Is Europe playing with fire?

"We can only hope and pray that cooler heads prevail in Russia. This war was a huge mistake as Russia underestimated the tenacity and ingenuity of the Ukrainian people. But they did, and this war is going nowhere. But so long as Russia has nukes and the will to use them, the world is in danger. How much danger? Ten thousand times worse than an asteroid."  

I know, I know. Right now, it is all eyes on Iran. But what about the Ukraine War? Some think that war was so yesterday. And by the way, this war over the country of Ukraine, which was supposed to only take a few weeks with very few casualties, has turned out to be anything but. For some reason, that few can understand, Putin has decided to "pour good money after bad" by throwing everything possible at the war in order to pull out some kind of victory. But Putin does have his limits. He has said so much in the past. He has vowed not to use his nuclear weapons - unless Russia is losing the war.

Some countries in Europe have decided to poke the bear. In other words, they are supplying some state-of-the-art weaponry to Ukraine which is tilting the war even more in Ukraine's favor. Rather than just calling it a day and withdrawing his troops out of Ukraine, Putin is still sacrificing tens of thousands of young men into this meat grinder in eastern Ukraine. Now Europe is supplying weapons which can strike deep into Russia - so deep, they can take out Russia's air defenses.

Even though Russia is getting "their butts handed to them" by staunch Ukrainian fighters, we all need to remember one immutable fact. There is no country in the world which has more nukes than Russia. Here is the problem - Putin knows if he stops the war and withdraws, he is cooked. The powers that be in Russia will "disappear him". But if he keeps on going, he further degrades his once powerful army. Right now, this is an unwinnable war for Russia. Will Putin lash out with tactical nukes in Ukraine, and maybe some more powerful nukes towards offending countries in Europe? We all hope not. What about us? Could we be a target also?

I have zero concern over the war in Iran. It will turn out fine for us as well as the innocent folks who live under this brutal theocracy. But this war over Ukraine could still be the match which lights the world on fire. Putin is like a cornered animal right now, and this cornered animal has teeth and fangs. One nuke, going off anywhere in the Euro zone, changes everything. 

We can only hope and pray that cooler heads prevail in Russia. This war was a huge mistake as Russia underestimated the tenacity and ingenuity of the Ukrainian people. But they did, and this war is going nowhere. But so long as Russia has nukes and the will to use them, the world is in danger. How much danger? Ten thousand times worse than an asteroid.  

A better solution about Iran

"A better solution for Iran? Only one in my book - they can unconditionally surrender. Short of that, I like what the president is doing. If you have something better, I am all ears."

Okay. That was a teaser for this article. I have no better solution for fixing Iran. But neither does anyone else. Am I wrong on that? Please, if I am wrong, enlighten me. Tell me what the better solution is for Iran. Where Iran would no longer enrich uranium to make nuclear weapons. Where Iran would no longer try and destroy Israel. Where Iran would no longer recruit and fund proxies in the Middle East and surrounding area.

Under Barack Obama, John Kerry, and Joe Biden, we did nothing about Iran - other than signed a JCPOA and send them pallets full of cash. The motto from Mr. "Lead from Behind" Obama, was simply this - ignore the problem and it will go away. Well, it did not. Biden thought maybe we should double down on that faux agreement and send them more money. Same result. Nada for peace, glory for Iran's proxy wars.

We have let Iran box us around the ears for decades now. It was now or never to keep them from getting the bomb. Israel could not do it by themselves, but the team of USA and Israel could. So, we did it. Now the lefties are calling this "Trump's War". Us poor Americans (who are not getting bombed like Israel and the Arab countries are) are suffering from temporarily higher gas prices. Wah, Wah, Wah - cry me a river! We are so spoiled sometimes, it is embarrassing.

Our military, who has been called on to do a very tough assignment, has once again shown its true colors. And those colors are excellence. Even though up to 40,000 innocent Iranians have been slaughtered in the streets of Iran by their own government, help is on the way. Israel and the US are doing whatever they can to rid Iran from this bloodthirsty and brutal regime. All without killing innocent Iranians. But the regime has also shown its true colors. When Trump threatened to attack Iran's power stations, the regime made women and children act as human shields around each plant. That is a war crime. A page taken from Hamas during the Gaza war.

This Iran war will come to an end. Iran is just about finished militarily. They only have hidden missiles and drones left to use. The other day Pete Hegseth was asked by a reporter about the status of the Iranian Navy. Hegseth quipped, "We decided to share the Persian Gulf with the Iranian Navy. They get the bottom half, and we get the top half." Great response Pete! And very true!

A better solution for Iran? Only one in my book - they can unconditionally surrender. Short of that, I like what the president is doing. If you have something better, I am all ears.

    

Unsettled land; unsettled issues

"What is my point this morning? To fix our land, to fix our culture, to settle the unsettled, we first need to fix ourselves. We do all of us, have a moral compass. We know right from wrong. We must listen to our better angels and ignore the dark voices. We know how to be a better people. We know how to live better. Godlier." 

Good morning. Today I am reporting from the dystopian state of Minnesota. But wait - Minnesota is not the only dystopian state I could be in right now. But while doing some deep think, this one haunting thought kept coming to mind. We are an unsettled people, living in unsettled land, having many unsettled issues. We have gone from being tribal and insular to united in purpose, and now back to tribal and insular once again. Why? As the old saying goes, that is the $64,000 question.

In our church right now, we are in a study about the enemy behind the enemy. What does that mean? Spiritual warfare. Plain and simple. The unseen, yet real force who tempts good people to do evil things. And when the Father of Lies shows us lies, he will shine those lies up so they look like truth. And if we don't have our spiritual bearing down pat, we will fall for those lies just about every time.

Yesterday, it was announced that Eric Swalwell and Tony Gonzales would resign from Congress. Both accused of conduct unbecoming. I have always thought that Swalwell was a bit slimy, and maybe strayed way beyond where he should have, but Tony Gonzales is a different story to me. Why? Representative Gonzales came out of the same group that I did. 

Let me explain. Tony Gonzales is (was) a very high achiever. He served in the United States Navy for 20 years, as a CTI (Cryptologic Technician Interpretive). First off, that is a very tough rate to do well in. Very difficult. But Tony Gonzales not only did well, but he also went all the way up the ranks to retire as CRICM - the highest you can go in the enlisted world. Just a whisper that he was acting unbecoming while in the Navy, and his career would have been over. In other words, Tony looked rock solid to me. A great choice to serve Texas in the Congress. But then Tony fell and fell hard.

What is my point this morning? To fix our land, to fix our culture, to settle the unsettled, we first need to fix ourselves. We do all of us, have a moral compass. We know right from wrong. We must listen to our better angels and ignore the dark voices. We know how to be a better people. We know how to live better. Godlier. 

Or - we can continue to spin out of control. Satisfy our carnal urges. Hate on each other. If we can't turn this around, America may make its 250th, but not a chance to make 300. Ben Franklin said we have a republic if we can keep it. Maybe we can't. Maybe we no longer deserve it.

 

Playing the odds with NASA

 

Will this be Elon to the rescue? Maybe - if it is, we should be getting used to it. Elon Musk is a national treasure and should be used as such. He can see what others don't see. And he can innovate where others dare not tread. Now that the cat is really out of the bag about the heat shield on Artemis, it will be all eyes on NASA. Time to fix this issue NASA - we don't need another national tragedy.   

Last week, the long (and I mean long) awaited re-entry of Artemis II safely splashed down off the coast of San Diego. Okay - I used the word "safely". Maybe not the correct word to use. Wait - this is NASA. The most cautious and careful organization in the world. That is, up until the Artemis II flight. Few know this right now, but it will become more well known in the near future. The decision was made to launch Artemis II, even though it had a sketchy heat shield. But why then, take the chance? China. We have to beat China to the Moon. Even though we already landed there fifty years ago.

When the uncrewed Artemis I came back to Earth in late 2022, we saw there was a huge problem. The heat shield had deep cracks and some chunks missing. It was by a wing and a prayer that Artemis I did not burn up on re-entry. The brainy ones at NASA set out to fix this near catastrophic event by doing some fixes on the heat shield before Artemis II launched. One minor problem - the fixes did not work well. For the second time in the Artemis program, we sent a mission towards Mars by a wing and a prayer. Only this time, it had four humans on board.

Why is this different from the re-entries we have had since Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and numerous space shuttle missions? They all had heat shields. Did we lose the recipe? Is it that Artemis is coming in so much faster (Mach 30+)? Whatever the reason, we better button this thing up before Artemis III. The fact we got Artemis II back safely, might have been more providence than luck or good planning.

Elon Musk and his SpaceX team have also been working on the heat shield issue. Elon might have a better solution than the lemon we have used in the first two Artemis flights. Instead of using some super ablative, Musk is experimenting with using a specially manufactured metal heat shield. Will it be better than what Artemis is currently using? It sure can't be much worse. 

As a citizen, as a fan of space exploration, I want NASA to succeed. This heat shield issue should be the last of our worries instead of the first of our concerns. Putting the heat shield aside, I was hoping that NASA could be focusing on better shielding of the capsule was when it leaves low Earth orbit, it is bombarded with harsh solar radiation. That problem needs to be fixed long before we attempt a flight to Mars or lengthy visits to the Moon's surface.

Will this be Elon to the rescue? Maybe - if it is, we should be getting used to it. Elon Musk is a national treasure and should be used as such. He can see what others don't see. And he can innovate where others dare not tread. Now that the cat is really out of the bag about the heat shield on Artemis, it will be all eyes on NASA. Time to fix this issue NASA - we don't need another national tragedy.   

Why so many hate this flag

 

"This flag was just one of the bitter items which came out of the cauldron of evil during the legislative session of 2023. That is the final thing I think of when I see this flag. It is endemic of what happened during that most evil and vile session."

Why is it, so many normal people detest this new Minnesota flag? I am one of them. Now to set the record straight, I love our national flag. I have been a fan of the stars and bars since I was a kid. As a sailor, I had it stitched on the shoulder of my working jacket. As a homeowner, I had it flying from our flagpole for years. I still have it proudly displayed on my truck. Why do I love our national flag? Because of what it stands for. Why do I hate this new state flag? Because of what it stands for.

First off, nobody asked me if I wanted a new flag. A bunch of PC minded legislatures thought our real state flag was racist. Huh? I never once thought that. So, without the voter's consent, this new rag called a flag was imposed upon us. But the thing which really sticks in my craw, is it looks like another nation's flag. The other nation whose people have been robbing us blind. When I look at that flag (and I try not to), that is all I can see. Fraud, graft and theft.

The next thing I see when I look at this new flag, is Tim Walz. I am reminded of the man who allowed half of Minneapolis to burn down in the summer of 2020. I am reminded of his wife who wanted her windows down, so she could enjoy the smell of a burning city. I am reminded of the goofball who for some reason, was selected to be Kamala's Veep choice. And how he (and the state he represented) soon became the laughingstock of the nation. And I am reminded of how Tim Walz, called "tampon Timmy" by many in the national media, became the poster child Minnesota fraud. Walz and his "learing center", became one in the same. 

Many of the Republicans running to be the next governor have vowed to replace this rage with our real state flag. Get rid of this faux flag for once and for all. Many of the cities and towns in outstate Minnesota refuse to fly this fake flag. Seems it does not represent their values. Good on them. 

This flag was just one of the bitter items which came out of the cauldron of evil during the legislative session of 2023. That is the final thing I think of when I see this flag. It is endemic of what happened during that most evil and vile session. On the other hand, once the real flag is restored to us, maybe we should keep this faux flag locked away in a drawer someplace. Why? So, we can remember just want the Democrats did to us during the session of evil in 2023. 

Living in the land of make believe

 

"What has happened to us? Where is our national concern for what is right? We have gone from e pluribus unum to being bifurcated and tribal. Visceral hatred has replaced love and compassion. Wrong has replace right. Godlessness has replaced Godly."

I have said this many times before. As much as I miss my folks and my wife's folks, I am very glad they are not with us right now, to see what a mockery we have made of the country they loved and help build. The word I keep hearing to describe many of our current lawmakers, is "unserious". As are the people who elected these lawmakers. Fits things to a tee. Do I think that things will get better? Back to normal? Or is this our new normal?

Our President, Donald Trump, is hated by the left. Has been for years, will be until he is no longer with us. He is fighting to free Iran from its brutal theocracy. Trying to keep Iran from trying to destroy the land of God's chosen people (read you Bible it you don't believe me). Iran is trying to not only build nuclear missiles, which could poison many lands if used, but also control world commerce by controlling an INTERNATIONAL passage called the Strait of Hormuz. For trying to right this wrong, Donald Trump is vilified.

In this country right now, we honor law breakers. Sometimes lionize them. And the victims of those lawbreakers? Tough toenails. Never used to be this way. The national concern was with the victims of any crime. Not today - it is politics over compassion. After Joe Biden let in millions of unvetted illegal aliens, the federal government is now trying to get them out of the country. Why? Law breakers. And yet, the left honors them. Lionizes them. The law enforcement agencies who are trying to follow the law? They are despised. Hated. Not too many years ago, it would have been just the opposite.

The City of Minneapolis is considering opening up gay bathhouses once again for recreational sex. Wait - what? Is that not how the AIDS epidemic got started in the 1980's? Why would we do such a foolish thing? Because for those who are paying attention, the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul have become modern day sin cities - like Sodom and Gomorrah. This issue just typifies what has happened to these once beautiful cities. Once a source of great pride for this state. Now they are sewers.

What has happened to us? Where is our national concern for what is right? We have gone from e pluribus unum to being bifurcated and tribal. Visceral hatred has replaced love and compassion. Wrong has replace right. Godlessness has replaced Godly. Is this just us having it too good for too long, or is it something else? Like spiritual warfare? For those in the faith, spiritual warfare is the answer which keep popping up. The remedy? Prayer, and lots of it.      

Spaced Out

 

I suppose if the Chinese beat us and try to claim the Moon as theirs, we could pull out our trump card. Sorry China - we have been on the Moon since July of 1969, and the Moon is ours. BTW China - you are now trespassing. Now, put that in your pipe and smoke it~ 

Color me shocked. I was certainly not a believer in NASA and their Artemis II Moon fly-by. SpaceX on the other hand, I am all in for. Why? The tales of success are long and impressive with Elon Musk's rocket company. The tales of success for NASA recently? Not good. However, this new guy running the joint, Jared Isaacman, is a real go-getter. A former astronaut himself, he knows his way around the block (so to speak). As far as reaching the Moon for a landing (again), beating the Chinese is the be all, end all. Second place is no good. 

Tonight, the Good Lord willing, Artemis II will splash down right off the coast of San Diego. Hopefully, all four of the astronauts pop out of that capsule hale and hearty. How good has this mission been so far? Way beyond expectations. The pics which have been taken and transmitted back to Earth have been jaw dropping good. More to come once they land.

Has Artemis II pushed SpaceX out of the space race? Knocked them out of the Moon landing? Not a chance. Elon still wants to put a base on the Moon. Knowing how Elon works - he will. But Elon (as most know), is the champion of walking and chewing gum at the same time. His gaze is still fixed on Mars, but the Moon might come first. Plus - Elon's Tesla Giga-plant is about to get a whole lot bigger. Not to worry - Elon can do it all. He has in the past, and he will in the future.

In any event, I have confidence in young Mr. Isaacson. Due to his pedigree, many of the astronauts feel very comfortable with him. But, as the old saying goes, success breeds success. After safe landing, and if it is very close to the bullseye, we can chalk this one up as a win. Now it is on to the bigger and better Artemis III. This one will be for all the marbles - a crewed landing on the Moon. We want to land this thing on a stretch of land we have not been to before - the South Pole area. But what if China gets to the Moon before we do? Then things will get interesting.

I suppose if the Chinese beat us and try to claim the Moon as theirs, we could pull out our trump card. Sorry China - we have been on the Moon since July of 1969, and the Moon is ours. BTW China - you are now trespassing. Now, put that in your pipe and smoke it~