Posted On: Saturday - July 4th 2026 8:09PM MST
In Topics: Music Curmudgeonry Americans Liberty/Libertarianism US Feral Government Holiday from Stupidity
(This might be the signing of the Constitution, a dozen years later.)
Peak Stupidity used the image above back in an early '18 post The founding of America - was it a fluke? We wondered:
Has there been any other time in history when the people have thrown off the yoke of their oppressors and turned the government into something much better, other than the founding of America? You could go back to the time of the Romans and even the Greeks and only then find something close in awesomeness. The closest things were probably the Glorious Revolution in England and other events in the land of the forefathers of our founders.In last year's Independence Day post, we explained:
Whatever we think we can do, let's not give up on it. Looking back and remembering our learning of the original Independence Day in elementary school, we just think of the wonderful end result as a given, and a nice F.U. from the American colonists desiring freedom to the British Lobster-back meanies. It wasn't at all a given. If we reflect more maturely on the scene, we can imagine the feeling of this moment as any man signing this might very well be signing his death warrant, with retribution coming not any longer than some ragtag army could hold off the most powerful military in the World.It's 250 years ago today, a quarter of a Millennium, when these brave men signed the Declaration of Independence. I can remember the Bicentennial (we'd probably write it BiCentennial now) 50 years back.
In today's world what would that mean? What happened leading up to July 4th of 1776 could be compared to current Americans who try to stay off the grid, accumulate guns and ammo, and who don't hold their tongues in blog posts, on twitter, and in podcasts and even (some) using their real names. Some may fight the system in small ways, not obeying the Kung Flu mandates 5 years ago, as a big, visible example, fighting tax bills, resisting REAL ID, what-have-you. A very few did wild impulsive things like fly planes into IRS buildings. None of it is even on the level of the Boston Tea Party. Anthony Fauci was never even tarred and feathered. (It's never too late!)
In today's world, what could we compare to that day 249 years ago, when men put their signatures, meaning, their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor, on the line? I'd say that's be akin to Americans making pacts to shoot back when the Feds come to take the guns, the gold, or even the kids. You put your name out there, and if things get to this state, you will be that same kind of target as those men who signed below back in 1776.
It's hard to separate out the curmudgeonry that comes with age from the march of history. HAVE things really gotten worse* for America? I'm pretty sure.
Back during the Bicentennial, Gerry Ford was still President, the high inflation hadn't been "whipped" yet, foreign cars (and motorcycles and cameras) were encroaching into the auto market, the Vietnam war had only been over for 3 years for Americans and 1 for the Vietnamese, there was too much of that silly Feminist business going on already. We posted 3 songs from that era the lyrics of which sound pretty worried - Paul Simon's American Tune - - Neil Young's Coming Apart at Every Nail and Merle Haggard's Are the Good Times Really Over?.
That was nothin'! The grievances Americans have against "their" US Government and the state of the union seem an order of magnitude larger now. (Make that 2 orders of magnitude, when it comes to financial matters!)
Even if it sure hasn't as a Constitutional Republic, I'm amazed that America as a polity has made it to the 250 year mark, a quarter of ONE THOUSAND YEARS. That's a pretty long time. Making it another 250, up though the half Millennium mark, as a going concern is not something I'd bet even a 2026 buck on.
Merle Haggard asked "Are we rollin' down hill like a snowball headed for hell?" It seems like it. Paul Simon said "We can't be forever blessed", and Neil Young sang "Hey, hey, ain't that right? The working man's in for a hell of a fight." America still had a lot going for it then, I see in hindsight. I didn't see what could be a problem at my age at the time. Could a young man today not see the direction we're heading?
I just continued writing after watching the fireworks that Founder John Adams predicted:
I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.The fireworks are as good as ever, but there are fewer men left in America that understand what it all was about.
A Peak Stupidity tradition, since ITS founding, has been to feature The Grateful Dead's US Blues every Independence Day. The song is only slightly political. I usually don't bother with what AI has to "say", but I liked this blurb that came up:
Cultural ImpactThis post aside, we'll try to stay upbeat here on this blog.
"U.S. Blues" is notable for its upbeat and carefree spirit, contrasting with the political turmoil of the 1960s and 1970s. The Grateful Dead used the song to celebrate American culture without engaging in political commentary, making it a staple in their performances. The song's playful nature resonates with fans, embodying the essence of the Grateful Dead's music and ethos.
Here was The Dead, just over 2 weeks before America's Bicentennial, singing the US Blues in the Capitol Theater in Passaic, New Jersey. Demographically, you won't see anything the kind of crowd present at the 50 year-ago show in '26 Passaic, New Jersey.
Summertime done, come and gone, my, oh, my.
The Dead didn't seem too keyed up in this one, but I included it due to the date, almost at 50 years back.
Oh, just in case the reader has not celebrated this Quarter Millennium yet, hey, be careful out there!
That is from Adam Smith's youtube channel. (Video description: "Dysgenic Fertility is America's Greatest Strength!") Thanks, Adam.
The comments under the last number of "US Blues" posts were great. I didn't even remember that just last year Alarmist and I talked about the term for a 250th anniversary.
* That question asked more generally was the subject of our very 1st Peak Stupidity post.
Comments:
Moderator
Tuesday - July 7th 2026 5:11AM MST
PS: I feel for you regarding the cat, Adam. I also thought about the poor kitten trying to get out, find some food anywhere, being just pure despondent for I don't want to think how long... a good portion of his short life. I have gotten over it, but it haunted me for a week or so. It was also not my fault directly, but then I could have searched the place better before I left.
They expect us to do the right thing for them and not make mistakes that they can't think their way out of. No, there's nothing you can do to reverse the mistake - that's what's the tragic thing. Of course, we have the same thoughts for our people-to-people mistakes, quite a few for me.
They expect us to do the right thing for them and not make mistakes that they can't think their way out of. No, there's nothing you can do to reverse the mistake - that's what's the tragic thing. Of course, we have the same thoughts for our people-to-people mistakes, quite a few for me.
Moderator
Tuesday - July 7th 2026 5:06AM MST
PS: Mr. Smith, I've read some about these Milgram experiments. I also read something about a somewhat similar experiment in the otherwise good, readable book (not sure I agree with the basic point though) called "The Nuture Assumption" by Judith Harris. Long ago, in my review, I discussed what I think is a mistake in interpreting one of these human psychology experiments.
https://www.peakstupidity.com/index.php?post=768
I wrote at the bottom of the review:
"Somewhere among the studies discussed in The Nurture Assumption, I remember one (neither the title nor authors, unfortunately) about a typical type of observational study in which Mrs. Harris agreed with a conclusion that I think is simply wrong. This is one of those experiments involving "ringers", people who are not subjects themselves, but seem to be to the real subjects. It was simple. The real subjects, who were adults, BTW, were asked a bunch of knowledge questions in a verbal manner, along with the ringers. At some point, some questions would be asked that the ringers would all answer wrongly, and the test was to see how that peer pressure would influence the subject, who should have known the correct answer. Most of the time, after a while, the subject would answer wrongly too.
The erroneous conclusion of the study, which Mrs. Harris agreed with, was that this was the result of peer pressure alone. There's a plenty good alternate explanation though. At some point, if you see smart people around you answering differently, depending on exactly how well you think you know the answer, you may just feel you are having a brain fart. You're not afraid to answer in opposition, but you just don't want to be derided as senile or under the influence, is all."
https://www.peakstupidity.com/index.php?post=768
I wrote at the bottom of the review:
"Somewhere among the studies discussed in The Nurture Assumption, I remember one (neither the title nor authors, unfortunately) about a typical type of observational study in which Mrs. Harris agreed with a conclusion that I think is simply wrong. This is one of those experiments involving "ringers", people who are not subjects themselves, but seem to be to the real subjects. It was simple. The real subjects, who were adults, BTW, were asked a bunch of knowledge questions in a verbal manner, along with the ringers. At some point, some questions would be asked that the ringers would all answer wrongly, and the test was to see how that peer pressure would influence the subject, who should have known the correct answer. Most of the time, after a while, the subject would answer wrongly too.
The erroneous conclusion of the study, which Mrs. Harris agreed with, was that this was the result of peer pressure alone. There's a plenty good alternate explanation though. At some point, if you see smart people around you answering differently, depending on exactly how well you think you know the answer, you may just feel you are having a brain fart. You're not afraid to answer in opposition, but you just don't want to be derided as senile or under the influence, is all."
Moderator
Tuesday - July 7th 2026 4:57AM MST
PS: Oh, I also read Mr. Derbyshire's article on the great decline of book reading. I am just glad the Mr. D. is still writing. I hadn't known for the last year and a half.
"The other big thing is, none of the US founding was possible without a base of high trust NW-European / British tradition. America is not exceptional, it's just an expression of the special genius of Western Man in new conditions (in addition to being clearly an Englightenment project). Even some civic nationalists, under pressure from Wokeness, want to completely divorce the Founding events from the people who did it, allowed it, and sustained it."
Would Steve Sailer (is he the guy who coined "Civic Nationalism? to begin with) be one of these? I don't think so. I think he gets that it takes mostly these certain kinds of men, Western, perhaps NW-Euro/British only, to maintain a 1st-World country. Perhaps, because he doesn't like conflict, he's OK with the numbers of others who are already here - whaddya', whaddya' gonna do? - and thinks we can hold on from here.
That Trump and the World Cup story was discussed recently in the #27 iSteve Community thread. That's typical Trump meddling in distractions. Maybe he'll shut up about soccer after last night's loss. I found some funny comments on ZeroHedge about soccer in general that I pasted in.
Let's see, under the previous post you indicated you might start writing again on your blog, right? Will you also chime in on threat #27?
"The other big thing is, none of the US founding was possible without a base of high trust NW-European / British tradition. America is not exceptional, it's just an expression of the special genius of Western Man in new conditions (in addition to being clearly an Englightenment project). Even some civic nationalists, under pressure from Wokeness, want to completely divorce the Founding events from the people who did it, allowed it, and sustained it."
Would Steve Sailer (is he the guy who coined "Civic Nationalism? to begin with) be one of these? I don't think so. I think he gets that it takes mostly these certain kinds of men, Western, perhaps NW-Euro/British only, to maintain a 1st-World country. Perhaps, because he doesn't like conflict, he's OK with the numbers of others who are already here - whaddya', whaddya' gonna do? - and thinks we can hold on from here.
That Trump and the World Cup story was discussed recently in the #27 iSteve Community thread. That's typical Trump meddling in distractions. Maybe he'll shut up about soccer after last night's loss. I found some funny comments on ZeroHedge about soccer in general that I pasted in.
Let's see, under the previous post you indicated you might start writing again on your blog, right? Will you also chime in on threat #27?
Moderator
Tuesday - July 7th 2026 4:50AM MST
PS: Mr. Hail, I read the 3 short Chronicles Mag articles. I was not AT ALL impressed with the first 2 writers. I'm glad they wrote good points about immigration at the ends of each.
The first article, by one Srdja Trifkovik, has the author so proud of Brits and Frenchmen deciding to enter war and get so many of their men killed or maimed:
"Nevertheless, when Germany attacked in August 1914, the fierce polarization of the preceding two decades was suspended in favor of national unity and determined defense against les Boches. France mobilized over 8 million soldiers during the war; 1.4 million were killed and 4.2 million wounded. Nearly 25 percent of all French men aged 18 to 30 died during the Great War. La Patrie took precedence over everything else. It was worth fighting and dying for."
I don't know about that...
The next guy, one Joe Scotchie, attempts to summary the mood of America during the Bicentennial, but is all over the map, well, not geographically because he fixated on New York City and the many bookstores they had there. WTH? He describes the neighborhood in NYC then the effect of shopping malls on Asheville, NC. (He completely missed the last 49 years, what with it being a retirement have, the hippy dippy arts folks, then big flooding, etc.)
Benjamin Osborne, the third guy, stuck to his subject of Birthright Citizenship.
The first two writers, Mr. Hail, make this mag/site look pretty bad. Reading Steve Sailer is such a pleasure compared to that. Back to him, he did have a significant portion of the articles he including in his book "Noticing" that came from Chronicles. I'd have to count later how many there were, of the 59 articles total.
The first article, by one Srdja Trifkovik, has the author so proud of Brits and Frenchmen deciding to enter war and get so many of their men killed or maimed:
"Nevertheless, when Germany attacked in August 1914, the fierce polarization of the preceding two decades was suspended in favor of national unity and determined defense against les Boches. France mobilized over 8 million soldiers during the war; 1.4 million were killed and 4.2 million wounded. Nearly 25 percent of all French men aged 18 to 30 died during the Great War. La Patrie took precedence over everything else. It was worth fighting and dying for."
I don't know about that...
The next guy, one Joe Scotchie, attempts to summary the mood of America during the Bicentennial, but is all over the map, well, not geographically because he fixated on New York City and the many bookstores they had there. WTH? He describes the neighborhood in NYC then the effect of shopping malls on Asheville, NC. (He completely missed the last 49 years, what with it being a retirement have, the hippy dippy arts folks, then big flooding, etc.)
Benjamin Osborne, the third guy, stuck to his subject of Birthright Citizenship.
The first two writers, Mr. Hail, make this mag/site look pretty bad. Reading Steve Sailer is such a pleasure compared to that. Back to him, he did have a significant portion of the articles he including in his book "Noticing" that came from Chronicles. I'd have to count later how many there were, of the 59 articles total.
Adam Smith
Monday - July 6th 2026 8:24AM MST
PS: Typo Alert!
awhile = a while.
I will be sad for a while.
(But I'll be better soon.)
โฎ๏ธ
awhile = a while.
I will be sad for a while.
(But I'll be better soon.)
โฎ๏ธ
Adam Smith
Monday - July 6th 2026 8:01AM MST
PS: Good morning, again, Mr. Hail,
Regarding Solomon Asch...
https://i.ibb.co/ZR7sTDWB/Conforming-to-Social-Norms.jpg
Solomon Aschโs original experiments exclusively used male participants. However, subsequent analyses and replications found that women were slightly more likely to conform than men, particularly in public situations where responses could be observed by the group.
Historically, studies indicate women conform more frequently in public settings than men. This is typically attributed to an emphasis on maintaining group harmony and avoiding social disagreement. (Psychologists generally agree that situational pressures (e.g., group size, unanimity of the majority) impact conformity levels more than biological sex.)
I have a hypothesis that I think explains the Asch conformity phenomenon as well as the Milgram (obedience to illegitimate authority) and Zimbardo (Stanford prison experiment, how institutional roles affects people's behavior) dynamics. It goes a little something like this...
I believe that (most) humans have been selectively bred for obedience to authority and conformity (tribalism?) for several tens of thousands of years. This has created a situation where many modern humans will administer what they believe is a lethal shock to a stranger just because a man in a white coat (or someone in a perceived position of authority) told them to. They will defy their own senses and beliefs to conform to a group of strangers, and they will brutalize "prisoners" simply because they were assigned the role of prison guard. (The guards in the Stanford Prison Experiment wore identical military-style khaki uniforms. Researchers gave them whistles, wooden batons, and mirrored sunglasses. The glasses hid their eyes which stopped eye contact. It made the guards feel anonymous and more powerful.)
Human self-domestication is an evolutionary hypothesis suggesting that Homo sapiens underwent a process of artificial selection. By favoring social cooperation, communication, and emotional control over reactive aggression, early humans inadvertently developed a "domestication syndrome" that mirrors the physical and behavioral changes seen in domesticated animals. (This is similar to, but slightly different than, my hypothesis.)
๐โ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐-๐๐๐๐ข๐-๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐...
Women, they say, are more likely to conform to the apparent consensus of the group to maintain group harmony and avoid social disagreement. (or something like that.) I believe that women have evolved to have a greater biological desire to maintain group harmony and avoid social disagreement because they have less physical strength and are smaller. (Due to the differences in size and strength women have adapted and evolved differently over the millennia. One could even argue that they really had no other choice but to choose different evolutionary strategies.)
Long story short, women are more likely to follow consensus, because reasons.
๐โ๐ฆ ๐๐๐ ๐ด๐๐ฆ ๐ถ๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐ต๐๐๐๐๐ก๐ก ๐ฃ๐๐ก๐ ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ก ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐ข๐๐ก๐๐ข๐โ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐กโ๐ โ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ก ๐๐ "๐.๐. ๐๐๐ก๐๐ง๐๐๐ โ๐๐" (to anchor babies and the children of birth tourists)?
Obviously, this is mere speculation as I do not know her or her reasons for voting the way she did. But, I think if we look at it through the Milgram/Asch/Zimbardo lens, and consider the evolutionary pressures that have created this greater biological craving for group harmony and cohesion amongst women, that it is unsurprising that she voted the way she did. (And sure. There are other differences involved that may help explain these phenomena and may, in fact, explain them better.)
This is not to completely discount Barrett's own upbringing and socialization. I'm not trying to imply that humans are simply a product of evolutionary pressures alone. Obviously there is nurture involved in this as well as nature.
Or something like that. I'm still a bit sleepy today, and it is one of those days where the words are not flowing as easily as they usually do. But I think you get the idea.
As you know, I fix and build computers. I fix equipment. Cars, trucks, tractors, backhoes, whatever. I do electric work and some air conditioning work. Even when I make mistakes doing the things I do, it is always something that can be remedied. Sure I might have to order some new parts or my time frame has to be extended a little. (Bust a bolt? No problem, off to the hardware store.) Sometimes, I'll blow an estimate. I'll say, sure, I can do that for $X. But then I find out that it takes me longer than I planned. So I have to eat a few hours of labor.
(I'm better at estimating than I used to be. I generally pad the estimate to allow for my natural tendency to think I can have a job completed more easily than it actually takes. (Hey, I'm an optimist!) This works out well because if I get it done sooner, or parts cost less, or whatever, I can simply charge my customer less than the quote. No one ever complains when I charge them less than I quoted them.)
I am, however, simply not used to my errors or mistakes leading to a fatality. Or even a situation where something is simply not able to be fixed or remedied.
I'll feel better soon, Mr. Hail.
(But I'll be sad for awhile.)
Anyway...
I hope you have a wonderful day!
โฎ๏ธ
Regarding Solomon Asch...
https://i.ibb.co/ZR7sTDWB/Conforming-to-Social-Norms.jpg
Solomon Aschโs original experiments exclusively used male participants. However, subsequent analyses and replications found that women were slightly more likely to conform than men, particularly in public situations where responses could be observed by the group.
Historically, studies indicate women conform more frequently in public settings than men. This is typically attributed to an emphasis on maintaining group harmony and avoiding social disagreement. (Psychologists generally agree that situational pressures (e.g., group size, unanimity of the majority) impact conformity levels more than biological sex.)
I have a hypothesis that I think explains the Asch conformity phenomenon as well as the Milgram (obedience to illegitimate authority) and Zimbardo (Stanford prison experiment, how institutional roles affects people's behavior) dynamics. It goes a little something like this...
I believe that (most) humans have been selectively bred for obedience to authority and conformity (tribalism?) for several tens of thousands of years. This has created a situation where many modern humans will administer what they believe is a lethal shock to a stranger just because a man in a white coat (or someone in a perceived position of authority) told them to. They will defy their own senses and beliefs to conform to a group of strangers, and they will brutalize "prisoners" simply because they were assigned the role of prison guard. (The guards in the Stanford Prison Experiment wore identical military-style khaki uniforms. Researchers gave them whistles, wooden batons, and mirrored sunglasses. The glasses hid their eyes which stopped eye contact. It made the guards feel anonymous and more powerful.)
Human self-domestication is an evolutionary hypothesis suggesting that Homo sapiens underwent a process of artificial selection. By favoring social cooperation, communication, and emotional control over reactive aggression, early humans inadvertently developed a "domestication syndrome" that mirrors the physical and behavioral changes seen in domesticated animals. (This is similar to, but slightly different than, my hypothesis.)
๐โ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐-๐๐๐๐ข๐-๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐...
Women, they say, are more likely to conform to the apparent consensus of the group to maintain group harmony and avoid social disagreement. (or something like that.) I believe that women have evolved to have a greater biological desire to maintain group harmony and avoid social disagreement because they have less physical strength and are smaller. (Due to the differences in size and strength women have adapted and evolved differently over the millennia. One could even argue that they really had no other choice but to choose different evolutionary strategies.)
Long story short, women are more likely to follow consensus, because reasons.
๐โ๐ฆ ๐๐๐ ๐ด๐๐ฆ ๐ถ๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐ต๐๐๐๐๐ก๐ก ๐ฃ๐๐ก๐ ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ก ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐ข๐๐ก๐๐ข๐โ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐กโ๐ โ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ก ๐๐ "๐.๐. ๐๐๐ก๐๐ง๐๐๐ โ๐๐" (to anchor babies and the children of birth tourists)?
Obviously, this is mere speculation as I do not know her or her reasons for voting the way she did. But, I think if we look at it through the Milgram/Asch/Zimbardo lens, and consider the evolutionary pressures that have created this greater biological craving for group harmony and cohesion amongst women, that it is unsurprising that she voted the way she did. (And sure. There are other differences involved that may help explain these phenomena and may, in fact, explain them better.)
This is not to completely discount Barrett's own upbringing and socialization. I'm not trying to imply that humans are simply a product of evolutionary pressures alone. Obviously there is nurture involved in this as well as nature.
Or something like that. I'm still a bit sleepy today, and it is one of those days where the words are not flowing as easily as they usually do. But I think you get the idea.
As you know, I fix and build computers. I fix equipment. Cars, trucks, tractors, backhoes, whatever. I do electric work and some air conditioning work. Even when I make mistakes doing the things I do, it is always something that can be remedied. Sure I might have to order some new parts or my time frame has to be extended a little. (Bust a bolt? No problem, off to the hardware store.) Sometimes, I'll blow an estimate. I'll say, sure, I can do that for $X. But then I find out that it takes me longer than I planned. So I have to eat a few hours of labor.
(I'm better at estimating than I used to be. I generally pad the estimate to allow for my natural tendency to think I can have a job completed more easily than it actually takes. (Hey, I'm an optimist!) This works out well because if I get it done sooner, or parts cost less, or whatever, I can simply charge my customer less than the quote. No one ever complains when I charge them less than I quoted them.)
I am, however, simply not used to my errors or mistakes leading to a fatality. Or even a situation where something is simply not able to be fixed or remedied.
I'll feel better soon, Mr. Hail.
(But I'll be sad for awhile.)
Anyway...
I hope you have a wonderful day!
โฎ๏ธ
Adam Smith
Monday - July 6th 2026 7:01AM MST
PS: Good morning, Mr. Hail,
I am sad because Mrs. Smith and I (accidentally) killed our kitten by treating her with frontline plus for cats. Apparently, she had an adverse reaction. She was so sweet, so cute and so little. I was not careful enough. I consider this a negligent homicide. This is my fault. (This was an unnecessary preventative. She didn't even have fleas. She simply did not need this poison applied to her.)
We treated both the cats on the evening of the third. I've never had a problem before. (Baby Girl is fine. She did not have an adverse reaction.) I found Miss Kitty out in the yard deceased with signs of poisoning (white gums, blown out pupils) about 14 hours after we applied the poison. I feel horrible about what I've done.
https://i.ibb.co/DH58yP2H/Miss-Kitty.jpg
I've lost pets before due to natural causes. I've taken pets to the doctor to be euthanized. I've had pets go missing, never to be seen again. These sorts of situations are always sad. This is the first time I have ever done something that directly led to the death of one of my animals. It is just hitting harder. She was so young, so sweet and turning into such a cool cat. I destroyed a beautiful little soul because of my negligence.
And that makes me sad. ๐ข
โฎ๏ธ
I am sad because Mrs. Smith and I (accidentally) killed our kitten by treating her with frontline plus for cats. Apparently, she had an adverse reaction. She was so sweet, so cute and so little. I was not careful enough. I consider this a negligent homicide. This is my fault. (This was an unnecessary preventative. She didn't even have fleas. She simply did not need this poison applied to her.)
We treated both the cats on the evening of the third. I've never had a problem before. (Baby Girl is fine. She did not have an adverse reaction.) I found Miss Kitty out in the yard deceased with signs of poisoning (white gums, blown out pupils) about 14 hours after we applied the poison. I feel horrible about what I've done.
https://i.ibb.co/DH58yP2H/Miss-Kitty.jpg
I've lost pets before due to natural causes. I've taken pets to the doctor to be euthanized. I've had pets go missing, never to be seen again. These sorts of situations are always sad. This is the first time I have ever done something that directly led to the death of one of my animals. It is just hitting harder. She was so young, so sweet and turning into such a cool cat. I destroyed a beautiful little soul because of my negligence.
And that makes me sad. ๐ข
โฎ๏ธ
Hail
Sunday - July 5th 2026 8:34PM MST
PS
What's making you sad, Mr Smith?
_________
By the way, Steve Sailer memorialized the publication of "The Wealth of Nations" a few months ago (printed, March 1776). I assume he was well aware of the active rebellion (April 1775 onward) ongoing in North America while the book was still being written...
What's making you sad, Mr Smith?
_________
By the way, Steve Sailer memorialized the publication of "The Wealth of Nations" a few months ago (printed, March 1776). I assume he was well aware of the active rebellion (April 1775 onward) ongoing in North America while the book was still being written...
Adam Smith
Sunday - July 5th 2026 8:16PM MST
PS: Good evening, Mr. Hail...
Re: Adam Smith and Solomon Asch
I read your message, a couple clicks back.
I have a few things to say about this.
(But yes. I agree.)
But, I'm very tired tonight. (*tired = sad)
Please, let's revisit this soon.
Thank you.
Happy Independence Day (or whatever this is).
Cheers!
โฎ๏ธ
Re: Adam Smith and Solomon Asch
I read your message, a couple clicks back.
I have a few things to say about this.
(But yes. I agree.)
But, I'm very tired tonight. (*tired = sad)
Please, let's revisit this soon.
Thank you.
Happy Independence Day (or whatever this is).
Cheers!
โฎ๏ธ
Hail
Sunday - July 5th 2026 7:47PM MST
PS
World Cup:
- Norway (95% White team) defeats Brazil
- Mexico vs England (half of the team Black)
- Monday evening US vs Belgium. Today we hear that Howard Lutnick paid off FIFA to allow a US player, Black, with extremely dubious ties to the US (total family residency in the US during his upbringing: a few months), who'd gotten a one-game suspension for violent play (red card), to play on Monday evening.
World Cup:
- Norway (95% White team) defeats Brazil
- Mexico vs England (half of the team Black)
- Monday evening US vs Belgium. Today we hear that Howard Lutnick paid off FIFA to allow a US player, Black, with extremely dubious ties to the US (total family residency in the US during his upbringing: a few months), who'd gotten a one-game suspension for violent play (red card), to play on Monday evening.
Hail
Sunday - July 5th 2026 7:45PM MST
PS
The 250th anniversary pegged to July 4 is symbolic and not as meaningful as the mythologized version. To phrase it better, it's symbolic. Moves towards US independence, identity, and setting up of the new government should be distributed all over the period about 1760-1790. Nothing springs up from nowhere.
There's not necessarily reason to put July 4, 1776 far above other events of around that time, +/- about 15 years on each side, as if it's a Crucifixion or Resurrection moment from the New Testament.
I didn't know July 4 had been promoted aggressively really from the start (that John Adams quote) or that it has been celebrated every year since July 4, 1777, but that makes sense. It's it's a symbolic celebration to symbolize a long complex process covering a few decades so its exact meaning will have shifted, too. In our time, some people seem to render July 4 as a celebration of immigration per se.
The other big thing is, none of the US founding was possible without a base of high trust NW-European / British tradition. America is not exceptional, it's just an expression of the special genius of Western Man in new conditions (in addition to being clearly an Englightenment project). Even some civic nationalists, under pressure from Wokeness, want to completely divorce the Founding events from the people who did it, allowed it, and sustained it.
The 250th anniversary pegged to July 4 is symbolic and not as meaningful as the mythologized version. To phrase it better, it's symbolic. Moves towards US independence, identity, and setting up of the new government should be distributed all over the period about 1760-1790. Nothing springs up from nowhere.
There's not necessarily reason to put July 4, 1776 far above other events of around that time, +/- about 15 years on each side, as if it's a Crucifixion or Resurrection moment from the New Testament.
I didn't know July 4 had been promoted aggressively really from the start (that John Adams quote) or that it has been celebrated every year since July 4, 1777, but that makes sense. It's it's a symbolic celebration to symbolize a long complex process covering a few decades so its exact meaning will have shifted, too. In our time, some people seem to render July 4 as a celebration of immigration per se.
The other big thing is, none of the US founding was possible without a base of high trust NW-European / British tradition. America is not exceptional, it's just an expression of the special genius of Western Man in new conditions (in addition to being clearly an Englightenment project). Even some civic nationalists, under pressure from Wokeness, want to completely divorce the Founding events from the people who did it, allowed it, and sustained it.
Adam Smith
Sunday - July 5th 2026 7:21PM MST
PS: Good evening, Gentlemen,
Happy New Year!
Or something...
I hope this year brings good tidings and joy and happiness for all!
โฎ๏ธ
Happy New Year!
Or something...
I hope this year brings good tidings and joy and happiness for all!
โฎ๏ธ
Hail
Sunday - July 5th 2026 7:11PM MST
PS
You're right, Sailer occasionally is published there. He is not a regular. John Derbyshire, though, has recently been a regular a monthly columnist there (and nowhere else, that I know of).
"No Books, No Knowledge"
by John Derbyshire, in 'Chronicles,' April 2026
https://chroniclesmagazine.org/columns/no-books-no-knowledge/
Most of the heavy political-theoretical writing of Sam Francis in the 1990s found its home in this magazine, especially after the Washington Times terminated him for racism (September 1995).
You're right, Sailer occasionally is published there. He is not a regular. John Derbyshire, though, has recently been a regular a monthly columnist there (and nowhere else, that I know of).
"No Books, No Knowledge"
by John Derbyshire, in 'Chronicles,' April 2026
https://chroniclesmagazine.org/columns/no-books-no-knowledge/
Most of the heavy political-theoretical writing of Sam Francis in the 1990s found its home in this magazine, especially after the Washington Times terminated him for racism (September 1995).
Moderator
Sunday - July 5th 2026 6:34PM MST
PS: Thanks for the links, Mr. Hail. I'll check them out. Is this the Chronicles that Steve Sailer used to have articles published in, or something else?
Hail
Sunday - July 5th 2026 2:16PM MST
PS
At Chronicles magazine, some "1776 +250" retrospectives (one a direct "1776 +200" vs. "1776 +250") touch on some of the same points as this PS post:
- "America at 250: A Realist Assessment," by Srdja Trifkovic
https://chroniclesmagazine.org/online-feature/america-at-250-a-realist-assessment/
- "The America That Was, The America That Is," by Joe Scotchie
https://chroniclesmagazine.org/web/the-america-that-was-the-america-that-is/
- "Citizenship Cannot Be a Souvenir," by Benjamin M. Osborne
https://chroniclesmagazine.org/web/citizenship-cannot-be-a-souvenir/
At Chronicles magazine, some "1776 +250" retrospectives (one a direct "1776 +200" vs. "1776 +250") touch on some of the same points as this PS post:
- "America at 250: A Realist Assessment," by Srdja Trifkovic
https://chroniclesmagazine.org/online-feature/america-at-250-a-realist-assessment/
- "The America That Was, The America That Is," by Joe Scotchie
https://chroniclesmagazine.org/web/the-america-that-was-the-america-that-is/
- "Citizenship Cannot Be a Souvenir," by Benjamin M. Osborne
https://chroniclesmagazine.org/web/citizenship-cannot-be-a-souvenir/
The Nuture Assumption (27mb .pdf):
https://files.catbox.moe/g8mmod.pdf
https://tinyurl.com/yd6ywvrb
The Nuture Assumption Revised (18mb .pdf)
https://files.catbox.moe/xaihq7.pdf
https://tinyurl.com/aenme7yw
๐ด๐ก ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ก, ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ฆ, ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ก๐๐ฆ โ๐๐ค ๐ค๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐กโ๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐๐๐๐ค ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐, ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ก ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐๐๐ โ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ก. ๐๐๐ข'๐๐ ๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ก๐๐๐, ๐๐ข๐ก ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐๐ข๐ ๐ก ๐๐๐'๐ก ๐ค๐๐๐ก ๐ก๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ข๐๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ข๐๐๐๐, ๐๐ ๐๐๐...
Yes. But why?
I think you and I fall at the end of the spectrum where we would be less likely to conform. Less likely to defy our own senses. But, whatever this dynamic is, it is real. Many (dare I say most?) humans have (effectively) been selectively bred for obedience and conformity over many tens of thousands of years. And there are some serious implications downstream of this domestication process. (For lack of better terminology.) Without this biological tendency that many people have to obey illegitimate authority and to conform to the mindless herd the world would be a very different place. Events like the PanicFest would not be able to manifest here in meatspace without these deeply ingrained biological behaviors or traits or whatever we should call them.
(I think you get the idea.)
Regarding Miss Kitty... Thank you for your understanding. I'm only on day 4, so I'm still feeling pretty bad about this. Mrs. Smith and I are usually more in tune than this. We generally do not make mistakes of this nature. We failed to read the signs. This sort of negligence is out of character for us.
The universe gifted us with a tiny, fragile, beautiful kitten. I failed her. I didn't realize how fragile she truly was. I didn't realize what a beautiful little gift she was. Until she was gone.
Instead of being careful with this tiny, fragile, beautiful gift... I covered her in poison. I told her it was for her own good and that I would never hurt her. I just feel horrible. ๐
But thank you...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lR4cplC-ijE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7eivGcCr4w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRcSdOcUQPk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvQ2JRweUlk
โฎ๏ธ