Fool Me Once…Part 2

History 9 Minutes

From: historycollection.com:

11. The nearly month long marathon, April 1, 1981

The British tabloid Daily Mail has long been criticized for its sensationalism, its practice of printing stories of a vague and frightening nature, and for its inaccuracies in reporting. It has also been the target of criticism for copyright violations from time to time. Its sensationalist nature provides it with cover, as it were, when some of its stories appear to be, shall we say, of questionable veracity. Such was the case on April Fools’ Day, 1981, when the paper reported a story of a Japanese long distance runner who had come to England for the London Marathon, and due to a misunderstanding, believed the race consisted of 26 days, rather than 26 miles. According to the Daily Mail, he was still running.

Kimo Nakajimi, the evidently quite fit runner, was reported by the newspaper as being “somewhere” on the roads of the United Kingdom, doggedly determined to complete the marathon. The misunderstanding was attributed to a translation error, but the race officials were unable to determine the exact location of the runner, in part because he was in constant motion. According to the article, numerous residents of the British Isles spotted the runner, who refused to stop when hailed. According to a race official quoted in the article, the misunderstanding was fed by the fact that such grueling endurance races were common in Japan, and thus seemed normal to Kimo.

12. Send in the brides, April 1, 1928

According to the Berlin Illustrated Newspaper in April 1928, the tiny principality of Liechtenstein suffered from a shortage of marriageable women, due to the migration of such ladies to neighboring Switzerland in search of work. To relieve the shortage, the government of Liechtenstein was importing women from other European countries, transporting them via freight cars. Once they arrived in the small country they were sold at auction to prospective husbands, eager to obtain brides. A photograph which accompanied the article depicted prospective brides being unloaded from the trains, and was considered by the men of Liechtenstein to be particularly offensive.

Most of the women shown were of an inordinately large size, and the populace, government, and newspapers of the principality took the story as an insult. The government and newspapers denounced the story as an example of tactless German boorishness. The story was picked up by other European and American newspapers, and the hoax was blown out of proportion into an international diplomatic incident. The fact that so many other newspapers ran the story saw the photograph, which was considered by the Liechtensteiners the most insulting part of the story, reproduced worldwide.

13. BBC broadcasts aromas via television, April 1, 1965

On April Fools’ Day 1965 the BBC announced a new dimension to their television broadcasts. An interview with a scientist from the University of London revealed that he had perfected a machine which allowed for the broadcast of odors from the studio to receiving sets, with no modification of the sets required. The entire process was completed in the studio, where his machine absorbed the molecules of the aromas and transmitted them over the airwaves. The scientist agreed to a demonstration of his machine, using the pungent aroma of raw onions and the fragrance of freshly brewed coffee, both of which were inserted into his machine. Viewers were asked to call in when they detected the scents.

It didn’t take long before the telephones were ringing in the studio. Scores of viewers from across the United Kingdom called in to report that the machine – which was called smell-o-vision – was a success. Some viewers reported the smell of onions was so strong that it caused their eyes to water. That smell-o-vision was a carefully conceived April Fools’ Day hoax was revealed after the BBC received a multitude of calls from viewers apparently readily susceptible to suggestion. The concept has been revisited in film and television since, though through the use of peripheral equipment rather than the aroma being broadcast through the television receiver.

14. The Night Watch self-erasure, April 1, 1950

Among the most famous paintings in the world, and noted for its large size, The Night Watch by Rembrandt von Rijn is beloved by the Dutch as a national symbol, as well as a source of national pride. It is widely considered to be the greatest masterpiece of the period known as the Dutch Golden Age. On April 1, 1950, Dutch citizens were stunned to learn, via radio, that the painting was dissolving of apparently its own accord, with little opportunity of its being saved. According to a broadcast of the Dutch national radio network, the painting was inadvertently cleaned with a harmful cleaning fluid, and was melting throughout the day. Already unrecognizable, by midnight it would be gone.

The radio broadcast caused hundreds of art lovers and students to race to the Rijksmuseum, where the painting was housed, in order to view it one last time. The length of time waiting in the queue was hours, and VARA – the Dutch national radio network – had reporters working the line, interviewing those waiting to see the painting live on the air. Many were in tears. They exited the building through an opposite door so as not to reveal to those still waiting the painting was fine and the story was a hoax. The Night Watch has been the subject of vandalism several times, and in 2019 was schedule for a full restoration, to take place while the painting remained on public display.

15 The rain-proof BMW sunroof, April 1, 1983

The German car manufacturer BMW has a long tradition of presenting advertisements on the first of April which are deliberate hoaxes, leading their fans to expect them and limiting their efficiency as a joke, since it is well-known and expected of them. That was not the case on April Fools’ Day, 1983, when magazine and newspaper advertisements revealed their latest innovation in luxury. The company announced a new sunroof, which drivers could leave open in the hardest rain while the interior of the vehicle remained dry. According to the ads, the car could be driven through an automatic carwash with the top open, the occupants protected by the new design.

BMW claimed that the new sunroof was designed by one of their engineers, identified by the company as Herr Blohn. The system used high volume air blowers to direct a jet of air across the opening, which diverted water from entering the vehicle. Those potential customers who wanted additional information were directed to telephone customer service and direct their call to April Wurst (pronounced versed). Since the 1983 April Fools’ Day advertisement BMW has produced many more such jokes, inspiring similar tongue in cheek advertisements and announcements by competitors.

16. A Martian in Germany, April 1, 1950

Those who subscribe to UFO conspiracies will be dismayed to learn that one of the photos of an extraterrestrial which purports to support evidence of alien contact began as an April Fools’ Day joke in a German newspaper. It began with a photograph of an alien which appeared in a Wiesbaden newspaper accompanying an article which described the crash of a UFO discovered by American soldiers. The alien, alive, had been taken into the soldiers’ custody. Several days later the newspaper published an announcement describing the article and photograph as an April Fools’ Day joke. By that time a copy of the photograph was in the FBI’s voluminous files.

In 1980 the photograph was obtained by the authors of the book The Roswell Incident, Charles Berlitz and William Moore. They presented the photograph as proof of an alien encounter, which had been hushed up by the United States military. The German photographer who created the picture, as an April Fools’ Day hoax, later revealed that the “alien” was actually his then five year old son, costumed and posing with amenable American soldiers. The revelation has not stopped those who believe it to be a photograph of a genuine extraterrestrial from continuing to present it as proof that earth has been visited by aliens and governments continue to create cover ups to deny the fact to citizens.

17. Using pigs as lard factories, April 1, 1921

The Germans, through their newspapers, have a long and distinguished history of producing April Fools’ Day hoaxes, some more believable than others. In April, 1921, a Berlin newspaper produced a story which explained how a particularly innovative farmer derived lard from his pigs without killing them. The lard was removed surgically from the living animal, which was then stitched up to presumably produce yet more lard. The animal was numbed during the procedure, which could be performed up to three times per year, making the animal a living lard factory. First British, and later American newspapers reprinted the story and enhanced it.

For over a year the story remained in play. The farmer who discovered the process had been described as living in the town of Schleichegrieben. Once it became apparent that no town of that name existed in Germany British newspapers began to question the story. The name of the fictional town translated to sneaking bacon, another indication of the falsity of the story. The Berlin newspaper which originally published the story admitted it was an April Fools’ Day joke over a year after it first appeared, having fooled hardened news publishers in Europe and America, as well as their readers, for most of that time.

18. Creating write-only memory, April 1, 1973

It would be hard to imagine a purpose for write-only memory, which allows information to be stored but never retrieved. But on April 1, 1973, Signetics, a California based manufacturer of integrated circuit chips founded in 1961, announced that they had successfully developed write-only memory in a press release. A spokesperson for the company, Roy L. Twitty, called the innovation a major achievement which would have a beneficial effect on the lives of all who ever used computers. Signetics included technical data sheets describing the memory as part of the press release, comprised of meaningless diagrams and equations.

The concept became an inside joke within the industry, and was expanded upon by other manufacturers and engineers, including Apple, which included references to it in their reference manual for the Apple IIe computer in 1982. Apple claimed that the concept of write-only memory was developed under a government contract in 1975, and that it had been criticized as a “six-million dollar boondoggle” but that the device allowed for the storage of “excess information”, and thus saved millions of dollars by freeing up conventional memory storage systems for other uses. The concept remains an allusion to a totally worthless device or idea.

19. The lamp which cast darkness, April 1, 1955

Popular Electronics published their April issue for 1955 including an article which described the concept of “Contra-Polar Energy”. Contra-polar energy was described as negative energy, which when applied to any electronic or electrical device would cause it to produce the exact opposite of what it was designed to produce. In other words, if applied to a light bulb, the bulb would cast darkness rather than light. An electric element on a stove would become ice cold rather than generate heat. The energy could act as a brake on an electric motor. According to the magazine the energy was developed secretly by the military during the Second World War.

The magazine included a photograph which depicted a table lamp creating darkness on the surface on which it rested. The article also contained a disclaimer, which directed the readers’ attention to the fact of its being published on the first day of April. Nonetheless, interested readers continued to write to the magazine for additional information for years. In 1959 Popular Electronics was forced to issue a statement which indicated the article had been an April Fools’ Day joke, and continued demand for more information led to their doing so again in 1963, eight years after its original publication.

20. London’s Big Ben converted to digital, April 1, 1980

Once again, in 1980 the BBC perpetrated a hoax in celebration of April Fools’ Day which bemused some and outraged others. Clocks and watches with digital faces rather than traditional dials were all the rage in the late 1970s and early 1980s. On April 1, the BBC reported that in accordance with the times the famed London hallmark, Big Ben, would be equipped with a digital face replacing its dial. The report included much of the history of what is arguably the world’s most famous clock, and closed with the announcement that the hands would be given away to listeners on a first come, first served basis. Calls from around the world began immediately, hoping to obtain a relic of the clock.

Not all of the calls were about gaining one of the clock’s hands. The British public was outraged at the idea. The volume of calls and the anger expressed in them forced the network to issue a statement that the entire report had been an April Fools’ Day joke. That announcement merely increased the numbers of calls into the BBC, from viewers and listeners who did not find the joke the least bit funny. The BBC issued several apologies for the gaffe. The joke has been repeated over the years by British tabloids and magazines, with reasons for the conversion given as an effort to boost tourism and the need to upgrade the clock, but never with the overwhelmingly negative reaction expressed in 1980, which gives an indication of the credibility the BBC held with the public at the time.

SOURCE: HISTORYCOLLECTION.COM

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Published by pat frederick

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135 thoughts on “Fool Me Once…Part 2”

    1. Congrats! I am here to serve, my dear! Still cloudy, w/light rain & dreary, but at least the temp is above freezing @ 41. Michael has his cantaloupe tank ready for planting already. Still have a couple of nights with predictions of the 20’s so it’s still a bit too early….but soon….very soon. Wheezer was waiting this morning and seemingly in a good mood – he kept rubbing against my legs and let me pet him more.

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Morning Filly!
        couldn’t do this without you filling in!
        just got back from mailing them, so i can clean finally! the fleece fuzzies get everywhere when you sew–bothers my nose some too…lol

        Liked by 2 people

    1. Just The News: “Democratic candidate Susan Crawford is projected to win the race for Wisconsin’s open Supreme Court seat on Tuesday, securing majority control for the liberals after a hotly-contested election that saw MAGA heavyweights stump for the Republican.

      The Associated Press called the race at 10:16 p.m. Eastern for Crawford, who leads with 55.9% of the vote, and 69% of precincts reporting. Republican Brad Schimel trailed with 44.1% of the vote.

      The race marked the first statewide election in a battleground state following Trump’s 2024 victory and drew national attention, not just due to its potential to gauge support for opposition to the administration, but also because of its implications for the state. The Dairy State’s top court currently boasts three liberals and three conservatives, with the vacancy arising due to a liberal judge retiring.

      MAGA figures such as Scott Pressler and Elon Musk campaigned vigorously on behalf of Schimel in the lead-up to the election.”

      Liked by 1 person

        1. Replacing another democrat so really not surprising, to be honest, altho I have no doubt there were shenanigans utilized.

          Liked by 1 person

    2. EXCERPT: “….The battle between conservative Waukesha County Circuit Judge Brad Schimel and liberal Dane County Circuit Judge Susan Crawford to replace retiring Justice Ann Walsh Bradley has been anything but your normal off-year election. Billionaires from both sides of the political spectrum—think Elon Musk on the right, George Soros on the left—spent millions of dollars on the race, as Republicans sought to secure a conservative majority on the court and Democrats looked to stop their free fall in the age of Trump 2.0.

      On a brighter note for all those who value fair elections, Wisconsinites voted in favor of an amendment to the state constitution that will permanently enshrine the state’s 2011 law requiring voters to provide personal identification in order to vote….”

      https://redstate.com/terichristoph/2025/04/01/breaking-winner-declared-in-wisconsin-supreme-court-election-voter-id-amendment-passes-n2187373

      Liked by 1 person

  7. Think for Yourself
    @PhilipBLee
    This video clip of Senator Kennedy provides alot of useful information. I tried to net it out for you and provide a concise summary.

    1. Senator Kennedy establishes that there is no statutory basis for a federal judge to issue a National Injunction.
    2. Senator Kennedy establishes that there is no Supreme Court Opinion that allows a federal district court to issue a Nationwide Injunction.
    3. Yet, district court judges do this all the time,
    4. If the plaintiff wanted to a National Injunction, they would have to file a class action lawsuit.
    5. Why don’t plaintiffs file class action lawsuits then?
    6. Because they could not comply with “rule 23” to establish a “class”.
    7. So therefore, the plaintiff is unable to file a class action lawsuit.
    8. So they prefer to seek a National Injunction and find the most favorable district court judge (aka. judge shopping)
    9. In 20th century, only 27 National Injunctions were issued.
    10. There were 86 National Injunctions issued against the first term of the Trump administration.
    11. In the second term of Trump administration (about 10 weeks), there have been 30 National Injunctions issued against them (at 3/week that would equate to about 624 in a four year term).

    My summary –

    There is no legal basis for national injunctions and there are no supreme court precedents for national injunctions.

    From 1900-2000, there were 27 national injunctions issued. Trump’s first term had 86 national injunctions and at the current rate of 3/week, there will be over 600 national injunctions projected.

    This is ridiculous at its face. No administration can function when there are an average of 3 national injunctions a week issued.

    Either Congress or SCOTUS must reign in these lawless district court judges issuing national injunctions without a class action lawsuit.

    Did you enjoy my summary? If you do, please like and repost. Thank you.

    Liked by 2 people

  10. “Giffords Absolutely Loses it Over Texas Bill that Will Do Nothing”

    Bearing Arms | Tom Knighton | 12:29 PM | April 01, 2025

    AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File

    ENTIRE ARTICLE: “I’ve never really pegged any of the gun control groups as being particularly rational. After all, they cater to emotions with pretty much everything they do, with the odd exception of when they try to conduct “research.” Then they cater to hilarity.

    But I would think that they’d have better things to do with their time than completely lose it over bills that don’t actually seem to do anything. However, that doesn’t seem to be the case. On Monday, they posted this on X.

    But will the bill do anything about red flag laws or arm abusers? Well, let’s look at what’s reported in the story they cite for a moment.

    On Wednesday, the Texas Senate gave initial approval to a bill that would prevent red flag laws. It would ban governmental entities from enforcing extreme risk protective orders, or red flag laws, unless the Legislature passes such a law.

    Senate Bill 1362, by State Sen. Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola), received initial approval from the upper chamber on a party-line 20-11 vote. Red flag laws allow judges to order a person’s guns to be removed if they are found to be a threat to themselves or others.

    Hughes dubbed the bill the “Anti-Red Flag Act.” He said it is designed to ensure that people’s firearms are not taken away from them without due process.

    “Texas law allows a law enforcement officer to take into custody someone who appears to be a danger to take that person into custody that’s not affected by this bill,” Hughes said. “This does affect constitutional rights that would otherwise be taken away without due process.”

    In addition to barring state or local governments from adopting or enforcing red flag policies, unless authorized under state law, the bill also declares any federal “Extreme Risk Protective Order” law is not enforceable in Texas if it infringes on constitutional rights. It prohibits state and local entities from accepting federal funds intended for red flag law enforcement.

    Yes, that’s right, they’re complaining about a bill that will keep local governments from enforcing gun control laws that simply don’t exist, unless the state makes them exist, then they’re enforceable.

    Oh, sure, it says that even a federal law is unenforceable, but based on what we’ve seen in other places that have tried to argue federal laws are unenforceable have been shot down in court, I find it highly unlikely that this would be any different. Especially since there’s no federal red flag law in place and there’s unlikely to be one at any point in the near future unless something truly bizarre happens in the midterm elections.

    So what we have is a bill that doesn’t do anything, which means it’s mostly a waste of time, but Giffords’s reaction to it is downright hilarious. Moreover, the crowd that tends to follow them and hang on every word they post on X will accept this and buy into it completely.”

    Liked by 1 person

  11. Just The News: “The Army on Tuesday released the names of three of the four soldiers who died in Lithuania last week, during a training exercise in the Baltic country.

    The three soldiers have been identified as 25-year-old Sgt. Jose Duenez of Joliet, Illinois; 25-year-old Sgt. Edvin F. Franco of Glendale, California; and 21-year-old Pfc. Dante D. Taitano of Dededo, Guam. They were all part of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division. The fourth soldier has not been identified so far, but he has been confirmed dead, the White House said Tuesday. 

    “This loss is simply devastating,” Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie, 3rd Infantry Division commanding general, said in a statement reported by the Air Force Times. “These men were honored soldiers of the Marne Division. We are wrapping our arms around the families and loved ones of our soldiers during [this] incredibly difficult time.”

    The soldiers were all part of a maintenance mission with an M88A2 Hercules armored vehicle to recover another Army vehicle at a nearby training area. Their vehicle was later found submerged in a peat bog.

    Franco, who has been in the Army for six years, was an M1 Abrams tank system maintainer. Tatiano and Duenez were also reportedly M1 Abrams tank system maintainers, with Duenez serving more than seven years with the Army and Tatiano serving nearly two years. Tatiano was on his first deployment at the time of his death.

    An investigation into the incident is still ongoing.”

    Liked by 1 person

      2. Just The News: “The White House on Tuesday announced the body of a fourth U.S. soldier recently gone missing in Lithuania has been recovered.

        The U.S. military on Monday confirmed the deaths of the other three soldiers, after their armored vehicle was apparently swallowed by a peat bog. The announcement followed several days of international confusion about whether the soldiers were missing or found dead. They were reportedly on a mission to repair and tow an immobilized tactical vehicle.

        “Tragically, three soldiers were found deceased in Lithuania yesterday, and it pains me to confirm that today the fourth soldier was also found deceased,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday

        The identity of the soldiers has yet to be made public.”

        Liked by 1 person

  12. Just The News: “First lady Melania Trump on Tuesday honored eight women with the International Women of Courage award, who showed “exceptional courage, strength, and leadership” in the face of adversity. 

    The ceremony took place at the State Department, and honored National Human Rights Commission President Henriette Da, Papau New Guinea activist Major Velena Iga, former Hamas hostage Amit Soussana, South Sudanese women’s rights leader Zabib Musa Loro Bakhit, Sri Lankan journalist Namini Wijedasa, Yemeni detainees advocate Amat Al-Salam Al-Hajj, Romanian disabilities rights activist Georgiana Pascu, and marine conservationist Angelique Songco, according to The Hill.

    The first lady commended the women on their bravery, highlighting how their hardships never stopped them from fighting for the things they loved.

    “Love has inspired me to embrace forgiveness, nurture empathy and exhibit bravery in the face of unforeseen obstacles,” Trump said. “Today, we celebrate courage — a strength that is based in love. We are honored to join an exceptional assembly of brave women who have shown their love and refuse to let fear or hardship define them. Their collective achievements and dedication move us all.”

    Attorney General Pam Bondi, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Small Business Administration Administrator Kelly Loeffler, attended the ceremony with other members of the Trump administration. 

    “To the women who are driven to speak out for justice even though their voices are trembling, to the women who are motivated to rise up for their community when others remain indifferent, to the women who feel compelled to heal wounds caused by hatred and cherish peace,” the first lady said. 

    “Their courage propels us of humanity forward by advocating to end violence against women and girls, promoting democratic governance, defending human rights, championing education and fighting injustice,” she continued. “Let their stories motivate us to take courageous steps, knowing that each act of love can spark a ripple of transformation.”

    Liked by 1 person

  13. I disagree with not requiring them to take the standard Hippocratic Oath! FIRST DO NOT HARM!!!

    Just The News: The University of Connecticut School of Medicine clarified Tuesday it would not require students to recite a diversity, equity and inclusion-flavored version of the Hippocratic Oath, according to a watchdog who called out the taxpayer-funded school two months ago for the apparently mandatory recitation at its “white coat” ceremony.

    “UConn’s medical school does not mandate nor monitor a student’s reciting of all or part of our Hippocratic Oath, nor do we discipline any student for choosing to not recite the oath or any part of it,” according to an email the school sent the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, as relayed by FIRE Tuesday to Just the News.

    “UConn’s medical students can now rest assured that they needn’t sacrifice their ideas or beliefs to practice medicine. Forced ideological oaths have no place on campus, and FIRE will continue to fight against compelled speech,” FIRE Program Counsel Ross Marchand said.

    FIRE spokesperson Jack Whitten said UConn did not convey how it’s communicating to students the DEI oath is voluntary and not monitored. UConn did not immediately answer a query from Just the News on that question.”
     

    Liked by 1 person

  14. Coy
    April 2, 2025 9:00 am

    https://survivalblog.com/2025/04/02/the-editors-quote-of-the-day-300/

    The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

    “In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person’s becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American. There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn’t an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag … We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language … and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people.” – Theodore Roosevelt, January 3, 1919. (Written just three days before his death.)

    Liked by 1 person

  15. https://www.msnbc.com/top-stories/latest/wisconsin-supreme-court-election-crawford-defeats-schimel-rcna198721

    Our Take: Losing the Wisconsin Supreme Court seat but winning the Voter ID ballot measure is not a real outcome. The system is fraudulent.

    Why are we advocating for funding infrastructure to support and perpetuate the fraudulent system? – Jon Herold

    ***

    Another Take: The fate of your entire world rests on what has already happened in Wisconsin tonight. The television will tell us whether we live or die, and that’s it.

    Nothing Can Stop What Is Coming unless we didn’t Scott Presler hard enough in another fake election. And I know it’s important. The winner of this fake election gets to decide whether elections keep being fake. (The answer is always ‘yes.’) – Chris Paul

    Liked by 1 person

    1. and that’s what they focused on. the fake election. what do you bet that they cheated to get this woman in the WI SC explicitly so she can rule that voter ID is unconstitutional?

      Liked by 1 person

  16. Fort Collins Resident Charged in Connection With Incident at Tesla Service Center in Loveland

    The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Cooper Jo Frederick, of Fort Collins, Colorado, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of Malicious Destruction and Attempted Destruction of Property by Fire, and one count of Possession of an Unregistered Destructive Device. The indictment was brought in connection with a fire at a Tesla Service Center in Loveland, CO, which investigators determined had been caused by an incendiary device. Frederick was arrested Friday, March 27, 2025, in Frisco, Texas.

    The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    The investigation is being handled by the Denver Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Loveland Police Department, with assistance from the Dallas Field Office of the ATF, the FBI Dallas Field Office, and the Frisco, Texas Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by the Violent Crimes and Immigration Enforcement Section of the United States Attorney’s Office.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. – The Department of Justice

    Our Take: Retards on the wrong side of the awakening spectrum are claiming apocalyptic overreach as the Trump DOJ goes after domestic terrorists with abandon. Keep in mind, these Low-T neophytes have likely been on lists for years.

    This isn’t their first rodeo. But it may be their last. – Burning Bright

    ***

    Another Take:

    Don’t think they make those in prison, Cooper. – GMONEY

    Liked by 1 person

  17. https://www.axios.com/2025/04/01/mike-johnson-anna-paulina-luna-proxy-voting

    Our Take:

    The Congress is fake and illegitimate. It doesn’t matter what stories they tell you about their “rules.” – Chris Paul

    ***

    Another Take: When I was a new mom, my work required me to travel regularly. Peak was Vietnamese customs with a breast pump. I wasn’t the first working mom to make sacrifices to do (what I believed at the time to be) an important job. I wasn’t the last.

    It was tough, but I didn’t have the good fortune of voting myself special exceptions to the job. I also didn’t get to fly private and bring my babies with me. The tone deaf millennial mommies in Congress fought super hard yesterday for unipartisan agreement on one of the most important issues of our time.

    No, not really. They don’t fight for our interests — not with any authentic fire. This was a grand coming together to vote themselves new perks and more relaxed rules. Like their healthcare and tax codes and insider trading.

    It was about them. It was about their self interest. Have we seen them fight this hard for our interests… ever? Nope. When it’s their own interests, every single one of them is Gloria Steinem. Poor, oppressed Congress Mommies who fly private and bring their babies to work, just out there fighting for equality and stuff. Hear them roar (from home — also, don’t schedule hearings during naptime).

    To add insult to injury, APL’s much-anticipated government secrets committee failed to reveal a single government secret yesterday, and it ended up being just as useless as predicted. Reportedly they had to end the hearing early because of the critical vote on the Mommies-Must-Zoom thing.

    Should we just replace our representatives with open source large language models? What are the trade-offs? – Ashe in America

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I had to go back to work after my son was born. I pumped milk for my mom to feed him until he was old enough to be formula fed. then he went to daycare. I had no work site day care. I paid for it while supporting myself and my son. these entitled women in congress need to go out in the real world. no wonder NOTHING gets done in Congress. they can’t multi task!

      Liked by 1 person

  18. Just The News: “A federal judge on Wednesday dismissed the corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. The judge in dismissing the case also denied prosecutors the ability to potentially bring the criminal case back after the mayoral election, according to The Associated Press. Judge Dale E. Ho dismissed the case “with prejudice.”

    Adams was charged with federal bribery, conspiracy, and campaign finance offenses in September, but pleaded not guilty to all charges. The Department of Justice formally requested in February that the corruption charges be dropped.”

    Liked by 1 person

  20. EXCERPT: “….As for Greene, she angrily aimed fire directly at Luna.

    “I think members of Congress need to basically leave their egos at the door and realize that this is an important job in the same way that soldiers go off and they’re deployed overseas, they come home and actually meet their babies for the first time and their babies are several months old,” she said in a video published to Twitter/X.

    “Members of Congress don’t have to be here. They don’t have to be here. Being a member of Congress is a privilege. You’re serving your district. There’s lots of seasons of life. I’m a mother, I’ve raised three children, and when my children were babies and were young, I prioritized them in that season of life,” she added.

    “Now, I serve in Congress because I’m not raising children, and I think that’s a really important point to make and if any member of Congress for any reason whatsoever finds them in a situation where they’re not able to do the job here, the important job we’re elected to do, they should step down because someone else can serve in their place,” Greene concluded…..”

    https://americanwirenews.com/speaker-johnson-furious-at-9-republicans-who-voted-with-dems-hijacked-trumps-agenda/

    Liked by 1 person

    2. Laura Loomer
      @LauraLoomer
      You are such a disingenuous woman.

      CONGRESS HAS ITS OWN DAYCARE!

      FREE DAY CARE FOR ANY MEMBER OF CONGRESS IS AVAILABLE!

      Just admit you’re a lazy, pathetic, sorry excuse of a woman and you don’t want to show up for work.

      You should have done us all a favor and used a condom if you were going to cry about showing up for work.

      Here’s a link to the CONGRESSIONAL DAYCARE INSIDE THE US CAPITOL.

      http://childcare.house.gov/home

      Liked by 1 person

  21. “The Geographical Center of North America may be off a few miles…Rugby, North Dakota or Center, North Dakota, or…”

    Strange Sounds, Apr 02, 2025

    “What is the geographical center of North America? Scientists are still debating…

    The U.S. Geological Survey determined in 1931 that a point near Rugby, North Dakota, was the center of North America. Their results have since become the official say on the matter, despite the disclaimer at the top of their memo that they had no good method for calculating geographical centers.

    Then, the town changed its seal to an outline of North America, with Rugby as a dot on it. Volunteers erected a 15-foot rock obelisk in town, near the intersection of U.S. Highway 2 and North Dakota Highway 3, where motorists passing by could see it.

    When U.S. 2 expanded to four lanes in 1971, the obelisk was moved a short distance away, and stands in a parking lot today.

    For decades, visitors have streamed into the town to take pictures of the site, lined with American, Mexican and Canadian flags, and to buy souvenirs to take back home.

    But Rugby’s claim was recently challenged by some residents of Robinson, a town about a hundred miles south.

    Yet another recent claim, put forward by a geography professor using a different method of calculation, puts the coveted point in the North Dakota town of… Center. Yep, you cannot make this up!

    Whether or not Rugby is actually the center of the entire continent, the monument continues to stand tall—so Rugby still enjoys the perks, if not the certainty, of being the continent’s center.

    Here’s an interesting video about the evolution of North America’s geographic center:

    Liked by 1 person

  22. “Trump Should Release The Audio From Robert Hur’s Interview With Joe Biden — Americans deserve the truth, even if it is one year too late.”

    The Federalist, By: Brianna Lyman, April 02, 2025

    President Joe Biden

    ENTIRE ARTICLE: “President Donald Trump has already given us thousands of files on the JFK assassination, and now he’s pushing for the Epstein files to see the light of day. But there’s something else we need from him — the audio from special counsel Robert Hur’s interview with Joe Biden.

    Hur declined last February to pursue charges against then-President Biden for retaining top-secret documents. Hur described Biden as an “elderly man with a poor memory” and said that “based on our direct interactions with and observations of [Biden], he is someone for whom many jurors will want to identify reasonable doubt.”

    “It would be difficult to convince a jury that they should convict him — by then a former president well into his eighties — of a serious felony that requires a mental state of willfulness,” the report continued.

    Hur also found Biden’s memory “appeared to have significant limitations” and said Biden was unable to remember the start and end date of his vice presidency. Biden could not recall specific dates in relation to his son’s death “even within several years” and had a “hazy” recollection “when describing the Afghanistan debate that was once so important to him.”

    The report undercut claims from the left that Biden was “sharp as ever” and possessed “strong mental acuity.” And surely if (as David Harsanyi wrote in these pages), “all of this is true … why [was] the president trying to suppress audio of the interview?”

    Of course it was because none of the Democrats’ carefully crafted illusion of a clear-headed commander in chief was true. In fact, Biden only further reinforced concerns about his mental state when he gave a speech about the report’s findings, accusing Hur of raising the topic of his son’s death.

    “How in the hell dare he raise that?” Biden asked — but it was Biden who brought up the topic, according to a transcript of the interview.

    Republicans issued subpoenas for a copy of the audio tapes after the report came out, with concerns raised as to whether the transcript was edited and does not match the audio. Such a concern was only bolstered when Hur later testified before the House Judiciary Committee in March of 2024 that the White House asked he make “certain edits” to the report.

    The Biden administration refused to budge, claiming executive privilege which in turn meant that then-Attorney General Merrick Garland had no requirement to turn the tapes over to Congress. But as Harsanyi noted, “we already have the transcripts of the conversation. How could the interview fall under executive privilege when we already know what was discussed?”

    To answer Harsanyi’s rather rhetorical question: Only if the Biden administration needed an excuse to hide the audio. And they’d only need an excuse to hide the audio if it, for example, veered from the transcript or if it would implicate Biden as being senile.

    Republicans voted 216-207 to hold Garland in contempt of Congress in June for refusing to turn over the audio of the interview. Republicans later failed to hold Garland in “inherent contempt” one month later.

    Yet while the administration was fighting to prevent the release of the tapes, Biden was only proving his defenders wrong. Biden was led off stage by his former boss, President Barack Obama, at a fundraising event and appeared forgetful and incompetent during his only televised debate with President Donald Trump. Biden later said he “almost fell asleep” during the debate.

    It’s clear the Biden administration was playing gymnastics trying to hide the audio tapes from the public so as not to incriminate Biden’s senility. But Americans deserve the truth, even if it is one year too late. So, Mr. President, please release the Robert Hur audio tapes.”

    Liked by 1 person

  26. “Canada’s list of retaliatory tariffs reads like an April Fools’ Day prank”

    Not The Bee, Mister Retrops, Apr 1, 2025

    “Well, Donald Trump has gone and stepped in it now. Canada just announced their retaliatory tariffs, and America is in real trouble.

    Just check out this list released by CTV News:

    • Primate, Camel, and Manatee meat
    • Dog coats, dog food and frozen dogfish fillets
    • Emus and other birds, decoy birds, and explosive bird-scaring devices
    • Tuned handbells, church bells and fitted cases for church bells
    • Veils, prayer shawls and burial shrouds
    • Asbestos and clothing made with asbestos fibers
    • Toilet seats, toilet sprays and toilet brushes
    • False beards, eyebrows, eyelashes and wigs
    • Bovine semen and the tubes, pipes and hoses used for storing it
    • Rocket launchers, flame-throwers and grenade launchers
    • Snuff, rolling papers and tobacco pipes
    • Accordions and accordion parts
    • Metronomes, tuning forks and pitch pipes
    • Diaries, encyclopedias and sample books of textile wall coverings
    • Traveling circuses and menageries

    Granted, there are also some serious items on the list, like cruise ships and spacecraft, but this still might be the most ridiculous tariff tiff in the history of the world.

    Ian Lee, a professor at Carleton University’s Sprott School of Business, says it’s purely political.

    ‘Why would you list such a plethora of small, obscure products?’ Lee asked CTVNews.ca. ‘I think it’s being driven by the need to produce visible optics, and so they can say, ‘Look, we’ve got six thousand, two hundred (items), we’re really going at this, we’re really sticking it to Donald Trump and the Americans.’

    Personally, I think it’s the manatee meat that will make President Trump cave first.”

    Liked by 1 person

      1. I’m thinking it was, indeed, an April Fools joke – manatees are protected in Canada and pretty much everywhere else. And no, Canadians don’t eat them. LOL

        Liked by 1 person

  27. Another take on a 3rd Presidential term for Trump – IMO, he is correct!

    EXCERPT: “….The key word there is “elected.” The argument goes that Trump and JD Vance could reverse roles in 2028, with Vance at the top and Trump at the bottom of the ticket. Presuming they won the election, once in office, Vance would resign the presidency and Trump would assume the office again. Clearly, in such a case, Trump would be president for a third term, but he wouldn’t have been elected president for a third term.

    As implausible as it may seem (would Vance or anyone really agree to sacrifice himself in such a way?), it’s also still a constitutional impossibility.

    Here’s why: The Constitution is bigger than the 22nd Amendment. Just because Trump’s loophole might slip him past the 22nd, doesn’t mean it can get him past the rest of our governing charter. And in this case, it’s the 12th Amendment that spoils things for the red hats.

    After a chaotic election in 1800, Congress proposed, and the states ratified a change to the electoral college system. In so doing, they spelled out additional details for the mode of electing the president and vice president, including this key provision:

    …no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States.

    And there’s your ballgame:

    • Having been elected twice, President Trump is now ineligible to be elected president again (22nd Amendment).
    • Since he is ineligible to be elected president again, he is ineligible to be elected vice president (12th Amendment).

    The supposed loophole is a mirage concocted by those either ignorant of the Constitution, or those who know the truth but are just having fun inflaming others who they know are ignorant of the Constitution themselves.”

    https://notthebee.com/takes/theres-no-loophole-there-wont-be-a-third-term-this-is-all-a-classic-trump-troll

    Liked by 1 person

    1. it’s constitutionally UNFAIR that one branch can dictate requirements, term limits, etc of another CO EQUAL branch. the President cannot force term limits on the aging degenerates in congress–nor can he force them to release their tax returns or release details about their many perks and slush funds.

      Liked by 1 person

          1. It was some of the Founding Fathers who changed it:

            “The 12th Amendment to the United States Constitution refined the manner in which the President and Vice President of the United States are elected by the Electoral College. Intended to address unforeseen political problems resulting from the presidential elections of 1796 and 1800, the 12th Amendment replaced the procedure originally provided for in Article II, Section 1. The amendment was passed by Congress on December 9, 1803, and ratified by the states on June 15, 1804.

            Before the 12th Amendment, the electors of the Electoral College did not cast separate votes for president and vice president. Instead, all of the presidential candidates ran together as a group, with the candidate who got the most electoral votes elected president and the runner-up becoming vice president. There was no such thing as a political party’s president-vice president “ticket” as there is today. As the influence of politics in government grew, the problems of this system became clear.

            The 12th Amendment requires that each elector cast one vote specifically for president and one vote specifically for vice president, rather than two votes for president. In addition, the electors may not vote for both candidates of a presidential ticket, thus ensuring that candidates of different political parties would never be elected president and vice president. The amendment also prevents persons who are ineligible to serve as president from serving as vice president. The amendment did not change the way in which electoral vote ties or lack of majority are handled: the House of Representatives chooses the president, while the Senate chooses the vice president.

            The need for the 12th Amendment is better understood when placed in historical perspective.”……

            “….Although complicated and broken, this system worked as intended during the nation’s first presidential election in 1788, when George Washington—who detested the idea of political parties—was unanimously elected to the first of his two terms as president, with John Adams serving as the first vice president. In the elections of 1788 and 1792, Washington received 100 percent of both the popular and electoral vote. But, as the end of Washington’s final term drew near in 1796, politics was already creeping back into American hearts and minds….”

            https://www.thoughtco.com/12th-amendment-4176911

            Liked by 1 person

            1. it was only a tradition until 1951

              Only one person, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, has ever served more than two terms as president of the United States. This is for two reasons.

              First, prior to Roosevelt’s election to a third term in 1940, there was a longstanding American tradition that presidents not serve more than two terms.

              This tradition was established by the decisions of early presidents such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison not to seek a third term. This tradition was later adopted by other presidents.

              Second, after Roosevelt died in office in 1945 during his fourth term, Congress and the people of the United States decided to turn the long-standing tradition that presidents should not serve more than two terms into a part of constitutional law.

              This was done through the passage and ratification of the 22nd Amendment, which became part of the U.S. Constitution in 1951.

              https://www.minnpost.com/community-voices/2025/04/why-a-presidential-term-limit-got-written-into-the-constitution/

              Liked by 1 person

  30. Ummmm….remember those sunglasses I couldn’t find? Yep – just found ’em buried in a pocket in my purse when I went looking for my pocket Constitution! ROFL – I knew they’d turn up somewhere!!!

    Liked by 1 person

  31. “Jeb Boasberg’s Selective Sympathies: While decrying the fate of Venezuelan illegals deported to a prison in El Salvador, Jeb Boasberg demonstrated no such concern over the dozens of Trump supporters he sent to federal prison over Jan 6.”

    Julie Kelly, Apr 02, 2025

    ENTIRE ARTICLE: “During a 2022 sentencing hearing for a man from Pennsylvania who had pleaded guilty to the petty offense of “parading” in the Capitol on January 6, D.C. Judge James Boasberg said he believed all participants involved in the four-hour protest should spend at least some time in federal prison. “There is a strong argument that anybody who was there that day deserves jail,” Boasberg told Gary Edwards, a 68-year-old with no criminal record, before sentencing him to probation and a fine.

    The mercy Boasberg offered Edwards, however, was an outlier; the Obama appointee sent the overwhelming majority of J6ers before him, including those convicted of low-level misdemeanors, to jail. Of the 70 J6 cases Boasberg handled, a review of the full January 6 sentencing record shows he ordered 55 defendants to prison, some for several years, for their role in what Boasberg routinely describes as an “insurrection.”

    At the same time, Boasberg demonstrated no concern for how supporters of Donald Trump would fare at some of the toughest federal penitentiaries in the country. In a 2024 sentencing hearing before Boasberg, Ryan Zink, a man from Texas convicted of nonviolent offenses, described the torment he had endured while incarcerated at the D.C. gulag for nearly three months following his arrest.

    Zink told Boasberg his cell was “covered in urine and feces with no working plumbing,” and accused guards of adding chemicals to his food. “I was denied basic necessities such as being able to shower, being seen by medical professionals…or even the opportunity to possess a Bible.” (These were common complaints by J6ers in the gulag.) Boasberg appeared unmoved, calling Zink’s time in prison “not pleasant.”

    What Exactly Does He Think Happens in US Prisons?

    While Boasberg remorselessly sent his fellow countrymen into dangerous institutions, the chief judge of the D.C. district court apparently is losing much-needed beauty sleep over the possible mistreatment of Venezuelans illegals sent to an El Salvadoran prison by the Trump administration. On March 15, Boasberg entered two temporary restraining orders prohibiting the deportation of Venezuelans subject to the president’s invocation of the Alien Enemies Act, which initiated the immediate removal of Tren de Aragua gang members here illegally.

    Desperate to rescue the suspected gang bangers from the hellscape awaiting them in the Terrorism Confinement Center in Tecoluca, Boasberg went so far as to demand the return of planes headed toward Central America carrying illegals subject to the AEA.

    The Trump Department of Justice is contesting his orders. Last week, the D.C. appellate court refused to lift Boasberg’s ban, which he recently extended by two more weeks; the matter is now before the Supreme Court.

    In the interim, Boasberg is reminding the Trump administration of the treacherous conditions of El Salvadoran jails—as if Trump officials didn’t already know. Individuals held in the notorious prison system, Boasberg lamented in a lengthy opinion on March 24, endure “poor living conditions…and are often disciplined through beatings and humiliation.” He continued to complain how inmates “are rarely allowed to leave their cells, have no regular access to drinking water or adequate food, sleep standing up because of overcrowding, and are held in cells where they do not see sunlight for days.”

    The illegal Venezuelans represented by the American Civil Liberties Union in the lawsuit “have shown that they have a high likelihood of suffering significant harm if the [Alien Enemies Act] is allowed to apply to them,” Boasberg wrote in denying the administration’s motion to put a hold on his own orders as the case advances in the higher courts. “Needless to say, the risk of torture, beatings, and even death clearly and unequivocally supports a finding of irreparable harm.”

    Boasberg’s words are now evidence in a separate lawsuit claiming the Trump administration unlawfully sent a man here illegally from El Salvador back to that country due to his suspected ties to MS-13.

    J6er: ‘Come tell us again about your concern for the Venezuelan gang banger.’

    The judge’s sympathies for illegal immigrants comes as a shock to American citizens imprisoned by him. Sandra Weyer, a 60-year-old from Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 14 months in prison by Boasberg in late 2023. Weyer, whose most serious conviction was the obstruction felony overturned by the Supreme Court last year, spent a torturous few months in the Federal Detention Center of Philadelphia. Her attorney asked Boasberg to release Weyer pending the Supreme Court’s decision on the obstruction count and because of the torment she was enduring.

    “The section of the facility to which she has been assigned is experiencing a rodent infestation,” defense attorney Nicholas Smith wrote in an emergency motion for release. “Regularly, Weyer finds mice and insects in her bedding. Maggots and weevils are a common sight in the food hall.” Smith told Boasberg his client had not eaten for 40 hours. (In 2023, an inmate of the facility was found dead in his cell following an altercation with another inmate.)

    Boasberg granted Weyer’s release based on the likelihood the Supreme Court would overturn how the Biden DOJ applied the corporate fraud obstruction statue in hundreds of J6 cases—the court did exactly that in the 6-3 Fischer opinion a few months later—not on Weyer’s near-starvation condition.

    Weyer, who lost her husband to cancer shortly after she was released, is outraged by Boasberg’s sudden attack of conscience.

    “Judge Boasberg shows no compassion for American citizens incarcerated that are deprived of clean drinking water and regular food,” Weyer told me in a text. “He certainly isn’t concerned that Americans suffer irreparable damages! Is he not aware of the fact that federal prisons in the United States also have a problem with scabies, herpes, and other transmissible diseases?

    Boasberg wants to talk about poor sanitary conditions in Salvadoran prisons but turns a blind eye to what is happening to American citizens in our own country. I would like to see him spend a week in FDC Philadelphia with rats, cockroaches, and maggots in the food that is served. Inmates in America are often beaten and raped. They are deprived of sunlight. Breathe in that black mold everyday Judge Boasberg then come tell us again about your concern for the Venezuelan gang banger.”

    A hearing is scheduled for Thursday so Boasberg can continue his attempt to prove the Trump administration defied his orders. Maybe he’s not done trying to throw Americans in prison after all.”

    Liked by 1 person

  33. “That would be the sad reality of it. There are so many clowns, jokers, buffoons, idiots, jackasses and morons out there that are being quoted every day it’s become impossible to differentiate between the gags and the sorta straight shit. 

    When you live in a world where a big, gigantic insurance company thinks a yellow Emu in goofy situations is good advertising, it’s kinda hard to make out what’s real and what isn’t in this society. And fuck if I can get even one person to pull my finger anymore. Juss’ sayin’…”

    WTF does any of that have to do with insurance?”

    Liked by 1 person

      1. This is why I have my DVR so I can FF thru that stupid shit!!! THAT is one that I hate the most!!! Same with the Liberty Insurance commercial that’s running these days! Just stupid all the way around!

        Liked by 1 person

  34. pictures in the tweet

    Evita Duffy-Alfonso
    @evitaduffy_1
    When my baby sister was born with two holes in her heart and needed a very risky surgery, my father, @SecDuffy
    , knew he needed be at home with his newborn daughter, my mother, and my eight siblings. So my dad resigned. What he did not do was demand an unconstitutional exception that would allow him to vote remotely. He viewed his job in Congress as a responsibility and a privilege, not an entitlement.

    If you are unable to fulfill the duties required of a member of Congress because you are a parent of a small child, feel free to resign. Many have before.

    Liked by 1 person

  36. Nothing more needs to be said: “Rosie O’Donnell’s eldest daughter, Chelsea Belle O’Donnell, was sentenced on Monday to six years probation following three consecutive arrests last fall – one felony count of possessing methamphetamine, one felony count of bail jumping, and one misdemeanor count of resisting or obstructing an officer“

    I would still love to have this store!!!

    Liked by 1 person

  37. A bill passed by the Georgia legislature on Monday aims to bar so-called “transgender girls,” or males living as females, from taking part in sports for girls, Fox News reported.

    “S.B. 1, also known as the ‘Riley Gaines Act of 2025,’ requires middle school, high school, and college student athletes to compete on sports teams that align with their biological sex,” the outlet said, noting that Kemp is expected to sign the legislation.

    Liked by 1 person

  38. Wanna bet he will run against JD in 2028???

    “In his own words – “Property taxes effectively require homeowners to pay rent to the government. Constitutional protections for Florida homeowners require approval of the voters in 2026. In the meantime, Floridians need relief. I am today proposing a plan that will result in -on average – $1,000 rebate checks for each homestead as a discount on their property taxes. If the Legislature acts on this plan now, we can get this done this year. Let’s get this done for the people of Florida this session.”

    Personally. I can’t bitch. Here in Florida I pay less per year ($ 1,660.00) than I used to pay per month ($ 2,060.00) when I lived in New Jersey. I get better services across the board, it’s safer, cleaner and easier to move around than the Garden State ever was, and I  lived there more than half my life. And the beaches here are free – and free of all those fuckin’ jerkoff pretender tattoo-covered Guidos from Staten Island. Juss’ sayin’…”

    Liked by 1 person

  39. “I lived on a tiny island (St. John USVI) in the Caribbean for ten years, and all of the beaches  – both National Park beaches two – were ‘who gives a fuck nude beaches’. Lemme tell ya – there wasn’t a super model or Playboy pinup to be found on any of them beaches. Mostly, it was over-weight hairy hippie chics and drunk fat guys. Not pretty, I can assure you. Maybe in the south of France or Brazil there might be a buncha hotties, but haven’t had the opportunity, can’t speak to it.”

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-14553927/world-best-nudist-beaches-revealed-map.html

    Liked by 1 person

      1. I didn’t like the nude beach I went to in MD but I loved the nude campground in the mountains in CO. That was awesome!

        Liked by 1 person

  40. Iconic American restaurant chain Hooters  filed for bankruptcy last night,  sparking fears of mass closures. Hooters – known for its scantily-clad waitresses – filed for bankruptcy to try and reorganize the company.

    Like

  43. “Against Techno Optimism: Technology can help advance human flourishing, but it is not an all-encompassing “solution” to the imperfections in society.”

    Jordan Schachtel, Apr 02, 2025

    EXCERPT: “I recently stumbled upon a genuinely dystopian X post by Coinbase founder and CEO Brian Johnson, a billionaire entrepreneur and a high-profile member of the “techno-optimist” movement.

    Not an April Fools’ joke

    Now, I don’t bring this to your attention as some rejection of IVF, but in particular, a focus on his third and fourth points, which expresses a core element of techno-optimism: the striving towards replacing God himself with technology.

    Armstrong is one of many high-profile members of a burgeoning group of techno-optimists with increasing political and financial power in Washington and on Wall Street. Interestingly enough, while their political loyalties have been all over the place in recent years, techno-optimists largely voted Republican in the 2024 elections, rightly assessing that President Trump would be more beneficial to the business climate than former Vice President Kamala Harris.

    Techno-optimism is the political right’s anti-humans. Similar to the anti-human climate hoaxers on the left, techno-optimists believe that humanity is inherently flawed and that our imperfections can only be “fixed” by a technologist class of high-profile founders and executives, which ultimately seeks to remove our humanity on a pipeline to becoming cyborgs…..”

    https://www.dossier.today/p/against-techno-optimism

    Liked by 1 person

  44. “The wooly devil is the first new genus and species of plant discovered in a U.S. national park for nearly 50 years…

    It looks like something you would see on Star Trek… Or you would like to smoke…The discovery of the “wooly devil” as a new genus and species in Big Bend National Park is significant, marking the first such finding in nearly 50 years, since the July gold shrub in 1976.

    This highlights the ongoing potential for new botanical discoveries in national parks, which may still harbor unknown species despite previous assumptions of comprehensive documentation.”

    https://www.nps.gov/bibe/learn/news/new-plant-species-discovered-in-big-bend.htm

    Liked by 1 person

  46. “Pineal? The pinecone symbolism depicted by ancient civilizations across the globe represents the pineal gland, often referred to as the “third eye.”

    The pineal gland is deeply linked with spiritual awakening, enlightenment, and accessing higher consciousness. Some studies suggest that fluoride exposure may contribute to pineal gland calcification.”

    Liked by 1 person

  47. Just The News: “President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced country-specific rates for a broad reciprocal tariff plan after campaigning on rebalancing American trade with its global partners.

    “I will sign a historic executive order instituting reciprocal tariffs on countries throughout the world. Reciprocal, that means they do it to us and we do it to them,” he told the gathering of Cabinet members, media, and guests from various industries.  Trump made the announcement in the White House’s Rose Garden.

    Trump further showed a chart to the crowd displaying the tariff rates he planned to apply to each nation. China, which tariffs U.S. goods at a rate of 67%, will be tariffed 34%. Countries in the European Union which tariff U.S. goods at a rate of 39%, will be tariffed 20%. Vietnam will be tariff at 46%, Taiwan at 32%, Japan at 24%, India at 26% and South Korea at 25%. The chart included more 20 nations. 

    The White House put out a fact sheet prior to the announcement, highlighting how this administration hoped the tariffs will balance trade relationships and bring manufacturing back to American soil. The readout quoted a 2024 study that found that his first-term tariffs “strengthened the U.S. economy” and “led to significant restoring in industries like manufacturing and steel production.” Already in his second term, investments into the U.S. economy by entities such as Oracle, SoftBank, Apple, and NVIDIA have reached nearly $5 trillion. 

    Wednesday also marked the start of a 25% tariff on automobiles not made in the United States. However, auto manufactures Honda, Nissan, and Hyundai have committed to shifting production back to the United States. 

    House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries criticized the president’s tariff plan, telling reporters on Wednesday, “House Republicans, Senate Republicans and Donald Trump haven’t done a single thing to lower the cost of living in this country. Not a single bill. Not a single executive order. Not a single administrative action,” Jeffries told reporters at the Capitol. 

    “In fact, Republicans are crashing the American economy in real time and driving us to a recession. This is not liberation day, it’s recession day. That’s what the Trump tariffs are going to do: crash the economy,” he added.”

    Liked by 1 person

  48. Just The News: “The Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Wednesday told Maine that it has frozen federal funding for the state over its failure to comply with an executive order that bans transgender people from competing in women’s sports.

    President Donald Trump signed an executive order banning biological men from competing in women’s sports in February, after promising that the federal government would only recognize two sexes. The Department of Health and Human Services defines sex as a person’s “immutable biological classification.”

    Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins told the state that she is freezing funds for administrative and technological functions in schools, which will resume as soon as Maine is in compliance with Title IX, according to the Daily Wire.

    “Your defiance of federal law has cost your state, which is bound by Title IX in educational programming,” Rollins wrote. “In order to continue to receive taxpayer dollars from USDA, the state of Maine must demonstrate compliance with Title IX’s protection of female student athletes from having to compete with or against or having to appear unclothed before males.

    “USDA, alongside other federal agencies, will continue to pause and, where appropriate, terminate categories of education programming in Maine if these … violations are not resolved to the satisfaction of the Federal Government,” she added. Rollins said the freeze will not affect federal feeding programs or direct assistance programs for state residents. “If a child was fed today, they will be fed tomorrow,” Rollins promised.”

    Liked by 1 person

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