Courtesy of Ron Placone - "There's nothing pragmatic about an incremental solution to a catastrophic problem."
2018-11-30
2018-11-29
Can you imagine living in 3 different centuries?
I'm sure I've blogged about this before. But still.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emma_Morano
"She was recognised as the last living person born in the 1800s whose age had been independently verified.[29][30]"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emma_Morano
"She was recognised as the last living person born in the 1800s whose age had been independently verified.[29][30]"
2018-11-28
Wouldn't it be great if all sports teams were managed like this?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Bay_Packers,_Inc.
I'm sure it's not perfect, but it's certainly a lot better than rich, powerful oligarchs or corporations.
"Green Bay Packers, Inc. is the official name of the publicly held nonprofit corporation that owns the Green Bay Packers football franchise of the National Football League (NFL).
The Packers are the only publicly owned franchise in the NFL.[1] Rather than being the property of an individual, partnership, or corporate entity, they are held as of 2016 by 360,760 stockholders. No one is allowed to hold more than 200,000 shares,[2] which represents approximately four percent of the 5,011,558 shares currently outstanding.[3] It is this broad-based community support and non-profit structure[4] which has kept the team in Green Bay for nearly a century in spite of being the smallest market in all of North American professional sports."
I'm sure it's not perfect, but it's certainly a lot better than rich, powerful oligarchs or corporations.
"Green Bay Packers, Inc. is the official name of the publicly held nonprofit corporation that owns the Green Bay Packers football franchise of the National Football League (NFL).
The Packers are the only publicly owned franchise in the NFL.[1] Rather than being the property of an individual, partnership, or corporate entity, they are held as of 2016 by 360,760 stockholders. No one is allowed to hold more than 200,000 shares,[2] which represents approximately four percent of the 5,011,558 shares currently outstanding.[3] It is this broad-based community support and non-profit structure[4] which has kept the team in Green Bay for nearly a century in spite of being the smallest market in all of North American professional sports."
2018-11-27
2018-11-23
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's "Green New Deal" = green washing?
Certainly seems that way - https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2018/11/23/cort-n23.html
And perhaps a very telling about the future -
Ocasio-Cortez’s promotion of the “Green New Deal” is also aimed at distracting attention from her own rapid rightward shift after her primary victory.
She has backtracked on her earlier criticisms of Israeli slaughters of Gaza protesters; hailed the late Republican Senator and war criminal John McCain as an “unparalleled example of human decency and American service;” called for securing US borders, dropped her previous calls to “Abolish ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement],” and declared that this slogan “does not mean abolish deportations” of immigrants. Over the weekend, she declared her support for Nancy Pelosi as the speaker of the House.
The “Green New Deal” is another example of the political function of Ocasio-Cortez and the DSA in seeking to provide a “left” political veneer for the capitalist politics of the Democratic Party. The latter is campaigning against the billionaire demagogue Trump on a right-wing basis, attacking him not for his militarist threats, fascistic rants, attacks on immigrants and efforts to build up an extra-parliamentary extreme-right movement, but for being insufficiently deferential toward the American intelligence agencies and aggressive toward Russia.
And perhaps a very telling about the future -
A socialist response to climate change cannot take place through the Democratic Party or within the framework of capitalism. It requires the organization of production according to a rational, scientific plan on a global scale. This requirement is fundamentally incompatible with both the private ownership of humanity’s productive forces (and the subordination of production according to the profit interests of the capitalist class), and the continued division of the world into rival national states, who compete on behalf of their own capitalist class for markets, profits and geostrategic control.
2018-11-22
2018-11-21
Quote of the day - 11-17-2018.
When it comes to the needs of the population as a whole, such as education, clean water, health care, public transportation, housing, jobs, culture, protection from fires and natural disasters, and measures to address climate change, the population is endlessly told that there is “no money” for these utopian dreams. But when the world’s richest man comes knocking, America’s political leaders throw open the vaults and shovel money at him.
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2018/11/17/amzn-n17.html
2018-11-20
A perspective on the air quality in WA state and the wildfires in CA state.
https://ecologywa.blogspot.com/2018/11/theres-smoke-but-dont-blame-california.html
The real culprit -
However, most of the pollution recorded on our monitors is likely from wood smoke coming from wood stoves and fires right here at home.
Stagnant air is trapping pollutants close to the ground, and this pattern is expected to last through Wednesday. California smoke will also linger around until then, but most of that will remain aloft.
The only way we’re going to maintain good air quality in our
neighborhoods during this time is by limiting woodstove use and
refraining from outdoor burning.
The real culprit -
However, most of the pollution recorded on our monitors is likely from wood smoke coming from wood stoves and fires right here at home.
Stagnant air is trapping pollutants close to the ground, and this pattern is expected to last through Wednesday. California smoke will also linger around until then, but most of that will remain aloft.
2018-11-19
Assange's fate?
https://consortiumnews.com/2018/11/14/us-intel-will-bring-assange-to-us-in-chains/
If it can be believed, then one has to wonder what will happen to Wikileaks.
If it can be believed, then one has to wonder what will happen to Wikileaks.
The film that really set Bogart on his way in his career.
http://www.filmnoirarchive.com/2018/11/19/outlaws-blogathon-high-sierra-1941/
I had no idea the screenplay was by John Huston. That explains a lot.
I had no idea the screenplay was by John Huston. That explains a lot.
2018-11-16
They changed the kilogram on me!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redefinition_of_SI_base_units?wprov=sfla1
2018-11-14
Scamazon and Corporate Welfare
The ugly gets uglier and large predatory corporations steal taxpayer dollars -
https://adage.com/article/media/amazon-corporate-welfare-blowback-hqs/315629/
https://adage.com/article/media/amazon-corporate-welfare-blowback-hqs/315629/
2018-11-13
Survival of the adaptable.
Just survived a bunch job layoffs today. In a place making money.
Oddly enough I didn't really survive due to brains, skills, or even personality. I made it mostly because of some (rather coincidentally lucky) choices of career to pursue and it worked. I chose to try a new role a couple of years back, and it's working out.
At least now I shouldn't complain too much.
Oddly enough I didn't really survive due to brains, skills, or even personality. I made it mostly because of some (rather coincidentally lucky) choices of career to pursue and it worked. I chose to try a new role a couple of years back, and it's working out.
At least now I shouldn't complain too much.
2018-11-12
2018-11-11
2018-11-10
An ugly moment in US history on this day 120 years ago.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilmington_insurrection_of_1898
So basically a coup conducted by a bunch of terrorists and murderers for racist reasons. What truly astounds me is how many of the purveyors of the coups got rewarded -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilmington_insurrection_of_1898#Aftermath
The Wilmington insurrection of 1898, also known as the Wilmington massacre of 1898 or the Wilmington race riot of 1898, occurred in Wilmington, North Carolina on November 10, 1898. It is considered a turning point in post-Reconstruction North Carolina politics. The event initiated an era of more severe racial segregation and effective disenfranchisement of African Americans throughout the South, a shift already underway since passage by Mississippi of a new constitution in 1890, raising barriers to voter registration. Laura Edwards wrote in Democracy Betrayed (2000): "What happened in Wilmington became an affirmation of white supremacy not just in that one city, but in the South and in the nation as a whole", as it affirmed that invoking "whiteness" eclipsed the legal citizenship, individual rights, and equal protection under the law of blacks.[2][3][4]
It was originally described by white Americans as a race riot caused by blacks. However, over time, with more facts publicized, the event has come to be classified as a coup d'état (violent overthrow of a government), with complex causes that were social, political, and economic.[5][6][1][7][8][9][10] It is the only successful coup d'état on record in the U.S.[11][12]
The coup occurred after the state's white Democratic Party conspired and led a mob of 2,000 white men to overthrow the legitimately-elected local Fusionist government. They expelled opposition black and white political leaders from the city, destroyed the property and businesses of black citizens built up since the Civil War, including the only black newspaper in the city, and killed an estimated 60 to more than 300 people.
So basically a coup conducted by a bunch of terrorists and murderers for racist reasons. What truly astounds me is how many of the purveyors of the coups got rewarded -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilmington_insurrection_of_1898#Aftermath
2018-11-08
Voter shaming at its best - from 'liberals'.
While reading up on the 2018 US Mid-term elections, I came across a blog with an entry by one 'Don Smith' via a site called 'Washington Liberals'.
I won't bother with the link - you can search and find it yourself.
Anyways, 'Don' had this interesting comments -
What fucking stupidity.
First off, no politician is entitled to my or anybody else's vote. My vote must be earned. You know why? Because 40 plus years on this planet has taught me that the lesser of two evils voting which the captured US Political system has brainwashed 'Don' into, simply hasn't made things better for voters.
I see both the Democratic and Republican Parties as nothing more than the establishment's two brands, as both parties are essentially captured by special interests, lobbyists, and corporations. So no 'Don', don't think your Democratic Party is entitled to my vote (because yes, that is really who you represent).
Frankly I hope more people vote Green so that the numbers increase such that the Democratic Party is either forced to change their corporate ways and start implementing the above, or simply become no longer relevant.
Secondly, instead of shaming people because such people refused to go for either of the establishment's brands, why not instead question why neither party is able to attract close to half the population of eligible voters?
Case in point - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voter_turnout_in_the_United_States_presidential_elections#Turnout_statistics
In both 2000, and 2016, more than 100 million eligible voters chose not to vote. Why do you think that is? You think it might have something to do with the notion that maybe some of those folks didn't like either establishment brand? Perhaps if some of those people HAD held their nose and voted your way 'Don', you wouldn't be complaining now?
And finally ... if you are so concerned about smaller parties siphoning off votes, why not advocate for Rank-Choice Voting then? Perhaps because in doing so, it would mean creating more choices for voters, thus removing any monopoly both establishment brands have on our captured electoral system? Funny how neither the Democratic Party, nor the Republican Party seem to advocate for such.
I won't bother with the link - you can search and find it yourself.
Anyways, 'Don' had this interesting comments -
Voting for Stein accomplished nothing useful at all. It didn’t “send a message” to the Democrats other than “We Nader and Stein supporters are fools. Ignore us."
What fucking stupidity.
First off, no politician is entitled to my or anybody else's vote. My vote must be earned. You know why? Because 40 plus years on this planet has taught me that the lesser of two evils voting which the captured US Political system has brainwashed 'Don' into, simply hasn't made things better for voters.
- Have the wars stopped? No.
- Are we any closer for solving for and stopping global warming? No.
- Do we have single-payer health coverage for all Americans? No.
- How about ending tax breaks for and increasing tax rates for corporations to pay their fair share? No.
- How about eliminating warrant-less-spying by our governments and law enforcement? No.
- Is the government being seen more and more as a tool of the rich and establishment? Yes.
I see both the Democratic and Republican Parties as nothing more than the establishment's two brands, as both parties are essentially captured by special interests, lobbyists, and corporations. So no 'Don', don't think your Democratic Party is entitled to my vote (because yes, that is really who you represent).
Frankly I hope more people vote Green so that the numbers increase such that the Democratic Party is either forced to change their corporate ways and start implementing the above, or simply become no longer relevant.
Secondly, instead of shaming people because such people refused to go for either of the establishment's brands, why not instead question why neither party is able to attract close to half the population of eligible voters?
Case in point - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voter_turnout_in_the_United_States_presidential_elections#Turnout_statistics
| Year | Eligible Voters | Turnout | %Turnout | Did Not Vote | % Did Not Vote |
| 2000 | 209,787,000 | 105,594,000 | 50.30% | 104,193,000 | 49.67% |
| 2004 | 219,553,000 | 122,349,000 | 55.70% | 97,204,000 | 44.27% |
| 2008 | 229,945,000 | 131,407,000 | 58.20% | 98,538,000 | 42.85% |
| 2012 | 235,248,000 | 129,235,000 | 54.90% | 106,013,000 | 45.06% |
| 2016 | 250,056,000 | 138,847,000 | 55.50% | 111,209,000 | 44.47% |
In both 2000, and 2016, more than 100 million eligible voters chose not to vote. Why do you think that is? You think it might have something to do with the notion that maybe some of those folks didn't like either establishment brand? Perhaps if some of those people HAD held their nose and voted your way 'Don', you wouldn't be complaining now?
And finally ... if you are so concerned about smaller parties siphoning off votes, why not advocate for Rank-Choice Voting then? Perhaps because in doing so, it would mean creating more choices for voters, thus removing any monopoly both establishment brands have on our captured electoral system? Funny how neither the Democratic Party, nor the Republican Party seem to advocate for such.
2018-11-07
Democrats take control of Congressional House.
I'll say it right now -
If it's anything like 2006 with Nancy Pelosi as the speaker, I expect nothing good will come out of this result.
If it's anything like 2006 with Nancy Pelosi as the speaker, I expect nothing good will come out of this result.
2018-11-05
Wikileaks - treatment of it and Assange is a metaphor for how the Internet is slowing being stripped of its potential to really reach people.
How so, you may ask? https://theantimedia.com/julian-assange-political-prisoner/
So in a sense, by restricting/stopping Wikileaks and even trying to restrict people from learning the truths about their's and other's societies'. Instead, the Internet is slowing becoming modern day version of television.
That doesn't bode well in dealing with you know, real issues that impact us all like say, oh I don't know, Global Warming.
As Nozomi summeries -
Permissionless free speech that has been distributed across the Internet offered ordinary people a non-violent democratic weapon to combat against the patronage network that tries to control people through deception and secrecy. An invention of an online anonymous secure drop box made it possible for people anywhere in the world, regardless of their jurisdiction, to expose governments’ wrongdoing and corruption of institutions, without fear of political retaliation. They then could stop violence and mitigate the harm inflicted by those in power.
So in a sense, by restricting/stopping Wikileaks and even trying to restrict people from learning the truths about their's and other's societies'. Instead, the Internet is slowing becoming modern day version of television.
That doesn't bode well in dealing with you know, real issues that impact us all like say, oh I don't know, Global Warming.
As Nozomi summeries -
When the justice system is controlled in the hands of oppressors, justice of this founder of the publisher of last resort relies on the court of public opinion. As Julian Assange’s plight for freedom intensifies, we can remain silent, allowing tragedy brought upon all those legendary peacemakers to repeat itself. Or, we can act with moral courage to end oppression and change the course of history. Will humanity find strength to claim its own dignity to open democracy? Or, will crudeness and barbarianism take over, bringing a society into despotism? Future of civilization rests on each individual’s ability to seek in love to unite with those who struggle for the rights of ordinary people. Now it is up to us to carry out this great work of justice and realize the truth of liberty and equality for all people.
2018-11-04
Tell me Google ..
What the fuck does this date have to do with me?
How's all that test automation working out? A thinking human being would've caught this bug.
2018-11-03
A priceless comment from my investment firm that gambles on my retirement at the casino racket known as the stock market ...
"We have a few ways to help increase your retirement score, like working for a few more years."
2018-11-01
Dialled in - the art of irritatiton.
When one travels in public on a regular basis, it's not uncommon to encounter the same sets of people.
A lot of times, how one's personality ticks, can dictate how one acts and reacts to said people.
And then there are times where you run into people in such circumstances who just do things to irritate the fuck out of you and enjoy doing so.
Case in point -
I ride the Sounder trains. And occasionally in the AM, and almost always in the PM, I run into lots of the same people on a regular basis. One person in particular seems to take pleasure in bugging me. Or so I'm convinced.
She's an older white woman with a face that's been beaten down by life; close to her sixties, with light blonde highlights in her otherwise dark blonde hair.
She sits in the same train car as me, rides the same bus as I, and apparently lives in the same neighborhood as I.
And, every time I get up to leave the Sounder when my stop arrives, she's always there to try and butt in front of me. When we get off the train, we're supposed to tap our ORCA cards before heading to our bus (because ORCA cards are meant to be tapped before and after the Sounder trip). This woman never does, because she always tries to make a beeline to our bus. And not just so she can get in front of me in line no; it's so she can sit in a specific seat on the bus whereby when we get to our neighborhood, she can get to the bus exit before I do.
In effect, she cheats to get in front of me - just to irritate me.
Just the other day before our bus made its final turn to our stop in out neighborhood, she decided to get up earlier and get to the back exit. I swear she would've spat on me had I bothered to stare at her (fortunately I decide to exit at the front, and hence still get out before her).
Am I making too much of all this? Maybe I should seriously just start letting go of such shit and just get on with my life? After all, what does it matter if this person gets in first or last? I don't work with her; heck I don't even really know her. To be honest I don't want to know her, but that's not the point.
I think it's that - to me - her actions demonstrate a repeated contempt for me, and that's something that's always bugged me, especially being a male who's not white.
But really - it's best to really let it go and move on.
A lot of times, how one's personality ticks, can dictate how one acts and reacts to said people.
And then there are times where you run into people in such circumstances who just do things to irritate the fuck out of you and enjoy doing so.
Case in point -
I ride the Sounder trains. And occasionally in the AM, and almost always in the PM, I run into lots of the same people on a regular basis. One person in particular seems to take pleasure in bugging me. Or so I'm convinced.
She's an older white woman with a face that's been beaten down by life; close to her sixties, with light blonde highlights in her otherwise dark blonde hair.
She sits in the same train car as me, rides the same bus as I, and apparently lives in the same neighborhood as I.
And, every time I get up to leave the Sounder when my stop arrives, she's always there to try and butt in front of me. When we get off the train, we're supposed to tap our ORCA cards before heading to our bus (because ORCA cards are meant to be tapped before and after the Sounder trip). This woman never does, because she always tries to make a beeline to our bus. And not just so she can get in front of me in line no; it's so she can sit in a specific seat on the bus whereby when we get to our neighborhood, she can get to the bus exit before I do.
In effect, she cheats to get in front of me - just to irritate me.
Just the other day before our bus made its final turn to our stop in out neighborhood, she decided to get up earlier and get to the back exit. I swear she would've spat on me had I bothered to stare at her (fortunately I decide to exit at the front, and hence still get out before her).
Am I making too much of all this? Maybe I should seriously just start letting go of such shit and just get on with my life? After all, what does it matter if this person gets in first or last? I don't work with her; heck I don't even really know her. To be honest I don't want to know her, but that's not the point.
I think it's that - to me - her actions demonstrate a repeated contempt for me, and that's something that's always bugged me, especially being a male who's not white.
But really - it's best to really let it go and move on.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)