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, November 6, 2019

Linkee-poo Wednesday

Ernest Gaines, and so it goes. "Cuyahoga County Library System and Cleveland Public Library confirmed on Twitter to News 5’s Homa Bash that they are among the many libraries across the country affected by Macmillan Publishers' decision to limit the sale of its e-books to local libraries."

"One year ago, on Nov. 5, 2018, NASA's Voyager 2 became only the second spacecraft in history to reach interstellar space, the region between the stars… Monday, several new research papers in the journal Nature Astronomy described what scientists observed during and since Voyager 2's historic crossing."

"Dieting can mess up the body's connection to hunger cues. In fact, chronic dieting can often end up complicating our relationship with food more than it helps us reach a desired weight: Research suggests that the vast majority of people who lose weight on restrictive eating plans, especially ones that are unsustainable, end up gaining it back." Unfortunately most of us have grown up with a poor relationship with food.

"Conflicting recommendations on when and how average-risk adults should get screened for colon and rectal cancer could leave you confused -- but new guidance aims to make sense of it all."

"Archaeologists have identified the remains of a stone wall in Iran about the length of the famous Hadrian's Wall that was built across England by the Romans."

"Experiencing traumatic things as a child puts you at risk for lifelong health effects, according to a body of research. The CDC's new report confirms this, finding that Americans who had experienced adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs, were at higher risk of dying from five of the top 10 leading causes of death."

"'Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers' (from the FTC) offers guidance for when and how influencers should disclose ads. According to the document, it is the responsibility of influencers to be transparent." They're not so much rules as they are guidelines.

"One might expect locals to oppose a tax increase to educate migrant kids born thousands of miles away. After all, this is Donald Trump country — he won Moore County by 75%. The president wants fewer low-skilled immigrants like these, who he says compete with Americans for jobs and drive down wages… But Trump's anti-immigrant rhetoric clashes with economic reality out here in the hardworking Panhandle." Funny how when it comes to their own pocketbook they become very practical. But then, this is the "exception rule" in practice. Certainly our immigrants aren't the problem and shouldn't be deported, even if they may not speak English.

"Workers at Microsoft Japan enjoyed an enviable perk this summer: working four days a week, enjoying a three-day weekend — and getting their normal, five-day paycheck. The result, the company says, was a productivity boost of 40%." Funny how that works. And note, these were not four 10-hour days. Also note, this might not translate everywhere. There is no magic to the 5-day workweek, it's the default negotiating position of turn-of-the-20th-century unions as compared to the 6 or 7-day workweek they had. They said 2 days off would work nicely, can we have that (although sometimes they didn't ask nicely). And management (after many deaths and lost profits) finally agreed. That's why the workweek is 5 days.

So Stephen Easterbrook, as he steps down as McD's CEO has asked for privacy. "Former McDonald's CEO Stephen Easterbrook is getting an exit package of almost $42 million after his relationship with an employee was found to violate company policy. The size of his compensation puts a new focus on the widening gap between the pay at the top and the bottom of the corporate ladder." Fuck his request for privacy. Tell me again why we shouldn't tax these assholes into obscurity.

"A newly surfaced video of an ABC News anchor's unguarded remarks about the network's coverage of the late Jeffrey Epstein has thrown ABC on the defensive." Although it's being pushed by Project Veritas, which calls all parts of the video into question.

"Turkey has announced back-to-back airstrikes on positions of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in Iraq, claiming to have inflicted casualties on the outlawed group as Ankara faced setbacks in its ongoing offensive against Kurdish fighters across the border in Syria." Escalation and expansion.

Remember when it was about "bringing our soldiers home"? "Though President Donald Trump ordered the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria, the next mission in the country has already begun. As troops have left northern Syria over the past few weeks, new soldiers have begun moving in, heading to a remote base in the eastern part of the country."

"Democrats were celebrating Tuesday night, while President Donald Trump and Republicans were left to explain why they were behind in one of the reddest states in the nation." It's not all wine and roses, but not bad. Bevin was not very well liked, and even for that the election was close. On the flip side, Mississippi's race shouldn't have been as close as it was.

"Virginia Democrats continued their winning streak under President Trump on Tuesday and took full control of the statehouse for the first time in more than two decades."

"The purpose of the president's rallies in Mississippi, Kentucky and now Louisiana has been to push GOP gubernatorial candidates over the finish line in off-year elections. But Trump has tied those candidates’ fortunes to his own bid for reelection next year. And experts note his campaign also benefits as he stumps for others."

"At a rally in Kentucky on Monday, Republican Senator Rand Paul urged the press to 'do your job and print his name,' which prompted the audience to break into chants of 'do your job!'" Rand Paul reminds us once again that despite his supposed "libertarian" independence, he's just as much of a dick as the rest of them. At this point, all of the items mentioned in the whistleblower's complaint have been corroborated by other witnesses. There is no need for the whistleblower to come forward.

"Litt and several other legal experts who talked to NPR said Trump uttering or tweeting the name could in theory trigger an article of impeachment for retaliating against a whistleblower, but it would not run afoul of any federal criminal statutes." Unless the whistleblower is a covert agent, or the spouse of one (coughValeriePlamecough).

"The U.S. ambassador to the E.U. revised earlier testimony to the House committees leading the impeachment probe, saying he now recalls telling a top Ukrainian official that the release of military aid 'likely' required the country to announce anti-corruption investigations into President Trump's rivals." Funny how the prospect of perjury charge can lead one to remember things. And that's why the first series of interviews are done in private.

"House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., is considering changing the lineup of the House Intelligence Committee to include some of President Trump's most vocal defenders in Congress." But only for the impeachment hearings.

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