CORPORATE PERSONHOOD

arewepayingattention:

Somehow “judicial activism” is associated with liberal judges, but conservatives were the ones who created ex nihilo a whole new life form, the corporate “fictional person” — and then gave these “persons” the freedom to impose their interests on real people like you and me.   Pay attention to where the threats to democracy really come from.

(this post was reblogged from arewepayingattention)
PALAEOBLOG: New Theory Explains Life, Universe, Everything! Really! This one’s going to take me time to chew through.

PALAEOBLOG: New Theory Explains Life, Universe, Everything! Really!

This one’s going to take me time to chew through.

theatlantic: Elite Wall Street Donations Jumped 700% in the Last 20 Years Banks “frankly own the place,” Sen. Dick Durbin famously said of Washington during the debate over financial regulation in 2010. And when it comes to total contributions for big donors, you can see what he’s talking about in this chart. (FIRE = the Finance, Insurance and Real Estate sector) Read more. [Image: Sunlight Foundation/Highcharts] Click for high-res photo

theatlantic:

Elite Wall Street Donations Jumped 700% in the Last 20 Years

Banks “frankly own the place,” Sen. Dick Durbin famously said of Washington during the debate over financial regulation in 2010. And when it comes to total contributions for big donors, you can see what he’s talking about in this chart. (FIRE = the Finance, Insurance and Real Estate sector) Read more.

[Image: Sunlight Foundation/Highcharts]

(this post was reblogged from theatlantic)

Archivist challenges Kremlin in Wallenberg saga

infoneer-pulse:

A former senior Russian archive official says he saw a file that could shed light on Holocaust hero Raoul Wallenberg’s fate — challenging the insistence of Russia’s KGB successor agency that it has no documents regarding the man who saved tens of thousands of Jews in Hungary before disappearing into the hands of Soviet secret police.

Anatoly Prokopenko, 78, told The Associated Press that in 1991 he saw a thick dossier containing numerous references to Wallenberg that suggested he was being spied upon by a Russian aristocrat working for Soviet intelligence. Russian officials later said the file didn’t exist, in line with blanket denials of having information on Wallenberg.

“That file is extremely interesting, because it could allow us to determine the reasons behind his arrest,” Prokopenko said, while acknowledging he had only a few minutes to flip through hundreds of pages of documents.

» via Yahoo! News

(this post was reblogged from infoneer-pulse)
israelfacts: Iron shoes are pictured on the bank of the Danube on January 27, 2012, marking the Holocaust in Hungary. Hundreds of Hungarian Jews had to leave their shoes on the bank before they were shot into the river by Hungarian militaimen during the World War II. The United Nations declared in 2005 the Holocaust Memorial Day on January 27 to commemorate the 6 million Jews and other victims murdered by the Nazis. (Getty Images)

israelfacts:

Iron shoes are pictured on the bank of the Danube on January 27, 2012, marking the Holocaust in Hungary. Hundreds of Hungarian Jews had to leave their shoes on the bank before they were shot into the river by Hungarian militaimen during the World War II. The United Nations declared in 2005 the Holocaust Memorial Day on January 27 to commemorate the 6 million Jews and other victims murdered by the Nazis. (Getty Images)

(this post was reblogged from fotojournalismus)

nprmusic:

D’Angelo resurfaces in Stockholm!

!

(Source: okayplayer.com)

(this post was reblogged from npr)
sunfoundation: Meet the Bundlers Behind the Money In 2007, then-Sen. Barack Obama proposed legislation that would have required all presidential candidates to disclose information about supporters who raised at least $50,000 for their campaigns during the two-year period prior to Election Day. That legislation was never adopted, but as a presidential candidate Obama voluntarily released certain information about his top fundraisers. Click for high-res photo

sunfoundation:

Meet the Bundlers Behind the Money

In 2007, then-Sen. Barack Obama proposed legislation that would have required all presidential candidates to disclose information about supporters who raised at least $50,000 for their campaigns during the two-year period prior to Election Day. That legislation was never adopted, but as a presidential candidate Obama voluntarily released certain information about his top fundraisers.

(this post was reblogged from sunfoundation)
Jarrett Walker’s Human Transit: Are we thinking about urban planning all wrong? - Slate Magazine Click for high-res photo

Jarrett Walker’s Human Transit: Are we thinking about urban planning all wrong? - Slate Magazine

A Nation No Longer On The Move (Part II) : Planet Money : NPR

fling: I love this – thousands of tiny people hold up a glass floor. by artist Do Ho Suh Click for high-res photo

fling:

I love this – thousands of tiny people hold up a glass floor.

by artist Do Ho Suh

(this post was reblogged from fling)
“
Teachers in black state schools work an average of 3.5 hours a day, compared with 6.5 hours in the former white state schools known as “Model C”. A fifth of teachers are absent on Fridays, rising to a third at the end of the month. The education minister herself admits that 80% of schools are still “dysfunctional”.
Officially, 25% of South Africans are unemployed; the real figure is probably nearer 40%. Some accuse the country’s education system of churning out candidates that are largely unemployable. (via theeconomist)
(this post was reblogged from theeconomist)
newsweek: floralavenger: Interviewer: You’ve long argued for the decriminalization of marijuana. Do you smoke weed? Barney Frank: No. Interviewer: Why not? Barney Frank: Why do you ask a question, then act surprised when I give an answer? Do you think I lie to people? Interviewer: I thought you might explain why you support decriminalizing it but don’t smoke it. Barney Frank: Do you think I’ve ever had an abortion? via Awesome. Click for high-res photo

newsweek:

floralavenger:

Interviewer: You’ve long argued for the decriminalization of marijuana. Do you smoke weed?

Barney Frank: No.

Interviewer: Why not?

Barney Frank: Why do you ask a question, then act surprised when I give an answer? Do you think I lie to people?

Interviewer: I thought you might explain why you support decriminalizing it but don’t smoke it.

Barney Frank: Do you think I’ve ever had an abortion?

via

Awesome.

(this post was reblogged from newsweek)
“
Just as having a lot of pens doesn’t make you a great writer, having a lot of ideas doesn’t make you a great thinker.
Ezra Klein challenges Newt Gingrich’s identity of an idea man. (via washingtonpoststyle)
(this post was reblogged from markcoatney)
internerd: How Often Should I Charge My Gadget’s Battery to Prolong Its Lifespan? Dear Lifehacker,What is the deal with lithium-ion batteries (the kind found in smartphones and laptops)? I’ve heard lots of different things about how to take care of them, like that they need to be kept charged between 40% and 80%, or that they should be drained completely and charged to 100%. What is the ideal approach to maintaining a good battery-life-to-battery-health ratio? Sincerely,Befuddled About Batteries Dear Befuddled,There is a lot of confusion surrounding this issue, mostly because lithium-ion batteries are different from older, nickel-based batteries (which suffered from a nasty memory effect not present in lithium-ion batteries). You’re right, though—charging them incorrectly can decrease their lifespan. Most lithium batteries should last you a few years, but improper care can decrease that lifespan, meaning that your battery will be unable to hold a charge—or unable to hold as big a charge as it used to—quicker. So, to clear things up, here’s how to actually extend your battery’s health as much as possible. Perform shallow discharges. Instead of discharging to 0% all the time, lithium-ion batteries do best when you discharge them for a little bit, then charge them for a little bit. The table at the right, from Battery University, shows that discharges to 50% are better for your battery’s long-term life than, say, small discharges to 90% or large discharges to 0% (since the 50% discharges provide the best number of cycles-to-usage ratio). Don’t leave it fully charged. Similarly, lithium-ion batteries don’t need to be charged all the way to 100%. In fact, they’d prefer not to be—so the 40%-80% rule you heard is a good guideline. When possible, keep it in that range to prolong its life as long as you can. And, if you do charge it to 100%, don’t leave it plugged in. This is something most of us do, but it’s another thing that will degrade your battery’s health. If you need to charge it overnight, use something like the Belkin Conserve Socket to stop it from charging after it’s full. Fully discharge it once a month. This may seem contradictory, but hear us out. While lithium-ion batteries shouldn’t be discharged regularly, most modern batteries are what’s known as “smart batteries”, which means that they can tell you how long you have until your battery dies (e.g. “2 hours, 15 minutes remaining”). This feature can get miscalibrated after a lot of shallow discharges. So, manufacturers recommend fully discharging your battery once a month to make sure this stays accurate. Keep it cool. Most people overlook this one. Excess heat is not only bad for your processor (and your lap), but your battery as well. Once again, see thetable from Battery University at the right—which you can click on for a closer view—a hot battery will degrade in health much quicker than a cool one. As such, we highly recommend using a laptop stand, like one of the many DIY options we’ve featured here at Lifehacker. When it comes to your phone, check out our previous Ask Lifehacker on keeping your phone temperature down. Keep these things in mind and your battery will last longer. That said, remember that you don’t need to be super strict about these things. Don’t sacrifice practicality just to keep your battery alive—if you’re in a situation where you don’t have a charger, it’s okay to discharge it to 0%, or charge it up to 100% if you want to do so for a long plane ride. Remember that your battery is going to die in a few years, no matter what you do—even if you just let it sit on a shelf. So don’t go overboard: use your battery as you need it. But, if you’re just sitting at home or in a coffee shop, these guidelines will help you keep it healthy for as long as possible (and when it’s dead, check out what do to when your battery doesn’t last as long as it used to). If you want a more detailed look at how lithium batteries work and how to take care of them, check out the links below from Battery University. How to Prolong Lithium-Based Batteries Charging Lithium-Ion Batteries How to Store Batteries When to Charge Table Sincerely,Lifehacker Click for high-res photo

internerd:

How Often Should I Charge My Gadget’s Battery to Prolong Its Lifespan?

Dear Lifehacker,
What is the deal with lithium-ion batteries (the kind found in smartphones and laptops)? I’ve heard lots of different things about how to take care of them, like that they need to be kept charged between 40% and 80%, or that they should be drained completely and charged to 100%. What is the ideal approach to maintaining a good battery-life-to-battery-health ratio?

Sincerely,
Befuddled About Batteries

Dear Befuddled,
There is a lot of confusion surrounding this issue, mostly because lithium-ion batteries are different from older, nickel-based batteries (which suffered from a nasty memory effect not present in lithium-ion batteries). You’re right, though—charging them incorrectly can decrease their lifespan. Most lithium batteries should last you a few years, but improper care can decrease that lifespan, meaning that your battery will be unable to hold a charge—or unable to hold as big a charge as it used to—quicker. So, to clear things up, here’s how to actually extend your battery’s health as much as possible.

  • Perform shallow discharges. Instead of discharging to 0% all the time, lithium-ion batteries do best when you discharge them for a little bit, then charge them for a little bit. The table at the right, from Battery University, shows that discharges to 50% are better for your battery’s long-term life than, say, small discharges to 90% or large discharges to 0% (since the 50% discharges provide the best number of cycles-to-usage ratio).
  • Don’t leave it fully charged. Similarly, lithium-ion batteries don’t need to be charged all the way to 100%. In fact, they’d prefer not to be—so the 40%-80% rule you heard is a good guideline. When possible, keep it in that range to prolong its life as long as you can. And, if you do charge it to 100%, don’t leave it plugged in. This is something most of us do, but it’s another thing that will degrade your battery’s health. If you need to charge it overnight, use something like the Belkin Conserve Socket to stop it from charging after it’s full.
  • Fully discharge it once a month. This may seem contradictory, but hear us out. While lithium-ion batteries shouldn’t be discharged regularly, most modern batteries are what’s known as “smart batteries”, which means that they can tell you how long you have until your battery dies (e.g. “2 hours, 15 minutes remaining”). This feature can get miscalibrated after a lot of shallow discharges. So, manufacturers recommend fully discharging your battery once a month to make sure this stays accurate.
  • Keep it cool. Most people overlook this one. Excess heat is not only bad for your processor (and your lap), but your battery as well. Once again, see thetable from Battery University at the right—which you can click on for a closer view—a hot battery will degrade in health much quicker than a cool one. As such, we highly recommend using a laptop stand, like one of the many DIY options we’ve featured here at Lifehacker. When it comes to your phone, check out our previous Ask Lifehacker on keeping your phone temperature down.

Keep these things in mind and your battery will last longer. That said, remember that you don’t need to be super strict about these things. Don’t sacrifice practicality just to keep your battery alive—if you’re in a situation where you don’t have a charger, it’s okay to discharge it to 0%, or charge it up to 100% if you want to do so for a long plane ride. Remember that your battery is going to die in a few years, no matter what you do—even if you just let it sit on a shelf. So don’t go overboard: use your battery as you need it. But, if you’re just sitting at home or in a coffee shop, these guidelines will help you keep it healthy for as long as possible (and when it’s dead, check out what do to when your battery doesn’t last as long as it used to).

If you want a more detailed look at how lithium batteries work and how to take care of them, check out the links below from Battery University.

Sincerely,
Lifehacker

(this post was reblogged from crookedindifference)
PALAEOBLOG: The Caudal Basket of Pachycephalosauria

PALAEOBLOG: The Caudal Basket of Pachycephalosauria