Of course, schools and districts are local and have different challenges/approaches successes and failures, but I'm watching Fairfax County, VA... as I mentioned my daughter is working for a family there; a family that would be representative of the sort of folks who know people who know how things are done and shaped.
Solidarity with Teachers and Public Schools right now is teetering. Not so much in the 'end-all-public-schools' sort of way, but in the 'do these people know what their jobs are and who calls the shots' kinda way. Bumped to the front of the line for Vaccinations... special treatment and thumbs on scales for them specifically (vs. Rando teachers)... hiring 'docents' to sit in the 'hot zones' while they are remote?
Clearly we're seeing this playing out real-time in Psaki feeds... but as Fairfax goes, so goes policy.
That's a good way to put it... I have the same memory issue when it comes to re-reading. I can re-read Austen, Waugh and yes, Chesterton.
I've read (most?) everything by Chesterton including a sizable chunk of his ILN columns; I prefer him as an essayist rather than an 'author'... but if we're honest most of his books are really just strung together essays. His novels strike me as great ideas that he lost interest in mid-way through writing them. But, we should be so lucky as to have such deficiencies of genius.
I lean towards a bullet dodged rather than an oppty missed... one day an adventure makes. A year?
My little brother had adventures like that... just seemed to have things happen to him. He'd come home and tell us that he went with his girlfriend to a black tie event, but didn't know it was black tie so just wore his t-shirt and jeans... the t-shirt that the Bull's players signed because it was that kind of event, and they thought it was cool that this dumb kid was wearing a t-shirt and jeans. Pippen and Horace Grant were nice to hang with.
Stations are a good practice... spiritual reading has always been tough for me... besides being Devotionally Challenged my other dad joke is that I'm Religious, not Spiritual. I can do Religious Philosophy and Literature, but that's about it.
I deleted FB a few years ago too... same reasons, really.
For the friends/family updates, Instagram (still Facebook property) works better... pictures no words.
Hey... there's so-and-so's new baby... how cute... Wow, Aunt M is in Burma? huh.
As long as you don't use it for trends or culture... don't follow any 'influencers' then it turns out the things we hate are the words... we hate the words of our fellow man.
I take your point about feeling a little bit 'stretched too thin' ... I'll continue a practice I learned from some religious brothers living in community... rather than giving something up - which you still contemplate in it's glorious goodness - consider a small irritant as more of a constant reminder. For the heroic that might be a hair shirt... for the likes of me it's making my coffee all wrong... every day... each cup.
On the positive side, will engage in what my protestant friends might call some light idolatry by praying Lauds from the Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary... historically known as just "The Little Office". It's a much more simple version of the Divine Office. The FSSP version uses the Douay-Rheims translations of the Psalms ... so it feels completely new compared to the old Office (which they've updated as of a year or two ago... and that's worse... 'cause the Psalms/Canticles you memorized are just enough different to make everyone say something different, ruining the smooth chant/word).
My eldest daughter, now living on her own, has for the past couple of years returned to her ancestral roots by doing the strict Greek Orthodox fast... which in it's fullness makes Vegans look like libertines.
"Cooper was then sent to the Critical Therapy Center where she was provided with “psychoeducation and therapy services” about racial equity that were designed for “introspection and progress.” "
Zoinks. We write sentences like this in public now.
Yeah, SSC is a weird Cancel Culture confirmation victory...
He got wind of the story before it landed, attempted to negotiate some terms, had his terms rejected, then deleted his content, exited his job, set-up a new business (and a new business model for Psychiatry), and re-entered the public sphere over 3-months in a new, hardened position.
I suppose it is the first step of thinking the smoking playbook will work.
Ultimately it's a cultural issue... I'd start with Hollywood making guns/violence un-cool first. Like they did with Smoking (while smoking behind the scenes because smoking is cool *and* sexy).
I understand Mitch's calculus that the Republican Party is more or less stuck with Trump in so far as he carries a constituency with him. In this sense Realignment and/or Third Parties just means that Republicans lose and Democrats win.
But what's less clear to me is how the Republican Brand survives the harrowing over time. At some point the Republican Party isn't Trump plus Republicans... it's just Trump, and re-alignment happens anyway.
I mean, the 2016 idea that Trump would work on the party and the party would work on Trump is pretty well sizzled. Rand Paul and Ted Cruz fronting Trump during Impeachment? Might as well be board-members of Gamestop planning their next quarter.
I clicked the link (as I do) thinking there was more to the statement than the OP... mildly surprised that the statement is the entirety. I suspect this will become more of a feature of future Presidents... aspirational guidance. And, that might actually be better fwiw.
But, to the aspirations themselves:
1. including requiring background checks on all gun sales
2. banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines
3. eliminating immunity for gun manufacturers who knowingly put weapons of war on our streets.
1&2 we've hashed, re-hashed, fried and re-fried...
3? Big if true... but I have no idea what it means. Every gun is potentially a weapon of war. I suppose if that's the intent... stripping 'immunity' won't necessarily make them liable under ordinary jurisprudence. I mean, each gun I've bought has a manual with all the same warnings that my farm equipment has - with the same sort of warning stickmen pictures.
I could see a red wave in 2022... Trump's not on the ticket... sophomore slump kinda thing.
We're still waiting for the 'defining thing' of the Biden Presidency... so far it's promise to do slightly less than our current projections. But if we hit our current projections with Vaccines he gets that win anyhow...
So, other than running downhill on Covid... what's the Biden Presidency going to focus on for their one win before 2022? Covid relief package won't get him re-elected in 2022 on its own.
The Labor Laws and subsidiary bargaining laws are substantially different than the US. The default position isn't a 'Right-to-Work' status, but something closer to a global collective agreement that individual Unions and Companies further negotiate. This was updated in 2017 (IIRC), but still very far from the US starting point for labor.
Honestly on the fence on this one... not sure Trump really knew what to do with Power... I'm sure he liked being "The Man" but as you note, 30% of Presidential level funding is Yuge. Being "The Man" in Mara Lago with a constantly replenished Slush Fund might be even better.
I expect him to both run and not-run for president... having the Party come to him for approval and funding is win/win for Trump whether or not the candidates actually ever win.
Somewhat cynically I'd say his likelihood of running comes down to tax rates.
What's odd to me are the various Republicans who desperately think they will be able to harness a post-Presidential Trump with a PAC. In so far as Trump owns the Republican brand, those Republicans are screwed.
While they entered Beutler's testimony into the records... I can't quite fathom the leverage R's had that ended it at that. I'll admit that today was the first time I'd heard her story... I think it's not widely known and it's the sort of thing that potentially moves the needle.
Add in some rioters turning on Trump and exposing the big lie? I think you see public opinion... which among R's was already trending against Trump as leader of the party... possibly shift enough for other R's to make a move.
I didn't know they had Beutler who would go public about the call and Trump's dereliction... pointing the finger squarely at McCarthy. I admit that I thought 'witnesses' were just going to be more Congressmen and staffers testifying how afraid they were - making the impeachment about them - and therefore rhetorically useless. But Beutler? That's a thread you pull on.
I have no idea why Schumer doesn't play that hand.
Are they bringing in any of the Rioters who have been charged and who are now saying they feel 'betrayed' and 'lied to' by Trump?
Not that I expect the needle to move much among Republican Senators who haven't committed to impeachment... but if the needle is gonna move it's gonna move by Trump supporters talking about the betrayal to other Trump supporters.
Again, not that it will create a massive change... but if there's any chance of giving the R's a pathway, its through Trumpville not around it.
Makes sense... but if it's like the AP exams my kids were taking, you wouldn't be able to have two log-in's and the way the app (poorly) was built you couldn't create separate windows. So possible you'd be stuck in the app scrolling up/down for security/integrity reasons.
{As an aside, the first covid AP exam my daughter took you had to actually cut/paste your answers into the application before the timer ran out... she did not beat the timer}
L1: I hold the Universal opinion of One that Hymns should be sung, loudly, often, and everywhere... except Church.
So, I'm desperately hoping that the Supreme court coalesces around a unanimous Roberts jurisprudence... and that it becomes a constitutional amendment.
Sorry (ex-)Choir Director... it's the law.
On all the other stuff... y'all are still wrong... as wrong as you were 12-months ago, 9-months ago, 6-months ago, 3-months ago and, according to my notes, 4-days ago.
L3: is interesting in the possible Physical limitations of taking an exam like the bar... according to the article, scrolling rather than having the full physical text in front of you may have reduced the effectiveness of online test takers...
I could see that... the physical text offers opportunity for notes/markings as well as a sort of mental map of where that interesting thing that's relevant now was located. I know I always go back to the physical book if I'm working through something larger than, say, a comment.
Or that's what the article implies anyhow... I'm not actually familiar with how the Bar exam works.
On the one hand I take your (and his) point... I'm not suggesting he's playing up some sort of "Fox-Watching-Red-State-Evangelical" grievance angle... more that the deconstruction of a false religion would benefit from religious wisdom. But on the other hand, that's not his angle.
On “Thursday Throughput: Texas Power Outages Edition”
Of course, schools and districts are local and have different challenges/approaches successes and failures, but I'm watching Fairfax County, VA... as I mentioned my daughter is working for a family there; a family that would be representative of the sort of folks who know people who know how things are done and shaped.
Solidarity with Teachers and Public Schools right now is teetering. Not so much in the 'end-all-public-schools' sort of way, but in the 'do these people know what their jobs are and who calls the shots' kinda way. Bumped to the front of the line for Vaccinations... special treatment and thumbs on scales for them specifically (vs. Rando teachers)... hiring 'docents' to sit in the 'hot zones' while they are remote?
Clearly we're seeing this playing out real-time in Psaki feeds... but as Fairfax goes, so goes policy.
"
The indifference is deafening.
"
Efficiency is a rich man's god.
On “Lent!”
That's a good way to put it... I have the same memory issue when it comes to re-reading. I can re-read Austen, Waugh and yes, Chesterton.
I've read (most?) everything by Chesterton including a sizable chunk of his ILN columns; I prefer him as an essayist rather than an 'author'... but if we're honest most of his books are really just strung together essays. His novels strike me as great ideas that he lost interest in mid-way through writing them. But, we should be so lucky as to have such deficiencies of genius.
On “ZZ Top and Me”
I lean towards a bullet dodged rather than an oppty missed... one day an adventure makes. A year?
My little brother had adventures like that... just seemed to have things happen to him. He'd come home and tell us that he went with his girlfriend to a black tie event, but didn't know it was black tie so just wore his t-shirt and jeans... the t-shirt that the Bull's players signed because it was that kind of event, and they thought it was cool that this dumb kid was wearing a t-shirt and jeans. Pippen and Horace Grant were nice to hang with.
On “Lent!”
Stations are a good practice... spiritual reading has always been tough for me... besides being Devotionally Challenged my other dad joke is that I'm Religious, not Spiritual. I can do Religious Philosophy and Literature, but that's about it.
"
Metaphorically and penitentially... you could totally under butter your bread if that's something you do every day.
"
I deleted FB a few years ago too... same reasons, really.
For the friends/family updates, Instagram (still Facebook property) works better... pictures no words.
Hey... there's so-and-so's new baby... how cute... Wow, Aunt M is in Burma? huh.
As long as you don't use it for trends or culture... don't follow any 'influencers' then it turns out the things we hate are the words... we hate the words of our fellow man.
"
I take your point about feeling a little bit 'stretched too thin' ... I'll continue a practice I learned from some religious brothers living in community... rather than giving something up - which you still contemplate in it's glorious goodness - consider a small irritant as more of a constant reminder. For the heroic that might be a hair shirt... for the likes of me it's making my coffee all wrong... every day... each cup.
On the positive side, will engage in what my protestant friends might call some light idolatry by praying Lauds from the Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary... historically known as just "The Little Office". It's a much more simple version of the Divine Office. The FSSP version uses the Douay-Rheims translations of the Psalms ... so it feels completely new compared to the old Office (which they've updated as of a year or two ago... and that's worse... 'cause the Psalms/Canticles you memorized are just enough different to make everyone say something different, ruining the smooth chant/word).
My eldest daughter, now living on her own, has for the past couple of years returned to her ancestral roots by doing the strict Greek Orthodox fast... which in it's fullness makes Vegans look like libertines.
On “One, Twice, Three Times A Maybe: A History of Presidential Losers and Potential Trump Run”
Did he then?
On “Amy Cooper “Central Park Karen” Case Dismissed”
"Cooper was then sent to the Critical Therapy Center where she was provided with “psychoeducation and therapy services” about racial equity that were designed for “introspection and progress.” "
Zoinks. We write sentences like this in public now.
On “Slate Star Codex has been deleted”
Yeah, SSC is a weird Cancel Culture confirmation victory...
He got wind of the story before it landed, attempted to negotiate some terms, had his terms rejected, then deleted his content, exited his job, set-up a new business (and a new business model for Psychiatry), and re-entered the public sphere over 3-months in a new, hardened position.
That's all it takes.
On “President Biden Calls for “Commonsense Gun Law Reforms”: Read It For Yourself”
I suppose it is the first step of thinking the smoking playbook will work.
Ultimately it's a cultural issue... I'd start with Hollywood making guns/violence un-cool first. Like they did with Smoking (while smoking behind the scenes because smoking is cool *and* sexy).
On “One, Twice, Three Times A Maybe: A History of Presidential Losers and Potential Trump Run”
I understand Mitch's calculus that the Republican Party is more or less stuck with Trump in so far as he carries a constituency with him. In this sense Realignment and/or Third Parties just means that Republicans lose and Democrats win.
But what's less clear to me is how the Republican Brand survives the harrowing over time. At some point the Republican Party isn't Trump plus Republicans... it's just Trump, and re-alignment happens anyway.
I mean, the 2016 idea that Trump would work on the party and the party would work on Trump is pretty well sizzled. Rand Paul and Ted Cruz fronting Trump during Impeachment? Might as well be board-members of Gamestop planning their next quarter.
On “President Biden Calls for “Commonsense Gun Law Reforms”: Read It For Yourself”
I clicked the link (as I do) thinking there was more to the statement than the OP... mildly surprised that the statement is the entirety. I suspect this will become more of a feature of future Presidents... aspirational guidance. And, that might actually be better fwiw.
But, to the aspirations themselves:
1. including requiring background checks on all gun sales
2. banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines
3. eliminating immunity for gun manufacturers who knowingly put weapons of war on our streets.
1&2 we've hashed, re-hashed, fried and re-fried...
3? Big if true... but I have no idea what it means. Every gun is potentially a weapon of war. I suppose if that's the intent... stripping 'immunity' won't necessarily make them liable under ordinary jurisprudence. I mean, each gun I've bought has a manual with all the same warnings that my farm equipment has - with the same sort of warning stickmen pictures.
We're leaving common sense behind at this point.
On “One, Twice, Three Times A Maybe: A History of Presidential Losers and Potential Trump Run”
I could see a red wave in 2022... Trump's not on the ticket... sophomore slump kinda thing.
We're still waiting for the 'defining thing' of the Biden Presidency... so far it's promise to do slightly less than our current projections. But if we hit our current projections with Vaccines he gets that win anyhow...
So, other than running downhill on Covid... what's the Biden Presidency going to focus on for their one win before 2022? Covid relief package won't get him re-elected in 2022 on its own.
On “Why Doesn’t the US Get to Have High Speed Rail?”
The Labor Laws and subsidiary bargaining laws are substantially different than the US. The default position isn't a 'Right-to-Work' status, but something closer to a global collective agreement that individual Unions and Companies further negotiate. This was updated in 2017 (IIRC), but still very far from the US starting point for labor.
On “One, Twice, Three Times A Maybe: A History of Presidential Losers and Potential Trump Run”
Honestly on the fence on this one... not sure Trump really knew what to do with Power... I'm sure he liked being "The Man" but as you note, 30% of Presidential level funding is Yuge. Being "The Man" in Mara Lago with a constantly replenished Slush Fund might be even better.
I expect him to both run and not-run for president... having the Party come to him for approval and funding is win/win for Trump whether or not the candidates actually ever win.
Somewhat cynically I'd say his likelihood of running comes down to tax rates.
"
I think this is likely the case.
What's odd to me are the various Republicans who desperately think they will be able to harness a post-Presidential Trump with a PAC. In so far as Trump owns the Republican brand, those Republicans are screwed.
On “Impeachment Trial Day 5: And Then Things Got Interesting, Live Stream, Open Thread”
Well that was all very baffling.
While they entered Beutler's testimony into the records... I can't quite fathom the leverage R's had that ended it at that. I'll admit that today was the first time I'd heard her story... I think it's not widely known and it's the sort of thing that potentially moves the needle.
Add in some rioters turning on Trump and exposing the big lie? I think you see public opinion... which among R's was already trending against Trump as leader of the party... possibly shift enough for other R's to make a move.
I didn't know they had Beutler who would go public about the call and Trump's dereliction... pointing the finger squarely at McCarthy. I admit that I thought 'witnesses' were just going to be more Congressmen and staffers testifying how afraid they were - making the impeachment about them - and therefore rhetorically useless. But Beutler? That's a thread you pull on.
I have no idea why Schumer doesn't play that hand.
On “Trump Impeachment Trial Day 2: Live Steam, Day 1 Highlights, Open Thread”
Are they bringing in any of the Rioters who have been charged and who are now saying they feel 'betrayed' and 'lied to' by Trump?
Not that I expect the needle to move much among Republican Senators who haven't committed to impeachment... but if the needle is gonna move it's gonna move by Trump supporters talking about the betrayal to other Trump supporters.
Again, not that it will create a massive change... but if there's any chance of giving the R's a pathway, its through Trumpville not around it.
On “Wednesday Writs: South Bay United Pentecostal Church v Gavin Newsom”
Makes sense... but if it's like the AP exams my kids were taking, you wouldn't be able to have two log-in's and the way the app (poorly) was built you couldn't create separate windows. So possible you'd be stuck in the app scrolling up/down for security/integrity reasons.
{As an aside, the first covid AP exam my daughter took you had to actually cut/paste your answers into the application before the timer ran out... she did not beat the timer}
"
L1: I hold the Universal opinion of One that Hymns should be sung, loudly, often, and everywhere... except Church.
So, I'm desperately hoping that the Supreme court coalesces around a unanimous Roberts jurisprudence... and that it becomes a constitutional amendment.
Sorry (ex-)Choir Director... it's the law.
On all the other stuff... y'all are still wrong... as wrong as you were 12-months ago, 9-months ago, 6-months ago, 3-months ago and, according to my notes, 4-days ago.
"
L3: is interesting in the possible Physical limitations of taking an exam like the bar... according to the article, scrolling rather than having the full physical text in front of you may have reduced the effectiveness of online test takers...
I could see that... the physical text offers opportunity for notes/markings as well as a sort of mental map of where that interesting thing that's relevant now was located. I know I always go back to the physical book if I'm working through something larger than, say, a comment.
Or that's what the article implies anyhow... I'm not actually familiar with how the Bar exam works.
On “Who’s Afraid of Cancel Culture?”
On the one hand I take your (and his) point... I'm not suggesting he's playing up some sort of "Fox-Watching-Red-State-Evangelical" grievance angle... more that the deconstruction of a false religion would benefit from religious wisdom. But on the other hand, that's not his angle.