Quotes for Today

Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.

"I'm a 'Reagan Republican.' That means I want growth-oriented tax policies, a strong, secure national defense, limited government and maximum individual liberty." - Peter Hannaford 

"The universe is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper." - Eden Phillpotts

"A calm mind, a fit body and a house full of love. These things can not be bought. They must be earned." - Naval Ravikant

"The only real revolution is in the enlightenment of the mind and the improvement of character, the only real emancipation is individual, and the only real revolutionists are philosophers and saints." - Will and Ariel Durant  

Socialism

Get the Government Out of Our Kitchens

And also out of the bedroom and the schoolrooms. A nation of overweight people, who are confused over their genders and who don't know basic math or science is where we're headed. (Via) 

Updates from Musk World

Some updates from the world Elon Musk has built:

US General says SpaceX Starlink has "destroyed Vladimir Putin's information campaign" in Ukraine amid Russian invasion. The importance of Starlink in maintaining command and control for the Ukrainians cannot be understated.

It's only been available for a couple of weeks but Starlink for RV's has already had over 30,000 orders. Important to note that the service is still not rated for moving vehicles. That's supposedly coming soon.

'Top Gun' Tells The Whole Story of China and Hollywood

"The blockbuster is about taking out a uranium plant in some unnamed country. Really, it's about taking on the Communist Party."

Not just China but also Wokistan here in the US. The Taiwan flag was back on the jacket but the movie was also absent any woke messaging. This second item, in my mind, is the real reason the movie is doing so well at the box office.

Quotes for Today

Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.

"What you feel tells you nothing about the facts - it merely tells you something about your estimate of the facts." - Naval Ravikant

"What we know is a drop, what we don't know is an ocean." - Isaac Newton

"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." - Marcus Aurelius

"It's only physics if it comes from the Physique region of France. Otherwise it's just sparkling math." - Anna Hughes

Heh Heh

You Learn Something New Every Day

Via Some It's Just as Well

Heh Heh

Via

Sunday Flotsam and Jetsam

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

I say "mucho" to all my Hispanic friends. It means a lot to them. Please subscribe, hit the Like button and share with others. Mucho appreciated. 

Quotes for Today

Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.

"I was raised to honor my flag and my country." - General Chuck Yeager

"What we wish to be true clouds our perception of what is true. Suffering is the moment when we can no longer deny reality." - Naval Ravikant

"The middle class, as well as the rich, began to distrust democracy as empowered envy, and the poor distrusted it as a sham equality of votes nullified by gaping inequality of wealth." - Will and Ariel Durant

"If everyone puts their problems out on the table, you'll pick yours back up real quick." - Chris Bosh

Truth

I Know Great Art When I See It

Quotes for Today

 Some quotes 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

"To break sharply with the past is to court the madness that may follow the shock of sudden blows or mutilations." - Will and Ariel Durant

"If you have a problem that can be fixed, there is no use in worrying. If you have a problem that cannot be fixed, there is no use in worrying." - Buddhist proverb

"It's almost impossible to predict the future. But it's also unnecessary, because 'most people are living in the past.' All you have to do is see the present before everyone else does." - Jason Crawford

Don't Judge Me

Thinking People in New England All Agree

A Modest Proposal to Get the US Out of the UN

And unlike Swift's Modest Proposal this one has a realistic chance of succeeding.

Have a new article up on Substack. Please show your support by sharing the post with others, subscribing, or hitting the Like button. Thanks! 

Farnam Street Knowledge

Karl Popper on The Line Between Science and Pseudoscience. 

Always liked the observation that if something needs to add the word "science" to itself (Political Science, Environmental Science, etc.) that means it really isn't a "science." Computer Science may be the one exception but that term came about when computers were new and nobody knew what to call the study of computers.

Quotes for Today

Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.

"Let us not postpone anything, let us engage in combats with life each day." - Seneca

"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein

"My body is not a temple, it is a Catholic church. Full of wine, bread and guilt." - Helen Ingram

"When they say trust the science. What they mean is don't ask questions." - Oliver Cantin

Remember to Be Real

 

Trump Speed Dating (NSFW)

 

Funny is funny and Gilly and Keeves are funny.

Heh Heh

Life Advice from Warren Buffett

Quotes for Today

Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.

"Life would be tragic if it weren't so funny." - Stephen Hawking

"Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth." - Marcus Aurelius

"When art critics get together they talk about Form and Structure and Meaning. When artists get together they talk about where you can buy cheap turpentine." - Picasso

"There is no such thing as work-life balance. There is only your life. Spend it on things you care about and find meaningful." - Max Hodak

Heh Heh

Love Mike Rowe

And many of these poorly educated people have college degrees. 

Via Some It's Just as Well

Find Something Beautiful Today

The Sombrero Galaxy as seen from the Hubble telescope (photo via). Headline stolen borrowed from Execupundit.

The War in Ukraine

After three months of fighting the battlelines clarify. 

The Soviets Russians have gained a lot of territory in Eastern Ukraine but the invaders could be bled white trying to keep it. This war is going to be long and ugly.

Once in a Lifetime

Morgan Housel has a new post up on the probability of good things and bad things happening. And why we shouldn't be so surprised when they do. 

"With a large enough sample size, any outrageous thing is apt to happen." So very true.

Wednesday Flotsam and Jetsam

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

I feel the need - the need for speed! And also the need for you to Subscribe, hit the Like button, and share the link with others.

Quotes for Today

Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.

"Be orderly in your work life so you can be disorderly in your creative life." - Flaubert

"Whatever else history may say about me when I'm gone, I hope that it will record that I appealed to your best hopes, not your worst fears." - Ronald Reagan

"The ultimate purpose of education is to change an empty mind into an open one." - Malcolm Forbes

"Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it." - Howard Thurman

Scott Adams' Happiness Formula

Still True

Musk Tells Twitter Deal May Be Off

Elon Musk had offered $54.20 a share for Twitter but now the deal is stalled because of some evidence that the number of spam accounts and bots may be much higher than the 5% Twitter executives had listed in federal filings. Musk feels the company has been stonewalling him in explaining how they account for spam accounts and bots. Not just stonewalling but in "material breech" of the merger agreement. So now he may just walk away. 

"Twitter has disclosed its bot estimate to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for years, while cautioning that its estimate might be too low." However, if simple scrutiny from Musk and his team would show that the estimate is 4 times as many (as Musk has speculated) that raises the question if Twitter execs had knowingly filed fraudulent reports with the SEC.

Some critics of Musk say that since he waived due diligence that he now has to go through with the deal at the $54.20 price but SEC Rule 10b-5 "prohibits any act or omission resulting in fraud or deceit in connection with the purchase or sale of any security." Musk would argue that knowingly grossly underreporting the number of bots would be covered by Rule 10b-5.

The Texas Attorney General has already said he's opening an investigation into Twitter (Musk and Tesla are based in Texas). Could an investigation by the SEC be far behind? If the deal does fall apart the SEC should have no choice but to open an investigation. Twitter has now placed itself in a position where it will have to explain the bot numbers to Musk's satisfaction or potentially risk jail time and fines for those who filed the SEC reports.

Get your popcorn out.

Actual TOPGUN Dave Berke Reacts to TOPGUN:Maverick with Jocko

 

Pretty cool interview. Spoiler alert if you haven't seen the movie.

Who Is Marcus Aurelius? Getting To Know The Roman Emperor

A good introduction to Marcus Aurelius. Worthwhile even if you're familiar with the man and his teachings or not.

Any good leader would benefit from practicing the 3 Stoic exercises listed. 

What is tragic about Marcus, as one scholar wrote, is how his "philosophy - which is about self-restraint, and respect for others - was so abandoned by the imperial line he anointed on his death."

Luckily for history Russell Crowe was around to kill Commodus in the end. (Just kidding but sometimes I do hear Richard Harris' voice when reading a Marcus Aurelius quote.)

Quotes for Today

Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.

 "'Experts' said rising seas from climate change would leave the Maldive Islands underwater in 30 years. It's 32 years later. The Maldives are larger!" - Matt Ridley 

"Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself." - George Bernard Shaw

"Organizations don't automatically obey the law. Management does not automatically adopt sound practices. Leaders don't automatically consider whether their policies are ethically sound. People don't automatically do what is in their best interest." - Michael Wade

"Apply specific knowledge with leverage and eventually, you will get what you deserve." - Naval Ravikant 

Follow the Three R's

Via

Life Advice from Naval Ravikant

"Our lives are the blink of a firefly in the night. You're just barely here. You have to make the most of every minute, which doesn't mean you chase some stupid desire for your entire life. What it means is every second you have on this planet is very precious, and it's your responsibility to make sure you're happy and interpreting everything in the best possible way." - Naval Ravikant  

I Laughed at This More Than I Should Have

Via

The General Wisdom of Ulysses S. Grant

"A serial failure up until the Civil War, Grant had a talent for leadership that secured the Union. His strategy and style still offer valuable lessons for today's executives."

I hope to tackle the Ron Chernow biography of Grant this summer.

General Eisenhower's D-Day Speech

 

Thank God we had real leadership when it was needed.

Quotes for Today

Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.

"Do I want the present moment to be my friend or enemy? The present moment is inseparable from life, so you are really deciding what kind of relationship you want to have with life." - Eckhart Tolle

"The NCAA's business model would be flatly illegal in almost any other industry in America." - Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh

"A year from now, you will wish you had started today." - Karen Lamb

"In the end, winning is sleeping better." - Jodie Foster

Never Forget

Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Yesterday Was Killdozer Day

I'm no biologist but I'm pretty sure that's what a MAN looks like. (Via)

The Man in the Arena

Quotes for Today

Some quotes that I hope may resonate with you.

"Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards." - Soren Kierkegaard

"Early to bed and early to rise makes a man stupid and blind in the eyes." - Orson Scott Card

"I support anyone's right to be who they want to be. My question is; to what extent do I have to participate in your self image." - Dave Chappelle

"Be a free thinker and don't accept everything you hear as truth. Be critical and evaluate what you believe in." - Aristotle

8 Factors of Happiness

Via QAspire

Very Cool

 

What it's like to land an F/A-18F Super Hornet on an aircraft carrier as seen from the cockpit.

We've All Been There

Saturday Flotsam and Jetsam

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

"Schaefer is the one beer to have when you're having more than one." If you recognize that - the jingle will probably stick with you all morning. Please subscribe to my Substack account (if you haven't done so already). I thank you for your support.

Trumpology

VDH with a look at whether Donald Trump will run again for President in 2024.

I'm of two minds on the subject. One aspect VDH does not mention is fund-raising. Trump would be capable of raising much more cash than any other candidate and that might play a big role in the mean-tweeter's decision.

Quotes for Today

 Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.

"The trouble is, you think you have time." - Buddha

"Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

"The only end of writing is to enable readers better to enjoy life, or better to endure it." - Samuel Johnson

"If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales." - Albert Einstein

Battle of Midway

Today marks the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Midway - a battle sited by most historians as the turning point in the Pacific in World War II. Below is a good article on the history of the Battle of Midway and its significance.

The importance of the Battle of Midway.

Heh Heh

Via Some It's Just as Well (which has quickly become a place I check a few times a day)

Celtics Coach Ime Udoka

Jackie MacMullan with a powerful profile of Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka. After reading this, even if you're not a Celtics or even an NBA fan, tell me you're not rooting for Ime Udoka to succeed.

Also Jackie Mac is semi-retired from writing these days but pieces like this show there's still no one better covering the NBA. 

Someone Leaked Classified Chinese Tank Schematics to Win an Online Argument

 
I am greatly amused by stories like this.

Pride goeth before a fall (and also sometimes apparently before acts of treason). HT Instapundit

The Difference Between Men and Women

Energy Madness

EDF rules out keeping nuclear plant open despite energy crisis.  

Can't help but wonder if this is somehow a Brexit related payback.

Quotes for Today

Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.

"Nobody realizes that some people expend tremendous energy merely to be normal." - Albert Camus

 "Reading for curiosity is better than reading for self improvement." - Shane Parrish 

"Very smart people tend to be weird since they insist on thinking everything through for themselves." - 

"A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds back." - Proverbs 29:11

Good Advice

Different Kinds of BS

Morgan Housel with a new essay on BS that's worth your time. There's certainly a lot of BS these days in all forms, shapes and sizes.

Having a good BS detector counts as a super power in my book.

The Netflix Chill

Two articles on Netflix's stumble and how it effects Hollywood and streaming in general:

Peter Kafka - Netflix Slips and Hollywood Cheers. Maybe It Shouldn't

Behind Netflix's Leaner Movie Mandate: Bigger, Fewer, and Better

The Golden Age of streaming is probably over. People should probably brace themselves for poorer quality, fewer choices, and higher prices going forward. There will be just enough gold dust content sprinkled in amongst the chicken shit to keep the eyeballs. 

Read more books!

Heh Heh

"An outdoor hockey game in Sweden is cut short, 1959." - History Defined 

NESN for $30 a Month? No Thanks

NESN, the regional sports network that carries the Boston Red Sox and Bruins, launched an app NESN 360 that allows subscribers access to the network and it's libraries and other exclusive content for $29.99 per month.

At first blush the product seems way over-priced. That's about triple what NESN charges the cable operators to carry the network. But perhaps that's the point. Perhaps the initial price had to be high enough that the cable operators did not feel threatened. In the age of cord cutting - live sports, like Red Sox and Bruins games, are the one last advantage to having a cable subscription.

It looks like the app is free (or minimal charge) to those who already have NESN through a cable operator. I'm guessing that one result of the new app will be NESN 360 passcode info will shortly be more shared in New England than Neftflix passcodes.

What to Do in Ukraine?

Interesting article - The War in Ukraine Can be Over if the U.S. Wants It. 

As the journalist Anatol Lieven has argued, it is time for America and Europe to celebrate Ukraine's resistance and broker a peace agreement that both limits Russia's ambitions and, crucially, permits Putin to save face... Ceding the Donbas to Russia is, in reality, a minor concession to Putin - it is partially Russia-controlled already - that would also potentially allow him to exit the war...

I would agree that the US should also toss in that Ukraine would not be allowed to join NATO (but that Sweden and Finland would). 

Quotes for Today

Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.

"Sin that pays its way can travel freely, and without a passport; whereas Virtue, if a pauper, is stopped at all frontiers." - Herman Melville

"Without hard work, you'll develop neither judgement nor leverage." - Naval Ravikant

 "Well-being is realized by small steps, but is truly no small thing." - Zeno

"The truth is most people don't change their mind they just die." - Elon Musk

Truth

Cows Don't Give Milk

What a great story - something that should be shared by every parent to every child.

Probably only slightly related but the story immediately made me think of the AJ Jacobs book Thanks a Thousand: A Gratitude Journey in which the author sets out to thank every single person involved in producing his morning coffee. 

Find Something Beautiful Today

Staircase designed by Leonardo da Vinci in 1516 (photo via). Headline stolen borrowed from Execupundit.

Crypto - This is Like the Internet

Crypto and Web3 is the first thing Marc Andreessen has ever compared to "the Internet."  This is significant for a number of reasons. Obviously it's important that the comment comes from Andreessen, one of the founding fathers of the Internet. Then there's the empirical truth that both many of the founding VC's of the Internet and many of today's brightest engineers are jumping into Web3 with both feet.

It's like a tsunami of change that currently only appears as a small wave in the distance. But it's coming nonetheless. 

Wednesday Flotsam and Jetsam

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

As Kamala Harris would say, "Having a new post up on Substack is like having a new post up on Substack." Please hit the Like button and share with others. Thanks! 

Quotes for Today

Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.

"First and above all else, you must secure life, liberty and the right to pursue your own happiness. That's politics done right, hard earned, often by war." - Charles Krauthammer

"Karma is just you, repeating your patterns, virtues and flaws until you finally get what you deserve." - Naval Ravikant

"If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough." - Meister Eckhart

"We learn from history that we do not learn from history." - Hegel

How to Fix Things

Via

I Agree - Very Subtle

HT The View from Lady Lake (which has quickly become one of my favorite daily stops)

Once Again The Simpsons Predicted the Future

From The Simpsons episode The Black Widower where Sideshow Bob marries Bart's aunt Selma with the intention of murdering her on their wedding night by blowing her up in a hotel room full of natural gas (oops sorry for the spoiler):

Sideshow Bob, "But wait, if you saved Selma, why did the room explode?"

Chief Wiggum: "Me and the boys were celebrating a job well done," [cut to Wiggum, Homer, and a few cops smoking cigars] "When I threw my match in the vicinity of the crime scene."

The police start to take Sideshow Bob away, and he yells, "I'll be back. You can't keep the Democrats out of the White House forever. And when they get in, I'm back on the streets, with all my criminal buddies!" (Maniacal laughter).

What Do the Numbers Show about Global Deforestation?

Some good news about global deforestation - it's basically not an issue anymore.

Literally not an issue any more - when's the last time you saw a "save the rainforest" fund-raiser? Save the trees has gone the way of shave save the whales. 

And it was accomplished despite in the US teachers shifting focus from Arbor Day where actual trees were planted to celebrating Earth Day where nothing but virtue signaling is done.

What Now, Ukraine?

VDH with a look at the current situation in the War in Ukraine.

As always good analysis. Russian troops leaving Syria to prop up efforts in Ukraine was not an angle I had thought of before. If Iran fills that void - clashes between Iranian and Israeli forces could have a big impact on world events and politics including the 2022 and 2024 elections in the US. 

Quotes for Today

Some quotes I hope may resonate with you. 

"In a long-term game, it's positive sum. We're all baking the pie together. We're trying to make it as big as possible. And in a short term game, we're cutting up the pie." - Naval Ravikant

"He who buys what he doesn't need steals from himself." - Swedish Proverb

"If you're good at something, never do it for free." - The Joker

"I believe we're on the edge of about 800 more years of American centuries. The biggest problem is all the people who see a problem. It's very fashionable to think the end is near." - Tom Wolfe

Heh Heh

Via

Memorial Day

Via

Don't Forget the Reason for the Day

Via

Quotes for Today

Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.

"No soldier outlives a thousand chances. But every soldier believes in Chance and trusts his luck." - Erich Maria Remarque

"I have seen the rise and fall of Nazi tyranny, the subsequent cold war and the nuclear nightmare that for fifty years haunted the dreams of children everywhere. During that time my generation defeated totalitarianism. As a result, your world is poised for a better tomorrow. What will you do on your journey?" - Ronald Reagan

"Learning is the only thing the mind never exhausts, never fears, and never regrets." - Leonardo Da Vinci

"It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived." - George S. Patton

Hymn to the Fallen - John Williams

Sunday Flotsam and Jetsam

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

GO CELTICS!!! Please subscribe, hit the Like button,  and share with others. Thanks!

Find Something Beautiful Today

The Acropolis of Athens, Greece (photo via). Headline stolen borrowed from Execupundit.

E. B. White on “The Meaning of Democracy”

Very eloquently put and something that is worthwhile to revisit from time to time.

Unfortunately the meaning of democracy today seems to be morphing into something E.B. White might not recognize.

Top Gun: Maverick

Went to see Top Gun: Maverick last night and I liked it - mostly because it was what it was supposed to be - two hours of mindless entertainment. No woke messaging which seem to be in every movie these days. Just Tom Cruise being a different sort of super hero and fighter jet thief.

There were some points where your suspension of disbelief is stretched to the max and the plot was predictable but the movie was fun. And that's what movies are supposed to be - fun.

One observation - because many in the audience were fans of the original movie it was an older audience. An audience where many had to get up to go to the bathroom about an hour and a half in. Seriously have never seen so many at a movie urgently need to go to the bathroom.

5G vs the Airline Industry

Interesting look at the FCC vs FAA battle between 5G rollouts and airline safety equipment. Also interesting look at how these government agencies operate (or fail to do so).

Long read but I think you may find it worthwhile.

Quotes for Today

Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.

"Whether in commerce, science or politics - history remembers the artists." - Naval Ravikant

 "It's never wrong to be on the side of freedom - never." - Victor Davis Hanson

"Shall I refuse my dinner because I do not fully understand the process of digestion?" - Oliver Heaviside

"Don't explain your philosophy. Embody it." - Epictetus

I Miss Norm Macdonald

A Brief History of Dunkirk

 

The importance of the evacuation of the British soldiers from Dunkirk cannot be underestimated to how important it was to the eventual downfall of Nazi Germany.

Farnam Street Knowledge

 

How to Do Great Things.

"Focused investment of only one hour a day can double your lifetime output." No excuses!
 

Football Player Signs NIL Deal to Promote Local Candidate

This is an interesting development - a football player at the University of Tennessee at Martin signed an NIL (Name Image and Likeness) deal to support a local candidate for District Attorney. The player is a family friend of the candidate but this is a real blending of politics and sports and perhaps a sign of things to come.

Can you imagine running for Congress in a district that has a university with a big time football or basketball program and you, as a candidate, help secure a top recruit for the program via a big NIL deal? How many votes is that worth? Is there a limit on how much campaign cash can be used to buy such an endorsement? 

This could be interesting.

Quotes for Today

Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.

"You make money to solve your money and material problems. I think the best way to stay away from this constant love of money is to not upgrade your lifestyle when you make money." - Naval Ravikant

"Judgement is the art of knowing what to ignore." - Shane Parrish

"If you take a job and they pay you five dollars a day, give them seven dollars a day worth of work." - Bill Russell

"Nothing will ever be attempted if all possible objections must be first overcome." - Dr. Samuel Johnson 

Funny Because It's True

Via

Inflation Inflation

Via

Great Idea for the AHL

The AHL (or any hockey minor league) should stage these bouts between periods. It would make the break between periods longer but it would be well worth it for the fans. Have two one minute bouts in the break between the first and second period. Then have the winner of those two bouts "face off" between the break between the second and third.

How could this not be a big hit in the right environment? 

Lex Fridman's Analysis of Putin and Ukraine

 

Well worth your time. Also want to note that there's also many in the US that don't think they are being subjected to propaganda too.