When you love the movie as much as I do, every day can be a Doctor Strangelovey kind of day.
Yesterday was very much so.
On the local level, public officials were arguing with street-level service providers about programs that seek to give new, clean needles to those who are hooked on drugs — the kind that people inject into themselves. Using sterile needles, instead of reusing or even (gag) sharing them, can do a lot to stop the spread of HIV, hepatitis C and other diseases.
— Critics say syringe exchange ’party packs’ enable drug use and add needles to the streets, while providers say they are saving lives. — Matthew Piper | The Salt Lake Tribune
The concern, which we share, is that when the outreach goes beyond needles — and information about where to get clean — and also provides other stuff that is, or can be repurposed to be, drug paraphernalia, that not only goes beyond what’s allowed by law, it also amounts to handing out ”party packs” for people who need to be mending their ways, not further indulging them.
— Utah should stick to the point of needle exchange programs — Salt Lake Tribune Editorial
“Meanwhile, many politicians and law enforcement officials rely on their own gut feelings to tell them that giving away clean needles only encourages drug use. Which may sound logical, but actually makes about as much sense as arguing that washing the glasses in a bar leads to alcoholism.<br>“Where critics have a point is their objection to the mission creep of some of the exchange programs, those that include spoons, swabs and various chemicals and tools of the trade...”
The critics call them “party packs.“ The providers are more likely to call them “survival kits.“ Which, of course, conjures up this scene in the minds of more than a few of us....
Meanwhile, back in The War Room.
President Trump is making various Wag the Dog noises about the threat poised by North Korea’s apparent great leap forward in nuclear weapons technology.
— Trump warns North Korea of ’fire and fury like the world has never seen’ - AP / sltrib.com
Trump issued the warning during a briefing on opioid addiction at his golf course in Bedminster, New Jersey.
Which, of course, brings up memories of this:
Why might Trump be wagging the dog? Well ...
— FBI conducted predawn raid of former Trump campaign chairman Manfort’s home — AP / sltrib.com
Federal agents appeared at Paul Manafort’s home without warning in the predawn house of July 26, the day after he met voluntarily with the staff for the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Oh, and this is interesting ...
— 15 Things You Might Not Know About Dr. Strangelove — Michael Arbeiter| Mental Floss
Strangelove employed sensitivity by tinkering with a line spoken early on in the film by Maj. Kong. While rifling through a pack of military supplies that included chewing gum, lipstick, nylon stocking, and prophylactics, Kong (originally) remarked, “A fella could have a pretty good weekend in Dallas with all this stuff.” A sloppy lip-dub replaced the word “Dallas” with “Vegas” as not to allude callously to the site of Kennedy’s murder.
