Dis Coarse Discourse 0
The coarseness is zooming. Here’s a snippet from the San Jose Mercury News reporting on the rise of persons “zoom-bombing” public meetings with hate speech:
Market Farces 0
Steve M. reports on the latest step in Republicans’ anti-LGBTQ crusade appears to be attacking retailers who sell merchandise that said crusaders find offensive. Apparently, in their view, admitting the very existence of LGBTQ persons is now being portrayed as “grooming.” Here’s a bit from his article; follow the link for his reasoning.
And this from the party that claims to celebrate the “free hand of the market.”
Mean for the Sake of Mean 0
Jason330 runs the numbers.
Obsession 0
At The Roanoke Times, Betsy Biesenbach marvels at the recent hysteria over the idea that (gasp!) persons should be accepted for who they are. I commend her entire article to your attention, but this bit in particular caught my eye:
In a related vein, Leonard Hitchcock, writing at the Idaho State Journal, has a wonder:
Both articles are worth your while.
Dinosaurs Redux 0
I saw pick-up truck yesterday with a bumper sticker reading, “This vehicle is fueled by recycled dinosaurs.”
I thought of that when I saw Brian Greenspun’s column in The Las Vegas Sun. He notes that temperatures in Vegas and around the world are breaking records and argues that dinosaurs are still with us. A bit of his article:
That is if the dinosaurs of today — let’s call them the elected leaders who insist on doing the bidding of the carbon-based industries around the globe — will start making decisions designed to prolong life rather than shorten or downright end it!
Personally, I am somewhat less than optimistic.
Strategization 0
Follow this link if you are curious to see a graphical representation of the strategy likely to be adopted by Donald Trump’s lawyers.
Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much. 0
Bruce Schneier points out the ChatGPT and similar “AI” bots work by mining data produced by others, then spitting in back out.
He proposes that those whose data is mined deserve to be reimbursed for their contributions. Follow the link for his reasoning.
All That Was Old Is New Again, Reprise 0
Thom reminds us that, as Mark Twain once observed, history doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes.
All That Was Old Is New Again 0
Davidson College Professor Isaac Bailey reacts to a message that he received that started out by addressing him with “Hey, boy!”
I commend the complete article to your attention.
Precedented 0
In his letter to the editor of the Las Vegas Sun, Gil Eisner is sees shadows from the past.
I do hope he is, as my old boss used to say, in error, but I fear–oh, never mind.
Legends in Their Own Minds 0
Methinks Atrios is onto something.
