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An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves.
— William E. Vaughn
Reading Time: 5 minutes 10 seconds
Today is Thursday, December 29th, 2022. It is Tick Tock Day, Still Need To Do Day, and National Pepper Pot Day.
On This Day
In 1607, Pocahantas, the Powhatan princess, saved captain John Smith from execution.
In 1778, British forces captured Savannah.
In 1835, the Treaty of New Echota was signed, ceding all the lands of the Cherokee east of the Mississippi River to the United States.
In 1845, the United States annexed the Republic of Texas.
In 1890, the U.S. 7th Cavalry Regiment killed 300 Lakota on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in the Wounded Knee Massacre.
In 1913, Cecil B. DeMille began filming the first feature-length film shot in California, The Squaw Man.
In 1940, the Luftwaffe firebombed London, killing almost 200 civilians.
In 1975, a bomb exploded at LaGuardia Airport, killing 11 people and injuring 74. The perpetrators were never identified.
In 1989, writer, philosopher, and dissident Václav Havel was elected the first post-communist president of Czechoslovakia.
In 1994, Turkish Airlines Flight 278 crashed on approach to Van Ferit Melen Airport in Turkey, killing 57 of the 76 people on board.
Today's Birthdays
Actor and left-wing moron Ted Danson is 75. Actress Patricia Clarkson is 63. Actor Michael Cudlitz is 58. “Journalist” Ashleigh Banfield is 55. Actor Jude Law is 50. Actress Alison Brie is 40. Actor Iain De Caestecker is 35.
The Links
Covid Vaccines Have Saved Millions of Lives … in Models (Manfred Horst, MD, PhD, MBA)
“It is not surprising that all those who promoted them are now desperately trying to cling on to their story. How? Well, let’s publish some models, as we have done since the inception of the whole Covid propaganda and hysteria. Who needs hard clinical data?”
Musk slams ‘corporate journalism’ in blistering series of tweets (JusttheNews.com)
“[F]ollowing a CNBC commentator’s claim that Musk’s ‘reputation with Twitter is impacting his reputation when it comes to all of his companies,’ Musk himself responded: ‘The legacy media should worry about its reputation. We have only just begun.’”
The Fear Factor: Former FBI General Counsel Flagged “Optimistic” Trump Tweet for Possible Censorship (Jonathan Turley)
“I have previously written about Baker becoming the Kevin Bacon of Washington scandals. He is now prominently featured in the censorship scandal and new disclosures show that he eagerly used his position at Twitter to seek to silence Trump and those with opposing views. The most recent exchange offers an insight into Baker’s hair-triggered tendencies on censorship. It appears that calling for optimism was intolerable for the former FBI general counsel.”
Employment up in 44 states for year ended November 2022 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor)
“The largest percentage increase occurred in Texas (5.1 percent), followed by Florida (4.7 percent) and Hawaii, North Carolina, and Oregon (4.3 percent each).”
Winter Storm Elliott Highlights Vulnerability Of U.S. Energy Systems (Oilprice.com)
“Despite the fact that it wasn’t as prolonged as the Winter Storm Uri of February 2021, when millions in Texas lost power for days, the latest storm showed — once again — that energy providers couldn’t accurately predict the power demand surge, and some had to resort to rotating outages to maintain grid stability.”
Germany’s ZDF Public Television Suggests Bathing Once A Week Would Be Beneficial (NoTricksZone)
“After all: ‘Around 100 years ago, it was still customary to bathe only once a week,’ wrote kugelzwei. ‘Today, people almost look at you strangely if you tell them you don’t shower several times a week.’”
Germany’s shattered illusions (spiked)
“This year has shattered the authority of Germany’s leaders. It has exposed both their complacency and the exhaustion of their political worldview. In that sense, it really does feel a lot like the end of an era. For it to be a true historical turning point, however, we will need something entirely different to replace these tired elites.”
Top US launch companies of 2022 — The Ars Technica power ranking (Ars Technica)
“Was there any doubt? This year, the California-based launch company will launch 60 rockets, with (as of this writing) 100 percent mission success. More than 90 percent of these launches have taken place on previously flown first stages and the majority with reused payload fairings. In mid-December, SpaceX also pushed to 15 the number of times a single first stage has flown. The company does not appear to have found the upper limit yet on first-stage reuse.”
Can Apple Make the iPhone Without China? (The Atlantic)
“[T]he chips manufactured in Arizona, or in other new plants planned across the United States, don’t provide any real measure of self-sufficiency. Smartphones and PCs won’t be assembled in the U.S. anytime soon. Nor will they be made of primarily U.S.-built components, given unique Korean and Japanese specialties such as producing screens and image sensors. Indeed, some of the chips that TSMC eventually fabricates in Arizona and sells to Apple may even end up in China, where Apple is likely to retain a substantial product-assembly base for the foreseeable future.”
DHS Statement on Safety and Enforcement During New York Winter Storm (U.S. Department of Homeland Security )
“DHS is committed to ensuring that every individual who seeks shelter, aid, or other assistance as a result of this winter storm is able to do so regardless of their immigration status.”
Legislation Filed to Protect Texas National Guard From Unconstitutional Wars (Texas Scorecard)
“House Bill 184, also known as ‘Defend the Guard,’ would require Congress to follow Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution and formally declare war before the Texas National Guard can be deployed.”
Coast Guardsmen Swap Uniforms for Swimsuits in the Pacific (U.S. Department of Defense)
“The United States’ only heavy icebreaker, the Polar Star heads there every year, breaking miles of ice up to 21-feet thick while supporting Operation Deep Freeze, a joint military mission to resupply U.S. Antarctic stations.”
Army special operations rethinking force structure, tech (Army Times)
“Lt. Gen. Jon Braga explained that the increasing role that space and cyber operations play in competition and conflicts (such as the ongoing war in Ukraine) has necessitated a reconsideration of long-held truths. The recently-unveiled ‘influence triad’ is a framework to help commanders consider special operations, space and cyber together in a modern-era ‘combined arms’ model.”
When courting quasi-allies like Ukraine becomes a moral hazard (Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft)
“Quasi-allies create danger for the U.S. due to potential entanglement in wars or controversies where U.S. interests are scant. Alliances intentionally entangle nations in each other’s defense. However, while treaty alliances are at least intended to serve U.S. security interests, the U.S. interest in defending quasi-allies is generally dubious, which is typically a reason why the U.S. has no treaty obligation to these states.”
First AIM-120 AMRAAM And U.S. F-16 Kill Happened 30 Years Ago (The War Zone)
“Someone was going to die within the next two minutes, and it wasn’t going to be me or my wingman.”
Your Turn
1. Should Texas become its own country again?
2. What’s the greatest unsolved crime in history?
3. Are you gladdened or saddened that to “the fullest extent possible, ICE and CBP do not conduct immigration enforcement activities at protected areas such as along evacuation routes, sites used for sheltering or the distribution of emergency supplies, food or water, or registration sites for disaster-related assistance or the reunification of families and loved ones”?
4. Is there a single reporter or pundit left in the legacy media whom you find credible?
5. Are you optimistic or pessimistic about 2023?
1. Should Texas become its own country again?
Texas has always been it's own Country. They don't have to secede from the Union to be their own Government, mind-set, and people!!
2. What’s the greatest unsolved crime in history?
The rising of Jesus from his sealed grave! Although, we have been told he had risen, no one really knows, we weren't there and therefore we are simply left to believe what is written. I would love to have absolute proof of everything in the Bible. It would be so much easier to defend and then be more convincing to all people instead of the just the religious community. I believe in GOD and I believe in America that was formed under God. If we are to return to "One Nation Under GOD" we need to get GOD back in our lives and put an end to this Democrat Marxist Communist Socialism that wants to destroy families, babies and religion!!
3. Are you gladdened or saddened that to “the fullest extent possible, ICE and CBP do not conduct immigration enforcement activities at protected areas such as along evacuation routes, sites used for sheltering or the distribution of emergency supplies, food or water, or registration sites for disaster-related assistance or the reunification of families and loved ones”?
They can't do their job because they are overwhelmed, understaffed, and unsupported by the Biden Administration or the media!!! If Trump was our President none of this nonsense at the Border would be taking place!! Immigration has to be controlled and Congress needs to get off their asses and start passing LAW that says immigrants will only be allowed into out Country based on their merit, their ability to contribute and help improve our Country.....not destroy it so that Deomcraps can get votes!!
4. Is there a single reporter or pundit left in the legacy media whom you find credible?
I only watch or listen to FOX, Patriot or Rock of Talk. There are no news agencies that come even close to doing the job that they have promised to do based on the Journalistic Ethics they swore to uphold when they entered into News and Documentary Journalism!! It is such a disgrace to this Country!! These people are the definition of deplorable!!
5. Are you optimistic or pessimistic about 2023?
Let's just say, my fingers are crossed, my toes are crossed and I am starting to pray again!!