The China Strategy Group

Some executives and thinkers from the US "high-tech" business segment have formed a group to influence US policy in the technological competition with China, as described here. 

 

China plays by a different set of rules that allow it to benefit from corporate espionage, illiberal surveillance, and a blurry line between its public and private sector, the report says.

No chance of that in the USA, of course.

From a list of changes these wizards desire are two that have been on the list for years: 

The US needs to build an "education system that prepares researchers for industry roles", such as investing more in science and technology education and "addressing the current bottlenecks in immigration policy" to cope with the declining stay rates of foreign talent. 

Yes, the most profitable businesses in world history want the general public, through their taxes and public education system, to supply the raw material for their generally abstract business model. And they also want the freedom to import new employees that can displace or compete in terms of compensation in the US marketplace.

One of the great mysteries of the current state of affairs is that giant corporations expect to see lines of highly qualified STEM grads knocking at their doors, select the best for their operation and insert them directly into their work force. In an alternate reality, these businesses would attempt to identify possible research stars as early as possible, enroll them in their own schools and universities and then put them to work later. They would actually get what they wanted. Unfortunately, they'd also have to pay for it.

 

 

 

 

 

“Female genital mutilation is child abuse,” said Ryan Patrick, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas.

A federal indictment has charged a Houston, Texas woman with female genital mutilation for bringing an unnamed girl to a foreign country for the operation, a social/religious one that occurs in parts of Africa and Asia, according to this account.

Unpleasant and gruesome as this procedure seems to be, it happens all over the West many times daily. Of course, I'm referring to the barbaric practice of male circumcision. Since it's performed on newly-born boys, who are expected to scream for any old reason, little attention is paid to their discomfort and the victims are unlikely to sue their parents upon attaining majority. Nobody calls it child abuse. 

Federal Executions Are Expensive

This Newsweek article describes the problems and expenses involved with the execution of those given the death penalty for federal crimes.

Sure, anything that involves the federal government is going to be expensive. But the main objection is that the Trump administration has, after an hiatus of 17 years, resumed federal executions, especially in the Covid panic era, even putting female offenders to death.

Having a personal opinion on the death penalty in any circumstance isn't germane to this topic. In 1994 the Biden Crime Bill was passed by the US Congress and signed into law by President Bill Clinton. It added the possible death penalty to over 60 federal offenses. Those convicted of them were sentenced to death by federal judges. While there are always appeals processes attached to these sentences, at some point, usually in the distant future, the gallows, gas chamber or lethal injection has to come into play. However, an inmate's sentence can be commuted by the head of the US Justice Department, the President. 

Perhaps not so oddly, while the Trump administration, and Trump personally, are being castigated for a lack of mercy and a disregard for the expenses involved in capital punishment, zero attention is being paid to both the Democrat 1994 Crime Bill and the federal judges who impose the death penalty. Saddling Trump  with the obligation to overturn the death penalties decreed by members of the federal judiciary doesn't make any sense. In fact, in the stories of the various murderers and their crimes, the identity of those who decide their punishment is seldom discussed. 

If the federal death penalty is something to which a significant portion of the population is opposed, they should take their objections to their congressmen and to the new administration and its head, who worked hard to legislate the very punishment they abhor. 

Another Cop Canine Runs Amok

On May 28, 2018 a Duluth, Minnesota, police K-9 staying at a motel in Warroad, MN, seriously chewed up a maid. Nine hundred and fifty-eight days later the City of Duluth voted to settle a suit brought by the victim for $50,000, as explained here. 

 

Duluth Police Dept. photo

Maybe paying for dog bites is just one of the incidental expenses of city government.

Who Needs To Know This?

An outdoor advertisement that serves exactly what purpose? The airport is local monopoly and public institution. It's not in competition for customers. No traveler in the Twin City area weighs the advantages and disadvantages of a flight from MSP to ORD or LAX to those destinations from St. Cloud, Rochester, Sioux Falls or Des Moines. In fact, most air travelers simply go to the closest airport regardless of inferior fast food or skimpy newstands. 

Billboards are one of the more expensive methods of advertising. Maybe MSP could have taken the money spent on this silly sign and used it to improve rest room conditions or speed up the check-in process. Or perhaps the airport is so awash in cash that it needs to get rid of some of it.