“We do not believe any group of men adequate enough or wise enough to operate without scrutiny or without criticism. We know that the only way to avoid error is to detect it, that the only way to detect it is to be free to inquire. We know that in secrecy error undetected will flourish and subvert.” –J. Robert Oppenheimer
My apologies for the delay. Tonight was a comedy of errors.
Check back later; I will insert a commentary. [It’s posted.] Right now I just need to get this posted as fast as possible.
What is it that feeds our battle, yet starves our victory?
January 6 Tapes?
Where are the tapes? Anyone, Anyone? Bueller? Johnson??
Paging Speaker Johnson…this is your conscience calling you out on broken promises.
Alternate Presidents
Back in 1991 or 1992 (copyrighted 1992 but oft-times that is a book printed just before then) an anthology titled Alternate Presidents (edited by Mike Resnick) was published. It contained 28 stories of “what ifs” on presidents including Franklin instead of Washington, and other even more ridiculous cases (such as Goldwater winning in 1964, which was basically impossible).
The cover art is sheer genius. It’s Thomas Dewey holding a copy of the Chicago Tribune that reads “Truman Defeats Dewey,” an exact reversal of the real photograph (shown below), with Truman displaying a quirky sense of humor. (This has been called “the most famous political photograph in history” though in the fullness of time it might be supplanted by something from last Saturday.)
That story is a lot more realistic. It could easily have gone the other way; that was a squeaker of an election. Of course this book came out well before the Gush/Bore debacle of 2000.
Realistic alternate history is a fun parlor game. There was a long series of novels by Harry Turtledove exploring what might have happened if a Confederate soldier had noticed his commander dropping the plans for Antietam; the idea being that the entire Civil War had hinged on that little mistake. (The first of the novels was set in 1881, with a second war being set off when the Confederacy purchased Sonora and Chihuahua from Mexico; they continue through World War I (which had the US, Germany and Austria teamed up against France, England and the CSA; the US ended up occupying Canada and two CSA states). I was never able to finish the series because the WWII-analog stories never came out in paperback.
It must be spooky to realize that someone has lived through a moment that just through sheer happenstance steered history in one direction versus another. I say “it must be spooky” but now we know that feeling.
And we may well have seen such a moment last Saturday. Certainly if Trump wins, takes office and has a successful term of office, rather than just being another four-year-long speedbump on the road to an imposition of a kakistocratic dictatorship on America, we will look back on July 13 as such a moment. If he hadn’t had to look at that chart…if the assassin(s) had just fired a second earlier…if that first bullet had been one inch to the right…well, you can probably write more variants.
An inch, or a second, that made all the difference in the world.
News Flash
Today, it is still the case that Joe Biden didn’t Win.
I realize that to some readers, this might be a shock; surely at some point things must change and Biden will have actually won.
But the past cannot actually be changed.
It will always and forever be the case that Joe Biden didn’t win.
And if you, Leftist Lurker, want to dismiss it as dead white cis-male logic…well, you can call it what you want, but then please just go fuck off. No one here buys that bullshit–logic is logic and facts are facts regardless of skin color–and if you gave it a moment’s rational thought, you wouldn’t either. Of course your worthless education never included being able to actually reason–or detect problems with false reasoning–so I don’t imagine you’ll actually wake up as opposed to being woke.
As Ayn Rand would sometimes point out: Yes, you are free to evade reality. What you cannot do is evade the consequences of evading reality. Or to put it concretely: You can ignore the Mack truck bearing down on you as you play in the middle of the street, you won’t be able to ignore the consequences of ignoring the Mack truck.
And Ayn Rand also pointed out that existence (i.e., the sum total of everything that exists) precedes consciousness–our consciousnesses are a part of existence, not outside of it–therefore reality cannot be a “social construct” as so many of you fucked-up-in-the-head people seem to think.
So much for Leftist douchebag lurkers. For the rest of you, the regular readers and those lurkers who understand such things: I continue to carry the banner once also carried by Wheatie. His Fraudulency didn’t win.
Let’s Go, Brandon!!
His Fraudulency
Joe Biteme, properly styled His Fraudulency, continues to infest the White House, we haven’t heard much from the person who should have been declared the victor, and hopium is still being dispensed even as our military appears to have joined the political establishment in knuckling under to the fraud.
One can hope that all is not as it seems.
I’d love to feast on that crow.
(I’d like to add, I find it entirely plausible, even likely, that His Fraudulency is also His Figureheadedness. (Apparently that wasn’t a word; it got a red underline. Well it is now.) Where I differ with the hopium addicts is on the subject of who is really in charge. It ain’t anyone we like.)
Justice Must Be Done.
The prior election must be acknowledged as fraudulent, and steps must be taken to prosecute the fraudsters and restore integrity to the system.
Nothing else matters at this point. Talking about trying again in 2024 is hopeless otherwise. Which is not to say one must never talk about this, but rather that one must account for this in ones planning; if fixing the fraud is not part of the plan, you have no plan.
Lawyer Appeasement Section
OK now for the fine print.
This is the WQTH Daily Thread. You know the drill. There’s no Poltical correctness, but civility is a requirement. There are Important Guidelines, here, with an addendum on 20191110.
We have a new board – called The U Tree – where people can take each other to the woodshed without fear of censorship or moderation.
And remember Wheatie’s Rules:
1. No food fights 2. No running with scissors. 3. If you bring snacks, bring enough for everyone. 4. Zeroth rule of gun safety: Don’t let the government get your guns. 5. Rule one of gun safety: The gun is always loaded. 5a. If you actually want the gun to be loaded, like because you’re checking out a bump in the night, then it’s empty. 6. Rule two of gun safety: Never point the gun at anything you’re not willing to destroy. 7. Rule three: Keep your finger off the trigger until ready to fire. 8. Rule the fourth: Be sure of your target and what is behind it.
This Rejoice & Praise God Sunday Open Thread, with full respect to those who worship God on the Sabbath, is a place to reaffirm our worship of our Creator, our Father, our King Eternal.
It’s also a place to read, post, and discuss news that is worth knowing and sharing. Please post links to any news stories that you use as sources or quote from.
In the QTree, we’re a friendly and civil lot. We encourage free speech and the open exchange and civil discussion of different ideas. Topics aren’t constrained, and sound logic is highly encouraged, all built on a solid foundation of truth and established facts.
We have a policy of mutual respect, shown by civility. Civility encourages discussions, promotes objectivity and rational thought in discourse, and camaraderie in the participants – characteristics we strive toward in our Q Tree community.
Please show respect and consideration for our fellow QTreepers. Before hitting the “post” button, please proofread your post and make sure your opinion addresses the issue only, and does not confront or denigrate the poster. Keep to the topic – avoid “you” and “your”. Here in The Q Tree, personal attacks, name-calling, ridicule, insults, baiting, and other conduct for which a penalty flag would be thrown are VERBOTEN.
In The Q Tree, we’re compatriots, sitting around the campfire, roasting hot dogs, making s’mores, and discussing, agreeing, and disagreeing about whatever interests us. This board will remain a home for those who seek respectful conversations.
God is in Control . . . and His Grace is Sufficient, so . . . Keep Looking Up
Hopefully, every Sunday, we can find something here that will build us up a little . . . give us a smile . . . and add some joy or peace, very much needed in all our lives.
“This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn nor weep.” . . . “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
Are There Angels Among Us?
Throughout Scripture, we see numerous instances in which angels were an integral part of God’s plan. One verse alludes to the possibility of angels walking among us today: “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it” (Hebrews 13:2). The obvious reference is to Abraham, whose angelic visitors appeared to him as men (Genesis 18). This verse may or may not confirm that angels are indeed walking among us unawares; “have shown” is past tense, so present-day encounters are not explicitly mentioned.
There are dozens of scriptural examples of angelic encounters, so we know that God can and does use angels to accomplish certain things. What we don’t know for sure is how often angels allow themselves to be seen by people. Here are the basics about angels from the Bible: angels can instruct people (Genesis 16:9), help people (Daniel 6:22), deliver messages to people (Luke 1:35), appear in visions and dreams (Daniel 10:13), protect people (Exodus 23:20), and help carry out God’s plans.
We know that God created angels, and He uses angels in His plan. Angels have a sense of individuality, as some have names (such as Gabriel and Michael) and all have different responsibilities within the angelic hierarchy.
But do they walk among us? If God so chooses to use them in His custom-made plans for us, yes, they absolutely can walk among us doing God’s will. Angels are mentioned in Genesis and in Revelation, and they witnessed the creation of the world (Job 38:7). God has used His heavenly host from the beginning of time and will still use them at the end of time, according to Scripture. It is quite possible that many people today have met or seen an angel without realizing it.
If angels do walk among us, it is because they are serving a God-ordained purpose. The Bible mentions demons who wander the earth with no purpose other than to destroy (Matthew 12:43–45). Satan and his demonic force can probably appear physically, much like holy angels can. Satan’s purpose is to deceive and kill. Satan “masquerades as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14).
An important note: angels are not to be glorified or worshiped (Colossians 2:18). They are entities who carry out God’s will, and they refer to themselves as “fellow servants” with us (Revelation 22:9).
Regardless of whether we actually experience angelic encounters, the most important thing is that we experience salvation through Jesus Christ. He is beyond all angels and all humans, and He alone is worthy of worship. “You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you” (Nehemiah 9:6). https://www.gotquestions.org/angels-among-us.html
This Rejoice & Praise God Sunday Open Thread, with full respect to those who worship God on the Sabbath, is a place to reaffirm our worship of our Creator, our Father, our King Eternal.
It’s also a place to read, post, and discuss news that is worth knowing and sharing. Please post links to any news stories that you use as sources or quote from.
In the QTree, we’re a friendly and civil lot. We encourage free speech and the open exchange and civil discussion of different ideas. Topics aren’t constrained, and sound logic is highly encouraged, all built on a solid foundation of truth and established facts.
We have a policy of mutual respect, shown by civility. Civility encourages discussions, promotes objectivity and rational thought in discourse, and camaraderie in the participants – characteristics we strive toward in our Q Tree community.
Please show respect and consideration for our fellow QTreepers. Before hitting the “post” button, please proofread your post and make sure your opinion addresses the issue only, and does not confront or denigrate the poster. Keep to the topic – avoid “you” and “your”. Here in The Q Tree, personal attacks, name-calling, ridicule, insults, baiting, and other conduct for which a penalty flag would be thrown are VERBOTEN.
In The Q Tree, we’re compatriots, sitting around the campfire, roasting hot dogs, making s’mores, and discussing, agreeing, and disagreeing about whatever interests us. This board will remain a home for those who seek respectful conversations.
God is in Control . . . and His Grace is Sufficient, so . . . Keep Looking Up
Hopefully, every Sunday, we can find something here that will build us up a little . . . give us a smile . . . and add some joy or peace, very much needed in all our lives.
“This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn nor weep.” . . . “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
Joy Again, Still . . . Always
The word joy appears over and over again in the Scriptures. For instance, the Psalms are filled with references to joy. The psalmists write, “Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning” (Ps. 30:5b) and “Shout for joy to God, all the earth” (Ps. 66:1). Likewise, in the New Testament, we read that joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22), which means that it is a Christian virtue. Given this biblical emphasis, we need to understand what joy is and pursue it.
Sometimes we struggle to grasp the biblical view of joy because of the way it is defined and described in Western culture today. In particular, we often confuse joy with happiness. In the Beatitudes (Matt. 5:3–11), according to the traditional translations, Jesus said: “Blessed are the poor in spirit . . . Blessed are those who mourn . . . Blessed are the meek . . . ” (vv. 3–5, emphasis added), and so on. Sometimes, however, translators adopt the modern vernacular and tell us Jesus said happy rather than blessed.
The word happy in our culture has been sentimentalized and trivialized. As a result, it connotes a certain superficiality. For example, years ago, Charles M. Schulz, in the comic strip Peanuts, coined the adage, “Happiness is a warm puppy,” and it became a maxim that articulated a sentimental, warm-and-fuzzy idea of happiness. Then there was the catchy song “Don’t Worry, Be Happy,” released by Bobby McFerrin in the 1980s. It suggested a carefree, cavalier attitude of delight.
However, the Greek word used in the Beatitudes is best translated as blessed, as it communicates not only the idea of happiness but also profound peace, comfort, stability, and great joy. So, we have to be careful when we come to the text of the New Testament that we do not read it through the lens of the popular understanding of happiness and thus lose the biblical concept of joy.
Think again about McFerrin’s song. The lyrics are very odd from a contemporary perspective. When he sings, “Don’t worry, be happy,” he is issuing an imperative, a command: “Do not be anxious. Rather, be happy.” He is setting forth a duty, not making a suggestion. However, we never think of happiness in this way. When we are unhappy, we think it is impossible to decide by an act of the will to change our feelings. We tend to think of happiness as something passive, something that happens to us and over which we have no control. It is involuntary. Yes, we desire it and want to experience it, but we are convinced that we cannot create it by an act of the will.
Oddly, McFerrin sounds very much like the New Testament when he commands his listeners to be happy. Over and over again in the pages of the New Testament, the idea of joy is communicated as an imperative, as an obligation. Based on the biblical teaching, it is the Christian’s duty, his moral obligation, to be joyful. That means that the failure of a Christian to be joyful is a sin, that unhappiness and a lack of joy are, in a certain way, manifestations of the flesh.
Of course, there are times when we are filled with sorrow. Jesus Himself was called “a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief” (Isa. 53:3). The Scriptures tell us, “It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting” (Eccl. 7:2a). Even in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matt. 5:4). Given that the Bible tells us it is perfectly legitimate to experience mourning, sorrow, and grief, these feelings are not sinful.
However, Jesus’ words could be translated as “Joyful are those who mourn.” How could a person be in mourning and still be joyful? Well, we can unravel that knot fairly easily. The heart of the New Testament concept is this: a person can have biblical joy even when he is mourning, suffering, or undergoing difficult circumstances. This is because the person’s mourning is directed toward one concern, but in that same moment, he possesses a measure of joy.
How Can We Rejoice Always?
In his letter to the Philippians, the Apostle Paul speaks about joy and about the Christian’s duty to rejoice over and over again. For example, he writes, “Rejoice in the Lord always” (Phil. 4:4a). This is one of those biblical imperatives, and it leaves no room for not rejoicing, for Paul says Christians are to rejoice always—not sometimes, periodically, or occasionally. He then adds, “Again I will say, Rejoice” (v. 4b). Paul wrote this epistle from prison, and in it he addresses very somber matters, such as the possibility that he will be martyred, poured out as a sacrifice (2:17). Yet he tells the Philippian believers that they should rejoice despite his circumstances.
That brings us back to this matter of how we can be joyful as a matter of discipline or of the will. How is it possible to remain joyful all the time? Paul gives us the key: ”Rejoice in the Lord always” (emphasis added). The key to the Christian’s joy is its source, which is the Lord. If Christ is in me and I am in Him, that relationship is not a sometimes experience. The Christian is always in the Lord and the Lord is always in the Christian, and that is always a reason for joy. Even if the Christian cannot rejoice in his circumstances, if he finds himself passing through pain, sorrow, or grief, he still can rejoice in Christ. We rejoice in the Lord, and since He never leaves us or forsakes us, we can rejoice always. Excerpt: Can I Have Joy in My Life? by R.C. Sproul.
What is it that feeds our battle, yet starves our victory?
Speaker Johnson: A Reminder.
And MTG is there to help make it stick.
January 6 tapes. A good start…but then nothing.
Were you just hoping we’d be distracted by the first set and not notice?
Are you THAT kind of “Republican”?
Are you Kevin McCarthy lite?
What are you waiting for?
I have a personal interest in this issue.
And if you aren’t…what the hell is wrong with you?
Lawyer Appeasement Section
OK now for the fine print.
This is the WQTH Daily Thread. You know the drill. There’s no Poltical correctness, but civility is a requirement. There are Important Guidelines, here, with an addendum on 20191110.
We have a new board – called The U Tree – where people can take each other to the woodshed without fear of censorship or moderation.
And remember Wheatie’s Rules:
1. No food fights 2. No running with scissors. 3. If you bring snacks, bring enough for everyone. 4. Zeroth rule of gun safety: Don’t let the government get your guns. 5. Rule one of gun safety: The gun is always loaded. 5a. If you actually want the gun to be loaded, like because you’re checking out a bump in the night, then it’s empty. 6. Rule two of gun safety: Never point the gun at anything you’re not willing to destroy. 7. Rule three: Keep your finger off the trigger until ready to fire. 8. Rule the fourth: Be sure of your target and what is behind it.
Substantial hikes in price towards the end of the week. Percentage wise, Friday the big winner was platinum, up over three percent (but note it is now below palladium again). Silver came in second. When gold takes a major move, silver makes an even bigger move, lately. So if you can guess which way the frog will jump, silver is your best play, at least in the paper markets. For physical, drop-it-on-your-foot silver, the buy-sell spread at an actual bullion dealer is likely to be wide. (I’d certainly look to see what it is before making a major purchase.) If you guess wrong about which way the frog will jump…you could lose your shirt.
This Rejoice & Praise God Sunday Open Thread, with full respect to those who worship God on the Sabbath, is a place to reaffirm our worship of our Creator, our Father, our King Eternal.
It’s also a place to read, post, and discuss news that is worth knowing and sharing. Please post links to any news stories that you use as sources or quote from.
In the QTree, we’re a friendly and civil lot. We encourage free speech and the open exchange and civil discussion of different ideas. Topics aren’t constrained, and sound logic is highly encouraged, all built on a solid foundation of truth and established facts.
We have a policy of mutual respect, shown by civility. Civility encourages discussions, promotes objectivity and rational thought in discourse, and camaraderie in the participants – characteristics we strive toward in our Q Tree community.
Please show respect and consideration for our fellow QTreepers. Before hitting the “post” button, please proofread your post and make sure your opinion addresses the issue only, and does not confront or denigrate the poster. Keep to the topic – avoid “you” and “your”. Here in The Q Tree, personal attacks, name-calling, ridicule, insults, baiting, and other conduct for which a penalty flag would be thrown are VERBOTEN.
In The Q Tree, we’re compatriots, sitting around the campfire, roasting hot dogs, making s’mores, and discussing, agreeing, and disagreeing about whatever interests us. This board will remain a home for those who seek respectful conversations.
God is in Control . . . and His Grace is Sufficient, so . . . Keep Looking Up
Hopefully, every Sunday, we can find something here that will build us up a little . . . give us a smile . . . and add some joy or peace, very much needed in all our lives.
“This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn nor weep.” . . . “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
God Rejoices
Zephaniah 3:17 includes an interesting description of God rejoicing over people: “The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.”
God’s joy parallels the singing of His people in Jerusalem. “Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion!” (verse 14). This unit of poetry begins with the people of Jerusalem singing praise to God and ends with God’s joy over His people. God rejoices with His people, and He expresses joy when His people praise Him.
The question then is, why is God so joyful? This passage of Zephaniah speaks of a future time when God has ended His judgment upon Israel. All of their enemies have been destroyed, and Israel is entering a time of safety and blessing (verses 8, 15, 19). Zephaniah is speaking of the future millennial kingdom when the Messiah (Jesus) will reign with His people in Jerusalem (Isaiah 9:7; Revelation 20:1–6).
The word picture in Zephaniah 3:17 is full of emotion. God the Father is the One who holds His daughter Jerusalem and rejoices in her presence. Just as a loving parent cradles a child and sings out of love, so God’s joy over His people is born of His great love. After a time of hardship, our loving Lord dries His people’s tears, comforts their hearts, and welcomes them to a new world.
Finally, Jesus also taught in the New Testament that “there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10). It’s clear there is rejoicing in God’s presence when those who are lost repent and are made right with God (Ephesians 2:8–9; John 3:16).
For the kingdom of God is . . . righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:7)
This Rejoice & Praise God Sunday Open Thread, with full respect to those who worship God on the Sabbath, is a place to reaffirm our worship of our Creator, our Father, our King Eternal.
It’s also a place to read, post, and discuss news that is worth knowing and sharing. Please post links to any news stories that you use as sources or quote from.
In the QTree, we’re a friendly and civil lot. We encourage free speech and the open exchange and civil discussion of different ideas. Topics aren’t constrained, and sound logic is highly encouraged, all built on a solid foundation of truth and established facts.
We have a policy of mutual respect, shown by civility. Civility encourages discussions, promotes objectivity and rational thought in discourse, and camaraderie in the participants – characteristics we strive toward in our Q Tree community.
Please show respect and consideration for our fellow QTreepers. Before hitting the “post” button, please proofread your post and make sure your opinion addresses the issue only, and does not confront or denigrate the poster. Keep to the topic – avoid “you” and “your”. Here in The Q Tree, personal attacks, name-calling, ridicule, insults, baiting, and other conduct for which a penalty flag would be thrown are VERBOTEN.
In The Q Tree, we’re compatriots, sitting around the campfire, roasting hot dogs, making s’mores, and discussing, agreeing, and disagreeing about whatever interests us. This board will remain a home for those who seek respectful conversations.
God is in Control . . . and His Grace is Sufficient, so . . . Keep Looking Up
Hopefully, every Sunday, we can find something here that will build us up a little . . . give us a smile . . . and add some joy or peace, very much needed in all our lives.
“This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn nor weep.” . . . “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
Eternity: For Ever and Ever . . .
When the Bible speaks of eternal life, it refers to a gift of God that comes only “through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). This gift is in contrast to the “death” that is the natural result of sin.
The gift of eternal life comes to those who believe in Jesus Christ, who is Himself “the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25). The fact that this life is “eternal” indicates that it is perpetual life—it goes on and on and on, with no end.
It is a mistake, however, to view eternal life as simply an unending progression of years. A common New Testament word for “eternal” is aiónios, which carries the idea of quality as well as quantity. In fact, eternal life is not really associated with “years” at all, as it is independent of time. Eternal life can function outside of and beyond time, as well as within time.
For this reason, eternal life can be thought of as something that Christians experience now. Believers don’t have to “wait” for eternal life, because it’s not something that starts when they die. Rather, eternal life begins the moment a person exercises faith in Christ. It is our current possession. John 3:36 says, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life.” Note that the believer “has” (present tense) this life (the verb is present tense in the Greek, too). We find similar present-tense constructions in John 5:24 and John 6:47. The focus of eternal life is not on our future, but on our current standing in Christ.
The Bible inextricably links eternal life with the Person of Jesus Christ. John 17:3 is an important passage in this regard, as Jesus prays, “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” Here, Jesus equates “eternal life” with a knowledge of God and of the Son. There is no knowledge of God without the Son, for it is through the Son that the Father reveals Himself to the elect (John 17:6; 14:9).
This life-giving knowledge of the Father and the Son is a true, personal knowledge, not just an academic awareness. There will be some on Judgment Day who had claimed to be followers of Christ but never really had a relationship with Him. To those false professors, Jesus will say, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” (Matthew 7:23). The apostle Paul made it his goal to know the Lord, and he linked that knowledge to resurrection from the dead: “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead” (Philippians 3:10–11).
In the New Jerusalem, the apostle John sees a river flowing from “the throne of God and of the Lamb,” and “on each side of the river stood the tree of life. . . . And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations” (Revelation 22:1–2). In Eden, we rebelled against God and were banished from the tree of life (Genesis 3:24). In the end, God graciously restores our access to the tree of life. This access is provided through Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).
Right now, every sinner is invited to know Christ and to receive eternal life: “Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life” (Revelation 22:17).
How can you know that you have eternal life? First of all, confess your sin before our holy God. Then accept God’s provision of a Savior on your behalf. “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13). Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died for your sins, and He rose again the third day. Believe this good news; trust the Lord Jesus as your Savior, and you will be saved (Acts 16:31; Romans 10:9 –10).
John puts it so simply: “God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:11–12).
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
What is it that feeds our battle, yet starves our victory?
January 6 Tapes?
Paging Speaker Johnson…this is your conscience calling you out on broken promises.
For all your high talk about your Christian moral background…you’re looking less and less like you have any kind of moral background.
If You are a Patriot and Don’t Loathe RINOs…
Let’s talk about RINOs, and why they are the lowest form of life in politics.
Many patriots have been involved with politics, often at the grassroots, for decades. We’ve fought, and fought, and fought and won the occasional illusory small victory.
Yet we can’t seem to win the war, even when we have BIG electoral wins.
I am reminded of something. The original Star Trek had an episode titled Day of the Dove. It was one of the better episodes from the third season, but any fan of the original series will tell you that’s a very low bar. Still, it seems to get some respect; at a time when there were about 700 episodes of Star Trek in its various incarnations out there, it was voted 99th best out of the top 100.
In sum, the plot is that an alien entity has arranged for 39 Enterprise crew, and 39 Klingons, to fight each other endlessly with swords and other muscle-powered weapons. The entity lives off of hostile emotions, you see and it wants a captive food source. (The other 400 or so Enterprise crew are trapped below decks and unable to help.) Each side has its emotions played and amplified by the alien entity; one Enterprise junior officer has false memories implanted of a brother who was killed by Klingons. The brother didn’t even exist.
Even people killed in a sword fight miraculously heal so they can go do it again.
The second best line of the episode is when Kang, the Klingon captain, notes that though they have won quite a number of small victories including capturing Engineering, can’t seem to actually finally defeat the Enterprise crew. He growls, “What power is it that feeds our battle yet starves our victory?*”
Indeed. He may have been the bad guy, but his situation should sound familiar.
We are a majority in this country. We have a powerful political party in our corner. There is endless wrangling.
And yet,
What power is it that feeds our battle yet starves our victory?
In our case, that power is the RINOs in our midst. They specialize in caving when on the verge of victory. Think of Obamacare’s repeal failing…by one Republican vote. Think of the way we can never seem to get spending under control (and now our entire tax revenue goes to pay interest on the debt; anything the government actually does now is with borrowed money).
We have a party…that refuses to do what we want it to do, and that refusal is institutionalized. If you’ve been involved with GOP politics, but haven’t seen this, it’s because you refuse to see it. Or because you are part of the problem yourself. (If so, kindly gargle some red fuming nitric acid to clear the taste of shit out of your mouth, and let those not part of the problem alone so they can read this.)
We fight to elect people, who then take a dive when in office. But it’s not just the politicians in office, it’s the people behind the scenes, the leaders of the national, state and county branches of the party. Their job is to ensure that real patriots never get onto the general election ballot. They’re allowed a few failures…who can then become token conservatives who will somehow never manage to win (Jordan), or can be compromised outright (Lauren Boebert?).
That way it doesn’t actually matter who has a congressional majority. I remember my excitement when the GOP took the Senate in 1980. But all that did was empower a bunch of “moderate” puddles of dog vomit like…well for whatever reason forty years later the most memorable name is Pete Domenici. And a couple of dozen other “moderates” who simply had no interest in doing what grassroots people in their party–those same grassroots people who had worked so hard to elect them–wanted them to do.
Oh, they’ll put up a semblance of a fight…but never win. And they love it when we fight the Dems instead of fighting them. Just like that alien entity, whose motto surely was “Let’s you and him fight. It’ll be delicious!”
If you think about it, your entire political involvement has come to nothing because of these walking malignant tumors.
That should make you good and mad.
The twenty five who blocked Jordan, and the hundred people who took that opportunity to stab Jordan in the back in the secret ballot should make you good and mad.
I’ll close this with another example of RINO backstabbing, an infuriating one close to home.
In my county, the GOP chair is not a RINO. She got elected when the grassroots had had enough of the RINOs. Unfortunately the state organization is full of RINOs, and the ousted county RINOs have been trying to form a new “Republican Party” and get the state GOP to recognize them as the affiliate. I’m honestly amazed it hasn’t happened yet.
In other words those shitstains won’t just leave when they get booted out; they’ll try to destroy what they left behind. It’s an indication that they know we know how important that behind-the-scenes party power is.
So they must be destroyed. That’s the only way they’ll ever stop.
We cannot win until the leeches “on our side” get destroyed.
What power is it that feeds our battle yet starves our victory?*
We know it. What is going to be done about it?
*NOTE: The original line was actually “What power is it that supports our battle yet starves our victory.” I had mis-remembered it as feeds. When I checked it, it sure enough was “supports” and that’s what I originally quoted. On further reflection, though, I realized my memory was actually an improvement over the reality, because feeds is a perfect contrast with starves. I changed it partway through the day this originally posted, but now (since this is a re-run) it gets rendered this way from the start.
If one must do things wrong, one should do them wrong…right.
RINOs an Endangered Species? If Only!
According to Wikipoo, et. al., the Northern White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum cottoni) is a critically endangered species. Apparently two females live on a wildlife preserve in Sudan, and no males are known to be alive. So basically, this species is dead as soon as the females die of old age. Presently they are watched over by armed guards 24/7.
Biologists have been trying to cross them with the other subspecies, Southern White Rhinoceroses (Rhinoceri?) without success; and some genetic analyses suggest that perhaps they aren’t two subspecies at all, but two distinct species, which would make the whole project a lot more difficult.
I should hope if the American RINO (Parasitus rectum pseudoconservativum) is ever this endangered, there will be heroic efforts not to save the species, but rather to push the remainder off a cliff. Onto punji sticks. With feces smeared on them. Failing that a good bath in red fuming nitric acid will do.
But I’m not done ranting about RINOs.
The RINOs (if they are capable of any introspection whatsoever) probably wonder why they constantly have to deal with “populist” eruptions like the Trump-led MAGA movement. That would be because the so-called populists stand for absolutely nothing except for going along to get along. That allows the Left to drive the culture and politics.
Given the results of our most recent elections, the Left will now push harder, and the RINOs will now turn even squishier than they were before.
I well remember 1989-1990 in my state when the RINO establishment started preaching the message that a conservative simply couldn’t win in Colorado. Never mind the fact that Reagan had won the state TWICE (in 1984 bringing in a veto-proof state house and senate with him) and GHWB had won after (falsely!) assuring everyone that a vote for him was a vote for Reagan’s third term.
This is how the RINOs function. They push, push, push the line that only a “moderate” can get elected. Stomp them when they pull that shit. Tell everyone in ear shot that that’s exactly what the Left wants you to think, and oh-by-the-way-Mister-RINO if you’re in this party selling the same message as the Left…well, whythefuckexactly are you in this party, you lying piece of rancid weasel shit?
Justice
It says “Justice” on the picture.
And I’m sure someone will post the standard joke about what the fish thinks about the situation.
But what is it?
Here’s a take, from a different context: It’s about how you do justice, not the justice that must be done to our massively corrupt government and media. You must properly identify the nature of a person, before you can do him justice.
Ayn Rand, On Justice (speaking through her character John Galt, in Atlas Shrugged):
Justice is the recognition of the fact that you cannot fake the character of men as you cannot fake the character of nature, that you must judge all men as conscientiously as you judge inanimate objects, with the same respect for truth, with the same incorruptible vision, by as pure and as rational a process of identification—that every man must be judged for what he is and treated accordingly, that just as you do not pay a higher price for a rusty chunk of scrap than for a piece of shining metal, so you do not value a rotter above a hero—that your moral appraisal is the coin paying men for their virtues or vices, and this payment demands of you as scrupulous an honor as you bring to financial transactions—that to withhold your contempt from men’s vices is an act of moral counterfeiting, and to withhold your admiration from their virtues is an act of moral embezzlement—that to place any other concern higher than justice is to devaluate your moral currency and defraud the good in favor of the evil, since only the good can lose by a default of justice and only the evil can profit—and that the bottom of the pit at the end of that road, the act of moral bankruptcy, is to punish men for their virtues and reward them for their vices, that that is the collapse to full depravity, the Black Mass of the worship of death, the dedication of your consciousness to the destruction of existence.
Ayn Rand identified seven virtues, chief among them rationality. The other six, including justice, she considered subsidiary because they are essentially different aspects and applications of rationality.
I’m sure enough of this that I put my money where my mouth is.
The prior election must be acknowledged as fraudulent, and steps must be taken to prosecute the fraudsters and restore integrity to the system. (This doesn’t necessarily include deposing Joe and Hoe and putting Trump where he belongs, but it would certainly be a lot easier to fix our broken electoral system with the right people in charge.)
Nothing else matters at this point. Talking about trying again in 2024 or 2026 is pointless otherwise. Which is not to say one must never talk about this, but rather that one must account for this in ones planning; if fixing the fraud in the system is not part of the plan, you have no plan.
This will necessarily be piecemeal, state by state, which is why I am encouraged by those states working to change their laws to alleviate the fraud both via computer and via bogus voters. If enough states do that we might end up with a working majority in Congress and that would be something Trump never really had.
Lawyer Appeasement Section
OK now for the fine print.
This is the WQTH Daily Thread. You know the drill. There’s no Poltical correctness, but civility is a requirement. There are Important Guidelines, here, with an addendum on 20191110.
We have a new board – called The U Tree – where people can take each other to the woodshed without fear of censorship or moderation.
And remember Wheatie’s Rules:
1. No food fights 2. No running with scissors. 3. If you bring snacks, bring enough for everyone. 4. Zeroth rule of gun safety: Don’t let the government get your guns. 5. Rule one of gun safety: The gun is always loaded. 5a. If you actually want the gun to be loaded, like because you’re checking out a bump in the night, then it’s empty. 6. Rule two of gun safety: Never point the gun at anything you’re not willing to destroy. 7. Rule three: Keep your finger off the trigger until ready to fire. 8. Rule the fourth: Be sure of your target and what is behind it.
Things were nicely up on Thursday…but lost everything again on Friday. Except for platinum and palladium, which went up. Palladium went up more and is closing the gap with platinum (remember it was above platinum–way above at times–for most of recent times).
The SteveInCO Federal Reserve Note Suckage Index stands at 112.288+. (The Dollar Suckage index is the ratio between the price of gold today, versus the value of the dollar defined as dollars per ounce when we had the gold standard. (I use that clumsy phrasing because the dollar was defined as a certain amount of gold, such that an ounce of gold was $20.67. It’s a subtle distinction. One ounce of gold wasn’t worth $20.67 back then, it was $20.67.)
What is it that feeds our battle, yet starves our victory?
January 6 Tapes?
Where are the tapes? Anyone, Anyone? Bueller? Johnson??
Paging Speaker Johnson…this is your conscience calling you out on broken promises.
News Flash
Today, it is still the case that Joe Biden didn’t Win.
I realize that to some readers, this might be a shock; surely at some point things must change and Biden will have actually won.
But the past cannot actually be changed.
It will always and forever be the case that Joe Biden didn’t win.
And if you, Leftist Lurker, want to dismiss it as dead white cis-male logic…well, you can call it what you want, but then please just go fuck off. No one here buys that bullshit–logic is logic and facts are facts regardless of skin color–and if you gave it a moment’s rational thought, you wouldn’t either. Of course your worthless education never included being able to actually reason–or detect problems with false reasoning–so I don’t imagine you’ll actually wake up as opposed to being woke.
As Ayn Rand would sometimes point out: Yes, you are free to evade reality. What you cannot do is evade the consequences of evading reality. Or to put it concretely: You can ignore the Mack truck bearing down on you as you play in the middle of the street, you won’t be able to ignore the consequences of ignoring the Mack truck.
And Ayn Rand also pointed out that existence (i.e., the sum total of everything that exists) precedes consciousness–our consciousnesses are a part of existence, not outside of it–therefore reality cannot be a “social construct” as so many of you fucked-up-in-the-head people seem to think.
So much for Leftist douchebag lurkers. For the rest of you, the regular readers and those lurkers who understand such things: I continue to carry the banner once also carried by Wheatie. His Fraudulency didn’t win.
Let’s Go, Brandon!!
His Fraudulency
Joe Biteme, properly styled His Fraudulency, continues to infest the White House, we haven’t heard much from the person who should have been declared the victor, and hopium is still being dispensed even as our military appears to have joined the political establishment in knuckling under to the fraud.
One can hope that all is not as it seems.
I’d love to feast on that crow.
(I’d like to add, I find it entirely plausible, even likely, that His Fraudulency is also His Figureheadedness. (Apparently that wasn’t a word; it got a red underline. Well it is now.) Where I differ with the hopium addicts is on the subject of who is really in charge. It ain’t anyone we like.)
Justice Must Be Done.
The prior election must be acknowledged as fraudulent, and steps must be taken to prosecute the fraudsters and restore integrity to the system.
Nothing else matters at this point. Talking about trying again in 2024 is hopeless otherwise. Which is not to say one must never talk about this, but rather that one must account for this in ones planning; if fixing the fraud is not part of the plan, you have no plan.
Lawyer Appeasement Section
OK now for the fine print.
This is the WQTH Daily Thread. You know the drill. There’s no Poltical correctness, but civility is a requirement. There are Important Guidelines, here, with an addendum on 20191110.
We have a new board – called The U Tree – where people can take each other to the woodshed without fear of censorship or moderation.
And remember Wheatie’s Rules:
1. No food fights 2. No running with scissors. 3. If you bring snacks, bring enough for everyone. 4. Zeroth rule of gun safety: Don’t let the government get your guns. 5. Rule one of gun safety: The gun is always loaded. 5a. If you actually want the gun to be loaded, like because you’re checking out a bump in the night, then it’s empty. 6. Rule two of gun safety: Never point the gun at anything you’re not willing to destroy. 7. Rule three: Keep your finger off the trigger until ready to fire. 8. Rule the fourth: Be sure of your target and what is behind it.
Gold rose, then dipped below $2300 on Thursday. It bounced back up on Friday, though, so it ended up nearly $40 for the week. Silver is also up 40…but this time it’s cents. Platinum and palladium are both down a bit, and rhodium took a relatively large hit.
Site Note
I typically schedule posts to drop at 1 minute after 10 PM Mountain Time. If it doesn’t show up at that time, it’s a WordPus post-kicker-outer issue, not a Steve issue.
Typically if I am still working on it at 10PM and it is delayed for that reason, I will say something in the body of the post. That’s unlikely to ever happen again, though, as I’m not doing the science series any more.
I say this because recently I’ve seen people chewing out one of the other authors for the posts not being out precisely at the dot of 10PM. It’s not necessarily that author’s fault. [EDIT: No, this is not a reference to the time DePat was on the phone with a friend who was dealing with a crisis. This was a couple of days later.]
More on Terrence Howard
(With some effort I resisted spelling that “Moron Terrence Howard.”)
Two more debunk videos. The first is Sabine Hossenfelder, a physicist who has left academia because she’s unhappy with the way many of them are doing science. (Coming up with completely arbitrary hypotheses just to justify another expensive experiment to falsify them. No, she’s not a believer in the standard model being wrong or anything like that; she understands the standards of verification.)
The second is everyone’s favorite guy to bash, Neil deGrasse Tyson. Apparently Terrence Howard claimed that Tyson viciously attacked him years ago; here’s Tyson’s side of the story. He was at first happy to find a celebrity who was interested in science, but then found Howard’s treatise to be goobledegook. (He praised the sculptures that Howard has produced.) He was blunt, but not rude, and that bluntness is normal when scientists critique each others’ work. (If a statement is false, they will say so.) This is actually a good thing for it helps us arrive at truth. And scientists generally understand this; they’re perfectly capable of raking each other’s pet hypotheses over the coals and then going out to dinner afterwards.
This Rejoice & Praise God Sunday Open Thread, with full respect to those who worship God on the Sabbath, is a place to reaffirm our worship of our Creator, our Father, our King Eternal.
It’s also a place to read, post, and discuss news that is worth knowing and sharing. Please post links to any news stories that you use as sources or quote from.
In the QTree, we’re a friendly and civil lot. We encourage free speech and the open exchange and civil discussion of different ideas. Topics aren’t constrained, and sound logic is highly encouraged, all built on a solid foundation of truth and established facts.
We have a policy of mutual respect, shown by civility. Civility encourages discussions, promotes objectivity and rational thought in discourse, and camaraderie in the participants – characteristics we strive toward in our Q Tree community.
Please show respect and consideration for our fellow QTreepers. Before hitting the “post” button, please proofread your post and make sure your opinion addresses the issue only, and does not confront or denigrate the poster. Keep to the topic – avoid “you” and “your”. Here in The Q Tree, personal attacks, name-calling, ridicule, insults, baiting, and other conduct for which a penalty flag would be thrown are VERBOTEN.
In The Q Tree, we’re compatriots, sitting around the campfire, roasting hot dogs, making s’mores, and discussing, agreeing, and disagreeing about whatever interests us. This board will remain a home for those who seek respectful conversations.
God is in Control . . . and His Grace is Sufficient, so . . . Keep Looking Up
Hopefully, every Sunday, we can find something here that will build us up a little . . . give us a smile . . . and add some joy or peace, very much needed in all our lives.
“This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn nor weep.” . . . “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
Goodness & Mercy Follow
Psalm 23 portrays the close relationship David enjoys with his God. It begins with the metaphor of a shepherd leading his lamb, highlighting the Lord’s personal care, guidance, and protection. In the closing verses, the imagery intensifies with even greater intimacy as David is welcomed into the Lord’s house as a permanent guest, continual resident, and friend: “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever” (Psalm 23:5–6, ESV).
David acknowledges that his standing with the Lord is not like a visitor who is entertained once and then must leave or as one who is invited to return only occasionally. No, David rejoices that he has been given a perpetual place setting at the Lord’s table.
Anointing a person’s head with oil was an ancient custom of courtesy, respect, and hospitality shown toward guests. In Psalm 23, David sees himself as an honored guest of the Lord, who invites him to dinner, favorably anoints him, and pours out such lavish abundance that David’s cup is filled to overflowing.
Goodness and mercy are depicted as attendants in the Lord’s household who accompany David for the rest of his life. The word for “goodness” in the original language means “that which is pleasing or valuable or useful.” The term for “mercy” is sometimes translated as “loyal love,” “steadfast love,” or “unfailing love.” The same word is used of God’s love as it relates to the faithfulness of His covenant. The verb translated as “follow” here means “to accompany, or to go with.” It should not be understood as “pursue or run after.”
When David said, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,” he was giving human-like qualities to abstract blessings of the Lord. A paraphrase might be, “Because You, Lord, are good, pleasing, and valuable, and because You love me so faithfully, I am certain You will be with me all my life.”
David’s good and merciful Shepherd is the same God who passed in front of Moses: “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Exodus 34:6, ESV). He is the same God to whom Israel sang, “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever” (1 Chronicles 16:34). Even in the presence of his enemies, David was sure of God’s goodness and faithful love (Psalm 23:5).
As believers, we can trust that the Lord’s overflowing blessings will remain with us no matter what circumstances we face (Psalm 27:13; 31:19; 69:16). If we dwell in the house of the Lord continually, we are under His constant protection: “One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock” (Psalm 27:4–5; see Psalm 52:8; 61:4; 63:2–4).
God is the perfect Shepherd and Host. As our Shepherd, the Lord provides personal care, guidance, companionship, protection, and security. And as our eternal Host, God welcomes us to feast at His rich table of abundant and overflowing blessings. We will abide in His house forever. His presence, protection, and unfailing love will surround us for all eternity. And we can say with David, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life!” https://www.gotquestions.org/surely-goodness-and-mercy.html
I am putting this article up as a place to archive comments on the bird flu and to give a bit of background history to explain how the government’s current response came about. It also serves as a warning about the laws and regs ALREADY IN PLACE. If you have animals or are unlucky enough to live in a quarantined area it could affect YOU.
A newly arrived bird flu is sweeping through wild bird populations in the United States, and that may mean trouble for poultry farmers who have been doing their best to control this flu outbreak in their flocks.
Some 24 million poultry birds like chicken and turkeys have already been lost, either because they died from the virus or were killed to prevent its spread. But unlike a similar bird flu outbreak seven years ago, this one is unlikely to just burn itself out….
Two people in U.S. have been infected with bird flu to date.
GAIN-OF-FUNCTION RESEARCH?
The following section is from:PAVACA (with slight modification by me to imbed URLs)
June 4, 2024 13:49
WOLF MOON AND ALL — IN ADDITION TO THE McCULLOUGH, et al. PREPRINT PAPER ABOUT THE USDA SOUTHEAST POULTRY RESEARCH LABORATORY AND H5N1:
Yours Truly will now rip the lid off the H5N1 Avian Flu research being done at the USDA Southeast Poultry Research Laboratory in Athens, Georgia (part of Georgia Tech.) This research APPEARS TO BE GAIN-OF-FUNCTION. This research is being performed in USDA laboratories that ARE LESS THAN BSL-4 SAFETY LEVEL. Links and screenshots are below:
One suspects that it can be either “retracted” or “reissued with new conclusions” that reflect pressure on the paper’s publisher. Case in point here is the “retraction” of the McCullough, et al., paper published by Cureus in January of this year that was retracted less than a month later — this paper is about the data distortions and “clinical trials” errors regarding the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 “vaccine” BNT162b2 (which was given its initial EUA by the FDA in December 2020.)
TWO: This is the project information link regarding the USDA Southeast Poultry Research Laboratory experiments with H5N1 Avian Influenza virus:
IT APPEARS THAT GAIN-OF-FUNCTION EXPERIMENTS ARE BEING PERFORMED ON THE H5N1 AVIAN FLU VIRUS. SECTION 3.E. APPEARS TO HAVE THE GOAL OF “CREATING” BIO-ENGINEERED POULTRY. Please see Section 3.E. in the screenshot, above:
HREE: It appears that the USDA Southeast Poultry Research Laboratory IS NOT A BSL-4 LEVEL FACILITY. In addition, it appears to be a DANGEROUS PLACE TO WORK IN. In fact, IT APPEARS THAT THE LAB IS BEING REBUILT TO BSL-2 AND/OR BSL-3 SAFETY STANDARDS.
Upon further reflection — Yours Truly will add that the H5N1 Avian Flu virus clade 2.3.4.4b is not only highly pathogenic, it is also highly infectious. IMO, any experimentation on this virus HAS to be performed in a BSL-4 level facility, AND under strict and continuous scrutiny by lab personnel.
….
Further Comment by PAVACA:
IMO, it appears that H5N1 has been lab-enhanced to make the virus more pathogenic and dangerous, not only to birds and to non-human mammals, but also to humans. And that the experiments for this were conducted / are being conducted, in a USDA facility that has the BSL safety level of a glorified college-level science lab.
….
A correction by RedLegLeader68: Athens, GA is the home of UGA
HISTORY
I am going to start off with this 2012 comment of mine on WUWT since it is not something I addressed in my other ‘Attack on Food’ articles.
THE WORLD WITNESSED IT WHEN IT HAPPENED IN THE UNITED KINGDOM’S FOOT AND MOUTH OUTBREAK. MILLIONS OF HEALTHY ANIMALS DESTROYED FOR A FEW HUNDRED THAT TESTED POSITIVE. A VACCINE EXISTS FOR THIS DISEASE…A DISEASE THAT RARELY CAUSES DEATH IN THE ANIMAL AND IT DOESN’T AFFECT HUMANS AT ALL. GENE POOLS WERE DESTROYED FOREVER, LIVES WERE SHATTERED AND SCORES COMMITTED SUICIDE, EVEN EQUIPMENT AND HAY/FEED WERE DESTROYED ALONG WITH FARM DOGS. FARMERS BEGGED THEIR GOVERNMENT TO VACCINATE INSTEAD OF WANTON DESTRUCTION, BUT WERE IGNORED. THIS IS WHAT WE IN AMERICA WILL FACE IF WE ALLOW THE NAIS TO BE IMPLEMENTED HERE. LEARN WHAT IS MEANT BY THE TERMS “DEPOPULATE” AND “STAMP OUT”.
“Should USDA officially confirm the presence of a disease, such as Foot and Mouth Disease, the affected herd and all cattle, sheep, goats, swine, and susceptible wildlife—infected or not— within a minimum 10-kilometer zone around the infected farm would be killed.” >>>Note they also mention extending that range indefinitely. They affectionately call this process “Depopulation” which is ever so euphemistic. All of this is without a warrant and no appeal. So much for your Constitutional rights and presumption of innocence.
GO TO THE LINK BELOW AND READ THE MANUAL FOR YOURSELF! THE 48 HOUR TRACEBACK IS NOT SO THEY CAN VACCINATE, ETC., IT IS TO “DEPOPULATE/STAMP OUT” ALL “SUSCEPTIBLE” ANIMALS IN A GIVEN RADIUS. THOSE 48 HOURS ARE NOT JUST TO FIND YOUR ANIMALS…BUT TO KILL THEM!….
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2002)
Estimate the degree of contamination in the dwelling house and the adjacent area. Detail disposal and/or cleaning to be done in the house to remove all sources of contamination….
Detail structures and articles that cannot be effectively decontaminated, such as wooden buildings, floors and cattle yards, roof insulation, doors and linings…..
The aim of the clean-up process is to remove all manure, dirt, debris and contaminated articles that cannot be disinfected……
All old insulation materials, such as polystyrene, fibreglass and press boards, are removed for burial or burning unless they have sound impervious surfaces which can be effectively decontaminated.All unsound, rotten and underrun wooden fittings, flooring and other structures which cannot be effectively disinfected should be removed for burning or burial…
This means ALL homes not just farms are placed under quarantine in that 10K radius BTW.
It is obvious that traceability does nothing to prevent disease, it only allows blame to be placed after the fact followed by Depopulation. So why is the idea being promoted and where did it come from?
In the USA it came from a NGO.
“..early 2002, when the National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA) organized a national identification task force to provide leadership for the preparation of the initial report, the National Identification Work Plan….
The US Animal Identification Plan (USAIP) is needed to maintain the economic viability of American animal agriculture…
This is essential to preserve the domestic and 👉international marketability👈 of our nation’s animals and animal products.”
Dead link:
http://www.usaip.info. [Sec of Ag Schafer alleges the idea came in 2003, AFTER BSE was found which is total B.S.]
…Building upon previously established and successful animal health and animal identification programs involving many animal industries, an industry-state-federal partnership, aided by the National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA), was formed in 2002 to more uniformly coordinate a national animal identification plan. This resulting plan, requested by the UnitedStates Animal Health Association (USAHA)and facilitated by USDA’s Animal and Plant HealthInspection Service (APHIS), was formulated in 2003 for presentation at the October, 2003 annual meeting of the USAHA. More than 100 animal industry and state-federal government professionals representing more than 70 allied associations/organizations collectively assessed and suggested workable improvements to the plan to meet future U. S. animal identification needs….
Since WHEN does the USA NEED to ID animals? — After Quarantine is abolished of course!
Finally! An organization that satisfies your needs, concerns and interests about the animal agriculture industry. Membership with the National Institute for Animal Agriculture offers just that,and so much more. NIAA’s purpose is quite simple — to provide a source for individuals, organizations, and the entire animal agriculture industry to obtain information, education and solutions for challenges facing animal agriculture….
NIAA is still alive and well and it is an NGO and was part of the Public-Private partnership driving Animal-ID
NIAA is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to providing programs to work towards providing solutions for disease, while promoting a safe and wholesome food supply and the best practices of environmental stewardship, animal health and well-being.
Successor to the Livestock Conservation Institute (LCI), NIAA began operations in👉January 2000 [So there is Sec of Ag Schafer LIE!]
Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman has announced the framework for implementation of a National Animal Identification System (NAIS) designed to identify any agricultural premise exposed to a foreign animal disease so that it can be more quickly contained and eradicated.
The results of the years of joint work by the USAIP Development Team was provided to USDA, and was submitted as information for consideration as USDA develops and implements NAIS. See link below for the official
NAIS website for current updates. This site will remain for a period of time to provide background and historical information about the USAIP.
Ann Veneman is a real winner BTW. She worked on Uruguay Round talks for the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT.) This was the precursor to the World Trade Organization. She served as executive director of UNICEF, & was California’s secretary of food and agriculture. She was also an attorney for law firm and lobby group Patton, Boggs & Blow. It has“participated in the formation of every major multilateral trade agreement considered by Congress.” She was also a board member of a Monsanto subsidiary company.
To protect the health of U.S. livestock and poultry and the economic well-being of those industries, we must be able to quickly and effectively trace an animal disease to its source…
And in 2009 the domain was up for sale.
…..
The Agreement on Agriculture came into effect with the establishment of the WTO at the beginning of 1995. Fifteen years later there is this is from the 2009 State of Texas TAHC Strategic Plan Report
…
new disease challenges are emerging. Some are domestic diseases that are increasing in significance.Others are foreign diseases that may be imported as result of the exponential increases in international importations of animals and animal products. Our industries and our economy are threatened by diseases and pests that heretofore we only read about in disease text books…..
As I said, Animal ID becomes necessary ONLY when you are importing disease. The World Trade Organization’s Agreement on Ag DOES NOT ALLOW UNIVERSAL QUARANTINE! It is considered an unjustified ‘Trade Barrier’
The Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures: Article 2.2 states:“Members shall ensure that any sanitary or phytosanitary meassure is applied ONLY TO THE EXTENT NECESSARY… is based on scientific principles and is not maintained without sufficient scientific evidence...” And Article 2.3 “..Sanitary or phytosanitary measures shall not be applied in a manner which constitute a disguised restriction on international trade”
In other words, quarantine can only be used AFTER you have found disease or an exporting country TELLS you they have a disease problem. International TRADE therefore trumps protection against disease.
(I strongly suggest reading this report given what is happening in the USA now.)
However it looks like I was wrong. It is Avian flu which has the ‘advantage’ of infecting not only birds but humans and now COWS and other mammals. FMD is a piker in comparison since it only infects pigs, cows, sheep, goats and deer and does not make them uneatable. Also Avian Flu can easily be carried on wing by migratory birds.
So what have we learned from the ‘Farm Wars’ wagedagainst the WTO and Animal ID’?
Ever heard of the 2012 Homeland Security Exercise CRIMSON SKY? It is similar to Event 201 the pandemic tabletop exercise hosted by The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in partnership with the World Economic Forum and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation on October 18, 2019, in New York, NY.
….The administration is studying the safest place to move its research on such dangerous pathogens from Plum Island to the U.S. mainland near herds of livestock, raising concerns about a catastrophic outbreak. A final choice is expected by late fall. The foot-and-mouth virus does not infect humans but could devastate herds of cattle, swine, lambs and sheep.
The five locations the U.S. is considering are Athens, Ga.;Manhattan, Kan.; Butner, N.C.; San Antonio; and Flora, Miss. A sixth alternative would be construction of a new research lab on Plum Island. That option is considered less likely because the administration spent considerable time and money scouting new locations and because of financial concerns about operating from a location accessible only by ferry or helicopter.
Economic losses in an outbreak would exceed $3.3 billion if the new lab were built in Georgia, North Carolina or Mississippi, the report said.
….The new study expresses the government’s confidence it could avoid any outbreak. But it also cautioned that “should a large release occur there is considerable opportunity for the virus to cause infections and become established in the environment beyond the facility boundary.”
A simulated outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease – part of an earlier U.S. government exercise called “Crimson Sky” – ended with fictional riots in the streets after the simulation’s National Guardsmen were ordered to kill tens of millions of farm animals, so many that troops ran out of bullets. In the exercise, the government said it would have been forced to dig a ditch in Kansas 25 miles long to bury carcasses.
The new study said U.S. economic losses from an outbreak could ultimately be higher than the $5 billion suffered by Britain in 2001, when an epidemic forced the government to slaughter 6 million sheep, cows and pigs….
Interesting because we were TOLD the site for the new lab was in Manhattan, Kan. While they already had the U.S. National and Southeast Poultry Research Laboratory (SEPRL) Centers in Athens, GA.
I have been investigating Plum Island since September 1999, after hearing reports of equine West Nile Virus (WNV) cases in Suffolk County, Long Island, and, later human cases in Queens, New York. At the same time, August 1999, a Boy Scout camp, also in Suffolk County, Long Island, was closed due to cases of Malaria. In June of 1999, there were reports of a tick borne encephalitis in New England, and a flu-like illness on Block Island….
Representative Rob Simmons of Connecticut was unable to get further details of security clearances, or, training of the replacement workers. After Rep. Simmons learned that the FBI was on Plum Island investigating the incident of drop in water pressure, he requested to visit the island to ascertain conditions. The USDA refused to give Rep. Simmons permission to visit the island.
It is now September 3, 2002, and we still have no information on the cause of drop of water pressure, and no solution of the strike.
I have been able to get some information on former Plum Island projects, one of which includes Tick Project 101. I have also verified that Plum Island, did, indeed work with birds. Birds were studied in regard to vectors of disease outbreaks. We saw that birds have been an efficient vector in the spread cycle of West Nile Virus….
So what other information is available about this government exercise?
…Crimson Sky is a scenario-planning exercise run by the U.S. government and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services [NCDA&CS], Emergency Programs Division.
The exercise was conducted in 2002, which data modeling showed, that a FMD exposure on five farms led to the virus spreading to 35 states in 10 days.
“Crimson Sky” ended with fictional riots in the streets after the simulation’s National Guardsmen were ordered to kill tens of millions of farm animals, so many that troops ran out of bullets. In the exercise, the government said it would have been forced to dig a ditch in Kansas 25 miles long to bury carcasses. In the simulation, protests broke out in some cities amid food shortages.
Two other simulations also geared toward bio-terrorism risk assessment preformed by DHS and participating states are Crimson Winter and Crimson Guard. Limited information is available on these simulations.. Link
Crimson Sky was a one-day executive simulation that examined the threat of a major attack on the US with Foot and Mouth Disease. Participants included Senator Pat Roberts, the Governor of North Dakota, the Lt Governor of Nebraska, the Secretary of Agriculture and many senior members of the Interagency Deputies Committee including the Deputy FEMA Director and Deputy EPA Administrator. There were 75 participants and 50 observers. (September 2002)
and this:
Crimson Winter
Crimson Winter was a one-day executive simulation that examined the threat of a major attack on the US food supply. Participants included the Deputy Secretary of Agriculture and the Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services. There were 25 participants and 30 observers. (January 2003)
Following the recent outbreaks of Avian Influenza across the globe, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) issued a number of biosecurity recommendations. This article overviews the procedures for using Virkon S, the most proven veterinary disinfectant in the world.
Stamping out is a recognized and proven strategy for rapid elimination of an introduced exotic disease or other emergency livestock disease. The crucial elements of stamping out are:
designation of infected zones;
intensive disease surveillance to identify infected premises and dangerous-contact premises or villages within these zones;
imposition of quarantine and livestock movement restrictions;
immediate slaughter of all susceptible animals either on the infected and dangerous-contact premises or in the whole infected area;
safe disposal of their carcasses and other potentially infected materials;
disinfection and cleaning of infected premises;
maintaining these premises depopulated of susceptible animals for a suitable period.
Stamping out is often the most cost-effective strategy. The disease eradication campaign is shorter and achieved for a lower overall cost and there is a shorter waiting period before the country can be recognized as free of the disease and resume export of livestock and animal products….
This Manual of procedures for disease eradication by stamping out is based on The destruction of animals, Disposal procedures and Decontamination operation procedures manuals of AUSVETPLAN (second edition, 1996). AUSVETPLAN is a series of technical response plans that describe the Australian approach to an exotic animal disease incursion. The procedures are adapted in this manual to apply to eradication of foci of serious infectious diseases of domestic livestock in any country where they may occur.
The basis of HPAI eradication by stamping out is to:
• immediately impose a quarantine of the affected area (premises or village);
• slaughter all infected and potentially infected birds and dispose of the carcasses;
• decontaminate sheds and other poultry housing areas;
• carry out rapid surveillance of surrounding areas to determine the extent of possible spread;
• close and disinfect markets; and
• keep sick and dead birds out of the human food chain, and not sell them as feed for other animals (e.g. zoo animals).
Quarantine and movement controls
AI is readily transmitted via contaminated objects, so strict control of movement of anything that may have become contaminated with the virus and the immediate imposition of tightly controlled quarantine on all places suspected of being infected are essential to a successful eradication programme. Ideally, quarantine should be imposed on all farms and villages in which infection is either known or suspected, and it should be strictly policed to ensure that no one – including the residents, owners, staff and other visitors – leaves without changing his or her clothes and footwear. Strict on-farm biosecurity and hygiene are needed to control entry of the disease from outside sources (e.g. feed suppliers, equipment maintenance personnel, wild birds)….
The newest I could find is Published Online: 24 August 2013 in Biosecurity and Bioterrorism: Biodefense Strategy, Practice, and Science
(Interesting that Johns Hopkins edu has a copy up as well as Pub Med, the NIH library…)
Abstract
Preparedness for the decontamination of affected environments, premises, facilities, and products is one prerequisite for an immediate response to an animal disease outbreak. Various information sources provide recommendations on how to proceed in an outbreak situation to eliminate biological contaminants and to stop the spread of the disease. In order to facilitate the identification of the right decontamination strategy, we present an overview of relevant references for a collection of pathogenic agents. The choice of pathogens is based on a survey of lists containing highly pathogenic agents and/or biological agents considered to be potential vehicles for deliberate contamination of food, feed, or farm animals. European legislation and guidelines from national and international institutions were screened to find decontamination protocols for each of the agents….
