First Looks category archive

Michelle Goldberg looks at the legacy of Elon Musk’s foray into mean for the sake of mean, with a focus on his gutting USAID. Here’s a tiny bit from her article:

Musk apparently did not anticipate that it would be bad public relations for the world’s richest man to take food and medicine from the world’s poorest children.

She goes on to wonder just why this might have been so.

Michael in Norfolk explains why, despite what Elon Musk and his minions may think, having a properly-funded Weather Bureau (to use the phrase that was common when I was a young ‘un) is a good thing.

Via Job’s Anger.

Off to drink liberally.

They get fiendlier every day.

Apparently, a portable drinking cup is now a “leak-proof hydration solution.”

(No, I can’t remember the specific product in that commercial. I wish I could, so I could make sure never to give them my money.)

Via Job’s Anger.

There have been some connectivity issues reaching this website tonight, but, as I write this, it appears that my most excellent hosting provider has resolved them.

Thom dissects the disinformation distributed by the Trump maladminstration to justify subjecting persons to lettres de cachet because, well, as near as I can figure it, being mean for the sake of mean is now a Republican family value.

The Philadelphia Phillies RSS feed seems to be broken, so I’ve removed it from the sidebar.

At Psychology Today Blogs, psychology professor Jonathan D. Raskin argues that RFK Jr.’s reckless and misinformed (disinformed?) statements about autism are–er–less than helpful. He writes that the “HHS Secretary’s lack of knowledge about autism places those with autism at risk.”

Raskin goes on to make three main points:

• People on the autism spectrum are best thought of as different, not disordered.
• Autism occurs on a spectrum and most people carrying the diagnosis live productive lives.
• RFK’s characterization of those with autism is dangerous.

Follow the link to learn what Kennedy said that prompted Raskin to write the article and to see a detailed exploration of the points cited above.

LeBron Hill suggests that working class persons who supported Trump are starting to catch on to his con.

We shall see, but history suggests otherwise, for history teaches us that hate sells, and Trump peddles hate industriously.

Off to drink liberally.

Michael in Norfolk wonder when–or if–his pigeons will catch on.

From the Youtube page:

Here’s a song about #Signalgate – the flamboyant US security breach – adapted from one of our all-time favourite Bee Gees tracks, titled “You Were Not Supposed to Message it Through!” A quick parody turnaround, but only five of us singing as Alfie (actually our hands-down best fake Bee Gee) is currently away, and will be annoyed. One day we’ll have a proper go with instruments live, but for now this will have to suffice as a post-work / post-school knockup.

The fantastic original, “Gotta Get a Message to You”, with its uplifting modulations and incredible layered harmonies, was released in 1968 and got to number one in the UK and the top ten in the US. Apparently it’s actually about someone on death row, though we never realised this until today. Nor that there are some other lower harmonies in later verses that are a bit raspy, which we had fun with.

Mr. Newberger imagines what the White House Easter Egg Roll will be look like now that Donald Trump has put it up for sale.

The stupid.

It metastasizes.