I’m writing for tomorrow, day 190. Tomorrow is a prison volunteer day. Usually I facilitate CoDA meetings without leading them. As a rule I prefer for my guys to lead them. However they asked me to lead this one, so there is extra prep time. My plan is to write articles before I leave, if I have time. We’ll see.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 2:55 (average 5:11). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From The New Yorker: A new study, by the University of Minnesota, indicates that fear of contracting the Ebola virus is highest among Americans who did not pay attention during math and science classes.
According to the study, those whose minds were elsewhere while being taught certain concepts, like what a virus is and numbers, are at a significantly greater risk of being afraid of catching Ebola than people who were paying even scant attention.
Interviews conducted with people who spent math and science classes focussing on what they would be having for dinner or what the student in front of them was wearing revealed the difficulty they are currently having grasping basic facts about Ebola.
For example, when a participant of the study was told that he had a one-in-thirteen-million chance of contracting the virus, his response was, “Whoa. Thirteen million is a really big number. That is totally scary.”
As Andy continues, I hope he’s wrong about how many are stricken by what I call Faux Noise Syndrome, because he’s talking about people, who vote for Republicans.
From Daily Kos: Last night, Bill Maher delivered a blistering final New Rule about what the matter with Kansas is.
While Bill is almost always funny, this time he’s funny, but he’s more spot-on.
From NY Times: When Jeb Bush decides whether to run for president, there will be no family meeting à la Mitt Romney, no gathering at Walker’s Point in Kennebunkport to go over the pros and cons. “I don’t think it’ll be like a big internal straw poll,” said his son, Jeb Bush Jr.
But if there were, the results of the poll are pretty much in. As Mr. Bush nears a decision to become the third member of his storied family to seek the presidency, the extended Bush clan and its attendant network, albeit with one prominent exception, are largely rallying behind the prospect and pulling the old machine out of the closet.
One Bush n the White House? Strike One! Shame on him! A second Bush in the White House?! Strike Two!! Shame on US!! A third Bush in the White House?!!? Strike Three!!! The US is OUT!!!
Cartoon:
Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses, yearning to breath free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
Send these, the homeless, tempest tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door.
Author: Emma Lazarus
11 Responses to “Open Thread–10/28/2014”
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3:14 Alas, poor Yorrick. I didn't know him well enough to beat Tom's time.
3:44 I couldn't shake off the cobwebs today, and I have been slimed by TomCat and Patty. Lynn's probably going to slime me too.
Maybe there a tiny scrap of meat on it.
New Yorker ~ FAUX continues to spread fear and loathing to their viewers. As Andy points out, science and math are crucial to understanding the dangers. One doctor even went so far as to say a person contaminated with Ebola would have to vomit or defecate in public and you would have to eat it to get sick. The idiots still don't understand. Andy, your satire is way too close to the truth.
Daily Kos ~ Bill was brilliant. I just checked some election polls. Combined polls project that Davis will still win but by a narrow margin. Davis 47.6% vs. Brownback 44.1% Let's hope kansans are smart enough not to fall for the ads negative tactics.
NY Times ~ Maybe Matriarch Barbara can convince him not to run. Please!
Cartoon ~ Now the plaque reads ~ Don't send me your sick or poor! I don't want them anymore!
New Yorker – frighteningly apposite satire, I can believe it happens all over the place. I'll bet that nearly every last one of these scared people who don't understand science or maths and is convinced they can get Ebola from someone being in the same country (317 million) with the disease is a Repug voter.
Bill Maher back to good form again – I particularly like his last sentence and I hope all the good citizens of Kansas watch that clip!
NY Times – oh dear God, please NOOOOOO!!!
4:47 average down a second. It's not as scary as the Nebraska Republican pumpkin that Judy C (Care2) found. http://dingo.care2.com/pictures/c2c/galleries/albums/168/864072146/Holidays/PumpkinMonster.jpg
New Yorker – Andy is straight reporting again. Though such a study probably won't be conducted because it would be in the category of NSSWWYFC? ("No s%&t, Sherlock, what was your first clue?" – in other words, no new information – it's coming up so much lately I figured it's time to make it an acronym.) On the other hand – so many studies inspire this response – maybe someone would.
Daily Kos – Sam's experiment in Kansas was certainly a NSSWWYFC? Paul Davis' being attacked, however is a WTF? I wish Kansas the best.
NY Times – So let me get this straight: The only one in the family with any sense is Barbara, and she had to go to treatment for – how long? – to get it (and is not being allowed to speak it)? Is there anyone who could do a family intervention for this group of mental cripples?
Cartoon – Patty, I had the same thought, but you forgot to mention the golden door is also no longer golden; the gold has all been stolen by Wall Street.
Glad you passed ythis on, Joanne!
New Yorker: Math & Science are incompatible for GOP/TP people. They simply do not believe nor understand the differences between air borne & bodily fluids. That’s tough for them. 1 in 13 million is a big number, lol.
Daily Kos: Kansas people, voters need to wake up!
NY Times: I’ve always, more or less, believed that Jeb was suppose to run for President, not bushy. Have you ever noticed that bushy was always trying win favor from his father? No, USA cannot and should not have another bush in the White House. Romney?, not at all. He is a two-faced loser.
Cartoon: Despite the fact that the world at large hates the USA, the people still want to come to America.
Kudos on 190!
Andy does it again–and perhaps they would see ebola risk in a weird context with your 190 days, too.
I pray for Kansas understanding true morality before they vote.
Gives new meaning to the risks of "Bush fires."
Lady Liberty would support the church Sanctuary movement.
The New Yorker: I think Andy may be right on this one. People who only watch faux news are probably among this group. As long as ebola was confined to Africa, hardly anyone was worried about it. From the way the news programs are carrying on now, you would think we had a million cases all ready. It is a very serious subject, of course, and a great tragedy for those who have lost their lives, but it is being overplayed in the press. They always seem to find something to take our minds off the very real problems we are facing every day. They haven't blamed ebola on Obama yet, but I bet they will.
Daily Kos: Yes Bill was very funny and very much on point. I agree with his assessment of our current media, sex sells, and they will report on anything that remotely touches on the subject. I quit watching Meet the Press while David Gregory was on there, I watched once after Chuck Todd took over, he is not any better than Gregory. Once a fine show for people who wanted to know what was happening, it is now an outlet for stories that would better be reported by Murdouchs station. There is no longer any ndependent reporting, it is all corporate controlled. The people of Kansas will keep suffering as they are now if they elect another Republican.
The New York Times: I think Barbara Bush was right, we don't need another Bush in the White House.
Cartoon: I have been to NYC twice, and both times the Lady was under repairs so I ddn't get to visit her, wish I had. I also wish that all the anti immigration people would read what is on the stature that you listed. They have either forgotten or choose to ignore the message.
Thanks all. Good night.