There is news that Dr. Phil (the real one) Kaldon has passed. I'm kinda in shock. His health wasn't good lately but it looked like he was getting through it. Dr. Phil made it to the Writer's of the Future anthology oh which he was very proud. And his short story in Apex and Abyss, Hail to the Victors. I always expected to see him again. He was an exceptionally kind and supportive person, always generous. I'm going to miss him.
So, Harriet Tubman on the $20. S'okay. Stands by for the battle of the documentaries (can't wait to see how people justify Andy Jackson's legacy). They have always fought.
Celebrating the change of seasons in the UK. (Grokked from Ellen Kushner)
The tradition of the hobby-horse. Note, correct for many definitions of "horse". (Grokked from Terri Windling)
NASA live feed from the ISS goes down as horseshoe-shaped UFO appears. Um, yeah, Bob. (Grokked from John)
Somebody going to emergency. Somebody's going to jail. "Three people — two officials with the state Department of Environmental Quality and a water official from Flint — are facing criminal charges as a result of an investigation into the lead-contaminated water case in Flint."
What do conservatives do when the magical rabbit doesn't appear after they enact their agenda? Why, they say it wasn't their's after all, and cut and run. In Kansas, in the face of a crumbling economy and plunging state revenues after Gov. Brownback pushes through his tax cuts for the rich, the Republican run legislature (that helped pass the tax cuts in the first place) says it's all the governors fault and he needs to figure out how to pay for the government because they're not going to cut the budget one iota. Also note what they've cut so far; education, payments for pensions (say, how do these pensions get underfunded in the first place?), and moving money for infrastructure repairs to other departments. Because all of those always work out well in the end (with stupid citizens who can't compete in the world market, having to "cut" pensions after people have retired throwing them into poverty after breaking your promises, and crumbling roads and bridges). And how have they tried to fill the budget chasm? They raised the sales and cigarette tax, which disproportionately affects the poor.
Because more guns are always better. Man is shot while videoing people using illegal firing range.
Suicides in Greenland and the communities, friends, and government's attempts to help.
The Hidden Brain podcast on Losing Alaska (why humans have difficulty accepting climate change).
Remember the San Bernardino iPhone that the FBI just had to get into? Turns out there wasn't any there there. (Grokked from Xeni)
Yougov.com poll shows "over of quarter of under-30s enjoy riling people up online." Damn millennials. Why in my day we'd just piss off our parents. But I guess when you live in their basement, that's not a winning strategy. (Did I make BINGO for someone?) (Grokked from John Scalzi)
"Ricky Diaz, a spokesman for (NC Gov.) McCrory's gubernatorial campaign, wrote in a statement obtained by The Carolina Mercury that 'it is the height of hypocrisy for these Hollywood elitists to deny their service to customers over a political disagreement.'" I'm confused. Isn't there a law in NC that says if you have a deeply held conviction against providing services to certain people that you are allowed to?
"The consequence was a shift in liberalism's center of intellectual gravity. A movement once fleshed out in union halls and little magazines shifted into universities and major press, from the center of the country to its cities and elite enclaves. Minority voters remained, but bereft of the material and social capital required to dominate elite decision-making, they were largely excluded from an agenda driven by the new Democratic core: the educated, the coastal, and the professional." On the smug liberal ideology. Not sure I entirely agree, but I can see their point. What I think is mostly their point is that political discourse in this country has gone from standing up and mobilizing people to solve problems to the hashtag culture and pithy memes shared on Facebook that only are seen by the like minded. And with that I agree, even as I am a willing participant in it. But there is a difference between writing an open letter and going to a politician's office or stump speech and shout back or try to make the reasoned argument to the other side. In the hyper-polarized field we find ourselves on, taunting becomes our only option. And I will agree the Democratic Party has gone from the more productive "This is out position, this is why it's our position, and this is what we propose to do about it" to "you agree with us, right?" And in that rarified atmosphere of assumptions, our political body is dying from asphyxiation. But there is a part of this article that is based on "blaming the victim." Some of this is a direct response to the politics of Newt Gingrich and the GOPAC memo and Frank Luntz which forced Democrats into the defensive posture they've been in since the mid 90s. However, "The wages of smug is Trump," and that should send alarm bells ringing through the DNC. (Grokked from Ferrett Steinmetz)
"Donald Trump Jr. gave a scathing critique of the Republican presidential nominating process and the way delegates are assigned in a radio interview Monday, at one point comparing it to living in 'communist China.'" And that is really all you need to know to grasp the modern conservative mindset.
"Ohio Gov. John Kasich, normally known for his even-keeled demeanor, lost his temper Saturday when asked how he could keep saying he could win against Democrat Hillary Clinton if he’s only won his home state’s primary… The governor then snatched the reporter’s voice recorder out of his hand to ask 'What do you think?'" See, he can only keep up the pretense for so long, as we in Ohio know all to well.
"(Rep. Pete) King said… 'I think I'll take cyanide if (Cruz) got the nomination. I think you'll see Donald Trump scoring a big victory tonight. I did not endorse Donald Trump.'" Is there a charity set up to help this poor man get cyanide. I'll support it.
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