TSN Open Mic for the week of 1/2/2023
There’s a phenomenon where someone writes an essay about this or that but someone else wants to discuss something that has not yet made it to Ten Second News.
This is unfair to everybody involved. It’s unfair to the guy who wrote the original essay because, presumably, he wants to talk about his original essay. It’s unfair to the guy who wants to talk about his link because it looks like he’s trying to change the subject. It’s unfair to the people who go to the comments to read up on the thoughts of the commentariat for the original essay and now we’re talking about some other guy’s links.
So!
The intention is to have a new one of these on the Sidebar every week. If you want to talk about a link, post it here! Or, heck, use it as an open thread.
And, if it rolls off, we’ll make a new one. With a preamble just like this one.
Two indicators:
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Many of us out here on the left have been making that observation about DeSantis for some time. Nice to see you taking it seriously enough to post about.
As to Trump – he’s still the presumptive nominee until he’s convicted of something. Even then I give him a 60-40 shot at remaining on the top of the ticket.Report
Oh, I had no doubt that (insert prospective front-runner here) was going to be compared to Trump.
While I knew that “even worse than Trump” was probably going to be seen as transparent, “almost as bad as Trump” struck me as achievable while “as bad as” struck me as requiring a great deal of finesse.
As for the whole “presumptive nominee” thing, he requires oxygen to pull that off. And, apparently, some places have figured out that they have the option of not giving it to him.Report
I mean, the point is not “omg The Next Guy Is Worse”, the point is that the conversation is moving away from “Trump is DEFINITELY gonna run in 2024, he’s DEFINITELY GONNA DO IT, I don’t care what anyone else says because TRUMP IS RUNNING”…Report
He has announced his candidacy. The question is how he will do in the primary.Report
“Presumptive nominee” used to mean the person who had the majority of committed delegates before the Convention. Does it currently mean anything more than the person you’d most like to talk about?Report
I’m using it to mean the person who, at present, is most likely to be nominated by a Party. Trump for the GOP and Biden for the Democrats. And contra much handwaving here and elsewhere I don’t expect either status to change unless Trump is convicted of something and Biden withdraws from seeking a second term.Report
the person *you think is* most likely etc.Report
LOL. Every year we celebrate the year we threw off the royal yoke. Seems some Americans yearn for its return.Report
Eh, a perennial debate among the protestants is some variant of “we should get a pope!”
Such is the nature of wanting to be ruled by someone you agree with.Report
I’m no fan of the current Republican party, but trying to anoint someone over a year before primary season begins seems even too anti-democratic even for them.Report
Would that they were breaking new ground by doing so.
As it is, we’re stuck complaining that they’re playing catch-up unsportingly.Report
Its not so much anointing as Trump has thrown in the gauntlet and no one else has. Probably for good cash flow related reasons.Report
Who’s doing that, though?Report
Don’t tell me we didn’t sabotage the pipelines either.
https://nypost.com/2022/12/31/us-helped-ukraine-target-russian-generals-sink-moskva-book/Report
Dark Brandon is truly a badass.Report
Tales from the American Gulag:
Arizona inducing the labor of pregnant prisoners against their will
The Arizona Department of Corrections is inducing the labor of pregnant prisoners against their will, according to three women incarcerated at the Perryville prison in Buckeye.
The women say they were forced to have their labor induced, despite wanting to have a spontaneous birth.
Medical records reviewed by The Arizona Republic show all three women were induced before their due dates. The women consented to have their medical information released. Stephanie Pearson and Desiree Romero had their labor induced at 39 weeks gestation in 2022. Jocelyn Heffner was induced in the 37th week of gestation on two separate occasions during separate incarcerations in 2020 and 2022. Report
disgusting.Report
I’m certain that in time we are going to hear the full truth and learn the full scope of horrors being perpetrated in the archipelago of immigrant detention centers.
The certainty stems from the fact that we have erected a structure where a captive population of unpopular outsiders without recourse is overseen by authority exercising unchecked power without any effective outside oversight.
And history tells us that every time this is allowed to happen, horrors result.
The Indian schools here in North America, the homes for unwed mothers in Ireland, the various orphanages and prisons and of course the actual Soviet gulags all show how utterly predictable this is.Report
Going past 39 weeks of gestation is associated with extremely high risk of fetal death, and it’s accepted practice in American hospitals to induce at that point.
Induction at 37 weeks is also not uncommon for pregnancies with complications (such as gestational diabetes or potential pre-eclampsia.)
Can we get a link to the actual article?Report
You’re leaving out some words hat would render your comment irrelevant to the posted quote (you can find many articles on it, but here’s one in a publication folks here are more likely to be sympathetic to: https://reason.com/2023/01/04/an-arizona-prison-is-requiring-inductions-for-pregnant-inmates/).
Oh, the words are “with the patient’s consent.” Sorry, I almost left them out as well. I guess it’s easy to forget them.Report
It seems like a situation with no good options, but of the options available, I think “induction without explicit consent at the time” is probably preferable to “delivering a baby into a toilet”. (You forgot to quote that part of the article).Report
Because those are the only two possible options.Report
Man, are you a lawyer for the facility? Because unless the women were unconscious or otherwise unable to give consent for an urgent procedure — and if you read the articles, you’ll see that they say this was not the case in any sense (that is, it was not urgent, and they were perfectly capable of giving consent, but were told they had no choice), and that in fact they were told the institution’s policy was to induce to avoid people going into labor in the facility — there’s no reason to say “induction without explicit consent at the time” to mean “without consent.”
These are some seriously “oof” inducing comments, dude.Report
“Look, this [brutal mistreatment of people] is no big deal, just deal with it.”
“Sir, you have to wear a mask.”
“DAMN THIS TYRANNY!!”Report
It seems like a situation with no good options, but of the options available, I think “masking without explicit consent at the time” is probably preferable to “ending up on a ventilator and dying.”Report
My point was that the very people who shrug off the brutal mistreatment of the underclass are invariably the same people who throw a temper tantrum when inconvenienced in the slightest.Report
Yes, understood. Sorry, I was making a bad joke.Report
“seriously oof-inducing comments” says the guy who wants women to deliver babies into a toilet.
“why do you keep going on about that, dude”
because Chip posted this to grab that “ZOMG BABIES, BABIES” energy, to get those good ol’ bellyfeel two-minutes-hate vibes going, and if you really want to play that game then it’s only fair that more than one person gets to play it.Report
says the guy who wants women to deliver babies into a toilet.
Aaand… ignore.Report
There are good options – fund proper medical care for these women and make sure their statements about being in labor are taken seriously and responded to appropriately.Report
https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2023/01/02/arizona-inducing-labor-of-pregnant-prisoners-against-their-will/69768038007/Report
A couple of Tuesday Afternoon newsdumps that get into both Congress working with Twitter and the FBI doing so:
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No thread on the happenings and going on in Congress right now?Report
I’ll set something up.
Here you go.Report
Another one of these.
Seriously, you’d think that the people who do this would do a better job of keeping a low profile.
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Why should they – someone doing the same thing just got elected to congress in New York.Report
The legislative branch does seem like the best place to go for it, if one were to do this sort of thing and then go for it.Report
That’s pretty wild.Report
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2023/01/03/hate-speech-rise-antisemitism/?utm_campaign=wp_post_most&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_most&carta-url=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.washingtonpost.com%2Fcar-ln-tr%2F38b99b8%2F63b5ba9fef9bf67b2349ea73%2F59738e7cade4e21a848fe4b9%2F27%2F70%2F63b5ba9fef9bf67b2349ea73&wp_cu=5471d46db8b7f35fdd491ffd33791772%7C2AE372BEC443EE5DE050007F01004171Report
Free speech warrior Elon Musk personally orders suspension of Chad Loder from twitter for reporting on far-right figures that Musk likes: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/01/04/mudge-finds-a-new-job/
“A co-founder of the company was Chad Loder, now an activist documenting racist and far-right attackers, including some who participated in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol. Loder was banned from Twitter by an order from owner Elon Musk, according to a former employee who saw a screenshot of the notes accompanying the decision.”Report
Saul, I’m surprised to find you supporting racist Nazi. I mean, your post suggests you’re concerned that banning people is suppression of speech, which has long been established to actually mean that you want to say racial slurs and be openly supportive of Hitler and not get in trouble over it.Report
Saul, I’m surprised to find you supporting racism. I mean, your post suggests you’re concerned that banning people is suppression of speech, which has long been established to actually mean that you want to say racial slurs and not get in trouble over it.Report
https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/04/politics/military-food-insecurity/index.htmlReport
Dark Brandon doing what Trump wasn’t able to accomplish:
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Given the court’s willingness to keep Title 42 in place, its a brilliant move . . . sickening . . . but briliant.Report
MattY is pointing out that Biden’s new tightening of the border is also probably the right call:
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it is absolutely the right call.Report
Hey remember all the crying and hysteria over shoplifting at Walgreens last year as part of the OUTTACONTROL CRIME panic? I think we even saw a video posted here.
About that:
Walgreens executive says ‘maybe we cried too much last year’ about theft
A top Walgreens
executive on Thursday acknowledged the company may have overblown concerns about thefts in their stores after shrinkage stabilized over the last year.
During an earnings call, the company’s chief financial officer, James Kehoe, said shrinkage was about 3.5% of sales last year but that number is now closer to the “mid twos.” He also said the company would consider moving away from hiring private security guards.
“Maybe we cried too much last year,” Kehoe said. “We’re stabilized,” he added, saying the company is “quite happy with where we are.”
https://www.cnbc.com/2023/01/05/walgreens-may-have-overstated-theft-concerns.htmlReport
Oh, but if you want to find the thieves inside a Walgreens, just ask to see the manager:
Walgreens employees have just received a preliminary approval from a federal judge in California approving a $4.5 million settlement for claims of unpaid wages. The workers alleged that the pharmacy chain violated state labor laws by failing to properly pay its employees at its distribution centers. More than 2,600 workers stand to benefit from the payout which the judge found to be fair and a good recovery considering the potential risk of going to trial. Each eligible employee, who worked at any of Walgreens’ distribution centers in California between November 6, 2014, and June 2, 2020, who does not opt out will receive approximately $1,200.
The class action lawsuit, which was filed back in November of 2018, alleged that hourly workers for Walgreens in distribution centers in California had failed to receive pay for all of their hours worked. The violations claimed included: (1) rounding down hours on employee timecards, (2) requiring employees to wait in line to complete security checks pre and post shift without pay, and (3) failing to pay premium wages to workers who were denied meal breaks. Additionally, the lawsuit included a claim to receive civil penalties under the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) which is allowed in California based on Walgreens’ alleged violations of the labor law.
https://www.fslawfirm.com/blog/2020/12/walgreens-workers-to-receive-4-5m-wage-deal/
Weird how this kind of outtacontrol crime never seems to hit the cable news.Report
I wonder what else might have happened to reduce incentives for shopliftingReport
Huh. This is an unmitigated win:
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Good ol’ Joe.Report
This is also absolutely the right call.Report
I mean, if pressed, I could come up with a handful of appropriate non-competes.
Pierce Brosnan, I understand, is not allowed to show up in any movie wearing a black-tie tuxedo. Like, for the rest of his life. Remember in The Thomas Crown Affair how he was wearing a white tie tuxedo with the tie undone and the top two buttons of his shirt open?
THAT WAS CONTRACTUALLY REQUIRED!!!!
Now I may think that that sort of thing is *SILLY* but I don’t automatically see it as illegitimate.
But the fact that my examples of there being, in theory, some non-competes out there that are not abusive should not be seen as support for, for example, the non-competes that Subway apparently handed out to their sandwich artists.
Now I’m just wondering how far the limitations on this sort of thing go…Report
My opinion is that there are very narrow circumstances where it is reasonable, primarily in the realm of expert developers of IP. The true ‘secret sauce’ people, if you will, who are very handsomely compensated for their efforts. In those cases it isn’t unfair to restrict them from going across town and building your biggest competitor the thing you invested loads of time, effort, and resources in those individuals to create.
But the admins and the sales staff and, hell, even the regular ol’ code monkeys most of the time? Just no reason for it.Report
You prefer mitigated wins? Odd word choice.
But proof once again that Democrats can and do actually govern . . . .Report
The Executive Branch is certainly capable of writing Executive Orders.Report
Clicking through to get to the rule itself, and seeing the most prominent replies to the announcement, reinforced my decision to leave twitter. Nevertheless, thanks for flagging this, it’s a very good thing.Report
Heh. All I see is a bunch of idiots paying $8/mo. for the privilege of a blue check next to their idiocy.Report
Finally, those railroad workers can take their labor to other railroads.Report
Heh.
There’s also the thing about companies agreeing to not poach employees from other companies that I find interesting.
That’s one hell of a gentlepersxn’s agreement they’ve *STILL* got going on there. I’m surprised that someone hasn’t yet defected.
But this step is very much a step in the right direction. Jimmy John’s having non-competes was complete and total bullcrap.Report
Agreed. But most non-competes are white-collar (NELP says 70%) so this is one of those fancy Labour not Labor sleights of hand that feels good mostly to people like us. But yes, better done than undone. Combox fodder is still just fodder.Report
Once again, a state Supreme Court saves the state legislature from itself:
https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/05/politics/south-carolina-abortion-ban-ruling-unconstitutional/index.htmlReport
This is positive news and I think (hope?) there’s a good chance we will see more of it. The counter will be an attempt to amend the state constitution to say that abortion is not protected, a fight I think its advocates will usually lose, especially where it comes down to a referendum on the issue.Report
Kansas certainly proved that changing the laws by referendum is not easy – as it should be.Report
Perspective:
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Jaybird – Something something QI. Does this interest you?
https://justthenews.com/nation/free-speech/appeals-court-denies-principal-qualified-immunity-teachers-maga-hat-jobReport
What makes it interesting is would anyone’s position change if it was a rainbow cap or BLM tee shirt?
I would support the teacher in both cases.Report
There are a handful of BLM-related examples from schools, including at least one who won a similar lawsuit.Report
Naked displays of religion ought to be considered problematic within schools, just as they are when they are displayed on public buildings without possibility of refute.
I do not say the same thing if the “rainbow cap” comes with a goat, a Jesus, and a Menorah. That’s saying “we support all religions.”
Government endorsement of religion is abhorrent to a free society.
BLM/MAGA is more akin to a political statement, and, as such, I think it could have usefulness in teaching, provided the experiment is not Stanfordian.Report
Anything with limits to QI interests me.
The courts have ruled not that the teacher won the lawsuit but that it could proceed.
Good news all around.
Not that I think that the teacher should win, mind. But that I don’t think that the Principal should be immune from her winning before anybody gets a chance to hear the case.Report
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/01/09/conservatives-military-wokeness-masculinity-crisis/?utm_campaign=wp_post_most&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_most&carta-url=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.washingtonpost.com%2Fcar-ln-tr%2F38c4b6a%2F63bc4ce6ef9bf67b23532742%2F59738e7cade4e21a848fe4b9%2F54%2F72%2F63bc4ce6ef9bf67b23532742&wp_cu=5471d46db8b7f35fdd491ffd33791772%7C2AE372BEC443EE5DE050007F01004171Report
All that he man stuff is only necessary if you want to take and hold ground-assuming you’re not going to nuke or carpet bomb it, and even then, you have to occupy it. Women cannot do boots on the ground work as effectively as men, and I suspect, they are less willing, on average, to sacrifice themselves. Males have a long history of doing so. The combat units (not necessarily the officers) have typically come from more conversative locations in our country. Whether or not conservatives have issues with “woke-ness” because “they actually want is for their cultural and political agenda to prevail” in the military is possible, but it’s just an assertion. This IS an opinion piece. One could also be of the opinion that, for combat jobs, certain standards are necessary and should not be lowered just to allow “out groups” to participate.Report
The same thing used to be said about blacks in the military . . . .Report
Yep, and it was pure racism. But that doesn’t mean that there are no physical differences between men and women.Report
Women cannot do boots on the ground work as effectively as men, and I suspect, they are less willing, on average, to sacrifice themselves.
I can hear the women snorting derisively from Tel Aviv to Kyiv.Report
Strap a 150 pound pack on their backs and have them make a 20 mile hike and compare that with the average male doing the same thing…Report
Ken White has a good essay about what Cancel Culture really looks like: https://popehat.substack.com/p/hamline-university-and-cancel-culture
TL/DR but Hamlin University offered an online course on Islamic Art that was taught by an adjunct professor. Said professor stated they would be showing images of the Prophet Mohammad numerous times and in numerous ways but a student still complained and the adjunct was fired. The admin for the school generally beclowned themselves. Ken White defined Cancel Culture as thus: “Here’s how I’ve defined “cancel culture” — it’s “when speech is met with a response that, in my opinion, is very disproportionate.”
Hamline University declining to renew the lecturer’s contract over this controversy is, in my opinion, cancel culture, which you can take to mean “censorial, unreasonable, and excessive, and unbecoming to a university.”
Nothing about Hamline University’s policies, background, affiliation, or curriculum would lead anyone to believe that its classes will adhere to the cultural rules of a sectarian component of Islam. As Professor Khalid points out, the notion that Muhammad must not be depicted visually is a tenet of conservative Islam, not of all Muslims. Hamline University is not Islamic. It’s, at most, Methodist. The class was not, apparently, marketed as being specifically for Muslim students, nor as adhering to any particular belief system. It’s apparently undisputed that the image has historic and artistic significance and is relevant to art history. I’ve heard no serious argument that the picture was not pedagogically appropriate. The lecturer carefully warned the students of what was coming, explained the significance to the dispute over whether it’s appropriate to depict Muhammad visually, and let people leave if they wanted.”
What Hamlin is though is a lower-tier university that has been suffering declining enrollment and demographic shock for a while now. It closed its law school in 2015 by “merging” it with another local law school, William Mitchell. The school has a modest endowment and a budget that exceeds that modest endowment. In short, it takes what students it can get to stay open and treats those students with utmost deference. Plus the admin allowed itself to be used by people who would distort the meaning of Islamophobic for their own advantage.Report
Eh, the whole “Enlightenment Values” thing has fallen out of favor but if someone asked me for a list of 10 reasons that I was generally opposed to College Debt Forgiveness, this sort of thing would show up on the list.
If students want this sort of thing, they can pay for it themselves.Report
The counter argument is that it is a lot easier to tell students to pound sand when they are not paying tens of thousands of dollars a year for the privilege of attending your college/university.Report
“We have to forgive student debt so that we can protect more adjunct professor jobs!”
Nah. I’m good.
The more that universities pander to their customers, they’ll enjoy being able to raise prices at the same time that degrees become less able to demand high salaries.
Or certain categories of degrees, anyway.Report