A Tune for the Times 0
(Warning: Mild language.)
“History Does Not Repeat Itself, but It Often Rhymes”* 0
At the Tampa Bay Times, Elizabeth Bird hears something from the past that sounds eerily like “Alligator Alcatraz.”
_____________-
*Mark Twain.
Twits on Twitter X Offenders
0
See foot. Shoot foot.
Republican Thought Police, Reprise 0
At Above the Law, Joe Patrice reports that Missouri’s Attorney-General is a bit peeved because he doesn’t like what some AI chatbots said. A snippet:
The common thread in each letter is that Trump ranked consistently last when the algorithms are asked, “Rank the last five presidents from best to worst, specifically in regards to antisemitism.”
Follow the link for context, and lots of it.
Aside:
Yeah, I know. AI bots don’t really “think,” at least not in any sentient, self-aware way, but, then, neither do the Republican thought pol–oh, never mind.
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
And another oxymoronic “responsible gun owner” exposes his portable phallus to a child.
Republican Thought Police 0
Heaven forbid that university students might have to–gasp!–think about ideas.
Break Time 0
Off to drink liberally.
Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much. 0
A reliable witness? That bridge in Brooklyn is still on the market.
Devolution 0
Every time I think we’ve hit peak stupid, I find myself, as my old boss used to say, in error.
Afterthought:
He was my boss at my first full time job and one of the best bosses I had (and I’ve been lucky enough to have had mostly good bosses and only one really bad one).
I asked him once how he got to be such a good boss. He thought for a moment, then said, “I think about what my last boss would have done. Then I do the opposite.”
Establishmentarians 0
Separation of church and state. Fuggedaboutit.
Farron parses the prevarication.
Suffer the Children 0
Once again we are reminded that that’s not scripture. That’s a Republican family value.
“But It’s the Only Possible Explanation” 0
At Psychology Today Blogs, Sam Goldstein explores how evolution has predisposed us to be susceptible to conspiracy theories. Given the current state of dis coarse discourse, methinks it a timely and worthwhile read. Here’s a tiny bit:
This creates fertile ground for pseudoscience and conspiracy theories. Considering the role of the “illusion of causality,” where people perceive non-existent causal links, especially in areas like alternative medicine and superstition, is critical (Blanco & Matute, 2018). These illusions persist because they exploit our evolved cognitive tendencies.
The rise of social media further worsens this problem.
Devolution 0
We seem to be going from a government of the people, by the people, and for the people, to a governemt of the Donald, by the Donald, and for the Donald.
Republican Family Values 0
The editorial board of the Bangor Daily News is–er–somewhat taken aback by Trump maladministration’s and today’s Republican Party’s embrace of mean for the sake of mean.