Sunday, July 19, 2015

Sunday slurry

Robocall justice.  I promise never to buy any product being sold by cold calling people.

Science!

Prisoner's dilemma.

Explaining what privilege means.

Torture doctors could be prosecuted?  It's about time!!  Jean Maria Arrigo needs to be praised as well.

Wonderful graphs showing that human activity is warming the world.  And plastic in your food will kill you.

Donald Trump will allow Jeb to position himself as the sane one.

More guns = more crime.

Saturday, July 11, 2015

Concerning Jeb Bush's statement about working longer hours

Josh Marshall of Talking Points Memo says it all: (my bold)
It's unclear to me whether Bush doesn't even fully understand the policies his advisors are trying to explain to him or whether this is just standard patrician work ethic morality. Whichever it is, the real structural problem in our economy is stagnant wages for more than a generation for most of the population. Advances or just keeping up have largely been accomplished by working more hours at the same wages (in real terms). Meanwhile, wealth and income from labor productivity gains have tended to go the very wealthy rather than wage earners. This is all known and discussed to the point of being a cliche. But this is the gist. There's a decent argument that people working longer hours is the problem; it's definitely not the solution. 
This again is something you say about work when it's something other people do.

Tuesday, July 07, 2015

Bangkok is one example to show what will happen with climate change

Bangkok is running out of water.  Good explanation of the dangers we face with climate change:
Drought and flooding are two sides of the same climate change coin. As temperatures increase worldwide, water evaporates more quickly and dry spells become worse. At the same time, warm air can hold more water vapor, so rains can be heavier. In the past five years, Thailand has experienced its worst droughts and floods of the past few decades. 
As if that weren’t enough, Bangkok, built on marshland and originally crisscrossed with canals — which are now mostly filled in — sinks nearly 4 inches each year, according to the Climate Institute. Coupled with rising sea levels, this means Bangkok could be underwater within 10 to 15 years, the group reported. 
And cycles of intense drought and flooding can exacerbate that process. Just last week, Thai newspaper the Nation reported that roads are sinking and collapsing in the drought-stricken province just north of Bangkok. 
While drinking water in the capital is running low, the whole country is facing damaging effects of drought. Thailand is the rice capital of the world, and the crop is expected to be low this year, after farmers have already been asked to delay their planting in central Thailand. The disruption could lead to protests and economic woes, farmers have said. 
Thailand’s electricity system also depends on water supplies. The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) issued a warning this week that the letting too much water out of dams would be problematic.

Friday, July 03, 2015

Not one more.

Would Mark Twain recognize the US today? I think he would....

Said almost one hundred and fifty years ago but still applicable: Some men worship rank, some worship heroes, some worship power, some worship God, and over these ideals they dispute and cannot unite -- but they all worship money.    Mark Twain

Larry Wilmore Had the Best 2 Minutes on the Confederate Flag You'll See  And some people can't understand what the word slavery actually means.

Is fracking killing babies in Vernal, Utah?

Amazon tribe creates 500-page traditional medicine encyclopedia

Anti-intellectualism is killing the US.

Alaska is going up in smoke.

Why rape victims often don't fight or scream.

Delayed drowning involving children.  This can happen after the child seems ok after choking in the pool and pulled to safety.

*Gasp* A woman scientist who agrees with Tim Hunt....

A little late but a nicely drawn comic explaining the TPP and  how trade works.