But the overwhelming impression is of a crazy old guy with dementia just going on, and on and on in a totally uncontrolled, rambling fashion with zero sense and concept of a message.
when a political party loves power more than anything, it can excuse almost anything.
A perfect storm of bad decisions on both sides, starting with the agents screaming at her and grabbing her door instead of de-escalating by approaching her calmly.
…and I thought the killer would be the substitution of international corporations for national governments.
And AIs will be running the corporations. :) But I think both the AI Boomers and Doomers are overestimating how much change there will be in the next few years. The Boomers are predicting some massive changes for just this year.
"Incident Overview: On January 7, 2026, Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen and mother of three, was fatally shot by ICE agent Jonathan Ross in Minneapolis during an immigration enforcement operation. Evidence suggests she blocked the road with her vehicle, potentially as part of anti-ICE activism, before accelerating forward, leading to the shooting, which federal officials describe as self-defense..."
It seems that what used to be disqualifications are now job requirements for federal agents.
"Video of the shooting, obtained by the Minnesota Reformer, shows a SUV stopped at an angle in the street as a pickup truck with emergency lights on approaches and stops in front of it. Masked ICE agents exited the truck and immediately ordered the woman to get out. As the officers started to pull on the door handles of the SUV, the woman backed the SUV up and then started to pull away, forcing an ICE officer who had stepped in front of the driver-side bumper out of the way. The officer drew his gun and fired three shots in quick succession into the car. The SUV continued down the street a short distance before crashing."
ICE Shoots and Kills Woman in Minneapolis: Video shows ICE officers were trying to pull the woman out of her car when she started to drive away, leading an officer to fire three shots through her window.
Since I dislike listening to political speeches regardless of the speaker's politics, I had Grok do a recap of the speech.
"The approximately 20-minute video shows Zohran Mamdani being sworn in as mayor on the steps of City Hall, repeating the oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution, New York State Constitution, and City Charter. He addresses a crowd in chilly January weather, expressing humility and solidarity with New Yorkers from diverse backgrounds, including immigrants, workers, and those in neglected areas. Mamdani thanks supporters, family, outgoing Mayor Eric Adams, progressive figures like Bernie Sanders (who officiated the oath), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Nydia Velázquez, and commits to serving all residents regardless of political differences..."
Here in North Central Texas, I went for a long, pleasant walk in a t-shirt and jeans on a partly cloudy, balmy autumn day. The temperature is likely to be several degrees over 80 by the end of the day.
"From a Looney Tunes perspective—y'know, where everything's usually total mayhem with anvils droppin', dynamite explodin', and folks yellin' "Th-th-th-that's all, folks!"—here's the primary observations of life in Riga:..."
"From a multiculturalist perspective, which emphasizes the peaceful coexistence of diverse cultural groups, mutual respect for differences, preservation of cultural identities without forced assimilation, and enrichment through diversity (often via dialogue, accommodation, and shared norms), the article portrays Riga as a successful, lived example of multiculturalism in practice..."
"From a capitalist perspective, the article portrays Riga's social dynamics as an efficient, decentralized system for coordinating scarce resources in public spaces, relying on voluntary individual behaviors rather than heavy top-down enforcement..."
"From a communist perspective, informed by Marxist-Leninist principles emphasizing collective solidarity, class consciousness, mutual aid, and the prioritization of communal well-being over bourgeois individualism, the article on everyday life in contemporary Riga reveals several key observations:.."
"From a libertarian perspective, the article portrays Riga's public life as a near-ideal example of spontaneous order and voluntary social cooperation in shared spaces, where harmony emerges without heavy reliance on government rules, enforcement, or top-down planning..."
Using the names of the Democratic politicians referenced in this thread.
Create an image based on the names Barack Obama, Bernie Sanders, Bill Clinton, Cory Booker, Gavin Newsom, Hillary Clinton, Howard Dean, John Kerry, Kamala Harris, and Pete Buttigieg.
Since the topic is Japan-related, here's a video on Japan's declining population numbers and its resistance to immigration. The video is a bit lengthy and overwrought, but it addresses the demographic problems Japan is facing, such as a death rate that is approximately double the birth rate.
"This video explores Japan's unique stance on immigration, contrasting it with global trends and examining the nation's internal challenges. We look at the severe Japanese population decline and the resulting aging population, which are central to current societal pressures. Learn how Japan's birth rate decline and shifting demographics are influencing its politics and future direction amidst global issues."
On “Rememory”
But the overwhelming impression is of a crazy old guy with dementia just going on, and on and on in a totally uncontrolled, rambling fashion with zero sense and concept of a message.
when a political party loves power more than anything, it can excuse almost anything.
Déjà vu all over again.
On “An interesting map”
"Alaska, Minnesota, North Dakota, Vermont, and Washington are the US states with parts that can only be accessed by road through Canada."
US States Accessible Only Through Canada
On “Talarico”
At least with a transcript I can skim and find the things that are worthwhile, and then use that to anchor my further reading.
I just let Grok serve it up for me. :)
Progressive Christianity vs. Christian Nationalism
On “An open thread”
"..., having only his cellphone footage to go by, ..."
There's a reason for LEOs to wear body cams. Had he been wearing one, it might be clearer exactly what happened.
"
A perfect storm of bad decisions on both sides, starting with the agents screaming at her and grabbing her door instead of de-escalating by approaching her calmly.
"
Should be read, and not just left to an LLM to synopsize
I've read some of it.
Grok gives the series good marks with minor quibbles.
AI Critique: Hype, Limitations, Future
Grok 5 is scheduled to drop sometime this quarter. It's reported to be twice as large and 50% more capable than the current model.
"
…and I thought the killer would be the substitution of international corporations for national governments.
And AIs will be running the corporations. :) But I think both the AI Boomers and Doomers are overestimating how much change there will be in the next few years. The Boomers are predicting some massive changes for just this year.
"
A review of the National Review articles.
"Incident Overview: On January 7, 2026, Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen and mother of three, was fatally shot by ICE agent Jonathan Ross in Minneapolis during an immigration enforcement operation. Evidence suggests she blocked the road with her vehicle, potentially as part of anti-ICE activism, before accelerating forward, leading to the shooting, which federal officials describe as self-defense..."
Minnesota Shooting: Controversy and Bias
On “2026, as f**ked up as 2025”
It seems that what used to be disqualifications are now job requirements for federal agents.
"Video of the shooting, obtained by the Minnesota Reformer, shows a SUV stopped at an angle in the street as a pickup truck with emergency lights on approaches and stops in front of it. Masked ICE agents exited the truck and immediately ordered the woman to get out. As the officers started to pull on the door handles of the SUV, the woman backed the SUV up and then started to pull away, forcing an ICE officer who had stepped in front of the driver-side bumper out of the way. The officer drew his gun and fired three shots in quick succession into the car. The SUV continued down the street a short distance before crashing."
ICE Shoots and Kills Woman in Minneapolis: Video shows ICE officers were trying to pull the woman out of her car when she started to drive away, leading an officer to fire three shots through her window.
"
The memes are on the Maduro...
The EU is upset because the water bottle Maduro is holding doesn't have an attached cap.
"
And an opinion about the comments by Steven Miller about this issue would also be welcome.
J. K. Rowling hasn't yet admitted that Miller is the template for her Lord Voldemort character.
"
This is an even-handed review of recent events.
Everything You Need to Know About Nicolás Maduro's Capture
On “Dayyyyum”
Since I dislike listening to political speeches regardless of the speaker's politics, I had Grok do a recap of the speech.
"The approximately 20-minute video shows Zohran Mamdani being sworn in as mayor on the steps of City Hall, repeating the oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution, New York State Constitution, and City Charter. He addresses a crowd in chilly January weather, expressing humility and solidarity with New Yorkers from diverse backgrounds, including immigrants, workers, and those in neglected areas. Mamdani thanks supporters, family, outgoing Mayor Eric Adams, progressive figures like Bernie Sanders (who officiated the oath), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Nydia Velázquez, and commits to serving all residents regardless of political differences..."
Mamdani's 2026 NYC Inauguration Analysis
On “Moving towards Epiphany”
One more year. After the midterms, which Republicans are likely to lose, he'll be a lame duck president for real.
On “An inscrutable Merry Christmas”
Infrastructure measurements.
"
Here in North Central Texas, I went for a long, pleasant walk in a t-shirt and jeans on a partly cloudy, balmy autumn day. The temperature is likely to be several degrees over 80 by the end of the day.
On “Welcome to my world”
:)
"From a Looney Tunes perspective—y'know, where everything's usually total mayhem with anvils droppin', dynamite explodin', and folks yellin' "Th-th-th-that's all, folks!"—here's the primary observations of life in Riga:..."
Looney Tunes Analyze Riga's Quiet Courtesies
"
This could go on and on.
"From a multiculturalist perspective, which emphasizes the peaceful coexistence of diverse cultural groups, mutual respect for differences, preservation of cultural identities without forced assimilation, and enrichment through diversity (often via dialogue, accommodation, and shared norms), the article portrays Riga as a successful, lived example of multiculturalism in practice..."
Multiculturalism in Riga: Subtle Coexistence
"
Riga is all things to all ideologies.
"From a capitalist perspective, the article portrays Riga's social dynamics as an efficient, decentralized system for coordinating scarce resources in public spaces, relying on voluntary individual behaviors rather than heavy top-down enforcement..."
Riga's Capitalist Social Dynamics Unveiled
"
"From a communist perspective, informed by Marxist-Leninist principles emphasizing collective solidarity, class consciousness, mutual aid, and the prioritization of communal well-being over bourgeois individualism, the article on everyday life in contemporary Riga reveals several key observations:.."
Communist Analysis of Riga's Social Norms
"
How libertarianish. :)
"From a libertarian perspective, the article portrays Riga's public life as a near-ideal example of spontaneous order and voluntary social cooperation in shared spaces, where harmony emerges without heavy reliance on government rules, enforcement, or top-down planning..."
Libertarian Insights on Riga's Social Harmony
On “The Wiles Interview”
Using the names of the Democratic politicians referenced in this thread.
Create an image based on the names Barack Obama, Bernie Sanders, Bill Clinton, Cory Booker, Gavin Newsom, Hillary Clinton, Howard Dean, John Kerry, Kamala Harris, and Pete Buttigieg.
"
-
On “Weekend music thread #08 How do you get to Carnagie Hall?”
A more viable alternative.
Fall of Civilizations
"
Since the topic is Japan-related, here's a video on Japan's declining population numbers and its resistance to immigration. The video is a bit lengthy and overwrought, but it addresses the demographic problems Japan is facing, such as a death rate that is approximately double the birth rate.
"This video explores Japan's unique stance on immigration, contrasting it with global trends and examining the nation's internal challenges. We look at the severe Japanese population decline and the resulting aging population, which are central to current societal pressures. Learn how Japan's birth rate decline and shifting demographics are influencing its politics and future direction amidst global issues."
Japan’s Clash With ISLAM Is Escalating — And the Nation Is Saying “NO MORE”
*Comment archive for non-registered commenters assembled by email address as provided.