The non-aggression pact between Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren is seriously fraying. [Click] Alleged script for Bernie canvassers leaked. And Warren has lately been presenting herself as someone who can peel off supporters from both Sanders and Biden. I should have preferred that it not happen, but politics ain’t beanbag, and things are getting rather tense. Bear in mind also that this is from politico.com, which lives on “Democrats in disarray” stories— as does the New York Times, in my opinion.
The Real Trouble With Silicon Valley [Click] “…Big Tech’s failure to remake the physical world.” A rather long essay, but it puts well something that has been niggling at me for quite some time.
Bonus Quote of the Day January 12, 2020 By Taegan Goddard
“I don’t like to spend too much time on his crazy tweets because everything he says is a projection. When he calls somebody crazy, he knows that he is.” — Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in an interview with ABC News, responding to President Trump’s tweets calling her “Crazy Nancy.” =================== Defense Secretary ‘Didn’t See’ Evidence for Attack [Click] ==================== Most Disapprove of Trump’s Handling of Iran January 12, 2020By Taegan Goddard
A new ABC News/Ipsos poll finds a majority of Americans said they disapprove of President Trump’s handling of the situation with Iran, 56% to 43%. Most also think the country is now less safe, 52% to 25%. ===========================
Extraordinary response to Iran’s initial denials and subsequent admission of shooting down the Ukranian airliner. [Click] This amazes me when I compare it to the US shooting down Iran Air 655, USSR shooting down Korean Air 007, or the destruction of Malaysian Airlines 17 over Ukraine by “parties unknown” with a Russian antiaircraft battery. The foreign response seems like nothing so much as a flock of chickens pecking the weakest one to death. The domestic protests in Iran must simply be the result of deep discontent with the government— a powder keg waiting for any spark to set it off. I am appalled at the President of the United States and his toadies trying to use it for domestic political gain, but that is true to form for this administration.
Several items from The Atlantic: This morning: Bernie Sanders Has Something New to Talk About [Click] “The Iran crisis is giving him a chance to differentiate himself—just in time for the Iowa caucuses.”
Oct. 16th, 2019: The Return of Bernie Sanders Is Bigger Than Bernie Sanders [Click] “To the senator’s superfans watching last night’s debate, the promise of a political revolution is well worth supporting a 78-year-old who just had a heart attack.”
Given Iowa's long history of supporting anti-war candidates, particularly in the Democratic caucuses, I am feeling significantly more sanguine about Bernie's chances of winning first place in Iowa. He's already leading in New Hampshire, so a snowball effect going into Super Tuesday and beyond is certainly plausible. Out here in California he has been notable for his vigorous campaign, including support among Latino communities.
Not being part of the target audience some of it may be lost on me; but it is certainly notable, even eye-opening. I hope it is effective, but there are none are so blind as those who will not see.
Checking quickly on historical seismicity of Puerto RicoI found this article. [Click] It says there hasn't been an earthquake this damaging in Puerto Rico since 1918, and the current swarm is unusual. Checking quickly on historical seismicity of Puerto Ricobrought up this article. [Click] Here’s a list of earthquakes in California. [Click] There shouldn’t be much damage at intensity VII unless the buildings are poorly built, and the photos (specially selected, I am sure) show very poorly built structures—many made of unreinforced masonry, or evidently built on cripple studs, etc. But rarely having more than dish-rattlers, people (and builders, and government agencies) would feel little urgency about earthquake-resistant building standards. That is not to minimize the losses or distress of the victims, certainly. When the Cascadia Fault lets loose (which could happen any time) the damage to western Washington, Oregon and British Columbia (I assume BC has building standards comparable to WA and OR) is likely to be stupendous because of weak building codes. The most awful risk is in school buildings; less than 10% of them (if I remember the figures correctly) can be relied on not to collapse. In Seattle they still build large high-rise BRICK apartment buildings, and of course they have a big inventory of old ones. Much of the land around Portland and Vancouver, WA will liquify—before the tsunami hits. But maybe they will improve their building codes, reinforce existing buildings, and have a century or two before the big one hits. Or not. On average, it is overdue. We live in one of the seismically safest parts of California, but a big quake in either the Los Angeles or San Francisco area would disrupt the economy and commerce dramatically. But the San Andreas and related faults are considered incapable of producing earthquakes as big as the biggest ones on the Cascadia Fault. Coastal Oregon and Washington will continue to have earthquakes comparable to the northern Japan quake of 2011, or the big Indonesian quake before that, but they haven't had any medium-sized ones since the area was settled by immigrants from the US.
P.S.: If I am not mistaken, one of the people looking over the cliff (third to the right of the rightmost boy being dangled over the cliff) sure looks like Nast’s depictions of Boss Tweed. [Click]
The non-aggression pact between Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren is seriously fraying. [Click] Alleged script for Bernie canvassers leaked. And Warren has lately been presenting herself as someone who can peel off supporters from both Sanders and Biden. I should have preferred that it not happen, but politics ain’t beanbag, and things are getting rather tense. Bear in mind also that this is from politico.com, which lives on “Democrats in disarray” stories— as does the New York Times, in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteI have written to the campaign including the link and asking for clarification.
DeleteThis is so not okay with me. Did they hire Trippi or something?
The Real Trouble With Silicon Valley [Click] “…Big Tech’s failure to remake the physical world.” A rather long essay, but it puts well something that has been niggling at me for quite some time.
ReplyDeleteTrump vaunts his China trade pact – but some say it’s too little, too late. [Click] No real news as far as I can see, but it does put numbers on things.
Bonus Quote of the Day
ReplyDeleteJanuary 12, 2020 By Taegan Goddard
“I don’t like to spend too much time on his crazy tweets because everything he says is a projection. When he calls somebody crazy, he knows that he is.”
— Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in an interview with ABC News, responding to President Trump’s tweets calling her “Crazy Nancy.”
===================
Defense Secretary ‘Didn’t See’ Evidence for Attack [Click]
====================
Most Disapprove of Trump’s Handling of Iran
January 12, 2020By Taegan Goddard
A new ABC News/Ipsos poll finds a majority of Americans said they disapprove of President Trump’s handling of the situation with Iran, 56% to 43%.
Most also think the country is now less safe, 52% to 25%.
===========================
Extraordinary response to Iran’s initial denials and subsequent admission of shooting down the Ukranian airliner. [Click] This amazes me when I compare it to the US shooting down Iran Air 655, USSR shooting down Korean Air 007, or the destruction of Malaysian Airlines 17 over Ukraine by “parties unknown” with a Russian antiaircraft battery. The foreign response seems like nothing so much as a flock of chickens pecking the weakest one to death. The domestic protests in Iran must simply be the result of deep discontent with the government— a powder keg waiting for any spark to set it off. I am appalled at the President of the United States and his toadies trying to use it for domestic political gain, but that is true to form for this administration.
And there was also Siberian Airlines flight 1812, shot down over the Black Sea during Ukrainian-Russian air defense exercises.
DeleteSeveral items from The Atlantic:
ReplyDeleteThis morning: Bernie Sanders Has Something New to Talk About [Click] “The Iran crisis is giving him a chance to differentiate himself—just in time for the Iowa caucuses.”
Feb. 21st, 2019: It’s Foreign Policy That Distinguishes Bernie This Time [Click] “He’s challenging American exceptionalism in a far more radical way than his 2020 competitors are.”
Oct. 16th, 2019: The Return of Bernie Sanders Is Bigger Than Bernie Sanders [Click] “To the senator’s superfans watching last night’s debate, the promise of a political revolution is well worth supporting a 78-year-old who just had a heart attack.”
Given Iowa's long history of supporting anti-war candidates, particularly in the Democratic caucuses, I am feeling significantly more sanguine about Bernie's chances of winning first place in Iowa. He's already leading in New Hampshire, so a snowball effect going into Super Tuesday and beyond is certainly plausible. Out here in California he has been notable for his vigorous campaign, including support among Latino communities.
DeleteEsper contradicts Trump claim Iran planned attacks on four US embassies [Click] Trying to save his own skin, perhaps?
ReplyDeleteConservatives against DT release anti-DT ad.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.newsandguts.com/video/conservative-group-releases-anti-trump-ad-the-maga-church/?fbclid=IwAR1EpkowhKLgeY-hsrrAXbThE6UJytlwM6SKblxFG8adQkDB3agGrkId4fo
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteNot being part of the target audience some of it may be lost on me; but it is certainly notable, even eye-opening. I hope it is effective, but there are none are so blind as those who will not see.
DeleteOn a lighter note: Popeye’s favorite food? Contestant loses chance of $10,000 after saying 'chicken' [Click] “But Popeyes, the US restaurant chain offers player $10,000 of free food after she makes viral mistake on Family Feud Canada”
ReplyDeleteYes, Popeye's has restaurants in Canada...
DeleteAnd then there is this: Juvenile hippopotamus playing with crocodile [Click] It seems rather one-sided…
DeletePuerto Rico earthquakes are just the latest in a string of shocks for US island [Click] Photos give some idea of the poor quality of the failed buildings. But Puerto Rico is poor, and earthquakes have been infrequent.
ReplyDeleteActually, earthquakes on Puerto Rico are quite common, but they're more along the lines of California quakes, not these big ons.
DeleteChecking quickly on historical seismicity of Puerto RicoI found this article. [Click] It says there hasn't been an earthquake this damaging in Puerto Rico since 1918, and the current swarm is unusual. Checking quickly on historical seismicity of Puerto Ricobrought up this article. [Click] Here’s a list of earthquakes in California. [Click] There shouldn’t be much damage at intensity VII unless the buildings are poorly built, and the photos (specially selected, I am sure) show very poorly built structures—many made of unreinforced masonry, or evidently built on cripple studs, etc. But rarely having more than dish-rattlers, people (and builders, and government agencies) would feel little urgency about earthquake-resistant building standards. That is not to minimize the losses or distress of the victims, certainly. When the Cascadia Fault lets loose (which could happen any time) the damage to western Washington, Oregon and British Columbia (I assume BC has building standards comparable to WA and OR) is likely to be stupendous because of weak building codes. The most awful risk is in school buildings; less than 10% of them (if I remember the figures correctly) can be relied on not to collapse. In Seattle they still build large high-rise BRICK apartment buildings, and of course they have a big inventory of old ones. Much of the land around Portland and Vancouver, WA will liquify—before the tsunami hits. But maybe they will improve their building codes, reinforce existing buildings, and have a century or two before the big one hits. Or not. On average, it is overdue. We live in one of the seismically safest parts of California, but a big quake in either the Los Angeles or San Francisco area would disrupt the economy and commerce dramatically. But the San Andreas and related faults are considered incapable of producing earthquakes as big as the biggest ones on the Cascadia Fault. Coastal Oregon and Washington will continue to have earthquakes comparable to the northern Japan quake of 2011, or the big Indonesian quake before that, but they haven't had any medium-sized ones since the area was settled by immigrants from the US.
DeleteThe Court Case That Could Finally Take Down Antiquated Anti-Catholic Laws [Click] Certainly favoring certain sectarianisms over others is not good. But does that excuse public support for sectarianisms in general? Deep waters, certainly.
ReplyDeleteP.S.: If I am not mistaken, one of the people looking over the cliff (third to the right of the rightmost boy being dangled over the cliff) sure looks like Nast’s depictions of Boss Tweed. [Click]
Here are a few Boss Tweed quotations. [Click]
Delete