READER BOOK PLUG: Savannah 1.0: The Quest for Love Just released today.

Dan Mitchel is a lonely guy, plagued with OCD and terminal social awkwardness, at times so severe he seems robotic. Raised by a cold, overbearing mother, he fails at every romantic relationship and resigned himself to growing old alone–until he buys Savannah, a sexbot, the first one able to pass as human. In many ways, his problems are finally over, but in others they are just beginning. Can a robot teach a man what it means to be human?

***

“I may be terminated over Monday’s incident.”

They had watched both Schwarzenegger movies, and he’d explained that a “terminator” was a killer robot. She had enjoyed both of them, but had cheered for the terminators, calling herself “Team Robot.” He’d found it funny, and cheered with her. But it was her only reference to the word, so she looked confused as she asked, “They’re going to kill you?”

READER BOOK PLUG: My friend and roommate Terry Lacy has a new book coming out, available for pre-order now. The book is Savannah 1.0:The Quest for Love.

Dan Mitchel is a lonely guy, plagued with OCD and terminal social awkwardness, at times so severe he seems robotic. Raised by a cold, overbearing mother, he fails at every romantic relationship and resigned himself to growing old alone–until he buys Savannah, a sexbot, the first one able to pass as human. In many ways, his problems are finally over, but in others they are just beginning. Can a robot teach a man what it means to be human?

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“I may be terminated over Monday’s incident.”

They had watched both Schwarzenegger movies, and he’d explained that a “terminator” was a killer robot. She had enjoyed both of them, but had cheered for the terminators, calling herself “Team Robot.” He’d found it funny, and cheered with her. But it was her only reference to the word, so she looked confused as she asked, “They’re going to kill you?”

P.S. I read it and think it’s really good. Start of a series.

CLAUDIA ROSSETT ON THE TIANANMEN ANNIVERSARY: Xi Jinping’s Tiananmen Vision for Us All.

Beijing’s grotesque rewrite of history is part of a vast CCP campaign of propaganda and coercion dedicated to ensuring that the people of China do not attempt a replay of the 1989 democratic movement that was, in truth, the People’s Republic of China’s finest hour.

Just read the whole thing.

STANDARDIZED TESTS VS MINORITIES? Will Eliminating Standard Tests Really Reduce Racial Disparities In Education?.

Instead of addressing the failure to educate kids in these communities, the push is to get rid of the testing itself. The deficiencies will remain — but the ability to expose them will be gone.

Eliminating standardized scores will not erase true racial disparities in our educational system. Indeed, it may only exacerbate them.

One does have to wonder if “the ability to expose them will be gone” might not be the real motivation.

ICYMI: Here’s What You Need to Know (and Dr. Fauci Won’t Tell You) About Herd Immunity.

This is a VIP piece, use promo code CHARLIE for a discount.

THEY’RE SELLING SOMETHING: Here’s What You Need to Know (and Dr. Fauci Won’t Tell You) About Herd Immunity.

This is a VIP article. Use promo code CHARLIE for a discount.

THE PROOF OF THE PUDDING: Testing software so it’s reliable enough for space.

It’s very possible that SpaceX and StarLink write more code to test their software than the software they’re testing.

WHY SPACEX IS EATING NASA’S LUNCH: Building A Space-Based ISP.

“There are requirements that make software engineers sweat. Massive distribution to thousands of nodes. High reliability and availability. Multiple distinct platforms. Rapid network growth. his is the world SpaceX’s Starlink program, which has set a goal to provide high-speed broadband internet to locations where access has been unreliable, expensive, or completely unavailable.”

DON’T PUSH THAT BUTTON: Exploring the software that flies SpaceX rockets and starships.

I promised this series was coming months ago. I guess now that they’ve gotten Elon’s SNL appearance out of the way, it’s finally ready to go.

For the tech crew, SpaceX/StarLink really is doing some amazing stuff.

HARRIS SEEMS TO HAVE A REAL PROBLEM WITH THE CONSTITUTION: Supreme Court Seems Primed to Reverse Kamala Harris’s Attack on Free Speech,

IS THIS A LOGAN ACT VIOLATION? John Kerry Divulged HUNDREDS of Israel’s Covert Attacks to Iran, Leak Reveals.

We’ve had a lot of spurious and ignorant cries of “treason” in the last six years. I think a case for this being treason could be made.

YOU CAN’T HANDLE THE TRUTH? HELL, YOU CAN’T EVEN UNDERSTAND THE TRUTH: Media Should Tell the Truth About Herd Immunity.

This is a VIP piece because frankly Facebook and Twitter are suppressing any real discussions of herd immunity. If you haven’t already. you can get a small discount with the promo code CHARLIE.

DON’T BET ON THIS LEADING TONIGHT’S NEWS: BREAKING: Trump Eviscerates Democrats’ Impeachment Charges.

SOMEHOW, IT’S TWITTER’S COMPETITION THAT GETS DEPLATFORMED: Why Was Parler Censored by Its Competitors?

NEVER MISS AN OPPORTUNITY TO OVERREACH: IMPEACHMENT FOLLIES.

If the Democrats do impeach Trump, the Republicans should return the favor when they re-take the House in 2022 (or whenever). They should retroactively impeach Barack Obama. Obama was far more guilty than Trump of inciting violence: “If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun.” When did Trump ever say anything like that? He didn’t. And the violence that Obama helped to incite–the BLM/Antifa riots–have killed at least 30 people, dwarfing the total who died in last week’s Washington riot. So if the Democrats impeach Trump, the Republicans should respond by impeaching Obama.

BREAKING: Military Diversity Board Proposes Ban on ‘Hate Group Activity,’ Citing SPLC.

You may recall that a number of Christian groups are identified as “hate groups” by the SPLC. Tyler has written a whole book about this: Making Hate Pay: The Corruption of the Southern Poverty Law Center.

A SIDE BENEFIT OF TEACHING: One of my students just got her first journal publication.

SPLC SCAM CONTINUES: Fact Check: Did KKK-Style ‘Hate Groups’ Receive $4M in PPP Funds?.

DEMOCRACY NOT: Dem. Rep. Asks Pelosi to Boot Half of Republicans From Congress.

中国混蛋: DOJ Hunter Biden Subpoena Seeks Documents on Burisma, Chinese Deals.

SURPRISE, SURPRISE: Rush Limbaugh’s ‘Trending Toward Secession’ Comment Was Not a Call for Civil War.

I SEEM TO REMEMBER BUSH V. GORE WENT PAST THE EIGHTH: Team Trump: ‘Safe Harbor Date’ Does Not End Election Contests, RBG Said So.

BECAUSE OF COURSE THEY DO: Lefty Law Profs See Handmaid’s Tale Lurking Behind Supreme Court Religious Freedom Ruling.

TRUMP HAD NO ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Trump Makes One Last Bid for Historic Israel Middle East Peace Deals.

I had exactly that argument with a friend on Twitter today. Was told that “we just have different truths.”

THEY SAY “UNIFY”. I HEAR “OBEY”: Obama Mocks Pro-Trump Hispanics, Pro-Lifers, and Evangelicals in One Statement.