CHINA IS ASSHOLE: China Threatens ‘Severe Consequences’ for Tom Cotton, Dan Crenshaw, Missouri AG.

THE L.A. TIMES KEEPS ROCKIN’: The electoral college is a blot on democracy. The Supreme Court shouldn’t make it worse.

(Classical reference in headline.)

FASTER, PLEASE: Is NASA Actually Working On A Warp Drive? “An internal feasibility report suggests the agency might be, or at least that the idea of traveling through folded space is part of the NASA interstellar spaceflight menu.”

LOS ANGELES TO SHUT OFF WATER, POWER OF NONESSENTIAL BUSINESSES THAT REFUSE TO CLOSE AMID CORONAVIRUS.

DECOUPLING: U.S. Moves to Cut Huawei Off From Global Chip Suppliers.

ONE MAN CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE: Richard Gilder’s American Legacy. Remembering the New York philanthropist who rescued Central Park (by essentially privatizing it) and fought to restore the instruction of American history in secondary schools, among many achievements.

EVEN THE ATLANTIC IS NOTICING: The ‘Just Stay Home’ Message Will Backfire: We need less extreme and more nuanced recommendations for navigating life during the pandemic. Just stay home for a couple of weeks, sure. For endless months, no.

When Blue states go broke and can’t operate because of self-induced economic collapse, Trump can invoke the Insurrection Act and replace their governments. A president can invoke the Act when a pandemic “so hinders the execution of the laws of a State or possession, as applicable, and of the United States within that State or possession, that any part or class of its people is deprived of a right, privilege, immunity, or protection named in the Constitution and secured by law, and the constituted authorities of that State or possession are unable, fail, or refuse to protect that right, privilege, or immunity, or to give that protection.”

ONE OUT OF THIRTY-TWO: County supervisor says San Diego has only had 6 “pure, solely coronavirus deaths” out of 194 listed as such.

DATA ANALYSIS FINDS COUNTIES WITH HIGHER SOCIAL CAPITAL HAVE FEWER CORONAVIRUS CASES: Remember, correlation is not causation, but there is a distinct relationship in the study reported by the Institute for Family Studies (IFS).

REMY: Surfin’ USA (Beach Boys Lockdown Video Parody):

WAY OUT AHEAD OF YOU ON BOTH COUNTS, JOE: Joe Biden Literally Tells Voters Who Believe Tara Reade Not to Vote for Him.

The Trump campaign could put a commercial together of nothing but clips of Biden telling people not to vote for him, or to vote for the other guy. The only problem would be keeping it down to 30 seconds.

FLASHBACK: When Menachem Begin Eviscerated Joe Biden For Threatening Him. “I am not a Jew with trembling knees. I am a proud Jew with 3,700 years of civilized history. Nobody came to our aid when we were dying in the gas chambers and ovens. Nobody came to our aid when we were striving to create our country. We paid for it. We fought for it. We died for it. We will stand by our principles. We will defend them. And, when necessary, we will die for them again, with or without your aid.”

Plus: “After the meeting, Mr. Begin said: ‘I enjoyed the session very much. I believe in liberty, that free men should freely discuss problems and if they have differences of opinion they should voice them in sincerity.'”

GOVERNOR UNVEILS INNOVATIVE 37-STEP PLAN TO REOPEN STATE OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS: Cuomo announces New York’s stay-at-home order, set to expire Friday, is extended until June 13.

(Classical reference in headline.)

DONALD SENSING SAYS FAREWELL TO HIS FATHER, in a touching post.

NO. WAY. Over 100 Inmates Released From Rikers Busted For New Offenses.

PUSHBACK: UC-Hastings Sues San Francisco Over ‘Insufferable’ Sidewalk Conditions Amid COVID-19.

MAGGIE HABERMAN ALWAYS STRUCK ME AS EMINENTLY TRIGGERABLE: NYT Journo Becomes Triggered After WH Press Sec. Kayleigh McEnany Calls Her out for Spreading Fake News.

SEEN ON FACEBOOK, THIS IS EXACTLY RIGHT: “Chris Plante accurately pointed out this morning that CNN and MSNBC having people like John Brennan, James Comey, and James Clapper on as ‘experts’ on Obamagate is like if the networks in 1973-74 had Haldeman and Ehrlichman on to pontificate about Watergate.”

CORDAIR ART GALLERY PRAISED FOR “HEROISM” IN CHALLENGING CLOSURE ORDERS.

LEARN TO CODE:

Plus, hurtfully:

OH: COVID-19 Tests in Washington Challenge Official Wuhan Virus Timeline. “Both victims fell ill in December, weeks earlier than the virus is officially said to have arrived here on January 15. With an incubation period generally around two weeks, that means the Wuhan Virus could have arrived on American shores as early as the first week of December.”

Much more at the link.

THE CURVE IS SO BENT: Vanderbilt reduces coronavirus hospitalization estimates from thousands to 300.

I’M TIRED OF GODDAMN LOCKDOWNS: The sun has entered a ‘lockdown’ period, which could cause freezing weather, famine. “The sun is currently in a period of ‘solar minimum,’ meaning activity on its surface has fallen dramatically. Experts believe we are about to enter the deepest period of sunshine ‘recession’ ever recorded as sunspots have virtually disappeared.”

A pandemic, solar cooling — dammit, John, I don’t want to live in one of your novels! Though I suppose I should be glad that it’s not one of the ones with zombies or Posleen. And hey, at least Hillary isn’t president.

EVEN IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE, THE RICH FLED TOWN FOR THEIR COUNTRY ESTATES DURING EPIDEMICS: The Richest Neighborhoods Emptied Out Most as Coronavirus Hit New York City. In fact, what’s interesting is how consistent human behavior is, even over centuries.