Posts Made By: James Brown

Originally Posted by Brian McFarland

It's like listening to a cult member.

I retire in a month, maybe I'll start up a deprogramming company.  I foresee a lot of business in the near future.

I am finding retirement really rewarding.   You'll love it.   Mixing compost into the ground around our mountain place for wildflowers today.  But it is not all work, from Tuesday:

Originally Posted by James Brown

I am finding retirement really rewarding.   You'll love it.   Mixing compost into the ground around our mountain place for wildflowers today.  But it is not all work, from Tuesday:

Close up of the really cool sunspot and prom on the right limb:

Originally Posted by Richard Davis

Gee, and since Joe Biden and his administration used the very same app, Signal, I guess you want to run with your criticism of the disastrous use of the Signal app by the Biden admin?

Yes, no?

The Biden administration policy on encrypted apps and which should be used:


The CISA guidance specifically cited that government officials should download "end-to-end encrypted communications" platforms to their cellphones and computers, specifically citing Signal as an app to download to comply with the best practices.   

"Adopt a free messaging application for secure communications that guarantees end-to-end encryption, such as Signal or similar apps," the guidance states. "CISA recommends an end-to-end encrypted messaging app that is compatible with both iPhone and Android operating systems, allowing for text message interoperability across platforms. Such apps may also offer clients for MacOS, Windows, and Linux, and sometimes the web. These apps typically support one-on-one text chats, group chats with up to 1,000 participants, and encrypted voice and video calls. Additionally, they may include features like disappearing messages and images, which can enhance privacy."?

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-era-guidance-encouraged-use-signal-app-highly-targeted-govt-officials-best-practice?msockid=1ed65a6159cd6a213a0448a858356b0a

Well then, did you want to double down on your assertion above, claiming: "the use of Signal by itself, for any official conversation is surely prohibited."?

Was the chat including the journalist encrypted? 

Either way I doubt that Signal is approved for classified military or national security communications under Biden or Trump.  This focus on the medium misses the point though.  Surely you see that even if the medium was approved (which I doubt for these type of communications) the execution was shoddy at best and probably criminal for any regular government employee.  Please don't lose sight of the real issue, which is negligently (at best) including a outside, unsecure, third party on the communication.

Originally Posted by Brian McFarland

My retirement date was originally supposed to be 1 March, but I agreed to stick around for a bit to help with some turmoil at work (new contract award, hiring madness, etc.). May 1 is my new date for departing the pattern - looking forward to it.  More time for hobbies, home upgrades, and volunteering.

Really excellent sol shots. You have it dialed in!

Thanks!  I hung around for an extra two months too, to ease the transition for my clients.  I implemented a three year plan basically making sure my clients had a relationship with my ultimate replacements.  The idea was to make my exit as smooth as possible, but the last few months were inevitably hectic.  I feel pretty good about my exit circumstances though, and I am sure you will too. 

My wife is in the same boat you are in right now.  She is retiring this year, no later than August (hopefully), but as early as May.  The plan is for her to hire her replacement and overlap with her replacement for a month.  No internal candidates are ready for this particular job yet.  They have whittled it down to two really good replacement candidates, who are deep in the interview process, but it takes forever, and there is no guarantee that either one will take the position.  Ms. B's company interviews very slowly and methodically.  

Originally Posted by James Lacey

I have zero confidence that anyone will ever be held accountable. All Trumpians have to do is deny, back-pedal, and spin until everyone loses interest, and the next outlandish mistake or Trumpian action takes place and dominates the headlines. Even if Congress establishes an investigation, they have no absolute authority to enforce anything. Our government is one huge unaccountable group of elites.

Agree on all counts.

Originally Posted by Maurice Clark

Beautiful images Jim. I can see why you are not worried about satellites! 

Solar imaging is a lot like planetary, in that you take a video stream with really phenomenal free software that is then processed into a raw image.  I use FireCapture  and AutoStakert 4.   Really amazing programs.  Anyway, I was sitting watching my computer during the video capture for the full-disk, and a jet liner flew across the sun!  It was big and quick, but it really shocked me!

Not surprisingly, a quick search shows that this is not a "Healthcare Bill" introduced in the "California Legislature"; but is instead a proposed ballot initiative filed with with the CA attorney general’s office by an individual of unknown party affiliation.   But hey, why let truth get in the way of a good outrage narrative? 

The individual who filed this proposed initiative may indeed be sick and demented etc., but he is clearly not the Democratic Party.   Apparently anyone in CA can propose a ballot initiative and title it anything they like.   The initiative goes nowhere of course, unless over 500,000 signatures are collected to get the initiative on the ballot.  The AG's office gets to select the actual title as part of the CA ballot initiative process, by the way.  
https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/local/controversial-health-care-ballot-initiative-named-after-alleged-murderer-luigi-mangione/509-0a6c71c1-e3c0-4f76-ba2d-0097b2f9eb9b

According to the individual who filed this proposed initiative with the AG's office, he thought the proposed title would generate press, which it did.   Obviously the story pierced Richard’s outrage bubble, although I doubt any normal people even noticed.  Also, none of the articles I skimmed remotely suggested the initiative was introduced in the legislature by a legislator, Democrat or otherwise.  So those are apparently Richard's own fabrications.

Originally Posted by Russ Carroll

Let me beat Richard to it…so you, leftist bookkeeper, support this shit????

Originally Posted by Richard Davis

Hi Guys, Dave C. here. 

I wanted to urge you all to contribute to Luigi Mangione's Go Fund Me account.

Personally, Where I reside here in Ontario, I contributed $2000, because I supported his actions of killing that CEO.  I can understand Luigi's point of view as I clearly stated in a previous posting.  

I'm not sure what the website address is for it down there in the states, but I wanted to thank Jim B, Russ C, and all the other leftists who have pledged to contribute at least $1000 each to the fund.

Thanks for all your PMs to me supporting Luigi and his mission.  

When I'm able to find the link, I will be certain to post it here to you all via a Private Message.

Go Luigi and those like you!  Glad that you're in the fight.

And to those Tesla terrorists, I know I speak for the entire group of leftists here in saying We appreciate your attacks on these evil Tesla owners!

Russ nailed it!

Originally Posted by Richard Davis

Congratulations on your new membership into the party that supports violence as the number one means to achiieving their leftist agenda.

Glad to see you fit right in!  

I'm guessing you clapped eagerly when you saw Teslas and the dealerships being firebombed by your brothers in arms.

Are you intentionally posting this nonsense to prove Russ's truly hilarious point?  I doubt it.     I don't think you get the joke being made at your expense.  So, I guess we are laughing at you, rather than laughing with you.

I'll spell it out for you - Russ said, "Let me beat Richard to it…so you, leftist bookkeeper, support this shit????"

Please tell me you are in on the joke.   The alternative is just too gruesome to contemplate.