EdB is bored – this is dedicated to him:
What happened to the Sleeper Cells
As the media cycle counts events in days, Iran counts them in decades. There are ways to identify them legally and to neutralize them. The skill sets necessary to achieve success in this endeavor are not widely distributed among law enforcement officers and intelligence officers. A title does not equate to skill. In many cases, those with the requisite skills are ‘promoted’ out of their most effective positions to supervisory or management roles, often far removed from those key operational tasks that protect the country.
The bureaucracy often operates at odds with the best interests of Americans. If you try to address this, the bureaucracy will attack you, not out of specific malice but because it’s baked into the system.
The FBI will claim oversight for impacting these sleeper cells, and their track record has been dismal. Sometimes a blind pig finds a truffle. Perhaps the FBI, under new management, will be able to dismantle these sleeper cells (with necessary prejudice). Crafting the transformation of the FBI and the CIA under President Trump may extend beyond his administration. I hope that’s how it will play out.
Throughout my career, I’ve witnessed various bureaucracies repeat this behavior to the benefit of the nefarious. I have very little faith that the US government and various governmental subsets will be able to pull it off over time.
Bullet Points:
** I thought of Surly…ageless, timeless, surviving after we’re all gone.
** What’s happening in Appalachia? Low birth numbers are ruining the seventh son of a seventh son’s gift of sight beyond sight.
**I went to Z-Ha-Dum and didn’t die. Who am I?
** Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a new state budget that includes knifing away at healthcare for illegal aliens to help shore up a $12 billion budget shortfall in California.
** Flying with MRSBRM – two red/two white
** Too many village idiots. Too few dragons.
** Riding – with Lord High Executioner Beans.
** In the UK, Dozens of MPs are pushing a refugee scheme for Palestinians. What a fantastic idea. Select the dregs of the planet that nobody, including fellow Arabs, wants – and bring them to Great Britain to bolster the number of Muslims already living there. How impossibly woke.
** Heatwave Pizza – commentary from Jules.
By the Beard of the Prophet – Can’t I be Added to the Twelver Shi’ia Enemy List?
The ayatollah (of rock-and-rolla) Makarem appears in the photo (left) Shirazi asked for a “severe punishment” against President Trump.
The religious leader, known for his tenderness toward goats, issued a fatwa after Tehran accused the US president and senior Israeli officials of “threatening” Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei (with whom he shares goats). In a recent fatwa, ayatollah Nasser Makarem Shirazi ruled that any person or regime that “threatens” Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, or the maximum Shiite religious authorities—known as marja—will be considered “enemy of God” and guilty of the crime of moharebeh, a criminal figure that it implies “waging war against God.”
This accusation, in Iranian legislation, can entail penalties as severe as execution, amputation, or exile. The religious leader made the statement after being asked how Muslims should respond to the “repeated threats” of US President Donald Trump and Israeli authorities against the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and other important Shiite clerics, reported by state agencies IRNA and Mehr News, in what Iran interpreted as an attempt to destabilize its religious and political leadership.
Why stop at President Trump, you old pederast? There are a lot of us who have threatened the various ayatollahs. Why can’t we be added to the list?
Next time, we need to release rods from God (carrying pig fat inside the tungsten rods). Make it happen, Lord High Executioner, Beans.
Maneuvers
The US Navy fleet tug USS Abnaki (ATF-96) and the Soviet trawler Gidrofon (a SIGNIT and spy ship) are underway in the South China Sea (right).
The Abnaki was operating with the aircraft carrier USS Ranger (CVA-61) on December 18, 1967, when the Soviet trawler attempted to interfere with the battlegroup’s operations. The Soviet ship was attempting to jam the radios of the US ships while also trying to block off Ranger.
At one point, the trawler had attempted to pin Abnaki between it and Ranger. With only a few hundred yards of space, Abnaki’s captain decided that if a ship were to be hit, it would be the Soviet ship. Abnaki immediately turned into the Soviet ship, ramming it near the stern. The impact stove in a hull plating and shoved the Soviet trawler off course. Abnaki received no damage.
The referenced photo was taken immediately after the impact occurred.
Beclowning — or Every Party Needs a Pooper
The Left’s self-be-clowning – NYC Democrat primary, which promises to be a boon to the GOP and one more self-inflicted Biblical plague on New York City. And one that, just like in the original, is going to result in a Jewish exodus, with Mamdani playing the role of Temu Pharoah. And this time, nobody has to wait around, pleading, “Let my people go.” Because the Hebrews now have access to U-Haul, and unlike the Red Sea, I-95 South is wide open, baby!
If I can be serious before mocking the hell out of the idiotic voters in NYC – and I know that the 90% gives the other 10% a bad name – this is a sad story. Truly. A great nation should have great cities, and NYC used to be one of the greatest cities in the world. It’s tragic to see what has already happened to it, before we even get to what’s going to happen to it soon. I know that some of my fellow conservatives say, “Don’t worry about it. Let NYC become a warning to the country and the world of what can happen when you elect terrible socialists to positions of power. It will provide a valuable FAFO lesson.”
That’s true. But it’s not like we need ANOTHER warning, or more FAFO lessons! We’ve got Chicago (RIP). And LA. And San Francisco. And Baltimore, and Detroit, and New Orleans. And the nations of Venezuela, Cuba, old East Germany, and current Haiti, and…
We collectively watch Dem voters choose their self-degradation makes me feel the same kind of pity and frustrated anger I get when I see a junkie – ravaged, scarred and dope-sick – shooting up one more time. Then I remember that many of those voters would force that hellish descent on the rest of us if they had a chance, and I say – with another famous New Yorker, Jerry Seinfeld – “Yikes. Good luck with all that.”
And it’s not like New York City or the state were doing great in recent years anyway. It’s been a one-party Democrat town for what seems like forever, with the brief interregnum of the Giuliani and Bloomberg years, and the old lions of the party were content to turn into hyenas, scavenging off the accomplishments left to them by previous generations, while letting the place slowly go to pot.
(Midwesterners call this process “eating your seed corn.”)
In Iran
Fordow Enrichment Plant: Satellite imagery from Maxar shows Iran preparing to assess damage at the Fordow Enrichment Plant following U.S. MOP strikes. A large crane is positioned at one impact site near ventilation shaft #2, with a backhoe clearing the area. A bulldozer is preparing a pad at another site. Cameras are expected to be lowered first, then personnel if safe.
Ventilation shaft #2 is more accessible due to stable rock, while shaft #1 sits on loose, unstable terrain, making crane access difficult. All three shaft holes at site #1 remain open, but auxiliary shafts at #2 have been covered, indicating likely entry there first. Multiple dump trucks were spotted near the east access portal, suggesting debris removal is underway.
Identify the Aircraft
1
Let’s take a tumble into general aviation
3,282 were built in the series.
2
#1 and #2 have something (obvious) in common. What is it?
199 built
3
Back to general aviation
115 built
An American all-metal, 4-seat, twin-engined light, low-wing cantilever monoplane using a honeycomb and bonded metal construction that is the hallmark of the line. The early single-spar wing was upgraded to a double-spar configuration, which allowed for a wet wing.
Parting Shot
The Familiar Cycle
End
I love Diane Morgan – she’s so funny.
I’ve decided to go into the rebranding business because apparently you can make a fortune over here . Ten seconds on Canva – half a million quid. See for yourself – https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/uk/civil-servants-gov-uk-logo-spend-500k/
I have no words for my country leaders anymore. I’m sticking to my pizza bubble in my village garden.
You could form ClownCo, Ltd. And become an advisor to governments worldwide as part of your rebranding and outreach.
I’m in for a few quid.
Ps. What’s a quid?
Squid?
In for a penny, in for a pound(£). (Paul M, that is your clue.)
Heh…kidding actually…been watching Top Gear and Clarkson’s Farm, gathered some British vernacular, like “chips”, or “crisps”….and “a pint”….like they have a different word for everything.
You guys all work on the money side of ClownCo Ltd. I’ll work the pizza oven in Jules’s garden so when you’re done provinding money for all of us (to equally share in its profits) you’ll have delicious homemade pepperoni, sausage, bacon and seven cheese pizza to eat. Tips will of course be expected or no seconds.
…and the artisanal pizza HAVE to be odd shaped anyway, so Jules got it right.
Now that’s a company I can get behind!
Quids in, Paul!
Free pizza bonus too!
By the way, Bill, there’s a pub close by to me called.. Inn for a Penny.
You gotta have a sense of humour over here.
The worst thing about being in the company of clowns is getting a custard and cream pie planted in your face, which is also the best thing about being around them.
Only if it’s fresh cream and a proper custard.
Identify the Aircraft”
1. Grumman American AA-5
2. Grumman F-11 Tiger
#1 and #2 have something (obvious) in common. What is it?: The first has models named tiger as is the second.
3. Gulfstream American GA-7 Cougar
Well done!
Bullet Points: You’ll know I’ve been terminated if you ever find me on a beach!
I went to Z-Ha-Dum and didn’t die. Who am I? Capt. John Sheridan of Babylon 5
Yes!!
Did Sheridan actually not die? Or was it something else that happened to him?
The Vorlons know and they all have the same name. Clones?
He kind-of-died at Z’ha-Dum. And was brought back to life after a… peculiar version of Purgatory and questioning with Lorien, a first one, with the stipulation that he had a limited amount of time, 20 years, to live.
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There are questions about whether the first ‘death’ was a full dead or just ‘mostly dead’ (reference to “Princess Bride”) moment.
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Basically it’s Schoedinger’s Sheridan. He wasn’t dead or alive until Lorien made the choice.
Captain Sheridan. Also Kosh, since he was also there, and Lorien. But who would know all that but the person who’s been binge watching the show this week. Happy 4th, and don’t thump the Book of G’Quan, it’s disrespectful.
I knew it, but I binged it a few months ago.
Everybody claims to have binged it….
I’ll take the quiz.
I need to re-binge it very soon.
It’s a great series.
We binged it, along with all the movies and Crusade. And being anal-retentive, we watched them in ‘date’ order of the action.
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The whole series does NOT need a reboot. If anything could be done to make it ‘better’ it would be the application of modern CGI to replace he CGI in the originals. Though the original CGI still holds up and, to me, looks better than a lot of modern CGI.
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Of course, at the Beans’ Manor, binge-watching means watching one or two episodes a night rather than watching a whole heap-of episodes.
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The whole mega story still holds true all these years. Notable was the change of title music every season that defined that season’s arc. From hopeful to hopeless to vengeful to victorious. Excellent use of music throughout the series.
The lefts be-clowning; So true h/t Jordan Peterson, ” bitter resentment for anyone who is successful.” Seattle’s banner corporation, Boeing, staffing now has risen to over 80k. Likewise Portland’s flagship employer, Nike, thrives. Employing 11,400 in Oregon, mostly at a 400-acre headquarters campus. The company employs 83,700 worldwide. More than 1.1 million people work in Nike’s 502 contract factories, mostly in Vietnam, Indonesia and China.
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Meanwhile these prosperous and proud cities, with Clown Mayors, fail to “strengthen the hand of the poor and the needy.”
As described by the prophet Ezekiel, comparing Jerusalem to her sister city, Sodom. (16:49)
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A 2019 documentary, ” Seattle is dying ” describes the carnage. Terminating the continuous cycles of ineffective bureaucracy and truly rehabilitate the drug addiction as well as improving the mental health of ” the deplorables” would be an amazing accomplishment!
Yeah…but…but…those “leaders” know better than you or anyone else….which is why “it’s working so well”…to drive their cities off the cliff. It’s one of two things: a) It’s on purpose, b) They really are that galactically stupid and arrogant.
You are talking about the fbi who thought nothing of killing a man’s wife and child for allegedly making a sawed off shotgun.
Yes, that FBI
UK for New Gaza – sounds like a good plan, the place is already ruined so
there’s little to lose. They can all try and sneak over to France after, which
the French certainly deserve for the constant launching of skid-row dwellers
the other way across the Channel.
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Fordow – now is the time to blow up the crane.
*
– Kle.
“NYC Democrat primary, which promises to be a boon to the GOP and one more self-inflicted Biblical plague on New York City. And one that, just like in the original, is going to result in a Jewish exodus, with Mamdani playing the role of Temu Pharoah. And this time, nobody has to wait around, pleading, “Let my people go.” Because the Hebrews now have access to U-Haul, and unlike the Red Sea, I-95 South is wide open, baby!”
This IS history in action, as it’s been for the last ten thousand years! The invaders come and the losers either die, are enslaved/assimilated or they migrate and displace others.
Jewish people make an early escape due to innate fear and in anticipation of the downward spiral and eventual collapse of an institution. Spain in 1492, Germany prior to WWII, Cairo of the Bible/Old Testament, Russia/Soviet Union of the late-1800/early-1900s, Now France (particularly Paris), England/UK, many African, European, and Western Asian locales. Now vacating NY and other unwelcoming locations. With their escape goes their skills, knowledge, businesses, money, etc.
Re: Germany prior to WWII. Of the Jews,
The pessimists went to New York.
The optimists went to Auschwitz.
England and France have never ever been the best places for Jews. Jews may now just be realizing it, finally. Both countries/nations/versions of countries/nations have used and abused Jews and oftentimes thrown said Jews out after using and abusing them only to let them back in so they could be used and abused all over again.
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As to NYfC, hopefully the religious Jews escape, leading the JINOs (Jews in name only) firmly in charge of the mess they (the JINOS) are partially guilty of making.
The anecdote about the Soviet AGI trailing the USN carrier group … good reminder of the Cold War!
It reminds me of a 1980s article in USNI Proceedings someone showed me once, about the implications of having Soviet AGI “fishing trawlers” following our ships around and continuously sending reports back to the Kremlin. The article made an argument for immediately attacking and sinking the AGIs if hostilities with the USSR appeared imminent, to give our carriers a chance.
I suppose that’s kind of dated. There were lots of satellites up back in the 80s but these days I suppose there are so many more of them that each side in a conflict can have realtime imagery of all the areas of interest without having to have intelligence ships following the adversary.
I’m leaving New York City. I do not care to see what happens next. Even though local conditions are ripe for an alternative to Mamdani.
Good luck on your escape from NYC!
Claudio wants to leave before they wall off the place (as life imitates art).
Is Claudio getting aid from a guy with an eye-patch?
With the bridge-crossing prices increasing to ever-increasingly unaffordable levels, the mayors and other bureaucrats have essentially walled-off said city.
Claudio (through no fault of his own) wears an eyepatch as of today – he has become Snake Plissken.
I have no bad words/thoughts for Mamdan: I would probably have kind words for my executioner.
As a Nyoo Yawker for the first half of my life who, though watched from afar yet took great interest in the dirty/filthy politics of my shitty city, I’d like to point out the one man who IMHO during his term of office, did the greatest damage to the city and started it on its steep downhill plunge: John Vliet Lindsay. Though he was far from the only (there were some earlier mayors who wreaked damage as well), he managed to do the greatest amount while convincing the majority of denizens of his “good works.’
Mamdan reminds me of the graven god around whom all the virgins (believe that one) will dance while choosing one of their numbe to sacrcifice.
Re chasing Soviet AGIs away from carriers, there was an ‘incident’ in 72 or 73, with I believe the Connie where an AGI cut in front of the Connie in the middle of a launch. An A-3D from VQ-1 went off #2 cat and immediately hit the fuel dump (accidentally on purpose), as they overflew the AGI. It got a liberal dousing in JP-4 and immediately went radio silent and DIW as the BG steamed over the horizon. A friend of mine was the navigator in the right seat when that went down, and his ‘excuse’ was they needed to dump fuel to ‘maintain’ flying speed…LOL
If you need to dump fuel, you need to dump fuel. If Ivan decides to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, it’s not the problem of the US Navy. Actually, it could be considered to be a donation to Mother Russia – an act of largess in the form of Navy Distillate.
2 red, 2 white… life is all right.
Yeah, riding a gator… ah… er… nope. A good horse can handle those water levels and you stand a lesser chance of being bit by a horse than a gator. That’s not saying a horse won’t bite you, as the best war horses will, but the chances are less. And the destruction of your body is far less.
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Regarding Alligator Alcatraz, well, please tell me you’re stupid by saying the middle of the Everglades and an air-conditioned facility is worse than the shithole countries the illegals came from or passed through.
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It’s the Everglades, for goodness sake. It’s navigable and transversible by foot even in these modern times. Arguably the increase in constrictor snakes has actually made the place ‘safer’ for two-legged creatures like humans and skunk-apes.
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And, yes, there’d better be a fence around the facility.