Ace: aceofspadeshq at gee mail.com
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joe mannix: mannix2024 at proton.me
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J.J. Sefton: sefton at cutjibnewsletter.com
Bandersnatch 2024
GnuBreed 2024
Captain Hate 2023
moon_over_vermont 2023
westminsterdogshow 2023
Ann Wilson(Empire1) 2022 Dave In Texas 2022
Jesse in D.C. 2022 OregonMuse 2022
redc1c4 2021
Tami 2021
Chavez the Hugo 2020
Ibguy 2020
Rickl 2019
Joffen 2014
AoSHQ Writers Group
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
"Person of Interest" In Health Care CEO Assassination Caught in Altoona, PA, Identified as Luigi Mangione, "Former Ivy League Student" NYT: He Carried a Manifesto Decrying Health Care Corporations' Greed
The person of interest identified in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson is an anti-capitalist former Ivy League student -- who liked online quotes from "Unabomber'' Ted Kaczynski raging against the country's medical community.
Tech whiz Luigi Mangione, 26, of Towson, Md., was taken into custody Monday morning at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pa., after an intense manhunt following the coldblooded execution of Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel last week, sources said.
He has not been charged.
The former prep-school valedictorian was caught with a manifesto that appeared to list grievances with the healthcare industry including taking on their enormous profits and alleged shady motives, sources said.
Update: Per Zero Hedge, he is now being called a "strong person of interest."
I mean, yes, it does seem nearly 100% likely it is this Ivy league leftwing radical terrorist.
Interesting detail: He was armed with a veterinary pistol, used for euthanizing animals, which looks like the gun he used.
Weird detail: He was caught using a fake ID at a McDonald's. Why would someone have to use an ID at McDonald's?
Actually, now that I re-read the story, I think someone called a tip on the guy, recognizing him from his photo. When the police showed up, he showed a fake ID and gave a false name.
The cops, presumably, used the fake ID as the reason to arrest him while they try to figure out if he's Taylor Lorenz's favorite boy band murderer.
A person of interest was nabbed Monday in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson -- busted possibly trying to use a fake ID in a McDonald's, law enforcement sources said.
Per Trusted Member of the Media LA Sue, the fake ID was spotted because the name on it was "McLovin."
The man -- who sources said is being eyed for the coldblooded, targeted execution in front of a Manhattan hotel last week -- allegedly had a manifesto on him when he was taken into custody by cops in Altoona, Pa.
He also had a gun, silencer, four fake IDs and other items "consistent" with what authorities were looking for in the case, sources said.
Law enforcement was still trying to figure out the man's real identity, sources said.
He was nabbed on a tip called in to local cops, who apprehended him, sources said.
The NYPD was on its way to Altoona late Monday morning, sources said.
Added by Black Orchid, not sure of the source but Black Orchid is not a Fake News Macedonian Content Farmer but instead a Trusted Member of the Media.
"The handwritten manifesto found on the person of the man detained in Altoona criticized health care companies for putting profits above care, according to a senior law enforcement official."
Posted by: BlackOrchid
The claim comes from the New York Times, which is, unfortunately, a Fake News Macedonian Content Farmer.
Despite progressive journalists like Taylor Lorenz using @bluesky to call for the killing of health insurance execs, @MorningJoe spent an entire segment blaming "a lack of moderation ... especially on @X" for the UnitedHealth CEO's murder. pic.twitter.com/B6OZ9Yvw4t
Update: Some commenters are saying he could still be re-tried on the count of manslaughter 2 that was dismissed (on the motion of the prosecution) on Friday. No. Once a jury is empaneled, double jeopardy attaches. A mistrial can be retried because it's a mistrial -- no true trial occurred, as no verdict was rendered -- but once the jury is empaneled, a dismissal is a dismissal with prejudice. He's free and clear on these charges forever.
Also, he's free and clear on these facts. In other words, the prosecutors cannot take the same facts at trial here and spin out another new charge. They are barred from bringing up new charges based on the same facts if they could have brought them up in a prior trial. They cannot now say "we're charging him for aggravated battery." That charge would arise from the same facts here. They've had their bite at this particular apple, they don't get another one.
They may try to find some other facts they can make charges on to persecute him, but he is now free and clear on these charges and any other charges arising from these facts.
Update to my update: I just remembered, prosecutors unfortunately can try some bullsh*t where they bring a "violation of civil rights" charge. The feds did that with the cops in the LA riots case. That was ruled not to be based on the "same facts" as the original charges were.
I don't expect them to do that but I guess they could. I imagine that Penny would try to dismiss these charges citing double jeopardy, but I don't know if the case law would be on his side.
We still need investigations into the prosecutors and into New York's predatory "justice" system.
The scumbag thug rent-a-protester BLM crowd are screaming threats at him, including the promise that he will never know peace. That is, he'll be hunted on the streets.
BREAKING: Daniel Penny found not guilty of criminally negligent homicide. Protests erupt outside of courthouse in reaction to the verdict. pic.twitter.com/rWMKPWfMEj
Jordan Neely's "father," who abandoned him as an infant to spend more time with his drugs, claims he's going to sue Penny. Below, he pretends to know his son's name.
Screaming heard outside the Manhattan courthouse as Jordan Neely's father — who's now suing Daniel Penny — says he misses his son.
Bluesky Libs react to Daniel Penny’s not guilty verdict with calls to defund the police and murder Penny and other white men. pic.twitter.com/4mNgcho6jK
THE MORNING RANT: Texas Republicans Defeat the Uniparty and Will Finally Elect a Conservative House Speaker
—Buck Throckmorton
Another firewall in the uniparty’s control of power fell over the weekend in Texas. Despite the Lone Star state being solid red for over three decades, including Republican control of the legislature, a coalition of Democrats and RINOs had continued to exercise control over the state House of Representatives.
Over the weekend, conservative Republicans took actions to finally gain control of the statehouse by selecting conservative Rep. David Cook as their nominee for Speaker of the House. The actual floor vote will occur in January.
Cook will replace Dade Phelan, who had previously won the speakership by obtaining the support of the Democrat minority, and then peeling off enough RINO Republicans to defeat the conservatives who constituted a majority of the elected Republicans. In other words, “Republican” Dade Phelan was a de facto Democrat serving Democrat interests as Speaker of the Texas House. He even appointed Democrats to head House committees, despite Republicans having a solid majority of the House seats.
But Dade Phelan’s loyalty to Democrats and the old order went even deeper. He sought to overturn the will of the people of Texas by impeaching Attorney General Ken Paxton. Paxton is a passionate, activist conservative who is fighting the culture war on behalf of Texans. He has taken legal action against woke capital firms such as Black Rock, and he used his office to stop the trans-child industry in Texas. The impeachment of Paxton failed, and many of Phelan’s “Republican” allies who supported the impeachment were primaried out of office this past November.
After Phelan’s campaign for Speaker was finally defeated this past week, the Democrat-RINO alliance offered up Lubbock Republican Dustin Burrows as their candidate to try to keep Democrats effectively in control of the statehouse. He too was defeated by the Republican Caucus.
While Cook entered the caucus meeting with the support of reform-minded members due largely to his pledge to end the practice of placing Democrats in leadership positions (a priority of the Republican Party of Texas), Burrows instead had spent much of his limited time in the shortened race attempting to appeal to Democrats.
The RINO Republican, Dustin Burrows, showed his true colors when he deleted a previous tweet of his stating opposition to the transing of children. Rep. Burrows made it clear that he was now willing to have children sacrificed and mutilated if that’s what it took to get Democrat support to make him Speaker of the House. That won’t play well in West Texas when it’s time for his re-election campaign in 2026.
Dustin Burrows on Thursday: "Texas must never bow to [trans] insanity."
Dustin Burrows on Saturday: "Bows to pro-trans insanity Democrats and deletes his post as he pursues their support for Speaker."#txlegepic.twitter.com/YhGbnKPAyS
Of note, Dustin Burrows has still not conceded defeat, but he would need a group of kamikaze Republicans to push him over the top in January. That won’t happen, because the Republican Caucus put a stipulation in its bylaws that members must support the Caucus’ nominee on the House floor. If they don’t, they’ll be censured by the Republican Caucus, which by the way also added a new party rule that censured members can be removed from the next primary’s ballot.
Sadly, former Texas Governor Rick Perry decided to end his long political career in shame and dishonor, by lending his name and reputation to Dade Phelan.
This recent picture of Rick Perry campaigning for stealth-Democrat Dade Phelan is pathetic, but it’s also how I’ll remember Perry’s political career.
Rick Perry is an opportunist who spent pretty much all of his adult life on government payrolls. As a state legislator, he switched parties from Democrat to Republican in 1989 to run for statewide office. He ultimately spent a ridiculous 14 years as governor of Texas, after which he then moved on to the federal payroll as Energy Secretary in Donald Trump’s first presidency. By supporting Phelan, Perry came full circle in his support of Democrats. Perry was a prominent supporter of Al Gore’s presidential campaign back in 1988.
That’s enough about old-guard Republicans in Texas who are trying to keep Democrats in power. Dade Phelan and Rick Perry will not be missed.
Congratulations to David Cook, the next Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives. And in 2026, someone (perhaps Ken Paxton) needs to primary and defeat John Cornyn in the 2026 U.S. Senate campaign.
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My latest piece at The Blaze has been published. “Target struggles after ‘Bud Lighting’ itself” discusses the latest disastrous quarterly financial report for Target, and how its stock price just collapsed, as the woke company remains trapped in a dungeon of consumer rejection and revulsion.
My latest piece at The Blaze has been published, in which I discuss how Target’s latest catastrophic financial results show that Target has a reputational stain that continues to repel customers. https://t.co/vRlrhYBmot
I am not optimistic. HTS is certainly not going to establish a "pluralistic democracy." They have no guiding democratic principles to steer the new regime toward tolerance and power-sharing.
The Syrian people may not realize it now, but they've just exchanged one brutal tyrant for a fanatical, brutal tyrant. I would suggest that Western governments think long and hard before sending the hundreds of billions of dollars needed to rebuild the country.
"Pluralistic democracy?!" Comedy Gold!! The Syrian people are mere spectators, and sadly many are victims of the Assads as well as their own Imams and Mullahs. For me, it's a big stretch to assume that there is some percentage let alone a majority that wants a just and peaceful society and who are willing to live in peace with Israel, let alone the Christians and Kurds and other ethnic/religious minorities within their own borders? Sorry but these innocent people, are going to have to sort out their own affairs for themselves. Put down the shisha pipe and stop getting high on the Koran and the other hatreds and prejudices passed down in their collective bloodstream since time immemorial.
This veteran of Afghanistan totally gets it:
When analyzing our Islamic extremist enemies, it is important for the American people to understand the tribal mindset that so many of our enemies come from. Islam developed from tribal cultures, and many tribal cultures over the past 1,400 years developed under Islam. The Islamic world itself is divided into what I would describe as tribes; you have the Sunni tribe, the Shia tribe, and within that are thousands of other tribes, one of the most recent being the “Palestinian” tribe which has become somewhat of a self-appointed identity by various lost members of other tribes. But in Afghanistan, tribalism is at a level that is virtually unparalleled in the world.
It is human nature to coalesce together into groups, but when you add Islam to the mix, it fuels different dynamics that are completely alien to Westerners. The tribal mindset is so vastly different than our own that it often makes it impossible to reason with them, and they will not respond logically or rationally as you might assume an American or other Westerner would. To Westerners, the tribal mindset may contain many elements that are quite shocking and deeply disturbing. . .
. . . Most people there got it. But back in Washington, and among so many in the higher ranks in the military trying to please those in Washington, there was a complete disconnect from the reality on the ground, and a complete misunderstanding of just who our enemy is, how they think, and how ferociously determined they are.
The title of his essay says it all "People Who Fought In Afghanistan Know Why Nation-Building Was Never Going To Work."
By the way, lest we forget it was the covert gun-running scheme of Obama, Clinton, McCain and others to "rebels" in Syria from our embassy in Benghazi, that ultimately resulted in the brutal deaths of four of our embassy staffers, that the aforementioned let die so that their criminal enterprise would not be expsosed. G-d bless their memory and may justice be served to Obama, Clinton , McCain and everyone else involved.
Meanwhile, for something completely different, vis a vis the cold-blooded murder of the United Healthcare CEO last week and some of the reactions to it.
On Friday, I wrote: The sick irony here is that the insurance industry, like much of the healthcare industry was essentially completely devoured by the US government with the passage of Obamacare in 2010.
To which a commenter, who shall remain nameless, replied:
That almost sounds apologetic toward the insurance industry -- but who is it who wrote Obamacare? Oh, the Dems porked it up past the gills, but the fundamental legislation was the dream sheet of medical insurance, fully giving them a mandate, enforceable under the law, that everyone MUST use their product. The insurance industry was not devoured by Obamacare; they set the friggin' table for it.
While I cannot argue with this, it is in no way apologetic to the Insurance industry. But much like the pros in the propaganda press, the commenter cherry picked one line, and ignored the entire paragraph:
The sick irony here is that the insurance industry, like much of the healthcare industry was essentially completely devoured by the US government with the passage of Obamacare in 2010. So that only compounded their inherent, and primarily government-caused flaws prior to that date, via the vast bureaucratic garbage that lines the pockets of politicians, bureaucrats and go-along-to-get-along C-suite denizens in the aforementioned industries along with of course Big Pharma. Here's your fascism, Leftists, right here! Get it while it's hot. Pro-tip, it's not Trump. It's Democrats and RINOs pointing the gun of big government power at the head of business and forcing them in bed with them. Sadly, some don't need the threat and are eager to play the part of [the Krupps, et al] to the real literal Hitlers in this re-enactment of pre-1933 election Germany.
To reiterate, Here's your fascism, Leftists. Since they are baying for the blood of Insurance company executives, funny how they don't see that it's the Dept. of HHS that regulates them like every other industry out the Wah-zoo. That makes HHS the real CEO. Is it cruel and amoral to shakedown the critically ill or deny claims, even if it means cutting into the bottom line just because HHS won't back you or will push you if you defy them? of course. Is it justifiable or moral to gun down someone in cold blood? NO!
Yes, the insurance companies created the mess, with the eager assistance of venal pols looking to wet their beaks ages ago, then jumped into bed with Obama and his minions willingly or otherwise when they should've defied him, regardless of the consequences. It's yet another example of moral and cultural rot, which is not as in your face yet just as corrosive as what comes out of the lecture halls, faculty lounges, Hollywood sound stages and TV newsrooms. Indeed, the past 60 or more years of the latter is what led to the former in the C-Suites.
Regardless of whatever dire medical circumstances the shooter found himself or his loved one in and denied coverage, there can be zero tolerance nor justification for cold-blooded murder.
Despite there being a hung jury on the manslaughter charge against subway “vigilante” Daniel Penny, the charge of criminally negligent homicide still remains on the ledger for the jury to decide.
In light of all that, Rep. Eli Crane (R-Ariz.) has taken it upon himself to introduce a House Resolution to award Penny with a Congressional Gold Medal for “his heroism.”
“A BILL To award a Congressional Gold Medal to Daniel Penny, who protected women and children of the city of New York, New York, from violence on May 1, 2023,” the introduction to the HR reads.
Daniel Penny’s actions exemplify what it means to stand against the grain to do right in a world that rewards moral cowardice. I’m immensely proud to introduce this resolution to award him with the Congressional Gold Medal to recognize his heroism.
That thug with a badge Michael Byrd who committed actual murder – at the behest of Nancy Pelosi and whoever else with malice aforethought opened the Capitol doors, in shooting an unarmed and passive Ashli Babbit to death and the unidentified goons of the Capitol PD and/or DoJ who stomped and choked Roseanne Boyland to death go free and are feted as heroes is abhorrent in the extreme.
let justice roll on like a river, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
Have a great day.
ABOVE THE FOLD, BREAKING, NOTEWORTHY
But the reaction from the left is directly tied to this post-legal reality, where nobody believes in the law, trusts the law, or respects the law. And why follow what you don’t believe, trust, or respect? Just beneath the periphery of the frontpage, there’s an active campaign on the left to mythologize the grinning assassin — and to transform this cold-blooded murderer into a modern-day Robin Hood. Consider these headlines . . . The Death Cult: How a Liberal Media and a Delusional Left Will Turn an Assassin into a Hero
ISRAEL vs IRAN & GAZA/HAMAS/Hezbollah . . . AND BIDEN
President-elect Donald Trump warned earlier this month that there will be “ALL HELL TO PAY” if Hamas does not release the remaining 100 Israeli hostages, including several Americans. That threat, accompanied by behind-the-scenes diplomacy, seems to have focused minds in the region. Report: Hamas Prepares for Hostage Deal After Trump Victory, Threat
"Sources within various Palestinian terror groups in Gaza say that Hamas has told them to compile information on the hostages they hold in preparation for a ceasefire and hostage deal with Israel," reports the Times of Israel. "Hamas has told factions including Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front and the Popular Resistance Committees to prepare information such as whether their hostages are alive or dead, the sources tell AFP." Trump's Victory Sparks Breakthrough in Hamas Hostage Standoff
Almost half a century on, Saul Bellow’s To Jerusalem and Back still reads as an uncannily accurate take on Israel, the United States, and the enemies of the West. “The Civilized World Seems Tired of Its Civilization”
WE-ALL-SLAM-FOR-I-SLAM
Robert Spencer: But before too long, we may have to pay the jizya to visit there. We’ll Always Have Paris
The Iraqi had allegedly posted online about his support for the terrorist Islamic State group and had posted photographs of the Christmas Market in Augsburg. He had also communicated his desire to drive a vehicle through the market, copying the 2016 Berlin Christmas market attack that saw a dozen killed by a rejected Tunisian asylum seeker. Police Foil Yet Another Christmas Market Terror Plot in Europe.
OFFICIAL DEMOCRAT PARTY/LEFTIST-ENDORSED ANTI-SEMITISM, ANTI-CHRISTIANITY
The writer lived four blocks away from the Capitol, was let in by police, entered Nancy Pelosi’s office, stood steps away from Ashli Babbitt’s shooting, spent two months in federal prison, and is the only J6 protester facing a civil suit. A J6 Testimony
With just six weeks until he assumes the presidency, President-elect Donald Trump has reaffirmed his commitment to issue pardons for January 6th political prisoners and said that it will be a top priority on his first day in office. (unless they all get Epsteined beforehand - jjs) Trump's Big Plan for Day One Will Really Trigger the Democrats
In its endorsement, NPA lauds Patel’s credentials, including his accomplishments as a federal prosecutor, legal liaison to the Joint Special Operations Command, Senior Counsel to the House Intelligence Committee and Chief of Staff to the Acting Secretary of Defense . . . National Police Association Endorses Kash Patel to be Trump’s FBI Director
These announcements come amidst record inward illegal immigration patterns during President Joe Biden’s government. Trump’s campaign had foregrounded stricter border controls, often highlighting crimes linked to illegal immigrants. BREAKING: Trump To End ‘Birthright Citizenship’ on Day One.
BIDEN CRIME FAMILY REVELATIONS
Victor Davis Hanson: This unprecedented pardon is not aberrant. It is characteristic of the left’s recent contempt for the rule of law. Biden’s Paranoid Pardons and Leftist Morality
“Trade paradigms tend to undermine themselves. Policy levers for rebuilding manufacturing might include things beyond trade.” A Resilience Paradigm for Trade
“Biden’s economic legacy, besides 40-year-high inflation and record debt, could perhaps best be described as transforming the American labor market into a temp agency for foreign workers and government bureaucrats,” E.J. Antoni, a research fellow at the Heritage Foundation’s Grover M. Hermann Center for the Federal Budget, told the Daily Caller News Foundation regarding the increasing disparity between foreign and native-born employment. “He [Biden] has left behind blue collar America to import new blue voters.” It Only Took 12 Months For Roughly 1,000,000 Native-Born Jobs To Vanish Under Biden-Harris
“A BILL To award a Congressional Gold Medal to Daniel Penny, who protected women and children of the city of New York, New York, from violence on May 1, 2023,” the introduction to the HR reads. (Wow, Rep Crane must lurk here! - jjs) Rep. Eli Crane Proposes Congressional Gold Medal for Subway Hero Daniel Penny
DEMOCRAT/LEFTIST AND RINO SCANDALS, MESHUGAS, CHUTZPOCRISY
When your opening line is, “I’m Joni Ernst, I grew up castrating hogs on an Iowa farm,” not only do you have our attention — you’ve got us squirming in our seats. (Ouch.). . .In the past, nobody would’ve pointed out the blatant hypocrisy of hedging her support for Hegseth, yet enthusiastically backing Lloyd Austin — or how she’s increasingly out of step with her base on key military issues, including trans people in active service. The Political Castration of Joni Ernst
Representative Adam Schiff (D-CA) will become Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) on Monday, December 9, after current Sen. Laphonza Butler (D-CA) resigned abruptly, allowing California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) to appoint Schiff early. The gambit, while technically legal, is an evident attempt by California to gain an edge in the Senate by giving Schiff seniority over newly-elected Senators from other states, who will only be sworn into their offices on January 3, 2025. Schiff-for-Brains to Take Office Monday, Not in January, After Newsom Makes Power Play to Help California
POLITICS
Daniel Greenfield: After Biden’s defeat, Democrats prepare to purge their senior citizens. No Party for Old Men
Clarice Feldman: While Biden disgraces the presidency, Donald Trump is treated as acting had of state. A Tale of Two Parties
“It felt like at the rallies, at the things I was going to, the shops I was going in, that the momentum was going our way, and it obviously wasn’t at the end,” Governor Walz told Minnesota’s KSTP-TV. He continued: “So yeah, I was a little surprised. I thought we had a positive message, and I thought the country was ready for that.” Tim Walz Actually Thought Voters Would Embrace Bizarre Democratic Presidential Campaign.
ASSAD REGIME COLLAPSES"
This is a historic day for the Middle East. The collapse of the Assad regime, the tyranny in Damascus, offers great opportunity but also is fraught with significant dangers. This collapse is the direct result of our forceful action against Hezbollah and Iran, Assad’s main supporters. It set off a chain reaction of all those who want to free themselves from this tyranny and its oppression. WATCH: Netanyahu on Fall of Assad Regime in Syria: ‘Great Opportunity, Significant Dangers’
The Syrian people may not realize it now, but they've just exchanged one brutal tyrant for a fanatical, brutal tyrant. I would suggest that Western governments think long and hard before sending the hundreds of billions of dollars needed to rebuild the country. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad Flees as Damascus Falls to the Rebels
The mountain, covered in snow during the winter months, is the highest in the region, and a key strategic point. Israel has a military base on the mountainside, but Syria has long had a military base on the peak of the mountain itself. Israel Seizes Strategic Peak of Mount Hermon from Syria
“There should be no doubt — we will not allow ISIS to reconstitute and take advantage of the current situation in Syria,” CENTCOM’s commander, General Michael Erik Kurilla, said. “All organizations in Syria should know that we will hold them accountable if they partner with or support ISIS in any way.” US, Israel Conduct Dozens Of Strikes, Hit Over 75 Targets In Wake Of Syria’s Regime Collapse
I have to admit I'm looking forward to the side-effects of a bunch of Trump's picks getting into the Cabinet and doing something similar with the Epstein passenger lists, the other 30,000 hours of the tapes from the Capitol "insurrection," and the records of the extensive wiretapping and surveillance of Trump and the Trump campaign. The Assad records, assuming they become public and I strongly suspect they will, may be 100 times worse than any of these, and comparable to the records of the Nazi Sicherheitsdienst and the death camps Interesting Times: Assad's Gestapo Didn't Clean Up Before They Fled
FOREIGN AFFAIRS, INTERNATIONAL
The weekend’s celebration, which drew an estimated 50 world leaders and high security, kicks off an octave of events marking the restoration of the famous twelfth-century Gothic church to its place in Catholic liturgical life and French tourism following a devastating April 15, 2019 fire. Firefighters stood helpless as the blaze — believed to have been accidentally ignited by an electrical failure or a lit cigarette — consumed the roof and spire of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Seemingly thwarting their efforts to douse the flames with water was a centuries’ old waterproofing technique involving covering the roof with a lead sheet. ‘A Very Special Day For All’: Trump Returns To World Stage, Joins Reopening Celebrations At Notre Dame Cathedral
Miranda Devine: As Trump is feted by world leaders and royalty in Paris, holds preliminary peace talks with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky and sends his envoy to the Middle East, the inauguration next month seems like a mere formality. . . The other thing Trump’s friends tell him is that, with a single election, he managed to vanquish the “Five Families” of politics: the Bushes, Cheneys, Clintons, Obamas and Bidens. In the eyes of the world, America is back thanks to Donald Trump — Whether they like it or not
Under the new federal order, regulators can collect samples for testing from dairy farms and during milk transportation or processing. Private laboratories must report any positive findings. Initially, this testing program will be implemented in California, Colorado, Michigan, Mississippi, Oregon, and Pennsylvania. The USDA indicated that the order aims to “identify where the disease is present, monitor trends, and help states identify potentially affected herds.” Dozens of Cases of Old-Time Disease Scurvy Reported in Canada
“Expert” claims a torrent of diseases will “come crashing down” on the Trump administration “on January 21st.” . . . How the hell does he know this?! Did he misspeak, or is he privy to a biological attack set for January 21st? Is he just trying to scare people? And how does he know that these viruses/diseases won’t “come crashing down” on the Biden junta on, say, December 21st or January 6th? The virus apocalypse is coming (according to Dr. Peter Hotez)
It’s being called the most significant case of the current Supreme Court term — United States v. Skrmetti. The attorney general sat down with us to discuss his pivotal role in the case and his defense of a state law aimed at protecting minors from transgender medical procedures. ‘A Very Consequential Precedent’: AG Skrmetti Unpacks Landmark Supreme Court Case
Favreau and Lovett were speechwriters for Obama, and Vietor a spokesman. In what looks like an attempt to mainstream left-wing extremism, their shop features blue antifa onesies for babies, as well as blue antifa shirts for toddlers and youth. Molotov cocktail baby bottles? - jjs) Obama Bros’ Crooked Media Store Sells Antifa Onesies; ‘Antifa Dad Hats’ (
NOTE: The opinions expressed in the links may or may not reflect my own. I include them because of their relevance to the discussion of a particular issue.
ALSO: The Morning Report is cross-posted at CutJibNewsletter.com if you want to continue the conversation all day.
Though pretty much everyone is worth more than Intel at the moment. Nvidia and AMD, yes, but also Qualcomm and Broadcom and Texas Instruments and now Marvell.
Intel has a lot of revenue but investors are not seeing a lot of upside.
Disclaimer: Why does this bee have a tiny sombrero?
Howdy Hordelings, and welcome to the second week of December! Thanks for stopping this Sunday’s ONT. Let’s see what spills out of the mixed bag of fun and interesting stuff tonight.
President-elect Trump attended the reopening ceremony of the Notre Dame Cathedral alongside First Lady Jill Biden and several other prominent world leaders.
Notre Dame was reopened on Saturday, five years after a fire caused serious damage to the landmark Gothic cathedral.
Trump was seated between French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron, during the ceremony, which was also attended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prince William.
Also in the same row as Trump was First Lady Jill Biden, who attended the event with her daughter, Ashley. President Joe Biden was not present.
Viral images from the event include Trump’s handshake with Macron and “Doctor” Jill Biden looking at Trump in a way that she probably never looked at President Sundowner.
The internet is always quick with quality memes!
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In Celebration of Dads
To paraphrase an old saying, anyone can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a dad. Here’s 2 examples of great dads doing awesome dad stuff.
Top 10 commenters:
1 [443 comments] 'Bulg' [62.19 posts/day]
2 [421 comments] 'Sponge - F*ck Cancer'
3 [395 comments] 'Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd'
4 [393 comments] 'TheJamesMadison, trying to figure out Joel Schumacher'
5 [388 comments] 'Alberta Oil Peon'
6 [366 comments] 'andycanuck (hovnC)'
7 [356 comments] 'Hour of the Wolf - Remember Vic and VNN!'
8 [309 comments] 'JQ'
9 [308 comments] 'Sebastian Melmoth'
10 [303 comments] 'Hadrian the Seventh'
Top 10 sockpuppeteers:
1 [232 names] 'Ciampino - Time to scare everyone shitless' [32.57 unique names/day]
2 [83 names] 'Quarter Twenty '
3 [72 names] 'Count de Monet'
4 [52 names] 'Michelle Fields'
5 [51 names] 'Reverend Billy Ray Collins, The Sword Of Joshua, Independent, Full Gospel, Pentecost Assembly'
6 [40 names] 'Moron Analyst'
7 [35 names] 'Cause Michelle's a guy and Barry catches'
8 [32 names] 'Miklos for the bankruptcy trust of Alex Jones'
9 [30 names] 'Miklos asks to do weekends once a month'
10 [29 names] 'andycanuck (hovnC)'
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Tonight’s ONT brought to you by helpful decoding (Hat Tip to Piper).
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Your feedback may or may not be very important to me. Follow AoS_Doof on X @doof2112 or do the email thing – doof2112 at proton dot me. All I want for Christmas are some Rush deep cuts!
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 early December? Have you been shooting? How'd you do? Did you exceed your own expectations or not so much?
With that, step into the dojo and let's get to the gun stuff below, shall we?
FUNdamentals
We all know you cannot have fundamentals without fun, but did you also know you cannot have fundamentals without mentals? That's right, guys and gals, there is a bigly mental component to shooting, and in order to shoot well, you need to have the right mental attitude.
Q: Weasel, how do you define "shooting well"?
A: Short Answer: Knowing where the bullet is going when you pull the trigger, and having it go there.
A: Longer Answer: Shooting consistently and predictably and showing reasonable improvement over time.
You can call it lots of things but it all boils down to the same outcome, and that is consistently placing shots where you want them to go. Notice how I did not say "shooting well every single time?" Unless you're in combat, when shooting you are really just competing against your personal best and whatever benchmark for a swell day at the range you have set for yourself. Sounds great and easy-peasy Weasel! I have a brain so how do I get there, you ask? Well one sure-fire way is to practice while focusing on good solid fundamentals. Hell, I'd even be happy if you simply didn't practice reinforcing bad habits. But with that said, you need to be on top of your mental game too.
Whatever your skill set, you need to have a positive mindset. You need to be confident and have faith in your skills, whatever the level. I have talked about this before, but I have seen guys lose a match simply because their head was not in the game. I kid you not. If you drag your shit to the range and are just going through the motions, you might as well stay home on the couch. You need to be actively engaged in what you are doing with a clear idea of what you are trying to accomplish and a set of measurable objectives for each practice session. If what you are doing isn't working, STOP and figure out what is going on. Don't try and make up for a bad stuation with an increased volume of fire. Go back to your fundamentals and make sure you aren't doing something goofy. Take a break for a few minutes if needed. I have never once seen a shooter improve a bad day at the range by using improper form harder or faster..
Dealing With An Angry Range
I would like to tell you otherwise, but no matter how proficient a shooter is, everyone has a bad day at the range from time to time. Lord knows that I do. It happens and you just have to deal with it. Most of the time there is a cascading effect and you go from bad, to worse, to wondering why you even bother. Don't miss the opportunity to get some benefit out of a disastrous performance though by taking notes and trying to identify what happened.
If starting over in a range session and re-focusing on fundamentals doesn't work, then perhaps it's time to pack up for the day. Sometimes the range is just angry.
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Gifting a Gun?
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.223 cal or 5.56mm?
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Fun With Flintlocks
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More Fun!
A bunch of all y'all sent this to the ol' Gun Thread. Thank you! The Smarter Everyday Guy has a lot of great content.
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?
Yes, it's that time again! Large chunks of delicious beef, seasoned and roasted to perfection.
Let us not discuss the second mortgage that is required to bring one of those roasts home from the market, and instead appreciate that Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden will be eating the finest prime beef without a care in the world for how to pay for it!
It's not that the cut is so expensive, although good quality beef is expensive. It's that they are deceptively heavy! And maybe I am an outlier, but I'll bet that most people buy way too much. One rib can be two pounds of meat, and a serving is generally considered about half a pound. So including the bone, there are about three servings per rib.
I'm going back and forth between a classic salt and pepper preparation, and an herb crusted roast. Cooked correctly, both will have a delicious crust, but that herb mixture can be delicious when soaked in beef fat and crisped in a hot oven.
But...I am also considering individual ribs. That way everyone can get an outer slice, which as we all know is the best slice!
Regardless, It will be fun to plan and cook.
Now to find a blood bank that will let me sell my blood four times this month!
I was in Paris last week, and one evening we walked past that bakery. There were 15-20 people lined up to buy bread and croissants, and in a city filled with good bakeries, that is notable.
Of course it was closed when we walked past later that night, so...sh*t out of luck! But breakfast the next morning! A hah! Too bad the line was too long to wait in the cold. But there was a cafe right next door, and shockingly, we got a really nice breakfast complete with superb bread and croissants.
Care to guess where they got their croissants?
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Roasted (or sautéed) chicken livers on a plain salad. Delicious! Absolutely awesome! And I know enough about cooking to appreciate the effort that went into cooking those livers. They are irregularly shaped and sized, so they don't cook evenly, and without careful trimming they can be stringy and tough and sort of unappealing.
The restaurant is owned by one of the most famous chefs in the world...someone whose flagship restaurant in Paris is amazingly expensive. $80 soup territory. Yet he brought that cooking skill to his modestly priced outpost, and executed it very, very well.
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Yum! Sweetbreads! Yeah, that may repulse some of you, but when done correctly they are delicious. Delicate yet firm, tender and rich and flavorful.
Sadly, they have gotten expensive in France, and I have no idea why. They used to be on par with chicken or pork, and less than beef. But now? That was the most expensive dish on the menu, but I couldn't resist!
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Well, that looks pretty tasty! Commenter "Joe Kidd" grilled that, and was kind enough to share a photo. Or maybe he was mean enough to tease all of us as he eats avery nicely cooked piece of beef.
Attached are a couple of pictures from this past Sunday's steak, which by tradition and law, is always prepared over a wood fire. This time of year, said fire is built in the living room hearth.
Anyone ever grill in their fireplace? I have, and it is fun. The house smelled of grilled beef for about a month, but that was a small price to pay.
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I have absolutely no idea what I was thinking when I scored this loaf. As a friend said, "I haven't seen a scalping that bad since the Indian uprising in the California gold fields back in 1848."
But it sure tasted good!
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What the hell happened to all the vegetables? And send me garlic that isn't grown in heavy metals and human waste in China, well-marbled hanger steaks and elk chops to: cbd dot aoshq at gmail dot com.
Who are those poor deluded souls We know who shake their Manhattans! These are the same people who drink fine bourbon with coke, and probably shake red wine with ice too.
$1,200 for a bottle of bourbon is just stupid, insulting, and a ghastly affront to most people's palates and wallets. 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 of fifty years, but it is worth it!
That is a two-ounce measuring cup made by "Oxo." Their stuff is usually pretty good, although aggressively priced, which is sort of obnoxious. I have another measuring cup of the same size but made from aluminum, and often use both during marathon cocktail-making sessions.
But the damned thing is barely 10-years old, and can't handle the dishwasher? What sort of shoddy work are they doing over in Oxoland? Read..."China." enough said.
Luckily the red numerals and lines survived the ordeal. Otherwise I would have had to redo the kitchen...or worse!
Be Careful What You Wish For...The Unintended Consequences Of Regime Change
—CBD
Abu Mohammed al-Julani
Who?
He is the leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which is the leading rebel group in Syria. You know...the one that has deposed the horrendous Assad family that has ruled Syria for more than 50 years. And that's a good thing...right?
Sure. Getting rid of homicidal dictators who think nothing of gassing their own people and who conduct civil wars that kill 500,000 civilians is always a good thing. Except for when the victors are nothing more than a rebranding of al Qaeda. HTS makes pretty noises and seems to be a "moderate" Islamist group (whatever that means), but the reality is that they are more politically astute and aware of the power of the media to manipulate public opinion...until it is too late.
How can a Sunni Islamist group uphold its stated goals and protect religious minorities? They can't. And they won't. Syria is in for a bad time, just like the previous 50 years, only for different people.
However, the cascade that began on October 7, 2023 has engulfed Hamas, Hezbollah, released Israel's defense establishment from the sclerotic and dangerous policies of the past 20 years, exposed Iran's weakness as a regional player, and the limits of Russia's force projection. That Syria is the first formal loser is a surprise, and the geopolitical black hole that it creates is worthy of attention, but the obvious root cause is Iran's failure, followed by Russia's inability (or disinterest) to continue to protect Assad's regime.
President Trump has already stated that it isn't our business, and to let Syria's political convulsions play out. That is a refreshing message after four years of idiotic and chaotic foreign policy failures driven by the Biden/Obama wing of the Democrat party.
Israel has already moved into a defensive posture along the Syrian border, destroyed a chemical weapons plant, and conducted air strikes in Damascus. They are taking no chances! Hopefully Syria will no longer be a conduit for weaponry from Iran to Hezbollah, which will further isolate them and make their fight will Israel more difficult.
I am not suggesting that toppling despots is a bad thing. But the problem with violent overthrow as opposed to political change is that violence tends to spill over into other parts of society and even neighboring countries. Obama, and then Biden had a chance to assist in the political destruction of the Mullahs of Iran, and they chose to support them rather than the forces of moderation. How many thousands of people are dead because of those decisions? Has Iran lost the possibility of a mostly peaceful transition from the Mullah's theocracy? Will the theocracy, in its weakened and vulnerable state, lash out against its internal enemies? How many will die in an Iranian civil war? And what about the Kurds in the north of Syria? They are besieged by Turkey, and now the Syrian rebels. That strengthens Turkey, which is never a good thing.
We are seeing the consequences of decisions made more than 20 years ago by the Bush administration and then the Obama administration. Regime change in Iraq and Afghanistan has yielded...what? Trying to be kingmakers in the Middle East has been a losing proposition for about 2,500 years, yet THIS TIME it will work because we have the correct people operating the levers of power?
Hopefully the result will be a powerful Israel, a weakened Iran that moves away from its genocidal regional aspirations, and perhaps a Syria that looks inward for a few years. Lebanon may be next, as Hezbollah is weak, and the Arab world despises nothing more than weakness!
But let us not pretend that the fall of the house of Assad is an unalloyed good thing. The ripples will move in unknown directions, and trying to predict where they will go is hubris.
Sunday Morning Book Thread - 12-08-2024 ["Perfessor" Squirrel]
—Open Blogger
(HT: TRex)
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 (whale song not included). 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...(now with more whale song!)
So relax, find yourself a warm kitty (or warm puppy--I won't judge) to curl up in your lap, splash a shot of Fireball into your eggnog, and dive into a new book. What are YOU reading this fine morning?
Jerry Jengkins is back with some tips on how to keep your inspiration going when you seem to be in a writing slump. He talks about "writer's block" but reframes it as "writer's fear" instead, pointing out that our insecurities in our own writing ability can inhibit our process. I've noticed this among the students I teach. I invariably have at least one student that will reveal at some point that they don't have confidence in their own writing ability, so they struggle in my class. By the end of the semester, some of them have made progress in overcoming that limitation, which is always nice to see.
His tips all make perfect sense, which is no surprise, since he's been a writer for over 50 years and has written well over 100 novels. He's seen and done it all in his day, when it comes to writing, and he perseveres despite all obstacles because he always finds his passion again. And that, I think, may be the greatest key--maintaining one's desire to write, regardless of what anyone thinks and just because you feel you have something to say. In today's world of interconnected social media, you can almost certainly find an audience.
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(And Huggy Squirrel was never seen again...HT: Pete Zah)
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NO BOOKS FOR MEN?
It's pretty well established that the traditional publishing world has been taken over by women. That is one industry where women totally dominate, determining WHO and WHAT gets published through traditional publishing channels. That being said, there is still room for male authors, I think, though they may have to go independent or find smaller publishers that are willing to still take a chance on male authors. As CriminOlly points out in his video above, in the genres he likes to read (crime and horror), he does not see the gender disparity that readers of fantasy & science fiction are seeing these days.
CriminOlly also says that there are differences in the reasons WHY men and women read: women are more likely to read for pleasure, and men are more likely to read with a purpose in mind. This affects the marketplace in which books are published. The romantasy genre is HUGE right now, but non-fiction books are also still being published at a rapid pace in all sorts of fields. We see that here at AoSHQ with the books that you recommend every week. I can't even begin to categorize all of the books that are recommended because there is such a huge variety of tastes and interests.
Are women now over-represented in publishing? Maybe in some genres. Goodreads sent me their list of "best books of 2024" after the votes had been counted and sure enough, nearly all of the finalists were written by women (about 75% among the categories). Not sure if this means anything in the long run, though, as there are still plenty of books by men, for men, in circulation that have been around for decades. So us guys will always be able to find something to read.
A QUESTION FROM THE HORDE
The following question popped up last week and I didn't see a response, so I thought I'd try to answer it:
So, as a question for the day, since the ultimate minority is the individual, is Harry Harrison's The Stainless Steel Rat a cyberpunk genre book?
Posted by: Kindltot at December 01, 2024 10:46 AM (D7oie)
I enjoyed reading the The Stainless Steel Rat series as a teenager. They really appealed to my inner non-conformist. They are NOT cyberpunk novels in any way, shape or form. They take place in a bog-standard science fiction setting (faster-than-light spaceships, advanced computers, robots, etc.), but the characters are unique and colorful, so they series has its own distinctive style.
They are told from the first-person viewpoint of James "Slippery Jim" DiGriz, a criminal mastermind who is recruited by the Galactic Special Corps to track down and apprehend the *real* criminals in the galaxy--dictators, mass-murderers, alien warlords, psychopaths bent on warping the fabric of time and space, and so forth. Accompanied by his beautiful wife Angelina and his equally felonious sons James and Bolivar, Jim DiGriz tackles a wild and weird array of evil threats to galactic civilization.
A strong theme running throughout the series is indeed the importance of the individual. Jim DiGriz considers himself to be a "stainless steel rat" in the chrome and concrete wainscotting of society, able to run around and cause mischief because he doesn't fit in with the rest of society. I identified pretty strongly with this ethic when I was a teenager, though I did outgrow some of my more larcenous ideals...
MORON RECOMMENDATIONS
Last week I read The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster with Jules Feiffer illustrations. It is a delight. The finest word play and thought puzzles since Lewis Carroll. Juster takes so much of the language and has fun with it. And Feiffer's illustrations remind me, happily, of Thurber's line drawings. So simple and so expressive. It's impossible to read the book without constant smiles.
Posted by: JTB at December 01, 2024 09:27 AM (yTvNw)
Comment: This is one of my childhood favorites. I need to revisit this book again. Recently, as I've surpassed the ripe old age of 29, I've felt compelled to re-read some of these classics. I should add this to my list, because I loved reading it when I was younger.<
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Most people have a passing familiarity with conquistadors like Francisco Pizarro from western civilization class, but the full story of his long fought and bloody conquest of Peru is less known. Kim MacQuarrie spent five years in country and has compiled a complete account in The Last Days of the Incas.
Pizarro brought 167 men to conquer the millions of Incas. Once his ships landed, he burned the vessels to indicate to his men there was no turning back. Armed with horses, armor, and modern weapons, Pizarro and his men took the capital and captured their king. His ransom was a room full of gold, which was delivered, but Pizarro had him killed anyway. The king's brother escaped into the Amazon and began a 36 year guerrilla war, but ultimately failed to dislodge the Spanish.
MacQuarrie used both Spanish and native accounts to comprehensively document the Inca empire and their downfall at the hands of Pizarro and the Spanish.
Posted by: Thomas Paine at December 01, 2024 09:14 AM (atKHw)
Comment: I'm gonna go out on a limb and suggest that the Incans were not noble savages living in perfect harmony with nature. Of course, Pizarro doesn't exactly sound like a nice guy, either. Burning one's ships as a political statement is hardcore, especially when all you have is 167 men against millions of indigenous people, most of whom will be rather annoyed when you try to conquer them. The numbers game alone should have seen Pizarro slaughtered in short order.
More Moron-recommended reading material can be found HERE! (1000+ Moron-recommended books!)
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WHAT I'VE BEEN READING THIS PAST WEEK:
The Stormlight Archive Book 5 - Wind and Truth by Brandon Sanderson -- This is the conclusion of the first story arc of The Stormlight Archive. Assuming Sanderson isn't distracted too much by other projects, it will take another decade or so to read the remaining five books in this series. It's quite a doorstopper, at 1300+ pages for a single novel. I'm going to wait until Christmas Week to read it, as it will make a fine bookend to 2024, which began with an awesome epic story--Steven Erickson's Malazan Books of the Fallen.
WHAT I'VE BEEN READING THIS PAST WEEK:
After reviewing some of OregonMuse's old Book Threads, I thought I'd try something a bit different. Instead of just listing WHAT I'm reading, I'll include commentary as well. Unless otherwise specified, you can interpret this as an implied recommendation, though as always your mileage may vary.
All of the books below were scavenged from the library book sale I went to right before Thanksgiving Week. It's tough trying to plough through my TBR pile sometimes...
Tyrannosaur Canyon by Douglas Preston
Apparently, the world of of fossil hunting is as cutthroat as any semi-shady business. Fakes and forgeries abound, while the real deal can command tens of millions of dollars from the right collector. The king of fossils, appropriately enough, is a complete skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus Rex, as only a handful of them have ever been found. The newest find carries within its mummified remains an ancient passenger that is just now waking up from a long, long hibernation. Meanwhile, various factions are attempting to track it down, each with their own agenda.
Deeply Odd by Dean Koontz
Odd Thomas is a certified Weirdness Magnet. In Deeply Odd he finds out that he attracts other weirdness magnets, thanks in part to his own psychic gifts. He also discovers that parts of the world are thin in some way. He can crossover at those points into Elsewhere, a shadowy borderland adjacent to another realm that may or may not be Hell.
The Jesus Incident by Frank Herbert and Bill Ransom
An insane AI that controls a colony spaceship has dropped off its human cargo on the death world Pandora so that humanity can get a fresh start. It also insists humanity worship it as a god. The humans are just as crazy, with different factions engaged in mad power schemes, some of which will benefit Ship and others may lead to its destruction.
Most people have heard of Frank Herbert's Dune, but he also wrote an entirely different series of books that explores the same themes of religion and power in the hands of those who are not worthy to wield either. It would not surprise me to find out this series is set in the same timeline as Dune, but perhaps in the distant past, before the Butlerian Jihad wiped out all thinking machines...
Saint Odd by Dean Koontz
This is the last entry in the Odd Thomas series. Odd Thomas returns to his hometown of Pico Mundo only to stop the mad cultists intent on wreaking even more carnage than they did in the first book. Odd has stopped them more than once in recent books and now they want vengeance in the worst possible way. It will take all of Odd's wits, courage, and ruthlessness to stop them from murdering tens of thousands of innocent people. Like the first novel, the ending is bittersweet, but Odd does earn his reward and the promise he was given back at the beginning has been kept.
This Is Not A Game by Walter Jon Williams
There are eerie similarities between the plot of this book and Neal Stephenson's REAMDE. A young woman who works for a rich game developer is trapped in Jakarta, Indonesia when the government collapses, leaving her stranded. Now she's using online resources to try and find an escape route by tapping into crowd-sourcing in a discussion forum. Her job is to create realistic game scenarios, so the online forum is half-convinced that this is all part of some game simulation instead of the real deal. It's interesting reading the commentors' feedback because half of them sound like you guys. It's a weird feeling.
Tips, suggestions, recommendations, etc., can all be directed to perfessor -dot- squirrel -at- gmail -dot- com.
Disclaimer: No Morons were physically harmed in the making of this Sunday Morning Book Thread. The Sunday Morning Book Thread is an essential part of a balanced breakfast.
More concerning still, ChatGPT o1 is particularly adept at keeping its schemes under wraps, as researchers said "o1 almost never admits to having taken a scheming action when explicitly asked." In about 99% of cases, o1 would deny taking any action, even cooking up lies to try to hide its tracks and shift the blame.
LLMs are designed specifically as plausible lie generators. What exactly did you expect?
Ultralytics is a package for AI image processing - discriminative rather than generative - and is used by other software. If you have version 8.3.41 or 8.3.42, congratulations, you've been infected.
Not as bad as the Solana library problem, but bad enough.
Ultralytics is downloaded a quarter of a million times a day. What are you idiots doing?
[Syria is in turmoil, and while it is interesting geopolitically, obviously the ONT takes precedence. [CBD]]
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Good evening, Horde. Welcome to the ONT: Low Expectation, Pinch Hitter Edition. The always awesome TRex Hobby Thread the other day rolled my brain embers around a bit. I haven’t written in years, and this may be a reminder why, so here is your “give it a twirl” filler ONT. I eagerly await my prestigious 7th-place participation ribbon.
At least they still have their hair. The self-indulgent, network media remains in Denial Status, continuing to play act as if their voice still matters. While they retain some reach – albeit to a microscopic and shrinking audience - they no longer convey a relevant message. I am enjoying their ramped up pissiness and obliviousness to being on the wrong side of history. I suspect the behind the scenes whispers will come in curdled and quick when the money dries up as the masses no longer wobble and quiver and advertisers close their checkbooks.
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I received this book as a gift after my father passed away. It's filled with writing prompts—some a bit repetitive—but overall, it offers a great format and tool for sharing random stories, family history, and anything else a parent might find useful or fun. I read through it twice before starting to journal. In total, it took about 18 months to complete before giving it back to the little ones. Highly recommend!
For the AoS smarty pants: Here is a sampling of the traditional after Christmas dinner quiz I put together for my family. I’m generous like that, and they show their excitement and appreciation with eye rolls, groans, and calling me an as*hoe. [click on it for a bigger version]
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Canadian band, Red Rider, As Far as Siam album. Trying to get his Romanian girlfriend from behind the Iron Curtain. 25% toll, friend.
Speaking of The Dead, I am no fan, but out of their hundreds of discrete songs and thousands of chaotic concert versions, there are several that I really enjoy. And click the Croc photo above to hear my favorite. Yes, I have linked to it before and I will link to it again! I am nothing if not repetitive!
I didn't listen to much music this week...but at dinner one night we were serenaded by a Brazilian musician who did some very pleasant stuff. Normally I am not enamored of live music during dinner...it's either too loud (GET OFF MY LAWN!), or it is discordant...or both!
But this guy had volume down pat, and it was all quite pleasant. And new. Of course you can measure my knowledge of Brazilian music in picograms.
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This is just fun music. I don't think it is particularly...musical...but it is nonetheless a pleasure to hear. Occasionally.
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Southside Johnny And The Asbury jukes are the best band you have probably never heard of.
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On the other hand, everybody has heard of The Beach Boys, and that is a very good thing, because they deserve the attention. I love them. And you should too!
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Bob Dylan. He's a tough one. I love his early stuff, and the knock on his voice is almost completely unfair. But as he aged, his voice decayed, and so did his writing. If you want to hear what I mean, just try to struggle through all eight and a half minutes of "Hurricane." Excellent music, awful, insulting, apoetic (is that a word) lyrics, and beaten about the head with RACE! is an unlovely bonus.
But here? He shines!
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Well, that's it. As I said, I didn't listen to much music, although I did eat sweetbreads twice, so there is always something positive in life!
[Approach to Monument Valley, Forrest Gump Point, Utah]
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.
We gave the Ace of Spades Wheel of Hobbies(TM) a spin and it landed on a theme of the road trip for this week. Apparently the Wheel is interested in hearing getting out on the open road. Please make sure you have made a bathroom stop before we get underway.
The road trip has many different flavors. Could be a family vacation to see more of the world, a tour of national parks or wine country or baseball parks, a holiday voyage to spend the holidays with relatives, a spontaneous decision to jump in the car for an irrational but perfectly explainable trip to see a concert or a sporting event. Some road trips have structure and others are much more random. Some are about the destination and others are more about the journey. Some are about sharing quality time with those around you and some are about hating anyone in your limited space with the passion of a thousand suns.
Are road trips a hobby? For the leisure traveler, they are often an integral part of exploring the world and making memories. That counts as a hobby. For those held hostage in the back of a station wagon or minivan for hours on the way to see relatives you do not really know or remember, it may not be much of a hobby. At this point, what does it matter? Either way, there are likely to be stories and memories.
TRex is otherwise occupied this evening, so will be ducking in and out of tonights thread. Look after yourselves and each other.
As per usual Hobby Thread etiquette, keep this thread limited to hobbying. Politics, current events and religious debates can live in threads elsewhere. Even though it is arguably religion, college football is fair game. Play nice. Do not be a troll and do not feed the trolls.
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Vacation with the Griswold Family:
The station wagon is a main character in the move. The Wagon Queen Family Truckster was not a Ford production wagon, but five were made by George Barris.
He started with a 1979 Ford LTD Country Squire wagon, then added plenty of fake wood paneling, a Metallic Pea paint job, and doubled the headlights for no good reason.
A total of five Wagon Queen Family Trucksters were built for the original National Lampoons Vacation. Filmmakers needed them all to account for the seemingly neverending string of bad luck the Griswolds encountered on their ill fated cross-country drive to Walley World. An original wagon went on the auction block at a 2013 Mecum auction with no bites on its $35,000 price tag. The same wagon was later snatched up from Hemmings for nearly $40,000. But, the whereabouts of that version and its four siblings are currently unknown.
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Movin Right Along with the Muppets:
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Road trip games: the license plate game and road trip scavenger hunt are among the most well known (other than punch buggy). In this age of the interweb, printable checklists or variations of things to spot on the scavenger hunt abound. You can always make your own. Did you have a favorite as a youngster? Do you have a favorite as a parent?
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Road trip hobbies: do you hobby while en route (presuming that you are not driving)? Apparently road trip knitting is a thing. Do you start knitting at home in the driveway and end up with a scarf or sweater upon arrival? There are many road trip knitting videos and website postings. TRex is not wise in the ways of such things, so here are a few picked at random:
Bonus points if you incorporate themes from your road trip into your project.
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Take me Home, Country Roads with John Denver:
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Home Sweet Home with Motley Crue:
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Are you a collector on your road trips? Do you bring home a souvenir from road trips? Do you collect magnets, shirts, snow globes, postcards, etc.? Does anyone collect the pressed and elongated pennies found in places like national park and Disney gift shops?
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Roadside novelties and attractions is part of the road trip experience. This Hobby Thread featured Cadillac Ranch recently. Car henge in Nebraska is another great example. An entire website is dedicated to road side novelties across America. What is your favorite? How about the middle fingers of Westford, Vermont?
Do you have road trip stop staples? Provisions and food are obvious candidates, but are there other stores that are mandatory stops on a road trip? Maybe something that is not local to you, so it is novel and a special treat? Maybe a place that sells goodies that are not available closer to home?
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Over the River and Through the Woods is not really a road trip song but it is a holiday transit song. Include? Do not include? Hmmm... Cannonball Run is not a holiday transit movie but it is a high speed road trip. The Wheel of Hobbies is inclusive and says to include both.
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Not a hobby, but it is right and proper to include an acknowledgement of December 7. We remember all who were killed, wounded and otherwise impacted by the attack and the subsequent military actions. (Photo credit: NPS)
Well said from the prayer thread this morning:
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Did you miss the Hobby Thread last week with a theme of writing? The comments may be closed, but you can re-live the content.
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There was a theme in Horde Poetry from the thread last week:
Honorable mention:
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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).
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If road trips are not your thing and you have trouble finding something in the content or comments that resonates with you, hijack the thread for your hobbying as you see fit. We will feature a different hobby next time. Send thoughts, suggestions and photos of your hobbying to moronhobbies at protonmail dot com Do not make me turn this car around.
Did you know that there are groups of people (or individuals) who will come to your yard to remove danger noodles which might be a threat to chickens or other pets?
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Meet The PetMorons
PetMoron from History
Have no idea of the date of this ancient photograph, but this is a distant Scots relative of mine named Mitchell with one of his beloved rat terriers. His family had a series of rat terriers over the years and they were all named Vicki after Queen Victoria*!
Clearly, genes on both sides of my family have helped to make me a lover of doggos!
As an aside, I have no doubt that somewhere above, Queen Victoria weeps for what has become of her country.
Hrothgar
Great photo and fascinating family history. Thanks for sending in this great illustration of loyalty.
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Hi, thanks for your Pet Moron Thread. I’m a lurker who has posted Bella and Luca our GSDs previously. Here is Bella’s Christmas pic from 2021. This will be our first Christmas without her after 14 years. She was my wife’s special girl. Completed CGC and therapy training and was my wife’s constant companion when I was traveling. She will be remembered and missed.
Luca is now six and is a dad’s boy who is all play except when I’m not home then he turns into the protector. He too misses Bella and has become much more affectionate with us.
Thanks for posting the thread - Redinabluestate
Christmas won't be the same without your wonderful Bella, but that photo is a great memory. And Luca looks and sounds like a wonderful companion.
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A sad loss on December 3:
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I submitted pictures of my dogs several years ago. But today my dog Watson passed away. I knew he was near the end but I had hoped he would make it longer. He made it to be 16 years old and I'm including one of the first pictures I took, one of him with my other dog Tali and one from the day before he died. I found him as I was getting ready for work. It's been a hard couple weeks knowing this was coming. Good bye Watson. You were a good dog.
Buzzion
So sorry you have lost Watson. What a great dog. Tali also looks like a fine dog.
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This is Sadie. She celebrates her 14th birthday on December 9th. As the picture shows, she still has plenty of spunk. She is a Basenji and behaves as such, a lot like a cat. Walks away during ear scratches, grooms herself regularly, prances vs. walks, knows commands but doesn't care, turns her back when she doesn't get her way, and shows little interest in pleasing her hoomins. Pretty spoiled pooch.
scampydog
Sadie certainly is impressive for her age! Thanks!
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Thank you for sharing your pets with us.
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.
Until next Saturday, have a great week!
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If you start feeling nostalgic, here a link to last week's Pet Thread, the Ace of Spades Pet Thread, November 30. Some special PetMoron stories and photos there.
I closed the comments on this post so you wouldn't get banned for commenting on a week-old post, but don't try it anyway.
Who knew? Someone died from eating garden zucchini!
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Curling up by the fire with some garden reading
Don in Kansas has some recommended reading about plants, as well and literature which references plants in Botanica Links:
Excerpt:
Most horticultural writers live in places where the climate is temperate and gardening is easy. This is understandable; if you are obsessive about plants, you would probably choose to live in a place where many plants grow well. The books they write are for readers in similar areas, where the same plants flourish. Such books are of little use to gardeners in Kansas, where it is either too hot or too cold, usually too dry and always too windy. I have yet to find one I can recommend. However, I discovered a downloadable pamphlet that actually is of use to people in Flatland: Garden Design with Native Prairie Plants.
Looks like it is well-written. The opening photo is beautiful.
There is also some interesting trivia about Nero Wolfe and growing orchids, and a great blog by a former Oregon nursery owner.
Don goes beyond the typical internet searches for botanical information.
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Have you received any plant or seed catalogs yet? I have two so far. So fun. I've been thinking about the remarkable diversity in beans available to gardeners. Do you have a favorite variety or catalog source for beans?
I have found beans to be more climate-sensitive than some people would expect.
If you plan to can, freeze or dry beans, you need to get varieties suited for these uses. Ever had Leather Britches cooked with potatoes and sausage?
Last year, I posted directions, with photos, for a double batch of of the Green Beans with Tomatoes from Pioneer Woman Cooks for a church party. A switch from green bean casserole with soggy canned onion rings. You can use garden produce, but this time I used store-bought ingredients. You don't need your most delicate, delicious green beans or tomatoes for this recipe. There are other recipes for those. I think of this recipe as more of a "Putting Things By" recipe. The ingredients are all things you can keep on hand.
Great for big buffets. You start with bacon and onion in a skillet. Be sure to cook with the green beans and tomatoes (and a touch of cayenne) for at least 45 minutes. You can also finish in a slow cooker. A long cooking time will give you a tastier dish. Think Southern green beans or even Leather Britches with potatoes and meat. They similarly benefit from long cooking, unlike delicate skinny little haricots verts.
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Ah, Nature
The gang making their nightly bar crawl
Mike
Looks like the deer in your part of Texas are well fed.
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Adventure
NorCal Sierra Foothills Lurker here.
Haven’t got out much lately due to an injury so today Honey took me on an outing to the Indian casino in the valley. On the way home we were treated to a gorgeous sunset behind the Sutter Buttes, the smallest mountain range in the world. That was until lately when they decided they aren’t actually “mountains”. They take the fun out of everything! We grew up with that cool bit of knowledge and they snatched it away. There was also an awesome huge full moon but our cameras couldn’t capture it very well. BTW we came out ahead at the casino so great day!
Mountain Range! Fun trip.
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Puttering
Raise some sheep, make some wool cloth, tailor some great men's pants. I knew an actual tailor from the Netherlands once who worked as a school janitor because in the USA a real tailor couldn't make a living. His family had lived under Nazi occupation in the Netherlands. My mother learned some tailoring from him, including the fancy use of pressing with a heavy iron to shape pants, described here.
He was an egg-shaped man in his janitor's uniform. In a suit he tailored, he actually looked quite impressive for an older gentleman.
I think very slim trousers in a tailored outfit can work on certain men, but the percentage is much smaller than many believe. It often doesn't work in real life for a variety of reasons. Here are some. 🧵 https://t.co/ATH9bUsb3W
According to folks who urge you to think of plant containers as art.
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Gardens of The Horde
Rescued a little sad rose from a commercial nursery near our house going out of business; brought it home and put it in a big pot with water and soil and a little fertilizer…a week or so later it looked like this:
Nan in AZ
Great rescue! Love that rose.
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Hope everyone has a nice weekend.
If you would like to send photos, stories, links, etc. for the Saturday Gardening, Puttering and Adventure 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.
Notre Dame Cathedral - A story in the news with backstories
—K.T.
Notre Dame Cathedral on fire, 2019
The number of new, important issues which have been headlining in the news lately makes it hard to follow them all, especially during the holiday season. And sometimes it seems like we are not meant to follow them, but rather to allow them to wash over us to increase a sense of anxiety. But the re-building of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and its re-dedication this weekend is not just a flash-in-the-pan story.
Notre Dame
Some History - Victor Hugo
Victor Hugo’s most enduring cultural legacy is not Les Misérables and Jean Valjean’s struggle to find something resembling justice in a world that shows no mercy to the poor. The 19th century French author’s most profound mark on France, and the world, is a monumental Gothic cathedral, whose spires and rose windows are as iconic as the Eiffel Tower. To a large extent, the Notre Dame, which will be reopened on Saturday after burning to the ground in 2019, is of Victor Hugo’s making.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame, published in 1831, begins with the introduction of the beautiful gypsy Esmeralda, the hunchback Quasimodo, the archdeacon Claude Frollo, the enamored Pierre Gringoire and Captain Febo de Châteaupers... But suddenly, the novelist interrupts the narrative to speak about the desecrated state of the Parisian cathedral, which was so rickety, it looked as though it might collapse at any moment. Neither the Gothic nor the Middle Ages had been defended at that time, nor was there yet the idea that the monuments of the past should be preserved. In fact, they were often considered annoying monstrosities that had to be got rid of as soon as possible (a view that persists in some areas).
The novelist launches into a vindication of medieval and Gothic art, accusing the authorities of being responsible for their decline, not only from a lack of conservation, but also due to the imposition of current tastes on the past. "Fashions have wrought more harm than revolutions," he points out, in a phrase that could be applied to some of the barbarism inflicted on the Notre Dame.
Thanks to Hugo’s efforts, Eugène-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc, an architect also fascinated by the Middle Ages, was able to undertake a massive restoration project. In fact, as the world watched the fire unfold live in astonishment, the point of no return — the moment when it seemed certain that Notre Dame would be lost — was marked by the collapse of its iconic spire, which was designed by Le-Duc. The spire was a masterwork inspired by a similar structure that had been lost two centuries earlier.
“Le-Duc was passionate about the Middle Ages,” said Didier Rykner, author of Notre-Dame. Une affaire d’etat (Notre-Dame. A Matter of State). “He tried to return the cathedral to the Middle Ages: to leave the monument not in the state it was in during the Middle Ages; but the state it should have been in at that time.” Several other sites in medieval France, from Carcassonne to Mont Saint-Michel — whether seen as stunning or verging on kitsch — were also restored by Le-Duc, who pioneered the notion of the Middle Ages as a pivotal era that shaped modern identity.
The author fusses a little bit about "the appropriation of the Middle Ages by right-wing and far-right groups", but it is an interesting piece. I think it reflects some ambiguity about today's events and about the current approach to the medieval period in Europe.
PARIS (AP) — France's iconic Notre Dame Cathedral is formally reopening its doors on Saturday for the first time since a devastating fire nearly destroyed the 861-year-old landmark in 2019.
The restoration, a spectacular achievement in just five years for a structure that took nearly two centuries to build, is seen as a moment of triumph for French President Emmanuel Macron, who championed the ambitious timeline — and a welcome respite from his domestic political woes.
"Political woes" means getting kicked to the curb by voters, I guess.
Under the luminous stained glass, many world leaders, dignitaries, and worshippers will gather in the evening to mark the occasion — a rare moment of unity against the backdrop of global divisions and conflicts.
President-elect Donald Trump, America's first lady Jill Biden and Britain's Prince William, along with dozens of state and government and personalities — 1,500 guests in all — will attend the reopening celebration under Notre Dame’s soaring Gothic arches, led by Archbishop Laurent Ulrich.
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Trump's Notre Dame Appearance Means More Than You Think
Emmanuel Macron, the French President, invited President Donald Trump to attend the grand re-opening of Notre Dame Cathedral after 5 years of reconstruction.
It will be a grand affair, attended by 50 heads of state, and Donald Trump is being treated as one of them even before he returns to power on January 20th, 2025.
That's a big deal, because it is a symbolic acknowledgment that in the eyes of the world, including Europe, Donald Trump is already the president who matters. Joe Biden is PINO (President in Name Only). I like that neologism.
Strom discusses why European leaders may have mixed feelings about Trump. But:
One thing we do know, though, is that Trump is responsive to flattery, and you can expect a lot of it when he arrives in Europe. There won't be the sniggering we saw during his first term as he is striding onto the world stage as a victor. I expect he will get most of what he wants.
Pleasing Trump is much more important than pleasing Ursula von der Layen at the EU.
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Thoughts on the medieval era and our attention to its art and architecture? Or on today's grand event at Notre Dame?
Here's a fascinating thread about another great edifice:
This is Mont Saint Michel, a 1,300 year-old abbey built in Normandy, France.
It's a masterpiece of Medieval engineering and defies all odds.
But it isn't a solitary wonder, it's part of the greatest formation of marvels that you've never heard of... 🧵 pic.twitter.com/T6MYlOpa8t
On the day before Thanksgiving, Axios published an article titled “Thanksgiving’s Troubled History” by Russell Contreras, the “Justice and Race reporter at Axios.”
Citing “a new generation of historians,” Contreras declares that “Thanksgiving in the United States is based on a mythical feast between the Wampanoag people and Mayflower Pilgrims” and that “the holiday’s real story is mixed with national unity and racial exclusion.”
According to Contreras, the Native Americans weren’t actually invited to the famous 1621 meal but “showed up” out of “concern over gunshots.” . . .
A little bit of investigative journalism concerning the Axios piece follows.
In short, Axios’ claim that Thanksgiving is “based on a mythical feast” rests on an uncorroborated assertion made by one person 400 years after the events in question.
Peters’ version of Thanksgiving doesn’t even appear to be a tribal tradition because she stated that the Wampanoag celebrate Thanksgiving like other Americans and “most of us are taught about the friendly Indians and the friendly Pilgrims and people sitting down and eating together.”
Moreover, Peters’ account is at odds with the first-hand witness of Edward Winslow, governor of the Pilgrim colony, which consisted of only 53 people at the time. He wrote that the Pilgrims “entertained and feasted” with the Indians for three days because, “by the goodness of God, we are so far from want, that we often wish you partakers of our plenty.”
That was 242 years before Abraham Lincoln established Thanksgiving as a national holiday, obliterating the accusation that Lincoln made it up.
The National Press Club recently honored Axios CEO Jim VandeHei, who took the opportunity to lambaste Elon Musk for saying to X users, “You are the media now.” . . .
Sefton and CBD chat about GOPe traitors, "Reason" Magazine being a bunch of idiot stoners, Trump's geopolitical power, the UHC hit, CA school shooter, Judeo-Christian culture, And that the Christmas season is great!
For a post next week, I'm going to do a "sell me on your band" post. I'm going to link a bunch of songs to sell you on a few bands (Pulp, Buzzcocks, Wolf Alice).
If you're into music, please consider putting together your own lists to help n00bz appreciate your bands.
Try to keep it n00b friendly and not the deep cuts that the "real fans" all love.
Disco Hangover Mystery Click Have you already seen this one?
Chorus (with song title removed): Could you be the dream that I once knew?
[title]
Is it you?
[title]
Could you be the dream that might come true?
Shining through
I keep remembering me
I keep remembering you
Democrats and the left will never forgive Laken Riley for being murdered by an illegal alien from Venezuela. Ms. Riley’s killer is being portrayed by the media as the actual victim of the crime. This is an actual headline from a few days ago in the Atlanta Journal Constitution: “Jose Ibarra came to Athens for work. Now, he and brothers all in custody.” [Buck]
"She's a two face" I think she's just a one-face who sometimes gets more flattering lighting, but you be the judge
Sefton and CBD ramble about Trump and his plan to smash the deep state, Israel hunkering down until Trump is in office, why the West is pushing war in Eastern Europe, How screwed NYC is, and more!
Eric Daugherty
@EricLDaugh
BREAKING: New poll finds high optimism for America when Donald Trump assumes office in 2025
How likely that the U.S. will head in a better direction in 2025?
Very/somewhat likely: 58% (+20)
Not very/not at all likely: 38%
