Trump's solution to cyberattacks: Send info via courier | TheHill

Courier? Really?

Why not telex?

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/312334-trumps-solution-to-cyberattacks-write-it-down-and-send-it-by

What I have learned

2016 had many twists and turns. I saw many people go back to their base, to their core beliefs. I cut some people out of my life and added some new folks, and reconnected with a few old friends.

But the one thing I learned was this: it takes more than blood to make family. My adopted daughter is equally as important to me as my biological children. My favorite cousin was adopted into the family. Many of my blood relatives spouses are wonderful and I like having them around.

So it's important to release the negativity and not bother with folks just because they share a bloodline - and focus on people that matter to us.

We need their computer things

"I think we ought to get on with our lives. I think that computers have complicated lives very greatly. The whole, you know, age of computer has made it where nobody knows exactly what's going on. We have speed, we have a lot of other things, but I'm not sure we have the kind the security that we need."

Ummm.  Yeah.  (A) computers are hard. (B) you are one stupid bastard.  And (C) what does this have to do with the questions at hand about the hacking scandal?

Note: the title of this entry is a quote from a Star Trek episode featuring the Pakleds "A rotund, lethargic scavenger race who nonetheless are not as simple as they seem.  Their 'found' technology has accelerated their abilities at a far faster rate than their understanding and maturity can apparently handle."

Via http://www.startrek.com/database_article/pakleds#sthash.pMXFbsNT.dpuf

#MakeAmericaSmartAgain

From the world of astronomy

Merry Christmas from President Obama and the First Lady

Yeah this message doesn't seem much like the totally contrived "war on Christmas" that some douchebags try to peddle in their narrative. And this is pretty much the same message we've gotten for 8 years, but what do facts matter?

Watch: The President and the First Lady give their last holiday message from the White House.

The White House   Merry Christmas from President Obama and the First Lady President Obama and the First Lady just gave their annual holiday message from the White House for the last time. Check it out: They talked about the values that bring Americans together over the holiday season: The First Lady: The idea that we are our brother's keeper and our sister's keeper. That we should treat others as we would want to be treated. And that we care for the sick, feed the hungry, and welcome the stranger, no matter where they come from, or how they practice their faith. The President: Those are values that help guide not just my family's Christian faith, but that of Jewish Americans, and Muslim Americans; nonbelievers and Americans of all backgrounds. And no one better embodies that spirit of service than the men and women who wear our country's uniform and their families. And they called on us to support the Americans who serve us all year round: our men and women in uniform. The First Lady: As always, many of our troops are far from home this time of year, and their families are serving and sacrificing right along with them. Their courage and dedication allow the rest of us to enjoy this season. That's why we've tried to serve them as well as they've served this country. Go to JoiningForces.Gov to see how you can honor and support the service members, veterans and military families in your community -- not just during the holidays, but all year round. So make sure to watch -- and stay tuned for a throwback clip. "So as we look forward to the New Year, let's resolve to recommit ourselves to the values we share. And on behalf of the all the Obamas -- Michelle, Malia, Sasha, Bo, and that troublemaker Sunny -- Merry Christmas, everybody." -- President Obama and the First Lady   The White House • 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW • Washington, DC 20500 • 202-456-1111

I love this video

I saw it when it first came out, and can't stop laughing...

#MakeAmericaSmartAgain Black widow virus results from evolution, not genetic engineering

This is really cool. The process of natural selection is remarkable (and by the way doesn't care if you believe it or not) and underscores how living things find new (and often unexpected) ways to evolve to survive in changing surroundings.

http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/news/161206_blackwidow