I watch the ripples change their size
But never leave the stream
Of warm impermanence
And so the days float through my eyes
But still the days seem the same
And these children that you spit on
As they try to change their worlds
Are immune to your consultations
They're quite aware of what they're goin' through

Thursday, February 2, 2017

Linkee-poo in the morning you go gunning for the man who stole your water and you fire till he is done in, but they catch you at the border

Matter and anti-matter asymmetry. Okay, I'm going to have to read that again.

The price for Naloxone and its injector rise substantially. But all is not lost. "In another Mylan parallel, Kaleo offers coupons to patients with private insurance, so they don’t have any co-pay when they pick up the device." Yes, friends, this is why your health insurance costs keep going up. And our current President, who had promised to let Medicare negotiate drug prices (it was about the only thing I agree with him on) capitulated this week after a visit from PhRMA (the pharmaceutical lobbying group). So as more places are now equipping first responders (and other lay people) with Naloxone, not all of them can negotiate the price down to reasonable levels (note, these reasonable levels are still more than likely several multiples of what the drug and the device costs just a few years ago). "But that money comes from somewhere—most likely taxpayers. And it’s hardly sustainable…" The article incorrectly states that Martin Shkreli was the first to raise prices far beyond the cost increases in manufacturing. Let me tell you a little story about Viagra… "The problem… is that policymakers haven’t found a solution to get people needed medication and keep pricing in line with value." There are plenty of model programs available. Take Canada's pricing scheme for instance.

"Middletown (Ohio) Police said this was the first time it had used data from a heart device to make an arrest, but the pacemaker data proved to be an 'excellent investigative tool;' the data from the pacemaker didn’t correspond with Compton’s version of what happened. The retrieved data help to indict Compton." The tell-tale heart strikes back. (Grokked from Dan)

"The suspected shooter who carried out a massacre of Muslims praying at a mosque in Quebec, Canada, is a strong supporter of far-right U.S. President Donald Trump and a right-wing extremist, according to his former classmates, acquaintances, and social media accounts." I'm sure Bill O'Reilly can explain how it's all a leftist, muslim thing. (Grokked from Katheryn Cramer)

So, how's the town hall meetings going? "Rep. Peter Roskam's (R-IL) office cancelled a meeting with constituents about Obamacare on Wednesday when a staffer for the congressman learned that a reporter was present, according to the Aurora Beacon-News." Yep, about as expected. His excuse was he was only there to meet with constituents, the press wasn't invited (one of his constituents invited the reporter to be a part of her group). Let me put it to you this way, if you're scared to talk with your constituents with a reporter present, you're not doing your job correctly. You really need to rethink just what the hell you're doing.

The ghost of Alexander Haig raises it's hoary face, "(National Security Advisor Gen. Michael) Flynn says that 'we are officially putting Iran on notice,' although it's not clear what he meant." Leaked position statement, going off the ranch, or the administration just not knowing how things are done?

"Instead, President Trump blasted Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull over a refu­gee agreement and boasted about the magnitude of his electoral college win, according to senior U.S. officials briefed on the Saturday exchange. Then, 25 minutes into what was expected to be an hour-long call, Trump abruptly ended it." So, that went well. I would place this in the level of "conjecture", although they cite unnamed sources briefed on the phone calls (there are other details from calls that don't show the president in the best light). (Grokked from Kelly Link)

"Saturday's Navy SEAL raid in Yemen — which resulted in the death of an 8-year-old American girl — had previously been rejected by former President Barack Obama, The Guardian reports. President Donald Trump approved of the raid in his first military strike as commander-in-chief." It's a steep learning curve, and frankly Trump doesn't learn very fast (or fell he has to learn). This is not a movie or an episode of 24. (Grokked from Fred Clark)

Reuters decides how to cover the Trump administration. (Grokked from Kathryn Cramer)

"The Trump administration wants to revamp and rename a U.S. government program designed to counter all violent ideologies so that it focuses solely on Islamist extremism… The program, 'Countering Violent Extremism,' or CVE, would be changed to 'Countering Islamic Extremism' or 'Countering Radical Islamic Extremism,' the sources said, and would no longer target groups such as white supremacists who have also carried out bombings and shootings in the United States." You know, the people who have killed more Americans than "radical islamic terrorists" have since 2002. I would say this is a product of "ideology sans facts" running amok if it also wouldn't have the effect of protecting "at-right" militia groups who might form a Brown Shirt brigade in support of the president. And refocusing CVE would neutralize any attempt to stop them (short of a civil war). (Grokked from Paolo Bacigalupi)

"A leaked copy of a draft executive order titled “Establishing a Government-Wide Initiative to Respect Religious Freedom,” obtained by The Investigative Fund and The Nation, reveals sweeping plans by the Trump administration to legalize discrimination." (Grokked from Michele)

Tweet of my heart: @unrealfred You don't resist so that your oppressors see the light. You resist so that others will know there are better choices than the darkness. (Grokked from Cat Rambo)

Double dip: @chapmanchapman The est. security cost for Melania living 200mi away from Trump is double the annual budget for the National Endowment for the Arts. (Grokked from Charles de Lint)

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