Comments:
remus (at) woodpilereport.com
Policy
Ol' Remus offers his opinions as-is, where is. He rarely cites support for his opinions so they are, in that sense, unwarranted. He comes by them largely by having lived and watched and listened rather than by argument or persuasion. His opinions, not having been arrived at by debate are, therefore, not particularly vulnerable to debate. He entertains opposing opinion but he feels no inclination, much less obligation, to discuss or defend his own. Whatever usefulness or amusement readers may find in them is their own business.
Woodpilereport.com is an entirely private information service that is my sole property made available to others as a form of free personal expression under my de jure Preamble Citizen’s right as later guaranteed in the First Article in Amendment to the Constitution. Woodpilereport.com is not a “public accommodation” and it is preemptively exempt from any forced or coerced accommodation, via legislation or bureaucratic interpretation thereof or any dictate, directive, or decree by any agency of government or by any NGO or by any individual under any future “Fairness Doctrine” or similar charade. I reserve the right to refuse service - to wit: to refuse posting, linking, or mention of anyone or anything, at my sole discretion - to any person, agency, corporation, or other entity.
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Although the sentiment warms Remus's tiny little heart, Woodpile Report has no mechanism for receiving donations or gifts, nor does he accept them by subterfuge.
Woodpile Report does not maintain an archive. Some issues linger on the server until Remus gets around to deleting them. Don't confuse Woodpile Report with a blog. It isn't. It's an olde tymme internet site made by hand and archives are a dispensable chore.
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Privacy
Here at Yer ol' Woodpile Report all incoming email is automatically detected and deleted by instantaneously disconnecting before it arrives. Taking no chances, a clever device shreds Remus's hard drive into nanosize filaments and sinters them into a bust of Chopin. Meanwhile, from a hardened and very remote location, he sends a bot that deletes said email on your end by tricking your PC into self-immolation. Other devices vaporize every ISP that handled it and beam the resulting plasma into deep space. Then he sends a strike team of armed pre-med students to administer a prefrontal lobotomy so you can't remember your own birthday much less writing him an email. Finally, all persons in your zip code with the same last name as yours are put into the witness protection program. Now that's privacy.
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Disclaimer
The content of Woodpile Report is provided as general information only and is not be taken as investment advice. Aside from being a fool if you do, any action that you take as a result of information or analysis on this site is solely your responsibility.
Links to offsite articles are offered as a convenience, the information and opinion they point to are not endorsed by Woodpile Report.
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You may copy and post an original article without prior permission if you credit the Woodpile Report, preferrably including a link. You may copy and post an original photo in a non-commercial website without prior permission if you credit the Woodpile Report .
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Where the name came from
What's with the title Woodpile Report? Well, it's this way, from January of 2004 until mid-2007 it was emailed to a subscibers list. In that form it was titled the Woodpile Weather Report. A picture of ol' Remus's woodpile appeared at the top as both a weather report and, by documenting the progression from log pile to chunkwood to a split 'n stacked woodpile, a witness to the seasonal changes. It was the thin thread from which comments hung. As thrilling as all that was, the comments metastasized and took over. But the title remains.
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Regime-speak
You're about to be lied to when they say-
a hand up
a new study shows
a poll by the highly respected
a positive step
are speaking out
arguably
arsenal
at some level
at-risk communities
best practices
broader implications
challenge
climate change
collectively
commonsense solutions
comprehensive reform
cycle of poverty
cycle of violence
demand action
denier
disenfranchised
disparate impact
disproportionately
diverse backgrounds
divisive
economically disadvantaged
embattled
emerging consensus
empower
enhance
evidence shows
experts agree
extremist
fair share
fiscal stimulus
fully funded
give back
giving voice to
greater diversity
growing support for
gun violence
hater
have issues
high capacity magazine
history shows
impacted by
impactful
in denial
inappropriate
inclusive environment
insensitivity
investing in our future
linked to
making a difference
making bad choices
marginalized
marriage equality
mean spirited
most vulnerable
mounting opposition to
multicultural
non-blaming
nonjudgmental
non-partisan, non-profit
not value neutral
not who we are
nuanced
off our streets
on some level
oppressed minorities
our nation's children
outreach
people of color (sometimes, colour)
poised to
poor and minorities
positive outcome
potentially
progressive
public/private partnership
raising awareness
reaching out
reaffirm our commitment to
redouble our efforts
research tells us
root cause
sends a message
shared values
social justice
solidarity with
sow discord
speaking truth to power
stakeholders
statistics show
sustainable, sustainability
the American People
the bigger issue is
the failed ...
the larger question is
the more important question is
the reality is
the struggle for
too many
too often
touched by
underserved populations
undocumented immigrant
unpack
value neutral
vibrant community
voicing concern
war on ...
working families
. . . . .
Hypercorrectness
You know who the media means by not saying who they mean when they say -
at-risk students
gang-related
gangbanger
low-income students
mob and rob
mobbing up
pack of teens
rival gang members
roving group
swarm mob
teen gang
teen mob
teen thugs
troubled youths
unarmed teen
unruly crowd
urban youths
young people
young men
youth violence
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Tactics of the Left
Saul Alinsky's Rules for Radicals
Power is not only what you have, but what the enemy thinks you have
Never go outside the experience of your people.
Whenever possible, go outside the experience of the enemy.
Make the enemy live up to its own book of rules.
Ridicule is man's most potent weapon
A good tactic is one your people enjoy.
A tactic that drags on for too long becomes a drag.
Use different tactics and actions and use all events of the period.
The threat is more terrifying than the thing itself.
Maintain a constant pressure upon the opposition.
If you push a negative hard and deep enough, it will break through into its counterside.
The price of a successful attack is a constructive alternative.
Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, polarize it.
. . . . .
How To Create A Socialist State
by Saul Alinsky
1) Healthcare — Control healthcare and you control the people
2) Poverty — Increase the Poverty level as high as possible, poor people are easier to control and will not fight back if you are providing everything for them to live.
3) Debt — Increase the debt to an unsustainable level. That way you are able to increase taxes, and this will produce more poverty.
4) Gun Control — Remove the ability to defend themselves from the Government. That way you are able to create a police state.
5) Welfare — Take control of every aspect of their lives (Food, Housing, and Income).
6) Education — Take control of what people read and listen to — take control of what children learn in school.
7) Religion — Remove the belief in the God from the Government and schools.
8) Class Warfare — Divide the people into the wealthy and the poor. This will cause more discontent and it will be easier to take (Tax) the wealthy with the support of the poor.
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Moscow Rules
via the International Spy Museum
Assume nothing.
Never go against your gut.
Everyone is potentially under opposition control.
Don't look back; you are never completely alone.
Go with the flow, blend in.
Vary your pattern and stay within your cover.
Lull them into a sense of complacency.
Don't harass the opposition.
Pick the time and place for action.
Keep your options open.
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Rules of Disinformation
via Proparanoid
Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil
Become incredulous and indignant
Create rumor mongers
Use a straw man
Sidetrack opponents with name calling, ridicule
Hit and Run
Question motives
Invoke authority
Play Dumb
Associate opponent charges with old news
Establish and rely upon fall-back positions
Enigmas have no solution
Alice in Wonderland Logic
Demand complete solutions
Fit the facts to alternate conclusions
Vanish evidence and witnesses
Change the subject
Emotionalize, antagonize, and goad
Ignore facts, demand impossible proofs
False evidence
Call a Grand Jury, Special Prosecutor
Manufacture a new truth
Create bigger distractions
Silence critics
Vanish
Remus's antidote: tell the truth as plainly as you can. Humor helps.
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The Five Stages of Collapse
Dmitry Orlov
Financial Collapse. Faith in "business as usual" is lost.
Commercial Collapse. Faith that "the market shall provide" is lost.
Political Collapse. Faith that "the government will take care of you" is lost.
Social Collapse. Faith that "your people will take care of you" is lost.
Cultural Collapse. Faith in the goodness of humanity is lost.
. . . . .
The Five Rules of Propaganda
Norman Davies
Simplification: reducing all data to a single confrontation between ‘Good and Bad', ‘Friend and Foe'.
Disfiguration: discrediting the opposition by crude smears and parodies.
Transfusion: manipulating the consensus values of the target audience for one's own ends.
Unanimity: presenting one's viewpoint as if it were the unanimous opinion of all right-thinking people: drawing the doubting individual into agreement by the appeal of star performers, by social pressure, and by ‘psychological contagion'.
Orchestration: endlessly repeating the same messages in different variations and combinations.”
. . . . .
The Psychology of Cyber Attacks
Robert Cialdini
via securityintelligence.com
Principle of Liking - people tend to form trust with those they’re attracted to, both physically and emotionally
Social Proof - People are motivated more by what others do than a perceived or even quantifiable benefit
Rule of Reciprocation - Humans feel a sense of obligatory quid pro quo
Commitment & Consistency - Most people stick with their original decisions despite information that supports changing their course
Principle of Authority - Authority, whether real or perceived, elicits obedience in many people
Principle of Scarcity - People want to be included in exclusive offers and often make poor choices under pressure
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How to prosecute anybody
Look around for "suspicious" behavior, i.e., behavior on the part of a private citizen that can be made to appear suspicious
Ruthlessly probe every element of the "suspect's" life, using the effectively infinite resources of the State, until enough "suspicious" behavior has been amassed
Assemble a huge list of charges to place before a grand jury
Present the case in such a fashion as to promote the less plausible accusations and obscure the more plausible ones, thus securing a grab-bag indictment
Offer the indicted person a plea bargain that will spare him centuries in prison and complete pauperization at the bargain price of a few years and/or a few thousand dollars.
Francis Porretto
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Overused Military Sayings
Task & Purpose
Long pole in the tent
Oh and by the way
And getting blown up/shot could ruin your whole day
Bottom line up front
Zero dark hundred/ zero dark thirty
All of us are smarter than any of us
Been there, done that, got the t-shirt
OBE
Standby to standby
That’s not in your seabag
Hurry up and wait
Too easy
Only easy day was yesterday
You get what you inspect
Needs of the [service]
Ship, shipmate, self
Full spectrum
Slow is smooth, smooth is fast
Boots on the ground
Lackadaisical attitude
Soup sandwich
Warmy fuzzy
Shut up and color
Stay in your lane
Show me your war face
Just to piggyback on what the CO said
High speed, low drag
Dog and pony show
Shit hot
We got a lot of moving parts here
Break break
Are you tracking?
It would behoove you
Martin Heade, Dawn, 1862
Like Frederic Church, Heade was influenced by von Humboldt's vision of art as interconnected with philosophy and science. He did not find success during his lifetime but was rediscovered during the post-war revival of nineteenth century American art. Heade died in 1900 at age 73.
Charles Smith at Of Two Minds has posted
strategies for surviving tough times. He does not claim to deal with a collapse of civilization, but rather the slower and uneven "devolution" he sees as more likely. He advises developing multiple skillsets and social networks, cutting expenses and relying on health and social wealth.
Mr. Smith is not just one of my regular reads, he's one of those few I often reread. His particular "take" on events is worth close attention, always well thought out and grounded in fact. However, he's not talking about survival, he's talking about enduring tough times. To this end he suggests avoiding extreme preps as "predicated on a decisive 'end of the world as we know it'".
I believe he's an optimist.
Being a generous nice guy with community connections is not a viable strategy for surviving the emerging catastrophe. And emerging it is. Understand what we're looking at. Shopping became raiding as the collapse visibly accelerated. Civic compliance is being quietly withdrawn
No one "survived" the Great Depression any more than they "survived" the good times. They bore up, endured and got through. People "survived" real catastrophes; Genghis Khan and the Golden Horde or the homicidal slave labor camps of the last century.
Survivalism is unpleasant and difficult, but it's the only alternative in unpleasant and difficult times. It won't be about becoming a handy, well liked member of a cozy little community. Open handed nice people with their Norman Rockwell settlements will be ruthlessly exploited and left for dead. Viable communities will emerge, but more like the Bielski or Forest Brothers woodland partisans, minus the antique politics.
Preparationalism—known as
Mr. Smith talks like a nineteenth century idealist with a stock portfolio. It would please me if he were right, but betting the other way is wiser. We ain't seen nothin' yet.
Next
Matthew Walther at The Week describes the decade ahead:
Here I think foreboding is justified. Trends that were worrisome long before we had heard of the new virus are accelerating to a point at which they are probably irreversible.
Next
Glenn Reynolds at Instapundit notes the quiet self-authorized reopenings and says,
Daisy Luther at Organic Prepper sees desperation setting in:
Next
The Association of American Railroads news release, May 6, 2020, via Trains Magazine, notes the catastrophic decline in rail shipments:
“Coal and autos were by far the worst-hit commodities in April, but declines spanned the industrial spectrum, hitting finished steel and steel scrap, chemicals, petroleum products, sand and stone, and much else."
If you've got it, it came by truck. But the trailers came by train.
Next
Fox news
British troops entered Cuxhaven at 14:00 on 6 May -- from now on all radio traffic will cease -- wishing you all the best. Lt Kunkel. Closing down forever -- all the best -- goodbye.
Next
Grace Vuoto comments at Western Journal about Land O' Lakes removing the Indian maiden
"under public pressure to stop using Native American images in a manner that might create a stereotype or appear to be derogatory".
Is being totally ignored or erased from public view really an improvement?
1950. Peter Pan magazine ad
Excerpt: Between the manufacturers’ supply challenges to distributors and retailers, state and local governments’ orders to shut down gun stores, and the broken background check system becoming so overwhelmed that it ceases to function, law-abiding Americans can never be certain that they’ll be able to buy guns when they need them most. The lesson here is to buy guns, ammo, and other essentials long before you actually need them.
Good information about potatoes, the indispensable crop, from the Urban Survival Site
Stuff you may want to think about
Synopsis with links
Leaving China, Forbes - Kearney's annual Reshoring Index showed U.S. companies are leaving China thanks to the trade war. They’ll leave even more thanks to the pandemic. The main beneficiaries of this are the smaller southeast Asian nations, led by Vietnam. And thanks to the passing of the U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement, Mexico has become a favorite spot for sourcing. China is the go-to source for ibuprofen, hazmat suits, rubber gloves, surgical masks, ventilators. Probably toilet paper, for all we know. How this is not a national security issue is something being raised by senators.
Richard Fernandez at PJ Media says:
1866. Bristol England
More stuff you may want to think about
Synopsis with links
1945. Munster Germany
Münster is a city of 314,000 in western Germany. The population in 1945 was about 120,000.
For adjusting your monitor
Notate Bene
We are fast approaching the stage of the ultimate inversion: the stage where the government is free to do anything it pleases, while the citizens may act only by permission.
Ayn Rand
. . . . .
Gold is the money of kings, silver is the money of gentlemen, barter is the money of peasants and debt is the money of slaves.
Traditional
. . . . .
If, before undertaking some action, you must obtain the permission of society—you are not free, whether such permission is granted to you or not. Only a slave acts on permission. A permission is not a right.
Ayn Rand
. . . . .
The smallest minority on earth is the individual. Those who deny individual rights cannot claim to be defenders of minorities.
Ayn Rand
. . . . .
Don't you see that the whole aim of Newspeak is to narrow the range of thought? In the end we shall make thought crime literally impossible, because there will be no words in which to express it.
George Orwell, 1984
. . . . .
There's no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws.
Ayn Rand
. . . . .
The socialist ideal eventually goes viral, and the majority learns to game the system. Everyone is trying to live at the expense of everyone else. In the terminal phase, the failure of the system is disguised under a mountain of lies, hollow promises, and debts. When the stream of other people's money runs out, the system collapses.
Kevin Brekke
. . . . .
When you see that in order to produce, you need to obtain permission from men who produce nothing; when you see that money is flowing to those who deal not in goods, but in favors; when you see that men get rich more easily by graft than by work, and your laws no longer protect you against them, but protect them against you … you may know that your society is doomed.
Ayn Rand
. . . . .
Because the regime is captive to its own lies, it must falsify everything. It falsifies the past. It falsifies the present, and it falsifies the future. It falsifies statistics ... It pretends to fear nothing. It pretends to pretend nothing.
Vaclav Havel
. . . . .
Injustice is relatively easy to bear; what stings is justice.
H. L. Mencken
. . . . .
We have reached a point of diminishing returns in our public life. Hardly anything actually needs doing. We may in fact be past that point; not only does nothing much need doing, but we'd benefit if much of what has been done were to be undone.
John Derbyshire
. . . . .
The hallmark of authoritarian systems is the creation of innumerable, indecipherable laws. Such systems make everyone an un-indicted felon and allow for the exercise of arbitrary government power via selective prosecution.
Ayn Rand
. . . . .
Tyranny is defined as that which is legal for the government but illegal for the citizenry.
Thomas Jefferson
. . . . .
When you are fed, there are many problems. When you are hungry, there is one problem.
NoPension at Zero Hedge
. . . . .
We have reached the stage where satire is prophecy.
Theodore Dalrymple
. . . . .
Political correctness is communist propaganda writ small. In my study of communist societies, I came to the conclusion that the purpose of communist propaganda was not to persuade or convince, nor to inform, but to humiliate; and therefore, the less it corresponded to reality the better.
When people are forced to remain silent when they are being told the most obvious lies, or even worse when they are forced to repeat the lies themselves, they lose once and for all their sense of probity.
To assent to obvious lies is to co-operate with evil, and in some small way to become evil oneself. One's standing to resist anything is thus eroded, and even destroyed. A society of emasculated liars is easy to control.
I think if you examine political correctness, it has the same effect and is intended to.
Theodore Dalrymple
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