RANT: Good bye “penny candy” as the Gooferment forces us to recognize inflation

Saturday, May 31, 2025

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/yourmoney/article-14739561/US-Treasury-gives-final-decisions-pennies-creates-new-problem.html

US Treasury gives final decisions on pennies…. and it creates a new problem
By ALICE WRIGHT FOR DAILYMAIL.COM
Published: 09:45 EDT, 22 May 2025 | Updated: 11:50 EDT, 22 May 2025 

*** begin quote ***

One cent coins will stop entering circulation next year. 

After more than two centuries the US government has finally decided to kill the penny.

The Treasury Department will stop minting new pennies and putting them in to circulation by early next year.

*** end quote ***

Now will “We, The Sheeple” recognize that the Federal Reserve … …

The Federal Reserve Bank is a misnomer. IT ain’t “federal”. It reserves nothing. And, it ain’t a “bank”. It is a private cartel of the elite banks run for their benefit and that of the entrenched politicians.

… … has printed so many “dollars” that the resultant inflation has devalued the “dollar” by 95% since about 1970.

That’s why there is no more “penny candy”, “nickel cigars”, “dime comic books”, or “quarter a gallon gas”.

Remember in history when the dollar was “as good as gold”.  From 1870 to 1913, we had a gold backed dollar and prices went down as the standard of living went up.

Then, arguably, the second or third worst President FDR took the dollar off the gold standard,  allowed the Federal Reserve to take over “money”, and passed the “income tax”.  This started the USA down the road to perdition.

Here’s one of the signs that it’s going to get a lot worse.

Save in gold and silver.  Avoid anything denominated in dollars.  

Beans, Band Aids, Bullets, and Bullion.

Semper Paratus

—30—

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HISTORICAL: Narvik: Hitler’s First Defeat

Friday, May 30, 2025

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9737876/

Narvik: Hitler’s First Defeat

2022 1h 48m Drama / History

*** begin quote ***   

April 1940. The eyes of the world are on Narvik, a small town in northern Norway, source of the iron ore needed for Hitler’s war machinery. Through two months of fierce winter warfare, Hitler is dealt his first defeat.

*** end quote ***

From a civilian Mom’s pov.

Essentially, she is faced with a Sophie’s choice decision.

Not to spoil it, you learn that you have to decide for yourself what is your best course of action for you and yours.

Hard to criticize anyone who is not living through the decision.

Politics aside, it also teaches that you can’t trust politicians and bureaucrats!

—30—

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ENGINEERING: Almost all of our infrastructure has this corrosion problem

Thursday, May 29, 2025

https://news.mit.edu/2025/allium-engineering-enables-100-year-bridges-corrosion-resistant-steel-0520?utm_source=join1440&utm_medium=email&utm_placement=newsletter&user_id=66c4b9c55d78644b3a882a4d

Startup enables 100-year bridges with corrosion-resistant steel

  • Allium Engineering, founded by two MIT alumni, has developed a process for improving steel rebar to triple the lifetime of bridges and other infrastructure.

Zach Winn, MIT News

Publication Date: May 21, 2025 

*** begin quote ***

Now Allium Engineering, founded by two MIT PhDs, is tripling the lifetime of bridges and other structures with a new technology that uses a stainless steel cladding to make rebar resilient to corrosion. By eliminating corrosion, infrastructure lasts much longer, fewer repairs are required, and carbon emissions are reduced. The company’s technology is easily integrated into existing steelmaking processes to make America’s infrastructure more resilient, affordable, and sustainable over the next century.

*** and ***

Allium is also experimenting with other cladding materials and composites. Down the line, Jepeal sees Allium’s tech being used for things beyond rebar like train tracks, steel beams, and pipes. But he stresses the company’s focus on rebar will keep it busy for the foreseeable future.

“Almost all of our infrastructure has this corrosion problem, so it’s the biggest problem we could imagine solving with our set of skills,” Jepeal says. “Tunnels, bridges, roads, industrial buildings, power plants, chemical factories — all of them have this problem.”

*** end quote ***

Considering that the Gooferment is up to “its elbows” in bridge construction, it’s no wonder that the bridges are falling down.  If an entrepreneur was “selling bridges”, then we would have bridges that would last virtually forever.  But politicians and bureaucrats have no incentive to solve the problems of the world. 

Argh!

—30—

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Posted by reinkefj

BITCOIN: OPSEC with your ₿itcoin holdings

Wednesday, May 28, 2025

https://blog.bitbox.swiss/en/dont-talk-about-your-bitcoin/?utm_source=brevo&utm_campaign=BitBoxNewsEN039&utm_medium=email

Bitcoin

Don’t talk about your bitcoin!

Why operational security and being mindful with whom you share information is an important aspect of Bitcoin security.

Sebastian

22 May 2025 • 6 min read

*** begin quote ***

Avoid bragging

Putting the altruistic idea of peer-to-peer cash aside, Bitcoin has been a great asset to own over the last few years when it comes to return on investment. Many have purchased their coins at significantly lower prices than we see today, and some may even consider themselves rich now – and that’s great!

However, this high financial success can also result in a need to share the story with family members, friends or even strangers. First and foremost, you should be aware of when this “desire to brag” comes up and stay on top of it. It may be perfectly fine to share the fact that you own bitcoin with a close friend, but it may be out-of-line to share how much bitcoin you own with a stranger in a café, where even more strangers might be listening in. Of course, this entirely depends on your personal situation and how you value your privacy at any given moment.

In any case, bragging about your wealth is rarely a good idea, especially in front of strangers. The main reason for this is how difficult it can be to accurately predict what the other person is gonna do with the information that, for example, you “own six figures in bitcoin”. They may forget it five minutes later, but they might also start to envy you, develop negative feelings – or in the worst case, come up with a plan on how to get a slice of the pie!

Even if you do want to tease your friends and family a bit with your “Bitcoin gains”, it’s probably better to do so in a private environment and without revealing too many specifics. This is not to say you shouldn’t trust anyone at all, but to be more aware of who you entrust with what information.

*** end quote ***

No one needs to know about your bitcoin holdings except the executor of your estate.

One of the more interesting USE CASEs of ₿ is the ability to transfer assets without the Gooferment involvement.  And, this is important even if you’re NOT in a Third World Country.  Here in the USA, the IRS wants you to report all capital gains.  Even in ₿!  They have coerced the various Crypto Exchanges to cooperate by rating you out to the IRS under KYC rules.

Remember not your keys; not your coins.  

AND

TRUST NO ONE, EVER.

—30—

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LIBERTY: End the TSA and the FAA; let the airlines “do” security

Tuesday, May 27, 2025

https://internationalman.com/articles/the-day-freedom-ends/

The Day Freedom Ends
by Jeff Thomas

<< EDITOR ADDED DATE 2025-05-20>>

*** begin quote ***

Temporary Becomes Permanent

Sounds Orwellian. And of course, it is. It worked well for others (Messrs. Hitler and Stalin come to mind), and if a population is properly prepped (as Americans have been), it should be accepted. After all, it’s for the sake of safety and will only be temporary, right?

Possibly not. As Milton Friedman so correctly stated, “Nothing is so permanent as a temporary government program.” So, if the above premise seems to the reader to be the logical outcome of the present direction of the government, what of the timing? Well, if we observe the rapidity at which the US is implementing its controls and we hazard a guess as to when they will become so overbearing that a dramatic event is necessary before full lockdown can be implemented, the reader can make his own guess. A year? Two years? Longer?

*** end quote ***

Seems like a great time to end the TSA.  DOGE likes to nuke whole functions; turn them lose on the TSA.

If El Al can do their own security, why not all the other airlines.

And, while we’re at it, why should Gooferment run airports and Air Traffic Control?  Let’s turn that over to the airlines as well.  #endtheFAA

That’s a lot of overhead that can be better managed that with Gooferment politicians and bureaucrats involved.

I think FedEX and UPS would like to have voice in “air travel” and I bet they are not using obsolete systems on 1950’s hardware and COBOL/CICS.

Argh!

—30—

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VETERANS: Never forget what this day is supposed to be about

Monday, May 26, 2025

Words can’t describe the sacrifices made.

—30—

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ConspiracyTheories: Jean Paul Luwig or Barak Hussein Obama? SSN# 042-68-4425

Sunday, May 25, 2025

NewsBarron (@Barron🇺🇸) posted: Well, Well, Well,

Jean Paul Luwig or Barak Hussein Obama? SSN# 042-68-4425

An intensive investigation has revealed the identity of the man whose Social Security Number (SSN) is being used by Barak Obama:

Jean Paul Ludwig, who was born in France in 1890,immigrated to the United https://x.com/_newsbarron/status/1924191340201734447?s=51&t=fNifJ9M-EU2FgGneNcz51w

# – # – # – # – # 

On Sun, May 18, 2025 at 10:18 PM My Favorite Luddite wrote:

“Born in Kenya”

[JR: A very succinct statement!]  

# – # – # – # – # 

As a Conspiracy Theorist, I think this a “Likely” and “Political”.

Checking the Conspiracy Theorist “thermometer” — I think it’s overwhelmed by all the myriad of crimes committed by the Political Class. It’s almost like “Conspiracy Theory” fatigue. So many are true and there is never anything done about it.

So, for example, the “autopen” Conspiracy Theory sucks all the “air” out past Conspiracy Theories.

“We, The Sheeple” don’t know what to believe and even if they did believe nothing appears to be able to be done.

Trump just “resurrected” the one about all the Hillary suicides; but, after a brief flash of Twitter outrage, business goes on as usual. Chelsea’s wedding and house grift out of USAID for Haiti gets similarly ignored.

Guess I should create a list on this blog of ConspiracyTheories and a link to my post about them? 

—30—

 

 

 

On Sun, May 18, 2025 at 10:18 PM John Francois <dude51_97@yahoo.com> wrote:

 

    Born in Kenya

 

    Sent from my iPad

 

> On May 18, 2025, at 7:36 PM, reinkefj via gmail <reinkefj@gmail.com> wrote:

>

>      

> _NewsBarron (@Barron🇺🇸) posted: Well, Well, Well,

> Jean Paul Luwig or Barak Hussein Obama? SSN# 042-68-4425

>

> An intensive investigation has revealed the identity of the man whose

> Social Security Number (SSN) is being used by Barak Obama:

>

> Jean Paul Ludwig, who was born in France in 1890,immigrated to the United https://x.com/_newsbarron/status/1924191340201734447?s=51&t=fNifJ9M-EU2FgGneNcz51w

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PRODUCTIVITY: Another free dikw (i.e., data, information, knowledge, wisdom) source — free of course

Saturday, May 24, 2025

https://makeuseof.tradepub.com/?

*** begin quote ***

My Library

Browse your personal collection of resources. Hosted content can be accessed by clicking “Open Now.” Content hosted on other sites is marked as “Requested.” Please contact the content creator directly for access.

Windows 11 , ChatGPT, iPhone Help, Gaming Tips, Facebook Help, Avoiding Scams, Emojis Explained, Free Movie Streaming 

*** end quote ***

Require a “work address” but I’m not sure how that’s enforced.

FWIW YMMV

—30—

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RANT: “Hard Back Press” and Amazon are selling old scanned books; who has the copyright?

Friday, May 23, 2025

https://www.amazon.com/Line-Mans-Bible-Foot-Ball-Instruction/dp/0371724171?&linkCode=sl1&tag=stucosuccess-20&linkId=bc86c9a014f89e03bf2127d551eb5a42&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

The Line Man’s Bible: a Foot-Ball Text Book of Detailed Instruction Paperback – August 12, 2021

by Ernest Graves (Author)

# – # – # – # – # 

FROM AMAZON

This is a copy of the original book. In this series, we are bringing old books back into print using our own state-of-the-art techniques. Generally, these books are created from careful scans of the original. This allows us to preserve the book accurately and present it in the way that the author intended. However, as we are working with old material, so occasionally there may be certain imperfections within the text. We are so pleased to ensure these classics are available again for generations to come. 

# – # – # – # – # 

Copyright by Ernest Graves in 1921

# – # – # – # – # 

By my understanding, this should now be in the Public Domain.

Yet, “Hard Back Press” and Amazon are selling it.

Are they asserting a copyright?

I’m confused.  Can I take old out of copyright books and sell them as well?

—30—

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SURVIVAL: Someone trying to win a “Darwin Award”!

Thursday, May 22, 2025

https://nypost.com/2025/05/16/us-news/tiffany-slaton-survives-getting-lost-in-sierra-nevada-for-3-weeks-thanks-to-unlocked-cabin/

Lost hiker missing for 3 weeks in Calif. mountains survives — thanks to cabin left unlocked for this exact reason
By David Propper 
Published May 16, 2025, 12:47 a.m. ET

*** begin quote ***

A lost hiker missing for three weeks in the California mountains miraculously survived when she stumbled upon an unlocked cabin that had been left open by its owner for this exact situation — and was rescued just in time to celebrate her 28th birthday.

Georgia woman Tiffany Slaton found shelter at a closed resort in the eastern Sierra Nevada range after she was initially reported missing on April 29, authorities said.

*** and ***

He typically leaves the cabin doors open while the resort is closed during the off-season in case a wayward hiker needs a place to crash amid harsh weather conditions like blizzards.

“It’s mainly for people, just as this scenario played out, if they need to hole up in there one of shelter then it’s available,” Gutierrez said.

Slaton, who hails from Jeffersonville in the Peach State, told Gutierrez she survived for weeks solely munching on leeks before the resort owner fed her a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

“It was a blizzard, and she pushed through that blizzard, and the first thing she saw was a cabin,” said Gutierrez. “And she held up in the cabin overnight … this girl was saved for the reason.”

*** end quote ***

Needs more details.  

If you leave the cabin unlocked, then you should leave some food and communications gear.

Happy she survived, but the story is incomplete.

Who goes hiking without gear?

Answer: Someone trying to win a “Darwin Award”!

I hope there is some follow up.

—30—

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SOFTWARE: Found a strange software bug but don’t know who to blame

Wednesday, May 21, 2025

SOFTWARE: Found a strange software bug but don’t know who to blame

I downloaded my EKG from MYCHART into my MACOSX Sequoia 15.5 using FIREFOX 138.0.3 (aarch64).

No problem.

Went to attach it to an email.  Problem.  File’s not there?

Fist time in a long time I was befuddled.

Repeat the process.

“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” — attributed to Einstein, Ben Franklin, and Rita Mae Brown

Same result.

Restart. Rinse and repeat.  Same result.

“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” — attributed to Einstein, Ben Franklin, and Rita Mae Brown

Try SAFARI version 18.5 (20621.2.5.11.8)

Rinse and repeat.  Same result.

“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting diffe rent results.” — attributed to Einstein, Ben Franklin, and Rita Mae Brown

Since I echo all my stuff into DROPBOX 224.4.4811 and the file is there as expected.

Attached it to my email and away it goes.

Now really confused.

Go back to FINDER version 15.5 and … …

<drum roll>

It’s there.

Argh!

I don’t know who to blame.

“It is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma; but perhaps there is a key.”  — Sir Winston Churchill, in a radio broadcast in October 1939

I guess I’ll never know!

—30—

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POLITICAL: Who was Biden’s physician and who was paying him?

Tuesday, May 20, 2025

FOUND VIA:

https://survivalblog.com/2025/05/14/survivalblog-readers-editors-snippets-212/

SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets
James Wesley Rawles May 14, 2025

Tip of the hat to: JWR

# – # – # – # – # 

https://thelibertydaily.com/joe-biden-biggest-cover-up-american-history/

Joe Biden and the Biggest Cover-Up in American History. 

 By Jeff Crouere • May. 5, 2025 

*** begin quote ***

“Of course, the real problem was that Biden would have failed any type of honest cognitive test, which would have exposed his incompetence and his unsuitability for the world’s most demanding job, President of the United States.

Thus, his aides were attempting to cover up what was obvious for all Americans to see that Biden was not fit to be President. He belonged as a resident of a nursing home receiving treatment for his age-related illnesses, not living on 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

While Biden’s mental decline was being hidden by his staff and his physician, Special Counsel Robert Hur was not so forgiving. In his report on Biden’s mishandling of classified documents, Hur refused to indict him because he believed a jury would be sympathetic to a ‘well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.’

*** end quote ***

Who was Biden’s physician and who was paying him?

If it was the Taxpayer, then when will that person be indicted for fraud and their license to practice medicine revoked.

What about any attorney who had contact with Biden and made any statement about his competence?  Should be referred the appropriate Bar Associations.

When about any of his staff and any statements they made about his competence?  They should be publicly identified and rebuked.  Same for any of the media members!

Argh!

It’s a national disgrace.

Time for term limits, age limits, and citizenship requirements for politicians and bureaucrats!

—30—

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RANT: Google-driven search tools have somehow changed their algorithms in some way, deterring folks from seeing SurvivalBlog

Monday, May 19, 2025

https://survivalblog.com/2025/05/14/survivalblog-readers-editors-snippets-212/

*** begin quote ***

I noticed that SurvivalBlog site visits took a dive, starting on April 20th. Apparently, Google and other Google-driven search tools have somehow changed their algorithms in some way, deterring folks from seeing SurvivalBlog when they search for preparedness information. To compensate for this recent drop in visits, I’d like to ask a favor of my regular readers: Please let your cousins, friends, co-workers, fellow church congregants, and shootin’ buddies know about SurvivalBlog. Please tell them that we now have more than 40,000 archived articles, columns, and quotes — all freely available. Thanks! – JWR

*** end quote ***

It’s really sad when Google goes to the “dark side”.  Weren’t they the non-evil folks?  

All I want from a search engine is a prejudiced-free collection of links.  I don’t mind if they throw one or two ads at the top as long as they are identified as ads.

Argh!

This seems like bias to me.

—30— 

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NEWJERSEY: Why don’t we have competition in energy?

Sunday, May 18, 2025

https://patch.com/new-jersey/southbrunswick/s/jbt17/major-announcement-as-nj-braces-for-large-increase-in-electric-rates?utm_source=alert-breakingnews

Major Announcement As NJ Braces For Large Increase In Electric Rates | Across New Jersey, NJ Patch

  • Gov. Phil Murphy’s announcement comes less than a month before a statewide rate hike scheduled to begin on June 1.

Megan VerHelst, Patch StaffVerified Patch Staff Badge
Posted Wed, May 14, 2025 at 10:36 am ET Updated Wed, May 14, 2025 at 12:36 pm ET

*** begin quote ***

NEW JERSEY — Gov. Phil Murphy unveiled a series of executive actions on Wednesday that he said will help New Jersey residents manage electric costs ahead of a rate hike scheduled to begin on June 1.

The announcement comes two weeks after the state Board of Public Utilities (BPU) said it would require New Jersey’s four electric utility companies — Atlantic City Electric, PSE&G, Jersey Central Power & Light and Rockland Energy — to come up with plans to mitigate overall bill impacts to residential customers during high usage summer months.

The state also asked the utility companies to defer rate increases until later in the year during lower-usage months, as well as identify other opportunities to stabilize rates and provide cost-saving opportunities wherever possible.

*** end quote ***

20% increase thanks to the Pepuls Republik of Nu Jerzee Gooferment.

Argh!

One can only hope that the politicians and bureaucrats responsible for this and their “green energy” policies get swept out of power.

Argh!

Why don’t we have competition in energy?

Clearly, the BPU ain’t looking out for the consumer.

—30—

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ENCOURAGING: A modern internet eqivalent of the Library at Alexandria

Saturday, May 17, 2025

https://standardebooks.org/blog/a-kind-of-bolshevism-in-an-uncanny-bookshop

Free ebooks in this post

  •     The Haunted Bookshop, by Christopher Morley
  •     Madame Bovary, by Gustave Flaubert. Translated by Eleanor Marx-Aveling
  •     The Practice and Theory of Bolshevism, by Bertrand Russell
  •     The Story of Utopias, by Lewis Mumford
  •     Disenchantment, by C. E. Montague

# – # – # – # – # 

Here’s a great resource for out of copyright books.  At a price everyone can afford  — free.  All the books I was supposed to read in high school and a few from grammar school.  This is like the Library at Alexandria before the fire.  A virtual treasure of dikw (i.e., data, information, knowledge, wisdom) for free.  Stunning.

And yes, I have put my money where my mouth is and contributed. So in that way I’m biased.

Besides how else would I reread the Hardy Boys of my earliest reads.  Now if Heinlein’s copyright would ever expire my internet blogging / email life would be over.

Laugh!

No such luck for you poor “usual suspects”.

—30—

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GOVEROTRAGEOUS: Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is unscientific and killing birds for no good reason

Friday, May 16, 2025

https://www.thefocalpoints.com/p/canada-orders-mass-culling-of-400?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

Canada Orders Mass Culling of 400 Research Ostriches Over Bird Flu, Refuses to Test Surviving Birds for Natural Immunity

  • Farmers face fines and jail time for seeking independent testing as the Canadian Food Inspection Agency fights to reinstate the culling order.

Nicolas Hulscher, MPH  —  Mar 11, 2025

*** begin quote ***

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has ordered the culling of 400 ostriches at Universal Ostrich Farm in British Columbia, citing concerns over H5N1 bird flu. However, this decision is not based on sound science and could have serious consequences for both food security and medical research.

*** and ***

Lack of Transparency and Scientific Process – Despite the importance of this research, the CFIA has refused to conduct further testing on the birds and has banned the farm from conducting its own tests, under threat of heavy fines and possible imprisonment. Why is the Canadian government refusing to study the potential antibodies ostriches have developed against H5N1 bird flu?

*** end quote ***

One has to wonder where the Gooferment gets off on its “wild goose”  —  in this case ostrich — chases?  

I can imagine a conference room fill of bureaucrats sitting around trying to justify their paychecks.  Hard to imagine ANY value coming out of that room.  

In the mean time, the farmers on the ground are in a much better position to dictate the course of action.

Argh!

I hate politicians and bureaucrats.

—30—

 

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ECONOMICS: in libya, stable coins get a better exchange rate than the U$D?

Thursday, May 15, 2025

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1922004098192494598.html?utm_source=tldrcrypto

@tikhbana

May 12 • 1 tweets • 1 min read •

Read on X

*** begin quote ***

had a call with a freelancer in tripoli, libya last week

he found us by asking perplexity:

“how do i send an invoice where my client pays by card and i receive crypto?”

we got on a call. he said he uses stablecoins because shops in libya will swap them for cash at a better rate than USD. but his client don’t want to pay in stables, but he wants to receive it. so he needed a way to bridge that.

then he said:

“getting paid in stablecoins is like your client handing you cash, instantly, across a border.”

*** end quote ***

here’s an interesting factoid about the U$D and stable coins.  in libya, stable coins get a better exchange rate than the U$D?

Very interesting to me.  A use case for stable coins in international trade?

So if you’re going overseas or on an international cruise, then carrying some stable coins makes sense.

How will the various Gooferments enforce “money laundering” or “capital controls” when there’s nothing to show that value or wealth is crossing the boundary?

The use case for ₿ (bitcoin) of that Ukrainian crossing into Poland (I think that was the fact) with the clothes he had on and his memorized 24 words.  

Demonstrates the freedom of ₿ and crypto in general.

YMMV

—30—

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HEALTH: But I like hot dogs and sausage … …

Wednesday, May 14, 2025

https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2025/05/13/ultraprocessed-foods-cardiovascular-deaths.aspx?ui=f9839516412491bb1e06c9e47058c6fb81b9b9b6acedf03e65e93dfdb263c1b9&sd=20210317&cid_source=dnl&cid_medium=email&cid_content=art1HL&cid=20250513&foDate=false&mid=DM1746242&rid=291736034 

Ultraprocessed Foods Linked to 4 in 10 Cardiovascular Deaths and Increased Mortality Risk
Analysis by Dr. Joseph Mercola   
May 13, 2025

*** begin quote ***

Story at-a-glance

  • Nearly 38% of cardiovascular deaths in Canada are linked to ultraprocessed foods. These products contribute to 96,000 new heart disease cases and 17,400 deaths each year
  • Eating just one additional daily serving of ultraprocessed food raises your risk of obesity by 7%, abdominal fat by 5%, and Type 2 diabetes by 12%
  • Ultraprocessed foods increase cognitive decline risk by 16% and stroke risk by 8%, with the strongest effects seen in Black participants
  • Processed meat products like hot dogs and deli meats are linked to a 43% higher risk of death from neurodegenerative diseases and a 13% higher all-cause mortality risk
  • Even small amounts of ultraprocessed food trigger inflammation, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction that accelerate aging and drain your energy daily

Ultraprocessed foods dominate grocery store shelves today in the form of frozen dinners, packaged snacks, and fast-food items. While they offer convenience, they are engineered to hijack your appetite and flood your system with harmful compounds. These products, stripped of real nutrition and loaded with additives, trans fats, and artificial ingredients, are slowly clogging your arteries and setting you up for a heart attack or stroke.

According to a recent study, nearly 38% of all cardiovascular disease deaths in Canada are directly linked to ultraprocessed food consumption. 

*** end quote ***

OK OK ok, I am a believer.  But I still like hot dogs.  Don’t eat them anywhere as near as used too but old habits are hard to break.

Luckily my significant other is pescatarian who likes to cook; so I get lots of “good for me food” that’s very tasty.

We’ll see if that helps me make it to 132 (to steal back all the social security dollars “they” stole from me  — ignoring the time value of money!).

Diet-wise I’ve been doing better and losing some weight and keeping it off.

My target is 175  — the weight I was in the military  —  so I have long way to go but I have all the time in world.  Laugh!  Or so I think.  (Remember the fellow who said “think of your age in decades?  So I’m only 7!)

YMMV but what’s the harm in trying to avoid soda and UPF (ultra processed foods)?

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ECONOMICS: Just End The Fed now for good

Monday, May 12, 2025

https://x.com/rickydoggin/status/1902482549609545959?s=51&t=fNifJ9M-EU2FgGneNcz51w

G. Edward Griffin, author of the legendary “The Creature From Jekyll Island,” outlines seven compelling reasons why the Federal Reserve should be abolished. 

1) It is incapable of accomplishing its stated objectives.

2) It is a cartel operating against the public interest.

3) It is the supreme instrument of usury.

4) It generates our most unfair tax.

5) It encourages war.

6) It destabilizes the economy.

7) It is an instrument of totalitarianism.

# – # – # – # – # 

As Ron Paul pointed out, the fiat money steal wealth from the poor, those on fixed income, and the young trying get ahead.

My particular gripe is with the “2% inflation target” that devalues our savings.  The Ponzi scheme of “Social Security Insurance” (what a joke)  — while transfer wealth from poor minority men to rich white women  —  take my dollars in “contributions” and returns inflation ravaged “dollars” decades later that are worth a few pennies in purchasing power.  Argh!

Wake up people!

When we were on a gold standard, prices deflated, savings were easy in gold coins, and life was predictable.  Now with fiat dollars (it’s a dollar because the Gooferment says it is), the Gooferment gets an endless spending spree, forever wars, and welfare to but votes.

Sigh!

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RANT: What happened to Intego Mac Podcast?

Sunday, May 11, 2025

One day they just signed off.  

Where will I get my Mac Security information?

Argh!

What happened?  Did @intego pull their funding?  Argh!

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SECURITY: SMS is not a good 2FA (Second Factor Authentication)

Saturday, May 10, 2025

https://www.makeuseof.com/security-apps-protect-your-data/?utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=MUO-202505090800&utm_source=MUO-NL&user=cmVpbmtlZmpAZ21haWwuY29t&lctg=7e6c3cd411d6a815afa18582d54bd455914c43c5f69df1448b8ec20ee4959f71

Install These 5 Security Apps Now to Protect Your Data
Jowi Morales

<< EDITOR ADDED DATE 2025-05-07>>

*** begin quote ***

Authenticator

Usernames and passwords are no longer as secure as you might think; that’s why you should switch to two-factor authentication (2FA)to help secure your online access. You can easily set this up on most accounts, including your accounts on Google, Meta, and more, ensuring that any potential hacker who has compromised your username and password combination still needs a one-time password to gain access.

However, we don’t recommend using SMS for your 2FA code because of its many disadvantages. For example, if you’ve been specifically targeted by personal identity thieves, they can trick your mobile provider into transferring your number to a SIM card that they have (called SIM swap), meaning they will receive your OTP codes on their device. Furthermore, SMS messages can be intercepted, meaning someone targeting you can easily steal your OTPs even if you did not lose access to your SIM card. And if you lose your phone signal (or your service provider runs into problems), you won’t get your codes and will be unable to access your accounts.

*** end quote ***

Personally, I use Google Authenticator. But I have AUTHY, LASTPASS, and BITWARDEN. Can’t say I prefer one over another, but given how stuff gets “deprecated” (i.e., abandoned), I’m ready to switch.

I have a running debate with my bank about their use of SMS.  So far, I’m losing but I’m still nagging.

Argh!

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ENCOURAGING: a team of ~50 make a “triple play”

Friday, May 9, 2025

https://nypost.com/2025/05/07/health/10-year-old-heart-transplant-patient-saves-lives-of-two-toddlers/

Hero 10-year-old heart transplant patient pays it forward — to save the lives of two toddlers
By Diana Bruk  — Published May 7, 2025, 6:00 a.m. ET

*** begin quote ***

Doctors at New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital performed an extremely rare series of surgeries in July that changed the lives of three children forever. 

A heart from a deceased donor was transplanted into 10-year-old Hend Almesafri, who paid it forward by then providing her pulmonary valve to John Catoliato, 2, and her aortic valve to Teddy Carter, 3. 

*** end quote ***

Again a team of ~50 make a “triple play” IMHO.  Three beautiful babies all getting a new lease on a real life without the future of more surgeries in the future.

Really amazing.

Just goes to show you what humans are capable of when someone really “makes it happen”.

I don’t care what it cost because it’s time, attention, and resources well spent.

Now let’s focus on the “lessons learned” and AAR (after action reports).  

How can we as a society of caring responsible adults make this the norm rather than the “news”?

I pray this inspires everyone to look around to make their own “miracles”.

Dona Nobis Pacem

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HEALTHCARE: Time to repeal ’86 SHIELD ACT

Thursday, May 8, 2025

https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2025/05/04/whats-the-real-story-behind-vaccines.aspx

What’s the Real Story Behind Vaccines?
Analysis by Dr. Joseph Mercola  —  May 04, 2025

*** begin quote ***

The 1986 Act shields vaccine manufacturers from lawsuits, which may reduce their incentive to conduct thorough safety testing. This could influence your health decisions, encouraging you to research vaccine safety independently to protect your well-being.

*** end quote ***

“MAY”?

Are you kidding me?

It’s apparent that “ACT” alone is responsible for BIG PHARMA’s failure to do ANY safety testing.

And the number of childhood vaccinations “required” has exploded from a few to almost 100.

Sorry, but RFK jr, for all his wild ideas, is NOT automatically wrong to point out that AUTISM rates are skyrocketing and COVID vaxes are killing us.

Time to repeal ’86 SHIELD ACT.

Let the vaccine injured have their day in court.  Where’s an “Erin Brockovitch” bitching about the fate of all those harmed?

Argh!

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MEME: When “We, The Sheeple” wake up?

Wednesday, May 7, 2025

molṑn labé”

An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life.” — Robert A. Heinlein

UntitledImage

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ENCOURAGING: Bicycle Refurbishers Pedal Good to the World for 26 years

Tuesday, May 6, 2025

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/chicago-bicycle-refurbishers-pedal-good-to-the-world-for-26-years-with-150000-bikes-saved-from-landfills/?utm_campaign=newsletters&utm_medium=weekly_mailout&utm_source=29-04-2025

Chicago Bicycle Refurbishers Pedal Good to the World for 26 Years With 150,000 Bikes Saved from Landfills
By Andy Corbley – Apr 24, 2025 

*** begin quote ***

Working Bikes, located at 2434 S. Western Ave in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood, has seen an awful lot of bikes pass through its doors; pulling them from landfills, picking them up off the curbside, or accepting them from community members. Over 150,000 have been repaired since the registered 501(c)3 got its wheels turning in 1999.

12% of all the bikes they restored are sold in the Working Bikes storefront. 15% meanwhile are donated right back to the people of Chicago through local program partners that will ensure they arrive in the hands of people in need of transportation.

The whole operation is volunteer-supported: anyone can come in and fix a bike or learn how. A few dedicated employees ensure that salable models are in excellent condition, or boast unique designs and features.

*** end quote ***

I love the international economic chain that they have created.  Micro-loans to buyers and training local talent  — here and overseas  — in repair and maintenance.

That’s America in action!

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GOVEROTRAGEOUS: Once wildlife center should always be a wildlife center

Monday, May 5, 2025

https://nypost.com/2025/05/02/business/six-flags-america-shutting-down-maryland-amusement-park-in-portfolio-revamp/

Six Flags America shutting down Maryland park — home of one of the oldest roller coasters in US — in ‘portfolio’ revamp: ‘Deeply disappointing’
By Nicholas McEntyre
Published May 2, 2025, 4:26 a.m. ET

*** begin quote ***

The land was originally used as a wildlife center created by former presidential candidate Ross Perot in 1974.

*** end quote ***

Why did the wildlife center get replaced?  And, why not put it back?

Not everything is about “development” and “tax revenue”!

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