Waltzing on the altar

Here in Okieland we seem to have entered the annual August/September heat/cool roller-coaster. 112º indices today, cooling a bit with a return of the heat-hammer by upcoming mid-week.

In Freya's mailbox . . .

Robbie Robertson, the chief composer and lead guitarist for The Band died in Los Angeles yesterday at the age of 80 after a long illness. A history of The Band is underlined by the Martin Scorcese documentary “The Last Waltz” in 1978. Jog your memory or expose yourself to the last recorded moment from the film.

Speaking of films: “Barbie” has joined the one-billion-dollar film club.

I don't care if you and 100% of your church membership believe that Jesus wants to build a nuclear reactor in your back yard promising that it will be safe 51 days out of 100, starting today and each day thereafter, your neighbors will not let you do it. And, it might be worth recalling that Jesus never did anything in secret.

The “majority rules” does not rule in science. In science, we need 999.9 validity and reliability for our ontological assertions, and even then there is a recognized one chance in a thousand that what you think is going on is just flat wrong. When conservatives posture that “you can look anywhere you want, as long as you don't look in that corner,” every reasonable mind will immediately look into that corner and post their findings.

Speaking of safety and secrecy: If we want the future of AI to protect civil rights, advance democratic ideals, and improve people’s lives, we must fundamentally change the incentive structure.

And, Jack Smith's latest filing notes that the Speedy Trial Act exists as much to vindicate the public’s rights as it does to protect the defendant’s. – Joyce Vance