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Tuesday 02 April 2024
Baltasar Gracian's Aphorism #277: Display yourselfBaltasar Gracian's Aphorism #277 Display yourself.
It can ornament all your gifts. For each ability, there comes an appropriate moment to display, to use it, but not every day comes a triumph. There are some dashing people who make much a show with little, a whole exhibition with not much. If an ability to display abilities is joined to versatile gifts of display, however, the person is regarded as miraculous. There are whole nations given to display: the Spanish people take the highest rank in this. Light was the first thing to cause Creation to shine forth. Display fills up much, supplies much, and gives a second existence to things, especially when combined with real excellence. Heaven that grants perfection, provides also the means of display; for one without the other is abortive.
Skill is, however, also needed for display. Even excellence depends on circumstances and they are not always opportune. Ostentation is out of place when it is out of time. More than any other quality it should be free of any affectation. This is its rock of offence, for it then borders on vanity and prompts contempt: it must be moderate to avoid being vulgar, and any excess is despised by the wise. At times it consists in a sort of mute eloquence, a careless display of excellence. A wise concealment is often the most effective boast, since the very withdrawal from view piques curiosity. Tis a fine subtlety too not to display one's excellence all at one time, but to grant stolen glances at it, more and more as time goes on. Each exploit should be the pledge of a greater, and applause at the first should only die away in expectation of its sequel.
I wish I had time to offer an interpretation but paying work beckons.
It can ornament all your gifts. For each ability, there comes an appropriate moment to display, to use it, but not every day comes a triumph. There are some dashing people who make much a show with little, a whole exhibition with not much. If an ability to display abilities is joined to versatile gifts of display, however, the person is regarded as miraculous. There are whole nations given to display: the Spanish people take the highest rank in this. Light was the first thing to cause Creation to shine forth. Display fills up much, supplies much, and gives a second existence to things, especially when combined with real excellence. Heaven that grants perfection, provides also the means of display; for one without the other is abortive.
Skill is, however, also needed for display. Even excellence depends on circumstances and they are not always opportune. Ostentation is out of place when it is out of time. More than any other quality it should be free of any affectation. This is its rock of offence, for it then borders on vanity and prompts contempt: it must be moderate to avoid being vulgar, and any excess is despised by the wise. At times it consists in a sort of mute eloquence, a careless display of excellence. A wise concealment is often the most effective boast, since the very withdrawal from view piques curiosity. Tis a fine subtlety too not to display one's excellence all at one time, but to grant stolen glances at it, more and more as time goes on. Each exploit should be the pledge of a greater, and applause at the first should only die away in expectation of its sequel.
I wish I had time to offer an interpretation but paying work beckons.
News and Commentary for April 2, 2024Some of the Best April Fool's Pranks of 2024. [Note: I've screened so there are not too many duplicates.]
--From the Mirror
--From the Independent.
--From USA Today.
From Mish Talk: How Much Do Food Stamps, Social Security, And Medicare Support The Economy? ...prepare to be disgusted. [Ed: very informative.]
From Give It Love: Amazing People Who Risked Their Own Lives To Save Animals. [Ed: feel good moments for your day.]
From the Collector: 7 Facts About Banana Republics & Their Role in History and Politics. The establishment of banana republics reveals much about imperialism and the history of the Western Hemisphere. Here are 7 facts you may not know. [Ed: many of them, I did not know.]
Big Economic Picture. From the Epoch Times: How The Federal Reserve Created An American Caste System. The Fed was designed to transfer wealth from the American people to the government, mostly through the hidden tax of inflation... From Daniel LaCalle: Gross Domestic Income Shows America Is In Stagnation. The failure of Keynesianism is evident. Sadly, politicians will promise more Keynesianism and present themselves as the solution to the problem they have created...
From Law and Political Economy Project: What Is the Relationship Between Homelessness and the Law? "Next month, in City of Grants Pass v. Johnson, the Supreme Court will consider whether it is constitutional for cities to punish unsheltered people for camping on public property, even when the city fails to provide adequate shelter." [Ed: an increasingly important issue.]
From the Epoch Times: I’m the ‘Survival Mom,’ and I Built a 7-Month Emergency Food Supply for a Family of 4. Stocking up on frugal, versatile, shelf-stable ingredients—that your family will actually eat—is key.
The Crocus Attack. From eestieest: Did The US First Catch Wind Of The Crocus Terrorist Attack By Spying On Kiev? It’s likely only a matter of time before a smoking gun is found. [Ed: by the always worthwhile Andrew Korybko.]
From Naked Capitalism: Combating “Hate”: The Trojan Horse for Precrime. [Ed: a must read.]
From the Atlantic: How Your Dog Knows When You’re Sick. Dogs can act like illness psychics. [Ed: hat tip to Brad.]
From the Epoch Times: Scientists Uncover Mechanism Viruses Use to Cause Cancer. Findings from a new study have wide ranging implications as viruses are responsible for between 10 to 20 percent of cancers globally.
Ukraine. From A Son of the New American Revolution: Are Ukraine and NATO Waiting in Vain for a Russian Offensive? [Ed: a must read.] From the New York Post: Ukraine aid likely to spark mutiny against Speaker Johnson, could force him out, GOP rep says. [Ed: But he is determined to bring up the issue. I give Johnson's ousting more than a 50/50 chance.] From Euractiv: Putin signs decree calling up 150,000 citizens for statutory military service.
From Spiked: The fury of Europe’s farmers. The continent-wide revolt against the green agenda has shaken the EU elites to their core. [Ed: thank God for the farmers and truckers.]
Trump's Legal Woes. From the Epoch Times: New Yorkers Silently Worrying Over Ramifications of Trump Ruling. Business insiders won’t say it out loud, but many worry that they could face financial ruin if they run afoul of the politically powerful in New York. [Ed: I'm not sure if the Powers That Be are upset to instill fear in the financial elites.]
From Zero Hedge: "Turkish People Demanded Change": Erdogan Suffers Shocking Defeat In Country's Municipal Elections. "The economy was the decisive factor"
Gaza-Israel-US. From Palestine Chronicle: Dozens Killed, Injured – In New ‘Flour Massacre’, Israel Targets Aid Recipients in Gaza. From Zero Hedge: In Major Escalation Israel Strikes Iranian Embassy In Syria, Killing 8. Reports of IRGC leader in Damascus killed... [Ed: clearly, Israel wants a regional war.] AND Multiple IRGC Generals Reported Killed In Israeli Attack On Iranian Embassy In Syria. Tensions soar as Iranians could retaliate against Israeli embassies abroad... AND Drone Launched From Iraq Slams Into Israeli Base For First Time Of War. Direct hit on Eilat naval base... [Ed: clearly, the enemies are willing to respond in kind.]
From Politico: For terminal patients, dying in California may get easier. Legislation would enable even people without a specific terminal prognosis to come to California to end their lives. [Ed: it is alarming how deeply drs and the state are facilitating death rather than life. How long before "mercy killing" becomes legitimate? Suicide should be an entirely personal decision and arrangement.]
From the Bored Panda: This Dog Got A Second Chance At Life, And His Tail Wags More Than Ever.
U.S. Immigration. From Zero Hedge: In Easter Ruling, Judge Orders Release Of 'Border Riot' Migrants Who Overwhelmed National Guard. "It is the ruling of the court is that all the rioting participation cases will be released on their own recognizance..." [Ed: as close to "not guilty" as you can get without saying it.] From the Post Millennial: Denver begs illegal immigrants to leave town, offers free busses to Canada.
From Scripps News Service: William Shatner is heading to Antarctica, and he wants you to join him. Just over three years after the "Star Trek" actor returned from his real-life space trek, the 93-year-old will take off for the bottom of the Earth. [Ed: you can sign up here, invitation.
RFK. From Unherd: Why libertarians don’t trust RFK Jr. [Ed: RFK is rumored to be considering joing the LP ticket. His interventionism alone should preclude this.] From the Daily Caller: New Polling Reveals Why Dems Are Freaking Out Over RFK Jr.’s Candidacy. "...national and battleground state polling indicates that Kennedy is pulling more support from Biden than Trump."
Knock, Knock Biden. Is Anyone Home? From Zero Hedge: "I Didn't Do That": Biden Reportedly Has No Idea He Issued 'Trans Day Of Visibility' Proclamation
From the Dogington Post: Therapy Dogs Now At Hand To Help Tense Travellers At Istanbul Airport
From Just the News: 'Almost Orwellian': Feds black out nearly all emails about trucker surveillance proposal. FBI also refused to stop providing records from mobster Whitey Bulger's case file this week, shutting out scrutiny of its own involvement. [Ed: Bulger was widely rumored to be working with the feds despite his gangsta life.]
From Active Measures: Secret CIA Presence on January 6th Confirmed. [Ed: good on Judicial Watch for unearthing this info. A must read.]
--From the Mirror
--From the Independent.
--From USA Today.
From Mish Talk: How Much Do Food Stamps, Social Security, And Medicare Support The Economy? ...prepare to be disgusted. [Ed: very informative.]
From Give It Love: Amazing People Who Risked Their Own Lives To Save Animals. [Ed: feel good moments for your day.]
From the Collector: 7 Facts About Banana Republics & Their Role in History and Politics. The establishment of banana republics reveals much about imperialism and the history of the Western Hemisphere. Here are 7 facts you may not know. [Ed: many of them, I did not know.]
Big Economic Picture. From the Epoch Times: How The Federal Reserve Created An American Caste System. The Fed was designed to transfer wealth from the American people to the government, mostly through the hidden tax of inflation... From Daniel LaCalle: Gross Domestic Income Shows America Is In Stagnation. The failure of Keynesianism is evident. Sadly, politicians will promise more Keynesianism and present themselves as the solution to the problem they have created...
From Law and Political Economy Project: What Is the Relationship Between Homelessness and the Law? "Next month, in City of Grants Pass v. Johnson, the Supreme Court will consider whether it is constitutional for cities to punish unsheltered people for camping on public property, even when the city fails to provide adequate shelter." [Ed: an increasingly important issue.]
From the Epoch Times: I’m the ‘Survival Mom,’ and I Built a 7-Month Emergency Food Supply for a Family of 4. Stocking up on frugal, versatile, shelf-stable ingredients—that your family will actually eat—is key.
The Crocus Attack. From eestieest: Did The US First Catch Wind Of The Crocus Terrorist Attack By Spying On Kiev? It’s likely only a matter of time before a smoking gun is found. [Ed: by the always worthwhile Andrew Korybko.]
From Naked Capitalism: Combating “Hate”: The Trojan Horse for Precrime. [Ed: a must read.]
From the Atlantic: How Your Dog Knows When You’re Sick. Dogs can act like illness psychics. [Ed: hat tip to Brad.]
From the Epoch Times: Scientists Uncover Mechanism Viruses Use to Cause Cancer. Findings from a new study have wide ranging implications as viruses are responsible for between 10 to 20 percent of cancers globally.
Ukraine. From A Son of the New American Revolution: Are Ukraine and NATO Waiting in Vain for a Russian Offensive? [Ed: a must read.] From the New York Post: Ukraine aid likely to spark mutiny against Speaker Johnson, could force him out, GOP rep says. [Ed: But he is determined to bring up the issue. I give Johnson's ousting more than a 50/50 chance.] From Euractiv: Putin signs decree calling up 150,000 citizens for statutory military service.
From Spiked: The fury of Europe’s farmers. The continent-wide revolt against the green agenda has shaken the EU elites to their core. [Ed: thank God for the farmers and truckers.]
Trump's Legal Woes. From the Epoch Times: New Yorkers Silently Worrying Over Ramifications of Trump Ruling. Business insiders won’t say it out loud, but many worry that they could face financial ruin if they run afoul of the politically powerful in New York. [Ed: I'm not sure if the Powers That Be are upset to instill fear in the financial elites.]
From Zero Hedge: "Turkish People Demanded Change": Erdogan Suffers Shocking Defeat In Country's Municipal Elections. "The economy was the decisive factor"
Gaza-Israel-US. From Palestine Chronicle: Dozens Killed, Injured – In New ‘Flour Massacre’, Israel Targets Aid Recipients in Gaza. From Zero Hedge: In Major Escalation Israel Strikes Iranian Embassy In Syria, Killing 8. Reports of IRGC leader in Damascus killed... [Ed: clearly, Israel wants a regional war.] AND Multiple IRGC Generals Reported Killed In Israeli Attack On Iranian Embassy In Syria. Tensions soar as Iranians could retaliate against Israeli embassies abroad... AND Drone Launched From Iraq Slams Into Israeli Base For First Time Of War. Direct hit on Eilat naval base... [Ed: clearly, the enemies are willing to respond in kind.]
From Politico: For terminal patients, dying in California may get easier. Legislation would enable even people without a specific terminal prognosis to come to California to end their lives. [Ed: it is alarming how deeply drs and the state are facilitating death rather than life. How long before "mercy killing" becomes legitimate? Suicide should be an entirely personal decision and arrangement.]
From the Bored Panda: This Dog Got A Second Chance At Life, And His Tail Wags More Than Ever.
U.S. Immigration. From Zero Hedge: In Easter Ruling, Judge Orders Release Of 'Border Riot' Migrants Who Overwhelmed National Guard. "It is the ruling of the court is that all the rioting participation cases will be released on their own recognizance..." [Ed: as close to "not guilty" as you can get without saying it.] From the Post Millennial: Denver begs illegal immigrants to leave town, offers free busses to Canada.
From Scripps News Service: William Shatner is heading to Antarctica, and he wants you to join him. Just over three years after the "Star Trek" actor returned from his real-life space trek, the 93-year-old will take off for the bottom of the Earth. [Ed: you can sign up here, invitation.
RFK. From Unherd: Why libertarians don’t trust RFK Jr. [Ed: RFK is rumored to be considering joing the LP ticket. His interventionism alone should preclude this.] From the Daily Caller: New Polling Reveals Why Dems Are Freaking Out Over RFK Jr.’s Candidacy. "...national and battleground state polling indicates that Kennedy is pulling more support from Biden than Trump."
Knock, Knock Biden. Is Anyone Home? From Zero Hedge: "I Didn't Do That": Biden Reportedly Has No Idea He Issued 'Trans Day Of Visibility' Proclamation
From the Dogington Post: Therapy Dogs Now At Hand To Help Tense Travellers At Istanbul Airport
From Just the News: 'Almost Orwellian': Feds black out nearly all emails about trucker surveillance proposal. FBI also refused to stop providing records from mobster Whitey Bulger's case file this week, shutting out scrutiny of its own involvement. [Ed: Bulger was widely rumored to be working with the feds despite his gangsta life.]
From Active Measures: Secret CIA Presence on January 6th Confirmed. [Ed: good on Judicial Watch for unearthing this info. A must read.]
Monday 01 April 2024
Baltasar Gracian Aphorism #276: Know how to renew your Character,Baltasar Gracian Aphorism #276: Know how to renew your Character,
...with the help both of Nature and of Art, Every seven years the disposition changes, they say. Let it be a change for the better and for the nobler in your taste. After the first seven comes reason, with each succeeding lustre let a new excellence be added. Observe this change so as to aid it, and hope also for betterment in others. Hence it arises that many change their behaviour when they change their position or their occupation. At times the change is not noticed till it reaches the height of maturity. At twenty Man is a Peacock, at thirty a Lion, at forty a Camel, at fifty a Serpent, at sixty a Dog, at seventy an Ape, at eighty nothing at all.
My Interpretation: An alternate translation of the title is "Know How To Replenish Your Spirit with Nature and with Art." This one I need to take to heart because I tend to run myself into the ground with work and stress. Apart from being able to refresh your own nature, the aphorism refers to the tendency of people to change their characters every seven years. I don't know the accuracy of this and I do not agree with the depiction of stages people tend to go through. If the gist of the advice is "Age Well", then I'm good with it. Otherwise, I don't know why a Lion becomes a Camel becomes a Serpent... I know this are metaphors but I don't quite grasp the meaning of them.
...with the help both of Nature and of Art, Every seven years the disposition changes, they say. Let it be a change for the better and for the nobler in your taste. After the first seven comes reason, with each succeeding lustre let a new excellence be added. Observe this change so as to aid it, and hope also for betterment in others. Hence it arises that many change their behaviour when they change their position or their occupation. At times the change is not noticed till it reaches the height of maturity. At twenty Man is a Peacock, at thirty a Lion, at forty a Camel, at fifty a Serpent, at sixty a Dog, at seventy an Ape, at eighty nothing at all.
My Interpretation: An alternate translation of the title is "Know How To Replenish Your Spirit with Nature and with Art." This one I need to take to heart because I tend to run myself into the ground with work and stress. Apart from being able to refresh your own nature, the aphorism refers to the tendency of people to change their characters every seven years. I don't know the accuracy of this and I do not agree with the depiction of stages people tend to go through. If the gist of the advice is "Age Well", then I'm good with it. Otherwise, I don't know why a Lion becomes a Camel becomes a Serpent... I know this are metaphors but I don't quite grasp the meaning of them.
Does Corporate Greed Cause Inflation? by MN GordonDoes Corporate Greed Cause Inflation?
by MN Gordon, Economic Prism
Left Behind
It cannot be said enough. Inflation starts with the inflation of the money supply. From there, the excess money and credit chases consumer prices higher. So, too, it pumps up both stock and real estate market bubbles.
Rising prices then come with a wide range of effects. Asset owners are enriched as the nominal prices of the things they own inflate. This also reduces the relative debt burden of the borrowing used to purchase the assets.
Workers, having little but their labors to sell, are impoverished. Price increases for consumer goods vastly outpace wages. Retirees on fixed incomes also get shredded, as their monthly allotments do not go the distance.
Consumer debts become more and more difficult to service. As a greater portion of a person’s paycheck is used for food and shelter, there’s less money available to pay down debts. For some, debt piles up from month to month, as additional debt is used to make up the difference between wage earnings and rising prices.
Inflation also pushes societies’ wealth gap to extremes. Wealthy asset owners have their riches multiplied while the value of worker labor is destroyed. In Q3 of 2023, for instance, 66.6 percent of the total wealth in the U.S. was owned by the top 10 percent of earners, while the lowest 50 percent of earners owned just 2.6 percent.
The great wave of inflation that has flooded America originated with the reckless operations of the Treasury and the Federal Reserve during the coronavirus fiasco. And it isn’t going away anytime soon. Moreover, the consequences will be felt for centuries to come.
At this point, many people have already been left behind.
[ Read the rest ... ]
by MN Gordon, Economic Prism
Left Behind
It cannot be said enough. Inflation starts with the inflation of the money supply. From there, the excess money and credit chases consumer prices higher. So, too, it pumps up both stock and real estate market bubbles.
Rising prices then come with a wide range of effects. Asset owners are enriched as the nominal prices of the things they own inflate. This also reduces the relative debt burden of the borrowing used to purchase the assets.
Workers, having little but their labors to sell, are impoverished. Price increases for consumer goods vastly outpace wages. Retirees on fixed incomes also get shredded, as their monthly allotments do not go the distance.
Consumer debts become more and more difficult to service. As a greater portion of a person’s paycheck is used for food and shelter, there’s less money available to pay down debts. For some, debt piles up from month to month, as additional debt is used to make up the difference between wage earnings and rising prices.
Inflation also pushes societies’ wealth gap to extremes. Wealthy asset owners have their riches multiplied while the value of worker labor is destroyed. In Q3 of 2023, for instance, 66.6 percent of the total wealth in the U.S. was owned by the top 10 percent of earners, while the lowest 50 percent of earners owned just 2.6 percent.
The great wave of inflation that has flooded America originated with the reckless operations of the Treasury and the Federal Reserve during the coronavirus fiasco. And it isn’t going away anytime soon. Moreover, the consequences will be felt for centuries to come.
At this point, many people have already been left behind.
[ Read the rest ... ]
News and Commentary for April 1, 2024From Mental Floss: The Hazy Origins of April Fools’ Day. There’s no shortage of theories about where April Fools’ Day may have come from—including one that started out as a prank itself.
From Jonathan Cook: Assange’s ‘reprieve’ is another lie, hiding the real goal of keeping him endlessly locked up. [Ed: the U.S. does not want Assange back yet. He would be a political hot potato before the elections. They want to keep him imprisoned in England.] From Consortium News: Craig Murray: UK Legal Shambles in Case of Assange.
Payment Systems. From the Epoch Times: Experts Warn of ‘Digital Enslavement’ as Amazon Pushes Palm-Scan Payment Service. Amazon has rolled out tech to facilitate palm-scanning payments, drawing criticism from experts on privacy and social surveillance and control. [Ed: I would advise against using Amazon Pay.] AND Payment Processor Stripe Backs Off Dr. Malone After Legal Threat. Stripe rescinds demand to share ‘historical transactions’ from bank account. [Ed: Stripe is the payment processor Substackers can use...and substack is said to be among the best for privacy, etc. But no 3rd party transaction can be trust. Go Crypto.]
From Madly Odd: Lonely Senior Pitbull Waits 2 Weeks In Parking Lot Before Joyful Rescue
From the Associated Press: AT&T Says Data From 73M Accounts Found on Dark Web. Company says it is notifying customers. [Ed: this is why I do not store info in 'the cloud'; I do not use a smart phone, etc.]
From the Oregonian: Church Told to Limit Free Meals Wins Lawsuit. Federal judge said feeding the hungry is a 'religious exercise'. [Ed: with people unable to afford food, this is what govs worry about.]
Big Picture Economics. From Zero Hedge: Hartnett: US Interest To Hit $1.6 Trillion By Year End, Making It The Largest US Government Outlay. "Unchanged rates/yields & debt trend next 12 months & US refinancing rate is 4.4% and annual interest costs jump from $1.1tn to $1.6tn..." AND
Philadelphia Fed Admits US Payrolls Overstated By At Least 800,000.
From Sunny Skyz: New Jersey Firefighters Save Dog Trapped In Tire.
From the Epoch Times: The Era Of Informed Consent Is Over. "Another step toward a dystopian future unimaginable just five years ago..."
From Unherd: Assisted dying advocates are losing their compassion.
Ukraine. From Knewz: First-Ever Russian Robotic Ground Assault in Ukraine Ends Up Being a Major Failure. From Al Jazeera: Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 766. As the war enters its 766th day, these are the main developments. [Ed: as of March 31.] From Sputnik: Money Transfers Proof That Crocus ‘Terrorists For Hire’ Followed Orders From Ukraine. [Ed: again, consider the source.]
From CNN: The adventures of Boji, Istanbul’s traveling dog.
Everyday Finances. From Moonbattery: Biden Regime Declares War on Trucking. [Ed: trucks that carry food and other essentials. Translation: prices will go up.] From Townhall: Trucking Industry Blasts the Biden Administration's New Rule for Heavy-Duty Vehicles. [Ed: more detailed information.] From Biden-Mart: Website that lets people compare their grocery bills now to those under former President Donald Trump. From FOX News: Price of eggs, chocolate remain higher than usual amid Easter festivities. From Politico.EU: Belgium’s renowned chocolatiers grapple with soaring cocoa prices. Life for Flemish confectioners is becoming an increasingly expensive box of chocolates. From Zero Hedge: Concern Over Food & Water Supply Grows Among Europeans.
From the Brownstone Institute: Fact-Checker, Check Thyself. [Ed: a must read.]
From Creed Speech Substack: Climate: The Movie (The Cold Truth) is Excellent. Reconstructing the climate cult, the scientific dogma, the funding, and the attacks against those speaking out who become "persona-non-grata". [Ed: watch the movie for free here. From the Daily Caller: Biden’s Signature Climate Law Has A Major Achilles’ Heel — And Dems Are Making It Worse.
From Townhall: Illegal Immigrants Given 7 Times More Taxpayer-Funded Benefits Than Military Families.
The Baltimore Bridge. From Politico: No timeline on debris removal or bridge reconstruction, Buttigieg says, but work is ‘underway’. [Ed: I am s-o-o-o reassured.] From Al Jazeera: What is the economic cost of Baltimore’s bridge collapse? The Baltimore port’s closure could cost the economy $15m per day while insurers face up to $3bn in claims. [Ed: meanwhile there has been a comparatively mild collision incident that shut down an Okla. bridge for a while.] From the Powerline Blog: Troubled Bridges Over Water
Gaza-Israel-US. From the Gray Zone: US State Dept’s favorite celebrity chef builds Gaza aid dock with stolen rubble. "After years of accusing Russia of using food as a weapon in its conflict with Ukraine..." From the Guardian: UK government lawyers say Israel is breaking international law, claims top Tory in leaked recording. "The British government has received advice from its own lawyers stating that Israel has breached international humanitarian law in Gaza but has failed to make it public, according to a leaked recording obtained by the Observer." From Zero Hedge: White House Approves Transfer To Israel Of More Bombs & Jets Worth Billions. Includes the controversial 2,000-pound bombs which kill indiscriminately...
From Give It Love: A Stray Dog Enters A Stranger’s Home In The Middle Of The Night. [Ed: my fav dog story of the day.]
From Mish Talk: Critical Backdoor Internet Security Breach Accidentally Found Before Implementation. "...a Microsoft engineer discovered a major, heavily disguised, backdoor security breach that was years in the making, and nearly implemented." [Ed: almost certainly deliberate.]
From Popsci: 10 delightfully silly, never-before-seen images from Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards.
From Jonathan Cook: Assange’s ‘reprieve’ is another lie, hiding the real goal of keeping him endlessly locked up. [Ed: the U.S. does not want Assange back yet. He would be a political hot potato before the elections. They want to keep him imprisoned in England.] From Consortium News: Craig Murray: UK Legal Shambles in Case of Assange.
Payment Systems. From the Epoch Times: Experts Warn of ‘Digital Enslavement’ as Amazon Pushes Palm-Scan Payment Service. Amazon has rolled out tech to facilitate palm-scanning payments, drawing criticism from experts on privacy and social surveillance and control. [Ed: I would advise against using Amazon Pay.] AND Payment Processor Stripe Backs Off Dr. Malone After Legal Threat. Stripe rescinds demand to share ‘historical transactions’ from bank account. [Ed: Stripe is the payment processor Substackers can use...and substack is said to be among the best for privacy, etc. But no 3rd party transaction can be trust. Go Crypto.]
From Madly Odd: Lonely Senior Pitbull Waits 2 Weeks In Parking Lot Before Joyful Rescue
From the Associated Press: AT&T Says Data From 73M Accounts Found on Dark Web. Company says it is notifying customers. [Ed: this is why I do not store info in 'the cloud'; I do not use a smart phone, etc.]
From the Oregonian: Church Told to Limit Free Meals Wins Lawsuit. Federal judge said feeding the hungry is a 'religious exercise'. [Ed: with people unable to afford food, this is what govs worry about.]
Big Picture Economics. From Zero Hedge: Hartnett: US Interest To Hit $1.6 Trillion By Year End, Making It The Largest US Government Outlay. "Unchanged rates/yields & debt trend next 12 months & US refinancing rate is 4.4% and annual interest costs jump from $1.1tn to $1.6tn..." AND
Philadelphia Fed Admits US Payrolls Overstated By At Least 800,000.
From Sunny Skyz: New Jersey Firefighters Save Dog Trapped In Tire.
From the Epoch Times: The Era Of Informed Consent Is Over. "Another step toward a dystopian future unimaginable just five years ago..."
From Unherd: Assisted dying advocates are losing their compassion.
Ukraine. From Knewz: First-Ever Russian Robotic Ground Assault in Ukraine Ends Up Being a Major Failure. From Al Jazeera: Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 766. As the war enters its 766th day, these are the main developments. [Ed: as of March 31.] From Sputnik: Money Transfers Proof That Crocus ‘Terrorists For Hire’ Followed Orders From Ukraine. [Ed: again, consider the source.]
From CNN: The adventures of Boji, Istanbul’s traveling dog.
Everyday Finances. From Moonbattery: Biden Regime Declares War on Trucking. [Ed: trucks that carry food and other essentials. Translation: prices will go up.] From Townhall: Trucking Industry Blasts the Biden Administration's New Rule for Heavy-Duty Vehicles. [Ed: more detailed information.] From Biden-Mart: Website that lets people compare their grocery bills now to those under former President Donald Trump. From FOX News: Price of eggs, chocolate remain higher than usual amid Easter festivities. From Politico.EU: Belgium’s renowned chocolatiers grapple with soaring cocoa prices. Life for Flemish confectioners is becoming an increasingly expensive box of chocolates. From Zero Hedge: Concern Over Food & Water Supply Grows Among Europeans.
From the Brownstone Institute: Fact-Checker, Check Thyself. [Ed: a must read.]
From Creed Speech Substack: Climate: The Movie (The Cold Truth) is Excellent. Reconstructing the climate cult, the scientific dogma, the funding, and the attacks against those speaking out who become "persona-non-grata". [Ed: watch the movie for free here. From the Daily Caller: Biden’s Signature Climate Law Has A Major Achilles’ Heel — And Dems Are Making It Worse.
From Townhall: Illegal Immigrants Given 7 Times More Taxpayer-Funded Benefits Than Military Families.
The Baltimore Bridge. From Politico: No timeline on debris removal or bridge reconstruction, Buttigieg says, but work is ‘underway’. [Ed: I am s-o-o-o reassured.] From Al Jazeera: What is the economic cost of Baltimore’s bridge collapse? The Baltimore port’s closure could cost the economy $15m per day while insurers face up to $3bn in claims. [Ed: meanwhile there has been a comparatively mild collision incident that shut down an Okla. bridge for a while.] From the Powerline Blog: Troubled Bridges Over Water
Gaza-Israel-US. From the Gray Zone: US State Dept’s favorite celebrity chef builds Gaza aid dock with stolen rubble. "After years of accusing Russia of using food as a weapon in its conflict with Ukraine..." From the Guardian: UK government lawyers say Israel is breaking international law, claims top Tory in leaked recording. "The British government has received advice from its own lawyers stating that Israel has breached international humanitarian law in Gaza but has failed to make it public, according to a leaked recording obtained by the Observer." From Zero Hedge: White House Approves Transfer To Israel Of More Bombs & Jets Worth Billions. Includes the controversial 2,000-pound bombs which kill indiscriminately...
From Give It Love: A Stray Dog Enters A Stranger’s Home In The Middle Of The Night. [Ed: my fav dog story of the day.]
From Mish Talk: Critical Backdoor Internet Security Breach Accidentally Found Before Implementation. "...a Microsoft engineer discovered a major, heavily disguised, backdoor security breach that was years in the making, and nearly implemented." [Ed: almost certainly deliberate.]
From Popsci: 10 delightfully silly, never-before-seen images from Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards.
Sunday 31 March 2024
News and Commentary for March 31, 2024The Eclipse. From the National Post: Eclipse Day Is a Dangerous One for Driving. But that appears to have more to do with eclipse parties than the eclipse itself. [Ed: remember, April 8th.] From the Epoch Times: Fluid in Eye Cells Can ‘Boil’ if You Watch the Eclipse Without Protection: Expert. From the Daily Mail: CERN to test world's most powerful particle accelerator during April's solar eclipse to search for 'invisible' matter that secretly powers our universe. From the Associated Press: Canada's Niagara Region Calls State of Emergency on Eclipse. Niagara Falls mayor says he expects to see most visitors to his city ever in a single day on April 8
From the Bored Panda: Woman Documents The Life Of Her Cats And It’s Probably The Cutest Thing You’ll See Today (30 New Pics)
From Scheer Post: Chris Hedges: The Crucifixion Of Julian Assange. The case against Julian has made a mockery of the British justice system and international law.
Political Use of Bank Accounts. From the Middle East Eye: Israel may cut off Palestinian banks from global banking system next week. The decision by Israel's finance minister to isolate PA banks would paralyse Palestinian economy. [Ed: and people wonder why the BRICS are setting up an alternate banking system.] From Twitter: Biden quietly reverses the (feckless) sanctions he put on 7 individual settlers, removing the freeze on their accounts & effectively emptying the sanctions of any practical content according to Israel Hayom! From Just the News: Naked Censorship? Google Threatens to Demonetize Wall Street watchdog as GOP targets ad collusion
From Law Enforcement Today: Boston takes over Soldiers' Home shelter to house illegal immigrants.
From the Babylon Bee: Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg Holds Emergency Press Conference. To Announce He Is Taking 3 More Months Maternity Leave.
From the Activist Post: City ID and the Right to Travel. [Ed: scary but good information.]
Gaza. From the Middle East Eye: War on Gaza: We were lied into genocide. Al Jazeera has shown us how. From Anadolu Agency: Palestinians call US' temporary pier in Gaza ‘occupation port’. "Pier will be built to strengthen Israel's sovereignty on Gaza coast, allow US troops to enter enclave, says political analyst." [Ed: and not as an entry point for aid? What a shock!]
Inflation. From Newser: No Choice on This. Grocery chain increases price of single banana from 19 cents to 23 cents, first bump since 2001. [Ed: a round-uo of stories on this topic.] From Of Two Minds Blog: Fire, Then Ice: Our Deflationary Future
Israel. From the Times of Israel: Israel Bar Association hails influence afforded by new deal with New York State Bar. [Ed: What? Since when do foreign nations have formal agreements with state bar associations to influence American law? Has my head been in the sand?]
From Twitter: Located in Tokyo, the Capybara Café is a place where you can experience capybaras up close,,,
Ukraine. From the Asia Times: This is the way the West ends. Ukraine’s humiliation and Gaza’s shame accelerating estrangement of West and the rest at a crucial turning point in global power relations. From Tass: West bracing for Ukrainian army’s collapse due to weapons shortages — newspaper. [Ed: consider the source.]
Baltimore Bridge. From AMP America: Sharp: When it Comes to the Francis Scott Key Bridge, The Math Isn’t Adding Up. From Politico: Bridge warning systems have been recommended for decades. The Key Bridge didn’t have one. Safety experts question why the Baltimore bridge didn’t have a simple system to warn motorists. From Zero Hedge: Baltimore Bridge Collapse: Container Ship "Potentially Atop High-Pressure Underwater Gas Line". "Source at ICS reports ship salvage effort will likely be delayed while line is surveyed and additional risk can be assessed."
From Dances with Bears: The British Gov. Trips on a New Lie About Yulia and Sergei Skripal. [Ed: fascinating. I knew nothing of this.]
From Sunny Skyz: Naughty Dog Finds Forever Home After Shelter's Hilarious Post.
From Leo Hohmann’s Substack: Biometric 'smart guns' are about to become a thing: P.S. - don't buy one if you value your 2A freedom. No true-blue Second Amendment advocate would buy into this scheme, which amounts to a backdoor trap to register/verify the ownership and whereabouts of all firearms
From the Bored Panda: Woman Documents The Life Of Her Cats And It’s Probably The Cutest Thing You’ll See Today (30 New Pics)
From Scheer Post: Chris Hedges: The Crucifixion Of Julian Assange. The case against Julian has made a mockery of the British justice system and international law.
Political Use of Bank Accounts. From the Middle East Eye: Israel may cut off Palestinian banks from global banking system next week. The decision by Israel's finance minister to isolate PA banks would paralyse Palestinian economy. [Ed: and people wonder why the BRICS are setting up an alternate banking system.] From Twitter: Biden quietly reverses the (feckless) sanctions he put on 7 individual settlers, removing the freeze on their accounts & effectively emptying the sanctions of any practical content according to Israel Hayom! From Just the News: Naked Censorship? Google Threatens to Demonetize Wall Street watchdog as GOP targets ad collusion
From Law Enforcement Today: Boston takes over Soldiers' Home shelter to house illegal immigrants.
From the Babylon Bee: Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg Holds Emergency Press Conference. To Announce He Is Taking 3 More Months Maternity Leave.
From the Activist Post: City ID and the Right to Travel. [Ed: scary but good information.]
Gaza. From the Middle East Eye: War on Gaza: We were lied into genocide. Al Jazeera has shown us how. From Anadolu Agency: Palestinians call US' temporary pier in Gaza ‘occupation port’. "Pier will be built to strengthen Israel's sovereignty on Gaza coast, allow US troops to enter enclave, says political analyst." [Ed: and not as an entry point for aid? What a shock!]
Inflation. From Newser: No Choice on This. Grocery chain increases price of single banana from 19 cents to 23 cents, first bump since 2001. [Ed: a round-uo of stories on this topic.] From Of Two Minds Blog: Fire, Then Ice: Our Deflationary Future
Israel. From the Times of Israel: Israel Bar Association hails influence afforded by new deal with New York State Bar. [Ed: What? Since when do foreign nations have formal agreements with state bar associations to influence American law? Has my head been in the sand?]
From Twitter: Located in Tokyo, the Capybara Café is a place where you can experience capybaras up close,,,
Ukraine. From the Asia Times: This is the way the West ends. Ukraine’s humiliation and Gaza’s shame accelerating estrangement of West and the rest at a crucial turning point in global power relations. From Tass: West bracing for Ukrainian army’s collapse due to weapons shortages — newspaper. [Ed: consider the source.]
Baltimore Bridge. From AMP America: Sharp: When it Comes to the Francis Scott Key Bridge, The Math Isn’t Adding Up. From Politico: Bridge warning systems have been recommended for decades. The Key Bridge didn’t have one. Safety experts question why the Baltimore bridge didn’t have a simple system to warn motorists. From Zero Hedge: Baltimore Bridge Collapse: Container Ship "Potentially Atop High-Pressure Underwater Gas Line". "Source at ICS reports ship salvage effort will likely be delayed while line is surveyed and additional risk can be assessed."
From Dances with Bears: The British Gov. Trips on a New Lie About Yulia and Sergei Skripal. [Ed: fascinating. I knew nothing of this.]
From Sunny Skyz: Naughty Dog Finds Forever Home After Shelter's Hilarious Post.
From Leo Hohmann’s Substack: Biometric 'smart guns' are about to become a thing: P.S. - don't buy one if you value your 2A freedom. No true-blue Second Amendment advocate would buy into this scheme, which amounts to a backdoor trap to register/verify the ownership and whereabouts of all firearms
Saturday 30 March 2024
Baltasar Gracian's Aphorism #275: Join in What Others are Doing.....Baltasar Gracian's Aphorism #275: Join in What Others are Doing.....
...but do not be indelicate about it. Doing so is not always the result of playing a part, but is a phase of gallantry. Make yourself concede in something, so as to win general regard. Sometimes you can make this tactic lead farther, and do so without decorum. He who is regarded as a fool in public will not be credited with judgment in secret. More can be lost in a day of genial folly then can be regained in all one's serious moments. Nevertheless, it does not do to remain aloof, because to be singular is to condemn others. Even less can you afford to affect prudery; leave that to the opposite sex. The best thing for a man is to appear as a man. A woman may affect mannishness to perfection, but a must always be a man.
...but do not be indelicate about it. Doing so is not always the result of playing a part, but is a phase of gallantry. Make yourself concede in something, so as to win general regard. Sometimes you can make this tactic lead farther, and do so without decorum. He who is regarded as a fool in public will not be credited with judgment in secret. More can be lost in a day of genial folly then can be regained in all one's serious moments. Nevertheless, it does not do to remain aloof, because to be singular is to condemn others. Even less can you afford to affect prudery; leave that to the opposite sex. The best thing for a man is to appear as a man. A woman may affect mannishness to perfection, but a must always be a man.
News and Commentary for March 30, 2024Trump in the Legal System. From the Daily Caller: Florida State Attorney Says Jack Smith May Press ‘Red Button’ To Try To Disqualify Judge And Get Trump. [Ed: anti-Trumpers are racing to destroy what is left of the justice system in order to harm him.] From the Epoch Times: Trump Appeals Ruling That Allowed Fani Willis to Stay on Georgia Case. Defendants said the judge’s decision was “plain legal error requiring reversal.”
From Zero Hedge: In Historic Reversal, US To Restart A Shut Down Nuclear Power Plant For The First Time Ever. Is the long awaited - and overdue - restart of the American nuclear age finally here?
From the Bored Panda: Artist Makes 30 Hilarious One-Panel Comics About A Cute Dog And His Daily Dilemmas. [Ed: I usually don't post animal cartoons but these appealed to me.]
Israel. From Zero Hedge: Israel Mounts Largest Attack On Syria In Years, Over 40 Dead. Syria's defense ministry alleges 'terrorists' in Idlib were also involved...
Big Picture Economics. From Epoch Times: The Meltdown Of Commercial Real Estate. [Ed: a must read.] From Hot Air: The Biden Administration Takes a Swipe at Credit Card Industry. [Ed: could impact a lot of people and commerce.]
Upcoming U.S. Elections. From Politico: Judge’s ballot ruling could upend NJ’s boss politics beyond Andy Kim’s Senate race. Party leaders who have the most to lose shrugged it off. From the Epoch Times: Behind Massive Mail-in Ballot Push Is a Little-Noticed Executive Order. The federal government is using its vast resources and its largest agencies to register new voters and expand mail-in balloting, with the help of nonprofits.
From Beta News: Red Hat Issues Urgent Alert For Fedora Linux Users Due To Malicious Code. [Ed: Brad.]
Immigration. From Jonathan Turley: Fifth Circuit Blocks Texas SB 4 and Rejects the Invasion Theory Under State War Clause. The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has blocked border enforcement by the state under Texas’s SB 4. From the Babylon Bee: NYC Mayor Assures Migrants That If They Run Out Of Prepaid Debit Cards They Can Just Rob Americans Directly. From FOX News: 'Migrant influencer' urging illegals to squat in US homes on run from authorities: report. Leonel Moreno urges illegal immigrants on TikTok. [Ed: please note that I am pro-immigration but the law is handling this situation in a terrible manner.]
From Metro UK: Polish PM warns ‘we are in pre-war era’ as Putin’s missiles fire close to border. [Ed: this story is getting a lot of coverage.]
From Zero Hedge: "Huge Problem": Pentagon's Rapid Wartime Response Cargo Ships Trapped In Baltimore After Bridge Collapse. "Algol class have been called upon multiple times since they entered US service. Just five of these ships were responsible for transporting 20 percent of US cargo sent from the United States to Saudi Arabia during the first phase of Operation Desert Shield..." From WUSA: ‘Remarkably complicated’ | No clear timeline to reopen the channel to the Port of Baltimore following Key Bridge collapse.
From Consortium News: Slowly Suffocating Assange, Like its Other Enemies [Ed: by Caitlin Johnstone.]
From the Animal Channel: German shepherd is puzzled finding kittens in his bed and cuteness ensues
From the Organic Prepper: Haiti, Third World Violence, and the SHTF.
From Reason: California Won't Let Homeowners Insurance Companies Raise Rates, so They're Leaving the State Instead. Giving the state control over insurance rates turned pricing into a Byzantine regulatory process.
Ukraine. From Moon of Alabama: Ukraine SitRep: Syrski's Interview - Mobilizing - De-Energization. General Syrski, the Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian army has given an interview to a Ukrainian media platform. AND At The UN It Is A Rogue U.S. Against The Rest Of The World From Politico.EU: Ukraine needs to open up about hard truths from battlefield, US diplomat says. “Sometimes the Ukrainian government may resist the kind of freedom of information that’s normal for us,” said the State Department’s James Rubin. [Ed: the hypocrisy of the U.S. is stunning.] From Gilbert Doctorow: Yesterday’s remarkable statements to journalists by Alexander Bortnikov, director of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) AND Today’s 13 minute interview on WION, Indian television: “Russian FSB says US, UK and Ukraine behind Moscow attack / What’s the truth?”[Ed: Video with trranscript.]
From Moonbattery: Wheels Are Coming Off Under Moonbat Rule in Canada.
From the Dogington Post: A Newfoundland Helps Rescue His Canine Pal From Drowning
From Real Investment Advice: Wealth Gap And The Road To Serfdom. ...what went wrong? [Ed: amazing and alarming charts.]
From Zero Hedge: United Airlines Boeing 777 Diverted To Denver After 'Engine Issues' .
Not again...
From Jonathan Turley: Say It Ain’t So, Joe: The House Formally Invites President Biden to Testify in Impeachment Inquiry.
From Zero Hedge: In Historic Reversal, US To Restart A Shut Down Nuclear Power Plant For The First Time Ever. Is the long awaited - and overdue - restart of the American nuclear age finally here?
From the Bored Panda: Artist Makes 30 Hilarious One-Panel Comics About A Cute Dog And His Daily Dilemmas. [Ed: I usually don't post animal cartoons but these appealed to me.]
Israel. From Zero Hedge: Israel Mounts Largest Attack On Syria In Years, Over 40 Dead. Syria's defense ministry alleges 'terrorists' in Idlib were also involved...
Big Picture Economics. From Epoch Times: The Meltdown Of Commercial Real Estate. [Ed: a must read.] From Hot Air: The Biden Administration Takes a Swipe at Credit Card Industry. [Ed: could impact a lot of people and commerce.]
Upcoming U.S. Elections. From Politico: Judge’s ballot ruling could upend NJ’s boss politics beyond Andy Kim’s Senate race. Party leaders who have the most to lose shrugged it off. From the Epoch Times: Behind Massive Mail-in Ballot Push Is a Little-Noticed Executive Order. The federal government is using its vast resources and its largest agencies to register new voters and expand mail-in balloting, with the help of nonprofits.
From Beta News: Red Hat Issues Urgent Alert For Fedora Linux Users Due To Malicious Code. [Ed: Brad.]
Immigration. From Jonathan Turley: Fifth Circuit Blocks Texas SB 4 and Rejects the Invasion Theory Under State War Clause. The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has blocked border enforcement by the state under Texas’s SB 4. From the Babylon Bee: NYC Mayor Assures Migrants That If They Run Out Of Prepaid Debit Cards They Can Just Rob Americans Directly. From FOX News: 'Migrant influencer' urging illegals to squat in US homes on run from authorities: report. Leonel Moreno urges illegal immigrants on TikTok. [Ed: please note that I am pro-immigration but the law is handling this situation in a terrible manner.]
From Metro UK: Polish PM warns ‘we are in pre-war era’ as Putin’s missiles fire close to border. [Ed: this story is getting a lot of coverage.]
From Zero Hedge: "Huge Problem": Pentagon's Rapid Wartime Response Cargo Ships Trapped In Baltimore After Bridge Collapse. "Algol class have been called upon multiple times since they entered US service. Just five of these ships were responsible for transporting 20 percent of US cargo sent from the United States to Saudi Arabia during the first phase of Operation Desert Shield..." From WUSA: ‘Remarkably complicated’ | No clear timeline to reopen the channel to the Port of Baltimore following Key Bridge collapse.
From Consortium News: Slowly Suffocating Assange, Like its Other Enemies [Ed: by Caitlin Johnstone.]
From the Animal Channel: German shepherd is puzzled finding kittens in his bed and cuteness ensues
From the Organic Prepper: Haiti, Third World Violence, and the SHTF.
From Reason: California Won't Let Homeowners Insurance Companies Raise Rates, so They're Leaving the State Instead. Giving the state control over insurance rates turned pricing into a Byzantine regulatory process.
Ukraine. From Moon of Alabama: Ukraine SitRep: Syrski's Interview - Mobilizing - De-Energization. General Syrski, the Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian army has given an interview to a Ukrainian media platform. AND At The UN It Is A Rogue U.S. Against The Rest Of The World From Politico.EU: Ukraine needs to open up about hard truths from battlefield, US diplomat says. “Sometimes the Ukrainian government may resist the kind of freedom of information that’s normal for us,” said the State Department’s James Rubin. [Ed: the hypocrisy of the U.S. is stunning.] From Gilbert Doctorow: Yesterday’s remarkable statements to journalists by Alexander Bortnikov, director of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) AND Today’s 13 minute interview on WION, Indian television: “Russian FSB says US, UK and Ukraine behind Moscow attack / What’s the truth?”[Ed: Video with trranscript.]
From Moonbattery: Wheels Are Coming Off Under Moonbat Rule in Canada.
From the Dogington Post: A Newfoundland Helps Rescue His Canine Pal From Drowning
From Real Investment Advice: Wealth Gap And The Road To Serfdom. ...what went wrong? [Ed: amazing and alarming charts.]
From Zero Hedge: United Airlines Boeing 777 Diverted To Denver After 'Engine Issues' .
Not again...
From Jonathan Turley: Say It Ain’t So, Joe: The House Formally Invites President Biden to Testify in Impeachment Inquiry.
It's Saturday!
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