We've Had a Really Good Run for a Long Time

But, that may now be over.

Some - mostly Progressive - would call that our Good Economic Fortunes. In the United States, we've - mostly -  be near the top of the ladder, when it comes to the way that our average citizens live.

Is EVERYONE rich?

Of course not. But, overall, the average American lives in comfortable, spacious housing, is fed lavishly in terms of calories (personal choices may make those low-quality calories), and is able to both avoid work for their entire childhood, and to retire at an age that will be followed by DECADES of leisure time.

Just how much extra money is available for individuals is, again, and individual decision, but almost everyone is provided for. Those who have no savings, and did not prepare well, may have to accept public housing assistance, or supplement their SS with food stamps, heating assistance, and Medicaid benefits. But, that's still living off the street, well-fed, and warm/cool, as needed.

We've had a long time of freedom. Able to travel freely on the roads and air, only needing a passport in the last few years for all international travel (both Mexico and Canada need passports now, as do the Caribbean islands that formerly had relaxed programs for day-trippers).

We had avoided the internal passport for in-country travel for most of my life. That's what the Covid passport amounts to (although I  noted that my most recent trip back to SC did not involve showing my shot record - perhaps that's already on my Federal Record).

Theft and graft had usually been limited to the largest cities (run by Democrats), and very small towns (also, coincidentally, run by Democrats). In most of the USA, the police are helpful, the judiciary is fair, and most parts of government will be reasonable and work with you to achieve your aims.

Our life span had lengthened, so much so that we were forced to raise the age of retirement for full SS credits. Otherwise, the fund would run out of money (sooner).

No more. The extremely elderly, particularly those with 2 or more 'co-morbidities' (those conditions that can lead to an expensive and sick old age, and a shortened life) were the ones that died off from Covid.

Not the young (unless having other conditions).

Not the working-age population (unless having other conditions).

The old. Who, normally, would be retired, receiving SS benefits, and hanging around until their kids were near retirement age themselves.

In less than a century, medical advances, and the willingness of insurance companies to pay for them, had extended elderly lives an average of 10-20 years past previous life expectancies.

Like a lot of people, I do suspect that is why measures were taken during the Covid epidemic that seemed counter-intuitive to a goal of reducing the impact of the illness, and minimizing the damage of the disease.

Like many, I do question the utility of forcing those admitted to go on ventilators. That practice is strongly corelated with rising risk of dying.

Like many, I do question the wisdom of forcing younger Americans to 'take the shot' to be able to attend school. 

Like many, I think the absolute panic of many teachers and staff in schools is unwarranted. Those at high risk could be encouraged to retire, if near enough to that age. Others, such as pregnant women could be given an extended period of leave. Both practices would go a long way to minimize risk.

I'm nearly 71 years old. While I'm looking forward to a long life, I would rather take a risk on dying sooner, rather than destroy the economy, imprison the young, and subject couples to the risk of infertility/birth defects caused by Covid serums.

12/30/2021 - 8:44 am

I'm reviewing this future post while also watching the Victor Davis Hanson interview on Breitbart. In it, he makes a point that is related to one that I've posted about before - that the USA of current manifestation is returning to a Plantation-type economy and social structure - racialist, with no middle class, and few inalienable rights for the average inhabitant.

The biggest change, and the one that bodes ill for American citizens, is the drive to eliminate the distinction between residents - whether illegal or legal - and citizens. If there is no EFFECTIVE difference, we - the citizens of this country - could end up being ruled by colonists in our own land.

It's not that we are anti-immigrant. I don't know any American, no matter how long in this country, who does not tear up at the videos of citizenship ceremonies.

It's not that we are anti-POC (People of Color).

It's not that we are hostile to those with different cultures, religions, languages.

It's just that we are resistant to those who would discriminate against US for our language, our culture, our race, our religion.

They would have us without the right to keep our own traditions, and have them respected.

They would have us treated as though we are innately stupid, easily led by others, and use our religion to force others to comply with the rules of our beliefs. They would treat us as credulous children, incapable of managing our own lives, needing to be told how to act, what to do, how we may travel, and what we may buy.

Children. And, not-very-bright children, at that.

The Future of Amateur Radio

I think there is little doubt that the Left (Literal Effin’ Forces of Tyranny) seeks to control all human communication on Earth. To do that, they need to get America in compliance. 

Lots of luck with that. 

But, they have made substantial progress. They’ve captured the Legacy Media, Legacy 

Social Media, and made public displays of Dissidence an offense that costs people their jobs, their education opportunities, and their licenses to practice a trade. They’ve used their power over financial entities to shut down many alternatives to These forms of communications.

They’ve shut us in our houses, attacked those displaying signs ON THEIR OWN PROPERTY, and arrested people for Dissident Protests (when they weren’t using the cops to beat them mercilessly).

Amateur radio has been considered by some to be a viable means of connecting with others. Others in the resistance say that it’s control by government makes it a poor choice.  It’s regulated by FCC guidelines (although the training, licensing, and much of the local activities are managed by other amateurs).

Some preppers, suspicious of any connection to any government entity, refuse to get a license to operate a radio, instead choosing to operate in “pirate” mode. I do understand their concerns, however, I think it sometimes preferable to work with government, even if it gets you on their official radar.

I’m of the belief that both getting a license, and also joining a club are better choices. The license offers you both official sanction, but also the support of the radio community, should you be targeted by government (assuming you are operating under normal good practices).

The clubs ar3 intended for mutual support, and will generally be composed of operators at varying levels of expertise. One thing almost all have in common is a willingness to help others learn about, and enjoy the hobby. 

Shunning the Non-Compliant, AND Those Who Would Stand Up for Them

 This is a powerful series of posts on the social dynamics of the Vaccine Wars. I’d not read much of this guy’s work before, but I’ve put him on my Must Read List. 

Finally Connecting with Other Amateurs

I pulled out my HT (that stands for handy-talky, not walkie-talkie), and charged it up. I then got out the manual, and checked the programming. A good thing I did, as the ARS (automatic repeater shift) was wrongly set OFF. I tweaked a few other settings, then - an old trick that I'd not used in a while - set the Yaesu on an aluminum pie pan.

That seems to improve the signal sufficiently to pick up local contacts.

Which, it did. I listened for a while (it was a group chat), and, on the second day, managed to slip into it long enough to verify who was active, that they met online most days, and that one of the operators had a YL (female ham) for a wife.

It's slow, getting back. Some of the time, I'm just scanning and listening. At other times, I'm getting back to the manual, and refreshing myself with the choices that can be set (Yaesu's are great - sturdy and with many operation modes - but they can be challenging to learn to use).

I looked on YouTube, and bookmarked a few channels I wanted to watch over the next few months - how to use WIRES-X, programming the radio selections, and tech talks for beginners.

I'm Done - As Is Most of the World - With Covid

After months of protest, I gave in last March, and got the first Covid shot. I had to travel 5 hours - one way - to a city that had openings in their schedule. It was a killer trip, which I had to repeat a month later.

But, I did, and had no side effects (although I was at high risk of them, having demonstrated strong reactions to substances, including antibiotics and other meds).

But, now, the "experts" are claiming that we ALL need a third, and maybe a fourth shot.

Horseshit.

Ain't gonna do that.

Now, as it happens, I have some background in science. I was a science teacher for many years, and, in the early days, taught general science, a catch-all that prepared students for Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Space, and Physics. As such, I had to have a broad background in all science disciplines.

When I moved to SC, I found that I would be teaching several sections of Biology, as well. That was NOT my strong point, so I needed to bone up on the subject. As a result, I got into the habit of reading books about diseases and other biology topics.

One book was on TB - as I recall, it was this one. Another, more general, traced the history of vaccines and immunizations.

Originally, the term "vaccine" was strictly used for the process by which people became smallpox resistant (not completely perfect, but it generally gave good protection). It used pus from people having suffered an infection of smallpox, which was dried (and presumably inactivated), and applying it via opening the skin through scratching until bleeding occurred.

It was NOT invented by Jenner, nor by any Western scientist or doctor - it was a treatment common in the Middle East (where they had suffered from the disease for centuries - it's mentioned in the Bible). That was the preventive treatment used by several influential people, who brought it back to the Western countries, including England.

In England, a less dangerous means of treatment was use of cowpox (occasionally, someone would actually get a case of smallpox from the inoculation, as sometimes happens today with immunizations). Cowpox was transmitted by cows, who got the characteristic pustules of all pox diseases (including chicken pox). The people most in contact with the cows would get a mild case, and therefore after, be much less likely to get smallpox.

Those people were women - called milkmaids - and gave them a reputation of having beautiful complexions (as they wouldn't be scarred by a smallpox infection).

BTW, the word vaccine comes from the Latin vacca (cow). It became associated with any inoculation or injection used to prevent disease after Louis Pasteur called his rabies cure a 'vaccine'.

How does this relate to Covid?

Natural immunities for a particular classification of disease, the various poxes, retroviruses, influenzas, rhinoviruses (colds), streptococcal infections, and others, will tend to provide protection for OTHER closely related illnesses.

Hence, the average person, having been exposed to many relatively mild strains of illness, will have what is called a "healthy immune system" - one that recognizes a wide variety of pathogens, and readily produces the appropriate natural substance for attacking and disabling the invader.

That doesn't happen as readily when people are given immunizations. The protection is not as long-lasting, complete, or providing protection against closely related infections. Such as the Covid shots.

Does that mean that I'm anti-vax?

Hell, no. If the disease is sufficiently dangerous - killing a significant percent of otherwise healthy people - then vaccines are the way to go.

If the disease is mild in most, but fatal to a sub-group of the population - the elderly, the immunocompromised, those with other medical conditions - then, give them the necessary shots, have them stay home during periods of high contagion, and prioritize the Public Health precautions and assistance to them.

Let those who are less likely to become seriously ill move more freely, being careful to take more precautions if they may come in contact with those who are most at risk. Let the least likely to become sick - generally, that's children above the age of 5 - mingle freely, and only remove them from school if they become actively ill. If the numbers get too high, TEMPORARILY close the school, and move to online learning. Use netbooks for those without access to computers, and set up access points in poorer neighborhoods.

Then, once the threat is over, come back to school.

Do NOT use 'testing' to decide who to isolate. These generate more false positives than true positives, and lead to prolonged school shutdowns. If a teacher or student feels ill, and tests positive, at that point, have them stay home. Don't hysterically test every person who came within 10 feet of them.

Teachers and nurses - if you might become pregnant, those may not be good fields for you to be working in - you, and your baby, are at higher risk. You might want to temporarily step out of that kind of work, and not expose yourself to disease. Am I saying that you CAN'T work in your field?

No. Just that you MIGHT want to discuss it with your family, and decide whether a short break might be in your best interests.

Just One Criticism of the "Infrastructure" Bill

I was reading, in Real Clear Politics, about one of the provisions in the bill:

Section 40541 provides “grants for energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy improvements at public school facilities,” while Title XI — “Clean School Buses and Ferries” — establishes a “clean school bus program and an Electric or low-emitting ferry pilot program.”

I realize that Sleepy Joe and the Gang have been living in relatively mild Washington, D.C. for some time. They may not be aware of the reality away from the coastal areas, where the weather is not moderated by the Caribbean Jet Stream, that sends warmer waters up the East Coast. 

That stream is why, when I went to Myrtle Beach in early June one year, I found the waters to be warm - really warm, almost body temperature. It was a pleasant surprise.

But, on the other hand, when we look at the average temps in New England, states along the Canadian border, and the Rockies, I gotta tell 'ya,

It's pecker-freezing cold most of the winter.

Because of this, I'm well aware that starting the school buses, which, despite being run on gasoline or diesel, are started up via the same means that all cars are, an electric ignition starter.

Even when the buses are stored in garages, it can be a challenge to get them to turn over.

I knew what would happen with an electric vehicle. You'd be closing school every time the thermometer hovered around the mid-20s (which, for those of us still using Fahrenheit, is BELOW freezing). Never mind when the temps plummeted below that.

Now, how realistic is that scenario, in this "time of global warming"?

In 2020, in January, 16 days fell below freezing.

In 2019, same month, 22 days.

The mean low temperature for January is 22.3.  

Which means that a LOT of kids would be stuck waiting for the bus, in freezing weather, for extended periods of time.

Or, more likely, the parents would have to take them, in their individual, big-ass, non-electric vehicles. Thereby defeating the purpose of the electric school buses.

There are other things to dislike about the bill - a LOT - but this one hit a topic I know something about.

Amateur Radio for the Newb

Which, although I've had a license for 5 years, would be me.

I've been semi-active on UHF and VHF since the beginning. Just too busy for regular comms.

I bought an HF radio (for long-distance communication), but have seldom used it, even on 2 meter band. I was beginning to work HF this last summer, thanks to friends with good antennas, but I hadn't been able to persuade my husband to OK putting up the feed.

When I bought the house in Lorain, I looked into getting an antenna that could also be used in portable operations. I considered the magnetic-loop type, but members of my club warned me that they emitted a LOT of high-energy radiation (RF). So, I looked into vertical types.

And, I found the Eagle One vertical, made by a gentlemen in the lower part of OH. I ordered it, and it arrived in short order. I've only had it out 1 time since arrival - either I had other things I had to do, often away from home, or the weather didn't cooperate.

Well, today is free of rain/high winds, so I'll be putting it up and testing it out later today. I'd like to leave it up until a little later this evening, and take advantage of using bands that are more active at night.

The Abuses of Constitutional Rights Need to be Addressed

I realize that the courts will likely move slowly, the DOJ will flat-out laugh in their faces, and the Congress, under the control of the power-mad, senile, and bat-shit crazy Nancy Pelosi, will use the Constitutional to line her Depends. The media is either useless, or deliberately demonitized, deplatformed, and, if providing even the slightest resistance to the Official Narrative, FORBIDDEN to January 6 plea bargainers. [NOTE: I have not yet been able to verify this personally].

But, some ON! SOMEONE has to have the guts to stand up, other than we few, we happy few, band of bloggers.

One of the worst abuses is treating those using the 5th Amendment as though that was tantamount to admitting guilt. Presumption of innocence?

Hell, no!

In somewhat related news, we have FINALLY found a victim of theft that the Left can get outraged about. Rich people. Yes, it's true - someone robbed of their "Widow's Mite" can still rest assured that the criminal will, if caught, be given a slap on the wrist.

But should that same crook decide to make the job easier, and relieve some rich mope of a single item (MUCH easier to carry and fence), why, the Soros DAs are fully prepared to throw the book at him. Or her. Or any other miscreant.

Not that such a stance will affect "voting" the next time. The recent changes in election have eliminated the pesky need for policy approval on the part of the electorate. Who cares what the "Little People" think of the havoc your policies have created in their neighborhood?

It's Only...

Scroll down the link to read the litany.

And, on a different topic, it's ONLY another American company dumping Americans for foreigners.

Good thing I learned how to make granola last week - the recipe is here. And, it was good - VERY good. Now that I know how it's made, I'm planning to make a batch every week or so, and keep it on my shelves.

Sometimes I feel as though we are just surrounded by 2-year old children. You know how they are - they get their way because they have the stamina to be incredibly annoying, hour after hour, saying the same things over and over. At some point, you would give ANYTHING just to shut them up.

But, every time you do that, you just reinforce that whiny, obnoxious behavior. Hell, I'm not saying anything most of you haven't experienced in your lives. Either you HAD kids, or, and  for this I truly pity you, you knew a so-called adult who used the same tactical set to get their way.  Maybe it was a parent, sister/brother, spouse, or a boss - in those cases, you are - at least for a time - bound together with them, and trying to keep your sanity.

It only stops when you either walk away - temporarily or permanently - and disengage from that game.

If it's a kid, usually they learn that, no, you aren't putting up with all that. Most of them do, and generally turn out well.

If it's an adult, well, I'm less hopeful. For many of them, this was their go-to when thwarted. After a few decades of using the same method of interacting, I just don't think most of them are capable of change - by that time, they are almost hard-wired to keep doing the Same Old S--t.

We may need to turn out the Whiny Left for a LONG time, to begin to make that change happen. Or else, be prepared to walk away from them, and refuse to have any interactions with them - ever.

What I’ve Been Reading Lately

 Some fluff, some practical, some deeper topics. 

The fluff:

• Murder mysteries of the most airy kind, barely concealed crimes with a lot of romance mixed in.
• Pop culture
• Celebrity bios

The practical:

• Cookbooks - online and offline
• Home repair, sewing techniques/patterns, decorating tips
• Writing techniques, plot development
• Radio topics - these I’m taking in small bites. Very dense reading, mostly

Deeper topics:

• History
• Political theory, preferably not at night. I fall right asleep

One I picked up a long time ago - To Set the Record Straight: How Swift Boat Veterans, POWs, and the New Media Defeated John Kerry, is my go-to reading when taking a break. The story is familiar enough to keep me engaged, yet continues to surprise me with new information about the events that brought in Bush II.

The beauty of reading history is that it gives you background on how things today got started, takes your mind off immediate worries, and keeps your brain active.

Better than stewing about the chuckleheadeded politicians busy paying off their donors, running the economy into the ground, and personally enriching themselves.

What is the Minimum Duty of a Decent Person?

I'm referring to what a person who would characterize themselves as moral would believe is the very least that he owes to his society.

If he is in a group, and some of them begin playing "He deserves it" pile-on towards one of the group, do you step up, and point out that they are being abusive and bullying towards that person? Do you point out that the person maintaining civil interactions should receive an apology? That their mud-slinging insults were unworthy of an adult?

Or do you just try to stop the interactions entirely, asking for "everyone to stop arguing"?  Are you satisfied to simply get the active fighting to end?

The thing is, though, as long as the bullies aren't called out on their abusive ways, they will continue to use those tactics. By simply shutting down the fight, you haven't stopped the ill-feeling:

• On one side, there are people who feel entitled to insult, berate, and slander their opposition. And, that defending the object of their assault makes you a valid target for the next round of attack.
• On the other hand, there is the person who was attacked, who is due an apology (at a minimum), but, thanks to your acceptance of a cease-fire, won't get it. He will be urged to "make friends", despite them having insulted him and abused him.

Neither side will thank you. They will be primed to re-start the fight later, and you can bet you won't be invited to the show.

Those who call themselves "peacekeepers" are the most likely to want to end the fight without a true resolution. They fail to see that the issue is NOT the differences that have erupted into a head-to-head discussion, but that both sides were not conducting themselves equally. Ground rules have to be established, AND ENFORCED EQUALLY FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS. 

1. No personal insults. No name-calling. No slander.
2. One topic at a time. Keep to that topic until both sides have agreed that they have reached the end of it, or until one side quits the discussion.
3. One on One - all others must sit down and SHUT UP!
4. Those not debating must act decorously; failure to do so means immediate ejection, and banishment from the forum/group for a time.

That's a minimum. The very least that an American citizen has to expect from any forum, whether public or private, government or otherwise. Larry Correia lays it all out here.

When Have You Ever Seen a Government Program that STAYS Temporary?

Short Answer: Never.

Longer Answer: Really, Never.

All of this is why I'm focusing on a couple of small things:

• Paying off my modest home
• Building up CA$H reserves - those that are under MY control, not the bank's
• Prepping - not only food, water, and other consumables, but also tools and equipment
• Helping my family to do the same
• Re-building the local connections (after having lived out of the state for many years, I've lost touch with a few people)
• Improving fitness (yeah, I know - I'm one of the MANY who vow to do that, every year - then don't)
• Getting any necessary medical conditions dealt with
• Stockpiling a 6-month supply of meds; locating sources, once those are nearly depleted

I think it's clear to any thinking person that we ARE going broke. The only question is, when will the slow-motion collapse begin to accelerate? And, what will trigger the bug-outs in the smarter people (before the unprepared and panicked respond by turning highways into parking lots).

We might, indeed, get lucky. We might stop the decay, shore up the financial system, trim the fat in government, and return to a saner world.

But, probably not. So, HOPE and PRAY for the best, but PREPARE for the worst.

Should We Be Concerned About Systemic Racism?

Short Answer: Not Really.

Longer Answer: It's Complicated.

Does Racism, in fact, exist? Absolutely. But, is it something that all of American society needs to be concerned about?

Maybe not.

Here's some thoughts about this:

If Systemic Racism is such a problem, where should the responsibility for making the corrections needed to alleviate/eliminate it be placed?

You might think that this is a problem for Systems to deal with:

• Government
• Military
• Justice
• Education, particularly those schools/colleges that have benefited most from their Elite status, and from excluding people based on ethnicity
• Banking and other Elite institutions
• Geographic enclaves that have seen the most financial benefit from not being racially diverse

That's a starter list (feel free to add your own ideas in the comments).

Government

During and immediately after the Civil War, many state, local, and federal authorities put a lot of work into making sure that color-based barriers to access were eliminated. That included setting up Freedman's Bureaus, whose main purpose was to help the newly freed slaves to get access to housing, food, medical care, and other needs. They also established schools and provided legal assistance. Many of those working in the FB were current or former Union soldiers.

Military

The US military was one of the FIRST groups, post-WWII, to be open to servicemen/women on an equal basis. It wasn't an easy change. After Reconstruction was over, the Federal government kept Black men out of many units, or assigned them to support positions. In WWII, under Wilson (Democrat), the military was specifically segregated.

Even when Black men could serve, they were often openly discriminated against. The location of many military bases in the South made it tough for them to take advantage of recreational time, house their families, and take of their personal business off-base without harassment.

But, once the Federal government accepted the goal of integrated units, the military became one of the best ways for Black men to get ahead - whether on the job, educationally, or in terms of post-service benefits.

Justice

This is one area that has left mixed outcomes. True, many Black people have moved into jobs in this career path, from police to the court system, to lawyers. The Civil Rights bills made it less likely that Black people would be railroaded to prison on flimsy evidence.

But, the concern about rising crime, and its connection to the illegal drug trade brought in changes that put a lot of people in prisons - Black and White - and made it hard for them to re-establish themselves after (given the ban on those with drug felonies getting financial aid for college, working in schools, or getting just about any federal money). A short sentence could lead to years of unemployment, and no way out.

Additionally, carrying large amounts of cash (much more common among non-White people), could lead to confiscation (the price paid to NOT be arrested for involvement in the drug trade). Add to that, the confiscation of personal property, homes, cars, and other valuable possessions - BEFORE conviction - and you had people who were unable to hire a lawyer for lack of cash, making deals for less time.

Then, too, the increased fervor of the State to criminalize failure to follow civil  regulations has led to jamming up the judicial system with questionable cases that trim private property rights to a mere fraction of what they had been.

How does that lead to racism?

It does so, because, as the protection of rights under the first 10 Amendments to the Constitution become 'mere paper' and ineffective in keeping the government off our a$$, ALL Americans - even minority ones - without special access to special treatment by bureaucrats will find their ability to function without interference blocked. It hits the less monied Americans harder - and that would include a higher percentage of minorities.

Education

From the crappy quality of many city school systems, to the use of Affirmative Action to scrape the top ranked Black people into expensive private universities, the system has done them wrong.

Charter schools - realistically, the only alternative available to many concerned parents - have been demonized by the teachers unions.

If those White Elite stay in the public schools, the parents will move Heaven and Earth to make sure that THEIR child is in classes that largely exclude the lower classes - Major Work, Honors/Gifted & Talented/IB - whatever the system calls it, you know them when you walk into the classes, as, suddenly, you see where they've been keeping the Elite White kids.

In colleges, the biggest issue is Affirmative Action, which assumes that the ONLY reason that there aren't more Black people on Elite campuses is because they are deliberately being excluded. Therefore, a certain number/percentage of places are held for the most highly rated Students of Color that the administration can find. The problem of AA is that, if a student's skill level is not within range of those White people he is going to school with, he will be at a distinct disadvantage in STEM classes. Many who start off with that pathway in mind, eventually change majors, and graduate with a useless Liberal Arts degree.

The effect of AA on legal education has been extensively studied, and it's clear that, if a student starts with lower LSATS than the rest of the class, he may get a degree, but he is unlikely to pass the bar, without multiple attempts, if then. Whereas, if that same student was educated with others with similar scores, he will likely perform as well as any other student.

Banking/Finance

This is a VERY Elite White sector of the economy. Some Black people are successful (the film The Pursuit of Happyness was based on the life of one such), but the odds are against it. Most Black people don't have the connections, nor the family wealth to make it in those fields. For that matter, most non-Elite White people are no more successful than the Black people. It's just an Upper-Class Club, and non-Elites don't have the key.

Geographic Enclaves

No True Liberal/Progressive/Leftist wants to talk about this touchy subject, but the Well-Off Classes will spend a LOT to get away from the lower classes - particularly the Black ones.

There is a reason that Gated Communities are so popular, and it isn't because they welcome everyone. They are income-stratified, class-stratified neighborhoods that Keep The Non-Elite OUT!

Funny how the same Progressives who wax lyrically about the 'vibrancy' of the city, so often feel it necessary to move out of them, once they have children. Those that stay are BOTH living in secured building (both public police and private security will be deployed to make sure that no hint of violence, poverty, or crime touches their doorstep), and have the cash for private school for their precious offspring.

They just LOVE Black people - just not too close to them. Allowing too many to move into their neighborhood will affect their property values, and they just can't have that, now can they?

What do all of the above sectors of the American Life have in common?

Just about all are controlled by Democrats, Progressives, and those who want a many-colored rainbow of people - just not too close to them.

What Does Actual Race-Based Hate Look Like/Sound Like?

This is not as simple a question as it might seem to be. I suggest that you might start identifying it by closing your eyes, and listening to the words coming from that person's mouth. You might even want to picture that person being a different color, and see if your impressions are the same.

Summing up the Situation

Here, at The Tablet.

It's Friday. I have things to do this weekend. I need to do laundry, clean up the kitchen, work  on some Christmas prep.

I need to get making some calls, and deal with some financial/paperwork issues. Get to an ATM and get some cash. Gas up.

So, I won't be online as much today. Which is a GOOD thing.

I have, however, been active online long enough to see this.

And, with no surprise at the stupidity of modern women, this.

The very first task of a Non-Leftist administration should be to SHUT DOWN those agencies riddled with partisans. Turn any legitimate functions, such as technical analysis, over to a related, but less tainted agency. (The top 4 on the list below could be sent over to the US Marshalls). Let them hire any former employees if they need to fill slots - AFTER extensive vetting to make sure that they aren't importing tainted goods.

5-9 could be shut down completely. Any research in process can be offered to the affected states (much of that research is regional, or specific to a part of an industry).

The State Department is one that needs to be investigated. What ties exist between the long-term employees and foreign countries? Are they "on the take"? Do they have blackmailable incidents in their background? Are some just flat-out ideological enemies of America or spies? Find out, prosecute if necessary, and just let attrition - TARGETED attrition - take care of the rest.

My list:

1. FBI
2. AFTE
3. Justice
4. Attorney General's office - really, just about all of these people need to GO
5. Education
6. HHS
7. HUD
8. Energy
9. EPA
10. State
11. Consumer Affairs
12. FDA
13. CDC

That's just a short list.

In unrelated topics:

Do/should Black parents bear the same responsibility for making poor parenting decisions as White parents do? That's an excellent question.

There really is no reason that SOME people causing chaos in public, committing crimes, and generally making neighborhoods into hellholes, should be excused their crimes because of their color.

The idea that bail was intended to make sure that the accused showed up in court is just wrong. It was always intended to put violent criminals in jail, off the streets, and reduce the likelihood that they would strong-arm their victims to change their stories. All the high-flying words that dance around that basic concept are wrong, wrong, wrong.

Blaming Christianity and Traditional Values for Society's Ills

It's not new - Gibbon's Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire was highly popular in the Elite anti-Christian circles of the early 20th century.

And, yet, the factors that actually were quite damaging to society were not Christian, at all. Will Durant wrote:

The breakup of the old religion had begun long before Christ…Moral disintegration had begun with the Roman conquest of Greece [in the 2nd Century B.C.], and had culminated under Nero [in the mid-1st Century A.D.]; thereafter Roman morals improved, and the ethical influence of Christianity upon Roman life was largely a wholesome one. It was because Rome was already dying that Christianity grew so rapidly. Men lost faith in the state not because Christianity held them aloof but because the state defended wealth against poverty, fought to capture slaves, taxed toil to support luxury, and failed to protect its people from famine, pestilence, invasion, and destitution; forgivably they turned from Caesar preaching war to Christ preaching peace, from incredible brutality to unprecedented charity, from a life without hope or dignity to a faith that consoled their poverty and honored their humanity. Rome was not destroyed by Christianity, any more than by barbarian invasion; it was an empty shell when Christianity rose to influence and invasion came…. The political causes of decay were rooted in one fact—that increasing despotism destroyed the citizen’s civic sense and dried up statesmanship at its source.

As for Christianity's influence on a secular society, I offer you Telemachus, the lone monk whose death ended the gladitorial games of the Empire.