Caption: Nobody but Jules will get this, but nobody else has to—more from Jules here on her visit to the gym.
Bullet Points:
** Sandia and the nuclear security enterprise have completed the first production unit of the B61-13 gravity bomb about a year earlier than slated. Sandia is the lead systems integrator and design agency for the B61-13’s non-nuclear components. Much of the new system’s configuration builds on the B61-12, which completed production in late 2024. “The reason it was possible to move so quickly is the similarity between the two bombs, the B61-12 and the B61-13,” said Sandia manager Lysle Serna, who began working on the B61-12 in 2020.
** Does the place of conception matter for the purposes of identification?
**This month, the U.S. Army officially launched Detachment 201, also known as the Executive Innovation Corps, a groundbreaking initiative that directly commissions top technology executives as Army Reserve lieutenant colonels. The inaugural cohort features leaders from Silicon Valley—Meta’s Andrew Bosworth (CTO), OpenAI’s Kevin Weil (CPO) and Bob McGrew (former CRO), and Palantir’s Shyam Sankar (CTO). These four will serve part-time to inject cutting-edge commercial technology and AI expertise into military innovation efforts, advising on projects that support the Army Transformation Initiative to make the force leaner, smarter, and more lethal.”
** From groundbreaking to opening, Disneyland was built in 365 days.
** In the heart of Chernobyl’s ruins, scientists found black fungus that feeds on radiation—literally consuming gamma rays for energy. Using a process called radiosynthesis, it turns deadly rays into life, just like plants use sunlight. This bizarre life form may help protect astronauts or clean nuclear waste.
** Florida speed bumps.
** “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.” – Mark Twain, The Innocents Abroad
** More Appalachian pick-up lines to use if you meet the love of your life at a gas station. I’m sure that they’ll lead to a bright future together. And there’s also the word of the day.
**I had an interesting discussion in which a person accused me of not understanding demonstrators. I reminded them that I personally took part in Tea Party demonstrations during the early years of ObamaNation. We arrived, didn’t burn anything, didn’t hurt anyone, cleaned up after ourselves, and then left. Nobody paid us to be there (and the democrats called them ‘fake’ demonstrations).
** It takes more to be a parent today than in the past. There is a lot more explaining to do.
** If printing money ended poverty, then printing diplomas should end stupidity…
** Democrats in the US Senate want a war powers act to stop President Trump from committing US forces to combat in/over Iran. How many in Congress realize we are still under a declared war on terror? Public Law 107-40. Iran is a terrorist state. For that matter, so is Mexico since the cartels form a shadow government. Riddle me that one.
** The Iranians are consistent in their desire to kill Jews. The Jews got tired of it and started killing Iranians and their proxies on a scale that began to make a difference. The US weighed in with the Houthis in Yemen and showed them what happened when they pushed the envelope too hard. I’m unsure what people don’t understand about the situation in Iran. The people involved need to be removed from the gene pool for all time, and their infrastructure used to make nuclear material (potentially a critical mass weapon), and their missile systems need to be rendered inert, for all time. Israel is doing a great job, and they don’t need a lot of help, but if they do, it’s why we spend a trillion a year on cool weaponry. I think that most of Tehran and all of Qom need to be flattened as a message. The people were warned to leave. They can return and rebuild in time. If they keep chanting to murder people and plotting to slaughter innocents, we can all come back and flatten the place again. Read history. The Pax Romana maintained peace and stability. The Mongols also kept the peace. Peace through superior firepower. The Iranians can build household appliances and compete with the Chinese by copying designs from others if they choose to. But no more ballistic missiles and no more nuclear ambitions.
Scornful Woman
“Scornful Woman” by Oliver Anthony refers to a song where he expresses his bitterness and pain related to his recent divorce. The song is widely interpreted as being about his ex-wife’s pursuit of his money and future earnings during their divorce proceedings.
Iran – Point/Counterpoint
Point – When the Shah was overthrown in 1979, Iran didn’t collapse into a bloody civil war. Khomeini and the Islamists/clericists were able to consolidate power and eliminate opposing factions very quickly, even though a LOT of senior officers in the military and the intelligence services didn’t like them at all. They were also quickly able to eliminate the Communists as a threat, even though Iran shared a land border with the Soviet Union, and that was the horse that Moscow was backing. How did they do it? And why couldn’t that same process repeat today?
Counterpoint – The consolidation of power by Khomeini’s Shiite state wasn’t a seamless, organic triumph. It involved mass executions, repression on a scale that included purging the military, silencing dissent through terror, and violently crushing not only communists but also liberals, secular nationalists, and even rival Islamists.
Khomeini succeeded not because he had broad-based legitimacy, but because he was ruthlessly more organized, ideologically unified, and willing to use absolute force—something that doesn’t easily replicate, especially in a more connected and mobilized society like Iran’s today.
In 1979, there was no internet, no satellite television, no instant communication across diaspora communities. The clerics could control the narrative internally and tightly manage dissent. That’s nearly impossible today. The regime now faces a population that is younger, far less ideological, more globally aware, and demonstrably fed up with clerical rule. The same playbook of brute repression is more complex to execute when every crackdown goes viral in seconds.
A Funny Thought
If the Ayatollah shaved his beard, dumped the turban, put on Carhart clothes, and a Stetson, he’d look a little like a scrawny beardless Charlie Daniels. He could move to a single-wide in Yuma (hot like Iran), drink Bud, eat BBQ and tamales, watch cable TV, and hang out with the other illegal aliens, and nobody would know the difference. All hat and no cattle is a lifestyle in Yuma.
Could he drop the evil clown persona? Now that’s a question for the ages. But he could live in a forty-year-old single-wide in Yuma with a swamp cooler so long as he agreed not to be an evil clown.
We’d need to give him a name to be known by to preserve his cover. The name that immediately came to mind was Charles Montgomery “Monty” Burns (Homer’s Boss from The Simpsons). If he wanted deeper cover, maybe Asher Ashkanazi. Unconditional surrender (and presenting himself at President Trump’s feet at the White House) could land him a shot at the American dream. There is a Jewish synagogue in Yuma, Arizona, named Congregation Beth HaMidbar. It is a Reform Jewish community and is affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ). Would the Reform Jews in Yuma accept a supplicant named Asher Ashkanazi (Ash-Ash for short) – if he paid his temple dues?
Identify the Aircraft
1
Completed in April 1945, the prototype made a short flight on May 8 but was destroyed in an air raid only a few days later, thus ending its development.
2
3
4
If you miss this one, you forfeit ID creds forever.
5
Note the tailhook…
Parting Shot
End
How about Ali Kaboom the Jester of Qom?
Iman laugh about that all day! (I know, I couldn’t help it. Smash me in the face with a pie.)
Anyway, send in the real clowns. 🤡
I thought that they imprisoned people in the UK for that sort of talk?
I think that is the perfect name for all of those Mullahs.
– Kle.
🤡🤡
Then again, a pie in the face of the mullahs might be a wake-up call?
Identify the Aircraft:
1. Yokosuka R2Y
2. Lockheed P2V-5F Neptune
3. McDonnell XF-88B Voodoo
4. Republic P-47 Thunderbolt
5. Bell XFL Airabonita
SNAP! Well done.
Asher Ashkanazi , hell I met that dude in Gila Bend , he was drinking a date shake and scoping out the pottery . He bought a yard gnome , a t shirt with a wolf on it , and drove off in a VW Golf headed west . I thought it odd he washed his feet in the urinal but hey , I figgered it was a local thing . Live and let live.
Dateland, justa little bit down I-8 towards Yuma, has killer date shakes!
Date shakes are good.
You wrote Yuma , and date shakes popped in my head . Nothing like cruisin Interstate 8 at 80 mph , going transcendental while diggin on a date shake . I hauled produce in a previous life , very familiar with that stretch . Spanish comes in handy on the loading docks , set the reefer on 45 and stick a 12 pack of Bud or Lite back there will get you loaded quick too .
Scornful woman-
I wonder how many of us here have been run over much as he has?
and who are many of the most powerful “leaders” in europe now?
em burlingame has recently been expounding on estrogen “leaders”…
Juan
Future earnings?????
She contended that her inspiration led to his music; therefore, anything he earned generated a royalty to her (for all time). Given the title of his most recent hit, she may be right.
“Given the title of his most recent hit, she may be right.”
That actually took me a second. :)
probably easier for him to sneak into a haredi community; wouldn’t even have to lose the beard; he’d just have to change the headware. OK, language too, but their essential principles (the rejection of modern secular culture) are very similar if you can overlook their definition of G-d
Maybe take Mellencamp’s advice and forget about all that macho shit and learn how to play guitar, get his beard swung right and his pants fit tight, become The Real Ayatollah of Rock and Roll-ah, and it’ll be all right. Alternatively, he can stick around and wait for the Israelis to rock his kasbah into little glowing pieces. There is a drawback to every system.
He could learn to love cold beer and pork ribs. I can’t think but what it would improve his sour, murderous, evil clown persona.
Oh! and I know why it’s called Juneteenth!
The day that white patriarchal types took the negro slaves away from democrats?
The Blacks should be celebrating Decemberteenth, as Slavery was finally abolished nationwide in December 1865. Abolished in the North, to be specific, a year or more after it was abolished down south.
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Truth sucks, doesn’t it?
Concur.
*
Basing holidays on a one million year old lady’s folktales is idiotic.
– Kle.
“This bizarre life form may help protect astronauts or clean nuclear waste.”
Until it turns ugly, sells out of it’s clothes and yells “Hulk smash!” and lumbers off…
Swells not sells….
The black mold has infected people on Earth, stealing their souls. Chicago’s Lori Lightfoot, the women of The View, Tampon Tim, Barack, and his husband, Big Mike – it’s a long list.
Bow that’s the best explanation I’ve heard yet.
Except I don’t think their souls were stolen, rather sold.
Good point.
I need a new keyboard.
Or glasses.
You and me both. Just got my Medicare card…I’m apparently and officially…gag me…an old man…well, according to some who maintain such metrics. Don’t feel it too much, except for the inability to self edit of course.
If I had access to a gym that had a lap pool and a steam room or sauna I would use it. A half hour swim and then 10 minutes sweating in a hot box is a good workout.
Swim, into the hot box, and back into cold water. I originally intended to build a sauna into the White Wolf Mine. I’ve regretted not doing it.
Being married to a Scandinavian we installed an outdoor sauna, Infrared for quick heat up and ease of maintenance. Love it, does wonders for the body…cooking out all the demonic thoughts after hearing Tarlov on The Five.
How long did Khomeini live in France putting all the pieces together, and who helped him along the way?
Ayatollah Khomeini lived in France for a little over four months, from October 6, 1978, to February 1, 1979. He was exiled to Neauphle-le-Château, a suburb of Paris, after being expelled from Iraq by Saddam.
“In 1979, there was no internet, no satellite television”.
They used cassette tapes.
Kids these days have no idea of making a ‘Road Tape’, or rewinding with a pencil when the tape got caught in the under dash Pioneer deck (the best), which was wired to a couple of Jensen 6×9’s on the back deck.
And fax machines.
Yep.
Conception; if it’s a viable birth for citizenship, is it a viable death/ murder as well? Some states 30/60/90 days, 6 month’s ect..
Yuma, Arizona-Question is would Ash-ash complete the masquerade as an infidel and eat the pig meat BBQ?
Juneteenth-a uniquely Texas holiday stolen by commercialism.
I’ve known many reformed Jews for whom the BLT or a ham sandwich are a way of life; I’ve known, fairly well (mostly in the medical community) quite a few (modern!?) Muslims who no longer practice their religion: Lebanese, Persians, Turks, and Egyptians who still wouldn’t come within 10 feet of pig meat (ham or bacon) if their lives depended on it
Growing up and visiting in Texas as a youngster, I don’t ever remember anyone celebrating Juneteenth. Rodeos and other shows, yes; Juneteenth, no.
It’s an affectation like Kwanzaa.
These made up “holidays’ are no different to “everyone deserves a participation ribbon”.
You’re a racist if you don’t celebrate them.
Okay…I’m good with that…now send in the creepy clown to torment my dreams.
Dave, Juneteenth, prior to the hijacking of the holiday, was practiced along the Gulf Coast. Mainly from the La./Texas border to just a little west of Galveston and north to the Houston area. I was born and raised in the lapland area of East Texas and remember it from my early childhood.
Cletus, thanks for that information. It sure wasn’t celebrated in Texarkana, San Antonio or Del Rio by the Sea.
It seems like there’s a direct correlation between temperatures and births to unmarried women. There’s a general tendency to be higher percentages of unmarried births in the southern states. Some exceptions, but it’s visually obvious. We could speculate on why, but just keep it in mind.
IDA. For those who may wish to brush up on their ID creds…
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https://www.cradleofaviation.org/history/history/aircraft/p-47_thunderbolt_aviation_darwinism.html
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A clip–“During durability testing of the C series R-2800 by Republic, it was decided to find out at what manifold pressure and carburetor temperature caused detonation. The technicians at Republic ran the engine at extreme boost pressures that produced 3,600 hp! But wait, it gets even more amazing. They ran it at 3,600 hp for 250 hours, without any failure! This was with common 100 octane avgas. No special fuels were used. Granted, the engines were largely used up but survived without a single component failure. Try this with Rolls Royce Merlin or Allison V-1710 and see what happens.”
The birth to unmarried women 20213 graph, I wonder how that would look dated 100 years earlier? Or even 50 years…
They didn’t keep stats.
Iran: The US helped keep Shah and his son in power until Jimmy Carter helped him out of power. Now, there are those in our government who wish us to help Israel bomb Iran’s nuclear facilities since we have the Mother of All Bombs. I really have my doubts as to the ability of the MOAB or the MOP to do anything spectacular or show ending in Iran. During WW II, the British used the Tall Boy, a 10,000 pound bomb, to attack submarine pens and post war inspections showed little damage inside the concrete pens.
So, how are one or two GBU-57 bombs dropped from a US bomber going to dig a hole deep enough to crack a facility hundreds of feet below the surface? Digging a hole that deep requires weapons of a different manner. Yes, you can try to compress the overburden enough to collapse poorly engineered facilities, but the Iranians have paid good engineers to build critical infrastructure. All the news and blogging seems to be war hawks with no ideas except to get the US involved in another Middle East war again.
Maybe the MOABs make a hole and the Israelis drop a couple of tactical nukes down the shaft?
They won’t. The MOAB is not a bunker buster, it’s an overpressure
weapon for use against non-sealed, non-hardened targets.
*
We do have plenty of bunker-buster bombs though, even ignoring
the nuclear one. General tactical principle is to drop multiples in a
time-on-target mode where the go off in close series and dig a
deeper hole than they can individually. The same technique is
proposed for the nuclear ones, BTW. Even if you can’t get all the
way down to the Tootsie Roll center, you can fuck up the facility
to the point where it’s unusable w/o rebuilding and tunneling back in.
When the people come around to try and do that, you just kill them, too.
Basically impossible to hide major engineering projects, and Iran has
zero ability to defend them. All it takes is will.
– Kle.
Isn’t the MOAB an air burst rather than a bunker buster?
“The Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB), also known as the “Mother of All Bombs,” is a large, GPS-guided, non-nuclear bomb designed to detonate in the air, creating a massive blast and shockwave over a wide area. It’s primarily used to attack targets like tunnels, caves, and bunkers. “
Kle, I agree on digging the hole. The problem is that it can’t be done with one or two GBUs and if the news is even partially correct the facility is quite large and deeper than anticipated. So, if the US is crazy enough to interfere, it will be a huge undertaking requiring 5 or 6 sips of gas from the tanker to get one bomber there and back. Not to mention if you are going to use TOT that would require more bombers and more tankers.
The refueling effort would rival that needed to get Vulcans to the Falklands and back. Maybe the Young Tiger battle flag will be raised again.
Yeah, if we are going to do it, we should have kept the B-2s at Gonzo.
*
I expect the Israelis will deal with the place themselves, eventually.
– Kle.
We are involved in another middle Eastern War and have been since the bombing of the Marine barracks 12 1983. “Death to America”.
.
I have no knowledge of the capability of the GBU-57, but it seems that the shockwave would damage the sensitive equipment used to make nuclear weapons, including the technicians working on them. Certainly entombing them.
“From groundbreaking to opening, Disneyland was built in 365 days.”…in a semi-swamp no less. What happens when the private sector is left alone by the public sector overlord ninny’s. Same with that infamous California freeway rebuild after the quake, the constructor told them he can “do it in ‘X’ days, the “officials” retorted “We’ll fine you ‘X’ amount per day for being late” (as they believed no one could do it in that short of time because – as Twain noted – they live in their bubble and THEY couldn’t get it done that quick because graft takes longer to fill everyone’s pockets).
The constructors response? “You’ll pay me ‘X’ amount for every day I’m early in completing.”
An agreement was met…constructor was early by like a week (as I recall)…but not for ‘the them’ trying to derail his schedule by working their pals to disallow train access…so the constructor built his own siding to thwart their stall effort.
See, even when a fare deal is struck, the Procedural Bums in Charge try to undermine it…can’t help themselves.
***
As funny as ‘move to Yuma by the bearded wonder’ was (and the ensuing comments), when we have pocket gophers out in the pasture they get smoked underground…nothing to clean up and quietly done (the Marlin 17 HMR is loud and ya can’t shoot out by the main road or people driving by get weird, then the sheriff shows up). When dragging in the Fall the gopher holes disappear. That should be his fate…a single-wide in Yuma is too nice for that arrogant coward.
I don’t disagree, but there’s a chance that humble living circumstances could rehabilitate the evil clown, along with a constant supply of pork tamales and BBQ, washed down by cold beer.
He’s lucky we have cold beer here…The Motherland would be torture with them leaving the beer out in the garage to stay warm.
Instead of a 17 HMR, have you tried one of those multi-thousand dollar compressed air rifles?
Well, the Mrs. bought me the rifle so there is some “obligation” to use it here and there…but no, haven’t thought of that, especially since Amdro Gopher Gasser sticks work really well when you use the EV Leaf Blower to push the gas thru the chambers. They’re also quicker than waiting for one to come above ground, and leave no trace.
I used to use road flares. The mounds were usually mid-tunnel, so I would break the flare in half. I would dig up the mound, light both halves, and shove them into the tunnels, then immediately back fill. The burning action seemed to drive the smoke downstream pretty well. I have no idea how the cost compares to the Gopher Gasser.
Does once having a water bed increase your redneck credentials? Are there bonus points for having conceived children during those years?
If there are points to be awarded for all categories, I stand to benefit.
If they do have enough enriched plutonium, dropping a piece on the floor won’t be good for those in the room. I think they’ll probably abandon their endeavors when the ground starts shaking. Going back, if there is anything left, will be for the experts…if they can find any.
Gotta admit she’s cute! Re Iran, just do it and get it over with… It’s going to take at least 2 MOPs to get down that far, and the US is the only one that can do it without going nuclear.
I realize that there’s a reluctance to nuke the spider hole, but I also recall the feature film, ALIENS. “You have to nuke the place from orbit. It’s the only way to be sure.”
A few dozen “Rods From God” maybe?
Regarding Khomeini, he wouldn’t have been able to do anything without Carter giving him the go-ahead and support. Khomeini was happy for the support, and was quite pleased to use said support against the USA when the time came.
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Just that action should have gotten Carter booted. And probably did negatively affect his election chances even before the Embassy takeover.
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As to Tehran and Qom, well, Tacitus was correct. And so were the Mongols. Make a desert and call it Peace.
Yes, clowns are creepy. Just go to Austin and find out.
One guy I knew in the SCA had “I Hate Clowns” on his shield. Couldn’t tell you the symbols he used for that message – maybe Beans would know.