Of Little Consequence (9/23/26)
(Thought I try a new format inasmuch as Blogs are supposed to be concise and increasingly I am not. This will help you decide if you want to invest the full five minutes it takes to peruse this entire blog.)
Top Three Tags
Spoofers Look Very Official These Days
Islam vs. Islamism: Not the same
Greenland Deal Done
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Spoofers Look VERY Official these days.
On the infinitesimal chance one is not aware, here are a few tips that can save money and aggravation...
If you see your bank, credit card company, Amazon, Microsoft or any other company with whom you do business calling, and you aren't immediately expecting that call, do not answer your phone.
Forget about calls from your area code, Scammers are "spoofing" phone numbers so that the phone number shows up on your phone with the name of a big company even though they are not affiliated with it. Sometimes, it even shows the correct phone number even though they are calling from another number.
Only Contact Companies Using a Trusted Phone Number or Touchpoint.
If you get a voicemail or text message about an issue (such as "possible" fraudulent activity) or a text or email, again, do not panic. Call back from the number on the back of your credit card or your directory.
Don't Give Out Sensitive Information
If a text or phone call do break through (it happens), do not respond or give out sensitive information. Even if they may send you a text and ask for a security code sent to your phone. Yeah, they can do that now too.
Don't Fall for Urgency
Creating urgency is key for scammers. They make you worried. They want you to panic and take action without thinking. If there is fraudulent activity you've got plenty of time to clean it up.
Have a Family Code Phrase
With AI technology, even voices are being spoofed. Have a family code phrase among your family members that isn't published anywhere. Then, if someone calls using your loved one's voice as part of a scam, you can ask for the code phrase. If it isn't given, you will know it is not your family member.
Be Careful Using a Debit Card
Much easier for scammers to do real damage than with credit cards. Once they get your money, it's gone.
Find Out What Protections Your Bank and CC Provide.
Know how they will protect and make you whole if scammers do strike.
And bet on this - with AI things can only get worse.
A Difference...Not a Distinction: Islam vs. Islamism
Increasingly, two terms are used interchangeably and they most definitely should not be.
Islam is a monotheistic religion. Two billion people across the globe follow it. It is based largely on the teachings of the prophet Muhammed and was founded around 610 CE (after Christ). The Quran is its "bible". Fundamentally there are two sects - Sunni and Shia. Sunnis are about 95% of Muslims.
Islamism is the political ideology of Muslim terrorists and religious zealots. It holds that Islam, the religion, should control all public life, legal codes and political systems. It seeks to reorganize government and society to fit its core beliefs. What are they? Sharia Law and Rejection of Secularism, which means the Mullahs rule. Under Sharia Law, the rules concerning women's rights, gays, dissolution of marriage, inheritance, etc. are profoundly different from those in Christian nations. Think chopping your hand off for stealing and stoning women for infidelity. Okay, a bit extreme. Or is it?
The two terms, often conflated when it suits, mean two very different things. Islam, refers to a religion guided by love, respect and tolerance. Islamism is a sick justification for violence, terrorism and conquest.
Greenland Deal Done
The U.S. will now have permanent access, basing and overflight rights in Greenland and the ability to establish additional military installations as needed.
The deal bars China, Russia and other non-NATO countries from establishing military bases or maintaining troops in Greenland. It also restricts adversaries from investing in sensitive sectors that could pose a threat to U.S. national security.
Neither Greenland nor Denmark has veto rights.
This is a key to the Golden Dome Missile Defense System now in the works.
Continuing...
AI Update: Fuhgeddaboutit.
Every day I get about two dozen articles, editorials or blogs on AI. The best I can hope to do is pick a few that seem important or interesting. Just today I see AI-related articles on gene therapy, church sermons, notification mechanisms, renaming AI, CVEs - common vulnerabilities & exposures, drones, Muse (Meta's AI agent), US lead over China gone, White Swan AI investments and lord knows how many more.
Today, none seem particularly gripping to me or you.
Iran Update: No change.
I mean absolutely, undeniably no change. I can't even tell what to anticipate, except I saw $4.69 at the pump this morning.
Mr. Xi Goes to Washington
Dollar to a Donut nothing comes of it. Historically much ado about nothing.
There She Goes Again
Your favorite two-faced governor, Abigail Spanberger of Virginia, just reversed the state law banning transgenders from women's sports. Like to see how she'd react when a 6'4" man spikes a volley ball in her face.
Want More Jobs and Higher Pay
87% of US manufacturers say one step alone would help big time. First, they give big kudos to the Administration for cutting red tape so far, especially through EPA reforms.
Next...they say one improvement would yield huge benefits. STREAMLINE PERMITTING! Lengthy, cumbersome, very expensive permitting requirements for new business operations cause interminable delays and often forestall expansion plans entirely.
A thought...Why does Trump have to do all this? Why isn't Congress taking the lead? Never mind, we know.
This is Where It All Starts
Israel/America-hating Twitch streamer Hasan Piker is set to speak at a sold-out Cornell University event planned by woke student organizations. Experts warn the upstate Ivy League school continues to be a “hotbed of antisemitism.”
(The next quote is a bit long and most definitely vulgar but if you want to know exactly how Mr. Piker thinks...)
"Because I’m in the United States of America, the most dogshit country on the fucking planet, the absolute worst country on the planet, straight up, bar none. A capitalist shithole. The absolute worst fuckin’ place on the planet, just a horrific, monstrous, awful, dogshit country that I fucking despise. The absolute fuckin’ worst country that has the most—the most—wealth throughout history, throughout time, the wealthiest nation on the planet, and we don’t have a fraction of the dedicated broadband speed that you can get in a fucking village on the countryside of France. Okay? I just—the worst fucking infrastructure, the absolute biggest shithole on the planet, I fucking despise this nation. I despise this country with my entire fuckin’ heart. Okay?” (Livestreamed from his gorgeous pad in West Hollywood)
Articulate, no? Remember, this is the "bro" of El-Sayed who is running for the Senate in Michigan.
Off the Reservation...Not Just the Left.
A growing number of wealthy conservative donors are coming out with equally destructive, totally crank plans. Increasingly, cadres of influential conservatives can be heard espousing Hard Right themes. Not just Tucker Carlson and Candice Owens.
Here's a few... Preferred government “will not be democratic.” The state “will have unlimited means,” because “properly viewed, the state is not constrained externally.” “Women will not be permitted to choose career over family.” “Men will not be permitted to choose not to have a family.” The state will seize the assets of “any citizen who views himself as a global citizen.”
All this crap does is inflame the deranged and give sail to the Left's claims of Hitler and dictatorship.
What's next? RSA - Republican Fascists of America.
Comments