Bye bye 2020!

 

 

We survived 2020 so that we can have the strength to do battle in 2021!

GO FORTH AND CONQUER!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

The "Experts"

 

Words sometimes change meaning over time.

"Barbarian" comes from Ancient Greece, a work used to merely describe someone who did not speak Greek.  A conversation would go something like, "I could not understand what he was saying.  All I could hear was 'bar bar bar' ", hence the word "barbarian."  It was not even negative, such a little chauvinistic

The word "tyrant" was merely someone who came to power in a non-traditional manner, not even in a bad way.  Cincinattus and .Solon were tyrants put in charge to fix things and they left when the task was complete.  The problem was that most people cannot let go of such power and the word acquired the negative meaning it has today.

Welcome to the word "expert".  It is supposed to mean a person with a lot of knowledge on a subject.  After our disaster of an election and bigger disaster of a COVID response, the "experts" have been proven wrong time and time again.

Hizzoner DeBlasio shut the schools down in New York to keep the virus from spreading despite the fact that child do not easier catch COVID and then opened the schools when parents complained. "Experts" on both sides of the issue weighted in,  

 So who was right?

The "experts" warn of the leathalalithy of COVID, but the same "experts" state there is a 99.8% of surviving it. The "experts" say masks keep it from spreading, but if everyone is wearing a mask, why do the number of cases rise? 

  I have not worn a mask at all and I am not sick.

And what is this about curfews?  The "experts" advise them.  Does the virus not come at until 10pm?  Then it much be safe before then, so why a mask?

Like tyrant and barbarian, the word "expert"will change meaning. 

Probably to "moron".

Last COVID post....I mean it! :-)

You know what to do!

Happy Thanksgiving!

 HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!  

Invited a lot of people over.  Does it violate some stupid executive order?  No idea.  Didn't check.  Do you know why?  Because this is America and I don't have to ask the government permission to celebrate a holiday!  I paid my taxes, so if the government wants to do anything, it can wash the dishes.

If this does not tell you its fake...

 

The moron Governor of California issued draconian regulations (no consultation with legislature, so no legal force..) concerning the now lame COVID pandemic (?)  After all but demanding that Thanksgiving be cancelled, this moron decreed that no more than three households (ten people total) get together for no more than two hours outdoors, and keep masks on between bites of food and discouraging singing, chanting, and shouting.

Then these pictures emerge. 

As you can see, there are 12 people, no masks, sitting close, and indoors. Further inspection reveals that the Governor was joined by two medical lobbyists, both with no masks.  They are laughing and shouting and enjoying $350 plates at a place called the French Laundry.

If this does not tell you what you need to know, I cannot help you.

Newsome first lied, then "apologized".  No penalty, no sanction, nothing from the government.

If I owned a store in California, I would put this picture on the window and open up.  Civil Rights lawsuit in the making....

Meanwhile, a video from Buffalo, NY has gone viral where a restaurant ignores Dictator Cuomo's arbitaraty restriction and throws out the health inspector trying to shut the place down. The police show up to ensure there is no violence and that is it.  The customers shout "GET OUT!" at the inspector and that is that. 

That is how you do it, America. No violence, no bloodshed. 

 Now, grow a pair and be an adult. You own the government, not the other way around.

Marching around the woods!

Did not need to run today, because we walked all of these trails.  Just remembered, need to double that...we walked back!

Michelle made me put the stick back...she said I would scare people on the trail.

Yes, no mask, no trouble!  No one cared.  No one is sick.

 

Coronavirus revolt in England--and Illinois

 

The North of England, led by the city of Liverpool, has revolted against the government's COVID restriction.  Businesses are opening up and one gym in particular ran the local bureaucrats into exhausting, opening their doors every time the police shut the door,  Pubs are opening because they have been ordered to close while pubs serving Parliament in London remain open.  Something about police with Tasers threatening business owners finally put it over the top.  In a free country, you can run a country when said country actually gave you a business license.  The police, not happy about becoming the "germ police" to begin with, are not going to go the extra mile to enforce this.  The bureaucrats cannot go everywhere at once and when they close something down, it reopens in five minutes in what seems like a game of "Whack a Mole."

Are you paying attention, America?

 In Illinois, the restaurants have decided to ignore the governor's shut down order and Chicago has always been anarchy, so the "shelter in place" order the mayor is considering is not going to work either.  No that it ever has,

No violence, no bloodshed, just ignore the idiots.  

And there is an election coming up....

Payback time.

PA Trip!

 

Michelle and I went up to Pennsylvania last week, because, well, we wanted too! :-P

We ignored Virginia's mask mandate and no one cared.  After cruising through the narrow "waist" of Maryland, we were in PA, where we ignored the mask mandate there too.  The Governor there, a twerp named Wolf, had vetoed a piece of legislation ending limits on restaurant seating.  It did not matter as I saw many places in Gettysburg and Pittsburgh open up full steam with no fear of any "Covid Response Teams".  The Restaurant Revolution is alive and well.

Meanwhile, Dr Atlas, a leading White House advisor has said masks to not work and now the Center for Disease Control has said lockdowns don't work.  In other works, wash your hands and keep six feet away from people...wear the mask if it makes you feel better, but do NOT try to force it on me.  Meanwhile, I saw the 74 year old, rather husky POTUS recover in two days from COVID and moonwalking to "YMCA:....

Enough of that.

It was cold back in the PA homeland, but we had a great time roaming around the Gettysburg battlefield and may or may not have seen any ghosts...might have been steam rising from the sewer. Back home in the Burgh, everything continues on its merry way and Pramanti's put limits on itself (fine, as long as YOU decide to do it) and no one was wearing a mask nor did anyone say anything to anyone else.

Great trip!

Now it is time to work it off!

Happy Anniversary!

 September 27, 2008--the anniversary of our wedding!  Michelle and I got married and the world has not been the same! :-P

Pennsylvania liberated!

 

A week ago, Governor Wolf of PA saw his COVID restrictions ruled unconstitutional.  He is swearing an appeal but the damage has been done.  The all power state government was slapped and forced to back up. It is like the scene in Rocky IV when Balboa hits Ivan Drago and cuts him above the eye.  "You cut!  He's bleeding!  He is just a man!" Duke the manager yells.

Meanwhile the Restaurant Revolution continues as places open up in defiance of the 25% occupancy rule.  Even the mighty KGB in 1991 could not stop the Russian people from defying the Soviet government.  Now, the unelected bureaucrats and elected enablers here, who often do not follow their own laws, are finding out the hard way that the same is true on this side of the Atlantic.

Just hand a sign that says "Peaceful Protest" outside your window and all will be well.

Remember you are a free person with natural rights given to you by God (or just natural rights if you are an atheist...welcome aboard!)  and you will have more than enough to overcome some fat guy with a tie waving a clipboard about.  

Take it from a guy who threw the health inspector out of his store with no problem.

These idiots are not very strong.

Look up Karl Manke and you will see what I am talking about.

September 11

 

Happy Labor Day!

 

Enough of this stupity...

 

If this did not push over the top of "COVID is a myth", I don't know what can.

Here we have Nancy Pelosi, advocate of shutting everything down because of a virus no more lethal than the flu, in a shut down salon--open for her and her only--with no precious mask on, while no one is allowed to open to the public and, Heaven forbid, is not wearing an idiotic mask.

I have refused to wear one.  No one has bothered me and I don't bother them.  I am also not sick.  I tend to stay more than six feet away from people anyway since they often stink...LOL.  No, actually, just giving people space because that is how American culture works.

 Wash your bloody hands!

 Clearly this is not about a virus, it is about control and some American politicians clearly want absolute power, therefore resulting in millions of lost jobs and destroyed busisnesses.

 The idiot politicians are not invincile.  A barber in Michigan defeated Grethen Witmer in court so he could open this shop.  Gyms in New Jersey and Arizona had opened in spite of clearly unconstitutional "executive orders'.  

I still remember when the Soviet Union collapsed===300, 000 people in Red Square got together and dared the KGB to arrest everyone.  The same thing can happen here.

 Nothing violent, not psychotic.  Like  Rosa Parks in 1955, just say "No."  Open up for business and that is that.  Any authorities show up, so what.  Politely tell them, "buy something or get out,"  If anyone wants to escalate, that is why we have a Second Amendment.

 Remember, you art talking to a guy who threw the health inspector out of his store when he acted like an idiot.

My property.  Don't like it, get out.   

Americans need to remember...politicians work for you, not the other way around.  If you want to yank the chain, do it.  

You have the power, with minimal effort, to end all of this in twenty-four hours.

Go and do it all ready!

Sports and Politics

 

It is always a bad idea to mix sports and politics, especially protests.

Sports are supposed to be an escape from political crap and the real world in general.

The National Basketball League has gone into full activism and their ratings have cratered. The same has happened to baseball.  The fact they are playing in front of no fans isn't helping.

Personally, I think this is suicide.  Given the cynical nature of the business, the ownership has probably written this season off, so there is little risk.  Wrong time of the year and no fans, why not play around a little and try to score points with people who probably don't watch anyway.

Personally, given the NFL stupidity about playing what is called the "black national anthem" and playing in front of empty stadiums as well as having players opt out, shifting the competitive balance, I might decide to opt out of sports in 2020.

If they regain their senses, I might watch again in 2021.  If not, oh well.  Remember, sports are optional.  We can live without sports but sports need us.

Kayaking!

We went kayaking yesterday and we were soaked from waves and rainstorms.  Not sure where they came from...noting in the forecast,,,but we made it though.  

At least the water levels rose and we glided over rocks we normally had to paddle around or get out and carry our craft over,

I did not see many fish, though it might have had something to do with the rain.

Yes, there was the sign requiring mask but we ignored it and no one said anything. Some things are just too stupid to take seriously.

It was a good time to spend a Sunday.  Monday comes back around way too soon!

Post 500!

We have been in Arizona for the last two weeks and it was a great trip.  For some reason, they insist that we wear masks in the middle of a national park in 110 degree heat...took those off right away.  No illnesses...Think about it!

We hiked around the Supersition Mountains...no gold, but lots of catus and sweat!  It is fun to hike over rocks and get a lot of exercise from just walking.  We saw lots of lizards and coyotes and even some roadrunners.  The Southwest is a lot different than the East Coast.  The heat is pretty oppressive but at least you don't have to deal with humidity.

The feeling of open space is amazing!

In New York, you can feel hemmed in by the buildings and at least in Pittsburgh, you can see between the buildings!  The only other place of openness like this was in Saskatchewan.

We have returned to the East and can't wait to go back.

Of course, we have to wait out the crappy sequence of events that 2020 has thrown at us before decidiing what to do next.

We will never be bored!

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!

CHOP shoots black teen

Told you it would get interesting...

Let's get this straight:  Protesters set up police-free zone to protest police killing of unarmed black citizen and call it "CHAZ", then "CHOP".  Then they have their own rifle toting security at the "border".  Lawless ensures, "Lord of the Flies" style.

Now, CHOP security have shot a black teen in a stolen car to death.

Remember the book Animal Farm?

Past time to shut it down and with all necessary force.  Time to charge the security with murder, toss out the mayor, and get Seattle back on the painful path to something approaching normalcy.

Or watch the increasingly hilarious show

Unfortunately, the price has been three lives.

For everyone's sake, please shut it down.

This should be interesting...

It appears that some "protesters" have set their own independent country in the middle of Seattle called the Capital Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ) and then renamed it the Capital Hill Organized Protest (CHOP).  No Seattle police department to be seen.  In fact, they abandoned the precinct.

The mayor of Seattle appeared supportive but the protesters are calling for her resignation.  Meanwhile, description of life inside the CHOP has varied from Woodstock to Lord of the Flies.  Most alarming are the reports of assaults and extortion from small businesses.

Meanwhile, since Seattle seems unable, or unwilling, to handle the situation.  Meanwhile a convoy of bikers is heading to Seattle to take the area back.  In the meantime, the allegedly liberal CHOP has an armed border and "stop and frisk" searches.

Typical liberal hypocrisy. 

In the meantime, the Governor of Tennesee says he will not all the same thing to happen in Nashville even though tents are appearing.  But this comes as no surprise.

He is a spineless Republican.

See, I am an equal opportunity insulter.

In the meantime, if I were unfortunate enough to live in Seattle, I would get in my lawnchair, take some popcorn, and watch the show.

Sound be interesting.

COVID Cup

The National Hockey League has unveiled a proposal to for the 2019-2020 season to resume and end with a "worthy Stanley Cup champion".

I am happy to see that they are going to give it a try, though I am not sure it will work.

The playoffs would start with each conference having the top four slots occupied by teams with the highest point totals at the pause playing in a round robin to determine the top four slots.  Teams 5-12 play in a best of five to complete the ranking and then we are back to an eight team tourney.  The games are to be played in two or three "hub cities".

So far, so good.

Then there are the seemingly thousands of regulations about social distancing and temperature checks.  Here is where it can go off the rails, especially when it comes to "self-quarantine" if a player tests positive.

Then there are other considerations like having the season ending in July and what if there is a stoppage in the middle of the playoffs?  The next season is right behind this one.  There is a short enough break as it is.

Then there is the quality of the games.  Is hitting allowed?  No fans? Forget home ice advantage.

And then there is the stigma of being the "COVID Cup Champs".  It is like having an asterisk by the name.

I guess it is better than no hockey and my Penguins have Montreal first.

Might be better to lose.

On the other hand, at least they are trying!

Happy Memorial Day!

OK, still looking over the hockey proposal :-)

In the meantime, Happy Memorial Day!

Roaming around

Pass any stupid law you want, I am still going to roam around and enjoy my natural and Constitutional right of movement...as long as it is not on private property.  LOL

No one has attempted to stop me or any other the hundreds of others walking around in defiance of arbitrary curfews and plenty of business has opened up in varying degrees.  The best way to defeat a tyrannical government is to do what Martin Luther King, Ghandi, and Henry David Thoreau did.  '

Ignore it.

Having a picture of Rosa Parks on your backpack helps!

I am not going to comment anymore of COVID stupidity (except for the hockey proposal coming up next post.).  You know what to do--wash your hands, stay six feet way, wear a mask if you feel you need one, and please ignore anything a politician says about "compassion."  They are sociopaths with no idea what the word means.

Tyranny never lasts.  The Supreme Court of Wisconsin overruled that state's governor and there are no restrictions there, people are ignoring California's tyrant, and a good part of Pennsylvania has tuned out the idiot living for free in Harrisburg.  

Time to get the country moving again--with calm determination.  If they want to throw the first punch, let them.  The next half dozen or so are yours :-)

Have fun and be safe.

And wash your hands!

Tomorrow, time to talk about hockey playoffs!

Reopening because they can...and must

The politicians still get paid.

Small business owners do not have the luxury of a six week shutdown.  If it had been a two week shutdown, there might have been more support, but you cannot violate a business owner's right to run a store.  Not only does he or she have their family to provide for, but those of the employees.

This might be my free enterprise background talking, but it seems most politicians have never had a real job and have been on the public payroll their whole lives.

If following the rules means bankruptcy and losing everything, then it is time to throw the rules overboard.  We have a Constitution and freedom in this country from arbitrary rules.  In many states, a governor can declare a state of emergency for 30 days.  After that, the legislature must be involved.  That is how our government works.  No one person can decide which business stays open and what they can sell to whom etc...  Not only is rule by one person unconstitutional and illegal, the very first war this country ever fought was against people like that.  We have the freedom to worship and pursue happiness and run a business to provide for ourselves....and pay taxes.  I did not say it was perfect.

Plus, you cannot keep humans cooped up.  We are made to roam about.  Just take reasonable precautions like washing  your hands, keeping six feet away, and wear a mask if you feel it is necessary.  Business owners will take whatever steps they feel are necessary.

I am an adult who can make his own choices.  I am reasonable and I do all of the above.  I don't need a government that cannot do anything right and runs trillions in the red to tell me how to live. 

Then there is "it is the law argument."  If the law is wrong, then get rid of it.  If they persist with the "it is the law argument", just remind them of Rosa Parks.

Have a nice day.

Petty tyrant slapped down!

The Mayor of Louisville attempted to outlaw Easter church services and the federal judge slapped the city with a restraining order.  A church in Louisville, Kentucky had drive in services where parishioners were in their cars six feel away and hizzoner tried to keep this from happening, citing health concerns.  Violating freedom of religion did not seem to have a residence in the walnut he calls a brain.

Then the governor of the Kentucky wanted the police to record to license plates of people at the drive in service.  Seems to be little beneath the notice of a governor, isn't it?

Another injunction inbound.

It is disappointing that some local authorities have tried to turn into petty tyrants.  I am seeing more people out and about and curfews are not really working.  Protests have begun because people need to get back to work.

Stay six feet away from everyone, wash your hands, wear a mask if you feel you need to.

There.  Done. Get on it.

We don't need government idiots telling us when to work, what to buy, and if we have permission to do so.

After all, their paychecks keep coming.

Julius Caesar traveled with his soldiers, ate what they ate, and slept in a tent with them.  That way, he knew how they felt and what they were capable of.

Do you think the fools who try to restrict everything do the same?

No need for violence or confrontation.  Just go and do what you need to do.  Get back to work and get a head start on getting out of Great Depression II.

Happy (Western!) Easter!

Was the Haitian Revolution really a revolution?

Steelers-Browns game?

With everything shut down, I have been catching up on my reading.  My book journey took me to Haiti the other day, which was a little surprising since I usually don't sail into the Caribbean.  Nonetheless, I splashed ashore and looked around.

The primary force behind the Revolution was the horrible working conditions that African slaves had to labor in.  Who can you not expect a revolt in the cane fields.  I am surprised it did not happen sooner.  Also, there were a lot of class tensions between poor whites and the white aristocracy. When the revolt happened, it blew up rather quickly.

Another factor to the revolution was the French Revolution.  Since Haiti was a colony of France, anything happening in Paris would eventually make its way to Port-au-Prince.  Thus, the Revolution swept France in 1789 and landed in Haiti in 1791. 

In 1794, the National Convention in France outlawed slavery throughout French possessions.  That would include Haiti.  So, the slave revolt sweeping Haiti is not longer a revolt since slavery is outlawed, therefore the "rebels" are just enforcing the law.

Later Napoleon would try to overrun the island and tried reimpose slavery.  He was also trying to secure communication lanes with newly reacquired Louisiana.  General LeClerc overran the island but could not hold on to it and the French eventually left.

Haiti was free though saddled with debt they agreed to pay France for losses in the Revolution.

In the end, the Haitian rebels were legally in the right, so was it a revolution at all?

Bring that up and see where the argument goes!

United States of Corona

The COVID19 virus has shut the United States down.

Something is odd about this considering nearly 61 million were infected with the flu a few years back and there entire country was not shut down.  I am not downplaying the virus but out of a country of 330 million, about 17,000 have been confirmed infected and 200 people have died.  It is a tragedy, but nearly 12,000 people died from the flu last year. 

Nonetheless, many businesses are shut down and the stock market has lost all of the gains it has made in the last three years.  On the positive side of things, gas prices have dropped to pre-Iraq War levels.  The economy has a a good launch pad to get away from the recession that is all but certain.

Hopefully, I am wrong on the recession part.

This virus began in Southern China and spread to Italy and from there to the rest of Europe.  Just like the Bubonic Plague of the 1300s, it has followed the same path.

Eerie.

Things are shut down and there are shortages, but remember two things.

(1) This too shall pass

(2) Wash your hands!

XFL 2.0

The XFL relaunched and this version is a different animal from the "outlaw biker league" from 2001.  This version appears to be running with the "quirky spring league" approach. So far, it is pretty interesting.

I did not like the kickoff rule when it was first explained, but after seeing it in action, I think it could work even in the NFL. and we can avoid some CTE injuries.

I like the fact that the league put a team in St' Louis, which watched the Rams leave after their demand for a new stadium was rejected by a city that was bankrupt.  The XFL Battlehawks seem to love the old stadium.

I hope this league lasts.  I think it is great to have an alternative Spring football league so that some people can try to get to the NFL or CFL and even if they do not, they get to play pro football at some level.

I like the Tampa Vipers' horrifying green uniforms.  Naturally they are 0-3 but that elusive first win is around the corner!

No threat to my Pittsburgh Steeler loyalties :-)

What was the point?

What was the point of this whole impeachment stuff?  We knew that the President would not be removed.  We knew the case was flimsy.  We know that a trial without witnesses or the ability of the accused to face his accuser was unconstitutional.  And we know that the millions of dollars wasted here could have been used for something useful...like helping people in some way.

This was embarrassing for the entire country and I am glad it is over.

Of course, the partisan rancor will be worse.

George Washington warned America in his Farewell Address about the dangers of "factions."

Time for our esteemed (?) Congress to reread it.

Assuming they can read.

Looking forward to the new XFL

Virginia's doomed gun laws

This guy wants to take your Second Amendment away

Ralph Northam, governor of Virginia and questionable race relations credentials, has created a firestorm that has alienated almost every county in Virginia.  "Red flag"laws are susceptible to abuse and the mass civil and polite disobedience will render and pronoucement from Richmond as the hot air it usually is. 

Also kind of hard to take the moral high ground when you have a picture of yourself in blackface and with a Klan hood.

So why is he still in office?

Where are the liberal protesters?

If he had any sense, he would have met the gun rally and talked with them and try to find common ground.  Instead, he declares a state of emergency, shouts about neo-Nazis and surrounds the State Capitol with a fence.

What happened? 

A calm peaceful rally where people of all races had a great time.

Of course, having no Antifa helped.  No Antifa was going to show up at a rally with 20,000 plus gun owners and start anything.

The Northam gun laws will be ignored and Virginia's governor will remain a hypocrite and coward.

Freedom of speech.

Get used it.

Harry and whatsherface...I don't care.

And neither should you.

We fought a revolution to get away from this idiocy.  And I get the feeling Canada does not want anything to do with it either.

I think the main source of angst is that the feeling that these two are entitled and want to be paid for not working.  I don't blame them, but the Royal Family is a pretty good job to have...basically tax-funded parasites.

Just like our government...

The British press is usually all over the royal family,  So what.  Ignore them and move on.  No need to run from them.  They don't remember what they write anyway and neither does anyone else.

Above all, don't bother me with it.

Looking forward to Brexit!

US vs Iran--Not going to happen

Despite some extremist (left and right) fantasies, there will not be a war with Iran.

Neither side is that stupid.

The United States will not invade Iran, a large country with mountains and deserts and over eighty million people.  Holding and occupying such a place would be a nightmare as we have seen in Iraq and Afghanistan.  The American people are tired of Middle Eastern wars.

And we are broke.

The worst the Iranians can do is launch some terrorist attacks which are essentially pinpricks and we can destroy their navy fairly quickly.  In the end, both sides are still standing and glowering at each other.

Any attempt by Iran to halt oil shipments through the Straits of Hormuz will result in the destruction of Iran's navy and oil industry as US airpower hit everything on the Iranian coast and work inland. 

Granted, history is full of wars that should not happen, but I really cannot see the United States attacking Iran without a major attacking hitting American forces.  Both sides will suffer a lot of damage and nothing changes in the long run.

If you are not willing to go out and destroy the enemy, don't bother.

No point for either side on this one.