Linkee-poo is busier than a spider at a loom

Seems it's not just liberals who see a connection.

Wait, the Arkansas bird and fish kills is because God is pissed we repealed DADT? One, she plays six-degrees of separation and Biblical bingo, but really? (Grokked from Jay Lake)

Dear "Hammer" DeLay, it's called a persecution complex. First it's "liberal will acquit me because they're more empathetic" (gee, thanks, glad to see you recognize that) and then it becomes, "those bastard liberals, they had it out for me." Here's the thing, liberals in general don't hate conservatives, unlike some conservatives who hate liberals and try to convince all their conservative friends to do so as well.

And Pawlenty throws some red-meat to the base.

That damn liberal bias of reality again, mucking up all those global warming deniers. (Grokked from Jay Lake)

And no matter how much it changes, it always stays the same. That's an ad to keep women from getting the vote. The rhetoric sounds familiar in some way. (thanks, Vince)

Just what is she talking about

In case there's any doubt.

Full Disclosure: I've used a medieval illustrated book's rendering of "Blood Libel" as an illustration for a play. It was germane to the subject matter of the play (blood libel was a big plot driver).

After the Tourists Go Home

Sorry for the low-rez nature, but I didn't want to miss the scene.

(Okay, well, he's filling up gas cans, but I still chuckled - does that horse required high-test or just plain 82 octane?)

Linkee-poo keeps climbing back up on the wagon

Lilith Saintcrow on stealing books (about illegal downloading/pirating ebooks). Noted without comment. (grokked from Jay Lake).

Faith Hunter with some notes on how to get noticed at a con. There's a fine line between the lingering gaze of an admirer and the piercing stare of a lunatic. Which, BTW, in case I haven't mentioned it in all the political hashing, I'll be at Confusion this year. I hope to have nothing interfere with that as I'm on the program (make mental note to pic up copy of "Tales Out of Miskatonic University" before panel to flog book I'm in - "lookee, I's a realz righter")

A little window into the fun that is ink on paper. It's difficult to explain why, but doing things like that just turns my knobs to 11. Back from when printing was hard, and more of an art than a science. The best pressmen still know how to do certain tricks, but a lot of that knowledge has been lost to automation and the computer. Hell, I remember in school doing photo collage using a copier (including the "make weird art by scanning objects off the glass").

edited Had to add this because it just blows my mind. Not only do thunderstorms on Earth produce gamma-ray bursts, they also produce positrons. You know, the anti-electron, anti-matter. More proof that the world we live on is stranger than we think. (Grokked from Jay Lake)

Today's Heath Care Madness

So, back right before Christmas I had a physical, the first full work-up I've had in 5 years. One of the hot-est things lately, at least here in Cleveland, is to check your vitamin D levels (vit D being important in digestion as well as other things, as well as being actually a steroid). Seems we're all chronically short on it. And sure enough, my levels we low. Very low. As in, "bad things, man" low.

Just an aside here, you know those nutrition labels that have your percentage of the daily recommended amounts? Well, here's the thing, that's actually the "minimum daily recommended amount." As in, "below this amount of intake, you're having some problems, or will." Now, as a counter, too much of something can be just as bad (vit A for example).

My doctor prescribed me vit D pills. They include something ridiculous like 10,000 units. I'm to take one a week. In the first bottle I they gave me four pills. You know, one a week for the month. I took the first one when I got home, that Monday. That means this past Monday was the last one. So I called in the prescription for a refill (I'm supposed to go three months like this). Today I went to pick it up (two days after it was supposed to be done, there's this snowstorm going on). Well, because of insurance they won't authorize a refill until Friday.

Now, I'm out of pills. Used the last one already, and because of insurance rules I can't get a refill until Friday. Thank Brid I don''t need one right away, or to actually live, and I'm home where I can pick it up (which wasn't the plan for this week, btw). You know, I can understand that rule for pain killers and other opiates, but vit D pills? Really?

Ah, the rebuttal is exquisite

"… journalists and pundits should not manufacture a blood libel that serves only to incite the very hatred and violence they purport to condemn." That's a quote from Her Extreme Northernness herself. Or, in other words, "Don't make me angry or I'll target you as well." Or to requote Marvin the Martian, "You're making me angry, very, very angry." And "blood libel"? Okay, I know she really has no concept of what the words she says mean, but blood libel is pretty significant historically.

So, Sarah, since those cross hairs were really "survey marks" and you really don't have anything to be ashamed of for your kind of rhetoric, how come your people felt the need to scrub your site of them? Because maybe, just maybe, you (or probably an advisor of yours) really know what you're saying and you realize that, now that something close to what you advocated for has happened, people might point that out.

As to the heated debate, she replies, "But when was it less heated? Back in those 'calm days' when political figures literally settled their differences with dueling pistols?" Really? The last time I knew that happened here in the states it involved Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr. And it happened once.

You know, in the olden days when you turned on the light, the cockroaches had the common decency to scurry out of sight. These days, I guess they just complain about the wattage and give the critique that you've obviously been suckered in by getting a CFL.

I'm sure she didn't mean to imply the current political discourse might lead to "pistols at twenty paces." I know she really meant to say that her rhetoric doesn't to rise to the level of "fightin' words." You know, except when she expects her acolytes to go out and "fight to take back the country" and not to "… retreat, but reload."

Then there is the news that Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio is criticizing Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik of getting too political. Um, Kettle, the Pot is leaving you a voicemail right now.

And note to Sharon Angle, you're the one who talked about "Second Amendment Remedies." Well, maybe next time you'll actually know just what that term means. And criticizing you for your statement isn't infringing on your civil liberties (I know you believe it is as your school marm-ish world view prevents any criticism).

It's a crying shame

"It's horrible/despicable/disgusting/disturbing that people would use the Giffords' shooting to make political/partisan points!"

So sayeth the party and partisans of 9/11 and Ft. Hood Shootings.

For more and better commentary, there's Eric and the ever popular Jim.

From the Cold North

Tim Pawlenty gave NPR an interview where the topic of health care came up. It's very telling, especially when the interviewer counters Pawlenty's claims of how he did it better in Minnesota by saying, "But, isn't that in the HCR?" Of course, it's "just a pilot program." Because pilot programs never blossom.

Also his business philosophy about paying for better outcomes has some sever problems. Such as, unless you have all the data (what doctors/hospitals charge and what their outcomes are, including things like being cited for practice violations, etc) the consumer can't make the effective choice he's asking us to do. Besides, isn't that really the job of the licensing boards and, say, government regulators? And they way he states it, about paying more if you have a bad outcome (because you the insurance shouldn't pay for bad outcomes) that leaves the patient, who is now dealing with the bad outcomes and now has increased bills from the original procedure on top of trying to get better. How is that helpful to the patient.

It's sort of like going to McDonalds and not know what the prices are on the menu, and they can vary from day to day. But if you get indigestion, you have to pay more for the privilege.

And just how are consumers supposed to make these decisions when finding the data is 1) hard and 2) the doctors have organizations to hide that data and 3) how much are you going to shop around when you have an emergency?

Enabling Petard Hoisting Since 1982

Again, since there's a lot being slung around, I guess I should take a moment and define what I'm saying.

I am not saying that this gunman was filled with the thoughts of the Tea Party and conservatives, steeped in the mythology, and fed on the political rhetoric until it came pouring out the end of his glock. I'm not even saying he's a disciple of the more coarse elements of the right.

If, once he starts talking or we find out through investigation, that there is a direct link, I will be very amazed.

At best, for that connection, he will be considered a "Lone Wolf." That is, somebody who never was really a part of any organization but hung out at the edges. Who believed it was their mission to do so and to handle the dirtier side of things while maintaining a distance from the organization/leadership.

What I am saying is that the atmosphere created by that rhetoric, the fetishising of firearms, and changing the political discourse from one of compromise to revolution opens the door to such actions. That is, it becomes possible. Such actions are not so far to the fringe. That because people talk in this manner, the possibility of such actions become greater.

Don't believe me?

It's exactly the same argument against giving full informational sex education, and free condoms, to teenagers.

And the people who are protesting way too much are the same people who make the same argument to either end sex education or declare it should only be abstinence only. Because, you know, talking about sex openly and frankly might give people ideas that they may want to try it themselves. Just like talking in the terms of "if not ballots, then bullets" and "second amendment solutions" and some of the even more softer links (such as the "Help me defeat Giffords, come and shoot a fully automatic M16").

Linkee-poo Twofer while stuck in Ohio - no Florida for me

Tobias has a graphic that will be very telling in about 5 years from now. How much the US is betting on clean energy compared to how much China is betting. Yeah. To quote Bender, "We're boned." No, really. Given the previous administration's (and the current conservatives now in charge of the House) attitude's toward real science, and that one of the main criticisms of putting an offshore wind farm in Lake Erie is that the turbines would be made in China, we are behind the preverbal 8-ball. I'll also call you to the "public vs private" difference between the countries. So, how good do you feel about that American Exceptionalism now?

Because I was pointing out some things on the right concerning the Giffords shooting, as I said with another links, there is enough idiocy to cover both sides of the aisle. That said, I find it interesting that some lawyers on the talking head shows are debating the reason the judge was there at the event. See, if a federal employee is shot in the course of their official duties, that's the death penalty. Here's something, one of Gifford's staff aids was shot and killed. They're also federal employees. It doesn't matter why the judge was there now.

Just as an example

In case any one of my conservative friends are looking for examples of what Liberals are calling the coarsening of the dialog, Townhall Magazine just named their "50 Most Dangerous Liberals." There's an interesting example. A "mainstream" publication (put to bed before the shooting this past weekend, so there was no chance to change the headline) that lists liberals as "dangerous." Not, "strongest liberal voices" or "liberal movers and shakers," no, they have to (again) demonize the opposition and raise the "red flag" for conservatives. Those liberals, see, they're dangerous. Just like criminals.

Sure, a banal example, but again, a magazine meant for mass consumption and they can't keep from this kind of rhetoric. Unlike, say, a memo or internal communications that can be a bit more unguarded, this is meant to be in the public sphere.

I guess I should be happy they didn't add either "unpatriotic" or "non-American" to the title.

Yes, Virginia

There are idiots on all sides. There's one thing in condemning speech, it's a whole other thing to make such speech criminal, when it hasn't been before. Can we just all agree it's in bad taste, inciteful and incendiary and move on?

Oh, and speaking of idiots... (sent by Dan)