I HOPE: “70 Is the New 60”: Groundbreaking Study Redefines Aging.

IN OTHER WORDS, IT’S COLD & FLU SEASON: Viruses spiking in the United States as peak season arrives in winter.

NICE TO SEE SOMEONE NOTICE:

Over the last few years many people have questioned the “Special Relationship”we have with the US and spoken awfully about Trump.

How ironic as we can now clearly see that two Americans, Trump and Musk, care more about us all and our country than our governments have for…

— Rael Braverman (@raelbrav) January 3, 2025

HMM: The Biggest Winners and Losers in Auto Sales in 2024.

WHICH IS GOOD, BECAUSE IF YOU PUT THE STATE IN CHARGE OF THINGS, THOSE THINGS TEND TO SUCK: Maj Toure: The State Isn’t In Charge of Gun Safety, We The People Are.

THIS IS A REALLY INTERESTING POINT AND I MAY WRITE SOMETHING ON THIS:

I think overall people are less easily fooled now than they were in the past. Part of the disintegration of a cohesive society is the result of this awakening. I really hope it leads somewhere good. I worry that it won’t.

— Seán Ono Lennon (@seanonolennon) January 3, 2025

SKYNET SMILES: Robots can now walk through muddy and slippery terrain, thanks to moose-like feet.

WE NEED TO PAY MORE ATTENTION TO VULCANISM, THOUGH ASTEROIDS ARE PROBABLY EASIER TO DEAL WITH THAN VOLCANOES: ‘Mystery volcano’ that erupted and cooled Earth in 1831 has finally been identified.

ANOTHER “PUBLIC HEALTH” TRIUMPH! Preparing for a pandemic that never came ended up setting off another − how an accidental virus release triggered 1977’s ‘Russian flu.’ “Although exactly how such an accidental release may have occurred during a vaccine trial is unknown, there are two leading possibilities. First, scientists could have used the resurrected H1N1 virus as their starting material for development of a live, attenuated H1N1 vaccine. If the virus in the vaccine wasn’t adequately weakened, it could have become transmissible person to person. Another possibility is that researchers used the live, resurrected virus to test the immunity provided by conventional H1N1 vaccines, and it accidentally escaped from the research setting. Whatever the specific mechanism of the release, the combination of the detailed location and timing of the pandemic’s origins and the stature of Chu and Palese as highly credible sources combine to make a strong case for an accidental release in China as the source of the Russian flu pandemic virus.”

So it was a Chinese lab leak. Sorry, but we need a complete and total halt to all virology research in China until we figure out what the hell is going on.

“DO THE LETTERS F.O. MEAN ANYTHING TO YOU?” Indiana U. students required to ‘reflect’ on how their privilege oppresses ‘subordinate groups.’

BUT OF COURSE: UC Santa Barbara offered over $400k in salary for DEI administrator role.

“BIDEN” ISN’T DOING ANYTHING, BUT ANONYMOUS GUYS WITH LANYARDS IN THE WEST WING ARE: Is Biden Teeing Up an Iran War for Trump?

PREFERENCE FALSIFICATION FAIL:

It looks like Good Morning Britain's @GMB poll blew up in their face.

Nearly two-thirds of Brits welcome @elonmusk's involvement in UK politics. pic.twitter.com/P98dPgl62R

— David Atherton (@DaveAtherton20) January 4, 2025

CHEERY HEADLINE OF THE DAY: ‘We’re in Trouble’: Miami DEI Leader Says State Policies Left the Industry in Freefall.

YES.

It is now illegal to show your ID even in local elections in California. The reason they’re doing this is to make voting fraud unprovable.

🤡🌎 https://t.co/jPTvrRWmmz

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 3, 2025

Flashback: Who are You? Voter ID law and election integrity should be top priority in new Congress. Congress has the power to require photo ID for all federal elections, state law to the contrary notwithstanding, under its constitutional power to regulate the times, places, and manner of voting. Courts have consistently upheld this despite Democrats’ smoke-blowing. And a huge majority of Americans support it. There’s literally no reason not to do this.

And I’m pretty sure Congress has the power to require ID even in local elections under its 14th and 15th amendment powers.

THEY’RE ALWAYS LIKE THIS: ‘Very Wasteful’: Hochul Flogs Climate-Change Policies While Spending $400K on Private Jet Flights.

HIGHER EDUCATION BUBBLE UPDATE: Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey hit with trigger warnings by university for ‘distressing’ content: University of Exeter under fire for telling students they may ‘encounter content they may find uncomfortable’ studying Greek mythology.

OPEN THREAD: Another wild Saturday night here!

THE NEW SPACE RACE: Blue Origin is expected to launch its 1st New Glenn rocket next week, but when?

DIDN’T WANT TO BE PHOTOGRAPHED NEXT TO GEORGE SOROS AND HILLARY CLINTON? Lionel Messi snubs Joe Biden and glitzy White House ceremony after being awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Related: Liz Cheney looks so uncomfortable receiving this medal from President Biden.

To be fair, she should look uncomfortable being Liz Cheney.

MONTEZUMA’S REAL REVENGE: Study Confirms: Syphilis Was Active in The Americas Long Before Columbus.

THAT COULD BE GOOD OR BAD: AI Could Predict and Sell Your Desires Before You Know Them.

THE COMING ANTIPODAL LAND RUSH: “The president’s trip was meant to reinforce Chile’s claim to sovereignty in part of Antarctica.” Various nations’ claims in Antarctica (including U.S. claims) are just “suspended” by the Antarctic treaty, not extinguished.

UPDATE: My mistake: “While the United States maintains a basis to claim territory in Antarctica, it has not made a claim.”

I WANT TO KNOW HOW MANY MEMBERS OF CONGRESS SHORTED THOSE STOCKS BEFORE IT WAS RELEASED: Alcohol stocks tumble after US surgeon general warns of cancer risks and pushes for warning label.

PLUG-IN HYBRIDS ARE THE WAY TO GO: We Blast Past the Prius Prime’s Claimed Electric Range. How Far Did Our PHEV Go? What it’s like to take Toyota’s plug-in hybrid Prius to its outer range limits.