Firefly Sparkle Discovered

scitechdaily.com

The incredibly useful $10 billion+ infrared James Webb Space Telescope, launched on Dec. 25, 2021 from the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana was then parked  near the second Lagrange point (L₂) of the Sun–Earth system, which is 1,500,000 km (930,000 mi) farther from the Sun than the Earth's orbit, and about four times farther than the Moon's orbit. 

A number of important discoveries in the vast reaches of space have occurred since the telescope has been put in operation but the latest is what has become known as the "Firefly Sparkle". Discovered by a team of astronomers from Wellesley College in Massachusetts, USA, the galaxy seems to share many of the characteristics of "our own" Milky Way, at the same stage of its presumed development 600 million years after the Big Bang.

As interesting as this might be to astronomy buffs and academics doing the research, there doesn't seem to be much use of this information to literally anyone else on earth. What we know or surmise about celestial bodies millions of light years away from earth can have no effect, positive or negative, on anyone living on this planet in the past, present or forseeable future. Ergo, how would the hyper-Whigs that have confiscated public money to finance this and similar projects justify them?

According to the Wiki on the telescope:

The James Webb Space Telescope has four key goals:

• to search for light from the first stars and galaxies that formed in the universe after the Big Bang
• to study galaxy formation and evolution
• to understand star formation and planet formation
• to study planetary systems and the origins of life

 How does reaching these goals, even if possible, make life better for those who's confiscated assets were used? And how is it realistically possible to "understand star formation and the origins of life" by looking at infra-red images of a single point in time that have traveled over millions of light years.

Well, sure it would perhaps improve the life of the researchers at Wellesley College and others. Most of all it would lead to more and better paid positions at NASA. But even better yet, a huge proportion of the investment in the project would greatly improve the prospects of the stockholders, management and employees of Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, Ball Aerospace & Technologies and several thousand scientists, engineers, and technicians spanning 15 countries that have contributed to the build, test and integration of Webb. A total of 258 companies, government agencies, and academic institutions that participated in the pre-launch project; 142 from the United States, 104 from 12 European countries (including 21 from the U.K., 16 from France, 12 from Germany and 7 international), and 12 from Canada. Other countries as NASA partners, such as Australia, were involved in post-launch operation.(See "Institutional Partners Webb/NASA". jwst.nasa.gov. Retrieved 2 August 2023.)

While the design, construction, deployment and operation of the James Webb Space Telescope are marvels of technology, are the projects performed by it really science since there are no practical applications that can even be envisioned for its results? An innocent bystander might think that a few billion dollars devoted to this enterprise really doesn't harm anyone. If that were true the draconian IRS wouldn't be all over the schleps that fail to make tax payments. The reality is that it's one of the great Whig enterprises of all time. Public funds being directed to government cronies for ephemeral and unneeded programs wandering around the cosmos. "Science" run amok.

dhakatribune.com

Lamiya Mowla, Wellesley College

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Bug-Out Bag

For some years "preppers" and survivalists have promoted the idea that wise individuals would assemble a collection of necessary items that would help insure their continued life in the event of some wide-spread and serious tragedy. These items would be kept in a backpack always close at hand so as to be immediately available when the event occurred  and the individual would find it necessary to leave his current surroundings for a safer spot. This implies that whatever the circumstances, nuclear attack, for instance, dangerous social upheaval and violence would be the aftermath.

Obviously, the issue isn't surviving a megaton blast, falling trees or a giant fissure opening in the earth. It's living through a breakdown in society, or more of a breakdown than seems to be going on presently. If that's true, "bugging out" isn't the solution. Leaving your accustomed surroundings and lugging your bag to a new, less-known location wouldn't be the best option. 

If you believe in preparing for such a disaster, it doesn't involve filling a pack sack with candy bars, bottled water, band aids and a .357. What you need to do is gather more information about your present surroundings, especially your neighbors and their capacities. Find out who among them, if any, share your concerns and discuss the most effective responses. A major calamity will mean that, at least for a time, no civil order will be enforced. You and your neighbors won't want individuals or groups wandering around your streets. Someone will need to take the lead in organizing security. In a dire and wide-spread situation no one will be going to work anyway. Determine what local spots are most secure and defensible. 

The reality is that even if only a minority buy into such a plan at first, eventually it will be necessary. Why wait until its too late? 

The Artemis Moon Mission

 

 It's been over 50 years since Americans have walked on the moon and it looks like it's going to be a few years more before it happens again. In a post-modern display of incompetence the current schedule of rocketing fragile humans to the lunar surface and back is being postponed until 2027. The ideas behind NASA's super project are here.

While those of us standing in the yard looking at a full moon on the evening of July 20, 1969 were amazed and proud that Americans had safely reached a place outside the earth's atmosphere, the novelty has worn off. It would have been nice if a large flare or strobe light had been made visible but we took their word for it.

There's really no connection between moon landings and the launching and use of satellites for communication and scientific research. People like Elon Musk, with a desire to move on to Mars are welcome to do so on their own dime but the rest of us are unlikely to enjoy any real benefits from their efforts. Of course, the Neo-Whigs enthusiastically point out the many benefits from the publicly financed space program trickle down to the consumer but those advantages could just as easily be produced more cheaply by directed research and development. There are genuine problems here on earth that need to be solved. Perhaps, since this is a "democratic" society, a vote needs to be taken to determine if the population wants vacations on Mars at some time in the distant future more than they do research on Alzheimer's disease, cancer and teen crime.   

The Future Of The IRA

The Inflation Reduction Act. That's the Orwellian moniker of legislation signed into law by President Joe Biden on August 16th, 2022. It hasn't reduced inflation.

It's actual goal was authorizing $783 billion in federal money to combat climate change. Evidently there wasn't enough money for the congressional Whigs to finance the fake efforts of their cronies, off-shore wind turbines, solar panels, direct capture CO2 pipelines and sequestration, hydrogen research and carefully orchestrated propaganda. Funds were also needed to gain the support of academia and the media to create the anxious atmosphere necessary for public acceptance. 

 greencarreports.com

A large share of the general population, if they thought about the "problem" at all, felt that the issue was an example of Marxist thinking intruding on the US capitalist system. They were wrong. The climate crisis was a great  opportunity for both existing energy providers and an entreprenurial capitalist class looking for entry level openings with huge subsidies.

The election of 2024 may have changed that. The president-elect has made known his skepticism of the climate emergency and his plan to roll back provisions of the IRA. If successful this will create financial negatives that will compromise the survival of the new entrepreneurs and disappoint the existing energy structure. Since there have already been deals and commitments based on the IRA, all of which involve big money, there will be much conversation between business moguls, their congressional allies, the relevant bureaucrats and the involved researchers. Modifying legislation once enacted is even more difficult than initially creating it because dependencies have been created. 

 

anker.com

Ultimately, the situation is an example of the failure of the democratic process and government in general that ends when all the money isn't gone but redistributed among the oligarchs. 

 

 

SPD Chancellor Olav Scholz Sneaks Off To Kyiv

According to Al Jazeera:

 German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has pledged additional military support worth $680m to Ukraine in an unannounced visit to Kyiv after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sought security guarantees from NATO against steady Russian advances.

The Russian invasion itself has been a response to the Ukrainian desire to be protected by NATO. Like all things German, the US has been and remains the author of this German policy.

At the same time, the Prosecutor's General Office of Ukraine says that 100,000 soldiers have deserted since the Russian invasion in February 2022. Some Ukraine military authorities claim the number may be as high as 200,000. Apparently, many of these deserters have made their way to Germany, where they intend to stay. It's estimated that as many as 60,000 Ukrainians are living in Berlin. The status of Ukrainian refugees differs from other asylum seekers in that they are permitted to work and receive benefits such as health care and language courses.

In Austria:  Since April 21, 2023, persons who have an "Ausweis für Vertriebene" are exempt from the Alien Employment Act. This means that you have free access to the Austrian labour market and can be employed by an Austrian employer in the same way as he/she would employ an Austrian or EU citizen. In particular, the employer does not have to apply for a work permit ("Beschäftigungsbewilligung") for you.

The US has announced $725 million in military aid for Ukraine drawn from Pentagon stockpiles.

 According to the US State Department:

"Uniting for Ukraine provides a parole pathway for Ukrainian citizens forced to flee their homes as a result of Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.  Individuals granted parole through Uniting for Ukraine will be able to travel to and stay in the United States for up to two years.

Uniting for Ukraine (U4U) opened for registration on April 25, 2022, and is managed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). As of December 2023, over 170,000 Ukrainians have been granted parole through U4U for up to two years. We refer you to DHS and the Uniting for Ukraine website for more information on the requirements and benefits of this program."

 

Racism

 

thesun.com

Evidently, racism is such a big problem that it's intruded into the decor of professional athletic attire.  

In fact, it's such a problem that it's a major topic of conversation in the mastodon media at all times. But what is racism? In reality there is only one race of humans, the human race itself. Since there doesn't seem to be any evidence of living Neanderthals or Australopithecans we'll just have to assume that those races of primates aren't around and the only race of advanced primates are humans. Thus racism on the part of humans must be directed against themselves. So much for grammatical pedantry. 

Racism is actually used to describe the disdain of  one breeding population for another on the basis of cultural factors and perhaps history. Part of being a member of a given culture is accepting its tenets and beliefs and refusing to accept conflicting ones of other cultures. A group of people held in low esteem by those nearby will have difficulty in being accepted as equals, perhaps for an extended period of time, maybe centuries or ever. 

The cultural differences are most apparent in things like food, sanitary practices, male-female relationships, religion and many other things. 

The consumption of dogs in South Korea is being legally phased out because it doesn't comply with the idea of the proper treatment of man's best friend in the West. Pork is forbidden to Muslims and Jews. Hindus in India and elsewhere revere cows and protect rather than eat them.

Westerners are outraged by child brides, a child being anyone under 16, and polygyny, men with multiple wives. Utah was refused statehood until the Mormon church forbid the practice. Oddly, parts of the West are OK with multiple wives. The Emir of Qatar has three wives and 13 children but only his senior wife has accompanied him on his trip to the UK. No one seems to be too upset.

Evidence of "racism" consists of conjecture of cultural difference by appearance. An Anglo male with three wives won't be a  victim of "racism" if the strangers around him are unaware of his harem. If they are, he'll legally be a bigamist, a criminal, not a race problem.     

James Rickards Talks About "The American System"

Published in the on-line "Daily Reckoning" on Nov. 11, James Rickards, a well-known authority on money matters, speculates on the financial implications of the US election results for investors. He talks about Trump's fixation with tariffs as an example of the "American System" but doesn't mention that this system was the product of the Whig party led by Henry Clay until it was converted to the Republican Party of Abraham Lincoln that has maintained Whig theories of economics and government until this day. 

The Whigs were a different and more complex group of gangsters than those leading other governments, who simply confiscate the wealth of the citizenry. Having no income tax available the Whigs used tariffs and land sales to finance their infrastructure projects. Of course the reality is that tariffs are a tax on the general population, not those supplying the imports. The infrastructure projects, canals, roads, railroads, battleships, ICBMs, etc., were built by cronies of the Whigs. It wasn't a free market and it isn't today. 

One would think that the goal of a free market democracy would be to lower the cost of everything, from peanuts to legal billings, from housing to medical care. Isn't that what "efficiency" is all about? When someone needs the shingles on his roof replaced he probably doesn't pick the most expensive bidder to do the job. 

Getting back to Trump's theories of trade and their effect on the economy, it should be understood that the policies he favors can work both ways. While the US is now described more as a "service provider" than a manufacturer, the services that the Yankees might seek to export are also vulnerable to trade restrictions. It would be easy for some small, developing country to kick McKinzie or some other consultant out the door.

One might wonder why the Philippines, a country with a long but tortured relationship with the US and a well-educated population, much of which is fluent in English, doesn't have a more prominent place in the US economic scheme compared to Taiwan, Japan or even Viet Nam. It's because the Philippine constitution requires majority domestic ownership of business and property. Imports are heavily regulated. This fact may have worked in their favor or not.