If All You See…

By William Teach May 28, 2025 – 1:00 pm

…is an Evil fossil fueled vehicle, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is Animal Magnetism, with a post on Hump Day news.

Read: If All You See… »

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Quick Impressions: Sony Linkbuds Fit Vs Bose QuietComfort Earbuds

By William Teach May 28, 2025 – 11:26 am

Bummer, the pair of Bose QuietComfort earbuds I got for Christmas 2022 died. Right earbud came apart, but, sound was dead by the time I could try and glue it together. I guess that is a good time, considering most AirPods last around 2-3 years. And I usually go through headphones every year to 3 years, at least the ones I use for the gym. I still have a few around that sorta kinda work, and I did not burn out my Bose Sports earbuds (great sound, no noise cancellation). Consider that I use them an hour to hour and a half at least 3 times a week, and they are strictly for the gym. So, sweat rolling down head, into ears, and sweaty hands. Taking them in and out. Getting thrown around in the gym bag.

I’m really not enthused about spending over $150, heck, $100, but, I need decent sound and good noise cancellation. So, I thought I would give the Sony Linkbuds Fit a try. They were on sale for $149.99 at Best Buy, which is $50 off. Always been a fan of Sony, have a pair of wired headphones from maybe 30 years ago that still sound great.

The good. Some say the sound is so-so, but, I think they are pretty good. And not just because I mostly listen to metal at the gym. I tried with Steely Dan’s Aja, which is the perfect song to determine the sound quality. Very pleased. They fit well, nice and tiny, not too tight in the ear canal, and stay in the ear while working out. I never felt like one was coming out. Some complain that it is too tough to use the tap buttons, but, I like that it is hard, so I do not inadvertently pause or switch tracks or flip to non-noise cancellation.

The case is small, but, high. No biggie, will be in bag, not my pocket. There are some pretty darned good settings on the app, especially with setting the EQ.

The so so: the case doesn’t wirelessly charge. For something with a retail of $199 normally, it should.

Not really pleased with the noise cancellation. While it is fantastic while music is playing, during dead spots, low volume, commercials, watching a show or movie while I’m on the treadmill or stationary bike, there is noticeable sound in the background. Not as much as without ANC (active noise cancellation), I can certainly hear more on my Bose Sports, but, it is there. And distracting.

So, I am also going to try the new Bose QuietComfort earbuds, which are different from the ones I had. They are smaller than the previous model, and the fins are not quite as big. Though, to be honest, the old ones, particularly the right one, use to fall out often when they got sweaty.

I did write all the above on Sunday the 25th, so, I could record my thoughts on the Sonys. The Bose are charging now, and, I won’t get a chance to really use them in the gym till Tuesday.

And on the the Bose. They were $149 at Best Buy. I’m as happy with the new model as I was with the old one, which I wrote about here. In comparing them to the Sony

Sound quality: Bose are slightly better, but, if you are looking for super high end sound from earbuds, spend a couple hundred more. They are both more than fine for earbuds, and at the gym. Or get over the early, much larger headphones. So, push.

Battery: I lost about the same amount of battery in the same amount of time. I never worry about it, because I’m in the habit of charging every Sunday or every other when I get back from gym. Push.

Case: Samsung is a little smaller, but, no wireless charging. Bose wins

Fit: Bose is a bit more comfortable in right ear. I never seem to have problems with left ear. Slight win for Bose

Staying in: Sony wins here. Smaller, lower profile. If I was using these outside for exercise, biking, jogging, hiking, etc, I’d go with the Sony. I can already tell the Bose will slide out when they get sweaty. But, I’m in the gym.

Phone calls: just like when I did a quick impression on the Bose Sports and Quiet Comfort 1, I won’t be using this for phone calls. I do not like hearing reverb in my head when using in-ear buds for calls. Someone calls me I take them out and switch to phone. But, with Bose the microphone is only in right bud. I have always used the left bud. It’s what I am comfortable with. With Sony you can supposedly use either. With the not as good ANC for Sony would probably work better. Winner: Sony.

Touch controls: I like that it is harder to hit the controls on the Sony, so you do not do something by accident

Noise cancellation: Bose wins by a mile. It seriously blocks a heck of a lot more noise than the Sony’s. Tried doing the same things on Tuesday (and Wed), and, during quiet times in music, dead spots, and watching a show there was very little background noise. Sony is better for an “aware” mode, but, I’m not using that. I have a pair of Samsung Galaxy Live, which do not go in the ear canal, and the ANC on the Sony are not much better (also, I would use these since I own them for doing outdoors stuff, stay in ear extremely well). Bose is all in on ANC.

One thing I did not like about the Bose is the app, which has no way that I can find to turn autoplay off. I put the bud in the first time out of the charging case and I get whatever song was playing on Samsung Music app, could have been days ago.

So, Sony is getting returned. If staying in is your primary concern, go with the Sony (though, open ear Samsung Galaxy Live is my favorite for that, though, they are kind of expensive, around $200. Got mine via winning stuff through work). If you want noise cancellation, Bose all the way.

Read: Quick Impressions: Sony Linkbuds Fit Vs Bose QuietComfort Earbuds »

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Trump Is Unsure Of Next Move As He Loses Patience With Putin or Something

By William Teach May 28, 2025 – 10:30 am

Politico thinks it has hit on a way to slam Trump

Trump is losing patience with Putin but unsure of his next move

President Donald Trump on Tuesday signaled that his patience with Vladimir Putin is running thin, warning the Russian leader that he is “playing with fire” by refusing to engage in serious peace talks about ending the war in Ukraine.

But Trump, frustrated that Putin has shrugged at his offer to reset relations with the U.S. following a peace settlement, still hasn’t decided to shift gears.

“Putin is getting dangerously close to burning the golden bridge that Trump has set out before him,” said an administration official, who, like others, was granted anonymity to share details about the president’s current thinking.

Trump has yet to make a decision on whether to impose additional sanctions on Moscow in response to Putin ramping up attacks on Ukraine, according to four U.S. officials.

Pro-Ukraine allies on Capitol Hill are treading carefully as they urge the White House to consider following up on his threats to Putin by backing their effort to enact new sanctions. And allies in Europe, facing the possibility that Trump could walk away from peace talks without punishing Russia, are scrambling to figure out how they could tackle taking the lead on support for Ukraine.

Let’s be honest: if Putin doesn’t want peace, if there’s no way to create peace between Ukraine and Russia – Russia wants part of Ukraine, and Ukraine doesn’t want to give up the land Russia has already taken – what is Trump going to do? Have sanctions worked so far? Because Russia is still fighting in Ukraine, in an apparent time based offensive, where they are simply waiting for Ukraine to run out of soldiers. Would new sanctions make a difference? How does that work when many EU nations depend on Russian natural gas? What is the next step?

And many of Trump’s broadsides criticizing Putin have been diluted with strong words for other parties. Trump wrote on Sunday that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and former President Joe Biden share some of the blame for the war that Putin initiated, now in its fourth year.

“This war is Joe Biden’s fault, and President Trump has been clear he wants to see a negotiated peace deal,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement to POLITICO. “President Trump has also smartly kept all options on the table.”

Would Putin have gone into Ukraine if Biden hadn’t been so weak, especially after the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal?

As frustrated as Trump has gotten with Putin, the people said, he’s given Europeans a clear sense that he doesn’t like sanctions and had hoped he could get the Russian leader to engage without forcing his hand. European leaders hope that Trump is coming to understand that the light touch with the Kremlin isn’t going to work and adjust, they said.

So, when does the EU cut themselves off from Russian fossil fuels? How about all the fertilizer? And so many other products and services?

New US Senate bill could wreck Russia, but also damage the EU economy

A bill rapidly making its way through the United States Senate and gathering impressive bipartisan support threatens to wreak untold havoc on Russia’s economy in a bid to force Vladimir Putin into “good faith negotiations for a lasting peace in Ukraine”.

But the concerted push, jointly promoted by Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, and Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat from Connecticut, also risks devastation for roughly half the European Union.

“Our legislation will isolate Russia – putting it on a trade island by imposing stiff tariffs on other countries that support these atrocities,” Graham and Blumenthal said last week as they announced the text had secured 81 signatures in the 100-seat Senate.

Besides a wide range of primary sanctions and duties against the Kremlin, including sweeping prohibitions on financial transactions with Russian entities, the bill also foresees secondary tariffs on countries that still do business with Moscow.

That’s because the EU still does a massive amount of business with Russia despite all their opposition to Russia, hence, they would get hurt economically. So, what does Trump do? Again, sanctions have not worked. Sending all that military gear to Ukraine created a holding action for Ukraine, and brought the world closer to WWIII. Should we be sending even more dangerous military gear? Putting soldiers in Ukraine? Doing things that even the EU hasn’t done, though they have threatened. What’s the play? Biden really had nowhere else to go. But, you know, the media has to find ways to slur Trump.

Read: Trump Is Unsure Of Next Move As He Loses Patience With Putin or Something »

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Your Fault: Romanian Farmers Devastated By Cold Snap

By William Teach May 28, 2025 – 7:15 am

Remember, the climate cult says that cold snaps are caused by planet killing greenhouse gases

Farmers devastated after rare freeze wipes out nearly every crop: ‘In a scary predicament at the moment’

Extreme weather is wreaking havoc in Romania, causing damage to essential stone fruit. Fresh Plaza recently reported that consecutive freezing temperatures and frost have impacted harvest yields for the season.

Cold temperatures as low as 17 degrees Fahrenheit have hit Romania and lasted an entire week, according to Bogdan Baianu, CEO and co-founder of Romanian fresh produce exporter Cerasus Grup Romania. While Romania is not a stranger to these types of drops in temperature, frosts have never lasted five straight days.

As a result, stone fruits such as cherries, peaches, nectarines, apricots, and plums endured high levels of stress, according to Baianu. For peaches, about 90-100% of crops “have been wiped out,” and for cherries, about 70-80% of the harvest has been lost across Romania.

Baianu explained to FreshPlaza that the “freezing conditions have had a devastating effect on the stone fruit production in Romania.”

That’s bad. Usually they have warmer weather conductive to growing the crops at this time of year.

Extreme weather has been impacting crops across the globe, making our food supply more vulnerable and scarce. Farmers around the world have been trying to combat rising global temperatures, more frequent droughts, and, in this case, sudden temperature drops.

Got that? Carbon pollution driven extreme weather is causing ….. freezing conditions. Heck, it only made it into the mid-60s here in Raleigh Monday and Tuesday. It’s normally 83. Won’t get there Wednesday, either.

Oh, please, we all know cold weather is caused by heating.

Read: Your Fault: Romanian Farmers Devastated By Cold Snap »

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Important: ICE Arresting More Illegals Than CBP

By William Teach May 28, 2025 – 7:00 am

Remember how we were told that we need legislation to drastically reduce the flow of illegals/fake asylum seekers into the US? Well, really, we kind of did, something that would literally stop Biden from enacting all those programs and giving away all that money that enticed illegals to come. That horrendous Border Act Of 2024 would create more illegals. What we need was a president who would use existing laws and work to disincentivize people just showing up at the border. That would work to catch and kick out those here illegally. And we get

ICE leading CBP in migrant arrests, data shows

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is making more arrests of migrants than Customs and Border Protection since President Donald Trump took office, according to new data.

During the Biden administration, CBP led with arrests averaging 60 to 80 percent of all immigration-related arrests nationwide. But new data shows ICE has inverted this pattern during Trump’s second term, according to Transactional Access Records Clearinghouse (TRAC) data released Tuesday.

ICE is now the arresting agency for 81% of book-ins from February through mid-May, TRAC reports.

They give reasons for this, including

  • Fewer people encountered trying to illegally cross the U.S. border from Mexico.
  • ICE is being listed as the “arresting authority” for enforcement events that involve multiple agencies, including CBP.
  • The Trump administration has prioritized arresting immigrants living in the interior of the United States, which would fall under ICE’s arresting authority.

In other words, the Trump admin is telling and showing illegals and fake asylum seekers to not come. The admin is not importing tons of people from other countries, not using the CPB One app, and more.

In December 2024, CBP officers made 14,240 book-ins, or 64%, and ICE officers made 7,882 book-ins, or 36%, of the 22,122 total arrests that month. In March, however, CBP made only 2,760 book-ins, or 16%, and ICE officers made 13,795 book-ins, or 83%, of the 16,555 arrests, TRAC reports.

That’s a huge flip. And, yes, I did vote for this.

Trump admin asks SCOTUS to authorize rapid migrant deportations to countries other than their own

The Trump administration is asking the Supreme Court to intervene and allow it to quickly deport illegal immigrants to countries other than their own, Fox News has learned.

The request from the Justice Department comes after a lower-court judge, Brian Murphy, issued an injunction last month that halted the Trump administration’s attempts to rapidly deport immigrants residing illegally in the United States to third-party countries not their own. In the ruling, Murphy said the Trump administration must provide “meaningful” notice to immigrants it wishes to deport to third-party countries, so they have adequate time to challenge their deportation.

This could be a tricky request. DOJ lawyers better have their arguments ready, no games.

(fixed the headline)

Read: Important: ICE Arresting More Illegals Than CBP »

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Conserve Like A Girl To Stop Climate Doom Or Something

By William Teach May 27, 2025 – 3:00 pm

It’s all so tedious. This is from the minds of the Earthday wackos

Conserve Like A Girl

Mother Nature’s wrath spares no one: man, woman, government, or corporation, the climate crisis is everyone’s business. We all play a role in alleviating or exacerbating the planet’s decline. Yet despite this shared responsibility, why are women in many parts of the world more invested in the climate crisis than men?

In high-income countries, studies consistently show that women are more likely to express alarm or concern about environmental degradation and support policies that combat climate change. Women often lead the way and live more sustainably, from reducing waste to embracing ethical consumption. Meanwhile, men tend to lag behind, showing less concern and fewer efforts to adopt sustainable practices.

Women do? How’s that, with them purchasing way more self care products and clothes and shoes and handbags and stuff? They can express alarm or concern all they want, they do not practice what they preach.

This disparity is not just a social issue; it’s a costly setback that hinders our collective ability to address the climate crisis. When half the population is less likely to engage or act on environmental issues, we lose invaluable support for tackling one of the greatest challenges of our time.

Sounds rather authoritarian to believe that everyone must believe the same thing and (be forced to) practice it

One thing is for certain: getting men to care as much as women do is key to saving the planet. Regardless of the gap, at EARTHDAY.ORG, everyone is encouraged to act. You are perfect for the movement as you are, no matter your gender, sexuality, experience level, and more.

We may not know for certain how to close the gap. However, all genders can improve their climate education to consume more sustainably, conserve resources, and support the best environmental policies. Take your action to the next level by signing up to volunteer with us and signing petitions for tripling renewable energy generation and a Global Plastic Treaty.

So, nag the fuck out of everyone you know, Cultists. Also, we could do more with true, real environmental issues if they weren’t linked with the climate cult.

Read: Conserve Like A Girl To Stop Climate Doom Or Something »

Posted in AGW Idiocy, Global Warming | 10 Comments | Trackback URL

If All You See…

By William Teach May 27, 2025 – 1:00 pm

…is a horrible fossil fueled grill, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is 357 Magnum, with a post on feminism vs happiness.

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BBC Upset About New “Controversial” Aid To Gaza Group

By William Teach May 27, 2025 – 10:30 am

The front page of BBC News mentions that they are “controversial”. I wonder why

New US-backed group says it has begun aid distribution in Gaza

A controversial new aid distribution group backed by the US and Israel has begun working in Gaza.

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) said lorry loads of food had been delivered to secure sites and that it had begun distribution to people. It did not say where or how much aid had been handed out.

The group, which uses armed American security contractors, aims to bypass the UN as the main supplier of aid to the 2.1 million Palestinians in Gaza, where experts are warning of a looming famine after an Israeli blockade that lasted 11 weeks.

The UN and many aid groups have refused to co-operate with GHF’s plans, which they say contradict humanitarian principles and appear to “weaponise aid”.

Israel says a new system is needed to stop Hamas stealing aid, which the group denies doing.

Ah. It’s controversial because the aid is not flowing through the UN and NGOs who then siphon off the aid and money for the aid before sending the aid and it ending up in the hands of Hamas. Also, it is backed by the Trump administration, so, that causes immediate resistance from the moonbats

Under the GHF’s mechanism, security-screened Palestinians will be expected to collect boxes containing food and basic hygiene items for their families from a small number of distribution sites which are mainly in southern Gaza. The sites will be secured by American contractors, with Israeli troops patrolling the perimeters.

UN and other aid agencies insisted they will not co-operate with any scheme that fails to respect fundamental humanitarian principles.

They have warned that the GHF’s system will practically exclude those with mobility issues, including those with injuries, disabilities and the elderly, force further displacement, expose thousands of people to harm, make aid conditional on political and military aims, and set an unacceptable precedent for aid delivery around the world.

They’ll be getting the aid to the non-Hamas supporters, instead of having Hamas steal the aid and do with it what they will. Which also helped hide how much was pilfered by the UN and NGOs.

Meanwhile, the BBC doesn’t like it much when Israels protest and are mean

Thousands of Israelis join violent, racist march through Jerusalem’s Muslim quarter

Thousands of Israelis have joined a state-funded march through the Muslim quarter of the Old City in Jerusalem, where large groups chanted racist slogans including “Gaza is ours”, “death to the Arabs” and “may their villages burn”.

The annual march, paid for and promoted by the Jerusalem city government, celebrates Israel’s capture and occupation of East Jerusalem and its holy sites in the war of 1967. The Israeli takeover is not recognised internationally.

First, they can’t be racist because Jews and Muslims there are mostly of the same descent. Second, where was the BBC condemnation of pro-Palestinians?

No mention of the meaning of “from the river to the sea.” Or the Jew hatred. Or the wearing of Intifada Keffiyehs, a symbol of killing Jews and destroying Israel. Double standard.

Read: BBC Upset About New “Controversial” Aid To Gaza Group »

Posted in Israel, Wonky Media | 9 Comments | Trackback URL

Bummer: Trump EPA Looks To Remove Greenhouse Gas Limits On Power Plants

By William Teach May 27, 2025 – 7:15 am

I’ll say again that I am no fan of coal, because it does create dirty air and despoils the land. But, CO2? Nah. The NY Times is very upset over this, despite none of them giving up their own use of what they call “dirty” energy

Documents Show E.P.A. Wants to Erase Greenhouse Gas Limits on Power Plants

climate cowThe Environmental Protection Agency has drafted a plan to eliminate all limits on greenhouse gases from coal and gas-fired power plants in the United States, according to internal agency documents reviewed by The New York Times.

In its proposed regulation, the agency argued that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from power plants that burn fossil fuels “do not contribute significantly to dangerous pollution” or to climate change because they are a small and declining share of global emissions. Eliminating those emissions would have no meaningful effect on public health and welfare, the agency said.

But in the United States, the power sector was the second biggest source of greenhouse gases, behind transportation, according to the most recent data available on the E.P.A. website. And globally, power plants account for about 30 percent of the pollution that is driving climate change.

What will you do without power? Natural gas is cheap, abundant, affordable, and easy. The power plants have small footprints, unlike solar and wind. And provide a hell of a lot more power for the cost and footprint. Maybe if the Warmists would let us build nuclear power plants we could have what they call sustainable power.

The E.P.A. sent the draft to the White House for review on May 2. It could undergo changes before it is formally released and the public is given the opportunity to offer comments, likely in June.

The proposed regulation is part of a broader attack by the Trump administration on the established science that greenhouse gases threaten human health and the environment. Scientists have overwhelmingly concluded that carbon dioxide, methane and other greenhouse gases from the burning of oil, gas and coal are dangerously heating the planet.

It was once established science that the world was flat, that the Sun went around the Earth, and that witches floated.

The Trump administration is methodically uprooting policies aimed at curbing climate change, and the E.P.A. is at the epicenter of that effort. In recent weeks, Mr. Zeldin has shuttered offices responsible for regulating climate and air pollution, and has launched the repeal of more than two dozen regulations and policies.

I’m actually rather surprised that Trump and his folks are missing the opportunity to tell Warmists to practice what they preach. To give up their own use of fossil fuels and make their lives carbon neutral.

Read: Bummer: Trump EPA Looks To Remove Greenhouse Gas Limits On Power Plants »

Posted in Energy, Global Warming | 14 Comments | Trackback URL

EU Sports Chief Goes Anti-Semitic, Hints Israel May Not Be Allow To Compete

By William Teach May 27, 2025 – 7:00 am

Apparently, the Jews in Israel do not share the values of the Jew haters in the EU

EU sports chief hints Israel should get the boot from competitions over Gaza war

When asked how the sporting world should respond to the crisis in Gaza, the EU’s sports chief has signaled there should be “no space” in events for countries that do not share “our values.”

Israel has come under increasing pressure from Europe recently over its military offensive in the besieged enclave, with the majority of EU countries last week backing a review of the bloc’s political agreement with the country.

Several Israeli ambassadors were also summoned to EU capitals, from Rome to Paris, after the Israel Defense Forces admitted they had fired “warning shots” at a diplomatic delegation visiting the West Bank that included European officials.

Sports Commissioner Glenn Micallef condemned the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza and said the sporting world needs to speak up.

“When it comes to sports, I think there should be no space in sporting events for those who do not share our values,” he told POLITICO without naming Israel directly, in response to a question as to whether the country should face sporting sanctions over the Gaza war. “Sport is a tool that we use to promote peace, through which we promote human rights.”

So, will Palestinians be allowed to compete? Europe doesn’t seem to block Iran and many hardcore Islamist nations from competing. But, this is all about Jew hatred

The sporting world has seen repeated calls to boycott Israel’s participation in international competitions, from the Olympics to the World Cup, although such proposals have so far largely been rejected.

But, again, not blocking Iran or other Muslim extremist nations. The EU chief and others should just say they hate Jews and want Israel erased already, stop beating around the bush. Has the EU sports chief considered that Palestinians would be happy to take over EU nations?

Read: EU Sports Chief Goes Anti-Semitic, Hints Israel May Not Be Allow To Compete »

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