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(THREAD) Pre-election Russia collusion may take down Trump. It's equally possible the Trumps' pre- and post-election collusion with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Israel will do it—a course of collusion also connected to the Kremlin. I explain here. I hope you'll read on and retweet. 
1/ I must stress how unbelievably complex the "Grand Bargain" theory of the Trump-Russia case is—a different thing from saying it's not substantiated. It's substantiated in *almost every single particular*—it just *also* happens to be very confusing. Not byzantine—just confusing.
2/ The basics: Saudi Arabia, Israel, and the UAE all view Iran as their chief regional enemy. Iran is propped up by Russia. Therefore the Saudis, Israelis, and Emiratis all need a US government willing to find a way to get the Kremlin to *stop* supporting Iran in the Middle East.
Who wants to hear a nice story about meeting a hero?
So this is a lot, I apologize. But this is the story of how I met one of my teenhood icons while I was still a teenager. But there's a bit of lead up.
When I was sixteen, I discovered Neil Gaiman's Sandman series. It was about three years into it's run. And like the works of Phil Foglio and Don Rosa, it was unlike anything I'd ever seen. I was hooked instantly.
1) 🚨 U.S. FORCES HAVE TAKEN CONTROL OF THE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IN PORT-AU-PRINCE HAITI 🚨
I was receiving reports on this over the weekend, while I was away, but there is more to this story, not being reported on. #Haiti
I was receiving reports on this over the weekend, while I was away, but there is more to this story, not being reported on. #Haiti
2) There was an alert put out on the 15th regarding large demonstrations planned for Nov. 18th in Port-au-Prince, and possibly other locations. I’ve scoured the internet, and I’m not seeing the reports I am receiving, which are far more concerning. #Haiti
3) Here are some reports I have found on twitter. They are verifying there are in fact U.S. troops on the ground in #Haiti, securing Port-au-Prince. This is about far more than "demonstrations." I have not found any news sources reporting on this. No surprise.
Today we’re going to talk statistics and semantics. I’m going to do so via the medium of one of Twitter’s favourite stats 1.7% (aka “intersex is as common as red heads.”). The statistic comes from Fausto-Sterling’s work, which you can see a review of here
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.100…
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.100…
To understand the statistic, we have to drill down into what the meaning of the word intersex is. Most people think of hermaphrodites. Let’s stress at the beginning there has been no example ever of a human being with both sets of working reproductive organs.
There is a very tiny percentage of people who are born with both testicular and ovarian tissue (what Fausto-Sterling calls “true hermaphrodites”). And when I say tiny, we’re talking intersex tiny, as in 0.0117/1,000 live births, or one in 1,000,000. These are very complex cases.
Singing the Blues:
Taking Down an Insider Threat
"I had all of the advantages. I was already inside the network. No one suspected me. But they found my hack, kicked me off the network...
...and physically hunted me down."
Taking Down an Insider Threat
"I had all of the advantages. I was already inside the network. No one suspected me. But they found my hack, kicked me off the network...
...and physically hunted me down."
Many pentests start from the outside, wanting to see how the perimeter might be breached.
This pentest started from the inside. My client wanted to assume they had already been breached, and, if breached, how far could an attacker go.
Could they stop me once I was inside?
This pentest started from the inside. My client wanted to assume they had already been breached, and, if breached, how far could an attacker go.
Could they stop me once I was inside?
So they snuck me in. Disguised me as a new employee. Gave me a work computer, an ID badge, an account in their system... hell, I even had a cubicle w/my assumed name on it.
The only person who knew who I really was was their CISO. Everyone else thought I was Jeremy in Marketing.
The only person who knew who I really was was their CISO. Everyone else thought I was Jeremy in Marketing.
1/What really happened with the JetBlue plane at JFK?
How does this relate to assassination attempts on President Trump, Treason and Human Trafficking?
~~ Buckle up!
How does this relate to assassination attempts on President Trump, Treason and Human Trafficking?
~~ Buckle up!
2/We all heard about it and heard the official version: FBI agents storm JetBlue plane at JFK after hijacking 'false alarm'
abcnews.go.com/Travel/fbi-age…
Archive: archive.is/tOJP0
abcnews.go.com/Travel/fbi-age…
Archive: archive.is/tOJP0
3/Now let’s read Q to know the truth. First we need to look at some important background information supporting the reasoning for this solution:
ss-JetBlue-riddle-solution.jpg
ss-JetBlue-riddle-solution.jpg
coffee ($5) or help for the 
server cost ($10):
Technology
It’s here!
EFF and McSweeney’s have teamed up to bring you "The End of Trust" (@mcsweeneys 54), the first all-nonfiction McSweeney’s issue, focusing on technology, privacy, and surveillance: eff.org/deeplinks/2018…
EFF and McSweeney’s have teamed up to bring you "The End of Trust" (@mcsweeneys 54), the first all-nonfiction McSweeney’s issue, focusing on technology, privacy, and surveillance: eff.org/deeplinks/2018…
It’s a smart, thought-provoking, entertaining collection, featuring writing and interviews from EFF’s Executive Director Cindy Cohn, @maassive, Soraya Okuda, @doctorow, and board member @schneierblog, as well as @Snowden, @JuliaAngwin, @trevorpaglen, @culturejedi, and @MykeCole.
The hardcover edition, with design by @sunrararara, will look terrific on your bookshelf. store.mcsweeneys.net/products/mcswe…
1/ Dear friends, here is a long fiery thread on "shit VC's do that makes founders angry" -- as expressed by founders 😡
Because, you know, look in the mirror.
Because, you know, look in the mirror.
2/ THE CARDINAL SIN: ARROGANCE.
"As a founder, you’re putting your heart on the line. You want to work with people who care!"
Arrogance is by far the most cited word in the thread.
One from the archives (the more things change...) : freddestin.com/2009/12/the-ar…
"As a founder, you’re putting your heart on the line. You want to work with people who care!"
Arrogance is by far the most cited word in the thread.
One from the archives (the more things change...) : freddestin.com/2009/12/the-ar…
3/ SAYING NO.
Or rather, NOT saying no.
And all that relates: Lack of insight into the VC process/timing/ slow 'no's. No transparency on real timelines for decision making. Failure to give honest feedback after passing on a deal.
Or rather, NOT saying no.
And all that relates: Lack of insight into the VC process/timing/ slow 'no's. No transparency on real timelines for decision making. Failure to give honest feedback after passing on a deal.
Is the big #brexit climbdown beginning?
Are the Brexiteers about to decide to 'buy into' the idea that Mrs May can fix the Irish border with technology? That unicorns *do* exist?
Mad? Let me explain... 1/Thread
Are the Brexiteers about to decide to 'buy into' the idea that Mrs May can fix the Irish border with technology? That unicorns *do* exist?
Mad? Let me explain... 1/Thread
First @tnewtondunn reports Brexiteers like Iain Duncan Smith and co are 'biting' on a No 10 briefing that "special arrangements" could fix the Irish border - ie 'technology'
Then FT's Laura Hughes says 'Gang of Five' are too /2
Then FT's Laura Hughes says 'Gang of Five' are too /2
@tnewtondunn Wow. Amazing....suddenly, after all these months of negotiating it seems like Number 10 has put it's hand down the back of the sofa and found a 'fix' for the border issue that has bedevilled these talks for all this time.
I love this quote particularly... /3
I love this quote particularly... /3
Science and Space
.@NatGeoChannel "Mars" just did a crazy abortion shame in S2E2. Amelie, a physician who was an original colonist, recognizes she is suffering psychologically after many years away from earth. She arranges to return on the next ship back, but she doesn't inform her lover Javier
until a few weeks before her scheduled departure. He doesn't take it well, & they separate. In a final predeparture physical examination, she discovers she is pregnant. She informs Javier, who indicates that he is happy to father a child. She tells him she is thinking of
terminating the pregnancy. He throws a tantrum, saying, "why r u asking me? U make all the decisions anyways." They both note that medical science hasn't determined if a human can conceive, carry and bear a healthy child in Mars's low gravity. She says, "But we do know that a
T1: Thread on data analysis & representation emerging from cognitive bias associated with research studies involving serious malpractice in #altmed #naturopathy #ayurveda #AYUSH research, i.e. no placebo controlled, no blinding, incorrect statistics, no error bars on mean data.
T2: From the recent article published at @AltNews Science on dengue and papaya extract pill called Caripill altnews.in/is-caripill-th… we evaluated the two clinical trial studies in India given by pubmed
T3: The first study had serious misrepresentation of data : while there is no way to find out the raw data & conduct statistical analysis, I replotted the figure using Mean +_ standard error of mean given in the results section. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/27739…
Since we're smashing brahminical patriarchy, I thought we might need to categorize pārpaṇa paradēsis (PPs) that need smashing. Timely reminder once again that PP is not my coinage but @/hawkeyeview's. So here's a list of PPs:
1. Rebel PP
Easiest to define. This PP thinks drinking & eating meat is rebellious. Though for what they rebel is best known not even to them. They are clearly not aware that there are brahmin communities that eat meat but they rebel nonetheless.
Easiest to define. This PP thinks drinking & eating meat is rebellious. Though for what they rebel is best known not even to them. They are clearly not aware that there are brahmin communities that eat meat but they rebel nonetheless.
2. Justifier PP
Almost exactly same as Rebel PP. The only difference is (s)he will quote scriptures to justify their degeneracy. Shukra drank brah. Kannappa offered meat brah. But if you ask Kannappa also plucked his eyes out how about you, you will be showered with abuses.
Almost exactly same as Rebel PP. The only difference is (s)he will quote scriptures to justify their degeneracy. Shukra drank brah. Kannappa offered meat brah. But if you ask Kannappa also plucked his eyes out how about you, you will be showered with abuses.
Culture and Books
Krugman is, of course, right about this. BUT, note that universities can do a lot to revitalize declining and rural regions.
See this thing that @lymanstoneky wrote: medium.com/migration-issu…
And see this thing that I wrote: bloomberg.com/opinion/articl…
Hello, writers! How about a thread on LITERARY AGENTS? How to get one, how to talk to one, how to keep one happy. Spoiler alert: I am 100% pro agent and can't imagine not having one on my side. 1/
Why would you want a literary agent?
* you want to be traditionally published
* you want someone experienced to help guide your career
* you want to learn how to edit like a pro
* you want to sell foreign and movie rights
* you want answers to your newbie questions 2/
* you want to be traditionally published
* you want someone experienced to help guide your career
* you want to learn how to edit like a pro
* you want to sell foreign and movie rights
* you want answers to your newbie questions 2/
Why you might *NOT* want a literary agent:
* you want to self publish
* you're not willing to compromise on your edits
* you don't think their expertise is worth 15% of your advance
I... can't think this way. Literary agents have been crucial to my career. 3/
* you want to self publish
* you're not willing to compromise on your edits
* you don't think their expertise is worth 15% of your advance
I... can't think this way. Literary agents have been crucial to my career. 3/
Analogies between how things are made in the software world and how things are made in the non-software world are fraught. Software is different, and an analogy that shares one common aspect subtly makes you think that there are other aspects in common, but this is rarely true. 1
This is particularly problematic when developers compare building and shipping products made of software to products made of atoms. Their respective creation processes are dramatically, radically different, even though they do share a couple of aspects. 2
Unlike atom-based products, there is virtually no marginal cost in manufacturing software. Once you’ve made one, you can make a billion for no additional cost. 3
Politics
Shocked and horrified. That is our feeling after reading this bizarre statement by @realDonaldTrump that excuses the murder of Jamal #Khashoggi and seeks to justify the intentional starvation of up to 13 million people in #Yemen. Let’s unpack this. 1/8
whitehouse.gov/briefings-stat…
whitehouse.gov/briefings-stat…
It is telling that the statement starts by placing blame Iran, not on Mohammed bin Salman, front and center in the defense of murder and lawlessness. Conflict with Iran is both a prized goal for the administration and an lazy appeal to Trump’s base. 2/8 lobelog.com/trumps-march-t…
Trump then turns to the key issue, money. He has signaled time and again that no atrocity is too great for him to pass on the riches of Saudi Arabia. The children of Yemen and the activists of Saudi Arabia are the unwilling sacrifices to the his deities of profit and avarice. 3/8
Twice divorced. Evicted from his office over $231k in back-rent. Owes millions in federal taxes. Owes millions in backpay to a business associate. Allegedly abused his 20-something-y/o live-in girlfriend. Says that only a white male political neophyte like him can defeat Trump.
He constantly plays victim and gets defended by liberals who can't see the irony in how he's a lot more like Trump than they think. I don't care about losing followers over these criticisms.
Google it. He wants to run for president. Yet he hasn't been seriously vetted. People shouldn't talk up his potential presidential candidacy without vetting him.
Trump called Mar-a-Lago the "southern White House." He touted "tremendous" election results, citing Florida, Georgia and Ohio.
On the Khashoggi situation, Trump told reporters: "It's a shame, but it is what it is."
Trump repeats three times that his position on Saudi Arabia is an "America First" stance. He calls Iran a "terrorist nation" and says that the U.S. needs "a counterbalance."