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erronis
erronis's Journal
erronis's Journal
April 10, 2024
We have been warned.
Much more to digest and worry about.
Anticipate Stochastic Terrorism : Tom Sullivan - DIgbysblog
https://digbysblog.net/2024/04/10/anticipate-stochastic-terrorism/We have been warned.
“No one in law enforcement should be caught off guard if trouble breaks out before, during, or after the November presidential election,” Juliette Kayyem begins in The Atlantic.
It is not too soon for the Biden administration and the Department of Justice to start what-iffing a response, and to take seriously recommendations made by the January 6th Committee . It appears the administration means to get ahead of the next insurrection. “A show of readiness,” Kayyem writes, “can also deter people who might have learned the wrong lesson from the Capitol riot: that just a bit more violence might have changed the outcome of the 2020 election.” Because the most hardcore MAGA soldiers not already in jail (especially those with military training) will have learned from Jan. 6 how to do a coup and how not to.
Kayyem adds:
It is not too soon for the Biden administration and the Department of Justice to start what-iffing a response, and to take seriously recommendations made by the January 6th Committee . It appears the administration means to get ahead of the next insurrection. “A show of readiness,” Kayyem writes, “can also deter people who might have learned the wrong lesson from the Capitol riot: that just a bit more violence might have changed the outcome of the 2020 election.” Because the most hardcore MAGA soldiers not already in jail (especially those with military training) will have learned from Jan. 6 how to do a coup and how not to.
Kayyem adds:
Any attempts to shore up the nation’s defenses against political violence might be misinterpreted—or intentionally misconstrued—by some of Trump’s supporters as an attempt by a Democratic administration to use federal power to interfere in the 2024 election. But the fact that everything Biden does at this stage will be seen through a politicized lens shouldn’t scare him into inaction.
If Trump and his supporters want to quibble with plans to protect election officials from external pressure during vote counts in Georgia and Wisconsin, or to protect members of Congress from rioters during the certification process, then they should do so out loud, before the election. But preparing for election turmoil shouldn’t be a partisan issue. The right keeps warning us of the potential for left-wing antifa violence; surely conservatives would want the executive branch to prevent it from affecting the vote certification if Trump wins. The best course is to lay out transparent plans to safeguard the electoral process no matter who is ultimately sworn in.
Much more to digest and worry about.
April 10, 2024
Do the US gun-humpers think they'll be able to keep their weapons when Putin takes charge?
If the (r)epuglicon party wins the presidency in the US, the process of controlling gun ownership will start.
They (the russians) will first install a new leader soon after trump takes power - perhaps with trump's help - but in the end he'll be disposed of. They will subvert the DOD, DOJ, and any other necessary obstacles. During the early phases of this new Special Military Operation, magats will be allowed to help get rid of state enemies (and we know who they/we are.) After the prophesied blood-bath has happened, the population including the magats will be disarmed. I'm sure this will be another "interesting" time.
If the magats/(r)epuglicons think they'll be able to keep humping their weapons, look at the laws on the books in russia. Of course, the USofR, being a satellite state will have even less ability to fight back or keep any weapons.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_control_in_Russia
Overview
As of 2013 Russian citizens over 18 years of age can obtain a firearms license after attending gun-safety classes and passing a federal test and background check. Firearms may be acquired for self-defense, hunting, or sports activities, as well as for collection purposes.
Carrying permits may be issued for hunting firearms licensed for hunting purposes. Initially, purchases are limited to long smooth-bore firearms and pneumatic weapons with a muzzle energy of up to 25 joules (18 ft?lbf). After five years of shotgun ownership, rifles may be purchased. Handguns were generally not allowed, but with the growing popularity of practical shooting events and competitions in Russia in recent years (e.g., IPSC), handgun ownership has now been allowed and you must be 21 years of age, a legal Russian citizen and possess a valid firearms permit. Originally, handguns were only used for sports and competitive shooting, but have recently been allowed for the purposes of self-defense on an owner's property.
As of 2023, handguns using live ammunition are not allowed to be concealed carry in public. The only legal handguns allowed in public are handguns using rubber bullets, and may be used for the purposes of self-defense. The only exception to this federal law are commemoration pistols, which have special engravings, and these can only be gifted by government officials for acts of heroism. These engraved pistols may use live ammunition and are allowed to be concealed carried, and used for the purposes of self-defense, provided the recipient is 21 years of age or older, and possess a valid firearms permit. Rifles and shotguns with barrels less than 500 mm (20 in) long are prohibited, as are firearms which shoot in bursts or have more than a 10-round capacity. The only exception for the 10-round capacity, is for use on gun ranges. Suppressors are generally prohibited and must receive special government permission. An individual cannot possess more than ten guns (up to five shotguns and up to five rifles, either rifled or smooth-bore) unless they are part of a registered gun collection.[2]
As of 2013 Russian citizens over 18 years of age can obtain a firearms license after attending gun-safety classes and passing a federal test and background check. Firearms may be acquired for self-defense, hunting, or sports activities, as well as for collection purposes.
Carrying permits may be issued for hunting firearms licensed for hunting purposes. Initially, purchases are limited to long smooth-bore firearms and pneumatic weapons with a muzzle energy of up to 25 joules (18 ft?lbf). After five years of shotgun ownership, rifles may be purchased. Handguns were generally not allowed, but with the growing popularity of practical shooting events and competitions in Russia in recent years (e.g., IPSC), handgun ownership has now been allowed and you must be 21 years of age, a legal Russian citizen and possess a valid firearms permit. Originally, handguns were only used for sports and competitive shooting, but have recently been allowed for the purposes of self-defense on an owner's property.
As of 2023, handguns using live ammunition are not allowed to be concealed carry in public. The only legal handguns allowed in public are handguns using rubber bullets, and may be used for the purposes of self-defense. The only exception to this federal law are commemoration pistols, which have special engravings, and these can only be gifted by government officials for acts of heroism. These engraved pistols may use live ammunition and are allowed to be concealed carried, and used for the purposes of self-defense, provided the recipient is 21 years of age or older, and possess a valid firearms permit. Rifles and shotguns with barrels less than 500 mm (20 in) long are prohibited, as are firearms which shoot in bursts or have more than a 10-round capacity. The only exception for the 10-round capacity, is for use on gun ranges. Suppressors are generally prohibited and must receive special government permission. An individual cannot possess more than ten guns (up to five shotguns and up to five rifles, either rifled or smooth-bore) unless they are part of a registered gun collection.[2]
March 30, 2024
But trump just needs to let putin and the "owners" tell him what they want him to do.
Ex-Trump adviser says former president 'hasn't got the brains' for dictatorship
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/mar/30/john-bolton-donald-trump-dictatorshipBut trump just needs to let putin and the "owners" tell him what they want him to do.
A former national security adviser in the Donald Trump White House has said that the ex-president “hasn’t got the brains” to helm a dictatorship, despite his admiration for such rulers.
In an interview with the conservative French outlet Le Figaro, John Bolton, 75, was asked whether Trump had tendencies that mirror dictators like the ones he has previously praised. Bolton not only disparaged Trump’s intellectual capacity, he also disparaged the former president’s professional background, exclaiming: “He’s a property developer, for God’s sake!”
Older white man, poofy hair, dark suit, red tie, standing outside under an umbrella someone else is holding, with police officers in vaunted caps standing in formation behind him.
Trump rebuked for sharing video showing Biden hog-tied on pickup truck
Read more
Now a vocal critic of Trump, Bolton served as the former president’s national security adviser from April 2018 to September 2019. Bolton had previously served as US ambassador to the UN during George W Bush’s presidency, developing a reputation as a foreign policy hawk.
Bolton’s remarks to Le Figaro suggesting Trump is not smart enough to be a dictator will almost certainly do little to allay fears on the political left at home or abroad about a second Trump presidency.
In an interview with the conservative French outlet Le Figaro, John Bolton, 75, was asked whether Trump had tendencies that mirror dictators like the ones he has previously praised. Bolton not only disparaged Trump’s intellectual capacity, he also disparaged the former president’s professional background, exclaiming: “He’s a property developer, for God’s sake!”
Older white man, poofy hair, dark suit, red tie, standing outside under an umbrella someone else is holding, with police officers in vaunted caps standing in formation behind him.
Trump rebuked for sharing video showing Biden hog-tied on pickup truck
Read more
Now a vocal critic of Trump, Bolton served as the former president’s national security adviser from April 2018 to September 2019. Bolton had previously served as US ambassador to the UN during George W Bush’s presidency, developing a reputation as a foreign policy hawk.
Bolton’s remarks to Le Figaro suggesting Trump is not smart enough to be a dictator will almost certainly do little to allay fears on the political left at home or abroad about a second Trump presidency.
March 28, 2024
Chevron owns this city's news site. Many stories aren't told - NPR
https://www.npr.org/2024/03/28/1239650727/chevron-fossil-fuel-richmond-standard-california-newsRICHMOND, Calif. — Open flames shot upward from four smokestacks at the Chevron refinery on the western edge of Richmond, Calif. Soon, black smoke blanketed the sky.
News spread quickly that day last November, but by word of mouth, says Denny Khamphanthong, a 29-year-old Richmond resident. "We don't know the full story, but we know that you shouldn't breathe in the air or be outside for that matter," Khamphanthong says now. "It would be nice to have an actual news outlet that would actually go out there and figure it out themselves."
The city's primary local news source, The Richmond Standard, didn't cover the flare. Nor had it reported on a 2021 Chevron refinery pipeline rupture that dumped nearly 800 gallons of diesel fuel into San Francisco Bay.
Chevron is the city's largest employer, largest taxpayer and largest polluter. Yet when it comes to writing about Chevron, The Richmond Standard consistently toes the company line. ---- And there's a reason for that: Chevron owns The Richmond Standard.
News spread quickly that day last November, but by word of mouth, says Denny Khamphanthong, a 29-year-old Richmond resident. "We don't know the full story, but we know that you shouldn't breathe in the air or be outside for that matter," Khamphanthong says now. "It would be nice to have an actual news outlet that would actually go out there and figure it out themselves."
The city's primary local news source, The Richmond Standard, didn't cover the flare. Nor had it reported on a 2021 Chevron refinery pipeline rupture that dumped nearly 800 gallons of diesel fuel into San Francisco Bay.
Chevron is the city's largest employer, largest taxpayer and largest polluter. Yet when it comes to writing about Chevron, The Richmond Standard consistently toes the company line. ---- And there's a reason for that: Chevron owns The Richmond Standard.
March 26, 2024
Petri: Please, everyone, welcome the Joker to the Gotham news team!
Shared: https://wapo.st/3xbrhsy
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/03/26/ronna-mcdaniel-nbc-joker-satire/
Just writing to try to quell the unrest we’ve been hearing in our ranks at the addition of the Joker to our roster of contributors. First, I want to say that you are all valued — not just seen but also heard, unlike a child in the Victorian era. We appreciate the years you’ve put in and the sacrifices you’ve made for this organization. Please don’t be mad we hired the Joker! It’s stressing us out.
Gotham is going through a trying time. And who better to help us understand what’s really at play here than the Clown Prince of Crime? We were looking through our roster, and someone on our board asked, “Are any of the contributors not just clowns but also criminals?” and we were forced to admit that, no, in fact, we had no one whatsoever from that demographic. “Seems like an oversight,” the board said, and we agreed.
Gotham is going through a trying time. And who better to help us understand what’s really at play here than the Clown Prince of Crime? We were looking through our roster, and someone on our board asked, “Are any of the contributors not just clowns but also criminals?” and we were forced to admit that, no, in fact, we had no one whatsoever from that demographic. “Seems like an oversight,” the board said, and we agreed.
March 25, 2024
This is an incredible series of steps that will be taken to destroy this country.
Much much more and very well reasoned.
Slowly At First Then All At Once -- Digby / Tannehill
https://digbysblog.net/2024/03/24/slowly-at-first-then-all-at-once/This is an incredible series of steps that will be taken to destroy this country.
Brynn Tannehill, author of , “American Fascism: How the GOP is Subverting Democracy” wrote this twitter thread which I think is a nice succinct recitation of what awaits in a second Trump term:
The basic premise is that the guardrails of US democracy are so strong that Trump couldn’t turn the US into a dictatorship even if he had 2 more terms.
First, a history lesson. The Weimar Republic lasted precisely 51 days between moustache-guy being named Chancellor and the Enabling Acts. Masha Gessen warned in 2016 in “Rules for Surviving Autocracy” “Your institutions will not save you.”
“The system is too strong” is silly. The Philippine constitution was a near exact copy of the US constitution after WWII. Dictator Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law in 1972 using many of the same rationales used by MAGA (leftist plots, need for an autocrat)
The article blows off several crucial elements in the danger. First (and already discussed briefly) is the vulnerability of the system to subversion. Trump / MAGA / Heritage plan to replace most senior Federal employees with True Believers(tm) via schedule F.
It’s all there. People can choose to believe that the orange clown won’t do anything crazy and that the people that have managed to turn the Republican Party into a cult and pack the courts with extremists and toadies won’t actually manage to accomplish what they openly say they are going to do. That would be a mistake.
Much much more and very well reasoned.
March 25, 2024
I'm enjoying Dr. Batra's postings on substack.
https://substack.com/@batrafreedom
Connecting Robert Frost and Jawaharlal Nehru - Narain Batra
https://batrafreedom.substack.com/p/robert-frost-connects-the-local-toLast June in a White House meeting, President Joe Biden gave India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi an extraordinary gift, an autographed first edition copy of the “Collected Poems of Robert Frost,” one of America’s greatest poets.
Modi responded with an equally unique gift, the “Ten Principal Upanishads” by Purohit Swami and William Butler Yeats, the renowned Irish poet whom Biden occasionally refers to and quotes in his speeches.
In India, however, the gift of Frost’s work was seen as a tribute to Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first prime minister, who was deeply inspired by the poet. Nehru, apart from being a humanist, great statesman and founding father of Indian democracy, was a prodigious writer with a deep sense of history. He loved poetry and nature, and invariably spent his vacations in the awesome beauty of the Himalayan mountains, horseback riding and exploring woods. No wonder he found a kindred soul in Frost, whose meditations on life, nature and human limitations offered profound insights to Nehru.
Modi responded with an equally unique gift, the “Ten Principal Upanishads” by Purohit Swami and William Butler Yeats, the renowned Irish poet whom Biden occasionally refers to and quotes in his speeches.
In India, however, the gift of Frost’s work was seen as a tribute to Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first prime minister, who was deeply inspired by the poet. Nehru, apart from being a humanist, great statesman and founding father of Indian democracy, was a prodigious writer with a deep sense of history. He loved poetry and nature, and invariably spent his vacations in the awesome beauty of the Himalayan mountains, horseback riding and exploring woods. No wonder he found a kindred soul in Frost, whose meditations on life, nature and human limitations offered profound insights to Nehru.
I'm enjoying Dr. Batra's postings on substack.
https://substack.com/@batrafreedom
Dr. Batra is a media and First Amendment scholar. He is the author of numerous books including The First Freedoms and America’s Culture of Innovation, and most recent India In A New Key:Nehru to Modi.
March 19, 2024
https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/ad1bc6
Bit above my pay and intellectual grade but this seems more convincing than some of the attempts to uncover dark matter and energy. I'm sure some nice academic arguments will be made.
Dark Matter Debunked in Revolutionary Cosmic Study - SciTech Daily and The Astrophysical Journal
https://scitechdaily.com/dark-matter-debunked-in-revolutionary-cosmic-study/https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/ad1bc6
Bit above my pay and intellectual grade but this seems more convincing than some of the attempts to uncover dark matter and energy. I'm sure some nice academic arguments will be made.
The current theoretical model for the composition of the universe is that it’s made of ‘normal matter,’ ‘dark energy’ and ‘dark matter.’ A new study challenges this.
A University of Ottawa study published in The Astrophysical Journal challenges the current model of the universe by showing that, in fact, it has no room for dark matter.
In cosmology, the term “dark matter” describes all that appears not to interact with light or the electromagnetic field, or that can only be explained through gravitational force. We can’t see it, nor do we know what it’s made of, but it helps us understand how galaxies, planets, and stars behave.
Rajendra Gupta, a physics professor at the Faculty of Science, used a combination of the covarying coupling constants (CCC) and “tired light” (TL) theories (the CCC+TL model) to reach this conclusion. This model combines two ideas — about how the forces of nature decrease over cosmic time and about light losing energy when it travels a long distance. It’s been tested and has been shown to match up with several observations, such as about how galaxies are spread out and how light from the early universe has evolved.
This discovery challenges the prevailing understanding of the universe, which suggests that roughly 27% of it is composed of dark matter and less than 5% of ordinary matter, remaining being the dark energy.
A University of Ottawa study published in The Astrophysical Journal challenges the current model of the universe by showing that, in fact, it has no room for dark matter.
In cosmology, the term “dark matter” describes all that appears not to interact with light or the electromagnetic field, or that can only be explained through gravitational force. We can’t see it, nor do we know what it’s made of, but it helps us understand how galaxies, planets, and stars behave.
Rajendra Gupta, a physics professor at the Faculty of Science, used a combination of the covarying coupling constants (CCC) and “tired light” (TL) theories (the CCC+TL model) to reach this conclusion. This model combines two ideas — about how the forces of nature decrease over cosmic time and about light losing energy when it travels a long distance. It’s been tested and has been shown to match up with several observations, such as about how galaxies are spread out and how light from the early universe has evolved.
This discovery challenges the prevailing understanding of the universe, which suggests that roughly 27% of it is composed of dark matter and less than 5% of ordinary matter, remaining being the dark energy.
March 17, 2024
Shared link: https://wapo.st/4al2nVT
And, of course, more hilarity and less action. Drinking started early.
At retreat, the House GOP does what it does best: Fail to show up - WaPo Petri
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/03/15/house-majority-retreat-fail-republicans-johnson/Shared link: https://wapo.st/4al2nVT
The House Majority Retreat turned out to be excruciatingly on-brand for the Republican majority. Republicans could not assemble a majority of the majority and so the thing they were hoping to do together wound up not happening. (This has been a theme of late!) Some refused to attend on the grounds that “retreat” was something they vowed to their constituents never to do, and that they would not look at a dictionary about it on the grounds that the dictionary was “the largest of books and thus the most deadly.” When told that “retreat” was actually a gathering to figure out how to work together, they said that this was even worse.
But that is a shame, because I think that a second day of retreat activities would have solved all their problems. I got a look at the proposed agenda and it seemed very promising.
8 a.m.: Wake up. Gentle stretches. Enjoy hearty breakfast of bacon (no eggs, after the IVF controversy, just in case the bar moves any further).
9 a.m.: Brief opening prayer from Speaker Mike Johnson and his most cherished colleague, God.
But that is a shame, because I think that a second day of retreat activities would have solved all their problems. I got a look at the proposed agenda and it seemed very promising.
8 a.m.: Wake up. Gentle stretches. Enjoy hearty breakfast of bacon (no eggs, after the IVF controversy, just in case the bar moves any further).
9 a.m.: Brief opening prayer from Speaker Mike Johnson and his most cherished colleague, God.
And, of course, more hilarity and less action. Drinking started early.
March 16, 2024
The journey of war veteran Rich Fierro, a 'hero' of the Club Q shooting - Washington Post
Incredibly heart-wrenching.
https://wapo.st/49S4nFh
Original WaPo link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/of-interest/interactive/2024/richard-fierro-club-q-shooting/
The whole story is so powerful - I hope you can read it.
It wraps up with this (best understood from the rest of the story):
At the Seattle airport, heading home with yet another award in his luggage, Rich had a full-blown anxiety attack. The lines, the people — everything was pissing him off. He clenched his fists. He yelled at people. Maybe it was the upcoming anniversary of the shooting.
Rich and Jess got separated going through security. After they found each other, Rich said: “Where the fuck were you? We’re fucking late.”
Jess did not respond in kind. They made their flight, but Rich couldn’t stop twitching.
Jess reached for Rich’s hand. She didn’t say anything. She just held his hand.
Rich told his therapist about this episode. His therapist said to him: “Do you know how hard it was for her to do that, having endured the same trauma as you?”
Rich spent two days working up the willpower to tell Jess what he was feeling about this. When she came into the house and he was sitting at the kitchen table with a serious look on his face, she thought yet another bad thing had happened. He asked her to sit with him.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
Rich said: “Dude, I want to say something — ”
He couldn’t get it out. His eyes watered.
“Why is it so hard?” Jess asked.
“I don’t know, when it comes to you,” Rich said.
But this time, he did it. He told her about how he felt when she took his hand. That gesture, that moment — that’s what makes him happy. That’s what feels like home. And that’s what she had been doing all these years, through wars and peace. Jess was there for him, holding it all together.
And what he wanted to say now — he heard it so many times, from total strangers.
And he didn’t say it enough to her.
Jess deserved to hear it as often as he did.
And so Rich looked at his hero, and said: “Thank you.”
Rich and Jess got separated going through security. After they found each other, Rich said: “Where the fuck were you? We’re fucking late.”
Jess did not respond in kind. They made their flight, but Rich couldn’t stop twitching.
Jess reached for Rich’s hand. She didn’t say anything. She just held his hand.
Rich told his therapist about this episode. His therapist said to him: “Do you know how hard it was for her to do that, having endured the same trauma as you?”
Rich spent two days working up the willpower to tell Jess what he was feeling about this. When she came into the house and he was sitting at the kitchen table with a serious look on his face, she thought yet another bad thing had happened. He asked her to sit with him.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
Rich said: “Dude, I want to say something — ”
He couldn’t get it out. His eyes watered.
“Why is it so hard?” Jess asked.
“I don’t know, when it comes to you,” Rich said.
But this time, he did it. He told her about how he felt when she took his hand. That gesture, that moment — that’s what makes him happy. That’s what feels like home. And that’s what she had been doing all these years, through wars and peace. Jess was there for him, holding it all together.
And what he wanted to say now — he heard it so many times, from total strangers.
And he didn’t say it enough to her.
Jess deserved to hear it as often as he did.
And so Rich looked at his hero, and said: “Thank you.”
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