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October 19, 2017
At the True Love Café...
... talk about whatever you like.
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Yesterday Consortium News published an article by Rober Parry titled "Blaming Russia for the Internet ‘Sewer’". Excerpts follow:
[quote]
With the U.S. government offering tens of millions of dollars to combat Russian “propaganda and disinformation,” it’s perhaps not surprising that we see “researchers” such as Jonathan Albright of the Tow Center for Digital Journalism at Columbia University making the absurd accusation that the Russians have “basically turned [the Internet] into a sewer.”
I’ve been operating on the Internet since 1995 and I can assure you that the Internet has always been “a sewer” — in that it has been home to crazy conspiracy theories, ugly personal insults, click-bait tabloid “news,” and pretty much every vile prejudice you can think of. ....
Americans, Europeans, Asians, Africans and pretty much every other segment of the world’s population didn’t need Russian help to turn the Internet into an informational “sewer.” But, of course, fairness and proportionality have no place in today’s Russia-gate frenzy.
After all, your “non-governmental organization” or your scholarly “think tank” is not likely to get a piece of the $160 million that the U.S. government authorized last December to counter primarily Russian “propaganda and disinformation” if you explain that the Russians are at most responsible for a tiny trickle of “sewage” compared to the vast rivers of “sewage” coming from many other sources. ....
If you put the Russia-gate controversy in context, you also are not likely to have your “research” cited by The Washington Post ...
There are also higher newspaper sales and better TV ratings if the mainstream media keeps turning up new angles on Russia-gate, even as some of the old ones fall away as inconsequential or meaningless. ...
[end quote]
https://consortiumnews.com/2017/10/18/blaming-russia-for-the-internet-sewer/
Should be a fun Dodgers-Cubs game tonight. All four major sports in the US have games tonight. Happens once every few years.
The coffee looks good. What is in that second cup?
What is in that second cup?
It's a special $55-a-pour Madison blend of Midlife Crisis with fruity notes of Existential Angst and Metaphysical Doubt.
Gourmet Wisconsin coffee roasters, who knew. But at least they put milk into it, and probably butter too.
Cream is not needed in coffee.
But I'm a person who is just fed up when I'm standing behind in line, waiting to order my coffee with no room, and someone is in front ordering a weird latte drink with almond milk and stevia.
There should really be an express lane ("Coffee only") at every coffee shop.
What's going on with the cast iron skillet? Keeping the coffee warm or decoration?
Gordon Hayward signed a 4 year $128 million contract with the Boston Celtics. In his first game with the Boston, with 6:45 remaining in the first period, he proceeded to dislocate his ankle and fracture his tibia.
How much of his $128 million contract is guaranteed? All of it (a bit more costly than a $55 cup of java).
"Gordon Hayward signed a 4 year / $127,829,970 contract with the Boston Celtics, including $127,829,970 guaranteed, and an annual average salary of $31,957,493. In 2017-18, Hayward will earn a base salary of $29,727,900, while carrying a cap hit of $29,727,900 and a dead cap value of $127,829,970." (spotrac.com)
Just listened to parts of Bush-II speech attacking Trump. Amazing. Doesn't say one word against Obmama, but now that another Republican POTUS - he's an attack dog.
Guess he's still upset Trump beat Jeb.
Surprised at how dumb he sounds. He's a smart guy but a VERY poor speaker. Wonder he got elected. Oh, that's right he was running against Gore and Kerry. talk about lUcky.
@rcocean,
I have some respect and warm feeling towards GWB, but my God that Trump attack was feeble.
It's so feeble, it makes me think more highly of Trump, not less.
Great posts today, Ms. Althouse.
I am Laslo.
@rcocean. Is isn't ironic, when Bush II talked, he sounded like a 6 grader. When Trump talks, his delivery is terrific, but words are a bit ..... how to say it ...... tactless.
Re: Bush II v. Trump. Blood is obviously thicker than DC swamp water.
Trump is an inelegant speaker. He's not a lawyer and he's not a politician. But he can be sharp and funny. He refuses to speak "defensively" which causes him problems. He constantly gives the Left MSM opening to attack him by being ambiguous or refusing to use qualifiers and hedge his statements.
It makes him interesting to listen to, but causes problems.
"It's so feeble, it makes me think more highly of Trump, not less."
I agree. I thought the Bush speech was stupid. Basically, if you want the immigration laws enforced and a secure border, then you're a "nativist" - whatever that means. And if you want to renegotiate bad trade deals you're an "Protectionist" Or "isolationist", or something.
IOW, anything less than support for "open borders" and one-sided trade deals is bad, because "freedom" or something. And there's less bigotry/racism then there ever was, but somehow Trump is "encouraging" it because ???.
Dumb.
Immigration is not a complicated issue.
We want the best of foreign lands to legally come here, asimiliate, adopt general American culture and thrive.
Nobody wants (except Dem precinct captains) law-breaking immigrants to come here, get on welfare, not learn english, not assimilate, and drive down wages for blue collar jobs.
It is insanity.
Trump hatred is an extremely powerful force that can overwhelm all good sense. In the minds of the committed Trump hater, he represents such an absolute affront to all that is Good and Right and Pure that he can never be allowed to succeed. His very existence is like a weeping sore on an otherwise unmarred complexion. He must never be forgiven. He must always be attacked, assailed, without quarter. Nothing can be off limits. No trick is too underhanded. No law of man or god can not be broken in furtherance of his downfall.
Trump haters are true believers in the righteousness of their own hate. It's all for the greater good after all. Because they are certain and will never question their own thinking.
Our recent discussion here about Samuel Johnson inspired me to begin reading a biography about him. Now I am at the part of the biography that tells about how he began to write his dictionary.
It's quite interesting. He had a crew of about four assistants. In general, he dictated his definitions to his assistants, who wrote the them onto small slips of paper and sorted them into alphabetical folders.
The biography occasionally quotes bits of Johnson's poetry, which I have liked. Today I looked on the Internet for samples of his poems, and I selected one titled "Autumn". The poem's theme is that autumn's worsening weather is a good reason to drink more wine.
Below are the first two stanzas and the last three stanzas:
=======
Alas! with swift and silent pace,
Impatient time rolls on the year;
The Seasons change, and Nature's face
Now sweetly smiles, now frowns severe.
'Twas Spring, 'twas Summer, all was gay,
Now Autumn bends a cloudy brow;
The flowers of Spring are swept away,
And Summer fruits desert the bough.
[....]
Oh! what remains, what lingers yet,
To cheer me in the darkening hour!
The grape remains! the friend of wit,
In love, and mirth, of mighty power.
Haste - press the clusters, fill the bowl;
Apollo! shoot thy parting ray:
This gives the sunshine of the soul,
This god of health, and verse, and day.
Still - still the jocund train shall flow,
The pulse with vigorous rapture beat;
My Stella with new charms shall glow,
And every bliss in wine shall meet.
=======
https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/autumn-129/
Immigration is not a complicated issue.
No, it's not. Immigration should not exceed the rate of assimilation and integration before Planned Parenthood. Also, immigration (e.g. refugee crises, illegal immigration) policies should not be set by special (e.g. business, progressive or reformed religious institutions) and peculiar (e.g. Democratic) interests to support the appearance of "clean" wars, obfuscate conditions in second and third-world nations, and other agendas that promote progressive corruption and dysfunction both in America and abroad.
There are many reasons I dislike Bush but my primary hate is his absolute disregard of his oath of office which requires him to “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States." The only time he was called upon to defend the constitution was over McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform. Bush remarked that he thought portions of the bill were unconstitutional but he was going to let the Court decide. Kicking the can down the road was not just disgusting, not just a violation of his oath, not just morally indefensible but also a clear case of cowardice and stupidity. Eventually the bill was mostly overturned. McCain and Bush: 2 despicable men posing as Republicans.
Male and female (e.g. bean), or, masculine and feminine (e.g. roast)?
The cup on the left appears to be binary (i.e. sex or bean). While the cup on the right can be observed as a spectrum (i.e. roast or gender), limited, but in a steady/stable state.
From some Reddit guy:
The following (ongoing) list is what Hillary Clinton has blamed her disastrous 2016 election loss on:
1,000 Russian Agents
Ads on Facebook
"Alt-Right" Media"
America First
Angry Voters
Anthony Weiner
Anti-America Forces
Bad Polling Numbers
Barack Hussein Obama (For not giving a national television address about the Russian hacking)
Barack Hussein Obama (For winning two terms)
Benghazi Investigators
“Bernie Bros” for “Harassing Her Supporters Online”
Bernie Sanders
Boyfriends
Breitbart
Brexit Voters
Cambridge Analytica
Campaign Finance
Citizens United
Colluding Trump Campaign Officials
Content Farms In Macedonia (My Personal Favorite in this list)
"Creepy" Trump for Poor Debate Performance
Data From The Republican National Committee
DC Leaks
Democratic National Committee
Democrats Not Making The Right Documentaries
Deplorables
Donald Trump
Everyone Who Assumed She'd Win
Facebook
Fake News
Fathers
Fox News
Google
Goosefer
Gullible Americans
Her Campaign Members
Her Campaign Staff For The "Pneumonia" Incident
Her Own "Basket Of Deplorables" Statement
Her Own Statement About Putting Coal Miners Out Of Buisness
Her Private Email Server (That She Claims She Never Sent Any Classified Info On)
Her “Traditional” Presidential Campaign
Herself, for not realizing “how quickly the ground was shifting under our feet” in the national mood
High-Information Voters
"Hillary Hate" "Millions & Millions Of People Decided They Just Didn’t Like Me"
Huma Abedin
Husbands
Identity Politics
Incompetent Pollsters
James Comey (Former FBI Director)
Jill Stein "Had She Not Taken Tens Of Thousands Of Votes In Swing States That Trump Won"
Joe Biden
Leaked DNC Emails
Low Information Voters
Mainstream Media
Male Bosses
Matt Lauer
Men
Millions Of Russian Twitter Bots
Millions Of White People
Minions (Legions Of Trump Supporters)
Misogy
Misogynists
Mitch McConnell
Nigel Farage
Netflix
Not Sharing White Anger
Obama’s Climate Change Rules
People Wanting Change
"Politically Dependent" White Women
Polling Data
"Propaganda Channels"
Racism
Republican-Enabled Voter Suppression
Right-Wing Media
Rural Women
Russian Hackers
"Self-Hating Women"
Sexism
Social Media
Steve Bannon
Stupid Democrats
Stupid Republicans
"Stupid Americans Who Can't Tell The Difference Between Real & Fake News"
Suburban Women
Team Hillary Was Too Honest
Technology
Television Executives
The "Broad Assumption She Was Going To Win"
The Democrat Party
The DNC
The Electoral System
The FBI
The "Godforsaken Electoral College"
The GRU
The Media
The New York Times
The Republican Party
The Russians
The Supreme Court
Vast Right-Wing Media Conspiracy
Twitter
Valdamir Putin
Voter Suppression
Weaponization Of Information
White Voters
White Women
Wikileaks
Women's March
Women Protesters
Xenophobia
"I Take Responsibility for Every Decision I Made, But That’s Not Why I Lost" ~ Hillary Clinton 05-31-17
The "True Love" was the name of the sail boat that C. K. Dexter Havens designed and built for Tracey Lord in the "Philadelphia Story," a movie from the early 40s with Katherine Hepburn, James Stewart and Carey Grant. "My, she was yar!"
They've made a new version of AlphaGo (the narrow AI that defeated the Go grandmaster a little while back). Apparently "it took AlphaGo Zero (AGZ) just three days to train itself from scratch and acquire literally thousands of years of human Go knowledge simply by playing itself." Machine learning can be terrifyingly fast.
The cup on the left is taller and narrower, and the cup on the right is shorter and broader.
Also, right cup's content has been enhanced cosmetically and probably has been sweetened.
So I wonder who the "top Democrats" were that Clinton confidante and Little Rock homie, Linda Bloodsworth-Thomas told about HW, since Hillary assures us that it's all news to her, and we know only right-wing haters believe she's a liar.
The current iteration of VR looks like it is going to die on the vine just like the 90's. After a $2B investment by Facebook.
Truly virtual.
The Chief of Staff Kelly just gave a tone perfect explanation of his and The President's astonishment at the Congresswoman's attacking Trump for making a phone call to the dead serviceman's Mother, that was then run by the Fake News Media for the last 48 hours.
Boy did CNN backpedal to defend itself, finally accusing Kelly of outright lying under direct orders from that Lying Trump.
Given the seriousness of Kelly, the Fake News media may have finally destroyed themselves, permanently.
A good working definition of 'virtual' is 'not really.'
Naturally, Kelly supplied a better, more cogent and less freakish explanation that Trump could muster. Who is surprised at that?
As George Will said yesterday, compared to Donald Trump, George W. Bush is a Cicero.
Kelly said that if you've never worn the uniform and haven't been in combat, you can't imagine how to make that call. Got it. Trump can't imagine how to make that call. If Trump asked for help in how to make it, good on him.
But shame on Trump for saying that he had "proof" that Rep. Wilson "fabricated" what she said. This is like Trump claiming that Senator Blumenthal "misrepresented" then-Judge Gorsuch in their pre-confirmation hearing meeting. A few weeks later, Blumenthal was proven right and Trump wrong. Gorsuch used the exact same goddamn fucking words that Trump had claimed were "misrepresentations."
The current iteration of VR looks like it is going to die on the vine just like the 90's. After a $2B investment by Facebook.
I got an Occulus Rift for Christmas last year and I still haven't even tried it since I haven't gotten around to building a new computer for it. I hear it's nifty but they have yet to figure out how to make compelling content for it.
The main problems with VR right seem to be cost cost (even the PS4 one requires $299 console + $299 headset = $598+tax) and lack of complete immersion (need st least haptic gloves imo).
I have been visiting blogs listed on your blogroll. I have enjoyed Amber Reunion so much...very poignant.
Machine learning can be terrifyingly fast.
Go doesn't have women's rules.
Dear Mrs., Mr., Miss, or Mr. and Mrs. _______: Words cannot express the deep personal grief I experienced when your husband, son, father, or brother was killed, wounded, or reported missing in action.
Catch-22
So it looks like that congresswoman, Frederica S. Wilson, distorted what Trump said. It might not be deliberate, since she's so biased against Trump she'd take whatever he he said and it would sound to her like her paraphrase, but in light of what Kelly told us today -- and them being very concerned with the wording -- it seems the likeliest explanation is that she's paraphrasing and her paraphrase is inaccurate in an important way.
I've been a VR hobbyist since the early 90's as a content creator (Proteinman) and was involved with Pesce, Roehl, and others in the failed VRML movement, so I shelled out 2K for the Oculus bundle as soon it was available. I rarely take it out of the case anymore except to show the initial wow factor to people who are curious. I don't think the current generation of haptic is going to put it over the top. Maybe in another 20 years. I think AR (augmented reality) may have a better chance for the near future.
Chuck
You really have no credibility left when your take is "So Kelly backed up Trump forcefully and convincingly. Boy is that bad for Trump."
For one thing I think once can reasonably say that Kelly's account IS proof -- or "proof" in your terms -- that what she said was false.
It impresses me how blind you are to your own cognitive dissonance.
Wow, General Kelly destroyed the #fake news and the Congresswomen in his discussion of Gold Star mothers and Trump's talk with Green Beret widow.
Its obvious that Trump was simply saying what Kelly had suggested he say. General Kelly's characterization of the Congresswoman "its an empty barrel that makes the most noise" was spot on. Its seems the Congresswomen doesn't have the sense to behave properly.
Look for Kelly's 18 minute discussion to be reduced to a couple of anti-Trump soundbites for CNN and ABCCBSNBCPBS.
"I have been visiting blogs listed on your blogroll. I have enjoyed Amber Reunion so much...very poignant."
Thanks for saying that. You may know that (as the last post hints) Irene passed away.
Misogynist Chuck said:
\
This is like Trump claiming that Senator Stolen valor Blumenthal "misrepresented" then-Judge Gorsuch in their pre-confirmation hearing meeting. A few weeks later, Blumenthal was proven right and Trump wrong. Gorsuch used the exact same goddamn fucking words that Trump had claimed were "misrepresentations."
Link to video, or it never happened
Looks like someone enjoys a little coffee with their milk.
Methinks that the Fake News is not the only one that just permanently destroyed its credibility by attacking Kelly's near perfect statement. Our own quasi-Republican, Chuck, just jumped into that bottomless pit too. Sad, because he writes well. And now few will ever read his comments again.
Bay Area Guy @ 1:09 - sums my reaction up absolutely. Whole thing made me feel less respect for GWB (yes, it is about his bro), and more respect/esteem for Trump.
Lame, lame, lame. What is it about Trump? Does he project some weird forcefield that makes his opponents make fools of themselves? Or are they that lame, and Trump is the bull in the china shop that it just exposing the pre-existing fragility of our dainty porcelain political teacups?
I don't know. I have been very sorry to get apparent proof of just how low the ethical standards in the Obama admin had fallen. And I was just thinking the other day that at least Bush, for all his faults, has tried to live up to a decent standard, and now he comes out like a trained seal bomping the ball of Trump-is-awful on his own nose in the circus. Yes, he looked like a clown. I am very disappointed.
And I'm not even one of the people who really likes Trump! I can hardly even imagine what their reaction to this sort of thing is. Even from my perspective, it looks as if their acrimony against Trump is fueled by his successes. Not an attractive hat to put on in public!
Speaking about fake news, Althouse please tell me that this story in the Times about women voluntarily being branded is a hoax. Otherwise, I do need to ask whether you women belong to the same h. sapiens species that we men belong to.
What is it about Trump? Does he project some weird forcefield that makes his opponents make fools of themselves?
Good question,
Today is the thirtieth anniversary of the stock market plunge. I'm sort of a Renaissance man in that I've lost money in both real estate and the stock market. If you lose money in the market, people are secretly pleased. You got what you deserved you greedy bastard. If your home has lost value, people are genuinely sympathetic. You're a good citizen and fate has cheated you out of your just deserts.......Human beings are at their most rational in economic matters, but even here they're none too rational........I make note of the fact that the Bible and the Koran do not prohibit slavery but take a harsh view of usury. If you make money in the market, you're in some vague way engaging in usury.
Chuck hits a new low.
First that isn't coffee. Real coffee is a good espresso.
What is this about G W Bush making some remarks today that are veiled anti-Trump? I hope not, I voted for the guy twice. He came across as an American Nationalist when he ran ( like Trump) and was rather inarticulate ( like Trump). I hope it was him being inarticulate otherwise it doesn't speak well of him.
Michael K,
Do you remember when Barry Marshall, after years of being ridiculed, proved h pylori causes ulcers by infecting himself? He overturned settled wisdom, and was totally vindicated. He transformed the lives of millions, and cut billions from health expenditures. Remember? Because when it happened Chuck was there to say “Wow, does he look stupid.”
LLR said: "Naturally, Kelly supplied a better, more cogent and less freakish explanation that Trump could muster. Who is surprised at that?
As George Will said yesterday, compared to Donald Trump, George W. Bush is a Cicero.
Kelly said that if you've never worn the uniform and haven't been in combat, you can't imagine how to make that call. Got it. Trump can't imagine how to make that call. If Trump asked for help in how to make it, good on him.
But shame on Trump for saying that he had "proof" that Rep. Wilson "fabricated" what she said. This is like Trump claiming that Senator Blumenthal "misrepresented" then-Judge Gorsuch in their pre-confirmation hearing meeting. A few weeks later, Blumenthal was proven right and Trump wrong. Gorsuch used the exact same goddamn fucking words that Trump had claimed were "misrepresentations.' "
LLR, we get it that you hate Trump (as does George Will, who has be reduced to idiot emeritus), but why do you insist on embarrassing yourself. The LameStream media spin for two (2) days has been that Trump is heartless and cruel towards the deceased soldier's family. Kelly forcefully disputed the narrative. You credibility, such as it is, continues to sink to the level of whale doopee. Please remove the scales from your eyes.
The cup on the left is taller and narrower, and the cup on the right is shorter and broader.
Also, right cup's content has been enhanced cosmetically and probably has been sweetened.
A metaphor for human male and female sexes, respectively, for masculine and feminine genders, respectively. The attributes and distribution vary along a spectrum, but are highly correlated and consistent (e.g. normal distribution with limited spread).
This is an old photograph that means so much to me.
It in Ohio, by the way.
But shame on Trump for saying that he had "proof" that Rep. Wilson "fabricated" what she said.
Now see, someone who didn't know and love Chuckles the way we all do might read this and think that he was attacking a Republican and defending a Democrat (again) but we we of course know that he would never ever do that. Not in a million years. Not to save his own life. Nope.
It looks like an intimate service for two.
Is there a correlation between the characteristics of the cups of coffee and their consumers?
Not sure that stuff you Cubans drink is 'rral coffee' either, but I guess if sugar is what you've got... In Vermont we sweeten it with maple syrup, so maybe we are not that different.
You guys should try the maple syrup thing, BTW, it's better than it sounds.
In Sydney, that's a long black and a flat white.
>LLR, we get it that you hate Trump (as does George Will, who has be reduced to idiot emeritus), but why do you insist on embarrassing yourself.
That's what's so dumbfounding. He's got the right to say what he wants as long as our host is okay with it, but does he think anyone buys it?
tim in vermont said...
Not sure that stuff you Cubans drink is 'rral coffee' either, but I guess if sugar is what you've got... In Vermont we sweeten it with maple syrup, so maybe we are not that different.
You guys should try the maple syrup thing, BTW, it's better than it sounds."
Bustello, yellow package. No need for anything fancier. And black, no sugar. The manly way.
If I'm going have it sweet, then as an after dinner digestive sweetened with Sambucca or some such liqueur.
Manly coffee?
Probably while wearing shorts ;)
I don't think I've ever seen a pitcher so terrified as the Chicago Cub's starter was tonight.
In billiards/pocket-pool there's an old expression about giving your opponent polio, that is, causing him to become so psychologically incapacitated he can hardly hold his stick.
And that's what that poor pitcher caught tonight; a full-blown case of polio.
Probably while wearing shorts
Intimate service for two with fond recollection.
Boxer shorts and the lady did not mind.
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