Iuz the Evil

If you put $25k in the pocket of every scholarship player (80 scholarship limit) that’s $2M a year. Chump change for a major program, an incredible barrier to competitiveness for 2nd/3rd tier programs. Really don’t love NIL. Is only going to accelerate the difference between the “haves” and “have nots” in the sport. I don’t necessarily object to a more equitable payment system for players who put their bodies on the line for massive University television contracts, but this is pretty much turning into the Wild West.

I don’t disagree at all, that’s the function of appropriate oversight by Federal and State authorities within the defined areas of their purview. If the aforementioned shenanigans are at play, one works desperately hope appropriate regulatory authority steps in. With that said, that cuts both ways. “Rules for thee but not for me” is a favorite hobby of officials from both parties, and Federal Authority to protect civil liberties is as ensconced into law as say (to pick an area that is dear to the other side) protection of the nation’s borders. It’s important to remember that when it goes against “our team” because a unified nation acknowledges the rule of law even when you disagree with the other party. Even deeply. Which is why I want local control to whatever extent practicable, and please 8 pounds six ounce baby Jesus… hold elected officials responsible when they commit horrific abuses of power. And maybe change laws when they’re awful. Crazy, I know. “Where has this guy been for the last twenty years?”

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people. As someone who works for local government, I am very much in favor of this. I did not want to work for a recent federal administration, even indirectly, and as a subsidiary of State government there is an indispensable partitioning that exists between the Feds and local government. Federal government does some things well, some things poorly, and a number of things not at all. Same for State, Local and Private Sector entities. I prefer most decisions occur locally in government, with appropriate oversight from State and Federal entities to ensure no shenanigans occur.

I’m going full blown ‘Murica this year. grilling hot dogs for lunch right now. dinner will be ribs, corn, fried potatoes and bacon green beans. Fireworks tonight. Then camping for a week up at my lady’s cabin by Kyburz with my daughter and her boyfriend. Swimming, hiking, target shooting. Good times.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.wsj.com/amp/articles/california-takes-down-firearms-dashboard-after-gun-owner-data-are-leaked-11656535100 This was not okay. Seriously?! That list includes judges and law enforcement officers home addresses. Very upsetting.

Sitting on the deck River outside of Kyburz Glad it didn’t 🔥

From Garry Kasparov: ”Putin's propagandists on TV said nuclear war is fine because patriotic Russians will go to Heaven. Heaven heard it and immediately applied to join NATO!”

https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/14/europe/sweden-finland-nato-next-steps-intl/index.html So that’s official, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine massively strengthened NATO on their northern border (if approved, which I expect will eventually happen). Article 5 just took on a whole new significance. On the other hand, this is quite the legacy achievement. Even the Soviet Union didn’t overcome the historic neutrality of those states. Impressive work by Putin in that respect…

As someone who lives in California, the heart of progressive political supremacy in the United States, this resonates with me. Goddamn people, I’ve supported the party for the past 28 years in every election. Now I’ve got a Governor who is so untouchable that PG&E can literally plead guilty to manslaughter of our citizenry (84 times in Paradise alone) and they’re untouchable by political fiat. Violence and crime are steadily increasing, and James Carville is derided as insufficient in his political litmus test. Know how I know we’ve lost our way? Frankly getting destroyed in November is entirely predictable, at a National level. But here our Governor doesn’t even feel the need to campaign. Depressing.

I try to watch that guy’s videos, I really do. Can’t make it through. Can I get a synopsis on what his personal opinion of Musk’s purchase means? The increased advertising focus makes sense to me. Nobody spends $43 billion in investor funding not looking to make a profit…

https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/25/tech/elon-musk-twitter-sale-agreement/index.html Interesting, this is a significant financial investment - to say the least. Internet and twitter reactions aside, I wonder what it all means?

Interesting report on Ukraine’s decision in the 1990s to surrender the nuclear arsenal left behind following the collapse of the Soviet Union. https://www.npr.org/2022/02/21/1082124528/ukraine-russia-putin-invasion Unfortunately, the current events are going to be pointed to by any nation in the future. A political “guarantee” to protect your security is apparently not worth as much as having nuclear capacity. Nobody really seems to think Russia would be invading were Ukraine a nuclear capable nation. And it is inherently in the interest of the United States to prevent the emergence of new nuclear powers. I thought it was interesting to consider in light of the current military situation.

It’s a bad time to be a Russian rocket scientist… https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10746369/Cover-25-military-scientists-killed-fire-Russian-weapons-research-facility.html or Oligarch… Or general… https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Russian_generals_killed_during_the_2022_invasion_of_Ukraine Damn. That’s a bunch of dead generals.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/science/1597094/Russia-fighter-jet-putin-latest Interesting in the category of “secondary gains for NATO that are significant”

True, but then there’s this.. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.marketwatch.com/amp/story/pentagon-attributes-moskvas-sinking-to-ukraine-missile-strikes-report-01650042236

https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2022/03/15/public-expresses-mixed-views-of-u-s-response-to-russias-invasion-of-ukraine/ https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.newsweek.com/full-list-31-republicans-voted-against-military-aid-ukraine-1687052%3Famp%3D1 The vote was 68-31. Given our domestic politics, that’s an unprecedented show of bipartisanship. (/sarcasm)

So much for “the Moskva sank due to an accidental fire “…

In the latest round of brilliant strategy, Putin lost the flagship of the Black Sea navy to a nation without a navy.

On a lighter note…

Jesus Christ. 😟

So the next phase of the war looks to me to be the Russians pulling back from Kyiv and likely also redeployment of forces that previously has been committed to strike against Odessa (they’re not in a position to do that at the moment, obviously) to reinforce their forces in the Donbas region. How that plays out will probably shape the Russian perspective on a long term war, if the Ukrainians have continued success in a more offensive operation against higher Russian force density it’ll prove to be militarily unsustainable (as opposed to just economically and politically unsustainable). It’ll be a different conflict than the previously four region poorly coordinated assault, but I would not bet against Ukraine at this point. They’ve been the superior of the two forces at every stage. And their morale is much better, plus they’ve secured supply chains at this point by repelling the eastern invasion. Logistical support and good morale, better knowledge of local terrain and a very serious emotional investment. That is a very tough combination to beat.