"This application generates a random medieval city layout of a requested size. The generation method is rather arbitrary, the goal is to produce a nice looking map, not an accurate model of a city. Maybe in the future I'll use its code as a basis for some game or maybe not." For your fantasy fun. (Grokked from Chuck Wendig)
"When NASA astronauts visit Mars, they'll probably need to harvest the planet's water ice for drinking water and fuel… It makes sense, then, for the space agency to target a landing spot near easily accessible ice - and they now have a 'treasure map' detailing where that ice exists to make the process that much easier."
"The Hubble Space Telescope had a front row seat to capture the best and closest image to date of interstellar comet 2I/Borisov, a visitor that originated from outside of our solar system. On Sunday, the comet passed within 190 million miles of Earth on its closest approach before continuing on through our solar system."
"The longest United Nations climate talks on record have finally ended in Madrid with a compromise deal… Exhausted delegates reached agreement on the key question of increasing the global response to curbing carbon." Whereas in the US press, the conference is described as ending in confusion.
"In 2018, her doctor mentioned a study that was taking place nearby at the University of Arizona: Researchers were testing if daily exposure to green light could relieve migraines and other kinds of chronic pain." Using light to stimulate the brain's opioid response.
"Three years ago, 3.9 million Americans received a plain-looking envelope from the Internal Revenue Service. Inside was a letter stating that they had recently paid a fine for not carrying health insurance and suggesting possible ways to enroll in coverage… The experiment, an unintended result of a budget shortfall, is the first rigorous experiment to find that health coverage leads to fewer deaths, a claim that politicians and economists have fiercely debated in recent years as they assess the effects of the Affordable Care Act’s coverage expansion." (Grokked from Laura J Mixon)
"There's no doubt that invalidating the ACA in whole or in large part would have a dramatic effect on the U.S. health system — and not just for those 20 million or so Americans whose coverage directly flows from the law."
"Over 11% of all households in the United States are food insecure… It is clear food insecurity leads to poorer health. Regardless of age, food insecure individuals are more likely to struggle with anxiety and depression. Children are at higher risk for asthma, malnutrition and cognitive problems. Non-elderly adults are more likely to have hypertension and diabetes, and seniors see limitations in their daily activities… The connection between food insecurity and obesity may seem less obvious." An opinion piece, but one that matches to my experience.
"Facing a barrage of criticism for pulling ads featuring a lesbian couple from its airwaves, the Hallmark Channel has reversed course, and says it will now work to 'reinstate the commercials.'" Zola has already pulled their total ad buy. I wonder if it's the fact that Hallmark Channel realized that the Million Moms is actually a few thousand men?
"New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy told CNN Sunday that he has full confidence in the multi-agency investigation into the Jersey City shooting that killed four people. That investigation has already resulted in an arrest and the discovery of new evidence over the weekend."
How goes Brexit? "Hopefuls to succeed Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader are examining the reasons for the party's election defeat."
How go the Trade Wars? "As part of this Phase One agreement announced Friday, the U.S. suspended tariffs that were planned on $160 billion in Chinese imports that were set to take effect Sunday. The U.S. also halved the September 1 tariffs from 15% to 7.5% — they included all kinds of consumer products such as clothing and sports equipment… Under the deal, China will purchase an unspecified amount of American products and has also agreed to 'structural' changes, which have so far not been detailed." "Which has so far not been detailed." Or signed. Also note, China is facing a sever pork shortage from African Swine Fever and (IIRC) their domestic soy harvest is way down. So that they're buying more agricultural products is not the result of deft negotiations, it's that China is looking at mass starvation if it doesn't. Here we go again.
"On Friday, both countries held separate press conferences to announce that they reached a so-called phase one agreement." You know what you do when you reach an important agreement? You hold a joint press conference. This is classic smoke and mirrors.
"Looking at the latest U.S.-China trade numbers, one wonders how the agreement announced last week could lead to an acceptable balance of bilateral trade accounts… China’s surplus on its U.S. goods trade in the first ten months of this year was $294.5 billion, and amounted to 40% of America’s total trade gap." Draw a line and declare victory. Even if that line is set back from the previous status quo.
"Mainland Chinese stocks jumped at the close on Monday afternoon, as data showed that the country’s industrial output and retail sales rose more than expected in November." Say, which one of us is winning?
"Stock-index futures pointed higher Monday, with the upbeat tone tied to a preliminary U.S.-China trade deal, though questions remained over the details of the long-awaited 'phase one' accord." Stock brokers really need to listen to more Who.
"International Flavors & Fragrances on Sunday said it will merge with DuPont’s nutrition & biosciences unit in a deal that will create a new consumer giant valued at more than $45 billion." I'm sure it'll totally be fine.
"Boeing shares fell Monday as the company is expected to soon decide whether to further cut or suspend production of the 737 Max as the timeline for the beleaguered plane’s return to service slips into 2020." It's always just a couple of months away.
"In late November, a group of laid-off garment industry workers in Indonesia collected more than $4 million in severance pay owed to them by their employer… It was a rare victory, won with the help of local labor unions, international advocacy groups and major retailers like Nike. But it may not happen again: The government there is moving forward with a controversial plan to roll back labor protections in the hope of attracting more foreign investment."
"Congressional negotiators have reached tentative agreement on a package of bills to fund the government through the end of September 2020. Lawmakers have until the end of next week to approve spending legislation to avert a government shutdown. The White House has not publicly weighed in on the agreement." We've been here before.
"Former Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin… a Republican who narrowly lost a bid for a second term last month, issued pardons to hundreds of people, including convicted rapists, murderers and drug offenders… In one case, Bevin pardoned a man whose whose family raised more than $20,000 to pay off money still owed from his 2015 gubernatorial campaign."
"But if the Republican president is hoping for a public backlash like the one against the 1998 impeachment of Democratic President Bill Clinton, it has so far not worked out that way, Reuters/Ipsos polling data over the past few months shows."
Meanwhile, on Bullshit Mountain, "Democrats have reached their point of inflection. Either they can admit they have failed to convince the total American public that President Trump should be removed from office by virtue of the impeachment process, or they can suffer the consequences at the ballot box."
Tweet of my heart: @ArmeenaRK ‘The forest was shrinking, but the trees kept voting for the Axe, for the Axe was clever and convinced the trees that because his handle was made of wood he was one of them.’… Turkish proverb. (Grokked from Laura J. Mixon)
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