Tom

7 digital libraries you can visit from your couch https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/19/us/digital-libraries-from-your-couch-trnd/index.html

In such condition there is no place for industry, because the fruit thereof is uncertain, and consequently no culture of the earth, no navigation nor the use of commodities that may be imported by sea, no commodious building, no instruments of moving and removing such things as require much force, no knowledge of the face of the earth, no account of time, no arts, no letters, no society, and which is worst of all, continual fear and danger of violent death, and the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short. Hobbes; Leviathan

I've read at least one article where "grab 'n go" was the plan... The Ohio restaurant/bar closures are only for 'dine in' - you can still order carry out (for the locations which provide that option).

On the plus side, at least we only do this every 4 years. We have to deal with Christmas every year.

But then the main event starts... It doesn't end until November.

One more over with...

Like the GOP managed to stop Trump in 2016? I'm certainly not a fan of Sanders, but I strongly suspect he's tapping into the same vein that got us Trump in the first place. People aren't happy with the way things have been and offering "more of the same" isn't going to be a strong contender. Almost the standard rule of advertising, you have to be offering "NEW! and IMPROVED!" or you're just background noise. Trump is guaranteed neither defeat or victory in 2020, but if the Democrats want to win they're going to have to offer more than "I'm not Donald Trump" as their central campaign theme. Not being a registered member of either party, I'm just waiting for the Dems to stop playing musical chairs so we can move on to the main event.

Thanks for the laugh -- but you're making me miss HC and some of the games we were in even more...

I'd have to dig for the books again, but I believe the axes were also for fighting under very specific conditions where other weapons were essentially useless (either in a hyperspatial tube or while inertialess). It's been a while...

That is one of the most desirable traits in a salesman. The ability to convince your prospective customers that you truly believe in what your selling. I haven't heard many people accuse Trump of not being a salesman. (the type of 'salesman' they might be describing him of being is a different thing entirely...)

Hmmm, Caleb doesn't strike me as the wine sort. Maybe he should experiment with beer. It's probably closer to his budget -- but herding supers, he might be better off going straight to Scotch...

Things are... I haven't posted in forever either. I moved into a management position a few years back and my job pretty much ate my life. Not really sure how much of it is left, other than work, sometimes. And a snippet doesn't tell you as much as you think it might, not without additional snippets and context to flesh it all out. FWIW, my first marriage lasted a couple/few years. We were both young and I was in the Navy is the short version and I can only know my own perspective, blurred by the passage of time. My second marriage has lasted more than 26 years now. Roughly a year ago I learned I have a son from my first marriage that my ex-wife never told me about. And a granddaughter. And a daughter-in-law and three additional grandchildren. And then it gets complicated... I'm not the most active correspondent (especially not with the holiday stupid season in full swing), but I'm willing to give you an outside perspective from someone who has been through a few trials and tribulations and is somehow still putting one foot in front of the other.

Unfortunately, life happens. I've got a couple of things sitting unfinished in files myself, and they're nowhere near as long or involved.

Darn, all caught up and now I have to wait. It's like being in the service again.

Sometimes I wonder if the thing really getting Trump's goat is Obama's tweet in response to Charlottesville is more popular than anything he's ever sent. (Just to take a step back from more serious concerns -- well, serious to us)

Maybe by the history books, though I'm thinking the comparison to someone's cranky grandpa that they're always having to apologize for will probably be most likely. Right now he's more aptly compared to an unruly toddler turned loose in a room full of dangerous and/or fragile objects. It's funny in a cartoon. In the real world, not so much.

If I think too much on it, I'm left with the impression that the political class and media are trying to play chess and Trump is playing Calvinball...

My fingers hurt just thinking about what that'll feel like in a weapon with serious recoil...

Given it feels like just about everyone feels let down by existing parties everywhere to at least some extent, I find my self wondering what it would take to even attempt to pull off what the media thinks Macron and the LREM are likely to do in France. Yes, the US and France have different systems. We're comparing apples to oranges at best. Still, the LREM was supposedly formed slightly more than a year ago (I think I saw 14 months in an article). The French National Assembly is 577 seats and there is a belief that the LREM could win ~400 (they need 289 seats for a majority) after the second round voting this weekend with a number of their candidates being complete novices. I'm getting most of my news on this from the BBC, though I've read articles in both The Economist and on CNN's website. If a group wanted to make even a comparative attempt, just how much of a logistical nightmare would it be to field a valid candidate in every US House seat in 2018.

First DC movie I've seen in the theater in a long time. My wife was annoyed by the platform leg armor, but a strong showing none-the-less. (I thought they did a pretty good job hiding heels myself...)

The testimony isn't the big deal today. The question is whether or not the WH staff can keep Trump off of Twitter, and if not, does he 'twit' himself in the foot. Again. Or: again and again...

With all the buildup and hype going into the upcoming Comey testimony, this has the potential to be either the most emotionally unsatisfying damp squib EVER or the political equivalent to a themonuclear explosion. If I didn't have to work, I'd almost be tempted to get a Twitter account so I wouldn't have to wait for the media to publish Trump's response - cuz you know he'll be watching with thumbs at the ready... (Unless his staff can figure how to keep him distracted and away from his phone 'til it's over and done with)

Short disclaimer, my exposure to counter-terrorism and trying to differentiate between guerrilla warfare and terrorism are years in the past. However, one of the main goals of terrorism is to undercut the populace's confidence in the institutions of government with the intent of weakening the government. Following the attacks in London, the leaders of the free world sent messages of support and sympathy to the people of London and offers of solidarity and aid to the British government. Donald Trump tweeted a snark attack at the Mayor of London... http://www.cnn.com/2017/06/03/politics/donald-trump-london-travel-ban/index.html Regardless of what his intent may have been, who did that support?

Fear? At the end of the day, it's just one more thing that can kill you. People die in car wrecks rather routinely, no ill intent (or even alcohol) required. People blowing themselves up in crowded areas is rather less common, but sadly, nothing really new. I see you bowed out of the thread a bit lower down, but I'm going to address this anyhow. Not letting someone change your life (when that is, in fact, what they are attempting to do) is not the same as letting your guard down. However, being in a security field, I consider constructive paranoia to be an everyday job function. There have always been people who have no compunction in harming others to achieve their aims. There have always been people who have been willing to harm others because they view their victims as being weak or somehow less than they are and not worthy of respect. To believe you will never be in the path of one of these people is to cross your fingers and hope. The question becomes what steps are you willing to take in order to protect yourself. Regulate the internet? Certainly an option, but you can't just regulate the terrorists because you don't know who they might be. You have to regulate everyone which creates its own problems. The security protocols of the internet aren't there to allow terrorists to communicate outside of the government's reach, it's so businesses can make money. Not that most people are going to be that crazy about 'big brother' listening in on their conversations either. Build a wall and hunker down behind it while protecting our stuff? Kick out everyone who doesn't look or think like 'us'? Sounds even less practical than trying to regulate the internet. Control immigration? From what I've seen so far, most of the attacks which have been made have been carried out by naturalized citizens who came to the country their attack was carried out in as a child or by people who were actually born in the country in question. Immigration seems to be a barn door that's well past closing. A better question might be to ask why are people willing to kill themselves while taking as many of their 'enemies' with them as possible?

Double post. I blame Microsoft. (hey, everything can't be the fault of either Obama or Trump)