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bolverk

Certifiably Surly
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Everything posted by bolverk

  1. Jumble of thoughts & questions: Has anyone else noticed that the license plates aren't from any US state but, instead, they have a bust of Kier on them? Do they have their own state? Speaking of transportation: What do y'all think about everyone driving old cars and using old computers? Is it just an aesthetic thing? Helena has a nice looking iPhone, so I guess it's not that. The hills have eyes in the goat room. Cold, blue, and ice are definitely in this season. Cold Harbor connection? How big do y'all think the outie resistance is? And I wonder if that's a clue about Helena's choice to pretend to be Helly. As to the purpose of it all: Is this a reincarnation cult? Is that what they're after -- trying to replicate/induce/whatever reincarnation?
  2. @Sbbruin @Foosters It's looking increasingly likely that the powerlines were at fault for the Eaton portion of the disaster, which many already assumed given the video of the fire. I'm sure you guys would like to move on and not dwell on this shit, so I'd completely understand if you don't feel like reading this. Just felt y'all would want the option of knowing. Oh, also, there's an Austin-based lawyer and UT grad who's doing work for some of the victims, whose name is bolded near the bottom. Who knows? This guy might be one of the oodles of attorneys on this site, and the Surly collective could take down Big Electricity in the process. Article spoilered to avoid longcatting the thread.
  3. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/30/us/politics/trump-plane-crash-dei-faa-diversity.html
  4. Geez. You ain't kidding. I just checked the forecast for here early next week. From the NWS:
  5. I posted a screenshot from the NYTimes reporting as much in the other thread.
  6. All you need to know about @raw dog is that a) he's a "new" poster and b) his very first post was in one of the Covid threads.
  7. How would you describe what's going on when the members of a single political party rally around their leader and sing, as a chorus, the tune of "Blame Diversity" with the clear implication that diversity means incompetence? That is a partisan talking point.
  8. Staffing was β€˜not normal’ at airport tower, according to a preliminary F.A.A. report. Staffing at the air traffic control tower at Ronald Reagan National Airport was β€œnot normal for the time of day and volume of traffic,” according to an internal preliminary Federal Aviation Administration safety report about the collision that was reviewed by The New York Times. The controller who was handling helicopters in the airport’s vicinity Wednesday night was also instructing planes that were landing and departing from its runways. Those jobs typically are assigned to two controllers, rather than one. This increases the workload for the air traffic controller and can complicate the job. One reason is that the controllers can use different radio frequencies to communicate with pilots flying planes and pilots flying helicopters. While the controller is communicating with pilots of the helicopter and the jet, the two sets of pilots may not be able to hear each other. Like most of the country’s air traffic control facilities, the tower at Reagan airport has been understaffed for years. The tower there was nearly a third below targeted staff levels, with 19 fully certified controllers as of September 2023, according to the most recent Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan, an annual report to Congress that contains target and actual staffing levels. The targets set by the F.A.A. and the controllers’ union call for 30. The shortage β€” caused by years of employee turnover and tight budgets, among other factors β€” has forced many controllers to work up to six days a week and 10 hours a day. The F.A.A. did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
  9. Fixed it for accuracy because, let's face it, hate is the partisan divide nowadays.
  10. Not just because there was a woman present and she worked for the DoD, but ALSO because there was a gay guy in charge of DoT and maybe also because there are some not-straight-white males working in the FAA. "Diversity, by definition, means incompetence."
  11. And now Ted wants answers.
  12. A few points to be made here: Kim Don Orange and his Party of Small Governmentβ„’ is threatening to yank funding from schools if they don't follow these Central Government mandates. A comment from some "nonpartisan" outfit pushing public funding for private schools states: "we’re not going to have values-neutral schools." Motherfucker, the whole notion of inclusivity is inextricably entwined with the Big Idea of America: it's called D-E-M-O-C-R-A-C-Y, goddammit! You know, everyone is equal and we let everybody decide shit together. That sort of thing (This is why Republicans always go with the lie that we aren't a democracy but a republic. They don't like equality and inclusivity.). These edicts shouldn't have much of an effect in our system with its checks and balances, but we all know that Congress and SCOTUS will roll along with it. I like how the article ends, basically with the hint of a reminder that we don't have to go along with this shit and that, even now, there are ways to resist. With Sweeping Executive Orders, Trump Tests Local Control of Schools The orders seek to encourage β€œpatriotic education” and restrict discussions about racism and gender by threatening to withdraw federal funding. But schools are often resistant to change. With a series of executive orders, President Trump has demonstrated that he has the appetite for an audacious fight to remake public education in the image of his β€œanti-woke,” populist political movement. But in a country unique among nations for its hyperlocal control of schools, the effort is likely to run into legal, logistical and funding trouble as it tests the limits of federal power over K-12 education. On Wednesday evening, Mr. Trump signed two executive orders. One was a 2,400-word behemoth focused mainly on race, gender and American history. It seeks to prevent schools from recognizing transgender identities or teaching about concepts such as structural racism, β€œwhite privilege” and β€œunconscious bias,” by threatening their federal funding. The order also promotes β€œpatriotic” education that depicts the American founding as β€œunifying, inspiring and ennobling” while explaining how the United States β€œhas admirably grown closer to its noble principles throughout its history.” The second order directs a swath of federal agencies to look for ways to expand access to private school vouchers. Both orders echo energetic conservative lawmaking in the states. Over the past five years, the number of children using taxpayer dollars for private education or home-schooling costs has doubled, to one million. More than 20 states have restricted how race, gender and American history can be discussed in schools. States and school boards have banned thousands of books. It is not clear what real-world effect the new federal orders might have in places where shifts are not already underway. States and localities provide 90 percent of the funding for public education β€” and have the sole power to set curriculums, tests, teaching methods and school-choice policies. The orders are likely to strain against the limits of the federal government’s role in K-12 education, a role that Mr. Trump has said should be reduced. That paradox is a β€œconfounding” one, said Derrell Bradford, president of 50CAN, a nonpartisan group that supports private school choice. He applauded the executive order on vouchers and said that taken together, the two orders mark a major moment in the centuries-old debate over what values the nation’s schools should impart. β€œYou can like it or not, but we’re not going to have values-neutral schools,” he said. Still, there are many legal questions about the administration’s ability to restrict federal funding in order to pressure schools. The major funding stream that supports public schools, known as Title I, goes out to states in a formula set by Congress, and the president has little power to restrict its flow. β€œIt seems like a significant part of the strategy is to set priorities through executive order and make the Congress or the Supreme Court respond β€” as they are supposed to in a system of checks and balances,” Mr. Bradford said. The executive branch does control smaller tranches of discretionary funding, but they may not be enough to persuade school districts to change their practices. cont'd
  13. @realgreggym will be shocked!!!
  14. Based on this short piece, it sounds like several Russian citizens were on board, like, a significant share of the passengers. U.S. and Russian Figure Skaters Among Passengers on Crashed Jet Members of the U.S. figure skating community were traveling on the commercial jet that collided with a military helicopter outside Washington. They were returning from a skate camp in Kansas. Figure skaters from the United States and Russia were among the 64 people onboard the commercial jet that collided midair with an Army helicopter and crashed into the Potomac River on Wednesday night outside Washington. U.S. Figure Skating, the American governing body for the sport, said that the skaters were returning from a training camp for top juvenile, intermediate, and novice skaters that follows the national figure skating championships, which were held in Wichita, Kan., over the weekend. Russian figure skaters β€” as well as other Russian citizens β€” were among those on the plane, said the Kremlin’s spokesman, Dmitri S. Peskov. β€œWe are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims’ families closely in our hearts,” said the statement from Alex Schauffler, the communications director for U.S. Figure Skating. As of early Thursday morning, no fatalities had been confirmed. Jon Maravilla, an American pairs figure skater, told RIA Novosti, a Russian state news agency, that there were β€œabout 14 figure skaters on the plane, not counting their parents and coaches.” β€œSuch a tragedy,” Mr. Maravilla said, adding that he did not want to give their names. U.S. Figure Skating did not confirm the number of its members on board and did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Russian state news agencies also reported that three former figure skaters from Russia were on the plane. The U.S. national championships are held annually in different cities around the country. Leading up to the competition, skaters must compete in qualifying rounds at regional competitions. U.S. Figure Skating was founded in 1921 and is based in Colorado Springs. It comprises both amateur and professional skating clubs and has almost 900 member clubs. β€œWe are heartbroken to learn that figure skaters, along with their families, friends and coaches, are understood to be among those on board,” the International Skating Union said in a statement. β€œOur thoughts are with everyone affected by this tragedy. Figure skating is more than a sport β€” it’s a close-knit family β€” and we stand together.”
  15. Wordle 1,321 2/6 πŸŸ¨πŸŸ¨πŸŸ¨β¬›πŸŸ© 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Connections Puzzle #599 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟨🟨🟨🟨 🟦🟦🟦🟦 πŸŸͺπŸŸͺπŸŸͺπŸŸͺ πŸ™‚ Daily Quordle 1102 7️⃣6️⃣ 4️⃣5️⃣ m-w.com/games/quordle/ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜🟨🟨 ⬜⬜⬜⬜🟨 🟩⬜⬜⬜⬜ 🟨⬜⬜⬜🟩 ⬜⬜⬜🟨⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜🟨 ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜🟨 ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟩🟩🟩⬜⬜ 🟩⬜🟨⬜🟩 ⬜🟨⬜⬜🟩 ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜🟩⬜⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩⬜🟨⬜⬜ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
  16. AND the East Palestine train derailment AND the recent LA fires.
  17. Talking heads on TV are reporting the military says the Blackhawk was on a routine training flight out of Davison AAF.
  18. I listened to a good chunk of that air traffic audio recording, and I couldn't understand hardly anything anyone said. I sure hope ATC & pilots have better audio than what I heard. Of course, they've got a shitload more experience listening to the radio chatter than I do.
  19. Good catch. Edit: Different source and different stat.
  20. I haven't verified it but just read that this will likely be the deadliest aviation accident in the US since 9/11.
  21. Got a link for that news story or at least whose tweet you copy/pasted?
  22. Despite governor's pardon, [CONVICTED MURDERER & PROBABLE PEDOPHILE] Daniel Perry faces misdemeanor for driving into crowd of protesters The former Army sergeant pardoned by Gov. Greg Abbott for murdering a Black Lives Matter protester will go back on trial for a lesser charge. Daniel Perry was driving for Uber when he got into an altercation with Garrett Foster, fatally shooting him in downtown Austin in 2020. Perry was convicted of murder in 2023, but was pardoned by the governor last year. Travis County prosecutors convinced a grand jury that Perry's use of his vehicle during the incident endangered bystanders. He now faces a deadly conduct charge. The case is being handled by Travis County Attorney Delia Garza's office. It said it does not comment on ongoing cases. Judge Carlos Barrera confirmed he dismissed a motion by Perry's attorneys to drop the charge Tuesday night. Perry’s attorneys had argued the charge is vague and that he’d already gone on trial for the incident. Doug O'Connell, one of Perry's attorneys, wasn't available for comment Wednesday afternoon. If convicted, Perry faces up to a year in state jail and a $4,000 fine.
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