Wk 40 - Notes and Links
Wk 40 - Notes and Links
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
Ten things in the news
After the meeting, someone on the Goldman Sachs side reached out to Mr. Piper, not through the Gmail address that Mr. Watson had provided before the meeting, but through Mr. Piper's assistant at YouTube. That's when things got weird. A confused Mr. Piper told the Goldman Sachs investor that he had never spoken with her before. Someone else, it seemed, had been playing the part of Mr. Piper on the call with investors.
An accidentally unsealed warrant shows investigators are seeking bulk info on Google users for nothing more than search terms. I guess you could call it possible cause.
Why can’t car companies (and others) just use different chips to get around the shortage? It’s not that simple.
Bible museum surrenders 99 per cent of its antiquities because of the ‘thou shalt not steal’ commandment.
Lawyers for a defendant in the Ahmad Aubrey murder trial ask the judge to exclude the prosecution from showing any pictures of their client's Confederate flag license plates. You know, the ones on the truck used when Aubrey who was out for a run, minding his own business, was chased down and murdered.
10 Years After Steve Jobs' Death, This Is Still the Most Important Lesson He Taught Us: Eating fruit will not cure pancreatic cancer would be my guess.
Biology teacher suspended for doing her job.
Less than a year after the serial sexual assaulter is out of the White House, the US decides to put women on the money.
This week in data
I went viral. Whoops. I was wrong.
Rural Americans dying of Covid at a much faster rate than those city folk.
Trust in social media linked to heightened susceptibility to COVID-19 conspiracy theories
More than half of police killings in USA are unreported and Black Americans are most likely to experience fatal police violence. Over the 40-year study period (1980-2019), Black Americans were estimated to be 3.5 times more likely to die from police violence than white Americans.
A law professor's estimated that police only solve 2 per cent of major crimes
Litigation Tracker: Pending Criminal and Civil Cases Against Donald Trump
Space is really big. This is a scale accurate drawing of our solar system if the moon were only one pixel. Use the right arrow key.
Canada’s cellular service prices amongst the highest in the world, if not the highest
Efficacy of Pfizer in protecting from COVID-19 infection drops significantly after 5 to 7 months. Protection from severe infection still holds strong at about 90% as seen with data collected from over 4.9 million individuals by Kaiser Permanente. If you look at Figure 2b there is no significant drop in protecting against hospital admissions over the length of the study at all, which is very promising.
With Florida’s Board of Education threatening severe penalties for districts with mask requirements, Nikki Fried, a Democratic candidate for governor, released information that shows districts with mask requirements imposed at the start of the school year had 3½ times fewer student COVID-19 cases per capita than those without mask requirements.
This week in science and tech
This is still at the ‘let’s do terrible things to mice’ stage but scientists may have stumbled into an arthritis vaccine.
Global water management is "fragmented and inadequate," a UN report published Tuesday found, with nearly 60% of 101 countries surveyed needing improved forecasting systems that can help prevent devastation from severe weather. As populations grow, the number of people with inadequate access to water is also expected to rise to more than 5 billion by 2050, up from 3.6 billion in 2018, the report cautions.
"They have a customer focus," a Blue Origin executive wrote in response. "We should too. In many cases we view the customer as a nuisance’ A gap analysis about Bezos’s space company.
Eight whistleblower complaints to the SEC against Facebook were published Wednesday. Oh...well that certainly makes Monday’s Facebook outage seem totally normal and not at all like they were scrubbing incriminating evidence or anything
An Iowa data scientist with a computer engineering degree and a Harvard MBA has come forward as the whistleblower leaking damaging information about Facebook to the Wall Street Journal — and that's just the beginning. They've now also filed at least eight complaints with America's Securities and Exchange Commission, "which has broad oversight over financial markets and has the power to bring charges against companies suspected of misleading investors," reports the Washington Post. To buttress the complaints, the whistleblower secretly copied "tens of thousands" of pages of internal Facebook research, according to a report tonight on the CBS News show 60 Minutes, which summarizes her ultimate conclusion: "that the company is lying to the public about making significant progress against hate, violence and misinformation. Also, the testimony finally got the GOP to stop pretending this was about anti conservative bias.
Millions of Electric Car Batteries Will Retire in the Next Decade.
What climate scientists can teach us about dealing with climate change doom.
On November 11, 2019, volunteers planted 11 million trees in Turkey as part of a government-backed initiative called Breath for the Future. In one northern city, the tree-planting campaign set the Guinness World Record for the most saplings planted in one hour in a single location: 303,150. "By planting millions of young trees, the nation is working to foster a new, lush green Turkey," Less than three months later, up to 90 percent of the saplings were dead. The trees were planted at the wrong time and there wasn't enough rainfall to support the saplings.
This week in listening pleasure
If you like pirates, musicals, and want both those things in a podcast check out The Ballad of Anne and Mary
If you like whistling women and screaming cowboys, this is the song for you.
This week in viewing pleasure
The Gunfighter, a funny short film.
This makes a lot of sense. Of course, this is the horn I’d love to install in a Miata.
Five major reasons religions causes African poverty by a Christian reverend.
Nope, not a cult at all…
Casino Cheating Expert Reviews Card Counting and Casino Scams From Movies
A 1981 documentary: The Irish of Newfoundland
This week's weird news
Headlines we’d rather not have read
Man injured after being hit by train. After? Jeez that guy is accident prone.
Once you've forced your way into a closed swimming pool and broken both your legs the only thing left is to sue the pool owner for not putting up a better fence
Former Oklahoma GOP leader arrested on drug charges to do what? Guess. Guess again….
Covidiots
But how did horse medicine become a favourite of the covidiots? Scientists have studied how this lunacy started.
Counterfeit Ivermectin and vaccination cards intercepted heading for Texas, 'cause that's where the suckers are.
'The argument here implies an astounding and belligerent stupidity in the Republican base.' Hey, if the shoe fits, Cinderella
You are welcome to leave, but you will be dead before you get to your car
A tepid dystopia
I like how she demands the decertification of the election that put her in office
Company that routes SMS for all major US carriers was hacked for five years
Now that’s a retraction: This retraction regarding an article about 9/11 indicates someone got yelled at.
That fellow at the Trump rally who supposedly hoisted that baby over the wall of Kabul airport and was hailed as a hero? Yeah, about that…
Football player rapes a girl, they can keep playing. Girls protesting the above: that's a suspension
‘The Trump administration’s NDA program also appeared unique in that incoming interns were threatened with “criminal prosecution” and a cartoon image of a jailhouse.
The first Black police chief in Waterloo, Iowa, is facing intense opposition from some current and former officers as he works with city leaders to reform the department, including the removal of its longtime insignia that resembles a Ku Klux Klan dragon.
People watching
The First Lesson of Marriage 101: There Are No Soul Mates
What makes adult children cut ties with their parents?
“God’s will is being thwarted.” Even in solid Republican counties, hard-liners seek more partisan control of elections.
The pioneering Scots photographer who captured China
Cancer survivor blows the whistle on 'toxic positivity'
I got sentenced to prison. Fearing for my life, I did 300 push ups per day before arriving. Actually, it’s not like TV at all.
Spotting someone on steroids.
An interesting take: The US has some things more in common with South America than Europe.
You know when you run into certain people in your life and think: wow this person is supposed to be a functioning member of society, they can drive a car, some bank gave them a mortgage, they raise children, and can vote. How did they make it this far because they're full of stupid ideas and lack common sense. Boy is covid really giving it to this crowd. Like this guy who was mad about corporations telling him what to do so he decided to stick it to the man by eating silica packets. "Dad eats 25 packets of silica for breakfast, this is what happened to his stomach"
Post of the week
It was my dear friends' wedding this weekend and my first time meeting the best man in person, though we've worked together over Zoom for the last year.
We hit it off and ended up dancing and talking most of the night and when things wound down, I went back to his hotel room and yada yada yada... and it was really good. So I have a wonderful /petite mort/ ... and then I start having literal heart pains. Chest palpitations, dizziness, couldn't breathe. Never happened to me before and in that moment I wasn't sure if I was having a panic attack or a heart episode. And then I remembered that I'm on a medication that can cause heart problems. I had two EKGs back in August to monitor it and everything was fine, I forgot about it. And I realized I hadn't done anything as cardio intense as having sex with another person since before I started the meds.
He was absolutely lovely and rubbed my back, calmed me down and talked through what was happening. Couldn't sleep for hours, but it finally died down and we got some semi rest. We're both zombies in the morning saying goodbye to everyone and I make an appointment to see my doctor for another EKG stat.
Well that EKG was today, and after explaining the situation to the nurse and getting the test done, the doctor comes in with 4 medical students in tow. "I hear you had a cardiac episode during sexual intercourse. Tell me about that."
Kill me now.
I'm so glad I was wearing a mask because I'm sure I was bright red with embarrassment. I'm sure the medical students were glad for their masks too, I don't know how anyone could keep a straight face.
After I melted into the floor and died, they told me the EKG was normal but I needed to see a cardiologist ASAP.
So I have to take off work to tell this story to another doctor tomorrow, and probably get stress tested until I'm cleared to do 'cardio' again. ...Which I hope is soon because he's coming to visit next week.
Quotes found on-line
There's something is just off about this guy. I'd get the cops to check his basement.
I got pulled over for running a red light. However, I was travelling at 60 per cent of the speed of light so red (650 nm) looked green (520 nm). How should I argue this in traffic court, please?
How dare you anodize without my permission
If you want to hire a candidate based on notions of diversity but then reject entirely what they bring, then what is it you actually want?
A trophy is the award you give someone who hasn't moved a muscle in over a year.
Some people need blunt honesty. Some can't have it. Bedside manner is knowing the difference.
It's magical thinking by people who think educated people accomplish things by knowing magic words. So you don't need experts as long as you can string some vaguely scientific sounding words together. They really don't seem to understand that words in technical language actually have specific meanings.
Have you ever tried counting raccoons using base 43.5? It ain't that simple, base 10 is much easier for this task.
My pronouns already are was/were, it’s called neopronouns, bigot! It’s because I strongly identify as the person I used to be.
Patience is good, but it can curdle into apathy.
If you ask a quantum physicist to explain how gravity works—not what it is, not how it behaves, but how it works—he will first talk himself in circles, then wind up crying, and finally, sometime between entree and dessert, call you a bitch and leave.
The movie gets gradually worse every time anyone opens their mouth.
I sprained my shoulder removing my sports bra.
Who is your spirit Muppet? Mine is Sweetums
They could pass as a roadie at a spinal tap gig.
We judge ourselves by our intentions and others by their behaviour.
The way that American people talk about "The Founding Fathers" is pretty weird and a bit cringe. Its as if they' think that they are some holy Gods who had everything figured out around 200 years ago.
When you tell me I hurt your feelings I feel bad so just keep that to yourself.
They should have just given Marni Nixon her own musical. The voice of Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady, Deborah Kerr in The King and I, and Natalie Wood in West Side Story.
Your genitals mature before your prefrontal cortex.
It is easiest for me to explain that you wear a mask for ME, you vaccinate for YOU.
At the Doctor's. They just moved me into a room with a large cabinet labeled Anal Scopes. What should I do?
If Jon Lovitz hates you, you're too far gone to be a member of society.
I just really enjoy that “don’t take horse medicine” has become a leftist opinion.
Nothing is hotter than a strong, confident, and somewhat scary woman.
So I’ve heard that a great way to start a fight among Poe scholars is to talk about the orangutan.
I am starting to like this Covid, it is weeding out the stupid in our species.
My favourite version of the Elton John ditty Don't Go Breaking My Heart, the one I have on my workout play list, is the duet he did with Ms Piggy on the Muppet Show.
Put a mask on, follow the arrows, pay attention to which door is the entrance and which is the exit, stay six feet away from people. Rules so simple, you can teach them to school children, and yet there are adults who are either too selfish or stupid to follow these.
Strawberry Gatorade tastes like a disease.
I just turned 95, what advice do you wish you had when you were my age?
I ask my barber to give me a haircut that makes me look like one of the more malevolent Romans in I, Claudius.
It has come to my attention that there are several of you who are liking things that I do not. This is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.
You're applying principles like gratitude and respect to a place where absurdity is currency.
Fight me if you wish, but know this, I am old for a reason
I’m not trying to argue with you, I'm trying to explain why you're wrong.
If video games thought me anything, it's that if you meet enemies you're going the right way.
What should you do if you think you have rabies? Asking for a friend.
Friends come and go but enemies accumulate
Since when it is called a flu vaccine? It's always been a flu shot. Now all of a sudden they call it a vaccine.
On the internet you’re what they call a micro-influencer
Did you go to school in a shed or something?
Look on the bright side, her kids only have half of her DNA.
If my kid was a paparazzi and people ask me what he does I'd just say he's a male prostitute to avoid the shame.
"If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea." Antoine de Saint Exupéry
Arizona reports over 2000 additional cases but at least it's a dry spike
So I’ve heard that a great way to start a fight among Poe scholars is to talk about the orangutan.
I speak fluent and influent English.
If women have to cover up our breasts then so should men. At least unattractive men.
The scheme itself was also a bit strange... In return for giving them lots of money they gave you advise on how pronouns work in the workplace and what toilets various people should use.
I haven't swooned this hard since I hugged Fatboy Slim in 2015
I love when idiots say “we the people” when it’s really just “me specifically”
That’s when he tried robbing a store by brandishing a bug zapper.
In football the players spend 90mins pretending they are injured, in rugby they spend 80 minutes pretending they aren’t.
The brain is a weird thing, it spends most of it's time trying to keep you alive although once it a while its just like... you should jump off that
Did you notice how much more violence is committed by women now that we classify some dudes as women?
Pancreatic cancer has a survival rate up there with rabies, might as well do whatever treatment you want
I think the very Victorian tradition of taking ‘evening constitutionals’ after dinner was just a polite way to say ‘Let's all go walk around outside for a bit until the farting subsides’.
This is just like that part in the Bible where Jesus fed a crowd of people with five loaves and two fish and then got super pissy when no one wrote him a thank you note.
Sounds like Jar Jar Binks ate the whole bag of mushrooms.
First rule of rocket testing is: Be far away from rocket testing.
Star Wars fans, why is the snow planet called "Hoth", when it should be called "Coldh"?
Is there a nursing job where you don’t have to talk to people?
Let’s wake dad up with this chicken
Images
Infographics
Bon Mots
Funny
Cartoons
