February 2022 Archives

Two days ago, Elon Musk turned on StarLink coverage to the Ukraine and promised to ship a bunch of ground stations.
Today:

Earlier today. Now this, from Market Screener - Viasat:

Satellite outage knocks out thousands of Enercon's wind turbines

• • Remote control of 5,800 wind turbines knocked out
  • Enercon says disruption coincided with Russian invasion
  • Says working with providers to resolve problem
  • German watchdog BSI says aware of the indicent

Germany's Enercon on Monday said a "massive disruption" of satellite connections in Europe was affecting the operations of 5,800 wind turbines in central Europe.

It said the satellite connections stopped working on Thursday, knocking out remote monitoring and control of the wind turbines, which have a total capacity of 11 gigawatt (GW).

"The exact cause of the disruption is not yet known. The communication services failed almost simultaneously with the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine," Enercon said in a statement.

The company said it had no further information on who or what may have caused the disruption.

And of course, everyone over there has shut off their reliable baseline coal and nuke plants and gone over to solar and wind.  Spring may be on the way but it is still pretty damned cold over there.  Looks like yet another example of top-down centralized management failing spectacularly at the slightest perturbation.

Top-down centralized anything has never worked. Ever. Don't even bother...

From Don Surber:

How to save CNN
The soon-to-be owners of CNN announced Jeff Zucker's replacement will be Chris Licht, a gofer -- excuse me showrunner -- for that crown jewel of journalism, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

His actual title at CBS is Executive Vice President of Special Programming, which simply means he doesn't have to call Colbert sir when they are alone.

Axios reported, "Ratings are secondary to credibility, in the view of Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, who's taking over CNN."

Ratings are secondary to credibility only on PBS.

Let us look at Zaslav's track record and Discovery Channel's fare. There's Naked and Afraid featuring people in the buff in the woods eating roadkill. There's Fast N' Loud featuring cars that are fast and well, loud. There are Million Dollar Wheels and Street Outlaws featuring even more fast and loud cars.

Cable TV was a wonder in the 1980s. 40 years later, MTV has abandoned music videos, the History Channel features Ancient Alien marathons on Friday and everyone else is showing Friends and NCIS.

Let's get real. It is all about ratings because they deliver advertising and more importantly, the subscriber fees that cable companies cheerfully pass along to customers.

CNN has 4,000 employees. Credibility will feed 12 of them.

News is boring. If it weren't, HLN (nee Headline News) would top the ratings. 

So what will CNN do to boost rating? Political commentary by anchors has two lanes. Fox took the conservative one. MSNBC took the liberal one. 

CNN's lane is funerals for black celebrities.

Don is just getting warmed up here.  The snark is strong with him today...

A quote from President Obama - circa 2020:

People should use the power of mocking more often.  Cheap, effective and fun to do.  Point and laugh:
From Chris Lynch who got it from Vanderleun

I am sensing a theme here - from The Hill:

Ted Deutch becomes 31st House Democrat to announce retirement from Congress
Rep. Ted Deutch (Fla.) announced on Monday that he will not run for reelection in November, becoming the 31st House Democrat to announce they will not run for reelection in the lower chamber in November.

Wrote about this a couple times - most recent was last December.  Simple really - if they bow out now, as undefeated, they will be able to get cushy jobs as lobbyists and 'consultants'.  If they are defeated for reelection, not so much. This is not about how they represent us, this is about what we can do for them - keep them feeding at the trough instead of going out and getting honest employment.  Good riddance.

She rocks:

A cautionary tale from Europe — from Reuters:

Satellite firm Viasat probes suspected cyberattack in Ukraine and elsewhere
U.S.-listed satellite communications firm Viasat Inc said on Monday it was investigating a suspected cyberattack that caused a partial outage in its residential broadband services in Ukraine and other European countries.

Viasat said a third-party cybersecurity firm was looking into the causes of an outage in recent days across its KA-SAT network, which provides high-speed satellite internet coverage in Europe and Mediterranean markets.

Ham radio and mesh networks - practice them now, well before they are needed.  The cost to set up is not that expensive and it can be a gamechanger.

Looks like Russia is in for a bit of a hard time.  It is already a very poor nation.  Now?
From Market Watch:

Russian central bank lifts interest rates to 20% as ruble plunges over Western sanctions
The Russian central bank more than doubled interest rates to 20% on Monday, as the ruble plunged following further sanctions by Western powers to over the country’s invasion of Ukraine.

The ruble USDRUB, +17.34% hit an all-time low of 119.25 per dollar on Monday, according to FactSet. In volatile, sporadic trade, it was last down 18% to 98.94. The interest-rate hike, meanwhile, ratcheted up the key lending rate from the already high level of 9.5%.

“External conditions for the Russian economy have changed dramatically. An increase in the key rate will make it possible to ensure an increase in deposit rates to the levels necessary to compensate for the increased devaluation and inflation risks. This will help maintain financial and price stability and protect citizens’ savings from depreciation,” said the central bank in a statement.

“The Bank of Russia will make further decisions on the key rate based on an assessment of risks from external and internal conditions and the reaction of financial markets to them, and taking into account the actual and expected inflation dynamics relative to the target, economic development over the forecast horizon,” it added.

And Biden will be taking credit for this in 3... 2... 1...

It must suck to be a legitimate small business owner in Russia.  Not connected?  Don't even try.

Lots of good interviews and speeches this year.  President Trump was on fire.

Dr. Robert Malone was one of the people who developed the mRNA vaccine:

The take-away:

"Anybody that's purveying misinformation or disinformation is a domestic terrorist if the information that [they're] putting forth causes people to have concerns about the government. This is full-on propaganda, censorship, and information warfare. It must stop."

When the going gets tough, the elite scurry under their favorite rock.
From FOX News:

Biden in Delaware as Putin raises nuclear alert status
President Biden remains at his private home in Delaware as the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues to escalate.

Russian President Vladimir Putin raised the alert status for his nuclear forces to "special regime of combat duty" as Russia and Ukraine battle for the fourth day.

Putin ordered the Russian defense minister and the chief of the military's General Staff to put the nuclear deterrent forces in a "special regime of combat duty." The move signals tensions could boil over into a nuclear war.

At the same time, Biden remains at his private residence in Delaware and media communications with the commander-in-chief have slowed to a crawl.

No communication from any senior White House personnel.  A few words from Peppermint Patty but that is it.  Kamala is over there babbling her word-salad.  We are being led by the best and the brightest...

Installed the AirGuard app yesterday and gave it a try this morning.

Spent some time sniffing around the coffee shop and got a couple of hits but these were peoples' Apple devices with their find-me option turned on.

Planning a trip to Costco in the next couple of days.  Walk around the parking lot for a while and see what I turn up.  The app seems pretty well written - easy to use.

Very clever approach - Public Officials have to file a surety bond to guarantee that they properly execute their oath of office.

Check out Bonds for the Win:

What is a Surety Bond?
Surety bonds provide financial guarantees that bondholders such as public officials, companies, contractors, or unions will uphold their contracts according to mutual terms.

Surety bonds protect WE THE PEOPLE from fraud and malpractice. When a bondholder breaks a bond’s terms, the harmed party can make a claim on the bond to recover losses.

A bit more:

Public Official Bonds
A public official is a person who holds a position of official authority that is conferred by a State, City, County or other municipality. They often hold a legislative, administrative or judicial position of sorts and is either elected or appointed. Relative to surety bonds, notaries public are the most common public official. A public official bond which provides indemnity for failure of a public official to faithfully perform their duties while properly managing funds they might oversee for the term of their designation.

The process:

The first step in the process is to write a letter of intent. In this letter state only the facts and what rules or laws have been broken. Give them your conditions. Be strong and be firm. Give them 48-72 hours to meet your conditions.

If they do not respond in this time period, it is time to take the second step. You will file a claim against their bond. Once you file your claim the Surety Bond Company will notify the bond holder. The bond holder knows he is responsible for paying all of these claims.

A large number of claims filed at the same time against one bond are dangerous for the bondholder. The Bond Company will cancel his bond. Once this happens, it will be difficult for him to find another bond company that will issue him a Surety Bond.

I signed up for my local group as well as their general mailing list - see what happens...

Garage and storage unit - got the van loaded up.

Back later this evening.

Been giving up sugar over the last couple of months - really craving a candy bar right now. Probably stop at the grocery store and get a couple.  One for now and a couple more for the fridge for my next craving.
Milky Way Midnight refrigerated really hits the spot

No dog walk this morning as I will be at the storage unit and the garage - both of which have plenty of fenced space for the pups to run.

The Ukraine is still happening - nice distraction from all of Biden's failures. Wuhan flu and all that.

Back later this afternoon to load up with more stuff.  Bringing a computer and a label printer over there - get organised with the moving.  Simplify unpacking a lot. No internet access so no temptation to surf  :)

This is what a leader looks like:

And from the London Daily Mail:

Kremlin website is DOWN: Russian state websites including media watchdog crash and TV channels 'are hacked to broadcast Ukrainian songs'

Installing this app and will run it tomorrow when I am lingering over my morning coffee.
From Bleeping Computer:

Free Android app lets users detect Apple AirTag tracking
A small team of researchers at the Darmstadt University in Germany have published a report illustrating how their AirGuard app for Android provides better protection from stealthy AirTag stalking than other apps.

An Apple AirTag is a Bluetooth-based device finder released in April 2021 that allows owners to track the device using Apple's 'Find My' service.

Unfortunately, AirTags have great potential for abuse due to their small size as people can slip them into people's jackets, luggage, or even cars to track them without permission.

Although Apple has implemented an intricate anti-stalking system to prevent cases of abuse, stealthy AirTag tracking continues to remain a problem.

The paper is here: AirGuard - Protecting Android Users From Stalking Attacks By Apple Find My Devices

A little bit of a resource and battery hog but it IS continually scanning the environment and needing location information - this can be disabled at your wish. The app seems well written.  Looking forward to trying it in more of a target-rich environment.  Planning a trip to Costco Monday, there's the ticket 😁

A three-fer from them.  They seem to be on top of the actual story:

First: 

Radioactive waste disposal site near Kyiv is hit by Russian airstrike as battle for capital enters third day and UN says at least 240 civilians have died: Ukraine's resistance to invasion has left Putin 'raging' in his mountain lair

• • Russia has struck the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine in Kyiv, which stores nuclear waste
  • The facility's radiation detector was also destroyed - although a preliminary inspection suggests there is no immediate danger to locals
  • First confirmed death toll has also emerged - UN says at least 240 Ukrainian citizens have been killed
  • Two blasts went off in the south west of the Ukrainian capital shortly after midnight local time
  • A fuel depot in the city of Vasylkiv was targeted by Russian ballistic missiles, its mayor said
  • Russia also blew up a gas pipeline in Kharkiv, eastern Ukraine, which sits close to the Russian border
  • Vladimir Putin is said to be furious at his troops' apparent lack of progress, and is reportedly fuming in his heavily-guarded Russian mountain lair
  • An eerie orange glow filled the sky, CNN reports that a fuel depot may have been hit
  • Blast took place close to one of Kyiv's two airports - Boryspil International Airport, whose capture is vital to Russian takeover ambitions

Second:

Why Putin's '£15BILLION-a-day' invasion ISN'T going to plan: MI6 chief warns war is 'unwinnable' and ex-defence chief says Russia will run out of cash and arms if Kyiv holds out for 10 days as Moscow send in superweapons after Ukraine OBLITERATED convoy

• • Vladimir Putin's invasion with Ukraine is not going to plan due to Kremlin 'overconfidence' about war aims
  • MI6 chief endorsed an article on Saturday saying Russia's war is 'unwinnable' because of Ukraine's resilience
  • Ukrainian intelligence has claimed that Russia is running out of money, weapons and resources fast
  • If Kyiv can hold off the Russian advance on Kyiv for 10 days, the Kremlin may have to enter negotiations
  • Dramatic video shows a destroyed Russian convoy with Z-markings near Kherson in southern Ukraine
  • Two Russian military transport planes 'carrying paratroopers', a fighter jet and helicopter were downed

and Third:

Elon Musk answers Ukrainian vice prime minister's plea to switch on his Starlink satellite network so locals can access internet even if Russia destroys local telecoms system

• • SpaceX billionaire Elon Musk said on Saturday that the company's Starlink satellite broadband service is available in Ukraine
  • Musk also tweeted that SpaceX is sending more terminals to the country, whose internet has been disrupted due to the Russian invasion
  • 'Starlink service is now active in Ukraine. More terminals en route,' Musk tweeted
  • He was responding to a tweet by a Ukraine government official who asked Musk to provide the embattled country with Starlink stations
  • Internet connectivity in Ukraine has been affected by the Russian invasion, particularly in the southern and eastern parts of the country
  • Officials think internet access can help defeat Russian propaganda, and expose atrocities being carried out by Putin's troops
  • While extremely costly to deploy, satellite technology can provide internet for people who live in rural or hard-to-serve places

Last one is great.  Reminds me of Elon's tweet from six months ago - this exchange:

"Shake their fist at the sky" - I love it.

On GitHub - a few examples:

Gall's Law
A complex system that works is invariably found to have evolved from a simple system that worked. A complex system designed from scratch never works and cannot be patched up to make it work. You have to start over with a working simple system.
—
Hofstadter's Law
It always takes longer than you expect, even when you take into account Hofstadter's Law.
—
The Dilbert Principle
Companies tend to systematically promote incompetent employees to management to get them out of the workflow.
—
The Shirky Principle
Institutions will try to preserve the problem to which they are the solution.

This last one is seen everywhere, not just technology.  The homeless population are just a crop farmed by the people who run the homeless benefit agencies.  If the homeless problem were fixed, those agencies would be out of work and would have to disband.  A perfect example of this is from Los Angeles station KTLA:

Los Angeles is spending up to $837,000 to house a single homeless person
A $1.2 billion program intended to quickly build housing for Los Angeles’ sprawling homeless population is moving too slowly while costs are spiking, with one project under development expected to hit as much as $837,000 for each housing unit, a city audit disclosed Wednesday.

About 1,200 units have been completed since voters approved the spending in 2016, which was then a centerpiece in a strategy intended to get thousands of people off the streets. But the tally of units built so far is “wholly inadequate” in the context of the homeless crisis, said the audit issued by city Controller Ron Galperin.

And of course, instead of auditing the agency and cutting its funding for being so egregiously inefficient and wasting taxpayer money, they are going to double-down and spend even more money on "the homeless problem" instead of realizing that this is 90% a mental health and/or addiction problem and this can be fixed simply by institutionalizing the people in question.  Much cheaper and more effective.  More merciful too as the people on the streets are demonstrably unable to care for themselves.  This will be the same if they are given a place to live.

Same story for the EPA - it was founded for good reason, our environment was polluted.  Now, it is not but they keep finding things to "fix" so they can keep their jobs.  Department of Education? Department of Energy?

Much much more at the site - well worth reading.

Perfect analysis at Raconteur Report:

Who GAF?
Russia Invaded Ukraine. So What??
Or words to that effect. That's what the less-informed (or outright stupid) commentariat on a hundred sites are asking at the moment.

Pay attention.

1) Russia is a nuclear power.
More to the point, the #2 nuclear power on the planet. Despite getting their teeth handed to them after the own-goal of 80 years of Communism's irredeemable flaws, they still think they missed out on the big colonialization era. Most of their conquests were neighbors, rather than far-flung client states, and what's left was nothing to write home about from 1920-1990.

So when a substantial portion of their army crosses international borders to kill people and break things, you ought to pay attention.

Not least of which because Mother Russia is currently in range of every other nuclear power in existence. (For those who were busy doodling or fapping off in the back of their civics classes, that club would be: the U.S., (formerly great) Britain, France, China, India, Pakistan, Israel, and the Norks. And any minute now (thanks Obozo and fat Bill) the Iranians. Every one of them could manage to land a blow to Russia with nukes, and every one of them is in range of Russia's ICBMs. As are a lot of other non-nuclear countries, including arguably, every country that matters, which would be the Top 50 out of 180-190 or so.

2) But the Cold War is over, right?
Back at ya: So what? Nobody told Putin. As a former KGB assassin who misses the glorious Soviet Union that was, he's been forcibly repatriating all the old satellites back into the Sov...er, Russian Federation at gunpoint all along. Ukraine is merely the latest. Anyone: See if you can guess why the Baltic States - Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia - are getting a bit nervous about now. Vlad's running out of territories to conquer back into the fold. Oh, for the civics fapping crowd: they're all full NATO members now. An attack on any one of them constitutes the opening of WWIII, by law and custom. Or else NATO dissolves, and it's 1938 all over again, with a military dictatorship on the prowl east of Poland. Again.

Look in the dictionary under appeasement, and note that the guy most responsible for WWII (after Adolf himself) got dealing with his enemy all horribly wrong, plunged the entire world into a world war, and after finally being replaced, went home afterwards and quite decently died in a matter of months, leaving the rest of the world to suffer the consequences of his jackassery.

Pay no attention to that senile, doddering old fool currently and illegally installed in the White House.

Three more at the site plus a good conclusion.  Spot on. Raconteur was in a fine mood when this was being written. And what is happening because of this?

• • COVID failure news? Gone.

But it's far more than just that.

• • Inflation news? Gone. Or better yet, scapegoated onto Putin. (Pay attention: At this point, the dog's tail becomes self-wagging.)
  • Economy bad news? Gone.
  • Canadian trucker fallout news? Gone.
  • American trucker convoy news? Gone.
  • Durham tagging Shrillary and the DNC for spying on Trump news? Gone.
  • 2020 Election shenanigans news? Gone.
  • Sketchy Affirmative Action SCOTUS nominee news? Gone.

Other Countries taking advantage of the chaos and our flailing policy: Free Pass! (And then they kick back another 10% to the Big Guy. ;) So what happened is, Ukrainian thieves got outbid by Beijing pirates, and thrown under the bus.)

What he said - much more at the site.

From The Gateway Pundit:

China Announces Military Exercises in South China Sea from Sunday thru Tuesday
The Chinese Communist government announced military exercises in the South China Sea from Sunday through Tuesday.

The state-sponsored Global Times announced the maneuvers today.

Yeah - there goes Taiwan. I am willing to bet that the clean rooms at TSMC have some interesting pyrotechnics ready to fire on a moment's notice.  Doesn't have to destroy the equipment — a smoke bomb would shut them down for a year of cleaning or more.

Don't forget that sleepy Joe is in his basement "safe" room in Delaware enjoying his chocolate pudding.

Good day - we get some fun customers and I love joking with them.  Having lunch and surfing a bit.  Moving more crap this afternoon.

Really chill outside - temps are ten degrees higher than what they were a few days ago but it is cloudy and the humidity is about 70% so it feels colder. Big bowl of homemade black eyed pea soup with lots of garlic and onions and veggies.  Two slices of nice whole-grain toast from the coop.  Hits the spot.  Been cutting back on dinner size and having lunch be the main meal of the day.  Intermittent fasting has a lot to be said for it so giving it a try for a couple of months.

Surf for a bit - see if anything interesting crops up...

Coffee and then dog walk - there is a nice field between my coffee place and the thrift store where I volunteer so I take them out there instead of the usual weekday spot.

Ukraine is standing up to Russia - love it.  They are an independent nation and deserve to remain such.  I think that Putin is a good leader for Russia but the Russian government is corrupt and it wants Ukraine's vast reserves of oil and minerals. They saw our flaccid president so they moved on it.  The Russian military has not been well funded and the Ukrainian people are fighting for their homeland.  Guess who has more of a spirit.

Back in a couple of hours - working in the storage units today.  To the farm Tuesday or so.

We get most of our imports from Canada but Russia is #2.
Data from the US Energy Information Administration (last complete year is 2020):
(units are in 1,000's barrels per day)

For 2020:
Canada - 3,193
Russia - 540
Saudi Arabia - 514
Colombia - 185
Iraq - 176

When the going gets tough...  From Breitbart:

Joe Biden Leaves for Delaware as Russians Prepare to Take Kyiv
President Joe Biden left the White House on Friday to return home to Delaware, despite Russia’s increasingly violent attack on Ukraine.

The president’s trip home risks the optics of his being away from the White House if Ukraine’s capital city of Kyiv falls to the Russians.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Biden left for Delaware because he wanted to attend a funeral service for the mother of the president’s daughter-in-law, Hallie Biden, the widow of his son Beau Biden. He plans to remain at home for the rest of the weekend.

United States intelligence officials warned Friday that Kyiv could fall within the next few days. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed to stay in the city and continue resisting the Russians.

“We’re all here. Our military is here. Citizens in society are here. We’re all here defending our independence, our country, and it will stay this way,” he said in a video he recorded and published online.

Zelensky started off as a media presenter and personality and ran for President almost as a joke.  He is certainly standing up to the plate and is showing some real leadership.  Putting his life on the line.  Not leaving when things get tough. Unlike some politicians I can name...

Resigned in shame but now, he is plotting his come-back. From the New York Post:

Andrew Cuomo begins comeback attempt with new TV ad
Andrew Cuomo is once again hitting New Yorkers’ television sets.

The former governor, who resigned in disgrace last summer, will begin an attempt at a political comeback with an ad claiming he’s been exonerated from charges he sexually harassed multiple women, The Post has learned.

Cuomo’s campaign confirmed it had commissioned “a number of ads” in response to questions from the paper after The Post independently obtained one of the commercials.

The 30-second spot reviewed by The Post selectively strings together snippets from TV reports about the outcomes in those cases to bolster Cuomo’s continued claims of exoneration.

Sad thing is that a large number of people will not remember - even a time as short as six months or a year. He was not only a convicted sexual predator, he was an incompetent leader and manager.  He screwed up New York's dealings with the Wuhan flu. People died on his watch.  He needs to leave the public forum. "Spend more time with his family" is the excuse they usually use.

Not healthy at all - compare the two:

Joe explains (from Red Voice Media):

Joe has a good point - how can BillG preach at us when he is in such terrible shape himself?

Ukraine is a fuster-cluck.  Could have been prevented and could be stopped in a heartbeat but this regime does not have the intelligence to see it.  Or the will to implement it.

Done with lunch - working at home today.  Thrift store this morning (and tomorrow).

Governor DeSantis and Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph A. Ladapo announce a new program:

I love the title of the video: Buck the CDC

Common sense and science as opposed to political hype and narrative.

This crap has been going on for a long long time:

Pure evil is walking the earth.  That would be George H.W. as President. Fscking globalist.

He doesn't but that is par for the course:

From 90 Miles:

From his website:

Statement on the unfolding situation in the Ukraine
Michael T. Flynn — Lieutenant General, U.S. Army (Retired)
Former National Security Advisor to 45th President of the United States

With the price of oil pushing above $100 per barrel, the U.S. Stock market opening with heavy losses, more global economic challenges looming, the real potential for significant loss of life, and the international community in complete disarray with feeble attempts to condemn what was totally avoidable, we face the onset of another very grave and historic period of tension between competing ideologies and worse, the onset of WWIII.

This “invasion” was totally avoidable. 

As one friend stated, President Biden and his failed foreign policy team set the table and sent the invitation and President Putin came and spoiled the dinner party.

A bit more:

...it is doubtful that our U.S. Administration will change its failed foreign policy and instead, they will make weak attempts to triple down on leveraging this extremely serious situation in Europe to continue to distract from problems here at home.

And General Flynn proceeds to list quite a few of them and then lays down some truth:

It is extremely difficult to trust this administration as they lie with a straight face to the American people daily.

Anyone who questions these rotten foreign and domestic policies are called racist and demonized. We see the unleashing of the federal government on citizens who are simply exercising their constitutional rights and the media covers all this incompetence with a fake smile due to their own deep levels of corruption

Change my mind. General Flynn is 100% spot on with his analysis.

Done for the day - very productive.  Cleared out one storage unit  and got a good chunk of another one emptied out and all moved to the garage.  Lots of tables set up, going to bring over some shelving and boxes tomorrow after my volunteer session at the thrift store. Computer and printer for box labels too.  Keep an inventory and know where everything is.  Not planning to barcode but a spreadsheet will help a lot for orderly unpacking.

Did a rendering for my new shop building:

I wish...  A guy can dream can't he?

Ramping up my game here - the grand hoarde will not move itself.

Quick dog walk and coffee - the pups will get a lot of chance to run around at the storage units and the garage today and I spend waay too much time lingering over my morning coffee.  Nice to do but cuts into the day.

Turns out that the USA has been funding bio labs in the Ukraine.  The Ukraine is also very rich in minerals and natural gas. No wonder Russia wants it.  If President Trump was such a tool for the Russians, why didn't they invade then?

Watch some videos and bedtime.

In the midst of all the packing and moving, I acquired a used weight bench and some dumbbells.  Have added a 30 minute workout routine to my day. When I was living on the farm fulltime and swinging a blacksmith hammer, I was in pretty decent shape.  Island life has softened me more than I care to admit.

Moving more stuff to the storage garage tomorrow.  Thrift store Friday and Saturday mornings.  Focusing on getting the house here emptied out and put on the market.

The move feels good.  Lisa and I get along really well - like we have known each other for years.

Since we are moving to that area, been checking out local radio stations.  One such is in Knoxville - two hours to the north.  Where we are moving turns out to be two hours away from everything. Atlanta? 2 hours to the south.  Asheville? 2 hours to the east. Chattennooga? 2 hours to the west.  We both like the isolation.

WDVX is playing some wonderful Americana - really good cross-section of music.

Just like that - it's gone.  Poooof...
From CTV News:

'Immediate emergency situation is over': PM Trudeau revokes Emergencies Act
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the government will end the use of the Emergencies Act after it was invoked just over a week ago in response to the ongoing trucker convoy blockades and protests.

Trudeau made the announcement on Wednesday alongside Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, Justice Minister David Lametti, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino, and Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair.

“Today, after careful consideration, we're ready to confirm that the situation is no longer an emergency. Therefore, the federal government will be ending the use of the Emergencies Act,” the prime minister said.

He is toast.  Good. And the frozen money?  CTV News again:

Banks begin unfreezing accounts of Freedom Convoy supporters: finance official
Financial institutions have begun unfreezing the accounts of individuals who supported the Freedom Convoy’s efforts, according to Isabelle Jacques, an assistant deputy minister at the Department of Finance.

Jacques told the House finance committee on Tuesday that banks started to lift the suspensions “as of yesterday” and have stopped the process going forward.

We The People have made their desires known.
The elites did not listen at first but they are hearing it well enough now...

Sums it up in a few words:

Economics and politics confront the same fundamental problem:
What everyone wants adds up to more than there is.
—Thomas Sowell

Right up there with Margaret Thatcher's epigram on socialism:

Journalist and hypocrite (but I repeat myself) Joe Hildebrand had this to say:

From The Daily Wire:

Russia Responds To Biden Sanctions: America’s Citizens Will Feel ‘Consequences’ Of Us Raising Gas Cost
Anatoly Antonov, Russia’s ambassador to the United States, responded to Democrat President Joe Biden enacting some sanctions against Russia in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine by saying that America’s citizens would be punished as a result.

And:

“There is no doubt that the sanctions introduced against us will hit global financial and energy markets,” he continued. “The United States will not be left out, with its ordinary citizens feeling the consequences of the price increase in full.”

Considering that we have to import much of our energy, this will cause higher prices for us. A year or two ago, we used to be a net energy exporter.  Now we have to import.  What changed?  Now the Democrats are spinning this putting the blame on Putin.

There is a very very simple way out of this.  We can defeat Putin without firing a shot.  Without involving our military.  Drill baby drill.  Start exporting energy again and export it at a lower price than Russia charges.  Starve them out.  Putin is in place because his buddies are making lots of money.  Starve the monkeys and that regime will topple.

From America's media outlet of record:

Trudeau Explains He Just Needs Two Weeks To Slow The Spread Of Freedom

Justin Trudeau has faced heavy criticism this week after allowing a strain of Freedom to spread through the Great White North. The Canadian Prime Minister addressed the nation on Tuesday to calm the fears of his adoring constituents, informing them he needed just two weeks to slow the spread of "world-annihilating freedom."

"We have survived COVID-19 thanks to my leadership," said Trudeau in a prepared statement. "Now, I'm calling on all Canadians to hang in there a little longer as we face this new threat of Canadians thinking they should be allowed to have liberty. I just need two weeks to slow the spread of the virulent freedom surging through our populace."

Trudeau then signed an executive order to forcibly lock everyone in their homes for two weeks. Everyone will be required to wear enough masks to completely muffle the sounds of their voices so that freedom can't spread from person to person.

So close to the truth as to be unsettling. The fact that Democrats in the USA agree with him is even more unsettling.

Great analysis by Wayne Alan Root at The Gateway Pundit — this excerpt is all that is needed:

Putin knows the center of Biden’s corruption was in Ukraine. Biden and his family intimidated, extorted and literally raped Ukraine. A little birdie tells me this is the big bonus for Putin
after he invades and conquers Ukraine. He will capture and torture everyone involved in shady deals with Biden in order to unearth the secrets of Biden’s filthy corruption.

Then Putin has two juicy options. Behind door #1: Expose Biden’s massive crime wave in Ukraine, shock the world, make Biden step down, embarrass and demoralize the United States, and paralyze America’s government. This makes Russia the new big bad sheriff in town.

Behind door #2: Putin can blackmail Biden, hold his secrets over his head, in order to get whatever Putin wants. Suddenly Biden is Putin’s bit-ch. The same relationship China already has with Biden. China has the goods on Biden. They clearly own Biden lock, stock and barrel. Now it’s Putin’s turn.

Lastly, one more bad thing that will almost certainly come out of this. Just like my high school days, when bullies sense weakness, they immediately attack. China is watching closely. If Putin takes Ukraine, outplays and humiliates Biden, China will absolutely invade Taiwan.

As they say - change my mind...

Heading out for dog walk and coffee.  Woke up to 23°F, crystal clear skies so radiation cooling.  Hard frost on the ground.

Aiming to get my storage units emptied out this week and moved to the garage  Start some serious triage.

Need to get my serum caffeine levels up first...

Looks like his past is coming to haunt him - The London Daily Mail:

Pete Buttigieg accepted $250,000 and gifts from mayoral campaign donors who were later awarded $33million in city contracts, raising concerns of 'pay to play' as Transportation Secretary doles out $210billion in infrastructure plan

• • Documents obtained by DailyMail.com reveal former South Bend, Indiana mayor Pete Buttigieg's campaign took a total of $253,750 from 23 companies
  • Executives of those companies were then awarded a combined $33,280,426 in city infrastructure jobs from the Board of Public Works on which he was seated
  • Buttigieg, 40 - now the US Transportation Secretary - will oversee $210billion in discretionary grants under the new bipartisan infrastructure bill
  • But government watchdogs say the Democrat's pattern of donations and contracts as mayor could present the appearance of a 'pay to play' scandal
  • 'This is alarming, and very concerning, because this is the swamp personified,' Taxpayers Protection Alliance president David Williams told DailyMail.com

This is my surprised face...  Why?  Were you expecting anything better of him?

From The London Daily Mail:

America's People's Convoy gets ready to roll! One thousand trucks begin 11-day drive from California to D.C. TODAY to protest COVID mask and vaccine mandates

• • As many as 1,00 truckers are expected to participate in the People's Convoy protest which is leaving California on Wednesday to embark on an 11-day trek to Washington DC
  • The People's Convoy has called on the federal government to end the National Emergency enacted at the start of the pandemic, which President Joe Biden extended on Friday despite calls from Congress to end it
  • Organizers and participants argue the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions and mandates are unconstitutional and claim the 'government has forgotten its place'
  • The organizers also claim the convoy is 'about freedom and unity,' noting the truckers are 'riding unified across party and state lines and with people of all colors and creeds'
  • The cavalcade will set off from the Adelanto Stadium at midday PST Wednesday and will make several stops across the nation, before its anticipated arrival at the DC Beltway on March 5
  • People's Convoy organizers claim they do not intend to disrupt roads or bridges, like the Canadian Freedom Convoy protest did, however some truckers are swearing to disrupt traffic in the nation's capital
  • The District of Columbia government - including Democrat Mayor Muriel Bowser - and the U.S. Capitol Police are requesting the National Guard assistance
  • DC leaders have also increased police presence in the city and plan to reinstall the fencing that surrounded the Capitol complex for much of 2021

Good - We The People have had enough.  Time for the goblins in DC to go back to representing US instead of selling out our Nation to the highest bidder.

Pitch perfect - from Bored Panda:

The purchase is contingent on the sale of some property here so I negotiated a large down payment to hold it and closing in a couple of months.  Made that payment this morning.

Gorgeous place - 4K sq. ft. on two levels.  Eight acres on a mountaintop with sweeping views.

WA State was fun and I have some dear friends from here but the government incompetence and overreach is getting too much. Eastern North Carolina is Democrat-run shithole - the big cities.  Western and rural NC is very conservative and serves as a nice balance.  The governor is a classical Democrat who listens to his constituents and who has been very good throughout the coof crisis. Overall state politics is very conservative.

Needs a pole barn for my shop but everything else is there and in great condition.

She is a registered Democrat but a classical one, not a woke one.  She had her hat in the ring in the 2020 Presidential campaign and I would not have minded voting for her.  Here, here, here and here for starters.

Is she changing parties?  From WeLoveTrump:

HUGE: Prominent Democrat Set to Speak at Upcoming CPAC Event
The Conservative Political Action Conference is almost here.

In addition to a number of high-profile Republicans slated to speak at the major event, there is at least one Democrat joining their ranks.

According to American Conservative Union Chair Matt Schlapp, former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) is expected to take the stage.

While it is clear that many of Gabbard’s political positions do not align with mainstream conservatism, she is also seen as an outsider within her own party.

After all, she is not the type of far-left ideologue that modern-day Democrats embrace.

Just wow. CPAC is sort of a Sturgis for conservatives. Want to attend one year.  On the bucket list.

No dog run this morning.  Was planning to go to the farm but it is getting really cold and windy out there.  I have been on a roll down here doing some things so spending the next couple days doing more of same.  Wait until it warms up a little bit.

Coffee and bank next...

They receive taxpayer funding so they are obligated by law to publish their data.
From The London Daily Mail:

CDC is refusing to publish data it has collected on booster effectiveness for 33 MILLION Americans aged 18-49 over fears it might show the vaccines as ineffective: FDA expert tells CDC to 'tell the truth'

• • Two weeks ago the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published data about the effectiveness of boosters against COVID-19
  • The CDC failed to publish a tranche of their data, however - omitting the impact on those aged 18-49, who are least likely to benefit from boosters
  • The CDC are also being criticized for failing to publish their information about child hospitalization rates and comorbidities
  • A spokeswoman for the CDC said they were concerned that the data would be misinterpreted, pointing out that it was incomplete and not verified
  • Critics said that it was always better to publish the information rather than withhold, and allow scientists to analyze and explain what they could

I don't care if it doesn't fit the narrative and I don't care if it exposes you for the bumbling idiots that you are.
Get it out there so we can see for ourselves and make our own decisions.

Of course, the tweet was censored but of course, the internet is forever:

Vlad just needs a little Lebensraum - a little space for Russia to grow.  We all know how well that worked out for Germany about a hundred years ago.

From chris lynch's column at substack:

After the Challenger space shuttle disaster a panel of experts including former astronauts, physicist Richard Feynman, and others was created to determine what actually caused the disaster. If we were to form a similar panel to determine why the CDC was such a disaster during the pandemic and how to fix the situation - who would be the trusted voices of reason in medicine and science be that we could turn to today? Are there any trusted voices anymore? Love Joe Rogan but it is sad that he might actually be the closest thing we'd have to fitting the bill...

Yeah - who? Who can we all trust with the truth?

Today is 2-22-22

Carry on...

From the Washington Examiner:

Kyle Rittenhouse announces initiative to challenge media in court
Kyle Rittenhouse announced a new initiative Monday aimed at challenging major media outlets in court.

The Media Accountability Project will raise money for legal challenges against outlets Rittenhouse believes defamed him during his trial and hold them "accountable" more broadly.

“The Media Accountability Project is the official fundraising vehicle for holding the worst offenders in our activist media accountable in court. In the long term, I want to provide a platform for independent journalists who are actually committed to the truth, but for right now, accountability is priority No. 1,” Rittenhouse told the Washington Examiner.

Good move on his part - make it hurt. He was acquitted of all charges last November but people still slander him in the media.  The media have gotten away with lying to us for too long.  Time to make them own up to their transgressions. Journalism used to be an honest profession.

Karl Denninger has the best analysis so far:

Putin: Check! Biden: King Me!
Playing the wrong game there Joe, aren't 'ya?

You have to admit that our so-called "experts" at State didn't foresee this one.  It puts the US and the rest of Europe into an entirely-untenable situation, but isn't far from what I expected -- recognition of the parts of the Ukraine that were and want to be Russian as, effectively.... Russian.

By "recognizing" their Declaration of Independence the label aggressor can no longer be applied to Russia since an independent nation can ask for military assistance and there is no harm or foul (Kuwait anyone?); if any of the other fine folks start shooting to stop it Russia's response to that is now defensive.  Reports are that they have done exactly that, inviting in the Russians as "peacekeepers."  How true that said request was made is, of course, unknown.

The White House is naturally threatening "sanctions."  Not sure what they think they can actually do that will matter.  Barring trade with the seceding territories (which Biden has said he'll do via E/O) is an effective zero as there's no US trade or investment there now.

And let's not forget: A couple hundred years ago we basically did the same thing, did we not?

Yeah, we did.

I'm sure there are plenty of people will opine that "oh you can't do that!"

Well, if you're an American then the only reason you live in America and are not a British Subject is because you can do that -- and our forefathers did.

So was that "check"...... or "checkmate"?

Swiped in full because it is short.

If Joe sends troops?  It will be his aggression.
If Joe sets up sanctions?  Vladimir gets the sympathy and the world will tut-tut about Joe's tyranny.

Got stuff done - always a good thing.

Now?  Dinner and finish some laundry.  Surf later.

Rented some space in a large 20X40 garage near my house.  There is only one other tenant so zero problems with security.

Taking a load of stuff to the dump, swinging by my storage lockers (renting five of them) and starting to empty them out and move things to the new garage.  This way, I can set up some tables and lay everything out to sort through them.  There is electricity on site so bringing my shop boom box. Major plus in that there is a nice roll-up door - it rains around here and being able to drive my van inside is a big plus.

Back in a couple of hours - got work to do.  Planning to be moved out of the island house by May 1st.  A big push but doable. North Carolina is looking better and better as I read the news.  Their governor is a Democrat but he is old-school.  He listens to his constituents and does what is right by the (small-s) state.  Not a lackey for the (big-s) State.

From Reuters:

Canada emergency powers still needed, PM says, citing signs of new blockade
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday said his government still needed temporary emergency powers in the wake of a truckers’ blockade, citing “real concerns” about threats in the days ahead.

Trudeau told a televised news conference there were signs some truckers were regrouping outside the capital Ottawa and might come back to try to restart a three-week occupation that brought downtown Ottawa to a halt.

We are seeing the perfect definition of a straw-man fallacy — giving the impression of refuting an opponent's argument, while actually refuting an argument which was not advanced by that opponent.

The truckers are not regrouping outside of Ottawa.  That is fake news.

“This state of emergency is not over. There continue to be real concerns about the coming days,” Trudeau told reporters.

Yeah - riiight...  Trudeau has shown his true colors.
He is a petty tyrant and now that he has the power, he is loath to relinquish it.

A commenter at Don Surber's website this morning:

A: Slavery is a situation where you are forced to work for a master, in return you get housing, food, healthcare, and job security. It is typically bad housing, meager food, and pathetic healthcare, but it is free. Freedom is unknown to slave, he must obey or suffer.

B: Socialism: You are forced to work for those in power. In return, they give you food, housing, healthcare, all free. It is meager food, terrible housing, and horrible healthcare, but it's free. Freedom is unknown to a socialist citizen, he must obey or suffer.

What we have today are a bunch of B's screaming foul about the history of A's, while those same B's want to enforce an A lifestyle on the world for our own good. I would try to make this clear to a dyed in the wool socialist college student, but I believe in the philosophy, "never argue with a fool, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience."

Change my mind...

Woke up to snow on the ground this morning - 36°F was the coldest temp last night so it is not going to stick around for very long but still...  Looking forward to North Carolina where it is currently 63°  Could be worse, the south part of my little island is enjoying some power outages this morning (as well as some of the surounding community) — 11K customers in total:

Nothing much else catches my eye out there.  Dump run this morning after the usual routine.

From Alberta's Edmonton Sun:

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney filing legal challenge to end Trudeau's Emergencies Act
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney and his UCP government are so disgusted by the federal Liberals’ imposition of the Emergencies Act to end the truckers’ blockade of downtown Ottawa that they will file a legal challenge in Federal Court in Ottawa early next week to end Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s arbitrary and high-handed action.

In an exclusive interview with Postmedia, Kenney said the use of Canada’s most powerful law was “unjustified in the circumstances,” an “overreach,” a violation of due process and “an intrusion into provincial jurisdiction.”

As a consequence, lawyers representing the Alberta government will be asking judges not to overturn the act, but rather to suspend its use in the current situation.

The premier doesn’t want anyone to misunderstand his motives. “The situation in Ottawa is serious. Law and order has to be restored.” Protesters cannot be allowed to blockade the core of any Canadian city, much less our capital, Kenney explained, no matter what their cause.

“But the Emergencies Act was designed to come into effect at the failure of the state,” at a time when it was possible our democratic institutions might fall. “However, there is no insurrection or coup,” Kenney said pointedly.

Great.  Actually, there is a coup.  It just happens to be by Trudeau trying to establish dictatorial rule over a Parliamentary Nation.

A good observation:

From their website:

Why Canada Will Become a Dictatorship Under Trudeau
The leader of that party does what he wants, when he wants, and no one dares question him. Would a Prime Minister Trudeau arbitrarily whip the vote and outlaw certain moral questions? Could Prime Minister Trudeau be trusted to make decisions for the good of the country, not just for his personal self-worth? Would Trudeau call in the police to enforce his vision? Let's hope we never have the opportunity to ask those questions.

It's becoming clearer as the days of Trudeau's Liberals wear on: if elected Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau would turn Canada into a dictatorship.

This is the man who admitted he "admires China's basic dictatorship." It wasn't just a sarcastic comment - he seriously said that he admires the dictatorship because they can get things done quickly.

And it's becoming clearer that Trudeau not only admires the dictatorship -- he runs the Liberal Party like one too.

How else can one explain the police-enforced acclamation of Andrew Leslie as the Liberal candidate for Orleans? Even with hundreds of Liberals attending the meeting to show their support for another candidate (and former Trudeau leadership rival), it was clear from the beginning that Leslie was Trudeau's hand-picked favourite, and certainly wouldn't be stopped by pesky processes like "democracy."

Just the imagery of Trudeau's chosen candidate being selected with police intervention is scary. It shows that Trudeau doesn't just admire China's dictatorship -- he would practice one if he had the chance.

Yeah - nothing new there... Again, a Canadian citizen's rights are granted by the Canadian Government. It's in their Constitution and in their Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Something given can be taken away.  An American citizen's rights are "given by God". They are natural. They are something that every man, woman and child is born with, endowed and inalienable. These rights are recognized as such by our Constitution. Our government can not touch them.

From Meet The Press - USA Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and NBC's Chuck Todd
From Gateway Pundit:

Chuck Todd Asks Secretary of State Blinken Why Putin Didn’t Escalate During the Trump Administration
NBC’s Chuck Todd on Sunday asked Secretary of State Antony Blinken why Vladimir Putin didn’t escalate tensions with Ukraine during the Trump Administration.

Blinken had no answer.

“[The] previous one. Why do you think [Putin] didn’t act then?” Chuck Todd asked Blinken on “Meet the Press.”

“I hope you get a chance to ask him,” Blinken said stuttering.

Indeed. A good question.  A few questions about inflation, gasoline prices, energy prices, food prices, might be in order as well...

Passed away recently - wonderful way with words. One quote for these times:
From 90 Miles

We will just go home - from Rumble:

Grocery stores have about three days of fresh stuff (produce, meat, dairy) and about ten days of shelf-stable stuff (canned goods, cereal, dry goods)  A shut-down of one week would expose this dramatically. Two weeks and the cities would be unlivable.  Even if only 10% of the truckers respond, this will have a significant impact.

Shit meet fan.

Nothing much happening out there. Trudeau is still a self-absorbed tyrant. Poster child for entitlement and privilege. What not to do when raising a child.

Usual morning routine and then dump run and then start consolidating the several storage lockers I have.  I rented some space in a large garage close to my house so setting up tables, bringing over a boom box and rockin' out.  Now that I have the shipping containers, I can start sorting and packing for things to go to North Carolina.

Was surfing the web this morning and Bayou Renaissance Man turned me on to this musician - he lives about two hours from where we will be moving and there is quite the Celtic festival in that area. Black Mountain/Asheville is also in the heart of the rabid blue part of NC so not wanting to live there.  Visiting there for the culture is another thing entirely.

On with my day...

From 90 Miles:

The one thing wrong with being a tyrant is that there is no good exit strategy unless you relish the thought of being strung up on a lamppost or taking the coward's way out alone in some dark bunker.

The Police Chief of Ottawa City resigned a few days ago - he was hired in 2019 so not long on the job but seemed competent.  My guess is that he aligned himself more with the truckers, more with freedom and more with Canada's Constitution and The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms than the diktats of a few elite fops.

Sundance has a good read on his replacement:

Ottawa Police Chief Confirms Federal Law Enforcement Will Use Intelligence Gathered to Continue Investigating, Hunting, Targeting and Arresting Protest Attendees Long After Protests End
Taking a page from the J6 playbook, today interim Ottawa Police Chief Steve Bell confirmed that local, provincial and federal law enforcement will use the intelligence they have gathered to target and arrest any Canadian citizen who supported any of the protests.

From the outset, the nervousness, agitation, breathing and body language of Steve Bell reflects a highly agitated person who is barely able to retain his anger. If you’ve ever been close to an angry person as their central nervous system starts to overload, there is a physical rage that starts to surface as twitchiness, shaking and fidgeting. Timing the moment of their explosion then becomes important. Bell shows all those indicators of rage instability in this presser.

Bell noted cameras, photographs, video surveillance and geolocation systems will be used to assemble information on all the attendees to the protests, and anyone who came into the areas will be hunted by law enforcement for many months and years that follow in order to prosecute and arrest them for non-compliance. His visibly unstable remarks seem intended to create fear and anxiety purposefully in the Canadian people.

More at the site and be sure to watch the video - he is twitching.  The idea that someone as unstable as Bell is able to advance to a position of that authority is unreal.  His psych profile should have kept him "flying a desk" for the entirety of his career.

Considering that similar protests are rising up all over Canada and the United States, I would say that the Trudeau administration is thoroughly backed in to a very tight corner with no place to go.  They tried authoritarianism.  It didn't work.  They doubled down.  That didn't work either.  They could have defused it a month ago and made everyone happy by simply listening to their constituents but noooooo.

Interesting times...

I had posted about him before - a great interview and his wonderful Christmas Message among others.

From Vox Popoli:

Mailvox: Canadian Boots
A boots-on-the-ground report from Canada:

I tried to withdraw $20 000 in cash from my bank today. They would only give me half, due to their “reserves being very low”. They were out of $100 dollar bills, gave me $50’s instead. They said the next cash shipment to them was on the 23rd. Later in the day they called me and said the next cash shipment wouldn’t be until March 2nd. I bank at RBC, the biggest bank in Canada. My boss ran into the same thing at TD, another big Canadian bank. The bank staff was very nervous. I was calm and polite since I’m well prepared, but they looked like they had been yelled at a lot in the last couple days since the government started locking down accounts of people who donated to the Freedom Convoy.

The bank run is real.

Power to the people.

The more serious problem the Canadian government has caused for itself is the extreme lack of confidence it has now instilled in the entire banking system. Now, in addition to not receiving any interest on their deposits, even Canadians who are not involved with the Freedom Convoy are learning that they can’t even rely upon the banks as a safe store of their wealth.

Since its role as a store of wealth is the primary purpose of money, this means that the legitimacy of the Canadian monetary system is being actively undermined by the converged Canadian government. Which means that the legitimacy of the Canadian government will also soon be questioned by those who don’t even support the convoy.

Copied in its entirety - too short to excerpt.  This is true - the legitimacy of the Canadian government is toast.  There are so many other ways they could have handled this and come out on top smelling like roses.  Top-down authoritarianism is not a good optic.  It is something that will not sit with people who do not like tyranny.

This tid-bit from lawyer Jeff Childers — his Coffee & Covid column for today:

I defended a client yesterday in a January 6 Committee deposition. I can’t say anything about the specifics, of course, for my client’s privacy, but I would like to note that the government investigators produced year-old text messages provided by the carrier, Verizon.

Although I’d been told that the carriers didn’t keep text messages longer than a few months, these were subpoenaed over a year after the fact. I would assume that ALL text messages are saved FOREVER. The carrier provides each text plus all the “metadata”; in other words, there is a lot of extra information attached to each text message. Examples include the specific date/time of each text, every phone number that received it, the legal name and billing address of every participant in the thread, and so on. I saw a flag for “deleted,” strongly suggesting that deleted texts are also retained, just marked as deleted.

Anyway. To slightly repurpose a slogan out of my attic of client advice, NEVER text or email anything that you wouldn’t want printed in a congressional report someday.

Wise words - there is a saying: "The Internet is Forever"
This is true but unfortunately, this is true for everyone.  It works both ways.

From Zero Hedge:

Epstein "Pimp" Jean-Luc Brunel Found Hanged In Paris Prison
Stop us if you've seen this one before...

Alternatively described as Jeffrey Epstein's "best mate" and "pimp", Jean-Luc Brunel, a former French modeling agent who has been imprisoned since 2020 on charges he aided Epstein's sex-trafficking enterprise, has committed suicide in his cell, according to French newspapers Le Monde and Le Parisian.

He was found hanged in his prison cell at La Santé in Paris just a week after Prince Andrew reached a multi-million dollar settlement with Virginia Giuffre, an Epstein trafficking victim whom Brunel was also alleged to have abused.

#1) - the video cameras in his cell were not running that night
#2) - Arkancide:

Arkancide is the unfortunate habit of potential witnesses to the Clintons' dirty dealings in Arkansas suddenly deciding to shoot themselves twice in the back of the head. Police and Coroners in Arkansas, notably Fahmy Malak who answered to Governor Bill Clinton, automatically described these shootings as "suicides."

After Bill Clinton became President the phenomenon spilled over to Washington D.C. when Hillary Clinton's ex-lover Vincent Foster was "Arkancided."

Arkancide - not just for the Clinton Klan any more...

Memes are coming out of the woodwork - minor nit though:
It is not a tin foil hat, it is an AFDB - correct terminology please:

Sooner rather than later - before the Statute of Limitations runs out:

The conex boxes are beautiful - took some video of them and will upload it in the next day or so

Was planning to spend the night up there but since they arrived early, I have a lot to do down here.  Headed back. Rented a large storage garage for four months so will be staging everything there for the move - starting that project tomorrow.  Got a couple nice days in the forecast (cold though).

Surf, watch some videos and lights out.

Heading out for the usual morning routine - waiting for a phone call from the driver bringing me two 20' conex boxes.

Using them to pack for the move...
Yes, I am bringing that much stuff...
Yes, I have been doing a major downsizing...

Jeff Childers writes a wonderful column called Coffee & Covid. A daily read for me.

Today, he is talking about the sudden spike in heart disease directly linked to the experimental mRNA vaccine.  The prevalence is so widespread and well known that "people" are scrambling to explain it away. Jeff has compiled a list of published articles - excuses.  Anything but...

Take a look at this roundup of headlines starting last summer and picking up pace until they frantically crowd into February, which has the most articles. I put them in date order for you, so you can observe the progression. If this trend continues, soon EVERY article published ANYWHERE will be about this same subject:

• • “Why People at Risk of Heart Disease May Want to Avoid Fish Oil,” HealthLine, May 3, 2021.
  • “How Environmental Noise Harms the Cardiovascular System,” The Scientist, June 2, 2021.
  • “What to know about birth control and blood clots,” Medical News Today, July 16, 2021.
  • “Why has heart attack become so prevalent in young people?,” Times of India, September 6, 2021
  • “Young adult cannabis consumers nearly twice as likely to suffer from a heart attack, research shows,” CNN, September 8, 2021.
  • “Physical activity may increase heart attack risk, study suggests,” The Irish Times, September 20, 2021.
  • “Mystery rise in heart attacks from blocked arteries,” Times UK, September 20, 2021
  • “This Blood Type Puts You at Risk for Heart Disease,” ETNT Health, October 12, 2021 (note: it’s all types but O)
  • “The Little-Known Heart Attack Killing Young Women,” WedMB, October 25, 2021.
  • “There May Be a ‘Best Bedtime’ for Your Heart,” WebMD, November 9, 2021.
  • “Extreme Heat Events Jeopardize Cardiovascular Health, Experts Warn,” ScienceDaily, November 18, 2021
  • “Tis the Season: the ways cold weather can affect your body from winter vagina to blood clots,” The Sun, November 27, 2021
  • “Daily Aspirin Linked to Increased Risk of Heart Failure,” WebMD, November 30, 2021.
  • “Wearing This Increases Your Blood Clot Risk, Experts Say: The condition kills someone every five minutes, a recent study reveals,” Best Life, December 4, 2021 (wearing a plaster cast or brace for “several days”)
  • “Harsh Winter can Increase Heart-Related Complications: Experts warn in new study,” The Indian Express, December 6, 2021
  • “Heart attack: Does skipping breakfast increase your risk?,” Express, December 12, 2021
  • “How Worried You Should Be About Having a Heart Attack on Your Peloton,” Men’s Health, December 13, 2021
  • “Up to 300,000 people facing heart-related illnesses due to post-pandemic stress disorder, warn physicians,” Evening Standard, December 14, 2021.
  • “Science Reveals How Red Meat Harms the Heart,” WebMD, December 29, 2021.
  • “Bing Watching TV Linked to Higher Blood Clot Risk,” WebMD, January 21, 2022.
  • “Chemical in plastics and personal care products linked to heart disease,” Harvard Health Journal, January 1, 2022.
  • “Blood Clots: The Popular Breakfast Food That Could Enhance The Risk Of Blood Clotting,” various, January 22, 2022.
  • “Now even sticking to medics’ alcohol guidelines is bad for your health! Risk of heart problems could be increased if you drink less than NHS weekly units, study suggests,” Daily Mail UK, January 28, 2022.
  • “Death during sex isn’t just something that happens to middle-aged men, new study finds,” The Conversation, February 1, 2022.
  • “Energy bill price rise may cause heart attacks and strokes, says TV GP,” Wales Online, February 3, 2022.
  • “Heart Attacks: What Does Age Have to Do With It?,” HealthLine, February 9, 2022.
  • “Yes, Even Runners (and Triathletes) Get Heart Disease,” Triathlon Magazine, February 11, 2022
  • “From Broken-Heart Syndrome to Cardiovascular Diseases, Your Heart Health Needs Extra Care Post-Covid,” Economic Times, February 9, 2022
  • “New Study Reveals Shocking Benefit of ‘Heart Attack’,” REVYUH, February 16, 2022
  • “Does an Aspirin a Day Keep Heart Disease Away? It Depends,” Michigan Health, February 16, 2022
  • “Doctors Say Broken Heart Syndrome is Real, and it Can Be Deadly,” WHNT, February 16, 2022
  • “Lonely older women at greater risk of heart attack, study shows,” London Times, February 17, 2022

Anything but the vax.  Look!!!  A squirrell!!!

Bailing out on working at the thrift store this weekend - waiting here for a phone call from the trucker. They are picking up two 20' conex boxes from Port of Seattle and bringing them to my farm. Packing up for the move. Back to the island sometime Saturday or Sunday and start loading things up.

Saw this online and it is note perfect:

The Biden Administration is just mindlessly babbling at this point, and I think that's pretty obvious to the entire world.

FACT CHECK = 100% TRUE

Basic stuff related to selling the store but it is nice to get all my ducks in a row.

Surf and then dinner - Chef Mike is preparing some of the grains and steamed veggies that I made last night.

Nice long walk with the pups, coffee and then drive to Bellingham for a meeting at 2:30

Got two shipping containers being delivered to the farm tomorrow.  Up there for a day or two.

Life is good...

Hopefully for a long long time:

Firing squad is too good for her. How about an old-fashioned hanging...

A glorious two-fer:

PM Trudeau may still be clinging to the vaccine Narrative 1.0 but more sensible heads are pivoting away.
Case in point, Doug Ford, the Premier of Ontario:

Wise words from someone who is representing his constituents and not kowtowing to foreign masters.

And then, this exchange between Melissa Lantsman and the P.M.  Ms. Lantsman reminding people of Trudeau's earlier words:

Quite the visceral reaction from the rest of the members.  Justin's reign is nearing its end.
Elections have consequences and when you vote on popularity, you deserve what you get.
More background at The  Right Scoop

Steamed some veggies for dinner and about ready to fall asleep. Jet lagged out...  Surf for a little bit, watch a few videos and that will be it for me for tonight...

Feels like it is 9:00PM - usually get to bed around 10PM or so.  Still running on Eastern Standard time.

Got two very happy pups here - thawed out some good bones last night so they are gnawing away.

Taking care of things here so minimal posting today.  Meeting in Bellingham tomorrow afternoon.

Slept like a log.  Three hour time difference so that will take a day or two to get used to.

Out for coffee, call the kennel and pick up my two critters.  No other plans for today - spend lots of quality time with them.

Time to get my butt in gear - moving out of the island house, getting it ready for sale and then the farm.  Take posession of the Murphy house in 2-3 months.  Getting two conex boxes delivered this friday for packing. Busy busy busy but really good. Feels comfortable.

The flight was delayed 45 minutes so running a little bit later than planned. It's 11:16PM here but 2:16PM in North Carolina.  Sleeping in tomorrow for sure.

A really good trip - productive and it served to reaffirm that I felt a lot more comfortable in the Eastern US than in one of the liberal enclaves on the left coast.  These are not my people.  They have better food but their politics are one-sided, divisive and child-like (in the bad sense).

Dining out is going to be interesting - Lisa is 100% vegetarian and I am mostly veggie (95%) but everything else is good. 

Next post tomorrow sometime from the island.

Been a great trip - will post photos of the new house in a few days.

The Toronto Star is a very liberal newspaper.  Here is their editorial from 02/14 (yesterday):

Invoking the Emergencies Act is a shocking admission of failure
Many will cheer the Trudeau government’s decision to invoke the Emergencies Act to deal with border blockades and the occupation of Ottawa. They’re fed up with the protests and that’s entirely understandable.

But we will not join the cheering. Federal emergency powers may now be necessary as a last resort, but going that route is a shocking admission of failure by governments at all levels.

This was and remains a policing issue. Right from the start, even before the truckers’ convoy rolled into Ottawa, there were laws on the books adequate to deal with this.

The situation could and should already have been resolved by good intelligence, smart planning, and effective coordination among police forces.

But in Ottawa, in particular, we’ve seen none of that over the past two and a half weeks. Instead, we’ve seen dithering and buck-passing all round. Indeed, until a couple of days ago the federal government’s position was that local authorities had “all the tools and resources they need” to deal with the occupation.

Yep - poor leadership.  That is it plain and simple.  Trudeau does not understand what is happening out there.  He lives in a bubble and is 100% out of touch with reality.  Time for him to step down and let someone who can lead. Lead.

Wonder who he did not pay off.  From Slay News:

Top Democrat Lawmaker Found Guilty of Tax Fraud, Lying to Federal Regulators
A top Chicago Democrat lawmaker has been found guilty by a jury on multiple counts of tax fraud and lying to federal regulators.

The jury of eight women and four men convicted Chicago Alderman Patrick Daley Thompson on all seven counts against him.

He was found guilty on five counts of tax fraud and two for lying to federal bank regulators.

However, Daley Thompson is not just your average crooked Democrat.

His family is the architects that built the corrupt Chicago machine and his fall from grace is a major blow for the Democratic Party.

Partick Daley Thompson is the grandson and nephew of both Richard Daleys, the two Mayors who ran Chicago on and off since the 1950s.

Daley Thompson was the heir apparent and was being groomed to take to the top job in the city.

Looking forward to the day when the Democrat party has its teeth pulled.  Too much power concentrated in the hands of people who are in it for themselves and not for the betterment of the USA.

Swiped from Don Surber:

Heading out for coffee and then back to the hotel to check out.  Looking to be on the road around Noon.  Google puts the Atlanta airport at a 1:30 drive and planning to stop for a bite along the way.  Flight leaves at 6PM so perfect timing. Gives me about 2-3 hours of hang-time in case of unforseen events.

Going to have to get used to wearing masks again - nobody does out here.  The position of the government is that you need them if you have the disease.  There are also signs on the buildings that remind you that store owners are not liable for your catching it.  I have seen a couple places where the staff wear them but nobody asks you to put one on.  Except for Asheville, NC - it was mask city there.  Very liberal city and county so no surprises.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott refers to Austin, TX as the blueberry in the tomato soup of Texas.  Asheville is sort of the same way. Fun city though.  It's a two-hour drive from our new house - about the right distance...

Do a quick surf when I come back from coffee in an hour or so.

Flying out of Atlanta tomorrow afternoon - Seattle, get the car and then head points north to the island.

Found a good coffee place this morning so know where to go for tomorrow.  

Good trip but it will be good to get back. Miss the dogs.

One very consistant thing about them.  If they do not get their way, they double down.
They do not stop and question their path, they do it more and harder.
From The Post Millenial:

Trudeau invokes Emergencies Act against freedom protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressed media on Monday, where he invoked the Emergencies Act in order to deal with the freedom protests that have broken out across Canada at border crossings and major cities. Specifically, the prime minister referred to "illegal blockades" and claimed that freedom protesters were guilty of "harassment" and that their protests were not peaceful.

Rumours circulated that the prime minister would invoke the act, following a late-night cabinet meeting on Sunday. The prime minister would go on to hold private meetings with premiers on Monday, as well as another meeting with his caucus.

Vote of no-confidence anyone?  It is not surprising that he ran and hid when it first got serious.  Now, he is going all police-state against them. Showing his true colors - let us hope that Canadians will remember when election time rolls around...

Mine is up for sale (updated with a better link).

It is a nice little moneymaker - only selling as I am moving out of WA State.

Beautiful small town.  Once the site of a major gold mining operation and mint. Doing some banking today and then tourism.  Spending tonight here as well and driving down to the Atlanta airport tomorrow (Tuesday) afternoon for my flight back to Seattle.

A really good trip - found a nice place to live and some really wonderful and like-minded people. A big move but a really good one.

Russia and Ukraine?  From Sundance:

It’s Official – White House Ukraine Crisis is Manufactured – Pelosi Says if Russia Doesn’t Invade Ukraine, It Proves Strength and Brilliance of Joe Biden Policy
We have been looking for this exact political construct and today we got it.  Nancy Pelosi appears on ABC This Week with George Stephanopoulos to discuss current events. This was all planned in advance.  This is guaranteed to be a political pantomime.

The first topic is the “Russia-Ukraine crisis,” with Stephanopoulos asking Pelosi directly if she believes Russian President Vladimir Putin is about to invade Ukraine. Nancy Pelosi’s response [Transcript Here] tells us all we need to hear:

PELOSI: “Well, I think we have to be prepared for it. And that is what the president is — yes, I do believe that he is prepared for an invasion. I also understand why the President of Ukraine wants to keep people calm and that he wants his economy not to suffer. But, on the other hand, if we were not threatening the sanctions and the rest, it would guarantee that Putin would invade. Let’s hope that diplomacy works.

It’s about diplomacy deterrence. Diplomacy deterrence. And the president’s made it very clear. There’s a big price to pay for Russia to go there. So, if Russia doesn’t invade, it’s not that he never intended to. It’s just that the sanctions worked.” … “I’m very proud of the work that the president has done.” (read more)

Can you see the domestic political scenario that has been created out of thin air?

About ten days ago, I referenced a 1997 movie called Wag the Dog

It is all coming true - this is not agression by Putin, this is spin from the flailing Democrat party.  They offer nothing that people want so they have to lie and cheat to stay in power.

It has been interesting noticing my blatant prejudice against brick and masonry buildings on this trip.
I look at a 3-4 story brick building and the first thing that comes into my mind is: "Ewwww - URM" 

The left coast is a lot younger than this area so Unreinforced masonry buildings are an object of aversion due to the high level of seismic activity. In Appalachia, things are a lot quieter. Sure, there were the New Madrid quakes of 1811 and 1812 (three major ones) but that fault zone is over 400 miles away.

A good thing to be aware of but not as much a concern here as it is out there in shaky-town...

Having a nice conversation with one of Georgia's finest:

Flying down the interstate - speed limit is 70. Four-lane divided highway and everyone is going 80-85.  I take the connector to switch to another route.  This one is also four-lane divided highway.  I see the two cars at the bottom of the hill so I make a point to slow down to 70.  Blinkey lights come on and I pull over.

Turns out that the previous interstate I was on had a 70MPH speed limit.  The interstate I was going to had a 70MPH speed limit but the little five mile connector - the one that was four lanes and divided had a speed limit of 55MPH.  Nice little moneymaker there.  The officer's car was very nice and shiny and I am betting that their department is very well funded 😁

Oh well...  Now I know.

Hotel was noisy.  makes sense to put everyone on the same floor, same wing.  Much easier for housekeeping but it makes for poor sleep with lots of noise in the hallway.  Looked on Air B&B and there are some spots in the cool part of town for $70 to $130 so staying there next time.

Was thinking of remaining overnight and spending two days in Asheville but bailing out. Going to head south to Greenville, GA and mosey over to Dahlonega, Georgia.  Looks interesting - small University town so some good restaurants. See what is there. Monday night somewhere around Atlanta and flying out Tuesday afternoon.

Now? Coffee.  Must get coffee...

Psaki is a liar.  No other way to say it. From the London Daily Mail:

Let's circle back, Jen? Declassified Pentagon report says Biden WAS dangerously indecisive about Afghan withdrawal - despite Psaki claiming on Friday report did NOT exist

• • Declassified reports from the U.S. military into Kabul withdrawal details frustration with White House and State Department throughout the process
  • Particularly over failure to spot Taliban's rapid advance
  • It was obtained by the Washington Post with a freedom of information request
  • Declassified after-action reports support U.S. military commanders and say President Biden's team was indecisive during the Afghanistan crisis
  • At least one of the report spans 2,000 pages and details complete confusion
  • The Pentagon's standard priority had been to first evacuate American citizens, then lawful permanent residents, then Afghans who aided the U.S.
  • On Friday, The White House said Friday that no such reports exist

Pants on fire.  More at the site.

President Trump had everything staged for an orderly withdrawl in May.  Biden had to move it up and do it his way.  We would still have Baghram Airfield.  We would still be an effective deterrent to China.

The powers behind the throne (Obama) wanted someone malleable.

And bypass the censors with a different title and subject matter.
And yes, the fries are alien technology - right up there with Cheese Whiz and Tang
Developed at Area 57 near Roswell.  Area 51 is for the technology (The Clapper and most Popeil products (Ron was just a pitchman hired for the job)).  Area 57 is where the food from the crashed saucer was analysed and marketed.

From AvE

Grew up playing with the Louis Marx . little green Army men - a standard toy for boys of that vintage (old)

During yesterday's travels to Copper Hill and Blue Ridge, saw these in one store:

You can also get them at Amazon - someone has their finger on the pulse of the zeitgeist.

Really fun town.  Stopped in at the R.A. Moog factory - closed on Saturday but their store was open and staffed by two very knowledgeable people.  We reminisced about the days of yore.  I had met Bob once when I worked at Microsoft - he came to visit and gave a presentation.  I own three pieces of Moog equipment and love them.  My main synthesizer was built by these people: "synthesizers.com" Rodger based his designs on the original Moog patents (since expired) but built them using modern components so you get the wonderful sonorities and tone but the @#$% thing stays in tune for more than 30 minutes at a time.  The original instruments were very sensitive to changes in temperature.

Here is the interior of the store:

And does the name Keith Emerson ring a bell?

This is not Keith's actual machine but it is an exact copy done by a world-renowned synthesizer technician who now works for Moog. Talk about a bit of history...

Staying outside of town near the freeway - need to find a nice Air B&B in town (walking distance) as I can see both Lisa and I coming over here every couple of months.  Liberal as fsck but great culture and food. Yeah - you have to wear masks here.  City and County "emergency" but there is a chance that it might sunset in a few days - we will see...

Two headlines from Russia Today:

• Russia pulls diplomats from Ukraine
• US removes non-emergency embassy staff from Ukraine

Glad we are getting the hell out of Dodge - things are going to get interesting

Checking out of the motel this morning.  Coffee and then drive to Brasstown to check out this place: John C. Campbell Folk School  They have a major blacksmith and metalworking program. Also a lot of other classes in art and crafts.  Looks like a great place. Driving due East to Waynesville for lunch and then spending tonight in Asheville.

Productive couple of days...  Back to the island next Tuesday.  Miss Lisa.  Miss the dogs.

From Just The News:

California considers law to require all workers to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19
Democratic legislation would require employees and independent contractors to show proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 unless the employee obtains an exemption for a medical reason, disability or “sincerely held religious belief.”

California workers would be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 under new legislation introduced Friday by Democratic lawmakers.

Assembly Bill 1993, introduced by Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks, D-Oakland, would require employees and independent contractors to show proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 unless the employee obtains an exemption for a medical reason, disability or “sincerely held religious belief.” Those who received an exemption would be required to be regularly tested.

Employers would be required to confirm to the state that all employers and contractors are fully vaccinated by Jan. 1, 2023, or face a penalty of an “unspecified amount.”

They like their power and they do not want to see it slipping away like sand through their fingers.

These mokes are not representing their constituents.

The motel is full and everyone must be streaming Neil Young on Spotify or watching the latest COVID Mask rules on CNN.

Spending tomorrow in Asheville - hopefully the service is better there.

Great video - the people speak, even the young people:

From the London Daily Mail:

Freedom Convoy votes to stay on the Ambassador Bridge and DEFY Trudeau as his 7pm deadline to clear it of protesters passes: PM threatened 'everything is on the table' - including military force

• • Biden and Trudeau spoke directly on Friday regarding the Freedom Convoy blockades at the border
  • 'President Biden and I both agreed that...these blockades cannot continue,' said Trudeau
  • White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said that Trudeau had promised 'quick action'
  • Police are now reportedly massing in huge numbers in Windsor, Ontario by Ambassador Bridge
  • Trudeau said that the use of military force was a last resort but that 'everything is on the table'
  • On Friday protesters claimed to be opening a lane of the bridge but police said this was false
  • Conservative Ontario Premier Doug Ford on Friday declared a state of emergency, threatening fines and jail
  • US group 'Convoy to Save America' is launching convoys from Nashville and New York City this weekend

Is Trudeau that blind?  He HAS no other option than to talk with the truckers and to drop the mandates.  The truckers have 99% of the public opinion.  Trudeau has 1% and even that is fading fast.

All it takes is one person being injured or murdered and the cause has a martyr.  Trudeau's only other option is to slink away to Cuba.

Local supermarket salad bar for dinner - last night in beautiful downtown Murphy.

House inspection went really well - the house is rock solid.  A couple of loose ends that need to be taken care of but nothing that changes our decision to buy.  Spent the day driving around locally - went to Copper Hill / McCaysville and walked around.  Copper Hill, Tennessee is the site of a large copper smelting operation - mostly shut down but there is still a lot of the plant there and it has people working there.  Will have to explore later.  You cross over the river and are in McCaysville, Georgia.  Very outdoorsy, lots of river rafting companies, fun restaurants, etc...

Continued on to Blue Ridge, Georgia - very upper crust.  Different sort of touristy.  It used to be a small town like Murphy but it got "discovered" and was named one of the Top 10 Small Towns in America.  The floodgates opened and property values went through the roof.  Good for the original owners but not so good for people wanting to live there now.  Still, looks like some great restaurants and shops and two galleries where my blacksmithing work would "fit in" well.  We will see.

Last day here - checking out tomorrow and driving to Asheville.  Spend the night there, visit the R.A. Moog factory and do some exploring. Back to Atlanta Monday night, fly to the Left Coast Tuesday early afternoon.  A really fun trip but I miss my dogs.

I have to say, I like the priorities in McCaysville:

What shoplifting? Crime?

Heading out for breakfast and then to meet the home inspector at 9:30.

Noticed that the blog software is still running on PDT time.
It shows as being 3:58 when in reality, it is 6:58 at my present QTH
Adjust accordingly...

From Breitbart:

Biden Administration Urges Justin Trudeau to Use Federal Powers Against Trucker Blockade
The Biden administration reportedly urged Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to use federal powers to quell the truck blockade that has halted the flow of auto parts on the Ambassador Bridge.

For the past four days, the Canadian “Freedom Convoy” protests have blocked traffic on the main thoroughfare connecting Windsor, Ontario, to Detroit, forcing auto plants in both countries to either shut down or slow production due to the delay in part deliveries.

“The White House said Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg spoke with their Canadian counterparts and urged them to help resolve the standoff,” reported the Associated Press.

“A federal government official said they are not ruling out any options,” AP added. “The official spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to speak publicly.”

Hey guys - give us a call when you have it all figured out...

In the meantime, either lead or get the fsck out of the way. We have things to do.

To quote the great Inigo Montoya:  "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means"

Looks like the EU Elites are excercising pre-emptive control.  Tyranny is another word for it.
From The National File:

Police In Paris, Brussels Set Up Roadblocks To Prevent Freedom Convoy Protests
Authorities in Paris and Brussels have set up roadblocks in an effort to prevent protests similar to Canada’s Freedom Convoy from taking place. Citing “risks of trouble to public order,” the Paris Police Department banned protests aimed at “blocking the capital” from Friday through Monday. In addition to blocking roads, police have said they will make arrests.

The Paris Police department warned that blocking traffic can lead to two years in prison, up to 4,500 euros in fines and a suspended driver’s license. According to them, protesters have been organizing online in hopes of repeating Canada’s Freedom Convoy protests. The demonstrations are reportedly set to begin Friday night with protesters converging on Paris before making their way to Brussels on Monday.

Like their counterparts in Paris, police in Brussels — which is the home of European Union institutions — have announced similar measures. Authorities banned the protest and promised a “wide perimeter” around the city complete with roadblocks and checkpoints manned by police. Brussels Mayor Philippe Close said that officials decided to ban the Freedom Convoy” protest because organizers failed to seek permission to hold the event.

Protests beginning in 3... 2... 1...  What these morons fail to realize is that the first person to be arrested will become a martyr to the cause and will make the protest that much larger.  They are in an impossible situation - there is no way out.  Sucks to be elite - sucks even more when you are stupid like that.

Spent a few hours and drove out there today.  Gorgeous city with lots of art museums and activities.  This place caught my eye:

 International Towing & Recovery Museum

Yep - a museum dedicated to tow trucks and the towing and recovery business. They are missing Seattle's famous Lincoln Towing Toe Truck - that is at the Museum of History and Industry.

From The Liberty Daily:

Totalitarian Canadian Government BLOCKS GiveSendGo Donations From Going to Freedom Convoy Truckers
The fascists in Canada’s government received an assist from “conservative” Premier Doug Ford today against the Freedom Convoy currently protesting in Ottawa. His attorney general successfully petitioned the Superior Court to block funds raised through GiveSendGo from going to the protesting truckers.

The Freedom Convoy 2022 campaign has received over $8 million thus far to support the people fighting the vaccine mandates in Canada. Now, the future of those funds and the convoy itself are in limbo. According to CTV News:

The Ontario government says it has successfully petitioned a court to freeze access to millions of dollars donated through online fundraising platform GiveSendGo to the truckers convoy protesting COVID-19 restrictions in Ottawa and at several border crossings.

A spokeswoman for Premier Doug Ford says Ontario’s attorney general brought the application to the Superior Court of Justice seeking an order that would prohibit anyone from distributing donations made through the website’s “Freedom Convoy 2022” and “Adopt-a-Trucker” campaign pages.

Spokeswoman Ivana Yelich says an order binding “any and all parties with possession or control over these donations” was issued today.

A majority of the Canadian people have embraced the protesters and their plight over the last week, shifting support away from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s draconian Covid policies and favoring the concerns of the truckers. A series of strategic failures by the Trudeau regime have exposed their failures. Now, the narrative that the truckers are “misogynists” and “racists” has been proven wrong despite corporate media’s attempts to support Trudeau’s authoritarianism.

Yeah - it is called Civil Disobedience and it has a long and honorable history.

We need to see a lot more of these bumper stickers out there:

People used to put them on their cars right along with the Free Tibet stickers.  Now?

Needs a little work on the roof and some minor repairs - otherwise?

Quiet day out there.  Canadian truckers are winning the court of public opinion. Covid lockdowns are becoming a thing of the past.  Life is good.

Heading out soon for coffee and spending the day driving around exploring the area.  The house is just right - Lisa and I will be really comfortable there.  Very excited for the future.

Needless to say, minimal posting today and for the next couple of days - returning to the island late on the 15th.

Starting to get people's attention - from Zero Hedge:

Bank Of Canada Warns "Very Distressing" Bridge Blockade Could Impact Economy
Update (1428ET): Bank of Canada (BoC) Governor Tiff Macklem explained this afternoon that the Ambassador Bridge blockade is very distressing and could impact the economy. He said the disruption at the busiest commercial crossing between the U.S. and Canada could further strain supply chains. 

Macklem's concern comes as the central banker has signaled the future path of interest-rate increases this year. He said it's time to raise interest rates from emergency levels to quell inflation. 

Good.  The elite are showing "concern"

Translated:  The elite are shitting themselves in terror.  They are running around naked with their hair on fire.

Can not think of a nicer group of people for this to happen to...

From Breitbart:

‘Let Him Answer, He’s Not Good at It!’: Heckling Silences Justin Trudeau in Canadian Parliament
Leftist Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faced jeers and insults in Parliament on Tuesday as he once again faced questions regarding his derision towards citizens who oppose civil rights violations tied to the Chinese coronavirus pandemic.

Trudeau had a contentious week in Parliament after vanishing from the public eye to an undisclosed site in late January, allegedly to recover from a Chinese coronavirus infection himself. He returned on Monday to an emergency session discussing the “Freedom Convoy,” a series of protests led by truckers demanding an end to vaccine and mask mandates, business lockdowns, and travel restrictions that the Trudeau government has imposed in an attempt to contain the pandemic.

The largest iteration of the convoy is currently in downtown Ottawa, not far from Parliament. The city has been flooded by trucks for nearly two weeks and attracted thousands of protesters – most of whom, according to police, have been peaceful. Reports on the ground have revealed the development of a community among the protesters including distribution of free food, drinks, and other supplies and a generally positive party atmosphere, save for instances of police brutality.

Trudeau has repeatedly insisted he would not listen to any calls for lifting the mandates and restoring normal life to Canada. He has accused the protesters of racism and misogyny and equated them with Nazis in his statements in Parliament on Monday.

He's gone.  Good riddance.  My only worry is who the NWO types have queued up for his replacement.

This from a comment to this post from Don Surber who links to an article in Russia Today:

Putin laughs at us
Vladimir Putin has a message for the world: What is the USA going to do about it?

This is the same message Chairman Xi of Red China has. Ditto whoever is the ayatollah today.

Putin did not even bother telling us directly. He had his flunky the foreign minister put us down.

RT, the Russian news service, reported, "Americans have ‘lost touch with reality’ – Russia. Sanctions threats are not even worth responding to, the Foreign Ministry has said."

The flunky, Alexander Pankin, addressed Biden's feeble threat to shut down a pipeline if Russia invades Ukraine. Biden gotta protect the people who paid him off through his son's phony-baloney job.

Asked about this, Pankin said, "It’s long been clear to everyone that American legislators have lost touch with reality and are living in a kingdom of their own phobias regarding our country, churning out obscurantist plans to deter Russia on all fronts, with any justification or without one.

"I don’t see the point in reacting to the Capitol’s routine initiatives about this. We can only repeat once more our regret about what has happened, and confirm that there will inevitably be negative consequences from the harsh restrictions laid on us by the Western initiators of such measures."

He did not even mention Biden.

Much more at the site - the comments are well worth reading as well.

Got to love the line: "living in a kingdom of their own phobias"

Sadly, so true...

Found an incredible property in North Carolina. Eight acres so lots of room for my blacksmithing plus growing our food. Huge house. Sweeping views of the mountains. Heaven on Earth.

Next couple of months are going to be a little bit busy but working toward a very good goal.

From The Hollywood Reporter:

Douglas Trumbull, Visual Effects Maestro on ‘2001: A Space Odyssey,’ Dies at 79
Douglas Trumbull, the visual effects visionary who, without CGI, fashioned the kaleidoscopic finale for 2001: A Space Odyssey, concocted the creepy cloud formations in Close Encounters of the Third Kind, filled the Blade Runner universe with smoke and fireballs and helped create the birth of the universe that opens The Tree of Life, has died. He was 79.

Trumbull died Monday after a “major two-year battle with cancer, a brain tumor and a stroke,” his daughter Amy announced on Facebook. She told The Hollywood Reporter that he died in Albany, New York; an obituary from the family said the cause of death was complications from mesothelioma.

“My sister Andromed and I got to see him on Saturday and tell him that we love him and we got to tell him to enjoy and embrace his journey into the Great Beyond,” she wrote.

Trumbull also was the director for two of my favorites:  Silent Running and Brainstorm

A really good obituary - Trumbull was a major force behind the scenes

The Canadian popo have been confiscating jerry cans so that the truckers are unable to refill their heaters and engines.  It's cold there and they need to run the engines to stay warm. The response?

Game. Set. Match.

Don Surber asks a really simple question.  Simple questions are generally the best.
The hardest to answer. Their answers usually uncover some inconvenient truth:

Why not talk to the truck drivers?
750 miles southwest of Ottawa, I have a question for the prime minister of Canada.

Why not talk to the truck drivers?

A real leader would go out there, shake a few hands and remind everyone we are all in this together. A real leader would admit that truck drivers should have had more input into rules that were passed without legislation. A real leader would modify the rules to allow those who do not want to be vaccinated to do their jobs.

Instead of serving the people, he is demonizing them.

The mayor of Ottawa has turned full Red Queen, while his police chief plays a cat-and-mouse game with the truck drivers. The media has no problem serving as the government's mouthpiece.

Yeah Justin - why not?  They are not going to beat you to a pulp in front of a camera (or off-camera for that matter).  This is civil disobedience in it's purest form and for it to be met with cowardice instead of a reasoned discourse, an exchange of ideas, really demonstrates the inability of the Canadian leadership to...  You know... LEAD

Like they say: "Lead or get out of the way" Simple as that really...

Sweet small town.  Not a mask in sight.  Not even in the police department, the city hall or the library. Nobody.
"Official" signs recommending their use in those places? Sure. Actual people wearing actual masks? Nope.

Common sense reigns here.  Also, they have been very careful to maintain their small-town character.
All development is on the highway about two miles outside of town.

Hungry - dinnertime...

Got the pups bedded down at the kennel yesterday so it is really quiet around here.  Miss the chaos and companionship.

Fixing some breakfast, packing my bag and heading out for some coffee.  Back around 11AM to double-check everything, do a walk through the house and then head down to Seattle. Spending tonight in Atlanta, Georgia.

Did a quick surf and nothing major out there so far.  Needless to say, posting after noon will be nonexistent. Spending the next week exploring. Looking forward to this next chapter in my life.

Lisa sent this to me.  Spot on:

"What has compliance gotten you guys so far?"

Indeed...

Talk about that which can not be unseen...

This earlier one is good too:

From Ann Barnhardt:

Just the headline is enough - from The Liberty Daily:

Comedian Heather McDonald Collapses on Stage Immediately After Joking, “I’m Vaxxed, Double Vaxxed, Boosted and Flu Shot”

From Sports Media Watch:

NBC flops in primetime to open Winter Games
If the first night of coverage is any indication, NBC will have a tough time in the ratings with the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

Thursday’s primetime coverage of the Beijing Winter Olympics averaged 7.25 million viewers on NBC, marking the smallest primetime Olympic audience ever on the network. The previous low was 8.5 million for the final night of competition at last year’s Tokyo Summer Olympics.

Even including concurrent primetime coverage on USA Network — 512,000 viewers — the average of 7.78 million would still mark an all-time low. An across-all-platforms figure that includes NBC’s various streaming platforms will be provided here when it is available.

Figures do not include NBC’s first half-hour of coverage, which was modestly higher at 8.11 million viewers (and would still mark an all-time low).

We The People are not interested in bread and circuses - we have more pressing issues to deal with in our lives.
Especially, the panem et circenses of a despotic Communist regime.

Someone has a campaign on a fund-raising website to raise money to pay for litigation against said website.
Check out: https://www.gofundme.com/f/legal-action-against-go-fund-me
Ran into it last night and did a screen-cap because this was too good for them to allow to stay up.
This morning?  Still there but zero activity - still the same three donations.
Clicked on the 'Donate now' button and it seemed to be functional.

Legal Action Against Go Fund Me
The story is simple, it is time to litigate GoFundMe for its left wing, hypocritical, antifreedom business decisions.

In Regina Saskatchewan we have Canada's best class action lawyer. Lets make GoFundMe pay $$$ and have their Canadian Legal Terms of operating and guidelines altered.

The recent treatment of " The Freedom Convoy" organizers and donors must be avenged, and not be allowed to happen again.

Don't be surprised if this "fundme" is cancelled and donations are returned to the donors by GoFundMe .

If they hypocrites don't shut us down, we will use this money raised and funneled through their own platform to defeat them.

Donate with pride, sarcasm and vengeance.

This will be fun to follow over the next couple of days...

Running for Prime Minister.  I'd vote for him if I was Canadian:

Heading out Monday morning.  Spent a few hours today getting my notebook loaded with some software and configured properly.  I had been using it for surfing on my trips to Maple Falls but didn't really have any image or video processing stuff installed.  Fixed that.

Flying into Atlanta, Georgia Monday night, getting a car the next day and spending a week driving around.

Dropping the pups off for boarding tomorrow, dump run and pack.  That is it.

See what the YouTube fairies have brought for me tonight...

From 2009:

After all, it has worked so well for you so far:

GoFundMe steped on their pee-pee bigtime when they stopped payment of the $10+ Million dollars worth of donations to the Canadian Truckers.  The responce was overwhelming and they blinked. Sort of.  Kind of.
From The Liberty Daily:

GoFundMe Panics, Switches to Automatic Refunds After Calls for Disputed Charges
Community “charity” fundraising company GoFundMe demonstrated they’re woke and fascist at the same time by canceling the Freedom Convoy campaign and promising to send the $9+ million raised to “approved charities.” Now, they’re scrambling to fix the PR nightmare that ensued by moving to refund all donations.

The company had hoped that by dropping the news late on a Friday that they’d avoid some of the backlash. But it was quickly seized by conservatives across social media as an example of the totalitarian nature of the left. We didn’t let them oppose freedom without voicing our opinions and pushing to make them feel the pain.

There is an alternative: GiveSendGo - people started a campaign there and then the liberal script-kiddies got their depends into a twist. Liberty Daily again:

Fascists Strike Back: GiveSendGo Hit With DDOS Attack to Stop Trucker Convoy Fundraiser
The radical left really, really doesn’t want people who fight for freedom to get support from the masses. First, GoFundMe pulled down the Truckers’ Convoy donation page and started refunding over $9 million instead of giving it to the freedom fighters. Now, upset fascists have attacked GiveSendGo to prevent them from accepting donations for the truckers or anyone else.

We have been under heavy DDOS and bot attacks. In spite of all of this we still have managed to raise funds 5X faster than the gfm did. GFM raised 10mil in 3 weeks. GSG campaign has already raised over 1.1mil in just over 12 hours!

Yeah - the liberal fascists may be more vocal but we have more people.  We are right and they are wrong.

GiveSendGo has not been hacked.  There is no breach of data and your account information is 100% safe.  What is happening is a Distributed Denial of Service attack.  Kiddies will send multiple web requests from multiple computers (using bot software) and will overload the web server of the target organization.  These attacks can be sucessful but eventually, the offending IP addresses are gathered and a simple block is instituted.

This is the computer euivalent of a three-year-old child having a melt-down.  If he can't have the shiny toy, nobody is going to be at peace.  He will shriek until someone gives in.  Don't give in.

Ottawa wants the trucks gone.  Their presence is inconvenient to the tyrants to say the least.
The unwashed masses invading their elite spaces.
They called towing companies to move them.  The towing companies had all "come down with Covid".
Now this - from Canada's National Post:

Military tells Ottawa to find someone else to evict the truckers
Despite the Ottawa Police briefly raising the possibility of a military intervention to clear a stubborn holdout of Freedom Convoy truckers blockading their downtown, the Canadian Armed Forces have been quick to say they will be doing no such thing . A spokesperson for the Minister of Defence told the Wall Street Journal on Thursday, “The Canadian Armed Forces are not involved in law enforcement in this situation, and there are no plans for such CAF involvement.”

That they would even think of calling the military speaks volumes:

There have only been two prior incidents in modern times of the Canadian military being called in to quell civil unrest. The first, the 1970 October Crisis, actually worked great at stamping out Quebec separatist terrorism. But the sight of armed soldiers detaining even peaceful Quebec nationalists en masse has always been a mark on the legacy of then-prime minister Pierre Trudeau. The second, the 1990 Oka Crisis, had a much more checkered legacy. The military did eventually compel a Mohawk-led protest to stand down their blockade of a disputed golf course expansion, but the whole thing was so messy it’s mostly become a template for what not to do. The experience of Oka is arguably a key reason why Canadian law enforcement is hesitant to bring the hammer down on blockades of any kind – even when they completely seize the country’s rail lines for days on end.

Those optics are not good.  The elites need to wake up and smell the pavement. Time for their reign to end. They are not the smartest people in the room by any means. They only think they are.

Quick dog walk (it is raining) and then coffee and then to the thrift store.

Heading out for a week to the Eastern USA so taking care of last-minute things here. Lisa and I are exploring options besides WA State or California.  Both states are oppressive to small business and to personal liberties.  Was looking at Florida but also exploring the Appalachians - I grew up in Pennsylvania and spent a lot of time in that area. Carolinas, Tennessee. Some gorgeous places and really nice people.

Did a surf but nothing caught my eye - slow news on the weekend.  No pseudo-events scheduled.
Biden's handlers are ramping up their efforts to make him look like a strong leader.  Unreal.

From the New York Times:

John C. Koss, Stereo Headphone Innovator, Is Dead at 91
John C. Koss, a trumpet player and onetime teenage bandleader who with a friend invented stereo headphones and provided people with a new high-quality — and personal — way to listen to music, died on Dec. 21 in Milwaukee. He was 91.

His son Michael confirmed the death.

Koss headphones became standard equipment for music listeners, disc jockeys and recording artists in the studio — even for members of the House Judiciary Committee when they heard White House tapes in 1974 during President Richard M. Nixon’s impeachment inquiry. For many years they were virtually all Mr. Koss’s company made, until an unsuccessful expansion into other audio products in the 1980s nearly put it out of business.

Used them for a long long time.  Switched over to Grado's - like the sound better.  A nice obituary.

CNC is fun stuff - I love machining and this sounds like a really good work environment:

An excellent movie from 1997: Wag the Dog  Very germane today.

Case in point:

Biden is tanking, the régime is tanking and they are trying to strengthen their base by getting into a war with Russia. They think they are projecting strength when in reality, they are showing the world just how clueless and impotent they are.

And, in case you missed it - here is the trailer from 1997:

Told 'ya it was germane

She eviscerates an ABC News reporter. Fair and balanced.
Calm. Quiet. Speaking with the power of Truth.  Excellent use of Socratic method:

Watch your volume - hilarious.  Tip of the hat to Kim DuToit:

Already high - from the North Carolina Charlotte Observer:

Explosion fears remain as N. Carolina fertilizer plant burns
An uncontrolled fire at a fertilizer plant in North Carolina continued to burn Wednesday, forcing firefighters and thousands of evacuated residents to remain at least a mile (1.6 kilometers) away because there could be a large explosion.

Fire officials said they could not predict when the blaze might die down. And they didn't know how many people have actually complied with calls to evacuate. Winston-

Salem Mayor Allen Joines said the city was maintaining its stance in calling the requests to leave the area “a recommended action.” “The fact of the matter is, at the beginning of this incident, there was enough ammonium nitrate on hand for this to be one of the worst explosions in U.S. history," Winston-Salem Fire Chief Trey Mayo said at an afternoon news conference that North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper also attended.

Price of food continues to skyrocket.  Amazing how just a few bad decisions by this administration regime can cause such havoc. No management skills.  All narrative, all the time.

Little scandal happening here - from The Machine Gun Nest:

“Hypocrisy at the Highest Levels” ATF Asks Judge to Close Hunter Biden Gun Inquiry
An interesting story not being covered by the corporate media over the past few years has been the story of Joe Biden’s Son, Hunter. Or maybe, more specifically, the story of Hunter Biden’s Handgun.

Hunter Biden purchased a .38 Revolver from a Delaware gun shop on October 12, 2018. If you’re familiar with gun law or have bought a gun yourself, you’ll know that to purchase a firearm; you’ll have had to fill out an ATF Form 4473, also known as a Firearms Transaction Record. More on that later.

Days later, on October 23, Hallie Biden (widow to Joe Biden’s son Beau) searched Hunter’s truck and found the handgun. She apparently feared for Hunter’s safety and decided to put the gun in a shopping bag and throw it in the trash outside a grocery store. During the same day, Hunter finds out about the gun disposal and notifies law enforcement of the missing firearm. The investigation that followed involved the Delaware State Police, Secret Service, the FBI, and later on, the ATF.

By his own admission USA TODAY:

Hunter Biden says he was 'smoking crack every 15 minutes', more jaw-dropping moments from memoir 'Beautiful Things'

Specifically:

In the spring of 2018, he used his "superpower – finding crack anytime, anywhere" – in Los Angeles. At one point, a dealer pointed a gun at his head before he realized Biden was looking for drugs.

Brings to mind the meme from last year:

Canada's Conservative leader.  Sort of like our RINOs - Republicans In Name Only
From Canada's National Post:

The leading candidates to replace Erin O'Toole
Erin O’Toole’s tenure has been marked by battles between the party’s red and blue wings, and any race would likely become a battle for the Conservative identity.

Party members could go with the familiar — true blue Pierre Poilievre or veteran red Tory Peter MacKay. A more diverse version of that contest would feature Ontario MPs Leslyn Lewis and Michael Chong.

Or they could look to their western base, via Alberta MP Michelle Rempel Garner or perhaps former Saskatchewan premier Brad Wall. Or maybe the proven electoral mojo of Doug Ford, although he ruled himself out Tuesday.

O'Toole resigned today after a 73 to 45 vote against his "leadership"  Sundance has more:

Canadian Truckers Remove One Massive Political Roadblock – Erin O’Toole Removed as the Conservative Voice, Meanwhile St Crispen’s Day Approaches
The Canadian “Freedom Convoy” of truckers, representing the voices of the forgotten working-class men and women of Canada, have achieved a resounding victory today on behalf of Middle Canada.  The conservative opposition in Canada has removed Erin O’Toole as opposition leader.  This is a great first step in Canadian politics for the working class.

Erin O’Toole was a pathetically weak voice who refused to stand boldly on behalf of the working class protestors. Middle Canada has risen up and said enough, it is time for the insufferable government regulations to end and normal people to regain their freedom and liberty.

Instead of accepting the role of advocacy for the constituents he proclaimed to represent, Erin O’Toole instead showed his alignment with the government that was oppressing the people.

It is often said that times of great consequence create moments that must be recognized by strong political leaders.

Not only did O’Toole fail to realize the moment, and fail to capitalize on the opportunity the truckers had brought to his office, he openly opposed the commonsense voice of the people. Today he was removed by a vote of 73 to 45.

Don't let the door hit 'ya where the Good Lord split 'ya...

The reference to St. Crispin's Day is this wonderful speech from Henry V

Do yourself a favor and go and read.  Powerful stuff.

this resonates. A lot easier to put 'Ole Barky away without cleaning than any of the others:

Jeff Zucker and Caryn Johnson (Whoopi Goldberg) are outta here.

Isn't Ms. Johnson's stage name an example of cultural appropriation?

As for Mr. Zucker, this will be fun if it pans out:

Jeff Zucker Is Just the First CNN Domino to Fall With More Scandals Coming From an Epic Source

Had some internet glitches while I was away.  Fun fun fun...

Back online

Miss me?

From Breitbart:

Canada Police: ‘All Options on the Table’ to End Peaceful Trucker Protests
Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly told reporters on Monday that “all options are on the table,” including “enforcement,” to end an ongoing protest led by truckers in the Canadian capital against the country’s onerous anti-coronavirus mandates that Sloly himself admitted had led to no injuries or violence.

“It could have led to significant and severe injuries, and it could have led to the loss of life. None of that has occurred over the last four days,” Sloly said, according to Canada’s CTV, while asserting that police would act by any means necessary to end the event.

Sloly’s remarks follow a bizarre speech by far-left Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau – from an undisclosed location in which he is allegedly recovering from a Chinese coronavirus infection – in which he condemned the protesters as wearing “tinfoil hats,” compared them unfavorably to violent “Black Lives Matter” protests, and equated receiving coronavirus vaccine products to “what being Canadian is.”

Trudeau has adamantly refused to address the protesters’ concerns and dismissed them as a “small fringe minority” that is representative of neither truckers nor Canadians generally.

This has the potential to become another "shot heard 'round the world"

The people in power are not using their brains.
The narrative is not working but the narrative is all that they know.

What happens when you let the Democrat kiddies play "leader"
Seattle station KIRO:

King County reports ‘disturbing number’ of people shot in annual report
A new report from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office shows an alarming increase in gun violence in 2021 over the four years prior.

And the numbers:

The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office released its fifth annual ‘Shots Fired Report’ Monday, confirming what many had assumed and it made clear what many assume – 2021 was a violent year in our community.

The numbers in the report, show a staggering 1,405 shots fired incidents during the 2021 calendar year – a 54% increase over the average from the four years prior.

In total, there were 460 fatal and non-fatal shooting victims, a 70% increase.

Of those, there were 372 non-fatal shooting victims, that’s up 82% – and 88 fatalities, a 54% increase.

A little hint - it's not the guns.  It's the criminals.  Defund the police and this is what you get.

Great graphic from Bayou Renaissance Man (full size image at the site):