Lost and Found

One from earlier this week that I forgot to post.

Privacy

I'd love to use some home automation devices, HVAC, lights, security, etc but I refuse to sign up for websites, install apps, or pay for access. All smart house stuff should function on your network, be accessible with any browser, and not require internet access. Here's a start.

20$ Pocket router as Domoticz Home Automation Gateway

Wifi based home automation products are cheaper compared to zigbee or z-wave products, but the downside is, wifi devices need internet connection to perform their function. Letting your home devices controlled by a bunch of cloud servers on the internet may not be the best idea. 

Internet connectivity for home devices should be optional - user should be incharge of deciding whether he/she wants to expose the home-devices to internet

Politics

Uggg..... Just what we need, a D presidential candidate backed by Wall Street. - Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand gauges Wall Street executives' interest in backing a potential 2020 presidential run


War

Pulling Out of Syria, well, not really

Some American troops could stay in southern Syria despite a U.S. military withdrawal from the war-torn country, NBC News quoted a senior Trump administration official as saying on Friday. 

The official was traveling to Israel alongside U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton, who has been sent on a mission to allay Jerusalem's concerns about U.S. President Donald Trump's shock decision to exit Syria. 

U.S. SENATE’S FIRST BILL, IN MIDST OF SHUTDOWN, IS A BIPARTISAN DEFENSE OF THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT FROM BOYCOTTS


The Wall

Not Pink Floyd's but Orange Donald's - What Happened When A Trump Supporter Challenged Me About the Wall


Scammers

Oral Roberts


Tax rates

Did the Rich Really Pay Much Higher Taxes in the 1950s? The Answer Is a Little Complicated. - I think it's wrong to just focus on the tax rate. We should instead be focusing on inequality. Tax until the gini coefficient is back to more reasonable levels. Like we use the interest rate to tweak unemployment and inflation.


Propaganda

The NYT: Israeli Teenagers Are Suspected in Deadly Stoning of a Palestinian Woman - They are not "suspected" they have been "arrested".

THE REPUBLICAN PARTY: AMERICA’S ASSIGNMENT EDITOR

"Several hours after President Donald Trump announced his intention to deliver a primetime address to the nation this Tuesday night regarding what he called the “Humanitarian and National Security crisis on our Southern Border,” the three big broadcast networks—ABC, CBS, and NBC—each agreed to air his remarks live at 9 p.m. ET. Cable networks CNN, Fox News, and Fox Business all confirmed they would carry the speech, which comes amidst the ongoing partial government shutdown, earlier in the day. Four years ago, all the broadcast networks declined to air a primetime address on immigration from President Barack Obama because its content was considered too “overtly political.” CBS News reported that the White House has assured the network Trump’s speech will run no longer than eight minutes."