Microsoft is killing its ChromeOS competitor:
Back in 2021, Microsoft announced Windows 11 SE as a lightweight platform to rival Google’s ChromeOS, but now, the company is pulling the plug on the offshoot.
TECHNOLOGY: Microsoft is killing its ChromeOS competitor — “Microsoft Mothball”?
Saturday, August 2, 2025
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Technology | Tagged: Google Graveyard | 
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Posted by reinkefj
TECHNOLOGY: Individuals should be able to maintain their own verified digital identity
Saturday, August 2, 2025https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2025/07/how-solid-protocol-restores-digital-agency.html
Schneier on Security
*** begin quote ***
How Solid Protocol Restores Digital Agency
The current state of digital identity is a mess. Your personal information is scattered across hundreds of locations: social media companies, IoT companies, government agencies, websites you have accounts on, and data brokers you’ve never heard of. These entities collect, store, and trade your data, often without your knowledge or consent. It’s both redundant and inconsistent. You have hundreds, maybe thousands, of fragmented digital profiles that often contain contradictory or logically impossible information. Each serves its own purpose, yet there is no central override and control to serve you—as the identity owner.
*** and ***
The economics of Web 2.0 pushed us toward centralized platforms and surveillance capitalism, but there has always been a better way. Solid brings different pieces together into a cohesive whole that enables the identity-first architecture we should have had all along. The protocol doesn’t just solve technical problems; it corrects the fundamental misalignment of incentives that has made the modern web increasingly hostile to both users and developers.
As we look to a future of increased digitization across all sectors of society, the need for this architectural shift becomes even more apparent. Individuals should be able to maintain and present their own verified digital identity and history, rather than being at the mercy of siloed institutional databases. The Solid protocol makes this future technically possible.
This essay was written with Davi Ottenheimer, and originally appeared on The Inrupt Blog①
*** end quote ***
Good luck wresting control of “digital identity” from the all-powerful omniscient Gooferment. Never mind the technology giants like Google, Facebook, and Apple. And, of course, the completely subservient “We, The Sheeple” who don’t know how they are getting <synonym for the past tense of the procreation act.>!
Argh!
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Leave a Comment » | Technology | Tagged: Davi Ottenheimer, digital identity, incentives, Schneier, Schneier on Security, Security | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
RANT: Clear cutting a small green island in 08901
Friday, August 1, 2025Dear 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 —
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Posted by reinkefj
HEALTHCARE: Father Saved Son AMA From Hospital
Friday, August 1, 2025WOODS2665: Father Saved Son AMA From Hospital
Tom Woods Podcast #2665
https://tomwoods.com/ep-2665-we-saved-our-son-by-ditching-the-hospital/
Will Boytim’s son drowned several years ago, and his experience with the medical establishment was harrowing yet revealing and instructive — they knew nothing about the kind of treatment that would eventually save him (outside the hospital), and “organ donation” ghouls kept implying that they should just let the boy go — think of all the lives they could save!
# – # – # – # – #
Listening to this podcast episode was mind blowing.
Especially listen to the Czech doctor, who went along with the treatment plan, to humor the parents and figuring it couldn’t do any harm. He rewrote “the book” (i.e., the standard plan for drowning victims) based on what he saw with his own eyes.
Points that I took away:
- Never EVER leave your child alone in a hospital;
- You MUST be prepared to be a VOCAL “patient advocate”;
- Have an organized way to keep a record of EVERYTHING that impacts you or your patient;
- Be familiar with, and keep your own, SOAP <<Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan>> notes (a highly structured format for documenting the progress of a patient during treatment)
- Have pre-set up an effective communications tool to keep my family and friends informed about conditions with the minimum of effort. (I recommend Caring Bridge. It’s free and puts readers in control of how they receive information. I have one for myself with two co-contributors for when I’m not able to update either.)
- With the Patient, it is important to stay optimistic and positive. To a certain extent, I agree that the Universe does supply what you focus on; so NEVER let patient see anything but your “happy face”.
- With everyone else, it is important to stay realistic and objective. Facts only; not opinions since you as PA are not an “expert”.
- But with the Medical People (i.e., doctors; specialists; nurses; bureaucrats), you ARE the “expert” in your patient (i.e. complete history with lots of data).
- As her PiA (I call it being the “patient advocate”; been called PIA), I keep all the notes, do the RXes, nd generally fuss over her like a mother hen.
Clearly in my mind, the medical establishment is NOT your benevolent friend with your or your patient s best interest at heart.
I should write up my experiences with my sainted wife’s medical struggles as I tried to be her patient advocate.
Maybe it might help all future patient advocates get ready for their mission!
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Leave a Comment » | Healthcare | Tagged: Assessment, Objective, patient advocate, Plan, SOAP notes, Subjective, Tom Woods Podcast, Tom Woods Podcast #2665, tomwoods.com, Will Boytim | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
POLITICAL: Why do we have special deductions in the income tax code
Thursday, July 31, 2025FROM FACEBOOK
<< EDITOR ADDED DATE 2025-07-24>>
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19L9n3gvEj/
S Kent Troy, @skenttroy
*** begin quote ***
OK, a quick question, how many of you are aware that the BBB includes a provision for a $ 1,700 tax credit for a donation to a non public school scholarship program? If I owe uncle $ 15,000 next year I’d much rather give him $ 13,300 and spread the other $ 1,700 among the Catholic Schools I and my kids attended. Thanks to the “Jewish Weekly Standard” for the info!
*** end quote ***
A more important question to this little L libertarian is “Why?”
- Why have this “loophole” when the USA has the current 137T+ national debt and the guesstimated 200T+ in unfunded liabilities that our posterity will have to deal with.
- Why is the Gooferment “picking” winners and losers with the manipulation of the tax code — best to figure out how to end Gooferment Skrules and put parents in charge. (They had them; they feed them; they should school them.).
- Why don’t we stick to the Dead Old White Guys’ vision of a very limited Federal Gooferment? Why do we continue to accept the “bad behavior” of politicians and bureaucrats at all levels of society?
Why …, … why …, … why …?
— 30 —
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Posted by reinkefj
POLITICAL: Is it time to “refresh” the whole SCOTUS?
Wednesday, July 30, 2025Solidifying President Trump’s Judicial Legacy
- The importance of being ideologically earnest.
John Klar
Jul 23, 2025
*** begin quote ***
It seemed that, when nominated, Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was noted for her gender and skin color more than her intellectual prowess. Yet the Constitution registers no consideration of these attributes as necessary to fairly and impartially adjudicate the nation’s laws. Deviating from longstanding precedent, Jackson has a strong ideological bent toward activism. Ironically, her intersectionality includes womanhood and a feminist inclination, but she famously could not define what a woman is.
Several aspects of the modern American judicial system have steadily veered away from its traditional role of simply enforcing laws passed by Congress or issued by the executive in favor of insinuating deeply held political views into a system designed to be apolitical. It is no wonder that public confidence in the courts has declined. Rarely have SCOTUS decisions been as politically predictable as on the current Court, where the left-leaning allegiances of Justices Jackson, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan routinely place them in a dissenting face-off against the other six justices.
*** end quote ***
Seems like “We, The Sheeple” need a “codification” of SCOTUS.
I’d suggest:
(even though no one has ever or will ever ask how “King Ferd” [me] how I’d have set it up. I’m sure the Dead Old White Guys would not believe how their SCOTUS has evolved.)
- There should be a minimum age of 30 and a maximum age of 70;
- The selection should be limited to sitting Federal Appeals Court and State Supreme Court judges;
- End lifetime appointments to SCOTUS and each judge should be appointed for 36 years;
- Terms should expire at the first anniversary of each Presidential election;
- So, that each President will get to appoint at least one judge to SCOTUS;
- Should a judge die in office, the sitting President should name a replacement for the balance of the deceased judge’s term;
- SCOTUS should establish “ethics rules” for itself identical to any impose on lower Federal Court judges.
I’d like to see that done and run for a few decades, then evaluate how it turns out.
Sort of like planting a shade tree that you’ll never sit under.
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Posted by reinkefj
TECHNOLOGY: AT&T introduces its variant of the Google Graveyard, the AT&T ashcan
Tuesday, July 29, 2025Download your photos before AT&T shuts down its cloud storage service permanently
- Come October, AT&T’s Photo Storage service will stop backing up your files. Here’s how to grab them before they’re gone.
Written by Lance Whitney, Contributor
July 22, 2025 at 8:33 a.m. PT
Reviewed by Elyse Betters Picaro
*** begin quote ***
Starting Oct. 20, 2025, AT&T Photo Storage will stop backing up your files. At that time, the app will be removed from Apple’s App Store and Google Play. The service itself, however, will still remain available until Feb. 1, 2026, at which point your stored photos will vanish as well.
*** end quote ***
Of course, the monthly nut I pat to AT&T will OF COURSE be reduced proportional to the cost of this service.
Yeah, right.
It’s just a technological form of our old friend, SHRINKFLATION!
Back in the day when I worked for Old Ma Bell, no one would dare harm the Customer. It was part of the credo, ethic, or morals of the employees.
Then Judge Green broke up the “monopoly” and the USA went from a stellar phone service to a mixed jumble of offerings. Bell Labs and Wester Electric were fatal casualties of the distruction.
Were phone calls “cheaper”? The phones certainly weren’t a durable and the politicians and bureaucrats ruled “rates” at all levels of Gooferment.
Unfortunately, unlike the leadership of IBM who told the Gooferment to go <synonym for the act of procreation> themselves, Ma Bell just rolled over and played dead.
Roll the clock forward and we have expensive phones and service (such as it is) and the AT&T ASHcan!
Argh!
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Leave a Comment » | Technology | Tagged: AT&T, AT&T ASHcan, cloud, Cloud Storage, Elyse Betters Picaro, Google Graveyard, Lance Whitney, shrinkflation | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
RANT: Barbie debuts first doll with type 1 diabetes; I’m not a fan
Monday, July 28, 2025Barbie 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.
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.
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Posted by reinkefj
INSPIRATIONAL: “We’re talking about recovery, dignity, transformation.”
Sunday, July 27, 2025Homeless San Diegans Are Bicycling Toward Independence
- After cycling 100 miles with the group, participants in a unique weekly ride receive a bike of their own.
By: Michaela Haas
July 11, 2025
*** begin quote ***
On a sunlit Thursday morning in downtown San Diego, the sidewalk in front of Father Joe’s Villages buzzes with an excited energy. Nearly two-dozen people, dressed in everything from street clothes to aerodynamic Lycra, gather around a lineup of bicycles and tricycles. Among them are experienced riders from local clubs like Major Taylor and first-timers tentatively gripping handlebars. Towering above most, clad in a neon yellow cycling jersey, is Deacon John Roberts — chaplain, cyclist and the force behind a growing movement that is, quite literally, helping people out of homelessness one mile at a time.
*** and ***
Back at the Villages, Roberts oversees not only the cycling program but the center’s broader spiritual and wellness efforts. With about 50 volunteers, he coordinates meditation groups, music and arts therapy, and spiritual counseling. The bicycle rides are an extension of this work — a chance to connect the physical act of movement with emotional healing and community care.
“We’re not just talking about getting people from point A to point B,” he says. “We’re talking about recovery, dignity, transformation.”
He also offers free maintenance days and partners with several local organizations for support, including the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition, Rick Beasley’s 4Wheel BikeShop, the nonprofit Padyak racing team and ReBike San Diego, a nonprofit that collects, repairs and donates bikes.
*** end quote ***
I love non-Gooferment solutions. It never ceases to amaze me what motivated individuals can come up with to solve problems.
If Gooferment politicians and bureaucrats want to REALLY solve problems, they should seek to replicate solutions that private citizens implemented.
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Leave a Comment » | INSPIRATIONAL | Tagged: Deacon John Roberts, Michaela Haas, Padyak racing team, reasonstobecheerful.world, ReBike San Diego, Rick Beasley’s 4Wheel BikeShop, San Diego County Bicycle Coalition | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
POLITICAL: Marriage, divorce, Gooferment Courts, and LLCs
Saturday, July 26, 2025Why is the Gooferment involved in marriage?
Separation of Church and State should be absolute.
Shouldn’t the correct civil form of marriage be two person LLC?
(A church service could be inaddition to a legal proceeding?)
Then we don’t need marriage licenses with all the attending bureaucrats, divorce courts with all the attending politicians and bureaucrats pontificating on marital issues (i.e., race; same sex; different sex).
Child custody issues could be mediated with certain norms (i.e., 50/50 unless one is unfit).
Finances would be just like when a partnership dissolves.
Homes held by the LLC could be sold or “bought out”.
No need for messy expensive public divorces.
No need for “common law marriages” or just shacking up.
Seem reasonable to me.
— 30 —
Leave a Comment » | Political | Tagged: Divorce, Gooferment Courts, LLCs, Marriage | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
POLITICAL: Why are Gooferment politicians and bureaucrats allowed to have “secrets” from “We, The Sheeple”?
Friday, July 25, 2025CIA Contradicts Obama Officials’ Sworn Denials About Russiagate Report
By Paul Sperry, RealClearInvestigations
July 08, 2025
*** begin quote ***
The materials include a secret 200-page congressional audit revealing how the Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) on Russia was allegedly rigged to frame Trump, emails linking the CIA’s ICA drafting to the FBI’s Crossfire Hurricane investigation, and Special Counsel John Durham’s investigative notes and depositions.
*** end quote ***
Why are Gooferment politicians and bureaucrats allowed to have “secrets” from “We, The Sheeple”
Shouldn’t everything “classified” have an automatic expiration date?
Why are the JFK records, the RFK records, the MLK records, etc. etc. STILL “secrets”?
I’d envision an “official” blockchain where EVERYTHING is deposited (i.e., emails; drafts; memos; recordings; executive orders) that “block chain” had a publish date. Then, when the date arrives, the key is published in the Congressional Record automagically. Maybe the Congressional Record should be a “block chain” as well. Along with every bill put in the Congressional “hopper”, and every revision to it.
In short, “We, The Sheeple” are ENTITLED to the “truth” and full timely disclosure.
“Son, we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Whose gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinburg? I have a greater responsibility than you could possibly fathom. You weep for Santiago, and you curse the Marines. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know. That Santiago’s death, while tragic, probably saved lives. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives. You don’t want the truth because deep down in places you don’t talk about at parties, you want me on that wall, you need me on that wall. We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punchline. 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
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Posted by reinkefj
GOVEROTRAGEOUS: Will CA fire-ravaged Palisades land become taxpayer-funded low-income housing?
Thursday, July 24, 2025Conspiracy Theory Comes True After California Wildfires | Daily Pulse
The news you weren’t supposed to see.
The Vigilant Fox
Jul 16, 2025
*** begin quote ***
STORY #2 – California just proved the “conspiracy theorists” right. Lawmakers passed a bill to cease fire-ravaged Palisades land and turn it into taxpayer-funded low-income housing.
This isn’t theory anymore—it’s reality, and it follows a disturbing national trend. For years, people claimed that disasters like the Maui fires were being used to clear land for Smart Cities. Now it’s happening in plain sight.
Across America, neighborhoods destroyed by fires and floods are being “reimagined” as dense, government-controlled housing zones. California’s SB 549 lets cities buy burned lots for mere pennies, rebuild using your tax dollars, and cram in numerous low-income units. Officials call it “resilient,” but it’s really about controlling where and how you live.
And it’s not just Democrats. The Global Covenant of Mayors unites cities from both parties under a Smart City agenda built on surveillance, permanent renting, and the end of single-family homes.
Is this really about safety and sustainability—or is it about control? Watch Maria Zeee’s shocking report to see just how deep this agenda goes.
*** end quote ***
Probably AI written. Note the use of “cease” in place of “seize”.
If true, it’s despicable.
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Leave a Comment » | GOVEROTRAGEOUS | Tagged: California, Global Covenant of Mayors, Smart City agenda, The Vigilant Fox, vigilantfox.com | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
SURVIVAL: One wonders how many men like him occupy positions of grave responsibility in the United States
Wednesday, July 23, 2025A Competence Deficit
The Camp Mystic disaster is a conspicuous example of how people in leadership positions have apparently forgotten how to think.
John Leake
Jul 15, 2025
*** begin quote ***
In recent years, Dr. McCullough and I have frequently marveled at what appears to be a competence deficit among people who occupy leadership positions. Scarcely a month passes without news of a catastrophe that could have been prevented if those in charge had possessed the competence to assess quickly an unusual or risky situation— or even a clear and present danger—and to take decisive action to avert disaster.
*** and ***
Now comes the news from Texas that Dick Eastland—executive director of Camp Mystic—received an alert on his phone from the National Weather Service at 1:14 a.m. on July 4 about “life-threatening flash flooding.”
At that point, he “began evaluating whether to evacuate the young campers who were sleeping in their cabins without access to electronics,” according to Eastland family spokesperson Jeff Carr. He only began to evacuate 45 minutes later, after the flood was upon them.
This representation strikes me as unfathomably strange and expressive of incompetence of a mind-boggling scale.
Everyone who has spent some time in the Texas Hill Country understands the meaning of the expression “flash flood”—that is, a creek or a river that floods in a flash, leaving humans and animals who are in the flood plain unable to escape.
Dick Eastland had been at Camp Mystic since 1974 and was certainly aware that the camp and other habitations along the Guadalupe River had been been subjected to flash floods in the past that had swept away and drowned people.
In July 1987, ten children at a church camp in Comfort, Texas— about thirty-nine miles downstream from Mystic—were drowned by a flash flood.
Dick Eastland was a man in charge of protecting the lives of hundreds of young girls—girls sleeping in cabins on the bank of the Guadalupe River, in the flood plain. At 1:14 a.m. he received a warning from the National Weather Service of a “life threatening flash flood.” At that point, he had to have understood that a clear and present danger was upon the girls at Camp Mystic. The only rational course of action was to evacuate immediately to higher ground, above the flood plain.
To be sure, the girls would get soaked by the rain when they left their cabins to move to higher ground. However, the air temperature that night was warm, so the risk hypothermia was negligible compared to the risk of drowning in a flash flood.
Confronted with an unusual and unusually dangerous situation, Dick Eastland apparently lacked the elementary competence to think and act quickly to fulfill his duty. One wonders how many men like him occupy positions of grave responsibility in the United States.
*** end quote ***
“But here’s the key difference between carrots and sticks: If you miss out on a carrot today, you’ll probably have a chance at more carrots tomorrow. But if you fail to avoid a stick today – WHAP! – no more carrots forever. Compared to carrots, sticks usually have more urgency and impact.” — Rick Hanson, Ph.D., is a senior fellow of the Greater Good Center at UC Berkeley.
“To keep our ancestors alive, Mother Nature evolved a brain that tends to make three mistakes: overestimating threats, underestimating opportunities, and underestimating resources (for dealing with threats and fulfilling opportunities).” — Rick Hanson, Ph.D., is a senior fellow of the Greater Good Center at UC Berkeley.
The Psychology of Crisis: Fight, Flight, or Freeze. Maybe it should be: Act, Ponder, or Freeze?
Obviously, the bulk of people “freeze”, while some “under” , but a very very few “act”.
In this case, the alert called for IMMEDIATE ACTION.
The damn NWS alert said: “life-threatening flash flooding”! Do you think that was a clue that “action” was required NOW?
“There are no regrets in life. Just lessons.” — Jennifer Aniston
Now in the time, for “After Action Review (AAR)” and “Lessons Learned (LL)”.
I have a few suggestions:
- Replace the executive director of Camp Mystic
- Install flood warning systems where ever necessary
- If the Gooferment politicians and bureaucrats can’t find the money, replace them
- Setup a GOFUNDME for flood warning education
- Every State should have a Disaster Warning System
- Conduct an AAR / LL; not to assign blame — there is more than enough to go around — but to identify SWOTs (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats)
- Memorialize the date in the Texas Legislative and Executive calendar — lest we forget
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Leave a Comment » | SURVIVAL | Tagged: Camp Mystic, Comfort, Dick Eastland, flash flood, Guadalupe River, National Weather Service, Texas, thefocalpoints | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
Conspiracy Theory: TWA800 WAS downed by the US Navy — not a “theory” any more
Tuesday, July 22, 2025July 12, 2025
TWA Flight 800 And The Government’s Decades-Long Cover-Up
By Mark Adams
*** begin quote ***
Can Americans trust their government? Recent evidence suggests that our institutions will lie to us. Consider that, just a few days ago, we learned that, contrary to 60 years of CIA denials, a CIA officer had been involved in psychological operations connected to Lee Harvey Oswald months before John F. Kennedy’s assassination. Those of us who remember the government’s decades-long cover-up of its involvement in the July 1996 TWA crash were not surprised.
*** and ***
None of this would have been made known to the public were it not for the relentless efforts of physicist Dr. Tom Stalcup. His efforts paid off in 2021 when he obtained several never-before-released FBI records. One described an “original [Navy radar] tape” showing an object “heading straight for TWA 800.” According to a lawsuit, “The FBI removed all copies (original and duplicates) of Navy radar tapes from the Navy…”
*** and ***
The U.S. Missile Defense Agency, the Defense Department, the U.S. Navy, Raytheon Company, and Lockheed Martin Corp…every single one of these behemoths was accused of perpetrating a whopper of a cover-up.
*** and ***
Ultimately, it took Dr. Salcup twenty-five years, from 1996 to 2021, to obtain crucial evidence that firmly established that the FBI has outrageously lied about the true cause of the crash of TWA 800. This is a reminder of why Americans find it difficult to trust their government. Matters such as the Kennedy Assassination, Russia Hoax, the Epstein information, the IRS attacks on conservatives, etc. have led to Americans finding it difficult to believe the first, “official” version from the government. After all, they must always ask themselves, “Are you lying now or were you lying then?”
*** end quote ***
While I’m sure that all the politicians and bureaucrats have long since fled the scene of the crime, I’d like someone to go back and extract a pound of flesh from all these liars.
I’d grant immunity to the low level minors who were just doing what they were told and have them “roll” on the higher ups. Even if they are now dead and buried, “We, The Sheeple” should know “the truth”.
“Son, we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Whose gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinburg? I have a greater responsibility than you could possibly fathom. You weep for Santiago, and you curse the Marines. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know. That Santiago’s death, while tragic, probably saved lives. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives. You don’t want the truth because deep down in places you don’t talk about at parties, you want me on that wall, you need me on that wall. We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punchline. 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
Makes me crazy to have been called a “Conspiracy Theorist”, a “tin foil hat”, or worse. All the while these ne’er-do-wells have gotten away with a fraud upon “We, The People”.
Argh!
# – # – # – # – #
Reinke Faces Life on TWA800
GOVERNACIDE: Litigation asserts that TWA800 was downed by the US Navy
Published 2022/09/30 at 6:43 pm
GOVERNACIDE: Apparently TWA800 was downed by the US Navy
Published 2022/08/15 at 9:53 pm
TINFOILHAT: Doesn’t TWA800 deserve scrutiny?
Published 2016/06/24 at 6:37 am
GOVERNACIDE: TWA800 is a national disgrace
Published 2016/06/15 at 6:37 am
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Posted by reinkefj
INTERESTING: I believe that ESP / PSI — parapsychology — exists
Monday, July 21, 2025https://www.boredpanda.com/things-science-cant-explain/
Curiosities, Science & Technology
Jul 13, 2025
“Accurate Premonitions”: 35 Things That Still Stump Scientists Interview With Expert
Austeja Zokaite and Rugilė Žemaitytė
*** begin quote ***
Scientists have done a lot of good for our society that we should forever be grateful for, like generating enough knowledge to invent vaccines, electricity, the camera, and the Internet, among other things. They also help us answer important questions, such as who our ancestors were, why it rains, and how we can see colors. However, some things still baffle scientists, ranging from mundane ones like why we yawn to more complex ones like what’s inside a black hole.
*** and ***
In the simplest way possible, quantum entanglement is a kind of relationship between two particles that makes them connected even when they are separated by billions of light-years. A change in one instantly influences the other, no matter how far apart they are. Talk about one seriously long-distance relationship.
*** and ***
This odd connection seemingly breaks a fundamental law of the universe. Albert Einstein even famously called this phenomenon “spooky action at a distance.”
Not so long ago, in 2022, the Nobel Prize in physics recognized three scientists who made groundbreaking contributions in understanding this most mysterious natural phenomenon, quantum entanglement.
*** end quote ***
I’ve heard “time” described as a river. And, where it “bends” like a horseshoe, sometimes people can “see across the bend”.
I believe that ESP / PSI — parapsychology — exists. (Faith = belief without evidence?)
Discipline concerned with investigating events that cannot be accounted for by natural law and knowledge that cannot have been obtained through the usual sensory abilities. Parapsychology studies the cognitive phenomena often called extrasensory perception, in which a person acquires knowledge of other people’s thoughts or of future events through channels apparently beyond the five senses.
I believe this because my sainted wife Evlyn had some sort of gift / curse of clairvoyance, and precognition. (1) When she was young, she was always very lucky at carnival games, especially if there was a ball or a wheel involved. She played strange names or numbers with no rhyme, reason, or pattern. When she’d win against all reasonable expectations, she’d explain that “she just saw the winner”. (2) When I was going to go o a business trip, she was very melancholy, which was very unlike her. She was weeping, had no explanation why, and insisted that I go on this trip — it was important to my career. The next morning I was sent home because her father had passed away that night. Sigh! (3) She was incredibly intuitive with people and always drew them into “friendship” even when there was little in common,
As I read the list of “unexplained unexplanables” I felt there has to be a reason.
Leave a Comment » | INTERESTING | Tagged: Accurate Premonitions, Austeja Zokaite, BoredPanda, Curiosities, Rugilė Žemaitytė, Science | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
TECHNOLOGY: 16 Ways to Use Your AirTags
Sunday, July 20, 2025https://www.makeuseof.com/genius-ways-to-use-airtags/?utm_source=MUO-NL
16 Genius Ways to Use Your AirTags (That Aren’t Just for Keys)
By Jack Mitchell
Published 2 days ago
<< EDITOR ADDED DATE 2025-07-10>>
*** begin quote ***
Track Mailed Items
If you’re sending a valuable item, sensitive documents, or something irreplaceable to friends or family, consider dropping an AirTag in the package (which they can return to you later). This way, you can track its journey to ensure it arrives at its destination, especially when delivering items overseas or sending gifts back and forth during the holidays.
*** end quote ***
Not sure if that’s allowed due to the battery?
FWIW I use them extensively.
- Haven’t put them on remotes yet.
- Nor have I “tagged” a pet; not “chipped” either. Argh!
- Nor have used one for my wallet; should, but haven’t yet.
- Don’t have a drone.
- Have them in cars, luggage, bags, and on my keys.
- Battery replacement is easy.
And, I put their location (for example in the car) in the name (i.e., Rogue glove box 1/1/25) so i can find them when the battery needs replacing.
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Posted by reinkefj
SURVIVAL: Children should ALWAYS have a way to communicate with their parents or guardians
Saturday, July 19, 2025Almost 20 Camp Mystic cabins were in known flood zone — despite recent $5M overhaul of century-old site
By Anthony Blair
Published July 10, 2025, 4:05 p.m. ET
*** begin quote ***
In addition, many of the campers and counselors didn’t have their phones on them, as the children were not allowed access to any technology, camp counselor Nancy Clement, 18, told the Times.
*** end quote ***
I think that children should ALWAYS have a way to communicate with their parents or guardians. Argh! I’m well aware of all the negatives of “having a cell phone” in screen-free “zones”, but I think the alternative — being out of touch with the world — is much worse.
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Posted by reinkefj
TECHNOLOGY: “Free” VPNs are too expensive
Friday, July 18, 2025How Do You Feel About Free VPNs?
Ben Stegner
<< EDITOR ADDED DATE 2025-06-29>>
*** begin quote ***
Security-minded folks usually advise against using free VPNs, since they have few privacy guarantees, lack features, and are slower compared to paid VPNs. However, depending on your purpose for using one, a free VPN can be suitable. If you’re just trying to see what a website looks like from another country, get around a block, or test what using a VPN is like before committing, they can work OK.
How do you feel about free VPNs; do you use them or stay far away? I wouldn’t use one all the time, but as a quick way to test something or get around a blockage, I would be open to them.
*** end quote ***
# – # – # – # – #
If it’s “free”, “you” are the product. I pay for anything that’s “free”. Sometimes in money; other times in data. I think a VPN is important enough to spend money on.
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Posted by reinkefj
GOVERNACIDE: ‘Flash Flood Alley’ warning system was considered “too expensive”
Thursday, July 17, 2025Texas officials scrapped ‘Flash Flood Alley’ warning system before 27 killed at Camp Mystic — because it was too expensive
By Anthony Blair
Published July 7, 2025, 8:45 a.m. ET
*** begin quote ***
But the county, which has an annual budget of around $67 million, lost out on a bid to secure a $1 million grant to fund the project in 2017, county commission meeting minutes show.
Instead, local officials relied on a word-of-mouth system to pass messages about raging floodwaters downriver from the camps upstream.
In a recent interview, Rob Kelly, the Kerr County judge and its most senior elected official, said residents were hesitant about the high cost of a warning system.
*** end quote ***
Sure, blame it on “the residents”! Argh!
I’d like to go line by line through that budget and see all the stuff that was NOT “too expensive”.
How about the cost of the “rescue and recovery”? What do you think the parents of those children would think about “too expensive”. Bet the Insurance Companies aren’t happy with that trade off either.
No consideration of “User Fees” or “Special Project Zone”.
Argh!
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Posted by reinkefj
SOFTWARE: LastPass stops supporting their Mac desktop app
Wednesday, July 16, 2025*** begin quote ***
Transition to LastPass for Safari: Replacing the legacy Mac desktop app
We’re replacing the LastPass Password Manager (Mac desktop app) with LastPass for Safari, a modern, secure, and optimized solution for managing your passwords on Mac.
*** end quote ***
FYI, I do NOT use Safari.
Argh!
I’ll be transitioning to BITWARDEN, which supports all platforms.
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Posted by reinkefj
NOTRECOMMENDED: Don’t buy “gift cards” throught zillionsgift offers on gift card racks in Walgreens
Tuesday, July 15, 2025Don’t buy “gift cards” throught zillionsgift offers on gift card racks in Walgreens.
They are counting on you to become frustrated trying to transform them into a useable gift card for so site you like.
My experience:
- The fine print says the card can only be redeemed at their website
- Took several tries to get to the website “zillionsgift.com”; the fine print isn’t easy to read; mistakes take you to cyber squatters waiting for you to fall into their trap
- Getting the card info in and verifying your humanity took three tries
- After getting thru that hurdle, you need to select values for your favorite destination site that work (i.e., 40$ gift card must be taken as two 20$ Amazon gift cards)
- Then it says “tilt” and an obscure error message
- Try that twice, then give up at call their 1-833 (?) number
- After a brief hold, you get a call center fellow (Philippines?) who makes your repeat all your info and then tells you to try a mobile or another browser (Hey, I’m an IT pro. Already did that! Argh!)
- Then he graciously agrees to send you a paper check to your home address in 3 or 4 weeks
- Argh! I’m saving all the papers and card in an envelope with 8/15/25 on it
Feel free to check back for my update. Argh!
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Posted by reinkefj
TECHNOLOGY: Amazon has “sunset” Freevee — like the Google Graveyard
Tuesday, July 15, 2025https://www.androidauthority.com/amazon-freevee-app-shut-down-august-3573688/
Amazon’s Freevee app gets an expiry date, but here’s how to keep watching for free
Prime Video is the new home for all of Freevee’s ad-supported content.
By Pranob Mehrotra
July 3, 2025
*** begin quote ***
- Amazon confirmed plans to sunset its free streaming service, Freevee, late last year.
- The company has now notified users that the Freevee app will be shut down in August 2025.
- Freevee’s extensive library of movies, TV shows, and live TV will be available through Prime Video.
After announcing plans to wind down its free video streaming service late last year, Amazon has now confirmed that the Freevee app will finally be shut down in August. But there’s some good news for those who enjoy Freevee’s vast library of TV shows, movies, and live TV.
*** end quote ***
Remember if it’s “free”, then you are the product!
Now like the Google Graveyard, we have an “Amazon sunset”!
Amazon’s Dash buttons are no more. Remember the “Tide button”, and other product buttons to make reordering easy? I don’t remember Amazon “sunseting” other things. And certainly not as frequently as Google does.
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Leave a Comment » | Technology | Tagged: amazon, Amazon Freevee, Amazon Sunset, androidauthority.com, Entertainment, Freevee, Google Graveyard, Pranob Mehrotra, Streaming | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
MEME: Find the value of Pi serial number
Monday, July 14, 2025
# – # – # – # – #
Great, now when I check my U$D FRBies aka Federal Reserve Notes — 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. — I can find the value of Pi serial number an have a million dollar winner!
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Posted by reinkefj
QUOTE: “Time is money. It’s not. Money is time.”
Sunday, July 13, 2025From “Nautilus”
*** begin quote ***
In your book, Time Smart, you write, “Nothing less than our health and our happiness depends on reversing the nearly innate notion that time is money. It’s not. Money is time.” What do you mean by that?
Behavioral scientist Ashley Whillans: We’re indoctrinated with this idea that money and productivity are the path to greater happiness and success. My data speaks to the fact that this is not necessarily the best way by which to measure the satisfaction, productivity, and meaningfulness of your life. If anything, focusing on money is a path to unhappiness as opposed to satisfaction. My colleagues and I find consistent evidence that people who feel time-affluent, and in control of their schedules, report greater happiness, less stress, better health. They’re less likely to get divorced. They’re more likely to choose jobs that are satisfying. Time is not money, but happiness.
*** end quote ***
“Time is money. It’s not. Money is time.” — Behavioral scientist Ashley Whillans
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Also I like:
“Not to live as if you had endless years ahead of you. Death overshadows you. While you’re alive and able — be good.” — Marcus Aurelius, Meditations
and
“The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.” – Bertrand Russell
FWIW (For What It’s worth)
TANSTAAFL (“There Ain’t No Such Thing As A Free Lunch” From Robert Heinlein’s classic)
faiwwypfi (Free Advice Is Worth What You Pay For It! ?zero?)
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Leave a Comment » | Quotes | Tagged: Ashley Whillans, heuristic (rule of thumb), money, Nautilus, Time | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
SECURITY: Your own domain can prevent phishing
Saturday, July 12, 2025An Original Thought
May I suggest that you have your own domain?
The common wisdom, or is that common whizdumb, is to own your own name as a domain name. I own “reinke.cc”. (I like saying “sea sea me at reinke.cc”! me@reinke.cc will actually work!)
It gives one quite a bit of control. And, it’s very cheap. I know three solutions: wordpressdotcom with gmail, email only with 1and1, and domain+email+webspace also at 1and1.
My point is not that you should use 1and1. http://www.1and1.com/?k_id=9113251 I could care less which one you use. It’s that getting on to your own domain with email is cheap and easy.
And, it’s not aol, hotmail, yahoo, or gmail. It IS your own “personal brand”. And, the “bad guys” can’t fool you!
If you have your own domain, you can “bulletproof” your email from phishing and frauds!
Let’s assume that you have “your own domain” named “yourowndomain.com”, and you bank at “your bank” at “yourbank.com”.
You give “yourbank.com” your email address as “yourbankcom@yourowndomain.com”. (Be prepared for some strange looks when you do this because the folk never heard of such and email address.)
Then you can set up an email filter — let’s use Gmail as an example — that says:
- Comes from “yourbank.com” and
- Is addressed to “yourbankcom@yourowndomain.com” and
- You specify an label of “yourbank”
So all your email comes into GMAIL and gets assigned a label “INBOX”.
- Anything that comes in that purports to be from “yourbank” MUST have the GMAIL assigned label of both “INBOX” and “yourbank”.
- You can also set up an email filter for addressed to “yourbankcom@yourowndomain.com” and NOT addressed from “yourbank.com” and label it “PHISHING ATTACK”.
- You can also set up an email filter for addressed NOT to “yourbankcom@yourowndomain.com” and addressed from “yourbankcom@yourowndomain.com” and label it “BANK GAVE OUT YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS”.
Pretty tricky and quickly eliminates PHISHING ATTACKS and identifies when the “BANK GAVE OUT YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS”.
Applause please?
Why the email providers can’t protect you by using the appropriate internet protocols is beyond me!
*** begin quote ***
Email authentication methods and protocols
- SPF (Sender Policy Framework)
A sender policy framework (SPF) is a record published in your DNS that lists all the IP addresses that are allowed to send emails on behalf of your domain. When an incoming email is received, the recipient server will check the SPF record to verify if the sending IP address is authorized to send emails for that particular domain. If it’s not listed in the SPF record, there’s a higher chance that the email will be marked as spam or blocked altogether. While SPFs can help to prevent spam and phishing attempts, they also may reject legitimate emails in situations where the sender’s domain SPF records aren’t properly configured.
- DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail)
DKIM stands as a pivotal technology in the battle against email spoofing by attaching a digital signature to each outgoing email, linked directly to the sender’s domain name. This signature enables the recipient’s email server to verify whether an email purportedly sent from a specific domain is authorized by that domain’s owner. Given that emails often undergo multiple hops—redistributed by mailing lists or forwarding rules—DKIM ensures that signed messages can be reliably relayed by any server, maintaining their integrity and authenticity throughout their journey.
- DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance)
The DMARC protocol was built on top of SPF and DKIM, and relies on senders and receivers sharing information to ensure a smooth validation process. DMARC refers to SPF and DKIM records to validate a sender’s identity, along with testing whether the domain they use is found in the “from” address. If an email does not pass the validation test, DMARC provides rules on how to treat the message based on certain conditions. This protocol can help domain owners block phishing attacks by filtering such messages into spam, or rejecting them altogether.
- BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification)
If you’ve ever seen an email from a brand that included their logo right in the sender column, that brand was using BIMI. Improving email security with BIMI involves using an authentication system that enables trusted senders to display an icon of their choice directly in senders’ inboxes. BIMI can boost recipients’ trust in your messages, while heightening visibility of your brand.
- MTA-STS (Mail Transfer Agent Strict Transport Security)
MTA-STS is a security standard that enables you to send and receive messages securely over an encrypted SMTP connection. The MTA-STS protocol enhances email security by enabling an SMTP client to confirm the server’s identity during the TLS handshake. It does this by requiring the server to present its certificate fingerprint, which the client then matches with a trust store of certificates from verified servers. This process ensures the client does not connect to fraudulent servers, maintaining secure communication.
- TLS reporting
TLS reporting is a mechanism that enables email senders to report issues with TLS connectivity.
T is more effective when used alongside MTA-STS. The strict enforcement mode of MTA-STS will prevent email delivery if TLS issues are detected, ensuring a higher level of security and reliability in email communications.
- ARC (Authenticated Received Chain)
ARC acts as a “chain of custody” for email messages. It enables every entity involved in processing the message to clearly see which entities have previously interacted with it. At every stage of handling, it provides a detailed authentication assessment. The primary advantage of ARC, now adopted by the majority of mail servers, is its solution to a significant issue: previously, when a DMARC-protected email was forwarded, it would fail DKIM authentication and, consequently, DMARC. ARC preserves all original authentication information, allowing the final recipient’s mail server to verify that the email was DKIM authenticated before being forwarded.
*** end quote ***
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Leave a Comment » | SECURITY | Tagged: email leaks, Original Thought, phishing | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
POLITICAL: Did he just plea out because of the death penalty?
Friday, July 11, 2025FROM 1440 https://join1440.com/
Bryan Kohberger to plead guilty to killing 4 University of Idaho students in deal to avoid execution
By REBECCA BOONE, GENE JOHNSON and MARK SCOLFORO
Updated 12:35 AM EDT, July 1, 2025
*** begin quote ***
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Bryan Kohberger has agreed to plead guilty to murdering four University of Idaho students as part of a deal to avoid the death penalty, an attorney for one victim’s family said Monday.
*** end quote ***
I always wonder if he really did it, OR did he just plea out because of the death penalty?
As a gun-owning pro-life pro-choice little L libertarian, I’m against the death penalty for moral and irreversible grounds. Moral because the Gooferment shouldn’t be able to do anything I can’t do since Gooferment is a fiction and represents a collection of individuals. Irreverable since mistakes happen and there is no way to un-die someone.
We have the saying that “better a hundred guilty go free that one innocent be imprisioned”. Plea bargains, regardless of the guilt or innocence, seems to make a mockery of our sense of “justice”. Any more than poor “defendants” get Legal Aid and rich “defendants” get the best money can buy. Also, even a rich “defendant” can be impoverished when faced with a Gooferment bureaucrat with unlimited funds to convict them.
Finally, how fair is our “justice system” when some civil and criminal cases “cost” a staggering amount of attention, time, and money? A Pyrrhic victory is a win that comes at such a significant cost to the victor that it is almost tantamount to defeat. One has to wonder.
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Leave a Comment » | Political | Tagged: apnews, Bryan kohberger, GENE JOHNSON, MARK SCOLFORO, REBECCA BOONE | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
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