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

Tuesday, May 20, 2025

FOUND VIA:

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

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

Tip of the hat to: JWR

# – # – # – # – # 

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

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

 By Jeff Crouere • May. 5, 2025 

*** begin quote ***

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

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

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

*** end quote ***

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

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

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

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

Argh!

It’s a national disgrace.

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

—30—


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— 


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

Sunday, May 18, 2025

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

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

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

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

*** begin quote ***

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

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

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

*** end quote ***

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

Argh!

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

Argh!

Why don’t we have competition in energy?

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

—30—


ENCOURAGING: A modern internet eqivalent of the Library at Alexandria

Saturday, May 17, 2025

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

Free ebooks in this post

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

# – # – # – # – # 

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

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

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

Laugh!

No such luck for you poor “usual suspects”.

—30—


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

Friday, May 16, 2025

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

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

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

Nicolas Hulscher, MPH  —  Mar 11, 2025

*** begin quote ***

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

*** and ***

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

*** end quote ***

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

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

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

Argh!

I hate politicians and bureaucrats.

—30—

 


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

Thursday, May 15, 2025

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

@tikhbana

May 12 • 1 tweets • 1 min read •

Read on X

*** begin quote ***

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

he found us by asking perplexity:

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

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

then he said:

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

*** end quote ***

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

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

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

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

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

Demonstrates the freedom of ₿ and crypto in general.

YMMV

—30—


HEALTH: But I like hot dogs and sausage … …

Wednesday, May 14, 2025

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

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

*** begin quote ***

Story at-a-glance

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

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

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

*** end quote ***

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

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

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

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

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

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

—30—


ECONOMICS: Just End The Fed now for good

Monday, May 12, 2025

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

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

1) It is incapable of accomplishing its stated objectives.

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

3) It is the supreme instrument of usury.

4) It generates our most unfair tax.

5) It encourages war.

6) It destabilizes the economy.

7) It is an instrument of totalitarianism.

# – # – # – # – # 

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

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

Wake up people!

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

Sigh!

—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—


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

Saturday, May 10, 2025

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

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

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

*** begin quote ***

Authenticator

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

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

*** end quote ***

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

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

Argh!

—30—


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

Friday, May 9, 2025

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

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

*** begin quote ***

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

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

*** end quote ***

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

Really amazing.

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

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

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

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

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

Dona Nobis Pacem

—30—


HEALTHCARE: Time to repeal ’86 SHIELD ACT

Thursday, May 8, 2025

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

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

*** begin quote ***

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

*** end quote ***

“MAY”?

Are you kidding me?

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

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

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

Time to repeal ’86 SHIELD ACT.

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

Argh!

—30—


MEME: When “We, The Sheeple” wake up?

Wednesday, May 7, 2025

molṑn labé”

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

UntitledImage

—30—


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

Tuesday, May 6, 2025

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

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

*** begin quote ***

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

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

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

*** end quote ***

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

That’s America in action!

—30— 


GOVEROTRAGEOUS: Once wildlife center should always be a wildlife center

Monday, May 5, 2025

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

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

*** begin quote ***

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

*** end quote ***

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

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

—30—


HEROIC: Child Born with Heart Outside Chest … …

Sunday, May 4, 2025

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/child-born-with-heart-outside-chest-becomes-solitary-survivor-thanks-to-surgical-procedure-invented-for-her/?utm_campaign=newsletters&utm_medium=weekly_mailout&utm_source=01-05-2025

Child Born with Heart Outside Chest Becomes Solitary Survivor Thanks to Surgical Procedure Invented for Her
By Andy Corbley – Apr 28, 2025

*** begin quote ***

Their patient was Vanellope Wilkins, the solitary survivor known to British medicine of ectopia cordis, a condition where a fetus develops with its heart outside its body.

Over a period of 9 hours, the team which included visiting surgeons from London would form a protective cage around Vanellope’s heart by reforming her ribs, and though her team included some of the best pediatric surgeons in the country, the procedure had never been done before, and was invented specifically for Vanellope’s case.

*** end quote ***

Team of 50 are all heroes in my book.  Saving a life, creating a unique approach, and following thru for 7 years is heroic in my book.

Compared to all the abortions performed for “convenience” makes this effort a statement about the value of human life.

—30—


RECOMMENDED: MOSUL on NETFLIX

Saturday, May 3, 2025

https://www.netflix.com/search?q=mosul&jbv=81041495

# – # – # – # – #

“War movie” with violence, language, and heave forbid smoking!

Gives one a feel for the trauma of all these wars.  If you weren’t just a plain old hippie anti-war type after this, then you have no empathy for those poor unfortunates in the middle. 

Note the scene of the child just sitting along side the alley.  Or the final conclusion!

Dona Nobis Pacem

—30—


SURVIVAL: But we’re not a “serious species”

Friday, May 2, 2025

‘Sleeping giant’ off coast of California is due to wake any moment and could sink parts of US in just MINUTES | Daily Mail Online

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-14656853/Cascadia-Subduction-Zone-earthquake-california-sink.html

While “global warming” is the latest version of the “plandemic”, it is not hard to imagine the West Coast having another earthquake.  If humans were a serious people, then there would be some “incentives” to move away from the danger zone (i.e., not permitting new development or expansion in that area; tax and insurance rates to encourage movement; “buy” endangered property owners out to make parks).  But we’re not a “serious species” probably doing nothing, and then be “shocked” when a predicted disaster happens.  Argh!

—30—


RECOMMENDED: Write In Private: Free Online Diary And Personal Journal | Penzu

Thursday, May 1, 2025

Write In Private: Free Online Diary And Personal Journal | Penzu

https://penzu.com/journals/3256620/107022325

Remember Star Trek and “Ship’s Log”?

I do the same thing, sort of in Penzu.

I find it pretty robust and useful.  Since 12/2021!

YMMV FWIW faiwwypfi (Free Advice Is Worth What You Pay For It! ?zero?)

—30—


SECURITY: Don’t just take your power from any source?

Wednesday, April 30, 2025

https://arstechnica.com/security/2025/04/ios-and-android-juice-jacking-defenses-have-been-trivial-to-bypass-for-years/

SON OF JUICE JACKING ARISES

  • iOS and Android juice jacking defenses have been trivial to bypass for years
  • New ChoiceJacking attack allows malicious chargers to steal data from phones.

Dan Goodin – Apr 28, 2025 7:00 AM 

*** begin quote ***

Word that juice-jacking-style attacks are once again possible on some Android devices and out-of-date iPhones is likely to breathe new life into the constant warnings from federal authorities, tech pundits, news outlets, and local and state government agencies that phone users should steer clear of public charging stations.

As I reported in 2023, these warnings are mostly scaremongering, and the advent of ChoiceJacking does little to change that, given that there are no documented cases of such attacks in the wild. That said, people using Android devices that don’t support Google’s new authentication requirement may want to refrain from public charging.

*** end quote ***

This reinforces my personal preference for having an external battery for recharge.  All my cars and my EDC pack have an ANKER power block, my own power plug, and 3 short USB-A cables.  My SOP is to not use “public ports” unless I have no other choice.  Suggest that anyone who values their security should do the same.

—30—


MONEY: A surveillance masquerading as currency?

Tuesday, April 29, 2025

https://www.theadvocates.org/beware-the-ecb-digital-currency-is-coming/https://www.theadvocates.org/beware-the-ecb-digital-currency-is-coming/

Beware: The ECB Digital Currency Is Coming
By Daniel Lacalle
Published in Economics – 5 mins – Apr 25

*** begin quote ***

The digital euro, which Lagarde described in 2022 as “a digital banknote with a little less anonymity than the paper banknote because it is issued and guaranteed by the central bank,” is an unnecessary and dangerous tool.

Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) have been gaining attention as the technology of the future for monetary systems, but beneath their promise of efficiency and innovation lies a more pessimistic reality: they can serve as tools for surveillance, eroding personal privacy and financial freedom.

In the European Union, where limits to freedom of expression and the cancellation of elections are already a concern, a CBDC can be seen as surveillance masquerading as currency.

*** end quote ***

From the people who made the stereotype Nazi “Vere Is UR Pa-pers!”, they want to know and control the every actions of the people under their thumb.

Even the movies made a issue of it.

https://www.artofmanliness.com/odds-ends/odds-ends-april-25-2025/

*** begin quote ***

… … movies from our teenage years: Swing Kids. Set in pre-WWII Hamburg, it follows a group of German youth who rebel against Nazi conformity through their passion for forbidden American swing music.

*** end quote ***

Coming soon to a country near you?

Argh!

—30—


GOVEROTRAGEOUS: Fraud is baked into voting/

Monday, April 28, 2025

Florida election lawsuit exposes loophole in federal voter registration law | Just The News

https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/elections/florida-election-lawsuit-exposes-loophole-federal-voter-registration-law

Argh. It’s like they deliberately write in loop holes?

—30—


HARDWARE: Remembering a hardware failure; not so fondly

Sunday, April 27, 2025

https://www.makeuseof.com/thread/what-was-your-worst-data-loss-disaster/?utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=MUO-202504240800&utm_source=MUO-NL&user=cmVpbmtlZmpAZ21haWwuY29t&lctg=7e6c3cd411d6a815afa18582d54bd455914c43c5f69df1448b8ec20ee4959f71

What Was Your Worst Data Loss Disaster?

Ben Stegner

1 day ago

<< EDITOR ADDED DATE 2025-04-24>>

# – # – # – # – # 

MY REPSONSE

Back in the Wild West days of corporate computing, II used to have my own back up solution. Brought and paid for myself. It was a zip drive. Remeber good old Iomega devices. It was 10 megs that I controlled. Had my own program that I wrote in COBOL (shows you how long ago that was). Worked fine thru several IBM Thinkpad hard disk failures. Sigh!

Anyway some genious decided that there should be no foreign devices on the corporate network, All USB ports would be locked, All computers in the Window NT domain would be backed up by the domain admin team. Even floppy disks were prohibited and locked.  

Having no choice, I did a lot of printing of stuff fo take home and emailing copies of working documents to a coworker and visa verse.

For about six months everything was fine. Then predictably my “workstation” that Thinkpad disk drive failed. Support dutifully replaced it and reinstalled the Operating System and started a restore from “Headquarters”.

Guess they never met Murphy.

Of course, I was idled for the better part of two days with about 50 meg of data “sped” down the undersized corporate network. Due dates be dammed. My status reports were on sentence. “Computer failed; Restore in progress; ETTR unknown.”

So it finally finished up after three DAYS, And NIGHTS! I sit down an logon. Guess what happens next? “File not found”, “File corrupt”. Another two days of “techincal magic” and everything now appears to work.

Go to open my latest — now behind schedule — “urgent” report. “File not found”.

I do a quick look and the back up data is SIX MONTHS old.

Apparent after great “STURM UND DRANG” we find out that the corporate backup system had never worked.  

I do a not so quick inventory of my paper files that I had at home. And there is SOME stuff but not everything. (I was a very inefficient clerk. Especially when I am very annoyed.)

Leadership told me to “Stop Bitching” and “deal with it”. 

Apparently, the various executives were going thru

# – # – # – # – # 

Webform has — I guess  —  a size limit 

# – # – # – # – # 

Apparently, the various executives were going thru a similar “experience”.  

I presume that they were not diligent about the corporate diktat that there was to be no “personal” data kept on “corporate computers”.

Never found out the full impact of the disaster.

But soon after IT leadership left for “other opportunities” and who bunch of “IT diktats” changed.

Laugh!

I too left soon after for a better opportunity and more money. Laugh!

About a year later the company was acquired and their IT was “absorbed” with a huge layoff.

I don’t know if the two are related.

Never looked back.

# – # – # – # – # 

Thought this was a interesting memory.

Argh! Argh! Sigh!

—30—


SECURITY: may verify “authentic” accounts

Friday, April 25, 2025

https://bsky.social/about/blog/04-21-2025-verification

A New Form of Verification on Bluesky
April 21, 2025 by The Bluesky Team

*** begin quote ***

In 2023, we launched our first layer of verification: letting individuals and organizations set their domain as their username. Since then, over 270,000 accounts have linked their Bluesky username to their website. Domain handles continue to be an important part of verification on Bluesky. At the same time, we’ve heard from users that a larger visual signal would be useful in knowing which accounts are authentic.

*** and ***

During this initial phase, Bluesky is not accepting direct applications for verification. As this feature stabilizes, we’ll launch a request form for notable and authentic accounts interested in becoming verified or becoming trusted verifiers.

*** end quote ***

Interesting that they MAY verify real people. 

With or without a “subscription”?

Often thought that ISPs if they wanted could tie a User’s identity to the credit card they pay with.  Also, they COULD, but don’t allow such an identity to create sub accounts for children and young adults.  

Wouldn’t this cut down on the number and kind of bots that spam the inet with trash?

Seems so simple to me.

Argh!

—30—


GOVEROTRAGEOUS: Politics trumps justice?

Thursday, April 24, 2025

https://nypost.com/2025/04/22/us-news/tim-walz-employee-who-allegedly-caused-over-20k-in-damages-to-teslas-let-off-by-woke-minnesota-da/?utm_source=sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=news_alert&utm_content=20250422?&utm_source=sailthru&lctg=6080ba40747925275a09dcd3&utm_term=NYP%20-%20News%20Alerts

Minnesota state employee who allegedly caused over $20K in damages to Teslas is let off by woke DA — as cops slam deal
By Patrick Reilly

*** begin quote ***

A progressive district attorney has declined to charge a Tim Walz state employee allegedly caught causing $20,000 damage by vandalizing half a dozen Teslas — a decision ripped by the “frustrated” local police chief.

The suspected vandal, 33-year-old Minnesota government employee Dylan Bryan Adams, was allegedly spotted keying the vehicles and stripping their paint off while out walking his dog around the city.

Despite what police believe to be evidence of Adams committing felonies, Hennepin County District Attorney Mary Moriarty will seek diversion rather than criminal charges.

*** begin quote ***

Sorry, but this is an example of selective justice.

Hopefully, a civil suit will find for punitive damages.

Maybe “We, The Sheeple” in Minnesota may have something to say about this travesty.

The DA should be fired and possibly disbarred for this miscarriage.  And, as a State employee, the citizens have a right to expect better conduct from their “employee”. 

Argh!

—30—


HEROIC: Philly cop saves child from a potentially deadly fall while he’s acrophobic

Wednesday, April 23, 2025

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/philadelphia-police-officer-sets-aside-fear-of-heights-to-rescue-child-from-a-roof/?utm_campaign=newsletters&utm_medium=weekly_mailout&utm_source=20-04-2025

Philadelphia Police Officer Sets Aside Fear of Heights to Rescue Child from a Roof
By Andy Corbley – Apr 16, 2025

*** begin quote ***

It takes bravery to be a police officer, but for someone with a fear of heights, it’s probably safe to assume most of the work will be done with feet on solid ground.

For one acrophobic Philadelphia officer however, preventing disaster meant going above and beyond the call of duty, literally.

Officer Eric Robbins was on patrol December 10th, among the two-storey houses on N. 64th Street, when he got a call from neighbors saying someone’s child was out and walking on the pitched-roof of a nearby house.

*** end quote ***

That takes courage.  Any adult can quickly realize what a fall from such a height can mean.  For someone already afraid of heights to push thru and save a baby is imho heroic.

I know how quickly babies can get into trouble even when you’re sitting watching them.  Never mind doing a chore or cooking at your phone.  The baby was probably down for a nap, woke up, and silently decide to explore out an open window with no child guard.

Well all’s well that ends well.

Thanks to a fast cop with no fear.  

—30—