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

Thursday, May 30, 2019

Linkee-poo do you wanna be a primadonna like me tonight

On the Media… "For media professionals, hurricanes offer the very best kind of bad news, because the story arc is predictable, and invariably compelling. In our Breaking News Consumer’s Handbooks, we examine the myths, misleading language, and tired media narratives that clog up news coverage at a time when clarity can be a matter of life and death."

"The future of cars is always exciting and always just around the corner. Things like self-driving cars have been five years away for, oh, about 40 years now. But there are times when pure imagination is exactly what’s needed, when vehicles have to be as out there as possible. Nearly incredible cars are a big part of science fiction TV shows and movies. They’re often characters themselves, and someone has to make them."

"Taking a black hole’s temperature is a seemingly impossible task. But now, physicists report the next best thing. They’ve measured the temperature of a lab-made sonic black hole, which traps sound instead of light." Wait. What?

"Cannabidiol, also known as CBD, is a compound that is increasingly becoming popular because of the alleged health benefits users report, ranging from better sleep, reduced anxiety and pain relief. Yet clinical studies are lacking for most claims."

"In fact, the idea of walking at least 10,000 steps a day for health goes back decades to a marketing campaign launched in Japan to promote a pedometer. And, in subsequent years, it was adopted in the U.S. as a goal to promote good health. It's often the default setting on fitness trackers, but what's it really based on?" No you don't have to walk 10,000 steps a day for good health. But note that while the "long-term health benefits" don't really increase after a certain point, walking more can help with metabolism rates and weight loss.

"Parents who have surrendered custody of their children to youth services are telling (Ohio State) Senators about their heart-wrenching decisions. Because of limited resources and lack of insurance coverage, these families can no longer afford treatment for a range of mental health and developmental issues."

"Environmental advocates say this creates an unfair process for wind energy (community veto) compared to other energy sources. As Trish Demeter, Ohio Environmental Council’s Action Fund, notes municipalities do not have the opportunity to hold a referendum on other facets such as transmission lines, fracking wastewater injection wells, or oil and gas drilling."

Remember when they said this $2.50 a month Ohioans would have to pay would be for "Clean Energy" development, as well as bailing out First Energy's nuclear plants? "Under the changes neither wind nor solar power can qualify for the so-called 'Clean Air Credits,' according to House Energy and Natural Resources committee chair Nino Vitale (R-Urbana)." It was always a nuclear power plant bail-out. Plants we have paid for several times over by now.

Let's arm everyone. What could possibly go wrong? "A white campground manager in Mississippi has been fired after pulling a gun out on a black couple. The confrontation between the unidentified manager and the couple was captured on video and has gone viral on social media."

"A 44-year-old Elk River man is among the latest Minnesotans to join a nationwide flood of plaintiffs suing Monsanto Co., claiming the company’s blockbuster Roundup weedkiller caused their cancers."

"The Louisiana House approved a strict new abortion law barring the procedure once a heartbeat is detectable, a point before many women may realize they are pregnant… By a vote of 79-23, the lawmakers banned abortions as early as six weeks of pregnancy. Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards said in a statement that he 'ran for governor as a pro-life candidate,' and intended to sign the abortion ban." So with these bills, I'm now wondering about loop-holes. Such as, if there is no "detectable" fetal heartbeat, is abortion then okay? What about deaf sonographers? Is this only applicable for "surgical" abortion?

How go the Trade Wars? "'We advise the U.S. side not to underestimate the Chinese side’s ability to safeguard its development rights and interests. Don’t say we didn’t warn you!' the People’s Daily said in a commentary titled 'United States, don’t underestimate China’s ability to strike back.'" Such nice people.

"China accused the Trump administration of committing 'economic terrorism' on Thursday, escalating its war of words with the United States amid rising trade tensions between the two countries."

"Stocks fell on Wednesday as bond yields declined again, triggering concerns about the economic outlook. Increasing trade tensions in the China-U.S. trade fight also weighed on markets… The 10-year Treasury note yield fell to its lowest level since September 2017 before rebounding to about 2.26%. A portion of the yield curve further inverted as 3-month Treasury bills last yielded 2.36%, well above the 10-year rate. A yield curve inversion is seen by traders as a potential sign that a recession is in the horizon."

"The man who set himself on fire outside the White House on Wednesday has died, police have said… Video posted to social media platforms from the scene showed the man engulfed in flames as cars drove past."

"Energy officials within the Trump administration referred to natural gas exported by U.S. energy companies as 'freedom gas' and 'molecules of U.S. freedom' in official statements." Oh FFS. Hey buddy, I got yur Molecules of US Freedom right here, pull my finger. (Grokked from Jim Wright)

"Jared Kushner is traveling in the Middle East this week to drum up support for President Donald Trump's long-awaited Israel-Palestinian peace plan." And there's the "Hail Mary" plan. Guys, if you really want to do this you shouldn't have teamed up with Netanyahu as he faced indictment (and an inability to form a new coalition government) or pissed off the Palestinians (take anything from moving the embassy to Jerusalem, closing the Palestinian outreach office, cutting funding, etc, ad nauseam).

"Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to cobble together a coalition government despite weeks of trying and the country will head to the ballot box again on Sept. 17."

"Is Iran doomed to be an Iraq redux? This is just one of the questions raised by a crisis that has eerie parallels to the missteps that led to the Iraq War in 2003, where the buildup to conflict was precipitated by faulty intelligence and confrontational foreign policymakers such as John Bolton in President George W. Bush's administration."

Mueller's statement in full. "Let me begin where the appointment order begins: and that is interference in the 2016 presidential election… As alleged by the grand jury in an indictment, Russian intelligence officers who were part of the Russian military launched a concerted attack on our political system… As set forth in our report, after that investigation, if we had confidence that the President clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said that… I will close by reiterating the central allegation of our indictments—that there were multiple, systematic efforts to interfere in our election… That allegation deserves the attention of every American." (Waves to my Russian friends)

"Look at that. He's gone from saying the Russians had nothing to do with his win to saying 'It's not my fault!' Progress, I guess…" That's the problem with liars, eventually they lose the track of their lies. (Grokked from Kathryn Cramer)

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