Every age needs its heroes

Dunkin’ Sugarplum Macchiato review: I drank purple coffee so you don’t have to

Not that desperate—yet

Judge says no to digging up remains of President Harding

Ski spat

Swiss slopes buzz as those of neighbors sit idle in pandemic

 The discord among countries during the worst pandemic in a century cuts across issues of health, business, economy, culture and wellbeing. But it also violates one of the key tenets that the World Health Organization promotes to help fight COVID-19: solidarity.

Scandal! It just keeps on selling

‘Scandalous’ 1st Christmas card up for sale

In the foreground, a young girl is pictured taking a sip from an adult’s glass.

Raised such an uproar it took three years to publish another one. No kidding. 

[Picture at the link.]

The fascinating fix we're in

ACLU Sues Government Over Secret Purchasing of GPS Data

That raises a constitutional issue, as it appears as if the federal government is trying to bypass the Fourth Amendment, which protects people from unreasonable searches and seizures by the government. The ACLU argued that, instead, the agencies involved should be seeking legitimate court warrants to track individuals.

It appears that—in the ACLU's view, at least—the Fourth Amendment protects people from unreasonable searches by the government, but not by private sector actors. I find this somewhat discouraging.

The world has changed somewhat since the 18th Century. When the Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution it was not just highly unlikely, it was literally impossible for a private (or government) entity to collect the scope of personal information on anybody that Google, Facebook, Amazon, and numerous other organizations collect routinely today. 

We've done a lousy job at keeping our Constitution, our laws, and even our understanding of government up to date. 

Peeking over the edge of the abyss

IBM Uncovers Global Phishing Campaign Targeting the COVID-19 Vaccine Cold Chain

This is a pretty interesting article. The details are difficult to comprehend (and somewhat vague) but also mostly irrelevant to anyone not directly involved in the security field.

Nonetheless, the realization that global (and perhaps nation-state sponsored) malicious activity could be deployed at this scale against such a critical target is staggering. 

Why? Maybe some kind of commercial mischief—stealing intellectual property, fixing prices, or establishing a black market, for example. Or maybe something less direct, like damaging the reputation of a country or company or even a specific person. Or simply sowing doubt and confusion, or other stuff. Or making money, as with ransomware.

The possibilities are chilling. They are also real.

What could possibly go wrong?

Teen banking app Step reaches for the stars to raise $50 million

Teens. Next thing, they'll want to start driving. Or voting. Or who knows what?

December arrives

PS: It snew. For about 3 minutes. Which was plenty.

I can't decide if this is hilarious or sad

On the National Review web site a review of the AppleTV production, Ted Lasso," (and a favorable review it is) comes with this subhead:

A spirited and warm Apple TV+ comedy makes a perfect choice for adults to watch with their parents.

Whaaat?

The article, toward its end, explains…

…its wonderful first season makes for the kind of easygoing, big-hearted watch that constitutes ideal viewing among adults seeking something to watch with their parents, especially around the holidays when we’re all in need of something cheery that brings us together and steers clear of divisive stuff like explicit sex, gory violence, and politics.

So apparently, all you adults out there, your parents can't deal with such divisive stuff as sex, violence, and politics. 

And your kids think the same thing about you. 

Let's just move on to next year, OK?

Dictionary companies choose same word of the year: pandemic

The trouble with putting things off is…

 …now it's raining.

Also, I'm running out of clean socks.

The winner of the '21 Super Bowl may simply be the last team standing

No QBs in Denver, no home for SF as COVID-19 sows NFL chaos

The Denver Broncos have no quarterbacks. The San Francisco 49ers have no home stadium or practice facility. And the Baltimore Ravens may not have enough players available for their next game, which has already been pushed back twice.

And not looking too much better for college football, with several of the Big Ten teams teetering on the edge of ineligibility resulting from too many canceled games and teams elsewhere in footballdom missing key players or even coaches.

Things change, but not very fast

Vanderbilt Kicker Sarah Fuller Becomes First Woman to Play in Power 5 Game

In 1955 I had a role in a high school production of a play called "Time Out for Ginger." It's about a girl, Ginger, who goes out for the football team. Hubbub ensues.

Sometime in the '80s I saw the same play performed in a Chicago dinner theater.

Now, yesterday, Sarah. The play would still work just fine. Hubbub (on Twitter, of course) ensued. But, like Ginger, Sarah got into the game.