Two Days to Mars and Floating Cities

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DARPA Partially Funded Quantum Space Drive Orbital Test

IF the orbital test works then it will lead to interstellar travel and shrinking it down would give material that would have anti-gravity like effects. We would spend the money to make nanocavities so that we could have propellentless thrust for floating cities. All of space and propulsion related science fiction would become possible within about three decades short of faster than light. This drive is in orbit now for a few months. I think DARPA gave them more money to conclusively prove if it works or not. All of the ground tests show it might work. But if it proves out then we first get 1000 times better than a hall effect thruster but with no fuel limit. No fuel is used. So long as you have power, solar or nuclear the drive keeps working. So nuclear fuel supply for decades then thrust for decades. The theory proves out, then we make nanocavities which could act like antigravity then we get 1G or even 3G thrusters in space. This would be the Expanse TV show tech. 2 days to Mars using constant 2G acceleration.

The current version requires an energy source. The nanocavity version would not.

My first response is IF.

Less than a week, relatively inexpensive, trip to other planets and the asteroid belt opens up trade. It is a whole new frontier without having to suffer a technology starved frontier lifestyle.

I like living in the future.

Don’t Mess with the Hair Dresser

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Quote of the Day

True story. A long time ago I used to be one of the match directors for our local 3gun club. We’d get dudes all the time who thought they were amazing shooters because of passing military/police quals. They’d all get humbled. The prideful would never come back. The smart ones would stick around and get good. (Some of our champs were local cops)

So one time we have five dudes from the same SWAT team show up. Cocky. Lots of swagger. All kitted up, talking shit. That’s fine. We all start somewhere.

Being newbs I know they’ll have more fun if they shoot together, but they are gonna need somebody experienced to keep an eye on them. So I ask this dude name John L to run that squad.

Now John is an innocuous little guy. Super friendly. Looks exactly like young Barry Manilow. He’s also an A class shooter in USPSA and another of the match directors.

So the SWAT cops go off with John and some other regulars to shoot all day. And they get absolutely fucking smoked. They get crushed. They are at the bottom of the barrel here. And as the day goes on they realize it.

John hasn’t just outshot these dudes, he’s done it easily, and that’s when he’s not switched on and trying to win, he’s more focused on being nice and helpful. He still shoots circles around them.

So the SWAT bad asses are asking John “dude, what agency are you with?” None. I’ve never been a cop. “Well what military unit were you? Green beret? SEAL?” And John’s like no dudes, I’ve never been in the military. “So what do you do that you shoot like this?”

John says, I’m a hair dresser.

And we never saw those guys again.

Their ego and self image just couldn’t handle losing by that much to a hair dresser. The thing about shooting, everybody sucks at first, you don’t know what you don’t know, and quals don’t mean much. There’s always somebody better, so if you want to get good you’ve got to check the ego at the door.

Larry Correia @monsterhunter45
Post on X January 26, 2024

I could tell lots of similar stories. The cops would come in dead last even when there were new shooters at the match.

Any Thoughts on an Old Rifle?

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Via email from Paul K.

I was thinking who I know (I only know a gun people) who would appreciate this, and perhaps have some comments about it.

Yesterday I dropped in at a local gun shop and saw a rifle on display marked “Dutch Beaumont-Vitali (Dutch), 1888 11.38 x 50”. It’s apparently modified — shortened barrel, 22 inches instead of the original rather long barrel.

I never heard of it or that caliber so I did some looking. Apparently it’s one of the first metal cartridge repeating rifles, black powder of course. https://www.militaryrifles.com/netherlands/beaumont7188 is one description. There are even some webpages that discuss how to make brass for it, and reloading for it. But, amazingly, Buffalo makes new ammo for it, not cheap but not insane.

Oh yes, the price is $299 if I remember right, or maybe $249. Not all that high for sure.

I’m tempted…

Living in the Future

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This is an interesting approach to the aging problem:

The study, led by Assistant Professor Corina Amor Vegas, utilized a technique known as CAR (chimeric antigen receptor) T cell therapy.

This “living” drug is already known for its effectiveness in treating certain blood cancers, having received FDA approval in 2017.

However, Amor Vegas and her team are the first to demonstrate its potential beyond cancer treatment, showing its remarkable ability to rejuvenate and slow down aging in mice.

The results observed in mice were significant. They displayed a reduction in body weight, enhanced metabolism and glucose tolerance, and increased physical activity, all without any tissue damage or toxicity.

“If we give it to aged mice, they rejuvenate. If we give it to young mice, they age slower. No other therapy right now can do this,” said Amor Vegas.

Note that the FDA approved this in 2017. This could significantly reduce the time to market for use as an anti-aging drug. And it would seem that doctors could start prescribing it off label immediately.

I like living in the future.

CDC Baffled by Firearm-Related Death Rate

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Quote of the Day

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an organization that had fervently sought increased taxpayer funding for “gun violence research,” has recently published a report that brings forth significant implications. In an unexpected turn of events, the report points to a decrease in firearm-related homicides during the year 2022. This revelation holds particular significance considering that 2022 occurred during the zenith of a 50-month period in which the American public witnessed a substantial surge in firearm purchases, largely attributed to events such as the pandemic and the George Floyd Summer of Love.

The contradiction between this data and the prevalent belief that more firearms translate into a higher mortality rate is nothing short of perplexing.

GOPHER-NEWS
January 23, 2024
CDC Baffled by Firearm-Related Death Rate

To be fair, I don’t think the CDC is baffled by their own reports. To a great number of people facts are irrelevant to their beliefs. And nearly all the other anti-gun people have nearly zero interest in the current firearm-related death rate. They want guns banned BFYTW.

What Caliber for Robot Dogs?

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Skynet smiles:

I think I need to stock up on long range precision AP rounds.

Via Chuck Petras @Chuck_Petras

Like Watching a Racial Desegregation Case

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Quote of the Day

I just listened to the California “Assault Weapon” ban oral argument before the Ninth Circuit in Miller v. Bonta. I will do extremely detailed breakdown of the argument later. In short, 2A will NOT win with this panel.

The questions and comments from the two liberal judges Berzon and Nguyen were unimpressive. Judge Berzon called AR-15s “A-15s” (seriously).

Based on today’s argument and the efforts by the two liberal judges to avoid applying Heller/Bruen, I now understand what it was like watching a court argument in 1950s Alabama/Mississippi over racial desegregation where intellectually dishonest, results-oriented judges worked overtime to avoid the obvious, legally-compelled outcome based upon clear, binding US Supreme Court precedent.

Mark W. Smith/#2A Scholar @fourboxesdiner
Posted on X January 24, 2024

And, no surprise, it was the same political party deliberately infringing upon the rights of people in both instances. There is an reason they are called the evil party.

Seattle Is Paying BLM $10M for Trashing the City

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There is a lesson to be learned here:

City of Seattle just settled a $10 mil lawsuit related to BLM riots during the 2020 “Summer of Love.” City admits no wrong doing and says it’s the best move right now since the litigation has been such a time and financial drain. Otherwise, this basically signals to anarchists and FAR-LEFT activists that they can trash the city and now be compensated for their unruly behavior. It’s still upside down.

What did you just learn?

It is Dangerous For People to Believe They May Lawfully Possess a Firearm.

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Quote of the Day

It’s very dangerous for younger Americans to be indoctrinated with the viewpoint that the Second Amendment allows every American to lawfully possess a firearm.

Kris Brown,
President of Brady
January 20, 2024
The NRA wants your kid to love guns: programs promote 2nd Amendment absolutism to Kindergarteners on up

Delusions are often functional. Having this delusional belief allows Brown to pretend she is not a criminal. I hope she enjoys her trial.

World War 3 has Already Begun

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Quote of the Day

Kuzio’s alarming statement continued, claiming that Russia and Iran share the goal of eradicating Ukraine and Israel “from the face of the earth”. He added that these countries perceive themselves to be at war, while Western governments, particularly the Biden administration, are seemingly oblivious. “For them, World War Three has already begun,” Kuzio added.

Alessandra Scotto di Santolo
January 19, 2023
‘World War 3 has already begun’ as warning issued ‘no chance of peace for decades’

I want an underground bunker in Idaho.

Rethinking Things

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Putin stokes tensions with US, declares 1867 sale of Alaska ‘illegal’ (msn.com):

Vladimir Putin appears to have rethought the sale of Alaska to the Americans. It’s not a joke: he’s trying to give the impression that his influence extends not only to his country’s future events but also plans to rewrite the past. Therefore, he signed a decree rendering the sale of Alaska illegal.

Perhaps General Patton had it right when he wanted to continue east after Germany surrendered in 1945. A few months later the US would have nukes and other serious firepower on Russia’s eastern front. That would have effected some serious attitude adjustment and made the world a much different and probably better place.

Now… I just want my underground bunker in Idaho.

Tired Insult

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Quote of the Day

Wouldn’t penis-enlargement pills be cheaper, Lil’ Fella?

SilentBob73ᴴᴰ @SilentBob731
Posted on X March 30, 2023

It’s not only another Markley’s Law Monday, it is another science denier!

Wouldn’t it be less embarrassing to admit you were wrong than to use a insult so tired that my blog has documented nearly 550 examples of it in the last 13+ years?

The ATF is Crying to Dad

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Quote of the Day

In fifth grader:

We’ve kicked the ATF’s ass several times in the past 6 months and destroyed their Pistol Brace Rule.

Today, we are making our final written argument for throwing out the Rule with the District Court.

The ATF makes its final written argument on Feb 7.

Oh, yeah, and the ATF is also crying to Dad that Mom agreed and said no, even though Dad already said no.

Firearms Policy Coalition @gunpolicy
Posted on January 17, 2024

Nice! I don’t think I will ever have an interest in a Pistol Brace but the rule needs to be put down like a rabid skunk anyway. Thanks to the FPC for all their effort in this. It is nice to see my donations are helping get results.

Read the parent post to the one linked for the legalize version. The fifth grader one is easier for me to follow. And perhaps even the ATF could figure it out if they read it slowly and very carefully.

Modeling Earthquakes

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Quote of the Day

Earthquakes are difficult to forecast but we’ve made great strides with this new model. The update includes more faults, better-characterized land surfaces, and computational advancements in modeling that provide the most detailed view ever of the earthquake risks we face.

image

Mark Petersen
USGS geophysicist
January 16, 2024
New map shows where damaging earthquakes are most likely to occur in US 

When the validity or failure of your model won’t be known for another century or two it is reasonably easy to be confident enough to sell your services and act convincing.

I don’t know if Petersen and company are knowingly unethical, and perhaps they really do have an earthquake model that is worth more than the bits of memory used to store it, but I have my doubts.

I trust this model even less than the climate models. Many of the forces are deep in the earth acting on materials with unmeasurable characteristics over time periods of 1000s of years.

It does match the “gut feel” of what might expect. And that is probably all that is necessary to get paid and become an “expert in the field”.

Doomsday Cult Puzzled that the Earth Still Exists

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Quote of the Day

The laws of thermodynamics dictate that a warmer atmosphere can hold more water vapor, but new research has found that atmospheric moisture has not increased as expected over arid and semi-arid regions of the world as the climate has warmed.

The findings are particularly puzzling because climate models have been predicting that the atmosphere will become more moist, even over dry regions. If the atmosphere is drier than anticipated, arid and semi-arid regions may be even more vulnerable to future wildfires and extreme heat than projected.

David Hosansky
January 17, 2024
Climate change isn’t producing expected increase in atmospheric moisture over dry regions: Study

After about the third paragraph I was laughing the rest of the way through the article.

There is no hint they would ever consider the possibility their climate heating models are flawed or that the mean global temperature is not increasing. It is like a doomsday cult predicting the end of the world on January 1, 2000 and when it doesn’t happen they don’t question the integrity of their prophet, but instead claim the destroyer gave them a second chance.

Read When Prophecy Fails: A Doomsday Cult on Alien Invasion for more insight on the behavior and psychology of these type of people. You might expect they would forsake their prophet when confronted with irrefutable evidence of the failure of the prophecies. But that is not what happens. Instead, most of the time, they will prophesize all the more vigorously.

I find the psychology absolutely fascinating.

And, of course, the same psychology exists within the gun grabber community.

Constitutional Protection of Rights Don’t End at Government Property Boundaries

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Quote of the Day

Would an indictment for failing to submit to a full body cavity search when showing up at the District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles to apply for a learner’s permit pass Fourth Amendment muster? Or could the United States charge the adherent of a non-favored religion with trespass for entering government property without offending the Free Exercise or Establishment Clauses? I think not.

Kathryn Kimball Mizelle
United States District Judge
January 12, 2024
United States of America v. Emmanuel Ayala

This decision came out of Tampa Florida. I am not a lawyer but I believe this decision means you can now carry a gun at Post Offices in the 11th Circuit. Furthermore, it seems to imply a postal employee cannot be fired for carrying a gun to work either.

FYI, Mizelle is a Trump appointed judge.

Arms Used for Military Purposes Constitutionally Protected

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Quote of the Day

Oregon citizens have a right to self-defense against an imminent threat of harm, which is unduly burdened by Ballot Measure 114.

Three salient facts were agreed upon by the parties at trial: A) Ballot Measure 114 delays the purchase of firearms for a minimum of 3Odays; B) the permit-to-purchase program derives
its language source in the concealed handgun license statutes (ORS 166.291, et.al); and C) the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) refuses to conduct criminal
background checks. The court finds these agreed to facts are fatal to the constitutionality of the permit-to-purchase scheme.

…

Ballot Measure 114, Section 11 is facially unconstitutional by a finding of clear and convincing evidence as demonstrated above. The court’s legal and factual conclusion is that Ballot Measure 114 does not increase public safety but diminishes it while creating nearly a million presumed misdemeanants. A result that is not reasonable under Article l, § 27 as defined by Oregon Supreme Court pursuant Christian.

Robert S. Raschio
24th Judicial District (Grant/Harney)
Presiding Circuit Court Judge
November 21, 2023
Measure 114 blocked by Oregon circuit court judge

Good stuff. I found reading the entire thing rather interesting. I was especially taken by something pointed out in the history section. Paraphrasing, all firearms which were in existence at the time the Oregon constitution was ratified are obviously protected by the constitution. As this was in 1857 multi-shot technology, such as Colt revolvers, were in present and in use in Oregon at that time.

Also, previous Oregon State Supreme Court analysis developed from an historical analysis and

In the end, the court concluded that the ‘arms’ that the state constitution guarantees a right to possess consist of those that would have been used by nineteenth-century settlers for personal defense and military purposes.

Emphasis added.

Oregon needs not just machine gun, but grenade launcher and hand grenade sporting events in their high school sporting events. Such activity would be protected by the 2nd Amendment as shown by both the Miller decision and the Oregon State Constitution.

The Most Reckless and Careless Gun Policy in the State’s History

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Quote of the Day

The mayor stood, frowning and grim, flanked by uniformed police officers. Another horrific gun crime had occurred — and it was all the fault of the state legislators who had recently repealed the law requiring a permit to carry a concealed weapon, what proponents call “constitutional carry.”

“The Republican-led legislature in Columbus passed SB 215 and across this state from Cleveland to Columbus to Cincinnati, you see an uptick in shootings across our state. . . . It’s important that we hold them accountable for passing dangerous gun laws in our state,” the mayor said, his angry voice rising above the roar of nearby freeway traffic.

“The most reckless and . . . careless gun policy in the state’s history,” the mayor said.

“It’s creating an arms race where people don’t feel safe unless they have a gun. So guns beget more guns, which, unfortunately, makes us all unsafe,” the mayor said.

But which mayor? The first quote was from Mayor Justin Bibb of Cleveland. The second one is from Mayor Andrew Ginther of Columbus. The arms-race quote was from Aftab Pureval, mayor of Cincinnati, on National Public Radio.

Ohio’s three biggest cities — they all got in with the same message: It’s not our fault; it’s the new state law.

There was only one problem: It wasn’t true.

My office commissioned a study with Bowling Green State University to examine gun crime in Ohio’s eight largest cities the year before the law changed — June 13, 2022 — and the year afterward. The conclusion: Eliminating concealed-carry licenses had no impact on gun crimes, and in six of the eight cities, gun crimes actually declined.

Dave Yost
January 10, 2024
Ohio Just Disproved a Gun-Control Talking Point

Is anyone surprised?

The anti-gun people lie. It is in their culture. You should expect them to lie even when there is nothing to be gained from it. To them, lies are easier to tell than the truth.

Not only did the total violent crime decrease, but the crimes committed with guns decreased as well. Again, no big surprise there. An armed society is a polite society. And nothing makes a violent criminal more polite than multiple jacketed hollow points.

Your Dick Grows With Each AR Purchase

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Quote of the Day

Dude…fuck off!! I articulated my points..you want to insult me, fuck off!!
You want to debate intelligently, then bring it…you want to call me names because you think your dick grows w/each AR purchase..then again, fuck off!!

Dave Lerch @DLerch22
Posted on X March 29, 2023

It’s not only another Markley’s Law Monday, it is another science denier!

Delusions are often functional. Lerch imagining he knows what other people think allows him to feel superior to them.

Anti-Gunners Crazy Beliefs

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Quote of the Day

Anti-gunners believe all kinds of crazy things which aren’t true. Those crazy beliefs do tend to have the common denominator of bolstering their sense of moral supremacy though.

gunsandrockets @GunsAndRockets1
Posted on X January 10, 2024

Part of their problem is they do not have a process for determining truth from falsity (Peterson Syndrome). They have a set of beliefs based on what they feel. If feelings do not match reality that does not matter. Their feelings, and therefore beliefs, remain intact.