If you don't mind me asking - how us your hemisphere?

"Why is all this important? The underlying reason for cleaning up our hemisphere is not to steal some other country's oil; it is to keep the Commie interlopers out of the neighborhood. The good news? Trump has three more years to make this right. That is - unless the Commie lovers in this country stop him."

If somebody asked that question to Donald Trump, he would probably answer it by saying it needs work. It seems from the top of Greenland and Canada to the bottom of South America; our hemisphere could use a tuneup. Wait - what is wrong with our hemisphere? Looks the same as it has for decades. Somewhat true, but false. Slow changes have happened which have made the Monroe Doctrine look almost obsolete. Many have not noticed, but Donald Trump sure has.

We have some warts and bruises which need tending to. The first wart (Maduro) has been taken out of Venezuela to stand trial in New York. Using some of his drug money, he has "lawyered up", getting some of the finest criminal attorneys money can buy. Now that he and his wife are out of the picture, our job is to help the good people of Venezuela help themselves. In other words, get their oil industry fixed, so the oil revenue can go to the people. This was the first domino to fall.

The next country that needs fixing, and is long, long overdue - is Cuba. It is almost criminal that this large Caribbean island is only 90 miles from us, and it is as if it is 9,000 miles away. The good people of Cuba deserve better - they don't deserve to be stuck in the 1960's, living under a dictator. Like Venezuela, this country needs to be liberated so they too, can enjoy the fruits of their labor. The Castros screwed this place up badly - maybe we can help to make it right.

Columbia. My wife and I have been there. Because I am nosey, I asked a tour guide about the drug trade of old that Columbia was noted for. "Those were bad days", he told me. "Most of that trade has gone to Central America and Mexico." Seems from what I have been hearing as of late, Columbia is suffering a bit of a relapse. Might be dabbling in the narco state stuff once again. If that is true, Columbia better take notice of Venezuela. Strange things can happen in the middle of the night.

Speaking of Mexico, how is it going down there? It seems Ms. Sheinbaum has not done much to clean up the drug trade. And the bottom line is this - we spend a lot of time and money playing the cat and mouse game on our southern border, looking for drugs and trafficked people. This is a big problem for Sheinbaum and consequently - a big problem for us. Is Mexico on Trump's radar? Oh, yes - bigly!

How about Greenland? Is that still in play? Depends on who you ask. The Danish say absolutely not! The Trump team say not so fast. In fact, somebody from the Kingdom of Denmark just said if the United States took Greenland by force, it would be the end of NATO. Probably not. And that is not the way we would gain entry to Greenland. Trump would make both Greenland and Denmark a deal they could not refuse. The "Art of the Deal" could make everybody happy with Uncle Sam as a partner in Greenland.

Why is all this important? The underlying reason for cleaning up our hemisphere is not to steal some other country's oil; it is to keep the Commie interlopers out of the neighborhood. The good news? Trump has three more years to make this right. That is - unless the Commie lovers in this country stop him. 

Do we have a tiger by the tail?

 

"Today, on Capitol Hill, will be some Q+A sessions with returning Congressmen and Senators. Everybody is anxious to know what the plan is. Stay tuned on this one - it should be the most interesting week (and month). In the meanwhile, hold tight to that tiger's tail." 

You have to hand it to those Commies. They take over a well-run, oil rich nation, and turn it into crap. Chavez and Maduro back-to-back really did a number on this once beautiful and wealthy nation. Now, to have peace once again in the shire, to practice the revived Monroe Doctrine, we have gone into Venezuela and removed the illegitimate puppet regime. As reported many times over, the operation to remove Maduro and wife went like clockwork. Total success. Now it is the morning after (so to speak), and we need to figure out what to do with this tiger by the tail.

Here is the good news. Venezuela has high grade oil and lots of it. Enough to allow each citizen to live the good life once again. Here is the bad news. All the equipment which we had installed in Venezuela years ago (before they became Commie), is in such disrepair, it might take ten years to bring it up to standards. Lots of time, lots of effort, lots of money. Will it be worth it? Sure will. But then a question begs to be asked. What is the ten-year plan until the oil infrastructure is restored? 

My biggest fear is that without enough oil revenue in the near term, they will fall back to exporting drugs. Or - another bad idea is that the US "adopts" Venezuela until the oil starts flowing again. That would not be a good look for us, plus the costs would be enormous. What would be ideal would be to find an alternate commodity which could help the people prosper and not be drugs. But how, with such a tattered-up government? The people in charge are Commies, and we need a good old strong dose of capitalism down there.

It is important that the new government in Venezuela be their own. By the same token, it is important that the new government look nothing like the one we just got rid of. My thinking is the unfortunate byproduct of this liberation is a strong influx of administrators, military boots on the ground, equipment and money. The fact we are breathing new life into the idled Roosevelt Roads Naval Station in Puerto Rico could be a hint as to which direction we are heading. 

Today, on Capitol Hill, will be some Q+A sessions with returning Congressmen and Senators. Everybody is anxious to know what the plan is. Stay tuned on this one - it should be the most interesting week (and month). In the meanwhile, hold tight to that tiger's tail. 

Please don't be Iraq all over again!

"Here is the bottom line. Venezuela is still a narco-state. Getting rid of Maduro only fixed part of the problem. The bad guys running around the country are legion in number. Plus - foreign influencers from China, Iran, Russia, Cuba and the list goes on and on. For the past almost 30 years, Venezuela was be run by Hugo Chavez and Maduro - both thugs. Now to have a normal government, democratically elected is going to take courage and skill."

Who can forget our invasion of Iraq to relieve the good people of that country from a corrupt and murderous thug like Saddam Hussien? Our invasion to topple his regime went pretty well (NOT as good as last night in Venezuela!), but the aftermath was terrible! Nation building was not as easy as we once thought. Many young brave men and women gave up their lives trying to but this broken vase back together. Once it was over, many in our country said, NEVER AGAIN!

As flawless and textbook last night was, to extract the unelected dictator Maduro (and wife) from his fortified residence, was a masterpiece. However, Trump's presser on the specifics of the raid ended with a gasp from many who watched. Me included. First thing that came to mind was the famous George Santayana quote - "Those who forget the past (history), are condemned (doomed) to repeat it." The second thing which came to mind was the Colin Powell quote about our adventures in Iraq - "You break it, you own it." 

Here is the question in my mind which won't go away. Will Donald Trump be able to make this effort in Venezuela work without pain or death, or will this be a deja vu of Iraq? Our main lesson we learned from Iraq was as good as our military was in getting rid of bad guys, it was not that good at nation building. When the president states we have a team putting together a transition team to run the country, I was really craving to have more meat on the bones. Like what, who, why, and when? 

Here is the bottom line. Venezuela is still a narco-state. Getting rid of Maduro only fixed part of the problem. The bad guys running around the country are legion in number. Plus - foreign influencers from China, Iran, Russia, Cuba could still be there. The list goes on and on. For the past almost 30 years, Venezuela was be run by Hugo Chavez and Maduro - both thugs. Now to have a normal government, democratically elected, (and safe) - is going to take courage and skill. And how to do this without having thousands of American boots on the ground, will be the question de jour.

One of our relatives was over yesterday and asked a very good yet humorous question about what happens next. "Why can't the UN step in and take over?" By definition and charter, they should. But in reality, this bunch of globalists are more concerned about getting rid of Israel and what kind of cars we are driving. My response to this relative was this - it is only us who could have pulled this off. And now we are stuck with making it work. By hook or by crook, we need to make this work.   

The Domroe effect, once again

"Rumor has it that the back channels were working overtime in making sure that Maduro knew his time was almost up. He did say the other day he would do whatever the Americans wanted him to do. That was way beyond an 'inkle'. Maybe Trump, in Godfather fashion, made Maduro an offer he could not refuse."

There is a school of thought by some of the long-term State Department employees, that when we extracted Saddam Hussien from power in Iraq, we destroyed a "check and balance" in that existed important part of the world. In other words, without Hussien - we created a very strong an almost uncontrollable Iran. Flash forward to right now. Have we created something unplanned for by taking Maduro out of Venezuela? Or - have we helped foster a long-term peace and mostly drug free area of our hemisphere? Whatever happens in the future down there, what we saw last night was another example of our Domroe effect in the region.

Last night, our military and law enforcement executed a textbook example on how to extract a wanted criminal (and spouse), without much bloodshed or damage. In fact, current indications are this extraction might have been carried out without any American loss of life nor aircraft lost. We will find out more in a 10am presser (conducted by Trump), and then we can receive more specifics. All we know right now is Maduro and spouse are out of Venezuela and on US soil. What happens next is something we will have to wait on.

Wait - was this a regime change? Sort of, as Maduro was not the duly elected president of Venezuela. He stole the election. What I hope happens is Trump is able to peacefully help the legitimate president to be sworn into office. And then we can go back to dealing with Venezuela the way we once did. As friends in the hemisphere. As trading partners. Shared wealth with their oil reserves. Done the right way, Venezuela could be on the cusp of a new dawn. A brighter dawn. 

But first we need to cut the cancer out of the patient. Get rid of the drug trade down there. Destroy the cartel that Maduro ran. Let the people know there is a new sheriff in town, and that new sheriff has the backing of Donald J. Trump. Just like we got Noriega out of Panama and destroyed the drug trade down there, we will do the same with Venezuela. Out with the bad, in with the new.

The rumor has it that the back channels were working overtime in making sure that Maduro knew his time was almost up. He did say the other day he would do whatever the Americans wanted him to do. That was way beyond an "inkle". Maybe Trump, in Godfather fashion, made Maduro an offer he could not refuse. Like, surrender and face trial in the US, or take the chance of ending up like Iranian General Soleimani.

I know, I know. The loony left in this country will strongly criticize Trump for what he did. Why? Because that is all they know how to do. If not for Trump, the only thing which would mollify the minions on the left, would be a box of fidgets to play with.  

 

Waymo trouble than we need?

"By the end of the decade, autonomous cars and humanoid robots will not even be worth mentioning. Bigger and better things will be in the offing. As technology starts to spiral faster and faster, so will the changes which will be foisted upon us. Will this be the Brave New World we have been warned about? Or the Golden Age of America that President Trump has promised. Whatever you want to call it, it is now here."  

If you have the guts to visit Minneapolis, and see some stranger looking cars, guess what they are? The advance team from the company called Waymo. Wait - what are you saying? Is Waymo here right now? Nope - but they are scheduled to be this year. The advance team is only gathering data and information on the Minneapolis roads.

Does Waymo have enough money to test market all of the cities it wants too? Oh, yes. Deep, deep pockets. Waymo is owned by Alphabet Inc, the parent company of Google. Even though Elon Musk is also going to be promoting the Tesla Cybercab and Robovan, more driverless cars, it seems right now that Waymo is getting all the buzz. Even though Waymo has the jump on Tesla, Elon wants to launch his driverless offerings in 2027 - next year.

For Waymo to launch in a northern city like Minneapolis is a big deal. Why? I will now use a four-letter word. Snow. How in the world will this car, with no human brain or remembered foul weather driving skills, do in four inches of partly cloudy? Will it just freeze (literally and figuratively) like the Waymo did in another city last month? Will it plow into a snowbank and just stay there? To me, to find out if these autonomous cars are worth their salt, they should be test driven in ONLY northern cities. Why? If they can do well here, they can do well anywhere.

The first time many of us see a driverless car on the road, it will be a novelty. Soon, they will be commonplace. The same will go for humanoid robots. First a novelty, then in a couple of years, they will be all over the place. Maybe even in your home. Or in my case (now that I am getting older) - doing my yardwork and taking care of my driveway after a snowfall.

By the end of the decade, autonomous cars and humanoid robots will not even be worth mentioning. Bigger and better things will be in the offing. As technology starts to spiral faster and faster, so will the changes which will be foisted upon us. Will this be the Brave New World we have been warned about? Or the Golden Age of America that President Trump has promised. Whatever you want to call it, it is now here.  

  

The Empire strikes back!

 

"Taxing Timmy - from this day forward your new moniker will be the Fraud Father of Minnesota. Love it or hate it Timmy, this is your lot. You have earned it, now own it. By the way - you will look good in stripes."

You did not really think the DFL cabal would take this truth bomb laying down, did you? No way Jose! It is time to fight back! Fire up the propaganda machine! Juice up Pravda (our hometown newspaper)! It is time to put on the brass knuckles and counter punch! Why? Those dastardly Republicans are ruining the best narrative the Twin Cities have even had. How the "newcomers" have come here just like the pilgrims of old. Just looking for peace, justice and the American way. But to call them "fraudsters"? As Greta would say - "HOW DARE YOU!"

Now - if you dare make mention of the missing billions of tax dollars, you are a "hater". Not a seeker of truth, but a hater on steroids. And that Nick Shirley guy? How dare he make fun of our own "Learing Center". To the right, Shirley is a patriot and a truth seeker. To the left, he is garbage. A troublemaker. A liar. But here is only one fact which I would offer. If not for Shirley, the "Learing Center" would still be misspelled. And the dollars would continue to flow in and then go to ... {your guess is as good as mine}.

I am now going to offer something which is going to shock some of my friends. I agree with Tim Walz on something. Like what? When Timmy said the weight of the federal government was going to come down on him, as he fights for Minnesota, he was partially right. The weight of the federal government is going to come down on Taxing Timmy. But Timmy will not be fighting for Minnesota - he will be fighting for his own political survival.

As this New Year starts out, the Empire (the DFL cabal), has energy and determination. But they are missing one important thing - they don't have the truth. Not only do they not have the truth, but they also seem to have no interest in finding the truth. Wait - what? What if it is true that millions or billions of tax dollars have evaporated in a cloud of fraud fog? Big whoop. In the eyes of the cabal, missing tax dollars are only a small cost of doing business. After all, it is not their money. It is the money of the tax slaves who are stuck living here.

The battle is now joined. Taxing Timmy is being pulled out to Washington to have a grilling. It will not be pleasant. Sometimes, to extract the truth, the operation is painful. I think this will be one of those times. And the latter-day hippie judges in Minnesota who try the guilty and then let them off Scott free? In Washinton, they don't have judges like that. They have Pam Bondi and Kash Patel. When it comes to going after the bad actors, both Pam and Kash make Judge Roy Bean look gentle and timid.

Taxing Timmy - from this day forward your new moniker will be the Fraud Father of Minnesota. Love it or hate it Timmy, this is your lot. You have earned it, now own it. By the way - you will look good in stripes. 

 

 

The end of a most interesting year...

 

"To some, 2026 will be a blur. To others, it will be like a delightful feast, to be enjoyed over and over again. But like it or love it, 2026 is only hours away. The real good news about 2025? We made it to the end without blowing each other up. We now have the chance in 2026 to take a 'do better' and really make this world a better place."     

Wow! It has been a heck of a year for sure! Starting out with Donald J. Trump surviving assassination attempts to become POTUS 47 (after being POTUS 45). In true Trump fashion, he hit the ground running and has not stopped yet. As good as many things have been foisted upon us, there is still some bug-a-boos. Like what? Like, the following things going into 2026.

Affordability - Many have forgotten the old economic axiom about prices - "They go up like a rocket and come down like a feather." After the 20% runup in prices under Biden, and promises of a better economy under Trump, the natives are restless. They want relief NOW. But the "now" thing will have to wait until 2026. Sure, inflation is down, GDP is up and the stock market is at record highs. Because many Americans are still not "feeling it", we will have to wait until 2026, when the BBB really kicks in, to get that "tingle up our legs".

Ukraine - As hard as Trump has tried, this war is still a mess. Putin continues to play Ukraine and NATO like a fiddle in peace negotiations. Putin wants peace as much as most dogs like seeing the vet. Meanwhile, almost on a nightly schedule, Putin sends more drones and missiles into Kyiv to kill innocent civilians. As we sail into 2026, we are coming up on four years of blood and guts and misery to solve NOTHING. Putin should still be tried as a war criminal. Too bad the UN and Hauge are filled with wussies instead of real men.

Gaza - A humanitarian mess. Phase I of the cease fire is over (sort of), and the problems with Phase II are legion in number. If I were a betting man, I would say the carnage in Gaza will continue on for some time. Hamas will never disarm, choosing instead to die with their boots on and guns a blazing. That means the coalition of the willing will unleash the dogs of war (again) and reducing the remaining Hamas fighters to dust. The problem is, many innocent Gazans will go with the guilty. Ever since that October 7th day in Israel, this has been an ugly blot on human history.

Iran - What an interesting country! Here they are, suffering through a drought of Biblical proportions, and Iran wants war with Israel, the US and NATO. Huh? Why? Good question. It seems they still want a nuke and rockets which can deliver nuclear fire. As punishing as the B-2 bomber raid was in 2025, we might need to do a replay in 2026. Trump is done messing with these guys. FAFO will be in play for sure.

There is so much more, but I will stop here. As I have mentioned many times this year, 2025 is only the prep year for the big show, starting in 2026. The next four years will see more changes (in technology) than we have seen in the past century - or longer. The Olympics will happen, we will celebrate the 250th birthday of our nation and much, much more. 

To some, 2026 will be a blur. To others, it will be like a delightful feast, to be enjoyed over and over again. But like it or loath it, 2026 is only hours away. The real good news about 2025? We made it to the end without blowing each other up. We now have the chance in 2026 to take a "do better" and really make this world a better place.