Odds and Ends — 14 January 2022
No, no, no, and no:
Cryptocurrency, Investing, Money, Economy, and Debt:
Tether Freezes $160M of USDT Stablecoin on Ethereum Blockchain
Tonga to copy El Salvador bill making Bitcoin legal tender, says former MP
Select Committee Subpoenas Social Media Companies
The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol has issued subpoenas to four social media companies who have so far provided ‘inadequate response’ to requests for information and records relating to the spread of misinformation and efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
The subpoenas were issued to giants in the industry, including Alphabet, Meta, Twitter and Reddit.
Coronavirus News, Analysis, and Opinion:
Supreme Court blocks Biden Covid vaccine mandate for businesses, allows health-care worker rule
Seems like a bit of a contradiction to have a split decision. But the mandates did have different mechanisms.
Politics:
Oath Keepers Leader Charged With Sedition
Stewart Rhodes, the leader and founder of the far-right Oath Keepers militia, was arrested on Thursday and charged with seditious conspiracy for organizing a wide-ranging plot to storm the Capitol last Jan. 6 and disrupt the certification of Joe Biden’s electoral victory.
The new indictment, approved by a grand jury on Wednesday and made public Thursday, alleges that Rhodes and his co-conspirators engaged in a conspiracy to "oppose the lawful transfer of presidential power by force, by preventing, hindering, or delaying by force execution of laws governing the transfer of power."
Trump Loyalists Join Forces to Take Over Election Process
Republicans loyal to Donald Trump and his ‘big lie’ that the 2020 election was rigged have formed a nationwide alliance aiming to take control of the presidential election process in key battleground states that could determine the outcome of the 2024 presidential race.
At least eight Republicans who are currently running to serve as chief election officials in crucial swing states have come together to form the coalition.
McCarthy Refuses to Testify About Trump’s Confession
If you have a copy of The Laws of Human Nature at hand, take a look at page 46 and try to say that a certain ex-President doesn’t come to mind.
Fox News Airs 11-Year-Old Photo of Empty Shelves in Japan to Slam ‘Bare Shelves Biden’
Matt Gaetz hired lawyers who specialize in defending sex offenders because that's what you do when you are absolutely not a sex offender.
— Middle Age Riot (@middleageriot) January 12, 2022
McCarthy Doubles Down on Refusing to Cooperate
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy on Thursday doubled down on his refusal to cooperate with the House select committee’s probe into the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol — one year to the day that the Republican leader took to the House floor and said former President Donald Trump ‘bears responsibility’ for the attack.
Prince Andrew loses military titles and use of HRH
On Thursday, a letter - released by anti-monarchy pressure group Republic - was signed by more than 150 Royal Navy, RAF and Army veterans asking the Queen to strip Prince Andrew of his eight British military titles.
The response from Buckingham Palace has been swift and almost brutal.
Ken Paxton Must Turn Over Trump Rally Texts
The Travis County district attorney has determined that Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) violated Texas’ open records law by not turning over his communications from January 2021, when he appeared at the pro-Trump rally that preceded the attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Paul Manafort Was a Shitty Cellmate
I can’t speak to Manafort’s claim in his interview about suffering in solitary, since he spent just one day there on arrival at MCC before he was forwarded to general population, with yours truly as his bunky. Manafort did not suffer at MCC. Inmates kissed his ass because he was famous, did not rat out his boss, and could hopefully give them lessons on money laundering.
Serendipity:
Cyberattack Shuts Albuquerque Schools
Betty White, 43 years ago:
