2019 archive
“Ins” and “Outs” 0
At Psychology Today Blogs, Elizabeth A. Segal explores tribalism. After explaining that humans lived for centuries in small, homogeneous groups because geography and (lack of) means of traveling and mixing with others mandated it, we evolved with a predisposition to identifying with our “tribe.” But there is downside. Here’s a nugget (emphasis added):
Facebook Frolics 0
HUD has filed a lawsuit accusing Facebook of facilitating housing discrimination through the tools it gives to advertisers. Here’s a bit from the report:
HUD also alleges Facebook allowed advertisers certain tools on their advertising platform that could exclude people who were classified as “non-American-born,” “non-Christian” or “interested in Hispanic culture,” among other things. It also said advertisers could exclude people based on ZIP code, essentially “drawing a red line around those neighborhoods on a map.”
The story goes on to report that Facebook is claiming that it has been working in good faith with HUD to deal with these issues.
Discriminate! in the Name of the Lord 0
The Austin Statesman cuts to the heart of those religionists, almost all or whom proudly dub themselves as “Christian,” who would legalize discrimination on the basis of religion. You know, those folks who don’t want to bake a cake for a gay wedding, just to mention one example.
A snippet:
Disaster Belief 0
David wonders whether Donald Trump fully comprehends that Puerto Ricans are American citizens.
QOTD 0
Rex Stout, in the voice of Archie Goodwin:
The answer was really simple, but of course that’s one thing we use our minds for, finding complicated reasons for dodging simple answers.
Stout, Rex, The Doorbell Rang (New York: Bantam, 1992), p. 129-130.
Getting the Wind UP 0
I reckon he’s never heard of “batteries.”
Gunning for the Gold 0
The Booman tries to figure out why the Trump administration and Education Secretary Betsy Amway DeVos have chosen to target the Special Olympics. (Even though the Trump administration has since backed down on the Special Olympics, I think the Booman article is still worth a read.)
Of course, the explanation could be much simpler. It could just be Republicans being mean for the sake of mean.
River Rats 0
Otters cavorting in a creek–another picture from my brother in Virginia’s Northern Neck.
