Rhino Day was marked by the welcomed birth of two Javan rhino calves in the wild. Camera traps caught the two calves and their mothers on video. Helen and Luther were born in the last place on Earth this species (Rhinoceros sondaicus) still exists, Ujung Kulon National Park, on the western tip of Java bringing the population to 74. Conservationists credit the births to stringent protection from poaching. There has been a recorded birth every year since 2012 according to the International Rhino Foundation. This population, the last on Earth, is growing, but vulnerable to natural disasters. The rhinos live in view of Anak Krakatau, the active volcano in the Sunda Straits. A 2018 eruption produced a tsunami that hit the park. Fortunately, the rhinos were inland when it struck, killing two park officials and about 400 other people along the coast. Although no rhino poaching has been reported in a while, illegal fishing is becoming a problem. A marine patrol launched in January 2020 has since apprehended 45 boats and 218 people illegally encroaching in the national park in the first six months of operations.

The Inauthentic Opposition

Perhaps Chuck Schumer does not read the New York Daily News, but he should because19 good ideas are there about how to stall the confirmation of a zealous, right-wing jurist to the Supreme Court. Instead of strategizing, the Senate Democrats are throwing up their hands and espousing their usual helplessness in the hands of a cruel, arch-villain Mitch McConnell. Once again, conservative Democrats are demonstrating they are the "inauthentic opposition". Worrying about the optics of dilatory tactics in these circumstance is Pollyannish. The public knows that McConnell's effort to slip the confirmation of Mrs. Barrett under the wire is unfair in the extreme. Polls show a large majority want the next President to appoint a replacement for 'notorious' RBG. Democrats are therefore justified in fighting fire with fire, even if it means packing the Court to achieve a more balanced institution.

With three Repugnants out of action due to their leader's dangerous mishandling of the pandemic, and the Democratic caucus likely to pick up another seat in Arizona's special election to replace John McCain, the party has a reasonable chance of thwarting McConnell's nefarious plan to jerk American jurisprudence to the right for at least a generation as a consolation prize for the possible loss of the White House and Senate. US Person thinks unwillingness to resist him is tantamount to collaboration, and condemns Americans to more years without significant political reform.

Appeals to a "sense of decency" are risible. Repugnants have left decency behind a long, long time ago. They see themselves as fighting for the survival of a plutocracy built on white supremacy and free market myth, in which anything goes. At the very least, Senator Schumer should insist that McConnell keep a quorum in Washington available for procedural votes and quorum calls. Senate rules require senators to vote in person. With only fifty effectives at hand, that might be difficult to muster.

If Democrats find a temporary numerical advantage, they could even attempt to undo McConnell's procedural change allowing confirmation of a justice by a simple majority vote. “Premature assertions of hopelessness are endemic to establishment Democratic politicians,” Segal and Teachout, authors of the 19 ways to stop a confirmation vote, write.  No account US Person agrees--waving your hands and complaining about tactics is not going to make the grade. Simply ask yourself this question, Chuck, what would Mitch do?

COTW: Beyond Words

Il Douche unmasked....

'Toontime: Potus Interuptus

credit J. Darkow, Columbia Missourian 

Breaking: Don 'Killer' Trumpillini is admitted to Walter Reed Hospital. At one point during his treatment for COVID-19 at the VWH, he was breathing with the help of supplemental oxygen. According to breaking reports from CNN, he was also treated with experimental antibody drugs, a corticosteroid, and an anti-viral, remdesivir--NOT hydroxyQ. He may have been diagnosed as early as Wednesday, but did not immediately isolate himself raising concerns that he may have infected others near him. Mr. Pence, stand by for the shade of LBJ aboard Air Force 1.

After treating the SARS CoV-2 virus like a bad case of flu--refusing to wear a mask in public, holding crowded press conferences without social distancing, and rallies in hot spots--the King of Debates may have been infected by the attractive aide Hope Hicks, who works in close proximity to the macho Don, and who tested positive for the virus before POTUS and FLOTUS. However, there are reports she was one of the few VWH insiders who wore a mask, and was chided for her simple precaution by the official death cult in Trumpworld®.  

So, perhaps the Republic can expect a brief respite while he recuperates. His overdue infection comes on top of his bullying, embarrassing and unprecedented performance art--you cannot reasonably call his verbal confrontation of Joe Biden a debate. Sponsors will need to do more than turn off his mike for two minutes so the other guy can speak. His attack dog style was learned at the feet of Roy Cohn, one of the most vicious lawyers ever to come out of New York City.

credit S. Sack, Star Tribune

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Wackydoodle sez: Don't ferget to thank-em for the virus too!

 

US COVID DEATHS (CDC est.) 224,000

Regime Supresses Polar Bear Study

In its ongoing and relentless program of ignoring or suppressing science in favor of extraction industries which support the regime, a study of polar bear denning behavior that has been ready for release for three months is delayed by the director of the US Geological Survey. The study covers a region of the southern Beaufort Sea and coast which has been opened up to oli and gas drilling. The study says that persistence of polar bears in the Arctic is threatened by the decline of sea ice due to climate change while providing opportunities for more fossil fuel exploration. The study also concludes that 34% of all polar bear denning sites are in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, also an area previously out of bounds to oil exploration, but recently opened to the oil industry. Federal officials are close to signing off on a drilling project in the National Petroleum Reserve of Alaska. The US Fish and Wildlife is required to cite the USGS study in its decision on drilling impacts for bears. The former astronaut who is now head of USGS wants to know why his agency's study needs to be made public.

The answer to the former astronaut's question is obvious: he wants to avoid the negative public outcry against disturbing bears already under pressure from man's alteration of global climate patterns, and possible legal challenges to agency decision to go ahead with resource extraction in an area inhabited by polar bears trying to survive. Only 900 bears are estimated to survive in the southern Beaufort Sea, about five hundred seventy-three of which live in Alaska. Delaying release of the report, which has already been vetted by career scientists at the agency, is "unprecedented" according to one insider interviewed by the WaPo.  But this is not the first time Director Reilly has held up reports that mention climate change as a causative factor; his office held up a report that said California would suffer $150 billion in damage from rising sea levels and flooding caused by climate change.  

Reilly has questioned numerous research projections made by his agency as the lead federal bureau on climate issues, say former employees.  For example, he wanted his researchers to document each individual bear den in a featureless, snow covered landscape where den entrances are sometimes twelve inches across.  Researchers replied such an effort would be practically impossible over such a large area.  The study used estimates of bear density that are in line with other studies of the Beaufort Sea population, which has suffered steep declines due to lost of sea ice habitat used for hunting.[photo credit: WWF]