"The number of people confirmed dead since Typhoon Phanfone hit the Philippines on Christmas Eve has risen to 28, as thousands of people affected by the storm remain in temporary evacuation shelters, authorities said Friday."
"'Stories are a kind of magic trick,' says cognitive scientist Vera Tobin. 'When we dissect them, we can discover very, very reliable aspects of those tricks that turn out to be important clues about the way that people think.'" The Hidden Brain on the stories we tell ourselves and using movies/stories as brain scans.
"Today, many of the largest mineral corporations in the world have launched underwater mining programs." I'm sure they'll do it in a totally sustainable way with all the best environmental practices to only take what they need, and leave everything else undisturbed. And that they'll exploit all the recoverable mineral resources in their given stakes and not destroy other valuable resources in their search to extract a single item. You know, like they did on land. I'm I'm totally sure they won't disturb any methane hydrates which may not only kill anything on the surface when they rise, but continue to exacerbate global warming. (Grokked form Laura J Mixon)
"The indoor concentration of carbon dioxide concerns him—and not only for the usual reason. Karnauskas is worried that indoor CO₂ levels are getting so high that they are starting to impair human cognition. In other words: Carbon dioxide, the same odorless and invisible gas that causes global warming, may be making us dumber." This explains so much. Also, we're boned. (Grokked from Jason Sanford)
"Fad diets come and go, and there's no one diet that's best for everyone. So, here are some simple tips to help you pick one that's best for you." The most successful diet is the one you're able to maintain over the long haul. As Michael Pollan says, "Eat food, not too much, mostly plants."
John Scalzi's thoughts on exercise after a year of… well, exercising.
"A woman was able to escape from a frightening situation on Christmas Eve thanks to the quick thinking of McDonald’s employees." Well, the employees had actual training on how to help those in need. So kudos to the McD's owner for choosing to participate in Safe Place, and even bigger kudos for the employees for stepping up. (Grokked from Laura J Mixon)
"Several years ago, a $15-an-hour minimum wage was the pipe dream of a national coalition of striking fast-food workers… Now, it’s increasingly becoming a reality across the country, with significant gains expected in 2020." Expect to hear the great news of "wages going up" in the forthcoming monthly jobs reports.
"The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has officially changed the federal minimum age to purchase tobacco from 18 to 21… The new minimum age applies to all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and vaping cartridges." But not right away. Begin the lamentation of "old enough to die for the country, but…".
"Legal experts expected this to be the year we answered big questions about the liability that drug companies face for the deadly opioid epidemic and for their role in marketing high-risk prescription pain medications… Instead, the legal fight over who will pay to clean up the addiction crisis dissolved into confusion and infighting." You say that like it wasn't the plan.
How go the Trade Wars? China blocks American books. Oh China, you don't understand America at all. Or they're betting on the fact that publishers took on Amazon about ebook pricing and won, so maybe they'll be able to convince the president to stop his trade wars.
"Global stock markets moved mostly higher on Friday amid optimism that U.S.-Chinese trade relations are improving and on early reports that online Christmas shopping was up over last year in the U.S." AND "Global stock markets were mixed Friday after Wall Street rose amid optimism that U.S.-Chinese trade relations are improving." Both by the same AP reporter, and posted with only a little time between them. And after a quick read, only the first two paragraphs are different.
"Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be his party's leader when Israel holds a national election in March, after notching a landslide victory in the Likud Party primary Thursday. Netanyahu had faced a rare challenger in Likud's primary race, but he secured more than 70% of the vote." Some people like their nationalism. But it'll only make a difference if Netanyahu will be able to win and form a government after the March.
Better shield, meet better sword. "A new intercontinental weapon that can fly 27 times the speed of sound became operational Friday, Russia’s defense minister reported… The Avangard is launched atop an intercontinental ballistic missile, but unlike a regular missile warhead that follows a predictable path after separation it can make sharp maneuvers in the atmosphere en route to target, making it much harder to intercept." Welcome to the new arms race set off by our deployment of anti-ballistic missile technology. Although it's not like superpowers haven't been known to tout vaporware before.
"A passenger jet has crashed in Kazakhstan, killing at least 12 people but leaving dozens of survivors… The Bek Air plane was flying from Almaty - Kazakhstan's largest city - to the capital Nur-Sultan when it smashed into a building just after take-off."
"Japan on Friday approved a contentious plan to send its naval troops to the Middle East to ensure the safety of Japanese ships transporting oil to the energy-poor country that heavily depends on imports from the region." Um…
In case you think our political process is dysfunctional… "Montenegro’s Parliament adopted a contested law on religious rights Friday after chaotic scenes that saw the detention of all pro-Serb opposition lawmakers." But it's all about church property and requiring them to show proof of land ownership. You might remember the late 70s as the Carter Administration looked to revoke Liberty University's tax exemption and the disruption that brought about.
"Folks: A troll's goal is to get you to fight. A particular tactic is to use topics that they KNOW will trigger you into responding." Jim Wright on the information warfare happening on social media. "To deny, disrupt, deceive, degrade, deflect: i.e. to prevent consensus, to prevent rational public discourse, to derail conversation, to corrupt information and opinion. THAT's the mission of these agencies…" and that's the goal.
"President Donald Trump can't seem to get Nancy Pelosi out of his head, even as most of the rest of the nation enjoys a holiday halftime break from the impeachment drama." She's living rent free in that cramped, little brain.
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