My First, Sorta, Long Boring NHL Pre-Season 2018-2019 Post

This isn't my first 2018-2019 Official Long Boring NHL Post , as it's still the pre-season, but the official season is mere days away. And this isn't going to be that long of a post. The boring, maybe - the long, not really.

Once you catch puck fever, you'll be hooked.

The current pre-season standings are below, as of this morning. A couple late games played last night and two teams played this afternoon and two games play tonight. With the exception today's four games, I believe the stats are up-to-date as of Sunday AM.

Let's look at the standings:

This early, no one can make any accurate predictions on anything. A year ago, if I, or anyone else, had said that a brand new expansion team, Vegas, would be playing for The Cup (against Nashville)...well, expressions of reactions would have been "padded cell time".

It's all up for grabs. Of course, all eyes are on the Vegas Knights, and so far so good at 5W - 1L.

There are high expectations this season for the NY Islanders, off to a good start.

Chicago is on "the watch" list. Despite their 2W-4L record, they played like the 2010, 2013 and 2015 (among prior years) Stanley Cup Winners that fans expect, whipping the Blue Jackets last night, 4-1.

Teams currently not playing their best, who will improve as we get deeper into the season, includes, in the Metro division: Pittsburgh, Philly and last season's Cup winner Washington. I sense a good season from Columbus, too; maybe even downright amazing. Carolina is off to a heck of a good start, the only team without a loss.  

In the Atlantic: Ottawa, Toronto, Detroit and Boston. The Panthers could surprise everyone.

In the Central: The Wild, Winnipeg, Nashville, Chicago and Dallas. Centrals'  games will be brutal this year.

In the Pacific: Vegas, Edmonton and Arizona are who I see dominating for the first half of the season. San Jose, also in the finals last year, has the potential to shine. The Kings and Vancouver have their work cut out for them and they will figure things out.

A few other teams like Columbus, NJ, the Panthers, St. Louis and others, all are capable of getting their game on and carving the ice up with their opponent. These are the teams I call, "We're building and just might shock the hell outta ya on our way to a Cup" season. Time will tell.

The ultimate caveat, as in almost everything, in depending on who's going to beat their opponent in any given game is always the same, "Who's injured?"

Happy Hockey, Eh!.

All hockey comments encouraged!

Jair Bolsonaro, Brazilian presidential candidate, will accept election results only if he wins. Sounds like Hillary Clinton!

From The Keene Sentinel:

Brazil’s leading presidential candidate, far-right former army captain Jair Bolsonaro, said that he wouldn’t accept an election result that doesn’t grant him victory.
[.]
...Bolsonaro was asked how he thought the military would react if Fernando Haddad, the leftist Workers’ Party candidate, were to be elected president.
[.]
“I can’t speak for the commanders,” he replied. “From what I see on the streets, I won’t accept any result other than my election.”

Other than Bolsonaro described as a "far-right(er)", he has the same winning/loss mental receptor mis-firing as LOSING DEMOCRAT Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

 Left: The LOSER. Right: Jair Bolsonaro

Also similarly, because Bolsonaro is "far-right", "tens of thousands of women" are united in protesting his candidacy. CBS News: 

In downtown Rio de Janeiro, a crowd that was heavily women shouted: "Sexists and fascists won't advance!"

"Sexists and fascists won't advance!" That sounds vaguely familiar. Where have I heard that?

World News Links

India behind terror attacks in Pakistan, says Pakistan. The News PK:

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Saturday told the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) that India is actively involved in terrorism in Pakistan by funding miscreants.

- - -
Iran blames Saudi Arabia for promoting and sponsoring terrorism.
MEHR News:

Irans Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Ghasemi has rejected the anti-Iran comments made by the Saudi top diplomat, saying terrorism has its roots in the ideology promoted and sponsored by the regime in Saudi Arabia[.]

- - -
Flawed (hackable) app leaks personal info of UK politicians.  The Times of Israel:

Phone numbers and other personal details of senior ministers from Britain’s Conservative party were made public by an app security flaw on Saturday, including those of top Brexiteers Michael Gove and Boris Johnson.
[.]
“They’ve essentially made every journalist, politician and attendee’s mobile number public. Fantastic.”

- - -
Surely, I thought there would be three by now. FBI Contacts second woman regarding Brett Kavanaugh. BBC:

The] FBI had "reached out" to interview his client [ Deborah Ramirez ] and she has] agreed to co-operate with their investigation.

- - -
Trump and Xi; Bromance over? South Morning China Post:

...four rounds of formal trade talks involving senior trade and finance officials. In addition, both sides have been in constant communication through other official and unofficial channels to find ways to end the trade dispute, but those efforts have failed to bear fruit.

As things go, any more talk is meaningless unless it involves Xi and Trump.

- - -
Elon Musk Forced to Resign.  SMH:

Elon Musk, Tesla's chief executive, under pressure from his lawyers, company officials and investors, reached a deal with the Securities and Exchange Commission [whereby Musk] agrees to step aside as Telsa chairman for three years and pay a US $20 million fine. 

- - -
Breaking News - Porsche Raspy Soundtrack is "glorious":

It’s safe to say Porsche took everyone by surprise earlier this week when all of the sudden, the company that gave the automotive world the 911 introduced a retro-tastic race car.
[.]
The noise coming out of those 908-inspired exposed titanium exhaust tips is as glorious as you’d expect it to be and nicely complements the fantastic body of the race car.

The Porsche 935. Image: Breaking News

- - -
Marty Balin, 76, dies.  TRTWorld: 

[Marty Balin], the guitarist and singer, who co-founded [Jefferson Airplane] 1965, died on Thursday and his wife, Susan Joy Balin, was by his side[.] The cause of death was not announced.

Rest In Peace, Marty.

Nancy Pelosi acknowledges "women behave hysterically."

Politically Correct, Liberal, Modern, Cosmopolitan, Bohemian, Waaaay Cool Hipster Cali Congress-woo-man Nancy Pelosi acknowledges women can behave hysterically. TheHuffPooPo:

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said that if Christine Blasey Ford had behaved like Brett Kavanaugh did when he testified about her sexual assault allegation against him, she’d be labeled “hysterical.”

Well - there it is. Permission granted in using the term to, at times, describe women as "hysterical." Hysterical! Thanks, Nance. (Caution: Use phrase at your own risk. Not responsible for flying frying pans thrown at my male brethren.)

For all those facial and, uh, other wrinkles and crevices

Wildy Inaccurate, Debunked Disproven Conspiracy Theory that Dr. Christine Ford and Cindy Sheehan are the same person

A debunked conspiracy theory, claiming Dr. Christine Ford  and Cindy Sheehan  are the same people, is causing an uproar in certain scientific and research communities according to a story in the Eritas County Ledger Early Edition:

A widely debunked conspiracy theory is getting a second round of  closer scrutiny after one facial recognition expert questioned the results. Dr. Harold P. Ness, of the Los Alamos, New Mexico, high-tech artificial intelligence company WeCYou Bio-Science said, "the initial findings that Dr. Ford and Ms. Sheehan are not the same people are speculative, at best, at least for now."

"A little tuck here, a bit of cosmetic surgery there, and yes, it is very likely Dr. Christine Ford and Ms. Cindy Sheehan are exactly the same people," said Dr. David Byrne of the world renowned Talking Heads Beverly Hills Center for Reconstructive and Cosmetic Surgery.

The conspiracy theory compares images of Dr. Ford to Ms. Sheehan suggesting they could be the same person. "She's an actress hired and paid by George Soros," said Mannic von Bierwagen, Executive Director of IG Farben's Optical Analysis and BioGeometry Worldwide Operations.

"Her real name is Rhonda Farnsworth and she is a professional actor touring with the current mid-west regional area, dinner-theater production run of the Broadway hit 'Annie'," said von Bierwagen. "Look, her name and picture are right here," he said, holding up a page in a current issue of 'Playbill'.

Image: © Ness Analytica

Responding to critics, chief researcher and author of the debunked conspiracy theory, Dr. Harold A. Ness , declared, "[Harold P.] Ness and Tolbertson ought to be ashamed of themselves. My research is solid," said Ness, Founder and CEO of Ness Analytica, a technology global consultant. "There is no question or scientific basis for any belief that Dr. Ford and Ms. Sheehan are the same people. Talk of anything different is preposterous," he scoffed.

Dr. Harold P. Ness and Tolbert rebuffed Dr. Harold A. Ness. "We've never seen both Dr. Ford and Ms. Sheehan in the same room together at the same time, and until we do, we stand by our alternative assessment of his study."

Grandstanding Amy Klobuchar's Two-Faced Double Standards

Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar again shows her double-standards and partisan hypocrisy.

Klobuchar asks, "What is [Kavanaugh] afraid of?"

Yet, on the issue of her fellow Lib, Keith Ellison's alleged abusive behavior  Amy is not-so-surprisingly evasive and seemingly unconcerned. Alpha News: 

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) continues to dance around the allegations of domestic violence against attorney general candidate Keith Ellison, avoiding making any campaign commitments in an interview on Sunday.
[.]
Klobuchar indicated she would be comfortable voting for Ellison[.]
[.]
Klobuchar also dodged questions about campaigning with Ellison, saying she is currently focused on the hearings for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.
[.]
Democrats have avoided denouncing Ellison over the allegations, despite pressure from the Democratic ally National Organization For Women. Days after the allegations broke, the Democratic National Committee (DNC), in which Ellison is deputy chair, released a statement saying the allegations would be reviewed. However, weeks later, there has been no public update to the investigation.

Amy Klobuchar: Abusive allegations are subjectively partisan.

It's a travesty of a mockery of a sham of a mockery...

From Bananas.

"Democrats not being heard," says a whining Kamela Harris

From the taxpayer-subsidized NPR:

Headline: Democrats Protest As Republicans Likely Lock Up Kavanaugh Committee Approval
[.]
"This is a sham what's going on in there right now. Democrats are not being heard. They are pushing through this process," said Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., one of the members who walked out [of the Friday Kavanaugh committee meeting].

The "they" she refers to are...I guess she means Republicans.

Pictured: Kamela Harris demonstrating she knows how to raise her right hand.

"Democrats not being heard." Dat. Is. Sooooo Sad. Epically Titanic  in nature, yes?

No, Kamlea - "you're" being heard. Others are no longer listening. You and yours have been Muted. Try and learn the difference between the two.

Tech News

Non-high-tech voting; circa 1994...

ArsTechnia: High-speed voting tabulator vulnerable to hacking.

One vulnerability they discovered—in a high-speed vote-tabulating system used to count votes for entire counties in 23 states—could allow an attacker to remotely hijack the system over a network and alter the vote count, changing results for large blocks of voters. "Hacking just one of these machines could enable an attacker to flip the Electoral College and determine the outcome of a presidential election," the authors of the report warned.

- - -
SEC Sues Elon Musk. From C|Net:

The US Securities and Exchange Commission is seeking to bar Elon Musk from serving as an executive or director of any publicly traded company.

More on Elon Musk.  From Gizmodo:

[Elon Musk is]  accused of tweeting on LSD, sued for defamation by a cave diver he called “pedo guy,” given a “weepy” interview to the New York Times, and admitted that this whole going private thing just isn’t going to work out.

Among other things, the SEC wants Musk to pay civil penalties and be “prohibited from acting as an officer or director of any issuer that has a class of securities registered pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act.”

 I dunno...seems like the SEC is overreacting and over-reaching.
- - -
ZD Net: New AI can identify guns in crowds and alert authorities about an active shooter.

The trick during development was to create a computer vision algorithm that continuously monitors cameras without reporting too many false positives, a weakness of past attempts at AI gun detection technology.

- - -
And "they" say there's no way to meet new people these days. More than you care to know about fecal transplants. Geek:

The process involves collecting feces from a healthy donor, processing it, and delivering it into the colon of the recipient.

What a fun way to meet new people.

Image credit: Alexas_Fotos/Pixabay

So this is the one time in life when, if it comes to it, you can actually say to the donor person, "Hey, thanks for the shit,"...and mean it literally.
- - -
Any gamer on top of their game already knows this, but Gamer Alert anyway. From BetaNews:

- - the new season of Fortnite has arrived! With the arrival of Fortnite Season 6: Darkness Rises and the V6.00 patch, Epic Games put its servers into maintenance mode in preparation.

- - -
And in that good-ole, reliable, stable, high-standard, secure platform of MS Win 10 (snicker, snicker), a Fourth set of Win 10 cumulative updates patches issued in two weeks. Computer World:

In the past 15 days, we’ve had four cumulative updates for Win10 version 1803[:]
[.]
Apparently, KB 4458469 v2 is a Wednesday fix for a botched Thursday kitchen-sink cumulative update, which followed a Monday cumulative update that specifically fixed a bug introduced in the Patch Tuesday patch. Got that?
[.]
But wait. The weirdities don’t end there.

- - -
Tech News World - Poorly designed websites no excuse for Terms of Agreement "fine print".

...legally valid sales agreements need to demonstrate clearly that both vendors and consumers are aware of -- and consent to -- the terms of the agreements. It is especially important for vendors to ward off expensive class action suits by including contract terms that prohibit such suits and instead rely on arbitration to resolve any issues with consumers.

Yet recent federal court cases indicate that poorly presented Internet contracts can result in the nullification of arbitration provisions and class action prohibitions -- thus giving consumers greater leverage in legal disputes with vendors.

Image: Damon Day

 - - -

Extreme Tech - NASA determines why earth wobbles on Axis:

NASA says it has now pinned down three causes for this shift. As expected, the loss of polar ice is a major contributor.

The other two "wobbly Axis" contributing factors are, oddly, the same: The Lard Lad Michael Moore's  spatial relationship at any moment and point on the earth in relation to the specific location to the rest of the world's 99% human population.

World News Links

India Today - Airplane overshoots runway, lands in sea:

The Air Niugini plane overshot the runway and sank in a sea lagoon at about 9.30 am local time on Friday. Air Niugini Limited is the national airline of Papua New Guinea.

Image: India Today

- - -

Trump praises Brett Kavanaugh. The Telegraph:

President Donald Trump described Thursday's heated Senate hearing as "brutal" and "hard to watch" during an evening Republican fundraiser.

But he also praised his Supreme Court nominee for defending himself against allegations of sexual assault.

- - -
Former judge's assistant weeps upon cocaine lie being uncovered. SMH:

The 34-year-old told the Downing Centre District Court on Friday he was "desperate" and "not thinking clearly" when he fabricated the story to conceal the fact police officers had caught him snorting cocaine in a Double Bay bar[.]

- - -  
Daily Beast - Star Wars Actress mocks Dr. Christine Ford:

... Los Angeles-based voice actress Rachel Butera thought another aspect of Ford’s testimony was worthy of attention—her voice.

In a now-deleted Twitter video, Butera mercilessly mocked Ford’s vocal mannerisms, specifically her slight vocal fry and her “baby” voice.
[.]
She added, “I sound like I’m still back at that high school party,” [.] (Uh- yeah, Ford she sure did/does. - DD)
[.]
“I can’t help it,” Butera said of her affected voice as she’s imitating Ford. “I just have this voice, like a baby, even though I’m a doctor…"

Rachel Butera's satire and parody of Ford's voice is spot-on, which is why the Libs went ballistic over Butera's satire and parody.
- - -
China Daily -  Ministry of National Defense said the United States is solely to blame for the recent rise in tension between the Chinese and US militaries [sic][.]

Well, of course CNN, NBC, ABC, CBS, NPR, the China Daily would say that.

Image credit: VCG

- - -
French police chief stabbed to death. BBC:

Pascal Filoé was stabbed three times in the middle of the street by an individual known to police.
[.]
"The attacker was known to police. He had defaced the city hall door on 11 April", [said Mayor Christian Teyssèdre].

- - -
Trump's Protectionist Gamble.  The story is published in Le Monde diplomatique. So you know what you're getting into before clicking the link.
- - -
Time.com - Duterte Admits Extrajudicial Killings Occurred are, "my only sin."

In what was described as a rambling speech to government officials outside the presidential palace Thursday, Duterte conceded that his “only sin is the extrajudicial killings,”[.]
[.]
Although he has claimed to have personally killed at least three people in the past, Duterte has long denied responsibility for extrajudicial killings that occurred as part of his administration’s brutal war on drugs. Officials claim that casualties of the drug war died as a result of resisting arrest.

- - -
Elon Musk and five facts from the SEC lawsuit against him.  The Telegraph:

Elon Musk’s share price was inspired by weed.

Tesla’s board had never received a formal proposal.

...employees were confused, but they still doubled down.

Saudi Arabia wanted its own Tesla factory.

Mr Musk sent the first tweet from his Tesla car.

- - -
InFacts - Six months until Brexit, six months for people to fight it:

The government is in a mess, and there are no good options on the table. This is not a done deal. That’s why we need a People’s Vote to ask the public whether they still want to go through with this.

Here are six things you can do to help give the people the final say.

- - -
TVNZ -  World Beer President named: 

Tim Cooper, managing director of the largest Australian-owned beer company, will serve a one-year term at the head of the 50,00-member Institute of Brewing and Distilling.

Lindsey Graham grew a pair !

I'm one of the last people who would consider leading a parade for Lindsey Graham, but who knew he grew a pair? CNBC: 

The South Carolina Republican lashed out at his Democratic colleagues and accused them of orchestrating an "unethical sham" against the appeals judge to keep a seat on the top U.S. court open. 

The media reports Graham's statements and behavior at today's Kavanaugh hearing as "erupting" or a "bizarre defense" (of Kavanaugh). 

The media reporting on a Liberal politician's behavior, in the same situation, would be instead described as, "passionate", "brave" and "compelling." Graham was exactly those terms. I didn't think he had it in him. Who knew?

Dick Durbin/Walter the Muppet...Water the Muppet/Dick Durbin

Senator Dick "Turban" Durbin (UberLib-Illinois), relying on his usual and over-the-top theatrics , (doesn't Durbin look like Walter the Muppet?), is described by media as "pushing" (read pressing [Kavanaugh]), or as part of a "firey exchange".

Durbin in 2005, we can't forget, compared American Soldiers at Gitmo to "Nazis and Soviet Gulags."  It's acceptable for Turban to say things like this because he's a Lib.

Cali's $110 Million Dollar Senator, Diane Whinestein? No credibility in the past and the same continues today. Fox News: 

"I don't believe my staff would leak it," Feinstein said in response to a question from Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, R-Texas. "I have not asked that question directly."

After a pause, apparently to consult with her staff, Feinstein told Cornyn: "The answer is no."

She's closing in on 100 years old, isn't she? She hasn't known ass from tea kettle for decades

Based on what I watched today and have read over the past week, my personal opinion and conclusion is some type of physical assault may have happened to Dr. Christine Ford almost 40-years ago. But, for me, it is far beyond reasonable doubt that the offender was Brett Kavanaugh. The evidence, thus far, isn't there.

"Paging Dr. Ford." Dr. Ford answers page.

Well...we're done  with waiting.

Christine Blasey Ford

Ford cites indelible hippocampus: 

Speaking about Kavanaugh and his friend Mark Judge, Ford spelled it out: “Indelible in the hippocampus is the laughter.["]
[.]
When senator Dianne Feinstein, the ranking Democrat on the committee, asked her why she was “so sure,” Ford responded with a technical explanation of how trauma encodes memory. It was down to the level of “norepinephrine and epinephrine in the brain,” she said, and how these neurotransmitters encode memories into the hippocampus. The end result, as Ford explained to the Senate, was that “trauma-related experience is locked there, so other memories just drift.”

Here's an interesting research study  on memory recall and retrieval, including false memory creation.

The hippocampus of other people, I guess, works differently.

Paging Dr. Ford...Paging Dr. Christine Blasey Ford...

This is beyond absurd

World News Links

Paralympic athlete accused of exaggerating impairment. Sydney Morning Herald:

Amanda Reid, who has represented Australia in swimming and cycling at two Paralympic Games, was accused by her former swimming coach this week of exaggerating her symptoms.

- - -
AI algorithms hate the poor and disenfranchised.  The Next Web:

In an age where algorithms are “helping” government employees do their jobs, if you’re not straight, not white, or not living above the poverty line you’re at greater risk of unfair bias.

 - - -

News24 - Gulfstream blows two tires taking off in New Jersey; emergency lands in New York.

The pilot soon realised [sic] what had happened and began circling the airport for about 30 minutes before the jet was diverted.

- - -
News Australia: Argument over mattress leaves one man dead.
(Advisory: graphic video at link).

“If you come within three feet of me, I’m going to kill you,” Mr Miller tells Mr Howard. Seconds later, two gunshots are heard. The chilling clip — shot by Mr Howard’s wife Kara Box — also shows Michael firing the shotgun after the first two shots are fired.

- - -
UK PM Theresa May,"demands respect." MSN:

"Throughout this process, I have treated the EU with nothing but respect. The UK expects the same. A good relationship at the end of this process depends on it," [said May].
[.]
May will hope that her tough stance against the EU will insulate her from further such criticism, ahead of the Conservatives' annual conference, which begins September 30.

Yeah...good luck on the 'hope', there, Teereeeeza.
- - -

WSTP: More Baby Boomers turning to marijuana, says study.

A new study from researchers at New York University shows the number of baby boomers using marijuana is skyrocketing. And the amount of people age 65 and up is also increasing.

“They’re using it more because it helps,” said Joe Redner, a medical marijuana advocate and owner of Mons Venus strip club in Tampa. A cancer patient, he has been fighting for the right to grow his own medicinal pot.

- - -
Tit: Deutsche Welle - Iran says, "Trump a threat to Middle East."

...[the] threat is the Trump administration's sense of entitlement to destabilize the world along with rogue accomplices in our region," [said Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Twitter].

Tat? Islamic Republic News - "Pompeo threatens Iran."

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo issued a stark warning to Iran Friday, telling CNN that Washington will take direct action against Tehran for any attacks, even those using proxy forces, against US interests.

- - -
China is updating its military and no one is saying much. The Diplomat:

...Chinese military power has been very good and continues to improve, [with a trend] toward emphasizing new pieces of equipment over upgrades of existing equipment. This is unfortunate for it leads to an underestimation of Chinese military power and a misunderstanding of possible future trajectories.

- - -
Whiny canoeists try to sue Trump for frequent Potomac closings. Washingtonian:

“This is not a personal animosity against the Trump, or any, administration. We’re just trying to paddle our own canoes,”  [said Canoe Cruisers Association chair Barbara Brown].

- - -
AFP: Journalist murdered in Mexico is ninth in 2018.

Mario Gomez, a reporter with El Heraldo de Chiapas [...] was leaving for work when two unidentified men arrived and "murdered him in cold blood" with a series of shots to the abdomen.
[.]
Mexico is the second-deadliest country in the world for journalists after war-torn Syria, according to the watchdog group Reporters Without Borders.

- - -
Convicted drug trafficker at the centre of the Australian strawberry contamination scandal. Stuff-New Zealand:

Donnybrook Berries, at Elimbah near Caboolture in the heart of strawberry country north of Brisbane, is owned by [drug trafficker] Pasquale "Pat" Cufari from Mildura, in the Australian state of Victoria.

He was not at the family property on farmland, on the outskirts of Mildura, when Fairfax Media arrived.  Two men came to the front of the home where a red Ferrari was parked in the drive.

1): Would anyone really expect him to be at home?
2): Wouldn't we all be disappointed if anything less than a red Ferrari was parked in the drive?
- - -
See the car on the left...backing-up? Can you guess where it's going? View the video at the New Zealand Herald:

Image-Video: Blair Powell

 "They passed me at speed at first," he recalls, adding that, once they approached Beaumont Bridge, a one-lane bridge, they did not even seem to notice the traffic light was there.

"They went straight through the red light, completely ignored it," [said Blair Powell].

World News Links

Jet Airways loses cabin pressure, flight of horror. Hindustan Times:

...the cabin crew forgot to put on a key switch that maintains cabin pressure. Hathi and other passengers reported screams and cries of fear as the aircraft climbed, with the emergency oxygen masks eventually coming down.

- - -
Kimmy Junior wants to meet with Trump again.  New Zealand Star:

A summary released by the Pyongyang Press Corps noted that Kim Jong Un wants the U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to visit Pyongyang to hurry the denuclearization process, as part of which North Korea aims to set up another summit with Trump "as soon as possible."

- - -
First Post: Rite Aid shooter had no one targeted.

"She didn't have a particular target. She was just shooting. She didn't aim. She just shot,"  [said Krystal Watson].

- - -
Winemaker jailed; didn't tell cops about friend's cannabis crop. SMH:

Griffith winemaker Marcello Casella has been jailed for at least six months for failing to tell police about a large cannabis crop grown by a long-time friend.

Casella, 58, pleaded guilty in June to concealing a serious indictable offence after he failed to tell police about the crop of 2750 cannabis plants grown on a farm at Crowther in south-western NSW in late 2013 and early 2014.

He didn't rat on his friend. It's nice to know that honor among...lawbreakers...is still sometimes upheld. :)
- - -
Mummified penguin chicks discovered in Antarctica. Australian Broadcast Corp: 

Scientists said the discovery holds clues to two massive weather-related calamities that wiped out large numbers of birds, one about 200 years ago and one around 750 years ago.

- - -
i News:  Passing Heavy Metal and Mosh-pit etiquette on to the next generation.

Rules include immediately picking up people who had fallen over at a gig and' anyone who is hurt being taken to the bar by the person responsible.

- - -
Ireland vexes the UK and EU in Brexit. Deutsche Welle:

...it appeared that the UK and the EU were no closer to solving the most intractable issues at hand: how to avoid imposing a harder border on the island of Ireland and how to handle future trade.

- - -
Hmmmmmm...Iran removes import limit on gold and foreign currencies. Mehr News:

The Central Bank of Iran (CBI) has eased currency rules and ordered the customs to allow merchants to bring foreign currency banknotes or gold into the country in a bid to curb further depreciation of the rial.

 - - -

The rise of the Spying Transit Police. Blacklisted News: 

Today's Public Transit Police Departments offer a frightening glimpse into the future of commuter surveillance.

- - -
France24: Brazil's eccentric presidential candidate Cabo Daciolo says God wants him to win.

Cabo Daciolo, who calls himself a messenger from heaven, says he wants to expel Satan from Congress[.]

- - -
The No Chill: Kanye West is a clone.

Current Kanye is an Illuminati Clone

- - -
Burger King vs a colonial burial ground.  The Day: 

About 40 opponents of a proposed Burger King gathered Thursday evening in the historic colonial burying ground to hear historic preservation advocates express concerns that the project could impact the cemetery and that early burials could exist on the other side of the 19th century stone wall that divides the properties.

Stealing Borrowing Content from Others

I think I'll steal borrow ... Bidenize content from others for an afternoon update.

From Phil. I dunno what this is.

- - -

From Woodsterman:

- - -

From Geeez. I'd still 3-putt it. 

Angry Mutant Crabs Destroying Everything in Their Path

From FOX News:

Angry green crabs from Nova Scotia, angrier than their already ornery green cousins in Maine, are migrating south. They have started to destroy the coastal ecosystem off the shores of Maine, as they eat more than their share of soft-shell clams and wreck native eel grass[.]
[.]
"What we're seeing is this insane level of aggressiveness," [said Markus Frederich, a professor at the University of New England.
[.]
[The damage done by the crabs compares] to that of Edward Scissorhands, as they tried to look for marine organisms to eat.

Tech News

Flamethrower Salmon. Image: Dan Baker/Digital Trends

Warning: This story will make you hungry. The Flamethrower Diet. Digital Trends:

[T]he Flamethrower Diet is the hottest new nutrition trend from Silicon Valley. Rather than forcing you to cut carbs or count calories, this diet gives you the freedom and flexibility to eat whatever you want, whenever you want — as long as it can be cooked with The Boring Company’s new Not-A-Flamethrower.
[.]
Almost immediately, the benefits of cooking via flamethrower became apparent to me. The time savings alone make this diet worth a try. My toast was finished in seconds[.] (Ya know, I do get impatient for my toast. Really, I do. - D.D.)
[.]
I flame-blasted the salmon on a alder plank in an effort to impart the fish with some woody smoke flavors, and also to keep from scorching the pavement in my driveway too much.

Phil, Zack, Mike, Irish, Ex-Tex, Woodsterman, Bunkerville...anyone? Let me know if you try this method for grilling and how it turns out. 
- - -
TechNews World: Andriod Apps Riskier than ever.
- - -
In other words, it's just a matter of time until multiple, future "patches" are issued? MS Managed Desktop turns device management to Windows. ZD Net:

Via MMD, Microsoft will provide business users with the option of having Microsoft manage their Windows 10 PCs. This means Microsoft will provide users with pre-configured Windows 10 PC hardware; ongoing Windows 10 feature updates, as well as security updates and other fixes; and overall management of those devices for a single, per-user monthly subscription fee.

Uh...oh...so, yeah, it's a matter of time until multiple, future and other fixes  "patches" are issued.
- - -
TechCrunch: "An Intel drone fell on my head..." ...and now I can't get up?

After the crash, I assumed someone from Audi or Intel would be around to collect the lost drone, but no one did, and at the end of the show, I was unable to find someone who knew where I could find the Intel staff. I notified my Intel contacts first thing the following morning and provided a local address where they could get the drone. As of publication, the drone is still on my desk.

- - -
BGR: Samsung's foldable phone unlikely to have Gorilla Glass.

Image from BGR

...we still don’t have a firm idea of when Samsung’s foldable so-called Galaxy F smartphone will finally arrive — whether it will land in November or at some point after that. And now here comes a new rumor about the materials Samsung will use for the handset. Apparently, Gorilla Glass won’t be part of it.

Dear Lord, how will the ardent technophiles survive without Gorilla Glass?
- - -
TechNewsWorld: Google "Death-Watch" begins in EU?

The European Union has been stretching its wings. In the shadow of Brexit, it apparently has decided it has the real enemy of the people in its sights: social media companies and Google.

France is even more aggressive than the EU overall, suggesting that the region's "right to be forgotten" law should apply worldwide.

Who knew I'd one day agree with the EU and France. The exception(s) that prove the rule.
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Neutron Star with Unprecedented Glow is important, say astronomers. Gizmodo:

...scientists have spotted one of these ultra-dense objects emitting infrared radiation far brighter than they’d expect, over a seemingly wide swath of space—larger than our Solar System. They have several ideas as to what they’re looking at, and any of these ideas, if verified, would be important discoveries.

Maybe it's the star's glow of pregnancy? Or, more likely, a holographic Illuminati Plot.
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Digital Spy: Actor Nicolas Cage unhappy about Cage Rage Meme. Pfffft - Champagne problems...
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Images of Google Home Voyeur Home Hub leaked.  ArsTechnica:

The device has a 7-inch touchscreen and basically looks like a 16:9 tablet mounted to Google Home Max.

It's another Big Brother device (Alexa, etc) in your home. And I wouldn't be surprised at all if Teh Google intentionally "leaked" the images. This is The Non-Story Tech Story of the Year. So far, anyway.
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If you use CCleaner, you probably want to read this. CCleaner updating itself against users' wishes.  Beta News: 

According to a growing number of users, and posts on the Piriform Community Forums, CCleaner has been updating itself to the latest version, even if users have turned off updates.

I dunno, this seems weird. Something more is going on, here, although I don't know what or why. Beta News asks,

Do you still use CCleaner, or have you had enough of all of these problems? What do you use instead?

Anyone?
- - -
Got a scratched CD or DVD that won't play right or skips or stalls?  Digital Trends has some advice to try repairing it.

Bert and Ernie are gay?

Bert and Ernie are gay? Really?

It must be true since this is what is being reported. The Sun:

...after decades of speculation, one of the show's writers has lifted the lid on its most famous and beloved characters.

 [.]

Mark Saltzman, who joined the Sesame Street team in 1984, has revealed he did indeed write Bert and Ernie as a gay couple.

They're cloth puppets.

Now...Teletubbies character Tinky Winky ? That's a whole 'nother story.

Any question why I immerse myself in NHL for nine months?

New York Times "regrets" perpetuating their belief that all black people look the same

Thank you, Mr. James Woods (one of my favorite actors).

The NYT "regrets" that they feel all black people look the same. The Wrap: 

The New York Times made quite the mix-up in Tuesday’s print edition, mistaking Angela Bassett for Omarosa Manigault Newman in a caption on its coverage of Monday night’s Emmy Awards.

Minnesota High School Students Reprimanded for Black Face

If you don't know...Black Face.

Some high school students painted their faces black last Friday at a football game. KSTP News:

Two high school students were reported to administration after they painted their faces black at a high school football game in Chaska Friday night.
[.]
... the high school's cheering section was hosting a blackout-theme night at the game. Many high school events participate in themes to encourage school spirit. After the game, Chaska administration was alerted a few students painted their faces black.

I'm sure the Chaska school staff and organizers of the blackout-theme never saw this coming. Never.

The Chaska High School Administration announced it has canceled plans for this Friday night's football game theme of Dress Like A Mohel.

A Catch up note; and Remembering Burt Reynolds (and...the 2018-2019 NHL Season!)

There was about five weeks where I didn't update anything. It wasn't intentional. Everything is okay and I hope all is okay for everyone, too. I didn't get to stopping by as much as I'd wanted to at some of my favorite places, but I tried to get caught-up with what I'd missed over at at Phil,  Irish,  Zack,   Bunkerville,   Odysseus,   Mike,  Dissecting Leftism and just about everyone and every place else I hadn't hit over the five week absence.   

A couple opportunities knocked at the door and I answered, and it's taking some heavy time investment, but again, it's all good. I suppose, as have others, sometimes I haven't made the best judgment call in answering when opportunity knocks. Sometimes I've made the better decision, other times, after time had passed, I knew I made the dreadfully wrong decision. Other times, I didn't even answer the knock. I try to not do that anymore. I try to find opportunity in everything now. Sometimes it takes a lot of work. But what that is worthwhile doesn't?

It probably turns some readers off, but - sorry folks - the NHL is just around the corner. Yeah, I hear the groans.

But if it is news/politics/hot topic analysis, opinion, insight, wit and just some downright fun, throw a dart (not literally) at any of the fine blogs on my Blogroll on the right sidebar. You won't be disappointed. And I'll try to get back to updating on a more frequent basis.

- - -

I have to mention the death of Burt Reynolds.  It's just my opinion, but I think he was was one of the best, damn, under-rated and under-appreciated actors, ever. He'd easily be in my list of the top ten actors of all time.

Try to search and find The Last Movie Star and watch it. It's available online and maybe on Netflix. It's fantastic.

Rest In Peace Burt.

** Updated September 18, 2018 **

How could I have forgotten The 'X' Files episode "Improbable", with Burt playing the role of God? Well worth watching.

(From the above Wiki link). 

Casting

Burt Reynolds was chosen for "Improbable" after he expressed his desire to appear in an episode of The X-Files to Robert Patrick. [X-Files creator Chris] Carter approved the idea and told Patrick that he would "write something good". He later noted that "as a young man, [Reynolds] meant something to me" and that the chance to act alongside him him was "surreal". After Carter had written the script, he presented it to Reynolds for his approval; Reynolds approved of the script and agreed to be in the episode.[5] Robert Patrick later noted that Reynolds "had a great time, and he loved working with everybody."[3]

Google Mourns Trump Election

Awwwwwwwww...The Google gathered and mourned the election of President Donald Trump. World Tribune:

A leaked video of Google’s internal “all hands meeting” following the 2016 presidential election shows the tech giant’s leadership mourning the outcome, inviting hugs of comfort all around, and vowing efforts correct misinformation [sic] on the Internet that could have contributed to  the success of Donald Trump and the rising populist movement worldwide.

Google Post-Presidential Election Mourning Meeting November 9, 2016

The Google objects being described as mourning the election of Trump and seeks to contextualize their meeting wake bereavement Heaven's Gate moment collective self-pity party.

Oh...the humanity and Tears of Unfathomable Sadness...

On behalf of Google, I've started a GoFundMe page.

Seventeen Years Ago; September 11, 2001

Nothing fancy, nothing elaborate. Just the same as I wrote last year.

I use the image of the Twin Towers as a symbol for representing everyone affected that day; the Twin Towers, the Pentagon; American Airlines Flight 11, United Flight 175, American Airlines Flight 77, United Airlines Flight 93. Remembering everyone, always; those who survived...and those who did not.

Other's writing about September 11:

The Feral Irishman

GeeeZ

CDR Salamander

Political Clown Parade

It Ain't Holy Water

CmBlake6

James Woods 

Pirate's Cove 

The Right Way