July, 2018 archive
Stimulus–>Response 0
Robert Epstein, former Editor-in-Chief at Psychology Today among many other accomplishments, offers a construct for understanding why Donald Trump does and says what he does and says. The concept is “sympathetic audience control”; it does not refer to the individual’s controlling the audience, but rather to the audience’s affecting the individual.
Everyone, of course, is affected by this to some degree. We behave differently at the in-laws than at the neighborhood watering hole, differently in church than at a party or in a business meeting.
Epstein suggests that Trump manifests an extreme version of sympathetic audience control.
I find this completely consistent with Trump’s behavior as observed and reported daily; follow the link to determine whether or not you find his argument persuasive.
Here’s a bit (emphasis added):
Aside:
In a similar vein, Dick Polman mourns the death of truth.
Tabloid Tactics 0
Professor Robert Strong theorizes that Donald Trump’s political success is related to his mastery of super market check-out aisle marketing. A nugget:
Make TWUUG Your LUG 2
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 (August 2, 2018). 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.
War and Mongers or War 0
Thom and Juan Cole discuss whether it’s thinkable that Donald Trump may join with the Neocons to foment a war with Iran so as to turn the focus away from his own conduct.
All That Was Old Is New Again 0
The Raleigh News and Observer reports that Rufus Edmisten, who served on the staff of the Watergate Committee, hears a familiar ring in contemporary events. A snippet:
“I think they’re trying to outdo Watergate,” he said of President Trump’s advisers and associates and the president himself. . . .
“If some of the people around Trump would read the Nixon-Watergate playbook, they wouldn’t be doing this foolishness. Instead they are expanding on it,” he said.
Do please read the rest.
We Went to a Garden Party . . . . 0
The weather yesterday was not too hot and humid, so we went to Norfolk’s Gardens by the Sea, specifically to visit the Butterfly House. Here are a few pictures. (Species were identified with the help of The Butterflies and Moths of North America website.)
Adult Monarch Butterfly
“Good Fences Make Good Neighbors” 0
But neighbors don’t necessarily make good fences.
Facebook Frolics 0
One more time, the internet is a public place.
A Spicy Publication 0
Farron is not impressed with Sean Spicer’s new book. (Unfortunately for Farron, he makes an egregious error in his rant. Can you spot it?)
(Typo fixed.)
The Climates They Are a-Changing 0
Will Bunch covers the fire this time and why it’s not getting the media play it warrants. A snippet:
Why is this, and what is to be done?
In the Why Dept., climate change is ultimately a science story — which is bad news on several fronts. Bill Nye aside, America is pretty much a nation of Not Science Guys and Gals — with study after study showing that the U.S. lags the rest of the developed world when it comes to science education. Lack of education typically leads to lack of interest, but I don’t think that’s the only reason viewers reach for the remote. We’ve also seen a steady devolution as reality-show production values trump (pun intended) any kind of real-information culture in the news media.
And it’s not just here.
Afterthought:
I fear we are well past the tipping point.
Suffer the Children 0
Brian Greenspun marvels at the Republican Family Values of ripping the children or immigrants and asylum-seekers from the arms of their parents. A snippet:
Through the decades, though, as the nature of human interaction and the darker human instincts overruled decency and neighborliness, there has never been the slightest concern about the role of government in the fight to protect children from harm.
Until Donald Trump.
Do please read the rest.
