More Linky Links

More stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- Glenn Reynolds on how Jimmy Lai may outlast Hong Kong's evil regime.

- Interesting - VDH on the Ukrainian Gordian Knot. Did not know Ukraine now has the third largest defense budget in the world (thanks to America). 

- So Hunter Biden reached a plea deal with the feds on two tax evasion charges and gun charges. Some view this a sweetheart deal but to me it wasn't unexpected. Plus he gets probation for the charges. What are the odds he's able to keep his nose clean or not have new charges?

- Top Canadian official apologizes to unvaxxed. The cynic in me thinks that some people who say anything t avoid prosecution 

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- John Wooden's Pyramid of Success. Might be time to re-read his book They Call Me Coach 

- 11 armed people were arrested over the weekend and it was reported because the whole Town of Wakefield (pop 27,000) had to be placed in shelter in place because of the danger. Then not a peep from the media. The Rise of the Moors had all the social media too - YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook - will Apple delete those services from their store to be consistent to how they treated Parler? 

- And we in the West have completely abandoned them to their fate

- The science behind hangovers

- Cut off the Blood Supply to Communist China: End Trade. Some excellent points. "Don't trust China! China is asshole!"

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- The straw that cures the hiccups.

- Do Cannabis users have lower BMI and less risk of obesity than non-users?

- Bari Weiss: When a Free Society becomes a Police State. The closing of Apple Daily in Hong Kong was the biggest news of last week. And it happened with very little coverage from the MSM.

- Pretty cool

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Found myself worrying about the "Don't trust China! China is asshole!" guy. With the crackdown in Hong Kong I wouldn't be surprised if he was taken into custody a long time ago. I hope he's OK... The Great Certainty would be a good name for a blog (or social media app)... If lab grown meat technology is perfected - will that allow McDonald's to offer the McRib year-round?... True story - before picking Dan Quayle to be his VP - George H.W. Bush briefly considered picking Clint Eastwood to be his running mate. One of the great "What if's" of history...  You learn something new every day: the power symbol on your device, laptop, PC, etc. - that circle and line it's actually a binary 1 and a 0 with 1 being "on" and 0 being "off"... So when does Nintendo get cancelled for having a GameBoy and not a non-binary game console?... Predicting right now that no matter who is in the NBA Finals it will get the lowest TV ratings in history... Apropos of nothing - checked GameStop stock yesterday and it was at $313.75 per share! Yowza!... Bumper sticker suggestion: "Trump 2024 - Burdened with Glorious Purpose" (a little Loki humor)... 

Top 5 - Reasons to Boycott the Beijing Olympics

1. The Wuhan Virus. This virus came from the Wuhan Institute for Virology not from some "wet market" and the Chinese have covered it up. This cover up delayed action and cost hundreds of thousands of lives. The Tokyo Olympics had to be delayed or cancelled because of the virus yet China is not set to pay any price for their negligence? 

2. There's an active genocide going on in China. The US's official policy is still that China's detention of million of Xinjiang Muslims constitutes genocide. After the Holocaust when the world said "Never Again" nobody added the qualifier "except in Olympics years." How any Muslim country can do business with the Chinese, never mind participate in the Olympics, is mystifying to me. I'm also mystified why sponsors would want their brands associated with the Genocide Olympics.. 

3. Hong Kong. The Chinese Communists used the cover of the pandemic to crack down and eliminate any vestiges of freedom in Hong Kong while the world was busy dealing with the pandemic. It is wrong for the world to forget the plight of the Hong Kongers. To participate in these Olympics would be a slap in the face to all those in Hong Kong who were locked up or killed simply for wanting freedom.

4. Tibet. Before Hollywood found gold pandering to Chinese audiences the plight of Tibet was a favored liberal cause. The Tibetans are still under the thumb of the Chinese Communists but greed in Hollywood will cover up many, many sins. 

5. The safety of the athletes and the American tourists attending the games. How free will the broadcasters and reporters covering the Olympics be to vice their true opinions? How free will the athletes themselves be? Can you imagine an athlete wearing a "Free Hong Kong" shirt getting detained for months by the CCP? I can easily imagine that. Or American tourists being held simply as leverage against us. If that happens the answer will be "we should never have been there in the first place." We are Americans - the world looks to us to speak up and be strong. This is the opposite.

The idea of Winter Olympics in China is farcical to begin with. When you think Alpine skiing how many hundreds of other places would you think of before answering Beijing? The Chinese Communists crave legitimacy. Why are we giving that to them? Boycott the 2022 Winter Olympics - China is asshole!

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- Hollywood sold its soul to China. Wait - Hollywood had a soul?  Meanwhile Hollywood's appeal is becoming more selective.

- While the world was dealing with Covid-19 - China destroyed democracy in Hong Kong.

- Coelacanths aren't the "living fossils" we were led to believe as kids. They are still endangered and very rare.

- Mark Cuban is a giant douchebag and the White House supports his decision to nix the National Anthem before Mavericks games.

- The NBA then says WTF Cuban are you that stupid and would purposefully try to kill our TV ratings? Mark Cuban, the giant douchebag, then turns into Brave Sir Robin and reverses his decision.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

I take away the 26-10 loss for the Patriots to the Chiefs last night as a moral victory. With Can Newton at QB for New England it would have been a much different game... Can you imagine if people who support Christmas adopted BLM-type tactics? If you wanted a picture with Santa at the mall the child would have to first say that they accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. If the child refuses both the parent and child become the objects of abuse from all those gathered around... Eskimos may have 100 words for snow but people in Massachusetts have at least 1,000 words and phrases for drunk... Christmas carolers would no longer be benign but instead shut down highways in mass protests... NBA ratings continue to fall off a cliff. And I think Jason Whitlock is right about LeBron James' legacy... Still think that one of the best ways to understand the mindset of the Chinese is by reading the book Noble House by James Clavell. Ian Dunross is the main character on the surface but the real main character of the book is Hong Kong itself... Or imagine if when you went to buy a Christmas tree you had to first kneel and say the Lord's Prayer. The popularity of Christmas would sink faster than the ratings of an NBA playoff game... 

Flotsam and Jetsam

 Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Would not be surprised if this Sunday we saw an option pass from Julian Edelman to Cam Newton against the Chiefs. And if not this Sunday then sometime this season... NBA ratings fall off a cliff. And the viewers aren't coming back. They are DONE with the NBA. Go woke go broke... Am I the only one who would like to see miniature pony chariot races on TV?... Irish Supreme Court rules that Subway sandwiches contain "too much sugar" to legally be considered to be bread. Got to love the Irish!... It has been almost a year since Daryl Morey GM of the Houston Rockets tweeted out his support for a free Hong Kong. In the wake of the Wuhan virus the plight of Hong Kong and their subjugation by China seems to be all but forgotten in this country. That is a shame and that shame belongs to all of the free world. Don't trust China - China is asshole!... 

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Am I wrong in saying that the folks who are now predicting a big second wave are the same who were so wrong about massive deaths in the first wave models?... "Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted." - Ralph Waldo Emerson... Interesting fact from the World of Engineering: "If the sun was scaled down to the size of a white blood cell, the Milky Way would be the size of the continental United States"... Good for this Member of Parliament... In a surprise move Joe Biden announces Grima Wormtongue as his VP choice over the weekend...  "The only end of writing is to enable readers better to enjoy life, or better to endure it." - Samuel Johnson, Keep this in mind when reading authors. If they don't satisfy either one of these two ends - find a different book... Succulent Terrarium would be a good name for a band. Armed Propaganda would also be a good name for a band (or a new political party)...

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- US tech giants halt Hong Kong police help. The first step is acknowledging there's a problem. I'd prefer if there was a stronger word than "halt" though because that could mean the "help" could resume.

- Earth's magnetic field can shift 10 times faster than scientists previously believed. No mention in the article of why this could be so significant. Maybe UPI doesn't want to be cancelled by the "science is settled" zealots?

- Signaling vs certification at Harvard. Some interesting points in the comments. Makes me think of the Naval quote, "The best peers are on the Internet. The tools for learning are abundant. It's the desire to learn that's scarce."

- Dear Israel - keep up the good work!

- Tom Curran makes some good points about Pat Mahomes new contract with the Chiefs

- Heh Heh. A joke you either get or don't. If you don't get it be careful Googling the explanation.

4th of July Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- Hong Kong pro-democracy activists are discussing a plan to create an unofficial parliament in-exile

- Lincoln Continental is canceled as brand shifts to all SUV lineup. Bummer.

- The most logical explanation is that the Wuhan virus came from a laboratory. And China has been covering up that fact. This should be a much bigger story.

-  Disappointed with some of the countries on this list - you'd think they would know better. Assuming you can take this info at face value.

- 3 Stoic exercises that will help create your best month yet

- Interesting look behind YouTube TV's recent price hike.

Happy 4th of July everyone! God Bless America!

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- Interesting - Climate advocate: "I would like to formally apologize for the climate scare." Can't help but think that Michael Crichton predicted this in his State of Fear close to 16-years ago.

- Here's why the "Russian Bounties" story is the new "Russian Collusion" hoax. A pox on the NYT and anyone associated with them.

- FCC formally designates Huawei and ZTE as national security threats. Good!

- Without firing a shot, China has killed Hong Kong

- Napping and weekend catchup sleep do not fully compensate for high rates of sleep debt. Getting a good night's sleep should be everyone's top priority if you want to be healthy.

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- FDR's masterful D-Day prayer

- Jordan Peterson - the Value of Beauty

- All four are white and all Democratic Governors oh and they have one other thing in common

- Cryo-electron microscopy has produced images of individual atoms in a protein for the first time. This could be a huge deal for both science and medicine.

- Protest in Hong Kong

- The Athletic lays off 8% of staff and institutes pays cuts across the board.

- The secret to long term wealth

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- Heh Heh

- Good for Boris Johnson.

- Accounting for Stimulus Checks

- Heh Heh

- Urban foxes may be self-domesticating

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Still say that my crowning achievement during the Wuhan virus lockdown was to get my work email In Box to just a single page. No idea how long I can sustain that... Banshees and Drunken Monkeys would be a good name for a band... "The universe is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper." - Eden Phillpotts. What a beautiful way of looking at the world... It is now estimated that the latest the resumed NBA season could end is October 12th. That would further eat into interest in watching MLB games. Baseball is headed for a reckoning... If the residents of Hong Kong are no longer free to commemorate those who died at Tiananmen Square as they have for the past 30-years then they are no longer free. Time to end Hong Kong's special status... Have the "TRUMP/PENCE 2020 - No Fat Chicks!" bumper stickers been printed up yet?...

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- I'd probably favor revoking Hong Kong's "special status" - the actions of the Chinese Communists must have repercussions.

- James Altucher with some side hustle ideas

- Study hints at how Psilocybin works in th brain to dissolve ego.

- This photo does look like a portrait. A beautiful portrait. (Credit Bill Ingalls/NASA)

- Matt Taibbi on where policing went wrong. While I agree with him for the most part Taibbi does not mention the word "quota" (and no not hiring quotas). Requiring officers to have X many arrests or hand out Y number of tickets is a real problem, Many police forces need that revenue and that need perverts justice. Also - there is no need for any city to allow officers to live outside the city limits. They should be part of the community they are policing.

- Police Union Privileges - Revisited. This is a problem.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

It should be remembered that one of the driving forces behind North Korea developing nuclear weapons in the first place was as a deterrent to China... The struggle for Democracy in Hong Kong continues. Let's not forget... Can't wait for football to come back so we can get all those "Jameis Winston is in the best shape of his life" stories coming out of Saints camp... Who knew? Hall of Famer Andre Dawson now works as a mortician... Part of me would like to create Chemistry Trading Cards of all the elements of the periodic table plus one scientist per pack (along with a stale piece of gum). Probably won't do it because the realist in me recognizes this would appeal to a limited niche market... Speaking of science related business ideas - instead of a Jack in the Box toy how about an Einstein in a Box toy? But instead of Pop Goes the Weasel we would need a better tune... 

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- The danger of returning to the nuclear deal with Iran. Excellent video worth your time.

- Speaking of Iran - I laughed way too much at this.

- This re-election ad for Taiwanese President Tsai is very powerful.

- And speaking of Taiwan and President Tsai - this is also well worth your time.

- And just like that Alex Cora is out as Red Sox manager.

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I' share.

- Ed Latimore's 10 observations from 2-years of not drinking

- Perhaps the most Australian thing ever

- We've just had the best decade in human history. We live in a Golden Age.

- Hong Kong protesters rally for China's Uighurs. I think linking the two causes is a smart move by the protesters.

- Wrong on so many levels

- Russ Roberts thoughts on health care without (much) Government

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

America's sustained competitive advantage stems from our vast natural resources and our freedoms. Of the two our freedoms are by far the most important and irreplaceable. Just look at Hong Kong to see the truth of this... "Everything is changing. People are taking their comedians seriously and their politicians as a joke." - Will Rogers... No dirty hippies, NO WIRE HANGERS, and a splash of vodka on everything... I would love it if MLB started referring to left-handed pitchers as "left-wingers" and right-handed pitchers as "right-wingers" just to mess with people... Santa's super powers vs those of other super heroes... Prior to the second day of the Battle of Stirling the Scots knelt and prayed. King Edward II saw this and assumed the Scots were praying for mercy from the English. He was mistaken. The Scots were praying to beg forgiveness from God for what they were about to do to the English... Periodic reminder to Steelers fans - your team lost playoff games to both Blake Bortles and Tim Tebow...