‘Cause They Just Want to Help You

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has, in the last 12 years, returned $17.5 billion to consumers who were ripped off by various financial institutions. Like the recent ruling against Bank of America for double-dipping on non-sufficient fund fees, opening unauthorized consumer financial accounts, and making misleading statements regarding certain credit card rewards. In short, they are a tool to help the average consumer. As a result of that ruling, Bank of America will pay more than $100 million to harmed customers and $90 million to the CFPB’s victims relief fund. Obviously the rich and powerful have hated it since it was started. And so…

Trump administration orders consumer protection agency to stop work, closes building

Make no mistake, this one might stick. Banks and Insurance companies have bought a lot of congresscritters over the years, and only congress can do away with the CFPB permanently.

Yeah, I know, I’ve been hitting the politics a lot lately. Hard to not be sad about it all. Trying not to watch as the rich carve up the only defense we have against their tyranny. Word is, the new administration is going after the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (N.O.A.A.) next. Easier to lie about climate change if we don’t keep data on it. Wonder who’s going to warn Florida about the next hurricane?

Why Do Some People Say We Need More Babies?

I have wondered about this for a while. I consider myself a Malthusian. Which is to say, I worry about the Earth’s growing population and how that will strain (and indeed already is straining) the ecosystem. So it has bothered me to see the recent obsession by some, with increasing the domestic birth rate. When taken along with recent anti-immigrant sentiment, I just chalked it up to racism. But there is more to it. This video does a nice job of summing up the argument. And also why the argument isn’t that strong.

It is weird that many of the proponents of having more children are also proponents of increased automation and AI. I have a strong belief that adherence to weak arguments comes from a lack of training in logic and rhetoric. Seems all too common these days.

So it begins…

Yesterday came word that internal memos form the Trump administration instructed several government sponsored science groups cease all communication temporarily, including website updates and press releases. Today, this…
Trump administration’s abrupt cancellation of scientific meetings prompts confusion, concern

Do not forget that this man’s most fervent supporters are vehemently anti-science, and as a populist, he will give them what they want.

The Good Place

“The Good Place” is a sitcom that ran from 2016 to 2020 on NBC. I had heard good things about it when it started, and saw a few clips. I started watching it about a week ago and I’m in season two at this point. It certainly has my attention. It is rare to see anything original on broadcast T.V., but this is an example. So far, I highly recommend it. Currently streaming on Netflix.

Why We Can’t Focus

One of my favorite books is Neil Postman’s “Amusing Ourselves to Death”. Postman eerily predicted the current age of social media as a natural progression of the age of television, and he did it back in the early 80’s. This video does a fantastic job of laying out one of Postman’s best arguments. It is exactly how I feel about the subject.

He mentions a book called “The Shallows” by Nicholas Carr. I’ll be ordering that one as well.

Lidar

LIDAR, LiDAR or LADAR, an acronym of “light detection and ranging” or “laser imaging, detection, and ranging” is a method for determining ranges by targeting an object or a surface with a laser and measuring the time for the reflected light to return to the receiver. (Wikipedia)
When I was at Kent as a Geology major this technology was just coming into play. Field work was rapidly going to disappear. Now using these tools available from USGS (thank you USGS) we can see our own neighborhoods in a new way.

USGS Searchable map of the United States.

The Great California Insurance War Has Begun

Like in Florida, many insurance companies would like to end home owner’s coverage for some Californians. California is not Florida, there will be a fight.

Insurance commissioner issues moratorium on home policy cancellations in fire zones

In the end though, is it fair to ask insurance companies to take a perpetual loss? Or to ask the rest of America to subsidize the risk Californians take by living there?

Government “Efficiency”

I remember a story from the 90’s. The government discovered that a certain form used an odd paper size and therefore cost a fortune to purchase. So, they changed the form to a more common size (legal 8.5″ x 14 inches I believe). Unfortunately, this meant all the previous forms had to be photocopied to the new size and the special filing cabinets they were stored in had to be replaced. In the end it cost more by far, than keeping the old form size would have cost. The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

Shattered ‘efficiency’ dreams: Musk could save $2 trillion just by undoing previous reforms

Movie Theaters

I recently read the article below on casual movie theater attendance. It is apparently a thing of the past. I’d like to offer an opinion on this.

HOW ABOUT PUTTING BACK THE DANG MARQUEES!!!!

We have a new theater in our neighborhood. I suspect it isn’t doing well, and part of the reason, I am sure, is that I have no idea what’s playing there. Movie theaters mostly removed their marquees a number of years ago. They required manpower to change the sign and since everyone has smartphone (I don’t) then why bother? Well, because no one is going to look it up. That’s why.

It seems so simple, but I struggle to understand why they have not thought of it. Many times in the past I decided to see a movie because I noticed it was showing at my local theater. I might still be out shopping and say “Hey, let’s go see that film.” Modern business leaders are stupid.

The casual moviegoer is a thing of the past. That’s a big problem for Hollywood