Is Trump becoming Ronald Reagan?

"When do presidents make their way into history books as heroes? When they confront evil head on and defeat it. Hint: it is not from leading from behind or blowing up aspirin factories like Clinton, Obama and Biden did. Or doing nothing for 444 days like Carter did. It is using the United States military, the finest in the world, and setting them lose to break things and kill people."

Oh, my heart be still! Is one of my favorite presidents becoming like another one of my favorite presidents? Did he really lay some big-time threat on Hamas about releasing ALL of the hostages held in Gaza? He is taking a page right out of the Ronald Reagan playbook. When the mutts in Iran took our embassy folks captive for 444 days, the scoundrels who took them knew that when the easy-going Carter's term was up, and Ronald Reagan took the oath of office, all hell was going to break loose. But they released all the hostages just before Reagan took the helm. 

I guess that Trump did not think the remains of Hamas were sharp enough to get the hint. So, Trump went on Truth Social and told them the truth. If ALL hostages are not released by January 20, 2025, Hamas will be hit like they have never been hit before. And this is what so many of us love about Donald Trump (and Ronald Reagan). Not war mongers - but if you mess with the USA, you will feel our wrath. Or to put it in the common vernacular, their a** will be grass, and we will be the mower.

Now to replay just a small part of that horrible day on October 7th. Besides losing over 1,000 innocent Jews, America lost 30 citizens, and 10 were taken hostage. Right then, right there - the hammer should have come down. If Biden were not such a squish, he could have sent in the Marines. The ultimatum could have been given - release ALL hostages or the USMC will lay waste to much of Gaza. Remind Hamas how Trump took care of General Soleimani after we found out he was behind the killing of ONE American contractor. His remains now fit nicely in an ashtray.

When do presidents make their way into history books as heroes? When they confront evil head on and defeat it. Hint: it is not from leading from behind or blowing up aspirin factories like Clinton, Obama and Biden did. Or doing nothing for 444 days like Carter did. It is using the United States military, the finest in the world, and setting them lose to break things and kill people. Sadly, once in a while we need to unleash them to fight the evil in this broken world. Peace through strength baby! Works every time!

Time to quit wasting time on these mutts. Time to have the die-hard Hamas fighters get ready to meet their 72 virgins. There is a new sheriff in town, and this one is not up for any nonsense. My advice is simple - release the hostages and then run as far away from Gaza and Israel as you can get. Why? Both Israel and the US are excellent in bringing bad actors to justice. Dead or alive, we always get our man.  

 

 

AI, China, and guardrails

"Five years from now, as we are ready to exit the 2020's and start the 2030's, we will not be looking to see what part of our lives that AI exists in. Rather we will be wondering if there is any part of AI which is NOT part of our lives. Learning to live with AI is something we will all need to get used to. Learning how to develop and harness AI is where the really good paying jobs will be." 

For some reason, the theme this past Sunday (other than nail biting football), was AI. Why now? Why not wait until the start of the new year to discuss the pros and cons of this brand-new technology? Because AI is already starting to gallop like a prize-winning racehorse. It is felt by the experts, that if we don't get some "rules of the road" and/or guardrails set up soon, the "genie" will really be out of the bottle - for good.

What is the problem? Why not just slow down? I mean, if AI could indeed be a game changer for humanity (in either good or bad ways), just slow your roll a bit. Sounds good, except for one minor issue - China. China and the US are involved in a dead heat to see who will get to the big prize first with AI. And that big prize would be self-thinking machines. AGI to ASI technology. Is China setting up guardrails, or is it damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead? I think most of us know the answer to that one.

Do we slow down and err on the side of caution? Let China take the lead? Or maintain our slim lead in this race and go for broke? Here is the long and the short of this issue, based on an article I recently read. As far as AI is concerned, the genie is already out of the bottle. In many developed nations worldwide, AI has already been introduced. Developed and developing nations know the benefits that AI could bring to them. But do they also understand the dangers? Good question. But the allure of the benefits of AI are blinding many.

In the very near future, perhaps as early as next year, the first real effect of AI will be noticed by many. Jobs. Many lower level, unskilled jobs are low fruit on the tree for AI. You can already see AI taking effect in warehouses and factories. Some AI will be built into the machines that produce - other AI will be in the form of humanoids. Then the question will become, what to do with displaced workers with limited skills? That question will need to be answered sooner rather than later. 

Five years from now, as we are ready to exit the 2020's and start the 2030's, we will not be looking to see what part of our lives that AI exists in. Rather we will be wondering if there is any part of AI which is NOT part of our lives. Learning to live with AI is something we will all need to get used to. Learning how to develop and harness AI is where the really good paying jobs will be. 

Love it or hate it, AI is here to stay. The AI which is in your Siri or Alexa will soon look like the stone ages compared to the AI which is on the horizon. Some might think that even article such as this one might be penned by some variant of AI. To that I respond - NOT ON MY WATCH!

 

Another dumb idea for educating our young

 

"Are our kids more stupid today than kids of yesteryear? No, but they are more ignorant. This learning thing has become a real puzzle. The teacher unions have not helped - maybe even accelerated this downward spiral we are on. Losing one day in five of learning mystifies those of us who are trying to solve this vexing problem."

Okay - let's try and put some perspective on this one. The United States spends a total of 3/4 trillion dollars each year on education. For that astonishing amount of money, we are ranked 13th in the world in education. And our numbers are not going in the right direction. We have school districts which are going through massive budget cuts, as despite being smothered in money, that does not seem to help their sophomoric way of doing finances. Minnesota, who also struggles with education, has come up with yet another dumb idea how to fix things.

How about a four-day school week? That would certainly help districts who cannot budget their way out of a paper bag. Could that help and save some money? Maybe. But hold on! Are we going to a four-day work week also? Because if we are not, there is a huge problem waiting for us on the horizon. Like, are the kids going to be left all alone on the days they don't have school? And what will they do on those days? Independent study, or play Mario Bros. on their I Pads? I think we all know the answer to that one. 

Somehow, in the annals of history in this country, we at one time knew how to educate young people. My grandparents, back in the day, received only an 8th grade education. And yet, with only eight years of schooling, they knew stuff. How to do stuff. How to make a living. My parent's generation had mostly a high school education. Some were fortunate to go to college, but most had only a high school diploma. Again, they knew stuff, how to do stuff, and how to make a living. 

In my generation, getting a college degree was important to our parents. Some got worthwhile degrees, and others got "basket weaving" type degrees. Some graduated with some smarts, and others graduated as educated idiots. All of a sudden, our education system got turned upside down. More money, less results. In a world where information became available at the touch of a button, we graduated kids who did not know who we fought to gain our independence. Or who won the Civil War. Or how many branches of government we have. All that, for 3/4 of a trillion dollars a year.

Are our kids more stupid today than kids of yesteryear? No, but they are more ignorant. This learning thing has become a real puzzle. The teacher unions have not helped - maybe even accelerated this downward spiral we are on. Losing one day in five of learning mystifies those of us who are trying to solve this vexing problem.

Dumbing down the education system helps nobody - especially not the kids. Now, forget the four-day school week, and come up with a more cogent idea for success.