Unix Servers

This week, John Yoo, the Ricochet Podcast Senior Election Fraud Analyst and the Joan and Ray Kroc McRib Scholar at Hamburger University sits in for Peter Robinson and kicks the show off with a deep dive on where we stand with all of the current court cases and challenges around the election. Then, Avik Roy (listen to his American Wonk/COVID in 19 podcast right here on Ricochet) stops by to science us on the recent resurgence of COVID cases cropping up across the country. Then, National Review’s Jim Geraghty (do yourself a favor and subscribe to his must read Daily Jolt newsletter) visits for a bit to talk about Georgia, polling, and to drop a few impressions. Finally, mad props to Ricochet member @markcamp for winning the coveted Lileks Post of The Week badge for his tome, Was Perry Mason a Great TV Series? We’ll let you decide. Thanks to all who joined us for the live video version of the show. We apologize for Rob’s sweater.

Music from this week’s show: Don’t Look Back In Anger by Oasis

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There are 204 comments.

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  1. HeavyWater Inactive
    HeavyWater
    @HeavyWater

    Jim Geraghty mentioned Olympia Snowe but he meant Susan Collins.

    • #1
  2. texased Coolidge
    texased
    @texased

    I’m for Unix servers. I’m also for the Cheers episode I saw last night. Very nice.

    • #2
  3. Full Size Tabby Member
    Full Size Tabby
    @FullSizeTabby

    With respect to Mr. Roy’s comments about masking, my perspective as an anti-mask person. I may be unique, but I don’t think so.

    Between shut-downs (voluntary and state-mandated) and masks, 90% of my human interaction has been eliminated. The near total lack of human interaction has severely diminished my mental health. I don’t contemplate suicide all the time, but it comes up in my mind over a few days every couple of week. Apart from suicidal thoughts, my mental health is poor most of the time. Before last March, my mental health was pretty good.

    I am an introvert, and a shy one at that, so I don’t talk to people much. Thus, facial expression is the major part of my human interaction. So, when in public, masks block my primary form of human interaction. Electronic communication provides for me very little of the value of human interaction. In fact, electronic communication exacerbates my feelings of isolation. Mrs. Tabby can provide only so much of my need for real human interaction. Without human interaction, isolation and feelings of worthlessness and lack of purpose become dominant. In my estimation, my health risks due to mental health problems are greater than my health risks due to the Wuhan virus. Maybe I’m unique, but I don’t think so. Without actual human interaction, I have no way of gauging my feelings.

    On a broader view than me personally, I have seen near universal masking contribute to significant negative changes American (Texas in my case) society. People increasingly see others more as risks to be avoided, and less as fellow human beings who might enrich their lives. Other people are to be avoided. In the past, a hallmark of American (and especially Texan) society was to embrace other people to improve society.

    Maybe universal masking provides some marginal protection against the spread of the Wuhan virus. But it also causes significant damage to mental health, and to American society. In my opinion, the damage is greater than the benefit. That the psychological (mental health) damage never seems to be mentioned in masking demands is a major cause of frustration for those of us affected by it. 

    • #3
  4. Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patrio… Member
    Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patrio…
    @ArizonaPatriot

    I question Geraghty’s analysis.  If I heard him correctly, he was telling us that Olympia Snowe got more votes in Maine than President Trump.  That seems quite unlikely.

    • #4
  5. HeavyWater Inactive
    HeavyWater
    @HeavyWater

    Good podcast.

    • #5
  6. JuliaBach Coolidge
    JuliaBach
    @JuliaBach

    Avik Roy gave us all the conventional wisdom, “don’t challenge your betters” viewpoints on COVID.  Now please have someone like Clare Craig or Michael Yeadon on the show to explain why Mr. Roy is wrong on so many things, including masks and distancing, because he is.  (I know he’s a Yale man, but he’s still wrong.)  And be sure to look at all the charts showing the positive PCR tests going up, up, up, up into the beautiful blue sky in all the areas where people have been dutifully wearing masks and distancing for months.  James Lileks is correct that Ian Miller on Twitter has quite the collection of them.  Airline workers are generally young and have very strong immune systems, which served them well *before* COVID was known.  It is unproveable BS that other countries have better people that just follow the rules better, and that’s why some countries have fewer cases.  If he actually wants the economy and the schools to reopen, as his white papers argue, he cannot have it both ways and push for masks and distancing and opening.  Anyone who deals with anxiety knows that you don’t treat anxiety by telling people to control their environment even more.  You teach them to control their reaction to their environment.  All the masks, shields, tests and distancing in the world cannot make people feel safe, because it’s never going to be enough.  The way to go back to normal is to remind people that we have wonderfully designed immune systems that have served us well for most of human history.  We even had our biggest holidays of the year in the middle of flu season.  We are not an advanced enough civilization that we can control outbreaks of respiratory viruses.  We should stop acting like we are.  We were okay with it before.  What changed?

    • #6
  7. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    The Post Of The Week “fanfare” was a mess both times.

    Dunno what the technical issue was there, but there’s definitely an issue somewhere.

    • #7
  8. JuliaBach Coolidge
    JuliaBach
    @JuliaBach

    @Full Size Tabby, I couldn’t agree more.  You are not alone.  Wearing my mask (which I avoid most of the time but cannot if I don’t want to have a fist fight in businesses that require them) just makes me angry.  The science is far from “settled” on their effectiveness and they serve as a constant reminder to not do anything, idk, human, like hug or shake hands with anyone because that interaction is sure to kill you AND your grandma.  COVID is a serious illness, but so is the flu, cancer, heart disease and depression brought on by loneliness.  They all deserve to be treated, but until we stop ordering our lives around COVID, we short change the others.  I’ll be happy to have a drink with you the next time I’m in Texas. 

    • #8
  9. HeavyWater Inactive
    HeavyWater
    @HeavyWater

    HeavyWater (View Comment):

    Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patrio… (View Comment):

    I question Geraghty’s analysis. If I heard him correctly, he was telling us that Olympia Snowe got more votes in Maine than President Trump. That seems quite unlikely.

    @arizonapatriot

    Susan Collins got more votes in Maine than Trump. Geraghty mentioned Olympia Snowe, a former Republican US Senator from Maine, rather than Susan Collins, the current Republican US Senator from Maine.

    Maine (as of Nov 13, 2020 7:25 PM)

    Joe Biden – 420,357 Donald Trump – 341,949

    Sara Gideon – 325,277 Susan Collins – 385,459

     

     

    • #9
  10. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    It’s true, John Yoo. The more of my face covered, the better.

    • #10
  11. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Oh James, James, James.

    Riker didn’t himself believe that Data wasn’t sentient.  He was forced into that role by the Starbase JAG person.  If he had refused, the JAG threatened to rule against Data by default.

    P.S.  That episode was written by actual-lawyer Melinda Snodgrass who was also an associate producer/script editor type person (similar to the role of DC Fontana for TOS, it seems) for a couple seasons.

    Snodgrass has written other sci-fi law material too, including some books in the “Circuit” series involving space law on planets etc.  Interesting stuff, I read them a long time ago and was impressed.

    I seem to recall she was credited in the recovery of the episode she wrote, “The Measure Of A Man,” whose original print was lost or something, somehow.  She had a VHS recording of the episode, and from that it was somehow possible to re-create the episode using extra footage or something.

    • #11
  12. Brian Watt Inactive
    Brian Watt
    @BrianWatt

    • #12
  13. James Lileks Contributor
    James Lileks
    @jameslileks

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Riker didn’t himself believe that Data wasn’t sentient. He was forced into that role by the Starbase JAG person. If he had refused, the JAG threatened to rule against Data by default.

    Oh kedavis, kedavis, kedavis. ;) I wasn’t referring to Riker, but Bruce Maddox – who was in the very ep you mentioned, “Measure of a Man.”

    • #13
  14. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    James Lileks (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Riker didn’t himself believe that Data wasn’t sentient. He was forced into that role by the Starbase JAG person. If he had refused, the JAG threatened to rule against Data by default.

    Oh kedavis, kedavis, kedavis. ;) I wasn’t referring to Riker, but Bruce Maddox – who was in the very ep you mentioned, “Measure of a Man.”

    Oh it sounded like a reference to Riker who also appeared in the Picard series.

    But do you also think what they did with Picard was dumb?

    • #14
  15. JennaStocker Member
    JennaStocker
    @JennaStocker

    @jameslileks good pick with @markcamp post. It’s a good reminder that we can discuss old vintage pop culture without having to analyze it through a present-day prism. I’ve not been a real big Perry Mason/court room type – more Dragnet, really. But I favor The Outer Limits before The Twighlight Zone too, so take that for what it is. Either way, another good podcast all around.

    • #15
  16. Blue Yeti Admin
    Blue Yeti
    @BlueYeti

    Brian Watt (View Comment):

    Fortunately, there are no photos of Trump making silly expressions. None. They don’t exist.  Because he’s always so dignified. And Presidential.  

     

     

    • #16
  17. DrewInWisconsin, Man of Constant Sorrow Member
    DrewInWisconsin, Man of Constant Sorrow
    @DrewInWisconsin

    I’m seven episodes in to Picard and enjoying the hell out of it. Do I need to turn in my Trekker badge?

    • #17
  18. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Blue Yeti (View Comment):

    Brian Watt (View Comment):

    Fortunately, there are no photos of Trump making silly expressions. None. They don’t exist. Because he’s always so dignified. And Presidential.

    Of course.  And if the media had their way – and they usually do – that’s all we would see of Trump.  And we usually do.

    • #18
  19. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    DrewInWisconsin, Man of Consta… (View Comment):

    I’m seven episodes in to Picard and enjoying the hell out of it. Do I need to turn in my Trekker badge?

    Well, if you ever really had a Trekker badge – which, under the circumstances, I would have to doubt – then yes.

    • #19
  20. James Lileks Contributor
    James Lileks
    @jameslileks

    kedavis (View Comment):

    James Lileks (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Riker didn’t himself believe that Data wasn’t sentient. He was forced into that role by the Starbase JAG person. If he had refused, the JAG threatened to rule against Data by default.

    Oh kedavis, kedavis, kedavis. ;) I wasn’t referring to Riker, but Bruce Maddox – who was in the very ep you mentioned, “Measure of a Man.”

    Oh it sounded like a reference to Riker who also appeared in the Picard series.

    But do you also think what they did with Picard was dumb?

    Mmmmnnnnnn, yeeeessss, and no. We all saw it coming, towards the end, but it does open a door that hadn’t been there for the character before for season 2. I liked the Romulan aspect; we never get into their culture or beliefs. They’ve always been Vulcans + Klingons. Didn’t like the ship, but liked the captain: he smoked cigars. Nice little arc for the goody two-shoes. Fan service with all the old characters done well. (Sigh: Guinan coming in season 2.) 

    All in all, I looked forward to seeing it each week, enjoyed the nuances of Stewart playing old – I mean, he is old, but he was playing older – and I decided, at some point, to enjoy without carping. Unlike Discovery, which I hate-watched for two seasons.

    • #20
  21. Bishop Wash Member
    Bishop Wash
    @BishopWash

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Blue Yeti (View Comment):

    Brian Watt (View Comment):

    Fortunately, there are no photos of Trump making silly expressions. None. They don’t exist. Because he’s always so dignified. And Presidential.

    Of course. And if the media had their way – and they usually do – that’s all we would see of Trump. And we usually do.

    It’s okay. We’re going to get the same conservative policies with Biden but none of the icky Trump tweets. It’s totally worth it.

    • #21
  22. Blue Yeti Admin
    Blue Yeti
    @BlueYeti

    kedavis (View Comment):
    Of course. And if the media had their way – and they usually do – that’s all we would see of Trump. And we usually do.

    Ah,  there it is — Trump Mantra: It’s always someone else’s fault.

    • #22
  23. James Lileks Contributor
    James Lileks
    @jameslileks

    JennaStocker (View Comment):

    @jameslileks good pick with @markcamp post. It’s a good reminder that we can discuss old vintage pop culture without having to analyze it through a present-day prism. I’ve not been a real big Perry Mason/court room type – more Dragnet, really. But I favor The Outer Limits before The Twighlight Zone too, so take that for what it is. Either way, another good podcast all around.

    I love radio Dragnet, and the early B&W Dragnets (same scripts), but color Dragnet just seems so flat and rote. All those cheap sets. Perry Mason, if nothing else, is a full accounting of mid-century interior design and urban studies; it’s an inadvertent documentary of LA in a way Dragnet never was. (Adam-12 had more street footage, as befits a show about a prowl car.)

    I won’t agree about Outer Limits > Twilight Zone, because the latter seemed more varied and swiftly executed, even if it did get tendentious and preachy. If we’re talking anthology series, both are inferior to Alfred Hitchcock Presents. If you ask me. 

    • #23
  24. James Lileks Contributor
    James Lileks
    @jameslileks

    DrewInWisconsin, Man of Consta… (View Comment):

    I’m seven episodes in to Picard and enjoying the hell out of it. Do I need to turn in my Trekker badge?

    Good! No! 

    • #24
  25. JennaStocker Member
    JennaStocker
    @JennaStocker

    James Lileks (View Comment):
    Perry Mason, if nothing else, is a full accounting of mid-century interior design and urban studies; it’s an inadvertent documentary of LA in a way Dragnet never was.

    I’ll take that and raise you a Rockford Files.

    And The Jetsons might out mid-century modern the most mid-century modern, if by imagination innovation alone. Everything was the future, and the future was now!

    • #25
  26. Brian Watt Inactive
    Brian Watt
    @BrianWatt

    I realize there are those on Ricochet who don’t believe that Joe Biden is in serious cognitive decline as is evidenced by his disconnected and meandering thoughts, his forgetfulness, his speech, his flashes of anger, his occasional inability to remember what city or state he’s in.

    I realize that there are those on Ricochet who don’t believe Mr. Biden has made himself and his family rich through pay-to-play graft for decades with businesses in the United States and with foreign powers like Communist China, Ukraine, and Russia; and don’t feel that he will be at all compromised when dealing with adversarial powers.

    I realize that there are those on Ricochet who really don’t care or don’t think it’s that big of deal that Mr. Biden is a vehement supporter of abortion-on-demand. What’s a few million unborn human beings – give or take?

    I realize there may even be those on Ricochet who think that our relationship with the Iranian regime should be reset and the regime sanctions eliminated and the JCPoA restarted and don’t feel the resurgent terrorist regime will be a threat. Never seemed to bother Biden advisor John Kerry.

    I realize there are those on Ricochet who feel that Donald Trump’s efforts to bring peace to the Middle East really don’t amount to much and he may even have been helping to broker peace deals to boost he own ego.

    I realize there are those on Ricochet who aren’t terribly concerned about working men and women and whether they have to pay through the nose for gasoline, or their utilities, or who have lost their businesses that some have worked all their lives to build up, or whether their kids go back to school because lock downs and mandated mask wearing will somehow eliminate the COVID pandemic…because “science”.

    I realize that for the better part of 4 years, some on Ricochet have been so livid that Donald Trump became President in 2017 that they actually bought into a phony Russia Collusion hoax pushed by Hillary Clinton and endorsed by the Obama administration and then cheered on an impeachment circus because the President of the United States was concerned that Mr. Biden was engaged in graft which we’ve come to learn has been more expansive than just his son’s dealings with Burisma. Never mind the lies and corruption and criminality in the DoJ and the FBI that were exposed – Donald Trump had a phone call!!

    I realize that some on Ricochet aren’t terribly concerned whether China makes a move on Taiwan or other nations in their immediate region. 

    I realize that some on Ricochet believe that talk that America will become authoritarian and embrace socialism is just crazy talk.

    I realize that some people on Ricochet ought to know better…but don’t.

     

    • #26
  27. JennaStocker Member
    JennaStocker
    @JennaStocker

    JennaStocker (View Comment):

    James Lileks (View Comment):
    Perry Mason, if nothing else, is a full accounting of mid-century interior design and urban studies; it’s an inadvertent documentary of LA in a way Dragnet never was.

    I’ll take that and raise you a Rockford Files.

    And The Jetsons might out mid-century modern the most mid-century modern, if by imagination innovation alone. Everything was the future, and the future was now!

    Oh forget it. The ramblings of a lost cause.

    • #27
  28. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Blue Yeti (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):
    Of course. And if the media had their way – and they usually do – that’s all we would see of Trump. And we usually do.

    Ah, there it is — Trump Mantra: It’s always someone else’s fault.

    Well then you ‘splain it, Lucy.  Trump smiles plenty, including at rallies etc.  But are the happy photos plastered all over the media?  I wonder why not… Oh of course, it’s TRUMP’S fault!  He secretly controls all the cameras, and the publishers, and the TV networks…  And he only shows weird photos so that voters will hate him!  It’s so obvious, once I give it some thought.

    Have you forgotten how the media would take photos of conservative Republican officials with “nude lady justice” in the background, making fun of them?

    • #28
  29. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    James Lileks (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):

    James Lileks (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Riker didn’t himself believe that Data wasn’t sentient. He was forced into that role by the Starbase JAG person. If he had refused, the JAG threatened to rule against Data by default.

    Oh kedavis, kedavis, kedavis. ;) I wasn’t referring to Riker, but Bruce Maddox – who was in the very ep you mentioned, “Measure of a Man.”

    Oh it sounded like a reference to Riker who also appeared in the Picard series.

    But do you also think what they did with Picard was dumb?

    Mmmmnnnnnn, yeeeessss, and no. We all saw it coming, towards the end, but it does open a door that hadn’t been there for the character before for season 2. I liked the Romulan aspect; we never get into their culture or beliefs. They’ve always been Vulcans + Klingons. Didn’t like the ship, but liked the captain: he smoked cigars. Nice little arc for the goody two-shoes. Fan service with all the old characters done well. (Sigh: Guinan coming in season 2.)

    All in all, I looked forward to seeing it each week, enjoyed the nuances of Stewart playing old – I mean, he is old, but he was playing older – and I decided, at some point, to enjoy without carping. Unlike Discovery, which I hate-watched for two seasons.

    Well, the bigger problem there is people who seem to believe that Whoopi Goldberg is some kind of genius, because she played Guinan.  Wow.

    But a lot of people thought Riker became thoroughly wussified.

    • #29
  30. Brian Watt Inactive
    Brian Watt
    @BrianWatt

    Blue Yeti (View Comment):

    Brian Watt (View Comment):

    Fortunately, there are no photos of Trump making silly expressions. None. They don’t exist. Because he’s always so dignified. And Presidential.

    Look more closely. I’m not posting these images because Mr. Biden looks silly. For those of us who have had parents who struggled with Alzheimers before it killed them, we have seen the same expressions that Mr. Biden is displaying in these photos and at other moments during his very limited and controlled campaign appearances when he appeared lost and grasping for words.

    Consider this meme an actual warning, as well as a sad commentary that millions of Americans may be or are still in denial about Biden’s rapid and evident cognitive decline because they hated Donald Trump so much. The pressures and demanding schedule of the presidency will accelerate Biden’s decline not alleviate it. Based on what I’ve seen of Mr. Biden in the last year or more, I don’t think I’m wrong about this.

     

    • #30
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