April 27, 2021
Meanwhile: In Space
Something is eating and/or yeeting nearby stars.
According to a new analysis of Gaia satellite data, the closest star cluster to our Solar System is currently being torn apart - disrupted not just by normal processes, but also by the gravitational pull of something massive we can't see.
The Hayades Star cluster
consists of a roughly spherical group of hundreds of stars sharing the same age, place of origin, chemical characteristics, and motion through space
This young stellar nursery is the closest star cluster to Earth, being only 47 parsecs (153 LY) away. For our purposes that's ridiculously, arbitrarily far, but on the galactic scale we're practically touching.
Anyway, data from ESA's Gaia satellite indicates that stars in the cluster are vanishing and or being thrown out of the formation. The paper is here, and more layman friendly articles on the subject can be found here, here, here and here.
The current theory as reported, is that a huge mass of dark matter, (which is invisible to telescopes) is passing through the cluster and disrupting it. As a few of the articles suggest, finding Dark Matter, would indeed be strong evidence for Dark Matter, though, like all other evidence for the stuff this is indirect evidence (as Dark Matter's supposed properties would dictate).
Allow those of us at Brickmuppet Blog to offer an alternative possible explanation, but not necessarily the only one, for the phenomena being examined.
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April 25, 2021
"This Episode is Downgraded to Merely 'Good' "
On this, the 5th episode of the 5th season of My Hero Academia, we are presented with the first episode that is entertaining, but not superb.
The rest have been stellar.
The season opens in the middle of last season's finale and has brought together a whole bunch of plot points that had appeared to just be background flavor text, but are actually quite important.
In a way it reminds me a lot about Chris Claremont's run on the X-Men back in the '80s (but that is a reference that both dates me and is opaque to the audience. Suffice it to say that the story is moving briskly and is internally consistent )
This is an emotionally moving series and this is looking to be the best season yet. The current episode is taking place in a brief tournament arc, a Japanese Shounen comic trope that seems to be demanded by the Shonen Jump style guide. These are generally dead-spots in a series and can often kill an otherwise promising show. However, My Hero Academia uses this conciet to expertly establish background info and develop characters quite entertainingly.
This season has previously reminded us that Best Girl has additional powers that we had all forgotten about.
Toxic Mucus For the WIN!
This show continues to be excellent and I highly recommend it.
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April 22, 2021
Beta Testing
After months of asking Starlink to "Shut up and take my money!" they finally obliged!
Oh. That was a lot of monies.
In any event, a few days or weeks from now, I'll have my Starlink kit and I will be able to report to you, gentle reader, on whether it lives up to its promise.
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April 20, 2021
Technical Difficulties
I think Mee.nu is under DDOS attack.
Verizon, my service provider, has been intermittently being rather diffident in quality, speed and bandwidth for a few days. Local storms may be to blame.
On a completely different note, it is good to learn where great minds got their inspiration.
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April 19, 2021
Dateline MARS!
There's a helicopter on frickin' MARS!
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Dateline: Clown World
Not pictured: the temptress herself.
Yes boys and girls, they finally found a motive in that Fed Ex shooting the other day and just as expected....
Wait...
No...
What?...
"I hope that I can be with ApÂpleÂjack in the afÂterÂlife, my life has no meanÂing withÂout her,â€
" 何 the f**k? "
Whiskey. Tango. Foxtrot.
What the Hell is going on?
Given that 'we live in a society' and given that same society's predilection for understanding cost-benefit, risk, and root cause analysis, there can be no doubt that the banhammers will soon be a-bonkin' this most demonstrably dangerous degenerate drama.
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April 13, 2021
I've Been Killing Slimes For 300 Years And Maxed Out My Level
This is a show that delivers EXACTLY what it promises.
The hat is just a bonus.
Aizawa Asuza, aged twenty seven is an office lady who keels over dead from overwork after several consecutive allnighters. As our heroine mopes and presumably blows bubbles in Samsara while contemplating her meaningless, completely avoidable death, a random goddess shows up and informs her that because of her incredible dedication and said goddesse's boredom our heroine is going to get Isekaied to a world that the goddess has as a side project. Aizawa pleads not to forget what she's learned. "WISDOM!" the goddess rewards her with some more requests. Our heroine asks to live out in the country, on a farm and not get old and decrepit.
For some reason, instead of granting Aizawa a quick death, the Goddess sets her in a isolated farmhouse about an hours walk from a town with an adventurers guild, makes her a Witch, and gives her knowledge of a regeneration/immortality spell.
Ecstatic that she is now living in the country Aizawa Asusa resolves to NEVER do any work again aside from growing food. Her life lesson from her previous life is the importance of leisure! She will not forget that valuable bit of wisdom.
To her horror, she realizes she has to buy seeds, so she goes into town and along the way, she is attacked by a slime! The weakest of monsters is no match for a Witch and she notes that the little monster's death rattle produces a gem. After getting what amounts to a hunting license (joins the town adventurer's guild), she is able to turn these in for what amounts to money...which in turn can be exchanged for goods and services.
300 years pass, the economy apparently sucks as there has been no expansion of the town or notable sprawl. Aizawa goes into town every few days to turn in slime guts to the local adventurer's guild and buy stuff. During these three centuries our heroine becomes something of a local institution as that Witch in the woods with the hat: a farmer reluctant healer, and strict hermit. She has kept to herself mostly but has helped out the local town enough times that she is well liked despite being quite asocial.
She's in heaven. No schedule, long nights of sleep and leisurely gardening are her order of the day. She does NOT get bored with this...until one day the girl who processes bounties at the local adventurers guild asks to check our protagonist's "level" for records purposes.
It turns out that Asusa Aizawa has, over 300 years, killed enough slimes (and cast enough heals presumably) to have reached level 99...the maximum possible. That's remarkable. (Moreso if you play these video games.) Now this Podunk Adventurer's guild in the sticks has a level 99 that means prestige, and....challenges....you know...WORK.
Aizawa convinces the guild representative to keep her level secret as payment for having saved her life off camera.
Sadly the secret gets out, numerous adventurers looking to make a name for themselves show up to challenge the level 99 Witch. Her "secret" becomes spectacularly and pyrotechnically public, and finally a Dragon showes up...to...D...D...D...DDDDD...DUEL!
That was a cute first episode. I don't think it's going anywhere. It looks to be developing into a formula show.
Frankly this is kind of Mary Sue, though the ridiculousness of the ease with which our heroine became so OP is not skirted. (In that sense it's actually a notch above most Isekai shows.) There is a bit of an indication that our heroine may in fact have some lessons to learn, as she has rather overcompensated for her earlier mistakes to the point of sloth. There appear to be numerous light novels in this series indicating it may have something to say, but I'm not expecting much. Still the pilot was stupid cute fun and a Cute Girls Doing Cute Things ... Isekai fantasy is something I did not have on my bingo card. So I'll watch at least a few more.
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April 12, 2021
Some Wisdom
"Compare yourself with who you were yesterday, not with who someone else is today."
-The Red Skull
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Blogging Best Practices
One of the best secrets of the big-brained-pro-bloggers is to actually make sure one's post published on the date it was supposed to and isn't still in "draft" 5 days later for some reason.
And 3-D is the wave of the future!
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April 10, 2021
Status
Just a brief rundown of various IRL issues. As usual at such times, the picture is unrelated and the banality is below the fold .
more...
Genshin Impact's Fischl, the high priestess of asymmetry, chunni, and crazy is by Shichijou Natori. Support their work on Fanbox!
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April 07, 2021
While I'm Getting Things Back Together
I got a new alarm.
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Eyewitnesses to That Which Some Would Deny
Update: The video of Eisenhower, Bradley, and Patton inspecting a concentration camp is actually blocked by YouTube for some TOS violation. This is why we have Bitchute.
An interesting correspondence from General Eisenhower after seeing a concentration camp. He was very keen on getting non-military documentation of the atrocities as he knew that there would be an effort to deny or minimize it, and an understandable tendency to not fully comprehend the horror of what had happened.
A similar notion is found in the text of a telegram from Marshall (original here).
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April 06, 2021
Those of You
Who follow Me.Nu know about the fire in Utah.
That's not why there hasn't been a post since the 28th of last month.
Neither is this...
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March 28, 2021
Wizzard Math is Also Different
As is Elf Biology apparently...
From the climax of the current season of Rei: Zero- Starting Life in Another World a show which demonstrates that Isekai does not need to be crap and can instead choose to give us transcendental awesomeness (if not scientific accuracy). This seasons 25 episodes were, once again, absolutely gut wrenching, but they were also weirdly uplifting and the season moved the plot along immensely. The characters, even side characters, but especially Subaru and Emilia are developed astonishingly well.
Many years ago Harlan Ellison wrote a short story called Delusion of a Dragon Slayer, which pretty much invalidates the whole Isekai genre by completely subverting it before it was born. That stories protagonist starts out much like Subaru did 50 episodes ago, a non-entity muddling through life with delusions of adequacy except that Suburu lacked even the delusions, though like the protagonist in that story he thought that he'd be well suited for a life without modern expectations and mores, before getting hit by the buzz-saw that is the realization* that everywhere and everywhen has standards that need to be met if one is going to be of any consequence whatsoever. Both stories present their protagonists with a test.
Suburu is out of his depth but is biggest handicap has been his character failings, leading initially to the narcissistic conclusion that he's the main character ...and the others around him are NPCs and achievements to be unlocked.
As he's realized his own limitations and recognized the humanity and value of those around him, Subaru has looked within himself, found where he's wanting and is striving to make himself worthy of the test.
Emilia's journey the last several episodes has been at least as impressive. As have the other characters, into who's life these weirdoes fell, bringing chaos.
This show is awesome.
When is the next season!? When!!?
Avail yourselves of the spoiler tags and discuss away!
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March 25, 2021
The More You Know....
Catgirl math is duodecimal.
Art by Saraki1119. Support him on BOOTH!
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March 24, 2021
See, Blogging at Mee.nu Has Genuine Benefits
Aimee Challenor Aimee Challenor Aimee Challenor
Aimee Challenor Aimee Challenor Aimee Challenor
Aimee Challenor Aimee Challenor Aimee Challenor
Aimee Challenor Aimee Challenor Aimee Challenor
Aimee Challenor Aimee Challenor Aimee Challenor
Aimee Challenor Aimee Challenor Aimee Challenor
Aimee Challenor Aimee Challenor Aimee Challenor
Aimee Challenor Aimee Challenor Aimee Challenor
Aimee Challenor Aimee Challenor Aimee Challenor
Mr. Hambly on the other hand, is a YouTuber and is now on his 12th attempt at cover a bizarre story at Reddit without getting yeeted. His coverage is almost funny as, on this attempt he covers the story without mentioning ANY of the details by name. I say almost because it is terrifying that this is where we are.
Short version: The above mentioned individual was expelled from both the UK Green and Liberal Democratic Parties for depravity involving minors and protecting those who do dreadful things to them. Reddit hired her. Reddit installed bots to permanently ban anyone who posted anything that referred to this individual...including links to unrelated news stories that mentioned her in passing.
Since Reddit did not announce they had begun providing job placement services for M.A.P.s nobody had any idea why subreddit admins and posters were getting perma-banned.
No one on Reddit can discuss Aimee Challenor or they will be permabanned and this policy seems to at least partially apply to YouTube as well. Several of the channels have gone private and/or are locking down while they try to get some guidance from Reddit as to exactly how they expect people to avoid this minefield when Reddit won't say the words that are not allowed.
UPDATE:
Reddit has backed down, removed Aimee Challenor and issued a statement...in which they still do not mention her name.
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March 23, 2021
So...
The name of the Boulder shooter is Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa, who is reported to have ISIS ties.
20 hours ago, the left was beside themselves with glee that a caucasian had murdered 10 people in a grocery store.
Now the left are wailing and gnashing their teeth that it was the wrong kind of honkey while righties are gleeful that we have ISIS operating in Colorado.
Politics is weird.
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March 22, 2021
Wonderduck Update
I spoke with the Duck of Wonders yesterday. There were some complications, but he is finally out of the hospital and has moved on to Physical Therapy.
With any luck he'll be home in a few days or weeks. Prognosis is quite good but I'm sure this is the very definition of aggravating. Please send him some good wishes in the comments over at his site.
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This is One of Many Reasons....
...that I shop at O'Reilly. I have a much older vehicle and they carry some of the most obscure auto parts.
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March 20, 2021
Perusing Comment's Sections is not a Productive Use of my Time
Over at Instapundit they are discussing the recent decision by Amazon to ban "When Harry Became Sally".
Ed Driscoll ends the brief excerpt with this...
"I’m so old I can remember when Jeff Bezos was believed to have been a libertarian."
...which kind have set me off more than mere words should have.
Because, while i used to consider myself a libertarian, or at least libertarian-leaning back in the '90s,. Indeed, I could have typed that sentence with a straight face a few years ago, but now?
There is nothing un-libertarian about Bezos's decision, (at least not in practice, in THEORY this is an affront to the whole concept).
Libertarians (at least the Reason-Mag hipster-douche libertarians) seem to be fine with cancel culture as long as it's the 'squares' being cancelled.
Back when it was the fringe case of a patassier asking govt. not to force him to participate in a religious ceremony forbidden by his faith, the libertarian mantra was "Bake the damn cake!" Now we hear a lot of "Muh private biddness!"...as long as the view getting defenistrated is not a view approved of by the 'clerisy'.
They oppose the death penalty and implore us not to execute child-rapists, mass murderers or anyone. This has a very defensible argument behind it, particularly when one remembers how many people have been cleared of their charges after conviction...or if one just ponders the existence of the current Vice President. However, to libertarians it does not apply to a complete innocent that happens to be conceived inside a woman who finds her inconvenient.
Libertarians applaud the destruction of monuments and graves that memorialize our tragically misguided ancestors, because no time, context, nor cultural differences nor understanding can excuse the abhorrent practices of that age, but out the other corner of their mouth they lobby hard for 'frictionless' trade with China and every third world hellhole that cuts costs by substituting chains and a whip for paychecks.
They rail against tariffs with an intensity that would make Fitzhugh proud. When the human cost of the exporting of jobs is brought up, they, after a moment of bewilderment that anyone should care for such inferiors that would not see a job loss as OPPORTUNITY, roll out their Gartmans to explain to us in small condescending words how no one should be asked to subsidize the job of an idiot who can't compete. ( compete against the aforementioned slave labor that is). Someone's orientation should be respected (I agree!), unless one is a straight male or a lesbian then the libertarian chant of freedom is "Suck the d*** bigot!"consent be damned apparently. (I don't think Ayn Rand would approve.)
I used to consider myself a libertarian, considering it to be rooted in the enlightenment and not the style policing of upper-class mean girls. But I was young then and had not encountered the sneering disdain and contempt for...what exactly I'm not sure....perhaps those not high on the foetid air that collects in the mezzanines of law school libraries? I dunno, in the last few years they've just gone full reta...oh wait we can't say that and it's OK because 'muh private biddness'.
I think libertarians are right, or at least on solid ground on many issues, but they seem to attract autists who cary every single point to a ludicrous extreme and can't percieve (or care) about the societal costs of some of their policies. This is why I've been solidly conservative for many years, which might surprise some of you but conservatism in the U.S. is what is considered Liberalism in much of the rest of the world. (It's a conservative interpretation of the constitution placing limits on government power rather than a liberal interpretation of the commerce clause allowing the government to any old thing. ) I think that there are arguments for even the more hedonistic proposals of libertarians such as legalizing drugs and prostitution, but the societal costs and other second order effects have to be taken into account and factored in by something other than the market...which will be quite happy to to sell cigarettes to kids and the ultimate end state of legalizing prostitution might well be slavery for the sex-workers. The libertarian response seems to me to be the waving of the free-market totem and a recitation of verses from the book of Hayek.
Free markets DO efficiently sort goods services and people, and will quickly find a correct price for anything, including your daughter's virginity and her organs. This is why I do not want to live in AnCapiStan.
I think that Conservatism represents a good middle path between the post-Calvanistic scolds on the American left and the sort of atheistic rapaciousness and hedonism that libertarianism seems to increasingly represent. (So much so that conservatives might one day corner the Buddhist vote.)
I don't see Libertarianism in its current form as anything so much as a, destructive, frantic, and ill-advised overcorrection to the idiocies of neo-liberalism. It does, however have the very great advantage of being nigh-infinitely preferable to the attempts by the left to correct the same problems which are actively malign rather than merely oblivious.
Still, I'll stick with the middle path for now.
UPDATE: A rather less verbose comment I made at Instapundit was the origin of this post. I was surprised to see it getting upvotes, but when I refreshed the page it had been deleted.
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