Monthly Archives: March 2018

On gun control and the Overton Window

Posted on March 28, 2018 | Comments Off on On gun control and the Overton Window

In reading this: Trump: “THE SECOND AMENDMENT WILL NEVER BE REPEALED!” – Vox,  I’ve come to the conclusion that progressives in the U.S. are making a mistake by not looking to shift the Overton window, especially on the issue of gun control. If anything, they have an opportunity at this time to shift the Overton window immensely. Moreover, what they should recognize from watching Trump is that you can shift the Overton window in all sorts of ways with very little pushback. Progressives should line up and say that nothing moderate will ever work. That’s what Justice Stevens argues, and more progressives should line up with him and force the Overton window all the way over if they want to be successful. Moderation is not working and has rarely worked.

 

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Posted in politics

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Apparently there is a link to delete instead of deactivate your Facebook profile

Posted on March 28, 2018 | Comments Off on Apparently there is a link to delete instead of deactivate your Facebook profile

And this page apparently has it: This one link is the only way to truly delete your Facebook profile | IT Business. I haven’t tried it: I am settling on deactivating my account for now. If you want to go beyond deactivating, go to that page and try it.

 

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Posted in facebook, socialmedia

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Are you afraid of Facebook tracking you? Do you use Firefox? Then read on.

Posted on March 27, 2018 | Comments Off on Are you afraid of Facebook tracking you? Do you use Firefox? Then read on.

If you are afraid of Facebook tracking you and you use Firefox then you want to consider this:  Facebook Container Extension: Take control of how you’re being tracked | The Firefox Frontier. 

If you are comfortable installing extensions you really want to consider this.

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Posted in facebook, IT, socialmedia

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What to remember the next time you see a scary robot video from Boston Dynamics

Posted on March 18, 2018 | Comments Off on What to remember the next time you see a scary robot video from Boston Dynamics

The next time you see a scary robot video from Boston Dynamics, remember this: Marine Corps Shelves Futuristic Robo-Mule Due to Noise Concerns | Military.com. When you see the videos of their robots, they seem so impressive. In fact there are serious limitations with them right now, as the article shows.

 

Boston Dynamics makes impressive videos. Whether or not their robots are impressive in the field is not certain. You be the judge.

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Posted in IT

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Thinking about prisons — and not just for Japanese elderly women — because of this piece.

Posted on March 18, 2018 | Comments Off on Thinking about prisons — and not just for Japanese elderly women — because of this piece.


Reading this, Japan’s Prisons Are a Haven for Elderly Women – Bloomberg, you realize just how terrible prison is as a means of solving any social ills. All of the women in this piece could have better ways to deal with their problems. They lack money or social connections, and prison is the worst way of providing those. Yet that is where they go to solve their problems.

It’s a good piece. And a good reminder of why with a few exceptions, prisons are a poor way to deal with problems.

(Image from twenty20.com)

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Posted in women

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How to shuck and enjoy oysters at home

Posted on March 17, 2018 | Comments Off on How to shuck and enjoy oysters at home

I love oysters, but I was intimidated by how to successfully shuck them. Turns out it isn’t easy, but with a good guide, like this one, it is a skill  you can master with a bit of practice: Guide to Shucking Oysters With Ease. You need a good shucking knife and some oysters. I also used an oven mitt to protect the hand holding the oyster while shucking them, in case the knife slipped.

Once you have your newly shucking oysters, here’s some good ways to enjoy them, all courtesy of The Spruce website:

(Image via SeriousEats.com)

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Posted in advice, food

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Friday night cocktail: the Whiskey Sour

Posted on March 16, 2018 | Comments Off on Friday night cocktail: the Whiskey Sour

For those of you in need of a cocktail, here’s a recipe for a Whiskey Sour from Bon Appetit. The image is from Liquor.com, which has a wealth of recipes and other information. Enjoy.

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Posted in food

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Tiny homes you can build

Posted on March 15, 2018 | Comments Off on Tiny homes you can build

If you want to build a tiny home, Dwell has a nice list of resources for you here. I particularly like the one above. There is a wide range though, and if you are considering building such a home, see Dwell.

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Posted in architecture

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A fine appreciation for Stephen Hawking can be found…

Posted on March 15, 2018 | Comments Off on A fine appreciation for Stephen Hawking can be found…


… here: Stephen Hawking Is Still Underrated – The Atlantic. 

I like this piece because it takes you into his science and what makes his work great without having you be an expert in the field yourself. You might still struggle with it, but it is a worthwhile struggle.

Rest in peace, Stephen Hawking. You may be gone, but the work you did lives on and will lead to more great work being done by other scientists that come after you.

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Posted in new!, science

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How to be a better writer, Op-Ed or otherwise.

Posted on March 14, 2018 | 2 comments

This piece on how to be a better Op-Ed writer is also good advice for people writing essays or any other pieces. Anyone wanting to be a better writer would do well to read it.

2 Comments

Posted in advice, nytimes.com

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