Steve Holden's Blog

Near Real-Time Tracking

You can find out what I'm up to in near real-time via Facebook (sholden) and Instagram (@sholden).

Maybe more on BlueSky (@sdholden.bsky.social).

Less on X/Twitter (@sholden).

While I am not currently as engaged as I have been in the past, these AztecMedia.net produced sites are still out there: Chvrches Fan Podcast (@chvrchespodcast), ThePodCraft Beer Show (@thepodcraft, @techguysteve, Untapped, @techguysteven); Tech News Radio (@technewsradio), Air Gapped Networks (@airgapnet), Jersey Boys Podcast, and Veteran Stories.

... Updated: November 16, 2024 ...

20 Helpful Verification Tools for Journalists

This article offers a wealth of valuable resources, including "20 Helpful Verification Tools for Journalists."

 

 

What If FEMA Didn't Exist?

A thoughtful and well-researched analysis of the question: What if FEMA* didn't exist?

*FEMA = Federal Emergency Management Agency:

• Official Site
• Wikipedia

Tip - Taxes & National Debt Podcast

This Freakanomics podcast, "Ten Myths About the U.S. Tax System," is worth listening to if you want some great background on the current state of our National Debt and some suggestions on fixing tax policies.

 

1st Amendment Under Attack

Brian Krebs's article "How Each Pillar of the 1st Amendment is Under Attack" is thoughtful and well-documented.

Can You Develop & Sell A 100% American Made Product?

The Search Engine podcast does a great job tackling this topic in the episode "The Puzzle of the All-American BBQ Scrubber."

I ordered one and will post a review and photos once I get it.

Music Geekdom

One of my favorite podcasts - Sound Explorer - has a new thing they are doing with interviewing music geeks called Key Change.

The first version was with Sophie Thatcher, and the second was with Hanif Abdurraqib on The Clash.

As a big fan of The Clash, I enjoyed that podcast. The podcast with Sophie was also definitely worth listening to.

You can learn more about Hanif Aburraqib via:

• His 1968-2005  Playlist
• Lost Notes: 1980s
• Object of Sound Podcast

 

Truths vs. Lies

Mike Cosper (director at CT Media) recently pointed out in his podcast "The Bulletin - Gimme Some Truth" a paraphrase of this Kevin Williams quote -- "It takes 400 words to correct one stupid sentence."

A "lie" requires much "truth" to refute it.

And who has time for that? Especially when the lies per post on X or Truth Social are tens per hour. [Tracking Elon Posts - Tweets]

And if all people want to do is fight, bicker, and shout down each other, what is the point?

This is a key part of this podcast, "DOGE and the Mystery of the State Department Teslas" by Search Engine.

More news on the "Flood The Zone" strategy is going on.

 

Some Facts & Opinion About Ukraine & Current Foreign Policy Moves

Since many seem to be fast and loose about facts concerning Ukraine & American Foreign Policy, here are a few facts from the podcast "The Bulletin - Gimme Some Truth" & "The Bulletin - Acts Of Man" from Christianity Today:

• Russia started the war by invading Ukraine.
• The Russian leadership has personal internationally recognized sanctions leveled against them for their actions in this war.
• Russians have kidnapped Ukrainian children from their homes & families and are de-programing them during their imprisonment in Russia.
• Russians have committed war crimes against both soldiers and civilians during their invasion of Ukraine.
• Putin has ordered attacks against civilians, churches, hospitals, and civilian infrastructure (power, water, gas, transportation, etc.).
• America has not spent $350 billion on Ukraine.
• America has spent $183 billion in defense of Ukraine.  Europe (as a whole) has spent $202 billion:
  • 70% of the money has gone to American weapons manufacturers and the U.S. military (buying back stocks of armaments sent to Ukraine).
  • This means the U.S. Military is getting "new" armaments with a longer shelf-life.  If we hadn't sent the "old" armaments to Ukraine, we would have also had to pay to have them disposed of or sold to our other Allies (not guaranteed).
  • American weapons manufacturers have been increasing employment and infrastructure improvements in response to increased demands.
  • Keeping Ukraine in this fight causes Russia to continue to use up its resources (making it weaker).
• The Russian leadership has convinced the current North Korean dictatorship to send soldiers to fight and die in Ukraine.
• REMEMBER: The Russians were paying $200,000 for each dead American/Allied soldier during the Afghan War.  They paid out over $30 million during the war.

Here are my personal opinions:

• Putin and "Putinism" are a clear and present danger to the world order and peace. America should not create a "business deal" with this tyrant.
• Recent voting in the UN to not hold Putin accountable is morally outrageous.
• It is also ethically disgraceful and shameful to withdraw support to Ukraine and Ukrainian Refugees (legally protected) in America.
  • Deporting Ukrainians at this time is against Christian-values of hospitably and support of refugees.
    • If this annoys Putin, then so be it.
  • Freedom is not free.
• President Reagan was right with his "Peace through Strength" strategy.
  • Isolationism will not work.
  • The Cold War is still on.
  • We must check the Kremlin's objectives.
• America must support NATO and keep our agreements, commitments, & promises to Ukraine and our Allies.
• President Obama "kicked the can down the road" in 2014 when Russia illegally occupied Crimea.
  • Continuing this conflict is just an extension of that Putin land grab (which, if Ukraine falls, will include the Baltic States and, more than likely, Poland).
• The Russian propaganda machine is conducting "information warfare" against American citizens and leadership (deception, influence operations, false flags, cyber, etc.) to change, discredit, contradict, confuse, etc. facts and truths to match their false narratives.
• Canada, Mexico, Panama, Greenland, etc., are sovereign countries.
  • America should treat others as we would want to be treated. 
• President Zelenskyy is the war-time President of Ukraine.
  • He governs honorably within the laws of Ukraine and is not a coward.
  • He is a hero, a patriot, courageous, and a principled leader.
• Appeasement never works with a bully, blackmailer, or authoritarian leader. Did it work in 1938? No.
• China is watching our actions with Ukraine/Russia to determine what they are going to do with Taiwan. They are signaling they are willing to conduct both economic and kinetic warfare against America and the rest of the Free World to achieve their future goals.

Next step - watch "Darkest Hour: Never Give Up, Never Give In."

• "You cannot reason with a tiger when your head is in his mouth." - Winston Churchill
• Learn + Study + Practice + Act = Resist

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Composer Inna Zhvanetskay

I get this tremendously interesting weekly email of popular and new Wikipedia pages from the WEEKLYPEDIA from one week to the next.

This week, I opened up 10 new tabs to learn about.  One of them was the recent passing of composer Inna Zhvanetskay.

I listened to several of her compositions, and I like this one the best - 5 Haikus by TRIO Avance.