Category: Current Events

Eclectic Food For Thought

I’m going to be offline more than on the next few days, as Christmas is fast approaching for those of us who keep the old calendar. But, looking ahead a bit has me quietly laughing and going “wow!” The Trump II team is not thinking small.

What happened this morning has global implications. The illegitimate ruler of a country (anyone thinking any of the elections including the one installing Chavez courtesy of The Peanut were legit is a fool and/or a liar) has been taken on the basis of legally issued arrest warrants from the U.S. for him, his wife, and others. Been on the books for years, and it is worth noting that Argentina also has arrest warrants out for him and many of the same people. Haven’t dug, but they may not be the only ones.

Okay, so a dictator has been removed. Whoop I hear from the peanut gallery. Yes, his “government” still stands — for now. Thing is, it has had it’s legs cut out from under it not just by the strike, but by the blockade and the ending of the illegal oil and drugs that have funded it and provided the means of staying in power. In turn, Maduro and company have been propping up Cuba and some other interesting regimes (cough Ortega family cough).

Without Venezuelan oil, money, and other support, Cuba probably has about 30 days before things go from horrible to nightmare. There are already blackouts, shortages, and more just from the current blockade. Going to be interesting to see what happens in several countries in the region over the next year.

This has also just knocked a major prop out from under the mad mullahs in Iran. They have been playing oil games to keep themselves and others funded with Venezuela a major partner in same. The blockade has hurt, but having this taken from them while they are in the fight of their lives with an uprising is a nice indirect knife twist. Hard to pay Arabic mercenaries to fight for you (which is happening right now) when your already shaky revenue stream takes a major hit. More thoughts on Iran later, but have noted for a year plus now that it was a powder keg and not a lot would be needed to see it explode. Without Obama to intervene on behalf of the Mullahs, think this time may be the time. Also worth noting that two groups had/have transition plans and such in place, which is good.

The actions this morning also cuts off the terrorism and weapon pipeline that Iran had been running into the Americas. Venezuela was not only that, but it was the command and control nexus for all operations in this hemisphere including those being set up here in the U.S. It is a given that assets are already here and in place (as previously discussed here ad nauseum), and they have just been cut off. That could get spicy, but it also changes the nature of the engagement. Been noticing a number of stories about various plots being foiled and such, much of which gets buried because it appears to be related to immigration enforcement that corporate media ignores. I simply note that such would be a good way to bury coverage of intel ops and related.

Nor was Iran the only one using Venezuela as a base for attacking the U.S. Interesting that the Chinese special envoy met with Maduro just hours before the snatch, pledging undying support. Funny how China seems to be the source for a lot of both precursor chemicals to, and fully produced fentanyl, that flooded the U.S. for several years there. Interesting that since the U.S. got serious about the border and eliminating as much of the fentanyl smuggling threat as possible that overdose deaths have dropped dramatically. Sure it’s all just coincidence though…

This is also going to impact some other governments and regions. Maybe more on that later if I get the chance but not counting on anything until after Wednesday. Between now and then will be mostly at Church, or trying to catch a bit of rest.

More soon I hope.

UPDATE I: From Wretchardthecat courtesy of Instapundit

Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, and to start a truly new life, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. If you want to know some of what it is going for, read here. There is also the Amazon Wish List in the Bard’s Jar. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

Happy New Year

A new day has dawned along with a new year, and I hope all of you came through the night relatively unscathed. I have to admit that for the first time in about a decade I went out for a bit. Nothing too crazy, some friends had a small group of people over after the prayer service for the. new year at our Church. I was home well before midnight and the only mistake I made was upon getting home I sat down and decided I would read for just a few minutes…

Unlike a number of pundits and such, I don’t regard 2025 as a dumpster fire or all that horrible. It was, in fact, a year with a lot of positive changes. I will admit that “positive” does not always equal “pleasant.” That said, let’s step outside the box and look at 2025 from a different perspective.

One of the first things to look at is that in 2025 the process of starting to save the Republic truly got off the ground and we avoided a civil war. Note that I said “starting to save” as there is still a LOT of work to do to turn things around, and things can still go south on us in a heartbeat; and, that we avoided a civil war then. We are still, in my opinion, tap dancing on the edge of the razor, but the edge is a little thicker now which starts to provide more options and flexibility of you will.

Yes, a lot of horrible corruption was exposed last year, from USAID to daycare centers, and I suspect more is to come. Fact is, sunlight has indeed hit on the festering mess and despite corporate media and politicians/bureaucrats (of all stripes) being in on it and trying desperately to keep it out of the public eye, the average citizen is starting to be aware. Where corporate media won’t go, intrepid independent journalists are there and the work they are doing is amazing. It will take years for all the investigations and yes some are likely to skate; but, faucets are getting turned off and that may keep us from bleeding out financially.

Along those lines, the corruption of federal law enforcement is getting some sunlight as well. Things can still reset to Biden Regency levels of corruption in a heartbeat, but enough changes are in process that I see hope there. I still think the FBI too damaged for rehabilitation, but the process there is underway as well. Again, it will take time as you have to identify, fire, and then replace. Quite a few at the FBI and DOJ have taken themselves out, which is good. Finding good replacements for them does take time however. For just one example, the changes Harmeet Dhillon is making in the civil rights division are much needed and long overdue. The real bottleneck now, for her and most offices, is finding and hiring GOOD people.

Another positive sign is that race cards and similar are being declined in record numbers for being overdrawn. The public is tired of it and not putting up with it in ways large and small. A lot of groups are finding out that when they block streets and such that the public is quite willing to deal more directly with things when LE and local politicians won’t act. Be aware though that this is a mixed bag, as there are still those (especially overseas) who would love to help push us into a civil war.

Along those lines, X courtesy of Elon Musk, has been not only allowing relatively free speech (still some issues IMO) but has unmasked a huge amount of information operations including an amazing amount of foreign interference. I’m not just talking the goose-stepping bureaucrats of the EU, but when X exposed all the alleged MAGA/AF/ETC accounts that turned out to be foreign it was delightful. Thing is, we need to keep the lights on and extend their reach to keep them running and not thinking of coming back anytime soon.

2025 also saw some very positive steps towards taking humanity to the stars. With the removal of the Biden Regency, Space X was able to push Starship’s testing schedule to something reasonable. This has led to a number of improvements and puts Starship on a good trajectory for use. Also, if you are one of those low-synapse people out there, what Elon and Space X are doing is condensing the equivalent of the rocketry development of the late 1940s and 1950s into roughly a three year program. In all seriousness, by deliberately sacrificing these early Starship designs (and finding out how far you can break them and still have them work) they are skipping a decade or more of development. Also, if you think we didn’t lose rockets back then, you’ve never seen any of the Nevergo (Navajo) and other launch failures.

Despite a setback, NASA finally got a new administrator and we are fortunate it is “Rookie” Jared Isaacman. The man has a plan, and if he is able/allowed to implement it both NASA and America will be much better off. If you’ve read me over the years, you might have gotten a hint (cough, choke, wheeze) that I think NASA has lost its way and needs some serious reform. For all that certain elements of Congress and the military/space industrial complex have been screaming and fighting against Isaacman from the moment his name was first floated, the bloat needs to go. NASA has been the largest bottleneck to space commercialization, space exploitation, and even space exploration for far too long. If the “Rookie” can start to return NASA to it’s charter mission rather than it’s non-mandated expansion, I’d be willing to bet we go further and get more done in the next ten years than we have in the last fifty.

There are a host of similar changes, but the world is not just politics. 2025 also saw a growing number of people return to Faith, particularly in traditional Christian Churches. There have been a number of amazing medical breakthroughs, and a number of blockages to effective research have been removed. There were a number of scientific discoveries that not only will change our understanding of this world, but may help improve the quality of life within it. There is more, but I’m getting tired and hopefully you are getting the point.

On a personal note, 2025 saw changes to health, Faith, and more. There are some things that happened in my past that were not pleasant. Healing from them has not been fun or easy, and in fact it was somewhat debilitating at times this year. Worth it though for the progress made. My physical health, along with mobility, balance, and such, has improved as well. Do I wish I had gotten the physical and massage therapy sooner? Yep. Sure do. Thing is, glad I got it now as I can again ride a bike and am starting to do some serious workouts.

The idea of a pilgrimage for spiritual growth and discernment moved from a crazy dream to practical reality in 2025. The original plans have pretty much been scrapped, and that is a very good thing. What has been developed instead will be much more immersive and hopefully illuminating. Yes, I am still going to get to do the cooking lessons, but they are now part of a much richer opportunity. I’ll be sharing more details soon I hope.

I’m doing more at Church, and getting taught how to do even more. I start my first online seminary course later this month. Well, first formal as I have been doing the “fun” course the last few weeks.

Looking at 2025 from this angle, I’d say it was a year of many needed positive changes. The changes and what they revealed, or require in response, may have not always been pleasant. However, growth of any type — mental, physical, or spiritual — is rarely painless. Growth spurts in children leave them aching, tired, and often grumpy. Yet, that growth spurt takes them to a new stage of life.

Just as a child can’t go back to where they were before a growth spurt, we can’t return to where things used to be. What we can do is try to take the opportunities presented and make the world better on as many levels and in as many ways as we can. Won’t always be pleasant, but growth — particularly positive growth — rarely is so. The best we can do is run with the positive change and make it as pleasant as possible, long-term, for as many as possible. Strikes me as a worthy goal for 2026.

So, let’s keep dancing and see if we can move beyond the razor’s edge to more solid footing. May 2026 be not just a year of continuing positive change, but good year for us all.

Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, and to start a truly new life, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. If you want to know some of what it is going for, read here. There is also the Amazon Wish List in the Bard’s Jar. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

Merry Christmas 2025!

May your day be Blessed and filled with light, love, and all the things that truly matter. May the kids/grandkids/yourselves be delighted with what awaits under the tree, while not forgetting the birth that is the reason for the season.

I have Vespers this evening, and a service tomorrow morning though not a Christmas service. Our Church is Old Calendar, so Christmas for us will be on January 7, which is December 25th on the Old Calendar. Interestingly enough, January 7 and December 25th were the two dates debated by the early Church for the Birth of Jesus, which was less an argument about the date of birth as it was about the date of conception.

Me, I will enjoy tomorrow and hope to do my usual Christmas call with my Uncle who is about the last immediate family left. He’s 90 now and I do need to get down to visit one day soon. On the 7th I can focus on the spiritual, which is a good thing.

Be safe, enjoy, and make the most of the day.

Keep An Eye

On the murder of Nuno Loureiro. Right now, no connection to anything else including the murders/shooting at Brown (which now stinks to high heaven) other than geographic closeness. That said, we will see what happens.

Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, and to start a truly new life, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. If you want to know some of what it is going for, read here. There is also the Amazon Wish List in the Bard’s Jar. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

Heads On Swivels

Following up on this post, this last week has been horrible in many respects. You not only had Bondi Beach, but what increasingly appears to have been a targeted assassination at Brown (which increasingly it appears the leadership there is all-in on the side of the assassin). Nor is this alone. Are you aware of the machete attack in Pennsylvania? The acid attack in Savannah? There appear to be multiple attacks against Jews in New York. You also have lunatics assaulting those who oppose males in women’s sports (again, seem to think more than one such). Loons having vile meltdowns against ICE, National Guard, etc. Oh, and don’t forget the mom stabbed in a Macy’s bathroom while changing her child.

For my Jewish friends in New York, be extra careful right now. For Jews in England and Australia, I’m going to tell you what I recommended to the Jews in France months ago: get out. It’s not going to get better. For anyone who believes in the ideals of Western Civilization, individual freedom and liberty, get out of the Commonwealth.

Be careful out there my friends, and let’s see a New Year in together.

Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, and to start a truly new life, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. If you want to know some of what it is going for, read here. There is also the Amazon Wish List in the Bard’s Jar. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

The Fall Of The Commonwealth Continues

Welcome Instapundit Readers! If you get the chance, please check out this post and this post as well, and feel free to hit the tip jar in the upper right.

In response to this post by Physics Geek on X, I made this reply that I will share here as well. It ties into my previous posts about England, and the need to begin quiet planning now to deal with the nuke question and more that are likely headed our way. I will simply note that such planning is very much needed for Australia as it can do a lot of damage in the Far East if it so chooses. Given the leadership and what they are doing, I certainly do hope those contingencies are being quietly and professionally prepared for. You might should add Canada to the list as well.

I must disagree with my friend @physicsgeek: while I don’t think they are bright, they are very much acting in accordance with their politics. Like Starmer in England (and I think Carney in Canada is of the same mold), both are authoritarians of the godless-authority stripe who will miss no chance to help destroy the country they have in order to build the country and political system they desire. Nor do I think it coincidence that Albanese (any relation to the sanctioned UN person???) and Starmer both find themselves as figurehead leaders at this time. Both are doubling down on muslim immigration; both are ignoring the will of the people of the countries they are supposed to be serving; both are pushing draconian speech and content laws; both seek to change the judiciary to do away with historical due process and procedures; and, both seem to be dancing a tune called by a conductor semi-behind the scenes. Albanese sees this as a chance to further disarm the populace (putting it more on par with England), and to advance other totalitarian aims in regards controlling if not subjugating the “normal” citizenry of Australia who — like England and Canada — are well on the way to being second (servant) class paying the tax simply to be allowed to live. Keep in mind that all three leaders seem to see Jews as both a convenient tool for various efforts via antisemitism and as real enemy to their long-term plans (along with any form of traditional Christianity, which is next to be targeted). Unlike England, I think Australia still has peaceful options to change course, but those windows are rapidly closing and Albanese is going to do all he can to nail them shut. He’s going to go all out on removing any threat of non-peaceful resistance — and the move for more gun control and simply a part of that. So, I think he and his party are more opportunistic in this case rather than unthinking. He’s thinking he has a chance to eliminate a long-term threat, and like a certain former leader here, he’s simply not going to let the crisis he helped manufacture go to waste.

Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, and to start a truly new life, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. If you want to know some of what it is going for, read here. There is also the Amazon Wish List in the Bard’s Jar. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

Be Careful Out There, Take ???

This post was shared at Instapundit a few days ago, and it made me rethink some decisions I made a couple of weeks ago. The important part of that decision was that I wasn’t planning on making yet another ‘be vigilant’ post here. Frankly, most of you who are regular readers live that already; quite a few of those who come in here from various Instapundit and other links also tend to be in that category; there are a few out there who want to or do live so far in the red it’s scary; and, there are a very small number who are so far on the other extreme that reality can’t even be piped in.

To be honest, I’m not worried about most of you being prepared (you are) and being aware of your surroundings (you live it). What I am worried about are those for whom the regular alerts and notices are a great excuse to clock out.

Let’s face it: one of the things various enemies (esp. terrorists) have done for a long time is ramp up chatter and such before various holidays. The fact is, we do have to pay attention, bring up plans and preparedness, and otherwise raise the alert even when not officially doing so. Each time there is a price, not just money but in individual alertness. The first times you get an alert (drill or things otherwise don’t happen) you are all-in. You are bright-eyed, bushy tailed, and probably (especially if young) pretty much wanting something to happen. By the twentieth time, this is no longer true and you want something to happen just enough to keep you awake.

So, the enemy ups the chatter and runs probes and such (such as what James Woods noticed pre-9/11) and do nothing. Soon, there is almost no response to the chatter or other, and that’s when you do act. You wait until it is dawn and you know the adversary is asleep, then you act.

For all that I am amazed (and delighted to be honest) that more hasn’t happened (yet) is that we have some pretty good ideas of what we face. It’s not just numbers (I still go with about 4 bat.) but we’ve even got some pretty good ideas of what countries and/or organizations are represented. Even if you don’t go with my estimate, consider that in testimony before Congress it’s been discussed that more than 18,000 known terrorists came in under the Biden Regency. That’s what we know, do you think they are all? Pick your number, make your plans.

That said, I do think we may be approaching a Schwerpunkt on more than one level. I do believe that a color revolution is being attempted here, and that the Seditious Six is but one part of it. Pay attention to Data Republican and Mike Benz, as they and their friends have been unmasking a lot. Keep in mind that it is not just here, but there are things coming to a head in Europe as well. It’s not just the EU autocrats facing challenges, but there is significant pushback to a lot of domestic polices pushed by the EU (even in England, which while out of the EU is still all-in on immigration and more).

I will say that I think Europe is mostly lost, and that absent a very unexpected successful revolt by the people of England, France, and Germany, those countries are toast. There is pushback, but I very much fear it is too late. See my previous writings on this for more. I also am seeing a bulwark rising along an Eastern axis via Poland, Hungary, and portions of the Balkans. Again, see previous as I think that offers the best hope of ever bringing Europe back.

When you have a lot of desperate political types, especially of the godless authority type, you also get a lot a lot of gotterdammerung types who are quite willing to take the world down with them. Thankfully they rarely do, but they can and have done a lot of damage on the way out. Which does raise the stakes on people setting off stupid things here.

So, be prepared. Me, I’m helping harden a couple of potential targets here effectively on the QT. A lot of that is not on active defense but on dealing with the aftermath so as to save as many as possible. In terms of active, I may or may not be encouraging multiple layers of defense (and if some have the idea that they are the only or key layer of defense rather than one of several, well, that can be a good thing). When dealing with politics and those who think active defense is bad, it can be a good thing to have the full number and layers underappreciated.

Where I am acting more openly is on disaster response. If I can push good emergency and medical response, all the better. Being sure there are AEDs, trauma materials, and even upgraded “ouch” (standard first aid) kits is a very, very good thing. If a disaster strikes, and it doesn’t matter if natural or unnatural, it is rare to say that you had too many tourniquets, pressure bandages, airways, etc. From my point of view, you can never have enough of those, Quick Clot, etc.

I am worried that a lot of politicians and the general public are now hearing increased chatter and movement as “wolf, wolf!” and responding (not) accordingly. So, I decided to not say anything. I’ve rethought that a bit, and decided on this.

All I’m going to say for now is “Be careful out there” and keep being your good selves. If you are a new or not-regular reader, pay attention to those who are as most of them have seen the elephant. You would be wise to listen to them. Go back and read the comments on preparedness and terrorism posts as they are a trove of good information.

I’m going to wish all a healthy, happy, and wonderful Christmas and New Year (and for those of you Orthodox like me, a Happy New Year and a Merry Christmas!). May it be a bright and blessed time; may we as a civilization continue to walk the knife edge and avoid the stumbling blocks and snares of the enemies of civilization and Faith. Meantime, keep your friends and family close, and your things where you can find them in the dark.

Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, and to start a truly new life, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. If you want to know some of what it is going for, read here. There is also the Amazon Wish List in the Bard’s Jar. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

Recognizing Psyops

Doing my best to keep this from getting political, but it does amaze me how many people fail to recognize a psyop even after it punches them in the nose. I’ve seen two big ones and some smaller ones pop up recently, and am amazed in some respects at how many seem to be swallowing them hook, line, and sinker. Sadly, not surprised at some given that I strongly suspect they are paid for their efforts.

First up, if the same message pops up on multiple influencer accounts, usually with similar personalization, it’s not organic. It is most likely bought and paid for in one coin or another. Also, another hint is if said message is about the break-up of a political movement and how the anticipated front-runner in the next election is really a bad person and unworthy of the office they hold (much less the one they are likely to seek), and it comes just days after political victories for said movement and politician, well, it’s not organic.

Also, if it is the exact same message word for word on hundreds or even thousands of accounts, it’s a bot farm. I sincerely hope X does start putting flags of the real locations of accounts (and noting who uses VPNs like I do) on profiles as it will be fun to see how many so-called influencers actually are located in the Middle East and other interesting locations, and are not strong American patriots. I have said it before and will say it again, I think the engagement payments were one of the worst things to happen (amid a lot of good) to X. I also wonder how many Paki and other bot farms they have funded.

For the record: I am not a bot, Paki or otherwise. I am a Lupine Sapien from Wolf 579, and find the suggestions that I am a reticulated pythonoid from Antares most insulting. As if! (Sniff)

Second, follow the money. Look at who is leading the charge, and do a bit of research on the people and accounts. Lot of interesting connections out there, and thanks to the work of Data_republican and Mike Benz (see links upper right) a lot of connections have been laid bare. You really need to follow those two as what they post is data-driven and they post their data. Safe bet is that anyone who won’t let you see the data is a fraud.

Third, look at other signs that something might not be organic. If the ‘spontaneous’ protest has professionally printed signs, much less clothing and merchandise, it’s not spontaneous. There is a lead time for commercial printing, and if something happens and there is a protest literally the next day with professional signs, someone knew about the event in advance. It really is amusing how many recent protests have had professional branding from messages and signs down to music. Not organic.

Then again, one of my favorite signs is that the rent-a-crowd business isn’t what it used to be. A number of protests rather dramatically dropped in size after supposedly non-related funding got cut. I’ve had to laugh at several where once the protesters were no longer getting paid, they downed signs in stacks and then walked away. Almost feel sorry for the bus rental businesses, as that business has taken a hit as well. It is also interesting to see the same protestors now at different cities and different events across the country. Think about this paragraph for a minute, and if you see those things, what is going on is not organic.

One final thing to look for is who is supporting a message or such that would not normally do so. For example, if you suddenly see Russia Today, Iran, China, or others sharing the message on something in America or Europe, might want to think about what they are supporting — and why. When enemies of a country start endorsing (directly or indirectly) messages and people from within that country, you might want to take a very close look at what is being shared or endorsed.

There are a few other signs, but these get you going in spotting most non-organic psyops, online or in the real world. The truly sad thing for me is how many otherwise reasonable people fall for part of such, and end up giving credence to the whole thing directly or indirectly. It happens, and any of us (including me) have probably fallen for such over the years. Then again, once bitten twice shy comes into play there. Pay attention, apply some logic and reason, and view anything political with skepticism.

Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, and to start a truly new life, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. If you want to know some of what it is going for, read here. There is also the Amazon Wish List in the Bard’s Jar. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

Two Local Stories Going National

Well, really three if you count the redistricting story, but I’m sitting that one out for now. My thoughts on the Indiana GOP and most politicians (of both parties) would probably have me in confession for months. Instead, two other stories are going national and I am seeing some key details not always making it into social media and/or corporate news.

First up, the shooting death of a cleaning lady who was at the wrong house. I’ve actually heard two different accounts, that they were dropped off at the wrong house or that they drove to the wrong house. She was trying the key when the homeowner shot through the door, striking her in the head and killing her. Her death is a tragedy and I would ask you to pray for all involved.

The account from police and the lawyer for the homeowner indicate that he was awakened after just a short time asleep, heard someone trying a key or keys in his lock, retrieved a gun that he had never shot before, and after sending his wife into a safe room, fired a shot through the door without warning or having a target in view. Said round hit her in the head, killing her instantly, and he has been charged with voluntary manslaughter.

Now, having taken Guy Relford’s Indiana Gun Law course (highly recommended if you own a gun in Indiana), I know that Indiana does have a very robust Castle Doctrine law, but that there are exceptions and caveats. I also know that what the homeowner did violates my own personal code and what I have taught in the past. Then again, from the gun law and other legal courses over the years, I know that my code is not the law.

I also know that the homeowner has been smart enough to hire Guy Relford for his defense. If I had the money, I would hire him too at need. I think that may be the only thing that keeps the homeowner out of prison.

Let’s face it, even among strong 2A types what was done is going to be a hard sell. Speaking for me personally, having a gun (guns actually) and never firing it (or getting training on use technical and legal) is another month in confession for me; firing without a clear target (if anyone I trained does that outside of certain combat situations I will smoke them until corpsmen are needed to get them back enough to do it until they drop again, and I will proudly go to confession for that); and, firing without any warning or attempt to determine the situation (yes, I have challenged and de-escalated, more than once), well, I’m not going to be a sympathetic juror. If I’m a hard sell, what do you think is going to be the case for anyone not 2A or even anti-2A? The nicest I can say is that Guy has his work cut out for him. That said, I will wait until all the facts have come out before saying much more on this case.

The second story that is going to be blowing up soon is that a military humvee crashed recently on I-65. Some guardsmen were in a convoy on their way to Camp Atterbury when a car-hauler abruptly changed lanes, apparently striking one of the humvees, causing it to swerve and roll, eventually hitting another car. Three were injured, and Terry Frye (no rank given in story) was killed. Turns out the driver of the car-hauler, one Goderdzi Gujabidze of Brooklyn NY (who required a translator to talk with LE afterwards), is an illegal alien. A hold has been placed on him by ICE and is being honored. Expect this story to have legs.

Once again, not really the best image for Indianapolis (or area). That said, if some of the recent national coverage on crime actually results in real changes, prosecutions, and proper sentencing…

Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, and to start a truly new life, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. If you want to know some of what it is going for, read here. There is also the Amazon Wish List in the Bard’s Jar. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

Cloudflare Strikes Again

If you can read this, it means you aren’t going through Cloudflare to get here. Once again, Cloudflare is having problems and chunks of the internet are not online as a result. X is up sorta (intermittent and there are media problems) and a variety of other sites, such as SciTechDaily, are still down.

I’m old enough to remember that one of the ideas behind what became the internet was decentralization and distribution so that the network could and would stay up in the face of disasters up to and including nuclear war. That the system would route around gaps and stay up for as many people as possible.

However, the ‘best and brightest’ alleged-elites thought the internet would be better centralized and controlled (and much easier to turn off if the peasants proved too revolting). Thus we have centralized operations and single-point failures even without apparent ill-will. I use apparent advisedly as I have wondered if certain things were not various actors, state and non-state, testing and trying on occasion. After all, theoretical knowledge is useful but there comes a point where you have to test before you use it.

Right now, I lean towards incompetence (and I regard any engineering that allows single-point failure modes as incompetent) but how many times have we had major internet outages in 2025? Heck, this is either the second or third just for Cloudflare. It does make one wonder, and one also wonders if anyone in U.S. leadership at any level has started to tumble to the fact that centralizing internet operations might have been a mistake? If Elon is smart, he has an alternate internet based on Starlink ready to go at need (and after he is safely off Earth).

Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, and to start a truly new life, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. If you want to know some of what it is going for, read here. There is also the Amazon Wish List in the Bard’s Jar. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.