"This was the voice of moderation until 13 Sept, 2025"
by liberal japonicus Or, according to google translate 现在是开始学习中文的时候了。 (Xiànzài shì kāishǐ xuéxí zhōngwén de shíhoule.) I have made several concerted efforts to study Chinese, and thought that I had given up, but this article makes me realize that I better bite the bullet and take another run at the damn language. http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2017/01/30/donald-trump-is-handing-china-the-world.html I can … Read more
–by Sebastian Lots of things scare me about Trump. So many that it is really hard to focus on one. Which I'm half-convinced is a strategy, or at least a fortuitous-for-him habit that Trump has of throwing up so many crazy things that you can't grasp any one*. One of the few tenuous strands of … Read more
by Doctor Science I’m incandescently appalled by Trump’s Executive Order yesterday about refugees and visitors from certain Muslim countries. Today I wrote up some scripts for calling my Senators. The talking point I chose to focus on is the vote to confirm John Kelly for Secretary of Homeland Security. Of my two Democratic Senators, Cory … Read more
by wj Note Silver has been running a series of columns at 538 on the 2016 election and why so many predictions were so far off. The latest talks about Early Voting. This quote kicked off something in my mind: “On Oct. 23, for instance, The New York Times argued that because Clinton had banked … Read more
by russell Here is a draft version of the Trump administration's initial infrastructure priorities. Somewhat to my surprise, they all seem pretty good, to me. They all seem like… useful, needed infrastructure. Many of the concerns that have been raised about the funding mechanisms, and what the ownership status of the projects will be once completed. I.e., … Read more
by Ugh Since this is the issue I know best and as we head further into the darkness that started on Friday, I thought I would post this helpful reminder when it comes to the debate regarding "tax reform" this year: the U.S. is a low taxed nation among developed economies, our supposed competitors. This may … Read more
by wj I innocently assumed that someone else would put something up first thing this morning (i.e. before we woke up on the West Coast). But since they didn’t….
by wj President Obama has now commuted more sentences than any previous President. From what I can tell, a lot of there are non-violent drug offenders and others whose sentences are arguably out of proportion to the reality of their offense. So far, so good. But then there’s this: “Chelsea Elizabeth Manning – Oklahoma City, … Read more
by liberal japonicus Adam Gopnik's piece about Trump and his failure to find anyone of any stature to play at his inauguration, except those he can order to do so, is food for thought. And so the inability, so far, of Donald Trump to get any significant musicians from any of those traditions, rock or … Read more
by Doctor Science I’m finding the news so depressing/enraging/flabbergasting these days that I’ve taken refuge in the pursuit of scientific knowledge. Specifically, helping citizen science projects at the Zooniverse. It’s been years since I talked about them, and I’m working on different projects these days. When I’m in the mood for picking a project, I … Read more
by wj (Because, as hsh noted, it’s been way too long since we had an open thread started. Mea culpa!) Came across this in my local (California!) paper this morning: Are Cubs visiting White House early to avoid Donald Trump? Of course, the fact that Obama is from Chicago could have something to do with … Read more
by Ugh A fun front page above the fold WaPo story on Mad Dog Mattis' time as commander of Cent Comm under Obama and, well, things are going to get exciting in a Trump administration it seems! E.g.: [Mattis'] proposal, crafted with the support of the ambassador and the senior American commander in Iraq, was … Read more
by wj It occurs to me to wonder, how has this not yet generated a Trump tweet? It’s an Army regulation that “Effective immediately, brigade-level commanders will be able to grant accommodations to servicemen and women who wear beards, turbans, or hijabs for religious reasons.” It seems tailor made for him: It’s a tail end … Read more
by liberal japonicus Hilzoy’s facebook feed reminds me that it is 9 years since Andy Olmsted was killed by a sniper in Iraq. Someone once complained that leaving all the information about Andy up on the left was like making a shrine rather than fostering discussion. Living in a country full of shrines, I tend … Read more
— as the man said as he fell past the 25th floor. by Doctor Science Welcome to 2017. Make sure your seat backs and tray tables are in their fully upright and locked position, we may experience some turbulence. As usual, we at Casa Science hosted a New Year’s Eve party. At about 11:50, Mr … Read more
by Ugh I was on vacation and didn't get a chance to post this closer to the actual vote, but some of the comments made during the hysterical and overwrought freak-out (is that redundant?) over the US abstaining from the UN resolution on Israeli settlements got me thinking: what would a list of the US's … Read more