2019 archive
Mythreading History 0
In The Roanoke Times, Jeff Thomas takes a scathing look at the myths that white Southerners, particularly Virginians, have created to shield themselves from their history. Here’s a bit:
How did this happen?
Virginia’s ruling class invented a state religion about the myths of Saint Jefferson and General Lee to control the population. The myth and reality are symbiotic. If everything is great, then why change?
The Dearth of Expertise 0
Paul Krugman explains why “Republican expert” is an oxymoron.
Rationalizing the Irrational 0
Mike muses on the blind devotion of Donald Trump’s dupes, symps, and fellow-travelers.
QOTD 0
Kinky Friedman:
How can you look at the Texas legislature and still believe in intelligent design?
Aside:
Not just Texas, folks.
The Misinformation Highway 0
At Psychology Today Blogs, Ira Hyman wonders whether we will be able to save ourselves from drowning in falsehoods. A nugget:
I’m optimistic because people in various disciplines see and understand the problems of misinformation in social media and the news.
(snip)
But I also remain pessimistic.
Follow the link to learn why his emotions are mixed.
Giving America the Business 0
The flaw in the foolish notion that “government should be run like a business” is that government is not a business. The purpose of government is manage the affairs to the state and the polity, not to make and sell a product.
Llewellyn King suggests that Donald Trump is the logical outcome of said notion.
Clearly, Trump thought that was what he would do when he took over the United States. His attempts to govern by fiat illustrate that frustration.
One Nation, Divisible, Reprise 0
Sam and Daniel Denvir discuss how the right-wing uses immigration to divide the polity, the futility of attempting to compromise with the right-wing, and possible courses of actions.
Everybody Must Get Fracked 0
The Environmental Pollution Agency decides (again) against regulating fracking waste. A nugget:
If equally contaminated waste came from other industries, it would usually be designated hazardous waste and subject to strict tracking and disposal rules designed to keep the public safe from industrial pollution. But in July 1988, after burying clear warnings from its own scientists about the hazards of oilfield waste, the EPA offered the oil and gas industry a broad exemption from hazardous waste handling laws.
The EPA‘s decision this week echoes that.
Much more at the link.
One Nation, Divisible 0
Greg Kesich examines how Russian interests promote American divisiveness. A snippet:
