Quote of the day—Paul Johnson

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The study of history is a powerful antidote to contemporary arrogance. It is humbling to discover how many of our glib assumptions, which seem to us novel and plausible, have been tested before, not once but many times and in innumerable guises; and discovered to be, at great human cost, wholly false.

Paul Johnson
1980
The Recovery of Freedom by Paul Johnson
[Via Thomas Sowell.

My web wanderings for the original source resulted in stumbling across this web page. I now have Intellectuals in my Audible library.—Joe]

Skynet smiles

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I sometimes joke about the Skynet of the Terminator movies. And occasionally I get serious about it. But this is the first time I ever had a strong Skynet inspired chill engulf me when read about a new technology:

The 2.6 trillion transistors in the WSE-2 are organized into 850,000 cores. According to Cerebras Systems, the chip’s cores are optimized for the specific types of mathematical operations that neural networks use to turn raw data into insights. The WSE-2 stores the data being processed by a neural network using 40 gigabytes of speedy onboard memory.

Cerebras Systems says that the WSE-2 has 123 times more cores and 1,000 times more on-chip memory than the closest GPU.

I’m not sure why that emotional response occurred. It was as if some threshold had not just been crossed, but leaped over by such a huge margin. The potential threat became, not just real, but something much greater than that. I can’t say that I know or even really suspect that is true. It was just an emotional reaction.

However, see also what Elon Musk has to say about AI:

Never forget that a computer’s attention span is no longer than its power cord.

Prepare appropriately.

Dark lightning

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“Dark lightning” has apparently been known since 1994. However, I had not heard of it until recently. Here is what NASA said about it in 2013:

Researchers studying thunderstorms have made a surprising discovery: The lightning we see with our eyes has a dark competitor that discharges storm clouds and flings antimatter into space.

Storm clouds are sometimes producing anti-matter? Wow!

Quote of the day—BioViva Science

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In fiction and the popular imagination the quest for youth is associated with a bevy of unsavory characters: pharaohs, vampires, and Saturday morning villains. Yet the real face of longevity research is us, all of us. All of us who have ever had to watch a friend or family member lose everything to an age-related illness, all of us who have had to sit by while a “natural” process executed an innocent person. What sort of perverse imagination could think anyone deserves to die in this way?

BioViva Science
Email sent on November 11, 2021
[I’ve had many people tell me something to the effect of there being something wrong with wanting to live for much longer than the currently expected lifetimes. The reasons were varied and none were compelling to me. Probably the best was something to the effect that there needed to be “room” for new people with new ideas to prevent a stagnation of civilization and possibly technological advancement.

The worst was rather personal.

As my mother was sliding away with Alzheimer I had a friend cheerfully tell me I should enjoy the natural aging. As that is what she did as her grandfather as his brain failed and he could no longer recognize family and friends or speak coherently.

I didn’t accept her advice then and I don’t now.

There is evidence scientists are close to effective treatments if not outright cures for dementia. With my family history I see this as a race between scientists and time. I have a rather keen interest in this race as my life has a much higher than acceptable risk of being decided by the winner.—Joe]

The political currency of the left

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I’ve written about this before but the Rittenhouse trial provides us another data point.

One could assume, and rightly so, that from all the arson, looting, and thuggery involved in the “mostly peaceful” protest Rittenhouse attended the participants were no strangers to criminal activity. Usually the participants are masked and the general public doesn’t get to know their identities or criminal histories.

Because Rittenhouse ended up shooting three out of the four participants he had the closest contact with we learned much more about them that we normally learn.

Four is a small sample but that 100% of them had a serious criminal history tells us the odds of the majority of the complete set being non-criminals is very low. In fact, if we assume the sample was random (agreed, it is not true and it is biased in favor of my hypothesis) we can actually compute those odds. Given the assumption, the odds of 50% or more of them not being convicted criminals are 0.5 x 0.5 x 0.5 x 05 => 0.0625. That is one chance out of 16.

The political currency of the left is violence. It is part of their nature. That is why there are twice as many people in prison who identify as Democrats as all other political affiliations combined. Rittenhouse inadvertently helped us verify that.

As Larry Correia pointed out:

Mob based political violence has been a tool of dirtbags since mankind invented politics. Quit pretending that the left doesn’t do it now.

It’s the same reason when after a summer of their continual fiery rampages with billions of dollars in damage and many lives lost, when the right got a little uppity on January 6th, the left absolutely lost their shit. That’s their game. That’s their tool. The left don’t share. So their rioters are heroic champions.

That Rittenhouse didn’t take a beating and discouraged their continued criminal activities is intolerable to them and is why he must be punished.

Quote of the day—breadmoth

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So a child diddler, a domestic abuser, and a felon all walk into a bar. And Kyle says: “shots are on me”

breadmoth
November 8, 2021
Comment to FBI surveillance video shows Rittenhouse’s actions before he shot 3 people
[I have nothing to add.—Joe]

Quote of the day—Jacob Sullum

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Before he was elected mayor of New York City last week, Eric Adams raised some eyebrows by saying he would carry a handgun to protect himself and any houses of worship he might visit. While those remarks were controversial, the real scandal is that ordinary New Yorkers cannot legally carry guns for self-defense — a privilege that Adams takes for granted as a former police officer.

Jacob Sullum
November 10, 2021
Supreme Court should reject law that keeps ordinary people from carrying guns for self-defense
[Of course. The most foolish mistake they could possibly make would be to allow their subjects to posses arms.

See also here for more context and commentary.—Joe]

Vigilantes in Rittenhouse case (@anniewebb64, @hammeredsicko, @MckinnisAnthony)

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For months there has been claims made about a vigilante in Kenosha WI. I wasn’t able to see valid case for it until today.

I now see there are actually several.

Via Andy Ngô: 

RittenhouseVigilante1

RittenhouseVigilante2

Via Andy Ngô

RittenhouseJackRubyRittenhouseJackRuby2

Via Andy Ngô:

KenoshaArson

Link for:

image

Prepare appropriately.

Judge tosses underage weapons charge

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Finally!

The jury in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial was hearing competing narratives in closing arguments Monday after the judge dismissed a lesser weapons charged Rittenhouse faced.

Judge Bruce Schroeder dismissed a misdemeanor count Rittenhouse faced over whether he was a minor in possession of a firearm illegally. The defense argued the charge couldn’t apply because of what they said is an exception in the law. The prosecution objected, but the judge sided with the defense’s interpretation.

I’m surprised it took so long.

Quote of the day—Let People Vote @FlipBlue2022

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Those with small genitalia compensate with guns.

Let People Vote @FlipBlue2022
Tweeted on November 11, 2021
[It’s not only another Markley’s Law Monday it’s another science denier!

Via a tweet from In Chains @InChainsInJail.—Joe]

Alan Dershowitz says Rittenhouse should sue

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The best legal minds seem to be in agreement. Rittenhouse is not guilty and should be acquitted. Alan Dershowitz even agrees he should sue media outlets for their claims he murdered people:

Harvard law professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz says Kyle Rittenhouse “should be acquitted” of killing two men and wounding a third during riots and protests last year in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and he should file defamation lawsuits against media outlets for claiming that he’s guilty of murder.

“If I were a juror, I would vote that there was reasonable doubt [and] that he did act in self-defense,” Dershowitz told Newsmax on Nov. 13.

Rittenhouse, if acquitted, should then “bring lawsuits” against corporate news outlets for articles claiming the teen engaged in “vigilante justice,” Dershowitz said.

“It’s CNN who is involved in vigilante justice. It’s The New Yorker that’s guilty of vigilante justice,” he said.

At a minimum I would add ABC and USA Today to the list of contributors to Rittenhouse’s yachts..

A little slow to catch up

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Back in September of 2020 I noted the following:

The only potential charge that kept nagging at me until late today was the one about possession of a dangerous weapon by a person under 18 (a misdemeanor).

WI law is somewhat confusing here…

941.28 is about the possession of a short-barreled shotgun or short-barreled rifle. Hence, it does not apply to Rittenhouse.

29.304 is about restrictions on hunting and use of firearms by persons under 16 years of age. While some people might claim he was hunting I can’t imagine his activities met the legal definition of hunting. Hence, this section does not apply to Rittenhouse.

29.593 is about requirements for certificate of accomplishment to obtain hunting approval. I’m certain hunting licenses are not being issued by WI fish and game for the state terrorists. Hence, there cannot be issue with any failure to acquire a certificate to get approval for a license.

Hence, the “possession of a dangerous weapon by a person under 18” charge is bogus.

I find it amazing the opinion writers, lawyers, and the judge are only recently deciphering the actual wording of the law.

He seems nice

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Via Jonathan Sullivan on Facebook in November of 2016:

CharlesWalz

This must have been someone from the political party that celebrates diversity.

Prepare and respond appropriately.

Highest paid

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Via “Donaldo Seamus Baldwinski” on Facebook:

SandmannRittenhouseMedia

There is more than a little truth to this. And this is part of the reason the courts are so important to regaining some sanity in our political environment.

Quote of the day—David Hardy

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My guess: if it happens again, the judge will grant the mistrial with prejudice and a lot of findings about the prosecution motives, and how they kept screwing up even after he warned them. If it doesn’t, the judge will wait for the verdict. If not guilty, no need to rule. If guilty, he grants a new trial.

David Hardy
November 11, 2021
Still more disasters in Rittenhouse case
[Interesting hypothesis.—Joe]

New .40 S&W powder puff loads

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When Rolf and I shot the ASI match last month I commented:

My powder puff loads failed to reliably cycle the action. The cool weather probably contributed to this. In the hot (for the Seattle area) summer the loads cycled the same gun just fine. I think I need to add another 0.1 of a grain to the load to make sure they work in the cooler weather.

I tested my new loads today. They worked great. I tested them in two different guns and also tested the old load. Both guns cycled the action without a problem with the new loads. The old loads had a few problems in the cool weather.

The 0.1 grain increase in charge also decreased the standard deviation:

Gun Bullet Weight Powder charge Mean velocity PF Sdev ES Min  Max
1 180.00 3.1 785.60 141.41 15.3 59.0 762 821
1 180.00 3.0 745.00 134.10 26.6 118.0 673 791
2 180.00 3.1 761.38 137.05 14.3 62.0 738 800
2 180.00 3.0 713.15 128.37 22.8 85.0 667 752

The group size was significantly smaller as well. This may have been because of the decreased standard deviation. A 140 PF is still very pleasant in a .40 S&W gun.

The bullets were polymer coated lead bullets. The powder was Hodgdon Clays.

Interesting observation

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David Hardy makes an observation on the Rittenhouse case that is in line with the suggestions that the prosecutor’s poor showing is intentional:

I’ve been practicing 46 years, and have never seen a case, civil or criminal, collapse like this. Any good attorney would have seen it coming, and dismissed or settled.

It will be interesting to see if we get something approximating an after action report from the DA’s office.

Quote of the day—Chris Knox @ChrisKnox_AZ

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I’m hoping #KyleRittenhouse and #NickSandmann end up with their yachts parked side-by-side trading caviar and champagne on the proceeds from their lawsuits against the legacy media.

Chris Knox @ChrisKnox_AZ
Tweeted on November 11, 2021
[He left out the part about the reporters and editors responsible for the lies have low paying jobs on their hands and knees cleaning the bilges of the yachts with toothbrushes.—Joe]

Quote of the day—Firearms Lawyer @firearmslawyer

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This is the kill shot. The idea that it was not self-defense is absurd. Two guys giving chase, one fired a gun into the air as a “warning shot”—Ziminski & Rosenbaum were intent on murdering #Rittenhouse.

Firearms Lawyer @firearmslawyer
Tweeted on November 9, 2021
[He is referring to this tweet and video:

I find it very “interesting” this FBI video was not made available until the middle of the trial. If it had been then there would have been a good chance Rittenhouse would have had the charges dropped. I would like an investigation to see why the FBI withheld this for so long and, if legally justified, see a prosecution for this withholding of evidence and deprivation of rights under color of law.

This is a side note but I find it an interesting hypothesis… Some commentators have been saying that the prosecutor is doing such a poor job that they suspect it is intentional to make sure Rittenhouse receives justice (acquittal).—Joe]

Idols and enemies

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There is more than a little truth to this:

image

Via Milo Yiannopoulos.

See also the famous quote by Winston Churchill.