April, 2016 archive
And Now, a Musical Interlude 0
Just for grins and giggles, try playing “Count the Stereotypes” as you watch this.
Systematizing the Game 0
At the Bangor Daily News, Steven Barken wonders what would happen if Monopoly imitated the American economic system. For example . . .
If Monopoly were more like real life, here’s what would happen.
Let’s assume there are five players, and instead of each player receiving $1,500 at the start, the $7,500 they share to begin the game is instead allocated according to the distribution of wealth among Americans. In this scenario, the wealthiest player, Player A, would begin with about $6,668, because the top fifth of Americans hold about 89 percent of the nation’s wealth. Based on the proportion of wealth held by the next fifth of Americans, Player B would begin with $705. Meanwhile, Player C, representing the middle fifth of Americans, would begin with $195, while Player D would begin with $15. Finally, Player E, representing the bottom fifth of Americans, would begin the game $90 in debt.
Follow the link to see how the game plays out.
I Want To Teach the World To Sing
In Perfect Hegemony Reprise
0
Harry Shearer interviews Andrew Bacevich about Bacevich’s new book detailing the America’s four decade misadventure in the Middle East.
It is a must-listen. The interview starts about five minutes in.
Hit ‘Em Where It Hurts 0
This is poetic justice writ large: internet porn site cuts off North Carolina and comments on Tarheels’ taste in porn in the press release in reaction to North Carolina’s “it’s okay to hate the gay” bill.
The cutoff will continue until North Carolina repeals HB 2, which excludes LGBT citizens from civil rights protection and blocks cities and counties from passing civil rights guarantees. Charlotte had enacted such an ordinance.
(snip)
A spokesman told Huffington Post: “Back in March, we had 400,000 hits for the term ‘Transsexual’ from North Carolina alone. People from that state searched ‘Gay’ 319,907 times.”
Republican Family Values 0
Dick Polman:
Dennis Hastert.
Read the rest.
Goldman’s Sacks 0
Goldman gets out the petty cash.
No one’s going to jail. The story does not indicate how much of this will burn into a tax deduction.
LanternAsia, Part Three 0
The last post of pictures from the LanternAsia Exhibit. (View Part One and Part Two.)
Kylins as they were identified at the exhibit. Qilins seems to be the contemporary English spelling. Learn more about them.
Small glass cylinders provide detail and iridescence.
Click for a larger image.
The Voter Fraud Fraud, Lost in Translation Dept. 0
The Republican gut-out-the-vote effort continues.
The Spanish-language guides said that voters could register up to 15 days before the election, while the English version included the correct deadline, 21 days before the election, as the Daily Kos flagged last week. And while the English guides told voters they could use their passport as a photo ID, the guides in Spanish did not include a passport in the list.
According to the story, Kansas is calling this an “administrative error.”
No There, There 0
Gwynne Dyer tries to visualize a “real” Donald Trump and can’t find one. A snippet:
Trump is so focused on getting their support that he even opposes the traditional Republican policies that have contributed to their marginalization and impoverishment: free trade, low taxes for the rich and deep cuts in welfare programs. And he gets away with it, although no other Republican candidate would.
(snip)
The answer is that there is no real Trump, in terms of policies and principles. He will do anything and say anything to get what he wants . . . .
Read the rest. Her most optimistic take on the results of Trump’s being elected is a hoot.
In related news, here’s a snapshot of Donald Trump’s (and the Republican Party’s) America.
The Snaring Economy 0
In an article about Uber imitators is buried this nugget, alsmost as an aside.
Under the guise of “sharing,” the snaring economy is facilitating monopoly (emphasis added).
Follow the link for the rest of the article.
