Yesterday I came across an opinion by Michael Yon that violence has already started, this month. I don’t know what he’s referring to specifically, because I’d either put it at a year ago, or perhaps further back. But then I’m not plugged into his networks.
He does see civil war coming, inescapably, and like me he puts the conflagration very close.
Okay, it’s …. right. Like this: I perhaps don’t see it as close as it sounds. Yes, there’s been a ramping up of violence, largely on purpose, because the idiot left thinks they can scare us and cow us into letting them rule “forever.” Those are…. what I’d call the phase of “causes leading up to” I expect that in June (July at the latest) if you’ve read Pratchett’s Night Watch, we’ll get our Morphic Street Conspiracy and our Dolly sisters’ riot. No, the January 6th event wasn’t either of those, though the media and the left (But I repeat myself) has tried to paint it as such. But there will be at least two eruptions, real ones, that will be put down very rapidly.
And if I’m right, what is going to shock, surprise and send the MSM and the Marxists (BIRM) scrambling and foaming at the mouth is that they’re not going to get the buy in from the right that occurred right after they demonized the January 6th demonstrations. And I want to point out right here, that as bad as they painted those, if you’re on the right and you fell for the “must condemn” you might want to revise that tout de suite. You might also want to learn not to be a patsy in the future.
This dance, of the right has something bad attributed to them (mostly lies, or actions definitely not of the “right” in any sense of the word) and all the prominent figures on the right rush to condemn it is how we got to where we are. It is one of the things that is now pushing us to open civil war. Actually, multiple civil wars, worldwide.
Anyway, given how fast the Jan 6th narrative has fallen apart — and no, don’t assume your neighbor, or the guy at your work buys what the MSM is selling. Again, I say onto you, if people were actually buying it, instead of just mouthing the words because it’s safe, they wouldn’t have needed to fraud in pain view on election night — my guess is the next two people will not even mouth the words. People don’t like being patsies.
This, incidentally, is why the criminal media is trying to dox people who donated as much as $10 to the Kyle Rittenshouse defense fund, why they are keeping demonstrators from Jan 6th in solitary confinement, and why they are generally acting like crazed tyrants on steroids.
It won’t work. Sure, they will inflict a lot of pain and damage, but it won’t work long term.
Part of the reason this post is late is that I woke up early, to a snow storm, and I lay in bed thinking through something.
Last night, before going to bed, and I can’t remember where, anymore, I came across a post saying that France is on the verge of a civil war, as well.
Look, France has been unstable since the French revolution, and is several, weird kinds of political colors, so it doesn’t translate directly to us, okay? But we’ve seen the burning, the looking, the throwing of Smart cars at the Arc du Triomphe with catapults, and I’m told that while a lot of these have been put down, it has done nothing to cure the fundamental unrest.
In fact, the only thing that worked to some extent to stop the riots is the covidiocy lockdowns. And if you’re saying “things that make you go um….” you won’t be wrong precisely.
Anyway, the reason I lay in bed trying to work it out is this: I assumed I knew the reason for our turmoil and ferment, and why we’re in fact on the verge of …. well, the Morphic Street Conspiracy, with the rest of it to come shortly thereafter.
I thought it was the passing of the “mass everything.” In a way the “Mass media/mass communication/mass production/mass entertainment” was the culmination of an era, in which it it was just so much cheaper to produce things in quantities. So people did. And the world changed to accommodate it.
This was made easier by the European long war. To what extent the transition itself caused the long wars, I leave to people with more time and more caffeine in their veins to figure out. I will say, though, that mass media helped the rise of the Hitler regime, and a monopoly over communications helped them sell the big lie.
I presumed the reason everything is upside down, sideways and sometimes tiltawhirl is that in the US this has transitioned to the “indie” era. Economies realized by the ability to communicate from private person to mass audience, or to manufacture highly personalized merchandise fast and cheap (this is yet at its beginning, but then so was mass everything when the long war started) is upending a picture of the world and a system of ideas that to most of us who grew up with it is “just the way things are.” (Seriously. We think in clothing sizes. Having been born and raised in a village where those were an innovation in the 70s, I see perhaps more clearly how bizarre this is. (Though I still do it.) And we miss stuff like “It introduced the idea of normal sizes” (Something I’m very conscious of since in Portugal, for my generation, I was “too big and too fat” at 5’6″ and wearing a size 7. They just didn’t make my size. It was abnormal.))
The cognitive dissonance of changing society wide systems usually results in revolution and violence. So, I assumed that’s what it was.
And maybe it is, except for one thing: I have a feeling in my water this isn’t going to be just our civil war. Or the French civil war. This is going to be worldwide, all at once, and — well, if you’re not setting aside food, fabric (a few patterns wouldn’t hurt. Even a monkey can sew clothes with a pattern. Though you can use an old piece that fits you well) and other possible necessities for five years or so, do it, now — very very disruptive, very very bad.
But Europe is far behind us in the Indie revolution. Notably, they’re far, far behind us in blogs and new media. For reasons (and I could speculate but I won’t) those things are mostly in the anglosphere.
So, what gives?
I think I know, but to understand it fully, you have to see it from the other side. It’s not that the conditions have changed for the people on the street — or rather they have, but by fiat — it’s that the structural elites, those with power in government, communication, etc can’t STOP PUSHING. And that the more they push, the more it becomes obvious they’ve become divorced from reality.
Take the covidiocy. A world wide lockdown because “it seemed to have worked in China” (not a reliable reporter) really? I said then, if people don’t see bodies piled in the streets by the end of this, authorities are going to be in real trouble.
From the beginning, my generation was the first to wake up. (Though for a while there, I felt like the writer crying in the forest, who just wasn’t heard.) And follow along why: because we have been through so many doomsday. Though never one that called for this kind of destruction and infringement as an attempt at mitigation.
I mean, I’ve listed them once, and I can’t list them all without forgetting half a dozen, just in my life time: ice age, nuclear destruction, alar, loss of all potable water, global warmng…. it just goes on and on and on.
In the early days of the “pandemic” and before widespread mask mandates, I would see people my age barefaced, and the young kids masked up and looking terrified.
This is not their fault. The left took over the education and those who haven’t gotten very far from it, don’t know how many times their predictions have failed. So of course they were terrified.
However…. There are no corpses on the streets. And even in locked-up Colorado, people are starting to be mostly just really angry at the deception perpetrated on them.
Now, I have this theory the reason the lockdown was embraced with such alacrity, other than of course that a lot of Western leaders are in China’s pay, is that the left saw it as a way to stop the revolution against them. Only approve riots! Everyone else locked up!
They never think things through, you know?
Not only did they mostly scare their own followers out of their minds (what minds they have) but they provided a really big demonstration, even for the kids, of the fact that they’re head-up-ass crazy. That the things they confidently predict not only never work, but make things way worse.
And right now they’re hitting that point again, where they can’t understand why “it” for any given definition of “it” isn’t working.
In the States, they’re becoming alarmed people don’t want to take the vaccine. I actually have a theory why this alarms them, and it’s part of my reason not to get the shot: you see, this was their plan for dismount. Get everyone vaccinated, and after a few months declare they “won” with no questions asked about how bad it would be otherwise.
Except…. it’s not working. And they’re running around like chickens with their heads cut off, acting increasingly more like lunatics in public.
I don’t know what’s — really — happening in other countries, because their media is still controlled by the global left. But the rumblings I get? Whatever is happening, the global Marxist monster is scared. Really scared. And letting its inner bully out to stomp in an attempt to “get power forever.”
But it won’t happen. What we’re seeing is a philosophy that went up its own ass so far that it’s forgotten where reality is.
Marxism in a way was custom made for the “mass everything era.” If you only had a few major sources of information and they sang in the choir, of course you were going to believe them. A lot of what we think we know about the history of the 20th century is therefore Bushwah. Though in the states that is breaking with things like The Forgotten Man.
I often say that if Obama had got power in the eighties, we’d consider him one of our great presidents. Because that’s all you’d ever hear. From everywhere.
As is…. Even their attempt to portray Reagan as really bad for history never “took” and their demonization attempts since just keep falling apart.
But more importantly…. It’s the philosophy.
The left very rapidly captured all the centers of power and mass everything, and started pushing their theories will all their might.
The problem is Marxism isn’t functional to any degree — that’s number one. You can’t run a society on Marxism, unless someone else if feeding you, or you have a world you can plunder — and also that, like its ancestor, the French Revolution, it requires a permanent state of “struggle” against “injustice” by the “oppressed.” So you must find things to topple, and step further and further out on the limb of your theory.
Which is why, as all predictions fail, Marxists find themselves defending things like “you can print money forever, it doesn’t affect anything” or “You can change reality if you believe it’s different.”
And the problem is because they have captured the centers of information that they, themselves listen to and believe, they are completely unaware that the rest of us are looking at reality and going “you’re out of your minds.”
Things like the failure of appeal of their mass entertainment should sound an alarm, and it does, they just can’t figure out why. Because the “class in power” is truly insular and incestuous. They went to the same schools, studied the same (false) information, follow the same fashions, listen to the same “information” and “entertainment” and vacation in the same spots — worldwide. To them, they ARE the world. And they don’t get that from the interior of America to Europe besieged by foreign cultures that don’t even pretend to adapt, and unable to afford to live where their ancestors did, people are looking at their predictions and their actions and going “Well, it doesn’t work that way.”
Reality has a way of breaking through. The elite, however, have insulated themselves from reality so well they’re the court dancing while outside the sullen peasants gather, pitchforks in hand. They know something is wrong. They know they’re not working the way they should. But they can’t understand WHY, and they’re sure just a little more of that good ol’ repression and stomping will fix things forever.
And part of this is that since the USSR (itself not a western power) fell they have had China as their beau ideal. Which means they’re now convinced what works in China — or what China SAYS works. Yes, they believe China. They’re dumb that way — will work here in the same way. So, you know, lockdowns and orders to unperson those who oppose you.
They have no idea.
We’re almost at Morphic Street Conspiracy O’Clock. …. everywhere.
There’s going to be a brief and horrific convulsion. How brief? How horrific? I don’t know. I keep getting “brief” but seriously, in revolution/war terms two years are brief. So are five years. For the record I don’t think it will be as long as five years. Maybe less than two years. I don’t know. Once the ball starts rolling so many things will break, it’s hard to tell.
And keep in mind the “brief” is for the US. In the rest of the world this might be playing out for a generation.
As for horrific? VERY.
Yes, I think the US will unfuck itself faster. Followed by Europe for values of “unfuck.” This is not chauvinism, but the fact we are much younger, in population than the US. And yes, I do realize that at least allegedly we’re not as young as Africa or the Middle East. But beyond the fact that we can’t trust statistics, there is the inevitable theorem that it’s harder to unfuck yourself when you’ve never been in an unfucked state.
I do expect we’ll return to functioning (for values of functioning) society within two or three years. I mean, by that, to the place where you can find most of your necessities reliably, at least at a local level.
Europe…. Well, it’s going to be interesting. And I won’t exclude the idea that they’ll just get right back to where they were when we intervened in their long war.
The third world…. oh, boy. There the horrific is going to result in millions of dead.
And frankly, just about everywhere will be worse than the US outside major cities. I can feel it.
If you’re in a major city and I like you, I beg you, with tears in my eyes to get out as soon as you can (and yes, we’re working on it.) Some neighborhoods and places will be safe-ish, but in the US the brunt of the horrific will be in big cities, because that’s what the left thinks MATTERS and where they’ll concentrate their effort.
Forgive me for corporate speak from the nineties, but in this case it applies: their paradigm is broken and they can’t see it because they’ve done everything possible to insulate themselves from input coming from outside the paradigm.
When this happens and the people of the dead paradigm still have some power, the result is kind of like when you fill a container with gasoline, then drop a match in. It’s best to be in the places they think don’t matter.
Other than that: well, you don’t know how interconnected the world supply chains are, until they break. These last two years have been a lesson and no mistake. When I say we’ll unfuck ourselves relatively fast, it doesn’t mean we’ll reverse disastrous globalization in an eye blink. We won’t.
Try to have the things you think you’ll need for five-ten years. That includes newish computers (the silicon crisis is real) perhaps more expensive than you’re used to buying, and raw materials for what you’ll need, from fabric to…. I don’t know. Probably not clay. But now might be a bad time to downsize and get rid of that “for company” dish set, depending on your rate of breakage of the everyday one. Lay by paper, too. If we start getting electricity brownouts and blackouts, having stuff you want to keep printed might help.
Food. I don’t need to say it. I think I have maybe enough for a year and a half, though at the end our diet would be mighty strange. But we’re already hearing screams of food supply failure. (I want to get us moved, and start laying in more food. The delays and set backs are driving me nuts.)
And what about the stupid laws proscribing wrong thinkers? For now? Nothing. If you’re hidden and submerged stay that way. Look at it this way: if the people who hid Jews in their attics had come out early to defend them, they too would be in the camps and unable to help. We’re already past the point where “a brave stand” will help. The left knows they’re losing. They can’t understand why, but they know they’re losing, and they’re angry and murderous because of it. And they won’t let go, until it all explodes in their faces. So if you are hidden, stay thus, and get ready to hide people in your metaphorical attic. Because those like me who are exposed, if they have a good bit of luck, just might manage to make it there.
Just prepare, prepare as hard as you can.
You’ll be blindsided. We all will be. Seriously. Books that go through this lie. It’s always more complex and more difficult than you can imagine, and you will be caught off guard.
If you’re lucky, the things you’re caught in won’t kill you.
If we’re all lucky we’ll come out the other side alive and well, most of us. Which is good, because we’ll be needed if we want future generations to grow up under a constitutional republic.
The rest of the world? Foggedaboutit. Not a chance. They’re going to try to crawl back to pre-English enlightenment. Some areas will manage it, too.
For us? I don’t know. There is a chance. Honestly. A chance is all we can ask for.
So, let’s survive and be ready to push the odds. Because the destruction will be everywhere. But the re-building must begin in America.
According To Hoyt 
“the idiot left thinks they can scare us and cow us into letting them rule ‘forever.’”
Yeah. That ain’t gonna work out the way they expect. They so full of themselves they forget the first rule: Know your enemy. Shucks, they don’t even know themselves. Fact is, fer sech “smart” people they don’t actually know [poop].
~
No, they all supreme geniuses who inexplicably keep succeeding in their rolls to disbelieve how stupid we are.
Unmatched excellence in thinking, every one of them truly peerless.
But they’ve been told they are the smartest, most enlightened, most moral people EVAH! for their whole lives and have the participation trophies to prove it!
A couple of days ago, Kamela and the FICUS were speaking on something and there was a delay loop that repeated everything twice.
I laughed and said, “They forgot to turn off the Left-Wing Echo Chamber!”
That was just FICUS circling the drain, so you heard him go by twice… did someone post this already?
https://rumble.com/vg13fx-let-my-wife-come-home-joe-biden-goes-on-awkward-and-bizarre-tangent-during-.html
Word salad, like he’s regurgitating random chunks from a recently-read novel.
And their proud boasts of having the participation trophies is on par with the degree of agreement engendered by thos “Heroes Work Here” signs in the local post office.
Human beings do not react well to being scared. If we’re not outright killed, then we get mad, then we band together and wipe out what’s scaring us.
Some skip a few steps: straight from scared to kill. Since that will eliminate the cause of the fear.
That’s me. Run towards what scares you. Preferably with an ax and screaming incoherently. But an umbrella will do.
I see that you also have Viking ancestry.
Supposedly descended in a direct line of mothers from a 9th century Norwegian woman…. Who knew?
knew? no. Suspected? yes.
LOL. My older son said “So many generations, and yet it breeds true.”
I would prefer to take cover, and take aim. 😛
Me, too. I always thought I was the scaredy cat, but alone at night in the house with hubs away on a business trip? If I hear something I grab the closest beat ’em up stick and go right out to beat the miscreants into pulp. I cannot stay quivering in my bed. Just can’t do it.
Though Lord help me if I run into a garden spider.
I’m completely okay with spiders. My fear is snakes and lizards. No, not fear. Phobia.
Beware the man who has nothing left to lose, or merely believes he has nothing left to lose.
After him remember the man who has much to lose, but believes his only chance to not lose it is through unpleasant means.
“They have no idea.” I found out yesterday this is so true I had to go outside and vent.
I need to see a dentist. I cannot wear a muzzle. The veil is off the “medical professionals” who are actually bureaucrats with jobs they think are sexy because they’re called heroes. The BC I spoke with yesterday? Yeah. Sucks to be you. And yeah, no payment plan either, and we don’t care if you have no dental insurance. Muzzle up, pay us, peasant.
They have no idea the rage we’re keeping in check, and the payback that will come even from the kindest among us.
^^well said^^
What infuriates me about the “vaccine” push is that everyone in my little corner of the world acts like a bunch of junior high school kids who have deemed themselves in the Cool Group because they have it (much like having the latest iPhone) and the rest of us unwashed don’t. I cannot tell you how badly I despise peer pressure, and I’ve been out of school a good 40 years. I ignored it then and you better believe I am ignoring it now.
Visited the store I used to work at to pick some badly needed stuff up. I’m happy I don’t need wood for any of my current projects.. Anyway, one of the ladies I used to work with said she got bullied into getting the vaccine. 1st shot. Now she’s determined not to get the second.
I opted to get the shot, because the parents are high risk and I decided it wasn’t likely to kill me. They opted to get the shot so they’d worry less, and grandma got it so we have the option of putting her into a nursing home if she gets to be too disabled for Mom to be able to help her.
After four-plus days of misery after round 2, I’m not sure it was worth it. (I’m mostly feeling human again, and the days off from work weren’t so bad, but.) It’s really not fair that of all of us, 87 year old grandma didn’t have so much as a twinge (or she didn’t notice, her pain tolerance, etc being of near-inhuman levels).
What really pisses me off is that I *still* have to wear the damn face-diaper at work. Because I work for the feds, and there’s that ::coughs to prevent swearing:: executive order.
Oddly enough, it seems that people with strong reactions either had it before or have strong immune reactions. I’ve heard that older people don’t have as much of a reaction, presumably because their immune systems are weaker. Both my husband and I got sick with what might have been covid last February. He’s almost 12 years older than me and had no reaction to the second shot. I was sick for a couple of days.
$SPOUSE and I most likely had it in March ’20. I tend to have severe reactions to new vaccines (my first flu shot was *interesting*), and we’re paying attention to adverse reaction news, as well as the occasional report of unvaxxed people getting something nasty from the freshly shot.
Nope, not gonna, no way.
I do still wonder about the crud I had in March 2020. It seemed to be the typical sinus-infection-gone-wild that I often get that time of year (bc a coworker who liked to come into work sick inevitably gave me what she got–it was usually a viral sinus infection). And it did eventually go bacterial…but it’s not impossible the crud I had that only got kicked with antibiotics and steroids was a secondary infection, and the first round was the ‘Rona…
January 2020 I refilled asthma inhaler for the first time in….. months.
At the time (January – March 2020) lots of people were talking about this bad “bug” that was going around. A cold/flu that just lingered. My paranoid self wonders if there isn’t information out there that really there was lots of covid 19 at that time and they have proof and are suppressing it. Because that would make the shutdowns look even more insanely stupid than we already think they are. I know some of the studies do point to that being true…
Oh, even the most “wear the mask” friends of mine have made comments along the lines of “maybe this is what I got around New Year’s 2020” or “my kid’s class was out with the bad flu in December… I wonder.”
And yes, they have antibody proof that it was in the country much earlier than reported. At least as far back as February for *confirmed* cases.
The Chinese were spreading COVID19 around the world by October 2019. They don’t call it COVID20, do they?
First cases were workers from the Wuhan virology lab in September 2019. After a few weeks, the communist Chinese figured out what was going on and, “Well, it got out, might as well put it to some use” and started shipping disease carriers all over the world while NOT allowing them to travel within China. Also while denying there was any such thing as an outbreak. MaligNancy was still screeching ‘XENOPHOBIA!!!’ in February 2020. They STILL won’t admit Trump did the right thing by shutting down travel from China. Too late, but still helpful.
Unless you call it COVID-1984
@B. Durbin: According to Denninger at Market Ticker, who cites multiple sources, it was in the US in the fall/winter of 2019. Multiple infections have been confirmed, too.
based on what I’ve been able to determine, using descriptions of the symptoms I’ve read – and experienced – back in Nov. 2019; I had the virus then. Despite my age (mid 60s) and ‘pre existing condition’ (type 1 diabetic) – I survived. I’m healthy and fit, and have learned to live with diabetes over the years. But for almost a week, I was as ill as I’ve ever been – and I don’t get sick very often. Back then, I worked in retail sales at a large home improvement chain, and that continued daily as an ‘essential worker’ all last year; until March of this year, actually – when I went from ‘essential’; to expendable; by virtue of age/wage… in other words, why keep the old guy making $15 an hour, when you can get a young kid for $9? In any case, Covid19 was here in ’19; I believe I had it and survived. Either way, no “medical procedure” involving rushed through and tested sort of and yet unapproved medical stuff involving a virus as yet not isolated… will be injected into me, period.
Ccme at me with a needle, you get two in the chest and one in the head. Or, is it one in the chest and two in the head? I don’t recall, oh well.
Last I heard was September / October 2019.
Referred to by my wife and others as “The Crud That Won’t Go Away”. Funny- it had all the symptoms of covid, including loss of taate and smell, but “experts” were busy telling us it wasn’t here yet…
Early June last year, my doctor told me I couldn’t possibly have had the Chinavirus (Joe, ESMF!) in mid March because it hadn’t been officially recorded in our county until later in the month. Meanwhile, I had “flu”, but failed the tests for Type A and Type B. The on-call doc said I probably had the Wuhan-surprise, but they had two admitted patients and still couldn’t get them tested.
My respect for the family practitioner dropped like a rock that day. Staying with him because he’s pretty much the gateway to any new specialists I need to see. Sigh.
I can state with some certainty that the weird flu I had between Christmas 2019 and New Year’s was not Covid because neither of the two Covid antibody tests I’ve had came back positive.
Now that I’ve had two Covid shots, the next antibody test had better come back negative.
According to my doctor, if you have the mRNA vaccines your antibody test is guaranteed to come back negative because it doesn’t produce immunity via that path.
Well, crap. Of course I meant that it had better NOT come back negative, but you’re telling me it will?
That’s a bummer, that is. I was hoping for some evidence to support the idea that I did something measurable.
There was DEFINITELY something here in the Boston Suburbs/Exurbs. I used to ride the commuter rail (work from Home now…) daily. Late January/Early February the morning commuter rail sounded like a TB ward, hacking, coughing, sneezing and everyone looking like they had a VERY sloppy cold. The time I went to work was also the train that had lots of the nurses and aides going in to the hospitals for the first shift. I, unusually, did not seem to succumb to whatever it was.
I have Several (more than 3) comorbidities so I have had both shots (moderna). My first shot made me a little tired and made my arm hurt worse than a DPT (tetanus) booster for almost a week. Second shot I felt lousy for the day following that and was then better, arm was more like a normal injection and only for 24 hrs.
Just a comment on moving your dad for a lengthy visit. If time is not a factor you might find a transatlantic cruise. A lot of US cruise lines leave from Barcelona and come into Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, Miami. One might even come into Galveston.
I never, ever, ever want to go on a cruise. I’d never convince my dad to move, either. I just miss him.
That makes sense. If you already had it, you have the antibodies to the bug, so anything that mimics the bug will activate the existing antibodies, making you feel like crap as you fight it off.
I distinctly remember being told years ago that for one of the standard childhood vaccines that you shouldn’t get the vaccine if you already had the disease because the reaction could be far worse than the original illness.
Since I have a clotting factor disorder (Factor V Leiden) and I figure if I was going to get the bug, I would have from where I worked (and I take Vit D and Zinc and C and have cats) I’m not going to get the vaccine since I don’t see a point in knowingly intentionally definitely exposing myself to something known to cause blood clots even in people without the genetic mutation. I’m far less likely to be exposed without the vaccine since I suspect I’m one of the 80% who won’t get it.
If anyone can see a major fault in my logic, please let me know!
Righteous livelihood.. ==> quit the Feds.
Okay. /Virtue_Signal_On I’ve got both my shots. /Virtue_Signal_Off
Big fat furry deal. I have shots, I take medication that makes catching COVID even harder. And the morons STILL insist I wear a mask? Can’t have it both ways babycakes. Either the shots work, or they don’t. If they work, then you’re lying to me about the masks. If they don’t work, then you lied to me about the shots. end result, they’re all lying.
You remind me–one of the local gas stations is selling a line of masks advertising that you’ve had your shots. And I’m just… like… WTF???
I got my shot. But I refuse to post pictures of my card, or put up stickers, or any of the other stupid stuff, because it’s just a health care decision, and I don’t post about my health care decisions.
Basically the only reason that I even looked into getting the shots was that my Baby Sister was concerned.
But then after I talked with her, my health clinic called about the shots and it was easy enough to do so “why argue”.
On the other hand, it isn’t something to Shout About having done.
Yep. I keep seeing all these photos and status updates. I want to scream at people…”Didja get that Viagra prescription refilled too??”
Nah. Still have plenty of the blue pills. Wait a minute. Did I just say I have a terrible sex life? LOL.
LOL!!
I’m a (retired) U.S. Army paratrooper. Why would I need Viagra? 😉
Just wait, you are young yet.
Heh. Ask them if they got their Valtrex prescription refilled. Little yellow pill, not the little blue one.
I get my second shot at the end of the week. But the only place I’m posting the picture of my vaccine card is on the website where I ask the military to pay me for it. And I’m only taking the picture and posting it because that’s the proof that they need to pay me.
Yeah. Mine’s getting photocopied for the summer camp medical forms, if the stupid state will let them open. (If it doesn’t, I am planning an EPIC camping trip with my kids.)
My vaccine card is on my refrigerator door and it’s going to stay there, since I’m not going to use it as a bleeping passport to anything.
(Had mild side effects on the 2nd shot, about 2 days of aches/pains and 99deg temperature. No Force powers, alas…)
Got my second one today, whoo-hoo. They gave me a “sticker” that looks like a band-aid, that says I got my covid shot. Like an “I voted” sticker…and just about as comforting these days. Waste of money.
Hubs has had his second shot; he’s antsy to go visit our place overseas. One kidling gets her second one today. Another kidling may or may not. And I haven’t, although I’ll probably have to so I can travel with hubs. If it weren’t for that, I’d wait. I loathe being coerced into anything, and I’m very good at cutting off my nose to spite my face.
I’m not taking it. I can’t travel overseas anyway. Can’t wear masks that long without dying of an asthma attack. So, no.
This!!
I see no point in getting the vaccine if they are still going to demand I wear the suffocating Magic Muzzle™, even if I didn’t have concerns about it from other angles.
I was putting off mine. But I want to do things with hubby. Not like we are going overseas, or on a cruise, or flying. Just driving across state lines. Granted the locations we are traveling to and through are less of a problem than coming back home to west side of home state (Oregon). But truth is I travel with a Service Dog, that is already an ADA PIA, especially where pets aren’t allowed in the national parks we visit, not to include hotels, VRBO, etc. Karen’s everywhere. Some even send their children over to say something (I kid you not). She is clearly marked. I have to regularly practice:
1) Can I see your license to practice medicine?
2) Why Dr (name) didn’t know you were here too!
3) (NP) Can I see your ranger badge?
4) Are you an employee? Can you help me find …?
5) Butt out. Go away. NOYB.
With kids I handle it differently.
Point is. I don’t want to deal with CCPFlu lack of vaccine crap too.
I’m with you.
My local online rag bleats that WA State is insisting on 80%+ vaccination rates for all people in the State. That’s their definition of herd immunity. Which ignores the people who’ve had it who have natural immunity.
We’re going to be muzzled forever up here.
We’re right here with you in Pennsylvania. The governor seems rather dismayed that at least half the people aren’t immediately stepping up for the vaccine and he thinks that at 80%-90%, we will have achieved herd immunity. Not taking into account, as you said, people who have already had it, or don’t want to take the vaccine. We have a referendum in the coming election that, if it passes, will limit the governor’s ability to extend any emergency powers indefinitely. Naturally, the Democrats in the state are going spastic over it.
We’re right here with you in Pennsylvania. The governor seems rather dismayed that at least half the people aren’t immediately stepping up for the vaccine and he thinks that at 80%-90%, we will have achieved herd immunity. Not taking into account, as you said, people who have already had it, or don’t want to take the vaccine. We have a referendum in the coming election that, if it passes, will limit the governor’s ability to extend any emergency powers indefinitely. Naturally, the Democrats in the state are going spastic over it.
PA sounds more and more like WA every day. It’s like there’s two states: Communist and Patriot.
My favorite radio host is Ken Matthews out of Harrisburg. Dude is solid as iron.
Yes, we sure are getting there here in the Keystone State. And we have the stone-cold commie lieutenant governor John Fetterman who is planning a run for the soon to be vacated Senate seat of Pat Toomey. This is the same John Fetterman who insists that we do not have any right whatsoever to talk about the voter fraud that took place here and the five other states. We also suspect that the reason “Rachel” Levine was kicked upstairs to the Biden administration was to prevent “her” from getting caught up in the COVID nursing home scandal that Gov. Wolf is up to his neck in as well. But the other shoe is going to drop on both of them. Count on it.
I love Ken Matthews myself! He is fearless and knowledgeable for days on end. I first got to know him when he subbed for Rush Limbaugh. Did you know you can access his free podcasts on iHeart Radio if you happen to miss his show? I listen to them frequently if I miss it during the day.
Dick “Rachel” Levine. Yeah. Thanks for that one. 🙂 And I’ll bet you’re right–the boy moved Mommy to a place of safety, then proceeded to infect all the other old people.
And I do listen to Ken’s podcasts, most every day now, because my workout time is during his first hour out here. Love him. Absolutely fearless.
My uncle is going blind from diabetes (and genetics), and was flatly denied care through the VA until he got a shot.
Would not give him any appointments, including video ones, unless he was vaccinated.
I think my PCP is going to try this shit. It’s not going to work.
Ask what part of experimental does s/he not understand? Federal law prohibits coercing someone into taking an experimental medication. Keep a steroid inhaler handy – recent study shows if used early in CoVid, hospitalization decreases 90% … better than vaccination and way safer. Denninger at market-ticker is spot on in his analysis. As an Internist (at a VA), his take is far better than the CDC’s. I mean vaccinating people who already had CoVId?
I’m fairly sure I had it in Jan 2020. nd I used the inhaler, and I was fine. Exhausted for three weeks. Other than that fine. Not as bad as the last flu I had.
That makes me mad enough to want to curse heavily. Vets deserve better.
Amen
Remember the scandal where they goosed the lists, resulting in vet deaths, to win a bonus?
They didn’t have to pay it back after it came out.
Good night. No, I hadn’t heard of that. Zero surprise. If you ever wanted proof of the saying “weakness invites aggression” visit the VA.
I know a fellow who says it’s improved. I’m skeptical.
Was that the idiot who compared wait times at the VA to wait times at Disneyland?
Besides the usual things he got hit for in that statement, our family has visited WDW numerous times. They pay close attention to the wait time in in lines. The stated wait time on the signs is over-estimated by quite a bit (which both gives them a bit of a cushion should things go wrong, and you a good feeling if the line moves faster. Even if you know what they’re doing.) They also have activities and such to make the wait more fun.
Weird. This just came through my email.
I usually don’t get email from myself on these blogs, and definitely not a day late.
I should point out Word Perfect is terrible.
Haven’t been to WDL or WDW in 25 years, not since they’ve instigated the “don’t wait in line procedure”, i.e. get inline, get a time to come back. IDK what it is called. Sis & BIL take the grandchildren couple times a year, or did before lock downs. But even back then, definitely knew how to make the lines seem shorter than they were, and very entertained when waiting. Very important with a 4 year (WDL), or 7 year (WDW), in tow. Not that dad or I were any better at line waiting, but we were entertained by our child being entertained.
At least the last time I was there (about 10 years ago now), that was only for a few select rides.
Guessing the very popular ones they couldn’t hide how long the lines really were. The two that stand out were the Space Rocket type ride and Tower of Terror. All those ropes look empty outside, or small line, only to get inside and the line continues forever, but you can’t see that … Not surprised. Like I said, haven’t been back in 25 years. Read about the concept somewhere. We’d always planned to take our son back before he was out of grade school. Especially to WDW. If only to take him back to Cape Canaveral again. One of those never-got-around-to-it … he’s almost 32.
>> “My uncle is going blind from diabetes”
I suggest you read this: https://www.amazon.com/Diabetes-Code-Prevent-Reverse-Naturally-ebook/dp/B0795BLS8D/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=diabetes+code&qid=1619920001&sr=8-1
In a nutshell: Dr. Fung argues that diabetes is simply the state of having too much sugar in the body, which causes it to store more sugar in various places than they were meant to handle. It can be cured naturally through a combination of fasting (to let your body flush the excess sugar) and dietary change (to avoid taking in more). He also lists some drugs that help the body purge the stuff faster.
None of this will reverse any existing damage or help with the genetics, but it should at least slow further deterioration.
Unlikely to help, he’s been doing similar since at least the mid 90s.
He’s the guy that was born while grandfather was in Europe dealing with Nazis, and before they realized grandmother needed a keeper– so she almost certainly starved herself while pregnant, to a make you go pale degree, along with other un-needed abuses.
Sorry to hear that.
The only other thing I can think of that might help is to suggest your uncle avoid artificial sweeteners if he isn’t already. Dr. Fung admits he doesn’t know yet why they have the same effect as sugar, but claims the data shows that they do.
Only some do. and only on some people.
Yep. I can handle some artificial sweeteners. Not others. Although in my case I’m not diabetic. The problem isn’t that my blood sugar goes too high, it’s that it doesn’t go up at all and my blood sugar drops like a rock … eats low fat, low sugar, yogurt … blood sugar starts at 89, an hour later it’s at 55 … WTH? Yet I can drink a 12 oz Diet Pepsi with no problem (2 or 3 OTOH). Dang RH anyway.
I’m not diabetic.
Apparently, according to 23 and me, I SHOULD have been for ten years now. It’s a “WILL be diabetic by 48”. But I eat extremely low carb, because carbs make my auto-immune flare up. It’s like instant karma, and very effective.
Sarah, I haven’t counted How Many Economic Disasters that I’ve lived through.
IE Ones that Were Going To Destroy America.
The European “Common Market” was going to bypass the US.
Japan, Inc was going to own the US.
Of course, right now the claim is that China is going to bypass the US. 😆
This isn’t going to destroy America. It’s going to radically re-shape us, though, which is worrisome.
And I WORRY for the rest of the world. Like, if dad doesn’t live till almost 100 there’ a good chance I’ll never see him again. THAT hurts.
Nod.
Back in the 80s (I think), some Canadian writer wrote an essay that basically said “American (the US) isn’t dead yet and likely will make a comeback”.
And yes, it is worrisome to think “how these events will change the US”.
Tom Kratman wrote “Caliphate” as a warning about “how the US could change” but IIRC was bothered by his fans who thought the US needed a Buckman (the insane US President who created the American Empire).
Mr. Kratman had said that he’d be dead in that Future World because he would fight the insane US President in his story.
Get Dad to come visit you in America. Don’t tell him you only bought a one-way ticket. 😉
I can’t. We tried for son’s wedding. But he’s had some weird blood pressure vagaries, which given his family’s tendency to go “by stroke” (my hope. I mean, middle of your routine, fall and dead before you hit the ground. I have, for the record the same vagaries. Sudden blood pressure lows or highs, with no explanation) the doctors have recommended against his flying for the last 10 years. Otherwise….
Well, he’d LIKE where we’re planning to move.
Daily potassium helps with the blood pressure, but don’t get too restrictive on salt (mortality is higher with low salt than high salt, tho the curve is steeper at the high end). Unexplained spiking is likely thyroid (a little native function remaining, but with the autoimmune damage letting it leak out all at once. One of several reasons why it’s better suppressed — T3 does that — and replaced entirely, rather than “supplemented”.)
That’s where I am, but getting a doctor to prescribe THAT is a bit of a struggle.
Dad has never been diagnosed.
I had to throw a fit to get ’em to try me on natural desiccated thyroid, which contains some T3 (and some calcitonin, which anyone with a dead thyroid is deficient on… hello osteoporosis). Being one of those who does NOT do well on T4 alone, I do much better on that. Oh, and Armour as a last choice; any other brand first. And insist on T3 tests; TSH is not enough. Especially since any T3 source WILL suppress TSH, rendering the test useless (and making uninitiated docs spin in circles).
t3 alone stopped osteoporosis. I had SO MUCH RT#. All of them believe the TSH test. Latest tried to tell me I was HYPERThyroid. No. I’m not. I have trouble losing weight for one. Even starving myself.
IDIOTS.
I don’t lose weight on 800 calorie a day “diets”, i.e. “fasting mimicking”. I did lose substantial weight a couple of years ago but had to do it on full fasts, the longest for almost 5 days. Nothing else works. But it’s hard to do full fasts if your head isn’t in the right place. I start really wanting to taste something. Then once I do… slippery slope.
Same.
Oh, and I know why they don’t like to prescribe t3. Go a little high and you can kill people. BUT….
I did one of the medical fasts back in 1991. Kept the weight off a few years, but it came back.
Conventional wisdom at that time was that someone was good for at *most* one controlled fast in their lifetime.
Yeah, a few unfortunates convert all their T4 to RT3, so the more T4 the worse they get… need T3 instead. But this is outside of conventional wisdom, so…
And most thyroid patients don’t do well unless T3 is top of range and TSH is concomitantly suppressed. And that makes docs spin in circles and reduce your dosage, and then you’re sick again.
Click to access TSHWrongtree.pdf
(more interesting files in the directory. And if you root up the cites, you’ll eventually come to a doc that is 128 PAGES of further cites. Almost none of which have filtered down to medical practice.)
Here is my new rule:
If the patient is not well, the tests are wrong.
Obesity is a co-symptom, not a cause. Doesn’t matter how you starve yourself if your body can’t UTILIZE energy… you can eat next to nothing and still gain fat, because you can still STORE energy. There are cases of anorexics (catastrophic low thyroid can make you totally lose all appetite) who nonetheless have huge fatty deposits. There’s an interesting photo out there of an anorexic woman who is skin and bones except for her very fatty (lipedema) legs. Gee, I wonder if there’s some correlation here…
That’s me, yep.
“There’s an interesting photo out there of an anorexic woman who is skin and bones except for her very fatty (lipedema) legs. ”
Are you confusing “lymphedema”, which is fluid from a lymph circulation issue? Because that also won’t go away in a fast.
I got a doc to do a RT3 once. It came back at 65%-70%. But since the labs (at least at the time) didn’t have a “standard” for it, there was nothing wrong. Unless you talk to someone who really understands how thyroid works.
I have extreme difficulty losing weight, I have thinning hair, very thinned out eyebrows, vision issues, weird headaches, get cold really easily, but don’t handle heat well either, have gone far more grey than my parents at this age, and went into menopause early (not to mention some interesting fertility issues earlier).
Oh, I also graduated from secondary school at 17 standing 5’4″. By the time I had my second college degree at 28 I was just over 5’6″, and had my final growth spurt of over 1/4″ just before my 31st birthday.
And the time they imaged my optic nerves for migraine issues, it was discovered that my pituitary is mostly not there. (Empty sella syndrome)
But I don’t have any hormone problems…..
They do still have ships that cross the Atlantic at sea level… Just sayin’
yeah, but no.
After another trip to the ER for spiking blood pressure doctors finally have a theory since they haven’t found causes. As in no evidence at all of artery or vein blockages, narrowing, or clots. Complex migraine. Which manifests as stroke like symptoms rather than as headaches… So now it’s off to a neurologist to see if the diagnosis can be confirmed, and something done about it.
THAT is quite possible.
Sorry to hear about that, those aren’t fun.
I get ophthalmoplegic (?) migraines as well as more typical ones. The one time I got stabbed in the eye with a knife rather than the usual icepick to the crown, and it lasted far longer than the minute or two icepicks, my blood pressure kicked up to 190/110. The ER was quite sure I was having a stroke, and wouldn’t give me any pain meds until after they’d done the work up. By the time they had ruled out stroke, the migraine was going away, and surprise! the blood pressure was back to normal. I suspect I was a bit short with them when I suggested that they could have lowered my blood pressure much more quickly if they’d treated the headache….
I’m not kidding here. I think things might get crazy enough we could crowdfund a private flight over to see your Mom and Dad. Lots to work out, of course, but there’s a way.
Reminds me of Mark Twain saying most of the bad things that happen to us never happened.
One can argue that the Great Depression and FDR destroyed America, or at least began the process of destruction.
One can argue that, but I think at most he did some damage to the foundations; the structure was still standing and strong even if necessary repairs were neglected. LBJ probably did greater structural harm.
Current Damnedocrats seem intent on flooding the basement and removing load-bearing walls.
~
I keep hearing the whole “(Country X) does things better than the US and they’re going to beat us!” and nobody seems to be able to do so, not really. I would rather import the American willingness to DO THINGS and occasionally string up particularly annoying officials from the nearest tree.
Largely because American culture is centered on cultural appropriation, so any time another country starts doing something better and begins closing the gap we look at what they’re doing, improve on it, and open the gap back up.
Stephen Den Beste pointed out that in saturated markets entities don’t succeed because of their beneficial attributes, they fail because of their harmful ones. America generally does a good job of winnowing out harmful attributes
Or, at the very least, weaponizing said harmful attributes to make more money with by using them on other people.
Here’s the thing. There are only two countries in the world with a larger population than the US, and they both have massive, massive issues. One of those is also one of the THREE countries in the world with more land mass than the US. It also has a culture of deference to authority, collectivist philosophy, and a lack of adherence to and protection of property rights and rule of law. The countries that are next closest to us in terms of population and land availability have many of the same issues culturally.
Sure, individual countries might, MIGHT, do some things “better” but that doesn’t make their systems scalable or transferrable. The US simply has no real peers against which it can measure itself or attempt to compete, thus driving improvement. We have at best fractional peers. And we need to stop hobbling ourselves out of misplaced guilt and insecurity.
China would have to become a lot more American in order to beat us, and that would require them to leave off their ethnic nationalism, their collectivist philosophy and deference to authority. The EU would need to stop its internal squabbling and micromanagement. Russia isn’t even in the same league. much as people are scared of it. So, yeah. No one is able to do so, especially not over the entire spectrum of competition.
It’s VERY hard to be first-you’re up in the front and that means you’re the target of everyone.
–
I was wrong. The damn things are good for something.
I couldn’t figure out — because still half asleep, for some reason — how to include this on it, but the Smart? Was on fire.
…the throwing of burning Smart cars at the Arc du Triomphe with catapults…
Or ‘flaming’, although that might be interpreted in other ways than literally on fire.
i cant find video? please let there be video of this!
Unfortunately no video of a Catapult flinging the flaming Smart car (I think she was exaggerating a bit to create a humorous visual image) but I believe this is the incident being referred to:
It’s not possible to launch something as big and heavy as even a stripped down Smart car with any Catapult or Trebuchet that can be built by amateurs.
The Navy uses dead-weight sled “cars” to test the Aircraft Carrier’s airplane Catapults.
The Hong Kong protesters were using catapults to launch bricks and rocks and burning petrol bombs.
https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/4952922/hong-kong-protesters-build-medieval-style-catapult-firing-petrol-bombs-as-they-ramp-up-war-with-cops/
So if her point was that pissed off people can devise and employ creative means of fighting back, even in places where there isn’t a firearms culture, then yes, expect to possibly see some wild things.
I WAS not exaggerating. It’s entirely possible they were were using something industrial or such. BUT they truly were launching Smarts at the arc du Triomphe.
I can believe it. I’m sure that given access to the right equipment and materials, quite a few of the ‘amateur’ Scadians I knew back in the day could have built a catapult capable of heaving one of those (as my husband calls them) pregnant roller skates a very respectable distance with considerable accuracy.
How prepared should you be should you already live in ruralville?
Well, you should have at least 6 months of food on hand- but you should always have that.
More importantly, though you may not think so, once it starts- do have a kill list prepared? You may have to put some friends on it, but if they’re going to support the other side – they’ve got to go. The earlier the better.
That’s a reality of civil war. People are going to die. A lot of innocent people who didn’t make the choice to go to war. Your choice is- pick a side, or hope and pray that one side or the other doesn’t decide you’re the enemy.
A generator might not be a bad idea.
I need to get a hand pump for my well. It’s shallow enough, and it doesn’t freeze.
We’re favoring properties with a well as we look, but so far no luck.
How useful the well might be without electricity is an It Depends. Mine is only about 25′ deep, and in a pinch i could drop a bucket into the neighbor’s big hole. (Old well he redug by hand, big enough hole for two guys to work in.)
Hand pumps are only good for shallow wells (I wouldn’t count on useful deeper than about 30 feet). But water table in range makes for better gardening, so it’s all one. If it’s shallow enough, you can always drive a sandpoint, tho you won’t get a lot of water out of it (unless you’re over old river gravel, then it might come spurting out of the ground). Be aware that first water can be highly contaminated with natural minerals (arsenic is popular), and some places you need to go down to 2nd water before it’s any good, which might be a lot deeper. So that’s something else to check.
My parents have an electric pump, but htey also have the only well in the neighborhood that NEVER goes dry.
Seriously, almost year long drought, and we still had cold, cold water. (Though the motor had to be lowered a couple of times.)
Underground river.
Yeah, when you’re lucky in your well placement, you’ll be the last one with water… my desert well was like that. Relatively deep (405 feet; water was at 270ft) and even when everyone around me was drying up, I’d still get 70gpm all day long, cuz it was smack into an underground river.
We’ve got a little river over the bedrock here, and that’s the good water. Twenty feet west and it’s crap water and not much of it.
I swore that I would never think of GeolE 405 again.
And now y’all are making me want to jump up and down screaming “that’s not how it works”!
Unless you’re in karst topography, or have a glacier bisecting a lava tube, there won’t be an actual underground river. And in either of those two edge cases, a *very* small stream is likely to be the most river-like thing you’d see.
In general, it’s all about the permeability of the rock, the dip and strike of the strata, an underlying layer that’s resistant to water, and the sheer size of everything involved.
(Think of it this way, an inch of precipitation adds up to over 17 million gallons of water per square mile, and we’re talking about systems that are generally hundreds of square miles at the small end. If you have a high K* zone, that water is flowing towards, you’re going to have a good refresh rate.)
*Variable for rate or water transmission though rock. It’s one of those annoying measures that can’t actually exist in a 3 dimensional world, but has to be used to make the math work. It’s a beast. Just don’t make any sudden movements, and back away. You’re going to get the number empirically by measuring draw down and refresh, anyway. (Actually deriving it is mostly reserved for finals. Bring a computation pad.)
Er….. WHAT?
There is an underground river. In the area of Portugal I come from. Were it above ground it would be a major river.
Sigh. Think rivers that flow underground, and create caves.
My dad went down on a sling when they were digging the well. There’s a layer of granite, and then a massive cavern. and the river flows through it. The river comes from the mountains, not from ground water percolating down. MIGHT — didn’t ask — ultimately come from the melting of glaciers having created the opening.
That’s weird. Of course there are underground rivers. NOT in lava tubes.
My dad’s description gave me nightmares for years. A river in complete darkness. The over educated 6 year old snoot I was thought that it was the river Styx.
Yeah, any kind of real limestone country has underground everything.
Woah, now that’s totally cool. I wanna see. 😀
Did you later drink from the River Lethe to ease your nightmares?
LOL, well, yeah. But one can yammer on all day about permeability and refresh and whatever and just get blank stares, but everyone gets what you mean by “underground river”. Where I lived in the desert, it’s a big aquifer with the water moving north to south, and if you stick a well down there you never run out (it is helpful to have a well guy who knows its boundaries)… there are big commercial wells using it at 1500 feet. I don’t know what’s down there, but my pump sure brought up lots of coarse sand after it got disturbed.
But here on my little slope above the river in Montana… if you go down to where the water is, like my neighbor and his hand-dug well, you can actually see it flowing downhill between the rocks (below the topsoil it’s mostly fist-to-head-sized round rocks) and it runs at a pretty good clip. Well driller dude said bedrock is immediately below (about 30 feet down), and that the water flows along that from the south, likely originating as mountain runoff.
The flow must be fairly constrained, tho — neighbor has two NFG wells on his property, only about 20 and 50 feet from his good one (one has crap water and the other, brand new, not enough water to use)… that’s why he finally gave up and dug the old well back out. (Seems his dad tried to improve the flow by dropping a stick of dynamite down it. Ooops.)
We went down 300 feet for good water. Still have to percolate the water over a calcium bed to remove the high level of manganese and iron; unless we want to wear tan everything. Worst droughts in NH and we still get >70 gal per min (exceeds the measuring pump.) But that far down does require a jet pump to bring it up.
We’re pretty close to the river (if I could throw worth a damn, I could reach it), and our aquifer is closely connected, so good water is shallow. The array-that-looks-like gridtie has been powering it for almost a couple of years now, and if that gets thrashed, I can use one or another generator to charge the batteries or just run the pump. (110V pump, so it’s not hard to power.)
If things went really sideways, we’re pretty close to the river, though it’d be Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble time. Not sure how many cattle are upstream, but there are enough to be concerned about E-coli.
We’re close enough to the river that the associated aquifer hits 25 feet below ground, and the well is 100′. This means we can use a 110V pump, and the looks-like-gridtie-but-ain’t solar system can power it barring a long stretch of bad weather (as if–we just miss being desert).
If the solar system gets borked, I can plug a generator into the controller and charge batteries for a few days running. Not sure if someone could hear the pump going at te property line, but most (not all) of our neighbors are decent people and worth helping (and will help as needed).
If you have a well and don’t have a generator, look up “well bucket”. You can build one for $20, or buy one for $100. Gotta have water, first item to have for preps.
Eons ago (60s? 50s?) there was a water well across from our land that had the coldest sweetest water you could ever drink. And during a hot Louisiana August that was more valuable than almost anything, especially gas. Dad figured if they found water, surely he could. I mean, what was fifty feet, right? Just across the dirt road. Ha. He sunk wells all over that land and never found water. Only gas. Which he capped because who knows? Maybe they’d come in handy one day.
Never did get a water well down there.
Along with the generator, a way to muffle the sound, and blackout blinds. If you have power when others do not, you’re going to be like that noisy fridge in Tremors.
Don’t go hot on friends and family unless you have to. My guess is if we’re lucky and most rural areas, you’re not going to need. People WILL change on a dime once the big guys topple.
Big guys? News personalities? they’re likely to get killed (and not by you or me.) BUT family and friends. Hold back. The overwhelming chance is you won’t need it.
Sure a lot of people are going to die. You don’t want to add to that if you don’t NEED to.
Get a list of who voted for Obamacare. Who voted for HB1. Who votes for all these gun laws. Who votes for open borders. Who votes for resolutions condemning the police.
That’s probably a big enough list there. And the best thing is they’re lists of supporters and detractors for bills, not a legally admissible “kill list”.
https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/292/text
Marco needs to have his GOP card torn up and burned.
I dunno…. seems like he is a model GOPer.
FOR A LONG TIME.
They don’t just want to emulate China. They want to emulate the great micro-manager, Qin Shi Huan, the founder of the Qin Dynasty, and the first Chinese ruler to claim the title of emperor. They’re foolish enough to think that they can do enough to avoid what happened following his death, when most of what he did was promptly undone by the Chu-led rebellions.
Yeah, the current enamored-of-China people really seem to have not noticed that a.) the current regime there hasn’t even been in power for a century, and b.) China regularly devolves into warring states, and has done for a few thousand years, so why would this be different?*
(*Oh, who am I kidding. These people have no contact with anything resembling reality. Of course they think it’s going to last forever.)
Qin Shi Huang (whose name quite literally means “First August Emperor of Qin”) is a bit of a special case, even for China. Not only did he have the usual brutally suppressing any who opposed him, and having a very harsh legal system with draconian punishments, but…
1.) He tried to burn any book that predated his reign. It’s believed that he kept a single copy of each book in the palace archives, but his palace was burned when rebels took the capitol after his death, destroying any books that may have been saved there. Destroying any evidence from the past that might disagree with them is just the sort of thing the Left loves, and they use the same excuse Qin Shi Huan did. “Our leaders have provided the answer for that, so you don’t need to look to inaccurate sources from the past.”
2.) As I noted, he micro-managed *everything*. Standardizing things such as the weights and measures, and the coinage, was a good thing. However, he didn’t stop there. Pretty much EVERYTHING was dictated from the capitol. Cart size, what a farmer grew in his field, etc… all dictated from the capitol. The level of control he is reputed to have exercised likely made Chairman Mao green with envy.
He is exactly the kind of person that our “betters” would see as their role model.
He was apparently good enough that he managed to hold the empire together for the duration of his reign. But it started falling apart pretty much the moment he died, with corrupt officials running the palace (the “make the court insist a horse is a deer” incident happened during his son’s reign), and rebels attacking from without.
They are NOT brilliant.
No argument there. As detestable as Qin Shi Huang was, he did have some good ideas about changes that were needed to keep the country unified (and that were subsequently appropriated by the founder of the Han Dynasty). But our crop of would be betters have yet to show the slightest bit of inspiration, and aren’t fit to lick clean the boots of that tyrant.
And again, I loathe Qin Shi Huang.
And he apparently poisoned himself with mercury while trying to become immortal.
Which to be fair is a recurring insanity in China.
Europe too. AND India. The search for immortality always involves mercury. Go figure.
Mercury got the alchemists all excited. It was a liquid metal and therefore signified transformation, it was haughty and would not wet most things, and it was the essence of power – gold itself wasn’t proof against mercury. Obviously mercury would be the key to… almost anything, if they could only unlock its secrets.
Alas, the Scientific Method sent alchemy to the natural philosophy junkheap, and chemistry became the new top dog.
Yup. I’m guessing that he decided that the best way to make sure the empire adhered to his strict rules was to live forever. His obsession with living forever is one of his best known… eccentricities.
Though I do like the story about the time he was nearly killed by a tornado while climbing a hill. Since he couldn’t do anything about the tornado, he ordered that convicts were to remove every tree on the hill, and then paint it red (red apparently being the color worn by convicts).
Which makes you wonder if he had that kind of power that we think he had. I mean, only his records remain, right?
I remember reading that we really only know what the later emperors/dynasties wrote about him. For that matter, I think some of the later emperors/dynasties were also said to have destroyed (or attempted to) older records.
So how much we know about him is accurate? 😈
What we know about him is rather up in the air, from what I understand. Apparently all of the records of the Qin Dynasty were destroyed when it was overthrown. Any markers or other surface monuments that he left suffered a similar fate. Nearly all of the information about him apparently comes from the ‘Record of the Grand Historian’ (I think that’s the name) by Sima Qian, but the part of that book that talks about the First Emperor is part of a much larger work, and was written during the early part of the Han Dynasty. So even though Sima is believed to have probably been reliable in what he wrote, we can’t be sure that political concerns didn’t shade his writing.
Also, it’s known that other individuals with less scruples “adjusted” what Sima wrote over the following centuries. Modern historians can’t always be certain about what is from the original text, and what was edited in later on.
It’s also worth noting that Sima didn’t write everything. As an example, Sima wrote about Qin Shi Huang’s tomb, though the details were so fanciful (for example, a representation of China that used mercury to represent the rivers and oceans) that there was doubt about the accuracy… right up until the tomb was discovered. But the items that were initially discovered – the terracotta soldiers – apparently weren’t mentioned by Sima anywhere in his record.
So to sum up –
We have only one significant source about Qin Shi Huang, and it was written by an historian working for his enemies a little over a century after his death. It’s known that later historians slanted that source even more over the subsequent centuries. And the most important archeological discovery relating to Qin Shi Huang began with the discovery of something spectacular that wasn’t even hinted at in that lone source. We don’t have a single text or monument remaining that uses him as its primary source.
If some of his writings are hidden away in his burial chamber, then it will be the only existing copies of anything he wrote. And from what I understand, further excavation of the complex is on hold due to the potential fragility of the items buried there.
Indeed. I strongly suspect that, as with pretty much all such bananapants crazy tyrants, he made sure that everything SAID he dictated/controlled everything, but in reality it wasn’t anywhere close to that. At least, not outside the capital. I’d bet that beyond his immediate “view” there was a lot of lip-service going on–“Oh yes, of course we are following the emperor’s edicts!” while otherwise doing things either how they wanted or how they’d always been done. And then fudging and cooking the books and reports to convince the capitol that yes, indeedy, they were doing just as they’d been told.
And the further out one got, the less lip service and more cooking of the books occurred.
If he were smart, he could find out what they were going to do anyway, and order them to do that. Though he wouldn’t necessarily have to be an active member of that loop.
He had spies everywhere, and made multiple personal tours of the Empire (he died during the final tour). So he likely had a reasonable idea of whether his policies were being implemented. That doesn’t mean that there weren’t cracks to slip through. The man who planned the most famous assassination attempt against him after he became emperor was present during the failed attempt, evaded pursuit (I think the assassin did, as well), and ultimately outlived him. So control wasn’t absolute. But it still was likely quite tight.
Sure, but potemkin is a thing for nosy rulers
Has China ever had a decent government? Not even a good one, just decent.
Taipei seems like a decent enough government these days. And it’s technically still *a* government of China.
😛
Michael Yon, in the post our Hostess linked up at the top, noted that Chinese always seem to do well wherever they end up… except in China. Make of that what you will.
As for mainland China itself, you could probably find Imperial Courts that were decent for their time. The key bit there, of course is “for their time”.
Legalism may help keep us safe, but it does not make us better people or a more functional society — just more obedient. Confucius opposed legalism, favoring active socialization into prescribed family roles (Rites) that result in more mature stages of moral development (Kholberg). Permeates whole institutions — religion, education, health care and the economy. Our rulers are are using their weaponized legal system to launch their coup — the law of rule rather than the rule of law. Any remaining Confucianists will be neutered by the destruction of the family, replacing the bedrock of society with the state.
Not only true of the Qin Dynasty — it’s now the curse of the West.
I remember reading The Book of Lord Shang. On one hand, brutal proposals. On the other hand, stunning naivity. Brutal punishments for breaking the law will make people obey, not, oh, cover up the crimes?
Or rebel. There’s the famous story of the two generals that got delayed by rain and said, in essence, “Well, we’re going to die anyway. We might as well rebel.” While that story is apocryphal, something very similar is recorded to have happened to Liu Bang, a village official who was escorting some prisoners. When some of the prisoners escaped, Liu Bang and his companions said, “Screw it, we’re going to die anyway, so we might as well rebel.”
And when the dust had all settled years later, Liu Bang became Emperor Gaozu, the founder of the Han Dynasty.
In short “May as well be hanged for a cow as a sheep.”
I keep daydreaming about the Mongols sacking China again.
Joke I saw on the Book of Faces, a picture of a Mongolian woman. Text:
What’s the capital of China?
Ulan Bator
What’s the capital of Russia?
Ulan Bator
What’s the Capital of Korea?
Ulan Bator
I see you failed history.
Just wait.
There should also, however, be this:
What’s the capital of Japan?
Edo.
😉
I used to work the night shift at a telephone answering service (before voicemail existed, or cell phones.) We had every service in town except for police and fire. Emergency vets, physicians, psychologists, plumbing, electric, suicide hot line, they all came to us so we could contact the on-call people at home.
During the full moon we’d double the staff and still have a tough time keeping up. It was insane. Never, ever go out under a full moon if you can help it. I don’t.
This tax season, new moon was weird.
Please please please please please tell me there is video of this!
wat?
Did you hear about the London Freedom March? The Lotus Eaters reported on it.
Literally one of the first things I have on the list after I move and get settled in is to build a desktop. Already intended to be a Doom Machine of Doom because I can…. but this adds more reason to do so.
Funny thing is that I know people where — in theory — I can get access to hard to find parts. (seriously I have no idea how I keep landing in “know just the right person, but not in a way that leaves vulnerability” territory….)
Alar was a chemical that was going to kill us all by poisoning the apple harvests. Or something like that.
IIRC, once you looked at the numbers, it turned out the apples would kill you long before the alar would. And that’s if you only ate the peels.
Probably 90+% of the time, the only way the “chemical death of the month” can kill you is if you eat / drink it in the sort of quantities that require a truck to deliver it to you…
Way back when aspartame (I think it was…whatever was in TAB) was the freak out of the day, my dad sat me down and together we figured out how much was in a can of TAB and how much they’d given the lab rats that died. We calculated that in order to get as much aspartame into the human system as the rats were given, you’d have to drink a can of TAB every minute and a half, every day, starting from birth. You’d probably die from drowning or diabetes before your first birthday.
I mean…granted, my great aunt’s brain is shrinking as a result of whatever is in the massive amounts of Diet Coke she’s drunk over the course of her life. But…the amount she has drunk over the course of her life is probably on par with those lab rats…
LOL. I know someone like that.
Heh. I’ve got a coworker who apparently has done much the same. Granted, while I don’t think it explains *everything* that is wrong with her, it…does explain quite a few things. I mean, she was drinking a six-pack or more of the stuff a DAY. And not the cans, either, but the bottles.
::shudders::
That was cyclamates. Aspartame still in use. And recently discovered something. If I rinse my mouth out with sugar alcohols xylitol and erythritol (which helps out your dental health) and then drink my Diet Coke- it taste a lot sweeter. And the effect lasts for a while. But if I eat something actually sweet, the Diet Coke tastes flat. It’s sweetened with aspartame. The newest artificial sweetener in potassium acesulfame. Gives me a headache. It’s used in Coke Zero- which is why I don’t switch even though it tastes more like real Coca Cola.
My personal preference is sucralose. We use it in our home-mixed cocoa recipe (adapted from an Alton Brown one replacing the sugar), and IIRC, Pepsi products use it, at least those sold in bottles. Haven’t looked recently, I was seeing saccharine as a sweetener in some (fountain?) products.
Aspartame wreaks havoc on my stomach (which is touchy anyway). To the point that I can no longer chew gum, at all.
As sweet-substitutes go, I rather like stevia, although it is INSANELY sweet, and I’m not sure I like its aftertaste. Also, I’ve never tried baking with it, and that’s really the important test 😀 I do find I prefer the leaves of the stevia plant to the already-processed stuff–and it’s fun to keep around as a novelty-herb. (I don’t actually like sweet tea, despite being raised largely in the South, so I’m not sure what else I’d actually use it for…)
stevia doesn’t taste sweet to me at all. It’s apparently genetic. It tastes…. like I remember it tasting sweet. Not like it is. Just like I remember it being.
I find stevia leaves a very nasty aftertaste, aspartame is only palatable in colas, any amount of the alcohol sugars cleans out my intestines very thoroughly thank you (probably suitable for colonoscopy prep), and sucralose leaves a nasty aftertaste too.
So for my occasional soda fix, I stick with stuff with preferably sugar, but corn syrup if I can’t get the sugar variety.
Yeah. Given any choice at all (and thankfully I have that choice) I will stick with regular sugar. I don’t actually like soda, so I rarely drink it. (Though I was accidentally given a Dr. Pepper a while back rather than root beer and, to my shock, found I didn’t hate it.) But agree on the stevia aftertaste–I can tolerate it in a cup of herbal chai that has ALSO been doctored with half and half or cream, but would much rather have honey. Or vanilla sugar 😀 (Chai being the only tea I drink with any sort of sweetener…and that’s only because I like to put cream in it, and the sweetening helps the spices overcome the dairy lol)
Yeah, the sugar alcohols are notorious for their laxative effect. Curiously, I didn’t notice it with the SF gums, but I don’t chew that much gum. Now, the SF Kroger pancake syrup acts like Drano on me. (Not necessarily a bad thing, depending…)
I miss cyclamates, but for our purposes, sucralose is fine. Really dislike saccharine, and can take or leave aspartame. I really shouldn’t have sugar, but have been known to have a bit of high-test soda.
My colonoscopy prep used magnesium citrate. Didn’t help that I was somewhat dehydrated on prep day (shoveled a lot of snow that morning and got behind on fluids). Had to go with “Plan E” about 6 hours before the procedure. Doc said it wasn’t perfect but was Good Enough.
I actually prefer the saccharine to most of the others, I just don’t really like any of them much.
I used to be OK with the alcohols in gum, but now even 1 piece and I’m clear. I also can’t drink any of the cold bottled coffees, especially the ones with vanilla. I haven’t figured out what’s in them, but they were fine two years ago, and now only good when feeling a bit, as my grandmother would say, ‘bound up’.
I have no intention of ever trying Haribo SF gummi bears.
Last colonoscopy I had, the anesthesiologist complained that I was very dehydrated. He said “next time drink lots of water!” I guess it was hard to find my veins, or rather I should say “harder than normal”.
I drink water before going in for bloodwork because otherwise it’s nasty and painful finding my veins.
Not like I go in for blood work regularly, or didn’t. That lesson was very painful learned.
“You gave me drugs to induce diarrhea for 24 hours, and you expect me to be hydrated? Hmmmmm”
Water in isolation doesn’t get absorbed well. Drinking it with food works better.
I use stevia to along with lemon and lime juice to make what I call Lymonade tea. The citric acid cuts the bitter aftertaste from the stevia, at least for me.
Hmm. That sounds rather tasty!! 😀 Might have to give it a try.
My recipe is to take a 20 ounce Contigo travel tumbler, add 6-8 icecubes, 1 Tablespoon of Stevia, 2 tablespoons each of lime juice and lemon juice. (Oddly enough, Walmarts Great Value brand has the best taste for this) and fill with unsweetened tea.
The only sugar substitute I’ve foudn that doesn’t giv e me migraines is erythitol. And xylitol. All the others trigger nasty nasty headaches that linger. Family trait.
I may try again with a little bit of stevia, later. It would make eating low carb easier.
Hadn’t considered that the sugar substitutes could be one cause of my migraines. I know a BS crash or just low BS can trigger a visual field migraine but not the sugar substitutes. Something to track anyway.
Saccharine, where iirc you would have had to drink 200+ cans a day for months.
Neat!
LOL
Don’t forget acid rain, banana extinction, Africanized killer bees, desertification, pollinator extinction, the emerald ash borer, etc etc
Everything is a disaster that will kill us all somehow.
The Murder Hornets apparently died of shame after their media spotlight passed…
There is video, but heaven knows where. I saw it at the time and giggled HARD.
What about the danger of airborne dihydrogen-monoxide?
There’s is also the threat of Blue Ice falling from the sky, and Chem Trails, BPA, Sodium Chloride, Saltpetre …
~
Literally one of the first things I have on the list after I move and get settled in is to build a desktop. Already intended to be a Doom Machine of Doom because I can…. but this adds more reason to do so.
We are *incredibly* pleased by the Z440 Workstations we bought– you have to get registered RAM, which is a little more expensive, but the “maximum supported RAM” is more than the STORAGE in my computers up until like 20 years ago! Big, easy to work in, etc.
Good base for future proofing. 😀
Building, not buying pre-built. This will be my first “true” desktop, so kind of a special event. Like building one’s own lightsaber.
Also AMD; likely Ryzen based, but possibly Threadripper if finances turn out loose enough (TR is very much overkill, but that means future proof). AMD is currently trouncing Intel on all possible dimensions. Plus unlike Intel AMD doesn’t pull stupid monopolist stunts with market segmentation and lets you use ECC ram even on their consumer level processors.
We buy the refurbs and use that as a base.
It’s basically like making a house out of a shipping crate. ^.^
But de gustibus!
Forgotten in original response: thanks for the tip though!
My Official Hardware Recommendation Pipeline is recommending some “enterprise” parts. Mostly in the form of used enterprise SSDs.
The thing that points to threadripper is perhaps surprisingly *not* raw CPU performance; but the number of available PCIe lanes. With storage able to suck up so many lanes, plus a decent likelihood of two GPUs……
I think most of the stuff we buy is “enterprise” type– it tends to have less stupid pretty tricks, and be a lot easier to work in, plus is just tougher.
No the RGB is a necessary feature: when you need performance set it to red. When you need to look at websites you don’t want to be tracked on set it to purple. Etc, etc.
*laughs* I was thinking more of the “design it so it breaks easily and is a pain to work on but it is REALLY SKINNY!”
+1
Hoooowwwwweeeeeeever…..
Those NUC bricks are really good if you don’t need a hotrod. I plan on getting one of those to use as a hot-spare for my main machine.
Remember Mad Cow? Prions! Doom unless we all go vegan! I’m watching Boston Legal from the start (didn’t catch it first time – Shatner is delightful) and towarsd the end of season 1 (2004) they wrote an entire episode so they could include a trial where they go on and on and on, AN ON AND ON, about the dangerous beef supply, and the FDA is in the pocket of Big Beef, COWS COLLAPSING IN PLAIN SIGHT!! and besides Bush is Hitler, and MAD COW! oohgahboogah!!
Yet here we are 17 years later, and what the heck is mad cow?
Hollywood is still trying to denigrate Ronald Reagan – in season 2 of “For All Mankind” RR does get elected four years sooner (beating Teddy Kennedy and making him a one-term President), but Reagan is basically portrayed as a posturing warmongering amiable dunce.
As for the rest – nothing I’m seeing says you are wrong, and there’s really no downside to being prepared.
Mad Cow Disease. The reason that over a million healthy service members (including yours truly) aren’t allowed to donate blood in the U.S.
And me. Because, you know, grew up in Portugal. Where most of the beef we ate (not much, tbf) was from local OLD work-broken cows.
If only those cows had been wearing masks…
LOL
And me, because I was “in Europe” for too long between 1990-1998. Even though when I was in Germany (6 mo), I couldn’t afford meat. But I can’t donate blood, because I “might be a carrier.”
I had to take myself out of the donor rolls because the blood content of my medication stream was getting a bit low. ‘Sides, donating blood and warfarin doesn’t strike me as a happy combination.
Me too. Well that and I tend to black out when I donate blood.
Mad Cow was real, and a few people died from it (it’s basically kuru for and from cows instead from our late relatives); we just didn’t get much of it here in the States, since as soon as the Brits ID’d their issues with it, we went to mitigation real fast. Which was relatively easy in concept — cull any affected cattle, and thereafter discard the spines and brains; the rest of the cow is safe. Not a huge problem in butchering for the grocery trade. THAT is why it’s faded from public view; we took care of the problem before it could get a foothold.
Where it got difficult was in livestock feed; processing those low-grade carcasses for meat meal and bone meal requires refitting with special equipment to exclude spines/heads. Meat and bone meal are no longer used in feedlots, but are essential for pet food. I bought one of the last two 40# bags of feed-grade bone meal available anywhere in the U.S., and still wish I’d bought both; a side effect of Mad Cow processing is that because you can’t get feed-grade bone meal, now all pet food is calcium-deficient, enough to cause issues for breeders (eg. endemic C-sections). Another is the switch to chicken and fish, goosed along by being cheaper, but neither is as good for dogs and cats as red meat (and as the sole protein, can cause issues).
And you can’t buy meat meal anymore except as fertilizer (bring your dump truck; it’s bulk). If you need feed grade (as for pet food) … you ship the carcasses to Thailand, process them there, then ship back the meat meal, at which point it is assumed to be free of Mad Cow because there are no spines or heads present. [headdesk] (Source: manager of the Baker Commodities meat meal processing plant in Spokane.)
We still see plenty of prion disease in deer, tho — it causes chronic wasting disease. And scrapie is still an occasional problem in sheep.
The biggest problem is that prions can remain in the environment for a long, long time.
https://cwhl.vet.cornell.edu/article/prion-hypothesis-cwd-examination-evidence
Another good reason to let forest fires burn naturally.
Good point. It is worth noting that current wildfires are about 10-20% of what they used to be.
Yes. Even fewer smaller big fires than early and mid-1900s. You’d think they’d never heard of the Tillamook or the Oxbow Burns … Oh. Wait. That is icky history.
But, but, Evil Orange Man Bad said the fires were caused by decades of mismanagement so we KNOW!! that can’t be the correct answer! It has to be the Globull Wormening!! Just like the biggest, longest, coldest winter storm on record!
I know.
Yet two of the biggest fires in Oregon history took place when we were headed toward the next ice age. Must be true. That is what they told me in school!!!! (JIC sarcasm off)
> Yet here we are 17 years later, and what the heck is mad cow?
She’s Speaker of the House.
Thank you. Where would you like your internet shipped?
And yet she’s a more destructive monster than Orvan will ever be.
Some of us have *standards*. Low, perhaps, but we do still have them.
You have to wonder at how bad it’s gotten when the minotaur with the axe and the poison is the lesser of two monsters…
Mad cow is why if you order “Bovril” you’ll get “Bovrite”. Not THAT bad, but fake.
‘
“Reagan is basically portrayed as a posturing warmongering amiable dunce.”
So, he was playing Joe Biden?
Some might quibble about the warmongering but just this evening Joe was running on about “White Supremacists Have Replaced Jihadists as ‘Most Lethal Terrorist Threat’ to U.S.”.
~
I’ll quibble on amiable for Joe. He’s a pit of venom. Always was.
Agreed. “Amiable” Joey Biden is not. They’re only selling that right now because he’s too befuddled to really get nasty, and it just comes out as gibberish instead.
I remember Amiable Joe going off on some factory worker while he (Joe) was running for the nomination. Joe referenced some gun that doesn’t even exist and when asked about it, he got mighty venomous up in the guy’s face.
I’ve donated at least monthly to the Kyle Rittenhouse defense efforts. I need to step up my game a little more.
After Derek Chauvin getting railroaded, I have to wonder what the odds are that Rittenhouse even gets a fair trial.
I often say that if Obama had got power in the eighties, we’d consider him one of our great presidents. Because that’s all you’d ever hear. From everywhere.
——-
We also wouldn’t have had the hard reality check and “No, we’re not in a permanent malaise,” that was provided by the Reagan Presidency. So instead of comparing Obama with The Great Communicator, we’d have been comparing him with Jimmeh Cahtah. Double digit inflation never would have gone away.
The Democrats would just claim Oceania style that double digit inflation never existed and that prices are falling and not rising.
Obama couldn’t have been nominated in 1980 – though the New Left was ascendant, there were still powerful blocs in the Democrats who weren’t “of the body”, remembered what Bill Ayers had done, and would have opposed anyone so closely associated with him. Heck, Bill Clinton reached the Presidency as the standard-bearer of just those powerful blocs in 1992. The conversion or expulsion of the last “liberals” among the Democrats took place while Bush II was in office.
Had a politician with Obama’s politics been elected in 1980 he would NOT be on Mount Rushmore … because our Soviet Governors would have turned those busts to gravel for use in filling the Grand Canyon, so that the land where Rushmore sits could be returned to its previous native “owners.”
~
One of my relatives (OK, maybe a few, but they’re younger, college age kids,) has bought whole-heartedly into the COVIDiocy. I was informed by my Dad that said relative was “angry and upset and scared” because the wife and I went out-of-state to do something approaching normal a week before our holiday get-together…
AND WE DIDN’T TELL ANYONE we’d done such a heinous thing before the get-together and relative was TERRIFIED we’d spread the COVID…
Note, said relative didn’t tell ME directly, they went to my Dad / their Grandpa who passed it along. I’d expect the relative to know me better, I’d like to think I’m probably the easiest-going, least confrontational person around.
It’s going to make for, I’m sure, some interesting family get-togethers as time goes on, what with the political dynamics of the family (a few die-hard conservatives, the younger set is mostly liberal) Probably a good thing my Dad forbids politics at the table when we have get-togethers.
Sadly, some of the Worst People (when discussing Politics) don’t think of it as “Discussing Politics”.
IE It’s Not Politics, It’s Discussing The Proper Thing To Do! 😦
Yeah, there was just an obnoxious thread in my work chat app about how the Basecamp announcement that they weren’t going to allow political discussions in work chat anymore was “white supremacism”. It was so effing irritating that I actually broke cover and made a comment, but fortunately or unfortunately, I’m not sure, I was so spitting angry that my comment ended up ambiguous. So I think I didn’t actually out myself. Labeling rules about not discussing politics at work as “white supremacist”?? My mind boggles.
For those that didn’t notice the article I referred to: https://world.hey.com/dhh/basecamp-s-new-etiquette-regarding-societal-politics-at-work-b44bef69
Everyone skews to underestimating just how partisan and political their own views are. But those Worst People do take it to an extreme. I use the formula “It’s not Political; it’s just Plain Ordinary Common Sense” but your formula of “It’s Not Politics, It’s Discussing The Proper Thing To Do!” is at least as on-target.
Husband and I are enforcers of the “No Politics” rule for our various “no politics” places.
Because we can be trusted to come down teh same on both sides.
Only one side gets offended– no points for guessing which one. 😀
Mrs. TRX’s brother and sister were pushing her *hard* to take the shot. To the point I told her it was *our* business, and not theirs, and that I would be happy to call them both and tell them to STFU.
Apparently she passed the word on, because they backed off somewhat. Not entirely. Then her brother called – from halfway across the country – to tell her a relative she’d briefly met once almost a decade ago as a child was starting college at a university four hours away, and he felt it would be a good thing if Mrs. TRX would not trouble herself to visit, not being ‘vaccinated’ and all. As if such a trip to visit someone she doesn’t even know was likely to start with…
That well and truly pissed me off. After some discussion, she called back to tell her brother not to bother calling any more. He didn the usual leftist word dance, trying to claim she misunderstood, then that his words meant something entirely different, then that he’d never said such a thing at all, etc.
So they’re on limited speaking terms, and I’m entirely done with them all.
Usually, I’d argue that cutting off communication with family is a bad thing– but in this case, no.
Oh F no.
That F’er weaponized family to try to isolate your wife and force her to do what he wanted.
NO FREAKING WAY.
–
Mom does the same thing. Sis and I tell our husbands they aren’t allowed to make mom cry. OTOH if third sis starts it … all bets are off. She doesn’t keep it up for long. They have a tendency to say exactly what she said back at her with the appropriate twist. Then when she starts to rebut her husband steps in and reminds her that was what she said. So, then the subject is changed. Again. As long as MOM doesn’t CRY. We’re good. If mom cries, then I have to hear about it F O R E V E R. Hubby gets told to “Behave. Damn it!”
They went to your father because a) they thought he still exercised some control over you, an adult child. b) because that is what the culture has taught, and which we can hope the SCOTUS will rebuff when they issue their decision in Mahanoy Area School District v. B. L.. And c) because if they directly addressed you there might be a personal cost or, even worse, you might have made a irrefutable argument in defense of their actions, proving them wrong, their fears exaggerated, and their morality deficient.
~
Heh, which is probably why, during after dinner discussions, one of the OTHER young relatives bailed out of a discussion on firearms and why the laws on restricting firearms are hokum bailed out with a “what about school shootings I don’t want to die lets not talk about this anymore.”
I’ve offered to all of the younger set to come with me to the range, I’d teach them how to shoot, so far other than the relative mentioned in the original post above, they’ve not taken me up on it. Said relative I took to the range before COVID, let them shoot my 9mm pistol, then when they were asking how easy it was, had them chat with one of the shop staff and let the staffer explain the 4473 form to them. I pointed out to the relative that lying on that form was a FELONY, yet people STILL do it.
Suburbs – here we are, within 20 miles of a famous incandescently blue area, bluer than which it can hardly be imagined. ANTIFA brow shirts have beaten people up to the cheers of the elite only 15 miles from where I sit.
But while we are close as the crow flies, we are psychically on another planet. Some efforts were made, early on, to bring the war out here – freeways were shut down, that sort of thing. The local cops, for the most part, were having none of it, so it fizzled out.
So: how far is far enough? Will our self-appointed betters and the thugs they employ be too busy on their home turf to get all the way out here, which is *almost* out of mind? It’s a 30 minute drive but across a cultural divide…
Yeah. We live an hour from the center of a big blue city. But it’s really different. The last election the Republican won 2500 to 2100. Which is a big improvement over where we used to live. Though I’m sure there was tons of cheating on the senator and rep elections, they didn’t seem to mess with the local elections as much in November.
But the leftists who live in the Big Blue Cities really do forget what the rest of the country is like.
All I know is they HATE the suburbs. Which does mean they CAN do what they want.
I hate the suburbs but I still live in one. I have to agree that this is another planet compared to the nearest city, NYC. This little town voted for Trump as did the surrounding ones. The towns that voted for Biden here were the really, really rich ones and the really, really poor ones.
In any case, I suspect that the reaction to the rioting problem will be different since it’s no longer in the oligarchs interest now that they can’t beat Trump with it. it looks as though even Portland is fighting back against antifa.
For the longer term, the biggest news is that China’s population has declined. Europe is dead as you all know and the Middle East too. Iranian statistics are unreliable but the birth rates there are very low. The only country left with at all healthy demographics is the US. That’s what’s behind a certain amount of the unrest since you have a demographic bump larger in size, if not proportion, to that of the 70’s. It also means that the US will likely be the only country standing. there’s a very real chance that US population will be larger than China’s in my children’s lifetime if not mine.
sounds like a job for SAC:)
There’s suburbs and then there’s suburbs – in Silicon Valley there are the original city housing areas, often very low rent areas where they have not started gentrifying, then there are vast swaths of starter houses built where all the orchards used to be back in the 1950s and 1960s when jobs here were getting a job at FMC building tanks or at Lockheed building spy sats, and then there were the even-then-tonier neighborhoods where things are still very much upscale – so where the older close-to-downtown areas have fixer houses around $500/sf, a run-of-the-mill house in my neck of the valley runs around $800/sf, and tonyhood houses are from $1,300/sf on up.
And you can be absolutely certain the tonyhood will not ever get any whiff of blackblock active measures rioting activity without quickly seeing their local PD respond by getting massively kinetic.
Up in SF it’s a different story – a lot of the old neighborhoods there were massively gentrified over the past decade by the dot-com-2-boom influx of tech companies, and then the CCPbug caused all those tech employees to break their lease and move away. SF might be ripe for some owner-assisted arson activity if any protests get really going.
And while our local SJPD down here was pretty aggressive in keeping things suppressed when it tried to brew up last summer, there are neighborhoods downtown in San Jose close enough to the traditional protest venues (city hall and the courthouse areas) which could see thermally enhanced community organizing activity
So absent tonyhoods near downtown areas (which we also have), I’m thinking proximity to urban centers is the main risk driver.
I suspect when things go sideways and the rioters are chewing up the upper class leftist’s areas, the CNN crew will be calling for the Army to deploy and quell the rioters, with maximum force.
It won’t be pretty, at all.
Say a few dozen goons come to my street to terrify and maybe round up some of the unwashed. Maybe 1/2 the houses will house people who agree, or pretend to agree with you; most of the rest will be cowed.
BUT: every so often, you’ll run into a house full of people who are not playing along, and are not playing nice, and figure they’re doomed anyway, why not go out in glory and take a few along?
It’s like what Solzhenitsyn said about the roundups: if enough people had simply made sure there was a real risk of getting you head cracked open if you stormed into somebody’s house, the enthusiasm of the front-line types might have been dampened.
Also also, the police have not been defunded here, and heard during public hearings from a lot of people – me and mine, for example – how much they are appreciated. In the big cities, they can clearly be forced to stand down. When it’s their own neighborhood going up in flames, and they have to choose sides, what’s it going to be?
I don’t know, but I’d bet burning down the wreckers and counterrevolutionaries in Berkeley, SF, and Oakland would be a lot more attractive than looking for trouble out in the burbs. Not that they won’t try.
Happened locally. Everyone heard about the “downtown” protests in Eugene. Not that they were actually downtown. The blocks of 6th – 7th, at the Washington/Jefferson Street Bridge, is NOT downtown. Heck they can’t protest the Federal Courthouse or Buildings without spreading out over blocks. Brief blip on a protest in Springfield on main street and branching off into subdivisions, specifically Thurstan HS area. The protestors behaved themselves, even with neighborhood yelling back, confronting them. The neighbors had long range backup stationed on roofs. Protestors stayed peaceful.
I’m not sure how safe the fully rural areas will be either. While they may not have the leftists burning down main street, destruction of law will mean they will have bandit problems instead.
I’m thinking everywhere is going to have their own set of problems; deep cities worst of all, but I’m thinking, if you’re not in one of those, it may be best to harden the areas you know.
I know I’m certainly not going to be able to set up a rural defensive perimeter, or a thing for dealing with highwaymen.
I doubt my rural relatives will be letting anyone from “the big city” defund their small town police and sheriff departments anytime soon.
Absent the zombie biker horde scenario, I’d think rural communities will have enough of their act together to deal with any community activists who want to take their show on the road.
Yeah. I’m not thinking it will be the activists. More the copper thieves and what the cartels will have to become once the drug buyers run out of useful money.
The activists I expect to break the system and die in their own fire.
But, what you are talking about are the networks required for independent city-states. Simply moving out to a rural area does not build those, and could mark you as a stranger/invader when things go pear shaped.
Granted. which is why I want to move NOW and start getting to know people at church, etc.
I think the rural areas will become an example, of what Insty notes: The police are really there to protect thr criminals from instant justice.
It’s the intervention of the authorities that prevent such as these from appearing strung up along the country roads with “copper thief” signs around their necks ‘pour encourager les autres’.
And yes, you can’t just parachute into town and be considered a local.
This is one of the (many) things that drove me to talk back to the screen while watching the 2006 TV show “Jericho” – one MC is a black guy who rolled into a small Kansas town and paid cash for a house into which he moved his family just three days before a bunch of nukes go off all across the US, which does not appear to surprise him much, which results in one or two throwaway lines before he’s inducted into the inner circles of town decision making.
Yeah, nope.
Hell, just because I tan I’ll stick out.
In many places you can’t be a local after living there 20+ years. Ask me how I know….
Although you can be tolerated.
Well, it would have been funny if they’d had a set of black people who’d been living in the town since the Civil War or before, and who were fully accepted and maybe ran the town; and then this other black family of newbies who wasn’t. Rural vs. urban is a real thing….
That’s my goal; to be tolerated.
Moved here in 86 and was told it was clanny and cold to outsiders….. there were never any problems because if they perceive you as nutty and a renegade, they are quite nice as long as you don’t give em a dose of leprosy.
ROFL on the leprosy.
But yes, small places are proud of their eccentrics. I figure that’s how my family survived the village. 😀
Haha! In my hometown you’d have to be there maybe two generations before you were considered a local. Just moving in you’d be lucky they’d give you the time of day.
City mobs are going to be using highways and roads, not boats and aircraft and unpaved trails. In cooperation with the town next door, 8 road chokepoints to set up roadblocks and questioning of travelers.
I wonder, though, which side will take out the railroads. If rail traffic in the USA is disrupted, things go to shit faster. I believe it’s somewhere about 80% of US goods are transported somewhere along the way by rail. That includes food. East coast and Great Lakes states bananas go up the Hudson to Albany, then by train to their either their final or midpoint destination. Disrupt trains- no bananas for YOU!
I recently discovered they are no longer bulk shipped, but come in containerized in specialty refrigerated containers on ships designed just to transport those containers and keep the refrigeration units powered during the transit.
There’s so many ways to disrupt the transport of goods…
Piss of enough truckers or turn the cities into no-go zones for truckers? Good luck finding food.
I’m just imagining the havoc if a cargo ship got sideways in the Soo Locks, even if just one set of locks were blocked, the impact on shipping.
Or the St Clair River
Or the St Lawrence
Or the locks to get past Niagara
We’re pretty much in flyoverland, 40 miles from a conservative city, and about 100 miles from the nearest warren of prog-rats. Antifa tried arson last September, and the locals are pissed (and have a reputation for dealing with such situations informally and violently…). So, locally, we should be OK.
OTOH, I have a medical trip that can’t happen until Mid-July. This is after a bunch of sessions of physical therapy, so I’m hoping that the festivities happen in the big cities and smaller places along the I-5 corridor get ignored for the meantime. Meanwhile, I’ll take such measures as appropriate when (and if) I go.
–
People disappear themselves all the time in the Cascades and High Dessert. Just think of what can happen if they have help. Or there is the Triple S solution. Although that is getting harder to do with cadaver detection.
Hmm — I remember a news story a while back about a college that said the Outing Club couldn’t function as a college club and still go on hiking trips that went out of cell phone range. . . .
The paranoid conspirator would think they wanted people to not go hiking.
I was in McDonald Forest, in the woods, all the time, alone, without a cell phone. It was my job (worked part time for the school of forestry manager). Never thought about it. I mean this was 1979 and before.
I remember the University Club rules. Forestry Club made the mistake of actually filing an accurate function planning document. Got asked where the money was coming from. Club had ridiculous amount of money available. Firewood sales paid the club activities. There was a lot of chords of wood of maple and oak, taken down, cut, sold, delivered, and (sometimes) stacked. Even in those days this was $75 (maple) to $150 (Oak) per green chord delivered, extra stacked. Cost the fuel for the saws and the large motorpool truck with rails (very large, not a semi, but bigger than a pickup, and held 4 or 5 chord). Labor was volunteer. TPTB learned that a club had M O N E Y they thought should be controlled by them. Um, no. Luckily the event was the big Spring Timber Games, ending with a dance that night, which was open to all students, generally decimating the funds. Learned to not keep club money through the student council banking system. All future notification reports were less clear on the extent of the activities and money requirements.
The other issue that came out of the above mistake was that other clubs, while they weren’t entitled to the money already made (although if the club wanted to share …) they were entitled to the same access to make money. While the same motorpool truck to haul the wood could be made available, where were they getting sledge hammers and wedges, let alone, the timber saws, as well as the willingness to use them. Who was going to drop the trees? Who was going to use saws to clear off limbs, and cut into correct chunks, split those chunks? Even in club activities I didn’t do any of those. I never have figured out how to pop open dry wood al but ready to split if one stares at it wrong. OTOH the removed branches had to be hauled off out of the way, into the woods. The blocks had to be thrown or (in my case) rolled down to the road for splitting (without killing anyone). Once split the wood had to be loaded onto the transport truck, delivered, and usually stacked for delivery. Usually, in the Rain and Mud, amongst the poison oak, with buzzing biting insects, and ticks. For some reason, no other club took our club up on the offer.
Yes Ma’am!
Seems all those years of paranoia are finally serving a purpose.
Unfortunately, the people I would tell “I told you so”, will probably be dead.
Or living in my backyard.
‘Sigh’; better go wash the spare bedding.
Finally a real use for tiny houses – relative storage!
In any situation like this one, the question of duration comes down to the question of “what won’t they do”? On both sides, there are things that will be a step farther than anyone is willing to go–where is the line?
And don’t tell me there’s nothing “they” won’t do. I know there are *some* leftists who really will do anything, I’m known some of them. But if they had the power to make the decisions, our good hostess would already be in a camp, if not dead. But much of the left’s power is based on the idea that they are the “good” and we are the “bad”, and there’s only so much they can do and maintain that self-image.
I’ve been watching for things (remember, I’ve known some of them), and there are other indications as well. Antifa has STILL not been given free reins outside of Portland. There are stories starting to leak out about the military refusing illegal orders. Cops quitting. Pushback from state governments. School districts under seige from parents. With the power they have already, none of this would be happening if they were willing to do *anything*. It’s very important to figure out exactly how far they *will* go.
Do you have any links for that? Or just whispers?
Good news ought to be spread. Even better when it is good news that strikes terror into the heart of the enemy.
In the last couple of days it came out that the California ANG was asked to have an F-15 squadron on standby to “respond” to “protests”, presumably over COVID lockdowns. The ANG told whoever it was to go pound sand. Technically, I’m not sure they had any right to refuse a request from the governor’s office, so this caught my attention.
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-04-23/california-national-guard-fighter-jet-election-coronavirus-protests
Also, the Marine Corps’ response to Speaker Pelosi when she asked for front-line combat units at the Capitol.
Frighten demonstrators? We’d have taken it for a patriotic fly-by, and cheered ’em on!
He shoulda done it… then buzzed the governor’s mansion. 😀
A few years ago a couple of attack helicopters performed an informal air show over Pennsic. We were all laughing and pointing. Even at the time, though, I was thinking that only in America would you have people cheering being buzzed by attack ‘copters.
I was there for that. E-10.
One was making gun runs over the Serengeti and the E Blocks and the other was dry-firing Hellfires from a hover over the lake, all at less than 200 ft minimum altitude.
In one of the Serengeti E-Block camps, an Air Force Brigadier on vacation called the CO of the AirGuard base and ripped his ass for violating minimum flight levels and for training over highly populated areas. The helos never came back.
The C-130s still make their 500 ft missing man passes, though.
John in Indy
Pennsic’s off for another year. I feel for the locals, who lose millions of dollars in revenue for groceries, camping gear, beer…..
Legend speaks of one beer distributor who got the date wrong and had his shipment come in the week after War. Ouch.
For the most part, I agree–that was “cargo-cult” thinking, to request the magic F-15 intervention.
Yeah, an airshow flyby and what this article is talking about are two different things. An F-15 doing just a mil power dive and burner pullup can be really, really loud – it can easily break windows. And this is a jet that can go Mach 2+ if it needs to, so it could easily generate a sonic boom in such a dive-pull maneuver that could cause permanent hearing damage in addition to all the property damage.
The CA ANG pilots know that they’d be the ones on the hook for this, which is why if they were in the air and some state-appointed idiot in the CA chain of command actually got on the horn and tasked this, the pilot would likely discover mechanical issues and have to head back to Fresno instead.
Local city hosts a training base for F15-Cs. They don’t need a lot of effort to be incredibly loud, but the city and the ANG/AF people are getting along just fine. I doubt anybody would be stupid enough to attend an anti-lockdown protest in uniform, but I have a good guess as to the sympathies.
FWIW, a bunch of county commissioners (from 27 of the 36 counties) are calling on Despicable Kate Brown to knock off the lockdown theater. She just let a bunch (15) counties go into the “extreme” slot, so the restaurants get screwed again (except for those willing to say BS and deal with the fines). Cases way up, hospitalizations hit the truly scary (sarc) number of 328 for Kung-Flu. That’s state-wide, mind you.
DKB keeps trying out the Nurse Ratched constume, I swear.
Lane County is one of the ones getting locked down … again. It is a joke.
A look at the ethnicity of the infected give a strong idea where the illegal aliens (Hey, Joe, fold your edict into sharp corners, and you know the rest) are ending up. It’s farm-startup time in Flyover County, and surprise, surprise. Our case count (but not hospitalization) is through the roof.
I note the threshold for official panic is 300 Kung-flu patients in hospital. Statewide. 71 in ICU last count, with 155 completely available ICU beds on line. Arggh.
So, yet another restaurant shutdown. (Makes note to find an occasion to eat at one of the defiant diners–if I can find parking…)
Sign in a defiant diner window: Hungry Lives Matter!
On afterburners! 😀
Also, I am NOT hearing whispers. Which means that these requests are, thus far, not common.
Or they’re done subtle, and responded with just as subtle– “Oh, the process for that requires X, Y and Z! Submitted in writing.”
That in writing thing is what gets them.
With buy-in before the request is submitted, they feel safer. If they have to lay their illegal order out, in writing, BEFORE they get buy in…. folks get awful shy.
Same technique for Secured Spaces on ship, by the way; the users know that if they can get someone to buy in first, let in someone not on the access list, they’re committed and will likely help cover up future illegal acts.
Possibly. I would not likely hear about such things, at this stage. These things can change, but probably not quickly.
I chose the example because the only reason I KNOW about a few situations is that the tactic caught my attention, and I started actively asking folks if they’d ever heard of someone using a similar tactic. My go-to story is slamming the door in an abusive XO’s face, when he tried to force his way into a secured location when he wasn’t on the list.
I get a lot of startled looks, and thoughtful looks, and “Huh, you know… I hadn’t really thought about it, but so and so DID suddenly stop asking for something questionable when I insisted that it be done by the correct channels, which meant a paper trail….”
“much of the left’s power is based on the idea that they are the “good” and we are the “bad”, and there’s only so much they can do and maintain that self-image.”
I have lots of friends and relatives who are leftist because they’ve bought the idea that the left are the “good” people. So I do think there’s a lot to this. To us the masks really fell off this last year, but the garden variety leftist buys the lies that they are fed. At some point maybe the cognitive dissonance will be too much.
Though I know some people who seem to live comfortable with amazing amounts of dissonance. Like the relative that posts memes everyday about what a wonderful person and president Joe Biden is. Really?? I thought even rational Democrats knew that he was just a figure head and a corrupt political hack. But the human ability to self-delude seems close to infinite.
The way to work that is to start going under the skin.
Look at Revolt in 2100 and then do that. You know, seem to praise, but push just a little too hard, so the truth comes true.
“Yes, it must be really hard on poor Mr. Biden that his children are all messed up in some way. I mean, Hunter alone must be a cross to bear. I can’t believe they’re giving him book deals. It will all go to drugs. His poor parents.”
Well, all but 10% for the Big Guy.
Oh, saw some GOP I didn’t recognise say this (via NTD News)
“…[something-something] Biden’s modest accomplishments, and he certainly has much to be modest about.”
😀 😛
Never underestimate just how much evil someone can do and still consider themselves the good guys… after all, if you’re doing it to “evil” people, it’s only just, right?
THIS.
Personal experience. Drat it all.
I hate it when our scars match.
Eh, so long as they had good intentions it isn’t as bad as it could have been right?
Ah!
‘Good Intentions’. Hah. As I write in one of my stories:
“But for the ones that want to create a perfect world…no cost is too high, no sacrifice too great, no atrocity too horrendous. Their goal is so noble and lofty that it justifies anything — like changing all those imperfect people that won’t fit in their perfect world. And if they won’t change, if they can’t be made to fit — dispose of them. We’ve seen that, over and over. When you start to learn about this planet’s history, you’re not going to like a lot of it.”
“They’d sell their souls for that kind of power, and use it without a care for the cost. Especially the hypocrites that would claim they’re doing it ‘for the greater good’. You’ll never see anything more diabolical than some idealist creating the perfect world. Give me an honest tyrant any day.”
Ditto. Too many awful people out there willing to do anything to feel self-righteous.
That and a hefty does of “It’s okay when we do it!”
Rrrrgh. So much.
In some ways, I’m sad that the blog “Second City Cop” went dark, as the take of whoever was behind it on some of the left’s antics in regards to policing and the “mostly peaceful” protests in Chicago was, shall we say, enlightening.
Before they went dark, they were already commenting on LARGE numbers of early retirements and just plain leaving the force, to where the incoming cadet groups were NOT going to make up the difference.
And with how the police are being demonized regardless of what they do or the facts of why they did what they did (knife fight anyone,) it’s not surprising. Expect that the localities that are the most hostile towards LEOs are going to be the first to go up like gasoline on a bonfire, places where LEOs are respected or at least not demonized will hold out longer.
That was one of my every-morning reads, and I have no intention of *ever* going to Illinois, much less Chicongo.
A couple of days ago, Peter Grant had an update from SCC. [thumbs through links… Here: https://bayourenaissanceman.blogspot.com/2021/04/another-message-from-second-city-cop.html ] They (?) were nearly outed, so they had to go dark (I’m assuming it’s a team, anyway), but are looking into enough layers of misdirection to get back on line.
Hundreds of retirements stated for Q1, and less than 100 recruits in the pipeline. I’m so glad to be *from* the Chicago area, and not in it.
Just read that, and even more so it makes me glad to NOT live in Chicago. Visited a couple times but that was WELL before even Obama was Pres, so the insanity level was lower…
Now? “fuhgeddaboutit” I wouldn’t go to Chicago without an armed team, seeing as out-of-state CPLs aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on in Illinois, and even less in Chicago…
I don’t think they have enough antifa to fan out.
1.5 cities. With local political air cover. That is all they have.
Plus some teams of operators that don’t mind working for the deep state. Who do you think set off the Color Revolution in the Ukraine by sniping the demonstrations? Plus Federal LEO’s who work for the deep state.
Anywhere that there are homeless camps and a compliant D.A., there is Antifa. That’s a lot more places than there are riots.
Also, note how they twist themselves into pretzels to give their lawlessness a veneer of legal respectability. They would have left that behind by now, if they thought they could. And now that the states are pushing back in legal venues, they’re going to have to cross that Rubicon…
You are widening the definition of “antifa” to the point of uselessness.
No, from what I’ve seen if those conditions exist, Antifa is there.
No, it’s not. It might get BUSED there.
I can’t say definitively, but I’ve observed several things that do not support your statement. It’s true that the decision-makers are thin on the ground and they usually fly in experienced people from HQ in the PNW when it’s time to really make something happen. But if there are homeless camps and a compliant D.A. I’m quite sure there is a local cadre recruiting for the “cover” groups (the “peaceful” human shields) and the “hit teams” (usually mentally disturbed, often criminal, and don’t travel well).
You’re blackpilling.
I think it’s necessary to break the antifa down into its parts.
Cadre: very dangerous. very few. I would be surprised if they comprised a platoon sized element all together.
Mercenaries: criminals, the main muscle, self-recruiting, in it for the loot or to feed antisocial urges, unreliable, limited stamina, limited range.
Useful idiots: camouflage and ablative armor. Mostly naïve or with mental issues. Most will rapidly become disillusioned unless cadre or criminals are able to take advantage of mob mentality and convince them to cross a moral event horizon. Excellent scapegoats.
The first element is the major concern. Without them to direct the other two elements, nothing much happens (beyond inner city businesses being destroyed),
But if both sides go kinetic, command and control is a primary target. Any competent attack will open by dropping the guy on the radio. The cadre is much less dangerous once the attacked go weapons free.
At this point, the criminals and LARPers will necessarily reevaluate their involvement. Especially if the attack involved shrapnel.
Tactics shift almost instantly.
And the guerrilla war enters the next phase, of flying assassination squads, kill lists, and trying to force the populace into cities (or concentration camps, oftentimes there’s not much difference).
There’s not much conversation to be had with someone for whom reality is “blackpilling”. Antifa, as currently organized, is not a proper paramilitary. Your analysis is irrelevant to the point.
There are interviews with ex-Antifa, some very detailed. They say for a given action — generally a couple wholly-pro field generals, half a dozen experienced lieutenants, sometimes support personnel to hand out signs and the like, and as many borderline personalities (with an expressed preference for the mentally ill, as they lack filters on what they do) as they can hire or incite locally.
So the professionally-organized Antifa probably number in the hundreds at most, while local footsoldiers vary by availability. Any ghetto or homeless camp should be a fruitful place to hire ’em, given the selection bias for mentally ill.
Fortunately we don’t yet have the militarized Black Bloc types on this side of the ditch.
However, with the injection of CCP money, that seems to be changing.
There are multiple reports of Antifa having trained and fought in Syria, but it’s not clear to me whether they are Europeans or Americans. But Antifa exists at the sufferance of the Democrat Party and is not a power in its own right–the Deep State is a jealous master and would not likely be enthusiastic about a true unofficial paramilitary.
That’s one of the reasons we can still wonder “what won’t they do?”
Do you have a link to any of these interviews? I hadn’t heard about that–I’m only going off my my own knowledge.
In some areas? VERY far.
Most areas….. not very far.
. There are stories starting to leak out about the military refusing illegal orders.
Other places, too.
Which makes me very suspicious about the suddenly louder screams about how all is lost, and EVERYONE is REALLY totally a dependable robot if they work for :department:. work in :location: or are :overarching group:.
Because, like, it’s totally a good idea to scream that good cops/soldiers/(target group) don’t exist, because if they were good they’d quit.
Not do the job correctly……
You have to remember that we just saw the crazy can’t happen scenario happen in full view of the public.
Much like seeing the worst characterizations of the grabbers be completely true, you stop assuming that anything will work the way it ought to. This, after decades of it becoming slowly clearer that the entire apparatus needs a power washing from top to bottom.
Which is why the news coming out of the military is so reassuring. It was all fine and good to assert that the military wouldn’t succumb to corruption despite the attempts, but you can assert literally anything you want.
Depends on the organization. In a hypothetical Department of Epstein there is no “being the good cop”. While the AFT isn’t quite *that* bad, there is still precious little they do that isn’t explicitly unconstitutional.
I know bad stuff happened, that doesn’t make me any more sympathetic to folks who want to say “it happened once, it MUST be everywhere!”
We are at “Scalded cat is afraid of cold water.” COMPLETELY normal.
With a huge dose of wolf crying as I mentioned earlier.
On the flip side there are the people who — to take one example topic — will defend the police as being innocent of everything. In doing so they try to prove too much, because their argument can be obliterated with almost no effort.
The Everything Is Doomed crowd can’t fix things. But the Everything Is Kosher crowd can’t fix or keep anything from getting worse. “Before you can fix the problem you have to acknowledge it exists” is true after all.
I’ve only run into a few of those, and I’m still not sure they weren’t plants. They were just so freakin’ shocked at the idea of looking at evidence— good heavens, one of the Big Things that will get a good cop going is the chance to smack down a bad cop!
With cops there appears to be an absolutely MASSIVE bubble effect going. One that makes the Liberal Bubble look like a piece of worn out cheesecloth.
I can talk to one person and get reports that indicate “burn this entire department to the ground and don’t care much if the officers are still in the building” level corruption. Then talk to another person and get “one of the Big Things that will get a good cop going is the chance to smack down a bad cop!”. That is with reason to believe that both are telling the truth as accurately as they know, having seen behind the scenes.
It’s always been like that for any position of power.
The Denver cops used to run a robbery ring in the 70s. In the oughts they were the toughest gang in town.
Now they’re antifa’s lapdogs. Sigh.
Forgot about that Denver cop history chapter. Purchasing dept. for building maintenance went through a bribery scandal then also. Carrier as a result, lost a bunch of city buildings which we were happy to inherit.
Yeah, but for the record, when I say they were the toughest gang in town in the oughts, I mean no one messed with them. They might be a bit nutty, but…
Gutted me to see them stand by and let 16th street be vandalized and burned.
You get idealists even in really horrible departments– notice the long history of folks in Seattle’s police department actually enforcing the law and being punished for it.
They either die, or move to somewhere the department isn’t a political branch.
But Seattle level bad is pretty rare.
And, of course, “cops that actually enforce the laws” are extremely unpopular with those who want to break those laws. 😀
I’d add to that Broward. The school was already bad enough, and then they had their little use-random-innocents-as-cover event.
And then more recently Boston. Which gets creepier when you realize that there were people transferring to other departments for decades and apparently still keeping the open secret.
That reads to me like they’re having a trauma response. As if they have to assume everyone is tainted in order to feel safe, maybe?
*shrugs* Booger if I know, I KNOW I don’t do trauma like most.
Yeah. I’ll write that story in pencil till I can get more information.
The grabber comparison was not accidental: if you can’t tell clever evil from honest concerned and getting it wrong is catastrophic then you have to treat *everyone* as clever evil.
And, of course, manpower is fungible. The “good cop just doing his job” frees up the Party cops to do the dirty work.
Quite agree. I’d suggest something in the 4kw range, preferably dual fule.
sigh, fuel
If it stays purely at the civil war stage, then yes, shorter period of real bad is probably more likely. The problem I see is that such widespread civil strife, especially with such strife occurring the USA, will be green light for every country/faction with nukes that wishes to become the global empire/caliphate, etc., to USE those nukes. Iran, Pakistan, the Norks in particular may think that they have a window of opportunity to strike.
In particular I think Iran WILL nuke Israel (never mind that Israel can and would retaliate in a fashion that completely glasses Iran) because they think such an attack would be welcomed (and given the HarrisBiden junta’s conduct, they would have a good basis to think exactly that). Likewise if the CCP or Russia think they can use such force against adversaries, they will do so, gambling that they will not face a retaliatory strike. Even believing that there will be enough confusion for the half-hour it takes for their land and sea missiles to hit targets here could be enough, and let’s face it, with Senile Joe as the person who must authorize a response, there is a good basis to think that there would be such confusion. Even worse, they could very well come to believe, if they don’t already, that a Democratic Party controlled administration will NEVER use nuclear weapons under any circumstance, even after we are hit by a first strike. Indeed, I would expect Democrats to blame the USA for being nuked (the same way they will blame Israel for being nuked by Iran).
Even one such nuke gamble being launched throws the whole it won’t last long scenarios right out the window as the strife becomes an opportunity for every warlord with advanced weapons to carve out their own fiefdom Somalia style but on a global scale.
Which is exactly the sort of thing that would put a target on the head of everyone even *remotely* connected to the Biden administration if it happened.
Assuming that there is anything functional after such an attack.
There will be. Nukes aren’t magic wonder-weapons. They allow you to take out a city with a handful of bombs, but that’s about it. Doing so would mostly kill Democrats, so that by itself would weaken the FICUS administration.
Note AFAIK ABM intercepts do not require National Command Authority release, just normal chain of command.
If desperate enough, the Democrats would nuke the US and blame it on the Russians. I truly believe the m-fs would destroy the world instead of lose power.
I believe that too. Partly because if their misdeeds were revealed they’d lose not just power but FACE.
I agree. I think their position is so important to them they wouldn’t hesitate. All they have is a will to power, they have no religions or morals or other restraints.
Two words: Eric Swalwell.
Remember, Fang-Fang’s Boy Toy has already threatened to use U.S. nuclear weapons against U.S. cities if they don’t ‘turn in their guns’ on command, no matter that pesky 2nd Amendment. (Before the Fortified Election and the Fearful Global Pandemic too.) And note despite all that, he’s still on one of the most security-critical committees in the Congress (HPSCI).
And also note that “the nasty mean Russians did it” option does not have the Swalwell Advantage of “encouraging the others” (as they say in French) to Be Better Next Time.
In his case, I suspect that’s more Xi in a Wig using him like her meat puppet. There are a number of younger Democrats from the west coast that seem to be able to raise more money and get more power than seems reasonable for their level of skill. The suspicion is that they were picked out early by China for grooming and pushing, so they would end up owing favors to the Chinese government.
Swalwell and Schiff both seem to fit the profile.
This is why I think they WOULD nuke in reprisal – whether they actually wanted to or not. If they didn’t they would look weak. If anything, I think a Dem administration would respond FASTER than a Repub administration.
Actually that’s my view too.
G-d willing, because the alternative is Buckman.
That… isn’t a road I want to see you guys go down.
“… believe, if they don’t already, that a Democratic Party controlled administration will NEVER use nuclear weapons under any circumstance, even after we are hit by a first strike …”
I have seen reporting that the Damned Party is working on enacting a “No First Strike” policy.
As if any of our nukes are likely to launch, much less explode.
And we have seen in their questions about “What did we do to offend Al Qaeda, and how can we make amends?” after 9/11 weren’t determinative of their willingness to defend the USA.
~
“the throwing of Smart cars at the Arc du Triomphe with catapults,”
Hmm. Put a big ass trebuchet on the back of a 40 foot tractor trailer. Drive into DC and start chucking things at the Capital or the White House.
Except what should we use for projectiles? Bags of fresh cow manure sound great.
Solar panels. Great big solar panel projectiles.
ON FIRE. 😉
1) throwing of Smart cars at the Arc du Triomphe. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE post link to video!
2) people in their 20’s are scared . if your 50+ its like so what? I have seen this for a year 95% of our friends are 55+ 99% of them where “covid? so what? whats this mask thing? if I get sick so what? you know how many times i have gotten sick? screw that mask stuff. meanwhile kids and grandkids are freeking that nona and papa are not being safe enough. I can’t count how many articles I have read that basicly say “how do I convence my parents to be safe?”
3) eventually there will be one or MAYbe 2 really violent push backs. and i agreee they will be crushed hard and used as an excuse for more power grabbing. (jan 6th just didnt do it for them though they tried REALLY HARD to use it) then the next power grab will set in and 6-9 months later actual planned violence will happen – to me – thats when its going to get very real and very scary.
4) 75% of our friends that get the econd shot get sick. some VERY sick. though it only lasts 2-3 days.
5) everyone we know that has caught covid are part of the younger croud (25-40) and it seems to have hit the hardest all our kids friends that were 2 mask dont go out croud – so how did they get it?
2- My catch phrase is “I’ve had colds before.”
“2) people in their 20’s are scared . if you’re 50+ it’s like so what? I have seen this for a year 95% of our friends are 55+ 99% of them were “covid? so what? whats this mask thing? if I get sick so what? you know how many times i have gotten sick? screw that mask stuff. meanwhile kids and grandkids are freaking that nona and papa are not being safe enough. I can’t count how many articles I have read that basically say “how do I convince my parents to be safe?”
This. I was never ever concerned about covid. But my 20ish sons were freaking about the danger that *we* were in. I wanted to yell at them to not put their paranoid gullible fears on us. But we did end up getting vaccinated because of them. Sigh.
I apparently know an entirely different group of 20 somethings. My youngest was diagnosed with the dreaded covid shortly after getting home on the spring break that was extended to 2 weeks then the rest of the semester… Several other members of his ROTC cohort have been diagnosed with it. They weren’t worried about getting it- they understand numbers. And that young healthy people don’t die of it. To date, one active duty member, The control group of young healthy people. He was 41. 40% of active duty <26, <10% over 40. Can't be obese, or even overweight (according to regulations that no one EVER fudges), have to maintain a minimum level of fitness, even the Navy. Which is never fudged. Although there was a time warp in one test I remember where the last 12 people finishing the run all finished in the same time before we opened the keg….
It's the 6 and 7 year olds who panic when they see someone not wearing a mask that bug the crap out of me. Their parents ought to be horse whipped in public for mental child abuse. My grandchildren don't fall into that category.
Crushed? No.
Everyone on our side has been made aware of the stakes. It’s crystal clear that yelling at our congresscritters to honor their oath will cut no mustard, and go extremely poorly for us.
It will be hit and fade. Gone before a response can be coordinated.
I don’t see more then two incidents, simply because the mass riots will abruptly cease after being subject to mass casualty events. Quite possibly after only one.
Reprisals and power grabs will still follow, of course.
I gather India is now having a covid outbreak. India is also having a border dispute with China and I get the general impression India is ahead of the game. Makes me wonder, yes, it does.
#metoo.
I’ll have to go find it, but it does look like covid outbreaks do correlate with fertilizer season.
I recall early on that it was said to have a fecal mode of transmission, sort of like the feline corona virus, and had wondered why we hadn’t heard anything about that since the initial days of things.
Pne of the first bits of news that I recall seeing as to how early the virus really showed up in Italy involved their retesting fecal samples for virus content. And the earliest dates from that testing was well ahead of official infection dates.
“why they are keeping demonstrators from Jan 6th in solitary confinement”
If the Feebs had the “Open & Shut” case against these folks they try to claim to have, we’d have seen them in court weeks ago. Even if they were trying to sweat co-conspirators’ names out of them they’d have taken convictions and be holding off sentencing until the “perps” squealed.
Do they not dare bring these cases in front of a judge in open court?
~
In regard to S[tuff] Going Down elsewhere …
Hong Kong passes immigration bill, raising alarm over ‘exit bans’
HONG KONG, April 28 – Hong Kong’s legislature passed on Wednesday a controversial immigration bill, which lawyers, diplomats and right groups fear will give authorities unlimited powers to prevent residents and others from entering or leaving the Chinese-ruled city.
The government has dismissed those fears as “complete nonsense,” saying the legislation, which will come into effect on Aug. 1, merely aims to screen illegal immigrants at source amid a backlog of asylum applications and does not affect constitutional rights of free movement.
“We are facing increasing challenges, especially preventing the number of illegal immigrants from rising and claimants from abusing the system,” Security Secretary John Lee said, adding that travel rights remain guaranteed and that the government will introduce subsidiary legislation in the near term.
The assurances, however, come in a climate of mistrust after the increasingly authoritarian path officials have taken the imposition of a sweeping national security law by Beijing last year.
“What is concerning is that in hastily pushing this bill forward, the government has chosen to ignore civil society groups that have flagged legitimate concerns,” said Michael Vidler, a lawyer with Vidler & Co Solicitors.
Lawyers say the new law will empower authorities to bar anyone, without a court order, from entering or leaving Hong Kong – essentially opening the door for mainland China-style exit bans – and fails to prevent indefinite detention for refugees.
[END EXCERPT]3
~
I know people who are trying to figure out how to get the last few relatives out of HK – basically older folks who thought they could be low profile enough, and things would never go that far, and so on. Now the kids who could not convince them to leave are frantic.
If China Joe wants to show he’s not Xi’sGuy, he would announce open auto refugee status for anyone from HK. Yeah, that’ll happen.
spoiler: he’s Xi’s guy.
NARRATOR: Yes, he is.
Only to the extent that he can even mentally grasp that anymore. The central committee running things in his name and putting him out like a prop are not only fully in Xi’s pocket, they are ideologically admirers of Xi who seek to impose the same system here.
Oh, no doubt it’s the China Joe Muppet Show – the people with their hand…making China Joe’s mouth move are The Actual Xi Team. It’s not like Frau Doktor Biden is any sort of secret mastermind.
Roundheels-Dot-Not-Black is little more than a giggling ventriloquist dummy as well. She’s probably dim enough to think she’s the clever behind-the-throne power who is just ‘taking advice’ from her sister and such, but it’s becoming clear to everyone that she is by no conceivable means any sort of secret genius.
The Taiwanese *have* their escape bridges. The problem for any of the countries in the area (well, anywhere) the might want to take in HK refugees is that Chyna ****WILL**** insert moles.
Like they haven’t already inserted moles?
Of course they have. But it will be even worse, with the added problem that it negates the very reason a country would want to let them in.
Seems like once there’s moles inserted, additional moles aren’t a qualitative difference. There would be regular people helped, more than moles passed in.
Not that I don’t think Biden should follow your advice, but didn’t the United Kingdom already announce that residents of Hong Kong had automatic citizenship if they fled HK over political oppression?
Automatic passports, I think it was.
We are working like hell to get out of this deeply blue city. Here’s hoping we do that before too much longer.
I think that most of my liberal family members are quietly rethinking their positions. We’ll see next get together.
#ustoo. On working like hell.
I think the vaccine is a big wildcard. The long-term studies aren’t finished yet – if they turn out bad, a lot of people will be enraged. But in that case they will also be incapacitated, at least to some degree, so who knows what it will mean.
Trump’s recent comments on it said/implied that the FDA was fighting it being released so quickly. Maybe they are the good guys for once? Or maybe they were simply being over-cautious bureaucrats.
Oh, sure. And I’m autoimmune, so I don’t want to deal with “this is a reaction in a million.” No.
ALSO I’ve had colds before. Ain’t scared.
Yeah, autoimmune is a BIG crapshoot when it comes to vaccines. My husband get autoimmune arthritis whenever he’s sick—which means he also gets some misery when he gets the flu shot. And he got about 14 hours of chills and pain with the second shot for this vaccine. But in absolute terms, he’s on the mild end, so yeah, I wouldn’t want to mess with it either in your shoes.
Autoimmune sucks. So far this is easily survivable, if exhausting, even when I have an “underlying condition”. No thank you on “emergency approved” shots. Flu shots alone KO me a week every year!
I think that’s why the freak-out about those Trump voters not getting vaccines, and why the colleges are trying to require students to get them.
The wrong people are sceptics. The proper people all went and got their vaccines. If anything goes wrong, it’s going to hit disproportionately the compliant types.
I spent half an hour explaining to a friend that I won’t consider it until a vaccine passes normal FDA approval. “But Holly, you don’t have to wait! You can get it now.” “Sure, I could, but it’s an emergency use authorization, I’m waiting for normal FDA approval.” Over and over, she couldn’t understand that.
If it ends up bad, I’m going to lose a lot of friends. Most of my friends who are retired. A bunch of nice, normal, trusting, folks who are in the middle age crowd.
If it ends up bad, the folks left will be all the defiant sorts. Which would be a bad result for any would-be dictators.
I’m going to lose relatives. And then I’m going to kill the lefties. ALL of them.
I support you in this endeavor.
There’s a Christopher Anvil story like that. The Aliens bring all these wonderful gifts which end up being booby trapped leaving those suspicious contrarians who will fight alive.
It’s great fun.
This has occurred to me, which is part of the reason I don’t think they intend for the vaccine to HARM anyone.
BUT it’s entirely possible — since they think that all Trump voters are “old” — that they assume it will mostly hit the other side.
On the other hand, these are the people who think Orwell wrote instruction manuals…
I doubt the difference between a 100% effective ‘vaccine’ and an equivalent amount of distilled water would show up statistically, even before the data gets folded, spindled, or mutilated.
There’s a Stargate episode, too. ‘Benevolent’ aliens conquer the Goa’uld, provide advanced health care and Stargate tech. Years later, Carter unearths the fact that about 90% of women are sterile, has to travel back in time to deliver a warning.
I’m trying to remember the name of the really old one, where the aliens look like the devil….
Childhood’s End by Arthur C Clarke.
Bummer of an ending.
Thank you. Yes. I never re-read it. In Portuguese it was called O Livro dos Grandseigneurs.
Not sure why. But that’s what I always remember.
Still the fact I remember the story…..
I found that one shocking and depressing. What point is there to humanity if we evolve into energy and wreck a living world in the process? Ugh.
I think that fundamentally, Clarke didn’t like people very much.
*Wry* Seems likely. On a whole ‘nother level from what I think of when I don’t like people. Mostly I want them to just leave me alone, not evaporate into nothingness!
He certainly wrote some depressing stuff late in his life. His Rama sequels were pretty cynical about humans.
well, Sri Lankan boys, he liked a LOT.
If you hate that there is this religious text you probably wouldn’t like much…
If you’re being twee about the Bible, you need to read it again.
Bodily resurrection. It’s kind of a Big Deal.
Short version, when things are fixed, we get bodies like the Risen Christ.
At which point you are dealing with something that while superficially similar (otherwise there is no point to the “feel my hands and my feet” part), works in such an alien way that the conceptual distance between risen!body and energy!body is less than from now!body and either of those.
Besides, I tend to keep a healthy distance to anything like that. Seen far too many people go insane to not slap a “Things Man Is Not Meant To Know” warning over it.
If you don’t to talk about it, then don’t make assertions about it for cheap shots.
God says that it’s a real body, though perfected. I will go with God over Ian claiming it’s really energy.
Um, wat?
That isn’t the claim I made. The claim is that the “spiritual body” is as alien* from what humans have now as an energy being would be.
Of course “energy being” is for all intents and purposes a spiritual being translated into SF….
* strictly speaking far far more alien, but apparently made to also be familiar
Rather hard to stick your fingers in the cuts on a spirit’s body, or have a spirit eat fish.
Which was kind of Himself’s point in both of those demonstrations.
Found it! The Kindly Invasion.
Yet these will be the same folks who, if you complain abotu government red tape unnecessarily delaying or ot interfering in business and medical practices, will roll their eyes at you and accuse you of being anti-safety.
“In the States, they’re becoming alarmed people don’t want to take the vaccine.”
Which reminds me: I saw reporting last night that Congressional Dems are pushing for an order from the Commander-in-Cheat mandating vaccinations for ALL military service personnel.
In protection of military readiness.
Yeah. Think on that a bit.
~
NO.
I think the fact that they haven’t already done so is a meaningful datum. Not sure what it means, but it’s definitely something to keep in mind.
One of the basic rules taught proto-officers is never give an order you know won’t be obeyed.
Does bad things for the chain of command, that.
I am given to understand that they played that card before with Anthrax vaccines. I have friends that have had issues because the mandatory (“and there are no side effects ‘It Says Here'(TM)) anthrax vaccines did, in fact, have side effects.
Thomas Sowell, in Vision of the Anointed talks quite a bit about the “anointed” insulating themselves from feedback. A classic gambit is to play the “imagine how much worse it would have been if we hadn’t…” card.
Unfortunately, sooner or later that excuse stops working.
Just think how bad the harvest would have been if we hadn’t burned the witch!
Argumentum ad speculum.
What Democrats call thought is nothing more than a fetid pile of logical fallacies, unwarranted assumptions, and inchoate emoting.
Ugh, that one’s annoying…
“Look! Look! Our “shovel-ready” act saved or created MILLIONS of jobs!”
“OK, prove it.”
“We don’t have to, we said it did so shut up!”
“b”, not “m”.
The left thinks of that as a feature, not a bug. Just listen to their rants about the need for massive reductions of population to “save the Earth”. For them, killing billions, particularly of groups they don’t like, is a main goal.
The problem (for them) is that they don’t seem to realize that people will not “go quietly into that good night” and the “rage, rage” is very likely to catch them. 😉
They also live in environments that rely heavily on large numbers of people in ways they obviously don’t understand.
Traditionally the upper class has survived famine by sending their armed retainers out to collect food from the peasantry, regardless of if that left the peasantry with enough to survive. That strategy isn’t going to work very well when the peasantry is better armed than the retainers.
“The left very rapidly captured all the centers of power and mass everything,”
In fairness, nobody on the Right considered those very important and worth defending. Colleges were tolerated but nobody took the Faculty Lounge seriously. Pretty much the same with the News Media. Hollywood? Seriously???
“Of course he’s beneath us – he’s an actor.”
Turns out we had made the same error as the Frogs with their Maginot Line.
[N.B. one of filmdom’s two greatest rooftop fire hose sequences.]
~
“like its ancestor, the French Revolution, it requires a permanent state of ‘struggle’ against ‘injustice’ by the ‘oppressed.’”
Thus the deployment of Critical Race Theory with its agenda of eliminating bigotry, bias and hatred from the human heart … even if they have to cut out those human hearts with stone knives.
Left undefined is just what their intended Nirvana will be. Not that it matters; like most Marxist theories it will result in an increase in that which it claims to oppose and a decrease in that which it promises to achieve.
~
Nothing to see here; move along.
https://nypost.com/2021/04/28/federal-agents-raid-rudy-giulianis-nyc-apartment/
As the note on this on Insty says (paraphrasing)” Ukraine corruption, huh? Hey, how’s that Hunter investigation going, Feebs?”
I hope at least one of those laptops was specifically prepared to be found.
“the ‘class in power’ is truly insular and incestuous.”
Welllll … in fairness, they’re only incestuous because they cannot f**k themselves. Because what they truly are is narcissistic. But they are insular, I give you that.
~
Legal thuggery and obvious retaliation:
https://www.theepochtimes.com/mkt_breakingnews/federal-investigators-search-rudy-giulianis-apartment-seize-laptops-lawyer_3794871.html
===
A lawyer for Rudy Giuliani said federal investigators executed a search warrant at the home of the former New York City mayor and attorney to former President Donald Trump and seized electronic devices.
Giuliani’s attorney Robert Costello told Fox News that seven FBI agents arrived at his Manhattan apartment at 6 a.m. on April 28 and remained there for about two hours. They seized laptops, cell phones, and other electronic devices, Costello said.
“This is totally unnecessary,” Costello told Fox News, adding that the raid was carried out to “make him look like he’s some sort of criminal.”
===
Here we go. When I heard about the “proscription” executive order, I thought it likely they were going to start at the top, not bothering with wrong-thinking bloggers…
Not for a while….
hmmmmm……
I’m not sure how this balances out: on the one hand their magical thinking crossed with projection will tell them to go after the big names they think are the ringleaders mindcontrolling everyone else.
On the other hand non-centralized mechanisms might be scary enough to them to be high on the target list.
I think it’s a combination of simply not having the resources to start at the bottom (there’s just too many targets), the occasional success of “decapitation strikes” in unconventional warfare, and perhaps most importantly of all–a desperate need for cash that can be diverted for unsavory purposes.
Plus they think that “making an example of” well known people will frighten the less know people into compliance. Which it will for some, but others it will make more intransigent. I’m pretty sure that the Junta is the equivalent of run by committee, so it’s not like somebody is making coordinated decisions. Some tinpot tyrant in some federal bureaucracy probably decided it was time. And the phrase “federal agents” is kind of ambiguous. Who raided Giuliani’s home? The DoJ??
That is the “rage event horizon” I keep talking about.
Maybe. Getting to the “rage event” is starting to feel like pushing a noodle uphill. But I suppose they could do something bad enough that rage will pop up all over, like the flowers in spring.
Oh, that isn’t what I mean by that.
The REV is the point when further attempts to exert control through suppression or making an example of people fails to have the intended effect, but instead makes people angrier.
Like crossing an Event Horizon you can cross one without noticing, but once you do you can’t get back out.
And the thing is, those who are against the opposition regime are people with some ability for self control, even when angry. If they lacked self-control, they would be junkies in and out of jail.
So, seriously angry doesn’t necessarily present itself obviously at first.
It depends. I can see the banks being very interim getting the ability to freeze people’s assets at will.
Then we’ll see every little tin g-d trying to get that power for themselves.
*very interested…
Autocorrect for the whim…
Banks have already been doing that somewhat. During Obama’s second term, the Feds were encouraging banks to freeze the accounts of undesirables such as those in the firearms business, and those working in the porn industry(!?).
Operation Choke Point
https://infogalactic.com/info/Operation_Choke_Point
I think of it as an example of trying to do “First they came for the…” in parallel rather than serial. The pornsters, drug-paraphernalia dealers, and similar types were thrown in to limit criticism from the Right.
Sure – they know theirs is all astroturf that would not exist unless centrally funded and staffed using craigslist ads, so their projection tells them all movements are the same. That’s why they’ve continued pushing so hard on Zuckerbook and TehTwits, to eliminate the central control signals.
An actual distributed reaction will drive them over the edge.
That’s the thing that I think lines up best with Michael Yon’s and Sarah’s and others’ insights and predictions for this summer: The left self-annointed aristos will be pushed to extreme measures when their efforts to eliminate the central control fails because there isn’t one, and they will turn the knob straight to crazytown.
Yep. That’s why they think Trump is some kind of svengali.
Yep. They think he’s the leader of some kind of movement when in reality he is the result of that movement. And, it’s really not that much of a movement so much as a lot of underlying anger at the status quo.
NO, not anger at the status quo, but at the incompetent and malignant Ruling Class (as seen exposed by Glenn at Instapundit often, or Angelo Codevilla at American Greatness and elsewhere)”
They worship their leaders, therefore we must also worship our leaders. For all that we are ‘evil’ and ‘opposite’ to them, they can’t imagine us being DIFFERENT from them.
Like the gun-ban fanatics. “You’re paranoid! You only want to cling to your guns because you’re afraid of the world!”
“No, dipshit, that’s you. I do not fear my fellow citizens owning guns. I do not fear YOU owning guns. YOU are the one living in fear. I simply refuse to partake of that fear.”
IMO It isn’t that they worship their leaders (even if they do) but they can’t accept that good people can NOT accept their Sacred Beliefs.
So it’s a matter that the People are being “manipulated” by the Great Evil Being (who’s name or names change depending on the situation).
Thus Trump was the Great Evil Being who lured the People away from voting for the Glorious Hillary Clinton.
Then there’s the matter of Gun-Control. It can’t be a matter of gun-owners thinking differently from them. It has to be the Evil NRA that has brain-washed gun-owners.
In the past, some Liberals blamed the Evil Religious Right for “luring the People away from them”.
On so forth.
There Has To Be A Great Evil One To Explain Why The People Are Not Following Them! 😈
also, they’re convinced they must not have EXPLAINED thier views enough.
Yeah.
Just a note, in Orwell’s 1984, Big Brother had an ever present enemy who was responsible for set-backs in the smooth running of Big Brother’s government.
He was Emmanuel Goldstein, never completely successful in his attacks on Big Brother but never captured/defeated. As the below link shows, he may have just been a creation of the Ministry of Truth.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emmanuel_Goldstein
It’s the accent, Sarah. If people are always asking you to say “Moose and squirrel” then you must be a Rooshian Agent For Sure!
It depends on what kind of a reaction they get to the first batch. This could be where things get interesting.
One more item for the SGD File, something which might shed some light on the hullabaloo over Joe Rogan’s advice that young adults eschew vaccination:
Fauci Reportedly Relaunched NIH Gain-of-Function Research without Consulting White House
Washington Post columnist Josh Rogin, who has done invaluable work in calling attention to the possibility that COVID-19 originated in a Wuhan lab, broke some news during his appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience on Tuesday.
After laying out the circumstantial evidence that COVID originated in the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV), Rogin explained why Dr. Anthony Fauci, like many in the world of virology research, has a vested professional interest in downplaying the likelihood that so-called gain-of-function research — of the kind performed at the Wuhan lab — not only failed to prevent the ongoing global pandemic but actually may have played a hand in unleashing it.
“The Godfather of [gain-of-function virology research], the head of the pyramid, is a guy you may have heard of called Anthony Fauci,” Rogin said. “So, Anthony Fauci, the hero of the pandemic, is the most important person in the world of gain-of-function research there is . . . Basically, he is the one disbursing all the grants for this, he is the one who pushed to turn it back on after Obama turned it off, that’s another crazy story, he turned it back on without really consulting the White House.”
[END EXCERPT]
The dots, they connect!
~
Even in the Soviet Union, they knew better than to believe the government media. “In the News there is no Truth, and in the Truth there is no News.” They didn’t have any reliable sources to find out what was really happening, but they knew that the lines they were being fed weren’t it.
Note it was a pun, as both were names of newspapers; “Pravda” or “Truth” was the official party newspaper, and “Izvestia” (“Information” or “News”) was a state controlled paper, so “V Pravde net Izvestiy, v Izvestiyakh net Pravdy” (In the Truth there is no news, and in the News there is no truth).
Exactly. I should have made that clearer. I just sort of assumed people here would be familiar with the joke, but that may have been assuming too much. Thanks for clarifying.
I am familiar.
Seeds. That is something else to stock up on. But try to avoid hybrid varieties–they may be hardier in a lot of ways, but most of them you can’t save the seeds from them and re-grow the next season (this is, alas, partly by design–of course the seed companies want you to buy from them every year.) Heirloom varieties have a better track record of being able to save the seeds yourself–and are often tastier AND more visually interesting (purple potatoes remain my favorite heirloom variety ever). But make sure you get varieties that are hardy to the zone you live in*. (Me, in Wyoming, I have a lot fewer options, alas.)
*I recently heard an amusing story of a man who bought land out here and…intended to start a peach farm. I don’t know how anyone, who has even seen pictures of Wyoming, think that one could grow peaches here, but…I suppose that he assumed that since one can grow them in Colorado, one can grow them in Wyoming (and sure, maybe the right variety…but that doesn’t account for the crappy soil and the lack of water). Or he knew nothing at all about either Wyoming OR peaches, heh.
Maybe he’s a climate change believer.
And the problem is because they have captured the centers of information that they, themselves listen to and believe, they are completely unaware that the rest of us are looking at reality and going “you’re out of your minds.” …
And they don’t get that from the interior of America to Europe besieged by foreign cultures… people are looking at their predictions and their actions and going “Well, it doesn’t work that way.”
If anybody, anybody, anybody both reading this and paying attention (yes, two sometimes very distinct things) still doesn’t “get” how literally true the above points are, consider “arithmetic is racist” — and that they really mean that when they say it (for ‘globo-leet woker-Marx-drunk’ values of ‘they’).
These are people who have, quite literally, declared secularly holy race-war on mathematics itself — and somehow, quite insanely, think they’re gonna win. And want you to join them in their glorious quest.
Don Quixote, tiliting with demonic windmills in heroic knightly single combat, was measurably more sane than that.
The guy who climbs up on his roof, with a crow feather in his cap and a smile on his face, and jumps off flapping his arms, has only declared war on gravity. That’s mere physical reality.
But mathematics transcends physics, underlies everything, is likely the most nearly archetypal thing we can ever touch in our world. Reality always wins, but math always gets to keep the score. (Though sometimes that’s in complex numbers, or quaternions, or octonions, or…)
Never mind the “all electric cars in 9 years” (that will run on power generated by unicorn farts and jackalope snot, evidently), and the Meatless Everydays, and all the goofball rest. ‘They’ think they can “cancel” math, itself.
Genuinely crazy people do crazy-stupid things. Unpredictably by others. “It’s not so much I don’t know what they’ll do anymore, it’s that I don’t know what they won’t do next.”
Beg to differ.
All models are wrong, some are useful
Curves fit to data do not mean that the factors underlying the data must be driven by the equation of the curve. We can infer that, we can be very confident in this or that physical law, but we do not actually know that the mathematical model is the root driving factor.
Your point about mathematics standing on its own, regardless of what the opposition does, is true.
Curve fits on x-y plots and r-squared results only tell you about correlation, not causation. You can conclude that the limited set of data you looked at and the curve/equation you fit to it tells you how well x and y are correlated, but figuring out what that “how well they are correlated” result really means is non-trivial and often non-obvious.
“Math” is more (less?) than models and statistics. 2+2=4, d=(x^2+y^2)^(1/2), etc… Even the crazy distance metrics in complex Hilbert spaces are “real” in a, admittedly bizarre, somewhat transcendent sense.
Yeah, the math has an existence independent of human knowledge, the study of math is a study of the process of how we know the math exists.
Physics likewise has a reality independent of human knowledge of Physics.
The bit I was objecting to is the conclusion that the reality of the math, and the reality of the physics necessarily have a relationship.
I’m agnostic there, and recall I was rushing. I think some of what we do with this comes down to a faith statement.
Forex, thermodynamics. I’m not persuaded that there has ever been a thermo violation, or that such is possible. But, I do not actually know it is impossible. I do assume that anyone who is making a plan that requires violations to be possible is stupid. And I am not well educated enough to understand how much of the thermo formulations I’ve seen are a simplification that does not fit all reliable observations.
Or, take that March 21 2021 dark matter paper. I skimmed it. So, probably missing most of the bits, but it looks vaguely like they are doing some digital signal processing, or similar data analysis, then feeding that into a kinetic/dynamic model of some sort. After that, is the conclusions about physics. I’m far from wedded to the status quo in modern physics.
But, the years here discussing the fallacies of technocracy give me an interest in failures of human model use that is by far higher than my interest in pure physics. So, I am much more interested in whether the current limits of human knowledge are concealing flaws in how we understand the proper way to do signal processing, or in how we understand the proper way to do the dynamic/kinetic models.
Believing that there is some underlying structure to physics would be useful if I was a physicist trying to sort out those models. As I am not, that belief has no utility for me. So, in so far as I am doing anything at all useful, the useful belief for me is “don’t put your faith in models”.
I do identify as being more than a useless crazy person. It just seems that skepticism about what I am doing is a lot of the potential positive I can bring to what I am trying to do. I have pretty strong evidence in support of valuing that skepticism just from knowing that my level of mental function is not entirely consistent, and that I definitely need to regularly recheck anything I’ve done that could matter.
If thermo is right, there’s something outside the scope of nature whose laws science studies — because if entropy always increases, something had to get it low in the first place.
(It’s conceivable that the nature we study is a subset of the nature that exists, but science can only see the subset.)
Entropy can only increase in a closed system. The Earth’s surface is not a closed system. Entropy can decrease locally while still increasing universally.
That’s the part everybody keeps omitting when they misquote the laws of thermodynamics: IN A CLOSED SYSTEM. A system in which the total of matter and energy is constant. If matter or energy enters or leaves the system, it ain’t closed and the laws of thermodynamics must be applied differently.
Aye. Earth has a LOT of ‘self-organizing” BUT it also has a nearby fusion reactor just dumping loads of energy into the system.
There are also those streams of boiling water, noxious gases and red-hot rock bubbling up from inside, and tons of everything from ions and dust to boulders being dumped into the upper atmosphere. I’ve heard that household dust is something like 2/3 powdered meteorites.
Of course, at my house it’s more like 90% cat hair.
———————————
At my house, the ‘things that go bump in the night’ are cats.
–
Ditto.
Any ghost haunting us is got to be thinking “Why? Why aren’t they bothered by all the bumps, creaks, groans, screams, crys, things moving around? Why?”
Cats: “Amateur.”
I was discussing the closed system: the perceptible universe.
Personally I think the forced veganism will -immediately- cause a civil war if they try it. Like, same day. Go ahead, Lefties. Try and take people’s meat away. This is not the Ukraine in the 1930s, boys.
At one time I would have agreed with you.
But after seeing how many people have clung to their masks even then the states have said they don’t have to, and how many have been in tears because they couldn’t get their ‘vaccine’ fast enough… I wonder.
I also note that the Fed controls 100% of the beef supply in the USA, barring some privately-held cattle for family consumption. Otherwise, the Department of Agriculture has the authority to simply disallow any sale of beef if they get the urge.
They’ll probably try to get the Stepford Citizens to voluntarily give up beef. But if that doesn’t work, they can just cut the supply line at the top. Now cows, no butchering, no shipment, no sale, no beef.
Perhaps you’re in an environment full of these people. Or are you looking at the spotlights in the media? Because of course they spotlight those.
I’m starting to wonder if it maybe isn’t the liberals who had themselves lobotomized upon joining their ideology……
I’m started to wonder who linked me and how retarded that site is.
I sent The Lotus Eaters one of your posts (the ship on head one) along with the information about the Biden Enabling Act. But that was private and it wouldn’t be them anyway.
We’ve had reason to suspect a long term Chinese disinfo campaign, with paid trolls at blogs.
I saw some spring of last year on a, basically, tiny anime blog. Folks coming by obviously trying to stir up race war bullshit by commenting stupidly on slavery and the ACW.
It has been a while since I’ve said this, but it may merely be a sign of ‘It is afraid’.
Creepy China Joe is obviously planning for student riots in the summer, and the spring semester is almost over. The coordinators could be getting worried by their data, or they could be operating on a 1. troll 2. ??? 3. profit plan.
There is no model that really fits the data of the political situation better than ‘some of these people are really stupid, and have no idea what they are doing’.
The Russians are also trying to foment a race war. THey ALSO believe that in America there’s 50/50 white and black people (they watch our media.) and they’d like us to kill each other.
You would think that the Russians, of all people, would know better than to trust US media, given how much damage their institutional predecessors did to it
Only fair. Historically we know how bad our intelligence PTB were based on the lies that the USSR PTB told themselves, even now. Why would anyone think that the Russians do any better because of the lies that our PTB are telling themselves? After all Americans fall for it all the time.
Something else I don’t think Russia or the USSR takes into account. They know how vast the US is. They can appreciate it because Russia is even bigger. What they can’t appreciate is how much of the US is habitual. People voluntarily live in the more remote reaches of the US. No one has been *exiled there. That there are places specifically set aside to preserve areas. Russians also can’t appreciate how**different Americans are. Our elite can’t, why would the Russians?
* Sure the reservation system. How many times has land been deemed “worthless” only to discover, “oops, wrong, again”. Heck anyone think that the reservations where Oil and Gas were found, wouldn’t have seen that reservation land dissolved, again, if it could have been? That the money from casinos, now, someone isn’t trying to figure out how to get?
** Texas isn’t New York. Baker Oregon isn’t Portland Oregon. Etc.
We thinking the Volksdeutch Expatriate?
Sure of it, yeah. At least let’s hope this time he doesn’t get a butt monkey to try to hack my phone.
You think HE was behind that? I must have missed this part. What makes you think it was him?
Sorry, I think I parsed what you said wrong. At least, I HOPE I did.
A) he’s threatened to this before (and failed.) B) I had a major run in with one of his minions 24 hours earlier. C)the nature of the rude emails sent and whom they were sent to points to script kiddies who are in thrawl of him. d) It needed to associate email and phone. The email is very public, but the phone was only given out to a very few friends-and-huns. A few of which, alas, are mutual. BUT none of which would give the left a “good morning.”
Yes, I do think he — or his minions running with scissors, which would account for the lack of focus — were behind it. I’ve thought so and said it from the beginning, though people chose to misinterpret it.
If the left had done it, they would immediately have sent “compromising” emails, taken pictures, and we’d have seen it at Vile and such within minutes. But having got caught faking a tweet from me, he probably knew such images would have more people rolling eyes audibly.
No. This was the “racialists who think they’re on the right” because if you turn the left upside down you get the right, right? And not just the European form of the right which is mo’e socialism, with different focus.
It’s not worth pushing this right now, since the culprits are out of the country, and I don’t expect anything to come of the police case instituted by phone company. And heck, my fault for having semi-secure verification process. (I didn’t realize it was possible to transfer the sim without having the physical phone.)
Lessons learned, things secured, etc. But for the love of heaven, don’t give my info to those people.
Oh: in addition, cursory look by friend who works in this type of thing confirms my suspicions.
And to be fair, today is NOT a good day for this.
State mask mandate expired April 1. Going to town today, probably 90% of people still wearing masks, even walking down the sidewalk a hundred yards from anything other than passing traffic. Some wearing two masks (easy to tell because they were different shapes/colors.
That is exactly the sort of demonstration of power against the will of the people (you list it as what they could do if no one goes along) that The Phantom is talking about.
You go to the store and there’s no -meat-. By government order, not an accident or an emergency or a screw up. Because Mr. I-Totally-Didn’t-Steal-That-Election Sniffer said so.
Can you imagine how fast that would go south?
I also note that the Fed controls 100% of the beef supply in the USA, barring some privately-held cattle for family consumption. Otherwise, the Department of Agriculture has the authority to simply disallow any sale of beef if they get the urge.
Which, if they attempted to do it from the top down, would result in someplace like Iowa going
“Ha, ha, ha, no.”
The “control” is by authority over slaughter houses. They can nibble on the edges.
Even with the mask BS, they notably didn’t try a national order. Yet.
This is one of those things where both sides are going to be shocked on both directions.
Remember that Texas shut down their power grid during the blizzard because the EPA said so.
Yep. Abbott should have told them to FOAD.
Now that I think of it; if le booge doesn’t start with an ATF squad on a raid or something like that, it will probably start with a state level official.
Because there are plenty of Governors and other officials who have made themselves odious to the population of their states, and they are much easier to reach than the feds are.
Abbott has by and large been good. There’s a couple of issues I wish he was better.
https://www.lotuseaters.com/video-march-for-freedom-abridged-28-04-21
Ok, I watched the Not State of the Union Speech. I have no idea if he said anything of substance or not. Really, all his lines sounded good. I have no idea if they added up to anything.
More thoughts in the massive Speech thread in the Fans of the Best of The Web Today group on FB.
Sarah said: “Causes leading up to…”
Yes, yes indeed. Causes.
Item: went out to do some business today, stopped for sushi, went to Home Depot to get a lawn chair.
At the business, I had to call the company and have the person I was seeing come out into the parking lot to get me. Then I was escorted to a boardroom through empty halls, and seated across from the gentleman I went to see, seperated by a large sheet of Lexan thick enough to stop a bullet. Masks mandatory, of course. This is Ontario, you know.
Left there, went to Fortino’s supermarket to get sushi. I waltzed into the store, chose my meal, paid for it and left, as normal. Masks, of course.
Went to Home Depot. It was one of the only stores open in a sea of Big Boxes with empty parking lots. Only the outdoor section was open, the rest of the store was closed off with crime-scene tape. No lawn furniture in the outdoor plant section, of course, so wasted trip.
This shit has been going on since March 2020. Even the dumbest hick in the world can see that if I can shop freely at Fortino’s and Costco, keeping Home Depot mostly closed is lunacy. Closing other “non-essential” stores is double lunacy. Even the most ridiculous Karen out there can see that a sheet of Lexan in the middle of a boardroom table will do exactly nothing to stop an airborne virus.
Item: vaccines. Canada doesn’t have any. We are not making them here, and there are no plans to make them here. Really. Meanwhile, you can’t turn on a TV or a radio (or drive down the road, there’s electronic signs) without having a GET VACCINATED!!!!!!!11!!!! message screamed at you.
Item: immigration. While screaming that people are ignoring the lockdown rules and blaming the public for the continued spread of WuFlu, and braying that Double Mutant Indian WuFlu is a thing… the government is letting flights from India, S. Africa, Europe and etc. land in Canada with no testing of passengers, no quarantine, no nothing. But a Canadian flying back from Florida? QUARANTINE!!!! The dumbest hick in the world can see that’s insane.
Item: doctor friends in Florida say the WuFlu is not much of a thing there. Florida is God’s Waiting Room, remember? All the old geezers in North America go to Florida.
Item: housing prices. Most expensive in North America, right here in Canada. Higher than Silicon Valley. Higher than London England. The federal minister in charge of the housing portfolio admitted, on TV, that Canada will keep seeing these highest ever prices, because they want to encourage foreign buyers to buy shit in Canada. So rich guys from Germany and Arabia and China load up on Canadian real estate while Canadians are priced right out of the market.
Item: fuel costs are going up-up-up here in the Demented Dominion. I see ever-increasing numbers of rural houses with impressive wood piles out here in Hooterville. Mine’s not impressive, but I have one. What do you think it means for a society like ours when people start going back to burning wood for heat? Are those guys feeling optimistic about the future?
Item: Have you guys looked at the Nebula and Hugo nominees? NK Jemisin’s entry basically calls for the elimination of Whiteness (that’s being generous, she may really be after the elimination of Whites.) There’s a few more equally bent in the nominations. Meanwhile they’re ripping down billboards advertising Harry Potter because JK Rowling mentioned that women are women and men aren’t.
Sarah said: “And the problem is because they have captured the centers of information that they, themselves listen to and believe, they are completely unaware that the rest of us are looking at reality and going “you’re out of your minds.””
I’ve been looking at gun control since 1991 and saying that they’re out of their minds ever since I started. It is the finest in head/ass insanity, propped up by lazy assholes lying with charts and calling it “science.” I’ve caught them at it so many times I don’t even try any more, there’s no point. You can’t have a scientific discussion with a deliberate liar.
I’m late to the party. Barry Goldwater was screaming about this shit in 1964.
But here we are, 2021. Now Joe Average, the biggest hick in the world, finally sees what Goldwater was screaming in 1964 and what The Phantom has been saying since 1991. The government acts always and only for the convenience and prosperity of… the government. Joe Average finally understands that he is a SUCKER and has been played his whole f-ing life by a bunch of scammers. Played like a Stradivarius.
Joe Average is pissed.
Oh and by the way. In case anyone didn’t know, or forgot, and for all you -idiot- Lefties out there who lurk here: Michael Foucault was a PEDO and child rapist. A prolific one.
Send me this as a guest post, Phantom.
It shall be done, senpai! ~:D
Sent. Check your inbox.
Got it. Will probably run next Tuesday.
I realize this is probably unreasonable, but it annoys me every time your email accepts someone else’s guest content without a hitch.
There are many unseen hitches. I’ve had issues… pondering binding them into a volume.
I cant really do a heck of a lot for that.
I did answer on one really late one at the secondary email.
Yeah, I remarked on that one already.
There are ways around this. I’ve suggested setting up some alternate place for submissions, like a free Dropbox account. I’ve also suggested passing posts to you through one of those free file-hosting services. But you don’t respond when I make these proposals and I can’t set anything up without coordinating with you.
Third idea while I’m at it: if anyone here communicates with you in email regularly and has no trouble getting through, I might be able to pass files to you through them. Assuming I don’t have the same problem with THEIR email, of course.
Er…. the submission account was never hacked and it’s NOT tied to the phone.
And now neither is the hotmail that was hacked which now has a complex enough login process that ALMOST the only way to get into it against my will is to kidnap me and force the procedure out of me.
>> “the submission account was never hacked”
What submission account? All you ever gave me were your hotmail and scifi addresses. And if you’re referring to those, I was having trouble with them LONG before the recent hack. Alternatives to those are what I’ve been trying to discuss.
I get the feeling we might not be discussing the same thing here.
I meant the book submission account. Sorry. I’m confused.
We weren’t. LOL
To be fair, you’re not the only one with the issue. I can’t get emails from hobbit, for instance.
>> “To be fair, you’re not the only one with the issue. I can’t get emails from hobbit, for instance.”
Okay, but that just makes it all the more important to set up an alternate channel of some kind. We can’t help you if we can’t get content to you.
I mean, she can’t get me things to the BOOK PROMO link.
My biggest issue is that I keep having MAJOR issues with dropbox, and I can’t really figure the others.
>> “I mean, she can’t get me things to the BOOK PROMO link.”
But it’s the same fundamental problem, right? People can’t get stuff to you through your normal channels, so you need to set up something more reliable.
You know, I’d love to, but I’ve yet to FIND something more reliable.
I am really sorry to hear that. We’ve at least spent the night in nine provinces and like Canada, even if my spouse keeps running afoul of Customs agents. (We had no trouble crossing in Alberta, but Alberta in general was very pleasant). What we saw of Ontario was less pleasing, though Upper Canada Village is (was?) a very nice example of its type.
> seperated by a large sheet of Lexan thick enough to stop a bullet.
Shame you couldn’t have tested it. “Enquiring Minds Want To Know!”
This is Canada. We can only dream about stuff like that. ~:(
Note to self: Need more butane. (Propane is at least… adequate.) And see about yet other heating/cooking fuels. So help me, I am considering a small wind/solar setup. Won’t rock the world, but something beats nothing.
I’ll tell you something, given the problems with the oil pipeline that runs through Michigan (which brings 50% of the oil for Ontario AND Quebec) I’m thinking of investing in a big tank of diesel. 200 gallons might look pretty good come October.
Given the price of lumber I’m considering one of those little portable sawmills. $8 for a shitty spruce 2×4 at Home Depot.
Heh.
Heh.
Bwhah-hah-ha!
Arizona School Board Members Flee Meeting as Parents Protest Student Mask Mandate
An Arizona school board canceled a meeting and called in police on Tuesday after parents entered the meeting to protest an extension of the district’s mask mandate.
The Vail School Board, which oversees a district southeast of Tuscon, called 911 after parents pushed into the meeting room without wearing masks and demanded to rescind the district’s masking requirement for students and teachers. Around 100 parents, some apparently with their children, arrived to protest the mandate, with most remaining outside during the duration of the events.
The district said local sheriffs advised them to leave because of crowd-control difficulties, however the sheriff’s office said the board decided to leave the meeting on their own, in comments to a local ABC affiliate.
Local parents then held their own meeting and proceeded to “elect” a new school board to rescind the mask mandate. The election itself was illegitimate because school board members must be elected by the public, so the mask mandate is still in effect in the district.
The protest came after Arizona governor Doug Ducey, a Republican, rescinded an executive order on Monday that required students at K–12 schools to wear masks. Ducey wrote on Twitter that he rescinded the statewide school mask mandate “in alignment with [CDC] guidance,” although current guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention encourages universal mask-wearing in schools.
Arizona school districts are now given the option to implement or rescind their own mask mandates. Almost all districts in the southern part of the state said they would continue to require students to wear masks, while many districts in and around the capital of Phoenix also kept the policy in place.
~
That’s it, then. We just don’t wear masks, and we can drive our enemies before us, and hear the lamentations of their women (and girly-men).
———————————
“If I told you to cook in the bathroom and shit in the kitchen, that would be a new idea. Doesn’t make it a good one.” — Jordan Peterson
Let’s see now, do they get to launch the big, world uniting behind government UFO false flag? Or do the civil wars get in the way and wake people up sufficiently to think on their own?
https://tucson.com/news/local/watch-now-hundreds-protest-mask-policy-for-vail-schools-shut-down-board-meeting/video_7d4e492a-2ba1-5577-9a05-19f01e9082db.html
No government agency will not be used to spy on the politically incorrect:
https://nypost.com/2021/04/28/usps-admits-to-spying-on-americans-social-media-posts/
The US Postal Service admitted Wednesday to spying on Americans’ social media posts — including ones made by right-wing protest groups, according to a report.
USPS Chief Postal Inspector Gary Barksdale confirmed to lawmakers that the agency is running a shadowy operation dubbed the Internet Covert Operations Program, which tracks “inflammatory” posts on Facebook, Parler and other sites, Rep. Nancy Mace (R-South Carolina) told The Daily Mail.
Barksdale told the House Oversight and Reform Committee that the initiative has netted no arrests and will continue despite privacy concerns, which arose after the program was revealed publicly last week, the outlet reported.
Barksdale said the operation — which reports threatening posts to local and federal law enforcement — is overseen by a USPS executive. But he claimed it’s not a real “program” because it’s “incident-related,” not an ongoing initiative, according to the outlet.
Instead of shutting it down, he said the USPS will simply stop releasing a government bulletin about the operation, which last week led to the surveillance program being exposed by Yahoo News.
Add this to the news that the FBI is raiding Guilianni claiming involvement with Ukraine corruption, it won’t be long before they’ll run out of big fish and fry us small ones.
Any recommendations on where to buy computers? I find myself in need of a new laptop.
No, but if you wish, we can figure out how you can talk to Dan.
I got a refurbished for <%Dell 6 core 16Gb / .5Tb / crappy graphics Small Form Factor desktop under $500.
I love it to pieces. At a pinch, it's luggable. The 40" monitor is really a $259 TV.
I love Newegg for their refurbs.
Their shiny stuff is a little over-priced, things like latest gaming gear and such, but their refurbs beat Amazon. Make sure to buy the warranty, it’s “run it over with a car” stuff.
Thank you.
Foxfier, thanks from me, too.
My iMac and iPad are both dying at the same time. I need power and mobility, so I’ll probably replace the two items with one laptop.
Hope it works well!
Lenovo is China’s, so I suggest against it for a final bit of advice. (My use is radically different from tablet use so I’m no use there!) IIRC, known “secret” backdoors, though I haven’t heard of any breaches yet.
“Lenovo is China’s, so I suggest against it for a final bit of advice”
Appreciate that one, thanks much! I think it’ll happen in the next month or so.
Lenovo laptops aren’t that reliable, either. Mine and multiple other consultants malfunctioned enough that it triggered the “two major failures in 6 months and you get a new one” policy, no matter when you were scheduled for one.
I like Toshibas, and Asus is also good.
Thanks for the wisdom, it’ll really help me make the best choice.
Probably best to first decide what to buy, then shop price.
Identify your needs / uses / apps / programs, operating system(s), then check some of the online computer websites / forums to see what is widely recommended for those uses.
Consider a larger battery backup / surge suppressor / power regulator to protect the computer and peripherals, as well as external auto backup hardware and software.
Look at data security / encryption, VPN, more secure email servers, and local hosting copies of any web presence you have.
Good luck.
John in Indy
Thanks, John. I just wrote, my iMac and iPad are dying at the time I’m headed out into the outdoors to make videos. I need something powerful and portable.
I’ll take your notes as good advice.
Question I forgot to ask earlier: why *two* Events?
I can guess at some reasons, but that is a very specific number.
I honestly don’t know. It’s just a gut feeling.
Question: for those of us who do not own a home in the country (or indeed any home at all — I rent, and always have), can’t afford to buy “six months worth of food and ammunition” and wouldn’t have anyplace to store it even if we could, and don’t have any local network of like-thinking friends we can trust — what the hell are we supposed to do to prepare for this coming cataclysm?
I know you don’t want to hear this. But become deep and meaningful friends with someone who owns some land / lives in a rural area. SHOW them how you have a skill set they desperately need when (not if) things turn south. Also can’t afford is a relative thing. I do realize time may be against you, but that $20 extra a month on HBO, the phone update each year, that smoking addiction or whatever can be cut away and turned into prepping stores. $20 a month isn’t a lot, but we all have AT LEAST that much fat in our budget. in 6 months $120 can buy a lot of rice, beans and other food stuffs. More likely $100 can be found if “needed” and $600 buys a WHOLE lot more. If not, drive for Uber / pick up a different side hustle and make it happen.
In America, most of us have NEVER faced true scarcity. Only scarcity of fulfilling our wants.
Most of us don’t smoke. The huns are notorious frugal and live downstream from the latest tech. I doubt anyone here subscribes to HBO.
Mostly, though? I don’t think there’s enough time in the next two months, no.
You won’t manage six months of stuff, but you can fit a lot of stuff under a bed, and like “ruff totes in the corner of the bedroom” type storage.
oh, brother; wolf… you are late to the party. Let’s say you do have two months, mark it on your calendar and waste no more time. It may help to think you life depends on what you do over that time – and i won’t ask why the heck you haven’t started already. First, inventory. What do you have already that may help keep you alive. Be creative, think outside the box… maybe you don’t have a trusted knife – but you do own a nice carving knife. Then, water. You do have a sports bottle or some such. Get another, made of aluminum or stainless. Look on the Web for ways to purify said water… purchase said ways. Do you have a pack of some kind? If not, get one, all this won’t fit in your pockets. Look at your inventory, take the “needs”, start to separate ‘sale items’ and sell them: you can’t carry it all and it won’t save you…
Every minute you are not at work, or asleep, needs to be spent on readiness. No one expects you to catch up with the 40 years or more of prepping that we have had, in your two months; but you’ve got to start. Get going…
Unless you’re VERY unlucky, you have more like six months to a year.
You might not even need it.
Again, most of this will be localized.
BUT– well, that’s not the way to bet because you can’t predict it. If you want to live, you must be ready for the worst.
I don’t disagree with much of what you wrote. I do think there will be a trigger. I don’t think it will be recognized in the moment, thus it may have already happened. I think the turd world will be the tipping point, be that inner city US or some shitholeistan overflow.
In the US, the more violent the conflagration, the shorter the duration will be (at least the shooting and lynching part) and the faster we can get back to repairing and rebuilding the world. I don’t expect it to be super violent as our side (even when set to vengance) pulls punches and grants grace / mercy.
I (and my family) may or may not live through it, but I do know I will DIE FREE. The question is will I be unlucky or find a situation where my only choice is to DIE WELL; or will I be lucky and make the other guy (guys, perhaps multiple times) die poorly. My good news, we already live rural. I have a social net of like minded people even if many of us are an hour drive apart. We can collapse down to one or two households if needed. We are better of than many and it will just depend on how wide, how deep and how long the depredations last.
Quite honestly, the locust plague is set to reap the nil harvest. It is very unfortunate how many will have a very rough go through no real (active) fault of their own. But, as the old saying goes, “a failure on your part, does not an emergency create on my part”. My family will not be very libertine / socialist with our prepped material. Show a strong constructive use or starve. With enough of that, the locusts will die off and the strong will survive. We will have to crush the strongman / warlord types, but out of the rubble a strong society will (again) be built by the sweat, blood and tears of strong people. Who will in four cycles have is squandered again by vain, pampered wimps.
It looks like our job is to be the strong doers as the vain pampered wimps have almost completed the squandering.
<sigh.
You have no idea what pampered wimps are. You have no idea how the rest of the world lives. You have no idea how bad it will get.
And that "cycle" is bullshit. Or civilization would not have progressed.
Bah.
I’d say “puerile fantasy”, but the left has managed to turn that into the greatest of compliments.
For maximum irony these are exactly the sort of people from “our side” (loosely speaking) who are most likely to die in the first spasm from idiocy, or have to be put down like rabid dogs.
Yeah. There’s another who got bitbucketed saying I called him bad names for saying this ten years ago.
Because you know, saying “There will be war” is the same at any time and has nothing to do with circumstances.
They’re not very bright, but thank heavens they have their unearned superiority to keep them warm at night.
Weeelllllll…….
Anyone with eyes open could see that war was a likely possibility for the last several decades. Same as economic catastrophe.
But trying to narrow that down to “war tomorrow” is pushing it. We can’t even do that *now* when all the conditions are right.
Annoyingly the people sounding the alarm have accidentally caused a cry-wolf situation.
Honestly, yes, the signs were there, and while still AVERTABLE it’s our duty to try to avert it (without surrendering.) I just think we passed our last turn off.
Well, war is always around the corner:
“Peace is an ideal whose existence we infer from the fact that there have been intervals between wars.”
Making more specific predictions is the hard part. 😉
The point is the “pampered wimps” read as antifa / the self described elites… have good and well screwed things up. Our job is to hold the tide as best we can and rebuild after, if we survive.
I think you read what I wrote and got something other than what I said / meant
And of note. https://americanmind.org/salvo/twilight-in-paris/
Perhaps because we have an invasion of people coming here to be insane?
Hi:
Love your stuff – however your commentary often reminds me of myself before I figured out what the socialist delusion is all about – on which please see telearb.net . Remember you can kill socialists until the cows come home but you can’t beat them without first understanding what drives them.
Further.. I agree wholly that there is real potential for extreme violence in the U.S. today. However, I also think that appropriate action can head it off so instead of playing cassandra and issuing warnings no one will heed take a look at a possible solution: legal, peaceful, probably effective – winface.com/node/24 and get that organized.
What wasps nest sent you guys over.
Also, you love my stuff but don’t know I grew up in a socialist hell hole?
Hey, guys? I know you’re bored.
Have at it.
I do know – and can swap you horror story for horror story but knowing the consequences of the delusion has little or nothing to do with understanding the disease.
You do know I’ve referred to it as a hack for the human brain, then?
Also, it CAN’T be cured.
It can be combated. And kids can be educated.
Some interesting ideas presented here.
“the idiot left”
They aren’t stupid, everything they do makes perfect sense. This is shown by the fact that they are 1 election away from a 1 party socialist state and we’re still discussing things online.
“but it won’t work long term.”
Citation needed. They have purged the military, there is no viable militia system in place, individual states are still lead by cucks who think mask mandates are the front lines. A vast majority of people don’t even know who the enemy is or what real victory would look like.
“I will say, though, that mass media helped the rise of the Hitler regime, and a monopoly over communications helped them sell the big lie.”
Case in point. The same people that told you covid is deadly and Trump was a Russian puppet are the ones who told you Hitler was the bad guy. The biggest lie is that if you read the actual quote he is referring to his enemy’s strategy, not his own. But that enemy just blatantly twisted it around and said it meant the opposite, and most people believed them because it was repeated so often by “reliable” media sources.
“They never think things through, you know? Not only did they mostly scare their own followers out of their minds (what minds they have) but they provided a really big demonstration, even for the kids, of the fact that they’re head-up-ass crazy.”
Again, everything the Left does makes perfect sense. They’ve spent billions in public and private money researching marketing and influence, they know exactly what the reaction to things is going to be, within a few percentage points. They are one election away from cementing a 1 party socialist state, and if they fail at that due to correcting a fraudulent vote they will still usher in a 1 party socialist state within 10 or so years
due to demographic change. If every current Democrat politician was executed for treason, the next batch would be chosen by the same unelected party bureaucrats then elected by the same “citizens.” So even the electoral fraud can be seen as a distraction from the real issue; citizenship fraud of the past 55 years that Republicans cheer on due to lower wages for their donor class.
“Yes, I think the US will unfuck itself faster. Followed by Europe for values of “unfuck.””
I think Europe will see massive change compared to what we are used to, in 1 of 2 directions. One of the big issues that a lot of people miss is global food security. Out of the 210 or so nations in the world, only about 7 export a significant amount of food. About 7 are self-sufficient. When the US and likely Canada stop exporting food due to internal troubles, the rest of the world is going to go into old-school musical chairs mode. Either Europe goes to war and falls into a Mad Max style world (4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse weren’t just a literary device or the ramblings of a madman, they are the order in which things go downhill ending in depopulation, which was a regular thing after wars for a long time.) Or a power alliance of food producer/ military powers rises up and crushes its hungry neighbors. e.g., France/ Germany become a liberal democracy (in name at least) version of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and depopulate its neighbors.
Also: don’t forget that some of these starving nations will have nukes. So perhaps it will be nuke nations vs. everyone else.
“They’re going to try to crawl back to pre-English enlightenment.”
Most non-Euro non-Asian nations never left that status. We just projected borders onto their tribes to facilitate the legality of resource extraction.
CItation needed? Go study history.
The only reason the USSR survived as long as it did, is because we were feeding it and they had countries to cannibalize. Tell us of countries large and wealthy enough to keep the US going, and I’ll listen to you.
The starving nations will have — oh, grow up. Outside a very short list no one knows how to keep them going. And Russia is not on that short list, btw. If htey use them they’re more likely to hit themselves.
“Most non-Euro, non-Asian”? It’s culture, dude. And what we did to them didn’t help. We exported our fun theories of civilization, Marxism being the deadliest.
OH, and I can see WHY you think they’re not stupid. You suffer from the same idiocy.
Yes, they captured institutions. Which they immediately make valueless.
Like them you think it’s all about the title and the form.
<rolls eyes.
I bet you throw away the gifts and keep the wrappers, too.
Are you questioning the Wisdom of the Cat?
And obligatory note: Great Wall of Text.
Of course. Wherever these putzes have come from — and note they’re on “don’t automatically approve”so they’ve come here before. Gee, I wonder why the setting? — it must be a site where they’re supposed to be so smart they have to “educate” us.
Probably the same places that excoriated me for not thinking IQ is super-important and racially divided. So. Much. Smart. They think turning leftist shibboleths on their head makes them “right”. Instead of wrong in new and exciting ways. Only, of course, not so new.
You know, if keep rolling my eyes, the cat is going to play with them.
IQ is super important. I have no idea why wouldn’t think so. Unless of course you have a low IQ, which proves my point re: how important it is. IQ predicts most areas of success in an individuals life, and is also a good predictor of how well a nation does. There are also any number of studies showing that different races have different average IQs, as one would expect when each race evolved in radically different environments.
We tore that claim to bits weeks ago.
With citations.
What good is ‘high IQ’ if you never use it to do something very simple, like look at the support for assertions?
I’m pretty sure that his main purpose was to be insulting. “Unless of course you have low IQ,” when our gracious hostess has repeatedly talked about her experiences in MENSA.
Yeah, and I giggled. Like when we had that influx of folks who assumed that the highest education here would be high school.
My favorite from that was the nuke who, IIRC, dropped out of high school and went Navy, then became a nuclear engineer.
Still, just because I suspect he’s being rude is no reason to not point out a very large and embarrassing error. Maybe he’ll fix it.
Yeah. I have a BA, and I’m on the low end of both education and intelligence here.
Idiots. Read for a bit before you crash in making assertions. You might learn something.
Yep, IQ isn’t good for much if you don’t use it to check your assumptions.
And you probably got more out of that BA, and are able to apply more of it to reality in your daily life, than a lot of the folks being graduated with advanced degrees in the humanities.
Common sense, as in the judgement of peasants as opposed to nobles, is not frequent.
Some people with credentials got them by being rote thinkers of the A Student type.
If you can find someone with a fancy degree who managed to get something like the full potential value of the credential, they may be gold, at least in their specialty. PhD and Masters are all very specialized, and specialty competent can still mean insanely useless outside of that specialty.
Folks here who have shown me the level of value that a degree can be backed by are responsible for a lot of the interest I have ever had in getting a credential.
Of course, at least one bizarrely stupid troll is apparently a PhD faculty somewhere, or at least was, and that gentleman left me with a disinterest in investing in a credential that the likes of him could accomplish.
Some times I have the impression that one would have to be crazy, stupid, or desperate to want anything to do with a modern university. I’m certain that good, reasonably sane professors exist somewhere, but the universities have really worked to make their reputation garbage in my eyes.
I think we ended up figuring that my M.Eng puts me at the low end here
Yeah, these “long time readers” are singularly inexperienced in the site.
I never claimed to be a long time reader. Still waiting for a rational response to my arguments. For example, do you think 70 years of a USSR style government is fine?
And we’ve got the “Justify the Moon Ferrets” item in the Internet Arguing Checklist. Has anybody got “Bingo”?
I’m still waiting for a rational reason I should expect 70 years without a US to feed them.
Are you stupid or do you have reading comprehension issues.
Oh, wait. Stupid. Those are the only people who think IQ is a great thing. They also usually glory in IQs of like 148. PFFFFF
Would have been a hell of a lot less than 70 if you guys in the US hadn’t been feeding them, thus enabling their continuance.
My favourite alt scenario has the US shutting down all giveaways to the USSR about 3 days after the fall of Berlin.
My main purpose was to instigate a debate. She responded with, “OH, and I can see WHY you think they’re not stupid. You suffer from the same idiocy.”
As a general principle I tend to mirror others’ degree of rudeness.
Still waiting on a rational response to my arguments.
My main purpose was to instigate a debate.
Citation needed.
Not supported by the evidence.
As a general principle I tend to mirror others’ degree of rudeness.
No, you scream like a stuck pig when someone returns what you dish out.
There is a difference.
And even *ox* can see that.
Ox might be slow. Ox might be fool.
Still, ox not DAMNFOOL.
Veddy veddy important.
What no one knows is for what.
For instance I can tell you are AT LEAST three standard deviations below this site’s average commenter, but you probably think you’re smart.
Also I foresee a job polishing the boots of tyrants in your future.
I came here from a site that linked to this article. I was hoping there would be a good degree of debate here, but so far all I see are a bunch of people convinced they are super duper smart, yet somehow unable to make a coherent counter-argument. Ad hominem and strawman arguments seem to be the best you all can do. Bookmark deleted.
Here we go.
Come in flinging insults, then wonder why you can’t get an intelligent debate. Is that on ILoH’s checklist somewhere?
“Skim until offended” and “Attack, attack, attack.” I think we can also add “disqualify that opinion” (note that he got a lot of substantive commentary but…completely ignores it) and, of course, I called “Justify the moon ferrets” a while back. So that’s four of seven.
I think it doesn’t want to do the work of coming in honestly.
Yep. It’s amazing, isn’t it?
We’re still waiting for you to post something intelligent.
Nobody’s holding their breath, though.
I came here from a site that linked to this article. I was hoping there would be a good degree of debate here, but so far all I see are a bunch of people convinced they are super duper smart, yet somehow unable to make a coherent counter-argument.
Unable to force you to listen, perhaps.
You came in trying to swing a big dick, got offended when your low-content assertions were not respected as you feel they should be and were counter-argued with equal or greater content than you offered, and you were recognized as being a rude little brat who tried to accuse a large group of intelligent people of being stupid.
You did so via an assertion which, if you had bothered to spend a little time building a rational argument, you would realize was at best not as open-shut as you believe.
Your behavior robs even your flounce of its sting, before one considers that I can see your classic “fine, then I’m gone!” was followed by further comments hitting my inbox.
Links or GTFO.
I know you came here from a RETARDED site that linked the article. I know the quality of idiots I’m not even approving.
((passes Sarah a glass of port))
If this is one of the brighter ones, you need a drink
Calling the hostess “low IQ” pisses me off. I don’t think that’s a right thing for you to do, even in a backhanded way.
I don’t disagree with your idea that IQ is important. I think the IQ map of the world is useful for discussion. And we could have (and have had) that discussion, sans the insult.
Meh. I don’t care. My IQ is high enough that I know it’s not predictive of squat.
As for the IQ map of the world…. honey? Seriously?
It’s like the GDP map of the world or the population map o the world, or…..
For instance the one for sub-Saharan Africa these idiots wave around was administered under Apartheid by a government ANXIOUS to prove blacks were inferior.
The rest is of the same ilk.
And IQ doesn’t TRULY predict much of anything. Except I think you have to be above 135 to enjoy ATH. Not that I decreed it, it just seems to end up that way.
I was far more annoyed at the rudeness of him attempting to insult you than concerned that he’d succeeded.
He’s a poor little mental midget. You have to forgive the impaired. At least for now.
There are deeply impaired people who can at least manage to treat others politely and decently.
I would not have Ken’s actions charged to that account.
Nor mine. 🙂
Yeah, sometimes I drop the ball on self care.
I’m really just rude.
That’s the reason I responded to begin with: you don’t just come up in here and insult Sarah.
It’s not like she needs help defending herself against such, it’s the principle of it.
She said, “OH, and I can see WHY you think they’re not stupid. You suffer from the same idiocy.”
I was responding in kind. Heat, kitchen.
Thanks, Sarah.
The IQ map is something I know about that seems credible, and has zero relevance or impact in how I live my life. In my experience it’s “IQ smart” people who know how to do virtually nothing who tend to screw things up for the rest of us.
I process information slowly, so a back and forth like Ian and Foxfier do isn’t something I can do. But I want to have the discussion!
When we right the ship and the bar is a fun thing again, let’s everybody talk about it over a beer? I think I owe Foxfier one.
Sure. I’ll probably have whiskey. (Lower carbs.) But sure.
I’ m just tired of bullshit like the “IQ map.”
In principle, assume if “other governments did it — and sometimes ours — it’s bullshit and disinformation.” (Well, ours all the time now, because it’s Xi’s puppet, but you know what I mean.)
Bah.
WHY is it always STUPID trolls?
I’m un-learning some bad habits. One of those is hearing something from someone I respect/admire and then giving it no further thought.
Jordan B. Peterson made mention of the IQ map awhile back, and I said “Oh, OK” and gave it no more thought than that. Given his utter ignorance of American politics (and no, talking to Mike Lee doesn’t change my opinion), I’ve learned to think for myself and not take a comment from someone I admire as gospel truth.
Having thought about IQ over the past couple days, it seems irrelevant. And the people who have taught me the most, with the most love and affection, were always much closer to average IQ (probably). Like the Army mechanic who let me learn the lesson that steering fluid and transmission fluid are two different things, and cannot be combined without bad effect.
Because bright people have better things to do with their lives?
I can also have a very slow processing time.
Not being able to keep up with the fast paced folks does not mean anything bad.
Some folks, like Ox, may work through things very slowly, but what they say is almost always very carefully considered and worth thought.
Thanks, Bob. It’s scary to hang out with the quick witted and clever, but it’s the only place that feels like home!
My older brother was always lifted up as the frickin genius, and he verbally bullied me my entire life. I despise him to this day, because my genius wasn’t like his and I couldn’t fight back with any skill.
I’m learning I don’t need to fight, but your words do help me not to feel like a complete dork. 🙂
>> “Some folks, like Ox, may work through things very slowly, but what they say is almost always very carefully considered and worth thought.”
Every time Orvan says “Moo,” I come away a changed man.
And one day, one either absolutely brilliant or utterly horrific day, I might yet unleash the awesome power of the Mootron bomb. ♉
Claims to have a high IQ.
Thinks the nation of South Africa is synonymous with the region of sub-Saharan Africa.
IQ predicts a lot according to statistics. I linked a couple of sources above. Facts don’t seem to matter much to the people here though.
Wishes to lecture us about intelligence.
Can’t figure out a ctrl-F function, or how to do citations, or….
Thinks saying something akin to “You have swallowed stupid ideas” means “You are stupid.”
(Who was it that called said that some ideas were so stupid only the highly intelligent {possibly highly educated} could believe them?)
PRetty much anybody with a non-negative wisdom roll adjustment?
Wait, I just figured out where I’ve seen this guy’s debate technique before:
Maybe we should just start calling these people “Zoidbergs?”
Studies in Southern Africa have also found the mean Black–White IQ
difference is mainly on g. Lynn and Owen (1994) were the first to test explicitly
Spearman’s hypothesis in sub-Saharan Africa, administering the Junior Aptitude
Test to 1,056 White, 1,063 Indian, and 1,093 Black 16-year-old high school
students in South Africa. They found a 2 standard deviation difference between
the Africans and Whites (yielding an average African IQ of about 70) and a 1
standard deviation difference between the Whites and Indians (yielding an average Indian IQ of 85).
She knows your source better than you do.
Even after it was suggested that you might want to look for what your claims were built on.
Conversation here, with context, and note how similar that fellow’s behavior is, and how unwilling he is to go do a little research.
https://accordingtohoyt.com/2021/04/06/the-value-of-a-human/#comment-764264
“claims to have a high IQ”
Hey, Sarah, do you still have your Mensa card?
>> “And IQ doesn’t TRULY predict much of anything. Except I think you have to be above 135 to enjoy ATH.”
[+++ LIKE +++]
Ox s l o w. Not necessarily stupid.
Not all the time, anyway.
LOL.
I considered making a sign like that. And no, I don’t know why and it annoys me a little, since it limits my audience.
>> “I considered making a sign like that.”
You’re welcome to swipe this one if you want.
As for limiting your audience… Eh. No one gets universal popularity, so you’re probably better off attracting the kind of people you actually WANT to talk to.
Yeah, but the problem is my book seem to have the same issue.
>> “Yeah, but the problem is my book seem to have the same issue.”
I can see why that would bother you from a commercial standpoint. I’m no expert and don’t have any advice to give, but are you sure you even can write in a way that will appeal to both the masses and high-IQ Odds like us?
Maybe you just have to accept that you’re The Odd Whisperer, not The Normal Whisperer. 😛
books. GAH.
I still want to see an EEG machine at the polls, with a chart and a sign:
YOU MUST HAVE THIS MUCH BRAIN ACTIVITY TO VOTE
BTW if IQ had anything to do with civilization and good governance, China would be a beacon for the world, instead of one tyrannical madman after another.
Good night. Of course. F’ing Chinese are supposed to be the highest IQ ever and all they can do steal from people and force the rest. Practically, as a nation, among the stupidest in the world.
I didn’t know that much about the map. I really appreciate the insight.
I need beer and conversation. This is why I quit seminary online. Some arguments I just just have to wrestle with in person.
IQ may well correlate with something useful. But, raw IQ alone, is one of the most useless things in the world.
I could easily believe that the East Asia IQ thing is real, and the PRC is holding people back with the spectacularly evil incompetence of its rule. I could also believe that it is an artifact of culturally valuing education, and being able to cultivate creativity is an entirely different thing.
PRC regime is jealous of any trace of independence in its subjects. It tries to control them, so that they cannot imagine freedom, so that their entire world is being controlled by the state.
This inhibits the type of experimentation it takes to develop creativity.
It also inhibits the independence of judgement to study and discuss whether things are working poorly or well, and speculation about why. This is kinda important for creative technical development.
Basically, I don’t know enough about the tech sectors in the East Asian countries, and even if I had the access, I am not enough of a people person, and not observant enough to have a real grasp of the folks who have come to the United States and work in tech. In theory, I could know some Japan, RoK, RoC, PRoC origin tech workers in the US, but I would only know them as people, and not be able to draw valid wider conclusions.
High IQ may not correlate with success, but I’m pretty sure that low IQ correlates with lack of success.
When you take down to the level of “cannot manage to take care of self,” yes, very much.
If I remember correctly, the level of IQ most associated with success as figured by doing IQ tests on people who were already successful was very slightly above average, with a slope up and a sharp drop off at the top.
“Success” defined as financially set and being happy with it.
Yep. The world is made for the average. And kindly remember, guys, average is around 90 to 100.
Depends at what. Honestly.
I have an uncle who’d probably totally mess up an IQ test, because he’s a kinetic thinker who has issues with verbal. (Well, did. He died 5? years ago.)
He was the MOST successful of the siblings. Invented a new way of roasting coffee, while apprenticed at a roasting plant.
Ended up owning half the plant, which eventually sold to Nestle. (The brand.)
BUT he’d test really low IQ. The impairment runs in the family.
So, no. High IQ doesn’t correlate to how well you do in life. In fact, above a certain point it correlates negatively.
Low end of the IQ measurement somewhat correlates with an underlying condition or damage driving a lower level of function.
The mechanisms are not all identical in other effects. Look at the hearsay on Down’s retarded versus natal damage from substance abuse.
Mood and behavior regulating conditions or damage are also harmful when someone has a very high IQ. If you have a high IQ autistic whose other problems prevent them from selecting sane productive goals, they can stim at an advanced intellectual level, but it is still basically stimming. If a high IQ person, for personal or emotional reasons, picks pointless or destructive goals, then the IQ helps more effectively implement those. Poor coping skills with boredom, starting trouble for lack of real challenge, can also be a problem with high IQ.
If a hypothetical high IQ type does not specifically fit the position they are in, they will not be successful.
Furthermore, high IQ can often tell that they are high IQ, and that some very intelligent people have been extremely successful. High IQ does automatically come with wisdom. It very much specifically does not come with the judgement to realize that some of the example samples are selected for extreme success, and that being satisfied when one has a relatively good place is acceptable. The thing about eccentrics like Feynman, Erdos, etc., they found a place that would tolerate their behavior for the value of what they would offer, and some of that was not qualities that they could choose. Erdos appears to have had a love for mathematics, and such is not purely choice, and cannot entirely be faked.
If personal gifts and personal tastes are independently distributed, there are people with the potential for being a Teller, an Einstein, or a Von Neumann, except that the problem or field that they can do that for is not known to them, or not active enough to support such an expert. They have a problem in finding a field that one can labor truly in, that is important to others enough to have funding, and in being happy with what one has. Single subject obsessives are sometimes happy, but it is better to have a range of interests and emotional investments. Sometimes the happy pick is a second choice field, a second choice position, and putting some of oneself into one’s hobbies and family.
Anyway, it is very tempting when one can tell that one has very strong mental gifts to put everything in those mental gifts, and nothing into relationships. This is a terrible mistake. If you do this, no matter how smart you are, you will not always be happy, because you will not always be able to feed in a sequence of problems that satisfies the mental appetites.
One this mistake is made, it is tempting to get angry at the world, and seek to punish it for the fact that one is unhappy.
High IQ angry-at-the-world types are often not successful, because they pervert their energies into hurting those around them, decent folks do not want to put up with that, and it wastes the energies.
In conclusion, success and happiness are holistic things, IQ is not the only factor, and it is far from the most important factor. But it is measurable, compared to some of the other things.
Bob. Write me this as a guest post. Truer words were never spoken.
Nodding my head and saving analysis for after work.
Bob, what Sarah said about en-guest-posting that there comment there?
Please to be doing that.
Also: Moo!
I’ve taken notes, and am thinking about doing it as a guest post.
I’m making no promises about delivery, or timing, I’m struggling with some other deadlines.
Right now one of them is seeming more reasonable.
I tend not to believe that Asian IQs are higher then European IQs. For one- they don’t test peasants. After all, they’re peasants… And- they cheat. Well, they don’t call it that. But city teachers have virtually given up trying to keep Asians from putting their desks together while taking SATs and other standardized tests and using the group answers. I’ve read that in several spots over the years. If it’s happening here for test taking- do you think it’s any different in China?
My main purpose was to instigate a debate. She responded with, “OH, and I can see WHY you think they’re not stupid. You suffer from the same idiocy.”
As a general principle I tend to mirror others’ degree of rudeness.
As a general principle, that’s a crappy way to behave.
Cupcake you have no idea what you’re talking about or about those with whom you are disputing. There are a number of people here who peg most IQ tests. We’ve got historians, engineers, and research physicists (to name just a few). So go crawl back under your rock until you evolve a central nervous system.
See, this is why I love you. You’re so generous that you imagine he MIGHT evolve a central nervous system.
They do seem to have a familiar tone…
mono?
Many autocratic empires have lasted far longer than any democracy. Byzantines lasted 1000 or so years, depending on which dates you use. Depending on which dates you use, various iterations of Persia/ Iran lasted for longer than the US has.
The only reason the USSR collapsed was because we were feeding it propaganda showing there was another way, and Reagan forcing it to spend a massive % of its GDP on defense. USSA will have no outside force pushing against it, no walls because there is no where to run to. It also lasted ~70 years; are you saying it is acceptable to have 70 years of a USSR in America, because eventually we the freedom patriot people will revolt? Personally, I’d rather not find out how long it lasts.
“The starving nations will have”
I don’t know what you are saying.
Culture is downstream from genetics. We evolved in certain environments, and culture is part of that genetic evolution. It’s not a coincidence that everywhere Europeans settled they created little Europes, and everywhere Africans settle they create little Africas. Whether that is South Africa or the South side of Chicago. African culture was already similar to communism, because that is the kind of culture equatorial environments select for. Note I have not said any culture or race is superior or inferior, you are the only one to imply that when you say that everyone would be like Europe if only they had our culture.
The Left is winning… how can you not think that maybe they are smarter and/or better educated when it comes to subverting a nation?
You come across as proudly ignorant. Are you a boomer by any chance? I was hoping someone would ask why I think the Left knows what it is doing, but I guess you aren’t very inquisitive.
A couple of examples:
https://spandrell.com/2017/11/14/biological-leninism/
When the Dems still control the presidency and the military in 2025, with lockdowns and travel passes, are you still going to be going on about how dumb they are, and how patriots are just about to unleash freedoms and democracy?
Dear wall of text.
Autocratic empires in the modern age, given the size of the population and the food necessary is the operative word.
Now, please, go f*ck yourself from on high. Or stop thinking you’re talking to the rubes.
I couldn’t bring myself to read the entire wall. However, their is a HUGE difference between Byzantium and now. The speed at which information flows, the idea of freedom has matured (and has been tasted by many). Talk to me about the duration of modern such entities; Cuba, North Korea, Soviet Union…
ALMOST all the “lasting empires” were the most advanced of their time. Which might be what the left believes, but it’s not.
Again, in the modern era, with modern population, it hasn’t worked. The Soviets survived 70 years, on our wheat. And we’ve been keeping China going.
Modern entities are perhaps dealing with populations a little bit larger than some of the historical periods where we talk about long stable empires.
Plus, the bureaucratic states have qualitative differences, depending on tech and bureaucratic methods. Being able to enforce capital rules on the hinterlands, is a bit of a new thing. As opposed to bureaucrats recruited/appointed in the capital, then going out and forming semi independent factions in a hinterland region. Modern totalitarianism seems to be a modern thing.
And a lot of times the history books/archeologist suppositions are classifying stuff as a long lasting polity that might be defensibly understood as a bunch of polities with different organizations. You can go too far with that, saying that say, a dynasty with the same capital is always a bunch of different polities because it had different kings. But kings can rule heavily by personality, and particular configurations can be fragile. You may be able to show substantial changes in organizations, influence arrangements, and centers of power without substantially changing the mixture of artifacts buried.
Strangely enough, in the current world there are only a tiny handful of governments that are even as old as the US, let alone older without being restructured to such an extent as to be a new government. Great Britain maybe–depending on if you consider the waning of the power of the monarchy and the essential elimination of the House of Lords as a political force as being such a restructuring.
Even historically, “many?” There were a few that get bruited about but most empires last no more than a couple centuries before breaking up or being overthrown. Rome, of which Byzantium was really a continuation–it’s only looking back that people think of “Byzantine” as separate from “Roman”–being the main example people point to. The thing is, people looking back tend to take several cycles of rise, fall, collapse, new form rises as though they were a single entity. Thus we get people thinking of a single, long-lived “Egyptian Empire” when instead you have Old Kingdom, First Interregnum, Middle Kingdom, Second Interregnum, New Kingdom, Ptolemies, and finally Roman Province (and even that’s a pretty coarse breakdown; it’s possible to break it down a lot more finely).
Entirely possible to make that argument, but then you have to ask some awkward questions about how the US has evolved.
Also, I apologize to the regulars for swearing at idiot. I plead “I have had enough of this” particularly since we hashed most of this stuff last week.
Swaring shmearing. You haven’t even reached for an axe. Such patience.
Though, for all I know, you are/were milliseconds from deploying ‘Doc’ “You want a spleenectomy, do you?”
There’s a thought. If you want to go for maximum intimidation factor, which is scarier: a minotaur holding an axe or a minotaur holding a scalpel?
“Don’t relax, I’m NOT a doctor…” [evil grin]
Ask “Doc” about his ACME Delivery. ♉
Sigh. Older son to crazy feral trying to scare us during a walk downtown Denver, now 3 years ago: “I will remove your spleen. I’ve done it before. I can do it in two minutes, and no one will get to you fast enough to save us.”
Feral buggered off. Note, he was absolutely truthful. He just didn’t say WHEN and where he’d removed spleens…. 😛
Jimmy Akin’s Mysterious World podcast has a really neat episode on some Egyptian emperor who was … really freakin’ weird, we’ll summarize… but the thing strongly supports the idea that you can very easily break it out into much, much smaller empires than “Middle Kingdom” etc.
It may make “perfect sense” from their starting premises. The problem is that they have insulated themselves from any feedback that might show whether their starting premises are faulty or if they, perhaps, diverge from the real world.
They have discharged at least 2/3 (at a very conservative estimate) of the military? Because that’s what a “purge” for loyalty would need to look like.
And even if they did, they would need at least a generation after the purge because those “purged” are now in the civilian sector with all their training and skills intact. Unless, of course, they “purged” in Stalinist fashion by sending the “undesireables” to concentration camps or outright shooting them. But…this isn’t the Soviet Union. We’d notice if they did that. So…citation needed right back at you.
What you’re missing is that a very large chunk of the population isn’t buying it. There are too many channels of information around the mass media. They still have a lot of influence but it’s breaking down and the cracks are getting bigger.
From their starting premises (if that). But they never circle around to see if their starting premises are congruent with reality.
That, I think, will suffice for the time being.
INBlack, you’re arguing with someone who if he has a brain doesn’t use it.
“Spectator Sport” and all that.
Also, given …things…while I don’t usually go looking for a confrontation (shut up, I don’t), I kind of needed a chew toy.
Tell me about it. And I know you don’t.
Big difference between not looking for a fight, and being willing to saacrifice the truth to avoid one.
Thank you for the response, I was hoping at least 1 person would make an honest attempt at discussion. Everyone else seems like they’d rather congratulate each other on how smart they are, without much of an attempt at a counter-argument.
“The problem is that they have insulated themselves from any feedback.”
You are assuming everything is as it seems on the surface. Those calling the shots know what is going on, and they have a plan. If you want to know their plan, check out Yuri Bezmenov’s videos on youtube (KGB spy who defected in 1970.)
basic outline:
1. Demoralization- Marxist indoctrination to weaken people’s resistance
2. Destabilization- wreck economy, foreign relations, defense systems
3. Crisis- violence erupts, gov cracks down and changes system
4. Normalization- the new normal
Any of this look familiar?
The reason the Left seems crazy is because they are trying to bring things to stage 3, when violence erupts. They crack down, institute a new way (‘Great Reset’), then move on to stage 4, forcing people to accept those changes as the ‘new normal.’ One thing to note, they often try to subvert the leaders of the opposition, so even if the government loses, the ‘rebels’ end up introducing the same changes at stage 3 as the government would have. Gaetzgate was likely an attempt to subvert a potential leader of resistance.
“They have discharged at least 2/3 (at a very conservative estimate) of the military?”
Citation is any history of militaries being used against their own population. There has almost never been a time in history when an army refused to follow orders against their own population. Our gov screwed the vets of WW1, and during the Great Depression many of them, homeless and destitute, camped outside the White House with their families, asking for the money that was owed to them. This “Bonus Army” was completely peaceful. The military was ordered to disperse them, and drove through their tent city with tanks and bayonets. Several people died, including at least 1 woman. The overall commander ended up being elected president…
After hurricane Katrina troops were ordered to take peoples firearms from them, and there was 100% compliance by cops and military. After the Boston Bombing troops had no problems following orders to conduct warrantless searches which also lacked probable cause of multiple blocks of residences. This was almost a big deal at the time. They did the same after some mass workplace shooting in CA that everyone has forgotten about, and the searches barely warranted discussion.
George Washington ordered and lead troops to put down an uprising of people angered at taxes (after many of them had fought in the Revolution, which was in part due to taxes.) None refused to march on their fellow citizens.
It should also be noted that our troops won’t be ordered to go against their fellow citizens. They’ll be ordered to go against evil nazi white supremacist terrorist deplorables backed up by Russia and China… and maybe Canada too, depending on who is the enemy du jure.
“What you’re missing”
I think you missed my point. Covid is a whole ‘nother discussion, and I don’t have hours to rant about it 😉
“…to see if their starting premises are congruent with reality.”
Their premises are congruent with reality to the extent that it leads them to realizing their goal. Their one and only goal is power. An internally consistent ideology is antithetical to grabbing power; most such ideologies are about limiting power so as to facilitate a cooperative group. They don’t promulgate an idea because it is true, they push an idea because it is useful for them to do so.
A great article on one aspect of this:
https://spandrell.com/2017/11/14/biological-leninism/
And you are doing exactly what Sowell and others note that they are doing: making up a position that sounds good to them(you) and then insulating themselves(yourself) from feedback on that position.
Goal post move noted. You said the military had been purged. Since most folk in the military, by a substantial margin, are of a conservative to libertarian bent, any “purge” would have to remove a large majority of the military.
As for your new goal post, citation needed on those militaries used against there own populations that are all-volunteer forces drawn from among the same people they’re to be used against (the tank driver crushing houses in Des Moines may not have friends of family in Des Moines, but you can bet dollars to navy beans that someone in his unit does), who swear an oath not to their particular leaders but to the Constitution and whose training includes considerable time on the concept of “unlawful orders”. Even if they change that training, even if they change that oath, even if they actually do purge the officer corps, you’ve got considerable institutional memory in the NCO corps that is not going away any time soon no matter what the people in Dreamland on the Potomac and their civilian masters might desire.
You’re taking situations that are almost but not quite exactly unlike the US and using them as a model for what will happen in the US.
That’s an interesting way to put it. It’s popular to describe the Bonus March as the eebill government doing those noble, selfless veterans wrong, but the reality was far more complicated. The vets were awarded bonuses in the form of certificates payable in 1945. Due to the hardships of the Great Depression, which was just getting started, they were asking (demanding really) to get the payment early. The government was holding to the original terms of the deal. Now, given the hardships stemming from the Depression one might argue a moral obligation to the soldiers, but legally they really didn’t have a leg to stand on. It also appears, in a report finally declassified in 1991, that communist elements had inflitrated the Bonus Army from the start, inducing radicals to join the marchers and committing various offenses. Now, it also appears that the bonus marchers largely rejected these communist agitators, but that wouldn’t necessarily be apparent from the outside of the march.
Then note the reaction after the March and the military reprisal. McCarthur claimed the March was an attempt to overthrow the government. Well, my necromantic mind-reading crystal is broken, so I can’t tell if he really meant that. Others, however, reacted quite negatively to the military reaction to it. Among other things, it savaged Hoover’s political position and may well have cost him the election.
National guard. Unlike regular military, National Guard does have police jurisdiction in certain circumstances. Also, you might want to check the details. The National Guard did not “confiscate firearms”. They provided security for local police. This is a fine point, but an important one. Also, the guard units selected for those particular duties. In statistics that’s called “cherry picking” and “non-representative sample.”
Now, one of the things about Katrina is that for many folk in the service (I know quite a few of them myself) it served something of a “wake up call.” Got them to really think about such things and what to do if it came up in the future.
Two of the bluest of blue areas. “cherry picking” “non-representative sample.”
Nobody is saying that none of the police or military will obey orders to quash rebellion. Nobody here would be foolish enough to make such a claim. But you seem to be operating under the impression that the military is made up of Myrmidons who will mindlessly follow whatever orders they are given. That’s utterly risible.
Specifically taxation without representation. The affected whiskey manufacturers did have representation.
Well, all of the people who actually joined the army raised for the express purpose of putting down a rebellion actually went to put down the rebellion. That argument is so circular it can be used as a standard for the value of Pi. Do you have any idea how many folk eligible to be called up for such service who said something to the effect “I don’t think so”? You don’t. Nobody does. Because the “nays” weren’t recorded. This is a variation of survivorship bias: Only those who went are noted. We didn’t have a standing army then. Washington raised a militia force so, in effect we had two competing militias.
Move forward a few decades and a substantial portion of the then army instead joined the rebel’s side in that rebellion.
So, once again, almost but not quite exactly unlike the situation today.
No, I got your point. I disagreed with it. Understand the difference?
Proof by repeated assertion is a logical fallacy. Simply restating your claim is not supporting your claim. The problem is that the Left has been insulating themselves from feedback for decades. Thomas Sowell goes into it in some detail in “The Vision of the Anointed”
https://amzn.to/3ua12wm
You have simply bought the propaganda, hook, line, sinker, bobber, and rod.
c4c. Starting to wade through the comments.
Praying that you are wrong about the extent of the breakage, Sarah. We have probably 6 months of food storage, but we live just outside Vancouver BC. This may seriously suck.
You do realize I’m also praying, right?
Because right now only a miracle will save us.
I am seriously hoping G-d decides for mercy instead of justice. He has a history of doing so, but one can’t take it for granted.
Not to sound like a broken record–I think the last time I de-lurked was to toot this same horn–but I recommend looking up Peter Zeihan. He absolutely doesn’t get everything right: he recently bought the WaPo’s “They beat him to death with a fire extinguisher, and then skewered him with a pole with the American flag on it” blood libel hook-line-and-sinker, and I’m pretty sure that he was the guy at StratFor assuring everybody 20 years ago that the Euro would never last because the southern and eastern Europeans would never be stupid enough to destroy their economies by giving up monetary loosening options during the next recession (spoiler: they were, and they did). He also seems convinced that the recent cold spell in Texas somehow proves that windmills can be made to work.
Despite that, he does have a few really good points to make, and you don’t have to buy his books to see them: he does the paid-speaking-event thing, and a lot of the events put his presentations up on youtube, so a simple search will yield you dozens of hour-long videos. His premise is perhaps overblown in its simplicity and determinism, but there’s a glimmer of something there. He focuses on geography and demographics, and put bluntly, the land between the Rio Grande and the St. Lawrence Seaway is the single best chunk of land to build a nation from on the entire planet, and the US is the nation closest to having enough kids to keep the lights on (and should succeed in doing so once you add in skilled immigrants fleeing the nations that fail). He is convinced that the US will be one of the few nations to thrive (or even survive) in the coming chaos… which he’s been predicting to happen in the ’20s for the last 10+ years, due to demographics.
For the rest of the world, the turning point will be when other nations realize that the US Navy will no longer be sent–or even allowed, by the left–to guarantee the right of free passage on the high seas. He considers free trade (not as in tax-free, but as in “no state-run piracy or blockades”) to be one of the most important factors that brought us our current golden age, and once it goes… well, there are very few nations that can produce enough food to keep their people alive without imports. And almost none that can do so without large amounts of imported hydrocarbons and hydrocarbon access–I mean, byproducts (fertilizers, pesticides, diesel for the combines, etc.). In addition, we are currently going through a slow-motion global demographic catastrophe (which our esteemed host has been ringing the bell about for a number of years). People stopped having enough kids, by choice (here) or by force (China).
I tend to agree with him in a broad sense, if not entirely on the details. Things were already destined to get pretty bad when the lack of kids led to a lack of productive young adults. The “elites” making their big push to rule as neo-feudalists under the laughable banner of equality and diversity will just wreck things that much faster, and guarantee that more billions will die.
And billions *will* die. Most from lack of food, water, shelter, medicine, or sanitation. It will be awful, and no-one with any sense should look forward to it. But at this point, I don’t see much hope of escaping it. I wish I knew what to go out and buy, right now, to make things better for myself, my family, and my community, but I just don’t have a good idea of when and where to blow what little I have while it is still worth anything at all. And so, I fret.
The ironic part is that after fifty years of wasting money and goofing around with jobs programs, we are once again poised to take flight back into space in a serious way. We might have been only a few decades away from having an escape option. I can only hope that comes what may, we don’t wind up in an actual Dark Age (which the “Dark Ages” actually weren’t; more of an indictment of Victorian historians than post-Roman nations, but that’s another post), with the stars forever out of reach.
Scary story from France, by way of Instapundit:
https://americanmind.org/salvo/twilight-in-paris/
c4c