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1. HACKTIVISM
"American intelligence agencies have told the White House they now have 'high confidence' that the Russian government was behind the theft of emails and documents from the Democratic National Committee, according to federal officials who have been briefed on the evidence." From NYT - Spy Agency Consensus Grows That Russia Hacked D.N.C.
+ "'Russia, if you’re listening, I hope you’re able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing,' Mr. Trump said during a news conference here in an apparent reference to Mrs. Clinton’s deleted emails. 'I think you will probably be rewarded mightily by our press.'" From NYT - Donald Trump Calls on Russia to Find Hillary Clinton’s Missing Emails
+ "WikiLeaks is always going to be releasing information some people don’t like. That is the point of them. But lately the timing of and tone surrounding their leaks have felt a little off, and in cases like the DNC leak, more than a little biased." From Wired - WikiLeaks Has Officially Lost the Moral High Ground
+ "Do these e-mails [DNC-leaked emails] strike anyone as appalling and outrageous? Not me. They strike me as . . . e-mails. The idea that people might speak casually or caustically via e-mail has been portrayed as a shocking breach of civilized discourse. Imagine! People bullshitting on e-mail!" From New Yorker - Why the D.N.C. E-Mails Aren’t Scandalous
2. THE TERROR BUSH LEAGUERS
So now we have "pro" terrorists and "amateur" terrorists. Sad thing is, the result is the same: dead people. "The Islamic State’s war on Europe seems to have entered a dangerous new phase, evolving from highly coordinated operations on the grand boulevards of Paris and Brussels to amateur assaults in the hinterlands that have suddenly turned anyone, anywhere into a target." From WaPo - Amateur Terror Attacks May Mark a New Chapter in the ISIS War in Europe
+ "Mr. Comey [FBI Director] predicted that the military coalition would eventually succeed in crushing the Islamic State, but that 'through the fingers of that crush are going to come hundreds of really dangerous people and they are going to flow primarily to Western Europe.' But some, he said, could well end up in the United States." From NYT - Defeat of ISIS Could Send ‘Terrorist Diaspora’ to West, F.B.I. Chief Says
3. CIGARETTES DON'T CAUSE CANCER...
Haven't we already tread this ground in the NFL? I think the science is clear: contact sports cause concussions. Concussions contribute to C.T.E. "Responding to written questions from a United States senator about the effects of concussions in hockey, N.H.L. Commissioner Gary Bettman continued to deny a link between concussions and the brain disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or C.T.E." From NYT - N.H.L. Commissioner Gary Bettman Continues to Deny C.T.E. Link
+ "The league [NFL] and U.S.A. Football have sold Heads Up Football to thousands of leagues and parents as having been proved effective — telling them that an independent study showed the program reducing injuries by 76 percent and concussions by about 30 percent. That study, published in July 2015, showed no such thing, a review by The New York Times has found." From NYT - N.F.L.-Backed Youth Program Says It Reduced Concussions. The Data Disagrees
4. ICE BUCKETS...OF MONEY
"According to CNN, the ALS Association planned to spend $77 million of the $115 million raised through the [ice bucket] challenge on research like the project that led to this particular discovery. The project in question, Project MinE, received just $1 million of that windfall." Nice to know that money is helping. From WaPo - The ALS ‘Ice Bucket Challenge’ is working
5. AND THEN BILL O'REILLY SAID THIS...
"Addressing Michelle Obama’s remarks about slaves having built the White House, Bill O’Reilly said that those slaves were 'well fed and had decent lodgings provided by the government.' So it's okay to be enslaved if you're well fed and have decent lodgings...? From NYT - Bill O’Reilly Defends Comments About ‘Well Fed’ Slaves
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Thursday, July 28, 2016
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
HILLARY CLINTON - THE WOMAN
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1. HILLARY CLINTON - THE WOMAN
Former First Lady, Senator, Secretary of State, and Democratic Party Presidential Nominee. That's a pretty good resume', man or woman, and it's not achieved without making some enemies. I'm pretty sure if Hillary Clinton was a male, she would not be getting the same level of scrutiny Hillary Clinton the female is getting. "She [Hillary Clinton] will win this time, too. But it will be harder than it ought to be. It will be hard because she is a tone-deaf politician, because lots of people find her to be shrill and because she has an awesome ability to turn a political misdemeanor into a firestorm. But as Trump lazes through the campaign, relying on his unreliable instincts, she will work harder than he knows how. After all, as a woman, she’s always had to." From WaPo - If Hillary Clinton were a man
+ "But the steps Clinton aides are planning to shape his [Bill Clinton] new life do little to address a potentially thornier problem: Historically, when Mr. Clinton does not have a job to do, he gets into trouble." Doh! Did they just go there...? From NYT - A Worry if Hillary Clinton Wins: What to Do With Bill
+ From WaPo - Why Bill Clinton’s speech tonight will be unlike anything we’ve ever seen
2. WE DON'T SWIM IN YOUR TOILET...
I'm glad I'm not a water sport Olympian. This is gross. "'Foreign athletes will literally be swimming in human crap, and they risk getting sick from all those microorganisms,' said Dr. Daniel Becker, a local pediatrician who works in poor neighborhoods. 'It’s sad, but also worrisome.'" From NYT - Keep Your Mouth Closed: Aquatic Olympians Face a Toxic Stew in Rio
+ From BuzzFeed - Rio’s Olympic Village Is Apparently One Big Hot Mess
3. CORPORAL PUNISHMENT VIA FACEBOOK
Whew! I'd hate to be the boyfriend associated with this scenario. "As her daughter whimpered in the corner after a four-minute beating, Shanavia Miller held up the camera, fixed her hair and spoke to the people watching on the teen’s Facebook page. 'This is my page now. Now I’m gonna need y’all to send this viral. Please share this because I’m not done. More to come.'" From WaPo - Georgia mom beats daughter on Facebook Live as punishment
4. HIGH SPEED EVOLUTION
"For a long time, biologists thought evolution was a very, very slow process, too tardy to be observed in a human lifetime. But recently, we have come to understand that evolution can happen very quickly, as long as natural selection — the relative benefit that a particular characteristic bestows on its bearer — is strong." I think we are seeing fast evolution play out in American politics with the natural selection trending toward idiots. From NYT - Evolution Is Happening Faster Than We Thought
5. "MILITARY AGED MALES"
That's how the U.S. military defines males, usually in their mid-40's and below. And these are the guys who, in mainly African and Middle Eastern countries, are considered the "youth bulge" who have limited employment opportunities and turn to terrorism or jihad to make a living or have meaning in life. I'm not saying unemployed, non-college educated men under 35 in the U.S. will turn to terrorism or jihad, but as this article points out, the potential negative consequences of this unemployed population are unknown. "The problem is that these 20-year-olds will eventually be 30-year-olds and 40-year-olds, and although young men who don’t go to college might appear happy now, those same satisfaction studies suggest that they will be much less happy in their 30s and 40s—less likely to get married, and more likely to be in poverty." From The Atlantic - Why America Should Be Concerned About Its Young Men
And speaking of men under the age of 35 going to college...
+ "When a homeless teenager named Fred Barley rode a bicycle some 50 miles into Barnesville, Ga., this month, he set up a small tent in a clump of bushes near Gordon State College, where he had registered." From NYT - How a Homeless Teenager's Viral Story Caused a Battle Over GoFundMe Money
BOTTOM OF THE NEWS
- Police in Michigan are trying to 3D-print a murder victim’s fingerprint to unlock his phone
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1. HILLARY CLINTON - THE WOMAN
Former First Lady, Senator, Secretary of State, and Democratic Party Presidential Nominee. That's a pretty good resume', man or woman, and it's not achieved without making some enemies. I'm pretty sure if Hillary Clinton was a male, she would not be getting the same level of scrutiny Hillary Clinton the female is getting. "She [Hillary Clinton] will win this time, too. But it will be harder than it ought to be. It will be hard because she is a tone-deaf politician, because lots of people find her to be shrill and because she has an awesome ability to turn a political misdemeanor into a firestorm. But as Trump lazes through the campaign, relying on his unreliable instincts, she will work harder than he knows how. After all, as a woman, she’s always had to." From WaPo - If Hillary Clinton were a man
+ "But the steps Clinton aides are planning to shape his [Bill Clinton] new life do little to address a potentially thornier problem: Historically, when Mr. Clinton does not have a job to do, he gets into trouble." Doh! Did they just go there...? From NYT - A Worry if Hillary Clinton Wins: What to Do With Bill
+ From WaPo - Why Bill Clinton’s speech tonight will be unlike anything we’ve ever seen
2. WE DON'T SWIM IN YOUR TOILET...
I'm glad I'm not a water sport Olympian. This is gross. "'Foreign athletes will literally be swimming in human crap, and they risk getting sick from all those microorganisms,' said Dr. Daniel Becker, a local pediatrician who works in poor neighborhoods. 'It’s sad, but also worrisome.'" From NYT - Keep Your Mouth Closed: Aquatic Olympians Face a Toxic Stew in Rio
+ From BuzzFeed - Rio’s Olympic Village Is Apparently One Big Hot Mess
3. CORPORAL PUNISHMENT VIA FACEBOOK
Whew! I'd hate to be the boyfriend associated with this scenario. "As her daughter whimpered in the corner after a four-minute beating, Shanavia Miller held up the camera, fixed her hair and spoke to the people watching on the teen’s Facebook page. 'This is my page now. Now I’m gonna need y’all to send this viral. Please share this because I’m not done. More to come.'" From WaPo - Georgia mom beats daughter on Facebook Live as punishment
4. HIGH SPEED EVOLUTION
"For a long time, biologists thought evolution was a very, very slow process, too tardy to be observed in a human lifetime. But recently, we have come to understand that evolution can happen very quickly, as long as natural selection — the relative benefit that a particular characteristic bestows on its bearer — is strong." I think we are seeing fast evolution play out in American politics with the natural selection trending toward idiots. From NYT - Evolution Is Happening Faster Than We Thought
5. "MILITARY AGED MALES"
That's how the U.S. military defines males, usually in their mid-40's and below. And these are the guys who, in mainly African and Middle Eastern countries, are considered the "youth bulge" who have limited employment opportunities and turn to terrorism or jihad to make a living or have meaning in life. I'm not saying unemployed, non-college educated men under 35 in the U.S. will turn to terrorism or jihad, but as this article points out, the potential negative consequences of this unemployed population are unknown. "The problem is that these 20-year-olds will eventually be 30-year-olds and 40-year-olds, and although young men who don’t go to college might appear happy now, those same satisfaction studies suggest that they will be much less happy in their 30s and 40s—less likely to get married, and more likely to be in poverty." From The Atlantic - Why America Should Be Concerned About Its Young Men
And speaking of men under the age of 35 going to college...
+ "When a homeless teenager named Fred Barley rode a bicycle some 50 miles into Barnesville, Ga., this month, he set up a small tent in a clump of bushes near Gordon State College, where he had registered." From NYT - How a Homeless Teenager's Viral Story Caused a Battle Over GoFundMe Money
BOTTOM OF THE NEWS
- Police in Michigan are trying to 3D-print a murder victim’s fingerprint to unlock his phone
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Tuesday, July 26, 2016
IT'S GOOD TO BE PURPLE
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1. IT'S GOOD TO BE PURPLE
Fail to turn your company around, or even worse, lead it to be sold and dismantled for its parts, and you could get paid $219 million for four years of "effort." According to Nicholas Thompson, "Marissa Mayer got $218m at Yahoo, which is exactly the sum of the year's biggest Mega Millions jackpot." Sign me up for that job. From WaPo - Marissa Mayer’s total pay as Yahoo CEO could end up reaching almost $219 million
+ Just in case you missed it, here's the backstory. From NYT - Yahoo’s Sale to Verizon Ends an Era for a Web Pioneer
+ "Assuming shareholders and regulators bless the sale of the core Yahoo businesses to Verizon, what will stay are a 15 percent stake in the Alibaba Group; a 35.5 percent stake in Yahoo’s Japanese affiliate; the company’s cash; and a collection of noncore patents that will eventually be sold off. The total value of the so-called RemainCo: more than $40 billion." From NYT - For Yahoo, Question Is What to Do With $40 Billion in Leftovers
2.THE HEDONIC TREADMILL
"The researcher, Karol Jan Borowiecki, examined the emotional state of three of the West’s most influential composers through the full course of their lives. What he found appears to bear out popular ideas about creativity and melancholy: a link between periods of negative emotions, especially sadness, and artistic brilliance. From WaPo - The downside of being happy
+ "We pass up life-changing experiences because we’re on track to become partner. We skip meaningful time with our families so we can respond to one more email. I assume this is all in pursuit of something out there that we think will make us happier. Unfortunately, this pursuit is futile." From NYT - More Money, More Success, More Stuff? Don’t Count on More Happiness
3. OUT OF CONTROL
Bernie Sanders supporters are very angry. Even he can't talk them off the ledge. "The scariest thing if you are a member of the Democratic establishment? Not even Bernie Sanders seems to be able to control these people. The revolution is still happening for them, and no one can convince them otherwise." From WaPo - Bernie Sanders started a political revolution. Now he can’t stop it
+ From Vox - It looks like a mess, but the Democratic Party is more unified than it seems
4. THE TRUMP BUMP
1. IT'S GOOD TO BE PURPLE
Fail to turn your company around, or even worse, lead it to be sold and dismantled for its parts, and you could get paid $219 million for four years of "effort." According to Nicholas Thompson, "Marissa Mayer got $218m at Yahoo, which is exactly the sum of the year's biggest Mega Millions jackpot." Sign me up for that job. From WaPo - Marissa Mayer’s total pay as Yahoo CEO could end up reaching almost $219 million
+ Just in case you missed it, here's the backstory. From NYT - Yahoo’s Sale to Verizon Ends an Era for a Web Pioneer
+ "Assuming shareholders and regulators bless the sale of the core Yahoo businesses to Verizon, what will stay are a 15 percent stake in the Alibaba Group; a 35.5 percent stake in Yahoo’s Japanese affiliate; the company’s cash; and a collection of noncore patents that will eventually be sold off. The total value of the so-called RemainCo: more than $40 billion." From NYT - For Yahoo, Question Is What to Do With $40 Billion in Leftovers
2.THE HEDONIC TREADMILL
"The researcher, Karol Jan Borowiecki, examined the emotional state of three of the West’s most influential composers through the full course of their lives. What he found appears to bear out popular ideas about creativity and melancholy: a link between periods of negative emotions, especially sadness, and artistic brilliance. From WaPo - The downside of being happy
+ "We pass up life-changing experiences because we’re on track to become partner. We skip meaningful time with our families so we can respond to one more email. I assume this is all in pursuit of something out there that we think will make us happier. Unfortunately, this pursuit is futile." From NYT - More Money, More Success, More Stuff? Don’t Count on More Happiness
3. OUT OF CONTROL
Bernie Sanders supporters are very angry. Even he can't talk them off the ledge. "The scariest thing if you are a member of the Democratic establishment? Not even Bernie Sanders seems to be able to control these people. The revolution is still happening for them, and no one can convince them otherwise." From WaPo - Bernie Sanders started a political revolution. Now he can’t stop it
+ From Vox - It looks like a mess, but the Democratic Party is more unified than it seems
4. THE TRUMP BUMP
As expected, Trump bumped in the polls as a result of the RNC spotlight. "Trump's problems are, unquestionably, legion. Yet here we are. Two new national polls out Monday either put him ahead of Clinton by three points or tied with the presumptive Democratic nominee. And it's not just those two surveys. The broad trend in polling suggests a tightening contest." From WaPo - Yes, of course Donald Trump can win
+ Avik Roy is a Republican’s Republican. He believes the Grand Old Party is going to die. "Roy isn’t happy about this: He believes it means the Democrats will dominate national American politics for some time. But he also believes the Republican Party has lost its right to govern, because it is driven by white nationalism rather than a true commitment to equality for all Americans." From Vox - A Republican intellectual explains why the Republican Party is going to die
5. THE ORIGINS OF MAN
Let's see what the Creationists do with this information. "The 355 genes pointed quite precisely to an organism that lived in the conditions found in deep sea vents, the gassy, metal-laden, intensely hot plumes caused by seawater interacting with magma erupting through the ocean floor." From NYT - Meet Luca, the Ancestor of All Living Things
BOTTOM OF THE NEWS
+ Avik Roy is a Republican’s Republican. He believes the Grand Old Party is going to die. "Roy isn’t happy about this: He believes it means the Democrats will dominate national American politics for some time. But he also believes the Republican Party has lost its right to govern, because it is driven by white nationalism rather than a true commitment to equality for all Americans." From Vox - A Republican intellectual explains why the Republican Party is going to die
5. THE ORIGINS OF MAN
Let's see what the Creationists do with this information. "The 355 genes pointed quite precisely to an organism that lived in the conditions found in deep sea vents, the gassy, metal-laden, intensely hot plumes caused by seawater interacting with magma erupting through the ocean floor." From NYT - Meet Luca, the Ancestor of All Living Things
BOTTOM OF THE NEWS
- An Electric Corvette Could Destroy a World Record—Again
- The First Trailer for ‘Wonder Woman’ Is Here and It’s Even More Epic Than You Imagined
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- The First Trailer for ‘Wonder Woman’ Is Here and It’s Even More Epic Than You Imagined
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Monday, July 25, 2016
THE CONVENTION - PART DEUX (THE DEMOCRATS)
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1. THE CONVENTION - PART DEUX (THE DEMOCRATS)
Not as much drama as the Republicans, but still intriguing. "The Democratic Party arrived here still divided over the results of its presidential primary season, with anger at the nominating process, the Clinton-Kaine ticket and hacked emails from the Democratic National Committee spilling into the party’s final meetings before the convention begins." From WaPo - Democrats grapple with intraparty divisions two days before convention opens
+ "Ms. Wasserman Schultz recognized the magnitude of the problem on Saturday and initially planned to offer an apology, one of her advisers said. But it became clear to her on Sunday that contrition was insufficient." She resigned. From NYT - Debbie Wasserman Schultz to Resign D.N.C. Post
+ "The news is an unexpected move from Mr. Bloomberg, who has not been a member of the Democratic Party since 2000; was elected the mayor of New York City as a Republican; and later became an independent." From NYT - Dismayed by Donald Trump, Michael Bloomberg Will Endorse Hillary Clinton
2. WIKILEAKS AND THE DNC
We are just getting started with the info that was hacked from the DNC. As I said back in June, it's the gift that will keep giving. "The May 5 emails apparently showing party leaders conspiring against Sanders came at a time when many Democratic Party leaders were tired of the Sanders-Clinton campaign continuing and wanted to move on with a nomination of Hillary Clinton against an eventual GOP nominee. Sanders would have been the first major-ticket nominee — or president — to openly present himself as nonreligious and was not speaking much about his faith background." From WaPo - WikiLeaks: Democratic Party officials appear to discuss using Sanders’s faith against him
+ Maybe... From WaPo - Clinton campaign manager: Russians leaked Democrats’ emails to help Donald Trump
3. THE TRUMP TRAIN KEEPS ROLLING
"The Republican Party has moved the lunatic fringe onto center stage, with discourse that renders impossible the kind of substantive debate upon which any civil democracy depends." From WaPo - Donald Trump is a unique threat to American democracy
And this from fellow "Republicans"...
+ From WaPo - New Kasich ad: If Trump becomes president, ‘you better hope there’s someone left to help you’
+ "As someone involved in GOP politics during a previous professional life, the moment [Trumps's RNC acceptance speech] was surreal, then emotional. A party with a distinguished history, generally led by men and women of public spirit and decency, has embraced a demagogue who may be a genuine threat to American democracy." From WaPo - Trump is cultivating a state of panic
4. IT'S HOT!
1. THE CONVENTION - PART DEUX (THE DEMOCRATS)
Not as much drama as the Republicans, but still intriguing. "The Democratic Party arrived here still divided over the results of its presidential primary season, with anger at the nominating process, the Clinton-Kaine ticket and hacked emails from the Democratic National Committee spilling into the party’s final meetings before the convention begins." From WaPo - Democrats grapple with intraparty divisions two days before convention opens
+ "Ms. Wasserman Schultz recognized the magnitude of the problem on Saturday and initially planned to offer an apology, one of her advisers said. But it became clear to her on Sunday that contrition was insufficient." She resigned. From NYT - Debbie Wasserman Schultz to Resign D.N.C. Post
+ "The news is an unexpected move from Mr. Bloomberg, who has not been a member of the Democratic Party since 2000; was elected the mayor of New York City as a Republican; and later became an independent." From NYT - Dismayed by Donald Trump, Michael Bloomberg Will Endorse Hillary Clinton
2. WIKILEAKS AND THE DNC
We are just getting started with the info that was hacked from the DNC. As I said back in June, it's the gift that will keep giving. "The May 5 emails apparently showing party leaders conspiring against Sanders came at a time when many Democratic Party leaders were tired of the Sanders-Clinton campaign continuing and wanted to move on with a nomination of Hillary Clinton against an eventual GOP nominee. Sanders would have been the first major-ticket nominee — or president — to openly present himself as nonreligious and was not speaking much about his faith background." From WaPo - WikiLeaks: Democratic Party officials appear to discuss using Sanders’s faith against him
+ Maybe... From WaPo - Clinton campaign manager: Russians leaked Democrats’ emails to help Donald Trump
3. THE TRUMP TRAIN KEEPS ROLLING
"The Republican Party has moved the lunatic fringe onto center stage, with discourse that renders impossible the kind of substantive debate upon which any civil democracy depends." From WaPo - Donald Trump is a unique threat to American democracy
And this from fellow "Republicans"...
+ From WaPo - New Kasich ad: If Trump becomes president, ‘you better hope there’s someone left to help you’
+ "As someone involved in GOP politics during a previous professional life, the moment [Trumps's RNC acceptance speech] was surreal, then emotional. A party with a distinguished history, generally led by men and women of public spirit and decency, has embraced a demagogue who may be a genuine threat to American democracy." From WaPo - Trump is cultivating a state of panic
4. IT'S HOT!
"The temperature in Mitribah, Kuwait, surged Thursday to a blistering 129.2 degrees (54 Celsius). And on Friday in Basra, Iraq, the mercury soared to 129.0 degrees (53.9 Celsius). If confirmed, these incredible measurements would represent the two hottest temperatures ever recorded in the Eastern Hemisphere." From WaPo - Two Middle East locations hit 129 degrees, hottest ever in Eastern Hemisphere, maybe the world
5. I WANT ROBOTS...WITH FREAKIN' LAZERS...IN SPACE
The start of the robot wars in space? Next up, the CIA and Department of Defense controlling robot strikes against Russian and Chinese robots. Just kidding, but it's not unrealistic. From Mashable - NASA's Curiosity rover can now fire its laser on its own. What could possibly go wrong?
+ From WaPo - Companies are flooding Earth’s orbit with satellites, but no one’s directing traffic
BOTTOM OF THE NEWS
- Teasing has many benefits, when done right
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5. I WANT ROBOTS...WITH FREAKIN' LAZERS...IN SPACE
The start of the robot wars in space? Next up, the CIA and Department of Defense controlling robot strikes against Russian and Chinese robots. Just kidding, but it's not unrealistic. From Mashable - NASA's Curiosity rover can now fire its laser on its own. What could possibly go wrong?
+ From WaPo - Companies are flooding Earth’s orbit with satellites, but no one’s directing traffic
BOTTOM OF THE NEWS
- Teasing has many benefits, when done right
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Friday, July 22, 2016
FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY
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1. FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY
An attempt by big business to police itself. "The agenda — shaped over many conversations Mr. Dimon had had with his friend, Mr. Buffett — was to discuss the sorry state of publicly traded companies: too little trust and connection between shareholders and management, too many rules imposed by so-called governance experts and too many idiosyncratic accounting guidelines. As a result, much of the smart money in the United States is going — and staying — private, creating more companies that have less public accountability and transparency." From NYT - C.E.O.s Meet in Secret Over the Sorry State of Public Companies
I can't help but think the logic behind the below Opinion piece is lodged in the back of the brains of the CEO's who participated in the above discussions.
+ "We are creating a caste system from which it’s almost impossible to escape, except for the few with exceptional brains, athletic skills or luck. If inequality is not addressed, the income gap will most likely be resolved in one of two ways: by major social unrest or through oppressive taxes." From NYT - Capitalists, Arise: We Need to Deal With Income Inequality
2. MMMMM, BEER
It's the only way Bud and Miller can compete with all the hoppy micro brews. "The Justice Department cleared the $100 billion merger of the world’s largest beer makers, Anheuser-Busch InBev and SABMiller, in a deal that would create a global giant controlling much of the world’s brew." From WaPo - Justice Dept. blesses marriage of two beer giants
3. THE GIFT THAT KEEPS GIVING
"One out of every 51 Georgians will be diagnosed with HIV over the course of their lifetime." Let me say that again, one out of EVERY 51?! That is an astounding statistic. From Ozy - The South's Secret Epidemic
4. FILE UNDER: YOU CAN'T MAKE THIS SH!T UP
I like to give the men/women in blue the benefit of the doubt, but, whew!, this one is tough. "'All he has is a toy truck in his hand,' Charles Kinsey told police as he tried to help an autistic patient. 'There is no need for guns.' Seconds later, the caretaker was shot." From WaPo - Fla. police shoot black man with his hands up as he tries to help autistic patient
+ "'We all agree she needed to be treated for mental instability,' her lawyer told The Washington Post. What he doesn’t agree with is what happened next: Jane Doe was imprisoned in the Harris County jail for 28 days, so the prosecution could ensure she would testify." From WaPo - Bipolar rape victim jailed after having a mental breakdown while testifying against her rapist
And how about something positive.
+ Maybe the start of something good. "So instead of marching, they gathered in a wooded park where the police department cooked and served up burgers. The officers played basketball with kids. They took group selfies." From WaPo - These Black Lives Matters protesters planned a march. The police threw them a cookout instead
5. WE ARE TAKING OUR BALL...
Big move by the NBA. "The National Basketball Association announced that it would not hold next season’s All-Star Game in Charlotte, N.C., the most significant fallout yet from state legislation that eliminated specific anti-discrimination protections for lesbians, gays and bisexuals." From NYT - N.B.A. to Move All-Star Game to Protest North Carolina Bathroom Law
+ This from North Carolina governor Pat McCrory, "The sports and entertainment elite, Attorney General Roy Cooper and the liberal media have for months misrepresented our laws and maligned the people of North Carolina simply because most people believe boys and girls should be able to use school bathrooms, locker rooms and showers without the opposite sex present." The NBA's decision to relocate the All-Star Weekend on will cost the state an estimated $100 million. From USAToday - North Carolina governor fires back at NBA decision over All-Star Game
BOTTOM OF THE NEWS
- Talk about passive income. Selena Gomez's Social Media Posts Are Evidently Worth $550,000 Apiece Sheesh!
- Funai Electric, the last company known to make VCRs, is ceasing production
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1. FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY
An attempt by big business to police itself. "The agenda — shaped over many conversations Mr. Dimon had had with his friend, Mr. Buffett — was to discuss the sorry state of publicly traded companies: too little trust and connection between shareholders and management, too many rules imposed by so-called governance experts and too many idiosyncratic accounting guidelines. As a result, much of the smart money in the United States is going — and staying — private, creating more companies that have less public accountability and transparency." From NYT - C.E.O.s Meet in Secret Over the Sorry State of Public Companies
I can't help but think the logic behind the below Opinion piece is lodged in the back of the brains of the CEO's who participated in the above discussions.
+ "We are creating a caste system from which it’s almost impossible to escape, except for the few with exceptional brains, athletic skills or luck. If inequality is not addressed, the income gap will most likely be resolved in one of two ways: by major social unrest or through oppressive taxes." From NYT - Capitalists, Arise: We Need to Deal With Income Inequality
2. MMMMM, BEER
It's the only way Bud and Miller can compete with all the hoppy micro brews. "The Justice Department cleared the $100 billion merger of the world’s largest beer makers, Anheuser-Busch InBev and SABMiller, in a deal that would create a global giant controlling much of the world’s brew." From WaPo - Justice Dept. blesses marriage of two beer giants
3. THE GIFT THAT KEEPS GIVING
"One out of every 51 Georgians will be diagnosed with HIV over the course of their lifetime." Let me say that again, one out of EVERY 51?! That is an astounding statistic. From Ozy - The South's Secret Epidemic
4. FILE UNDER: YOU CAN'T MAKE THIS SH!T UP
I like to give the men/women in blue the benefit of the doubt, but, whew!, this one is tough. "'All he has is a toy truck in his hand,' Charles Kinsey told police as he tried to help an autistic patient. 'There is no need for guns.' Seconds later, the caretaker was shot." From WaPo - Fla. police shoot black man with his hands up as he tries to help autistic patient
+ "'We all agree she needed to be treated for mental instability,' her lawyer told The Washington Post. What he doesn’t agree with is what happened next: Jane Doe was imprisoned in the Harris County jail for 28 days, so the prosecution could ensure she would testify." From WaPo - Bipolar rape victim jailed after having a mental breakdown while testifying against her rapist
And how about something positive.
5. WE ARE TAKING OUR BALL...
Big move by the NBA. "The National Basketball Association announced that it would not hold next season’s All-Star Game in Charlotte, N.C., the most significant fallout yet from state legislation that eliminated specific anti-discrimination protections for lesbians, gays and bisexuals." From NYT - N.B.A. to Move All-Star Game to Protest North Carolina Bathroom Law
+ This from North Carolina governor Pat McCrory, "The sports and entertainment elite, Attorney General Roy Cooper and the liberal media have for months misrepresented our laws and maligned the people of North Carolina simply because most people believe boys and girls should be able to use school bathrooms, locker rooms and showers without the opposite sex present." The NBA's decision to relocate the All-Star Weekend on will cost the state an estimated $100 million. From USAToday - North Carolina governor fires back at NBA decision over All-Star Game
BOTTOM OF THE NEWS
- Talk about passive income. Selena Gomez's Social Media Posts Are Evidently Worth $550,000 Apiece Sheesh!
- Funai Electric, the last company known to make VCRs, is ceasing production
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Thursday, July 21, 2016
WINNING THE BATTLE BUT LOSING THE WAR?
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1. WINNING THE BATTLE BUT LOSING THE WAR?
Recently, much has been written about the geographic gains the coalition battling ISIS is making - specifically, in Iraq. But the broader question is: What do those geographic gains mean? "In fact, the officials said they were looking for ways to diminish the Islamic State’s reach around the world, particularly the ideology that many say has driven an increase in terrorist attacks in Europe, West Africa and the United States." From NYT - Military Leaders Discuss Plans to Counter ISIS Beyond the Battlefield
+ "Indeed, while the loss of a physical sanctuary would constitute a major blow to the Islamic State — severely limiting, for example, its ability to raise money, train recruits or plan complex terrorist operations — the group’s highly decentralized nature ensures that it will remain dangerous for some time to come, according to current and former U.S. officials and terrorism experts." From WaPo - Inside ISIS: Quietly preparing for the loss of the ‘caliphate’
The toughest fight may be still to come.
2. THE TRUMP DOCTRINE
It's all about economics. "Mr. Trump repeatedly defined American global interests almost purely in economic terms. Its roles as a peacekeeper, as a provider of a nuclear deterrent against adversaries like North Korea, as an advocate of human rights and as a guarantor of allies’ borders were each quickly reduced to questions of economic benefit to the United States. No presidential candidate in modern times has ordered American priorities that way. But Mr. Trump gave no ground, whether the subject was countering North Korea’s missile and nuclear threats or dealing with China in the South China Sea. The forward deployment of American troops abroad, he said, while preferable, was not necessary." From NYT - Donald Trump Sets Conditions for Defending NATO Allies Against Attack
+ Speaking of value (no not economic value). "Mr. Erdogan may now be a bitter disappointment to the president, but he is still better than any other option — and, like it or not, remains a linchpin in the campaign against the Islamic State and in a host of other critical issues." From NYT - Obama’s Support of Erdogan Is a Stark Reminder of Turkey’s Value to U.S.
3. ENI MENI MINI MO
1. WINNING THE BATTLE BUT LOSING THE WAR?
Recently, much has been written about the geographic gains the coalition battling ISIS is making - specifically, in Iraq. But the broader question is: What do those geographic gains mean? "In fact, the officials said they were looking for ways to diminish the Islamic State’s reach around the world, particularly the ideology that many say has driven an increase in terrorist attacks in Europe, West Africa and the United States." From NYT - Military Leaders Discuss Plans to Counter ISIS Beyond the Battlefield
+ "Indeed, while the loss of a physical sanctuary would constitute a major blow to the Islamic State — severely limiting, for example, its ability to raise money, train recruits or plan complex terrorist operations — the group’s highly decentralized nature ensures that it will remain dangerous for some time to come, according to current and former U.S. officials and terrorism experts." From WaPo - Inside ISIS: Quietly preparing for the loss of the ‘caliphate’
The toughest fight may be still to come.
2. THE TRUMP DOCTRINE
It's all about economics. "Mr. Trump repeatedly defined American global interests almost purely in economic terms. Its roles as a peacekeeper, as a provider of a nuclear deterrent against adversaries like North Korea, as an advocate of human rights and as a guarantor of allies’ borders were each quickly reduced to questions of economic benefit to the United States. No presidential candidate in modern times has ordered American priorities that way. But Mr. Trump gave no ground, whether the subject was countering North Korea’s missile and nuclear threats or dealing with China in the South China Sea. The forward deployment of American troops abroad, he said, while preferable, was not necessary." From NYT - Donald Trump Sets Conditions for Defending NATO Allies Against Attack
+ Speaking of value (no not economic value). "Mr. Erdogan may now be a bitter disappointment to the president, but he is still better than any other option — and, like it or not, remains a linchpin in the campaign against the Islamic State and in a host of other critical issues." From NYT - Obama’s Support of Erdogan Is a Stark Reminder of Turkey’s Value to U.S.
3. ENI MENI MINI MO
"But according to the Kasich adviser, Donald Jr. wanted to make him an offer nonetheless: Did he have any interest in being the most powerful vice president in history? When Kasich’s adviser asked how this would be the case, Donald Jr. explained that his father’s vice president would be in charge of domestic and foreign policy. Then what, the adviser asked, would Trump be in charge of? 'Making America great again' was the casual reply." So, that's how the leader of the free world does it...delegate to the VP. From NYT - How Donald Trump Picked His Running Mate
+ Donald Trump’s Veterans Advisor Says Hillary Clinton Should Be ‘Shot For Treason’ That's a good way to get the attention of the Secret Service
4. FIGHT THE POWER!
"Then Chuck D offered a broader and no less pessimistic assessment of the parties’ nominees, Trump and Hillary Clinton, and tried to explain why he would ultimately vote for the Democrat after rooting for Bernie Sanders in the primary. 'You've got a clown on one end and they say that you've got a liar on the other end,' he said. 'You could buy time with a liar. A clown — you can't buy no time with a clown.'" From Politico - Chuck D takes on Rudy G
5. A CLOSE SHAVE
Men's grooming startup Dollar Shave Club just sold to Unilever for $1 billion. I thought they would be worth more than that, but I did try their product and found it to be not that great. From Quartz - A disruptive startup just sold for $1 billion—and it isn’t even a tech company
BOTTOM OF THE NEWS
- Doh! Supermodel Miranda Kerr announced her engagement to Snapchat’s founder—on Instagram
- It's kind of like going to Atlantic City to gamble, but you really wanted to be in Vegas... "What Trump is left with at his convention is a collection of people who are neither prominent popular Republican officials nor genuine celebrities." From Vox - What’s happening at the Republican National Convention is not normal
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+ Donald Trump’s Veterans Advisor Says Hillary Clinton Should Be ‘Shot For Treason’ That's a good way to get the attention of the Secret Service
4. FIGHT THE POWER!
"Then Chuck D offered a broader and no less pessimistic assessment of the parties’ nominees, Trump and Hillary Clinton, and tried to explain why he would ultimately vote for the Democrat after rooting for Bernie Sanders in the primary. 'You've got a clown on one end and they say that you've got a liar on the other end,' he said. 'You could buy time with a liar. A clown — you can't buy no time with a clown.'" From Politico - Chuck D takes on Rudy G
5. A CLOSE SHAVE
Men's grooming startup Dollar Shave Club just sold to Unilever for $1 billion. I thought they would be worth more than that, but I did try their product and found it to be not that great. From Quartz - A disruptive startup just sold for $1 billion—and it isn’t even a tech company
BOTTOM OF THE NEWS
- Doh! Supermodel Miranda Kerr announced her engagement to Snapchat’s founder—on Instagram
- It's kind of like going to Atlantic City to gamble, but you really wanted to be in Vegas... "What Trump is left with at his convention is a collection of people who are neither prominent popular Republican officials nor genuine celebrities." From Vox - What’s happening at the Republican National Convention is not normal
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Wednesday, July 20, 2016
GARY JOHNSON? LIBERTARIAN PARTY? PRESIDENT? MAYBE?
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1. GARY JOHNSON? LIBERTARIAN PARTY? PRESIDENT? MAYBE?
Can Gary Johnson actually get into the presidential election fray? Maybe. "Johnson has many flaws as a candidate, but being unlikable is not one of them. If he is allowed to debate Trump and Clinton, the two most unpopular presumed nominees in decades, then the most unpredictable election in modern times could get even weirder. When pollsters include Johnson with Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton in their surveys, he has been the choice of roughly ten per cent of respondents, and in a Times/CBS News poll released last week he hit twelve per cent. If his standing in the polls rises to fifteen per cent, he will likely qualify to participate in the Presidential debates." From The New Yorker - The Libertarians' Secret Weapon
+ " It is either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton," Paul Ryan said. "You don't get a third option. It's one or the other." "The fact of the matter is there are a lot of areas where Clinton is going to support things Paul Ryan personally stands for. Indeed, you could make a decent argument that Ryan will get more deals done under a Hillary Clinton presidency." From Vox - How Paul Ryan could win the 2016 election — no matter who's president
2. DO YOU YAHOO!
Apparently, not for long. The end appears near for, what used to be, a tech innovator and bellwether. " [Yahoo] is expected to draw significant bids from a host of players including Verizon, AT&T and an investment group that comprises private equity firms and is backed by Warren Buffett. Some analysts project a sale could be done by the end of the month." From WaPo - Yahoo misses profit expectations in what could be its last-ever earnings report
3. PRIVATE PARTS
When your urge to get "likes" trumps common sense and humility, you get this. "Dani Mathers, Playboy’s 2015 Playmate of the Year, was at L.A. Fitness when the body of a fellow gym-goer offended her. Mathers took to Snapchat to post the woman’s body — naked. Under law, Mathers could be charged in the state of California with disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor that can include a fine of up to $1,000 or six months in jail." From WaPo - A Playboy Playmate found this normal woman’s naked body gross. So she posted it online
+ "Trump took a rare pause when asked whether the American public would care about his complicated personal life, and in particular his affair with Maples. 'I haven’t thought about it. I don’t see it as a very big situation. It was a long time ago and, number two, the marriage was over, not officially.' He added: 'I may be wrong. I am learning everything I do is a big deal.'" From WaPo - 2016 is the year of the messy private life — and the year when it no longer matters
4. WHAT AILES YOU
These cases follow a fairly predictable trajectory. If there is a remote shred of truth, once one brave soul (Gretchen Carlson) musters the courage to step out, others follow. It looks like this will bring down longtime Fox News chief Roger Ailes. From NY Magazine - Sources: Megyn Kelly Told Murdoch Investigators That Roger Ailes Sexually Harassed Her
5. WHO SAYS WE CAN'T DO MATH
We know we can solve complex problems, that's what Americans do and why we are great. Now this. "The United States has won the 57th International Mathematical Olympiad. The competition included teams from over 100 countries. The winning U.S. team score was 214 out of a possible 252, ahead of the Republic of Korea (207) and China (204). Rounding out the top ten were Singapore (196), Taiwan (175), North Korea (168), Russian Federation (165), United Kingdom (165), Hong Kong (161) and Japan (156). From NYT - U.S. Team Wins First Place at International Math Olympiad
BOTTOM OF THE NEWS
- The temperature keeps rising. "Gavin Schmidt, the director of NASA’s Goddard Institute of Space Studies, said that while the first six months of 2015 made it the hottest half-year ever recorded, '2016 really has blown that out of the water.' Dr. Schmidt said the world was now “dancing” with the temperature targets set last year in the Paris climate treaty for nations to limit climate change." From NYT - Global Temperatures Are on Course for Another Record This Year
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1. GARY JOHNSON? LIBERTARIAN PARTY? PRESIDENT? MAYBE?
Can Gary Johnson actually get into the presidential election fray? Maybe. "Johnson has many flaws as a candidate, but being unlikable is not one of them. If he is allowed to debate Trump and Clinton, the two most unpopular presumed nominees in decades, then the most unpredictable election in modern times could get even weirder. When pollsters include Johnson with Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton in their surveys, he has been the choice of roughly ten per cent of respondents, and in a Times/CBS News poll released last week he hit twelve per cent. If his standing in the polls rises to fifteen per cent, he will likely qualify to participate in the Presidential debates." From The New Yorker - The Libertarians' Secret Weapon
+ " It is either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton," Paul Ryan said. "You don't get a third option. It's one or the other." "The fact of the matter is there are a lot of areas where Clinton is going to support things Paul Ryan personally stands for. Indeed, you could make a decent argument that Ryan will get more deals done under a Hillary Clinton presidency." From Vox - How Paul Ryan could win the 2016 election — no matter who's president
2. DO YOU YAHOO!
Apparently, not for long. The end appears near for, what used to be, a tech innovator and bellwether. " [Yahoo] is expected to draw significant bids from a host of players including Verizon, AT&T and an investment group that comprises private equity firms and is backed by Warren Buffett. Some analysts project a sale could be done by the end of the month." From WaPo - Yahoo misses profit expectations in what could be its last-ever earnings report
3. PRIVATE PARTS
When your urge to get "likes" trumps common sense and humility, you get this. "Dani Mathers, Playboy’s 2015 Playmate of the Year, was at L.A. Fitness when the body of a fellow gym-goer offended her. Mathers took to Snapchat to post the woman’s body — naked. Under law, Mathers could be charged in the state of California with disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor that can include a fine of up to $1,000 or six months in jail." From WaPo - A Playboy Playmate found this normal woman’s naked body gross. So she posted it online
+ "Trump took a rare pause when asked whether the American public would care about his complicated personal life, and in particular his affair with Maples. 'I haven’t thought about it. I don’t see it as a very big situation. It was a long time ago and, number two, the marriage was over, not officially.' He added: 'I may be wrong. I am learning everything I do is a big deal.'" From WaPo - 2016 is the year of the messy private life — and the year when it no longer matters
4. WHAT AILES YOU
These cases follow a fairly predictable trajectory. If there is a remote shred of truth, once one brave soul (Gretchen Carlson) musters the courage to step out, others follow. It looks like this will bring down longtime Fox News chief Roger Ailes. From NY Magazine - Sources: Megyn Kelly Told Murdoch Investigators That Roger Ailes Sexually Harassed Her
5. WHO SAYS WE CAN'T DO MATH
We know we can solve complex problems, that's what Americans do and why we are great. Now this. "The United States has won the 57th International Mathematical Olympiad. The competition included teams from over 100 countries. The winning U.S. team score was 214 out of a possible 252, ahead of the Republic of Korea (207) and China (204). Rounding out the top ten were Singapore (196), Taiwan (175), North Korea (168), Russian Federation (165), United Kingdom (165), Hong Kong (161) and Japan (156). From NYT - U.S. Team Wins First Place at International Math Olympiad
BOTTOM OF THE NEWS
- The temperature keeps rising. "Gavin Schmidt, the director of NASA’s Goddard Institute of Space Studies, said that while the first six months of 2015 made it the hottest half-year ever recorded, '2016 really has blown that out of the water.' Dr. Schmidt said the world was now “dancing” with the temperature targets set last year in the Paris climate treaty for nations to limit climate change." From NYT - Global Temperatures Are on Course for Another Record This Year
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Tuesday, July 19, 2016
THE CONVENTION
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1. THE CONVENTION
"I'd rather take my kids to watch a dumpster fire [than attend the RNC]." Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse
At least at the outset, Senator Sasse's quote seems to sum up the RNC.
"Monday will supply the surest signal yet of how a Trumpian gathering might feel different. The initial wattage appears somewhat low. Luminaries include a soap opera actor, a "Duck Dynasty" star and the actor Scott Baio..." From NYT - Republican Convention: Floor Fighting on Day 1
+ From WaPo - The Daily 202: Seven things to watch at the Republican convention in Cleveland
+ From FiveThirtyEight - The End Of A Republican Party
+ "Recent polls have shown that Trump had 0% approval among black voters in Ohio and Pennsylvania, key states. Manigualt, however, insisted that Trump has big support in the African American community. “I’m just wondering who they called because those numbers would be flawed. My reality is that I’m surrounded by people who want see Donald Trump as the next president of the United States, who are African-American,” Manigualt said. From Fortune - Ex- ‘Apprentice’ Star Omarosa Named Trump’s Director of African-American Outreach
2. MONEY
This seems like it might be the beginning of an effort to answer the widening wealth gap and shrinking of the middle class. "The changing political winds have emboldened those who say that fears that Social Security will go bankrupt are overblown. Until recently, all the talk in Washington regarding Social Security was about cuts. But a grass-roots progressive coalition began campaigning for expansion nearly three years ago, and it has succeeded in moving the concept to the center of the Democratic Party." From NYT - Calls for Social Security Expansion Grow Louder in Washington
+ From NYT - Paying With Cash Hurts. That's Also Why It Feels So Good.
3. AI UPDATE
1. THE CONVENTION
"I'd rather take my kids to watch a dumpster fire [than attend the RNC]." Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse
At least at the outset, Senator Sasse's quote seems to sum up the RNC.
"Monday will supply the surest signal yet of how a Trumpian gathering might feel different. The initial wattage appears somewhat low. Luminaries include a soap opera actor, a "Duck Dynasty" star and the actor Scott Baio..." From NYT - Republican Convention: Floor Fighting on Day 1
+ From WaPo - The Daily 202: Seven things to watch at the Republican convention in Cleveland
+ From FiveThirtyEight - The End Of A Republican Party
+ "Recent polls have shown that Trump had 0% approval among black voters in Ohio and Pennsylvania, key states. Manigualt, however, insisted that Trump has big support in the African American community. “I’m just wondering who they called because those numbers would be flawed. My reality is that I’m surrounded by people who want see Donald Trump as the next president of the United States, who are African-American,” Manigualt said. From Fortune - Ex- ‘Apprentice’ Star Omarosa Named Trump’s Director of African-American Outreach
2. MONEY
This seems like it might be the beginning of an effort to answer the widening wealth gap and shrinking of the middle class. "The changing political winds have emboldened those who say that fears that Social Security will go bankrupt are overblown. Until recently, all the talk in Washington regarding Social Security was about cuts. But a grass-roots progressive coalition began campaigning for expansion nearly three years ago, and it has succeeded in moving the concept to the center of the Democratic Party." From NYT - Calls for Social Security Expansion Grow Louder in Washington
+ From NYT - Paying With Cash Hurts. That's Also Why It Feels So Good.
3. AI UPDATE
Artificial intelligence (AI) is everywhere in your daily life and that trend will only increase. Powerful computers are crunching every connected movement you make. "The [AI] movement can be thought of as a spread of computing intelligence everywhere, on wheels and wings, in your pocket and all through your house." From NYT - Reasons to Believe the A.I. Boom Is Real
But hold on. There's this...
Recent EU regulations, set to take affect in 2018, challenge just about everything big U.S. tech firms (think Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Apple, and Facebook) are currently doing with AI and machine learning. "Ultimately, the conundrums presented by the new EU regulations will extend to everything. Machine learning is the way of the future." From Wired - Artificial Intelligence Is Setting Up the Internet for a Huge Clash With Europe
4. BABY, IT'S COLD OUTSIDE
Put your jacket on or you're going to catch your death of pneumonia. Not so fast. "This week, as a few of us sniffle with summer colds, the emails are all about a new study that they think proves that cold weather makes you more likely to catch a cold. I’m sorry to say that this continues to be a myth. Research doesn’t support it." From NYT - Repeat After Me: Cold Does Not Increase Odds of Catching Cold
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But hold on. There's this...
Recent EU regulations, set to take affect in 2018, challenge just about everything big U.S. tech firms (think Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Apple, and Facebook) are currently doing with AI and machine learning. "Ultimately, the conundrums presented by the new EU regulations will extend to everything. Machine learning is the way of the future." From Wired - Artificial Intelligence Is Setting Up the Internet for a Huge Clash With Europe
4. BABY, IT'S COLD OUTSIDE
Put your jacket on or you're going to catch your death of pneumonia. Not so fast. "This week, as a few of us sniffle with summer colds, the emails are all about a new study that they think proves that cold weather makes you more likely to catch a cold. I’m sorry to say that this continues to be a myth. Research doesn’t support it." From NYT - Repeat After Me: Cold Does Not Increase Odds of Catching Cold
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Monday, July 18, 2016
END OF DAYS
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1. END OF DAYS
The title is a little dramatic, but it sure was a ROUGH weekend for the world...
- "Terror" in Nice - I struggle to even call it terror because, by most accounts, it appears this guy was a little "off balance" and used the terror moniker to hide his unstable personality. But in the end he killed a lot of people and ISIS called him one of their "soldiers". “A lot of this stuff is at the fringes of what we would historically think of as terrorism, the Islamic State and jihadism has become a kind of refuge for some unstable people who are at the end of their rope and decide they can redeem their screwed-up lives by dying in the name of a cause."
- Coup Attempt in Turkey - It was over before it even got started. The generals tried an old school coup by taking over television and radio stations to "control" the message while the president rallied the people via FaceTime. "Though the exact rationale for the coup effort remains unclear, the Turkish military has long viewed itself as the guardian of Turkey’s secular and moderate institutions, the touchstones of the modern Turkish republic."
1. END OF DAYS
The title is a little dramatic, but it sure was a ROUGH weekend for the world...
- "Terror" in Nice - I struggle to even call it terror because, by most accounts, it appears this guy was a little "off balance" and used the terror moniker to hide his unstable personality. But in the end he killed a lot of people and ISIS called him one of their "soldiers". “A lot of this stuff is at the fringes of what we would historically think of as terrorism, the Islamic State and jihadism has become a kind of refuge for some unstable people who are at the end of their rope and decide they can redeem their screwed-up lives by dying in the name of a cause."
- Coup Attempt in Turkey - It was over before it even got started. The generals tried an old school coup by taking over television and radio stations to "control" the message while the president rallied the people via FaceTime. "Though the exact rationale for the coup effort remains unclear, the Turkish military has long viewed itself as the guardian of Turkey’s secular and moderate institutions, the touchstones of the modern Turkish republic."
+ From Quartz - The surprising power of a movement once social media is taken away
- Police Killings in Baton Rouge - "Three police officers were killed and three others injured in a shooting Sunday morning in Baton Rouge." Nothing good will come from this and we have to find a way to make it STOP.
2. WE DON'T NEED NO STINKIN' DUE PROCESS
This is a little dated (I've been away for a couple weeks), but it's too important of an escalation in police tactics not to cover. What makes this scary is this is kind of how the military handles 'targets' overseas. "A standoff between police and one of the suspects in a Dallas shooting spree ended after the suspect was killed when a robot delivered and detonated explosives where he was holed up. The move represents a potentially unprecedented use of robots to deliberately deliver lethal force in domestic policing." From WaPo - In an apparent first, Dallas police used a robot to deliver bomb that killed shooting suspect
+ From Huffington Post - Dallas Police Force’s Use Of Bomb-Carrying Robot Could Set Dangerous Precedent
3. SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION
"Twenty-eight pages of a 2002 congressional report on the September 11, 2001 terror attacks, released Friday, suggest potential links between some of the hijackers and people with ties to the Saudi government, but contain no independent evidence of a direct relationship." From FP - Declassified ‘28 Pages’ Suggest Ties Between Associate of 9/11 Hijackers and Former Saudi Ambassador
+ From USAToday - 5 fascinating items in new 9/11 documents
4. BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU SOCIAL MEDIA...IN PAKISTAN
"Qandeel Baloch, a Pakistani social media sensation, was strangled by her brother in central Pakistan, said police officials, in what appears to have been a so-called honor killing." From NYT - Pakistani Social Media Celebrity Dead in Apparent Honor Killing
5. MASS SHOOTINGS ARE CONTAGIOUS
It's kind of a blinding flash of the obvious, but "Arizona State University physician Sherry Towers, who focuses on how viruses spread, found that mass shootings lead to a period of contagion for an average of 13 days after the initial event." From Quartz - The psychology of why mass shootings are contagious
BOTTOM OF THE NEWS
- Police Killings in Baton Rouge - "Three police officers were killed and three others injured in a shooting Sunday morning in Baton Rouge." Nothing good will come from this and we have to find a way to make it STOP.
2. WE DON'T NEED NO STINKIN' DUE PROCESS
This is a little dated (I've been away for a couple weeks), but it's too important of an escalation in police tactics not to cover. What makes this scary is this is kind of how the military handles 'targets' overseas. "A standoff between police and one of the suspects in a Dallas shooting spree ended after the suspect was killed when a robot delivered and detonated explosives where he was holed up. The move represents a potentially unprecedented use of robots to deliberately deliver lethal force in domestic policing." From WaPo - In an apparent first, Dallas police used a robot to deliver bomb that killed shooting suspect
+ From Huffington Post - Dallas Police Force’s Use Of Bomb-Carrying Robot Could Set Dangerous Precedent
3. SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION
"Twenty-eight pages of a 2002 congressional report on the September 11, 2001 terror attacks, released Friday, suggest potential links between some of the hijackers and people with ties to the Saudi government, but contain no independent evidence of a direct relationship." From FP - Declassified ‘28 Pages’ Suggest Ties Between Associate of 9/11 Hijackers and Former Saudi Ambassador
+ From USAToday - 5 fascinating items in new 9/11 documents
4. BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU SOCIAL MEDIA...IN PAKISTAN
"Qandeel Baloch, a Pakistani social media sensation, was strangled by her brother in central Pakistan, said police officials, in what appears to have been a so-called honor killing." From NYT - Pakistani Social Media Celebrity Dead in Apparent Honor Killing
5. MASS SHOOTINGS ARE CONTAGIOUS
It's kind of a blinding flash of the obvious, but "Arizona State University physician Sherry Towers, who focuses on how viruses spread, found that mass shootings lead to a period of contagion for an average of 13 days after the initial event." From Quartz - The psychology of why mass shootings are contagious
BOTTOM OF THE NEWS
- In case you wondered what the Blockchain is, how it works and why it's a potential game changer
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