Choosing where to (or not to) live

"Thinking of the best places to retire causes one to balance the three 'T's' - taxes, temperature, and tyranny. We don't have hot, hot temperatures in Minnesota, but we sure have the other two 'T's'."

Holy hot sidewalk Batman! Today is the last day of an extremely hot month in Pheonix, Arizona. How hot? How about every day this month, the temperature got to one hundred and ten degrees or warmer. Plus, the monsoon season is arriving late. Is anyone surprised about this?

I remember as a boy, we went on a trip out west. One of the stops was to visit some old friends who had recently moved to Pheonix. Even back in the early sixties, I had never felt heat like that. I was amazed that most houses in their development had either a swimming pool, an air conditioner, or both.

I remember telling my folks once we got home, how fun it would be to live in Pheonix. I could swim all day, and then come into an air-conditioned house to spend the evening. I was told that much of the time in Pheonix, you are not in a pool nor an air-conditioned house. Most of the time you are out in the desert heat.

These days, I think anyone who wants to move to Phoenix might want to rethink that one. Until we produce new ways to move or create water, this desert city in the southwest will only get hotter and dryer. Plus (not to get too political), since Joe Biden has declared a war on fossil fuel electricity, keeping cool in Pheonix can cost a mint. 

With the climate getting hotter and dryer in some spots of the country, choosing a place to settle is a serious business. If we had Telsa-type free energy, then the water thing would be the only issue. But we do not have free energy right now. Snowbirds might appreciate still going down to winter in Arizona, but the investment of property down there might become dubious and unsure.

The last time I was in Arizona was towards the end of my career when I was doing business with a company in Tuson. It was in July, and the weather was brutal. I asked some of the folks who worked at the plant how they did it since many were transplants. Their answer - spend as little time as possible outside. I wondered, what kind of a life is that? Sure, no winters. But to bake all summer? No thanks.

As I pen this, the temperature is fifty-nine degrees, with a nice cool breeze coming in the patio door. We had a hot spell earlier in July, but nothing like the desert Southwest gets. Thinking of the best places to retire causes one to balance the three "T's" - taxes, temperature, and tyranny. We don't have hot, hot temperatures in Minnesota, but we sure have the other two "T's". 

         

Is China playing US - again?

"I watched a military show recently about China. Our war planners are convinced that within 18 to 24 months, China will make a play for Taiwan. That will start World War III." 

Oh, I could go on and on and on again about the evils of Communist China. When you do the kind of work I did while in the service, you tend to learn quite a bit about your enemy. What - wait! Are saying that China is our enemy? Absolutely correct sir (or ma'am). They are NOT friends of ours. The sooner we realize that fact, the better off we will be. They are out to "eat our lunch", as the expression goes, and the sooner the "blue pill" takers realize that truth, the better off we will be.

There is a joke going around about how China leapfrogged over us in building up their Navy. "The two best things which have happened to China recently are Barack Obama and Joe Biden." Why is that a joke? Both Obama and Biden live in la-la land when it comes to China's intention toward us. THEY (CHINA) HATE US and want to destroy us. But both Obama and Biden are globalists and greenies. They put the brakes on our economy and our military while China went pedal to the metal. Does China care about the myth of man-made global warming? Not a wit. But the United States under Obama and Biden has turned us upside down over this myth.

I watched a military show recently about China. Our war planners are convinced that within 18 to 24 months, China will make a play for Taiwan. That will start World War III. The war between China (and North Korea) against the United States, Australia, Japan, South Korea, and the PI, will be mostly Naval battles. It is projected we will lose some of our eleven supercarriers in the fight. China will lose most of its Navy. But are we prepared for this fight?

China still makes most of our stuff. Lots of our medicines. We get our Rare Earth material from China. China will be making many of our EV batteries. It is suspected that China has embedded (over the past years), malware in many of our military systems. So much so, that if war comes, China could shut down some operations in Guam or Okinawa. They steal our IP. Their J-20 fighter jet is made up of mostly stolen ideas from us. The bottom line is this - we are dancing with the devil when we try to play nice with these guys. They need to be treated like the vipers they really are. 

China today is just as evil as the China I started to study back in the 1970s. And let us not forget what happened with Covid - 19. Many think that Dr. Fauci is guilty of playing with China on that horrible disease. Just like Joe Biden (and Hunter) might have been playing with China on influence peddling. There are so many ways that China has screwed us, and so many are either ignorant or oblivious to that fact.

One final thought about war with China. We had better go all out to get our munitions replenished. Right now, we will be hard over fighting an all-out war with the parsimonious amount of ammo we have in our military stores. Just saying - this is important to winning a war with a future superpower. If we run out of ammo, the war is over. And all we will get is the second-place trophy.       

Are we becoming boiling frogs?

"And how desperate are the Democrats to produce something - ANYTHING better before the next election? They might even consider Dean Phillips as their candidate. Dean's motto? 'Don't like what is going on? Free and cheap vodka for everyone!' Yes, it has come to that..."    

Yesterday, after cutting grass for a while, I noticed I needed to fill up the John Deere. Whoops - needed to fill up some five-gallon cans at the gas station first. As I pulled into the local gas station, I noticed the price per gallon of regular was $3.59 9/10 ($3.60/gallon). That is only forty cents from being at $4/gallon again. And this, after Biden took 30 percent of our strategic petrol out of storage and put it on the market! What happened to those gas prices of around $2/gallon when Trump was President? Have we become complacent with high gas prices? I sure have not!

Joe Biden, in his time in office, has bombarded us with so much crapola, that some of the important stuff seems to have slipped under the radar. In other words, we are like frogs in water which is steadily increasing in temperature. Soon the water will be boiling. We are one Gulf Coast hurricane, one Middle East problem, and one refinery issue, away from four-dollar (plus) gasoline. AND WE CAN'T KEEP TAKING OIL OUT OF OUR RESERVE!

This morning, we need to go grocery shopping. What used to be fun and exciting, is now dreadful. With some inflationary items coming down over the past few months, food has not been one of them. The prices of some items are nothing short of outrageous. Items that were affordable and enjoyable before Biden became President, are now out of bounds. Some say the Biden Administration let this happen by accident. Others say it is on purpose. On purpose? Why would a globalist like Biden do this on purpose? The answer to that is self-explanatory.

For those who have been taking copious amounts of blue pills, sometimes I don't blame you. In fact, drifting off into la-la land might be the only way to survive this entropy. So, as a red pill taker, I will be the bucket of icy water that will splash into the faces of our catatonic citizenry. Our country is a mess right now. Not only a mess but a hot mess.

Joe Biden has launched a full-frontal assault on our country, and the number of his beachheads are too many to count. Recently I listened to a commentator who said our country is so screwed up right now, we might collapse before the 2024 election. Why? Our government is corrupt and full of lies and liars. As I said, we are a hot mess right now. 

And how desperate are the Democrats to produce something - ANYTHING better before the next election? They might even consider Dean Phillips as their candidate. Dean's motto? "Don't like what is going on? Free and cheap vodka for everyone!" Yes, it has come to that...    

  

Whether or not - weather...

"Today will be another sweltering day. Not as hot as yesterday, but still hot. Fairly normal for late July. And (shocked face), it might even rain again! Oh my! There will still be golf being played, fish being caught, family picnics happening, and even some camping done."

"Peculiar weather we are having..." - a quote from The Wizard of Oz. And as we know, in Oz there were tornados, snowstorms, and oh my! But without the very scary tornado, which snatched Dorothy up from her beloved Kansas, there would not have been much of a movie - oh my!

The weather. What would most people in Minnesota talk about these days? Of course, we can't talk about politics anymore. That ship sailed in Minnesota. We are now stuck in the gulag. But the weather? Every day in every season, there is something to talk about. And now we have a boggy man to blame for any weather we are having, which is not 72 degrees and sunny. Climate change. Brought to you by the imperialists of every developing country. Especially the United States! (Oh my!)

What have we learned this July so far? The grass is green, the water is wet, the sky is blue, and Minnesota gets hot in July. What? Is Minnesota hot in July? What a news flash! True, after an abnormally wet winter, we have had an abnormally dry summer. It has happened before; it will happen again. Wait - are we running out of water? Not even close. We have more water on this planet than one could shake a stick at (or a divining rod at). It is just that some water is easier to get to than other water might be.

One of my long-time friends said it rained so hard during one of the big storms this week, it was like someone was spraying a hose at his windows. Some climate change alarmists said the fact we have larger hail this year is proof that our weather is getting worse. Really? Because hail is golf ball size or even sometimes softball size? Read Revelation about how large hail will get in the final days before Christ returns. Seventy-five to one hundred pounds per hail stone. 

Today will be another sweltering day. Not as hot as yesterday, but still hot. Fairly normal for late July. And (shocked face), it might even rain again! Oh my! There will still be golf being played, fish being caught, family picnics happening, and even some camping done.

Next week will be August, and I can already see the long-range forecast. It will be hot. Kind of like August in most years. Will it rain? Probably. Will people have fun in August? Probably. Will our State Fair start on time, and will scores of people attend? Count on it.  But will some climate alarmists still worry about August? Yes - but oh my!  

  

 

Summer breaks, flying saucers, and hunting Hunter

"Too much for you? Too much fantastic wrongdoing to comprehend? Well, the House is also holding more hearings into the UAP issue and do we have crashed saucers from another planet. And what if we do? What are we doing with them?"

Guess what? July is about over. What does that have to do with anything? Plenty, if you are in the United States Congress. Summer vacation is about to begin! Wahoo! Not coming back to work until after Labor Day. Unlike in school, where summer vacation does not start until after all work is complete and the grades are in, Congress is leaving with a slew of unfinished business items, just sitting there. 

The Biden Crime Family. After the testimony of the two (very credible) whistleblowers, this week Jim Jordan's committee is scheduled to hear from David Weise. This should be interesting. He could either be the "smoking gun" many have been waiting for, or the Deep State could have gotten to him, and he will be mum and glum. 

But here is the deal folks (quote Uncle Joe) - more eyes are gazing upon Merrick Garland. Garland might go down in history as the more biased, the most corrupt AG in our nation's history. Even Jonathan Turley said this is shaping up to be the biggest scandal in our history. Dwarfing Watergate. Whereas the Democrats went after Donald Trump for all things imaginary, Joe Biden and some members of his inner circle (and his family), have really done this country dirty.

Too much for you? Too much fantastic wrongdoing to comprehend? Well, the House is also holding more hearings into the UAP issue and do we have crashed saucers from another planet. And what if we do? What are we doing with them? How have we kept them secret for so long? Is there more to this story? The most important question (to quote from a famous movie) is, can we handle the truth?

It should be an interesting week in Washington. Never a dull moment. Will anything be resolved before the exceedingly long summer break? Nope. We will pick things up after Labor Day. Until then, sit tight. None of these issues are going away. 

 

 

   

A new low, even for Russia

"This is a dangerous game that Russia is playing. Even if the Ukraine War ended, would or could Russia behave themselves? Or would Putin then make a play for Poland?"

Russia has done some despicable things in this war with Ukraine. Total and undisputed war crimes. Killing and executing civilians. Targeting civilian residences. But what they have just done in Odessa really takes the cake. How so? Russia had just made the declaration that it will no longer honor the agreement to allow Ukraine to ship grain to help feed a hungry world. As the unshipped grain sat in warehouses in Odessa, Russia bombed some of them. Why? To destroy the grain.

It is things like the war crimes and bombing of food which gives me pause when I think of what Russia is capable of. Putin, feeling like a caged rat, still has his finger on the nuclear button. At any time, he and his cohorts could decide to change the landscape of the battleground. To either use tactical nukes in Ukraine, or (God forbid), use city killer nukes on NATO. Could or would Russia do such a thing? Maybe.

Retired General Jack Keene was on the news this morning. He was conveying some of the frustrations that fellow NATO countries have that we are not supplying more equipment, sooner, to Ukraine. Keene agreed with that sentiment. He thinks the United States is in for a war of attrition. Keene and some in NATO want this war over sooner rather than later. I agree. Enough people have died on both sides of this war.

One more thing. This latest strike on grain warehouses was only a short distance from NATO member Romania. One minor miscalculation by Russia and NATO could be involved in this war. And then this once very regional war could become a huge conflict. Even World War III.  

This is a dangerous game that Russia is playing. Even if the Ukraine War ended, would or could Russia behave themselves? Or would Putin then make a play for Poland? We are in a dangerous place so long as Putin is in control. Russia needs a normal leader, who could lead Russia back into the land of civilized nations.     

Running out of water? Not hardly...

"Scientists believe that we have a vast amount of water, maybe three times the size of our existing oceans, buried deep within the Earth. Trapped in a mineral called Ringwoodite." 

Drought is a nasty word. It is a nasty condition. Parts of the world are in drought. Parts of the United States are in a drought. And yes, part of Minnesota is in a drought. Are we running out of water? Pumping our deep reservoirs dry? Not yet. But there is a bottom to those pools. What do we do if the rain doesn't come? It has not rained in Phoenix for 120 days. In our desert southwest, water is the new gold. But gold will only make you rich - water will keep you alive.

Ever hear of hydropanels? They can perform magic (so it seems). Our air, even in the desert, contains lots of water. They have been installed in a Navajo Nation housing area in the desert southwest. Two hydropanels can create one gallon of potable water per day. In an area that is water-starved right now, one gallon of potable water will keep one person alive and well for one day. Not much, but it is a start. But this is only part of the story. 

Recently, scientists from Northwestern University have made a most interesting discovery. Like, where our water really comes from. Our vast amount of water might not have been seeded here by comets after all. The water might be coming from below. Scientists believe that we have a vast amount of water, maybe three times the size of our existing oceans, buried deep within the Earth. Trapped in a mineral called Ringwoodite. 

We also could be investing in the diversion of excess water to areas that are in scarceness. Every year we seem to have this issue - excess in some areas, shortages in others. Some areas of New England have received a summer's worth of rain in one day. Massive flooding and runoffs happened. Much of the runoff - right into the ocean. Our desert southwest sure could have used some of that precious water. 

Are we running out of water? Not even close. We have water coming down in the rain, Water in our reservoirs. Water in our lakes and streams. Water in our oceans. Water in the icecaps and glaciers. Water in our air. And now we find out we have the largest supply of any place, locked up 400 miles under the surface of the Earth.

We need to get smart on our water and fast. It is estimated by the end of 2025, half the world's population will be in need of water. We have water. We have the technology. Let's get busy.  

  

Is it raining pennies from Heaven??

"Cheer up Minneapolis. Pennies do rain down from Heaven (maybe). If they don't, there is not enough tea in China to pay for what Minneapolis needs to have done."

Did anyone catch the news about the City of Minneapolis? The city where nothing is as it appears to be, is ready to wage war on climate change. Wait - don't you mean to wage war on crime? Nope. Crime is just a fact these days in Minneapolis. If you drive a Kia, you might as well just leave the keys in it overnight, because it will be jacked or stolen. But climate change? That is something Minneapolis can do something about! 

Okay - enough sarcasm. We all know we can't do a dang thing about climate change in Minneapolis. It would be like if Minneapolis had the best forest management in the world, and yet the summer days would still be smokey. Why? The smoke coming down from Canada. Minneapolis could do all the greenie goodie goodies in the world, and still, the world's temp would rise. Why? Because much of climate change might not be man-made. And what is man-made, much would be coming from China.

Minneapolis has a new climate chief. Her name is Kate Knuth, and she is extremely ambitious (her words). Plus, she thinks this will all be funded by "pennies raining down from Heaven" (my words). She is straight out of La-La Land if she thinks that by 2030, 3 out of 5 trips into Minneapolis will be accomplished by either walking, bike riding, or metro transit. If you don't comply, you might as well stay in the burbs. You will be persona non-Gratta in Minneapolis. 

All houses will be insulated. All buildings will be insulated. In short, the entire town will be retrofitted or rebuilt. It is going to cost a billion or trillion dollars. And the best part? It will do nothing to fix the climate. But that is not the point. So long as it makes everyone feel better, that is the point. John Kerry was just in China to visit his climate counterpart. Kerry told China they needed to do more. Kerry was told to pound sand (in so many words). China does not need to feel better. China is concerned about its Belt and Roads Program.

When will this climate charade end? Is this something the Democrats are going to hoist up as their banner forever? Is there not one person on the left who understands true science? Here are the unpleasant facts - THE CLIMATE ON PLANET EARTH IS ALWAYS CHANGING! We can burn natural gas. Heck, we can still burn some coal or oil. It won't matter. 

Cheer up Minneapolis. Pennies do rain down from Heaven (maybe). If they don't, there is not enough tea in China to pay for what Minneapolis needs to have done. But who cares? Kate will spend your money faster than you can say, "climate hoax".

    

What is it going to take?????

"The latest kerfuffle is the tape that described Joe and Hunter getting a $10M kickback from Burisma in Ukraine. While this just became another exhibit in the Republican's growing list of exhibits, the Democrats once again, blew it off."

Ladies and gentlemen, I will now tell you something about as shocking as saying the sky is blue or the water is wet. Your government is corrupt. How corrupt? Right down to the core. We thought we had a problem during Watergate. That was child's play compared to what we have today. How so? The cabal of the DNC, the lapdog media, and now the DOJ, has rusted out the foundations of our Republic. We are holding on by our fingernails right now. Trying to keep our government held together with spit and chewing gum. And even that is not working well.

Joe Biden, Hunter Biden, and the entire Biden family is corrupt. They fit into the Washington corruption like a hand into a glove. The latest kerfuffle is the tape that described Joe and Hunter getting a $10M kickback from Burisma in Ukraine. While this just became another exhibit in the Republican's growing list of exhibits, the Democrats once again, blew it off. "No - you just got the translation wrong", the Democrats responded with. "You guys will do anything to get at the Bidens".

And there you go. Other than Fox and a couple of other venues, the lapdog media is just like "Silent Sam" on each of these allegations. And the DOJ? Are they going to investigate this? Of course not. They are part of the "team". It is only iconoclasts such as RFK Jr. who dare to question. The rest of these rubes just fall into line. One of the team lies, and the rest of the team swears to it. Lies, corruption, and filth.

The decline in Joe Biden over the past two years has been beyond noticeable. The Democrats will do anything possible to prop him up to last long enough to face Trump in 2024. This shell of a man, this "Old Yeller", this historically bad President, is now predicted to beat Donald Trump by 7 points in 2024. That is from Drudge this morning. In other words, what Drudge is reporting, a corrupt, dementia-riddled career politician, will beat Donald Trump by a wide margin in 2024. If this is true, we either have a corrupt voting system, or the world's biggest morons living in this country.

Why is RFK Jr. catching so many people's attention? He is a throwback. An anachronism. A vision of things that were once normal. Today, however, RFK Jr. fits into this Democrat Party like a misfit. The DOJ looks NOTHING like it did when his father was the AG. 

Welcome to today Mr. Kennedy. You are now a stranger in a strange land. What was good in your youth, is now bad. What was bad, is now good. Good luck going forward sir. Welcome to a world stranger than the Planet of the Apes.       

How dare he!

"The Democrats are not taking RFK Jr. way too lightly. That will be to their peril. With Biden not knowing if it is Tuesday or Thursday, listening to Kennedy, bad voice and all, is a breath of fresh air."    

The nerve of this guy! What a turncoat! A traitor! A disgrace to his long-dead Father, who to many, is still revered as an American hero. Yes, RFK Jr. Oh, the nerve of this man! First, he has the audacity to challenge the stumbling and bumbling old man, Joe Biden. That was bad enough. RFK Jr. SHOULD be on the Biden re-election team, rather than trying to bounce Joe out of the White House. But then there is Junior's testimony on the Covid issue.

For years now, there has been talk of China trying to engineer a virus that would "pass over" Asian people. It would target Caucasian and African American people. Whether this is true or not, it has been in the rumor mill for some time now. Was Covid-19 a dry run? Funny, at the beginning of this thing, only 5,000 people had died in China. Meanwhile, it was going through Europe and the United States like a hot knife through butter. 

What does this have to do with RFK Jr.? He too, is wondering what Covid-19 really was. An accident, or the weaponization of a virus. But the fact he would mention this, and broadside to the Doctor all Democrats love to fawn over (Fauci), was too much for many. HOW DARE HE? That is not the party line! Now he is sounding more like Rand Paul, than a loyal Democrat. 

I will tell you what I figured out about Robert Kennedy Jr. He is a Democrat all right, but he is a Democrat who got caught in a time tunnel. Listening to him talk about a great many issues, he sounds nothing like Biden or one of his socialist minions. It is almost refreshing to hear a Democrat sound like the opposition party instead of a rag-tag group of America haters. There are many on my side of the aisle who might never vote for Kennedy, but still find him refreshing.

My opinion, for what it is worth on Covid-19. Is it possible that China could have weaponized a virus to be targeted? That Covid-19 was only a dry run or an accidental release of a virus that was not ready yet? Absolutely, yes. I think China has played us for years. They played Obama, even Trump, and for sure, Biden. China is the new "evil empire". 

The Democrats are not taking RFK Jr. way too lightly. That will be to their peril. With Biden not knowing if it is Tuesday or Thursday, listening to Kennedy, bad voice and all, is a breath of fresh air.    

 

 

  

Goodbye, Hollyweird...

"Goodbye, Hollyweird. I would like to say it was nice knowing you. But we hardly knew you - and what you became. Now, go lay down and die. Join the dustbowl of history. And if you want, do it in a dramatic fashion."    

Let me first say this - I love it when socialists argue amongst themselves. It is rich entertainment. And as most of us know, some of the biggest lefties, the most stringent socialists, live and work in Hollyweird (once known as Hollywood). The fact that the writers and actors are acting in solidarity, and striking the major production companies in tandem, puts a smile on my face. Why? Because Hollyweird has become corrupt. A bottomless pit of scum. It is nothing like the Hollywood of old. 

Okay - when did this substantial change start in Hollywood? Some say it started in the beginning when many of the creative types left New York and migrated to southern California. Better weather for making movies. I have another take on this. Hollywood has always "pushed the envelope". Minor changes, not momentous changes in the beginning. For example, swearing in movies was ALWAYS a no-no. Then came Gone with the Wind, when Clark Gable at the end of the movie said, "Franky my dear, I don't give a damn". GASP! What did he say?

Then some "damns" or hells" made it into the Hollywood lexicon. That was acceptable swearing (I guess). It was not too vile using that language. Things were fine until 1968 when the movie Bullitt came out. Steve McQueen (do I ever miss him), at the end of the movie, uttered the now infamous word - "Bullshit". GASP! Have we hit another level of invective? 

After McQueen swore in Bullitt, it was "anything goes". Nudity, foul language, salacious and lascivious behavior - it was Sodom and Gomorrah on the movie screen, live and in color for all to see. The more it could push the envelope, the better. Thus came the absolute corruption of a once fine industry.

But with every Ying, there is a Yang. Many of the "Normals" who live in this country were clamoring for something else. Family values. Wholesomeness. Christian values. Disney had it for a while. Then Disney went "Woke" and is now going broke. Now we have Pure Flix and Angel Studios in the mix. Good wholesome movies. Many of them are faith-based. No swearing. No nudity. Movies the entire family can watch together. GASP! Do you mean like in the 1950s and early 1960s? Yes.

Movies like The Jesus Revolution and Sound of Freedom are shaking the very foundation of Hollywood. They are change agent movies. They are bringing God back into the equation. Some think if this Hollyweird strike goes on until winter, it will be the death of the current regime in Hollyweird. It will bring back the real Hollywood. The town we all loved to see. Giving us movies that were pure and wholesome to watch.

Goodbye, Hollyweird. I would like to say it was nice knowing you. But we hardly knew you - and what you became. Now, go lay down and die. Join the dustbowl of history. And if you want, do it in a dramatic fashion.    

As empty as Mother Hubbard's Cupboard

"Where do we go from here? Can we continue to help Ukraine if our supplies are this low? Can we help Taiwan if China attacks them? Do we have enough stuff to fight off Canada if they attack us? We are in trouble folks. Deep, deep trouble. The "Great Reset" has reset us on a course to mayhem."  

Wow! What a revelation the news this morning! Subject? Our readiness (militarily). Not only are we not making our recruitment goals, but we are also running out of some particularly important munitions. Seems that when Uncle Joe let the cat out of the bag (so to speak), about the status of our 155mm artillery shells, he was telling the truth (a rare moment for sure). Is that serious? Only if you are going to fight a war.

Unless we "put the metal to the pedal", it will take five years to replenish our 155mm artillery shells. Or it could take seven years. But that is only part of it. It will also take almost 10 years to replenish our Javelin anti-tank missiles. How about eighteen years to replenish Stinger missiles? Wait a minute! How could this happen? Is nobody "watching the store"? Short answer - no.

Lloyd Austin, who is terrible as our Secretary of Defense, is so busy looking for "White Supremacists", getting pronouns right, and teaching diversity, inclusion as well as other bs, he has allowed our readiness to dwindle. Not enough troops, not enough bullets. Somebody should have told Secretary Austin what the military is for. Bluntly speaking, it is to break things and kill people - if needed. 

It did not take long to see what Biden has done to our military. We saw it in Afghanistan. We left billions of dollars of OUR military equipment on the ground, just waiting for the Taliban to take it. We left the blood of thirteen brave servicemen and women on the ground during our botched retreat. Plus, we left Americans, friendly Afghans, and women who will soon be subjected to being second-class citizens, once again. Well played, Lloyd.

Think China is watching? How about Taiwan? Not only are we running out of stuff, but much of what we promised to Ukraine and Taiwan is way, way late in being delivered. What have we learned about this huge snafu? Warfighting is a grownup business. It is not for kids or ideologues. If you are going to commit this country to help other countries fight off aggressors, you better know what you are doing. This clown car we have in Washington right now does not know if it is Tuesday or Thursday half the time. Heck, they don't even know what a man is, or a woman is.

Where do we go from here? Can we continue to help Ukraine if our supplies are this low? Can we help Taiwan if China attacks them? Do we have enough stuff to fight off Canada if they attack us? We are in trouble folks. Deep, deep trouble. The "Great Reset" has reset us on a course to mayhem.  

 

Oh, Canada - Why, Canada?

 

"Let's face facts. The good people of Canada are more like us than anybody else is. They look like us, talk like us (sort of), and have similar values. I know, for some reason they took a walk on the wild side when they elected Castro's kid as their PM."

Did you smell the smoke the past couple of days? Is the smoke coming down from Canada (again)? Is this going to be our future, that every year when it is a bit dry, the poorly managed forests in Canada go up in smoke? What is wrong with that country? I know, I know. When they look at Old Yeller (our President), they wonder the same about us. 

Oh, to go back in time to the War of 1812. We tried to annex Canada back then, but the British stopped us. I have often thought to re-draw the map of the United States, we would have all the land from the Gulf of Mexico up to the Arctic Circle. However, one exception. I would also have the entire Baja Penisula belong to the USA. All the way down to Cabo.

Let's face facts. The good people of Canada are more like us than anybody else is. They look like us, talk like us (sort of), and have similar values. I know, for some reason they took a walk on the wild side when they elected Castro's kid as their PM. Like us, they have a bunch of liberals in Canada who need to be shown the better way. But many of the folks in the interior of Canada, are just as freedom-loving and God-fearing as our midwestern folks are.

When I was in the Navy, we had an agreement with the Canadian Forces to work together in the profession I was in. I got along simply fine with our Canadian friends. I would tease them, but no more than I teased the Marines who also worked with us. The Canadians would tease us back, and it was all in genuine fun. But when it came to doing the job, they were particularly good.

One more thing about Canada and why they should be a part of us. NATO. They are terrible at pulling their own weight in NATO. Every year, they are way under the 2% goal of GDP for defense. I put that all on Casto's kid. This guy is a goofball. An ideologue. He needs to go back to Cuba.

Speaking of Castro's kid, and the socialists in Canada who follow him - what is up with doctor-assisted suicide? This is making Canada look more like Europe all the time. And what do the faith leaders in Canada have to say about this? Are there any faith leaders in Canada remaining? Watch out America - we might be next! 

Finally, have you noticed where most Canadians live? Bunched up right next to the United States. They might as well be a part of us. We could help them quite a bit. Like, how to manage their forests better. Where Canadian fires would be rare, rather than common. Just an idea - but maybe an idea whose time has come.    

 

 

Student loans - redux...

"Welcome to the world of Joe Biden. Better known these days as "Old Yeller". He is a man who has no regard for the taxpayer. No regard for the rule of law. No regard for his seventh grandchild. He is a piece of work."  

You must give Old Yeller and his merry band of socialists some credit. They never give up, no matter how unconstitutional their quest may be. Just two weeks after the SCOTUS slapped Biden down for doing a no-no with the student loan forgiveness plan, Slow Joe is trying to do an end-around run. 

Biden's so-called Education Secretary, Miguel Cardona (who himself is a piece of work), announced the new plan. What I am about to quote to you, did not come from the Babylon Bee. Seriously, it did not. Cardona is quoted as saying, "By fixing past administrative failures, we are assuring everyone gets the forgiveness they deserve."  They deserve? What about the people that were responsible and paid off their loans? Not only their student loans, their car loans. Their mortgages. Where is their forgiveness, since we now know forgiveness is something we all "deserve"?

I know, I know. I need to ask the question most of us have been asking. Does Biden have ANYONE who is normal and works in his cabinet? I mean, this cabinet is a "who's who" of misfits. Most of them don't have a clue about how to do their job. All of them, do not understand our Constitution. 

This new scheme on how to defraud taxpayers will go down in flames. Trying to be too cute by half, this new "forgiveness" will only apply to those who have been paying on their student loans for 20 to 25 years. 20 to 25 years? For the love of Pete, are they only paying a dollar a week? Only mortgages take that long! 

When this gets struck down, Biden will again blame MAGA Republicans. This term, which Biden would love to turn into an invective, is really another way to say, "responsible patriots who love America". But not in Biden's world. He wants anyone who disagrees with his socialist agenda to be a "J6 insurrectionist". 

Welcome to the world of Joe Biden. Better known these days as "Old Yeller". He is a man who has no regard for the taxpayer. No regard for the rule of law. No regard for his seventh grandchild. He is a piece of work.  

Seeing America - bit by bit

"Then what exactly is an RV summer? It is your home away from home. It is seeing new people, doing new things, and most of all - relaxing. Are we good at this RV thing yet? No, but we are learning new stuff every time we use it. And that - is the name of the game." 

I have mentioned this before. When I was in the work-a-day world, I traveled a lot. Did I mention "a lot"? My joke was I had become very good at recognizing clouds from the top down. I traveled over a million miles just on NWA alone. And that was only one of the many airlines I flew. It was fun for the first 20 years, tolerable for the next 10 years, and dreadful after 9/11. When I retired, I still wanted to travel, but I wanted to see the clouds from the bottom up.

When I retired, my wife and I did our share of travel. Mostly by car (truck), and some by cruise. It was good, lots of novel places. But staying in motels and eating out all the time gave me flashbacks of my flying days. That is when we decided to take a trip off the wide side and join the RV generation.

Were we a bit old to jump into this pool for the first time at our age? Oh, yes. At least, that is what we thought. However, when the oceans of different RVs and others pull into the campground, there is simply a collage of people. All ages, all sizes, from states near and far. What are they driving or pulling? You name it. Just when we think we have seen it all, comes another camping vehicle which we have not seen before. 

We have met part-timers, seasonals, weekend warriors, and the granddaddy of them all - the full-timers. The full-timers are nomads who go from state to state, climate to climate, from mundane locations to vibrant tourist attractions. They own nothing, save for the stuff they can shove in their RV. 

With all the travel I have done, with all the family vacations we had when the kids were young, and all the travel my wife and I did once retired, this RV thing is a horse of a distinct color. Is it fun? So far, yes. Interesting? Very much so. But the bonus is seeing America, bit by bit. Talking to others who are fresh off the trail of seeing other parts of America. 

But what about motels and restaurants? What about them? They are okay for a while. But to be in your own domicile with wheels, cook your own meals either on the grill or in the RV kitchen - now that is fun and different. 

Then what exactly is an RV summer? It is your home away from home. It is seeing new people, doing new things, and most of all - relaxing. Are we good at this RV thing yet? No, but we are learning new stuff every time we use it. And that - is the name of the game. 

Once upon a time in America...

"Our generation had it so good (not with money, but with hope). Will those days ever return? Probably not. All we have is our memories. Lots and lots of good memories." 

Ever wish you could go back in time? Revisit the days of yesteryear? Not from a position of regret, so you could live some days over and fix some mistakes. I mean just soaking in what was considered normal back then. Like Ritchie in Happy Days. I yearn for those days. The days of hope and wonder, rather than some snake oil salesman peddling "hope and change". We got the change alright and lost our hope while doing it.

But back to the past. How about the 1960s? That was the decade I graduated, I dabbled in college and went into the service. Life was good back then. I would get up in the morning, watch my dad head off to work, have a quick breakfast, and go off to school. School back then was good. No fights, no crime, no drugs. Just learning and having fun doing it. After school, if I did not have play practice, I would go to work at Montgomery Wards. It seemed like half of my classmates worked there. It was fun, and I earned some "walking around money" also.

Were there some problems? Sure. The anti-war kerfuffle. Drugs just starting to creep into the picture. But putting that aside, life was exceptionally good. Lots of friends, lots of fun, lots of learning in school. Without the problems we have today. I graduated from high school, as most of my friends did - a virgin did not smoke and did not drink. And drugs? No way, Jose!

Kids were polite to each other. We were polite to adults. We were polite to our teachers. We all had our schedules and our dreams. College, and/or service, or trade school, get married, have kids, buy a nice house in the suburbs. Quite frankly - most of us wanted to be like our parents. Why is that? We looked up to our parents as the greatest generation. And that they truly were!

I feel for kids these days. Guns, drugs, anxiety, depression, and so forth. Some teens look at the future and decide to take the other way out - suicide. This is not fair. Our generation had it so good (not with money, but with hope). Will those days ever return? Probably not. All we have is our memories. Lots and lots of good memories. 

The good, bad and ugly for today

"There is more, much more. But this is it for the day."

I think it is time to look back and take a snapshot of what is going on in our world. Some things are good, some things are not so good, and some things are terrible. So, here we go!

Good  

• Sweden finally becoming a member of NATO. Took forever with a very stubborn Turkey holding things up, but it is now going to happen. Sweden has a small but mighty military. They are ready to go and fully funded. They will be an asset to NATO.
• The movie, Sound of Freedom, is finally shining the light of truth on international child trafficking. It is about time.

 Bad 

• Seems that Uncle Joe let the cat out of the bag a few days ago. Most of us knew this already. We are running very low on 155mm artillery shells. So low, that if China invaded Taiwan right now, we would be in trouble. The war in Ukraine has really sapped our resources. What can we do? The Defense Production Act allows us to accelerate production of needed weapons. The DOD is trying to increase production by 500% over the next two years
• Our southern border remains a mess. Biden has done nothing to fix it. Mayorkas is just as bad. We have millions of unvetted aliens from all over the world, just marching right across our southern border. How many are bad actors? We will find out when it is too late. Both Biden and Mayorkas should be impeached and then tried for treason over this mess.
• Want to buy a house? The rate is now 7% for a fixed mortgage. Why so high? Because our inflation is still not under control. Why is inflation still high? Because of Joe Biden and his Democrats. Right now, Biden's approval is lower than whale dung. Can we fix this? Maybe after the next election.
• What to go green? Guess what? Most of the technology still resides in China. So do the manufacturing plants for batteries, solar panels, and so forth. This entire thing has been bs. We are not ready for "green" as yet. Our power grid is not ready for it. China will get rich, and we will get poor. 
• Seen our education results as of late? Our kids continue to slide into mediocracy. With all the money we send to the corrupt teacher unions, the results are abysmal. 

 Ugly 

• This is about as ugly as it gets. We have a corrupt government. If you have not seen that over the past few years, your eyes have been shut. Our FBI, DOJ, and White House are corrupt. Joe Biden is very corrupt. Just look at what has happened (or not happened) to Hunter Biden. Our next President needs to clean out this toilet. Until that happens, and we have one standard of justice again, we will remain corrupt. 
• The Biden Crime Family.

 There is more, much more. But this is it for the day.

Cluster bombs, or just a cluster?

"Just another day in Biden's America. As we tiptoe on the fine line between being a munitions supplier or a participant. Once Putin thinks we are more participants than suppliers, get those 1960 bomb shelters ready. Why? The ship will have finally hit the sand."    

Cluster bombs. Nasty instruments of war. Their mission? Like most other weapons - to kill or maim. So, what is the big deal about using cluster bombs to kill Russians? I mean, the Russians are using them. Many countries have banned them. Why? Collateral damage. There is a term called the "dud factor". That means that not all the bomblets go off. Some are left laying on the battlefield, appearing to be inert. But some are not. Some are still very dangerous and can go off if handled. 

Back to the "dud factor". It is reported that the Russian cluster bombs have a very high "dud factor". Ours do not (as it is reported). Ours is low (I have heard less than 4%), so the collateral damage using ours will not be as high as the Russian cluster bombs. But both Russian cluster bombs and our cluster bombs will be dropped on Ukrainian soil. Where after the war is over, unexploded bomblets can be picked up by innocent kids.

Okay, so what is up with the "cluster"? Tit for tat, right? Russia uses them, so we can supply them to Ukranian forces. Hold on for a minute. Biden's spokesperson was asked a year or so ago about Russia's use of cluster munitions. Red responded by saying "That could be a war crime by Russia". The UN Human Rights Commission is already looking into Russia's use of cluster munitions. So now here we are, getting ready to use the same munitions that Russia is using. I guess that two wrongs do make a right in the world of Biden.

The war in Ukraine is now at the 500-day mark. Even though this war has been going on for a long time, and hundreds of thousands of people have died, this war will end. Either that, or Biden will poke the Bear so hard, it will end up in WW III. Assuming this war will end with a whimper and not a bang, there will be thousands of unexploded bomblets all over Ukraine. Some will be from us; most will be from Russia.

Just another day in Biden's America. As we tiptoe on the fine line between being a munitions supplier or a participant. Once Putin thinks we are more participants than suppliers, get those 1960 bomb shelters ready. Why? The ship will have finally hit the sand.    

Are kids being targeted?

"It is time to stand in the gap folks. Time to start calling people out. Time to protect our kids and grandkids. The battle is real. The struggle is real. The stakes are high."    

Question - what movie just knocked Indy Jones out of first place? Sound of Freedom, starring Jim Caviezel. What is it about this movie which has made it the surprise hit of the summer? Trafficking. Child trafficking. This is big business worldwide. And it is sick. It is a sick business, managed and participated in by sick people. This movie, which is based on a real-life character, is about to blow the lid off this despicable practice. 

Yesterday in the devolving land of Minnesota, there was a drag queen event in Chaska. A drag queen named "Miz Diagnosis" wanted to "spread some LBGT love amongst the little ones in Chaska". Some showed up to protest this event, and others brought their kids. Brought their kids? What on earth for?

I sense a great awakening here. For a long time now, the pedos and traffickers have been operating under the radar. No longer. It is time to shine the light of truth on all the filth which is being peddled as "normal" or "truth". Time to call it what it really is.

The Holy Bible calls this out very plainly in Luke 17:2 -

It was better for him that a millstone was hung about his neck, and he was cast into the sea, than he should offend one of these little ones.  

What does this really mean? This is NOT OK to mess with our kids. To expose them to the filth of the world when they are small is sick and wrong. And then, to make matters worse, to take them against their will, and turn them into sex slaves. Taking young kids to see a "pride parade" where men and women are cavorting around either fully naked or partially naked is also not okay.

Are our kids being targeted? Every day they are. TV, internet, Teacher Unions, sex books - it is endemic. If keeping our kids safe means taking them out of government schools, then maybe that is the path forward. 

It is time to stand in the gap folks. Time to start calling people out. Time to protect our kids and grandkids. The battle is real. The struggle is real. The stakes could not be higher.    

Climate change, all over again

"But - if Elon Musk thinks we can make Mars livable, we certainly can make our country livable. But part of the livable thing might be moving out of the desert southwest, and back up north."

Fact # 1 - Our climate is changing. Fact # 2 - The climate is always changing. Fact # 3 - Some climate change may be due to mankind - or not. Fact # 4 - The climate is bigger than all of us. Not much we can do about it.

What does all this mean? Hold on to your hats. Global warming? Not quite. We are still in an ice age (according to geologists) and will be another fifty million years to go. To really get technical, our current ice age is called the Quaternary and has been defined by alternating periods of glaciation and interglacial warming. 

Those nutballs, like Joe Biden, who think we can alter this mega system of climate, are fools. Here is the part to come to grips with. Since we can't stop the climate from changing, we need to be smart about what to do about it. For example, if you have read the national news as of late, you will know the mother of all heat waves is getting ready to settle in over Arizona, New Mexico, and California. This might be the way things will be for years to come. What does this mean?  The allure of the desert southwest for snowbirds from the north might be coming to a screaming end - and soon.

We need to be smarter about our water. We get a whole bunch of rain in our country. Unfortunately, it does not fall in even amounts. Some areas are soaked, and other areas are drier than a bone. Having a smart way to divert that excess water to areas that need it seems to make sense to me. Relying on winter snows in the Rockies to feed the Colorado River with enough water to quench the thirst of the desert southwest - is no longer working well.

Climatologists believe the coming heat wave will take matters from bad to worse in the desert southwest. With Death Valley already seeing 126 degrees and Phoenix expecting 120 degrees, it will be beyond a scorcher. It will be deadly, especially to the elderly. I don't care if it is dry heat or not. Years ago, I went to Tucson in the summer while on business travel. It was brutal, just being outside when the temperature was 103 in the shade. I can't imagine what 120 would feel like.

Here is the bottom line for Biden and his cronies. With the coming heat which we will need to endure every summer, we will need energy and lots of it. The windmill thing will not be enough. The solar panels will not be enough. We will need nuclear, gas, coal, you name it. We will need it all. And one more thing Biden - wake up and smell the coffee. We can't make climate change better; we can't make it worse. Stop ruining our economy to fight this phantom beast. China and India are not worried about this - nor should we be.

Speaking of climate - other than being a bit dry this year, the temperatures are amazing. Most days are good days to get outside and enjoy this wonderful place we live in. But - if Elon Musk thinks we can make Mars livable, we certainly can make our country livable. But part of the livable thing might be moving out of the desert southwest, and back up north. Just saying...            

Kicking sand in our collective faces

"What is my point in all this blather this morning? When America is weak, and has a weak President, we get sand kicked in our collective faces. We have a President who does know if it is Tuesday or Thursday. He is slow to respond to everything." 

Some say we have devolved into being a "paper tiger". Others say that is an insult to paper and/or a tiger. Should I say it? We broadcast weakness all over the world. Our President, as well as his inner circle, is made up of quite a few Obama rejects. In other words, the "lead from behind" crew is alive and well and living in the Biden Administration. It was reported last week that Joe Biden's approval rating is as low as Jimmy Carter's was at this point in his first term. I was shocked. I did not think it was that high.

Want a case in point? Yesterday, we had another provocation with Russian fighter jets. Trying to harass or possibly down an unarmed drone over Syria. Our administration did warn Russia about the provocations demonstrated on the day before. We used the strongest possible language. We told Russia their pilots were using "unprofessional" behavior by harassing our drones. If Russia does not like it, a stronger letter will follow! I bet Vladimir is shaking in his boots! Meanwhile, Russia continues to kick sand in our faces. 

How about Iran? In the Straits of Hormuz? Capturing an oil tanker right under our noses. Did we kick some Iranian butt? Nope. For the Iranians to capture another country's vessel at sea in international waters, is piracy. Iran needs to be dealt with harshly. Wait a minute! Is this not the country that Biden wanted to get the JCPOA going again with Iran? The one where Obama gave the Iranians "pallets full of cash"? The one in which Trump killed the JCPOA right after he got into office? Are we serious? Do we want to dance with the devil once again? I think not!

Our citizens have been advised not to travel to China. Why not? The Chi Coms might arrest Americans and toss them in prison. It has happened before and could happen again. And this is our "valued" trading partner that Yellen is trying to seduce right now? Really? We need to de-couple from China, like yesterday. Why we are even talking with them, bowing down to them, is a mystery to many of us. Trump was right. We need to bring as much stuff back to America as quickly as possible.

What is my point in all this blather this morning? When America is weak, and has a weak President, we get sand kicked in our collective faces. We have a President who does know if it is Tuesday or Thursday. He is slow to respond to everything. His kid is still a crackhead and living in the West Wing. Meanwhile, Russia, China, and Iran are making us look like fools. Who is next? The North Koreans? Probably.

 

 

Time to get that big stick ready...

"Soon, either the Russians, the Chi Coms, or the Iranians will take this an inch too far. And then the United States (God willing), will respond in kind. Respond just short of some kind of provocation. Use the F-22 Fighters for the purpose for which they were built." 

Okay. Teddy is no longer around. But his will, his guts, and his determination remain with us. He was quite the leader. Ronald Reagan was kind of like him. Peace through strength. He took our military from almost third world to something which would make the Soviets shiver at night. How many Soviets did Reagan have to kill in eight years to keep the peace? Either zero or close to zero. Teddy had to kill some folks in the Spanish American War as one of the Rough Riders. But after the sinking of the Maine, the Spanish American War was a war and not a provocation.

Flash forward to today. The Russians are kicking dirt in our collective faces over Syria. Why? Beats me. We are sending drones after ISIS (also Russia's Enemy), and Russia is hassling our drones. Huh? Whatever happened to "the enemy of my enemy is my friend." I guess Russia missed that part of our history lesson. Russia is going after our unarmed drones in Syria. Brave move. But for some reason, unknown to anyone right now, Biden has also sent over a squadron of F-22 Raptors. The Russians have NOTHING which can compete with these bad boys.

Now, I am not a warmonger. That might come as a shock to some. But I have studied the Russians and the Chi Coms for decades. How many decades? About 5. Enough to know how these two countries operate. The Russians may not be a part of the Soviet Union anymore, and the Chi Coms may still be the Chi Coms, but I know how they think. And I know what they respect. 

Respect? What do they respect? The "big stick". With our current regime, it has nothing to do with the "big stick". Sure, we can send F-22 Raptors over to Syria or even close to Ukraine - but the Russians don't flinch, because they know we will do NOTHING. Our new motto should be "Mumble a lot and Carry a Twig". Seriously! The kind of crap the Russians are pulling on us as of late. And what do we do? Write them a nasty letter.

Soon, either the Russians, the Chi Coms, or the Iranians will take this an inch too far. And then the United States (God willing), will respond in kind. Respond just short of some kind of provocation. Use the F-22 Fighters for the purpose for which they were built. 

We are close to the final countdown on the clock of time. Soon, the battle for good vs. evil will happen all over the world. Read the Holy Bible if you don't believe it. But remember this - time is not your friend. Time to get out the big stick. Time to use our F-22 fighters. Time to be prepared.    

 

Our town without pity (or many fathers)

"Do you want to drive into downtown Minneapolis at night? Get car-jacked? Robbed? Shot at with fireworks? Shot at with a gun? Sucker punched and a victim of a 'beat down'?"

It is summertime. How are things going in our fine City of Lakes? Right now, the city leaders are on a high, since the so-called "Pride Month" was such a smash hit. And to top it all off, having TS here for the "Swifties" was wonderful! Now we have the "Taste of Minnesota" going on, and everyone seems to be on a sugar high. Are we all going to start to move back into Minneapolis now? Is it safe and sound? Not hardly.

Wait a minute! It must be safer to be downtown on the Fourth of July now since the Stone Arch Bridge was closed! Remember last year? The Stone Arch Bridge was the epicenter for all the mutts to shoot fireworks at each other (plus the cops). Here is the problem in a nutshell. The mutts, the fatherless young kids who are feral at night, just moved their location. Instead of causing mayhem on the Stone Arch Bridge, they moved over to Lake Calhoun. And there, the chaos continued.

Many of the people arrested or detained on the Fourth of July were kids. Kids? What were they doing out at night? Where did they get the fireworks? The guns? Is anybody in charge around here? When I was a kid (meaning under 18), most of our two-parent households kept a keen eye on us. The chances of us being out marauding and rioting at night were slim to none - and Slim just died. Today, however, with our plethora of dysfunctional (or non-existent) homes in Minneapolis, it is anything goes. And the police? They are target number one, to receive a face full of dangerous fireworks. 

We can dance around this issue like we have for decades now or face it full-on. Minneapolis, with its cadre of feral youth running wild, is nothing more than a training ground for future felons. However, since our Soros-funded DAs will not throw the book at these young thugs, they just sink deeper into the depravity of crime. Left untreated or unhealed, these young thugs have the strong possibility of either a jail cell or a pine box in their future.

Minneapolis. The city of Mary Tyler Moore. The City of Lakes. The Mill City. All good titles from yesteryear. Now it is our town without pity. Do you want to drive into downtown Minneapolis at night? Get car-jacked? Robbed? Shot at with fireworks? Shot at with a gun? Sucker punched and a victim of a "beat down"?

No thanks. I will stay in the outer "burbs" where we have some law and order. Is it perfect out here? No, but it is close. 

    

Bring on summer, part 2.0

"The second half of summer is now here. What are we focused on? More up north time. Minnesota sweet corn. Viking training camp. And the best of the best - the Minnesota State Fair."

Okay. I will be the downer this morning. Independence Day is now over. Summer Solstice is now over. Memorial Day is now over. We have gone from flood to drought, all in a matter of a few months. Now comes the Dog Days. And summer, 2.0.

The second half of summer is now here. What are we focused on? More up north time. Minnesota sweet corn. Viking training camp. And the best of the best - the Minnesota State Fair.

Soon, the schools will be back in session. Summer will be waning, and the dreaded "s" word might be heard for the first time - usually in the Western Rockies. Maybe if we are lucky, the early season snows will also blanket the Canadian Rockies. Why? To put out those dang fires. What takes the wind out of your sail (so to speak), on a beautiful summer day? Having an air quality index of over one hundred. If not from ozone, the AQI being over one hundred is usually from smoke. "Stay indoors - don't exert yourself". Wow - happy summer! 

This weekend, we did some RV camping by the St. Croix. After having an abnormally long hot and dry spell, the skies opened two days in a row. Lightening, wind, hail, heavy rain - it looked a lot like summer! For two mornings in a row, we woke up to damp grass and the air so crisp and clean, it was a pleasure to breathe. 

We are home for a short respite, and then on the road again. I was once again reminded of a gentleman from England I worked with when I was overseas. One day while having morning tea (I had coffee, thank you), he told me how much he envied us Yanks. Why? When he takes a summer "holiday", he flies across the pond and visits America. As soon as he lands, he rents a car and just drives. Where to? It did not matter. The point was he had the freedom to drive as far as he wanted to go. See sights he had only read about as a child.

One day, he looked me squarely in the eye and said, "Do you Yanks realize just how lucky you are? That you have this wonderful country to explore each day?" Yes, my British friend, we do realize how lucky we are. Lucky, and blessed to live here.