tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62449996286749180292024-03-18T23:21:42.097-05:00Bayou Renaissance ManThe idle musings of a former military man, former computer geek, medically retired pastor and now full-time writer. Contents guaranteed to offend the politically correct and anal-retentive from time to time. My approach to life is that it should be taken with a large helping of laughter, and sufficient firepower to keep it tamed!Peterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10595089829300831372noreply@blogger.comBlogger18301125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-45907409867913628052024-03-18T12:05:00.001-05:002024-03-18T12:05:00.128-05:00Local, local, local<p> </p><p>From Ragin' Dave, writing at <a href="https://www.libertystorch.info/2024/03/18/just-remember-this-is-being-done-on-purpose/" target="_blank">Liberty's Torch</a>. He's disgusted by the actions of our national government in allowing unchecked migration across our borders, including the very high risk of terrorist infiltration by that route. He points out:</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: arial;">I never thought when I re-enlisted that I would be looking at my government as the primary evil force in this country. Sure, I didn’t trust it, but I’ve watched it go from greedy to evil in the past two decades. And the only real force I have to stave it off is local. In reality, that’s the only force any of us have. We have no control over the corruptocrats in D.C. Not really. They’re getting rich by ignoring us. I don’t see that changing any time soon. But locally? Having a network of people locally and getting prepared will be about the only real thing we can do.</span></blockquote><p></p><p><br /></p><p>True dat. We can't do anything about Washington D.C. <i>as individuals</i>. We're essentially powerless to stop their shenanigans. We can't even be sure that voting for better candidates for Congress and the Senate will do anything, because in many parts of the country our vote can and will be manipulated, discounted, ballot-box-stuffed, and generally rendered meaningless.</p><p>What we <i>can</i> do is make local contacts, develop local bonds, form local support groups of like-minded people, and do our best to keep our own communities as islands of rational behavior in a sea of hysteria. That's not an easy job, but it can be done. I'm willing to bet that if my small town faced, say, an influx of criminal migrants, the residents would be ready, willing and able to deal with the problem before anyone in the state or federal capitals had woken up to the situation. Our local cops would also be more than willing to ask - and receive - assistance from any and all of us, because they understand we're all in this together. They may get <i>orders</i> from outsiders, but they <i>live</i> among us, and they know which side of their bread is buttered, and by whom.</p><p>Local, local, local. It's very hard for one person, or one family, to withstand the madness that seems to be infecting our society and infesting our cities and towns. It's a lot easier when people and families stand together for the values they share - and stand ready to deal with those who don't.</p><p>Peter</p><p><br /></p>Peterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10595089829300831372noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-50316983895623960062024-03-18T09:02:00.006-05:002024-03-18T09:02:00.126-05:00A reminder about a great scope accessory<p> </p><p>My recent <a href="https://bayourenaissanceman.blogspot.com/2024/02/worthwhile-scope-deal.html" target="_blank">review of Primary Arms' 3-9x44 scope</a> generated some correspondence with readers. Among other things, it seems that too few people have heard about the use of a fishing reel attachment tool known as a "Coaster" to make an improvised scope magnification adjustment device. <a href="https://bayourenaissanceman.blogspot.com/2021/08/a-really-useful-accessory-for-rifle.html" target="_blank">I wrote about it three years ago.</a> Here's an excerpt from that earlier post.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><blockquote><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> I'm sure many readers interested in the shooting sports are familiar with the "<a href="https://amzn.to/3IIrmX6" target="_blank">throw lever</a>" sometimes integrated into the power ring (i.e. the adjustment ring to vary the magnification) of telescopic sights. They look something like this example, sticking up from the power ring of a Swampfox Optics Arrowhead tactical scope. (Click any image for a larger view.)</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghPSCa1CyK_TJ_yoGzX4yrQdN-ZnspaE4AZrLUeKL2ArJ4gnLcT9OOdI8M5C8O5mw5ztvs8qhcXSDEMNIRrD42hf_yOihSgCsWTa91KLHaAhr_i4n-FU-f66UyalAo2COoIt2g5PZ7r5M/s600/Breakaway+nylon+coasters+3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="352" data-original-width="600" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghPSCa1CyK_TJ_yoGzX4yrQdN-ZnspaE4AZrLUeKL2ArJ4gnLcT9OOdI8M5C8O5mw5ztvs8qhcXSDEMNIRrD42hf_yOihSgCsWTa91KLHaAhr_i4n-FU-f66UyalAo2COoIt2g5PZ7r5M/w400-h235/Breakaway+nylon+coasters+3.png" width="400" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Regular hunting- and target-style scopes don't usually have throw levers, but they've become very popular on tactical scopes. They allow one to adjust the power very quickly with one hand, rather than fiddle with a power ring that doesn't offer easy purchase or a visual or tactile reference when the scope is being held to one's eye. There are third-party, aftermarket throw levers available, but they can be expensive, and they only fit a limited range of sizes.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I recently came across a fishing accessory, originally designed to attach reels to rods. <a href="https://amzn.to/37fevca" target="_blank">It's called a "Coaster"</a> ... They're made by Breakaway Tackle in England, and look like this.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipng3GLmRtxQrwJtZYw0PI7MdgpC66ckGlAHUpRSCnfkXi08XicwX0BckWAeZnvtuW1u1h8ip0MKEqBKfTTToL3Z8g21gWjEozS4cwJMCHX1TrYQOJGeR5gFNv-pvk2E2Om0lcyRiWEv0/s800/Breakaway+nylon+coasters+1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="589" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipng3GLmRtxQrwJtZYw0PI7MdgpC66ckGlAHUpRSCnfkXi08XicwX0BckWAeZnvtuW1u1h8ip0MKEqBKfTTToL3Z8g21gWjEozS4cwJMCHX1TrYQOJGeR5gFNv-pvk2E2Om0lcyRiWEv0/w295-h400/Breakaway+nylon+coasters+1.png" width="295" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The loop is placed around the fishing rod, over the mounting lugs of the reel: then the arms are pulled tight through the vice block before the ring is screwed down on the block, its threads engaging the notches on the arms to tighten them further. It's a bit like a double-ended cable tie.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Some bright spark figured out that the same tool could be used as a throw lever on rifle telescopic sights that lacked such a feature. Intrigued, I tried it, and found it works like a charm. Here's how the vendor illustrates it.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3X65PKPAkFk2rU-B9hJGFEP0sL465KDhUgk_bq4HfYDeYBB1tMco9DYMWwIju3r57l7CHsGidI1f417DWUZ44wK56bM6m7n3HnUvgXCxxngAE40ysH7y4Ze1PDqXE8ANGnXKVyMyCZ8Y/s632/Breakaway+nylon+coasters+2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="632" data-original-width="577" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3X65PKPAkFk2rU-B9hJGFEP0sL465KDhUgk_bq4HfYDeYBB1tMco9DYMWwIju3r57l7CHsGidI1f417DWUZ44wK56bM6m7n3HnUvgXCxxngAE40ysH7y4Ze1PDqXE8ANGnXKVyMyCZ8Y/w365-h400/Breakaway+nylon+coasters+2.png" width="365" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I modified that slightly, in that I cut off the arms a notch or so above the ring using cutting pliers, as low as I could manage, as illustrated above. I then unscrewed the ring and took it off, cut the arms a notch or two shorter while holding the loop and vice block in place, and then reattached the ring and screwed it down moderately tightly (don't over-tighten it, as that will strip the threads). That put the ends of the arms just beneath the surface of the ring, rather than above it, so they no longer scratched my fingers as I felt for the ring. I found that a lot more comfortable, and it looked better, too.</span></p></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><p><br /></p><p>There's <a href="https://bayourenaissanceman.blogspot.com/2021/08/a-really-useful-accessory-for-rifle.html" target="_blank">more at the link</a>, and in <a href="https://bayourenaissanceman.blogspot.com/2021/08/follow-up-on-those-scope-power-ring.html" target="_blank">a follow-up post</a> where a reader described having a problem fitting the "Coaster" to a very low-mounted scope.</p><p>Here's a video demonstrating how to install the Coaster on a scope.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/i0lLfS36-Kc?si=8n9DLQr4ftcq96oO" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>This is a super-useful accessory to put on any scope with a variable power or focus ring. The Coaster is also much lower cost than some of the <a href="https://amzn.to/3IIrmX6" target="_blank">made-for-purpose throw rings</a> you'll find if you shop around (it's anywhere from a half to a tenth of their price), and it'll fit just about any scope, unlike some of the others that are restricted to scopes of a particular brand or size. I've put them on my most-used scopes, and I'm in the process of installing them on the rest as well, for a uniform fit across all my long guns. <a href="https://amzn.to/37fevca" target="_blank">You'll find them on Amazon.</a></p><p><i>Highly</i> recommended.</p><p>Peter</p><p><br /></p>Peterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10595089829300831372noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-28515884490826730682024-03-18T04:21:00.006-05:002024-03-18T04:21:00.123-05:00Memes that made me laugh 201<p> </p><p>Gathered from around the Internet over the past week. Click any image for a larger view.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXZQCF0EAnlTnhPaedey4Q__TF9rEI3VF4wykZ60QVdPZMtRk0bpquPdV0XrBfW6uI78nzNci0mG-BbVM0aaaikd1qvoBqYPD7nuxUMQc4hOZI3KBElhw8q1Oqd4pV2RdZ12boGMbnxkZMtuQsWFVqgD00o3m3hpXJ_bkq7Bx274TsIqf1Dh4aRo0jsLs/s775/Meme%20-%20terrorist%20pop%20quiz.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXZQCF0EAnlTnhPaedey4Q__TF9rEI3VF4wykZ60QVdPZMtRk0bpquPdV0XrBfW6uI78nzNci0mG-BbVM0aaaikd1qvoBqYPD7nuxUMQc4hOZI3KBElhw8q1Oqd4pV2RdZ12boGMbnxkZMtuQsWFVqgD00o3m3hpXJ_bkq7Bx274TsIqf1Dh4aRo0jsLs/w310-h400/Meme%20-%20terrorist%20pop%20quiz.png" width="310" /></a></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2VvLnZm6DBBKRPShvQyAqQGhYddLNP55e54FC9JGv2BHWeLWnruUoBlWiYMW6LkyGQDQ-AI5yo57CMNs7kKGF_12rVj50dZjs_VbLTpFHvzXA43RY9o5ZU1jtrFrvLzf6JBXWwLOYzRRp_XxNr_yIkN0qdpCooqaDeinOC7B2wdwXPnKTbMOe18e_ujo/s780/Meme%20-%20no%20canadian%20club.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2VvLnZm6DBBKRPShvQyAqQGhYddLNP55e54FC9JGv2BHWeLWnruUoBlWiYMW6LkyGQDQ-AI5yo57CMNs7kKGF_12rVj50dZjs_VbLTpFHvzXA43RY9o5ZU1jtrFrvLzf6JBXWwLOYzRRp_XxNr_yIkN0qdpCooqaDeinOC7B2wdwXPnKTbMOe18e_ujo/w308-h400/Meme%20-%20no%20canadian%20club.png" width="308" /></a></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5QCHdYu65RDwCbf-ZfIVEjrTZRLX3zz3wwAtUHa6y9oLJd3mOnvoxs7-bLswLkM7sWtI4K-RNqJOaRSllQRC0Cv4qCFuk6_6RPN_MVSyvwO9xclaZprSl0ng86mkzlz3W41GTzpASfqZIvjiKTtpzZrQpiMeQQjA8F0H3veBEP0BTuuGZUwGs6hNU9bw/s651/Meme%20-%20redneck%20sushi.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="651" data-original-width="550" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5QCHdYu65RDwCbf-ZfIVEjrTZRLX3zz3wwAtUHa6y9oLJd3mOnvoxs7-bLswLkM7sWtI4K-RNqJOaRSllQRC0Cv4qCFuk6_6RPN_MVSyvwO9xclaZprSl0ng86mkzlz3W41GTzpASfqZIvjiKTtpzZrQpiMeQQjA8F0H3veBEP0BTuuGZUwGs6hNU9bw/w338-h400/Meme%20-%20redneck%20sushi.png" width="338" /></a></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEdo556ahgX86GAYAqhxq9LgldPmFLKqs9PSDILO1NW6CaeVtgBTtZhKsPr6s4ecQD3g6F2JML2TESy6TCml51eLlWFw_mo3qGNDttQabIkeiaArVBE9P18erNYQXdjqacwntdYjbWRv8M5DqpioiiFxSo7TeS8pEgCqo0p-VoVKu4F3l1Bmet60EYAkE/s550/Meme%20-%20jellied%20salmon%20mousse.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="490" data-original-width="550" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEdo556ahgX86GAYAqhxq9LgldPmFLKqs9PSDILO1NW6CaeVtgBTtZhKsPr6s4ecQD3g6F2JML2TESy6TCml51eLlWFw_mo3qGNDttQabIkeiaArVBE9P18erNYQXdjqacwntdYjbWRv8M5DqpioiiFxSo7TeS8pEgCqo0p-VoVKu4F3l1Bmet60EYAkE/w400-h356/Meme%20-%20jellied%20salmon%20mousse.png" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimLdAWRAUA98cxqirT6XA8m8gdRyC5I_j6ZZWGHmXvOdp7zrDGCbm9xl3zm5L7c-J4lDVAYUC_NT36HZnDy40aUZdca5HArwwTCmopLf7jQb3QhNHXTQb1OuL-4w7GrZPyH5PthCdAx3QOrOXeocOVccVNpW5iXfxzwdgoZDGoldqX_np8JRmEn0dHmRw/s550/Meme%20-%20refried%20beans%20cone.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="463" data-original-width="550" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimLdAWRAUA98cxqirT6XA8m8gdRyC5I_j6ZZWGHmXvOdp7zrDGCbm9xl3zm5L7c-J4lDVAYUC_NT36HZnDy40aUZdca5HArwwTCmopLf7jQb3QhNHXTQb1OuL-4w7GrZPyH5PthCdAx3QOrOXeocOVccVNpW5iXfxzwdgoZDGoldqX_np8JRmEn0dHmRw/w400-h336/Meme%20-%20refried%20beans%20cone.png" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRY4cYZ79Tvx7iM4CoA_3Q9mUbZ7dEtq-ZTM1D6GhfL_h-bHDgNG_VtJJZb56EYcuwG6TrOTLN0um45wv62vjWsOOjjnPq7JJAw0LgiTzdg2_TaqcMZPiTjrxEttO2iFVLg0OP_T8oG8PJL3jZ8TIUdjDrDq1mQFtpE1pd79lwyiXFPMXP3JzVSVFv8Og/s600/Meme%20-%20Aquinas%20hotdogs.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="472" data-original-width="600" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRY4cYZ79Tvx7iM4CoA_3Q9mUbZ7dEtq-ZTM1D6GhfL_h-bHDgNG_VtJJZb56EYcuwG6TrOTLN0um45wv62vjWsOOjjnPq7JJAw0LgiTzdg2_TaqcMZPiTjrxEttO2iFVLg0OP_T8oG8PJL3jZ8TIUdjDrDq1mQFtpE1pd79lwyiXFPMXP3JzVSVFv8Og/w400-h315/Meme%20-%20Aquinas%20hotdogs.png" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3QlQv23J1qclc1Jk5La8L8BhvrXWhztBnfTKl44PxM-hcCbfHNK8cAQ8t6Ao0Zs3_yXkcu4q7LiZLDIadAC6evqyrQfiFQMq9Dk63ARdr8XVlNBmArvzWkNeeoaaPLo8yewLkxry_PnjpQxHK3flBkOX0pKDi_bDBI3xV1ZOBCkxskgt_-7f8e7QKe7E/s600/Meme%20-%20veggie%20tray.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="571" data-original-width="600" height="381" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3QlQv23J1qclc1Jk5La8L8BhvrXWhztBnfTKl44PxM-hcCbfHNK8cAQ8t6Ao0Zs3_yXkcu4q7LiZLDIadAC6evqyrQfiFQMq9Dk63ARdr8XVlNBmArvzWkNeeoaaPLo8yewLkxry_PnjpQxHK3flBkOX0pKDi_bDBI3xV1ZOBCkxskgt_-7f8e7QKe7E/w400-h381/Meme%20-%20veggie%20tray.png" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKu11dC9vPe86WlLjSTvOvrCAOzMdLapBTFOVu05Iy7TuEFX7o2UKs6MJKjogkk5GDIRIWTUlvh19vn0okMhyphenhyphen5j6qrP1GIu2JOnAC5YqwPi77t1hahVTf2hwd3utDyUGXvPZjITrNlWN4xRfGOaOTESifZHKc8GWMEevMQ7SD2R32fvXVHHxEM-HoKaXk/s851/Meme%20-%20Rittenhouse%20in%20Haiti.png" style="margin-left: 1em; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="762" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin4t7yc2ELa3DKMVN8eOlc0NhN0bP82oG-tji43-K_5MHffkz50AElAnGwkUMwCEBmvGWKXfrb22_wYliIeTmiShAIVKixONtak7k02wMTmXA0niWc6Gj3BFDp1ywfDOc5Kw_DM04QHzXgPnBcwS_fqbM67lWnx39Dad9B87f-RfusytQRh0jA3XGSEUY/w315-h400/Meme%20-%20St%20Patricks%20Day%20paratroopers.png" width="315" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>More next week.</p><p>Peter</p><p><br /></p>Peterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10595089829300831372noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-17241143392881463082024-03-17T04:15:00.011-05:002024-03-17T04:15:00.134-05:00Sunday morning music<p> </p><p>I'm sure many of my readers have heard the music of Lindsey Stirling. She's an iconic, independent voice in modern entertainment, known for her strong moral code and her emphasis on clean living - a refreshing change in a field filled with the opposite. Her emphasis on violin rather than electronic instruments is very satisfying - clearly to a lot of people, judging by her fan base.</p><p>I was intrigued by this pre-released track from her latest album, "Duality", which will ship in June 2024. It's titled "Eye of the Untold Her", and purports to encapsulate her life in music into a single song. According to one YouTube commenter, its elements include:</p><p><br /></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span><blockquote><span style="font-family: arial;">(0:01) Voiceover and costume from her rejection at AGT <i>[America's Got Talent]</i><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">(0:32) Lindsey has said she went back to the dressing room and cried, and said she'd never go on stage again<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">(0:39) Artemis<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">(0:53) Crystallize, which went viral and was a career-changer<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">(0:59) Dancing With the Stars, her Week 10 costume<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">(1:07) The Upside<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">(1:41) Her first self-titled album cover<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">(1:47) Shatter Me, a song and video about her personal struggles<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">(2:06) The tomb stone is for her father Stephen, and best friend Gavi<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">(2:11) Roundtable Rival<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">(2:13) Lindsey has taken up aerial hoop, because yes she CAN go flying through the air while playing the violin<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">(2:17) The Arena<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">(2:30) Can't fill a theater? Watch her. This is the costume she wore to play at Lollapalooza in Paris 2023.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">(3:23) Babe, wake up, new Lindsey Stirling album cover just dropped.</span></blockquote><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></div><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rWwfyzX2OeM?si=2u-4mnOxGRUUnKAr" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Compare and contrast that track to her first music video back in 2011, "Spontaneous Me". It's still one of my favorites.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pRPOztxXWlQ?si=KJgNkhyI1KXKuHOe" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>
From her 2010 elimination in the quarterfinals of Season 5 of America's Got Talent, and her defiant decision to pursue her dream anyway, she's come a long way and achieved great success. My hat's off to her for her determination and courage in pushing on and overcoming all obstacles, particularly those put in her path by others in the entertainment industry. She's surely showed them!</p><p>Peter</p><p><br /></p>Peterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10595089829300831372noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-4327444433195318012024-03-16T06:32:00.002-05:002024-03-16T06:32:36.655-05:00Saturday Snippet: the lighter side of bush warfare<p> </p><p>As regular readers will know, I served for some years in the South African military, both full-time and reserve. As part of that, I occasionally found myself in Rhodesia (today Zimbabwe), a nation that was fighting its own war against terrorism, a rather hotter war than ours most of the time. It was an education (to put it mildly!) to see Rhodesian elite forces in action. They were terrifyingly good. Rhodesia lost its war in the end, overwhelmed by demographic factors and the vagaries of geopolitics, but the lessons learned there have continued to stand the Western world in good stead. Some of its forces, particularly the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhodesian_Special_Air_Service" target="_blank">Special Air Service</a>, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selous_Scouts" target="_blank">Selous Scouts</a>, and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fireforce" target="_blank">Fireforce</a> teams, remain world-famous, even legendary.</p><p>Jake Harper-Ronald was a Rhodesian who went to Britain to serve in the Parachute Regiment. Returning to Rhodesia in the 1970's, he signed up for the Special Air Service and went on to serve in the Selous Scouts and with the Special Branch of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_South_Africa_Police" target="_blank">British South Africa Police</a>. Shortly before his death, he gave a detailed account of his life to a friend, which was later published as "<a href="https://amzn.to/43BfNLj" target="_blank">Sunday Bloody Sunday: A Soldier's War in Northern Ireland, Rhodesia, Mozambique and Iraq</a>".</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/43BfNLj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="525" data-original-width="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiReX-GGhZjPvdSqPKGaYZoYQoVdMbl93dbLvsE7bckv0L3hyphenhyphenNdJKeaHzC64ZqgUVoW1VxhIOLQ-wW379dZ9o-ZzCPJGhCvMcOIeB6HOlkAm32W5gSbA9J5t952ZB8t3is5ekgWG6MK3vClUkTEwX4fZZ91FKBQa7ODO8bXVM_bzFzS4N5w66oRM-V98mQ/s16000/Cover%20'Sunday%20Bloody%20Sunday'.png" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>The blurb reads:</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><blockquote><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Gold is forged in fire. Men in the furnace of adversity…</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Step into the extraordinary life of Jake Harper-Ronald, a man whose childhood dream of becoming a soldier led him on an unparalleled journey. In 1966, he fulfilled his ambition as a conscript in the Royal Rhodesia Regiment, only to embark on a series of adventures that most soldiers can only imagine.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">From early days in the elite Parachute Regiment in the UK to his pivotal role as the official photographer during the infamous 'Bloody Sunday' in Northern Ireland, Jake's path was one of courage and resilience. He left an indelible mark on history, capturing iconic moments through his lens that still resonate today.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Returning to Rhodesia in 1974, Jake's journey continued with the ultra-tough SAS and the Selous Scouts. His daring cross-border raids and contributions as a professional soldier showcased his unwavering commitment. Despite facing the trials of combat, he persevered, even transitioning to a top-secret Special Branch callsign and later joining Zimbabwe's Central Intelligence Organisation.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Jake's remarkable story unfolded further as he operated as an intelligence agent for global powers such as South Africa, Britain, and the US. His path was not without challenges; accusations of treason led to his time in solitary confinement at Goromonzi Detention Centre.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Undeterred, he emerged from adversity, and in 1989, MI6 enlisted his expertise to train and lead militias combating Renamo in Mozambique. His efforts were so impactful that his Special Forces unit was integrated into Mozambique's National Army.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Witnessing the harrowing realities of Mozambique, Jake's journey came full circle as he returned to Zimbabwe and ventured into the private security sector and then on to private military contracting in Iraq. Despite his health declining, his resolve remained unshaken until his passing in 2007 at the age of 59.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Immerse yourself in an incredible narrative of bravery, sacrifice, and tenacity as 'Sunday Bloody Sunday' chronicles the awe-inspiring life of Jake Harper-Ronald. This is more than a biography; it's a testament to the indomitable spirit of a true soldier and a captivating journey that will leave you inspired and in awe.</span></p></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><p><br /></p><p>Harper-Ronald's story is so out of the ordinary that I wondered whether it could be real, or was a fictional mish-mash of real soldiers' stories. There are Web sites where one can check to see whether an individual was, indeed, a member of the Rhodesian Special Air Service and/or the Selous Scouts, and he was verified by both of them. I spent enough time in Rhodesia, and researching various things thereafter, that I could verify a lot of what he said about external operations: therefore, I accept that his life story, sensational though it might be, is essentially true.</p><p>It's a long book, with an immense amount of detail. However, there are nuggets of humor among the many tales he tells, some of which had me laughing out loud (and remembering a few war stories of my own). I thought I'd collect some of them here this morning for your entertainment. Here goes!</p><p><br /></p><p><i><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></i></p><blockquote><p><i><span style="font-family: arial;">(Serving with the Parachute Regiment in Britain)</span></i></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">A certain corporal and I, sharing guard duty, had taken a fascination to the aerial sorties of the model aircraft club, that used a strip adjacent to the barracks to land their radio-controlled planes.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">On Sundays, when they got together, we were entertained to impressive displays of air rallies that filled the sky, with expensive model aircraft whining overhead.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">We always kept on hand four pellet guns back in the barracks, which we would use (to relieve the boredom) by engaging in small wars – much as I had done as a teenager in Rhodesia. The guns were relegated to the guardroom after someone inadvertently shot another Para through the cheek.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Bored to tears one Sunday, we decided to take pot shots at the aircraft as they flew above the depot, thinking that we could never do any damage to such fast-flying machines. Before long, four of us were banging away at a solitary aircraft as it gracefully dipped to turn over the entrance. We had created an effective four-barrelled anti-aircraft battery!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As the plane levelled after a turn, it gave a bit of a jig, pitched right and then left and headed away from the strip towards Basingstoke canal. We all gulped as we realised we had managed to sever one of its control cables with a pellet. We watched, panic-stricken, as the plane continued on its course and disappeared from sight.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">On the strip a man ran after it, turning knobs and twiddling with joysticks. From where we stood we heard him swearing and cursing at his misfortune.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The airguns were hidden away immediately and we resumed our duties. As every minute passed we waited for the cops to arrive, wondering all the time if we’d been seen. Later that night, while sitting in the guardroom, the military police phoned to ask if we knew anything about the expensive missing aircraft. I took the call and naturally denied everything, although I thought I sensed a bit of disbelief in the policeman’s tone.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">* * * * *</span></b></p><p><i><span style="font-family: arial;">(During a parachute assault on a terrorist base in Mozambique)</span></i></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Below me I could see ant-like figures running all over the show, some of them stopping to look up at us. Only they weren’t just looking, they were shooting. Although I was below 400 feet (122 metres) I could not make out any detail but I was acutely aware of streams of grotesque green ‘hornets’ reaching up, highlighted against the dark earth backdrop, searching for me. The fire continued until the ground came into focus and rushed up to meet me.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">On landing I jettisoned my harness and brought my rifle to bear from where it was strapped down my side. I couldn’t have been too far away from the enemy and I expected a burst of fire to come my way any second.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Behind me, I glanced over my shoulder and noticed Vernon Conchie executing a perfect parachute landing about 20 metres to my right. Flaring just before he hit terra firma, he touched down on both feet – running in mid-air – anticipating the ground before him. His canopy folded as he turned and gathered up the lower rigging. Milliseconds passed and in one swift move he unbuckled both harnesses from his shoulders, his parachute billowing behind him with its new-found slack.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Before he even grabbed his rifle Vernon unhitched his trousers, dropped them to his ankles and squatted to take a dump. In seconds, having released his bowels, he ripped off his pockets, then his lapels and wiped his arse. In a follow-through motion he hitched his trousers and fastened them, then swiftly gathered his rifle and was potting off a few shots at some distant terrs before you could say presto. The way it unfolded I could see that he had rehearsed the manoeuvre during the descent. It was the most perfect defecation under fire that I have ever seen. In fact, I don’t imagine there have been too many others like it.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">... That afternoon I asked Conchie about his defecation under fire. His simple answer summed up all our feelings during that parachute descent. ‘I just **** myself’ he said. ‘I thought I was going to get zapped before I landed.’</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">* * * * *</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Bored to wits’ end one day and after a few friendly challenges in the bar, the ‘blues’ and the ‘browns’ decided to square off and have a rocket-building competition. There would be three teams and the winning team would be the recipient of a crate of beer bought by the losers. The competition rules were to design, construct and fly a rocket which would be judged by the policemen. We had a day to come up with our designs and we were to convene on the apron at 15:00 the next afternoon to show off our efforts. Points would be awarded initially for getting our contraptions off the ground and then for which rocket flew the furthest. Additional points were given for any unique design features.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">... Major Kriel’s team had built a three-stage ignition rocket utilising Icarus flares taped together. It was an impressive sight, only a little unwieldy if anything ... With the major holding the rocket aloft, his head cowering in anticipation of launch, Dave Scales snuck up behind him and pushed the firing device. Instantly both men were hidden in a huge cloud of white smoke as the ungainly device lifted off. Struggling into the air, it wobbled on its axis as stage one found thrust.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">At about 60 feet, when the fuel from the first compartment was spent, it had been intended that stage two would ignite, carrying the rocket to a higher altitude, where the ignition of stage three would kick in and carry it higher. Instead, like the Apollo disaster, it snaked left and right and then exploded in mid-air with a deafening crump. Fortunately, the designers had taken all the magnesium out of the flares or otherwise we might have been showered by its burning-hot contents.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Unfortunately, as planned, the other two stages did ignite; the tape that harnessed them together not having the integrity to hold true and they shot off horizontally all over the place. Stage two was a real peach and rocketed in the direction of the two Alouettes parked on the apron. As it raced toward them, trailing white smoke, we cringed at the thought of a direct hit and the resultant damage. The ‘blues’ were screaming their lungs out although I don’t know what good it might have done. Luckily it passed over the nearest chopper and burnt out in the long grass beyond. When we turned around we saw stage three rounding a nearby hangar and heading straight for us. We all dived for cover and it passed over us with feet to spare until it skidded harmlessly to a halt in the dirt. Meanwhile, the body of stage one had spun into the bush on the side of the apron which erupted into a raging bush fire. With the tenacity of bulldogs on a bone we set to beating the flames into submission with branches and whatever else we could find.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I couldn’t help thinking, while he was at the forefront of the battle against the flames, that Major Kriel would have had a hard time explaining the loss of two valuable helicopters. We eventually controlled the inferno after 15 minutes of madness, but with only metres of open ground to spare before it did any real damage.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">* * * * *</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Major Kriel had an inventive imagination and would have been well suited to the design department of an armaments manufacturing company. On a brief deployment to Grand Reef, he came up with an ingenious plan for a six-barrelled 60 mm mortar which could be buried in the earth after attacking a terrorist camp and then detonated remotely, or even by a delayed fuse, some time after the raiders had left. The idea was to cause alarm and mayhem when those terrorists who had escaped unharmed, came out from hiding to assess the damage of a raid.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The contraption he designed had six mortar tubes facing in slightly different directions, much like the smoke grenade dispensers on a tank. On initiation, the bombs would fire from detonators at the base of each tube, landing all over the terrorist camp. On test day, the major and I went around the base and told everyone that we were trying out a new weapon, so they wouldn’t be alarmed when they heard the bangs. The Fire Force troops were warned to remain near the billet side of the airstrip and not to venture onto the runway.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">After walking to the end of the airstrip we dug a small hole and buried the tubes with earth, covering them until only the tops of the barrels were sticking out. The major then boosted each one with additional gunpowder from ammunition and secondaries from 60mm bombs, before putting in the bombs. We attached an electrical wire to the cluster of individual detonator wires and then moved off a safe distance so testing could commence. Some 50 metres off Major Kriel turned, quite satisfied with the distance between us and the mortar. I had my doubts and suggested we move a bit further and possibly take shelter in one of the bunkers on the edge of the strip. He heeded my reservation reluctantly and moved away until we settled into a bunker and peered out of a large aperture.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">To add ceremony to the occasion, the major initiated a small countdown before attaching the wires to a car battery we had with us. The ruckus that followed was not the recognisable sound of simultaneous mortar fire, but an enormous explosion that sent dirt and debris flying for hundreds of metres. Even within the safe environs of the bunker I was suddenly stung by flying shrapnel, which zinged through the aperture and buried itself in my upper body. The wounds were superficial, but they were enough to remind me of how lucky we were to have retreated this far. Had the major fired the device from where he originally intended, I have no doubt we would have been mincemeat.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It took a few seconds for both of us to recover from the shock of the explosion. Staring out of the bunker I watched the dust settle and shook my head. A long whistle sounded from the major’s lips as he too just stared out vacantly. More seconds passed before we ventured toward the remnants of the multi-barrelled mortar where we found a crater in which you could have hidden a donkey. In the distance, clods of earth could be heard raining down on the corrugated iron roofs of the billets. Glancing in that direction we could see the air force personnel with their hands on their heads, panic-stricken. Before long they were running to their aircraft to inspect what damage had been caused.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Needless to say, Major Kriel was not popular for some time afterwards. The experiment had been a flop and any intimations of further attempts were shot down in flames.</span></p></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><p><br /></p><p>There are many more incidents in Harper-Ronald's account of almost four decades in one uniform or another. He lived a very adventurous life.</p><p>Peter</p><p><br /></p>Peterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10595089829300831372noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-61943456929327886132024-03-15T12:05:00.001-05:002024-03-15T12:05:00.120-05:00A tale of two dollar store chains<p> </p><p>It's interesting to note two seemingly conflicting news reports:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.retaildive.com/news/dollar-general-store-openings-dollar-tree-closures/710294/" target="_blank">Dollar General ... plans to open 800 more new stores, remodel 1,500 locations and relocate 85 stores this year — 2,385 real estate projects overall.</a></li><li><a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/family-dollar-closing-nearly-1000-stores-where-why-rcna143148" target="_blank">600 Family Dollar stores [will] close in the first half of 2024, with another 370 locations closing over the next several years. In addition, 30 Dollar Tree-branded stores will close over that time period.</a></li></ul><p></p><p>So one chain expands, while another contracts. Both serve the same target market. What's going on?</p><p>I think it boils down to the old saw in real estate: location, location, location. As far as I can tell, Dollar General has tended to put its stores into "nicer" areas, with less local crime and safer travel. That lower crime rate has also helped minimize <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/shrinkage.asp" target="_blank">shrinkage</a> in the stores. Family Dollar and Dollar Tree, on the other hand, appear to have focused on lower-cost real estate, saving them money on putting in more stores, but exposing them to the risk of greater losses through increased local crime rates and customers who find it more difficult (i.e. less safe) to get to them. As the second report linked above put it:</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: arial;">Dollar Tree said shrink remains "elevated" and would lower the company's profitability going forward. On the company's earnings call Wednesday, company executives said shrink had been accelerating.</span></blockquote><p></p><p><br /></p><p>I'm willing to bet that the stores Family Dollar and Dollar Tree plan to close will include those with the highest shrinkage rates.</p><p>Both chains complain that customers are hard-pressed to cope with rising prices: indeed, the "dollar store" moniker has recently become the "$1.25 store" or "$1.50 store", and at <a href="https://bayourenaissanceman.blogspot.com/2024/03/inflation-better-measure-but-still-too.html" target="_blank">present rates of inflation</a>, that's likely to continue to rise. Chains that can accommodate such cash-strapped consumers are likely to do better than those that can't. I notice Walmart is putting more emphasis on lower-cost food and clothing in local stores, and I suspect it's taking business away from the dollar stores by doing so.</p><p>Companies that are quick on their feet in responding to our present problematic market will do better. Those that move more slowly, or make the wrong guesses as to the future of retail . . . not so much.</p><p>Peter</p><p><br /></p>Peterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10595089829300831372noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-80947740934449430412024-03-15T09:03:00.005-05:002024-03-15T09:03:00.236-05:00A tragic way to die<p> </p><p>I was saddened to read about the <a href="https://www.flightglobal.com/safety/swiss-skydiver-aircraft-crash-likely-caused-by-unintentional-parachute-opening/157356.article" target="_blank">cause of an aircraft crash</a> in Switzerland last month.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><blockquote><p><span style="font-family: arial;">In a preliminary report published on 12 March, the Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board (STSB) said the aircraft, belonging to Skydive Grenchen, was carrying 11 jumpers and one pilot on the afternoon of 18 February. While all jumpers, one of whom was slightly injured in the incident, exited the aircraft, the pilot died in the crash.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">“When parachutists were being dropped off, the reserve parachute belonging to a parachutist who was still on the aircraft unintentionally opened,” the STSB says. “The parachutist subsequently collided with the elevator tailplane, causing it to be completely torn off the aircraft and the plane crashed.”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">“The pilot was not wearing a rescue parachute,” it adds.</span></p></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><p><br /></p><p>There's <a href="https://www.flightglobal.com/safety/swiss-skydiver-aircraft-crash-likely-caused-by-unintentional-parachute-opening/157356.article" target="_blank">more at the link</a>.</p><p>It sounds as if the inadvertently opened reserve parachute pulled one of the jumpers out of the plane, from where he collided with the tailplane. Nobody could have foreseen this sort of incident, or its outcome. I'm still trying to wrap my brain around how the impact of a human body could break off an elevator tailplane on one side of the aircraft. One wouldn't think such an impact would be sufficient. It would injure the person, of course, perhaps fatally, and damage the leading edge of the tailplane, but not knock it completely off the aircraft. I'm sure the manufacturers will be investigating that as a matter of urgency.</p><p>The death of the pilot was a tragedy, of course. The skydiving club had apparently bought the aircraft more than a decade ago, and he'd flown it for the club for years. It just goes to show: "in the midst of life we are in death", as the classic funeral service puts it. We never know when or where or how we may come to our end. That's a sobering thought . . . and it should be.</p><p>Peter</p><p><br /></p>Peterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10595089829300831372noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-51115839961649331522024-03-15T04:18:00.001-05:002024-03-15T04:18:00.139-05:00A musical pun I couldn't resist<p> </p><p>From Stephan Pastis yesterday. Click the image to be taken to a larger view at the "Pearls Before Swine" Web page.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.gocomics.com/pearlsbeforeswine/2024/03/14" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="174" data-original-width="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEjymWaMlCJc71WSkNq9J9T9t-4Zw2NPkctT2mhyphenhyphenhq3fmlgsyCl9i2s0_aU-UR8Hp6g0qUtMOuqKasfN1DupSFo96iGb2iJFaFYkwuChRwLtUGs6XD_cXFgb0hzKPXXi_4mw4rMEyhU9M5zxlF9c-9QGgfpcYl4eDh7mDeifa-KwmPDySgquLBOryv-xU/s16000/Pearls%20Before%20Swine%202024-03-14.png" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>That was a groaner - but very funny, too! To honor the cartoonist and his inspiration, here's the original piece as played at the "Concert for George", held to honor the composer after his death.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CrTMc2i6Lzc?si=EixzCRugunoNj_Cu" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Warm memories to go with the smile.</p><p>Peter</p><p><br /></p>Peterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10595089829300831372noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-70853303414617624352024-03-14T12:04:00.005-05:002024-03-14T12:04:00.131-05:00Inflation: A better measure, but still too low<p> </p><p>I've been saying for years (as have many informed commenters) that the "official" rate of inflation has about as much relation to the facts as I do to Mata Hari. It's massaged, manipulated and mangled until it bears little or no resemblance to the actual costs all of us are paying "on the street". A year and a half ago, I said that the <i>effective</i> rate of inflation for our family (based on actual sales receipts, what we were paying for goods and services) was now <a href="https://bayourenaissanceman.blogspot.com/2022/09/saturday-snippet-notes-on-inflation.html" target="_blank">over 30%</a>. Late last year, <a href="https://bayourenaissanceman.blogspot.com/2023/11/inflation-and-its-growing-threat-to-our.html" target="_blank">Karl Denninger said much the same thing</a> about what he was experiencing.</p><p><a href="https://tippinsights.com/bidenflation-hits-18-0-hurting-americans/" target="_blank">Tipp Insights has just prepared its own measure of inflation</a>, based on the official figures, but removing much of the manipulation from them. It's still not high enough, IMHO, but it's more reliable than the government numbers.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><blockquote><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The government's Consumer Price Index (CPI), released on Tuesday, showed a <span style="background-color: #ffd966;">3.2% year-over-year price increase from February 2023 to February 2024</span>.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>. . .</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">We developed the TIPP CPI, a metric that uses February 2021, the month after President Biden's inauguration, as its base to measure the rate of change. All TIPP CPI measures are anchored to the base month of February 2021, making it exclusive to the economy under President Biden's watch.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">What is the motivation behind the TIPP CPI?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The BLS CPI rate doesn't accurately capture Americans’ inflation struggles. The official BLS CPI year-over-year increases will compare prices to already inflated bases in the coming months, and these statistics could mask the full impact. Further, the media and some economists frequently use the low CPI rate to present a rosy economic outlook supporting Biden’s policies.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">In contrast, the TIPP CPI rate offers a clearer understanding of Americans’ economic challenges under President Biden. We use the relevant data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to calculate the TIPP CPI, but we adjust the period to Biden's tenure. When discussing the TIPP CPI and the BLS CPI, we convert the index numbers into percentage changes to better understand and compare them. CPIs are like index numbers that show how prices affect people's lives, similar to how the Dow Jones Industrial Average reflects the stock market.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #ffd966; font-family: arial;">Bidenflation, measured by the TIPP CPI using the same underlying data, increased to 18.0% in February. It was 17.3% in January, 16.6% in December, and 16.7% in November.</span></p></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><p><br /></p><p>There's <a href="https://tippinsights.com/bidenflation-hits-18-0-hurting-americans/" target="_blank">more at the link</a>, including useful charts to make it easier to understand the situation. Recommended reading.</p><p>So, there you have it:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>The "official" rate of inflation is 3.2%;</li><li><a href="https://www.shadowstats.com/alternate_data/inflation-charts" target="_blank">Shadowstats</a> estimates it as plus-or-minus 12%, based on 1980's statistical norms;</li><li>The <a href="https://chapwoodindex.com/" target="_blank">Chapwood Index</a> measures city-by-city rather than nationally, but is pretty close to Shadowstats;</li><li>TIPP CPI measures it as 18.0% as of last month;</li><li>Karl Denninger and myself are experiencing it, based on our own specific purchases, at 30%+ <i>every year</i>.</li></ul><div>Decide for yourself who you want to believe - but check your own shopping lists and receipts first, to see what the reality is according to <i>your</i> wallet and bank account. The numbers might surprise you.</div><p></p><p>(Oh - and note that the <span style="background-color: #ffd966;">non-official figures range from 4x to about 10x higher than the official rate of inflation</span>. If <i>every one of them</i> is that much higher than the bureaucratic figure, I think the reality is clear.)</p><p>Peter</p><p><br /></p>Peterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10595089829300831372noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-63855205186546857662024-03-14T09:03:00.003-05:002024-03-14T09:03:00.127-05:00It's all in the follow-through...<p> </p><p>A murder in Chicago has <a href="https://cwbchicago.com/2024/03/chicago-murder-victim-shot-his-own-killer-then-a-passerby-took-the-victims-gun-and-shot-the-murderer-some-more-officials-say.html" target="_blank">a somewhat unusual sequel</a>.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><blockquote><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Officials say a murder victim managed to shoot his killer before dying, and, after the murderer fled, a passerby took the victim’s gun, hunted down the killer, and shot some more.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>. . .</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Quijuan Lewis, a 20-year-old on parole for less than two months for a gun conviction, got out of a car and crouched behind a vehicle as the victim, 36-year-old Delegance Crawl, walked down the street, prosecutors said in a detention petition.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Crawl was walking and looking at his phone when Lewis jumped out from behind the vehicle and attacked him, the petition said. Lewis allegedly struck Crawl in the head with a gun multiple times as they fought on the street. Crawl eventually pulled out his own gun.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Ultimately, prosecutors say, Lewis shot Crawl in the back of the head. And Crawl shot Lewis in the leg. As Crawl lay gravely wounded, Lewis ran to a nearby gas station for help and stashed his gun in a potato chip display, according to police and prosecutors.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Back at the shooting scene, a passerby who has not been identified picked up Crawl’s gun from beside his motionless body and marched over to the gas station. They used Crawl’s gun to shoot Lewis “multiple” times in the buttocks and then ran away, officials said in court filings.</span></p></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><p><br /></p><p>There's <a href="https://cwbchicago.com/2024/03/chicago-murder-victim-shot-his-own-killer-then-a-passerby-took-the-victims-gun-and-shot-the-murderer-some-more-officials-say.html" target="_blank">more at the link</a>.</p><p>I can't figure out precisely what was the point in shooting the perpetrator multiple times in the ass, but I'm sure there's at least some sort of criminal logic in it . . . <i>somewhere</i>. Just don't ask me where.</p><p>What I can't figure out is what the passerby's interest might have been. Was he trying to avenge his friend's murder? If so, he wasn't very successful. In his shoes (if he wore any) I'd have picked a better target. Was he just a local who's fed up with all the street crime? If so, he merely added to it rather than solved the problem. Was there some other reason? If so, your guess is as good as mine. (If the second shooter wanted to discourage criminals like Lewis, this will at least have the effect of making the latter a laughing-stock in whatever jail or prison he inhabits. It's not every gangbanger who stashes his gun in a potato chip display, only to render himself defenseless against having his ass turned into a colander! That sort of dumbassery demands real [lack of] talent.)</p><p>I'm afraid this is the dominant culture in large patches of the urban environment in America's large cities these days. All I can say (as I've said often before) is, <i><b>get out of them. Now.</b></i> Because things are only going to get worse there - not better.</p><p>Peter</p><p><br /></p>Peterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10595089829300831372noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-33364061268638838912024-03-14T05:06:00.002-05:002024-03-14T06:38:23.125-05:00How Russia is fighting the Ukraine war<p> </p><p>A very interesting Russian document has been made available in English translation by Lethal Minds Journal. It's introduced as follows (translated from Russian):</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b></b></span></p><blockquote><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><a href="https://lethalmindsjournal.substack.com/p/i-live-i-fight-i-win-rules-of-life" target="_blank">I Live, I Fight, I Win : Rules of Life In War</a></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Razumov A.N., Kryukov G.A., Kuznetsov A.N.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I live, I fight, I win! Rules of Life in War is a collection of recommendations based on the generalized experience of combatants in Afghanistan, the North Caucasus and Ukraine. The presentation is distinguished by a deep knowledge of the problem, brevity, accessibility for understanding, clarity of presentation.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The collection is intended for servicemen of the RF Armed Forces participating in a special military operation in Ukraine, conscripts, cadets of military educational institutions, employees of various law enforcement agencies.</span></p></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><p><br /></p><p>I'm not going to provide excerpts here, because it's a long document with lots of detail. However, I recommend all my current and former military readers to <a href="https://lethalmindsjournal.substack.com/p/i-live-i-fight-i-win-rules-of-life" target="_blank">click over to Lethal Minds Journal and read it for themselves</a>. It's interesting to compare its combat doctrine to those we were taught from a Western mindset; and it provides valuable insight into how Russian forces are operating today. In a post-Ukraine War world, we might be seeing such tactics closer to home. Who knows?</p><p>Peter</p><p><br /></p>Peterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10595089829300831372noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-61419743784751437712024-03-13T12:05:00.019-05:002024-03-14T18:43:01.677-05:00Aaaaaaand here they come...<p> </p><p>Last week, writing about the mass jailbreak in Haiti over the previous weekend, I <a href="https://bayourenaissanceman.blogspot.com/2024/03/an-escape-but-where-will-they-go.html" target="_blank">asked</a>:</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b></b></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>I wonder how many of those 4,000 escapees have already left Haiti, and are on their way here?</b></span></blockquote><p></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://nypost.com/2024/03/12/us-news/florida-border-agents-on-high-alert-for-haitian-refugees/" target="_blank">Guess what?</a></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><blockquote><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Border agents in Miami have been told to prepare for a wave of migration from Haiti following the takeover of the country by bloodthirsty gangs, The Post has learned.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">An internal agency email leaked to The Post pointed out <span style="background-color: #ffd966;">it is unlikely Haitians who take to the sea and enter Florida illegally will be repatriated back to their home country</span>, given its instability.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The message also warned that one vessel of migrants landing would overwhelm agency capabilities in the area.</span></p></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><p><br /></p><p>There's <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/03/12/us-news/florida-border-agents-on-high-alert-for-haitian-refugees/" target="_blank">more at the link</a>.</p><p>To my friends living in southern Florida: be on your guard, because your forthcoming Haitian guests are <i>very</i> unlikely to be law-abiding, peaceful people - and the present administration will simply admit them, regardless. In the memo referenced in the report above, there is <i>not one word</i> about background checks on the new arrivals; only concerns about how to process and admit them as quickly as possible. It seems nobody in authority <i>cares</i> whether or not they might be as much of a danger to society here as at least some of them probably were back in Haiti.</p><p>It's been said before, and it bears saying again:</p><p><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">If you import the Third World,<br /></span></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">you will become the Third World.</span></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWwhNzvqFhH9e77L2zxBv2HRLb17wqnaEPSFKyJCouWyGLssBhcQq7Su9gOtLZ7tQ5_J-bOiv3YCAD2WKH8DE38OJFgf4BMJnn4nRxNM4fW69ZjNJAMwi-SclDNZHQ7x4Vqm7FMWUgX27DMS81EJ2B5K7C-ibT2TTcm3O8B9ELtoAuElZQCHYioRoV8Io/s38/Emoji%20-%20angry.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWwhNzvqFhH9e77L2zxBv2HRLb17wqnaEPSFKyJCouWyGLssBhcQq7Su9gOtLZ7tQ5_J-bOiv3YCAD2WKH8DE38OJFgf4BMJnn4nRxNM4fW69ZjNJAMwi-SclDNZHQ7x4Vqm7FMWUgX27DMS81EJ2B5K7C-ibT2TTcm3O8B9ELtoAuElZQCHYioRoV8Io/s38/Emoji%20-%20angry.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="35" data-original-width="38" height="35" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWwhNzvqFhH9e77L2zxBv2HRLb17wqnaEPSFKyJCouWyGLssBhcQq7Su9gOtLZ7tQ5_J-bOiv3YCAD2WKH8DE38OJFgf4BMJnn4nRxNM4fW69ZjNJAMwi-SclDNZHQ7x4Vqm7FMWUgX27DMS81EJ2B5K7C-ibT2TTcm3O8B9ELtoAuElZQCHYioRoV8Io/s1600/Emoji%20-%20angry.png" width="38" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Peter</p><p><br /></p>Peterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10595089829300831372noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-39360176037340042162024-03-13T09:05:00.001-05:002024-03-13T09:05:00.125-05:00I'm sure they're weeping and wailing all the way to the bank<p> </p><p>Remember the sanctions against Russia that were instituted in the wake of that country's invasion of Ukraine? Looks like those sanctions are (as usual) somewhat less than a stellar success. Sky News <a href="https://news.sky.com/story/how-uk-made-cars-are-finding-their-way-to-russias-showrooms-13092809" target="_blank">reports</a>:</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><blockquote><p><span style="font-family: arial;">British carmakers appear to have continued selling hundreds of millions of pounds of luxury vehicles to Russia even after the invasion of Ukraine and the imposition of sanctions, exporting the cars indirectly via former Soviet states, Sky News analysis suggests.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">While direct British car exports to Russia have fallen to zero following the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, that collapse has been followed by a corresponding increase in car exports to countries neighbouring Russia, most notably Azerbaijan.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Our analysis, based on official HMRC trade data, finds that the UK exported £273m of vehicles to Azerbaijan last year, a 1,860% increase compared with the five-year period preceding the invasion.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Not only is the increase in exports to Azerbaijan unprecedented, it is of a similar magnitude to the annual car exports to Russia in the two years before the imposition of sanctions, which averaged £330m.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Alongside the UK HMRC statistics, Sky News has analysed UN international trade data which shows that over precisely the same period that Britain recorded an unprecedented increase in car exports to Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan recorded an unprecedented increase in car exports to Russia.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>. . .</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Sky News has previously shown that <a href="https://news.sky.com/story/british-firms-exports-are-almost-certainly-bolstering-russias-war-machine-in-ukraine-sky-data-analysis-finds-13077660" target="_blank">many other banned items</a>, including those known to have been repurposed as weapons, have been sent to former Soviet states in the Caucasus and Central Asia, including Kyrgyzstan and Armenia. Those states have all recorded sharp increases in their exports to Russia.</span></p></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><p><br /></p><p>There's <a href="https://news.sky.com/story/how-uk-made-cars-are-finding-their-way-to-russias-showrooms-13092809" target="_blank">more at the link</a>.</p><p>As usual, sanctions are a feel-good panacea, not an effective means of exerting pressure. All they do is increase the cost of doing business with the nation targeted by them.</p><p>South Africa, my country of origin, is an excellent example. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Security_Council_Resolution_418" target="_blank">A mandatory arms embargo was instituted against it in 1977</a>. It certainly interfered with the importation of naval vessels and other major items of hardware: but that didn't stop South Africa from building its own and/or upgrading existing assets, including obtaining (legally or illegally) all the technology needed to do so. In addition, major expansion of its domestic armaments industry produced world-leading advances in artillery, mine-protected vehicles (which were the foundation of almost all <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MRAP" target="_blank">MRAP</a> designs in the West a couple of decades later) and other areas, as well as supplying almost all components, spares and tools that had previously been imported. Being at the time the largest producer of gold in the world, South Africa could pay suppliers in utterly untraceable precious metals or in any currency in the world, obtainable by selling that gold. (Why do you think the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krugerrand" target="_blank">Krugerrand</a> became the world's most widely circulated gold coin during that period?)</p><p>Needless to say, there were any number of vendors ready, willing and able to do business on those terms, including major companies in the USA, Britain, Germany, Israel and elsewhere. Also, non-military products that could be applied to military needs were imported on a massive scale: I mentioned a couple of examples in <a href="https://bayourenaissanceman.blogspot.com/2022/05/russian-weapons-using-us-microchips.html" target="_blank">a previous blog post</a>. To cite yet another one, South Africa produced its own clones of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PDP-11" target="_blank">DEC PDP-11</a> computer in large quantities, and imported Japanese clones of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_System/370" target="_blank">IBM System/370</a> mainframe. Imported computers could not legally be supplied to South Africa's military or armaments industry, in terms of the arms embargo: but they could be (and were) sold to other government departments and organizations for non-military scientific research and administrative data processing. If those same computers from time to time ran software for other entities as well, who was to know?</p><p>Sanctions benefit two groups of people. First, they benefit the feel-good, do-good emotional types who can at least say, "Well, we're <i>doing something</i> about the problem!" The fact that what they're doing isn't very useful or effective is neither here nor there - it's the <i>feelings</i> that count (and the public relations value), not the facts. Second, they benefit all those who are prepared to take money from anybody for anything. They can ratchet up their prices according to how difficult the sanctions make it to export to the buyer, and according to how badly the buyer needs what they have to offer. That latter, by the way, is a two-edged sword. South Africa often encountered sellers who believed they had a lock on the market, and could force South Africa to pay whatever they demanded for what it needed. They usually found that they were sent on their way without a penny while another, more reasonable (and more realistic) seller got the business. (If you're going to play hardball with an expert in hardball, you'd better be sure your ball is harder than his, so to speak. Some would-be sellers who <i>thought</i> they were hard men tried tactics such as threats of exposure, blackmail, etc., only to find that South African purchasers could be harder than their worst nightmare. Others watched and learned, making it much simpler to do business with them in future.)</p><p>To go back to the report above, the British manufacturers involved have clean hands according to the sanctions regulations. They're not making money out of Russia, but from Azerbaijan. The fact that anyone with two working brain cells can figure out that Azerbaijani money is, in fact, very thinly disguised Russian money is conveniently swept under the carpet. After all, one can't expect politicians to do without the <strike>bribes</strike> <strike>payoffs</strike> <i>contributions</i> they receive from commerce and industry; and the thought of causing greater unemployment by asking awkward questions is just too ghastly for them to contemplate. After all, that might cost them <i>votes!</i></p><p>So much for morality in politics and in business . . .</p><p>Peter</p><p><br /></p>Peterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10595089829300831372noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-23221744730665046012024-03-13T04:13:00.007-05:002024-03-13T04:13:00.178-05:00Doofus Of The Day #1,111<p> </p><p>Today's award goes to all the criminals who trusted the other criminals who ran a darknet narcotics site. <a href="https://krebsonsecurity.com/2024/03/incognito-darknet-market-mass-extorts-buyers-sellers/" target="_blank">Their trust has just backfired on them</a>.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><blockquote><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Borrowing from the playbook of ransomware purveyors, the darknet narcotics bazaar Incognito Market has begun extorting all of its vendors and buyers, threatening to publish cryptocurrency transaction and chat records of users who refuse to pay a fee ranging from $100 to $20,000. The bold mass extortion attempt comes just days after Incognito Market administrators reportedly pulled an “exit scam” that left users unable to withdraw millions of dollars worth of funds from the platform.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>. . .</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Incognito Market deals primarily in narcotics, so it’s likely many users are now worried about being outed as drug dealers.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>. . .</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The past is replete with examples of similar darknet market exit scams ... “Shadowcrew was the precursor to today’s Darknet Markets and laid the foundation for the way modern cybercrime channels still operate today,” Johnson said. “The Truth of Darknet Markets? ALL of them are Exit Scams. The only question is whether law enforcement can shut down the market and arrest its operators before the exit scam takes place.”</span></p></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><p><br /></p><p>There's <a href="https://krebsonsecurity.com/2024/03/incognito-darknet-market-mass-extorts-buyers-sellers/" target="_blank">more at the link</a>.</p><p>So, then:</p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Incognito Market is admittedly a criminal organization, selling an illegal product.</li><li>Notwithstanding this, its customers do business there - thereby effectively admitting that they're also criminals.</li><li>Yet, customers are upset that the criminals from whom they've been buying are now extorting the criminals to whom they were selling?</li></ol><p></p><p>WHAT ELSE DID THEY EXPECT???</p><p>Criminals gonna criminal. It's the way they are. You trust them at your peril, do business with them at your peril, and pay the price if (or, rather, when) things go wrong. That's just the way it is. I somehow doubt the prosecuting authorities and the courts are going to be very sympathetic when they catch up with those whose criminal tendencies and dealings are about to be revealed.</p><p>Peter</p><p><br /></p>Peterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10595089829300831372noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-83577852809653546892024-03-12T12:01:00.001-05:002024-03-12T12:01:00.127-05:00Prostate cancer and gym rats<p> </p><p>Greg Ellifritz, whom we've met in these pages on several previous occasions, has had bad news: <a href="https://www.activeresponsetraining.net/bad-news" target="_blank">his prostate cancer has returned</a>, albeit in what appears to be a very small area and not immediately threatening. He and his doctors will be watching the thing to see what further treatments may be necessary and/or appropriate.</p><p>However, he made an interesting discovery during the investigative process, one that surprised me. I thought that gym rats among my readers might find it interesting.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><blockquote><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Interestingly enough, the first MRI I had on Tuesday showed some suspicious lesions on my hip bones. The doc initially thought the cancer had spread.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I did a second followup MRI (it was a long day) an hour after the first one. The doc now thinks that the marks on my hips are bone bruises caused by heavy squats and deadlifts. I don’t have any hip pain, but there is some temporary minor damage to my pelvis that shows up on MRI from my weight lifting. Something for you gym bros to remember if you ever get an MRI (or two).</span></p></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><p><br /></p><p>There's <a href="https://www.activeresponsetraining.net/bad-news" target="_blank">more at the link</a>.</p><p>I no longer lift weights except in a small way at home (my spine has deteriorated to the point that using a barbell is seriously painful; I limit myself to dumbbells now). However, my wife lifts the heavy stuff, and I have several friends who are active at Mark Rippetoe's gymnasium not too far from our home. I'll be passing this information along to them. If you lift weights, you might want to make a note of it, in case you ever find similar MRI results that require explanation.</p><p>Peter</p><p><br /></p>Peterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10595089829300831372noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-37271770279369902832024-03-12T09:04:00.012-05:002024-03-12T10:02:46.364-05:00Missile and drone guidance systems: the old is new again?<p> </p><p>I was interested to read that a <a href="https://www.twz.com/air/russia-now-looks-to-be-using-wire-guided-kamikaze-drones-in-ukraine" target="_blank">new Russian battlefield drone</a> appears to be guided by unspooling several miles of optical fiber cable behind it as it flies.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><blockquote><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Russian forces in Ukraine appear to now be using so-called first-person view kamikaze drones controlled via a physical fiber optic line rather than a wireless data link. This configuration offers a control method that is immune to radiofrequency electronic warfare, but that also imposes certain limitations on how the system can be employed.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>. . .</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">This is not a new concept, broadly, either. Wire-guided anti-tank missiles have been in service around the world for decades now and many current-generation designs, such as some of Israel's Spike family, use fiber optic cables. The ubiquitous American-made TOW missile has that feature directly in its name: Tube-launched, Optically-tracked, Wire-guided.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It's also worth noting that many torpedoes also use a similar spooling wire command-link concept.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>. . .</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Another major advantage to a wired FPV drone is that it would not radiate any energy, nor would the user some distance away, that could be detected. These electronic emissions are key ways drones are detected in the first place and they can also prove deadly for the operator if electronic surveillance systems can triangulate their position. There is no such vulnerability with a wire-guided FPV drone.</span></p></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><p><br /></p><p>There's <a href="https://www.twz.com/air/russia-now-looks-to-be-using-wire-guided-kamikaze-drones-in-ukraine" target="_blank">more at the link</a>.</p><p>It's interesting to view this "new" technology through the lens of the history of military technology. The first anti-tank missiles, such as the French SS.10 (also used by the USA) and ENTAC, the Soviet Snapper, Swatter and Sagger, and some others, were guided by means of instructions sent to the missile in flight over wires it unrolled behind it. Steering was usually by some kind of joystick, something like those seen on computer game controllers. On battlefields where many such weapons had been used, such as those of the Yom Kippur War in 1973, observers sometimes found such guidance wires "festooning the landscape", to quote one report. The system worked, but due to the slow speed of the missiles and their limited range, the operators had to keep their eyes on the weapon to control it. That meant their position might be identified by the launch plume of the missile, allowing enemy tanks to target it, trying to take out the missile operators before they could steer the missile into the tank.</p><p>The US TOW missile of the late 1960's was designed to simplify this system by taking out the need for continuous operator guidance. Instead of manipulating a joystick, the operator kept his sight focused on the target. A computer in the launch unit translated the movements of the target into instructions to the missile, which was still guided by wires it unspooled behind it. Later models allowed the missile tube to be some distance from the control unit, protecting the operator from enemy interference, but still requiring him to keep his sights on the target.</p><p>The wire unspooled from the missile was necessarily very light and thin, and could be torn or broken by obstacles on the battlefield. Accordingly, efforts were made to develop missiles that did not need wires. For example, Israel developed the MAPATS missile in the 1980's, which was basically a copy of the TOW missile with a laser guidance unit replacing the wire. The operator simply shone a laser beam onto the target, and the missile slaved itself to the beam and remained aligned with it until it struck. South Africa copied that concept with its ZT3 version of MAPATS. Two disadvantages remained: the operator had to keep the laser beam on the target, meaning he could not duck down behind cover, and the laser beam could be detected by the target, which could then maneuver behind cover to get away from it or fire at the source of the beam. That's why almost all front-line armored vehicles today have laser sensors, to tell the crew when a laser is being shone at them and from where it's coming.</p><p>The latest anti-tank missiles have incorporated the targeting and guidance system into the missile, which is now entirely independent of the operator once it's been launched. The US Javelin missile is an example of this, as is the Russian Kornet-EM. The operator merely shows the target to the missile using its built-in sensors, then launches it. He can take cover or move to a new position while the missile navigates itself to its destination.</p><p>Meanwhile, the first battlefield unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV's, or "drones") began in much the same way. Early models were guided by means of a joystick sending radio commands to the drone. This system worked, but was prone to interception or jamming. Many drones today still use it, meaning they can be countered by stronger signals sent by an enemy to "take over" the drone, or jamming instructions from its operator. Satellite guidance is a lot more difficult to jam, but it's also a lot more expensive to install, so smaller battlefield drones mostly don't use it. Other models are autonomous, in that they're programmed with a preset course and then sent to fly that circuit, returning to a preprogrammed point with video or other sensor information about their targets. Since there's no continuous operator guidance, there are no signals to jam, so the drone is much harder to stop. On the other hand, an autonomous drone can't be directed to new targets as they're detected, or commanded to strike one of them if necessary.</p><p>By going back to the early concept of wire guidance (in this case, optical fiber cable rather than plain copper wire), a drone is once again invulnerable to jamming or other electronic countermeasures. Fiber optic cable is much thinner and lighter than copper wire, meaning more of it can be carried aboard the drone without too much of a weight penalty; and it can carry a lot more information than wire, meaning the drone can use its own sensors to send data back to the operator, who can then redirect the UAV as required.</p><p>If this proves successful on the Ukraine battlefields, I won't be surprised to see anti-tank missiles using the same technology deployed before long. Since they won't need a laser beam for guidance, laser sensors on tanks will be rendered useless, giving no warning of the missile being fired or of its imminent arrival. (Of course, there's always the possibility that there'll be a fusion between drones and anti-tank missiles. Instead of having two separate systems, drones might carry explosive charges with them as a matter of course, turning them from sensor platforms into weapons at a moment's notice and rendering a missile unnecessary.) Looks like a lot more battlefields might be festooned with wires in the not too distant future.</p><p>Given the still relatively slow speeds of drones, and the problem that anything moving too fast won't be able to deploy wires or cables behind it, I wonder if earlier ultra-high-speed missile programs such as the <a href="https://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/app4/hvm.html" target="_blank">Vought HVM</a>, the <a href="https://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/m-166.html" target="_blank">MGM-166 LOSAT</a>, and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compact_Kinetic_Energy_Missile" target="_blank">Compact Kinetic Energy Missile (CKEM)</a>, might not be re-evaluated? Here's a brief overview of those programs.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZNFDFzgB2R4?si=OuGA22NIsLnZ8vyV" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>
None of the ultra-high-speed missiles entered production, but a lot of effort went into developing them, and that knowledge base is still out there. If they could be engineered to carry their own sensors, not needing external guidance, their high speed might make them a real threat to an enemy expecting only much slower optical-fiber-guided drones and missiles. In fact, what if the latest-generation fiber-equipped drones could act as remote sensors, staying a safe distance from enemy defenses while feeding targeting information to the high-speed missile launch unit using their unjammable fiber optic cable? Just a thought . . .</p><div>Peter</div><p><br /></p>Peterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10595089829300831372noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-73716264193250778122024-03-12T04:16:00.001-05:002024-03-12T04:16:00.129-05:00I would never have suspected it... but I should have known<p> </p><p>Yesterday I published <a href="https://bayourenaissanceman.blogspot.com/2024/03/its-des-pickle-ble.html" target="_blank">an article about pickle flavored jelly beans</a>. The very concept kinda blew my mind.</p><p>Several readers hastened to point out that I hadn't seen anything yet. Apparently jelly beans are merely the latest in a long line of products that have been "adapted" (fictionally or otherwise) to the flavor of pickles. Here, in no particular order, are the pictures they sent me. Click any image for a larger view.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEzALLyTsFECNR_Ay1Bx2oPTtZzUTJjKx0v_E6umvtbxHCShuR4BTi10DilFL_19Pze6uuk1XJL_CQFj7LzoGDOD59cEsQiSt5q9PMhFEZqwR7VbgC_CG194uK8NVB59XEzXSV4dvbkwgxq3yZefzQllMHIdpqBr74FcDKMfA6L51YSq_raolwofDzFOo/s800/Dill%20pickle%20pop%20tarts.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="772" data-original-width="800" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEzALLyTsFECNR_Ay1Bx2oPTtZzUTJjKx0v_E6umvtbxHCShuR4BTi10DilFL_19Pze6uuk1XJL_CQFj7LzoGDOD59cEsQiSt5q9PMhFEZqwR7VbgC_CG194uK8NVB59XEzXSV4dvbkwgxq3yZefzQllMHIdpqBr74FcDKMfA6L51YSq_raolwofDzFOo/w400-h386/Dill%20pickle%20pop%20tarts.png" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGsZbPsUo_C7ZRWP9QUZ0YmU21gvuq98X9qUvo_7DeEuOD3iVni0RpQBubiDzWw99ZCWZz3EtBuSAkMyICq4fvGQBlx74jhpQE1NgBoZnnpQcQ1jLvvf2NrLWYomSt06muSVZgNomkhoUid0YXDMWpX9AdduNnHdsbg3RDmbtYP6_8hat2hKFwTLg_Fdk/s600/Chicken%20noodle%20pickle%20chunks.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGsZbPsUo_C7ZRWP9QUZ0YmU21gvuq98X9qUvo_7DeEuOD3iVni0RpQBubiDzWw99ZCWZz3EtBuSAkMyICq4fvGQBlx74jhpQE1NgBoZnnpQcQ1jLvvf2NrLWYomSt06muSVZgNomkhoUid0YXDMWpX9AdduNnHdsbg3RDmbtYP6_8hat2hKFwTLg_Fdk/w400-h400/Chicken%20noodle%20pickle%20chunks.png" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiatQnd1-P2NjIjrvCACSMUKduFyKhL5Z-L3KwgvYEHh5k3l5VvXYhAUZGCaL1Wk5ElD5Pyucywbut59gpkYei_oFw_Kia9P3JXoGq34VhfVOXFFaJmUZaWzZHcI-IoCQ_-Wna59qag11EKxUoW1vUBjiAFfbGSdKxEFApgJaq1wF-raQGBQ4pl9ZWmqww/s800/Reese's%20pickle%20cups.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="740" data-original-width="800" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiatQnd1-P2NjIjrvCACSMUKduFyKhL5Z-L3KwgvYEHh5k3l5VvXYhAUZGCaL1Wk5ElD5Pyucywbut59gpkYei_oFw_Kia9P3JXoGq34VhfVOXFFaJmUZaWzZHcI-IoCQ_-Wna59qag11EKxUoW1vUBjiAFfbGSdKxEFApgJaq1wF-raQGBQ4pl9ZWmqww/w400-h370/Reese's%20pickle%20cups.png" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJwc8PFKFZoa7JaLy6BLyrUwWug_iEC-snDeAP58NOnNWmQSC6fd_uNQMc_Loh0Geq7ovkqdbTG1Kw3TaTDnEdfung1mVbkaeQYIEW0o2lxQNQWXT7dA39jbEZpSKXKlMXUmOruoOcT_1matgbK1_ElqH0bHRlrXCAcN4gpvyD2lJuMekCMt0y-gxOGvc/s1057/Gummy%20pickle%20spear.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1057" data-original-width="550" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJwc8PFKFZoa7JaLy6BLyrUwWug_iEC-snDeAP58NOnNWmQSC6fd_uNQMc_Loh0Geq7ovkqdbTG1Kw3TaTDnEdfung1mVbkaeQYIEW0o2lxQNQWXT7dA39jbEZpSKXKlMXUmOruoOcT_1matgbK1_ElqH0bHRlrXCAcN4gpvyD2lJuMekCMt0y-gxOGvc/w209-h400/Gummy%20pickle%20spear.png" width="209" /></a></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzNPBPAr9RzkvjpmCaXa-8Xbo4h2zf0pSsQWRoQfwkKdQcovivU82V8DNYzpVVH3xJj6ASZE975-l4XDMxTZaEm3U2y7HhIWuaweeUYl0G9oE3l2qU73vGeDHcPAqZCO25oUcJYO3RgtyU3NJouSMhVKwDOFxqztoSoV94lKheC8SyjsXSqNwQ8mQx9PE/s600/Snickles.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzNPBPAr9RzkvjpmCaXa-8Xbo4h2zf0pSsQWRoQfwkKdQcovivU82V8DNYzpVVH3xJj6ASZE975-l4XDMxTZaEm3U2y7HhIWuaweeUYl0G9oE3l2qU73vGeDHcPAqZCO25oUcJYO3RgtyU3NJouSMhVKwDOFxqztoSoV94lKheC8SyjsXSqNwQ8mQx9PE/w400-h300/Snickles.png" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Behold, the half of it had not been told unto me . . .</p><p>I know for a fact that the gummy pickle spear exists, because I looked it up online. <a href="https://amzn.to/3PguQUu" target="_blank">There's actually quite a variety of them.</a> However, I suspect the others are mere figments (or should that be pickle-ments?) of someone's imagination - at least, I hope they are!</p><p>Does any reader know about other real or <i>faux</i> pickle products? If so, please let us know in Comments, with a link if possible.</p><p>Peter</p><p><br /></p>Peterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10595089829300831372noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-3216381546553799012024-03-11T12:03:00.002-05:002024-03-11T12:03:00.131-05:00Haiti's gangs and the Chicago political model<p> </p><p>The gang violence currently convulsing Haiti is no accident. It's the result of <a href="https://www.sacbee.com/news/nation-world/national/article286490270.html" target="_blank">deliberate efforts by politicians to use the gangs for their own purposes</a> - until the gangs decided they could do the same for themselves, without needing the politicians.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><blockquote><p><span style="font-family: arial;">A 1990s embargo was imposed after the military overthrew President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. The embargo and the international isolation devastated the country’s small middle class, said Michael Deibert, author of “Notes From the Last Testament: The Struggle for Haiti,” and “Haiti Will Not Perish: A Recent History.”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">After a U.S.-backed U.N. force pushed out the coup's leaders in 1994, a World Bank-sponsored structural adjustment led to the importation of rice from the U.S. and devastated rural agricultural society, Deibert said.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Boys without work flooded into Port-au-Prince and joined gangs. Politicians started using them as a cheap armed wing. Aristide, a priest-turned-politician, gained notoriety for using gangsters.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">In December 2001, police official Guy Philippe attacked the National Palace in an attempted coup and Aristide called on the gangsters to rise from the slums, Deibert said.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">“It wasn’t the police defending their government’s Palais Nacional,” remembered Deibert, who was there. “It was thousands of armed civilians.”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">“Now, you have these different politicians that have been collaborating with these gangs for years, and ... it blew up in their face,” he continued.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">How did weak foreign intervention hurt Haiti?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Many of the gangs retreated in the face of MINUSTAH, a U.N. force established in 2004.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Rene Preval, the only democratically elected president to win and complete two terms in a country notorious for political upheaval, took a hard line on the gangs, giving them the choice to “disarm or be killed,” said Robert Fatton, professor of government and foreign affairs at the University of Virginia.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">After his presidency, subsequent leaders were at best easy on the gangs and at worst tied to them, he said.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Fatton said every key actor in Haitian society had their gangs, noting that the current situation isn't unique, but that it has deteriorated at a faster pace.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">“For the last the three years, the gangs started to gain autonomy. And now they are a power unto themselves,” he said, likening them to a “mini-Mafia state.”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">“The autonomy of the gangs has reached a critical point. It is why they are capable now of imposing certain conditions on the government itself," Fatton said.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">"Those who created the gangs created a monster. And now the monster may not be totally in charge, but it has the capacity to block any kind of solution,” he said.</span></p></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><p><br /></p><p>There's <a href="https://www.sacbee.com/news/nation-world/national/article286490270.html" target="_blank">more at the link</a>.</p><p>Why is this reminiscent - and perhaps prescient - of the situation in Chicago, where youth gangs have been running amok for years? Here are a few headlines from the past decade:</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/breaking-chicago-police-swarm-mag-mile-wilding-scene/" target="_blank">28 Arrested In Mob Attacks On Mag Mile, Red Line</a></b></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/absolute-chaos-mob-teens-overtake-chicago-streets-wild-video-shows" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>'Absolute chaos': Mob of teens<br /></b></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>overtake Chicago streets, wild video shows</b></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://abc7chicago.com/chicago-teen-takeover-teens-crime-crimes/13577939/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>Nearly 40 teens charged after 'disorderly' gathering<br /></b></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>in South Loop: Chicago police</b></span></a></div><p><br /></p><p>As Chicago magazine <a href="https://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/January-2012/Gangs-and-Politicians-An-Unholy-Alliance/" target="_blank">pointed out</a> more than a decade ago: "In some parts of Chicago, violent street gangs and pols quietly trade money and favors for mutual gain. The thugs flourish, the elected officials thrive—and you lose."</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><blockquote><p><span style="font-family: arial;">A few months before last February’s citywide elections, Hal Baskin’s phone started ringing. And ringing. Most of the callers were candidates for Chicago City Council, seeking the kind of help Baskin was uniquely qualified to provide.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Baskin isn’t a slick campaign strategist. He’s a former gang leader and, for several decades, a community activist who now operates a neighborhood center that aims to keep kids off the streets ... In all, he says, he helped broker meetings between roughly 30 politicians (ten sitting aldermen and 20 candidates for City Council) and at least six gang representatives.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>. . .</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">At some of the meetings, the politicians arrived with campaign materials and occasionally with aides. The sessions were organized much like corporate-style job fairs. The gang representatives conducted hourlong interviews, one after the other, talking to as many as five candidates in a single evening. Like supplicants, the politicians came into the room alone and sat before the gang representatives, who sat behind a long table. “One candidate said, ‘I feel like I’m in the hot seat,’” recalls Baskin. “And they were.”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The former chieftains, several of them ex-convicts, represented some of the most notorious gangs on the South and West Sides, including the Vice Lords, Gangster Disciples, Black Disciples, Cobras, Black P Stones, and Black Gangsters. Before the election, the gangs agreed to set aside decades-old rivalries and bloody vendettas to operate as a unified political force, which they called Black United Voters of Chicago. “They realized that if they came together, they could get the politicians to come to them,” explains Baskin.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>. . .</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">But in the end, as with most things political in Chicago, it all came down to one question, says Davis, the community activist who helped Baskin with some of the meetings. He recalls that the gang representatives asked, “What can you give me?” The politicians, most eager to please, replied, “What do you want?”</span></p></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><p><br /></p><p>Again, <a href="https://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/January-2012/Gangs-and-Politicians-An-Unholy-Alliance/" target="_blank">more at the link</a>.</p><p>And what's the result of all this? The gangs flourish, street crime is rampant, and the police are effectively not allowed to do their job through being defunded, restricted and vilified by politicians and "community activists". Examples:</p><p><br /></p><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/political-leaders-activist-groups-criticize-police-after-clashes-between-cpd-agitators-sunday/2323168/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: medium;">Political Leaders, Activist Groups Criticize Police</span></a></b></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/political-leaders-activist-groups-criticize-police-after-clashes-between-cpd-agitators-sunday/2323168/" target="_blank">After Clashes Between CPD, ‘Agitators' Sunday</a></b></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://nypost.com/2021/12/21/chicago-mayor-lori-lightfoot-wants-federal-help-to-stem-gun-violence/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: medium;">Chicago mayor who pushed $80M defund of cops</span></a></b></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://nypost.com/2021/12/21/chicago-mayor-lori-lightfoot-wants-federal-help-to-stem-gun-violence/" target="_blank">now pleads for feds to save city</a></b></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><a href="https://wgntv.com/news/wgn-investigates/officer-exodus-1000-chicago-cops-left-the-job-last-year/" target="_blank">Officer Exodus: 1,000+ Chicago cops left the job last year</a></b></span></div><p><br /></p><p>Admittedly, Chicago's gang problem has not deteriorated to the same extent as Haiti's: but it hasn't been solved, either. That's partly because in years past, it was largely confined to a few inner-city suburbs where gangs effectively operated in a "safe haven" - police didn't go there unless they had to. Now, the gang culture and violence that's permeated those areas is spilling over into the central business district and other areas, and the police have been so hamstrung by budget cuts and official sanctions that they simply can't control it.</p><p>Will Chicago become like Haiti? Hopefully not, because the authorities will crack down before that occurs: but given the evidence of the past decade or two, and political collusion with criminal gangs as described above, it's certainly not impossible.</p><p>Nor is Chicago alone. Look at youth mobs and gang violence in other large US cities, particularly where "imported" gangs from South America have set up new bases after flooding across our southern border, thanks to the Biden administration's policies. There are headlines about them on an almost daily basis in New York City and elsewhere. Note, too, that many of Haiti's gangsters have made the same journey, bringing with them the same attitudes and ruthlessness they displayed there.</p><p>Haiti is not yet a predictive model for the USA . . . but it might become one for some of our inner-city ghettoes and adjacent areas, unless our politicians wake up and do something about it. Trouble is, too many of those politicians are behaving like Haiti's, and viewing gangs as a resource to exploit. That way lies chaos and anarchy.</p><p>Peter</p><p><br /></p>Peterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10595089829300831372noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-39256322926268402022024-03-11T09:02:00.004-05:002024-03-11T09:02:00.132-05:00It's des-pickle-ble!<p> </p><p>I note, with a fascination bordering on horror, that <a href="https://www.frankfordcandy.com/products/claussen-pickles-jelly-beans-3-pack" target="_blank">a candy company has decided to make pickle flavored jelly beans</a>.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Sb4u-nz7sXe0jvaF5OBCux6ZFD3WbnCVeRO-SQcrTYzLQrvIvTTxBjiNP1qdZPJ1_qDF3bDnJOjgfMlXqFOB8v5i9g1jGlN0THLUwWjTP9_LcbzlL-royDiDGUVYAMBYZvt2SSIB84i_RX3Z2QveUhGImdDc1Qcg9QgHWR6Y-X_rNT2lp6CRzvUhZrc/s800/Pickle%20flavored%20jelly%20beans.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="695" data-original-width="800" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Sb4u-nz7sXe0jvaF5OBCux6ZFD3WbnCVeRO-SQcrTYzLQrvIvTTxBjiNP1qdZPJ1_qDF3bDnJOjgfMlXqFOB8v5i9g1jGlN0THLUwWjTP9_LcbzlL-royDiDGUVYAMBYZvt2SSIB84i_RX3Z2QveUhGImdDc1Qcg9QgHWR6Y-X_rNT2lp6CRzvUhZrc/w400-h348/Pickle%20flavored%20jelly%20beans.png" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>I've been known to nibble on a jelly bean or two, and I enjoyed J. K. Rowling's description, in her Harry Potter novels, of "<a href="https://harrypotter.fandom.com/wiki/Bertie_Bott's_Every_Flavour_Beans" target="_blank">Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans</a>", although some of the flavors she described made me gag a little . . . but even Ms. Rowling didn't foresee a <i>pickle</i> flavored jenny bean.</p><p>One can only ask why such monstrosities exist. Are they a sign that Divine favor has finally turned away from humanity? Is the apocalypse nigh?</p><p>I'm not a great fan of pickles, although I enjoy one now and again. However, it seems <a href="https://sporked.com/article/claussen-dill-pickle-jelly-beans-review/" target="_blank">these things actually do taste like the real deal</a>.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: arial;">Okay, this is insane and I can’t believe I am saying this, but these jelly beans taste like Claussen Dill Pickles. They just do. The first thing that hits is sweetness, followed by a startlingly accurate dill pickle flavor and a slight hint of salt. I am shocked. These are actually kind of, dare I say it, good? Not that I would eat handfuls of them—one bean was enough for me. But these are, unequivocally, about as good as a pickle jelly bean could possibly get. They set out to make dill pickle jelly beans and, by golly, they’ve done it.</span></blockquote><p></p><p><br /></p><p>There's <a href="https://sporked.com/article/claussen-dill-pickle-jelly-beans-review/" target="_blank">more at the link</a>.</p><p>Notwithstanding that, I think I won't be a customer. Regular jelly beans, yes. Pickle flavored . . . not so much. However, if they could make one that tasted like coarse brown bread, sharp, aged cheddar cheese and pickled onions, as in an English <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ploughman's_lunch" target="_blank">ploughman's lunch</a>, that might tempt me!</p><p>What flavor of jelly bean would you like to see, dear readers? Let us know in Comments.</p><p>Peter</p><p><br /></p>Peterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10595089829300831372noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-28801862272371678072024-03-11T04:23:00.001-05:002024-03-11T04:23:00.122-05:00Memes that made me laugh 200<p> </p><p>At last we reach a double century! As usual, these memes were gathered around the internet over the past week. Click any image for a larger view.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfcrDNM_cFK5iq0OTxvuw1tvgDfGnufkqFO0NZPFcGOoqhtuzwqJF8spA5uOzTgT9-KSKM6PxlnJS_3j_ZfusD6t0R9rwjhyphenhyphenBEoDEEsubVaEp9VcmkzMd6XXzVnmHEUT1yGnU3TPRT_5-1-bQjZh3pjKn1cFlHj6b8WVohRISZNVoGP939WH6ovjF3sfY/s796/Meme%20-%20navigating%20through%20life.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="796" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfcrDNM_cFK5iq0OTxvuw1tvgDfGnufkqFO0NZPFcGOoqhtuzwqJF8spA5uOzTgT9-KSKM6PxlnJS_3j_ZfusD6t0R9rwjhyphenhyphenBEoDEEsubVaEp9VcmkzMd6XXzVnmHEUT1yGnU3TPRT_5-1-bQjZh3pjKn1cFlHj6b8WVohRISZNVoGP939WH6ovjF3sfY/w301-h400/Meme%20-%20navigating%20through%20life.png" width="301" /></a></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4eIXzfnUJ6JG8ZdUprAQW2m0Wwyxh-6Hodv1En443Ya2wVWhSxruWN9KLT_lRJWmEGUyjOC_YsNaqRZVMzOz4jYvKt3fC-4RurJScuAqN0m71y2oyZ00Fib6xy62-w7vH2Bq-822SaSTbZtFsHdclxTPJM4r5gd7y2fLwk3RKfD2W7IgwQFm6Aav8pwk/s792/Meme%20-%20cat%20paws.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4eIXzfnUJ6JG8ZdUprAQW2m0Wwyxh-6Hodv1En443Ya2wVWhSxruWN9KLT_lRJWmEGUyjOC_YsNaqRZVMzOz4jYvKt3fC-4RurJScuAqN0m71y2oyZ00Fib6xy62-w7vH2Bq-822SaSTbZtFsHdclxTPJM4r5gd7y2fLwk3RKfD2W7IgwQFm6Aav8pwk/w303-h400/Meme%20-%20cat%20paws.png" width="303" /></a></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilTHvqlD0HhQhtDcfTF374HNYe1O-LeFr8EbqUEQTA4Fkr_p7WP5YMgVHWTk4AMxW4G492AuP4RQJwfCZVKwNR5le-RknbHWVl72HKiPcyqV8b2VZLDoJ9QxJ5ZZCiEanFegyuK-n5nNMGhAuJoCOIphG63tbSYipLdje7iJtTfzu4UFAf2T9ksVW5OzU/s686/Meme%20-%20cat%20paw%20prints.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="686" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilTHvqlD0HhQhtDcfTF374HNYe1O-LeFr8EbqUEQTA4Fkr_p7WP5YMgVHWTk4AMxW4G492AuP4RQJwfCZVKwNR5le-RknbHWVl72HKiPcyqV8b2VZLDoJ9QxJ5ZZCiEanFegyuK-n5nNMGhAuJoCOIphG63tbSYipLdje7iJtTfzu4UFAf2T9ksVW5OzU/w350-h400/Meme%20-%20cat%20paw%20prints.png" width="350" /></a></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="608" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8jSRYNMaL1NcJg8SeFHK3BTMIrtE_RAb5ktQoIhPGhnjTHQ4txojUpS1AoC4S1IcAFp9Hm93iUd0mbaCVbgsj1sEkvuEf6J9SedbX9JzctCZPJqegxyuhaE6hkfnI4_FadNfgKtOrzAJoWZvXE7IKJCM1euxjlTx-1MLMLzkXYS-qUQnr9p2S7ojpdiw/w395-h400/Meme%20-%20duck%20stamp%20contest.png" width="395" /></a></div><div><br /></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheuQAOIoBBp0iwlcvBW-sUk-584rjFubS3Krbji9m4rIGR_hEBzDmkuV5_X_uj5BmJNlTItcS56lx67yz44sJ2U7VRKbpki3Ur315mClGr4s2OmKZNm3rQRGNwfue8HnaKwRnuRG3Dgj-iI9WuR5yPbKaYln4xM923mUHmAwdwKtYxbeavMBfX_gOjS9Y/s600/Meme%20-%20D%20Koi.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheuQAOIoBBp0iwlcvBW-sUk-584rjFubS3Krbji9m4rIGR_hEBzDmkuV5_X_uj5BmJNlTItcS56lx67yz44sJ2U7VRKbpki3Ur315mClGr4s2OmKZNm3rQRGNwfue8HnaKwRnuRG3Dgj-iI9WuR5yPbKaYln4xM923mUHmAwdwKtYxbeavMBfX_gOjS9Y/w400-h400/Meme%20-%20D%20Koi.png" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="550" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib3h-sYPluHjmSS5Wl8l_kXnwiTWn7vigFfJ92ao7f0NPV2FpXkne4m1y_eFdpAJPlUP00gA32nAoKC7AwgvRWeGTZw3lLZWLfv1ziieJRTay_N7waB_f69fRr1K1SZOTw_LeMoLaEfy_kSqS_GG0_zgQQMbeFrY_4OSp_BH-b7FbPNrybfQaTBVT3wlU/w400-h400/Meme%20-%20kazoo%20on%20a%20plane.png" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic1gBOnYiD0LujcXYPNLZsQw6m1jkVrX5Nxm9J5-r8eZC-CtI9HPEu8g9wAqE0mvUsVk4jfja3WoSUN6-rSg72O4AXH4uqZV5ZJjO8JSOdfLS0uLDJUe4OPVw8opiXrJ0s8S1tdURzbHhndpjJOU8Sx1QuEXcFm8NcnURTHl-Dpo7aIb-lj4FEQPmItBk/s600/Meme%20-%20men,%20women,%20transformers.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="600" height="399" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic1gBOnYiD0LujcXYPNLZsQw6m1jkVrX5Nxm9J5-r8eZC-CtI9HPEu8g9wAqE0mvUsVk4jfja3WoSUN6-rSg72O4AXH4uqZV5ZJjO8JSOdfLS0uLDJUe4OPVw8opiXrJ0s8S1tdURzbHhndpjJOU8Sx1QuEXcFm8NcnURTHl-Dpo7aIb-lj4FEQPmItBk/w400-h399/Meme%20-%20men,%20women,%20transformers.png" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYkPuy2wvzlb2-XyR9acrh1KxOss4eHKrr23XBM6rE3bfNyMoW7FV1_P6miPy3c-MvXtI8jgYLVZX_iEfoRr8_NVt3pM5wWQde0WRwgr1l8sprJNtklmTFxiJqvGxasleixrUfPZhjGlIeDIMP14jGEZiTTnSm62-A1Y7uaiRTz-ohPNXxxdNhDqXLKmc/s600/Meme%20-%20single%20shot%20AR15.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="596" data-original-width="600" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYkPuy2wvzlb2-XyR9acrh1KxOss4eHKrr23XBM6rE3bfNyMoW7FV1_P6miPy3c-MvXtI8jgYLVZX_iEfoRr8_NVt3pM5wWQde0WRwgr1l8sprJNtklmTFxiJqvGxasleixrUfPZhjGlIeDIMP14jGEZiTTnSm62-A1Y7uaiRTz-ohPNXxxdNhDqXLKmc/w400-h398/Meme%20-%20single%20shot%20AR15.png" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>More next week.</p><p>Peter</p><p><br /></p>Peterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10595089829300831372noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-12706839043740835732024-03-10T04:40:00.002-05:002024-03-10T04:40:30.077-05:00Sunday morning music<p> </p><p>This morning I'd like to remember one of the premier drummers in modern rock music; some would argue he was the best ever in that genre, and it's hard to disagree with them. I'm speaking, of course, of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Peart" target="_blank">Neil Peart</a>, of Canadian band <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rush_(band)" target="_blank">Rush</a>.</p><p>Neil became famous for his extended drum solos as part of Rush's live performances. If you <a href="https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=neil+peart+drum+solo" target="_blank">search YouTube</a>, you'll find many of them there. I've chosen one for this morning, from a song titled "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malignant_Narcissism_(song)" target="_blank">Malignant Narcissism</a>" on their 2007 album "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snakes_%26_Arrows" target="_blank">Snakes & Arrows</a>". Here's a live performance from the band's 2007 tour to promote the album.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7lrn4rLRCmQ?si=07feHIb7uESGRqO0" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>As a bonus track, here's "The Main Monkey Business", an instrumental piece from Rush's final tour, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R40_Live" target="_blank">R40 Live</a>, in 2015. By this time Neil was on the verge of retiring, due to chronic tendinitis and shoulder problems. You can see the stress and tension in his face on this recording; but he didn't let that interfere with his sheer professionalism and musical talent. You can hear how his performance seamlessly meshes with the other two members of the group, with no sign of the pain he must have been feeling.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/63Q2N1bABKc?si=ytgW4057dKwOoVKM" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Neil retired from the group at the end of the R40 tour in 2015. He died of glioblastoma, a form of brain cancer, in early 2020. He left an indelible mark on both rock music in particular, and the percussion instrument world in general.</p><p>Peter</p><p><br /></p>Peterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10595089829300831372noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-42757656611571228702024-03-09T04:53:00.002-06:002024-03-09T04:53:26.318-06:00Saturday Snippet: It all comes down to corn<p> </p><p>First published in 2006, Michael Pollan's book "<a href="https://amzn.to/3IB5IUB" target="_blank">The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals</a>" exposed the hugely artificial, compromised nature of our First World food chain. It's been a source of enlightenment and controversy ever since.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3IB5IUB" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="537" data-original-width="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSmg4KTdK3G87BeArseto43IaemM7KMO6nlabBPaPKV73X-q-SxBVaeE9K_hjbYAoMtVmixjF-W0GopYdGj38W1gHPwEinNqkmq3aSpC0e5j35HpD7sPX4-G0b_xNG5-2sjv87aQtfDecHV2IWVHSivMO9Am08cV1wc6bp-NKeIDQzPAhE28pzsMokzPM/s16000/Cover%20'The%20Omnivore's%20Dilemma'.png" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>The blurb reads:</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: arial;">What should we have for dinner? Ten years ago, Michael Pollan confronted us with this seemingly simple question and, with The Omnivore’s Dilemma, his brilliant and eye-opening exploration of our food choices, demonstrated that how we answer it today may determine not only our health but our survival as a species. In the years since, Pollan’s revolutionary examination has changed the way Americans think about food. Bringing wide attention to the little-known but vitally important dimensions of food and agriculture in America, Pollan launched a national conversation about what we eat and the profound consequences that even the simplest everyday food choices have on both ourselves and the natural world. Ten years later, The Omnivore’s Dilemma continues to transform the way Americans think about the politics, perils, and pleasures of eating.</span></blockquote><p></p><p><br /></p><p>I'm still in the process of reading the book. I'm finding it fascinating, and learning a lot as I proceed. I thought I'd start you off with the strange tale of how the humble corn plant has come to dominate so much of our food production and consumption.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><blockquote><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Air-conditioned, odorless, illuminated by buzzing fluorescent tubes, the American supermarket doesn’t present itself as having very much to do with Nature. And yet what is this place if not a landscape (man-made, it’s true) teeming with plants and animals?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I’m not just talking about the produce section or the meat counter, either—the supermarket’s flora and fauna. Ecologically speaking, these are this landscape’s most legible zones, the places where it doesn’t take a field guide to identify the resident species. Over there’s your eggplant, onion, potato, and leek; here your apple, banana, and orange. Spritzed with morning dew every few minutes, Produce is the only corner of the supermarket where we’re apt to think “Ah, yes, the bounty of Nature!” Which probably explains why such a garden of fruits and vegetables (sometimes flowers, too) is what usually greets the shopper coming through the automatic doors.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Keep rolling, back to the mirrored rear wall behind which the butchers toil, and you encounter a set of species only slightly harder to identify—there’s chicken and turkey, lamb and cow and pig. Though in Meat the creaturely character of the species on display does seem to be fading, as the cows and pigs increasingly come subdivided into boneless and bloodless geometrical cuts. In recent years some of this supermarket euphemism has seeped into Produce, where you’ll now find formerly soil-encrusted potatoes cubed pristine white, and “baby” carrots machine-lathed into neatly tapered torpedoes. But in general here in flora and fauna you don’t need to be a naturalist, much less a food scientist, to know what species you’re tossing into your cart.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Venture farther, though, and you come to regions of the supermarket where the very notion of species seems increasingly obscure: the canyons of breakfast cereals and condiments; the freezer cases stacked with “home meal replacements” and bagged platonic peas; the broad expanses of soft drinks and towering cliffs of snacks; the unclassifiable Pop-Tarts and Lunchables; the frankly synthetic coffee whiteners and the Linnaeus-defying Twinkie. Plants? Animals?! Though it might not always seem that way, even the deathless Twinkie is constructed out of…well, precisely what I don’t know offhand, but ultimately some sort of formerly living creature, i.e., a species. We haven’t yet begun to synthesize our foods from petroleum, at least not directly.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">If you do manage to regard the supermarket through the eyes of a naturalist, your first impression is apt to be of its astounding biodiversity. Look how many different plants and animals (and fungi) are represented on this single acre of land! What forest or prairie could hope to match it? There must be a hundred different species in the produce section alone, a handful more in the meat counter. And this diversity appears only to be increasing: When I was a kid, you never saw radicchio in the produce section, or a half dozen different kinds of mushrooms, or kiwis and passion fruit and durians and mangoes. Indeed, in the last few years a whole catalog of exotic species from the tropics has colonized, and considerably enlivened, the produce department. Over in fauna, on a good day you’re apt to find—beyond beef—ostrich and quail and even bison, while in Fish you can catch not just salmon and shrimp but catfish and tilapia, too. Naturalists regard biodiversity as a measure of a landscape’s health, and the modern supermarket’s devotion to variety and choice would seem to reflect, perhaps even promote, precisely that sort of ecological vigor.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Except for the salt and a handful of synthetic food additives, every edible item in the supermarket is a link in a food chain that begins with a particular plant growing in a specific patch of soil (or, more seldom, stretch of sea) somewhere on earth. Sometimes, as in the produce section, that chain is fairly short and easy to follow: As the netted bag says, this potato was grown in Idaho, that onion came from a farm in Texas. Move over to Meat, though, and the chain grows longer and less comprehensible: The label doesn’t mention that that rib-eye steak came from a steer born in South Dakota and fattened in a Kansas feedlot on grain grown in Iowa. Once you get into the processed foods you have to be a fairly determined ecological detective to follow the intricate and increasingly obscure lines of connection linking the Twinkie, or the nondairy creamer, to a plant growing in the earth someplace, but it can be done.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">So what exactly would an ecological detective set loose in an American supermarket discover, were he to trace the items in his shopping cart all the way back to the soil? The notion began to occupy me a few years ago, after I realized that the straightforward question “What should I eat?” could no longer be answered without first addressing two other even more straightforward questions: “What <i>am</i> I eating? And where in the world did it come from?” Not very long ago an eater didn’t need a journalist to answer these questions. The fact that today one so often does suggests a pretty good start on a working definition of industrial food: Any food whose provenance is so complex or obscure that it requires expert help to ascertain.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">When I started trying to follow the industrial food chain—the one that now feeds most of us most of the time and typically culminates either in a supermarket or fast-food meal—I expected that my investigations would lead me to a wide variety of places. And though my journeys did take me to a great many states, and covered a great many miles, at the very end of these food chains (which is to say, at the very beginning), I invariably found myself in almost exactly the same place: a farm field in the American Corn Belt. The great edifice of variety and choice that is an American supermarket turns out to rest on a remarkably narrow biological foundation comprised of a tiny group of plants that is dominated by a single species: <i>Zea mays</i>, the giant tropical grass most Americans know as corn.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Corn is what feeds the steer that becomes the steak. Corn feeds the chicken and the pig, the turkey and the lamb, the catfish and the tilapia and, increasingly, even the salmon, a carnivore by nature that the fish farmers are reengineering to tolerate corn. The eggs are made of corn. The milk and cheese and yogurt, which once came from dairy cows that grazed on grass, now typically come from Holsteins that spend their working lives indoors tethered to machines, eating corn.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Head over to the processed foods and you find ever more intricate manifestations of corn. A chicken nugget, for example, piles corn upon corn: what chicken it contains consists of corn, of course, but so do most of a nugget’s other constituents, including the modified corn starch that glues the thing together, the corn flour in the batter that coats it, and the corn oil in which it gets fried. Much less obviously, the leavenings and lecithin, the mono-, di-, and triglycerides, the attractive golden coloring, and even the citric acid that keeps the nugget “fresh” can all be derived from corn.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">To wash down your chicken nuggets with virtually any soft drink in the supermarket is to have some corn with your corn. Since the 1980s virtually all the sodas and most of the fruit drinks sold in the supermarket have been sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS)—after water, corn sweetener is their principal ingredient. Grab a beer for your beverage instead and you’d still be drinking corn, in the form of alcohol fermented from glucose refined from corn. Read the ingredients on the label of any processed food and, provided you know the chemical names it travels under, corn is what you will find. For modified or unmodified starch, for glucose syrup and maltodextrin, for crystalline fructose and ascorbic acid, for lecithin and dextrose, lactic acid and lysine, for maltose and HFCS, for MSG and polyols, for the caramel color and xanthan gum, read: corn. Corn is in the coffee whitener and Cheez Whiz, the frozen yogurt and TV dinner, the canned fruit and ketchup and candies, the soups and snacks and cake mixes, the frosting and gravy and frozen waffles, the syrups and hot sauces, the mayonnaise and mustard, the hot dogs and the bologna, the margarine and shortening, the salad dressings and the relishes and even the vitamins. (Yes, it’s in the Twinkie, too.) <span style="background-color: #ffd966;">There are some forty-five thousand items in the average American supermarket and more than a quarter of them now contain corn. This goes for the nonfood items as well</span>—everything from the toothpaste and cosmetics to the disposable diapers, trash bags, cleansers, charcoal briquettes, matches, and batteries, right down to the shine on the cover of the magazine that catches your eye by the checkout: corn. Even in Produce on a day when there’s ostensibly no corn for sale you’ll nevertheless find plenty of corn: in the vegetable wax that gives the cucumbers their sheen, in the pesticide responsible for the produce’s perfection, even in the coating on the cardboard it was shipped in. Indeed, the supermarket itself—the wallboard and joint compound, the linoleum and fiberglass and adhesives out of which the building itself has been built—is in no small measure a manifestation of corn.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">And us?</span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: arial;">. . .</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Americans eat much more wheat than corn—114 pounds of wheat flour per person per year, compared to 11 pounds of corn flour. The Europeans who colonized America regarded themselves as wheat people, in contrast to the native corn people they encountered; wheat in the West has always been considered the most refined, or civilized, grain. If asked to choose, most of us would probably still consider ourselves wheat people (except perhaps the proud corn-fed Midwesterners, and they don’t know the half of it), though by now the whole idea of identifying with a plant at all strikes us as a little old-fashioned. Beef people sounds more like it, though nowadays chicken people, which sounds not nearly so good, is probably closer to the truth of the matter. But carbon 13 doesn’t lie, and researchers who have compared the isotopes in the flesh or hair of North Americans to those in the same tissues of Mexicans report that it is now we in the North who are the true people of corn. “When you look at the isotope ratios,” Todd Dawson, a Berkeley biologist who’s done this sort of research, told me, “we North Americans look like corn chips with legs.” Compared to us, Mexicans today consume a far more varied carbon diet: the animals they eat still eat grass (until recently, Mexicans regarded feeding corn to livestock as a sacrilege); much of their protein comes from legumes; and they still sweeten their beverages with cane sugar.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">So that’s us: processed corn, walking.</span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: arial;">. . .</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Early in the twentieth century American corn breeders figured out how to bring corn reproduction under firm control and to protect the seed from copiers. The breeders discovered that when they crossed two corn plants that had come from inbred lines—from ancestors that had themselves been exclusively self-pollinated for several generations—the hybrid offspring displayed some highly unusual characteristics. First, all the seeds in that first generation (F-1, in the plant breeder’s vocabulary) produced genetically identical plants—a trait that, among other things, facilitates mechanization. Second, those plants exhibited heterosis, or hybrid vigor—better yields than either of their parents. But most important of all, they found that the seeds produced by these seeds did not “come true”—the plants in the second (F-2) generation bore little resemblance to the plants in the first. Specifically, their yields plummeted by as much as a third, making their seeds virtually worthless.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Hybrid corn now offered its breeders what no other plant at that time could: the biological equivalent of a patent. Farmers now had to buy new seeds every spring; instead of depending upon their plants to reproduce themselves, they now depended on a corporation. The corporation, assured for the first time of a return on its investment in breeding, showered corn with attention—R&D, promotion, advertising—and the plant responded, multiplying its fruitfulness year after year. With the advent of the F-1 hybrid, a technology with the power to remake nature in the image of capitalism, <i>Zea mays</i> entered the industrial age and, in time, it brought the whole American food chain with it.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>. . .</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Naylor has no idea how many bushels of corn per acre his grandfather could produce, but the average back in 1920 was about twenty bushels per acre—roughly the same yields historically realized by Native Americans. Corn then was planted in widely spaced bunches in a checkerboard pattern so farmers could easily cultivate between the stands in either direction. Hybrid seed came on the market in the late 1930s, when his father was farming. “You heard stories,” George shouted over the din of the tractor. “How they talked him into raising an acre or two of the new hybrid, and by god when the old corn fell over, the hybrid stood straight up. Doubled Dad’s yields, till he was getting seventy to eighty an acre in the fifties.” George has doubled that yet again, some years getting as much as two hundred bushels of corn per acre. The only other domesticated species ever to have multiplied its productivity by such a factor is the Holstein cow.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">“High yield” is a fairly abstract concept, and I wondered what it meant at the level of the plant: more cobs per stalk? more kernels per cob? Neither of the above, Naylor explained. The higher yield of modern hybrids stems mainly from the fact that they can be planted so close together, thirty thousand to the acre instead of eight thousand in his father’s day. Planting the old open-pollinated (nonhybrid) varieties so densely would result in stalks grown spindly as they jostled each other for sunlight; eventually the plants would topple in the wind. Hybrids have been bred for thicker stalks and stronger root systems, the better to stand upright in a crowd and withstand mechanical harvesting. Basically, modern hybrids can tolerate the corn equivalent of city life, growing amid the multitudes without succumbing to urban stress.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">You would think that competition among individuals would threaten the tranquility of such a crowded metropolis, yet the modern field of corn forms a most orderly mob. This is because every plant in it, being an F-1 hybrid, is genetically identical to every other. Since no individual plant has inherited any competitive edge over any other, precious resources like sunlight, water, and soil nutrients are shared equitably. There are no alpha corn plants to hog the light or fertilizer. The true socialist utopia turns out to be a field of F-1 hybrid plants.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Iowa begins to look a little different when you think of its sprawling fields as cities of corn, the land, in its own way, settled as densely as Manhattan for the very same purpose: to maximize real estate values. There may be little pavement out here, but this is no middle landscape. Though by any reasonable definition Iowa is a rural state, it is more thoroughly developed than many cities: A mere 2 percent of the state’s land remains what it used to be (tall-grass prairie), every square foot of the rest having been completely remade by man. The only thing missing from this man-made landscape is…man.</span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: arial;">. . .</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">There are many reasons for the depopulation of the American Farm Belt, but the triumph of corn deserves a large share of the blame—or the credit, depending on your point of view.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">When George Naylor’s grandfather was farming, the typical Iowa farm was home to whole families of different plant and animal species, corn being only the fourth most common. Horses were the first, because every farm needed working animals (there were only 225 tractors in all of America in 1920), followed by cattle, chickens, and then corn. After corn came hogs, apples, hay, oats, potatoes, and cherries; many Iowa farms also grew wheat, plums, grapes, and pears. This diversity allowed the farm not only to substantially feed itself—and by that I don’t mean feed only the farmers, but also the soil and the livestock—but to withstand a collapse in the market for any one of those crops. It also produced a completely different landscape than the Iowa of today.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">“You had fences everywhere,” George recalled, “and of course pastures. Everyone had livestock, so large parts of the farm would be green most of the year. The ground never used to be this bare this long.” For much of the year, from the October harvest to the emergence of the corn in mid-May, Greene County is black now, a great tarmac only slightly more hospitable to wildlife than asphalt. Even in May the only green you see are the moats of lawn surrounding the houses, the narrow strips of grass dividing one farm from another, and the roadside ditches. The fences were pulled up when the animals left, beginning in the fifties and sixties, or when they moved indoors, as Iowa’s hogs have more recently done; hogs now spend their lives in aluminum sheds perched atop manure pits. Greene County in the spring has become a monotonous landscape, vast plowed fields relieved only by a dwindling number of farmsteads, increasingly lonesome islands of white wood and green grass marooned in a sea of black. Without the fences and hedgerows to slow it down, Naylor says, the winds blow more fiercely in Iowa today than they once did.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Corn isn’t solely responsible for remaking this landscape: It was the tractor, after all, that put the horses out of work, and with the horses went the fields of oats and some of the pasture. But corn was the crop that put cash in the farmer’s pocket, so as corn yields began to soar at midcentury, the temptation was to give the miracle crop more and more land. Of course, every other farmer in America was thinking the same way (having been encouraged to do so by government policies), with the inevitable result that the price of corn declined. One might think falling corn prices would lead farmers to plant less of it, but the economics and psychology of agriculture are such that exactly the opposite happened.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Beginning in the fifties and sixties, the flood tide of cheap corn made it profitable to fatten cattle on feedlots instead of on grass, and to raise chickens in giant factories rather than in farmyards. Iowa livestock farmers couldn’t compete with the factory-farmed animals their own cheap corn had helped spawn, so the chickens and cattle disappeared from the farm, and with them the pastures and hay fields and fences. In their place the farmers planted more of the one crop they could grow more of than anything else: corn. And whenever the price of corn slipped they planted a little more of it, to cover expenses and stay even. By the 1980s the diversified family farm was history in Iowa, and corn was king.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">(Planting corn on the same ground year after year brought down the predictable plagues of insects and disease, so beginning in the 1970s Iowa farmers started alternating corn with soybeans, a legume. Recently, though, bean prices having fallen and bean diseases having risen, some farmers are going back to a risky rotation of “corn on corn.”)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">With the help of its human and botanical allies (i.e., farm policy and soybeans), corn had pushed the animals and their feed crops off the land, and steadily expanded into their paddocks and pastures and fields. Now it proceeded to push out the people. For the radically simplified farm of corn and soybeans doesn’t require nearly as much human labor as the old diversified farm, especially when the farmer can call on sixteen-row planters and chemical weed killers. One man can handle a lot more acreage by himself when it’s planted in monoculture, and without animals to care for he can take the weekend off, and even think about spending the winter in Florida.</span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: arial;">. . .</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The great turning point in the modern history of corn, which in turn marks a key turning point in the industrialization of our food, can be dated with some precision to the day in 1947 when the huge munitions plant at Muscle Shoals, Alabama, switched over to making chemical fertilizer. After the war the government had found itself with a tremendous surplus of ammonium nitrate, the principal ingredient in the making of explosives. Ammonium nitrate also happens to be an excellent source of nitrogen for plants. Serious thought was given to spraying America’s forests with the surplus chemical, to help out the timber industry. But agronomists in the Department of Agriculture had a better idea: Spread the ammonium nitrate on farmland as fertilizer. The chemical fertilizer industry (along with that of pesticides, which are based on poison gases developed for the war) is the product of the government’s effort to convert its war machine to peacetime purposes. As the Indian farmer activist Vandana Shiva says in her speeches, “We’re still eating the leftovers of World War II.”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Hybrid corn turned out to be the greatest beneficiary of this conversion. Hybrid corn is the greediest of plants, consuming more fertilizer than any other crop. For though the new hybrids had the genes to survive in teeming cities of corn, the richest acre of Iowa soil could never have fed thirty thousand hungry corn plants without promptly bankrupting its fertility. To keep their land from getting “corn sick” farmers in Naylor’s father’s day would carefully rotate their crops with legumes (which add nitrogen to the soil), never growing corn more than twice in the same field every five years; they would also recycle nutrients by spreading their cornfields with manure from their livestock. Before synthetic fertilizers the amount of nitrogen in the soil strictly limited the amount of corn an acre of land could support. Though hybrids were introduced in the thirties, it wasn’t until they made the acquaintance of chemical fertilizers in the 1950s that corn yields exploded.</span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: arial;">. . .</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">On the day in the 1950s that George Naylor’s father spread his first load of ammonium nitrate fertilizer, the ecology of his farm underwent a quiet revolution. What had been a local, sun-driven cycle of fertility, in which the legumes fed the corn which fed the livestock which in turn (with their manure) fed the corn, was now broken. Now he could plant corn every year and on as much of his acreage as he chose, since he had no need for the legumes or the animal manure. He could buy fertility in a bag, fertility that had originally been produced a billion years ago halfway around the world.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Liberated from the old biological constraints, the farm could now be managed on industrial principles, as a factory transforming inputs of raw material—chemical fertilizer—into outputs of corn. Since the farm no longer needs to generate and conserve its own fertility by maintaining a diversity of species, synthetic fertilizer opens the way to monoculture, allowing the farmer to bring the factory’s economies of scale and mechanical efficiency to nature. If, as has sometimes been said, the discovery of agriculture represented the first fall of man from the state of nature, then the discovery of synthetic fertility is surely a second precipitous fall. Fixing nitrogen allowed the food chain to turn from the logic of biology and embrace the logic of industry. Instead of eating exclusively from the sun, humanity now began to sip petroleum.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Corn adapted brilliantly to the new industrial regime, consuming prodigious quantities of fossil fuel energy and turning out ever more prodigious quantities of food energy. More than half of all the synthetic nitrogen made today is applied to corn, whose hybrid strains can make better use of it than any other plant. Growing corn, which from a biological perspective had always been a process of capturing sunlight to turn it into food, has in no small measure become a process of converting fossil fuels into food. This shift explains the color of the land: The reason Greene County is no longer green for half the year is because the farmer who can buy synthetic fertility no longer needs cover crops to capture a whole year’s worth of sunlight; he has plugged himself into a new source of energy. When you add together the natural gas in the fertilizer to the fossil fuels it takes to make the pesticides, drive the tractors, and harvest, dry, and transport the corn, you find that every bushel of industrial corn requires the equivalent of between a quarter and a third of a gallon of oil to grow it—or around fifty gallons of oil per acre of corn. (Some estimates are much higher.) Put another way, it takes more than a calorie of fossil fuel energy to produce a calorie of food; before the advent of chemical fertilizer the Naylor farm produced more than two calories of food energy for every calorie of energy invested. From the standpoint of industrial efficiency, it’s too bad we can’t simply drink the petroleum directly.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Ecologically this is a fabulously expensive way to produce food—but “ecologically” is no longer the operative standard. As long as fossil fuel energy is so cheap and available, it makes good economic sense to produce corn this way. The old way of growing corn—using fertility drawn from the sun—may have been the biological equivalent of a free lunch, but the service was much slower and the portions were much skimpier. In the factory time is money, and yield is everything.</span></p></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><p><br /></p><p>There's a whole lot more in the book to explore and think about. It's certainly opened my eyes to the fundamentally unnatural way in which we feed ourselves today - unnatural in the sense that if our food production were suddenly to be left to nature alone, without scientific and technological assistance, most of us would starve to death within a matter of weeks.</p><p>It also exposes the dangerous fallacy that if society goes to hell in a handbasket, preppers and survivalists will be able to grow their own food on secluded farms to keep themselves alive. That sort of mixed-production family farm <i>no longer exists</i> in most cases, and where it does, it usually has to be subsidized by some sort of outside income. It's simply no longer economical to grow or raise everything one needs out of one's own resources. It <i>can</i> be done, but it takes so much effort to do so without the aid of technology (which won't be available in a long-drawn-out crisis or emergency) that it's <i>effectively</i> impossible for all except experienced farmers - of whom we have very few these days. Those who succeed in doing so will almost certainly not be growing or raising everything they need, anyway, and will have to trade for things they can't produce themselves - but who <i>will</i> be producing those things in such a situation?</p><p>Food for thought indeed.</p><p>Peter</p><p><br /></p>Peterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10595089829300831372noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-82717278676387838782024-03-08T12:02:00.008-06:002024-03-08T12:02:00.123-06:00From "Ser-geant" to "Her-geant"???<p> </p><p>I had to laugh at <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/03/06/world-news/spanish-soldiers-changing-gender-to-female-for-added-benefits/" target="_blank">this news report</a>.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><blockquote><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Spanish soldiers are changing their gender from male to female to earn certain benefits only available to females, including higher pay and better sleeping quarters, due to a self-identification law aimed at helping transgender people.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>. . .</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">A majority of the now-female soldiers have kept every other aspect of life, including male genitalia, sexuality, and even facial hair.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">“On the outside, I feel like a heterosexual man, but on the inside, I am a lesbian,” Army Corporal Roberto Perdigones told Spanish newspaper El Español. “And it is the latter that counts. This is why I made the legal change to become a woman.”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Perdigones says he was encouraged to change his gender because of “positive discrimination” and has since received a 15 percent salary increase.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">“For changing my gender, I have been told that my pension has gone up because women get more to compensate for inequality. I also get 15 percent more salary for being a mother,” he added.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The soldier is looking to use his additional privilege as a woman to sue for shared custody of his 16-year-old son, assuming the courts will give him a better chance.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Perdigones changed his gender last year, and when he arrived at the barracks in Ceuta, he did so with hair too long to meet the male requirements and earrings, which the Spanish military prohibits men from wearing.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The army corporal was even given a personal bathroom because he wasn’t comfortable with sharing with either biological gender.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">“I even have a private room in the barracks, all to myself, with a private bathroom. This is because I cannot be with men as I am a woman, and I did not consider it appropriate to be with biological women out of respect for them,” Perdigones said.</span></p></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><p><br /></p><p>There's <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/03/06/world-news/spanish-soldiers-changing-gender-to-female-for-added-benefits/" target="_blank">more at the link</a>.</p><p>Boy, talk about working the system! I'm sure Corporal Perdigones was (and still is) laughing all the way to the bank. It just goes to show: if the system provides profitable loopholes, some people will exploit them for all they're worth.</p><p>Now, let's try that with a US Marine Corps corporal, telling his Gunnery Sergeant DI that he's now a woman - and a lesbian. I have this mental picture of the Gunny's head exploding . . . and another of the unfortunate corporal doubling multiple times around the perimeter of the entire base wearing makeup and jewelry, with his (sorry - her!) rifle held above their head, chanting - and panting - "I'm whatever the Marine Corps says I am!"</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSCrVZwcG5-68OlazJO6fItxrc2Ixf6WWMsmWF8jD6bY4Oi_rSbeRUIJ9S7FY96LQFKxZfyt6CIA6V3gqzB2f3n-fdW7Ahe59DU_nEtQ7slvZ_lqbH4wYDA8Mudh30l9GDWPbOg1b_aTiq96NNpZj3jGxsLHDCWxrSmPbYMBkl5gXq3MzRQ_j7-7OyQAk/s44/Emoji%20-%20grinning%20devil.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="44" data-original-width="35" height="44" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSCrVZwcG5-68OlazJO6fItxrc2Ixf6WWMsmWF8jD6bY4Oi_rSbeRUIJ9S7FY96LQFKxZfyt6CIA6V3gqzB2f3n-fdW7Ahe59DU_nEtQ7slvZ_lqbH4wYDA8Mudh30l9GDWPbOg1b_aTiq96NNpZj3jGxsLHDCWxrSmPbYMBkl5gXq3MzRQ_j7-7OyQAk/s1600/Emoji%20-%20grinning%20devil.png" width="35" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Peter</p><p><br /></p>Peterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10595089829300831372noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-88246079883878805402024-03-08T09:03:00.005-06:002024-03-08T09:03:00.131-06:00I think my mother would have had flashbacks galore over this...<p> </p><p>I was interested to see that <a href="https://www.twz.com/news-features/pulsejet-drone-flies-could-have-big-impact-on-cost-of-future-weapons" target="_blank">a new unmanned aerial vehicle</a>, or drone, has just flown using pulsejet technology - the same used to power the Nazi <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V-1_flying_bomb" target="_blank">V1 flying bomb</a> during World War II.</p><p>The pulsejet actually stops and starts many times per second in order to generate thrust, opening a series of valves to let in air and push the exploding fuel out the back of the engine, then shutting them again to detonate the next dollop of fuel. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulsejet" target="_blank">You'll find a detailed explanation at Wikipedia.</a> The result is a loud buzzing sound, as the explosions follow each other in very rapid succession. Here's a recording of a World War II V-1 in flight.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Q1qsBGTkVSk?si=raxl9bWnkO5WwqVC" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>My mother endured months of bombardment by V-1's during 1944. She said that as long as one heard the engine, one knew one was safe, because it was still flying; but if it suddenly cut out, one knew it had begun its "death dive" to explode on the ground, and one hunted for cover as fast as possible.</p><p>The new pulsejet-powered drone is much smaller than its infamous predecessor, but it's only a prototype. Future versions will doubtless be much larger and heavier. However, it still sounds very like the V1.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ijrTTAZP1zg?si=5DRkKGYAhBrCZCrI" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>If my mother was still alive, I wouldn't dare send her a link to that video. She'd have all sorts of things to say to me (none of them polite) if she heard that sound again . . .</p><p>Interestingly, the V1's engine was not powerful enough (i.e. did not generate enough thrust) for the flying bomb to take off under its own power. It had to be launched up a long ramp using a rocket booster, shown in the first part of the video clip below.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/s0EE5ZGKJyE?si=J2IRNqih0ONK3-Rd" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>
Once airborne, the pulsejet engine produced enough power to keep it flying. The <a href="https://www.twz.com/news-features/pulsejet-drone-flies-could-have-big-impact-on-cost-of-future-weapons" target="_blank">new drone</a>'s engine is much less powerful than the V1's, but the drone itself is much smaller, so it can take off under its own power. I daresay that by the time they develop it into a production version, the engine will have been scaled up to cope with the additional bulk and weight.</p><p>Peter</p><p><br /></p>Peterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10595089829300831372noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-29318447214900094762024-03-08T04:57:00.017-06:002024-03-08T04:57:00.134-06:00A conundrum for my readers<p> </p><p>Way back when in high school, I was a member of the debating society. We had the usual formal debates, plus some rather informal ones where nonsense motions were debated, usually to screams of laughter and much applause. They were a lot of fun.</p><p>I was reminded of one of them by an e-mail from an old friend yesterday. He reminded me of a debate in which I participated, the topic of which was: "Should one sit face-to-face, or back-to-back, or facing in the same direction, when sharing a bath?" Bathing etiquette (if there is such a thing) came in for heavy discussion, as did many innuendos about avoiding the plughole, what to do with the hot and cold faucets, and so on. I argued for the face-to-face side, but I don't recall whether my team won or not. (In my defense, it was more than 50 years ago!) I seem to remember that biology, zoology, theology, philosophy and anatomy all featured in the arguments.</p><p>Please note that sex did not rear its ugly head, so to speak. This was, after all, a long time ago in a much more straight-laced country than the USA. It was all theoretical, so to speak - not prudish, but definitely not down and dirty. (Well, being in a bath, the latter was unlikely, but you know what I mean!) The only chemistry discussed was of the soap-bubble variety.</p><p>So, on a whim, I thought I'd throw open the subject to my readers. Should one sit face-to-face, or back-to-back, or facing in the same direction, when sharing a bath? You tell us in Comments (keeping it clean, of course, at least in the figurative sense!), and we'll respond as we feel appropriate (or not, as the case may be). Have at it!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuyocFLoDhy8hV1tN9J13bCzPiQk5bR0TBHDU6uwqFubboKG_-bMrwDfoRmFwdQrFEjQpOh3XkSWwRf9rwu4a3l_8mtprui_2kZSV6djNOO60cQeMV9GqncDzM4zftxYNz8H6W118uK7T4OEGNCQb-_r61aUlUbp_IZIrHSf_nj1BksmqAnIEDu9E-Chg/s39/Emoji%20-%20smile.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="39" data-original-width="39" height="39" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuyocFLoDhy8hV1tN9J13bCzPiQk5bR0TBHDU6uwqFubboKG_-bMrwDfoRmFwdQrFEjQpOh3XkSWwRf9rwu4a3l_8mtprui_2kZSV6djNOO60cQeMV9GqncDzM4zftxYNz8H6W118uK7T4OEGNCQb-_r61aUlUbp_IZIrHSf_nj1BksmqAnIEDu9E-Chg/s1600/Emoji%20-%20smile.png" width="39" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Peter</p><p><br /></p>Peterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10595089829300831372noreply@blogger.com25