A fault in the system

 As the results trickle in, the hand-counting begins and the demands for recounts pile up, we turn to the rest of our sick sad world where nobody cares about the Texas Seventh.

"Commemorate Kristallnacht -- treat yourself to more soft cheese and crispy chicken.  Now at KFCheese."

I can make up a lot of hot noise, but I couldn't do that.  It's a "push notification" sent to German customers by KFC and now blamed on "a fault in our system."  According to the Guardian it was "computer generated, with the text...automatically connected to current anniversaries and events to stimulate sales."  I can't wait to see what they send out tomorrow to mark the end of World War I.  "At the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, why not try the Colonel's eleven herbs and spices?"

I have to return to the Texas Seventh once, because that's where Republican Johnny Teague lost decisively to Democrat Lizzie Fletcher.  Why is this significant?  Because Teague is a published author who wrote a novel called The Lost Diary of Anne Frank.  In Pastor Teague's telling, Anne "found Jesus" before she died in Bergen-Belsen, probably of typhus.  Otherwise who cares about her life and death?  Evan Hurst puts this story in the context of a campaign riddled with antisemitism and you should read his essay.  This is Teague's second shot at the House -- he ran in the Texas Ninth two years ago -- and sooner or later you can bet he'll find a district full of believers and join the other loonies in Washington. 

On a foggy morning in Lake City, Florida, two sheriff's deputies arrested James Hodges,61, for crossing against the lights.  According to them, Hodges was carrying "a silver (chrome) pistol with a white grip in his back right pocket."  It was in fact a "navigational aid" -- a cane.  Mr. Hodges is legally blind.  The deputies were suspended and ordered to undergo "remedial training about civil rights."  Mr. Hodges is also Black!  Who could have guessed?

The Royal Opera, Covent Garden, banned one audience member "for life" because he booed and shouted "Rubbish!" during a performance of Handel's Alcina.  Martin Kettle was not sure whether he hated the production, the performance, the casting of a boy soprano as Oberto instead of an adult, or the fact that Malakai M. Bayoh is Black.  I suspect the lifetime ban was triggered by the last possibility.  In any case, it was a stupid thing to do to a child.  Shouting down adult singers is fine -- there are websites devoted to such nights at the opera.  Remember Carlo Bini at the Met in La Gioconda?

Normally I don't feature any publications from Planet Murdoch but this has to be driving the Orange One fuckbonkers:

...even if he doesn't recognize the Ukrainian flag at the top.

It's on!  Trump ignored the Palm Beach County evacuation order ("You're not the boss of me, Florida Division of Emergency Management!") so he could stay home in his underpants truthsocializing abuse at Ron DeSantis.  He wants it known that he got 1.1 million more votes in Florida in 2020 than DeSantis got this year.  (What part of "midterm" do you not understand?)  Then came the crime-boss threat:  "I could tell you things about him that won't be very flattering.  I know more about him than anybody other than perhaps his wife, who's really running his campaign."  If she is, she's doing all right.  How's your wife doing picking Senate candidates in, say, Pennsylvania?  Oh, I love this.  Maybe he'll spill when he gets up at Tiff's wedding to share the latest Paul Pelosi joke.  More, more!

Speaking of Trump and his kind, Russian forces have retreated from Kherson, the only regional capital they occupied, because they can no longer re-supply it.  General Surovikin is learning what Field Marshal Paulus experienced at Stalingrad.  His boss is just a little less insane.

Here's how they roll in the state that thinks J.D. Vance should be a senator:  In Okeana, Ohio, Anthony King was doing yard work with his wife Saturday when he was repeatedly shot and killed by his neighbor Austin Combs.  According to his wife, the reason was political -- Combs "thought he was a Democrat."  Coincidentally I just bought Malcolm Nance's book They Want to Kill Americans.  Maybe there are no coincidences.

Jesse Watters, who -- something Fox News something -- blames the Red Fizzle on the fact that "there's just not the hatred for Joe Biden the way there is for Obama and the Clintons."  Maybe portraying him as a befuddled old man who can't talk and doesn't know where he is elicits sympathy instead of hate.  If only he were Black or a woman!

Patrick Henry:  "Give me liberty or give me death."

Nathan Hale:  "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country."

Mike Pence:  "I'm not getting in the car."

If you want to read more of Pence's incredible bravery, integrity and indispensability on January 6, 2021, you'll have to wait until his book is published next week.  I know I will.