The day of decision

"But I will tell you who was not culpable. Not one bit. The taxpayers. They should not assume one dime of this mess. And I don't care if Joe Biden yells, screams, and calls the court "not normal". This dumb idea should have never gotten this far in the first place." 

This is it. The last day before SCOTUS goes on summer vacation. Seems they left the big kahuna for last. Really? Which one is that? Student loan forgiveness. The dumbest idea the administration has come up with since mandating a surcharge on loans, for those with excellent credit. But why would Joe Biden produce such a dumb idea on student loan forgiveness when he KNOWS he does not have the Constitutional authority to unilaterally increase our national debt by one-half trillion dollars? Votes. Pure and simple, votes.

There are literally hundreds of thousands of people out in the hinterland, who went to college, borrowed some money to complete their education, and then responsibly - paid it all back. There are also some people who went to a high-priced school, majored in Gender Studies, and are now working as a barista at Starbucks for minimum wage. Now the little twerp wants the taxpayers to bail him out. And Joe Biden, who does not know if it is Tuesday or Thursday, is all for it.

Just about every legal scholar I have heard on the news since SCOTUS took this case up, has reached the same conclusion. This idea will be DOA. No way, Jose! And Uncle Joe is going to be madder than a wet hen. Why? Joe thinks he is king. He thinks all our money is his money, to do with as he chooses. Sorry, Joe - that is not the way it works. We live in a republic, not a monarchy.

Should SCOTUS rule the way they should, what then? What happens to the barista with tens of thousands of dollars of unpaid school loans? First off, the person who took out the loan needs to pay it back. But here is something else to consider. The very expensive school that granted this nitwit a degree in Gender Studies, a field in which there are few if any, jobs - should pay for part of it. GASP! You are kidding, right Bird? Nope. The school was culpable in this mess also.

But I will tell you who was not culpable. Not one bit. The taxpayers. They should not assume one dime of this mess. And I don't care if Joe Biden yells, screams, and calls the court "not normal". This dumb idea should have never gotten this far in the first place. 

Today will be the day. Around 9am central time. Get ready. There will be moaning, wailing, and gnashing of teeth coming from the left. However, it will be the right decision. For those with large outstanding loans? As was said in the movie The Matrix - welcome to the real world.  

 

Cool, crisp, Canadian air - NOT!

"So that is our summer in a nutshell. Waiting for the late autumn snows to blanket the northern parts of Canada. Until that happens, a clean breath of air will be as rare as a Minnesota Viking Super Bowl victory. So, thanks Canada - thanks for nothing!"

Is anybody else ready to go to war with Canada yet? Remember the War of 1812? We went to war with our northern neighbors back then. But this is serious. The Canadians seemed to have lost the recipe on how to manage their own resources. Rather than practice good forestry management, with their hundreds of millions of acres of great woodland, the "greenies" have decided to leave the forests alone. You know - let nature take its course. Well, nature is taking its course. Almost one hundred million acres are on fire. And then we, in the United States, are paying the price for their negligent behavior.

Don't look now, but after going through the winter from hell, we are about to go through the summer of smoke. This smoke is going to be the killjoy on many summer vacations. In Minnesota, we can put up with a lot for a good summer vacation. Bugs, heat, humidity, storms, you name it. But not being able to get a clean breath of air? That is a whole different subject. Plus, there are unintended consequences.

Did you know that some cities are canceling fireworks on the fourth? And why this time? Smoke. They don't want to add to the smoke. They will either have nothing, or a laser show instead. And what about campfires? Just wait for that one. I would not be surprised if they were a no-no this summer. Good-bye smores! Maybe grilling will be next. Summer fun might devolve into sitting inside, having a TV dinner, and watching reruns of Yellowstone.

Somehow, with much of his country being on fire, Casto's kid found the time to take the family to watch the debauchery in the Toronto "Pride Parade". He should be on the front lines of one of the many fires, managing this mess. Why him? He is responsible for many of these fires. Sorry if that sounds cruel, but he is. He and his liberal friends in Canada. 

I miss going outside when a Canadian front has come through and taking a deep breath of that cool, crisp air. Not this year. Taking a deep breath of Canadian air can be hazardous to your health. 

So that is our summer in a nutshell. Waiting for the late autumn snows to blanket the northern parts of Canada. Until that happens, a clean breath of air will be as rare as a Minnesota Viking Super Bowl victory. So, thanks Canada - thanks for nothing!

  

  

"We are coming for your children..."

"Here is a news flash for the good Admiral as well as the rest of his/her ilk. The normal people, the ones who care about the children in this country, the ones who have more than a modicum of faith in the Almighty - have had it with 'Pride'."

Well, "Pride Month" is almost over. That is a blessing. However, the four-star Admiral in the Public Health Department, the transvestite named Rachael Levine, who still serves in Biden's inner circle, said yesterday that "Pride Month" was so successful, we should keep it going. Maybe call this summer the "Summer of Pride".  You have got to be kidding me!

The well-publicized Pride Day parade in the Twin Cities was similar to the ones in other parts of the country. For some reason, unknown to me, a few people actually took their kids to see this debauchery. It is true that many of the participants were well-behaved. Odd, but well-behaved. But there are always the few that insist on throwing it in your face. Coming either half-naked or fully naked. "Twerking" in front of the children. It was as if they were trying out for a part in Sodom or Gomorrah instead of celebrating "Pride". 

It was reported that some of the misbehaving few were telling the crowd, "We are coming for your children." I don't know about anybody else, but that sends chills down my spine. What exactly does that mean? Do they want to sexualize our kids? Turn them into some kind of sexually confused freaks? Destroy their faith in what is good and right? What does it mean?

It all starts so innocently. A Drag Queen doing story time in a children's library. Maybe some books for the kids to read which show different sexual positions with different sex mates. Some of those books are so graphic, they are not allowed to be shown on TV by reporters. The TV station could lose its license. But they are fine for kids to look at.

Admiral Levine wants to keep this going throughout the summer. Why not all year long? Fly the rainbow flag from the White House. Here is a news flash for the good Admiral as well as the rest of his/her ilk. The normal people, the ones who care about the children in this country, the ones who have more than a modicum of faith in the Almighty - have had it with "Pride". 

You leave our kids alone. If you want to practice debauchery, do it in your own home. If you want to be gay, that is your business. Don't make it our business. Because if you keep shoving it down our throats, you might not like what comes back up.   

 

The travel no-no

"But who cares about what is the old normal? Our new normal under the UN, Kerry, and Biden, and get rid of everything normal and fun, and race towards the bottom. Why? You tell me. Or ask Biden - that is, if you can decipher gibberish." 

Editor's note: After almost a week of roughing it, the Bird has a new computer. My posts will now look a bit more familiar than what I was posting! 

Beck reported on his show today, that the United Nations is considering a significant cutback on vacation travel. Wait - does that include John Kerry and his private jet? Of course not silly! This new rule is only for the poor and powerless. Beck reported, "If you want to visit Europe, you had better hurry.

Are you starting to get the picture on what life will be like once we are all subjects instead of citizens? Live in a small house, with very little land. Eat plant-based meat for meals. Don't drive an ICE car. Don't use an ICE lawnmower, chainsaw, or leaf blower.  Don't even drive your EV too much. Remember - batteries only store electricity - they do not produce any power. And we won't have enough power for everyone to drive an EV. And of course, do staycations rather than vacations. It is after all, better for Mother Earth.

This morning on the news, there was an article about NY getting rid of woodfire-based pizza places. The pizza establishment can either stop producing fire-cooked pizzas or put some kind of scrubber on the chimney which costs tens of thousands of dollars. But don't worry - we will continue to inconvenience ourselves for a theory, whereas China and India are going to town by continuing to burn coal.

But who cares about what is the old normal? Our new normal under the UN, Kerry, and Biden, and get rid of everything normal and fun, and race towards the bottom. Why? You tell me. Or ask Biden - that is, if you can decipher gibberish. 

From Russia, with loath

"This rebellion in Russia might be far from over. After seeing the mayhem and carnage that Putin has unleashed on Ukraine, my sympathies are not with Russia right now. I just want this war to end, and Putin tried for war crimes."

Oh that dirty little war. Remember that war? The one Putin started on Ukraine, which was supposed to have taken a few days. How is that war really going for Mother Russia? Let's just say poorly. How many troops has Russia lost in the past 16 months of carnage? Classified by the Kremlin. And what is up with this rebellion by the once loyal Wagner Group? I guess the conscripts in the Group did not like fighting without Moscow-supplied ammo. 

All of a sudden, the mean and powerful leader of Russia, who liked to ride horseback showing off his pecs, looks more like Walter Mitty. His BFF, who was heading up the Wagner Group, now looks more like Brutus with a knife than his long-time pal. And even though this ended well for the Group, Putin has been weakened beyond belief. Get ready for more of the same. A new king of the hill in Moscow is in the wings.

What does that mean for us? For NATO? For Ukraine? Maybe nothing - maybe everything. Why say that? Putin was not the weakest link in the chain. There are plenty of warlords ready to take over Russia and "kick some butt". And let us not forget, the thousands of nukes there are in Russia, just sitting around gathering dust. 

Meanwhile, I wonder what Xi in China is thinking about this mess in Russia. My guess is what is happening in Russia might be giving Xi some pause to think. And what about Modi from India? Even though not a close pal like China is, India is still buying arms and oil from Russia. Could this be an opportunity to really get India tucked under our wing? Make them a stronger ally? Opportunities might be presenting themselves. 

Stay tuned folks. This rebellion in Russia might be far from over. After seeing the mayhem and carnage that Putin has unleashed on Ukraine, my sympathies are not with Russia right now. I just want this war to end, and Putin tried for war crimes. Then let Ukraine go back to being farmers and feeding much of the world. 

Our paucity of people

This one is going to be a "DUH" for many of us. It will be as profound as saying water is wet. But every now and again, I am reminded on just how few of us are working these days. What are the reasons for so many job openings all over the place? The pandemic? Biden? Apathy? Or a little of all of these. All I know is this - I have NEVER seen it like this before. And there is no end in sight.

My beloved computer died last week. I have Geek Squad coverage, so I made an appointment to bring it into my Best Buy location closest to where I live. When I arrived, it was like a ghost town. Now, in the past, I have visited the Geek Squad with other computer problems. I was a busy place. The other day however, there was only one Geek Squad member behind the counter. She said she was sorry for the delay, but she was the only one there. They have been trying to hire more people, but it has been slim pickings.

This morning, the Govenor of South Dakota was pitching jobs for her state. Oh they have jobs alright - just not enough people. But it is not just South Dakota - from what I read, there are no states with a labor surplus. Only labor shortages. And the millions of illiterate immigrants which Biden has been letting into the country? Not much help. No language, no skills. 

Been out for fast food as of late? It seems the term "fast" has taken on a new meaning, and it has nothing to do with speed. Most places operate on a razor thin margin of people, and one person calling in sick, could gum up the entire works. Or many retail stores for that matter. You walk in some, and clerks are as scarce as hen's teeth. To make matters worse, in high tax states (like Minnesota), more are leaving than coming in (except for the illegals).

I guess this is now our new normal. Kids doing crappy in schools, but who cares? They don't want to work when they get out of school anyhow. Just give them some Biden Bucks and they will be be fine. As for the rest of us, get in line and wait. 

Why can't Johnny read anymore?

What the heck is going on with American government schools? The latest report card is out on how we are doing, and it is dismal. How dismal? This is the worst backslide our kids have had since the 1970's. But wait - did I mention it was only government schools? Charter schools, especially the ones who have adopted Classical Education are doing very well, thank you. My grandies, who go to a Montisori school are wicked smart, and I am amazed at how much they know for their ages. So what is the deal with government schools?

The Bird's eye view? Government schools have been co-opted by folks who have a different world view of education. They don't like our history, so some of it is being modified. They don't like the zero sum game of solving a math equation, so multiple answers are now acceptable. They don't like God, so much of our founding principles are out the window. They don't like the cisgender stuff, so you know what has become of that issue.

When one of the union higher ups was inverviewed on this subject, the typical answer was given. "Well, we need more funding to fix this problem!" Really? How about a different approach? BTW - the often mentioned achievment gap has not done well the past couple of years also. We can blame the pandemic, Jupiter rising or climate change, but the answer is in the recipe, not externalities. What recipe? The one charter schools and private schools are using. The "More bang for less buck", recipe.

Also, did you know now that we are in June, we are in (what is referred to by some educators from the past) as the "summer of forgetting"? What little gains which might have been made over the past few months will be wipped away by three months of mental atropy. That means September and October of next school year will be for remedial learning, to make up for the three months off.

We can continue to throw good money after bad on education. Or - we can change the recipe. Meanwhile, as we debate this issue, Johnny keeps drifting further and further behind. Sorry Johnny. You should have been born in the 1950's, when a government school education meant something. 

The Hunter Defense

"Anyhow, one lawyer pointed out something very interesting. "We might have just changed the normal sentence for tax evasion from three years to zero years. Every defense lawyer in the country will be asking for the Biden sentence." Interesting point, and probably true."

Watched the news yesterday in between work chores. I really wanted to get the lowdown on the Titanic issue. No such luck. The pundits were, however, discussing the Hunter Biden plea deal. Seems that is not sitting well with some of Biden's most important constituents. A black rapper just went to trial on practically the same tax offense. He is in the slammer right now doing a cool three years. Hunter, on the other hand, is playing golf with his lawyer - free as a bird.

This does not sit well with the black rapper's lawyer or his fans. "What the heck is going on?", the lawyer asked in so many words. "Do we have two systems of justice, or what?" Oh, oh. This is not good. A white guy getting the kid glove, while the black guy goes to jail? And this tax thing is peanuts compared to the major mess they will have Hunter on. Then what Joe? Are you going to pardon Hunter while trying to skin Trump alive at the same time? Oh, this is going to be delicious to watch!

Anyhow, one lawyer pointed out something very interesting. "We might have just changed the normal sentence for tax evasion from three years to zero years. Every defense lawyer in the country will be asking for the Biden sentence." Interesting point, and probably true.

This is how things get all mucked up with two systems of justice. Also, do you think Donald Trump's lawyers are paying attention to the Hunter deal? Stay tuned folks. Things are about to get very interesting.

On our knees with China

"China owns us. They know it, and we know it. We are doing zero to fix that issue. All we can down is bow before them and get on our knees." 

We have just sent our SOS Blinken over to China. Why? Probably to apologize. Apologize for what? For letting our sky get in the way of their sky balloon. And then having the audacity to shoot down their balloon, once it had loitered over the United States! Actually, Blinken also wanted to talk to Xi about "climate change". That they are our "partner" in fighting this menace. BTW - China is the world's number one contributor to "climate change".

Blinken also wanted to lower the temperature on Taiwan. He probably told Xi that we still abide by the "one China" policy. Really? That is news to Taiwan. If China invades Taiwan, Biden (in the form of Obama), will send Xi a nasty letter of protest. Don't think so? Look at how China has abided by the Hong Kong agreement. 

Under Obama and Biden, China owns us. Plan and simple. We allow them to own us. All these fancy electric car do-dads which are needed, will be made in, and purchased from China. Meanwhile, as Biden strangles our economy, China will go to town. Build coal powered plants, pollute the oceans, whatever it takes. Their Belt and Roads initiative is going full bore. Meanwhile, Biden wants to build a railroad system over the Pacific Ocean. Huh?

Do you think Blinken talked to Xi about Wuhan? About the spy base they are building in Cuba? About their expansionism in the South China Sea? Their phony man made islands? The unprecedented build up of their Blue Water Navy? Nope. But "climate change"? Oh, yes!

By the way. as Biden has reduced down our military spending, China has gone to town. I am sure Xi finds this amusing, as we fumble all over ourselves with grandpa Joe at the helm. And now, China is ready to take the number one position in military power. Half of their stuff of course, looks like ours, since they have stolen much of our IP. But Blinken does not care. 

China owns us. They know it, and we know it. We are doing zero to fix that issue. All we can do is bow before them, and get on our knees. The once and powerful United States is nothing more than a doormat for the up and coming Red Menace. But don't worry - we are going to build a railroad over the ocean. That will show them!

Wither the Emancipation Proclamation?

"Do I think that we should have an Emancipation Proclamation Day instead of Juneteenth? Absolutely. America, black and white, went to war with each other. State's rights or slavery, we still went to war with each other. It was the bloodiest war in our history."

Most of us "Boomers" who went to school and learned history (back when real history was taught), learned about the Civil War. We learned about slavery. We learned about how President Lincoln (who hated slavery), signed into law the Emancipation Proclamation on September 22, 1862. It was to take effect on January 1, 1863. It was to ensure all enslaved people in the states currently engaged in the rebellion against the Union, "shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free."

That was signed shortly after the Civil War started. Our most bloody war, state against state, sometimes brother against brother. Some say it was about state's rights, other say it was about slavery. In any event, the war ended on April 16, 1865. The last slaves to be set free were in Texas and that happened on June 19, 1865. Hence, Juneteenth Day. 

To be truthful, our country was a mess around the time of the Civil War. Black and white, north and south, were blurred. Slavery was not uncommon. Some Irish were kept as slaves. Blacks were kept as slaves. Not all slaves were in the south. And America was a minor league slave nation. Slavery was common all over the hemisphere. It was not just a blot on the United States, it was a blot on human history. But we got through it. And fixed it. 

Does slavery still exist today in America? Unfortunately, it does. It is called human trafficking. And it is brutal. Slavery still exists in nations near and far. Slavery existed in the Bible. But today is today. Nobody should have a slave, be a slave, nor live as a slave. That is the number one human rights issue. Human traffickers should be caught, and put away for life. It is as simple as that. 

Do I think that we should have an Emancipation Proclamation Day instead of Juneteenth? Absolutely. America, black and white, went to war with each other. State's rights or slavery, we still went to war with each other. It was the bloodiest war in our history. If not for signing the Emancipation Proclamation, we probably would not have had the June 19, 1865 signing in Texas. The Emancipation Proclamation was the beginning. It let to the end. Let's not ever forget that.  

The mother of all Father's Days!

"To all you fathers out there - HAPPY FATHER'S DAY! Your job is important, your job is vital. Enjoy your kids today, no matter what their ages are. If you only get a phone call, relish it. If you get a card or a gift, that is just a bonus. This is your day guys - enjoy!"  

Hey guys! Yes you, the ones who are dads. Guess what? Even though Father's Day is kind of an after thought to the May celebration of Mother's Day - you matter. How much do you matter? Quite a bit, actually. Many studies have been done to show the importance of having a father figure in the household. We need look no further in our country, to see what has happened since the Great Society. When in many households, fathers became absent. 

So, what then is a father? First off, fathers are not perfect. Lots of bumps and bruises on many of us. My dad, as good as he was, had his problems. That being said, the good far outweighed the bad. Once you understand and accept that perfection is out the window, then you can concentrate of just being a good father. One who is there. One who cares. One who listens. One who provides. One who sets the example on how to treat the fairer sex - starting with his wife (your mom).

My dad was my teacher. He was my mentor. As I got older, he was my friend. A good father is not so much a friend when you are young, as he is a parent. Parents know how to set the guardrails. And most, if not all of us, need guardrails growing up. 

Many fathers don't realize how much their kids look at and look up to them. You are the example they follow. Doing the right thing as many times as possible, becomes vitally important. Dropping the "f bomb" when someone cuts you off in traffic is poor form. Letting an unkind word go unsaid, is a much better form. 

To all you fathers out there - HAPPY FATHER'S DAY! Your job is important, your job is vital. Enjoy your kids today, no matter what their ages are. If you only get a phone call, relish it. If you get a card or a gift, that is just a bonus. This is your day guys - enjoy!  

Once again, the bear is poked

"Poking the bear is always a foolish thing to do. Right now, with a cornered Putin, poking the bear is way beyond foolish. Somebody should send up the bat signal for Donald Trump. We need him now more than ever." 

Putin, the non-stop threat machine, is at it again. Nukes. "I have nukes and am not afraid to use them!" So to speak. He has just finished the agreement to let Belarus house some of his nukes. Bad and risky move. But here is the thing. I am concerned that we might be approaching a "tipping point" with Putin. Where the threats will stop, and we will supply one highly effective weapon system too many. And then he will unleash one of his nukes on NATO or us. 

Donald Trump said if he were President, he could put an end to this war in 24 hours. That I don't believe. But what I do believe is this. If Trump was still President, he would not stop talking to Putin. He would be constantly searching for the "off ramp". How to end this thing, without surrendering Ukraine. Trump, the consummate negotiator, would be looking for the "deal". Biden on the other hand, has painted Putin to be Satan, and refuses to talk to him. Not really a smart play when Putin is sitting of thousands of nukes.

Biden, Mr. Climate Change, needs to understand one thing (if possible). Just one nuke, unleashed on any city in the world, would result in the mother of all carbon footprints. And that if it is only one nuke. I cannot imagine a scenario with Russia lobbing a nuke at NATO, not getting a response in kind. Things could get out of hand in a matter of minutes. And then when the dust settles, we will be in day one of an extermination level event, called nuclear winter.

These are the chips which are on the table. I really wonder if Biden and his puppet masters realize this. Due to his carelessness, Biden could be dragging us kicking and screaming into an exchange of nuclear weapons. Is he aware of this? I don't think right now, Biden is aware it is Saturday. Just the other day, he was talking about building a train which could go over the Pacific Ocean and connect with the Indian Ocean. Huh? Run me by that one more time Uncle Joe.

As inept as Secretary Blinken is, sending him to China right now to discuss pressing issues like climate change is wrong. He needs to be setting up a dialog with Russia to end this thing. At one time, the United States was good at this. Of course, at one time, the United States elected Presidents who knew what time it was at noon. 

Poking the bear is always a foolish thing to do. Right now, with a cornered Putin, poking the bear is way beyond foolish. Somebody should send up the bat signal for Donald Trump. We need him now more than ever. 

Betelgeuse - time for a show?

"In our Universe, stars are born, stars live, and stars die. Because they live so much longer than we do, we expect stars to live forever. But they won't. They will all eventually die. Including our sun."

Get ready folks. We might be primed for a once in a generation (or more) show. What kind of a show? A light show, of the highest magnitude. Our friend Betelgeuse, the red giant who has been a part of Orion's Belt for just about forever, is showing signs it might, it just might, be ready to give it up. It could happen tonight. It could happen this year. Or - it could happen in a thousand years or more. However, in 2019, Betelgeuse started showing it might be closer to the end than we thought.

First a word about the size of Betelgeuse. If we had Betelgeuse instead of our sun, that massive star would be taking up a good portion of the solar system. Like maybe as far out as Jupiter. But it is a red giant, which means it lives a powerful, yet short life. I have read many articles about when our red friend will put on the show of shows. The consensus of the experts? Don't know for sure. They can estimate and guess based on periods of higher brightness and so forth, but there are still too many other variables to consider.

Let's say for a minute it does blow in our lifetime. It would be quite the show to say the least. The resulting super nova, would illuminate our sky like something we have not seen before. It is estimated, that during the darkness of night, it would be as bright as the Moon. During the brightness of daytime, it could still be visible. The hazards to Earthlings from this explosion? None. Just a great lightshow which could last up to a year. 

In our Universe, stars are born, stars live, and stars die. Because they live so much longer than we do, we expect stars to live forever. But they won't. They will all eventually die. Including our sun. But not to worry, unless your worry stone takes you out a billion years or so. Betelgeuse was born with a DNA which gave it a short lifespan. It lived powerful, and will die a powerful death.

BTW - Betelgeuse is not Michael Keaton nor is it the former Mayor of Chicago. Betelgeuse is much, much grander. When Betelgeuse blows, and I hope it is sooner rather than later, it will be the cosmic show of shows. I have my seat already reserved. It is called my back yard.    

Are we prepared for the end of days?

"The end of days are coming. When? Only God knows the exact time. However, many of the clues in the Old and New Testament are revealing themselves. Time to get on the right side of history. Time to get on the right side of eternity."

Eschatology. The Biblical study of the end times. The final days. The end of the age. When the world prepares itself for the return of Jesus Christ. Sound far fetched? Too much of "out there"? Look around. Look at our world right now. Look at our country, the once great and powerful United States. We look nothing like we did 50 years ago. Nothing like we did 75 years ago. We have become a cesspool of filth. Of debauchery. The warning signs were up all around us, and we carelessly just drove right over them. Why? We went from lovers of God, to lovers of self. Lovers of sin.

Every time we think we might have sunk to a new low in this country, we have the total evil and filth which was signed into law during Minnesota's last legislative session. Or, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence which have decided to use the Dodger organization to further sully the Catholic faith. Or the lionization of doctors, turned butchers, who take the lives of millions of the unborn. In other words, our society right now, has a lifestyle which only 50 years ago, would have been considered fiction, of the most twisted kind. 

Where is the church in the middle of all this? Don't look now, but many of today's once most powerful denomination are shrinking. In Europe, many churches have shrunk so much, they have all but disappeared. And God? Many secularists believe that "God is dead". We don't need him anymore. We are doing just fine, being with ourselves. Our new trinity is "me, myself and I".

There is one giant problem here. God is still on His throne. Always has been, always will be. He may have created our bodies to only be temporary, but our souls are eternal. To temp God, to disrespect God, is a fool's errand. As much as God loves us, He hates sin. It has tainted His creation. Things must soon be made right. When that happens, lovers of self will not do well. Lovers of God on the other hand, will. 

By the way - there is no third choice here. Matthew 7: 13-14 discusses the "Wide gate and the narrow gate". If you have not read this passage, I encourage you to do so. There is no mention about a "medium gate". The choice is only one of the two gates. In other words, the choice is simply this - lovers of self will go through the wide gate to destruction, and the lovers of God will go through the narrow gate to life.   

The end of days are coming. When? Only God knows the exact time. However, many of the clues in the Old and New Testament, are revealing themselves. Time to get on the right side of history. Time to get on the right side of eternity. God's gift from 2,000 years ago, is still there for those who want to accept it. Jesus Christ will open the door to God's unending love. Or, to refuse that wonderful gift, exposes those who refuse to God's terrible wrath. 

Nukes for a blowhard

 

 

"One final word about Lukashenko. What a dumb move to side with Russia in this war. Now his reputation, will be the same as Putin's. And for what? So he can house some nukes? You will reap what you sow Lukashenko, you will reap what you have sown."  

 

Just when you thought Putin could not do anything more unthinking and stupid, he comes out with a big surprise. Putin just gave custody to some nuclear bombs to Belarus. The somewhat platitudinous ringleader of Belarus (that be Alexander Lukashenko), spared no time telling the world he now had nuclear bombs in his position. He went on to say, they are three times as powerful as the ones dropped on Japan in WWII. 

Okay buddy - you got your wish. You now have nukes. You have nukes, with all the responsibility and risk that goes with them. Risk? What do you mean risk? You sir, are now a target. If push comes to shove, expect to see some nukes headed your way to neutralize the nukes you now house. Sorry - that is the way the game is played these days. If you have nukes, they need to be taken out. And you may have a handful of nukes Mr. Lukashenko, but NATO has thousands of them.

Plus, NATO has been very clear on this issue. Should you or your pal Vladimir use any of those nukes on Ukraine, NATO will come in and destroy what is left of the Russian Army, including the Belarus Army. And we won't even need nukes to accomplish that.

What has been gained by this war on Ukraine? Now that it has been going on for close to two years? First off, in case anyone in that region cares, more than a hundred thousand Ukrainians and Russians have died. Maybe a lot more than that. That is a lot of people. Next, a good portion of the country of Ukraine has been laid to ruin. Once this shooting war stops, and peace is declared, who pays to rebuild Ukraine? Anybody? Finally, the Russian Army has shown itself to be a paper tiger. Once feared, but no longer. 

Putin has certainly mucked things up over there. Whereas peace is good for everyone, war is good for no one. There will be an accounting for the war crimes over there. Russia will never again be the country it once was. The very costly glory Russia earned in WWII, has all but vanished in Ukraine. Now Russia is no more than a thug nation, just like the Nazis were in WWII.

One final word about Lukashenko. What a dumb move to side with Russia in this war. Now his reputation, will be the same as Putin's. And for what? So he can house some nukes? You will reap what you sow Lukashenko, and you will reap what you have sown.  

A terminal sentence?

"What is the future for Donald Trump? Hard to say when you have the apparatchik nipping at your heals. To many of the normals or conservatives in this country, Donald Trump will always be a hero."

A fairly new term we have been hearing as of late, is "terminal sentence". That is when someone who is being charged of a crime, is of an age where the sentence will extend past the persons remaining life expectancy. Thus is the case with Donald Trump. The charges are such, that if only one is proven, Donald Trump could go to jail for 10 to 15 years. If a bunch are proven, well, we all know the math on that one.

I will say this. If Donald Trump is convicted and sentenced, I am going to find an outstate bunker to hide in for a while. Why? If Donald Trump sits in prison, while Hillary, Sandy Berger, Obama, Hunter and Joe Biden skate - all hell might break loose. It is one thing to have the Don continuously harassed by the DOJ, it is quite another to have him thrown in prison.

There are tens of thousands of federal laws on the books in the United States. Wow! It was said on the news yesterday, if you wanted to charge someone - anyone - a law could be found which had been violated at some time in that person's history. How about state laws? Speed anytime recently? Like yesterday? Run a red light? These are all laws. I was pulled in front of a grand jury back in the 1980's. Never charged, but could have been. For doing NOTHING wrong. Not even close. But Jack Smith probably could have found something to charge me with. 

Right now, many are thinking the best way to stay out of jail, is to switch from Republican to Democrat. Right or wrong has nothing to do anymore with punishment - it is all politics. What? You think that is hyperbole? The fact many people now believe it, make it so. 

What is the future for Donald Trump? Hard to say when you have the apparatchik nipping at your heals. To many of the normals or conservatives in this country, Donald Trump will always be a hero. Should he be thrown in jail while others who have done worse and walk free, will be a travesty. Right now, a corrupted DOJ and FBI have gotten us into this mess. I don't know who can get us out of this mess. 

All I know is this. An outstate bunker is looking better and better all the time. Now I understand why Obama and Biden got so much ammo for organizations like the Post Office and the IRS. It is all making perfect sense to me. 

 

 

Minnesota's Problem Child

"This is my opinion. The MPS has been underachieving for years now. Even lowering the standards has not helped. It is time to let this patient die. Get rid of the union, and replace the teachers with professionals. Teach to succeed, not just to barely survive."

Minnesota has a problem. Well actually, more than one. But this one has been around for decades, and nobody, I mean nobody in our current state government, knows what to do about it. What is it? The Minneapolis Public School (MPS) system. It is a mess. The taxpayers have thrown boatloads of money at it, and no improvement. No matter how much the MPS gets, it ain't enough. Not even close. 

According to this week's article in Minnpost, the MPS is once again in deep do-do. Only this time, it could be terminal. Why? For one thing, not enough kids. The system was build on having 40,000 students, and right now they have about 28,000. That is a big problem, as the funding comes in on a per student basis. Why has the enrollment dropped? Those who could leave, have left. Many that remain, are the most high need students. Plus, there are thousands of immigrants who have very poor English skills (and more coming all the time). 

Here is the rub. If the reserves of the MPS drop too far into the red, they will be in statutory operating debt. That is a big problem. At that point in time, the patient is not yet on life support, but for sure is in financial ICU. A plan must be submitted to the state, explaining how the district will recover from this mess. Should the plan be unsatisfactory, or fall short in its execution, the state could withhold future state funding. If state funding goes bye-bye, the trumpet will come out, and taps will be played. That will be the end of the Minneapolis Public School system.

Here is the unadvertised secret. For the past three years, the MPS has balanced its books with the help of a quarter of a billion dollars in federal pandemic funds. Those funds are now going away. When that happens at the end of the year, the MPS school board, who is made up of new and very inexperience people, will have to pull a rabbit out of the hat. If they can't, they might be the last crew on the Titanic.

This is my opinion. The MPS has been underachieving for years now. Even lowering the standards has not helped. It is time to let this patient die. Get rid of the union, and replace the teachers with professionals. Teach to succeed, not just to barely survive. In two years, when the legislature is in session, look for this to be the hot burner. Unless state taxpayers want a huge increase in taxes (again) to save this sorry district, the legislature needs to figure out an exit plan.  

End of the Twin Cities

"The future of work lies in either the home office, or a work place which is located in the burbs. The big tall glass and metal monoliths downtown, have seen their day. There is not enough tea in China, nor pixie dust in Disneyland to fix things - to make downtown look like it once did."

I worked downtown for a while in my career. Can't say much good about it. Expensive. Much traffic. Panhandled. But that was yesteryear. And today, downtown Minneapolis is nothing like it was before the Floyd incident and the pandemic. Truthfully, when working folks got the chance to work from home, thereby saving transit issues, time and money, that is all it took. We have long ago ceded the downtown areas to the drugs, the crime lords, and the low life's. Who needs that?

Jacob Frey is on revision number 35 to try and make Minneapolis livable again. To get people back downtown working. Here is the secret. If there is to be any chance what-so-ever, of a future for Minneapolis, it involves getting people to happily return downtown. Work downtown, eat downtown, shop downtown, and maybe even live downtown. Frey wants to take the buses off the Nicolette Mall, like that will help. How about taking the thugs off the Mall first? That would help even more. Until that happens - no thanks.

I can't imagine what it will take to make either downtown vibrant again. Other than paying people to work downtown, I don't know what it will take. Most people I know who have never worked downtown, look at venturing downtown as a high risk maneuver. Recently, a survey was done to see how many folks would welcome working downtown once again. The results - not many.

The future of work lies in either the home office, or a work place which is located in the burbs. The big tall glass and metal monoliths downtown, have seen their day. There is not enough tea in China, nor pixie dust in Disneyland to fix things - to make downtown look like it once did. Did not want to get too political, but I will say this anyway. The big blue Democrats have ruined these cities. Now they can have them.  

Maglev to Duluth maybe?

"If we were smart at spending money (and we are not), this is the future we would paint for Minnesota. Keep the choo choo trains in the history books, and focus on Maglev technology." 

Maglev? Come on man! We just authorized a boatload of money to build a rickety old train up to Duluth! What was that? A train? That will never happen? No, probably not. But was it a good idea to set aside money for this thing? Again, probably not. I know the city planners in the Met Counsel hate to hear this, but here it goes again. Trains are so yesterday. People don't want them anymore. If it is riding into downtown, or taking a longer trip up to the casinos, I mean Duluth, people don't want to ride on yesteryear's transportation.

What is the big deal about the Maglev (Magnetic Levitation)? Been on a train lately? A bit rough is it? Like metal on metal. Why is that? That is the way they work. And they are slow and undependable. But a Maglev? It rides on air. No metal on metal. And because all that friction is gone, it can travel 300 (or higher) mph. 

Any drawbacks? First off, you need infrastructure for the Maglev. The batteries in the Maglev cars use a couple of Rare Earths - yttrium and scandium. For some countries, they can be hard to get and expensive. But those are the downsides. Everything else is positive. And - since the Maglev has been around for awhile, we know it works. 

If we were smart at spending money (and we are not), this is the future we would paint for Minnesota. Keep the choo choo trains in the history books, and focus on Maglev technology for the future. But no. We have a $2B train coming into Mpls from Eden Prairie which few will ride. Money down the toilet. The Northstar, all the LRTs, are a waste of time and money. 

For Minnesota, being the "brain state" we sure have trouble electing critical thinkers. Rather than how to kill the unborn, the discussion on Maglev could have produced fruit. But no. This session was a waste of time and money. Meanwhile, we have a couple hundred million dollars stuck aside for a technology which dates back to the 1800's. Oh, joy. 

Crossing the Rubicon?

"At this point of time, I am out of ideas. All I know is this - my country, which has always meant so much to me, is in deep trouble. Crossing the Rubicon is a one way street. If we have truly crossed the Rubicon, where do we go from here? Like I said - I am out of ideas."  

Anything interesting happen on the news yesterday? Sorry, that was a smart aleck question. Yesterday, we might have crossed the Rubicon. Why do I say that? Because we might be at the nexus of sullied history and anarchy. For the umpteenth time, we have seen Donald Trump charged by some federal or state agency. It has become a benign sight for many of us to see. For the 70+ million who still back Donald Trump, what happened yesterday only lionizes him further.

Here is problem one in a nutshell. If Donald Trump was caught with a smoking gun, standing over the body of a still bleeding Joe Biden, many would still not believe it. They would think it was staged. What has been happening with Donald Trump, is a real life example of "crying wolf" way too many times. After the "Russia Hoax" debacle, the believability of the DOJ and FBI, went down to absolute zero. 

And now for problem two. By the way, do you hear what else happened yesterday? The long awaited document from the FBI was released to Representative Comer's committee. From what I have heard, it connects the dots in a more concise way, tying corrupted money from Ukraine to Hunter and Joe. But any news that memo might have contained, was obscured by the blizzard of indictments against Donald Trump.

One experienced formed prosecutor was interviewed on the news about Joe Biden's culpability. If any other wrongdoing was ignored or swept under the rug, they still have Joe stone cold guilty on one thing, which could put him in jail. As a Senator, he stole some classified documents from a SCIF, and kept them at his house. That is a felony, with up to ten years of prison time. Joe's response? "Malarky". Atta boy, Joe! You will look good in orange.

Here is why I have said we crossed the Rubicon. Faith in our system. Right now, the term "Banana Republic" is being used way, way too much. If a large portion of our population thinks our system of justice is bifurcated or corrupted, that is a big problem. If Hillary can skate after having over 30,000 emails on an unauthorized server, if Joe can skate after acquiring extreme wealth by influence peddling, this is a problem.

Where does the truth lie these days? Are we stuck on a nest bed of lies? Who do we believe? Trump? Biden? Clinton? Obama? Who? Or are we to believe the entire lot of them are not worthy of our trust? Do we start from scratch (as someone suggested yesterday), with someone other than Trump and Biden on each ticket? 

At this point of time, I am out of ideas. All I know is this - my country, which has always meant so much to me, is in deep trouble. Crossing the Rubicon is a one way street. If we have truly crossed the Rubicon, where do we go from here? Like I said - I am out of ideas.  

   

Forget AI - what about quantum computing?

"Where do we go from here? Heaven only knows. BTW - anyone who thinks that we can slow down and control AI is smoking some of that new Minnesota weed. We can't. Why? It is not just the United States which is developing AI, it is most of the civilized world."

Had the chance to catch up on the latest (and greatest?) advances in quantum computing. It seems it has taken a bit of a back seat to the AI flap as of late. But, it is here, and it is progressing, and it is almost like science fiction. As a veteran of IBM, I have had an interest in super computing for quite a while now. But quantum computing just ran the wheels off of the fastest super computers in the world.

Please don't ask me how this world of quantum works. If I understood, I would come out of retirement and make a boatload of money. It is like taking all the "ones" and zeros" that we understood on how regular super computers work, and throw them out the window. Quantum computers look different and act different. 

The YouTube I was watching, I could kind of keep up with for a while. Then they got into "entanglement". Then I was super lost. What I do remember is this - the scientists gave one of the newer quantum computers a very complex problem. One which was estimated to take the fastest super computer many, many years to solve. The quantum computer solved this very complex problem in about an hour. WOW!

Where do we go from here? Heaven only knows. BTW - anyone who thinks that we can slow down and control AI, is smoking some of that new Minnesota weed. We can't. Why? It is not just the United States which is developing AI, it is most of the civilized world. AI will continue, and quantum computing will continue. For youngins who are looking for a technical future with has no limits right now, AI and quantum computing are two wonderful avenues.

Daniel 12:4 states: "But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; and many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase." Many Bible scholars think what Daniel means by this passage, it is a sign of the final days. In the final days, there will be an explosion of knowledge. If that is correct, I could not think of a bigger explosion of knowledge than AI and quantum computing.

 

 

Two very different systems...

"That being said, every time one of these 'witch hunt' inquiries comes out of the Biden/Obama Justice Department, it is another feather in Trump's hat. When Biden gets another pass on something he is dirty on, it is also another feather in Trump's hat. The Democrats have successfully made Trump look like the victim instead of the villain - time and time again."

Did you hear the big news? For the umpteenth time, the Justice Department is going after Donald Trump. It is so expected now, it is almost a parody. This is how it plays out -  the Justice Department goes after Donald Trump, and puppets like Raskin (D-MD), try to blunt real investigations into Biden. The media/DNC cabal is still after Trump. Oh, what a hated man he is! And the most inept President in the history of Presidents (Biden), keeps getting pass after pass after pass. And so does his crackhead kid.

Is this the America you recognize? It sure is not for me. Yesterday on Bill O'Reilly's YouTube channel, O'Reilly showed how the head of CNN got bounced. For what? The Donald Trump town hall. Too favorable for Trump. The cabal of leftie news sources (and there are many), set out to get rid of this cancer in CNN. For just mentioning Trump's name without it sounding like a four letter word - was an unforgivable act. Yes, the hatred, the vitriol against Donald Trump is that bad.

Let's face facts. Until we can get our two systems of justice back to one, until we can get somebody's thumb off the scale of justice, until we can get the proper blinder back on Lady Justice - we will have a corrupt country. With two systems of justice, what is going to keep us from having two systems of vote counting? Where cheating will rule the day? Even if not one person cheated in the next election, yet if half the country thought the election was rigged, the battle will still be lost. Trust is earned - and now it is lost. Somehow, trust needs to be earned back. That is a big, big problem. 

I am a 50/50 Trump guy. I LOVE what he did to the economy while he was President. All his metrics were in the "green zone". And the energy independence? Wonderful! Plus what he and Jarrad did in the Middle East was historic. On the other hand, all the palace infighting drove me crazy. I don't know if the country could handle four more years of that, regardless of how good Trump's metrics are. Many pundits feel that is what hurt him in his re-election. The "not being able to play well with others" thing.

That being said, every time one of these "witch hunt" inquiries comes out of the Biden/Obama Justice Department, it is another feather in Trump's hat. When Biden gets another pass on something he is dirty on, it is also another feather in Trump's hat. The Democrats have successfully made Trump look like the victim instead of the villain - time and time again.

America - you better heal yourself before 2024. If shenanigans abound this time, like they did in 2020, this ship of state might hit the rocky reefs instead of the sandy beach. But first things first. Lady Liberty needs a makeover. Now. That cannot wait until 2024.   

Self loving and serfdom

"If we all went back to the original YMCA motto of living our lives, we would not be in the mess we are in. If we all put God first in our lives, the difference between Republicans and Democrats would negligible."

When I was a young lad, going through what once was the true YMCA, there was a motto we all learned. Not only learned, but tried to live it. You see back then, the YMCA was a faith based organization. Young Men Christian Association - meant something. Anyhow, the motto was "I'm third". What did that mean? God was first, others second, and I'm third. You (yourself) still counted, and you were to feel good about yourself (and even love yourself), but your position was third place.

Why bring this up? This year, more than any other year, I have been trying to understand what makes Democrats tick. Why they are so different than the normal citizen. Part of it I believe, is they have a very strong desire to self love. And not to get Freudian, they also have a very strong Id. So much so, the love of self, the serving of self, seems to eclipse the greater good in our society. Want an example? 

If you are a lover of self, a lover of self satisfaction, basically a hedonist - this year's legislative session was for you. It had everything bad and evil and self loving wrapped up into one big expensive bow. But if you cared about honoring God, about serving others, there was not much there.

When Al Gore was Veep, the man who wanted to tax the socks off of everyone, someone got ahold of Al's most current income tax form. What he gave to charity that year, was an eye opener. It was a whopping $500. When that was being analyzed by some pundits on the news, it was brought up that overall, Democrats were very poor givers - whereas Conservatives were not. Why? Democrats looked at taxing others as their giving. That way they could feel good and righteous about themselves. It was self love.

Okay, I get it. I understand this whole self love thing. But serfdom? What does that have to do with it? Simple. We have making serfs out of our kids and grandkids. They will all live in serfdom, due to the mountain of debt we are leaving them. Don't get me wrong - Republicans have done their part also in garnering this huge debt. But Democrats seem to delight in doing it. We recently saw that in the misnamed Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Democrats were almost giddy when this budget buster was signed into law (with zero Republican votes). 

If we all went back to the original YMCA motto of living our lives, we would not be in the mess we are in. If we all put God first in our lives, the difference between Republicans and Democrats would negligible. Then if we put others second in our lives, there would be very little debt left behind, to enslave our offspring. 

But that is not the way it is today. In the Democrat Party, God has all but disappeared. Self love has eclipsed love for others. Self loving and serfdom have become the order of the day. Is that good for America? Not a bit. But that is the rut we are stuck in.      

The next big leap?

"First things first. The Moon. We need to get some folks up to the Moon so we can continue what we started over 50 years ago. And then Mars. We can figure those two out right now."

The visionaries are hard at work. Those who gaze upward and have stars in their eyes - literally. Yes, Elon Musk could be considered one of them. But there is a big problem. It is like visionaries of old imagined latticework of super highways going all over the country. To get from one end to the other end of the country - fast! But the mode of transportation used were horse drawn wagons. So that vision quest, went back to just being a dream.

Right now, our space travelers are just trying to get to the Moon. The area of space called Cis-lunar space. Getting beyond the Moon, and maybe going to Mars - that area of space is called the heliosphere. That is the area of space which is still affected by our sun. That is still considered to be our "neighborhood". But even to get to Mars right now, requires the use of a chemical rocket (horse drawn carriage) and months of travel time. Not really a viable solution.

Then, should we get that mastered, where we could visit the other planets in our solar system, the next big (and that would be BIG) leap - would be interstellar space. Interstellar space is the area between our heliosphere and any other star's astrosphere. In other words - true outer space. Where distance is measured in light years. Sometimes thousands, or millions of light years. How could even our best chemical rocket measure up in true outer space travel? Like it was standing still - forever. 

Work is now being done on a nuclear rocket. Also the Aerospike engine. A nuclear rocket could reach speeds of 125,000 mph. That could reach Mars in about a month, rather than many months. But that is still not good enough. With the speed of light being 186,000 miles per second, even going 125,000 mph is like standing still. Some scientists think we will still be in the crawling mode, until we can come up with a rocket which can travel at a fraction of the speed of light. Keep in mind, that 186,000 miles per second, equals about 700,000,000 mph. Even a nuclear rocket, could only go a small fraction of a percent of the speed of light.

What does all this mean? Even with the SpaceX giant space rocket, which can carry large loads and land by itself - we are still at the starting point of space travel. The distances between point "A" and point "B" in space are simply staggering. For example, a neighboring galaxy to us (Andromeda), is 2.5M light years from Earth. Like I say, the distances are simply staggering. 

First things first. The Moon. We need to get some folks up to the Moon so we can continue what we started over 50 years ago. And then Mars. We can figure those two out right now. As far as outside our solar system, that stays in the science fiction section of the library for many years to come.  

    

Dumb and dumber, NLX once again

"Once again, the sheeple and commies in this state have been taken for a ride - and not a train ride. What a bunch of BS and hogwash. If the Hinkley casinos were taken off the route, guess how many people would be riding this boondoggle? Answer - not many."

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. Did you know during the spend-a-thon in St. Paul, close to $200M was stuck aside to build the casino train. Casino train? What the what? That is what the Northern Lights Express which is destination Duluth really is. It is a train headed to the tribe's casino complex in Hinckley. If you miss that stop, you can get off in Duluth.

Oh, but wait! MNDOT thinks if we can garner the funding and permits, there will be a million people riding this train every year, starting in 2050. And the cost to ride up to Duluth is only $30 to $35 (one way). Who then pays for the rest of the ticket? $35 can't possibly cover the cost? Look in the mirror boy.

Once again, the sheeple and commies in this state have been taken for a ride - and not a train ride. What a bunch of BS and hogwash. If the Hinkley casinos were taken off the route, guess how many people would be riding this boondoggle? Answer - not many.

After the mess that Northstar turned out to be, after the bottomless money pit that SWLRT turned out to be, after the crime magnets that the cities LRT stations turned out to be, why in the world would any taxpayer want another money pit? Give up? Because the DEMOCRATS are controlled by the tribes. The casino tribes. Most DEMOCRATS don't give two hoots and a holler if this NLX becomes a lemon. By the time that happens, many will be out of office and will have moved on.

I am not going to waste too much ink on this issue, as having this train become reality would be like pulling and inside straight. Lots of "ifs", and the temperature of the public is tepid on this one. With that I will say, HARD STOP!