Tech News Top Story: UN Declares Single Family Housing is "Racist"

Technocracy: Single-family housing is now "racist".

Across the nation, city councils and state legislatures are beginning to remove zoning protections for single-family neighborhoods, claiming they are racist discrimination designed to keep certain minorities out of such neighborhoods. In response to these charges some government officials are calling for the end of single-family homes in favor of multiple family apartments.

    Minneapolis, Minnesota: the city council is moving to remove zoning that protects single-family neighborhoods, instead planning to add apartment buildings in the mix. The mayor actually said such zoning was “devised as a legal way to keep black Americans and other minorities from moving into certain neighborhoods”. Racist, social injustice are the charges.

    Chicago, Illinois: So-called “affordable housing” advocates have filed a federal complaint against the longtime tradition of allowing City Aldermen veto power over most development proposals in their wards, charging that it promotes discrimination by keeping low-income minorities from moving into affluent white neighborhoods. Essentially the complaint seeks to remove the Aldermen’s ability to represent their own constituents.

    Baltimore, Maryland: The NAACP filed a suit against the city charging that Section 8 public housing causes ghettos because they are all put into the same areas of town. They won the suit and now the city must spend millions of dollars to move such housing into more affluent neighborhoods. In addition, landlords are no longer permitted to ask potential tenants if they can afford the rent on their properties.

    Oregon: Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives Tina Kotek (D-Portland) is drafting legislation that would end single-family zoning in cities of 10,000 or more. She claims there is a housing shortage crisis and that economic and racial segregation are caused by zoning restrictions.

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Ars Technia: Siri recommends nearby schools for shootings.

[A 13-year-old Indiana boy] who attends nearby Chesterton Middle School, reportedly told Siri “I am going to shoot up a school.” Siri helpfully responded with a list of schools in the Valparaiso area, where the boy was at the time. The boy took a screenshot and posted it to social media.
[.]
The boy said that the post was a joke, and subsequent investigation revealed that he had no access to weapons. There was no sign that the boy had any particular school in mind when he made the comment.

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Extreme Tech: It's COLD on the Dark Side of The Moon.

According to the China National Space Administration (CNSA), Chang’e-4 has found the moon to be more frigid than expected. Hopefully, it packed a blanket.
[.]
[The Yutu-2 rover] reported to ground control the temperatures it experienced on the far side of the moon. Let’s just say the moon isn’t an ideal vacation spot. Chang’e-4 saw temperatures go as low as -310 degrees Fahrenheit (-190 degrees Celsius).

 Yutu-2 rover on the chilly Moon

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Not in the lines where I'm standing and waiting. WIRED: The World is Running out of people.

That’s the conclusion Canadian journalist John Ibbitson and political scientist Darrell Bricker come to in their newest book, Empty Planet, due out February 5th. After painstakingly breaking down the numbers for themselves, the pair arrived at a drastically different prediction for the future of the human species. “In roughly three decades, the global population will begin to decline,” they write. “Once that decline begins, it will never end.”

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If you haven't had this experience, eventually you will. And you will hate it. ZD Net: The Retail Experience: "I don't know, it's on our web site."

How the internet made retail staff ignorant.
This is the story of one woman, two retailers, and a complete disregard for human-to-human interaction.

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PC World: 2019 review of laptops; premium to bargain.

Good article if you're looking for a second or back-up inexpensive laptop.
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I haven't played PC games in ages. Gamers? TechSpot: Is 6GB VRAM enough for 1440p gaming?

Starting from the top we find our most memory intensive titles. Quake Champions is a surprisingly hungry title though this game would simply appear to allocate all available memory. I estimate usage is actually below 4 GB based on what we’ve seen when testing.

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Geek: Changing a wheel on a Boeing 747.

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ComputerWorld: Firefox has second straight month of growth.

Mozilla's Firefox wrapped up a two-month resurgence this week, clawing back some previously-lost user share to return to a level last seen in the middle of 2018.

The open-source browser remains the only major browser committed to using a rendering engine that is not based on Google's Blink or its predecessor, WebKit.

It is so important to have a browser not based on Google or WebKit. The best thing we can all do, is donate just $5 to the Mozilla organization. Please consider.
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TechCrunch: Aibo hangs with real dogs.

If this were elementary school, Aibo would be the smelly new kid no one wanted to play with.

Image: TechCrunch

Hawaii legislator proposes age limit of 100 for cigarette purchasing.

Filing this in the "News That Will Never Happen" Department.

KTVU: Hawaii lawmaker proposes banning cigarettes sales to anyone under 100-years old.

Democratic state Rep. Richard Creagan proposed legislation aimed at making the state the first in the country to ban the sale of cigarettes for everyone except people age 100 and over, the Hawaii Tribune-Herald reported Sunday.

Under his bill, the minimum smoking age would increase to 30 in 2020, to 40 in 2021, to 50 in 2022, to 60 in 2023 and to 100 in 2024.

The measure would not apply to e-cigarettes, cigars or chewing tobacco.

I take it Hawaii has fully and completely recovered, homes restored, roads and other property all back to normal, from May 2018. Now it's back to business as usual for Hawaii, or any state legislature, not imminently facing some disaster or crisis.

Or on the plus side, if this proposal becomes law, makers of Fake ID's will see substantial earnings increase.

El Chapo jury no verdict after first day deliberations.

Reuters: No verdict after day one deliberations.

Happy 71st Birthday to...

...no, not me.

This guy:

Alice Cooper

Ralph Northam almost does moonwalk. VA Gov wife nixes performance as "inappropriate circumstances."

Still-Governor of Virginia, Ralph Northam, DEMOCRAT, contemplated performing the Michael Jackson moonwalk during a press conference.

Daily Mail: Northam considers moonwalk until wife intervenes.

...while taking questions, a reporter asked [Democrat Virginia Governor Ralph Northam]: 'Are you still able to moonwalk?'

And in the brief moments after the question, Northam appeared to look around to see if he had enough space to do the dance move.

But just as he looks to start the jig, his wife asserted: 'Inappropriate circumstances.'

'My wife says inappropriate circumstances,' the controversial politician reiterated.

Let's pretend he's not in the picture he said he was in, and then later said he was sure he isn't in. And let's pretend his 1984 (soooooo long ago) photo is some other two people, unknown to Northam and that he doesn't have a racist bone in his body and loathes the KKK and would never dress as a Klansman as a prank. In...1984.

Let's watch him give pause, considering the request - almost proud that he's asked - and seriously contemplates performing the moonwalk:

Can we agree the man is an idiot? While I don't think it's inappropriate to do the moonwalk - if you CAN do it well - considering the circumstances surrounding Ralph Northam's comments and the photo...which he ISN'T in...(ahem, cough)...what was he thinking? Idiot. His wife is obviously familiar with disaster mitigation

Keep digging, Governor Northam, keep digging. Rumor is at his next press conference he's doing "Mammy".

 Democrat Governor Ralph Northam, Virginia

Clive Swift, Rest In Peace. (Also known as Mr. Bucket...er, Boo-kay)

UK Actor Clive Swift has died at the age of 82. He is perhaps best remembered for his role as the affable and extremely patient Richard Bucket in the BBC sitcom Keeping Up Appearances.

BBC: Clive Swift dies, age 82:

Actor Clive Swift, known to millions as Hyacinth Bucket's hen-pecked husband Richard in BBC One's 90s sitcom Keeping Up Appearances, has died aged 82.

He spent six years playing Richard opposite Dame Patricia Routledge.

The role saw him patiently tolerate her ham-fisted and invariably thwarted attempts at social climbing.

The Mirror: Keeping Up Appearances...a role Swift almost didn't take.

But fans might not know the much-loved star almost didn't take the role that made him a household name.
[.]
The classically trained actor, who enjoyed a 50 year career across theatre, film and television, also said the show was the only 'proper money' he'd ever earned. 

Rest In Peace, Mr. Swift. For there is no other actor, living or dead, who could have come close to his marked perfection playing the role of Richard Bucket...er, Boo-kay.

Clive Swift 1936-2019

VA Gov Ralph Northam now says he's not in THAT picture.

Wow, that's some story, Democrat Governor of Virginia Ralph Northam.

Friday: Ralph apologizes for the picture, admits he's one of the two but doesn't specify if he's the KKK member or the one in Blackface. He says he won't resign.

Saturday, today: Ralph apologizes on his Twitter page. Ralph says it's NOT him in the picture and that yesterday was the first time he's ever seen that 1984 yearbook. He admits using shoe polish for Blackface in 1984 when he won a dance contest dressed as pop icon Michael Jackson. He maintains he will not resign as governor.

Tomorrow?... Northam tells us: "I have beautiful, ocean-front property, for sale at very reasonable market prices, on the sandy beaches of Kansas."

Anyone believing this guy?

CBS News (today): Northam says it's not him in the pic as either Blackface or KKK.

Yesterday, USA MacPaper: Northam apologizes for being in picture.

Daily Mail (today): Northam admits Blackface for Michael Jackson.

It's understandable any one of us might look back at a family event or other such photo from 1984, which was over two-hundred years ago, and not recall it, but then upon seeing it, remembering it.

But I tend to think that, short of medically-diagnosed memory loss, one would recall if they dressed as a KKK'er, Blackface or one of the Village People. Not that easy to forget; maybe that's just me.

I have difficulty with someone acknowledging something, apologizing for their part in it, saying they're going to work hard to repair the damage, saying they won't resign and then saying, now that I think about it, "that's not me in the picture."

So...will Northam remain in the gubernatorial office or will his term be...aborted? Comments / thoughts / tauntings...?

Ralph Northam's Great Apology Tour

If you're not aware of this story, here's the background.

Democrat Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam; either Blackface or KKK.

TPM: Virginia Democrat Governor Ralph Northam now says he believes he's not in the racist photo.

A Virginia Democrat who has spoken with Gov. Ralph Northam has told The Associated Press that the governor now does not believe he was in a racist picture in his 1984 medical yearbook and has no immediate plans to resign.

Of course he has no plans to resign. He's a Democrat. Let the revisionism begin.

WTVR CBS 6 News: Northam to make statement Saturday afternoon.

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam will make a statement announcement Saturday afternoon in Richmond, according to the Governor’s Office.

The statement is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. at the Executive Mansion.
[.]
Democrats, Republicans, and Virginia voters have called on Governor Northam to resign after Northam confirmed Friday he was in a racist college yearbook photo showing one person dressed in blackface and another in the KKK’s signature white hood and robes.

The photograph appears in the 1984 yearbook for Eastern Virginia Medical School. Northam did not say whether he was wearing the KKK outfit or blackface.

With my deepest apologies to the great, lovely, wonderful Brenda Lee:

Jussie Smollett's Hate Crime Attack a Hoax?

The Federalist Papers: Jussie Smollett’s Apparent Hate Crime Hoax Really Fooled A Lot Of People.

When “Empire” star Jussie Smollett said he was attacked by a group of Trump supporters in an apparent hate crime, conservatives were skeptical.

Liberals, on the other hand, were downright giddy.
[.]
But police are now asking plenty of questions. And, it turns out, Smollett doesn’t have any answers.

The thing has all but been confirmed as a hoax at this point. Even the police aren’t buying it anymore.
[.]
Police have now scoured hundreds of hours of video footage and have found nothing resembling an attack on the star.
[.]
Fox 32 Chicago reporter Rafer Weigel said “My sources in Chicago PD are telling me this is looking more and more like a hoax.”

This is incredible. If the attack on Mr. Smollett is true, Liberals are happy the attack occurred, even if it happens to one of their fellow Liberals. It doesn't matter, because if the attack is true, well then, it reinforces the Libs' false narrative that any person who disagrees with their ideology is a MAGA-shouting-Racist-Bigot who must be doxxed, threatened, abused on social media, shouted-out of public places, attacked...whatever.

If the attack on Mr. Smollett is a hoax, the only people surprised by this would be Liberals. Liberals wouldn't care that it was a hoax, that it was fabricated. Because an attack like this could happen, they internalize, doesn't make it something to be dismissed. Go figure.

More Here.

Chicago police have confirmed a @TMZ report to @ABC that a neighbor of Smollett's did come forward with information. Her description of a man she said she saw with a rope of some kind was "significantly different" than one provided by Smollett.

Detectives took her information but have yet to find any surveillance video that shows an individual matching the description she gave.

Why won't Mr. Smollutt let Chicago PD verify his telephone records, which potentially would help the police identify the alleged attackers? Daily Caller:

The Chicago Police Department (CPD) said “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett and his music manager are not handing over phone records of a conversation that occurred Tuesday morning during an alleged attack.

The victim and his manager reported that they were talking on their cell phones to each other but CPD has been unable to independently verify this because they refused to turn over their cell phones,” CPD spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said in a Thursday statement[.]

Via The Grio, surveillance camera capture of those identified by Chicago PD as "persons of interest".

Here's the problem. It's not inconceivable that The Left would execute something like this. The Left could execute it as a "play-as hoax" or, as "real", as disgusting as that notion is.

Reuters (Yahoo): 'Empire' actor states account of attack 100% factual.

"I am working with authorities and have been 100 percent factual and consistent on every level," Smollett said in his first statement about the incident he reported on Tuesday.

Traditional Media either refuses to report things correctly, update their stories or deliberately chooses to remain with false narratives. The following from BET:

Reportedly beaten, bleached, and restrained with a noose by two white men spouting Trumpisms and wearing MAGA hats, Smollett experienced a level of emboldened violence that marginalized communities at large have feared and anticipated since (and well before) the election of our current sitting president.

Yet, SOHH reports:

Jussie never said the men were wearing the hats. Rather, they screamed “MAGA country.”

I don't know what to believe. There hasn't been sufficient information released (at least to the public) by Chicago authorities to reasonably conclude the attack actually happened, that it was a hoax or that it was done as a PR stunt/hoax. Eventually, we'll know.

Ralph Northam, Democrat, Yearbook: Blackface and KKK. Oh no, he won't resign. UPDATE: Northam refuses to shake hands with E.W. Jackson. (Pssst...Jackson is Black).

Ever get the idea that once in a while, God decides He'll get directly involved and make hypocrites look like the Liberals assholes Liberals assholes they truly are?

God (thinking to Himself), looking down at Virginia Governor Ralph Northam: "I've grown weary of your shenanigans."

Chicago Tribune: Virginia Governor Ralph Northam's yearbook shows men in blackface and KKK outfit.

A photo from Gov. Ralph Northam’s medical school yearbook shows him and another person in racist costumes — one wearing blackface and one a Ku Klux Klan robe and hood, though it was not clear which person was the future governor.

The photo, which The Virginian-Pilot obtained a copy of Friday from the Eastern Virginia Medical School library, comes from the 1984 yearbook, the year Northam graduated.
[.]
"I recognize that it will take time and serious effort to heal the damage this conduct has caused. I am ready to do that important work. The first step is to offer my sincerest apology and to state my absolute commitment to living up to the expectations Virginians set for me when they elected me to be their governor," [Northam said].

Pick the Democrat: Blackface or KKK ?

WHIO: Northam admits he is one of the men pictured.

Northam admits he is depicted in the photo, but it is unclear which man is Northam.

This is the same Democrat governor claiming his controversial abortion views are "mischaracterized".

At the press conference, a small group of protesters, including a pregnant woman, silently held signs with pictures of infants and captions such as: "Endangered Species in Ralph Northam's Virginia."

And let us not forget long, long-time U.S. Senator from West Virginia, the deceased Robert Byrd, KKK Exalted Cyclops who was free from criticism in saying, "white nigger" and who invoked Nazi language and Adolf Hitler during Senate discussion over the "nuclear (Senate) option."

Do I have to check social media and find out if the likes of Joy Behar, Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Alyssa Milano, Jim Acosta, Nanny Pelosi, Cluck Schumer, Kamala Harris, TeH Clintoons, Don Lemon, Anderson Cooper, Rashida Tlaib, Elizabeth Warren, Ilhan Omar, AOC, Keith al-Elisan, Rosie O'Moo, Robert DiNiro, that short fella Ellen DeGeneres, The Fat Bastard and all the Usual LiberTards condemning the Gov of Virginia? Surely they're applying the same standard to their own that they apply to others. Why...they wouldn't be hypocrites, would they?"

I bet Jim Carrey, as I type this, is working on one of his devastatingly, intellectual, biting satiric works of political art depicting Ralph Northam as a combination Blackface/KKKlansman.

"Oh! Those Liberals!" - The Longest Running Soap Opera of all time.
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UPDATE: Alyssa Milano, to her credit, is calling for Northam to resign on her Twitter page. The rest? Life is too short for me to check them all.
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UPDATE: Watch Ralph Northam refuse to shake hands with E.W. Jackson, from November 2013:

Super Bowl Copyright and Infringement. FUCK the NFL.

Obviously the NFL isn't aware of Fair use U.S. Copyright code 17; § 107.

From the first link, The DSM Group:

The NFL trademarked the terms “Super Bowl” and “Super Sunday.” We’re hoping that didn’t just put you in manic mode as you realized the ads you are finalizing either in-house or for a client includes “Super Bowl.”

The NFL even went as far as trademarking slogans, catchphrases and team names associated with the NFL teams. Companies have been advertising around the Super Bowl with synonyms such as “Big Game” or “Game Day.”

According to Ken Basin, a trademark and entertainment attorney in Los Angeles, “the NFL aggressively sends out cease-and-desist letters if “Super Bowl” is used without permission in a commercial context.” This does not necessarily put a company in a legal mess rather than just further scare them not to use the term.

While the NFL's precious trademark terms are not used in any connection to a commercial context at this blog...Fuck Off, NFL and Roger Goodell.

Super Bowl. NFL Super Sunday. Super Bowl. Super Sunday. NFL Super Bowl. NFL Super Bowl Sunday.  Super Bowl. Super Sunday. Super Bowl. Super Sunday. NFL Super Bowl. NFL Super Bowl Sunday. Super Bowl. Super Sunday. Super Bowl. Super Sunday. NFL Super Bowl. NFL Super Bowl Sunday. Super Bowl. Super Sunday. Super Bowl. Super Sunday. NFL Super Bowl. NFL Super Bowl Sunday. Super Bowl. Super Sunday. Super Bowl. Super Sunday. NFL Super Bowl.

This NFL bullshit is the same as Thompson-Reuters and AP. "You cannot reprint our material without express permission." Uh-huh. Well, good luck with that.

I'll be waiting for receipt of that aggressive cease and desist notice. In the meantime, if I can think of a way to use the terms "Super Bowl" and "NFL Super Bowl" in a commercial manner, I'll publish that post.

 Roger Goodell, the $75 Million biggest cry-baby in the SUPER BOWL WORLD.

This post is unofficially sponsored by Drake's Place, which has received numerous suitcases of cash, in non-sequential serial numbers, for publishing this post.

RUN!!! GLOBAL WARMING IS BACK!!!!!!!!!

The Big Midwest Chill and the Polar Vortex were mere diversions.

Global warming is BACK! (Cue ominous, "we're all going to die" music).

KSTP weather, below:

Minneapolis-St. Paul global warming forecast.

ABC 7 weather, below:

Chicago global warming forecast.

RUN, people...RUN!!! Save yourselves while you still can!!!

Friday Morning (Not a Music) Video Selection

Not a music video this time. Hopefully still enjoyable.

Listen to lady hi-jacker of Air Force One. Her words sound just like something AOC would say.

Clip from: Escape From New York

Note, that Manhattan Island Prison has a Containment Wall. Eh, Just saying...

"Escape" is cult classic, with a great cast.

Trivia question: What song was Cabbie (Ernest Borgnine) listening to and playing on his cassette deck? This one.

World News

The International News: Pakistan conducts another successful ballistic missile.

Pakistan today conducted another successful launch of short range surface to surface ballistic missile “Nasr” as part of Army Strategic Forces Command training exercise which included quad salvo on 24 January and single shots on 28 & 31 January 2019[.]

Watch the video at the link.
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BBC: Record fentanyl drug bust at U.S. Mexico border.

Agents on Saturday found 254 lbs (114kg) of fentanyl, as well as 395 lbs of methamphetamine in a lorry at an official US-Mexico border crossing.

A "false floor" was found in the produce truck, said Michael Humphries[.]
[.]
...the cargo of fentanyl had an approximate black market value of $3.5m (£2.6m) and is considered so deadly that even a few salt-sized grains of it could kill a person.

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SMH: Maker of "Happy Birthday"-playing candles fined. Some catch fire, some explode.

Consumer Affairs Victoria took Mr Xu, 59, from Clayton, to court for selling the permanently banned "combustible" candles whose batteries are also at risk of exploding in its smouldering ruins and a range of other products after warnings they did not meet Australian safety standards.

Watch the video at the link. Not to miss!
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EURO News: OPEC cuts back production, price increases.

The 14-member Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries pumped 30.98 million barrels per day (bpd) in January, a Reuters survey showed, down 890,000 bpd from December and the largest month-on-month drop since January 2017.

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Newsy: Toxic Smog in Bangkok.

Hit the link, watch the video. Breath in, breath out.
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The Star: Snakes seeking refuge in toilets due to Australia's heatwave.

Last week, [Luke Huntley, a snake catcher in Queensland]  removed a seven-foot python that had slithered into an open door and climbed into the shower not only to escape the heat but also to find water. Days earlier, he pulled a small tree snake that had coiled in another homeowner’s toilet bowl.

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From snakes in toilets to, sort of, the Royal Family. What a perfect segue.

The Irish Times: Stockpiles of Magnums in case of no-deal Brexit. (Magnums the vanilla chocolate ice cream bars, not the condoms). 

Unilever is stockpiling ice creams in Britain and deodorants in continental Europe to guard against potential supply disruptions in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

The Anglo-Dutch consumer giant, which is the world’s largest ice cream seller, makes British favourites like Magnum bars in Italy and Germany, and is building up a few weeks of extra inventory in Britain in case of any border delays.

Likewise, several of its European deodorants, including Axe, Dove and Rexona, are made in Britain.

New American Spirit Red Cigarettes

Available at all fine tobacco retailers.

Give these pilots Bonus Pay

Check it out. All the wind gusts and they make it look easy. Landings and takeoffs at Newcastle Airport. You Tube.

No Wall? How about a "Palisade"?

Instead, we could call the 'wall' a curb.

Or, Palisade...that sounds nice and friendly.

I noticed, that at least in June 2013, The Taliban Office in Doha, Qatar (image below and link from Stars and Stripes) appears to have both barriers protectionary concrete deterrents and a wall fence barricade barrier blockade nice palisade.

The Taliban office in Doha, Qatar, is seen on June 18, 2013.
Via Stars and Stripes; Image: OSAMA FAISAL/AP

Minnesota Govt Remains Open during the Big Chill. One elected Rep whines it's too cold. Surprise, it wasn't a Dem!

FOX 9 KMSP: Minnesota officials defend keeping government open during Big Chill.

Most of Minnesota state government remained open Wednesday despite the extreme cold, drawing concerns from one Republican state lawmaker that Minnesotans were being needlessly put in danger.

Gov. Tim Walz’s administration decided to keep state offices open, even as Wisconsin’s governor shuttered many state buildings, businesses closed, and the U.S. Postal Services suspended service for the day.
[.]
“Why would we put those workers at risk? Why would we put the troopers that have to respond if they have an accident, the tow truck drivers that have to respond if they have an accident, why are we putting them at risk unnecessarily?” state Rep. Marion O’Neill, R-Maple Lake, said in an interview. “We can shut down for one day. The world won’t end.”

Walz defended his decision to keep the government open, saying that he directed state agencies to decide what work would be unsafe because of the weather.

Rep. Marion O'Neill (R) District: 29B

Not a fan of MN Gov. Timmy Walz, but I agree with him here.

Marion, everything in life has risk. You were elected to do a job. Do it. I'm guessing she can't identify the letter "D" from the letter "R".  

For a part-time job lasting about six months, Minnesota elected legislators earn $45,000/year. Plus per diem.

The BIG ISSUE legislators have been wrestling over the past two days - an issue that apparently outranks all others - is naming an official "state" dog.

Pick a dog. Pick a breed. There are so many tough issues to tackle, choosing the "state dog" should take no more than fifteen minutes. A Labrador. A Husky. A Beagle. A Frikkin Poodle. Pick one, pick one fast and be done with it.  This is the debate the state legislators are having and one of them thinks they should have the day off because of the Big Chill?

Huawei Conspired to steal T Mobile's trade secrets from Tappy the Robot.

Corporate espionage? This is a great Tech story.

NPR: DOJ case claims Huawei hi-jinx with Tappy the T Mobile Robot.

The Justice Department unsealed two separate indictments of Chinese telecom device maker Huawei on Monday. But only one of them reads like the script of a slapstick caper movie.

That would be the one that describes the U.S. government's case alleging that Huawei stole trade secrets from T-Mobile, the wireless service company.

In the indictment, the government says that between June 2012 and September 2014, Huawei repeatedly made efforts to steal information about the design of a T-Mobile robot. The robot's name, adorably, is "Tappy."

We would like to include a photo here of Tappy, but photographing the robot is expressly prohibited by T-Mobile, and Tappy is kept under very tight security in a lab at T-Mobile headquarters in Bellevue, Wash.
[.]
Meanwhile, Huawei China was reportedly trying to build its own device-testing robot — named, less cutely, "xDeviceRobot" — and it was not finding much success. And Huawei's devices weren't faring well on T-Mobile's Tappy tests, failing more often than devices made by competitors.

In May 2012, Huawei USA asked if Huawei China could license the Tappy technology, and T-Mobile said no.

That's when Huawei began attempting to steal the design secrets of Tappy, according to the indictment.

"xDeviceRobot" ??

One area where China falls woefully behind the rest of the world is in naming their Tech-AI-Robo devices. Honestly...the best they could think of is "xDeviceRobot"? That's not much of a creative leap since the days of Johnny Sokko.

"Flying Robot" and not Tappy

Where IS Ruth? #wheresruth

Here's a Reddit thread asking if RBG is alive.

BlindGuyMcSqueeezy 10 points · 20 days ago

    Is there any way to check?

You try calling her?

ODUrugger 5 points ·19 days ago

     No but I sent her a few snapchats and no response

And then there's this. Sandra Rose:

...on Monday, Jan. 21, Fox News' daytime talk show Fox & Friends briefly mentioned Ginsburg's passing by airing the above graphic bearing the dates of the justice's birth and death. About 20 minutes later Fox & Friends co-hosts Steve Doocy and Ainsley Earhardt apologized for accidentally airing the graphic.

"We need to apologize," Doocy told viewers. "A technical error in the control room triggered a graphic of Ruth Bader Ginsburg with a date on it. We don't want to make it seem anything other than that was a mistake. That was an accident."

#wheresruth

Found...well, some of her...

Make sure others are okay.

With this wicked chill in the central mid-west, check with those maybe "not so young" family members, friends and others that we all should all make a point to contact more often. But especially with this cold weather. Some folks might be indoors for the next two days and not leave. Even if you think you know they're all right, call them anyway. They'll be glad to hear from you.

UK flooded with fake cigarettes containing human fecal matter and other contaminants.

Daily Mail: Millions of illegal and fake cigarettes 'containing human excrement, arsenic and dead flies' are flooding the UK.

Millions of cheap, illegal cigarettes containing lethal substances are flooding the UK and undermining efforts to reduce smoking rates, councils have warned.

Many of the fake fags contain asbestos, arsenic, rat droppings, mould, dead flies and human excrement.
[.]
Cigarettes are sold at 'pocket money prices' - making them readily available to children. The cigarettes have a dark history as they are often linked to serious organised crime.

Stick with Brand-Name Cigarettes folks. Brand-Name only.

(The) Answer to SPOT the Blooper - Continuity error.

First, from the comments on the original post, some folks out there with really keen eyes!

Her slacks change colors? - Zack

The champagne is very bubbly when poured , but totally flat when they clink glasses ? - jerseygirlangie

He's got his cane in his left hand in the long shot and magically is holding the champagne glass in the next close shot. - RJ

He is originally holding the glass with the left palm facing to the viewer. At the clinking of the glasses, the viewer sees the back of his right hand now holding the glass. - Anonymous

 Here's the clip:

The Continuity error I noticed, the reason for the original posting on this, comes 26 - 29 seconds (+/- a second) into the clip.

As the champagne is being poured (at 26 seconds), Steed is holding his glass in his LEFT hand. In the next shot, fading-in from "black", as Anonymous noted, Steed is holding the glass in his RIGHT hand. And, he's wearing a glove, which he wasn't wearing in the previous shot. Mrs. Peele looks like she might be wearing a glove, or, her hand is deliberately unlit.

RJ's comment on the umbrella (or cane) is something I never would have noticed. There may be more. If you see one, leave a comment. Thanks.

It's Cold, but it's a Dry Cold

Composite map, images via KTSP

Record-breaking windchill expected.

On the positive side, the seven-day outlook for mosquitoes looks good.

"Learn to Code" is "hate speech"?

Twitter panics over phrase "Learn to Code".

Breitbart: "Telling fired journalists to 'learn to code' is targeted harassment."

Twitter has ruled that telling journalists to learn to code is “targeted harassment.” A Twitter spokesperson stated that the situation was “nuanced” but that telling laid-off journalists to “learn to code” could be considered “targeted harassment.”
[.]
Twitter does not consider the repeated calls of violence against the students of Covington Catholic High School to be targeted harassment. Nation of Islam Leader Louis Farrakhan’s referral to Jewish people as “termites” also did not violate the sites targeted harassment rules. Tweets about the Covington school kids such as “LOCK THE KIDS IN THE SCHOOL AND BURN THAT B*TCH TO THE GROUND,” were allowed on Twitter’s platform[.]

More at The Independent Sentinel.

And more at Bounding Into Comics.

We have such sensitive journalists.

Last Call for SPOT The Blooper, or find others that no one has seen.

Last call to anyone who wants to take a shot and spot the continuity error in the short video clip at this post.

There have been some really sharp eyes out there from people who left comments at that post pointing out continuity errors that I never noticed. But they aren't the one that I mean.
 
Take a guess and leave a comment. I'll publish the answer this evening.

Quirky Adult-Themed City Names

BestPlaces: Quirky-named cities.

Weed is a slang term for marijuana and stoners everywhere enjoy posting pictures of the "Weed Next 3 Exits" sign off Interstate 5 in Northern California.

Hit the link, read the others. Nothing all that explicit. Just fun.

HERE COMES the POLAR VORTEX

Image: NASA

CBS Denver: Polar Vortex to invade Midwest.

Invade? Should we build a wall?

Mercury News: 'Life-threatening cold'.

"Life-threatening". I'm scared. Time for the Zombie Knives and other, self-defensive measures? Pepper spray, that kind 'o stuff.

A duly noted tragedy, already a victim to the cold. This is not fake news...I think.

Free Bacon Tuesday at McDonalds

FOX 4 KC, for details: Free Bacon.

What more is there to say? Um, McDonald's is bringing us cheesy-bacon fries nationwide. Okay, that's it.

Bloomberg Whines over Indie Run of Starbuck's Howard Schultz

It's entertaining to hear a Billionaire like Mikey Bloomberg whine. He dislikes the idea of former Starbuck's CEO Howard Schultz running as in Independent for president in 2020.

The most bestest line from Mikey is...

"I have never been a partisan guy[.]"

Ha! He's a lifelong, hardcore Lib who changed to Indie because he knew he'd never get an endorsement from the Dems in his NY mayoral runs.

Now he's whining about Schultz running as an Indie when he, Bloom-a-berg, is thinking about running for prez in 2020. Mikey thinks if he got the nod as the Dem prez candidate, why...an Indie run by someone like Schultz would drain votes away from him! Why, how DARE Schutlz!

Oh. That's. So. Sad. Widdle Mikey Bloomberg has a champagne problem with Schultz considering an Indie run for prez. If only we all had Bloomberg's "problems".

Considering how often Dems express their loathing the rich, especially the really rich rich, they sure manage to attract a beloved share of millionaires they're willing to support in presidential elections. Bloomberg's presidential run would fool no one except those who desire being fooled. Bloomberg...another old rich white guy. No hypocrisy here...move along.

Ich bin ein Siberia

Sky News: We are all Siberians.

States including Minnesota, Wisconsin and South Dakota are forecast to get Siberian-like temperatures.
[.]
Wind chills will help some cities reach their lowest temperatures in decades.

Waterloo in Iowa is one of the places that could set an all-time low, and -36.6C (-34F) is forecast on Wednesday.

Chicago is already blanketed in snow but is set to hit -29C (-20F) the same day. The last time it reached that temperature was 1994.

But with high winds in the Windy City, it could feel like -42.8C (-45F).

When it gets this cold, I never get tired of taking a pot of hot boiling water, going outside, and tossing it up into the air and watching the water instantly turn into little micro-flakes. It's fun. Be careful if you try this.

This is the reason for the snow and sub-zero temps in the Upper Mid West and the weather heading east.

Tech News

Bright Hub: Insurers Fear Autonomous vehicles.

According to research by Accenture and the Stevens Institute of Technology, as many as 23 million fully automated vehicles will cruise on U.S. streets by 2035. As a result, insurers could see losses as great as $25 billion. Even worse, a report by KPMG puts expected losses by 2050 at $137 billion.
[.]
According to a survey by AAA, 63 percent of U.S. drivers are afraid to ride in a self-driving vehicle. The rate of fearful drivers was 78 percent last year.

- - -
Ars Technia: Internet watchdog group Citizen Lab in a real-life Spy vs Spy.

Researchers at Internet watchdog group Citizen Lab orchestrated the sting after they grew suspicious of a man calling himself Michael Lambert who contacted Citizen Lab researcher John Scott-Railton to request a lunch meeting at a New York hotel. The suspicions were fueled by an earlier meeting in December, in which a man masquerading as a socially conscious investor named Gary Bowman grilled a different Citizen Lab researcher about work the watchdog did exposing NSO Group, the Israeli exploit seller.

The Spy Cam. Image: AntanO / Wikimedia

 - - -

BGR: Russian fighter pilots to fly with AI wingmen.

[Russian] military forces have also been testing the feasibility of having AI-powered wingmen fly alongside Russian fighter pilots, executing commands issued by the human pilot an inaugurating a scary new chapter in aerial military combat.

- - -
Computer World: Linux's hyperledger Grid.

The Hyperledger Grid project, as it's called, will initially offer businesses modular software and smart contract components to address problems such as tracking and tracing shipped goods, electronic certifications and bill of lading exchange.

"Supply chain is one of the most promising areas for blockchain use cases, and implementation of many of these use cases can benefit from capabilities which can be provided by a shared platform," the Linux Foundation said earlier this week.

- - -
Extreme Tech: New pics of Ultima Thule.

Object called 2014 MU69 or “Ultima Thule.” Image: NASA

- - -
WIRED: Uber wants self-driving scooters.

Oh, hell yes. Transportation isn't dangerous enough. Keep driving and texting...while on that scooter!
- - -
This deserves a sole post. I'll do that soon. ZD Net: Artificial intelligence will become the next human right.

If the predictions of Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff prove to be true, [AI] will one day become a new human right.
[.]
According to Benioff, AI is going to become a service which everyone will need. Countries and companies alike will be "smarter," "healthier," and "richer" if they have AI, whereas those without will be "weaker and poorer, less educated and sicker," the publication reports.

In addition, those with artificial intelligence capabilities will have the most advanced warfare capabilities, the executive says, and as we know, military power is often linked to resource gain.

- - -
TechCrunch: Is Huawei a national security threat?

Despite the fact that the company’s founder and president is a former officer in China’s People’s Liberation Army and the company remains heavily funded by the Chinese government, there’s also no public, direct evidence that Huawei is using its equipment to spy on network traffic inside the U.S. or any other country. In any case, Huawei can’t prove a negative, so all it can do is allow governments to assess its devices — which has so far found some issues but nothing conclusive to tie it to Chinese espionage actors.

That’s the crux of the argument: nobody thinks Huawei is spying now. To get caught would be too dangerous. But nobody knows that it won’t spy in the future.

- - -
Tech wants to confiscate your car. Technocracy:  Green Tech "Expert": "Car ownership is nonsense."

The UN’s Agenda 21 and 2030 Agenda are personified by this propaganda: “walking comes first, bicycles and scooters second and public transport third. Cars should only come in fourth place.” That’s right, you can walk wherever you need to go. ⁃ TN Editor
[.]
[W]e will see a transition to the shared economy. In the future, we will not own cars. Judged by efficiency, it is nonsense. Up to ten people can share one vehicle.
[.]
Are consumers ready to accept that car ownership doesn’t make sense?
[.]
In the future, car ownership could end up being only reserved for super-luxury vehicles and super-rich people. But considering efficiency, it is definitely not the way to go. Transport networks will be optimised, emissions will be cut down.

Can YOU Spot The Continuity Error?

Up late, awake? If you have insomnia or a hard time sleeping, (me too), well, here's something to take a shot at. Spot the Continuity Error.

I remember on TV The Avengers. I ran across The Avengers on some local channel recently, only they were black and white episodes. I don't remember any of those. The ones I watched were in color. We'd return from Sunday Mass just in time to watch it on some local TV channel, it started at 11AM. I had to be....7, 8 years old? I thought it was a great show.

So I looked it up on YTube. Spotted a continuity error in the opening. There might be more, I dunno. But there's one that really sticks out.

Can YOU spot it? Leave a comment. I'll give the answer later.

Wheels Up on Personal Drone

Check out the Personal Drove. Saw it while reading @RealJamesWoods.

Turn the volume on for the clip. It says it requires no skill in flying or navigating. You enter your destination into a GPS, and off ya go.

Finally...the George Jetson travel is upon us.

Why is Prince Phil still driving?

Maybe...maybe...there are 97-year olds who are more adept and alert at driving than people half that age. Maybe. Then again, maybe not.

It's difficult for me to understand why Prince Phil continues driving. Vanity Fair:

As if being in a car accident that left him seriously shaken wasn’t enough, the Duke of Edinburgh is now at the center of a public relations storm, and Buckingham Palace courtiers can’t seem to keep a lid on it. The 97-year-old royal hit a small Kia sedan with his Land Rover while leaving the Sandringham estate last Thursday. The incident has provided tabloid fodder for days, and continued to do so Monday when one of the passengers involved made an appearance on national television on Monday. She criticized the treatment she has received by the police and what she called disappointing behavior on the part of the royal family.

Emma Fairweather, a passenger in the car, said she feels the royal should have reached out to her personally after the accident, which involved another woman and a nine-month old-baby. Fairweather suffered a broken wrist while the rest of those involved escaped the crash uninjured. According to a witness, Philip said at the scene that he was “dazzled” by bright sunlight when he pulled out onto the busy road and smashed into the Kia. Philip’s Land Rover flipped across the motorway, and the sedan was badly damaged when it crashed into the shoulder.
[.]
Land Rover scored some good publicity when they delivered a new vehicle to the Palace the next day. But outrage ensued when the Daily Mail published photographs of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh—back in the driving seat less than 48 hours after the crash—on the road apparently without their seatbelts. There have been calls for the 97-year-old Duke to give up his drivers license, prompting a debate about whether a man of his age should still legally be allowed to drive.

ET Online: Prince Philip driving two days after car crash.  

Sky News: In 2016, Obama says Phil's driving "very smooth riding." 

The duke drove former US president Barack Obama and his wife Michelle during their state visit in 2016.

Mr Obama said later: "I can report that it was very smooth riding. 

 Image: Sky News

Okay-dokey, let's look at the above pic. To me, just sayin', appears Michelle has the usual backseat-driver look on her face and is saying something similar.

The Queen? She's ready to make an escape in a moment's notice if needed.

Barry? You know he's thinking, "Is this old fuck going to kill us all?"

And Prince Phil? He's everyone's Uncle that "ate-waaaaay-too-much Thanksgiving dinner" and is about to fall asleep, mid-sentence, in a comfy chair. Just before telling you where he has all his money hidden. And when you jar him out of his momentary slumber he won't remember what he was going to tell you anyway, so you let him drift off.

From the same Sky News link:

The incident is bound to raise questions about whether Prince Philip, who retired from public engagements in 2017 and had a hip replacement in May last year, is still able to drive safely.

Yeah...we've had our share of (now departed) family members who've had hip replacement, at ages younger than 97. Mid-70's and early 80's. Recovery was slow but successful. I remember Docs advising "don't drive for at least 3 months." So, for someone at 97, driving six or seven months after hip surgery? That seems risky to me; a risk to himself and others - both of which he, unfortunately, succeeded.

Your thoughts? OH - AND WITHOUT LOOKING BACK AT THE IMAGE...DO THE OBAMAS AND THE ROYALS APPEAR TO BE WEARING THEIR SEAT-BELTS, AS REQUIRED BY...LAW? No peeking back now!

One more thing: Land Rover...Okay, nice of them to give the Royals a new one, but how about doing the same for Emma Fairweather and others injured? Where is KIA? Unless I missed it, they didn't pony up a new vehicle for the victims either. How can a business MISS a chance for a great PR opportunity like that? I'm available for PR consulting. Seriously. The first thing I would have done is advised both KIA and Land Rover to give Ms. Fairweather a free, new vehicle. Both companies would have benefited by being part in every, single local, national and international television and radio news cast across the world -  and the internet - for a minimum of a solid 24-hour news cycle. The free, positive feedback from social media they would have received? Its value = Incalculable. How could they miss? WTF? (And I am for hire. Freelance/Indie Contract basis. We'll talk.)

It's Sunday. Drive carefully and Be Nice to others. Because I know where you live.

UPDATE, The NYT: Phil says he's, "deeply sorry" about car crash.

The Duke of Edinburgh sent an apology letter to Emma Fairweather, who sustained a broken wrist when his Land Rover hit the Kia minivan in which she was traveling near the royal estate of Sandringham on Jan. 17.

In the note, written on Sandringham stationery and dated Jan. 21, the duke said he was “deeply sorry” and wished Ms. Fairweather a “speedy recovery.” He also acknowledged that the accident had left him “somewhat shaken,” a rare admission from a member of the royal family.

And then...Phil was off in his new Land Rover, to run over more commoners. Nah, just kidding.

NHL All Star Games 2019

That was some damn fine hockey.