This ain't Hell, but you can see it from here

Author: Hondo

  • “Worker’s Paradise”, Eh?

    Earlier today (Korea Daylight Time), a young North Korean soldier decided he’d had enough.  So he quit.  He defected to South Korea – and freedom.

    The defection of people from North Korea to South Korea isn’t that uncommon any more.  However, the defection of a member of the North Korean military or government is somewhat rare.

    What’s particularly noteworthy in this case is the way the man defected, though.

    He defected by walking across the Korean DMZ.  He turned himself in at a South Korean guard post after crossing and was taken into custody.

    Cojones muy grande, indeed.

    Both Fox News and the Korean news agency Yonhap have stories concerning the defection.  However, details are scanty in both articles; the South Korean government is still interrogating and processing the defector and has released little information so far.

    Welcome to the free world, young man.  I hope you make the most of your new life.

  • Sometimes An Outsider “Nails It”

    In music, personal familiarity is often the source of inspiration. But that’s not universally true. Outsiders on occasion have insights that others miss.

    Though not the norm, that’s actually not too terribly uncommon. Robbie Robertson – who wrote much of the Band’s work that forms a tableau of America, including “The Weight”, “Up on Cripple Creek”, and “The Night they Drove Old Dixie Down” – was Canadian. John Kay of Steppenwolf was born in a part of Germany now ruled by the Soviet Union, and raised in Canada; Steppenwolf’s music is about as American as you can get.

    So it should come as no big surprise that an outsider on occasion can “get it” – and write music that perfectly reflects a time and place that they didn’t themselves experience growing up. It’s not that common, but it can happen.

    Yeah, this is another kinda off-topic musical “walkabout”. Consider yourself warned. (smile)

    . . .

    Having grown up in the South, I think I can say that it’s pretty hard to be more of an outsider there than to be a Jewish guy who grew up in a large Northeastern city. And it’s also hard to be more uniquely Southern, musically, than Delta Blues – of which Memphis is the heartland.

    Rock and roll traces its roots to the confluence of Delta Blues and country. And if anyplace is rock and roll’s birthplace, that would be Memphis – specifically, the Memphis Recording Service, AKA “Sun Studios”, at 706 Union Avenue.

    Yet it was a Jewish guy from Cleveland – Marc Kohn – who managed IMO to perhaps best capture the spirit and history of the place. Go figure.

    The result was also something IMO truly special.

    (My apologies for the 90 seconds or so of “dead air” at the end of the clip, but it was the best one, sound quality-wise, I could find.)

    Kohn’s song above is often thought to be an Elvis “tribute”. In truth, Elvis is only a passing mention in the tune.

    Kohn’s tune is highly autobiographical. It documents a trip he made to Memphis as an unknown singer/songwriter in 1986, at a time when his career seemed to be going nowhere.

    • The “blue suede shoes” reference isn’t to Elvis, but to Carl Perkins – who recorded the tune first.

    • The reference to following the ghost of Elvis starting at “Union Avenue” is a reference to Elvis’ career beginning at the aforementioned Sun Studios.

    • The “Handy” mentioned was Blues legend W. C. Handy; a monument to him exists in Memphis.

    • “Reverend Green” was Al Green – who was an ordained minister, and who did indeed preach in Memphis while Kohn visited; Kohn attended one of his sermons.

    • “Muriel” and “Hollywood” were real as well. Hollywood was a diner in or near Tunica, Mississippi; Muriel sometimes sang there. Kohn visited both – and credits his visit with Muriel with being a large factor in his later success.

    • “Beale” was, of course, Beale Street.

    Both Wikipedia and Songfacts have more background. Both articles are relatively short, but if you’re interested are IMO worth reading.

    Yes, Kohn’s career high point was this tune; he’s pretty-much a classic “one hit wonder”. But in this piece, IMO he nailed a time, a place – and its history – far better than most ever can.

    And he did it as an outsider. To me, that’s damned impressive.

    He probably didn’t actually convert during his visit. But during that visit, maybe he really did get a bit of Higher Inspiration.

    Plus, I kinda like the tune. (smile)

    . . .

    OK, the walkabout is over for today. Back to the TAH norm.

  • A Public Message to A One-Time TAH Commenter

    It has come to my attention that a recent commenter – using the screen name “Ralph Cinque” – apparently thinks I am someone I am not.

    Well, that’s happened before and is nothing new.  But this particular case seems to be a bit different.

    “Ralphie-boi” above appears to have a blog – which I’d never heard of until someone told me about it the other day.  Nothing new about that, either.

    From a single quick – and first-time – look at his blog after its existence was brought to my attention the other day, “Ralphie-boi” seems to be of the opinion that Oswald was framed for shooting JFK.  Hey, it’s still a free country; everyone is entitled to their opinion.

    “Ralphie-boi” also apparently has been having a running argument on his blog with some individual using the screen name or nom de plume “Hondo”.  The argument relates to the JFK assassination in some way; I didn’t bother to read enough of Ralphie-boi’s “scholarly work” to determine the precise details of that argument.

    Regardless: “Ralphie-boi” has apparently published a number of rebuttal articles directed at this individual he calls “Hondo” on his blog.  And he also seems to think this other individual is either named or using the screen name “Bpete” as well.

    And of course – according to “Ralphie-boi’s” immense intellect and amazing powers of analysis, it’s not possible that TWO DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS might possibly use the same screen name or nom-de-plume. Apparently “Ralphie-boi” has determined that that simply can’t happen.

    So there you go: per “Ralphie-boi”, since I use the nom-de-plume “Hondo” here at TAH I must be the same guy with whom he’s been having his running argument regarding the JFK Assassination.

    Well, “Ralphie-boi” – I got some bad news for you.   Here’s a news flash fer ya, “Einstein”.

    I hate to “burst yer bubble” . . . but it is indeed possible for different individuals to use the same screen name on the Internet.  That’s precisely what has happened here.

    I am not the guy you’ve been arguing with on your blog.  Before yesterday, I had no idea you even had a blog.  I’ve never commented there, nor have I ever argued with you about the JFK Assassination.  The sole exchange I’ve ever had with you was my single reply to you that occurred on this blog, regarding the comment I linked above.

    Before that, I didn’t know you even existed.

    Oh, and your blog articles and use of logic kinda . . . well, IMO they rather suck. I wasted a bit of time looking at a couple of them. For starters, not responding to an argument is decidedly not the same thing, logically, as agreeing your opponent is correct – either tacitly or explicitly.   One has to see the article in question in the first place to respond; secondly, they have to feel the argument even merits a reply.

    Your blog articles IMO go rapidly downhill from there.

    I will say that at least you’re somewhat more literate than a few of the tools who have been featured here at TAH – you can string a readable sentence or two together, even if the use of logic therein leaves much to be desired.  And you don’t seem to TyPe LiKe An AdOlEsCeNt TeEnAgE GiRl HaViNg A hIsSy FiT after drinking an entire 2-liter Mountain Dew and finding out her boyfriend wants to dump her, either.

    Now, how about you take your half-baked ideas and comments back to your insular little JFK-conspiracy-theory-world and leave discussions here relating to military and government matters to rational adults.  And while you’re at it, how about you quit accusing me of being someone I’m not?

    Sheesh. I’d expect stuff like this from SoMeOnE eLsE wE kNoW aNd “LoVe”.   Wonder if they know each other, or are possibly related?

  • Yet More Secret Service Follies

    Well, the Secret Service is yet again in the news. And as has been the recent norm – it hasn’t been in the news in a good way.

    First: it appears that one of the Secret Service agents working a First Lady event got a bit . . . randy using his phone recently. It apparently happened on his “own time”, but he’s still on admin leave while this is sorted out.

    And, second: apparently security clearances at the Secret Service are either thought to be unimportant or are treated somewhat carelessly. It seems that uncleared agents have been present at the White House lately – including at recent meetings involving classified information.

    The linked articles (both from Fox) give more details. The first is IMO kinda “meh”. The second isn’t, and points out a serious issue that needs fixing.

    I guess this means the “new” Secret Service chief is having a wee bit of trouble turning things around. Or maybe it means he’s simply OK with the current status quo.

  • So, NOAA Says There’s No “Global Warming Pause”?

    Well, if that’s the case . . . I’m confused. Because there’s this, too. According to data from the US National Snow and Ice Detection Center,

    Sea ice extent in Antarctica last month set a new record high for the month of May, according to data from the US National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC).

    The article goes on to say that sea ice around Antarctica has been increasing at the rate of 2.9% per decade since 1981.

    So, let me get this straight: global warming is causing record sea ice around Antarctica during the southern hemisphere’s late fall. And that constant global warming – remember, NOAA said yesterday that the nearly 2-decade pause observed during the last 2 decades is a myth – has caused sea ice coverage around Antarctica to grow at a rate of 2.9% per year for the last 3 decades.  Plus, Arctic sea ice levels seem to be about where they were 10 years ago – in spite of that “constant man-made global warming” that NOAA says is happening.

    Yeah, all that really makes a lot of sense to me.  Shoot, it looks to me that if this global warming stuff keeps up long enough the entire southern hemisphere will be iced over!

    Looks like someone’s got some ‘splainin’ to do.  Or perhaps some more “data adjusting”.  (I’m guessing the latter could be just around the corner.)

    Global warming, eh? Riiiiight.

  • And In the “Shoulda Seen This Coming” Department . . . .

    Remember that little thing called “Medicaid expansion” that was an optional part of ObamaCare? You know, the one where states could optionally expand Medicare eligibility and the Federal government would pick up the tab – for a while?

    Well, guess what. Pretty soon (2017) part of the bill starts getting transferred to the states.  (Even so, the Federal government still will pick up 90% or more of the cost for the expansion.)  And guess what that means?

    If you guessed “big bills for the states who signed up” – give yourself a pat on the back.

    Moreover, those bills are significantly larger than originally projected. Because you see – enrollment under those “expanded eligibility” guidelines has been much higher than projected.  Many states are seeing an overage of over 100% of projections.

    Gee – people finding out that they can get “free sh!t” and taking advantage.  Why would anyone ever think that might possibly happen in greater numbers than expected?  Sheesh.

    Predictably, several states are now re-looking their ObamaCare Medicare expansions. I can’t say that I blame them; in the case of one state – Florida – the projected additional cost to the state is about $5 billion over the first 10 years. Guess who’s going to pay for that if they stick with it?

    You see, when it comes to goods and services – like medical care – there isn’t really any such thing as “free”. Someone, somewhere pays for it.

    And if it’s a government giveaway like ObamaCare’s Medicaid expansion . . . that means we pay for it in the form of higher taxes and interest rates. Well, at least those of us who ever pay taxes or borrow money do.

    Fox today has an article that gives more details.  It’s worth a read.

  • Looks Like NOAA Is “Rectifying” History . . . . Yet Again

    Well, NOAA will come out with a      tall tale     scientific paper today that says that the nearly 20-year “Global Warming Pause” you’ve been hearing about – isn’t real.  Their new       cock-and-bull-story       scholarly article will appear in the journal Science.

    Unfortunately for NOAA, a couple of folks with a scientific background and no agenda (plus a healthy dose of skepticism) got their hands on the paper and its supporting data – which was “embargoed” from public release until 2PM EDT yesterday.  These two individuals took a critical look at the data and the paper’s methodology.

    The two individuals make a persuasive case that NOAA – for probably the 4th time since January 2009 – appears to have “diddled the data”.  Essentially, what NOAA has done is “adjusted” many past temps downward – below previously accepted values – for years before the mid/late 1930s/early 1940s.  Then they “adjusted” more recent temps upward above the accepted, measured values.

    The net result of these new “adjustments” is to make the now roughly 20-year pause in “global warming” they can’t explain go “Poof!” and disappear.   How . . . convenient.

    These two are the “money charts” from the article, which show exactly what’s going on.  First, here’s the one that highlights NOAA’s         blatant data manipulations         temperature “adjustments” to measured data in their       propaganda        scholarly paper released today by year.  Blue values represent “adjustments” which are reductions from measured reality; red values, “adjustments” that are increases over measured reality.  The “crossover point” is in the late 1930s/early 1940s – precisely when actual unadjusted measured raw data appears to show the beginning of a slight cooling trend.

     

    This second chart shows there have been multiple such adjustments since the beginning of 2009.  The adjustments from today’s article don’t seem to be shown – yet.

     

    Don’t believe that’s what’s going on here?  Well, then “Rjddle me this, Batman”:  if recent temperature measurements – made with highly accurate modern equipment we know well – are so “uncertain” that they have to be dramatically “adjusted” upwards, then how in the hell do they know how to “adjust” measurements taken 60+ years ago on equipment of what type they don’t always know downward? And why is the precise effect of these “adjustments” to explain away an apparent flaw in their claims of “runaway global warming” that previously could not be explained – a flaw demonstrated by their own measured data?

    Moreover, these adjustments fly in the face of common sense.  Modern electronic temperature measuring equipment responds much faster than mechanical measuring devices from decades ago.  Modern equipment thus captures fast, temporary transients – both high and low – that the older equipment simply missed.  Modern equipment would therefore be expected to capture HIGHER and LOWER daily extremes than equipment used a century ago, as well as lower lows – e.g., to show a bias towards MORE EXTREME MEASUREMENTS.

    If anything, any adjustments to harmonize old and new data would be to reduce more recent temperature extremes to correct for the capture of extremes by modern equipment – or to increase past extremes to account for missing those same transients.  You wouldn’t adjust both to harmonize the data – well, IMO you wouldn’t if you were doing legitimate science.

    But if you were instead attempting to push an agenda, truth be damned?  Maybe you’d do exactly that.

    Here, NOAA appears to have adjusted both old and new measured temperatures.  And they adjusted them in precisely the way needed to support their “runaway global warming” thesis.

    Sheesh.  The propaganda here from NOAA seems to be moving well beyond the Johnsonian or Nixonian in scope.  This one has the “Baghdad Bob” seal of approval.

    And remember:  since NOAA is Federally funded – we’re the ones paying for their propaganda.

    I’ll let you come to your own conclusion concerning why NOAA did this.  I personally think the actual reason this was done is quite obvious.  But maybe that’s just me.

    I will say this, though. Give me raw data and let me “adjust” it as I see fit, NQA, and I can prove any freaking thing I please from any data set you give me – reality be damned.  As one of the authors is quoted in the article from which the above diagrams appear: “In the business and trading world, people go to jail for such manipulations of data.”

    The science blog “What’s Up With That?” has an excellent article by Bob Tisdale and Anthony Watts describing just how NOAA is trying to pull a fast one here. It’s quite detailed, and isn’t exactly a “quick and easy” read.  But it’s IMO well worth the time to read anyway.

    Global warming my ass.

  • Remember That Late Wannabe “Cop Beheader”?

    Jonn wrote the other day about the terrorist idiot in Boston who decided he’d behead a cop and instead ended up doing the eternal dirtnap.  Turns out that cops weren’t his original target.

    His original target?  That appears to have been Pam Geller.  Yes, the same Pam Geller whose organization was attacked by Islamic extremists when it sponsored a “Draw Mohammed” contest in the Dallas area recently.

    The dead terrorist reportedly expressed an interest in beheading her prior to attacking Boston police.  He apparently decided to attack Boston police only after he got “impatient”.

    I’m serious.

    Draw your own conclusions as to whether such attacks are “revenge” for perceived “blasphemy” – or a calculated attempt by terrorists to undermine our freedoms of speech and religion.