PEACE: A call for “family-friendly, anti-migration, pro-peace” sounds like the best path for peace

Friday, November 8, 2024

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/orban-liberals-have-had-their-place-sun-its-time-defeat-them-every-election-starting

Orbán: “Liberals Have Had Their Place In The Sun, It’s Time To Defeat Them In Every Election, Starting With Donald Trump”

by Tyler Durden
Saturday, Nov 02, 2024 – 07:00 AM
By Thomas Brooke, of Remix news

*** begin quote ***

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has defended his administration’s conservative policies on migration and family support, emphasizing Hungary’s stance as a “conservative island” in a “liberal European ocean.”

*** and ***

“If the liberals had won here in Georgia, it would be the news everywhere in Western Europe today that your democracy is in top shape. But in the same election, the conservatives won, so debates are expected in the international press,” Orbán said in support of the incumbent Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidzeon.

He called for a shift toward a “family-friendly, anti-migration, pro-peace” leadership in Europe, expressing confidence that “this new center” would soon gain prominence within the bloc.

“We need prime ministers who are on the side of the people, representing the interests of the European people,” he said, claiming that European liberals have had “their place under the sun” and “must be defeated in as many elections as possible.”

*** end quote ***

I am moved by several images: children mining cobalt in thirds world countries, babies dying in Gaza and the Ukraine, and worst of all “migrant” mobs of all young males (people of color) overwhelming the various welfare states.

It would seem that we, as a society, have lost our collective minds.  Clearly the Welfare / Warfare State has bankrupted the USA and other European countries.  Only a radical “reformation” can avoid the inevitable collapse of the Empire.

Dona Nobis Pacem

—30—

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DISCOURAGING:Here’s a crime that I hope doesnt come to the USA

Thursday, November 7, 2024

https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/27/europe/criminals-atm-robberies-europe-intl/index.html

Criminals are looting millions from ATMs in Europe. Here’s why Germany is a prime target
By Sophie Tanno, CNN
Updated 5:58 AM EDT, Sun October 27, 2024

*** begin quote ***

In Germany – Europe’s largest economy – thieves have been blowing up ATMs at a rate of more than one per day in recent years. In a country where cash is still a prevalent payment method, the thefts can prove incredibly lucrative, with criminals pocketing hundreds of thousands of euros in one attack.

Europol has been cracking down on the robberies, carrying out large cross-border operations aimed at taking down the highly-organized criminal gangs behind them.

Earlier this month, authorities from Germany, France and the Netherlands arrested three members of a criminal network who have been carrying out attacks on cash machines using explosives, Europol said in a statement. 

*** and ***

A decline in ATM machines in the Netherlands and the introduction of enhanced security measures to crack down on the crime – including the installation of glue protection systems that can render bank notes worthless – has also led Dutch criminals to look further afield, according to Reuters, citing Dutch police. 

*** end quote ***

Never underestimate the inginuity of rats — either the four legged or two legged kind.  Like that meme about “making stuff idiot proof and the Universe makes smarter idiots”.  I guess we always had “highwaymen” robbing trains and stagecoaches.  At least now with ₿itcoin, there is nothing physical to steal.

—30—

 

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INSPIRATIONAL: So you think you’re so smart? These young ladies put us to shame

Wednesday, November 6, 2024

https://www.livescience.com/physics-mathematics/mathematics/high-school-students-who-came-up-with-impossible-proof-of-pythagorean-theorem-discover-9-more-solutions-to-the-problem?utm_placement=newsletter

High school students who came up with ‘impossible’ proof of Pythagorean theorem discover 9 more solutions to the problem

By Sascha Pare published 2 days ago

<< EDITOR ADDED DATE 2024-10-28>>

*** begin quote ***

In a new peer-reviewed study, Ne’Kiya Jackson and Calcea Johnson outlined 10 ways to solve the Pythagorean theorem using trigonometry, including a proof they discovered in high school.

Two students who discovered a seemingly impossible proof to the Pythagorean theorem in 2022 have wowed the math community again with nine completely new solutions to the problem.

While still in high school, Ne’Kiya Jackson and Calcea Johnson from Louisiana used trigonometry to prove the 2,000-year-old Pythagorean theorem, which states that the sum of the squares of a right triangle’s two shorter sides are equal to the square of the triangle’s longest side (the hypotenuse). Mathematicians had long thought that using trigonometry to prove the theorem was unworkable, given that the fundamental formulas for trigonometry are based on the assumption that the theorem is true.

Jackson and Johnson came up with their “impossible” proof in answer to a bonus question in a school math contest. They presented their work at an American Mathematical Society meeting in 2023, but the proof hadn’t been thoroughly scrutinized at that point. Now, a new paper published Monday (Oct. 28) in the journal American Mathematical Monthly shows their solution held up to peer review. Not only that, but the two students also outlined nine more proofs to the Pythagorean theorem using trigonometry.

*** end quote ***

These young ladies make me feel dumb. Wonder how many hidden young talents are out there? Lost over the decades because humans as a species are really “dumb” too.

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RANT: Our old “friend” shrinkflation is in the news; it’s this a deceptive trade practice

Tuesday, November 5, 2024

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/yourmoney/consumer/article-13998363/kelloggs-cereal-mocked-extreme-lengths-hide-

Kellogg’s ridiculed for drastic efforts to hide shrinkflation: ‘Just laughing at us’
By Tilly Armstrong Assistant Consumer Editor For Dailymail.Com
Published: 08:36 EDT, 28 October 2024 | Updated: 12:09 EDT, 28 October 2024

*** begin quote ***

Kellogg’s is resorting to ‘deceptive’ ways to distract shoppers from its shrinkflation tactics.

A photo shared on Reddit highlights how the brand has made its family-size Special K box taller – while actually reducing the amount of cereal inside. 

Shrinkflation is when products shrink in size or quantity while the price remains the same or even increases. 

*** end quote ***

Unlike “price gouging” that I approve of, “shrinkflation” IMHO is a deceptive trade practice designed to fool “We, The Sheeple”.  As such, it should be actionable.  Companies should not be permitted to defraud the consumer this way.  (Other ways may be permissible?)

At the very least, the FTC should force them to rebrand their packaging.

Maybe as punishment, they should be required to put a “shrinkflation” notice prominently.

—30—

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TECHNOLOGY: Vivaldi, yet another browser with some unique features

Monday, November 4, 2024

https://vivaldi.com/

https://www.makeuseof.com/vivaldi-most-customizable-web-browser-without-extensions/?user=cmVpbmtlZmpAZ21haWwuY29t&lctg=7e6c3cd411d6a815afa18582d54bd455914c43c5f69df1448b8ec20ee4959f71

This Is the Most Customizable Web Browser Without Extensions
By Ali Haider
Published 3 days ago

<< EDITOR ADDED DATE 2024-10-25>>

*** begin quote ***

If you’ve ever felt restricted by your current browser’s customization options, Vivaldi is the solution you’re looking for. It’s highly customizable and packed with a bunch of built-in tools that might easily become your favorite.

1 Interface Customization in Vivaldi

Vivaldi was created with one primary goal: to give users extensive control over how their browsers look and feel. It’s built on Chromium, the same open-source browser used by Chrome and Edge. This means you won’t miss out on essential security features or sacrificing performance.

*** end quote ***

Anyone, who follows this blog or knows me, knows I am a browser junkie.

I have several different browsers installed for when I “support” different people.  Plus one or two just for “fun”.

(I love when tech support people try and blame my “problem” on my browser because I don’t call in  — I hate people  — until I’ve tried it on my big 3 (Firefox, Chrome, and Opera).  Maybe even Arc, Brave, or Edge if I am really a glutton for punishing myself.)

Well here’s one that has a lot of “features” that claims to be “simple”.  We’ll see.  In any event, it’s nice to have another in the stable,

—30— 

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GUNS: A “restraining order” doesn’t “restrain”; an armed citizen is a good “first responder”

Sunday, November 3, 2024

https://bearingarms.com/camedwards/2024/10/26/north-carolina-woman-wont-face-charges-after-shooting-ex-as-he-broke-into-her-home-n1226690

North Carolina Woman Won’t Face Charges After Shooting Ex As He Broke Into Her Home
By Cam Edwards | 8:30 AM | October 26, 202

*** begin quote ***

The local sheriff says Bush had previously violated a protective order on two separate occasions and pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge of breaking and entering as well as violating a domestic violence protective order in April of this year. It’s unclear if Bush was sentenced to any jail time after his guilty plea or was instead placed immediately on probation, but he was back in court in August on another charge of violating a protective order. 

That case was dismissed by a judge when the victim failed to appear in court to testify, despite the objections of local prosecutors. If the local courts had cut Bush a break after his first arrest, I can understand why the woman might have been reluctant to go through the ordeal of testifying against him once more, but without her testimony it might have been impossible for prosecutors to produce any evidence that Bush had committed a crime. 

When the victim failed to appear in court, the judge dropped the domestic violence restraining order against Bush, but the woman successfully applied for a new protective order last month; one that was still active when Bush attempted to break into her home.

This incident not only highlights the importance of domestic abuse victims being able to protect and defend themselves, but also the struggles they face to find justice in the courts. Under North Carolina law, violating a domestic violence protective order is a misdemeanor offense punishable by, at most, 150 days in the local jail. With time off for good credit, that five-month sentence can be cut down to four months behind bars, which means that even if Bush had received the maximum sentence allowed he would have been released from custody long before he showed up at his ex’s home earlier this month. 

*** end quote ***

Good thing for that judge who let him out and about, despite several demonstrations of his “respect” for the “LAW”.

As I’ve blogged before:

“Restraining orders don’t restrain squat!  Give the girl a gun and warn the guy if he gets shot no charges against her will be filed.” https://bit.ly/3Ups95v

And, if she needs a gun, then the sheriff should give her one, “loan” her some bullets, and take her to the range for a short course in safe shooting.

“Victim disarmament is the view that it is somehow better to see a woman raped in an alley and strangled with her own pantyhose, than see her with a gun in her hand.” — T.D. Melrose

—30—

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INSPIRATIONAL: The greatest books of wisdom are available free — a donation would be appreciated

Saturday, November 2, 2024

https://standardebooks.org/ebooks/jean-jacques-rousseau/the-social-contract/g-d-h-cole

The Social Contract
Jean-Jacques Rousseau

  • 56,521 words (3 hours 26 minutes) with a reading ease of 50.91 (fairly difficult)
  • Translated by G. D. H. Cole.
  • Part of the Encyclopædia Britannica’s Great Books of the Western World set.  

*** begin quote ***

In The Social Contract, Jean-Jacques Rousseau presents a political philosophy based on the principle that legitimate authority originates from the consent of the people. Individuals willingly surrender their rights in order to create a collective sovereign, which embodies the general will of the people.

Rousseau examines different forms of government, addresses the challenges of ensuring that a government executes the general will of the people, and addresses the need for safeguards against the abuse of power. He demonstrates that active citizenship and a strong social compact are crucial for maintaining a just and free society.

*** end quote ***

I read this in High School because it was on a summer reading list.  (Those Christian Brothers really knew how to ruin a boy’s summer.  Bless their souls.  It sunk in after one or more decades.) I had to go to the library to read it.  (It was only available in an expensive hard cover.  My money went to comic books.)  At the library I saw a complete set of the Great Books of the Western World from the Encyclopædia Britannica.  I was awed by the row.  Didn’t read them but I could have. (Shoulda, coulda, and woulda!)

It is amazing at the “riches” the net provides if it’s just used properly.

—30—

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GOLDBUG: The shift from dollar-based global economy to something else is glacially slow but you can see it happening

Saturday, November 2, 2024

https://www.gold-eagle.com/article/commodity-currency-revolution

The Commodity Currency Revolution
Alasdair Macleod
Author & Head of Research @ Goldmoney
April 7, 2022

*** begin quote ***

We will look back at current events and realise that they marked the change from a dollar-based global economy underwritten by financial assets to commodity-backed currencies. We face a change from collateral being purely financial in nature to becoming commodity based. It is collateral that underwrites the whole financial system.

The ending of the financially based system is being hastened by geopolitical developments. The West is desperately trying to sanction Russia into economic submission, but is only succeeding in driving up energy, commodity, and food prices against itself. Central banks will have no option but to inflate their currencies to pay for it all. Russia is linking the rouble to commodity prices through a moving gold peg instead, and China has already demonstrated an understanding of the West’s inflationary game by having stockpiled commodities and essential grains for the last two years and allowed her currency to rise against the dollar.China and Russia are not going down the path of the West’s inflating currencies. Instead, they are moving towards a sounder money strategy with the prospect of stable interest rates and prices while the West accelerates in the opposite direction.

The Credit Suisse analyst, Zoltan Pozsar, calls it Bretton Woods III. This article looks at how it is likely to play out, concluding that the dollar and Western currencies, not the rouble, will have the greatest difficulty dealing with the end of fifty years of economic financialisation.

Pure finance is being replaced with commodity finance

*** end quote ***

We’ve seen the price of gold in dollars rise.  ₿itcoin is another example of the little people seeking to save in the face of massive inflation.  And, those ₿itcoiners who are holding on for dear life (aka HODLers) are obviously big winners and just don’t let go.

Some Gooferment just levied a 42% tax on ₿itcoin capital gains.  Good luck collecting that.  That’s why self-custody is almost mandatory.  I can see generations of family practicing tax evasion and avoidance as wealth is transferred inter-generationally by means of ₿itcoin, precious metal “coins” (i.e., rounds), and other hard invisible assets.  

For the “tiny savers”, for whom the price of gold and silver is too big a barrier to entry, ₿itcoin and Goldbacks are low cost ways to enter the market.

Not every seismic change happens quickly like a Tsunami, Earthquake, or Hurricane.  But like small tremors lead up to a big quake, this is happening right before us.

—30—

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WRITING: Poor Joe

Friday, November 1, 2024

 The DNA Database Incident

It was a beautiful sunny day when Joe woke. The birds were singing, the sun was shining, and all was right with the world.

In a joint Google-Apple-Microsoft-IBM data center, they were just preparing to populate the total DNA global database. It was the result of a decade-long project run out of the Human Genome Project. IBM Watson had been given access to the HG project and all available DNA records. It was asked one question: what was the relationship of the human genome to DNA? Scientists had debated nature versus nurture until they were blue in the face. Nothing had emerged, and there was conflicting anecdotal data on both sides.

Watson worked the problem for a month. The operators could see the process meter—which was only there to keep the humans from pulling Watson offline. All cores were running. Finally, Watson deployed a simple function:

“`

IN = F(THGGNA, T)

“`

The scientists were baffled. What that meant was that the entity was a time-based function, and every human was basically unique in an unpredictable way. A clone wasn’t really identical to the original because of the time function. While the individual and clone may be close enough for transplants, one could be identified uniquely. Bottom line: there could be only one Beethoven, and only one in that place in time.

From that, the scientists developed a unique human identification system. The political elite had always wanted unique tags for people that couldn’t be mimicked or duplicated. The computer jockeys set about generating tags, and life was going to change. The generation was started and left in the care of an operational staff.

And like most things, Murphy’s Law was still in effect and very persistent. During the late night shift, during a rousing game of pizza-tinfoil baseball—using the pizza boxes as bats and the tinfoil from under the pizza rolled up as balls—there was a high fly ball. An operator bumped a solid-state disk drive as it was processing Joe’s record.

Poor Joe. He was now not in the DNA database and a non-person as far as the Universe was concerned. On the plus side, he was never charge for anything he stole, since he didn’t exist. On the minus side, he was never able to do anything that required identification. Poor Joe.

—30—

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LIBERTARIAN: I beleive that individuals have a right to do anything that doesn’t impinge on the common-law rights of others

Friday, November 1, 2024

https://internationalman.com/articles/doug-caseys-top-five-reasons-not-to-vote/

Doug Casey’s Top Five Reasons Not to Vote
by Doug Casey

<< EDITOR ADDED DATE 2024-10-31>>

*** begin quote ***

Democracy is vastly overrated.

The national elections this November 5 (Guy Fawkes Day, FWIW) have every chance of turning into a chaotic catastrophe. I’m not, therefore, going to discuss either candidate. Let’s instead talk about principles. That’s something few people discuss these days.

“Democracy” is not like the consensus of a few friends agreeing to see the same movie. Most often, it boils down to a kinder and gentler variety of mob rule, dressed in a coat and tie. The essence of positive values like personal liberty, prosperity, opportunity, fraternity, and equality have little to do with democracy. Those things exist because of free minds, free markets, and limited government.

Democracy, by contrast, focuses people’s thoughts on politics, not production, on the collective, not on their own lives. That’s not good.

*** and ***

A libertarian believes that individuals have a right to do anything that doesn’t impinge on the common-law rights of others, namely force or fraud. Libertarians are the human equivalent of the Gamma rat, which bears a little explanation.

Some years ago, scientists experimenting with rats categorized the vast major ity of their subjects as Beta rats. These are basically followers who get the Alpha rats’ leftovers. The Alpha rats establish territories, claim the choicest mates, and generally lord it over the Betas. This pretty well corresponded with the way the researchers thought the world worked.

But they were surprised to find a third type of rat as well: the Gamma. This creature staked out a territory and chose the pick of the litter for a mate, like the Alpha, but didn’t attempt to dominate the Betas. A go-along-get-along rat. A libertarian rat, if you will.

My guess, mixed with a dollop of hope, is that as society becomes more repressive, more Gamma people will tune in to the problem and drop out as a solution. No, they won’t turn into middle-aged hippies practicing basket weaving and bead stringing in remote communes. Rather, they will structure their lives so that the government—which is to say, taxes, regulations, and inflation—is a non-factor. Suppose they gave a war and nobody came? Suppose they gave an election, and nobody voted, gave a tax, and nobody paid or imposed a regulation, and nobody obeyed it?

*** end quote ***

Credit for the picture to where I found the definition.

https://americanhandgunner.com/our-experts/guncrank-diaries/year-of-the-gamma-rat/

I hope I’m a gamma rat.  Wish we could all be such. 

Dona Nobis Pacem

—30—

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