Much to do about - something?

"Ever since the start of the pandemic, we have been running around like chickens with our hair on fire (so to speak). It is time to start acting like real Americans again. Like the free people we are. No more autocratic authoritarianism. No more tyranny. Just common sense please. From the people we elected to have some."  

And so it starts. This "mandate" from the White House has trickled down to the states, and now affects both public and private institutions. Some of have given the White House the "Let's go Brandon!" answer to this mandate, by ignoring it. They are however, doing that at their own peril, as the feds can come in with hefty fines - and worse. All this about much to do about nothing. Or is it something?

The authoritarianism of this Administration is daunting for sure. And the blue states and cities are just as bad. Did you know that as of this morning, 26 FDNY fire stations have closed due to this moronic vaccine mandate? Issued by their moronic Mayor? The FDNY, the heroes of 9/11, where 343 of them died in the collapse of the twin towers, some of them being ground into dust -  are now villains? And must be punished? Just because they would not get the "jab"? There is such a simpler solution to this "problem", that most of our Autocratic Democrats have ignored.

Like what? Like something which makes much more sense. An antibody test. Period. The purpose of the vaccine, no matter which flavor, is to get your body to make its own antibodies. However, some people already have those antibodies. Some people have already had Covid, and their bodies have manufactured those antibodies. 

Here is how I think it would work. You get the test from your doctor or from a clinic. The results of the test are good for a certain period of time. If the test shows you have the antibodies, you are good to go. If you do not have the antibodies, then your employer would have the right to have you tested for Covid every week or so. Nobody needs to get fired. Nobody needs to quit in anticipation of getting fired. Right now, this mandate thing is one of the biggest clusters, one of the biggest and most gapping self inflicted wound, the government has come up with as yet. 

Here is the bottom line as I understand it from health professionals I trust. Covid - 19 is not going away. It will always be around. What the Chinese have so cleverly developed, cannot be so easily eviscerated. Are we going to continue to play this game of "show down" for years? Or can we just do the grown-up thing, and move on. It angers and disgusts me, when in these days of worker shortages, I see more people become unemployed over this useless mandate. It really angers me, when some of this people are our heroes.

Ever since the start of the pandemic, we have been running around like chickens with our hair on fire (so to speak). It is time to start acting like real Americans again. Like the free people we are. No more autocratic authoritarianism. No more tyranny. Just common sense please. From the people we elected to have some.  

    

Our Beloved Country

"Not to make this sound like a travelogue, I rather wanted to reflect on this piece of land some have been born on, and most now live on. It is our home. It is part of our beloved country. It is America. Land of the free, and home because of the brave." 

I have been asked many times since I have started to blog, why do I dislike Minnesota so much? The fact is - I don't. Yes, as a native Minnesotan, I have the pedigree to bitch and moan, and complain about the weather - mostly about the endless winters. That being said, there is a certain beauty in some winter days. And - there is nothing, NOTHING, which beats the first hints of spring after months of white blah. The smell, the emerging warmth, the first shoots of green. 

I do strongly dislike the politics in Minnesota. Don't like them, and sure don't understand them. Do I wish Minnesota was different? Do I wish Minneapolis was still livable? Yes and yes - but I have addressed those issues many times before, in many blog posts. This article is simply about the glory and beauty of this state. This state - which is part of the beloved country we reside in.

Minnesota has never been the home to 10,000 lakes. It has almost 12,000. Plus, it is more than just lakes. Besides the lakes, there are the bountiful rivers and streams. In addition, if you like waterfowl, wild turkeys, Eagles, Ospreys, hawks, songbirds, deer, an occasional moose or black bear - Minnesota is a good place to live. There are fruited plains which stretch on as far as the eye can see, and there are hillsides so pristine, they look like thy were taken from a Norman Rockwell painting.

But in my opinion, with all the good and glorious things to watch and do in Minnesota, the crown jewel lies about 170 miles north by northeast of the cities. Lake Superior, named as such, because it is. It is our hiding place, our resting place, our healing place. The North Shore of Lake Superior is so spectacular, so wonderous, it attracts people from all over the world.

This little piece of Heaven to the north of us, is so pristine, much of it looks the same when the Ojibwe first named this magnificent lake Gitche Gumee, or to be more accurate, Otchipwe-kitchi-gami. What does name mean? "Big sea", or "huge water" - and that it is.

One the most fun things we have done since retirement, is visit all 76 state parks in Minnesota. We have been deep under the Earth in Soudan State Park, to historic the majestic plains of western Minnesota. There we visited the Upper Sioux Agency State Park, which was steeped in rich Minnesota and Native history.

Our state parks journey took us all over the state, both on the high-ways and the bi-ways. We loved every minute of it, and saw some amazing things. Of course, you cannot visit all the state parks without a visit to Itasca. Itasca State Park is the crown jewel among many jewels. It is the pride of Minnesota, on display for all to see.

Monday, we go into November. In the past years, we would head up north to Blue Finn Bay and take advantage of their "Gales of November" event. Sometimes, the big lake is so serene  that weekend, it is like a mirror. Other times (if you are lucky), the lake is angry with storms. The crashing waves of the rocks of the north shore is something words cannot describe.

Then once the gray, stormy, and windy month of November is past, winter sets in. The white overcoat the North Shore will put on, can be both brutally cold, and often times drop dead gorgeous. The Sawtooth Mountains on the North Shore, come alive with skiers, snowmobilers, and snow shoers.  

Not to make this sound like a travelogue, I rather wanted to reflect on this piece of land some have been born on, and most now live on. It is our home. It is part of our beloved country. It is America. Land of the free, and home because of the brave. 

Mentally, Physically, Spiritually UNFIT to Serve

"Some have said Biden is only a figure head. A puppet being played by unseen power brokers. The real rot lies deep within the socialist wing of the Democrat Party."

One of my long time friends recently accused me of having a strong hatred of Joe Biden. Not true. I hate no man (nor woman). It would be a major sin in my faith to do so. I do however, HATE what he is doing to our beloved country. Then the thought hit me, although it is not that profound. In the military, you can be relieved instantly if you are deemed not fit to serve. This President is not fit to serve. Not mentally. Not physically. Not spiritually. And because of that, our country, and our Constitution are being shredded. 

Mentally - Nobody in their right mind would do what Joe Biden has done to our country. Some things are inexplicable to the normal person. Like, Biden has idled 1/3 of our domestic oil wells. And he wonders why the price of gas is so high. Blames OPEC and the oil companies. Next, Biden is offering a half million dollars per person to every illegal immigrant who was temporarily separated from their family. Blames having 2 million immigrants coming over the border this year on Donald Trump. Huh? Next, Biden leaving billions of dollars worth of fighting equipment, hundreds of Americans, and thousands of allies, in harm's way during our retreat from Afghanistan. Why? Unknown, and again inexplicable. Once again, blames Donald Trump. Then, Biden mandating organizations of over 100 people must have everyone be vaccinated.  Even for people who have natural immunity, with a high antibody count. Many people, some heroes, have already been terminated. Some have quit. What a mess.

Physically - When Donald Trump had a minor stumble at an event, the press went wild. They said he had some hidden physical problem, maybe MS, and because of that, might be unfit to serve. Joe Biden stumbles three times going up the stairs to Air Force One, and - crickets from the press. My take on what happened? Stumble once, no big deal. Could happen to anyone, at any age. Stumble twice? That should give one pause to think. Three times? The WH physician should have insisted Biden go to Walter Reed to be checked out. Here is the bottom line. Joe Biden has not aged well. He has dementia (I know - that could have gone in the paragraph above), and zero energy. He is a man whose time has come and gone. He should be the one resting in Mar-a-lago, watching sea gulls play in the ocean. And Donald Trump should be running the country.

Spiritually - "I might be the most religious person ever to live in the White House", Joe Biden said shortly after being sworn into office. A couple of things - first, people in the faith, the Christian faith, never call their faith a "religion". It is a relationship with Jesus. Next, (and I have heard this from my Catholic friends) - you can't be a true Catholic and support the killing of the unborn. Just yesterday, I heard Bill O'Reilly say the same thing on the radio (O'Reilly is a strong Catholic). How Biden got a pass from the Pope the other day on supporting abortion is a head scratcher. Putting that aside, I expect our President to protect the lives of ALL Americans - those living outside the womb, as well as those living inside the womb. Period.

Joe Biden is unfit to serve. He is not fit in any category. Note, I did not blame him for the supply chain crisis. He is only partially responsible for that mess. That being said, if Donald Trump was still our President, he would be all over that issue like white on rice. Biden on the other hand, is just a spectator. 

Some have said Biden is only a figure head. A puppet being played by unseen power brokers. The real rot lies deep within the socialist wing of the Democrat Party. But Biden is the face of America right now, to many around the world. All they can see, is a confused old man, who is literally falling apart. And that can be equated to American weakness. Not a pretty sight.       

More money for illegals? Really?

"I am beyond frustrated. Beyond anger. On Tuesday, the good people of Virginia will elect a Republican Governor. That will be the first shot across the bow for the upcoming midterms."

Just when you thought you had heard it all from this "fun bunch" who is running (ruining) our country right now. It is bad enough, we have a wide open southern border. But now, due to Biden's seething and visceral hatred of Donald Trump, he is going to make us (the taxpayers), pay the illegals who have breached our borders during the past Administration. When this story broke this morning on the news, the cable news folks could hardly talk about it. Why? They were so incensed.

The Biden Administration is in the process of setting up payments of $450,000 (per child) for each illegal migrant family, whose kids were separated from their folks during the Trump Administration. Huh? What? During the Trump Administration, many kids were used as shills by the cartels. They let adult men hook up with some of these kids, just to get across the border. Then the kids were dumped, and the illegal adult male would take off. The Border Patrol was left to care of the kids. The Trump Administration really had their hands tied by the Democrats in Congress back then. It was a mess. 

Now, we are about to pay illegals for illegally coming into our country. Did I mention they were illegal? If a family had two children who were temporarily detained at the border, surprise! You are now $900,000 richer. If you have three children, you are now a dang millionaire! Contrast that with this - if a brave soldier gets killed in the line of duty, dying for our freedom, the survivors only get $400,000. If illegal child breaks into our country, he or she will get $50K more than that. This is more than wrong. It is sick and twisted.

I have said this before. In my lifetime, I have never seen a President so hellbent on destroying this country. Never. Where is Biden going to get this money, to pay these illegals for doing something illegal? We have no money - only a printing press, which is going 24 X 7 these days, printing out more money. This is so irresponsible, it is treasonous. That might be the 10th time I have used that term in relation to something Biden has done.

I am beyond frustrated. Beyond anger. On Tuesday, the good people of Virginia will elect a Republican Governor. That will be the first shot across the bow for the upcoming midterms. We MUST take back the House and Senate so we can muzzle this bunch of crooks and traitors who are now running our beloved country. No more Mr. Nice Guy. In 2023 when we control the Congress, there will be many people doing the perp walk. I can't wait.   

 

A town without pity...

"This defund the police movement is by far and away the dumbest thing I have ever seen come out of a large city. Hello? Seen the crime stats in just about every big blue city? When the crooks start to run the city (not the elected crooks, the other ones), Minneapolis will really become a town without pity."

"No, it isn't very pretty, what a town without pity, can do." Gene Pitney, from his hit song from yesteryear, "Town without pity". Minneapolis, the City of Lakes, the city of Mary Tyler Moore and Prince, the once very popular showplace of Minnesota, is on the precipice of disaster. A gapping, self inflicted wound. The city which at one time was a vibrant, fun place to work, play and live, is now ready to become the new Detroit - or worse.

The city, which just last year, allowed thugs and roving gangs to rob, torch and plunder the Uptown area and South Minneapolis - is going to take a very historic vote next week. This city, whose crime stats are way up, some doubled from last year, is going to vote to dismantle and "re-imagine" a new kind of policing. A "kinder, gentler" policing. In other words, instead of the baddies having a hay day in Minneapolis like they do right now, should this vote pass and the police department is eliminated, the bad guys will own the town. Lock, stock, and barrel, own the town. 

Medaria Arradondo, the Police Chief of Minneapolis, held a presser yesterday. He is totally against this madcap idea. Then during the presser, the Chief let something slip. He was never consulted by city planners or the "Vote Yes" crew, what this new "re-imagined" policing group would look like. It will be made up of social workers, dispute de-escalators, violence disrupters, hand holders, bedwetters, and Dr. Phil look alikes. But cops? No way, no how. In this real life game of cops and robbers which has been going on in Minneapolis, it will just be the robbers.

Just as an aside, the very odd Attorney General of the United States was grilled by a Senate committee yesterday. One of the questions which came up, was the Antifa and BLM riots which torched part of Minneapolis during the summer of 2020. The Attorney General was asked why instead of going after concerned parents at school board meetings, the Justice Department not go after the real insurrection which happened in many of our large cities last summer. Yes, Minneapolis was the first to burn, and probably had the most damage. His response, was a no response. Why not? In the eyes of this twisted Administration, the parents are the bad guys. Jan, 6th was the insurrection. The insurrection riots from 2020? Move along, nothing to see here.

This defund the police movement is by far and away the dumbest thing I have ever seen come out of a large city. Hello? Seen the crime stats in just about every big blue city? When the crooks start to run the city (not the elected crooks, the other ones), Minneapolis will really become a town without pity. It will also become a town without visitors, as nobody will want to venture within 10 miles of that town. And that includes me. 

The Medicare and Medicaid Mess

"I am reminded of that old saying - the closest thing to eternal life on his planet, is a government program. It never dies. Thank you Joe Manchin, for having enough guys to be like the Little Dutch Boy, and putting your fingers in the fiscal dike."

Some of the folks who follow this kind of stuff, has been hitting the klaxon for quite a while now. About what? About Medicare. Like, it is running out of money. The problem with Medicare is, too many people are drawing from the fund, who have not put enough in (or nothing). That is been going on for a while now. If the truth be told, Medicare and Social Security were always predicated upon the fact that many would not live long enough to draw from them. But now most folks do make it to 65. Plus, with SSI, and all the immigrants and refugees who have been "grandfathered in" to the program, we have until 2026 until Medicare starts to run dry.

What is the best thing to do when the Medicare fund is in trouble? Offer Medicare to everybody! That is what the Democrats want to do. How do we pay for this? Unknown. If we did offer Medicare to all, the year 2026 might come around a whole lot sooner - like in 2022.

What about Medicaid? In the new Biden "Human Infrastructure" Bill, in the midst of all these swirling dollars, there is money to fund an additional 2.2 million people in the Medicaid Program. Mostly from the 12 states which have refused Obamacare expansion in the past. Joe Manchin does not like this idea. Fiscally irresponsible. So this might be a deal killer.

Now we come to the real issue. Where are all the budget hawks these days? The Republicans have shown they can spend money almost as fast as the Democrats can. And in the Senate, the closest thing the Democrats have to budget hawks, are now Manchin and Sinema. Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Obamacare - are all fiscal train wrecks. Plus, if the "Human Infrastructure" Bill passes, Heaven only knows what is inside that thing.

I am reminded of that old saying - the closest thing to eternal life on his planet, is a government program. It never dies. Thank you Joe Manchin, for having enough guts to be like the Little Dutch Boy, and put your fingers in the fiscal dike. Will that last? Probably not. All I know is this. Medicare and Medicaid are both a mess. And all Biden does, is throw gas on that fire.       

The winter of our discontent

"For the life of me, I don't understand when it has taken so long to become energy independent, why this moron decided to break the system. Make us beggars to OPEC once again."

Interesting news story in the paper this morning. It has to do with Biden's America (again). Our electric bills, are about to take off like a Saturn rocket. Wait - why? I love this answer. We need new transmission lines, to get from our windmills to the main grid. And this is going to be spendy. Like, Xcel Energy has a proposal in to the state PUC for this increase of 20% to start as early as 2022. Most of us are left here shaking our heads. Many of us HATE THOSE BIRD KILLERS! And now we get to pay for their meager offering into our electric grid.

Looking forward just a few weeks towards winter, what do we know so far? First off, according to the weather guessers, this winter could be colder and snowier. We also know that because Slo Joe has decided to be an oil importer rather than an oil exporter, our gasoline will be much higher than last year. Then according to one article I read from the Citizens Utility Board in Illinois, natural gas could be as much as 35% higher this year. We will just mix in the 20% increase in electricity for good measure. What do you get at the end of the day? A coming winter of major discontent.

For the life of me, I don't understand when it has taken so long to become energy independent, why this moron decided to break the system. Make us beggars to OPEC once again. The 40% increase in gasoline hurts poor people the most, Brandon. So much for your "tax plan" only hitting the rich. ANYONE who drives, pays utilities, or eats - is going to get hit. Slo Joe can whisper into the mic as much as he wants, that this bill is a "tax cut for the middle class", but that is a serious untruth.

I remember when I first graduated, and I was working at Sperry Univac. My boss, who lived in Columbia Heights, suggested that he and I car pooled (which was fine, as the plant was in Eagan Township). He was a Navy vet, who served in WWII and Korea. Jimmy Carter was President, and the economy was a mess. One day, my boss told me he was going to put a "wood burner" in his basement. He continued, "Those gangsters running our government can turn off our natural gas at any time. Or raise the prices to be sky high. I don't trust they know what the Sam Hill they are doing." Seems like not much as changed since then.

We will see what this winter holds. According to news reports, Biden's "Human Infrastructure" bill is close to being agreed to by both factions of the Democrats. Who will be the winners? The elites. And the losers? The rest of us. This winter could end up being very, very expensive. 

  

A witch's brew is a coming...

"It is almost Halloween. Good time to have a witch's cauldron going in the background. Me? I like the cauldron in Macbeth better. But that was then, and this is now. Good luck to all us this week. Things could start to get very rocky. And very scary too."  

According to the press releases, the deal is actually getting closer. It appears that Kyrsten Sinema is going to get her wish. The Trump tax cuts should stay pretty much intact, and the corporate tax rate will not be raised (as the rumors go).

And Joe Manchin will have a package which will be heavy, but not a back breaker (as the rumors go). What is in this package? The usual Democrat recipe - eye of newt, toe of a frog, wool of a bat, and so forth. To equate this with today's language, everything which can wreck or cripple an economy.

But the best part, is how Joe Manchin (whom I thought was a pretty sharp cookie at one point in time), got hoodwinked into agreeing to a "wealth tax". But don't worry - this "wealth tax", which will be on on only billionaires. It will tax the unrealized income on all capital gains on the liquid assets of those super rich slobs. But who cares? It will only be on those people whose income has all those zeroes. This will be kind of like with the income tax started. That tax was only going to be on the rich people. Fooled ya!

As soon as we start to hammer the super investors in our economy, that is when our real trouble will begin. Super investors are not stupid investors. They can very easily pick up their marbles and play someplace else. So be it. But - now that the die is cast on how to tax wealth, and not income. We don't need those rich slobs anymore. We can now tax EVERYBODY on their wealth. That is where the real wealth in this nation resides. All those trillions in IRA accounts and 401k dollars? They now belong to the Build Back Better  (Great Reset) account of Joe Biden.

I am sorry that I have to quote Forrest Gump once again when it comes to taking about the financial prowess of the Democrats. Well, there ain't none. In fact is, "Stupid is as stupid does." Killing the investment ability of our most wealthy, is really killing our Golden Goose. Our job creators. But in the torted mind of the Democrats, wealthy Republicans look like the guy from the board game Monopoly. Republicans are just out to screw the little guy. Give me a break.

The Democrats are doing a full court press to give Biden anything, ANYTHING, before he goes overseas to talk "climate change". Having this witch's cauldron of goo passed and signed into law before he leaves, will give him immense gravitas with the Euros. But for the rest of us, who will have to live with this pile of excrement - can only wait and hope until November of 2022. That is when the adults (hopefully), will be running the House and Senate again.

It is almost Halloween. Good time to have a witch's cauldron going in the background. Me? I like the cauldron in Macbeth better. But that was then, and this is now. Good luck to all us this week. Things could start to get very rocky. And very scary too.  

Are we doing Covid right or wrong?

"Antibodies are the name of the game. No matter how you get them, they are the key. Heck, even our state epidemiologist says so. Many folks need the vaccines to get the antibodies, but certainly not all. Let's be smarter in how we go forward into the future." 

Last Friday, my wife and I received the Moderna booster shot. It was just like the initial vaccination, only half strength. We were about eight months out from our second shot, so due to our age, it was time to get it. Or was it? The medical experts think that the initial shots from both Pfizer and Moderna start to wane after six months. Or is it eight months? Bottom line - they don't know. Plus, everyone is different. What would be the smart thing to do? Test for antibodies before rendering judgement, or giving another vaccination, which might not be needed at that time.

How about if you have already had Covid? Or had Covid before the CCP admitted there was such as thing (highly probable). Or have excellent natural immunity? The smart thing to do would be to give everyone an antibody test. If you score high on antibodies, there would be no need for the shot. No need for the mandates. No need to lose high quality cops, EMTs, nurses, teachers, and so on.

This mandatory vaccination thing has got much of the country tied up in knots right now. Absolutely, no need for it. We are suppose to go on a cruise this winter. We have been notified that before we set one foot on the ship, we need to show a current Covid shot card (probably with booster also), be masked up, and have a very recent (within 3 days) Covid test. Missing any of those, will revoke your boarding privileges. This is stupid. Showing the results of an antibody test should be all you need. It should not matter how you get your antibodies, as long as you have them. Yes, vaccinations are one way, but not the only way.

Had lunch with a friend last week, who is recovering from Covid. He had it about as bad as one could have it. Almost died in the ICU. But he is recovering now, and I can only imagine how rich his blood is with antibodies. How long with they last? Hopefully, a very long time. And yet, if he and his wife were feeling well enough to go on a cruise this coming spring, he could not get on the ship without being vaccinated. Vaccinated to let his body create antibodies, even though his blood could still be rich with them in the spring. I just don't get it.

Joe Biden wants us to think he is the smartest guy in the room, because he follows the science. Really? His mandate on being vaccinated is not smart. Losing valuable heroes, when we still really need them, is not smart. Are we doing this Covid thing right or wrong? Mostly right, but the wrongs are unfortunate blemishes. 

Antibodies are the name of the game. No matter how you get them, they are the key. Heck, even our state epidemiologist says so. Many folks need the vaccines to get the antibodies, but certainly not all. Let's be smarter in how we go forward into the future. 

    

A Boston Tea Party Event? Or Biden's Cargo Curse?

"Biden's America. How is it possible one person with limited cognitive abilities, could take our great nation from first to worst in less than a year? That is right - he has help. In the House, in the Senate, and in his Cabinet. Heaven help us all."

Holy smokes! What in the world is happening to our sea ports? Just when you thought you have seen it all, along comes "floating containers" in the Pacific Ocean. Like what you say? Is this like the Boston Tea Party, where the folks working the docks or staffing the container ships have had enough? Tossed part of their loads overboard? Or was it just a mishap, a dangerous situation, just waiting to happen. Welcome once again, to Biden's America. 

This gives one pause to wonder - what is in those containers? Little Johnny's Christmas presents? Uncle Lew's meds, made in China? Computer chips for the thousands of cars and trucks which cannot be finished until the chips arrive at the factory? Maybe we will never know.

On October 19th, a new record was set in southern California. 100 containers ships were moored, just waiting their turn to get into the docks and unload. By this Thursday, another 45 ships were expected to arrive. Uncle Joe and his rather odd Secretary of Transportation, have assured the public they have this situation well in hand. Joe used his old "I am a union guy too" speech with the Teamster and Longshoremen Unions, to get some instant fixes on the ports. And Mayor Pete? He is still on maternity leave.

Here is the bottom line. The world's supply lines have been crippled due to the pandemic, and worldwide economic conditions. To thread the needle on this rapidly deteriorating situation, we need to put our "A" team in charge. People who really understand logistics and supply chain management. Not a bunch of boobs who are professional politicians and idealogues. 

Ron DeSantis is down in Florida, pleading with the incoming ships to raise anchor, make the trip through the Panama Canal, and unload their cargo in Florida. He is promising zero wait times at Florida's ports. DeSantis does not have people tripping all over themselves, like the ports in California has. 

One good thing this port crisis has done. It has knocked the Afghanistan debacle right off the front page. Not the immigration issue, however. When this next wave of immigrants hits the border (shortly), and they bull rush our Border Patrol like they did going through police lines in Mexico, the port story might have to slip back to page 5 in the papers. And the crime crisis, which is tearing our cities apart? What page is that on right now? That is so yesterday, it is not even making the back page of the sports section in the paper. 

Biden's America. How is it possible one person with limited cognitive abilities, could take our great nation from first to worst in less than a year? That is right - he has help. In the House, in the Senate, and in his Cabinet. Heaven help us all.

SHTF Prepping - (or not)

"In any event, let us all hope we never have an event. No matter how well your are prepped, a SHTF event would suck, big time. But this is a time when we all need to be boy scouts. In other words, be prepared. Totally prepared. Assume that help will not be on the way." 

If you take a stroll around the internet lately, you will see the new term for intense prepping. That be SHTF prepping. Actually, many have prepped in this fashion for years. It just did not go by that name. I have watched a few YouTube videos, which focus on SHTF prepping. For the most part, it is the way I have prepped for years. Some things however, I need to buff up on. These videos would be a good way to take your own temperature, on how well you are prepared.

One of them I watched, focused on city rats, who live vertically. Even though this is the way the Met Council wants us all to live, it is by far and away the most risky should there be a SHTF event. Like, most of what this video talked about, is how to get out of town - fast. How to develop "bug out" packs and maybe a trailer. And if you need to bug out from your city existence, have a rock solid plan on where you would go. Easier said than done. 

I will say this again, as I have said in the past. If you do not live in the city, and are able to hunker and bunker in your own house, your house will become more than a house. It will be your food store, your drug store, your safe zone, your everything. I think what we have all seen in the past 8 months or so, is this current Administration will be of little help in a honest to gosh SHTF event. With that in mind, think about what you would need to survive for two weeks. Actually, most preppers think in months instead of weeks. 

Water, candles, survival food, water, firearms, flashlights, water, ammo, meds, paper products, first aid, water, and so on. Yes, I did repeat water a few times. Why? This is where most preppers fall short. Buying a BPA free water storage system is a smart play. They are available all over the internet, and are of reasonable cost. For sixty days of disruption during a SHTF event, plan on sixty gallons (minimum). If you have time before the event happens, fill your bathtub and utility sink with water. This will be good for cleaning and toilet flushing. That would be over and above the 60 gallons of potable water you have for drinking and cooking.

The easiest thing by far to prep are paper products. No expiration date. Paper plates, toilet paper, paper towels, plastic silverware, napkins and so forth. Also, plastic bags. All the way from paper bags, to normal garbage bags, to 55 gallon contractor strength bags. 

Taking a journey through your mind is a good practice to get into. What could you possibly need in a time of extreme shortages? Where could you safely store what is needed? What if the ATM machines are down? The gas stations have no gas? Having some extra gas in your garage in a great idea. Use a fuel stabilizer to keep it fresh and ready to use. 

In any event, let us all hope we never have an event. No matter how well your are prepped, a SHTF event would suck, big time. But this is a time when we all need to be boy scouts. In other words, be prepared. Totally prepared. Assume that help will not be on the way. 

And here they come again...

"But the biggest damage that Biden has done to his party is this - people will remember this mess. For a long, long time. For that Uncle Joe, I suppose we should be thankful. Even though you ruined our country, we should be thankful it will not happen again - maybe not forever." 

This is the story which never seems to end. People, mostly poor people, from all over, are getting ready to storm our southern border once again. Did I say "storm"? Sorry - poor choice of words. Under Uncle Joe, migrants only have to saunter across the most shallow part of the Rio Grande. Once across, find the nearest Border Patrol, get arrested, and then be "released". Oh yes - our "catch and release" program is known about, far and wide. 

This new Administration is crafty, they are! They invite migrants into our country ("Biden, let us in" t-shirts), get them over the Rio Grande, detain them for a short period, and then in the dead of night - fly them all over the country. And then what? Get them hidden with some liberal NGO, and bingo! Next thing we know, they are collecting benefits and their kids are showing up for school. School? How? These kids have no language skills, and many have special needs. Welcome to Biden's America. Where the money comes pouring out like there is no tomorrow. 

Will Biden and loony left finally get their way? I mean, the final objective is not even close to being hidden. Get these illegals in the country, and then declare amnesty. Sure beats the old fashioned way of earning your citizenship. These days amnesty is nothing more than a cudgel, used to beat the normal voters over the head with.

BTW - what ever happened to our "War on Covid"? Seems these newbies get a pass on that one. Nobody gets tested, nobody needs to get the jab. How so? Beats me. It has been reported that the positivity rate with these immigrants is over 10%. Wait - what? We are sending forth into our country, 10% of the estimated 1.6M immigrants this year who have Covid? What else - Measles? Any other contagious disease? What is wrong with Biden and Mayorkas? Do they hate this country that much? Seems so.

The only good thing, is this crisis (one of many for Biden), is taking his favorability rating down south, quicker than a Nolan Ryan sinker. I mean, even the most ill informed voter can see what a mess Biden has made of EVERYTHING in way less than a year. Yes, the Republicans should clean house in a year from November. They should win the House, the Senate, and a slew of down tickets.

But the biggest damage that Biden has done to his party is this - people will remember this mess. For a long, long time. For that Uncle Joe, I suppose we should be thankful. Even though you ruined our country, we should be thankful it will not happen again - maybe not forever. 

  

The teacher's folly of MEA

"Welcome to the Minnesota world of MEA. Once a waste, still a waste, will always be a waste."

I have said for many a year, the biggest hoax the teacher's union in Minnesota (that would now be Education Minnesota) has pulled on the Minnesota taxpayers, is the annual MEA "conference". Since I am married to a teacher (now retired), we never had to struggle with this annual teacher vacation in the middle of the fall. However, many of my contemporaries when everyone's kids were small - did.

Back in the day, MEA was nothing but a vacation for over 90% of the teachers. Believe it of not, a small percentage actually went to some of the workshops and conferences held in St. Paul. But most loaded up their kids (if they had any), and headed to Wisconsin Dells. Some have asked, "If this conference is so dang important, why don't the teachers have it in July, when they are off?" GASP! That borders on heresy! You can't expect a teacher to give up two days of his or her extra long summer vacation to go to this stupid conference! 

Before the days of CRT, social justice, and sexuality, the annual MEA conference was the achilleas heel for most teachers. Now, compared to everything else going on in education, this annual conference is small potatoes. Today, the big fish are the curriculum and sexuality issues the teacher's union is pushing. Wait - what about reading, writing and arithmetic? Like things used to be? Come on man! Get with it! That was during the stone ages of when teachers really believed in teaching. Now the union is into only indoctrination. Period. End of sentence.

I often wonder if our kids realize how much they are used as pawns these days. They probably don't. In government schools, they are sucked up by the system, and most parents either don't know or don't care. But the ones who do know and do care and now enemies of the state. Certainly enemies of Joe and Dr. Biden. To me and many of my friends however, these dissenting parents are patriots. Pure and simple patriots.

Have to wrap this up. Just found out the grandies are coming over this morning. On a Thursday? Why? They are off for MEA. So their mother had to take two days off. They are coming over here for something to do. Welcome to the Minnesota world of MEA. Once a waste, still a waste, will always be a waste.

   

US Intelligence - MIA under Biden

"One might ask the question of our super smart Minnesota boy - where were you when this launch happened? Are you hiding our with Kamala? News flash - our country is now at much more risk than it has been for a long time."

In our hyper-speed news cycle, where very important things can disappear off the front page faster than someone can say "Let's to Brandon!", that appears to be what happened to the story of our Afghanistan debacle. Heads could of, and should have, rolled over how we screwed up our exit from Afghanistan. Who was most at fault? Our Secretary of State, AND our Rhodes Scholar - Jake Sullivan? Jake Sullivan, Biden's National Security Advisor, raised in Minnesota, graduated from the University of Minnesota - got caught flat footed in how Afghanistan ended. Duh!

Both Blinken and Sullivan (and probably Austin) should have been fired for Afghanistan. But that is now yesterday's news. Our current attention should be focused westward. Like all the way to China, westward. It is bad enough that our National Security Advisor has not yet figured out that the CCP used the Wuhan Lab to invent this deadly disease called Covid - 19, but the launch of a hypersonic missile which circumnavigated the globe? How in the world could we have been surprised by that one? Or were we?

Many people (myself included), believe our current Administration, as well as Dr. Fauci, are played a bit too loose with the CCP in China. Like - playing way too close with the Chinese. Why do I think that? I don't know - let's ask Hunter Biden. He seems to be the lynch pin to everything tawdry right now. Maybe Hunter's dad (the "Big Guy"), knew this was coming, and yet decided to turn a blind eye towards it.

Why is this important? Our NORAD system is very good at detecting anything and everything which comes at us over the Artic. This Cold War warning system, still works, and works well. However, something coming at us over Antarctica, that is another story. A hypersonic missile coming at us from the south, could be a big problem. And now China has the technology to make this happen. Oh, joy.

One might ask the question of our super smart Minnesota boy - where were you when this launch happened? Were you hiding out with Kamala? News flash - our country is now at much more risk than it has been for a long time. Great job Uncle Joe. You and your team are really a piece of work.  

IoT and those dirty little chips...

"Happy Monday everyone. Now you know the dirty little secret concerning our dirty little chips. Clean manufacturing is not so clean after all. And our supply woes might just be starting."  

Trying to buy a car as of late? Good luck with that one. Especially a new car, loaded with computer chips. Computer chips? Yes, the new face of our supply chain hiccup. And here is the good news and the bad news. The good news, is besides your car, just about every appliance you have in your house (if it is new stuff), is loaded with computer chips. Welcome to the Internet of Things (IoT). The bad news, is most of the chips we use are made in Taiwan. They are the big gorilla in the room. Followed up by Red China. We still make some, but not many. Get ready for rough seas going forward.

Not too long ago, the United States made over 1/3 of the world's computer chips. Now we make 12% (and shrinking). Why? Here comes the dirty little secret with clean manufacturing. It ain't so clean after all. In fact, it uses a ton of water, and produces quite a bit of effluent byproduct. Did I mention the carbon footprint issue also?

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has become the godfather of chip manufacturers. They specialize in the most complex and highest capacity ships. In fact, they make 92% of all the world's most complex chips. But does it ever consume water! In 2019, this one chip manufacturer consumed 63 million tons of water. Not too much of an issue during that year. But this year, with a drought in Taiwan, it was a big issue. Does the precious water go to Taiwan farmers, or to the giant chip manufacturer? 

Intel's plant in Arizona is small potatoes compared to TSMC in Taiwan. That being said, in the first three months of this year, that Intel chip plant in Arizona used over 900 million gallons of fresh water. Hello? Drought parched Arizona - remember how dry you were at the beginning of the year? Plus - the waste produced during the manufacturing process. I guess the NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) was a factor in determining where chips are to be manufactured. Sorry Taiwan - you got stuck with the booby prize.

Back to IoT. It is estimated that by the year 2025 (right around the corner), there will be over 20 billion IoT devices. Whoa! That is a whole lot of computer chips! Yup, that is. And most of those will be manufactured across the big pond. Stretching our supply chain. So what is happening right now in buying a new car, can happen again in buying just about anything and everything.

Happy Monday everyone. Now you know the dirty little secret concerning our dirty little chips. Clean manufacturing is not so clean after all. And our supply woes might just be starting.  

Biden's Democrats, and their war on cops

"Ever since the Floyd incident, when police were looked upon as vermin instead of heroes (again, not by most of us), their ranks have thinned. After the true insurrection, which happened in Minneapolis and other large blue cities (post Floyd), many cops left the force." 

Here comes another great reason not to live in Chicago, Los Angeles, or Seattle. Is that it? Only those cities? No, there are probably more. Anyone who works for many large cities, including cops, must declare their vaccine states in the next few days or - or what? Get fired? Go on unpaid leave? Be labeled an "insurrectionist"? Yes, "insurrectionist". That is what Lightfoot called the Chicago Police Union Chief when he advised his union brothers and sisters NOT to comply with the vaccine mandate. BTW - is "insurrectionist", now the new favorite word of the left? Just asking a friend.

Cops, firefighters, EMTs, nurses - all kinds of first responders, who during the heat of the pandemic, worked face to face with sick people, with no vaccination protection - are now considered villains for not getting the jab. The one time heroes to most of us, are now (as Lightfoot so eloquently stated), - "insurrectionists". Even though many actually got Covid and survived (some with last after affects), and those people have very high antibodies, the Democrats now see them as enemies of the state. "NO JAB, NO JOB!", say the Democrats. For most of us however, our first responders continue to be HEROES.

Ever since the Floyd incident, when police were looked upon as vermin instead of heroes (again, not by most of us), their ranks have thinned. After the true insurrection, which happened in Minneapolis and other large blue cities (post Floyd), many cops left the force. Either by early retirement, resignation, or medically, due to PTSD. So now, the clear thinking boobs who are running these blue cities, are going to "cull the herd" some more, by termination due to this STUPID vaccine mandate. At this rate, by the end of the decade, NOBODY will want to live in those lawless blue cities.

If you look in aggregate, the number of first responders (and teachers) whose jobs are going to be at risk from this vaccine mandate, is in the thousands nationwide. BTW - this all goes back to Biden's mandate of organizations employing 100 people or more. That was absolutely the most gestapo thing I have seen our country do in my lifetime. Hands down.

I have said this many times before. I don't care if someone is vaccinated or not. Their decision, not mine. My family made our decision on being vaccinated or not. No coercion, everyone made their own decision. I also don't care if someone gets vaccinated, or uses Ivermectin, Hydroxychloroquine, Zinc, Vitamin D3, or what. How someone protects themselves or treats themselves, should have no bearing on their employment.

These are interesting times folks. Bizarre, yet interesting. Can we made it to the end of the year before the wheels fall off? I sure hope so. With or without Biden, we have to.       

 

Getting the JIT, JIT, jitters?

"But that was then, and this in now. JIT is now looked upon as the villain, which is causing empty shelves." 

Dang you Taiichi Ohno of Toyota! Look what you have done to us! Wait - who the heck is Taiichi Ohno? He is the efficiency expert who worked at Toyota in Japan in the 1970's. The person who perfected the JIT system of inventory. The idea caught on in America, and pretty soon, anyone who has worked in the manufacturing world, practiced JIT. But today, JIT is associated with our emptying of store shelves. However in the past, JIT saved the consumer boatloads of money.

Just In Time (JIT) is used by efficient companies for one reason only - cost. Inventory costs money. As soon as you take title for inventory, and it sits on your shelves, waiting to be used in a final product which can in turned by sold for money...the dollars add up. Dollars which hit your P+L statement. The less time you have something sitting on a shelf, and the title remaining with your vendor, the more latitude you can have with your capital. Plus - your cost of capital (interest on the money), will be less. The more "inventory turns" you can obtain, the more profitable your organization should become.

But that was then, and this in now. JIT is now looked upon as the villain, which is causing empty shelves. The fact of the matter is this - JIT has become so efficient, that companies using warehousing, have become much less common. Less places to store inventory - finished, or in work in process inventory.

Here is another problem associated with this mess. With hundreds of ships off our coasts, waiting to unload "stuff", where are we going to put it? If a company still has access to warehousing, they will be "golden" - part of their problem will be solved. However, if a company does not have access to a warehouse, that could be a big, big problem.

On one of the business shows I listened to yesterday, I heard an interesting take on our current inventory mess by a pretty smart business guy. He did not lay out a single cause, or a single solution to our current state - he laid out multiple issues, which needed to be fixed before we can go back to some kind of "normal". This will take a considerable amount of time and effort, with empty, or partially empty shelves, becoming the norm for quite a while.

Editorial comment: Since this is so complex, where was the Transportation Secretary when everything was becoming unraveled? Showing pictures of he and his husband's new babies. Plus, the Secretary is still on baby leave. You can't make this stuff up.

It took us a while to get into this mess, it is going to take a long while to get out of it. What would really help right now, is to have some smart people running the show. As it is, we have a bunch of "not so smart people", ruining the show.

Could Donald Trump have done a better job that Joe Biden right now? DUH! Does the sun rise in the east? I guess elections really do have consequences. 

  

The EV game changer?

"When this technology gets mature enough to be 'go to market' ready, it will be the game changer we have all been waiting for."

For those doubters who think the electric vehicle (EV) is going to hit the market with like a dud with a thud - maybe not. I have said for years now, the real Golden Fleece in the developing EV market, will be a new technology battery. Why? With the lithium batteries which are used now in hybrids or EVs, getting 350 miles out of a charge is about the end of the rainbow. To get something with about 1,000 miles out of charge, as well as having the charging time cut way down, that would be the cat's pajamas for this industry.

The aluminum ion battery. Already being tested in small batteries, but the big prize will be if they can be scaled up to handle cars and trucks. How so? Many reasons. First off, they are cleaner to make, AND can be easily recycled. Not so with current EV batteries. Also, they charge much faster. That is the good news. Faster charging = more power required. Note to Slo Joe - remember that when you keep shutting down our energy grid, in the hopes of having 100% green energy. This could be a major roadblock with millions of cars being charged at the same time.

Here is why this new technology is so very important to the success of the EV program. Current EV batteries are made with cobalt, nickel, and manganese. Besides being very dirty and dangerous to mine (with lots of externalities of production), they cannot all be recycled. Some of what is in the current lithium batteries can be recycled - some cannot. Bottom line? To "save the planet" from carbon emissions, we might end up poisoning it instead.

Ever since the hybrids first came on the scene (hello, Prius), the battery issue has been the issue. Should you ever need to get your Prius battery replaced, get ready to take out a second mortgage on your house. Very, very pricey. However - to have a battery which is cheaper, lighter, cleaner, and has a much faster recharge time - now we are talking. And we will not have to worry about destroying the environment, as well as harming the young folk in the Congo, while they mine cobalt for the batteries in our EVs.

This is it folks. When this technology gets mature enough to be "go to market" ready, it will be the game changer we have all been waiting for. What will be next - electric planes? Guess what? They are already here (to a small degree). Now we just need to make sure we have enough juice to power (recharge) everything.

  

  

Leading from behind...

"The ports issue is crisis # 32 (give or take a few) under Joe Biden. Not bad, for less than a year in office."

Leading from behind. The barrack Obama mantra. Worked well for him, as after 8 years we were way behind in just about everything - especially in our competition with the Russians and Chinese. The funny thing about the word "lead". It can mean being out in front, leading others. Or the word spelled the same way, can mean something totally different. Like, the mineral lead. Lead, symbol Pb, with an atomic number of 82. Lead has been used for bullets, water pipes, and shielding from radiation. Or - anything which needs to be heavy and cumbersome.

Like his former boss (Obama), Biden also wants to "lead from behind". Only with Biden, it is "lead" as in the mineral. Why do I say that? After seeing his presser yesterday, everything that Biden has been doing, is a drag on this country. It is like Biden has shoes made of lead. Low and slow. For example, this thing with our sea ports is a whopper. How so?

Do you know, that most major sea ports in the world have been operating 24 X 7 for years? Why? Busy places. Lots of commerce. But wait a minute! We have lots of commerce here also, since most of what we use is imported from China. Then why in the world, have two of our major ports (Long Beach and Los Angeles), only been open for business M - F, with no third shift? If you guessed unions, you win the prize.

The Longshoreman's Union negotiates with the owners of the ports in southern California. The owners of these ports are the cities that house these ports. And the cities are run by Democrats. So Democrats negotiating with Democrats (unions). Sweetheart deals. It took a major emergency like what we are having right now, to get the unions to agree to work 24 X 7. Any premium dollars that it will take to staff that third shift during the work week, as well as weekends, will be rolled into the prices we will all pay for products. 

Sure glad we have Mayor Pete as our Secretary of Transportation. He has been all over this issue (NOT!). We also have a shortage of trailers servicing the twin ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. They get loaded up, leave, and some don't come back. Where then, are they? Unknown. But they are not where they are the most needed right now. 

The ports issue is crisis # 32 (give or take a few) under Joe Biden. Not bad, for less than a year in office. His "leading (Pb) from behind" is working well for him. If his plan was to "one up" Jimmy Carter, he did that months ago. Now he wants to also beat out Woodrow Wilson. How bad is Joe Biden? I can say this as Halloween is right around the corner. Biden is scary bad. And that is the nicest thing I can say on a family friendly blog article. 

 

Biden's canary in the coal mine

"Here are the cold hard facts. Time and money. Everything is taking more time to get, and when you do get it, it will cost more money. Soon it will be not when you get what you ordered - but if you get it."

The warning signals are going up. Red flags. What happened last weekend with Southwest Airlines may only be a hint on what is to come. For those who are focused on only Christmas this year, let your gaze go out further into the horizon. Will we have shortage of toys this Christmas? Count on it. But the real problem lies in our day to day life. The pandemic has seriously strained our supply chain. Biden's policies have only poured gas on this fire.

What we have seen so far, might only be the canary in the coal mine. Anyone who is paying attention, is starting to see red flags pop up all over the place. That is anyone except the Pollyanna types, who work in the Biden Administration. Everything is fine in their world. They are "creating" jobs left and right, and soon we will have the largest social bill the world has ever seen - signed into law. It will be sunshine, lolly-pops and unicorns for the Squad and their minions. 

Here are the cold hard facts. Time and money. Everything is taking more time to get, and when you do get it, it will cost more money. A 40 foot container, now costs about $20k to be shipped to the US from the WestPac. Soon it will be not when you get what you ordered - but if you get it. Apple just announced the production of the Apple Phone 13 will be cut by 10 million units. Why? Parts. Chips. Labor. 

Labor? What do you mean, labor? In August, a record 4.3M people quit their jobs. Gone. We can't get people to work in factories, to drive trucks, to fly airplanes, to work at Wendy's. People are staying hunkered and bunkered, with plenty of government checks coming in each month. Once the $3.5T social bill is signed, the amount of "free money", will even be larger.

One of the hidden truths about last weekend air travel mess, was the "sick out" of ATC personnel. It is one thing for Southwest Airlines to work their shrinking air crews into exhaustion, but when the ATC personnel start shutting down their work stations due to sick outs, everything comes grinding to a halt. The vaccine mandate the Biden Administration laid on government workers and contractors, might have been the biggest boner he has pulled so far.

This morning on the news, a national economist was asked about our coming economic headwinds. His response in so many words - prepare for very rough seas. We are in a major economic disaster right now, and the captain of our ship is still in nappy nap time. Bare shelves in many stores are coming. Get prepped and get ready. 

Please explain this to me

"Remember this in the future, Democrats. DON'T EVER VOTE AGAINST SOMEONE. Vote for someone. When you vote against someone, this is what you get. As is said in the software business, WYSIWYG." 

History is not going to be kind to Joe Biden. Probably won't be kind to us either, for electing him. And really unkind to us, for letting him get away with the crap he is now doing. With a major surge of Haitians coming up from southern Mexico, Biden has recently dispatched Blinken and the very useless Mayorkas to hold talks in Mexico. About what? Not the surge. The environment, our relationship, rainbows, and lolly-pops. 

As this now well known surge is getting closer to our southern border, Joe Biden cancelled the last section of the border wall that Donald Trump had initiated. The unused material for that fence will join the other sections of the border wall - left to rust. $100M worth of material to build a fence to help secure our border - rusting in the Arizona and Texas sun. Why? Because of Joe Biden's black heart. His visceral hatred for another human - that human being Donald J. Trump. And who suffers because of that unchecked hatred? Us.

But what is going right for the country under the Biden Administration? If you guessed nothing, go gather your prize. Everything from bare shelves, to high gas prices, to the Afghanistan retreat and surrender, to inflation, to the border mess - are negatives. If you listen to Biden talk however, he will tell you ALL the jobs he has created. His policies are working. Really? Tell that to the SW Airline employees. A good portion of the country is ready to go out on strike, because of Biden's mandates and policies.

Meanwhile, the Veep is hiring child actors (with soft music playing in the background), to talk about the craters on the Moon. Why? To buff up her image. Sorry - not working. Back in Congress, the $3.5T socialist bill is still in the process of trying to be sold to the sceptics. Sorry - that is not working either. 

Steve Covey has said we all need to "seek to understand". Good advice. I have tried. Oh, have I have tried - to understand this guy named Biden. Even though his policies look like something a Manchurian Candidate would enact, I don't think Biden is a traitor. Then what is he? And why can't his handlers get a handle on him? Is Biden really that clueless? It is just about impossible to look around, and find anything, ANYTHING, which is working well. Stuff which had worked before Biden came into office, is now broken. 

I welcome any Democrat, Any progressive. Any socialist. Any Commie - to explain this to me. Explain what is going well under Biden. And please don't blame this on Trump - that tune does not play anymore.

Biden could in a moment, start to regain some of what he lost. Just start building the wall again. Then re-authorize the Keystone Pipeline. Just those two things, which he could do before nap time today, would really, really help. But he won't. Why? He is Joe Biden. Joe Biden with a black heart.

Remember this in the future, Democrats. DON'T EVER VOTE AGAINST SOMEONE. Vote for someone. When you vote against someone, this is what you get. An old man with no clue. As is said in the software business, WYSIWYG. 

  

Life and Death on the Darien Gap

"We can't have undocumented folks wandering all over the landscape! Where is Homeland Security??? Homeland Security? They are behind this tort of the law."

Just seems like yesterday, when we had all those Haitians on our southern border. Sure shocked the heck out of most of us, and dare say our government, that these folks showed up unexpectedly. Or did it shock our government? It has recently been disclosed (NOT by the Biden Administration), the President of Panama warned us this tidal wave of immigrants were headed north. How did she know that? Because they were crossing through her country.

By the way, she is the one who is warning us even a bigger wave is coming. One of the concerns the President of Panama has, is the danger of crossing from Colombia into Panama. That would involve crossing over the very treacherous Darien Gap. Crossing the Darien Gap by foot is not for the faint of heart. With no roads, and heavy jungle, it really can be a life or death crossing. But the Haitians who were coming up from South America did it. Did some die in the crossing the Darien Gap? And if so, how many? We will probably never know.

Since we are talking about that first wave of Haitians, does anybody have a clue on what has happened to them? I know the Biden Administration made a big deal of showing videos of a handful of them being sent (via plane) back to Haiti. But what about the rest of them? Abducted by a UFO? Became invisible? Where the heck are they?

On the Fox News this weekend, it was reported that in the "dark of the night" (so to speak), 250 buses came down to the Del Rio area of Texas. From there, thousands of Haitians were loaded on those buses and taken (fill in the blank). Where were these buses going? Best guess? All over the country, dropping the Haitians off wherever. But, but - that is not legal! We can't have undocumented folks wandering all over the landscape! Where is Homeland Security??? Homeland Security? They are behind this tort of the law.

Somebody said very recently, Republicans need to shoulder some blame in this immigration mess. How so? But not being vocal enough. Republicans should be shouting from the highest rooftops, telling the real story about the southern border. Running adds constantly, in all kinds of media, telling and showing the truth.

Biden and company, have been committing treason right under our noses. What they are doing with these poor immigrants, who have no skills, nor English language, is illegal and immoral. Using these people as fodder, just for the 2022 and 2024 election. Shameful!

If not for Fox News, Newsmax, OAN and other conservative reporting services, we would know NOTHING about the truth on what is going on in southern border. Nothing. But now we do know the truth. And what are we going to do with it? Something has got to be done. The fate of our Republic hangs in the balance.

 

Of all things, great and small...

"God the Father. Abba Father. Creator of all things, great and small. I started to realize just how powerful and wonderful our God is. All of existence, from the smallest atom, to the largest galaxy in the universe - is God's creation."

In the church we attend, something powerful happens each and every week. We have a modified "alter call". In the congregation, heads are bowed, and the pastor uses the just delivered message, to invite those who have not yet done it - to accept Christ as their savior. The prayer of repentance ("sinner's prayer") is then said in this corporate setting. People who choose to make that very important commitment at that time, raise their hands or stand up. The pastor then invites them into the narthex, to receive information, and meet with some mentors to help guide them on this very important journey.

Most, if not all, who make that important decision in church, will remember the date and the place it happened. I do not. I have been asked a few times if I remember the day I came to Christ. For me, it was more of a journey, than a date certain. I was raised in the faith, went to Sunday School and Confirmation, was married in a Church, and have attended many churches since. Many times my faith was in a quiet period, or sometimes - asleep. My wife refers to those days as us being "catatonic Christians". Our faith became like a spare tire in the trunk. To be used only in an emergency.

It wasn't until we were at our former church, involved in the Alpha Program, that my faith really started to awaken. Not only did I reconfirm that Jesus was my Savior (my wife and I were baptized as adults at that church), but we also (through Alpha), learned the power and blessings of the Holy Spirit. But - the biggest blessing by far, was developing a deeper understanding of God the Father.

God the Father. Abba Father. Creator of all things, great and small. I started to realize just how powerful and wonderful our God is. All of existence, from the smallest atom, to the largest galaxy in the universe - is God's creation. This God, who is everything, and created everything - loves each and every one of us with a passionate love which is stronger than humans can fathom. Agape love. Unconditional love. As many times as I have disappointed God with my sin, He still loves me. And because of the gift of Jesus, when I repent of my sins, God forgives me.

Pastor Rick Warren was recently asked what Heaven will be like. At the end of our journey, when God calls all believers home to live with Him, what will it be like? Pastor Warren said, "Well, it will not be a bunch of people floating around in white robes, wearing halos, and playing harps. That sounds awful. Rather, Heaven will be over a million times better than our best day on Earth. God the Creator, has created this forever home for all who believe - to be truly a paradise." 

This morning is once again, worship time. Adoration time. And at the end of the message, contrition time. Some will take this opportunity to make this wonderful commitment to be a follower of Christ. Just to be in the same setting where this important step happens, is a wonder, a joy, and a privilege.