There's battle lines being drawn.
Nobody's right if everybody's wrong.
Young people speaking their minds
getting so much resistance from behind

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Linkee-poo breathes deep the gathering gloom, watches light fade from every room

I'm wondering when any news organization is going to realize that our Special Ops troops going into Syria, and the news release about doing it, is an attempt to safeguard moderate rebels from Russian airstrikes? Seriously, that is the chance for a major fuckup in that theater, if we kill a Russian, or if the Russians kill an American.

The women warriors of the Pazyryk. Another gravesite (accidentally) found. Pointed to because of cool cultures (and world building material) as well as how the patriarchal worldview still pollutes our science. (Grokked from Mrs. Tad)

Earth moves, people freak the fuck out.

Rupert Murdoch, in full Emperor Palpitine mode, lays off the staff of National Geographic. Dear Rupie, there goes my subscription. Eat dirt, grandpappy.

"Company executives blamed the disappointing results in part on the changing income landscape in the US." Something you will be hearing more about as we enter earning season. See, as the middle-class income levels stagnated (read: in actually decreased) they're not able to buy anything and the rich can only buy so much. So, what's really interesting is the fact that none of the companies belly-aching about flat sales is doing anything to increase their own worker pay. So, thanks, fuckers, for contributing to the problem. (Grokked from BoingBoing)

Ben Carson, "I was robbed." Yes, Ben, all this press about your ties to a dubious "nutritional" company, it's all a submarine attack by your campaigns competitors using the National Review as their tool. You all just ignore the fact that Dr. Ben Carson lied, bold facedly lied to the American Public by denying any connection. Dude, seriously, if you shoot yourself in the foot, it doesn't matter who gave you the gun.

Ted Cruz doesn't know shit about gun safety. Well, at least he had the breech open. But he has no muzzle control, the shotgun is sweeping over where people are standing.

A network administrator position with the Summit County Board of elections. "The applicant should be a registered Democrat in the state of Ohio." Oh fuck no. I looked, but I can't find anything that allows this position to be partisan? Anybody know better than I, or should this be an EEOC action? (Full disclosure, I am a registered Democrat, was an elected official, and I think this is heinous fuckery). (Grokked from Dan)

The battle in the Amazon. This one fought between illegal loggers decimating the "lungs of the world" (to the point some scientists are saying we're hitting a tipping point for the Amazon's health) and the rubber tappers who have been deputized. The tappers are losing.

Oopsie. "Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach spoke last week at a conference for a publishing house described as white nationalist by the Center for New Community and the Southern Poverty Law Center." Well, you know, you can't research everyone that offers you an invite to speak. "The secretary of state has a history with another Tanton-founded (the name of the publisher mentioned before) outfit, the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR). Kobach has served as counsel for the Immigration Reform Law Institute, FAIR's legal arm." Double oopsie. "About an hour after reaching out to Kobach's office, TPM received a call from a man who identified himself as KC McAlpin, the executive director of the Social Contract Press' (the publisher) parent organization, US Inc. McAlpin immediately said calling TPM was a mistake and hung up after declining to say how he obtained a TPM reporter’s phone number." And we have a winner! Later they tried to explain it away.

You know, when Fox News hosts are mocking you for the prima-donna attitude towards your debate requirements maybe you want to rethink your positioning. Just saying.

The Daily Show with Trevor Noah takes on the GOP whining on the subject of the debates. Yea, all those substantive policy questions at the GOP Debate were hateful and spiteful and all the questions at the Dems Debate were softball, fluffy lighthearted questions. Seriously, when will conservative realize there is video people can actually watch to verify their claims. And there are people who will look for it.

The case for asking "softball" questions in a "debate." Mostly it runs along the lines of the candidates preparing for "tough" questions, and hard questions promote sympathy for the candidate which allows them skate by with pat answers. Softball questions, on the other hand, they don't prepare for and candidates notoriously self-destruct while trying to answer them. (Grokked from Robert J Bennett)

Explicit Content Warning, the Economist analyzes the worldwide market for sex workers. You know, from a business standpoint. Lots on how the internet has made the trade safer and more lucrative for the workers. Also interesting for the various breakdowns and the fact that the RNC convention will be in Cleveland next year, and sex workers and trade spike in those cities during those times. (Grokked from John)

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