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

Friday, December 28, 2018

Linkee-poo calling birds ring up a hellalotta long distance charges

Alligators ate my homework.

Neil Gaiman on BBC4 With Great Pleasure. A Christmas show, but with excellent readings (not holiday related) of the things Neil likes to read (note clip starts with a news wrap up). One of the lesser quoted axioms of writing is read original sources and if you want to write like a certain writer you need to read what they read. Listen worldwide for a few more weeks. As an extra, listen to these 5 minutes with Peter Capaldi reading "The Magic Wood" by Henry Treece. (Grokked from Neil Gaiman, naturally)

On Beautiful Words, by Pablo Defendini. Form follows function. This is often taken to mean that things should be put into boxes (forms), which is exactly the wrong interpretation of "function." This is also the thing missing from much of modern design which is usually more concerned with quickness of execution and driving the bottom line than it used to be. Which is odd given the greater freedom allowed by digital presentation. Pablo uses the example of the story ‘STET’ by Sarah Gailey. I have to admit the online version threw me (as to me it read as nested footnotes), but the photo of the print version intrigues me to no end. IMHO that is the form the story needs.

"David Miscavige leads the Church of Scientology, the cultlike sci-fi religion notorious for its hostility to members, apostates and critics alike. His wife, Shelly, hasn't been seen in public in many years, and few trust the LAPD's proforma assurances that she is safe, let alone those of the church. Jezebel posted a long story about her alleged captivity, and Scientology is asking them to remove the post." Well that went all Streisand Effect. (Grokked from Matt Staggs)

"Post-holiday travelers were finding driving difficult as a winter storm dumped heavy snow and whipped up gusty winds across parts of the Dakotas and Minnesota on Thursday." Yet here in Ohio its supposed to get in the upper 50s. It's almost like the country doesn't have the same weather across all zones. Like theres a climate instead of weather.

"He drew his school mascot — and ICE labeled him a gang member." ICE must go. (Grokked from Matt Staggs)

"A Con Edison spokesman, Bob McGee, said early this morning: 'What people were seeing was an electric arc flash. The electrical arc of that magnitude is similar to a thunder and lightning event.' The sound people heard was 'the arc striking the ground.'"

"Just days after claiming that 'many' furloughed government workers told him they're fine with not getting paid as long as he secures additional funding for a border wall, President Donald Trump tweeted Thursday morning that 'most of the people not getting paid are Democrats.'" Because then that makes it okay because fuck those people. AmIrite?

"The U.S. Office of Personnel Management has offered federal workers affected by the partial government shutdown a guide for negotiating with creditors, landlords and mortgage companies while their income is cut off… Among the suggested strategies: A furloughed employee might offer to trade maintenance services such as painting or carpentry work in exchange for a reduction in rent." Yeah, that'll work. Maybe they can pay their bills in exposure.

"More Americans blame President Donald Trump than congressional Democrats for the partial U.S. government shutdown, a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Thursday found, as lawmakers returned to Washington with no quick end to the shutdown in sight." Just wait until we find out a lot of the costs (to the economy and for the IRS to finish up reprograming and training for the new tax bill). "… 33 percent blame Democrats in Congress…" There's that number again.

"Following backlash, NBC News revises story about Trump’s 'Christmastime' visit to Iraq."

"During a holiday visit to troops stationed in Iraq, President Donald Trump bragged that he had secured them not only their first pay raise in over a decade, but 'one of the biggest' ever… This is inaccurate and not the first time Trump has made false claims about annual military raises." Try to contain your shock.

"Alarmed by a U.S. decision to leave Syria, Kurdish leaders who run much of the north are urging Russia and its ally Damascus to send forces to shield the border from the threat of a Turkish offensive." Empowering Russia from the actions of the US president? Wow, didn't see that coming. "The SDF has been Washington’s main Syrian partner in the fight with Islamic State, but Turkey views the YPG fighters that form its backbone as a threat and has vowed to crush them." And by "crush" they mean in the Biblical sense.

Remember when Michael Cohen denied going to Prague to meet with Russians according to the Steele Dossier? How he said he was never in Prague at the time and how his passport (one of several) didn't show an entry or exit visa? "A mobile phone traced to President Donald Trump’s former lawyer and 'fixer' Michael Cohen briefly sent signals ricocheting off cell towers in the Prague area in late summer 2016, at the height of the presidential campaign, leaving an electronic record to support claims that Cohen met secretly there with Russian officials, four people with knowledge of the matter say." For anyone who knows, customs and passport control are for poor people. The very wealthy and well connected (especially when traveling by private jet) are rarely bothered by such trivialities. While such a signal can't determine if Cohen was in a meeting, and while the source is being vague, more than likely they have a fairly precise location for where he was at. Given that he denies even being in the country, this doesn't look good. (Grokked from Matt Staggs)

"But whenever there is a rush of new details about one slice or another of this controversy… it’s important for all of us (and the media) to keep the spotlight on a central element that has already been established beyond any doubt: Trump betrayed his fellow Americans." (Grokked from Cat Rambo)

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