Category: Uncategorized

Hinderaker Forgets That Tangerine’s Been “1984”… Since 2017, Non-Stop…

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Whopperline-Hinderaker-2019-Brain-Small So, to be certain, Xi’s China is a civil liberties horror show.

Has been, for at least the last three decades — and then, for fifty years before about 1960. So it is dishonest for Hinderaker to suggest spying on one’s neighbors occurs here, in 2024 — excepting in ruby red Texas (with its bounty hunters for women leaving the state while pregnant, of course).

And so, Hinderaker well knows we here in the US are “freer” under Mr. Biden than we were under Tangerine. Especially individual civil liberties (think family planning / contraception, which Tangerine recently said he’d like to end as a federal health coverage item).

That is, excepting large coal companies owners being freed to pollute wildly, and oil companies — drilling, in federal protected habitats.

Yes, John — billionaires were freer to pollute — under Trumpie. But that’s it.

What a yutz. Damn.

Onward.

A Garnet Child’s Ring — Not Seen Since The Fourth Century BCE… Unearthed, Under A Car Park In Jerusalem…

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These finds always spark my imagination.

Did a Hebrew boy or girl wear it, or a Persian? [Possibly even a Roman or Greek boy or girl(?)] Was s/he of a merchant-class family, or higher born? How did it stay untouched for over 2,300 years — as layer upon layer, of later buildings were deposited atop it? Here’s the whole story (as thus far known):

…Archaeologists recently discovered a rare 2,300-year-old gold ring while excavating in the parking lot of the City of David in Jerusalem, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) said Monday.

The “exceedingly well-preserved” ring is set with a red garnet and given its small diameter, was likely made for a child, the IAA said in a statement. The ring, which “since its last use 2,300 years ago accumulated neither rust nor suffered other weatherings of time,” dates from the early Hellenistic era in Jerusalem, around the 3rd or 4th century BCE.

The ring was manufactured by “hammering thin pre-cut gold leaves onto a metal ring base,” the statement said. During this period, gold jewelry with set stones, instead of decorated gold, became fashionable. Gold and other luxury items became more popular in the Hellenistic world after Alexander the Great’s conquests in the late 4th century BCE, which eased transport and trade….

And even as I marvel at it, I am deeply saddened by the IDF’s apparently indiscriminate firing on women and children again today, in Gaza. Humans are such a mass of contradictions — capable in a single moment of both… graceful beauty, and unspeakable barbarism. Resolve to do better, for and to everyone you meet this week. Onward.

नमस्ते

Drug Fraud Tangent: Welp. If You’re Willing To Fly To Tazmania, You May Go To A “Shaolin” Listening Party, At A Museum…

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I am going to do my best NOT to mention that Mr. Shkreli claims he burned a copy of the “Shaolin” to a laptop hard drive, before he lost custody of it, in various legal proceedings, in 2017.

Oops. Oh well. Where was I? Right.

In a highly-gratifying turn of events, the Wu- has consented to “charitable” listening parties — this first one at a museum exhibit exploring the effect of celebrity status and digitization on… art. And Pleasr, the art collective, has agreed to do more of this.

Below is the full story (out of Tazmania) — but two object lessons emerge: (i) Martin Shkreli will not be able to further monetize his bootleg copy, and (ii) you likely won’t have to wait very long for a similar listening party, at some art museum in the US or the EU.

Here’s the UK Guardian on it:

…“Every once in a while, an object on this planet possesses mystical properties that transcend its material circumstances,” Jarrod Rawlins, Mona’s director of curatorial affairs, said. “Once Upon a Time in Shaolin is more than just an album, so when I was thinking about status, and what a transcendent namedrop could be, I knew I had to get it into this exhibition.”

Pleasr said it was “honoured to partner with Mona to support RZA’s vision for Once Upon a Time in Shaolin”.

“Ten years ago, the Wu-Tang Clan had a bold vision to make a single copy album as a work of fine art. To ‘put it in an art gallery… make music become a living piece like a Mona Lisa or a sceptre from Egypt’,” Pleasr said in a statement. “With this single work of art, the Wu-Tang Clan’s intention was to redefine the meaning of music ownership and value in a world of digital streaming and commodification of music.”

Also in the exhibition are objects such as David Bowie’s original handwritten lyrics for Starman, complete with spelling corrections, which was purchased at auction by Mona’s owner, David Walsh, in 2022….

Now you know. Onward, grinning — ever, grinning.

नमस्ते

Later This Week, ESA May Launch EARTHCare To More Closely Study Aerosols’ Role — In Heating And Cooling The Atmosphere…

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It may yet slip to the first week of June, depending on lots of factors, but it could come as early as May 28, 2024.

This is the most sophisticated craft esa will place in permanent Earth orbit. [The Europa Clipper we mentioned yesterday, heading deep into space in October, is a more complicated mission, but this will be the apex in permanent Earth orbit, for the near term, technologically speaking — for esa.] Here’s the latest:

…ESA’s Earth Cloud Aerosol and Radiation Explorer (EarthCARE) mission is getting ready for lift-off on a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Vandenberg, California, with a target launch date of no earlier than 28 May 2024. Save the date and watch the launch live on ESA WebTV or ESA YouTube.

EarthCARE, the most complex of all of ESA’s Earth Explorer missions, will quantify and reduce the uncertainty about the role that clouds and aerosols play in heating and cooling Earth’s atmosphere — contributing to our better understanding of climate change. . . .

EarthCARE will, for the first time, measure vertical profiles of cloud particles and aerosols, and their fall speed – providing new insights into interactions between clouds, aerosols and precipitation. It will also register the distribution of water droplets and ice crystals and how they are transported in clouds.

This essential data will improve the accuracy of both cloud development models and their behaviour, composition and interaction with aerosols, as well as improve future climate models and support numerical weather prediction….

Now you know — with the drenching rains ending here now, and clear azure skies to the West, at sunset… smile.

नमस्ते

Wells Fargo Predicts Merck Will Lead Larger Pharma- M&A Deal Space — In Back Half Of 2024…

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This might even be called… “the attack of the obvious”, but the bank does list out about 20 likely M&A targets for Merck — and its compatriots in Big Pharma this morning.

I note it mostly to say I concur that in terms of flexibility, Rahway is at the top of the heap, in near term deal doing.

It also has shown discipline on price, in the prior two years — coupled to a bold appetite… so, what’s not to like?

Ever onward, grinning.

नमस्ते

For Whatever Tiny Insight Might Be Offered… Compare / Contrast…

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Hinderaker took some measure tonight, on the boost from Instapundit.

So… I did, too. Same one; same night.

The questions are mostly meaningless; so in my estimation, the output is useful only… directionally.

He is much farther right, and much more an authoritarian than the measure scored him.

And in fairness, I am probably a little less left, and a little less libertarian than it scored me.

But… whatever. After 20 years, I think his (and my) views are more fully reflected in these 7,000 or so posts and critiques.

Onward — enjoy.

Coming Up, In October 2024: ESA’s Launch To Europa — In Search For… Salty Liquid Subsurface Oceans, Ones That May Harbor Rudimentary Biology…

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On a quiet Saturday holiday evening… we look ahead — to the prospect of finding life, off-world, but right here (relatively speaking) in our own neighborhood: on Europa.

CalTech/JPL has contributed mightily to this effort, on a space science basis, but the lead is in fact the European Space Agency. We are keenly excited to see, what comes of this daring effort. Here’s the latest:

…Europa Clipper’s main science goal is to determine whether there are places below the surface of Jupiter’s icy moon, Europa, that could support life.

The mission’s three main science objectives are to understand the nature of the ice shell and the ocean beneath it, along with the moon’s composition and geology. The mission’s detailed exploration of Europa will help scientists better understand the astrobiological potential for habitable worlds beyond our planet.

NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft will perform dozens of close flybys of Jupiter’s moon Europa, gathering detailed measurements to investigate the moon. The spacecraft, in orbit around Jupiter, will make nearly 50 flybys of Europa at closest-approach altitudes as low as 16 miles (25 kilometers) above the surface, soaring over a different location during each flyby to scan nearly the entire moon….

Onward — laughing about the waves we’ve already created… in Palatine’s village government chambers.

नमस्ते

[U, X2] Far Right Judicial Watch — And Tommie Fitton — Just Asserted That “Remedying Race Discrimination” Is NO “Compelling State Interest”. WTH?!

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I am very-unlikely to link any of the nut-job Fitton’s filings, in the federal trial courts, here in Chicago. But be certain of this: I will link and quote at length the City of Evanston’s answer, when filed. [That’s probably about 45 days off now.]

According to The Daily Northwestern, here — loony Tom Fitton has recruited six non-African American Evanston residents to sign on to a specious strike suit, claiming that a city council vote to pay reparations (and the subsequent payments of $25,000 per family) violates the Fourteenth Amendment Equal Protection Clause, as to these six whyte people.

But as ever, young Tommie Fitton (having lost many a prior federal suit along these lines) hasn’t really thought his argument through, for if (as he claims) remedying past discrimination is not a compelling state interest, then his whyte plaintiffs cannot really complain when… discrimination happens to them. That’s an “oh, well… too bad” moment, at most — for them — worthy of some cluck-cluck — but little more.

His complaint specifically asserts the below, and I quote — in blue:

…Remedying societal discrimination is not a compelling governmental interest….

Of course, he is simply wrong on about 150 years of case law in the US, on this. But if he is right — his own complaint should be bounced immediately. These jamokes are… such idiots. [To be clear, there is a compelling state interest, in remedying discrimination. And cities are granted fairly wide latitude, by polling their electorate, as to how they might go about such remedies.] In sum, Fitton will lose, and lose — again.

And how small minded are these six sad, dead-ender mediocre whyte (former) Evanstonians? Sheesh.

Onward, grinning just the same. [They are known to me — but I will not disclose their identities, at least not yet. But eventually, they will be… outed — in federal court, as the Svenson filing has named them, by name. Charming. Utterly… charming.]

UPDATED, 2X: I will mention the public record (paid) lawyer, however, that is acting as the local counsel — for Fitton’s Judicial Watch fringe group. She is apparently a Palatine Village Trustee. She litigates against other cities, on the basis of specious claims — of reverse discrimination? Is this someone the people of Palatine want, as an elected Village Trustee? Let’s… find out, thus:

नमस्ते

Holiday Send-Off: Out Of New Zealand — Launching Tomorrow, Now! Be Excellent To One Another!

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It was scrubbed earlier this week, due to weather down there — but is now on for Saturday morning, US time. Go get ’em, lil’ guys!

[Reprinting!] These two cute lil’ satellites will soon be studying the most remote regions on Earth: the Arctic and Antarctic. [Updated: new launch date: May 25, 2024.] This partnership between US university science departments, and the New Zealand launch partner, along with, of course… NASA’s JPL, will measure the amount of heat the planet emits into space from these polar regions — information that’s key to understanding the balance of energy coming into and out of Earth and how that affects the planet’s climate.

Without any more ado — do go read the whole mission synopsis — here, from the Wisco Badger site, and/or the NASA Jet Propulsion Labs presser — and a bit:

…Just beyond the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum sits the infrared, a spectrum of longer-wavelength light that can be sensed as heat. Essentially all of Earth’s heat emissions happen at infrared wavelengths between 4 and 100 micrometers. At the planet’s cold polar regions, 60% of the heat emissions occur at far-infrared wavelengths (longer than 15 micrometers). Researchers have relatively little data on which parts of the Arctic and Antarctic are shedding this heat. PREFIRE will help address this lack of knowledge, giving scientists a better idea of how efficiently far-infrared heat is emitted by things like snow and sea ice, and how clouds influence the amount of far-infrared radiation that escapes to space….

The CubeSats will gather data over the poles using sensors that are sensitive to 10 times more infrared wavelengths than any similar instrument. Information gathered by the mission will advance our understanding of when and where the poles shed heat into space, as well as why the Arctic has warmed more than 2½ times faster than the rest of the planet since the 1970s….

NASA developed PREFIRE with the University of Wisconsin-Madison, including team members from the universities of Michigan and Colorado. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages PREFIRE for the agency’s Science Mission Directorate and provided the spectrometers.

Blue Canyon Technologies built the CubeSats and the University of Wisconsin-Madison will process the data the instruments collect. The launch services provider, Rocket Lab USA Inc. of Long Beach, California, will launch both PREFIRE CubeSats from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand….

Onward on a perfect Spring Sunday… at mid 70s… and fluffy clouds overhead. Smile….
These two cute lil’ satellites will soon be studying the most remote regions on Earth: the Arctic and Antarctic. [Updated: new launch date: May 25, 2024.] This partnership between US university science departments, and the New Zealand launch partner, along with, of course… NASA’s JPL, will measure the amount of heat the planet emits into space from these polar regions — information that’s key to understanding the balance of energy coming into and out of Earth and how that affects the planet’s climate.

Without any more ado — do go read the whole mission synopsis — here, from the Wisco Badger site, and/or the NASA Jet Propulsion Labs presser — and a bit:

…Just beyond the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum sits the infrared, a spectrum of longer-wavelength light that can be sensed as heat. Essentially all of Earth’s heat emissions happen at infrared wavelengths between 4 and 100 micrometers. At the planet’s cold polar regions, 60% of the heat emissions occur at far-infrared wavelengths (longer than 15 micrometers). Researchers have relatively little data on which parts of the Arctic and Antarctic are shedding this heat. PREFIRE will help address this lack of knowledge, giving scientists a better idea of how efficiently far-infrared heat is emitted by things like snow and sea ice, and how clouds influence the amount of far-infrared radiation that escapes to space….

The CubeSats will gather data over the poles using sensors that are sensitive to 10 times more infrared wavelengths than any similar instrument. Information gathered by the mission will advance our understanding of when and where the poles shed heat into space, as well as why the Arctic has warmed more than 2½ times faster than the rest of the planet since the 1970s….

NASA developed PREFIRE with the University of Wisconsin-Madison, including team members from the universities of Michigan and Colorado. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages PREFIRE for the agency’s Science Mission Directorate and provided the spectrometers.

Blue Canyon Technologies built the CubeSats and the University of Wisconsin-Madison will process the data the instruments collect. The launch services provider, Rocket Lab USA Inc. of Long Beach, California, will launch both PREFIRE CubeSats from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand….

Onward on a perfect Spring Sunday… at mid 70s… and fluffy clouds overhead. Smile….


नमस्ते

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