Author's archive
The Rule of Scofflaw 0
Farron points out that Donald Trump has admitted that he’s not complying with the Supreme Court’s order to repatriate Kilmar Abgrego Garcia because he doesn’t want to.
The New Isolationism 0
By imposing his tariffs, Trump is, for all practical purposes, putting the United States behind a self-imposed isolationist blockade.
Michael in Norfolk runs the numbers. A snippet:
Because isolationism worked so well the last time . . . .
Proper Channels 0
Bloomberg’s Beth Kowitt notes that “the bureaucracy is an easy target in dis coarse discourse, but, despite its bad reputation, it is, in fact, a good thing. Here’s bit from her article (emphasis added):
It’s the framework that provides the hierarchy and formalized rules that help an institution run. “The opposite of bureaucracy is not freedom and agility – it’s chaos,” says Mike Lee, a professor of organizational behavior at INSEAD. “When you remove all the formal structures, things become opaque, less fair and power concentrates at the top.” Exhibit A: DOGE, which has managed to create more turmoil in the federal government than it has efficiency.
I spent most of my career working in a large organization. I can attest from my own experience that she makes some excellent points.
While on the subject, I recently had to renew my driver’s license. It took far too long. But it didn’t take too long because of the persons working at the DMV office I used. They were all working very hard, calling the next person as soon as they were finished with the previous one.
Either it was an exceptionally busy day or they are understaffed. If the latter, be clear: they did not understaff themselves.
The Fantasy World 0
Methinks a viable case can be made that Donald Trump (along with the Trumpettes) lives in his own alternative reality.
The Rule of Lawless 0
Sam and Emma talk with Elie Mystal about why some low firms and universities are capitulating to Donald Trump’s demands.
The Process of Elimination (Updated) 0
Sherlock Holmes once said, “When you have eliminated the impossible whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.”
Via The Kansas City Star, Elizabeth Shackelford attempts to use that statement to make sense of Donald Trump’s foreign you-can-hardly-call-them-without-laughing policies.
Addendum:
“History Does Not Repeat Itself, but It Often Rhymes”* 0
At AL.com, Mo Brooks argues that, as discordant as it sounds, “Trump” rhymes with “Nixon” in many ways.
Follow the link for his parsing of the poesy.
________________
*Mark Twain.
A Passing Remark 0
For some fool reason, my neighbor said to me just the other day, “It only took Hitler 53 days.”
Twice.
Whyever might my neighbor have made such a remark?
Inquiring minds want to know.
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
More “responsible gun owners” feel compelled to discharge their portable phalluses on the road.
(snip)
The 12-year-old boy, who was riding in the back seat of the SUV, had been shot in the hip. Police noticed what appeared to be several bullet holes in the rear driver’s side door of the SUV.
We are a broken society.
Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much. 0
Mendacious? Well, they’re just bots. They do what they’re told.
From El Reg:
What they found is that AI models will often lie in order to achieve the goals set for them.