What’s up with that?

I have a lot of beefs with the goings on in the world. 

But one in particular just baffles me. There are some very vocal people who oppose vaccines for spurious reasons. 

And as an aside: if there is a decision made to relax the rules around vaccines, then we will see a resurgence of communicable diseases that modern medicine has effectively eliminated. Measles? Polio? They'll make a comeback. 

Anyway, there's also something strange happening with these same people, who accept that drug companies advertise to them directly for drugs that cure things that somehow people decide they have - in spite of them having side effects like… death. 

And not only that.  People use these drugs in unintended ways. Ozempic, for example, was approved for one thing … but it has a side effect of sorts - that it causes weight loss. 

So people take it as a weight loss drug. Even though (a) that is not its indication and (b) when one stops taking the drug, the weight comes back. 

And these people don't even give THAT a second thought. They take it in spite of everything. 

Because it was marketed directly to them with an happy song, and they see a result. 

Maybe what vaccines need is a better PR campaign?

US Air Force Airmen of Note

There's a backstory about this group of performers. 

During World War II, big band orchestra leader Glenn Miller enlisted in the army air corps in order to go on tour and provide entertainment to the troops. He went to many locations, and sadly, his plane went down in 1945 over the English Channel. 

The band continued to perform for a time without him, then Congress created the airmen of note in 1950 as a kind of tribute to Millers legacy and service. 

The band plays around the world and promotes the Air Force in general. They also play at various events for dignitaries. 

And they tour around and have free concerts for the public.  The big band sound is alive and well. We saw them tonight and I highly recommend seeing them if you ever get a chance. Just Google them to see where they'll be next. 

One note: Their commander made a comment that they played for the First Lady and the Second Gentleman… which legit made me sad. Things will be different soon. 

It’s a coup of sorts

In 2020, you had the insurrection led by the orange menace. By definition it was a coup d'etat, a violent uprising against government. 

Some people thought it was all a part of the game (I would refer to those as the stupid people), some slept on it. But some of us saw it for what it was. 

I have studied coups in history and had a notion that this was just the beginning. And back in 2020, I caught a video from a guy who lived in a central Asian country who provided a perspective. 

He had lived through coups in his country and saw this as no different. He explained why he thought that in some detail (which I won't get into here, but it ticked the boxes). 

And he finished with a few thoughts: that the person behind the coup must be held accountable, and dealt with. That the person (or more broadly the people) responsible for the coup will never stop coming. And that he wanted to tell us what he's told his family during coups … "good luck"

The orange man was not deal with. The wheels of justice were/are excruciatingly slow, he managed to run out the clock, and he got some help from people in other high places. 

He never did stop coming. And now has all the power and intends to act like a dictator. 

So I guess, sadly, the coup did happen. And now it's down to "good luck"

The adults in the room failed at their jobs and we all will pay a price. 

A little good news

The onion bought infowars. Which is pretty amazing news. The site filled with hate and abject stupidity now becomes part of the unserious satirical news. 

And as you'll note in the CEOs comment, they're unsure how they'll use the site. But one of the intended outcomes was to make some peace with the parents of the Sandy Hook victims, as infowars was outrageous toward them. 

https://theonion.com/heres-why-i-decided-to-buy-infowars/

The other thing to note is that the big media companies (like The NY Times and he AP) used a picture of the man that the onion CEO specifically said he wouldn't name, because he's irrelevant. 

Which is the problem with the big media. They give air to things and use salacious headlines in order to get clicks. Rather than focusing on the content and being, I don't know, accurate. 

Which is why I have stopped paying attention to most media outlets. They suck. Maybe the onion, and what it becomes will be better at reporting…

An email I sent to Senator Rubio

He's been nominated for some cabinet post, to go along with the collection of idiots who the orange menace has appointed. 

And yes, I actually sent this:

I wanted to (as sarcastically as possible) thank you for putting yourself over country in acquitting the 45th president during both impeachments, but especially the second one where you KNEW he was guilty of inciting an insurrection. And the fact that it results in a cabinet post position for you underscores how little you care about the nation, and really only think about yourself. 

But at least Florida gets the advantage of you finally leaving the senate, so maybe we can be represented by someone who cares.

Truth

Juno spacecraft returns images of Jupiter

Tell me the new images of Jupiter aren't cool!

The resolution and depth of imaging really does give us a better sense of what's happening on our solar systems largest planet!

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamiecartereurope/2024/11/05/in-photos-see-nasa-junos-jaw-dropping-new-images-of-jupiter/