The Atlanta blame game

An amazingly universal phenomenon strikes politicians of all stripes whenever they are caught flat-footed and unprepared by a storm. See, they couldn’t prevent the storm, so why is the public all bitchy about it? An equally plausible explanation for what happened in Georgia this week is a raging case of right-wing Deficit Obsession Syndrome; the irrational fear that government may have to spend taxpayer money to protect and serve taxpayers. Time to scapegoat gubmint weather scientists! [Read more…]

Getting a job is a job in itself

Activity here has been light because I’m taking getting a job that pays a living wage seriously. Job postings have improved a little bit since the last time I went through this process with the same determination, over a year ago. The kind of jobs I’m applying for are by no means a stretch. My requirements, for now, are it should pay a bare minimum living wage, for me that works out to $15 to $20 an hour. That it be close enough that it’s feasible to get there on time even during rush hour. That’s about it. A few details below. [Read more…]

You think it’s cold?

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Here in Central Texas, we’re suffering under the Killer Glaze of ’14. A light glaze that struck right before morning rush hour and has the city so locked up officials are now advising no one goes on the road if they don’t have to. Elsewhere in the nation there’s real cold. Subzero in some parts of the Midwest and upper Northeast. But oddly enough, up in Alaska, they’re having a heat wave of sorts and it’s serious: [Read more…]

Republicans wade into dangerous waters, again

I’ve been applying for a new job like mad and have been on two promising interviews this week. One for a web publishing position that would fit me like a glove and actually pays a living wage. But today in Texas it is icy and cold, so lets us blog and surf the day away.

There’s much apologizing and spinning over the comments of Mike Huckabee and Rep. Steve Pearce’s (R-NM) memoir, “Just Fly the Plane, Stupid!” Huckabee might have been trying to paint progressives as anti-women but he went way off the rails. Pearce channeled his inner cleric and wrote in his book that women should “submit to their husbands,” and that’s not going over real well, either. I’ve placed the Huckabee video below to avoid auto play issues: [Read more…]

Revenge is a Dinesh best served cold

Like you, I have suffered through the strange career arc of one Dinesh D’Souza. Born into privilege in a third-world country, rose through the ranks of the wingnut welfare system, author of several highly inaccurate books and writer of more terrible columns than I care to recount or remember, Mr D’Souza may be finally be facing some fateful consequences for his many instances of mendacity: [Read more…]

Cosmos series reborn

An old friend will reappear in modern guise in a few weeks. The choice of venue is a little bit controversial in some circles. But Heidi Hammel writing at the Planetary Society makes a fair case for it:

Remember Carl Sagan’s TV show, Cosmos? There is a new version, Cosmos – A Spacetime Odyssey (see its trailer) hosted by Neil deGrasse Tyson on Fox. Wait, why Fox, you ask, aren’t they anti-science? The answer is: indeed Fox – because of the people who watch Fox. These are precisely the people we need to reach if we want to rekindle a fire for space science exploration in the heart of America. The premier episode airs on 9 March 2014. Leverage this: offer to be the host at a Cosmos kick-off event at your local library or middle school; invite your non-astronomy buddies over to watch an episode of Cosmos. Let me know some of your other ideas.