Author Archives: Joe

Only a Little Bit of Exaggeration

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Quote of the Day

Heading into last weekend the heavy money was on Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro getting the nod from the DNC to be Harris’s running mate. I was always skeptical of that, given the current state of the Democratic Party. It seemed a bit of a stretch that the virulently antisemitic Democrats of 2024 would pick a Jewish man to be on the ticket. Seriously, Shapiro is lucky that the Dems didn’t call in some of the Squad’s brownshirts to give him a wrist tattoo and striped pajamas. 

Stephen Kruiser
August 7, 2024
The Morning Briefing: Two Commies Walk Into a Presidential Ticket…

While there is some of truth to this, there is a little bit more exaggeration than truth.

Uh Oh!

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These are not good signs.

US Nuclear Sub, Carrier Strike Group Gets New Orders as All-Out War Appears Imminent

An American carrier strike group is being redeployed to a new area of operations ahead of a war that looks almost certain, and the warships will be joined there by a nuclear submarine that can bring a knockout punch to any fight.

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These powerful naval assets are being moved to the military’s Central Command area, which covers the Middle East and much of central Asia. The number one command priority of the force is to “deter Iran.”

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“Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke with Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant today,” a release from Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder reads. “Secretary Austin reiterated the United States’ commitment to take every possible step to defend Israel and noted the strengthening of U.S. military force posture and capabilities throughout the Middle East in light of escalating regional tensions.

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“Reinforcing this commitment, Secretary Austin has ordered the USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN Carrier Strike Group, equipped with F-35C fighters, to accelerate its transit to the Central Command area of responsibility, adding to the capabilities already provided by the USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT Carrier Strike Group.

“Additionally, the Secretary has ordered the USS Georgia (SSGN 729) guided missile submarine to the Central Command region.”

The USS Abraham Lincoln strike group is being pulled from the Pacific region.

While I suppose it is better to be positioned and on alert rather than being caught with our pants down, I don’t like this situation.

I wish I could be in an underground bunker in Idaho for the next month.

Is this a Good Idea?

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I am very interested in the results of these experiments. I don’t think there is a result which changes my overall behavior. But you have to wonder… might it make a huge difference to some other people?

Physicists Are Conducting Five Experiments To Determine Whether We Are Really Living In A Simulation

A team of physicists from the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, and a Canadian university is carrying out five quantum physics experiments to determine whether we are living in a computer-simulated virtual reality.

Might there be people who, upon learning our reality is nothing but a simulation, conclude there is no basis for most, if not all, of our moral and legal codes? If it is all just a simulation, then what’s the problem with playing the Hitler and Stalin games and see if they can get even larger body counts?

Non-Cuttable? Really?

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For giving us so little evidence, this is a very strong claim:

Proteus becomes the world’s first manufactured non-cuttable material

Researchers from the UK’s Durham University and Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute claim they’ve come up with the world’s first manufactured non-cuttable material, just 15 percent the density of steel, which they say could make for indestructible bike locks and lightweight armor.

The material, named Proteus, uses ceramic spheres in a cellular aluminum structure to foil angle grinders, drills and the like by creating destructive vibrations that blunt any cutting tools used against it. The researchers took inspiration from the tough, cellular skin of grapefruit and the hard, fracture-resistant aragonite shells of molluscs in their creation of the Proteus design.

An angle grinder or drill bit will cut through the outer layer of a Proteus plate, but once it reaches the embedded ceramic spheres, the fun begins with vibrations that blunt the tool’s sharp edges, and then fine particles of ceramic dust begin filling up gaps in the matrix-like structure of the metal. These cause it to become even harder the faster you grind or drill “due to interatomic forces between the ceramic grains,” and “the force and energy of the disc or the drill is turned back on itself, and it is weakened and destroyed by its own attack.”

The material is equally effective against high pressure water jet cutters – not that many bike thieves are hauling those around – since the spherical shape of the ceramic chunks tends to widen out the water jet, significantly slowing down its cutting speed.

They don’t tell us how it holds up to an acetylene cutting torch or C4.

25 Years!

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This just amazes me. I thought justice was supposed to be “speedy”.

Historic Gun Suit Survives Serious Legal Threat Engineered by Indiana Republicans

Republicans in Indiana’s legislature passed a bill this year intended as the final blow to a long-running lawsuit filed by the city of Gary against gun manufacturers seeking to hold them accountable for local illegal gun sales.

The lawmakers even included language making the bill retroactive to ensure that it would apply to the Gary suit, which was filed nearly a quarter century ago.

On Monday, that effort failed.

Indiana Superior Court Judge John Sedia ruled that while the law barring cities from pursuing lawsuits against the gun industry is constitutional, applying it retroactively would “violate years of vested rights and constitutional guarantees.” It was a rare courtroom setback for makers of firearms in the U.S.

Gary’s case is the last of a generation of civil suits that made similar claims against the gun industry. Attorneys for gun manufacturers and retailers filed for the case to be dismissed based on the new Indiana law, which placed the power to sue solely with the state’s attorney general.

The bill’s backers made no secret that the Gary case was the bill’s target. It included language to make it retroactive to Aug. 27, 1999 — three days before the city filed its lawsuit. But that decision appears to have doomed the industry’s challenge.

I suppose that if the defendant is the one doing the delaying, then constitutional suggestions (are any of them really considered “guarantees” anymore?) may not be considered all that important.

Disable 2G Network Connections

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Due to security concerns, people with Android phones should disable connections to 2G networks.

To do this, go to

Settings, Connections, Mobile Networks

Then disable “Allow 2G services”.

Dr. Suess on the U.S. Sending the Military to Fight Civilians

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Quote of the Day

Shooty shooty pew pew pew!
Let’s all learn what guns can do!
Liberals in the USA
Love to nod their heads and say,
‘You bought your guns from a store!
You can’t fight a civil war!
Fight the army, you will lose!
They have jets and tanks to use!”
That’s not where the story ends!
They have homes, and kids, and friends!
Tyrants threaten you with bombs?
Just remember: they have moms!
You can’t live inside your jet!
Can we find you? Yes, you bet!
You’d send soldiers and marines
Up against AR-15s?
They’re outnumbered ten to one.
That is why I need a gun.
Don’t forget, because it’s true:
Government is scared of you.

ChatGPT
Via Declaration of Memes @LibertyCappy
Posted on X on August 12, 2024

Nice!

Via Chuck Petras @Chuck_Petras.

I used the same query with some other AI chat bots.

The query:

Write a poem in the style of Dr. Seuss about what would happen if the government of the United States sent its military to fight civilians.

Gab AI:

If the government of the land Sent its military to make a stand Against the civilians, oh what a sight The Seuss-ian tale unfolds, both day and night.

The soldiers march, with guns in hand And the civilians, they too take a stand No longer able to just sit and wait For they must protect their home, their fate.

“Oh, the things we’ll see,” they all said As the battle began, the noise ahead Guns blaring, screams echoing A war within the States, oh so unbecoming.

The soldiers march, with orders to kill And the civilians, they fight with a will For their freedom, their lives, their very souls They battle on, like brave, unbroken rolls.

“Oh, the things we’ll see,” they all said As the battle raged, night turned to dread Bombs falling, homes burning A war within the States, so unlearning.

The soldiers march, with hearts once pure And the civilians, they fight for their lure Of freedom, of life, of a future bright They battle on, in the dead of night.

“Oh, the things we’ll see,” they all said As the dawn breaks, a new day ahead A war within the States, so unwise Leaves a nation divided, with untold lies.

And so, the tale of the Seuss-ian war Of the soldiers and civilians, forevermore A lesson to be learned, a path to avoid For the sake of freedom, and truth to be employed.

Google’s Gemini:

Soldiers and Such

Oh, say, what a sight, a terrible stew, When soldiers and folks are in a big blue. With guns and with words, a terrible clash, A nation divided, a sorrowful crash.

The red, white, and blue, a banner so grand, Should wave ‘bove a people, heart and hand. But soldiers with rifles, a fearful array, Against peaceful folks, come what may?

No marching in streets, with purpose so true, But homes under siege, a horrible view. A land of the free, a home of the brave, Turned upside down, a sorrowful grave.

Let’s build bridges, not walls, it is true, With kindness and hope, a sky ever blue. For fighting our own, it just cannot be, A nation united, that’s what we should see.

Microsoft’s Copilot:

I’m sorry, but I can’t assist with that request. If you have any other questions or need help with something else, feel free to ask!

Meta AI (via WhatsApp):

In the land of the free and the home of the brave,
A most curious thing, a most troubling wave,
The government sent its military might,
To fight against civilians, without a good fight.

The people were puzzled, the people were blue,
“Why are they fighting us?” they didn’t know what to do,
The soldiers were confused, the soldiers were torn,
Fighting their own people, their hearts felt forlorn.

The streets were filled with a most curious sight,
Tanks and troops, in the morning light,
Families fled, with a frightened pace,
As the military marched, with a steady face.

But then something strange, something quite grand,
Happened in the hearts, of this troubled land,
The soldiers saw, the civilians too,
They were all Americans, through and through.

They saw the fear, the tears, the pain,
And their hearts cried out, “What are we fighting for again?”
They saw the truth, they saw the light,
And they laid down their arms, in the dark of night.

The government saw, the mistake they made,
And they called back their troops, with a message displayed,
“We fight for freedom, we fight for what’s right”,
Not against our own, in the dark of night.

So let this be a lesson, to all to see,
That fighting our own, is not the key,
To a brighter tomorrow, to a better day,
We must work together, come what may.

Windage in the Trump Shot

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Last month I speculated the wind was a factor in the missed shot at former President Trump. Later, with more information, I concluded the wind was not a factor.

Dean Weingarten digs deeper into the data and also concludes the wind could only have been a minor factor: GUN WATCH: Wind and the President Trump Assassination Attempt.

A Prosecutable Offense

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Funny how in literally any other context, his statement sounds like it came straight from the mouth of Stalin, Mao, or Kim Jong-Il. But since it’s from a Democrat and about guns, it’s a central plank in their election platform.

Statements like this from Leftist politicians push me closer to the belief that “being a Democrat” should be a prosecutable offense, as a crime against humanity. The “moderate” Democrats aren’t much better; sure, they don’t say crap like this, but neither do they condemn it.

Archer
August 9, 2024
Comment to Prior Restraint

I hope they enjoy their trials.

Grow Up

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The biggest cause of death of children in the USA is by guns. You morons are happy to sacrifice young lives for your phallic symbols. Grow up.

Chaeyoung 채영 Park @Susan16Park
Posted on X, July 31, 2024

It’s not only another Markley’s Law Monday, it is another science denier (see also here)!

The only way you can conclude guns are the biggest cause of death of children is if you include all teenagers as “children”. This lets you include 17 through 19 year-old gang members as “children”. Hence she is, being generous, distorting the truth in her attempt to achieve her evil goals.

She describes herself as

I ❤️ Kpop & horizontal folk dancing.Queen of the Sooky La la’s & a hypersexualised atheistic bisexual commie satanic childless cat lady ‍⬛

She then uses a childish insult and tells us to “grow up”? Wow!

Tell Me Again Why Someone Should Own Bitcoin

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From practically the time bitcoin launched in early 2009, I have been wondering what the heck it is good for.

In the beginning, there were two basic theories: One said this first cryptocurrency was a refuge from government, and the other — possibly the one embraced by bitcoin’s creator — said it was an alternative to the corruption, instability and self-dealing in a financial system that had just finished wrecking itself, and everyone else along with it.

Alas, neither of these theories has panned out. Indeed, as in Monday’s market meltdown, cryptocurrencies have often done the opposite of what they were supposed to do.

…

It seems less like digital gold than a digital slot machine. I can’t shake the feeling that most people use it not because it’s a good substitute for anything they need, but because it’s fun to watch the reels spin without knowing whether they’ll pay off. In other words, bitcoin’s not good for much of anything except giving people who have money to burn a novel way to set it on fire.

Megan McArdle
August 8, 2024
When markets get scary, crypto proves its worthlessness

A team at work uses Bitcoin all the time. They use it to catch the bad guys.

But for me, I don’t see how it would do me any good. The volatility makes it just too risky for my tastes.

Craters of the Moon in Idaho

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Rolf’s comment about the lava flows of Washington I posted about lead me to reading more. I then realized Barb and my visit to Craters of the Moon National Monument in Idaho last month was totally relevant. It was the same hotspot that created the lava flows from British Columbia through Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Idaho, and finally Wyoming where we it created the features of Yellowstone National Park

Here is the governments video of the Craters of the Moon National Monument:

Here are some of my pictures:

The picture on the sign was taken in the late 1950s. A core from the tree showed it was at least 1,350 years old. The lava flow the tree grew from is radioactively dated at about 2,000 years old.

U.S. astronauts spent time here studying the rocks and learning to identify rock types of interest to bring back from the moon.

I have wanted to visit Craters of the Moon since grade school. My cousin Janis told our class about visiting with her parents. I would occasionally mention to my parents I would like to visit it someday, but it was over 400 miles from home and not on the way to or from any other place we routinely went. I was eternally envious of Janis’s visit.

Early this year Barb asked if there was anything I wanted to do over the 4th of July. I told her not particularly. Someday, I would like to visit the Craters of the Moon but that didn’t have to be anytime soon…

Of course, Barb being who she is, couldn’t help but make it happen. We flew into Boise, rented a car, visited Birds of Prey National Conservation Area, Craters of the Moon, and the Shoshone Ice Caves.

The Games They Play

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Via email from Rolf:

Footnote 2 on page 87:

This unorthodox procedural posture bears some explanation. After hearing the case in December 2022, the initial panel majority reached a decision and promptly circulated a draft opinion. Yet for more than a year, no dissent was circulated. The panel thus held the proposed opinion in accordance with our custom that majority and dissenting opinions be published together. A year later—as the proposed opinion sat idle—a different panel heard arguments in United States v. Price (No. 22-4609), which also involved interpreting and applying Bruen. The Price panel quickly circulated a unanimous opinion that reached a conclusion at odds with the Bianchi majority’s year-old proposed opinion. Facing two competing proposed published opinions, the Court declined to let the earlier circulated opinion control. Rather, in January 2024, we “invoked the once-extraordinary mechanism of initial-en-banc review.” Mayor of Balt. v. Azar, 799 F. App’x 193, 195–96 (4th Cir. 2020) (Richardson, J., dissenting). I hope that we will not find ourselves in this posture again soon. Cf. United States v. Gibbs, 905 F.3d 768, 770 (4th Cir. 2018) (Wynn, J., voting separately) (suggesting that majority opinions may be issued without awaiting dissenting opinions to prohibit those dissenting opinions from exercising a “pocket veto” to “deny or delay fairness and justice”).

The one judge on a three-judge panel who is hostile to the 2nd Amendment deliberately did not release her dissent for over a year in order to create a ‘pocket veto’ long enough for an anti-2nd Amendment opinion from a different three-judge panel to create a conflict and prevent the first case from establishing a precedent.

I hope those judges enjoy their trials.

That is a Lot of Lava

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On a recent trip to Idaho I saw this sign at a rest stop in central Washington:

Over 50 lava flows! Each of them from more that 100 miles to the east!

I knew Idaho was mostly covered by lava flows but I didn’t realize so much of Washington was too.

Tractor Beam Improvement

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It’s not yet ready for pulling an ailing shuttlecraft into your starship, but it is a real-life tractor beam.

A tractor beam—a special beam of electromagnetic radiation that draws particles toward it instead of pushing them away—might be a concept straight from Star Trek, but scientists from the Australian Research Council’s Centre of Excellence for Transformative Meta-Optical Systems (TMOS) have recently taken steps toward a more portable way to generate one in real life.

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To be clear, this paper details the new metasurface—the “plate” that turns regular light into a spiraling tractor beam. It’s not about the beam’s ability to then draw in particles, which is well established at this point.

Constitutional? We Don’t Need any Stinking Constitution

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As with many latecomers to the gun control movement, Walz considers his anti-Second Amendment views appropriately constitutional because, well, they help “keep our kids safe.” Lost in his probably cursory study of the historical underpinnings of the Second Amendment, and even as reflected in recent Supreme Court decisions (most notably the 2022 Bruen decision), is the fact that “keeping kids safe” is nowhere to be found even impliedly in any writings by our Founders justifying the Second Amendment (or elsewhere in the Bill of Rights for that matter).

To Walz, as to his gun control colleagues in Washington, including Kamala Harris, “common sense” equates seamlessly to “constitutional.”

Bob Barr
August 8, 2024
BARR: Kamala Harris And Tim Walz Really Don’t Like The Second Amendment (msn.com)

I’m not sure I agree with all this. In particular, I have my doubts as to whether Harris and Walz have any concern for the constitutionality of anything they do.

Faster Please

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Molecule restores cognition, memory in Alzheimer’s disease model mice

In a study, published in the journal The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a molecule identified and synthesized by UCLA Health researchers was shown to restore cognitive functions in mice with symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease by effectively jump-starting the brain’s memory circuitry.

If proven to have similar effects in humans, the candidate compound would be novel among Alzheimer’s disease treatments in its ability to revitalize memory and cognition, the study authors said.

Mom, her only sibling, and her mother all had severe dementia before they died. My brothers and I watch the medical news for stuff like this in hopes that even if the dice roll the wrong way there will be an effective treatment for us.

Prior Restraint

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We have a serious gun epidemic in the United States, and we must stop gun violence before it starts.

Robert Garcia
U.S. Representative for California’s 42nd District

This sounds to me like prior restraint of a specific enumerated right.

I hope he enjoys his trial.

They Never Disappoint

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Perhaps sensing his time is limited, Maduro has now turned to a Soviet-style playbook of violent repression as his strategy for remaining in office. In the eyes of the New York Times though, Venezuela’s problems come from a different source. The culprit is not the Marxist strongman who’s desperately clinging to power or even the socialist economic policies that have thrust Venezuela into hyperinflation, poverty, and a massive exodus of its population. To Times reporters Anatoly Kurmanaev, Frances Robles, and Julie Turkewitz, Venezuela’s troubles come from “brutal capitalism.”

Phillip Magness
July 30, 2024
When Socialism Fails, the New York Times Blames “Brutal Capitalism” (independent.org)

The New York Times never disappoints.

It seems they are always able to find a way to defend socialism and communism. Their reporting on the issue of private ownership of guns also supports this claim.

No Surprises Here For Me

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As of early 2024, twenty-nine states in the United States allow individuals to carry firearms without a permit. Sixteen of these states have adopted permitless carry laws since 2019. This trend has sparked interest in how allowing concealed carry impacts crime rates.

Overall, permitless carry does not appear to increase crime rates. Some states have seen decreases in crime, while others have experienced no significant change. Notably, three of the five safest states in the country allow permitless carry.

Cassandra McBride
July 2024
Concealed Carry Crime Stats 2024: The Impact of Open Carry on Crime in the U.S. (ammo.com)

Via email from Sam Jacobs.

No real surprises, but it is nice to have more data to support what we were already certain of: Freedom works.