Why??!!

"There's very strong evidence that the ingredients for life exist on Europa, a moon of Jupiter, but we have to go there to find out," said Bonnie Buratti, mission deputy scientist at NASA.

She is talking about the ludicrous five-and-a-half year (!) journey just launched to orbit this moon.  My question is, why??!!  To what end??

Another bizarre mission.

I asked the same question about the 'Artemis II' mission, which went in 2023 and apparently had no objectives either.  I kid you not!  (See 'Why ??!!', April 4, 2023)  And what is this latest nonsense going to cost?

$5.2 billion!  We all know that will double because such mega-projects always do.  Galileo first spotted it in 1610, but we haven't needed to bother with it since.  So why now?  I guess to keep NASA humming along.  I mean, what other reason could there be?  No one is going to live there because it takes five-and-a half years to get there, so that's not an option.

The space vehicle will not even land on Europa or Jupiter to look for signs of life.  No, the plan is to orbit Jupiter and conduct dozens of close passes of the moon to see if it could support life.  Again, I ask, why??

There are far more pressing issues $5.2 billion could be spent on right here on earth.   

The real meaning of "Redskin"

More truth from the Catholic League Newsletter:

October 12, 2024

As president of the Catholic League, I speak for my members and have never said I speak for all Catholics. Would that other leaders of advocacy organizations do the same. But they do not. Indeed, the gap between the elites and the people they claim to represent is more often than not quite big. That’s because rich donors usually spend their money funding left-wing causes.

The same is true in the American Indian community. Those who claim to represent them typically do not. Take the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI). It claims to be “the unified voice of tribal nations.” This is demonstrably false.

NCAI led the fight against the Washington Redskins football team, claiming the term “Redskins” was a pejorative. They succeeded in getting the team to change its name to the Washington Commanders. But do they represent the voice of American Indians?

The Washington Redskins

There is one American Indian group that thinks not. Native American Guardians Association (NAGA) says that 90 percent of Native Americans disagree with the notion that “Redskins” is racist. In fact, it claims that “Redskins” is an honorific name.

“The name ‘Redskins’ carries deep cultural, historical, and emotional significance, honoring the bravery, resilience, and warrior spirit associated with Native American culture.” It adds that the Washington Redskins were “the only team in the National Football League (NFL) to honor an actual Native American.” It is referring to Blackfoot Chief John Two Guns White Calf, who served as an inspiration for the Washington Redskins logo.

So who is right? The NCAI or the NAGA? The polls back up the survey cited by the latter.

In 2002, Sports Illustrated found that in its investigation of this issue, “three out of four Native Americans” believe that “even a nickname such as Redskins, which many whites consider racist, isn’t objectionable.” The sports publication concluded that “although Native American activists are virtually united in opposition to the use of Indian nicknames and mascots, the Native American population sees the issue differently.” Yes, there is a 3-1 difference.

In 2004, the University of Pennsylvania’s National Annenberg Election Survey showed that 90 percent of American Indians did not find “Redskins” objectionable.

Similarly, in 2016, a Washington Post survey found that 90 percent of American Indians are fine with the name Washington Redskins.

So why does the NCAI continue to lie about what American Indians want? Because they are funded by George Soros, that’s why.

Here’s some good news. NAGA sued the Washington Commanders on grounds of defamation, civil conspiracy and civil rights violations for their role in suppressing Native American history. They also sued NCAI for its role.

The controversy over the name “Redskins” grew out of left-wing propaganda portraying Columbus as some kind of genocidal maniac. More trash.

Carol Delaney is associate professor of Cultural and Social Anthropology, Emerita, at Stanford University. In her book, Columbus and the Quest for Jerusalem, she notes that Columbus set sail to find gold so he could “fund a crusade to take Jerusalem back from the Muslims before the end of the world. A lot of people at that time thought that the apocalypse was coming because of all the signs: the plague, famine, earthquakes and so forth. And it was believed that before the end, Jerusalem had to be back in Christian hands so that Christ could return in judgment.”

She was asked in an interview about the way Columbus interacted with the Indians. Her answer is a far cry from what radical revisionists offer.

“His relations with the natives tended to be benign. He liked the natives and found them to be very intelligent.” In fact, he instructed his followers to be kind to them. “Columbus strictly told the crew not to do things like maraud, or rape, and instead to treat the native people with respect. There are many examples in his writings where he gave instructions to this effect. Most of the time when injustices occurred, Columbus wasn’t even there. There were terrible diseases that got communicated to the natives, but he can’t be blamed for that.”

As usual, anti-American savants in the academy, along with their George Soros-funded allies in the Native American community, misrepresent the truth. Their feet are well planted in the grievance industry, hoping to turn the public against their country.

__________________________________

The toughest sport in the world

I came across a very interesting fact about sports and here it is:

1. Water Polo: 44 Points

Often overlooked in discussions, this Olympic sport is officially the toughest sport in the world.

Similar to the land-based handball that was not too far from the list itself, water polo is played, well, in water.

With a lot of kicking and grabbing going on under the surface, and all sorts of sly blows in the water, polo is highly ranked in physicality.  Like ice hockey did for the fact it was on ice, polo receives a boost to skill level, as the game itself is supplemented by the need to not drown during it.

Often overlooked are the speed and strength needed by players as they move through the water, and more importantly the fact that players are not permitted to touch the floor.  

Try going to your local pool and treading water for more than 30 minutes, then imagine playing an intense contact sport in that time, and you will realize why water polo scored so well for endurance.

Often seen as a minority sport, it is hugely popular in eastern Europe, and truly is the toughest sport in the world.

Scoring

Attribute	Rating
Endurance	9
Speed	7
Strength	7
Agility	7
Skill	6
Physicality	8

Water polo beat out nine other top sports, based on the above criteria.  How did the others rank?

10th       Gaelic football

9            Gymnastics

8            Basketball

7            Hurling

6            Football

5            Hockey

4            Rugby

3            Boxing

2            Australian Rules, and

1st         Water polo -- see above.

A big shout-out to daughter and granddaughter, who both play this toughest of tough sport.  

Surprisingly, Ironman, 26 points; soccer, 32 point; and tennis, 32 points only get "honourable mention".  Water polo gets a whopping 44 points!  These three aren't even in the top 10!

I wish girls had been allowed to play "actual sports" when I was at school.  As a swimmer, I would have loved water polo.

Toughest sport in the world

   

  

Here we go again

I told you, Canada always gives more money to places like Lebanon, where there is absolutely no stability.

More millions down the drain.

Last time there was a mess there, Canada handed out $55 million to fly "Canadians" out of that war.  But they still go back and want us to bail them out again.

I'm sick of it.

And that's not all.  This latest cash grab is in addition to the millions already given to this sh-t hole of a country, to quote Donald Trump.  He was talking about Haiti, but same diff.

More and more and more....

$15 mill here, $25 mill there, $10 mill there, $6 mill there, $4 mill here and there.  It never ends!

And all this while our own vets, "...Are asking for more than we can give," said Justin Trudeau.

It is unconscionable.

That's it

"There are probably a couple of hundred," I said to B, when we were guessing at how many people get 'The Globe and Mail' here in Cochrane.  I was actually guessing lower because this town now has a population of 35,000 -- many of whom commute to Calgary -- so I thought more people might be trying to broaden their horizons a tad.

Nope.  There are only 16 households that get the country's national newspaper.

16 in a population of 35,000!  That's it!!

"And I deliver 22 Calgary Herald's and 24 Sun's," Robert, our carrier told me. 

One of the 16 somewhat-informed in Cochrane

Are you kidding me??!!!!  I was truly shocked, but recalling a few conversations I've had over the years here, not really.  People are soooooo uninformed and as I have said, I now refuse to have a serious discussion with anyone who does not follow national and international media -- plus YouTube, where the real truth is found.

When people say, "I don't follow politics," what they are actually saying is, "I don't give a sh-t about how the country is run and what's being done to my children's future."  They don't realize this, but that's what they are saying.

In truth, the only political party out here is the "I Hate Trudeau" party.  And man, do they hate him!  That's the reason he sneaks into Alberta once a year to flip a few pancakes at Stampede and then dashes out, skulking to his plane.  If anyone knew he was coming, he'd be dead.  I'm serious!

Speaking of politics, there's Lytton, the B.C. town levelled by a wildfire three years ago.  Of course, all the politicians rushed into town after the devastation to grab a microphone and promise to re-build!  Don't worry, we're committed to re-building this beautiful town.

Since then, only 15 residential building permits have been issued.  Jasper, are you listening?  

One of the outrageous obstacles is the requirement of the province's Heritage Committee Act (HCA), which mandates a full archeological dig of every site to recover 'Precious' Indigenous artifacts before shovel hits dirt.

I am not kidding!  And what does this cost every homeowner?  Between $45,000 and $85,000!!!!!  Something called 'The A.E.W. Limited Partnership' is behind all this nonsense.  And who is this?  The Nlaka'pamux Nation Tribal Council, which employs monitors (that the taxpayer pays for) to ensure debris is carefully sifted for items of archeological significance.  

Looking for native treasures in Lytton.

OMG!  "What we don't understand is why, when we have already spent $5 million on archeology, do we have to do all this over again," said Mayor Denise O'Connor incredulously.  "If the government mandates this, they should be paying for it -- not ordinary citizens."

Exactly.  But that won't happen.  So the village of Lytton will just sit empty and desolate forever.  Hope the natives have fun digging up junk for the rest of time.  

Huh?!

He's down in popularity because people are reading the polls.  Seriously?!  Trudeau actually said in a podcast that he's down because people are reading polls that say he's down!

The polling of actual Canadians say he's down, but he thinks he's not really down, it's just polls.

What delusional, alternate universe is he living in?  Nate Erskine-Smith, a Liberal MP who has (sort of) criticized Trudeau, asked Trudeau why he wanted to run again and why he believes he's still the best guy for the job?  

"People are fretting solely because of polling results.  It's not about me," he incredulously said.  "I think the pattern of crises -- economic, military, geopolitical or health are not something that's going to be on the ballot," he added.

OMG?!!

"The idea of knowing someone's values, knowing the frame with which they approach challenges, is not just important, it's ultimately the the only thing," he actually said.

So, in other words, all the destruction he has wrought over the last nine years doesn't matter.  The only thing that matters is that, "Canadians know what I stand for and are aligned with it deep in their marrow and when push comes to shove in the voting booth, there will be a sort of homing instinct and they will vote for me."

H went on, but I can't bear to even type it.  This guy is so wrapped up in the Emperor's New Clothes that he can't even think logically or honestly!

Trudeau's delusional "Emperor's New Clothes".

 We're done with you, buddy.        

A knucklehead

That's what Tim Walz called himself during the debate and that's what his performance proved he was.  

He looked like he had his finger in a light socket the entire debate.  He was hysterical and unhinged most of the time and lost for both words and answers, as J.D. Vance dismembered him issue by issue.

He told a lot of outright lies, but was never fact-checked by the incompetent moderators Norah O'Donnell and Margaret Brennan -- both disgraces to their profession.  They were sooooo pro-Walz and Harris, their conduct was unworthy of the word "journalists". 

I've watched a lot of clips of Harris and I am gob-smacked by her incoherence.  She never answers a question and reverts to her word salad of "ambitions, dreams, hard work and aspirations" drivel at every opportunity.

Why does the mainstream media not call her out?!  I guess because they're mainstream.

Those who support her just because she's (sort of) black and a women should be ashamed of themselves.  Here's a comment on one of Walz's lies during the debate, re-printed from 'The Catholic League':

October 2, 2024 In the vice presidential debate, Sen. J.D. Vance accused Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz of signing a bill that allows for infanticide. He said, “as I read the Minnesota law that you signed into law, it says that a doctor who presides over an abortion, where the baby survives, the doctor is under no obligation to provide lifesaving care to a baby who survives a botched late-term abortion.” Walz responded by saying Vance is “trying to distort the way the law is written, to try to make a point. That’s not it at all.”   Vance asked, “What was I wrong about? Governor, please tell me, What was I wrong about?”   Walz replied, “That is not the way the law is written.”   Walz lied. That is exactly the way the law is written. Here’s the proof. In 1976, Minnesota passed a law that required medical personnel to “preserve the life and the health of the child” who was born as a result of an abortion. To read the law, click here. In 2023, Walz signed a law that amended this law to read that in such circumstances medical personnel should take steps to “care for the infant who is born alive.” Stricken was the requirement to “preserve the life and the health of the child.” To read the evidence, click here. In other words, Vance was right to say that in cases of a botched abortion, “the doctor is under no obligation to provide lifesaving care.” Now why did Walz remove the requirement that medical personnel “preserve the life and the health of the child,” replacing it with the much lower standard of merely providing “care for an infant who is born alive”? To “care for an infant” is not the same is as to “preserve the life” of an infant. Keeping the baby warm is a poor substitute for keeping him alive. Those who think there is no difference need to explain why Walz found it necessary to amend the law. In short, under the law that Walz signed last year, there is no medical requirement, or legal penalty, for passively promoting infanticide. That’s what he allows. And make no mistake, once this is allowed, it’s a short walk to allowing the elderly in nursing homes and hospitals to die. Keeping them warm while not attending to their condition is sufficient. Still, the question is: Why does he want this? Here’s why: A baby born alive as a result of a botched abortion is testimony to the humanity of the child, thus undercutting the lie that abortion is not about killing the unborn. To abort is to stop. Every honest person knows what is being stopped—the birth of a human being that originated at conception. Vance was right to say that what Walz has done is “fundamentally barbaric.” The fact that Walz could not defend his decision, choosing instead to lie about it, is further proof of just how extreme he is.