November, 2013 archive
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
I had breakfast in a Waffle House yesterday; I like them because they have real (AKA country) ham, rather than that pathetic boiled Yankee “it calls itself ham” pretend ham.
The staff was polite and attentive, but not this polite.
(snip)
Pierce said a restaurant customer “got into a verbal argument with other patrons in the Waffle House when he got up and fired two shots into the air, and then before leaving in a car fired one more shot in the direction of others inside.”
Sports Palace Pickpockets (Updated) 0
Another proposal for a sports palace in Virginia Beach has surfaced.
This one claims that, even in the absence of a big league franchise of some sort, the deal would be a money maker and would cost less than the last deal that the local Developer Party tried to sneak through city council.
The previous deal called for the city to put in $241 million, the state $150 million and a private company $35 million. That money included $80 million to be paid to the Kings for relocation. The city and its Economic Development Department spent about $1.2 million on the previous arena plan.
As far as I can see–and the experience of many cities supports this–when developers want the government to pay for their projects, it’s a good sign that the project will not be a money-maker. Rather, the government will end up holding the bag, stranded on base, and saddled with debt for a building that stands empty most of the time.
Support a sports palace on the grounds of civic pride or public service and you may have a legitimate argument–but profit and economic development? That’s a con and a scam.
Addendum, Later That Same Day:
Via PoliticalProf, here’s a for instance.
Dulcet Tones 0
In which I talk about my new Zareason Zatab ZT2 wireless Android tablet, with which I am quite satisfied, thank you very much.
Download the handout (PDF) here.
Click the image for a larger view.
Zareason specializes in Linux-based computers.
Great Barrier Riff 0
Last night I watched an episode of Peter Gunn (when I was good, my parents would let me stay up late enough to watch it first-run), which leads me to wonder:
Why is it that, when I was a young ‘un, television shows could tell a complex, nuanced, suspenseful story in half an hour, when today they can’t do it in a season.
Plus it’s got the best theme song ever written.
Grumpity-grump-grump.
Drinking Liberally Norfolk Tonight 0
Now on Tuesdays for Norfolk (still Thursdays for Virginia Beach) to make it easier for persons with commitments on either day to catch at least one per month.
Drinking Liberally is a gathering place for liberals. Socialize and laugh in a friendly atmosphere.
When: 6 p., Tuesday, November 12.
Where:
Uno Chicago Grill
5900 Virginia Beach Blvd
(Janaf Shopping Center) (map)
Details here. Meetup page here.
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” (Updated) 0
How is this not “terroristic threatening“?
Addendum:
Bob Cesca is right, you know. You may be enjoying being nasty, but you’re still being nasty.
The Rich Are Different from You and Me 2
And they aim to keep it that way.
I do not agree with Thom’s statement that “we need to end globalization.” I don’t think that that’s possible.
Globalization is not fueled by policy; it’s fueled by technology (by which I don’t mean just computers–I mean communication, transportation, the whole ball of wax).
It may be possible and necessary to shape globalization into a less pernicious form (think “no more workers burning to death in clothing factories”) through policy, but end it? No.
Historical Markers 0
I got a dollar says we’ll be hearing more about this:
The highway marker is scheduled to be unveiled today (that was Friday–ed.) on the grounds of the historic New Bern Academy, where the unit had a farewell ceremony in July 1863, said Mike Hill of the N.C. Office of Archives and History. Less than a year later, the unit was renamed the 35th U.S. Colored Troops, according to a news release from the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources, which oversees the highway marker program with the state Transportation Department.
Just sayin’.
Social-o-Path Networking 0
Not at all what it seemed–from Der Spiegel:
The victims didn’t notice that what they were looking at wasn’t the original site but a fake profile with one invisible added feature: a small piece of malware that turned their computers into tools for Britain’s GCHQ intelligence service.
This, by the way, is an example of a “man-in-the middle” attack.
Details at the link. And take care social networking–it is becoming anti-social.
Theft of Services 0
Zombie charter school continues to scam after it has left this life.
Solomon Charter School on Vine Street agreed to surrender its charter to the state Department of Education on Oct. 30, in part because its program for seventh through 11th graders was housed in a building that shared space with a sex-offender clinic.
But Solomon also was under fire because it had enrolled 200 elementary students this fall – even though it was authorized to serve students only from the sixth through 11th grades.
The story goes on to report that zombie claims that it deserves the money because it does.
Magical Misery Tour 2
Heather Denkmire is not impressed by persons who decide to take the “SNAP challenge” and live on a foodstamp-sized food budget for a week.
A nugget:
Read the rest.
News, Ripped from the Ticker 0
The usual warnings.