from Lars Syll • Mind the assumptions — assess uncertainty and sensitivity. • Mind the hubris — complexity can be the enemy of relevance. • Mind the framing — match purpose and context. • Mind the consequences — quantification may backfire. • Mind the unknowns — acknowledge ignorance. Andrea Saltelli, John Kay, Deborah Mayo, Philip […]
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Despite Donald Trump facing a slew of legal problems, there is still a slight chance of the former President posing a threat to American democracy. read now... On this week’s Lever Time: David speaks with a leading expert in airline history and regulation; and discusses the shadowy power wielded by our country’s largest law firms.
Imagine that Politico provides us with some data about mail in and early voting that proves Donald Trump is a total fool: If there was any doubt Donald Trump’s vilification of early voting is only hurting the GOP, new receipts from the midterm elections show it. Election data from a trio of states that dramatically expanded the ability to cast ballots before Election Day, either early or by mail, demonstrate that the voting methods that were decidedly uncontroversial before Trump do not clearly help either party. Lawmakers of both parties made it easier to vote by expanding availability of mail and early voting in a politically mixed group of states: Vermont, Kentucky and Nevada. The states had divergent results but shared a few key things in common. Making it easier to vote early or by mail did not lead to voter fraud, nor did it seem to advantage Republicans or Democrats. In Kentucky, Republicans held on to five of the state’s six congressional districts and a Senate seat. Both Vermont and Nevada saw split-ticket voters decide statewide races, by a gaping margin in Vermont and a narrow one in Nevada.
It is actually hard to eat "enough" vegetables when eating out too often, for reasons I'm not sure I fully understand, but if you cook at all it really isn't hard!
4 strategies for eating more vegetables: Start by not overthinking itI suppose I'm blessed with not being at all picky (I like nice food but I can eat whatever), but my secret to eating vegetables is I like them.
"The pandemic is over." No, it's very not.
The Australian Liberal party has responded to polling showing that they are not popular with the youth of Australia by announcing a new initiative, the Dutton Youth. ”We understand that the youth of Australia are not connecting with us and... Read More ›
This is Hope HICKS texting with who I believe is Ivanka’s chief of staff Julie Radford, concerned that Trump has made them all appear to be “domestic terrorists.” Redford agrees.
“Alyssa looks like a genius,” Hicks says about Alyssa Farah Griffin’s decision to leave admin early. pic.twitter.com/lXExpESDlg
Kevin McCarthy capitulated to the crazies yesterday and agreed to reinstate the “vacate the chair” rule with a compromise that would allow five Representatives to challenge the Speaker and call for a vote (a sort of “no confidence” move.) This rule was in place for decades allowing only on Rep to call for the vote but was withdrawn after wingnuts decided to abuse it. Now they want it back and McCarthy, for obvious reasons, has not been receptive. But finally he came up with this compromise which … didn’t help. There are still a whole bunch of nos (the last I saw was it was 14) against his for speaker. And they all have different demands. Meanwhile, the so-called “moderates” (which simply means they’re only 50% batshit crazy) are starting to get restive as well. It’s a mess. Harry Enten at CNN has an analysis of poor Kev’s current troubles. The problem is that nobody likes him: House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy is hoping all’s well that ends well when it comes to becoming speaker of the chamber.
With Russian armies attacking into Ukraine, many have assumed Taiwan faces a similar threat from Mainland China. Similarities exist. Over Ukraine, Moscow mainly attacked because the Kiev government refused to honour the promise to grant autonomy to pro-Russian districts. Over Taiwan, Beijing has threatened to use force because the government in Taipei refuses to accept Continue reading »
In how we respond to allegations of genocide, there are double standards and hypocrisy in Washington, London, Ottawa and Canberra. We keep hearing allegations about Xinjiang but we never hear about Khalistan’s genocide, or human rights abuses. Many people have died, allegations of HR abuses persist and Indian media talks of “deradicalisation”. There is documented Continue reading »
The state of decline of the Federal Liberal Party revealed by its 2022 election review is so serious that even people who hope it never achieves power again should ask themselves whether it is in Australia’s interest that it be allowed to continue in its death spiral. The party, as such, is in no immediate Continue reading »
Treasury may consider the news media professional standards test is adequate, but hopefully the Communications Minister Michelle Rowland and her department think differently. In its November report on the first year of the News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code, the Treasury concludes that the registration tests for news businesses have, overall, worked effectively. Continue reading »
Benedict XVI’s life and papacy was a mixed blessing for Catholicism. I actually have a letter personally signed by Joseph Ratzinger. It was the last in a three year-long correspondence between the then Congregation (now Dicastery) for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) and myself focusing on ‘errors’ in my 1997 book Papal Power (London, Continue reading »
In recent months governments around the world, including ours, have been striving to reach agreement on “protecting nature”. The UN summit held in Montreal aimed at reaching a global deal to secure the protection of 30 per cent of the planet by 2030. This would involve investment in ways to achieve conservation of 30 per Continue reading »
What are the Australian people doing about their archaic and undemocratic Constitution? Australia has participated in several questionable wars in recent years that resulted essentially from the decision by the PM rather than the federal Parliament. Amazingly, the Prime Minister’s position is not even mentioned in the Constitution. It is pertinent now to ask what Continue reading »
The US military has been showering CNN’s retiring Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr with effusive thanks and praise for her lifetime of service, giving some insight into the cozy working relationship between the media and the war machine inside the US empire. “Today closes a remarkable career for CNN’s Barbara Starr, a leader in the Pentagon Continue reading »
He blamed the anti-abortion zealots for the mid-term loss That’s a very big mistake and it makes me think that he really has lost a step. By this time he should know that this is a very important part of his base and fundamental to the Trump Cult. He’s right, of course. But that doesn’t make it smart in his political position to say it, especially so crudely. He used to understand that. Sure, he’s made mistakes on this issue before, by saying that he thought people who have abortions should be punished, but that was a mistake in favor of extremism. That’s always forgivable to the wingnuts. (They approve of killing doctors, after all.) But to blame the extremists for losing and saying they didn’t bother to vote once they got their way is a major error. He’s never been good at nuance but you’d think he would remember that this is a third rail in GOP politics. He’s losing it.
Here's a few ideas that might help you have a go at playing instruments without making any big financial commitment:
Here's a few ideas that might help you have a go at playing instruments without making any big financial commitment:
The "architecture graveyard" is alive and well