2013 archive
Nothing To Do, Nowhere To Go 0
For all practical purposes, no change. Still hovering pretty much where it’s been for a long, long time:
(snip)
The four-week moving average, a less-volatile measure than the weekly figures, dropped to 345,750 last week from 348,500.
The number of people continuing to receive jobless benefits was little changed at 2.97 million in the week ended June 15.
Meta: Housekeeping 0
Speaking of meta, I’ve gone through my blogroll (does anyone look at blogrolls any more?) and removed any sites which have not posted since 2012. If their proprietors aren’t interested in them, neither am I.
I’ve also removed Brendan Calling from the sidebar, as it seems to be MIA.
Watching the Regent 0
With a Rolex, no less:
The $6,500 luxury watch was provided by wealthy businessman Jonnie R. Williams Sr., the people said.
(snip)
Williams bought the watch at the urging of Maureen McDonnell, who admired Williams’s own Rolex and suggested that he buy her a similar one she could give to her husband, the people said. Her proposal occurred moments before the meeting she had arranged with the state official, according to one person familiar with the request.
Timeline at the link.
Via the print edition of my local rag.
What Is “Meta” about Meta? 0
Fresh Air’s Geoff Nunberg explores the conceptions, misconceptions, and misinformation about “metadata,” in particular statements from James Clapper, director of National Intelligence, that, somehow, metadata isn’t really data.
A nugget:
A Party of Peeping Toms 0
Sally Kalson comments on the Republican Party’s pervy preoccupation with lady parts. A nugget:
These Republican men, and they are mostly men, have spearheaded all manner of intrusions into women’s wombs, passing restrictions on the state level that gag doctors, shut down clinics, obstruct access to health care, harass those seeking legal abortions and even block coverage for contraceptives, which are used by almost every woman in the country at some point.
Read the whole thing.
“Me, Me, Me” 0
Persons who post pictures of themselves doing everything all over the innertubes have acquired a nickname: Selfies.
Not everyone considers them narcissistic trifling self-absorbed self-aggrandizing twits with nothing better to do.
She sees some key differences between selfies and self-portraits of yore. Unlike painted portraiture, selfies are easily deletable. And “bad or funny is good in a way that wasn’t the case when people had to pay for film to be developed,” or for a professional painter, she said.
“Albrecht Durer’s self-portraiture is these incredible self-reflections and explorations of technique, and then when Rihanna snaps her picture it’s just self-aggrandizement, or it’s promotion, so you have a fairly interesting double standard based upon who’s taking the self-portrait,” said Rutledge, in Boston.
Indeed.
Gut Out the Vote 1
I can’t decide whether, in its ruling on the Voting Rights Act, the majority in the Supreme Court was being delusional or craven. Or both.
Anyone who pays attention knows that attempts to suppress votes are no farther away than your local legislature’s last attempt to restrict the franchise and that they are more common in the South.
And the white South has not changed, not that much, and not that fundamentally. The number of Stars and Bars decals on cars and trucks attests to that.
This was a vile ruling, a boon to bigots, a compounding of corruption, a polluting of the polity.
See Dick Polman for more and even more.
George Smith expects the worst. According to TPM, he’s not far off the mark.
Forecasts of Snowden 0
Excerpt:
News is not a game show!
On a more serious note, Juan Cole is also unhappy with the coverage of Snowden.
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
Be polite at home.
It doesn’t end, does it?
State Rape 4
More stuff you can’t make up.
Football uber Alles 2
Bob Molinaro yearns for a half-time.
Snowden Jobs 0
Are other countries resisting attempts to extradite Snowden because they are finally fed up with U. S. arrogance international conduct?
Worth a thought.
Drinking Liberally Virginia Beach Thursday 0
Fun and fellowship for liberals. Join us and talk about anything in a relaxed atmosphere.
When: Thursday, june 27th, 6 p.
Where:
Croc’s 19 Street Bistro
620 19th Street (Map)
More here.
“Feed My Sheep” 0
Not if you are a Republican. E. J. Dionne comments on the recently-defeated Farm Bill:
Read the rest.