Space Balls, Yahoo!

Believing they had a mystery on their hands of cosmic proportions Yahoo reports on a sphere which feel to earth in Namibia?

What is this, they wonder? Why have they been failing for twenty years upon various sites?

Well, according to at least one commentator it is a:

104 Litre Hydrazine Propellant Tank

That looks possible to me, (though they are not exact matches, probably a different maker of the same product), wonder if Yahoo can Google?

Pushing Back Against Those Threatened By Anonymous Commentators

I spoke on this subject recently. My opinion has not changed.

Today I found a call for eliminating anonymity from a letter writer and a blogger in my local newspaper.  I had to respond.

The posting I found was in response to, and in sympathy with, a recent letter to the editor.  I left a comment at the responder's posting, she has since told me she agrees with me, now, completely. A rare concession, and one I much appreciate.

Here is what I said to Annette:

OP writes:

If you can't see the problems possible to posters if they must use their real names then your sight is short. And, while no sensible person appreciates the awful comments you complain about, letting them speak is the price we pay for free speech in this country. It is our duty to discern between the appropriate commentators and those who foment with inappropriate language/conduct just as we must discern the honesty and value of everything we are presented. Just as you must discern whether my opinion on this matter has merit.

Whereas requiring all commentators to be identified can lead to an opportunity to challenge the offender directly, it does not filter who undertakes the challenging. And it does not guarantee that the same loony goofballs who make the senseless comments you abhor will not take offense and revenge upon a sensible poster with whom they disagree. Further, the sensible poster will know that their comments could put them in peril from persons both known and unknown and would then self-censor their speech for fear of awkward encounters with associates and family, employer retaliation, stranger danger, and so on, thereby suppressing free speech among the good, by the good. And we all lose when that happens.

I say allow people their screen identities. And, ignore those who insist on being jerks.

I didn't stop there though, and a visit to the site where the thread originated lead me to completely blow my top.

Continue down the Rabbit hole »

The County Sheriff's Project

GNMB just introduced us to new, and much needed, association: the County Sheriff's Project.

The CSP is dedicated to restoring local autonomy for law enforcement.  Getting State and Federal authorities back in their place is patriotic, and I, for one, applaud the work of the CSP.

Dear Friends,

What would you do if you knew you had just one chance to save your family and country from complete and utter destruction? What would you do if you knew there was a lawful and peaceful way to restore the Constitution and its Bill of Rights as the supreme law of the land?

Show More Skin, Change How You Are Viewed

I think we all knew this even if we never formed the words to express it.

It turns out that a glimpse of flesh strongly influences our perception of Erin/Aaron. When the pictures only showed a face, they had lots of agency. But when we saw their torso, we suddenly imagined them as obsessed with experience. Instead of being good at self-control, they were suddenly extremely sensitive to hunger and desire. Same person, same facial expression, same brief description – but a hint of body changed everything.

Skip The Coffee, Eat Protein

Orexin, it keeps you working. Sweet!

According to a new paper in Neuron led by scientists at the University of Cambridge, consuming foods high in protein can increase the activity of orexin neurons. This, in turn, leads to increased wakefullness and bodily activity, helping us burn off the calories we just consumed. Furthermore, eating protein in conjunction with glucose – adding almonds to Frosted Flakes, in other words – can inhibit the inhibitory effects of sugar on orexin. The sweetness no longer makes us tired.