A Tune for the Times 0
From the Youtube page:
The “Battle Hymn of the Republic” is an iconic American song, drawing on lots of roots and precursors, but pulled into its most famous shape by abolitionist Julia Ward Howe. During the American Civil War it became a signature marching song for the Union Army, linked to patriotism and faith, and has since become part of the canon of American national music. We do not attempt or treat it lightly, but our version reflects on how the first week of 2026 has already seen Trump’s troops advancing his domestic and foreign policy agendas. Every marching step is another step away from the principles and traditions embedded in the song: we have seen the transgression of international law in Venezuela, the murder of unarmed Americans in Minneapolis (and its defence by the administration), the US’s withdrawal from multiple international organisations, and explicit threats issued to other sovereign powers and polities, including Greenland.
Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much? 0
Your BFF? At Psychology Today Blogs, Paul Thagard reminds us that AI bots can’t be our fiends because (my words, not his) they’re freaking machines playing a pre-programmed part for Pete’s sake.
Here’s his summary of his argument; follow the link for a detailed exploration of each point.
1. Caring is an emotional response.
2. Emotions are, in part, physiological reactions to situations.
3. AI models have none of these physiological reactions.
4. So AI models lack emotions.
5. So AI models are incapable of caring.
Speaking of Gaslighting . . . . 0
Trudy Rubin notes that
I commend her entire piece to your attention.
American Stasi 0
Mary Trump shines a light on the gaslighting.
Suffer the Children, Vaccine Nation Dept. 0
Once again, we are reminded that that’s not scripture. That’s a Republican family value. Dr. Leah Luckeroth points out that
Follow the link for her reasoning.
A Singular Achievement 0
Donald Trump can claim one accomplishment that no other president can claim.
He has given American citizens, legal residents, long-time allies, and international neighbors reason to mistrust the word of the United States of America.
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
Yet another “responsible gun owner” discharges his responsibility.
Whatever happened to “make sure a gun isn’t loaded before you clean–or do anything else with–it”?
Oh.
It comes to me that, in gun nut world, “clean” is a synonym for “fondle” and “caress.”
Speaking of Rhymes . . . . 0
Jim Jones writes of hearing one in an article at the Idaho State Journal. Here’s a couplet:
“History Does Not Repeat Itself, but It Often Rhymes”* 0
Michael in Norfolk hears a rhyme. Here’s bit of the cadence:
_______________
*Mark Twain.
A Tune for the Times 0
From the Youtube page:
The killing of a Minneapolis woman, Renee Good, by an ICE agent this week, was a tragedy, due to a situation created by Trump as a political stunt and a show of force in a state that he lost in the last election, all aimed at getting revenge on Governor Walz, who has called Trump out as a dangerous, power-mad, corrupt and petty fascist.
While it is impossible to know what went on in the mind of the ICE agent as he fired multiple times, at close range, into Good’s car, I find Kristy Noem’s version of events hard to believe. Based upon what I saw on video of the event, I imagined my own narrative of what might possibly transpire in a similar situation. My version seems as likely as the version created and pushed by the government.
Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much. 0
A factory for false witness and a perpetrator of perjury? According to D. C. Judge Herbert Dixon, fake AI evidence is getting too good to spot without extensive investigation.
Follow the link for one woman’s story.
The Greenland New Deal 0
Thom discusses “Mad King Donald” Trump’s obsession with Greenland.