vxbush 2/2/2021 5:24:19 AM

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Bari Weiss, formerly of the New York Times until Cancel Culture came for her, has written an article about how to fight back against woke culture. Her list isn't bad, but it doesn't really fight back against woke culture; it just helps you take a larger look and decide what's important. That's good, but it doesn't seem able to break the indoctrination of these kids who are so mired in this worldview that they attack everyone who doesn't agree with them. 

Morning, campers. 

vxbush 2/2/2021 5:25:26 AM

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doppelganglander 2/2/2021 5:33:51 AM

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Good morning! Via Insty, John McWhorter gets to the real problem with Ibrahim X. Kendi (real name Henry Rogers): he is an intellectual fraud who is just not smart enough to defend his absurd and racist ideas. Link here.

buzzsawmonkey 2/2/2021 5:36:07 AM

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lucius septimius 2/2/2021 5:44:13 AM

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Reply to doppelganglander in 3:

I saw that yesterday -- it is a very good piece and I would suggest that McWhorter's assessment applies to the vast majority of CRT hucksters.  One of the reasons they're so "fragile" is because they know that they don't know what they're talking about.

vxbush 2/2/2021 5:54:55 AM

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In #3 doppelganglander said: Good morning! Via Insty, John McWhorter gets to the real problem with Ibrahim X. Kendi (real name Henry Rogers): he is an intellectual fraud who is just not smart enough to defend his absurd and racist ideas. Link here.

Did you read his Atlantic piece that goes with this? 

doppelganglander 2/2/2021 6:11:05 AM

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Reply to lucius septimius in 5:

I've had similar thoughts. I especially enjoyed the part where Robin DiAngelo compares herself to Neil deGrasse Tyson and McWhorter to an astrologer. If she's Tyson, he's Copernicus. 

doppelganglander 2/2/2021 6:14:33 AM

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Reply to vxbush in 6:
No, but I'll try to take a look. I've been a fan of his for years, primarily for his work on linguistics, but he's also a very insightful thinker on race.

vxbush 2/2/2021 6:20:14 AM

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In #5 lucius septimius said: I saw that yesterday -- it is a very good piece and I would suggest that McWhorter's assessment applies to the vast majority of CRT hucksters.  One of the reasons they're so "fragile" is because they know that they don't know what they're talking about.

McWhorter wrote a review of DiAngelo's book, and as I recall he made a very similar analysis. 

Kosh's Shadow 2/2/2021 6:21:25 AM

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Dogs have enough room to do their business, and the driveway is clear.

Snowblower worked well and the neighbor who has a plowing and excavating company plowed the end of it near the road, the only part he can reach.

Still have hand shoveling to do, including making a path for the oil man to reach the oil fill. That could take a while

vxbush 2/2/2021 6:23:58 AM

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In #10 Kosh's Shadow said: Still have hand shoveling to do, including making a path for the oil man to reach the oil fill. That could take a while

Perhaps, but I have a feeling you will be very motivated by the fact that, in this case, oil = heat. 

Syrah 2/2/2021 7:06:17 AM

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Is AOC a master manipulator, or just the center ring circus clown of the moment?

When she runs for president, and I do think it is a “when” not an “if” thing, will she win the party nomination on her first, second or third try?

vxbush 2/2/2021 8:10:20 AM

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In #12 Syrah said: Is AOC a master manipulator, or just the center ring circus clown of the moment?

She honestly seems just incredibly stupid, and unfortunately a lot of Ivy League graduates are the same. She is, however, a master manipulator, and therefore for that reason should fit in well in federal-level politics. Her head of staff, Saikat Chakrabarti, was the brains behind her until he left to work at a Green New Deal group, New Consensus. He's gone, so she doesn't even have borrowed brains to use.

In #12 Syrah said: When she runs for president, and I do think it is a “when” not an “if” thing, will she win the party nomination on her first, second or third try?

I hope she gets laughed off the stage a la Kamala Harris, without having a rescue candidate to give her the VP slot. But I fear that may be wishful thinking on my part. 

JCM 2/2/2021 8:14:42 AM

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Reply to Syrah in 12:

She's a pretty face who is an inch deep and mile wide. She's got the woke patter down pat.

And that is all. She would last 15 seconds in a debate with any of us here. I don't count (R) pols because they mostly are no different. 

But when she runs, the media and people will swoon over her and she'll win the nomination by acclamation.

And we are on the path to President Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho.

Kosh's Shadow 2/2/2021 8:25:31 AM

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In #14 JCM said: And we are on the path to President Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho.

I'd prefer him to Alexandria Occasional Cortex. At least he cared about getting things right.

Supposedly she has an economics degree from BU. If that is the case, I consider a BU undergrad degree only good for toilet paper.

JCM 2/2/2021 8:33:56 AM

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Reply to Kosh's Shadow in 15:

The Bhagwan Shrill Sawant in Seattle taught econ at Seattle Central Community College.

Econ seems to be a training ground for Communists.

vxbush 2/2/2021 9:04:39 AM

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In #16 JCM said: Econ seems to be a training ground for Communists.

Maybe, but I think it's more a side effect of going to an ivy league (or adjacent) school. If you get into those schools the assumption is your family has money (even though lots of students get in with little to no family money and need tons of financial aid to make it). Ergo, they assume you need to be equalized with those less fortunate. 

Well, that's one possible reason. Have i shared my experience from grad school days working with a fellow graduate student who attended Princeton? I think I have. No desire to bore folks. 

lucius septimius 2/2/2021 9:38:16 AM

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JCM 2/2/2021 9:44:35 AM

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Reply to lucius septimius in 18:

What is sad is before looking at the link.... I could just see Joe saying something like that.

buzzsawmonkey 2/2/2021 9:47:12 AM

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In #17 vxbush said: Have i shared my experience from grad school days working with a fellow graduate student who attended Princeton? I think I have. No desire to bore folks. 

Not that I recall.  If it is germane, I'd be interested to read it.

Occasional Reader 2/2/2021 9:51:06 AM

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In #20 buzzsawmonkey said: If it is germane, I'd be interested to read it.

I don't think any of the Jackson Five attended Princeton.. 

Occasional Reader 2/2/2021 10:07:02 AM

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In #14 JCM said: She would last 15 seconds in a debate with any of us here.

That depends on whether the "debate" was using Towson State Rules.  

JCM 2/2/2021 10:13:36 AM

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Reply to Occasional Reader in 22:

There is that....

Occasional Reader 2/2/2021 10:21:40 AM

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Reply to JCM in 23:

Can you emote, cry, and rant as well as AOC?  No?  Well, then, you lose the "debate". 

Occasional Reader 2/2/2021 10:35:06 AM

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Add this to the list: Acronyms are racist (says San Francisco school board).

JCM 2/2/2021 10:37:17 AM

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Reply to Occasional Reader in 25:

WTF, YHTBKM, SMH!

Occasional Reader 2/2/2021 10:42:29 AM

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In #26 JCM said: WTF, YHTBKM, SMH!

NAACP ALCU DNC OMG! 

lucius septimius 2/2/2021 10:50:37 AM

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Reply to Occasional Reader in 27:

AOC, RBG, HRC, BLM, GFY

Occasional Reader 2/2/2021 10:56:00 AM

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Reply to JCM in 26: Reply to Occasional Reader in 27: Reply to lucius septimius in 28:

Of course, formally speaking none of those examples are "acronyms", but.. WTF. 

JCM 2/2/2021 11:00:46 AM

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Reply to Occasional Reader in 29:

You do know formal grammar is racist?

Occasional Reader 2/2/2021 11:12:34 AM

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Reply to JCM in 30:

But criticizing people about grammar is also racist... you racist!

PaladinPhil 2/2/2021 11:13:29 AM

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Reply to JCM in 26:

BOHICA! FUBAR! SNAFU!

vxbush 2/2/2021 11:15:17 AM

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In #20 buzzsawmonkey said: Not that I recall.  If it is germane, I'd be interested to read it.

I consider it of a species with what you see in AOC and in the Ivy League in general. 

When I was in graduate school (in mathematics at a nationally-ranked program) one of my fellow grad students was from Princeton. I don't remember which class it was, but I want to say it was an analysis class at the 500 level. She and I talked one day after class and she clearly had the deer-in-the-headlights look. We talked, and she explained that the stuff that the professor had mentioned in passing as work we would have done as an undergraduate--and on which I had taken classes--she had never seen. Apparently there were a lot of courses in the Ivy League that were there so the professors could teach their pet topics. So she knew a lot of stuff on specific topics, but she didn't have a good overall general sense of mathematics the way I did. She dropped out after that first semester. 

There could be any number of reasons why she was unprepared for graduate school, having to do with the classes or professors she gravitated to, not getting any direction on how to prepare for graduate school from her advisors, etc. etc. But it always left me rather glad that I never went to a big school because I got a much better and broader education in a lot of things. 

I see a lot of this in AOC--she took the pet courses from the economists at Boston but she didn't get a broad education in the field. 

Occasional Reader 2/2/2021 11:38:04 AM

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Reply to vxbush in 33:

I've heard it said (but I don't know) that AOC's particular branch of "economics" at BU was along the lines of "Here is poor Pedro with his donkey; poverty is caused by capitalism." 

JCM 2/2/2021 11:46:12 AM

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Two FBI agents killed and three agents injured in shootout in Sunrise, Florida

Occasional Reader 2/2/2021 11:50:34 AM

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Reply to JCM in 35:

Yikes.

What is it about the FBI and shootouts in Florida?

JCM 2/2/2021 12:45:48 PM

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Starship SN 9

T-3:00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zZ7fIkpBgs&ab_channel=SpaceX

JCM 2/2/2021 12:57:32 PM

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Reply to JCM in 37:

Spontaneous rapid disassembly on landing.

Good flight otherwise.

Occasional Reader 2/2/2021 2:25:48 PM

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In #38 JCM said: Spontaneous rapid disassembly on landing. Good flight otherwise.

"So, other than that, Mrs. Lincoln..."

turn 2/2/2021 2:26:13 PM

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In #38 JCM said: Spontaneous rapid disassembly on landing.

If at first you don’t succeed, try ... try again!

Awesome technology, I’m confident they’ll work the bugs out. When they do it will have unlocked the door for a return to the moon and a manned Mars mission to follow. Exciting times for space exploration!

Occasional Reader 2/2/2021 2:33:10 PM

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In #38 JCM said: Spontaneous rapid disassembly on landing.

So the flight was "mostly peaceful"....

JCM 2/2/2021 2:34:55 PM

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Reply to turn in 40:

I just remember the old sci-fi, big silver tail landing ships.

It took a couple tries for them to get the Falcons to land.

They will get this one.

vxbush 2/2/2021 2:34:57 PM

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In #38 JCM said: Spontaneous rapid disassembly on landing.

Heh. What a great description. 

Occasional Reader 2/2/2021 2:44:37 PM

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buzzsawmonkey 2/2/2021 3:00:24 PM

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In #40 turn said: Awesome technology, I’m confident they’ll work the bugs out.

They need a crash program.

JCM 2/2/2021 3:01:06 PM

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Reply to vxbush in 43:

Space X used that for one of the early Falcon 9 landing attempts, I thought it was funny and stole it.

turn 2/2/2021 3:19:54 PM

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In #42 JCM said: I just remember the old sci-fi, big silver tail landing ships

I know, and the Starship looks likes it’s right out of one of those old movies too. I don’t quite understand why there are separate fuel tanks that must be switched over to for the decent, perhaps you do. Maybe it’s as simple as two different fuel types being needed but it must add a lot of complexity to the design. I’ll see what I can find out of curiosity.

turn 2/2/2021 3:21:16 PM

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In #45 buzzsawmonkey said: They need a crash program.

I think we just saw it! ahaha

JCM 2/2/2021 3:26:09 PM

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Reply to turn in 47:

The whole machine is reusable, and stays as a unit.

All the fuel is in the main tank on lift on and uses acceleration to keep the fuel in the bottom at the pick up lines.

When they shut down there is some fuel left, but in the free fall the fuel sloshes around, so before shut down the transfer the fuel for the landing to the header tank. That tank is emptied by pressure, since it is heavier to make a pressure tank, they make the header tank just a large enough for the landing.

turn 2/2/2021 3:37:39 PM

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Reply to turn in 47:
From Starship wiki:

Starship will use pressure fed hot gas reaction control system (RCS) thrusters using methane gas for attitude control, including the final pre-landing pitch-up maneuver from belly flop to tail down, and stability during high-wind landings up to 60 km/h (37 mph).^[84][85] Initial prototypes are using nitrogen cold gas thrusters, which are substantially less mass efficient, but are expedient for quick building to support early prototype flight testing.^[73]

My guess is that a separate fuel tank is needed for decent because it also must feed the reaction Control system which isn’t needed for ascent. I don’t know for sure but evidently they needed separate tanks for good reason.

turn 2/2/2021 3:39:54 PM

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Reply to JCM in 49:
Brilliant! And thank you for that easily understood explanation. Makes complete sense.

turn 2/2/2021 3:44:28 PM

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Reply to turn in 50:
I was close here, the reaction control tank has to be pressurized so that it will operate in any orientation. I didn’t realize it was a weight savings trade off though. Neat stuff.

Kosh's Shadow 2/2/2021 4:03:44 PM

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So the White House wants questions for the press briefings to be submitted in advance. 

Obviously they need to prepare the script.

Weekend at Biden's

Kosh's Shadow 2/2/2021 4:39:20 PM

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Palestinian sympathizer is Senior Director for intelligence programs at the National Security Council

I guess Israel can expect no more intelligence updates from the US