Occasional Reader 12/4/2022 7:25:42 AM

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Good morning.

BBC headline: “Trump's call for 'end' of constitution condemned by Democrats”

OMG, that horrible Trump! He called for an end to the Constitution! Thanks heavens that brave Democrats are on hand to condemn this!!!

What Trump actually tweeted: "A Massive Fraud of this type and magnitude allows for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution. Our great 'Founders' did not want, and would not condone, False & Fraudulent Elections!"

That is patently NOT a call for the end of the constitution<, rather a WARNING that massive electoral fraud threatens the Constitution.

Lying sacks of sh*t.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-63851751

Occasional Reader 12/4/2022 11:57:46 AM

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buzzsawmonkey 12/4/2022 12:10:54 PM

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Kosh's Shadow 12/4/2022 1:19:37 PM

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Reply to buzzsawmonkey in 3:

As for the rail strike itself, and having the unions forced to go back to work - things are at best going to end with railroad workers resigning and having a hard time recruiting new workers.

The problem is "quality of life" issues. Other than enforced rest periods, workers are on 24x7 call, and CANNOT schedule time off when they would not be on call. The new law allows 7 UNPAID sick days, with 30 day advance notice. So if they know 30 days before they are going to get sick, they can get time off.

This is not a difficult problem to solve using the same mechanisms the airlines use - schedule break time in advance, and make sure there are enough workers not on scheduled breaks by using a first-come-first-served and seniority mechanism to deny some vacation requests. Not a difficult problem, and the railroads are making plenty of money.

buzzsawmonkey 12/4/2022 1:47:24 PM

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Reply to Kosh's Shadow in 4:

I'm not concerned so much with "the money the railroads are making," as with the precedent of the government going full-fascist/soviet in its prohibition of the strike.  And by "the party of the working man," no less.

Kosh's Shadow 12/4/2022 1:50:16 PM

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Reply to Kosh's Shadow in 4:

I quit working on the railroad
All the livelong day
I quit working on the railroad
So to have some time away

Kosh's Shadow 12/4/2022 2:14:46 PM

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In #5 buzzsawmonkey said: I'm not concerned so much with "the money the railroads are making," as with the precedent of the government going full-fascist/soviet in its prohibition of the strike.  And by "the party of the working man," no less.

The railroad unions are upset at Biden and the Dems. It is becoming clear to more and more people that the Democrats are the party of the elite, not the "working man" (or whatever gender//)

CyberSimian 12/4/2022 2:37:38 PM

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In #2 Occasional Reader said: Random thought: it occurs to me that it is perfectly legal, at least, under federal law, to discriminate against people, in things like housing and employment, based on their astrological sign.

I don't think you can discriminate based on age. And technically, their astrological sign is a function of their age.

CyberSimian 12/4/2022 3:00:41 PM

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For some people, astrology is their religion (or a part of it, at least).  Also verboten for discrimination.

Kosh's Shadow 12/4/2022 3:03:46 PM

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Linus Van Pelt Banned from Community Theater for Reciting Bible Verse

Kosh's Shadow 12/4/2022 3:10:23 PM

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As I have said before, there should be a shop that sells pet fish and equpment, "The Age of Aquariums"

OR says there was such a store.

Occasional Reader 12/4/2022 4:52:07 PM

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Reply to CyberSimian in 8:

I don’t really have to explain the difference between those two things, do I? I am, hypothetically, not discriminate against someone for being a certain age. I am discriminating against that person for being a Capricorn.   A Capricorn could be 90 years old, 70 years old, 20 years, old, etc. 

Occasional Reader 12/4/2022 4:53:19 PM

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Reply to CyberSimian in 9:

and, again, different thing. I am, hypothetically, discriminating against someone, not for his or her belief in astrology, but rather for being a Capricorn.

Occasional Reader 12/4/2022 4:59:37 PM

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Kosh's Shadow 12/4/2022 5:18:31 PM

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Reply to Occasional Reader in 14:

When I taught astronomy, first, I hated it when anyone said it was astrology, but I'd also ask about the difference, trying to lead them to realize how science split from superstition.

The two fields were once the same, but split. Kepler was paid as an astrologer. We here recognize that the split was the development of science, rejecting hypotheses that failed. I was trying to show how that happened.

Jukebox 

(Note the line about "why our stars should guide us here")

Kosh's Shadow 12/4/2022 5:19:17 PM

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In #14 Occasional Reader said: As you can see, I really hate Capricorns. 

Just don't hate Geminis - at least hate only one of us////////

CyberSimian 12/4/2022 10:47:16 PM

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In #12 Occasional Reader said: I don’t really have to explain the difference between those two things, do I? I am, hypothetically, not discriminate against someone for being a certain age. I am discriminating against that person for being a Capricorn.   A Capricorn could be 90 years old, 70 years old, 20 years, old, etc.

In #13 Occasional Reader said: and, again, different thing. I am, hypothetically, discriminating against someone, not for his or her belief in astrology, but rather for being a Capricorn.

I understand that’s how you see it. And I don’t disagree. But when you reject someone for being a Capricorn, and they complain to the authorities or take you to court, how will said authorities, or the jury, see it? Were I the Capricorn…

In #14 Occasional Reader said: As you can see, I really hate Capricorns. Why? Because they are such bigots, that’s why! Also, because they are antiscience…

…and, thank goodness, I’m not; these are the bases I’d use to go after you.

CyberSimian 12/4/2022 10:50:39 PM

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In #14 Occasional Reader said: Also, because they are antiscience…

I did notice, on Facebook, a huge overlap between these two groups:

1. Those that smugly spent most of last year claiming that they “believed in science”
2. Those that blamed their problems earlier this year on Mercury being in retrograde