Boring? Maybe not.

 

"I have said this for a long time now. Elon Musk, although quirky, fascinates me. I love how he thinks; how he visions. In Elon's world, in a decade or two from now, Earth, the Moon, Mars and the Asteroid Belt will look much different. Somewhere down the road, all the things which Elon is working on right now will come together."

Who in the world would name a company - any company, The Boring Company. I mean, that would take guts (or stupidity). Elon Musk did. I guess it all makes sense if you are manufacturing machines which bore holes in the Earth. Okay - hold on for a second. When all of Elon's businesses are stacked up against each other, where is the common purpose? It is as if Elon is all over the map in making stuff. Maybe, or maybe not.

A couple of years ago, I read an article about why in the world Elon would sink time and money into making machines which do nothing but drill holes in the Earth. But here is where the method in the madness starts to show itself. Elon's desire is to have the circumference of a Boring Machine match the circumference of one of a Starship. Why? To take a Boring Machine to Mars and maybe the Moon. Why? To make either place livable, some of the hubs need to be underground. Elon could see a labyrinth of tunnels connecting different hub locations on either Mars and/or the Moon.

But there is something else. Applications on Earth. Remember, Elon does not make anything just for the heck of it. He most always has a vision. Right now, his vision is to replace roads and bridges in Texas with an underground system of travel tubes. Why? Congestion for a starter. No more traffic jams. Pollution next. Much, much cleaner. And finally, speed. Being in a vacuum tube, cars and trucks (using special devices which would transport them) could travel (safely) between 100 and 200 mph. Sure - and what year would that pipedream start? It has already started.

I have said this for a long time now. Elon Musk, although quirky, fascinates me. I love how he thinks; how he visions. In Elon's world, in a decade or two from now, Earth, the Moon, Mars and the Asteroid Belt will look much different. Somewhere down the road, all the things which Elon is working on right now will come together. Make total sense. Will there be more things coming down the road? Sure will. His Giga press for example, will change the way we manufacture cars. Less parts and faster throughput. Optimus humanoid robots will be in many factories and in some houses. Worldwide internet and cellular communication will be available at a cheap price thanks to Starlink. 

Currently, Elon is on Trump's trip to China. Elon is one of many of our CEOs going on this trip. Why Elon? First off, he is a phenom. Period. China knows all about Elon Musk. Next, it there is a deal to be had on this trip, both the president and Elon Musk would be able to sniff it out. And whatever deal it is, it will be good for both China and the US. Who knows - maybe even some Boring Machines might be in the mix. 

The oil headache

"Meanwhile, the average folks in the United States are also dazed and confused about what is going on here. We know how to do 'shock and awe'. We have already crippled Iran. They have nothing to stop us. Time for the bad guys to pack it in. Time for us to get back to a normal summer." 

Last evening, there was a presentation on YouTube which explained how the price of oil is determined. We all know the constipation at the Strait of Hormuz is causing a real problem with supply getting to consumers (in some parts of the world). But here in America, we are drilling like crazy, and have more oil than anybody else in the world. In fact, only 2% of our imported oil comes through the Strait. If that is the case, why in the Sam Hill are we paying Euro type prices for our oil? The show finished, and I sat in my chair dazed and confused.

One of the things from the show last night which did stick however, was the number $50/barrel. If the price of oil (worldwide) goes below $50/barrel, many oil investors (like here for example), will not drill any new wells. Not worth it. But with the price of oil hovering around $100/barrel, the oil companies are doing what the President hoped they would do - DRILL, BABY, DRILL!

As far as energy is concerned, we now have an embarrassment of riches. If not for world market oil pricing, we would be in great shape. And we will be in great shape once the Strait of Hormuz is finally opened. But right now, with vacation season upon us, paying anywhere from $4.50/gal to $5.00/gal is becoming a sad reality. 

General Keane (whom I respect) has a strong opinion what to do now. And I agree with him. Finish the job with Iran. Accept the fact that we are being played by Iran. They are playing for time, that is it. They want to keep the enriched uranium. We say no. Israel says no. Meanwhile, hundreds of ships just sit in the Persian Gulf, doing nothing. Much of our fleet is in the area, doing nothing. Finish the job Mr. President. Our troops are rearmed and rested after this "pause". Let's do it!

Meanwhile, the average folks in the United States are also dazed and confused about what is going on here. We know how to do "shock and awe". We have already crippled Iran. They have nothing to stop us. Time for the bad guys to pack it in. Time for us to get back to a normal summer. 

 

The death of governance

 

"We have exhausted the yelling, the screaming, the swearing, the accusations, the blah, blah, blah. If those don't work to get your opponent to surrender to your views, I shudder to think what is next."

I have discussed this issue many times before. Our great country, born and reared on being a constitutional republic (NOT a democracy), ready to celebrate a 250-year birthday, is starting to come apart at the seams. Come on Bird! Enough of this drama queen stuff! A bit of discussion and debate is good for any society! Those are true words. But we have passed that intersection of calm and civil debate. Now we are in a total rumble, with anything goes. So much so, almost half on the left have decreed that violence against the other side is "acceptable".

At some point in time, our government has gone from a debate society into a blood match. The vitriol, the invective, the out and out rudeness, should make the FCC rate CSPAN either an "R" or "NC-17" to warn young viewers away. Who are the biggest offenders? I would love to say only one or two. But the number has grown from a few into legions. My most unfavorite right now is Cory Booker. When he spews hate, his eyes start to grow and glow, and his countenance becomes almost malevolent.

And the language used today, by both sides, is beyond the pale. However, when it comes to "F Bombs" or taking the Lord's name in vain, the Dems are way ahead in that footrace. Again, for this stuff to be shown on network news, un-censored, is a blot on all of us. The networks who do "bleep" out the bad words, so much is redacted that one can hardly follow the train of thought (if there ever was one).

When I look back at recent history (I will use my adulthood as measure), the coarseness of our discussions in ANY form of government has gone from okay too bad too very bad too intolerable. And not on any one subject - ALL subjects get the same vitriol. The two political sides cannot even discuss the weather outside without getting in some kind of peeing contest. How is that even possible? Somebody, please tell me.

What is the next natural step? Going back to having duels like Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton? How about an MMA type of cage match? (I would bet on us, as we have Markwayne Mullin, a former MMA stud, on our side.) We have exhausted the yelling, the screaming, the swearing, the accusations, the blah, blah, blah. If those don't work to get your opponent to surrender to your views, I shudder to think what is next.

One final word. A major medical institution in Minneapolis is about to close its doors due to years and years of mismanagement (it is run by city Democrats). The MN House and Senate cannot even agree on the correct way to rescue this needed hospital. Why not? Too obsessed with taking the mask off of ICE agents. Putting a leash on ICE so they can't do their jobs. The rest of the state's business including the rescue of this hospital? As they say on the blue team - "F**K It!"   

    

 

A day made just for mothers

 

"Serving and honoring mothers on this day is special and important. It was not until I was stationed overseas that I realized how much I missed my mom. How much she did for me. How much she supported and elevated me."

My mother had a love/hate relationship with Mother's Day. She would hate it when her birthday (early in May), would land on the same day as Mother's Day. Two of her favorite days becoming one. For mom, it was like having a birthday on December 25th. What she hated almost as much, was fishing opener. When it happened on Mother's Day. When I would sneak away on this hallowed day for fisherman and try to make it back before the sun set on Sunday, so I could wish my mom a happy Mother's Day. Let's just say she was not a fan of opener.

But most of the time, I was able to take my wife, our kids, my dad, and most importantly - my mom out for a Mother's Day brunch. That she dearly loved. My dad - always would put up kind of a tepid argument with me. "You really should not have to take out son. I can pay for my own. This is Mother's Day, and not my day." We had that same discussion every year - and every year he lost the argument. I would conclude it by saying, "This is your freebee dad, it is my pleasure to treat the family today. We will do something just for you next month on Father's Day".

When my mother was alive, Mother's Day gave me the chance to honor her and my wife on the same day. I never got tired of it. When my dad passed, it became even more important to me to honor my mom and to dote over her on that day. After my mother passed a few years later, my kids were old enough (and established enough) to take their mother out for that special day. I became what I always teased my own dad about - a freeloader on Mother's Day. The joy of being with my family on special days such as this, helped to mollify the hole in my heart from missing my folks.

Today my eldest daughter has made reservations late morning at a local venue which serves a Mother's Day brunch. I will be with my bride, my two kids and two grandies. I will be a wonderful day. Serving and honoring mothers on this day is special and important. It was not until I was stationed overseas that I realized how much I missed my mom. How much she did for me. How much she supported and elevated me. 

I was blessed my mom made it to almost 97. My wife and I were with her most every week in her final years. My mom was content and happy where she lived in her final days. She passed one evening, with an aide holding her hand.

I got the call that mom was leaving, but I got to the residence too late - too late for that final good-bye and I love you. They gave me some time with mom alone in her room. I held her hand and told her she had finished the race strong and done it well. And now - now she lives with Jesus, and I will see her again. Happy Mother's Day mom. I miss you, and I love you. 

From bulletproof to bullet ridden...

"Some of my friends have died much too young. That is when it hit me. The season of being bulletproof is ending for most of us, and the season of becoming 'bullet ridden' with different aliments has started. In other words, the 'menu' of things that go wrong with you expands each and every year."

Every generation goes through it. Now it is our turn. The "Boomers". Those of us who grew up in the sixties. Did crazy stuff. Had fun. Drove fast muscle cars. But - in spite of all that, we always had our eyes on the prize. After high school, learn a good trade. Or went to college to get four (or even more) years of advanced schooling. And to think the entire time we were doing all of that, most of us felt as if we were bulletproof. Invincible. Could do it all, and our good health was something we always took for granted.

Many of us went through life after our schooling or trade learning was complete. Many got married; most bought a house; some had kids. Just like that, we became what our parents were when we were younger. In our 30's and 40's, still bulletproof, although many of us were developing some "kinks in the armor".

Then came the 50's. I was in my late 50's when I discovered I had my first real problem. While putting my shoes on before work one morning, it felt like somebody had stuffed tissues in the toe of one of my shoes. But there was no tissue. That was the start of my first real life disease. I had peripheral neuropathy. It was a disease with no cure. As my doctor said, it would not kill me but slowly disable me. With that, my "bulletproof" demeanor went out the window.

Into my 60's, I retired. I had a good career, so I had no complaints. Since I was still in my bulletproof stage for most of my career, I had many opportunities to do exciting things. But now that I was retired, I started to notice some of my contemporaries were also getting some kind of sickness, injury or disease. Some even died - much too young. That is when it hit me. The season of being bulletproof is ending for most of us, and the season of becoming "bullet ridden" with different aliments has started. In other words, the "menu" of things that go wrong with you expands each and every year.

I remember as a youth seeing a cartoon in the paper called Family Circus. In one episode, a grandmother was giving her young grandchild some sage wisdom. "When I was young and had a pain, it was like a shooting star. It would shine for a short time and then go away. Now I have an entire galaxy of stars which always stay lit." Meaning what? As this grandmother had aged, her number of aches and pains went from one or two into many. As I start to approach 80, I fully understand what she meant.

This morning we are going to the funeral of a good friend who died at 90. From the stories he told, he too, had a youth of doing some wild and crazy things. He also went through a bulletproof season in his life. But towards the end, life became hard for him. But no longer. A man of deep, deep faith, he now lives with Jesus. And his body? He now has his new, heavenly body. One which will never wear out. How do I know? It is God's promise to us who believe.  

Negotiation woes...

"Donald Trump said what we did yesterday was just a love tap to these guys, a small retaliation for firing on our ships. It might be time to change that love tap into a swift kick in the pants to really get their attention. The clock is ticking and it is time for us to control the clock." 

Back in the day, when I worked (and yes, in the very early days, I even wore a suit), I did quite of bit of negotiating. I negotiated when I was with Sperry Univac, Control Date Aerospace Division, FMC (which became BAE), and IBM. Mostly the government, but also foreign governments and other companies. One thing I was taught early in my career, was when negotiating with a new customer, make sure the person you are negotiating with has the authority. In other words, check his (or her) warrant.

Why is that important? See what is going on with Iran right now? It is a real game of "who's on first". As we continue to negotiate with whom we thought were the legal and authorized members of this "shape shifter" government, three of our destroyers came under fire yesterday by (you guessed it) members of this "shape shifter" government who may or may not be in control. 

Truthfully, even if our team asked to see a warrant from the ones who are sitting at the table negotiating right now, it probably would not be worth the paper it was printed on. Since we have heard the "new" leader took quite a beating from one of our bombing strikes and is in need of a new leg and some skin grafts - we have no clue who is calling the shots (so to speak). I am starting to think General Keane might be right. Don't trust these guys, they might be playing us, so finish the job.

Where do we go from here? Continue this charade? Let the Strait be closed down most of the summer? We must have half our fleet on site right now, and Iran basically has nothing except some "fast boats" its remaining drones and missiles. The IDF is locked and loaded, the Arabs want this thing over with, so let's get on with it. 

Donald Trump said what we did yesterday was just a love tap to these guys, a retaliation for firing on our ships. It might be time to change that love tap into a swift kick in the pants to really get their attention. The clock is ticking and it is time for us to control the clock. 

Why our love affair with Europe is waning...

 

"For America to be great, to stay great, we need to keep the MAGA movement going. The death of MAGA will be the death of liberty in this great country of ours. Newsome and company will bring about irreversible changes in our government that not even a future 'Trump like' president would be able to fix."      

Make America Great Again. MAGA. Oh my gosh! Does that ever drive the globalists crazy! Both in this country as well as Europe. Why? Globalism was working just fine for them, thank you. It ended up with us having record trade deficits and getting the short end of the stick with tariffs paid.

But then along comes this businessman from New York, who had a better idea. And it was (is) still a better idea. Make more stuff here. What has been offshored, reshore. And one of his best ideas was reciprocal tariffs. The tariff thing did not work out as it need congressional approval. And the Trump haters in Congress took it to SCOTUS, so they killed it. They killed it, even though it was good for America.

My biggest fear going forward is twofold. First, the Republicans lose the midterms. Should that happen, the socialists in both the House and Senate are going to unravel as much of Trump's gains as they can. Trump will be impeached (again), and America will start to slide back into the Biden slumber. Even though Trump will still have his veto power, the MAGA era will not be the same during the second half of the president's term.

Second - and this is really horrifying - I saw a straw poll with Newsome beating Vance in 2028. Should Newsome win, this slicked down and paler version of Obama will take this country into a place it has never been before. With a friendly Congress, Newsome will turn American into a large California. $8/gal gasoline for the nation - not just California. We will have autocratic regulations coming out the wazoo, and globalism will return with bells and whistles. Just like in Russia when past leaders were "liquidated", every mention, every trace of Donald Trump as POTUS 45 or POTUS 47 will be erased. 

And Europe. How can we forget Europe. Soon after Newsome is crowned, he and his "first partner" will visit Starmer in the UK and have a love fest. Finally, Starmer will have a buddy again in America that will match weaknesses with him! And then up to Canada, where Carney will be so happy, he might just kiss Newsome on the lips. Back to sky high tariffs on dairy products. Back to the days of "Uncle Sugar". It will be a wonderful day in Ottawa when the new POTUS comes back into the fold.

The problem is with Trump being "liquidated" by the Socialist Democrats, is this - all the good things (and there have been many good things) that Trump did will be buried in gallons of white out and erasers. It will be like Trump never existed. That the nation went from Obama to Biden and then to Newsome, with no Trump. MAGA will go back to just being some jumbled-up letters. Our borders will be wide open again, to illegals, gangs, drugs, traffickers, and terrorists. 

For America to be great, to stay great, we need to keep the MAGA movement going. The death of MAGA will be the death of liberty in this great country of ours. Newsome and company will bring about irreversible changes in our government that not even a future "Trump like" president would be able to fix. Then it will be over.