Whither the student loan issue?

"Why can't our young folk move forward? 7% interest rates on buying a house. Four dollars to buy a carton of eggs. $3.25 for a gallon of gas. This is all on you Biden - 100% on you. All your student loan forgiveness did was pour gas on the fire."

Great news! This past month the inflation rate is coming down! How much down? It is down to about 3.4%. Putting that in relative terms, that is almost double what it was when President Trump walked out the door of the White House. And now I will talk like an economist - "The inflation rate is increasing at a decreasing rate." Note the operative word in this sentence - "increasing". Prices are still going up. And so long as they go up over the Fed's benchmark of 2.0%, forget any rate cuts by the Fed.

Here are some more interesting numbers. This country has a total debt from student loans of about $1.7T. Catch your breath for a second - that is a lot of money. A while ago, Joe "it ain't my money" Biden, tried to forgive $400B of that $1.7T. The Supreme Court blocked him. He did not have the authority. Biden gave the SOCUS his middle finger and still forgave $130B worth of student loans. Did I mention he did not have the authority to do so?

So long as Biden does irresponsible and illegal things such as student loan forgiveness, which only transfers those loans onto the backs of the taxpayers via the national debt, getting inflation back to 2.0% might be a bridge too far. This has caused me to mull over two things I have recently heard. Thing one - the University of Minnesota, which now has sky high tuition for a local state university, is going to raise their already high tuition by over 4% this upcoming year. When kids already can't afford college, the U of M has the guts to raise it some more.

Thing two - at what point in time did the House of Representatives abdicate the power of the purse as defined in Article One of our Constitution? Did not the highest court in the land tell Biden to pound sand? And he went ahead and did it anyway? Should he not be impeached for this infraction alone? If Donald Trump had done this, the tar would be boiling, and the feathers would be at the ready. But Biden? The Deep State has him fully protected, insulated, and coddled. Who then suffers? That would be us - all of us who are deeply burdened by this hidden tax called inflation.

Biden needs to be reversed on his unsanctioned and shameful student loan forgiveness. Just like Biden shoving EVs down our throat, we don't want student loan forgiveness either. We did not vote for this. You are the President Joe Biden - you are not our king.

Why can't our young folk move forward? 7% interest rates on buying a house. Four dollars to buy a carton of eggs. $3.25 for a gallon of gas. This is all on you Biden - 100% on you. All your student loan forgiveness did was pour gas on the fire.      

Putin's war on Europe

"I find it ironic that in the runup to the last election, Joe Biden was sold to the country as the adult in the room. The uniter, rather than the divider. His decades of dealing with other countries was going to give us almost a guaranteed peace dividend." 

Is it Putin's war IN Europe, or Putin's war ON Europe? I guess it does not really matter. As the world sloshes through the 2020's toward the magical year of 2030, some of the world is preparing for a be all, end all war. A war which will make WWII look pale in comparison. And who is at the center of this warring faction? If you guessed Putin, you win a prize. 

According to some recent intelligence picked up by the Germans, what Russia is doing right now in Ukraine is only the start of will be a much wider initiative by the Russians. NATO, and Russia's hatred of NATO, has always been at the core. The German intelligence stated that Russia would make a play for one of NATO's lesser defended countries. It would be Putin's dare for the rest of NATO to use Article 5 of NATO to come to a common defense of the NATO country in danger. Then Putin would be able to live out his long-standing dream - toe to toe battle between his forces and NATO.

Some speculate that when Putin makes his play for a NATO country, the United States will be all eyes on Europe. And that is when China would make its play for Taiwan. And then what? Maybe World War III. The "good guys" are in alignment, and so are the "bad guys". If both Russia and China start moving troops into contested lands, it will not only be the United States who is conflicted between which front to support. It will also be Japan. China and the east coast of Russia. South Korea trying to help contain China, and also keeping the Norks at bay. The entire northern hemisphere, from the Artic to the equator, could be a war zone.

I find it ironic that in the runup to the last election, Joe Biden was sold to the country as the adult in the room. The uniter, rather than the divider. His decades of dealing with other countries was going to give us almost a guaranteed peace dividend. But here is the reality. Under Trump, the world was a fairly calm place. No major wars, just some hot spots. But under Joe Biden, we are on the edge of something horrible. "Wars and rumors of wars", just like the Bible warns us of. 

Some have wondered if Putin is the Anti-Christ. Others think he will be the one sitting on top of the Red Horse, as prophesied in the book of Revelation. The one sitting on top of the Red Horse will "...take peace from Earth, and that man would slay one another..." Is that what Putin's legacy will be? A man of war? A man of global war? 

George Bush said once when he looked into Putin's eyes, he could see his soul. Not me. When I look at a picture of Putin's eyes, I see nothing. A vacant space, just waiting to be filled with pure evil.     

Joe's world (strange) view

"IF the Presidental debates take place, I can't wait until Joe tells his first whopper in front of Doanld Trump. Unlike the lap dog media, Trump will not let Joe's lies pass. No way, Jose! Trump will mop the floor with Joe Biden." 

Everyone is still talking about the Erin Burnett interview on CNN. She had Joe Biden all to herself. She did challenge Joe a couple of times, but she missed the "big show". And what was Biden's "big show"? Joe coming into office and with inflation raging at 9%. And how Joe tamed the inflation from 9% down to 3.5%. Even though the truth is simply this (and it has been fact checked many times) - inflation when Biden took office was a paltry 1.4%. The 9.1% happened a year and half into Joe's presidency.

What is it about the truth that escapes Joe Biden? Is it that he is a liar, or is it dementia? Or is it a world view that Joe Biden wishes was reality. Kind of like the often-told story of that old racist Corn Pop. Or when Joe stood at ground zero the day after the 9/11 attack. Or when his uncle crashed on some South Pacific Island in WWII and was eaten by cannibals.

What is Joe Biden good at? Mega-donors. He is meeting with some of his Hollywood elites this week. Keep that war chest growing. Meanwhile, Donald Trump who has been tied up day after day with the Deep State in kangaroo court, somehow managed to have a rally this weekend in the blue state of New Jersey. Estimates are that close to 100,000 people attended this rally! Trump's position? Every state is in play. New Jersey, New York, or Minnesota. He is not going to cede ANY state to the Biden train wreck.

Here is what I think about Biden's mega donor fund raising. What does he need that money for? More airtime to tell his lies? Trump's truth will not take that much airtime. Trump will have enough money to be very effective.  

IF the Presidental debates take place, I can't wait until Joe tells his first whopper in front of Doanld Trump. Unlike the lap dog media, Trump will not let Joe's lies pass. No way, Jose! Trump will mop the floor with Joe Biden. If Joe wants to start throwing stats around, Mr. Trump will be all the willing to entertain that conversation. Why? Donald Trump has the truth on his side. Joe only has his fantasy view. 

Joe Biden will always be remembered for many things. Truth is not one of them. His corruption? That is a story for another day.

 

 

Home World Security

"Back closer to home. Each day, every day, our spinning core in our planet keeps us safe. If for some reason our core would stop spinning, or if we would have an historic solar storm, things would get bad quickly." 

Quite a display! Northern lights at their finest. So, what is the big deal? The northern lights are really quite a disturbance within our sun. The Earth is being pelted with all kinds of deadly solar radiation. But - because of the unique nature of our planet, our spinning metal core sets up a magnetic "barrier" against these deadly solar rays. In other words, what we are seeing right now is in fact, our "home world security" in action!

This particular solar storm is freakishly strong. So strong it just about knocked one of our TV channels off the air. In fact, in 1859, we had a solar storm so strong, it caused as much havoc as a solar storm could cause in those days. The Carrington Event (as it is now called), if it occurred today, could really mess up our satellite communications. Would it have caused some awesome northern lights? Sure, but most folks would have been too worried about surviving the storm instead of enjoying the lights. 

But forget about the Carrington Event. Were the last couple nights the best thing possible, or what? Could there be anything more impressive? Actually, yes. Should Betelgeuse (from Orion's shoulder) explode and go super nova, it will really light up the night sky. Maybe the day sky also. Betelgeuse is 500 light years away. However, some of the effects of the explosion could still reach the Earth (and be taken care of by our "home world security). Not enough punch to cause major damage, but we could still feel it.

Back closer to home. Each day, every day, our spinning core in our planet keeps us safe. If for some reason our core would stop spinning, or if we would have an historic solar storm, things would get bad quickly. However, for moderate disturbances in the sun, we get to enjoy some beautiful dancing colors (and maybe a bad TV station).   

 

Way too many "Yellow Dogs"

"We have a new team heading up the RNC this year. Their highest objectives are getting out the vote and voter integrity. One of the pundits went on to say that nobody has felt the negative effects of Bidenomics more than black folk have. They feel the pain, they live the pain."

Heard an interesting analysis the other day on the news. It was about how many topics the Republicans have the edge over the Democrats on. On some topics (like border security), it is not even close. Not even in the same neighborhood. But after the pundit went through this litany of issues the Republicans are scoring high on, another pundit then took the wind out of his sails. "But the Democrats win, because they know how to get out the vote."

I was at first confused. So what, if the Democrats know how to get out the vote. Anybody in their right mind would vote on the issues, and the Republicans have an embarrassment of riches in owning the issues this year. Then it hit me. Like a cold snowball in the face on a frigid January day. Many Democrats don't give a tinker's dam about the issues. They only know one thing - pull the level for the blue team. Why? Generational voting. Yes, these people are often referred to as "Yellow Dog" Democrats.

"Yellow Dog" Democrats. I have heard about them for years. At first, I thought it was just a tall tale. But they really do exist. They will vote for Bozo the Clown or Joe Biden, rather than vote for someone on the red team who can fix things. Who can make everyone's life better. 

That gave me pause to think. If "Yellow Dog" Democrats are again going to be in play this year, what do the Republicans have? Besides the issues that is. Conservatives will stay home before they would vote for a candidate who they considered "flawed". I mean, look at what happened to Donald Trump last time around. If Republicans voted like Democrats, Trump would have easily won. But those nasty and mean tweets of Trump caused many to stay home. And then, Trump lost, and do did our country.

We have a new team heading up the RNC this year. Their highest objectives are getting out the vote and voter integrity. One of the pundits went on to say that nobody has felt the negative effects of Bidenomics more than black folk have. They feel the pain, they live the pain. But here is the fly in the ointment - due to generational voting, many blacks in the inner city are "Yellow Dog" Democrats. And they will be herded up and taken to polling places by Democrat activists. 

A ticket to success this time around? Turn many of the "Yellow Dog" Democrats into "Blue Dog" Democrats. "Blue Dog" Democrats are Democrats who vote Republican. With blue, we can win. But with yellow, we might end up with four more years of grandpa.

 

Super ships? Or floating coffins?

One article I read had a very disturbing premise in it. The Chinese believe it would only take the sinking of one of our aircraft carriers. The loss of a very expensive ship, but also 5,000 sailors and numerous aircraft - will make the US tuck its tail and run. Why? The American public would not stand for it. The invasion of Taiwan is not like an invasion of the US.

Back during WWII, if your side could sink an aircraft carrier belonging to the other side, it was a very good thing. Then World War II ended. And Korea happened. Then Viet Nam happened. Then of course, the Cold War. Our aircraft carriers started to bristle with different defensive armaments for protection. Of course, the "bird farm" always had its aircraft for an assist should trouble come calling. Plus - all the support ships which were part of the task force. Bottom line? With the AEGIS system in tow, any of our strike teams with a carrier at its heart, were considered "protected" (to a degree).

But let's look at today's carrier. The Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) for example. It is a heck of a ship, with state of the art just about everything. And the John F. Kennedy (CVN-79) is coming out of the docks shortly (2025). The Kennedy will be just like the Ford. But are they invincible? Are they safe? Are they worth the $11B just to build them? And here is the biggest question of all - are they unsinkable? Losing one of our aircraft carriers is a doomsday thought which haunts our war planners. 

Communist China knows that if push comes to shove in Taiwan, the United States will have to use some of its carriers to join the fray. Just because of where we are located in the world, using our carriers would be a must. But China has not been standing still. They have hundreds of anti-ship missiles, many with ranges of 900 miles, ready to use against our carriers. The DF-21D, and the DF-26 class of missiles are their mainstay. They also have long range bombers to even make the range of the missiles even longer. 

One article I read had a very disturbing premise in it. The Chinese believe it would only take the sinking of one of our aircraft carriers. The loss of a very expensive ship, but also 5,000 sailors and numerous aircraft - will make the US tuck its tail and run. Why? The American public would not stand for it. The invasion of Taiwan is not like an invasion of the US. As the expression goes, "no skin in the game for us", so why sacrifice our blood and treasure to protect Taiwan?

During the 2020's the non-stop game of cat and mouse will continue. Offense, defense. More offense, better defense. Our war planners want us ready to fight a major war without losing a carrier. But the beat goes on. In 2022, the keel laying ceremony was held for the third Ford Class carrier. It will be called the USS Enterprise (CVN-80).

The building of these super carriers will continue for decades. The final ship of ten in the Ford Class should be delivered by 2058. Man - that is a long time away! I hope the Chinese can behave until then!  

Clueless in Gaza

"Get the picture? We have gone from right is right and wrong is wrong to just the opposite. Having Biden acting like Obama phase II, has done nothing but caused our friends to worry and our advisories to celebrate. I can't remember Israel castigating us after 9/11. On the contrary, they were very supportive." 

Oh boy. Do I need to be the voice of reason once again? Seems the MSM has a problem with telling the whole truth. The unvarnished truth. What is happening in Gaza right now is unprecedented. We are telling our best friend in the Middle East to pound sand. Our best friend, Israel, who endured one of the most heinous attacks in modern history on October 7th of last year, is now suffering under the vicissitudes of Joseph Biden.

Here some facts to consider. I will list these before the state-controlled media put these into the trash bin of revisionist history:

• Israel and Hamas were in a cease fire on October 7th last year.
• Hamas attacked, without provocation I might add, Israel on October 7th of same year. Over 1,200 were killed and over 120 were taken hostage. Many of the killings were so gruesome, the details cannot be repeated in this article.  
• 30 Americans were also killed. What did Biden do to avenge those killings? Nada.
• 10 Americans were also taken hostage. Some have died. What has Biden done to rescue these innocent Americans? Nada.
• After the attack, Israel went into Gaza to destroy Hamas and rescue hostages. Biden pledged America's FULL support.
• Hamas has made it known that given the chance, they will do October 7th attacks again over and over again. They are not yet done. 
• Even though Israel has been extremely careful in avoiding innocent civilians in Gaza, some have been killed. That is a sad side effect of war. However, the pro-Hamas factions in Michigan and Minnesota, have stirred the pot against Israel. Protests broke out.
• When Biden found out he might lose Michigan because of America's support for Israel, he flip-flopped (again). Soon, Biden started acting as if he was more pro-Hamas than pro-Israel.
• Now military experts think the remains of Hamas have retreated to Rafah. Israel wants to go into Rafah and finish the job. Maybe as many as 1,000 Hamas fighters remain.
• Biden proudly announces he is withholding needed smart bombs from Israel. Why? So, they won't go after Hamas is Rafah. 

Get the picture? We have gone from right is right and wrong is wrong to just the opposite. Having Biden acting like Obama phase II, has done nothing but caused our friends to worry and our advisories to celebrate. I can't remember Israel castigating us after 9/11. On the contrary, they were very supportive. 

All I can do right now is shake my head in disgust. I love Israel. Always have. November cannot come soon enough. Besides rebuilding our country and military, Donald Trump will also need to rebuild trust with Israel. Thanks a lot Joe - thanks for nothing. 
 

 

Chicago RED!

"In other words, it is long past time. For those who have woken up - welcome. For those who are not yet awake - slumber time is over. For those who are 'woke' - stay asleep, for we don't need nor want you."  

Heard of Chicago Red? Hint: It is not related to any of the Dick Wolf supershows Chicago PD, Chicago Fire, or Chicago Med. Chicago Red is not even a TV show. And it is not a tennis shoe. Then what the heck is it? Quite simply this - a bunch of former lifelong Chicago Democrats, many of whom are black, finally figuring out the Democrat Party has used them for generations. The Chicago Democrat machine does not give two hoots and a holler for any of Chicago poorest residence - except for when there is an election. That is when the promising and codling comes in.

Chicago Red is an ad hoc organization of Chicago residents who have had it. The are called Chicago Red not because red is the color of emergency (maybe it could be) - they are called Chicago Red as these committed citizens really want to turn Chicago red. Why? They are tired being used. They are tired of playing second fiddle to illegals. They are tired of the runaway crime. The constant corruption. 

Something which really sticks in the craw of many Democrat citizens, is the "newbies" (illegals) have received $1B in benefits since coming to Chicago. Meanwhile, the poverty and misery in the inner city for the long-term residence have stayed the same. When the citizens complain about this to the Chicago machine, all they get is pablum and sophistic BS for an answer. Meanwhile, the beat goes on.

The hopes and the prayers of many Republicans might soon be answered. We have known the Democrats (especially the Chicago Machine) have used and abused their citizens. Now it is payback time. This election year, which promises to be very close, might just slip away from Biden due to the misuse and abuse of citizens by the Chicago Machine. 

In other words, it is long past time. For those who have woken up - welcome. For those who are not yet awake - slumber time is over. For those who are "woke" - stay asleep, for we don't need nor want you.  

 

VE - and how close it wasn't

"Today, our two enemies in WWII are two of our closest allies. Funny what time does. The bad guys from yesteryear have become stalwart friends for today. An allied friend from yesterday, is today's bad boy (Russia). Try and figure that one out..."

A quick trip in the way back machine today. Back to WWII, and how Nazi Germany almost pulled it off. Why today? First off, today is the anniversary of VE (Victory in Europe) day. Seventy-nine years ago, Adoplh Hitler took the easy way out and killed himself in his bunker. But hold on for a minute. This is no way a shout out to the Nazi empire - but - the Nazis were very good technologists. As such, if the Allies had been a bit slower in the get-go, the Nazis might have just pulled this one off. And we would all be speaking German today.

The rocket technology in Nazi Germany was way ahead of ours. Wernher von Braun was playing chess while the rest of the world was playing checkers. Von Braun's V-2 missile could have really been a game changer. It was close. Many felt the V-2 was just a precursor to something bigger and badder by the Nazis. Like longer range missiles which could hit NYC, WDC and beyond. It is no secret (now that is), that Hillter's body was not even cold yet in his bunker, when the allies decided that von Braun and his team needed to come to America. Thus, Operation Paper Clip was hatched. Von Braun and company were going to become Americans and head up our space program.

Of course, Germany was also working on an atomic bomb. The cat was out of the bag that a super bomb could be built and would be a game changer. Germany, like other countries, wanted this item of mass destruction badly. But - they did not have the right recipe. They did not have Oppenheimer. The United States won the race on how to build and deliver this bomb, and thus won the war. Again, if Germany had got there first, we would all be speaking German today. 

Germany was also building "super submarines". This one was really a close call. Two days before VE, Germany launched its first "Type XXI" Electric boat submarine. Longer distances, better torpedo delivery, faster, quieter - everything you would want in a sub. But the timing was unfortunate. Not only was the war about to end, but the allies knew about this launch and sank this ultra-high-tech sub. Could this sub have been a game changer if developed earlier? Very possible.

Make no doubt about it. The Germans were a tough team to beat. They were smart, they were good fighters. Achieving victory in Europe was far from a slam dunk. We even had to play nice with the nasty Russians to help beat these guys. But we won and ended up getting our space program as a prize. 

Today, our two enemies in WWII are two of our closest allies. Funny what time does. The bad guys from yesteryear have become stalwart friends for today. An allied friend from yesterday, is today's bad boy (Russia). Try and figure that one out...

 

Once again, with gusto!

"What advice would I give Donald Trump, should he ask me? 'Once again with gusto, Mr. President!' As Rush Limbaugh would often say, Doanld Trump lives rent free in the heads of most Democrats. Just keep doing what you are doing sir, it is working just fine. Once you get sworn in again, you can fix the justice system that Biden has broken so badly." 

Some pundit was pontificating the other day, that should the "Hanging Judge" from Trump's current trial, change his contempt of court (violating the gag order) punishment from $1,000 per event to some jail time (maybe even at Ricker's), Trump's lead would go up by five or six points. Trump too, has figured that out. He puts no credibility in this show trial, nor the Democrat planted judge. "If I need to go to jail to prove I have the Constitutional right of free speech - then so be it."

Boy has this ever backfired for the Democrats. Corrupt DAs (funded by Soros), tainted judges, and kluged "criminal" cases. All the while, Donald Trump is playing not the perp, but the victim. Trump's popularity continues to rise with the previously "Never Trumpers" as well as some of the independents. Plus - Trump continues to erode away at the once stalwart Democrat base. Blacks, browns, Jews, and even some suburban women who voted against Trump, are now in his corner. Who is Joe Biden picking up? Maybe more Muslims. Or not.

For fair minded Americans, the daily picture of one of the major candidates running for president, sitting in a courtroom while his geriatric opponent continues to campaign - does not sit well. In fact, many think it stinks. But hey - Trump told us there was a Deep State. He told us about the "swamp". I think part of Trump is loving the fact so many Americans can now see this travesty of justice. 

This election will be one for the ages. Should Trump win, it will be spun as total vindication. Should Biden sneak out another victory, it will be looked at as dirty politics on steroids. But here is the thing. I listened to a well-respected Democrat pundit the other day, and he had this to say - he sees the race as being much tighter than the polls show. He also believes Trump will win by 2% over Biden. Now here is my take. If the country remains almost 50-50, half the country will hate the outcome. Maybe hate it so bad, many will take to the streets. Or worse.

What advice would I give Donald Trump, should he ask me? "Once again with gusto, Mr. President!" As Rush Limbaugh would often say, Doanld Trump lives rent free in the heads of most Democrats. Just keep doing what you are doing sir, it is working just fine. Once you get sworn in again, you can fix the justice system that Biden has broken so badly. 

   

The Social Security Issue

"With fewer and fewer companies or organizations offering pensions these days, and with the uncertainty of 401k and IRA funds, Social Security will become more and more of a lifeline for many. And if the fund goes dry, and people get reduced or zero dollars each month from Social Security? That picture would be so grim, I don't even want to paint it." 

I have been reading more and more disturbing things about Social Security as of late. If you plan to live to be 65 to 70 years old (or longer), or have a relative who is on Social Security, you might find this article interesting. Social Security, the program which has been around since 1935, was originally set up as a safety net for those who hit 65 and had little else to live on. Since life expectancy in 1935 was 62 years old, this fund was going to be close to perpetual. Then two things happened. People started living longer, and people started having fewer kids.

Flash forward to today. Here is the grim reality of Social Security. Instead of just being a safety net for the few, it is now the only source of income for 40% of all retired folks in America. Today, you can start drawing Social Security (reduced amount) at 62 years old. With life expectancy at 73.3 years old, that means 40% of all people between the ages of 62 and 73.3 will be looking for their Social Security checks, just to survive. 

Social Security has been discussed for decades now in Washington. How can this fund remain solvent if 1) the ratio of people kicking into to fund as compared to those taking out of the fund is so much different than it was in 1935, and 2) over the years we have all kinds of other things which are leaching out of the Social Security fund. 

Besides giving the fund a total overhaul (which is very unpopular to many), what else can we do to help our seniors? One of the Democratic Congresswomen from Minnesota has an idea. Since for years, the federal government did not tax Social Security, let's have at it again. Take all federal taxes off of Social Security. That would help. Plus, some states still tax Social Security. No more state taxes on Social Security would also help. 

Or - we can do nothing. This once viable program will become unviable in 2033. That is nine years from now. How is this being handled in Washington? The same way fixing our national electric grid has been handled. Instead of fixing our grid 40 years ago when we knew an EMP strike of any kind would be disastrous, we will wait to fix it until after the EMP strike happens. The same with Social Security. We will wait until 2033, and then ring the alarm bell.

With fewer and fewer companies or organizations offering pensions these days, and with the uncertainty of 401k and IRA funds, Social Security will become more and more of a lifeline for many. And if the fund goes dry, and people get reduced or zero dollars each month from Social Security? That picture would be so grim, I don't even want to paint it. 

  

Land of the free, home of the brave!

"America is our home. It is our cornerstone. Our guidepost. We CANNOT lose the vision our Founders left us with. As we were warned by Ben Franklin, "we have a republic - if we can keep it". Well folks, I am beginning to wonder if we can keep it. The enemy is not at the gates any longer - they are inside the tent." 

I absolutely love this saying. It personifies America from the time I was a kid until now. I know - some have changed this motto to be "Home of the free, because of the brave". I love that one even more. Regardless, we must remember this - we live in America. The land of absolute opportunity and freedom. It is the clearest shining example of liberty that people offshore from us to see. And what is happening today? Our great country is being counterfeited. We are told we are colonialists. Racists. Conquers. But when the truth is told, we are none of these.

Somehow our institutes of higher education have taken on the mantle of disinformation. America is none of those good things - on the contrary, America is not anything like the ancient Romans or Vikings. Take territory, capture and exploit women, plunder resources. This is all such a butter cup of pure revisionist crap; it is almost amusing. And yet, many of today's snowflakes are captured by the sophism. The lies. The regurgitation of history.

I see what is happening in Congress these days. I see what is happening at our "prestigious" colleges and universities these days. I see where George Washington's statue (the father of our country), is vandalized and has Palestinian flag and mottos all over him. This almost sacrilegious. Washington was offered the position of king - and he turned it down. Kings can lead to tyranny. He wanted to President. Of a republic. Where the people's voice is heard.

America, where are you? What is happening? The beacon for all to look toward, the bright shining city on the hill - where are you? Have you lost your way? Your sense of direction? As one person from another country recently said, "We can't lose America - if we lose America, there is no other place to turn to." True words, and a AMEN!

America is our home. It is our cornerstone. Our guidepost. We CANNOT lose the vision our Founders left us with. As we were warned by Ben Franklin, "we have a republic - if we can keep it". Well folks, I am beginning to wonder if we can keep it. The enemy is not at the gates any longer - they are inside the tent. 

 

       

Law and order? Or lawless and disorder?

"Back to Minneapolis for a minute. Have you seen the type of person who serves on City Council? Forget the Mayor - he almost looks normal in contrast. In fact, he has tried to tether this 'clown car' of misfits down. It has not worked." 

Article in the local paper today. Get ready Minneapolis, there might be a huge tax increase coming! Why? Because of the high quality of life? Wrong answer. The article said there is a very high vacancy in office buildings downtown (still). The paper also used the same excuse for the vacancies which it has used for a couple of years now. The pandemic. Guess what Star Tribune? You can spin that yarn all you want, but most of us know the real truth. Downtown is unsafe. Not a good place to go anymore. THAT is why the vacancy rate is so high. 

Not to pick on the City of Lakes, this vacancy issue is more common than uncommon these days (in blue cities). Why? Crime. Low police numbers. Goofballs in city government. Soros funded DAs who will not prosecute crime (unless you are Donald Trump). Until more people feel safe again, until downtowns return to the calm of yesteryear, these high vacancies will continue. And so will the tax increases on those who remain downtown.

Back to Minneapolis for a minute. Have you seen the type of person who serves on City Council? Forget the Mayor - he almost looks normal in contrast. In fact, he has tried to tether this "clown car" of misfits down. It has not worked. So long as we have idealogues and socialists running (ruining) the joint, cities like Minneapolis will have lawlessness and disorder. Wait - what happened to law and order in our large cities? That has gone the way of the Dodo Bird - thanks to the DFL.

By the way - the City of Minneapolis needs more money from the taxpayers. Just think - in 2019 the number of cops in the city was 900. Then came the Floyd riots and the disregard for any law and order. Net result - today the number of cops on the beat is less than 575. Just think of how much more tax money would be needed to bring the force back up to 900. But the lower the number of cops stays, the more violence. The more violence, the less people want to live or work downtown.

If you elect clowns to run your government, the result is mayhem and dystopian living. Look around at our cities. Heck, look around at our blue cities campuses as of late. As the saying goes, the wheels have come off the trolly. Or in this article, the wheels have come off the clown car. 

Remember this choice in November. More lawlessness and disorder? Or law and order. The choice is ours to make.  

  

"From the river I can see..."

"The biggest problem we still have in this country is leadership. We need God fearing, America loving, Constitution following people in all levels of leadership. And media which is destructive and dismissive to our way of life, we need to eschew." 

How to finish this sentence. How about, "From the river I can see, all the mutts who bother me." Or on a more positive note, "From the river I can see, this land called America, and how I love thee." What is my point? The next time I hear "From the river to the sea" BS from the protesters, I think I might throw up in my mouth. I am sick of these malcontents, destroying our freedoms, and defacing our landmarks and colleges. It is high time we took America back from everything which is harmful to this great nation.

The picture above is from a college out east. Some of the mutts were trying to rip down our flag and replace it with a Hamas or Palestinian flag. These young men, who represent the majority of how our young people are today, would have no part of our flag being taken down. Despite being pelted with trash from the mutts, they kept our flag off the ground and on the flagpole. This picture is a ray of hope for all to see.

At another college out east yesterday, while the mayhem at UCLA was taking place, was having a revival. Yes, a revival. Not a protest, but a revival. There were praise songs, evangelism, and 140 young college kids being baptized. Another ray of hope. The dark despair and disarray of the Pro-Palestinian protest camps were richly eclipsed by the love for our Lord by these clear-thinking college kids.

"From the river I can see, young people who represent you and me." When we cast our gaze over the fruited plains we live on, we just need to overlook the ones who wish us, and this nation, harm. The good, and the very good, in this country so outweigh the bad and the very bad.

For example, our church, which is a Bible believing church, continues to grow like a weed. With less than 1,000 people attending each week, 270 of those attending are kids. Kids of all ages. I mean, you walk into our church on a Sunday, and there are young people all over the place! All with hearts on fire for Jesus!

The biggest problem we still have in this country is leadership. We need God fearing, America loving, Constitution following people in all levels of leadership. And media which is destructive and dismissive to our way of life, we need to eschew. That is it. We start with those two things, and the rest will follow. Then we can all proudly proclaim, "From the river we can see, our sweet land of liberty."

 

Why are they so angry?

"Grow up, man (or woman) up. If you are really that pissed off about living here, let me show you the door. Until that happens, DON'T YOU DARE TRY AND SHUT THINGS DOWN HERE. DON'T YOU DARE DESTROY THINGS. If you say America is your enemy, you become the enemy of many good citizens, who dearly love this country."  

I really don't get it. Just the other Sunday, our pastor said in church that just about every person in America is very wealthy compared to everyone else in the world. I have heard that fact before. How wealthy are we? Seen the southern border as of late? Nobody is trying to sneak out of here - on the contrary, millions have snuck into our country. Why? Wealth and opportunity. So, why are the youth in this country so angry right now?

Some think it is the constant brainwashing they receive in our education system. Really? Maybe it is. Teachers, who are supposed to be respected and believed, have told our young folk for years that Americans are opportunists. Colonialists. Racists. Why would educators tell lies such as this? This is simply not true. But some of this pablum, has sunk into those vulnerable cortexes. It has become part of their reality. And it angers them, they are living in such a repressive country.

One of the things I saw recently, was during a demonstration in support of the Palestinian people, was a very curious sign. It said, "Queers for Palestine". There was an irony in that sign. In many Muslim countries far from ours, homosexuals are looked upon as vile. So vile, they don't deserve to live. Some are taken to the top of tall buildings, and then tossed off. 

Why tell this tale? Simply for this reason. Our youth have no clue just how well they have it here. How good women have it here. In many countries, women are subjugated. Treated as property. Young people don't have free choice as to what they will do for a living. No freedom of religion. No freedom of speech. No freedom of assembly. Need I go on? Because our young folk have been coddled by our nanny state, and lied to by educators, their anger is directed at a phantom country - a country which does not exist.

When I got off of active duty and had the chance to get a college education as part of my veteran benefits - I was thrilled. What an opportunity! I loved this country. I loved the opportunity to serve my country. I loved, still love, living in this country. I have NEVER had the misplaced anger that so many of today's youth have. Do I feel sorry for these spoiled brats? Not one iota.

Grow up, man (or woman) up. If you are really that pissed off about living here, let me show you the door. Until that happens, DON'T YOU DARE TRY AND SHUT THINGS DOWN HERE. DON'T YOU DARE DESTROY THINGS. If you say America is your enemy, you become the enemy of many good citizens, who dearly love this country.  

 

Entitled rich kids and a paucity of facts...

"Between the mistreatment of Donald Trump and the non-punishment of these radical students, Biden continues to slip in the polls and Trump continues to rise. Biden's America is on display right now, for all to see. Is there anything else which could go wrong right now? Oh yes, Putin recently threatened to turn the United States into a land of 'radioactive ash. And then there is that..." 

Yesterday, one of the reporters asked one of the little darlings (who was not in school, but rather illegally protesting), a few germane questions about the protests. Question: "Why are you protesting against the Jews, when it was the Jews who were attacked on October 7th?" Answer: "You need to get your facts straight about October 7th. It never happened that way." Question: "Do you support students illegally occupying the administration building?" Answer: "You need to get your facts straight, because that is not what is happening."

I was waiting for the reporter to pull out a map of the Middle East, just to see if this undereducated, yet entitled brat knew where Israel was. Then I started to think - mom and dad are spending $90,000 a year to send this entitled kid to Columbia University. To learn what? America bad, Israel bad, Hamas good? Where is the critical thinking? Where is the real-world history that should have been taught? And to think when these brats finally get out of Columbia, knee deep in debt, Joe Biden will want us to pay their college debt for them.

Last night, the powers that be in NYC finally grew some, and ordered the police to move in and expel the protesters. Now it will be interesting to see what Alvin Bragg will do. This, however, would mean Bragg would have to take his gaze off of Donald Trump for a short while. BTW - a sizable percentage of those arrested were not even students at Columbia. I am shocked (not)! Will Bragg let all these mutts go, or will he charge them? Figure the odds on that one!

And then we have the President of Columbia University - Minouche Shafik. She is a piece of work. And that is all I will say about her. I do suggest that you read up on her bio. It will explain quite a bit on how she let this get so far out of hand. Will she suspend or expel the guilty students? That would be a long shot. 

Parents - there are so many reasons not to send your kids to college these days, it would be hard for me to list all of them. Whereas many inner-city high schools have become "failure factories", many colleges and universities have become indoctrination facilities. There is no real learning at these "higher education" facilities anymore - only brainwashing. They are a waste of money and a waste of space.

Between the mistreatment of Donald Trump and the non-punishment of these radical students, Biden continues to slip in the polls and Trump continues to rise. Biden's America is on display right now, for all to see. Is there anything else which could go wrong right now? Oh yes, Putin recently threatened to turn the United States into a land of "radioactive ash". And then we have that... 

     
 

Will Ukraine be the match which lights the fire?

"There is no place on Earth right now which is more of a tender box than Ukraine is. Our latest shipment of weapons to Ukraine caused Putin's temperature to rise even more. What will Putin settle for to end the war? My guess is keeping Crimea and also the Donbas Region of Eastern Ukraine. Even if that could bring an end to this terrible war, it is doubtful that Ukraine would cede that much territory."

I have addressed this issue before. There are parts of the EU and NATO which have pretty much had it with the world's bad boy - Vladimir Putin. What Putin has shown the world with his invasion of Ukraine, has shocked most of us. But for some in Europe, the shock is over. Now they are steamed. How so? Macron of France has recently come out and said that France is willing to "shield" Europe with 300 French nukes. Like, where did that come from? Macron is tired of Putin always threatening NATO with nukes. France can do that also.

And Poland. Poland has been invaded too many times in its history. Now President Duda has made it crystal clear to Russia, that if they come over Polish borders, they will receive much more than they can give. Poland had come a long way in modernizing their military. And with much of Russia's military being chewed up in the Ukraine War, Duda is feeling very emboldened. 

My fear with the Ukraine War is simply this - the longer it goes on, the more it attrits the Russian Army, the better chances that Putin will resort to something unthinkable. Article 5 of NATO be damned, Putin might make a play for more of Europe. It that brings the United States into the fray, so be it. Plus - Putin might be tempted to use some of his tactical nukes. That will be a red line that once crossed, there is no going back.

Donald Trump had it right when asked about the Ukraine War. "I just want the killing to stop". This war of attrition has been a killing machine. Hundreds of thousands of Russians and Ukrainians lie dead in the battlefield. President Zelenskyy has been very clear in the past what Ukraine wants. Ukraine does not want any Russian territory, but Ukraine does want all of Ukraine back. That includes the port city of Crimea.

There is no place on Earth right now which is more of a tender box than Ukraine is. Our latest shipment of weapons to Ukraine caused Putin's temperature to rise even more. What will Putin settle for to end the war? My guess is keeping Crimea and also the Donbas Region of Eastern Ukraine. Even if that could bring an end to this terrible war, it is doubtful that Ukraine would cede that much territory. 

Both the UN and the US have done little to bring resolution to this bloody conflict. With all this gas on the floor, a lit match falling to the ground is all it takes. Should Europe devolve into another bloody war, the Rubican will have been crossed. If cooler heads don't prevail, France and Poland might be next for Putin.    

 

Deja Flipping Vu?Again?

"When or where is this going to end? Not on Biden's watch. Maybe this will go on until January of next year when our new President is sworn in. You might be asking, what has happened to our law and order in this country? Did this abrogation of order start with Biden? Nope - Biden just perpetuated it. It all started with Obama. We can thank Barry for much of this crap going on."   

Hypothetical conversation, picked up via intercept from somewhere in Gaza:

"Eli my brother, we are winning! No way I thought this day would come! Our plans for October 7th, and how the Americans and IDF would respond, are a dream come true. We knew that if the Americans backed the IDF, that many of our brothers would be martyred. And many have. But - we also knew the Americans were weak and could be had."

"We knew that the American President was not strong. But we had no idea he would actually talk the IDF and the Israeli Government away from finishing the battle. We will get a cease fire, and then re-group. Once the IDF leaves, as that is the next thing the Americans will insist on, we can start the planning for the next October 7th attack."

"But what is happening right now on the American universities and colleges, was never imagined to be this good! Our agents, working with certain groups of protesters in America, have shut down parts of many of America's finest universities. American students had the Zionist Israel. Because of this hatred, soon, there will be blood in the streets of America, and the United States spineless President will do nothing about it. As I said my brother - thanks to the American government, we are winning the war!"

Like I said, the above was a hypothetical conversation. However, I really could see it happening. But for right now, let's take a trip in our "way back" machine. Back to 1968. Columbia University was one of the first universities to have student unrest from another unpopular war - Viet Nam. According to one Columbia student, it put Columbia on the map as an "activist" campus. And now we have Deja vu, all over again. 

Through a well-coordinated effort, America now has campus protests going on from sea to shining sea. And guess who is involved? The same group who poured gas on the fire during the George Floyd riots. Same group, different cause. And where is the money coming from to fund all this mayhem? If you guessed the Soros family, you might win a prize.

When or where is this going to end? Not on Biden's watch. Maybe this will go on until January of next year when our new President is sworn in. You might be asking, what has happened to our law and order in this country? Did this abrogation of order start with Biden? Nope - Biden just perpetuated it. It all started with Obama. We can thank Barry for much of this crap going on.   

Conscript this!

"If we don't fix our staffing issue for ships, we will end up with ships not ready for battle. Army units not ready to fight. Planes without enough ground crews. Having enough good, trained and motivated troops is not just a wish list - it is a matter of national security. And once we get more young people in, we need to adjust the pay scales. PAY THEM BETTER." 

When I was on active duty, we had a slew of what was called back then, "2 by 6 sailors". It was a program which was very popular with the draft dodgers back then. Two years active, and then four more years in a reserve unit. None of them really wanted to be on Okinawa, and their attitude and performance showed it. When I was done with my four years of active duty, I re-enlisted in the Navy Reserve. The unit I was in still had the remains of some of these "2 by 6 sailors". My opinion? Let them out, as they did close to zero. When the last one finally rotated out, it was cause for celebration.

However, today my mind has changed on conscription. The all-volunteer service worked well until Biden and company really mucked it up. Now our enlistment goals are way down (except for the USMC) and retention rates are also going south. How bad is retention? The other day, I read in the Navy news my old rating (Crypto Techs) were offering up to $100,000 re-enlistment bonuses for a six year re-up. All I could say was - WOW!

We need good qualified young folks to go into our military. That is a fact. Israel has conscription. Russia has conscription. Maybe it is time we rethink conscription. No more 2S deferments. After high school, everyone picks some kind of government service to do. Three years. Many would go into the service. Some would go into another kind of government service. There would be very few exceptions.

Why have I changed my mind on conscription? Many reasons. First off, during Viet Nam, the draft was found my many to be unfair. Plus, the war itself was very unpopular. If conscription was a fact of life for every young person after high school, maybe attitudes would be different. And (this is a big one), many young folks don't have a clue on what they want to do after high school. The three years of some kind of government service would be a chance to start figuring things out.

If we don't fix our staffing issue for ships, we will end up with ships not ready for battle. Army units not ready to fight. Planes without enough ground crews. Having enough good, trained and motivated troops is not just a wish list - it is a matter of national security. And once we get more young people in, we need to adjust the pay scales. PAY THEM BETTER. 

Biden and Austin have really mucked things up. But we can still fix them. And also (this is not going to be popular) - we need to up our defense spending on weapons. Having a one percent increase in the defense bill, when inflation is 3.2% - does not cut it. 

One final thought. How do you want to see our nation's youth - sitting in tents and protesting colleges? Or learning a real trade while serving the country. I know what my vote would be.     

Is our annual death and destruction necessary?

"More storms are in the forecast for this coming week. Having a normal house, living in a tornado region, is like playing Russian Roulet. With windstorms getting stronger all the time, hiding in a 'safe room' or in your bathtub will not cut it." 

We see this most every year at this time. Houses destroyed. Sometimes, entire towns decimated. People injured. Some people killed. Why? Tornados. Our country seems to have more tornadoes than any other. It is a nature of the beast. We have tornados because of how our country was formed. We get violent storms mostly in the springtime. Warm moist air fighting cooler, dryer air. Sometimes we a few storms - sometimes many.

What breaks my heart (besides the loss of life), is watching people coming back to what was once their house. With a "thousand-yard stare", they sift through the wreckage, looking for anything which may be salvageable. Many times, you hear the same thing - "We worked our whole life for this house, and what was in it. What was lost can never be replaced." 

Here is the thing I don't understand. We continue to build our houses the same way. Pretty houses, many in tornado alley. None of them stand a snowball's chance of making it though a violent windstorm or a tornado. That is when I started to think about the type of structures which are being considered for Mars. When we inhabit Mars. The housing on Mars will look nothing like what we have here on Earth. Why? Housing on Mars will be built for survival - not looks.

In our tornado alley area of the country, many houses are built on slabs. No basement. If a EF4 or EF5 twister comes at one of those houses, there is no place in the house which will be survivable. Twisters that strong, actual "scour" the ground. I think back on the twister which hit Moore, Oklahoma years back. Plots which contained a nice house, were reduced just to a plot once again. There was nothing left - not even trees. If humans were in a house like that when a strong EF twister came, their chances of survival were about zero. 

The housing on Mars has the appearance of earthen domes. Partially underground, and thick walls above the surface. They are designed to survive anything that Mars can throw at them. However back on terra firma - not so much. We just make sure people have insurance so they can rebuild. But all the life's memories, or the fatalities - are gone forever.

More storms are in the forecast for this coming week. Having a normal house, living in a tornado region, is like playing Russian Roulet. With windstorms getting stronger all the time, hiding in a "safe room" or in your bathtub will not cut it. 

We need to get much smarter in our house construction. We have the technology to make stronger, more survivable houses. Failure to do so, will cause this weekend's scenario to repeat. Just like wash, spin, repeat - it will continue. And so will the misery.  

      

Mr. Trump - Choose your VP NOW!

"Trump will fix our country, while Biden/Harris will take us further into the gutter. Will this be the most consequential election in our nation's history? It is shaping up to be so."   

As the deep state continues to work their evil wares on Donald Trump, their mission has become as clear as a bell. Even though Alvin Bragg and his host of corrupt judges are (as the saying goes), "trying to make a dead dog bark" by bootstrapping a federal charge into a local charge, one thing is working out to perfection. By the judge's order, Trump has to be bored to tears every day, sitting in that courthouse. And that is keeping Trump off the trail. Meanwhile, Sleepy Joe is being flown all over the place (at taxpayer's expense) on Air Force One, campaigning (if you want to call it that).

These puppet trials could go on into the summer and maybe into the fall. Keep the most charismatic campaigner since Fiorello La Guardia off the campaign trail. Even though Trump's base is still strongly behind him, is there something else he could to while tied up in knots in the court rooms? How about immediately announcing his choice for VP? Especially if it is someone who is also charismatic, popular and conservative. 

I know the list is long for whom Donald Trump could pick as a running mate. My personal favorite has been (for a long time now), Kristi Noem. There are others, but for many in the conservative base (especially in the Midwest), Kristi represents our values. And now I am going to go out on a limb. Because of the unique nature of this year's campaign, I also like the idea of Donald Trump picking some of his more important cabinet positions. Why? Just so the public can compare and contrast normal Americans in Trump's cabinet with the hodge podge of misfits that Biden picked for this cabinet.

I also have my favorites for Trump's cabinet positions. I would love to see Senator Tom Cotton as the Secretary of Defense. Unlike Lloyd Austin, Cotton would not be teaching the troops new pronouns - instead, he would be making war fighters out of them. Cotton knows the nuts and bolts of our defense needs, as well as how to treat out troops.

As Attorney General, how about either Senator Mike Lee or Senator Ted Cruz? Both great men with a superb knowledge of the law. And unlike Merick Garland, they believe in the traditional ONE system of justice. They will NOT weaponize the DOJ like Garland has.

Secretary of State? I would ask Mike Pompeo if he would like another bite of the apple. The difference between Pompeo and Blinken is like night and day. Gone would be the appeasers, and back would come the patriots who want to put America first. 

Anyhow, just some rambling thoughts. Like many of us, I want Trump to succeed in becoming POTUS 47. Why? The alternative is beyond awful. Trump will fix our country, while Biden/Harris will take us further into the gutter. Will this be the most consequential election in our nation's history? It is shaping up to be so.   

 

 

Played for patsies, by the Red Dragon

"What is our future with the Chinese? Bleak. As I have said in the past, I have studied this crew since 1970. Back then, they had an agenda. They still have an agenda. They are not to be trusted. Only fools would trust these guys. Hear that Sleepy Joe? Pass that on to your people." 

This is almost worth a laugh. It just seems like yesterday Treasury Secretary Yellen was over in China doing her bidding. Now today, we have Blinken over in China. Why? Talks. We talk, and China just does stuff. Our administration tells us that "productive" talks were held about Fentanyl, trade, and general relations. Deja vu all over again. Oh - one more thing. At one time, we had tens of thousands of exchange students in China. Today, just in the hundreds. China said they will fix that. Right...

I wonder if President Xi said anything to Blinken about the $8B (recently approved) going to Taiwan. I wonder if President Xi said anything to Blinken about our new bases in the PI. I wonder if President Xi said anything to Blinken about the submarine deal with Australia. Finally, I wonder if Blinken believed a word that Xi said. 

Here is the cold, hard truth. China uses us and hates us at the same time. Biden, the globalist, has people working for him that are from the same ilk he is. The globalists refuse to accept reality. They hold on to fantasy. They see China as la-la land. In reality, China is preparing for war with us. They know we will jump in the fray to help Taiwan once China makes its play for Taiwan. China's plan? Damage or sink at least one of our aircraft carriers. The loss of thousands of American sailors should send the American public to the streets, demanding we pull out of that conflict.

One more thing. We found out that despite warning China about supplying Russia with military equipment they can use in Ukraine, they are still doing it. Only to get around the ban demanded by the Americans; China is sending "dual use" items to Russia. What are dual use items? Things (as an example) which could be used on a tank and a dishwasher. Clever for the Chinese, naive for our administration.

What is our future with the Chinese? Bleak. As I have said in the past, I have studied this crew since 1970. Back then, they had an agenda. They still have an agenda. They are not to be trusted. Only fools would trust these guys. Hear that Sleepy Joe? Pass that on to your people. 

 

Is the caged animal ready to strike again?

"The bad boys are in alignment. Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea. But on the flip side, the good guys are also in alignment. NATO, Japan, South Korea, Australia and the PI. The world's stage is set for another world war if we are not careful."

The rumor mills are now working overtime. Is this bluster, faux reporting, or is there really something there? As the endless war in Ukraine drags on, recently given a transfusion of new arms by the US Congress, Vladimir Putin might have decided to take his game elsewhere. Up a notch. How so? It is no secret that Putin has no time for NATO. Especially now, since NATO has become more and more embolden in their support for Ukraine. 

Putin is still seething over the entrance of Finland and Norway into the NATO organization. This is a huge thorn in his side. But Poland - oh, how he hates Poland. He would love to take another swing at this NATO country. And Polish President Duda - how dare he! Saying Poland would host NATO nuclear weapons should Russia move nukes into Kaliningrad. Putting Article 5 of NATO aside for a minute, Russia would be fools to take a run at Poland. Why? Poland is rough and ready and prepared. 

Putin is also pretty steamed at Macron of France. Ever since Macron said, "There is no limits to how France will support Kiev in the Ukraine War", Putin feels slighted. Is Putin afraid of France? No, but he should be. France is no pushover, like Moldavia might be should Putin take a run at that country also. Why? France has a good military, plus - France also has nukes, and subs to launch them with.

Putin also knows this war with Ukraine has been a fool's errand. What he thought would happen, and what is really happening - are not even close to being related. Putin may be putting the hurt on Ukraine by destroying infrastructure, and killing many of their young men, but Putin's Army is also getting chewed up. He hates the fact the US is behind Ukraine getting F-16's and HIMARS. And the drones? They are really hitting Putin hard on his energy business. 

Is Russia ready to strike again? Maybe he sees Biden for how weak he is. It might be the time and the place to take a run at NATO. What about this scenario? A coordinated attack by Russia against NATO, with China at the same time taking a run at Taiwan. Possible? Yes. Probable? I sure hope not. 

The bad boys are in alignment. Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea. But on the flip side, the good guys are also in alignment. NATO, Japan, South Korea, Australia and the PI. The world's stage is set for another world war if we are not careful. How bad could a World War III be? End of the world bad. Putin needs to understand this. There is no winning the next global war - only losers.