Couldn’t logon for several days.
First call into them; they changed UserIds to emails. Argh!
Second call into them; send us a screen shot.
Sent it in and then they said: “three to five business days”.
Argh!
I fail to understand how they are going to diagnose and fix this. And, five days, someone must be INSANE!
Nevermind that no one is interested in WHY I need to get on their website.
Argh! Argh!
Maybe I need to change?
— 30 —
Leave a Comment » | 
NOTRECOMMENDED | Tagged: Liberty Mutual Insurance, Tech Support | 
Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
FROM 1440 https://join1440.com/
*** begin quote ***
NATO Spending Hike
NATO leaders are expected to agree to ramp up defense spending when the two-day summit concludes today. Countries may commit to spending 5% of their gross domestic product on defense by 2035—up from the current 2% target, which 22 of the 32 member countries have met.
The commitment responds to a call from President Donald Trump, who has conveyed skepticism about the military alliance’s value to the United States. The US is one of NATO’s biggest contributors, responsible for roughly 16% of the alliance’s collective $3.5B budget last year. It is also the only country to have triggered Article 5, which assures collective defense for all member countries. Spain struck a deal with NATO to be exempted in the final communique, instead committing 2.1% of its GDP to defense. Learn more about NATO here.
*** end quote ***
#getoutofNATO, #NATO, #endNATO
# – # – # – # – #
Given the USA’s fiscal state, I would like to see us pull out of NATO and the UN.
“Peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations, entangling alliances with none.”
— Thomas Jefferson
Can anyone give a good reason not too?
—30—
Leave a Comment » | Policy | Tagged: #endNATO, #getoutofNATO, #NATO, p | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
Diamondbacks’ Ketel Marte cries on field in heartbreaking scene after fan’s disturbing comments
By Mitch Fink
Published June 25, 2025, 8:36 a.m. ET
*** begin quote ***
“I hope MLB can do something with that guy. I don’t know who it was, but they’ve got to do something. We can’t continue to do that [expletive] here in MLB … he should be banned, for sure. Everybody knows Ketel lost his mom. She was the world to him.”
*** end quote ***
I’d hope that MLB would ban this bozo fan for a decade. Hey, “kill the ump” isn’t even acceptable these days. I think that the “bread and circuses” crowd has lost all public decency. Cheer, boo, whatever, but personal slurs are, or should be, severely punished.
Same with verbal and physical assaults at ANY sporting event should be prosecuted to the full extent of the local law. It’s a real “HATE” crime. (Even though as a little L libertarian, I don’t believe in “hate enhanced penalties”.)
I can’t imagine how I’d react if I was really focused on my job and performing it to the best of my ability and someone came up behind me and yelled slurs about my sainted past wife. I’d probably try and deck the guy.
Argh!
—30—
UPDATE: 2025-Jun-30
https://1057thehawk.com/ixp/385/p/branchburg-youth-baseball-umpire-assault/
*** begin quote ***
Read More: Major win for youth umpire punched by coach at NJ baseball game | https://1057thehawk.com/ixp/385/p/branchburg-youth-baseball-umpire-assault/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral
In March 2023, he was sentenced to five years’ probation. He also had to complete five months of anger management counseling, NJ.com reported.
*** end quote ***
FJR: No jail time? To light IMHO.
— 30 —
Leave a Comment » | Ranting | Tagged: Ketel Marte, Mitch Fink, nypost | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
Remember Heinlein’s Starship Troopers’ universe? One does not merely have the right to be a citizen and vote by virtue of what Heinlein called the mere accident of birth; rather, one has to earn this right through Federal Service that tested one’s ability and willingness to sacrifice for the greater good of the polity. Bet not a lot of vets would vote for all the undeclared wars the USA has been in since WW2?
And, my many posts about repealing the 16th (income tax) and 17th (direct election of Senators) Amendments.
Go back to funding the Federal Gooferment with tariffs and excise taxes. If the Federal Gooferment needs more money then let it ASK the State Gooferment to impose a sales tax and forward the money to the Federal Gooferment!
Return the power to select Senators to the State Legislatures as the Dead Old White Guys designed it. As a State’s check on Federal power. Restore it and get the money out of elections and politics. Too many carpet baggers buying their Senate seats.
And, how about creating more Representatives in the House? What was the representation ratio in the House when the Union was formed? One per some number of citizens in the thousands. With technology today, it can be a virtual meeting. With a population of 350,000,000, we can set the number of Representatives at 3500 (one per hundred thousand). Guess these folks never heard of Zoom calls. We don’t need politicians and bureaucrats in DC where they can conspire easily about how to oppress us. Argh!
—30—
Leave a Comment » | DISCOURAGING | Tagged: 16th (income tax), 17th (direct election of Senators), Federal Gooferment, Heinlein, Starship Troopers, State Gooferment, virtual meeting | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
Hiker rescued after falling out of tree and getting lost in Washington woods for nearly a week
By Caitlin McCormack
Published June 24, 2025, 7:02 p.m. ET
*** begin quote ***
A hiker survived nearly a week lost in the woods of Washington state, including a fall from a tree, and was finally saved after someone heard his desperate cries for help.
*** and ***
The man’s calls in the woods of Suquamish were heard by a nearby tribe member who called 911 on Saturday around 12:30 a.m. to alert authorities, the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office said.
Rescue workers attending to an injured person. 3
A hiker was rescued after spending four or five days lost in the woods in Washington. Kitsap County Sheriff
When a sheriff’s deputy arrived, he too heard a “faint, distressful voice coming from the woods from a man saying he had fallen from a tree,” the office wrote in a Facebook post.
The deputy quickly helped form a search party with assistance from the Washington Explorer Search and Rescue, Kitsap Search Dogs, Olympic Mountain Rescue, and the Suquamish Tribal Police Department.
*** end quote ***
Another person is almost a Darwin Award winner!
Unprepared for a day in the woods; let alone a week. Sorry but Mother Nature doesn’t forgive foolishness easily. Look at the number of organizations, amount of human hours, and just the sheer effort. Who pays for all that?
No compass, no map, no cell phone … …. I could go on and list all the things that he should have had. Not the least of which is a hiking buddy.
Hiking alone is a sure fire way of winning that Darwin Award!
—30—
Leave a Comment » | SURVIVAL | Tagged: Caitlin McCormack, Kitsap Search Dogs, nypost, Olympic Mountain Rescue, Suquamish Tribal Police, Washington, Washington Explorer Search and Rescue | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
Jersey Shore official slams NJ over summer-long Shark River Bridge closure
Dan Alexander
Published: June 20, 2025
*** begin quote ***
🚧 The Shark River Bridge is closed to vehicles and pedestrians
🚧 A County Commissioner says the DOT doesn’t properly maintain the bridge
🚧 The DOT says it spends $1.5 million on preventative maintenance
BELMAR — The New Jersey Department of Transportation is defending its oversight of a Jersey Shore drawbridge that will be out of service all summer, the time when traffic in the area is the busiest.
Monmouth County Commissioner Director Tom Arnone blasted state transportation officials for lackluster maintenance, saying that could have avoided the full closure of the Shark River Bridge, which connects Avon-by-the-Sea and Belmar.
*** end quote ***
Why is anyone surprised when Gooferment fails to do its job?
“I’m shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!” Captain Renault in Casablanca
It’s not like the politicians and bureaucrats of the Pepuls Republik of Nu Jerzee don’t know that this bridge is a constant problem. Why in this day and age do we still have drawbridges? And especially on critical roadways?
Thanks Governor Murphy; another great success!
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Leave a Comment » | NEW JERSEY | Tagged: Avon-by-the-Sea, BELMAR, Dan Alexander, Monmouth County, nj1015.com, Shark River Bridge | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
The secret British language that was used to outwit the Nazis
17 July 2023
Oliver Berry Features correspondent
*** begin quote ***
Instead of taking up arms, islanders found other, subtler ways to resist. They engaged in a campaign of passive resistance, and Jèrriais became central to their efforts. With its complex vocabulary and regional variations, the language was all but impossible for outsiders – even French-speaking Germans – to follow. As such, it made the perfect secret code, and islanders increasingly used it to exchange information, make clandestine plans against their occupiers and, occasionally, even mock their them right under their noses.
“Jèrriais articles at the beginning of the occupation managed to get through resistance messages,” explained Geraint Jennings, a linguist, scholar and Jèrriais expert who works at L’Office du Jèrriais to promote the language. “Articles openly printed that it’s best to speak Jèrriais so ‘certain people’ won’t be able to understand it – IE the Germans! Of course, they soon cottoned on to that and clamped down with censorship, but Jèrriais continued to be used as a secret language for passing messages for the rest of the war.”
Ironically, despite its wartime role, the use of Jèrriais declined at an alarming rate after liberation in 1945. Like many of Britain’s minority languages, such as Manx, Gaelic, Welsh and Cornish, Jèrriais was derided as a language spoken only by the uneducated, and it had been in gradual decline since the late 19th Century – a trend that accelerated rapidly after the end of WW2.
*** end quote ***
Fascinating stuff. Like most of the lost languages, “We, The Sheeple” have no idea what has been lost.
Hopefully, AI and some dedicated individuals can capture and save it.
—30—
1 Comment | INTERESTING | Tagged: BBC, Cipher, Code, Cornish, encryption, Gaelic, Manx, Nazi, Oliver Berry, secret British language, Welsh | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
$1.2 Trillion Later, and Air Traffic Control is Still Using Floppy Disks
by James Hickman
on June 18, 2025
*** begin quote ***
In 1988, a Professor of Anthropology at the University of New Mexico named Joseph Tainter published a book called The Collapse of Complex Societies.
Now, “collapse” is a strong word that conjures images of apocalyptic scenarios… Mad Max or Hunger Games drama. But that’s not what Tainter intended.
He uses the term ‘collapse’ in its academic, anthropological meaning, i.e. a breakdown of strength and order in society. In fact Tainter’s entire career has been devoted to investigating how large, sophisticated civilizations throughout history ultimately “collapsed”.
I first read Tainter’s book more than 15 years ago. And, even though it is a work of anthropology, it is, in my opinion, one of the best books on economic history ever produced.
From the Roman Empire to the Mayan people, Tainter explores how civilizations are born, grow, peak, and decay… and how, more often than not, the decay phase is a direct result of failed government or leadership.
*** and ***
Floppy disks were removable storage technology that were prevalent in home computers in the 1980s… sort of like a USB memory stick, only MUCH slower and with a fraction of the storage capacity.
A typical 3.5” floppy disk could only hold 1.44 megabytes of data, i.e. not even enough to store even a single photo from your mobile phone’s camera.
Yet this is the technology that America’s air traffic controllers still have to use… because the Transportation Department thought it was a better idea to spend billions of dollars on a handful of electric vehicle charging stations.
*** end quote ***
ATC (Air Traffic Control) is a national disgrace. Time to privatize this essential function.
Real simple. The airlines use it every day. They should run it. Bet the infrastructure would be state of the art. Matching the plane’s controls.
Transition to the private function would be easy — you fly in the USA airspace then you get to buy in.
Same with th airports! You use, you pay, and you get a share of the decision making. The more you pay the bigger your vote.
I bet the airplane manufacturers and the drone makers would want to buy in too. Anything to escape the politicians and bureaucrats meddling in technical decisions!
Since the current system is on the verge of “collapse”, why not try something “radical”? The free market solution!
#privatizetheFAA #endtheFAA
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Leave a Comment » | DISCOURAGING | Tagged: #endtheFAA, #privatizetheFAA, James Hickman | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
Friday Funnies: The Myth of the Mad King
Just watch out for the jokers
Robert W Malone MD, MS
Jun 20
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Many a true word is said in a joke!
1. Restore us to “honest” commodity money; 2. End the personal and corporate dole; 3. Stop the various wars — foreign and domestic — repatriate the troops home; 4. End the drug war; pardon all non-violent drug offenders; 5. Transition out of gooferment funded public education; 6. Downsize ALL gooferments; 7. Eliminate all taxes but tariffs and excise.
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Leave a Comment » | MEME | Tagged: #endthedrugwar, Robert W Malone MD | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
https://quoteinvestigator.com/2016/12/03/misinformed/
“One must select wisely a source of news; otherwise it would be better to be uninformed than misinformed.” — Ezra Taft Benson
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*** begin quote ***
Mark Twain? Denzel Washington? Thomas Jefferson? Thomas Fuller? Orville Hubbard? Ezra Taft Benson? Apocryphal?
Question for Quote Investigator: A cynical attitude toward the media is widespread today, but this is not a new development. Supposedly, Mark Twain made the following remark:
If you don’t read the newspaper you are uninformed; if you do read the newspaper you are misinformed.
Are these really the words of the famous humorist?
*** end quote ***
I love the investigation of quotes done on this website. They do a real service to prevent misattribution.
Kudos!
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—30—
Leave a Comment » | Quotes | Tagged: Ezra Taft Benson, quoteinvestigator.com | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
Science
A grassland bird eavesdrops on prairie dog calls to keep itself safe from predators
By CHRISTINA LARSON
Updated 10:04 AM EDT, June 12, 2025
*** begin quote ***
WASHINGTON (AP) — Prairie dogs are the Paul Reveres of the Great Plains: They bark to alert neighbors to the presence of predators, with separate calls for dangers coming by land or by air.
“Prairie dogs are on the menu for just about every predator you can think of”— golden eagles, red-tailed hawks, foxes, badgers, even large snakes — said Andy Boyce, a research ecologist in Montana at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.
Those predators will also snack on grassland nesting birds like the long-billed curlew.
*** end quote ***
Isn’t “nature” amazing?
Who have thought that birds could evolve to listen and differentiate between “danger – ground” and “danger – air”?
I find this almost unbelievable. I know from all the war movies that listening and smelling was ssential skills in most kinds of warfare and hunting.
From my time in survival school, I know that animals had no worry about me “sneaking” up and eating them. I wouldn’t have survived on what I could have caught. Laugh!
In our modern world of “bread and circuses” is there equivalent skills in keep us safe. Like “situational awareness” to avoid crime. “Marksmanship” to end threats quickly. “Listening” and “reading” to avoid frauds and misinformation. “Distrust all experts, politicians, and bureaucrats” who seek to deceive us for their own reasons.
Maybe we can be like “the Paul Reveres of the Great Plains” and warn family, friends, acquaintances, others of our species, and other species to the dangers we see?
—30—
Leave a Comment » | INTERESTING | Tagged: apnews, CHRISTINA LARSON, Science | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
Red Sox fans fume over Rafael Devers trade with $100M conspiracy theory
By Ryan Giancola
Published June 16, 2025, 9:37 a.m. ET
*** begin quote ***
The owner of the Red Sox, John Henry, also owns the Premier League-winning soccer team Liverpool.
Simmons hinted on X that the possible motive behind the trade was to help finance the newest transfer to Liverpool, Florian Wirtz. Liverpool reportedly paid his former club $100 million for the midfielder.
Devers is in the third season of a 10-year, $313 million contract and had been at odds with the team this spring training, after he was moved from third base to DH for the newly signed Alex Bregman.
*** end quote ***
Good for the Yankees?
It’s all about $. Who cares what the rubes think? They will just keep spending their money on these circuses.
My question is “Is that taxable”? Short term capital gains, long term capital gains, sales tax?
—30—
Leave a Comment » | Ranting | Tagged: Florian Wirtz. Liverpool, John Henry, nypost, Red Sox, Ryan Giancola, Yankees | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
Walmart and Amazon Are Exploring Issuing Their Own Stablecoins
By Gina Heeb, AnnaMaria Andriotis, Josh Dawsey
Updated June 13, 2025 4:51 pm ET
# – # – # – # – #
FROM TLDR 2025-06-16
*** begin quote ***
Walmart and Amazon Are Exploring Issuing Their Own Stablecoins
Several multinational giants, including Walmart and Amazon, are discussing potential efforts to issue stablecoins. Whether these initiatives will go ahead depends on a bill still yet to clear the Senate and House called the Genius Act, which establishes a regulatory framework for stablecoins. Stablecoins could allow merchants to bypass traditional payment rails, which cost them billions of dollars in fees each year. A regulatory framework for stablecoins would enable an alternative payment type for merchants that could significantly lower their expenses and create competition against Visa and Mastercard.
*** end quote ***
# – # – # – # – #
To me this is BIG (<synonym for the act of procreation in real time>) deal.
I never understood why Walmart was allowed to establish its own bank. The politicians and bureaucrats are always whining about the “poor unbanked”. But Walmart could solve that problem quickly, cheaply, and easily. So could Amazon.
Stablecoins by either of them could serve the same purpose as a bank without the regulatory hassle.
Let’s wait and see. Competition in the “traditional financial system” for JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America, Visa, and Mastercard could certainly be good for the consumers.
—30—
Leave a Comment » | MONEY | Tagged: amazon, AnnaMaria Andriotis, Bank of America, Big Tech, Gina Heeb, Josh Dawsey, JP Morgan Chase, MasterCard, stablecoins, TLDR, traditional financial system, Visa, WalMart, wsj.com | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
Odd News
June 13, 2025 / 1:12 PM
World’s largest game of red light, green light played in California
By Ben Hooper
*** begin quote ***
June 13 (UPI) — A fitness education group in California broke a Guinness World Record by gathering 1,423 people to play the playground game red light, green light.
CF Fitness Inc., an education-oriented group aimed at promoting physical fitness at schools, gathered students from the Anaheim Elementary School District and their families to play the record-breaking game at Yorbe Park in Anaheim.
*** end quote ***
As you know as a little L libertarian, I really don’t like Gooferment involvement in anything.
BUT, (and there is always a BIG butt), here’s a cheap and easy way to get children, and maybe some adults, moving.
I remember the Presidential Fitness Challenge; do you?
Every Gooferment politician, from mayor to governor, can spark up their own “challenge”. Make it fun and somewhat competitive. Get some ribbons and medal to give out at the end of school year.
Like being an Eagle Scout, that I am not one or had the opportunity to be one, I believe that children can be encouraged to accomplish great things.
Instead of a nation of “thumbs” ((i.e., video game addicts mindlessly spending hours in front of a screen), we could create physical and mental challenges that would prepare then for a healthy and happy life.
—30—
Leave a Comment » | HEALTH | Tagged: Ben Hooper, California, green light, Guinness World Record, red light | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
FROM Bitcoin.com Weekly Update
# – # – # – # – #
You don’t have to wade through a ton of Austrian Economic texts although it’s very worthwhile. This chart should serve to know why we need “honest money” and should #endtheFed!
By “honest money”, I mean gold and silver in the physical money. Paper should be redeemable in a commodity.
By “#endtheFed”, I mean that “We, The Sheeple” have to recognize what the Fed is. 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.
—30—
Leave a Comment » | FINANCIAL | Tagged: #endthefed, Bitcoin.com, Honest money | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
Scientists Can’t Get Enough of Watching Seagulls Steal Your Food
By Natasha Dangoor
June 5, 2025 11:00 pm ET
*** begin quote ***
St. Ives in Cornwall, which Rock dubs the “world capital of food snatching,” took a more human-targeted approach. The Business Improvement District launched a campaign to pack takeouts in paper printed with humorous and informative messages about gulls. This “Daily Gull” newspaper-style wrapping featured “Tips from the experts to help you protect your pasty” and quizzes on gull species.
One tip: Stare at the gulls.
Researchers at the University of Exeter did an experiment which showed that gulls took 21 seconds longer to approach a bag of fries when a human was watching them, compared with when the human looked away.
“It’s like shoplifting,” said Boogert. “You wouldn’t look at a shopkeeper whilst stealing from them!”
*** end quote ***
Capturing dictation
As a long time, SHORE resident, I am very familiar with just how intelligent seagulls are. The kids love to feed them french fries and bread. One time as a joke one of them threw a mushroom with the bread. Despite several gulls, eating the bread, the mushroom was left like an orphan. Finally, some squirrel came along and ate it.
Tourists on the Seaside Heights boardwalk are often mobbed by seagulls stealing their food. Nothing is safe even a baby bottle. Well some people regard them as pests, they are fun to watch.
If the scientists are right, and I think they are, birds are descended from flying dinosaurs. One doesn’t survive a grazilian years without being adaptable and smart.
—30—
Leave a Comment » | INTERESTING | Tagged: Natasha Dangoor, wsj.com | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
US Maternal Mortality Surged More Than 27% Over 5 Years, NIH Study Reveals
Analysis by Dr. Joseph Mercola
June 10, 2025
*** begin quote ***
What Does the Latest Data Reveal About Postpartum Deaths?
The featured study, published in JAMA Network Open, analyzed pregnancy-related deaths in the United States from 2018 to 2022 using national birth and death certificate data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Unlike many previous studies, it also examined “late maternal deaths,” which are deaths from pregnancy-related causes that occur more than 42 days and up to one year after delivery.3
• Maternal deaths increased sharply in just five years — {Extraneous Deleted}.
• Where a woman lives made a major difference — {Extraneous Deleted}
• Disparities by race and ethnicity were equally striking — {Extraneous Deleted}
• One-third of all pregnancy-related deaths occurred after six weeks — {Extraneous Deleted}
• Postpartum care often ends too early — {Extraneous Deleted}
The researchers emphasized that identifying and addressing the causes of late maternal death is essential to lowering pregnancy-related mortality in the U.S. “We cannot take our eyes off of maternal health right now,” said Dr. Rose Molina, an OB-GYN at Harvard Medical School and co-author of the study. “If anything, we need to not just maintain focus, but actually increase investment in maternal health.”4
*** end quote ***
Seems like the Medical Establishment has taken their collective eyes “off the ball”!
Moms need a longer recovery period?
I like the advice to track your own symptoms or data. Sounds like a good job for Dad’s or Grandparents to be the “Patient Advocate” in this case for the new mom and the offspring.
Individual responsibility is a little L libertarian “value”. Don’t depend on the doctors, physician assistants, nurses, or their staffs to be the only ones watching out for you and yours.
When I read the sad stories of bad things happening resulting from postpartum depression and wonder where was all of mom’s “help”?
Sigh!
—30—
Leave a Comment » | Healthcare | Tagged: Mercola | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
I invented the ‘Death Clock’… and was horrified when it confirmed my worst fears about my own health
By LUKE ANDREWS SENIOR HEALTH REPORTER FOR DAILYMAIL.COM
Published: 16:17 EDT, 7 June 2025 | Updated: 16:22 EDT, 7 June 2025
*** begin quote ***
Brent Franson wasn’t afraid of dying. He was afraid of dying from Alzheimer’s disease.
He remembers seeing sufferers on TV growing up, with their listless expressions and inability to walk. It left him certain he did not want to develop the devastating condition.
His worst fear was revealed when he used the Death Clock – an artificial intelligence that predicts – down to the minute – when and how a person will die.
*** end quote ***
https://www.thecalculator.co/lifestyle/Death-Calculator-216.html
*** begin quote ***
This death calculator is designed as a death clock based on the average life expectancy for each country and gender specific. Read more on this topic below the form.
Based on the average life expectancy for your country and on your general conditions and life standard specified, a person like you should have been died with some time ago. Congratulations for your performance to live a number of years above the average life expectancy. Enjoy your live!
Disclaimer:Please note that the Death Calculator is a funny tool and that it does NOT pretend to be accurate. The creator of this tool is in no way liable of any actions which might be taken by users, as this calculator was made for entertainment purposes ONLY.
*** end quote ***
“Enjoy your live!”
Did you mean life?
# – # – # – # – #
I think these things are funny, In this story, the fellow was able to change his life style and purportedly get a lot more time to spend with his family, (Until he steps off a curb and gets hit by the metaphorical bus. Let’s see AI predict that!)
So since I’ve already outlasted the prediction, on to 132. (When I can have finally stolen back my social security “contribution” on a dollar for dollar basis. Ignoring that I “contributed” good strong dollars and received poor weak dollars that are but a shadow of their former purchasing power.)
Beans, Band Aids, Bullets, Bullion, and ₿bitcoin!
(I like Goldbacks for their low denomination and low cost to acquire. YMMV!)
—30—
Leave a Comment » | FUN | Tagged: Daily Mail, Luke Andrews | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
The Tri-Cities
‘Nothing short of heroic’: 12-year-old boy saves family from house fire in Petersburg
by: Kendal McAuley
Posted: Jun 3, 2025 / 12:27 PM EDT
Updated: Jun 3, 2025 / 12:27 PM EDT
*** begin quote ***
PETERSBURG, Va. (WRIC) — A 12-year-old boy rescued his grandmother and infant siblings from their burning home on Tuesday, according to Petersburg Fire Rescue and Emergency Services.
On June 3, a fire broke out at a home on the 2000 block of Burks Street, leaving the home severely damaged. Although this was a moment of devastation, a social post from Petersburg Fire said, “a powerful story of courage rose from the smoke, one that deserves to be told.”
Twelve-year-old Ramir Parker reportedly saved his two baby brothers and grandmother from the burning home.
*** end quote ***
Now I never use the label “heroic” often, But it applies when someone risks their life to save others. Whether successful or not, it’s the courage and bravery shown in the attempt.
At twelve years old, he’s old enough to recognize the risks. Although I’m not sure that anyone really thinks of the risks; more reaction. But remember that most people freeze or run away. Heroes run towards it.
Bravery is the ability to confront fear or danger without hesitation, while courage involves taking action despite feeling fear, often with a conscious choice and awareness of the risks involved.
This young man is a brave and courageous hero imho.
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Leave a Comment » | HEROIC | Tagged: Kendal McAuley, Petersburg, Ramir Parker, Tri-Cities, Virginia, wric.com | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3922798/
Siege of Jadotville
1961 Irish UN troops defend against attack by Belgian and Kanganese soldiers
The siege of Jadotville was a major battle during the Congo Crisis, that began on 13 September 1961, lasting for five days, where a small contingent of the Irish Army’s 35th Battalion serving under the United Nations Operation in the Congo, designated “A” Company, were besieged at the UN base near the mining town of Jadotville by Katangese forces loyal to the secessionist State of Katanga. The siege took place during the seven-day escalation of hostilities between ONUC and Katangese forces during Operation Morthor. Wikipedia
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Amazing that the Irish took no casualties.
IF THE MOVIE IS TRUE … … and that’s a big if … … the (French mercenaries) were poor strategists. They must have studied the tactics of the Napoleanic period, the British during the American Revolution, the Union / Southern Armies, during the War of Northern Aggression, or WWI. Lining troops up and having them advance and attack against modern weapons and machine guns is suicidal. I’m surprised that they only suffered 1300 KIAs.
The lesson for soldiers is that the politicians and bureaucrats will always betray you and leave you to die.
So sad.
—30—
Leave a Comment » | RECOMMENDED | Tagged: Congo Crisis, Irish UN troops, Katangese, Netflix, ONUC | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
https://developers.googleblog.com/en/google-url-shortener-links-will-no-longer-be-available/
Nie mój cyrk, nie moje małpy . . . literally, “not my circus, not my monkey;” figuratively, “not my problem.” — Polish saying
I guess monkeys are “problems” in Poland, and circuses are where “problems” come from. If it’s not your monkey, and it’s not even from your circus, then it’s not your problem. — https://goo.gl/X7VEKG
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Google URL Shortener links will no longer be available
JULY 18, 2024
*** begin quote ***
In 2018, we announced the deprecation and transition of Google URL Shortener because of the changes we’ve seen in how people find content on the internet, and the number of new popular URL shortening services that emerged in that time. This meant that we no longer accepted new URLs to shorten but that we would continue serving existing URLs.
*** end quote ***
Once again a demonstration of the Internet axiom, “If you’re not paying of a product, then you are the PRODUCT.” Sometimes even if you are paying, it still gets “deprecated” — a fancy word for “FU, we don’t need you”! For example, Pocket from Mozilla. In this case, a service is disappearing.
https://umatechnology.org/what-does-it-mean-when-an-app-gets-sherlocked-by-apple/
Being “Sherlocked” is a term that encapsulates the dramatic and often ruthless dynamics between smaller developers and larger tech companies like Apple. It serves as a reminder of how innovation and competition can shape the tech landscape, sometimes to the detriment of those who initially paved the way.
Not just APPLE, but GOOGLE and MICROSOFT do it as well. Without the decency of acquiring the original developer. Not that “guaranties” the product or service will survive. Some are acquired to kill the competition.
There is no doubt in my mind that Google intended to SHERLOCK BITLY (https://bitly.com/pages/products/url-shortener) but for whatever reason they decided not to. I suspect that there was not margin in it for Google. So after “pushing” it, like so many other GOOGLE “products and services” they give it the FU treatment and “deprecate” it.
Sad for the Users who used it and good for BITLY.
And, for anyone who still “trusts” Gooferment to be a fair referee with respect to anti-trust issues, why do you think “corporations” “contribute” aka payoff politicians and bureaucrats?
Now I have to go and replace all “goo.gl” uses in my blog. Argh!
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Leave a Comment » | DISCOURAGING | Tagged: anti-trust, APPLE, BITLY, GOOGLE, Google Graveyard, Microsoft, SHERLOCK | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
Trump shares theory that Joe Biden DIED in 2020 and was replaced by a clone
By JAMES GORDON FOR DAILYMAIL.COM
Published: 01:42 EDT, 1 June 2025 | Updated: 11:21 EDT, 1 June 2025
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President Donald Trump shared a bizarre theory on social media Saturday night that suggested Joe Biden died in 2020 and has since been replaced by a ‘clone.’
The Truth Social post, which has since gone viral, stated bluntly that the former president of the United States had somehow been dead for years while still in office.
‘There is no #JoeBiden – executed in 2020. #Biden clones doubles & robotic engineered soulless mindless entities are what you see,’ wrote the user named llijh. ‘#Democrats dont know the difference.’
*** end quote ***
Hard to believe but anything is possible.
Checking the Conspiracy Theorist “thermometer” — I’d rate it as:
Currently “7. Unlikely” and “Political” pending further real evidence.
I guess that future Presidents will have to sign bills into law and pardons in person in front of Congress!
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Leave a Comment » | CONSPIRACYTHEORY: | Tagged: Dailmail.Com, James Gordon, Joe Biden, Manchurain candidate, Trump | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
What’s Zelle®?
Zelle® is a great way to send money to friends and family, even if they bank somewhere different than you do1. That means it’s super easy to get paid back, or split the costs of things like dinner. With Zelle®, the money goes directly into your bank account. And when money goes into your bank account directly, you can live delightfully. Zelle® is already in lots of banking apps, so look for it in yours today.
# – # – # – # – #
So, it all works great — sort of — if you have one bank, one cell phone, and one email account.
What happens when you have Bank#1, Bank#2, Bank#3, and one cell phone?
Chaos!
I’ve had to enroll in Zelle three times. Bank#1 and email#1, Bank#2 and email#2, and Bank#3 and email#3. Good luck keeping that all straight.
Argh!
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Leave a Comment » | MONEY | Tagged: Funds Transfer, Implementation limits, use case | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
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Reinke Faces Life: May 2025 Entries
1 source
The sources consist of blog posts from “Reinke Faces Life,” a blog where the author shares content they find interesting, amusing, or enraging. The topics covered are varied, including the shutdown of the Pocket app, thoughts on the elimination of the penny and its connection to inflation, a review of a World War II movie, a discussion on corrosion-resistant steel for infrastructure, and advice on security for Bitcoin holders. Other posts address potential issues with government agencies, the ethics of selling scanned public domain books, a survival story, a software bug, the controversy surrounding President Biden’s physician, and concerns about Google’s search algorithms. The author also reflects on Memorial Day, offers a resource for free e-books, and criticizes government involvement in energy and air travel.
What is the overarching sentiment towards government and authority across these sources?
Across the provided sources, the overarching sentiment towards government and authority is highly negative, critical, and deeply distrustful. The author frequently expresses frustration and anger regarding the actions and perceived failures of government entities and individuals involved in politics and bureaucracy.
Several sources explicitly criticize governmental bodies and their impact:
•
The US Treasury and Federal Reserve are blamed for inflation and the devaluation of the dollar, with the Federal Reserve described as a “private cartel of the elite banks run for their benefit and that of the entrenched politicians”
. The author views the decision to stop circulating one-cent coins as a sign that “We, The Sheeple” will be forced to recognize the inflation caused by the Federal Reserve printing “so many ‘dollars'”. The author advocates for ending the Federal Reserve entirely, citing reasons such as its inability to accomplish objectives, acting against the public interest, generating unfair tax, encouraging war, destabilizing the economy, and being an instrument of totalitarianism. The author contrasts the current fiat money system with a gold standard, which they believe led to lower prices and predictable life, arguing that fiat dollars enable the “Gooferment” in endless spending, “forever wars,” and welfare
.
•
Politicians and bureaucrats are generally portrayed as untrustworthy and lacking incentive to solve problems
. In the context of infrastructure, the author suggests that bridges are failing because the “Gooferment” is involved in their construction and that an entrepreneur would build bridges that last longer because politicians and bureaucrats “have no incentive to solve the problems of the world”
.
•
The author questions the role of government in areas like air travel security and air traffic control, suggesting the TSA and FAA should be ended and these functions turned over to airlines, arguing that government involvement adds unnecessary overhead that could be better managed privately
. The author sees government programs, like the temporary ones Jeff Thomas discusses, as becoming permanent and overbearing
.
•
In the context of Bitcoin, the author expresses concern about “Gooferment involvement,” specifically mentioning the IRS wanting to report capital gains and coercing crypto exchanges to cooperate via KYC rules
. They highlight the ability to transfer assets without “Gooferment involvement” as a valuable use case for Bitcoin
.
•
The author is highly critical of perceived government cover-ups and lack of accountability, such as questioning President Biden’s physician and staff, and suggesting they should face repercussions for statements about his competence
. This situation is labeled a “national disgrace”. The author calls for reforms like term limits, age limits, and citizenship requirements for politicians and bureaucrats
.
•
The New Jersey “Pepuls Republik of Nu Jerzee Gooferment” is criticized for a significant increase in electric rates and the lack of competition in energy
. The author states the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) “ain’t looking out for the consumer”
.
•
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is described as “unscientific” and accused of unnecessarily culling birds
. The author questions the motivations of bureaucrats in such agencies, imagining them justifying their paychecks without adding value, and states a strong dislike for politicians and bureaucrats
.
•
The 1986 SHIELD ACT is heavily criticized for shielding vaccine manufacturers from lawsuits, which the author believes leads to a lack of safety testing and contributes to health issues
. The author calls for its repeal
.
The author frequently uses the derogatory term “Gooferment”
and the exclamation “Argh!” to convey frustration related to government actions or perceived failures. The sentiment is further reinforced by headings like “GOVEROTRAGEOUS” and topics listed in the sidebar such as “Political,” “Ranting,” “TYLER DURDEN,” “tyranny,” and “VICTIM DISARMAMENT”. The focus on “Conspiracy Theories” and the mention of perceived “crimes committed by the Political Class” also contribute to this negative view
.
The sources suggest a preference for private sector solutions over government involvement, as seen in the discussion of infrastructure
, airline security/air traffic control, and energy competition. There is also an emphasis on self-reliance and skepticism of authority, exemplified by the advice to “TRUST NO ONE, EVER” in the context of Bitcoin security and government involvement, the suggestion to save in gold and silver, and the inclusion of a quote about an armed society
.
In summary, the sources consistently portray government and authority as inefficient, untrustworthy, detrimental to individual liberty and economic well-being, and often acting against the public interest for the benefit of insiders
.
1 source
NotebookLM can be inaccurate; please double check its responses.
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Leave a Comment » | INTERESTING | Tagged: NotebookLM | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
Rise in crashes caused by tourists driving on wrong side of road
9 hours ago
<<No author cited>>
<< EDITOR ADDED DATE 2025-05-31>>
*** begin quote ***
The UK is one of few countries in Europe where vehicles drive on the left
The number of crashes caused by visitors to Scotland driving on the wrong side of the road has increased by 46% in a year.
Figures released by Transport Scotland showed there were 35 collisions caused by “inexperience of driving on the left” in 2023, up from 24 the previous year.
Campaigners have described the rise as “disappointing” and called for additional signage and prompts to be put in place as a reminder for tourists, particularly in rural areas.
Road Safety Scotland said there was no clear reason for the increased frequency of crashes.
*** end quote ***
I’d suggest some arrows painted on the roads.
Some countries have optical illusions or wavy lane lines to slow drivers.
You’d think that paint would be a cheap solution.
Certainly around cities and maybe on tourist routes to scenic viewpoints.
Just a thought. Not that drivers in the Pepuls Republik of Nu Jerzee are any example to follow.
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Leave a Comment » | GLOBAL | Tagged: bbs, road makings, Scotland, traffic signs, wrong side of road | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
https://nypost.com/2025/05/28/us-news/nyc-citicorp-tower-skyscraper-was-almost-toppled-by-winds/
This famous NYC skyscraper was almost toppled by winds — and the people who worked inside it had no idea of the danger they were in
By Steve Cuozzo
Published May 28, 2025, 4:44 p.m. ET
*** begin quote ***
The Citicorp Tower has been a Manhattan skyline icon for nearly a half-century with a glimmering silhouette and unique, prism-topped roof.
The 54-story skyscraper was dedicated on Oct 12, 1977, by Gov. Hugh Carey and Mayor Abe Beame. Less than a year later, chief engineer William LeMessurier found it had a 1 in 16 chance of toppling over in hurricane winds.
*** end quote ***
Fascinating read. And what about all the occupants would would have been killed if the wind blew in the “wrong direction”? Notice that the elites in the know never told “We, The Sheeple” that they were in mortal danger.
Argh!
Special place in hell fo those in the know.
What other hidden disasters don’t we know about? Can we trust anyone, any institution, or anything?
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Leave a Comment » | ENGINEERING | Tagged: Citicorp Tower, nypost, Steve Cuozzo, William LeMessurier | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
You are currently browsing the Reinke Faces Life blog archives for June, 2025.
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FJohn Reinke
Consultant at Technology Legacies LLC
Advisor, Computer Governance Committee at Manhattan College
Editor / Publisher at Jasper Jottings
Greater New York City Area
JJ Positraction JJ Endnotes Downsize DC
Philosophy of Liberty
I have NOT received any gagged governmental information requests
Reinke Faces Life 
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