Inmate Resistance

Current Issues / News & Comment

Inmate Resistance

February 2, 2017

Fear at core of Delaware prison rebellion

The Short Version

Inmates at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna, Delaware triggered a statewide lockdown after they took four hostages and closed down a cell block in the state’s largest prison. Their reason for doing so? Deteriorating care and fear of changes under the presidential administration. Two hostages have been released as the standoff continues.

Update

6:13 PM EST (AP) State officials used a backhoe to smash through a barricade inmates had constructed from footlockers, ending the 20-hour-plus standoff. A male guard was found dead. A female counselor was released unharmed.

Inmates had used “homemade weapons” to overpower the staff and secure the hostages. The deceased hostage had been shoved into a closet initially and from there radioed other guards to warn them of a booby trap, potentially saving more lives. State officials have not yet revealed when or how the guard died.The other guards taken were severely beaten, but inmates protected the female counselor from harm during the ordeal.

Geoffrey Klopp, union president, blamed severe staff shortages for the guard’s death, saying that the situation would have been preventable had the facility been fully staffed.

Delaware’s Governor, John Carney, repeated his statement that those responsible would be dealt with appropriately.

9:05 AM EST: (AP) Officials announced in a statement Thursday morning that they had secured the building at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center where the disturbance occurred. The prison is in Smyrna, about 15 miles north of the state capital of Dover. Officials say after authorities breached the building, one Department of Correction worker was found unresponsive and later pronounced dead.

Delaware Gov. John Carney said that the persons responsible will be held accountable and steps will be taken to ensure this doesn’t happen again.

8:54 AM EST: (AP) Delaware prison officials say one hostage is dead and a second is alert and talking after authorities entered a building at the state’s largest prison where inmates had taken staff members hostage.

What We Know So Far

This is still an active situation as of Thursday morning, so be aware that some of this information may change as the day goes on.

The call went out around 10:30 Wednesday morning from cell block C: “Officer in need of assistance.” Officers ran to help. They were immediately taken hostage. The standoff began.

James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna, Delaware is that state’s largest prison. Cell block C houses over 100 inmates. According to Dover attorney Stephen Hampton, a civil rights attorney who has represented inmates from the prison, complaints about conditions including medical care and record keeping have increased over the past year. Additionally, pre-trial inmates held at the facility are routinely denied access to the library and other facilities to avoid mingling with regular inmates.

Inmates called The News Journal in Wilmington to explain themselves. Some of their concerns were not surprising: education for inmates, effective rehabilitation, and information regarding how money is allocated to the prison. Then came the surprise. Included in the reasons for their actions was, “[The president]. Everything that he did. All the things that he’s doing now. We know that the institution is going to change for the worse.”

Obviously, that last point makes negotiating a little difficult and may be the primary reason the standoff continued through the night.

Two of the hostages were released. One was taken to a nearby hospital with non-life threatening injuries. 27 inmates who apparently were not normally housed in the cell block and not part of the protest were also released.

Robert Coupe, the secretary of the Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security, said they had been in radio contact with the inmates and were continuing to try and peacefully resolve the matter as quickly as possible. He declined to comment on statements made to the newspaper, saying that those points of interest could be addressed once the current situation has ended.

Nationwide, those resisting the 45th president and his administration have taken to various forms of protest. However, the concerns raised by the inmates at the Smyrna prison are the first to be publicly voiced within that community. The president’s rhetoric has been taking a tough stand against crime and criminals, but prisons and their conditions are not topics that have yet been addressed by the administration.

Again, we must emphasize that this situation is still active and likely will change throughout the course of the day. As it does, we will provide updates at the top of the page.

Art / PotD

Fake Nudes

February 1, 2017

http://www.charlesiletbetter.com/then-this-happened/

Because, you know, we’d never publish real naked people. Never. Period.

Trying to stay current

A couple of different Facebook conversations yesterday led to this mini gallery. One came from a photographer who mentioned that his models were not nude, but that they are “alternatively clothed.”

My response was that they must have been wearing the Emperor’s label. If you don’t get it, you must not have been paying attention in second grade.

Then, in regard to my own post about reading articles before liking them, one person commented that she only looks at the pictures.

I can see that. A lot of people prefer the pictures over the stories that go with them. So, I told her I would consider doing a mini gallery of fake nudes. This is that gallery.

They’re not really nude, of course. No, not at all. Not even close. At least, not by White House definitions. This is the way the world works now. We just turn everything upside down and backward and call it whatever the hell we want.

Honestly, I don’t care what you call them. Just enjoy.

This person is not nude

Don’t even think of calling this one a nude

She has a piercing, so she’s not naked

Isn’t the necklace beautiful? See, not nude at all!

She’s clothed in sunlight and shadow

This is not nude. Period.

Look, if she was really nude would she just be sitting there?

This is a figure study and figure studies are never nude

Navel piercing = not nude

Current Issues / Just For Fun / News & Comment

Then THIS Happened

February 1, 2017

You won’t see this on the front page

The Short Version

While perusing the AP feed this morning, we came across a collection of stories that were at least amusing if not almost interesting. They range from a license to kill snakes to a moose in a basement and a baby with the same birthday as her parents. Oh, and a ferret got a pacemaker and a Florida pastor was caught naked with someone else’s wife. It’s been an interesting day.

First up, about those snakes …

Folks in Arizona tend to have a snake and rat problem. That’s largely because they’re trying to put towns and cities in the middle of a fucking desert; you know, that place where snakes and rats live. The problem is, it’s illegal to shoot them within city limits.

The reason isn’t so much because PETA argued that snake lives matter or any such thing. A 2000 law prohibits firing a gun in city limits. That law was passed after a teenager was killed by a bullet fired into the air in celebration. That law extends to the killing of any rodent, not just teenagers.

A bill currently under consideration in the Arizona state legislature would allow residents to shoot snakes and rats “using a small-caliber gun loaded with tiny pellets.” However, opponents claim this is just an attempt to get guns back into Arizona cities and that shooting at poisonous snakes can cause them to strike.

All depends on how good one’s aim is, I suppose.

Some problems are slightly larger

Idaho residents don’t have to worry so much about poisonous snakes in their yards, but apparently, they do have to worry about moose falling into their basements. I’m guessing that moose is too busy talking to the flying squirrel to pay attention (if you don’t get that reference, you’re too young to be reading this).

In this particular case, the female moose in Ketchum, Idaho didn’t know that glass isn’t a solid structure when it comes to holding up moose weight. The poor thing fell right through the glass and into the basement of a home. Once there, she wasn’t actually hurt, but she didn’t have a clue how to get out and was rather scared about the whole ordeal. We can all understand that feeling, can’t we?

Getting near the frightened moose was impossible. Moose can be quite deadly, after all. A fish and game officer shot the moose with a tranquilizer dart and once she was napping eight officers carried the 600-pound sleeping beauty up the stairs and outside. After about 15 minutes, she hopped up and trotted away.

Boy, is she going to have a story to tell at her next bridge group.

People love their pets

People have all kinds of pets, some of which don’t necessarily make any sense to the rest of us. Ferrets would fall into that category. They’re rodents. They’re fast rodents, so if they get loose catching them is almost impossible. It takes a special kind of person to love a ferret.

Carl Hobi of Olathe, KS is apparently one of those special people. When his ferret, Zelda [insert eye roll here], became ill he took her to the vet where it was determined she had a third-degree heart blockage. That blockage was the result of a low heart rate and lack of energy. Apparently, Zelda has lost her zip.

The veterinarian called up the folks at Kansas State Veterinary Health Center and the doctors there determined Zelda was a good candidate for a pacemaker, just like the kind Uncle Earl has, only a helluva lot smaller. After two weeks, Zelda was back up and running, getting into things, and causing her owner to question spending that much money on ferret health care.

The vet said Zelda should live a nice, long, ferret life. Good luck, Carl.

Happy Birthday to us!

Birthdays are largely random things for the most part. Rarely does a parent know exactly when their baby is going to be born. Finding someone born on your birthday and falling in love with them seems like it would be a pretty rare event in of itself, but that’s exactly what happened to Lisa Lowe and Michael Hall, both born on January 27. I’m sure they’re annoyingly sweet every time their birthday comes around.

All that sweetness was doubled, though, when Lisa gave birth to their first child, a girl, last week on, you guessed it, January 27. London’s due date was actually January 26, but due to complications, doctors ended up delivering the little one via cesarean section early on the morning of the 27th.

Mom Lisa said the six-pound, seven-ounce bundle of joy was the best gift either of them could have. Let’s see if she still feels the same way next year when the little one hogs all the birthday presents.

The preacher was caught bare

Churches across the South seem to have a problem with their pastors keeping their fly shut and their clothes on. From televangelist Jimmy Swaggert to countless others, more than one church has felt the disappointment of a bed-hopping preacher. Usually, though, the secret comes out through a lawsuit or other manner that allows both sides to respond civilly.

That’s not what happened in Tallahassee, FL last month. Pastor O. Jermaine Simmons of Tallahassee’s Jacob Chapel was caught bare-handed—and bare bottomed. It was the typical movie-plot scenario: Husband comes home from work in the middle of the afternoon to find his wife in bed with the preacher. The preacher runs out the back door, naked, and hides behind a fence. Just another day in the Flordia suburbs, right?

The husband rounded up the preacher’s clothes, wallet, and car keys. Someone called the cops for some strange reason and the police convinced the husband to give the preacher back his stuff. Simmons apologized tearfully to his congregation the next Sunday, as is the custom set forth by Mr. Swaggert. No word if he’s been asked to resign yet.

Now see, not everything on the planet needs a presidential order to fuck it up. Some things are just crazy all on their own.

Current Issues / News & Comment

Who Is Neil Gorsuch?

February 1, 2017

The Supreme Court nominee could backfire on the president

The Short Version

The 45th president announced his Supreme Court nomination last night, 10 circuit appeals court judge Neil Gorsuch. Gorsuch is a conservative who says he tries to emulate the late Antonin Scalia, whose seat he takes on the court. However, if Gorsuch’s writings forecast how he might vote, the president could be surprised with the outcome.

What We Know Now

The White House tried to hype the announcement of the president’s Supreme Court nominee as though it were a game show finale. Media was led to believe that two finalists were being flown in and that the “winner” would be announced live on primetime television. That wasn’t what happened.

Instead, the announcement was quite routine, to the point of almost being boring. Gorsuch had been the front runner all through the vetting process. He was the only person standing with the president when the announcement was made. Gorsuch made the obligatory speech where he recognized the solemn duty of the high court and promised to uphold the Constitution. We would have been deeply disturbed had he said anything else.

What happens now, though, is something most of us couldn’t survive. Senator’s interns and legal assistants started immediately last night digging through everything that Gorsuch has ever written and every decision in which he has had a part. They are looking for anything that might indicate he could spell trouble for the court. If Republicans find that he might not hold to their values, they can kill the nomination before it reaches the full Senate.

They’re not likely to find anything that will immediately unseat Gorsuch’s nomination, however. Gorsuch clerked under two Supreme Court justices, including justice Stephen Kennedy who still sits on the high bench. In addition to his Harvard Law degree, Gorsuch holds a doctorate in philosophy from Oxford University. His writings are carefully thought out, not hot-headed and incendiary like those of the late justice Scalia. One isn’t likely to find any serious gaffes or extreme reasoning.

For Republicans, there’s the fact that Gorsuch ruled in favor of Hobby Lobby in a case that allows privately-owned for-profit businesses to base policy on the owner’s religious beliefs. There’s little question that Gorsuch holds religious liberty high through several of his writings and rulings. However, Gorsuch has not been vocal on matters related to abortion or LGBTQ rights, two issues on which he might one day have to rule. In fact, he’s been completely silent on both matters.

Democrats are likely to take a strong look at Gorsuch’s opinions related to government agencies interpreting the Constitution. He has written that such rulings, “permit executive bureaucracies to swallow huge amounts of core judicial and legislative power and concentrate federal power in a way that seems more than a little difficult to square with the Constitution of the framers’ design.” He’s not alone in this opinion. Justice Clarence Thomas holds similar views. The end result could well be that the two could convince the other judges to limit the authority of the president and federal agencies.

A couple of other things worth noting: Gorsuch would be the only protestant on a court dominated by Catholics. Gorsuch is Episcopalian, which tends to tilt to the left in religious teachings. His mother, Anne Gorsuch Burford, was head of the Environmental Protection Agency under President Reagan, which could have some lasting influence in his opinions related to environmental concerns.

There is little question that a fight is brewing. Democrats are still pissed that Senate leadership wouldn’t even consider President Obama’s nominee last year. They’ve already said they don’t view Gorsuch as being “mainstream” enough to fill the position and are likely to block his nomination through any means possible.

At the same time, a conservative group is planning to spend roughly $2 million on ads in Indiana, Missouri, Montana and North Dakota, four states that Trump won and in which Democrats will be defending their Senate seats in 2018.

To some degree, whether Mr. Gorsuch is qualified to sit on the high court is irrelevant. This is political. It’s not the way the framers of the Constitution intended, but it is the reality of this Congress and this administration. Politics are what matters now and that will be what determines whether Gorsuch is confirmed for the bench.

Strap yourselves in. The fun is just starting.

Just For Fun / Photography / PotD

Bella Comes To Play

January 31, 2017

charles i. letbetter - Bella comes to visit

Are you sure you can handle this much cuteness?

Bella’s checking her email

We don’t shoot a lot of pets. You know the rule: never work with children and animals. That’s generally a pretty good rule to follow.

However, Bella’s mommy, Melinda, brought her along to a shoot we were doing with Loren Hawk. Bella, a long-haired chihuahua, was so wonderfully well behaved and so adorably precious that we had no other choice than to include her in some of the pictures.

And who doesn’t need pictures of an adorable little puppy on a miserable Tuesday such as this?

Thanks to Kat for giving Melinda a touch of makeup and hair manipulation. Melinda didn’t come prepared to participate. Surprise!

Enjoy this break from all the worries of the world. Follow Bella’s example and just chill.

Trying to stay warm while the silly humans play in the snow

Ooh, is that snack for ME?

Mommy loves Bella soooo much!

Bella was alert but very well behaved

Bella! International pup of mystery and intrigue

Wait, you want me to kiss you ON CAMERA?

As pretty as Loren and Melinda are, Bella was still easily distracted by the cats roaming the room

Hanging around outside, staying close to mom

Everyone loves Bella!

Bella’s checking her email

Current Issues / News & Comment

Avoiding Old Age Problems

January 31, 2017

We all want to stay active and alert

The Short Version

As adults grow older, they face the risk of reduced mental acuity and even dementia. However, researched published Monday in the JAMA Neurology journal indicates that simple activities help avoid some of the worst aspects of mental deterioration without the use of expensive gadgets or treatment.

A Little More Detail

While I won’t speak for anyone else, my greatest fear of growing old stems from the possibility of losing my mental awareness to some form of dementia. My grandfather had Alzheimer’s and I remember far too well how devastating that was for everyone. I don’t want to put myself or my family in that situation. I don’t know anyone who wants their final days to be spent in such confusion.

Unfortunately, to date, many of the programs designed to ward off the mental health issues that accompany aging have been on the expensive side, some involving experimental appliances that insurance wouldn’t cover and medicines with some not-so-nice side effects. We haven’t had a lot of choices outside the woo-community’s herbal solutions, which are no solutions at all.

However, a study published Monday n the JAMA Neurology journal gives us some hope. Doing just normal things, the low-level type of activities that many of us are already doing, help to stave off some of the more devastating effects of dementia even past the age of 70, when those problems tend to start presenting themselves more heavily.

What kind of activities are we talking about here? Five areas were specifically studied: computer use; making crafts; playing games including chess or bridge; going to movies or other types of socializing, and reading books. 2,000 adults aged 70 to 93 without any memory problems participated. They were tested for the condition in mental exams at the beginning and every 15 months for about four years.

All of the activities listed worked in providing some level of protection except reading. Why not reading? Apparently, page turning doesn’t provide enough physical activity and promotes isolation. All the other studied areas provided 20-30 percent less likelihood of developing dementia.

What does that mean? Staying active, even if it seems minimal, is better than doing nothing at all. While they weren’t specifically studied, activities such as talking on the phone, going to church, or going shopping would likely have similar protections. The worst thing any of us can do is to stay in and let our brains melt. They need both physical and mental stimulation to survive.

We can’t keep ourselves from growing older, but we can slow down some of the effects.

Current Issues / News & Comment

Resistance & Fallout

January 31, 2017

charles i. letbetter - resistance and fallout

The world begins to push back

The Short Version

With the chaos and confusion caused by the ban on refugees, a number of people around the world are beginning to visibly and loudly push back against the ban and against the immigration policies of the 45th president’s administration. At the same time, the ban has also created a level of uncertainty caused global stock markets to decline.

A Little More Detail

By now, the chaos resulting from Friday’s presidential order banning the immigration of refugees as well as anyone traveling from seven predominantly Muslim countries is well known. We’ve all seen the pictures and the videos of protests that are ongoing at airports across the country. We’re angered by the firing of Sally Yates, the acting attorney general. But what is anyone doing about it?

A lot, actually. Let’s start with the Washington state attorney general, Bob Ferguson filing a lawsuit against the administration. “It’s my responsibility as attorney general to defend the rule of law, to uphold the Constitution on behalf of the people of this state. And that’s what we’re doing,” he said.

That lawsuit is likely to be enjoined by other state’s Attorneys General. This is a familiar move that was used frequently by Republican-dominated states during the Obama administration. It tends to be effective.

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is providing cities in his state with the legislation templates they need in order to declare their cities as Sanctuary Cities in direct defiance of the President and the ban.

On Sunday, 17 Democratic attorneys general signed a letter vowing to “use all of the tools of our offices to fight this unconstitutional order.” One might think that all those would come from states where the president lost the electoral vote. That thinking would be wrong. The attorneys general from Iowa and Pennsylvania, which voted for the president, and Maine, where the vote was split, were among those signing the letter.

That level of resistance is important because states attorneys general tend to know the law at a rather detailed level that most of the rest of us don’t have. They can get down to the nitty-gritty of a matter and speak to legal documents in a legal way that actually has some impact.

They’re not the only ones pushing back hard, though. If the president thought he would have the support of the corporate community, he is wrong. CEOs who normally are quiet have been speaking up in defiance and condemning the ban. The following companies are among those who are actively taking steps to support their employees and speaking up in opposition:

Coca-Cola
Goldman Sachs
Apple
Microsoft
Google
Ford
GM
Lyft
Amazon
eBay
Etsy
General Electric
Merk & Co.
Ikea
Starbucks

In some ways, the industrial sector’s push back may be stronger than that of the attorneys general because they can leverage their entire company’s workforce and capital should they decide to do so. While the means of resistance have, so far, been largely financial, such as Lyft donating to the American Civil Liberties Union or Starbucks hiring 10,000 refugees, should the ban continue to impact corporations in a negative manner, their response is likely to become stronger as well.

The ban isn’t doing good things for global markets, either. Not only did US markets close down yesterday in response to the ban, markets in India and Asia are both down this morning.

Oh, and did I mention that the ban received harsh condemnation from Britain’s members of Parliament yesterday, with several members taking to the floor to denounce the policy. Several are even going so far as proposing a state visit to the UK by the US president be canceled.

This is in addition to legal actions by the ACLU and Southern Poverty Law Center that were initiated yesterday.

Resistance against the ban is strong and the fallout looks to be severe. However, the administration is holding on to its out-of-touch views and illegal policies. This may well just be the beginning of a long battle.

PotD

Starbucks To Hire 10,000 Refugees

January 30, 2017

charles i. letbetter - starbucks refugees

Addressing a problem by creating a solution

The Short Version

In response to the federal administration’s ban on immigrants from seven predominantly Muslim countries, Starbucks CEO sent a letter to employees yesterday saying it will hire 10,000 refugees over the next five years. The hiring practice will begin in the US but will apply to Starbucks locations around the world.

A Bit More Detail

Starbucks’ chairman and CEO Howard Schultz isn’t a stranger to inserting politics into business. Schultz was an active campaigner for Hillary Clinton during the election and has responded at other times to humanitarian concerns that might affect his company’s employees. So, no one is really too surprised that he would join the significant number of corporate CEOs nationwide that have condemned the president’s executive order barring immigrants from seven predominantly Muslim countries.

The difference is that, unlike most other CEOs, Schultz is in a position to do something more immediate. Hiring 10,000 new people across a five-year span is almost business-as-usual for the coffee chain. Giving priority to refugees and immigrants seems a natural response to a difficult situation. The initial emphasis in the US will be on those “who have served with U.S. troops as interpreters and support personnel.”

Schultz also took the opportunity to announce several other partner-focused moves addressing topics such as health care, the “Dreamers” act for children of immigrants, and the company’s relationship with Mexican coffee growers.

The Full Letter

Below is the full text of Schultz’s letter to employees:

Dear partners,

I write to you today with deep concern, a heavy heart and a resolute promise. Let me begin with the news that is immediately in front of us: we have all been witness to the confusion, surprise and opposition to the Executive Order that President Trump issued on Friday, effectively banning people from several predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States, including refugees fleeing wars. I can assure you that our Partner Resources team has been in direct contact with the partners who are impacted by this immigration ban, and we are doing everything possible to support and help them to navigate through this confusing period.

We are living in an unprecedented time, one in which we are witness to the conscience of our country, and the promise of the American Dream, being called into question. These uncertain times call for different measures and communication tools than we have used in the past. Kevin and I are going to accelerate our commitment to communicating with you more frequently, including leveraging new technology platforms moving forward. I am hearing the alarm you all are sounding that the civility and human rights we have all taken for granted for so long are under attack, and want to use a faster, more immediate form of communication to engage with you on matters that concern us all as partners.

I also want to take this opportunity to announce specific actions we are taking to reinforce our belief in our partners around the world and to ensure you are clear that we will neither stand by, nor stand silent, as the uncertainty around the new Administration’s actions grows with each passing day:

Support for DACA: As I wrote to Senators Graham and Durbin this week, we are enthusiastically behind their work to support “Dreamers” across our country – including those young men and women who are part of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. There are nearly three quarters of a million hardworking people contributing to our communities and our economy because of this program. At Starbucks, we are proud to call them partners and to help them realize their own American Dream. We want them to feel welcome and included in our success, which is why we reimburse them for the biennial fee they must pay to stay in the program and why we have offered DACA-related services at our Opportunity Youth hiring fairs.

Hiring Refugees: We have a long history of hiring young people looking for opportunities and a pathway to a new life around the world. This is why we are doubling down on this commitment by working with our equity market employees as well as joint venture and licensed market partners in a concerted effort to welcome and seek opportunities for those fleeing war, violence, persecution and discrimination. There are more than 65 million citizens of the world recognized as refugees by the United Nations, and we are developing plans to hire 10,000 of them over five years in the 75 countries around the world where Starbucks does business. And we will start this effort here in the U.S. by making the initial focus of our hiring efforts on those individuals who have served with U.S. troops as interpreters and support personnel in the various countries where our military has asked for such support.

Building Bridges, Not Walls, With Mexico: We have been open for business in Mexico since 2002, and have since opened almost 600 stores in 60 cities across the country, which together employ over 7,000 Mexican partners who proudly wear the green apron. We have sourced coffee from Mexico’s producers and their families for three decades and last fall, we also announced the creation of a farmer support center in Chiapas to help accelerate our collective ability to grow and export some of the world’s finest coffees from this important growing region, while donating more than $2 million to support the livelihood, food security and water quality of coffee producing communities in Oaxaca. With the support of thousands of Starbucks partners and millions of customers, we have also donated over a million coffee trees to support 70,000 families, and we will be expanding the initiative this year to generate another 4 million tree donations. Coffee is what unites our common heritage, and as I told Alberto Torrado, the leader of our partnership with Alsea in Mexico, we stand ready to help and support our Mexican customers, partners and their families as they navigate what impact proposed trade sanctions, immigration restrictions and taxes might have on their business and their trust of Americans. But we will continue to invest in this critically important market all the same.

Our Healthcare Commitment to You: Finally, let me restate what we have recently communicated with you about the Affordable Care Act – our commitment remains that if you are benefits eligible, you will always have access to health insurance through Starbucks. Many of you have expressed concerns that recent government actions may jeopardize your ability to participate in the Affordable Care Act. If the recent Executive Order related to health care remains in place and the Affordable Care Act is repealed causing you to lose your healthcare coverage, you will always have the ability to return and can do so within 30 days of losing that coverage rather than having to wait for an open enrollment period. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Benefits Center at 877-728-9236.

In the face of recent events around the world, let me assure you that we will stay true to our values and do everything we can possibly do to support and invest in every partner’s well-being while taking the actions that are squarely within our ability to control. This is our focus: providing a Third Place of respite for those around the world who seek it, daily.

Starbucks has and will always stand for opportunity – opportunity for our young people who are working to land their first job in the 75 countries where we do business, opportunity for our farmers who care so deeply for the highest of quality coffee we offer to customers all around the globe, and yes, opportunity for those who come to America in search of their own fresh start – whether that is with Starbucks directly, or through our suppliers or our partner companies.

If there is any lesson to be learned over the last year, it’s that your voice and your vote matter more than ever. We are all obligated to ensure our elected officials hear from us individually and collectively. Starbucks is doing its part; we need you to use the collective power of your voices to do the same while respecting the diverse viewpoints of the 90 million customers who visit our stores in more than 25,000 locations around the world.

So, while we seek to understand what the new Administration’s policies mean for us and our business both domestically and around the world, I can assure you that we will do whatever it takes to support you, our partners, to realize your own dreams and achieve your own opportunities. We are in business to inspire and nurture the human spirit, one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time – whether that neighborhood is in a Red State or a Blue State; a Christian country or a Muslim country; a divided nation or a united nation. That will not change. You have my word on that.

Onward,

Howard

PotD

Terror in Quebec City

January 30, 2017

Anger at Muslims flows across the border

The Short Version

Two men are in custody after a shooting at a Quebec City mosque that left at least six dead and eight injured. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was quick to denounce the murders and declare them an act of terrorism. The shooting occurred as many in the US were protesting a travel ban on Muslims from seven countries.

A Bit More Detail

Quebec City officials are not releasing a much detail after a shooting at the Quebec Islamic Cultural Centre that left at least six people dead and eight others injured. Approximately 50 worshippers had gathered for evening prayers when the two men began shooting, apparently at random. The dead range in age from 35 to 70.

No motive has been given for the attack as of this morning, but Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau didn’t hesitate to call it an act of terror. Trudeau said in a statement:

“We condemn this terrorist attack on Muslims in a center of worship and refuge. It is heart-wrenching to see such senseless violence. Diversity is our strength, and religious tolerance is a value that we, as Canadians, hold dear.

“Muslim-Canadians are an important part of our national fabric, and these senseless acts have no place in our communities, cities, and country.”

If such violence in Canada comes as a surprise to you, you’re not alone. Canada is generally open and accepting of immigrants and people of any faith. Just earlier this weekend, Trudeau said that Canada would accept those turned away by the US travel ban that caused considerable confusion and outrage over the weekend.

However, the French-speaking province of Quebec tends to be a bit more cantankerous on a number of issues, including immigration. Francois Deschamps, an organizer of a refugee support group in Quebec City, said he was saddened but not surprised by the attack. He says right-wing groups there are well organized, constantly posting leaflets and stickers across the city.

Still, the Associated Press says that Quebec City Mayor Regis Labeaume “appeared visibly shaken.” Labeaume said: “No person should have to pay with their life, for their race, their color, their sexual orientation or their religious beliefs.”

There will be solidarity rallies held across Quebec this evening and increased security at mosques across Canada as well as New York City.

Fashion / Photography

Sunday Gallery: Moments Of Beauty

January 29, 2017

charles i. letbetter - moments of beauty

We need to find the beauty in an ugly world

[dropcap]I found it difficult to curate a gallery for this week. My heart just wasn’t in it. Our eyes have been glued to news reports and wire feeds as thousands of people have been stranded, detained, and/or deported at our nation’s airports. They are victims, innocent victims of the president’s illegal immigration order the excludes people from seven countries from entering the US. Never mind that these people have legal work visas and green cards. Never mind that they have family members here who are relying upon them, waiting for them. Never mind they have employers who need them. The president’s order was a giant “fuck you” to all of them without regard, and a “fuck you” to the entire country.[/dropcap]

With all that going on, trying to find pictures along any kind of theme for this morning was impossible. I gave serious consideration to skipping this week’s gallery altogether. But no, when in moments of crisis, we need things that are beautiful. We need to see the beauty in our fellow human beings.

I’m sorry I don’t have pictures of anyone from the countries directly banned by the president. People in that situation rarely make it in front of anyone’s camera. They prefer to live quiet, unassuming lives with their families. They don’t take any chances.

So, for this week, we chose what I call “second glance” images, those pictures I probably didn’t choose on my first pass through a set, but have come to like for some reason or another. I hope they will bring a moment of beauty into your day, perhaps your life. Enjoy.

[tg_masonry_gallery gallery_id=”9846″ layout=”contain” columns=”3″]

Current Issues / Long Read / Photography

Extreme Vetting

January 28, 2017

What if photographers vetted models like the president proposes vetting immigrants?

Is this really necessary

The United States already has one of the most stringent and difficult vetting processes for people who are wanting to immigrate to our country. In some cases, depending on where one is from, it can take over three years for the vetting process to be completed. When the president signed orders yesterday that completely halts the flow of immigration he also ordered “extreme” vetting for those who still have a chance of getting in.

We disagree with the president and his policies on immigration. We not only find them unnecessary, we find them, in many cases, inhumane and possibly cruel. The new policies turn away refugees desperately in need of an escape from unfathomably cruel and hostile treatment in their own country. While there are millions of refugees worldwide, only a handful ask to come to the US. Even under existing law, a significant number are still turned away.

As Americans, we already have blood on our hands dating back to World War II. We repeatedly turned away and refused requests for asylum from jews who were under persecution from the Nazi regime. We even turned away Anne Frank’s family and well all know how horribly that turned out.

While we understand the need to keep our country safe and protect terrorists from gaining access and doing harm, we are largely certain that goal can be achieved while still addressing the humane need to provide a safe haven for refugees and other immigrants. Already, very few actual terrorists make it through our challenging system. It is far more likely that someone who is already here becomes radicalized after witnessing and/or experiencing the process through which we subject would-be immigrants. The president’s new policies are almost certainly going to result in a significant loss of life as refugees, once again, are turned away. Once again, their blood is on our hands.

So absurd it’s funny

To highlight the absurdity of extreme vetting, we wondered what it might be like if photographers subjected their models to the same level of intense questioning given to would-be immigrants. Certainly, there would be a lot fewer pictures being taken, and quite possibly the problem of people canceling for stupid reasons or just not showing up at all might be eliminated. We gave the matter considerable thought (we even slept on it) and imagine that the initial intake interview might look something like the following conversation. P is the photographer. M is the would-be model. Just for fun, let’s assume the photographer in this scenario is large, bald, sporting an unkempt goatee, and smelling of salami.

The model is ushered into a bare, dimly lit room that contains nothing more than a single gray metal table and two matching chairs. On the side of the table facing the door sits the photographer holding a manilla folder containing the girl’s model application. On one side of the table sits a half-full cup of coffee that has already left a couple of brown rings on the table. On the other side sits an unopened bottle of water.

Glancing up from the folder, the photographer begins:

P: Have a seat, Miss … ?

M: Hornswaggle. Periwinkle Hornswaggle.

P: (Scoffing) That’s quite a mouthful of a name you have there, Miss Hornswaggle. You don’t actually expect to make it as a model with a horrible name like that, do you?

M: Well, I don’t know, I hadn’t given it much tho…

P: You’ll have to change it, but we can talk about that later. You have a lot of other steps to complete before you’ll get to that little detail. A lot of steps. You may not make it. In fact, I have to say, the majority of young women I see in here don’t make it. They give up. They go home. They end up having babies and doing drugs. Are you sure you’re up to being a model?

M: I … I guess so …

P: You GUESS so? You mean you aren’t sure?

M: I mean, yes. Yes, sir. I’m definitely up to being a model. I’ve dreamed of this my entire …

P: Yeah, yeah, I’ve heard that before. Everyone has a dream. Only about one percent of those dreams ever come true, though. This is going to be a very challenging process. I hope you came prepared.

M: Well, I think so. I mean, yes, I’ve brought everything that is required, as well as some additional documentation and letters of reference that I hope will help.

P: That’s good. You’ll need all the positive references you can get. We don’t just let anyone model for us, you know. We can’t run any risks. We only accept those who are really committed to our work and to making our photographs great. The greatest, actually. The best in the whole world. Period.

M: I’m ready to do everything I possibly can. You know, I even …

P: Now, the first matter, Miss Hornswaggle, is are you sure that you are human?

M: Human?

P: Yes, Human. We need to be quite sure that we aren’t allowing any aliens in front of our camera. Bad things happen when aliens get in front of cameras. A light flashes and their little slitted eyes don’t know how to respond and we get pictures that look just absolutely horrid, not to mention the whole tentacle problem.

M: Tentacle problem?

P: Tentacle problem. Aliens have them, you know. Tentacles. Long. Slimy. Reaching for things. Just ruins the equipment. Absolutely ruins it.

M: Well, yes, I’m human.

P: Can you prove that assertion, Miss Hornswaggle?

M: Prove? I’m not sure I understand what you mean. You’re looking at me. Can’t you tell that I’m human?

p: Visual appearance isn’t enough. Those aliens are tricky, you know. Always disguising themselves. I had one a few years ago that disguised herself as a floor lamp. She was bright as hell, too., Very bright. The brightest. Then we took her to the studio and she showed her true form. Scary. Very scary. And sad.

M: What kind of proof would you like?

p: We’ll need to do blood test unless you have a certificate from your doctor confirming that you are human.

M: Uhm, well, I brought my medical records as you requested (she hands him an inch-thick file).

P: (leafing through the papers in the file) Okay, we’ll have to confirm all of these, of course, but they seem to be sufficient for now. Are you hiding anything?

M: Hiding anything?

P: Hiding anything. You know, like drugs, alcohol, weapons, bobby pins, alternate hair colors, wigs, alternate gender replacement pieces, toe rings, anything that might ruin a photograph.

M: How do bobby pins ruin a …

P: That’s not a detail we need to get into, young lady. Now, are you hiding anything or not?

M: No, I’m not hiding anything at all.

P: Are you sure?

M: Yes!

P: (leaning forward) Are you VERY sure? I can have someone do a body cavity search, you know.

M: Yes! I’m positive! I’m not hiding anything!

P: Fine then. If we find out later that you’re lying you’ll be tossed out of here on your butt. Do you understand?

M: (looking frightened) Y-y-y-yes, sir.

P: How many parents do you have?

M: Uhm, two?

P: You seem a little unsure about that.

M: No, I’m certain I only have two, my mom and my dad.

P: And they’re both still living?

M: Yes.

P: How’s their health? How old are they? Neither of them are about to die, are they?

M: (confused) Uh, no, they’re both fine and healthy. I mean, my dad still smokes some when he thinks mom’s not looking, but …

P: So, he has cancer.

M: No! At least, not that anyone knows.

P: He’s keeping his cancer a secret?

M: He doesn’t have cancer!

P: What about contagious disease? Does your dad have any contagious diseases?

M: No, neither of my parents are contagious.

P: Do you live with them?

M: Who? My parents?

P: No, a herd of elephants. Of course, your parents.

M: No, I have an apartment with my boyfriend.

P: Oh, you have an undeclared boyfriend? What manner of worthless bum is he?

M: He’s not undeclared. I put his information on the form they gave me outside. And he’s not a bum. He works construction with his dad.

P: Okay, so you’re mooching off his old man.

M: No! We both work and we pay our own bills. We’re not mooching off anyone.

P: (Scoffs) Right. Does this boyfriend of yours have his own car?

M: Yes, we each have our own car.

P: What piece of junk do you drive?

M: A three-year-old Ford Escort.

P: Three years old, huh? That’s just about the time things start breaking on a car. Do you make enough to cover the repairs?

M: (uncertain) I-I suppose. I keep my oil changed and my tires rotated. You know, all the routine maintenance.

P: Yes, but what happens if you go out and your battery is dead? Would you be stuck?

M: I have jumper cables.

P: Do you know how to use them without blowing something up?

M: Yes.

P: (snorts) Sure. That’d be a first. What about a cell phone. Do you have a cell phone that actually works?

M: Yes (pulls phone from purse). Right here.

P: Is your service all paid up and active?

M: Yes, always.

P: Do you always keep it fully charged?

M: I do my best. I carry a mobile charger with me just in case.

P: You don’t have any annoying ringtones on that thing, do you?

M: I guess that depends on what you mean by annoying. I have some that are music, but …

P: They’ll have to go. I can’t tolerate anything but the normal ringtones. And I’d better not catch you sending text messages, either. I hate those things. They’re nothing but distractions. If you’re going to be a model you’ll have to be totally focused on the photoshoot at all times. No distractions of any kind. How many grandparents did you say you have?

M: You hadn’t asked, but I have three left.

P: (stands up and leans over the table) Don’t you be giving me any sass, young lady! I’ll toss you out of here so fast your hair will braid itself. Do you understand?

M: (backing away) Y-y-yes, sir. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean any disrespect.

P: You need to watch that mouth of yours. (huffs, then sits down and picks up the folder again) Now, how many grandparents do you have living?

M: Three. My grandpa on my mother’s side died before I was born.

P: Are they in good health? None of them are about to die, are they?

M: Well, my one grandma, my mom’s mom, is in a nursing home. She’s 96, so …

P: She could croak at any minute. Got it. What about the other two?

M: Yeah, uhm … (feeling emotional) They live in Florida. We don’t see them often. I guess they’re doing okay.

P: Florida? How lame. That’s just sad. Very sad. I suppose you’ll be going down there when one of them kicks the bucket.

M: (choking back tears) Well, yeah. Wouldn’t you?

P: Of course not! Why would I go to your grandparent’s funeral? I don’t even know them. They probably smell of lotion and ointment, anyway. I can’t stand people who smell of lotion and ointment. By the way, who normally cuts your hair?

M: (caught off guard by the sudden change of topic) Uhm, Allison at Topix Salon. Why does that matter?

P: Are you giving me sass again, young lady?

M: (shuddering) I’m sorry, no. I apologize.

P: What about tattoos? Do you have any tattoos?

M: Just one. I have my brother’s initials on my wrist. He was killed in a car accident last year. (She extends her arm to show him the tattoo)

P: Initials, huh? Are you sure that’s not part of some gang sign or terrorist code?

M: What? No! DNH. Donahue Notwithstanding Hornswaggle.

P: God, your family has stupid names. Okay, I’m ready for you to take your clothes off.

M: Excuse me? I didn’t think that was part of …

P: Look, I’ve got to know exactly what we’re dealing with, here. I don’t know what kind of mess you might be hiding under the clothes. We’ve had people try to sneak all kinds of propaganda into their shots. They think I don’t notice, but there’s nothing that gets past me. Stretch marks, c-section scars, boob jobs, hidden tattoos, nipple piercings—there’s none of it getting past me.

M: I’m not sure I’m comfortable …

P: I really don’t give two shits about whether you’re comfortable. Just strip and let’s get it over with. You don’t have anything I haven’t seen before. Just get to it.

M: I didn’t think you were allowed to …

P: I’m allowed to do whatever the fuck I want, young lady, and if you really want to be a model you’d better take those clothes off right now. I’m not letting you get any further in this interview until I see you naked.

M: (standing up and gathering her things) I’m sorry, that’s just too much. I … I don’t think I want to be a model anymore. (she begins to move toward the door)

P: Hold it right there, you little brat. I didn’t give you permission to leave. You walk out that door and there’s absolutely no chance of you ever being a model. I’ll blackball your ass. Doesn’t matter if you come back ten years from now and talk to a different photographer. They won’t let you through. You leaving now just proves what a horrible person you are. I’ve had my suspicions about you from the moment you walked in here. You don’t have what it takes to be a model! You can’t handle being a model! No other photographer is going to take you, either. I’m the greatest photographer in this town. No one else is as great as I am. I am the greatest and I don’t let just anyone model for me. You leave now and you’re pathetic. Just absolutely pathetic. Sad, even. Very sad.

M: (leaving) Yeah, I think being a fashion editor is easier than this bullshit. (door shuts behind her)

P: (Pulls out phone and starts tweeting) “Just turned away another pathetic wanna-be model. Didn’t have what it takes. Sad. She should have attended my workshop. #ExtremeVetting #MakePhotographyGreatAgain”

Now, if extreme vetting seems stupid in that situation, imagine just how much more ridiculous it would be stretched out over years of investigation. This is not making America great again. This is a disaster.

#Resist

#StayAngry

#WriteYourCongressperson

Current Issues / Long Read / News & Comment / science

Going Rogue

January 28, 2017

Alt, Rogue, and Ungagged Twitter accounts may change more than social media

Side-stepping censorship

[dropcap]Amidst all the tension and worries regarding the actions of the 45th president this week, someone, somewhere, brilliantly side-stepped the new government’s apparent ban on climate science by creating an alternate Twitter account for Badlands National Park and tweeting climate facts. The tweets have since been removed, but the act of defiance struck a nerve and people allegedly, somehow, related to other government agencies started doing the same.[/dropcap]
Here are some samples:

“Censorship is telling a man he can’t have a steak just because a baby can’t chew it”
– Mark Twain#Resist #Science https://t.co/dyiTZAltlN

— NOT ALT WORLD (@NotAltWorld) January 28, 2017

A climate-literate person: understands the essential principles of Earth’s climate system, knows how to assess scientifically credible info

— Alt-Badlands NPS (@AltBadlandsNPS) January 27, 2017

97% of scientists agree climate change is real and that it’s caused by human activity. Denying science is no longer an option. #climatefacts

— AltEPA (@ActualEPAFacts) January 27, 2017

There was a time when US Government meteorologists were not allowed to say the word “tornado”. Thankfully, those days are over. #resist

— Alternative NOAA (@altNOAA) January 27, 2017

“It poses a dangerous question: What, when summer comes, are we going to do when forest fires inevitably happen?” https://t.co/ihwgkwNRpG

— AltUSForestService (@AltForestServ) January 27, 2017

Why science matters: The first images from the new weather satellite were released this week—and they are stunning. https://t.co/zr62UdxqJC pic.twitter.com/2jDzq9dmgK

— Rogue NASA (@RogueNASA) January 27, 2017

As of October 2015, the Earth had warmed by about 1.7 degrees Fahrenheit since 1880 #climatechange #ClimateChangeIsReal

— ALTUSNatParkSer (@ALTUSNatParkSer) January 27, 2017

Questioning what is or isn’t true online? Why not do some independent & scholarly research to find out? We like #ScienceFacts– not #AltFacts

— U.S. EPA – Ungagged (@ungaggedEPA) January 28, 2017

Nearly half of our bird species are severely threatened by #climatechange. https://t.co/O8CiR8eXhs #climatefacts pic.twitter.com/pNP3y5b6Ij

— AltEPA (@ActualEPAFacts) January 27, 2017

There may be more, and if so, please let me know, but these are the ones we’ve located so far. Follow them. All of them. This movement is pretty damn important.

Why the sudden resistance?

The new president doesn’t believe in climate change. Since the fateful day of his inauguration, a number of different memos and email have gone out to the heads of various federal agencies, specifically those who deal in some way with climate change, curtailing their publishing activities. Everyone from the Department of Agriculture to the Department of Health and Human Services was included.

Public furor immediately rose up and social media exploded over the censorship, especially that regarding science. What the new administration has yet to figure out is that they work in a glass bubble. They don’t get to do things in secret and sneak up on us. They don’t like that situation, which is one of the reasons they’ve taken to calling the press the opposition party. However, given that the uproar against those memos and emails was so severe, they backtracked quickly, at least on the public front.

Still, once their intentions were made public, people began to respond. We already knew we would have to fight this administration tooth and nail, every step of the way. The hashtag #Resist was already procured and ready to go; it’s even been hung on a large banner from a tall crane thanks to the folks at Greenpeace. Americans have never been too keen on government censorship and we’re certainly not going to start supporting it now.

No #AlternativeFacts here

As the number of alternative social media accounts continues to grow (we’re following @Alt_FAA, @Alt_DeptofEd, @ALT_USCIS [immigration], and @AltStateDpt), so does the battle against misinformation, or what the administration has referred to as #AlternativeFacts. Other people call them lies, which is more accurate but carries an inflammatory inference that seems to upset those who are part of the current regime. Real facts do exist and in the presence of a concerted effort to mute those facts, someone has to stand up and make sure they are sufficiently unmuzzled, even if doing so draws no small amount of criticism.

There is no question that the new White House wants to control all the information it has so that they are presenting a unified voice. They want to make sure that no matter which agency one contacts, no matter who one talks to on the phone or through email, the information all spews the same lies, recites the same canon, pours the same kool-aid. If they’re going to take over the nation, that has to happen. Official sources of information must all be consistent in the lies they are telling.

What the dear folks inhabiting the White House seem to have forgotten is that the press, and subsequently the free flow of factual information, is protected under the first amendment of the constitution. The administration can only control information up to a point. Our founding fathers were very suspicious of each other and especially of other governments. They had seen what corruption had done across Europe. Hell, they were rebelling against King George III, who is largely considered to have been completely insane (new details about him have just been released, by the way) and was known to have “secret” agents. They wanted to make sure that there was always someone, namely the press, watching every move the government made so that there could be no secret acts of treason undermining the country.

While the White House can try to manipulate the mainstream press and even intersperse false reporters from fake news sites among those sitting in the White House briefing room, it has absolute zero control over what is put on social media. In fact, as we’ve seen to sometimes disgusting proportions, no one really has much control over what is put on social media. For better or worse, it is an absolute bastion of free speech. While the president has used it to circumvent the press, the same tools can also be used to circumvent and repudiate the president and his staff.

We see in all these new rogue accounts exactly what should happen in a free and open society. Where one person tries to hide and quiet information they don’t like, someone else stands up and shouts it. The more the administration tries to put a stranglehold on science and studies that are in opposition to their agenda, the more those involved with those studies are likely to find ways to make sure that information finds its way to the public. We need these new social media accounts to maintain a balance in the flow of information.

There is a dark side

If there is a negative aspect to all these new #Alt accounts, it is the fact that they are, perhaps necessarily, anonymous. We can certainly understand why. While most claim to not be associated with the actual federal agencies, there’s every possibility that those claims are a smoke screen. At the most, we would be surprised if the sources are more than one step removed from someone who is employed by the federal government. Revealing the persons behind these accounts could subject them to danger and possibly even prosecution. The need to be anonymous is real.

However, with anonymity comes certain risks, especially considering the fact that social media is full of security holes. It is difficult to verify an anonymous account without giving away personal information that might be used against the originator of the account. We don’t really know who these people are, what their connection to the various agencies might be, or their ultimate intentions. For the moment, they all look good and are saying things that are verifiable, but what happens if that changes?

Forbes magazine has an article on this same topic that made for some very uncomfortable reading. They bring up things like how easy it might be for someone to attach a virus or piece of malware to an otherwise legitimate PDF document. The social media account links to the document and everyone who opens it is unknowingly infected. One of the fears we’ve seen this week is the possibility that client scientists might be forced to delete large amounts of information. Imagine the security risks if hackers were to get ahold of that information, which is certainly not out of the bounds of possibility, and presented it through an #Alt account. Very little effort would be required to turn those legitimate documents into a stream of digital infection.

The system is far from fool-proof.

Resistance is not futile

Still, these new accounts are present for good reason and are doing a good thing. Our government, every government, needs to be held accountable. Through all his business dealings, our president has never had anyone standing above him telling him “no, you can’t do that.” He is now in a system where checks and balances are written into the constitution. Those checks and balances are required of a democracy and without them, we slip all too easily into fascism or communism.

The threat to our country, our way of life, and even our very existence is real. Climate change is real. Science is real. Diseases that defy immunization are real. We have an urgent need to not only know about the world’s problems but what we can do to mitigate them. We need to understand that our carbon footprint is a very serious matter and that there are simple and practical things we can do to reduce our carbon emissions. We need to know how to eat more safely as some foods to which we’ve grown accustomed may no longer be safely edible. There are mountain ranges full of information we need and if we cannot rely on official government agencies to provide that information then we desperately need sources that fill that gap.

We must, on every level possible, #Resist. We must resist the misinformation and lies. We must resist the attempts at censorship. We must resist the attempts to hide, delete, and obfuscate information. Not only is this our country, this is our planet. We live here. We have an inalienable right to keep it inhabitable and no government has a right to stand in our way, no matter how they think they were elected.

#Resist

#Dissent

#BeActive

Current Issues / Fashion

Wet Seal Dries Up

January 27, 2017

Fashion retail takes another hit

The Short Version

Less than two weeks after American Apparel announced the closing of all its stores, teen-focused retailer Wet Seal announced yesterday that they are closing all 173 stores after failing to find an investor or alternative source of capital to continue funding operations. The closure marks another serious blow to traditional retail fashion as fast-fashion stores such as H&M and Forever21 continue to dominate the sector.

(more…)

Current Issues / News & Comment

The First Spill of 2017

January 27, 2017

charles i. letbetter - first oil spill of 2017

A massive diesel spill in Iowa highlights a problem

The Short Version

An estimated 138,000 gallons of diesel fuel sprung from a pipeline leak in rural Iowa that started Wednesday morning. The leak appears to have been fixed for now and cleanup is underway. While the leak is significant, it was stopped before it had a chance to enter any water source or a nearby wildlife refuge. However, this is not the first leak the managing company has had and highlights a need for greater inspection.

(more…)

Current Issues / News & Comment

Outta Time

January 27, 2017

The Doomsday Clock lost another 30 seconds

The Short Version

Utter and complete destruction is closer than it ever has been before, thanks to continued nuclear proliferation and governments refusal to adequately address global climate change. As a result, the scientists who regulate the Doomsday Clock have moved it to 2.5 minutes until midnight, the closest it has ever been in its 70-year history. Anyone with a lick of common sense should be frightened. Wise people are encouraged to lead humanity away from the brink.

(more…)

Current Issues / News & Comment

Insults Away

January 26, 2017

Insults Are Speech But Not Always Protected

The Short Version

Germany’s long-standing law against insulting leaders of foreign governments is going away after an unsettling row with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. At the same time, American actor Shia LaBeouf was arrested after a verbal altercation in front of an art museum in New York. The contrast between the two incidents demonstrates stark differences in attitudes between the two countries.

Say What?

Germany has long had a law that prohibits people from saying nasty things about foreign heads of state who are in Germany at the time of the insult. The German Criminal Code currently states:

“Whosoever insults a foreign head of state, or, with respect to his position, a member of a foreign government who is in Germany in his official capacity, or a head of a foreign diplomatic mission who is accredited in the Federal territory shall be liable to imprisonment not exceeding three years or a fine, in case of a slanderous insult to imprisonment from three months to five years.”

The law is part of old German code that has its roots in pre-World War II laws and revised to its current version after the war. It was recently brought into play as charges were filed against a German comedian, Jan Boehmermann. Boehmermann’s crime? He read a poem on television that insulted Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. “Insulted” is probably being a little too nice. The poem inferred a connection between the president and child porn and bestiality. I tried finding a reasonable translation and what I found was too disgusting to bother copying. Let’s just say that this poem, any way you look at it, was in very, very bad taste.

Naturally, the Turkish President was butt hurt. He called in the German ambassador. Charges were filed. Both nations got into a real tizzy about the whole thing. That was back in March-April of last year. However, the case was quietly dropped in October due to a lack of evidence. Boehmermann said that the poem was meant to show an example of the type of insult not allowed in Germany and that he never intended to insult the Turkish president directly.

German citizens, however, were deeply upset that charges had ever been filed in the first place, citing free speech. So, Justice Minister Heiko Mass said yesterday that the law is being scrapped, effective the first of next year.

Meanwhile, In The US

Actor Shia LaBeouf was arrested last night on charges of misdemeanor assault after he got in the face of a man reciting Nazi propaganda outside the New York City museum.

In case you’ve not been paying attention, the politically active LaBeouf set up a 24-hour live stream outside the museum on January 20, in conjunction with the inauguration of the 45th president. The stated purpose is for people to come up to the camera and repeat the words, “He will not divide us.”

Naturally, given all the free publicity the campaign has received, a lot of people with different messages have attempted to step in front of the camera and more than once dear Shia has gotten in their face. The Internet rather exploded on Monday with his verbal takedown of a white supremacist. When another such hate-filled speaker showed up in front of the camera yesterday, LaBeouf was again there to shout the person down. Only this time, according to the charges being filed, the actor pulled at the scarf of the man, scratching the man’s face in the process.

Wait, the scarf scratched the man’s face? What was that scarf made of, steel wool? Something doesn’t sound quite right here.

And yes, the Internet has taken note of the fact that a jew was arrested for taking down a Nazi. #FreeShia has been trending on Twitter all night.

The timing of the two incidents is interesting, though. We generally associate Nazis with Germany. Yet, in this case, it would appear that one has greater freedom of speech in Germany than one does in the United States. Something to think about.

Current Issues / News & Comment

A Flawed Democracy

January 26, 2017

The US is no longer a shining example of democracy

The Short Version

Don’t blame the 45th president for this one. A long-term distrust in government, political parties, and elected representatives were among the primary reasons for the United States being demoted to a “flawed democracy” in the latest report from the Economist Intelligence Unit. This change from being a “full democracy” would have happened even without last year’s election. We’ve done this to ourselves.

Wait, Who Are These Guys?

The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) is the research and analysis arm of The Economist Group. Founded in 1946, they provide long-term and far-reaching deep research and analysis used by governments and major corporations with an eye toward recognizing both risks and opportunities to business and economic growth. While their research necessarily involves political matters, their primary perspective is economic and is generally considered non-partisan.

How Are We Defining Democracy?

The EIU defines a “full democracy” as one “underpinned by a political culture conducive to the flourishing of democracy.” That means it has a lot of things that we’ve lost. Things such as respect for political freedoms and civil liberties, a diverse media that functions completely separate from government influence, a government that actually gets things done, an apolitical judiciary whose rulings are enforced, and adequate and effective checks and balances. Stop and think for a minute. We once had all that, but we’ve given it away.

A “flawed democracy,” on the other hand, just sort of go through the motions. They largely have free and fair elections, but may have some flaws here and there. There is a basic nod toward civil rights, but respect for government is low and participation in government is lacking. Again, try to take an objective look at what we’ve become. We fit this definition far too well.

What The Fuck Happened?

Our long-term distrust in government is largely what did us in. Looking at research going all the way back to the 1950s, things such as Vietnam War, the Watergate scandal, the Iraq War, the financial and housing crisis in 2008-2009, and government shutdowns have all contributed to how we feel about our government’s trustworthiness and ability to get things done. Our trust in government, according to data from Pew Research, is at the lowest point it has ever been.

Add to that the most severe income disparity of any developed nation. I mean, we’re not even close no matter how you slice it. Analysis from both Deutsch Bank and Goldman Sachs show just how incredibly wide the gap has become between the very rich and the very poor. As a country, we are failing at taking care of anyone except the super-elite. Frustration with this problem is largely the reason the 45th president was elected, but is unlikely to do anything to solve the base problem.

This results in a populism that is spreading across the globe. This quote from the report provides some important perspective:

“Populist parties and politicians are often not especially coherent and often do not have convincing answers to the problems they purport to address, but they nevertheless pose a challenge to the political mainstream because they are connecting with people who believe the established parties no longer speak for them.”

The EIU finds some encouragement in our low unemployment rate and some increase in basic wages. However, out attitudes toward civil rights and immigration and the president’s propensity to bypass the media continue to work against us.

We Are Not Alone

The United States wasn’t the only country to slip into the “flawed democracy” category. Japan, Italy, France, South Korea, Israel, Estonia, India, and Chile are right in there with us.

Yeah, we’re at the same level of democracy as Estonia. Stop and let that sink in for a minute.

The overall tone of the report is not especially encouraging. Concern is shown over what is seen as an exacerbated distrust in government as populist leaders prove unable to solve any of the problems that swept them into power.

You can download a copy of the full report here.

Current Issues / News & Comment

Mexico Says No

January 26, 2017

Not everyone wants the wall and no one wants to pay for it

Update

4:37 PM EST: Following the president’s remarks at the GOP retreat in Philadelphia, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said that the president would look to impose a 20% tax on all imports from Mexico in order to pay for the wall. Such a tax would require approval from Congress.

There is some consideration, however, as to whether such a tax would be effective in achieving its goal. Mexico’s primary export is manufactured products, which seems like a rather large category. However, a significant portion of those products are pieces used in the assembly of larger products, such as car parts and cell phone pieces. Direct imports to the US would result in higher prices to consumers and, most importantly, American businesses reliant on those parts. The increased cost would result in lower profits, inhibiting growth of American manufacturing.

The second largest export from Mexico is oil and oil products. Any tax here would require a separate act of Congress from the one taxing manufactured products. This would not only result in higher prices at gas pumps, but would significantly impact the profitability of American companies.

Finally, agricultural exports from Mexico are a critical area for US grocers as the demand for fresh fruit and vegetables year-round has become a dominant part of their business. Additional taxes on agricultural imports would significantly raise food prices and make some foods that are grown almost exclusively in Mexico unavailable to large parts of the US market.

There is almost no way to impose a tax on Mexican goods imported into the United States that doesn’t have the US taxpayer ultimately paying for that tax. The fact that the money might pass through the hands of the Mexican government somewhere along the way is irrelevant. We still end up paying for the wall out of our pocket.

12:00 PM EST: Mexico’s president, Enrique Pena Nieto has said he will not attend the working meeting scheduled for Washington next Tuesday. This seems to have come in response to a tweet from the US president that said, “If Mexico is unwilling to pay for the badly needed wall, then it would be better to cancel the upcoming meeting.”

Response across Mexico has been strong. “I think that, in general, diplomacy is not conducted via Twitter,” Finance Secretary Jose Antonio Meade told Radio Formula. Mexico’s best-known opposition politician, leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, tweeted: “in the face of Trump’s latest outburst, don’t go to the meeting, and submit an urgent complaint to the U.N. for human rights violations.”

Both sides say that communication lines between the two countries are still open, but pressure is increasing on president Pena Nieto within Mexico to refuse any talks with the US until the wall is removed from the agenda.

The Short Version

Mexico’s president, Enrique Pena Nieto, said yesterday that Mexico will not pay for any form of a barrier along the US/Mexico border. This comes just hours after the US president signed orders to begin construction planning on the wall. Immigration and refugee activists have long decried the very idea of a wall and funding for the wall still faces strong opposition in the US Congress.

(more…)

Current Issues / News & Comment

Reasons To Protest

January 25, 2017

From pipelines to walls, the reasons to protest keep coming

The Short Version

Yesterday, the 45th president invited those behind the Keystone XL pipeline to resubmit a bid for the controversial construction blocked by the Obama administration. He then signed a directive for the US Army Corp of Engineers to expedite studies related to the Dakota Access Pipeline effectively stopped by protestors last year. Today, he will sign orders paving the way for the construction of a wall between the US and Mexico as well as limiting immigration from seven countries. Everywhere we look, the new administration is providing us ample reason to protest.

Down & Dirty Details

Remember all those protests that took place up in North Dakota last year? Thousands of people took part in a standoff between the Standing Rock Sioux tribe and the government over the Dakota Access Pipeline. While momentum was initially slow to build and media attention often waned, protestors stuck it out until President Obama intervened and instructed the US Army Corp of Engineers to consider alternative routes for the pipeline.

No one was dumb enough to think that the matter was settled, though. A new president had already been elected and had gone on record as favoring more domestic oil and gas drilling in addition to the construction of pipelines from the North. Any victory won back in December was only going to be temporary. Sure enough, the president signed a memo to the Secretary of the Army instructing the Corp of Engineers to:

… review and approve in an expedited manner, to the extent permitted by law and as warranted, and with such conditions as are necessary or appropriate, requests for approvals to construct and operate the DAPL …
… consider … whether to rescind or modify the memorandum by the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works dated December 4, 2016
consider … prior reviews and determinations, including the Environmental Assessment issued in July of 2016 2 for the DAPL, as satisfying all applicable requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act
review and grant …requests for waivers of notice periods arising from or related to USACE real estate policies and regulations
issue … any approved easements or rights-of-way immediately after notice is provided to the Congress

The full text of the memo can be found here.

Again, no one is surprised; this is exactly what was expected from the new administration. However, the memo is like a wake-up alarm going off for all those who were unsure when their protests might be needed again.

Within the same document-signing session, the president also signed a document inviting the company behind the Keystone XL pipeline to resubmit a proposal. The Keystone XL project had been fully blocked by the Obama administration back in 2014. This move opens the door for the project to be reconsidered. The memo, which is largely full of legal jargon that comes with anything composed in Washington, not only invites TransCanada to resubmit their bid, but authorizes the Secretary of State to approve the bid and the US Army Corp of Engineers to facilitate the construction. The full text of the order can be found here.

Obviously, we’ve not yet seen the orders regarding immigration, but we do know some of the following matters are to be addressed in the signing at the Department of Homeland Security today.

An order to ban the entry of refugees into the United States, except for religious minorities escaping persecution, until more aggressive vetting is in place. This is intentionally directed at the number of Syrian refugees previously approved by the Obama administration.
An order to block visas being issued to anyone from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
An order directing the construction of a border wall with Mexico.

While there is a reasonable chance not all the orders regarding border security and immigration will be ready for signing today, they are almost certainly to be signed at some point this week.

Why Protests Are Necessary

Every last one of these issues establishes an anti-humanitarian foundation for the entire administration. As pipelines have a proven propensity for leaking, they endanger the health and welfare of anyone who lives downstream. Immigration is a necessary humanitarian need for innocent people driven from countries at war as well as those simply looking for a better way of life. The president is so anti-humanitarian that he has even threatened to deny federal funding to the more than 200 Sanctuary Cities scattered across the US. [A current list of the Sanctuary Cities can be found here.]

This is a case of silence yielding consent. When the people of the United States do not speak up on a matter, when we stay in our comfortable chairs and warm houses and do absolutely nothing regarding an issue, Washington then proceeds to do whatever the hell they want. While protests are not always successful, they do at least remind members of Congress that they are answerable to their constituents in the next election. We can replace every last one of them if necessary.

While regular communication with your members of Congress is good, protests emphasize to them just how important an issue is to the American people. Sitting in Washington, D.C. day after day can be numbing. Members of Congress not only lose touch with their direct constiuents, they lose touch with the realities of the nation they represent. They need us to remind them that we’re not only paying attention, but that we actually care about specific issues.

Choose What You Can Do

I know not everyone can do every thing. No one can be at every march. Some of us can’t march at all. The number of issues we care about is larger than we have time to address. A friend posted a link to this article on Medium.com regarding how to #StayOutraged. There is a lot of good advice in that article. It’s going to be a long four years and issue fatigue is going to set in quickly.

Consider what you care about. Find an effective form of protest that works for you. Then, make your opinions known. Loudly. Forcefully.

Let us constantly remind this administration that they do not have a mandate. Despite what the president claims, they lost the popular vote soundly. There is no legitimate evidence of fraud. We need to prove just how strong we are in our opposition to his presidency and, especially, his policies.

Resist.

Dissent.

#StayOutraged

Current Issues / News & Comment

Gag Orders

January 25, 2017

White House tactics straight from the communist handbook

The Short Version

White House tactics, from choosing who gets a seat in the Press Room to gag orders for various government agencies, not only attempts to circumvent the first amendment but employs tactics suspiciously like those used in communist countries in an effort to control information. The White House wants the press to drink the president’s kool-aid or shut up. Dissent from within federal agencies is not allowed.

Looking At The Whole Picture

There are a lot of little parts to this issue, not all of which have received a great deal of play on social media. So, let’s see if we can piece everything together a little bit.

The whole kerfluffle with the press started the week before the inauguration, as rumors spread that the White House Press Corp might be removed from the White House. Given that the press has had a permanent place there since Teddy Roosevelt’s administration, that information didn’t set very well and reporters seemed to be taking out their suspicion on White House spokesman Sean Spicer, who doesn’t take criticism or pointed questions very well. As a result, the then-president-elect went on Fox News and said:

“So we said we’re going to move it to a larger room in a nearby area, but not the same area, and the press went crazy. So I said, ‘Let’s not move it.’ But some people in the press will not be able to get in because there’s just too many. We’ll make sure you get a seat, but there’s too many people for this small room.”

There’s one significant problem with that statement. The president doesn’t choose who has access to the White House briefing room. That is the responsibility of the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA).

The president of the WHCA said over the weekend that the press room “is open to all journalists who seek access now” and that the WHCA will be ” standing up for the rights of a free press to report vigorously on the new administration.”

Consider that the first round of shots fired.

The whole concept of reporters having access to people and the ability for information to be released through various sources isn’t something the new president seems to like, however. He wants to control the entire message to make sure no dissenting opinions are released to the public. This is the same strategy we see employed by communist countries such as China, where state media is strictly under the control of Beijing and dissent is a one-way ticket to prison, or worse.

Then, more shit hit the fan yesterday as the president signed orders effectively gagging various federal agencies. The first one to catch popular attention on social media was against the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The Washington Post reported that, “Employees of the scientific research arm at the Agriculture Department were ordered Monday to cease publication of “outward facing” documents and news releases, raising concerns that the Trump administration was seeking to influence distribution of their findings.”

That article hit social media and was immediately shared nearly 25,000 times on Facebook alone. Such an overwhelming amount of attention managed to wake up someone over at the Department of Agriculture, which immediately went into damage control mode. The USDA then released a new memo stating:

“This internal email was released without Departmental direction, and prior to Departmental guidance being issued. ARS will be providing updated direction to its staff. … ARS values and is committed to maintaining the free flow of information between our scientists and the American public.” (via Reuters)

Problem solved, right? It was all just a misunderstanding.

Uhm, no.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), you know, the folks who make sure our air isn’t as unbreathable as Beijing’s, is not only under a full media blackout, but is prohibited from awarding any new contracts or grants that had already been approved. How bad is this clampdown? So bad that the agency can’t even order janitorial supplies because they’re provided by an outside contractor.

According to the Associated Press, Doug Ericksen, the communications director for the president’s transition team at EPA, said he expects the communications ban to be lifted by the end of this week.

“We’re just trying to get a handle on everything and make sure what goes out reflects the priorities of the new administration,” Ericksen said.

No, that doesn’t sound like communist-styled control at all, does it? Yeah, we’re totally being sarcastic with that question.

Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer of New York said in regard to the EPA blackout: “This decision could have damaging implications for communities across New York state and the country, from delaying testing for lead in schools to restricting efforts to keep drinking water clean to holding up much-needed funding to revitalize toxic brownfield sites.”

Oh, by the way, the levels of lead in the water in Flint, Michigan are just now below federal limits. The EPA probably had something to do with that.

Employees at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) received gag orders similar to those given the USDA. All the agencies affected have something to do with environmental concerns, including effects on natural resources and human health. Given that the 45th president denies the scientific evidence for climate change, the appearance is that the new administration is attempting to stamp out any information that might foster dissent with the president’s grossly uninformed position.

Not everyone is necessarily acquiescing to the White House’s demands. In the face of the gag orders, someone at the Badland’s National Park took to Twitter with some strong environmental facts. The tweets have since been removed, but we managed to snag a screenshot while they were still there.

We don’t expect to see too much of this type of defiance from federal agencies in the future. While the new administration does not yet have secretaries approved for every department, the general fear is that all information, including social media, will have to undergo strict adherence to the administration’s guidelines before it is released.

As I said on Facebook yesterday, conservatives spent the eight years of the Obama administration fearing a socialism that never happened. With these new gag orders and crackdowns on the press, the new administration has brought us communism in less than a week.

If you’ve not yet contacted your members of Congress, we suggest you do so now. Silencing media, in any way, shape or form, is not making America great.

Art / Just For Fun / Photography

#AlternativeFacts: A Mini Gallery

January 24, 2017

Because no one tells lies anymore

#AlternativeFacts became one of the leading headlines over the weekend and we just couldn’t resist the temptation to play with some of our own. While we’ve seen some creative memes, we went more for the obnoxiously overstated. These are some of the most “alternative” facts we could find. All are things we’ve heard said in the past by real people who thought they were being smart. At the time, we thought they were idiots. Now, we find out they were just being “alternative.”

[tg_masonry_gallery gallery_id=”9765″ layout=”contain” columns=”2″]

Art / Current Issues / News & Comment

The Great Art Caper

January 24, 2017

An international crime ring is caught, just like in the movies

The Short Version

Spanish officials announced that they had arrested 75 people who were part of a ring of art thieves. The thieves had stolen over 3,500 pieces of art, many of which had come from countries currently at war. Several different agencies were involved in breaking the ring that had been active all over Europe for several years.

A Little More Detail

Spanish officials are just now letting the world know about a series of arrests that occurred back in November of last year, effectively breaking up a major art theft and trafficking ring that had been active all across Europe. 75 people were arrested and charged with involvement in the ring and over 3,500 pieces of art were recovered. Some of the art had been stolen from museums while others had been looted from countries at war.

This was no small undertaking. The case was known as “Pandora” and not only involved Spanish police, but InterPol, EuroPol, and Unesco, as well as officials from Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Bosnia- Herzegovina, Cyprus, Croatia, Germany, Greece, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Spain, Switzerland and the U.K. Can you imagine all the coordination and effort it took to keep all those different government entities working together? Spanish police should receive some kind of commendation just for organizing the whole thing.

The operation was apparently centered in Murcia, Spain, where some 500 artifacts were retrieved, including 19 pieces stolen from that city’s archeological museum in 2014. One link led to another. Over 48,000 people were interviewed as part of the Pandora project. Archeological pieces were tracked through sales around the globe, many of those sales occurring through online facilities such as ebay.com.

While officials said the Pandora investigation is now closed, UNESCO announced that 92 additional investigations have been opened as a result of the Pandora project. We’re thinking this whole thing is just begging to be made into a movie. Interested, Mr. Spielberg?

What’s the take away in all this? Don’t buy antiquities and art pieces online, dumbass. Buyers are responsible for doing appropriate due diligence before purchasing such work. The number of looted artifacts has exploded with the various wars in the Middle East. If you’re in the market, work only through a reputable art dealer and avoid online purchases.

Current Issues / News & Comment

Party Pooper

January 24, 2017

The US Abandoning The TPP Makes Life Difficult For Everyone

The Short Version

The 45th president of the United States signed an executive order instructing the US to pull out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement, a twelve-nation trade pact that lowered tariffs for imports and opened US-made goods to more markets. The remaining 11 nations have vowed to continue and some have raised the possibility of China stepping into the dominant role.

What’s Really Happening

Global trade pacts can get really confusing, so let me use a fictionalized example to see if we can explain it better.

Imagine that you and 11 of your best buds decide to throw a very large party. Everyone is participating bringing food and drinks. How much one is supposed to bring depends on the family income. The richest family brings the most, and everyone else participates according to their means. Everyone agrees that this method is fair and equitable for everyone and that the party is going to be the best ever. Period.

But then, the day before the party, the richest family backs out. They don’t want to attend the big party at all. Instead, they say they’d rather have 11 different little parties with just one friend at a time.

The 11 other friends are feeling totally bummed. Should they go on with the scheduled party or not?

Then, the really rich family from a couple of blocks over, who no one in the group really likes, offers to save the party by joining the group and bringing even more stuff than the previous rich family.

That’s pretty much the way the whole TPP situation stands at the moment. In case you’re having difficulty determining the players, the US would be the rich family. The other 11 would be Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Mexico, Chile, Peru, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei. China would be the family from a couple of blocks over that no one really likes.

NOW do you get it?

What’s important to realize is that the US was one of the originators of this party and did the lion’s share of organizing the whole thing. To back out at this point is to completely abdicate a leadership role in the trade policies of the region. Furthermore, the new president is making statements that has the other countries unsure they want to attend those private parties. Deals with individual countries would almost certainly set higher tariff rates than what is prescribed in the TPP. Almost all the countries listed depend heavily upon imports to the US as a major portion of their economy.

The party isn’t canceled by the US dropping out, though. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said earlier this morning that he has talked to the 11 other nations and they’re willing to go ahead with the trade pact without the US participating. He also raised the possibility of China joining the pact from which they are currently excluded. However, it is worth noting that should China take the place of the US, several key components of the agreement would have to be re-written, with any favor toward the US being eliminated entirely.

So, be exiting the TPP, not only does the US not get to go to the party, we’re stuck with shitty little side parties and we lose some of our friends entirely.

You might want to contact your members of Congress now. There’s no way this ends well for the US.

Current Issues / News & Comment

Don’t Burn The Toast

January 23, 2017

Butter doesn’t cover the cancer-causing ingredients

The Short Story

Britain’s Food Standards Agency says that starchy foods such as bread, potatoes, and chips, develop a toxic level of Acrylamide when they are cooked too long, ie. burned. The same thing happens to potatoes and parsnips that are kept in the fridge. Cooking the food to a golden yellow, rather than brown, is the safer move. However, the studies done have only included animals, not humans. Proceed at your own risk.

A Little More Detail

Starchy foods contain a lot of sugar, right? And when that sugar is heated above 120°C then it produces the chemical Acrylamide at levels that have shown to be toxic to DNA and cause cancer. No one likes cancer. Cancer kills a lot of people and the last thing anyone wants in their obituary is the line, “She died because someone burned the toast one too many times.” So this is a very, very bad thing.

Maybe.

The lab test have all been done on animals, most of which share a close DNA link to humans. Therefore, it is assumed that the result scientists get in the animals is the same they would get in humans. To be sure, though, they’d have to study the effect on humans. Someone would have to eat a lot of burned toast. Apparently, no one really wants to volunteer for that project, even if it includes a free lunch—of burned toast. So, as of yet, there have not been any tests done on humans. I’m sure you can appreciate why.

However, without the human studies, some scientist say the findings are inconclusive and that burning your toast is probably just fine. Don’t worry about those pesky little carcinogens. The cholesterol from the butter is probably more dangerous.

So, what are we to think?

Here’s the thing: the list of potentially affected foods includes: crisps, bread, breakfast cereals, biscuits, crackers, cakes, and coffee, as a result of the roasted beans.

Wait, COFFEE?? Say it isn’t so! You can take my toast, but you CANNOT take my coffee!

The current recommendation is that you just don’t burn anything, or get it too crispy. That would imply going with more moderate to mild coffee blends as well. That rather sucks for those who like a bold coffee first thing in the morning. Still, I guess that’s better than getting cancer. Barely.

Behind The Scenes / News & Comment

Texas Shootout

January 23, 2017

Another Jewel Heist Gone Wrong

The Short Version

A couple of guys tried knocking over the Kay’s Jewelers outlet in the Rolling Oaks Mall in San Antonio. It didn’t work out well for anyone. One man was killed, one robber was wounded, and six other mall shoppers were wounded as the robbers tried to escape. Both robbers are currently in custody.

How It Happened

Jewelry heists are something of a tradition in Texas, going back well before they were a state. Apparently, some people think that is a tradition worth upholding and considered a mall jewelry store a good target. Never mind that there were security guards all over the place and people all over the mall and, oh yeah, Texas is an open carry state, so a few people are probably armed and anxious to find a fresh target. Best guess is that the would-be robbers thought the mall would be relatively empty and the openness would make for an easy get-away.

Their plan didn’t come off too well, though. When a passerby saw what was going on at the jewelry store, he tried to intervene. Unfortunately, one of the robbers decided to shoot and kill the good samaritan. The firing of shots attracted a lot of attention, including that of another man who was licensed to carry a weapon. He used that weapon, shooting and injuring one of the robbers. That scared the other robber who probably feared other shoppers might be armed. So, he goes running for the closest exit, firing his gun at random shoppers because, hey, it’s Texas; apparently that’s the way it’s done down there. Six more people were injured.

Austin police were on the scene quickly and the robber was captured as he crashed his getaway car. Police found a couple more guns in the car, so there will be plenty of additional charges. There is no word this morning on the condition of the shoppers injured.

This is the second time an innocent bystander has been killed during an act of good-samaritanism in San Antonio. Not a good thing.

But then, this is Texas. They still have that cowboy reputation.

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Blog Archives

Fear at core of Delaware prison rebellion

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Update

What We Know So Far

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Because, you know, we’d never publish real naked people. Never. Period.

Trying to stay current

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You won’t see this on the front page

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First up, about those snakes …

Some problems are slightly larger

People love their pets

Happy Birthday to us!

The preacher was caught bare

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The Supreme Court nominee could backfire on the president

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What We Know Now

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Are you sure you can handle this much cuteness?

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We all want to stay active and alert

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The world begins to push back

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Addressing a problem by creating a solution

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The Full Letter

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Anger at Muslims flows across the border

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A Bit More Detail

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We need to find the beauty in an ugly world

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What if photographers vetted models like the president proposes vetting immigrants?

Is this really necessary

So absurd it’s funny

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Alt, Rogue, and Ungagged Twitter accounts may change more than social media

Side-stepping censorship

Why the sudden resistance?

No #AlternativeFacts here

There is a dark side

Resistance is not futile

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Fashion retail takes another hit

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A massive diesel spill in Iowa highlights a problem

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The Doomsday Clock lost another 30 seconds

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Insults Are Speech But Not Always Protected

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Say What?