Easter Traditions

While we may all have soft spots in our hearts for the decorated eggs, chocolates, and marshmallow bunnies, they are all later additions to the holiday.  Decorated eggs date back to the thirteenth century to mark the end of Lent. While eggs have a history of being symbols of new life, chocolate eggs only go back to the nineteenth century, and most of the other candies had their origins in the early 20th century. Source History.com Bet you didn’t know Easter Traditions

Gallup Poll: Republicans Sour on Way Election Process Is Working

While Americans in general are unhappy with the way the election process is proceeding the GOP had the largest drop in satisfaction with the primary process in the last three months.

Does the way the presidential campaign is being conducted make you feel as though the election process is working as it should, or not?

% Yes, as it should

January 2016%	February 2016%	March 2016%
National adults	37	33	30
Republicans/Leaners	46	41	30
Democrats/Leaners	32	29	32

While Gallup is non committal about assigning a a cause for this, they do point out the obvious culprit.

Trump is the least popular Republican nominee among members of his own party in recent elections going back to 1996, and he is much less well-liked than Hillary Clinton is among Democrats.

Source: Gallup, Republicans Sour on Way Election Process Is Working

Millennials like socialism — until they get jobs

Turns out having to work for a living may well be the cure for socialism. According to the Washington Post

The expanded social welfare state Sanders thinks the United States should adopt requires everyday people to pay considerably more in taxes. Yet millennials become averse to social welfare spending if they foot the bill. As they reach the threshold of earning $40,000 to $60,000 a year, the majority of millennials come to oppose income redistribution, including raising taxes to increase financial assistance to the poor.

Looks like it’s the way socialism usually works, people like it as long as they can believe it isn’t their money.

Source: Washington Post Millennials like socialism — until they get jobs

Falling Sea Levels and Overflowing Reservoirs

Turns out the sea level on the Atlantic Seaboard has been falling for the past six years . This is contrast to James Hansen’s prediction that Manhattan should be getting ready to submerge by now.

is anything going to look different down there in 20 years?” He looked for a while and was quiet and didn’t say anything for a couple seconds. Then he said, “Well, there will be more traffic.” I, of course, didn’t think he heard the question right. Then he explained, “The West Side Highway [which runs along the Hudson River] will be under water. And there will be tape across the windows across the street because of high winds. And the same birds won’t be there. The trees in the median strip will change.” Then he said, “There will be more police cars.” Why? “Well, you know what happens to crime when the heat goes up.”

Just for reference, crime is down in NYC, the upper west side is very pleasant, and still above water.

Meanwhile in California, reservoirs are overflowing thanks to El Nino .

To make room in Shasta for water from last weekend’s storms, the Federal Bureau of Reclamation ramped up releases from 5,000 cubic feet per second to 20,000 cubic feet per second on March 18. It was the first time since 2011 that the bureau released water into the upper Sacramento River at such a rapid rate, said spokesman Shane Hunt.

My takeaway here is, if you live in a state with long term droughts don’t blame climate change, build reservoirs to see you through them. Though, for some people,  there might not be enough profit in real solutions.

Well it’s not just the reservoirs that are filled up, so is the Water Cooler. Remember it’s an open thread so anything that is acceptable for Redstate is fair game and threadjacking is not a problem.