Feel well Amy. (#2 on Monday.)

Here's a good piece (4K words) on shipping.

The internet abolishes national boundaries for information, news, data; shipping abolishes these boundaries for physical goods. The main way it does this is by being almost incomprehensibly efficient and cheap. As George points out, if you’re having a sweater shipped from the other side of the planet, the cost of shipping adds just a cent to the price. Another way of putting it would be to say that shipping is, in practice, free.

Anybody ever see Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)? It's a pretty strong movie. They say it's even better if you've read the book, because the plot is incomprehensible if you haven't. (le Carré produced it, and was a dick about it.)

Anyway— the article above shows one of the great continuity errors for the story set in 1973: The docks in the movie are designed for container ships, which didn't grow popular until about the time the Suez re-opened in 1975.

Thank you for your attention to these matters.

The state of the American brand.

Ugh, they drew her using an ugly MacBook.

https://twitter.com/KidmanMakino/status/1385799044010708992

Talking about Apple's iAppliances...

If I ever win the Lotto, the first I would do is finance a reshoot of this music video but with current year Apple hardware:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4hQ4J4BFOM

"No policy, not matter how damaging to ordinary life, will ever be enough to appease the cult of St Greta."

Paywall

Crid, there's a paywall.

But in the meantime, I wonder why she hasn't yet stood up to a crowd of middle-class teens and told them - gently and politely - that they are just as much to blame as any politician if they don't cut their First World lifestyles by half and urged other teens to do the same. Permanently.

After all, by now, SOMEONE must have pointed that fact out to her...

The late Milton Friedman wrote an article about that, in fact - in the 1980s. Except it was about protesting against apartheid and what young American protesters should be forfeiting, IIRC.

Sorry, I know a guy for problems like this, but he doesn't like strangers. Anyway, the subT tells the tale.

Hereyago

Maybe they should try hosting these events at a synagogue?

I don't think pantyfa nor blm would dare to set one on fire.

https://mobile.twitter.com/stillgray/status/1386017175685660676

But in the meantime, I wonder why she hasn't yet stood up to a crowd of middle-class teens and told them - gently and politely - that they are just as much to blame as any politician if they don't cut their First World lifestyles by half and urged other teens to do the same. ~ Lenona at April 24, 2021 10:00 AM

Because, Lenona, her schtick is actually about chastising the grown ups, chastising Mom and Dad, something most teens can get behind; and something for which most of them will cheer her on.

It's not about actual environmental issues, but about one generation establishing its place in the world and displacing the prior generation. Like most up and coming generations, patience and reasoned analysis are not its practiced virtues.

By pointing out that her peers are as much to blame as their parents, she risks her popularity; her platform.

The tip of the crocberg.

https://twitter.com/xoHaliii/status/1384253384245465100

"Maybe they should try hosting these events at a synagogue?
I don't think pantyfa nor blm would dare to set one on fire."

Sure they would. They know CNN would blame "white nationals or MAGA" for the fire.

✓ Coney Coney Coney!

Conan the Grammarian at April 24, 2021 11:46 AM

> schtick is actually about chastising
> the grown ups, chastising Mom and
> Dad, something most teens can get
> behind

Most teens, and most 'teens at heart.' And we've got about three generations raised to think a sentiment like 'I'm a child at heart!' is an honorable way to go through life, rather than a pathetic one.

I hate this kid. Kinda like Lebron… If you're old enough to be licensed to drive, you're old enough not to pass off your moral incompetence as a consequence for those in your childhood who — darned it all — just didn't love you enough. Or the right way. Wutevar.

It's still a darker shade than Shaun King:

https://academictimes.com/super-reflective-white-paint-is-like-a-passive-air-conditioner/

Jus' L.O. me, or does anyone else get the sense that Biden is fucking something up about every nine hours, as we might expect for a man of his years after so many surgical procedures (both neurological and cosmetic)?

Marian Tupy did a podcast last week where, in an offhand comment, he described our last three presidents as suffering from "narcissism, insanity, and dementia."

Not a good trend.

2021: See to believe.

By pointing out that her peers are as much to blame as their parents, she risks her popularity; her platform.
_______________________________________

I knew that.

But, when you consider how much nerve it takes to risk stage fright, plus public ridicule, over and over (something lots of ADULTS can't handle), I would have expected her to be brave enough to break the bad news to her peers as well. Again, in a gentler tone of voice. And she could have done it more easily, I think, had she not waited so long.

I can't QUITE believe that she's doing this mainly for fame, glory, and adoration from her peers. There's nothing to suggest she thinks it's trivial that her education is being slowed down. Besides, if she hopes to make a career out of this, it won't be that long before her peers ARE the politicians - and she'll be forced to do a Pogo routine.

I can't QUITE believe that she's doing this mainly for fame, glory, and adoration from her peers. There's nothing to suggest she thinks it's trivial that her education is being slowed down. Besides, if she hopes to make a career out of this, it won't be that long before her peers ARE the politicians - and she'll be forced to do a Pogo routine.

Lenona at April 24, 2021 3:46 PM

The girl, by all reports, has a rather profound case of Aspergers.
When you couple that with being of an age to literally “know nothing” , what you have is a sock puppet for Mom and Dad’s angst about the world.

> a rather profound case
> of Aspergers.

Have heard that before, and it explains so much that it would be no fun to verify. Nonetheless: No excuse. As with her "nerves" and her "frights," her interior life is not the measure of her character.

Well, the media clips about it aren't, anyway.

That Croc thing is cool.

Woke—

Baroness Boothroyd, 91, is being investigated by Parliament's ethics watchdog for missing a sexual harassment course while she was recovering from open heart surgery.

NYP— Unaccompanied migrant children brought to a shelter in Long Beach, CA will each be given a copy of Kamala Harris' children's book "Superheros are Everywhere" as a welcome gift.

The Biden administration is grateful for the generous welcome from taxpayers. (I'd bet a thousand dollars the book's in English.)

I hope it's not printed on that useless slick paper.

Oscar Fever… Catch It!!

Anybody see 'Nomadland'? Anyone see anything? If you did, or even if you didn't, would it be possible for you to care?

Vanity of the Transfires?

https://www.npr.org/2021/04/23/990230017/caitlyn-jenner-announces-run-for-california-governor

I don't quite understand the Greta hate. She's a kid going around telling people to pollute less. What's everyone so worked up about?

What's everyone so worked up about? ~ NicoleK at April 26, 2021 1:34 AM

How dare you!

NickoleK Says:

"I don't quite understand the Greta hate. She's a kid going around telling people to pollute less. What's everyone so worked up about?"

The people who are worked up are a bunch of irrational morons.

In the parable "The Emperor Has No Clothes", the community is shocked and chagrinned when a mere child points out the obvious that society refuses to acknowledge.

There isn't anything to understand here from a rational perspective.

The science on this matter is settled... that some folks decided to make a religion out of science denial isn't a matter for reasonable people to be concerned with.

There is no reason to wait for those folks to get on board.

It's simply time to move forward despite the whining, crying, and kicking of folks who deny reality.

"The science is settled" is a distinctly Chinese sentiment.

There's been precisely one science Nobel won by a Chinese person IN CHINA: Tu Youyou, for her discoveries concerning a novel therapy against Malaria" (Wiki).

One.

"The current population of China is 1,443,812,430 as of Friday, April 23, 2021, based on Worldometer elaboration of the latest United Nations data."

Twelve other Chinese have been awarded Nobels in places other than China. Nine in the sciences (if you include the ROC, and boy they want to).

So that doesn't include the Dalai Lama. And they DON'T want to include him.

Crid,

The statement "The science is settled" is the sentiment of someone who lives in reality.

Reasonable people do not need to debate flat earthers on the shape of the earth... reasonable people do not need to debate morons when they insist that 2+3=23.

There is no debate here. It's established by the overwhelming body of evidence.

Either you understand this by now or you do not and no reasonable person need cater to the ramblings of idiots on this topic any longer. They have been given more than enough explanations and time to understand things at this stage.

At some point we need to move forward.

We still have folks who believe that Covid-19 is not real... that is the level of ignorance and denial that currently exists within our society.

That is a level of crazy that rational people cannot wait on.

If you are a climate change denialist then I feel bad for you, but that isn't a sufficient reason to do nothing. Your feelings on this or any other matter of science just aren't important enough for anyone to care about.

It's not "our" society. You're not from here, and aren't here now.

Crid,

Isn't there something more useful you can do with your time than put your idiocy on full display on the internet?... like maybe learn how to juggle chainsaws?

Please post your progress on a youtube channel, it is sure to be more entertaining and illuminating than anything you have to say on the subject of climate change.

You're from a Uyghur family, right? I knew it.

Crid,

So just to be clear on how stupid you are... you try to make fun of folks because you presume they are from foreign countries like China... then you also try to make fun of folks for being from a severely marginalized minority within China.

Can you please clarify if you are in favor of or against the treatment of the Uyghurs within China because it seems like you don't like people of Uyghur decent of traditional Chinese decent.

I think your bigotry is showing again and like usual it is ugly.

Look, if you are too poor to purchase your own chainsaws I would be happy to send you some provided you start a youtube channel featuring your attempts to juggle them.

America's nuanced shades of sincerity confound you; your idioms are clumsy and rote, and your most desperate struggle is finding something interesting to say about topics we'd find of interest.

It's important for you to understand that for the Americans reading and commenting on this blog, life is almost unimaginably good. Food & clothing; services; choices in literature and media; free-forming friendships & romances; travel and leisure, enriching jobs and comforting security.

So we understand why you're desperate to be part of the miracle… But it's not our fault that you aren't, and never could be.

Crid,

It is painfully obvious that you desperately want to be a clown the very least you could do is learn how to juggle.

The point remains that anyone stuck in a state of denial about climate change at this point is living in a delusion.

There is no argument to be had here... nothing to debate... the only folks who we should be taking time to explain things to are children.

The adults stuck in this state of denialism are beyond hope and not worth our time.

And yet, here you are. You could, if you wanted, give some reason to believe you know anything at all about America from personal experience.

But know.

Where you live sucks, amirite? I'm totally right.

Crid,

We are talking about climate change here.

This is not a controversial issue from a scientific perspective.

It is settled by the overwhelming body of evidence collected and analyzed by experts.

Why on earth would I need to demonstrate to you on a blog my personal credentials on the matter?

Are you so utterly ignorant that you don't realize that thousands of climate science experts you could look up by name are in agreement on this issue?

To put things into perspective... a 7 year old doesn't need to be an astronomer to correctly point out that the moon orbits the sun. Their "personal experience" is utterly irrelevant because they are relating information that has already been demonstrated.

Your inability to understand basic facts about the world isn't a problem that should plague anyone else. Simply put, you are more than welcome to live in ignorance... we are not interested in creating policy based on your delusions.

We talk about whatever we want… It's an America thing.

Crid,

You don't speak for me or millions of other Americans.

You speak only for yourself... and no one of importance really cares about your opinions.

Incidentally, I've never met anyone who has actually accomplished anything in life who is so utterly obsessed with their own nationality.

Only the dregs of society suffer from such an intense nationalist streak.

Next you'll be filled with bravado about the color of your skin as if anyone gives a damn.

People of quality brag about their accomplishments if they brag at all... only degenerate losers hang their hat on the random circumstances of their birth as if it means they did something special.

I don't speak for anyone at all, and you're not American

"people of quality"

"The dregs…" And not just the dregs, but "the dregs OF SOCIETY."

You're learning idioms from courseware, right? Live and let live.

Hang hats, kiddo! My birth was anything but random.

Crid,

Look, we all get it... you are a nationalist with white skin that has deep-seated issues with folks from non-European countries.

Now far be it from me to point out the obvious... but based on those observations it is completely reasonable to classify you as a white nationalist.

No one of quality is interested in what folks like you think about the national origin of anyone else.

People of good character look down on folks like you because bigotry and nationalist zeal are signs of poor morals and stupidity.

Crid,

I'll also point out that a majority of US citizens including myself look as your behavior as decidedly unamerican.

Have you actually accomplished anything noteworthy in life?... or is your biggest accomplishment something you had absolutely nothing to do with when you were born on some dimly lit service road?

You're not from this country

Crid,

At this point I have to presume you are projecting.

Are you here illegally?

You're not in the United States.

Whatever you say Dopey.

You live in a manufactured home, don't you?... or perhaps you rent a crappy garden apartment.

You wouldn't believe how great it is for us over here.

Crid,

Every time you speak you convince me more and more than you've never been outside... or perhaps that you live in a land of your own delusion.

There is an ongoing pandemic and the country is filled with anti-maskers and anti-vaxxers.

There are ongoing lockdowns to prevent infection flareups and people still cannot attend funerals of loved ones who live in other states.

But sure... things are "great".

You're dumb as rocks... the fundamental problem is that you are like the idiot person on the track who is so far behind they genuinely think they are in first place.

I've got news for you, you've been lapped multiple times.

> you convince me more and more

Duzzenmadder: You're not American

What would you know about American values... we've already established that you're a white nationalist.

Yer Chinese

Crid,

Just because you hate people of Chinese decent doesn't mean that anyone you happen not to like is Chinese.

You are a bigot... most Americans find the way you think to be disgusting.

I feel like you are putting me in a position to have to defend America because most of us aren't racist like you... you are representing us poorly.

That's all silly. You're just not American, so you can't understand important stuff. Science, things like that.

lol... Crid, are you competing for a prize to be the most stupid person on the internet?

I'm a professional scientist, I've written and published my own research findings.

And you've done what exactly?... I think the extent of experimental experience is in measuring how long it takes for the smell of your farts to dissipate from the couch cushions.

Let's continue this conversation when you've actually accomplished something meaningful.

Cites?

Crid,

There is no point in sending my CV to someone who hasn't even graduated high school.

So, no cites.

Crid,

You've claimed to be a US citizen and provided no proof.

Where is your birth certificate, social security card, and most recent tax forms?

Claiming to be a scientist is a mundane assertion... if I claimed to have a dog as a pet I wouldn't send you video to prove it either.

Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence... ordinary claims don't require detailed vetting by a random internet troll.

"Claiming to be a scientist" who says "The science on this matter is settled..."

Not American

Crid,

Many Americans accurately observe that there is a robust scientific consensus when it comes to the findings of climate scientists.

When you say that this is evidence of not being American what you are actually indicating is that your own intelligence and the intelligence of the people you interact with is extremely poor.

Fortunately, most Americans are not as stupid as you are.

Just to put things into perspective for you:

https://climate.nasa.gov/scientific-consensus/

That is NASA... are they also not Americans?

Your problem is that you vastly overestimate your own ability to understand things... hence when you run into an issue you do not understand you erroneously conclude that it is wrong.

It never even occurs to you that the reason you don't get it is because you lack the intelligence, knowledge, and education to get it.

There is a logically fallacy for this kind of thing, it is called personal incredulity.

I don't expect you will ever get it... there are people dying of Covid-19 who swear to the doctors and nurses attending to them that the virus is a hoax.

People like you are beyond hope because you are at war with reality.

Where you from?

Crid,

Have you received any stimulus checks?

The answer would break your heart, Muffin. America is a great place to live. Sorry you'll never know.

Crid,

This isn't a difficult question... have you received any stimulus checks?

I'm curious where my tax dollars are going.

CCP

Crid,

You should be more polite to someone who is paying your bills.

Wheelchair?