I know that people are expending a lot of energy explaining Trump voters to people like me. I wonder if anyone is expending any energy explaining people like me to Trump voters. Has anyone tried to write something to explain why we are so angry with this situation? I haven't seen it, but I confess I haven't gone looking for it, for the reason stated above: I can't spend too much time engaged with the news or I waste too much energy on rage.
So anyhow, listening to the "Emergency North Korea update" portion of the latest episode of Pod Save the World made me feel less at risk here in San Diego. I am so angry for the people of Guam, but I guess they are unfortunately used to hostile message from North Korea. What is new is the feeling that our President is making things worse.
The fact that the South Koreans and Japanese aren't freaking out makes me think that someone in our government (not our President) is successfully communicating in a way that is helpful. The lack of clarity about what our policy actually is can't be helpful, though. I assume that at some point the rest of the world will adjust to the fact that the United States essentially has no fixed foreign policy and start stepping up and trying to solve problems without us. Long term, maybe that gets us to a more stable world than the pre-Trump situation. I don't know. But the transition to a new world order is sure scary.
Anyway, I feel better when I feel like I've done what I can to mitigate risks, so I've read the advice to get as many walls between you and the outside as possible in the event of an attack, and I've read about how if you're caught outside you should shower right away but not use conditioner. And I read the CDC's info about potassium iodide and decide that it is cheap and Amazon has one of the FDA approved sources, so why not add it to our emergency kit? I'm old enough that I probably don't need it, but my kids aren't.
Yes, this mess has officially turned me into a prepper. Another thing I can't think about too long lest I descend into a blind rage.
So anyway. On to other things.
This Vox article about how the really rich are hoarding economic growth is upsetting. But I guess it explains why super rich people like the Mercers and the Kochs and Steve Wynn are willing to spend so much money to make sure things to change.
I could link to all sorts of things about that Google jerk, but I assume you've probably read all about it. Here's some related things you might not have seen:
I like Joan Williams and Marina Multhaup's analysis of why engineering has such a problem with diversity.
Here is Sara Wattcher-Boettcher with some good thoughts on why this matters even if you don't work in tech.
And Zeynep Tfecki has a good thread on the topic that starts here:
Look, tech problem isn't just discrimination against women+minorities. It's hostility to ESSENTIAL skills that/because many engineers lack.— Zeynep Tufekci (@zeynep) August 9, 2017
This is a nice post about representation from the mother of a child who uses assistance communicating.
OMG, this sculpture. I want to see it next time I go to New Zealand.
Here's some cute bunnies.
— うさぎ島の写真bot (@rabbit_isle_bot) August 11, 2017
BIG MLEMMY pic.twitter.com/tZEEDeBTAu— a gentlemlem (@tarocco_bun) August 10, 2017
And a rabbit joke!
8 rabbits, aka 1 rabbyte pic.twitter.com/ot3Dz4u1hv— yan (@bcrypt) August 10, 2017
I can't think of a better way to end. Happy weekend, everyone.
Fellow new-prepper, I've addressed potassium iodide in our link love this week too. Where I am we'll likely have plenty of warning before it's necessary, assuming it's North Korea and not China, but I don't trust this administration to have its act together in time. I remember Katrina. So, $14 for way more pills than we'll need seems pretty reasonable.
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