Quote from: prime on Jun 01, 2026, 10:50 AMOhtar - The Empire of White Power
Quote from: prime on Jul 24, 2026, 08:22 PMQuoteWhen ant larvae of this species are fed woodpecker droppings, they can become infected with the tapeworm Anomotaenia brevis – and so begins an insidious cycle.
Infected ants start to change color, becoming pale yellow rather than their usual darker brown. They tend not to grow as big as their nest mates, and even start to smell different – in fact, they seem to emit pheromones that other ants interpret as being from a queen.
As such, the workers roll out the red carpet for the infected ants. They bring them food, carry them around, and groom them, to the detriment of the rest of the colony.
"At the molecular level, infected workers showed a profile that was partially queen-like."
These changes were linked to metabolism, the immune system, stress, and aging, which helps explain their longer lives and why other ants give them the royal treatment.
https://www.sciencealert.com/a-wild-parasite-makes-ants-live-longer-and-tricks-others-into-worshipping-them-scientists-finally-know-how
It's like a little French Revolution.
Quote from: prime on Mar 15, 2026, 08:50 PMQuoteThe biggest unanswered question about Batiste, of course, is why he decided, seemingly without provocation, to carry out such a barbaric crime spree in the first place. Was it purely a matter of greed—or was there something else that drove him? Was it possible, for instance, that Batiste was seeking revenge against banks because they wouldn't loan him money due to his criminal record (or perhaps the color of his skin), thereby derailing his real estate ambitions? "You'll never understand the frustration that can build up in a young black man trying to make it in this society," Albert told me. "And yes, Red had that frustration, not getting loans."
Albert also made a point of telling me that Batiste had grown increasingly upset over the years at police officers who randomly pulled him over, patted him down, pushed him to the ground, and jammed their knees into his back—simply because he was a well-dressed black man driving a nice Jeep. "He said they treat black people worse than they treat a damn dog," Albert recalled.
https://www.texasmonthly.com/true-crime/the-doting-father-who-robbed-armored-cars/
Quote from: prime on Jul 31, 2026, 10:14 AMQuoteTaxable income includes both active income, such as employment and business income, as well as passive income, such as capital gains, rents and royalties, interest, dividends, certain insurance proceeds, pensions, scholarships, grants, prizes and lottery winnings, etc. This list is not exhaustive; consequently, any income derived by a resident individual not falling within the above categories is taxable, unless a tax exemption is available.
Most items of personal income are taxed on a gross basis, mainly through withholding at source, whereas business income and capital gains are taxed on a net basis subject to certain conditions.
https://taxsummaries.pwc.com/estonia/individual/taxes-on-personal-income
22% rate. Seems saner although it is probably cleaner to tax rents at net.
Quote from: prime on Feb 22, 2026, 02:34 PMThere are three potential reasons for incarceration:
1. Punishment
2. Deterrence
3. Isolation
To this liberals add another one:
4. Rehabilitation
I separate punishment from deterrence because there is a sense among people that some things should have responsibility with them, namely if you cause pain you feel pain, and not necessarily as a deterrent so much as righting order.
To my mind, only #3 is viable. Revenge is futile, deterrence is proportionate to likelihood of getting caught, and they never rehabilitate except in a few isolated and quirky cases (the college student literally selling drugs to fund school because he has no time for a second job).
Under liberal influence from the 1960s through early 1980s, a lot of judges were lenient on crime, which gave criminals an extended vacation in prison to learn from other criminals. They often became more ruthless when they got out, including executing victims in order to avoid having testimony against them.QuoteA neighbor of Singleton's recognized the police sketch crafted from Mary's account and wasted no time contacting law enforcement. Nine days after the attack, Singleton was arrested and charged with attempted murder, rape, and a slew of other sexual offenses against Mary.
Despite being found guilty, he received a shockingly short sentence of only 14 years, and as he left the courtroom, he had some chilling words for Mary: "If it's the last thing I do, I'll finish the job," he whispered menacingly as he was dragged away.
Singleton was released just eight years later for 'good behavior.' Tragically, Singleton would go on to murder Roxanne Hayes, a mother of three, in 1997. When police arrived at the scene after a neighbor's call, they found him blood-stained.
https://www.themirror.com/news/us-news/chilling-case-woman-who-left-947876