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

Friday, December 22, 2017

Linkee-poo comes a wassailing among the leaves so free

A little more on the bill passing process (PDF). "The 10-day period begins on midnight of the day the President receives the measure, and Sundays are not counted." The bill has yet to be enrolled, which must happen before it's sent to the President. So Trump does have until after the New Year to sign it. Unless they want to get the job done before leaving for Xmas and send it to the President and then adjourn (which is then a pocket veto). But my guess is it won't be enrolled until they return from their break. I wonder what the parliamentarian will rule on not enrolling the bill until a new session of Congress starts?

EDIT to include this (12-22-17 12:50pm) "Trump signs GOP tax plan and short-term government funding bill on his way out of town." Which means the GOP realizes they're going to lose bigly in November. While that might be great for the end of the year, but 2018 is going to suck more than 2017 (which sucked more than 2016 which we all didn't think was possible). But then, "The emergency funding legislation also contained what's called a 'pay-go waiver,' a provision that suspends the rules governing how Congress has to pay for certain programs. Without the waiver, Trump would have had to wait until the New Year to sign the expensive tax cuts into law, or risk triggering draconian automatic spending cuts." Point of fact, the GOP championed an demanded enforcement of PayGo every time the Democrats have been in charge of Congress since the 90s (when it was initiated during the Republican Revolution). Basically this exercise has been a lesson on "The Rules Don't Apply to Conservatives". "In the mid-19th century, women wearing the style of the day would burst into flames if their dress caught fire — and I do mean burst." Dying for fashion is different than dying because of fashion. (Grokked from John Scalzi)

And this morning was the breathless TV talkshow anchors discussing Meghan Markle wearing sheers for her engagement photos. Seriously folks. This is complete bullshit. They were not offensive, like Paris Hilton wearing her "Stop Being Poor" t-shirt. They were racy like some Fredericks of Hollywood outfits. Not to mention she's a grown woman and can wear whatever the fuck she likes.

The Planet Money podcast, sub podcast The Indicator, on Net Neutrality. "On today's show, how the broadband market got the way it is, and what it means for the debate over net neutrality."

"Ancient, preserved microbes that are too small to be seen with the naked eye, dating to billions of years ago, may represent the oldest known evidence of life on Earth, according to a new study." And with more study it appears that early life was widely diversified which leads to the renewed interest in the panspermia theory of life.

"For 50 years, Cabela's has sold fishing rods, guns and ammo and other sporting gear across the U.S., and in the process put the little town of Sidney on the map. Not many small towns could boast they were home to the headquarters of a $4 billion enterprise. But now Cabela's has been sold to its rival Bass Pro Shops in Missouri, and the folks in Sidney are afraid they could become another struggling small town." Donald Trump to Nebraska, stat! It's sad when that happens. What tickles me, though is that the town (of course) is thoroughly conservative. "Eighty-five percent of the county voted for Donald Trump. (Sidney's Mayor) says when Cabela's went public it became beholden to Wall Street investors, not Sidney. But he thinks his town is owed something." Nope, that's not how capitalism works. Look, small town America, you've been sold a bill of goods by the GOP. The world doesn't function the way you want it to. What you thought was it wouldn't happen to you because you were the "good people", you were "right", and it was "those other people" who were going to get the shaft. We're all getting the shaft.

"U.S. District Judge Gloria Navarro found that prosecutors had failed to turn over documents that could be used to support the defense's case… Navarro also noted 'that the government had erroneously claimed several things, including that there weren't snipers surveying the Bundy ranch when there were.'"

"The Huffington Post reported Thursday that the Miss America Organization’s CEO, Sam Haskell, exchanged emails with a writer for the televised pageant and others that included harsh and sometimes defamatory comments about past winners." Blatant misogyny at the Miss America pageant with the exchange of lewd and degrading emails? Shocked…

"The sexual harassment scandals over the past couple of months are causing some workers to rethink some of their office behaviors… Navigating those distinctions isn't always clear." Puh-lease. Mostly it's because the line can be different for different people. It first starts with being professional, which doesn't mean "put on a suit." And the same behavior can be fine or a harassment, which I think throws some people. Take a hug for example. If someone is not a hugger, forcing a hug on them can be harassment (and shouldn't be done). Sometimes, however, a hug is appropriate (last time I hugged someone at work was to comfort them as they had a breakdown because of personal issues). Now here is where it gets troublesome for some people. Let's say someone is a hugger and they aren't doing it because of anything untoward, they just feel hugging is something you do with people you care about. But lets say someone in the office doesn't feel comfortable with coworkers touching them (for any number of reasons). If they feel pressured to allow that coworker to hug them, that can he a hostile work environment for them. So consent is very important and acknowledging diversity is more than race/sex. Everyone is an individual ("I'm not," shouts the person in back of the crowd, yes, thank you, sit down). Flirting is acceptable if they other person accepts it. There are levels of gray you can start with and see if the other person responds. If they don't, drop it. If they do, great. Then you can advance to the next level of grey (more than likely the other person will first) until you reach a level that one of you may be uncomfortable (if it's just flirting that might not actually happen because it won't advance too far). But know that how you relate with one person is not how you relate to everyone else and if you flirt with one person while another person who doesn't like to flirt is nearby that can also be harassment. It's all situational ethics. If you can understand why, it's best if you avoid anything more than cordiality.

"As the founder (of Papa Johns), Schnatter has been one of the biggest names in fast food. But he recently ran into controversy when he blamed NFL players' mass move to drop to one knee during the playing of the national anthem as affecting his company's sales." Not to mention his dickiness during the ACA debate.

"'We will remember it when we are called upon to once again make the world's largest contribution to the United Nations. And we will remember it when so many countries come calling on us, as they so often do, to pay even more and to use our influence for their benefit.'" Somebody is playing the snowflake. And today it's Ambassador Haley. Dear Ambassador, we don't help other countries because of innate altruism. We help other countries to keep their problems from hitting our shores. If you want to diminish the US on the world stage and enhance Russian and Chinese influence on the world, continue to follow this line of petulance. It will only hurt us in the short and long run. "'To its shame the United Nations has long been a hostile place for the state of Israel,' Haley told the General Assembly on Thursday." Um, Ambassador, you're embarrassing yourself. You might want to actually read up on history. Without the UN, it would still be Palestine.

"Wells Fargo & Co.’s move to raise its minimum pay to $15 an hour was part of a long-term plan and not related to the passage of the Republican tax overhaul as the company implied, said a bank spokesman, who later backtracked and stated the hikes were a result of the bill’s approval." Shocked, shocked I am… Oh, and all the others talking about their year end bonuses, the tax cuts are neither law nor in effect yet. This is all PR bullshit. If companies are giving bonuses this year, it's money they've already earned. Because businesses have been making money hand over fist for the past 8 years. (Grokked from Michelle)

"The backstage talks provide a window into how those closest to Trump are bracing for a possible bloodbath in the 2018 midterms, which could obliterate the Republican congressional majorities and paralyze the president’s legislative agenda. The potential for a Democratic wave has grown after Republican losses this fall in Virginia, New Jersey and Alabama, and as the president’s approval ratings have plummeted to the 30s."when did While I think the Dems will pick up seats, and I would be happy with them taking solid control of both houses, I'll believe it when I see it. Democrats are old hands and snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

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