A little art nerdery, vector icon speed (drawing) runs. I'm not that good, and they use some tools I'm not familiar with, but I will get there. Again. Tools change. I don't always keep up with the new additions. (Grokked from Dan)
Why are more boys diagnosed with autism than girls are? "…(B)ecause the symptoms of autism are often less obvious in girls than they are in boys. Girls can be better at blending in, says Dr. Louis Kraus, a psychiatrist at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, who specializes in autism." There's some other hemming an hawing, but, yeah, my guess is 1) diseases display differently between sexes, and 2) most medical models are based on boys, and 3) there is still rampant prescription of antidepressants for women whose doctors can't find a quick diagnosis (or, to put it another way, our medical establishment continues the tradition of telling women "it's all in your head" instead of actually helping women).
"The research finds that the median warming is likely to be 3.2 degrees Celsius, and further concludes that there’s only a 5 percent chance that the world can hold limiting below 2 degrees Celsius and a mere 1 percent chance that it can be limited below 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit)." So, yes, there is controversy in climate change science. However that controversy is all over "if" we can correct global emissions trends, future technology, and just how boned we are likely to get. But, make no mistake, we're already boned at this point.
With the upcoming solar eclipse, if you're buying "solar shades" you need to be careful, there's a lot of counterfeits out there. You can check out NASA's safety page on their official website for the eclipse for tips. My American Paper Optics glasses should arrive this week.
So, how secure are those voting machines? Yep. Okay, to be fair, many of these you need to be in proximity to the machines, however it's not just needing physical access as previously reported. So, I wonder if anyone has done a reversal to put the software on the machine remotely, and then when the legit election worker plugs in the USB thumb drive, the malware over-writes the "good" code on the drive to then be propagated throughout the system. Yeah, I'm sure that's not possible. :: rereads college paper on what was then a new phenomenon about internet "worms" while whistling nonchalantly :: (Grokked from George Takei)
And now for some NPR links about healthcare. First up, a video that explains the PBMs (pharmaceutical benefits managers) and what they do (and don't do) for your insurance plans. I once went through the training to be a pharmacy tech (I was even certified for 2 years, it was a backup plan). So I can tell you, pharmaceuticals… big money. Many of the drugs on your insurance plans cost much less than your copays. In many places (fortunately the places I shop) some pharmacies won't even run your prescription through your insurance and will charge you the over-the-counter price (which is typically less than your copay). This is a Good Thing™, except when it comes to meeting your deductible. An article on CSRs (cost-sharing reductions) and how they affect your insurance premiums. Note that even if President Trump stops CSR payments, your tax dollars will still be used to cover the increase in insurance premiums. CSR payments are a bargain.
Just in case this got lost in the news avalanche, "Joe Arpaio, the Arizona lawman who once proclaimed himself to be 'America’s Toughest Sheriff' and was largely praised by conservatives for his hard-line policing tactics, was found guilty Monday of criminal contempt, bringing his tenure as a relentless crusader against illegal immigration to an end."
Sure you can trust Customs and Border Control officers. Especially since they're trying to wave the polygraph and background check requirements again. I mean, it's not like they booted over half the applicants when they finally instituted basic precautions for people we give guns to. I'm sure it's not a problem like drawing those who already have racist attitudes. Now that the sarcasm is over, really, can we have a professional government again? Please.
"However, an NPR analysis of data obtained through a Freedom of Information Act Request shows that hundreds of American citizens each year find themselves in a situation similar to [Lorenzo] Palma's. Those data show that from 2007 through July of last year, 693 U.S. citizens were held in local jails on federal detainers — in other words, at the request of immigration officials. And 818 more Americans were held in immigration detention centers during that same time frame, according to data obtained through a separate FOIA request by Northwestern University professor Jacqueline Stevens and analyzed by NPR."
"Ralph Drollinger, the founder of Capitol Ministries, says he leads a weekly Bible study with Cabinet members such as Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, Energy Secretary Rick Perry, Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price and CIA Director Mike Pompeo." Unfortunately Jesus didn't see them coming first. Oh, and the Prez get's the weekly reading, but obviously isn't attending. Something something the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others something something Matthew 6:5. I wonder when they'll get to that one.
http://www.cnn.com/2017/07/31/politics/white-house-officials-tricked-by-email-prankster/index.html Most hacking is wet-ware, which means you get the info you need through social engineering. It's a confidence trick. (Grokked from Robert J Bennett)
"The Fox News Channel and a wealthy supporter of President Trump worked in concert under the watchful eye of the White House to concoct a story about the murder of a young Democratic National Committee aide, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday." There's a lot of talk about Fake News lately. But this is the real deal, a concocted news story promoted for propagandistic ends. And not by some wannabe spammer/click-baiter, but if not directed from the top levels, at least done with their tacit approval. This is how democracy dies. "The story, which first aired in May, was retracted by Fox News a week later. Fox News has, to date, taken no action in response to what it said was a failure to adhere to the network's standards." No action.
"White House senior adviser Jared Kushner offered an explanation to congressional interns earlier this week as to why it was not possible for the Trump campaign to collude with Russia during the election: It was too disorganized for such a conspiracy." Dude, seriously, "we're too incompetent to have colluded" is 1) missing the point, 2) not exactly a defense I would try and 3) shitty argument. The easiest rebuttal is because so much time and energy were spent coordinating with the Russians (which, in this scenario, are the only ones who really had to have their shit together to make this work) that you didn't have time or the ability to coordinate with your local offices. It's a time and focus problem.
Environmental regulations? What environmental regulations? DHS waives their need, by law, to file environmental impact studies on the construction of Trump's Wall. Isn't that lovely?
"The Trump administration is preparing to redirect resources of the Justice Department’s civil rights division toward investigating and suing universities over affirmative action admissions policies deemed to discriminate against white applicants, according to a document obtained by The New York Times." Because that's a problem, I guess.
The Snopes article on "Author Ingersoll Lockwood('s)… books 'Baron Trump's Marvelous Underground Journey' and '1900: or, The Last President' in the 1890s." (Grokked from John)
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