Big Brother Meets Brave New World

Elon Musk's DOGE  is racing to build a single centralized database with vast troves of personal information about millions of U.S. citizens and residents; an initiative that often violates or disregards fundamental privacy and security protections meant to keep such information safe.  For any of my Libertarian pals out there I ask - How do you feel about that?

Ostensibly, this sprawling database is necessary to finding and deporting undocumented immigrants and rooting out fraud in government payments.  The practical impacts however is that the Washington Post has reported that the DOGE Team has amassed a trove of sensitive information including taxpayer ID (Social Security numbers) dates of birth, employment history, disability records, medical documentation, banking and brokerage account records and much much more.  

How do you feel about that?

In 1984, the Thought Police waited for the wrong word, the wrong glance, then struck. 

Now the system won’t need to monitor your thoughts, artificial intelligence will anticipate them. 

You’ll post, apply, search, pause, and the system will watch, surveil, calculate, reshape. It won’t knock. It’ll nudge. No alarms. No doors kicked in. Just a quiet rerouting. A buried flag. A job never offered. A truth never shown. It won’t censor. It’ll omit.

Prediction will replace suspicion. Friction will replace force. It won’t need to punish the dangerous idea. It will only need to hide it. The fewer questions it asks, the more power it will hold. What once required obedience will require only data. The rest will be math.

You won’t be stopped. Just slowly moved. Not punished. Just erased from relevance. This won’t be governance. It’ll be geometry, narrowing your path click by click, decision by decision, until you can’t remember what the wide road looked like.

I might just have the genesis for a gripping sci fi novel, eh? 

Ticking Time Bomb

The President's Big Beautiful Bill could possibly be beautiful and is certainly is big; but not simultaneously.  Setting a record for an all time high in deficit spending is the big part and that is hardly beautiful.  It is an economic time bomb that could eventually bring down our rather decent credit rating and our children's economic prospects along with it.

That is hardly a beautiful prospect.

This is spending on the scale of a wartime economy.  Last time I looked, we're not at war; a real one anyway.

There is momentum in the Senate to stop the process, at least "until the president gets serious about spending reduction and reducing the deficit," said Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI). Johnson's concerns come as a number of GOP lawmakers, including Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY) and Josh Hawley (R-MO), have indicated they will not back the bill in its current form.  

The administration and the house are whistling past the graveyard; the Senate has an opportunity to take a whack at the House Pinata and perhaps bring some sanity to this debauchery of spending.  

I hate to sound like a broken record and say I told you so; but the solution to our budget deficit is the 800 pound gorilla sitting with us in the room.  Namely, Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.  They need to be reformed.

Of course, that is a heavy lift and hard work.  The administration seems loathe to roll-up their sleeves and work hard.  And if Trump's party loses some or all of its power in the mid-terms the opportunity to take it on later will have passed.

Meanwhile we have reality television cage-match politics.  We are living in interesting times. 

Better Safe Than Sorry

My trail cameras have been in their present locations for years.  Consequently, the local critters don't pay them much mind; at least as much as I can tell.

This inquisitive, yet hesitant, doe wasn't having any of it it however....

 

They Have Returned

If you've been reading the news lately there has been a significant amount of chatter about unidentified flying objects or UFOs.  It doesn't mean that we're being visited by extraterrestrial beings or aliens - but you never know.  Here at The Platz there has been periodic evidence of aliens and UFOs over the years.  Nothing that I've personally witness - but evidence captured by my trail cameras.

I have evidence that the aliens are back.

They've returned for their first visitation of 2021.

That's because the ever-vigilant camera captured their coming or going.  Including this action shot of them firing their maneuvering thrusters on their spacecraft.

Creepy stuff..... 

Close Call

Yesterday Blonde Dog and I ran the trail camera trap line.  We are happy to report that each of the six cameras captured multiple images of coyotes during all hours of the day.  Coyotes are cheap.

This is a first.

We didn't know it at the time - but it would appear we had a close call too.

From yesterday's walk there was this.....

Airborne Electromagnetic Survey

Just before noon on Friday I was sitting at my desk when I sensed an approaching helicopter.  No big deal I thought - It is likely the air ambulance from Green Bay coming over the house on their usual flight path.

Nay nay, this was different. 

As the sound grew closer it became clear this was not the same chopper.  This aircraft was slower, louder and flying way too low.  

Rushing out of the house this scary sight greeted me.

The aircraft came directly over the house dragging a ginormous contraption swinging dangerously from cables.  

Shouting into the prop wash I yelled - What the hell! 

Was this construction equipment being moved and was the pilot losing control of the load?  

Was it the return of the nefarious and mysterious black helicopters? 

Nope.  This chopper was white. 

For a moment I thought that the 'thing' swinging wildly from the cables was going to crash into the roof.

Jill and I jumped on the Brussels Facebook page and sure enough the community was abuzz about the apparition.

Seems the US Geological Survey people were flying a half-mile grid pattern over the peninsula with technology designed to look beneath the surface and into the bedrock as part of a groundwater study.  

I copied this from the Wisconsin DATCP homepage as background.

What is the survey?

The survey will use airborne electromagnetic (AEM) technology to update depth to bedrock maps for areas in northeastern Wisconsin. The data will provide a depth to Silurian/Karst bedrock contours that update existing map information. The use of a helicopter-towed AEM sensor (looks like a large hoop hanging from a cable) for this type of evaluation is new and provides accurate science-based data about below ground properties that are otherwise difficult to assess over large areas. This project is in response to public feedback on groundwater quality, limited data on depth to bedrock, and to further define aquifer properties in relation to surface activities.

When and where will it happen?

Flights are expected to start in early January 2021 and exact dates will be weather dependent. At this time, surveying will take place in the following counties: Brown, Calumet, Door, Fond du Lac, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, and Sheboygan.

Why is measuring the depth to bedrock important for water quality?

The project is a result of the technical standard to support implementation of Wis. Admin. Code NR 151.075 - Silurian bedrock performance standards​. The technical standard identifies science-based methods for measuring depth to bedrock and serves as a resource for landowners who mechanically apply manure to cropland. Under NR 151.075, you cannot apply manure mechanically to cropland where the depth to Silurian bedrock is two feet or less and other restrictions apply for depths 20-feet or less. Because Silurian is a type of bedrock that allows materials to pass through it more easily, this rule and technical standard work together to help prevent potential pathogens (disease causing organism) from reaching groundwater.

How does this help you?

This survey supports public health efforts to help protect groundwater from potential pathogens and promote water quality. The results of the survey will:

• Reduce the financial burden on private landowners to verify existing maps
• Create a better understanding of aquifer properties
• Address groundwater quality
• Decrease mechanical manure applications in very shallow depth to bedrock areas

This project uses the strength of local, state, and federal resources to help many citizens in the northeastern part of the state.

Between me and you I am reassured to learn that on the second day of the Biden Administration scary government helicopters where not looking for the secret microchips embedded in the shoulders of the citizenry.  

Whew! 

More here.....

Look-Up!

Four years ago I was out brushing trails and clearings like I ordinarily do this time of year and later discovered I had a close encounter with a nest of bald faced hornets hanging in a white pine.

I never took notice of the nest at the time and as a consequence took no special measures to avoid knocking it from the tree with the roll bar of the tractor.

My Guardian Angel earned some hazardous-duty pay that particular afternoon as it was a close call with the wasps.

Ever since then I have been particularly attentive to be aware of my surroundings and always look-up before driving under any tree branches that might be shaken or disturbed by any chores I am performing.  

Like this nest of bald faced hornets.

That Mama Jama is bigger than a basketball and was one of two I spotted Friday and Saturday and gave a wide berth so as not to disturb the inhabitants.

It's one thing to watch where you step to avoid tripping and falling.  Yet sound advice to look-up too.

Trust me on this....

The Pumpkin Vine That Ate Toledo

I've grown pumpkins for carving, roasting on the grill or making pie filling. You can get a can of pie filling just about anywhere.  But where can you get a good roasted pumpkin seed?   If you're a fan of roasted pumpkin seeds you absolutely need to consider growing these as an option.  Not only are these pumpkins terrific for fall décor they are prolific seed producers.  Furthermore, their seeds lack the tough outer hulls of other more pedestrian pumpkins making them perfect for roasting.  On top of that the seed company claims they're a bush-variety and don't take-up large amounts of space in the garden.  

As for that last sentence I don't believe it.  Not true.

A month ago to photographed my two Kakai pumpkin vines.  Nothing spectacular, eh?  Not taking-up much space at all.  They're minding their own business.

This is from a few days ago.  They've morphed into a mutant thing that has taken-over an entire corner of the garden encroaching-upon the potatoes and the cucumbers.  

It's the pumpkin vines that ate Toledo!

Being Smart About Things

Last Thursday I mused about the prospects for the Tulsa Trump rally.  In particular, would the devoted disciples bring-along their elderly mother-in-law, grandpa or a family member with diabetes, heart disease or obesity for the sprawling, coronavirus petri dish festival.          

In the run-up the Trump reelection campaign had raised expectations for yesterday’s rally with the announcement that more than 1 million people had registered to attend.  One Trump official announced that they expected 100,000 to show up at the arena.  Alas, those numbers didn’t materialize.   

The Tulsa Fire Department who monitored the crowd at the Bank of Oklahoma Center - a venue that can hold more than 19,000 - announced today that fewer than 6,200 people attended.  In the final analysis it would appear that people were smart about things and they stayed away.  I have genuine admiration for wise decision-making.   

Or maybe a requirement that attendees waive any and all legal recourse as a consequence of illness or death from exposure to COVID-19 suppressed attendance?  We’ll never know.  

What we will know is if the largely mask-less festivities contributed to an uptick in the spread of infection.  Public health officials and the press will be vigilant about this over the next couple of weeks.   

Stay tuned…..

Being Smart About Things

Against the advice of public health officials it would appear that at the time this post is published Donald Trump will proceed with holding his first COVID-19 pandemic rally - and it’s gonna be in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Saturday, June 20th.  Seems Trump is determined to host a rally in a packed arena, crowded with the unmasked and replete with attendees 50 and older.   

At first blush this is pure, unadulterated, hi-test and unfiltered Trump – not that he ever had a filter anyway.  Yet the puzzlement of hosting a potential Super Spreader Event is that Trump won Oklahoma in 2016 garnering 65% of the vote. Why take the risk?  Is Oklahoma even in play this November?  I digress.       

Suppose you have no qualms about attending crowded events of any sort and the potential spread of contagion by doing so.  Trump adherents will find this on the campaign website if they wish to obtain an admission ticket:     

By clicking register below, you are acknowledging that an inherent risk of exposure to Covid-19 exists in any public place where people are present.  By attending the rally, you and any guests voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to Covid-19 and agree not to hold Donald J. Trump for President, Inc.; BOK Center; ASM Global; or any of their affiliates, directors, officers, employees, agents, contractors or volunteers liable for any illness or injury.      

That’s right – as a precondition of attendance you are required to relinquish any and all of your legal rights to redress if you contract COVID-19 and become ill or die.  You cannot sue Donald Trump for President, Inc.  Don’t take my word for it...  

https://events.donaldjtrump.com/events/tulsa-oklahoma-rally-june-19?utm_medium=web&utm_source=djt_web&utm_content=redbar

I suppose it’s difficult to argue against solid risk management on the part of Trump, Inc.  Just like me the president does not want to be sued. That's being smart about things.  And there’s no getting around arguing about the decision-making capacity of the faithful.  Perhaps they believe Trump's lie that the coronavirus really is just a hoax that disappeared in April when the weather became warmer.  These people are fervent believers.

So, the operative question is this - will the devoted disciples bring-along their elderly mother-in-law, grandpa or a family member with diabetes, heart disease or obesity for the sprawling, coronavirus petri dish festival?

Looks to me like Trump, Inc. wants it both ways.

This will be an interesting exercise in being smart about things.

Stay-tuned.....

Twilight of the Gods

Huge whiff of Götterdämmerung in the atmosphere today.  

Wonder what's up.......?

Twilight

 

Not a sunset. 

Rather a black and white panoramic composition of the ground fog forming at dusk. 

Our own zombie apocalypse setting - out the back door. 

Shriek!

Predictable Extraterrestrials

They’re back. 

Yup - those pesky extraterrestrial beings from the fringes of our galaxy that periodically pay a call to the peninsula to vex me.  The evidence is irrefutable. 

click on the image for a closer look

One of the patient and stealthy trail cameras recorded the return of their spacecraft as it landed nearby.  Curiously, the visitation is right on time.  I looked back at my records and it was only a year ago I captured photographic evidence of their November visit. 

Predictable the aliens are…..

Ghost Deer

Speaking of deer there is this very recent trail camera photo in infrared (IR) mode.  No visible flash.  Black and white result.  It's all in keeping with the spirit of Halloween.

I refer to these a 'ghost deer' because of the ethereal qualities imparted-upon the imagery as a consequence of the trail camera medium.

They're also stealthy animals and frequently sneak-up on the unwary and unwitting bow hunter just like a ghost.

Boo!

Gastronaut

Aside from the nod to hearing sounds in the vacuum of outer space this is rather funny...

New Arrivals

If you are reading this post you already know that I've been periodically noting the return of our seasonal visitors - namely migratory birds.

Another visitor has returned.


Those pesky extraterrestrial beings from the fringes of our galaxy that periodically pay a call to the peninsula to vex me.

The evidence is irrefutable.  One of the patient and stealthy trail cameras recorded the return of their spacecraft as it landed nearby.

Cue the Twilight Zone music.....

The Most Dangerous Job on the Planet

Army Air Force Photo

Between 1940 and 1945 allied air forces dropped 2.7 million tons of bombs on Europe – half of that on Germany alone.  Of that tonnage as much as ten percent failed to detonate.  

Today – almost eighty years later - thousands of tons of unexploded ordnance is uncovered and removed from German soil every year.   Before a construction project can commence the site must be surveyed and certified as clear of any unexploded munitions. 

On May 15, 1945, 600 aircraft flew over the town of Oranienburg in Germany dropping 1,500 tons of explosives.   Almost all of these bombs were fitted with a time delay device.  And as a consequence a much higher proportion than usual of these bombs did not explode.  To this day Oranienburg is considered the most dangerous city on earth.   

To learn more about this fascinating and dangerous situation and the bravery of Germany’s bomb disposal technicians you should check out this Smithsonian link.

Eleven Year Anniversary

April dawned eleven years ago with the Federal Reserve implementing a stop-gap measure of adding additional liquidity to the nation's banking system. 

On April 7 and again on April 21, the Fed added another $50 billion each through its Term Auction Facility.  The Fed was lifting heaven and earth in an attempt to keep the financial system from disappearing down the drain in a humongous swirly.

Lest you think Wall Street learned a lesson from this historic meltdown of the financial markets there is new risky-business afoot. If your recall of 2007 and 2008 is fuzzy – heed this reminder. 

Back then, financiers peddled tranches of collateralized debt obligations (CDOs) – basically high-risk (junk) home mortgages that had been packaged up and sold as ‘safe’ investments. These were the toxic securities that I alluded-to in one of my earlier posts. 

Nowadays, financiers are peddling tranches of collateralized loan obligations (CLOs) – basically high-risk (junk) corporate loans that have been packaged and sold as ‘safe’ investments. 

There’s trillions of dollars of this stuff floating-around out there.  And a short opinion piece from the New York Times sums-it-up nicely….

Eleven Year Anniversary

The month of March was a busy time eleven years ago.  The Chairman of the Federal Reserve concluded that the central bank had to act aggressively and engage in an expansionary monetary policy in order to prevent a more serious recession.  

The Fed's goal was to keep adjustable-rate mortgages affordable because they had become the bank of last resort - the only bank willing to lend. 

Additionally the Fed announced it would lend $200 billion in Treasury notes to bail out bond dealers who were hopelessly stuck with a crap-ton of mortgage-backed securities and other collateralized debt obligations.  Because these securities had become garbage there was no longer a secondary market for these debt products.     

Worst of all, absolutely nobody knew for sure who owned the bad debt or how much was lurking out there.  All buyers of debt instruments had become terrified of purchasing or selling from one another.  No one wanted to get caught with any additional toxic junk on their books. Banks were playing a massive shell game hoping that no one would get caught with more bad debt and the Fed was juggling several balls in an attempt to keep liquidity in the financial markets. 

The skies continued to darken as the shit storm gathered.

Don't Kiss The Frog!

Sunday – January 6th - was the last day of Frogs! at the Milwaukee Public Museum.  One of the most advanced traveling frog exhibitions in the country Jill and I took the opportunity to take-in and experience the vocal and visual beauty of these frogs from around the world. The exhibition has moved-on and this is the third of several postings I promised to publish over the next couple of weeks.  Be sure to check back and learn more about the herps - my favorite people.  

You do not want to kiss these frogs because the most poisonous animal around is not a snake or a spider.  It might be one of these stunningly beautiful frogs.  While most frogs produce skin toxins - these Central and South America amphibians are the most deadly of all.  The Golden Poison Frog (Phyllobates terribilis) holds enough toxin that an amount of poison equal to 2-3 grains of table salt is enough to cause the death of a human.       

From the exhibition are the Blue Poison Frog (Dendrobates tinctorius "azureus") and Dyeing Poison Frog (Dendrobates tinctorius). 

click on images for a closer look

The Yellow-banded or Bumblebee Poison Frog (Dendrobates leucomelas) and green-and-black poison frog (Dendrobates auratus).     








These poison frogs play an important role in the culture of indigenous South American hunters.  The tips of blow darts are inoculated with poison by rubbing the dart tips over the skin of a frog, stabbing or slowly roasting a frog causing it to excrete a toxic white foam.  The toxin tipped darts are destructive enough to kill bats, birds and monkeys. 

If you are wondering why these frogs can survive in the wild while sporting such brilliant and vivid coloration the answer is simple – they can.