A recent discussion thread concerning the “lab leak” hypothesis for the origin of SARS-CoV-2 reminded me of another conspiracy theory involving claims of a bioweapon that also probably had a natural origin.The US government claimed that the Soviet Union was using trichothecene mycotoxins as biological weapons in Southeast Asia in the mid-1970s. In support of this, they pointed to the finding of mycotoxin on leaves and in the blood of people who...
Read More »Yellow rain and the natural origin of a “bioweapon”
A recent discussion thread concerning the “lab leak” hypothesis for the origin of SARS-CoV-2 reminded me of another conspiracy theory involving claims of a bioweapon that also probably had a natural origin.The US government claimed that the Soviet Union was using trichothecene mycotoxins as biological weapons in Southeast Asia in the mid-1970s. In support of this, they pointed to the finding of mycotoxin on leaves and in the blood of people who...
Read More »United Airlines grapples with pilots avoiding the Captain’s Chair
As a warehouse manager for $250 million in sales annually warehouse, I was tasked with distribution, inventory, and costs. In other words, we had to ship on time to get inventory overseas via train to container ships and customs in a timely manner to our plants. We did it but not without my going back to the warehouse at night to check inventory to answer a plant of spend a Wednesday and much of Thanksgiving Day answering the Philippines facility and...
Read More »Denial and the Law
For those old enough to remember the 1960s, the denials of the oil companies these days have a certain ring. Back then smokers were dying and the tobacco companies lying. Then Bogie, Ty, Errol, Clark, and Coop. Finally, it was all too much. Hollywood was good at dying. But, the real thing? Reality hits. Big Tobacco was real good at lying and hiring Senators who wail about livelihoods, theirs and others, being dependent. It was the lying what did it,...
Read More »Letters from an American, July 21, 2023, a Friday
July 21, 2023 (Friday), Letters from an American, Prof. Heather Cox-Richardson Defying SCOTUS, redistricting, and the border. On June 8 the Supreme Court affirmed the decision of a lower court blocking the congressional districting map Alabama put into place after the 2020 census, agreeing that the map likely violated the 1965 Voting Rights Act and ordering Alabama to redraw the map to include two majority-Black congressional districts. ...
Read More »Open Thread July 22, 2023 Can Justices be Influenced?
Senate Democrats are not having fun these days unless they’re attacking a conservative Supreme Court Justice. Thursday’s markup of their judicial “ethics” bill was the event of the season. Leading the charge was Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse claiming the High Court is “captured by special interests.” Mr. Whitehouse brought up “freebie vacations.” He also criticized the Justices for receiving friend-of-the-court briefs from what he called...
Read More »Open Thread July 22, 2023 Can Justices be Influenced?
Senate Democrats are not having fun these days unless they’re attacking a conservative Supreme Court Justice. Thursday’s markup of their judicial “ethics” bill was the event of the season. Leading the charge was Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse claiming the High Court is “captured by special interests.” Mr. Whitehouse brought up “freebie vacations.” He also criticized the Justices for receiving friend-of-the-court briefs from what he called...
Read More »Ron DeSantis doesn’t understand capitalism
I see where failing GOP presidential candidate Ron DeSantis is trying to salvage his campaign by pivoting to Marxism. He is calling for the state of Florida to investigate Belgium-based AB InBev on the basis of their recent Bud Light advertisements using a trans character. DeSantis seems to believe that AB InBev breached legal duties to shareholders and that as governor of Florida, “all options are on the table.” Ostensibly, the basis for the nanny...
Read More »Ron DeSantis doesn’t understand capitalism
I see where failing GOP presidential candidate Ron DeSantis is trying to salvage his campaign by pivoting to Marxism. He is calling for the state of Florida to investigate Belgium-based AB InBev on the basis of their recent Bud Light advertisements using a trans character. DeSantis seems to believe that AB InBev breached legal duties to shareholders and that as governor of Florida, “all options are on the table.” Ostensibly, the basis for the nanny...
Read More »The Innocents
Per the Heritage Foundation (Heritage), each year, American civilians use firearms defensively between 500,000 and 3 million times. Which is saying that they have been exercising their relatively newly lawful Second Amendment Right to bear arms for the purpose of self-defense a lot. Further research might indicate that the number is well below 700,000 (might even be as low as 11). As Heritage does make note, there is no way of really knowing. After...
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