"It’s not science fiction, it’s not realism, but hovers in the unsettling zone in between. From Philip K Dick to Stephen King, Damien Walter takes a tour through transrealism, the emerging genre aiming to kill off 'consensus reality'." "Literature" authors continue to be astonished and baffled by the popularity (and quality) of "genre" works. (Grokked from Deborah Beale)
OSIRIS-REx.
"Darren Seals, a black activist who protested in Ferguson, Mo., in 2014, was found shot to death in a burning vehicle in St. Louis County… At least four other St. Louis-area men have been found shot dead in burning cars in recent years, though it’s unclear if any of those cases were linked in any way." Wait, what? No, I'm sure they're not all linked at all. Just in case you were wondering why black lives matter. (Grokked from Kelly Link)
Video of Microsoft's Hololense augmented reality googles helping to teach anatomy. Note, it's not the goggles themselves, but the skill of the programmers to create the models the students are viewing. Now what would be very cool is if you could take these models (which hopefully are accurate, again, back to the skill of the programmers) and map these onto a living person using that person's vital signs to dive the animation. That's probably a few decades down the road (while we all learn for the "ideal" human anatomy, I can tell you that most people deviate from the norm). So, until then, I'll have to keep visualizing your skeletal structure in my head as I take your x-rays. (Grokked from Emma Audsley)
"The Crystal Serenity's visit to Alaska's western coast is historic. At nearly three football fields long and 13 stories tall, the cruise ship is the largest ever to traverse the Northwest Passage, where its well-heeled guests glimpsed polar bears, kayaked along Canada's north shore, landed on pristine beaches and hiked where few have stepped."
"'Wells Fargo employees secretly opened unauthorized accounts to hit sales targets and receive bonuses,' Richard Cordray, director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, said in a statement… The way it worked was that employees moved funds from customers' existing accounts into newly-created accounts without their knowledge or consent, regulators say. The CFPB described this practice as 'widespread' and led to customers being charged for insufficient funds or overdraft fees -- because the money was not in their original accounts." Holy craparooni. But, hey, let us weaken bank regulation and gut the CFPB (two goals of the Republican majority). (Grokked from Paolo Bacigalupi)
"To start with, WHO estimates that 80 percent of the medical equipment in developing countries is donated. A 2011 study looked at inventory lists from 16 low-income countries and showed the number of nonfunctional medical equipment in that pool is at about 40 percent… Meanwhile, in high-income countries less than 1 percent of medical equipment is out of service."
"The state of Ohio has settled its legal battle with Planned Parenthood, agreeing to pay thousands in legal fees and to not enforce controversial rules on disposing of remains of abortions." Well, I'm sure that only cost us a few million.
"Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Chairman Archambault II spoke with North Dakota Governor Jack Dalrymple on Thursday morning and was notified that the governor has been deployed the national guard to ensure safety of all citizens." Because deploying the military against the Lakota Sioux has never been a Bad Idea™. There was a story at the beginning of this (which I didn't link to unfortunately) where the elders were teaching the children and teens in the camp how to flee safely from the camp. People were laughing. At the time my thought was, "there is historical precedence to make them worry." Well, there is historical precedence to make them worry. (Grokked from Fran Wilde)
"Russian authorities are trying to determine the cause of the ominous change to the Daldykan River, located above the Arctic Circle and flowing through the mining town of Norilsk. Photos posted on Facebook by the Association of the Indigenous Peoples of the Taimir Peninsula clearly show the river has turned a vivid red." Everything is fine. We're all fine here. How are you?
"The Trump campaign built a large policy shop in Washington that has now largely melted away because of neglect, mismanagement and promises of pay that were never honored. Many of the team’s former members say the campaign leadership never took the Washington office seriously and let it wither away after squeezing it dry." And that's how Trumpster runs his business. (Grokked form Robert J Bennett)
"In a Wednesday night Commander-In-Chief forum on NBC News, Trump said he learned in the briefing that President Barack Obama didn’t follow the advice of policy experts, saying, 'I was very, very surprised.'… But members of the national security community were quick to point out that intelligence officials do not offer policy advice. An anonymous source told the network that officials are even trained not to allow their body language to betray their personal opinions, as Trump claimed at the forum." As, actually, most people pointed out that night (which several Trumpster surrogates then tried to say yes there are policy opinions in the briefings). This is what happens when amateurs (the Trumpster campaign) encounter actual pros (briefers). In case you don't believe that, you can read some historical (and released) daily briefings here (yes, they're redacted).
"There is no equivalence between Ms. Clinton’s wrongs and Mr. Trump’s manifest unfitness for office." It might just be too late for the adults (in this case, the Washington Post editorial board), who have been absent until now (well, actually they've been driving the circus and now that shit is getting real are feeling a little guilty). (Grokked from Robert J Bennett)
What could it hurt to vote third party? "The (new Ohio Quinnipiac) poll shows Trump edging Clinton 46 to 45 percent in a head-to-head matchup. But 14 percent would opt for Libertarian Gary Johnson and 4 percent for the Green Party’s Jill Stein. And when that happens, Trump’s edge grows to 4 points, 41-37 percent."
Tweet of my heart: @Max_Fisher Insisting that Putin’s popularity can’t possibly be real sort of misunderstands exactly what makes authoritarian nationalism so dangerous. (Grokked from Paolo Bacigalupi)
Double dip: @mattyglesias It's weird how 5,000 front line Wells Fargo employees hit on similar scams without any wrongdoing by high-level executives. (Grokked form Patrick Nielsen Hayden)
Friday, September 9, 2016
Thursday, September 8, 2016
Linkee-poo, to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before
Fifty years of Star Trek.
Ah, history. A collection of crack screens from Apple II games. That takes me back. (Grokked from John)
How to check the balance of your d20s.
"Sales of Kaepernick's jersey have skyrocketed since his protest became public." So, all those conservative "free market" types will now need to shut up, 'cause the market has spoken.
Just so you all know how long the various social movements out there will take. "It took an act of Congress, but World War II pilot Elaine Harmon is finally being laid to rest on Wednesday at Arlington National Cemetery."
"Now, for the first time, the United Nations will consider whether to combat that threat (of antibiotic resistance)—and what it decides will determine whether resistance becomes an international priority or fades from the policy landscape." That's a good thing, because bacteria really don't respect international borders and immigration controls. And now let us cue up right-wing freakout over the UN trying to control our diseases in 3… 2… 1… (Grokked from Kelly Swails)
"Right now, broken ice and open waters are inching closer to the geographic North Pole. This is extremely rare, but likely not unprecedented, said Mark Serreze, the director of the National Climatic Data Center, in an interview." I believe he meant, "unexpected", as "unprecedented" means this has happened before. Oh, and we're boned. (Grokked from Paolo Bacigalupi)
"The risk is always on those downstream, the downwinders, the ones who never agreed to take it and who rarely if ever profit from it." Jim Wright on the costs of living modern lives and who takes the risks and who takes the rewards. There are thousands of examples here. Chemical companies that blow poisons out their stacks which are mostly upwind of the poorest neighborhoods, and the resulting health problems of those who live there not only keep them in poverty, but also cost the rest of us in taxes (direct payments to providers, mostly hospitals) and higher health premiums. He also didn't mention one of the greatest changes in pollution controls caused by acid rain where the effects of pumping sulfur into the air wasn't felt by the electrical generation companies, but was paid for by those downwind who have to live with damaged lakes, forests, and older buildings and sculptures. Until we passed the Clean Air Act, but then it just required those companies to scrub their emissions of a few things, for which the passed the cost onto the electrical consumers (instead of lowering their profit margins). And this is the argument for carbon taxes.
Oh, and don't forget the Gold King Mine incident.
Matt Lauer kinds blows it going out of the gate. "The criticism captured what has become a common complaint about media coverage during this election: that news organizations and interviewers treat Mrs. Clinton as a serious candidate worthy of tough questions, while Mr. Trump is sometimes handled more benignly." (Grokked from Jason Sanford)
"Priebus fired off a tweet calling the Democratic nominee 'angry + defensive' during the national security-focused event. 'No smile and uncomfortable,; he added." Not this again. Hey Reince, buy a fucking clue already. It's one thing for someone running for dog catcher to keep making this mistake, but you're the vocal piece of a major party.
"Yet another North Carolina Republican party official was caught directing members of local election boards to limit early voting hours in what has been a pattern of GOP attempts to undermine an appeals court ruling knocking down state voting restrictions."
"Fake voter registration drives 'targeting particular student populations' on campus prompted a warning this week at Kennesaw State University, although no other major university in metro Atlanta or at the University of Georgia in Athens reported a similar problem." Three guesses on which "particular" students they're targeting. (Grokked from TPM)
Ah, history. A collection of crack screens from Apple II games. That takes me back. (Grokked from John)
How to check the balance of your d20s.
"Sales of Kaepernick's jersey have skyrocketed since his protest became public." So, all those conservative "free market" types will now need to shut up, 'cause the market has spoken.
Just so you all know how long the various social movements out there will take. "It took an act of Congress, but World War II pilot Elaine Harmon is finally being laid to rest on Wednesday at Arlington National Cemetery."
"Now, for the first time, the United Nations will consider whether to combat that threat (of antibiotic resistance)—and what it decides will determine whether resistance becomes an international priority or fades from the policy landscape." That's a good thing, because bacteria really don't respect international borders and immigration controls. And now let us cue up right-wing freakout over the UN trying to control our diseases in 3… 2… 1… (Grokked from Kelly Swails)
"Right now, broken ice and open waters are inching closer to the geographic North Pole. This is extremely rare, but likely not unprecedented, said Mark Serreze, the director of the National Climatic Data Center, in an interview." I believe he meant, "unexpected", as "unprecedented" means this has happened before. Oh, and we're boned. (Grokked from Paolo Bacigalupi)
"The risk is always on those downstream, the downwinders, the ones who never agreed to take it and who rarely if ever profit from it." Jim Wright on the costs of living modern lives and who takes the risks and who takes the rewards. There are thousands of examples here. Chemical companies that blow poisons out their stacks which are mostly upwind of the poorest neighborhoods, and the resulting health problems of those who live there not only keep them in poverty, but also cost the rest of us in taxes (direct payments to providers, mostly hospitals) and higher health premiums. He also didn't mention one of the greatest changes in pollution controls caused by acid rain where the effects of pumping sulfur into the air wasn't felt by the electrical generation companies, but was paid for by those downwind who have to live with damaged lakes, forests, and older buildings and sculptures. Until we passed the Clean Air Act, but then it just required those companies to scrub their emissions of a few things, for which the passed the cost onto the electrical consumers (instead of lowering their profit margins). And this is the argument for carbon taxes.
Oh, and don't forget the Gold King Mine incident.
Matt Lauer kinds blows it going out of the gate. "The criticism captured what has become a common complaint about media coverage during this election: that news organizations and interviewers treat Mrs. Clinton as a serious candidate worthy of tough questions, while Mr. Trump is sometimes handled more benignly." (Grokked from Jason Sanford)
"Priebus fired off a tweet calling the Democratic nominee 'angry + defensive' during the national security-focused event. 'No smile and uncomfortable,; he added." Not this again. Hey Reince, buy a fucking clue already. It's one thing for someone running for dog catcher to keep making this mistake, but you're the vocal piece of a major party.
"Yet another North Carolina Republican party official was caught directing members of local election boards to limit early voting hours in what has been a pattern of GOP attempts to undermine an appeals court ruling knocking down state voting restrictions."
"Fake voter registration drives 'targeting particular student populations' on campus prompted a warning this week at Kennesaw State University, although no other major university in metro Atlanta or at the University of Georgia in Athens reported a similar problem." Three guesses on which "particular" students they're targeting. (Grokked from TPM)
Wednesday, September 7, 2016
Linkee-poo is the son and the heir of a shyness that is criminally vulgar
Have things to do this afternoon, do an early post.
Chuck Wendig on that adjective order thing. Yeah, pretty much my experience. As I was once told, "all my sentences are (mine)." That's because I tend to break the rules (sometimes intentionally, sometimes it's the way my brain works). Note that the i before e except after c rule has almost as many exceptions as words that follow the rule.
"A group of five goose hunters in Iceland stumbled upon a Viking sword estimated to be more than 1,000 years old on Friday, according to the BBC." (Grokked from Xeni Jardin)
Weapons of Math Destruction. Big data is here, and by itself is not inherently evil. However, how programmers use that data that turns it evil. Because those programmers don't see any feedback to modify and update their models. Instead, the models continue with their initially programmed parameters. On a personal note, I've had my career affected by these things. I was denied jobs because my answers on survey questions didn't match to a company's "top performers". (Grokked from Karl Schroeder)
"'You know that Daniel Radcliffe has declared himself an atheist?' (Gov. John) Kasich said to no one in particular. 'I’m serious. What a weird thing. Why would a guy who has had all that success just, I mean, what the hell is wrong with him?'" The "sensible" alternative to the Trumpster, you all. Let's give him a hand. Just in case you're still wondering just what went wrong with the GOP, it isn't just the Trumpster. (Grokked from Mur Lafferty)
"Republicans are fuming after an internal Pentagon memo that outlines the department's strategies to oppose annual defense policy and spending bills was released Monday." The GOP is in a huff that someone is calling them on an accounting trick that would drain the budget line to continue overseas operations by next April, requiring an emergency request for funds. Of course they're trying to shift blame onto the Obama administration that "they're playing politics" all while trying to get the media to ignore their political play (of which this memo is in response). So, shocked, shocked conservatives are that politics is played in Washington. Or that someone can see through their transparent play and is doing advance planning to counter it. Or something. (Grokked from Vince O'Connor)
The Hidden Brain podcast on the problems with power. Studies show that they very things that can bring someone power within a group are the very things we lose as we gain power."' There's something about the seduction of power that makes you lose sight of ethics and other people's interests,' (Dacher Keltner) says." Power corrupts.
"When it comes to Trump, on the other hand, we’ve seen a very different pattern. Here’s what happens: A story about some kind of corrupt dealing emerges, usually from the dogged efforts of one or a few journalists; it gets discussed for a couple of days; and then it disappears." Trumpster's scandals remain unreported on while Clinton's, having been exonerated by the endless press releases and investigations, continue to clog up the news cycle. Your "liberal media" at work. (Grokked from Vince O'Connor)
"But I do think that the stakes are much higher in this debate and all the debates for Hillary Clinton because the expectations are higher for her because she is a seasoned politician… Yes, we saw Donald Trump in the primaries debate for the first time, but he is a first-time politician. So for lots of reasons… the onus is on her." Grading the Trumpster on a curve. Personally I think being President should be graded on an absolute scale. (Grokked from Chuck Wendig)
"In other words, you have a perfunctory one and done from the Times and CNN, basically asking Trump or his representatives whether it was a problem and moving on when they said it was fine." About the Times and CNN looking into the question if the Trumpster improperly bribed the Florida AG to have her drop the case her career lawyers were telling her to pursue. Also, same thing happened in Texas. (Grokked from Xeni Jardin)
"So why write a $25,000 check in a state A.G. race?" Rachel Maddow asks the question given the Trumpster's own statements regarding what happened. (Grokked from Laura J Mixon)
And it gets worse. "Donald Trump not only donated $25,000 to the Florida Attorney General weighing whether to investigate Trump University, but held a lavish fundraiser for her at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, according to a Huffington Post report out Wednesday."
Have I mentioned the numerous times the Trumpster talked openly during the primary about paying politicians so they'd kiss his ass when he needed something? I guess nobody mentioned that not only is receiving a bribe illegal, so is offering one.
A view into the future if Trumpster wins, "USA Freedom Girls sue Trump Campaign for stiffing them… All they wanted was to hawk some merchandise and money for airfare, but the lawyer for three patriotic girls say all they got was broken promises." And they're not being opportunistic here, oh no. "'We’re not suing for emotional distress and all that other stuff that people do when they trump up—no pun intended—when they trump up a lawsuit. That’s not what this is. This is tangible dollars I spent under false pretenses.'" (Grokked from Chuck Wendig)
Chuck Wendig on that adjective order thing. Yeah, pretty much my experience. As I was once told, "all my sentences are (mine)." That's because I tend to break the rules (sometimes intentionally, sometimes it's the way my brain works). Note that the i before e except after c rule has almost as many exceptions as words that follow the rule.
"A group of five goose hunters in Iceland stumbled upon a Viking sword estimated to be more than 1,000 years old on Friday, according to the BBC." (Grokked from Xeni Jardin)
Weapons of Math Destruction. Big data is here, and by itself is not inherently evil. However, how programmers use that data that turns it evil. Because those programmers don't see any feedback to modify and update their models. Instead, the models continue with their initially programmed parameters. On a personal note, I've had my career affected by these things. I was denied jobs because my answers on survey questions didn't match to a company's "top performers". (Grokked from Karl Schroeder)
"'You know that Daniel Radcliffe has declared himself an atheist?' (Gov. John) Kasich said to no one in particular. 'I’m serious. What a weird thing. Why would a guy who has had all that success just, I mean, what the hell is wrong with him?'" The "sensible" alternative to the Trumpster, you all. Let's give him a hand. Just in case you're still wondering just what went wrong with the GOP, it isn't just the Trumpster. (Grokked from Mur Lafferty)
"Republicans are fuming after an internal Pentagon memo that outlines the department's strategies to oppose annual defense policy and spending bills was released Monday." The GOP is in a huff that someone is calling them on an accounting trick that would drain the budget line to continue overseas operations by next April, requiring an emergency request for funds. Of course they're trying to shift blame onto the Obama administration that "they're playing politics" all while trying to get the media to ignore their political play (of which this memo is in response). So, shocked, shocked conservatives are that politics is played in Washington. Or that someone can see through their transparent play and is doing advance planning to counter it. Or something. (Grokked from Vince O'Connor)
The Hidden Brain podcast on the problems with power. Studies show that they very things that can bring someone power within a group are the very things we lose as we gain power."' There's something about the seduction of power that makes you lose sight of ethics and other people's interests,' (Dacher Keltner) says." Power corrupts.
"When it comes to Trump, on the other hand, we’ve seen a very different pattern. Here’s what happens: A story about some kind of corrupt dealing emerges, usually from the dogged efforts of one or a few journalists; it gets discussed for a couple of days; and then it disappears." Trumpster's scandals remain unreported on while Clinton's, having been exonerated by the endless press releases and investigations, continue to clog up the news cycle. Your "liberal media" at work. (Grokked from Vince O'Connor)
"But I do think that the stakes are much higher in this debate and all the debates for Hillary Clinton because the expectations are higher for her because she is a seasoned politician… Yes, we saw Donald Trump in the primaries debate for the first time, but he is a first-time politician. So for lots of reasons… the onus is on her." Grading the Trumpster on a curve. Personally I think being President should be graded on an absolute scale. (Grokked from Chuck Wendig)
"In other words, you have a perfunctory one and done from the Times and CNN, basically asking Trump or his representatives whether it was a problem and moving on when they said it was fine." About the Times and CNN looking into the question if the Trumpster improperly bribed the Florida AG to have her drop the case her career lawyers were telling her to pursue. Also, same thing happened in Texas. (Grokked from Xeni Jardin)
"So why write a $25,000 check in a state A.G. race?" Rachel Maddow asks the question given the Trumpster's own statements regarding what happened. (Grokked from Laura J Mixon)
And it gets worse. "Donald Trump not only donated $25,000 to the Florida Attorney General weighing whether to investigate Trump University, but held a lavish fundraiser for her at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, according to a Huffington Post report out Wednesday."
Have I mentioned the numerous times the Trumpster talked openly during the primary about paying politicians so they'd kiss his ass when he needed something? I guess nobody mentioned that not only is receiving a bribe illegal, so is offering one.
A view into the future if Trumpster wins, "USA Freedom Girls sue Trump Campaign for stiffing them… All they wanted was to hawk some merchandise and money for airfare, but the lawyer for three patriotic girls say all they got was broken promises." And they're not being opportunistic here, oh no. "'We’re not suing for emotional distress and all that other stuff that people do when they trump up—no pun intended—when they trump up a lawsuit. That’s not what this is. This is tangible dollars I spent under false pretenses.'" (Grokked from Chuck Wendig)
Tuesday, September 6, 2016
Linkee-poo when I lay me down to die, goin' up to the spirit in the sky
Dinosaurs in feathers. Because. (Grokked from Alex C. Renwick)
"Warner Bros. ordered Google to remove several of its own Web pages from search results on the grounds they infringed the media giant's copyright." Brilliant strategy. (Grokked from Vince O'Conner)
"A Republican candidate for a municipal post in New Jersey told a female journalist that he hopes she gets 'raped' in a post on her Facebook page, Politico reported Monday." He seems nice. Yes, I'm sure his account was hacked, I'm sure that's the explanation. You know, not that he's a raging misogynist with small time power drunkenness.
"Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein ended up in the wrong Ohio city Friday… Stein was slated to speak at noon at Capital University… near Columbus… Stein flew into Cincinnati, which is about 2 hours away by car." Just a bit of trivia, the Cincinnati airport is actually in Kentucky. (Grokked from John Scalzi)
There's this thing were the kid being picked on shouts at the bully, "One of these days you're going to do this to the wrong person." Whelp. "Last night… Milwaukee police officers in riot gear wrongfully arrested two men for no good reason. But this time, the men they arrested had the means to demand their rights and were released. The men were Jarrett English, an organizer at the ACLU of Wisconsin, and State Representative Jonathan Brostoff." Oopsie. (Grokked from Ferrett Steinmetz)
"A protest of a four-state, $3.8 billion oil pipeline turned violent after tribal officials say construction crews destroyed American Indian burial and cultural sites on private land in southern North Dakota." Another battle for resources that aims to screw over the American Indian.
And here in Ohio, another battle over a pipeline project. In this case, someone is sending letters to the FERC (the regulatory body) in support using homeowners' names as supporters. However, those who have been contacted by media and responded say they never sent such letters.
"Maria, not her real name, now carries out contract killings as part of the government-sanctioned war on drugs… She is part of a hit team that includes three women, who are valued because they can get close to their victims without arousing the same suspicion a man would." On the inside of Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs and the extrajudicial killings that have been "sanctioned." And again, like the drug war in the US, it's not the top people who are in trouble, it's the low level operatives. (Grokked from Marketplace)
"Earlier this week, reporters began poring over the 2,271-word nondisclosure agreement that Trump’s campaign requires its volunteers sign. The forms are extraordinarily broad, virtually prohibiting any volunteers from criticizing Trump or his family for the rest of their lifetimes…" Okay, I'm just going to say it, much of what the Trumpster does and says he will do is actually illegal. And he says he is the "law and order" candidate. Maybe in terms of Law of the Western Territories, but not in an actual legal sense. But then again, "law and order" is mostly code for "we'll keep the blacks (and brown people) down." (Grokked from Kelly Link)
Mother Jones read the whole FBI report on the Clinton email server(s). "There's remarkably little here. If you nonetheless believe that it's enough to disqualify Hillary from the presidency, that's fine. I have no quarrel with you. But if the FBI is to be believed, it's all pretty small beer." But that doesn't make for good Fox News exposes. (Grokked from Paolo Bacigalupi)
"There is nothing to be uncovered there (Clinton scandal, the passport request but pick any of them), because there is no 'there' there. … but there is almost complete and utter silence about Trump’s two successful efforts to buy off politicians — and not just politicians, but the Attorneys General of two different states!" Wil Wheaton on how the press is ignoring real issues in order to manufacture scandal.
North Carolina's voting restrictions were created after getting data from the board of elections on when and how African-Americans voted. They were intentionally targeted because they voted overwhelming for the Democratic Party. Remember when people were discussing that these laws were being put in place because GOP legislatures felt people "were voting for the wrong people"? Yep, pretty much that. And the fight isn't over. (Grokked from Steven Gould)
Tweet of my heart: @terrydjohnson SETI gets alien signals all the time, but they're all remixes of the Voyager record, and they're rubbish for dancing. (Grokked from Xeni Jardin)
"Warner Bros. ordered Google to remove several of its own Web pages from search results on the grounds they infringed the media giant's copyright." Brilliant strategy. (Grokked from Vince O'Conner)
"A Republican candidate for a municipal post in New Jersey told a female journalist that he hopes she gets 'raped' in a post on her Facebook page, Politico reported Monday." He seems nice. Yes, I'm sure his account was hacked, I'm sure that's the explanation. You know, not that he's a raging misogynist with small time power drunkenness.
"Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein ended up in the wrong Ohio city Friday… Stein was slated to speak at noon at Capital University… near Columbus… Stein flew into Cincinnati, which is about 2 hours away by car." Just a bit of trivia, the Cincinnati airport is actually in Kentucky. (Grokked from John Scalzi)
There's this thing were the kid being picked on shouts at the bully, "One of these days you're going to do this to the wrong person." Whelp. "Last night… Milwaukee police officers in riot gear wrongfully arrested two men for no good reason. But this time, the men they arrested had the means to demand their rights and were released. The men were Jarrett English, an organizer at the ACLU of Wisconsin, and State Representative Jonathan Brostoff." Oopsie. (Grokked from Ferrett Steinmetz)
"A protest of a four-state, $3.8 billion oil pipeline turned violent after tribal officials say construction crews destroyed American Indian burial and cultural sites on private land in southern North Dakota." Another battle for resources that aims to screw over the American Indian.
And here in Ohio, another battle over a pipeline project. In this case, someone is sending letters to the FERC (the regulatory body) in support using homeowners' names as supporters. However, those who have been contacted by media and responded say they never sent such letters.
"Maria, not her real name, now carries out contract killings as part of the government-sanctioned war on drugs… She is part of a hit team that includes three women, who are valued because they can get close to their victims without arousing the same suspicion a man would." On the inside of Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs and the extrajudicial killings that have been "sanctioned." And again, like the drug war in the US, it's not the top people who are in trouble, it's the low level operatives. (Grokked from Marketplace)
"Earlier this week, reporters began poring over the 2,271-word nondisclosure agreement that Trump’s campaign requires its volunteers sign. The forms are extraordinarily broad, virtually prohibiting any volunteers from criticizing Trump or his family for the rest of their lifetimes…" Okay, I'm just going to say it, much of what the Trumpster does and says he will do is actually illegal. And he says he is the "law and order" candidate. Maybe in terms of Law of the Western Territories, but not in an actual legal sense. But then again, "law and order" is mostly code for "we'll keep the blacks (and brown people) down." (Grokked from Kelly Link)
Mother Jones read the whole FBI report on the Clinton email server(s). "There's remarkably little here. If you nonetheless believe that it's enough to disqualify Hillary from the presidency, that's fine. I have no quarrel with you. But if the FBI is to be believed, it's all pretty small beer." But that doesn't make for good Fox News exposes. (Grokked from Paolo Bacigalupi)
"There is nothing to be uncovered there (Clinton scandal, the passport request but pick any of them), because there is no 'there' there. … but there is almost complete and utter silence about Trump’s two successful efforts to buy off politicians — and not just politicians, but the Attorneys General of two different states!" Wil Wheaton on how the press is ignoring real issues in order to manufacture scandal.
North Carolina's voting restrictions were created after getting data from the board of elections on when and how African-Americans voted. They were intentionally targeted because they voted overwhelming for the Democratic Party. Remember when people were discussing that these laws were being put in place because GOP legislatures felt people "were voting for the wrong people"? Yep, pretty much that. And the fight isn't over. (Grokked from Steven Gould)
Tweet of my heart: @terrydjohnson SETI gets alien signals all the time, but they're all remixes of the Voyager record, and they're rubbish for dancing. (Grokked from Xeni Jardin)
Monday, September 5, 2016
Day at the Fair
So, one of the stops at the Geauga County Fair is the library sale. Since we didn't get there until today, which is theist day, I was pretty sure I wouldn't find anything. But there in the stack was some Tobias Buckell (which I only had the paperback, this is a first edition) and some Elizabeth Bear. So, SCORE!
Saturday, September 3, 2016
Relaxing on the weekend - not
So, took and old bench and new wood…
and turned it into a new(ish) bench. Made a few mistakes, but for not having all the toys, I think I did an okay job of it.
And then put it back into the woods, where it was before. So that's one more down.
Friday, September 2, 2016
Linkee-poo and there ain't no place in this world for these kids to go, it's a hard life wherever you go
Strange Horizons is looking for first readers. (Grokked from Ellen Kushner)
The Newshour Brief But Spectacular episode on Lemony Snicker where he talks about the bewilderment of words and what it's like to be an author.
Turns out that possible signal SETI found is most likely an Russian military satellite. Sigh. Of course, he said with a wink, if it really were aliens, that's exactly what the MIB would want you to think.
"Yet even as the number of ways people spend their time has expanded, a Pew Research Center survey finds that the share of Americans who have read a book in the last 12 months (73%) has remained largely unchanged since 2012. And when people reach for a book, it is much more likely to be a traditional print book than a digital product." Lots of chewy data in there. e-Book reading has gone up, but not really at the expense of print books. (Grokked from Deborah Beale)
"A restaurant chain that charges twice as much for a meal in one location as it does in another? You would think that's a recipe for angry customers… But Everytable in Los Angeles is betting that this will prove a successful business model — while also serving up a hefty side of social mission." As anyone who has bought a meal at a turnpike rest stop or airport can tell you, this isn't a new business model. Only without the social mission part.
With wind power, the larger and longer the blades, the higher the potential energy output. So, how do you get wind turbine based that are 52.2 meters (171 feet) long and weigh 12 tons? Well, here's a video. Now that's a corporate capabilities video. (Grokked from Dan)
"Up to one in five kids living in the U.S. shows signs or symptoms of a mental health disorder in a given year… So in a school classroom of 25 students, five of them may be struggling with the same issues many adults deal with: depression, anxiety, substance abuse."
Are you there God? It's me, FEC.
Are GMO crops good for the environment by requiring us to use less insecticides and herbicides? As Dr. Malcolm in Jurassic Park said, "life finds a way." And in the mean time, heritage seed strains continue to fade into the past.
"Notorious anti-Muslim activist Pamela Geller claimed Wednesday that Hillary Clinton is hell-bent on shutting down conservative news site Breitbart, enforcing 'the Sharia' in the process." I wonder if the GOP is now regretting their policy of cutting mental health services? You know, now that actual lunatics are running their asylum.
While the Trumpster focuses on the relatively small number of Americans murdered by undocumented aliens, the societal ill that kills more people, domestic violence, continues unabated. Note, the perpetrator had been arrested, was released on bond with an ankle monitor and told to stay away from guns. And frankly, how this article starts and its focus bugs the ever-loving shit out of me.
"Running for president is your last bid for the respect of Manhattan. If you were to win election, they couldn't ridicule you anymore. They could be horrified, but there is nothing ridiculous about being Leader of the Free World." Garrison Keillor tells the Trumpster that they'll never accept him. Because they never do. Once they know where you're from they can never change that impression of you.
Why do progressives view conservatives as gun-violence promoting thugs? Because they do shit like this. "A press release by the Arizona Republican Party which shows Sen. John McCain's (R-AZ) opponent on a 'wanted' poster riddled with bullet holes… was delivered personally to McCain's opponent Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick (D-AZ)'s office by Kevin Kuk, chief of operations for the Arizona Republican Party, 12 News reported." They won't apologize for it saying that until Gabby Giffords saw it, nobody thought anything about it. Next up, "That dead fish delivery that was wrapped in your campaign poster? We just thought you were hungry." Seriously, how mind fucked do you need to be to not see that as a threat?
"NBA star Dwyane Wade lamented that his cousin’s fatal shooting was used for 'political gain' by Donald Trump in a Friday interview…" Trumpster would use someone for his own gain? Shocked, shocked I am…
The Newshour Brief But Spectacular episode on Lemony Snicker where he talks about the bewilderment of words and what it's like to be an author.
Turns out that possible signal SETI found is most likely an Russian military satellite. Sigh. Of course, he said with a wink, if it really were aliens, that's exactly what the MIB would want you to think.
"Yet even as the number of ways people spend their time has expanded, a Pew Research Center survey finds that the share of Americans who have read a book in the last 12 months (73%) has remained largely unchanged since 2012. And when people reach for a book, it is much more likely to be a traditional print book than a digital product." Lots of chewy data in there. e-Book reading has gone up, but not really at the expense of print books. (Grokked from Deborah Beale)
"A restaurant chain that charges twice as much for a meal in one location as it does in another? You would think that's a recipe for angry customers… But Everytable in Los Angeles is betting that this will prove a successful business model — while also serving up a hefty side of social mission." As anyone who has bought a meal at a turnpike rest stop or airport can tell you, this isn't a new business model. Only without the social mission part.
With wind power, the larger and longer the blades, the higher the potential energy output. So, how do you get wind turbine based that are 52.2 meters (171 feet) long and weigh 12 tons? Well, here's a video. Now that's a corporate capabilities video. (Grokked from Dan)
"Up to one in five kids living in the U.S. shows signs or symptoms of a mental health disorder in a given year… So in a school classroom of 25 students, five of them may be struggling with the same issues many adults deal with: depression, anxiety, substance abuse."
Are you there God? It's me, FEC.
Are GMO crops good for the environment by requiring us to use less insecticides and herbicides? As Dr. Malcolm in Jurassic Park said, "life finds a way." And in the mean time, heritage seed strains continue to fade into the past.
"Notorious anti-Muslim activist Pamela Geller claimed Wednesday that Hillary Clinton is hell-bent on shutting down conservative news site Breitbart, enforcing 'the Sharia' in the process." I wonder if the GOP is now regretting their policy of cutting mental health services? You know, now that actual lunatics are running their asylum.
While the Trumpster focuses on the relatively small number of Americans murdered by undocumented aliens, the societal ill that kills more people, domestic violence, continues unabated. Note, the perpetrator had been arrested, was released on bond with an ankle monitor and told to stay away from guns. And frankly, how this article starts and its focus bugs the ever-loving shit out of me.
"Running for president is your last bid for the respect of Manhattan. If you were to win election, they couldn't ridicule you anymore. They could be horrified, but there is nothing ridiculous about being Leader of the Free World." Garrison Keillor tells the Trumpster that they'll never accept him. Because they never do. Once they know where you're from they can never change that impression of you.
Why do progressives view conservatives as gun-violence promoting thugs? Because they do shit like this. "A press release by the Arizona Republican Party which shows Sen. John McCain's (R-AZ) opponent on a 'wanted' poster riddled with bullet holes… was delivered personally to McCain's opponent Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick (D-AZ)'s office by Kevin Kuk, chief of operations for the Arizona Republican Party, 12 News reported." They won't apologize for it saying that until Gabby Giffords saw it, nobody thought anything about it. Next up, "That dead fish delivery that was wrapped in your campaign poster? We just thought you were hungry." Seriously, how mind fucked do you need to be to not see that as a threat?
"NBA star Dwyane Wade lamented that his cousin’s fatal shooting was used for 'political gain' by Donald Trump in a Friday interview…" Trumpster would use someone for his own gain? Shocked, shocked I am…
Thursday, September 1, 2016
Linkee-poo, watch out, you might get what you're after
So I don't really follow much development news of movies (I've been burned too many times), but when I saw Deadpool recently my first comment was "Wow, I think Ryan Reynolds has finally found his comic movie franchise." I guess this was a pet project of his, he was a producer, and he paid out of his own pocket to keep the writers (who had shepherded the movie for 6 years) on the set while filming. He's gone up a few steps in my opinion. (Grokked from Chuck Wendig)
Trendsmap. Showing twitter trends tied to mapping. (Grokked from Dan)
An imagur gallery of requests (and responses) to artists and designers asking them to work for free. I so feel this. And the "For exposure" twitter account which also posts these requests. One of the many reasons I don't do much freelance anymore. Also, at the moment I'm dealing with this exact issue with two different requests. What I love about these is that they are almost always the customer that not only demands quick turnaround, but is also the customer who asks for the most revisions (yeah, I had a soft heart for some of these, a hard lesson to learn). (Grokked from BoingBoing)
And it's not just "amateurs" or "start ups" who do this to freelancers/contractors. Here's a story about Vice. (Grokked from Paolo Bacigalupi)
When we had movies on vinyl. For your retro-alt-history world building. (Grokked from Dan)
Explosion at Kennedy Space Center ahead of SpaceX launch. Space is hard. (Grokked from Sarah Goslee)
There's this insider joke among para-medical professionals. Everybody asks us for a diagnosis. Part of it is mistaking us (especially us guys) for doctors. Partly it's they think anyone with scrubs knows everything about medicine (hint, not even your doctor does). Mostly it's because they're scared and we're the ones talking with them. But the joke is this, tell them it's an STD. Whatever it is, it's an STD. Bone broken? STD. Something green and tentically growing out of your eyeballs? STD. Yeah, we don't often speak it outlaid (especially in a medical situation), but if you see a secret smile on their face when you ask, in their head they just said, "It's gonorrhea." And "(w)e are running out of ways to treat gonorrhea, the World Health Organization announced today." Yeah, drug resistance (and little research on the next generation of antibiotics) is serious.
"'Just because you close trade doesn't mean factories are coming back,' (Ilse Metchek, head of the California Fashion Association) says." Ah, yep. The article also profiles another company that does produce in the US, and ships worldwide. They would be harmed by cancelling trade agreements. They produce a high-end, high value-added product… and is a modern facility which means it does a lot with a lot less workers. If you want to cut trade, you'll also have to support increasing wages (the $15 minimum wage is what is needed now to make those jobs affordable in the current economy, by shopping at Walmart and the like). Exporting a lot of the low-end items was how we enabled wage stagnation (without making those products less expensively, wages would have been forced to go much higher). Doing both at the same time is a sure way to tank economic growth. And this is exactly the economy NAFTA was meant to create; low-wage and low-skill work moves abroad, high-wage and high-skill work grows in the US. Jobs aren't coming back. Coal is dying (really, nothing the Obama Administration has done has effected the coal industry as much as the shale oil and gas boom has, changing policy won't change that in the least - including if you took away the EPA). This is how the economy and competition works. Kinda sucks when you're the buggy-whip manufacturer (note, they still make buggy-whips, just not nearly as many). (Grokked from Vince O'Conner)
Chuck Wendig would like a word with us men. About that "go see a fucking doctor" part, doubly endorse that. Stage 4 to Terminal is a fucking terrible time to find out you have cancer (in the last 3 months, I've worked on at least 4 patients who had their first diagnosis of cancer that was in the "we are sending you downtown for surgery, no, you don't have time to see your doctor first" stage, all of them basically said "I haven't really been feeling well for many months"). Oh, and wash your feet and clip your nails because, damn.
A look inside the Church, how Mother Teresa got her two miracle.
"Despite the (the Program that funded Solyndra) failures, the department projects a profit of between $5 billion and $6 billion during the next 20 to 25 years. Overall, 20 of the program’s 30 enterprises are operating and generating revenue, according to the department." And some of the senators who voted against it who now run states that are benefiting from the economic benefits of the program are waffling (they like it for them, but think the program, overall, was still troubled). (Grokked from Robert J Bennett)
"Teen pregnancy is way down. And a study suggests that the reason is increased, and increasingly effective, use of contraceptives." In this age of poor sex education, that's really fascinating. "No single contraceptive method stood out as singularly effective, said the researchers. Instead, they found that teens were using contraceptives more often, combining methods more often, and using more effective methods, such as the birth control pill, IUDs and implants." Or, you know, think they need a doctor for (who should also be providing some education). And, of course, the abstinence only crowd is not happy.
Sean Hannity runs out of bubblegum. What he needs is a lie down and maybe a binky.
"The Clinton Foundation received four out of four stars — the highest rating that Charity Navigator gives after a close look at a charity's finances. The rating is based on annual federal tax documents. It was not intended to reflect whether Hillary Clinton kept donors to her family's foundation at appropriate arm's length or provided favored access as secretary of state." And don't think that doesn't chaff the asses of the conservatives who are embarrassed by their own former President's after-office legacies. (Grokked from TPM)
"Ohio's restrictions on the so-called abortion pill led to a higher rate of side effects, more doctor visits and additional medical treatment for patients, according to a new study." Gee, our cynical legislature is terrible for women's health. Who could have known?
Oh, hey, God is speaking to Michelle Bachmann again. Good news, everybody, he told her that Trump is the chosen one. Given the "chosen one"s track record this year I think we can safely call it for Clinton. God may not play dice with the universe, but obviously has a sense of humor. Remember when she was a rising star of the Republican Party?
Ah, so the Trumpster's trip south of the border looked very Presidential. Until, "There's just one catch: Peña Nieto tweeted out that the subject (of whom would pay for the wall) did come up -- and that he'd raised it." That went well. (Grokked from Chuck Wendig)
More people are waking up. "Donald Trump's Wednesday night speech full of hard-line views on immigration prompted one member of his National Hispanic Advisory Council to resign, Politico reported." Note the minimization of those Latinos who still support the Trumpster, but are reconsidering.
Trendsmap. Showing twitter trends tied to mapping. (Grokked from Dan)
An imagur gallery of requests (and responses) to artists and designers asking them to work for free. I so feel this. And the "For exposure" twitter account which also posts these requests. One of the many reasons I don't do much freelance anymore. Also, at the moment I'm dealing with this exact issue with two different requests. What I love about these is that they are almost always the customer that not only demands quick turnaround, but is also the customer who asks for the most revisions (yeah, I had a soft heart for some of these, a hard lesson to learn). (Grokked from BoingBoing)
And it's not just "amateurs" or "start ups" who do this to freelancers/contractors. Here's a story about Vice. (Grokked from Paolo Bacigalupi)
When we had movies on vinyl. For your retro-alt-history world building. (Grokked from Dan)
Explosion at Kennedy Space Center ahead of SpaceX launch. Space is hard. (Grokked from Sarah Goslee)
There's this insider joke among para-medical professionals. Everybody asks us for a diagnosis. Part of it is mistaking us (especially us guys) for doctors. Partly it's they think anyone with scrubs knows everything about medicine (hint, not even your doctor does). Mostly it's because they're scared and we're the ones talking with them. But the joke is this, tell them it's an STD. Whatever it is, it's an STD. Bone broken? STD. Something green and tentically growing out of your eyeballs? STD. Yeah, we don't often speak it outlaid (especially in a medical situation), but if you see a secret smile on their face when you ask, in their head they just said, "It's gonorrhea." And "(w)e are running out of ways to treat gonorrhea, the World Health Organization announced today." Yeah, drug resistance (and little research on the next generation of antibiotics) is serious.
"'Just because you close trade doesn't mean factories are coming back,' (Ilse Metchek, head of the California Fashion Association) says." Ah, yep. The article also profiles another company that does produce in the US, and ships worldwide. They would be harmed by cancelling trade agreements. They produce a high-end, high value-added product… and is a modern facility which means it does a lot with a lot less workers. If you want to cut trade, you'll also have to support increasing wages (the $15 minimum wage is what is needed now to make those jobs affordable in the current economy, by shopping at Walmart and the like). Exporting a lot of the low-end items was how we enabled wage stagnation (without making those products less expensively, wages would have been forced to go much higher). Doing both at the same time is a sure way to tank economic growth. And this is exactly the economy NAFTA was meant to create; low-wage and low-skill work moves abroad, high-wage and high-skill work grows in the US. Jobs aren't coming back. Coal is dying (really, nothing the Obama Administration has done has effected the coal industry as much as the shale oil and gas boom has, changing policy won't change that in the least - including if you took away the EPA). This is how the economy and competition works. Kinda sucks when you're the buggy-whip manufacturer (note, they still make buggy-whips, just not nearly as many). (Grokked from Vince O'Conner)
Chuck Wendig would like a word with us men. About that "go see a fucking doctor" part, doubly endorse that. Stage 4 to Terminal is a fucking terrible time to find out you have cancer (in the last 3 months, I've worked on at least 4 patients who had their first diagnosis of cancer that was in the "we are sending you downtown for surgery, no, you don't have time to see your doctor first" stage, all of them basically said "I haven't really been feeling well for many months"). Oh, and wash your feet and clip your nails because, damn.
A look inside the Church, how Mother Teresa got her two miracle.
"Despite the (the Program that funded Solyndra) failures, the department projects a profit of between $5 billion and $6 billion during the next 20 to 25 years. Overall, 20 of the program’s 30 enterprises are operating and generating revenue, according to the department." And some of the senators who voted against it who now run states that are benefiting from the economic benefits of the program are waffling (they like it for them, but think the program, overall, was still troubled). (Grokked from Robert J Bennett)
"Teen pregnancy is way down. And a study suggests that the reason is increased, and increasingly effective, use of contraceptives." In this age of poor sex education, that's really fascinating. "No single contraceptive method stood out as singularly effective, said the researchers. Instead, they found that teens were using contraceptives more often, combining methods more often, and using more effective methods, such as the birth control pill, IUDs and implants." Or, you know, think they need a doctor for (who should also be providing some education). And, of course, the abstinence only crowd is not happy.
Sean Hannity runs out of bubblegum. What he needs is a lie down and maybe a binky.
"The Clinton Foundation received four out of four stars — the highest rating that Charity Navigator gives after a close look at a charity's finances. The rating is based on annual federal tax documents. It was not intended to reflect whether Hillary Clinton kept donors to her family's foundation at appropriate arm's length or provided favored access as secretary of state." And don't think that doesn't chaff the asses of the conservatives who are embarrassed by their own former President's after-office legacies. (Grokked from TPM)
"Ohio's restrictions on the so-called abortion pill led to a higher rate of side effects, more doctor visits and additional medical treatment for patients, according to a new study." Gee, our cynical legislature is terrible for women's health. Who could have known?
Oh, hey, God is speaking to Michelle Bachmann again. Good news, everybody, he told her that Trump is the chosen one. Given the "chosen one"s track record this year I think we can safely call it for Clinton. God may not play dice with the universe, but obviously has a sense of humor. Remember when she was a rising star of the Republican Party?
Ah, so the Trumpster's trip south of the border looked very Presidential. Until, "There's just one catch: Peña Nieto tweeted out that the subject (of whom would pay for the wall) did come up -- and that he'd raised it." That went well. (Grokked from Chuck Wendig)
More people are waking up. "Donald Trump's Wednesday night speech full of hard-line views on immigration prompted one member of his National Hispanic Advisory Council to resign, Politico reported." Note the minimization of those Latinos who still support the Trumpster, but are reconsidering.
Story Bone
A tweet with an excellent story line. Not mine, but damn that would make an excellent movie and/or novel. (Grokked from Kameron Hurley)
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