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

Wednesday, January 2, 2019

Linkee-poo keeps writing 2018

BetaBooks.co the "easy-to-use online app to manage all your beta reader feedback." Hmmm. (Grokked from Mer Haskell)

Ah, the richest country in the world. "National statistics on the paycheck-to-paycheck experience are flimsy, but a recent report from the Federal Reserve spotlights the prevalence of extra-tight budgets: Four in 10 adults say they couldn’t produce $400 in an emergency without sliding into debt or selling something, according to the 2017 figures." (Grokked from Cat Rambo)

"Ohio doctor fired by hospital after saying she would give Jews 'the wrong meds'." (Grokked from Jim Wright)

"A controversial tool has emerged in the fight against opioid overdose deaths. It's a strip that allows people who use street drugs such as cocaine and heroin to test whether their drugs are laced with fentanyl." It's only controversial because people think it enables drug use.

"If you're planning to try to lose weight in 2019, you're sure to find a fierce debate online and among friends and family about how best to do it. It seems like everyone has an opinion, and new fads emerge every year." Eat less, exercise more. Avoid processed foods and especially trans-fat. If you do go on a diet, stick to that diet.

"The government shutdown has left America’s national parks largely unsupervised. No one is at the gate. No one is collecting a fee. The visitor centers are closed. There are some law enforcement and emergency personnel on site, but certainly nothing as standard as a park ranger who can answer a question."

"Asian stock markets tumbled Wednesday as 2019 trading began, after surveys showed Chinese manufacturing weakening."

"A Taiwan independent from mainland China is not an option, and no person or party can stop the trend toward 'unification,' Chinese President Xi Jingping said in a policy speech Wednesday."

"For (California) workers, '2018 was a stellar year' for protections passed into law, said Steve Smith, a spokesman for the California Labor Federation, the umbrella group for more than 1,200 unions and a powerful force in state politics. 'California continues to be on the leading edge of delivering economic justice to working people.'… The business community is markedly less exuberant."

"Top Democrats announced late Sunday a series of changes to House rules that could eliminate causes of major instability during the previous eight years of Republican rule in Congress." Let the whining begin.

If you ever wanted an example of why quality leadership matters, here's one. "'TimesSquare tradition rings in the #NewYear by dropping the big ball...if ever needed, we are #ready to drop something much, much bigger,' read the now-deleted tweet from Stratcom's official account." JFC, guys. Who thought this was a good idea? Seriously, we are the leader in the world, we don't need to thump our chests or indulge in braggadocio. And there's a big difference between what you say over beers with your buddies and what you put out through the official mouth of the organization. If you want to emulate the stupid shit this CnC does, you really need to rethink your commissions.

"The Trump administration more than doubled the number of judges it confirmed to federal appeals courts in 2018, exceeding the pace of the last five presidents and stocking the courts with lifetime appointees who could have profound consequences for civil rights, the environment and government regulations." Again, that was the plan.

"A man who says he is the brother of U.S. citizen Paul Whelan — who was arrested in Moscow last week on suspicion of spying — is proclaiming his brother's innocence and providing more detail to an opaque case." To make a swap, you gotta have somebody to swap with. The Maria Butina angle is pretty interesting, because according to official reports from Russia, she is also not a spy. And while she's not facing much punishment (because of her plea deal), I'm sure Russia is a little worried about what she has already shared and what she might share in the future.

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