A year of trepidation? Hype? Or hope?

"We go forward into the New Year. Or is it the fray? Starting tomorrow, we will find out. As God is our witness, we need to be the light of freedom for the world. If we stop being that light, the world has nowhere to turn."  

Read an article the past few days, saying that 2023 is shaping up to be a real clinker. All the bad stuff which has been put in motion the past couple years, will come home to roost starting tomorrow. Like what kind of stuff? Besides the endless war in Ukraine, we will have mass layoffs, stock prices plummeting, and 401K plans crumbling. And that is just part of it.

Just seems like yesterday (pre-pandemic), that we were getting ready to have the new "Roaring 20's". The decade of the 2020's was going to be amazing! Progress! We were going back into space, have all kinds of technology developments, and new found wealth. Then came the election.

The country elected a man who continues to defy explanation. An octogenarian who acts every second of his advanced age - and then some. A man who for reasons yet unexplained, has opened up our southern border to anyone and everyone - without vetting. Plus - has declared war on our domestic energy resources, which has left us begging OPEC (and worse) for more oil production.

All of a sudden, our "Roaring Twenties" have devolved into a recession or maybe even something beyond. All the planning of a new hope of prosperity, has been replaced with hunkering and bunkering. We have lost faith in our CDC, FBI, DOJ, DHS and more. Since we can't rely on more revenue coming in from a broken economy, our "government" has decided to hire an additional 87,000 IRS agents. Why? To squeeze the middle class for more tax money and financial intrusion. In what universe does this thinking come from?

I know, I know. Many of my friends on the left think Biden is the best thing since sliced bread. He is after all, the "Anti-Trump". Some have been so blinded by Biden's bullshit, they can't see the mess we are in. They still think this career politician is the cat's pajamas. But he is not. He is evil. He is corrupt. He has put us in danger. And he is ruining the country.

2023. A year of hope? Hype? Or trepidation? Most I have talked to, are fearful of this upcoming year. The Republicans have the House, but will that help? Or will Team Biden have landmines planted all over the path, to make progress a non-starter. 

We go forward into the New Year. Or is it the fray? Starting tomorrow, we will find out. As God is our witness, we need to still be the light of freedom for the world. If we stop being that light, the world has nowhere to turn. And the "Roaring Twenties", will be nothing more than the decade of darkness. 

 

 

Tall tales and sea stories

"'There are lies, damn lies and statistics". Or, there is just telling the truth. And if for some reason you stumble and tell an un-truth, confess and come clean - immediately. No more BS. Just the truth please. The American people deserve it."   

For anyone who has served in "Uncle Sam's Canoe Club", this is a familiar saying. Every time a sailor (or former sailor) would start out a story or tale by saying "This is a no s**t sea story", you needed to lace up your BS boots. Why? Because what was coming at you, was probably a whopper. True, some sea stories had an element of truth in them, but usually a whole lot of blarney added also.

Why bring this up? George Santos. One of our newest elected Republican Congressmen. He got caught not only telling sea stories and tall tales, but also out and out lies. If I had got caught telling out and out lies like Santos did, I would be hiding my head in the deepest hole I could find. But I will give him credit for his response when caught - "Yes, but powerful Democrats tell bigger lies". Say what? I guess Santos missed that bit of counseling when growing up, where his parents told him that "two wrongs don't make a right".

Was Santos right? Do powerful Democrats tell bigger lies? Sure. But also some recent powerful Republicans did also. Ergo, here is the problem. Lying. Deceit. Or even just being a BS merchant. Is this what we want our kids to see? To learn from? I mean, COME ON, MAN! We need to be better people, especially the ones we elect to represent us. I know Biden lies a lot. I will give him the benefit of the doubt however, as I think he is missing a screw or two. Hillary, when she told the whopper about landing at some airport under heavy snipper fire? That was just a bald face lie.

I know, I know. We all tell half truths at some time or another. I know I do. For example, when our kids or grandies do something they are proud of, and in reality it is not that good, we still tell them it was awesome. Is that a lie? An acceptable lie? A "white lie"? For most of us, it is just fine to keep doing that. But - when we tell an un-truth, or out and out lie, just to edify or benefit ourselves - that is not alright. Not cool. 

As far as Santos is concerned, he needs to go. He needs to come to grips with the fact he has some issues - some big issues. Senator Blumenthal from Connecticut should have also resigned right after his stolen valor issue years ago. No Senator, you did not serve in Viet Nam. The fact you lied about that, was an insult to our brave veterans who did serve there. And Joe Biden needs to be called out by his fawning press when he tells his lies. He is supposed to be our POTUS, not Walter Mitty.

"There are lies, damn lies and statistics". Or, there is just telling the truth. And if for some reason you stumble and tell an un-truth, confess and come clean - immediately. No more BS. Just the truth please. The American people deserve it.   

 

 

A gathering storm?

"The storm clouds on the horizon for 2023 are much more menacing than previous years. Are we prepared for what is about to (or might) come? I would like to say yes, but that would not be truthful."

Want to have a sleepless night or two? Just start thinking about our geopolitical mess. Having the "A" team in charge, would still make 2023 look dicey, but this clown car that Biden has put together, gives one pause. Ready for this one? Then buckle up.

Ukraine - It is now a cold fact that the Russian Army has been shredded and decimated over the past year. Like, over 100,000 of the Russian top line troops are now gone. And the ill trained conscripts Russia has replaced them with are nothing but cannon fodder. Even with that, Sergey Lavrov told Ukraine they must de-militarize, or Russia will do it for them. Really? In what world is that, Mr. Lavrov? Now that "somebody" is hitting deep inside Russia with drones, Russia is getting very nervous. Maybe nuclear nervous. 2023 is going to be an interesting year in this war. Maybe even a tragic year for mankind. 

Taiwan - Taiwan, as much as we love them, is just a pawn in what China really wants to do. They want the South China Sea to be a "Chinese Lake", and as such, they is no room for United States warships to be loitering there. Ever since Ms. Nancy visited Taiwan, the temperature has risen dramatically in that part of the world. We have the goods on China in how they are killing our young people with fentanyl, and soon will should be able to tie in Wuhan to Covid bio-weapons. Soon, the "ship will hit the sand" in our relations with China. China, much more so than Russia, should be our biggest concern going into 2023. War could be on the immediate horizon.

North Korea - And then there is "Rocket Man". Here is the problem child in the region that only Donald Trump seemed to have any influence on. But Trump is gone now, and "Rocket Man" has no time for Joe Biden. What does Kim Jong-un really want? He wants to be noticed. He wants to be feared. He will push South Korea and Japan to the brink of war, just to be noticed. Meanwhile, the governments of both Japan and South Korea are authorizing more and more money for defense. The Korean Peninsula could explode at any time next year, just by "Rocket Man" doing something very stupid. And then we would have big problems from a little man.

Our Southern Border - One of the first things which will happen next year, is the new Congress will go after DHS Secretary Mayorkas, like bees on honey. They will impeach him, and maybe put him on trial for (gasp!) "treasonous offenses". But that should not be our greatest concern. The concern should be the hundreds of thousands of "got aways" who came over the wide open southern border. The enemy could not only be at the gate, he (or she) could be INSIDE the gate. All kinds of bad stuff could happen to us, just because of this government sanctioned invasion on our southern border. If we make it though 2023 without some kind of terror attack, it will be next to a miracle. 

The storm clouds on the horizon for 2023 are much more menacing than previous years. Are we prepared for what is about to (or might) come? I would like to say yes, but that would not be truthful. And to think I did not even mention Iran in this article. That is a whole bowl of trouble to add on to this inferno. Thus - Iran will have to wait for another day.  

 

The January 3rd Event

"January 3rd is only eight days away. Eight more days of Biden unfettered. Eight more days of socialist mayhem. Will 2023 be a better year than 2022? I sure hope so. Much depends on the Republicans."

Ok. No more of this January 6th nonsense. That was a molehill the Democrats tried to make into a mountain. Plus - it was two year ago. Ancient history. Right now, the big event coming up in January is January 3rd. Why? That is the day the 118th Congress is sworn in. The speed bump, we have needed for almost two years now. The day in which sanity could return to Washington, either that, or the insane chaos of not electing a new Republican Speaker. 

Even though George Santos has fessed up, and admitted to lying about his education and career, he will be sworn in. And - shortly after he is sworn in, he will be the subject to an ethics complaint about his lack of veracity during the election. Will it cost him his seat in this new Congress? Maybe. But Republicans don't like liars. If we wanted a liar in that seat, we would have elected a clone of Biden.

I know. I know. Some of my friends are going to chide me right now. "How can you not be concerned about January 6th? You are suppose to be a patriot!" I am concerned. As a matter of fact, I would like to see a new January 6th committee which is balanced. For example, I want to know the truth, if then President Trump asked the Speaker (Pelosi) to authorize National Guard protection for the Capitol on January 4th. And Pelosi turned him down. If that is true, it is a game changer.

I also want to know how Officer Byrd got away with cold blooded murder by shooting Ashli Babbitt in the face during the event. I mean, we all but keelhauled and sentenced to life on Devils Island, the four cops who were present with George Floyd died. But Byrd? They about pinned some medal on this guy. This injustice needs to be rectified.

One more thing about the new Congress. Recent Twitter revelations have once again sowed the seeds of doubt into the fairness of our recent elections. I would like Congress to do a deep dive into the 2016 and 2020 elections. Plus, an even deeper dive in what was happening in the background during the Trump years. If there is corruption in Washington, if there is a nefarious Deep State, it needs to be pulled up by the roots and destroyed. The American public deserve as much.

A postscript. If the Republicans don't elect Kevin McCarthy as our next Speaker, we could easily end up with a slim Republican majority and a Democrat Speaker. How can I say that? Democrats stick together like glue, no matter how poorly the meal is made. Republicans on the other hand, are often tied in knots by some "purity issue". The fact that McCarthy does not yet have the votes to be Speaker, is a classic example of that fact. 

January 3rd is only eight days away. Eight more days of Biden unfettered. Eight more days of socialist mayhem. Will 2023 be a better year than 2022? I sure hope so. Much depends on the Republicans. They can make it or break it. If they break it, they will be second place for decades to come.

Mr. Putin's war and folly

"All Russia has left, is more war crimes. Unless a miracle (or a tactical nuke) happens, Ukraine will win the day, and win the war."

Make not doubt about it, this war in Ukraine which has been going on now for close to a year, is all Putin. He is the one who thinks of himself as a one man crusade, to build back a "Soviet" style Russia. In his mind, ever since the fall of the Soviet Union (without a shot being fired), Mother Russia has not been the same. Russia, the masters of everyone's destiny, has become just a "gas station with nukes". It was going to be up to Vladimir Putin, before his cancer ended him, to fix this mistake.

In 2014, Putin decided it was time to take Crimea. It was part of Ukraine, but so what? Russia needed it start Putin's infamous "land bridge", so he was going to take it. And he did. But - there was an unintended consequence. It woke up the nationalistic spirit in Ukraine. They armed, they trained. Why? They knew that Putin was not done with them. It was only a matter of time. 

Russia's military has not done much since slugging it out in Afghanistan. And that did not turn out well for the once famous Russian Army. Speaking of which, this same "once famous Russian Army", was going to dispense with the Ukraine government in 3 days or so. But here we are, 300 days into this war, and Ukraine now has Russia on the ropes. How much so? Russia has now lost just over 100,000 troops, and bunches of it's tanks and arty. Conscripts are filling the holes for the fallen regulars, and they are being mowed down like hay. Sometimes over 500 day, KIA.

All Russia has left, is more war crimes. Unless a miracle (or a tactical nuke) happens, Ukraine will win the day, and win the war. Russia might decide on the way out, to destroy as much civilian infrastructure and lives as possible, and that would surprise nobody. Russia is deep, deep in the weeds, and Putin has nowhere to hide. His cancer, or a disgruntled party faithful, will probably end his rule, sooner, rather than later.

How is history going to record this unlawful and immoral war? Poorly, for both Russia and Putin. For some on the West, the biggest fear is that Putin will launch a "Hail Mary" by starting a full scale nuclear war. That would be the E o E (End of Everything), but why should he care? He is out the way out anyways. Might as well show the West what Putin's idea of perestroika is, and it is not that watered down crap that Gorbachev came up with.

How will this end? Where will it end? When will this end? All good questions. All I know is this. At the end of the day, Putin is not in charge of the world. That would be God. God always has been, is now, and always will be, in charge of the world. Sorry Putin. You are just a little man with very evil ideas and methods. Now just go away.  

A "generational" storm?

"Hello? Cold and snowy? That is the norm for this time of year. Plus, it is Christmas time. White Christmas? How many times do we wish for one? Now we got one, and it is a doozy."

I have been very fortunate in my life. I have lived through a "500 year" storm, a few "100 year" storms, and now a "generational" storm. Wow! Talk about timing! If I had been born in the 1930's instead of the 1940's, I could have added the "Dust Bowl" years onto that list. No hate mail please, when I say this. At the end of the day (even a stormy day), it is just weather. Not climate change, just weather change.

Okay. I am starting to feel some negative energy coming from my climate alarmist friends. So, let me remind everyone of one stubborn fact. We are still in an ice age. When the Earth's climate is measured in eons, eras and epochs, our weather (climate) is always changing. Ice ages come and go. In fact, a norm for Mother Earth, is not to have any ice caps - or maybe one at the most. Because we are still in an ice age (albeit an interglacial period), we have two ice caps. 

You might be wondering why I have a pic of dear sweet Greta on this post. "How dare me!" Greta to me, represents everything which is wrong with this picture. She is convinced (because she is not educated), that we are screwing up the globe. All that carbon we are throwing into the atmosphere is going to turn Earth into Venus - or maybe even Mercury. All that is nonsense. If she did her homework, she would know we are in the twilight of fossil fuels. We will still be using oil for many decades to come, for use in manufacturing purposes. But the era of the fuel cell, fusion and fission are coming, and coming soon. Fossil fuels, as an energy source, will soon start to sunset. And Mother Earth, will continue to spin.

Wait a minute Bird! What about this "generational storm"? Don't blow this off as nothing! Okay, I will bite. First off, it is the dead of winter. Duh! Hello? Cold and snowy? That is the norm for this time of year. Next, it is Christmas time. White Christmas? How many times do we wish for one? Now we got one, and it is a doozy. But, but it is -40 below windchill! Yes, it is. And by Wednesday, if might be 35 above. When that happens, since it will be above the average temp for that day, are we back to global warming? I think not. Take that Greta!

What am I going to do today? Not much. Enjoy doing some reading and tinkering in this warm house. If the wind calms down, we will go to a church service either tonight or tomorrow. If it is still ugly outside, we will watch a service on the internet.

Christmas WILL come, and it will be celebrated, one way or another. Weather or no weather, Christmas WILL come.

 

Peace on Earth? Maybe. Sometimes.

"Christmastime in 1914, on a cold and bloody battlefield, showed us it was possible to overcome our human and carnal instincts. It is up to all of us, to resurrect that peace between us."

"Peace on Earth, goodwill towards men". In our lives, how many times have we heard that expression? Especially, this time of year? But wait - peace on Earth cannot be happening, as we are at war. A war which transcends any established "rules of war". A warring nation (Russia), trying to destroy a neighboring country. A warring nation, trying to kill innocent civilians by either direct fire, or indirect causes, like freezing or starvation.

An olive branch was sent to Russia, to maybe have a Christmas cease fire, so both sides could celebrate the Christmas season. "Absolutely not!", snapped the little guy running Russia. "We stay at war". 

One would think, when a Christian nation fights another Christian nation (how does that even happen?), fighting at Christmas time would be out of the question. Russia, who professes to be Russian Orthodox, wants nothing to do with peace on Earth, goodwill towards men. However, it was not always this way. 

The most famous cease fire came in 1914 during the Great War (WW I). Pope Benedict XV called for a cease fire on Christmas Eve. The leaders of the warring countries rejected that idea as foolish. Or was it? The troops doing the fighting, remembered what Christmas was all about. Christmas was about was peace of Earth. Maybe, just maybe, for a few short hours, the horrors of war could stop, and mankind could embrace each other as brothers.

British, French and Belgian troops on Christmas Eve in 1914, threw their rifles out of the trenches and foxholes and stepped into the clear. The German Army responded as well. Was there some kind of skullduggery or subterfuge planned by either Army? Nope. They embraced each other as fellow men, and for two days, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, celebrated as fellow Christians.

It is rumored they sang carols together, played soccer, and ate together. It was as men are suppose to act - not only at Christmas, but all throughout the year. My opinion? Yes, but much more importantly, this is how God Almighty wants us to act. To love each other - even our enemies. It is the second part of the greatest commandment.

After Christmas was over, so was the ceasefire. The killing and the carnage continued. By the time the Great War was over, millions had died. And for what? What did it accomplish? Nothing, really. Just a few decades later, was another World War. More killing, and more carnage. The peace on Earth goodwill towards men celebrated on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in 1914? Gone and all but forgotten.

Beside the greatest commandment in Holy Scriptures, we must also remember the Beatitude about peace. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God" (Matthew 5:9). Christmastime in 1914, on a cold and bloody battlefield, showed us it was possible to overcome our human and carnal instincts. It is up to all of us, to resurrect that peace between us. 

     

The mouse who squeaked

"As we go into the new year, this is the number one blot on humanity. It is a self inflicted wound by Russia. He is the god of war. He is the four horsemen, all rolled up into one little man." 

Anybody else getting tired of being threatened (every week) by this runt from Russia? I mean, come on man! Now that you have showed the world that your Army is a nothing burger, and can't even beat a corrupt country like Ukraine, you want to play with your nukes? Seriously? I know, I know - you have (supposedly), hypersonic missiles which can deliver a huge city killing nuke in a New York minute. Well, guess what Vladimir - so do we. You have thousands and we have thousands of city killing nukes. And it only takes one to turn Moscow into a sheet of glass.

What Putin is doing to Ukraine, is nothing more than a war crime. It is a crime against humanity. He is launching just about everything he has left (without a nuke so far) at Ukraine to either kill the civilian population outright, starve them, or have them freeze to death. What is NATO (including us) doing? Nothing except giving Ukraine some weapons to defend themselves with. Nothing offensive - just defensive.

But that is not good enough for Putin. He recently said if we give Ukraine the Patriot missile system, that would be a "provocative move" by the West. And there would be serious consequences. So, to help an innocent people protect themselves against a bombardment of death, we are the bad guys? Is he nuts? He has turned his country in to a rogue nation, and its leadership into war criminals. He has run out of his "good stuff", and is now using 40 year old ammo to continue this foolish and immoral war.

This is going to be a very cold winter. Some experts are saying maybe the coldest in five years. Right now, the power grid has been so damaged in Ukraine, that every night between 20 to 40% of the country is without power. Not so in Russia. They have plenty of power to make it through this brutal winter. But Ukraine? Putin wants them to suffer. They deserve it. Why? They are beating his Army - badly.

As we go into the new year, this is the number one blot on humanity. It is a self inflicted wound by Russia. He is the god of war. He is the four horsemen, all rolled up into one little man. Somebody should tell Putin that most of us hate bullies. We always have. And Putin is nothing more than a bully.

I guess Putin missed that Sunday School lesson on "Blessed be the peacemakers". That is - if he ever went to Sunday School.  

Is this the Swamp, part 2?

"We have a real mess in Washington right now, and if we don't fix it, we will (as Ben Franklin feared), lose the Republic."

When Donald Trump said he wanted to go to Washington to "drain the swamp", some thought that was only a campaign slogan, similar to MAGA. I mean, come on Mr. Trump! Washington can't be that bad! We all know there are some inside politics played in Washington, but a swamp? Well guess what? Donald Trump had it 110% correct. Not only was there a swamp waiting for him, but this swamp played for keeps. No rules, just sludge. And the swamp permeated just about every organization in Washington, even the DOJ, DHS, and intelligence agencies. 

Ever wonder why Donald Trump thought the 2020 election was rigged? Because everything else in Washington was slanted against him. The media, social media companies (especially Twitter), big money, the DNC, and (believe it or not), establishment Republicans. Rigging an election, fit the mold perfectly.  

What is being revealed right now by Elon Musk and Matt Taibbi is beyond shocking. It is jaw dropping, mic dropping, and everything else one could imagine to stun the audience. From what has been revealed so far, the FBI was working with Twitter (and probably other social media groups), to put their finger on the scale of justice. To tilt the election. To get rid of, and maybe destroy Donald Trump.

For reasons I will never understand, the swamp won, and Donald Trump lost. Donald Trump came into Washington as a disrupter, to drain the swamp and make America great again. But his calculus was wrong. The Swamp is made up of many people who are insular and protective of the status quo. They are out for enrichment of self, as well as self-aggrandizement. They don't give two poops and a holler about America - only themselves. Case in point. Donald Trump came to Washington as a wealthy man. He left not as wealthy. Most Democrats come to Washington not wealthy, and leave ultra rich (check out Nancy Pelosi).

So here we are. Our great country of MAGA is now just an expensive, crime infested mess. The Swamp wanted Joe Biden as POTUS. We got him, and now everything is broken. Biden does not just live in the Swamp - he is the Swamp. Don't think so? Just wait until Hunter's laptop is unwound when the Republicans take over the House. Biden's crimes against the state will make Donald Trump look better than a choir boy. Any American worth his or her salt, will know we have been had during the last Presidential election.  

Is this the Swamp, Part 2? I think I just answered that question. Anyone who thinks otherwise, might have been taking too many THC gummies. We have a real mess in Washington right now, and if we don't fix it, we will (as Ben Franklin feared), lose the Republic. 

  

Biden's "Woke" team of morons

"One final word about Sam (the flamer) Brinton. He finally got fired. I guess even for Biden, having this 'they' stealing luggage from terminals was too much to take. Will that take down Biden's ESG score? Time will tell." 

Did you hear the big news from California? Hint: It is not about Sam Brinton stealing luggage. This might be very huge news. Scientists at the Lawrence Livermore Labs in California, have finally able to mimic how a star produces nuclear fusion. So? If we can do that, economically, and safely, this might be the silver bullet we have been looking for in energy. Zero carbon footprint, and this will produce more energy than is used to extract that. This is so big, our ill qualified Energy Director, Jenifer Granholm, called a presser to talk about it. Or did she? She had a presser alright, but she wanted to discuss how "woke" the Energy Department has become. SMH...

This is how Biden's entire team of morons is wired. No qualifications for the job, but all have the gift of gab when it comes to "wokeness". Plus (and this is a huge plus for Smokin' Joe), they all are expert "gas lighters" also! Such a deal! And the worst gas lighter they have, is Mayorkas. His days are now numbered at DHS. He, as Hunter's laptop, are at the top of their list once the new Congress is sworn in.

Also yesterday, the ceremonies continued for the wonderful event called the "Respect for Marriage Act". This act allows anyone to marry anyone else, or anything else. Primarily it is targeted at gay folks. The hypocrisy of this act comes from the fact that Biden and company, are still playing footsie with the Saudis. They don't have a "Respect for Marriage Act" in Saudi Arabia. They simply toss gay people off of rooftops. And China? Biden's Crime Family's BFF? Don't even get me started on their human rights issues.

At least our military is "Woke". Really? And how are people reacting to this new found "wokeness"? See the recruiting goals from last year? Most services missed their goals by a lot. None however, more than the Army. The Pentagon's response? Yes, that is a concern, but the folks that remain in the military are being trained the right way! Equity, diversity, mandatory vaccinations, and gender fluidity. Are we ready to fight a war? To win a war? Who cares? What in the world do wars have to do with Biden's military? Our military is ready for something. Just look at our exit from Afghanistan.

One final word about Sam (the flamer) Brinton. He finally got fired. I guess even for Biden, having this "they" stealing luggage from terminals was too much to take. Will that take down Biden's ESG score? Time will tell. 

  

A hand down, not a hand up

"So just like the homeless we saw living on the streets in San Francisco, Hawaii has their homeless living on the beaches. Kind of like Tom Hanks in the movie 'Castaway'."

The Bird is finally back in his nest. I was away doing some research in another part of the country. Like - a "long way away" type of research. We went on a long awaited (for reasons beyond our control), cruise to Hawaii. I have said many times, that going on a cruise is more of a journey than a vacation. This time was no exception. Anyhow - what was learned about our 50th state, follows.

Our first landing was on Kona. Besides seeing the volcano from the ship, being on this part of Hawaii was just like the postcards - it was an island paradise. We went on a tour, conducted by a native Hawaii driver, who was both funny and informative. Riding on the bus, politics was the last thing on my mind. I was too busy looking at this island wonderland. But soon, I was taken back to reality.

On the way to a coffee plantation, I noticed a huge camping location on the beach. I thought that was interesting - a campground looked very out of place on a beach. There were surfers, sunbathers, and then - campers. On the way back from the plantation, we once again passed this campground. My curiosity got the better of me. In the middle of a story the bus driver was telling, I kind of interrupted him. "Why does Kona have a campground on a beach? It looks odd."

He got kind of quiet, and then explained something which made a lot of sense when it comes to how "blue" Hawaii is. "We have people who are down on their luck due to the economy. Rather than hassle them, we let them live where they can. Some choose the beach, because in Kona, nobody owns the beaches - they belong to everyone." 

So just like the homeless we saw living on the streets in San Francisco, Hawaii has their homeless living on the beaches. Kind of like Tom Hanks in the movie "Castaway". But here is the thing - in both San Francisco and Hawaii, where the average cost of a house is $1.5M, a big part of the population is left out. No upward mobility. In Hawaii, if you don't have the cheddar to buy any kind of house, find some sand, and pitch your tent. It was the clearest example of "rich man, poor man" that I have seen in any state. No middle class - just rich and poor living right next to each other. One in a huge beach house, the other in a tent on the beach.

Will this ever change? Will Hawaii ever become red instead of blue? Maybe at some time, when the people stuck in tents on the beach get tired of hand outs. Sometime, a hand up is all folks need. Opportunity. That being said, that might not be in the cards for Hawaii. They are mostly agribusiness and tourism dependent. If your skills do not lie in those two areas, opportunity in Hawaii might never come knocking. 

Bottom line? Hawaii is what it is. A nice place to visit, but to live there, is not my cup of tea. If you are mega-rich, maybe. But for most of us, Hawaii is a bridge, or should I say an island, too far. 

  

The (first) day everything changed...

"We are like the country was on December 6, 1941. Or September 10, 2001. Soft, vulnerable and unprepared. Have we learned from history? Hell no." 

Many call it our day of infamy. It was our first real "sucker punch". Did we deserve it? Not in the eyes of the vast majority of Americans. For the Japanese at that time, they might have had a different view. We were standing in the way of Axis expansionism. Some Japanese thought they could negotiate us into submission to their will. Others - not. In any event, on a sunny Sunday morning in December of 1941, the world, our world, changed.

The Japanese scored big. But not as big as they wanted to. Took out our battleships, other Navy ships, and many aircraft. But not our carriers. If they had taken out our carriers on that day, things might have turned out differently. But the damage caused was horrible enough. 

But what it really did, was to wake up a country who tried to support our allies without getting totally involved. Kind of like our support for Ukraine right now. When evil stalks the land, sitting on the sidelines can only work for so long. Ronald Reagan knew that. He did not want another Pearl Harbor on his watch. He took a broken Navy he inherited from Jimmy Carter, and modernized it and grew it. As a defense contractor for the Navy at that time, it made my days very busy. But a good busy it was. 

"Peace through strength". It was a great motto, and a great path for us to be on. We finally really woke up from the sucker punch from December 7, 1941. Or did we? Our "peace through strength" started to wane under Bill Clinton. Instead of trying to guess our enemies next moves before they happened, we were lulled into a false sense of security. Our military that Reagan started to rebuild did very well, thank you, under Bush (41) in the Gulf War. But after Bush (41), the "water started to leak out of the tub." Clinton, who once said he "loathed the military", had not changed much.

Bush (43) had barely taken office when 9/11 hit. It was not a Pearl Harbor. It was not military against military. It was terrorists against civilians. Even though the death toll was about the same as Pearl Harbor, it did (like Pearl Harbor), start our entry into another war - the "War on Terror". For a while, we took that new war very seriously. Then Bush (43) was out of office, and we had Barrack Obama. "Lead from behind" became our new marching orders. And once again, our military started to wane.

Then came Donald Trump. Like Reagan, he wanted a strong military. Why? He understood "peace through strength". But for Trump, a strong military was just part of his "MAGA" initiative. Unfortunately, an unfriendly Congress for the last two years of Trump's administration, thought that Trump, not the world's bad guys, was the enemy. That finally resulted in Trump losing re-election, and Obama's henchman, Joe Biden, become our new POTUS. And our military was turned into a DNC "woke" organization, instead of trained protectors. 

And that is where we are today. Are prepared from another Pearl Harbor or 9/11? Not a bit. We now have open borders, where anyone and anybody can come into our country. All kind of bad stuff can come out of this. But once again, the "sleeping giant" slumbers. Only under Biden, we are no longer a giant. We have shrunk in our stature and our readiness.

We are like the country was on December 6, 1941. Or September 10, 2001. Soft, vulnerable and unprepared. Have we learned from history? Hell no.