[ggwhiz]

Winstonm, on 2018-December-09, 09:02, said:

Two questions for anyone who might know or have a guess: 1) how did the Russians know which side to take, and 2) why would the Russians care about net neutrality in the U.S.A.?

My best guess

1) You are for freedom of expression and choice, Russia is against you.
2) Control of the narrative is for $ale. They already bought Trump, the NRA and at least approaching a majority interest in the GoP.

[Winstonm]

Donald Trump Individual-1 Jr. is back in Canada to hunt.

Quote

The eldest son of U.S. President Donald Trump Individual-1 posted photos to his social media accounts over the weekend of him boarding an expedition plane out of Whitehorse, Yukon. The plane is believed to be an Alkan Air plane, a Yukon-based private aircraft charter.

Build that wall! Build that wall!

[johnu]

ggwhiz, on 2018-December-09, 11:47, said:

My best guess

1) You are for freedom of expression and choice, Russia is against you.
2) Control of the narrative is for $ale. They already bought Trump, the NRA and at least approaching a majority interest in the GoP.

Some big business is against net neutrality.

Who’s putting the most money against net neutrality?

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The five most active organizations on the issue since 2005—Verizon, AT&T, Comcast, the National Cable and Telecommunications Association and the National Music Publishers Association—are all opposed to neutrality.

I find it interesting that Comcast (and cable companies in general) are some of the most despised companies in the US due to abysmal customer support, poor service, and skyrocketing prices. AT&T and Verizon don't have the best reputations either, and the music association probably want to clamp down on the very popular unlicensed distribution of product.

Elimination of net neutrality will either result in higher consumer prices, or a decrease in accessibility to popular sites and services. Both will be unpopular with the general public.

By directly linking the federal government to the politically unpopular repeal of net neutrality, the Russians are undermining the support of the US government.

At least 1 pro Russia politician was ousted in November, California Democrat Harley Rouda Defeats Longtime Rep. Dana Rohrabacher which was a big loss for the Kremlin.

[Winstonm]

Quote

Sarah Huckabee Sanders hopes to be remembered for being “transparent and honest” when her tenure as White House press secretary comes to an end.

The remembrance committee will take the hope of being called "Transparent and Honest" Sarah Sanders under advisement with our chairman, "Peaceloving and Morally Sound" Charles Manson.

[Winstonm]

Word for the day: irony

Definiton:

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The man, who identifies as pro-life, went on to threaten the unnamed senator in retaliation for their apparent criticism of Donald Trump. “When I’m in D.C. and you’re there, I got your f**king mark on you stupid bitch. You and your constant lambasting of President Trump. Oh, reproductive rights, reproductive rights. You know what? I’m cursing and I’m in sin because of people like you, ok? Cause I value the God given right to life.”

Brogan added, “If I saw you, I’d snuff your stupid f**king ass. I’d put a f**king bullet in you. You watch your ass. If I see you on the streets, I’m gonna f**king light you up with f**king bullets.”

Brogan had attended the March for Life protest in D.C. in 2017 and 2018.

I'm so pro-life I'm going to kill you. MAGA! Make Assassination Gratuitous Again!

[Winstonm]

It looks like Individual-1 has grown tired of winning:

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Trump agrees to shut down his charity amid allegations he used it for personal and political benefit

[y66]

Fun read: The Yoda of Silicon Valley

[PassedOut]

Living in an area with a considerable number of folks of Finnish heritage, I found this article pretty interesting: Educator: In Finland, I realized how 'mean-spirited’ the U.S. education system really is

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A group of educators from Shenandoah University this year toured schools in Finland, a country which performs at or near the top of the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) exams since the exam came into existence in 2000. PISA tests 15-year-olds every three years and compares achievement levels across the world. Finland surprised everyone in 2000 by being ranked number one and staying in the top ranks in subsequent years.

Two days after we arrived back in the United States this past spring, the United Nations also rated Finland as the happiest country. Could the two be linked?

Though we were very interested in the schooling system, a moment of distinction for me was the fullness of the Finnish commitment to the educational philosophy of no dead ends. In addition to keeping the door perpetually open to learning, the Finns also include competency as a goal — assisting students in finding what they do well.

After World War II, the Finns realized their human beings are their most valuable resource. Their budget reflects this belief. In spite of having three major political parties, all factions agree that human development is paramount, and the educational program has had consistent attention over decades.

The public school system is free to all, for as long as they live. Compulsory education extends from age 6 to 16. After that, students can choose schools, tracks and interests. Students can track academically or vocationally, change their minds midstream, or meld the two together. Remember the goal: competency.

Though students are required to go to school only until age 16, those who leave before secondary school are considered dropouts. Programs designed to entice these youngsters — typically those who struggle academically for a variety of reasons — back into education address the national 5 percent dropout rate. We visited one of these classrooms where teachers rotated three weeks of instruction with three weeks of internships in area businesses.

The flexibility of this approach seems sensible to me: I know students who dropped out of school and, despite later regrets, were unable to afford resuming their studies. One might argue that the financially-strapped US lacks the resources to keep up with wealthy Finland, but I believe that we could find the funds if we corrected our priorities. Money spent educating our children -- whether academically or vocationally -- is certainly a wise investment in our country's future.

[y66]

Last month, while in Portland, I read this encouraging story about Julia Brim-Edwards and her efforts as the mother of 3 children, long time school board member, Nike director of government and public affairs and spouse of former Oregon Treasurer and pro-education state legislator Randall Edwards to help develop a sensible tax policy that includes adequate funding for education and recognition that businesses have an important role to play in funding education.

[Winstonm]

More yield curve inversions yesterday (12-19-18): 1Y-3Y inverted.

[y66]

From LeBron James’s “The Shop” Reinvigorates the Celebrity Interview by Carrie Battan at The New Yorker:

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There was a period this fall when anyone who set foot in my apartment would have approximately thirty minutes before getting The Question. “Have you seen ‘The Shop?’ ” I would ask. I would go on to describe LeBron James’s new HBO show in glowing, superlative terms. If they hadn’t seen it, I would insist that we watch it. If they had already seen it, I would insist that we rewatch it. When I needed some comfort and entertainment, I would replay choice clips.

[Winstonm]

Winstonm, on 2018-December-20, 13:36, said:

More yield curve inversions yesterday (12-19-18): 1Y-3Y inverted.

12-24-18 1yr-3yr and 1yr-5yr both inverted.

[Winstonm]

Look!

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2018: The Year In Ideas: A Review Of Ideas
From the foremost thinkers of thoughts in America.

[johnu]

2 million in Times Square for New Year's? Experts say no way

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To actually fit 1 million revelers, the city would have to jam more than the equivalent of a sold-out Yankee Stadium on every block of 7th Avenue between Times Square and Central Park — which starts about 15 blocks to the north.

Still and his colleagues perform detailed analyses when calculating precise crowd totals. But even using simple techniques, like measuring Times Square on a map and running a few calculations, it's clear the numbers don't get anywhere near 1 million.

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New York's crowd estimate has evolved over time. As late as 1998, the police department was estimating that roughly 500,000 people attended. But for the millennium bash at the close of 1999, Mayor Rudolph Giuliani predicted as many as 2 million.

Rudy was at the forefront of just making up crowd size numbers. Dennison took his example and said I'll double down on that.

I've been to Rio's New Year's Eve fireworks show on Copacabana beach and that has the feel of a real 1-1/2 to 2 million crowd

Copacabana Beach - New Year's Fireworks

The combined Copacabana and Leme beaches run for about 3 miles, ~5000 meters to get an idea how big an area you are seeing.

[johnu]

Alabama Sheriff Pocketed $1.5 Million In ICE Funds For Immigrant Food: Report

Another corrupt Republican (is that redundant?) ripping off the American people. I predict there will be a Federal investigation unless Sheriff Todd Entrekin contributed a large amount of money to Dennison, in which case, there's nothing to see here folks.

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Alabama state law allows sheriffs to keep unspent money allocated for inmate food. The Southern Center for Human Rights says that the policy “invites public corruption.”

Quote

A local official confirmed that it’s routine for Entrekin and the county to split any unspent federal funds.

Another corrupt Republican state (is that redundant?) #LetConfederateStatesSecede

[Winstonm]

The Atlantic looks at the role faith plays in rejection of facts.

[nige1]

Winstonm, on 2019-January-01, 11:11, said:

The Atlantic looks at the role faith plays in rejection of facts.

The article likens conservative attitudes to Global warming and to Racism.
IMO society treats the two fields quite differently.
Climate-change is the subject of careful research. Bias is inevitable but researchers try to minimize it. Informed debate is encouraged.
Research into cultural, environmental, and genetic components of Ethnicity is fragmentary because, in so many ways, we consider such studies to be non-PC at best and taboo at worst.
IMO enforced ignorance rationalizes and reinforces racial-prejudice and is a profound disservice to human-kind,
There is hope for the future as medical imperatives drive genome research and its results become better and more widely understood.

[Winstonm]

nige1, on 2019-January-01, 15:02, said:

The article likens conservative attitudes to Climate change and Racism.
IMO society treats the two fields quite differently.
Climate change is the subject of careful research. Bias is inevitable but researchers try to minimize it. Informed debate is encouraged.
Research into cultural, environmental, and genetic components of ethnicity is fragmentary because, in so many ways, we consider such studies to be non-PC at best and taboo at worst.
IMO enforced ignorance rationalizes and reinforces racial-prejudice and is a profound disservice to human-kind,
There is hope for the future as medical imperatives drive genome research and its results become better and more widely understood.

Here is something to ponder. I am not saying you are wrong, but why is it we consider the linked article as comparing "conservative" attitudes?

Btw, I consider this to be the key paragraph from the article:

Quote

Signs reign in the realm of belief. Belief reigns in the realm of what we cannot or do not know. Let me say it differently. I know because of science. When I do not know, I believe or disbelieve. As such, the end game of the transformation of science to belief is the execution of knowing. And the end of knowing is the end of human advancement.

[nige1]

WinstonM quotes Ibram Kendi from the Atlantic, who said:

Signs reign in the realm of belief. Belief reigns in the realm of what we cannot or do not know. Let me say it differently. I know because of science. When I do not know, I believe or disbelieve. As such, the end game of the transformation of science to belief is the execution of knowing. And the end of knowing is the end of human advancement.

Some of that makes sense to me.
Rationally, there's little of which we can be certain.
For example: Science comprises currently popular models of reality -- plausible working hypotheses -- derived inductively.
With morality and ethics, we are firmly in the realms of belief.

[johnu]

Winstonm, on 2019-January-01, 11:11, said:

The Atlantic looks at the role faith plays in rejection of facts.

There's faith, and there is hypocritical cr*p by pseudo religious quacks.

Evangelists Against Dennison May Be 'Immoral': Falwell

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Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr. claimed that it “may be immoral” for evangelicals leaders “not to support” President Donald Trump in a recent interview.

Quote

When Helm asked Falwell Jr. whether Trump could do anything to lose his support, he responded: “No.”