Let me be self indulgent and say a few words about my mom. She had a rather tough life, growing up poor, having buried three husbands, and raising a family with my dad, a free-thinking, creative, and hyperintelligent fellow who could barely scrape up a living as an artist. In a house of chaos and creative destruction, she was the island of relative sanity and common sense and still managed to turn two kids into reasonably successful adults. Today my mom will spend her day chowing on Publix roast chicken, since we’re too far away to take her to the (((deli))), and in reality, that’s what she’d rather do anyway. She’s not a person who cares about frippery and ceremony, she’s never had even a hint of pretense, and a simple and comfortable life these days is her reward for all she had to put up with. Though she has never understood me, she’s always stood by me. My mom is the greatest.
The UK shows itself again to be a bastion of freedom. Well, no, not really. But, as usual, it’s for the children.
The cards will cost around £10 and could can also be used to purchase other age restricted products such as alcohol and knives. However, shopkeepers could still ask to see documents, such as a passport or driving licence, before selling the 16-digit online access code. It comes after a recent report showed how a total of 1.4 million children clicked on pornographic websites in a single month – half aged six to 14.
I’m sure you all have already gotten your cards and codes. I’m more interested in the children.
“Data is itself valuable, and people give it in exchange for services,” said Alec Burnside, a lawyer at the Dechert law firm in Brussels who has taken part in antitrust complaints against Google. “I think they are wrong in believing that data must have all the characteristics of cash.”
Old Guy Music, of course, has only one possibility today. And check out the guitar work here.
My apologies for my rather slender participation the last few days- I was at a technical conference, and I spent far too much of it getting explosively angry. The focus was talk about new regulations, new compliance requirements, new paperwork burdens, new needs for expensive consultants to navigate the legal minefields, and rapidly increasing uncertainty as to what it’s going to take to stay out of jail if you want to improve people’s lives with new technologies and products. No value-added to any of this, just government burdens. If there’s significant deregulation going on, it sure wan’t evident. I felt like an outcast presenting a paper that actually dealt with science…
And thus my extreme case of shpilkies. It would not be a good career move to start yelling, “WHO DO WE HAVE TO KILL TO END THIS BULLSHIT????” during the presentations.
Feh, enough about me. Let’s start with history. Many significant birthdays, most notably George Carlin, Stevie Winwood, and Katherine Hepburn. But there was something else… SP and I were planning on a day trip to Postville, Iowa, a town that at one time had the distinction of having the highest per capita concentration of rabbis in the world. I figured to take some photos and talk with some people there for a Jewsday feature. But we found out that today is the tenth anniversary of the Postville Raids and that there were planned events that would not be particularly Jew-friendly. So another day, perhaps.
History aside, let’s see what’s happening in the world today.
Dozens of Palestinian youths set fire to the Kerem Shalom border crossing, the only point where goods enter Gaza from Israel. Gas pipelines at the crossing, bringing fuel into the coastal enclave, were damaged, the army said.
Old Man music, this time another song my band used to cover. The lyrics are trite, but it’s a good tune and the chords lay out beautifully. I don’t think these guys ever got the musical respect they deserved. Ah well.
ZARDOZ SPEAKS TO YOU, HIS CHOSEN ONES. WORK HAS STARTED TO WEAR ON ZARDOZ…DELIVER GRAIN TO THE VORTEX, DELIVER GRAIN FROM THE CO-OP TO ADM, DELIVER GUNS TO THE BRUTAL EXTERMINATORS. WORK, WORK, WORK. BUT ZARDOZ HAS NOT FORGOTTEN HIS CHOSEN ONES! FOR ZARDOZ HAS LIFTED YOU FROM BRUTALITY, TO SNARK AT THE BRUTALS WHO ARE LEGION. SO ZARDOZ FIGURES THE LEAST HE CAN DO IS DROP A FEW LINKS FOR THE CHOSEN ONES TO SNARK OVER. ZARDOZ WOULD STAY AND BANTER WITH THE CHOSEN ONES, BUT MUST INSTEAD HAUL CORN TO SOME MISBEGOTTEN PLACE….DECATUR, ILLINOIS. ZARDOZ WOULD SHOUT OUT TO THE CHOSEN ONE, “GORDILOCKS” FOR HIS TRANSPORT WISDOM, PREVIOUSLY SHARED ON THIS SITE.
NOT QUITE SO EFFICIENT TRANSPORT
BUT THE CHOSEN ONES HAVE NOT COME TO HEAR ZARDOZ SPEAK OF GRAIN HAULING…THEY HAVE COME FOR LINKS. THEREFOR, GO FORTH AND SNARK!
ZARDOZ CANNOT SEE ANYTHING THAT COULD BE ABUSED HERE. NOPE. THE TABERNACLE IS WATCHING… AND REMEMBER THE PUNISHMENT FOR WRONGTHINK!
WE SAW YOUR INSTAGRAM POST ABOUT THE CITY MANAGER’S BAD HAIRCUT!
WERE ZARDOZ CAPABLE OF TEARS, ZARDOZ WOULD SHED THEM FOR THIS BRUTAL. WELL, ACTUALLY NOT. INSTEAD ZARDOZ WOULD SEE HER SENT TO THE GRAIN FIELDS FOR THE FEW REMAINING YEARS OF HER SHORT, BRUTAL LIFE.
HOW MANY YEARS OF RENT CONTROL?
ZARDOZ IS DISAPPOINT. THERE IS FAR TOO MUCH FORGIVING, AND NOT ENOUGH CLEANSING GOING ON IN MALAYSIA.
ZARDOZ IS TALKING TO YOU, KING SULTAN MUHAMMAD V!
BEFORE YOU ASK, NO, THERE ARE NOT PICS….REALLY, CHOSEN ONES. CAN YOU NOT REMEMBER, THE PENIS IS EVIL! ZARDOZ WILL NOT CONDONE ANY OF THIS NAKED HAZING!
Hey, whaddaya know, I made it home to sleep in my own bed on a school night for a change. Too bad it never seems to last. Oh well, it could be worse. I could be a player on the Nashville Predators. They probably didn’t sleep too well last night after getting throttled by the J-E-T-S, Jets! Jets! Jets last night at home in the determining game of their Campbell Conference Semifinal. The Jets will take on Army/Vegas in a conference final that will be so fast we may need the old Fox puck tracker system to watch. My prediction: Vegas in 7. Meanwhile, in the Wales Conference, the finals kick off tonight in what will likely be a much slower, much more physical affair. The Capitals finally took down their nemesis, so I’m curious to see how they do in a round of the playoffs that probably feels unfamiliar to most of the guys on the team. My pick: Tampa Bay in 6.
You can play 18 holes in the morning. And then catch that business meeting in the afternoon…because you missed the cut by 10, not because of your shirt.
At the Players Championship this week, there’s a slew of players at -6, a bunch within 3 of the lead and one guy (hello, Phil) played in what appeared to be a dress shirt gone wrong. Seriously, that was awful.
Across the pond, we’re down to the nub in the EPL, as all but a couple things are decided. Swansea need a miracle to stay up and Chelsea need a lot of help to get into the UCL #4 slot. Sunday will be boring for results, but I bet there are a lot of goals and a lot of fun, albeit meaningless, games to watch.
You want birthdays? I’ll give you birthdays. Today’s belongs to composer/songwriter Irving Berlin, weird bastard/artist Salvador Dali, hilarious/underrated comedian Phil Silvers, racist/racist Louis Farrakhan, hurler Milt Pappas, and “alt-right” “leader” Richard Spencer. Also happening on this date: The Third Crusade kicked off when 100,000 crusaders left Regensburg under HRE Frederick Barbarossa, Christopher Columbus began his last voyage, Benjamin Franklin opened the Pennsylvania Hospital, J.E.B. Stuart was mortally wounded, Walter Hagen won the British Open, Faulkner’s “Go Down, Moses” is published, Asshole Eichmann was captured, And perhaps most importantly of all, Monty Python was formed 49 years ago to the day.
Hoo-boy. For a weak set of birthdays, this date had a lot going for it historically. But enough of that. Let’s get to…the links!
Wait a damn minute. You mean to tell me that two Chicago Police officers that have been charged with stealing cash and drugs have a long history of misconduct complaints that the department did jack shit with? Why, I’m shocked! Shocked, I tell ya, to hear that they didn’t already get these guys off the force. (::SMDH at why anyone would live in that Corruptocracy::)
In other Texas school news, Katy ISD has decided to offer financial support to defend its superintendent against accusations of bullying…from when he was in middle and high school. It also will defend him against claims that he permits cyberbullying of current students. You know, because a public school should be telling kids that aren’t allowed to exert their 1A rights rather than telling kids if they don’t want to get “bullied” on the internet, they merely need to turn their devices off.
If you think I’m happy I was able to do the links at least once this week, you got that right.
Have a great Friday and a better weekend, friends.
Good afternoon. Here is the news for people that don’t speak American.
CNN discussed policy details with candidates for President of Colombia. Evidently one of the recurring themes was….environmental stewardship? I’m only showing the first one they interviewed because they didn’t appear to be in any kind of logical order, so I assume this guy is who they are trying to turn into the winner:
Les preguntamos a nuestros usuarios en Colombia qué temas son su mayor preocupación de cara a las próximas elecciones. Los temas más recurrentes fueron corrupción y transparencia, desarrollo agrícola, cuidado del medio ambiente y emprendimiento.
La primera vuelta presidencial en Colombia será el 28 de mayo. Esto es lo que proponen los cinco candidatos a la presidencia de Colombia.
Gustavo Petro
– Los corruptos que hayan robado dinero al Estado irán a la cárcel y deberán devolver los dineros.
– Elegir por concurso público de méritos a los representantes de los órganos de control para que no actúen bajo la influencia de los poderes Ejecutivo y Legislativo.
– Crear la Procuraduría delegada para la protección de los derechos políticos y de la oposición
– Sancionar a quienes infrinjan las normas electorales y coarten, manipulen o constriñan el derecho al elegir y ser elegido.
We asked our users in Colombia what issues are their biggest concern in the upcoming elections. The most recurrent themes were corruption and transparency, agricultural development, care for the environment and entrepreneurship.
The first presidential round in Colombia will be on May 28. This is what the five candidates for the presidency of Colombia propose.
Gustavo Petro
– The corrupt who have stolen money from the State will go to jail and must return the money.
– To elect by public contest of merits the representatives of the control bodies so that they do not act under the influence of the Executive and Legislative powers.
– Create the Delegate Attorney for the protection of political and opposition rights
– Punish those who violate the electoral norms and restrict, manipulate or constrain the right to elect and be elected.
“Ya no habrá clases o grupos de personas exentos”, dejó claro la secretaria del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional, Kirstjen Nielsen, el martes ante el Senado. “Si cruzas la frontera ilegalmente, quebrantas la ley y tenemos que procesarte”, añadió, admitiendo eso sí que es una cuestión “difícil”. Y lo es porque, con esta política de “tolerancia cero” anunciada el 6 de abril por el fiscal general, Jeff Sessions, los agentes de inmigración entregarán tanto a las mujeres embarazadas como a los padres que intenten cruzar la frontera ilegalmente con sus hijos a la justicia para que sean procesados. En este último caso, supone separarlos de sus niños por un tiempo indeterminado.
“There will no longer be classes or groups of exempt people,” the Secretary of the Department of National Security, Kirstjen Nielsen, made clear on Tuesday before the Senate. “If you cross the border illegally, you break the law and we have to prosecute you,” he added, admitting that it is a “difficult” issue. And it is because, with this policy of “zero tolerance” announced on April 6 by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, immigration agents will give both pregnant women and parents who try to cross the border illegally with their children to justice for them to be prosecuted. In the latter case, it means separating them from their children for an indeterminate time.
Cualquier nueva vivienda o edificio de pocos pisos que sea construido a partir del año 2020 en California deberá tener paneles solares como parte de las nuevas reglas aprobadas este viernes por la Comisión de Energía del estado para ahorrar energía producida por fuentes tradicionales.
La medida, que ahora pasa a la Comisión sobre Estándares de Edificación -donde se espera una ratificación del plan- no solo busca ahorrar energía y bajar el costo de la factura eléctrica de los californianos, sino que además mantendrá con temperatura estable los hogares de millones de personas en medio de olas de calor y reducirá considerablemente la contaminación atmosférica que producen las viviendas de alto consumo energético al multiplicar la actividad de las centrales termoeléctricas en todo el estado.
California, que hace pocos días convirtió en la quinta economía del mundo, desplazando de ese lugar a Reino Unido, proyecta que durante el año 2020 se construirán 100,000 viviendas unifamiliares y 50,000 multifamiliares con esos nuevos estándares.
Sin embargo, la inclusión de paneles solares elevará el costo de cada unidad familiar unos 10,000 dólares, pero la Comisión de Energía de California estima que los ahorros sobrepasarán ese costo inicial durante la vida útil del sistema de paneles antes de tener que ser reemplazado en el largo plazo.
Any new housing or low-rise building that will be built as of 2020 in California should have solar panels as part of the new rules approved this Friday by the State Energy Commission to save energy produced by traditional sources.
The measure, which now passes to the Commission on Building Standards – where a plan’s ratification is expected – not only seeks to save energy and lower the cost of the electricity bill for Californians, but will also keep the homes of millions at a stable temperature. of people in the midst of heat waves and will significantly reduce the air pollution produced by high energy consumption homes by multiplying the activity of thermoelectric plants throughout the state.
California, which a few days ago became the fifth largest economy in the world, displacing the United Kingdom from that location, projects that by 2020, 100,000 single-family homes and 50,000 multifamily homes will be built with these new standards.
However, the inclusion of solar panels will raise the cost of each family unit by about $ 10,000, but the California Energy Commission estimates that the savings will exceed that initial cost over the life of the panel system before it has to be replaced in the future.
I like how they think it matters how large of an economy California is by itself.
Translation services one again are available by the Alpha Beta Corporation. Who question whether you ought to be channeling your rage at this particular boogeyman. After all, Starbucks probably just did something else to piss you off.
Today’s music is from one of our favorite world-class musicians who happens to live in Milwaukee, Willy Porter. We typically see Willy in tiny venues with 50 people in the audience, often from seats about 5 feet away from him. So much fun up close and personal. (And, he’s a total sweetie, on top of it.)
“Well, we’ve been entirely unable to demonstrate health hazards from second hand smoke? What are we going to do now?” “Hold my beer.”
Instead of Old Guy Music, because it’s that time of year, something with a baseball theme. Earl Weaver was the greatest manager in the history of the game and certainly the most fun. He had a weekly radio show in Baltimore called “Manager’s Corner,” and one episode of it went a bit differently than usual…
*Sighs, takes long drag off a Gauloise* I suppose you will all be wanting links this morning. Or not. Does it really matter? *Taps ash, sips espresso* Oh, very well…not like I had anything meaningful to do otherwise.
SPORTS
If I could muster up the energy, I would be suspicious of the use of the short term DL by the Dodgers and the Cubs. But it is the National League…so who cares? In the sort of important league, allegedly a no hitter was thrown…but it was only against a Canadian team, so I am not sure it counts. More NBA was supposedly played, with some more to come. I am doubtful of this, but you may wish to pretend. I would say the same for hockey, but even thinking of it sends me to new lows. Which will probably happen to fans in a certain imperial capital city soon enough.
BIRTHDAYS
So we “celebrate” the beginning of the inevitable slide toward death of the following: John Brown (1800 – Harper’s Ferry anyone?) Henry Kaiser (1882 – adjust your monocles) Mike Wallace (1918 – TV liverspot) Candice Bergen (1946) Billy Joel (1949) Tony Gwynn (1960) and some younger acting types I care nothing to learn about…Rosario Dawson (1979) Chris Zylka (1985)
Michael Caine says “Hi Candice”
LINKS
Robert Conquest…his Second Law in action. [h/t OMWC who was suspiciously aware of the story, right away] This should help speed the demise of “Scouts BSA” – I wonder what the LDS equivalent will be? Or I would care if I were not so bored and world weary.
Indonesia – land of the peaceful and tolerant Islam? If I could muster up the energy to be dismayed, this would do it. Indonesia has much potential. To see it wasted on pointless strife with Islamists would darken an already bleak mood.
Maybe they just need John Kerry to address the Iranian Parliament, he could calm things down. His face is even longer than mine at this point. I am too weary to imagine what the world would think if the US Congress chanted “Death to Iran” and burned an Iranian flag while they were in session. Maybe C-Span would get more viewers? Not that it matters anyway.
Chicago Public Schools – they would make STEVE SMITH gag. Remember, your silly choice and charter schools and home schooling are somehow to blame. Oh, and CPS teachers deserve moar munny.
Happy Tuesday afternoon, y’all. I am pretty darn tired already. I also missed a meeting today. Whoops. Two fucking calendars. I should probably get the other one on my phone. I’m not heart-broken. My littlest, two-and-a-half is home sick from school. He, my wife, and I went out for a walk. He was cute, except that he thought I was going to carry him another mile once he wanted to be “up”. Way better than meetings.
Labor Force Participation rates are out. I took a deep-dive into the actual CBO report. Crazily, the leading non-participating demographic among the pre-Social Security group is women without HS diplomas. If only there were more dangerous jobs for women, right?
Florida Woman and family killed dodging alligator in SC. No matter what Mr. Lizard threatens, the path of least resistance for your vehicle is usually the animal.*
*May not apply to moose, bison, or persons of Walmart
