VOCABULARY: Dummheit — collective stupidity

Tuesday, March 24, 2026

https://www.thefocalpoints.com/p/war-the-father-of-all-mind-viruses?publication_id=1119676&post_id=191045812&isFreemail=true&r=3snn7d&triedRedirect=true

WAR: The Father of All Mind Viruses
Fear of an enemy — real, perceived, exaggerated, or fabricated — is the emotional incubator and superspreader of all mind viruses.
John Leake
Mar 15, 2026

*** begin quote ***

Dietrich Bonhoeffer concluded that they had been afflicted with collective stupidity (German: Dummheit). He was not being flippant or sarcastic, and he made it clear that stupidity is not the opposite of native intellect. On the contrary, the events in Germany between 1933 and 1943 had shown him that perfectly intelligent people were, under the pressure of fear and propaganda, rendered stupid—that is, incapable of critical reasoning.

*** end quote ***

“The ultimate test of a moral society is the kind of world that it leaves to its children.” — Dietrich Bonhoeffer

“Fear is not real. It is a product of thoughts you create. Do not misunderstand me. Danger is very real. But fear is a choice.” — Will Smith

‘Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past me I will turn to see fear’s path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.’ — Muad’Dib in DUNE

“To learn what we fear is to learn who we are. Horror defies our boundaries and illuminates our souls.” — Shirley Jackson

FEAR = False Evidence Appearing Real —  I Kings 19:1-15

Maybe this is where our English word “dumbshit” originates?

AI Overview — “Dumbshit” is a vulgar slang term referring to a very stupid, foolish, or incompetent person. It is used as a derogatory noun or, less commonly, as an adjective to describe extreme foolishness. Originating in American slang around the 1940s, it serves as a harsh term of address.

That’s about the right timeframe for Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s observation to appear in the USA.  

Seems like a good label to apply to a lot people in today’s population.

Maybe to plagiarize Jeff Foxworthy —  

— if you have any of these “derangement syndromes”, you maybe a dumbshit!

— if you believe anything a politicians or bureaucrats says, you maybe a dumbshit!

— if you echo anything to see or hear on “social media” without citation or evidence, you maybe a dumbshit!

Nota Bene:  Everything I blog about starts with a link of what prompted it.

“My first rule: I don’t believe anything the government tells me.” — George Carlin  

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2026-03Mar-24 0841 — Revised to fix format.

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GOVERNACIDE: Gooferment Skrules adults are “racist”?

Monday, March 23, 2026

https://nypost.com/2026/03/13/us-news/california-appeals-court-sides-with-student-punished-for-writing-any-life-below-black-lives-matter-sketch/

Schoolgirl, 6, off the hook for poignant hand-written BLM letter principal said was ‘racist’ thanks to 1960s civil rights ruling
By Ross O’Keefe
Published March 13, 2026, 8:17 p.m. ET

*** begin quote ***

“Today’s ruling affirms what should be obvious: Students don’t lose their constitutional rights just because they’re young,” Caleb Trotter, senior attorney at Pacific Legal Foundation, said in a release published online. “The Constitution protects every student’s right to free expression. No child should be punished for expressing a well-intentioned message to a friend.”

*** end quote ***

Child's drawing on white paper that says "Black Lives Mater any life" with four colored ovals underneath, held by a hand.

I know at least one child who is “pure of heart”.  He really doesn’t “see” color yet.  And he too is “pro life”.

“Suffer the little children to … …”

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”
— Martin Luther King Jr. “I Have a Dream” Aug. 28, 1963

Gooferment Skrules are designed to produce cannon fodder for the Army, willing morons for the factories, and useful idiots to vote for and be led by the elite.  

For this “principal” to see racism is the problem.

Argh!

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SAFETY: Keep a portable carbon monoxide detector in your cars

Sunday, March 22, 2026

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15643759/aubrie-morgan-carbon-monoxide-death-michigan.html

Woman, 18, killed in terrifying freak accident while sitting in her running car – and no-one could work out what happened to her, until they hoisted vehicle into the air
By NATASHA ANDERSON, US SENIOR NEWS REPORTER
Published: 15:50 EDT, 13 March 2026 | Updated: 18:48 EDT, 13 March 2026

*** begin quote ***

It wasn’t until police hoisted her 2010 sedan up onto a lift that they noticed the small crack on her engine’s manifold.

The crack allowed exhaust gases to leak inside Aubrie’s vehicle, which investigators say led to her death by the so-called silent killer of carbon monoxide poisoning.

*** and ***

Aubrie’s heartbroken parents are now urging other drivers, especially those with older cars, to keep a portable carbon monoxide detector in their vehicle.

They also plan to start a nonprofit organization in Aubrie’s name that will focus on raising awareness about the Carbon Monoxide exposure in cars, Today reported.

*** end quote ***

I have heard the advice to ensure that a car’s exhaust pipe is clear in blizzards.  This is the first I’ve heard of a crack in the exhaust pipe of an old car causing a fatality.

I have a small monitor for when we travel because hotels have several exposure risks.  It was cheap, $40 and good for a decade. 

Seems like cheap insurance?

— 30 —

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GOVEROTRAGEOUS: OOOPS, facial recognition got it wrong

Saturday, March 21, 2026

https://boingboing.net/2026/03/12/grandmother-jailed-108-days-after-facial-recognition-got-it-wrong.html

Grandmother jailed 108 days after facial recognition got it wrong
Ellsworth Toohey 4:44 pm Thu Mar 12, 2026

*** begin quote ***

Fargo police had identified her as a bank fraud suspect using AI facial recognition software. The software was wrong.

Lipps spent nearly four months in a Tennessee jail without bail — classified as a fugitive, she had no hearing, no interview, nothing. North Dakota officers didn’t retrieve her until October 30, 108 days after the arrest.

*** end quote ***

Sorry, but which politicians and bureaucrats are going to jail for 108 days?

In another great example of “justice” (habeas corpus for me but not for thee), this lady lost everything due to a “software error”.  Even a modest amount of investigation would have prevented this.

Hope she gets a good lawyer and can penetrate “qualified immunity”!

Argh!

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GOVEROTRAGEOUS:The first to go should be the politicians and bureaucrats and their relatives

Friday, March 20, 2026

https://www.lewrockwell.com/lrc-blog/as-iran-war-escalates-congress-passes-automatic-involuntary-draft-registration/

As Iran War Escalates, Congress Passes Automatic Involuntary Draft Registration
By Daniel McAdams
March 11, 2026

*** begin quote ***

As often happens, the NDAA bill contains some of the worst language of all legislation. This year is no different, with language slipped into the bill that automatically and involuntarily registers young men for the military draft. With the war in Iran escalating and talks of troops needed.

*** end quote ***

Where is the spirit of Charlie Rangel when you need it?

Former U.S. Representative Charlie Rangel (D-NY), a Korean War veteran, repeatedly introduced legislation between 2003 and 2015 to reinstate a military draft, known as the Universal National Service Act. He argued that mandatory service for all, including women, would ensure shared sacrifice and force Congress to be more cautious about entering conflicts.

All us crazy little L libertarians would chime in to pass it.  Not because we wanted a “draft” but we wanted all the politicians and bureaucrats on record.  None of this non-sense about an “all volunteer army” when the body bags start coming home and its a disproportionately composed of poor and minority men.  When all the rich and powerful kids seek out convenient slots in the National Guard or Reserves.  As a Viet Nam era draftee, I didn’t have any such political pull.  So “register and take” everyone —  men, women, rich, poor, white, black, brown, or green.

So, I am fundamentally opposed to “the Draft” —  didn’t Lincoln free the slaves? —  as an infringement on our basic human rights.

So if the Congress wants to have a draft, then the first to go should be the politicians and bureaucrats and their relatives!

“No matter who you vote for, you get John McCain” – @ThomasEWoods.

“Any infringement of them is equally a crime, whether committed by one man, calling himself a robber, or by millions, calling themselves a government.” — Lysander Spoone The Unconstitutionality of Slavery

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NOTRECOMMENDED: Prisidio Digiital Vault aka AARP Digital Vault

Thursday, March 19, 2026

2026-03Mar-12

NOTRECOMMENDED: Prisidio Digiital Vault aka AARP Digital Vault

It all started when I was at ‘McD’s and started an upload to the Digital Vault.

NG!

No VPN. 

Sigh! Argh!

Then I started to investigate what exactly was securing my documents.  I was expecting that my User Id / Password combination was being used at a key.

WRONG!

When I dug into it deeper I referred to ₿itcoin; “Not your keys, not your coins” is a popular cryptocurrency mantra meaning that if you do not hold the private keys (or seed phrase) to your wallet, you do not truly own or control your digital assets.

It turns out, I assume, that Presidio has only one set of keys.

Hence, when it gets hacked, all my data is at risk.

Note I said “WHEN” because I can’t imagine more of a motherlode of data.  They suggest putting everything in “your vault”.   When I hears images of credit cards, that’s when I went FULL STOP.

*** begin quote ***

Hello Ferdinand,

I hope you’re doing well!

One of our support reps asked that I review a support case he has open with you. I wanted to personally address your concerns about VPN access and encryption.

On the VPN question: I totally understand why blocking VPNs seems counterintuitive from a security standpoint. While VPNs are great for legitimate, personal privacy, they’re also heavily used by attackers to hide their tracks and mask where attacks are coming from. It’s unfortunately become one of the most common ways bad actors try to access accounts. So yes, it’s a trade-off – we’re blocking VPNs to protect against credential stuffing and other attacks that exploit that anonymity. Unfortunately for those of us that use personal VPNs, we’re out of luck.

Regarding your encryption concerns: While I cannot disclose the specific technical details of our encryption implementation for security reasons, I can assure you that:

  1. Your data is encrypted both in transit and at rest using industry-standard encryption protocols
  2. We follow security best practices designed to protect against the exact scenario you’re concerned about – ensuring that a breach doesn’t result in compromising customer data
  3. Our security architecture is built with multiple layers of protection

That said, we recognize that different customers have different security requirements and risk tolerances. If our current security model doesn’t align with what you feel comfortable with – we completely understand.

I will definitely share your thoughts and concerns with our security team. Feedback like this is important – it helps us understand what matters most to our users and where we might need to evolve our security model.

Please let me know if you have any other questions or feedback and I will address them to the best of my abilities. I’ll ask our support rep to close your support case as you are welcome to reach out to me directly should you have any other concerns to share.

Thanks Ferdinand – have a great day!

 

 

Mark Wilkins
Director Support Services, Prisidio

*** end quote ***

MY CANCELLATION FOLLOWED

YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary!)

I don’t understand why all the TECH BLOGS are not “jumping” all over this?

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PEACE: The old policy of avoiding “entangling alliances” is a better — foreign policy!

Wednesday, March 18, 2026

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5a7LX5MA6MR2nBy7cNMHmY?si=j4iZJvfuSzymwAGhffae6w&nd=1&dlsi=d14082ab8d034d52

Is Paleoconservatism Isolationist?
The Brion McClanahan Show
Think Locally, Act Locally

<< EDITOR ADDED DATE 2026-03-11>>

*** begin quote ***

I would never describe a paleoconservative foreign policy as “isolationist.” That is a pejorative used by its detractors. Non-interventionist would be the proper term. This is the traditional American conservative position dating to the Washington administration. It is not pacifist or ideologically anti-war–paleocons are not Quakers–nor does it seek to cut off diplomacy or trade with the rest of the world. The old policy of avoiding “entangling alliances” is a better interpretation than “isolation.” 

*** end quote ***

And, maybe if our Gooferment had a better handle on diplomacy, then 175 “little girls” (IDK how “little” they were, but school aged) would still be alive.  And 7 Americans and an unknown number of Iranains.)

“No matter who you vote for, you get John McCain” – @ThomasEWoods.

Congress has unconstitutionally delegated the power to “make war” to our now “elected king”.

“The current state of American government is that members of Congress just want to be influencers because writing good laws and doing actual oversight requires to much work, presidents just want to play war because domestic policy is too hard and not as fun, and judges get to write laws and play president because it’s easier than getting elected.” — Sean Davis of The Federalist

Argh!

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JOY: Saint Padraig’s, Padriac’s, or Patrick’s Day

Tuesday, March 17, 2026

St. Patrick's Day Symbols - Shamrock Meaning, Why We Wear ...

Traditional symbols of St. Patrick’s Day include the shamrock (representing the Holy Trinity), the color green (for Ireland’s “Emerald Isle” and Irish pride), leprechauns with pots of gold, the harp (a national emblem), and the Celtic Cross, blending Celtic and Christian imagery. Other popular symbols are rainbows, Irish music, and even dyeing beer green, reflecting Irish culture and mythology.

# – # – # – # – #

Personally, Saint Padriac’s Day is the end point of my Seasonally Affected Disorder beciase a cascade of “bad events” seems to fall between Thanksgiving and March 17th.  Most of the deaths in my sphere occur during this window.  Almost like a self-fulling (self-licking ice cream cone) prophecy.

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NEWJERSEY: The wealthiest residents and businesses to chip in — not voluntarily!

Monday, March 16, 2026

https://patch.com/new-jersey/southbrunswick/s/k3z6t/sherrill-looks-to-end-crisis-5-takeaways-from-nj-budget-address?user_email=6977bb79afc18d89968a6a0494d4b398a8e9e97df94217a36edb8fcfd93b518e&user_email_md5=cff302c94eb4f6351922680bba576fdd&lctg=512c02461e240a9c3f318080

Sherrill Looks To End Crisis: 5 Takeaways From NJ Budget Address

  • What might get cut – and how much? Are any new taxes on the table? Here’s the latest update from Gov. Mikie Sherrill.

Eric Kiefer, Patch Staff
Posted Tue, Mar 10, 2026 at 2:54 pm ET
Updated Tue, Mar 10, 2026 at 8:49 pm ET

*** begin quote ***

MORE MONEY

Sherill has insisted that her administration is not planning to raise taxes on New Jerseyans. Her administration recently released a policy blueprint that cites a plan to boost revenues without new taxes.

The governor repeated that message again Tuesday, saying that her budget proposal “does not raise taxes on individual New Jerseyans.”

Instead, the state will be looking to its wealthiest residents and businesses to chip in.

Sherrill said her budget proposal will pare back corporate tax breaks in the state, capping the deduction that our highest-earning companies can take for net operating losses.

“After COVID, more started claiming this deduction, to write off losses seen in those years,” she said. “It’s time to move on. We won’t keep shortchanging the future. Limiting this loophole saves taxpayers almost $500 million dollars.”

At the same time, some companies have been using a deduction that was introduced 15 years ago to help small businesses weather the Great Recession, she said: the Alternative Business Calculation.

“The whole point was to level the playing field for entrepreneurs,” Sherrill said. “But bigger companies started using it, too. So our budget limits that deduction to the actual small businesses it was meant for, capping eligibility at business income of a million dollars a year.”

“The car repair shop and the diner down the block are the ones who should benefit,” Sherrill said. “This fix will save another $120 million dollars a year – without taxing families a dollar more.”

*** end quote ***

[<synonym for excrement from a male cow>!

First, “chip in” should be voluntary.  There ain’t nothing voluntarily. 

Second, any increase in State spending is a tax on everybody in the State.

Third, corporations are just a legal fiction.  Only REAL PEOPLE pay taxes.  So in everything you buy, their costs are in that product.  Buy a bar of soap and an uncalculable sliver of the cost is taxes —  Fed tax, State tax, gas tax to get it to you, real estate tax for the store you bought it from —  you can’t figure it out, but it’s there!

 … … … … and the politicians and bureaucrats like it that way.  

Why do people know about sales taxes?  Because it is broken out and printed on every receipt!

Argh!

Let’s break out the effect of EVERY tax so “We, The Sheeple” can see how badly they are being robbed!

— 30 —

2026-03Mar-12

https://nj1015.com/sherrill-budget-impact-businesses/?alef=&lh_aid=84349&lh_cid=vypudpl6xz&di=0bab583a05e28e6772cd8a0bf9b4db7f

Corporations don’t pay taxes.  They are a FICTION! Argh!

— 30 —

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SAFETY: Put what3words on your fridge

Sunday, March 15, 2026

Is what3words on your fridge?

BBC Radio Nottingham recently shared a clever way to help kids tell 999 call handlers where to find your home in an emergency: stick your what3words address to your fridge.

By turning what3words into a household staple, you’re giving your family a useful tool that can make all the difference when every second counts.

# – # – # – # – #

If you have a landline, then I’d put it on the phone as well.

Seems like an easy “2do”.

In addition to their name, address, and phone number, their what3words address should be easy to get them to remember.  Like their safety word.  Maybe that could be their safety word?

With all the stick on clothing labels, you could add that too.

Good idea?

— 30 —

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INTERESTING: Targeted Dream Incubation (TDI) may make something happen

Saturday, March 14, 2026

https://thewalrus.ca/dream-engineering/

Science
Meet the Researchers Who Can Engineer Your Dreams
The tech is called “targeted dream incubation”—and it changes everything we know about sleep
by Karen van Kampen Updated 1:25, Mar. 2, 2026 | Published 6:30, Feb. 28, 2026

*** begin quote ***

What’s new, and what I set out to investigate, is Targeted Dream Incubation (TDI), which uses external stimuli to connect with a dreamer and encourage them to focus on a particular topic or theme. Adam Haar and researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University developed this contemporary incubation method using sound and touch to reach a dreamer as they traversed through sleep onset, moving from waking to sleep. These first few minutes of sleep are characterized by hypnagogia: dreamy thoughts and images that are often related to recent waking experiences. As a montage of images, thoughts, and sensations flooded a person’s mind, a voice recording prompted them to focus on a chosen topic.

*** end quote ***

I’ve always been interested in “lucid dreaming” and what dreams could possibly mean.

Is it “nothing” or just the brain doing the biological equivalent of a computer’s garnage processing?

IDK!

I guess because I have “night terrors” as well as “very vivid dreams”,  I always have thought that is why my parents were functional alcoholics.   They had “night terrors” so bad that they were often afraid to go to sleep.  Hence the alcohol which seems to disrupt it.

Not wanting to be an alcholoic, I have trained myself to not take these too seriously.  The more I laughed at them and shared them, the less the impact they would have. 

A frequent one was being lost in a hotel where the room numbers were not sequential or there me four digit room number in between three digit ones. For example, 135 would be next to 1351 and 1352 then 136.  And on and on.

Strange?

— 30 —

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GOVEROTRAGEOUS: There are a lot of unsolved murders … …

Friday, March 13, 2026

https://www.boredpanda.com/suspicious-true-crime-cold-cases-msn-2/

Published Mar 07, 2026
22 Baffling Unsolved True Crime Cases That Are Not For The Faint-Hearted
Edvinas Jovaišas
BoredPanda staff

*** begin quote ***

Nowadays, many people seem to be fans of true crime TV series or podcasts. I would be lying if I said I didn’t watch true crime series myself. But for some, it can be difficult to understand why someone would want to spend their time immersing themselves in upsetting or even terrifying stories.

Well, we got curious as to why they would do something like that, too. So we got in touch with Dr. Kevin Bennett, a full teaching professor of psychology at Penn State University, Beaver Campus, and creator of the Kevin Bennett Is Snarling podcast, who shared that people’s interest in true crime and dark or troubling stories can be attributed to a combination of psychological, evolutionary, and social factors.

*** end quote ***

Everyone always focuses on the “crime rate”.  I think we should focus on the “unsolved crimes”.

If we form a Gooferment to protect us from foreign and domestc enemies, then it hasn’t done a very good job.

The LEOs should be focused on “solving” crimes and judges should be focused on very long incarcerations.  

Where possible for electing sherrifs or judges, this should be the only criteria.

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ConspiracyTheories: Epstein Prison Guard Made a Mysterious Deposit

Thursday, March 12, 2026

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2026/03/revealed-epstein-prison-guard-made-mysterious-deposit-before/

REVEALED: Epstein Prison Guard Made a Mysterious Deposit Before P*dophile’s Supposed Suicide – Also Googled Epstein Just Minutes Before His Body was Discovered
by Cullen Linebarger Mar. 7, 2026 2:00 pm

*** begin quote ***

A total of 12 deposits began in April 2018, the bank said, and culminated in the largest deposit, for $5,000, on July 30, 2019, the records showed.

The files only contain Noel’s bank records beginning in December 2018. They show seven cash deposits totaling $11,880. Noel started working at the Special Housing Unit — where Epstein had been held — beginning on July 7, 2019, just weeks before his death.

Noel, who drove a $62,000 2019 Land Rover Range Rover, wasn’t asked about the cash during her DOJ interview, records showed.

*** end quote ***

“Move along, people. Nothing to see here. Go home, you looky-loos.” Officer Barbrady’s Catch Phrase South Park

Sorry, but something stinks.

Time for someone at DOJ or SDNY to ask some hard questions!

Argh!

— 30 —

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NEWJERSEY: Garden State Gov. Mikie Sherrill positioned herself as a reasonable, middle-of-the-road candidate — fooled some of us!

Wednesday, March 11, 2026

Texas Democrat James Talarico’s ‘moderate’ act exposes his party’s new scam
https://nypost.com/2026/03/05/opinion/texas-democrat-james-talaricos-moderate-act-exposes-his-partys-new-scam/

Texas Democrat James Talarico’s ‘moderate’ act exposes his party’s new scam
By Karol Markowicz
Published March 5, 2026, 6:46 p.m. ET

*** begin quote ***

So voters need to look deeper at these “normal” Democrats, because the staid moderate act only lasts so long.

Just look at New Jersey and Virginia, whose new governors both veered sharply left after running “moderate” campaigns.

Garden State Gov. Mikie Sherrill positioned herself as a reasonable, middle-of-the-road candidate. She ran on affordability issues and rarely mentioned immigration.

Upon taking office, she immediately signed an executive order limiting United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity on state property — and started pushing a 7% sales tax hike.

*** end quote ***

​Two faced lying grifters.

But how do “we” fix it?

Clearly “We, The Sheeple” have no recourse to lying politicians, who fool us into voting for them.  We need a better “system” but I don’t know what that would be.

Perhaps, a smaller, more decentralized, prganizational principle might work better.

Instead of large “States”, we should have size limits based on area, population, and age distribution.  Maybe a “county” might be even too big.  It would have to balance overhead versus efficiency.   Now some municipalities are larger than foreign countries.  

States like Wyoming are not “equal” to cities like New York, Los Angeles, or any big metro area.  Imagine the Pepuls Republik of Nu Jerk being divided into governing bodies of less than 100,000 people?  Power to the people!

Technology makes smaller governance groups possible without travel.

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SAD: The passing of another of my fellow High School classmates

Tuesday, March 10, 2026

2026-Mar-09 1025

I read about the passing of another of my fellow High School classmates.  For some reason, I couldn’t sleep last night.  Very sad and morose.

https://www.mcnamara-sparrell.com/obituaries/james-kilroy?ttm_pid=211020308&ttm_affiliate=legacypro&ttm_affiliatetype=standard&ttm_campaign=legacy

I knew Jim before the Prep because his brother, a fellow name Jerry McGuire, and my cousin Peter hung together. He always seem happy and a jolly old soul. Can’t say, we spent a lot of time together but he always was the same fellow to me.

Everytime I read or hear about another Prepster64 passing, I think “memento mori” and the Crow in Latin class. Then, on to all the other characters we had as “teachers”.

Last night, when I couldn’t sleep, I was constantly thinking about that “Elderly Russians Crying at the Victory Day Parade”.

7F77656D 64A6 47CB 8188 2D9A6C5A2D7F_1_201_a.

And a message I sent to the Facebook Prep64 group a while ago (May 6th 2019) :

And we need some one to turn off the lights when the next to last leaves. 🙂 I always thinks happy thoughts. And, like in my book, in the end we all die.

Who among us will be the last and turn the lights off?

I empathize with the old vet in the picture — and yes I know it not exactly what the inet said it was. The picture captures that “soul surviving feeling”.

When I was writing my magnus opus CHURCH 10●19●62, I captured that feeling and anticipated when my beloved spouse would pass.

“My love, were it in my power, I would sadly grant thee this boon. But, we have to continue to follow His Plan for us. Let’s go forth and speak no more of this. Who ever is last will be last. It will be His choice; not ours. We’re but humble custodians of His temple on earth. It’s not our place to trump His plan. Whatever that plan be, know that I will be with you to my last breath.” — character “John” in CHURCH 10●19●62 Volume 2 Page 399

Once again, reading this obit, I felt is again and have that sad feeling again that so many opportunities have passed me by.  These are the sad ramblings that kept me up last night.

That, and remembering a Rodney Dangerfield clip https://youtu.be/0Zo0zN8ug-M?si=654kQSPxpwPvS9AT, as well as Saint Crispin’s day https://youtu.be/A-yZNMWFqvM?si=51VgMyGdjtJauFXN.

And, so Sir James, I bid thee safe journey on the road we Band of Brothers will all travel.

Sadly,
Pf-reinke-nstein

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GOVEROTRAGEOUS: What happened to Sherman Anti-trust laws?

Monday, March 9, 2026

https://johnklar.substack.com/p/live-free-or-starve?publication_id=779141&post_id=188851127&isFreemail=true&r=3vwsqx&triedRedirect=true

Live free or starve!
New Hampshire legislators are trying to bring a semblance of freedom back to the meat market.
John Klar
Feb 26, 2026

*** begin quote ***

Where’s the Beef?

By 2023, four companies controlled 85% of the U.S. beef market and 67% of the pork market, and two companies controlled 45% of the chicken market. New Hampshire’s effort to allow its small farmers and citizens to buy and sell freely seeks to counter this dangerous monopolistic trend.

Federal laws and agency regulations that were enacted under the claim of health and safety have instead led to industrial consolidation. Large meatpacking facilities, despite USDA inspections, regularly produce contaminated products.

*** end quote ***

What happened to Sherman Anti-trust laws?

We know that USDA inspections are a joke.  And meat packers are staffed with cheap illegal immigrant labor.

So why not let the States do “regulation”?  Could they do any worse!

— 30 —

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APPLICATION: GOOGLE AUTHENTICATOR

Sunday, March 8, 2026

GOOGLE AUTHENTICATOR on iphone13pro and pixel9a; none for MAC OSX.

Argh!

— 30 —

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INSPIRATIONAL: Dr. Frances Oldham Kelsey just said…”no”

Sunday, March 8, 2026

She just said…”no”

 

Dr. Frances Oldham Kelsey was born on Vancouver Island in 1914, in a small fishing village called Cobble Hill. Her childhood was not one of privilege, but it is said that she threw herself into reading, with a curiosity that could not be contained.

Kelsey won admission to McGill University, where she studied pharmacology. She graduated with honors and was quickly recognized by leading researchers for her meticulous attention to detail.

In the 1930s, discrimination was so baked into academia that when McGill professor E.M.K. Geiling requested a new graduate assistant, the university, assuming “Frances” was a man, sent her name. He was surprised when she arrived, but her work ethic won him over. With Geiling she helped investigate a series of tragic deaths linked to a toxic solvent in a sulfanilamide drug formulation, an early experience that shaped her lifelong insistence on drug safety.

She earned her Ph.D. in 1938 at the University of Chicago, and then a a degree in medicine in 1950, making her a dual-trained physician-pharmacologist.

The Call From Washington

In 1960, at age 45, Kelsey applied for a medical officer position at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The FDA also assumed that “Frances” was a man. But they quickly learned that she was, as one coworker later said, “the toughest reviewer in the place.”

Her very first major assignment seemed routine. She was to review a new sedative widely marketed in Europe for anti-nausea in pregnancy. The drug was called thalidomide, and the review was considered a formality for approval in the United States.

The Woman Who Said No

Kelsey refused to sign off.

She noticed details that others ignored:

  • The company had not provided rigorous U.S. clinical trial data.

  • Peripheral neuropathy was showing up in European patients.

  • Animal studies were incomplete.

  • Most importantly, no one had tested it for effects on pregnancy, despite its heavy use by pregnant women.

By regulation, she could defer approval for thirty days. So as each month rolled around, she put in another deferral. For a new employee, this was a radical thing to do.

For months, the drug company pressured her: phone calls, letters, meetings, repeated complaints to her supervisors. But Kelsey held firm. She had seen what rushed approvals could do. Something about thalidomide felt wrong.

Then, in late 1961, what she feared became a reality: reports poured in from Europe and Australia of babies born with catastrophic limb deformities, a condition called phocomelia, after their mothers took thalidomide early in pregnancy.

National Recognition Came Swiftly

In 1962 President John F. Kennedy awarded her the President’s Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service, one of the highest honors a civilian can receive. Kennedy praised her refusal to bow to commercial pressure and noted that her actions had saved countless families from heartbreak.

Her work also triggered the passage of the 1962 Kefauver-Harris Amendments, which transformed the FDA and made modern drug regulation possible: requiring proof of safety and efficacy, informed consent in clinical trials, and strict oversight of advertising claims.

Unfortunately, this act was diluted by the 1997 FDA Modernization Act (FDAMA) which paved the way for modern advertising, by allowing more direct-to-consumer (DTC) broadcast ads.

A Lifelong Career in Drug Safety

Kelsey continued her work at the FDA for many decades. She led the new drug evaluation office, mentored younger scientists, and remained a fierce advocate for evidence-based medicine.

Even in her 80s, she was still teaching and reviewing cases. At age 90, she retired.

Frances Kelsey lived to be 101. She died in 2015, just two weeks after the Canadian government formally recognized her as a national hero. It only took the Canadian government 55 years to recognize her accomplishments. During her long career, she never received the Nobel Prize in Medicine, as that is reserved for discovering something new, rather than preventing harm.

She never sought fame. She never cashed in her story. She remained, throughout her life, a scientist committed to one principle: patients deserve protection, not assumptions. That informed consent is paramount for patient’s right.

— 30 —

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POLITICAL: If we want less corruption, we need smaller, less intrusive government

Saturday, March 7, 2026

https://reason.com/2026/02/27/fight-government-corruption-with-deregulation/

Fight Government Corruption With Deregulation

  • The world is growing simultaneously more corrupt and bound in red tape. That’s not a coincidence.

J.D. Tuccille | 2.27.2026 7:00 AM

*** begin quote ***

When regulatory systems become dense, opaque, and discretionary, they create perverse incentives for corruption,” Steve Swedberg, a regulatory expert, recently observed for the Competitive Enterprise Institute. “Because corruption is the abuse of public power for private gain, limiting the discretionary power that officials wield is one of the most effective ways to prevent it.”

Swedberg recommends sunsetting regulations—letting them expire after a set time period—and starting from the assumption that rules must be periodically re-justified or else erased from the books. He also wants to limit the costs regulators are allowed to impose on businesses with regulatory budgets.

But whatever the approach used to achieve regulatory reform, anybody concerned about politicians taking payoffs and the rising levels of corruption they see around them needs to consider the culpability of the bureaucratic state. If we want less corruption, we need smaller, less intrusive government.

*** end quote ***

Seems pretty obvious to me.

If we want smaller Gooferment, then we have to keep “mowing the grass” of regulation.

For example, here in the Pepuls Republik of Nu Jerzee, the State Gooferment “deregulated” Marijuana “dispensaries”.   Of course, there are regulations galore and they are sprouting like mushrooms in a wet forest.  With all the pharmacies —  CVS, WalMart, Walgreens, and a slew of small mom ’n’ pop pharmacies —  why did we need to create a new “thing”.

As a little L libertarian, I’m against any type of drug prohibition.  So why couldn’t all these “pharmacies” just be authorize to dispense pot?

Quite frankly, I think they would do a better job, but then how would the politicians and bureaucrats get their “vig” or cut.  

Argh!

— 30 —

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NEWJERSEY: The bureaucrats say”sorry you’re screwed’ — unacceptable

Friday, March 6, 2026

https://local.newsbreak.com/newark-nj/4523831327303-new-jersey-residents-who-rely-on-snap-say-their-moneys-been-swiped?s=dmg_local_email_bucket_13.web2_fromweb&emailId=z64XZlT&uid=-1

Newark
New Jersey residents who rely on SNAP say their money’s been swiped
By Naomi Yané,
11 hours ago

<< EDITOR ADDED DATE 2026-03-05>>

*** begin quote ***

And Wilson isn’t the only one whose card is being used without ever having lost the physical card. A News 12 viewer sent in a video of a line outside the Family Services building in Jersey City with people trying to figure out who was swiping their benefits.

News 12 reached out to the Hudson County Executive’s Office, which said they’ve seen a surge in scams targeting SNAP and Work First New Jersey benefit recipients.

“The Hudson County Law Department, via its Office of Consumer Affairs, will investigate these thefts and will be in contact with state law enforcement officials to provide monetary relief to victims,” a spokesperson for the office wrote in part.

However, a statement from the State Department of Human Services stated in part, “New Jersey is currently unable to use federal or state funds to restore SNAP or Work First New Jersey cash assistance benefits stolen on or after December 21, 2024, unless federal funding and spending authority is reinstated.”

Back in Essex County, Wilson, like many SNAP Benefit recipients, was told to lock her card when it’s not in use. As for her bare cupboards, she’s forced to stretch what’s already there until next month and she’ll likely have to hit a food pantry.

*** end quote ***

Seriously, and what does this person do until the politicians and bureaucrats get off their collective asses and fix it.

I doubt that’s what VISA, MaterCard, or WalMart would say.

Unless they have some reason to suspect fraud by the recipient (happened last month or more than once), they should IMMEDIATELY replace the card with emergency funds.  Or dispense some traditional paper food stamps?

I wouldn’t accept that answer for any of my credit card companies.  Would you?

Argh!

This is completely UNACCEPTABLE!

Argh!

— 30 — 

And why are SNAP cards so vunerable to 

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DISCOURAGING: Colorado Bill Creates New Adult Vaccine Liability Shield

Thursday, March 5, 2026

https://jonfleetwood.substack.com/p/colorado-bill-creates-new-adult-vaccine?publication_id=520511&post_id=189155260&isFreemail=true&r=69c47n&triedRedirect=true

Colorado Bill Creates New Adult Vaccine Liability Shield While Authorizing Pharmacists to Independently Prescribe Vaccines: SB 26-032
Creates legal presumption that vaccine injuries or deaths were not caused by the vaccine.
Jon Fleetwood
Feb 25, 2026

*** begin quote ***

Colorado lawmakers are advancing legislation that would create an entirely new section of state law governing adult vaccination—including a provision establishing a legal presumption that vaccines did not cause an individual’s injury or death unless proven otherwise.

The new Colorado bill comes as U.S. Senator Rand Paul has introduced federal legislation to eliminate the longstanding liability shield protecting vaccine manufacturers, placing the issue of legal immunity for vaccine injuries at the center of active legislative efforts at both the state and federal level.

*** end quote ***

Wonder how much Big Pharma paid for this “gem” in Colorado?

Ignoring the fact of Federal Preemption of State Regulation, how can a legislature be so “tone deaf” to reality?

With the litany of “vaccine” injuries —  and they redefined what a vaccine is —  would not Jenner be shocked to see his work perverted —  how can anyone is their right mind just go along with the “purported science” tell us.

Just a the Gooferment perverted the word “Insurance” and applied it to the Social Security Ponzi sheme that is still crippling up today, so to “vaccine” went from a boon to mankind to a curse by a simple redefinition.

I hope there is a special circle in Hell for these criminals.

— 30 —

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GOVEROTRAGEOUS: As ususal, the Gooferment rushes to ban cell phones in Gooferment Skrules …

Wednesday, March 4, 2026

https://www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2026/02/24/ignoring_the_science_the_curious_case_of_cell_phone_bans_1166538.html?mc_cid=990e08fbcd

realclearinvestigations.com
Ignoring the Science: The Curious Case of Cell Phone Bans
Christopher J. Ferguson
February 24, 2026

*** begin quote ***

Blanket bans on social media can also be harmful because they may offer a fig leaf that covers deeper issues, leaving them unexplored. “Depressive symptoms,” the authors of the 2023 study reported, “may not be directly associated with actual behaviors of regularly using social media but rather with some maladaptive cognitive and affective processes related to social media use.”

*** end quote ***

As ususal, the Gooferment rushes to ban cell phones in Gooferment Skrules … … 

… … when that isn’t the problem?

As before, I continue to believe that the problem is “Gooferment Skrules” and the “Yack In The Box” paradigm.

How many examples do we need of Gooferment “successes” that reinforce the Prussian objective?  Create cannon fodder for the Army, willing morons for the factories, and useful idiots to vote for and be led by the elite!

One room school houses, at home education, Montessori, micro schools, self-directed learning, internships, apprenticeships —  all point the way that the Gooferment is the problem; not the solution.

Argh!

— 30 —

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DISCOURAGING: Antitrust actions led to a major breakup in 1984 and tremendous economic losses

Tuesday, March 3, 2026

https://cordcuttersnews.com/att-marks-150th-anniversary/

AT&T Marks 150th Anniversary as It Shuts Down the Traditional Phone Lines That Made It What It Is Today
By Luke Bouma
on February 25, 2026

*** begin quote ***

Government intervention shaped AT&T’s trajectory in the mid-20th century. Antitrust actions led to a major breakup in 1984, dividing the company into regional operating companies known as the Baby Bells, while AT&T retained long-distance services and equipment manufacturing. Over the subsequent decades, the company navigated deregulation and competition, reacquiring several of its former subsidiaries and expanding into wireless and broadband. Notable developments included the first satellite telephone call in 1962, the implementation of the 911 emergency system in 1968, and the historic call to astronauts on the moon in 1969. In the 1970s, AT&T pioneered fiber-optic cables using advanced lasers and glass fibers, setting the stage for high-speed data transmission.

*** end quote ***

Silently, Gooferment politicians and bureaucrats transformed the old MaBell from a “widows and orphans” stock into a national disaster.  

Maybe it was due for an overhaul but the social and economic cost were staggering. 

Personally, I did ok but I lost a “career” and my Mom lost millions in her stock and savings.  

Many old folks beleived the company’s paternalistic promises to their own detriment. 

Saddest of all was the loss of Bell Labs.  It was a scientific miracle for America.  It was shattered by politicians and bureaucrats who could not see its value to the nation.

So sad.

— 30 —

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RANT: Three US service members killed

Monday, March 2, 2026

https://nypost.com/2026/03/01/world-news/three-us-service-members-killed-5-seriously-wounded-in-operation-epic-fury/?lctg=6080ba40747925275a09dcd3

Three US service members killed, 5 seriously wounded in Operation Epic Fury
By Patrick Reilly
Published March 1, 2026, 10:12 a.m. ET

*** begin quote ***

It’s not clear where the service members were killed.

Iran has attacked US bases across the Middle East in response to the strikes that wiped out much of the Iranian leadership — including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

*** end quote ***

I’m waiting for details.

I hope someone will supply a really <synonym for the act of procreation in real time> good reason why three souls had to die.

And, it better not be because Israel needs “leadership change” in Iran.

I’ve yet to see a bad guy “replaced” with a better guy.

Better the devil you know than the one you don’t.

The Israel lobby seems to dictate to the USA.  That has to stop!

— 30 —

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INSPIRATIONAL: Women’s History Month 2026?

Sunday, March 1, 2026

When Is Women’s History Month 2026?

Women’s History Month has been celebrated every March since it was officially recognized by U.S. Congress in 1987. This date coincides with International Women’s Day, which falls on Saturday, March 8, 2026.

Women’s History Month 2026 will begin on Sunday, March 1st, and conclude on Tuesday, March 31st.

What Are 5 Facts About Women’s History Month?

  1. It started as a single day: Women’s History Month originated as a single Women’s History Day in 1978 in Sonoma County, California, before expanding into a week and eventually a month.
  2. The first official Women’s History Month was in 1987: After years of advocacy, Congress declared March as Women’s History Month in 1987.
  3. Women’s History Month has inspired similar initiatives worldwide: While it began in the United States, countries like Canada and the UK now celebrate their own versions, highlighting the global importance of recognizing women’s contributions.
  4. The month highlights women from all walks of life: Women’s History Month doesn’t only honor well-known female figures – it also celebrates everyday women who have made meaningful contributions to their communities and industries.
  5. Presidents issue annual proclamations: Since 1988, every U.S. president has issued a proclamation recognizing Women’s History Month and its significance.

— 30 —

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ECONOMICS: A great example of “mal-investment”!

Saturday, February 28, 2026

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-15587165/inside-eerie-abandoned-hotel-spain-millions-demolish.html

Inside the eerie abandoned hotel in Spain that will now take millions to demolish – and the scary story behind it
By JOWENA RILEY, TRAVEL WRITER
Published: 20:15 EST, 24 February 2026 | Updated: 20:15 EST, 24 February 2026

*** begin quote ***

A beachfront hotel in Spain that has been lying in ruin for over 50 years has been earmarked for demolition – a project that is expected to cost taxpayers €2.3 million (£2 million).

Hotel Añaza – known locally as the ‘Ghost Hotel’ – has stood as an urban eyesore for over five decades on the coast of Acorán, just south of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

The 22-storey Y-shaped structure, first constructed in 1973, is one of the most notorious abandoned landmarks in the Canary Islands – not just for its haunting appearance, but for the dark history of five lives lost within its walls.

*** end quote ***

I have no idea of the total cost of the loss.  Aside from the demolition and construction, all the costs should include the hopes and dreams of the local population.   The investors take a hair cut; no sympathy there.  But where are the insurers and performance bonds?  Of course, the Gooferment politicians and bureaucrats pay no price.  If anything they claim “successful” regualtion for getting rid of an eyesore and hazard.

Wonder how this will become DJT’s fault?

Argh!

— 30 —

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