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, January 22, 2019

Linkee-poo Alligators on Tuesday

"'However, that would make Sgr A* an exception compared to other radio emitting black holes. The alternative could be that the radio jet is pointing almost at us.'" Um, that seems like it would be a Bad Thing™ IIRC.

"Findings of a study published Thursday in Science offer an answer. A research team from Stanford University pinpointed the neurons in mouse brains that make pain hurt and were able to alter these neurons in a way that reduced the unpleasantness of pain without eliminating the sensation. The study lays the groundwork for future research into more targeted pain treatments." The mice were not impressed.

"Thousands of coal miners are dying from an advanced form of black lung disease, and federal regulators could have prevented it if they'd paid closer attention to their own data… That's the conclusion of a joint NPR/Frontline investigation that aired last month and continues tonight on PBS." The hard fact is that there is effectively no regulation when it is not enforced and the punishments are too light.

How go the wars? "(Afghani/Taliban) Insurgents blew their way into the base using a car bomb before opening fire. Some reports put the toll at over 100… It is one of the deadliest attacks on the secret service and follows a string of battlefield setbacks for the army."

How go the Trade Wars? "Shortly after he took office, President Trump withdrew the U.S. from negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership. The TPP is moving forward, and the remaining members stand to gain economically." No transcript yet, but boy does Canada stand to reap the benefits of our withdrawal.

"On Monday, the International Monetary Fund cut its 2019 global growth estimate to 3.5% from 3.7%, citing trade tensions and rising interest rates. It also revised its estimate for 2020 to 3.6%, down from 3.7%. IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde, who presented the forecasts at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, said the global economy was growing more slowly than expected amid rising risks."

"Temp agencies are seeing the resumes of federal employees pile up. But many of these applicants have been rebuffed as furloughed workers are seen as too temporary for even temp jobs." Doesn't that suck. (No transcript yet)

"Rachel Martin talks to David Mollett of the American Federation of Government Employees about how the government shutdown affects TSA workers at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport." Last Sunday 10% of TSA employees called in sick saying they didn't have the finances to come to work (gas, day care, etc). (No transcript yet)

The right really hates AOC. One of the top political news stories on Fox, "Freshman democratic lawmaker Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Monday appeared to agree with the idea that a world that allows for billionaires is not moral." A lot of it is because she's not behaving like other Democrats. She's not responding in the accepted ways. "David Greene talks to historian Rick Perlstein about Rep. Ocasio-Cortez's rising prominence in the Democratic Party. Her commitment to ideology over process puts her at odds with some Democrats." (No transcript yet). And yes, she does need to learn how things are done, but she shouldn't shut up. And she will change the conversation. She is transformative, and because of that she scares the shit out of a lot of people.

"President Trump has weighed in on the controversy surrounding a confrontation Friday at the base of the Lincoln Memorial involving three groups. The incident was caught on video that went viral. The story behind it has evolved several times since first coming to light, and accounts still differ." And the story is still evolving. This is the problem with "he said, she said" reporting. But what is fairly clear from all the angles on the story is the students' chaperones failed at their job. Also, given some of the context from people who have attended this school, it's clear they aren't as innocent as they would like you to believe.

Rudy Guiliani, "No tapes. Well, I have listened to tapes, but none of them concern this." Just give the man a shovel already. Why make him dig the hole with his bare hands. (Grokked from Chia Evers)

No comments: