Author: condor

They Say Satire Is Often The Most Effective Form Of Political Criticism… And Courtesy Our Erstwhile Anon. Commenters — Here’s The Proof!

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Our sincere and deeply heart-felt thanks go out to our Anon. commenters, for this.

Click the video below — it is sublime satire, of RFK, Jr.

And old RFK, Jr. should take note: he’s an anti-science idiot whose “policies” will doubtless result in excess deaths and disabilities, among children — here, in the most prosperous economy on Earth. Disgusting. Do see this, and if you are able, support the Marsh Family Songs/singers — please. That’s a paypal link — or you may use Patreon — for ongoing support & bonuses: / marshfamilysongs:

…[From the Marsh family singers:] This may not be one of Paul Simon’s most successful songs, but it was a fun vibe to work up at the start of a new school year – getting instruments out for the first time since a summer holiday. The original was the second single from the album “Paul Simon” (released 1972) and the inscrutable story in the lyrics is set in the Queens neighbourhood where he grew up. By coincidence, it was apparently performed with Stephen Colbert in 2015 on The Late Show – the programme that this week tore into Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s record and showed some of his fiery testimony in the Senate, an episode which also made it into European news coverage (story here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c….

Needless to say, the world is watching with alarm the compromising of America’s public health systems, including the dismantling of the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) – which has now lost its chief medical officer, director of immunisation, and director of emerging diseases (among many others) – while misinformation spreads, rates of vaccine uptake plummet, new outbreaks of measles kill again, and some states gallop headlong towards removing mandates that had the overwhelming backing of the scientific and medical communities….

Onward, resolutely.

नमस्ते

In Which Hinderaker Would Substitute His (Suspect) Judgment, For That Of British Courts Of Law… Yawn.

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Well… overnight, Hinderaker decides he should tell British authorities what sorts of protests are allowable in that nation — and what sorts… are not.

Uh-huh.

This is a weird, but tiny, impotent echo — of Tangerine’s comments last week: Trump said that Europe risks losing what it means to be “European” (by which he means… whyte), if it continues to allow immigration in the numbers it has over the past decade. [He called it “civilizational erasure“. Implicit in this comment is the notion that only whyte people are truly “civilized“, and if more brown, yellow and black people take up residence in a nation (than whyte) — the civilization… ends. That sure sounds like a tiny mustachioed guy, from the early 1930s. One the world united to defeat — and forced into a suicide — in a bunker under the Reich Chancellery building, in Berlin. Ick.]

It may be one thing for the US president to scold his European allies, on internal matters — ones that do not affect the US. [That too is odious, though, in truth.]

It is entirely another for a demented old coot in the USA to pop off about what is free expression in the UK. John does not seem to understand that the law of protest differs from our set of precepts, in several important ways, in the UK. It is not his place to tell the Brits how to do things.

To be clear, I do not much care for this protest, but the crown jewels were not stolen, nor damaged in any way.

The case housing them was splatterd with food — to make the point that many many Britons are going hungry — while the Royals hold vast banquets, dripping in jewelry.

But no permanent harm was done.

John wishes to substitute his vindictiveness, for the even handed, tolerant justice of the British court system. Good luck with that, you delusional old fart.

What a tiny handed miscreant he is. Out.

Jonny Kim Returns To Earth Monday Morning… End, Of His ISS Mission.

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We won’t likely watch, but you may catch the return on NASA+ or YouTube.

This (his third ride in space) has been a wild one, largely due to chaos, on the ground in DC. You see — for a portion of his stint, Tangerine 2.0 had suspended Kim’s pay — as “non-essential” (during the longest shutdown in US history). What kind of a rat-bastard treats a US astronaut in space that way?! Anyhoo — here is the “coming home” schedule, and the transition news:

…NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, accompanied by Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky, is preparing to depart the International Space Station aboard the Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft and return to Earth.

Kim, Ryzhikov, and Zubritsky will undock from the station’s Prichal module at 8:41 p.m. EST on Monday, Dec. 8, headed for a parachute-assisted landing at 12:04 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 9 (10:04 a.m. local time in Kazakhstan), on the steppe of Kazakhstan, southeast of the city of Dzhezkazgan.

Watch NASA’s live coverage of the crew’s return on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and the agency’s YouTube channel. Learn how to stream NASA content through a variety of online platforms, including social media….

NASA Flight Engineer Chris Williams, who arrived at the station with Flight Engineers Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev on Nov. 27, has stepped into his new role as a first-time station astronaut and assisted Kim inside the Quest airlock on Friday installing lights, cameras, and straps on a pair of spacesuit helmets. Williams then wore electrodes around his eyes as computerized medical gear operated by NASA Flight Engineer Zena Cardman sent light signals to test his retinal response in microgravity….

Now you know. Onward, grinning.

नमस्ते

So — (Once Again!) No Music City Hearings — Next Week. Oh Well… At Some Point, He Must Be Set Free…

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Late on Thursday night, the able USDC Judge cancelled the “mini-trial” set for Monday morning.

I now do know exactly why USDC Judge Waverly Crenshaw (quite correctly) did this, but given the irrelevant, and highly prejudicial nature of the latest “trial by ambush” government supposed proffers [paid recidivist “informants” — to purportedly testify about uncharged, undocumented and irrelevant matters]… I suspect it will be resceduled for the latter part of January 2026 — after all the motions in limine are sorted out.

In any event, I’ll be staying in the ice-box next week — and likely shoveling again, by Sunday night or Monday. Heh. Here’s that latest full-text order:

…ORDER as to Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia:

The evidentiary hearing scheduled on December 8 and 9, 2025 is CANCELLED pending further order of the Court.

Signed by District Judge Waverly D. Crenshaw, Jr on 12/4/2025….

We are, however, approaching the point where… the quantum of evidence of vindictive and selective prosecution (against the Noemites) is so overwhelmingly-weighty, that Judge Crenshaw could dismiss the case, on the papers alone — and set Mr. Abrego Garcia free — without any other conditions of release. Indeed, the Noemites have tried to mislead the court in Maryland, falsely suggesting that very peaceful, prosperous Costa Rica would not easily accept any formal “asylees’” application from Mr. Abrego and his immediate family.

That nation has now averred in writing that it will. [And the asylees are willing to go live there, at least until Trump leaves office.] So much for my warmer weather getaway — and watching of “The Nutcracker” (off ice), this year. The “on ice” version is a matinee on the thirteenth, up here. Grin.

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Y A W N. As We Said Before — Halozyme’s Claim Is Largely Obviated — By An Alteogen License US Merck Bought And Paid For [Power-Alley Stuff].

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As we said in March 2025, this isn’t going to be any big deal for US Merck.

And the ruling seems… a little “home-court” protective, of Halozyme. [Note all the trademark naming rights spats still dotting the globe — between US Merck and German Merck (no relation).]

So it seems a German patent court has issued an injunction, in Germany only, for formulations of pembrolizumab that “read on” Halozyme tech. What MSM stories fail to mention was that Merck has already licensed an Alteogen-invented, separate human hyaluronidase variant, one not mentioned in any of the Halozyme patents, either as a claim, or as known prior art.

So this is very likely to amount to almost no damages, payable to Halozyme. Here’s the rather breathless MSM version, though — and a bit:

…A court in Munich has granted a preliminary injunction to Halozyme that prevents Merck from distributing the subcutaneous version of its cancer treatment Keytruda (pembrolizumab) in Germany.

Halozyme previously filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Merck arguing that the SC version violates patents related to its MDASE drug delivery system….

Y A W N. Now you know. And the hearing in Nashville has been scrubbed. Probably January 2026, now. Onward, grinning — I will head there, straight from… the cacti — of Verado, Arizona.

नमस्ते

Congress Hears Expert Testimony Suggesting That The SpaceX Moon Approach “Should Be Scrapped”.

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As a strong believer in rational evidence — especially when it comes to space science and engineering — I am very gratified that these concerns are now getting a much wider airing.

Afterall, we are all undoubtedly benefited — by critical testing of our dubious assumptions, in science.

And so, since this is all over five years behind schedule, once Tangerine 2.0 is gone, a more rational plan will come forward… perhaps not involving crews to Mars, at all. [Just as I’ve long suggested.] Here’s the latest, from Space.com:

…The former NASA administrator reiterated a previous recommendation he made to Congress, arguing that NASA’s Artemis 3 mission, currently planned for 2027, should be canceled — along with every other Artemis mission — so NASA and the U.S. government can rethink the whole plan for America’s return to the moon.

“We should start over, proceeding with all deliberate speed,” Griffin said. “We have lost a lot of me, and we may not be able to return to the moon before the Chinese execute their own first landing. Or we may; space is hard and despite the progress that China is making, mission success is guaranteed to no one. But though we may not win at this first step, we cannot cede the pursuit and leave the playing field to others….”

NASA and SpaceX’s current plan for Artemis 3 and other moon missions in the program relies on a complicated in-orbit refueling system. The current moon landing architecture requires a high number of SpaceX Starship launches in order to refuel the lander that would take NASA astronauts to the moon. The exact number still isn’t even known, though SpaceX estimates it could require 12 Starship launches to fully refuel the lander. The concept also remains unproven….

Furthermore, Griffin added, the length of time the lander would need to remain in orbit while the refueling flights launch and rendezvous with it would “almost guarantee” the propellant loaded into the lunar lander would boil off before the mission proceeds. “I do not see a way with the current technology we have to overcome those problems, and therefore we should not pursue that line of approach,” Griffin said….

There you have it. Please people: pay attention — and write your Congress-critters, about this.

Truly, let’s not waste high millions of dollars in taxpayer money, nor unduly risk precious NASA /crew personnel. We pretty well know this endeavor is as flawed — as Musk himself. Out.

नमस्ते

[U: Hinderaker Cannot Read Edition!] The Supremes Will Hold That The Plain English Reading Of “Born Here; Thus A Citizen Here” Is The Clearly Correct Reading. That Is All.

~ condor ~ 2 Comments

Updated, Sunday evening December 7, 2025: True to form, John Hinderaker indicates that rudimentary English grammar is beyond his meager grasp. Again. End update.

Much is being made tonight by the MSM, of the Supremes deciding today to take the question on cert., before judgment. This is, in my view, all just so much… noise.

The Court took the question to end the wasteful posturing in various appellate courts — torturing the actual words, to try to force a Trumpian meaning from them. Essentially, holding that the words mean the opposite of what they’ve said — for nearly 200 years. [“We do not hide elephants… in mouse-holes….”]

I for one know (as does Paul Mirengoff) the Court won’t give in to this malign idiocy. This will break 7-2 [Alito & Thomas dissenting] against Tangerine 2.0. Here is why — exactly:

…The Fourteenth Amendment begins with a clear and solemn guarantee: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.” In 1898, this Court held that this provision means what it says, safeguarding U.S. citizenship at birth for all persons born in this country, with only a handful of exceptions not applicable here. United States v. Wong Kim Ark, 169 U.S. 649 (1898). In 1940 and again in 1952, Congress codified the language of the Citizenship Clause — incorporating the then-prevailing understanding of those words as construed by this Court’s decision in Wong Kim Ark.

Executive Order 14,160 purports to strip birthright citizenship from persons born in the United States to parents who lack permanent immigration status. The Order is squarely contrary to the constitutional text, this Court’s precedents, Congress’s dictates, longstanding Executive Branch practice, scholarly consensus, and well over a century of our nation’s everyday practice. Accordingly, the district court below, like every other court that has reached the merits questions, correctly held that the Order violates both the Fourteenth Amendment and, independently, 8 U.S.C. § 1401(a)….

As I’ve said on this topic, previously — I will readily admit to being… an optimist. But I am not a… wild-eyed one. The 14th Amendment means what it says.

Onward, with a chilly grin — out, to the trains. And… as ever, onward!

नमस्ते

Two Vast, Very High Tech “Solar Energy” Powered Balloons Will Launch Soon — Via NASA and NSF From McMurdo Station on The Ross Ice Shelf (Antarctica).

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These new “zero pressure” balloons are dozens of times larger and taller than ordinary last-gen “weather” balloons. The sunshine heats the air in the ultra light bladder, providing lift, but onboard solar battery powered computers control special one way at a time vents, that either release the air from the bladder (if the whole shebang is rising too rapidly) — or alternatively open, to take in more of the outer (very-cool) air, to be warmed (also via the nearly-constant antarctic sunshine) if it has lost a bit of altitude when the Sun is nearer the perma-frozen horizon.

This is truly… revolutionary. The balloons stay aloft, essentially at a constant altitude for many months — with no external combustion / fuel source. Very impressive! Here’s the latest on the coming launches, from the NSF’s McMurdo Station on Antarctica’s Ross Ice Shelf:

…The [NASA] program is supporting two missions this year: the Payload for Ultrahigh Energy Observations (PUEO) and the General AntiParticle Spectrometer (GAPS).

NASA’s PUEO will be the first balloon mission to launch through the agency’s Astrophysics Pioneers program, which supports compelling astrophysics science at a lower cost. The PUEO payload is designed to detect signals from neutrinos, high-energy particles that travel across the universe undisturbed, carrying information about events billions of light-years away. The mission will search for radio signals created when these neutrinos from space hit ice. This will be the most sensitive survey of cosmic ultra-high energy neutrinos ever conducted, offering valuable clues about the highest-energy astrophysical processes, from the creation of black holes to neutron star mergers….

Zero-pressure balloons, used in this campaign, are in equilibrium with their surroundings as they fly. They maintain a zero-pressure differential with ducts that allow gas to escape to prevent an increase in pressure from inside the balloons as they rise above Earth’s surface. This zero-pressure design, polar orbit, and constant sunlight makes the balloons very robust and well-suited for extended duration flights, such as those in this campaign. NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia manages the agency’s scientific balloon flight program. Peraton, which operates NASA’s Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility in Palestine, Texas, provides mission planning, engineering services, and field operations for NASA’s Scientific Balloon Program. NASA’s balloons are fabricated by Aerostar.

The NASA Scientific Balloon Program is funded by the Science Mission Directorate’s Astrophysics Division at NASA Headquarters in Washington….

Excellent — we were in need of a smile, on this otherwise rather dreary and decidedly early… but wintery Friday.

[Indeed — the nightly cold, out on McMurdo Ice Station, Antarctica — that these teams endure… has me quite thrilled to be at only ~minus 7 with wind chills, here tonight in the City of Big Shoulders. They endure an absolute temp of ~minus 50 (and so, windchills of ~minus 70!), on the regular, at night — whew!]

नमस्ते

So — Mirengoff Is Pretty Courageous Here. He’s Come To Agree With Mainstream Thought, On The Law Of War. Excellent.

~ condor ~ 2 Comments

I will simply note that he is to be commended, here. But now he and others… need to act.

He no longer takes the view that Tangerine 2.0 is an omni-potent dictator [above the law of mere mortals], one who may impose his violent will on the world stage, without consequence. That is nice progress.

But now, he and ALL other sensible GOP operatives… need to stand as one, and insist that their Congress vote to sanction these clearly unlawful killings. And run Hegseth out of government (and if need be, Trump, too — under the 25th Amendment, if nothing else!)… That is the logical inference, of all that Paul correctly lays out.

Here is a quote from his post of the morning:

…My concern, though, is less with the killing of the two survivors — as indefensible as that might prove to be — than with the ongoing military strikes themselves. I believe they are unlawful.

The administration says the strikes are in furtherance of our efforts to combat “narco-terrorism.” But in my view, narco-terrorism is an oxymoron.

Terrorism occurs when random, unsuspecting people are killed or maimed in order to terrorize the general population. It is carried out for purposes of furthering a political/ideological program or, in some cases, just for the hell of it.

Narcotics trafficking fits none of this description. The victims are not random or unsuspecting. They are people who want to buy drugs. Nor is the purpose of selling the drugs political or ideological. It is commercial. The traffickers want to make money.

The administration seems to consider drug dealing by foreigners not just an act of terrorism by, at least in the case of Venezuelans, an act of war. It is not. It is a crime. See 21 U.S. Code § 952.

Furthermore, the crime of importing narcotics is not punishable by death. President Trump has at times advocated the death penalty for drug dealing, but U.S. law does not permit it.

Accordingly, Sen. Rand Paul calls the lethal strikes on drug-dealing Venezuelans “extrajudicial killings.” I agree.

The Trump administration claims that the Venezuelan government is behind the importation of narcotics by those running boats off that country’s coast. Apparently, Trump considers this an act of war against the U.S….

Ironically, Trump has just pardoned former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernández who was convicted in a U.S. court on charges that he ran the Central American nation as a “narco-state” that helped bring South American cocaine to the United States. Hernández was charged during the first Trump administration. At trial, prosecutors presented evidence that Hernández, as president of Honduras, helped to move at least 400 tons of cocaine to the United States while protecting traffickers from extradition and prosecution.

The pardon makes me wonder about the seriousness of Trump’s claim that state support of drug trafficking constitutes terrorism or war against the U.S. It also makes me wonder how much Trump really cares about such criminal activity. With Trump, things are often just personal. He dislikes Maduro. Apparently, he likes Hernández….

That last bit — in a nutshell — by Paul… makes the case for a 25th Amendment proceeding.

Buckle-up — and with Rand Paul — get it going.

Show us you mean… what you type.

Onward.

New Situation Report: Mpox, In The Americas… Yikes!

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To be certain, the risk to any single person in the US is vanishingly tiny, but if you are a man who has sex with other men, you should probably get vaccinated — and pay attention to alerts from your city and county public health authorities.

Global travel is a norm, now — and anyone can be from… anywhere. Still it is surprising to me, that globally, the highest number of Clade 2 cases have arisen inside the region of the Americas. I might have guessed that would be… Africa. Not so.

Here is the latest, on it all:

…Between 2022 and 31 October 2025, a total of 168,736 confirmed cases of mpox have been reported globally, from 142 countries and territories. The Region of the Americas (42.4%) contributes the largest proportion of cases, followed by the African (36.2%) and European (18.5%) Regions.

In the Region of the Americas, a cumulative total of 71,483 confirmed cases of mpox, including 154 deaths, were reported in 31 countries and territories between 2022 and 2025.

In 2025, a total of 16 countries (Argentina, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, and the United States) have reported 3,815 mpox cases, including three deaths, all in Mexico….

In the last three months, five new clade Ib cases have been confirmed in the Americas (United States: n=4; Canada: n=1), bringing the regional cumulative total of clade Ib cases to 12. To date, the United States (n=9 cases), Canada (n=2 cases), and Brazil (n=1case) remain the only countries in the Region to have reported cases of mpox clade Ib….

Now you know. Be safe out there. Onward, resolutely. And yes, Trump’s cancelling of USAID was a malign and stupid act. Out.

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