Burnt up? Or not...

"Will 2100 look like a blazing inferno on Planet Earth? Or will it just be another day at the office? I don't know. I won't be here. And I imagine most everyone reading this article will not be here then either."  

Let me apologize in advance to my readers who get tired of me talking about climate change. But today, there were two articles in the morning fish wrap which made commenting on it way too delicious. For those who might be new to this blog, I am not a believer in man-made global warming. That being said, I think this normal fluctuation in our climate has been accelerated by us putting additional carbon in our atmosphere. But my position remains the same - our climate is constantly changing. Right now, we are in a period of change (again).

Okay - I am off my soapbox. In the paper this morning, were two articles on climate change. Both told us we were cooked - literally and figuratively. The first was on the death of our beloved National Park System. Once the crown jewel of our country, our parks are soon to be nothing but wasteland. Why? Too hot. The vast national parks in California will be laid to waste, due to changing vegetation and de-forestation. What little remains will be consumed by the annual, and massive, conflagrations. Glacier National Park will have to be re-named, as soon there will not even be an ice cube remaining in the entire park.

Then to put an exclamation point on that article, was another one. This one, (supposedly) came from the Trump Administration. It was even more dire. By the year 2100, the average temperature will rise 7 degrees. It will not be Armageddon, but close. The seas will rise, the massive coral reefs will disappear, and New York and Miami will be under water. But here was the real kicker in the article. This is all fixed. It is way too late. It is what it is. In other words, our great grand kids will have a hot time in the old town in 2100 - thanks primarily to our parents and grand parents burning all that fossil fuel. 

Oh sure Bird! Blame every one, but your generation! No - we can take some blame. But our generation is also the one which started to "clean things up". To look for different fuels which are more abundant and much cleaner. The next generation (our kids) will finish the job. By the time they retire, our carbon footprint will look much, much different. But the temps will still rise. Or they won't. Remember, we still are technically in an ice age.

I enjoy reading articles about man-made global warming. I really do. I find them entertaining. Why? Not since the caveman crawled out of his cave and invented fire, has mankind as a whole been more committed to find the "better mouse trap" of energy. We are close - very close to a energy revolution. With transportation, with heating, with everything. 

How do I know this? Read up on China right now. This once backwards, heavy coal burning country, is now committed to being the nation which discovers the holy grail of "new energy". They are sick, and sick to death of choking on their own soot. And they might beat us to the punch. Regardless of which country finds the secret key, this new technology will spread across the globe like (dare I say it?) - wildfire.

The proliferation of these gloom and doom articles will continue. Even though we are on the cusp of some real revolutionary transportation modes. Like 5 to 7 years away - maybe even sooner. I have addressed autonomous transportation many times before. However, despite all the good stuff we are doing, the climate hoax crowd will continue to try to make us all feel like turds in the punch bowl. Sorry - ain't going to work. We are smarter than that. 

Will 2100 look like a blazing inferno on Planet Earth? Or will it just be another day at the office? I don't know. I won't be here. And I imagine most everyone reading this article will not be here then either.  

Killing babies

"So long as Democrats worship at the alter of Margaret Sanger, so long as they don't see abortion as infanticide, this war will continue. War? Yes, the war for the rights of the unborn."

Wow. Rough title this morning. But poignant, never the less. Why is that? Because this is what it is all about. It is not about Brett Kavanaugh, per se. It is not about how much he drank as a kid, what age he started drinking, if he went to parties, how many years he remained a virgin, or even if as a teenager, if he took some liberties with a teenage girl. This is about none of that.

We saw from the Bill Clinton era, Democrats don't give a tinker's dam about sex, consensual or not. Clinton got away with all kinds of sexual shenanigans for one reason only - abortion. In other words, the killing of babies. Clinton was pro-abortion, and that is all that matters. 

Clinton is still revered by females on the Left. For what? For how he stood for Roe v Wade. I mean, he is still like a rock star. One gal from the Left said this about Clinton once he was outed due to a stain on a dress - "I would b**w him too, just to thank him for sticking up for a woman's right to choose." And what does that mean? The word "choose"?

It means the right for a woman to kill her baby. Legally. And Roe v Wade is seen by many on the Left as being the linchpin to keeping that right. Kavanaugh was not to be trusted on Roe. Regardless of what he said during his confirmation hearings, he was not to be trusted. Once he got on the High Court, he could flip. He could do like Sotomayer or Kagan did - go back on what they promised during their Senate hearings. So Kavanaugh had to be taken out - at any cost. In fact, not only taken out, but destroyed in the process.

But what would have happened if Trump had picked Judge Amy Coney Barrett instead? No matter. Obviously, the script would have had to change. Instead of being a teenage rapist, the Democrats would have found someone to swear he or she saw Barrett practicing witchcraft or something. Or she was a deep cover Commie. It would have been something damning or salacious enough to derail her confirmation. Why? She too, is a threat to Roe v Wade.

I remember a while back, someone asked me why Republicans care so much about abortions. It is mostly Democrats who abort their babies - not Republicans. Looking up the statistics, that appears to be correct. Then why do Republicans care so much? Because regardless of party, killing an innocent baby is wrong - dead wrong. Democrats can try to cow us with language like "woman's health issues", or "woman's reproductive rights", or just plain "choice". But at the end of the day, these are not tumors or lumps of flesh which are being ripped out of a woman's uterus. They are babies with heartbeats, fingerprints, and a developing brain.

So as long as Democrats worship at the alter of Margaret Sanger, so long as they don't see abortion as infanticide, this war will continue. War? Yes, the war for the rights of the unborn.

Judge Kavanaugh may or may not be a crusader for the rights of the unborn once he becomes Justice Kavanaugh. But it is simply not worth the risk. Therefore, he remains front and center, a target of the Left. 

PostScript...

"Gone are the days where the Senate was suppose to be the 'adults' in the room. The ones, as Washington said, who were suppose to 'cool' the sometimes overheated House legislation. Now the Senate is as volatile as the House - maybe more so." 

Horrible. Gut wrenching. Embarrassing. Oh, that is only the tip of the iceberg. Of what? Of descriptive terms I could use to describe yesterday. No - I did not watch much of it prior to 3 pm. We were doing uncomfortable family business (an appliance for daughter #1). As hosed up as that venture became, it was a blessing to do it. That way, I did not have to watch what turned out to be the unraveling of America. Yes folks - I did see enough of yesterday's mess to know we not only reached a tipping point, we sped right over it.

The outburst from Senator Graham said it all in my book. He called out the Democrats in no ambiguous terms. I wish he had said something else however, mixed in with his fiery rhetoric. The Judge mentioned it a couple times during his "inquisition". We turned a new page, in a new chapter yesterday. Things will never, ever be the same again. In so many ways. 

If Justice Ginsburg should tip over next week, the search to find a replacement for her would be nothing like what we just witnessed. The "advise and consent" may not be dead, but the "live and in color" circus portion of it probably is. How would it be different? I have no idea. 

And then, who would be picked? A woman? I dare say after the character rape that Judge Kavanaugh just went through, most male judges would have a second, third or forth thought about accepting an invitation from the President. We may not see another man nominated for the Supreme Court again - least not in our lifetimes.

But let me leave the entire Supreme Court vetting aside - for now. And talk about a much deeper issue. Our civil war. When the North Koreans meet with the South Koreans (who are ancient enemies), their discourse is much more civil than how Republicans and Democrats address each other. What am I talking about? Visceral hatred. Between fellow Americans. Not just dislike, a hatred like I have not seen before. 

Folks, I don't want to sound like a panic merchant. I really don't. But after yesterday, I am more convinced than ever we are inches, maybe less, from this civil war going from cold to not lukewarm, but red hot. Why do I say that? This is what happens in any conflict. Once words fail (and trust me, they have failed a long time ago between the two sides), the next step is for punches to fly - or worse.

According to Thomas Jefferson, thought by many to be the father of the Democrat party, when government fails to fulfill its full purpose, the people have the right to (my words now), throw the bums out and replace them with new people. I think we have a whole lot of "bums" who need to thrown out of office. Term limits, elections, or otherwise.

Gone are the days where the Senate was supposed to be the "adults" in the room. The ones, as Washington said, who were supposed to "cool" the sometimes overheated House legislation. Now the Senate is as volatile as the House - maybe more so. 

Can we make it to November, and then through November? I sure hope so. But right now this nation is dripping with accelerant, and the first match is ready to be thrown. By whom? Take your pick. This fight has been brewing since before Obama took office - and he just made it worse. What should we do? Stand by, and stay tuned.   

Today...

"Then, despite all the clamorous caterwauling which will be coming from the Senate floor, McConnell needs to have the full Senate vote. And if the Judge gets voted down? Have Judge Amy Coney Barrett warming up in the bullpen." 

This may come as a shock to some, but it is true. I am not going to watch one minute of this charade on TV today. Not even a second. In fact, I don't even want to watch the news which will be replaying these hearings over and over and over again. Some pundits say these hearings will be tense with high drama. I say just the opposite. I know how it will end. A huge "nothing burger"

I remember when I first got into the field of negotiations, my boss gave me some sage advice - "Never telegraph your first punch". Or as the Godfather said, "Never let them know what you are thinking." The kooks on the Blue Team have forgotten that sage advice - either that, or they never learned it. They have done nothing but telegraph their first punch, their second punch and so on. 

Any good defense lawyer knows one thing for sure. To win the day in a criminal case, he or she only needs to plant a shadow of doubt in one juror's mind. By the same token, the objective today is to make sure a squishy vote like Susan Collins, is given just that shadow of a doubt. Even though each of these three accusers have stories with holes one could drive a truck through, just one smidgen of a "maybe" might win the day for the Blue Team. 

I wish one of the feminists would ask me if I believe these three paid actors - I mean victims. I would say, "Absolutely not!" And I will tell you why. First off, according to Dr. Ford (who was an inebriated 16 year old when this event allegedly happened), the 17 year old Kavanaugh held Fold down on the bed, covered her mouth with his hand so tightly, she thought she was going to die. Then he tried to get in her panties. Bull crap.

First off, when I was that age in high school, the joke was that the only thing which traveled faster than a speeding bullet was a guy's reputation. In other words, in my world back in the day, if a any guy had done that to any girl what the Judge was alleged to have done, the world would have known the very next day.

Also, if Dr. Ford was that "traumatized" by this event, where have you been honey? Hello? The Judge has been in the public lime light many times since then. 36 years is a hell of a long time to hold a "repressed memory". But who cares? Remember the prime objective. One smidgen of a doubt, in one Republican Senator. Do that, and it bye-bye Brett. Then if the Loons take back the Senate in November, and it will be bye-bye any more nominees for at least the next two years. 

The other two paid actors I won't even address, as the Judge did it far better than I could. "This is Twilight Zone", said the Judge. Amen to that. This epidemic of "repressed memories" will vanish in a flash, should the Judge be voted down by the Senate. Why? Mission accomplished.

One more thing which I really must mention. Besides destroying Judge Kavanaugh's life, there will be another victim should the Senate reject the Judge. The FBI. Their reputation as investigators. How in the world, after 5 or 6 of these extensive FBI background investigations, could something as heinous as this "attempted murder" of the 16 year old Dr. Ford go un-noticed? And the numerous "rape trains" that actor number three is accusing the Judge of? I thought rape was a serious crime. Yet this paid actor said she had been to about ten of them. Ten! Saw the Judge at a few, as he was part of the "train". This one is so far fetched, it does not even deserve a BULLS**T! 

So that is where we sit today. Not worth watching. It would be the honorable Judge against the dishonorable paid actor. No thanks. One final thought. A leopard does not change his spots. If the Judge was that abusive to women in his teens, he would have shown abusive tendencies to his wife also. That is why the Star Tribune is suing to have Keith Ellison's divorce proceedings unsealed. They want to find out if Ellison was abusive to his now ex-wife.

I will be happy when this event is over with. I sure hope Grassley holds the vote tomorrow, as promised. Then, despite all the clamorous caterwauling which will be coming from the Senate floor, McConnell needs to have the full Senate vote next week. And if the Judge gets voted down? Have Judge Amy Coney Barrett warming up in the bullpen.

The fishing trip...

"The people who pay taxes will foot the bill. Get the picture? This was NEVER the way our system was suppose to work. Never intended by the Founders. Our progressive tax structure has all but killed the American Golden Goose."

A few years ago, after I left the work force and before I started drawing retirement, I got wind of a fishing opportunity. This was up at a lodge up just over the Canadian border, and they were offering a sweet deal. If your income was low enough (like mine, was since I was making close to zero at that time), you could fish for free, so long as you were with a group who paid full price. Plus, not only free, but the lodge gave me some money to buy a Canadian license, bait, and lures. Sounded like a winner to me!

I found five other guys to go up with me. They needed to take some time off of work, and the price to stay at the lodge was steep, as it was still seasonal. We were going to be up there for five days. Lots of fish could be caught in that time frame! 

Anyhow, after the fourth day, the lodge owner came to our cabin. "I have a deal for you guys. If you want to stay for two more days, I will knock 10% off the rate for those days." Then he looked at me and said, "Your rate sir, continues to be free. If your team takes this offer, I will have some additional money for you to buy bait and accessories with."

After the owner left our cabin, I looked at my buddies and said, "What do you think guys? I think that is a heck of a deal!" One of my buddies looked at me and said, "Of course you would. You have no skin in this game. None. The rest of us would need to figure out to pay for this extra expense. We do have family budgets, you know. Mortgage, food, gas for the cars. Even with a 10% discount, it is going to be tight."

I looked up in disbelief. "Come on guys! I have seen your houses. I know how you live. This little extra won't hurt you! That extra two days will benefit us all. Look at it like it is for the common good." 

Okay. By now, most have figured out this story was totally allegorical. Never happened. But this happens all the time in real life. Not with fishing - with paying taxes. If I wanted to make this story more accurate, I would have had 45% of the fishing group fish for free - and the other 55% pay the freight. That is the way it is in real life, with our taxes. 

When someone in real life who does not pay taxes, and hears the promises from the current Blue Team Santa Clause, that person listens with keen interest. Why? Whatever is promised, is going to be free to that person. The people who pay taxes will foot the bill. Get the picture? This was NEVER the way our system was suppose to work. Never intended by the Founders. Our progressive tax structure has all but killed the American Golden Goose.

Remember that fact his election year. Consider this - why are the inner cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul so deep, deep blue? Free stuff. Very few of the people who live down there have any skin in the game. Pay no taxes. Whereas the Red Team always promises opportunity, the Blue Team always promises stuff. It is really, really, hard to beat the Blue Team when they have that much of an advantage. But - it is possible.

To beat Santa Clause this November, we need to get every possible Red Team member to the polls. NO EXCEPTIONS. Plus, we also need to convince the Blue Dogs they are being gamed by the system (again). Peel off some of those votes. We can win this one. If we get enough people fired up, out to the polls or early voting, we can not only win, we can almost run the table. 

Free stuff or not, this can be our day. Our day to seize. Or - it can be a bloodbath with a Blue Wave to follow. The choice is ours. Myself - I choose to Carpe Diem!

The climate of change

"Don't like the climate here? Try Mars. You would not survive. And yet both Earth and Mars are considered planets in the 'Cinderella Zone'." 

The Earth is burning up. So say the panic merchants at the UN. And not only is it burning up, it is the fault of mankind. Mankind and their love affair with fossil fuels. How hot is the Earth getting? The five hottest years took place in the decade of the 2010's. The five hottest years of all time. Okay - that is not true. The five hottest years since 1914. That was the year weather history could be recorded - and relied on.

Here is the truth of the matter according to geologists. The Earth is constantly changing. With those changes, comes a change in the climate. Hello? Ice ages? Well this is going to drive the climate alarmists nuts, but it needs to be said. Our planet, since the get-go, has had five (5) major ice ages. Wow! Timing is everything! At least we are not living in one of those ice ages! Hold on - technically, we still are.

The last ice age began 2.6M years ago, and we are still in it. And how in the world do geologists know that? Because we still have ice sheets in the world. Greenland, the Arctic, Antarctica, and some minor glaciers right below the Arctic Circle. To really get in the weeds, the Earth is currently in a inter-glacial period of the current ice age. That means the Earth is warming for a while. 

Now I am going to throw a bone to the "greenies". Do I think mankind has allowed too much carbon into our atmosphere? I do. But that is part of our history. The carbon comes from burning fossil fuels for the past century or so. Without those fossil fuels, our lives and lifestyles would have been significantly reduced.

But in the age of eons and epochs, a century is a mere blip of time. Mankind is already on to the next big thing - renewable energy and beyond. Our grandchildren will look back at these days and think we were nothing more than cavemen in the 20th century. The new energy sources will be abundant, clean and efficient. There will be minute or no externalities of production, like we have with our current coal and oil based economy. 

What is the bottom line from this Bird's eye? This old planet is a tough old gal. It has been through a lot, and keeps on ticking. Asteroids, ice ages, volcanoes, massive earthquakes, you name it. Like a Timex watch, it takes a licking and keeps on ticking. As much as we would like to think of ourselves as change agents, we cannot destroy this planet. We can wound it, but it will recover.

Take heart Earthlings! All is not lost! We will survive this. Will things be different? Absolutely - they always are. A hundred years from now, will Minnesota look different than today? Probably. But chances are, we (humanity), will still be living in Minnesota as well as the other states. We will have adapted to the change - like mankind always has. 

One more thought before I close this out. Don't like the climate here? Try Mars. You would not survive. And yet both Earth and Mars are considered planets in the "Cinderella Zone". No, we can bitch about climate change, but Earth is better than 99.999% than the rest of the universe. And - I kind of like it here.  

The politics of personal destruction (again)

"As the Democrats try like hell for a last minute 'Borking' of Judge Kavanaugh, I think about the profound statement that now Justice Thomas made during his contentious confirmation hearing. 'This is nothing but a high tech lynching'."

No sir. No way. No how. Not in this lifetime. Expect to hear more of those responses when a quality person is asked to run for office. Any office. Why? Who wants to walk into a buzz saw? Who wants to see their life ruined by innuendo, half truths, or out and out falsehoods? Who wants to have their background researched and scrutinized more closely and more deeply than an FBI vetting? No - this current era of the "politics of personal destruction" is going to keep a whole bunch of fine people at bay.

Now, some disclosure. I have been though many BI's during my TS SCI clearance days. Yes, they were anal exams for sure, but I cannot imagine what a Soros funded machine could find (or make up).

And for what purpose? Politics has gone from a parlor game, to a blood sport, to all out war. We not only want to defeat an opponent, we want that person destroyed. Why? To make sure that person is never a political threat again. Kind of like in war, where you don't shoot to wound - you shoot to kill.

The good people of this country have deep feelings of empathy, sympathy and helplessness as they watch this wicked roller coaster ride that Judge Kavanaugh is on. Many just want this vote over with, so we can get make this fine judge into a Supreme Court Justice. "Not so fast", say the wack-a-doodle Democrats on the Judicial Committee. "We can still strike Kavanaugh even if he is confirmed. We will impeach him!" Unflipping believable!

Meanwhile, as one side of the town is trying to destroy Judge Kavanaugh, the other side is still trying to find out if Donald Trump jaywalked on some street in Manhattan during the past 50 years or so. Or something like that. No matter - the visceral hatred for this President is so deep, this ginned up Mueller investigation will go until the end of time - or the end of Trump's term(s) - whichever comes first. Ultimate objective - destroy Donald Trump and this Judge Kavanaugh at the same time.

At the end of the day, Judge Kavanaugh is likely to be confirmed. But there will be some lasting battle scars. Deep and hurtful. Many of which, are totally undeserved. Like Anita Hill, this circus has given life to these previously unknown accusers. Like Anita Hill, they may now enrich themselves at the expense of Judge Kavanaugh. How so? Like book deals. Like the lecture circuit. Like unlimited TV appearances on MSNBC and CNN.

As the Democrats try like hell for a last minute "Borking" of Judge Kavanaugh, I think about the profound statement that now Justice Thomas said during his contentious confirmation hearing. "This is nothing but a high tech lynching". Amen to that Justice Thomas. It certainly was in your case, is now for Judge Kavanaugh, and will be for the replacement to Justice Ginsburg, once she is impeached.   

Our great job conundrum....

"The mouse chasing the cheese. Is that mouse the 'no skill' job seeker looking for good job opportunities? Or is the mouse the employer looking for skilled workers? Or is it both?"   

These are the best of times if you are a job seeker. That is, if you are a job seeker with the right skill set. Oh heck - even if you have zero skills, McDonald's and Burger King will fall all over themselves to get you in their employment. Why is that? The stars are in the right alignment today. With the long predicted demographic change of baby boomers retiring, and a reduced birth rate, there are fewer mice chasing an increasing number of cheese bits. And with this red hot Trump economy, the number of cheese bits available has exploded. 

How bad is it right now for employers? Some bad, others worse. None are good. In fact this month for the first time in many years, it was reported that the US Army fell thousands of folks short meeting its recruiting goals. Despite enlistment and re-enlistment bonuses galore. The reason in my opinion? Not enough qualified people are visiting the recruiting stations. Even though Trump is trying as hard as he can to get the "Obama salary depression" fixed for our service members, the Armed Forces are still competing with the private sector. The Selective Service might be getting warmed up in the bullpen.  

I know, I know. Immigration advocates would look at this situation and try to make a case for more illegals. Sorry - wrong skill mix. We have an over abundance of folks with no skills coming across our borders right now. And an under abundance of engineers, scientists, and skilled laborers. Talk to anyone right now who owns a small business which does skilled work. Produces a product or service. They all are in the same boat and will tell you the same thing. Not enough qualified people in the job force.

The issue once again gets back to education. Yes, I need to pick this scab once again. Even though this is not a political article, I guess some politics must enter in. Our current education system is not working well. What? My opinion? Nope - the evidence is out there. We have not been, nor are now, and if we don't change, will not in the future - educating our kids for future jobs. Like a good quarterback (sore subject today), throwing a pass to a zone where the receiver will be after his cut, that is how we need to educate today.

To keep the football analogy up, currently we are throwing the ball to where the receiver is, before his cut. The ball flies to an empty zone, as the receiver is no longer there. Tim Walz has the philosophy of continuing to do just that. Keep over-funding this broken system. Jeff Johnson on the other hand, knows the current system is not only over-funded, but also "throwing the ball to the wrong zone". Jeff wants to fix our education system, and then properly fund it (likely, it will be cheaper). 

If we don't fix our education system, our employment problems will persist, and only get worse. The world is moving at a rapid pace, and in the next five to ten years, changes will only happen faster. We will be bringing in more and more people from other countries on special work visas. Why? Without them, will not be able to fill the gap. We will have no other choice. Not if we want to remain a player in a world economy.

Pay attention folks to what is being taught in our local schools. It all starts there. If all we teach our kids is diversity, gender identification, warm fuzzies and cold pricklies - our problems will persist. However, if we really grasp programs like STEM and STEP, and start them early (like in 6th grade) - we will have a chance to fix this.

The mouse chasing the cheese. Is that mouse the "no skill" job seeker looking for job opportunities? Or is the mouse the employer looking for skilled workers? Or is it both?   

Life in modern day Oceania...

"Meanwhile, the most robust recovery we have had since Reagan, is about to come to an end. Why? Big Brother wants its serfs back. 'Free' as in Freedom', is that four letter 'F' word which Big Brother hates the most." 

This has been some month for the local fish wrap newspaper. How many days in a row can this piece of trash go without saying one positive thing about the Red Team? And I am not talking about one particular person on the Red Team (although, Jeff Johnson seems to be the most popular target) - I am talking about the entire Team - both state and national.

When George Orwell wrote his classic dystopian novel 1984, the action took place in London, located in the nation of Oceania. Big Brother was everywhere, controlling everything, including everyone's thought processes. Hello? Been to Minneapolis as of late? "Group Think" is alive and well in the City of Lakes. In any event, Big Brother also controlled the news in Oceania. Just so you would know how to think and and what to feel. And the Star Tribune, is the most powerful tool in our modern day Oceania.

One article said something simply jaw dropping. Even though the Administration tells us our wages are going up, they really aren't. Least wise, not that much. In other words, listen up peasants - you are being taken advantage of. By big business (again). You are still oppressed. Vote Blue Team in November, and everything will get much better for you. 

Then, the lead article in the metro section, discussed the tax policies of that stingy Jeff Johnson. How he is going to "gut" education and social programs, just to give tax relief to his "big cigar" buddies. And then give Social Security tax relief to our seniors? Rubbish! Most seniors don't want that! They want to keep contributing more tax dollars for a better Minnesota! In fact, if Johnson gets his way, Minnesota will soon have youth so stupid, they will be sitting under a tree, playing a banjo, just to while the day away. Mississippi - here we come! We need to vote for Walz and the rest of the Blue Team, just to save this great state from Red Team induced mediocrity.

Then there was the editorial article comparing Ellison with Kavanaugh. This one might get the prize for the day. Well, there really is no Ellison issue, you racist people! You are just trying to "Willie Horton" him! Shame on you! Picking on a black man again! But Brett Kavanaugh on the other hand, there is the miscarriage of justice! And to think - this white person of privilege, might get a lifetime appointment, all because of a bunch of old while men in the United States Senate voted him in!

Finally, there was the article about the Blue Team taking over the House of Representatives. Thank heavens! Those stingy, rubber stamp Republicans in Congress will be put to pasture. Then comes the big prize - impeachment! The Blue Team can finally fix this miscarriage of justice resulting from the 2016 election.

They will go after Trump's taxes, his business dealings, his family, his friends, his relationship with his dentist - everything. Plus - (here is the big plumb) - even if Kavanaugh squeaks through and gets on the Supreme Court, they are going to impeach him also! Why? BECAUSE THEY KNOW HE IS GUILTY!!!! Even though there is not a shred of proof, he is guilty!

So life in our modern day Oceania is good. We now know how to think, What to do. What to have for breakfast. Meanwhile, the most robust recovery we have had since Reagan, is about to come to an end. Why? Big Brother wants its serfs back. "Free" as in "freedom", is that four letter "F" word which Big Brother hates the most. 

Shut the hell up! I am running for AG!

"This is it folks. This race, like all the others coming up in November is in our hands. We can do this. This really is not about yard signs, not about television ads, not even about rallies. They are nice, but not game changers. It is about voting."

I don't know whether to laugh myself silly this morning, or to throw up in my mouth. As my friend Pete from Fox News said a while back, "I would say the Left has a double standard - that is, if they had standards at all." Amen to that! Meanwhile, as the Left and the lapdog media continues to excoriate Judge Kavanaugh for the most thin-aired, baseless, overly biased, pile of goo accusation in the history of the universe, Keith Ellison looks like he is poised to get away with it. 

Someone visiting from another planet, who knows nothing about the deceitful nature of the Democrat Party, might look at these two cases side by side and have an interesting observation. For example, how in the world could we be trying to disembowel a good, good man like Brett Kavanaugh for really nothing, and yet almost be celebrating this alleged abuser who wants to be an Attorney General.

Whereas with Ellison, there is not  slam dunk evidence on this case as yet, but the walls seem to be closing in a bit. With Judge Kavanaugh, his accuser is a blind partisan. Every honest person knows that. Where is she getting her funding for this ruse? She is probably nothing more than a Soros puppet, being used in his quest to destroy this great country.

But - and this is a big one - ONLY 5% OF THE DEMOCRATS BELIEVE KEITH'S ACCUSER! In the Navy we would say, "You have got to be shi**ing me pal!" Nope - truth. Minnesota has so many Yellow Dog Democrats, they would vote for someone if they had a bloody knife in their hand after a stabbing. I have read many posts during the past few months on how disgusted some Yellow Dogs still are that Franken is not around. And they sure the heck don't want to see Ellison end up like Franken!

During the debate last night, Doug Wardlow went right after Keith about his alleged abusiveness. Keith of course, deflected. "That accusation came out right before the primary" Ellison countered, insinuating the charge was politically motivated. Hmm - like the charge coming out against Judge Kavanaugh right before the confirmation vote? Hypocrisy drips from the chandlers and runs down the walls. 

Does Keith Ellison deserve to be Attorney General. As Steve Austin would say, "That is a HELL NO!" And not just because the abuse thing. Nope - it is also called the company you keep. How he has surrounded himself in the past with anti-Semites and racists. My gosh! If this were a WASP Republican with that rap against him, the Leftists in the local media would have had a field day!

This is it folks. This race, like all the others coming up in November, is in our hands. We can do this. This really is not about yard signs, not about television ads, not even about rallies. They are nice, but not game changers. It is about voting. That is really all that matters. Jeb Bush spent about a zillion dollars in his run for President and received only a few votes. To turn this state RED, we need 1.3M votes. In other words, it is all hands on deck for registered Republicans.

I don't know about anyone else, but the idea of Keith Ellison as AG sends chills down my spine. And yet there are many thousands of sheeple who will vote for him. Remember one thing - and most of us should have learned this after eight years of Obama and Dayton. We get the government we deserve. I sure hope we don't deserve Keith Ellison.

The Democrat clown car rides again!

"I would love for all of them to be thrown out of office this November, but we have too many sheeple who love sucking on the rear teat of government. Until that changes, the clown car will continue."

Even though I am a partisan, I really, really have made an effort to be more civil this election season. It has been hard, and many times I have stumbled. Today however, I just might go off the cliff. Why? Trying to describe Democrat behavior on the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation has just brought to to the limit - and maybe over. The Democrats no longer look like the party of Jefferson - they look like a clown car straight out of a Barnum and Bailey circus.

Let me get this straight. Brett Kavanaugh is a federal judge who sits on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. He is a man who has written opinions so masterfully, many have been used by the Supreme Court in determining cases. He is a father, who also is a coach for youth sports. He is a man of God (Christian), who volunteers at soup kitchens who serve the poor. All that being said, this fine man is now being treated by the Democrats like he is worse than Jack the Ripper. 

All of this is because some partisan hack, some college professor from the Left Coast, a demonstrator in a pussy hat, has come up with an allegation going all the way back to high school. About Judge Kavanaugh and another boy being drunk at a high school party and trying to get in her pants, or something like that. Both the Judge and the other boy (now a 50+ year old man) deny it. Never happened. "Oh ya? Sez who", scream the unhinged Democrat lunatics in the House and Senate. "We know he did it! We know he is guilty!" Really? Based on - what?

I will tell you what his guilt is based on in this day of age. Here are his crimes. He is white. He is a male. He is a "person of privilege".  He is a man of God (Christian). That is it. That is all they need to throw him under the bus. Meanwhile, back on the farm, Keith Ellison is walking around free as a bird. Only 5% of the Democrats in Minnesota believe Ellison's accuser. And yet the case against Ellison is far more convicting. But Keith is not white and not a Christian. That seems to let folks like Keith off the hook with the Democrats these days.

From the way the Democrats have acted in the confirmation hearings, to the way the unlawful and unending string of misfits demonstrated in the Senate gallery, to the way the two goofball Senators from New York (and others) are now calling for Kavanaugh's head (with zero proof) - these clowns have been an embarrassment to the American people. They really have.

And what is this really all about? The Democrats are scared to death we might get someone on the Supreme Court who would no longer allow women to kill their babies. Even though the Judge has already answered (under oath), that he sees Roe as being the law of the land. But it is that Christian thing again. Christians are always suspect by the Left. Why? They are protectors of the innocent and the unborn. Because of that, Kavanaugh needs to be defeated. At any cost.

Even if this progressive professor does testify next week, I am not watching it. I am done with this clown car. I would love for all of them to be thrown out of office this November, but we have too many sheeple who love to suck on the rear teat of government. Until that changes, the clown car will continue. And if the Blue Wave happens in November, the clown car might just become the clown bus.  

The wants and the needs....

"This year, Tim Walz is playing Santa for the Democrats. He is very good at it. Lots and lots of stuff."

Many of us parents or grandparents have had this experience. A child will come up with some kind of beg - not request, a beg. "I want this (or that)". Many times the canned response is, "Do you want it, or do you really need it?" Generally the trap works, and the kid responds with "want". Now at that time, it can be a teachable moment to define the difference between a "want" and a "need". Or just a plain "no" will suffice. Anyhow, that is the way it works with kids. But what about our state?

I have said this many times. Democrats nationwide, especially in Minnesota, are great at playing Santa Clause. The Republicans suck at it. Always have, always will. For example, in Democrat lexicon, the words "want" and "need" have the same meaning. It is like a kid filling out a Christmas list before Christmas Eve. That list will have all the heart's desires on it. Santa of course, everybody's roly, poly friend, will grant all those "wants" and the "needs". He will grant them to everyone.

In real life however, the Democrats impersonation of Santa only goes half-way. Sure, the people will come up with a list of their "wants" and "needs". And the Democrats will promise everyone they will get all of them. In fact, Democrats usually go one better. Not only will they promise everything on the list the people have come up with, they will also promise things over and above the list. Wahoo! Of course, on Christmas morning (after the election) the stocking remains empty. Year after year, it is the same thing. Empty promises, empty stockings. But Democrats keep promising, and sheeple keep believing. At least with kids, they eventually grow up and know Santa is not real.

Republicans on the other hand, know the difference between a "want" and a "need". For example, the "needs" of society, the things needed for us to survive as a people, Republicans know how to take care of. The "wants" of the people on the other hand, are different. The only thing Republicans will do, is clear the road as much as possible. Then if people really "want" something, they can work to get it. In other words, Republicans are not Santa. All they promise is equal opportunity - not equal outcomes. 

Why is it easy to play Santa Clause like the Democrats do every election cycle? For starters, the Tax Policy Center now estimates that slightly over 45% of our population pays $0 in federal income tax. Many pay no state income tax either. Translation = no skin in the game. This is all upside for the non-payers. Whereas the people who are paying the freight must always to a cost/benefit analysis before an expenditure is made, for the non-payers have no need to. It's all good. No worries - just do it!

The problem is simply this. Our country was founded not on Santa Clause it was founded on the work ethic. It was that way for many years after our founding. But the likes of Roosevelt, LBJ, and today's crop of socialists, have split this country into the makers and the takers. Into the payers and the non-payers. 

This year, Tim Walz is playing Santa for the Democrats. He is very good at it. Lots and lots of stuff. When asked how we will pay for all these wants and needs, he mumbles something about "investments" and that is it. Who will really pay for it? The 55% who pay the freight. In particular, the top 10% of the income earners. And the laundry list of freebies this year is daunting. 

Jeff Johnson on the other hand, offers solutions to vexing problems and promises only one thing - more opportunities by getting a bloated and intrusive state government out of the way. That is it. No more, no less.

Not as sexy as all the freebies Walz is offering, but on Christmas morning, the Walz stocking will once again be empty. But the Jeff Johnson stocking will be brimming and full of promise and opportunity. The two vital things needed for a better Minnesota.   

All juiced up? Ready to go?

"And the trade in value on my current truck if I take excellent care of it? Zero. My old truck just might be obsolete by 2025. Total junk, and ready for the scrap yard. Yes, things are moving that fast."

I am a wee bit disgusted with myself this morning. Last night I was reading a very interesting article on cars. Not today's cars - tomorrow's cars. And when I say tomorrow - not a figure of speech. Literally tomorrow. In any event, I usually bookmark interesting articles I read, so I can use them as a foundation for a future article I would write. Light night I did not (it was getting late, and I was tired) - so I forgot the bookmark. This morning I can't find it, so I will have to go by memory.

I know - some of my fellow truck driving aficionados are pleading with me - BIRD! NO MORE ELECTRIC CAR TALK! Well guess what? Please bear with me, as you might find this one interesting. The article I read said there recently some organization conducted a poll (I have no idea if the poll was valid, but for the sake of this article, I will say it was), and the results were interesting. 30% of those polled said they would buy electric for their next car. That is a huge number! Fortunately for this 30%, the car manufacturers are ahead of this developing demand, and have many new models in the pipeline.

How soon is soon? The picture in this article is of a driver-less taxi. Is it just a model? Nope - built and ready to go. In fact, General Motors would like to roll out their driver-less taxis next year! Have them up and running in 2020. Electric and autonomous. That is what we will be seeing more and more of. In fact, this article went on to say that part of the now infamous "Stimulus Bill" (Obama's boondoggle) , many charging station platforms were built. Now they are done and ready to go - just waiting for electric cars to charge. And many more are being built - this year.

Every time I read an article like the one I read last night, I am floored how fast this electric revolution is coming. I have never seen anything like it. In fact, it is coming so fast, with so much inertia from customer demand, car companies who balk and ignore this change, will be looking for something else to do. They will be out of business. 

Next year, we will all be seeing charging stations popping up all over the place. Traditional charging stations and "Quick-charge" stations on highways and freeways. At gas stations - right next to the pumps. They will be at shopping malls. Parking lots. In private garages. They will not be free to use - but the cost to charge an electric car with the equivalent "go-miles" as a tank of gasoline, will cost less than half what gasoline costs. 

My truck is just under six years old. It looks and drives brand new. My goal was to have it last at least 10 - maybe 15 years. It is a great truck, and both my wife and I love it. But it sounds like it could be my last. At least, the last which will look, act, and drive like my current one. What will my next truck look like if I wait until 2025 to buy it? I have no clue, but not like I would buy today.

And the trade in value on my current truck in 2025 if I continue to take excellent care of it? Zero. My old truck just might be obsolete by 2025. Total junk, and ready for the scrap yard. Yes, things are moving that fast.

The Logan Act of 1799

"In the court of public opinion, many think what Kerry is doing right now does nothing but show him to be a horse's butt. Least wise, that is my take. Arrogant to the last, this is oh, so Kerry. The only thing I am surprised about is that Hillary is not complacent in this mess."

There are a couple old sayings which might be appropriate for this article. The first could be, just because you can do something, does not mean that you should. Then there is the old standby - if something feels wrong, it usually is. What do those two adages have to do with anything? Simple - John Kerry. John Kerry, who has no status within the Trump Administration, is going behind the back of Mike Pompeo and meeting (maybe even negotiating) with the world's number one state sponsor of terror. That would be Iran.

Oh, if only the shoe was on the other foot right now! The Democrats would not only be howling about violating the ancient Logan Act, they would also be talking sedition and treason! Maybe our side should do that also. I trust Kerry about as far as he could throw his Viet Nam medals over the White House fence. 

The thing I find the most amusing about Kerry sticking his long face into our foreign affairs is this - he is trying to save one of the worst deals ever crafted. President Trump and Secretary Pompeo want to change the deal, so it looks more like a deal, instead of a give away. Kerry on the other hand, wants to maintain this deal. A deal which favors Iran at every turn, and puts the Untied States and Israel in more danger. Like nuclear danger. 

Some might ask, "What the heck is this Logan Act, anyhow?". It is an ancient law (circa 1799) which is very simple. It prohibits ordinary citizens (without authorization) from binding this country into agreements with a foreign country. It is as rare as it is old. Like hardly ever evoked. Why? Most people know better. However, the real irony is this - one of the people in this country who SHOULD know about the Logan Act is a former Secretary of State. Like John Kerry.

What do I think that President Trump and Secretary Pompeo should do? First off, cancel Kerry's passport. Then if he does still have a security clearance, yank it. Then, I would warn him. The next time he talks to the Iranians about anything more substantial than the weather forecast, Trump's DOJ will prosecute him. Plain and simple. He may think he is all that and a bag of chips, but very few other people share that view.

In the court of public opinion, many think what Kerry is doing right now does nothing but show him to be a horse's butt. Least wise, that is my take. Arrogant to the last, this is oh, so Kerry. The only thing I am surprised about, is that Hillary is not complacent in this mess.

One of the talking heads on a Blue Team cable station thought it was poor form for Pompeo to publicly call out Kerry on his misdeeds. Really? Just wait until Session calls him out - with cuffs in his hand. Then the caterwauling from the Left will really start.   

Was up with our youngins' today?

"What does this portend for the future? I don't know - but I am concerned. We have a growing number of nut balls now coming out of college thinking that socialism is cool and we should modify our Constitution to make it our norm."

I know I probably should not be doing this, but I am finding myself reading the pundit's polls as of late. Even though I know most of them are not worth the paper (or electronic media) they are written on, I am fascinated by some of the minute details. Why and how certain blocks of voters vote the way they do. What the trends are - and so forth.

I have already address the POC (people of color) issue. Why time after time, they vote as a monolithic block for Democrats. That has puzzled many of us. And why? Democrats don't do spit for POC. Na-da. Lots of promises - little delivery. President Trump managed to peel some POC away this past election by asking one simple question - what do you have to lose? Then what happened? The POC community has the lowest unemployment rate - ever.

The one demographic which has me the most confused is age. We are becoming a nation divided by age. It seems that 40 and below (especially 30 and below), have no interest in their parents values. They don't give a rip about capitalism. Many who live in the big cities have no interest in climbing the corporate ladder. In buying a house. Even buying a car. 

These young folks of ours are also into white guilt. Into fixing climate change. Into social justice. Into new gender identification(s). Gay marriage, legalizing drugs, abortion on demand, vertical living, mass transit - these are all the new norms for the youngins. And guess what else has become the new norm for them? Voting Blue Team. Regardless of income, race, where they were raised, education, occupation - more and more youth are siding with the Democrats. The social mores of yesteryear, of mom and dad, of grandpa and grandma, are no longer valid with them.

I know what the old saying is. If you are young and vote conservative, you have no heart. If you are older and vote progressive, you have no brain. Not too long ago, the "older" was about 30, when you were out of school, working, and paying taxes. Now - not so much. This is a entirely different generation which is as alien to us, as we are to them.

What does this portend for the future? I don't know - but I am concerned. We have a growing number of nut balls now coming out of college thinking that socialism is cool and we should modify our Constitution to make it our norm. Huh? This is what happens when they teach revisionist history in our high schools and colleges. The truth takes a back seat to PC madness.

I will say this maybe every day for the next 50 days. To turn this state red, we need 1.3M voters to come out and vote for the Red Team. The Blue Team keeps getting new recruits from the next generation, so we need to counter that threat. Spread the word, and keep spreading it. 1.3M to win this state.

  

Ready for AI? Better be...

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"What is my point in all this blather? The future is much closer than many of us think. Our education system is all tied up in knots right now. Instead of teaching skills for this ever developing future, we are more concerned in how our kids feel. How many genders there are. How to re-write our history."

Last night, while channel surfing on YouTube, I came across the Elon Musk interview where he sounded the alarm bells about AI. How AI, combined with robotics, is going to be a grave threat to mankind. He is convinced the "genie could get out of the bottle". Basically the same thing Hawking said before he died. That instead of AI being a boon to mankind, it could end up being the grim reaper instead. So, what does all this mean for today?

Absolutely nothing. Na-da. Development is continuing at a rocket's pace. Why? Many companies in many industrial countries are not seeing gloom and doom - instead, they are seeing the Golden Fleece. In fact China is so bent on getting the science of AI more matured, the Ministry of Education has mandated more AI classes be offered and research conducted at its universities. China would like to see additional AI breakthroughs coming out of its higher education facilities by 2020. Plus, by 2030, China would like 1/5 of all its manufacturing be done by automation. For China, that is a huge number!

Back to an article I wrote not too long ago. That for kids just starting Kindergarten today, 85% of the jobs which will exist when they graduate from high school, do not exist right now. China is aware of that. So is Japan. Our education system - not so much. 

But what does that mean for folks who are working today? Who have maybe 20 years or more before retirement? Get ready for constant retraining folks. Chances are, you will be changing jobs and/or companies numerous times before you hang it up. Continuing education will also be part of the mix. Those who resist change will have problems. Those who embrace change, probably not so much. But in any event, the learning curve is going to be steep - change after change. 

Most of us will have a chance to look down this rabbit hole in the very near future. Like in seven years or so. World changes will start in earnest by 2025, and accelerate from there. Our brave new world is going require us to be braver and bolder than we could have ever imagined. Will our brave new world be dystopian like Huxley predicted, or Utopian like we all hope for? 

One interview I saw with an AI technologist was very interesting. When asked what the future will look like when AI becomes common in our everyday lives, he gave a surprising yet honest answer. He said he had no idea. Why? AI is a moving target. It might be part of everything, or part of just somethings. But have no doubt - it will have some part of our lives. Was he worried like Musk and Hawking that AI might end up being our master instead of our slave. Not too much. 

What is my point in all this blather? The future is much closer than many of us think. Our education system is all tied up in knots right now. Instead of teaching skills for this ever developing future, we are more concerned in how our kids feel. How many genders there are. How to re-write our history. Meanwhile, kids in China, Japan and even India are getting ready for 2025 and beyond. 

Meanwhile, I am excited about my Alexa. I recently read the developers are working on making the Alexa units conversational. That is a big jump in the AI technology. Why is that so important? If my wife gets mad at me, I will always have someone, or should I say something, to talk with.