The next Monday, to my surprise, I got an appointment with the Army psychiatrist I met in December. I had been told he was deployed because of Covid, which I suspected was a lie to make me feel important. I had heard of deployments being stopped because of Covid, but never the opposite. I showed the psychiatrist the mental health evaluation that basically said I was insane, and he assured me it was just someone’s opinion at the time and had no legal or medical significance. I felt better after the appointment, so at least there was that.
A few days later, I came through the gate, and instead of the guard saying, ‘Welcome to Fort Gordon’ she asked ‘what do you know about building computers?’ I was perplexed because I had been through that gate hundreds of times and never been asked a question like that. Again, if this had happened in isolation, I would accept a more pedestrian explanation for it. Around the same time, I decided that if NSA was spying on my screen I might as well give them a taste of their own medicine, so I Rick Rolled them.
YouTube nearly locked up mysteriously when I was about to hit play, so I suspect they tried to jam it. They retaliated in kind in various ways over the year. Also, my brother got a very strange glitch. He was trying to print some Army form and out of the printer came a page that said, ‘you are not allowed to print this form’. A freak event? Maybe. I suspect it was an NSA prank.
About the same time, since I figured that somehow, my screen was being recorded, I opened up Notepad on one half of my screen and a video on the other half of my screen which showed an artificial intelligence program learning how to play the video game Snake. Again, I was typing in Notepad, so unless there was spyware on my laptop, the only person who should have been able to see it was me. As I now strongly suspected my screen was being watched, I wrote in Notepad that the AI program’s style of play is easy for a bot, but very hard for a human. I also noted that my best friend from work said I don’t think like a machine, but I understand how machines think. It’s similar to the way Temple Grandin’s understanding of the way animals think allowed her to design more efficient and humane slaughterhouses.
A few days after that, I watched a video of an extremely violent documentary called Africa: Blood and Guts. It’s about the upheaval in post-colonial Africa in the 1960s. As I watched, I typed some things in Swahili it Notepad, so if anyone was watching, they would think I was having flashbacks caused by PTSD. The next day, two middle-aged technicians came to my room and explained that they were upgrading my internet just for me. The device they put on my ceiling appeared to be a wireless modem and the model name written on it was RUCKUS. When I tried to get online later, none of my browsers would open.
Not long after, a close friend gave me a book called Achilles in Vietnam. It compares the suffering described by the warriors in the Iliad to PTSD as described by Vietnam veterans. The main point is that PTSD tends to happen when soldiers lose faith in their leaders first and that eventually turns into a distrust of almost everyone even after the war is over.
I went on leave for the month of April decided to go camping on base to get away from electronics for a while. When I arrived at the campsite, one of the technicians I saw earlier was already there. I found it odd he would be camping by himself on a weekday in the same spot as me after he had just ‘upgraded’ my internet. When I got there, he assured me I was in a quiet, safe place, which also seemed like an odd thing to say.
My second night of camping, I decided to take a late night walk around upper Leitner Lake. There is a sign at the trail entrance that says ‘warning: alligators’, but since the gate was open and I was not going anywhere near the shore, I figured I was safe. It turns out alligators are most active at night and there were a lot of them in that lake. I heard their various calls and grunts and sometimes they’d splash the water with their tails. About a mile away from my tent, I heard a loud splash and saw a dark shape in front of me scurry into the woods. It was hard to tell exactly how big it was in the dark.
It was at this time that I decided it was best to return to my tent. I heard a very loud splash and decided an intimidating shout would frighten the gator away. It worked. The next day, I was texting a friend about the incident and before I had even sent it, the park ranger came by and asked to see my camping permit. I suspected that now my phone was being monitored and I began speaking directly to whoever was watching. As I texted, a trailer door opened and I saw a middle-aged man in a military uniform without the coat, so I couldn’t see his name or rank. It was very odd that a middle-aged man driving a sports car would go camping by himself on a weekday while wearing a military uniform. I suspected he had some kind of compact monitoring device in the camper. Such devices exist; I learned about them in training. And again, I know it sounds far-fetched and if it happened in isolation, I would not suspect anything strange about it.
On day two or three of my camping trip, I sent some text messages asking a friend to interview her about the importance of women in unconventional warfare. Before I even sent the message, a woman came driving in a truck on the path where I was walking. She stopped and asked for directions to the campground. As we spoke, I was able to correctly guess that she was Korean from her last name. She was the wife of a soldier she met while he was stationed in Korea. She seemed curious to know more but had no further questions when I asked if she had any. I later saw her picking flowers by the lake near the campground, but she never actually camped there. Another one of those strange events that kept happening.
Years ago at work, badge readers were installed on the out side of various doors with a sensor on the other side to disarm/open the magnetic lock when exiting. We had one guy who was convinced that the sensor, which clicked and had a green light flash, was a camera taking pictures.
Greeting from Sarasota, FL. I went to the Mote Aquarium today, which was delightful. I’ve never seen so many sharks in the same place, plus a 37-ft long preserved giant squid named Molly. Pics of my visit will be uploaded to my blog in a few days. Fun fact of the day: There are 7 species of shark that can walk.
As for tonight’s and forthcoming installments, I’m sure I misinterpreted a few events here and there.
On a somewhat related note: the work of America’s Digital Shield is interesting and distressing. The website has mysteriously gone down sometime in the past 24 hours, which is why I have screenshots on my blog. At least, the site is not loading properly on the hotel computer I’m currently using.
http://platedlizard.blogspot.com/2024/06/elections-likely-flipped-by-google.html
Walking sharks.
That freaks me right out.
Obligatory.
Obligatory:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IogPHjiS_HU&ab_channel=IsSleepyTime
In before TedS’
***
Yes, you read that right—there is a shark that can walk on land. The incredible epaulette shark is not only a perfectly capable swimmer, but it can also “walk” between coral heads at low tide, along the seafloor, and even on land when needed. For that reason, it is often called the “walking shark.”
***
https://www.oceanicsociety.org/resources/ocean-facts/the-shark-that-can-walk-on-land/
***
There are nine known species of walking shark (Hemiscyllium spp., commonly called epaulette, carpet, or bamboo sharks) that are found only in Australia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea. New walking shark species are still being discovered as scientists explore the diverse Coral Triangle region, including one in 2013 (Hemiscyllium halmahera) and in 2006 (Hemiscyillum freycineti).
***
Beware the Landshark. It could be out there. Street sharks? All 80s kids know about those from cartoons.
someone had to do it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqZsoesa55w
Who would win in a fight: The First Of All Firsters or baby Jesus and Superman?
We all know the answer.
Baby Jesus, by using the power of his divine manhood.
He doesn’t even have a Firsthood.
story of my drink: https://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/b/40/caol-ila-single-malt-scotch-whisky
I drink it in JW Black.
I was never a Scotch drinker, looking at the prices I’m happy to be permanently on the wagon. A lot of variety for the discerning drinker though
https://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/p/33294/evan-williams-white-label-bottled-in-bond
A true connoisseur!
This right here is my go to when I’m feeling poor, but need a good whiskey.
I made butter chicken (https://niksharmacooks.com/butter-chicken/#tasty-recipes-17175-jump-target) for dinner tonight. I didn’t have kashmiri pepper so I substituted allepo and smoked paprika.
That’s going on the regular dinner rotation
What’s allepo?
It really was required
What is…… A Lepo?
A Leppo is a person with Hansen’s disease.
Compared to Aleppo pepper, how hot is the Kashmiri?
Kashmiri chili -1,000 to 2,000 Scoville heat units
Aleppo pepper (also known as the Halaby pepper) -10,000 Scoville heat units
🌶
I mean, I have dried aleppo pepper flakes, but I’m not sure how much heat is lost in the drying process.
Butter chicken is da bomb.
Sad about the Kashmiri red pepper. It really does have a different flavor from that of other chilis.
Damn. Now I want Indian food.
This one has to be seen to be believed
https://x.com/LadyMagaUSA/status/1797634875572523020?s=19
“So…. I did a study abroad in the middle east with Israel and Palestine”
Remember that guy with the girlfriend from Canada…. yeah, that’s how this one devolves.
Also…..
Her vote carries the exact same weight as yours….
If a vote for Trump cancels out a vote for Biden (and vice versa) wouldn’t a vote for Kennedy cancel out a vote for both Trump and Biden?
“oh, barkeep—I need another drink into which to weep for my country.”
Hayeksplosives gets it.
This is who we are now. This is where we live. Getting blind drunk and having a good cry is a perfectly rational response.
Which one? The interview or interviewee?
I don’t care how you measure intelligence, that woman is functionally useless.
Nonsense. She still converts O2 to CO2 and provide food for plants. Once the muslims kill her she will provide fertilizer as well.
I love how glorious synchronicities elevate moments and more. Even the absolutely meaningless ones matter. Observation and finding (or creating) new patterns are useful skills. Might as well have fun with ’em.
Those connections are always there, just gotta keep your eyes peeled. The Iron is quite clear: Ya always find more of what you’re lookin’ for.
I was stationed at Ft Gordon a couple times, my son was born in the military hospital there, early ’60s. I spent a few days in the hospital there as well, recovering from pneumonia.
I lived near Tobacco Road and Peach Tree Ave, in some duplexes where a lot of GIs rented. Had some good times, there were several of us that had known one another in Europe and ended up in the same platoon.
Babylon Bee captures the mood.
https://babylonbee.com/news/welp-250-years-wasnt-a-bad-run-says-george-washington-looking-on-from-heaven
Maybe our pessimism about turning things around is unwarranted. Study what was happening in 1968. The U.S. made it out the other side of that shit storm. We can do it again, right? Right?
Did we though? That is the era that gave us gun control and legally binding racial preferences.
Report from DC. Only one guy selling anti Trump stuff. Two guys selling MAGA stuff, including one black guy saying, “He’s coming back, you know!”
Which one was the fed?
The one wearing khakis and a polo.
Derp: do you read anonymous conservative’s blog?
He talks about stuff like what you are describing.
Yes, I started reading it after someone (probably you) mentioned it in the comments. William Binney, a famous NSA whistle blower, has been open about the harassment he was subjected to. The story of Karen Stewart was particularly depressing to read, as was the case with Russ Tice.
Top dog bureaucrats never admit fault. They lie, stonewall, gaslight, and attempt discredit. Same stuff that happened to Daniel Ellsberg.
***
Russell D. Tice (born 1961) is a former intelligence analyst for the United States Air Force, Office of Naval Intelligence, Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), and National Security Agency (NSA).
In December, 2005, Tice helped spark a national controversy over claims that the NSA and the DIA were engaged in unlawful and unconstitutional wiretaps on American citizens. He later admitted that he was one of the sources for the 2005 New York Times reporting on the wiretapping activities.[2][3] After speaking publicly about the need for legislation to protect whistleblowers, Tice received national attention as an NSA whistleblower in May 2005 before Thomas Andrews Drake, Mark Klein, Thomas Tamm, and Edward Snowden came forward.
…
In April 2001 Tice reported his suspicions that an Asian-American woman he was working with was a Chinese spy, saying she had voiced sympathies for China, traveled extensively abroad and displayed affluence beyond her means.[4][5] Tice was told his suspicions were unfounded.[4]
After moving to the NSA, Tice continued to report his concerns. In April 2003, he wrote an email to the person at DIA handling his suspicions “questioning the competence of counterintelligence at FBI” and stating that he suspected he was being electronically monitored. According to Tice the DIA told him there was “reason to be concerned” about the female DIA analyst being a spy.[6][7]
Shortly thereafter an NSA security officer ordered Tice to report for a “psychological evaluation”, even though he had done so only nine months earlier.[7] The psychologist from the Department of Defense concluded that Tice suffered from psychotic paranoia. In a statement written to the Inspector General, Tice stated that the psychologist “did this even though he admitted that I did not show any of the normal indications of someone suffering from paranoia”. Tice said that three other psychiatric evaluations, including two at the NSA, showed he was normal and just two found him mentally unbalanced.[6] Tice would later say that “I knew from that day that my career was over.” Tice’s security clearance was suspended and he was reassigned to maintaining vehicles in the motor pool for 8 months in what Tice considered “administrative punishment.”[7][6]
***
They left Perry Fellwock alone, probably because they were worried about what he’d say next.
http://platedlizard.blogspot.com/2023/11/nsa-whistleblower-speaks-on-finding.html
Even if you aren’t nuts when you start in the IC – you have to end up nuts in one way or another. Delusional that you are a stalwart patriot saving the country from [quite probably imaginary] enemies and willing to lie your way out of anything, if you can.
The Korean that mysterious woman taught me that day was ahn nyong ki kae sae yo (have a nice day). I should note she was wearing a mask and gloves. Middle-aged Korean women do not go camping by themselves on weekdays.
I know I’ve linked this before, but I feel compelled to reiterate the strongest piece of evidence I have: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egj-9eO81a0
A similar sequence of events happened every time I tried to lock or unlock my apartment door at all hours of the day and night over a period of 3 weeks in April of 2022. Even my parents witnessed it when they came to visit. It finally stopped after I complained about it to my best friend from NSA and told the landlord about it. When the maintenance guys came to check it, they said the batteries were fine and so weren’t sure why it malfunctioned. They also confirmed that there is a wireless device in the lock (I presume an RFIC scanner or something else that can receive electronic signals). NSA malware is designed to pivot from one wireless device to another. If they have access to my phone, they can use that to pivot to nearby wireless devices. I presume they infected my phone by pivoting from my laptop which they infected.
[Original] 2 Live Crew is now down to two. Rip.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brother_Marquis
Maybe he can join up with Siegfried and the Righteous Brother for a tour.
Well, then I guess the group’s name is now finally accurate. RIP.
I can’t think of any sports league, college or professional, that wouldn’t be improved by returning to 1985.
Bring back the Montana/Elway rivalry and the Super Bowl Shuffle damnit!
I am in the minority here, but I enjoy 30 Rock.
In the first 10 seconds of dialogue on the one I randomly picked is “What are all these plastic containers for? Are you pickling squirrel meat, cuz I can lend you my skull presser!”
Gold.
There was some solid writing on that. Tina Fey can be very funny.
Good morning all!
Today, my little nod to Pride Month, from the excellent Red, White, and Royal Blue. Here’s Perfume Genius:
Can’t Help Falling in Love.
A much-covered song, here’s UB40’s terrific take:
Can’t Help Falling in Love
Share and enjoy!
suh’ fam
whats goody
How is it morning already?
🌄😒
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sCzdecygpmg
🎶🎶
It’s not, you crazy cracker.
Go to bed!!
Good morning, Sean, hayek, homey, Beau, and Stinky!
Mornin’!
How are you today, Beau? 🙂
Morning.
Hey, U! How’s it going? You’re taking today off work, right?
Yes, I took today off. I just got up and have been sorting out my day.
Gonna be hot today, but then cool for the next week or so.
I’m doing well, indolent and slothful though I be 😉
Mornin!
Good morning, OBE! How are things going down there across the river?
Doing okay. Little muggy yesterday and today but not too bad.
Yup. A little foggy up here in the Miami Valley at the moment, but it’ll get downright hot and humid soon enough.
Good morning! Last day of work before heading off to Pittsburgh to shoot, so I’m in a good mood.
Good morning, NA! Hope it’s a nice low-stress day before you hit the road!
Got all the hand-wash dishes done, all the clothes packed, all the guns/magazines/accessories packed. I’ll need to run the dishwasher after dinner and pack the CPAP and toiletries in the morning, then take Lily to the boarders. Then on the road to Buffalo, take a sharp left and head South until I hear bluegrass.
The millennial girlfriend isn’t ready for the responsibility of looking after the fluffgirl when I’m away.
Giant glass buttplugs are still in fashion corporate-trophywise apparently.
https://www.glibertarians.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Trophy-edited-scaled.jpg
They’re also giving me dinner next week at the restaurant at Saratoga National Golf CLub, so that should be good.
Do you get a barrel of lube with it, or do you have to buy that on your own?
I did not include a quarter for scale, but this is well beyond typical human capacity. Though if someone enjoys being fisted, they may be able to handle this.
Spoken in a forum of a democratic nation. Canada, you slay queen.
Sorry I can’t help you, I don’t speak jive.
No.
Shoot the moron who said that and raise the voting age.
My teens may use some of those words but not all of them in a sentence and even then, that is about 2019-2020 slang, I am sure with the ever evolving teen-speak its changed again.
I was also expect someone to provide a “hows it going fellow kids” reference.
Fo’ shizzle.
Tie the voting age to the same age one is eligible for the death penalty.
Don’t be silly, the unborn can’t be expected to understand the issues.
Neither can “our” elected “representatives,” but that doesn’t stop them.
I think you mean “elected”
https://www.amazon.com/photos/shared/IJq-fIi8RAiib7x4_R8DKA.ecKsdwijQskUtxVsK61NIJ
Seen on my way to work this morning.
Hasn’t even really started and the declaration of fairness and equality have been spoken. All is well America, sleep in peace tonight.