Capitalism involves struggle, but it has an invisible heart beating at its core that transforms people’s lives.
Month: June 2018
I Am A Bad Uncle
Because my brother took a position on the other side of the state, I’ve been tasked with taking my nephew to his Boy Scouts meeting. On the way to and from, the nephew and I have been listening to the first couple of books from Peter Grant’s Maxwell saga. We finished the second book last week, and this week was probably the last week he’ll go to scouts before the family moves.
So, I throw on Lawdog’s African adventures book. Much hilarity was enjoyed. I have also exposed a bright young man to possible mischievous antics.
I am a bad uncle.
Tampa Police Get New Gats
According to this article, the Tampa Police Department has drunk the SIG-aide. TPD is switching from S&W M&Ps to the new hotness SIG P320s. The modularity of the 320 was one of the reasons cited for the switch.
This is of interest to me because I’m wondering what TPD will be doing with their current pistols. Normally, I’d expect the pistols to be surplused to the public, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the current mayor tried to virtue signal by having them destroyed.
And I could use another couple M&Ps on the cheap.
Metal Tuesday- Iron Maiden – Aces High
Damn, I haven’t done this song? The song that introduced me to Iron Maiden? Wow. Well, here it is.
Firefly +15 Years
Neat little video for the Browncoats in your life:
Friday Quote- Capt. Lloyd W. Williams
Retreat? Hell, we just got here!
One hundred years ago this week, American forces fought the German Army in Belleau Woods. It was where the Marines earned their nickname of Devil Dogs.
Social Security Going Broke Faster
People, particularly Boomers, hate when I inform them that Social Security is not a pension – it’s welfare that’s paid with its own special tax. I get all sorts of vitriol like “we paid into the system” or “Congress stole our money” or that it’s somehow solvent because all of the IOUs in the Social Security fund are backed by the US government. Yeah, no. A government program that takes money from taxpayers and gives it to other taxpayers is welfare. The moment it leaves your paycheck it’s no longer your money. There is no lock box. It’s just a government slush fund.
That slush fund is projected to be insolvent in 2034, or just sixteen years from now. Which considering Social Security is one of the four biggest expenditures of the fed, is kind of scary. Worse, Medicare, another of the big four, will go broke in 2026, just eight years from now. What this means is that instead of money coming out of those funds to supplement the federal budget, the programs will need additional money to maintain services. Since Congress is loathe to either cut spending or significantly raise taxes, they will go to the tried and true method of borrowing more money.
That will work – for a while. Maybe even a long while. At some point, the federal government will be forced to make some very unpalatable choices. Because there will come a point when tax revenues and the credit of the American government will be outstripped by entitlements, interest, and the defense budget.
Personally, I’d like to see a phase out of Social Security and Medicare to private accounts. While I’m not a fan of government welfare, I could at least semi-support targeted welfare for those in need instead of the blanket welfare approach of the current programs.
For my Gen X and Millennial readers, the big takeaway is do not include Social Security in your retirement planning. Of you’re like me and don’t pay into Social Security because you pay into a pension plan, don’t count on that for retirement. Only count on what you can expect to receive from investments. There’s a damn good chance that there won’t be anything for us.
Junk Science – Forensics Edition
I call anti-vax arguments as junk science with a body count. Homeopathy does as well, too a lesser degree. Another field of bad science that ruins lives is the current forensics science.
A few techniques, such as DNA analysis were developed by traditional scientific processes and stand up to rigorous testing. There are many more – such as hair analysis, bite analysis, and fiber analysis – that were developed by crime labs for crime labs. They have not had the rigorous double-blind studies that would affirm their effectiveness. In all too-predictable manner, people are being wrongly accused and convicted.
From a recent Reason article on the issue:
“If you think that maybe even 1 percent of convicted defendants may be innocent,” replied Fabricant, “we have 2.6 million people in prison today, (so) we are talking about tens of thousands of (innocent) people!”
Fabricant works with the Innocence Project, a group that works to get innocent people freed from prison. Through DNA evidence, the project’s lawyers have helped free 191 people.
IMHO, many of the forensics people really think that they are doing good work to the rigors of science. Of course, so do many naturopaths and chiropractors. Further, I believe that many cops and prosecutors are relying on these
Metal Tuesday – Within Temptation – Dangerous
This is one that will get in my head and stay there for weeks. Yes, weeks. So, of course, I feel the need to share.
More WTF From the Parkland Shooting
It came out last week that the Broward Sheriff Office commander on site during the Parkland shooting refused to allow special rescue teams from going in to render aid. Six times. These were special teams made up of paramedics and police for the express purpose of getting to the wounded in a possible hostile situation.
Six times BSO refused to let special units into a shooting. You know where the big danger is people bleeding out – and you have precious little time to save them.
Takeaways:
- The BSO could not have fucked this situation up more outside of grooming the shooter and handing him the gun. At every opportunity before the shooting, they failed to take action that would have put the shooter in the system, and at least made him a prohibited person. During the shooting, they dusted off their 1995 school shooting manual and had no fucking clue how to appropriately respond.
- You are on your own. When seconds count, the good guys may be minutes away. Even if the good guys are coming, they can be roadblocked by feckless incompetents. Carry your damn guns when you can. Carry your damn tourniquets. Carry your damn flashlights. Train on your shooting. Train on your first aid. I’m just as bad as most people in keeping my training up to date, but I am working on that.
I’m hoping this will be the last horrific revelation, but I doubt it.