INTERESTING: Prairie dogs are the Paul Reveres of the Great Plains

Saturday, June 21, 2025

https://apnews.com/article/prairie-dogs-birds-eavesdropping-warning-0430300793f1f0e267e07e9942fad2e9?utm_campaign=website&utm_medium=email&utm_source=nautilus-newsletter

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?

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RANT: Red Sox fans fume over Rafael Devers trade — Any taxes due?

Friday, June 20, 2025

https://nypost.com/2025/06/16/sports/red-sox-fans-fume-over-rafael-devers-trade-with-100m-conspiracy-theory/

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?

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MONEY: Walmart and Amazon are going to “mint” Stablecoins

Thursday, June 19, 2025

https://www.wsj.com/finance/banking/walmart-amazon-stablecoin-07de2fdd?st=Uj2rA8&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink&utm_source=tldrnewsletter

Walmart and Amazon Are Exploring Issuing Their Own Stablecoins

  • Corporate coins could take payments activity away from banks and the traditional financial system

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.

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HEALTH: What happened to the Presidential Fitness Challenge?

Wednesday, June 18, 2025

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2025/06/13/Guinness-World-Records-red-light-green-light-Anaheim-California/1291749834068/?utm_source=join1440&utm_medium=email&utm_placement=newsletter&user_id=66c4b9c55d78644b3a882a4d

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.

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FINANCIAL: Great chart of the boom bust cycle

Tuesday, June 17, 2025

 

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.

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INTERESTING: Sea Gulls are smart thieves

Monday, June 16, 2025

https://www.wsj.com/articles/scientists-cant-get-enough-of-watching-gulls-steal-your-food-58866ce7?st=QyXVUd&mod=1440&user_id=66c4b9c55d78644b3a882a4d

Scientists Can’t Get Enough of Watching Seagulls Steal Your Food

  • Birds’ ability to seamlessly swap marine food for a Big Mac—and outwit humans to get it—is a source of fascination

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.

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HEALTHCARE: US Maternal Mortality Surged More Than 27% Over 5 Years

Sunday, June 15, 2025

https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2025/06/10/us-maternal-mortality-surged.aspx?ui=f9839516412491bb1e06c9e47058c6fb81b9b9b6acedf03e65e93dfdb263c1b9&sd=20210317&cid_source=dnl&cid_medium=email&cid_content=art1ReadMore&cid=20250610&foDate=false&mid=DM1759206&rid=313130735

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!

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FUN: A person like you should have been died with some time ago

Saturday, June 14, 2025

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-14755069/death-clock-brandon-franson-alzheimers.html?utm_source=join1440&utm_medium=email&utm_placement=newsletter&user_id=66c4b9c55d78644b3a882a4d

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—

 

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HEROIC: Ramir Parker risks his life to save his family

Friday, June 13, 2025

https://www.wric.com/news/local-news/the-tri-cities/nothing-short-of-heroic-12-year-old-boy-saves-family-from-house-fire-in-petersburg/?utm_source=join1440&utm_medium=email&utm_placement=newsletter&user_id=66c4b9c55d78644b3a882a4d

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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RECOMMENDED: Netflix Siege of Jadotville or why politicians leave soldiers out to die

Thursday, June 12, 2025

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

# – # – # – # – # 

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.

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