So tomorrow is a national holiday, don't expect updates until next Monday as I think I need a break for a little bit (now watch me post 6 things). If you celebrate, have a great day. Remember, family of choice is always an excellent option. If your family is difficult to be around, we see you. You aren't alone.
"A storm packing heavy snow and high winds that wreaked havoc as it whipped through Colorado, Wyoming and Nebraska marched into the upper Midwest on Wednesday as anxious Thanksgiving travelers buckled up and barreled headlong into a busy, if not perilous, holiday week." Stay safe, peoples.
But on Jupiter, "Earlier this year, several amateur astronomers spotted an unusual anomaly on the planet Jupiter: bits of the gas giant's famed Great Red Spot appeared to be flaking off, raising fears that the planet's most identifiable feature might be showing signs of disappearing. But Philip Marcus, a physicist at the University of California, Berkeley, begs to differ."
"It can be hard to stay relevant in the ever-changing world of children's entertainment, but Highlights For Children magazine has lasted for generations by sticking to the formula of mixing fun with learning."
"Moscow-area farmers strapped modified VR headsets to cows to see if it improved their mood -- and, of course, their milk production. The project subjected cattle to a simulated summer field with colors tuned for the animals' eyes, giving them a decidedly more pleasing landscape than a plain, confining farm." We're really fucked up. (Grokked from someone, sorry, lost the link)
"Smith has never been diagnosed, but he thinks this was just another instance of sleep paralysis. Short Wave spoke with doctors who confirmed that Smith's symptoms are consistent with the disorder: complete immobility upon waking, a feeling of terror and occasionally, hallucinations."
"According to a new study published in the American Journal of Medicine, 42% of new cancer patients lose all of their life savings in two years because of treatment. The average amount a cancer patient lost was $92,098." In case you want to know why I fear a cancer diagnosis (other than what I have), it's this. I'm not afraid of the disease (fuck cancer). I'm afraid of how it will leave my spouse when I'm no longer here. (Grokked from Sarah Goslee)
"Mackin is using an MX908, a mass spectrometer initially marketed as a counterterrorism tool. The machine can help military teams looking for traces from biological or chemical weapons, or hazardous material specialists trying to identify materials used in spills or explosions. But now the MX908 has been commandeered in the fight against fentanyl, one of Boston's — and the nation's — top killers."
"A final tally of babies born in the U.S. last year confirms that the birth rate fell again in 2018, reaching the lowest level in more than three decades." Panic, consternation… Yes there are societal ramifications of this (examples in China and Japan), but hey, we have a lot of immigration that could solve those problems. All we need to do is be less racist.
Also, we're automating more. "On a recent night, the bar was quieter. Still, customer after customer strode up to a stainless steel wall lined with beer taps to insert a card, touch a screen and pour a glass of self-serve beer… No waitstaff. No waiting." I personally think this sucks, but I think back on some barcon experiences and think this may be good. Essentially, though it's about making the customer more of an employee.
How go the Trade Wars? "Chinese President Xi Jinping has had a 'horrible couple weeks' politically — and he’s not likely to sign a 'phase one' trade deal with U.S. President Donald Trump without any roll back in existing tariffs, one expert said." Show of hands, who think that'll happen?
How goes Brexit? "Labour says it has evidence the NHS would be at risk under a post-Brexit trade deal with the US… At a press conference in London, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said he had a 451-page dossier showing initial talks had taken place on drug prices and the NHS."
Ohio's broken law enforcement system. "In 1993, Jeanette Crabb was raped in a field. She immediately reported her attack and got a sexual assault kit. Twenty years later, her kit was finally tested and there was a DNA hit. But, no one told her about that hit, until 5 On Your Side Investigators started asking questions." The result came back to late to actually prosecute the rapist. And even after promises to test all of them, there is a huge backlog of kits to be tested. (Grokked from Michele)
Meanwhile, in Texas, who needs regulations? "County Judge Jeff Branick says his emergency management coordinator is reporting to him (the explosion) is the TPC plant off Highway 366 in Port Neches, once known as Neches Butane."
"The border post, OP 247, offers a commanding view of this starkly beautiful area some 250 miles above the Arctic Circle. To the east, on the other side of the border, is a Russian observation post and a coast guard facility. Directly ahead, across the Barents Sea, is the small Norwegian island of Vardo, which houses a U.S.-funded military surveillance radar system." In case you're wondering why Russia may want a disorganized and weakened West. Waves to my Russian friends.
"Guardian analysis finds VDare and Red Ice TV among several outlets that are still on the platform despite Facebook’s promised ban." Shocked, not shocked.
Remember when I talked about how the conservative want to control the court as their last ditch effort to hold power long after the demographics of the country have changed? "In that opinion, Gorsuch suggested that current law risks giving agencies 'unbounded policy choices.' His explanation of what new limits he would impose on federal agencies is vague and it’s hard to find a clear legal rule in the opinion. Nevertheless, Gorsuch writes that a federal law permitting agencies to regulate must be '"sufficiently definite and precise to enable Congress, the courts, and the public to ascertain" whether Congress’s guidance has been followed.'" And there's the power grab. Fortunately it's only in a dissent, for now. (Grokked from Chuck Wendig)
"Senate Republicans voted Thursday to advance another of President Donald Trump’s judicial nominees, Justin Walker, who earned a rare and embarrassing 'not qualified' rating from the American Bar Association." The Republicans only care that they will be activist judges and will hold to the ideology of conservatism (as fostered, instilled, and enforced by the Federalist Society). (Grokked from Chip Dawes)
"In the latest case, the occupancy rate of the Trump Tower’s commercial space was listed, over three consecutive years, as 11, 16 and 16 percentage points higher in filings to a lender than in reports to city tax officials, records show." The president is a liar. And with this (the 3rd major property to show this disparity) he has the choice between saying he's a tax cheat (criminal and civil liability), or he lied on official documents to a bank (mostly civil, but possibly criminal liability). (Grokked form Laura J Mixon)
"This trip also marked his first official campaign visit as a permanent resident of Florida — a move partly designed to lower his taxes and partly to give the finger to New York, a city where he remains deeply unpopular among left-leaning voters — not to mention the city’s top political and legal officials who keep launching investigations into him and keep trying to track down his tax returns."
"President Donald Trump has made… Jared Kushner, the de facto project manager for constructing his border wall… according to current and former administration officials… The president’s son-in-law and senior adviser is pressing U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to expedite the process of taking over private land needed for the project… More than 800 filings to seize private property will need to be made in the coming months if the government is going to succeed, officials said." (Grokked from someone, sorry, lost the link)
"In addition to a lawsuit the House Oversight and Reform Committee filed Tuesday over redacted documents, two recent surprising turns of events have resurfaced questions about whether administration officials are holding on to potential evidence of the (Census) citizenship question's true origins."
"That result is being spun in some corners of the internet as great news for Trump, because that 50% number is unchanged from a CNN poll in mid-October, the conclusion being that the last 10 days of public impeachment hearings have not convinced more of the public that the President needs to go." It still means 50% want the president impeached AND removed.
Meanwhile, on Bullshit Mountain… "House Dem now sees no 'value' in impeachment, as polls show falling support among independents." Because 1 Democrat in the house said so.
About that "nobody said anything against the hold" of Ukrainian military support… "(Mark) Sandy also testified that another unnamed official at the OMB resigned. 'Yes, this individual did express frustrations,' he said. 'He expressed some frustrations about not understanding the reason for the hold.'… In a further sign of pushback, the Pentagon raised concerns, Sandy added."
"But a New York Times report Tuesday night suggests Trump was briefed on the existence of the whistleblower in late August… That makes it all the more important to take his actions in early September in context."
"Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says he thinks the U.S. should investigate a conspiracy theory — debunked by American intelligence services — that Ukraine, not Russia, hacked the Democratic National Committee's computer server in 2016." There isn't enough eye-roll capability in the US for this. We may need Mexico's and Canada's help.
"The Texas Republican Party mistakenly sent a document laying out their upcoming 2020 primary and general election plans to Democrats Monday evening, including a target list of 12 statehouse districts they are focusing negative ads on ahead of next year's elections. In a move The Dallas Morning News described as the party's latest "bizarre political blunder," the internal strategy email offered advice on how to counter the 'narrative driven by Democrats' about the GOP's lack of diversity as well as a timeline for a rollout of websites which will bash specific Democratic opponents." Oopsie. (Grokked from Kathryn Cramer)
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