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, April 30, 2015

Linkee-poo, girl, we ain't friends we're just neighbors, their ain't nothing to see here, go back to your trailer

Tobias Buckell shares a video of what the world would look like if the ice melts. Note, sea level rise won't be the same around the world (mostly with the Earth's rotation and the difference in volume between warm water and cold water, but there's a few other variables). Kinda sucks about Florida. Guess I better plan that Disney World vacation soon.

"The Army is now leading the charge to change the U.S. military's long-standing ban on openly transgender troops by seeking guidance about whether it can allow a transgender sergeant to continue serving as the man he is… Army Sgt. Shane Ortega served three combat tours… 'Two in Iraq, one in Afghanistan. Two as a Marine and one in the Army. Two as a woman and one as a man.'" Although, because of how our society is wired, it's more acceptable for a woman to live as a man, (also note the popularity of lesbian pornography in straight circles) but this might open the way for society (or the military at least) to accept that gender isn't binary, and is fluid. The snickering you hear at the office regarding Bruce Jenner demonstrates how this doesn't go the other way. Yet. (Grokked from Janiece)

If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen, or defund the NASA research group that is looking into why it's so damn hot in the first place. Anti-science and climate denying conservative vote to defund the Earth Sciences portion of NASA, because it makes their anti-sciency climate-denying ways look foolish and dangerous. (Grokked from Mur Lafferty)

In other NASA news, new photos of Pluto and it's polar cap. Yea. A polar cap of frozen Nitrogen. (Grokked from Xeni, I think)

Blue Origin launches their New Shepard on its first developmental test flight. (Grokked from Neil Gaiman)

"Several eyewitnesses in the area that afternoon say that police seemed to arrive at Mondawmin anticipating mobs and violence—prior to any looting. At 3:01 p.m., the Baltimore Police Department posted on its Facebook page: 'There is a group of juveniles in the area of Mondawmin Mall. Expect traffic delays in the area.' But many of the kids, according to eyewitnesses, were stuck there because of police actions." I've also been hearing a lot of social media grumbling about how the Baltimore Police forced confrontations and even started the violence. It's an example of "If all you have is a hammer, everything begins to look like a nail." (Grokked from Morgan J Locke)

"Lucas had spent years unsuccessfully trying to develop an expansion to his production company’s studio in California’s wealthy Marin County. The socialites who lived there fought him tooth-and-nail, and he eventually decided to drop the project. Instead, he announced plans to build affordable housing on the property – and foot the bill." Okay, George, I just might be able to forgive you for Episode 1 now. I imagine the meeting where he announced this exactly like the scene in Auntie Mame where the Upsons learn that Mame is dedicating all the profits from her book to build a home for refuge children right next door to them (my google-fu has failed to find that clip on youtube). (Grokked from Janiece)

"The request comes a day after more than 200 people packed a meeting in rural Bastrop County and questioned a U.S. Army commander about whether the government was planning to confiscate guns or implement martial law. Bastrop County Judge Paul Pape said 'conspiracy theorists' and 'fear mongers' had been in a frenzy." So, "Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday asked the State Guard to monitor a U.S. military training exercise". The lunatics are in charge of the asylum. And you know what, if the military were to take over (take over what, exactly, you're all in the fucking US already) you'd expect them to deny it, wouldn't you.

Well, not all the asylum's lunatics still live in Texas. "Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) said in a recent interview that he'd 'look at' a planned U.S. military training exercise that conspiracy theorists believe may be a cover for the implementation of martial law." This is what's known as "throwing red meat to the base." But when your base is filled with lunatics, that makes you the chief lunatic, not the sane one.

While it seems eons ago, the 1950s weren't all that long ago. Just in case you were feeling all morally superior to other countries who don't give women the same rights as men. Also note at this time that in much of the country women couldn't own property (unless they were childless widows). The beam in our own eyes (and in some places, it's not that much better than what these "Rules for Housewives" state). (Grokked from Janiece)

Think it's not happening now? "An… peer reviewer for the journal PLoS One suggested that Drs. Fiona Ingleby and Megan Head find male co-authors—any men at all—for a paper they’d written, in order to make sure they weren’t leaping to 'ideologically biased assumptions.'… Their manuscript was about how gender differences influence the experiences that PhD students have when they’re transitioning into post-doctoral jobs." And this just in, Irony was taken off essential life-support today… (Grokked from Phiala)

And, "Many women were thrilled when the Affordable Care Act became law in 2010, because it required insurance companies to cover a broad array of women's health services without any out-of-pocket costs… Five years later, however, the requirement isn't being enforced… Health insurance plans around the country are failing to provide many of those legally-mandated services including birth control and cancer screenings."

Dear Robert Lee (I won't call you pastor, because I don't think you are one), since we're quoting the Bible, here's on for you. Judge not, lest you be judged likewise.

Other governors child Ohio Gov. (and potential presidential candidate) Kasich for "hiding behind Jesus." Just because Kasich always cites his love of the Jesus for every move he makes, especially when he expanded Medicaid (which, BTW, it being totally fucked up here in Ohio, but that's for another time). This is what's known as, "eating your own."

2 comments:

Dr. Phil (Physics) said...

Hey, in the 1970s, my mother took a job and used her paycheck to make the mortgage payments, so that under North Carolina law she could legally be said to "own" the house she lived in if her husband died first. With both names on the deed, my father had no such problems if my mother died first.

Yeah. Family values. Ri-ight.

No wonder in times past men came out of the woodwork to call on widows.

Dr. Phil

Steve Buchheit said...

Dr. Phil, exactly that. I remember when a woman wasn't even allowed to sign a deed without a man signing first.