Maggie's Farm

We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.

Our Recent Essays Behind the Front Page

Much Sorry with Delays
Birth, Death and All That Stuff in Between
How to Honor Labor Day, Every Day
My Yom Kippur Miracle (Repost from 2010)
Good intro to fly casting
Peach update, with pie
NYC update
Easy for you to say: To the elites on mass immigration
For NYC on 9/11, Sailors' Snug Harbor
Pickled Peaches
Water Shoes
Labor Costs in U.S.
Your "identity"
Good news about The Great Courses
Uses of Hot Pepper Jelly/Sauce, Chutneys, and Jams
A Saturday Drive to Litchfield County, CT
How to Pick a Kayak
Civilized: Fruit forks and knives
Loads of kayaking on Cape Cod
Psychology Experiments' Questionable Results

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Thursday, October 14. 2021

Thursday morning links

 Tree-dwelling mammals endured after asteroid strike destroyed forests


Retail:  The Nasty Logistics of Returning Your Too-Small Pants. What happens to the stuff you order online after you send it back?


Melinda Gates' fancy wedding 


College enrollment and the pandemic 


WHY PEOPLE HATE THE MEDIA, CHAPTER 12,186


 Thousands register for geophysicist’s lecture after MIT caved to ‘Twitter mob’


Dr.  Michael Burry Drops Redpills In Epic Twitter Rant


Cool 


Wife Involved in Submarine Spy Case is Anti-Trump, Progressive, and ‘Very Liberal’. If the couple was MAGA you know the media would have this story plastered on the front pages and make it the lede.


 Achieving equity through mediocrity: Why elimination of gifted programs should worry us all


 Biden wants to snoop in nearly every American's bank account


What Is Critical Race Theory, Really? And why that’s often the wrong question

Posted by Bird Dog in Hot News & Misc. Short Subjects at 06:51 | Comments (33) | Trackbacks (0)

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I'm rather skeptical of the story about the FBI busting the couple selling top secret information to a foreign country since reading that this was an FBI sting operation. There apparently never was a foreign country involved and I'm not sure there was ever any top secret information involved either, The FBI has a long history of announcing that they've foiled a terrorist bombing plot and when you find out the details, it turns out there was an FBI agent provocateur involved who actually master-minded the plot since the half-wit they arrested actually had no knowledge of how to build a bomb, how to acquire the materials for making a bomb, no money for buying the materials, and insufficient intelligence to figure out how to plan the thing. The FBI seems to be incompetent to foil a plot that they themselves didn't develop, so I'll reserve judgement on just who developed this particular plot.
#1 Jerryskids on 2021-10-14 08:29 (Reply)
The FBI runs stings all the time, though - it's one of the best ways to collect untainted evidence of criminal offenses. The husband is a nuclear engineer with Top Secret clearances, so obviously he has access to sensitive materials. And I've read that the couple were the ones that approached a foreign 'non-English-speaking' country first, offering to sell materials, before the FBI quietly stepped in and set up operations.

If you're seeing it in the light of the FBI's deplorable handling of the !Trump! !Russia! hoax, or seeing it in the light of the relentless G-Man manhunt for all those dangerous tourists on Jan 6th, or in the light of the Retchin'-Gretchen faux kidnapping (with optional wife swapping/beating), well... I see where you're coming from - but, how would that resolve with the woman's obvious liberal-left-leaning political beliefs? They've got a BLM sign up in their front yard.

The way I see it, the FBI has become permeated with bad apples in positions of leadership, and they unfortunately have the authority to start operations with questionable motives, even illegal ones. They seem to be mostly incompetent people, driven by their political allegiances instead of intelligence. They ought to be prosecuted, ruthlessly, and let the chips fall where they may. It doesn't mean the FBI is completely incapable though. It just means that political animals like Wray need to be weeded out. It says a lot when it becomes obvious that the agency was run a lot better when a closet transvestite was in control.
#2 Aggie on 2021-10-14 09:29 (Reply)
Actually, I'm seeing it in light of a general skepticism of reporting based on "official sources" where you're only getting one side of the story and that's the government's side because "journalists" are just repeating what they've been told and not even making a pretense at actually "journalisming".

This goes back many years ago when I realized that the morning news had a daily crime report that always started out "according to police" and I realized that the news reporters were simply reading the police department's daily press release and there was no independent journalism involved at all. Never once did I see a reporter going down to the city jail and asking the arrestee his side of the story, never once did I see a police report that admitted the cops simply arrested the nearest likely-looking suspect. I don't trust the government as far as I can throw them and I trust the media even less.
#2.1 Jerryskids on 2021-10-14 12:31 (Reply)
I like the meme that is going around telling how the federal government will pass trillions in spending, contained in thousands of pages of legislation, that none of the crooks read, yet they want to keep track of every penny I spend. I’m reminded of Bill Clinton saying he could sign off on tax reduction legislation, but that he didn’t think the tax payers would spend the money correctly.
#3 B. Hammer on 2021-10-14 09:33 (Reply)
QUOTE:
Dr. Michael Burry Drops Redpills In Epic Twitter Rant

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51Fi8zVbBSL.jpg

Michael Burry: Top 1%, 20.9% of income, 40.1% of taxes. Bottom 90% paid just 28.6% of taxes. Top 1% tax rate is 7X HIGHER than rate paid by the bottom 50%.

Misleading. Income taxes are not the only taxes people pay. While income taxes are progressive, payroll taxes are regressive. Notably, this is from the same source the Burry cites:
https://files.taxfoundation.org/20190326171828/Bell-3-26-Chart-21.png

Moreover, capital gains are taxed at a lower rate than income taxes, while most capital gains are not even taxed at all until realized. That means someone can make billions of dollars and not incur any taxes.

Michael Burry: Trump did not say people should inject themselves with bleach

Trump said, "And then I see the disinfectant, where it knocks it out in one minute. And is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning, because you see it gets in the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs, so it’d be interesting to check that, so that you’re going to have to use medical doctors with, but it sounds interesting to me."

While Trump expressed it as an 'idea,' during a public briefing in the midst of a global pandemic, it was irresponsible and idiotic.
https://twitter.com/Lysol/status/1258245547242242048

Michael Burry: Trump never said that racists, white supremacits or neo-Nazis were "fine people."

The protest was organized by avowed white nationalists who led a torch-lit rally chanting "Jews will not replace us."
https://www.adl.org/2017-impact-report/racists-converge-on-charlottesville

Michael Burry: There are only two genders.

Gender is defined in terms of behavioral, cultural, and physchological traits, which in humans is highly diverse and not strictly dichotomous.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender_identity
#4 Zachriel on 2021-10-14 09:45 (Reply)
You of all people calling a comment "irresponsible and idiotic" is totally inappropriate.

You have no knowledge of science or scientific advancement and project your ignorance on everyone that you don't like.

Meanwhile, you post demonstrably wrong statements all the time. Completely valid to call them "idiotic".
#4.1 DrTorch (Link) on 2021-10-14 11:17 (Reply)
DrTorch: You . . .

Let us know if you decide to make a substantive reply.
#4.1.1 Zachriel on 2021-10-14 12:01 (Reply)
"As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly."

Every single day you repeat the same folly in your posts. All you can do is project your failings on to me.

I noticed you disappeared for quite some time after you were caught lying about the failed CAGW theory. Hoping I wouldn't bring that back up?

Oh, and you lied about the J6 protestors' civil rights being violated. You got caught on that too.
#4.1.1.1 DrTorch (Link) on 2021-10-14 13:00 (Reply)
Funny that the KiddieZ keep repeating their proven lies and/or mischaracterizations yet when called out on them they use the old "Let us know if you decide to make a substantive reply." meme.

Kudos Dr. Torch.
#4.1.1.1.1 Zachinoff on 2021-10-14 13:21 (Reply)
Clown.

“I’m not talking about the neo-Nazis and white nationalists because they should be condemned totally.” - D.J. Trump
#4.2 B. Hammer on 2021-10-14 11:47 (Reply)
B. Hammer: “I’m not talking about the neo-Nazis and white nationalists because they should be condemned totally.” - D.J. Trump

There weren't "fine people" on both sides. The protest was organized by avowed white nationalists who led a torch-lit rally chanting "Jews will not replace us."
https://www.adl.org/2017-impact-report/racists-converge-on-charlottesville
#4.2.1 Zachriel on 2021-10-14 12:03 (Reply)
You forgot about Bellamy, the mayor, antifa, resigned police chief and state police... in other words, the WHOLE story. https:www.charlestonanthenaeumpress.com/charlottesville-untold-inside-unite-the-right-by-anne-wilson-smith-a-review-by-kinzer-jr/
#4.2.1.1 indyjonesouthere on 2021-10-14 13:22 (Reply)
The Kiddiez didn't "forget" they purposely ignored the proven facts.
#4.2.1.1.1 Zachinoff on 2021-10-14 13:32 (Reply)
Z bot needs new programing from the academic borg.
#4.2.1.1.1.1 indyjonesouthere on 2021-10-14 13:47 (Reply)
This is the corrected link:
https://www.charlestonathenaeumpress.com/charlottesville-untold-inside-unite-the-right-by-anne-wilson-smith-a-review-by-gene-kizer-jr/

Odd you would cite a domain which touts their most popular article, "Slavery Was Not the Cause of the War Between the States." In any case, none of the article you cited contradicts the fact that the rally was organized by avowed white nationalists who led a torch-lit rally chanting "Jews will not replace us." Indeed, it confirms the fact.
#4.2.1.1.2 Zachriel on 2021-10-14 15:35 (Reply)
You didn't mention the racist Belamy nor the black racist in antifa that attacked the lawful permitted assembly, nor the police chief (who resigned) and his police force that stood around like the morons they were led by, nor the state police that also stood around like the morons they were led by. Your silence is deafening. You equate words as being the equal of violence...we have an amendment that says speech is protected. Now go back and read the entire article and see if you learn anything about speech protections and peaceful assembly.
#4.2.1.1.2.1 indyjonesouthere on 2021-10-14 15:49 (Reply)
indyjonesouthere: You didn't mention the racist Belamy nor the black racist in antifa that attacked the lawful permitted assembly

Yes, even white nationalists have the right to peaceably assemble. That doesn't make them "fine people," which was the point.
#4.2.1.1.2.1.1 Zachriel on 2021-10-14 15:55 (Reply)
You still didn't read the piece did you...There were very fine people there that gathered peacefully and they were attacked by a thug democrat mayor who failed to keep the peace. Just like the Portland, Seattle and Minneapolis mayors. Each are democrats and each are thug mayors who are unable to control their turf.
#4.2.1.1.2.1.1.1 indyjonesouthere on 2021-10-14 16:19 (Reply)
indyjonesouthere: There were very fine people there

You hold that avowed white nationalists who led a torch-lit rally chanting "Jews will not replace us," are fine people. We strenuously disagree.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GzXY902hbo
#4.2.1.1.2.1.1.1.1 Zachriel on 2021-10-14 16:28 (Reply)
And you would call all white people( and black populists for that matter) that would counter protest antifa and blm, white nationalists as well. That is the socialist/marxist narrative that pushes build back better, crt, and a myriad of other dysfunctional narratives. You need only to listen to the Times, Wapo, and the alphabet tv "news" people along with academia to hear racist as about the most used adjective in their vocabulary.
#4.2.1.1.2.1.1.1.1.1 indyjonesouthere on 2021-10-14 18:10 (Reply)
indyjonesouthere: And you would call all white people( and black populists for that matter) that would counter protest antifa and blm, white nationalists as well.

No. Someone can object to antifa and BLM on grounds other than white nationalism.
#4.2.1.1.2.1.1.1.1.1.1 Zachriel on 2021-10-14 20:17 (Reply)
“Who asked you to chat up the Tar-Baby? And who stuck you up the way you are? Nobody in the round world. You just jammed yourself on that Tar-Baby without waiting for any invitation,” said Brer Fox,. “And there you are, and there you’ll stay until I fix up a heap of brushwood and make a fire, ’cos I’m going to barbecue you today for sure,” said Brer Fox.

So Brer Rabbit talked in a mighty humble way.

“I don’t care what you do with me, Brer Fox” said Brer Rabbit. “Just don’t fling me in that briar patch over there. Roast me, Brer Fox, but don’t fling me in in that briar patch,” said Brer Rabbit.
#4.2.1.1.2.1.2 Aggie on 2021-10-14 19:38 (Reply)
40+ Radical Programs Democrats Don't Want You to Notice in Biden's Budget

QUOTE:
Biden's budget includes commissioning "climate police" (RSC point #2) at the cost of $8 billion to create "a cabal of federally funded climate police called the Civilian Climate Corps (CCC) who will conduct progressive activism on taxpayers’ dime."

, , , Contradicting one of his own promises, Biden's budget will increase taxes on "Americans at every income level" (RSC point #35) as "$2 trillion in tax hikes will fall on those making under $400,000 per year, contrary to what the White House says."

And because all of this nonsense will require and expand the number of unelected bureaucrats in the federal government, the bill will provide for an "$80 billion slush fund to hire an 87,000-IRS-agent army to carry out the Biden administration’s plan to review every account above a $600 balance or with more than $600 of transactions in a year" (RSC point #40).

more at the link.

https://townhall.com/tipsheet/spencerbrown/2021/10/13/house-conservatives-break-down-bidens-3-5t-budget-madness-n2597336
#5 feeblemind on 2021-10-14 09:51 (Reply)
> Achieving equity through mediocrity: Why elimination of gifted programs should worry us all

It's interesting that author's primary concern is that G&T kids will leave public schools (vs the societal impact from losing part of what those kids would have produced).

Talking down to the level of his audience? Implicit admission that primary education doesn't actually create skills?? That G&T programs are mostly signaling???
#6 OldCurmudgeon on 2021-10-14 10:31 (Reply)
WHY PEOPLE HATE THE MEDIA, CHAPTER 12,186: It/they LIEEEEEEEEEEE to us.

Dr. Michael Burry Drops Redpills In Epic Twitter Rant: Nailed it, he did!

Achieving equity through mediocrity: Why elimination of gifted programs should worry us all: The Left WANTS to dumb us down...

What Is Critical Race Theory, Really? And why that’s often the wrong question: DIVISIVE.
#7 Sam L. on 2021-10-14 10:37 (Reply)
I give Melinda Gates and her pet immigrant a year. Two, tops.
#8 RebeccaH on 2021-10-14 10:40 (Reply)
This is the most hateful, xenophobic comment I have ever read on this blog. Just shameful. It is Melinda Gates' daughter, Jennifer, that is getting married, not Melinda. Her fiance' was born in Chicago, making him an American citizen, even though he was raised in Kuwait. They seem like nice people -- when the townspeople started grumbling about all the commotion from the wedding preparations, the couple sent apologetic personal notes, wine, and gift cards to mollify the grumblers. Why not wish them the best rather than expect the worst?
#8.1 Yukon Cornelius on 2021-10-14 12:04 (Reply)
Apart from the accelerated courses, public schools mostly are a bunch of overpaid babysitters with poor security. I'd love to see families pull out all the kids who care about getting an education and send them somewhere that can happen, whether at home or in a private school. I want to see voucher laws everywhere: let the tax money follow the student, not the holders of degrees from diploma mills.
#9 Texan99 on 2021-10-14 11:36 (Reply)
I have been waiting, and waiting, for someone here to notice the new angle from the IRS. Since Biden:
if you want your IRS refund or any of the federal payments deposited directly to your checking account you have to go to a special site and answer their "security questions".
These include:
which bank has your home mortgage
what credit cards to you use and what is the account numbers
do you have other bank accounts
You now are required to give all of this information to the IRS if you want an automatic deposit that is not coming directly from your 2020 tax return. In other words if you submitted your tax return as usual and as usual gave them permission on your standard 1020 to make the deposit--they will do that without the additional information. However, if you did not get your payments, or if you have had to adjust your retrurn for some reason--they want all of this information. Asking for your check in the mail will take approximately 7 months (still waiting). So you see dear MFers--they started this IRS/FBI thing AS SOON AS they were in power!
#10 Apple Pie on 2021-10-14 12:08 (Reply)
No, We Can’t Get a National Divorce

QUOTE:
So might we drift apart more or less peacefully this time around? Possibly, but count me out when it comes to agreeing to a National Divorce. Yes, I might derive great joy from the overthrow of the U.S. Senate and its filibuster and the conservative majority on the U.S. Supreme Court. I would feel much safer in a progressive nation that didn’t arm its citizens to the teeth, didn’t view other nations as “shitholes” full of subhuman orcs to be subdued, and didn’t accept calamitous climate change as just the price of doing business.

But how could I happily accept the accelerated subjugation of women and people of color in a new, adjacent Red America, any more than abolitionists could accept the continuation and expansion of the slavery they hated? Would it really be safe to live near a carbon-mad country in which the denial of climate change was an article of faith? And could I ever trust that a “neighbor” whose leadership and citizens believed their policies reflected the unchanging ancient will of the Almighty would leave our fences intact?

. . . . So I say to the would-be secessionists: Please don’t go. And if it’s somehow in my power, I won’t let you go.

https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2021/10/no-red-state-rebels-there-will-be-no-secession.html
#11 feeblemind on 2021-10-14 12:30 (Reply)
QUOTE:
Democrats in the Virginia General Assembly voted for — and Governor Ralph Northam signed — a law allowing schools to refrain from reporting instances of sexual battery, stalking, violation of a protective order, and violent threats occurring on school property in 2020.


Tell me some more tales about how the Red States subjugate their women.

Via Instapundit
#11.1 B. Hammer on 2021-10-14 21:03 (Reply)
How about warning us before giving us a link to The Atlantic, a thoroughly discredited source.
#12 Peter (Link) on 2021-10-14 12:37 (Reply)
"There are only two genders."

Actually, people are free to make up as many genders as they like.

There are still only two sexes though.
#13 JJM on 2021-10-14 20:21 (Reply)

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