Milton Friedman is one of the big names in economics and one of the few that makes sense to me. Here is a short history of his life.
Quote of the day—MJ @morganisawizard
if who the president is actually scares you then clearly that office has way too much power
MJ @morganisawizard
Tweeted on July 24, 2019
[You would think this is obvious in hindsight and clearly applies equal to any of the half dozen or so political parties I can think of who conceivably could hold the office. But somehow there is a substantial number of people do not think it applies when one of their tribe is in power.
For some reason that scares me as much as the amount of power the president holds. How can people be so blind?—Joe]
The left is preparing for Civil War II
Via email from Chet.
‘If others have rifles, we’ll have rifles’: why US leftist groups are taking up arms
Armed antifascists groups say they want to protect events from malicious and potentially armed groups – an increasingly common phenomenon
The van lumbered down one of Seattle’s many steep hills. A half dozen people packed inside but despite the heat, most wore long pants and boots, and several sported black hoodies. The atmosphere was subdued, except for the occasional joke. It wasn’t so much tension as seriousness – there was work to be done.
The people in the van are members of the Puget Sound John Brown Gun Club (PSJBGC). Their stated aim is to fight white supremacy and build community defense in America’s Pacific north-west, and their presence has become a fixture of protests in the Seattle and Tacoma areas, where the group is often invited to provide security against rightwing aggression.
We live in interesting times with multiple sides believing they have the moral high ground in a conflict of visions. When have we heard this before? Maybe in the 1860s?
I thought government regulation was for consumer protection
This is an obscure but publicly available bit of information from the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services who recently announced:
Final health insurance rate decisions lower 2020 premiums by $44 million
The Oregon Division of Financial Regulation issued final rate decisions for small businesses and individuals who buy their own health insurance.
“Our collaborative rate review process has been key to building a stable health insurance market that enabled us to limit the individual market rate increase to an average of 1.5 percent,” said Insurance Commissioner Andrew Stolfi. “The Oregon Reinsurance Program has also continued to show its value, keeping individual rates 6 percent lower than they would be without the program. We are grateful to the legislature for passing and our stakeholders for supporting the six year extension of this important program.”
They could have kept the average rate increase even lower had they not insisted that one company increase their rates:
Notice the last row? Regence requested a rate increase of 3.9% with a rate of $445. Oregon decided that wasn’t enough and set the rate they must actually charge customers at $452 which is a 5.5% increase.
So why is the state of Oregon, by force of law, increasing prices to consumers more than that requested by the company providing the service?
One could postulate this is to protect other companies which are unable, or unwilling, to compete at the same price point, $445, as Regence. But BridgeSpan, Kaiser, and PacificSource are all allowed to price their product at or below $445.
I thought government regulation was supposed to be for consumer protection. This looks to me as if it is random exercise of power.
Quote of the day—Idlbeokay_bob @idlbeokay
Bigger the gun, the smaller the pee pee
Idlbeokay_bob @idlbeokay
Tweeted on July 9, 2019
[It’s another Markley’s Law Monday!
They have childish insults. We have SCOTUS decisions.—Joe]
Early research for the T-1000
For the first time, scientists have created a permanently magnetic liquid. These liquid droplets can morph into various shapes and be externally manipulated to move around, according to a new study.
…
In an even more bizarre application, imagine a mini liquid person — a smaller-scale version of the liquid T-1000 from the second “Terminator” movie — Russell said. Now imagine that parts of this mini liquid man are magnetized and parts aren’t. An external magnetic field could then force the little person to move its limbs like a marionette.
Mirror Lake
About three weeks ago Barb and I went on a hike to Mirror lake. It was suggested by one of her sisters and we happily headed east from Bellevue traveling over Snoqualmie Pass to exit 62. As we went deeper and deeper into the woods we started thinking “We might have been here before.” When we came to the parking area we were sure of it. We didn’t remember the name of the hike or lake when we made the choice for this destination.
Oh well, we are here so we might as well go on the hike.
If you plan to visit this location heed this warning:
From the lower parking area, you’ll notice a small sign pointing toward the Mirror Lake trailhead. Follow the wide, rocky dirt path approximately 0.5 miles to meet the trailhead for Mirror Lake. There is a small parking area adjacent to the trailhead that saves the extra 0.5 mile walk; however, it is strongly recommended that this not be attempted unless you have a jeep or other all-terrain vehicle.
Emphasis added. The road has huge ditches and large rocks in it. It is also overgrown with bushes that will probably scratch your vehicle if you push through them.
We walked the half mile or so to the small parking area adjacent to the trailhead and promptly went on up the hill to the right following the road:
Quote of the day—Cam Edwards
Once those activists believed the high court was on their side, their willingness to change their unconstitutional laws would vanish faster than you can say “come and take them”. Hopefully the Supreme Court sees through the transparent plans of the gun control activists and will move ahead with the New York City case.
Cam Edwards
July 23, 2019
New York City Still Trying to Avoid A SCOTUS Fight Over Gun Law
[I have nothing to add.—Joe]
Quote of the day—Bob Barr
The world in which most liberals live is one of magic and fairytales — where socialist systems have starved millions of people and destroyed every economy forced into its model, but which certainly will work the next time. It is a world in which using fascist tactics to silence opponents actually makes you an anti-fascist; and where presidential candidates can promise everything for everyone, and still have enough money left over to cut taxes. In this fantasy land, anything is possible if you just feel it to be true.
Bob Barr
July 24, 2019
The Elephant in the Gun-Control Room
[Via Matthew Bracken.—Joe]
I can relate
Via Eileen to the right @10Sgirl61:
It’s a little over stated. I figure I lose about 20 IQ points as soon as the buzzer goes off. Hence, my plans for the stage are made such that the average first grader should be able to follow it without too much trouble.
When Prophecy Fails
Watch this (via Kevin):
Then read the book:
From a sociological perspective this is no different than a doomsday cult. And when the prophecy failed to materialize the reaction from the Democrats in their bubble is exactly as predicted:
Suppose an individual believes something with his whole heart; suppose further that he has a commitment to this belief, that he has taken irrevocable actions because of it; finally, suppose that he is presented with evidence, unequivocal and undeniable evidence, that his belief is wrong: what will happen? The individual will frequently emerge, not only unshaken, but even more convinced of the truth of his beliefs than ever before. Indeed, he may even show a new fervor about convincing and converting other people to his view.
Short of some religious faiths this has to be one of the largest instances of this phenomena in human history.
These people need intervention. If one or more of these five conditions is broken the hold of the cult on these people will be released. The question is whether we can accomplish this without ripping our nation apart.
Quote of the day—Greg Coppola
I look at search. And I look at Google News. And I look at what it’s doing. And I see Google executives go to congress and say that, “It’s not manipulated. It’s not political.” And I’m just so sure that’s not true.
Greg Coppola
Senior Software Engineer, Google Assistant
July 2019
[Also, a follow up from Coppola. He announces has been suspended from his job at Google. Then he goes on explore the hypothesis that Google News has a political bias using data science, with only publicly available information and tools.
Via email from Chet.—Joe]
A rare occurrence
Last Friday Barb and I flew into Victoria B.C. to attend daughter Jaime’s wedding. While waiting in baggage claim a guy walked up to us and ask, “Are you Joe Huffman?”
“Uh…. yes”, I replied.
I was a bit concerned. I was already uncomfortable that I had to leave my gun, knives, and even pepper spray behind. And now some strange guy has approaching me, correctly identified me, and is verifying my identity. It took a couple seconds to think it through and realize that he just got off the same plane I did and almost for certain doesn’t have any weapons either. Together, Barb and I should be able to handle the situation should it go sour.
It turns out, as you might have already guessed, he reads my blog and just wanted to say hi. He lives in Texas and had traveled to Victoria to be with his daughter while she attended a ballet class for a month.
We had a nice chat before going through customs.
In the over 15 years of this blog there has only been one other time a strange person came up to me in an public place (Cabela’s) to say they recognized me and to say hi.
Quote of the day—Bruce Schneier
As computers continue to permeate every aspect of our lives, society, and critical infrastructure, it is much more important to ensure that they are secure from everybody — even at the cost of law-enforcement access — than it is to allow access at the cost of security. Barr is wrong, it kind of is like these systems are protecting nuclear launch codes.
Bruce Schneier
July 24, 2019
Attorney General William Barr on Encryption Policy
[Creating, or even allowing, a process by which the government can get access to all your communication and personal documents fails The Jews in the Attic Test.
“Nuclear launch codes” indeed!—Joe]
Conflation can be hazardous to your health
I have it on good authority that conflating Special Forces with Special Olympics in the presence of a half dozen or so Spec Ops people has the potential to be hazardous to your health.
The person who tested this hypothesis told me he was concerned he might be killed for couple of minutes. He managed to talk his way out of the situation without injury but does not recommend others attempting to repeat the experiment.
To the best of my knowledge the reverse conflation has not been tested. I would like to suggest this is a new field ripe for original research with a lower potential for health hazards.
Home invasion stopped with an AR-15
Via email from JohnH and a blog post by David Hardy.
Summerfield homeowner injured, kills 2 intruders with AR-15:
SUMMERFIELD — Marion County sheriff’s officials say a homeowner armed with an AR-15 shot and killed two intruders and was injured himself during a home invasion robbery in Summerfield Wednesday night.
…
Sgt. Micah Moore found Doyle with a gunshot wound and a shotgun next to him on the ground. Deputies entered the home and found Jackson dead on the dining room floor. Detectives said he was wearing a “Jason” mask on top of his head, gloves on both hands, jeans and a black shirt.
Near Jackson’s head was a semi-automatic pistol, detectives said.
Continuing into the home, deputies found the 61-year-old homeowner in a bedroom.
He had an AR-15 rifle on his legs and was bleeding from a gunshot wound to the stomach, according to sheriff’s officials. Doyle and the homeowner were transported to Ocala Regional Medical Center, where Doyle died.
Four young and armed thugs broke down the front door and attempted to rob the one disabled old homeowner. An AR-15 evened the playing field.
Don’t ever let the government take your guns.
I knew that stuff was bad for you
I’m safe on this one:
According to the study, older adults over the age of 55 who consumed more than 50 grams of chili per day displayed nearly double the risk of developing poor cognition and a decline in overall memory. Interestingly, slimmer adults indulging in a spicy diet exhibited even more significant memory loss.
It wasn’t until I was well into middle age before I finally figured out that some people interpreted the eating of things like chili and black peppers as having a taste. To me (and both of my brothers) there is no taste associated with many peppers. There is only “hot” and pain. It had long been a source of great perplexion to me, “Why do people deliberately cause themselves pain for no apparently benefit?” I will feel the pain in my mouth and throat from food that has pepper concentrations that no one (other than my brothers and I) can even detect. In fact the concentration can be one tenth below the detection level of “normal” people and I still feel the “heat”.
Hence, for all my life, I have avoided spicy hot foods.
I’ll remember this when people who told me, “It’s not at all spicy!” and called me a “wimp” are drooling idiots. Don’t expect me to have much sympathy. I knew that stuff was bad for you decades ago.
Quote of the day—Doug Casey
That’s why everything has become politicized in the US. Americans have come to see the State as their parent, so they’re constantly pleading with it, like children, asking it for favors and benefits. Like children, they expect the State to magically support them.
They don’t seem to understand that the State isn’t a cornucopia. It’s the opposite. It’s a dangerous parasite. A huge tapeworm in the body of society.
Doug Casey
July 2019
Woke Capitalism: Answering a Question Nobody Asked
[I have nothing to add.—Joe]
Quote of the day—Sheila Stokes
And while some say “Love Trumps Hate”, I say love may well trump hate, but these days love and a AR-15 are a way better way to go.
Sheila Stokes
July 14, 2019
Haters
[Sounds reasonable. It’s sort of like the advice to, “Speak softly and carry a big stick.”—Joe]
Quote of the day—KarenVCU (@KarensHavoc)
Big gun = small wienie Embarrassing #RVA #Virginia again surrounding unarmed @MomsDemand & children who are fighting to keep kids & workplaces safe #gunsense laws
KarenVCU (@KarensHavoc)
Tweeted on July 9, 2019
[When the arguments are weak, the weak lash out, and then we get another Markley’s Law Monday! And they delete their tweet because these cowards know they can’t defend themselves in the free marketplace of ideas.
H/T to Craig @SpaceSquids, The Original SPQR in 3D @SPQRzilla, and less fat Dave @BigFatDave.—Joe]