GAS BAG DUET
The gas bag pictured below announced he has advanced lung cancer – then the other bloated gas bag gives him a medal – what a travesty! I hope he enjoys his chemotherapy.
Politics
Kasparov and Gessen – Experiences in Autocracy
From November 16, 2016, Masha Gessen writes in NYRDaily: Autocracy, Rules for Survival: Rule #1: Believe the autocrat. Rule #2: Do not be taken in by small signs of normality. Rule #3: Institutions will not save you. “The national press is likely to be among the first institutional victims of Trumpism. There is no law … [Read more…]
Disinformation For Hire: How A New Breed Of PR Firms Is Selling Lies Online
I get a digest of the latest news on news and reporting from the Pew Research Center. One recently caught my interest was from Buzzfeed on the new “Black PR firms” who will, for a fee, generate, structure and support any lie you wish. Scary isn’t a strong enough word, terrifying is more apt. It … [Read more…]
PFAS – Trump administration threatens to give forever chemicals another reprieve
Over at the website for the Union of Concerned Scientists, Kathleen Rest posted this “Profiles in Cowardice: Chemicals, Climate, and a Toxic Disregard by the Trump Administration” which is worth the time to read.
Energy Vault
From SwissInfo – Energy Vault Jan 3, 2020 Revolutionary idea to store green power for the grid By Armando Mombelli Stacking blocks of concrete with a crane to store energy and use the force of gravity to keep producing electricity when renewable sources are lacking: simple but revolutionary, the battery solution proposed by the Ticino … [Read more…]
Amsterdam Y2K
It was 20 years ago today … we were new to Europe. I had gone ahead in October of 1999 to find an apartment and get some basics set up. A stayed behind in Northern California to wind things down and take care of the odds and ends before coming in November to our new … [Read more…]
Booth and Lincoln
I was intrigued by this article, which, as I corrected it, I noticed had mention of both Lincoln and the actor Booth in the column. Written in December 1860. it was years before the two would actually collide on the “world stage.” LETTER FROM NEW YORK. [FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] Towards the bottom of the … [Read more…]
United States of Plastic
In the Guardian June 2019, very nicely done graphic on plastic and what we’re not doing about it:This is the illustrated story of where it’s gone by Susie Cagle in San Francisco and the series UNITED STATES OF PLASTIC can be found here. Thu 2 Jan 2020 07.46 EST, in the Guardian, another article The … [Read more…]
Americans take fish antibiotics because it’s cheaper than a visit to the doctor
A study of antibiotics marketed for fish online found user comments about human use garner nine times as much attention The Guardian US healthcare