theAspenbeat.com,
by
Glenn Beaton
Original Article
Posted by
Big Bopper
—
4/1/2026 12:37:19 PM
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I once saw an unidentified flying object, or “UFO.” I was a passenger on a commercial airliner on an overnight flight. I awoke in the middle of the night, looked out the window, and saw a lighted object flying near the airplane. I couldn’t identify it.
The object kept perfect pace with the airplane, as if it was shadowing us. Once in a while, it blinked, as if it was signaling us. Maybe the blinks were an extraterrestrial form of Morse Code?
In my half-awake stupor, it thrilled me to realize that we are not alone.
theAspenbeat.com,
by
Glenn Beaton
Original Article
Posted by
Big Bopper
—
3/24/2026 11:14:07 AM
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This war with Iran is one that had to be fought, and so we were right to fight it on our terms at a time before it became harder to win. The way Iran has lashed out at civilians everywhere, including with indiscriminate killing machines it denied having, has confirmed that.
But I recognize that there are arguments and counterarguments. Some of those are just the lame “Orange Man Bad!” or “Orange Man Good!” type, but others are more principled.
theAspenbeat.com,
by
Glenn Beaton
Original Article
Posted by
Big Bopper
—
3/22/2026 12:10:09 PM
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Half a century ago, American children were taught in elementary school that “representative democracy” was the highest form of government.
Part of me wondered even then, why should everyone get an equal say in things? That wasn’t how it worked in my elementary school, I observed, even as they taught that creed. The students and the janitor didn’t get the same say as the principal and the teachers.
theAspenbeat.com,
by
Glenn Beaton
Original Article
Posted by
Big Bopper
—
3/19/2026 11:55:19 AM
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Given Iran’s half century of cruel barbarism in the Middle East, it’s hard to understand why the Democrats seem to be rooting for them in the current war. I have two theories.
One is the obvious one. The Dems are not so much rooting for Iran, as rooting against Iran’s enemy. Bad as Iran is, its enemy is even worse in the eyes of the Dems.
Iran’s enemy, you see – or at least the Dems see – has a history of its own cruel barbarism going back to at least 1619. Iran’s enemy has engaged in genocide against native people. Iran’s enemy has wrongly oppressed workers of the world
theAspenbeat.com,
by
Glenn Beaton
Original Article
Posted by
Big Bopper
—
3/15/2026 3:49:36 PM
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Electric vehicles are probably the vehicle of the future, but they are not the vehicle of the present. Let’s look at the numbers.
An EV uses about six cents of electricity to go a mile. That’s if you charge it at home with inexpensive residential electricity rates. It’s more if you use a charging station, and it’s more if it’s a large vehicle like a Rivian. And by the way, be prepared to leave it plugged in for several hours to get it charged.
Gasoline-powered cars use about thirteen cents of gasoline to go a mile, assuming gas is something over $3/gallon and you get something like 25 mpg.
theAspenbeat.com,
by
Glenn Beaton
Original Article
Posted by
Big Bopper
—
3/10/2026 11:54:46 AM
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Predictions are hazardous, especially about the future and especially about politics, but the best prediction right now is that the 2028 Republican nominee for President will be either JD Vance or Marco Rubio, and the Democrat nominee will be either Gavin Newsom or Kamala Harris. The ones not nominated for President will likely be nominated for Vice President.
Before we employ these people for these important jobs, let’s do what employers do: Let’s look at their resumes.
theAspenbeat.com,
by
Glenn Beaton
Original Article
Posted by
Big Bopper
—
3/7/2026 11:26:20 AM
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The argument against the war with Iran boils down to two points. The first point is that this war was initiated by the hated President Trump, and so it should be opposed. That point cannot be rebutted because it is not a point at all; it’s simply a reactionary expression of hate by people who scarcely bother to conceal their hope that Iran wins.
So, let’s move on to the second point.The second point is that we were able to handle Iran’s aggression for many years without going to war, and so we could have continued to handle its aggression for many more years without going to war.
theAspenbeat.com,
by
Glenn Beaton
Original Article
Posted by
Big Bopper
—
3/2/2026 6:26:52 PM
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Iran consistently promoted and sponsored terror throughout the Middle East and the world. They’ve been chanting “Death to America” for half a century. They’ve been working on a nuclear bomb for decades. Their radical Islami-fascist theocracy repeatedly vowed to wipe Israel off the map, because they believed Allah willed it.
War with Iran was therefore inevitable. The only question was when.
We could have waited for Iran to attack us. America’s unspoken policy over the years, after all, has been not to attack an adversary until the adversary attacks us first.
theAspenbeat.com,
by
Glenn Beaton
Original Article
Posted by
Big Bopper
—
2/24/2026 8:58:36 PM
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In his quest for the Presidency, Gavin Newsom has a few things to overcome.
First, he’s burdened with all that great hair.
Second, he’s the Governor of the State of California, which used to be a great-state-to-go-to, but is now a-great-state-to-be-from.
Third, he’s a victim of white privilege. I know, I know, white privilege is a privilege, not a liability. The problem, however, is that in order to run for President, he first has to win the Democrat nomination (notwithstanding the Joe Biden 2024 rule). Many of the people who vote in Democrat primaries see whiteness as a liability.
theAspenbeat.com,
by
Glenn Beaton
Original Article
Posted by
Big Bopper
—
2/18/2026 8:24:42 PM
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The modern world runs on energy. Petroleum products heat homes and power cars, airplanes and ships. Electricity runs computers and appliances, produces light, and powers an increasing number of cars and a few trains.
Electricity is a “high” form of energy which can be used for almost anything. The least efficient use is to simply route it through a resistive wire to generate heat. It does that very well, but it’s a waste of this high form of energy. As a source of heat, electricity is about as effective as rubbing two sticks together.
theAspenbeat.com,
by
Glenn Beaton
Original Article
Posted by
Big Bopper
—
2/16/2026 9:11:01 PM
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The latest rationalization from the Left for illegal immigration is that nothing is illegal in America because America itself is illegal because it’s on “stolen land.”
That’s a non sequitur. An illegal act does not become legal simply because the victim is a trespasser. If a stranger breaks into your house while you’re on vacation and illegally occupies it, it’s not legal for another stranger to enter the house to shoot the first stranger while he’s sleeping.
Besides, all nations are on “stolen land.” All of Europe, for example, is on land “stolen” from Neanderthals that “modern” humans killed or assimilated.
theAspenbeat.com,
by
Glenn Beaton
Original Article
Posted by
Big Bopper
—
2/8/2026 12:24:17 PM
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I wrote a piece last year firmly supporting the reintroduction of wolves into Colorado to share the mountain landscape with cattle ranchers. I’ve changed my mind.
My reasoning at the time was that wolves are part of the natural landscape here. They help the huge deer and elk herds by taking the old and weak out for dinner.
As a lifelong hiker and mountaineer, I also liked the mere idea of having wolves in the Colorado mountains even if I never saw one (and I never have). After all, they’d been here for millions of years until they were eradicated in the 20th century.
As for wolves’ occasional predation on cattle,