This isn't quite what I generally advocate for (which is a Minimum Basic Income), but it sure as hell is in the...

This isn't quite what I generally advocate for (which is a Minimum Basic Income), but it sure as hell is in the right direction. It is cheaper to give people what they need than to try to figure it out.

Originally shared by Boing Boing

The cost-effective way to help the "chronically homeless" pay for their housing.

... and the pruning begins.

I'm too warm. There's a window open, and it is still like 72 degrees in here. This is ridiculous.

I'm too warm. There's a window open, and it is still like 72 degrees in here. This is ridiculous.

I'll be complaining --- much, much more bitterly -- the opposite direction in a few hours.

Still, can't sleep.

I find myself intellectually disagreeing with this article, while finding it surprisingly emotionally appealing:

I find myself intellectually disagreeing with this article, while finding it surprisingly emotionally appealing:
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/03/02/why-our-children-dont-think-there-are-moral-facts/?_r=0

Maybe this is a copout, but i think there is one moral truth, and with it one responsibility: Human good counts, and we shoudl strive to improve it. As a corollary, as the nerdfighters might say, reduce world suck. This is something similar to a utilitarian categorical imperative. 

Everything else -- whether its All Men Are Created Equal, the wrongness of cheating, or the relationship between security and freedom -- is in support of this.

Now, granted, I'm not sure that's what we should be teaching. Because I'm not sure it will create the best people, which is the point of schools. Maybe we should be teaching children that there are moral truths -- slavery and murder are wrong, one person one vote, all that good stuff.

But, then, I think there are different levels of truth. And that what we teach should be careful lies, designed to create the right sort of people.

If we're not careful in our lies, then we'll wind up telling schoolchildren the wrong lies.

And that would be wrong.

Edit: Something occured to me. I even disagree with his definition of fact. While there is a "universe", and in that universe there are or are not aliens, from where we sit it is only conjecture. That is, I'm such a subjectivist that I do think facts change from observer to observer.

Watching Robocop (2014).

Watching Robocop (2014).

Ten minutes in, I'm pleased. They've made the moral claim, and avoided too much on screen bleeding. And the Ed-209 is still ridiculous.

I've been given the letter..... D (by Misha B )

I've been given the letter.....  D (by Misha B )

Something I hate.... dementia, and the loss of self found when individuals lose their minds.

Something I love...democracy in action; that wikipedia over Britannica proves the wisdom of a million (with, perhaps, a reduced capacity panel of oligarchs to help with the worst disagreements) is stronger than the wisdom of oligarchs. 

Somewhere I've been... Delaware. I've camped there several years running, and totally forgot until now.

Somewhere I'd like to go... Denmark? Sure.

Someone I know...  Dianne Harris

And DC is closed tomorrow.

And DC is closed tomorrow.

This is both a positive and a negative. Positive: My office is closed, and I am to work from home. No commute!

Negative: I have nothing to do.

So ... snow day?

Also, you poor, poor bastards going to NJ in three days. Good luck.