Obsidian Wings

an interesting person

by russell

Stumbled across this interview with Barbara Liskov in the news feed.  Liskov is an important presence in the history of computing for her contributions in areas like type theory, but mostly for her very pragmatic insights into how to structure a code base so that working with it doesn't lead to insanity and an early death from alcoholism.  (slight joke, but only slight).  She has bubbled up into the general consciousness of the software development community due to one of her papers being dragooned into support for one of the latest of software development's maniacal fad diets. But, I digress.

I thought the ObWi community might enjoy this because (a) she's a very intelligent person, and it's always a pleasure to listen to intelligent people think out loud, and (b) she touches on topics that are generally of interest here: software development, the realities facing gifted women trying to make their way in technical (or any) fields, and the emergence of the internet and its effects on society.

Hope you find it interesting!

Enjoy 

Sodom and Sarcasm

by Doctor Science

I don't seem to have talked about it here before, but last year (5779) I leveled up significantly in my Jewish practice by reading the Torah portion (Parsha) every week, and discussing it on Twitter under the #ParshaChat hashtag (usually on Wednesday evenings, though it was on Thursday last week).

Last week's parsha was Vayeira (Genesis 18:1 - 22:24) , which includes the destruction of Sodom. In thinking about Vayeira last year, I realized that there's an interpretation in which everyone's behavior makes a lot more sense and is more relatable than in the interpretations that have been standard for, um, well, thousands of years. Despite the incredible weight of tradition that's against me, I kind of think I'm right:

The men of Sodom are asking for ID, and Lot replies with a sarcastic pun. Nothing in this is actually about sex, it's about immigration, about how you treat outsiders.

Note: the following includes discussions of rape, abuse, and homophobia. Take care of yourself.

Sodom and Gomorrah (1920) by Henry Ossawa Tanner, the first African-American artist to achieve international fame. (image source)

Nothing really matters, anyone can see, Nothing really matters...

by Ugh

BREAKING:* In June 2019 President Trump pointed a loaded gun at a National Security staffer and attempted to pull the trigger, only to be thwarted by his substandard hand-size.  This according to a White House transcript released today in response to a whistle-blower complaint that, quote, "the President tried to murder someone."  The White House transcript reveals "POTUS then raised the weapon mere feet from XXXXXXX's head and attempted to fire (POTUS was heard grunting and seen sweating profusely), only POTUS' index finger was not long enough to provide the necessary leverage.  YYYYYY staff then calmly disarmed POTUS who was heard shouting 'I'll kill you you son of a b-----!'"

Responding to these revelations, GOP Congressman Jim Jordan stated "What's the problem here?  Did someone get murdered?  No. Even harmed?  Not at all.  And who is this staffer anyway?  He was likely a national security threat POTUS was trying to personally neutralize.  Also, I heard the whistle-blower once talked to a Democrat, so there's obvious bias.  And it's not like there is any evidence the President was shouting 'I'll kill you you son of a bitch' or something similar, is there?  This is all a scheme by Hunter Biden, and what about Hillary?"

.......

We're all gonna die.

*Not really

Starlight and Gravity

by JanieM

Surely it's time for something completely different.

I went to an event tonight featuring the authors of the recently published book Proving Einstein Right: The Daring Expeditions that Changed How We Look at the Universe. The book was written by S. James Gates, professor of physics and math at Brown (among various other simultaneous careers) and Maine novelist Cathie Pelletier. They worked on this book together for IIRC five years, and only met each other in person about a month ago.

It’s a long story, and I didn’t take notes, but the gist is something like this: Cathie Pelletier ran across some old typed interviews of people, or people who were related to people, who were involved in the quest to test Einstein’s theory of gravity by tracking starlight during a total eclipse of the sun. Then she saw this commercial, and emailed Jim Gates out of the blue with her idea for a book about the whole thing. And thus this amazing collaboration was born.

I haven’t read the book yet but will pick it up next time I'm at B&N. I'm looking forward to dipping back into some physics for non-physicists – I haven’t done that for a long time.

Cathie’s novels are great too – sweet and funny and down to earth, a nice (and hopeful) antidote to real life as we're currently experiencing it. Most of them are set in the fictional town of Mattagash, Maine, modeled on the town of Allagash, waaaayyyyy up north, where Cathie grew up and is now living again after many decades and adventures elsewhere.

For the record, the eclipse where Dyson and Eddison finally proved that gravity deflected light was in 1919, 100 years ago this past May.

Open thread.

I can't believe this is happening to me....

by Ugh

Between my sons playing Little League and the Nationals, I think I've, I, er, I may have become a, uh, baseball fa-

NO I CAN'T SAY IT!!  

Over to you, Mr. J. T.

:-)

Open thread (naturally).

On the view from under the bus

by liberal japonicus

First of all, a couple of people have said hi to me in the comments, so hey back and apologies for not being in the flow to answer.

The title refers to the following
Johnson throwing the DUP under the bus
Bolton throwing Rudy under the bus
followed by Sondland doing the same

It seems so bizarre that I find myself smiling for things that Boris Johnson and John Bolton did. But I guess that's where we are. Brexit and impeachment observations welcome.

Professor (!) John effing Yoo

by Ugh

My former law Professor (!) John Yoo* appeared on Fox News to espouse certain views on what the "framers" (or "founders") would want w/r/t impeachment within one year of an election (shocking conclusion: they wouldn't approve!!!).  I'd say this is blatant nonsense, even for an "originalist." (though judges/justices/lawyers say certain subjects are beyond their expertise (national security comes to mind), and yet they all believe themselves expert historians...).

Prof. (!) Yoo is, of course, infamous for legally approving torture as a member of the DOJ's OLC using the tried and true method of "start with the conclusion my boss wants and reason backwards."  I imagine he thought this would curry him favor with the GOP to obtain an eventual Supreme Court nomination, where he wouldn't have to justify his legal reasoning (he once said in class that he would never want to be a judge, but he'd be happy to be a Supreme Court Justice - balls and strikes y'all).  

Not sure where I'm going with this other than to say that Yoo's legal and political approach as a "lawyer" or "legal scholar" seems to be akin to what someone on unfogged noted w/r/t Yoo after I'd described my experience as a law student with him - as the banality of evil.

In sum: someone needs to end up in prison for abuse of power in the U.S. of A., not that I'm hopeful.

*And of course the paper of record gave him recent op-ed space... (trigger warning: reason link).

Heard something about a debate

By liberal japonicus

 

Posting from my iphone, let’s see if that makes a difference. Knock yerselves out. 

A Profile in Courage. Not.

by wj

“He’s not a war hero. He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren’t captured.” – Donald Trump on John McCain

It appears that our Leader has found a way to avoid having people captured: run away. In keeping with his own approach to military service, I suppose. (Well, at least he didn't require them to, officially, come down with bone spurs before leaving.)

First, after a call with Turkish President Erdogan, Trump decides to pull back from the Syrian/Turkish border. Thus abandoning our Kurdish allies to the invasion/ethnic cleansing that Erdogan has long desired. (That, after all, is why those few dozen US troops were where they were – to provide a trip wire which would keep the Turks from attacking the Syrian Kurds.)

Of course, the Turks went whole hog once they got the chance. Indeed some US troops were attacked with artillery . . . to the point where they considered shooting back in self defense. Perhaps even enthusiastically, given that they were pretty unhappy at being ordered to abandon allies already.

And then, the remaining US troops’ supply lines were being cut, which would have resulted in them being, essentially, captured. Can’t have that (see the quote on McCain above.) So now Trump has decided to withdraw all US troops – otherwise known as running away. This after the Defense Department had been assuring everyone Friday that our pull back from the border didn’t mean that.

Trump's initial move had everybody thinking that America's word was perhaps worthless (like his own) when it came to alliances. Now, anyone with two brain cells to rub together (whether the Israelis or the South Koreans or the Europeans -- not to mention the Russians) has to be thinking: Suspicions confirmed. It's going to take a lot of years, and multiple administrations from both parties, to repair this damage. If it can be done at all before everyone alive to watch has died.

Constitutional Calvinball

by Ugh

So Congress, you didn't put the croquet basketball malleting to the uprights and now the Trump Administration can neener neener your impeachment kangaroo court thingy.

This is not the Constitutional Crisis you're looking for.  

Nearly 63 million effing people voted for this sh1tshow.  

I give up.