2023 archive
The (Highly) Improbable Dream 0
David Tulanian wishes for the unlikely.
Insincerely Yours 0
At Psychology Today Blogs, Dr. Bruce Y. Lee takes a deep dive into fake apologies. You know the ones; he describes them in his opening:
Well, I regret to inform you that such apologies are not only fake but, unfortunately, very common.
Follow the link for some pointers on how avoid being taken in by them.
QOTD 0
Susan Hampshire, in the voice of Molly MacDonald:
Somehow, when things change, it’s easier to just put your head in the sand and leave it there.
Afterthought:
It seems to that there’s quite a bit of that going on these days.
Meta: Maintenance 0
I logged into my VPS tonight, as I do several times a week, to do routine maintenance. (Indeed, the last time I had to call my hosting provider’s most excellent tech support, the support tech was mildly surprised to find that my server was quite up-to-date. Having briefly worked in hosting provider tech support, I am not surprised that he was mildly surprised.)
I ran a virus scan (it came up clean as usual), then I ran an software update. The update updated the SQL database engine.
As I commonly do after an update, I went back to the backend of the blog and clicked on a random link as a test and got the dreaded “Error connecting to database” error. But, a moment later, everything was working again. I’m guessing that the database engine update hadn’t quite fully taken effect, but that’s just a guess. Anyway, just for grins and giggles, I restarted the server.
Everything seems to be working okay now.
Aside:
I’ve been using the same hosting provider for over a decade, ever since I stopped self-hosting. I went with it because someone I found trustworthy recommended it. I haven’t looked elsewhere because of the quality of its support techs. Fortunately, I don’t need them often, but they have never let me down.
Its support techs set the example.
Leadership in a Vacuum by a Vacuum
0
Steve M. looks at what happens when thoughtlessness and emotion replace thought.
“The Buttoned-Up Quiet Types” 0
Seth takes a closer look at the co-conspirators who have flipped on Donald Trump.
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
The hunt for politeness goes into overdrive.
Karen Karen-Like 0
What’s the proper term for a cosplaying male Karen?
Republican Thought Police 0
Florida Man plans to enforce Newspeak, Florida style.
QOTD 0
Josephine Tey:
The problem with you, dear, as that you think of an angel of the Lord as a creature with wings, when he is probably a scruffy little man in a bowler hat.
Tey, Josephine (Elizabeth MacKintosh), The Franchise Affair (New York: Scribner, 2020), p. 251
A Tune for the Times 0
Mangy comments at the Youtube page:
I find it pretty curious how Congressional Republicans, who market themselves as the party of manly virtues, bravery, integrity, honesty, and First Amendment freedom, will vote one way when doing a roll call vote, and completely differently when casting a secret ballot. What happened to independent thinking, saying what you believe, and doing as you say? To vote one way publicly, and another privately (as was the case in the Jim Jordan House Speaker votes) is not exactly a profile in courage. Kind of reminds me of the KKK members who wore a cloak of respectability during the day, then a white sheet and hood at night, when suddenly, under cover of anonymity, these chickens became (in their deluded minds) brave warriors of the lost cause. Real heroic, huh? Seems like those who vote for such Republicans, believing them to be honorable and honest, are equally deluded.
Fly the Fiendly Skies 0
Who knows, you might just be lucky enough to sit next to one of those oxymoronic “responsible gun owners.”
Plus ca Change 0
While on the subject, Victoria Hugo-Vidal reminds us that two wrongs don’t make a right.
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
And, as we know, a polite society is a clean society.
Guns and stupid, guns and stupid.
They go together like love and Cupid.
Let me tell you brother,
You can’t have one without the other.
Too Much Sharing 0
You think they’re your “friends” on “social” media until you find out that they aren’t.
The good news is that you can turn that “feature” off.
Much more at the link.
Aside:
I keep “location services” turned off on my cell phone unless I have a positive need for them, which is almost never, because I know how to read a map. Remember maps?
Big Tech doesn’t need to know when I take the cats to the vet.
The Allure of the Amoral 0
Professor Michael Matthews is a member of the faculty at West Point, where teaching leadership skills is part of the curriculum. At Psychology Today Blogs, he consider why poor, even Machiavellian and disordered persons rise to positions of leadership. Here’s a brief bit from the portion of his article in which he discusses the possible influence of “social” media (emphasis added):
In the context of dis coarse discourse, I find his article timely and commend it to your attention.