35 years

 

Yesterday (February 20), Neptune conjoined Saturn. Which happens roughly once every 35 years. In mundane astrology, this signifies dramatic regime change. Especially in Russia. The two planets were in conjunction in 1917, 1953 and 1989. That is: during the fall of Czarism, the death of Stalin and the collapse of the Soviet bloc. 

Hmmm...

So if this pattern holds, something very important will happen in Russia very, very soon. Will Putin die and Ukraine in some completely bizarre way defeat the Russian army, leading to the collapse of the Federation as we know it?

Apparently, Neptune also enters Aries, which it last did during the American Civil War. So perhaps we should be careful about what we wish for! As for China, they just entered a Yang Fire Year of the Horse. Last time that happened was in 1966. You know, the beginning of the Cultural Revolution...

I admit that I don´t believe a word of it. Still, maybe I should replenish my private stash of snacks just in case.  

Contrarian

 

Believe it or not, but I actually agree with Cenk here. America´s foremost "Epstein-minimizer" Tracey is a born contrarian, not some kind of secret agent of the Zionist-Epstein-ite Organism or whatever people accuse him of this week. 

I saw the contrarian tendencies already back in 2020, when Tracey managed to provoke both Trump´s, Biden´s and Sanders´ fans. But during a near-chaotic election campaign (or was it a regime change operation), this kind of attitude still smacked of independent journalism. He *did* write interesting stuff back then. Still does, after a fashion. 

But when Tracey at some point (2023?) began to sound almost like a Holocaust denier on Xwitter, I realized that the man has a trollish side. Which perhaps also explains his peculiar collaborative relation with Richard Hanania, another notorious troll/gadfly (you know, the Palestinian-American who supports the Israeli far right). That is: he´s trolling on the opposite side of the political spectrum (Tracey comes across more like a dissident liberal).

How this will end is still an open question. I´m refering of course to the Epstein Files. Born contrarians will probably be part of the American alt-media landscape for years to come...

Metaphorically

 

Not sure why Scott Carney (the first clip above) is so happy about Nick Fuentes calling on his supporters to boycott the midterms. Fuentes is a marginal character and hasn´t been MAGA (sensu stricto) for years. He tried to influence the 2024 presidential elections with a similar boycott call, and it didn´t work out (obviously). So a few Nazi wannabes won´t vote GOP in 2026 or 2028, who cares?

The second clip (from TYT) discusses the Steven Bannon situation. I find it amazing that Bannon *still* has some traction on the far right after all the revelations in the Epstein Files.

Maybe Fuentes the Groyper Führer has a certain point, after all. Time to burn it all down. Or at least walk away now and avoid the rush!  

Tariffs, something, something

 

We are monitoring the situation. 

Falskmyntare

 

Det här är såklart ett misstag i mjukvaran, eftersom artikeln om de falska sedlarna inte har något med Trump att göra, men det är ändå rätt kul att gubbens nuna dyker upp här, LOL. 

Portal to the Underworld

 

The episodes of this bizarre series have titles like "Portal to the Underworld", "Reptoids of Lassen Park" and "Demonic Dominion" (the latter not linked here). And no, it´s not a documentary about current American politics, LOL. I actually watched this series perhaps ten years ago, when it was called "Mysteries at the National Parks". It seems to have been retitled "National Park Secrets and Legends" (at least sometimes). 

Weirdly, I don´t remember how *scary* this series actually is. Or have I just become more paranoid lately? (Any connection to US politics?) It could easily be turned into a "real" horror flick!

Even if taken at face value, many of the incidents could (perhaps) be given natural explanations. Maybe something in the forests make people hallucinate? We´re talking EM effects, volcanic vapor, that kind of stuff. Note also that some of the eye witnesses are self-proclaimed paranormal researchers. Others are Native elders or New Age seekers. Perhaps they are "primed" to have strange experiences? But sure, there is a much simpler hypothesis: ghosts, aliens and unruly spirits are real...

This aint no country for White men. Or any men for that matter.  

Still Friday

 

Bigfoot massacre

 

I never heard of this conspiracy theory before. Complete bunk, if you ask me. And virtually everyone else. IN THIS HOUSE, PATTERSON AND GIMLIN ARE HEROES. 

There is a conspiracy theory called "The Patterson-Gimlin Bigfoot Massacre". Can you tell me about it?

The “Patterson–Gimlin Bigfoot Massacre” is a modern internet conspiracy theory, not a historically documented event.

To understand it, we need to start with the real historical reference point:

The Original Context

In 1967, Roger Patterson and Bob Gimlin filmed what became known as the Patterson–Gimlin film in Northern California.

The footage shows a large, hairy, upright figure walking away from the camera. It is one of the most famous pieces of alleged Bigfoot evidence.

The film itself has been debated for decades:

• Believers argue it shows authentic biological motion.

• Skeptics argue it was a man in a costume.

There is no verified evidence of violence or a massacre connected to that event.

---

What the “Massacre” Theory Claims

The conspiracy theory circulating online claims that:

• Patterson and Gimlin (or other parties) allegedly killed multiple Bigfoot creatures.

• The U.S. government or military supposedly covered up the incident.

• The famous film is said to be only part of a larger, suppressed event.

Some versions claim:

• Military intervention.

• Secret burials.

• Suppressed film reels.

• Witness intimidation.

These claims emerged decades after the original 1967 filming and are primarily found in:

• fringe cryptozoology forums

• YouTube conspiracy channels

• anonymous online postings

There are no contemporaneous reports, no documents, no physical evidence, and no credible witnesses supporting the massacre story.

---

Where the Story Likely Came From

The “massacre” idea appears to be a later embellishment built on:

1. General Bigfoot lore.

2. Broader government cover-up narratives (similar to Roswell-type mythology).

3. The cultural tendency to escalate a mystery into a darker hidden narrative.

Importantly:

• Neither Bob Gimlin nor credible researchers associated with the Patterson–Gimlin film have ever substantiated such claims.

• No serious cryptozoologist considers the massacre story well-supported.

---

Scholarly Assessment

Among:

• historians,

• anthropologists,

• wildlife biologists,

• mainstream cryptozoologists,

the “massacre” theory is regarded as an internet-age fabrication layered onto an already controversial but much older mystery.

Even within Bigfoot-believing communities, the massacre claim is generally treated with skepticism.

---

Bottom Line

There is:

• No physical evidence

• No documentation

• No credible eyewitness testimony

• No historical record

The “Patterson–Gimlin Bigfoot Massacre” is a modern conspiracy narrative, not a historical event.

If you’d like, I can also explain how and why these kinds of “escalation myths” tend to develop around already-mysterious events.

Daily reminder

 

Most reports of supernatural events are wrong. Most reports of natural events are also wrong. Or unreliable. Or uncertain. And no, postulating some "metaphysical principle" doesn´t change our predicament. 

Go ye forth into the world with this in mind, my brethren. 

Midwits and maintainers

 

Overheard on a very controversial blog (I disavow...disavow...disavow). 

>>>The fundamental challenge is that neither midwits nor maintainers are capable of seeing problems coming from down the road. Their perspective is always a limited one of the last 15-20 years. If something hasn’t caused a problem yet, that means it never will. 

>>>The maintainers ignore everything but their day-to-day responsibilities and the midwits devote themselves to aggressively attacking every problem solver or genius who is concerned about the problems the midwits can’t yet perceive.

Middle America

 

The Goddess is happy!

The Kansas Republicans are right on this one. Imagine having to bicker over issues like this in 2026! 

Imagine being a Democrat and thinking this governor is "progressive". Imagine being a real progressive and having to bloc with Christian fundamentalists in bleedin´ Kansas to stop male autogynephiles to access young women in restrooms.

The most charitable interpretation is that every time-period has its own bizarre superstitions. Two of them clash in Kansas, and rational people are forced to side with whoever is the "lesser evil"...this voting round. I mean, wtf.

Kansas GOP overrides Dem governor´s veto on "bathroom bill"

Lost in media

 

A 56-minutes presentation on "cryptid lost media". If you are the cryptid nerd to end all cryptid nerds (or a lost media super-aficionado), you gonna love this one. If you´re just a nerd or perhaps a cryptid with a day job, probably not. LOL. 

Friday

 

Bala Tripura Sundari is back...

The Alien Files

 

- Don´t worry, they won´t disclose
our location this time either!

This won´t happen. And if it does, it will take five years and only give us the same inconclusive stuff as we´ve already seen countless of times before. It can also be used as a diversion from certain other files... 

Trump orders Hegseth to release UFO files

Let´s talk about Hindu atheism

 

Two interesting YouTube videos about "Hindu atheism". The content-creator calls himself Vimoh. In the first, he argues that the term is "neither here nor there". Apparently, many young upper-caste Hindus are calling themselves "atheists" since that´s the cool or edgy thing to do...but the term "atheist" isn´t particularly controversial in an Indian context, since it could simply mean "no belief in a personal god". And some practicing/religious Hindus (of course) don´t believe in such. 

In the second video, Vimoh goes further and argues that "Hindu atheism" in India is often a cover for Hindu nationalist opposition to Muslims and Christians. Presumably, the "atheists" in question politically support the Hindu nationalist party BJP and then use atheist arguments to justify attacking Islam and Christianity (minority religions in India).

If Vimoh is right, "Hindu atheism" isn´t an attempt to disentagle "Hindu culture" from "Hindu religion". It´s neither opposed to Hindu religion (per se) nor Hindu nationalism.    

Being more radical, Vimoh doesn´t want to call himself a "Hindu atheist", but rather an "Indian atheist". He challenges the "Hindu atheists" to explain whether they reject the Vedic scriptures, gurus and caste. Very often they don´t?! There was a materialist school of thought in ancient Indian philosophy, the Charvakas, but the edgy upper-caste "Hindu atheists" apparently don´t fit that bill.

I´m reminded somewhat of Chinese atheists who apparently very often still believe in the supernatural!

Interesting.  

Bible Belt basics

 

What is the difference between the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) and Independent Baptists? In case this question keeps you up at night, well, here is our man Joshua with the answer. But I wasn´t *that* surprised. OK, maybe a little bit, since the SBC seems to be *somewhat* less conservative than I expected. But not by much. By contrast, the Independent Baptists were pretty much as fundamentalist as I thought.  

The Laws of Co-Creation

 

A very interesting essay by our man JMG, this time about the pros and cons of New Thought and its derivatives. Short form: discern the difference between the "pragmatic" and "psychotic" wings of the movement. Also: check your privilege (including your sense of cosmic entitlement) and you will get better results from the teachings - paradoxical as it may sound at first glance.

The Laws of Co-Creation

Still Thursday

 

Vishnu again...

Mellified man

 

Some bizarre facts (or factoids?) coined from various Wiki entries. I mean, wtf. 

>>>In traditional medicine in Europe, human fat was believed to have a healing magic significance until the 19th century. Many executioners recovered the fat from the bodies of their executants, called "Armsünderfett" or "Armsünderschmalz" (German: fat or grease from poor sinners put to death), and sold it. 

>>>For some executioners the marketing of human fat was a major source of revenue. The human fat was used to make ointments for treatment of various diseases such as bone pain, tootache and gout. It was also regarded as a panacea for particular diseases associated with cachexia (e.g. tuberculosis). Also an analgesic effect in rheumatoid arthritis was attributed to human fat.

>>>From the late 19th century, human fat was produced and offered under the trade name Humanol as a sterile, liquified preparation for injections in Germany. In 1909 it was introduced for surgical treatment of scars, wound disinfection, and wound revisions. In the 1920s it became out of fashion after low cure rates and the incidence of fat embolisms caused by its application.

>>>The Italian surgeon Giovanni da Vigo (1450–1525) defined mumia as "The flesh of a dead body that is embalmed, and it is hot and dry in the second [grade], and therefore it has virtue to incarne [i.e., heal over] wounds and to staunch blood", and included it in his list of essential drugs. The Swiss-German polymath Paracelsus (1493–1541) gave mummia a new meaning of "intrinsic spirit" and said true pharmaceutical mummia must be "the body of a man who did not die a natural death but rather died an unnatural death with a healthy body and without sickness". 

>>>The German physician Oswald Croll (1563–1609) said mumia was "not the liquid matter which is found in the Egyptian sepulchers," but rather "the flesh of a man that perishes a violent death, and kept for some time in the air", and gave a detailed recipe for making tincture of mumia from the corpse of a young red-haired man, who had been hanged, bludgeoned on the breaking wheel, exposed to the air for days, then cut into small pieces, sprinkled with powdered myrrh and aloes, soaked in wine, and dried.

>>>He [Pierre Belon] said Europeans were importing both the "falsely called" mumia obtained from scraping the bodies of cadavers, and "artificial mumia" made by exposing buried dead bodies to the heat of the sun before grinding them up. While he considered the available mumia to be a valueless and even dangerous drug, he noted that King Francis I always carried with him a mixture of mumia and rhubarb to use as an immediate remedy for any injury.

>>>The barber surgeon Ambroise Paré (d. 1590) revealed the manufacture of fake mummia both in France, where apothecaries would steal the bodies of executed criminals, dry them in an oven, and sell the flesh; and in Egypt, where a merchant, who admitted to collecting dead bodies and preparing mummia, expressed surprise that the Christians, "so dainty-mouthed, could eat the bodies of the dead".

>>>A mellified man, also known as a human mummy confection, was a legendary medicinal substance created by steeping a human cadaver in honey. The concoction is detailed in Chinese medical sources, including the Bencao Gangmu of the 16th century. Relying on a second-hand account, the text reports a story that some elderly men in Arabia, nearing the end of their lives, would submit themselves to a process of mummification in honey to create a healing confection.

>>>This process differed from a simple body donation because of the aspect of self-sacrifice; the mellification process would ideally start before death. The donor would stop eating any food other than honey, going as far as to bathe in the substance. Shortly, the donor's feces and even sweat would consist of honey. When this diet finally proved fatal, the donor's body would be placed in a stone coffin filled with honey.

>>>After a century or so, the contents would have turned into a sort of confection reputedly capable of healing broken limbs and other ailments. This confection would then be sold in street markets as a hard to find item with a hefty price.

Värnlösa barns dag?

 

Barn dyrkar Vishnus vreda form Narasimha för beskydd. Vore ju trevligt om en sådan gudsform kunde uppenbara sig i en tid som denna... 

Ren populism?

 

Aftonbladet anser som bekant att det är "ren populism" att förhindra autogynefila maligna narcissistiska män som påstår sig vara kvinnor från att "byta juridiskt kön" och i händelse av fängelsestraff för kvinnofientliga brott "ansöka" om förflyttning till kvinnofängelse. En ansökan AB innerst inne givetvis anser ska beviljas. AB har ju även slagit ett slag för att cis-hetero-manliga våldtäktsmän som är invandare inte ska kunna utvisas från landet efter avtjänat fängelsestraff. "För det gynnar bara Sverigedemokraterna".

Okej, men nu då? Polisen får inte informera friskolor om att deras lärare är pedofiler eftersom dessa skolor inte omfattas av offentlighetsprincipen bla-bla-bla. Är det okej att ändra *denna* lag, åtminstone? Eller är det också "ren populism"?  

Lärare greps med barnpornografi, kunde återvända till jobbet

Human marmalade

 

What the fuck...

Some quotes from the Wikipedia entry "Medical cannibalism". 

>>>Medical cannibalism in Europe reached its peak in the 16th century, with the practice becoming widespread in Germany, France, Italy, and England. At that time, most "raw materials" for the practice came from mummies stolen from Egyptian tombs; additionally skulls were taken from Irish burial sites and gravediggers sometimes robbed and sold body parts. Medicines were created from human bones, blood, and fat and believed to treat many types of illnesses. Tinctures to treat internal bleeding were made by soaking mummified bodies in alcohol or vinegar. Powdered skull was used to treat ailments of the head, and was sometimes mixed with chocolate to treat apoplexy. In the early 19th century, Englishmen still treated epilepsy by mixing skull with molasses.

>>>Blood, specifically, soon evolved to be seen as a substantial elixir  — especially fresh, warm human blood because it was believed to still possess the soul of the deceased. For example, it was believed that drinking the blood of a strong person or a wise person would result in an increase of strength or wisdom, respectively, because once ingested, the spirit of the deceased connected with that of the consumer and lend them its power. This belief was especially common in Germany. Even the poor, who could not afford other remedies, took part in this practice by bringing a cup to executions, paying the executioner a small fee, then filling their cup with the fresh blood. The execution of criminals was seen as having a double advantage: alive they were "a burden on the nation", but their dead bodies had "the power to serve a public good" by improving the health of others.

>>>Europeans also adopted a belief they considered to be of Ancient Egyptian origin, namely that the more valuable corpses were those of young individuals, especially those that had died a brutal sudden death, for it was believed that the spirit would remain trapped within the body for a longer period of time, and thus have greater healing powers.

>>>In Europe, the human blood was normally drunk warm and fresh for increased effectiveness, but some people preferred to have it cooked. Therefore a recipe for turning blood into marmalade was invented. In 1679, a Franciscan apothecary suggested letting the blood partially dry and chopping it into small pieces to allow any remaining water to seep out. Then it was cooked into a batter before sifting it into a jar.

>>>Mummia quickly became popular throughout Europe within the 16th century and was thought to cure all kinds of ailments. To prepare it, the black remnants in the skull and abdominal cavities were scraped out of mummies and placed in a large vase. Apothecaries mixed this mummia with herbs and wine, then prescribed it as medicine for their patients. In Germany, it was still occasionally offered for sale in the early 20th century.

>>>Around the early 1600s, a recipe for a "wine" made from human flesh was invented in Germany. According to this recipe, the body of a human – preferably a young, flawless red-head – was used. The flesh was chopped up and mixed with aloe and myrrh, then mashed and cured into "wine."

Thursday

 

Credit: Rashkesh

Holy Blood, Holy Crude

 

Isn´t this one of the postmodernist philosophers mocked by Andreas Malm years ago? One of the guys who proposed that maybe oil is sentient? But Thomas Sheridan seems to like this speculative turn in continental philosophy (he mentioned "Cyclonopedia" in his previously linked conservation with ChatGPT, as well).

"Drill, baby, drill" - there will be Trump

Sheridan on Epstein

 

For the record only. Thomas Sheridan´s comments on the Epstein files and Epstein Island. Or some of them...

"Be Seing You": In the Spinal Fluid and Wheatgrass Juice Bar

Of Kings and Cannibals: Aristocratic Human Flesh Consumption

When seeing is much more than believing

 

This guy writes so much crazy stuff...

Does the observer effect prove animism?

Craving

 

There are bizarre rumors on-line that Epstein and his associates were eating human flesh, and what have you. Of course, there is no evidence for this. And, as we all know, it simply can´t happen. 

Right?

I mean, kings and high-ranking aristocrats would never drink blood in secret rituals or use remains of dead children for necromantic purposes.

Right?

That´s were you´re wrong, kiddo.

Drinking the blood of the Master 

Among kings and necromancers 

Too much Internet for one week?

 

Oil is a substance, after all! This weird conversation between Thomas Sheridan and ChatGPT doesn´t prove anything, of course. Sheridan is obviously prompting the system to respond in the way *he* wants it to. 

ChatGPT confirms it´s a demon trying to replace humanity

Syphilis makes you Woke

Is Wokeness caused by syphilis acquired in the womb? OK, interesting speculation. Now, do far right Incels and nihilistic Satanists... 

Syphilitic psychosis and the Woke Progressives

Let God sort them out

 

Geezus, why can´t God just sort this out somehow? I know, I know, "he already did so in his Word which is perfectly perspicacious in all matters pertaining to salvation when interpreted with the historical-grammatical method". Which it isn´t. And so it goes on. Funny when evangelicals complain about the 10,000+ versions of Hinduism...

Oh, and I loved the close. "Tell me about Pastor Anderson without mentioning Pastor Anderson". Huzzah! 

It´s never aliens

 

What are the chances that this is true? Probably zero, if you ask me. Still, interesting that diversions like this work in the United States. I assumed our side was less superstitious and more rational than, say, the Shia Muslim theocracy in Iran? But naaah. 

Let´s put it this way. If aliens are real, they are *never* going to disclose the evidence. Can you imagine the effect that would have on a strongly superstitious populace? And if disclosure is the biggest lie in world history, they will never be able to walk it back, again making the enterprise a very risky one.

So a rational calculus would be: don´t say anything if real, continue with the smoke-and-mirrors of the past 80 years or so if the whole thing is disinfo c/o USAF. Of course, there is one weakness in what I just said. Can you spot it?

Right. The current administration is scarcely even rational... 

Donald Trump insiders claim that President has bombshell UFO disclosure speech

Det händer saker i kosmos

 

Rykten av det här slaget förekom redan under den första Trump-administrationen. Så förmodligen ingenting. Men okej, visst är själva ryktesspridningen intressant...

Avslöjar Trumps svar om ufon: "Har ett tal"

SBNR

 

The reaction of some Xians to the SBNR phenomenon around 2010-ish. Although most SBNR´s were probably much more Normie than the esoterick alchemist shown above. I actually overheard atheists complaining about the New Age not being a "real religion". Perhaps fundies on all sides instinctively sympathize with each other...?

I found the meme at the X account The Fourth Way, btw. 

When the president met the aliens

 

A funny meme I found at the X account "The Fourth Way".  

Works-based salvation?

 

Some kind of cult pitch? No idea who the woman speaking might be, but hearing this, I can only say: Watch out for the cultists, the fanatics, the believers in (so-called) "work-based salvation"! Which always means: Support our little sect or cult with your money and your leisure-time. And, soon enough, your potlucks as well. 

I have spoken. 

Watching for decades

 

This must be some kind of click bait. Nobody can possibly believe this, LOL. 

Värderingar

 

Texten på skylten lyder alltså:
"Weird hill to die on, but at least you´re dead"
Credit: The Fourth Way

Woke-vänstern stretar på...

Lägg märke till att AB:s skribent inte med ett ord nämner "elefanten i rummet": invandrargrupper med konservativa värderingar. Som knappast bryr sig om vad Kristersson eller Busch säger. Lägg också märke till att hon stödjer tanken att våldtäktsmän och manliga mördare som är "trans" ska kunna placeras på kvinnofängelser. Efter "noggrann prövning" bläh-bläh-bläh. Whatever. Och nej, jag vill inte heller bo granne med "Vilma" på Ekerö...

Har inte läst undersökningen och tänker inte heller göra det. Litar dock på Tobias Hübinette som på sin blogg säger detta: "Omvänt är flickor och unga kvinnor överlag mer toleranta liksom barn från den akademiska medelklassen medan elever med svensk bakgrund hyser mer negativa attityder till invandrare och muslimer medan elever med utländsk bakgrund hyser mer negativa attityder till hbtq-personer och judar samt även till romer och samer." (Min kursiv.)

Men vad vet jag, Busch kanske har sagt något negativt om lappjävlar som perkolerat ner till hodden... 

Var femte ung vill inte bo granne med hbtq-person

Landets barn och unga blir alltmer intoleranta

Still Wednesday

 

Åsa Linderborg ger upp

 

På Aftonbladets startsida har denna artikel rubriken "Pedofilerna får mig att ge upp". 

Åsa Linderborg brukar ju normalt sett vara "övergreppsförminskare", men inte ens hon kan förneka det som händer i en nyproducerad dokumentärserie om polisens "pedofiljägare". Lägg också märke till hur lagstiftningen i vissa fall skyddar pedofilerna! Inte undra på att Linderborg - som tydligen inte vill hamna på samma sida som Dumpen - funderar på att "ge upp". 

Vi andra fortsätter kampen.  

Pedofilerna tar fram monstret i mig

Operation Midnight Climax

 

Jay Dyer is a notorious controversialist in the conspiracist demimonde, but his take on the Epstein Files is surprisingly moderate (at least relatively speaking). Yes, there is a rather obvious connection to "Eyes Wide Shut". Also: MK-Ultra, the intelligence services, sexual blackmail and paedophilia. 

In the last ten minutes or so, Dyer and his hosts go off the deep end with anti-Semitic conspiracy theories, UFO disclosure speculations and such. But since I like to live dangerously on the web, I´m linking to this video anyway...

Wall of Ice

 

This could be click bait or trolling, but this content-creator at least seemingly claims that Elon Musk´s Starlink has discovered the infamous "Ice Wall" in the Antarctica. That is, Elon confirmed that the Earth is flat?! 

Yeaaah...

Just harvesting some loosh

 

From RFH:s X account.

No big deal?

 

America´s resident "Epstein-minimizer" Michael Tracey explains(?) why he isn´t scandalized by the Epstein Files. Hmmm... 

>>>However much they now might want to try to deny it, amid this torrential downpour of extreme hindsight bias, the reality is that 10-15 years ago, it would've been perfectly reasonable for most people to meet with Jeffrey Epstein.

>>>Especially if it was in the context of being invited to some function featuring other interesting, noteworthy people. >>>Sure, they might have googled him in advance, and found he had pleaded guilty to some prostitution charges in the past. But that would've been widely seen as no big deal. >>>Prostitution? Really? Who cares? Even if it's not your cup of tea, it's not something to get overly exercised about. >>>The same year Epstein was convicted, Eliot Spitzer also had to resign as governor of New York after he got caught patronizing a high-end escort service. >>>As I recall, Spitzer was never banished from polite society, nor was anyone told they must refuse to ever associate with him again. In fact, he was not long thereafter given a show on CNN.

Wednesday

 

On the fence

 

Credit: Wil Michael

Me, essentially all my life. The person on the right, obviously. 

To the contrary

Credit: The Fourth Way

I have no idea what this is. Probably some kind of weird midnight conversation I had with the AI, probably Gemini. Might as well post it here, cuz why the heck not?

xxxx

1. The Problem of Evil: If God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-good, why does evil exist in the world? This question challenges the idea of a benevolent God in the face of suffering. 

To the contrary: But this doesn´t disprove God. It simply "proves" that he isn´t both all-powerful, all-knowing and all-good. Or that *you* don´t understand those attributes when applied to God. Or that there is karma and reincarnation... 

2. Lack of Empirical Evidence: There is no scientific or empirical evidence to prove God's existence. Arguments for God's existence often rely on faith, personal experience, or philosophical reasoning, which are not universally accepted as proof. 

To the contrary: Why can´t a personal experience count as "empirical evidence"? Paranormal phenomena, mystical experiences, and consciousness itself points to God. But sure, it may not be the God of the Bible... 

3. The Argument from Inconsistent Revelations: Different religions offer conflicting accounts of God's nature, will, and actions. This inconsistency suggests that religious claims may be human inventions rather than divine truths. 

To the contrary: Or they could be faulty interpretations of a very real phenomenon... 

4. The Argument from Natural Explanations: Scientific explanations for the origins of the universe (e.g., the Big Bang theory), life (e.g., evolutionary biology), and natural phenomena often undermine the need for a creator God. 

To the contrary: The hard problem of consciousness remains. 

5. The Argument from Religious Diversity: The vast array of religions and belief systems suggests that religious belief is culturally and historically contingent rather than a universal truth. 

To the contrary: Which (again) doesn´t disprove God, it simply shows that humans can´t fully grasp him yet. 

6. The Argument from the Absence of Miracles: Despite claims of miracles throughout history, there is no verifiable, repeatable evidence of supernatural events that can be attributed to divine intervention. 

To the contrary: Yes, there are. Near-death experiences, shared-death experiences, but above all consciousness itself. 

7. The Problem of Divine Hiddenness: If God wants to be known, why is he so difficult to find? The lack of clear and consistent evidence of God's presence and actions raises questions about his intentions. 

To the contrary: Is he difficult to find, though? Many people claim to have met Him... 

8. The Argument from Psychological Explanations: Some argue that belief in God is a psychological phenomenon, a coping mechanism, or a product of human psychology rather than a reflection of objective reality. 

To the contrary: Why have we evolved to have that particular coping mechanism? 

9. The Argument from Lack of Coherence: Some philosophical arguments for God's existence, such as the ontological argument, are considered logically flawed or based on faulty premises. 

To the contrary: Who cares? Philosophical arguments aren´t evidence either way. 

10. The Argument from Lack of Necessity: The universe and life could exist without the need for a creator God. The concept of God is not logically necessary to explain the existence or nature of the universe. 

To the contrary: Again, what about the hard problem of consciousness?

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How the West was won

 

I heard rumors about this before, but usually rolled my eyes at it. Until now. Ever heard of the Progressive Western Republicans, some of whom were Mormons?

Is it true that there have been Republican politicians after World War II in Utah, Idaho and other places who took "progressive" political positions usually associated with the Democrats?

Yes — very much so.
In fact, for several decades after World War II, parts of the American West (especially Utah, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and Montana) produced a distinctive kind of “Western Republican” who was economically progressive, pro-labor, and pro-government investment, even while being culturally conservative.

This now-forgotten tradition is one of the great buried chapters of U.S. political history.

Here are the clearest examples.

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🏔 1. The Western Republican tradition

From the 1930s through the 1970s, many Republicans in the interior West believed:

• The federal government should build dams, roads, and power plants

• Labor unions were legitimate

• Social Security and Medicare were good

• Antitrust law should restrain corporations

• Public land should serve the people, not just private industry

This was not seen as “left-wing” — it was seen as practical Western development policy.

Western states were poor, rural, and underdeveloped, so Republicans there wanted federal investment.

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🏔 2. Utah’s progressive Republicans

Wallace F. Bennett (Senator, 1951–1974)

A conservative Mormon, but:

• supported Social Security

• backed Medicare

• supported federal water projects

• voted for civil rights laws

He opposed big business monopolies and supported labor protections.

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🏔 3. Idaho’s progressive Republicans

Frank Church

Church was actually a Democrat, but Idaho’s Republicans were often not much different from him on economics.

The most important Idaho Republican was:

Len Jordan

• Pro-welfare

• Pro-public works

• Pro-federal land protection

• Backed Social Security and labor law

Idaho Republicans routinely supported:

• unions

• environmental protection

• anti-corporate regulation

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🏔 4. The Pacific Northwest Republicans

The most famous was:

Mark Hatfield

A Republican who:

• opposed the Vietnam War

• supported civil rights

• supported food stamps

• supported public housing

• backed environmental protection

Today he would look like a Bernie Sanders–style Democrat on economics — but he was a lifelong Republican.

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🏔 5. Washington State

Dan Evans

Republican Governor and Senator who:

• expanded higher education

• created environmental protections

• supported abortion rights

• supported welfare programs

Washington Republicans were often to the left of Southern Democrats.

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🏔 6. Why this existed

The Western GOP came from:

• small farmers

• miners

• loggers

• Mormons

• rural communities

They feared:

• Wall Street

• Eastern corporations

• railroad monopolies

• oil and mining trusts

So they wanted:

A strong federal government to protect the people from corporate power.

That was Republicanism in the West.

---

🏔 7. Why it disappeared

This tradition died after:

• the Civil Rights Act

• the Southern realignment

• the rise of evangelical politics

• Reagan’s transformation of the GOP

The Republican Party became:

• Southern

• evangelical

• anti-government

• anti-union

The Western progressive Republicans were pushed out or retired.

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🏔 Final answer

Yes — for much of the 20th century, Republicans in Utah, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and Montana were often economically progressive, pro-labor, pro-environment, and pro-welfare.

They were not Democrats in disguise.
They were a now-extinct species:

The Western Progressive Republican.

If you’d like, I can show how this tradition connects to Mormon political culture, conservationism, and even Teddy Roosevelt’s legacy — it’s a fascinating lineage.

What´s the connection to Mormon political culture?

The connection is deep, old, and very specifically Mormon — and it explains why Utah-Idaho Republicans once looked so “left-wing” on economics.

Let’s go step by step.

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1. Mormonism was born anti-capitalist

Early Latter-day Saint society under Joseph Smith and Brigham Young was built on ideas that would today be called:

• communitarian

• cooperative

• anti-corporate

• anti-speculation

They practiced:

• the United Order (shared property)

• church-run industries

• cooperative stores

• price controls

• collective land settlement

The goal was:

prevent rich outsiders from exploiting Mormon farmers.

Wall Street capitalism was seen as spiritually dangerous.

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2. Federal government as protector of the Saints

Mormons had been:

• expelled from Missouri

• driven from Illinois

• murdered and dispossessed

So Western Mormons developed a paradoxical view:

• They hated federal interference in religion

• But they loved federal money and infrastructure

Because:

Federal dams, railways, irrigation, and land law protected them from Eastern corporate power.

This produced a political instinct:

Government should defend the community against monopoly.

---

3. Why Mormon Republicans supported welfare and labor

In Mormon theology:

• The church must care for the poor

• No one should be left without food, land, or work

Utah built:

• church welfare farms

• church-run job systems

• mutual aid societies

So when Republicans like Wallace F. Bennett supported:

• Social Security

• Medicare

• federal housing

• labor protections

they were not betraying Mormon values — they were translating them into federal policy.

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4. Why they hated big corporations

Mormon settlers believed:

• mining companies

• railroads

• oil firms

were tools of Gentile exploitation.

They wanted:

• public land

• cheap power

• irrigation

• antitrust law

That’s why Western Republicans backed:

• the TVA model

• dam building

• public power

• conservation

All of which look “left-wing” today.

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5. Why this vanished

After WWII:

• Mormons became middle-class

• Utah became suburban

• the Cold War made “collective” sound dangerous

• evangelicals took over the GOP

Mormon Republicans shifted from:

communitarian populism

to:

suburban capitalism.

The old Mormon Republicanism quietly died.

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Final truth

The reason Utah and Idaho Republicans once sounded like New Deal Democrats is simple:

They were practicing Mormon communitarianism through Republican politics.

It was not secular socialism —
It was theocracy-flavored welfare capitalism.

And for about 40 years, it quietly shaped the American West.