Sunday Rant – 4923

PN:

Joe’s Comment – An interesting week it was!  Lots of projects, lots of research, even a few victories.  The suspense is finally over.
It snowed.
The older I get, the more I resent the death or hibernation of outdoor life for at least 4 months every year.
When I was young and spry, a few layers of clothing, some good gloves, warm boots and a toque were defense enough to ward off the cold.  Nowadays, not so much.  Last week I actually wore a jacket two days in a row.
And still got a touch of chill to the bone.
The Okanagan Valley at its worst is like a shoe box with clouds for a lid.
No sun for days and days.
The last 5 years I’ve taken vitamin D3 supplement to ward off whatever it is vitamin D3 helps you ward off.
The result has been good.  In younger years I used to get colds and flues and the snots.  I haven’t been ill for years.
I’m in my sixth year of eating carnivore.  Little or no carbohydrates/sugars/saccharides.  No processed food.  Lots of meat, eggs, some dairy (cheese, butter, yogurt), some fish.  Coming up 3 years without alcohol.
I miss rye bread and fruit and vegetables more than I miss alcohol, and I don’t miss them much.
As I said above, I don’t get sick.
No meds needed, wanted, or necessary.
All in all, I’m a mostly content crotchety old bastard.
If only I could learn to hibernate…..
Wait a minute!
That’s what the Internet is for!

Canadiana

Quick Dick McDick
Saskatchewan and Canada’s agrarian ambassador to the World® gives his perspective on Bill C234.
This bill is a re-iteration of a previous bill removing carbon tax for some fuels used by farmers to process their product(s).
Joe says this farmer from Tuffnell Saskatchewan demonstrates more common sense in  8½ minutes than parliament in Ottawa has during the entire Trudeau Liberal administration.
Joe and I state again how much we wish the damn government would do what they were sent to Parliament to do instead of interfering with the daily lives of Canadian citizens.
Despite what the government might believe, the average Canadian is capable of competing with anyone from anywhere on a level playing field.
As Ms. E. Thrasher often said, tell all!  Amen to that:

Canadian Authoritarianism
From the video description, “Ms. Rupa Subramanya, Canada-based journalist for The Free Press, shares her opening statement at the House Weaponization of the Federal Government Committee.”
What boils our tea is that this sort of inquiry is transparent, documented, and freely disseminated via social media for We The People to see.  Yet here in Canada, where these tyrannies are propagated, a bill was passed (C-18: Online News Act)  to ensure such freedom of expression is suppressed.  Indeed, while searching for a criticism of Bill C-18, Joe and I were unable to find any!
The links we saw were mainly from government sources or government funded media sources.
Many thanks to cousin Delsie for sending the link to the video.
Better watch it now.  It is on Ub2b which continues to decline as a stable legitimate and enduring resource.
We suspect it will be reported to us as a “broken link” in the near future:

 

The Culture

NYT-Dealbook Summit Interview
Elon Musk damn near broke the Internet during this interview.
When challenged about loosing advertisers on X due to his comments, Mr. Musk re-phrased the question.  If advertisers withhold ad revenue to blackmail,  influence or censor his voice, Mr. Musk had a message for them.  He responded calmly and candidly, delivering his reply – “go fuck yourself”.
He made it clear.  He cannot be bought.
A wonderful interview.
The interviewer is Andrew Ross Sorkin.
Joe wonders how long it will remain on the Ub2b platform.
If you are too busy to invest 1½ hours, watch the first 20 minutes.
You will smile mightily.  Joe cheered and clapped.  The man has The Platform and The Voice and The Will.  Live long and prosper Mr. Musk:

Joe and I formulated our eminent question many, many years ago: (as a species, as an Entity) who are we, where did we come from, where are we going?
As a gift to you, Mr. Musk, here is that which you seek….. it is us, LIFE, who are the alien.

 

Lady Ballers
Andrew Klavan makes excellent points.
The title “The Culture”, that Joe and I use frequently, was borrowed from Mr. Klavan.  He is a prolific author and polemist whose opinion we often consider on many topics, especially The Culture.
In this video, with reference to the Daily Wire film “Lady Ballers”, Mr. Klavan declares war on the progressive left, Wokism©, and those forces subtly (and not so subtly) changing The Culture into a much more tyrannical societal reality.
We have been listening to Mr. Klavan for well over 10 years.  The first mention of him in our rant was October 24th, 2010, before it was a website (this rant started as an email distribution).
Mr. Klavan is a canary in the coal mine of The Culture.
For your edification, watch, ponder, reflect, and take heed:

 

The Rise of Xi Jinping(pong)
Joe and I have a natural revulsion for mobs.
Our revulsion extends to large groups, organizations, even fans.
The feeling of our hackles rising when we hear the roar of the crowd is accompanied with trepidation, even fear.
Ruly or unruly, the blind stupid power of a hoard is a sobering sight.
Which leads us to mention China.
Once the largest populated country in the world (now surpassed by India), China seems destined to crucially influence the world, if not dominate the world.
Joe says he’d rather it be India if it isn’t the good old U.S. of A.
We have an intuitive dislike of being told what to do.
During the past 80 years, the citizens of China have been coerced just so.
The rise of Mao Zedong and the Red Guard began a pattern of tyranny, of “Central Planning” that repressed and brutalized Chinese inhabitants in the name of the state, in the name of “cleansing”.
Xi Jinping(pong) maneuvered and manipulated his way from being the son of a disgraced party executive to his current position as uncontested leader of the   Chinese Communist Party.
Such a man is very powerful and extremely dangerous.
The question is – does such a powerful and dangerous man do good or evil with his power?
Joe and I are suspicious.
We thought a brief history of the rise of Xi might suggest an answer.
After watching this Vox presentation, we are uneasy.
After reading many of the comments below the video, we realize we’re not alone:

 

Health

Processed Foods
A short segment of a recent interview of Shawn Baker conducted by Joe Rogan.
We are not a fan of Mr. Rogan, but we are fanboys for Dr. Baker.
A good interview about vital nutritional topics:

 

Paleopathology and the Origins of the Low Carb Diet
Dr. Michael Eades presents at a “Low Carb Down Under” seminar.
Dr. Eades and his wife Dr. Mary Dan Eades have been advising about the nature and nurture of a low carb diet.  This particular presentation discusses the evolution of man from the nutritional perspective.  Fascinating and vital:

Protein: Plant vs Animal Sources
Dr. Peter Ballerstedt makes a convincing case for his statement that “Humanity’s existential crisis is insufficient animal sourced food”.
Joe and I learned a great deal from this video about the quality, quantity, and digestibility (bio absorbency) of food stuff people eat.
The statistical reality Dr. Ballerstedt presents is reinforcement of his position.  Wheat and rice are the two largest sources of protein in the world.  However, the protein from these two sources is not comparable to that obtained in common animal based foods, and unlike processed animal sourced foods, when wheat and rice are processed, their nutritive value plummets!
A crucial fact presented is that a majority of women in the world are NOT getting enough protein.  Well worth the time to watch:

Here are a few of the notable graphs from the presentation.  Note that lysine is an essential amino acid, meaning the human body cannot produce it, and cannot survive without it.  Plant protein often doesn’t meet minimum lysine requirements.  Also important is the amount of protein that is utilizable in a food.  Plant protein often has less bio-absorbance, meaning more volume is required to meet minimum need.

To summarize the video, Dr. B’s message is this –

Joe’s Garage

Google Maps
This fine fellow is sharing his excitement about 5 Google Maps features he finds fascinating.  He’s from Vancouver.  Whatever…..
Joe and I almost never use Google Maps.  In the true tradition of station WIIFM (what’s in it for me), we did use Google Maps to look at our property here in Vernon BC when it first became available.
We took the time to look after we watched this video.  The Google view of our property is at least 10 years old.
The history feature appeals to us:

Tesla Truck
The folks at Hagerty do a road test of the Tesla electric truck.
Funny, they mostly think it will be a rich man’s toy.
Their test was mostly conventional performance – racing the quarter mile or a road course.
Joe is a truck man.
There was very little information about gross vehicle weight, load capacity, towing capability.
An interesting exercise in a “clean sheet” design.
We will wait and see.
Joe says if we were a tradesman, using this truck would represent one hell of a lot of bricks laid, or 2×4 studs placed, or shingles nailed.
The cost in Canada will be enough to make a plumber’s knees ache:

Cheap Dependable Transportation
Joe isn’t a big fan of “The Car Wizard”.
However, once in a while, Mr. Wiz hits a resonant note with our resident car guy Joe.
We put our 1999 Lincoln Town Car (Ruby) on the road in the late spring this year.
Ruby is a delight to drive – quiet, powerful, comfortable, and on the few long trips we made, she reached an astounding 27 miles per Imperial gallon average on the highway.  We tested that figure on three different trips because we didn’t believe what we calculated.
The Panther platform is old style front engine rear two wheel drive full frame easy and inexpensive maintenance.  Joe says we want the entire collection.  We’ve got the Town Car.  Now we can look for a Mercury Grand Marquis and a Ford Crown Victoria.
Great cars!:

Continue reading Sunday Rant – 4923

Sunday Rant – 4823

PN:

Joe’s Comment – A busy week of chasing projects in circles.  I did manage to get the main floor shower / tub unit operational in the house.  First time a shower has been operational since August.  For me it wasn’t a hardship – the aquatic center in town has cheap swims for old people / senior citizens.  For Kenda and Rourke a different story.  Next is installing the toilet and vanity and door and wall.  As with many of my projects, the original time estimate has proven to be ridiculous fantasy.  C’est la guerre.
Only five more Sunday Rants this year (SR – 53 will be December 31st).
So far the winds of chance and of adventure have blown fair this year.
Barring weather disaster or political tsunami or health catastrophe or financial ruin in the last fleeting days of 2023, all in all it has been a better than average year.
Still no snow!
Still no cruel below zero temperatures!
As the late great Jimmy B. was wont to say, life is good.

Brainwashing

“Re-wilding” the Land
Ivor Cummins has plenty to say about this propaganda from the Irish government.
How long until this shite appears here in the true north strong and free?
Or south of our border in the home of the brave, land of the free?
This is a sign of Big Money / Big Corporations / Big Government up to no good.
It seems that Joe and I will be exposed to this insanity in one form or another until the day we die.
We shall gird our loins and face the enemy with ascorbic wit, cutting sarcasm, and a larder filled to overflowing with food appropriate to humans.  That would be beef, eggs, butter, cream, pork, fish, and whatever other animal product we prefer.  There will be no bug eating at this home.
The Middle Ages are making a comeback.
The overlords are re-creating the feudal state, where the few people remaining are indentured to the land and the rest are kept like cattle.
Most probably, kept in lieu of cattle.
Joe and I won’t buy into any of what our father called “happy horse shit”.
There really are only two types – those who wish to be left alone, and others who can’t stand the idea of leaving anyone alone:

As for end game, Joe and I watched the following video earlier today (before Ivor brought the news).  Perhaps this is the end game the overlords feel is more humane than murder.  We are not convinced.  Nor are we amused:

Reparations
Historian Rafe Heydel-Mankoo makes the case against Britain paying reparations to the descendants of Caribbean slaves.
Joe and I agree wholeheartedly with Mr. Heydel-Mankoo.
It is an obvious point to make that all those demanding reparations only demand so from the wealthiest of countries IN THE WEST.
You won’t see these demonstrations and protests in ANY Muslim country – Joe says to do so would arguably be signing your own death warrant.
Same, same, for China and North Korea, Russia, and most of the dirt poor countries in Africa.  You can’t get blood from a stone.  But you can beat someone over the head with a stone and get blood.
Joe wonders if the latter course of action has a probability over 1% in The Americas …..
Watching the young students at this Cambridge Union Society debate event, Joe and I wonder how this esteemed university could have depreciated so much.  A tour around the Internet, back in time for debates many years ago, the audiences exhibited a certain gravitas missing from this debate.  The decorum and structure of the debate was much more formal.  It seems there is no longer a dress code!
From the link, “The society was founded in 1815, it is the oldest continuously running debating society in the world”.
Joe and I have great respect for traditions that support and endorse what the Americans call “the First Amendment”, i.e., free speech.
This side of the argument (the debate) is well presented if not well received.
Joe and I didn’t bother to present the other side of the argument:

The most famous debate at the Cambridge Union Society happened in 1965.  James Baldwin debated William Buckley.  The topic debated was “The American dream is at the expense of the American negro”.
This debate was during the “civil rights movement” that changed America (not for the better, says Joe).  Notice the decorum, the dress, the officiating.  Them was the days!:

Canadian News

Joe and I like the cut of this Rumble channel’s jib.
For now, this will be our go-to Canadian news source.
We will be vigilant.
We will be alert.
We will make our own conclusions.
And so should you:

Americana

Thank You, White Man
Mark Dice is a constant for Joe and me.
He has been calling the political shenanigans in the U.S. of A. for as long as we have been publishing this Sunday Rant.
Much like Ivor Cummins, Mr. Dice consistently presents logical arguments supported by data and reference.  No warm and fuzzy feelings here.
In the following video Mr. Dice has an American Thanksgiving message for your contemplation:

 

The Culture

Transhumanism
WTF?
Talk about “riding the tiger”.
Talk about ideas being mind viruses.
Talk about memes being contagious.
Once an idea is shared, the “Nature of Man®”  springs into action!
Some folks laugh the idea off, or warn against the idea – based on the idea.
Most folks don’t understand the idea, briefly toy with the concept(s), then “forget about it”.
A very very few folks grasp the idea, check with their favorite radio station “WIIFM” (what’s in it for me), check their resource pantry (can I do anything?), do a risk analysis (deep or shallow – depends on the individual), and a very few of the very very few MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN.
Before the word “transhumanism” gets mauled by the progressives, the intellectuals, the elites, the clergy, the masses, and (doG help us all) the government, let us agree on a broad definition.  From Dictionary.com:
Transhumanism
noun
1. 
a philosophy that explores human transcendence above or beyond organic, corporeal limitations through technological and philosophical evolution
.
To us it means cyborg  – a mechanical or electronic device / technology interfaced with a human being.
This begs the “Superman vs Supraman” argument.
Is it “above and beyond” the capability of a human, or is it at the highest end of human ability, an enhancement?
Or is it repairing something broken…..
No matter.
Joe and I think that another category be added – that being “aberration”.
The good side of blending man and machine is obvious – alleviating disabilities, mending illness or assisting those with handicaps.
The bad side leads to whatever you can imagine as being a negative outcome plus a bag of chips.
Joe says don’t forget that AI is out there too!
Hence the reference to “riding the tiger” – a situation where you must continue: you cannot stop for fear of dreadful consequence.
The above is an introduction (or foreplay) to the subject.
How is this melding of human and technology manifested?
There have been prosthetics available for millennia.
The degree of sophistication and technological advancement in the field of “transhumanism” is breathtaking.
A short video follows that explains Neuralink.
Neuralink is actually enabling transhumanism with brain implants.
All for the most noble of rational and humane objectives.
Joe and I appreciate how this technology can enhance a person’s life:

Joe and I will NOT delve into the negative implications / possibilities at this time.
That was the work of science fiction authors in days gone by (before the technology(s) existed), but now it is up to responsible journalism.
Good luck with that!

Joe’s Garage

How a Sewing Machine Works
All these years…..
Joe and I are always astounded when we pose a question of ourselves about something we thought we knew.
Yes, we knew a needle goes up and down, and there is a bobbin in the base.
We also knew we aren’t a good operator of a sewing machine.
Joe said out loud “could we build one?”
Much to our chagrin, we had no clue about chain stitching or any other kind.
Always in awe of the human mind and human ingenuity:

1949 F1
Joe and I recently “discovered” the Hagerty Ub2b channel.
Lots of Lazarus moments, i.e., bringing old(er) vehicles back to life with a minimum of financial outlay.
The following has the subject matter we like – an old Ford truck with flathead motor.  Joe says he’d do it the same way for the most part.  Bring ’em back to life!:

Continue reading Sunday Rant – 4823

Sunday Rant – 4723

PN:

Joe’s Comment – I’m pleased the weather is not like last year.  Robert G. emailed today: it was 12°C in Calgary.
Here in Vernon we didn’t get that warm, but it wasn’t freezing, or snowing, or blowing.
I’ll settle for that.
The sun is going behind the hills at about 4:00 p.m. daily – “official” sunset was 4:09 and change.
My vehicle of choice these days is a 2000 Ford Taurus.  Surprisingly large interior and trunk.  A 3.0L Vulcan V-6 for propulsion.  On longer trips it can reach the amazing economy of 37 mpIg (that’s Imperial gallons – I haven’t “converted” yet).
However, I’m going to make my 2006 Ford F350 6.0L Super Duty the daily driver, especially after sunset.
Why (you may ask).
In the Taurus, my eyes are at the most 4 feet above ground.  The headlights on the Taurus are about 2.5 feet above ground.
In the F350 the headlights are almost 4 feet above the ground.
See the problem?
Add to it the newer vehicles with projector style halogen or LED lights that burn the inside of your skull to a crisp.
I get so pissed off that I pull off the road whether those lights are coming at me or behind me.  Are they legal?
I’m getting old.  I asked some younger folks what they think.
The younger folks also think those headlights are dangerous!
Fight light with light might not be right.
If I could afford to drive around in a heavy highway tractor I’d be way above the headlight madness.

Canadiana

Dr. Trozzi Hearing
Dr. Mark Trozzi is a Canadian hero.
As with many Canadian medical heroes (yes Sparky, there are some), the governing body for his trade of doctor, the CPSO (College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario), is unhappy with him.  They have stopped him from practicing and want to rescind his license to practice.
There are two releases from LifeSite News that document Dr. Trozzi’s troubles:
–  LifeSite News 4 November 2023
–  LifeSite News 10 November 2023
Joe and I are staying tuned to Dr. Trozzi’s case.
There are several other doctors being harassed by the CPSO.  They are  Mary O’Connor,  Rochangé Kilian, Celeste Jean Thirlwell,  Patrick Phillips,  and  Crystal Luchkiw.
We haven’t investigated these additional doctors or verified / validated their bona fides.
However, if the CPSO is hunting them, Joe and I are wanting to know why.
When the COVID fiasco was raging with the hot fire of panic and hysteria, Joe and I abandoned our GP.  Can’t blame him for protecting his status and income – no one who is sane seeks the spotlight of government veto or disapprobation.
We came to a parting of the ways because our goals were not synchronous: we require medical advice and support based on the best possible science, whereas our GP, however competent, was forced / mandated / ordered to follow politically imposed guidelines that were NOT the best available.
Time has proven it so, with the masking, the isolation, the restriction on travel, and the dread vaccine promoted with lies and misinformation regarding its veracity.
Our search for a GP or doctor who has the patient’s well being as the only motivation continues.  Joe says it is time to dismantle the “medical cartel”.
It is based on $$$ not wellness or health or nutrition.

 

Americana

January 6 Redux
A short video from Benny Johnson, informing his followers that the House Republicans have released ALL the video footage of the J6 “insurrection”.
As Gomer Pyle says, “surprise, surprise!” – the story told by the old grey lady and every other media outlet in the world just ain’t so.  (That was three obscure references in a row!  A TV show, the old grey mare song, and Rudyard Kipling’s “Just So Stories”.  We are on a roll!).
Benny damn near passes out from excitement.  He’s right, though.  Anybody with half a brain knew it was a crock of shit from the get go…..
Now we wait.  We wait for the wheels of justice to turn.  Don’t laugh!  It could happen…..:

Thomas Sowell
What is the legacy of Barry Soerto?
You know the guy, old jug ears – i.e., B.H. Obambi.
If you go back far enough in the life of Joe, he is on record as saying that Obambi wasn’t an acceptable choice, but he’d give him a chance.
Hell, he blew the chance the first day he held the reins.
Joe and I have immense respect for Thomas Sowell.  We have bought several of his books.  He never fails to inspire thought by communicating his perspective.
This short video is an example.  The socialist tendency is strong in this one:

Smart Folks

Elon Musk
In this video, Lex Fridman has a lengthy conversation with Elon Musk.
They talk about all things human, without drama.
This is a Super Geek get together.
Joe and I enjoyed it:

 

Health

Dr. Boz
A lovely short video about ketogenic nutrition.
There are stages, so says Dr. Boz, and you must be aware of where you are in the progression along the keto path.
Joe and I extrapolate that to our version of carnivore.
A key point Dr. Boz identified is that “comfort eating” is a habit.  When eating keto / carnivore, extra food isn’t necessary, required, or optimal.
What is it that provokes the comfort eating behavior?
The source isn’t unique, or linear, or easily isolated.
No matter.
It is possible to eliminate a habit behavior by substituting another response.  For instance, when the craving to eat a sweet, or desert, or additional something (after you have already eaten), be aware of the impulse, and satisfy it with something other than food.  Maybe read a book.  Watch a movie.  Play a board game with family members.  Go for a walk.  Pet the damn dog.
Do ANYTHING other than the habitual stuff your pie hole with yum-yums.
Joe and I have a growing respect for Dr. Boz, and her down to earth advice:

Dr. Sam
What if someone told you that the “science” of antibiotics was missing a few cards in its deck?
What if someone told you that the target, or cause of illness is more complicated than picking out a bacterium, labeling it as a “bad hombre”, and designing a solution that kills that particular bacterium?
Unless Joe and I have been so wooed by Dr. Samantha Bailey’s quaint speech and terrific good looks, that is the nature of her discourse.
In previous rants Joe and I have embedded videos of Dr. Sam questioning the foundations of much medical “scientific fact”.  The earliest was Sunday Rant – 3321 (note: the video, about Kary Mullis, has been scrubbed from Ub2b, but exists on Dr. Sam’s website here).
We see logic in her analysis that we cannot refute.  The cure for many maladies might be found by simple cleanliness and a healthy immune system.  We love us some Dr. Sam:

Joe’s Garage

Why 120 / 240 VAC?
In this video, Kathy Joseph (Kathy Loves Physics and History) explains how the North American standards for alternating current evolved.
Like most standards for most things, the original inventors / designers / fabricators were influential.  Often, a standard is simply acceptance of the first of the genre with all its quirks and peculiarities.
Kathy has an enthusiastic and energetic presentation that is fast paced.
Joe and I give her an A+ for brief, cogent, factual data delivered with a smile:

Now that Kathy has established where from 120 / 240 / 220 etc., she will now astound Joe and me with the origins of 2 and 3 phase alternating current, and why it is 50 cycle or 60 cycle all around the world.
Joe says, once again, that there is a large helping of “first come, first served” in the birth of most technologies, and alternating current is no exception (although there are exceptions):

Continue reading Sunday Rant – 4723