Miscellaneous: Vizio Soundbar And Latest James Bond Movie

By William Teach June 10, 2022 – 7:51 pm

I’ve had the same 2.1 Samsung soundbar since about 2014, though it was time for a new one. The sound is OK, good for TV shows, OK for movies, not quite as immersive. I’d love to be able to use my Bose 301 speakers with the stereo, but, have to use a converter, change a TV setting each time. Have been considering getting a new receiver, doesn’t have to be great, just take an optical cable, perhaps add a second set of speakers.

Anyhow, was looking for a new soundbar that is at least 3.1 with Dolby Atmos. All the reviews really showed that the best bang for the buck (had no plan to spend over a grand) was the Vizio M512a-H6, which I picked up at Best Buy, getting them to match the price from Amazon at $450. It was actually rated higher than the more expensive ones like the Sonos Arc, Bose 900, and many others.

Except, after getting it all set up, the first thing I noticed was that all the voice was coming from the center, from Atmos content (Carnival Row at Amazon), Hell’s Kitchen on Tubi, Burn Notice via Freevee, and 47 Meters Down on Amazon. Which is not particularly expansive. It doesn’t surround you. It felt like putting an Echo Dot in front of the TV. The music and background audio came from the side speakers, which sounded good. The satellite speakers did have sound, but, was so low didn’t really add much.

I’d consider playing with it a bit, but, the normal volume level is around 50. Out of a 100. Kinda makes no sense, and lots of reviews mention this. And getting vastly different volumes depending on the show. My current soundbar is good at around 8-10, go to about 15 for louder stuff, like playing a movie. Just not impressed with the Vizio.

So, for any of y’all who have something at least 3.1, preferably with Atmos, what do you have? I really do not want a 3.1 or more where the voice comes only from the center.

Then we have the latest James Bond, No Time To Die. Regardless of the pre-reviews and reviews, worried about Wokeness having a black, female 007, no, it wasn’t, it was actually pretty good. Well done, the story moves well, easy to track. It was utterly enjoyable (spoilers below the fold

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LGB Admin Announces National EV Charging Standards Or Something

By William Teach June 10, 2022 – 3:11 pm

Let’s be honest, EV charging station buildout has been working fine without the input of The Government. So, sure, why not screw it up?

Biden administration announces national standards for electric vehicle charging networks

Electric vehicleThe Biden administration on Wednesday evening announced new standards to expand electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure throughout the U.S.

The standards will be laid out formally in a proposed rule from the Federal Highway Administration, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told reporters on a press call Wednesday. The rule will require EV charging stations every 50 miles and no more than a mile off the highway, emphasizing the interstate highway system and alternative fuel corridors, according to Buttigieg.

“The proposed rule requires at least four 150-kilowatt DC fast-charging ports per station so that the station can serve multiple customers, and it ensures safe installation and maintenance by qualified technicians, creating new jobs in this EV infrastructure sector,” Buttigieg said.

Does the Biden admin understand how many vehicles are on the road, and, if they want to replace all the fossil fueled ones with EVs they’ll have to be more than 4 charging stations every 50 miles? Roll into many stations along I-95 there are way more than 4 per station, and there can be a lot of stations. Oh, and, of course those techs will be union members, right?

Buttigieg said the proposal will also bar any EV charging station receiving federal funds from requiring memberships in a club or loyalty program to use the chargers, which “ensures that charging stations funded under these programs can serve a broad range of vehicles … and it sends a market signals toward a standard charging port for stations to accommodate the widest possible set of vehicles and accommodate adapters for all vehicles.”

And, of course the federal government won’t be tracking who charges their vehicle where and when, right? Or imposing restrictions if, say, you owe some back taxes or something, right?

If any elected Republican in the Senate or House had any brains they’d submit a bill requiring everyone in the Biden admin to only travel in EVs.

Goodbye gasoline cars? EU lawmakers vote to ban new sales from 2035

European lawmakers have voted to ban the sale of new diesel and gasoline cars and vans in the EU from 2035, representing a significant shot in the arm to the region’s ambitious green goals.

On Wednesday, 339 MEPs in the European Parliament voted in favor of the plans, which had been proposed by the European Commission, the EU’s executive branch. There were 249 votes against the proposal, while 24 MEPs abstained.

I wonder if lots of citizens of sovereign European nations are starting to rethink joining the EU, which was never supposed to have this much power.

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Posted in AGW Idiocy, Global Warming, Joe Biden | 7 Comments | Trackback URL

If All You See…

By William Teach June 10, 2022 – 1:00 pm

…is a water intensive law which is Bad for ‘climate change’, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is Climatism, with a post on no one winning an election by promising to make voters colder, poorer, and hungrier.

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Stupid People: Groomers Gonna Groom, Quitting Over Buddhist Symbol

By William Teach June 10, 2022 – 10:30 am

I’m not sure why so many groomers are upset they’re called groomers

(WRAL) Many members of the LGBTQIA+ community were angry and hurt after Apex Mayor Jacques Gilbert announced Monday that Drag Queen Story Hour would be removed from the Apex Pride Festival this weekend.

Some people accused Gilbert of allowing a “vocal minority,” who are unlikely to attend Pride regardless, of dictating how the LGBTQIA+ community should celebrate Pride.

Drag Queen Story Hour released a statement, saying, “It’s unfortunate and saddening to find out individuals communicated threatening messages to Town of Apex officials because of [our[ inclusion at Apex Pride.” On Thursday, Equality NC stepped in, announcing that Drag Queen Story Hour would return to Apex Pride.

“Equality NC is proud to announce that our organization will sponsor The Apex Pride Festival,” Equality NC said in a statement. “We are also celebrating that this will restore Drag Story Hour to the program, and ensure that our community members in Apex have every right to gather and celebrate.”

These people are nuts and groomers. The Apex police department should be present, and arrest anyone there who is exposing themselves to children or teaching them adult sexual topics.

Bay Area Camp Suddenly Closes After Staffers Quit Over Swastika Scandal

A California camp known for being socially and environmentally conscious was abruptly canceled for the entire summer after several staff members quit due to alleged structural racism.

Now, 900 or so campers will have to find an alternative way to spend their summer break.

“This is the first time in our history that we canceled all Camp programming,” a letter to the Hidden Villa community read Wednesday. “Staffing for Camp has been a challenge over the past several years. In anticipation, we significantly invested in outreach, but still struggled with meeting programmatic needs.” (snip)

Hidden Villa—which is home to a camp, hiking trails, and farm—once belonged to Frank and Josephine Duveneck, according to the camp’s statement. On the couple’s honeymoon to Asia in 1913, they brought back and hung artistic tiles with lotuses and Buddhist symbols, including the swastika, which was later appropriated by the Nazi Party after the first World War to represent white supremacy.

So, it’s been there since 1913, and is a Buddhist symbol, not the Nazi one?

“It was brought to the community’s attention that the Buddhist symbols were experienced differently and some individuals experienced harm from their presence on the building. A process to address the issue was identified with Staff and Board,” the letter, which was posted on the camp’s website, read.

Oh, good grief. I hope these people never travel to areas with high concentrations of Buddhists. Do you think the people in those countries will care if the soft Wokers are all sorts of butthurt? Seriously, “experienced differently”? “Experienced harm”? The camp did take down the symbol, but, a ton of the workers quit. Because they’re fragile little dumplings.

The Los Altos Town Crier reported that camp director Philip James, who is Black, quit because of alleged institutional racism and also took issue with the swastikas.

Camp assistant director Mimi Elias, who is a queer person of color, told the newspaper, “Every day I had to go to my place of residence and had to look at swastikas and walk beneath them.” She also resigned.

How long did they work there, with these Buddhist symbols? They took the job with them there. Yet, suddenly there’s “institutional racism?” Seriously, you continue reading the story and you suddenly have all these people crying about this and that and some other stuff which they are Offended over, despite being a socially and environmentally conscious camp that’s been like that for almost a 100 years. Why? Because when SJWs get butthurt they’ll turn an anthill in Mt. Everest…..oh, wait, SJWs do not want to go there, lots of Buddhists. And Hindus, who also use the symbol.

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New Zealand To Tax Cow Farts And Burps

By William Teach June 10, 2022 – 7:15 am

Can’t wait till the future articles on the people of New Zealand being mad about the even higher cost of meat

Climate change: New Zealand’s plan to tax cow and sheep burps

climate cowNew Zealand has unveiled a plan to tax sheep and cattle burps in a bid to tackle one of the country’s biggest sources of greenhouse gases.

It would make it the first nation to charge farmers for the methane emissions from the animals they keep.

New Zealand is home to just over five million people, along with around 10 million cattle and 26 million sheep.

Almost half the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions come from agriculture, mainly methane.

However, agricultural emissions have previously not been included in New Zealand’s emissions trading scheme, which has been criticised by those calling for the government to do more to stop global warming.

“There is no question that we need to cut the amount of methane we are putting into the atmosphere, and an effective emissions pricing system for agriculture will play a key part in how we achieve that,” New Zealand’s climate change minister James Shaw said.

The BBC article works very hard to avoid mentioning cow and sheep farts

Under the proposal farmers will have to pay for their gas emissions from 2025.

The plan also includes incentives for farmers who reduce emissions through feed additives, while planting trees on farms could be used to offset emissions.

Some farmers are super thrilled to do this. Of course, they aren’t actually going to pay for this, as the costs will be passed on to the consumers.

The money raised from the scheme will be invested in research, development and advisory services for farmers, the country’s environment ministry said.

Calling it a scheme fits right in, a shady scheme.

(CNN) New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Wednesday, May 11, that the country will fully reopen its international borders from 11:59 p.m. on July 31, with cruise ships also welcome back to local ports on the same day.

How many will be taking fossil fueled flights to go with the fossil fueled cruise ships?

(Reuters) – New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will visit the United States this week in a bid to boost exports and lure more tourists as the Pacific nation looks to fully reopen its border after more than two years of restrictions.

She’s going to take a sailing ship, right?

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Posted in Carbon Credits, Global Warming | 12 Comments | Trackback URL

LGB: Gas Prices Hit $5 A Gallon Nationwide

By William Teach June 10, 2022 – 7:00 am

I so enjoyed paying $5.09 in Maryland Monday and $4.96 in Virginia Thursday, you know?

Gas Prices Soar to National Average of $5 per Gallon

Gas prices on Thursday soared to a national average of $5.00 per gallon, according to GasBuddy.

The $5.00 per gallon mark has never been reached before and represents a twelve consecutive record-day high.

In all 50 states on Thursday, the average price of a gallon of gas reached above $4.40, according to AAA data.

In California, gas prices on Thursday reached $6.40 per gallon. JPMorgan commodities analyst predicted gas prices may increase to more than $6.00 per gallon before Labor Day.

Gas prices have more than doubled since former President Donald Trump left office.

Trump had warned voters that if Biden won the 2020 election, the price of gas would reach at least $7.00 per gallon. “If Biden got in, you’d be paying $7, $8, $9. Then they’d say ‘get rid of your car!’”

Here’s the thing I can say in honesty: if Trump had won the election gas prices would have started rising, because it’s not just drilling, but, refining. There is no more capacity to refine oil. The difference between him and Biden is that Trump would have worked to fix the problem from the get go when it was notice. He would have put policies in place. He wouldn’t have worked to make it worse.

Poll: Most Americans Say They Are Driving Less Because of Rising Gas Prices

Skyrocketing U.S. gas prices are affecting Americans in their day-to-day life, forcing them to cut back in certain fundamental areas, including driving, a Rasmussen Reports survey released Thursday found.

According to the survey, 66 percent said they are actually driving less because of rising gas prices — a seven-point rise from the 59 percent who said the same in March. Further, a majority, 57 percent, of U.S. adults say the ever-rising price of gas has affected their vacation plans, while just over one-third, 36 percent, said it has not.

It’s anecdotal, but, there sure seemed to be a bit fewer people on the road when I drove up to NJ. There just wasn’t as much traffic as I’m used to, particularly in northern Virginia and Maryland. Same on the return trip Thursday. Still a lot of idiots on the road, to be sure. How many people are avoiding trips? How many more will say “never mind, we’ll stay home/local”?

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Posted in Economy, Joe Biden | 17 Comments | Trackback URL

Your Fault: Dengue Fever Hitting Singapore, ‘Climate Change’ Omen

By William Teach June 9, 2022 – 5:01 pm

If you would only agree to take the bus instead of your fossil fueled vehicle, give up meat, and give government climate dictatorial powers we could solve this

Singapore’s dengue ’emergency’ is a climate change omen for the world

Singapore says it is facing a dengue “emergency” as it grapples with an outbreak of the seasonal disease that has come unusually early this year.

The Southeast Asian city-state has already exceeded 11,000 cases — far beyond the 5,258 it reported throughout 2021 — and that was before June 1, when its peak dengue season traditionally begins.

Experts are warning that it’s a grim figure not only for Singapore — whose tropical climate is a natural breeding ground for the Aedes mosquitoes that carry the virus — but also for the rest of the world. That’s because changes in the global climate mean such outbreaks are likely to become more common and widespread in the coming years. (snip)

The outbreak in Singapore has been made worse by recent extreme weather, experts say, and its problem could be a harbinger of what is to come elsewhere as more countries experience prolonged hot weather spells and thundery showers that help to spread both the mosquitoes and the virus they carry.

These people are very silly. No matter what occurs, they have to link it to their cult. Dengue fever outbreaks go back to the 200’s AD, with bigger outbreaks in the 17th Century. It became more prevalent as worldwide travel, and, yes, ecological destruction, which is completely different from anthropogenic climate change.

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

If All You See…

By William Teach June 9, 2022 – 1:00 pm

…is a wonderful low carbon bike that should replace Other People’s fossil fueled vehicles, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is The Daley Gator, with a post on mustaches and big dicks being expressions of womanhood now.

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Posted in If All You See | 13 Comments | Trackback URL

House Passes Bill Making Age To Buy Rifles And Shotguns To 21

By William Teach June 9, 2022 – 10:30 am

I’ll be honest, I’m not necessarily against this, as so many 18 year olds are coming out of public schools utterly irresponsible, and any criminal records they have are probably sealed from being a minor. Personally, I’d go for a 2 week waiting period for any rifle, giving the background check a chance, and, perhaps a two month period for those who are 18. Maybe require a safety class. What the House Democrats are doing, though, is not going to happen

House votes to raise minimum age to buy semi-automatic rifles to 21

The House voted Wednesday to raise the minimum age to buy semi-automatic rifles from 18 to 21, as part of a package of gun bills in response to a horrific spate of mass shootings across the country.

The vote was 228-199, mostly along party lines, with nearly all Democrats voting “yes” and all but a small group of Republicans voting “no” on retaining the policy in a larger gun package.

The age provision is part of the Protecting Our Kids Act, legislation written by Democrats and slated for a final House vote Wednesday night. Party leaders broke the package up into individual votes for specific proposals to pressure Republican lawmakers who are resistant to toughening gun laws.

“Why? Why would someone be against raising the age so that teenagers do not have AK-47s?” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Wednesday at an event with advocates seeking to reduce gun violence. “Yes, they say mental health issues. Yes, we want to address mental health issues. Other countries have mental health issues. They don’t have a gun violence epidemic.”

Why? Well, because, as usual, Democrats went too far

(Newsweek) Republicans who spoke against the legislation said it was an overreach by the federal government.

“The bill raises the legal age of gun ownership to 21,” Minnesota Representative Michelle Fischbach said on the floor. “This provision is very likely unconstitutional.”

Kentucky Representative Thomas Massie said the provision would raise the age to buy a long gun, including rifles and shotguns, to 21, which he called “immoral” and unconstitutional.

“Why is it immoral?” he said. “Because we’re telling 18,19 and 20-year-olds to register for the draft. You can go die for your country. We expect you to defend us, but we’re not going to give you the tools to defend yourself and your family.”

Yeah, see, it wasn’t just scary looking rifles, ie, assault rifles, it was pretty much all. This has little chance of passing the Senate, and, if it somehow does, it will end up in federal court, and, really, it should go straight to the Supreme Court, as the Congress has no authority to set the age. That is left up to the States.

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Posted in 2nd Amendment, Democrats | 19 Comments | Trackback URL

John Kerry Is 100% Against Building New Fossil Fuels Infrasctucture

By William Teach June 9, 2022 – 7:15 am

This is a guy running around the world on fossil fueled airplanes, including his own private jet, plus, you can bet he is ferried around in a big limo with security fossil fueled SUVs around him

John Kerry: ‘We Have to Push Back Hard’ on Efforts to Build New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure in Response to Rising Gas Prices

John Kerry, the U.S. special presidential envoy for climate change, warned Tuesday that the war in Ukraine could undermine international progress to cut carbon emissions.

“You have this new revisionism suggesting that we have to be pumping oil like crazy, and we have to be moving into long term [fossil fuel] infrastructure building, which would be absolutely disastrous,” Kerry said, speaking on June 7 at the TIME 100 Summit in New York City. “We have to push back, and we have to push back hard.”

Kerry characterized the rising energy prices caused by the conflict as a destabilizing force that could affect U.S. resolve, both in its support of Ukraine, and efforts to cut carbon emissions. “It will change politics. And that’s probably exactly what Putin wants,” Kerry said, speaking to TIME Senior Correspondent Justin Worland. “We have to stand strong and fight back.”

He’s not paying for the fuel for his travels. He was just in Bonn, Germany. Did he take a sailing ship back to NYC? What will happen is that it will be mostly the rich folks who will be able to afford fossil fuels, while the rest of us will suffer. It’s typical tone deaf elitist climate cultist garbage Kerry is spewing. I still say the GOP should introduce legislation restricting any elected official in the federal government, along with appointees, along with their staffs, from taking fossil fueled trips on the taxpayer dime as long as 87 gas is above $3.00 a gallon.

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Posted in Climate Cult, Global Warming | 13 Comments | Trackback URL
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