Daily review 13/01/2020

3 comments on “Daily review 13/01/2020 ”

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1. Dennis Frank 1

   13 January 2020 at 6:14 pm

   ""The synergistic extension is really wild," said Jarod Rollins of the United States' MDI Biological Laboratory."

   https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/world/2020/01/mutations-could-let-humans-live-for-500-years.html

   "They've discovered a "double mutant" technique, when applied to nematode worms, makes them live five times longer than usual." And, "the two pathways which the mutations sit on are also present in humans."

   Only five more centuries of boomer supremacy to go… 🤣
2. Dennis Frank 2

   13 January 2020 at 8:28 pm

   You could call it the clown theory of politics. Not just Boris & Donald, but also the professional comedian who leveraged his role a president in a tv sitcom to standing for the presidency of the Ukraine and winning the election. Blogger Morgan Godfery writes about it: "After almost a decade in media and politics I can tell you one thing with certainty. If you give the voters a joke option, it’ll win every time." https://thespinoff.co.nz/books/09-01-2020/bunch-of-clowns-morgan-godfery-on-the-unfunny-jesters-who-rule-the-world/

   Not funny? Dunno. Two sides to that. Funny that the voters prefer clowns nowadays. Not so funny to those who aren't amused.

   His "essay is extracted from new essay collection Public Knowledge: Radical Futures and is heavily abridged. Godfery goes on to argue for a revolution by degrees". Boiled frog as revolutionary? Inventive. The source text seems to be free-range (no chooks featured being headless, one hopes): https://www.projectfreerange.com/rf-2-public-knowledge/

   "It’s no coincidence that 7 Days is the most popular political show on television." Well, that would be because people like fun. Not rocket science. So why do other tv current affairs shows seem designed to bore viewers to death? Back in the '90s I spent a year cutting stories for Paul Holmes and his show never got turgid. Again, not rocket science. Just keep supplying interesting views & opinions. Elementary.

   "In Against Democracy Jason Brennan argues most political questions are too complex for most voters to comprehend. We mistake our adaptive preferences for common sense. Our status quo bias helps maintain support for inefficient policies. And some of us are just irredeemably stupid. This is how we get Trump. In other words: can we trust ourselves with democracy? In a trite sense the question is a fair one. I make ideological claims and assumptions all of the time that evidence and events expose as nothing more than wishful thinking. But the answer to that apparent stupidity, contrary to what Brennan insists, is not a technocracy. Instead it’s a stronger public knowledge."

   But Morgan, the notion that the media ought to better inform the people is idealism! They are businesses! They have to make money! So they must keep telling most people what they want to hear!

   I know, I know, don't tell me. Not rocket science. I was hoping not to have to say it a third time. 🙄 Fortunately he ends with a whimper so no need for a 4th…
   • soddenleaf 2.1

     14 January 2020 at 5:03 pm

     The party machine chose and backed Trump and Johnston. Voters given the choice of being fedup once again, with more of the same, chose to vote for them. Accept it. The reasons are plentiful, winter election, lower wage electorates stayed home due to lacklustre labour leadership. Trump won by playing in inequities in the electoral college, and simple better data, etc.

     The question for mps, congress, etc, is do they want the results of their representation. Climate change, corp greed feeding yet more big brother control on liberty. The answer is yes, because their parties want to push clowns up the totem pole. So change the party by joining up and vote progressives in.

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