Occasional Reader 9/13/2023 5:21:00 AM

1

Good morning.

Here’s a lengthy-ish thumbsucker from WaPo from two days ago, about surging crime in DC.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/09/11/dc-violence-gun-deaths-residents/

Missing, of course, is any discussion about the demographics; other than “teens” and “youngsters”.

There is a crisis in black American urban culture. And discussion of crime that does not address this isn’t serious.

vxbush 9/13/2023 5:34:24 AM

2

Supposition: when you take an oath of office, you are supposed to agree to follow the statements of the oath. Words mean something, and swearing to do what the oath says means something. 

Hypothesis: New Mexico governor Lujan Grisham should be trusted for nothing and should be immediately impeached and removed from office for publicly stating that she will not abide by her oath.

vxbush 9/13/2023 5:37:44 AM

3

Between a Rock and a Dumb Place: College Students Gripe That the Geosciences Focus Too Much on Geology and Not Enough on Diversity

This is what the woke education does: it completely skews students' understanding of what a topic is and completely ruins see. See also: engineering, math, biology, chemistry.

vxbush 9/13/2023 5:43:43 AM

4

Reply to vxbush in 2:

At least there is one small bit of sanity remaining, although I expect folks to start talking about impeaching the AG. 

Occasional Reader 9/13/2023 5:45:53 AM

5

Reply to vxbush in 2:

…and criminally charged with conspiracy to deprive civil rights.

vxbush 9/13/2023 5:50:39 AM

6

Whistleblower: CIA Offered COVID Origins Investigators Money to Change Their Views

The CIA paid these people to lie about the origins of COVID to hide the truth. 

vxbush 9/13/2023 5:55:52 AM

7

In a time of horrible economic outlook, when we are in a recession and fewer and fewer jobs are being created, the decision by UAW to strike against three automakers at once seems rather ill-timed. 

The car companies aren't helping themselves by saying they want to switch to electric vehicles when several charging stations have been shown to be powered using diesel generators and the supposed range of the vehicles doesn't match the stated spec. 

Apparently people think they can ignore reality and suffer no ill consequences. 

vxbush 9/13/2023 6:01:09 AM

8

Cringe Apple commercial celebrates a commitment to ‘climate change’ but NOT ending child labor

I saw the ad yesterday. It was written with the tongue firmly planted in cheek, but it was also a heavy-handed "Rah rah Apple! We're awesome environmentalists!" ad as well. 

No one on the left wants to talk about child labor. Apparently they are OK with it. 

vxbush 9/13/2023 6:07:31 AM

9

Apple Announces iPhone 15 Will Come Emblazoned With Name Of Uyghur Slave Who Assembled It https://t.co/GeEGxn4OCc pic.twitter.com/oA1GzhpwPl

— The Babylon Bee (@TheBabylonBee) September 12, 2023

JCM 9/13/2023 7:17:11 AM

10

Reply to vxbush in 2:

I've felt that way about 98% of politicians. Even the best of them won't stand on the floor and say, "this bill is unconstitutional".

IMAO the (R) are worse. The dems tell us to our face they will not abide by the Constitution, the (R) play lip service and violate away.

JCM 9/13/2023 7:24:15 AM

11

Reply to vxbush in 8:

Lithium deposit found in US may be among world’s largest, study finds

We have sufficient deposit of nearly everything thing. We can extract it safely, environmentally, economically, without slave or child labor.

But the so called environmentalists have blocked it all, they would rather an environmental near disaster with slave and child labor than, do it in their "backyard".

My contempt for these hypocritical jackwagons is immeasurable.

Occasional Reader 9/13/2023 7:25:28 AM

12

Reply to vxbush in 8:

As a tech-head, what is your overall impression of the iPhone 15?   

My current iPhone is four years old.  I could certainly hang onto it for longer.  OTOH, in the 14 and 15, I do like the feature of the SOS satellite messaging.  Mixed feelings about the switch to USB-C; it's long overdue, but will also be a pain in terms of i-stuff I currently have.  And on the other other hand, I do like the titanium case on the premium 15 models, just because I think titanium is cool. 

Occasional Reader 9/13/2023 7:28:24 AM

13

Reply to JCM in 11:

It's a good thing Saudi and Venezuelan oil is carbon-free.... 

buzzsawmonkey 9/13/2023 7:46:07 AM

14

In #13 Occasional Reader said: It's a good thing Saudi and Venezuelan oil is carbon-free.... 

Buy the oil, get the carbon free...

vxbush 9/13/2023 7:51:59 AM

15

In #12 Occasional Reader said: As a tech-head, what is your overall impression of the iPhone 15?   

I'm in the same boat; my phone is also four years old, so I'm looking to upgrade. I'm not convinced a 48 MP camera is something everyone needs, but I also really like the SOS feature--not that I'm often in places without coverage, but at any point the cell network might go down because of disaster (think how hurricane and tornados affect such infrastructure). 

I honestly like how everything is standardizing to USB-C. Replacing cables may be annoying, but it's relatively cheap. 

So I'm going to save up my money to buy the model I want, but I really hate the pricing. So I can't decide which size I'm going to get. 

I did have to laugh at how Apple is going so eco friendly that they have no leather accessories. Then Hermes turns around and immediately announces leather watchbands. 

vxbush 9/13/2023 7:57:43 AM

16

In #12 Occasional Reader said: And on the other other hand, I do like the titanium case on the premium 15 models, just because I think titanium is cool. 

Yeah, I don't think I need to go with titanium. The cool factor isn't enough for me to think about getting it. The question is balancing screen size with the price point. Older eyes don't like tiny screens anymore.

JCM 9/13/2023 8:13:18 AM

17

In #15 vxbush said: I'm not convinced a 48 MP camera

Optical geekery follows.

Past about 8MP any increase in pixel count doesn't really improve the image. Lets take the phone, they have very small lenses, with for sake of argument gather the same amount of light with the same optical characteristics. Double the amount of pixels in the phone. With 16MP you now are spreading the same light across double amount of pixels. This desaturates the image.

When you get past 8MP the lens starts to matter more and more. It has to gather more light, but more optically accurate or you start seeing lens defects in the image.

For 95% of consumers more pixels is cool, it gives you a higher resolution image, you can zoom in on details. However overall the image quality is lower because with the desaturation you lose information about the light of image.

A 48MP camera in an iPhone is a gimmick. A 48MP camera like a Leica or Hasselblad with accompanying high quality lens is not.

Occasional Reader 9/13/2023 8:17:27 AM

18

vxbush 9/13/2023 8:17:45 AM

19

In #17 JCM said: A 48MP camera in an iPhone is a gimmick. A 48MP camera like a Leica or Hasselblad with accompanying high quality lens is not.

While I agree with you, I keep thinking there was an article published some time ago about the special quality of the camera lenses in recent iPhones. I'll have to see if I can find that. 

JCM 9/13/2023 8:23:22 AM

20

Reply to vxbush in 19:

I don't doubt Apple puts work into the lens. They are just too small to really provide adequate light to high density CMOS sensor. It's easier to make a smaller high quality lens than a larger one.

vxbush 9/13/2023 8:59:11 AM

21

In #19 vxbush said: While I agree with you, I keep thinking there was an article published some time ago about the special quality of the camera lenses in recent iPhones. I'll have to see if I can find that. 

Okay, I found this, which I've looked at before. It's long, and it's focused on the iPhone 14, which was out. He points out solid improvements and solid issues, but the light issue seems to be managed mostly through processing. He's quite impressed, though. 

JCM 9/13/2023 9:42:10 AM

22

Reply to vxbush in 21:

Apple has done a great job on the camera, no doubt.

"but the light issue seems to be managed mostly through processing."

Processing can't restore missing data, it can interpolate, and do a bunch of stuff to approximate.

Unless you are a high end hobbyist or professional an iPhone has great camera.

JCM 9/13/2023 10:38:36 AM

23

The unhoused can't afford housing?

Enough fentanyl seized from homeless man to wipe out Bellingham population

Officials located the following:

• 3,000g of suspected fentanyl powder
• 500g of suspected fentanyl-laced pills
• 1,000g of suspected heroin
• 300g of suspected methamphetamine
• A loaded, 9mm handgun
• $46,000 in U.S. currency

He is homeless because it is a business decision.

Occasional Reader 9/13/2023 10:53:45 AM

24

In #22 JCM said: Unless you are a high end hobbyist or professional an iPhone has great camera.

Thanks.  I just need to be able to take decent photos of my handsome son.  : )

Occasional Reader 9/13/2023 10:54:32 AM

25

In #23 JCM said: 3,000g of suspected fentanyl powder 500g of suspected fentanyl-laced pills 1,000g of suspected heroin 300g of suspected methamphetamine A loaded, 9mm handgun $46,000 in U.S. currency

"Shoot, a feller could have himself a helluva weekend in Vegas with this stuff."

/obligatory

JCM 9/13/2023 11:40:59 AM

26

Reply to Occasional Reader in 25:

I can hear Slim Pickens when I read that.....

buzzsawmonkey 9/13/2023 11:43:16 AM

27

Reply to JCM in 23:

The Democrats' interest in controlling the border is faint to nil fentanyl.

vxbush 9/13/2023 11:49:30 AM

28

In #23 JCM said: $46,000 in U.S. currency

How many people who are living paycheck to paycheck could claim to have that much in the bank? 

JCM 9/13/2023 11:55:20 AM

29

Reply to vxbush in 28:

That two years rent in Seattle for a nice apartment.

Homeless? Don't make me laugh.

vxbush 9/13/2023 12:01:26 PM

30

In #29 JCM said: That two years rent in Seattle for a nice apartment. Homeless? Don't make me laugh.

Remember the "Just say no to drugs" campaign of the 1980's? Good times, good times. 

buzzsawmonkey 9/13/2023 12:05:33 PM

31

In #30 vxbush said: Remember the "Just say no to drugs" campaign of the 1980's?

You've misspelled it; they were saying "No two drugs."  In other words, if you're going to abuse illegal substances, stick with one.

Occasional Reader 9/13/2023 1:03:00 PM

32

In #30 vxbush said: Remember the "Just say no to drugs" campaign of the 1980's?

Broadcast by Nancy Reagan, IIRC.  And even as a brainwashed young Democrat at the time, I remember thinking; yeah, she's onto something.  Ultimately, drug abuse has to be beaten at the cultural level.  

buzzsawmonkey 9/13/2023 1:46:04 PM

33

buzzsawmonkey 9/13/2023 3:02:32 PM

34

Reply to buzzsawmonkey in 33:

How the hell did I manage to write a blank comment?

Alice in Dairyland 9/13/2023 3:50:33 PM

35

In #34 buzzsawmonkey said:

Reply to buzzsawmonkey in 33:

How the hell did I manage to write a blank comment?

I guess you really didn't have anything to say.

JCM 9/13/2023 4:12:14 PM

36

Reply to buzzsawmonkey in 33:

My thoughts exactly!

Kosh's Shadow 9/13/2023 5:02:06 PM

37

In #6 vxbush said: Whistleblower: CIA Offered COVID Origins Investigators Money to Change Their Views

So does CIA stand for Chinese Intelligence Agency?

JCM 9/13/2023 5:22:22 PM

38

Federal judge again declares DACA immigration program unlawful, but allows it to continue

Hell Obama new that before he signed the EO, he said so himself.

It's illegal but made de facto legal by judicial fiat.