Ford Knew How Defective Its Fiesta and Focus Transmissions Were for Years: Report

Saturday, July 13, 2019

I’d call it an open secret in the world of cars but for the fact that everyone knows about it: the dual-clutch transmission in the last-generation Ford Fiesta and Focus was an utter disaster. The gearboxes are plagued with problems like sudden acceleration, sputtering, and slipping into neutral at highway speed.

Source: Ford Knew How Defective Its Fiesta and Focus Transmissions Were for Years: Report

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The worthlessness of Gooferment “regulators”!

And Ford Crony Capitalists equally to blame.

The sharks (i.e., the legal industry) didn’t go all “class action” on them?

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How Right-Hand Drive Japanese Imports Took Over Siberia

Saturday, July 13, 2019

Since the early ’90s, millions of right-hand-drive cars from Japan have found their way into Russia, a country that drives on the right side of the road, just like the U.S. and totally opposite from Japan.That is to say, for these cars, they’re going to operate on the wrong side of the road than what they were designed for.The JDM import industry in Russia peaked in 2008, when over 500,000 second-hand vehicles from Japan were imported. Since then, economic and legal factors have dented the trade, which has declined “ten-fold” in recent years. Unsurprisingly, rumors float that the era of right-hand-drive is slowly coming to an end.

Source: How Right-Hand Drive Japanese Imports Took Over Siberia

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For some reason, I found this funny.  Like the lines: “… drive thru the McDonald’s drive thru in reverse …” and “… pay tolls with a bill extender …”.

Ya can’t make this stuff up.

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Deepfakes Pose Increasing Legal and Ethical Issues for Hollywood | Hollywood Reporter

Saturday, July 13, 2019

“Let’s say [a filmmaker] wanted to do a biographic movie about Heath Ledger, and rather than have an actor play Heath Ledger, they used a digital version,” says Bennett. “We think that would be perfectly fine. Now contrast that example with a [re-created] Heath Ledger becoming the next Captain Jack Sparrow in a Pirates of the Caribbean movie. That wouldn’t be OK. That would threaten actors’ livelihood.”

So it’s not just exploitation. Digital technology also puts jobs at risk.

But, as Bennett acknowledges, if Heath Ledger’s heirs were bequeathed his right of publicity in a will and then licensed it to Disney so a deepfake version of Ledger could play Jack Sparrow, that would be totally fine by law.

In fact, right now, there are only a few A-list actors in Hollywood, and the biggest reason they are not in every film is limitations on their time. But if the technology developments enable them to simply license their name, image and voice and not really spend any time actually on set, wouldn’t that potentially take away jobs? All the roles just might go to Dwayne Johnson and Jennifer Lawrence.

Source: Deepfakes Pose Increasing Legal and Ethical Issues for Hollywood | Hollywood Reporter

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I find this fascinating stuff.

And, it means that you can’t even believe your eyes anymore.

Wow.

Like the unreliability of “eyewitness testimony”, even digital evidence will be suspect.  What happens to DNA evidence as technology improves?

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Project Veritas: 1,000 Google Employees Signed Internal Anti-Breitbart Petition | Breitbart

Thursday, July 11, 2019

“This is important, because Google claims protection under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act,” noted O’Keefe, “Basically, they say they are impartial publishers of content and therefore, not liable for any content they publish, but this document shows they are anything but impartial.”

Source: Project Veritas: 1,000 Google Employees Signed Internal Anti-Breitbart Petition | Breitbart

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If they moderate ANY content, then they are responsible for ALL content.

Let the lawsuits begin!

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Indiana Law Benefiting Gun Owners Goes Into Effect This Month

Thursday, July 11, 2019

AP Photo/Lisa Marie Pane, File If you’re ever involved in a shooting, you can find yourself in the midst of a very traumatic experience. Taking a human life can be devastating all on its own, even in the case of self-defense, but then things can get ugly.

Source: Indiana Law Benefiting Gun Owners Goes Into Effect This Month

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The new law seeks to prevent people from profiting off their jackwagon relatives trying to hurt other people and being put down like rabid dogs. Good.

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This need to spread to all 50 states.

‘I’M AS MAD AS HELL, AND I’M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!’ I want you to get up right now, sit up, go to your windows, open them and stick your head out and yell – ‘I’m as mad as hell and I’m not going to take this anymore!’ Things have got to change. But first, you’ve gotta get mad!… You’ve got to say, ‘I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore!’ Then we’ll figure out what to do about the depression and the inflation and the oil crisis. But first get up out of your chairs, open the window, stick your head out, and yell, and say it: [screaming at the top of his lungs] “I’M AS MAD AS HELL, AND I’M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!” — the character Howard Beale played by Peter Finch in the movie Network (1976)

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TINFOILHAT: Pawn shop employees of Reddit, what is something people think is collectible or worth a lot of money, but is actually relatively worthless? : AskReddit

Thursday, July 11, 2019

Pawn shop employees of Reddit, what is something people think is collectible or worth a lot of money, but is actually relatively worthless?
by inAskReddit

There is a conspiracy theory I read in a vintage sewing machine group that the real reason you see older Singer machines pop up for insane prices from time to time is because it’s a money laundering scheme. You put the ad up, mark it a few days later as sold, screenshot it incase the IRS comes looking, put the money in a legit bank account and toss the $15 machine you just “sold” for $1500 into the trash.After watching ads for a few months I’m beginning to think there is something to it.

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Interesting!

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The Obituary for Western Civilization Can Now Be Written, by Paul Craig Roberts – The Unz Review

Thursday, July 11, 2019

Of course, all of these decadent European countries have gun control laws, but nevertheless, the recent invaders are armed. I have heard nothing from the gun control lobby about disarming them. Try to imagine what would happen to a Swede who stuck a gun’s barrel into the mouth of a privileged invader. No chance of that. The spirit of the Vikings is stone dead in Scandinavia. The cowards even look the other way when their women are gang raped.

Source: The Obituary for Western Civilization Can Now Be Written, by Paul Craig Roberts – The Unz Review

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What a tragic assessment of the current “refugee” problem.

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GUNS: A modest suggestion to DJT45 mailed this morning

Thursday, July 11, 2019

2019-Jul-11

President Donald J. Trump
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Re: A suggestion about “gun violence”

Dear Mr. President:

May I respectfully suggest one action that you can take immediately to cut down on crime and gun violence?

Ask the Attorney General to survey all the Deputy Attorney Generals each month and report how many “Felon In Possession” convictions each one has “concluded”. Every month, “invite” the lowest performer to personally come and explain to you why they are on the bottom of the list. If you don’t like what you hear or the same individual shows up again, then thank them for their service and accept their resignation. Very simple. Very efficient. And, I believe very effective. As a business executive, you know that no one will want to face the boss under those types of conditions.

Now I am just a retired IT executive, who’s an NRA and GOA member, and I believe that all responsible gun owners would cheer that someone is doing something about the “problem” that focus on the criminals. And, since those criminals are “street smart”, I believe they will suddenly pay attention to not to be “in possession”.

Yes, I voted for you in the last election on the hope you’d get the US out of Afghanistan. Next election, it looks to me that Tulsi Gabbard might be my choice to make peace. Maybe she should be your running mate?

Respectfully
Ferdinand J. Reinke

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Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act

Wednesday, July 10, 2019

What is the SECURE Act?The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act is a bipartisan bill designed to aid Americans’ ability to save for retirement. The bill seeks to improve the country’s retirement prospects. The bill passed the House of Representatives in a 417-3 vote.

Source: Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act

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Why do I suspect that “We, The Sheeple” are getting screwed?

Where’s the sword behind the matador’s cape?

No way all these folks would agree on something unless there is an ulterior motive.

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https://www.marketwatch.com/story/beware-the-irs-is-eyeing-your-inherited-money-2019-07-15

“Now for the bad news. If it becomes law, the SECURE Act would require most non-spouse IRA and retirement plan beneficiaries to drain inherited accounts within 10 years after the account owner’s death.”

I told you to suspect something bad was coming!

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Ridgecrest earthquake mystery: Why so little destruction from huge temblors? – Los Angeles Times

Wednesday, July 10, 2019

And because they are newer, the single-family homes in Ridgecrest lacked the vulnerability of many Southern California and Bay Area pre-1980 wood-frame houses built with a handful of steps above the ground. Sharp shaking can snap the wood supports connecting such homes to their foundations. A retrofit to brace and bolt the structure can cost several thousands of dollars — but repairing the problem after a quake can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Source: Ridgecrest earthquake mystery: Why so little destruction from huge temblors? – Los Angeles Times

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Now that’s an interesting factoid and something property owners would be well advised to remedy.  Wonder if their property insurance rates reflect this risk?  Be dumb if the insurance companies don’t action that item!

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