One October day in 1844, thousands of followers of William Miller awaited the return of Jesus in glory and their own glorious ascension to heaven. The non-event that followed became known as The Great Disappointment. It didn’t help that the whole non-believing world was laughing their asses off while the devastated Millerites grieved and tried to recoup. You’d think something called The Great Disappointment would have been the end of the Millerite cult. But only if you underestimate the self-justifying irrationality of human beings. Sure, some walked away. But many who walked simply became True Believers in a different sect…
19 CommentsCategory: Stupid security
There’s one thing you can say for totalitarianism: the coolest people will all be Outlaws. They’ll import and export goods without government controls. They’ll provide free-market services. They’ll operate free communication networks. They’ll make unregulated products and sell them in unregulated ways. They’ll barter, use cash, use gold or silver, develop and use new forms of cryptocurrencies. It’ll be just like Libertopia. Except, you know, with the ever-present threat of death or long, harsh imprisonment. But that’s what Outlaws are about. Since totalitarianism is the direction we’re going, hey we might as well enjoy a few silver linings. —– I…
28 CommentsAll right, children. It’s pop-quiz time! But don’t worry; I’m sure you’re all well prepared. Here goes. 1. The FDA gave full approval to the Pfizer COVID shot today (brand name Comorbidity Comirnaty). Does that mean the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson shots must immediately halt, since emergency use authorizations are only valid if no approved treatment exists? A. Yes. B. No. C. Who the &^%$# knows what the law says? Does anybody even care any more? D. The government is always right; you should be reported for asking this question. E. Kill all the unvaxxed! — 2. The FDA…
87 CommentsNo, what I’m about to relay doesn’t really show the decline of civilization. Or rather, it’s too early to tell whether it does or not. Hopefully, what’s happened in my small sphere in the last few weeks is just “one of those things.” Two of those things, actually — signs of personal or societal distress that portend exactly nothing about the bigger picture. But you know how it is. When stuff is happening to you, it’s personal. Then everybody else chimes in, “Oh yes, that happened to …” [me or my next-door neighbor or whoever]. Or “Oh yes, [City X]…
30 CommentsThe problem of free speech Gab, the free-speech social network, has suffered yet another blow. Visa has yanked their merchant account, preventing people from using Visa cards to make payments to the company. Worse, the ban also extends personally to Gab founder Andrew Torba AND to any members of his household. Gosh, can anybody think of other times and places when family members were punished for the politically incorrect deeds of others? Oh yeah … the Soviet Union, Communist China, and Nazi Germany. Fun times, fun places. Of course, this is just Visa, a private corporation, and not the work…
19 CommentsBeen a while since we had a simple links post … Tomorrow is “Take Yourself to Work Day” in Michigan. 🙂 Eric Peters says reopen and reject. The great Paul Rosenberg: Nothing changes as long as we obey. Still waiting for that $125 Equifax was going to send you for sloppily letting your personal information be grabbed by identity thieves? You aren’t getting it, but banks are getting their share. Wearing a mask, are you? Not to worry; this company thinks it can help Big (and Little) Brother recognize and track you via your eyes and eyebrows alone. And this…
9 CommentsPardon the sappy subject line, but after last week’s angry rant it seems right to post some rays (even if they are just very little pinpoints) of good cheer. Life goes on despite every petty act of totalitarianism from every petty politician or bureaucrat — and both real rebellion and creative monkeywrenching appear and grow. —– On the personal front, shortly after I ranted last week, a longtime Commentariat member and friend-I’ve-never-met wrote to remind me, in the nicest way, to follow my own advice. That is: Not to let the bastards grind me (you, us) down. Stupid, evil bastards…
16 CommentsIt was the best of times. It was the worst of times. Publicly, the worst. Privately, sometimes the best. It was the time of Covid-19 and of goodness and nastiness. —– In a small dry-country town, a health club owner whose business was ordered closed for being “non-essential” during the pandemic panic checked with the sheriff: Could she conduct exercise classes outdoors, with small groups, everyone staying six feet apart? Yes. Midway through her first class, deputies of that very same sheriff arrive. A busybody has spotted the “deadly” and “illegal” activity and they’ve been dispatched to shut her down.…
17 CommentsGreg Ellifritz over at Active Response Training has some advice for dealing with attacks by multiple perps: Avoid them. In case you can’t, he offers ways to emerge triumphant — or at least not beaten to a pulp. In a sure blow for equal rights, it turns out the Capital One hacker is a woman. She also demonstrated she could be equal in folly to many male hackers, boasting about her exploits online. CapitalOne seems to be handling their massive breach more responsibly than many others. (Equifax, I’m talkin’ to you.) In his inimitable style, James Delingpole cheers the rise…
8 CommentsSome new ones and a few more I collected over the last 10 days from my sickbed. I don’t recall the sources of some, so please forgive me for any failures of hat tipping. Add the Border Patrol to the list of federal agencies whose unconstitutional powers of snoopitude far exceed what you might imagine. The great Walter Williams asks who has benefited from black v*ters’ extreme loyalty to the D party? Is sunscreen the new margarine? Yet another “health” aid that may actually be bad for us. 32 prep things you can do while bored. Now that’s one cynical…
9 Comments