Rebane's Ruminations

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October 2026
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  • Sandbox – 12dec23

    [It pays to contemplate more often than not of how absolutely ignorant cum stupid the majority of the American electorate has become in not understanding one whit about the objectives of collectivist politicians for whom they religiously vote.  They are totally and consummately convinced by the lamestream media of a world that does not exist and of causes that have effects opposite from those reported.  As our Founders predicted, the republic is doomed.  gjr]

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  • Ruminations – 8dec23 (updated 18dec23)

    George Rebane

    Idiots on parade. ‘Court allows New York to ban guns in sensitive places’ (here)  None of these idiots understand that 1) mass shooters don’t care a crock about such prohibitions, 2) such prohibitions have never reduced the frequency of mass shootings, and 3) mass shooters take comfort in knowing where law abiding citizens must go unarmed.  Shouldn’t there be an IQ test or something similar for judges to pass before being allowed to sit on the bench?

    New cohorts of ragheads are waiting in the wings for word from Iran to replace Hamas if Israel is ever successful in wiping out those low-life thugs.  We have to remember that it’s the entire Palestinian population that teaches its children to kill Jews and install terrorist organizations for their governance.  So what’s Plan B?

    [10dec23 update]  The use of ‘some’.  Out of a cohort of a hundred people, a colleague reports that “some of them were wearing green sweaters.”  What does that communicate to you in terms of the range of the number of people wearing green sweaters – i.e. what is your max and min range for ‘some’?  After you determine your range, take a look at this link to see how the use of 'some' compares to your own sense of its meaning.

    [17dec23 update]  A post-Singularity landscape is offered in this video that is sufficiently detailed to evoke interesting discussion.  The link was sent to me by a friend and RR reader who sometimes comments on these pages.  He asked for my thoughts, which I offered, and now I ask those interested for their assessment of the prognostications offered in the video (here).

    [18dec23 update]  Donors From The Richest Zip Codes In America Are Throwing Their Support Behind Biden.  More proof that having money doesn’t make you smart, and that corporatism is now an indelible part of the state – companies that pay-to-play could not survive without the backing of the government gun to suppress their competition.

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  • Ignorance Meets Evil

    George Rebane

    Here is an example of gross ignorance that begets the evil in our land.  This letter to the editor by a rabid leftwinger in the 6dec23 Union illustrates the historical gulf that separates us into two nations with irreconcilable ideologies.  The correspondent does not make a single assertion that speaks truth – where/when did Trump do anything that he claims?  And he is joined by tens of millions of like- and no-minded Americans.

    &&&&&&

    Let’s refresh our memories on what Trump said last week in a speech:  “We pledge to you that we will root out the Communists, Marxists, fascists, and the radical-left thugs that live like vermin within the confines of our country—that lie and steal and cheat on elections. They’ll do anything, whether legally or illegally, to destroy America and to destroy the American dream. The threat from outside forces is far less sinister, dangerous, and grave than the threat from within. Our threat is from within.”

    We will never vote for Trump because he and his MAGA extremists want to dump American democracy, dump “We-the-People” pluralism, and replace it with white Christian nationalism implemented by their authoritarian cult leader. It's dangerous and un-American.

    Trump’s disastrous presidency can be summarized with these 9 acts:

    • passing huge wealthy and corporate tax cuts (pushing us 8 trillion $ further in debt),
    • separating children from their parents at the border,
    • basically ignoring covid,
    • appointing unqualified ideologues to the Supreme Court and lower benches,
    • damaging our global alliances, especially with NATO,
    • promoting hatred against minorities, especially Blacks, Mexicans, Muslims, LGTBQ,
    • attacking democracy through gerrymandering and suppressing votes,
    • attacking women’s reproductive freedoms, and
    • promoting an insurrection on January 6.

    Will our election be safe from the GOP’s cheating and intimidation? Will Trump’s 91 felony counts assure us his dictatorial ambitions will not come to light?

    Voters' memories will need to be refreshed.

    Robert Gould, Nevada City 

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    115 comments on Ignorance Meets Evil

  • Scattershots – 1dec23

    George Rebane

    In the Desantos/Newsom debate last night the California governor demonstrated to all what kind of a sleazebag politicians he and his ilk are.  Newsom did not give a straight answer to a single question asked of him – all of his responses were prevarications or more bald-faced lies.  Moderator Hannity illustrated many of his questions with data from various government agencies that compared and contrasted Florida and California.  The only good things California has left to recommend it appears to be the scenery and weather.  All of its public policies, overwhelmingly put in place by Democrats, have done nothing but promote an exodus of workers and companies, having left behind a list of what best may be described as shithole cities in the once Golden State.

    Expatriate Californians are not welcome in red states.  This has become clear in news stories and reports from our friends who have sought greener pastures elsewhere.  Arriving Californians find themselves shunned by the longtime residents of their destination states.  The fear that the rest of the socially non-polluted country has is that our emigrants bring with them the dreaded ideologies for which California is now notorious.  Unfortunately, quite often such fears are misplaced because many (most?) Californians in their new homes arrive there to enjoy and preserve the values, mores, and social policies they find.  Shunning newcomers without first vetting them also allows insular leftwing cliques of immigrants to form and begin politically polluting their new nests.  A better policy would be to at least attempt assimilation of the newcomers.  I have yet to find a leftwinger contemplating a move who understands what has put our state into its dire straits.  And those concentrations already ensconced in red states are notorious for aggressively working to degrade the social fabric of their new homes.

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    30 comments on Scattershots – 1dec23

  • An Octogenarian Reflects

    George Rebane

    I received the following reflection from a friend who received it from another friend.  Apparently, this piece has been going around a bit.  I share a slightly edited version of it because it reflects the view of so many of us still alive after having already lost most of our longtime friends and now going through a sequence of health crises, one of which will inevitably nail us.  But oh, what a time we have had and what we have witnessed over these very special decades in the course of human events.

    @@@@@@

    We grew up in the 40s-50s-60s.

    We studied in the 50s-60s-70s.

    We dated in the 50s-60s-70s.

    We got married and discovered the world in the 60s-70s-80s.

    We ventured into the 70s-80s.

    We stabilized in the 90s.

    We got wiser in the 2000s.

    And went firmly through the 2010s.

    Turns out we've lived through NINE different decades..

    TWO different centuries…

    TWO different millennia…

    We have gone from the telephone with an operator for long-distance calls to video calls to anywhere in the world, we have gone from slides to YouTube, from vinyl records to online music, from handwritten letters to email and WhatsApp..

    From live matches on the radio, to black and white TV, and then to HDTV…

    We went to Blockbuster and now we watch Netflix…We got to know the first computers, punch cards, diskettes and now we have gigabytes and megabytes in hand on our cell phones or iPads…

    We wore shorts throughout our childhood and then long pants, oxfords, Bermuda shorts, etc.  We dodged infantile paralysis, meningitis, H1N1 flu and now COVID-19..

    We rode skates, tricycles, invented cars, bicycles, mopeds, gasoline or diesel cars and now we ride hybrids or 100% electric…

    We have seen the dawn of a new age when our machines are becoming smarter than us in all our endeavors.

    Yes, we've been through a lot but what a great life we've had!  They could describe us as "exennials" people who were born in that world of the fifties, who had an analog childhood and now a digital adulthood.

    We're kind of Ya-seen-it-all.

    Our generation has literally lived through and witnessed more than any other in every dimension of life.  It is our generation that has literally adapted to "CHANGE".

    A big round of applause to all the members of a very special generation, which is UNIQUE.  Here's a precious and very true message:

    TIME DOES NOT STOP!  Life is a task that we do ourselves every day. When you look, it’s already six in the afternoon; when you look, it's already Friday; when one looks, the month is over; when one looks… the year is over; when one looks… 50, 60, 70 and 80 years have passed!

    When you look… we no longer know where our friends are.  When you look… we lost the love of our life and now, it's too late to go back.

    Do not stop doing something you like due to lack of time.  Do not stop having someone by your side, because your children will soon not be yours, and you will have to do something with that remaining time, where the only thing that we are going to miss will be the space that can only be enjoyed with the usual friends.  This time, unfortunately, never returns.  That day is today!

    WE ARE NO LONGER AT AN AGE TO POSTPONE ANYTHING

    Always together, Always united, Always brothers/sisters, Always friends.  The happiest people don't have everything, they just make the best of everything!!

    Hopefully, you have time to read and then share this message… or else leave it for *Later* and you will see that you will never share it!  Pass it on to your best friends. Don't leave it for later.

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  • A Little Brainbone Exercise

    George Rebane

    Here are a couple of problems that our high school students taking the annual merit scholarship TechTest may encounter.  The solutions require no higher math, actually only a little bit of lower math, and can be puzzled out on the back of an envelope.  You, however, may use a full sheet of paper.

    Problem 1: What are all the feasible clock times at which the minute and hour hands lie concurrently (on top of each other) on a standard clock face?  Calculate your answers to the nearest second.

    Problem 2: What are all the feasible clock times at which the counter-clockwise angle from the minute hand to the hour hand makes a right angle (90 degrees) on a standard clock face?  Calculate your answers to the nearest second.

    Hint:  It’s possible (advisable?) to puzzle out the approach to both problems in your head before making a single mark on paper.  But in any event, always draw a picture.

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    5 comments on A Little Brainbone Exercise

  • Thanksgiving 2023

    George Rebane

    Thanksgiving

    In spite of it all dear readers and RR regulars, we still have so much to be thankful for.  The year for us and many of our friends was an annus horriblis.  But we are still here and Jo Ann and I wish all of you a happy Thanksgiving, and may you be blessed to share it with those you love.

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    3 comments on Thanksgiving 2023

  • Scattershots – 19nov23

    George Rebane

    Trump’s intent to deport illegals here less than two years is considered by the looney tunes lamestream as being “extreme”, and further evidence that he intends to destroy our democracy.  So the questions again are 1) is it illegal/unconstitutional to deport aliens who have entered the country illegally?, and 2) what length of residency by the illegals qualifying for deportation then is not extreme?  It’s idiotic to put this threshold at zero, since then the invitation goes out to the world that just getting your wet butt across the river and hiding out for a bit is all that is necessary for permanent residency, qualifying for all the benefits, and more.  This is exactly what today’s illegal aliens making their way to the border are betting on.

    If you use the same or similar words as Hitler used to describe his enemies, then you are automatically a fascist, Nazi, … .  This is the twisted reasoning that Trump’s opponents are telling their under-educated constituents who are innocent of history and the uses of language.  Now I’m not a proponent of Trump’s own record of shooting off at the lip.  But to tell the double dummies out there that such usages are proof of Trump’s sinister political ideology and governance when elected does not serve the county well.  But it is one more bit of evidence that benefitting the country has never been the intention of the woke progressives and other collectivist fellow travelers.

    Most journalists like to be the recipients of leaks – well almost.  When pressed in public, these reporters immediately do a little back-tracking by telling us that they are not in favor of leaks that are illegal, immoral, or unethical.  The question this raises for me again is ‘what is our right to privacy?’  While the Constitution contains no express right to privacy, legal scholars do cite “the most obvious protection of privacy in the Bill of Rights is the Fourth Amendment, which protects individuals in their persons, homes, papers, and effects from "unreasonable searches and seizures" by the government.”  The restriction ‘by the government’ should give us pause, because it doesn’t say anything about your neighbor prying into your affairs and broadcasting his findings.  Other students of the law cite the Basic or Common Law of Privacy – “The right of privacy is: the right of a person to be free from unwarranted publicity, the unwarranted appropriation or exploitation of one's personality, the publicizing of one's private affairs with which the public has no legitimate concern.”  So who does the warranting and assessing legitimate concerns?  To me it sounds like the issue of privacy is another plank in the full-employment platform for the country’s lawyers.

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  • ‘Judaism and the Left’

    George Rebane

    Regular RR readers may recall the many posts in which I have questioned why so many people of the Jewish tradition continue to embrace all the various forms of collectivism – e.g. liberalism, socialism, communism.  This especially when all their acknowledged superior traits in the arts, sciences, and material wealth have been achieved in free market capitalist environments.  It is an enduring puzzle.

    This week in the 16nov23 issue of The Union, columnist Terry McLaughlin provides an excellent overview – ‘Judaism and the Left’ – of this now centuries old phenomenon.  In it she also quotes several Jewish intellectuals who observe that “liberals have never done anything for the Jews.”  And this goes doubly for their uncritical adulation of anti-semitic American blacks such as the constituents of political leaders such as Maxine Waters, Al Sharpton, and Louis Farrakhan.

    The best that I can figure is that such racially oriented anti-semitism is a cheap price to pay for a reliable block of bought-and-paid-for votes.

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  • Sandbox – 18nov23

    [Never lose your head, a matter of great practical wisdom, never to let it get away from you: it marks the great man, and of noble heart, for all greatness is hard to throw off balance.  The passions are the humors of the spirit, and their every excess makes sick the mind, it endangers the reputation.  Wherefore have such mastery over self, and be so strong, that nothing, either in the greatest fortune or the greatest adversity, can upset you, remaining superior even to the admiration of this feat.  Gracian #52]

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