Overnight Underground News May 14th 2020

The Overnight Underground Podcast, first the headlines:

Unemployment rises. Michigan readies for more protests. Burr under investigation. Is mouthwash the next Covid placebo and Gretta Thunberg joins a panel of covid experts on CNN. These stories & more coming up on today’s Overnight Underground News. I’m John Ford.  

Unemployment spikes again

Another week, more brutal unemployment numbers. Last week saw another three million file for unemployment, bringing the total to a whopping thirty six and a half million in the last two months. Yesterday, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell painted a rather foreboding picture of the economy, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell sounding like he’s ready to take a leisurely stroll down to the east river and jump off the Brooklyn bridge. But Powell wasn’t all death and destruction, he still believes the economic turnaround will come and that the Fed will do all it can to help. I guess we need more bailouts for those in need, like lobbyists and our corporate overlords.

The Doctor of Doom

Doctor Richard Bright, the man who has become affectionately known as the Doctor of Doom, is warning the US and the world that we are in for “deep sh*t.” Doctor Richard Bright responding to the country being unprepared during the coronavirus pandemic.  Well isn’t he just all sweetness and light. Doctor Bright later went on to say, “I believe we could have done better. believe there were critical steps that we did not take in time.” President Trump has called Doctor Bright, a vaccine expert who led a biodefense agency in the Department of Health and Human Services, essentially a disgruntled employee. 

Armed Michigan protesters return to Lansing

Those armed Michigan protesters will be at it again in the states capitol today. Reuters is reporting that there will be a large police presence in Lansing as protesters challenge Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer's stay-at-home order. With one of the strictest stay at home orders in the nation, the Governor has extended what the protesters see as a draconian law, until at least May twenty eighth. Gretchen Whitmer on CNN. I do believe the Michigan Governor just invoked Goodwin's law. 

Wisconsin Supreme court shuts down stay at home order 

Meanwhile just across the lake in Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down their Governors stay-at-home order. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that this would be the first time a statewide order like this has been tossed by a court of last resort.  The overturning of the lock-down was passed by a four to three decision and was written by four of the court’s conservatives. Justice Rebecca Bradley compared the social distancing rule to Japanese being interned in concentration camps in world war two. I think we need a new kind of Goodwin's law, except it’s pit in play when anyone brings up Japanese internment camps. Personally, I think the entire state should be placed under house arrest immediately and indefinitely and hey, why the hell not,  let’s do it all without due process. 

Burr has phone snatched by Feds

Senator Richard Burr, the North Carolina Republican who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, is under investigation for insider trading. The New York Post reports Burr was forced to hand over his smart phone to the feds. He’s under suspicion of insider trading that allegedly took place ahead of the  market crash at the start of the coronavirus crisis. Burr had sold off roughly one point seven  million dollars in publicly traded stocks. He was among a handful of lawmakers who received confidential briefings on the virus from health officials. 

Mouthwash and covid

The next wacky thing you can do to help stop the spread of coronavirus? Let’s spin the wheel o quackery. If you picked mouthwash, step right up and spit in the cup. According to an article on Yahoo and a few other sources, oral rinses may damage the virus's protective membrane and at least some scientists are calling for an immediate study of the effects on covid from mouthwash. The World Health Organization has gone on record saying that there is not evidence that mouthwash inhibits coronavirus. Next up, look for idiots to make Listerine the next massive shortage right behind toilet paper in the grocery store. Bleach, cigarettes, lights inside your nose and now mouthwash. What will they think of next? This article was brought to you courtesy of  'The Mouthwash Manufacturers of ‘Mercia'.

Greta now a coronavirus expert

Twitter users went absolutely apoplectic on Wednesday over the appointment of Gretta Thunberg to CNN’s expert coronavirus panel. Well it should be. Ya gotta’ wonder, at seventeen how could the climate and environmental activist from Sweden be an expert at anything, other than maybe navel gazing. How the hell did she become an expert on virology? Has she even finished high school? Dear Gretta has as much insight and  depth into coronavirus as a puddle.