Because people are looking at polls and despairing about the various fluctuations, the Gallop Organization tracking polls of key indicators. The take away, only 40% of people are paying "close attention" to the election. Even now. It's 47% for Republicans and 40% for Democrats, and 40% overall for the populace. I'll let you suss out the importance of those numbers. Also, for the question "Is there any candidate running who you think would make a good president, or not?" the Republicans are at 59% yes, the Democrats are at 71% yes. Also note, it is normal for candidates to get bumps just before and just after the conventions.
Noted for when I may need it, Mary Robinette Kowal's lesson on authors signing books.
On internal dialog. This is one of the reasons I love First-person singular. In reality except for spoken dialog everything else is internal dialog, how the character sees the world they live in. One of the skills I need to develop more is introducing it in third-person told stories (even third-person limited I feel strange putting it in there). (Grokked from Ken McConnell)
There's this thing in William Gibson novels about how data is the product (bought and sold, and stole). Well, it is now. On the data brokers, and just how much and what kinds of information they're selling. Hint, it's you. Also noted because of the backlash against Pokemon Go needing access to everything on your phone (I now have an Android phone, the Android store explicitly tells you what data the app wants access to - and this is why I don't have many apps on the phone). "'Because there are no online privacy laws in the United States, there's no stop sign, there's no go slow sign, there's no crossing guard. The message is anything goes,' (Jeff Chester, a privacy advocate and director of the Center for Digital Democracy) said." I once overheard this conversation by newly minted MBAs who were going to their power jobs on public transport (it was Washington DC), and they just couldn't figure out how Facebook and Instagram made money (this was before the ubiquitous ads). I really so wanted to tell them what it was those companies were in the business of selling. Say, did you know it's perfectly legal for the US Government to buy data about you (as compared to getting a "warrant" - if needed - and serving a company to get them to comply)? I wonder when some smart cookie is going to develop an addictive game that gathers a lot of this info only to sell it to the NSA (which would be the real business model). I'm sure that hasn't happened yet. Yeah, sure it hasn't.
The first images from Juno are just coming in. (Grokked from Dan)
Wither the American vacation. As someone who has a problem taking vacations I so very feel this. Not to mention most of my adult life I've only had 5 days of PTO every year. That I now have the equivalent of 15 days (after 5 years of service, and at 30+ years of working for a paycheck) feels extravagant. I'm still learning how to prioritize to take a vacation. I'm still learning the tricks of it. And I hate that our culture has made me struggle so hard with this.
Hey, you know that thing that you need to keep your computer running that most people never think about except when it goes wonky, oh, what is it called? Oh yes, the operating system. Yeah. You'll need to keep paying and paying for it now. "Microsoft plans to make its recently renamed Windows 10 Enterprise product available as a subscription for $7 per user per month, or $84 per year." Microsoft has long been known for its "Embrace, Extend, Extinguish" philosophy of technology. Who knew they planned that for their own OS? (Grokked from Dan)
The migrant worker life in the blueberry industry.
Florida woman so deep into prayer she ran a stop sign and plowed into a house. Uh, yeah, Bob.
"The idea of women campaigning to deprive themselves of basic societal rights does seem like an act of unfathomable self-betrayal. But, still Goodier strove for empathy." Abortion rights versus Pro-Choice? Nope, the anti-suffrage movement led by women. But, it's applicable to both the antifeminist and pro-life movements, all of which have prominent women leading those causes. (Grokked from Cat Rambo)
"The CMS report contrasts with a Kaiser Family Foundation analysis from November 2015 that shows the average deductible for a midlevel health plan, including prescription drugs, is $3,064. That survey didn't take into account the financial assistance that about 60 percent of Obamacare customers get to cover health costs." Now, it's all not skittles and beer, "The report found that 17 percent of people are paying deductibles of more than $5,000 per year." Yeah, like the rest of us do.
Ah, capitalism. Some people see a dumpster fire, other people see a marketing opportunity. Labeling sodas for presidential candidates. I think I remember ketchup doing this in 2012.
And now, a little political respite. The history of how the Filet-O-Fish came to McDonalds. (Grokked from Dan)
"A Reuters analysis of the Kansas (voter registration) suspense list shows the law disproportionately hits young voters, who often do not have ready access to the needed documents, as well as unaffiliated and Democratic voters in the Republican-controlled state." Strange how these new voter registration and ID laws disproportionately affect the young, the poor, and those most likely to vote Democratic. It's almost like it was the plan to begin with. (Grokked from Robert J Bennett)
So is it just me or is this kind of behavior becoming more common. Man gets upset at photography group, claims they're on "his driveway" (they were on a public road) and attempts to run them over a few times, gets out of his car and verbally assaults them, also breaks the phone he was recorded on. I have to deal with people like this. Seriously privileged assholes who think they're untouchable. And while the cops did arrest him, my guess is he's out on bail (if they even set bail, many rural jails are filled and can't hold people even until a bail hearing) and will act admonished in front of the judge and get a slap on the wrist. But, yeah, I think these types of encounters are increasing as we head toward the election.
"A federal judge who has been a target of Donald Trump's unending scorn must decide whether to release videos of the presumed Republican presidential nominee testifying in a lawsuit about the now-defunct Trump University — images that Trump's attorneys worry will be used to tarnish the campaign." Yeah, so how do you think that's going to go? Also, this is part of why the Trumpster did attack the judge. When the judge finds there's no reason to keep those public documents under seal, he can claim "revenge" and try and get the case restarted under a different judge, also changes the conversation from Trump's illegal and immoral behavior to one of retaliation (and thereby his supporters can dismiss whatever they see). Don't worry, Trumpster, your supporters already accept you as an unrepentant, petulant, vengeance seeking asshole. It's why they like you.
"Former Donald Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski is still being paid by the presumptive GOP presidential nominee’s campaign while simultaneously drawing a salary as a CNN contributor to discuss the candidate on-air, according to the network." Because it's "severance pay" (as part of a contract, I'm assuming), I'm not as hot and bothered by that (depending on the severance package, like if he's paid by the Trump campaign until November, that would be a huge problem). This is the problem, "In his on-air appearances, Lewandowski has acted more like a spokesman for the campaign than as an independent commentator, defending all of Trump’s actions in a way that, as one Washington Post reporter noted, indicates he 'has not yet transitioned out of his role as a Trump employee.'" (Grokked from Xeni Jardin)
Remember when the Trumpster said he was going to bring back the Joe Paterno statue? Remember the family being all upset that poor-ol' Joe didn't know anything so why was he being punished? Yeah, keep on pushing the issue so that more and more of the testimony will be released to the public. 'Cause right now it's not looking so rosy for good-ol Joe. Also note, "John Doe 150", WTF? One-hundred and FIFTY?
"As for whether black Americans are treated differently than whites by the police, Trump said 'it’s possible.'" The Trumpster says he's seen people ask for a moment of silence for the shooter in Dallas. Just like he saw thousands in New Jersey cheering as the Word Trade Center towers fell.
Soooo, how's that "CLE2016" thing going? "GOP operatives dread Trump convention… 'This ship can sink without me as a passenger,' said one party strategist." Oh it's going to be a hot time in the ol' town tonight (well, next week). Well, the hookers are going to be disappointed. "As of Monday evening, convention officials had yet to release a speaker’s program." That can't be good. "Plus, the parties are typically paid for by corporate sponsors, and a number of them, including Wells Fargo, Ford and Apple, have decided to pull funding for this year’s convention." So, basically Cleveland is going to get fucked by this, one way or the other. (Grokked from Christopher Moore)
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