(no subject)
Feb. 3rd, 2018 06:13 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gwydion* TW: Pedophilia. "U.S. Continues To Ignore Massive Pedophilia In Afghanistan:" https://www.huffingtonpost.com/amitai-etzioni/us-continues-to-ignore-ma_b_11307442.html
* "White House pressing Pentagon for plan on North Korea attack:" http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/371976-white-house-wants-plan-from-pentagon-on-north-korea-military-attack
* "Trump plan calls for new nuclear weapons:" https://www.politico.com/story/2018/02/02/trump-plan-nuclear-weapons-386087
* "Maxine Waters Drags Trump In The Classiest Way: "...He's Not Presidential":"
* "Donald Trump Just Asked Congress to End the Rule of Law:" https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/01/donald-trump-just-asked-congress-to-end-the-rule-of-law.html
* Every time they run footage of 45 bragging that him passing the dementia test proves some how he's smart and going on about how hard the last ten questions are, I sort of lose it. See, as part of the disability process you get accessed for mental competence a lot. I also had a lot of old fashioned IQ tests as a kid because of where I went to school. (I am not going to give y'all my long ass rant about IQ tests not actually testing intelligence, how they were normed and the ways they have been used and misused. I've done that periodically in writing over the years and i used to give a verbal version of it multiple times a day to my 8th graders when we did "Flowers for Algernon," as the only people in the room who'd taken one were me and the kids with disabilities and a rant from someone who routinely tested "genius," even though that really means very little, about why the test is a mess was apt to mean a lot more than it might from someone else, and I never ever wanted to single of the kids with disabilities especially in this context, though over the years I had several of the more popular ones volunteer because here was something they had expert knowledge about). Anyway, various types of intelligence and cognitive tests are something I've experienced, though I'm not an expert. (I've administered some specific, specialized tests for special ed assessments professionally, but not this kind of test). Consider me an interested amateur. I recognize components. I can list the most common words they generally have one repeat at regular intervals from the people I was tested by in the last decade and a half (In no particular order: horse, ball, tree, pencil, snow, grass). I was told last time that they are meant to change them up, so the fact that I expressed surprise at a different word set means that the the previous three testers were likely not doing it right. I know I'm not as sharp as I was as teen as I used to do strings of 8-10 numbers reversed instead of 5-6 like I do now. Obviously, I don't have dementia, but they like to check Medicare recipients periodically just in case and my youth just means I can tell them no if I don't want to be bothered. Anyway, I know that test they gave him, as it was the last one I had, several years ago. It is DEAD EASY. It is literally testing for serious brain damage and doesn't have as many of the elements scavenged from the old IQ tests of my youth, as the broader assessments they do with disability screening. As long as there isn't a serious language barrier between tester and test subject, and the subject's hands were all right for drawing a clock face (I had a lover once with no hands and the prosthetic he had for the part of an arm he had on the one side was no good for drawing or hand writing, though he could type with it. I've had friends with CP and benign tremor who might have had a hard time with the mechanics for physical reasons), the only other reason it would be difficult is if something were seriously wrong. Bragging about not having serious brain damage or advanced dementia seems... odd to me, especially since he's making claims about what it proves that one can't really make about the broader spectrum tests that are mostly testing the ability to memorize in various forms. It just doesn't at all match the test and what it's for, so I must wonder is he lying or is he unable to understand the explanation of what that test is for. If he thought a so simple a kindergartner could do it test hard and was unable to understand the explanation of what the test is for.... Let us hope he is just lying as is his custom.
I have been trying to hold my peace on this, but it seems to be dragging on and on and I feel like there is a lot of false information 45 and allies are putting out about the significance of him getting all the questions right.
* "The Nunes Memo Is a Complete Flop:" https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/02/the-nunes-memo-is-a-complete-flop.html
* "At Tillerson’s State Department, Seven of Nine Top Jobs Are Empty:" https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2018-state-department-vacancies/
* "Sean Hannity Has Been Advising Donald Trump on the Nunes Memo, Because of Course He Has:" https://www.thedailybeast.com/sean-hannity-has-been-advising-donald-trump-on-the-nunes-memo-because-of-course-he-has
* "McCain: Attacks on FBI 'serve no American interests':" http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/372019-mccain-attacks-on-fbi-serve-no-american-interests
* "Comey praises FBI for speaking up against 'weasels and liars':" http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/371919-comey-praises-fbi-for-speaking-up-against-weasels-and-liars
* "CIA chief met with sanctioned Russian spies, officials confirm:" https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/01/politics/pompeo-russian-spies-meeting/index.html
* "Trump pick K.T. McFarland withdraws nomination as envoy to Singapore:" https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-mcfarland/trump-pick-k-t-mcfarland-withdraws-nomination-as-envoy-to-singapore-idUSKBN1FM2L8
* "Black Trans History Is Undeniably Black History:" http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2018/02/black-trans-history-is-undeniably-black.html
* Re: Rose McGowan. While I am glad she spoke up about Harvey Weinstein, I haven't forgotten that she's also a transmysogynist and so I must side eye her claims of being a feminist. My horror at the terrible things she went through at the hands of Weinstein and his minions doesn't erase the fact that she's never apologized to the trans community. These things can both be true: that she has survived real persecution from a man with power and mysogynistic harassment and threats for which she deserves empathy while at the same time she can be a shitty person who has used her own power to make trans women feel bad about themselves.
Which is why I've been mulling what to say as she makes the press rounds for her book. Is she as terrible as that shit, Seth Mcfarlane? No, but I'm always going to look at her and think about her willingness to shit on other women. It's why I can't wholly embrace Kate McKinnon despite her obvious talent, and why I'm uncomfortable with Gillian Anderson's resurgence for all she made an excellent Media. I feel like there's something fundamentally wrong with a person's feminism if it's not intersectional and that person is willing to self righteously harm the most vulnerable women in our society, and I feel like there is something fundamentally wrong with a person who, while oppressed can have no sympathy for someone else's oppression.
So it's complicated, and I don't know what the answer is. Something to think about, maybe.
* "Modern human brain organization emerged only recently:" https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/01/180125105444.htm
* I remember the day we came across this in a primary source at my first college. It filled me with delight to discover that one culture at least shared my preference in this. "On Why Ancient Greek Male Statues Not Very Well Endowed:" https://www.thenationalherald.com/188243/ancient-greek-male-statues-not-well-endowed/
* "Skull found by dog walker is Iron Age:" http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-somerset-42772143
* "Archaeologists Reveal 3D Skulls Of Ancient Romans Killed By Eruption Of Vesuvius:" https://www.forbes.com/sites/kristinakillgrove/2018/01/22/archaeologists-reveal-3d-skulls-of-ancient-romans-killed-by-eruption-of-vesuvius/#68f56d814644
* "Priceless Byzantine Mosaic Found under Mosque in Turkey:" http://eu.greekreporter.com/2017/11/26/priceless-byzantine-mosaic-found-under-mosque-in-turkey/
* "Incredible Roman mosaic discovered close to where Richard III's body was found:" http://metro.co.uk/2018/01/22/fascinating-mosaic-discovered-city-centre-team-found-richard-iiis-body-7248979/
* "Best News Bloopers of January 2018:"
* I would like to thank the person who suggested The Magpie Lord by KJ Charles. I am a sucker for low magic Victorian mysteries involving gentlemen who prefer gentlemen. This one has a rather classic gothic romance premise: disgraced younger son returns from twenty years abroad to a decaying country seat after the death of his father and horrible older brother to find he is cursed and a tangle of mysteries and family secrets to be solved if he is to survive. Only, with a bit of quality m/m romance and erotica instead of a female lead and heterosexual romance and erotica. It is very well written, with likeable characters, and interesting magical system, and surprisingly complex given the slenderness of the volume. I guessed the end, but I nearly always guess the end, and read it with enjoyment in one evening. I am looking forward to reading the sequels. TW: suicidal ideation early in the book.
* Re: The Superb Owl:
Y’all know I actively avoid football as much as possible, but I’m rooting for the eagles, not because I’m from Philly originally (One was required to appear to root for all four teams if one liked one’s limbs attached, but I considered this lip service a chore), but because I hate liars and cheats, which is what the Patriots are.
My late Uncle was the gentlest of men, but he was vehement about about Tom Brady, second only to his fury at Paterno and Sandusky. (His fury at Paterno pre-dated my birth, as he played for Penn State and knew what went on behind the scenes. His friends and acquaintances in the Pro Football world had brought his rumors of Sandusky. The extent surprised him, but not the crimes themselves). I have always trusted my Uncle’s judgement on all things football and having been a quarter back himself, I trust that when he called bullshit on the Patriots he knew the fuck he was talking about.
I hate that cheaters keep prospering in the NFL; it is a microcosm of what it wrong with our country.
* "Bucky’s WW2 Uniform:" https://end-o-the-line.tumblr.com/post/170216061491/buckys-ww2-uniform
*****
* Full list of Resistance and charity links has been migrated to my profile as it was getting out of hand.
* "Help us stop the humanitarian crisis on Manus:" https://www.asrc.org.au/donate-now/
* "RISE (Refugees, Survivors and Ex-Detainees):" https://www.givenow.com.au/riserefugee/donate
* How to help Rohingya refugees: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/29/world/asia/rohingya-aid-myanmar-bangladesh.html?emc=edit_nn_20171012&nl=morning-briefing&nlid=50784086&te=1&_r=0
* Help fight for Net Neutrality restoration: http://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/170010496350/democrats-are-just-one-vote-shy-of-restoring-net
* A list of organizations to help you run for office: http://lovingmyselfishard.tumblr.com/post/167330144634/psst-hey
* Trans Lifeline is one of those organizations you can call at (877) 565-8860 in the US and in Canada (877) 330- 6366.
* The Trevor Project has a 24 hour hotline geared toward helping our youth, and you can call it at 1-866-488-7386
* Call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to the representative of your choice.
* This App phones your rep for you: http://takeastance.us/
* Here is one that will send your reps a fax: https://resistbot.io/
* Help pay for cat food, litter, meds, medical copays: Paypal Lethran@gmail.com
* Birthday/Solstice master list: https://gwydion.dreamwidth.org/1925021.html
* Want Game of Thrones without the creepy? We need new players. We are very inclusive. "Game of Bones MUSH:" gobmush.wikidot.com
* "White House pressing Pentagon for plan on North Korea attack:" http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/371976-white-house-wants-plan-from-pentagon-on-north-korea-military-attack
* "Trump plan calls for new nuclear weapons:" https://www.politico.com/story/2018/02/02/trump-plan-nuclear-weapons-386087
* "Maxine Waters Drags Trump In The Classiest Way: "...He's Not Presidential":"
* "Donald Trump Just Asked Congress to End the Rule of Law:" https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/01/donald-trump-just-asked-congress-to-end-the-rule-of-law.html
* Every time they run footage of 45 bragging that him passing the dementia test proves some how he's smart and going on about how hard the last ten questions are, I sort of lose it. See, as part of the disability process you get accessed for mental competence a lot. I also had a lot of old fashioned IQ tests as a kid because of where I went to school. (I am not going to give y'all my long ass rant about IQ tests not actually testing intelligence, how they were normed and the ways they have been used and misused. I've done that periodically in writing over the years and i used to give a verbal version of it multiple times a day to my 8th graders when we did "Flowers for Algernon," as the only people in the room who'd taken one were me and the kids with disabilities and a rant from someone who routinely tested "genius," even though that really means very little, about why the test is a mess was apt to mean a lot more than it might from someone else, and I never ever wanted to single of the kids with disabilities especially in this context, though over the years I had several of the more popular ones volunteer because here was something they had expert knowledge about). Anyway, various types of intelligence and cognitive tests are something I've experienced, though I'm not an expert. (I've administered some specific, specialized tests for special ed assessments professionally, but not this kind of test). Consider me an interested amateur. I recognize components. I can list the most common words they generally have one repeat at regular intervals from the people I was tested by in the last decade and a half (In no particular order: horse, ball, tree, pencil, snow, grass). I was told last time that they are meant to change them up, so the fact that I expressed surprise at a different word set means that the the previous three testers were likely not doing it right. I know I'm not as sharp as I was as teen as I used to do strings of 8-10 numbers reversed instead of 5-6 like I do now. Obviously, I don't have dementia, but they like to check Medicare recipients periodically just in case and my youth just means I can tell them no if I don't want to be bothered. Anyway, I know that test they gave him, as it was the last one I had, several years ago. It is DEAD EASY. It is literally testing for serious brain damage and doesn't have as many of the elements scavenged from the old IQ tests of my youth, as the broader assessments they do with disability screening. As long as there isn't a serious language barrier between tester and test subject, and the subject's hands were all right for drawing a clock face (I had a lover once with no hands and the prosthetic he had for the part of an arm he had on the one side was no good for drawing or hand writing, though he could type with it. I've had friends with CP and benign tremor who might have had a hard time with the mechanics for physical reasons), the only other reason it would be difficult is if something were seriously wrong. Bragging about not having serious brain damage or advanced dementia seems... odd to me, especially since he's making claims about what it proves that one can't really make about the broader spectrum tests that are mostly testing the ability to memorize in various forms. It just doesn't at all match the test and what it's for, so I must wonder is he lying or is he unable to understand the explanation of what that test is for. If he thought a so simple a kindergartner could do it test hard and was unable to understand the explanation of what the test is for.... Let us hope he is just lying as is his custom.
I have been trying to hold my peace on this, but it seems to be dragging on and on and I feel like there is a lot of false information 45 and allies are putting out about the significance of him getting all the questions right.
* "The Nunes Memo Is a Complete Flop:" https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/02/the-nunes-memo-is-a-complete-flop.html
* "At Tillerson’s State Department, Seven of Nine Top Jobs Are Empty:" https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2018-state-department-vacancies/
* "Sean Hannity Has Been Advising Donald Trump on the Nunes Memo, Because of Course He Has:" https://www.thedailybeast.com/sean-hannity-has-been-advising-donald-trump-on-the-nunes-memo-because-of-course-he-has
* "McCain: Attacks on FBI 'serve no American interests':" http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/372019-mccain-attacks-on-fbi-serve-no-american-interests
* "Comey praises FBI for speaking up against 'weasels and liars':" http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/371919-comey-praises-fbi-for-speaking-up-against-weasels-and-liars
* "CIA chief met with sanctioned Russian spies, officials confirm:" https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/01/politics/pompeo-russian-spies-meeting/index.html
* "Trump pick K.T. McFarland withdraws nomination as envoy to Singapore:" https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-mcfarland/trump-pick-k-t-mcfarland-withdraws-nomination-as-envoy-to-singapore-idUSKBN1FM2L8
* "Black Trans History Is Undeniably Black History:" http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2018/02/black-trans-history-is-undeniably-black.html
* Re: Rose McGowan. While I am glad she spoke up about Harvey Weinstein, I haven't forgotten that she's also a transmysogynist and so I must side eye her claims of being a feminist. My horror at the terrible things she went through at the hands of Weinstein and his minions doesn't erase the fact that she's never apologized to the trans community. These things can both be true: that she has survived real persecution from a man with power and mysogynistic harassment and threats for which she deserves empathy while at the same time she can be a shitty person who has used her own power to make trans women feel bad about themselves.
Which is why I've been mulling what to say as she makes the press rounds for her book. Is she as terrible as that shit, Seth Mcfarlane? No, but I'm always going to look at her and think about her willingness to shit on other women. It's why I can't wholly embrace Kate McKinnon despite her obvious talent, and why I'm uncomfortable with Gillian Anderson's resurgence for all she made an excellent Media. I feel like there's something fundamentally wrong with a person's feminism if it's not intersectional and that person is willing to self righteously harm the most vulnerable women in our society, and I feel like there is something fundamentally wrong with a person who, while oppressed can have no sympathy for someone else's oppression.
So it's complicated, and I don't know what the answer is. Something to think about, maybe.
* "Modern human brain organization emerged only recently:" https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/01/180125105444.htm
* I remember the day we came across this in a primary source at my first college. It filled me with delight to discover that one culture at least shared my preference in this. "On Why Ancient Greek Male Statues Not Very Well Endowed:" https://www.thenationalherald.com/188243/ancient-greek-male-statues-not-well-endowed/
* "Skull found by dog walker is Iron Age:" http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-somerset-42772143
* "Archaeologists Reveal 3D Skulls Of Ancient Romans Killed By Eruption Of Vesuvius:" https://www.forbes.com/sites/kristinakillgrove/2018/01/22/archaeologists-reveal-3d-skulls-of-ancient-romans-killed-by-eruption-of-vesuvius/#68f56d814644
* "Priceless Byzantine Mosaic Found under Mosque in Turkey:" http://eu.greekreporter.com/2017/11/26/priceless-byzantine-mosaic-found-under-mosque-in-turkey/
* "Incredible Roman mosaic discovered close to where Richard III's body was found:" http://metro.co.uk/2018/01/22/fascinating-mosaic-discovered-city-centre-team-found-richard-iiis-body-7248979/
* "Best News Bloopers of January 2018:"
* I would like to thank the person who suggested The Magpie Lord by KJ Charles. I am a sucker for low magic Victorian mysteries involving gentlemen who prefer gentlemen. This one has a rather classic gothic romance premise: disgraced younger son returns from twenty years abroad to a decaying country seat after the death of his father and horrible older brother to find he is cursed and a tangle of mysteries and family secrets to be solved if he is to survive. Only, with a bit of quality m/m romance and erotica instead of a female lead and heterosexual romance and erotica. It is very well written, with likeable characters, and interesting magical system, and surprisingly complex given the slenderness of the volume. I guessed the end, but I nearly always guess the end, and read it with enjoyment in one evening. I am looking forward to reading the sequels. TW: suicidal ideation early in the book.
* Re: The Superb Owl:
Y’all know I actively avoid football as much as possible, but I’m rooting for the eagles, not because I’m from Philly originally (One was required to appear to root for all four teams if one liked one’s limbs attached, but I considered this lip service a chore), but because I hate liars and cheats, which is what the Patriots are.
My late Uncle was the gentlest of men, but he was vehement about about Tom Brady, second only to his fury at Paterno and Sandusky. (His fury at Paterno pre-dated my birth, as he played for Penn State and knew what went on behind the scenes. His friends and acquaintances in the Pro Football world had brought his rumors of Sandusky. The extent surprised him, but not the crimes themselves). I have always trusted my Uncle’s judgement on all things football and having been a quarter back himself, I trust that when he called bullshit on the Patriots he knew the fuck he was talking about.
I hate that cheaters keep prospering in the NFL; it is a microcosm of what it wrong with our country.
* "Bucky’s WW2 Uniform:" https://end-o-the-line.tumblr.com/post/170216061491/buckys-ww2-uniform
*****
* Full list of Resistance and charity links has been migrated to my profile as it was getting out of hand.
* "Help us stop the humanitarian crisis on Manus:" https://www.asrc.org.au/donate-now/
* "RISE (Refugees, Survivors and Ex-Detainees):" https://www.givenow.com.au/riserefugee/donate
* How to help Rohingya refugees: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/29/world/asia/rohingya-aid-myanmar-bangladesh.html?emc=edit_nn_20171012&nl=morning-briefing&nlid=50784086&te=1&_r=0
* Help fight for Net Neutrality restoration: http://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/170010496350/democrats-are-just-one-vote-shy-of-restoring-net
* A list of organizations to help you run for office: http://lovingmyselfishard.tumblr.com/post/167330144634/psst-hey
* Trans Lifeline is one of those organizations you can call at (877) 565-8860 in the US and in Canada (877) 330- 6366.
* The Trevor Project has a 24 hour hotline geared toward helping our youth, and you can call it at 1-866-488-7386
* Call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to the representative of your choice.
* This App phones your rep for you: http://takeastance.us/
* Here is one that will send your reps a fax: https://resistbot.io/
* Help pay for cat food, litter, meds, medical copays: Paypal Lethran@gmail.com
* Birthday/Solstice master list: https://gwydion.dreamwidth.org/1925021.html
* Want Game of Thrones without the creepy? We need new players. We are very inclusive. "Game of Bones MUSH:" gobmush.wikidot.com
(no subject)
Date: 2018-02-04 11:03 am (UTC)And this is a prime example. Most of us would realize that passing a dementia test is nothing to brag about. Hard or easy, it's just not something worth discussing. But he doesn't see that it looks bad, just like he doesn't see that it looks bad to boil everything down to how many viewers it got (whether it did or didn't get that many is irrelevant) or that it looks bad to visibly obsess over petty things like whether people think his hands are small.