The Fractures in The Left Over Liberty

The Other McCain asks an important question: Is the Left Breaking Apart?

The Other McCain is an astute student of politics and history. I have come to appreciate his take on things. In this case, it isn't something he developed, only something he remembers. About liberty versus socialism.

This is exactly what Hayek was addressing in The Road to Serfdom and, in another way, what Eric Hoffer was talking about in The True Believer. Economic liberty cannot be separated from other types of liberty, including freedom of speech, so that advocates of a government-controlled economy must eventually demand government control of everything (to summarize briefly one of Hayek’s major points). And radical causes, which Hoffer called “mass movements,” always attract certain personality types, who bring with them characteristic problems, including the intellectual bullying and demand for conformity about which deBoer is now complaining. Sic semper hoc.

Go read the whole thing; you won't be disappointed.

How Is That Bail Reform Working Out?

The victims probably don't think it is going too well. #10: Chicago man shot his brother because he was 'tired of' the sibling, prosecutors say - CWB Chicago

The Left will blame the inanimate object, but really the person is responsible. Well, and the parents are also probably a bit of a problem. Right and Wrong? Too close to Good and Evil and they are such 19th Century concepts.

Prosecutors said Friday that an 18-year-old Chicago man with a pending gun case shot his younger brother in the chest because he was “tired of” the sibling. The victim, 16, survived.

Owen Brown is the tenth person accused of shooting, killing, or trying to shoot or kill someone in Chicago this year while awaiting trial for a felony. The cases involve 13 victims, six of whom died.

Then there is the fact that violent criminals should be in jail. But that is mean, or unfair, or something.

Sparky Bikes - Worse than Sparky Cars

My guess is that the increase in the number of fires stems from an increase in the number of bikes. E-bike battery fires this year have killed more in NYC than in 2022: FDNY

Lithium-ion batteries from e-bikes and similar devices have fueled 92 fires, injured 64 people, and caused nine deaths so far this year – almost as many as the 10 fatalities in 2022 and 2021 combined, FDNY data show.

Click thru for the sad details.

A councilman is trying to get a ban passed, but that is an uphill battle today.

How to Destroy a Movie Studio - Lucasfilm Under Disney

Can anyone explain why Kathleen Kennedy hasn't been fired? Star Wars, Willow, and now Indiana Jones. Is there a franchise left from Lucasfilm that Kennedy HASN'T destroyed?

This is Critical Drinker's video Indiana Jones 5 Destroyed - The Final Nail In Lucasfilm's Coffin.

25 Years for “Some cigarettes and a few bucks.”

Well, and the dead guy left in his wake. Man shot by customer in Virginia Beach during 7-Eleven robbery spree gets 25 years

He and his crew committed 5 robberies in about 2 hours. At the last place, they ran into a man with a concealed carry license. Ronald Lee Brookins Jr. got shot, arrested, charged, and now he has been sentenced to 25 years.

Brookins, 22, pleaded guilty earlier this year to multiple robbery, firearm and conspiracy charges. Federal law required that he receive at least 21 years.

Brookins was 18, a high school graduate and had recently completed basic training with the Navy when the robberies occurred

What he apparently avoided was a charge of Felony Murder, or whatever it is called in Virginia when someone dies during the commission of a crime. Brookins was shot, and the dead guy was one of his partners. Both of them were shot by the armed citizen.

The concealed carry guy was not charged, as his actions were deemed to be self-defense.

The customer who fired the shots, who was 37 at the time, didn’t attend Thursday’s hearing. He later said he had gone to the store to get a Big Gulp and was walking to the cash register to pay when the robbers rushed in and pointed guns at him, the store’s clerk and two customers standing at the counter. The customer said he fired at the robbers because he feared for his own life as well as the other customers and clerk.

People (family) wrote letters saying what a great guy Brookins is, but great guys don't commit armed robbery. People who don't know right from wrong commit armed robbery.

Click thru for more, including some choice words from the judge. That is where the quote in the title comes from, from U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith.

Target Stock Sinks in Face of Woke Backlash

And you thought the Bud Light fiasco was bad. BREAKING: JPMorgan Downgrades Target Stock As Company Sees Worst Streak In Decades

On Thursday JPMorgan downgraded its outlook for the retailer as Target tries to shake off its longest losing streak in 23 years following a massive outcry over the company’s decision to sell LGBTQ-themed gear in honor of the month recognizing the community. The bank predicts a new price target of $144, down from $182, for Target’s stock just as the summer season begins and Americans go shopping for vacations and backyard gatherings.

Investors are abandoning the stock even faster than customers are leaving the stores. Market capitalization was down $10 billion in 10 days. That's Billion, with a "B."

News of the [clothing line] was highlighted by conservatives who immediately called for a Bud Light-style boycott of the company’s 1,900 stores, leading company executives to originally double down on their Pride products before removing the line of clothing from its stores altogether. Left-wing protestors pounced on the about-face, with one store even receiving a bomb threat for “turning its back” on the LGBTQ community.

Really, the merchandise, which was targeted at kids (pun intended) has not been removed, just moved from the front of the store to the back. And some of it appeared to be pushing transsexualism on kids, and then there was the line of clothes designed by a Satanist.

But hey, that is totally reason enough for some wack-job to talk about bombing stores. "Do exactly what we tell you to do, or we will crush and destroy you." And yes, there is some of that on both sides of this equation, but the Left isn't used to getting push-back.

I wanted to title this post, "A Tuck-friendly Swimsuit Too far," but unless they are following the kerfuffle closely, I'm not sure that people would know what that meant.

Next up, the anti-Catholic and anti-Christian celebration by the Dodgers baseball team. (Well, eventually.)

Chicago Crime in the Month of May

HeyJackass! brings us the May Wrap-up.

OG Lightfoot and Lightfoot v2.0 split responsibilities as the reigns of stupidity were peacefully handed over mid-month. While OG wrapped up her tenure with over 15k shot*, v2.0 got off to a strong start with a notably violent, stress mishandling Memorial Day weekend.

The final tally for the month: 65 killed, 274 wounded.

That was a slightly better tally than last year, and somewhat better than 2020 and 2021, but it was worst than 2014, 2015, 2017, and 2018.

I am sure the Powers-That-Be will declare "Crime is Down!"

Click thru for stats like "Selfies," #ShotInTheAss, and more. A grand total of 4 homicide-linked arrests were made in the month of May.

Saturday Roundup of Link Roundups - 3 June

Wombat-socho starts things off with In The Mailbox: 05.31.23 (Concentrated Punditry Edition)

Glenn Reynolds: Is This The Real Life? Is this Just Fantasy?
Protein Wisdom Reborn: I’ve Got Your “White Fragility” Right Here

EBL - Kayleigh McEnany is Awesome

Victory Girls: Trump is not acting like a front runner...
Instapundit: Last of the Cuomosexuals Trump

Animal Magnetism - Animal’s Hump Day News

How about no bail-outs for anything or anyone, ever?
We can hope.

The DaleyGator - Daily Top 5

Federalist
Massachusetts Man Faces Prosecution For Defending Himself From Violent, Anti-Republican Attacker

A View from the Beach - Flotsam and Jetsam - Debt Deal Done

Ace, The Freedom Caucus Objects to McCarthy's Compromise With Biden on the Debt No-Limit, Saying He Gave the Store Away, "Some Freedom Caucus members are saying they'll vote against the debt no-limit sellout, but it doesn't matter:

Small Dead Animals - Friday On Turtle Island

Today In Islam: Muslim tries to burn down French church (JW). Migrant attacks German police (JW). Muslim attacks French police (JW).
Woke Britain: The eco-terrorists are at it again. Another lockdown achievement.

Vlad Tepes - Canada to control Crypto pretending to protect children, Parliament attempts to force an inquiry into Trudeau’s Chinese influence and more: Links post 1, June 2nd, 2023

1. Motion passes in Canadian Parliament to have a real inquiry into Chinese influence of Trudeau
2. This link is to a video on mind control from Children’s Health Defense. It is not way out there. It deals with the ordinary. And it starts a little slow. But it is worth the time.

Wombat-socho again - In The Mailbox: 06.01.23

Don Surber: Why This Compromise Sucks,
First Street Journal: Lies, damned lies, and statistics

Gates of Vienna - News Feed 5/31/2023

Poland to Purchase US Hellfire Missiles to Arm Apache Helicopters
Poland’s Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak has announced that his country has signed a contract for the delivery of Hellfire missiles from the United States.

Cafe Hayek - Some Links

Christian Britschgi reports on yet another reason to ignore the World Health Organization.
Max Gulker reviews Matthew Desmond’s Poverty, by America.

Doug Ross - Larwyn’s Linx: Our Fake Spending Debates

• How corrupt is the DOJ? This corrupt... - David Strom
• How did hundreds of noncitizens end up on Chicago’s voter rolls? - Times

Two from Wombat-socho - In The Mailbox: 06.02.23 (Afternoon Edition)

Glenn Reynolds: Actual Malice
Hogewash: Team Kimberlin Post of the Day, IR to UV, and What’s Confusing You is Just the Nature of It’s Game

And - In The Mailbox: 06.02.23 (Evening Edition)

Victory Girls: Chick-fil-A is Not Going to Hell
Volokh Conspiracy: On Religious Divisiveness and the Judicial Role
Watts Up With That: More Amtrak High-Speed Train Delays

J.J. Sefton at Ace of Spades HQ - The Morning Report — 5/31/23

"The FBI can arrest Americans, the intelligence communities can spy on us, but it’s the IRS that can, and does, terrify and ruin."
Defund the IRS

Maggie's Farm - Wednesday morning links

"A little more than a year ago, I attended a virtual symposium on “Nudges in Health Care...”
Why The Media Is Attacking Free Speech

Anonymous Conservative - News Briefs – 06/02/2023

California may be a Red state which only goes Blue due to massive voter fraud.
Ghislaine Maxwell fearing for her life after ratting out two violent Cuban inmates. Supposedly they demanded stuff from her commissary purchase, and she refused

I leave you with Top O' The Marnin'! Been Busy and it ain't letting up.... from The Feral Irishman, The sh*t I posted on F*c*book from Wirecutter, and Quick Hits Of Wisdom, Knowledge And Snark #1131 from 90 Miles from Tyranny.

He Was Given the Opportunity to Leave

He didn't take that opportunity. Man who refused to leave Hamlet garage, grabbed a woman shot by homeowner | Richmond County Daily Journal.

Investigators learned that a homeowner was working in his garage when the male suspect entered the area of the residence. The man refused to leave after being told to do so several times, according to a press release from the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office.

When a woman came out of the house, the intruder grabbed her. The homeowner fired one shot. There is no word on the condition of the intruder.

The investigation continues, but this looks like a case of self-defense to me. Of course I'm not the DA in that area, and that is who will make the determination on charges. No one has been arrested.

Self-defense is a human-right.

Sparky Cars Gonna Spark

I couldn't see parking any EV in my garage. Though some are clearly worse than others. Jaguar I-Pace EV recall due to fire risk in batteries

Jaguar is recalling more than 6,000 I-Pace electric SUVs in the U.S. due to the risk of the high-voltage battery catching fire, and it's telling owners to park them outdoors.

The recall is the latest in a series of electric vehicle battery recalls because of the potential for fires.

They are not alone.

General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai, Stellantis and Volkswagen have issued recalls since February of 2020, most due to internal battery failures that can increase the risk of fires.

Until they catch fire, they are zero emissions. (Pay no attention to the coal and natural-gas fired power plants!) After they catch fire, not so much.

Get Lucky

The 10 year anniversary and re-release of Daft Punk's last album Random Access Memories (last week) pushed them back to number one on Billboard’s Top Dance/Electronic Albums chart.

We've come too far to give up who we are
So let's raise the bar and our cups to the stars

This is "Get Lucky" by Daft Punk with vocals by Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers on guitar. It is from their 2013 album Random Access Memories. (This song won the 2014 Grammy for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.)

Pharrell Williams you know - at least - from his song "Happy" which was used in the Despicable Me 2 soundtrack. (If that song doesn't make you smile, you might need professional help)

Nile Rodgers you know from the Funk/R&B/Dance group Chic, that he started with bassist Bernard Edwards, and the 1978 hit song "Le Freak." Well, you know him if you're old enough. (It was constantly on the radio for a while, reaching #1 on the Billboard chart) Most people from that era came to hate the song.

Those of you who never spent any time in clubs in the 80s or 90s probably can't relate to Daft Punk, and even though they came along after my clubbing days were over, they do hearken back to those days of old. And Pharrell Williams just has an amazing singing voice.

CBS News Versus the Truth

From The Other McCain we get the following: CBS News (Barely) Lets Catherine Herridge Report About the Biden Scandal.

Permit me to suggest that what’s going on here — I mean, with the Biden scandal, not the shouting matches at CBS News — is that there is now a cover-up of the cover-up. That is to say, Christopher Wray and other corrupt officials atop the FBI hierarchy deliberately sabotaged the investigation of the Biden family’s foreign influence-peddling (a scandal that includes such crimes as tax evasion, wire fraud and money laundering), and that what they’re trying to do now is to sabotage the congressional investigation of their previous sabotage.

I miss the days when truth meant something to journalists, and law enforcement at least pretended to care about Justice, and this country.

Friday Links - 2 June

Tam at View from the Porch is up first with Ahead of the Curve

From the novel that introduced the world to the word "cyberspace" comes this bit about Artificial Intelligences...

Lawrence Person's BattleSwarm Blog - The Tank Museum On The T-14 Armata

We’ve already covered why Russia’s T-14 Armata tank isn’t all that. Here’s a somewhat more balanced look from David Willey of The Tank Museum:

The Post Millennial - Chick-fil-A goes WOKE, commits to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion agenda

The uber-popular fast food restaurant Chick-fil-A has recently published its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) statement, which appears to be a complete abandonment of its long-held Christian values.

Art Carden at AIER - Bill and Ted Take Joan of Arc to Walmart

To paraphrase something I first read from Sheldon Richman, just because some people cannot be trusted with liberty does not mean others can be trusted with power. It is liberty, not power, that has produced the modern cornucopia, so much so that flourishing lives rich with meaningful relationships and experiences are within easy reach of just about everyone.

Don Surber - George Bush, MIA

The only explanation for Bush’s silence is that he — like many Establishment Republicans — has simply given up on the American way of life and quit the battle against evil. The idea of American exceptionalism now embarrasses him, as does his haste to wage war following 9/11.

Mike Rowe - “Reguflation, and the Right to Try” (Ep. 323)

Those rights, as you may have heard, are in serious jeopardy, thanks to a looming bill in Congress called The PRO Act, which would, if passed, force millions of freelancers to become employees, and thereby completely destroy their ability to assume a level of risk that allows them to set their own schedules, plan for their own retirement, arrange for their own healthcare, and make a lot of other decisions most often associated with being a grown-up.

Professor David Yamane at Gun Culture 2.0 - Firearms Classes Taught Me Very Different Lessons than Harel Shapira Learned in His Study

My gun-skeptic friends had all of their biases about Gun Culture 2.0 confirmed, while my gun-sympathetic friends didn’t recognize themselves in Shapira’s characterization.

Again from Professor Yamane - TL:DR on Thoughts on “Firearms Classes Taught Me, and America, a Very Dangerous Lesson” Blog Post

I ended up spending 9 hours writing a 3,500 systematic response. Which is probably too much to ask of most people. So, here is the TL:DR or Cliff’s Notes version of that post. If you want to see any of these points elaborated or the documentation supporting them, please pop over to the original post.

The Other McCain - Visit Exciting Lowdes County!

Look, I’m not saying that every day in Lowndes County, Georgia, is filled with thrilling automotive stunts, but last week, one Florida driver passing through really gave ’em a show on Highway 84.

Again from View from the Porch - Season of the Snake

It's like we're experiencing a Cobra outbreak here in SoBro lately or something.

Lone Star Parson - Collapse of Empire

Oh, what a conspiracy theory! Said the person wearing rainbow socks who never looked at the national debt and couldn't be bothered to read history, ancient much less modern.

Sultan Knish - Department of Education Investigates Schools for Not Sexualizing Kids

The Department of Education launched its investigation to aid supporters of sexualizing children, but found nothing to justify the false accusations of racial or sexual discrimination. But a mere lack of evidence of wrongdoing means nothing to a predatory woke bureaucracy.

Adaptive Curmudgeon - Random Story: Part 1

It’s random story time here at Curmudgeon Compound…

The Other McCain again - What ‘Diversity’ Really Means

Where this anti-white “diversity” mania began, of course, is in higher education, where discrimination against white males has been more or less overt for the past 25 years. The admissions data that came out of the lawsuit Harvard showed that, year after year, 14% of the freshman class was black — demonstrating that a de facto numerical quota was in effect.

Pirate's Cove gets the last word with Bud Light Decides To Keep Digging Their Hole

Sometimes you just have to just chill, let things ride, and hope the issue goes away. Even though the problem isn’t lesbians, gays, and bisexuals, this will be seen as tone deaf and rubbing people’s faces in it.

DAs HATE Self-defense - Atlanta Edition

So how would you respond to a Mixed, Martial Arts competitor rushing you? Former Morehouse athletic official who shot 2 people at party did it in self-defense, judge rules

This was after you had a "confrontation," and he put another person in a chokehold. The judge in the case threw out the charges, citing self-defense.

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney closed this case, ruling that Thomas “was acting within the bounds of the self-defense laws that our Legislature has duly passed when he used that gun to repel what he reasonably believed to be another potentially deadly assault.”

The DA and the guy who got shot are not happy.

DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston was appointed to prosecute the case.

“When we received this case, we knew based on the evidence it may be difficult to prosecute,” a spokesperson said in a statement. “While we respect Judge McBurney’s ruling, we are still considering options regarding an appeal and are consulting with the victims and their families.”

Translation: We knew there was a good chance that people would see self-defense all over this, but we were hoping the jury wouldn't notice because they might hate guns and gun owners. And we respect the judge's opinion, but we are trying to figure out how to tear it up, because we hate self-defense.

Individual liberty? Not depending on the state for your safety? [In your best Gretta T. voice...] How dare you!

The FBI Lied, Now He Gets to Sue

They didn't make a mistake. They made sh*t up. After being wrongfully accused of spying for China, professor wins appeal to sue the government

You can't sue the government for making mistakes, so his case got dismissed. You can sue the government if they willfully violate your constitutional rights, which they do if they lie.

A judge at a federal appeals court ruled in favor of Xi on Wednesday, allowing the physicist to move forward with his case against the U.S. government for wrongful prosecution and violating his family’s constitutional rights by engaging in unlawful search, seizure and surveillance.

The decision comes after FBI agents swarmed Xi’s Philadelphia home in 2015, rounded up his family at gunpoint, and arrested him on fraud charges related to economic espionage, before abruptly dropping the charges months afterward.

You can read the details for yourself, but they are everything we've learn to expect from years of government training.

Hat tip to Pixy Misa:

The case folded like a damp tissue when it went to court thanks to the FBI basically just making shit up.

As they do.

I'm Shocked - Shocked I Tell You! - That Politicians Lie and Cheat

OK so I'm not shocked. Battenfeld: Rachael Rollins downfall exposes dark underbelly of politics, media. As far as I can tell, no one tried to steal anything, except an election, but that wouldn't shock me either.

These are the same people who complain about misinformation, and want to censor everything you read, and hear. They are spreading lies, but they believe that is their right. And only their right. "Just shut up and believe what we tell you to believe."

“No mercy. Finish him,” Rollins demanded to Boston City Councilor Ricardo Arroyo in one of their text exchanges about Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden, whose campaign they were trying to torpedo.

While such attitudes may be more common than many think, the public should rightly be horrified by the abuse of power shown by Arroyo and Rollins, and the deep involvement of the media.

I'm not shocked, because I think politicians live for abusing whatever power they can get their hands on. Not all, but especially at the city level.

And the Boston Globe went along and used "anonymous sources" who were trying to smear one of the candidates. Because it was a juicy story. It just wasn't true. That sounds familiar somehow, as if I can hear echos of "Russia, Russia, Russia" in the background.

The Rollins probe has slimed an untrustworthy press and feeds into why an already cynical public hates and doesn’t trust the media.

The twin investigative reports about Rollins also showed how dangerous it is for the public and media to glorify and lionize public officials.

I don't think anything will change, reporters will continue to shield their friends and attack Republicans and moderate Democrats.

DA's HATE Self-defense

Despite that, it seems as though it might be legal in Pennsylvania. Ohio man found not guilty of attempted homicide in Duquesne Heights shooting

Toalston and his girlfriend were taking photos at the Mt. Washington overlook around 3 a.m. March 2, 2022, when he got into an altercation with a passing pedestrian, according to a criminal complaint filed in the case.

Toalston told police that he made a comment to a man walking with his mother. The man became angry and started following Toalston and yelling at him, the complaint said. Toalston and his girlfriend told police the man began swinging a plastic bag as he walked toward Toalston.

It ended up with a shooting that the police and the DA didn't think was self-defense.

The trial lasted 3 days. It doesn't say for how long the jury deliberated.

In today's society we can assume that if someone is being aggressive, chasing you and threatening you — especially after several warnings — that there is, in fact, that danger, especially if that person is a stranger and the incident was unprovoked," [Toalston's attorney, Marc] Daffner added.

Self-defense is a human-right.

The Bud Light Meltdown Continues

Get Woke, Go Broke. COMPLETE COLLAPSE: Bud Light Suffers Worst Week Ever - Mexican Competitor Now Poised to Surpass Woke Company as World's Number 1 Beer | The Gateway Pundit | by Cullen Linebarger

Bud Light got hit with their most devastating news yet according to a new report.

According to data provided to the New York Post Tuesday, sales for Bud Light are so catastrophic that they are on the verge of losing their status as the world’s number one beer brand to a Mexican competitor.

Sales of Bud Light were off nearly 26% when compared to the same period last year. The

Sales of Modelo Especial were up 9%, and it is on track to become the #1 beer.

A more American choice...

Yuengling, which is “America’s Oldest Brewery,” surged a whopping 47.6% according to the numbers provided by Bump Williams.

As the Post notes, the numbers are even more astonishing considering Yuengling is distributed to just 25 states and operates just three breweries.

The stock market has finally noticed that Bud light and Anheiser-Busch are in a bit of trouble. AB-InBev had been spouting the "the 1st quarter was great" line, while ignoring the fact that this blew up in the 2nd quarter.

Bud Light is still radio silent on Twitter. That has been the case since April 14th. While I'm not 100% sure, I believe that is the day their Clydesdale ad came out. And was soundly mocked.

AI Can't Tell Fact from Fiction

ChatGPT and the rest are language models, NOT truth models. AI Makes S**t Up | Power Line

A guy who writes about the governors of South Dakota asked ChatGPT to write something. It came up with Chet Taylor. Dates in office, alma matter, etc.

Remarkably, however, Crawford H. “Chet” Taylor is entirely a figment of ChatGPT’s imagination.

Not only was he never governor of South Dakota, he never existed.

That isn't the only instance. It seems some lawyers thought using ChatGPT to write a brief was a good idea.

Some lawyers in New York relied on AI, in the form of ChatGPT, to help them write a brief opposing a motion to dismiss based on the statute of limitations. Chat GPT made up cases, complete with quotes and citations, to support the lawyers’ position. The presiding judge was not amused.

Hat tip to Pixy Misa at Ambient Irony - Daily News Stuff 30 May 2023: Euphemistic Eucalypt Edition

And Chet Taylor looks good too. He's just not real. And since ChatGPT can't sustain a hallucination long enough to form a coherent short story, just for a couple of paragraphs, so it's utterly valueless.

Nvidia still has a valuation greater than AMD and Intel combined, but at least one corner of that market cap is built on sand.