Geeking Out 0
One last screenshot of Mageia v. 9 with the Plasma desktop decorated for the season with a wallpaper from my collection.
Establishmentarians 0
Thom looks at recent Establishmentarian antics in Texas (and a few other states).
“And Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
When patronizing your local shopping emporium, do so with politeness.
Vaccine Nation 0
As ye sow, so shall ye reap.
Republican Family Values 0
“Republican family values” has never been anything other than a marketing slogan, a tale told to the susceptible, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.
Geeking Out 0
Another screenshot for the season.
Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much. 0
Makes stuff up. Yes indeedy-do.
All the News that Fits 0
Steven A Hassan, who in his youth was enticed into the Moonies, discusses how to help persons escape the influence of cults. In the course of his article, he discusses “the BITE Model, which is presently used to evaluate the destructive (or constructive) qualities of a cult or to identify undue influence.” It caught my eye because it seemed eerily familiar.
Here’s his short definition of the BITE model; the second and third items seem particularly to echo elements of dis coarse discourse (emphasis in the original).
Behavior Control: Your actions, environments, and routines are strictly dictated.
Information Control: The flow of free, accurate information is restricted to influence perception.
Thought Control: Techniques like loaded language or thought-stopping are used to suppress dissent.
Emotional Control: Guilt, fear, or other emotions are manipulated to ensure obedience.
Methinks you will find it a worthwhile read.
America’s Health Scarce System 0
Mike and Farron discusses a health “insurance” company’s strategy to squeeze more profits out of anesthesized patients while they are under the knife.
The United States made a big mistake when it put for-profit companies in charge of health care.
Gutting Out the Vote 0
It appears that Republicans did not have to gut out the vote.
Voters did it for them.
My Daddy taught me through example that voting is not a right.
It is a duty.
Via PoliticalProf, it would appear that a large portion of the citizenry was not taught that lesson or, perhaps, chose to ignore it.
I fear that they–and the rest of us who did vote–will pay dearly for their indolence and apathy.
A Notion of Immigrants 0
The SPLC takes a deep dive into the growth of anti-Haitian rhetoric lies and how they feed division and hatred.
Here’s a bit from their article (emphasis added. The whole piece is worth your while.
“The extremist forces behind the Springfield attacks know that they can only succeed with division,” she wrote. “They employ the machinery of antisemitism and racism to distract from the root causes of our collective struggles and turn us against each other.”
Geeking Out 0
Some Christmas wallpaper on Mageia v. 9 with the Plasma desktop. The wallpaper is from my collection.
