2016 archive
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
Give thanks with politeness.
The children appear to have been playing with a gun at the 2-year-old’s home in the 3500 block of North 9th Street on Thursday at about 4:23 p.m., police said. The 4-year-old boy was handling the gun when the weapon discharged, shooting his cousin in the chest. The victim’s mother and her boyfriend were home at the time of the incident, according to police.
Twits on Twitter, Sore Winners Dept. 0
Dick Polman remarks on our thin-skinned Petulant-elect:
(snip)
But alas, we’re talking here about Trump. Which is why, at 3:30 yesterday, he typed this:
In addition to winning the Electoral College in a landslide, I won the popular vote if you deduct the millions of people who voted illegally
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2016
Wow. Trump has inspired me to rethink my life. I now believe I would’ve won the Kentucky Derby if I deduct all the horses that ran ahead of me.
More at the link.
Make TWUUG Your LUG 0
Learn about the wonderful world of free and open source. Use computers to do what you want, not what someone else wants you to do. Learn how to use GNU/Linux and its plethora of free and open source software to get stuff done with computers.
It’s not hard; it’s just different.
What: Monthly TWUUG Meeting.
Who: Everyone in TideWater/Hampton Roads with interest in any/all flavors of Unix/Linux. There are no dues or signup requirements. All are welcome.
Where: Lake Taylor Transitional Care Hospital in Norfolk Training Room. See directions below. (Wireless and wired internet connection available.) Turn right upon entering, then left at the last corridor and look for the open meeting room.
When: 7:30 PM till whenever (usually 9:30ish) on Thursday, December 1.
Directions:
Lake Taylor Hospital
1309 Kempsville Road
Norfolk, Va. 23502 (Map)
Pre-Meeting Dinner at 6:00 PM (separate checks)
Uno Chicago Grill
Virginia Beach Blvd. & Military Highway (JANAF Shopping Center). (Map)
Join the forums.
“A Calvacade of Kleptocracy” 0
In related news, Nick Mills is also concerned about the integrity of the press.
(snip)
A free press is the target of dictators, despots and demagogues all over the world. It is possible to be a journalist in a country without a free press, but it’s a dangerous profession. It is not possible for a country without a free press to be a democracy.
“Ur-Fascism” 1
Der Spiegel points out 20th Century fascism manifested itself in many different ways. Fascism in Mussolini’s Italy was different from fascism in Hitler’s Germany was different from fascism in Franco’s Spain and so on. They point to the work of Umberto Eco, who grew up in Mussolini’s Italy, who sought to find commonalities among various fascist regimes and posited a theory of “Ur-Fascism,” the common threads that allowed all of them to be referred to as “fascist.”
They then apply Eco’s theory to Donald Trump’s beliefs and actions. The result is fascinating. Here’s a bit:
Point six states: “Ur-Fascism derives from individual or social frustration. That was why one of the most typical features of historical fascism was the appeal to a frustrated middle class, a class suffering from an economic crisis or feelings of political humiliation and frightened by the pressure of lower social groups.” It would be impossible to more aptly describe Trump’s appeal to his voters.
This is a must-read.
Facebook Frolics 0
Shorter Jim Wright: “Community standards” my anatomy.
How Stuff Works, Banking Today Dept. 0
Click to see the original image.
By the by, I used to deal with the bank alluded to in the comic. As of last week, I no longer do.
Those Who Forget History . . . . 0
Dick Polman has had it with the lionizing of Fidel Castro. Even granting, as I do, that the government he overthrew was rampant with corruption and Havana was a playground run by the American mafia, Castro has many faults and, especially in the early years, was quite the despot.
A snippet:
That advice was too much even for Khrushchev, who subsequently told Fidel in writing that government leaders can’t allow themselves to be “swept away by the popular feelings of hot-headed elements…If we had refused a reasonable arrangement with the U.S., a war would have left millions of dead and survivors would have blamed their leaders.”
Afterthought:
I remember the Cuban missile crisis, the press conferences on television, the pictures of missile carriers with their missiles at rest, the contemplation of death.
Yes, even kids understand death.
Manufacturing Dreams 2
The Las Vegas Sun takes a look at Donald Trump’s promise to bring back manufacturing jobs and concludes that’s it more flim-flam. A nugget:
There is no shortage of economic experts who say it’s a fantasy.
Why?
Because U.S. manufacturers already are producing a lot of goods. They’re just doing it with fewer people due to automation and other technological advancements in manufacturing processes.
Follow the link for much, much more.
War and Mongers of War 0
I hope Farron is overstating things. I fear not.
Welcome to pariah patriotism.