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Thursday, December 6. 2018

The incredible termite mounds of Brazil: Researchers reveal how they found over 200 MILLION dirt mounds covering an area the size of Britain

NYM: Crazy Tweet of the Week

To Grandmother’s House He Went: Busybodies Alert Cops to Boy, 8, Walking Alone

Whole-Fat or Nonfat Dairy? The Debate Continues

No, the debate is long done. Skim milk is a scam

Fast Train to Failure - California’s mismanaged high-speed rail project has gone on for long enough.

What’s Really Happening to Retail? Manhattan’s shuttered storefronts tell a larger American story: Only Amazon-proof businesses can now survive in brick and mortar.

Stone-faced Hillary Clinton IGNORES Donald Trump as he and Melania arrive for front row seats at George H.W. Bush's funeral

Everybody was pleasant except for Hillary, who gave Melania the regal "Do not approach" sign

Taxpayers Will Pay $1 Million to Tear Down $18 Million Baseball Stadium That Predictably Failed to Rejuvenate Camden

Camden has taxpayers?

Tomorrow is the 85th anniversary of the end of alcohol prohibition (Drug War I); hopefully, we’ll someday end our second failed attempt at prohibition (Drug War II)

They should call this decision what it really is: The Taxi Cartel Protection Act.

In praise of the Gilets jaunes

Empirical SCOTUS: Differences between “Obama” and “Trump” judges, while sometimes subtle, can’t be denied

Sen. Mazie Hirono: We Democrats Have Trouble Reaching Voters Because We’re So ‘Smart’ And ‘Know So Much’

Heather MacDonald: “We’re all in gender studies 101 now”

Harvard gets hammered with lawsuits over 'sexist' same-sex club policy

Ross Douthat Accused of Racism Over Bush 41 Column

"An all-male Princeton University a cappella group will no longer perform a song from Disney’s 'The Little Mermaid' because some students there complained that the performance promotes misogyny and 'toxic masculinity' and violates consent."

Columbia teaches grad instructors that grading is ‘capitalist’ and not ‘inclusive’

Grading eggs? Grading apples too?

What Hypocrisy?… Hey Tim Cook: Apple Is Banning “Hate Speech” but “F*ck White People” and “Suck My D*ck Hoe” Are OK?

Michael Bloomberg backtracks on ethanol, slams Trump in Iowa

Yes, he totally caved

Pandering is a big part of politics

It May Be Over -Theresa May is ‘in office but not in power’ after bruising Commons defeats which leave her career on the brink

Posted by Bird Dog in Hot News & Misc. Short Subjects at 06:47 | Comments (30) | Trackbacks (0)

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(1) Much as I agree on whole vs. skim milk, the Mrs has performed a single-N study with multiple reversals and conclusively demonstrated that whole milk makes her skin too oily and prone to pimples. Unwilling to argue with either Science or the Mrs, I quietly put 2% (semi-)skimmed milk in my coffee.

(2) I wonder if Madame Trump* would share any secrets (other than marriage to the Trumpster) she might have for getting on the Hillary Clinton Snub Roster. I'd love to ascend into such exalted and glamorous territory. *Make America Glamorous Again!

(3) Apparently Smart Democrats aren't socially smart enough to keep their self-congratulating yaps shut. So who's smart now?

(4) Mikey Bloomberg's corn-fed rollover only substantiates my suspicion that Big Politics is mainly about helping cronies loot the treasury and general public. But hey, once an a$$h*le, always an a$$h*le.

#1 Mike Anderson (Link) on 2018-12-06 09:13 (Reply)

"Skim milk is water pretending to be milk." - Ron Swanson, Pawnee, Indiana.

#2 Another guy named Dan on 2018-12-06 09:14 (Reply)

Bird Dog: Skim milk is a scam

When you skim off the cream to make butter, that leaves skim milk. Just sayin'.

#2.1 Zachriel on 2018-12-06 11:05 (Reply)

Re: Demonrats are smarter than the rest of us

In the Kavanaugh hearings, we were shown by members of the Judiciary Committee the wisdom of always believing the woman in domestic/sexual abuse claims. With Keith Ellison, we were shown the wisdom of not believing the woman when the man (and woman) were Demonrats. So it follows that because the Demonrats lost the Senate, and the presidency (via the Electoral College) they want to do away with the Senate and the Electoral College. I'm sensing a pattern...

A few questions: if Demonrats are so smart, why can't they fix Chicago, Detroit, or California? Why can't they fix the public schools?

#3 mudbug on 2018-12-06 09:55 (Reply)

"if Demonrats are so smart, why can't they fix Chicago, Detroit, or California?"

Who's to say those places aren't exactly the way they wanted them? Masses of voters, conditioned to pull the D lever on cue when prompted with promises of things getting better (and MOAR MONEYZ!) if they only believe and keep voting D.

#3.1 JLawson on 2018-12-06 10:10 (Reply)

Your point is taken and actually applies to public schools as well. They are in general horrible at teaching but seem pretty good at indoctrinating.

It all comes down to the definition of "fix." One definition is to improve and another is to rig to your advantage without regard to improvement.

#3.1.1 mudbug on 2018-12-06 11:13 (Reply)

re Stone-faced Hillary Clinton IGNORES Donald Trump as he and Melania arrive for front row seats at George H.W. Bush's funeral

It was too be expected. HRC lacks manners, graciousness and class.

She looks like a petulant little child that was forced to attend by her parents.

#4 feeblemind on 2018-12-06 09:57 (Reply)

feeblemind: Stone-faced Hillary Clinton IGNORES Donald Trump as he and Melania arrive for front row seats at George H.W. Bush's funeral

While Clinton could have turned her head, it is not required by politeness to greet someone down the row. Note how the gregarious George W. Bush navigated the same situation.

On the other hand, Trump has led chants of "Lock her up!", even as U.S. President, so that might have something to do with it.

#4.1 Zachriel on 2018-12-06 11:10 (Reply)

QUOTE:

It was too be expected. HRC lacks manners, graciousness and class.

Maybe you're being to hard on Hillary. Maybe she thought Melania was going to hand her a big glass of wine and couldn't contain her disappointment when that didn't happen.

#4.2 Bill Carson on 2018-12-06 11:18 (Reply)

Odds are Hillary was stone cold drunk. 😴

#4.2.1 Zzzatemypuppy on 2018-12-06 12:28 (Reply)

And contributing to the world's biomass in a way that termites could only dream of.

#4.2.1.1 Bill Carson on 2018-12-06 12:31 (Reply)

re Taxpayers Will Pay $1 Million to Tear Down $18 Million Baseball Stadium That Predictably Failed to Rejuvenate Camden

"If you build it, they will come."

Politicians have used that infamous phrase over and over to promote boondoggles that never pay off. It has been used in regard to light rail, convention centers, stadiums, museums, downtown redevelopments . . . and on and on.

When a person hears a politician or an advocate for a government funded project utter those words, you can be sure that no one will come, and the money will be wasted.

#5 feeblemind on 2018-12-06 10:03 (Reply)

One more example of the cargo cult mentality. Building a stadium does nothing oif the culture of the area is wrong.

I live a couple of miles from another stadium mentioned in Bridgewater (Somerset) NJ. The are is comfortably middle class, travel to the stadium is easy and does not involve risk of crime and carjacking. Across the street is a popular (and safe) shopping area. That stadium is thriving.

Because it's a nice place to visit.

#5.1 Jay on 2018-12-06 14:52 (Reply)

Fast Train to Failure: STOP ME before I waste billllllions and Billlllllions MORE!!!!!

Empirical SCOTUS Differences; The Gang of Z will deny it.

Douthat: In the NYT. I totally distrust what's in the NYT.

Sen. Mazie Hirono: We Democrats Have Trouble Reaching Voters Because We’re So ‘Smart’ And ‘Know So Much’: No, you don't.

Columbia teaches grad instructors that grading is ‘capitalist’ and not ‘inclusive’: So, everyone's equally dumb. Coooooool!

#6 Sam L. on 2018-12-06 11:11 (Reply)

QUOTE:

The incredible termite mounds of Brazil: Researchers reveal how they found over 200 MILLION dirt mounds covering an area the size of Britain

Arthropods have a much larger biomass than humans and all their cattle. Then again, so do fungi.

#7 Zachriel on 2018-12-06 11:16 (Reply)

Observational studies are cheaper and easier than randomized control studies, but they haven't given us very reliable data over the last 50 years. If we're serious, we'll spent the time and money necessary to get good information about nutrition. In the meantime, how many firm conclusions have to get turned on their head before we realize these fads are mostly superstition, on a par with theories about the four humours?

#8 Texan99 on 2018-12-06 11:25 (Reply)

Zachriel's uselessness in stating the obvious for no particular purpose aside...I liked your picture about the cake, but unfortunately realized all good things are capable of being recalled...
http://blog.al.com/live/2012/11/sara_lee_recalls_streusel_coff.html

You can't stop government, and the idiots like Zachriel who believe it works for the common good, from ruining anything...

#9 Bulldog on 2018-12-06 11:33 (Reply)

Bulldog: Zachriel's ... stating the obvious for no particular purpose aside...

The point about skim milk is that skim milk is a common traditional food, and not so obvious to those who have little contact with those traditions. Skim milk is not an artificial food. Just sayin'.

Bulldog: You can't stop government, ... Zachriel who believe it works for the common good, from ruining anything...

That is not our position. Government is essential, but doesn't always work for the common good, and that it is the balance of power (at many levels) that keeps it checked.

#9.1 Zachriel on 2018-12-06 11:52 (Reply)

That's not the only place you've stated the obvious and for no particular reason.

And no that IS your position. You can craft language well to hide it - you've done it too often but it's easy to see through.

Government isn't "essential". It's only "necessary" in small doses.

#9.1.1 Bulldog on 2018-12-06 13:05 (Reply)

Normal person: Communism seems to lead to misery and death.
Leftist: That's because communism has yet to be implemented properly.

Some other normal person: Government can't be essential - look at Venezuela, etc.
Some other leftist: Venezuela's government would be top-notch if the balance of power in that country were implemented properly.

Leftism is perpetual question-begging.

#9.1.1.1 Bill Carson on 2018-12-06 13:35 (Reply)

Skim milk is not a common traditional food.

Milk with the cream removed and sold separately was used as animal feed at best. It wasn't considered anything but a waste product until the 1920s. It was then used to create milk powder but that was still considered only a dietary supplement. It wasn't until the mid 1950s that dried powered milk could be reconstituted into a palatable drink, and it wasn't until 30 years later that the government started to push fluid skim milk as part of the dubious 'low-fat' diet craze.

#9.1.2 Christopher B on 2018-12-06 14:00 (Reply)

My guess is that you are confusing skim milk with buttermilk. They are not the same thing.

#9.1.2.1 Christopher B on 2018-12-06 14:04 (Reply)

Christopher B: My guess is that you are confusing skim milk with buttermilk. They are not the same thing.

Nowadays, buttermilk is cultured, but originally the term referred to milk after the fat had been skimmed off. It was common to drink the buttermilk or use it in cooking.

#9.1.2.1.1 Zachriel on 2018-12-06 15:59 (Reply)

Skim milk is what is left after the cream is removed from whole milk. Buttermilk is what is left of that cream after the cream is churned and converted to butter. "Slopping the hogs" referred to feeding skim milk mixed with ground ear corn to the hogs.

#9.1.2.1.1.1 indyjonesouthere on 2018-12-06 16:32 (Reply)

QUOTE:

Laura and Mary watched, breathless, one on each side of Ma, while the golden little butter-pats, each with a strawberry on the top, dropped onto the plate as Ma put all the butter through the mold. Then Ma gave them each a drink of good, fresh buttermilk.

— Laura Ingalls Wilder, Little House in the Big Woods

#9.1.2.1.2 Zachriel on 2018-12-06 16:24 (Reply)

QUOTE:

Skim milk is not a common traditional food

C'mon, man, citizens of Atlantis used to drink it - traditionally - after sacrificing virgins to Poseidon. Gee whiz. ;)

#9.1.2.2 Bill Carson on 2018-12-06 14:05 (Reply)

Back in the day, we had non-homogenized milk delivered daily. The cream always rose to the top, and Mum would pour that out for the adults' coffee. We drank the rest, which probably had some residual cream.

Come winter, though, we often got frozen quarts of milk, which meant the milk expanded and pushed the cream up through the cardboard cap. Mum still did the same separation process, but freezing the milk meant we got little cream "shards" in our milk, which I did not like.

#9.1.2.3 Frances on 2018-12-07 01:00 (Reply)

Bulldog: And no that IS your position.

Misrepresenting someone's position is the strawman fallacy. For instance, someone might say "You are a fascist. You might say otherwise, but that IS your position." Even capitalizing the "IS" doesn't make the argument any more valid.

Bulldog: Government isn't "essential". It's only "necessary" in small doses.

Not sure what distinction you are drawing, but government is essential (essence, inherent) for civilization, from city-states to nation-states. In the modern sense, it is also necessary (needed, required) to protect liberty.

Bill Carson: Normal person: Communism seems to lead to misery and death.
Leftist: That's because communism has yet to be implemented properly.

Communism does lead to misery and death because it posits an unattainable goal and advocates extreme means to achieve those goals.

#9.1.3 Zachriel on 2018-12-06 15:46 (Reply)

RE: Busybodies

These weirdos who sent the cops after the 8 yr old walking to Grandma's house wouldn't know whether to cry or wind their watch in my neighborhood. Kids, including mine, walking to and from school every day without adults. Kids riding bikes in the street and playing in the back of the houses with no parents in sight for hours.

Here's the catch, most of the kids are black or mixed race. Busybody snitches like the ladies who flagged down the cops probably wouldn't have said anything if the kid was black. Would they have called the cops if they'd seen an 8 yr old black kid walking down the street in Mattapan or Roxbury? No. Too scared of black people. It's why they live in places like Belmont. then they project their racism onto "working class whites' and "Trump voters". People who live and work with black people and treat them like they treat everyone else.

#10 itsatax on 2018-12-06 13:38 (Reply)

******accused of racism over ****** is becoming tedious.

#11 Assistant Village Idiot (Link) on 2018-12-06 19:33 (Reply)

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Thursday, December 6. 2018

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