Orwellian operants...

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Operant conditioning: "behavior (as bar pressing by a rat to obtain food) that operates on the environment to produce rewarding and reinforcing effects" i.e. the strength of a behavior is modified by the behavior's consequences, such as reward or punishment or the behavior is controlled by antecedents called "discriminative stimuli" which come to signal those consequences. Or quite simply it is classical conditioning (paid-for classical conditioning). Or it is their Two Minutes Hate ("1984 eerily reminds one of today’s social media induced ejaculations of anger."). To be honest I think it is scary the number of people who are so willfully blind, who protest without reading, without listening, without understanding. Some are paid...they have a reason, they are fulfilling a contract or at least a promise to protest for payment. Others, many (most?) are just so fucking stupid it makes me write swear words in a blog post; they are not just silly...or innocently mistaken...but common or garden fucked up stupid...the streets are becoming accustomed. FFS!

Orwellian operants...

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Operant conditioning: "behavior (as bar pressing by a rat to obtain food) that operates on the environment to produce rewarding and reinforcing effects" i.e. the strength of a behavior is modified by the behavior's consequences, such as reward or punishment or the behavior is controlled by antecedents called "discriminative stimuli" which come to signal those consequences. Or quite simply it is classical conditioning (paid-for classical conditioning). Or it is their Two Minutes Hate ("1984 eerily reminds one of today’s social media induced ejaculations of anger."). To be honest I think it is scary the number of people who are so willfully blind, who protest without reading, without listening, without understanding. Some are paid...they have a reason, they are fulfilling a contract or at least a promise to protest for payment. Others, many (most?) are just so fucking stupid it makes me write swear words in a blog post; they are not just silly...or innocently mistaken...but common or garden fucked up stupid...the streets are becoming accustomed. FFS!

Ostrobogulous opening...

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First 100 days? Well what about the first 100 hours...what a first week with Trump seeming to break all political moulds by starting to do nearly everything he campaigned on...and as soon as possible! Well, that was intense. You'll note those first two links are from CNN and BBC; both reasonable pieces but also lacking much positive detail. After the first press conference and after the questions at the Trump/May meet this week the BBC especially needs to stop being a 'wet protester', a mouthpiece for protest groups. By all means be neutral (it's in your Charter FFS) but cut the emotive partisan shite and start reporting the news without the obvious hostility.



What we are seeing is simply unheard of, anywhere, EVER. And it is so good to watch. I am just back from Mexico and even there the reaction isn't what you'd expect: they understand Trump is defending his own, and 'shokeando' for the best deal. Many Obama mistakes are being righted, many sneaky last minute actions stopped. Obviously there are dozens of Executive orders.  The great meeting with Theresa May ("A free and independent Britain is a blessing to the world") was really the icing on the cake from a UK perspective.



The current crowing that various judges have stepped in this weekend due to issues arising from Trump's immigration/refugee (Executive Order: Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements [LINK], "This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations") changes (from BBC: "His executive order halted the entire US refugee programme and also instituted a 90-day travel ban for nationals from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.") fails to grasp that this is EXACTLY what should happen.  If you were mid flight when the order became effective or if you have legal residency etc then of course they are exceptions. Same as the rigorous vetting of asylum seekers etc. It is what should have always happened. So many 'red-flags' being triggered in record numbers entering the country calls for 'extreme vetting'. Also, from Chris Kyle's Iraqi translator: "ISIS's strongholds are in Iraq and Syria. We all know what they want to do to Americans"' it's not racist or a 'Muslim ban'. Last night in a CNN interview the lady interviewer was repeatedly trying to get the government spokesman to answer "How many Syrian refugees have caused terrorism in the USA?"...I was screaming at the TV: what a dumb question: 'Why look for traffic when you cross the road? You haven't been hit by a lorry before'...Even some of his mates (Piers Morgan) only partly get it.



The bust is back: Action this day!

Ostrobogulous opening...

---

First 100 days? Well what about the first 100 hours...what a first week with Trump seeming to break all political moulds by starting to do nearly everything he campaigned on...and as soon as possible! Well, that was intense. You'll note those first two links are from CNN and BBC; both reasonable pieces but also lacking much positive detail. After the first press conference and after the questions at the Trump/May meet this week the BBC especially needs to stop being a 'wet protester', a mouthpiece for protest groups. By all means be neutral (it's in your Charter FFS) but cut the emotive partisan shite and start reporting the news without the obvious hostility.

What we are seeing is simply unheard of, anywhere, EVER. And it is so good to watch. I am just back from Mexico and even there the reaction isn't what you'd expect: they understand Trump is defending his own, and 'shokeando' for the best deal. Many Obama mistakes are being righted, many sneaky last minute actions stopped. Obviously there are dozens of Executive orders.  The great meeting with Theresa May ("A free and independent Britain is a blessing to the world") was really the icing on the cake from a UK perspective.

The current crowing that various judges have stepped in this weekend due to issues arising from Trump's immigration/refugee (Executive Order: Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements [LINK], "This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations") changes (from BBC: "His executive order halted the entire US refugee programme and also instituted a 90-day travel ban for nationals from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.") fails to grasp that this is EXACTLY what should happen.  If you were mid flight when the order became effective or if you have legal residency etc then of course they are exceptions. Same as the rigorous vetting of asylum seekers etc. It is what should have always happened. So many 'red-flags' being triggered in record numbers entering the country calls for 'extreme vetting'. Also, from Chris Kyle's Iraqi translator: "ISIS's strongholds are in Iraq and Syria. We all know what they want to do to Americans"' it's not racist or a 'Muslim ban'. Last night in a CNN interview the lady interviewer was repeatedly trying to get the government spokesman to answer "How many Syrian refugees have caused terrorism in the USA?"...I was screaming at the TV: what a dumb question: 'Why look for traffic when you cross the road? You haven't been hit by a lorry before'...Even some of his mates (Piers Morgan) only partly get it.

The bust is back: Action this day!

Overtly original oration...

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The word cloud from yesterday is one thing, the overall content quite another: "Like everything else about him, Trump's speech was indeed a break from established tradition, and nowhere was this more obvious than in the selection of words that had never appeared previously in any US inaugural address." [Link ZH] Some of them you can understand not being said before: bleed, carnage, ripped, rusted and tombstones for instance. Others not so weird: lady, landscape and urban.
The Millennium Report called it the 'Greatest Inaugural Address In U.S. History', simple because "Trump Told The Truth Like No President Before Him". ...

"Trump thrashed them with his words of truth as he trashed their empty promises and politics of betrayal."

Overtly original oration...

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The word cloud from yesterday is one thing, the overall content quite another: "Like everything else about him, Trump's speech was indeed a break from established tradition, and nowhere was this more obvious than in the selection of words that had never appeared previously in any US inaugural address." [Link ZH] Some of them you can understand not being said before: bleed, carnage, ripped, rusted and tombstones for instance. Others not so weird: lady, landscape and urban. The Millennium Report called it the 'Greatest Inaugural Address In U.S. History', simple because "Trump Told The Truth Like No President Before Him". ...

"Trump thrashed them with his words of truth as he trashed their empty promises and politics of betrayal."

Obama's off...

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...and The Donald is here. Orange is the new black. Below is the BBC word cloud of Donald Trump's POTUS inauguration speech: apparently it was fairly short speech [update: shortest since Carter] when compared to Obama's but it seems quite clear that he intends to attempt exactly what he said before: MAGA. However, IMHO he made a few too many promises and repeatedly made one grave error: never say 'never'.

Now the last of Ows Obama comments (unless he comes back like he's threatened to do): Obama had one last admission (apart from tons more last minute legislation) as near as damn-it admitting the 'hacking' was a leak. Nostalgia: Obama's biggest lies and Obama's offspring. 

Obama's off...

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...and The Donald is here. Orange is the new black. Below is the BBC word cloud of Donald Trump's POTUS inauguration speech: apparently it was fairly short speech [update: shortest since Carter] when compared to Obama's but it seems quite clear that he intends to attempt exactly what he said before: MAGA. However, IMHO he made a few too many promises and repeatedly made one grave error: never say 'never'.

Now the last of Ows Obama comments (unless he comes back like he's threatened to do): Obama had one last admission (apart from tons more last minute legislation) as near as damn-it admitting the 'hacking' was a leak. Nostalgia: Obama's biggest lies and Obama's offspring. 

Outline of our objectives...

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So, SO much better than expected: Theresa May you little beauty. Theresa May's Brexit speech [The Spectator] was IMHO superb, clear and - as near as damn it - complete.

"I want this United Kingdom to emerge from this period of change stronger, fairer, more united and more outward-looking than ever before. I want us to be a secure, prosperous, tolerant country – a magnet for international talent and a home to the pioneers and innovators who will shape the world ahead. I want us to be a truly Global Britain – the best friend and neighbour to our European partners, but a country that reaches beyond the borders of Europe too. A country that goes out into the world to build relationships with old friends and new allies alike.

I want Britain to be what we have the potential, talent and ambition to be. A great, global trading nation that is respected around the world and strong, confident and united at home... 

..And that is what we are seeing today. Business isn’t calling to reverse the result, but planning to make a success of it. The House of Commons has voted overwhelmingly for us to get on with it. And the overwhelming majority of people – however they voted – want us to get on with it too.

So that is what we will do."

Full text HERE (UK Gov).



Video: YouTube (hope it says up). 

Outline of our objectives...

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So, SO much better than expected: Theresa May you little beauty. Theresa May's Brexit speech [The Spectator] was IMHO superb, clear and - as near as damn it - complete.

"I want this United Kingdom to emerge from this period of change stronger, fairer, more united and more outward-looking than ever before. I want us to be a secure, prosperous, tolerant country – a magnet for international talent and a home to the pioneers and innovators who will shape the world ahead. I want us to be a truly Global Britain – the best friend and neighbour to our European partners, but a country that reaches beyond the borders of Europe too. A country that goes out into the world to build relationships with old friends and new allies alike. I want Britain to be what we have the potential, talent and ambition to be. A great, global trading nation that is respected around the world and strong, confident and united at home... 

..And that is what we are seeing today. Business isn’t calling to reverse the result, but planning to make a success of it. The House of Commons has voted overwhelmingly for us to get on with it. And the overwhelming majority of people – however they voted – want us to get on with it too. So that is what we will do."

Full text HERE (UK Gov).

Video: YouTube (hope it says up). 

Others' odd outlook...

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The WEF has published their own [PDF] report on 2017: the World Economic Forum is "committed to improving the state of the world, is the international organization for public-private cooperation", which is very close to a simple description of real Fascism! I admit to being a simple soul and like pictures and graphs etc so for a brief summary look at Figure 2 (image above), the table on page 4. You will see two grids that are the 'Top 5 Global Risks in Terms of Likelihood' and the 'Top 5 Global Risks in Terms of Impact' over the years. I would argue that to have NO economic or political (EU? US?) risk for 2017 is fantasy (we'll see soon enough I guess) and to have extreme weather event as as TOP in terms of likelihood and 2nd top in terms of impact is lunacy (remember, this is global impact). FFS.

Others' odd outlook...

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The WEF has published their own [PDF] report on 2017: the World Economic Forum is "committed to improving the state of the world, is the international organization for public-private cooperation", which is very close to a simple description of real Fascism! I admit to being a simple soul and like pictures and graphs etc so for a brief summary look at Figure 2 (image above), the table on page 4. You will see two grids that are the 'Top 5 Global Risks in Terms of Likelihood' and the 'Top 5 Global Risks in Terms of Impact' over the years. I would argue that to have NO economic or political (EU? US?) risk for 2017 is fantasy (we'll see soon enough I guess) and to have extreme weather event as as TOP in terms of likelihood and 2nd top in terms of impact is lunacy (remember, this is global impact). FFS.

Ows outlook...

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The year 2017 will be memorable, as memorable as the 2016 but mainly for different reasons; as for the exact timing, well only the red fire rooster is a cert:

Ows outlook...

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The year 2017 will be memorable, as memorable as the 2016 but mainly for different reasons; as for the exact timing, well only the red fire rooster is a cert:

Owning Oliver's overpriced offerings...

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Well said JD WETHERSP00N (Twitter PARODY!) who has responded to Jamie Oliver (or more specifically Oliver's 'Italian' range CEO Simon Blagden said: "As every restaurant owner knows, this is a tough market and, post-Brexit, the pressures and unknowns have made it even harder" [BBC]. Of course had they not blamed Brexit I doubt the BBC would have been interested.

This has nothing to do with Brexit, it's because his food is no better than ours but four times the price! https://t.co/8KnCZMhw2v

— JD WETHERSP00N (@WetherspoonsUK) 6 January 2017

Hi @jamieoliver these restaurants you are closing because of 'Brexit' we will take them because we know how to run a successful business!? 👍

— JD WETHERSP00N (@WetherspoonsUK) 6 January 2017

Trouble is, it just reflects exactly what Jamie Oliver's company did in 2015 and 2014, clearly a company strategy, open up several 'new idea' restaurants to fanfare, suck up the mugs money for a year or so then close the least profitable and start with the next idea (quite a few in the pipeline I imagine, 'Barbecoa' on the rise...to be whittled down in a year or two for the next whizz).



The main point is, that it is NOTHING to do with Brexit so stop fucking lying.



"WTF, Jamie Oliver?", to quote the Spanish response to him massacring paella last year.

Hat-tip: Order-Order

Owning Oliver's overpriced offerings...

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Well said JD WETHERSP00N (Twitter PARODY!) who has responded to Jamie Oliver (or more specifically Oliver's 'Italian' range CEO Simon Blagden said: "As every restaurant owner knows, this is a tough market and, post-Brexit, the pressures and unknowns have made it even harder" [BBC]. Of course had they not blamed Brexit I doubt the BBC would have been interested.

This has nothing to do with Brexit, it's because his food is no better than ours but four times the price! https://t.co/8KnCZMhw2v

— JD WETHERSP00N (@WetherspoonsUK) 6 January 2017

Hi @jamieoliver these restaurants you are closing because of 'Brexit' we will take them because we know how to run a successful business!? 👍

— JD WETHERSP00N (@WetherspoonsUK) 6 January 2017

Trouble is, it just reflects exactly what Jamie Oliver's company did in 2015 and 2014, clearly a company strategy, open up several 'new idea' restaurants to fanfare, suck up the mugs money for a year or so then close the least profitable and start with the next idea (quite a few in the pipeline I imagine, 'Barbecoa' on the rise...to be whittled down in a year or two for the next whizz).

The main point is, that it is NOTHING to do with Brexit so stop fucking lying.

"WTF, Jamie Oliver?", to quote the Spanish response to him massacring paella last year. Hat-tip: Order-Order

Owning Obama...

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Pwned. The 'Midnight Rules Relief Act' was passed yesterday: it is legislation that will "enable Congress to overturn, with a single vote, executive branch regulations finalized in the last 60 legislative days of an outgoing presidential administration." It may come in handy in future years and is "designed to stifle a growing trend by presidents to use their final few months in office to hurry through costly, expensive or controversial new regulations" but for now it would most definitely be useful offering some control and/or accountability of Obama's hissy fits, including veritable dangerous moves (and how many then get right back to terrorising?); as BHO heads for the exit these new powers can only be a good thing.

Owning Obama...

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Pwned. The 'Midnight Rules Relief Act' was passed yesterday: it is legislation that will "enable Congress to overturn, with a single vote, executive branch regulations finalized in the last 60 legislative days of an outgoing presidential administration." It may come in handy in future years and is "designed to stifle a growing trend by presidents to use their final few months in office to hurry through costly, expensive or controversial new regulations" but for now it would most definitely be useful offering some control and/or accountability of Obama's hissy fits, including veritable dangerous moves (and how many then get right back to terrorising?); as BHO heads for the exit these new powers can only be a good thing.