Dave Tait
@davetait.bsky.social
Living in Ottawa, happy and content
So...I just had a thought: Anyone know if Trump ever saw the movie High Plains Drifter, about a stranger who returns to a gold-mining town to rain down vengeance and humiliation on its people...?
...because the plot parallels are striking...
"What if we offered you anything you want?"
...because the plot parallels are striking...
"What if we offered you anything you want?"
November 8, 2025 at 5:56 PM
So...I just had a thought: Anyone know if Trump ever saw the movie High Plains Drifter, about a stranger who returns to a gold-mining town to rain down vengeance and humiliation on its people...?
...because the plot parallels are striking...
"What if we offered you anything you want?"
...because the plot parallels are striking...
"What if we offered you anything you want?"
We usually hear "exemplary" as meaning something is worthy of praise…but its secondary meanings may be more to the point here:
They are establishing a pattern of operations for the future, and are making an example of those who stand up to them now as a warning to others who may dare do so. /1
They are establishing a pattern of operations for the future, and are making an example of those who stand up to them now as a warning to others who may dare do so. /1
November 6, 2025 at 4:20 PM
We usually hear "exemplary" as meaning something is worthy of praise…but its secondary meanings may be more to the point here:
They are establishing a pattern of operations for the future, and are making an example of those who stand up to them now as a warning to others who may dare do so. /1
They are establishing a pattern of operations for the future, and are making an example of those who stand up to them now as a warning to others who may dare do so. /1
So had "Burry" already become the verb "to burry"?
As in, "I had my budget all worked out and then boom, it got burried"?
That was quick...
As in, "I had my budget all worked out and then boom, it got burried"?
That was quick...
November 6, 2025 at 2:28 PM
So had "Burry" already become the verb "to burry"?
As in, "I had my budget all worked out and then boom, it got burried"?
That was quick...
As in, "I had my budget all worked out and then boom, it got burried"?
That was quick...
And this from the AP story above:
/2
/2
November 4, 2025 at 11:56 PM
And this from the AP story above:
/2
/2
Grateful for this -- really interesting and useful.
In following up, I also found this little insight into publishing strategies of the 1930s:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carolin...
In following up, I also found this little insight into publishing strategies of the 1930s:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carolin...
November 4, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Grateful for this -- really interesting and useful.
In following up, I also found this little insight into publishing strategies of the 1930s:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carolin...
In following up, I also found this little insight into publishing strategies of the 1930s:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carolin...
That is, of course, a magic number for Neo-Nazis and their fans, and there were several trades leading up to that week's final close that seemed to target that precise number.
Note in particular the trade at 19:58:33 @ $14.88 for 777 shares. Triple-7 is a South African neo-Nazi emblem. /2
Note in particular the trade at 19:58:33 @ $14.88 for 777 shares. Triple-7 is a South African neo-Nazi emblem. /2
November 4, 2025 at 3:07 PM
That is, of course, a magic number for Neo-Nazis and their fans, and there were several trades leading up to that week's final close that seemed to target that precise number.
Note in particular the trade at 19:58:33 @ $14.88 for 777 shares. Triple-7 is a South African neo-Nazi emblem. /2
Note in particular the trade at 19:58:33 @ $14.88 for 777 shares. Triple-7 is a South African neo-Nazi emblem. /2
There's more reporting on the shocking use of an Auschwitz gate replica on a school's Halloween parade float in Hanover, Pa.
Seems it's maybe artistic overreach, rather than creeping Nazism. Big mistake, but there's an innocence here that deserves understanding.
There but…grace of God…etc... /1
Seems it's maybe artistic overreach, rather than creeping Nazism. Big mistake, but there's an innocence here that deserves understanding.
There but…grace of God…etc... /1
November 2, 2025 at 3:19 PM
There's more reporting on the shocking use of an Auschwitz gate replica on a school's Halloween parade float in Hanover, Pa.
Seems it's maybe artistic overreach, rather than creeping Nazism. Big mistake, but there's an innocence here that deserves understanding.
There but…grace of God…etc... /1
Seems it's maybe artistic overreach, rather than creeping Nazism. Big mistake, but there's an innocence here that deserves understanding.
There but…grace of God…etc... /1
:-(
But what an incredible team, and what an incredible season.
Thank you. Hugely.
But what an incredible team, and what an incredible season.
Thank you. Hugely.
November 2, 2025 at 4:37 AM
:-(
But what an incredible team, and what an incredible season.
Thank you. Hugely.
But what an incredible team, and what an incredible season.
Thank you. Hugely.
So I have a nominee for (Non-Playing) Star of the Series: the Blue Jays dog in one of the Rogers ads who appears as they say "...coast to coast to coast..."
An attempt at credit info below... /1
An attempt at credit info below... /1
November 1, 2025 at 7:32 PM
So I have a nominee for (Non-Playing) Star of the Series: the Blue Jays dog in one of the Rogers ads who appears as they say "...coast to coast to coast..."
An attempt at credit info below... /1
An attempt at credit info below... /1
The McCullin piece also has this with a photo entitled "Homeless Irish man, London, 1969":
'There are social wars on your doorstep. People used to write me letters, saying, “I want to be a war photographer.” I’d say: “Help yourself – it’s in your cities.” ' /5
'There are social wars on your doorstep. People used to write me letters, saying, “I want to be a war photographer.” I’d say: “Help yourself – it’s in your cities.” ' /5
October 31, 2025 at 3:26 PM
The McCullin piece also has this with a photo entitled "Homeless Irish man, London, 1969":
'There are social wars on your doorstep. People used to write me letters, saying, “I want to be a war photographer.” I’d say: “Help yourself – it’s in your cities.” ' /5
'There are social wars on your doorstep. People used to write me letters, saying, “I want to be a war photographer.” I’d say: “Help yourself – it’s in your cities.” ' /5
"What I tell patients a lot of times, is when you’re in a situation where you can’t think whether you should be terrified, think of a wise person who you trust. What would this person tell you in that moment? That helps us remove ourselves from the emotion and be more logical." /2
October 30, 2025 at 6:14 PM
"What I tell patients a lot of times, is when you’re in a situation where you can’t think whether you should be terrified, think of a wise person who you trust. What would this person tell you in that moment? That helps us remove ourselves from the emotion and be more logical." /2
Post a perfect album from 1989, a perfect music year
October 29, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Post a perfect album from 1989, a perfect music year
I taught journalism for a while and gave letter grades on assignments. Early on, I drew up this sheet to clarify for myself what I was saying with each grade. This was NOT shared with students; it was just to help me keep on track. Others may find that composing their own version of this is useful.
![What a grade says to a student:
A+ "I have tears of joy and pride in my eyes!"
A "VERY good! I'm proud of you!"
A- "Surprisingly solid for this stage – good journalistic voice and pretty much precise in format and style, too."
B+ "Good evidence you're actually getting this stuff!"
B "Just about what I'd expect from an average student in this program at this point in the term, having had the instruction that's been given so far."
B- "The right idea, but some pretty basic slips you should
have caught."
[There's an asterisk here that links to a footnote at the bottom.]
C+ "You've covered the basics, but you've been a bit more
careless (or lazy or timid) than is reasonable."
C "Smarten up."
C- "You aren't really trying, are you?"
D+
D Varying degrees of "Quit wasting my time."
D-
Footnote linked to from an asterisk at the C+ level:
* From here down, the comment is tempered if the low grade is in part due to a single large penalty (such as for a typo in a name), rather than the overall merits of the student’s work. That’s why it may be helpful to show what the grade would have been prior to the penalty, enabling the student to both see what they otherwise would have earned – and see the cost of the error. It’s also important to recognize if a student has some intrinsic difficulties or deficits in educational prep prior to the course; in those cases, comments must be couched to show awareness of this, not be discouraging and offer additional help – and/or the grade (or assignment) could be adjusted to take those factors into account, especially at first.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:hqek5tdjqvkfjnq2efwoo77j/bafkreif3jlez6dubfuxo7pexjoqi2lijw3fbzbspxdewgidohbw2a3c7ke@jpeg)
October 28, 2025 at 5:16 PM
I taught journalism for a while and gave letter grades on assignments. Early on, I drew up this sheet to clarify for myself what I was saying with each grade. This was NOT shared with students; it was just to help me keep on track. Others may find that composing their own version of this is useful.
...sigh, the invisible country...
October 24, 2025 at 10:53 PM
...sigh, the invisible country...
So there's this book...
October 20, 2025 at 4:28 AM
So there's this book...
The link takes you to the module's general cover page, but the band of links below that begins with "Introduction" takes you to the material itself. The one titled "The Fate of the Jews, July-August 1941" includes first-person accounts.
Here are two:
/2
Here are two:
/2
October 19, 2025 at 6:16 PM
The link takes you to the module's general cover page, but the band of links below that begins with "Introduction" takes you to the material itself. The one titled "The Fate of the Jews, July-August 1941" includes first-person accounts.
Here are two:
/2
Here are two:
/2
Easy way with a screencap of an article excerpt: post it with a note saying"please ignore"; go to the post and search the pic with Google Lens, then delete the post; go to the pic in Lens, highlight and copy the text; compile the post with the screencap and use the copied text as alt text; post.
October 18, 2025 at 7:29 PM
Easy way with a screencap of an article excerpt: post it with a note saying"please ignore"; go to the post and search the pic with Google Lens, then delete the post; go to the pic in Lens, highlight and copy the text; compile the post with the screencap and use the copied text as alt text; post.
This is incredibly serious:
"These are very remote communities with no roads to cities. The only way to access them is by boat or plane. Right now, they have a lot of people with nowhere to live, and winter is closing in."
Will the Trump Administration just "condemn" these communities? Possibly…
"These are very remote communities with no roads to cities. The only way to access them is by boat or plane. Right now, they have a lot of people with nowhere to live, and winter is closing in."
Will the Trump Administration just "condemn" these communities? Possibly…
October 15, 2025 at 5:06 AM
This is incredibly serious:
"These are very remote communities with no roads to cities. The only way to access them is by boat or plane. Right now, they have a lot of people with nowhere to live, and winter is closing in."
Will the Trump Administration just "condemn" these communities? Possibly…
"These are very remote communities with no roads to cities. The only way to access them is by boat or plane. Right now, they have a lot of people with nowhere to live, and winter is closing in."
Will the Trump Administration just "condemn" these communities? Possibly…
Here's the report's cover. It effectively portrays defiance and courage, but may not serve the report's content well. Inside are sickening descriptions of women being verbally and physically abused and degraded by police acting with impunity. It's 12 pages and worth reading. It may be a preview. /2
October 13, 2025 at 6:43 PM
Here's the report's cover. It effectively portrays defiance and courage, but may not serve the report's content well. Inside are sickening descriptions of women being verbally and physically abused and degraded by police acting with impunity. It's 12 pages and worth reading. It may be a preview. /2
Always fun to catch Trump out, and yes he did talk about stepping across a border…but do you feel you've been told the truth in a helpful way in this paragraph? Do three countries lie between Qatar and Iran? Or are they right next door, a relatively short missile shot or speedboat ride apart? /3
October 13, 2025 at 4:57 PM
Always fun to catch Trump out, and yes he did talk about stepping across a border…but do you feel you've been told the truth in a helpful way in this paragraph? Do three countries lie between Qatar and Iran? Or are they right next door, a relatively short missile shot or speedboat ride apart? /3
Let's pretend we don't have Google and look at maps ourselves. Qatar and Iran do share a border; it's a maritime border in the Gulf, rather than a land border, but it's still a border. Maps also have scales to show distance, as on this one. Just eyeball this one. Closer than the article suggests? /2
October 13, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Let's pretend we don't have Google and look at maps ourselves. Qatar and Iran do share a border; it's a maritime border in the Gulf, rather than a land border, but it's still a border. Maps also have scales to show distance, as on this one. Just eyeball this one. Closer than the article suggests? /2
I'm not going to ident or link to this article because that's not my point. I'm looking at what happens when we outsource our thinking to Google.
Want to know the distance between two places? Plug them into Google Maps! Then report the specific kilometres and hours to gain an air of authority! /1
Want to know the distance between two places? Plug them into Google Maps! Then report the specific kilometres and hours to gain an air of authority! /1
October 13, 2025 at 4:23 PM
I'm not going to ident or link to this article because that's not my point. I'm looking at what happens when we outsource our thinking to Google.
Want to know the distance between two places? Plug them into Google Maps! Then report the specific kilometres and hours to gain an air of authority! /1
Want to know the distance between two places? Plug them into Google Maps! Then report the specific kilometres and hours to gain an air of authority! /1
Fascinating...though it seems this has been used by certain folks today as a How-To guide, rather than a caution...
They've ticked each box here, and blocked the suggested remedy...
They've ticked each box here, and blocked the suggested remedy...
October 9, 2025 at 9:35 PM
Fascinating...though it seems this has been used by certain folks today as a How-To guide, rather than a caution...
They've ticked each box here, and blocked the suggested remedy...
They've ticked each box here, and blocked the suggested remedy...