Author Archives: cleek

More Like This, Please

Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego and GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene got into a heated Twitter exchange this week, exposing the deep anger still roiling the ranks of Congress after the Capitol riot on January 6.

After Greene, the freshman Republican from Georgia who's embraced a host of far-right conspiracy theories, called her Democratic colleagues "the enemy within" in a tweet on Sunday, Gallego said Greene was aligned with the Capitol rioters.

"I was trying to figure what type of pen to stab your friends with if they overran us on the floor of the House of Representatives while trying to conduct a democratic transition of power," Gallego said. "So please shut your seditious, Qanon loving mouth when it comes to who loves America."

Gallego, a Marine combat veteran from Arizona, helped colleagues with their gas masks as Trump supporters stormed the Capitol in January. He also provided shelter in his office to several journalists after they were denied entry into a safe room.

You Don't Know Me!

Is there a name for the fear that watching a random video on YouTube will cause YouTube flood your 'recommendations' list with similar videos?

There should be.

For example, that one video I watched about a boat getting swamped by a monster wave was pretty cool - but now half of YouTube's recommendations are about boats, ships, sailing, oceanography, etc., and I just don't care about that stuff. I can tell YouTube to not recommend them, one at a time. But that's a drag.

Likewise, clicking an item on Amazon out of curiosity leads Amazon to start recommending everything related to that item.

It's like that time when you were 13 and you made an off-hand remark about thinking that one song on the radio was cool, and then your aunt gave you records from that band every birthday and Christmas for six years.

You should be able to casually look at something without being tagged as someone who needs to see a dozen more examples of that same thing.

IgM/IgG

A few months ago I volunteered to do a COVID19 study. I answer a daily health survey and take a C19 blood test every month for six months.

As expected, my first three blood tests were clear - no sign of current or previous infection. My fourth test was a week after my first shot of the Pfizer vaccine, and it also came back clear. My fifth test I did today, two weeks after my second shot and ... it says I have long-term C19 antibodies! Hooray!

Go science!

Prekop Approximate

Some days I can't get anywhere close to the music that got me thinking. But some days I can hit it pretty squarely - or at least I can hit the things that define the style to my ears.

So here's a sketch called "Prekop Approximate" - named for Sam Prekop. He's the singer for The Sea And Cake, but also has a bunch of solo records that I love.

Hope You Like Boats

More of this, please:

Alaska Airlines said Saturday that it has banned state Sen. Lora Reinbold, R-Eagle River, from its flights for continuing to refuse to follow mask-wearing requirements for travelers.

No other airline has scheduled flights between Anchorage and Juneau, and Reinbold is now in Southcentral Alaska. A trip by sea and land could take several days: Juneau has no overland road access, and some kind of ferry trip would be required.

“We have notified Senator Lora Reinbold that she is not permitted to fly with us for her continued refusal to comply with employee instruction regarding the current mask policy,” spokesman Tim Thompson said by email.

Reinbold has been vocal in her objections to COVID-19 mitigation measures and has repeatedly objected to Alaska Airlines’ mask policy, which was enacted in 2020 before the federal government began requiring masks aboard aircraft and public transportation earlier this year.

Last year, she referred to airline staff as “mask bullies” and the airline itself as “part of mask tyranny” after being asked by Alaska Airlines flight attendants to wear a mask aboard a flight. After the incident, she sent a cake to some airline flight attendants. The cake bore an inscription saying, “I’m sorry if I offended you.”

The airline’s ban comes after an incident this week at Juneau International Airport in which Reinbold was recorded apparently arguing with airport and Alaska Airlines staff about the mask policies.

Not surprisingly, she is shocked to learn that the rules apply to her.

Reinbold addressed the situation in a text message.

“I was reasonable with all Alaska Airlines employees,” she said. “I have been flying on Alaska Air for decades and am an MVP Gold (frequent flyer). I inquired about mask exemption with uptight employees at the counter.”

She said the timing of the complaint “and a specific employee” is of keen interest.

“I have been assured this (will) be looked into,” she said.