DaddyBear's Den Brings Us a Halloween Musical Interlude

DaddyBear's Den brings us Today’s Earworm

Click thru for "Enter Sandman (Halloween Special)" by Broken Peach, a cover of the Metallica classic, with a Halloween twist, and a bit more.

Friday Links - Halloween Edition

Andy Ngo at Ngo Comment starts things off with an update on an important case out of Texas. Another Arrest in North Texas Antifa Terror Case as Investigation Expands

Janette Goering, 35, of Carrollton, Texas, was taken into custody on Oct. 21 and charged with aiding in the commission of terrorism, a state felony.

The Post Millennial - 'Failed leader' Brandon Johnson refuses to answer question about illegal alien who brutally raped 54-year-old woman on Chicago street

During a recent press conference, when confronted with details of the attack – in which the illegal migrant allegedly grabbed a woman, bashed her head into a sidewalk, rendered her unconscious, and raped her – Mayor Johnson abruptly stated, “Let’s move on.”

The Other McCain - Who Is Paying the ‘Racist Trolls’ Who Disagree With Alonso Gurmendi?

So, if you criticize Alonso, you’re a “racist troll,” and he suspects that your online activity is “paid for” — by whom? When you see that kind of insinuation, certain questions ought to immediately arise.

Miguel Gonzalez - Again, you don't break perimeter.

PS: You have to be sure where you are shooting (Rule 4) if you live with neighbors around. Just because he is a dumbass does not mean you get to be one yourself.

Light Over Heat with Professor David Yamane - By Popular Demand: I Read My Essay on 5 Essential Observations on Guns in America

Also a response to critics of my use of GenAI

CWB Chicago - Charlie Sheen’s blockbuster idea to fight crime: put repeat offenders in a ‘special’ building

Some of the best ideas come from the strangest places. Take, for example, actor Charlie Sheen’s freshly minted proposal for fighting crime: identify the small group of people responsible for committing most of the crimes and put them all inside a special facility so they can’t commit any more.

Irons in the Fire - That Scottish girl who pulled the knife and hatchet to run the bad guys off?

They dropped the charges on her- apparently even their cops and prosecutors catch enough shit and they get the point

Meep at STUMP - California Pensions: Private Assets, Public Losses

I have questioned the ability of public pension trustees to deal with private assets. Public pension investments have reached a complexity level, that even if the private information is put before the board of trustees, I wonder if they could understand whether they were being taken for a ride with private assets.

First He Got Shot, and Then He Was Arrested

It might be that he needs to learn how to interpret the phrase, "It's over," or something similar. SPD investigates man shot in alleged self-defense | WSAV-TV

This story is out of Savannah, Georgia.

Police determined that Keith King, 46, had been shot in alleged self-defense after an altercation with a female resident at the home. King was charged with simple assault and criminal trespass.

"Alleged Self-defense" is an interesting way to phrase it, but police don't make those determinations, the Prosecutor's office makes that call. Still, it seems clear whose side the police are on.

Self-defense is a human right. Guys, if she say's that it's over, believe her. Go out for a drink with your friends. Do something that won't result with you behind bars.

Electric Vehicle Range and Winter

You won't get that range you were promised, not in cold weather. EV drivers warned to be aware of one issue when travelling in autumn and winter

EV (electric vehicle) drivers have been warned of one major issue they need to be aware of when travelling in the colder months of autumn and winter.

Colder temperatures can cause a reduction in an EV's range, meaning some could be caught out if not aware.

They go on at length about you shouldn't make your car into a sauna, or something, and you should heat up the car while you're at home, connected to the power grid.

That has 2 problems. People in apartments and condos often are not "connected to the power grid," even at home, and you can't be sure there will be an available charger when you need one, in the morning before or during rush hour. And you probably can't do that at the end of your work day when you finally get out of work.

"By taking these steps, EV owners can enjoy the efficiency of electric motoring even on the coldest winter days.”

I think not. By the way he spells "tire," I can tell that the author is from Britain, which means he hasn't seen the coldest days of winter. It is not uncommon for the temperature to fall to -20 degrees Fahrenheit or -29 Celsius in Chicago. Minnesota is colder, as are the Dakotas, and central Canada.

Heated seats and steering wheels won't keep the windshield from fogging up on a day like that. But then people who beilieve EVs are the answer to everything don't want facts that contradict their stance. They want you to love EVs as much as they do. (Hat tip to MGUY Australia)

The Ghost in Me

A special Halloween Musical Interlude.

This song is probably appropriate for Halloween. It came to my attention via social media way back at the end of May. I like it, but then I like Symphonic Metal, and I really like Epica.

This song is "The Ghost in Me (Live at The Symphonic Synergy)" by Epica. The video was released to YouTube on 5 November 2024. I believe that it was recorded on 20 September, but I can't find anything definitive about that.

Democrats And Repeat Offenders

From The Other McCain we get a story of recidivism. Who Democrats Are, What Democrats Do

Khyre Holbert was serving a 20 year sentence for cocaine, when the sentence was commuted by President Biden.

It took exactly 127 days from the time Mr. Holbert was released until he was arrested.

Pause there for a second. Simple arithmetic — May 30 to October 4 — tells you that Khyre Holbert was on the street for barely four months (127 days) between the time he got out of prison and the time he was arrested again as a felon in possession of a firearm, accused in connection with a drive-by shooting. Khyre Holbert has been a drug-dealing gang banger since he was a juvenile, and here are some more relevant facts:

Click thru for those details.

Nothing is more predictive of gun violence than a prior history of gun violence, and if Democrats were really sincere about this issue, they would insist on maximum sentences for felons arrested in possession of firearms.

There is much more.

Democrats hate legal gun owners. They don't hate people like Mr. Holbert. They hate legal gun owners because, for the most part, we are not progressives.

Self-Defense Is Legal in Ohio

You can never be sure. Breaking - Columbus Man Found Not Guilty in 2024 Circleville Fatal Shooting - Scioto Post

A Pickaway County jury has found 42-year-old Jaison McLean of Columbus not guilty in connection with a 2024 shooting that left one man dead outside McLean’s towing business in Circleville.

The verdict was delivered Thursday, October 23, 2025, following a multi-day trial in the Pickaway County Court of Common Pleas. McLean had faced charges of voluntary manslaughter, felonious assault, and involuntary manslaughter.

Circleville, Ohio is about 25 mile drive south of Columbus.

Even in a relatively rural part of the state, DAs hate self-defense.

The defense argued throughout the trial that McLean acted in self-defense, while prosecutors maintained that his actions constituted reckless use of deadly force. After deliberating, jurors sided with the defense, acquitting McLean on all counts.

Self-defense is a human right. (Hat tip to Gun News Daily.)

The UK Will Sacrifice Forests for Solar Power

Even the environmentalists think this is a bad idea. But Net Zero over all. Labour will chop down forests to make way for solar panels

Woodlands face being cleared to make way for solar farms and wind turbines under Labour’s latest plans to hit net zero targets.

Ministers are spearheading a legal change that would open up England’s forests to host massive new renewable energy projects.

If you page down a bit, there is a photo that shows one such "clearing."

But nothing can stand in the way of net zero, not even enviromental devastation. (Hat tip to MGUY Australia)

Does Putin Face a Growing Crisis?

From The Telegraph: Putin fears another coup as Russia finally begins to buckle

In 2003 Mikhail Khodorkovsky was arrested by the forces of Putin's Russia. It probably marked the start of Russia's return to being a totalitarian state.

This month, Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) accused Khodorkovsky, who now lives in exile in London, and 22 members of Russia’s Anti-War Committee of plotting a coup.

According to the FSB, the committee, which was created to oppose Russia’s war in Ukraine, is vying for “the violent seizure of power and overthrow of the constitutional order in the Russian Federation”.

Khodorkovsky says the allegations are lies. Kremlinologists say it is a clear sign of a new sense of vulnerability at the heart of the Russian state.

The article goes on to list all the reasons Putin should be worried. From the economic, to the military, to the political and the diplomatic. While I like The Telegraph, I would take all of this with a grain of salt. Which is to say, I've heard a lot of this before, and he is still in power. (Hat tip to Newsmax and Putin Faces Growing Financial Crisis Amid Sanctions) The one thing that will eventually stop Putin, is time. It's rumored that he has cancer, and he is not a young man. But then what? What, or who, comes next?

Hurricane Melissa Hit Jamaica Hard

While I didn't post anything, I have been following the hurricane. Hurricane Melissa: Jamaica wakes up to destruction as storm pummels Cuba - National | Globalnews

It was a very powerful hurricane. After tearing up Jamaica, and crossing Cuba, it has lessened to a Category 1 hurricane, as it crosses the Bahamas. (In the 8PM EDT advisory last night, maximum winds were 90 MPH.)

Hurricane Melissa, the strongest storm to ever hit Jamaica, and the largest on record this year, left widespread destruction in its wake Tuesday, obliterating buildings, ripping off roofs and flinging debris across the island.

Jamaica is mostly prepared for storms, with shelters and such, but there isn't a lot you can do to prepare for a category 5 storm. Trees down, power lines down, buildings damaged, etc.

Click thru for photos. Click the map for a slightly larger view. I know people are geographically challenged.

Wednesday Link Roundup - 29 October

William Teach at Pirate's Cove starts things rolling with Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup

11. Powerline: Gas prices fall, Trump hardest hit
12. Sultan Knish: Mamdani’s Terror Mosque Called for Taking Over America

Wombat-socho - In The Mailbox: 10.27.25

Elizabeth Nickson: The Lesson of No Kings
Matt Taibbi: First Brands – Are the Cockroaches Coming Home To Roost?

EBL - Weapons

Weapons
An ok movie for Halloween. It also shows you can do a movie on a limited budget.

Pixy Misa at Ambient Irony - Daily News Stuff 27 October 2025: Scrambled Edition

Regulators have denied autonomous trucking company Aurora Innovation an exemption to safety rules requiring signals to be placed around broken down vehicles. (Reason)
Aurora Innovation has sued the Department of Transportation for... Not changing the rules

Don Surber - Catching up on the weekend

ITEM 10: Johnny MAGA tweeted, “This is insane. Trump is headed to a 3 leg trip to Asia for meetings in Malaysia, Japan and South Korea—and he just unexpectedly brought the leadership of Qatar on Air Force One for another meeting while refueling.

A View from the Beach - Flotsam and Jetsam - East Wing, Trump to Build Back Better

Althouse, "Senate Democrats have now voted 12 times to not fund the food stamp program, also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)." "So it says at the official USDA website, quoted in "USDA blames Democrats for potential SNAP benefits lapse

The Glibertarians - Sunday Report from the Gulch Links

Our politics has descended to Tattoogate. Hilarious.
Wait… you mean PRIVATIZING charity? Horrors.

Small Dead Animals - Sunday On Turtle Island

The Democratic Party’s America: Victor Davis Hanson – The shutdown. Your morning meme.
Carnival Carney’s Canada: Technocratic continuity. Green obsessions.

Gates of Vienna - News Feed 10/27/2025

Argentina’s Milei Wins Big in Midterms With ‘Chainsaw’ Austerity
Argentina’s President Javier Milei has led his party to a landslide victory in Sunday’s midterm elections

Political Hat - News of the Week (October 26th, 2025)

Second Amendment Roundup: 3d Circuit Oral Argument on N.J. Rifle Ban
The en banc court exhibited a deep understanding of the issues.

Also from Don Surber - Highlights of the week

ITEM 3: Not the Bee reported, “Louvre museum’s first female security chief, hired by first female director, become first women to lose French crown jewels.”
Men instinctively protect the family jewels.

J.J. Sefton at Ace of Spades HQ - The Morning Report — 10/27/25

James Carville fantasizes about humiliating “collaborators.”
Bringing Back the Cultural Revolution

Doug Ross - Larwyn’s Linx: Arctic Frost probe targeting Republicans born at highest levels of Biden White House, DOJ

• Kamala Harris still has no idea why she lost to Donald Trump - Alex Berenson
• NewsNation Anchor Dumps Guest Defending Calling Trump Chief Stephen Miller ‘Nazi Jew’ - Tommy Christopher

Anonymous Conservative - News Briefs – 10/27/2025

Minnesota Man ARRESTED After Posting Murder-for-Hire TikTok Video Offering $45,000 Bounty for Pam Bondi’s Assassination.

I leave you with Sunday Funnies from Flopping Aces, Sunday Funnies For 10-26-25 from Stately McDaniel Manor, Quick Hits Of Wisdom, Knowledge And Snark #3076 from 90 Miles from Tyranny, and Mondays..... gifdump from Wirecutter.

He Suffered a Failure of the Victim-Selection Process

He kicked in an apartment door. It was the last thing he did. SC: Man fatally shot after breaking into apartment ruled self-defense

A man was fatally shot after he kicked in the door to a South Carolina apartment, according to the Richland County Sheriff's Department.

This event took place on Sunday the 19th of October.

Richland County, South Carolina is the county that includes Columbia.

The guy who got shot was taken to a local hospital, but he did not survive.

On Wednesday, investigators closed the case after determining that the shooting is a justifiable homicide.

Self-defense is a human right, and it seems to be a legal right in South Carolina. (Hat tip to Concealed Nation.)

How Do You Drive an EV Without Electricity?

The short answer is, "You don't!" From the BBC we get the following story. Netherlands' renewables drive putting pressure on its power grid

It is the sign that, in one of the most-advanced economies in the world, something has gone wrong with the country's power supply.

The Netherlands has been an enthusiastic adopter of electric cars. It has the highest number of charging points per capita in Europe.

The BBC is clearly in favor of all this, and they do talk a bit about the chaos that is coming, but (I'm shocked) journalists don't really understand the physics or engineering of power distribution. They also seem to be fine with the fact that it will take the Netherlands years, and billions of Euros to fix this issue. If they can.

This is the MGUY Australia video Net Zero reality: NOT ENOUGH electricity to charge EVs

Halloween

A song for the season. This came to me by way of Tidal, the music streaming service.

This song is "Halloween" by Faun from their album Pagan, which was released in 2022.

There are some aspects of the video which should be considered...

Not Safe For Work.

It might be best to click the link above, and choose an option that's not YouTube if you're at work.

The Left Is Still Gunning for Tolkien

Tolkien is Bad. That is the stance of a university class, and if you don't fall in line, and believe exactly what you are told to believe, you will not pass the course.

You shall not pass.^‡

They won't be satisfied until all of Western Civilization is destroyed.

Gary "Nerdrotic" B. does a better job of explaining why this stance on Tolkien is crazy than I can manage.

This is Nerdrotic's video Why They Hate The Lord of the Rings - The Scouring of Tolkien. It is a 17 minute video, so plan accordingly.

‡ see the scene on the bridge of Moria, for the reference.

Tuesday Links - 28 October

William Teach is up first with Bay Area Residents Melt Down Over Coming Immigration Enforcement

Me, I think Trump should ship more illegals to Sanctuary City San Francisco, let them deal with all that comes with it

Mike Rowe - You Got the Pipes

“You sound like Mike Rowe,” he said. “Anybody ever tell you that?”

“Only when I say something incredibly clever.”

The War on Guns - The Wrong Questions

The right question is “Does she support the Second Amendment,” and her record is clear.

The Other McCain - Is Jack Ciattarelli Winning in New Jersey?

Far be it from me to predict that Republicans are on the verge of winning this year’s gubernatorial election in New Jersey, but (a) Jack Ciattarelli came pretty close to knocking off incumbent Phil Murphy four years ago, and (b) with Murphy term-limited, Democrats nominated Rep. Mikie Sherrill, who hasn’t exactly been running away with it.

Pixy Misa at Ambient Irony - Daily News Stuff 26 October 2025: Clue Edition

Clippy in the server room with a portable blender: Microsoft hopes Mico succeeds where Clippy failed as tech companies warily imbue AI with personality. (AP News)

Mico is the new horrifying AI-driven mascot of Microsoft's inescapable AI-driven offense to reason, Copilot.

Mico is... A grape? A purple raspberry? I don't know exactly, but kill it with fire.

Wombat-socho - FMJRA 2.0: Breaking Even On The Road

After a week and a half of play, we’re 4-5, two games ahead of the last-place A’s.
Ceterum autem censeo Silicon Valley et Hamas delendam sunt.

Green Jihad - Porsche In Crisis Due To Embracing EV’s, German Economy

How the mighty have fallen. Porsche, once the Volkswagen Group’s star performer, has just imploded.

Peter Sweden - INSANE: You won't believe this court ruling from Sweden.

The man AVOIDED deportation because the court ruled that the rape couldn’t be classified as a serious enough offence to warrant deportation from Sweden.

Again from William Teach - Your Fault: Hurricane Melissa Is Being Supercharged By ‘Climate Change’

If only you’d listed and stopped eating meat and started eating bug, but, no, you had to be stubborn

Chicago Contrarian - Why Are Chicago’s Leaders Doing Nothing About Unsafe Drinking Water?

Contaminated drinking water is a slow-moving epidemic in Chicago’s poorest neighborhoods, one that continues to exact devastating consequences. This crisis stems not only from the 412,000 confirmed lead service lines delivering brain-damaging toxins into homes, but also from alarming concentrations of toxic “Forever Chemicals” — PFAS — found in our tap water.

More Self-Defense in California

It seems to be catching on. Man Shot by Resident After Allegedly Trying to Break Into Apple Valley Home - Victor Valley News

A 39-year-old man was shot Thursday morning while allegedly trying to break into a home in Apple Valley.

Click thru for the details, but police say that he will be in custody while getting medical attention.

Apple Valley, California is about 20 miles north of San Bernadino, but it will be at least twice that far by car.

Self-defense is a human right, and at least in some areas, it might be your legal right. (Hat tip to USA Carry - Apple Valley Resident Shoots Intruder During Early Morning Break-In Attempt)

Comet 3I-Atlas and "News Stories"

The Silicon Graybeard has the update on 3I-Atlas, and who you should (and shouldn't) be listening to. The two stories of comet 3I-Atlas

This seems to be a click-bait-heavy topic.

After telling us who to listen to, SiGraybeard takes on YouTube.

On YouTube, everyone from people I don't particularly disrespect but rarely ever looked at their channels, such as Michio Kaku, Avi Loeb, or Neil DeGrasse Tyson and over to channels I've never heard of, are railing about how dangerous it is and (apparently) making up news to back up their fear.

Pardon my skepticism, but with none of the "serious" news sources citing these things, I have to ask why. Unfortunately "click bait" is an adequate answer.

For myself, I have seen videos from self-proclaimed experts on YouTube state things about your average comet that I know are false. I'm sure some people believe them. Just like I'm sure some people believe the "it's from another civilization" crowd. Look, I enjoyed Arthur C. Clarke's Rendezvous With Rama somewhat, but I'm not expecting to see it play out anytime soon. (While I love 2001, a lot of Clarke's writing leaves me cold.)

There is more. click thru. SiGraybeard makes one point worth noting; it is going fast compared to stuff we make, or stuff we see in the local space, but it is not going fast on a universal scale.

Good old Wikipedia says it's moving at 58km/sec or 0.000193c.

Meters per second is the correct unit. 58,000 meters per second is not fast compared to some things. The speed of light in a vacuum (c) is 300 million meters per second. (That is accurate to 3 or 4 decimal places, but I have just remembered 3x10⁸ meters per second since my sophomore year in college.) There is a fair bit of difference between 5.8x10⁴ and 3x10⁸.

A Former Leftist Goes Off on the Left's Insanity

Arielle Scarcella is fast becoming my one of my favorite YouTube creators.

This is Arielle Scarcella's video Woke Leftists Are MENTALLY BROKEN! The video is 16 minutes.

Familiar Taste of Poison

Halestorm is a band that revolves around lead singer Lizzy Hale, and her brother Arejay on the drums. The rest of the band's membership tends to shift a bit. When today's song was recorded the other members where Joe Hottinger playing guitar, providing backing vocals, and Josh Smith on bass guitar, providing backing vocals.

The song starts fairly low key, but it is appropriate for Metal for Mondays by the end.

This is "Familiar Taste of Poison" by Halestorm from the deluxe edition of their 2009 debut album, Halestorm.

The Erie Canal Opened 26 October 1825

I hate missing important anniversaries. 200 Years Ago, the Erie Canal Opened and America Was Never the Same

The Erie Canal not only transformed America, but, by allowing for the export of massive amounts of Midwestern farm products to Europe, American farmers drove a large number of small farmers in Europe out of business. Many of them made their way to America.

It is an interesting article, and not too long. You might learn something.

It was built without support from the US government, mostly by people who didn't have engineering degrees. It was an incredible success.

In two decades, more freight was moving down the Erie Canal than was being floated down the Mississippi River from the Midwest to New Orleans. It would be an exaggeration to say that the Erie Canal created modern America, but it's hard to imagine America today without it.

It even had impacts on Europe, through the amount of agricultural products we could export.

Historian Daniel Walker Howe wrote in his book, What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America, 1815-1848, “The small capitalist farmers of North America hacked away at the economic base of the ruling landed classes in Europe more destructively than all the revolutionaries on the continent.”

(Hat tip to Instapundit.)

All of Australia Is a Defenseless-Victim Zone

The (wealthy) western suburbs of Melbourne have to rely on private security, which is upgrading in the face of crime. Melbourne western suburbs security guards to carry guns in Wyndham Vale, Manor Lakes, Mambourin as crime soars

The powers that be in Australia disarmed the law abiding, and then let crime run crazy.

Torched stolen cars, high-speed chases, machete slashings and bloodied streets have become all too frequent in the city’s booming western fringe, where police are often stretched thin, and youth gangs are going to war.

“The escalation to firearms is because of what’s coming our way and the threats against our safety, against my team,” said Grant Burton, the owner of security company YPG Risk, whose night patrols are funded by housing estate residents.

Click thru for the details of how they got there.

Hat tip to Bearing Arms: Aussie Gun Control Works so Well, Melbourne Neighborhood Security Guards Need Guns

This appears to be a pretty posh neighborhood. I mean, they have private security. You don't find that in Section Eight housing, now do you? You probably don't have private security in your neighborhood, either. Most of us don't, which is one more reason why we have guns. We can't outsource our security like the wealthy do.

More at both links.

Does a "Report" from a Clueless AI Constitute Reasonable Cause?

If it does, we are all screwed. US student handcuffed after AI system apparently mistook bag of chips for gun | Baltimore | The Guardian

An artificial intelligence system (AI) apparently mistook a high school student’s bag of Doritos for a firearm and called local police to tell them the pupil was armed.

And because if an AI tells you something, it must be true. These people are more idiotic than I gave them credit for.

Taki Allen was sitting with friends on Monday night outside Kenwood high school in Baltimore and eating a snack when police officers with guns approached him.

“At first, I didn’t know where they were going until they started walking toward me with guns, talking about, ‘Get on the ground,’ and I was like, ‘What?’” Allen told the WBAL-TV 11 News television station.

This is going to turn out to be a nightmare for all of us, especially if the cops are going to display this level of "I was just following (the AI's) orders!" intelligence.

Hat tip to Clayton Cramer: I Think AI is Not Coming for Your Job Anytime Soon

Except maybe your job as idiot.

Lot more details at The Guardian link at the top.

The (Illegal) Weapons Manufacturers Are Getting Better

The police are still catching them, though I wonder how the numbers balance out. More than 1,000 guns and parts seized in illicit weapon crackdown in Australia and New Zealand | Gun control | The Guardian

"Guns and parts" is kind of a cheat. Makes the numbers sound scary big, but is it such an impact? If you count all of the springs, and pins, there are between 15 and 20 parts in every AR-15. I think that is before you consider the type of handguard, the gas block (is it adjustable?), and whether or not you count stuff that gets connected to M-Lock or a Picatinny rail like forward grips.

Click thru for the photos.

A Guardian investigation in September tracked the growing challenges posed to Australia’s gun control regime, including the trade of stolen firearms and the emergence of 3D-printed firearms across the country.

NSW police said they arrested 45 people and seized 518 firearms and firearm parts as part of the operation. Multiple individuals were charged with offences including the manufacture of prohibited firearms without a licence, importing prohibited goods and possessing a digital blueprint for manufacture of firearms – a crime in some states.

They are failing to enforce their Draconian gun laws. I would feel sorry, but the law-abiding are disarmed, so the only thing they are doing is turning the entire country into a defenseless-victim zone. Countries. Australia and New Zealand are both hating firearms.

Which probably goes some way to explaining why Australia went so far as to actually build COVID detention centers. Don't you dare call them concentration camps! (Hat tip to Keep and Bear Arms)

Antarctic Amundsen-Scott Station Records Coldest October in 44 Years

Media bias? What media bias? Antarctic Amundsen-Scott Station Sees Coldest October in 44 Years…Mainstream Media Silent!

Why would you report on something that doesn't support the narrative?

While the allegiance of the climate catastrophe continues to report on supposedly melting pole caps, the South Pole is freezing to a cold minimum that has not been measured since 1981. On the 15. October, the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station registered an incredible minus 61.3 degrees Celsius – in the middle of the Antarctic spring, at a time when it was supposedly going to get warmer long ago.

For those of you who are Celsius challenged, that is minus 78.34 degrees Fahrenheit.

The original article is in German, though the online translation systems do a pretty good job with German. You can find that article at this link.

Disney's Handling of Star Wars Lost Money

As usual, if you are going to discuss Disney finances, you start with Forbes, and Caroline Reid. Revealed: The ‘Star Wars’ Movie With The Highest Profits

Disney doesn't want anyone to know what they spend on movies, but they do want the tax credits offered the United Kingdom. As a result, Disney does produce a fair number of their movies in that country. This means that eventually a lot of the financial data comes to light, because the UK requires detailed accounting to prove whether or not you qualify for their tax credits. Caroline Reid does a great job of tracking down this information. This is not always the easiest thing to do, because Disney creates individual companies for each movie, with names that are creative.

Calculating the profit made by a movie requires knowing how much revenue it generated for the studio and how much it cost to make. The former is a matter of public knowledge through Amazon’s Box Office Mojo while the latter is usually a closely-guarded secret. That's because when movies are made in the United States, studios combine the cost of them in their overall expenses and don't disclose how much was spent on each one.

It’s a different story for movies which are filmed in the United Kingdom. Studios shooting in the U.K. get a reimbursement of up to 25.5% of the sum they spend in the country provided that at least 10% of the core cost of the production is incurred there. In order to demonstrate this to the U.K. authorities, studios set up separate production companies there to produce each movie they make in the country.

This is a long-ish article, but interesting. If you don't want to dive into it, see the video below.

There is a chart, about two thirds of the way in, that shows, for the 5 Star Wars movies Disney has released, what they spent on production, the credit received from the UK, net spend, global box office, and profit based on those numbers. Add it all together and profit approaches 0, plus or minus a few millions.

Those numbers do NOT include marketing the movies. The numbers do assume that studios get a blanket 50% of the box office. It it probably close enough for these estimates.

However, just as the production generates other income, it also incurs other costs, chief of which are marketing expenses which are not shown in the financial statements of the production companies. Accordingly, if the home entertainment and merchandise sales should be added to the theater takings, the marketing cost should be deducted from them and it is understood that blockbuster sums were spent on the Star Wars movies.

Disney doesn't say, but spending $150 million to $200 million to market each of these movies is not out of the question.

These also do not include $4 billion Disney spent in 2012 to buy Lucasfilm from George Lucas.

There are also some items not eligible for tax credits. I'm no expert on that, but it is my understanding that salaries for famous directors or stars are not included. (If you pay Tom Cruise $40 million for a movie shot in England, you won't get $10 million back from the government. The credit is for expenses incurred in the UK, that bolster the UK's economy.)

This is The Valliant Renegade video Forbes Confirms Disney Star Wars Money Pit Made Nothing

In addition to the numbers above, Valliant Renegade and WDW Pro consider what Disney spent on theme parks, the short-lived Star Wars themed hotel, and Disney+ shows, and what they have to show for it all.

The video is less than 10 minutes.

Miguel Gonzalez Musical Interlude

Miguel Gonzalez brings us a musical selection every Sunday. I really enjoy today's offering. Sunday Repose

Three albums that defined my taste in music arrived to me by different means about the same time in the early 1970s: Wakeman’s Journey to the Centre of the Earth, ELP’s Brains Salad Surgery and the Ofrenda by Vytas Brenner who I never had the chance to see live even though he was a local prodigy.

Click thru for "Frailejon" by Vytas Brenner. It is acoustic guitar, but somehow has the energy of a Rock song.

Open Carry Is Legal in Florida. The Usual Suspects Are Upset

OK, for the record, I don't like Open Carry. But there is a reason it needed to be legal in Florida. (See below) Florida Flap: Newspaper Details Where, Where Not to O.C. - Liberty Park Press

The Tallahassee Democrat has just published a report which explains where one can, and cannot, ,open carry, and in the opening paragraphs, the newspaper—perhaps unintentionally—exposes how some people are reacting. The newspaper quotes a Tallahassee resident who declared, “I just don’t want to get caught in the crossfire over the last jar of peanut butter,” in reaction to the announcement by Publix Supermarkets that the chain will allow open carry in their stores. It’s a response which typifies the squeamish attitude some people have about legally-armed citizens, especially if they openly carry.

People were exercising their right to concealed carry in Publix Supermarkets, but out of sight, out mind or something.

The reason O.C. needed to be legal is that if your firearm was visible for even an instant as you got out of your car, or whatever, you were technically guilty of a crime.

But back to the usual suspects.

“While Second Amendment advocates celebrated the decision,” the newspaper noted, “some residents said it infringes on their right not to be among armed individuals when they sit down to eat, attend a play, or go searching for buy-one-get-one-free specials in crowded grocery store aisles.”

A quick check of the Constitution doesn’t reveal any such specific right.

It is all about 'feelings.' If they can't see the firearm, they think it doesn't exist. But today, you should always assume that there are people armed. Any bad guys in the area are likely to be armed. You shouldn't worry about the law-abiding citizens, but only those bad guys.

FBI v NBA

Doug Ross has an update on the NBA Betting Investigation. Top 20 Fun Facts: "Goodfellas NBA Edition"

In a plot predicted by the movie Ocean’s 17, the FBI bust of a sprawling gambling ring has exposed a bizarre network of NBA stars, New York’s notorious Mafia families, and cutting-edge technology. It’s like AI for cheaters.

Now I don't care much about any kinds of sports-ball, and the NBA is probably lowest in that list, with the possible exception of soccer. But a good scandal is always entertaining.

FBI investigations exposed rigged poker games, insider sports wagers, and violent debt collection tactics that netted millions.

Click thru for 20 facts that include names of players, Mafia crime families and associates, and more.

Here is the "I'm shocked - shocked I tell you !" scene from Casablanca.

Maryland and the "Duty to Retreat"

Blue states HATE self-defense. Even some red states don't like it all that much. Deadly Canton shooting raises questions about Maryland law and use of force for self defense - CBS Baltimore

While I don't know about Maryland, in most states, the Duty to Retreat was invented by the courts. No politician voted for that. Washington State courts refused to impose it on a couple of occasions that prosecutors tried to get them to rewrite the law. But in Maryland, you will be hung out to dry.

A store owner was in his business when this guy threw a brick thru the front door, and gained entry.

The incident unfolded shortly after 2 a.m. Thursday. As of Friday evening, police had yet to identify the 39-year-old man who died.

Baltimore police and the state's attorney's office have declined interview requests.

"If you're in an alley up against a brick wall at a dead end and there's no way to get out and you're in a public place—but there's no way to escape—there's no way to retreat—that would be an exception to the requirement," Alperstein said.

This is not reasonable.

But no one said government was reasonable. (Hat tip to Keep and Bear Arms.)

Academics Versus Guns - What They Get Wrong

From Shooting News Weekly: What Academics Consistently Miss When Examining America’s Gun Culture

Academics, mostly, hate guns. Is Professor Yamane the exception that "proves the rule?"

Fourteen years into my personal and sociological journey through American gun culture, I am constantly reminded of how difficult it is to find scholarship on everyday firearm use. Despite the longstanding presence of a robust legal gun culture, the social scientific study of guns is dominated by criminological and epidemiological studies of gun violence.

Click thru. Or you can find the original at How I Fell for Guns from Light Over Heat with Professor David Yamane Light Over Heat with Professor David Yamane

There is no such thing as an anti-gun gun range - Tamara Keel (probably)

And you should be reading Professor Yamane's writing (see the link above), and watching his videos.

Speaking of videos, Professor Yamane has a 5 minute video on this topic. How I Fell for Guns (Hint: Shooting is Fun) and Free Download Opportunity (Light Over Heat #139). The article he discusses goes into much more detail. It is only generally available for a month... 3 weeks at this point.

Amala Ekpunobi on Kamala Pushing No Kings

This is classic.

The Left really wants you to believe, that the man who won an election, won the popular vote, is doing exactly what he said he would do during the campaign, is a threat to "Democracy." They say that even though were are a constitutional republic.

Kamala REALLY Wants You To Go Protest... The video is about one minute.

The Feast of Saint Crispin

The Battle of Agincourt - 25 October 1415. A decisive victory in the Hundred Years War. (Pronounced ˈædʒɪnkɔː(r) or "a-jinn-core")

The Hundred Years’ War was a discontinuous conflict between England and France that spanned two centuries. At issue was the question of the legitimate succession to the French crown as well as the ownership of several French territories.

A war that lasted that long is too complicated to explain in a blog post. (The link above is to Encyclopedia Britannica, does a fair job of summarizing.)

But people have believed it was worth remembering, including William Shakespeare.

610 years isn't exactly an auspicious anniversary, even if it ends in zero. But here we are.

By most contemporary accounts, the French army was also significantly larger than the English, though the exact degree of their numerical superiority is disputed. Common estimates place the English army at about 6,000, while the French army probably consisted of 20,000 to 30,000 men. This suggests that the French could have outnumbered the English 5 to 1. At least one scholar puts the French army at no more than 12,000, indicating that the English were out numbered 2 to 1. It seems clear, however, that the English were at a decided numerical disadvantage.

While my favorite version of the speech is from the 1994 Danny DeVito movie, Renaissance Man, the version embedded below is more complete.

This is the Band of Brothers Speech from Henry V as performed by Kenneth Branagh.

While it pains me to say so, this version by Kenneth Branagh from 1989 is one I actually like better than the 1944 version from Sir Laurence Olivier. I don't like the way plays were treated by the movie industry during the '40s, '50s or '60s. Everything had to be a spectacle.  The worst example being A Man For All Seasons. If you have a chance to see a stage production, it is a wonderful play. I despise the movie.

And in case anyone is interested in the brothers, St. Crispin and St. Crispinian, here's a link.

Saturday Roundup of Link Roundups - 25 October

Animal Magnetism is up first with Animals’ Hump Day News

I should hope not!
Nigel Farage may be the one man who can fix Britain

The Right Way - Top of the News

Something is going on that we don't know about? - Theo Spark
Boston Blue - Evi. L Bloggerlady

EBL - The White House East Wing Remodel and Democrat Outrage Theater

Grow up Democrats/Media -- You are lying about this.
Trump addresses the project!

Wombat-socho - In The Mailbox: 10.23.25

Baldilocks: They Keep Trying, also, Wading Into The Water
CDR Salamander: A Drug War Goes Hot

Pixy Misa at Ambient Irony - Daily News Stuff 24 October 2025: Everything Edition

Apple has lost a lawsuit in the UK alleging it overcharged commissions payable by developers, who passed half the excess cost on to their customers, which, this being Apple, was charged by Apple who then took their cut on it.

Small Dead Animals - Friday On Turtle Island

The Democratic Party’s America: VDH – The real kings. Moderate imam in Texas. Dem Kings.
Stories You Won’t Find At Carney’s CBC: A media empire. English literature.

Flopping Aces - More Racism, Violence, and Actual N@zi Tattoos – Democrats in The Week in Radical Leftism, 10/24/2025

Maine Kampf: Bernie Sanders Doubles Down on Nazi Endorsement as Nazi’s Former Campaign Manger Spills the Beans: Of Course He Knew It Was an SS Symbol

The Glibertarians - Friday Morning Links

Democrat Redistricting Push Hits Brick Wall In Blue State
GOP senator to sue Jack Smith after his lawyers try gaslighting on Biden FBI surveillance

A View from the Beach - Flotsam and Jetsam - Gone Fishin' DIY Edition

Althouse: Oh, no one ever cared about the East Wing.
Petro's Manic Monday: El Presidente Throws a Tantrum, Threatens to 'Take Out' Trump – PJ Media

Lawrence Person's BattleSwarm Blog - LinkSwarm For October 24, 2025

“How Did California Spend Billions on Homelessness Only for It to Get Worse? Two New Criminal Cases Offer a Clue.” Honestly, the first sentence supplies its own answer even without the second.

Wombat-socho again - In The Mailbox: 10.24.25

Don Surber: Maine Kampf, also, Trump’s Ballroom Blitz
First Street Journal: There’s no threat quite like an empty threat

Gates of Vienna - News Feed 10/23/2025

U.S. and EU Step Up Sanctions Against Russia
The war in Ukraine has entered a new phase of economic pressure following the near-simultaneous announcement of new sanctions on Russia

Political Hat - Quick Takes – Nature Rights: Indigenous Ways Of Knowing At Harvard; Democrats In Wisconsin; Gaia The Corporatist

Who needs science when you have indigenous ways of knowing? Not at Harvard you don’t.
Some Democrats in the Wisconsin Legislature want to formally recognize that nature has “inalienable” rights.

Vlad Tepes - Canada stimulates [justified] draconian response from Trump in order to win majority in likely upcoming election: Links post 1 for Oct. 24, 2025

4. Funny, I know what he is saying. But what I am hearing is: “as from next week, the chocolate ration would be reduced from thirty grammes to twenty.” […] “It appeared that there had even been demonstrations to thank

Cafe Hayek - Some Links

Romina Boccia and Tyler Turman want to “end Obamacare’s welfare for the wealthy COVID credits.”

J.J. Sefton at Ace of Spades HQ - The Morning Report — 10/22/25

ICE raids are nothing new. The carefully organized freak-out is.
You Are Being Lied To About ICE

Doug Ross - Larwyn’s Linx: Mamdani defends meeting radical imam

• No, Jews Are Not Voting for Mamdani Daniel Greenfield
• Trump counterterrorism program kills 370 jihadists in 9 months, official reveals JTN

Anonymous Conservative - News Briefs – 10/24/2025

The Justice Department on Thursday warned California officials, including Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), against engaging in an “apparent criminal conspiracy” to arrest Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.

I leave you with Your mid-week memes from Wirecutter, Midweek Memes from Granite Grok, Quick Hits Of Wisdom, Knowledge And Snark #3063 from 90 Miles from Tyranny, and Friday Memes … from MaddMedic.

Neighbor Comes to Defense of Neighbor

Do we even know our neighbors today? Intruder shoots at Cleveland County homeowner, before neighbor fires gunshots of own

The incident began around 10:55 p.m., when a homeowner noticed lights on at a home next-door under remodel. The homeowner suspected a break-in and, after walking outside, saw a man in a yellow sweatshirt carrying something, according to deputies.

When the homeowner confronted the man, the man shot at him, investigators said.

After the neighbor intervened and shot at the suspect, the man fled

Investigators have no evidence that anyone was shot.

Grover, North Carolina is about a 40 mile drive west of Charlotte.

Hat tip to Colion Noir: Good Neighbor Grabs Firearm and Rushes to the Rescue

Other neighbors told local media that the community is prepared to defend itself against violent criminals. Clayton Campbell explained to reporters that anyone threatening the community needs to be warned.

“We’ve always told people not to mess around down here because we’ll do what we have to do to protect our homes,” Campbell declared.

There is more at both links.

First Terror Case Against Antifa

And it is about time. The First Federal Terror Case Against Antifa - by Andy Ngo

For the first time in U.S. history, Antifa members have been federally charged with terrorism crimes.

On Oct. 15, a federal grand jury in the Northern District of Texas indicted two men who are part of a North Texas Antifa cell. They’re accused of participating in a coordinated ambush shooting attack on July 4 on a federal immigration detention center in Alvarado, Texas that left a police officer wounded.

Click thru for more details, including 15 other defendants who are not facing terror charges, but state and other federal charges.

Thanks For Asking

For whatever reason, I've been listening to a lot of Five Finger Death Punch lately, but since that can be a bit much for early in the morning, here is one of their acoustic songs I really like.

Here's a link to the lyrics for completeness, though I never have any trouble understanding Ivan Moody.

This is the acoustic version of "Thanks For Asking" by Five Finger Death Punch from the 2024 deluxe edition of the album Afterlife.

No matter what the Wiki will have you believe, the album is Afterlife, and the song on that album is "AfterLife," at least according the band's website.

Friday Links - 24 October

Lone Star Parson starts the ball rolling with Gunnery

Mission? To celebrate Trafalgar Day with a shoot. And that's exactly what we did.

The New Neo - Hunting Trump

They won’t give up until they kill him, or die trying.

Peter Sweden - Britain FINES woman for pouring coffee down the drain

You see, a woman in Britain was waiting for the bus to go to work. When the bus was arriving, she poured the tiny remainder of her coffee down the drain to avoid spilling it on the bus.

Chicago Contrarian - Are Chicago Journalists Reporters or Left-Wing Activists?

The big question remains: are these media folks journalists, or activists? Their actions and lawsuits sure raise the likelihood it is the latter.

Hayden Cunningham at The Post Millennial - Gun control advocate Don Lemon urges ‘black and brown people’ to arm themselves against ICE

Lemon has long supported gun control and has criticized the accessibility of firearms in the US.

The Other McCain - The Delusions of #Resistance 2.0: Did Democrats Forget They Lost the Election?

It is clear that Democrats have not learned their lessons from 2024, and only by repeating the lesson — beating them again and again in successive elections — can we ever hope to teach them anything.

Pixy Misa at Ambient Irony - Daily News Stuff 22 October 2025: Evil Meetings Edition

OpenAI's AI-powered browser, ChatGPT Atlas, is here. (The Verge)

Kill it with fire.

Victory Girls - Gavin Newsom’s Pro-Illegal Alien Policies Claims Three More Lives

Tuesday, an illegal alien truck driver killed three people. Remember, Greasy Gavin is running for President and will certainly bring his Democrat policies with him.

Concealed Carry in Los Angeles

In Los Angeles it is probably a toss-up if she gets charged for defending herself. Woman shoots, kills groping suspect inside Compton beauty supply store | KTLA

A preliminary investigation revealed that an unidentified man followed a female customer into a beauty supply store and groped her, prompting employees at the establishment to demand he leave the premises.

Things went downhill from there. Yelling at people. Threatening people. Throwing things. Eventually, a customer with a concealed carry permit got involved. At some point a knife was mentioned.

“A second customer in the store, fearing for the store employees, herself and other customers, retrieved a personal firearm and fired a warning at the male,” investigators said. “The male turned toward that customer, fearing she was going to be attacked, fired a second shot striking the male.”

Police didn't arrest anyone, but there is still time for the DA to decide that he hates self-defense.

DAs generally hate self-defense. Because how dare you not rely on the state, even for those things it can't provide. (Hat tip to Breitbart)

How Do You Spell "Unhinged?"

He saw a Trump sign, and he just couldn't keep driving. Diminutive accountant tears down NC local's Trump sign, shoots up his house: cops

Campbell, a married Atlanta native, was speeding down a highway in Nantahala Gorge, North Carolina — about 75 miles west of Asheville — on Sept. 6 when he suddenly came to a grinding halt when he spotted the flag hanging in Mark Thomas’ front yard, Thomas said.

The 5 foot 6 inch accountant had to stand on "tippy toes" to pull the Trump 2024 banner down.

He later shot a handgun at the homeowner and his house.

What he didn't count on was video of the incident. Video that showed his license plate clearly.

Campbell was arrested in Cobb County, Georgia and is charged with felonious assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill or inflict serious injury, discharging a firearm to incite fear and willful and wanton injury to personal property.

He was extradited to Swain County on Oct. 7 before he was released on a $70,000 bond.

The Left doesn't believe in Freedom of Speech for anyone who disagrees with them. I'm not sure they believe in freedom. With luck the consequences of his action will at least teach him caution in the future.

Repeated Attacks on Women, Minimal Consequences

Why would this criminal change his behavior when there are no consequences. City releases video of 'Loop Puncher' attack under pressure from Illinois attorney general - CWB Chicago

The video is grainy/fuzzy, but still manages to be disturbing.

The video shows the August 19 attack of 56-year-old Kathleen Miles in the 200 block of West Washington Street. In the footage, a man identified as William Livingston, 32, is seen walking up behind Miles and her friend as they walk toward a train station around 5:15 p.m.

A split-second after stepping between them, the man suddenly punches Miles in the face. Her head whips backward, her body stiffens, and she collapses sideways to the pavement. Miles’ daughter, Dionna Wolf, said her mother was knocked unconscious and sustained fractures to her orbital bone and cheekbone, and suffered a severe concussion that left her struggling with everyday tasks.

Click thru for the details on how this guy was continually released after attacks, sometimes the next day. He has never really faced any consequence for attacking women, because that would be unfair in the eyes of the Criminal Justice System (so called) in Chicago and Cook County.

The city, of course, did not want to release this video.

The Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) initially denied CWB’s public records request for the footage, citing multiple legal exemptions. But after the attorney general’s Public Access Bureau contacted the city about the denial, officials reversed course Monday afternoon.

After all, videos of women being randomly attacked by a repeat offender in The Loop isn't good for the city's image.

What's the Opposite of Diversity? University

When did universities begin to hate free speech? Illinois State University faculty member flips Turning Point USA tables on campus

A twisted Illinois State University faculty member was caught on camera flipping a Turning Point USA table set up by students on campus this week, viral video shows.

The vandal is seen unleashing the sick rampage moments after speaking to a man standing near the table, which had been set up by students in the group to promote political YouTuber and comedian Alex Stein’s Oct. 20 event at the university, according to video and various X posts about the ugly incident.

I'm old enough to remember when universities were hotbeds of free speech. Now they seem to be hotbeds of fascism. "If you don't agree with me I will disrupt your event." You can pretend that is anti-fascism, but that just means you are ignorant of history.

Derek Lopez was arrested. Normal, IL Arrest: ISU Graduate Student Allegedly Damaged Property During Campus Events

According to ISUPD, Derek Lopez of El Paso, Illinois, was taken into custody October 17, 2025, following an investigation into two recent informational tabling events hosted by a registered student organization. Lopez faces charges of disorderly conduct and criminal damage to property.

The charges are not much, but I'm sure it is more than he expected to face.