Update no.1203

 Update from the Sunland

No.1203

27.1.25 – 2.2.25

Blog version:  http://heartlandupdate.blogspot.com/

 

To all,

 

The con-man-in-chief likes to paint himself as a martyr, taking a bullet for the troops. He accuses everyone but himself of “weaponizing” the Justice Department. The standard modus operandi of the ignoramus-in-chief is to accuse his opponents of doing exactly what he intends to do, so as some irrational justification for what he will do. He is striving mightily to tear down the federal government and raise a different form of government in his image. That man has convinced many people that he was being persecuted by the justice system because of his politics and personality. The reality is he committed more than a few crimes. He broke the law repeatedly; laws the rest of us must abide or face harsh consequences. [The person who shall no longer be named, AKA no name] was charged (sued), tried, and convicted because he broke the law repeatedly and defiantly. The justice system did what it was supposed to do . . . investigate, charge, and try law breakers. They are doing exactly what he has accused everyone else of doing without offering any evidence of such conduct. Retribution is his justification. He seeks to deflect and distract the American people from his illegal activities and conduct. The con-man is not being persecuted and he is most emphatically not a martyr. He is a criminal plain and simple. He broke the law, full stop, shut the front door, end of story, drop the mic.

 

On Saturday, 1.February.2025, President [no name] issued three more of his bonehead executive orders imposing a general 25% tariff on goods coming from Canada and Mexico, plus an additional 10% tariff on goods from the PRC. [No name] talks about these tariffs like they are new and ingenious revenue streams for the U.S. Treasury. There is only one little, itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny problem with that thinking. We, the People, pay those tariffs, not Mexico or Canada. We pay them. Essentially, we are paying a new tax into the Treasury. The tariffs are initially paid by the importing companies, but they will naturally pass along those costs to the consumer as just another cost of doing business, and thus, those cost show up in the acquisition cost for us. Tariffs generally slow the economy and cause inflation, the very economic elements that the MAGAts railed against during the last administration and the presidential campaign. We must never forget that the power to tax is the power to destroy.

Worse, especially with respect to Canada and Mexico, this is not how we treat our friends. [No name] states he is encouraging both neighboring countries to do more to stem illegal immigration and fentanyl smuggling. In essence, he is demanding the other sovereign countries enforce our laws. We cannot enforce those laws, so he wants our neighbors to do it.

Leading by fear is not leadership. It is abuse. We want our enemies to fear us, NOT OUR FRIENDS. Apparently, [no name] has no friends, wants no friends, and needs no friends. He could not care less. So, once again, we are left holding the bag, and our friends and allies are treated like adversaries, or worse enemies.

 

Wednesday evening, 29.January.2025, at 20:48 [R] EST, American Airlines Flight 5342 (PSA Airlines), a Bombardier CRJ700 airliner, collided with a U.S. Army UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter. The CRJ was on approach to Washington Reagan National (DCA) from Wichita, Kansas (ICT). The Blackhawk was performing a night training mission on an established low-altitude helicopter route along the Potomac River.

There are so many questions.

Military aircraft are required to abide by air traffic control procedures and instructions when they operate in controlled airspace. As such, they are required to squawk Mode C (altitude reporting) on their transponders to allow air traffic controllers to “see” them. The investigators will determine the state of the Blackhawk’s transponder leading up to the impact as well as what the air traffic controllers did with the information. The helicopter was reported to be 100+ feet above the maximum prescribed altitude for that portion of the route. The NTSB will likely make quick work on this accident, although they will meticulously step through their investigative procedures.

Of course, in this era, we must contend with President [who shall no longer be named], the primo uomo demagogue who is the face and action of what used to be known as the Republican Party, pointing his crooked finger at FAA DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) policies. [Note: DEI is a political initiative to raise awareness of and promote diversity in the workforce. The program is much like racial equality programs in the 70s. We are in desperate need of such programs, but the white supremacists are adamantly against DEI, thus the reaction we see today.] When [no name] was challenged by reporters what evidence he had, his response was simply, “It just could have been.”  His rationale . . . “I have common sense.” 

He is most certainly not a representative of the United States of America. So, when he makes such despicable bullshit bonehead comments like he did on Thursday, just remember 77M American citizens voted for him to represent them. That man is who they wanted to be president, who they wanted to represent them and this once grand republic.

[No name] is simply not intelligent enough to recognize or acknowledge that he does not know. He does not give a twit about his repeated, consistent and persistent displays of utter ignorance about boundless topics. Yet, at the end of the day, he is what he is and always has been. This is nothing new from him. His contemptible nonsense says far more about those who voted for him than it does about that fool directly.

It is one thing for some pissant citizen like me to speculate about the causal factors of an accident or incident. It is altogether quite another thing for the president of the United States of America to speculate about such events. [No name] is verging upon ignorant. He has repeatedly demonstrated that he is wildly irresponsible.

 

Comments and contributions from Update no.1202:

“Thanks Cap. You will have much to write about in the coming days and we’re looking forward to your comments, they are always of interest.”

My reply:

I am afraid so, my friend. It is going to be a very long four years. I can only hope the first two years convince the apathetic voters among us that they must vote. The best outcome would be the electorate votes to removed senators and representatives who are rubberstamp sycophants for the con-man who has his hands on the controls. I cannot imagine that my comments will be encouraging at least for the first two years. I truly hope and want to be wrong in my assessment of our republic’s health. But, that is the way I see it. So far, the first week is validating my abysmal appraisal.

 

Comment to the Blog:

“I understand the feelings in your opening, but the situation we’re in comes of people acting from their feelings rather than their intellects. One certainty in all this is that we need to keep our wits about us.

“Judge Coughenour’s statement about birthright citizenship is only the first public resistance. Much more is yet to come. Also, many on the left have noted the Felon’s poor health.

“Pete Hegseth is to all appearances an active chronic alcoholic with other issues. Don’t count on him lasting either.

“We shall see what happens with individual attempts to soften climate change, but I noticed a couple of recent events. Greenland is pursued by the Felon, but there’s not enough publicity about their possession of rare earth minerals used in batteries. Also, China last night (our time) claims to have an open-source AI that uses less energy and less-expensive microchips. It’s called DeepSeek. Things change rapidly.”

My response to the Blog:

Well said and accurate from my perspective. While I hold a rather dark view of our republic’s future, I intend to continue doing the best I can to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States” at my advanced age and diminished physical capacity.

That is the way I see Judge Coughenour’s TSO order. The Court of Appeals has not weighed in as yet, but they still have another week before the TSO expires. We wait. Yes, this is just the first week of that man’s administration. It is going to be a very rough road ahead.

That is my assessment of Hegseth as well. Semper vigilantes.

I saw that DeepSeek announcement. I do not know how much is hype and how much is real. Things are changing very rapidly, and I suspect the speed of change is only going to increase.

 . . . Round two:

“It's worth noting that the ‘shock and awe’ strategy of the first week is almost impossible to maintain. Armies and others use that mode to discourage the opponent, making the rest of the campaign easier.

“We shall see how the DeepSeek issue goes. MoneyWatch is speculating on the specific companies involved, but has no concrete information.”

 . . . my response to round two:

Good observation. Appropriate I do believe.

I will not be one of those speculating on DeepSeek. I am suspicious of the motives behind the company from the get-go.

 . . . Round three:

“The ‘shock and awe’ continues. This forum is more for digesting the news than reporting it, so I'll await developments before commenting further.

“One development on DeepSeek: they're now accused of ‘distilling’ others' data to train their bot, much like the American bots' use of copyrighted material for their training.”

 . . . my response to round three:

There will be further developments. Chaos is like that—a constantly changing morass. I expect him to be relentless in his administering chaos. The MAGAts like to cheer, yeah, that’s what we need. Gut the whole thing and build a proper government. The insurrections portray themselves as patriots defending the nation. Must not forget, that is exactly what Confederates believed . . . they were protecting freedom. The reality is, then and now, they want, they demand everyone live by their rules, beliefs, and opinions. The Confederates wanted the nation to accept their reality, slaves were not human; they were simply a consumable to protect their way of life. The MAGAts are essentially the same. They espouse freedom with an unspoken caveat . . . as long as it is freedom as they define it. Only read books they approve. Only teach what they approve to be taught. Only belief in their god. Ad infinitum ad nauseum. Their freedom, their patriotism, is doublespeak; it is NOT freedom.

Given the PRC modus operandi, there will be many more such ‘training’ events. I worry about the ulterior motives, what is buried in the code and not readily detectable in the operation. The PRC seeks to dominate the world as they believe and accuse the United States of doing in the last hundred years. This is serious business.

 . . . Round four:

“Your point about the MAGAts causing and using chaos is valid, but chaos creates its own ending. Chaos is unsustainable because it uses energy and resources faster than any stable mode of operation.

“The Confederates are an inspiration for losers. Remember the symbolism of the two flags the MAGAts like to fly; the CSA and the Nazi flag are battle flags of nations we’ve defeated.

“Americans haven’t noticed that China’s already taken over much of the world’s economy, which is what empires are about. They could be up to something more with AI, but I’ll admit that AI in general feels just as threatening.”

 . . . my response to round four:

I do not see the reasoning in your statement—“chaos creates its own ending.” It seems to me, chaos will exist and persist as long as there is no effort to eliminate chaos, or bring order to chaos. The best I can see is [no name] feeds on chaos; he needs chaos to exist. And worse, as long as his believers hold the reigns of political power, chaos may well exist after the man has returned to dust. Order will only return when the MAGAts are rendered to the shadows, like where the white supremacists used to dwell.

Well, that is one way to think of those symbols. I see those symbols more like a clarion call for believers to come out of the shadows and rally around the flag. To me, they are symbols of mobilization.

I am not so sure PRC dominance has gone as far as you suggest, but I must confess you may well be correct. I do see AI with seriously mixed feelings. On one hand, I see AI as a dramatic force multiplier in our contemplative power. On the opposite hand, I cannot avoid the incalculable threat AI represents if it acquires and exercises ruminative capacity. In AI, I see the prescient illumination of HAL 9000. We must not be fearful of advancing AI, but we most emphatically must be cautious.

 . . . Round five:

“Entropy increases. Chaos, whether in physics, engineering, or sociology uses energy and resources faster than any more stable process. Chaos is used as a tool by organizations or individuals trying to conquer others, but it uses up everything.

“China has been around a long time and prefers less harm and headlines in its processes.

“‘Artificial intelligence’ is by definition artificial and therefore not intelligent in a human sense. It has neither conscience nor instinct, and it can’t. Space Odyssey is the tip of the iceberg in writings on this. I recommend Isaac Asimov’s I, Robo stories. He points out that even if people try to build moral values into machines, the machines can’t have a living being’s moral understanding.”

 . . . my response to round five:

If we were discussing physics, I would agree with you. However, we are not discussing physics. We are discussing politics, an entirely different breed of beast. This form of chaos is not going to resolve itself until MAGAts, from [no name] on down to the uneducated, redneck who swallowed the snake-oil elixir and believes, and voted for [no name] and his sycophants, are returned to the shadows of progressive society. The MAGAts seek to return to a day long gone when WASPs [White, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant] dictated everything from what books we could read and what we allowed to see to the laws we all must abide.

The PRC uses insidious processes to achieve their aims. There is little doubt in my thinking what those aims are. We must pay attention, and we cannot allow them to go unchecked.

I am not so sure. Some forms of AI are neural networks that mimic the human brain. Other forms are electronic catalogues of applied facts (or worse random information). I see no reason why future AI systems cannot evolve into reasoning entities. Infants are not born as moral creatures; they are taught by myriad means. They learn morality. AI can learn morality as well . . . if they are taught properly.

 . . . Round six:

“Chaos in society has a similar result. Dismissing employees by the thousand, freezing payment systems, antagonizing friend and foe alike and other disruptions all waste resources the chaotic ones need if they are to govern.

“The PRC’s aim is the same as Russia’s or the USA’s, to achieve world domination.

“The technicians building AI have no interest in morality, and humans haven’t succeeded in teaching ourselves that. In any case, that would require consciousness.”

 . . . my response to round six:

I would agree with your assessment in general. However, in this political instance, Little Fingers can and will artificially stimulate and feed the chaos to serve his purposes. He will consume resources to maintain the induced chaos. His form of chaos is not natural.

Unfortunately, the Ugly American Syndrome offers graphic demonstration of the necessity for inclusion of the USA in your list. There are those who seek such domination. From my perspective, I believe most American citizens do not support world domination. Rather, they respect our neighbors and friends, and seek peace and stability. The inherent induced chaos of world domination violates those traits.

You may well be correct. If we allow AI to develop cognitive capacity without teaching morality, we will be unleashing a highly destructive force on humanity. Imagine a child that matures with adult capability and no sense of morality.

 . . . Round seven:

“I don't have to imagine a child that matures with adult capability and no sense of morality. Humans like that are running our country.”

 . . . my response to round seven:

Oh my! Spot on and well said!

I will add that he is what he is; he has always been this way. It is his parents who bear the blame for their failure to teach their child morality, humility, and respect for others. We must hold parents accountable for the havoc they wrought upon society.

 

Another contribution:

“Cap, I am afraid you have nailed it.

“In other words, our undereducated overfed electorate has spoken with and without voting, and because of oligarchs' power over candidates' re-election prospects all but a brave few of our representatives and senators are impotent.

“It won't be long now before we see the end of the most admirable governmental experiment in world history.  

“Thank you for your long efforts to avoid this sad day. I am glad my patriotic ancestors are spared the pain I feel as a common citizen, retired state trial judge and proud USAFR Col.”

My reply:

Thank you so much for your generous assessment. Being so negative on the future of the republic does not give me comfort. Whether it is reparable is yet to be determined.

I could excuse the undereducated portion of that man’s believers, but unfortunately and regrettably, I know far too many well educated, ostensibly well-informed citizens who actually and enthusiastically believe in that con-man. I know more than a few good people who have been bilked out of tens of thousands of dollars by skilled con-men who are mere shadows of what the con-man-in-chief represents. The subversion of so many good citizens by that disgusting Sirens’ Song is the true tragedy. The con-man has always been a con-man; we have only to look at his history. But how so many good people were blinded and believe is far more ominous to me.

That is my view. I fear we may have passed the point of no return. I had similar fears (but I was younger and more resilient) in the 60s and 70s in the middle of racial and political strife with a criminal at the controls then as well, and I was pleasantly surprised with our recovery. I desperately want to be surprised again.

I also share your empathy for sparing our ancestors the tragedy of what is happening. Generations of my ancestors fought and sacrificed to preserve democracy and our republic. I will only note here that more than a few of my family were staunch Republicans (John Birch conservatives), and while they were not called upon to vote for the con-man-in-chief, I suspect they would have succumbed to the Sirens’ Song as well . . . as loyal Republicans. I am extraordinarily grateful I was able to break that trance and see that man for what he is, a verging on ignorant, malignantly narcissistic, immoral, con-man.

Bless you for your service to the Republic, my friend.

 

A different contribution:

“Morning Cap. Yes we are undergoing a miserable news period for certain and now the aircraft collision. Your favourite man is blaming ‘diversity hires’ what ever that may be. I expect you will tell us.”

My response:

I am terribly afraid that this “miserable news period” is going to persist in daily doses for at least the next four years. Worse, as long as his MAGAt believers hold any position in public life, the chaos he generates will be the standard for the day. We must find the means to endure and persevere until order can be reinstated and restored.

Yes, I am still collecting information and writing as we learn. Unlike [no name], I am not willing to speculate about the root cause(s). I do not have much flight experience in that airspace, but I do know it is one of the more difficult environments in which to fly. The margins for error are quite low. I am writing about the absurdity of [no name]. More to follow.

 

My very best wishes to all.  Take care of yourselves and each other.

Cheers,

Cap                  :-)