Whither an Energy Czar?

"We need an Energy Czar with a brain. We need an Energy Czar who will work for the American people and not the dolts in Washington. We are in a mess right now, maybe more of a mess than we were in during Jimmy Carter."

In 1977, then President Jimmy Carter, appointed James Schlesinger to be the first real Director of the Department of Energy. We really needed one back then, as rationing and gas lines were in the offing. The Czars we had under Nixon did not do the trick, so we needed a cabinet level position to really put some heft in our energy policies. How did that work? Pretty well - until now. 

I remember when the position of the Energy Czar was explained to the American people. Our energy policy was like a jig saw puzzle. It was a mess. It left us vulnerable to the whims of OPEC. Our only defense was wearing a cardigan sweater by the fire (with our thermostat at 60 degrees), rationing and gas lines. We had a long way to go, but after Carter left office, we started seeing some vast improvement. Vast, but not enough.

We are in deep do-do right now. Even if Slo Joe had not scuttled our fossil fuel industry, we would still be in trouble. We have not built a new refinery since the 1970's. We have not built a new nuclear power plant since 1996. It takes forever and day to get one of these plants built. But don't worry, we still have a lot of natural gas. Or do we?

We do have a ton of natural gas in this country. We also have quite a few LNG facilities. Here is the bad news. They are maxed out. To really help Europe out of their energy mess, as well as supply enough to our people AT A RESONABLE PRICE, we need more LNG facilities. Even though we have 12 new LNG facilities which have been approved, it is unlikely that some (maybe none) will see the light of day. Why not? The "greenies". The 2050 carbon neutrality deadline. None of these are in alignment.

How about our EV cars which are coming, and coming fast. First off, as most of us know by now, the manufacturing of the batteries for these cars are nowhere near to being "clean". In fact, they are a mess to make. And they are expensive. And many of the areas which contain the material we need, might not be as accessible to us as we would like. And we are way short of charging stations. And the electricity to run them. In other words, the EV is something whose time has NOT YET come. But our government does not care about the facts, nor the science.

This winter could be a Waterloo for both Europe and the United States. In Europe, people could actually die due to the cold, and not having enough heat. In the United States, many will default on loans and mortgages, as their heating bills will be so high. We will limp out of winter into an uncertain spring. 

We need an Energy Czar with a brain. We need an Energy Czar who will work for the American people and not the dolts in Washington. We are in a mess right now, maybe more of a mess than we were in during Jimmy Carter. Is there light at the end of this tunnel? Hard to say, as we don't have enough energy to keep the light burning.

 

Our Disinformation Czar

"In this crazy new world that Biden has visited upon us, we have a new definition of truth. It is whatever you want it do be. Aviator Joe has set the tone."

Peter Doocy. The archenemy of our Disinformation Czar. Who? The latest press secretary for Aviator Joe. She has the unenviable job of perpetuating the lies and garbage the ruling elite in the White House want the gullible minions to swallow. But young Mr. Doocy, the son of Steve Doocy, will have none of that. He asks the wrong kind of questions. The kind of questions which dig for the truth. And the truth to the Disinformation Czar, is like sunlight to a vampire. Nails on the chalkboard.

Who exactly is this Disinformation Czar? She is the replacement for Little Red Lying Hood, who left the WH to go work at the epicenter of disinformation - that be MSNBC. But Aviator Joe wanted a "diversity" replacement for Red. So he got a gay woman of color. Who has a penchant for the obfuscation of the truth. In layman's terms - a liar.

Yesterday was a classic example on how this crowd works. When it came to Doocy's turn to be called on, he asked the Disinformation Czar why Novak Djokovic can't come to the US to play tennis (since he is unvaccinated), and yet we have hundreds of illegals cross the southern border every day (who are also unvaccinated). The Disinformation Czar saw this as her opportunity to "school" Peter Doocy once again. "We don't have undocumented who are unvaccinated crossing the border". Doocy once again had a shocked look on his face. "Yes there are. We have a reporter who has been down there for weeks, video taping them." She just shook her head and said, "No, that is not correct."

In this crazy new world that Biden has visited upon us, we have a new definition of truth. It is whatever you want it do be. Aviator Joe has set the tone. You know, like "beating the hell out of that racist Corn Pop behind the gym". Joe may think that "Ultra-MAGA types" may be the biggest enemy he has, but in reality, his biggest enemy is the truth. 

Another example. Yesterday, one of Biden's financial types (Bernstein, or something like that), was defending the student debt "forgiveness". He was confronted by the host when she said the Wharton School of Business now estimates the total cost of this boondoggle will be $1T. But Bernstein took umbrage with that estimate. Never mind Wharton is the number one business school in the country. Bernstein, working the big lie, stuck with his BS number.

On Thursday night, Slo Joe is going to address the nation. Rumor has it, he will be slicing and dicing us once again. He will tell the nation the "ultra-MAGA" types are our enemy. Keep telling the big lie, over and over and over again. Up is down, down is up, black is white and so forth. 

I have had it. So, here is my truth. November cannot come soon enough.  

   

Our Biden Dilemma

"That is our Biden dilemma. He is our President during some very dangerous and troubling times. He is corrupt, he is deceitful. But he is our President. Impeach him? I don't think so. What is waiting in the wings is really scary."

That "Lying Dog Faced Pony Soldier" is at it again. Who is that? Our President, Joe Biden. The man we "elected" to bring us all together. The one during his inaugural utter these now infamous words:  

"We can see each other not as adversaries but as neighbors. We can treat each other with dignity and respect. We can join forces, stop the shouting and lower the temperature. For without unity there is no peace, only bitterness and fury, no progress, only exhausting outrage. No nation, only a state of chaos. This is our historic moment of crisis and challenge. And unity is the path forward. And we must meet this moment as the United States of America."

Blah, blah, blah. What a bunch of BS. Last week, Aviator Joe was juicing up the crowd of Democrat minions. He told them he had no time for "MAGA Fascists". Huh? You mean the over 70 million (maybe 80 million) folks who voted for Trump are "MAGA Fascists"? WTH ever happened to "we can see each other not as adversaries, but as neighbors"? When the head of the DNC was asked about Smokin Joe during a Sunday Morning News show, he did not see anything wrong with what Biden said. "It is was it is."

Biden better get down on his benders every night and pray the Republicans do not take either the House or Senate or both. Why? We will get to the bottom of this FBI/Biden cabal. We will get to the bottom of Hunter's laptop. We will get to the bottom of Biden's brother, and the crime family. We will get to the bottom of why the FBI asked Facebook to suppress any reporting or posts on Hunter's laptop. We will get to the bottom of the Mar-a-Lago raid. We will get the real story of January 6th. We will get the real story of our pull out from Afghanistan. We will get to the bottom of Biden's daughter's laptop, and the "inappropriate" showers. And all that, after we finish keelhauling Mayorkas. 

Did you hear about Ozzie Osborn? The man who bit the head off of a bat during a rock concert? He and his wife, who live in a gated area of LA, are leaving America. Why? Ozzie and his wife's Sharon, said they don't recognize this country anymore. Not safe. It is not safe, not on only in LA, but also most other big blue cities. So they are moving back to England. How embarrassing.

That is our Biden dilemma. He is our President during some very dangerous and troubling times. He is corrupt, he is deceitful. But he is our President. Impeach him? I don't think so. What is waiting in the wings is really scary. But first things first. Fight like hell in November to take as many elected seats as we can. What depends on the next election? Everything.  

   

And now - Artemis

"The 2020's will see great strides in many different fields of science. But I think space travel will lead the pack. These will be exciting times - that is, if Russia and China don't blow everything up first. And then there is that..."

The sleeping giant might be waking up. Sleeping giant? Who is that? NASA. The government agency many of us love to hate. Or, maybe hate is too strong of a word. Let's just say - disappoint. Why, you might ask?

Back when this country was really bold, in the days of JFK during the 1960's, NASA did the almost impossible. We actually sent people up in space, using primitive capsules. We did that for the Mercury Program, the Gemini Program, and the Apollo Program. And other than the close call we had with Apollo 13, everyone we sent up in space - came home. 

For those of us who were alive in 1969, few can forget the Moon landing. Using little more than "spit and bubble gum", we managed to land on the Moon in July of 1969. And do it again in subsequent Apollo missions. Why was this so special? Back then, we "out drove our headlights" as far as technology is concerned. Most of us have heard we have more computing power in our cell phones, than the Apollo capsules had. These were brave flights, manned with  brave astronauts back then. It was NASA's heyday. Then after the Apollo Program finished - NASA went into a deep slumber.

One of the reasons for NASA's slumber is national will. In the 60's, we spent 4% of our budget on NASA. Now we spend about .5%. Meanwhile, China is going to town in their space program. If not for Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, I am afraid NASA would still be snoozing. But seeing SpaceX and Blue Origin doing what NASA used (or ought to do), was enough to wake NASA up. So much so, next week we will launch our first rocket of the Artemis Program.

Okay. Maybe NASA is not quite as bold as they once were. Instead of launching a capsule with four people in it, they will be using four mannequins instead. They will head for the Moon, circle a few times, and then come home. I would imagine that Musk would look at this and shake his head. If it were up to him, I would think Musk would have asked for volunteers from this SpaceX Program to take this first step. To put humans in the capsule for this adventure. For NASA however, we need to wait until next year sometime, to use actual humans. 

Here is my issue with the still timid NASA. Hello? We have done this before. Many times. Launching a capsule to the Moon should be old hat. And now, compared to the Apollo days, we have great technology. But no. NASA is too concerned about "wokeness". They announced that some of the upcoming Artemis flights will have the first person of color, and the first woman going to the Moon. Most of us normals out here, are not concerned with race or sex. They are just Americans - all of them. Let's just get the show on the road for crying in the beer!

As NASA continues to plod along, Musk has his eyes on the Moon (for a forward operating base to be used for Mars missions), and of course - Mars. While NASA continues to play sleepy checkers, Musk is on to three dimensional chess.

The 2020's will see great strides in many different fields of science. But I think space travel will lead the pack. These will be exciting times - that is, if Russia and China don't blow everything up first. And then there is that...

  

The endless circle...

"Batton down the hatches, rough seas are ahead. Where will your money be the safest? In the stock market? The bank? Stuffed in the mattress of your bed? Your guess is as good as mine." 

Anybody do a market check yesterday? This "red hot" economy all of sudden might have hit a road block. Why? The biggest party pooper that is not in the Biden Administration. The Fed Chair. Who can become a truth teller from time to time. And yesterday, he must have come directly from confession, as he was very truthful. He spilled the beans as to what is in our economic future. And as they say in parts of the south, "It ain't good".

What in the world does this have to do with an endless circle? Some financial types are now saying the total cost of the student loan forgiveness plan, will not cost $300B. Nor $500B. Nor $600B. It might cost up to (and maybe beyond), a trillion. "So what", Biden's lackies might say. Here is the "so what". Be it $300B, or higher, this is pouring gas on our raging fire of inflation. Don't believe that? Ask Obama pals Steve Ratner or Larry Summers. They have been very clear on how inflationary all this spending is inflationary.

Back to the Fed Chair. He is firmly convinced that bad times are in the future. Higher interest rates, which will preclude many from getting their first house. In fact, should rates go up high enough, and the very lucrative housing market will start to crash. It brings back memories of Jimmy Carter. Stagflation. Bad times. All because way too many people believe the garbage which comes out of the collective mouths of this administration. Red pill takers see through this canard. Blue pill takers swallow this crap hook, line and sinker.

I feel for the young folks today. Many have followed this Pied Pipper from Delaware. Little do they know they will become the biggest victims of this voodoo economics he is selling. Can what has been done, be undone? That is the question. To be fair, some of this mega spending started during the MAGA administration. Why? The pandemic. But now it is just spending for the "h*** of it". Will this ever end? Or will we turn into the Weimar Republic? 

Batton down the hatches, rough seas are ahead. Where will your money be the safest? In the stock market? The bank? Stuffed in the mattress of your bed? Your guess is as good as mine. All I know is this. For Democrats to break ranks like Summers and Ratner have (and Democrats seldom if ever break ranks), they must see a real s*** storm on the horizon. 

   

And the real number is ----- ?

"Stay tuned on this one. It is far from over. If the Republicans take the House in November, my feeling is the funding for this will vanish. If the Republicans do not take the House nor the Senate, we might as will board up the windows and get ready for the fire sale."   

Well the shock waves are still reverberating from the bombshell which went off in Washington earlier this week. What bombshell? A terror attack? Not quite. Biden's unbelievable idea of forgiving some of the nation's student loan debt. Besides being patently unfair, it is grossly unaffordable. And it is not even close to being paid for (sorry Slo Joe - that was a campaign promise of yours). So then, how much is this going to cost us? That depends.

If you ask the Secretary of Education (the man who should know this backwards, forwards, and inside out), you will get a blank stare or a qualified "I have no idea". Hold on - when Slo Joe announced this earlier in the week, he told us $300B. Is that not the right number? Unknown answer. I have mentioned this before. The most ironic thing about the $300B number is this - it is the exact amount the IRA boondoggle was suppose to cut from the national debt. Now we are replacing that "cut" with more unbalanced spending.

This morning on the news, it was reported that the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (whatever that is), is disputing the $300B number. According to their estimation, the number will be somewhere between $440B and $600B. But who is counting? Ever since the pandemic, money has become like Monopoly money. Only it is all green instead of different colors.

The clamoring from the masses is only just beginning. Who is happy about this boneheaded move? Students who majored in Gender Studies from private colleges. Other than them, many of the folk who have either paid off their loans, or those who went to trade schools, or those who could not afford to go to college - hate it. It is beyond unfair. Once again Obama, I mean Biden, has managed to slice and dice us. Divide us. Well played Joe, the man who pledged to bring us all together.

What Democrats will do to stay in power has no boundaries. None. If not letting over 2 million illegals over the southern border (plus millions of fentanyl pills), it is pandering to the minions who could never find a job in Gender Studies or Art History. Meanwhile, the rest of us are just bending over, and taking it. 

Some might ask why Biden is not focusing on the economy. Good question. The economy is after all, still on fire. But guess what? According to today's Drudge report, "Aviator Joe" now has a favorability rating of 44%. WHAT??? The worse things get, the higher his popularity gets? What is wrong with this country? We can't have that many clueless people living here.

Stay tuned on this one. It is far from over. If the Republicans take the House in November, my feeling is the funding for this will vanish. If the Republicans do not take the House nor the Senate, we might as will board up the windows and get ready for the fire sale.   

My Story

"This plan you came out with today is more than unfair. It sucks. Just like punishing the legal immigrants, you are now punishing the responsible people."  

When I was a young person, I really did not know what I wanted to do with my life. High school was over, and I was dabbling around at some very affordable colleges. But then there was the draft. In October of 1968, I lost my 2S student deferment, and enlisted in the Navy. They had a delayed program at that time, so I did not go in until April of 1969. 

My goal was always to go to college some day, when I was ready for it. The four year hiatus in the Navy was good for me, as it allowed me time to grow up. Time to become a man. Also, (thankfully), if you were discharged with an Honorable Discharge, there was the GI Bill to take advantage of. And I did. 

I met my wife at the University of Minnesota. She was further along than me (although younger), and had $1,000 student load debt. We got married, were dirt poor, both finished our degrees, and shortly thereafter paid off her debt. 

Once she was teaching, she told me she wanted to go into Special Ed. But it needed an additional advanced degree. So we put off our kid planning and focused in on getting that degree. We both worked extra jobs, and when she got her degree, we were student debt free. 

We were not unique in this. Many of our contemporaries did the same. Work more, borrow less (if at all). Go to state schools instead of private. Take as many classes as possible to get done sooner. Don't eff around - keep your eyes on the prize. 

Note to Joe Biden. You continue to slice and dice us up. Many folks are like us. Go to work, pay our bills, manage our debts. This plan you came out with today is more than unfair. It sucks. Just like punishing the legal immigrants, you are now punishing the responsible people.  

The mild, mild (mid)west

"In Lawrence, if you are not juiced up to be a Kansas University Jayhawks fan, if you don't like saying 'Rock, Chalk, Jayhawk', over and over again, if you don't know the stats of at least half of the basketball players - well, then you better tell Toto, you are not in Kansas anymore." 

Yesterday, we completed a short, yet very eventful trip down to Lawrence, Kansas. Why? A big family event. One of my wife's closest cousins was celebrating his 50th wedding anniversary. Over the years we have become very close to that couple. It was an event we would have not missed for anything. It was also to celebrate the wedding of  their daughter, who got married earlier in the year in Australia.

We have traveled down south a bit, and have remarked about the nature of the population. The term "southern hospitality" is well earned. The vast majority of our encounters with folks down south have been good. That being said, the midwestern hospitality we have encountered is also just as warm. In Iowa, in Missouri, and for sure in Kansas - things are mellow and mild. Instead of Kansas being the start of the wild, wild west, it is in the heart of the mild, mild (mid)west. 

The town of Lawrence is an interesting town. Almost a far out suburb of Kansas City, it is devoid of the hub-bub of the big city life. In fact, it is mellow yellow. Or should I say, yellow, red and blue. Those are the Jayhawks school colors. In Lawrence, if you are not juiced up to be a Kansas University Jayhawks fan, if you don't like saying "Rock, Chalk, Jayhawk", over and over again, if you don't know the stats of at least half of the basketball players - well, then you better tell Toto, you are not in Kansas anymore. 

However, it you do like a college town which looks like the college towns of yesteryear, Lawrence is the place to be. A high quality college, located in a high quality (very clean) town, inhabited by very nice midwestern folks. 

A brief word about our stay in West Des Moines on the way down to Kansas. Another midwestern town which is straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting. Nice, nice folk in a clean town. It was state fair week in Des Moines, and that is a big deal in Iowa. Kind of like our state fair is to us. Had many chats with folks at the hotel about the fair, the weather, or whatever. Every conversation was warm and inviting. As much as we wanted to get down to Lawrence, it was hard to leave West Des Moines.

But as the saying goes, it is now "home again, home again jiggity jig". Big week this week. State Fair, my wife's brother is coming to stay, and the grandies are off. It will be a week of resettlement and reflection. Is it good to be home? Always - but one thing is for sure. We are not in Kansas anymore. We are left with just some very good memories of a wonderful time. 

We are not in Kansas Toto! (Or maybe we are!)

"One day, while I am still walking this land, I hope to see normal governance in Minnesota again. We could start having it in January 2023. But with the way people in this state now think, 2023 might be more like 2043."

It is nice to be down in the land of Oz once again. Only this time, we came prepped for 90+ temps. Mother Nature mixed that up. It was in the 60's when we checked in. That being said, we are down here for a family event. But that being said, coming down south through Iowa, Missouri, and Kansas is always a treat. To top it all off, this is the week of the Iowa State Fair. The hotel we stayed in was full of folks just waiting for that fair experience. How do I know? Iowa folks are friendly. Lots of chatter in the elevators. Not like the coastal folks.

When we got into Lawrence, it was raining hard. As luck would have it, our room was not yet ready. No big deal - it was lunch time, and we decided to find a place to grab a bite to eat. Shortly after we left the hotel, I got a warning lite that my front right tire was going flat (not the first time). It was still pouring, and we were in a strange part of town. I saw a tire shop (a bit sketchy looking) and pulled in. I explained to one of the employees that I needed air in a bad tire. He told me to wait, and went into the back area of this very dark shop.

After a while, he said the tech would come out soon. He was "airing up" someone else's tire. Soon, in the pouring rain, this young man came our with an air hose. I explained about the front tire. He then went around the truck, checking and filling all my tires. Once he was done, he came up to my wife's window. I had my wallet out. "What do I owe you?", I asked of this young man totally soaked from the rain. "Nothing", he said. "Have a nice day". I tried again, but he would not take a dime. Then it dawned on me. Instead of saying, "We are not in Kansas anymore", at times like this, we should say, "We are not in Minnesota anymore." 

There was a time, when I was proud to say I was from Minnesota. No more. It is almost like having a Scarlet Tattoo. Minnesota is now the land of opposites. The land of Stanger Things. The land of George Floyd, and all the craziness which happened in the aftermath. It is fun to travel to the states which are still "normal". We were once the land of Mary Tyler Moore. Now we are the land of the George Floyd aftermath. Mary Tyler Moore is all but forgotten. 

One day, while I am still walking this land, I hope to see normal governance in Minnesota again. We could start having it in January 2023. But with the way people in this state now think, 2023, might be 2043. Yes, we are that far around the bend right now. And Toto, this ain't Minnesota. But Kansas is still looking awful fine. 

What's up next? (Or dare I ask...)

"This happens with every red blooded American voting for sanity. If we don't take back the House, and if you choose not to vote, don't you dare bitch. Don't you dare."  

Anybody paying attention to what is going on in Ukraine these days? How the Big Bad Bear is doing in their invasion of a neighboring country? Don't look now, but there has been a real sea change in this war. Frankly, I am surprised that Vlad has not blamed up more for his tribulations. Why? We have been supplying the very effective HIMARS artillery rocket system. It has been a game changer for sure.

Besides the HIMARS, it has been reported that the Ukrainian sky is littered with drones. Some lethal, some surveillance. A war fighter who has interviewed on the news yesterday said, "Welcome to the new face of war. Drones, lots and lots of drones." So, besides the HIMARS and drones, what else is working in Ukraine's favor? Actually, Putin. He wants his senior officers up by the front line to encourage his timid and tepid troops. Russia has lost 11 generals (and scores of senior officers below the rank of general) since the war started. That is the most senior officers lost in battle since World War II.

How are things going in China these days? They are still madder than wet hens at our Speaker. Then to make matters even worse, a plane full of Democrat legislators also visited Taiwan. I am wondering what the end game is. To show strength, even though our retreat from Afghanistan showed otherwise? Or poke the Dragon so hard, we can trip a hot war in the western Pacific. What purpose would having us dragged into a major war serve? Biden said he wanted to be like FDR. A war would help. Right now, he looks like a warmed over Jimmy Carter.

Speaking of Biden, did you know he came off of vacation to sign the latest version of his Build, Back, Better fiasco. As inappropriate as that name was for this monster pile of goo, the new name (Inflation Reduction Act), is even worse. All this bill did was give us a Gestapo like force of an additional 87,000 IRS agents to audit anyone and everyone, at any time. And that nobody under $400,000 will be affected? Horsefeathers. Pure crap.

The good news is Biden is off vacation number 1, and he has started vacation number 2. He does less damage when he is hiding in his basement in Delaware. The Democrats will continue to badger Donald Trump, while Hillary and Hunter walk around scot free. All I can say is this - come November, should the Republicans take the House, it will be Katy bar the door. The list of those who will be in the hot seat, is long and growing. I want Mayorkas to be the first one to walk the plank.

Some day, soon I hope, we can once again be the great country we have been. Step one happens in November. This happens with every red blooded American voting for sanity. If we don't take back the House, and if you choose not to vote, don't you dare bitch. Don't you dare.  

 

  

9/11 and Afghanistan

"One year ago, we had the SNAFU to end all SNAFUs. Those who served, know what I am talking about. Those who didn't, don't. Enough said." 

Today is our first anniversary. The anniversary of our greatest military retreat. The one that Biden, Blinken and Austin orchestrated in Kabul. Here is the irony. Originally, Slo Joe wanted the pull out date to be September 11th. Many (including me), thought that would be a bad idea. But - if he had kept that date, and planned a normal withdrawal of troops, allies, and equipment, history would look much different today.

Even some on the Left have a hard time explaining what happened a year ago today. Was it a "cluster"? Yes, and more so. It reminded me of that old military saying, "Failure to plan is planning to fail". And fail we did. At the cost of 13 service people killed, and scores of others wounded. 

The State Department has now confessed to getting over 100 Americans out of Kabul in the past year. Not bad, considering they promised us that all Americans were out prior to the retreat. But thousands of "friendlies" remain. Billions of dollars of our equipment remain. And the pain in the hearts of the families of the 13 dead service people - remains.

Was the retreat from Afghanistan the worst thing which happened since Joe Biden took office? Maybe - but it is in the top 10 for sure. Just think what Ukraine could have done with the billions of dollars worth of equipment we left for the enemy in Kabul. Was there any classified information with also fell into Taliban hands? Probably. But we will never know. There might have been none (unlikely), or maybe more than what was taken out of Mar-a-Lago. 

Forgive me if I don't celebrate this one year anniversary. As a former military man, I hang my head in shame. There are some rare times in which I am ashamed of how our military behaves. This was one of them. Not the troops - the generals and civilian handlers. 

One year ago, we had the SNAFU to end all SNAFUs. Those who served, know what I am talking about. Those who didn't, don't. Enough said. 

 

Our never ending s**t show

"Meanwhile, the very guilty Hunter Biden is with Daddy-O right now, at some Democrat doners house on the beach - living scot free.."

What a week, eh? First off, the House passes the latest porkulus bill which further weaponizes the IRS by adding 87,000 more auditors and agents. Just when most red blooded Americans were trying to digest that latest pile of goo, the FBI invades Mar-a-Lago, looking for "something". That was even more of a punch in the gut than the porkulus bill. Why? We have had porkulus bills before, during the Obama mess - but the invasion of a former President's house? Now that, is unprecedented.

What are we seeing here? We are seeing the Deep State strike back. Just like a wounded animal, the Deep State is seeking revenge on the only person with enough balls enough to expose it and fight it. What are the red pill people seeing? Deep and wide. That is how pervasive the Deep State is. The corruption which oozes from this government sponsored rotting corpse, is all over the place. Power, authority, and tyranny.

Mark Levin had an interesting observation on his TV show the other day. What Joe Biden has done since taking office, is loaded up his cabinet with people who are ruining the departments in they are in charge of. How so?

DHS - ruined. Look at our southern border. DOJ - ruined. Look at our bifurcated system of justice.

FBI - ruined. Just look as this past week.

IRS - ruined. What is coming with make the Lois Lerner days look like Romper Room.

Energy - ruined. We are now energy beggars, instead of energy producers.

Transportation - ruined. Flown in a plane lately? Just wait until you need to get your EV charged.

Defense - almost ruined. As we were learning new pronouns, the Chinese have caught up to our Navy.

Veep - more than ruined. Valueless.

At his age, I really don't know how Donald Trump does it. He is one tough SOB, for sure. Most, if not all, would have broken under the pressure by now. But not Trump. What he is doing, at his own expense of wealth and health, is allowing the Deep State to be exposed to all who want to see. To the blue pill takers, there simply is no Deep State. To the red pill takers, the Deep State is a real as real gets. And it drips and oozes with corruption. Statism. Authoritarianism. Tyranny.

How will this end? First off, the raid on Mar-a-Lago was a nothing burger. There was no espionage there. No irregularities. Just more of "Russia-gate" types of nonsense. Garland has once again exposed himself for the tool that he is. Maybe the worst AG we have had - ever. Meanwhile, the very guilty Hunter Biden is with Daddy-O right now, at some Democrat doners house on the beach - living scot free..

   

Game on, the gloves come off

"Politics and the fair? Go together like peanut butter and jelly. Or a footlong hot dog and Sweet Martha's cookies. Is there anything better than fair food? People watching. That might be a tie for first place."  

Can you smell it? I almost can. The smell of food cooked in gallons of grease and "other" things. Yes, I am talking about the great Minnesota get together! Maybe at long last a normal fair this year. Last year was close, but no cigar. Other than the fact the fair cannot hire enough cops to keep everyone safe, this year's fair should be much closer to normal. So why bring this up? Because it also kicks off our political season - in earnest. 

I remember one of the oddest things I saw at the fair last year was the My Pillow exhibit. Why was it odd? My Pillow, owned and operated by one of the most conservatives Minnesotans (Mike Lundell), is right next to Amy Klobuchar's stand. So close Mike and Amy could almost reach out and hold hands (figure the odds on that one!).

This year, the big question going through many minds is this - with the anticipated red wave, which will sweep over the nation, allow this oddball state of Minnesota to stay blue? Or will some of the sanity contained in this red wave also affect Minnesota? I have very little hope MN will turn red this year.

I do know the DFL is going to make abortion the mainstay of their battle stand. MN GOP on the other hand, will talk about taxes, public safety (which we have very little of right now), inflation and gas prices. Should set up some interesting debates.

In past years, I have spent some time manning political booths at the fair. Sometimes boring, often times fun. Met some interesting folks, and heard some interesting stories. Did I ever get tired of being at our State Fair? Not hardly. It is one of my happy places. This year however, no fair duty for me. That is up to the younger folk now. I will go on Military Day with my bride, and we will eat, drink and be merry.

I have mixed feelings every year at our state fair. Good, really good feelings as "our state fair is the best state fair". Bad feelings, as once it is over, Labor Day is also over. School starts soon after, and summer is ready to become a memory. Old man winter is waiting right around the corner, to once again turn Minnesota into Siberia.

Politics and the fair? Go together like peanut butter and jelly. Or a footlong hot dog and Sweet Martha's cookies. Is there anything better than fair food? People watching. That might be a tie for first place.  

 

Tormented and now lionized

"Joe Biden has done more for the Republican Party, than any other person on Earth. We should be grateful to Mr. Biden. All this damage he has caused to his party, and it did not even cost us a dime."

One of the Democrat pundits was on the news yesterday, lamenting about what just happened down in Mar-a-Lago. He said something very powerful. If there is not an absolute smoking gun which matches what is on the search warrant, all that would be accomplished, is the further lionization of Donald Trump. Ya think? Right now, even many long time detractors of the Don, are coming to his aid. Why? Most red team members think fairly, and what is happening to Donald Trump right now, is anything but fair.

That being said, there are two other things right now which are more damaging than the unfair and unwarranted treatment of Donald Trump. First off, our frayed system of justice is now showing itself for being a two teared mess. Hunter Biden, James Biden, Paul Pelosi Jr., and so forth, are walking around scot free. Oh, so is Hillary and Sandy Berger. Meanwhile, our torted justice system is throwing everything at Trump but the kitchen sink. Not fair, not right, not good.

The second thing is just how sick and corrupted Washington DC is. It has gone from the Deep State, to an army of bureaucrats who are growing in number - and more are becoming armed. Without checks and balances in place, the government has become an amorphous monster. It is taking over ever aspect of our lives. Soon, it will be like the jack booted brown shirts. Don't think so? Consider 87,000 more IRS agents - many of whom will be armed.  

Folks on the left will always hate Donald Trump. They will never forgive him for 2016. But since he has been out of office, his base has remained strong - very strong. Plus, many who have been a bit soft on Trump in the past, are now not as soft. Many realize that our of our very strong bench right now, Trump might still be the strongest. And that scares the heck out of the socialists.

Here is what the Democrats and socialists are starting to realize. And this is why they are working so hard to ruin Donald Trump. If he gets back in the WH in 2025, there will no learning curve required. He knows where the bodies are buried. He knows the extent of the disease that Washington has. And he know how many thousands of misfits and malcontents he will need to fire.

The table is set for a real ass kicking in November. The best part is, the Republicans have done nothing to set this table. It has been all Democrats. All the Republicans have needed to do, is grab a chair, pop some popcorn - and watch. Joe Biden has done more for the Republican Party, than any other person on Earth. We should be grateful to Mr. Biden. All this damage he has caused to his party, and it did not even cost us a dime. 

  

Weaponized!

"When the people fear the government, there is tyranny. When the government fears the people, there is liberty."

The pieces to this puzzle are all starting to come together. And if does not scare the hell out of you - it should. It started in 2016, with the spying on the Trump campaign. The FBI was involved. And then the FSIA court issue. Then the constant badgering of the Trump Administration by the Deep State. Lois Lerner, Strzok, Page, Comey, McCabe and on and on. Of course, then there was the "oddities" in the 2020 election. The January 6th canard, the freshly passed bill adding an additional 87,000 IRS agents, and now the raid on Mar-a-Lago.

As I was laying in bed last night, worried sick about our great republic, a thought crossed my mind. The missing piece of the puzzle. Over a year ago, and some during the Obama Administration, the government started buying copious amounts of ammo. For many different government departments. For some departments who should have zero need for ammo. How much and to where? Let's follow the money:

• Department of Homeland Security - 450 million rounds (Is this for the invasion of our southern border?)
• FBI - 100 million hollow point rounds
• Social Security Administration - 174,000 hollow point rounds (get ready for pissed off grandmas to storm WDC)
• Department of Agriculture - 320,000 rounds (look out for farmers!) 
• National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration - 46,000 rounds (weathermen?) 
• US Postal Service - 174,000 .357 hollow point rounds (give you letter carriers a wide berth!)
• Internal Revenue Service - they are a small army. Tons of ammo. Besides hiring an additional 87,000 bodies, they have over 5,000,000 rounds of ammo. Yikes!

So, which enemies is the United States government expecting? Why they would need all this ammo, and all these new hires in the IRS? You and me, my friend. And why would the AG authorize an unprecedented raid on a former President just prior to the midterms? Reay for this?

To incite the masses. To cause civil unrest. With the country split right down the middle, and Trump maintaining a strong cadre of supporters, it was hoped by the apparatchik in the White House, this would be the match which lit the fire. So the socialists and Democrats could cull the herd. Get rid of the MAGA types.

Well guess what? Most of us are wise to your bullshit. We are not going to fall for this latest gambit. We are going to beat the Deep State the old fashioned way - at the ballot box. And that battle in Minnesota, starts today. We will vote for people in the primary who are true Constitutionalists. 

These are scary times folks. Just when you think things could not get any worse - they do. I am reminded of the often quoted saying which has been around for quite a while:

   "When the people fear the government, there is tyranny. When the government fears the people, there is liberty." 

We will not fear. We will not cower. We will fix. What is at stake right now? Everything.

Get out now!

"Here is where the globalists really blew it. You can't dance with the devil and expect blue skies forever. That devil, which looks like a dragon, wants us destroyed." 

Did you hear how the ChiComs were going to further punish us for the Pelosi visit to Taiwan? Ready for this? They are going to stop climate change talks with us. Excuse me, but I had to pull myself off the floor, after I split a gut laughing. What climate talks? The ones where we eviscerate our economy to save a fraction of carbon emissions, while China goes to town building more coal fired power plants? Those climate talks? Please...

For those who play cards, would you continue to play with someone who deals off the bottom of the deck? Of course not, but we are. China has played us for fools for many a year now. Trump realized it, and wanted things out of China and to make more stuff in America. He saw the danger in having way too many things manufactured by a country which hates us. Which wants to economically destroy us. But the juggernaut of globalism was way too big, and too hard for Trump to fix in one term. Biden came back in office, and we are once again bowing to the Dragon.

I listened to a ChiCom expert on the news this weekend. He said at the outside, we have a year and a half until China takes back its "renegade" province. When that happens, there will be war. It will be the free nations of the WestPac, against the tyrants of China and North Korea.

We need to develop another Operation Warp Speed to get our commodities out of China. This is way beyond stupidity right now. China could bring us to our knees just by blocking our meds from leaving their country. In 2020, Fox News had a report that 97% of our antibiotics are made in China. 80% of a myriad of ingredients for other drugs are also made in China. The Alliance for American Manufacturing went before Congress in 2019, and really blew the whistle on the Chinese. Their words - China's domination of our pharmaceuticals could be "catastrophic". We need to get our meds out of China - NOW! Before it is too late!

By the way, before we get too jazzed up about EVs, let's look at the real supply chain to make them. Not all roads lead through China, but some of the important ones do. If we want to be self sufficient in making EVs, we have a lot of work to do. And that work needs to start now. Biden is looking at EVs as all sunshine and lollypops. Wrong! We have a long and winding road to make these things a reality. We need to get any of OUR EV technology out of China, NOW!

Here is where the globalists really blew it. You can't dance with the devil and expect blue skies forever. That devil, which looks like a dragon, wants us destroyed. They will do it economically. While we are trying to decide which pronouns to use on each other, China is making the South China Sea into a Chinese "lake". They are going gangbusters on space, their military, the Belt and Road Initiative, and so forth. 

Wake up America! Tell those worthless bunch of squatters who occupy Congress right now, to do something right! Something for America! Hint: It was not the Inflation Reduction Act. That was only a bunch of noise, signifying nothing.  

What can be done, can be undone

"With 2022 midterms coming right around the corner, if we don't clean house (I mean the House), then it is on us. We would be stupid enough to accept two more years of mayhem, corruption and entropy until the 2024 election."  

Right now, many have their undies in a wad about this new boondoggle of a bill which is being voted on in the Senate. Oh, it will pass all right - the Dems (as usual), are lining up in order to vote for a monstrosity of a bill. Somehow they got to Manchin to get on board, even though this bill is TERRIBLE for the great state of West Virginia. And Sinema? Let's just say I did not have much faith in her from the get-go. A bit too flighty. So nothing will stop this 50-50 Senate from calling on the tie breaking "cackler" to send this bill to the House for a rubber stamp and then on to Slo Joe for a signature.

My favorite part of the Inflation Reduction Act (other than its name), is the proviso to hire an additional 80,000 agents and auditors to work in the IRS. I mean, I don't think there are that many unemployed bean counters in the known universe. Where in the world are these "new hires" going to come from? Our southern border? Robots? Space aliens? Where?

And then of course, there is the proviso to give a 6 to 7 thousand dollar tax credit to those foolish enough to buy an EV. Why foolish? Most American made EVs do not make the grade - and the grade is all components of an EV need to made in America. Right now, the ChiComs seem to have monopoly on many of the needed components. So how exactly is this going to work? Plus all the computer chips are being manufactured in either China or Taiwan.

Finally, allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices with the manufacturers will actually work in reverse. Knowing their prices will be whittled down by negotiation, manufacturers will fluff up their prices. That is the way the game is played.

This is another porkulus bill, brought to you by the DNC. There is nothing good in this bill, except maybe a "win" for our winless President. The Wharton School of Business hates it. The CBO hates it. A letter came in to Washington signed by 230 economists, begging the Senate not to pass this bill. Why? The bill is a phony. It does not do what it is supposed to do. In other words, it is good for Biden, bad for America. But let's face it - everything so far has been good for Biden and bad for America.

What can be done, can be undone. Remember that in November. We got this bed wetting Congress right now, because so many people did not like the "mean tweeter". The "mean tweeter" who kept us out of wars and gave us a robust economy. 

That election, the one in 2020, had dire consequences. With 2022 midterms coming right around the corner, if we don't clean house (I mean the House), then it is on us. We would be stupid enough to accept two more years of mayhem, corruption and entropy until the 2024 election.  

Wray off base

"To fix Washington, to really fix it - a real housecleaning needs to happen. Right now, while Biden is still in the WH, get rid of Wray, Garland, Blinken and Austin. Maybe we also replace Mayor Pete and Granholm with a couple of folks who actually know something."

Mr. Slick, aka, the Director of our FBI, was up on the Hill yesterday. He was there to answer some general questions, including some specific ones about how his team performed with Hunter Biden's laptop. When you listen to how he fields questions from our lawmakers, you understand just who Christopher Wray really is. He is a better talking, nicer dressing version of our Attorney General. In other words, he too, may be corrupt to the bone. 

What? How can you say that Mr. Bird!?! Simple. As Josh Hawley said yesterday, let's go back to 2016 - right before the last corrupt FBI Director was shown the door. When the FBI was complicit in the phony "Russia-gate" leveled at candidate Trump, and then President Trump. Many of those folks in the FBI who were dirty back then, are still there.

James Comey was bad, and his fingers were very dirty. FBI lovebirds Strzok and Page were only symptomatic of bad people were in this once (and may still be) fine organization. When President Trump finally got rid of Comey and replaced him with Wray, many thought we were on the way to healing. We were wrong.

Here is the bottom line. Disagree and argue with me if you wish. Our DOJ and FBI have some bad actors working within those walls. Call them bad actors, or call them Deep State - it really does not matter. I said this the other day - Washington needs an enema. And the tube can be inserted in the DOJ first. And then the tube can snake over to the FBI. And then the State Department. And the list goes on and on.

Somebody recently asked me why I don't want Donald Trump to be President again. It has nothing to do with Trump doing a good job - I think in a second term, he could even do better than his first. It has everything to do with a repeat performance of the Deep State, trying to sink Trump, using lies and falsehoods, each and every day. That is my fear. Trump can't beat the Deep State by himself, and without Washington having the desire to fix itself, we would be in for another four years of entropy.

To fix Washington, to really fix it - a real housecleaning needs to happen. Right now, while Biden is still in the WH, he needs to get rid of Wray, Garland, Blinken and Austin. Maybe we also replace Mayor Pete and Granholm with a couple of folks who actually know something. When we get a new Red Team President in 2024, be it Trump or someone else, the country has to be behind that person, when he or she fires corrupt civil servants by the hundreds - maybe thousands. 

Chris Wray? He is Wray off base for the job he has. He is either corrupt, or scared s**tless to do anything right and courageous. Either way, he has to go. This is my opinion, and I am sticking with it! 

An American coward? Or just cowed?

"What is going to happen with Taiwan? I fear for those good people. Their fate might be the same as the people in Ukraine. What will we do? Not much." 

Now that Speaker Pelosi has departed Taiwan, she has left behind kind of a hornet's nest. I mean, the ChiComs are so pissed off right now, they have resorted to name calling. The "American Witch", they are calling our Speaker of the House. But sticks and stones are also coming. What is happening right now in Taiwan is the aftermath. It is almost tantamount to a signal of war. The big bullies from the mainland have the island of Taiwan surrounded at sea. Almost a blockade. And a blockade could be looked upon as an act of war.

Here was a chance for our President, to dispel all these rumors that he is owned by the Chinese. For him to get on his red phone and call Chairman Xi would have helped. To tell Xi that it is OUR RIGHT, to have a high level person from our government (like the Speaker), visit a sovereign country. That Taiwan does not belong to Red China, and Xi he did not like it, that was tough toenails. Did Biden do that? Of course not. What did he say? Crickets. Like he was cowering under his desk in the Oval Office.

What about now? With a good part of the Chinese Navy surrounding Taiwan doing live fire exercises? Here was a chance for Biden to tell Xi that we are sending the USS Ronald Reagan over to visit Taiwan. If the Chinese fire upon the Reagan, woe be unto them. Biden would need to tell the Chinese what they are doing to Taiwan is wrong, and illegal in any court of international law. Did he do that? Of course not. He is still hiding under his desk in the Oval Office.

When we have an American President who becomes compromised by the immoral dealing his son has with the Chinese, this is the result. To harsh? Okay, we are only assuming Biden is compromised. Maybe some more information can be obtained today, when Director Wray of the FBI is on the Hill, testifying. Like, why has the FBI slow walked looking into the treasure trove of information contained in Hunter's laptop? Or, has the FBI known that the Biden family is corrupt, and is sitting on that very important information. Stay tuned.

Mr. tough guy. The one who says he would like to take bad guys out behind the gym and "beat the hell of them", ain't so bad after all. I just "Corn Pop" was only one of his stories. Biden is not tough at all. In fact, he is a chicken. A coward.

Who do we have right now, to read the riot act to the Chinese? Kamala? Don't make me chuckle (or cackle). Blinken? Like he handled the great Afghanistan retreat? Mayor Pete? Okay Howdy Doody, look scary. Bottom line? Our cupboard of true blue Americans right now is pretty thin. Our Administration might be "woke", but not very resolute. Not one of them can back down the bullies in Red China. Not even our SecDef Austin.

What is going to happen with Taiwan? I fear for those good people. Their fate might be the same as the people in Ukraine. What will we do? Not much. The Harpoon Missiles we promised Taiwan, will not be delivered until 2028. This is not a joke. Six years away. Way, way too late. Typical of this Administration being a minute late and a dollar short. Maybe that is our new motto. Heaven help us.

   

Good guys, bad guys

"Most military experts are saying similar things right now. Our days of relative peace might be coming to an end. Russia's illegal and immoral incursion into Ukraine might have started the ball rolling."

Here is a message to the Klingons who inhabit Southeast Asia - we don't do arranged marriages anymore. And by the way, here is another thing to tell the Klingons who call themselves the PLA of China - make sure you remind your cousins in Russia of the same.

What do I mean by "arranged marriages"? Simple - if a country does not want to be a part of your orbit, you can't force them. In other words, Taiwan is NOT your domain. Ukraine is NOT Russia's domain. Why is this so hard to understand? If you were good guys, you would. But you are bad guys, and you don't care.

Some may remember this, others may not. In 1983, a Korean airliner (KAL 007), took off from NYC and headed to Seoul, South Korea. It had one stop in Anchorage, Alaska in route. Due to a minor navigational problem, after taking off from Alaska, it slightly strayed over Soviet airspace. Without blinking an eye, the Soviets (Russians) gave the order to have a Su-15 interceptor "splash" the civilian airliner. All 269 persons on board, died.

I have never forgotten that incident. I wore a jersey which I had made which said "Never trust a Russian". Let's just say, I received some information while serving on active duty which was the genesis of that fact. Russians were not to be trusted then, and they sure are not to be trusted now. The North Koreans are the same way. Like, remember the Pueblo? ChiComs, Russians, Norks, and the Iranians - are all the world's bad guys. None can be trusted. Not an inch.

I want the United States to be looked at as the world's good guys. As Ronald Reagan said, we are the "bright shining city on the hill". But we have a problem. We have allowed (through extreme liberalism and "wokeness") our government to become corrupt. To be good, truly good, we can't be corrupt.

We can't have a "Deep State" which pollutes our Justice Department and intelligence agencies. Our Defense Department needs to purge itself of social justice warriors and climate warriors. They need to get back to the business of learning how to "break things and kill people", should they ever be called on to do so. In other words, Washington needs an enema. We need a deep flush to become truly good once again.

Many military experts are now saying similar things. Our days of relative peace might be coming to an end. Russia's illegal and immoral incursion into Ukraine, might have started the ball rolling. Just yesterday, there was another report of Russia shelling civilian apartment buildings. Why civilians? Russia is bad. Russia can't be trusted.

Will China invade Taiwan? Right now, China's navy is holding "exercises" close to Taiwan. When I say close, I mean they have the island of Taiwan surrounded. Reminds me of Russia surrounding half of Ukraine before they invaded. 

Will there be any good guys to stop the bad guys if Taiwan is invaded? Or will we all just be spectators, once again. In a world full of bad guys, do we have enough good guys? Is Biden a good guy, or have Hunter's business dealings with China, tainted Joe Biden?

We are on thin ice right now. Perilous times. What does our future hold? Only God knows.  

Sunrise, sunset - and her message to China

"Americans like valor. They like peace makers. They like heroes. They don't like cowards. And they sure don't like leaders who play with the other side." 

While Joe Biden's star is sinking into the west faster than the midnight sun in Alaska, we seem to have a new bloom to take wonder at. Ms. Nancy. Our Speaker from California, the one we all love to ridicule and castigate. But hold on just for a minute! We are forgetting one thing. This is the woman who went to Tiananmen Square thirty years ago, and gave the ChiCom "the finger", by using only her presence. Now she is doing it again, by visiting Taiwan.

This 82 year old woman, who has held the position of Speaker twice now, is making a mockery of the globalists in the White House who are either cowed, or owned by the ChiComs. As China rattled its sabers, and our POTUS conveniently is down with Chinese spawned COVID (again), the entire Emerald City was shaking in its collective boots. "Death to you if you visit the renegade Taiwan", the ChiComs shrieked, "You will burn!". But where was Ms. Nancy? Having talks with all our allies in the WestPac, and now speeding toward Taiwan.

Biden and his clan are now treating Xi like he is Thanos, ready to destroy us all. Ms. Nancy on the other hand, is treating Chairman Xi like the thug that he is. Rather than Thanos, Nancy is treating Xi like he is like Antman, sans his powers.

Right now, we have the USS Ronald Reagan (how appropriate), and some VLS ships over in the area, ready to keep the peace. I have seen our VLS in action many years ago. I sure would not want to be on the receiving end of what they have in offer in 2022.

Was it good form for Ms. Nancy to "flip off the Chinese" by visiting Taiwan? Yes, yes and yes. As Nancy Pelosi's sun starts to rise over the east, our current POTUS is wondering what happened to the deal that Hunter struck with the ChiComs. Bottom line? Americans like valor. They like peace makers. They like heroes. They don't like cowards. And they sure don't like leaders who play with the other side. 

A sojourner's spirit

"New trails and new adventures await us..."

What is it about so many Americans? Why do so many of us get wanderlust, year after year? Why do more and more of us go on cruises? Take long road trips? Visit foreign lands? It is because many of us are born with a sojourner spirit. How do I know? I have been told that when I was working overseas. One of the British engineers I worked with at Royal Ordnance in the Midlands of England, took his "holidays" over in "the states". One day, I asked him why he did that. After all, the UK is a beautiful place, steeped in rich history. His answer was most revealing.

"You Yanks don't realize just how good you have it. You have almost unlimited roads to travel on, going from state to state, hills to valleys, climate to climate. Over here, you don't have to drive very far before you run into ocean. That is the price we pay for living on an island." I was fascinated to hear his perspective. He continued, "I particularly like it when I get to the western states. Sometimes, I can drive for hours, with only seeing a handful of other people. Lots of beautiful landscape, and very little population."

My wife and I have always liked to travel. My parents loved it even more than we do. My wife's parents also did their share of traveling, before health issues set in. Our kids also seem to have it in their blood.

I did however, go through a short period after I retired, where I did not care to travel. I did quite a bit for my job(s), so the thought of being at home for a while, was very alluring. But that soon passed, and the travel bug once again bit me.

Yesterday, after being married for almost 50 years, and done our share of traveling, we decided to "kick it up a notch". We bought our first travel trailer. Was it for us? Yes, but we bought it with the grandkids in mind. It has bunkbeds in the rear, which have "kid" written all over them. We want to be able to take our grandies on some adventures. See some new things. Experience some new things. In other words, make some memories.

Earlier this summer, we took our youngest daughter up to the north shore as a birthday present and graduation present. Even though we have all been there before, we had a blast. No matter how many times we go up there, something new and exciting is always discovered. Was it worth it? Absolutely.

New trails and new adventures await us with our new travel trailer. This year will be mostly getting used to it (in the driveway), and then doing some nearby parks with have hookups. Next year however, get ready! As my British friend said - "You Yanks don't know just how lucky you are." Amen to that sir - amen to that.