What Do You Call a Playboy Bunny Visiting Greenland in French?

 Parfait (means perfect); referring to a frozen desert

Democrats Use RIots of Own Creation as a Reason Not to Pass a Federal Budget Bill

 The Democratic Party increasingly treats civil disobedience as a standard operating procedure, using it as a substitute for competent federal-level governance. A recent example can be seen in the anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) protests and riots in Minnesota.

In an effort to prevent ICE officials from enforcing federal law, activists and political allies engaged in direct confrontation with federal agents, including sound-based harassment, physical obstruction of streets, and attacks on hotels where ICE personnel were staying. As a result of these confrontations and the broader breakdown of public order, two Minnesotans were shot and killed by Border Patrol or ICE officers.

According to federal accounts, one individual struck a law-enforcement officer with a vehicle, while another was reportedly in possession of a semi-automatic handgun, which—amid the confusion of the confrontation—contributed to the fatal shooting. Investigations into these incidents are ongoing.

At the same time, Democrats in Congress are refusing to pass a federal budget that fully funds ICE and Border Patrol without imposing additional conditions. This approach amounts to holding essential federal law-enforcement functions hostage for ideological purposes rather than engaging in serious legislative governance.

Calls to defund or disarm police and federal law-enforcement agencies reflect a departure from political and social reality. The world is not composed solely of law-abiding, God-fearing citizens, and effective governance requires the maintenance of public order. Encouraging or excusing riots—particularly those that follow inflammatory rhetoric from political leaders—undermines good citizenship and erodes public trust in democratic institutions.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/26/us/politics/democrats-shutdown-ice-shooting.html

A nation can endure politicians who manufacture their own political crises and still survive, but it cannot move forward constructively under such conditions. When political leaders encourage confrontation with federal law enforcement and then leverage the resulting chaos for budgetary or ideological gain, they are not practicing civil disobedience—they are practicing abdication. A republic cannot function when law enforcement becomes negotiable and disorder becomes a political tool.

Minnesotans Show Incivility in Anti-Rule of Law Movement

 When the United States Customs Enforcement agency sent 2000 agents to Minnesota late last year to uncover illegal alien operations and fraud they might have known that Minnesota would present a secessionist posture to ICE as a federal law enforcement agency. That is, if an agency similar to ICE were sent to the antebellum south to enforce federal law against slavery (if that had existed), they would have been met with a similar response or worse. Democrats seem to feel that law enforcement should not have weapons, and rioters and others should always be treated with dignity and respect by law enforcement officers they are spitting, cursing and throwing stones at.

Protestors were creating a dangerous, anarchic environment attempting to disrupt law enforcement. Only an idiot would believe that taking a loaded semi-automatic pistol to interfere with law enforcement would not be dangerous. In the chaos and danger when the gun was seen an officer reacted with the shooting of Alex Pretti- guns can be fired from the ground. In that noisy, violent close contact of resistance a hand anywhere near a gun was perhaps perceived as a deadly threat. The shout of 'gun' by a law enforcement officer probably was the trigger for another officer to shoot at the offender of reference- even though the meaning 'gun in the hand of the offender' was not what the shout of 'gun' meant in the incident.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UvWloHwMMs

Illegal aliens ruined the casual labor market in America the past 30-40 years for men. THey also prevented wages for labor from increasing much. For those Americans in unskilled and semi-skilled jobs that was quite harmful. Democrats may like cheap, under-the-table-workers that harm Americans, yet they haven't a right to obstruct federal law enforcement to arrest and return illegal migrants to their own countries. Neither should Democrats make a practice of protecting activities in Minnesota sending millions to thoise perpetrating federal financial frauds. Democrats are the party that are non-conformists to election results and wage perennial, maximum opposition to rule of law.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOIDkDToGck

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UvWloHwMMs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTAGDM4ALvA

Ukraine is a Training Space for Drug Cartel Members on Anti-Drone Tech

Drug cartels are among those profiting from experience in the Ukraine war for applications on smuggling toxic substances into the U.S.A. Gemini provided a summary of some of the drone situation with the Coast Guard and Border Patrol.

Gary- The armed forces of Ukraine are fielding anti-drone drones; do illegal drug importers use that sort of thing to take down border patrol drones?

Gemini- "In 2026, illegal drug importers, primarily Mexican cartels, have significantly escalated their use of drone technology to counter U.S. law enforcement, though their "anti-drone" tactics differ from the kinetic dogfights seen in Ukraine. Rather than solely using "anti-drone drones" to physically ram or take down border patrol assets, cartels primarily use electronic warfare, surveillance, and offensive weaponization to disrupt government operations. 

Cartel Anti-Drone and Counter-Surveillance Tactics

• Electronic Warfare: Cartels have begun deploying jammers and other electronic warfare systems to disrupt the control signals of rival cartels' drones and potentially those of law enforcement.
• Decoy Drones: Smugglers use decoy drones to act as diversions, intentionally drawing Customs and Border Protection (CBP) attention to a "fake" drop site while a secondary drone safely delivers the actual narcotics elsewhere.
• Cyber Attacks and Hacking: Criminal organizations have recruited IT specialists to hack or take control of unencrypted law enforcement drones, sometimes using malware like Maldrone or specialized drones like SkyJack to hijack controls mid-flight.
• Targeting Agents Directly: There are increasing reports and internal warnings of cartels authorizing kamikaze drone attacks specifically targeting U.S. Border Patrol agents and service members with explosives. 

Technological Transfer from Ukraine

There is evidence of direct tactical learning from global conflicts. As of late 2025 and early 2026, investigations have identified cartel members being sent to 

Ukraine

 to receive training in the International Legion specifically on offensive drone operations, skills they then bring back to enhance Mexican cartel programs. 

U.S. and Mexican Responses in 2026

• $115 Million DHS Investment: In January 2026, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a massive investment in both drone and counter-drone technologies to specifically address cartel capabilities.
• Joint Intelligence Sharing: On January 20, 2026, the U.S. and Mexico agreed to link intelligence analytics software to identify and thwart drone threats along the border.
• State-Level Authority: New laws in 2025 and early 2026, such as those in 
  Arizona
  , now legally allow local law enforcement to shoot down or electronically intercept drones suspected of criminal activity along the border. 

Ukraine Conflict is a Trade and Civil War Sponsored by England, Germany, Poland Etc.

 The Ukraine war is comparable to a civil war and they tend toward being the most vicious sort of conflicts. Especially one with the secessionists sponsored by the rich and led by a picked comedian selected by the rich. The war could continue for decades or until the last Ukrainian soldier dies on the battlefield and no more mercenaries or international forces can be found to continue the battle.

The Ukraine war and sanctions on Russia radically disrupt the global flow of trade and prevent the development of new trade routes. It implicitly stops Arctic ocean developments of trade routes and trans-Eurasian land routes from increasing. There is a great deal of wealth made from existing global trade routes, oceanic and cities involved with the present system that would have a new competitor if the war ends favorably for Russia, sanctions end and peace breaks out. From the European point of view controlling all of Ukraine and bringing it into the E.U. would best perpetuate Europe's advantaged position in global trade so far as that remains.  Russia would be filtered out of being a hub for world trade. The United States  would benefit from new trade routes across Russia and on Arctic littoral shipping increases to Alaska.

Russians are generally accomplishing the goal of securing the Donbas, Crimea, Donets, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and other regions East of the Dnipro in spite of the hundreds of billions of dollars of weapons and military intelligence poured in to prop up secessionist forces. England is the most strong supporter of secession continuing the tradition begun perhaps with their support for Southern American rebels after their invasion of 1812 burning the U.S. capital evolved into a fiasco at New Orleans. France is another supporter of rebels agitating to stimulate and continue the war with its tradition of offing the rich with revolts. The problem is the French themselves are rich these days too, Russians aren't, Poles are paranoid and Germans are legendary evil Krauts lusting to blitzkrieg again.

The U.S. Government has yet to resolve to fully stop supporting Ukraine. Ukraine was generally always a part of Russia from the time of Catherine the Great- no one has a better claim on the much contested over history borderland, and the U.S.A. is rather dense to be involved in that historical quagmire. Russia may produce it's own Suvarov to thwart aristocratic, royalist, fascist or whatever else sort of forces one wants to call them fighting to wrest areas important to Russian security and prosperity away from Russia semi-permanently (until some future round). There are so many emerging threats to the survival of humanity on Earth from the over-the-horizon advances in technology that the war fought these days with drones, counter-drones and hypersonic missiles that the conventional aspect of it seems almost quaint through tragically stupid to prosecute when Ukrainian farmers and urban dwellers would find similar conditions of living when regardless of how the land is apportioned eventually.

Emerging technical weapons with nano-particles, AI and genetic engineering attacks would be slightly more manageable if the Ukraine war were settled amicably and soon. Political leaders working for the west probably have nothing besides greed and avarice in mind envisioning their business developments post war, and profit selling guns, weapons and harvesting body parts for transplants in the meantime. Old Europe probably needs lots of spare organs from healthy young soldiers lost to the predation of drones.

Comparing Micro-Plastics to Pneumonic Plague Criteria and Alternatives to Plastic Bags

 I asked Grok about developments in alternatives to micro-plastics and got some interesting information.

Gary-Are there prospects for low cost and quantitatively viable alternatives to microplastics? Can chemistry or molecular physics alter plastics in a way to make them too large to be absorbed into cells? Isn't there some kind of small micron size necessary- comparable to the need in making weaponized pneumonic plague to convert it into an aerosol form (I read that in a book about biopreparat and Cold war history)

Thought for 24s

Grok-Yes, there are promising prospects for low-cost and quantitatively viable alternatives to microplastics, driven by ongoing research into bio-based and biodegradable materials. These alternatives aim to replace primary microplastics (intentionally added particles, like in cosmetics or abrasives) and reduce secondary ones (from degradation of larger plastics). For instance, bioplastics derived from food waste, such as starches or proteins, show potential for scalability at lower costs due to abundant raw materials.

Other options include polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) like polyhydroxybutyrates (PHBs), produced by bacteria from renewable sources, which can mimic traditional plastics but degrade fully without leaving microplastic residues.

Algae-based polymers are also gaining traction for their versatility and environmental benefits, potentially replacing plastics in packaging or textiles at competitive scales.

Natural alternatives like olive stone powders or cellulose-based microbeads from seaweed and fungi offer low-cost options for specific applications, such as exfoliants in personal care products, with some already commercially available. bio-powder.com +2 Challenges remain in matching the durability and production volumes of conventional plastics, but advancements in bio-based polymers from plant cellulose or lignin could enable broader adoption, especially as regulations push for microplastic bans.

Quantitative viability is improving; for example, PHA production costs have dropped with optimized microbial fermentation, making them feasible for high-volume uses like single-use items.

Chemistry and molecular physics can indeed alter plastics to prevent them from breaking down into sizes small enough for cellular absorption, primarily by redesigning polymer structures at the molecular level. Traditional plastics like polyethylene degrade via environmental factors (e.g., UV radiation, oxidation, and mechanical stress), leading to fragmentation into micro- and nanoplastics. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov +1 To counter this, chemists can incorporate cross-linking agents or stabilizers during synthesis to enhance chain stability, reducing brittleness and slowing degradation into small particles.

Molecular physics insights, such as studying polymer entanglement and crystallinity, allow for engineering "self-healing" or more elastic materials that resist fracturing.

Alternatively, fully biodegradable polymers (e.g., polylactic acid or PHAs) can be designed to break down via enzymatic hydrolysis into non-toxic monomers rather than persistent microfragments.

These modifications don't make existing plastics "larger" per se but prevent the formation of absorbable small particles altogether, addressing the root issue.You're correct that particle size is critical for cellular absorption, similar to the aerosolization requirements in weaponized pneumonic plague. For microplastics, cellular uptake and effects depend on size: particles larger than about 500 μm generally show limited cellular interactions or toxicity, as they're too bulky to enter cells easily.

Smaller microplastics (e.g., 1–20 μm) can be ingested by cells via endocytosis but often cause minimal disruption unless they're nanoplastics (<1 μm), which penetrate more readily and trigger inflammation, oxidative stress, or senescence. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov +4 Shape, surface chemistry, and charge also influence this, but size is a key threshold—nanoplastics (1–1000 nm) are the most bioavailable.

airqualitynews.com In the context of bioweapons like aerosolized Yersinia pestis (the bacterium causing pneumonic plague), particles need to be 1–5 μm in diameter for effective inhalation, as this size allows them to reach deep into the lungs' alveoli without being filtered out by the respiratory tract. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov +4 This parallels microplastic concerns, where sub-5 μm sizes enable environmental dispersal and biological uptake, highlighting why preventing fragmentation below these thresholds is a focus in plastic redesign.

Nano-machine Replacements for Plastic Bags- A Progress Report by Grok

There are myriad alternative ways to replace plastic bags or at least scale up the size of the plastic in order to avoid very small micron sizes that allow easy absorption into biological cells. One of the more interesting one is that of nano-machines. I had a conversation with Grok- prompting Alex as he is known alternatively;

Gary- Could semi-intelligent nano-machines form bags that serve like plastics yet when their purpose is served, collapse into a powder or maybe a cube for recycling as another bag?

Grok- Thought for 39s

"Yes, the concept of semi-intelligent nano-machines forming bag-like structures that function like plastics and then collapse into a powder or compact cube for recycling is theoretically feasible, drawing from emerging research in programmable nanomaterials, molecular robotics, and self-assembling systems. While we're not there yet for everyday consumer products like grocery bags, foundational technologies demonstrate assembly and disassembly on command at the nanoscale, with potential pathways to scale up for macroscopic applications.

Core Principles and Feasibility-At the heart of this idea are "smart" nanomaterials or molecular machines that can respond to external triggers (e.g., chemical signals, solvents, light, or temperature) to organize into functional structures and later break down controllably. These aren't fully autonomous "intelligent" nanobots like in science fiction, but rather engineered molecules or particles with programmed behaviors:

• Self-Assembly: Nano-machines could use weak intermolecular forces (like hydrogen bonding or DNA hybridization) to link together, forming a flexible, impermeable network similar to plastic polymers. For a bag, this might create a thin, durable sheet that holds shape under normal use.
• Disassembly on Command: Once the bag's purpose is served, a trigger could disrupt those bonds, causing the structure to collapse. This might result in a fine powder (dispersed nanoparticles) or, with more advanced control, a self-organized cube (via directed reassembly into a compact form). The components could then be recycled by reassembling them into new bags, minimizing waste.
• Semi-Intelligence: The "intelligence" comes from built-in molecular controllers or circuits that process signals autonomously, allowing the system to decide when to assemble/disassemble without constant external input.

This aligns with sustainable manufacturing goals, where materials are designed for infinite recyclability without energy-intensive melting or chemical breakdown.Supporting Research and ExamplesRecent advancements show this isn't just hypothetical:

• Swarm molecular robots, propelled by kinesin motors along microtubules, can self-assemble into bundled structures via DNA signals from a coexisting molecular controller. An "assemble" command aligns them into formations, while a "disassemble" signal disperses them automatically. This autonomous process, regulated by a DNA circuit, could inspire scalable systems for dynamic materials. phys.org Though currently microscopic, extending this to larger scales might involve hierarchical assembly (nano to micro to macro).
• A self-assembling electrolyte for EV batteries uses aramid amphiphile molecules that spontaneously form nanoribbons in water, which can be pressed into a solid structure. Immersion in organic solvents causes rapid disassembly—like dissolving cotton candy—separating components for easy recycling. news.mit.edu Researchers note this reversible process could adapt to packaging, such as bags that assemble for use and collapse into recyclable forms on a solvent trigger, avoiding traditional plastic pollution.
• Broader nanotech design principles advocate building disassembly directly into products, such as using reverse assemblers to break items into reusable elemental components or enabling biodegradation into harmless parts. azonano.com Proposals like a "Law of Disassembly" emphasize ensuring all nanotech items have at least one safe breakdown pathway, which could apply to macroscopic items by programming nano-units to revert to a powder or cube state for collection and reuse.

Other work, like self-folding origami robots or programmable 2D nanosheets, further supports the idea of materials that change form autonomously. herox.com +1Challenges and Prospects

• Scaling Up: Current demos are at nano/micro scales (e.g., for drug delivery or batteries), not macro like bags. Achieving uniform assembly over square meters would require trillions of nano-machines working in concert, plus ensuring mechanical strength comparable to plastics.
• Cost and Viability: Production of such nano-machines (e.g., via DNA synthesis or chemical engineering) is expensive now, but costs are dropping with biotech advances. Quantitative viability could emerge if raw materials are cheap and recycling loops are closed.
• Triggers and Safety: Disassembly might use benign triggers (e.g., water or mild solvents) to form powder, or magnetic/electric fields to compact into a cube. Ensuring they don't accidentally disassemble (e.g., in rain) or pose health risks (e.g., inhalable powder) is key.
• Timeline: Prototypes for niche applications (e.g., medical or military) might appear in 5–10 years, with consumer packaging following as regulations push for zero-waste materials.

In summary, while full implementation requires further R&D, the building blocks exist, and this could revolutionize plastics by making them truly circular and eco-friendly."

Semi-Auto Nail Puller

I don't know if it already exists, yet if not someone should invent an electronic nail puller for. Useful on large roofs in need of replaced plywood or osb, a nail puller shaped like a Colt model 1911 with a powerful new battery instead of a magazine- or perhaps like a grease gun, would punch into the wood in a circle (adjustable) around a nail head to a depth of a quarter of an inch, tighten and extract- perhaps ejecting a nail like a spent cartridge.

A semi-auto nail puller would be a useful tool.

On Criticism of Self-Publishing

 I opt for writing positively. Being a critic is all too easy. Human nature seems to enjoy dissing others. If one hasn't anything positive to say then sometimes it is better to leave it unsaid. In literature there is a profusion of publishing that occurred with the advent of computers and the internet. Anyone can publish anything they like, precociously on-line without wait, review maturation or delay- instant gratification that trolls will follow up with attacks. There is something of an existential nature to publishing including an unlimited stream of AI generated books offered for sale. That is a phenomenal 21st century communication development. 

I used to give away 200 books a month of a particular cosmology-creation analysis e-book and then, during the Obama administration, that dropped to zero from my on-line self publisher. I literally could not give away books- just zero visibility. So in my opinion, without a regular publisher with an advertising budget selling books of any sort will be difficult. People have also moved on to preferences for videos and sometimes audio books because reading requires a little discipline. I believe harsh criticism without standing can be a misplaced activity with time better spent on production. Quality writing should receive some recommendation. Commend those with As or Bs, encourage those with Cs and understand those with Ds and Fs, yet withhold dumping abuse on those poor souls. Internet fraud is a better thing to be vigilant about; in all its various forms.

A Note on Nominalism, Realism, Epistemology and Philosophy of Language

 Logicians with linguistic philosophy tend to avoid make errors with words. There are various forms of symbolic logic, like predicate, propositional and term for instance. The entire point about formal logic is that valid statements need be technically supported. Though syllogistic logic isn't symbolic logic- syllogisms are classical, there are 256 possible forms of syllogism and only 23 are valid forms. With words and thinking with words one realizes that words too need be supported as one considers propositions about things; such as 'the sky is blue' or 'oceans have a lot of water'. A proposition in logic is a statement that is either true or false.

The philosophy of language is a fascinating subject. W.V.O. Quine in Ontological Relativity covered a lot of ground and discussed Saul Kripke's book 'Naming and Necessity'. In that book Kripke basically considered the nature of words and their meaning and if names are realist or nominal. That is do names and words have meanings that are just made or created with use and change or disappear over time, or do they have a real meaning independently of the use that lasts. For example will the name Winston Churchill mean anything in 1000 years. Kripke was a neo-realist. I tend to opt for Quine's view of nominalism. It does make a difference though- Plato's Republic and the theory of forms was based on realism rather than nominalism. The debate has continued about 2500 years in all sorts of fields and modern ideas about truth values- there actually are several theories of truth formally defining what it is. I tend to like disquotation theory that is a kind of verification paradigm. One says that A is A and one verifies that it is the case that A is A. Language is of practical value in communication and that can just be what is useful. Christian theological ideas are different than secular ideas though. Jesus is Truth because God is the source of everything- so in that context God is the only truth and everything else is contingent or emergent and partial lol.

One other point though- words and language exist in mind rather than in nature.  Water doesn't have a label on its molecules that say hydrogen or oxygen and water doesn't have an implicit water label on it- people make up those words

I wanted to point out my technical error, that I did correct, in writing noumenal rather than nominal. That was something like a complex typo; I am more used to discussing Kant's noumenon and phenomenal relationships rather than nominalism. Nominalism versus realism is the language debate. Kant's Critique of Pure Reason began a technical exploration of what it is that one perceives of the world that probably started with Plato. Kant named the things that one perceives phenomenal, and the things that a human cannot ever perceive, noumenal. Sartre made up terms like in-itself, for-itself and for-others etc. And I believe those are consistent with Kant's categories of noumenon, and phenomenon.

Trump Doctrine and Greenland; Macron's Nuuk

 President Trump, after eliciting comparisons to the Monroe Doctrine in his posture toward the western hemisphere such that it is also known as the Trump Doctrine, has been very active in negotiating Art of the Deal paradigmata in regard to Greenland. The president is so busy on various global affairs that it is challenging to keep track of all of these unexpected approaches to diplomacy that has set European politicians aflame.

https://www.foreignaffairs.com/united-states/trumps-year-anarchy

President Trump may have realized, unlike previous presidents, that the new European Union has brought those former more sedate post-W.W. Two recovering nations into a status comparable to the new China. Each is experiencing the maturity of growth to global power. China seeks to flex its global political and economic muscles as does the new European Union. The EU leadership seems to feel the United States will treat it as it formerly treated the E.C. in the post W.W. 2 decades and regard Russia as it did the former Soviet Union. While the EU has grown and continues to grow in power, military assets and geography, as does China, the United States largely remains the same. The President may have realized that allowing the EU to own Greenland- located in the western hemisphere, presents a potential threat to the United States equal to that of China owning Greenland.

The E.U. as a large military, economic and political unit that functions as if it were a nation in some respects, with a national political identity will not always agree with the United States on critical issues, and in the future it may exploit Greenland's location and resources for leverage or even attack upon the United States. Nuuk Greenland is 300 miles closer to Washington D.C. than Los Angeles. A missile launched from Nuuk would need only 10 or 15 minutes to hit Washington D.C. The EU expects U.S. support in expanding eastward into Ukraine. The BIden administration actually funded that and helped isolate the U.S.A. from good relations with Russia.

https://www.politico.eu/article/trump-calls-rutte-sets-greenland-summit-leaks-macron-text-taunts-canada-slams-uk/

It may be, except for President Macron who likes to express the French foreign legion's attitude of never respecting authority, that European leaders still respect the authority of the U.S. President in regard to sovereign concerns in the western hemisphere. Macron may feel that he has a beast in the fight- with Quebec being a French speaking province and France being one of the few democracies that continued to have colonies into the 1950s and 60s (i.e. Algeria and Vietnam).

It is difficult to know what President Trump really plans to do with the cards he holds internationally. Apparently he likes to play them at the high stakes table of global security and trade. Certainly the United States has some that would feel that standing pat at the table while China, the EU and the BRIC block rise wouldn't be a good plan- that the United States would proportionately continue to diminish in relative power. Certainly Macron can count on the Democrat party to act as a fifth column that hates Trump and prefers an 'enlightened’ European viewpoint on the U.S. President who they feel, as Macron said indirectly at Davos, that President Trump is a bully.

I am not sure that President Trump cares what the French President thinks. At least he did not go full Monty Python and say; "I fart in your general direction" in reply.

A Boating Story

Another boating story; In late October 2018 I went to Juneau and bought a 13’ skiff to return to Wrangell on the inside passage. I had taken a 2.5 h.p. motor with me on the ferry to power the vessel homeward. There were a million things to buy and get done before I set off. First thing that occurred when I pushed the used boat away from the boat ramp was that the drain plug was gone and water started rushing in the stern. So I returned to the ramp, pulled the boat out of the water and got a drain plug. Later in the day I finally took off motoring down Gastineau channel toward Taku Inlet. It is few miles and the water was calm, the sky overcast and somewhat dark with a wind forecast of 15 to 20 mph. A little strong for safety yet within theoretically acceptable limits. The temperature was in the 30s F for a low.

Waves increased a little as I ventured toward more open water. It was slow going with the 2 and a half- maybe 5 m.p.h. It is perhaps 15 miles to the far side of Taku Inlet from Gastineau Channel approximately. About 4 miles southward the Channel ends and the confluence of water from four directions occurs; water from the bay known as Taku Inlet with famous Taku winds from the Taku Glacier and Taku River, Frederick Sound and Stephens passage all with different tidal flow directions and volumes. The wind and waves continued to increase yet when I reached the point of no return the waves that had not been too visible increased to be quite a bit larger. They tended toward rolling down from the Inlet in the direction of Doty Cove on Admiralty Island. I had to go parallel to the prevailing wave direction to reach the far side, and the waves became at least six feet high and quite irregular as water from other directions entered in. Wind increases notably when one reaches the Taku Inlet wind funnel.

I was in a survival situation with no place to go beside forward. I should have felt some emotion yet I realized that if the boat capsized- and that was even likely, I would drown and die of hypothermia and the boat would end up several miles downwind on the shore of Admiralty Island. The waves were too high and tightly spaced to risk running with them. The bow would have buried itself in a wave trough or pitch-poled most likely, and going against them was an idiot’s choice. Instead I tried to surf them a little angling somewhat forward, speeding in troughs and sometimes surfing along crests while trying to let them pass beneath as I continued toward Slocum Bay on the south side of Taku Inlet. 

The experience was surreal as my survival was in a state of suspense for an hour. There was no or little emotion for that was obviously without purpose. The experience was like watching a movie. To remain alive required constant attention to motion from several directions- wind, waves and prayer without ceasing. Even though I got a little water splashed into the gas tank when I ran out of gas three times and had to refuel, eventually I drew closer to the Slocum Bay. John Slocum incidentally was the first solo sailor to sail around the world- he was lost at sea on a different solo voyage.

When I made it to Slocum Bay I continued south along the mainland into Frederick Sound and spent the night at Limestone Inlet. I anchored and the rain began to pour. I anchored in the water instead of letting the boat rest on the mudflats because the area is strong brown bear turf. A pair of teenagers were killed by a brown bear years before while they were dressing a deer they’d shot at Taku Harbor a couple of miles away. In the middle of the night a very strong wind from the north flew down a mountain and slammed my boat into the rocks downwind were it bounced and dent the boat in the dark. Eventually I got my collapsed tent over the boat out of the way and started the motor to run to the other side of the bay where a crabber had left his pots in the only deep place suitable for anchoring out of the wind in Limestone Inlet. I put the boat on the mudflats and watched uneasily through the night for the approach of brown bear. That was the start of the journey.

On Emotions

 II think of emotions as if they are machine or assembly language, and consciousness as a higher level language that is self-aware. I took several computer programming courses in the early 1980s and so like to use that as a way to illustrate emotions. I believe that emotions are a primitive holdover and forerunner of the development of the conscious and subconscious thought- they are all on a spectrum. Emotion is less accurate than conscious thought, yet it expresses imperatives meaningful to those experiencing them- fear, love and hate are examples. Usually one has good cause to experience sudden emotions- they can recognize circumstances faster than rationalization sometimes. 

I feel like emotions are something of a self-reflection event too. They are for-oneself, and something that one cannot communicate directly to others, as one may language representing conscious thought. Philosophers have a criterion of solipsism- the belief that one can only really know one's own mind exists, and what it experiences- anything else is contingent. That is a hard idea to be aware of in a social environment, yet technically that is accurate. Sartre wrote that God is the only one who could know one's own mind and that of another as the other experiences it simultaneously (or at all). Emotion is a lesser primitive communication system occurring within one-self. Yet it is so powerful- I wonder what the origin is of that? 

So pragmatically one has to accept the naive reality perspective on relationships. A woman can bring herself and bonding to a man. The right woman brings happiness. Actually I believe that scientists have shown some sort of bio-chemical bonding occurs to a certain degree as well. Emotionally one might enjoy emergent experiences perhaps, as time and a relationship move on. Soldiers and philosophers usually are better off being objective and rational rather than emotional, yet not perhaps, always. I would think that people find conscious fulfillment in another before emotional. I would not even know how to program or store emotional satisfaction in a mind, or know if that can be done. To what extent does emotion have a memory for-itself? Or do emotions just have their own governor different than a conscious mind's?

Bolshevik Revolution Moved Life for Ordinary Russians Closer to Equality

 The average Russian for the better part of a millennium lived as subjects of royalty. The royals and aristocrats weren’t always corrupt and in a pre-modern world that form of government tended toward being practical. When the Kaiser’s army kicked the Romanov Army in August 1914 the end of the Romanov dynasty was greased especially well and eventually the Kaiser would help put V.I. Lenin and the Bolsheviks in power.

Lenin cut a treaty to buy time to reorganize Russian society. The Kaiser got part of Ukraine in exchange for an end to the war on Russia. In Ukraine today a peace should be established with a comparable rationale. The world and Europe need time to reorganize in order to form a stable post-Cold War balance of powers globally. Russia will not stop without the return of the Donetsk, Donbas, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia  and other areas of Eastern Ukraine securely within its borders with a non-threatening Western Ukraine beyond the Dnepro.

The communists swiftly and with much loss of life democratized Russia in comparison to the former aristocrat-serfdom, master-slave formed social environment. Plainly there is quite a difference between free enterprise democracy and communism in regard to individual self-determination and freedom to build capital, own private property and so forth, yet on the theoretical equality of the individual citizen in regard to the laws of the land, each shares the idea of social and legal equality. In time Soviet society discovered that communism did not bring a practical citizen’s paradise or optimal environment, and modern Russians being practical in a search for the best way for ordinary citizens to have a good life seemed in the popular realm to defect to the western way of free enterprise and democracy. 

A democracy was being built in Russia at Cold War’s end and a free enterprise environment was growing when Boris Yeltsin wrote a new Russian Constitution founded on principles of democracy. The Russian President was given super-powers in order to defend Russia internally and externally while the nation was emerging from its century of neo-autocratic communist leadership and transitioning to democracy building new institutions for governance and taxation internally. Then the west continued expanding N.A.T.O., unified the E.C. to become the E.U. and of course took Ukraine from Russia when it was as weak as a newborn puppy. Those elements would lead eventually to a Russian military effort to secure Ukraine against western hegemony comprising economic and military threats to Russian security.

There is no logical basis for the continuation of the Ukraine war on the basis of forms of governance disputes although those are often revived by Westerners without enough education or objectivity to recognize that Russia made a good faith effort to transition to democracy at the end of the Cold war and has been largely rebuffed by the west that preferred to regard Russia as a Soviet Union trying to recover Eastern European lands it had held in trust for about a half century after the German occupation. Russian leadership gave all of those lands up- returning them to independence, because they were independent nations before the Nazis blitzkrieg to conquest. The leadership of the late Soviet era were seeking glasnost and perestroika- openness and reconstruction and got that in abundance. The west tended to fail to realize that Russians sought the best for its citizens as members of democracy. 

They didn’t bargain for a west that would regard them as former and latent communists with mal intent. The policies that have brought maximum sanctions since 2014 when the Russians returned the Crimea to their nation through military action, also drove the Russian toward China for reinforcement. It would have been far better for U.S. interests if Russia had found the United States its ally in security and an adjustment of the Ukraine land distribution at the end of the Cold War instead of an enemy.

Progress in Weapons Tech Upgraded Much SInce World War Two Battle of Kursk and Kharkov at Kharkiv

During the Russian military campaign to retake lands lost to the west at the end of the Cold War the line of combat contact is reaching toward the city known during W.W. 2 as kharkov. Russians called western forces fascists, and that has an historical origin. A battle for the renamed city of Kharkiv would be in the city of what was known as Kharkov during the Second World War- known to Russia as The Great Patriotic War would be like an eternal recurrence. Presently the line of battle has reached Kupinsk- 65 miles from Kharkov.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_Battle_of_Kharkov

The battles of Kursk and Kharkov were the turning point in the Russian war to halt and reverse the fascist invasion of Russia. Russia had more than 6 million soldiers on the Eastern front and the  fascists about 3 million. This is an historical circumstance of the same battles occurring repeatedly in the same region for similar reasons. Kharkov and Kursk are the frontier borderlands where access to attack or defend Russia and Moscow are crucial. In this round the new Nazis have far better weapons and numbers than the Third Reich had. The U.S. Army invasion of Italy occurred at the same time forcing Germany to relocate troops south to defend Italy against Bob Dole and his army buddies.

https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/36a7f6a6f5a9448496de641cf64bd375

The Russians/Soviets had better intelligence than the Germans about the opfor for the campaign and used trenches and minefields to force the nazis into kill zones. Russian T-34 tanks reliability and numbers countered new German panzers that were difficult to service in the field. The Ukraine war today has been funded by the western nations like France, Germany and England and until recently, the United States. They have provided weapons, intelligence and cash to the government of Ukraine to continue the war on the eastern front.

The United States finds itself once again in a comparable position of having the capacity to substantially influence the outcome of the conflict by choosing to support one side or the other by commission or omission. If the Trump administration simply halts all support to the government of Ukraine that will increase the Russian’s prospects of achieving its goals of recovering much of the land east of the Dnepro and creating a northern security zone that prevents Ukraine from being able to launch drones so easily to attack Moscow and other locations deep inside Russia.

It is difficult to say what the world would have become if the fascists had won the Eastern front. If the west defeats Russia through attrition over time, we may find out.

Color and the Phenomenology of Mind

 In reply to; "what is your favorite color?"

Angstroms… frequencies of wavelengths, mechanics of perception and cognition to brain interp -

What color is a mirror set on a beach facing the ocean to the west?

I  look at colors objectively; as phenomenal appearances of surfaces reflecting light waves, or generating electro-magnetic spectrum frequencies in the case of radiant heat, that my brain interprets as colors. There isn't any color in nature. Color is all in-the-mind of an observer. It is like asking what color an atom is, or a quark, or a particle-wave.

One could make- and DARPA and others probably already have, surfaces that change reflecting qualities to make themselves able to present different colors reflecting from their surface. Something like that is also perhaps how one creates invisible army tanks or spaceships.

Someone asked me; "Tell me, when you allow yourself to step out of analysis for a moment, what kinds of experiences still move you the most? What reaches you without needing explanation?"

I replied; I suppose there are two; one would have to be sacrifice of life and the other would be the suffering of others. I met a medal of honor recipient once- an amazing fellow. Here is a video- the first made, of a medal of honor action filmed by a predator drone above. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7GXN-lZKQs

Christ of course accomplished both of those in a day. Remarkable people- good examples to try to emulate a little.

Elite soldiers are like pro athletes and it takes luck and effort to be one- I wasn't. Jesus was the Son in the Trinity and thus also elite lol. I read formal logic at the shed for a couple years when I was unemployed many years ago, and followed that with readings in the philosophy of logic and language. Strawson, Kripke, Quine, Wittgenstein etc. I consider what is possible and what is the ideal and act if I think it would be effective.

Epistemology is the theory of knowledge as a field of philosophy. Mind and its language content is somewhat phenomenal. There is an in-built, implicit logic to thought that exists even in the subconscious because mind is adapted to nature and the environment, yet intentional thought is to some extent a result of self-programming and learning. It tends to occur in a linear way as if it had a thermodynamic arrow of time, like time and the matter of the Universe do as well (although physicists say that it is at least mathematically reversible regarding symmetry of the entire physics of the cosmos - like a film that could be run backward. Others might disagree and say that quantum uncertainty would make it impossible to reverse the arrow of time. Consider that for a second though; if time is reversible then quantum uncertainty need be deterministic lol. Quantum mechanics and the physics of general relativity (and math) haven't been harmonized or unified as a continuum yet, and possibly never will since either or both may be superficial or penultimate accounts of the structure of Universe fields.

So one, if objective, might find better thought solutions or configurations upon which to act, if acting to correct things is possible.

Gaza Board of Peace, Greenland, Ukraine and Macron Leading the Charge

 President Trump sits at the head of the Gaza Executive Peace Board and is letting select others join as permanent members for a billion dollars. President Trump hasn't yet rescinded Canadian P.M. Carney's invitation. Plainly he won't invite French President Macron to join since Macron is urging the EU to deploy the 'economic bazooka' of trade sanctions on the U.S. - Macron has already deployed troops to Greenland to defrappe U.S. military takeover of the high ground of Greenland. https://www.politico.eu/article/hit-back-donald-trump-europe-mulls-unthinkable-options-greenland-threats-ramp-up-tensions/

The French President is an agitator for continuing war with Russia in Ukraine and may send troops there as well "to guarantee peace". That may be his motivation for sending French neo-N.A.T.O. member troops to the western hemisphere, and possibly French nuclear missile carrying submarines as well.

Gemini said of those- "French nuclear submarines, particularly the new Suffren-class (Barracuda program), are considered very good, representing a major technological leap with advanced stealth, sonar, and multi-mission capabilities like land-attack cruise missiles, making them potent assets for both deterrence and conventional warfare, though some experts debate their exact standing against top US/UK designs. They excel in acoustic discretion, making them hard to detect, and offer significant strategic advantages through their advanced weaponry and ability to deploy special forces. "

Peace is almost always a better option than war. Yet the Europeans are restive and eager to test out their new strength against the United States that they developed after the end of the COld War with the Soviet Union and unification as a single economic block. The strategic international elements and alliances are far more malleable than in prior centuries- although there was a lot of that in Europe as well. It is possible that the perfusion of crypto-currencies so useful for covert economic actions are also playing a role- what a great way to pay spies and bribe politicians without possibility of detection. Defense contractors are also enjoying the mass confusion and Democrats and European media have countless, profitable new opportunities to blame President Trump for a litany of anti-agenda activities on their bucket list from the ideal world.

While Europe's N.A.T.O. forces are conducting military exercises in Greenland with the United States as the theoretical enemy, it may be worthwhile bringing Japanese naval forces to Baffin Bay in the spring to conduct joint naval activities and field test new Japanese naval weapons.

Gemini described those as- "Japan's most significant new surface ship weapons are its advanced High-Energy Laser Weapon System (HELWS) for drone defense and an Electromagnetic Railgun prototype, both being tested on the JS Asuka, alongside developing next-generation hypersonic glide weapons (HVGP) for ship interception, all aimed at countering modern threats like drone swarms and hypersonic missiles. The 100kW laser offers unlimited shots against drones, while the railgun uses electromagnetic force for high-speed projectile launch, and the HVGP provides a stealthy, wave-riding capability for longer range. 

1. High-Energy Laser Weapon System (HELWS) 

• Function: Combines multiple 10kW lasers into a single 100kW beam to burn through drone hulls and mortar rounds.
• Platform: Installed on the JS Asuka test ship.
• Advantage: Offers "unlimited magazine" capability, limited only by ship power, making it ideal for swarms. 

2. Electromagnetic Railgun

• Function: Launches projectiles at Mach 6.5 (over 2,500 m/s) using electromagnetic energy, not explosives.
• Platform: Also on the JS Asuka for testing.
• Advantage: High velocity, longer range, and cost-effective for intercepting various threats, including hypersonic missiles. 

3. Hypersonic Glide Weapon (HVGP)

• Function: A supersonic, wave-riding missile with a seeker and networking for enhanced anti-ship attacks.
• Development: Planned for deployment around FY2026 to defend remote islands and target large surface ships.
• Advantage: Uses aerodynamic lift for extended range and can coordinate with other missiles in swarm attacks. 

These systems represent Japan's focus on developing advanced, cost-effective, and technologically superior naval defenses for the evolving maritime security landscape. "

Kaepernick or Jake Paul to Replace Broncos QB Bo Nix for the Rest of the Season?

 Former 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick could be Sean Payton's choice to replace the fallen Denver Bronco's quarterback Bo Nix lost for the season with an ankle fracture in the Broncos thrilling 33 to 30 win over the Buffalo Bills. While the New England Patriots may be the team of destiny, and the Seahawks seems like a good symbol for Pacific naval defense, Colin Kaepernick may be the season finale sub in a quest to seek social justice for Greenland, micro-crypto gaming or some other cause he believes worth kneeling for.

Kaepernick may be the best available free radical stand-in available. At just 38 and with zero hard contacts by onrushing linebackers the past few years- with few brain concussions recently he has the most success at the highest level. He lost, just barely, to the Ravens in Super Bowl XLVII by a score of 34 to 31 and played well. Since the Broncos are perhaps doomed to lose without a good enough game managing QB maybe they will go with the best available. 

Signing with the Broncos to play the final game or two of the NFL season would be a Jake Paul moment for Colin Kaepernick- or, wait a minute- why not sign Jake Paul?

Crypto Scams, Learn and Earn Platforms, Micro-Crypto Etc

 I saw President Trump on a live youtube video last night saying that all one needed to do was scan a code, send one's crypto and the federal government would double it for patriots. That was a brave offer made on a platform that had the Seahawks-49ers game on live. Well- it was a live address by the President, and of course made with AI fakery. Crypto schemes of the decentralized money abound these day.

There are crypto gaming platforms for learn and earn schemes- some are legitimate and others aren't. People invest time learn about crypto in videos in exchanger for micro-crypto payments of the blockchain currencies. Some of those are pyramid schemes or other sorts of levers. Last year there was more than 5 billion dollars in crypto fraud.

 To my knowledge, crypto gaming hasn't yet conquered the online blitz chess playing realm, yet I suppose that it will. When players can earn even a tiny percent of micro-crypto currency for gaming, that is the direction they migrate to. Advertising and activity on gaming platforms are an incentive for developers to begin a crypto-currency and a gaming platform to publicize and induct users.

People are inclined to supplement regular earnings at home with the crypto gaming and learning and earning platforms so I will post a couple of AI observations about the phenomenon.

https://www.coinfantasy.io/blog/how-does-a-crypto-game-work/

Gemini- "Crypto learning gaming platforms, which often utilize a "learn-to-earn" or "play-to-earn" (P2E) model, use gamification to educate users on crypto concepts and reward them for their time and engagement with digital assets that can have real-world value. 

Platform Mechanics and User Induction

Crypto learning and gaming platforms use game design elements like challenges, quizzes, and rewards to onboard users into the Web3 ecosystem. 

• Gamified Learning: Platforms such as CoinBase Earn and Binance Academy provide interactive lessons and quizzes. Users are often rewarded with small amounts of cryptocurrency for completing these educational modules, making the learning process engaging and incentivized.
• Play-to-Earn (P2E) Model: This model is central to crypto gaming. Players can earn in-game items as NFTs or a specific game's cryptocurrency by completing tasks, winning battles, or exploring virtual worlds. This effectively monetizes the time players spend in the game, a departure from traditional gaming where assets have no real-world value outside the game's closed system.
• Asset Ownership: Unlike traditional games where assets are centrally controlled by developers, crypto games utilize blockchain technology to provide players with true ownership of their in-game items (e.g., skins, weapons, virtual land) in their own digital wallets. These assets can then be traded on decentralized exchanges and marketplaces. 

Use of User Time and Value

The platforms "use" user time by converting the user's engagement and gameplay into a verifiable, monetizable activity on the blockchain. 

• Monetization of Engagement: The time spent by users is rewarded with assets (tokens or NFTs) which can be sold for real money, providing a potential income stream for players.
• Ecosystem Participation: By engaging, users help build and sustain the platform's community and economy. The value of in-game assets and the platform's native token can increase with a larger, active user base, benefiting both developers and early participants.
• Transparency and Trust: Blockchain technology ensures that transactions and asset ownership are recorded transparently and cannot be altered by a central authority, which builds a level of trust and fairness in the system not present in conventional gaming. 

In essence, these platforms are designed to give value back to the player for their time, rather than just the developer, by leveraging decentralized digital ownership and reward systems. "

There is no official count of existing "watch and learn to earn" crypto gaming platforms, and thus no official percentage of those that are or were fraudulent, due to the decentralized and rapidly evolving nature of the crypto industry. The number of platforms is constantly changing, and many are unregulated and operate outside traditional financial systems. 

Fraud Statistics and Red Flags

While a specific percentage for "watch and learn to earn" gaming platforms is unavailable, general cryptocurrency-related fraud statistics are significant, with investment scams being the most common type. 

• Total Losses: Total estimated losses from cryptocurrency scams reached $5.6 billion in 2023, with investment scams accounting for almost 71% of all losses related to cryptocurrency in 2023.
• Prevalence: The FBI reported in 2024 that 86% of investment fraud schemes in 2023 involved cryptocurrencies.
• Victim Awareness: Many victims are unaware they are being scammed; the FBI notified over 8,000 victims of crypto investment fraud in one operation, and 77% were unaware they were victims.
• Illegal Activity Percentage: In a report from Chainalysis, illegal activities made up approximately 0.34% of all cryptocurrency transactions in 2020, though the raw value of illicit transactions has increased substantially in recent years. 

How to Spot and Avoid Scams

Be cautious of opportunities that seem too good to be true, as they likely are. The FBI and FTC offer the following advice: 

• Promises of Free Money: Promises of free cash or cryptocurrency without clear terms are always fake.
• Big Claims, Few Details: Scammers make big claims without providing sufficient detail or explanation of how the platform works.
• Pressure to Act Quickly: Scammers often create a false sense of urgency or isolation to pressure victims into making quick decisions.
• Suspicious Websites/Apps: Be wary of websites or apps with names that are slightly different from legitimate institutions.
• Requests for Fees to Withdraw Funds: Legitimate platforms will not require you to pay an extra "fee" to access your own funds.
• Unsolicited Advice: Be very cautious of investment advice offered by strangers met on social media or dating apps. 

If you encounter a potential scam, you can report it to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) or the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.