December, 2014 archive
Misty Water-Colored Memories 0
John Crisp wonders about motivation and memory. A nugget:
For that matter, some white Texans might cringe a little, too. My mother’s direct line of descent includes Francis Marion Hayes, a Texas frontier lawyer and eventually a state legislator. On March 7, 1860, he wrote to his brother: “I have nothing of importance to write in the way of news. I attended another negro sale yesterday. Negroes did not sell so high as they did the first of January. I bought one little boy about 10 years old for $1151.00, about as good a bargain as was sold on that day.”
The next time you hear someone get all misty-eyed about the Old South and the Lost Cause, ask, “What, exactly, was the cause that was lost?”
How Stuff Works, Surgical Strike Dept. 0
Der Spiegel parses NATO’s kill list. A snippet (much more indescriminate death and destruction at the link):
The operations center identified “Doody” at 10:17 a.m. But visibility is poor and the helicopter is forced to circle another time. Then the gunner fires a “Hellfire” missile. But he has lost sight of the mullah during the maneuver, and the missile strikes a man and his child instead. The boy is killed instantly and the father is severely wounded. When the pilot realizes that the wrong man has been targeted, he fires 100 rounds at “Doody” with his 30-mm gun, critically injuring the mullah.
“Surgical strike” is a myth perpetuated by those who monger war and would have you believe that life is a video game.
In real life, there is no such thing.
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
The hunt for politeness continues apace.
Another gun discharges all on its ownsome, without interference of a human creature with agency. It’s the shooting singularity, I tell you! The shooting singularity!
Or, possibly, some persons are too stupid to handle firearms.
The Fee Hand of the Market 0
Quality destruction at a price that’s right.
Complaints about the Georgia-based company have been pouring in since shortly after IAL started the job in May. Service members’ cars were arriving late, IAL’s tracking system was inaccurate, and the company was not responding to grievances or queries.
Plus, many of the vehicles that do get delivered are delivered damaged. Much more at the link.
“Don’t Get Sick. If You Do Get Sick, Die Quickly.” 0
(Open tag fixed.)
A medical student summarizes the effects on Virginia’s rural poor of Republicans’ partisan rejection of Medicaid expansion. A snippet:
However, our state legislature has demonstrated their allegiance to partisan politics over the health and welfare of the commonwealth. As a result, chronic diseases are more prevalent here in Appalachia than in any other part of the United States.
For example, disparities in cancer screening between Appalachian and controlled non-Appalachian populations result in significantly higher cancer incidence and mortality here in Appalachia. In addition, five-year survival rates for cancer patients in Appalachian populations are significantly lower than their non-Appalachian equivalents.
Droning On 0
I sty with my little spy . . . .
Some of the pools of waste, he says in the video, are the size of four football fields. Devries also said some of the waste is sprayed in the air, contaminating adjacent neighborhoods.
Light Bloggery 0
I got nothing.
Chartering a Course to Disaster 0
The Privatization Scam strikes again (with bonus must-take quiz).
Forever Young 0
Join the Photoslop Generation.
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
It’s not polite to get loaded, so get politely unloaded.
Running a Campaign Like a Business 0
Debra J. Saunders, writing at SFGate.com, has qualms and the resurfacing of Carly Fiorina as “Presidential hopeful.”
