Previous month:
March 2021
Next month:
May 2021

BULLSHIT SCIENCE FROM WOKE RESEARCHERS?

fauci-x

Along with several great observations on science and the scientific method from 1965 Nobel Prize awardee physicist Richard Feynman, there are some fundamental rules I keep in mind when reading the scientific literature…

(1)  Correlation is not causation.

(2)  The published results are often the result of a selection bias where you see published results that meet the researcher's expectations and may ignore a large number of false leads and findings.

(3)  Read the actual literature, not the work of a reporter who has interviewed a researcher for the press release or the reporter who has written their story from the press release.

(4)  It is unnecessary to publish useful results because all findings end with the same conclusion; more research is needed, send money.

(5)  It is not enough to read a paper, especially a pre-print, without considering any validation studies that may confirm or falsify the researcher’s work. Examine the methodology with common-sense challenges.

(6)  Decimal point accuracy may be the artifact of the arithmetic, not the accuracy of the instruments, the placement, and use of the instruments, or the precision of the measurements.  

(7)  True is true if no one believes it; false is false if everyone believes it. (Os Guinness, Time for Truth: Living Free in a World of Lies, Hype, and Spin)

Excerpts from the media center of the University of Rochester Medical Center …

Don’t Go Fracking My Heart: Study Links Hydraulic Fracking with Increased Risk of Heart Attack Hospitalization, Death

“Fracking is associated with increased acute myocardial infarction hospitalization rates among middle-aged men, older men and older women as well as with increased heart attack-related mortality among middle-aged men,” said Elaine Hill, Ph.D., an associate professor in the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) Department of Public Health Sciences, and senior author of the study that appears in the journal Environmental Research.  “Our findings lend support for increased awareness about cardiovascular risks of unconventional natural gas development and scaled-up heart attack prevention, as well as suggest that bans on hydraulic fracturing can be protective for public health.”

Natural gas extraction, including hydraulic fracking, is a well-known contributor to air pollution. Fracking wells operate around the clock and the process of drilling, gas extraction, and flaring – the burning off of natural gas byproducts – release organic compounds, nitrogen oxide, and other chemicals and particulates into the air.  Additionally, each well requires the constant transportation of equipment, water, and chemicals, as well as the removal of waste water from the fracking process, further contributing to air pollution levels.  Fracking wells remain in operation for several years, prolonging exposure to people who work at the wells sites and those who live nearby.

Instead of the typical single source of industrial air pollution, such as a factory or power plant, fracking entails multiple well sites spread across a large, and often rural, geographic area.  In 2014, there were more than 8,000 fracking well sites in Pennsylvania.  Some areas of the state have a dense population of fracking wells – three Pennsylvania counties have more than 1,000 sites. Contrast that with New York State, which has essentially banned the process of hydraulic fracking since 2010.

Exposure to air pollution is recognized as a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease.  Other research has shown that the intensity of oil and gas development and production is positively associated with diminished vascular function, blood pressure, and inflammatory markers associated with stress and short-term air pollution exposure. Light and noise pollution from the continuous operation of the wells are also associated with increasing stress, which is another contributor to cardiovascular disease.

The research team decided to measure the impact of fracking on cardiovascular health by studying heart attack hospitalization and death rates in 47 counties on either side of the New York and Pennsylvania state line.  Using data from 2005 to 2014, they observed that heart attack rates were 1.4 to 2.8 percent higher in Pennsylvania, depending upon the age group and level of fracking activity in a given county.

The associations between fracking and heart attack hospitalization and death were most consistent among men aged 45-54, a group most likely to be in the unconventional gas industry workforce and probably the most exposed to fracking-related air pollutants and stressors.  Heart attack deaths also increase in this age group by 5.4 percent or more in counties with high concentrations of well sites.  Hospitalization and mortality rates also jumped significantly in women over the age of 65.

Fracking is more concentrated in rural communities, which the authors speculate may further compromise cardiovascular heath due to the trend of rural hospital closures. People who suffer from cardiovascular disease in these areas may be at increased risk of adverse health outcomes, including death, due to less access to care.  The authors suggest that more should be done to raise awareness about fracking-related risks for cardiovascular disease and physicians should keep a closer eye on high risk patients who reside in areas with fracking activity.  They also contend that the study should inform policymakers about the tradeoffs between public health and the economic activity generated by the industry.

“These findings contribute to the growing body of evidence on the adverse health impact of fracking,” said Alina Denham, a Ph.D. candidate in Health Policy at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and first author of the study.  “Several states, including New York, have taken the precaution of prohibiting hydraulic fracturing until more is known about the health and environmental consequences.  If causal mechanisms behind our findings are ascertained, our findings would suggest that bans on hydraulic fracturing can be protective for human health.” <Source>

What did the researchers really say…

Acute myocardial infarction associated with unconventional natural gas development: A natural experiment

Highlights
• Long-term exposure to unconventional gas development increases heart attacks.
• Heart attack hospitalizations increase 1.4–2.8%, depending on age and sex.
• Heart attack mortality increases 5.4% in middle-aged men.

Abstract

Background

Whereas it is plausible that unconventional natural gas development (UNGD) may adversely affect cardiovascular health, little is currently known. We investigate whether UNGD is associated with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

[OCS: In this case, does correlation equal causation? Can the findings be extrapolated to other areas of the country involved in unconventional natural gas development and then confirmed by the hospitalizations in those areas?]

Methods

In this observational study leveraging the natural experiment generated by New York's ban on hydraulic fracturing, we analyzed the relationship between age- and sex-specific county-level AMI hospitalization and mortality rates and three UNGD drilling measures. This longitudinal panel analysis compares Pennsylvania and New York counties on the Marcellus Shale observed over 2005–2014 (N = 2840 county-year-quarters).

[OCS: I do not see the controls and breakouts for co-morbidities such as obesity, diabetes, unusual environmental stress, smoking, high blood pressure, or the lack of prompt emergency medical care.

Cardiovascular disease is a progressive disease that can develop over years, whereas acute myocardial infarctions are often spontaneous events involving the rupture of plaques within arteries, which block or otherwise impede critical blood flow, followed by necrosis of vital heart muscles and the onset of arrhythmias.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation officially prohibited fracking 2015, concluding a comprehensive seven-year review process that examined potential environmental and health impacts of high-volume hydraulic fracturing.

It is not a conventional experiment but a mathematically-based thought experiment. The phrase “longitudinal study is simply a research design that involves repeated observations of the same variables over periods of time.]

Results

A hundred cumulative wells is associated with 0.26 more hospitalizations per 10,000 males 45-54y.o. (95% CI 0.07,0.46), 0.40 more hospitalizations per 10,000 males 65-74y.o. (95% CI 0.09,0.71), 0.47 more hospitalizations per 10,000 females 65-74y.o. (95% CI 0.18,0.77) and 1.11 more hospitalizations per 10,000 females 75y.o.+ (95% CI 0.39,1.82), translating into 1.4–2.8% increases. One additional well per square mile is associated with 2.63 more hospitalizations per 10,000 males 45-54y.o. (95% CI 0.67,4.59) and 9.7 hospitalizations per 10,000 females 75y.o.+ (95% CI 1.92,17.42), 25.8% and 24.2% increases, respectively. As for mortality rates, a hundred cumulative wells is associated with an increase of 0.09 deaths per 10,000 males 45-54y.o. (95% CI 0.02,0.16), a 5.3% increase.

[OCS: These are totally meaningless conclusions based on correlations that may be statistical artifacts of computation. Men aged 45 or older and women aged 55 or older are more likely to have a heart attack than are younger men and women. Without understanding the individual’s underlying health conditions, lifestyle choices, environment, and access to prompt emergency healthcare, the findings are meaningless and represent a cluster anomaly. To correlate the findings with a number of wells may be beyond worthless.]

Conclusions

Cumulative UNGD is associated with increased AMI hospitalization rates among middle-aged men, older men and older women as well as with increased AMI mortality among middle-aged men. Our findings lend support for increased awareness about cardiovascular risks of UNGD and scaled-up AMI prevention as well as suggest that bans on hydraulic fracturing can be protective for public health.

[OCS: The phrase “is associated” is the equivalent of “correlates with.” So we remind you that correlation is not causation. The suggestion that “bans on hydraulic fracturing can be protective for public health” can be applied to numerous facets of life, and the suggestion is totally meaningless outside of an agenda-driven political context.”

<Source>

As I see the logic, fracking contributes to air pollution; air pollution is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease (outweighed by obesity, diabetes, smoking, overwhelming short-term efforts, and stress, etc.); therefore, fracking may be a public health hazard. This is a popular political position of the progressive socialist democrats attempting to gain control over the energy sector by citing public health concerns and global warming.

The lead author,Alina Denham, is a 2021 Ph.D. candidate in  the Health Services Research and Policy School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester. Her dissertation, “Understanding the Impact of the ACA Medicaid Expansion on Emergency Department Utilization for Primary Care Sensitive Conditions,” suggests that she is politically aware as does her lengthy diversity statement.

This is not her only work within the energy sector.

Denham A, Willis M, Zavez A, Hill EL. 2019. Unconventional Natural Gas Development and Hospitalizations in Pennsylvania. Public Health, 168: 17-25.

Willis M, Hystad P, Denham A, Hill EL. 2020. Shale Gas Development, Natural Gas Flaring, and Pediatric Asthma Hospitalizations from 2000 to 2010 in Texas, USA. International Journal of Epidemiology, 49(6): 1883-1896.

Bottom line…

Amid the prophets of doom, we find a common thread: obey "the science." Unfortunately, "the science" is no longer science but the bastardization of science to support a political narrative and agenda.

We are so screwed.

-- steve 

Note: This is not a comment on the author's ability, work, or study validity. It a common-sense look at the science that appears to justify the progressive socialist democrat’s narrative on fossil fuels.

m

“Nullius in verba”-- take nobody's word for it!
"Acta non verba" -- actions not words

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"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

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS

| Comments (0)

| |

RIP MICHAEL COLLINS: THE SELFLESS ASTRONAUT

He was the quiet selfless man, the astronaut who went to the moon but never stepped into media-driven fame.

michael collins

Yet his role in piloting the Apollo 11 command module Columbia around the Moon in 1969 while his crewmates, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, made the first crewed landing on the surface of the moon, was absolutely critical and could have meant the difference between life and death for Armstrong and Aldrin.

Armstrong was the Commander of Apollo 11 and the first man to walk on the moon. Aldrin was the Lunar Module Pilot and the second man to walk on the moon. Not mentioned is Michael Collins who was the Command Module Pilot who orbited 60 miles above the moon and gets little or no mention in most accounts. Consider this official account of the mission.

From the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum…

APOLLO 11 (AS-506)

Lunar Landing Mission

Apollo 11 was the first manned mission to land on the Moon. The first steps by humans on another planetary body were taken by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on July 20, 1969. The astronauts also returned to Earth the first samples from another planetary body. Apollo 11 achieved its primary mission - to perform a manned lunar landing and return the mission safely to Earth - and paved the way for the Apollo lunar landing missions to follow.

Summary of Events

The Apollo 11 spacecraft was launched from Cape Kennedy at 13:32:00 UT on July 16, 1969. After 2 hr and 33 min in Earth orbit, the S-IVB engine was reignited for acceleration of the spacecraft to the velocity required for Earth gravity escape.

Lunar-orbit insertion began at 75:50 ground elapsed time (GET). The spacecraft was placed in an elliptical orbit (61 by 169 nautical miles), inclined 1.25 degrees to the lunar equatorial plane. At 80:12 GET, the service module propulsion system was reignited, and the orbit was made nearly circular (66 by 54 nautical miles) above the surface of the Moon. Each orbit took two hours. Photographs taken from lunar orbit provided broad views for the study of regional lunar geology.

The lunar module (LM), with Astronauts Armstrong and Aldrin aboard, was undocked from the command-service module (CSM) at 100:14 GET, following a thorough check of all the LM systems. At 101:36 GET, the LM descent engine was fired for approximately 29 seconds, and the descent to the lunar surface began. At 102:33 GET, the LM descent engine was started for the last time and burned until touchdown on the lunar surface. Eagle landed on the Moon 102 hr, 45 min and 40 sec after launch.

Immediately after landing on the Moon, Armstrong and Aldrin prepared the LM for liftoff as a contingency measure. Following the meal, a scheduled sleep period was postponed at the astronauts' request, and the astronauts began preparations for descent to the lunar surface.

Astronaut Armstrong emerged from the spacecraft first. While descending, he released the Modularized Equipment Stowage Assembly (MESA) on which the surface television camera was stowed, and the camera recorded humankind's first step on the Moon at 109:24:19 GET (pictured at left). A sample of lunar surface material was collected and stowed to assure that, if a contingency required an early end to the planned surface activities, samples of lunar surface material would be returned to Earth. Astronaut Aldrin subsequently descended to the lunar surface.

The astronauts carried out the planned sequence of activities that included deployment of a Solar Wind Composition (SWC) experiment, collection of a larger sample of lunar material, panoramic photographs of the region near the landing site and the lunar horizon, closeup photographs of in place lunar surface material, deployment of a Laser-Ranging Retroreflector (LRRR) and a Passive Seismic Experiment Package (PSEP), and collection of two core-tube samples of the lunar surface.

Approximately two and a quarter hours after descending to the surface, the astronauts began preparations to reenter the LM, after which the astronauts slept. The ascent from the lunar surface began at 124:22 GET, 21 hours and 36 minutes after the lunar landing. In transearth coast only one of four planned midcourse corrections was required. The CM entered the atmosphere of the Earth with a velocity of 36,194 feet per second (11,032 meters per second) and landed in the Pacific Ocean.

From NASA SP-214, Preliminary Science Report. <Source>

A gentleman, quiet, competent, and accomplished. He will not be forgotten as a prime example of a team player.

Rest in Peace General Collins.

-- steve

“Nullius in verba”-- take nobody's word for it!
"Acta non verba" -- actions not words

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"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

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS

| Comments (0)

| |

SHORT TAKES: A TRIP OVER THE RAINBOW

Today we visit the land over the rainbow, where the progressive socialist/communist democrats promise unicorns and self-licking lollipops…

biden-bs

Destroying the suburban lifestyle…

It is a fact that most suburban areas are well-diversified, have lower crime rates, more friendly people, and, in general, offer a more pleasant place to live than the cities, especially the Democrat-governed inner cities. So why are the corrupt Joe Biden and his cadre of communists attempting to push the city’s boundaries into the suburbs if not to grab suburban tax money and neutralize rational voters who see that the progressive socialist democrats are bad for America?

Biden's racial equity agenda targets 'exclusionary' single-family neighborhoods

President Biden wants to transform the character of many American cities and suburbs by building more apartment buildings in quiet and frequently disproportionately White neighborhoods of single-family homes.

The Biden administration sees remnants of America’s segregationist past in what it calls “exclusionary” zoning laws, which allow only single-family homes in large swaths of cities and suburbs.

As part of a racial equity agenda the president is pursuing in his massive infrastructure plan, Mr. Biden would send federal grants to cities if they eliminate those zoning laws and allow more lower-income people, often minorities, in areas that typically have better schools and fewer social ills that plague poor, inner-city communities.

The administration also is arguing that increasing the supply of housing by encouraging more apartment buildings would bring down the cost of rent. <Source>

Few politicians would resist the outright extortion and coercion of the federal government to crater their economies by shunning federal transportation money and other funding. Where the inner cities have pushed outward, we find increased gang-related drugs and crime, neighborhood decay, and graffiti everywhere. I have used gas station bathrooms in affluent areas and found the mirrors etched with gang tags and ditto for the gasoline pumps' glass screens. How long would it be before the government shoveled money into developer’s pockets to build subsidized mass-housing projects that would destroy the suburban lifestyle and export the problems of the inner cities to the paradise I have worked hard to afford.

Taking credit for the work of the Trump administration…

Other Biden delusions include the myths that Biden inherited a botched Trump Administration response to the Chinese Communist Party virus and a faltering economy. The truth is that the Trump Administration is responsible for the unprecedented creation of multiple vaccines and therapeutics and a distribution system that is unparalleled in modern history. Most of the glitches occurred in Democrat-governed states where they ignored the most vulnerable in the population and diddled in an attempt to implement a political solution based on race-based “equity.”

As for the economy, the large Democrat states killed a large portion of the economy with their insane lockdowns based on political power grabs by governors and Dr. Fauci’s pseudo-science.

Biden’s Post-Trump Honeymoon: He’s riding the end of the pandemic to pass a radical agenda.

The Democrat has also been lucky in timing, as he took the oath of office as the Covid-19 vaccines were coming online. The White House pretense that it inherited a Covid mess is nonsense. The vaccine production was pre-planned. While some state rollouts were bumpy when there was more vaccine demand than supply, the main job of the Administration was to accelerate the distribution that was already underway.

The same goes for the economy, which has been growing since last July, and its acceleration was inevitable as people returned to normal commercial and social life. As New York, Michigan and California have followed the leadership of Texas and Florida in lifting their lockdowns, the inevitable post-pandemic boom has arrived. The same would have happened if Mr. Trump had won. <Source>

Is former CIA Director John Brennan even an American?

brennan

There has always been a doubt in my mind about the loyalty of Obama-appointed former CIA Director Brennan to the United States. But, there has been no doubt that Brennan hated Israel and was pro-Arab and pro-Palestinian. One look at this Tweet above illustrates the point. How could Israel not be the empathetic champions of those who fire rockets into their civilian population and dig tunnels with the express purpose of killing Israeli citizens, and especially children? How could an industrious Israel sympathize with a pseudo-nation that still plays on the “refugee camps” theme seventy years after the fact? A pseudo-nation lead by terrorists who have rejected all attempts to create their own state? Perhaps because they produce nothing but and lack self-sustaining infrastructure.

Here are a few pictures from the Negev desert and what the Jewish people have created while the Palestinians are trying to burn it down…

negev

Who in their right mind would favor terrorists over the most America-like country in the region? Only corrupt, anti-America, anti-Israel ideologues.

Bottom line…

While the mainstream media is still hiding the suspicions that former Secretary of State colluded with the Iranians to thwart the Trump Administration, possibly with the promise of a new nuclear arms deal, we look over the landscape and find it far different from what the Biden administration and their captive propaganda arm in the mainstream media are telling us.

We are so screwed and have so little time to organize for the 2022 mid-term elections.

-- steve

“Nullius in verba”-- take nobody's word for it!
"Acta non verba" -- actions not words

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"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

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS

| Comments (0)

| |

DEFUSE THE DEMOCRAT NARRATIVE: ADMIT WE ARE ALL RACISTS

It is time to tell the progressive socialist democrats to quit trying to destroy American from within, erase our freedoms and individuality in favor of an elite-run collective of compliant individuals, and empowering those external forces that are complicit in bringing about the destruction of the most moral, diverse, and beneficial nation in the history of man.

race-lizard-brain

Seven Fundamental truths…

(1)  We are all racists. That is, nature has encoded a survival rule in our lizard brains that informs our physiology and psychology that we are least likely to face an existential risk from people like us. People from our tribe who are local, look and behave like us. Over time, we become products of our upbringing, education, peer pressure, experience, and the environment – but that does not fully negate our fundamental programming.

(2)  We face a credible fear when we stray into unfamiliar neighborhoods known to have elevated crime rates or approach individuals whose characteristics are statistically linked to greater threats that exceed the background threshold of common experience.

(3)  The progressive socialist democrats use identification and isolation to attack their opposition as Saul Alinsky observed in his Rules for Radicals. Specifically,  Rule #13, “Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it.” That is, as herd animals, we first want to assure ourselves and others that we are members of the herd and affirm that we occupy a certain place in the herd’s hierarchy. Anything that questions our membership or status in the herd is most likely to cause us discomfort. Hence the isolating power of public identifications, shame, or ridicule. (Rule #5, “Ridicule is man's most potent weapon. There is no defense. It is almost impossible to counterattack ridicule. Also, it infuriates the opposition, who then react to your advantage.")

(4)  Only you have the power to make yourself feel ashamed, unworthy, or anything else. It is a fundamental fact that your opposition, short of a physical assault or the denial of the fundamental necessities of life (water, food, healthcare, clothing, housing, gainful employment, etc.) cannot harm you without your consent.

(5)  To the extent the progressive socialist democrats define concepts and language to make you wrong, feel bad enough to change your behavior, or self-censor your speech, they have won the battle for your soul which makes you an exceptional American. Truth be told, all of us benefit from privilege. The privilege of our existence in an exceptional nation and the natural privileges conveyed to us by birth, education, experience, and achievement. To deny otherwise is foolish and shortsighted. However, it is a fundamental truth that we should recognize, acknowledge, and celebrate our innate privilege and maximize it to benefit ourselves, our community, and more broadly, society. To the extent that others attempt to gain or maintain power by subjectively disadvantaging you and advantaging another is racism, sexism, or whatever "ism” is fashionable.

(6)  Do not grant, cede, or convey power to those who point to “science” as a justification for their political actions. Today, we find a common thread running through the progressive socialist democrat narrative: obey "the science." Unfortunately, "the science" is no longer science, but the bastardization of science in support of a political narrative. They have falsified themselves and want us to “look over there at the shiny object.”

(7)  The Democrats use identity politics to cobble together a winning coalition by exploiting fundamental falsehoods. They care only about power and do not give a damn about discrimination, racism, sexism, or any other large class of individuals. It is about the manipulation of classes to achieve power. That minorities are different is of little concern to the Democrats, what is important is that they remain an identifiable, reachable group outside of societal norms in dress, language, and behavior.

Consider blacks … It is in the Democrat's best interests to perpetuate their deviance from societal norms, accepting of behavior that would normally be shunned such as the bastardization of language, the tolerance for criminal activity, the lack of male parental responsibility for spouses and children, and the low expectations for the scholastic success of black children. All giving rise to the Democrat elite's tendency to treat blacks as children incapable of functioning on their own and needing Democrat guidance to succeed and redress their grievances. One need only look at blacks in the military where they assume responsibilities far greater than that of the average civilian. Only to be infantilized when returning to civilian life.

Again, a historical truth be told, the Democrat Party is the part of slavery, racism, segregation, Jim Crow, the KKK, and has been the strongest opponent of civil rights legislation. Something the GOP is too cowardly to say out loud.

Bottom line…

Are you willing to give your permission to the progressive socialist democrats to make you feel like an oppressed victim of the “system?” Look around! Are you blind! They are the system. The Democrats are in charge of the government, education, the media, the economy, and the corporations. And yet they point to the GOP as oppressors. I call bullshit.

As exceptional Americans, we should tell the power-hungry progressive socialist democrats, their affiliated radical and racist organizations, and their weapon of choice, the mainstream media, to “eff off and die.” Or in more popular terms "Get down with your bad self!" (look it up).

We are so screwed.

-- steve

“Nullius in verba”-- take nobody's word for it!
"Acta non verba" -- actions not words

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"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

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS

| Comments (0)

| |

WHERE IS THE FBI'S INVESTIGATION OF JOHN KERRY?

Considering all the time, effort, and money the Department of Justice and the FBI pumped into a corrupt investigation into Donald Trump’s and General Michael Flynn’s possible connections with Russians, did they do anything to investigate Secretary of State John Kerry’s relations with Iranians and the possible compromise of classified or sensitive military information?

Biden team colluded with Iran to foil Trump diplomacy

Iran’s smooth, English-speaking foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, met with Robert Malley, who was President Obama’s Middle East adviser, in an apparent bid to undermine the Trump team and lay the groundwork for post-Trump relations.

The attempt at counterdiplomacy offers a window into the deep relationships Mr. Zarif forged with influential U.S. liberals over the past decade. These relationships blossomed into what high-level national security and intelligence sources say allowed the Iranian regime to bypass Mr. Trump and work directly with Obama administration veterans that Tehran hoped would soon return to power in Washington.

One of those was former Secretary of State John F. Kerry, who met with Mr. Zarif during the Trump years. So did Obama-era Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz. They, along with Mr. Malley, were top U.S. negotiators of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). As part of the deal, Tehran promised to limit its nuclear enrichment activities in exchange for economic sanctions relief and access to tens of billions of dollars in frozen bank accounts.

Some foreign policy analysts argue that the shadow diplomacy between Mr. Zarif and the former Obama team was particularly striking because Iran at the time was backing plots to kill Americans stationed in neighboring Iraq and the regime was funneling money, including funds it received from sanctions relief under the JCPOA, to terrorist organizations Hamas and Hezbollah.

Although details of Mr. Zarif’s face-to-face conversations with leading Democrats remain murky, one former senior U.S. official told The Times that the Iranian foreign minister held meetings throughout the Trump years, in 2017, 2018 and 2019, before the administration halted his visa in 2020.

The underlying goals of Mr. Zarif’s meetings, the official said, was “to devise a political strategy to undermine the Trump administration” and to continue building up a reservoir of support for the JCPOA, or another deal like it, that could be drawn up if a Democrat returned to the White House in 2021.

Mr. Kerry has publicly acknowledged meeting with Mr. Zarif at least twice during the early years of the Trump administration. In 2018, the former senator from Massachusetts told radio host Hugh Hewitt that he intended to find out “what Iran might be willing to do in order to change the dynamic in the Middle East for the better” and said there was nothing secret about his meetings with Mr. Zarif. He vehemently denied claims that he “coached” Mr. Zarif about how to deal with the Trump administration. <Source>

Whose side is Kerry on?

kerry-iran

I am beginning to believe that former Secretary of State John Kerry is more sympathetic to the French worldview than he is to America’s exceptionalism. Despite his connections to France, gigolo Kerry appears to be a cheese-eating surrender monkey bent on appeasement and willing to sell out the United States to a hostile foreign power willing to kill Americans and while shouting “Death to America.”

It is well-known that Kerry carried on some form of communication with the Iranians during the Trump Presidency. A move, we guess, was designed for promising the return to former President Obama’s disastrous nuclear arms deal in a Democrat presidency. A deal that was technically void the day the agreement was signed. Even worse, the deal, which did not require Senate approval as a treaty, contained secret amendments withheld from the public. All in all, Obama screwed Israel and saved the Iranian economy, and funded ongoing Iranian state terrorism.

So why are we finding out NOW that John Kerry, who had an active security clearance, may have sold out his nation by providing information to an enemy and disadvantaged an American ally?

John Kerry Divulged HUNDREDS of Israel's Covert Attacks to Iran, Leak Reveals

Former Secretary of State John Kerry, now President Joe Biden’s climate envoy, briefed Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on hundreds of Israel’s covert attacks on Iranian interests in Syria, according to leaked audio reported by The New York Times on Sunday. This revelation echoes reports that Obama officials saved the life of terrorist and Quds Force leader Qasem Soleimani by notifying Iran about an Israeli plot to assassinate him in 2015.

“Former Secretary of State John Kerry informed him that Israel had attacked Iranian interests in Syria at least 200 times, to his astonishment, Mr. Zarif said,” according to the Times.

As Hot Air’s Ed Morrissey noted, the Times buried this lede in its story about the leaked audio, which featured lengthy remarks from Zarif. The Times focused on Zarif’s complaints that the Revolutionary Guard Corps calls the shots in Iran, often overlooking diplomatic concerns. Zarif accused Soleimani of undermining the Iran nuclear deal, among other things.

While these internal conflicts in the Iranian government are noteworthy, it seems far more shocking and newsworthy that Kerry would expose as many as two hundred covert Israeli attacks on Iranian interests in Syria.

The Times report does not explain when Kerry disclosed the 200 Israeli attacks to Zarif. It also remains unclear whether or not these 200 attacks include plans for future attacks that Israel has yet to carry out. Iranian military officials may have known about some of these attacks, but it still seems rather shocking that Kerry would expose Israel’s efforts to Iran’s leadership.

This appears to be a betrayal of the first order, not unlike the Obama administration’s effort to save Soleimani from Israel in 2015. The Biden administration appears to be going overboard to resurrect the disastrous Iran nuclear deal. <Source>

Where were the intelligence agencies, the FBI, and the Department of State?

Oh yeah! I forgot. They were in bed with the progressive socialist democrats trying to fundamentally transform the United States into a European-style democratic socialist nation much like France. That is when they were not actively attempting to subvert the Trump Administration and disadvantage our allies in favor of our enemies.

Bottom line…

Could this be a preemptive disclosure meant to diffuse future revelations that are starting to appear in documents released under the Freedom of Information Act and compelled document production by the courts? Will we continue learning details about events and individual actions denied by government officials and deliberately misreported by mainstream media who refuse to investigate serious allegations tendered against prominent Democrats?

Remember the narrative where the Democrats swore their server was hacked by the Russians at Trump's behest and denied a disaffected staffer provided the information to Wikileaks? Remember how DNC staffer Seth Rich’s death was described as a botched robbery? Amazing that we are finding out that the FBI withheld information that changed the Democrat narrative.

Lawyer: FBI’s Seth Rich Docs Show Robbery Narrative ‘Failing Apart’

The FBI released documents sought related to the death of former Democrat National Committee voter expansion data director Seth Rich, and a lawyer says it shows no signs of what has been considered a robbery murder.

Among the findings in the 68 pages released of the 576 the FBI has denoted as related to Rich, a lawyer found it concerning it is unknown whether anything was deleted on Rich’s personal laptop, The Epoch Times reported.

One page read, “given [redacted] it is conceivable that an individual or group would want to pay for his death,” according to the report.

“That doesn’t sound like a random street robbery,” lawyer Ty Clevenger told the Times.

Also, the documents show nothing was stolen in what law enforcement has publicly considered a robbery attempt and suggest it is “conceivable” someone might have paid for Rich’s death, according to the report. The latter “shows that their whole narrative is falling apart,” Clevenger told the Times. “It’s a step in the right direction.” <Source>

The Democrats are doing everything within their power to weaken America’s national defenses and radically change our culture. Will the average American wake up in time?

How does Kerry retain his security clearance and remain in government service? This POS gave aid and comfort to our enemies when he accused American soldiers of war-time atrocities during the Vietnam war. And don't forget the controversy over Kerry's military service and medals that led to the political term "swiftboating."

Kerry represents everything that's wrong with the progressive socialist democrats. And they, in turn, represent the majority of what is wrong with America.

We are so screwed.

-- steve

“Nullius in verba”-- take nobody's word for it!
"Acta non verba" -- actions not words

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"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

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS

| Comments (0)

| |

CALIFORNIA: WILL THE BANKCAL PROGRAM BE CORRUPT BY DESIGN?

A Democrat Fraud Machine?

In a one-party state, the progressive socialist democrats plan to create another Democrat fraud machine, complete with cushy high-paying jobs for termed-out pols, temporary spots for pols that lost an election but want to run again, and various relatives and "special" friends. All funded with taxpayer funds. A place to co-mingle slush funds and illicit gains. And they will call it a “bank.”  As if the state does not have enough banks.

Of course, the problem with real, regulated banks is they have to be prudently managed, fiscally sound, subject to audit under rigid standards, and are forbidden by law from making imprudent investments or granting loans to uncreditworthy individuals.

bankcal

Want to see how California manages its business?

CA EDD admits paying as much as $31 billion in unemployment funds to criminals

As much as $31 billion in California unemployment funds have been paid out to scammers, California EDD admits. In an EDD conference call, Julie Su, secretary for the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency said, "Of the 114 billion dollars in unemployment paid by California since March, approximately 10% has been confirmed as fraudulent. An additional 17% of the paid claims have been identified as potentially fraudulent." That's $11.4 billion confirmed and as much as $20 billion more in fraud. "There is no sugar coating the reality, California did not have sufficient security measures in place to prevent this level of fraud," Su said. <Source>

California to spend $35 million on mail voting campaign run by firm with ‘Team Biden’ ties [OCS: Democrats doing business with other democrats]

A public affairs and consulting firm known for working with Democrats has been awarded a $35 million contract for a new California campaign to encouraging voting during the pandemic. SKD Knickerbocker, which has crafted successful campaigns for many Democrats and has championed issues like same-sex marriage and police reform, was awarded the contract on Aug. 13 after an expedited approval process, said Paula Valle, chief communications officer for California Secretary of State Alex Padilla’s office.

The process of awarding the contract did not follow a traditional schedule, Valle said. Normally, a bid process in California can take three to six months, but because of how close the election is and the urgency of the message, the process was expedited, she said. There was no lowest bidder for this contract, Valle said. Because the Legislature had already directed the office to spend $35 million on a voter outreach campaign, state officials instead focused on how each firm proposed spending the money. The administrative fee charged by each finalist was about the same, she added. <Source>

Now, the Democrats want a public bank to compete against 200 local and national banks that operate more than 6,500 branches in California.

Assembly Bill 1177 -- “This bill, the California Public Banking Option Act, would, among other things, establish in state government the Public Banking Option Board consisting of nine members, including the Treasurer or the Treasurer’s designee and would require the board to administer the BankCal Program, which the act would create for the purpose of protecting consumers who lack access to traditional banking services from predatory, discriminatory, and costly alternatives, by offering access to voluntary, zero-fee, zero-penalty, federally insured transaction account and debit card services at no cost to accountholders.” <Source>

The translation…

(1)  Assembly Bill 1177 should be known as the California Illegal Aliens Banking Act. Consumers who lack access to traditional banking services usually lack identification and the tax number needed to open up accounts at state- and federally-chartered depository institutions.

(2)  Traditional banks are already prohibited by state and federal banking regulatory agencies from engaging in “predatory and discriminatory” practices.

(3)  About those costly alternatives. It cost money to operate a bank, especially with its technology-based infrastructure. Investors are expected to see a return on their investment as that is the basis of capitalism. The costs do not magically disappear for zero-fee, zero-penalty account and debit card services offered at no cost to account-holders – the taxpayers assume them; the essence of a socialistic collective system. These costs can be paid for by indirect taxes on financial institutions, which would then be passed along to depositors in terms of lower interest rates and higher fees. Or a financial transactions fee. 

(4)  The state bank would decimate traditional financial businesses by placing them at a disadvantage from a state-subsidized bank. To deny any California resident access to these free banking services would be illegal and unconstitutional, so one might expect quite a few seniors and others would shift their accounts to a free bank. Companies that transfer a large portion of those billion dollars sent to Mexico by illegal aliens are also likely to see their business substantially reduced. 

The Dodd-Frank Danger…

The 2010 Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act allows financial institutions to avoid collapsing by legally freezing and using their depositor's funds to maintain their solvency. Google “Dodd-Frank bail-in” and see what your representatives have done to the people they purport to represent. '

With a bailout, the government injects capital into the banks to enable them to continue to operate. With a bail-in, instead of relying on government funds (taxpayer money) to save itself from going bankrupt, a bank can simply dip into your deposit accounts to stabilize itself. With a bank bail-in, the bank uses the money of its unsecured creditors, including depositors and bondholders, to restructure their capital so it can stay afloat. In effect, the bank is allowed to convert its debt into equity for the purpose of increasing its capital requirements. A bank can undergo a bail-in quickly through a resolution proceeding, which provides immediate relief to the bank. The obvious risk to bank depositors is the possibility of losing a portion of their deposits. <Source>

When one considers California’s finances, including the offshore accounts and underfunded pension funds, California is either near insolvency or is technically insolvent. Perhaps relying on that old socialist trick to reduce their debts to zero using inflation. Of course, that would mean capitalism is gone and replaced with socialism, where everyone, except the politicians, the oligarchs, and the special interests, shares the misery. Hello Venezuela.

The proposed legislation, appropriately labeled as a “bill” to taxpayers…

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2021–2022 REGULAR SESSION
ASSEMBLY BILL NO. 1177

Introduced by Assembly Members Santiago, Carrillo, Chiu, Eduardo Garcia, Gipson, Lorena Gonzalez, Kalra, Lee, Ting, and Wicks
Assembly Member Coauthors: Bonta, Friedman, Jones-Sawyer, and Luz Rivas)
Senate Coauthors: Durazo, Gonzalez, Hueso, and Wiener)

An act to amend Section 1947.3 of the Civil Code, to add Title 21.1 (commencing with Section 100100) to the Government Code, to add Section 90.4 to the Labor Code, and to amend Section 12302.2 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to financial institutions.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 1177, as amended, Santiago. California Public Banking Option Act.

(1) Existing law, the CalSavers Retirement Savings Trust Act, creates in state government the CalSavers Retirement Savings Board and requires the board to, among other things, design and implement the CalSavers Retirement Savings Program.

This bill, the California Public Banking Option Act, would, among other things, establish in state government the Public Banking Option Board consisting of nine members, including the Treasurer or the Treasurer’s designee and would require the board to administer the BankCal Program, which the act would create for the purpose of protecting consumers who lack access to traditional banking services from predatory, discriminatory, and costly alternatives, by offering access to voluntary, zero-fee, zero-penalty, federally insured transaction account and debit card services at no cost to accountholders. 

The act would require the board to design and implement the BankCal Program by, among other things, selecting a program administrator, which may consist of one or more contractors or program staff or a combination thereof, and establishing the duties and functions of the program administrator, as prescribed, including a duty to administer the program as a fiduciary for accountholders.

[OCS: Money for contractors and consultant -- whoopee – something to replace the fees generated by California’s suspended faux high-speed rail program that goes nowhere and will never pay for itself.]

The act would also establish the BankCal Fund in the State Treasury. The act would make moneys in the fund available upon appropriation by the Legislature for the purposes of the act.

The act would authorize the board to seek and accept voluntary contributions, in cash or in kind, from private donors solely for the purpose of paying for the costs of implementing the program under this title and would require those voluntary contributions to be deposited into the fund.

[OCS: This is known as shakedown funding, where contributions are solicited from individuals or entities having business before the state. Pretty much how those governor’s fund programs work to supply perks and privileges to the governor. Sort of like charitable donations to a designated charity in a politician’s name before an election. Can you say, lobbyists?]

The act would require employers and hiring entities to have and maintain a payroll direct deposit arrangement that enables voluntary worker participation in the BankCal program.

[OCS: Voluntary workers is a euphemism for representatives of special interests.]

The act would define “employer” to mean a person, including a state or local government or agency, engaged in a business, industry, profession, trade, or other enterprise in the state, whether or not for profit, excluding the federal government, that has at least five employees. By imposing the mandate to maintain a payroll direct deposit arrangement on a local government or agency, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The act would require the board to enforce the provisions of the act with respect to employers and hiring entities in coordination with the Labor Commissioner, as specified, and would make an employer or hiring entity that, without good cause, fails to allow its workers to participate in the BankCal Program liable for a civil penalty, as prescribed.

[OCS: Employers cannot refuse to direct-deposit employee’s money into the BankCal program under penalty.]

(2) Existing law authorizes a landlord or a landlord’s agent to demand or require cash as the exclusive form of payment of rent or deposit of security if the tenant has previously attempted to pay the landlord or landlord’s agent with a check drawn on insufficient funds or the tenant has instructed the drawee to stop payment on a check, draft, or order for the payment of money, as specified.

The act would, as an exception to that authorization, require a landlord or landlord’s agent to allow a tenant to pay rent and deposit of security by an electronic funds transfer from a BankCal account.

[OCS: Adding additional costs to small landlords, many of whom hold rental real estate for their own retirement accounts.]

(3) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

How political and corrupt by design?

100102.

(a) The Public Banking Option Board is hereby established in state government.

(b) The board shall consist of nine members pursuant to the following:

(1) The Treasurer or the Treasurer’s designee.

[OCS: Given the dodgy accounting in California with its reported numerous slush funds, hidden accounts, insider deals, and propensity to steal from designated-use funds for undesignated purposes, this is a bad idea and also represents a conflict of interest.]

(2) The Commissioner of the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation or that person’s designee.

[This is a state licensing and regulatory agency whose coziness with those they regulate is of concern.]

(3) An individual with banking expertise, particularly expertise in transaction accounts and debit cards, appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules.

[OCS: One might think that the fundamental requirement of ALL Board Members would be extensive banking and business experience. ]

(4) An individual with expertise in economic and racial justice and cultural competence appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly.

[OCS: In other words, a professional racist who is prepared to discriminate against one class of people (especially white males) to benefit another class of people. This is unconstitutional and a violation of equality under the law.]

(5) An employee representative appointed by the Governor.

[OCS: Most likely a union-chosen employee representative that introduces another layer of potential corruption into the system on behalf of their union masters.]

(6) A small business representative appointed by the Governor.

[OCS: Essentially a patronage position up for grabs.]

(7) An advocate for, or representative of, a mission-aligned banking institution, a community development financial institution, or a community development credit union appointed by the Governor.

[OCS: This is a conflict of interest that would violate financial fiduciary duties to both entities.]

(8) A public banking advocate appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules.

[OCS: Why would one appoint a self-serving advocate that advocates against the private sector on behalf of the government? This is the government working against the people.]

(9) A consumer representative or advocate with expertise in banking access and financial empowerment appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly.

[OCS: Financial empowerment – one of those amorphous concepts that are likely to mean banking access for illegal aliens.]

(c) Members of the board appointed by the Governor, the Senate Committee on Rules, and the Speaker of the Assembly shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority.

[OCS: There is no independence here. Political control removes all doubt as to who the board members serve. One would think that a board would have a fiduciary responsibility to the entity they serve and not a split allegiance to politicians – in this case, a single political party known for its corruption.]

(d) The board shall elect a chairperson on an annual basis.

(e) In making appointments to the board, the appointing authorities shall take into consideration the cultural, ethnic, and geographical diversity of the state so that the board’s composition reflects the communities of California.

[OCS: Color, Ethnicity, Sexual Orientation over banking competence]

(f) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), members of the board shall serve without compensation. (2) Members of the board shall be reimbursed for necessary travel expenses incurred in connection with their board duties.

[OCS: Serving without compensation usually means rich members of the prevailing political party or employees of existing companies who pay their salaries while they are on “leave” for voluntary activities. You see this with numerous charities and social entities.]

(g) A board member, staff of the board, or publicly employed program staff, while serving in those positions, shall not be employed by a consultant to, a member of the board of directors of, affiliated with, or otherwise a representative of a private bank or financial services institution unless that position is an unpaid volunteer position.

[OCS: A loophole big enough to swallow a truck. Nothing is said about big technology companies involved with payment processing, but are not financial institutions,]

(h) The board and program administrator shall have the responsibility and duty to meet the requirements of this title and all applicable state and federal laws and regulations, to serve the interests of program accountholders and those seeking to access financial services and debt management tools through the program, to serve the public interest and pursue partnerships with credit unions and other local financial institutions and public banks, and to ensure the operational well-being and fiscal solvency of the program.

[OCS: Play along or risk losing state deposits or government business. The big hammer. As for fiscal solvency, this is an illusion. How many state-associated accounts have been drained of their funds and now hold interest-bearing IOUs that are technically worthless without a specific state allocation of funds? Think corrupt and underfunded off-the-books state accounts or pension funds as a model of solvency.]

<Source>

Bottom line…

Some banking analysts see this as a scam, not to create a public bank, but to create a statewide retail banking network where the state would pay the normal and customary bank fees associated with a zero-cost program, provided certain regulatory requirements, such as strict identification, are waived.

Either way, this appears to be another rip-off by progressive socialist democrats who rule, not govern, the State of California.

We are so screwed.

-- steve

“Nullius in verba”-- take nobody's word for it!
"Acta non verba" -- actions not words

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"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

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS

| Comments (0)

| |

THE OSCARS: IT'S TIME FOR HOLLYWOOD'S BIGGEST CIRCLE JERK

Considering what damage to America that this relatively small group of woke narcissists wrought, I hope their self-congratulatory circle jerk is a bust. Perhaps they need to supplement their “In Memoriam” package by featuring a highlight reel of Hollywood’s rapists, perverts, and pedophiles. With the award being announced and presented over Zoom by Bill Cosby and Harvey Weinstein.

oscars

These are not entertainers; these are the “woke” elite who live in a bubble of their own making. Where none of the little people in their orbit dare push back lest they lose their job and the chance to associate with the “glamor” of the “industry. Truth be told, these people are beyond being held responsible for their actions and represent a clear and present danger to America.

We are so screwed.

-- steve

“Nullius in verba”-- take nobody's word for it!
"Acta non verba" -- actions not words

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"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

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS

| Comments (0)

| |

FRANKENSTEIN SPEECH?

Where is the free speech platform we were promised? 

For someone with millions in available funding and a functional commercial website, it beats me how Mike Lindell can put his name on a crap website that should have been designed to inspire trust and confidence in users, especially those who think Lindell is a self-promoting conspiracy theorist or right wingnut-job.

Sounding like former President Trump, here is what Lindell had to say about his platform, which he claims will be a “platform like no other.”

  • “It’s kinda like a YouTube Twitter combination.”
  • “Working on it four years.”
  • “Over the last four weeks, I’ve spent millions of dollars making it the most secure.
  • “We're going to handle the capacity.”

  Here is a look at yesterday's frankspeech.com page…

Web capture_24-4-2021_16220_www.frankspeech.com

To the credit of the techies, the site's code was fixed within a short time, and the site was at least readable. However, there was no login, no about page, no real content except for Mike Lindell’s “Lindell TV" videos – mostly starring, wait for it, Mike Lindell and friends who constantly praise Lindell.

However, the 24/7 live broadcast is a godsend for insomniacs – always available and may put you to sleep. Whoops, I am not sure if I can use the word “godsend” as the site claims to scan and censor “free speech” containing the n-word, the c-word, the f-word, or anything that uses the Lord’s name in vain.  Curious for a “free speech” platform, no?

Not so coincidently, Brannon Howse moderates some of the programs. Howse, a Christian broadcaster/host, has been described as one of the site’s developers and a Christian broadcaster,  conspiracy theorist, and worse. Much of what I have viewed looks suspiciously like election conspiracy tv. Much of the election information presented is curious and should be investigated, but far from conclusive without corroboration.

Pissed off…

I signed up as a VIP member, and all of the delays – and now promotional phone text messages – make me want to delete the account. It appears that the only thing users can get right is video and the use of your log-in phone number to promote Lindell videos.

video

While I believe in startups offering MVPs (Minimum Viable Products) and using iterative product development, to put amateurish crap on display is unacceptable. Especially when Lindell puts out videos with moderately high production standards. To say these are launch-day errors rather than sloppy planning and execution is to confuse hype with reality. Here we have a clear case of over-promising and under-delivering.

About those conspiracy theories of foreign interference…

Given the demonstrable interference of the nation’s premier intelligence and law enforcement agencies in past elections, it is not a stretch of the imagination to believe that foreign intelligence services, some at the request of U.S. government officials, were involved in an attempt to defeat President Trump and to put a corrupt, clueless individual in power. They apparently have succeeded, and nothing may stop them in 2022 except widespread exposure of the deed. For that, we should be thankful to Lindell for keeping on the public stage. 

Bottom line…

Until proven otherwise, Lindell remains a JARG (Just Another Rich Guy) who believes his story and money gives him superpowers, superior insight, and the moral certainty of leadership. Unfortunately, many of these wackadoodles never replicate their initial success in other areas because they lack the good fortune to be in the right place, at the right time, with the right circumstances, and the right people behind them to make things happen.

We are so screwed.

-- steve

“Nullius in verba”-- take nobody's word for it!
"Acta non verba" -- actions not words

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"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

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS

| Comments (0)

| |

KARDASHIAN-POLITICS: CAITLYN JENNER FOR CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR

I do not doubt that Bruce Jenner was a superb Olympic gold-winning athlete and, as Caitlyn Jenner, a horrible reality show performer on “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” and its spin-off, “I Am Cait.”…

sm

As a Republican nominee for Governor, if Gavin Newsolini is recalled, Jenner is a no-go. Even with casual help from former Trump 2020 campaign manager Brad Parscale. There are infinitely better choices; even the alphabet people in the LGBTQ-rights community are unlikely to support her given her association with Donald Trump.

One might think that such an underdog would open with a splash instead of a sad, barren website devoid of issue positions and only selling campaign-logo merchandise and soliciting donations…

cjfg

Déjà vu all over again…

Like Arnold Schwarzenegger, the abject failure of a celebrity governor who governed like a corrupt progressive socialist democrat rather than a Republican, Jenner, too, is running as a celebrity Republican. I cannot imagine what qualifies Jenner to manage a complex state in decline like California. Certainly not her degree in physical education from Graceland College in 1973. Certainly not her business experience with endorsements and other ventures. Certainly not her transgender activism.  And certainly not her ability to boost Republican fortunes in a one-party state. Perhaps, she believes the Governorship is a “titular title?” Other than her Olympic success, Jenner’s real claim to fame is as the father of the uber-cute multi-mega-millionaires, Kylie and Kendell Jenner.

My choices…

If I wanted a celebrity likely to be a solid conservative and an effective governor, I would select the iconic actor James Woods – the man who voluntarily called the FBI to report what is now known to have been a 9/11 trial run by the terrorists aboard Woods' aircraft.

Richard_Grenell_official_portrait

But, if I wanted a media-savvy political fighter who is unafraid of controversy, my first choice would be Ric Grenell, U.S. State Department spokesperson to the United Nations, Special Presidential Envoy for Serbia and Kosovo Peace Negotiations, United States Ambassador to Germany, and the Acting Director of National Intelligence. And a Republican!

Bottom line…

I am not sure this is a media stunt, the right of an ego-manic to be known as a former gubernatorial candidate, or a chance to build a war check that can be leveraged into a cushy political appointment? But there is no way I would want to repeat the Schwarzenegger experience with a c-class celebrity. 

And for comic relief, let us not forget that Mary Carey, the former porn star, is also officially running for California governor.

We are so screwed.

-- steve

“Nullius in verba”-- take nobody's word for it!
"Acta non verba" -- actions not words

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"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

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS

| Comments (0)

| |

HOW SICK AND TWISTED IS FORMER PRESIDENT OBAMA'S MAIN ADVISOR?

 Valerie Jarrett, the senior advisor to former President Barack Obama and assistant to the president for public engagement and intergovernmental affairs from 2009 to 2017, is one sick representative of the radical progressive socialist democrats.

vj

A Columbus, Ohio police officer shot and killed a sixteen-year-old black girl caught on video as she was swinging a knife towards her intended victim while screaming, “I’m gonna stab the fuck out of you, bitch.”  At least one teenager and possibly two were saved that day. Yet, you find black ideologues like Jarrett trying to inject race and inappropriate use of force by a white police officer against a black teenager in a clear-cut threatening situation. 

I guess police officers should allow murders in their presence.

I guess only some black lives (the thugs, criminals, crazies, druggies, and terrorists) who support our malignant narrative matter more than others.

Is justice allowing an innocent victim to die at the hands of an assailant?

Accountability? Valerie Jarrett needs to be canceled and removed from all positions of responsibility.

Bottom line…

This is real, it’s disgusting, and it’s what you get with the radical black elites that are making policy in the Biden Administration.

We are so screwed.

-- steve

“Nullius in verba”-- take nobody's word for it!
"Acta non verba" -- actions not words

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"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

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS

| Comments (0)

| |

Next