Month: March 2019

🎧 The Daily: Part 3: What to Expect When You’re Expecting (the Mueller Report) | New York Times

Listened to The Daily: Part 3: What to Expect When You’re Expecting (the Mueller Report) from New York Times

A conversation with Representative Jerry Nadler, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, about how Congress is preparing for the results of the special counsel investigation.

It was kind of refreshing to hear the general calmness, demeanor, and complete logic coming from Nadler on this topic. I wish the Republicans could talk about issues in such a straightforward manner without bending over backwards to weaponize their speech and pushing rhetoric over general principles.

Republicans should be acting in a manner as if they actually believed in the Golden Rule as they’re soon going to be wishing they had done the same while they were in power.

🎧 The Daily: Part 2: What to Expect When You’re Expecting (the Mueller Report) | New York Times

Listened to The Daily: Part 2: What to Expect When You’re Expecting (the Mueller Report) from New York Times

We look at three possible outcomes of the special counsel investigation, which is believed to be wrapping up soon.

🎧 The Daily: Reckoning With the Real Michael Jackson | New York Times

Listened to The Daily: Reckoning With the Real Michael Jackson from New York Times

The pop star’s legacy has been shadowed by sexual abuse accusations for decades. Wesley Morris grapples with why the world has, for so long, looked the other way.

I was just watching footage of a Michael Jackson interview in a documentary about Studio 54 recently and it was relatively striking to see him prior to all the body modification. It was also striking to see him in the midst of one of the few places on the planet at the time that was generally accepting of homosexuality and alternative culture even though many who were there were still on the DL.

🎧 The Daily: Promise and Peril of the Green New Deal | New York Times

Listened to The Daily: Promise and Peril of the Green New Deal from New York Times

The controversial proposal to combat global warming and economic inequality is transforming the political calculus around climate change.

Hopefully a major shift in the game theory will draw us at least to the left of center on this issue so we can get back to potentially reversing the effects of climate change. The sad part is that we likely will need something as drastic as this to make the requisite dent…

🎧 Lecture 14: "The Chinese People Have Stood Up!" | The Fall and Rise of China by Richard Baum

Listened to Lecture 14: "The Chinese People Have Stood Up!" by Richard Baum from The Fall and Rise of China

Explore features of Mao's new regime and its program to rebuild China's shattered economy. Also, learn about the Communist Party's delineation of "enemies of the people," its policies of ideological "thought reform," and its national campaigns of land reform.

Album cover of lecture series with brown background, title, and photo of a Chinese pagoda

🎧 The Daily: Silicon Valley’s Military Dilemma | New York Times

Listened to The Daily: Silicon Valley’s Military Dilemma from New York Times

Should Big Tech partner with the Pentagon? We examine a cautionary tale.

Some great history and questions about ethics here.

I’m surprised that for it’s share of profits that Down didn’t spin off the napalm division to some defense contractor?

Of course some tech companies are already weaponizing their own products against people. What about those ethical issues.

🎧 The Daily: Part 1: What to Expect When You’re Expecting (the Mueller Report) | New York Times

Listened to The Daily: Part 1: What to Expect When You’re Expecting (the Mueller Report) from New York Times

The special counsel is said to be preparing to deliver a report on the results of the Russia investigation. What happens next?

🎧 The Daily: Why the North Korea Deal Fell Apart (Again) | New York Times

Listened to The Daily: Why the North Korea Deal Fell Apart (Again) from New York Times

Despite the unlikely courtship between the leaders of the two countries, neither the United States nor North Korea wants to be the first to compromise.

👓 Graying Out | Tim Bray

Read Graying Out by Tim Bray (tbray.org)
For many years I’ve interacted with my fellow humans, I think perhaps more than any other way, via the medium of Internet chat. But in my chat window, they’re fading, one by one. This problem is technical and personal and I felt it ought not to go unrecognized.
An interesting piece about the death of chat clients in lieu of social media. He’s got a list of some interesting people here, many of whom can be found on their own websites now.

📺 “The Americans” Salang Pass | Amazon Prime

Watched "The Americans" Salang Pass from Amazon Prime
Directed by Kevin Dowling. With Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys, Lev Gorn, Annet Mahendru. Philip juggled the many women in his life while Elizabeth takes drastic measures to complete a mission. Stan asserts a plan to save Nina with an unlikely ally.
Watched a big piece of this episode late last night as I fell asleep.