Monthly Archives: March 2020

As I Suspected

06 Friday Mar 2020

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Have you ever noticed that for all their partisan bluster politicians are loath to do anything substantive to harm each other or interfere in schemes not directly involving them? Why is this? Science may have the answer.

IT MIGHT BE time to reconsider what it means to call someone a “rat.”

Previous research has shown the much-maligned rodents assist comrades in need, as well as remember individual rats that have helped them—and return the favor.

Now, a new study builds on this evidence of empathy, revealing that domestic rats will avoid harming other rats.

In the study, published March 5 in the journal Current Biology, rats were trained to pull levers to get a tasty sugar pellet. If the lever delivered a mild shock to a neighbor, several of the rats stopped pulling that lever and switched to another.

“Tasty sugar pellet” – the pizza parties we’ve all heard about- Oh, wait. They’re talking about literal Rodentia Rattus… Well, I’m sure the general principles are the same.

COVID-19: A Confirming Study

06 Friday Mar 2020

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The other week, I mentioned the effects of the Corona Bug over at TPC.

Let’s get this out of the way, too: while it appears the nCoV19 can infect nearly anyone (it’s a cold virus strain, BTW), it also appears to be much more dangerous to Asians. And, from what I’m hearing, it really savages the Asian male population. But, don’t take my word for it:

The observation is tentatively confirmed by Chinese biologists:

We also noticed that the only Asian donor (male) has a much higher ACE2-
expressing cell ratio than white and African American donors (2.50% vs. 0.47%
of all cells). This might explain the observation that the new Coronavirus
pandemic and previous SARS-Cov pandemic are concentrated in the Asian
area.

Again, according to official stats, most people are recovering.

Dotard Elders and Cloddish Youth

05 Thursday Mar 2020

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Derek Thompson, a millennial, takes aim at the trio of elderly gents in the presidential pony show contest. Trump, Biden, and Sanders are old, that’s certain. However, the ending of his article doesn’t help the cause of sprightly discontent:

Finally, the most important challenge before the U.S. and the world—climate change—is profoundly intergenerational. Solving it requires a farsighted approach to diplomacy, invention, and technological deployment that a creaky old country will simply never master. This crisis urgently requires the input and ideas of the generations that will be most affected by it. If government of the elderly, by the elderly, and for the elderly will not perish from the Earth, the rest of us might suffer instead.

The ancient plutocrats can’t remember their names; this will not alleviate the unicorn epidemic. I’ve thought of a Gen-Xer who could potentially bail the nation out if elected. He’d loath running and you probably wouldn’t vote for him anyway.

Is Anyone at the Pentagram Competent or Honest?

05 Thursday Mar 2020

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Yet another “contractor” caught double-dealing.

A military linguist was charged with providing classified information, including the real names of people spying for the U.S., to a Lebanese man connected to the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group.

In what would be a major security breach, officials said the linguist, Mariam Taha Thompson, 61 years old, who works under contract for the Defense Department, transmitted the highly classified data while serving at a Special Operations Task Force site in Erbil, Iraq.

I love the rehashing of the half-truth news from two months ago that the people have completely forgotten. Whatever, uh, did that guy make it across the volcano?

Return of REPO BUCKS!!!

05 Thursday Mar 2020

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Like a deadly virus, but to infect everything and everyone. The sorcerors couldn’t stand being away:

Big banks’ demand for central bank cash remained very strong on Wednesday, leading the Federal Reserve Bank to add a fresh $100 billion to the financial system.

The Fed added the money via what’s called an overnight repurchase agreement operation, or repo. Eligible banks, called primary dealers, sought $111.48 billion from the central bank, exceeding the $100 billion cap the Fed places on overnight repos.

When a $100 BILLION!!! (OVERNIGHT!) falls short.

Anyone Else…

04 Wednesday Mar 2020

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…would already be in the custody of the US Marshals for these statements, made by Chuck Schumer.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on Wednesday warned Supreme Court Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh that they will “pay the price” if they take a position he disagrees with in deciding a case that addresses the credentials required for doctors who perform abortions.

“I want to tell you, Gorsuch. I want to tell you, Kavanaugh. You have released the whirlwind, and you will pay the price,” Schumer told a cheering crowd of abortion-rights advocates in front of the Supreme Court.

“You won’t know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions,” the New York Democrat added.

And, considering that he’s in favor of murdering children, how do we know his judicial threats were rhetorical? Under that new Bill I mentioned the other day, if it were already law, Schumer arguably made himself a domestic “terrorist.” Whirlwind, indeed.

UPDATE: Roberts returns fire:

Roberts replied in his remarkable written statement, obtained by Fox News: “This morning, Senator Schumer spoke at a rally in front of the Supreme Court while a case was being argued inside. Senator Schumer referred to two Members of the Court by name and said he wanted to tell them that ‘You have released the whirlwind, and you will pay the price. You will not know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions.'”

Roberts continued: “Justices know that criticism comes with the territory, but threatening statements of this sort from the highest levels of government are not only inappropriate, they are dangerous. All Members of the Court will continue to do their job, without fear or favor, from whatever quarter.”

Schumer spokesman Justin Goodman quickly responded by accusing Roberts of bias, further escalating the confrontation. Goodman insisted that Schumer was addressing Republican lawmakers when he said a “price” would be paid — even though Schumer had explicitly named Kavanaugh and Gorsuch.

Does the contempt power extend out to the steps and the sidewalk?

UPDATE: OR, for the more cosmopolitan set, I hear some nut is about to walk a wire over a volcano…

Happi Grammer deY

04 Wednesday Mar 2020

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When one first starts out as a writer, of any kind, there is the temptation to explore official-sounding or looking courses of training and study. Most of these come in the form of on-line services ready and eager to part a budding novelist or journalist with his last dollar. Interestingly, some of the best resources and advice are available for free. Regardless, the email solicitations come daily, even after one is semi-established, published, and moderately competent. I got one of those today, reminding me that March 5th is National Grammar Day. I checked, and it really is.

So, happi gramer dey? There out to get all of they’re word right over their: redding; righting and the oxferd coma;

Calling on Democracy

04 Wednesday Mar 2020

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Marine Le Pen pleas for an open vote. Will those who pay dearest lip-service to the notion of popular governance heed her? France will find out.

“Our country is experiencing a veritable submersion, yes a submersion, I dare to use that term, because it describes the reality of the unbroken wave that is crashing upon our cities, our towns, and now, because of your irresponsible policy of placing migrants in the rural areas, even the smallest villages,” said Le Pen.

She slammed establishment politicians for trying to make discussion of immigration taboo and demonizing dissidents even as a giant demographic displacement of people was taking place and accused them of “treason” for failing to “defend their people.”

“But above all, without ever consulting the people, they organized the streams of legal migration and tolerated illegal immigration,” she added, saying this was driven by “the globalist ideology that guides them inexorably.”

Strong words from a strong woman. Elle devrait être au bureau, maintenant.

The Return of Dr. Ironsides

03 Tuesday Mar 2020

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Tom is coming back, in a new novella. I have just finished the first, rough draft of AURELIUS. I would list the anticipated publication date, but I thought it would already be out now. We’ll say a little later in 2020. It’s a prequel to THE SUBSTITUTE, set about a year before the events of that book, and a fast-paced action story. It’s much shorter than the SUB. And, it’s told in Tom’s first-person. You won’t want to miss it.

I also have, among many other projects, several additional works of fiction in various states of draftiness. Look for those when you see them.

Terroristic Laws – from TPC

03 Tuesday Mar 2020

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A second column within one week!

Now We Fight The Terrorists Over Here – “Terrorists” Meaning YOU

Well howdy, folks. Time for another journey into the affairs of a nation. It’s funny: Saturday, word reached me early that the US had reached an agreement with the Taliban to withdraw from the pointless, er, the Victorious! war in Afghanistan. I got all excited and called old MB about maybe writing it up for the coming week’s CFF column. I did and he ran it about four seconds after it hit the in-box. So… Here we are again, dear readers. I’m still happy that the Empire may soon depart Kabul, however, my excitement has been tempered by other developments. Rumor has it that the lunatics at the Pentagram want out of Middle Eastern entanglements … so they can ramp up a potential offensive against China and/or Russia. Yeah. How would that, if it came to pass, work out? Imagine the Afghan War fought against competent adversaries armed with nuclear weapons. Imagine it lasting considerably less than 19 years. But, that’s the flailing pipe dream of the Washingtonian psychotic class.

Another drop of rain on the parade is domestic. Specifically, the Domestic Terrorism Penalties Act of 2019 (-2020), HR 4187, wherein efforts formerly reserved for use against al-CIA-da, ISIS, and the Taliban Islamic Emirate (which the Empire does not recognize, except for signing treaties with…) would be turned on the American People. This potential law of Draconian proportions stands as another reason why one must support “conservatives” over “socialists.” HR 4187 is supported by the socialist Demon-crat, Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) – along with 15 socialist Republican’ts. The Bill is the brainless child of socialist GOPer Mark Weber (R-TX). [15:1]: remember: support Republicans or else Democrats will win.

The Bill, more dangerous than useless, adds the dread charge of terrorism to crimes that are already illegal – murder, kidnapping, etc. And it introduces the element of thought crime, albeit in utterly thoughtless fashion. The keywords in the Bill are “Whoever,” “with the intent to intimidate or coerce,” “attempts or conspires,” “any person or property,” “a government,” and “interstate or foreign commerce.” The aim is to equate ordinary First-Amendment-protected statements – like those some make constantly on social media – with terrorism. The punishments range from 25 years in prison to the death penalty. The FBI is heavily pushing the legislation. Why? Because they think the majority population is a dire threat to someone.

…

READ ALL AT TPC