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

Saturday, January 26, 2019

Linkee-poo do you think they'll try to break my balls

"President Trump has endorsed a bipartisan deal that could end the 35-day partial government shutdown, making a way for a three-week stopgap funding measure to reopen shuttered agencies… The possible end to the month-long quagmire comes after both parties have remained resolute in their stances…" So we get to do it all again in 3 weeks.

Jim Hines' end of the year, writing income post. John Scalzi also does one this year (sans numbers). Which is okay, because John is an extreme outlier when it comes to writing revenue.

"Alligators in one North Carolina swamp have once again allowed themselves to freeze in place with their noses above the ice." Nature finds a way.

"New cars boast a wide range of high-tech safety features that promise to avoid accidents and make driving easier… But manufacturers have also invented a wide range of names for those features — creating confusion for shoppers and renters who just want to know what a car can do."

How go the Trade Wars? "A year after Mr. Trump announced the tariffs, washing machine prices were up, as many analysts had expected. But that has not been a boon to the makers of washers because fewer Americans are investing in new laundry equipment, exposing how protectionist trade policies can backfire on the very companies they are meant to safeguard." Trade wars are easy to win.

"Private military contractors who do secret missions for Russia flew into Venezuela in the past few days to beef up security for President Nicolas Maduro in the face of U.S.-backed opposition protests, according to two people close to them." Vlad, sunk cost fallacy, just sayin'. (Grokked from Kathryn Cramer)

"A society that starts building walls out of fear will one day end by building its own prison." Damnit, Jim, stop making sense. Except for a little statistical issue, another killer article from Jim Wright.

"Travelers experienced significant flight delays at New York's LaGuardia Airport and at New Jersey's Newark Liberty International Airport on Friday because of a shortage of air traffic control center workers amid the partial government shutdown. Philadelphia International Airport also saw slight staffing-related delays."

"The Trump administration is warning immigration agents working without pay that their security clearances could be in jeopardy if they fail to cut back on spending or make arrangements with creditors during the government shutdown." One of the things that can get your security clearance yanked is having too much debt or going into collections.

I hope the Russians love their children too. "At Davos on Thursday, the secretary general of NATO warned that the new missile from Russia not only breaks a treaty with the U.S. but also lowers the bar for the use of nuclear weapons." There is no such thing as a winnable or limited nuclear exchange.

Apparently Roger Stone is vowing to FIGHT! Yeah, they all do. Until they realized they're behind the 8-ball.

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