City, Daily Bread, Foul Creatures, Politics, Populists, Trolls
Daily Bread for 3.19.23: Extreme Populism Presents as Trolling
by JOHN ADAMS •
Good morning.
Sunday in Whitewater will be sunny with a high of 39. Sunrise is 6:58 AM and sunset 7:06 PM for 12h 08m 02s of daytime. The moon is a waning crescent with 6.7% of its visible disk illuminated.
There will be a candidate forum for Whitewater’s municipal judgeship at 1 PM at City Hall.
On this day in 1918, the US Congress establishes time zones and approves daylight saving time.
There are times, and this is one, when one would rather be wrong than right. A careful and repeated discussion at FREE WHITEWATER of the excesses of populism must have seemed, to some, overwrought. When describing extremes from other places, residents in Whitewater could sincerely, if mistakenly, reply that those extremes would not — could not — appear in Whitewater.
For those who doubted: seeing is believing. A mere description of a hyena might seem exaggerated; to see that scavenger with one’s own eyes, however, is doubtless an unsettling sight to those who formerly doubted.
At its most immoderate, populism presents as trolling, as writing and speech deliberately offensive or provocative. A few characteristics of these populist trolls appear below.
Emotional. Tense, edgy, and thin-skinned, they’re vulnerable to slights real and imagined. How odd: all these supposedly big, bad, butch guys quickly screaming that they’ve been insulted. Our forefathers argued and debated acerbically as they built a civilization across a continent. These sorry populist types have conniptions after even mild criticism.
The Most Talkative Are the Least Articulate. The ones who speak or write (as they have a right to do) are less skilled in their native language than those who sit behind the scenes. It’s the opposite of professional sports. Rather than the best among their number rising to the top, the worst of their ilk do so.
Hypocritical and Projecting. They accuse others of what they habitually (and gleefully) do.
Political Even When Avowedly Apolitical. Populism is a political movement, often with those of limited educational or moral formation. (If they knew more, they wouldn’t be populists, let alone trolls.) History, religion, law, economics are expressed, if at all, only though the populist’s feelings and desires.
Unwilling to Accept Traditional Refutation (Even from Ideological Allies). If on the left, they’ll accept no criticism, even from others on the left. If on the right, they’ll accept no criticism even from others on the right. Populism is an emotional form of politics, and the extreme populist will not see to reason even from professionals (doctors, lawyers, engineers, etc.) who are are otherwise ideologically similar. (Has someone done a study on how populists fare in long-term relationships? Supposition: they wind up in family court more frequently than non-populists,)
(Added afternoon 3.19) An Inverted Burden of Proof. While reasonable people respect the requirement that those who assert must prove, the populist turns this principle on its head by insisting that others must disprove his or her claims. The populist will insist that he or she represents a majority (usually a huge majority) while offering no proof of a majority position, or other numerical claims (biggest this, most that, everyone knows, etc.). This failure to adhere to a recognized burden of proof comes from ignorance (doesn’t know basic principles of evidence), indolence (too lazy to learn basic principles of evidence), or incompetency (rare cases evincing a lack of reasoning ability).
Insatiable. Can’t stop, won’t stop.
Feet or Throat. I’ve previously quoted Churchill’s use of an old expression to describe the disposition of the populists (especially the ones who descend into trolling):
Churchill, quoting a saying of others, once remarked to the U.S. Congress that
The proud German army has by its sudden collapse, sudden crumbling and breaking up, unexpected to all of us, the proud German army once again proves the truth of the saying “The Hun is always either at your throat or at your feet.”
So it is with populism: split in both outlook and in demeanor.
Note well: When a hyena starts chewing on your throat, it does no good to offer that foul creature some ALPO® as a substitute.
Long overdue — International criminal court issues arrest warrant for Russian president Vladimir Putin:
Daily Bread, Facebook, Language
Daily Bread for 3.18.23: Declaration, Persuasion, Narration
by JOHN ADAMS •
Good morning.
Saturday in Whitewater will see scattered flurries with a high of 27. Sunrise is 7:00 AM and sunset 7:05 PM for 12h 05m 06s of daytime. The moon is a waning crescent with 14.1% of its visible disk illuminated.
The Polar Plunge returns to Whitewater today at the Cravath Lakefront.
On this day in 1990, in the largest art theft in US history, 12 paintings, collectively worth around $500 million, are stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston.
People speak and write for many reasons. A few broad reasons come to mind. Speech can be declarative, persuasive, or narrative. There is nothing special about a typology like this — there are many tried-and-true typologies. (Aristotle, for example, famously divided persuasion alone into one of three kinds: logos, ethos, pathos.)
In the first case, someone speaks to make a statement. The declaration may be well or poorly received, but at bottom the goal is to speak or write what one believes. Much speech is like this.
In the second type, one speaks to persuade. Persuasion may involve converting others to one’s position, or to prevent others from abandoning one’s current position. In either case, the speaker’s goal is to move someone to action (or prevent action the speaker considers undesirable).
The third type, narration, is the rarest of all. Here one simply recounts events. Biases are unavoidable, but someone sincerely narrating tries to be as unbiased as possible (that is, to succumb to as few biases as possible).
In an intense cultural conflict, of the kind that brings people out to protest, persuasion and narration wither, and only declaration remains.
Futile statements in a culture war are statements from one side telling the other side to stop, be quiet, go away, etc.. By the time it’s a culture war, one side is not about to listen to the other. A faction may relent from exhaustion, but neither side will relent solely from the arguments of opponents.
Facebookers digging into the other side on these topics may declare poorly, and they persuade never. Fair enough to speak one’s mind; delusional to think others will yield for having done so. When someone think he needs to win an argument now, he should be reminded that now will have passed away by the time that very word is spoken.
Honest to goodness, disputants should resonate some sense. There may be a possibility of persuading a few uncommitted people, but the other side on these questions will not be persuaded once the conflict has begun.
Those who are apoplectic over every single moment will decline into chronic apoplexy after dozens, scores, or hundreds of those moments.
The mystery of the disappearing lymphocytes:
Conspiracy Theories, Courts, Daily Bread, Elections
Daily Bread for 3.17.23: Offer and Acceptance (It’s Acceptance or Rejection that Matters)
by JOHN ADAMS •
Good morning.
St. Patrick’s Day in Whitewater will be cloudy with a high of 34. Sunrise is 7:01 AM and sunset 7:04 PM for 12h 02m 11s of daytime. The moon is a waning crescent with 22.5% of its visible disk illuminated.
The City of Whitewater Common Council Whitewater Aquatic and Fitness Center Subcommittee meets at 10 AM.
On this day in 1776, the British Army evacuates Boston, ending the Siege of Boston, after George Washington and Henry Knox place artillery in positions overlooking the city.
When candidates run for office, they attract supporters desirable and undesirable. A few undesirables are bound to show up. It matters afterward how the candidate reacts. For former justice Dan Kelly, now running to return to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, that reaction is an embrace:
A right-wing activist who planned several “stop the steal” protests and was on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021 attack has spent the month of March in Wisconsin campaigning on behalf of conservative state Supreme Court candidate Daniel Kelly.
Scott Presler, a Virginia native with a long history of right-wing extremism, called the Jan. 6 attack, “the largest civil rights protest in American history,” and has posted on social media about coming to Wisconsin to campaign with several local Republican groups. He’s appeared with the Republican Women of Waukesha County — a partisan group which drew attention in 2020 for giving a standing ovation to Kyle Rittenhouse’s mother at an event — and the Kenosha County Republican Party.
“March is dedicated to Wisconsin,” Presler tweeted in late February.
On March 15, a Kelly fundraising event in Brookfield listed Presler as the “special guest.” On March 12, the right-wing radio host Vicki McKenna posted a photo on Twitter of herself and conservative Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Braldey with Presler at an Ozaukee County Republican Party event. Kelly replied to the tweet, thanking the trio for their work helping his campaign.
There was no steal. Biden carried Wisconsin and the nation.
For Kelly, the problem is not a supporter’s offer, it’s his own acceptance that tells the tale.
Rejection of the offer would have absolved Kelly of blame; acceptance of the offer enmires him in a conspiracy theory.
Shark in the water: This robot can collect 21,000 plastic bottles in a day:
Cats, Faraway Places, Science/Nature
Friday Catblogging: The Corsican ‘Cat-Fox’
by JOHN ADAMS •
For years, scientists have wondered if striped cats on Corsica were a distinct species:
Turns out, they are:
The elusive striped “cat-fox” familiar mostly to Corsican shepherds and as a source of intrigue to scientists, is indeed its own species specific to the French Mediterranean island, the French office for Biodiversity (OFB) announced Thursday.
New genetic analysis has “revealed a unique genetic strain to the wild cats” found in the remote forest undergrowth of northern Corsica, it confirmed.
Genetic sampling clearly distinguishes the ring-tailed Corsican cat-foxes from mainland forest felines and domestic cats, said the OFB in a statement.
While resembling house cats in some ways, the cat-fox earned its name from its length—measuring 90 centimeters (35 inches) from head to tail—and its distinct black-tipped, ringed tail.
Other distinguishing features include the stripes on the front legs, “very dark” hind legs, and a russet stomach. The dense, silky coat is a natural repellent for fleas, ticks and lice.
….
But it has long been part of local folklore.
“The cat-fox is part of our shepherd mythology,” Carlu-Antone Cecchini, head of the forest cat mission at the National Hunting and Wildlife Office, now part of the OFB, told AFP in 2019.
City, Daily Bread
Daily Bread for 3.16.23: These Tense Times
by JOHN ADAMS •
Good morning.
Thursday in Whitewater will see scattered showers with a high of 44. Sunrise is 7:03 AM and sunset 7:02 PM for 11h 59m 15s of daytime. The moon is a waning crescent with 34.6% of its visible disk illuminated.
The Whitewater Unified School District will go into closed session shortly after 5:15 PM, to reconvene thereafter into open session. Whitewater’s CDA meets at 5:30 PM, and there will be a Strategic Planning Session/Retreat for Councilmembers and City of Whitewater Management Staff at 6:30 PM.
On this day in 1935, Hitler orders Germany to rearm herself in violation of the Treaty of Versailles. Conscription is reintroduced to form the Wehrmacht.
These are tense times for Whitewater, exacerbated with an upcoming election. It would suit the community well to avoid coming apart at the seams.
Serious issues confront the city, of course, but a sound maxim as always: the hotter the temperature, the cooler the person.
See James Webb Space Telescope’s view of Wolf-Rayet star WR 124 in stunning 4K:
Courts, Daily Bread, Elections, Wisconsin
Daily Bread for 3.15.23: The Wisconsin Supreme Court Race, Three Weeks Out
by JOHN ADAMS •
Good morning.
Wednesday in Whitewater will be partly sunny with a high of 46. Sunrise is 7:05 AM and sunset 7:01 PM for 11h 56m 19s of daytime. The moon is a waning crescent with 45.7% of its visible disk illuminated.
Whitewater’s Parks & Rec Board meets at 5:30 PM.
In 44 BC, the assassination of Julius Caesar takes place on the Ides of March.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court race is a national topic. At the New York Times, Reid J. Epstein reports In Wisconsin, Liberals Barrage Conservative Court Candidate With Attack Ads. Epstein’s reports on the cost of the race and the state of play, three weeks out.
In the last three weeks, the Protasiewicz campaign has spent $9.1 million on television advertising, and outside groups supporting her have spent $2.03 million, according to AdImpact, a media-tracking firm.
The imbalance on Wisconsin’s television airwaves is even greater than the spending figures suggest.
Because the Protasiewicz campaign is able to buy television advertising at about one-third the rate of independent expenditure groups, she alone has broadcast more than three times as many TV advertisements in Wisconsin as the pro-Kelly groups combined, according to AdImpact’s data.
….
The election is already the most expensive judicial race in American history, with at least $27 million spent so far on television alone. A 2004 contest for the Illinois Supreme Court previously had the most spending, at $15 million, according to the Brennan Center for Justice.
(Emphasis added.)
While Justice Kelly promised that the cavalry was on the way, it’s unclear whether it will be enough to turn the tide of the battle.
Only one national organization has spent anything on television to support the Kelly campaign: the super PAC Fair Courts America, which is backed by Richard Uihlein, the conservative billionaire. So far in the general election, Fair Courts America has spent $2.3 million on TV ads. This week, it began a further $450,000 in statewide radio advertising, but the group has not yet committed to investing more in the race, according to a person familiar with Mr. Uihlein’s decisions who was not authorized to speak publicly.
Wisconsin’s municipal clerks began placing absentee ballots for the Supreme Court election in the mail this week, and in-person ballots can be cast starting next Tuesday. Private polling conducted by officials on both sides of the race shows Judge Protasiewicz with a lead over Justice Kelly in the mid-to-high single digits. Mr. Voelkel [spokesman for the Kelly campaign Ben Voelkel] disputed that Justice Kelly was trailing but declined to reveal the campaign’s figures.
Three weeks is a long time, and it’s possible to come from behind, as then-judge, now justice, Brian Hagedorn knows from his 2019 campaign.
See also Influence of the Wisconsin Supreme Court Race, On and Off Campus.
Albino Deer in Washburn County, Wisconsin:
Courts, Daily Bread, Elections, Local Government, School District
Daily Bread for 3.14.23: Influence of the Wisconsin Supreme Court Race, On and Off Campus
by JOHN ADAMS •
Good morning.
Tuesday in Whitewater will be sunny with a high of 33. Sunrise is 7:07 AM and sunset 7:00 PM for 11h 53m 24s of daytime. The moon is a waning gibbous with 56.8% of its visible disk illuminated.
Public Works Committee meets at 6 PM.
On this day in 1794, Eli Whitney is granted a patent for the cotton gin.
Kelly Meyerhofer and Hunter Turpin report Will college voters turn out in Wisconsin Supreme Court race 2023?:
The Gordon Dining Center voting ward on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus usually draws about 50 voters in spring primary elections.
But this February, 515 voters cast their ballots there, according to turnout data from the city of Madison clerk’s office. Other campus-area voting wards reported similarly high voting rates. A dorm along Lake Mendota reported 39% turnout.
Those are the numbers Democrats are banking on for April 4, when liberal candidate Janet Protasiewicz and conservative candidate Dan Kelly face off in a race that will determine control of the state Supreme Court.
The matchup is already the most expensive state Supreme Court race in U.S. history and carries enormous policy stakes. The race will likely determine the fate of abortion rights, voting rights and legislative maps that have kept Republicans in control of the Legislature for more than a decade.
One replies with an answer and a question: They will turn out, but will this affect down-ballot races? However the Supreme Court race goes, Judge Protasiewicz will carry System campuses decisively. No question there.
The only question is whether that decisive college vote in her favor will influence local, contested races. To achieve a down-ballot result requires industriousness and effective communication. Those traits may be present in some campus communities, but they will not be present in all.
Chicago River Glows Green for St. Patrick’s Day:
Daily Bread, Food
Daily Bread for 3.13.23: You Must Be Kidding, Dinner Edition
by JOHN ADAMS •
Good morning.
Monday in Whitewater will be cloudy with a high of 29. Sunrise is 7:08 AM and sunset 6:59 PM for 11h 50m 28s of daytime. The moon is a waning gibbous with 67.7% of its visible disk illuminated.
Whitewater’s Planning Board meets at 6 PM.
On this day in 1930, news of the discovery of Pluto is announced by Lowell Observatory.
Over at the Washington Post, there’s an account from a troubled civilization. A reader writes to the Miss Manners etiquette column about a dinner invitation.
The account:
Dear Miss Manners: About once a month, we go out to dinner with another couple and always have a good time. We tend to order roughly the same things — one drink each, no desserts unless it’s a special occasion — so we just split the bill.
We were surprised, but fine with it, when they suggested that we should eat at their house next time instead of going out. We’ve all been doing a lot of creative cooking during the pandemic, and I offered to host the following time.
We had a nice meal — but then they told us what our share of the cost would be! I’m in shock that our friends would be so stingy as to charge us for eating at their own home. We thought they were close friends!
From the reply:
There is, indeed, a huge difference between a restaurant and a home. Or rather, there should be. But the habit of eating in commercial establishments has resulted in all but obliterating the meaning of private hospitality.
….
Your friends have carried this to a crude extreme. To anyone who remembers the ancient tradition of hospitality, this is sad. Planning and overseeing entertainment were a pleasure that people enjoyed taking turns doing. The claim that it put all the burden on the hosts was false because reciprocity evened it out.
Miss Manners might have been inclined to make this point by asking your friends whether the price they quoted included the service charge.
It’s a confused expression of friendship to ask private guests for a portion of a meal’s cost, but it is — truly — a great story to tell others. I’ve never had this happen, but it would be worth the experience to be able to say, “you’ll never guess what happened last week when we went to dinner…”
Metal fence stands no chance against fleeing gator in Florida:
Music
Monday Music: Louis Jordan & his Tympany Five, Choo Choo Ch’Boogie
by JOHN ADAMS •
Adventure, Daily Bread, Nature, Photography, Wisconsin
Daily Bread for 3.12.23: These Towns Go Dark to See Starlight
by JOHN ADAMS •
Good morning.
Sunday in Whitewater will be cloudy with a high of 35. Sunrise is 7:10 AM and sunset 6:58 PM for 11h 47m 33s of daytime. The moon is a waning gibbous with 76.5% of its visible disk illuminated.
On this day in 1933, Franklin Roosevelt addresses the nation for the first time as President of the United States. This is also the first of his “fireside chats.”
These Towns Go Dark to See Starlight:
Here in Wisconsin, we’ve a dark sky park at Newport State Park in Ellison Bay, at the top of the Door peninsula. Our youngest and I were last out there in the fall, and we will be back again when the galactic center is visible for longer periods in the evening. Devil’s Lake State Park is also a fine spot, and closer to Whitewater.
While Whitewater is visibly brighter at night than Newport, there are opportunities here to stargaze and also to test one’s gear for trips farther afield.
Bobcat strolls in, lounges on dog bed:
A bobcat lounges on a dog bed in San Manuel home Mon. The homeowner, who found it upon returning from work, suspects it entered through an unlocked doggie door. The bobcat escaped before an officer arrived. Don’t handle entrapped/hurt wildlife yourself. Call 623-236-7201 ASAP. pic.twitter.com/zcQFD4m08h
— AZ Game & Fish Dept (@azgfdTucson) March 7, 2023
Adventure, Daily Bread, Technology
Daily Bread for 3.11.23: Surf, Skate, Snowboard, and Work All in One Day
by JOHN ADAMS •
Good morning.
Saturday in Whitewater will be cloudy with a high of 36. Sunrise is 6:12 AM and sunset 5:56 PM for 11h 44m 44s of daytime. The moon is a waning gibbous with 84.6% of its visible disk illuminated.
On this day in 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declares the COVID-19 virus epidemic a pandemic.
Surf, Skate, Snowboard, and Work All in One Day:
Two Volcom executives face a day-long challenge: an attempt to surf, skateboard, and snowboard – all while working and collaborating with their global team. See how the Dell Latitude 9330 laptop, powered by Intel vPro®, keeps them connected and productive. Sponsored by Dell Technologies & Intel®
Beijing skies engulfed by sandstorm, pollution:
Daily Bread, Economy, Employment
Daily Bread for 3.10.23: National Labor Market Stays Strong
by JOHN ADAMS •
Good morning.
Friday in Whitewater will be cloudy with a high of 36. Sunrise is 6:13 AM and sunset 5:55 PM for 11h 41m 50s of daytime. The moon is a waning gibbous with 91.1% of its visible disk illuminated.
On this day in 2000, the Dot-com bubble peaks with the NASDAQ Composite stock market index reaching 5,048.62.
Lauren Kaori Gurley reports Economy adds 311,000 jobs in February, reflecting ongoing labor market strength (‘The job gains came in lower than January’s eye-popping numbers but the figure beats economists expectations’):
The economy churned out 311,000 jobs in February, reflecting impressive labor market strength more than a year into the Federal Reserve’s fight to cool the economy.
….
The resilient labor market comes as a blessing for many workers, affording many the ability to switch into better jobs and negotiate raises over the past year and a half. Average hourly wages rose by 0.2 percent between January and February. Overall pay is up 4.6 percent from a year ago, to an hourly average of $33.09 an hour.
However, the Federal Reserve could use the labor market’s strength to justify raising interest rates at a more aggressive pace than outlined just months ago, which Federal Reserve Chair Jerome H. Powell talked about while testifying before Congress earlier this week.
Inflation has fallen since reaching 40-year-highs last summer, but prices remain well above normal. A new inflation report to be released next week will provide more clarity on whether the Fed has made enough progress to continue slowing interest rate hikes.
The strength of the labor market is largely being propped up by booming consumer demand for services and experiences coming out of the pandemic. Some of the largest job gains in February were in leisure and hospitality, retail trade, government, and health care. Employment fell in information, transportation, and warehousing.
How to Pack a Spacecraft: Science Payload on Earth Science Mission Heads to India:
City, Film
Film: Tuesday, March 14th, 1:00 PM @ Seniors in the Park, The Fablemans
by JOHN ADAMS •
Tuesday, March 14th at 1:00 PM, there will be a showing of The Fablemans @ Seniors in the Park, in the Starin Community Building:
Drama
Rated PG13; 2 hours, 31 minutes (2022)
Loosely based on Steven Spielberg’s childhood growing up in post-World War 2 Arizona, from age 7 to 18. A young, impressionable Sammy Fableman explores how the power of movies helps us see the truth about ourselves and others. Starring Michelle Williams, Judd Hirsch, Paul Dano and Seth Rogan. Nominated for 7 Oscars, including Best Film, Screenplay, Music, Actress and Actor.
One can find more information about The Fablemans at the Internet Movie Database.