Vanity Fair article on Testing

[oped]

I know we're supposed to comment... but I'm still trying to process. 


www.vanityfair.com/news/2020/07/how-jared-kushners-secret-testing-plan-went-poof-into-thin-air

[azucena]

Dumbstruck.

Literally every time I think this presidency cannot possibly get any worse...it does. I really need to stop being surprised.

[Tiny]

OMG.   Everytime I read the WhatsApp thing - I go "wait. What?  Am I reading a Parody peice?  Is this suppose to be funny?     What kind of security is there on WhatsApp?  Why would Business Leaders use that?? 

As it evolved, Kushner’s group called on the help of several top diagnostic-testing experts. Together, they worked around the clock, and through a forest of WhatsApp messages. The effort of the White House team was “apolitical,” said the participant, and undertaken “with the nation’s best interests in mind.”

From the Wikipedia: 

WhatsApp Messenger, or simply WhatsApp, is an American freeware, cross-platform messaging and Voice over IP service owned by Facebook, Inc. It allows users to send text messages and voice messages, make voice and video calls, and share images, documents, user locations, and other media.

[Tennesseer]

Jul 30, 2020 22:04:34 GMT -5 Tiny said:

OMG.   Everytime I read the WhatsApp thing - I go "wait. What?  Am I reading a Parody peice?  Is this suppose to be funny?     What kind of security is there on WhatsApp?  Why would Business Leaders use that?? 

As it evolved, Kushner’s group called on the help of several top diagnostic-testing experts. Together, they worked around the clock, and through a forest of WhatsApp messages. The effort of the White House team was “apolitical,” said the participant, and undertaken “with the nation’s best interests in mind.”

From the Wikipedia: 

WhatsApp Messenger, or simply WhatsApp, is an American freeware, cross-platform messaging and Voice over IP service owned by Facebook, Inc. It allows users to send text messages and voice messages, make voice and video calls, and share images, documents, user locations, and other media.

My three siblings and I use WhatsApp for a group video call about every ten days. Just sibling talking stuff. No discussion about creating a testing plan to save the country. Just lots of teasing stuff. We cannot escape our childhood.

[Tiny]

And then there this: 
Can't say I didn't think something along these lines since dense urban areas tend to be more Blue/Democratic:

Most troubling of all, perhaps, was a sentiment the expert said a member of Kushner’s team expressed: that because the virus had hit blue states hardest, a national plan was unnecessary and would not make sense politically. “The political folks believed that because it was going to be relegated to Democratic states, that they could blame those governors, and that would be an effective political strategy,” said the expert.

Trump attacking Democratic State Governors and Democratic Mayors while the Republican Governors/Mayors said "the virus isn't a problem - we're all good!" also kind of lends itself to the above interpretation.

[Tiny]

Jul 30, 2020 22:08:46 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Jul 30, 2020 22:04:34 GMT -5 Tiny said:

OMG.   Everytime I read the WhatsApp thing - I go "wait. What?  Am I reading a Parody peice?  Is this suppose to be funny?     What kind of security is there on WhatsApp?  Why would Business Leaders use that?? 


From the Wikipedia: 

My three siblings and I use WhatsApp for a group video call about every ten days. Just sibling talking stuff. No discussion about creating a testing plan to save the country. Just lots of teasing stuff. We cannot escape our childhood.

 Because of "client confidentiality" my employer constantly discourages us from using non-employer approved anythings for communicating about work stuff.    We're even schooled 2 times a year about not discussing work stuff on the train/bus while commuting and to be careful who might be in hearing distance if you are talking on your phone about work stuff in a public place.   Conducting business at the Starbucks is also frowned upon (who knows who's listening).    Our desktops/laptop computers when using our employers network have no access to facebook or dropbox and a bunch of other stuff.    Limiting that kind of stuff helps keep our network (and all our super secret "client" stuff secure) - cause it makes it harder for hackers/phishers/malware to get a foot in our door. 

Maybe that's why I'm appalled by the use of WhatsApp.      Part of me wonders if the Powers that Be just gave Jared a task to keep him busy (so it didn't matter if he used public/low security applications/computers/phones)  while they did whatever they were gonna be doing.    

[teen persuasion]

Now Jared's comment about the testing supplies all belong to "them" makes much more sense.

He and his buddies had a plan to collect everything and dole it out as they decided. I'm surprised he didn't throw a hissy fit when FIL scrapped his new testing empire scheme altogether.


The broad strokes of the concept weren't bad; not sure of more than that. But Trump ultimately opted out, completely.

So Obama left behind a playbook on what to do in case of a pandemic, and Trump ditched it. Then Trump passed part of the task off to his SIL, who got a group together to develop a plan and they made a good start on it, only to have Trump ditch that, too (possibly because the problem seemed conveniently to only affect Democrat states).

I'm reminded of the Geico ad where the gecko is making thousands of copies, and the guy comes in to tell him they are changing taglines. Pump the brakes, and swap it over.

[resolution]

I guess that explains why Governor Hogan was hiding our testing supplies and guarding them with state police.

abcnews.go.com/Politics/maryland-hiding-testing-kits-purchased-south-korea-us/story?id=70434840

Maryland authorities were so concerned about the federal government seizing a shipment of COVID-19 tests destined for the state that they made special arrangements to receive and guard the tests until they could be distributed, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan said Thursday.

Hogan cited the fate of 3 million N95 masks purchased by the state of Massachusetts --- all of which were confiscated in March by the federal government at the port of New York -- as the main reason for taking extra precautions to secure his state’s order of 500,000 COVID-19 testing kits from South Korea.

[oped]

I read somewhere last week from someone in a large school district that had purchased bulk wipes that they were seized by the feds who gave them to a middle man that then sold them back to the school at 4X the original price... the corruption during this time....


The idea that all action was dismissed because ‘blue states’... they killed people. They should be held accountable.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

I posted last April that my local area was without testing supplies because they got seized by FEMA.  It was several weeks before they were replaced.  I *think* that the lab that at the university south of us offered to test until we could locally get supplies again.  

Shit like this happened all over the US.  If it wasn’t testing supplies, it was PPE, ventilators or drugs.  The feds have turned this pandemic into a shitshow, and left states bidding against each other or sucking up to tRump for resources.  That should have never happened.  We are better than that.  We were better than that. 

[happyhoix]

Jul 31, 2020 8:38:25 GMT -5 oped said:

I read somewhere last week from someone in a large school district that had purchased bulk wipes that they were seized by the feds who gave them to a middle man that then sold them back to the school at 4X the original price... the corruption during this time....


The idea that all action was dismissed because ‘blue states’... they killed people. They should be held accountable.

Well, I wondered if it was a good idea to put a rich kid with experience just in rentals/real estate in charge of some many important projects like Middle East peace and Covid response.

I guess we can see now how that worked out for FIL.

Trump is going to have to do something really outrageous to deflect from this story.

[Deleted]

The next administration really needs to hold some war crimes hearings.

[pulmonarymd]

Jul 31, 2020 10:23:33 GMT -5 happyhoix said:

Jul 31, 2020 8:38:25 GMT -5 oped said:

I read somewhere last week from someone in a large school district that had purchased bulk wipes that they were seized by the feds who gave them to a middle man that then sold them back to the school at 4X the original price... the corruption during this time....


The idea that all action was dismissed because ‘blue states’... they killed people. They should be held accountable.

Well, I wondered if it was a good idea to put a rich kid with experience just in rentals/real estate in charge of some many important projects like Middle East peace and Covid response.

I guess we can see now how that worked out for FIL.

Trump is going to have to do something really outrageous to deflect from this story.

Please don't challenge him. God only knows what he comes up with next

[Tiny]

Jul 31, 2020 8:38:25 GMT -5 oped said:

I read somewhere last week from someone in a large school district that had purchased bulk wipes that they were seized by the feds who gave them to a middle man that then sold them back to the school at 4X the original price... the corruption during this time....


The idea that all action was dismissed because ‘blue states’... they killed people. They should be held accountable.

The thing is... we're all in the same boat - Blue and Red states.  Ignoring or laughing about or thinking it was OK that there were holes letting in water on the Blue side of the boat  (illness, overflowing hospitals, SIP orders, deaths) - was all fine and dandy for a while.   But, eventually the boat will fill up with water and the Red side will get wet and sink along with the rest of the boat.     I doubt the Red states are more prepared or in better shape to bail their side of the boat. 

I suspect we will see that as the number of Covid cases and deaths rise in the Red states where "everything is fine!  The virus is just like the flu!  It's no big deal.  No one here is dying from it. We've got a cure!"    Unless Trump's administration has specifically been hoarding supplies/whatever and starts to funnel it all to it's "supporter" states... in which case maybe it is time to split up the United States into separate nations.   Cause we aren't "From many, One" anymore.   

Looks like the "water" has reached the Red side of the boat... hope they have the social infrastructure as well as the leadership and government infrastructure to get thru it.  I'm generally all about it takes a team to accomplish something - and would normally be willing to offer help - but right now, I'm kinda like "oh, Poor Texas. Poor Florida.  my thoughts are with you guys."   And I have family in both states.  Same for the other states that I heard people (friends/others) pooh poohing the virus.  You got my thoughts and maybe some atheistic prayers.  

[oped]

It’s already happening. Florida has more cases than New York (so does California) and Texas will pass NY tomorrow... not deaths. The first hit will always likely have the worst deaths.

[Tiny]

Jul 31, 2020 16:58:22 GMT -5 oped said:

It’s already happening. Florida has more cases than New York (so does California) and Texas will pass NY tomorrow... not deaths. The first hit will always likely have the worst deaths.

And Florida looks like it might have a hurricane crawl up the Atlantic side coast this weekend.  Go Florida Go!!    

FWIW:  I hope it stays far enough out at sea to not force people to move and have to shelter together.   Stormy and unpleasant and able to shelter where they are - is better than stormy and unpleasant and people need to move to hurricane shelters/safer places.   

[justme]

Jul 31, 2020 16:58:22 GMT -5 oped said:

It’s already happening. Florida has more cases than New York (so does California) and Texas will pass NY tomorrow... not deaths. The first hit will always likely have the worst deaths.

Who knows. The deaths lag behind. I believe FL just went like 5 days of making a new highest death toll. I'm guessing we still haven't seen the deaths from the high case count yet.

[thyme4change]

Jul 30, 2020 22:04:34 GMT -5 Tiny said:

OMG.   Everytime I read the WhatsApp thing - I go "wait. What?  Am I reading a Parody peice?  Is this suppose to be funny?     What kind of security is there on WhatsApp?  Why would Business Leaders use that?? 

As it evolved, Kushner’s group called on the help of several top diagnostic-testing experts. Together, they worked around the clock, and through a forest of WhatsApp messages. The effort of the White House team was “apolitical,” said the participant, and undertaken “with the nation’s best interests in mind.”

From the Wikipedia: 

WhatsApp Messenger, or simply WhatsApp, is an American freeware, cross-platform messaging and Voice over IP service owned by Facebook, Inc. It allows users to send text messages and voice messages, make voice and video calls, and share images, documents, user locations, and other media.

Was there anything classified or sensitive?

I'm trying to figure out the risk here - maybe "insider" trading if they were hacked and mention specific companies that were going to financially benefit?

[pulmonarymd]

Aug 1, 2020 9:59:16 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

Jul 30, 2020 22:04:34 GMT -5 Tiny said:

OMG.   Everytime I read the WhatsApp thing - I go "wait. What?  Am I reading a Parody peice?  Is this suppose to be funny?     What kind of security is there on WhatsApp?  Why would Business Leaders use that?? 


From the Wikipedia: 

Was there anything classified or sensitive?

I'm trying to figure out the risk here - maybe "insider" trading if they were hacked and mention specific companies that were going to financially benefit?

I think the risk is that all of the trumps have been quite casual with their electronic communication, so even if there was no classified information shared this time, if they are carelessly or thoughtlessly using unsecured communication for this, what else have they used it for.

Not to mention the hypocrisy of harping in hilarys e mails, when they have done the same or worse