2023-09-20
2023-09-18
2023-09-17
2023-09-12
Suit Accusing Burger King of Undersized Whoppers Proceeds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zALwAIqVBo4
@john2001plus
0 seconds ago
Something is wrong with society when massive and expensive lawsuits happen over the size of a hamburger. I like Burger King. If I were unhappy with the size of their burgers, I could go somewhere else. Let the free market decide.
@john2001plus
0 seconds ago
Something is wrong with society when massive and expensive lawsuits happen over the size of a hamburger. I like Burger King. If I were unhappy with the size of their burgers, I could go somewhere else. Let the free market decide.
2023-09-11
2023-09-10
Eric Weinstein Reacts To Sam Harris On Modern Wisdom
I don't know this person, but he is interesting to listen to. He sounds like a conspiracy theorist but also plausible.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbAVTEbGF3c
2023-09-09
Truck driver
If he drove 2,000 hours per year, and assuming that he averaged 60 miles per hour, it would take 42 years to drive 5 million miles.
When did the name United States of America originate?
September 9, 1776
On September 9, 1776, the Second Continental Congress adopted a new name for what had been called the "United Colonies." The moniker United States of America has remained since then as a symbol of freedom and independence.
On September 9, 1776, the Second Continental Congress adopted a new name for what had been called the "United Colonies." The moniker United States of America has remained since then as a symbol of freedom and independence.
2023-09-08
2023-09-07
Apple Built The Vision Pro to FAIL, and it's GENIUS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNEni_DP4fY
Realistically, the amount of hardware needed to make this work is not going to fit in an unobtrusive pair of glasses. Not in this decade. Maybe in the next one.
2023-09-06
Statement on 'Physical interventions to interrupt or reduce the spread of respiratory viruses' review | Cochrane
Many commentators have claimed that a recently-updated Cochrane Review shows that 'masks don't work', which is an inaccurate and misleading interpretation.
It would be accurate to say that the review examined whether interventions to promote mask wearing help to slow the spread of respiratory viruses, and that the results were inconclusive. Given the limitations in the primary evidence, the review is not able to address the question of whether mask-wearing itself reduces people's risk of contracting or spreading respiratory viruses.
The review authors are clear on the limitations in the abstract: 'The high risk of bias in the trials, variation in outcome measurement, and relatively low adherence with the interventions during the studies hampers drawing firm conclusions.'
It would be accurate to say that the review examined whether interventions to promote mask wearing help to slow the spread of respiratory viruses, and that the results were inconclusive. Given the limitations in the primary evidence, the review is not able to address the question of whether mask-wearing itself reduces people's risk of contracting or spreading respiratory viruses.
The review authors are clear on the limitations in the abstract: 'The high risk of bias in the trials, variation in outcome measurement, and relatively low adherence with the interventions during the studies hampers drawing firm conclusions.'
2023-09-05
2023-09-04
2023-09-02
2023-09-01
2023-08-29
2023-08-28
2023-08-27
This bear always steals its favorite food
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ryPFLuN6FOY
@weezydee4452
8 days ago
He's just picking up the bear necessities ️
4.5K
Reply
75 replies
@bryanrenteria5115
3 days ago
The simple bear necessities
138
Reply
@e.c.00
3 days ago
So a bear can rest at ease.
71
Reply
@TheMwendaa
2 days ago
34
Reply
@TheBLACKboard65
2 days ago
Good one!!
15
Reply
@td9057
2 days ago
This joke deserves an Oscar!
31
Reply
@MaiAngelTv
2 days ago
Bruh
8
Reply
@toddcrumpler4117
2 days ago
Dam you got me with that one
15
Reply
@zottffss
2 days ago
I can't bear this much longer.
@weezydee4452
8 days ago
He's just picking up the bear necessities ️
4.5K
Reply
75 replies
@bryanrenteria5115
3 days ago
The simple bear necessities
138
Reply
@e.c.00
3 days ago
So a bear can rest at ease.
71
Reply
@TheMwendaa
2 days ago
34
Reply
@TheBLACKboard65
2 days ago
Good one!!
15
Reply
@td9057
2 days ago
This joke deserves an Oscar!
31
Reply
@MaiAngelTv
2 days ago
Bruh
8
Reply
@toddcrumpler4117
2 days ago
Dam you got me with that one
15
Reply
@zottffss
2 days ago
I can't bear this much longer.
2023-08-26
2023-08-25
I can't believe you are Seven 😳
It is amazing how big these animals are.
We shouldn't treat apex predators as pets.
Fiery Vivek clip
The U.S. Constitution won us the American Revolution?
Other than that, I like the speech.
Fwd: Since 2007
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Larry
US Budget Deficits Are Exploding Like Never Before
Investors see a high-spending new normal keeping interest rates and inflation elevated.
American politicians are keener than ever to juice the economy with government cash, a shift that's already helping to drive up borrowing costs and looks likely to keep them high long after the inflation emergency is over.
The outlook for the federal budget right now is essentially unprecedented—crisis-size deficits as far as the eye can see, even though the economy appears to be in good health. That prospect is making investors uneasy, as demonstrated by yields on benchmark 10-year Treasuries climbing above 4.3% this week, their highest levels since 2007. Other borrowing costs are rising in tandem:
Fwd: Since 2007
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Larry Trout>
Well this explains how we can how power outages in America.
Apparently in 2007 we plateued as we stopped adding enough electricity to replace retiring coal plants . This seem like a bad idea as the population growth didn't stop in 2007.
Hollywood Rewrites History Again: What the Oppenheimer Deification Movie Didn’t Tell You
Soviet spy chief, General Pavel Sudoplatov, who in his 1994 memoirs stated that Oppenheimer, while at Los Alamos, had passed nuclear secrets to the Soviets without which they'd never have been able to build their own A-Bomb so quickly. Also ignored…was a 1944 letter from a Soviet security official, Boris Merkulov, to Lavrenty Beria, Stalin's notorious chief of secret police, in which he stated that Oppenheimer had reported to the Soviets on his work at Los Alamos via CPUSA [Communist Party of the United States of America] president Earl Browder
2023-08-24
2023-08-23
2023-08-20
Morning Chat With Neighborhood Bear
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/s9JLdkkXxtU
The first thing I would do is call 9-11. The bear is probably looking for food, and literally, everything and everyone looks like food to a bear.
2023-08-18
Body Language: The Trump Sidestep - YouTube
@john2001plus
1 second agoI think that it is a given that Trump is not entirely honest, and not the nicest guy in the world. He is clearly a narcissist, but he is also a strong person who is cable of getting things done. He might be the guy we need, again.
2023-08-16
Americans Must Not Kneel to the Biden Administration’s Bullying
Through the weaponization of government agencies, as well as a ruthless, calculated fight for radical abortion and transgender policies, the Biden administration has effectively forced millions of Americans to choose between living out their faith or to suffer serious harassment, persecution and even punishment for their sincerely held beliefs.
The Biden administration recently showed its hand by announcing that it is reversing plans to station the U.S. Space Command's headquarters in Alabama and would instead make Colorado Springs its permanent headquarters. This change has left little doubt it is due "in part because of concerns about the state's restrictive abortion law, according to two U.S. officials and one U.S. defense official familiar with the discussions."
The whole situation reeks of the administration's mob-like tactics. Anyone paying attention can see the change is also retaliation against Alabama's Senator Tommy Tuberville,
The Biden administration recently showed its hand by announcing that it is reversing plans to station the U.S. Space Command's headquarters in Alabama and would instead make Colorado Springs its permanent headquarters. This change has left little doubt it is due "in part because of concerns about the state's restrictive abortion law, according to two U.S. officials and one U.S. defense official familiar with the discussions."
The whole situation reeks of the administration's mob-like tactics. Anyone paying attention can see the change is also retaliation against Alabama's Senator Tommy Tuberville,
2023-08-15
2023-08-14
2023-08-13
2023-08-11
Why We're Going BACK to the Moon
https://youtube.com/shorts/GnWR1ff__qs?feature=share
And who pays for this?
The video titled, " Why We're Going BACK to the Moon" doesn't actually explain why.
And who pays for this?
The video titled, " Why We're Going BACK to the Moon" doesn't actually explain why.
2023-08-10
Fwd: The oldest photos ever taken in Utah
A few of these pictures I have seen before.
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: al
From: al
Hi John!
Thought you might appreciate these!
Al
 | It's hard to imagine what life was like in Utah back then, but these photos give us some idea. |
2023-08-09
2023-08-08
Re: TAKE IT UP A NOTCH
On Tue, Aug 8, 2023 at 6:34 PM John Coffey <john2001plus@gmail.com> wrote:
John Greene is the author of, "The Fault in Our Stars", and he and his brother Hank make videos that I have been watching since 2010. He is also an activist for Tuberculosis.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qthR6dw1-HQ
TAKE IT UP A NOTCH
John Greene is the author of, "The Fault in Our Stars", and he and his brother Hank make videos that I have been watching since 2010. He is also an activist for Tuberculosis.
Star Wars in a historical context
To put Star Wars in context, in 1977 I was 17 years old. We were living during the Cold War, where the Soviet Union could be viewed as the Evil Empire, while the fight against the Nazis during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War didn't seem like ancient history, but were still relevant in our minds. The thought of nuclear annihilation also felt like a very real possibility.
We were going through the worst economic decade of my lifetime. Some people might look at the events that followed 2008 as being the worst, but the American economy was much more robust in 2008 and able to eventually rebound. However, the 1970s was just one piece of bad news after another. The country felt like it was in a giant malaise.
Then came Star Wars in 1977, which to my 17-year-old mind felt like a godsend. It was a metaphor for a hopeful battle against all the evils that plagued us.
Star Wars became an important part of my life, and it influenced my career toward computers and video game development. To this day, Star Wars feels like a part of my personality.
At my more advanced age of 63, I notice how violent Star Wars is. This didn't seem like much of an issue in 1977 when the characters were fighting Space Nazis, because the 1970s felt like an existential struggle against the forces of evil. For example, Star Wars calls light sabers an elegant weapon, but how elegant is cutting people in half or cutting their heads off? It would be like calling a battle axe an elegant weapon.
All this makes me wonder how relevant Star Wars is to our current time? The 20th century was by far the most violent in history, which made mechanized murder on a mass scale feel more normal. I think that there was less regard for the individual, which is something we take to extreme levels today.
I feel far less threatened by outside forces today than I did after 9-11, or in the 60s, the 70s, and the 80s.
We can still fantasize about a struggle for survival between good and evil, but good and evil in the modern world are less distinct from one another.
This makes me think that Star Wars has to change to remain relevant. The original movie gave us 1970s characters in a futuristic setting. The recent series Andor did a great job of giving us modern characters in the same setting and feels more relevant to the time we live in.
--
Best wishes,
John Coffey
http://www.entertainmentjourney.com
We were going through the worst economic decade of my lifetime. Some people might look at the events that followed 2008 as being the worst, but the American economy was much more robust in 2008 and able to eventually rebound. However, the 1970s was just one piece of bad news after another. The country felt like it was in a giant malaise.
Then came Star Wars in 1977, which to my 17-year-old mind felt like a godsend. It was a metaphor for a hopeful battle against all the evils that plagued us.
Star Wars became an important part of my life, and it influenced my career toward computers and video game development. To this day, Star Wars feels like a part of my personality.
At my more advanced age of 63, I notice how violent Star Wars is. This didn't seem like much of an issue in 1977 when the characters were fighting Space Nazis, because the 1970s felt like an existential struggle against the forces of evil. For example, Star Wars calls light sabers an elegant weapon, but how elegant is cutting people in half or cutting their heads off? It would be like calling a battle axe an elegant weapon.
All this makes me wonder how relevant Star Wars is to our current time? The 20th century was by far the most violent in history, which made mechanized murder on a mass scale feel more normal. I think that there was less regard for the individual, which is something we take to extreme levels today.
I feel far less threatened by outside forces today than I did after 9-11, or in the 60s, the 70s, and the 80s.
We can still fantasize about a struggle for survival between good and evil, but good and evil in the modern world are less distinct from one another.
This makes me think that Star Wars has to change to remain relevant. The original movie gave us 1970s characters in a futuristic setting. The recent series Andor did a great job of giving us modern characters in the same setting and feels more relevant to the time we live in.
--
Best wishes,
John Coffey
http://www.entertainmentjourney.com
2023-08-07
Fwd: Walsh discusses Neil DegrasseTyson's take on Gender
I watched the first video and was impressed with the argument.
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Larry
From: Larry
Neil Degrasse Tyson 3 years ago was much less strident with Ben Shapiro
2023-08-06
2023-08-05
Mars Lander sends SADDEST message home
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/QP6Q1XaxYb0
@LinaScott
23 hours ago
Someone at NASA is a thoughtful smart ass to program those messages ... just beautiful
@FoodRecipes108
7 months ago
Homie got me crying for non living thing.
@LinaScott
23 hours ago
Someone at NASA is a thoughtful smart ass to program those messages ... just beautiful
@FoodRecipes108
7 months ago
Homie got me crying for non living thing.
2023-08-04
Jordan Peterson: The radical Left is guilt-tripping the West into oblivion
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2v8lq_vnklI
Dr. Peterson makes his best points in the first 17 minutes, however the rest of the video is also interesting.
One thing I like about Peterson is that he speaks at such an intellectual level that you have to pay attention to keep up. However, this sometimes feels like a trick, where if he drops enough buzzwords then it makes him seem like an intellectual.
I differ form Peterson in that he treats mythology as existential truth. If he was only talking about metaphors he might be correct, but he tends to take it a higher level as if the mythology were true. It has never been clear where Peterson stands on religion, because he plays both sides. He will talk about religion as metaphor, but also treat it like it is true. In this regard, he doesn't limit himself to just one religion or mythology, but he talks about many.
Before his serious illness, he held suffering on a pedestal, which he thought was inevitable anyway. This made him seem a little nutty. He backs off this a little, but his point has always been that you have to have a moral compass and relationships to get though the hard times.
Peterson argues that truth will win out over falsehoods. I think that this is by no means a given. It might not be true at all. It appears that false doctrines are winning, and historically this seems to be the norm.
Peterson argues for standing for truth even against extreme oppression. However, I don't think that humans should make themselves into sacrificial animals against a system they can't defeat. It is better to survive and wait for a better opportunity. History shows that oppressive regimes eventually crumble, often from internal corruption.
2023-08-03
Answering People's Questions About Slavery: The London History Show
This is an engaging and unpleasant look at the slave trade.
Compare how slavery was the norm for thousands of years and has only been abolished for less than 200 years. This doesn't speak well for humanity.
Even after abolition in the United States, the southern states used laws to enslave black persons. https://www.history.com/news/black-codes-reconstruction-slavery
This practice wasn't abolished until the mid 20nth century.
The Arab slave trade was huge. Barbary pirates would capture European and even American ships and enslave the passengers.
2023-08-01
2023-07-30
2023-07-29
Are chatbots the wave of the future?
Many people, myself included, tend to latch onto new technology.
So far, I'm not particularly impressed with the current level of chatbots. They have no real understanding, but do a great job of imitating human conversation. They only understand the relationship between words in ordinary speech. The chatbots are essentially a version of Wikipedia that can hold a conversation with you.
That is all about to change. It can't be far off because there is an AI arms race going on between major companies. Eventually computer programs will talk to you with some understanding of what they are talking about. I see a future, possibly within a decade, where your computer or smartphone is your artificial friend who regularly talks to you, keeps you company, and helps you deal with any problem you may have. Better than real friends.
It is inevitable.
Right now people are pushing Augmented Reality, and although I don't see much point, it will likely be the norm in a decade. For me, it would be nice to spend time with some of my Utah friends as if they were in the room with me.
--
Best wishes,
John Coffey
http://www.entertainmentjourney.com
The truth about Greyhounds
I think that the info about Greyhounds is interesting. I like this channel.
2023-07-28
2023-07-24
2023-07-23
2023-07-19
6 Ways British and American Grammar is Very Different
There is a difference between "in prison" and "in the hospital". In my state of Indiana, every city or town of a reasonable size has a hospital nearby. So if I say, "the hospital", there is a pretty good chance that I am referring to the one down the street from me. However, the state prison and other major correctional facilities are a long way off and I don't even know for sure where they are. It is hard to be specific.
2023-07-18
2023-07-16
2023-07-14
why you DON'T want foxes as pets
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/YTcKomzbEwY
Wild animals don't make good pets.
For example, rabbits tend to be destructive and don't interact nearly as much as a dog or cat.
2023-07-13
2023-07-12
2023-07-09
Building Blocks of Memory in the Brain
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5trRLX7PQY&t=1460s
This video describes memory formation and retention as a competition between different neurons.
I have heard this before.
I wonder if more biological processes involve competition between cells. We know that some cells self-destruct when they detect a defect or an infection. Competition might be a method by which biology optimizes its functioning.
2023-07-06
Structural Racism Flowchart | American Heart Association
https://newsroom.heart.org/file/structural-racism-flowchart228182228183228184228185228186228187228188228189228190
The Marxist left has been trying to divide people politically based on race. The left promotes an agenda where any disparity is due to racism. Yet, I don't know anyone who is racist. They claim that although individuals might not be racist, the system is flawed, which is true when we talk about generational poverty. However, this is the rationale for abandoning the system entirely and replacing it with something much more authoritarian. This is the real agenda. It is about power, which the far left wants at any cost. They don't really care about society. They want to be in control.
People today aren't responsible for the sins of the past. Race relations were improving significantly until agitators promoted a divisive agenda. It wasn't perfect, but we had the most racially harmonious society on the planet. By comparison, almost all Asian countries are extremely racially biased, and racism in Europe is on the rise.
2023-07-04
2023-06-27
Fwd: Watch "US recruitment agency claps back at wokeness in the workplace" on YouTube
Very good.
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Albert
From: Albert
2023-06-26
2023-06-24
2023-06-23
2023-06-22
2023-06-20
2023-06-19
2023-06-18
2023-06-17
2023-06-16
So, About This HAIR....
Profound in a small way. Four weeks ago, Hank Greene announced that he had cancer.
2023-06-15
2023-06-14
2023-06-13
2023-06-12
2023-06-09
2023-06-07
2023-06-03
2023-06-01
The Mac Mini Killer just got BETTER! - Minisforum @ Computex 2023
I've been waiting for this since the XBOX series X came out. Granted, it is not a 12-teraflop SOC, but I have long wanted a powerful APU with good graphical performance.
I knew I wanted one when AMD announced this chip as the M-chip killer. For gaming, it has a 5 teraflop performance. You would have to buy an M2-pro model at $1300 to do just a little bit better.
I think that these chips were supposed to be out in February, but they kept getting delayed.
I knew I wanted one when AMD announced this chip as the M-chip killer. For gaming, it has a 5 teraflop performance. You would have to buy an M2-pro model at $1300 to do just a little bit better.
I think that these chips were supposed to be out in February, but they kept getting delayed.
I'm not obligated to buy right now. I have recently seen a couple of less powerful models on sale, for $289 and $320, both of which are still plenty powerful. That's a big difference in price for computers that still have great performance.
2023-05-30
2023-05-28
Is the CO2 greenhouse effect saturated?
7 minutes ago (edited)
We have almost doubled the CO2 level already from the preindustrial level, and we aren't experiencing a 2 to 4 degree increase in temperature. Instead, we are looking at a 1 to 1.1-degree increase. The current rate of change is barely over 1/100th of a degree per year. Climate Alarmism depends upon as-of-yet unproven positive feedback effects, which likely exist, but we also have to factor in the negative feedback.
Right now we should be in the rapid cooling phase of the Milankovich Cycles and headed toward the next period of mass glaciation, except that those pesky humans have warmed the planet a tiny bit. Thank goodness for that.
2023-05-27
"I looked at the recent bird flu data, and now I'm really scared."
An elderly friend of mine in Salt Lake City died from the flu.
According to the video, there is no pandemic of the Bird Flu right now, but conditions are ripe for one to happen. It has infected animals close enough to humans for it to have the potential to spread to people.
The video claims that public officials are trying to prevent an outbreak. It would be good if we could avoid another pandemic.
2023-05-26
2023-05-25
2023-05-24
They Went With The Blindfold (Climate Alarmism)
This chart affirms what I have been saying for years...
2023-05-23
Ray Stevenson
Anyone who has seen the series "Rome" would probably be a fan of Ray Stevenson He passed away a couple of days ago at the age of 58 while filming in Italy. He has appeared in other shows and will be in the Star Wars Ahsoka series coming out in August.
2023-05-22
2023-05-21
Carlsen: Haven’t Studied Chess Recently; It Showed.
Paul Morphy was considerably better than his contemporaries. So was Bobby Fischer. Neither benefited from computers, databases, or modern opening theory. For this reason, it is harder to compare the skill level of their play with the level of the top current players.
Gary Kasparov was only a bit better than his contemporaries but remained World Champion for 15 years.
Magnus Carlsen is the closest thing to a perfect human chess player. He knows more about chess than anyone ever. He definitely would lose to a computer, but that would be like a math contest against a scientific calculator, or a boxing match with a brick wall. Computers really are perfect, or at least close enough that we can't tell the difference, whereas all humans make mistakes, including Magnus.
As good as Magnus is, he is only a bit better than his contemporaries. There are a number of players who are not far behind.
Bobby Fischer reportedly had an IQ of 180. He was incredibly brilliant. I have heard that Magnus Carlsen has an IQ of 190. He is also incredibly brilliant. I don't know how one quantifies the difference between 180 and 190, especially half a century apart.
Magnus Carlsen once admitted that he had to drink less to play chess well. I have seen him play speed chess online while apparently drunk but he still won because he can play intuitively almost perfect chess. I've seen Russian Grandmasters also win while drunk. So, therefore, I've been wondering if Magnus Carsen is an alcoholic.
In this interview, he looks more disheveled than usual. It is also a bit odd that he decided not to participate in the World Chess Championship, giving up the World Chess Champion title that he has held for ten years.
2023-05-20
2023-05-19
Your Brain Is Shaped Like Nobody Else’s - Nautilus
A growing body of research now confirms there are plenty of physical dissimilarities between individual brains, particularly when it comes to white matter—the material nestled beneath the much-prized gray matter. And it's not just anatomical. White matter hosts connections between the brain's sections, like a city's streets and avenues. So behavioral patterns can arise from even small physical differences in white matter, according to a late 2022 Science paperpenned by Forkel and a colleague.1
https://nautil.us/your-brain-is-shaped-like-nobody-elses-297950/
2023-05-17
John Durham’s Report and a Presidency in Crisis - WSJ
"Mr. Durham's findings will be old hat and ignored by a media that ignored such information even when it was new hat. Even to the most receptive audience, the news will be eclipsed by what has happened since. The Clinton campaign engaged in good, old-fashioned political smears, albeit helped by fellow travelers in the FBI. This new low in American politics has since been succeeded by the layer cake of falsehood cooked up by 51 former top intelligence officials, including three former leaders of the CIA, to flaunt a new fake Russia conspiracy to get Joe Biden elected.
Because of Mr. Durham's timing, you're reading an expurgated version of a column that would have noted that, in any universe where news reporting hadn't been corrupted by the need to appear anti-Trump, Mr. Biden's would be a presidency in crisis.
Even so, the news blackout can't conceal the suspicious details unearthed by congressional investigators about Biden family bank accounts, shell companies and transfers from shady foreign actors. It can't conceal that Mr. Biden may owe his presidency to a de facto U.S. intelligence agency operation to bamboozle voters about his son's laptop.
A Dixie-whistling press can't suppress a whopping factoid: Though Mr. Biden's likeliest opponent has been found liable for sexual assault, is under indictment for payoffs to a porn star, and soon may face various federal charges, Mr. Trump is still beating Mr. Biden in some national polls.
Last week's CNN town hall, despite much huffing and puffing, rightly frightens Democrats. It shows Mr. Trump ambulatory and energetic, qualities that no amount of pharmaceutical intervention can supply Mr. Biden.
For several days the New York Times featured prominently on its home page the headline "As Biden Runs Again, Black Voters' Frustration Bubbles." Mr. Biden thereupon ran off to frighten the graduating class of Howard University, who likely have their pick of job offers from name-brand employers, with imaginary white supremacists hiding under every bridge.
Outrage and mockery alternate when Russia characterizes its enemies in Ukraine as Nazis. But of course if the Putin regime characterized its Ukrainian opponents as they actually are, the Russian people might start questioning their own government. Mr. Biden engages in the same dodge with his constant invocations of white racism. Don't kid yourself. This is political desperation at work."
Because of Mr. Durham's timing, you're reading an expurgated version of a column that would have noted that, in any universe where news reporting hadn't been corrupted by the need to appear anti-Trump, Mr. Biden's would be a presidency in crisis.
Even so, the news blackout can't conceal the suspicious details unearthed by congressional investigators about Biden family bank accounts, shell companies and transfers from shady foreign actors. It can't conceal that Mr. Biden may owe his presidency to a de facto U.S. intelligence agency operation to bamboozle voters about his son's laptop.
A Dixie-whistling press can't suppress a whopping factoid: Though Mr. Biden's likeliest opponent has been found liable for sexual assault, is under indictment for payoffs to a porn star, and soon may face various federal charges, Mr. Trump is still beating Mr. Biden in some national polls.
Last week's CNN town hall, despite much huffing and puffing, rightly frightens Democrats. It shows Mr. Trump ambulatory and energetic, qualities that no amount of pharmaceutical intervention can supply Mr. Biden.
For several days the New York Times featured prominently on its home page the headline "As Biden Runs Again, Black Voters' Frustration Bubbles." Mr. Biden thereupon ran off to frighten the graduating class of Howard University, who likely have their pick of job offers from name-brand employers, with imaginary white supremacists hiding under every bridge.
Outrage and mockery alternate when Russia characterizes its enemies in Ukraine as Nazis. But of course if the Putin regime characterized its Ukrainian opponents as they actually are, the Russian people might start questioning their own government. Mr. Biden engages in the same dodge with his constant invocations of white racism. Don't kid yourself. This is political desperation at work."
2023-05-16
2023-05-15
2023-05-13
Oklahoma researchers find possible link between diet, MS | KFOR.com Oklahoma City
I'm not a doctor, so I am not giving medical advice. This needs more research.
2023-05-09
2023-05-08
2023-05-06
2023-05-05
2023-05-04
"76% of the people in Hong Kong who died of COVID were vaccinated"
There are problems with this idea. People in Hong Kong don't get the same vaccine as Americans. Most get the ineffective Chinese vaccine. You would have to compare the death rates with other people in the world.
The overall mortality rate in the United States among the unvaccinated has varied from 2 to 10 times as much.
How the ‘Unvaccinated’ Got It Right
https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/how-the-unvaccinated-got-it-right_5238208.html?utm_campaign=socialshare_email
I am disturbed by how every commentator on the political right has turned anti-COVID-vaccine to one degree or enough. While most are against the vaccine, some think it should only be given to the most vulnerable population because of reported vaccine risk.
The article cherry-picks its data and makes a number of false claims. It hits every anti-vaccine point that has come up over the last three years and relies on emotional language to make its points.
1. It is not true that the vaccinated die at a higher rate than the unvaccinated. The data shows so much the opposite that it takes extreme mental gymnastics to come to this conclusion.
The article points to data from the vaccine trial. The problem with this is that the vaccine trial was given to a wide range of people, including nursing home patients who might have died anyway, so any discussion of the death rate from the initial trial is not proof of anything. https://www.oregonlive.com/coronavirus/2021/08/no-more-vaccinated-people-didnt-die-from-covid-in-pfizers-vaccine-trial.html
There has been a ton of research after the initial trial. I have read a number of papers that support the safety and efficacy of the vaccines.
I saw one study that indicated that 1 out of a million people might die from the vaccine, usually people with comorbidities. This is roughly the same risk of death every time you get in a car. However, the disease has killed 1 out of 92 infected people in the United States, usually people with comorbidities. Young healthy people have also died from COVID. Nobody claims that the vaccine is perfectly safe, or effective, but the relative risk is much lower. One out of every 285 Americans has died from COVID. I lost a cousin to COVID.
The efficacy of the vaccine has changed as the disease has evolved. Because of this, many people claim that the government lied to us about the efficacy of the vaccine. Although the vaccine is now less effective at preventing the disease, the data shows that it is still 97% effective at preventing hospitalization and death.
2. It is not true that the vaccine is untested.
3. The vaccine was not tested for stopping the spread of the virus.
Although initially true, there wasn't time before the Emergency Use Authorization to determine whether the vaccine stopped the spread of the virus. Most commentators take this to mean that it doesn't. However, I have read more recent scientific studies that show that vaccinated people are much less likely to spread the disease.
If a member of your family has COVID, wouldn't you prefer that they be vaccinated? According to at least one study, the vaccinated are less likely to spread the disease to a family member.
4. The article claims that the vaccine mRNA might not be eliminated inside the body, without offering any proof, further making the unsupported claim that this could harm our health.
It is a well-known medical fact that mRNA is destroyed in less than a second after it is used. Your body is making and disposing of mRNA every microsecond.
Even if some of the vaccine mRNA stays around, there is no vehicle for the mRNA to enter other cells. The vaccine needs a lipid delivery mechanism to work. Once the mRNA enters the cell, it loses this mechanism.
5. The article claims that there are no long-term vaccine risk studies.
This is most likely true, although it depends upon what you mean by long-term. There have been more studies on the COVID disease and vaccination than any other disease.
"no long-term side effects have been detected. "
https://portal.ct.gov/vaccine-portal/Vaccine-Knowledge-Base/Articles/Long-Term-Effects?language=en_US
However, the long-term effects of the COVID disease have been severe, with about 11% of the infected getting "long covid". This can be life-threatening or completely debilitating.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpjGLLbWZJ0
6. The article claims that the government violated people's civil liberties and engaged in censorship, and this is a good reason to not get vaccinated.
The first part of this statement is true, but it would be like saying that because you live in communist China you should not get vaccinated. The efficacy and safety of the vaccine is a completely different issue from the oppressive nature of governments.
I am disturbed by how every commentator on the political right has turned anti-COVID-vaccine to one degree or enough. While most are against the vaccine, some think it should only be given to the most vulnerable population because of reported vaccine risk.
The article cherry-picks its data and makes a number of false claims. It hits every anti-vaccine point that has come up over the last three years and relies on emotional language to make its points.
1. It is not true that the vaccinated die at a higher rate than the unvaccinated. The data shows so much the opposite that it takes extreme mental gymnastics to come to this conclusion.
The article points to data from the vaccine trial. The problem with this is that the vaccine trial was given to a wide range of people, including nursing home patients who might have died anyway, so any discussion of the death rate from the initial trial is not proof of anything. https://www.oregonlive.com/coronavirus/2021/08/no-more-vaccinated-people-didnt-die-from-covid-in-pfizers-vaccine-trial.html
There has been a ton of research after the initial trial. I have read a number of papers that support the safety and efficacy of the vaccines.
I saw one study that indicated that 1 out of a million people might die from the vaccine, usually people with comorbidities. This is roughly the same risk of death every time you get in a car. However, the disease has killed 1 out of 92 infected people in the United States, usually people with comorbidities. Young healthy people have also died from COVID. Nobody claims that the vaccine is perfectly safe, or effective, but the relative risk is much lower. One out of every 285 Americans has died from COVID. I lost a cousin to COVID.
The efficacy of the vaccine has changed as the disease has evolved. Because of this, many people claim that the government lied to us about the efficacy of the vaccine. Although the vaccine is now less effective at preventing the disease, the data shows that it is still 97% effective at preventing hospitalization and death.
2. It is not true that the vaccine is untested.
3. The vaccine was not tested for stopping the spread of the virus.
Although initially true, there wasn't time before the Emergency Use Authorization to determine whether the vaccine stopped the spread of the virus. Most commentators take this to mean that it doesn't. However, I have read more recent scientific studies that show that vaccinated people are much less likely to spread the disease.
If a member of your family has COVID, wouldn't you prefer that they be vaccinated? According to at least one study, the vaccinated are less likely to spread the disease to a family member.
4. The article claims that the vaccine mRNA might not be eliminated inside the body, without offering any proof, further making the unsupported claim that this could harm our health.
It is a well-known medical fact that mRNA is destroyed in less than a second after it is used. Your body is making and disposing of mRNA every microsecond.
Even if some of the vaccine mRNA stays around, there is no vehicle for the mRNA to enter other cells. The vaccine needs a lipid delivery mechanism to work. Once the mRNA enters the cell, it loses this mechanism.
5. The article claims that there are no long-term vaccine risk studies.
This is most likely true, although it depends upon what you mean by long-term. There have been more studies on the COVID disease and vaccination than any other disease.
"no long-term side effects have been detected. "
https://portal.ct.gov/vaccine-portal/Vaccine-Knowledge-Base/Articles/Long-Term-Effects?language=en_US
However, the long-term effects of the COVID disease have been severe, with about 11% of the infected getting "long covid". This can be life-threatening or completely debilitating.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpjGLLbWZJ0
6. The article claims that the government violated people's civil liberties and engaged in censorship, and this is a good reason to not get vaccinated.
The first part of this statement is true, but it would be like saying that because you live in communist China you should not get vaccinated. The efficacy and safety of the vaccine is a completely different issue from the oppressive nature of governments.
2023-05-02
2023-05-01
2023-04-30
2023-04-28
Fwd: head of largest hedge fund says we're on the edge of war and unable to talk to China
After American billionaire Ray Dalio returned from his China trip with grim warnings, policy experts are chiming in on "the scale of the threat" the Communist Chinese Party poses to national security.
Through his LinkedIn profile, Dalio published an article focusing on the "great power conflict" and what's going on with China. He claimed the piece is informed by two recent visits to Beijing where he spent a total of 13 days
"The United States and China are on the brink of war and are beyond the ability to talk," Dalio wrote. "I want to emphasize that by saying that they are on the brink, I don't mean to say that they will necessarily go over the brink. I mean to say that they are very close to crossing red lines that, if crossed, will irrevocably push them over the brink into some type of war that damages these two countries and causes damage to the world order in severe and irrevocable ways—like Russia's invasion of Ukraine did for Russia and the world, just much bigger."
Dalio founded the world's largest hedge fund firm which manages $124 billion, according to Forbes. The billionaire has been criticized for his financial exposure to the Chinese government. In 2021, Dalio equated human rights abuses in China to racism in America, and rhetorically asked whether or not he should still be investing in the United States.
American Enterprise Institute senior fellow Zack Cooper disagreed with Dalio's assessment on "Mornings with Maria" Friday, claiming the billionaire's comments don't line up with information from U.S. officials.
"I just don't think he's right. I actually think that what we've seen, as U.S. officials say recently, including the head of the Indo-Pacific command, that, yes, we have to be worried about a conflict, but that they don't see what's happening in the near term," Cooper said. "There's no reason to think we're on the brink of war right now."
However, other expert analysis has corroborated Dalio's warning of looming conflict, including Atlas Organization founder Gordon Chang who argued war could "very well" break out before 2025.
"When you have China engaging in dangerous intercepts of the U.S. and other militaries in the region, anything can happen. And we have a military that is not prepared to deal with the probable scenarios," Chang previously told host Maria Bartiromo. "General Mike Minahan on that January 27th leaked memo talked about war with China in 2025… Well, it could very well be before that."
Though Cooper further expressed doubt that there's a firm timeline for any U.S.-China conflict, he said Dalio's concerns are likely not about American defenses
"I think what Dalio's probably worried about is that there are going to be restrictions on U.S. investors that are putting money into China, especially into areas that have dual-use implications that could go into high-end computing, that could eventually help the Chinese military," Cooper said.
"And I think there is going to be real restrictions coming out of both the White House and Congress that will affect investors like Dalio.
2023-04-27
2023-04-26
World Chess Championship cutting to the chase
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2h7EnDkL_c&t=1095s
"The match is best of 14 games; a score of at least 7½ would win the world championship. If the score is equal after 14 games, tiebreak games with faster time controls will be played:[36]
A match consisting of 4 rapid games with 25 minutes per side and a 10-second increment starting with move 1 will be played. If a player scores 2½ points or more, he would win the championship.
If the score is equal after the rapid portion, a mini-match of two blitz games will be played, with a time control of 5 minutes per side and a 3-second increment starting with move 1. If a player scores 1½ points or more, he would win the championship. If the blitz mini-match is tied, another mini-match with the same conditions will be played to decide the winner of the championship.
If both blitz mini-matches are tied, a single game with a time control of 3 minutes per side and a 2-second increment starting with move 1 will be played, and the winner would win the championship. A drawing of lots shall decide which player plays with the white pieces. If this game is drawn, another blitz game with reversed colours will be played with the same time control, and the winner would win the championship. This process will be repeated until either player wins a game.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Chess_Championship_2023
One has to wonder if Magnus Carlsen would have made the same mistakes. I doubt it. He tends to be cool under pressure and more consistent overall.
If the match ends in a tie, there is a playoff day this Sunday using rapid time controls. The games are played at 3 PM Kazakhstan time, which is 5 AM Indiana time. I could see myself getting up early to watch the playoff.
"The match is best of 14 games; a score of at least 7½ would win the world championship. If the score is equal after 14 games, tiebreak games with faster time controls will be played:[36]
A match consisting of 4 rapid games with 25 minutes per side and a 10-second increment starting with move 1 will be played. If a player scores 2½ points or more, he would win the championship.
If the score is equal after the rapid portion, a mini-match of two blitz games will be played, with a time control of 5 minutes per side and a 3-second increment starting with move 1. If a player scores 1½ points or more, he would win the championship. If the blitz mini-match is tied, another mini-match with the same conditions will be played to decide the winner of the championship.
If both blitz mini-matches are tied, a single game with a time control of 3 minutes per side and a 2-second increment starting with move 1 will be played, and the winner would win the championship. A drawing of lots shall decide which player plays with the white pieces. If this game is drawn, another blitz game with reversed colours will be played with the same time control, and the winner would win the championship. This process will be repeated until either player wins a game.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Chess_Championship_2023
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