2017 archive
Scare Tactics 0
At Psychology Today Blogs, Roy Eidelson describes how the NRA and the gun lobby uses fear to line their pockets. A snippet:
(snip)
Of course, scientific evidence regarding gun violence isn’t popular with many beholden members of Congress. For them, propaganda is just fine. In fact, thanks to NRA lobbying, Congress prohibits the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from even conducting research related to guns and public health.
“Republican Family Values” . . . . 0
. . . is a con for the rubes.
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
Expose your progeny to politeness.
(snip)
An Orange County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman said the boy’s father left him in the vehicle with access to the loaded gun while he went into Neighborhood Kids Academy preschool to pick up another child.
Falsehood Prophets 0
Using the Las Vegas shooting as a springboard, Mike discusses the venality and hypocrisy of the religious right.
Warning: Language.
The Four Ds of Trumpery 0
At the Bangor Daily News, Amy Fried counts the Ds:
Along with defensiveness, Trump demonstrates denial, distraction and deceit.
Follow the link for her explanation.
Misdirection Play, “Politicization” Dept. 0
Monica Messe reveals the “don’t politicize this” scam. A snippet:
What “Don’t politicize this” often means is, Don’t politicize this if the shooter belongs to me.
Follow the link for her reasoning.
Make TWUUG Your LUG 0
Learn about the wonderful world of free and open source. Use computers to do what you want, not what someone else wants you to do. Learn how to use GNU/Linux and its plethora of free and open source software to get stuff done with computers.
It’s not hard; it’s just different.
When: Monthly TWUUG meeting at 7:30 p. m. on the first Thursday of the month (October 5, 2017). Pre-meeting dinner at Chicago Uno, JANAF shopping center, 6:00 p. m. (map)
Who: Everyone in TideWater/Hampton Roads with interest in any/all flavors of Unix/Linux. There are no dues or signup requirements. All are welcome.
Where: Lake Taylor Transitional Care Hospital in Norfolk Training Room (map). (Wireless and wired internet connection available.) Turn right upon entering, then left at the last corridor and look for the open meeting room.
Elections Have Consequences . . . 0
. . . and they are not always positive.
Because There Are Always Enough Electrons for Another Cat Picture 0
Meet Peaches and Ziggy.
(When we got them from the SPCA, Ziggy was named “Mango,” and we thought, “What the hell kind of name is ‘Mango’ for an [ex-]tom cat?” “Ziggy” came about because he zigs and zags about the house.) They are brother and sister and get along famously, snuzzling and nuzzling throughout the day.
They fill the hole left by JoCat’s passing. We were loading her into the carrier to take her to the emergency vet when she breathed her last.
JoCat joined the family when my father passed away a dozen years ago and had a long full life of dominating the household.
Her sister lives with my brother. Originally, they were Joe and Sam, until it became apparent that they were Josephine and Samantha. With cats kittens, it’s hard to tell . . . .
The Entitlement Society 0
If you can’t change the law, change the lawyers.
Highlights Reel 0
Thom looks at several under-covered stories from the news.
Note: Tom Price was fired (or resigned under pressure, which is fundamentally the same thing) after this segment was recorded, but that does not negate Thom’s larger points about priorities, budgets, and news coverage, as the next guy is likely to be just as bad.
A Cavalcade of Misdirection Plays 0
Timothy Egan tries to pierce the fog of bloviation.