2019 archive
Code Breaker 0
If there’s not something against this in the Flag Code, there should be.
Republican Family Values, Protect the Children Dept. 0
Thom marvels at failed attempts to raise the female age of consent in Idaho, where it is currently 13 years of age.
I remember when my daughters were 13. Words fail me.
And Now for a Change of Pace 0
Via KCEA.
Aside:
When I was a young ‘un, I had the pleasure of watching the Mills Brothers cohost the old Mike Douglas Show. They were truly something special.
One of the unique features of that show was that cohost(s) cohosted for a week. When Frankie Laine, who wore glasses with heavy black frames, was the cohost, he wore a different pair of glasses each day; one pair featured little windshield wipers (he replaced them quickly after demonstrating the wipers).
Still Rising Again after All These Years, Chartering a Course for Disaster Dept. 0
North Carolina allows a failing seg academy to become a charter school.
Profligate Proliferation 0
Nicholas Kristof looks at the effort on the part of Donald Trump and, in particular, Jared Kushner, to supply Saudi Arabia with nuclear reactors capable of use in creating nuclear weapons. He cuts to the quick (emphasis in the original):
Trump seems to believe that the Saudis have us over a barrel: If we don’t help them with nuclear technology, someone else will. That misunderstands the U.S.-Saudi relationship. The Saudis depend on us for their security, and the blunt truth is that we hold all the cards in this relationship, not them.
Follow the link for the entire article.
“The Weaponization of Ignorance” 0
David distills the weirdest moments from Donald Trump’s bizarre CPAC speech.
Aside:
I suspect that my two or three regular readers did not watch the speech. I certainly didn’t. As you know, “I’ll read about it tomorrow” is my M. O. even for things I’m interested in, but this is truly beyond beyond the fringe.
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 (March 7, 2019). 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.
The Voter Fraud Fraud 0
Thom reads from Greg Sargent’s new book.
Beyond Beneath Right and Wrong
0
Bruce Lowry considers Donald Trump’s recent remarks about the death of Otto Warmbier and earlier remarks about the murder of Washington Post journalist and Saudi Arab expatriot Jamal Khashoggi.
He reaches a chilling and quite unsurprising conclusion.
I do not wish to summarize or excerpt his article. Just follow the link to read it.
The Diet of Worms 0
In related news, my local rag has a long Washington Post article about how sea-level rise and result salt infusion in groundwater is rendering some coastal farmlands infertile.
War and Mongers of War 0
Leon Anderson points out that the United States has pursued a de facto policy of almost perpetual war, all undeclared and some secret and covert, for decades.
If you include President Carter’s failed attempt to rescue the American hostages in Iran, every President since Eisenhower–who left office warning us of the “military-industrial comples”–has sent American soldiers into harm’s way, often for made-up reasons. Anderson explores the cost of America’s continual wars. A snippet:
In terms of financial cost, the numbers are staggering. Afghanistan alone has cost a trillion dollars. Just think what we might have accomplished at home if that money had been spent on education, job training, medical research, infrastructure improvements, water purification and sanitation. You can add to this list. It’s all important, but taking a backseat to our military funding.
Data Breaches of Trust 0
Representative Katie Porter (D-CA) toasts Equifax’s CEO.
Clear and President Danger 0
Shaun Mullen argues that the time to act is now, before the damage is irreversible.
Methinks his arguments deserve a hearing.