Monday, February 28, 2022

Heh Heh

HT American Digest

Monday Flotsam and Jetsam

Have a new miscellaneous thoughts and observations post up on Substack.

Vladimir Putin has a small penis. There I said it! Please subscribe (it's FREE), hit the Like button, and share with others. Thanks in advance.

Even the Sceptics Should Admit - Trump was Right

President Trump made no bones that Germany should increase their defense spending to come up to their NATO commitment of 2% of GDP going for defense. He also made no bones that becoming dependent on Russian LNG (liquid natural gas) was crazy. Now after Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine - the Germans by their actions are admitting Trump was right.

- In Dramatic Shift, Germany Begins Military Rearmament

- Germany Steps Up Plans to Reduce Dependence on Russian Energy

You would think both of these moves would be bad for Putin bringing into question - was his invasion into Ukraine worth it? The answer is clearly no. Russia was set up to be a cowed Germany's primary gas station but now not so much. Both of these moves also have other repercussions - good news for US and allied arms manufacturers (someone has to arm the Germans) and good news for domestic German energy producers (like the owners of the country's nuclear plants which now seem to be staying on-line for the foreseeable future). 

The big hope is that Putin doesn't start acting like an animal that's been backed into a corner now that his invasion actions are backfiring. 

(HT Instapundit for the links)

Quotes for Today

Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.

"The greatest threat to success is not failure but boredom." - James Clear

"Men desire novelty to such an extent that those who are doing well wish for change as much as those who are doing badly." - Machiavelli

 "Sustaining an effort is the most important thing for any enterprise. The way to be successful is to learn how to do things right, then do them the same way every time." - Pat Riley

"Envy was once considered to be one of the seven deadly sins before it became one of the most admired virtues under its new name 'social justice.'" - Thomas Sowell

Sadly True

Sunday, February 27, 2022

Sit N' Spin

 

No wonder people from my generation are messed up. These were our toys!

The Masks Slip

Glenn Reynolds on how today's elites manipulate America's working class

This is so very true! My hope is people remember how they were treated and looked down upon in the November elections and in 2024 when we choose a new President.

Also feel that from now on the word "elites" should come in quotations because there's nothing "elite" about these people.

War and Food

Arabs fear for wheat supplies after Russia invades Ukraine. There will be bread riots in the Middle East and Africa. And don't forget China who has trouble feeding itself as well.

This is a chance for America to deploy some food diplomacy. We are the world's breadbasket. Just converting the corn used to make Ethanol back to food for human beings, starving human beings, could make a big difference. And we should make that pivot from biofuels back to food permanent. 

The President of Ukraine


"'I need ammunition, not a ride.' Zelensky on the offer of evacuation from Kyiv. Up there with 'Nuts!' in the battle of the bulge." - Matt Ridley

Our leaders look small and petty in comparison.

Quotes for Today

Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.

"To attain knowledge, add things every day. To attain wisdom, remove things every day." - Lao Tzu

"Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what the Kennedy's ever did for your country." - PJ O'Rourke

"Overheard in Silicon Valley: 'Ayn Rand's heroes are fake, but her villains are real." - Marc Andreessen

"The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion." - Albert Camus

How We Got in This Mess...


...or the worst ever acid trip ever!

Saturday, February 26, 2022

Hitler Reacts to Russia Invading Ukraine

 

People Aren't Happy

New data shows Americans more miserable than we have been in half a century. Think its a mistake to blame this all on the pandemic.

Farnam Street Knowledge


 

Letters from a Self-Made Merchant to His Son.

"There is plenty of room at the top here, but there is no elevator in the building." That was perhaps my favorite bit.


Quotes for Today

Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.

"The problem is the English can't remember history, while the Irish can't forget it." - Oscar Wilde

"He serves the State best who opposed the State the most." - Thoreau

"Whenever you are alone, remind yourself that God has sent everyone else away so that there is only you and Him." - Rumi

"My soul would be an outlaw. I can do nothing with it." - Harlan Ellison

100% True


Friday, February 25, 2022

LeBron James is a Hard Person to Root For

And it seems an ever harder person to work with. Read through this litany of James being a spoiled man-child and tell me this describes a likable human.  As a Celtics fan - I've never liked LeBron and it gives me pleasure that James is going to leave the Los Angeles Lakers in tatters when he departs. 

It's said the truly great players elevated the play of those around them. Again - read the history of LeBron's scheming behind the scenes and tell me how he's done that. Bird, Magic, and Michael all made their teammates better players. LeBron tries to get his teammates traded instead. 

Oh and spare me "He's built a school" crap. Tell that to the people of Hong Kong or the people in Chinese labor camps. 

How to Understand the New United Nations IPCC Report

"The current IPCC report is notable because it has stated that among the 5 'illustrative' scenarios that it emphasizes, it assigns no likelihood to any of them."

Instead of apocalyptic warnings about "immediate risk" a top line message of this report should be: Great News! The Extreme Scenario that IPCC Saw as Most Likely in 2013 is Now Judged Low Likelihood. I am actually floored that this incredible change in such a short time apparently hasn't been noticed, much less broadcast around the world.

Bold in original. "The result is a report that appears to have an apocalypse bias." Ya think! 

Apocalypse bias is what gets people worked up enough to donate money and change policies. Don't let the truth get in the way of a good fundraising message. And yes this article was posted in August but the fact I'm just coming across it now emphasizes how the true message of he IPCC report was buried among claims "we only have 12 years to save the planet!"

Friday Flotsam and Jetsam

Have a new miscellaneous thoughts and observations post up on Substack.

I'd tell you to boycott Russia but all their products are shit anyway. Please subscribe (it's FREE), hit the Like button and share with others 

Pandemic Books

The Premonition by Michael Lewis appears to be a very interesting book well worth a read according to this review

Hat tip to Execupundit for opening my mind to the existence of the new offering from Michael Lewis.

Seems like a good book to pair with Viral: The Search for the Origin of Covid-19 by Matt Ridley and Alina Chan. 

I've added both books to my Amazon Wish List (how I keep track of books I'd like to "check out"). 

Quotes for Today

Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.

"He who breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom." - Gandalf 

"The realization that life is absurd cannot be an end, but only a beginning." - Albert Camus

"Simplicity. Patience. Compassion. These three are your greatest treasures." - Lao Tzu

"When you can't win by being better, you can win by being different." - James Clear

Truth

Via

Thursday, February 24, 2022

Let's Not Forget Trudeau's Dictatorial Turn

As the world watches a true gangster exercise dictatorial power in Putin's invasion of Ukraine - let us not forget Justin Trudeau's dictatorial turn up in Canada.  

The man is simply not fit to be the leader of a major nation. He rescinded the Emergency Powers Act not because it was a bad move to begin with but because the polls and the banks (rightly fearing a bank run) told him to do it. The article is right - the mandates were never COVID related.

Now the world's attention (rightly so) turns to Ukraine. But let's not forget Trudeau. Canada is run under a parliamentary system - how come this spoiled jackass hasn't suffered a vote of no confidence by now? 

Bill Introduced to End Federal Subsidies for Pro Sports Teams

A trio of Democratic members of Congress have introduced a bill that would eliminate tax subsidies for pro sports teams looking to build new stadiums and arenas. Dan Snyder and the cesspool that is the Washington Commanders is used as the example of why these subsidies should cease to exist.

Pretty hard to argue against ending these tax incentives for billionaire team owners. 

Thursday Flotsam and Jetsam

Have a new miscellaneous thoughts and observations post up on Substack.

Nixon's the one (person I feel like I haven't asked to subscribe, hit the Like button and share the link with others).  

Quotes for Today

Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.

"The most effective form of motivation is progress." - James Clear

"The first rule of compounding: Never interrupt it unnecessarily." - Charlie Munger

"When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure." - Charles Goodhart

"Can I borrow your towel? My car just hit a water buffalo." - Fletch  

Truth

Wednesday, February 23, 2022

Find Something Beautiful Today


Archaeologists uncover a 2,000-year old Greek floor mosaic in Turkey (photo via). Headline stolen borrowed from Execupundit. 

The Gathering Storm in the West

VDH on how the Canadian truckers have unmasked the Left's leaders like Justin Trudeau. The peaceful truckers have shown the true face of the left and it isn't a pretty sight. Petty dictators at worst - Karens who want to speak to the manager at best.

Let us never forget that Trudeau's first action when faced with the protest of the truckers was to run and hide. Bully's are often also cowards.

Quotes for Today

Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.

"The art of knowing is knowing what to ignore." - Rumi

"Sometimes success is less about making good habits easy and more about making bad habits hard." - James Clear

"Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it." - Confucius

"Comedians didn't suddenly become 'right wing,' the left just went insane and the material is too good to pass up on." - Bridget Phetasy

Iwo Jima


Today is the anniversary of the iconic photo by Joe Rosenthal of the raising of the American flag on Mount Suribashi on Iwo Jima. The fighting on the island actually started four days earlier on February 19th. The story of this battle is something every high school student should have to learn before they are allowed to graduate.

Semper Fidelis.

Tuesday, February 22, 2022

The Internet is a Strange Place

 

Actual commercial for a tattoo parlor. (Hope the tune gets stuck in your head - like it did to mine.)

Tesla Smartphone

 


There has been no announcements of any kind from Tesla and if you think about it - the SpaceX Starlink receiver for broadband service is about the size of a pizza box. No way that footprint has been shrunk to the size of an iPhone.

There have been many cool features attributed to the Model Pi - hopefully some day they'll become a reality (instead of an elaborate prank).

Tuesday Flotsam and Jetsam

Have a new miscellaneous thoughts and observations post up on Substack.

Hypno Toad says to hit the link, Subscriber(if you already haven't), hit the Like button, and share with others. All hail Hypno Toad! 

Quotes for Today

Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.

 "Do one thing today that makes tomorrow easier. Repeat." - Shane Parrish

"The less scheduled you are, the more creative you're going to be." - Naval Ravikant

"Vision without execution is hallucination." - Walter Isaacson

"Business is a never-ending quest to deliver the same result in an easier fashion." - James Clear

Do You Believe in Miracles?

 

42-years ago today.

Monday, February 21, 2022

Lia Thomas Smashes Ivy League Swimming Records

Interesting observations from the Ivy League swimming championships held at Harvard and how Lia Thomas won all her events easily.

Most people have knee-jerk reactions to this situation but to be honest my opinion changed after reading Brooke Forde's statement on the situation. Forde most likely will be competing against Thomas at the upcoming NCAA championships. 

I wrote this post a while ago mostly in jest. But now I can really see the situation devolving from people suggesting having a Men's Division, Women's Division and a Trans Division to just having a Swim Team with the best times and athletes competing. 

The road to hell is paved with good politically correct intentions.

What if Russia Wins?

Interesting look at potentially what would be the scenarios if Russia wins in Ukraine.

I disagree with a few points. For example, "The election of Donald Trump [in 2024] or of a Trumpian candidate might destroy the transatlantic relationship at Europe's hour of maximum peril." This opinion completely disregards the fact that Crimea was annexed by Russia under the Obama Administration and this current crisis was invited by the weakness of the Biden Administration. Trump actually seemed to have a good relationship with Putin with clear boundaries and Trump was also good at getting NATO members to spend their fair share on defense spending (a move that seems prescient now).

Both Turkey and Germany seem unwilling to invoke or participate in Article 5 if Ukraine is invaded (which is fair enough since Ukraine is not a member of NATO).

The article also doesn't emphasize what a war in Ukraine could do to the world food supply. Ukraine provides 12% of the world's wheat and 16% of the world's corn. Both Russia and China have trouble enough feeding their people as is. If there was a war in Ukraine - people in both Russia and China will have trouble putting food on the table which will end up stressing the government's of both Putin and Xi Jinping as hungry people make for angry people. 

My guess is Putin is playing the Biden Administration to gain some concessions. Putin will probably wind down the show of force after the Nord Stream pipeline is completed. Hell the way things are today Putin can do all this saber rattling - get what he wanted all along and then get rewarded with a Nobel Peace Prize as the kicker.

Quotes for Today

Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.

"Is it wrong to gamble, or only to lose?" - Sky Masterson (Guys and Dolls)

"The virus here is government - or at least the incompetents who advise our rulers and cannot admit the legitimacy of distension."  - David Mamet

"The more serious you take yourself, the unhappier you're going to be." - Naval Ravikant

"Love your country, but never trust its government." - Robert Heinlein

106th Anniversary of the Battle of Verdun

Today marks the the 106th anniversary of one of the events that changed the world forever. On February 21st in 1916 - the Battle of Verdun began. The battle was to change the course of Western Civilization. 

The idea for the battle was from German Chief of Staff, Erich von Falkenhayn. He believed that if he could take-out France with a major set battle and discourage England to a point that Germany could be in a position to negotiate very favorable terms. To accomplish his goals - Falkenhayn proposed unrestricted submarine warfare to starve Britain and a knockout blow against France at Verdun. With this major battle at Verdun, Falkenhayn hoped to "bleed France white".

It was an ambitious plan - an aggressive plan. Falkenhayn knew that to attack at Verdun he'd have to take resources away from the Eastern Front and that unrestricted submarine warfare ran the risk of bringing the U.S. into the war. Falkenhayn reasoned that Russia was on the brink of revolution and internal civil war in Russia would allow them to take those resources from the Eastern Front and that the decisive blow to France would come before the US was dragged into the war. He was right on the former but wrong on the latter.

Verdun seemed the perfect place to attack. It actually jutted out into the German lines - so it could be attacked from three sides. It was also of historical and psychological significance to Frenchmen (somewhat akin to what the Alamo is to Americans).

The job of attacking Verdun fell to German Crown Prince Wilhelm. He planned to assault the town from both sides of the surrounding Meuse River but that plan vetoed by Falkenhayn. After coming up with a daring, aggressive plan - Falkenhayn was suddenly cautious. Falkenhayn ordered the attack to be confined to one side of the river. Similar to a poker game, Falkenhayn was beaten on the river. Falkenhayn had pocket Aces of a plan but he failed to put enough chips at risk to drive the other player out. By not being aggressive when he should have - he gave France free cards and allowed himself and Germany to literally be beaten on the river.

With so many people who eventually died in the battle, a poker analogy may seem flip but the fact is the Germans had one million troops against 200,000 defenders. They did hold Aces before the battle.

When the attack finally began, the Germans bombarded Verdun with 1,400 guns that rained Verdun with 100,000 shells every hour. The Germans failed to immediately follow up the bombardment with an full-scale infantry attack and what resulted was a stalemate which was to last for months and months.

The dead and wounded from both sides piled up so that both countries were being "bled white". The French begged Britain to open up a diversionary attack elsewhere on the Western Front to drain resources and men away from Verdun on the German side. Thus the Battle of the Somme was born. 

By the time the battle of Verdun ended almost one million casualties had been inflicted in roughly equal numbers for both sides. The Battle of the Somme resulted in about 1.1 million casualties (about 400,000 British, 200,000 French and 500,000 German). The unrestricted submarine warfare resulted in the Americans being dragged into the War (remember that President Woodrow Wilson was elected on a peace platform). The American joined the fight just as both sides were literally exhausted from being "bled white" from Verdun and the Somme and the rest is history (including the harsh terms imposed on Germany that led to the rise of Adolph Hitler and the Nazi Party).

Sunday, February 20, 2022

Vincent and the Doctor

 

Went to the Van Gogh Immersion Exhibit in Boston and afterwards I was troubled. Not by the exhibition - it was beautiful - but by the above episode of Dr Who. In the episode the Doctor shows Van Gogh the impact he had in his life. It was OK for the Doctor to show him the future because Van Gogh was about to die.

But Van Gogh committed suicide. Did the Doctor tell him if he killed himself he'd be famous? Because seeing the impact Van Gogh has in the future should have been enough to snap him out of the deepest depression. Now I'm troubled by the episode.

Find Something Beautiful Today

Alan Shepard playing golf on the moon (photo via). Headline stolen borrowed from Execupundit.

Quotes for Today

Some quotes that I hope may resonate with you.

"It is not philosophy we are after, but the behavior of real things." - Richard Feynman

"There's only one standard of justice in the field of economics: the verdict of a free market." - Ayn Rand

"Very little is needed to make a happy life." - Marcus Aurelius Antonius

"The meaning of life is just to be alive. It is so plain and so obvious and so simple. And yet, everybody rushes around in a great panic as if it were necessary to achieve something beyond themselves." - Alan Watts

Truth

Saturday, February 19, 2022

10 of the Most Influential Science Photos of All-Time


10 of the most influential science photos of all-time. Above is the the famous Earthrise photo. Almost picked the one of Einstein and Neils Bohr simply because I always that Bohr was taller than Einstein but the photo says otherwise. 

Is It Too Early to Get Excited about Web3?

Interesting, even-handed, look at Web3 and if it is too early to get excited about it.

The article is a couple months old but it was new to me. Wonder if the Canadian government freezing the fiat currency accounts of protestors and the fact more Americans own crypto (24%) than have savings accounts (23%) would have changed the authors mind? Now is it time to get excited about Web3?

Pat Riley on the Remarkable Power of Getting 1% Better

James Clear with an except from Atomic Habits on Pat Riley and his CBE (Career Best Effort) program

Reading that I kept wondering if CBE is now kept somewhere as an advanced performance metric? If not - why not? It would seem to be as useful a tool to basketball as WAR (Wins Above Replacement) was to baseball. 

Quotes for Today

Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.

"Any endeavor has unintended consequences. Any ill-conceived endeavor has more." - Stephen Tobolowsky  

"Science is the belief in the ignorance of experts."- Richard Feynman

"Some people aren't used to an environment where excellence is expected." - Steve Jobs

 "Never start a sentence you don't know how to finish." - Paul Dirac 

Sadly This is How It Works These Days

Via

Friday, February 18, 2022

Now Trudeau's the Sexiest Man in Canada

Via

Interesting Look at Peloton

Peloton is a business case study waiting to happen.

It could also be the ready-made outline for a new HBO series. So many twists and turns.

Scary Data From Scotland

The above is why they had to change the definition of the word "vaccine."  And now because the data doesn't support a specific narrative - they're going to stop publishing it. Wouldn't want the truth being "misunderstood" - or reported at all.

Friday Flotsam and Jetsam

Have a new miscellaneous thoughts and observations post up on Substack.

Tony Stark makes you feel he's a cool exec with a heart of steel but I'm sure he'd click the link, subscribe (it's Free), hit the Like button, and share with others. Good ole Iron Man!

Quotes for Today

Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.

"When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves." - Victor Frankl

"It is easy to grin when your ship comes in and you've got the stock market beat. But the man worthwhile is the man who can smile when his shorts are too tight in the seat." - Judge Smails

"Don't spend your time making other people happy. Other people being happy is their problem. It's not your problem. If you are happy, it makes other people happy." - Naval Ravikant

"Silence is the language of God, all else is poor translation." - Rumi

And Enjoy Your Workout

Thursday, February 17, 2022

Squidward's Revenge on Mr. Crab

Why Global Warming is Good for Us

Matt Ridley on how climate change is creating a greener, safer planet.

This also confirms much of the information discussed on a recent Joe Rogan Experience podcast with scientist Steven Koonin. I've added Koonin's book Unsettled: What Climate Science Tells Us, What It Doesn't, and Why It Matters to my wish list and hope to read it soon.

When this subject comes up I always think on how a slightly warmer climate could open the great plains in Canada and in Siberia to longer and better growing conditions which by itself could wipe out world hunger. More food - less hunger: how is that a bad thing? 

Why They're So Afraid of the Truckers

Interesting comparison of the Canadian truckers protest to 1981's Solidarity movement in Poland. "Then, like now, academics and media were a tool of the first resort to suppress and smear political opposition." 

That comparison also reminded me of how the Obama White House shunned Lech Walesa. The Left, for decades, hasn't been interested in workers rights or making life better for the middle class. Just the appearance of being for those things.

Quotes for Today

 Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.

"The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not 'Eureka!' but, 'That's funny.'" - Isaac Asimov

"Maybe it's the beer talking but I really like beer." - Chris Lynch

"Without courage we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can't be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest." - Maya Angelou

"Who's that trip, tropping over my bridge?" - Jennifer Rubin

Truth

Wednesday, February 16, 2022

45 Years Ago This Month

Wednesday Flotsam and Jetsam

Have a new miscellaneous thoughts and observations post up on Substack.

Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for me by hitting the link, subscribing (it's FREE), hitting the Like button, and sharing with others. Thank you for your support.

Quotes for Today PJ O'Rourke Edition (RIP)

Some PJ O'Rourke quotes I hope may resonate with you.

"When buying and selling are controlled by legislation, the first things to be bought and sold are legislators." - P.J. O'Rourke

"Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys." - P.J. O'Rourke 

"Authority has always attracted the lowest elements in the human race. All through history mankind has been bullied by scum." - P.J. O'Rourke

"There are just two rules of governance in a free society. Mind your own business. Keep your hands to yourself." - P.J. O'Rourke

Beatnik Dictionary

Tuesday, February 15, 2022

PJ O'Rourke

Conservative humorist PJ O'Rourke has passed aged 74. Here's a good appreciation of the man.

 Was a big fan of O'Rourke's. He was one of a kind.

Ivan Reitman - An Appreciation

The legacy of Ivan Reitman: he made blockbuster anarchy the new rebellion.

Nice appreciation of producer/director Ivan Reitman who passed way too early aged 75 on Saturday. 

Jordan Peterson's Message to the Truckers in Ottawa

The Atlas (Missile) Shrugged

Article on how Elon Musk and his SpaceX company is making great progress towards returning man to the Moon while NASA and Musk's aerospace competitors are being left in the dust. 

This is nothing new for those paying attention. What the article doesn't go into is how instead of competing - companies like Boeing and Blue Origin (Jeff Bezos) are using lawsuits and political lobbying to try and slow SpaceX down.

The one new nugget from the article for me was, "Starship can carry a C-17 of cargo [for the US military] and get it anywhere in the world in an hour." That's cool.  Starship would probably need a smaller footprint to land than a C-17 too but I wonder how the Army would unload the rocket?

Quotes for Today

Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.

"The secret of change is to focus all your energy. Not on fighting the old, but on building the new." - Socrates

"There is only one god, and his His name is Death. And there is only one thing we say to Death: 'not today.'" - Syrio Forel

"Relax. You'll live longer "and" perform better." - Naval Ravikant

"Why, then, do we continue to pursue joys without substance! Because the pursuit itself has become our only substitute for joy." - Thomas Merton

Better Safe Than Sorry

Monday, February 14, 2022

The Irish Symbolism Behind Dracula

Wait what? Tyler Cowen on the symbolism of Bram Stoker's Dracula being about Irish independence and self-determination?

Reminds me of how I would randomly tell my kids that any song currently playing on the radio was about heroin. Didn't matter if it was The Little Drummer Boy or The Macarena - the song was about heroin. And I could give a plausible explanation of the symbolism. The donkey in the Little Drummer Boy was symbolic of his heroin addiction for example. It's become a family joke, I'd say, "You know what this song is about?" To which they'd all respond, "Heroin - right?"

Now using Tyler Cowen's example I can say, "No - Irish self-determinism!"

Top 5 - Ivan Reitman Directed Movies

 

Iconic producer/director Ivan Reitman has passed away aged 75. It can be argued that Reitman was the most successful director of the 1980's. Here are what I consider Reitman's top 5 movies he directed:

2. Stripes (easily could have been the top choice)
4. Meatballs (Bill Murray's first starring role)
5. Dave (have a soft spot in my heart for this flick)

RIP

Monday Flotsam and Jetsam

Have a new miscellaneous thoughts and observations post up on Substack.

Had a $1,000 worth of Super Bowl squares yesterday and not one of them hit so cheer me up by clicking the link, subscribing (it's Free), hitting the Like button and sharing with others.  

Funny Because It's True!

Via

Quotes for Today

Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.

"Liberals measure compassion by how many people are given welfare. Conservatives measure compassion by how many people no longer need it." - Rush Limbaugh

"The real act of discovery consists not in finding new lands, but in seeing with new eyes." - Marcel Proust

"It is remarkable how much long-term advantage people like us have gotten by trying to be consistently not stupid, instead of trying to be very intelligent." - Charlie Munger

"Tell me what you know. Tell me what you don't know. Only then can you tell me what you think. Always keep these three things separate." - Colin Powell

Happy Valentine's Day from Ayn Rand


Sunday, February 13, 2022

Budweiser Upside Down Clown

 

In what has become a Super Bowl tradition for me - I'm posting my favorite Super Bowl commercial of all-time - the Budweiser Upside Down Clown. This commercial only ran once because it was so disturbing (butt so damn funny!).

To Live on Mars - Go Underground?

Interesting look at what it might take to learn how to live underground on Mars

What struck me for the first time is how interconnected Elon Musk's companies are toward the goal of living on Mars. SpaceX's connection is obvious but Tesla is not just a car company it is also a battery and solar power company. Both of those things will be very necessary towards life on Mars. And once the concept of needing to live underground is understood - the role of The Boring Company also becomes self evident.

Who Wore it Better?


Quotes for Today

Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.

"We are often more frightened than hurt; and we suffer more from imagination than from reality." - Seneca

"'No' is often a decision, frequently temporary, to maintain the status quo." - Chris Voss

"He who knows, does not speak. He who speaks does not know." - Lao Tzu

 "It is a rough road that leads to the heights of greatness." - Seneca

Chuck Yeager

Today would have been General Yeager's 99th birthday. Happy birthday General! You are greatly missed.

I'm guessing if you'd asked him - he would probably would have been more proud of this accomplishment than of breaking the sound barrier.

And here's another example why Chuck Yeager was the man!

Saturday, February 12, 2022

Matt Taibbi on Russell Brand

Matt Taibbi on Russell Brand and how he's growing in popularity because he actually open-minded.

Been a fan of Russell Brand for quite a while - here's something he wrote 9-years ago that helps illustrate how erudite and humorous the guy can be.  

I'm a fan of both Matt Taibbi and Russel Brand. I don't care that they've both been identified as Right-Wing. 

Elon Musk on the National Debt

It is said that many a truth is said in jest, but here it looks like a truth was spoken Tweeted in response to a jest.

"True national debt, including unfunded entitlements, is at least $60 trillion - roughly three time the size of the entire US economy. Something has to give." - Elon Musk

That Tweet was in response to this article in the Babylon Bee - Joe Biden to Go Double or Nothing on National Debt by Betting $30 Trillion on the Bengals. So was Elon speaking out so people have a better awareness of the horrific true size of the national debt? Or was he telling Biden he needs to bet so much more for a true double or nothing?

Polling Gets Democrats to Finally Begin Their COVID Retreat

Glenn Reynolds is spot on. This was never about science, it was always about power and control. Now the polls are showing how unpopular strict masking and vaccine mandates are - the Democrats are backing off because they don't want to be voted out.

But if they get voted to stay in - they will go right back to trying to exert their power to control your life and the lives of our children.

Find Something Beautiful Today

2018's National Geographic's photo of the Year. Headline stolen borrowed from Execupundit.

Quotes for Today

Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.

"Hope is not a strategy. Luck is not a factor. Fear is not an option." -James Cameron

"I am indeed rich, since my income is superior to my expenses, and my expense is equal to my wishes." - Edward Gibbon

"It is not things that disturb us, but our interpretation of their significance." - Epictetus

"Nothing is miserable unless you think it so; and on the other hand, nothing brings happiness unless you are content with it." - Boethius 

Heh Heh

Friday, February 11, 2022

20 Habits to Live Your Best Life

Paralyzed Man with Severed Spine Walks Again Thanks to Implant

Some really good news out of Switzerland.  

None of the nine who have received this procedure use it to walk in everyday life (yet) but this is a great start.

The Woke Left and Sexy Chickens

 

If you eat meat you are engaging in patriarchal misogyny. The woke Left on full display indeed! Heard Jordan Peterson talking about how crazy this was on the Joe Rogan podcast but Professor Peterson was right - you have to see it to fully grasp how crazy some of these people are. And this is at Oxford freaking University.   

What the Truckers Want

Actual journalism about who the Canadian truckers are and what they want.

"What's happening in Canada right now is bigger than the mandate." It's about taking back control of one's life. That's why so many people from around the world are rooting for the protesters.

Is the Metaverse a Scam?

When Mark Zuckerberg is shoveling $10 billion into a product he can't accurately describe - you do have to think scam. Saying, "Oh I'll just trust Mark Zuckerberg" is probably not a good position to take (on the Metaverse or anything).

Reading the article I kept wondering if the Metaverse is based on an Underwear Gnomes business model.

Quotes for Today

Some quotes that I hope may resonate with you.

"The experience of two centuries [has] shown... gradualism in theory, is perpetuity in practice." - William Lloyd  Garrison

"I like the silent church before the service begins, better than any preaching." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

"There is no winning formula to success. Instead, consistent success is normally found in people who constantly push themselves." - Peter Thiel

"Science is not a noun. It is not a person, or a group of persons. It is a process." - Peter Attia

The Habit Line

"Repeating a habit leads to clear physical changes in the brain." - James Clear Atomic Habits

Thursday, February 10, 2022

Thursday Flotsam and Jetsam

Have a new miscellaneous thoughts and observations post up on Substack.

I have a dream that people will click the link, Subscribe, hit the Like button and share with others.  

LOTR and The Hobbit Movie and Gaming Rights Up for Sale

Interesting but a bit hard to follow story on the movie and gaming rights for The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit going up for auction

Are we nearing a point where the LOTR "universe" gets over-exposed and over-saturated? Big Tolkien fan but I didn't even bother seeing the recent Peter Jackson Hobbit trilogy. Will probably check out the upcoming Amazon series but the source material - the books - are always so much better.

Having said the above - I would be curious what a Pixar adaptation of LOTR would look like. Especially if it could be a series that didn't need to be cut for time.

Tuukka Rask Announces His Retirement

One of the all-time great Boston Bruins who not only deserves his number retired but also enshrinement in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Interesting Look at the Joe Rogan Situation

A look at how the "welding of media, government bureaucracy, big corporations, and banking together into a partisan weapon" which made Joe Rogan their most high profile target.

Calling the 270 people who launched "misinformation" charges against Rogan as "270 doctors" was a bigger example of "misinformation" than anything Rogan ever said and did.  The article also reminds us of the "dozens of former officials from the intelligence community" who signed a letter saying "that the Hunter Biden story was just Russian disinformation" prior to the 2020 election. Was there ever any repercussions for these people for being blatantly wrong? 

The people who try to put a torch to free-speech never seem to be held to account. That needs to change.

Quotes for Today

Some quotes that I hope may resonate with you.

"You're going to die one day, and none of this is going to matter. So enjoy yourself. Do something positive. Project some love. Make someone happy. Laugh a little bit. Appreciate the moment. And do your work." - Naval Ravikant

"I can remember when I thought the "National" part of the NBA undoubtedly meant the United States." - Michael Wade

"You don't love someone for their looks, or their clothes, or for their fancy car, but because they sing a song only you can hear." - Oscar Wilde

"Every morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most." - the Buddha

Good Life Advice

Wednesday, February 09, 2022

Those "I Did That" Stickers are Great But These are the Best Ever!

 

Revenge of the COVID Moms

Article describes the anger many moms feel toward the officials, elected or otherwise, who abandoned their responsibilities to the children they were supposed to be teaching (and protecting). What will be the actual political fallout be from these angry moms? Hard to say. 

I would say that one effect the forced distance learning and the public stances of the teachers unions will be more States giving education funds to parents instead of the schools. Many States have already done so and many more will follow. Those States who don't, because of outsized political pull of the teachers unions, will, I predict, show consistently lower test results than the States who allow some form of school choice. 

Three Reasons Why FaceBook May Be in Trouble

Interesting look at why FaceBook may be in trouble.

It should also be noted that the pivot to VR and rebranding as Meta may not work. You don't always want to be first in a market - Apple wasn't the first company to come out with a smartphone for example. Meta may find themselves becoming the MySpace of virtual reality with the real market leader in that space yet to even be founded. 

Rational Anarchism

"True. But I will accept any rules that you feel necessary to your freedom. I am free, no matter what rules surround me. If I find them tolerable, I tolerate them; if I find them too obnoxious, I break them. I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do." - Professor Bernardo de la Paz in Robert Heinlein's The Moon is a Harsh Mistress.

If that's the basic tenets of being a Rational Anarchist - count me in! 

Also not a bad guide to a moral life. Right up there with John Wayne's from The Shootist.

Quotes for Today

Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.

"Every behavior has a surface level craving and a deeper underlying motive." - James Clear

"I can't turn off hope. It's hopeless." - Jeff Bridges

"We like to hide from the truth behind foreign-sounding words or mathematical lingo. There's a saying: The truth is always encountered but rarely perceived." - Bernie Glassman

"For myself, I am an optimist - it does not seem to be much use being anything else." - Winston Churchill

Heh Heh

HT The View from Lady Lake

Tuesday, February 08, 2022

Peng Shuai is In Trouble

No matter what the Chinese government and the IOC try to make you believe

Nice work by Dan Wetzel. Can't blame him for not attending these Olympics in person. With the reporting he's done so far - he'd be "disappeared" too. He should have noted that the Women's Tennis Association has cancelled all future tournaments in China and Hong Kong over the way Peng Shuai has been and is being treated. 

The Chinese government is evil! 

John Williams Turns 90 Today

John Williams, composer of iconic movie scores, turns 90-years old today. His credits include the music to Jaws, Star Wars, and the Harry Potter movies. Just play a few bars of his scores and your brain instantly brings to mind not just the movie but the characters.

Of course Williams greatest accomplishment was being the conductor for the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Just ask anyone from Massachusetts.  

I Stand with Enes Kanter Freedom

 

And would like to know what the executives at NBC find so objectionable about free speech.

Tuesday Flotsam and Jetsam

Have a new miscellaneous thoughts and observations post up on Substack.

Two Flotsam and Jetsam posts in less than 24-hours and all I ask is that you subscribe (it's FREE), hit the Like button, and share with friends. A little something, something for the effort would be appreciated.

Quotes for Today

Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.

"Academic politics are so vicious because the stakes are so small." - Henry Kissinger

"Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves." - Carl Jung

"A clever person solves a problem. A wise person avoids it." - Albert Einstein

 "Every battle is won before it's ever fought." - Sun Tzu

Truth (We're Seeing This Play Out in Real Time)


Monday, February 07, 2022

San Francisco's Slow-Motion Suicide

The city is carrying out a bizarre medical experiment in which they are helping homeless drug addicts use drugs. "It's handing a loaded gun to a suicidal person."

This stat blows my mind:

Over the past two years, more than 1,360 people have died from drug overdoses in San Francisco. That's more than double the number who have died from Covid.

Also blows my mind that if you watch 1971's Dirty Harry with Clint Eastwood the movie was supposed to be showing the seedy side of San Fran but compared to what the City is today - Dirty Harry's San Fran looks clean and quaint.

Find Something Beautiful Today

Apollo 14 astronauts land on the moon February 5, 1971 (photo via). Headline stolen borrowed from Execupundit

Monday Flotsam and Jetsam

Have a new miscellaneous thoughts and observations post up on Substack.

Momma mia here I go again asking people to subscribe (it's FREE), hit the Like button or share with others.

Quotes for Today

Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.

"This is the feedback loop behind all human behavior: try, fail, learn, try differently." - James Clear 

"Be the flame, not the moth." - Giacomo Casanova

"It is time for us to do what we have been doing and that time is every day." - Kamala Harris

"We should live as we dream; not at all or in an interesting manner." - Friedrich Nietzsche

Yeah That Would Bother Me Too

Sunday, February 06, 2022

The Orwellian Re-Defining of "Vaccination"

Heh Heh

Top 5 - Last 5 Books I Bought

Here's the last 5 books I bought.

1. The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel. Haven't started this one yet. 

2. Atomic Habits by James Clear. One of those books I think everyone should read at least once. Have already bough another copy as a gift for a loved one.

3. The Metaphysical Club: A Story of Ideas in America by Louis Menard. Currently reading. Has already changed the way I think about and understand some of the history of this country both pre and post Civil War.

4. A Distant Mirror by Barbara Tuchman. Haven't started this one yet. Too close in content to another book I recently read and I like to vary subjects

5. Seven Brief Lessons on Physics by Carlo Rovelli. Enjoyable book. Fan of the way Rovelli writes and will probably read all of his books

These aren't the last 5 books I've read as I often just decide to re-read some of the books in my collection like The Thin Man by Dashielle Hammett or the Harry Potter books. Currently also re-reading The Lord of the Rings.

Quotes for Today

Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.

"The primary reason the brain remembers the past is to better predict what will work in the future." - James Clear 

"I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet." - Gandhi

"The most important trick to be happy is to realize that happiness is a choice that you make and a skill set that you develop. You choose to be happy, and then you work at it. It's just like building muscles." - Naval Ravikant

"Choice of attention - to pay attention to this and ignore that - is to the inner life what choice of action is to the outer. In both cases, a man is responsible for his choice and must accept the consequences, whatever they may be." - W.H. Auden

Reminder

Saturday, February 05, 2022

The Ace of Shout

 

Very cool song mash-up.

Single Hacker Takes Down N Korea's Internet

Interesting story of a hacker who was targeted by North Korean hackers so he took down the entire country's Internet in response. You know now other "white hat" hackers are going to try to see if they can do the same thing. 

My hacking fantasy would be for someone to hack the payroll system for either China's or Russia's military and divert the funds supposed to pay the soldiers into an account easily tracible to Xi Jinping or Vladimir Putin. That would cause a very interesting situation. 

Truckers are Starting a Working Class Revolution

And the Left hates it! Agree 100% with Professor Reynolds on this. What he describes below is basically the Democratic Party under Harry Truman and JFK. Put another way - they want to make the Democratic Party Great Again (too bad that's a slogan not easily transferable to a hat).

The working class wants jobs, a stable economy, safe streets, low inflation, schools that teach things and a conservative, non-adventurous foreign policy that won’t get a lot of working-class people killed. It’s not excited about gender fluidity, critical race theory, “modern monetary theory,” foreign adventures and defunding police.

The Eisenhower Matrix


Farnam Street Knowledge on one of the most useful tools you can adopt - the Eisenhower Matrix.

Quotes for Today

Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.

"A habit is a behavior that has been repeated enough times to become automatic." - James Clear

"You will never be criticized by someone who is doing more than you. You'll always be criticized by someone who is doing less. Remember that." - Denzel Washington

 "It is often said that before you die your life passes before your eyes. It is in fact true. It's called living." - Terry Pratchett

"The only thing new in the world is the history you do not know." - Harry Truman

I Plan on Having "Brunch" Today

HT The View from Lady Lake

Friday, February 04, 2022

Heh Heh

Via

The Acrobatic Grace of Cary Grant

Interesting look at one of the iconic stars of Hollywood's Golden Age.

Also a painful reminder of the quote to be kind because you don't know what other people are going through. Even Cary Grant seems to have gone through a lot to forge his on-screen persona.

Heh Heh

Via

Remember These Companies

Olympic "Sponsors have a big and important role because no Olympic games are possible without sponsorship." 

Here are the 13 major sponsors of the Olympics - none of which have spoken out about the Chinese human rights abuses. Don't forget and please try to avoid using any of the products or services of these companies if you have a choice.

Friday Flotsam and Jetsam

Have a new miscellaneous thoughts and observations post up on Substack.

"All for one and one for all" please subscribe (it's FREE), hit the Like button and share with others.

Quotes for Today

Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.

"Every time you choose to perform a bad habit, it's a vote for that identity." - James Clear

"He's very popular, Ed. The sportos, the motorheads, geeks, sluts, bloods, wastoids, dweebies, dickheads - they all adore him. They think he's a righteous dude." - Grace Wheelberg

"The less scheduled you are, the more creative you're going to be." - Naval Ravikant

"The ones who thrive long term are those who understand the real world is a neverending chain of absurdity, confusions, messy relationships, and imperfect people." - Morgan Housel

Teddy Roosevelt and the Man in the Arena

"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by the dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worthy course; who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who, at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly; so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat." - Teddy Roosevelt (Paris Sorbonne,1910)

Thursday, February 03, 2022

Heh Heh

Via

A COVID Origin Conspiracy?

Released emails make more plausible the contention that Anthony Fauci and Francis Collins presided over the suppression of the lab-leak theory for political reasons.

Anthony Fauci should be in jail. In medieval times a person guilty of such a conspiracy would have been hanged, drawn, quartered and his head hung on a spike outside of the CDC. Good thing we don't live in medieval times - right?

Thursday Flotsam and Jetsam

Have a new miscellaneous thoughts and observations post up on Substack.

Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life so click the link, subscribe (it's FREE), hit the Like button, and share with others.  

Beijing 2022 - Anywhere But Here

Hats off to Dan Wetzel for calling it like it is at the China Winter Olympics. It's a sham and I won't be watching.

I hope Dan doesn't get put into "COVID isolation" because of his reporting.