ADMINISTRIVIA: No longer a Yankees fan

Friday, April 26, 2019

Like anyone cares.

… … maybe the ghost of George will haunt the NYY organization.

… … maybe “We, The Sheeple” wont forget.

… … maybe the USA will return to its roots of freedom and liberty.

So now I’ve changed

… … no longer will watch the Yankees until Kate Smith returns to the Seventh Inning.

… … to remind any NYY fan about “Kate Smith”.

… … my bitmoji to remove the NYY logo.

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Chick-fil-A makes special Sunday delivery for boy with brain tumor

Thursday, April 25, 2019

Chick-fil-A might usually be closed on Sundays, but that doesn’t mean they’re not willing to help out a child in need.

Source: Chick-fil-A makes special Sunday delivery for boy with brain tumor

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Kudos to that store manager and his team for making this happen.

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Millionaire Bernie Sanders Still Gets Mayoral Pension from 1980s Gig

Thursday, April 25, 2019

CNBC reported that “double-dipping” is not illegal and that, “a National Journal study in 2013 found that nearly 20 percent of members have drawn government pensions while serving in the Senate or the House, for a total haul of more than $3.6 million in such pensions in the prior year.”

Source: Millionaire Bernie Sanders Still Gets Mayoral Pension from 1980s Gig

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Why do politicians get pensions?

Can’t they steal enough while in office to get by?

Argh!

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Chicago’s pension funds looking more like a collapsing Ponzi scheme | Wirepoints

Thursday, April 25, 2019

A falling population means the city’s massive pension debts are falling on a smaller base of taxpayers. That’s bad news enough.

But another key demographic – the ratio of active government workers to pensioners – is even more concerning.That ratio, which equaled 1.4 actives for every pensioner in 2005, has collapsed to nearly 1.05. And if the trend continues, in just a year or two there will be more pensioners draining money from the pension funds than active workers putting money in.

Source: Chicago’s pension funds looking more like a collapsing Ponzi scheme | Wirepoints

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Can you spell “unfunded liabilities”?

Clearly, this is the USA’s problem writ large!

The current 121T+ national debt and the guesstimated 200T+ in unfunded liabilities is something that our posterity will have to deal with; not just the Chicago / Illinois taxpayers.

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VOCABULARY: Emojiology

Thursday, April 25, 2019

Source: Emojipedia

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The study of emojis?

 


VOCABULARY: egocentric temporal order bias

Thursday, April 25, 2019

egocentric temporal order bias

Source: Out of bounds: Why basketball players believe they weren’t last to touch ball | Ars Technica

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The banishing of Kate Smith isn’t ‘sensitive’ — it’s ridiculous – The Boston Globe

Thursday, April 25, 2019

Outside the Wells Fargo arena in Philadelphia is a nondescript, grit-strewn concrete slab. It is all that remains after the Flyers hockey organization last weekend hauled away the statue of an exuberant Kate Smith that had stood there for 32 years. Gone too is the plaque that explained Smith’s cherished place in Flyers history

:“Blessed with a voice and presence which led her to stardom on Broadway, radio, and television, Miss Smith came to symbolize joyous, homespun American patriotism. . . . Her live performance of ‘God Bless America’ helped inspire the Flyers to become Stanley Cup Champions for the first time in 1974. This statue, honoring one of America’s greatest patriots, is a gift from the Philadelphia Flyers to the people of our great country.”

For decades, Smith’s recording of “God Bless America” was embraced by Flyers fans as a harbinger of luck; the team went 101-31-5 in games when the song was played. The New York Yankees had a Kate Smith ritual as well: Ever since 9/11, Smith’s rendition of “God Bless America” was heard during every seventh inning at Yankee Stadium.

Source: The banishing of Kate Smith isn’t ‘sensitive’ — it’s ridiculous – The Boston Globe

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And, from what is coming out now, the song was a satire produced and sung with Paul Robeson, a famous black signer of her era. It was intended to be a protest against segregation.

How did that fact get “lost” by the media?

Perhaps because it didn’t fit the “narrative” that they push all the time — USA bad; historical figures bad; only ” “good” people should have statues! Argh! I think the media types, “celebrities”, politicians, and bureaucrats should be ranked below used car salesmen in any trustworthy ranking. Like anyone cares what I think.

Argh!

Argh

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BSafe – Never walk alone

Wednesday, April 24, 2019

Source: BSafe – Never walk alone

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Free app for IOS and Android.

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Our bridges are failing. Here’s how we could fix them. | Popular Science

Wednesday, April 24, 2019

2. Too weakA new four-door in 1987 weighed 3,221 pounds; its 2016 equal topped 4,000. The extra tonnage per car means many passes can’t accommodate the autos that modern drivers increasingly prefer. The Brooklyn Bridge, for one, bans vehicles more than 3 tons; that’s lighter than many SUVs.

Source: Our bridges are failing. Here’s how we could fix them. | Popular Science

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Get the Gooferment out of the auto industry.  We don’t need them keeping us “safe” from our own choices.  That’s what liberty is all about.  The opportunity to make one’s own choices for good or for bad.  How else can people learn to “look both ways before they buy something”?

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[Ilya Somin] Will Connecticut Finally Enact Meaningful Eminent Domain Reform?

Tuesday, April 23, 2019

Susette Kelo’s famous “little pink house,”which became an iconic symbol of the Kelo case. Some fourteen years after a controversial Supreme Court decision upheld the use of eminent domain to seize homes for transfer to private developers, the state where the case originated may finally pass a law that curtails such abuses.

Source: [Ilya Somin] Will Connecticut Finally Enact Meaningful Eminent Domain Reform?

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Kelo is a national disgrace!

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Islamic State group claims Sri Lanka suicide bombings

Tuesday, April 23, 2019

The Islamic State group on Tuesday claimed responsibility for a devastating series of suicide attacks against churches and hotels in Sri Lanka that killed more than 320 people. The claim, accompanied by a photo and video of the men the group said had unleashed the carnage, emerged more than two days

Source: Islamic State group claims Sri Lanka suicide bombings

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“Eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind”?

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Professor Uncovers Scam At Arizona University And Gets Laid Off, So He Reveals It To Students Via Email

Tuesday, April 23, 2019

Ask any college student in the U.S all the ways in which college bleeds money from attendees and you will have a pretty substantial list. From outrageous textbook prices with baffling sell-back returns to the cost of tuition to the ways, they find to nickel and dime you after you have paid tuition (i.e parking passes, dorm costs).

Source: Professor Uncovers Scam At Arizona University And Gets Laid Off, So He Reveals It To Students Via Email

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Seems like corruption is rampant in “Big Education”.  Time for DOJ to get ramped up for prosecutions?

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New Roundup-Cancer Lawsuit Exposes Cozy Relationship Between Monsanto And EPA

Tuesday, April 23, 2019

Authored by Derrick Broze via The Mind Unleashed blog, A third lawsuit related to claims that Monsanto’s Roundup causes cancer has revealed new details about the cozy relationship between the biotech giant and U.S. regulators. On Monday, Monsanto Co. corporate spokesman William Reeves admitted the corporation has regularly communicated with U.S. regulatory agencies regarding reviews of the controversial Roundup herbicide.

Source: New Roundup-Cancer Lawsuit Exposes Cozy Relationship Between Monsanto And EPA

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Can anyone spell “regulatory capture”?

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MLB: Bryce Harper’s ejection shows need for automated strike zone

Tuesday, April 23, 2019

After being called out on strikes in the fourth inning of the Phillies’ loss to the Mets on Monday, Bryce Harper barked at umpire Mark Carlson from the dugout, got ejected, and threw a whole fit. His hair looked fantastic, but the rest of him looked pretty childish.And I get it. In quiet, rational times, I maintain respect for the work done by referees and umpires to enforce the rules of their sports, but during the heat of competition — any competition, really — I become convinced officials are either grossly incompetent or, for whatever reason, punishing me personally with their calls. I am not someone anyone would ever call “sportsmanlike.”

Source: MLB: Bryce Harper’s ejection shows need for automated strike zone

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Interesting.  With so much money involved, it’s easier to “blame the refs” than improve yourself.

What happens then there is no umpire to blame?

Will he assault the RoboT Ref?

What’s next?  The safe / out call by drone?

It’s a kid’s game and supposed to be “fun”.  Leave it to adults to drain the “fun” out of everything.

Argh!

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Free Lori Loughlin

Monday, April 22, 2019

Everybody knows that college admissions aren’t made only on academic merit and haven’t been for a long time. If you want your son or daughter to be admitted to college and you have enough money, all you have to do is donate a lot of money to the university and your child will have no trouble getting in.

Source: Free Lori Loughlin

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Another more “Libertarian” take on the recent “college admissions scandal”.

My question is why is the Gooferment involved in any phase of “education” at all?

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Letters to the Editor

Monday, April 22, 2019

Vladimir Putin’s speech – SHORTEST SPEECH EVER.

Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, addressed the Duma, (Russian Parliament), and gave a speech about the tensions with minorities in Russia:

“In Russia, live like Russians. Any minority, from anywhere, if it wants to live in Russia, to work and eat in Russia, it should speak Russian, and should respect the Russian laws. If they prefer Sharia Law, and live the life of Muslim’s then we advise them to go to those places where that’s the state law.

“Russia does not need Muslim minorities. Minorities need Russia, and we will not grant them special privileges, or try to change our laws to fit their desires, no matter how loud they yell ‘discrimination’. We will not tolerate disrespect of our Russian culture. We better learn from the suicides of America , England, Holland and France , if we are to survive as a nation. The Muslims are taking over those countries and they will not take over Russia. The Russian customs and traditions are not compatible with the lack of culture or the primitive ways of Sharia Law and Muslims.

“When this honorable legislative body thinks of creating new laws, it should have in mind the Russian national interest first, observing that the Muslims Minorities Are Not Russians.”The politicians in the Duma gave Putin a five minute standing ovation.

Source: Letters to the Editor

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While I don’t want Nazi death camps for minorities, it is because, selfishly, aren’t by some measure we ALL minorities?

That being said, I don’t want to see “American Culture” changed by “celebrities”, “racial leaders”, politicians, or bureaucrats.  And, certainly not to accommodate ANY religion.

If we learn nothing from “sectarian violence” around the world, religions need to peacefully coexist.  Now every “religion” has its wacko cultists, but it’s up to us in a “civil society” to keep them in their place — examples of strange memes that should be “studied”.

As a pro-life little L libertarian, I just want to be left alone to “pursue happiness”.  That means don’t flaunt your choices in my face and expect me to cheer or cower in fear.  And, I certainly don’t want to pay for “your choices”.

I want the American Dream for all my fellow humans. I want the American “melting pot” to adopt the best from every culture and discard the worst.

As we learned from our POWs, “GBA”!

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The Student Debt Conundrum

Sunday, April 21, 2019

Authored by Laurence Vance via The Future of Freedom Foundation, Using data from the Federal Reserve, Student Loan Hero — an organization that provides “resources, tools and information” to help “student loan borrowers understand their student loans and make intelligent repayment decisions” — reports that Among the Class of 2018, 69% of college students took out student loans, and they graduated with an average debt of $29,800, including both private and federal debt.

Source: The Student Debt Conundrum

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*** begin quote ***

The first is that no proposed solution recognizes that the student-debt conundrum would never have arisen in the first place if the federal government had simply followed its own Constitution and had never had anything to do with education: no loans, no grants, no mandates, no subsidies, no funding, no school breakfast and lunch programs, no regulations, no standards, no vouchers, and no Department of Education.

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Sure, once the politicians and bureaucrats have “screwed the pooch”, now we recognize the wisdom of the DOWGs!

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How Much Do Vitamin D Supplements Affect Lifespan? | NutritionFacts.org

Sunday, April 21, 2019

It would take 150 people taking vitamin D supplements for five years to save one life. If we were talking about a drug, we’d need to weigh that against the cost and side effects of dosing so many people. But when we’re talking about something as safe and cheap as vitamin D supplements, it seems like a bargain to me.

Source: How Much Do Vitamin D Supplements Affect Lifespan? | NutritionFacts.org

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Seems that way to me too.  What happens to Social Security if we all start taking D3 and live longer lives?  I’d like to find out.  But then, I’m try to “steal” back all that FICA that was stolen from me in the first place!

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Thai navy boards cabin of fugitive ‘seasteaders’ facing death penalty – Reuters

Saturday, April 20, 2019

Elwartowski and Ocean Builders say the vessel was in international waters and beyond Thailand’s jurisdiction. But Thai authorities say the structure is in its 200-mile exclusive economic zone and therefore a violation of its sovereignty.

Source: Thai navy boards cabin of fugitive ‘seasteaders’ facing death penalty – Reuters

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200 miles?

Does that encroach up on Hawaii or San Francisco?  Maybe even NYC!

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Is Dentistry a Science? – The Atlantic

Saturday, April 20, 2019

The Cochrane organization, a highly respected arbiter of evidence-based medicine, has conducted systematic reviews of oral-health studies since 1999. In these reviews, researchers analyze the scientific literature on a particular dental intervention, focusing on the most rigorous and well-designed studies. In some cases, the findings clearly justify a given procedure. For example, dental sealants—liquid plastics painted onto the pits and grooves of teeth like nail polish—reduce tooth decay in children and have no known risks. (Despite this, they are not widely used, possibly because they are too simple and inexpensive to earn dentists much money.) But most of the Cochrane reviews reach one of two disheartening conclusions: Either the available evidence fails to confirm the purported benefits of a given dental intervention, or there is simply not enough research to say anything substantive one way or another.

Source: Is Dentistry a Science? – The Atlantic

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“I’m shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!” Captain Renault in Casablanca

I’m shocked that procedures that don’t earn a lot of money for the dentists are not done!

Argh!

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Friendly Neighborhood Liberty Dollars – LD Network

Saturday, April 20, 2019

In 1991, a man named Paul Glover introduced what would become the most successful Community Currency to date: Ithaca Hours, which are based on one hour of human labor. A single Hour is valued at $1…

Source: Friendly Neighborhood Liberty Dollars – LD Network

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Well the "Don Quixotes of Money" are back with a new run at the fiat currency call the "dollar" aka "Federal Reserve Banknote". Derogatorily called a "FRBie" in the hard money & survivalist communities.

 If you remember the original episode, then you'll remember that when their idea of an alternative currency began to get traction, the politicians and bureaucrats came down on them with a "heavy hammer". (To bad, I was not on that jury. How anyone could confuse a big silver coin or a strange sized colorful bill as a "greenback" was beyond me.) 
Having dodged a long prison sentence for “counterfeiting”, I thought that this would fold like most “community currencies”.  But I was wrong.  
Now they have still repeated the original mistake of using the word "dollar".  Of course, the current FRBies bear as much resemblance to the original "dollar" aka Thaller as I do an Olympic Athlete in any sport. Well maybe sumo.

I’ll probably buy a few as a conversation starter.  Maybe even for a 1K oz of silver, (15.07 * 1,000 = 15,070), I’ll have some “Kendall Park”, “South Brunswick”, or maybe even “Tyne Court” dollars printed.  Laugh!

I really admire the tenacity of these “hard money champions”.  Like the “Charge of the Light Brigade”, “Custer’s Last Stand”, Stalingrad, Agincourt, history is littered with historical examples of the hopeless and hapless casualties of stupidity.
All that being said, I hope that they can impact the discussion of "hard money" versus "fiat money" that we have now. To see the human cost of the unConstitutional "money", we just have to look at the welfare / warfare state, the national debt that will never be repaid, the unfunded liabilities of Gooferment promises & "pensions", as well as the destruction of savers and investors.  Hard to itemize all the bad things that happened when Jackson, Lincoln, Wilson, FDR, and Nixon got involved in "money".  Argh!  

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Climate Change – LewRockwell

Friday, April 19, 2019

1. Absolute authoritarianism without meaningful accountability.

The leading advocates of the Climate Change movement are politicians, entertainers, and even children. Climate preachers such as Al Gore and Leonardo DiCaprio lack any formal scientific training whatsoever, and live personal lives of unparalleled luxury while prescribing carbon austerity for the masses. Yet no one is permitted to point out their scientific ignorance or call attention to their hypocritical lifestyles.

Source: Climate Change – LewRockwell

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Spare me the modern day equivalent of the “Court Jester” instructing “We, The Sheeple” how the world should work.

These “watermelons” (i.e.: Green outside; Red <communist> inside) don’t have the experience of one small business owner or the credentials of a wise academic like a Rothfarb.

Sorry, but — to misapply “A Few Good Men” — “I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said thank you, and went on your way, Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon, and stand a post. Either way, I don’t give a damn what you think you are entitled to.” Colonel Jessep in A Few Good Men played by Jack Nicholson

I don’t care what these truly “dumb” people pontificate about.  Let them live their beliefs like a Mother Theresa, Gandhi, MLK, or Ron Paul, and then and only then should anyone listen to them.

Argh!

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Notre Dame: Symbol of a Failing Culture – LewRockwell

Friday, April 19, 2019

People without history have no context. They are unstuck in time having to relearn lessons which our ancestors built monuments to remind us of what we’re capable of for better or worse.

While the French government took years to raise €12 million to renovate Notre Dame despite having the highest tax rate in the world, private donations to rebuild it topped $1 billion in the first 48 hours after the fire was put out.

This is gratifying in a way that is almost beyond words. And it makes a mockery of the statist arguments for government to replace private charity and private property.

Source: Notre Dame: Symbol of a Failing Culture – LewRockwell

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Yeah, “private charity” could NEVER ever replace Gooferment “services”.

Argh!

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Podcast Episode 224: The Constitution and Executive Power | Brion McClanahan Author & Historian

Friday, April 19, 2019

A leftist professor wants to limit executive power. This should not be news in the Age of Trump. Every leftist wants to do that, but this leftist might be slightly different. Professor Julia Azari wrote a piece for Vox arguing that the Constitution doesn’t do enough to limit executive power and suggests amending it to do so.

Source: Podcast Episode 224: The Constitution and Executive Power | Brion McClanahan Author & Historian

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We need to reign in the Executive.  The problem is NOT BHO44 or DJT45.  The DOWG weren’t perfect and they didn’t do enough to prevent the President from becoming a King. Or worse, a Deity.

I think of how some of my Depression Era relatives “worshiped” FDR and the fights when certain uncles who were war vets pointed out his flaws (i.e., women), claims that just weren’t true (i.e., he saved us from the Depression), and “conspiracy theories” (i.e., he caused Pearl Harbor; he led us into war; he was a socialist that gave away the world at Yalta).

Maybe that where I get my “suspicion” that ALL the Conspiracy Theories have a grain of truth at the core AND SOME even are true!

Argh!

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GOLDBUG: Seems real simple!

Thursday, April 18, 2019

Goldtradewar

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A look at what was saved, what was lost in Notre Dame fire

Wednesday, April 17, 2019

Source: A look at what was saved, what was lost in Notre Dame fire

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If “we, humans” were smart everyone would be looking at their “national treasures” and see what need to be save.

I’d start with the soon to be aborted babies — much more important than “mere” “art” — but that’s just my view from the cheap seats.

I’d pray for any religion that wishes ill or celebrates the misfortune of others.  I’m sure it won’t happen but if I was an Islamic Leader, then I’d say shame on those who “celebrated” the fire.  If nothing else, it’s in poor taste and sure to bring about strife.

“Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.” — Buddha

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