Listening to Ken Burns and Lynn Novick's The Vietnam War on PBS. When I was growing up one of the most often things I heard about the war (until I took it on myself to learn more about it) was how the News and Hippies lost us the war. The most often phrase I hear from the documentary is the line about how "the American people were not to know" about our expansion, our increase in troop levels, our wanton destruction. Much of that came out in the Pentagon Papers. Yeah, I think that had a big effect.
"A last-ditch effort by Senate Republicans to repeal and replace ObamaCare is gaining steam, suggesting lawmakers could face another vote on ending the former president’s signature law later this month." Once more unto the breach, dear friends. Although I find it interesting the recurring line that the GOP only has until the end of this month to pass this under reconciliation (only needing 50 votes). IIRC, it's they can only pass a bill regarding health insurance by reconciliation until the start of the new fiscal year as they only get one concept through by reconciliation per fiscal year. I'm not a parliamentarian (although I play one on the internets), but I'm pretty sure that if they wanted to they could chose healthcare again as their one bill per fiscal year (for fiscal 2018). I believe this is being set up as a "well we tried" way of losing (why can't we keep trying? because the rules don't allow us to, quick, run and gag the parliamentarian).
"(GOP) optimism, however, seemed to spread in a closed-door meeting Thursday in which members and aides say that Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made it clear that he would bring the bill to the floor if Cassidy and Graham delivered the votes to pass it. There was a recognition that the GOP didn't have any choice but to try again to finally deliver on their seven-year campaign promise."
You might have seen a Guardian article about how the Koch network of donors is holding money back from the GOP unless they pass Repeal and Replace. That article is 3 months old. Still true, but not a new wrinkle.
Looking for a bluetooth signal while pumping your gas may help you spot an inline credit card skimmer. (Grokked from Jeff Beeler)
"A study this month in the International Journal of Obesity found that a specific diet's success may come down to the bacteria mix in one's gut, as observed in stool samples." I have fat microbes.
"Around the country, facilities have been caught unprepared for far more mundane emergencies than the hurricanes that struck Florida and Houston, according to an examination of federal inspection records. And these nursing homes rarely face severe reprimands, even when inspectors identify repeated lapses."
"Researchers caught the bacteria Mycoplasma hyorhinis hiding out among cancer cells, thwarting chemotherapy drugs intended to treat the tumors they reside in." Son of a bitch. (Grokked from Dan)
"The biologists had an idea of what was going on: The increased light was making the algae grow faster, but they ended up containing fewer of the nutrients the zooplankton needed to thrive. By speeding up their growth, the researchers had essentially turned the algae into junk food. The zooplankton had plenty to eat, but their food was less nutritious, and so they were starving." Same thing when they're exposed to more CO2 in the atmosphere. Also, know why chicken doesn't taste like chicken anymore? Because that bird on your plate isn't even half a year old (more than likely it's less than 3 months old). (Grokked from Kameron Hurley)
One word, plastics. "And lately, the shellfish biologist is making other unappetizing comments to her dinner party guests — about plastics in those shellfish." Plastic, it's what's for dinner.
It's the end of the world as we know it. Another whackaloon has surfaced saying September 23 is the beginning of the end. But this time even the evangelical world is scoffing. Which makes me wonder since it will be at a time that is hidden, the "experts" wouldn't know when it was. So maybe he's on to something?
People giving advice on if a woman should take her husband's Hispanic-sounding surname.
Racists gonna racist. "'My two currently appointed attorneys, Alexandra Yates and Sapna Mirchandani, are Jewish and Indian respectively,' (Dylann) Roof wrote in a letter filed Monday with the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. 'It is therefore quite literally impossible that they and I could have the same interests relating to my case.'"
"We can neither confirm nor deny." Project Azorian, the Glomar Explorer, Howard Hughes, the CIA, and Russia.
"Russian media reported Tuesday that three people were wounded at major Russian military exercises when a helicopter accidentally fired a rocket at a crowd of invited spectators." Oopsie.
"President Donald Trump’s inaugural committee raised an unprecedented $107 million… the committee pledged to give leftover funds to charity. Nearly eight months later, the group has helped pay for redecorating at the White House and the vice president’s residence in Washington… But nothing has yet gone to charity." Yeah, my face is going to get suck in "shocked face" mode for a while. Same as it ever was. (Grokked from Chuck Wendig)
"If there is one defining characteristic of the sinfulness of the Trump administration, it’s the daily and calamitous shredding of America’s unwritten political and institutional norms." Yep. And unfortunately, at least for me, that's beginning to feel "normal." And there is, on a daily basis, so much of it that to counteract the actions or at the very least point them all out is a frustrating and futile exercise. (Grokked from Laura J Mixon)
"Donald Trump Jr. has reportedly given up his protection from the U.S. Secret Service because of privacy concerns." You know, you had a good out with, "I don't want to burden the tax payers…" and you blew it. Plus, what privacy concerns. The Secret Service will watch their charges break the law (within limits, supposedly) and not interfere because that's not their charge (underage drinking, philandering, and obstruction of justice just to name a few we know of). (Grokked from Fran Wilde)
"A group of angry young immigrants chanting 'all of us or none of us' shut down a news conference by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi who was on her home turf in San Francisco on Monday to try to drum up support for legislation that would allow immigrants illegally brought to this country by their parents to stay in the U.S."
So, that went well. Our president's speech to the UN, where he actually went for the "believe me." Note, that's his bluffing tell.
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