He posted his second request for release on April 16.

‘He had a t-shirt in his hand and a cellphone’

‘He had a t-shirt in his hand and a cellphone’

So, you think you know Galileo? A new book out from Simon and Schuster publishing looks at the life and times of one of the most famous astronomers there ever was: Galileo Galilei. Galileo and the Science Deniers by Dr. Mario Livio not only looks at the life and times of the famous astronomer Galileo, but busts some of the most famous myths surrounding Galileo, and looks at his greatest discoveries and tempestuous clash with the Roman Catholic Church and its aftermath. Livio also connects the science denialism of the day, with comparisons to modern clashes between politics and science.

The post Review: Galileo and the Science Deniers by Mario Livio appeared first on Universe Today.

A few weeks ago, the US telecom industry began pushing a bullshit narrative through its usual allies. In short, the claim revolves around the argument that the only reason the US internet still works during a pandemic was because the Trump FCC ignored the public, ignored most objective experts, and gutted itself at the behest of telecom industry lobbyists. The argument first popped up over at AEI, then the Trump FCC, then the pages of the Wall Street Journal, and has since been seen in numerous op-eds nationwide. I'd wager that's not a coincidence, and I'd also wager we'll be seeing a lot more of them.

All of the pieces try to argue that the only reason the US internet works during a pandemic is because the FCC gutted its authority over telecom as part of its "restoring internet freedom" net neutrality repeal. This repeal, the story goes, drove significant investment in US broadband networks (not remotely true), resulting in telecom Utopia (also not true). The argument also posits that in Europe, where regulators have generally taken a more active role in policing things like industry consolidation and telecom monopolies, the internet all but fell apart (guess what: not true).

Usually, like in this op-ed, there's ample insistence that the US broadband sector is largely wonderful while the EU has gone to hell:

"Unlike here, European networks are more heavily regulated. This has led to less investment and worse performance for consumers for years. American consumers are being generally well served by the private sector."

Anybody who has spent five minutes talking to Comcast customer support -- or tried to get scandal-plagued ISP like Frontier Communications to upgrade rotten DSL lines -- knows this is bullshit. Still, we penned a lengthy post exploring just how full of shit this argument is, and how there's absolutely zero supporting evidence for the claims. The entire house of cards is built on fluff and nonsense, and it's just ethically grotesque to use a disaster to help justify regulatory capture and market failure.

While it's true that the US internet, in general, has held up relatively well during a pandemic, the same can't be said of the so called "last mile," or the link from your ISP's network to your home. Yes, the core internet and most primary transit routes, designed to handle massive capacity spikes during events like the Superbowl, has handled the load relatively well. The problem, as Sascha Meinrath correctly notes here, is sluggish speeds on consumer and business lines that, for many, haven't been upgraded in years:

"Right now, an international consortium of network scientists is collecting 750,000 U.S. broadband speed tests from internet service provider (ISP) customers each day, and we’ve been tracking a stunning loss of connectivity speeds to people’s homes. According to most ISPs, the core network is handling the extra load. But our data show that the last-mile network infrastructure appears to be falling down on the job."

Again, your 5 Mbps DSL line might be ok during normal times, but it's not going to serve you well during a pandemic when your entire family is streaming 4K videos, gaming, and Zooming. And your DSL line isn't upgraded because there's (1) very little competition forcing your ISP to do so, and (2) the US government is filled to the brim with sycophants who prioritize campaign contributions and ISP revenues over the health of the market and consumer welfare. And while there's a contingency of industry-linked folks who try very hard to pretend otherwise, this is a policy failure that's directly tied to mindless deregulation, a lack of competition, and, more importantly, corruption. In short, the complete opposite of the industry's latest talking point.

For years we've been noting how US telcos have refused to repair or upgrade aging DSL lines because it's not profitable enough, quickly enough for Wall Street's liking. Facing no competition and no regulatory oversight, there's zero incentive for a giant US broadband provider to try very hard. Similarly, because our lawmakers and regulators are largely of the captured, revolving door variety, they rubber stamp shitty mergers, turn a blind eye to very obvious industry problems, routinely throwing billions in taxpayer money at monopolies in exchange for fiber networks that are usually only partially deployed -- if they're deployed at all.

Meanwhile, US telcos that have all but given up on upgrading aging DSL lines have helped cement an even bigger Comcast monopoly across vast swaths of America. It's a problem that the telecom sector, Trump FCC, and various industry apologists will ignore to almost comical effect. Also ignored is the fact that this results in US broadband subscribers paying some of the highest prices for broadband in the developed world:

"Numerous studies, including those conducted by the FCC itself, show that broadband pricing is the second-largest barrier to broadband adoption (availability is the first). It’s obvious that if people are being charged a lot for a service, they’re less likely to purchase it. And independent researchers have already documented that poor areas often pay more than rich communities for connectivity. Redlining of minority and rural areas appears to be widespread, and we need accurate pricing data from the FCC to meaningfully address these disparities."

Try to find any instance where Ajit Pai, or anybody in this chorus of telecom monopoly apologists, actually admits that the US broadband market isn't competitive and, as a result, is hugely expensive for businesses and consumers alike. You simply won't find it. What you will find are a lot of excuses and straw men arguments like this latest one, designed to distract the press, public, and policymakers from very obvious market failure. Market failure that was a major problem in normal times, and exponentially more so during a pandemic where broadband is an essential lifeline.

---------------------------------------------------[Sat Nov 26 15:25:44 2016]--
From: (S) ease of well-being  (steph)

Subject: Optimism or denial as mental self-defence

A few things recently have given me cause to consider my response to bad things
happening, and my reactions to other people's responses.  First, there's
Trump's election in the US which is undesirable and directly or indirectly
likely to cause some people harm (although I doubt it'll have any effect on me
personally).  I agree that he's not the best or even a good candidate and I
agree that he has incited prejudiced people to show and act on their
prejudices: people are being hurt.  However, I do not like the stream of
articles saying he's a white supremacist or a Nazi or California should secede
or the Electoral College should choose Clinton, or whatever.  Part of this is
doubtless my contrary streak, but part of it is something different.  I observe
that I am semi-consciously adopting a position that `things will turn out all
right' or `it won't be that bad' because countenancing the opposite is not good
for my mental health.

The other thing is some changes in the wider organisation for which I work;
basically there has been a botched reorganisation which has left most people
unhappy and from what I hear from numerous sources with good reason.  This
doesn't currently affect me much and I don't expect it to because of political
realities.  However, even just having the argument with someone closer to the
failing department (and more likely to feel its direct effects) seems to be
followed by my feeling anxious and depressed.  Again, adopting a constructive
positive attitude (which may appear to others pollyannaish, naive, optimistic,
or just in denial) seems to be a defence I've learned here and I suspect it
helps.  But there's more obviously a risk when I'm more involved than I am in
the US case, namely that my optimism will blind me to dangers that will be to
my detriment.

Does my ornery nature come to the rescue, though?  Perhaps because I'm at heart
a bit of a grumpy sod and only respect authorities when I think they deserve it
my tendency to want to probe and prod and query and dig my heels in may
counteract the defensive optimism.  Or alternatively, I'm optimistic in a
different sense: perhaps I just have confidence that I'll win?

We’ve all heard the statistic that employers only spend a few seconds reviewing your résumé. Now, thanks to technology, artificially intelligent algorithms scan it even quicker. With more than 90% of Fortune 500 companies and over 70% of large employers using Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to help manage their recruitment and hiring processes, making your way […]

The post Is AI rejecting your job application? Here’s how to avoid being digitally denied – and impress once in human hands appeared first on DiversityJobs.com.

  In a year where politicians are promising to make things great again, the same could possibly be said about rock music. Like America, rock may no longer be the center of attention, rock critics constantly looking for a savior to bring rock back into the mainstream. While rock has been great all this time (with great … Continue reading "Car Seat Headrest Review: Teens of Denial"

Seeds planted now will do poorly and yield little.

Her résumé also includes "Brave," "The Book of Life," "Elf," and an eight-year stint as a layout artist during the Disney Renaissance.

The post RIP Denise Blakely Fuller, Matte Painter On ‘Toy Story 3,’ ‘The Book Of Life,’ ‘Hotel Transylvania’ appeared first on Cartoon Brew.

Last Feb. 14, Gov. Cuomo signed the Child Victims Act into law. He did it in the newsroom of the Daily News, because it was this paper that, over many years, spotlighted the wrenching cases of people abused as children, perversely prevented from seeking justice as adults.

Patient Jessica Ellision recalled how she broke down and sobbed Monday when she finally received her medication after a three-hour wait — much of it in the crowded hallway where she feared the other patients might be infected. “It was so intense and so stressful, and you feel like you worked so hard not to be sick, but this is it now — this is how it happens,” said Ellison, 39, of the Bronx.

New findings suggest Neanderthals evolved their unusually broad fingers after they split from Denisovans, just 400,000 years ago.

Lori Loughlin and other parents charged in the college admissions scandal have failed to get their cases dropped with claims the feds withheld evidence and pressured the scam’s leader to lie.

Biden says to MSNBC interviewer Mika Brzezinski that an alleged assault on Tara Reade 'never happened.'

Despite recieving help from the Israeli government in the negotiated release of his 22-year imprisonment, Goldberg remained a vocal critic of Israel and avid supporter of the BDS movement.

The 11 UK citizens left in Peru say they are 'terrified' they won't be put on a flight before the country officially shuts its borders on 22 April

ALAN TITCHMARSH, celebrated and much loved TV gardener, once revealed a genius gardening hack to ensure one of his favourite flowers will grow even better in your own home.

Plainfield Correctional Facility inmates donate fruits and vegetables from their garden to community organizations.

Hindistan da nükleer denizaltısı olan ülkeler arasına katıldı. Hindistan böylece, Amerika Birleşik Devletleri, Rusya, Fransa, İngiltere ve Çin'in ardından nükleer denizaltısı olan altıncı ülke oldu.

McLaren say Ferrari are "living in denial" over their opposition to plans to lower Formula 1's budget cap.

Spring is here, and many of us are practicing social distancing by staying home. If you are fortunate enough to have access to a garden that allows you to keep a safe distance from others, now is the time to […]

The following article, Dem Congresswoman: Biden Allegation ‘Put To Rest’ Because He ‘Went on TV’ And Denied It, was first published on 100PercentFedUp.com.

Democrat Rep. Dina Titus says that the allegations against 2020 Democrat presidential candidate Joe Biden are “put to rest” because he “went on TV” and denied them. Rep. Titus spoke with MSNBC’s Ayman Mohyeldin today about how she believes Biden because he flatly said he didn’t do it and didn’t say he doesn’t remember. It’s […]

Continue reading: Dem Congresswoman: Biden Allegation ‘Put To Rest’ Because He ‘Went on TV’ And Denied It ...

7 May 2020 , Volume 96, Number 3

7 May 2020 , Volume 96, Number 3

7 May 2020 , Volume 96, Number 3

7 May 2020 , Volume 96, Number 3

Lila Iké’s latest single, ‘ I Spy’, is flirty and playful with a sultry tone. It’s the kind of song record labels in decades past would compulsorily conflate with bubblegum pop princess images of lollipops, pigtails, ribbons, and skirts with...