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The first music streaming service was invented in 1906 by a man named Thaddeus Cahill. It was called the tel-harmonium.

@silvermouse said:

Leaders, staff purged at US health agencies
Thousands of people are losing their jobs at agencies across the US Department of Health and Human Services, including at the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Institutes of Health. Among the leaders who were offered the choice between administrative leave or reassignment to remote locations is infectious-disease physician Jeanne Marrazzo, who succeeded Anthony Fauci as the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. “This will go down as one of the darkest days in modern scientific history,” says infectious-diseases epidemiologist Michael Osterholm.

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-01016-z

It's been 5 years since many of these agencies were involved in bringing us the pandemic, which I consider the crime of the century against the American people, I applaud a re-alignment of priorities for these agencies.

A picture of the hail that was falling in West TN last night

No problems yet, but today and tomorrow will probably be very interesting, as it will for the guys east of here.

@Amos_Umwhat said:

@VegasFrank said:

@Amos_Umwhat said:

@silvermouse said:

This strikes me as an outstanding example of race baiting propaganda. Exactly of the nature to ensure that conflict between the races remains active in our country, and never dies.

With complete disregard of facts or truth, Mr. Bolling reaches into the psyche of the disaffected or delusional, offends anyone who believes in merit as being a primary source of personal accomplishment, thus keeping the flames of hatred stoked in order to provide a source of power for those who wish to exploit those sentiments in certain segments of our population.

Well, that's politics for you. Some things never change. I'm sure the Socialists will enjoy the gist of this one.

I should add that I don't fault Edward, having lived through the years when institutional racism was a real thing I say none of us want that to return. Why don't we just let it die?

I don't mean to start anything up because I really don't want to, but I think it's important that we all realize it's an institutional racism is alive and well in the United States of America. I was like you Steve. I didn't believe it I even spoke against the idea several times. And I adopted a black kid. I can tell you that it's real. I can give you a hundred no **** examples that will be tldr. Or maybe you wouldn't even agree with some of them. Maybe you would agree that was institutional racism just racism.

But that's not true. To me institutional or systemic racism means that the racism is built into the system + the system leaves one with very few choices but to remain in the system. Credit scores, public schools, social services, grocery stores, and prisons are all examples that keep systemic or institutional racism alive in this country.

You can slice it and dice it and alibi it anyway you want, but the bottom line is that if you're born into poverty, you're going to grow up in poverty and you're going to live in poverty as an adult. If you go up a class it is only one class. There are no outs unless you can shoot a basketball or sing a song. Poor people are born with no money they're trying to act like they have no money they're not giving opportunities to make any money, and they are encouraged to reproduce in the neighborhood with no money so their children grow up poor.

You're probably right. I remember the days of separate water fountains, whites only lunch counters, separate schools etc.,which thankfully are gone. That's what I think of when I say institutional racism. I was just a kid, but I remember.

My Dad was a loud voice for change in those days, and change came. It seemed that it was only a matter of time, and letting the oldsters die off, before we would inevitably reach MLK's dream. I longed for the day when a persons worth would be determined solely by the content of his character. I still do. That's why I said I don't fault Edward for posting the cartoon, I'm sure that was the intent.

I see the cartoon in question as being race baiting. I'm sure it was meant to expose the underlying racism that, sadly, still exists in our society, however I believe that it is one of many things that will serve only to perpetuate and exacerbate that very thing. I believe that we are long overdue to let such things go. Let those feelings die.

Unfortunately, just like when the military is always "fighting the last war" instead of the one taking place right now, I think that such things as Black History Month or Black Entertainment Television are simply prolonging the olden days, and preventing the healing of society. It seems like self-imposed segregation, just like the klan used to preach.

I'd just like to see us let it go and treat each other based solely on the work we put into being the people we are. Instead, hate seems to be endemic. It seems that even with the best of intentions we judge each other based on superficial trivialities. This is evident in our political games. I keep seeing references to "MAGA hate", but I also see videos of black people attending MAGA rallies where they are greeted with phrases like "Good to see you", and "Glad you came out", and "Isn't it a lovely day.

Contrast that with what might happen to an old white guy in a MAGA hat at a Harris/Walz rally.

Not pretty.

I could go on, but I hope I've sufficiently conveyed my point. Thanks for the reasonable response.

A lot said there. I also appreciate your perspective and won't argue about how far we have come because we have come very far.

I disagree with you hun celebrating black history or Black culture or women's culture or any other culture in America. For so long in this country, races and ethnicities and demographics were segregated into different neighborhoods and different regions and were shamed for being where they were from. Just like we celebrate Irish culture on St Patrick's Day or Mexican culture on Cinco de Mayo, there is nothing wrong with saying, "hey, this guy did something pretty cool in the 1950s." The best part about these celebrations is that you don't have to take part in them if you don't want to. Let people take part and let people have a good time and let them feel proud. If you don't want to participate, have a nice day sir.

Speaking of greeting somebody softly with have a nice day, I find your maga rally comment to be funny really. I wonder how a butch blue haired lady wearing an "I'm with Her" t-shirt would be received at a trump rally, or two effeminate black fellas holding hands would be received.

No I don't, of course. 😂
https://youtu.be/jd95dufYBrU?si=-xf-8q1Ly8WvXOt2

Just like the all-male black couple or the blue haired woman with the T-shirt, I think that anybody who wears a mega hat to a Democratic rally is there simply looking for trouble, and they shouldn't be there. Of course, we will blame the crowd instead of the instigator in all three cases, at least if it can sell one single advertisement.

Thanks Steve, appreciate your perspective. Have a nice day.

https://www.nbcnews.com/now/video/nfl-says-virtual-technology-will-replace-chain-gangs-for-first-downs-236079685697

it will be interesting to see how this plays out:

—
White House aide Peter Navarro said Sunday that he expects President Donald Trump’s tariffs to bring in $6 trillion in revenue in the next decade, which could amount to the largest tax hike in US history.

Even when adjusting for inflation, that amount would be triple the tax increase put in place in 1942 to pay the cost of fighting World War II.

Navarro, Trump’s senior counselor for trade and manufacturing, insists it’s not a tax increase but a tax cut — echoing the Trump administration’s repeated belief that tariffs will be paid not by American consumers but by businesses in other countries or the countries themselves.

“The message is that tariffs are tax cuts, tariffs are jobs, tariffs are national security,” Navarro said on Fox News Sunday. “Tariffs are great for America. They will make America great again.”

But most economists say US-imposed tariffs are paid by American businesses and consumers in the form of higher prices on imported goods, not paid by foreigners.

more here: https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/31/economy/tariffs-largest-tax-hike/index.html