Training camp starts this week. I’m looking forward to having some actual receivers again… pic.twitter.com/PDl1puHr46
— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) July 25, 2021
All posts in July 2021
“Who Gets to Decide Truth?”
An article that is worth your time:
It provides a lot more than just this punchline:
Notice how Locke’s empiricism dovetails with the political principles of natural rights and basic equality. Because all people have eyes and ears and minds, and because we must check and consult with each other to find truth, the many, not just the few, are entitled to assert their own beliefs and contest others’. Epistemic rights, like political rights, belong to all of us; empiricism is the duty of all of us. No exceptions for priests, princes, or partisans.
I remember once reading an article that said before Einstein’s theory of relativity, where it was said only 12 people on earth could understand it, scientists had to explain things so that a lay person could follow and agree with it. Theoretical science blew that all up, and now (in my opinion) scientists are treated like a modern priestly class. They say it. You believe it. Or, you are anti-science.
Yet, the priests of old were not perfect morally or intellectually, and neither are scientists. As Jonathan Rauch notes:
Empiricism is the duty of all of us.
“Blue (Da Ba Dee)” Arturia Minilab MkII Remake
I’ve watched a number of Marius Tarceatu’s Arturia Minilab MkII remakes, but given how much my oldest son loved this song when he was young, I had to share this one:
Although I don’t know how to use it yet, I have one of the Arturia Minilab MKIIs myself, and hope some day to be able to this.
Of course, I have to be able to play a keyboard first.
BTW, here is the original classic: Read More
Review: Ichiban Buffet (Lone Tree, Colorado)
My wife and visited Ichiban Buffet for the first time today and were truly amazed. Our expectations were for a “normal” buffet-level atmosphere and quality.
Ichiban delivered something many times better.
The selection was incredible (the quick snapshots attached don’t do it justice), the food was fresh and delicious, and the service was impeccable (with a special shout out to Joseph, our server).
Proof it is as good as I say? Well, it officially became the “special day” spot for us, starting with our anniversary in a couple weeks.
Great work Ichiban!
P.S. What about price? If you go with the all-you-can-eat buffet, it varies from about $18 per person for lunch during the week to the $33 we paid (which includes premium items). All I can say is that it is well worth it regardless, but if you want to watch your wallet, visit during the cheaper times. 🙂
P.P.S. Cross-posted on my Data Guy (Me) blog.
Which Is More Dangerous…?
Which is more dangerous? A government ostensibly limited by a bill of rights, or a massive company that can successfully get away with pretty much anything with a cry of, “Private company!” as long as the government agrees with what they do?
Saturday Breakfast with Augie
Meytal “Hotel California”
Although I wish she did the Eagles’ version, here is Meytal’s great drum cover of “Hotel California”:
Trust in the Modern Age
As we consider whether it is appropriate for the government to flag misinformation for social media companies to censor/etc., this is an important thread from Glenn Greenwald (you have to click through to Twitter):
If you trust the Biden WH to decree what is "misinformation," these claims have been deemed as such:
* COVID is transmitted human-to-human (Jan 2020)
* You should wear masks to protect against COVID (March 2020)
* It's possible COVID leaked from the Wuhan lab (all of 2020).
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) July 17, 2021
Although I am not a fan of some of the commentary in it, this article brings all (most?) of the thread together.
THIS! Glenn Greenwald takes Biden’s ‘Ministry of Truth’ APART in brutal thread for openly censoring what they deem ‘COVID misinformation’
At this point, Biden needs to go back and flag his own damn posts.
This is an especially important point for people who say the First Amendment only applies to the government, not to private companies. That is true, but…
Welcome to day 3 of the @ACLU's utter silence about the fact that the White House is openly boasting about their attempts to coerce social media companies — which they can destroy through regulatory enforcement — to ban people and content the WH unilaterally deems dangerous.
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) July 17, 2021
If it is done under government pressure (even if the private businesses agree), then it is unconstitutional.
And, in the modern age, there is no reason to trust the government, Big Tech social media, nor the media with the power to censor. (Greenwald’s thread speaks to this too.)
So True :-)
Hat tip: Power Line
“Seven Nation Army” by the White Stripes
Bonus (“Hardest Button to Button”): Read More
“Last in Line” by Liliac
Liliac does an amazing cover of my favorite Dio song:
Our Opinions
Noting Unequal Treatment Is Not Endorsing Behavior
Hat tip: Instapundit (I guess it was originally an Instagram post).
BLM/Antifa riots and the Capital Riot were all wrong. It is a huge injustice that they are treated differently by the legal system, politicians, and the media.
“How Much Scientific Research Is Actually Fraudulent?”
“If a rich person could be truly virtuous, then he would stop being rich very quickly.”
If a rich person could be truly virtuous, then he would stop being rich very quickly.
— A Calendar of Wisdom: Daily Thoughts to Nourish the Soul, Written and Selected from the World’s Sacred Texts by Leo Tolstoy (translated by Peter Sekirin)
“The Biggest Myth in Education”
Interesting video:
”There is no credible evidence that learning styles exist.”
If You Want to Understand
If you look at someone else and what they believe seems whacked, you have multiple choices:
You can think they are nutty. You can think they are evil. You can think they are stupid.
Or you can try to understand.
And, understanding does not require agreement. However, it does require spending more time listening than responding (especially arguing).
If you want to understand MAGA-world, this thread of tweets is worth reading:
I think I've had discussions w/enough Boomer-tier Trump supporters who believe the 2020 election was fraudulent to extract a general theory about their perspective. It is also the perspective of most of the people at the Capitol on 1/6, and probably even Trump himself. 1/x
— MartyrMade (@martyrmade) July 8, 2021
Although I would recommend clicking on that tweet and reading the thread that way (to avoid additional commentary), Twitchy pulls them all together in one page here:
Spin
Do you notice the operative word in this tweet?
Inflation’s silver lining: higher salaries https://t.co/DmXuzKlX8z
— CNBC (@CNBC) July 8, 2021
Did you find it?
Okay, this is funny…
FBI seized ‘fully constructed’ US Capitol Lego set from home of alleged rioter
The FBI seized a “fully constructed” Lego set of the U.S. Capitol from the home of an alleged insurrectionist.
“Let’s review the entry plan: enter through the southeast door, walk three foursies then turn left, two threesies then right…”
— DarkAdapted (@DarkAdapted) July 8, 2021
Hat tip to Instapundit.
P.S. And no, I am not saying illegal activities on January 6 in D.C. were funny.
Update:
This made me chuckle:
Full disclosure, there’s a fully assembled Death Star in my house. https://t.co/Myzt9SnqKU
— Tim Wood 🇺🇸⚔️ (@TimOnPoint) July 7, 2021
Update (July 12, 2021):
“Happy Birthday America” by Toby Keith
Great song. Sad message.
Lyric video version:
Kudos LinkedIn!
Since I wrote about my disappointment in LinkedIn suspending mRNA vaccine inventor Dr. Malone’s account, I am very happy to send them kudos for reinstating it and apologizing:
LinkedIn reinstates account of mRNA vaccine inventor who warned of COVID-19 shot risk for kids
Dr. Robert Malone, an mRNA vaccine technology pioneer, said his LinkedIn account was restored Monday after it was shut down last week when he raised concerns about potential risks of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines for some groups, which LinkedIn labeled as “misleading.”
Malone, the self-proclaimed inventor of the mRNA vaccine, medical doctor and CEO of a biotech and government consulting business, tweeted out a message he received from a senior LinkedIn executive on Monday apologizing for his personal account being removed from the platform for a short time. Malone said he was “truly grateful for his kind gesture.”
“Dr. Malone’s account has been fixed as of this morning,” the message from a senior executive from LinkedIn read. “I’d like to apologize on behalf of LinkedIn — we’re just not good enough at detangling complicated, subtle scientific claims concurrent with similar [but different] misinformation coming from others.
Although it would have been best if it never had happened, compared to other social media companies, LinkedIn is a star after this.
Listen to Sean Penn and Conan O’Brien
Sean Penn, Conan O’Brien Denounce Cancel Culture, Calling it ‘Soviet’ | The Daily Wire
It seems even Hollywood’s most notorious left-wing activists are waking up to the dangers of cancel culture. In the July 5 episode of the podcast, “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend,” the recently retired host of “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” asked veteran actor Sean Penn about the trend of destroying …
Perhaps my favorite quote:
“Empathy is a very important word and also forgiveness,” said O’Brien. “We found that someone did something in 1979 that is now not appropriate. They’re dead to us.” O’Brien went on to describe cancel culture as “very Soviet,” saying, “People can also be forgiven. If they even need forgiving. What happened to that?”
We all need forgiveness.
Egad!
Update:
Tucker Carlson discusses the situation on his program:
Original post:
I don’t care which side of the aisle you are on, this should make you aghast:
#BREAKING Tucker Carlson Joins @MariaBartiromo This Morning To Give An Update On NSA Spying
Tucker Announces That He Was Contacted By A Journalist Yesterday Who Informed Him The NSA Leaked His Emails To Journalists
"They're not allowed to spy on American citizens, they are." pic.twitter.com/Lq6BPHNXJ4
— The Columbia Bugle 🇺🇸 (@ColumbiaBugle) July 7, 2021
Unless Tucker Carlson is lying (which seems unlikely), this is a major scandal…as is political leaders not demanding answers.
Update (more info): Read More
Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics
As a dad who has spent three days with his son in the hospital, because of this “rare heart inflammation,” I think it okay for me to grumble about this article:
Benefits of Pfizer, Moderna vaccines ‘outweigh’ risk of rare heart inflammation
About 1,200 people, most of whom are age 30 and younger, have reported symptoms of heart inflammation following receipt of one of the two-dose COVID-19 vaccines, the CDC reported Tuesday
Let me ask you this, how much is a tween physically like a late twenties individual? Is 12-30 or 12-29 really a normal medical age grouping? (I think the fact that someone in their twenties would never be at a children’s hospital, like my son is, pretty much answers that question.)
They are not the same. So, why do we keep getting statements like this?: Read More
Creationism is White Supremacy?
Given this article, I am more scientific than Scientific American:
Denial of Evolution Is a Form of White Supremacy
As museums reopen let’s introduce ourselves, and our children, to the original Black ancestors of all human beings
Allison Hopper damns creationism. It’s not that people have an honest, religious belief. Instead…
I want to unmask the lie that evolution denial is about religion and recognize that at its core, it is a form of white supremacy that perpetuates segregation and violence against Black bodies.
At it’s core, Christian religion is about Jesus, nothing more, nothing less.
Later, the author writes:
Read More