October 30, 2016

Comey's letter breaks with DOJ tradition and w/views of AG Loretta Lynch

Jane Mayer (who wrote the expose of Koch bros) in The New Yorker:

Comey’s decision is a striking break with the policies of the Department of Justice, according to current and former federal legal officials. Comey, who is a Republican appointee of President Obama, has a reputation for integrity and independence, but his latest action is stirring an extraordinary level of concern among legal authorities, who see it as potentially affecting the outcome of the Presidential and congressional elections.

James Comey, the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, acting independently of Attorney General Loretta Lynch, sent a letter to Congress saying that the F.B.I. had discovered e-mails that were potentially relevant to the investigation of Hillary Clinton’s private server. Coming less than two weeks before the Presidential election, Comey’s decision to make public new evidence that may raise additional legal questions about Clinton was contrary to the views of the Attorney General, according to a well-informed Administration official. Lynch expressed her preference that Comey follow the department’s longstanding practice of not commenting on ongoing investigations, and not taking any action that could influence the outcome of an election, but he said that he felt compelled to do otherwise.

http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/james-comey-broke-with-loretta-lynch-and-justice-department-tradition?mbid=nl_TNY+Template+-+With+Photo+%282%29&CNDID=16986866&spMailingID=9782449&spUserID=MTMzMTc5NjQ4OTQxS0&spJobID=1022323448&spReportId=MTAyMjMyMzQ0OAS2

October 26, 2016

Anyone with Amazon Echo?

My situation:
no regular old-fashioned radio reception in my bldg.
Desktop is in living room; kitchen is where I want to hear.
I have wifi - the whole building was rigged for wifi by optimum.

I can of course livestream on my computer (when I get a new one anyway) bazillions of radio stations.
But if I make it loud enough to hear in the kitchen while i'm washing dishes etc, it may disturb neighbors.

so I went to best buy to look for wireless speakers.
the blue tooth ones they said only work within 3 feet of the source.

Then he showed me Echo.
wow.
I am not a high tech person at all, I still have a basic cell phone, a 10-yr old computer, and a 20 yr-old plain old tv.
And am fine with all that.

but echo, omg,
Hands-free I can command it to get radio, music, etc.
(particularly cool bec. my hands will be busy in the kitchen)
It is not bluetooth so is not limited to 3 feet range.

Is there any downside to Echo that I should know about?

Cuz I tell you - I am in love.

thanks.

ps- if this is in wrong forum pls tell me or move it- I could not find which forum to put this post in.

October 19, 2016

How Ayn Rand contributed to US becoming a greedy, individualistic nation.

"Ayn Rand (1905-1982) helped make the United States into one of the most uncaring nations in the industrialized world, a neo-Dickensian society where healthcare is only for those who can afford it, and where young people are coerced into huge student-loan debt that cannot be discharged in bankruptcy."

"Ayn Rand’s books such as The Virtue of Selfishness and her philosophy that celebrates self-interest and disdains altruism may well be, as (Gore) Vidal assessed, “nearly perfect in its immorality.” But is Vidal right about evil? Charles Manson, who himself did not kill anyone, is the personification of evil for many of us because of his psychological success at exploiting the vulnerabilities of young people and seducing them to murder. What should we call Ayn Rand’s psychological ability to exploit the vulnerabilities of millions of young people so as to influence them not to care about anyone besides themselves?"

Rand said, “Capitalism and altruism are incompatible….The choice is clear-cut: either a new morality of rational self-interest, with its consequences of freedom, justice, progress and man’s happiness on earth—or the primordial morality of altruism, with its consequences of slavery, brute force, stagnant terror and sacrificial furnaces.” For many young people, hearing that it is “moral” to care only about oneself can be intoxicating, and some get addicted to this idea for life.

Rand offered a narcotic for confused young people: complete certainty and a relief from their anxiety. Rand believed that an “objective reality” existed, and she knew exactly what that objective reality was. It included skyscrapers, industries, railroads, and ideas—at least her ideas. Rand’s objective reality did not include anxiety or sadness.

A demagogue, in addition to hypnotic glibness, must also be intellectually inconsistent, sometimes boldly so. This eliminates challenges to authority by weeding out clear-thinking young people from the flock.

Ayn Rand removed Americans’ guilt for being selfish and uncaring about anyone except themselves. Not only did Rand make it “moral” for the wealthy not to pay their fair share of taxes, she “liberated” millions of other Americans from caring about the suffering of others, even the suffering of their own children.

http://www.rawstory.com/2014/12/clinical-psychologist-explains-how-ayn-rand-helped-turn-the-us-into-a-selfish-and-greedy-nation/

October 15, 2016

Some comments on trump and women

there is actually some good coming out of this mess.
I'm hearing talking heads speak about sexual violence in a way I never have before.
Eg Chris Mathews (msnbc) said that he had heard stories from his female staff that he had never heard before.
And i'm listening to NPR radio, the guests and the call-ins, and there is a depth of conversation about sexual violence, that I believe will change the conversation about it.

it is getting to the general public what women have known all along altho we may not talk about it:
There are very few if any of us that will get thru life without a sexual put-down, a humiliation, all the way to rape.

It has brought up a lot to me, as a rape survivor.
The bad thing is it really does act as a trigger, and I imagine a lot of women are not watching their tv.
It is hard to listen to the words.

as one survivor said, even before this tape of 2005 came out, she could tell just by his words and expressions that he was a serial violator of women.

October 14, 2016

Ms Utah Temple Taggart was on CNN this evening,

a very bright brave individual. Very articulate.
Says it wasn't "only a kiss", it changed the trajectory of her life.
very moving, I recommend it.

October 14, 2016

what are some good left-leaning - but not ideological - sites

where I can read more.
I cannot get enough of election coverage via msnbc and cnn.
Ones such as those I see people excerpt from here - altho I remember no names. thank you.

October 13, 2016

guy on PBS just reminds me of Gary Hart- just cuz he was seen with another woman

he was out of the campaign.
Of course a big difference between drump in his fame, and Gary Hart - unknown.

still - it shows as a society how we have changed.

(Newshour)

October 13, 2016

where donald got his hair style & color from

http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-beauty/news/donald-trump-and-his-late-mom-mary-had-identical-hairstyles-w431314

Makes me think of Psycho (the Movie, not Psycho the Candidate).

He copies not only the style but the color.

What was going on with the mother?

Maybe she isn't really buried in the family cemetery, maybe she is sitting in a window in one of the trump buildings...
maybe he IS the mother....

October 10, 2016

Athletes respond to "locker -room" reference

http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/10/politics/locker-room-talk-athletes-respond-trnd/

They didn't like it at all.

October 10, 2016

Isn't the campaign now like the play "Hamilton"?