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

Tuesday, September 18, 2018

Linkee-poo let the sun beat down upon my face

"Watching an infant propel herself across the floor on wheels in a saucer-shaped baby walker may be as entertaining as a comedy episode. But because hospital emergency rooms treat more than 2,000 babies a year for injuries while using these walkers, American pediatricians are repeating their decades-old call for a ban."

"For decades, a daily dose of aspirin has been widely considered a way to protect healthy people from cardiovascular disease and even cancer. But a large, international study finds that, even at low doses, long-term use of aspirin may be harmful — without providing benefit — for older people who have not already had a heart attack or stroke." Taking aspirin daily is not recommended for self-prescription, please consult a doctor.

"Multi-surface cleaners and other commonly used household disinfectants could be making children overweight by altering the bacteria found in their guts, a new study published Monday in the Canadian Medical Association Journal suggests." It probably helps, but the real culprit is high-fructose corn syrup (which has been put into everything).

Watch out for counterfeit bike helmets.

"It's been two weeks since we saw those terrible images of the National Museum in Rio de Janeiro being consumed by fire. It was Brazil's oldest museum, with a collection of some 20 million items. Many of those items are now gone, and they can never be replaced."

"CNN’s Anderson Cooper on Monday unloaded on Twitter users, including Donald Trump Jr., spreading conspiracy theories about his coverage of Hurricane Florence." OMG, you mean there could be several levels below water? Shocked, shocked I am… I wonder if Jr ever had to drive if he's be surprised by potholes, fireplugs, and other items that may be covered by snow that makes the road and yards all look flat?

How goes Brexit? "Yet, at the same time, the British government is also warning British consumers and companies that they should brace themselves for a cold-turkey withdrawal, a “no-deal Brexit” or 'Brexit doomsday' — causing some degree of panic."

How goes the Trade War? "President Donald Trump will impose 10 percent tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports, and those duties will rise to 25 percent at the end of the year." Happy Black Friday and Xmas sales, everybody.

"Syria inadvertently shot down a Russian military plane after an Israeli attack on Syrian positions, killing 15 people on board, Moscow said." Oopsie. Of course they blamed Israel, because why not. You know, it couldn't possibly be their lack of battlefield control.

Yes, they will come for us all. "So perhaps it's not surprising that 'Barbara,' a Kansan woman, was told by the US Passport Agency that her birth certificate would not suffice for a passport renewal. The Passport Agency advised her to send her 'family Bible' or her parents' green cards of border-crossing documents (Barbara's parents were born in the USA)." Her birth certificate was for a home birth, and the State Department denied it was legit because it wasn't from a hospital (it was from the local county office, which is were births are actually recorded and birth certificates are retained). Fortunately her Senator intervened. She was not "naturalized", he parents were born in the US. They will come for us all.

So how's the policy of being dicks to immigrants working to slow the tide of them coming? "Despite the Trump administration's immigration clampdown, newly released data show the number of Central American families and unaccompanied children crossing the Southwest border illegally has risen sharply." America, even an asshole America, is still preferable. They know they may die trying to even get to our border. While horrendous, family separation isn't the worst thing they face.

"As the confirmation vote for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh neared, both parties had seen potential political benefits for them in the upcoming midterm elections." I'm sure voting another conservative accused of sexual harassment to SCOTUS won't be a problem for the GOP in the midterms.

"President Trump's eldest son Donald Trump Jr. appeared to make light of new details of allegations of sexual assault against his father's pick to be the next Supreme Court Justice." What a schmuck.

"President Trump on Monday ordered the declassification of select classified documents relating to the Russia investigation, including the secret court order and supporting interviews that allowed for the surveillance of former campaign adviser Carter Page. The selection of documents, which includes unredacted text messages from former government officials Trump has pegged as mortal enemies—including former FBI director James Comey, deputy director Andrew McCabe, former FBI officials Peter Strzok and Lisa Page, as well as interviews with Justice Department official Bruce Ohr—amount to a one-sided data dump under the auspices of 'transparency' that’s designed to provide ammunition to Trump allies in congress to discredit and derail the Mueller investigation." Yeah, Mueller flipping Manafort must have really scared the bejesus out of them. What I think is hilarious is that before this the president has just unilaterally declassified items (especially when he's been talking with Russians, not that this is suspicious in any way), which he has the power to do, but in this case he's ordering a "review." These documents have already been reviewed when provided to the Senate and House committees. What he's looking for is an excuse to say, "If you could see these, you'd know it's a witch hunt, but you can't see them."

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