Some impressions of recent developments

 

As most everyone not living under a rock might know, Donald Trump was indicted again. Rather than to react, I decided not to react to it here, and wait awhile.

In the meantime, I just noted a few things that I saw out on the web. There are those who say that Trump's indictment was to keep Brandon's own problems from surfacing in the media. One of Brandon's problems is his own problem with documents being found in his possession, which do not belong in his possession. Then there is this problem with the FBI, in which documents pertaining to a bribery being paid to the "big guy" was seemingly being withheld from Congressional oversight.

Then there was a retreat by FBI Director Wray, who released withheld documents with regards to that allegation. The Congress lady aka "MTG" made a statement on Twitter, in which she discussed what she saw with regards to those documents. The documents seem to be quite serious, so that lends support to the idea that just about everything you see here regarding Trump is related to protection of the "big guy"---meaning Brandon. But Bongino says its about protecting the Bamster. That's because the alleged bribery also implicates the Bamster.

My impression therefore, that there is a lot of stuff swirling around under the radar. It looks like Brandon's DOJ went after Trump in order to protect themselves. If so, this indicates a pretty desperate bunch of criminals who are in trouble, but also appear to be beyond the law. Such types could be capable of just about anything, especially now that at least some elements of the government seem to be pursuing them. Hence the indictment of Trump. Also the troubles that Brandon is now having.

Brandon is running again, but there is a chance that he won't be renominated. Even Democrats don't want Brandon to run again, but it is presumably because of his age and physical condition. The trouble with Brandon is that he cannot pull it all off. One remark he made about the accusations being made of him regarding the bribe was to the effect that there is no money. He actually said that. It also so happens that those on the other side of the bribe said that the money will not be traceable for "ten years". This looks like a pretty odd thing for Brandon to say, which is quite coincidental to what the people who bribed him had to say. The point is that Brandon revealed too much, and it may be because of his dementia. In other words, why use the same words and thoughts that the other side of the bribe could say? Brandon can't seem to help himself.

If enough of Brandon's troubles start to look too damaging for Democrat's chances, they may want to dump him. It is inconceivable that they could really expect to win with a guy with that much of a cloud of suspicion hanging over him. That's the same angle being employed against Trump, by the way. There are a lot of people who could be influenced by such reasoning, if it could be called thus.

Perhaps it is all a smoke and mirrors job. Make both candidates look tarnished, and use that as an excuse to get rid of Trump. That's the Establishment's angle. But it was the Establishment that saddled us with Brandon in the first place. They have never liked Trump.

Finally, I don't believe that Trump did anything wrong. These Establishment people have a credibility problem. They may well have ginned up all of this so as to get back in control of the government. Their big hope is that the equivalence angle will allow them to get rid of both of them, when they really only want to get rid of Trump.

It's hard to say where it all leads. But those covering up the crimes are the most guilty looking. Trump's indictments and impeachments are all geared up to protect themselves. Meaning the Deep State, of course.

The polls seem to favor Trump, both for the nomination and the general election. Making Trump look dirty could be a part of the strategy. Brandon and his followers could say the same thing. If it gets into the election with both of these guys, then you can't really trust the election either. Looks like a big mess.

The economy doesn't look good. The recent job numbers look pretty iffy. There's a big discrepancy between the Establishment data and the Household data. This discrepancy is growing over time. The economy is showing recession numbers elsewhere. Claiming strong jobs numbers could be another way to keep the truth from the public, which could hurt Brandon. Hence, the juiced up employment numbers.

All of this doesn't even consider the international situation with Russia and China. Something's gotta give, as the saying goes. But what will that "something" be?

How a Starship gets built ( video )

 

Comment (lunar starship version):

This shows how the header tank fits inside of the cone section on top. Since the header tank is only used for landing, this could be removed, and a crew compartment could replace it. Make it detachable, and leave the rest on the ground when the Starship does its job and lands on the moon. The big ship wouldn't be needed anymore, and the crew just needs to get to lunar orbit to hitch a ride back to Earth.

A review of the video shows that it may require some tweaking to get this idea to work. If the header tanks can hold enough propellant for the SuperDracos, and for the ride back up, then the header tanks could stay. Instead of hooking up to the raptor engines down below, it could hook up to the SuperDracos. You may need the SuperDracos to soft land on the lunar surface because the raptors are too powerful, and may dig a hole into the lunar surface.

Anyway, it doesn't appear that it would be out of the question ( for now ) to do the lunar version this way. No information on header tank capacity seems to be easily available.

It only takes 1/2 of the spacecraft's wet mass in order to get to lunar orbit. If the detachable part wet masses out at two tons, then it needs one ton of propellant to get back to orbit.

The reason for doing it this way is to increase the payload fraction that could be taken to the surface. If more mass is left behind, then less propellant is needed to get back to orbit. The entire Starship masses out at 110 tons or more. That would entail a loss of mass for payload as opposed to propellant needed for lifting all of that mass back to orbit. A tiny fraction of Starship could be made detachable, thereby making the trip back to orbit much less fuel intensive. The mass savings could be used for payload instead.

The thing that's lacking

What the GOP lacks is unity. The base is sick of the Establishment, and the Establishment never did like the base. Somehow, the two have to unite, but that may not be possible. If the Establishment had to choose between the base, and losing, they'd rather lose. If the base accepts the Establishment candidate, it MIGHT work. But it probably will not work because the base won't turn out for an Establishment type. That's what happened with Romney in 2012.

The lack of unity is what is happening to Trump. The Democrats are taking liberties that they'd never take if the GOP was united. The thing that's happening to Trump is that the GOP is letting the Democrats pull the stunts that they do against Trump because the Democrats know that the Establishment doesn't like Trump, and doesn't like to defend him. The Establishment will only do the minimum to support Trump, thus their support for him is insincere.

Is there another reason to support Trump even if you don't like him? What about party unity? Even though party unity may help, there doesn't appear to be any unity forthcoming. It is almost as if the party won't unite even if it is in their own interest to do so. It seems suicidal.

That's where DeSantis comes in. DeSantis will throw enough red meat at the base to get some support, but he is obviously on the leash of the Establishment, so the base may not rally around him. I do not believe that he could win because of this.

Trump can obviously win, but the Establishment wants no part of him. Seems like a downside to all directions.

How to remedy this? Maybe the clue is that the Democrat Establishment fears its base, but the GOP Establishment despises its base. The GOP base may not be able to get the Establishment to like it, but it does need to get the Establishment to FEAR it.

The recent budget surrender shows the effects of an Establishment that doesn't fear its base. If they did, would McCarthy had given up so easily? It's nothing new. These budget clashes always go against the conservatives. There's no reason for the Establishment to fear the base. There won't be any consequences for this latest failure.

Does the base fear the Establishment? Probably not. What the base fears is that the Establishment will betray, because that is what they do. Someone on the GOP has to hold their nose to vote for an Establishment type. But the Establishment won't reciprocate any more than is the very minimum, as mentioned.

Somehow the base has to make the Establishment fear them. They'll never shape up until they get some fear in their pants.

That is possible. Two thirds of the GOP Establishment supported Liz Cheney in her leadership role. But the backlash was enough to cause the Establishment to give up on Cheney. The base needs to channel this in order to get more respect. For a brief time, the Establishment feared the base. That needs to happen a lot more.

But will it? Also, would it matter any even if they did? Perhaps the key to it all is a kind of societal dysfunction which cannot be fixed. That is a disquieting thought that just came to me. It may explain the suicidal impulse also mentioned. How do you remedy a condition in which the subject just doesn't seem to care anymore? What could make people care when so many do not seem to? But they do care about something... It just doesn't seem that they care for much more than what is inside their own skins.

Don Surber had a piece today on substack. He mentioned something which I mention a lot. The "conservative" types seem to be falling for the left's devices, such as their use of language. He didn't put it the way I put it, but the idea is quite similar. I keep mentioning the use of the word "right" in description of oneself. Surber mentioned other things, but it is the same thought. Conservatives aren't conservative anymore because they don't separate themselves from the culture at large. They've adopted all too many of the left's premises. The left is only interested in destroying the virtue that once existed in this culture. The adoption of the left's anti-social premises is what may be producing the dysfunction seen all around us. How can there be a meaningful opposition when there isn't any real distinction?

Chipped beef on toast

Here's another break from the poop going on...

I've been experimenting with the cooking lately. There was a dish that the family would eat in the old days. It is a type of gravy, with a lot of meat in it. It is poured over biscuits or toast. Actually, we had a more vulgar name that the one I gave in the title. Something on the shingle, you might say.

This experiment uses pancake mix. I spread it on a tortilla, or on bread. The pancake can cook on the tortilla a bit, because it is so thin. Then I flip it over, and spread the mix, which consists of eggs as well. Eventually, all the mix is on the tortilla or toast. Then spread the gravy mix on top of the thing, which I haven't given a name.

This concoction is quite filling, actually. It isn't particularly fattening, either. Maybe there's a bit more carbs than you'd like, but it isn't extravagant by any means. You might say it is more filling AND it tastes great. Sounds a bit like a certain beer commercial in the past, eh?

I came up with this in order to get more fiber in the diet. The tortillas are the kind with more fiber in them. They are considered "keto". Eggs are keto, too. The gravy isn't, though. If bread is used, it could be the keto variety, or the regular kind. I use either. Keto wasn't available this morning, so I used the regular kind.

This is a versatile method, as the pancake mix and such can be used in other dishes. I plan to make something like a pizza in this fashion. I'll put some pepperoni and plenty of cheese on it. Once it is cooked in the pan, I'll spread the cheese and pepperoni, and put it in the air fryer thingie.

A desert might be possible as well. I've been thinking of a sliced banana and plenty of cool whip on the top of the pancake tortilla thingie. You know, this pancake mix rises a bit. It is nice and thick. After all, it is like a bread, or like a cake. That's where the "pancake" name comes from. Too bad they don't have a keto pancake mix.

If you've got something against egg yolks, then egg whites can substitute for it. The final product doesn't really feature the eggs all that much, but the eggs do make it more cohesive. Runny pancakes may break apart.

I mentioned this dish to Wishbone, and he called me the Galloping Gourmet. Well, I don't know about that. Call me the lazy gourmet. Cleaning up after this is fairly easy. Especially the way I do it. I cook it on top of aluminum foil. Then I don't have to wash up as much. Like I said, lazy gourmet. Maybe chipped beef on "toast" is good enough.

Off-grid post, 6-7-23

It has been awhile, and the pace has slowed down a lot. But it continues.

Most of the success of this project thus far has been in advancing the water mgt skills. If I were to attempt to make it on the desert out there, I would need a good solution for the water situation. It only rains about 10 inches a year, on average. That isn't much, and drilling a well is too expensive. I have to collect rain water.

The last sentence about expenses is quite apt, since all of this is being done on the shoe-stringiest of shoe strings. That was true even before I started, and even more so now. I'm not getting any younger, and I'm not getting any healthier. Not getting richer, either.

Anyway, I've been working on some stuff still, and water is one. It has gotten to the point where I can start replacing well water with rain water collected. I would consider that an advancement in the system.

It rains a lot more here than out in West Texas, so that isn't exactly a big of a deal than it might seem. However, I don't come even close to what I could collect here. A more aggressive system out there MIGHT be enough to supply my needs. But that isn't a guarantee.

A major issue is construction. That seems to be a hard nut to crack. It is hard to build something out there that can stand up, while at the same time, that wouldn't require a lot of investment in equipment and materials. That old money issue, again.

I'd like to build a basement, but that may be a challenge. I got an idea from watching SpaceX construction around the launch table. To keep the sides from caving in during excavation, you can use some metal sheets driven into the ground. Forgot what those things are called.

Otherwise, if that doesn't work, everything has to be a ground level and above. This would require other means to deal with the harsh sun and the wind.

Anyway, that is about the extent of it for now. Not much is happening, and time doesn't stand still nor wait for anyone.

Second launch for Starship

Second launch for Starship

Progress is rapid on the preparations for a 2nd Starship launch soon. I keep track of this daily, and I am impressed with the progress. As far as the probability for success, it may be presumptuous to say, but I'd say the odds are pretty much in their favor. The concept for using water cooled plates looks good, but since I'm not an engineer, that opinion isn't an expert one.

It looks like the biggest hurdle will be the government. The FAA has grounded Starship pending an investigation of the mishap on the first launch. This shouldn't be a big deal, but it could be. Then, there is the lawsuit. It is impossible to say how that will turn out. At the risk of being presumptuous again, I'd say the concerns are overblown.

With that being said, I'd say that Musk made a mistake in not testing the ship further before doing that first launch. My opinion on that hasn't changed. It may well have led to a delay in the first launch, but the risk is that the launch may be delayed further by the government. A less eventful launch attempt would leave fewer grounds for lawsuits, and negative publicity.

Then you've got "Elon time". Musk said 1 or 2 months before the 2nd launch. It is well past 1 month already, and they are nowhere near being ready for a 2nd launch attempt. The time line now is 1 more month for pad repairs, and 1 month for testing, then the launch. This may put it into August.

With the possibility of delays, we may not see another attempt this year. However, if the government doesn't stop them, they could launch before the end of summer. That would be a good bet. Progress appears to be quite rapid.

Stuck on stupid

 

Update on stuck on stupid

It seems that those who would want to oppose the "wokist" nonsense would rather grumble about it than to do anything about it. Or, perhaps, there is nobody to lead the charge against it.

There's an opportunity there for somebody. Maybe DeSantis is trying to grab a piece of that action. Whoever does needs to tap into this opportunity, because there is definitely something there.

The trouble with DeSantis is the people backing him. These are the never-Trumper faction that are hoping DeSantis can knock off Trump. That's because they want to control the nominee. If the never-Trumpers want to control the GOP nominee, then they really do not want to oppose the wokists, now do they? Otherwise, there wouldn't be this problem.

In other words, just more fakery.

As for Trump himself, he doesn't distinguish himself enough from the wokists himself. There are those who think Trump is fake, but if he is, then why would there be an opposition to him? Clearly, SOMEBODY doesn't want him.

I am against all the phony accusations made against Trump. If they'd be honest about it, then I could take it more seriously. But nobody is honest. That's the problem.

If there were serious minded people opposed to the wokists, it could be stopped. This latest fiasco shows why. The fakers seem to be getting away with it. Would people approve of this latest nonsense if they knew that it doesn't solve any problem at all, but may well make things worse?

the original post...

Seems like I'm stuck this morning. A lot of subjects for posts are swimming around my head, but I don't know how to put it into a post, so I'm stuck. It has been an interesting week, but I don't want to write about it. Seems a bit too personal sometimes. Yep, I'm stuck.

There was a pretty long conversation yesterday that had an element that I can comment upon, maybe. You see, once the conversation started to swerve into Trump, I decided to end it there. It seems that everybody wants to dump on Trump, you see, and I decided I won't have it. There wasn't any argument, but there wasn't going to be. I don't care if anyone has their opinion on Trump. The thing is, the Democrats won't make an honest argument about the man, and neither will the never Trumpers. If the man was so bad, then why can't they make the arguments about what they consider to be bad, as opposed to the phony arguments being pursued in the courts? Consequently, I won't brook any discussion about Trump's faults, whatever they may be. His opponents will not make an honest argument. Until that happens, I won't have any discussion about Trump's faults, whatever they are. If nobody will make an honest argument, then there won't be anything to talk about.

Perhaps I can expand upon that a bit. The phony arguments being made by the powers-that-be are a pattern of dishonesty that is running rampant in this culture. Everywhere you turn, there is something phony going down. The cultural example most prominent is this tranny business. If there's anything phony as hell, it is someone who tries to be what they are most definitely not. There can be nothing more phony than a person who claims to be the opposite sex. One's sex is determined at conception. It is a fundamental part of WHO YOU ARE, as much as the color of your skin, the color of your eyes, and even the species you belong to. It is in the chromosomes, for heaven sake. What else could you be but what is in your chromosomes? If you aren't that, then what can you possibly be? You cannot be a rattlesnake because your parents aren't rattlesnakes. Someone who believes something false was once considered to be insane. Now this is considered NORMAL. Something's wrong here, boss.

Another example is this continuing phony baloney nonsense about the GOP being an opposition party. There is supposed to be this big partisan divide. But it is phony as hell because this latest debt ceiling nonsense was phony as hell. There aren't 5 Republicans willing to take a stand for what they claim to believe in. Then, they must not believe in it very much. Not even 5 Republicans were willing to use the occasion to make their case about getting the government back under some sort of fiscal discipline. So the opposition to the bill was really just a phony baloney act. It is also a part of the phony baloney cultural phenomenon.

We pretend so much. This must be getting pretty well entrenched, because nobody seems to be willing to do anything about it. Indeed, you might even get an argument about it being a problem. Well, I think it is a problem if you cannot agree upon what the situation actually is. Is there or is there not a fiscal problem? If there is, then why can't anybody get on their hind legs and defend a proposition that will address the issue? If they're not willing to do that, then maybe nobody thinks it is a problem, after all. If not, then why the hell pretend that it is?

It's the fakery that I object to. It is the lack of balance and perspective that I object to. If you are going to trash Trump, then why not be honest about it? Why invent phony crimes? Those who oppose Trump cannot make an honest argument and take it to the people, so they have to invent phony crimes to try to defeat him that way instead. They do this, and try to call it "democracy". I say that it just a bunch of phony baloney nonsense like all the rest.

Truth is a rare commodity these days. If you could package it and sell it, it might be worth a lot. We sure as hell could use a bit more of it.

That is all.