"The thing about futuristic militaries is that they’re often used as a plot device, rather than an end in themselves. Which makes a lot of sense: they create built-in obstacles, hierarchies, even plot structures, that writers can take advantage of that to tell their stories… Where many of these futuristic science fiction stories go wrong, however, is in their representation of the military."
"The BooBuddy Ghost Hunter Interactive Bear is an adorable teddy bear that senses changes in the environment such as EMF, movement, temperature and vibration and responds to those changes with a cute, non-threatening voice and strategically placed lights. BooBuddy is also able to respond to questions as well." The movie practically writes itself. (Grokked from Matt Staggs)
In case you may be wondering why some people blame the pharmaceutical industry for the opioid epidemic, here's one reason. "Between 2006 and 2016, a total of 20.8 million prescription painkillers were sent to two pharmacies in Williamson, in Mingo County, West Virginia, a town with a population of only 2,900 people… A U.S. government panel is now questioning how drug wholesalers could have sent millions of prescription pills to two pharmacies in West Virginia without flagging any suspicion, The Charleston Gazette-Mail reported." That's 965 doses per person, per year for a decade.
"Whole Foods has a new inventory-management system aimed at making stores more efficient and cutting down on food waste. And employees say the retailer's method of ensuring compliance is crushing morale." Micro-management kills businesses. Well, time to hire consultants. (Grokked from Matt Staggs)
"A New York man who struck it big with a scratch-off lottery ticket died just weeks after he claimed the prize." One of the things he wanted to do with the money was go to the doctor, which he did. And was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. America, your healthcare system sucks sweaty balls. (Grokked from Laura J Nixon)
Both sides are the same! "Labor Department leadership scrubbed an unfavorable internal analysis from a new tip pooling proposal, shielding the public from estimates that showed employees could lose out on billions of dollars in gratuities, four current and former DOL sources tell Bloomberg Law." Nope, not even close. One side works with reality and tries to help people, the other side tries to claw as much money toward themselves as they can. (Grokked from Laura J Mixon)
"The new president’s then–chief strategist, Steve Bannon, had called in February for the 'deconstruction of the administrative state.' It was not hard to guess that, for a White House that swept to power on a wave of racially tinged rural resentment and anti-welfare sentiment, high on the demolition list might be a department with 'urban' in its name. The administration’s preliminary budget outline had already signaled deep cuts for HUD. And Donald Trump had chosen to lead the department someone with zero experience in government or social policy — the nominee whose unsuitability most mirrored Trump’s lack of preparation to run the country." (Grokked from Joy Reid)
When you beg for the spotlight, sometimes the spotlight delivers. "House Intelligence Committee chairman Devin Nunes (R-CA) on Tuesday declined to say whether he worked with the White House on the anti-FBI memo written by members of his staff, the Daily Beast reports." You know, like that episode where he bypassed his committee and went to the White House to give them an important intelligence brief… that he learned about from the White House. (Grokked from Laura J Mixon)
"Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein visited the White House in December seeking President Donald Trump's help. The top Justice Department official in the Russia investigation wanted Trump's support in fighting off document demands from House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes… Trump wanted to know where the special counsel's Russia investigation was heading. And he wanted to know whether Rosenstein was 'on my team.'… As a further sign of the President's focus on Rosenstein's testimony, one of the sources said Trump also had suggested questions to members of Congress that they could ask Rosenstein." (Grokked from Chuck Wendig)
"Emails obtained by CNN show the FBI agent at the center of a Capitol Hill storm played a key role in a controversial FBI decision that upended Hillary Clinton's campaign just days before the 2016 election: the letter to Congress by then-FBI Director James Comey announcing the bureau was investigating newly discovered Clinton emails… The new revelation about FBI agent Peter Strzok comes as Republicans accuse him of being sympathetic to Clinton while seeking to undermine Donald Trump during the heat of the 2016 campaign season." While you might say that destroys a good conspiracy theory, the conservatives don't care. Once you stop being useful to them, under the bus you go. (Grokked from Joshua Parker)
"All this has built steadily toward a crisis for American democracy—a Saturday Night Massacre in slow motion. Press reports suggest the president may be contemplating using the memo to dismiss Rosenstein. That matters: If the president were to use his powers to insert someone lacking independence, that person could throttle the special counsel." Unfortunately there is the problem of a lie going halfway around the world before the truth can get its boots on. And then those in the right will continue to hammer down the zombie arguments, draining time and attention away from where it should be. (Grokked from John Scalzi)
Tweet of my heart: Stonekettle Retweeted Tomi Lahren "Veterans before refugees. Veterans before illegals. America First! #SOTU" to which @Stonekettle added," Stonekettle added, "Nothing is stopping you sons of bitches from taking care of veterans NOW. Nothing. Not one goddamned thing… But, if you actually made good on your promise to veterans, you wouldn't have veterans to use as a cudgel to guilt America into accepting your agenda, would you?" What he said.
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