Blog: How to pass AWS

https://digitalcloud.training/2020/04/22/how-to-not-fail-your-aws-certification-exam/

So yeah, stay in the regular with your studies.  Start practice test early.  Try to hammer on things you don't know and figure them out.  All in all some advice I've heard before that was worth hearing again.

Blog: zero to 2 AWS certifications in 30 days

https://medium.com/@johanrin/how-i-went-from-0-to-2-aws-certifications-in-30-days-50838b45f3f1

He studied 4-5 hours a day to achieve his success.

He did this as part of a challenge created by Freecodecamp.

Also, he mentions if you pass the Practioner exam you get a coupon for 50% off your next exam.  I'm looking forward to that.

Blog: A Short history of fedora Linux

https://fedoramagazine.org/fedora-origins-part-01/

I learned that fedora is the upstream version of redhat, a place to try out new features and explore new technologies that later become part of redhat.

Also, the logo, which looks something like facebook's, has been around for quite a while.

Blog: Citylab on cheap boring ways to make transportation cheaper

https://www.citylab.com/perspective/2020/03/transportation-solutions-public-transit-bus-train-bike-parking/607471/
A few things I learned from the four points made in the article.

Bus shelters help people perceive shorter wait times, perception drives behavior.

Sidewalks and intersection improvements make walking more attractive and funnel commuters into other modes

my favorite phrase "catalyze mode shift"

let bikes on trains and subways

well considering that many US cities don't have trains or subways, this isn't really a big issue to me.  but maybe the cities that do have these services account for a large share of cyclists?

Anyway, they need to talk about money, how can this save money!  But instead they need to talk about perception, and compare apples to oranges, the USA to Utrecht.  I'm convinced, but I already was.  Maybe hearts and minds, I can't be sure.

Blog: What is DevOps

https://aws.amazon.com/devops/what-is-devops/

this amazon blog about devops is kinda markety and slogany but I did learn some things.

i learned about continuous integration and monitoring and logging.

infrastructure as code means you don't have to manually set up server hardware and software, you can just outline in code, let the cloud service do the OS and CPU and config shit.

but yeah a few bits sounds cultish, like taking on so much responsibility that youre doing everything.  save that for the rich people, i have to go home and feed my cats every day.

News: Young Turks unionizes

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/04/10/union-campaign-that-roiled-the-young-turks-178996

its a leftist news organization, but the boss got mad when staff formed a union.

the boss guy sounds like a narcissist

News: We have enough TP

https://www.npr.org/2020/04/03/826945396/why-are-stores-are-running-low-on-toilet-paper-its-not-just-hoarding

The U.S. makes most of its own TP so we are in luck. But the supply chain is messed up.  Lots of stores don't keep large stocks of toilet paper, and lots of pulp was going to commercial, but businesses are mostly closed.

we have enough TP but not enough to stop panic buying, so there will probably seem like there is a shortage for a while.

News: Austin blocks roads for cars

https://communityimpact.com/austin/central-austin/coronavirus/2020/04/16/austin-blocks-vehicular-traffic-along-portion-of-riverside-drive-as-social-distancing-measure/

a few streets are being blocked to auto traffic, allowing for more pedestrian and cyclist use, and thereby decreasing congestion and contagion at city parks.

awesome.

News: We Have Enough Food

https://www.chron.com/business/article/The-industry-says-we-have-enough-food-Here-s-why-15198929.php

The supply chain is vulnerable.  Lots of big centralized plants that could close if even one worker gets sick.  Also the shift from commercial to retail means a lot of packaging isn't up to standard, but the standards have been lifted.

Anyway things are strained but so far they are OK.

News: Muscadine Grapes

https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2017/09/26/551835327/muscadines-may-be-the-best-grapes-you-ve-never-tasted

I just learned about these and I want to eat some!

How are they different than concord grapes.

Maybe this summer I can snatch a bite.

News: Responsible Day Tripping

https://www.austinchronicle.com/columns/2020-04-10/day-trips-responsible-daytripping/

I was excited by this headline, but actually it tells me to stay home.  I can't drive to go look at things.  If something goes wrong, like an accident or even just running out of gas, then I would have to come into contact with people, and that's what we are trying to avoid right now, any excess social contact.

Ok, I'll stay home but I'm still going on walks.

Recipe: Making waffles with oats

https://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/vegan-breakfast/easy-oat-waffles/#gs.3qux01

This recipe is simple and straightforward, but you need a blender.  So that means extra dishes to wash.  But, it is vegan, and not oily.  I just wonder if it would be too starchy, or if the oatmeal would taste uncooked.

https://www.makingthymeforhealth.com/vegan-gluten-free-oat-flour-waffles/

this waffle has more ingredients and the post has more pictures.  Still looks pretty good, but I'd prefer something simpler.  Good inspiration, though.

Recipe: Grits Waffles

Looking to make something savory with no sugar added.   I'd already tried putting some cheese and hominy in my waffle iron.  It was pretty good, although it got soggy pretty quickly.

These recipes call for quick cook grits, bacon, and cheese.

https://bettyskitchen.us/allpdf/CheddarCheeseandBaconWaffledGrits.pdf

Betty does a good job with her website, her cookbook, and her video.  I really like the look of this recipe.  Perhaps I'll post a review of it after I try it.

https://www.austin360.com/entertainment/20161012/recipe-of-the-week-savory-grits-waffles-from-the-up-south-cookbook

This recipe is more like making waffle batter with grits.  I don't know if I will try it, but it is inspiring.  I might even check out the cookbook this came from.  I just did, it looks pretty good, and is very cheap on amazon.

Obit: Hunter Mansion

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/48308953/william-dunlap-hunter-obit-august-17/

Found out about this old house outside of town.  This is the obituary for the owner.  I've never read an obit so poetic, and vague.  I wonder how many people attended, and what the other songs they sang.

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/48308953/william-dunlap-hunter-obit-august-17/

Says he had a third wife here, but there's no indication on his tombstone about being married.  I wonder if he was involved in polygamy or something else taboo.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/33620546/william-dunlap-hunter/photo

I also read about the owner's son.  He was business professor at UT, and has a scholarship, full ride, every year.  Nice.
https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/statesman/obituary.aspx?n=charles-wilson-hackett&pid=1593528

Blog: Looking for some party games for SNES

http://rvgfanatic.com/wordpress/index.php/snes-party-games/
I found this list of party games, man there are a lot.  Not too many racing games, though.  Well anyway there were plenty of games I've never heard of before, several of them published only in Japan.

http://rvgfanatic.com/wordpress/index.php/battle-cross/

I am excited about a game called battlecross.  Its like bomberman meets mario kart, apparently.

Recipe: 3 Ingredient Energy Bars

https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-easy-3-ingredient-energy-bars-at-home-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-184306

this recipe is really simple: equal parts dates, dried fruit, and almonds

i tried it with pecans, also.  very nice.

i did some dried cherry apricot, and some raisin ones

i also added allspice to one

in total i made 4 kinds.  i should have labeled them because i can't remember exactly what went in them

i might top them with some citrus zest, or maybe some grape nuts.

Info: Crested Caracaras

https://txtbba.tamu.edu/species-accounts/crested-caracara/

So I heard these birds are currently in Austin.  We don't see them normally, but now isn't a normal time.  Many people are staying at home to avoid getting sick during the pandemic.  And so certain wildlife has returned, including the crested carcara, which I'd never heard of before.

It is a raptor, and it looks quite unique.

It has the call of video game lobster hands.

I like it a lot.

News: Louis Theroux on Tiger King

https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/entertainment/a32049049/louis-theroux-tiger-king/

I learned that Louis made his own docu with some of he people featured in tiger king.  He liked the guy, but still thinks animal rights are important.  I might watch Louis Theroux's video.

News: A to M

suddenly i was wondering if ass to mouth was gross and unhygenic and it turns out that if you eat your own poop it isnt likely to get you sick.  that still gross, though.  and it probably smells.

https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/7xd99d/how-dirty-is-going-ass-to-mouth

News: Stimulus Checks

https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/coronavirus-stimulus-check-questions-answers-2020-4

I learned some things from this.  But mostly I learned that you can't count on the government. 

It could take five months for people to get their checks.  Yuck.

At least they happen automatically.

Blog: Foreigners in America

https://delacortereview.org/2020/03/10/waiting-to-be-blessed/

This guy from another country ends up moving in with an American man that has all sorts of problems, yet the American man persists in his optimism.

I like this story because it is well written and interesting, and because it reminds me that I am a repat.

News: I was addicted to adderall for a decade

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/caseyschwartzauthor/adderall-addiction-college-attention-a-love-story

I didn't realize this was a post cut from a book.  It seems well written, yet it ends quite abruptly.  I don't really wonder what happens next.

I hope she is OK.

I did not learn why she was addicted.  I don't think she knows.

News: Burglars steal 10k of lumber in 3 minutes

https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/burglars-steal-more-than-10k-in-lumber-from-south-austin-construction-site

Looks like they know what they are doing. Pulling in, loading up, and heading out.  They even use the same truck. 

Brazen

News: New Union Movements

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/photo-booth/the-faces-of-a-new-union-movement

Well yeah it looks like there are some small new unions.  Mostly young people? Spread all around the country?  Ok, not too bad.  A pretty good collection of many different occurrences.

News: Peace Corps Breaks Ties With China

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/03/16/the-peace-corps-breaks-ties-with-china

This guy reads a writes.  And has some juice for the story.  Doesn't point too many fingers, but you can see his slant.  Some dipshits fucked stuff up.  People in charge don't deserve they power they wield.

Some fun stuff about international relations.

News: Explaining Copyright Broke Youtube's Copyright System

https://www.law.nyu.edu/centers/engelberg/news/2020-03-04-youtube-takedown

Some lawyers used examples of youtube copyright in a video explaining copyright on youtube, then their video got taken down for copyright violations.  It was only through a personal connections that they got their video restored.

Most people don't have the ability to un-strike their videos.

News: Restaurants and Margins

https://thecounter.org/why-restaurants-are-closing-nyc-los-angeles/

this piece covers a lot of topics about restaurants and talks to a lot of different people.  however, it seems like los angeles and new york city are the only two places in the country.

it was a fun, long read, though.

News: The Global Pursuit of a Fugitive Ship

https://www.hakaimagazine.com/features/catch-me-if-you-can/

This story is actually fun to read.  I learned a lot about ships and oceans. 

But yeah, basically one small group of people is determined to fish illegally, and they succeed for a really long time in doing just that.

News: Italy extends lockdown to entire nation

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-51810673

So yeah this was 20 days ago.  Feels like things have moved on a lot since then.  I've been in quarantine for some time.  I've lost track of how things are going in Italy and Iran.  And yeah, the last half of the article is about people stuck in prison during this time.  They're very vulnerable.  I don't know what the state of things is in Italy's prisons, but I wouldn't be surprised if conditions are worse in the USA.

News: Us Captain fired

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-52145230

So this guy is in charge of an aircraft carrier and a bunch of people are sick, and he wants people taken off the boat.  His boss says no, so he writes a letter and gets it published in a newspaper. 

Insubordination, and gets fired.

I can't tell who is right, but it seems like the captain is.

News: 50 inspiring works

https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2020/mar/29/inspiring-culture-50-works-that-changed-our-critics-lives

I haven't gone through all the categories, but the architecture, music, tv and dance parts are fun and interesting, with things i'd never seen before but that i'd like to see more of.

Blog: How to build a berm

https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-build-berm-4160528

So yeah, you build a pile of fill and put the topsoil on top.  Drainage is an issue.  Sometimes these are to block wind, or for privacy, or to raise up cool plants more towards eye level so they can be enjoyed.

News: Southerners more likely to die of covid19

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/04/coronavirus-unique-threat-south-young-people/609241/

So this seems like scare mongering a bit.  People in the south are unhealthy, and unhealthy people are more likely to die of covid 19.

But yeah, southern states spend little on public health, have opted out of extending medicare to lower income people, and suffer from weak leadership.

So, I learned some things and my beliefs were reinforced as well.

Blog: This Guy Studies the History of War

https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/the-mega-wars-that-shaped-world-history/

He uses a lot of guarded language, quotes, and information, to write things about war.  My emotional response is terror.  He breezily describes the end of the world in many different ways.

However, I learned about new empires, revolutionaries, and other parts of human history.  So, that was neato.

News: Canada has a separatist movement in Alberta

https://thewalrus.ca/the-new-separatists/

The plains feel disaffected.  I knew this but didn't really understand.

There might be a wexit.

Blog: Raised Garden Beds

https://www.thespruce.com/lawn-edging-materials-2131042
edging materials

https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-build-raised-beds-2132417

building raised beds, this one talks about using word preservative.  i'm against that.  we have enough pollution as it is.

http://www.melbartholomew.com/analyze-this-2/

this guy has a specific soil mix and raised bed sizes, also a grid over your bed, and diverse planting.  says it all saves time and water.

http://www.melbartholomew.com/all-the-basics-of-square-foot-gardening/

this guy outlines his method in ten steps

https://www.woodlogger.com/raised-garden-bed/

this is probably the design i'm going to go with.

https://morningchores.com/raised-garden-bed-plans/
basically a giant listicle but with a ton of variety and ideas, well composed.  i ended up finding a design I wanted here.

https://www.gardendesign.com/vegetables/raised-beds.html

woven wattle beds seem like a very green option

https://www.weedemandreap.com/best-material-for-raised-garden-boxes/

a good overview of the options in terms of materials

News: The End of Miss America

https://jezebel.com/the-end-of-miss-america-1841181514

A civil war of beauty queens.  It sounds like, well, there are good sound bytes here.  This piece is fun.  I feel like it is written from my team,  but it probably isn't.  It is another world.  I don't really care about it.  It is good to learn that something else entirely exists.

News: The Carbon Footprint of Touring

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/the-day-the-music-became-carbon-neutral

Tour buses run constantly.  Lots of plastic waste.  Some bands tour on bio-diesel buses only, but that's the big names with money to spend.  Smaller bands are making lots of greenhouse gas emissions.  Some bands quit touring.

It seems like this article really only has a small slice of the information.  How about torrents but for carbon, too, instead of just bandwidth?  Optimize stuff.

News: Car lover gives up cars

https://www.wired.com/story/opinion-i-used-to-love-cars-heres-what-drove-me-away/

A pretty good account of giving up cars, changing one's beliefs.  An interesting read for me.  It seems like one comment from an article he wrote, it stuck with him, and tipped his decision.  Some crucial moment.

I wonder what a motorhead would respond to this article.  I am not a motorhead.

News: Deputies took pictures of Kobe Bryant Dead

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-51718024

They used their phones to take photos of a helicopter crash.  Maybe they sold the images?  They don't really say.  Not sure if they are allowed to take photos like these.  Maybe things were burning and they didn't want to wait for an authorization?

News: SXSW Cancelled

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-03-06/south-by-southwest-cancels-festival-on-coronavirus-concerns
seems like a year ago i read this.  i remember asking my waitress if she was feeling the pinch from lost business.  now i bet she has no job.  god damn

Blog: Tips for the Depressed

https://nplusonemag.com/online-only/online-only/tips-for-the-depressed/

An interesting coverage of depression.  Full of experience that feels like real sharing.  I don't know if I have the same kind of depression this person describes.  Maybe I'm not depressed.  It is hard to get out of bed.  I just want to lay on the floor.  But I don't have all the stuff this person is talking about.  I don't suffer from an unimaginable and indescribable pain.  Anyway, this covers a lot of medicine, and topics, including electro shock therapy and suicide.

At least it feels comprehensive, if not earnest.

Ask friends to come over while you clean.  That was my favorite bit of advice.

News: DTC economies

https://marker.medium.com/why-all-the-warby-parker-clones-are-now-imploding-44bfcc70a00c

Basically direct to consumer products are better, but only marginally so.  They take money to grow, money from investors.  The growth comes but the margins get lower.  There isn't money to pay the investors.  Things flop.  The supply chain part of the business, where the profit can be trimmed, is for the big dogs.  The innovation at the small end isn't worth it.  Products stagnate. 

Looks like outdoor voices CEO got out just before shit really hit the fan.

Lots of princes and princesses running things.  1.1 billion for a glasses retailer.  Haha.

News: Boohoo Korean Air mismanaged its money

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-51799142

People have stopped flying. Korea was one of the first countries to grapple with the pandemic.  This is almost three weeks old.  I wonder what has changed since then.  Probably not too much.

News: Celebrity and Therapist, just one person, murdered

https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/amie-harwick-gareth-pursehouse-hollywood-sex-therapist-death-957882/

Well her stalker was also a photographer and they met up again at a celebrity event that she was attending and he was working as a photographer.  It is grisly.  I don't think I'd ever heard of her before this article.  She seemed like she was really doing important work helping sex workers, writing books, being supportive.  Kind of a bummer.  I don't know why I read this.  I guess she looked pretty.  I don't like to read about murders.

News: Bezels in tech

https://www.engadget.com/2020-03-10-tech-borderless-screen-bezels.html

no real answers on why bezels in tech are such an obsession.  something about the feel of immersion when you can't see the border.  i think it is more like a luxury item, and the only way to create more luxury is to get rid of the bezel.  no talk of durability or environmental concerns, so this is just kind of a tech fetish article.

News: Why Americans are Dying of Despair

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/03/23/why-americans-are-dying-from-despair

The answers are in a new book, but it is something like drugs, the changing of work, increasing inequality, and the response that society encourages to those things.

So uneducated white people are dying at increasing rates.

News: Texas saying no to new refugees

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-51551701

let's just let people in power skate on big issues, like racism and justice.

don't research their policies, or try to make them look stupid.  just stick to elementary school history and don't bother people.

News: Biden can't use the internet

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/03/joe-biden-low-energy-campaign-meets-coronavirus.html

Biden can't set up internet video.  "above my pay grade" is the line he used.  Nobody on his campaign can do this either.

Awesome.

He also kinda disappeared for a week.

News: Shroud does not like COD Warzone

https://www.essentiallysports.com/im-done-playing-shroud-gives-his-verdict-on-call-of-duty-warzone-esports-activision-news-2020/

something about the aim, or it being boring.  shroud isn't a very quotable person, almost like he is trying to remain a must-watch-live-word-stream type person.  or maybe cod warzone will start paying him to play and he will shut up.

News: Assisted Suicide in Alaska

https://www.outsideonline.com/2410996/eric-pam-bealer-alaska-death
This couple committed suicide.  One partner had multiple sclerosis.  The other partner was healthy, but did not want to live without his partner.  So, they wrapped up their affairs, leaving their estate to a conservancy, writing letters to friends, and even pre-paying the shipping of the mail.

They hid their bodies.  The author has opinions about death with dignity.  They seem well informed.  The reader is left to draw their own conclusions. 

It sounds like the couple led a thoughtful life and probably made the right choice for themselves.

News: Compost in Austin

https://www.austinchronicle.com/food/2020-02-21/a-banana-peel-a-diaper-and-a-plastic-bag-walk-into-austins-composting-program/

I learned a bit about hauling compost, and about composting businesses.  There was a city wide ordinance in 2018 that means composting for all residences.  Apartments count as commercial buildings, though, so there's plenty of trash makers that don't have to compost. 

Black soldier flies or something.  They can eat animal parts and make larvae that can then be fed to pigs.  But, the process is akin to feeding animals to animals, which can spread diseases like mad cow. 

Also, I learned that chicken shit is worth more than compost.

and, there are 1.4 million homes in Austin.

there were a few things about "environmental justice" that sounded like nimby type things.  Not sure how well put together this article was, but I learned a lot.

Blog: How to build a bat house

https://www.nwf.org/Garden-For-Wildlife/Cover/Build-a-Bat-House.aspx

This is a good blog post because it describes building a bat box from a novice's perspective.  The instructions have been made with beginners in mind, so there are only four cuts.  However, cutting the grooves in the box, which the bats use to climb inside, seems like it is actually more cuts.

Overall the project seems doable.  This blog post was motivational.

News: What sank the Hunley

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/new-explosive-theory-what-doomed-crew-hunley-180974159/

this person did some test on a hunley miniature

it was a submarine in the civil war

it blew up some dynamite and damaged a ship but then sank

the shockwave collapsed the lungs of the crew members.

or at least that's the best guess of this author, the truth may be different or unknowable.

News: 55 things you need to know about mike bloomberg

https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2020/02/25/808791622/why-america-is-losing-the-toilet-race

i forgot most of them, except that he was described as argumentative by his high school classmates

News: American toilets are shit

https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2020/02/25/808791622/why-america-is-losing-the-toilet-race

japanese toilets are better by every measure, except price

americans don't want to change their ways, especially if they have to pay 1000% more

News: How a good scam can bypass our defences

https://thewalrus.ca/how-a-good-scam-can-bypass-our-defenses/

its canadian spelling

so yeah, its the usual, famialiarity, time crunch.

this guy sent off 300 dollars of itunes credit

i got scammed, too. i cancelled my credit card immediately

apparently young people get scammed more often. ouch.

time for world government to smash these scams.

News: Cops called on bernie backers

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/02/26/cops-called-bernie-backers-protest-117782

why do i read this garbage

this lady says she supports bernie sanders, but bernie doesn't support her

she goes to peoples' houses, people in charge of elections, and shouts slogans at night.  then they leave before the cops come

i mean it isn't illegal

and they are all just patsies anyways, on both sides.

like they have real power, those election officials.  theyre probably underpaid, super easy to bribe

Blog: Why is recycling so difficult

https://www.fastcompany.com/90452707/im-an-expert-on-complex-design-systems-even-i-cant-figure-out-recycling

so this engineer guy tries to figure out why recycling is so difficult

politics and money

i guess he doesnt know much about how people think

recycling is difficult because of a leadership failure

there need to be standardized materials, sizes, and recycling strategies. all enforced.

it isn't crazy to see that people are pillaging the environment, and making extra money in the chaos and people "work hard, play hard" to try to save the planet.

yeehaw this guy is learning.

News: Celebrity found dead

https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/15/entertainment/caroline-flack-love-island-dead-trnd/index.html

this person hosted a show that i'd never heard of.  i'd never heard of the person before.  i'm sorry theyre dead

it sounds like they lead a bit of a troubled life.  getting arrested for assaulting their partner.  going to court. 

i feel strange feeling sorry for this rich person that burned out and died.  they don't say the cause of death, but the article hints at suicide.  what a waste

i looked for an update.  she hung herself.  grim

News: Amazon makes people write before meetings

https://money.com/amazon-meetings-no-powerpoint/

so people have to write things before a meeting, get people to check them, make sure things are coherent, and then they have reading time at the meeting.

seems great

i'd love to watch one on a topic that i knew something about

death by power point sucks

Blog: This person hates dog walking apps

https://www.outsideonline.com/2345986/cautionary-tale-about-dog-walking-apps

from the consumer prospective.

seems like these apps just rush to get shit done, and do a bad job of screening and training people.

any idiot can walk a dog

well, let's make sure the community is completely shredded

but yeah, dunno if these "handy" apps really come with any truly surprising pitfalls

this person has several stories where just about everything seems to go wrong.

but also they throw out some caveats.  they have huge dogs.

Blog: Unofficial thing on why people leave san francisco

https://www.ryanckulp.com/leaving-san-francisco-meta-study/

he knows some research techniques and uses them hilariously.  i hope i forget all i learned about that.

useless prayers.  things need to get done, people need convincing, not more reading.

Blog: Bi-polar guy on "sober curious"

https://www.vox.com/the-highlight/2020/2/18/21136863/alcoholism-sober-curious-mindful-drinking

so yeah, i learned a word. lothario

cool

this guy did stupid things drunk.  got embarrased. his job is alcohol.  bars and writing about cocktails.  so this sober curious thing is a bit crazy

but it works for him

he writes well, uses anecdotes without throwing people under the bus.

he notes that people still sometimes try to force him to drink. fuck that.  he says fuck that, too.

News: Korea Corona Virus Clusters

https://graphics.reuters.com/CHINA-HEALTH-SOUTHKOREA-CLUSTERS/0100B5G33SB/index.html

So yeah this one lady went to church and a buffet while she had a high fever, turned out she had the virus and now the people at church do, too.

The good news is that if people stop being stupid the virus should stay under control.

News: Abe closes schools in Japan

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/japans-abe-faces-mounting-anger-over-school-closures-lack-of-virus-testing/2020/02/28/ddd3ca58-59e0-11ea-8efd-0f904bdd8057_story.html

So yeah, the health ministry is under the control of the prime minister.  So he can boss them around and tell them to do dumb shit.

Other countries have a center for disease control type institutions that are more independent.

so the prime minister ordered schools shut down.  people will miss graduation.  crazy.

News: Corporate Speak

https://www.vulture.com/2020/02/spread-of-corporate-speak.html

This writer quit the corporate scene, then came back.  Noticed a few new corporate speak come up.

Doesn't really get to the bottom.

but some good quotes

"which is that its ratio of ingenuity to bullshit — a ratio present in every organization and, indeed, every human — was tipped too far in the wrong direction."

"words with a scammy flavor"

ok this is getting better as I go on, re-reading

"This wasn’t a teaching position; it was a deprogramming job. She left before the contract was up."

ahh reminds me of polpot

"The meaningful threat of garbage language — the reason it is not just annoying but malevolent — is that it confirms delusion as an asset in the workplace."

ahh a real philosopher.  some fun things to think about in this one

bravo

News: Who won the vegas debate

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/02/20/who-won-the-debate-winners-and-losers-116286

I hadn't watched the debate and these guys gave some insight and different takes on things.  Helped me see some things I probably would have missed even I had watched it.  Still feel like they only offer the upper class view on things, but hey.

News: Man moves with daughter to college and starts sex cult

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/juliareinstein/sarah-lawrence-dad-sex-trafficking-classmates-cult

so this guy with a record brings his crime skills to a vulnerable community, people suffer.

News: Why Tinder Profiles Keep Appearing

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2020/02/tinder-urban-legends-repeat-profiles-kitchen-guy/606406/

So there's a little hack where if you delete your account and reopen it you get a boost.  So some people have been exploiting this by consistently recreating their profiles. They have made themselves legends in their areas, by constantly appearing as people swipe.  Something like local celebrities.  The guy in the article always leans up against the same granite kitchen counter

News: Bloomberg's meme spree prompts instagram rule changes

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/02/14/bloomberg-meme-changes-facebook-instagram-115333
I read this a while ago.  I can't remember the details precisely, but basically instagram influencers are getting paid to meme about bloomberg.  this might violate fec campaign disclosure rules

News: Why Texans Don't Want Any More Californians

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/01/the-truth-about-the-california-exodus/605833/

more about the changes in california than the people in texas, but yeah, cali is getting rid of poor people and rich people are staying there.

News: Jamie Lee Curtis and Addiction

https://variety.com/video/jamie-lee-curtis-vicodin-addiction/

Jamie Lee Curtis talks about her addiction to vicodin and alcohol.

She runs recovery meetings if she doesn't have one available while on location.

The article seems a little slapdash, but I was surprised to learn about this actresses addiction. 

She seems like a good person.  I'm sure this is just marketing fluff, but anyways.

Blog: An app can be a home cooked meal

https://www.robinsloan.com/notes/home-cooked-app/

This guy made an copy of an app.  His family used the original, then it got shut down. So, he made a new one for his family.

He describes this as home cooking, but coding.

He seems to be full of decent wisdom.

"This feels natural; anyone who has ever, like… eaten a meal… of any kind… recognizes that cooking is marbled deeply into domesticity and comfort, nerdiness and curiosity, health and love."

That's the first quote I remember reading and liking in a while.

Blog: This business I'd never heard failed

https://marker.medium.com/how-homepolishs-extremely-instagrammable-house-of-cards-came-tumbling-down-d7a7d1780ddc

This was traumatizing to read, so I guess, like, well written?

This rich guy started a business but didn't know how to run a business.  Where's the fucking leadership? Some people lost a years worth of pay because the business went bankrupt before it paid them. 

Barf.

Princes inheriting shit they can't manage?

News: Bank Robbing Family

https://www.texasmonthly.com/the-culture/i-would-only-rob-banks-for-my-family/

They got caught because they were wearing brand new stuff when they robbed banks.  A detective tracked down where they bought the gear, and found their card info.

They all confessed to the crime when they were arrested.

The father's father was a bank guy, so he kinda knew how to do things.

Just not quite enough to not get caught.  Shoulda quit earlier?

News: Rolling Stone talks about the film Walk Hard

https://getpocket.com/explore/item/revisiting-hours-how-walk-hard-almost-destroyed-the-musical-biopic

So basically this movie parodies movies that try to show an entire musician's life in an hour or two.  It pokes at tropes.  This article says the way it does this is by stating the tropes out loud.  By forcing exposition.

I would like to see this film.

News: Air filters create huge rise in test scores

https://www.vox.com/2020/1/8/21051869/indoor-air-pollution-student-achievement

wow, breathing well helps people use their minds and bodies more effectively

amaz-ing

hey, this is a tiny study of one place.  like the article says, scale it up and get more data.  but really we all need clean air, not just students. 

we need to get cars off the road, to reduce energy use, and to make energy use cleaner.

thanks for listening to my ted talk