Ace: aceofspadeshq at gee mail.com
Buck: buck.throckmorton at protonmail.com
CBD: cbd at cutjibnewsletter.com
joe mannix: mannix2024 at proton.me
MisHum: petmorons at gee mail.com
J.J. Sefton: sefton at cutjibnewsletter.com
A site for members of the Horde to post their stories seeking beta readers, editing help, brainstorming, and story ideas. Also to share links to potential publishing outlets, writing help sites, and videos posting tips to get published.
Contact OrangeEnt for info: maildrop62 at proton dot me
So, evidently now Mohamed is the new Hussein, so be careful what you say lest you be labeled "islamophobic" quelle horrible!
But if your beliefs align with this . . .
El-Sayed is married to Sarah Jukaku, a former University of Michigan student who once served as president of that school’s campus MSA. El-Sayed’s father-in-law is Dr. Jukaku Tayeb, a nephrologist and a former president (and current board member) of the Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. El-Sayed’s father-in-law is Dr. Jukaku Tayeb, a nephrologist and a former president (and current board member) of the Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
It’s disheartening to look back and realize that, despite renewed diplomatic pressure and advocacy, Tamimi still has not been extradited—just as reported in 2021, when Legal Insurrection marked the bombing’s 20th anniversary. A Hamas “journalist” born in Jordan, Tamimi is, above all, a religious fanatic who saw the Sbarro attack as one of her “best deeds,” calculated in every respect to maximize the carnage.
In the summer 2007 Holy Land Foundation trial, it was learned that CAIR’s parent organization, the Islamic Association for Palestine, had been named in a May 1991 Muslim Brotherhood memorandum as one of the Brotherhood’s likeminded “organizations of our friends” who shared the common goal of conducting “a kind of grand Jihad in eliminating and destroying the Western civilization from within and ‘sabotaging’ its miserable house by their hands … so that … God’s religion [Islam] is made victorious over all other religions.”
Meh, Look at what far too many of our fellow citizens - in name only — are cheering on and voting for, as I discussed at length here and on the latest episode of the podcast linked here and in the sidebar.
A democratic socialist member of the state Assembly and the prohibitive favorite to succeed Gov. Tony Evers as the Democratic nominee for his office come Tuesday, Hong has featured in headlines for all of the wrong reasons over the last few weeks.
In a much-maligned November 2020 tweet, she called on officials to “Cancel Thanksgiving.”...Hong’s message is a resentful, revanchist one — and it’s landing on the right ears.
The first question she fielded at the Sheboygan town hall was about what she would do to progressives’ favorite boogeyman: Elon Musk. Answer: “I will use every tool in the executive’s office to make sure that we are not only holding Elon Musk accountable, but that we are prosecuting to the fullest extent of the law individual ICE agents who break the law.”
Thunderous applause. . . Nationally, Hong has been portrayed as a kind of living joke, a ditzy relic of Peak Woke who compares unfavorably to more polished far-left figures like New York’s Zohran Mamdani and Michigan’s Abdul El-Sayed. Those portrayals miss the meaning of her candidacy entirely.
Because beneath the flighty calls for more witch poems and empty appeals to joy, there’s an irrepressible anger that she’s offering a vengeful, self-righteous seeming outlet for. And hatred dressed up as love is just about the most alluring thing there is.
In revealing the commonalities of the Reds and the Greens in the Red-Green Axis, we have elucidated their shared goals of violence, wealth redistribution, inequality before the law, a binary world, and monopoly rule by the elites. Here we explore their intent to reshape the totality of society.
Islamic political systems and Marxist-Leninist communism both claim more than the right to regulate what is currently unsettled. Each claims the standing authority to redraw, at will, the line between what the system controls and what it leaves alone. A domain currently left to private choice is never permanently protected from the system; it is simply not yet a priority. . . Clearly, Muslims and Communists are intent on “fundamentally transforming the United States of America.”
Thad McCotter: Whatever one’s view of immigration and border security, only the worst among us can fail to recognize the above is an example of incivility. Another Sign of the Times: ‘F— ICE’
They devoted enormous energy to helping their children succeed but comparatively little to explaining why they left their homelands. The Failure of the Tiger Mom
American approaches to war for the last 70 years have been characterized by a normalcy bias that war conduct should be guided by the goal of reaching negotiated compromise outcomes rather than achieving victory and total defeat of the enemy. Stop Negotiating and Get the Job Done
Does the regime have enough money to continue to pay its proxies? Iran’s Proxy Fizzle?
The world has become transfixed by conflict. Gaza dominates the headlines. Ukraine fills the television screens. Every diplomatic summit revolves around security, sanctions and shifting alliances. Yet, behind this curtain of global crises, the Iranian regime has unleashed a campaign of political executions on a scale that should shame every democratic nation into action. The silence has become deafening. While The World Watches War, Tehran Hangs Its Young
ISRAEL vs IRAN & GAZA/HAMAS, HEZBOLLAH . . . AND LEFTISTS. . . The U.N... AND HISTORY
[Netanyahu] said he has told the Trump administration about his concerns. The Israeli military “will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed and will continue to thwart threats against our forces and our citizens,” Netanyahu said. Israel rejects 15-point plan to disarm Hamas, withdraw Israeli troops
Some conservatives have also encouraged him to retire while President Donald Trump has the opportunity to nominate a younger successor. Alito: ‘Obviously I’m Here for Another Term’
The lawsuit seeks a court order to allow the project to proceed, a declaration of the city’s actions as unlawful, and monetary damages, including attorneys’ fees. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Justice has reportedly launched a civil rights investigation into whether Broken Arrow violated federal religious land-use protections. Islamic Society Files Lawsuit Against City for Blocking Mosque Construction.
AMERICA AND THE WORLD IMPRISONED: CHINESE CORONAVIRUS FICTIONS AND FACTS
Miranda Devine: If Fauci can be shown to have concealed or destroyed government records, then he could find himself sitting alongside Morens in the dock, depending on how robust his last-minute pre-emptive autopen pardon from Joe Biden proves to be. The walls — and evidence — are slowly building around Dr. Anthony Fauci
Reading excerpts from Anthony Fauci’s ill-advised diary, it’s clear above all that he’s a money-grubbing, narcissistic liar. Who will Judge Anthony Fauci?
FIRST AMENDMENT ISSUES, CENSORSHIP, FAKE NEWS, MEDIA, BIG BROTHER TECH
Meta plans to appeal the decision. Specifically, Meta maintains that it has already implemented measures to protect minors from harmful content. The ruling could set a precedent for holding tech companies accountable for their platforms’ effects on children’s mental health. This represents a wider push by governments across the West, such as the United Kingdom and the European Union, to regulate access to social media, allegedly to protect children. State Fines Meta Over $560 Million for Impact on Children’s Mental Health.
The surge in Nevada’s wages is attributed to the diversification of its economy. The state’s economy has historically relied on gambling. New high-paying jobs span software engineering, supply-chain management, and healthcare. While Anaheim, California, features in the top five, the state’s major cities collectively continue to grapple with significant affordability problems. The state’s affordability crisis has caused a collapse in its fertility rate. Meanwhile, on Monday, it was revealed that U.S. manufacturing had reached a four-year high, largely due to domestic production incentives, such as tariffs and tax reforms. Four Out of Five Cities With the Fastest Income Gains in America Are in Trump Country.
EDUCATION, AND WHAT PASSES FOR IT
The UAW’s turn toward universities to reverse its declining membership is imposing costs on both its traditional industrial-worker base and the world of higher education. United Academic Workers
The DOJ is seeking a voluntary resolution agreement with Duke to bring its admissions practices into compliance with federal law. The DOJ may pursue enforcement through the courts if the university refuses to comply. This represents another front in President Donald J. Trump’s crackdown on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies. DOJ Finds Duke Law Kept Discriminating Against White Applicants Despite SCOTUS Ruling.
. . .it is “very disingenuous” for senators other than Mike Lee (R-UT), Rick Scott (R-FL), “and a few others” to claim they are fighting to protect elections, pointing to what he described as illegal aliens on voter rolls in Pennsylvania who were “actively registered” and voting, while adding, “We’re finding them in Michigan and Arizona.” “This is an existential crisis. This is a constitutional crisis,” Presler said. Exclusive — Scott Presler Warns GOP Senators on SAVE America Act: ‘You Either Deliver or We Are Going to Get Rid of You’
All this adds up to a bad day on at least one Sunday show for the upstart candidate who is starting to look like the Michigan version of Graham Platner without the Nazi tattoo, the sexting, and all the other sex stuff. Judging him by the company he keeps, his refusal to distance himself from some seriously anti-American actors, and his clunky responses to straightforward questions, it's clear that he’s got tougher days ahead. Clean Up in Aisle 4! Abdul El-Sayed Makes a Mess on ‘Meet the Press’
Independent Montana Senate candidate Seth Bodnar could withdraw from the state’s U.S. Senate race before the Aug. 10 filing deadline if Democrat nominee Alani Bankhead remains on the ballot,” said the report. “Republican strategists and political operatives told Breitbart News that Bodnar’s campaign has struggled to gain traction despite spending by both the campaign and an allied super PAC,” it added. Report: Establishment Democrats Pressure Alani Bankhead’s Family to Push Her Out of Montana Senate Race
...Washington cannot simply write off the developing world, and American policymakers are already realizing that their enthusiasm for ideological campaigns has limits when it comes to China’s growing economic clout in Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Washington Needs a Strategy, Not a Sermon
HEALTH AND HEALTH CARE
A top official in the Department of Health and Human Services accused an advocacy group with ties to multiple corporations that produce processed foods of helping attack Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s pro-organic foods pitch. Big Food Is Creating Fake Health Groups to Confuse Consumers
FEMINAZISM, TRANSGENDER PSYCHOSIS, HOMOSEXUALIZATION, WAR ON MASCULINITY/NORMALCY
The case has raised questions about the oversight of vulnerable children in the care of transgenders, and is just the latest case of children seriously abused by people claiming to be the opposite sex. Legal proceedings are ongoing, with further details are expected to emerge at trial. Mother and Two Transgenders Charged in Murder of Mentally Handicapped Boy.
“The Department of Justice will stop at nothing to protect America’s children,” Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward said in a statement. “This resolution is a reminder to hospitals, medical providers, and pharmaceutical companies that the Justice Department will vigorously enforce federal law, especially where the lives of children are endangered.” DOJ: Connecticut Children’s Medical Center Agrees to End Sex Change Drugs for Minors
Rush Limbaugh would be proud of these guys. Illustrate the absurd through absurdity. But what makes it all truly absurd is the amount of reality involved here. Both Royce White and Enes Freedom are simply following the rules the left has created, and in the process, they can legitimately claim to have a shot at getting a roster spot in the WNBA. Looks Like the WNBA's Absurdity Is About to Sink the Entire Transgender Movement
ALSO: The Morning Report cross-posts at CutJibNewsletter.com usually within an hour or so of posting here, if you want to continue the conversation all day.
In his famous Robot stories he explored a variety of ways his Three Laws of Robotics - what we today call "alignment" - would go wrong, from malicious compliance to compliant malice to just plain human stupidity.
All of which we are seeing play out today, though the latter has never been in short supply.
Since I picked up a couple of the outgoing model of Legion Tabs - one in black, one in white - at half price, I don't need to care for a while about the scarcity or expense of good small Android tablets.
Musical Interlude
Disclaimer: I never knew Roy Orbison had an entire album of Dolly Parton covers.
Howdy Hordelings! Welcome to the Sunday ONT. Glad you could stop by! I'm not available to hang out with you this evening - many thanks to Dino for launching and holding down the fort!
Open thread, as always. Fashion and music, as always. What's on YOUR mind tonight?
The Virginia governor is very popular with her people
Governor Spanberger booed in Galax. Turns out when you break your campaign promise, attempt a Leftist power grab pushing an unconstitutional gerrymandering effort In order to silence rural Virginia voices, coupled with massive tax increases, it results in a frosty reception…. pic.twitter.com/oqOBR58SEF
What a wild rendition of the national anthem tonight at American Family Field. First time I’ve seen a grill used as an instrument! pic.twitter.com/vaj0q1CLet
You know your wife absolutely rocks if you can rip a joke like this in your hall of speech and she laughs instead of getting sensitive. pic.twitter.com/YJcB0lsjVQ
Remember kids, if you can see the target, the target can see you.
***
'Ette Couture (Courtesy of Piper)
It's that time of the week - when we turn the ONT over to our good friend Piper for a bit. Here's this week's fashion pr0n.
-----
Ric-Rac Is Back and Looking Extra Cute
Welcome to our fun fashion update, where we celebrate the little details that make an outfit feel alive. This week’s star is pure whimsy: ric-rac and it is so, so cute.
That classic braid trim, the one that looks like a happy little wave, has been zigzagging its way back onto dresses, tops, skirts, and even accessories. Once a staple of mid-century home sewing and adorable 1950s–60s dresses, ric-rac is now getting a modern refresh. Designers and brands are using it as playful contrast edging on hems, necklines, sleeves, and tiered skirts, turning simple silhouettes into something full of personality.
What makes it feel so fresh right now is the mix of nostalgia but in a larger, bolder statement. Ric-rac offers pure delight. A pop of contrasting color (think bright pink against navy, white on gingham, or bold tones on soft florals) adds instant movement and texture. It’s the fashion equivalent of a wink. You’ll spot it on tiered dresses that swish with extra bounce, blouses with ric-rac framing the neckline or cuffs, and even maxi styles where the zigzag creates subtle structure and visual interest.
Styling tip for the week: keep the rest of the outfit simple so the ric-rac can shine. Pair a ric-rac-trimmed midi with sandals and a woven bag for easy summer energy, or layer a zigzag-edged top under a blazer for a cute office-to-weekend transition. It works especially well with gingham, florals, stripes, or solid neutrals.
Ric-rac’s return feels like a reminder that fashion can (and should) be fun. So go ahead and zigzag into the trend. Your wardrobe (and your smile) will thank you. Here are a few options to consider:
From Sail to Sable (by the way, if this brand is not on your radar, it needs to be. I love them. They are moderately priced and beyond adorable)
Sadly, this one is gone now, but has been a regular for me this summer. Their items sell fast, so buy quickly!
Another really fun, moderately priced brand that you should consider in your rotation is Tuckernuck. They have created squee worthy outfits with the ric-rac trend.
Let me know if you have already joined the return of the ric-rac trend or if you are inspired now to take it on!
-----
Thanks, Piper!
The rest of you - Don't forget to check out Piper's X page.
Howdy, Y'all! Welcome to the wondrously fabulous Gun Thread! As always, I want to thank all of our regulars for being here week in and week out, and also offer a bigly Gun Thread welcome to any newcomers who may be joining us tonight. Howdy and thank you for stopping by! I hope you find our wacky conversation on the subject of guns 'n shooting both enjoyable and informative. You are always welcome to lurk in the shadows of shame, but I'd like to invite you to jump into the conversation, say howdy, and tell us what kind of shooting you like to do!
Holy Shitballs! How in the ever-loving Hell did it get to be the Second August Edition?!
With that, step into the dojo and let's get to the gun stuff below, shall we?
Can you train with the .22LR cartridge? Why yes, yes you can!
and...
You can practice all of your fundamentals with this cartridge at a fraction of the cost of 9mm, or .45ACP or .308 Winchester or whatever. It's not a substitute for your regular carry gun or ammo, but it's fun and definitely has value as a training tool. Great for plinking, too!
Anyone out there using the .22 in addition to their regular stuff?
******
First 24 Hours
What do all y'all think? Have you thought any of this through?
******
Registered Magnum
******
Trench Guns
******
Ax Weasel
Q: Weasel, What did Air Force nuclear missile crews do every day?
A: I dunno. Launch missiles? Please see below.
AJ Fernandez, a giant in the cigar blending world, started his New World line in 2014. To commemorate a decade of this line, which now features six different cigars, in 2024 he released the Decenio. It's a nice looking medium brown stick, softly box-pressed, that's light in the hand. The handsome wrapper is Mexican, the fillers are from Nicaragua and Honduras. Construction is excellent, draw is easy. Smoke volume is large, and it's luxurious "chewy" smoke. Flavors for me varied a bit throughout. Rich, earthy tobacco flavor all the way, with a tangy finish or a smoother sweeter end note alternating as the burn proceeded. Medium to full. A very pleasant experience. Don't think I've reviewed many of the other New World sticks, but I'll be looking to try them with that in mind. The New World Decenio is available online for $7.50 and up.
Excellent, rhomboid! Thank you!
******
Here are some different online cigar vendors. You will find they not only carry different brands and different lines from those brands, but also varying selections of vitolas (sizes/shapes) of given lines. It's good to have options, especially if you're looking for a specific cigar.
A note about sources. The brick & mortar/online divide exists with cigars, as with guns, and most consumer products, with respect to price. As with guns - since both are "persecuted industries", basically - I make a conscious effort to source at least some of my cigars from my local store(s). It's a small thing, but the brick & mortar segment for both guns and tobacco are precious, and worth supporting where you can. And if you're lucky enough to have a good cigar store/lounge available, they're often a good social event with many dangerous people of the sort who own scary gunz, or read smart military blogs like this one. -rhomboid
Anyone have others to include? Perhaps a small local roller who makes a cigar you like? Send me your recommendation and a link to the site!
Please note the new and improved protonmail account gunthread at protonmail dot com. An informal Gun Thread archive can be found HERE. Future expansion plans are in the works for the site Weasel Gun Thread. If you have a question you would like to ask Gun Thread Staff offline, just send us a note and we'll do our best to answer. If you care to share the story of your favorite firearm, send a picture with your nic and tell us what you sadly lost in the tragic canoe accident. If you would like to remain completely anonymous, just say so. Lurkers are always welcome!
That's it for this week - have you been to the range?
Food Thread: Lamb, Mac & Cheese, And The Perils Of Eating Food
—CBD
Why yes, that does look delicious! That is a friend's 4H lamb after it was lovingly roasted in his pizza oven. The particulars of the recipe are a bit hazy, for reasons that I will leave to your imagination, but might have to do with fermented grapes.
What I find interesting about that sort of cooking is that the temperature is variable and not easily adjustable, so the cook actually has to pay attention to the food! That is by no means an onerous demand, in fact it is part of the joy of cooking, but it is a requirement when using fire!
And for more background about the meal, head below the fold.
That is cauliflower roasted in the same oven, and I had a hard time deciding which food deserved to be on the main page! The cauliflower was delicious! Cooked perfectly, with a delicious herb dressing topped with pomegranate seeds and pine nuts. It's also a great looking presentation!
******
Coblogger Misanthropic Humanitarian is clearly losing a step or two. He is fond of spamming me with weird recipes that make me wonder about his mental health, but recently he sent me Lemon-Marinated Tuscan-Jewish Fried Chicken, which sounds...great! That's a PDF download,because the recipe is from "Serious Eats," and I don't link to that TDS prick Kenji López-Alt. And yes, I am being ridiculously strict, because the website is now owned by People Magazine, but I am nothing if not obsessively rigid.
******
One of the pleasures of some Italian cooking is how ridiculously simple it is. Sure, they have their share of complex recipes, but a lot of italian cooking is ingredient-driven and delightfully simple. Here is a link for spaghetti aglio e olio, which is pretty damned simple, and pretty damned delicious. Hell, this is from a cook book writer from NYC, which is a testament to the simplicity of the dish and how widespread Italian cooking is!
******
I am sick and f*cking tired of the hysterical over-reaction to food-borne illness in America. We have much better reporting systems now than we did in previous generations. We have amazingly sensitive diagnostic tests that detect pathogens at minuscule concentrations. And we have a media that are maniacal in their desire to amplify every bit of equivocal data into some worldwide pandemic.
Yes, we have food-borne illness. No, it is not a crisis. No it is not increasing much, if at all.
Do you want to minimize your risk? Wash produce before consuming. learn basic food safety techniques to minimize cross-contamination. Don't eat day-old tacos from the illegal stand on the corner. Wash your hands with hot soapy water before during and after cooking.
Yeah...nothing particularly complicated there!
I would add: minimize eating take-out food or prepared food. But that's because I don't much trust strangers to follow the simple, basic rules of food safety.
Like the five-second rule! Because being afraid of food is just silly, and the media desperately tries to make us terrified!
******
Leftover sushi rice, mayonnaise, and Sriracha hot sauce. Don't judge me until you have tried it! But you have to warm the rice...only a savage would eat that dish cold!
******
We had a gaggle of small children in the house recently, so of course I bought Kraft Mac & Cheese! And not the fancy kind with the cheese in a can. No, for Chez Dildo only the original will do.
And...it is pretty damned tasty! I am not nearly snobbish enough to scoff at that stuff.
******
The great garlic experiment of 2025-2026 was a resounding...meh. Send all of your excellent home-grown garlic to: cbd dot aoshq at gmail dot com.
Rumor has it that the Bourbon Bubble is bursting. I have seen no evidence of decreasing prices, but maybe the bursting started somewhere else! I think the sweet spot is $40-$60 for excellent and interesting bottles, and bumping that to $100 gets you an incremental improvement in quality, but nothing mind-blowing. More than that and I think you are paying for hype and rarity, which may look good in your liquor cabinet, but doesn't translate to more quality in the bottle.
The problem...or the solution...is to buy lots of bourbon, take tasting notes, and eventually arrive at your favorites! It should take forty or fifty years, but it is worth it!
Yes, that timer is old, and because I am a cheap bastard, I will continue to use it and continue to bitch and moan about it until it explodes in a shower of sparks.
It has many minuscule buttons and a multi-layered series of menus through which I have to wade to program the stupid thing to turn on at dusk and turn off around midnight. Or 11:30pm or 1:00am. I don't care. But I don't want it to turn on at dusk and...stay on until 9:47am! Or never turn on until 6:12am. And who needs seven different programs for some stupid outdoor lights? That is the definition of overkill.
To top off this amazingly irritating piece of equipment...it resets to some default internal program every time there is a power outage. And by "power outage" I mean every time the f*cking lights flicker during a thunderstorm!
There is a dangerous hubris implicit in conservative political philosophy that eventually, free markets and conservative values will win out. It's easy to fall into that trap, because there is a huge amount of empirical evidence that free markets and restricted government are far better at generating wealth and protecting liberty than anything else. History is filled with the failures of socialist countries, and today we can see in real time how they inevitably devolve into rabid dictatorships fanatically fixated on their own survival at the expense of the people. And not just socialism...look at any Islamic country, and you will see authoritarian governments that have no interest in personal freedom, and are perfectly willing to conduct wholesale imprisonment or slaughter of their populations to preserve their positions. The death and destruction they wreak upon the world is unprecedented, and there is no reason to assume that they will moderate willingly.
So of course conservatives assume that the arc of history will move in freedom's direction...who would choose otherwise? Isn't the desire for freedom and liberty innate? Doesn't everyone want the bounty of free markets, personal freedom, and benign and small government?
Maybe! Or maybe not, but the advent of the comprehensive surveillance state driven by technology has made it far more difficult to create a resistance to those authoritarian structures. The GDR, otherwise known as East Germany, was a miasma of surveillance and informants and dungeons, and they did it with pen and paper and analog telephones. Poland and Romania weren't too far behind, yet these countries, along with their ruler the USSR fell quickly, driven by popular uprisings organized by word of mouth, printed pamphlets, and phone calls that overwhelmed the snooping state's ability to observe it.
But today's technology allows these states to surveil their subjects with granularity that was impossible just a few years ago. AI can listen to every phone call made, and flag troubling words and suspicious connections. Cameras are ubiquitous now, so organic demonstrations can be identified in a matter of moments, and the security apparatus can respond with overwhelming force. Facial recognition is unbelievably sophisticated, and those data centers being built all over the world aren't just storing cat videos...they are storing all-encompassing records on every single person on earth.
Well...except in the United States, because we wouldn't do that....right? Except we do it already, with Flock cameras and license plate readers and FISA and the NSA and a host of surveillance systems that we probably don't even notice.
Will technology doom freedom? No, not necessarily, but it is an incredibly powerful tool that every government on earth is busily weaponizing against the very things that we hold dear:
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
Government...even our government...has been nibbling away at those freedoms pretty much forever. But technology has allowed them to take a sledgehammer to those protections, and absent a concerted effort, the ability of freedom-loving people to break the grip of government on our private lives will diminish with every advancement in technology.
Sunday Morning Book Thread - 8-9-2026 ["Perfessor" Squirrel]
—Open Blogger
Welcome to the prestigious, internationally acclaimed, stately, and illustrious Sunday Morning Book Thread! The place where all readers are welcome, regardless of whatever guilty pleasure we feel like reading (party's over, pal!). Here is where we can discuss, argue, bicker, quibble, consider, debate, confabulate, converse, and jaw about our latest fancy in reading material. As always, pants are required, unless you are wearing these pants...
So relax, find yourself a warm kitty (or warm puppy--I won't judge) to curl up in your lap, and dive into a new book. What are YOU reading this fine morning?
The House of Commons of the British Parliament tends to grab most of the headlines, but it's worth remembering that the British Parliament is a bicameral system. The House of Lords is the "upper chamber" of Parliament, consisting of around 770 members. Like the House of Commons, it plays an important role in legislative affairs, even if that role is largely behind the scenes in government. Unsurprising for an organization that has been around for many centuries, its procedures and traditions are arcane to outsiders. The House of Lords has its own dedicated library in which they can look up previous laws and statutes that may be relevant to current legislation. I suppose they tend to serve more in an advisory role to the King and the House of Commons in that respect, rather than a hands-on legislative body that gets things done--that seems to be the role of the House of Commons.
FEATURED MORON REVIEW
Biden's Dog sent in the following review:
The Curtain Falls: Last Days of the Third Reich (1945) is a short firsthand memoir by Count Folke Bernadotte*, the well-known Swedish diplomat and vice-chairman of the Swedish Red Cross.
Bernadotte recounts his negotiations from mid-February to late April 1945 with the highest ranking Nazis in Germany, including Himmler. His initial humanitarian mission was to secure the release and transport of Scandinavian (mainly Danish and Norwegian) prisoners from Nazi concentration camps to neutral Sweden for internment until the war's end.
The book details his repeated missions and meetings amid the collapsing Third Reich. It vividly describes the chaotic, surreal atmosphere in the final weeks before Germany's surrender. What began as a rescue effort took on political weight when Himmler, acting without Hitler's knowledge, used Bernadotte to convey a late, desperate offer of partial surrender to the Allies.
The account is based on Bernadotte's own notes and reports. Such rescues ultimately saved thousands, including Scandinavians, Poles, and others. It was published shortly after the war and remains a notable primary source on this period.
The book is an easy read, small in size and 155 pages long. It is a straightforward wartime memoir rather than a broad history. The book is illustrated with 10 black and white photos of most of the characters involved.
----
* On September 17, 1948, Count Bernadotte was assassinated in Jerusalem by Israel's LEHI (the Stern Gang) group. LEHI viewed Bernadotte as biased toward the Arabs and a threat due to his mediation proposals on Jerusalem and territorial limits for the Jews. At the time, future Israeli Prime Minister Yitzchak Shamir was one of the LEHI's leaders and approved of the assassination plan.
The Israeli provisional government, under David Ben-Gurion, strongly condemned the act as a "low, dastardly crime." So, too, did Menachem Begin, leader of the Irgun/ETZEL. Begin publicly called for those responsible to be found and brought to justice.
++++++++++
++++++++++
READING ON PAPER REWIRES YOUR BRAIN
I thought the video above was an excellent overview of how reading paper-based materials affects our brains. Apparently we are hard-wired to show marked improvement in retention and comprehension by reading paper books rather than digital books. This makes a lot of sense. As a species we've been reading paper-based materials for millennia. We've only been reading digital materials for a few decades at most. No doubt our brains have evolved or been shaped by our environment to prioritize gathering information from paper-based materials.
I thought the "one book effect" was very interesting because it demonstrates the power that just ONE BOOK in a home can have on a child's education and upbringing. Most of you reading this blog no doubt grew up in a home filled with books. I know I sure did. So I can't even conceive of a home that doesn't have at least one book in it. It's an alien concept to me.
As someone who works in the education industry, I was also struck by the point that reading complex material in printed format was better for you than reading it in digital format. I know that whenever I'm tasked with reading an academic journal article, I prefer to print it out and THEN go through it with a fine-toothed comb to understand it. I do find that I retain the information better and can spend time wrestling with the complicated materials until I understand it more fully. It also helps me whenever I'm writing a paper because I can spread out journal articles around me and sort them into piles that are "relevant" and "irrelevant." It's easy to tell at a glance which articles are most important to supporting the thesis of my paper.
The "dimensionality" aspect of reading printed materials also seems to have a direct impact on how much we retain and comprehend. Again, the fact that I can pick up a weighty tome of knowledge and tell at a glance how much I have left to read is immensely helpful to me. Even when reading for pleasure (which is most of my reading), I absolutely LOVE to have the physical book over a digital version. I engage most of my senses -- sight, hearing (turning the pages), touch, and even smell -- to enjoy the story. I can go back and forth within the book, easily holding my place with a bookmark or finger, while I look up a term in the glossary or flip back to a map/illustration that's relevant to what I'm reading at the moment. I have a much harder time with that experience when reading digital versions. I've noticed that digital books do attempt to replicate the physical book reading experience with digital pages that simulate physical paper, "page turning" animations that simulates a real book, and even adding a "page turning" noise.
I know a lot of you folks enjoy reading on a digital device, which does have a lot of advantages, especially for older folks who may struggle to read physical books these days. Audiobooks are also a very common alternative these days. Maybe someday the data will show a different story as future generations adapt to reading/comprehending in digital media. Of course, there's also the problem of long-term storage of digital media over time. Physical books can last for hundreds or even thousands of years. Will we still be able to read a digital copy of The Odyssey a thousand years from now?
+-----+-----+-----+-----+
WHAT I'VE BEEN READING RECENTLY
I'm continuing my trek through the Dune Expanded Universe books written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson. They're better than I'd been led to believe, but then some folks tend to be "purists" when it comes to canon. I can understand that. That might be a topic for future Sunday Morning Book Thread.
Legends of Dune: The Machine Crusade Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson
Humanity is finally striking back at the overmind Omnius, who has ruled over a significant portion of humanity for millennia. Unfortunately, they are unable to establish a decisive victory over their AI overlords. Vorian Atreides, the son of the cymek Agamemnon, has defected to the side of humanity and now fights for their freedom, using his knowledge of the Titans to undermine their authority.
Herbert and Anderson are clearly using this war as a backdrop to establish the various factions that play a key role in the original Dune series. We see the seeds of the Mentats, human computers who use their mental abilities to calculate probabilities of events. Norma Cenva immerses herself within "spice gas," which is essential for creating the Navigators that allow ships to travel safely through folded spacetime.
This series is a bit odd in that the "foldspace" drive is essential to the Dune universe, being the main faster-than-light travel mechanism. However, before the foldspace drive is perfected, humans clearly had some alternate form of faster-than-light travel because it only takes weeks or months to travel from planet to planet. Herbert and Anderson are deliberately vague about how this older FTL drive works, which I think undercuts the story a bit.
Legends of Dune: The Battle of Corrin by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson
Humanity has driven Omnius back to a single planet after humans have bombarded all of the overmind's other world with "atomics," turning them into radioactive cinders. But once again they are at a stalemate as humanity is unable to penetrate Corrin's planetary defenses. Omnius conspires with a human traitor to unleash a virulent plague on the human worlds, which threatens to wipe out humanity.
Once again we see the seeds of the future Dune universe being sown here. This time the women who will one day be known as the Bene Gesserit unlock the keys to the future, which will one day result in the Kwisatz Haderach that will save humanity from itself.
Sisterhood of Dune by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson
Sisterhood of Dune picks up about eighty years after the conclusion of The Battle of Corrin. The overmind Omnius has been defeated once and for all, but the universe is still turbulent. The Butlerian Jihad is still gathering strength and their leader Manford Torondo is determined to wipe out technology, even benign technology such as advences in medical science, because reliance on technology is what led humans to being dominated by artificial intelligence for millennia. Emperor Salvador Corrino is a weak ruler, under the thrall of Manford's Butlerian Jihad, and unable to stand up to the mobs who are tearing his Empire apart. The Sisterhood (which will one day become the Bene Gesserit) have discovered a terrible secret about the Corrino bloodline. But they are also being torn apart by the sisters who have fallen under the sway of the Butlerian Jihad.
This book was better than I thought it would be. Manford Torondo is a zealous fanatic that you love to hate because he's such an insufferable prick. I can't hardly wait to see how he finally gets his comeuppance in later books. This series is meant to show the divide between those who embrace technology and want to see civilization advance and those who prefer to tear it down because they believe that technology/science is the cause of all mankind's woes. It's explicitly mentioned that Manford's group may not be satisfied until they've outlawed fire of all things.
Tips, suggestions, recommendations, etc., can all be directed to perfessor -dot- squirrel -at- gmail -dot- com.
Disclaimer: The Earth is neither flat nor round. It's shaped like a burrito.
Not foolish enough to use an online database? No problem, rest assured that you have your personal registered with someone who was foolish enough.
(I have received three emails so far from companies using Metabase in various ways to let me know they had been hacked and my personal data was out in the wild... Again.)
A gynecologist noticed that his new patient seemed a little nervous, so he decided to lighten the mood.
As he pulled on a pair of latex gloves, he smiled and asked, "Do you know how these gloves are made?"
The woman shook her head. "No, I don't."
The doctor said, "There's a factory in Mexico where people with all different hand sizes dip their hands into liquid latex. They let it dry, then peel the latex off their hands, and that's how the gloves are made."
The woman didn't smile. She just stared at him with a blank expression...
The doctor thought his little joke had completely fallen flat.
A few seconds later, however, she suddenly burst into uncontrollable laughter.
Curious, the doctor asked, "What's so funny?"
Still laughing, she wiped away a tear and replied, "I'm sorry, Doctor... I was just imagining how they make condoms!"
-----
A woman is pregnant, and is practically 9 months along. She goes to see her doctor for a routine check-up.
She asks, "What if the baby starts coming, and I can't get to the hospital in time?"
The doctor replies, "Well, women have been having babies for a million years without a doctor in attendance. It's a very natural process. The first thing you do is to assume the same position you were laying in when you got pregnant."
The blonde interrupts with, "Do you mean with the left foot in the glove compartment and the right foot hanging out the window?"
Cycling's newest performance enhancer isn't in a syringe - but in a sports bra.
Accusations of padded bras that can give women's Tour de France competitors an aerodynamic advantage are flying through the cycling world as breast and cup size bizarrely gets debated and even complaints get filed.
Dutch news outlet Wielerflits reported that several complaints have come in from women's WorldTeams about female cyclists allegedly exploiting their breast size by faking a larger cup size to use more padding in their bras during time trials.
In complaints made to the UCI, teams want female padded bra inspectors to come in and check the riders in a closed tent to "ensure they are not hiding anything in their bras or under their aero clothing."
In unrelated news, Club ONT will be installing a tent out back shortly. Apologies for the inconvenience during installation.
An Alberta man said a marmot he found investigating the inside of his garage had apparently stowed away in his car for a 75-mile trip.
Chris Ratzlaff said his child alerted him to the presence of a large rodent in the family's Airdrie garage last week.
"It was hiding in a corner, and at first I thought it was maybe a porcupine, so I left the garage door open for it to leave," Ratzlaff told CTV News. "When it left, we could see that it was a marmot."
He said the marmot had apparently stowed away on a recent 75-mile drive from Kananaskis.
AOP - is that you?
*****
Club ONT Half-Time Entertainment
Hard to believe that synchronized walking is a thing, but here we are.
The Klein Tools 250th Edition Diagonal Cutting Pliers have a red, white, and blue colorway on the handles, with red and white on one and blue and white on the other. Functionally, however, these are the same Journeyman handles that Klein Tools customers will be familiar with. Klein complements the special colors with a laser-etched legend that states "250 USA Est. 1776" on the jaws, alongside a stylized version of Stars and Stripes above it.
Free lifetime restroom token to any Hordeling with video evidence of using a pair of these to cut wires of a Flock camera.
*****
Club ONT Jukebox
Let's spin some 90s stuff tonight!
*****
Top 10ish Comments of the Week
*****
Club ONT is brought to you by: Club regulars
*****
Handle with care. Whelming should only be attempted for educational, informational and entertainment purposes. Whelming is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you become over or underwhelmed, consider seeking the advice of your physician, pharmacist, or other qualified healthcare provider. Whelming dosage, side effects, interactions, or suitability for your individual health condition vary.
Music Thread: A Little Of This...A Littler Of That!
—CBD
From Garrett's Disco phase!
***
I remember Lyle Lovett from the 1990s, And he has been an occasional presence on my various music lists since then. But I was reminded just how good he is last weekend at a friend's house, when he played a couple of Lovett songs I hadn't heard in a very long time, and in fact had forgotten!
That was a mistake. He is a fine singer, a fine guitar player, and a fine songwriter.
I don't know much about him other than his obvious talent. I don't know his politics or his sexuality or gender or favorite color...and I like it that way.
Welcome hobbyists! Pull up a chair and sit a spell with the Horde in this little corner of the interweb. This is the mighty, mighty officially sanctioned Ace of Spades Hobby Thread. For this week, the Wheel of Hobbies (TM) is feeling lucky and decided on a random car theme for this Hobby Thread.
The second week of August on the Monterey Peninsula in California is typically known as "Car Week." The automotive world gathers for a week of car shows, vintage car races, new car unveiling, car auctions, and generally a celebration of almost anything with four wheels. Several major events anchor the festivities including the historic vintage races at Laguna Seca Raceway and the Pebble Beach Concours. Seventeen mile drive and PCH down to Big Sur are popular venues for driving tours. If you're the buying and selling sort, several world-class auctions are happy to help place cars of distinction with new homes.
Some events are ultra exclusive. Of course, you can also sit by the roadside and get a free parade of amazing machinery.
In that spirit, we'll do a theme of random cars.
What is the most random or quirky car you've ever owned?
What is the most random or quirky car experience you've had (with your clothes on)? What is the dream car that you always wanted? Did you grow up seeing concept cars at auto shows and wondering whether those would become real?
***
What are you hobbying?
Cars may not be everyone's favorite but give the content a chance before you judge. Any car or car-adjacent hobbying is in scope (such as small scale collecting or model building), so jump in with your interests, stories and questions.
In any event, the thread is not limited to to the theme. Anything (legal) you are hobbying is welcome. Even if the theme does not speak to you, you might learn something or be entertained. If not, find something else or offer something else relating to hobbying. If all of that fails, just check in and say hello.
As per usual Hobby Thread etiquette, keep this thread limited to hobbying. Leave politics and religion to threads elsewhere (unless your hobby is building or restoring churches). Pants? Nope. As always, puns are welcome and encouraged.
Play nice and do not be rude. Do not be a troll and do not feed the trolls.
***
***
If we're talking random, might as well start with an amphibious car.
Anyone ever own one? Drive one in the water?
***
Let's do some high dollar auction window shopping at one of the Monterey auctions. Monterey auctions often feature cars rarely seen or sold. Click on each for more photos and the full listing.
1948 Tucker - 19th made. Only 47 examples survive of the 51 made. Tuckers are mostly in museums and are rarely up for sale. Estimate $1m-$1.3m.
1968 Chevrolet L88 Corvette - class winner at the 1972 24 Hours of LeMans and third overall at the 1973 24 Hours of Daytona. Estimate $900k-$1.1m.
1963 Corvette Grand Sport - One of five race cars built - extensively raced in 1964 and 1965. Estimate $11m-$13m.
1996 McLaren F1 GTR - racing version of the F1 road car. Formerly owned by Nick Mason. Estimate in excess of $35m.
1937 Bugatti Type 57SC Atalante - Best of Show at the 1976 Pebble Beach Concours. Estimate $4.5m-$6m.
2013 Dallara DW12 - winner of the 2013 Indy 500 (but being sold without a drivetrain). Estimate $900k-$1.2m.
***
***
Gotta love a car known as the "Thing":
***
Auto Union has a wild history. It was a German automotive group formed in 1932 through the merger of four manufacturers: Audi, DKW, Horch, and Wanderer. The sporty Auto Union 1000 Sp was produced by Auto Union in West Germany from the late 1950s into the mid-1960s. It is one of the last models to use the "Auto Union" name before the brand evolved into modern Audi. If you squint, it kinda looks like a mid 1950's Ford Thunderbird, doesn't it? Hmmm...
***
Stainless steel and angular long before the Cybertruck...
***
How did Ford make Model A cars in 1928-1931?
***
Racing Trabants? Tell me this doesn't look like fun. Such an irony to have so much fun with cars that were an illustration for all that was wrong with East Germany. Now, they're nostalgic and have very enthusiastic and dedicated fans.
***
Did you know there is a sub-genre of cars that use airplane engines? That requires a particular type of mad scientist/evil genius. Naturally, Jay Leno has a few. This one is even more special than that. It has an enormous 18.8 liter 6 cylinder Benz airplane engine joined to a Mercedes truck chassis. It was built in 1921 in England and joined the two brands before they formally joined together in corporate life (in 1926). As Jay says in this video, "It really is just a low-flying aircraft."
If you watch nothing else, watch a few minutes starting at the 4 minute mark with Jimmy and the brass water jackets. Interesting design and impressive craftsmanship.
***
Non-automotive related. If you're not building a supersonic trebuchet in your backyard, are you even really hobbying?
Only posted a day ago and already over a million views. My favorite comment to the video: "Man throws a rock. Man happy"
Wisdom for the 'ettes - men are not complicated creatures. Frustrating perhaps, but not complicated.
***
Did you miss the Hobby Thread last week? We did a shed theme. The comments may be closed, but you can re-live the content.
Notable comments from last week:
***
Words of wisdom:
"Because despite all our troubles, when things are grim out in that wide round world of ours, that's when it's really important to have a good hobby." Posted by: tankascribe at June 22, 2024 07:41 PM (HWxAD).
***
Reminder: if you put links in the comments, use a URL shortener and describe what you're linking to. Failing to do either or both makes you barrel-eligible. Don't make people click to find out what you're linking.
Send thoughts, suggestions and photos of your hobbying to moronhobbies at protonmail dot com. Or just email to say hello. Do mighty things.
The crow solved a brand new three-step puzzle in 30 seconds to get a bedtime snack! He even had time to make sure he didn't miss any cashews. That's really amazing! 🐦⬛👏 pic.twitter.com/scPn2mZfre
— Nature is Phenomenal (@AnimalGeoLife) July 31, 2026
How is Ace getting along with his crow friends, anyway?
My two young cats, Sejong the Maine Coon looking boy, and Becca the tabby calico.
And the two together with Magic, my big black Bombay tomcat who turns it all into a weird love triangle
Kindltot
Well, the trio seem to get along well. Handsome cats.
* * *
&&&
Our pretty girl was with us for almost 12 years, October 6, 2014 - August 5, 2026
It was unexpected. I’ve included pictures of Destiny - one of the first pictures I have of her and also the last one. She was very sick but her tail would wag when we talked to her.
Brett from Illinois
So sorry you have lost your treasured, charming Destiny. Thanks for letting us get to know her a little. Stay in touch.
* * *
The kids were down from Ottawa for a wedding and Arthur the Pot Cake Pooch got to hang out with his "Grandparents". I'm personally not fond of the term, but there you go.
Getting some sun
Don't let Grandma catch you in her tomatoes
Don't let Grandma catch you on the furniture
Buzzy Krumhunger
Canadian Moron
Thanks for sending in the photos demonstrating your stern rules for Arthur. He looks like a wonderful dog.
* * *
Thank you for sharing your pets and animal photos and stories with us today.
If you would like to send pet and/or animal stories, links, etc. for the Ace of Spades Pet Thread, the address is:
petmorons at protonmail dot com
Remember to include the nic or name by which you wish to be known when you comment at AoSHQ, or let us know if you want to remain a lurker.
I have had the strangest experience with a tomato plant. The thing is more than 5 feet tall. At first I had no flowers. Now is covered with at least a couple dozen tomatoes although one red yet. Also the poblano and jalapeño I planted in the same pot now resemble a tree. A bird landed on it the other day. Just starting to get poblanos but already made a batch of pickled jalapeños. This will probably be the first time the purchase price yielded enough to make it worth the price.
Have you ever seen anything like this?
Sharon (Willow's Apprentice)
*
*
Any advice about those lanky container plants?
The tomatoes look good in close-up.
*
Nature
The pink pigeon from Mauritius bounced back from near extinction through careful conservation. pic.twitter.com/80AgrmuUIa
I appreciate this forest for giving my camera a perfect framing for this tiny island. This was taken with my old galaxy note 10, so it's a bit oversharpened but I still like it. pic.twitter.com/6qzyZeMgUu
Hi, KT . . . been a while, eh? Saw these on the way to the maildrop - they're YUUGE! … so I 'whipped out' the trusty iPhone and captured these, 'cos I knew next time I passed they'd be gone or look really bad. At this point they're still identifiable as 'shrooms - but prolly not edible. Maybe Alice ate some like this . . . ? We may - or, not - get some rain Sunday. We need it, 'cos it's really dry here in TN. There are 'no burn' warnings in a lot of areas, and that (if we don't get rain tomorrow) might postpone some Father's Day Q-offs. I'm going with my daughter and her family to have Mexican food around 11oo. Youngest Grandson has to be at work at the lab by 1600, so it'll be a short visit, but it'll be good. Thanks again for all the great posts 'n pictures each week. If you can use this, please deploy as usual with Front Toward Viewer . . .
Dr_No
Lovely presentation of this subject!
And Moth Week has just passed:
Hi, KT … In 2020, this moth ‘in extremis’ happened to land on the wall by the porch door of my apartment in Cordova. I couldn’t startle it or surprise it, so it may already have passed into Moth Heaven or still been in the queue. Or, maybe the 'Mighty COHHH-VID! got it. Either way, I loved the colors and the ‘display’ it presented, so out came Mr Tripod & Mr Nikon w/ the 10-24mm lens. For the half-hour or so I spent imaging this little moth, it never moved. It was there in the same position the next day … and the next … until it … wasn’t. It was a rare opportunity to get an image like this, and I’m glad I was there when it happened. . .
Beautiful
*
Gardens of The Horde
We scared a family of quail and they ran into the bushes but this one baby sat down and thus was invisible, lol. So cute.
We love the quail and their headdress.
Thank you so much for the garden thread!
NorCal Sierra Foothills Lurker
Love that little invisible one!
What's happening in your yard?
*
Hope everyone has a nice weekend.
If you would like to send photos, stories, links, etc. for the Saturday Gardening Thread, the address is:
ktinthegarden at g mail dot com
Remember to include the nic or name by which you wish to be known at AoSHQ, or let us know if you want to remain a lurker.
The Paine monument in Thetford, England, the birthplace of Paine, with a quill pen in his right hand and an inverted copy of The Rights of Man in his left. It was sculpted by Sir Charles Wheeler, President of the Royal Academy, and erected in 1964
Here you can follow Paine’s life journey through images of the different monuments, historical markers, landmarks and homes that form part of his amazing legacy. From his birth in Thetford, UK to his death in New York City, Paine lived a life of amazing action and profound impact. Enjoy!
Here are a few more of them, but some of them look more impressive if you click over to the historical Association gallery:
The statue of Paine in Morristown, New Jersey sculpted in 1950 by Georg J. Lober. It shows a seated Paine with a musket using a drum-head as a makeshift table.
There is a side view of this monument at the main page of the Historical Association's gallery, which also includes other photos, images and history.
The Thomas Paine statue in the Parc Montsouris, in Paris, France. It was dedicated in 1948 and created by Gutzon Borglum, the sculptor of Mount Rushmore, It depicts Paine standing before the French National Convention to plead for the life of King Louis XVI
Did you know about this?
Paine’s New Rochelle Monument is a 12-foot marble column marking his burial site. Paine’s New Rochelle In 1837, Gilbert Vale, editor of the New York Beacon, started a subscription for the purpose of erecting the monument that was dedicated on May 30th, 1881. Sculptor William Macdonald created the bronze bust that was placed upon the monument on May 30th, 1899
*
More on the statue above from Statues: The People They Salute
Thomas Paine published 16 pamphlets from 1776 to 1783 known as The American Crisis. The works inspired the colonists during the fight for freedom from tyranny. Paine signed his pamphlets with the pseudonym, "Common Sense".
You are most likely familiar with this passage from the first pamphlet published at the start of the Revolution. . .
“THESE are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.”
This passage from Pamphlet III you may not be familiar with. It addresses the importance of knowing the past. . .
“Were a man to be totally deprived of memory, he would be incapable of forming any just opinion; every thing about him would seem a chaos: he would have even his own history to ask from every one; and by not knowing how the world went in his absence, he would be at a loss to know how it ought to go on when he recovered, or rather, returned to it again. In like manner, though in a less degree, a too great inattention to past occurrences retards and bewilders our judgment in everything; while, on the contrary, by comparing what is past with what is present, we frequently hit on the true character of both, and become wise with very little trouble. It is a kind of counter-march, by which we get into the rear of time, and mark the movements and meaning of things as we make our return. There are certain circumstances, which, at the time of their happening, are a kind of riddles, and as every riddle is to be followed by its answer, so those kind of circumstances will be followed by their events, and those events are always the true solution.”
That sounds like the common sense idea that we must know our history, so we can learn from it and not repeat the same mistakes.
The monument pictured is the oldest memorial to Thomas Paine that still exists. The original monument erected in 1839 consisted of just a tapered marble pedestal and decorative cap. A bronze bust of Paine was later added in 1899. It is located in New Rochelle, New York near the cottage Paine lived from 1802 until 1806.
There is apparently still not a statue of Paine in Washington D.C. even though there is a statue in Paris and a Paine obelisk in London.
Funds are being solicited for a statue in the capital of the USA. There is a link at the affiliated Thomas Paine Historical Association page.
Thomas Paine was a man with nine lives and then some! He was a great humanitarian, a supreme statesman, and a bold visionary. He was also a staymaker, privateer, excise collector, magazine editor, pamphleteer, inventor, war correspondent, and poet. Paine was a man who belonged to three different worlds—England, the newborn United States, and revolutionary France—a man who went from being showered with praise to being reviled for his brave beliefs in what freedom and equality truly meant.
George Washington promoted some of his ideas, but Paine later criticized Washington and also Christianity. He was something of a radical. How does he fit in with the legacy of our other Founding Fathers?
*
Thomas Paine Political Cartoons
The following gallery contains almost 150 political cartoons of Thomas Paine in chronological order. Some positive and many negative, the cartoons, paintings, sketches and more are a vivid example of how Paine’s enemies attacked him in America and in England, where the British monarchy funded a ruthless and well funded campaign of slander. Supporters also fought back with some of their own, as you will see.
How do these cartoons compare to the slander and libel in politics these days? .
1780’s anonymous cartoon titled “Le Fameux Empyrique Anglois American” (The Famous English American Empiric/Quack) shows Paine, as medicine man, standing on a podium in front of an audience and promoting his bottle labeled “Union” to a crowd of on-lookers – American Philosophical Society
“Contrasted Opinions of Paine’s Pamphlet” is a 1791 intaglio by Frederick George Byron. Eight public figures are depicted reading excerpts from Rights of Man and reacting to them. Charles James Fox, Richard Brinsley Sheridan and Mary Wollstonecraft are the three supporters of Paine’s writings while the rest deplore them – American Philosophical Society
* * * * *
Cambridge hits the skids
Ace posted a great piece yesterday on the state of play concerning the resignation of Jason Arday from Cambridge, the expected upcoming release of his (co-authored) book, etc. Read it if you missed it. Might be worth reading again even if you read it yesterday.
The university intends to investigate. Colin Wright says he can save them some money - It's DEI. Though he recognizes some other quality problems in academe. CHECK THIS OUT . . . "final solution?"
DEI is a boil on the back of the Grievance Studies beast with many heads; Critical Race Theory, Postcolonial Theory, Queer Theory & their younger spawns (inc Disability Studies). When the public catches on & pushes back against one head, it pulls it back, letting another lead.
*
Richard Fernandez kind of predicted worse for Cambridge a few days ago. I think he may be right about this being an important event in academic history:
Jason Arday understood with the clarity of a software developer that the DEI design constraints would block any attempt to question his claims. He had stumbled upon an invariant: a condition, property, or relation that must always remain true throughout the execution of a…
The real scandal isn't in what Arday did, but in what he showed could be done. He objectively demonstrated a fatal flaw in a supposedly secure instution. Cambridge University, which produced Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Stephen Hawking, Alan Turing, Alan Rutherford, Watson and Crick, John Milton and Lord Byron had crashed and burned.
Whatever his motives we owe Jason a debt of gratitude that we can hardly repay.
To understand just how irredeemably messed up academia is, compare the differences in how Cambridge treated Jason Arday and how Harvard treated Roland Fryer.
One is a black sociologist; the other is a black economist.
Anthony Fauci is shaping up as the Choosin’ Texas of meme subjects–holding down the #1 spot week after week. He was our prime meme target again this week. Apart from Fauci, the WNBA was on the receiving end of a lot of ridicule, and something happened with regard to burritos, I don’t know what. But you will see some burrito memes. And unfortunately, anti-Communism is once again necessary. Who would have predicted that, circa 1991?
* * * * *
Hope you have something nice planned for this weekend.
The Classical Saturday Morning Coffee Break & Prayer Revival
—Misanthropic Humanitarian
I have no argument with this morning's opener.
*****
Good morning boys and girls and everything in between. Before we enter the Prayer Revival just a few housekeeping matters to go over. (Rulz for those of you in Sedona)
1) This is an open thread. Feel free to lurk, opine and/or bloviate.
2) Be kind, be nice, be adventurous, but don't be Pretti Good.
3) No. I don't care if the other blog lets you, no running with sharp objects.
4) Have a great weekend!
Please submit any prayer requests to me, “Annie’s Stew” at apaslo at-sign hotmail dot com. Prayer requests are generally removed after four weeks unless we receive an update.
Prayer Requests:
5/23 – I used to have a Different Nic could use some prayers as he waits for the results of a biopsy of a mass on his prostate.
6/23 Update – The latest update is that he has stage 2, “unfavorable intermediate”, which he notes is an awful name, but what it means is, it is in the middle, but bad enough that they want to treat it. It’s more aggressive than previously thought. He is at the point where he has to decide on treatment options, which means choosing which set of pretty unfortunate side effects he prefers.
7/31 Update – He has reached the halfway point in treatment. He’s had some side effects, that are “just annoying”.
6/18 – buzzion asked for prayers for a friend named Christina, who has struggled with drug addiction and is in jail again. Buzzion prays that this really is rock bottom and a true wake-up call for her – even if it requires her to stay in jail.
6/29 Update – Christina’s family bonded her out of jail and she has checked into a rehab facility. Please pray that she gets the help she needs.
7/11 Update – Thank you to everyone for your prayers. Christina is doing well in rehab. Please pray that she continues through this and keeps working through it even after getting out of her program.
6/20 – bluebell gave an update on grammie Winger. Grammie had some major surgery related to her cancer in March and is pretty much housebound. She said she isn’t keeping up on news since her diagnosis; she doesn’t have the energy. She said she thinks of her grey-box friends often with fondness. Please keep praying for her. Your prayers are a source of great comfort to her.
6/27 Update – grammie winger requested bluebell to let the Horde know that she is hospitalized again, with sepsis, and cannot eat or walk. She is very tired and cannot speak for long. She is being fed by tube. They don’t know how long she will be hospitalized or where she will go after (rehab, hospice, etc.). Bluebell has a mailing address for grammie, so please contact bluebell to send a card or note to grammie winger. Please pray for her, that her suffering will be eased, and pray for her family, who are suffering along with her.
7/25 – grammie winger popped in to say thank you for all the cards, letters, and encouraging words. You are a treasure.
6/27 – “A” sent thanks for the prayers for a family friend, who is at home recovering with the family and doing much better. “A” has an additional request for long-time friends (J and S) who are in the midst of intense family problems and requesting healing, peace, repentance, and restoration in the family.
7/18 Update – “A” sends his thanks to all the prayer warriors for all the personal concerns listed here. The requests above are all doing better. Prayer really works. Sometimes the results are not what we expected but end up being what we really needed for other reasons. Thank you all!
7/2 – Publius asked for prayers for his 96 year old mother, who had emergency surgery when a massive hematoma on her leg ruptured, and they couldn’t stop the bleeding due to her being on blood thinners. Things were not looking good, but Publius posted later she received blood thinner reverser medication, and was fully conscious and alert after surgery.
7/10 Update – Publius’ mother was moved to a nursing home for post-acute therapy. At this point, she is very weak but is coming back physically. But her mind is in La La Land.
7/13 Update – Publius’ mother has experienced an absolute miracle. She has come back, fully conscious and cogent. The Lord Almighty has decided her time is not complete.
7/11 – Mis Hum asked for prayers for Some Rat. He has some serious health issues at this time.
7/11 – Fen requested prayers for comfort and strength for “C” and her mother. “C” is in her 30s and her father died after a several months long struggle with cancer.
7/11 – P, a long time lurker, would appreciate prayers. He says he should have asked for prayers last year, when his stage 4 prostate cancer was first diagnosed, but he was too busy freaking out. A year and nine months later, he is still on hormone therapy and his PSA spiked recently. It’s back up to 92. He is supposed to start a drug trial soon. He knows from experience that prayer helps, and would greatly appreciate if anyone could include him in their prayers.
7/13 – Captain Obvious posted that he could use some prayers, as he was experiencing some kind of cardiac arrhythmia.
7/15 – Captain JS’ daughter needs prayers for his/her daughter. Early on 7/15, she experienced complete heart failure. She is in the ICU on a heart/lung machine. They will operate to see what is happening. Captain JS sends thanks in advance for the prayers and has faith in their power.
7/15 Update – Thanks to all who responded to Captain JS’ request for prayers. The daughter is still unconscious but is still alive. The doctors suspect a blockage to the left side of her heart. They are planning to take pictures and then insert a stent.
7/18 Update – Captain JS’ daughter passed away. Her heart, brain, and other organs were too damaged to regain function. Captain JS sends his thanks to the Horde for all the prayers.
7/25 – Matthew Kant Cipher humbly asks for prayers for Marshall, a long-time friend and HS classmate of Mrs. MKC, who is currently hospitalized with heart failure.
7/25 – Teresa in Fort Worth posted an update. She is still doing fine. Her chemo pump seems to be working and everything appears stable for now. She says she is incredibly blessed! She is working on a stocking for an as-yet-not-born grandchild. She would appreciate prayers for a successful IVF procedure and pregnancy for her daughter and hubby. Next week, Teresa and her husband will be going to California to visit their daughter who lives there and her family.
8/4 Update – Teresa was admitted to the hospital while on vacation in California. She has a bad infection – cellulitis - not due to the cancer. She is being treated with antibiotics and hopefully it will be cleared up in a couple of days.
7/29 – Notsothoreau asked for prayers for Billy Ray’s mother, who was just admitted to the hospital with pneumonia. She is a cancer survivor and chemo destroyed her immune system, so this is a big worry.
8/2 Update – Billy Ray’s mother is feeling better, on oxygen and medication. She is not out of the woods, but has stabilized. She appreciates the prayers from around the globe and says thank you very much.
7/29 – TecumsehTea wrote that MrTea’s diagnosis is colon cancer stage 4. They are praying for guidance for how to proceed.
7/30 – David sent an update on his wife, Susan, who we have been praying for as she is treated for cancer. Susan is still doing well and her numbers are headed in the right direction, but they are still having issues with the side effects of the chemotherapy. It is manageable, but they have to increase the number of office visits for additional treatments. Some days are really good right now, but others are only bearable with the Lord’s grace. They are so grateful for the prayers on their behalf.
8/1 – Isophorone Blog requested prayers for his mother. His father passed this past Sunday. His mother had been in the hospital for an entire month previous to that, so they never got to see each other at the end. His mother is out of the hospital, but in declining health.
Update 8/2 Isophorone Blog’s mother passed, he requested you keep his sister and himself in your prayers for comfort.
8/1 – Tonypete asked for prayers for his BIL, who is a developmentally disabled adult and has been living independently (sort of) for decades but the time has come for them to make some changes in his living arrangements and personal finances. This will not go well as he has VERY poor impulse control and anger issues. His dear wife has POA but that is limited in its reach and it is probably time for her to be granted guardianship.
For submission guidelines and other relevant info, please contact Annie's Stew, who is managing the prayer list. You can contact her at apaslo at-sign hotmail dot com. If you see a prayer request posted in a thread comment, feel free to copy and paste it and e-mail it to Annie's Stew. She tries to keep up with the requests in the threads, but she's not here all of the time, so she may not see it unless you e-mail it to her. Please note: Prayer requests are generally removed after four weeks or so unless we receive an update.
2 Corinthians 4:8-9
We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair, persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.
I was reporting on the growing crisis last year but didn't take it personally until I watched a YouTube video advising people that there was no need to panic buy, and that prices would level out in 2027.
These only have 8GB or 10GB of RAM depending on the precise model, so they only fetched $100 or so second hand. Then someone figured out that they actually have 64GB or 80GB of RAM, just with most of it disabled, and the price shot up overnight.
Problem is that the memory is disabled due to defective dies, so the amount of working memory you'll get after unlocking one of these cards is a dice roll.
Story behind this. A new airport opened in India, and the locals descended en masse and looted all the landscaping. How are we supposed to live with a culture where this is the norm? Better question: What's going to happen to our culture when we import people like this by the millions? I'm looking at you, Canada, but we're not far behind.
1037 called "birdstrike, aborting takeoff" but they did it when the tower was talking and the tower overrides everyone else on the coms, so nobody heard. Good thing the trailing aircraft was alert.
Sinning
Tonight's ONT has been brought to you by New York City:
Old but fun: A guy set up cameras to catch the groundhog eating all of his vegetables and found the groundhog was a camera-hog who was proud to be filmed stealing carrots.
An albatross has her chick returned to her (after a medical check-up). I'm posting this because I didn't really know what an albatross looked like. Kinda cute. Definitely don't kill one while at sea.
He was their living lawn jockey, period. They won't say that 'cause they're sensitive and down with his struggle and all. He was there to appease and flatter their sense of being uplifters of the oppressed. In truth, he served as their living lawn jockey -- no more, no less, and unworthy of even a second thought on their part. Tokenism, pure and simple.
Podcast: More Iran bluster from Trump? Enough! Deportations hit a record, and that is a good thing for all, Todd Blanche's nomination is out of committee, the DSA is on the march, and more!
The Short Unhappy Life of a Russian Soldier: Why recruits die in 20-30 minutes Interesting video. Some key parts: drones were responsible for 70-80% of all battlefield deaths in mid-2025, and I bet it's higher now. The Russian army is incredibly corrupt. Men get assigned to the most dangerous frontline units, the "Storm" units, unless they pay a superior $2,000 to be assigned to a different unit. Furthermore, there is often no real training for recruits -- commanders pocket the money that would have gone towards fuel and ammo costs incurred during training. Much "training" consists just of taking a single picture of soldiers doing something soldier-y, like fording a river, and publishing that as proof that the training was done. Even when it is done, training is only two weeks long.
Podcast: CBD and Sefton discuss the Berlin attack, Iran...Again! Sefton's mini Odyssey review, Data Republican's blockbuster reveal about the DNC, and more!
Forgotten 80s Mystery Click She's totally committed to major independence
She's a lady through and through
She gives them quite a battle, all that they can handle
She'll bruise some, she'll hurt some too
Podcast: Illegals registered and voted in NJ! Leftist violence is baked into the Democrat cake, Iran's capabilities are being degraded, Londonistan? And...come on SC...no senate dynasties!
FDA is providing an update regarding the sample of lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms de Mexico which was reported positive on July 18, 2026. Due to the complexity in detection of Cyclospora, FDA laboratory experts re-reviewed the sample results and have concluded that the finding does not represent true amplification and should be considered a false positive. Information about the sample has been removed from the July 18, 2026, update below. FDA has notified Taylor Farms and continues working with the firm to ensure product implicated in this outbreak has been removed from the market. FDA and state partners continue to collect and analyze product samples. As of July 19, 2026, there are no confirmed positive sample results for product testing for Cyclospora.
