Author: condor

Damn: “Assume Your Dot Points Will Be Seen By Malign Foreign Actors”?!?

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We have this update on the Muskian “dot points demand” debacle — from non-political supervisors — inside HHS.

It would be hard to dream up a more… preposterous sci-fi premise, for a book positing the decline of Western Civilization.

But I can assure you, gentle reader, this is in fact happening in the US — in real time. At least three capable non-partisan federal courts have ruled there is no lawful basis at all for mandatory “dot point reports” from other agencies’ rank and file — to be shared with Musk’s OPM.

None — yet to be cautious, our anon. insider advises the latest “up the chain” instructions read thus:

…Update on OPM memo:

Email this am from HHS.

All are expected to reply coordinate with supervisor. Only high level response.

And assume your response will be read by malign foreign actors….

Welp… it is no longer hyperbole to sensibly suggest that perhaps this part of the “Chaos Tour 2.0” end-goal of Elon Musk is the weakening of the United States on the world stage, via hundreds of thousands of paper cuts. It will reduce his companies’ regulatory burden, increase his fortune — and likely will help pay off the debt the Tangerine 2.0 team clearly must owe — to Vlad Putin.

And — in any event, it certainly evinces the old adage “elect a clown; expect a circus.” Damn.

नमस्ते

Hinderaker Tells Us To Disbelieve Our “Lyin’ Eyes” — But We See… Russia Is Making Trump “A Vassal”

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Tonight, Hinderaker refuses to see what is plain to all of us who are NOT suffering from advanced dementia and/or Trump Boot-Licking Syndrome: Trump is making the US vassal state of Russia.

In fact, this may all end up… with the US as the (new) Sixteenth Soviet Republic — if Putin is able (as he has said is his long term dream) to reconstitute the old Soviet Union.

The headline above the fold tonight on the Wa Po credits Russian papers as reporting that the Russian state is now saying that “Washington is now closely aligned with Moscow’s vision of the world.” That is Putin confirming what we all see — and what Hinderaker traitorously refuses to call out.

D A M N.

Hinderaker — please explain, directly: what debts is your boy Tangerine 2.0 paying off, here?

The only relevant question — as he instructs Hegseth to cease DoD cyber-operations against the Russian state — and Hegseth complies… is how can it NOT be that Trump is clearly ‘for sale’ — and cheap, to Putin?

Moreover, in Hinderaker’s dumb piece, he opines that Russia is a weakened minor player on the world stage. If that’s so, but we know Russia is running cyber-warfare (think “Not-Petya” malware here!) against US infrastructure… why on Earth would Pete Hegseth stand down from cyber operations against Russia? Please answer that question clearly, John.

I may agree that China is a bigger threat, in the current world order… but it is truly foolish for John to suggest that the US should “completely stand down”, against Russia — based on the fact that China is the bigger threat. That’s just illogical. And dangerously so. [Cyber-warfare is a very economical form of keeping an enemy in check, compared to jets and aircraft carriers and tanks and nukes.]

The evidence is overwhelming that Putin has something on Trump — so shut your silly pie hole, John.

Just shut it.

O U T.

And In News That Makes Me Smile: Another Texas Gun Maker Is Forced Into Bankruptcy… Watchtower: Winking Out.

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Colt — and then, Remington each filed chapters long, long ago.

Now several of these fly-by-night, largely huckster led later-gen hand pistol companies are going under as well. And I am here for it. [At right is a malevolently moronic Utah/Texas company that was making fully-operational “Lego” branded pistols — using the Lego bricks entirely without an IP license (of course!), and clearly aiming it… at children. It went under in 2021.]

Here’s the latest, from the WSJ:

…Watchtower Firearms files for bankruptcy

Watchtower Firearms on Feb. 27 filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, facing a multitude of financial problems.

The Frisco, Texas, firearms maker faced operational challenges, tax obligations, and significant vendor and service provider debt that led to its financial distress….

Now you know. And as a matter of public safety — these are all good things.

There Has Been A Renewed Flare-Up, Of Ebola — In Children — In Kampala, Uganda. This After An “All Clear”, Just Two Weeks Ago. Sigh.

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Now, two four year old children — in Kampala, the capital, have died from confirmed Ebola viral infections [these are unrelated to the male nurse’s chain, of January 2025].

This is doubly discouraging, since reliable reports on the ground indicate that United States Ebola aid sources remain frozen — despite Elon Musk’s lying, at a cabinet meeting this week and saying that aid was flowing again, for Ebola prevention, through USAID. The staffers in Uganda have contradicted this claim. And children are dying — again, because of the feckless Elon Musk — and the malign moron Donald Trump. Dammit. Here’s the UK Independent — on it all:

…A second child’s death in Uganda, a 4-year-old, from Ebola, marks a setback in efforts to contain the outbreak declared on 30 January.

The child, who died on Tuesday, had been receiving treatment at the main referral facility in Kampala. This follows the earlier death of a male nurse, the first recorded victim of the outbreak.

The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed the child’s death on Saturday and said efforts were underway to bolster surveillance and contact tracing measures….

It is deeply barbaric that we have the means and methods to prevent these deaths, but Musk and Trump are consciously choosing to kill children. Damn. Out.

नमस्ते

In Which Scott Johnson — Unintentionally — Acknowledges His, John’s And Paul’s Own… Myopia

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Scott offers what I assume he thinks of as an amusing but poignant piece this morning, proposing about two dozen new laws, like Murphy’s Law — but expanded, and contorted — to the point of being self-mocking.

However, he writes one thing that is true — but not in the way he imagines it. After about 600 years of (mostly-mediocre) whyte men being able to exert unearned dominance in almost every corner of American life, they are finally seeing some measure of what real equality is: when they have to compete on merit — not a smile and a haircut alone, to get a job, etc. And Scott pens this (of course meaning to refer to DEI as an evil):

“…When people get used to preferential treatment, equal treatment seems like discrimination….”

Scott, it is in fact the Bakke case that most exhibited this: in 1978 the Supremes dismissed a case from a whyte student who claimed he couldn’t get into the school of his choosing due to “reverse discrimination” — because he was… whyte. [It admitted him saying only that rigid racial quotas for Davis Med School were impermissible — but the whole person, including prior adversity faced and poverty, and/or racial discrimination… could be permissible plus factors” for admission.]

After that most of these were bounced out of court.

But here we are, nearly a half century later, and Scott, and John and Paul and Tangerine 2.0 have convinced an entire “grievance generation” of whytes, that they are the ones being put upon.

And a few more cases in the last five years have prevailed, and yet held that essays may be used, and rigid test scores alone need not finally determine who is admitted.

But the idea that it is whyte people (whyte men, in particular) who are at a comprehensive society wide disadvantage… well, that’s simply… preposterous. As it was in 1978 — through to today. No… these folks’ problem.. is that they’ve grown up thinking (wrongly) they are entitled to the vast bulk of our nation’s wealth.

Out — and onward, as a truly “Mediocre Whyte Guy” — but aware of his many faults and limitations. Grin.

Success — Blue Ghost Lander Is Upright On The Moon — And Now Sending Back Data Packets…

~ condor ~ 1 Comment

Just as expected, the Firefly Aerospace lander has performed flawlessly.

We are enthused that so much can be accomplished without the need for the added weight of a crewed lander — and obviously, the added risks. Here’s the latest, from NASA earlier this morning:

…Carrying a suite of NASA science and technology, Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission 1 successfully landed at 3:34 a.m. EST on Sunday near a volcanic feature called Mons Latreille within Mare Crisium, a more than 300-mile-wide basin located in the northeast quadrant of the Moon’s near side.

The Blue Ghost lander is in an upright and stable configuration, and the successful Moon delivery is part of NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis campaign. This is the first CLPS delivery for Firefly, and their first Moon landing.

The 10 NASA science and technology instruments aboard the lander will operate on the lunar surface for approximately one lunar day, or about 14 Earth days.

“This incredible achievement demonstrates how NASA and American companies are leading the way in space exploration for the benefit of all,” said NASA acting Administrator Janet Petro. “We have already learned many lessons – and the technological and science demonstrations onboard Firefly’s Blue Ghost Mission 1 will improve our ability to not only discover more science, but to ensure the safety of our spacecraft instruments for future human exploration — both in the short term and long term….”

Onward, smiling into the sunshine — I did not stay up to watch live, but all is well, at Mons Latreille / Mare Crisium. Grin.

नमस्ते

Wait! Hinderaker Says NOTHING About Trump Trying To Overturn A Public Company’s Shareholder VOTE?!?

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Last week, the Apple shareholders voted overwhelmingly NOT to end their DEI efforts, inside the company.

They VOTED DOWN a hard right proposal to outlaw even the use of the term “DEI” — inside Apple. This is a for profit — and wildly profitable — company. In the $2 Trillion club.

But Tangerine 2.0 is trying to suppress Tim Cook’s ideas — as to how best to manage and run the world’s juggernaut of a tech company. He is doing that, as the preznit of the US. [Trump said Apple “better ditch DEI” — as he wants it “dead”.]

THAT’S 100% REAL “Commie censorship” of private for profit businesses, John.

When, on the other hand, a loose coalition of grass roots non-profits organize a series of daily boycotts… yep, that is free speech, John.

Exactly what Trump is trying to PREVENT the shareholders and Tim Cook — from doing — speaking about how best to meet the market’s desires… and sell more phones and computers and watches. Sheesh, Johnnie!

But Hinderaker writes as though the boycotts… are the true Commie plot.

I N S A N E.

Out.

An Able DC USDC Judge Rules, With Finality: Hampton Dellinger Keeps His Position, On Summary Judgment

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Here is the full 67 page opinion, from the ever-capable Amy Berman-Jackson.

There could not be a more complete loss for Team Tangerine 2.0.

There was no authority to try to oust him, in the manner that these chuckle-heads attempted.

Full stop. But do read it all, if you are a fan of our system of ordered liberty.

…There is no dispute that the statute establishing the Office of Special Counsel provides that the Special Counsel may be removed by the President only for inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office, and that the curt email from the White House informing the Special Counsel that he was terminated contained no reasons whatsoever. This is the basis for Count 1, which alleges that the termination was an unlawful, ultra vires action, and the basis for plaintiff’s assertion that he is entitled to declaratory and injunctive relief. Compl. ¶¶ 37–41. The Court will grant plaintiff’s motion and enter judgment in his favor….

Although this Court does not consider plaintiff to be an inferior officer, the case is more akin to Morrison, in which the Court found that the removal protections did not unduly interfere with the functioning of the executive branch because, in part, the independent counsel had “limited jurisdiction and tenure and lacked policymaking or significant administrative authority.” Seila Law, 591 U.S. at 217, quoting Morrison, 487 U.S. at 691. If, as in that case, one considers the question posed by the Supreme Court – “whether a removal restriction is of such a nature that it impedes the President’s ability to perform his constitutional duty” – the answer is no….

These are very strange times, to be sure — and I do worry a little bit, that there is coming a time when Tangerine 2.0 will assert that he need not honor or obey any court’s order that he doesn’t agree with. At that moment, we all must stand tall: and if need be, the US Marshals and the various states’ police may be pressed into service. I hope it doesn’t come to that — but we should begin making contingency plans, now. [And Trump has already appealed the above, but it stands firm.]

नमस्ते

More Granularity — From The Wa Po — On In-Agency Directives To Ignore Muskian “Dot Point” Demands…

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The non-political heads of at least four agencies (including NASA) have instructed federal workers to NOT respond to Elon’s “Part II” email. Several USDC Judges have ruled that OPM / DOGE / Musk lacks any lawful authority to make these demands.

And on X-itter yesterday, Musk said consequences for failure to reply will “vary by agency” — implying he thinks the directive is mandatory. Multiple nationwide TROs have held the opposite. Here’s the latest — do go read it all:

…Many Agency Heads Openly Defy Musk….

A senior career official at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services who retired on Friday, Jeffrey Grant, sent a scathing open letter to the Department of Health and Human Services leader who executed the DOGE-directed firing of 82 of the 600 operations workers Grant managed.

“As a career federal official and senior human capital officer, you had to know that what you were doing was wrong,” Grant wrote to Jeffery Anoka, acting chief human capital officer at the department. “If you were ordered to write those letters, you should have refused to follow that unlawful directive.”

Grant said Anoka’s accusations in the firing letters that the terminated workers are “not fit” for continued employment because they were underperforming and lack required skills and ability are “factually incorrect on all counts.” A department spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment….

Separately, Elon also welcomed a fourteenth child over the weekend — with yet another former employee — from another one of his companies.

I really don’t much care, such things are a “personal choice” between adults, in my view (and all of them know about the “other baby mamas“) but it is surprising and perhaps… to me, ironic… that Trump’s purportedly evangelical x-tian base is as quiet as the tomb — about these polyamorous, out of wedlock ways. He has (by my amateurish count) at least four concurrent “life partners” (all significantly younger than he is) — with whom he’s birthed these now 14 offspring.

Whatever.

नमस्ते

Overnight, Apparently — OPM / Musk / DOGE Sent A NEW Batch Of Dot Point Memo Demands (Though More Politely) To All Fed. Agencies. Sheesh!

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Earlier this week, at least three USDC Judges ruled that Musk / OPM had no authority to send the “dot point demands”. [It seems clear that Elon Musk, stupidly, thought OPM was the “HR Department” — for the whole of the federal government, ignorantly assuming that the for profit corporate organization template would map one for one, onto the government. That’s the most charitable version I can come up with — for the below. It is more likely that he… just doesn’t care about the law, and will do whatever the hell he wants… essentially, daring the courts to stop him. Well… they have. only 3 for about 33 are remotely in his favor, now. Moreover, there are five separate TROs preventing this nonsense, nationwide.]

Indeed, toward the below, we had heard rumblings that Kash Patel at FBI had converted it to a “permissive” request, and that most FBI agents are answering by saying “all my activities are sensitive“. But now, from the front lines of non-political pure science agencies, we have an example of what has been sent at NIH — the agency overseen (indirectly, though HHS) by that loon JFK, Jr.

There are enough different commenters here at my joint — and plenty enough employees at NIH, that this won’t be matched to any specific science professional at NIH — but one of our anon. commenters has shared the below, received last night — and again, it still originates from OPM, and asks for a reply. That reply would then send the employee’s dot points to… yep, OPM. That, all three USDC judges (we’ve been covering) have ruled — Musk had and has, no authority to even attempt. One USDC Judge said “no statute in any universe” would allow this.

Do see the below — and I will have more on this later today or tomorrow. What a sordid mess these jokers are making of the premier science organization on the planet. Damnation.

…To: OPM_ALLEMPLOEE_NOTIFICATION@LIST.NIH.GOV

Message of high importance

Please reply to this email with approx. 5 bullets describing what you accomplished last week and cc your manager.

Going forward, please complete the above task each week by Mondays at 11:59 pm ET.

Please do not send links, attachments, or any classified/sensitive information.

If all of your activities are classified or sensitive, please write “All of my activities are sensitive….”

I think I’d reply only to my direct supervisor, and indicate that I was doing so… as a “courtesy“. But I’d NOT send it on to OPM — or RFK. Jr. [And, those of us with access to truly anonymized mail server addresses, well… we might just start sending in our favorite recipes, old jokes, and anti-tangerine memes… to that email above listed as the originator of the dot point requests. People are already spamming it, to make it largely incapable of any real use to Musk / Trump / Rubio / Patel / RFK. Jr. Heh.] Onward — crazy times. Onward — crazy times.

नमस्ते