Hello, friends! We usually save our discussion thread for Fridays, but I had a wild schedule this week! So you’re getting the thread today, and a full issue tomorrow. — EB
As we approach a year in lockdown, I think we can agree that the pandemic has presented some unique opportunities for scams and crimes, from profiteering (remember that hand sanitizer bust?) to the bounty of vaccine schemes to heists enabled by mask regulations. And that’s just the small-time malfeasance we know about now. Just wait until the dust clears, and the investigations by officials and journalists really get going!
My prediction is that the virus will birth a whole cottage industry of COVID-related true-crime content. Are there crime narratives that rose in the pandemic that you’d like to see an adaptation of? If so, we want to hear them. But we also wonder…are we pandemic-ed out? Should savvy content creators move swiftly and get those yarns out now, while we’re all still stuck at home waiting for our vaccines to be administered/kick in? Or should they wait until we have a safer distance from the day-to-day COVID grind? What do you think?
I've already been wondering how the pandemic is going to play into the alibis of family annihilators and the type of people who wind up on Dateline for their crimes. Sad to say, as soon as kids were sent home from school last winter, I got anxious about abused kids who would no longer have 8 safe hours a day away from home.
I don't need any space from COVID to hear about the crimes involved, but I can understand why people would.
If 1918 is anything to go by, we had better strike while the iron is hot. We have time and I have soooo much rage walking to do right now. Please send me lots of fraud tales. I’m Cuomo’d out and need fresh meat to tear into!
I was 18 and moved to Miami just after Hurricane Andrew in the early 90’s(when hurricanes were still rare!). I learned about real-life fraud reading about “contractors”riding around the neighborhoods selling you first place in line for roof replacement, then disappearing with your cash. Never forgot that little element of “swindle the rich” mixed with the desperation of the disaster-stricken.
I know a couple of months ago, the British podcast "They Walk Among Us" had a case where the crime and the trial entirely took place during COVID, which completely blew my mind on how long this has been. But, because the case revolved around a cheating spouse, it reminded me of something.
Back in April, my dog chased something small and fuzzy through a hole in the fence at 10 at night. Before he wandered his ever-so-slightly sheepish butt back _two_and_a_half_hours_later_, I'd been wandering the neighbourhood trying to find him. I noticed a lot of people in their cars at 11:30 on a Sunday night talking on the phone. Similarly, we were walking through the neighbouring research campus later in lockdown and spotted a middle-aged couple making out against a pickup truck in one of the parking lots.
I was thinking that this is either another pressure or, like Heather Moss mentioned, it could end up being another crappy justification for abusive behaviour.
Generally, for the frauds, etc, I'm not sure I have the bandwidth to hear about bad behaviour that people get away with. A perpetrator's going to have to lose a McMansion or bigger to get me to pay attention.
Well, the only major crime that occurred during this pandemic (that I can think of) for which masking up would have been a smart idea was, yes, oh, yes, the Insurrection of January 6th. The growing need to be acknowledged in any way shape or form can be, in part and parcel, dropped on the doorstep of any social media platform. In this particular situation, however, it's good to know that in their dopamine need for gratification via likes and lol's, the defendants served their own warrants and charges to themselves.
I've already been wondering how the pandemic is going to play into the alibis of family annihilators and the type of people who wind up on Dateline for their crimes. Sad to say, as soon as kids were sent home from school last winter, I got anxious about abused kids who would no longer have 8 safe hours a day away from home.
I don't need any space from COVID to hear about the crimes involved, but I can understand why people would.
If 1918 is anything to go by, we had better strike while the iron is hot. We have time and I have soooo much rage walking to do right now. Please send me lots of fraud tales. I’m Cuomo’d out and need fresh meat to tear into!
I was 18 and moved to Miami just after Hurricane Andrew in the early 90’s(when hurricanes were still rare!). I learned about real-life fraud reading about “contractors”riding around the neighborhoods selling you first place in line for roof replacement, then disappearing with your cash. Never forgot that little element of “swindle the rich” mixed with the desperation of the disaster-stricken.
I know a couple of months ago, the British podcast "They Walk Among Us" had a case where the crime and the trial entirely took place during COVID, which completely blew my mind on how long this has been. But, because the case revolved around a cheating spouse, it reminded me of something.
Back in April, my dog chased something small and fuzzy through a hole in the fence at 10 at night. Before he wandered his ever-so-slightly sheepish butt back _two_and_a_half_hours_later_, I'd been wandering the neighbourhood trying to find him. I noticed a lot of people in their cars at 11:30 on a Sunday night talking on the phone. Similarly, we were walking through the neighbouring research campus later in lockdown and spotted a middle-aged couple making out against a pickup truck in one of the parking lots.
I was thinking that this is either another pressure or, like Heather Moss mentioned, it could end up being another crappy justification for abusive behaviour.
Generally, for the frauds, etc, I'm not sure I have the bandwidth to hear about bad behaviour that people get away with. A perpetrator's going to have to lose a McMansion or bigger to get me to pay attention.
I don’t need time, I’ll hear now.
Well, the only major crime that occurred during this pandemic (that I can think of) for which masking up would have been a smart idea was, yes, oh, yes, the Insurrection of January 6th. The growing need to be acknowledged in any way shape or form can be, in part and parcel, dropped on the doorstep of any social media platform. In this particular situation, however, it's good to know that in their dopamine need for gratification via likes and lol's, the defendants served their own warrants and charges to themselves.