RANT: Like click bait, it disclosed nothing.

Tuesday, September 30, 2025

https://nypost.com/2025/09/24/sports/how-erin-dolan-bet-on-herself-with-new-espn-contract/

How Erin Dolan bet on herself with new ESPN contract — and the ‘double-edged sword’ that comes with it
By Jenna Lemoncelli
Published Sep. 24, 2025, 9:27 a.m. ET

*** begin quote ***

Dolan, who joined ESPN in December of 2021, said she knew exactly what she wanted when it was time to negotiate her contract.

She did not share the exact details of the deal.

*** end quote ***

TL;DR (Too long; don’t read)

I was interested in what she “negotiated” to “bet on herself”.  But like most click bait, it disclosed nothing.

Argh!

Wasted my valuable time.  Don’t waste yours.

Argh!

— 30 —


RANT: Here’s the interefernece I was referring to in my previous post

Friday, September 19, 2025

https://nypost.com/2025/09/18/media/heres-the-real-reason-abc-suspended-jimmy-kimmel-live/?lctg=6080ba40747925275a09dcd3

Here’s the real reason ABC has suspended ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’
By Charles Gasparino
Published Sep. 18, 2025, 10:31 a.m. ET

*** begin quote ***
Jimmy Kimmel’s comments on the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk weren’t just noxiously offensive and seemingly misleading — their timing was also incredibly bad: They threaten to derail Nexstar’s $6.2 billion takeover of rival broadcaster Tegna, telecom insiders tell On The Money.

The already controversial deal — which would combine two of the nation’s largest owners of local TV stations — poses significant antitrust questions and needs a close review by the Federal Communications Commission and its conservative firebrand chairman, Brendan Carr.

Kimmel’s comments made that approval even dicier. That’s why Nexstar publicly announced Thursday that its stations would no longer carry the show, telecom insiders tell On The Money. Ditto for ABC, which produces and distributes “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” to broadcasters like Nexstar — and likewise has business before the FCC.

*** end quote ***

Here’s the conflict of interests!

It was wrong when the D’s did it.  It’s still wronger when the R’s do it.

Argh!

— 30 —


RANT: Clear cutting a small green island in 08901

Friday, August 1, 2025

Dear Mayor 

It’s a shame no one asked about the impact of clear cutting the “island” at Paulus Blvd and Route 18.  Today, the Public Works men show up and devastated the “island” of brush, trees, and anything green. So much for ecology and green spaces. Expect to see birds and deer displaced; maybe even more “accidents”. Spoke to the crew chief and hey said they had “orders from the mayor”. Argh!  

Supposedly, a fatal accident occurred there which was blamed on limited visibility. We never heard or read about it. An internet search did not revel any accident.  

Now let’s chat about the impact on my house.  

  • The traffic noise for 18, which was significantly muffled by the green space, is louder than ever.
  • Drivers coming up the ramp to “make the light” or “get ahead of the 18 traffic” don’t even have to pretend to stop at the stop sign. Talk about an accident waiting to happen.  
  • The value of my property has be hurt but I can’t quantify the amount.

Now what happens next:

  • Will the city put up a big ugly sound barrier?
  • Raise the berm to cut down on the noise?
  • Replant some hedges or trees?

If a neighbor did something like this, the various city agencies would ask for public comment. But the city does it with aout any “impact statements”.

My wife and I are very upset and we vote.

s/ Ferdinand J. Reinke

— 30 — 


RANT: Barbie debuts first doll with type 1 diabetes; I’m not a fan

Monday, July 28, 2025

https://www.optimistdaily.com/2025/07/barbie-debuts-first-doll-with-type-1-diabetes-boosting-visibility-and-inclusion/?utm_source=rss

Barbie debuts first doll with type 1 diabetes, boosting visibility and inclusion
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM
This article was originally published on July 18, 2025

*** begin quote ***

Mattel introduced its first-ever Barbie doll with type 1 diabetes in an effort to improve representation and produce dolls that truly mirror real life. Created in partnership with Breakthrough T1D, a nonprofit focused on type 1 diabetes research and advocacy, the new Barbie aims to normalize life with the condition and inspire empathy, understanding, and pride.

*** end quote ***

​Argh! This makes me think of Evy and her brother Jack. Both Type 1’s. Is this “Barbie” going to have a shortened lifespan, infertility, ill-health, vision problems, and blood sugar swings that make life a wild painful ride?

It seems like it trivializes the problems they had all so that Mattel can make a few bucks.  I am not against making a few bucks.  And maybe it can make children feel differently about themselves.

BUT, (and there is always a BIG butt), I suspect that Mattel’s motives are not all altruistic. If they said their profits were going to fund a research prize for a cure, then I’d be positively impressed. Otherwise, Argh!  I suspect that any “donations” will come off their taxes and will go fund (what I call) “Red Cross style” bureaucrats① (i.e., high paid “leadership”) and a never ending (what I call) “March of Dimes” charity organizations② (i.e., an organization which when it cures its disease  — like polio  —  rebrands to a “disease” that can never be cured, ever. Hence the organization attains “immortality” of lucrative high-paying jobs).

# – # – # – # – # 

FOOTNOTES: 

① Salaries of “Leadership”  

$832,241: Gail McGovern, President and CEO ARC https://paddockpost.com/2024/03/24/executive-compensation-at-the-american-red-cross-2022/

Compared to: 

Reports suggest the General earns between $13,000 and $79,000 annually, depending on the country and organization structure. 

https://salaryideas.com/salvation-army-ceo-salary/

 

② “March of Dimes” rebrands to fight “birth defects”

What began in 1938 with President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s personal struggle with polio led to the creation of the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, better known as March of Dimes. 

In 1958, the organization expanded its purpose to “broader medical causes” but retreated in 1965 to a narrower, birth-defects focus. In 1979, the group changed its name to March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation, but the phrase “birth defects” was removed in 2006. 

https://www.fplglaw.com/insights/more-troubles-march-dimes/

 

— 30 —

 


RANT: Hey, “kill the ump” isn’t even acceptable these days

Sunday, June 29, 2025

https://nypost.com/2025/06/25/sports/diamondbacks-ketel-marte-cries-on-field-after-fans-disturbing-comments/

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 —


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?

—30—


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—


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—


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— 


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!

—30—