Welcome to the trap...

 

"What is our path to more normalcy once again? Peace in the shire? Much lower gas prices? No shortages of fertilizer. If I knew that path, I would be shouting it from the highest mountain top. But I don't know that path. The scary part is I don't think our government knows that path either. Thus, here we sit - caught in a trap." 

Read an interesting article by CNN online. About how we have stumbled into a trip to nowhere. How so? Iran. We are starting to lose the vision on what winning will look like. So far, we have hit 10,000 targets in Iran - some more than once. We have sunk ships, disarmed mines, destroyed oil infrastructure, and so forth. And yet, the IRGC keeps on coming. Keeps on going. The drones and missiles keep on flying, mostly towards innocent ships in the Strait. 

Israel is in no better shape. Their chances of a decisive victory over Hezbollah are looking less and less likely. Dare I use this word from the past which is what both the US and Isreal are now facing going forward? We are mired down in battles of attrition. Who is going to blink first. Who can withstand the most pain. With both the IRGC and Hezbollah, reality has morphed into a game of Whack A Mole. We throw tons of ordnance on targets in Iran and Lebanon, and then a head pops up and says - "Still here!" 

Maybe that old saying is correct. An air campaign, no matter how effective, cannot win the day. You need to follow up an ariel pounding by having boots on the ground. Israel might have the stomach for that in Lebanon using the IDF, but there is absolutely zero stomach for that in the US. Why? It is blood and guts, smash mouth battle. Up close and personal fighting. All of a sudden, the Iranian War will have morphed from a video game to "no {blank} for real" fighting. Trump knows that as soon as he pulls the trigger on that kind of a war, the slim majority who approves of this war will vanish faster than snowbanks in July. 

Where does that leave us? Maybe we are caught in a trap. Unknowingly, and unwise - we have stumbled into another one of those Middle Eastern traps. And now, we are up against one of those dreaded forced choices. We can leave. Call it a day. Leave Iran to rebuild itself. Or we can stay. Keep pounding away with our aircraft and cruise missiles (until they run out). Or we can change the nature of the war by going all in. Kinetic fighting to the max. House to house, cave to cave. Shades of Viet Nam all over again.

So where does that leave us? As long as we are stuck with refineries which can mostly only process oil from outside of the USA, we will be subject to the vicissitudes of this Rubic's Cube type of oil pricing. In other words, even though Donald Trump has led us to a major supplier of oil, we are still caught in the same trap as other countries who are trying to get oil through the Strait. Until we can find harmony with our oil and the way we refine oil here in the states - disruptions in supply (via the Strait) will cause our gasoline prices to be "Biden-Ish". 

What is our path to more normalcy once again? Peace in the shire? Much lower gas prices? No shortages of fertilizer. If I knew that path, I would be shouting it from the highest mountain top. But I don't know that path. The scary part is I don't think our government knows that path either. Thus, here we sit - caught in a trap. 

  

What exactly is - Trump's fault?

"Before the torches and the pitchforks come out from the screaming mob, please remember this - the last thing Trump wanted to screw up his remake of the Biden economy was a forever war. But he needed to fix this cancer in the Middle East. Why? If Iran had made it to having a nuke, then other Arab countries in the area would have one also (for deterrence). But Iran wanted to use theirs. Why? Israel. Exterminate Israel. Trump (justifiably) was not going to let that happen. Nor should any of us - not now, not ever."   

Oh my! Diesel fuel is at an all-time high this morning. That is a huge burden for our farmers to carry. It will make the cost of many things go up - especially the items which need to be hauled by a common carrier truck, powered by diesel fuel. And why is that? Why is the price for a gallon of gas still around $4.00? Whose fault is that? Donald Trump's fault? According to many in the MSM, it is. According to many in the Democrat Party, they also ditto that feeling. But before we pull a Judge Roy Bean on Donald Trump, let's first dive a bit deeper.

Many, including myself, blame the war in Iran for this temporary runup in prices. To shut down the Strait of Hormuz was always a war strategy of the IRGC. Why? To have the American people put pressure on the Trump Administration that this was not worth it. And to a certain extent, they were right. They shut down the Strait, and the press as well as many American citizens who are getting squeezed by higher prices - bellyached. So, is this Trump's fault? Did he start this war? No - Iran started it almost 50 years ago. And now they are (were) inches away from developing a nuclear bomb with a valid delivery system. Donald Trump did not start this war - but he is sure trying to end it.

What are we learning? We can pound the IRGC back into the Stone Ages, and they still never give up. They have decades of entrenched and hidden enclaves in which to hide missile and drone launchers. That is all it takes to fire on a commercial ship or two trying to make it through the Strait. As soon as one gets hit, the rest of the shipping traffic slows to a crawl. Instead of over 100 ships a day going through the Strait, there are days we are lucky just to get four or five ships safely through. 

What are we doing to end this thing (other than a "cut and run")? Scott Bessent, our Treasury Secretary, has the economic tunicate squeezed around the financial neck of the IRGC about as tight as tight can be. Is that working? Seems to be - but for total success, this is going to take some time. Even though the Iranian economic is in tatters right now, and the IRGC should be crying "Uncle" - they won't give up. They just keep firing missiles and drones at innocent ships.

What else is Trump doing? Besides having an economic blockade on Iran via its seaports, the new motto is "a ship for a ship". Every time a commercial ship is hit by an Iranian missile or drone, we will take one of their commercial ships out. This will allow us to squeeze them even harder. Many "Hawks" (I am one of them), wanted Trump just to keep bombing the IRGC until we ran out of bombs. No pauses, no ceasefires, no negotiations, no MOU documents, nothing. Just bombs and bombs and bombs. That seems to be the only language the IRGC understands. Period.

Before the torches and the pitchforks come out from the screaming mob, please remember this - the last thing Trump wanted to screw up his remake of the Biden economy was a forever war. But he needed to fix this cancer in the Middle East. Why? If Iran had made it to having a nuke, then other Arab countries in the area would have one also (for deterrence). But Iran wanted to use theirs. Why? Israel. Exterminate Israel. Trump (justifiably) was not going to let that happen. Nor should any of us - not now, not ever.   

  

Is the Storm Shadow going to be the match which lights the fire in Europe?

"Our biggest hope for Russia is Putin gets retired, one way or another. So long as he has a finger on the 'red button', Europe remains in danger. I have said this before, if not for his nukes, NATO could take care of Russia during a weekend. But he does have nukes. And so long as Putin is willing to use his nukes to serve his purpose, we need to keep sleeping with one eye open."

   

Vladimir Putin, who has a knack for miscalculation, might be getting ready to stumble into the biggest miscalculation of his life. He is still considering attacking the UK. A NATO country. Why is he still thinking about doing that foolish thing? Because the UK (with the blessing of France), is not only going to supply more Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine, BUT the UK is also going to give them the drawing package for the SCALP missiles to boot. For Russia, this might mean war - a wider war. A war which could easily develop into WWIII before anybody knows it.

Here is my biggest fear on how this could develop from nothing into something into everything in almost a wink of the eye. Even if Putin used ballistic missiles with conventional warheads and did considerable damage to London, that hothead who leads France (Macron) might respond to Russia with a nuke. Or even if it was only conventional missiles, Putin might respond to France with a nuke. And then we will have traveled down that slippery slope in a blink of an eye. 

We will stay on the brink of a wider war so long as Putin stays in power and certain countries in NATO are willing to risk it all just to give Putin a black eye. I thought from the jump that the UK selling Storm Shadows to Ukraine was a high-risk maneuver. And then to give Ukraine the data package on how to make their version of the SCALP missile - that was just frosting on the cake. At any time, Putin could exchange making threats for making war.

I am not trying to be a panic merchant when I say this, but when smaller hot wars are raging (like Iran and Ukraine), it is just a hop, skip and a jump to a bigger war. It is like leaving a smoldering cigarette in the forest. It does not mean a forest fire will start, but it sure increases the odds that it will.

Our biggest hope for Russia is Putin gets retired, one way or another. So long as he has a finger on the "red button", Europe remains in danger. I have said this before, if not for his nukes, NATO could take care of Russia during a weekend. But he does have nukes. And so long as Putin is willing to use his nukes to serve his purpose, we need to keep sleeping with one eye open.   

For the Strib, ICE is never nice

 

"What is wrong with the Twin Cities these days? They never used to be like this. They have gone from Ozzie and Harriet to The Munsters. I guess a better question would be what is right with the Twin Cities. The answer would be short and not too sweet. What is right with the Twin Cities today? Not much. Not much at all."

I am not a fan of the hometown newspaper. Have not been for years. It is yellow journalism. It makes no effort to hide its bias. But why? Simple answer - the population of the Twin Cities (proper) loves the kind of gruel that the Strib puts out. And what is the passion of the minions who live in Minneapolis and St. Paul? ICE. Anything and everything which can be made up and printed about ICE. And what does the chattering class in the Twin Cities not give a wit about? Fraud. Instead of fraud being looked upon as vile as a four-letter word, fraud in the Strib has become a "so what" topic.

For those of us who have been paying attention, ICE has been offered a very raw deal while operating in the Twin Cities. Operation Metro Surge became very difficult for any genuine law enforcement officers, local or federal, who were trying to uphold the law. Let me put this in as simple of terms that I can: The Twin Cities in general, treated ICE agents like crap. Period. Why? That is the question. All ICE was trying to do was uphold the immigration laws that Congress passed.

In response, the city unleashed their lawless thugs on them. Night after night. Doxxing. Fireworks. RESIST BS. Is there a reason that Texas not agree to send an ICE agent back to the Twin Cities for prosecution? A couple of reasons: 1) Keith Ellison, who has zero standing with law enforcement, and 2) The reputation the Twin Cities has for railroading cops. Texas did the right thing. ICE will investigate this agent, and if he stepped out of line, he will be punished. If, however, he did not, it is back to work for him.

Back to fraud. That has become a taboo term in many of the local press outlets. And truthfully, here is how I feel about fraud in the Twin Cities. Any Democrat who can even spell fraud should be disqualified from running for anything, anywhere. In most normal cities, the arsonist who started the fire don't get re-elected. But this is Minnesota, land of the fruits and the nuts. Ellison will probably get re-elected. Flanigan will get elected. Hotdish Amy will get elected. All of them are suspect for how much they knew about the years of fraud under their watch. And the local paper? It is ICE or nothing.

What is wrong with the Twin Cities these days? They never used to be like this. They have gone from Ozzie and Harriet to The Munsters. I guess a better question would be what is right with the Twin Cities. The answer would be short and not too sweet. What is right with the Twin Cities today? Not much. Not much at all.

 

 

From Russia with NO love...

"The other day I penned an article about some of the wonderful inventions and innovations which will soon make our lives better. But all that will be for naught, should Putin do something very stupid or foolish. There is no glory about being known as the Horseman riding on the Red Horse. There is no valor about being known as the man with no compassion nor love in his heart. I just hope Putin learns that before it is too late."  

I wonder what it would be like to be Vladimir Putin these days. First and foremost, just about everybody in the world hates him - including many in his country. Why is that? Basically, for the same reason that Hitler was so reviled in WWII. Hitler (and Putin) were (are) war criminals. Plus - neither Hitler nor Putin gave a wit about throwing young men to the wolves. Making cannon fodder out of them. And now Putin is getting ready to conscript a half million more young Russians to be led into a slaughter.

Why in the world, when the Russians may not be losing in Ukraine, but the facts show they might be - send in more young Russians to die over there? Probably for the same reason he is considering an attack on either the Balkans, the UK - or both. A question which begs to be asked - to what end? What is there to gain by killing more civilians in Ukraine or innocent people in NATO countries? Hitler could have been asked the same questions. Why? And to what gain? 

Here is the thing about sending hundreds of thousands of new recruits to the front line in Ukraine. They will be coming up against battle hardened Ukrainians who have zero problem in killing invading Russians. The Ukrainians have set up "kill boxes" all over the front line, and "battles" between Russia and Ukraine become just target practice for the Ukrainian regulars. The only Ukrainian blood the Russians can draw, is when they continuously target civilian areas at night. A coward's way to fight? Seems that way.

There is no exit ramp for Putin to take right now. His only way out is either the same way Hitler left power, or to surrender to the Hauge. To continue to slaughter innocents in Ukraine, as well as starting a new war with NATO, is just a blood quest by the world's most blood thirsty man. But things could get worse. Rumors have it that Putin is still considering using tactical nukes in Ukraine. For the first time since WWII, nukes will be used in anger in a combat zone. What will come out of that move should Putin take it? Maybe (probably) WWIII.

The other day I penned an article about some of the wonderful inventions and innovations which will soon make our lives better. But all that will be for naught, should Putin do something very stupid or foolish. There is no glory about being known as the Horseman riding on the Red Horse. There is no valor about being known as the man with no compassion nor love in his heart. I just hope Putin learns that before it is too late.  

Innovators and inventors

"Look for many new and exciting things in 2027 and 2028. Donald Trump again committed to having "boots on the ground" on the Moon before his term is up. Meanwhile, inventors will keep on inventing, and innovators will keep on innovating. If we can keep Putin from blowing everybody and everything up, we have a rosy future to look forward to!"

It is widely known that the USA has some of the greatest innovators in the world. And the person who is at the head of that austere group of innovators is Elon Musk. Our innovators don't invent many things - however they have the vision and the ability to take what has already been invented and make it better - in Elon's case, much better. But as all that innovation is happening, there is a whole lot of inventing going on also. And for some reason, Japan and China seem to be in the news quite a bit about new things which are cooking.

One of the new things which is just starting to make its debut in Japan is real 3-D. That will include your TV, your ATM, your just about everything. This is not happening by accident - there has been hours, months, years of research going into this new technology. But now that they have it and is finding new ways to be of service to mankind, it is totally fascinating! Stay tuned on this one - I am sure there is much more to come in 2027. BTW - it is also used on some billboard advertising in Tokyo.

Next up will be your new replacement for your microwave. Yes, our microwave, which has served us well, is on the way out. What will replace it (again), is not just appearing by accident. It is the culmination of years and years of dogged research. But now they have it, and soon you will see it for sale in the USA. It will cook your food better, faster and safer. It is not just a little bit better than the traditional microwave which served millions of warmed up meals for millions of people - it will be a new revolution in cooking. Buck up, because your traditional microwave is about to go the way of the Dodo Bird.

 

Back to our innovators for a minute. Today, using a Falcon Heavy from SpaceX, is going to launch the Nancy Grace Roman space telescope. Why is this important? First off, Elon Musk has breathed new life into our space program. For a guy who is not a rocket scientist, he sure plays one very well! His Falcon Heavy, which has proven to be very reliable, is going to take this new space telescope to its new home in the heavens. Oh yes - and this Nancy Grace Roman space telescope is quite an improvement over the magic we have already used in creating new space telescopes. We may not have invented the rocket or the space telescopes, but we sure knew how to make them better.

Look for many new and exciting things in 2027 and 2028. Donald Trump again committed to having "boots on the ground" on the Moon before his term is up. Meanwhile, inventors will keep on inventing, and innovators will keep on innovating. If we can keep Putin from blowing everybody and everything up, we have a rosy future to look forward to!

In the midst of a potential war - a giant oil boom!

 

"The so called Donroe Doctrine might just be the best thing which has happened to this country in many a year. And not just this country, but also countries that we deal with. Again, the key to the next two years will be keeping the socialists out of Congress. That is our job - let Trump and company do the rest."  

Meanwhile, as everyone's gaze and attention are focused on Ukraine, NATO, and Iran, many good things are going on behind the curtain (so to speak). First off, our liberation of Venezuela is about to pay some huge dividends. Donald Trump, who some swear is part oil man, has slowly but surely changed the culture in Venezuela so all can live a better life. In a country as rich in oil as Venezuela is, has seemed like a crime that socialism had ruined all that wealth for so many. President Trump had a better idea. Free the people, privatize many of the wells so true oilmen could maximize production and then split the oil tax with the Venezuelan population. Rather than the oil revenues being zero sum and squandered, the US will get some and the people of Venezuela will get billions. This is called a win-win deal.

Who is watching this deal with keen interest? Alberta. Why? They are sitting on one of the largest oil fields in the world, and what is being pumped out of the ground is being squandered by Quebec. Very little is being returned to the citizens of Alberta. And THAT is why many in Alberta want out. They want to become part of US. Why? Carney is a socialist who has zero idea of fairness. Donald Trump on the other hand, will make the citizens of Alberta wealthy.

A part of this entire Rubic's Cube of what is going on outside of Europe, Iran and Russia - is Cuba. Cuba, who has been caught in a socialist time warp from the 1950's, is ready for a change. As soon as we took the Venezuelan oil needle out of Cuba's collective arm, everything (as little as it was) in Cuba - came to a halt. We do not want to invade Cuba an effect regime change - we want Cuba to come to us and ask for help. Ask for help in being a part of the league of nations (so to speak). Personally, I would love to have Cuba as a trading partner and a vacation destination. Everybody would win. It would be wonderful. 

Those who think that Trump is myopic and can only focus on Iran right now, need to take a closer look. Much is happening here, and much of it is very good. As soon as we can get the baddies away from the Strait of Hormuz, oil prices will settle down, and our true economy will shine through. If we can keep the socialists out of Congress, the next two years of Trump could be his best two years. 

The so called Donroe Doctrine might just be the best thing which has happened to this country in many a year. And not just this country, but also countries that we deal with. Again, the key to the next two years will be keeping the socialists out of Congress. That is our job - let Trump and company do the rest.