Digging a hole which can't be filled

"One thing we have learned from watching some of our highly paid pro sports players - no matter how much you make, if you spend more than you have, you will end up broke. Heads up citizens - that is the path we are on."  

It is after all - the money thing. It always is, always has been. Whose money, how much money, blah, blah, blah. The one question which NEVER seems to get asked is "Was it worth it?" Or what is the ROI on that billion plus expenditure we just spent? Most decisions come down to the question of "whose ox is gored". If not my ox, then who cares? But here is the rub - the money being spend in this country (via tax dollars) belongs to ALL of us. If that is the case, this drunken spending spree by Biden and his handlers during their final days should be offensive to all of us. But alas and alack - it is not.

Now before I hear a collective "so what?", let me first put things into perspective. Especially for those who like to keep their debts well managed. Because of our national debt of over $36T, each and every citizen owes $107,000 to pay it off. But because so many don't pay federal taxes, each taxpayer owes a whopping $272,000 to pay it off. Of course, if you throw in our unfunded liabilities into the mix, each citizen will own over $655,000. WOW! 

Money does matter. I think it is great that Trump and company are starting the DOGE initiative. Get rid of some of the fat and manure which has been layered into our national budget. Will that help? For a while. But as we all know, when you spend more than you make, a time of reckoning comes. Your credit score goes down. You cost to borrow goes up. Inflation goes up. Left unchecked, soon you need a wheelbarrow full of cash to buy a loaf of bread. 

Now I have to play Scrooge for a minute. The bill which passed last night, has over $100B for repair and restoration for those decimated by Hurricane Helene. Where is that money coming from? Our savings? Our checking? If you answered, "Just put it on the card", you win the prize. This is why so many Republicans voted against this bill. The "pay as we go" folks thought this was a personal afront. A betrayal. A violation of trust.

If this bill had $100B in federal offsets (like, from much of the manure than Biden has been spreading), 100% of the Republicans would have likely voted for it, and 100% of the Democrats would have voted against it. Then it would have died in the Senate. Even if it had passed the Senate, Biden would have never signed it.

Where does this leave us? Digging a hole which gets larger every year. Do we have needs to fill in 2025? Oh, yes. Don't get me started on some of the gaps we need to fill in our DOD to catch the Chinese and Russians. Our "Ponzi scheme" programs like Social Security and Medicare need to be re-worked for the next generation. If we don't, there won't be much left to re-work.

Donald Trump will have his hands full. Besides inheriting a gargantuan debt, he will need to "herd the cats" in the House and Senate. A daunting task for sure. One thing we have learned from watching some of our highly paid pro sports players - no matter how much you make, if you spend more than you have, you will end up broke. Heads up citizens - that is the path we are on.  

Oh crap! It's that governing thing again!

"How do I think this will end? The fiscal hawks will once again cave, and we will have a PORKULUS bill of some kind. Who will take it in the shorts? The taxpayers of course. They are the ones who will get stuck with the bill."   

Have I seen this movie before! You bettcha! Not only me, but also most of us reading this blog post. What are the Republicans good at? Ideas? For sure! Implementation of those ideas through governing? Not so much. Now here we sit, right before Christmas, with a broken government and a senile president. What else could possibly go wrong?

Here is a simple analogy on why some Republicans feel the way they do. My wife and I want to buy a new vehicle. It is a fancy one, so the payments (and extra insurance) would be about $1,000/month. We can't afford that vehicle unless we cut $1,000 from something else from our budget. Is that rocket science? No - it is kitchen table economics. Most of us do things this way - but not our government. There is no zero-sum budgeting - it is called debt financing, and now we are galloping towards 40T in debt. 

Every year we do this same stork dance. Wait until the end of the year and go into a full-fledged panic. The only way most Democrats and some Republicans will agree to an omnibus bill which will fund the government as well as shrimp on treadmills, is to load it up like Clark Griswald's Christmas tree. But this year, Congressmen like Chip Roy yelled "ENOUGH! What is the matter with Chip? Does he not want to help the struggling people in western North Carolina and Tennessee? Absolutely he does! But he wants offsets in the budget, so this does not end up in MORE DEBT.

Here is the rub. We have many in Congress who say, "Screw it - we will pay for it later" (and later never comes). And we have more and more "kitchen table" budgeters who want to pay as we go. With an evenly divided House and Senate, that leaves the year end funding looking like roadkill, with a broken government (again). 

Now everyone is mad at everyone else. The blame game has started, and Speaker Johnson might be on the verge of "throwing in the towel" or getting removed. I know it is easy to armchair quarterback, but I will do it anyway. It has been months since the storm which brought havoc to the western areas of Tennessee and North Carolina. As soon as we knew the gravity of the cost to repair and rebuild, Congress should have leapt into action. But they didn't. Too many vacations and doing mumbo jumbo to take care of this emergency. Put it off until year's end. So, here we are. The same place we always are at year's end.

How do I think this will end? The fiscal hawks will once again cave, and we will have a PORKULUS bill of some kind. Who will take it in the shorts? The taxpayers of course. They are the ones who will get stuck with the bill.   

The return of PORKULUS!

"Some think the most important thing in our new administration will be DOGE. I am one of those people. DOGE is something whose time has come. Are we too late? Better late than never."  

Old habits are hard to break. Especially the old habits which "stoke the ID" of the Congressional spenders. One would think that after this past election, with the STRONG message the voters sent to Washington, and the establishment of the DOGE to cut wasteful spending, the days of PORKULUS were over. I guess I was wrong. PORKULUS is back, and stronger than ever!

Here we are AGAIN, with the clock ticking down to midnight (on the night before Christmas), and the years' worth of work the Congress was supposed to have done - is not. What is the remedy? Load up a pork filled bill with everything from shrimp on a treadmill to the sleeping habits of the Dodo Bird. Instead of just focusing on emergency items (like helping the flood victims in North Carolina and Tennessee), this small bill grew to 1,500 pages and was a Christmas list for everyone. Goodies, goodies galore!

BUT - there is a new sheriff in town. And there are these two deputies who are in charge of DOGE. I guess many in Congress missed the message that we don't do POTKULUS bills anymore. In fact, Elon put out on X, Republicans who vote for this monster better prepare to get primaried in 2026. And Trump agreed with him. What is the lesson here? You can't cut spending and load up the government with a bunch of crap at the same time.

So now what? Here is what the next President wants to see. Emergency funding only, with a small CR which will take us out to when the new Congress is sworn in. Then by Inauguration Day, President Trump wants to see a final bill for him to sign. No more CR at that time - just a finished bill which is responsible (for a change). 

Oh my! Many in Congress will act like drunks who have taken "the cure" and have a bad case of the shakes. Speaker Johnson has his marching orders. Now to make sure his VERY SLIM Republican majority follows his cue. No more games, no more gambits. This is make or break time to see how well the Republicans can govern in the House. If they continue to look like "Democrat Light" Republicans, heads will roll, and people will be replaced. 

I have said this since I have been politically aware. Both the House and Senate have way too much time off during the year. And then when they are in session, they get bogged down on silly stuff. THE FIRST AND MOST IMPORTANT thing that the House needs to do each and every fiscal year, is the twelve pots of funding. Then get it over to the Senate to pass. For some reason, this comes under the way too hard category. But no more - this had got to be done!

Some think the most important thing in our new administration will be DOGE. I am one of those people. DOGE is something whose time has come. Are we too late? Better late than never.  

Maybe they ARE out there!

 

"Maybe when Trump is sworn in, more of the truth will be known. As for now, we will keep one eye on the sky and the other on our government. Both hold secrets which are not being shared."    

When did this all begin? Maybe in 1952, when we had the incursion into Washington DC airspace. When the UAPs did an ariel "dance" over the US Capitol Building. Or was it earlier? Like in southern Missouri or Texas? Or in the now famous "battle of Los Angeles". The bottom line is this - we have seen "things" orbs and lights in our skies for many, many years. But as of late, the proliferation of sightings has been off the chart. Does this have anything to do with the sudden avalanche of "drone" sightings? Unknown at this time.

Sightings have occurred in just about every state and every country in the world. In this country, in recent years, the most famous sighting was in Phoenix in 1997. A monster size "V-shaped" craft, emitting no noise, slowing slipped over the skies in Arizona. All the way to Pheonix and Tuson. It went low and slow, almost like it wanted to be seen. And it was seen by thousands of Arizona residents. What was it? One of ours? Doubtful. Or something from "out there". The mystery still stands today.

One might ask, does our government know about these things? Who controls these craft? Where they came from? Do they present a clear and present danger to the citizens? Good questions all. But as of late, there have been sightings of dozens, maybe hundreds of orbs, just floating in the sky. Or some orbs, acting like they are being controlled. What are they? Who controls them?

I am reminded by that old Navy saying right now - I feel like a mushroom. Why? I am fed crap and kept in the dark. I know the Biden government is especially good at subterfuge, but this is ridiculous. Something is going on in our skies right now, be they drones, orbs, UAPs, lights or whatever. And here is the bottom line - whatever is going on in our skies, IS NOT NORMAL. 

Years ago, I remember talking to a young lady I served with who was on a training session in Florida. She had her mother with her for this TAD, as it was like a vacation for her mom. One evening, my roommate and I invited her and her mother over to our trailer for drinks and snacks after work. As we were talking (it was very dark outside, as our trailer was on the beach close to the water), the subject of UFOs came up. All of a sudden, this lady and her mother got very silent. Why? They had witnessed one up close. Very close. And it still spooked them.

People who have seen a "something" never really come to terms with it. Until it is explained what they saw, it is very disturbing. What do I think? I think the American people are ready to know the truth, no matter what the truth may be. If we are being visited by aliens, demons, time travelers, or (the latest) - interdimensional beings - we want to know the truth. Even if what we are seeing (and photographing) comes from mass hysteria, we need to know. 

Maybe when Trump is sworn in, more of the truth will be known. As for now, we will keep one eye on the sky and the other on our government. Both hold secrets which are not being shared.    

Energy - Our "embarrassment of riches"

"Smart people know our future lies in leading the world in AI. Cold hard fact. What do we know about AI so far? Plenty, including this - to develop AI at the breakneck speed we need to, we need energy, and lots of it to run these AI data centers."

I remember as a young lad reading a story (fictional) about a rich man who wanted to see what life was like as a poor person. With great effort and a shoddy wardrobe, he bought at a discount store, he set out to perform his ruse. It was hard, as he had been wealthy all of his life. Bottom line - he failed. Why? He did not know how to act. All of his life, he had an "embarrassment of riches". It was hard to be something he was not.

Why bring this up? For the past four years, the United States has paraded around the globe as being a nation which is in need of more energy. Oh, we had tons of untapped energy, but we tried to dress up "poor" and beg dictators to supplement our growing energy needs. In just over a month, those days will be over - hopefully for good. We are going to parlay our "liquid gold" (oil and gas) as well as new and exciting energy sources, to be the most energy dominant country in the world.

I remember reading an article about how a civilization can evolve upward to the next step. It has everything to do with energy. For example, right now we are at a "zero" level. To get to the next level, we would need the ability to use every ounce of energy which comes from the closest star (our sun). That means, we would harness every type of energy which is available to us. Oil, gas, coal, nuclear, solar, wind (maybe), tidal, geothermal, and so forth. Guess what? This is what Donald Trump wants to do. Harness every source of energy which makes sense for us to use. Have so much energy, we would be an energy exporter.

One thing Biden and his handlers could not wrap their minds around, is this - with energy comes progress. With energy, comes wealth. With energy, comes growth. With limited energy, comes what we have right now - societal malaise. Donald Trump is going to turn this around on Day One. Just wait...

Smart people know our future lies in leading the world in AI. Cold hard fact. What do we know about AI so far? Plenty, including this - to develop AI at the breakneck speed we need to, we need energy, and lots of it to run these AI data centers. So much energy, people much smarter than I are saying we need to develop "mini nukes", which will do nothing except power that data center. Guess what? We have the technology to build these nukes right now. We just need government and the "greenies" to get the heck out of the way.

But what about the climate Nazis? What will they say? Who cares, is my response. If they could get their heads out of their posteriors, they would know this immutable fact - our energy production is getting cleaner and more carbon free every year. As Donald Trump has told us, we are entering our "golden age". We are ready to live in a period of an "embarrassment of riches". All this, thanks to our abundant resource of energy.      

Drones, droids, whatever!

"Watch out for gaslighting, subterfuge, and out and out lies during the next month. Team Biden are like caged animals who will do anything to vanquish the winning team. Why can't they go quieting into the night? Good question. Maybe you can get a straight answer from the not so straight Biden Press Secretary. Just saying..."  

Drones, droids and planes, oh my! Our government is insistent in telling us to "pay no attention to those droids" - I mean drones. Or planes. Or UAPs. When truth is hiding, that is when the conspiracy theories come out in waves. The one I like is Project Blue Beam. Fake an alien invasion so the current government can do something nefarious. Wait - what! The Biden government? Doing something underhanded in the midst of all this confusion? Oh, yes - and it is happening right now.

Joe Biden, who is no longer running the place, has been relegated to be the puppet on a string for a committee of haters. They want Biden to take the remaining time of his term to "scorch the Earth" before Trump gets sworn in. Things like giving more money to Iran. Make it much harder for Trump to control or neuter Iran once he takes over. Why in the world would Biden give our tax money to our enemy? Because in the eyes of the lefties running our government, the real enemy is Donald Trump.

Are some of Biden's shenanigans making the news cycle? Not many, as everybody seems to be looking skyward these days. Like - what are those things? Some in the government told reporters they are only planes, coming in for a landing. Or they are privately owned drones, just sightseeing. Or are they from another country? Our government says NO. But if they ALL belong to citizens of this country, who are they? Meanwhile, the cabal running our country right now has convinced three lifetime appointed leftie judges, who were retiring - to unretire. Why? Make things harder for the enemy Trump.

My advice to the news reporters is to ignore the drones, droids or planes in our skies. Why? To quote an iconic Star Wars line - "These are not the droids you are looking for". Focus not on Trump's cabinet picks, focus not on the skies - focus on the treachery which is going on in Washington right now.

This churlish and childish behavior of Team Biden reminds me when G.W. Bush was getting ready to take the oath. Team Clinton was busy removing the "W" from all the typewriters, just to make it harder on the incoming team. Why? Team Clinton hated Bush for beating (by a whisker) ALGORE to be our next POTUS.

Watch out for gaslighting, subterfuge, and out and out lies during the next month. Team Biden are like caged animals who will do anything to vanquish the winning team. Why can't they go quietly into the night? Good question. Maybe you can get a straight answer from the not so straight Biden Press Secretary. Just saying...  

Broken Arrow?

"The federal government keeps telling the citizens not to worry - there is no national threat here. Okay, we will bite - then what are they? All of a sudden, there is silence on the line. Nil heard. Nada." 

By this time, most of us have heard them all. All what? All the theories as to what in the world is going on in the skies. I have heard they come from a "mother ship" from Iran, just off the East Coast. I have heard they come from China. Or Russia. Maybe from the Planet Zork. The federal government keeps telling the citizens not to worry - there is no national threat here. Okay, we will bite - then what are they? All of a sudden, there is silence on the line. Nil heard. Nada. 

But yesterday I heard a theory which was much different from the others. Plausible? Maybe. Because these drones seem to be following some kind of grid, maybe there is a purpose. Maybe there are our drones. Maybe they are NEST (Nuclear Emergency Support Team) drones, with NEST "sniffers" on board. Maybe they are up every night because we have a Broken Arrow. (Broken Arrow is the term used for missing nukes). 

Thinking about it, if this were true, the government for sure would want to keep this under wraps. The panic it would cause folks to know the government is looking for a lost nuke which might be in their neighborhoods, would be off the charts. Or, if they are not looking for nukes, maybe it is some other kind of WMD which they can "sniff out". In any event, it might be the reason for all this clandestine behavior by the federal government.

As a side note, on the news this morning there were interviewing some man who sees these drones most every night. He said the other night, he saw one which was huge - bigger than all the rest. When asked how big, he responded like this - "As big as a school bus". Wow! I sure would not want that flying over my house! 

Will there be an answer to this nightly puzzle or will this go on until Christmas. Or the New Year. In any event, it sure has sucked all the oxygen out of the news cycle. Drones, drones, drones - all we hear these days. The drones story even eclipsed the HUGE news of Navy beating Army yesterday - and that was HUGE NEWS! 

The waning days of Patsy Joe

"I, like most of us, have had it with this hapless old fool. He has done NOTHING good for this country. He has weakened us. Allowed wars to happen because of our weakness. The Chinese now have a larger Navy, the Russians have better hypersonic missiles, and the Iranians are on the cusp of having a nuke. Is it time for old Joe to go? Oh yes, it is - long past that time."  

Let's relive some recent history. Joe Biden was inaugurated in January of 2021. Right from the get-go, he opened our borders and shut down some of our fossil fuel industry. Cancelled the Keystone XL pipeline. Stopped the construction on the southern border wall. Stocked his cabinet with oddballs to look more a funny farm rather than skilled professionals.

But the real disaster in Biden's young administration happened on August 26, 2021. That is when the Afghanistan retreat happened. The Abby Gate disaster. That is when the world saw how feckless, weak and inept this new administration was.

From that fateful day forward, the world, as well as America, witnessed this old man, who would alternate between a whisper and a yell, slowly go downhill. And as Biden went downhill, so did the country. So did our military. Recruitment goals went unmet. Morale was low. Instead of teaching our warfighters how to kill people and break things, we taught them DEI and pronouns. It was a mess - a real hot mess.

On February 24, 2022, Russia lined up troops and tanks outside the border of Ukraine and then attacked. Was Biden able to talk Russia down from this audacious move? Nope. Putin just looked at Biden and snickered. After the Afghanistan debacle, Putin was emboldened. He knew that Biden was schooled in the Obama "lead from behind" strategy. All Putin needed to worry about was the Ukrainian people and their much smaller army. 

On October 7, 2023, Hamas violated a cease fire, came over the Israel border, and slaughtered over 1,000 innocent civilians. Thirty of those killed were Americans. Some were taken hostage. What did Joe Biden do? Nada. To date, we have had a handful of Americans still held hostage by Hamas. Donald Trump told Hamas if they were still being held hostage once he was sworn in, "all hell would break loose". Biden? He just took another nap. 

Now flash forward to January 28, 2023. As America foundered, the Chinese seized this opportunity to really test us. Brazenly, they flew a high-altitude spy balloon over our country. Did Biden send fighter jets up to immediately shoot this thing down? Did we tell the Chinese this was an act of war? Na - we just sat and watched it fly over most of the country. Then, once the damage was done - we shot it down. Big deal.

Now we have drones flying over multiple states. Does Biden know who they belong to? Maybe - but he is not saying. Once again, feckless Joe does NOTHING. Trump, on the other hand, said if he were POTUS, he would shoot them down. Maybe that is why whoever is controlling these things are doing it during the lull between administrations. Biden will do nothing, and Trump does not yet have the power to do anything.

Biden is doing something before he leaves. He is trying sell for pennies on the dollar, much of the steel Trump obtained to build the southern wall. Biden thinks he would screw Trump by doing this childish act. Wrong - he is only screwing the American taxpayer, as now Trump will have to procure more steel to replace the stuff Biden almost gave away. What an idiot!

I, like most of us, have had it with this hapless old fool. He has done NOTHING good for this country. He has weakened us. Allowed wars to happen because of our weakness. The Chinese now have a larger Navy, the Russians have better hypersonic missiles, and the Iranians are on the cusp of having a nuke. Is it time for old Joe to go? Oh yes, it is - long past that time.  

 

If or when disclosure comes

 

"All of this sounds good if the aliens are friendly. If they want to be trading partners, mentors, or whatever. But what if they are hostile? What if they are 1,000 years or more ahead of us in technology? What if they look at us as prey rather than friends? Where having us for dinner might mean something completely different than it does now?"

Some are thinking we are on the cusp of the long awaited "disclosure". I read an article not too long ago, where the author thought 2025 would be the year. It seems the later part of 2024, more and more UAPs and lights are being seen all over the globe. Is this the overture? Or just a coincidence? If we are close to meeting the real aliens (not the ones sneaking over our border), some questions have come to mind.

The old line from science fiction movies from long ago comes to mind. The alien gets out of his spaceship, comes across some Earthlings, and says, "Take me to you leader". Who would that be? Biden? Trump? The Pope? Putin? No - definitely not Putin! How about the head of the UN? Maybe not - the only question he might ask the alien is what his or her pronoun is. Or if the spaceship is "carbon neutral".

No, the best person to meet aliens for the first time to represent the human race might be Elon Musk. Why Elon? He probably thinks more like an alien than any of the rest of us. His eyes are on the stars, and how to get there as quickly as possible. And Elon would not be cowed by any alien. He would instead have a million or so questions.

All of this sounds good if the aliens are friendly. If they want to be trading partners, mentors, or whatever. But what if they are hostile? What if they are 1,000 years or more ahead of us in technology? What if they look at us as prey rather than friends? Where having us for dinner might mean something completely different than it does now? All we can do is hope they are friendly. If they are not, we are screwed.

Is the movie "Close Encounters" about to become reality? Putting the mysterious drones aside for a minute, the proliferation of UAP sightings should be a thing of concern. Or anticipation. Whatever it might be, my vote would still be for Elon Musk to be our ambassador. If anyone could communicate with the "others", Elon could. And he would probably sell them a Tesla during his first contact. 

 

The turning of the worm(s)

 

"Under Biden, his tent was only big enough for the circus - and the circus he had in his cabinet. Under Trump, the tent is big enough for anybody who wants to make this country great and greater still. I guess these are some of the byproducts you get once you stare down a sniper's bullet. Redemption. Forgiveness. And greatness."

Wait - what? What is going on here? Did we go to bed and wake up in an alternate universe? How could the most hated man in America (hated only by the socialists and RINOs), all of a sudden become the latest "thing". The man whom many of the big hitters on the left are now flocking down to Mar-a-Lago to visit and shmooze with. And what is up with the current First Lady? With her husband safely ensconced in the White House basement, Jill flew to France and sat by the incoming president. What was that look on her face? The look of "you know I voted for you, because I can't stand Kamala" look.

Oh my - the founder of Google was down visiting the Don this week. Looking for common ground moving forward. Offered to give Trump $1M towards the inauguration. Next week Bezos is going down to Florida to visit Donald Trump. Then Zuckerberg. All bearing gifts and offers of collaboration. Wait - were not these folks the ones who wanted to submarine Donald Trump? His arch enemies? It seems the worm(s) have started to turn. These captains of industry know where the winning team resides. And they know who can help them or hurt them.

Even Gretchen Whitmer has made it known she wants to work with the incoming President. WHAT? She hates Trump! Or should we say, she "hated" Trump. Now she knows that Trump might be more popular in Michigan than she is. And to fight Trump, might be her ticket out of office. So much for that cornerstone of the "Big Blue Wall".

And what in the world has happened to John Fetterman? Is this an aftereffect of his stroke? He is inches away from switching parties (the way he talks now a days) and could be a VERY important vote in getting Hegseth over the finish line. Even before the election, a change was in the air with Fetterman. What do we say about him? Come on over! This new tent is big enough for even you, Johnny!

Some think that DOGE is the thing which is drawing bees to honey these days. That this new initiative is something which is sorely needed. But let's go beyond that one new position in Trump's new cabinet. It is Donald Trump which is drawing the bees to honey. Donald Trump who has learned how to "blur the lines" in order to Make America Greater Again. 

Under Biden, his tent was only big enough for the circus - and the circus he had in his cabinet. Under Trump, the tent is big enough for anybody who wants to make this country great and greater still. I guess these are some of the byproducts you get once you stare down a sniper's bullet. Redemption. Forgiveness. And greatness.

  

Disclosure or distraction?

"I told my wife before we left for a Christmas gathering last night, I cannot remember a time in my life where our government has been more flummoxed. Dazed and confused. Or is this just an act? Does our government really know exactly what is going on, but for reasons which escape me, won't tell?" 

The mystery deepens. Yesterday, as the drones continue to make patsies out of our American government, a couple things of note happened. First, one congressman who serves on some important subcommittees came forward and revealed what is happening. And it is not good. His words - "A mothership from Iran, which was supplied to them by China, is off our coast right now, loaded with intelligence gathering drones. This is where the drones are coming from. I can't reveal my source, but I know this is accurate." As soon as the DOD got wind of this bit of data, they denied it - "Nope. Not happening. We still don't know what they are."

Then, Governor Phil Murphy of New Jersey called a meeting of the federal government, state and local government. A "let's get it solved meeting." The problem was this - nobody with answers showed up. Murphy did not show up, and this was his meeting. One state representative who drove two hours in the rain to attend this meeting, left the meeting after an hour. His words? The commute to get to and from this meeting, and the one hour he spent in in the meeting, was the biggest waste of five hours in his life. 

Not only do we not know a thing about these drones, but something else is happening in the background. The UAP (UFO) sightings worldwide have exploded. These "things" and lights are being seen all over the world, and they have really got people spooked. Is this the prelude to the long-anticipated disclosure? If so, are we ready for it? 

After the US Navy went through a partial disclosure after the close encounters some of the aviators had with the now famous "Tic Toc" crafts, this is what we were left with. "There is something out there, that are in our skies, but we have no clue as to what they are." Well, they are something. And they might be from the oceans, or the skies. They might be friendly aliens, or unfriendly aliens. Or, as some are suggesting, interdimensional time travelers. But whatever are behind these globes of light and/or craft - are not normal in our sense of the word norm.

Here are the questions I have. First - are the appearance of the nightly incursions of drones related to the proliferation of UAP sightings? Second - Why, between administrations, are these things appearing with amazing regularity? Why now? Third - Since drone technology is not new, why is it taking so long to determine who or what these things are? Why have we not shot one down? And please - no more bs about how we can't shoot one down as it might be an Amazon delivery.

I told my wife before we left for a Christmas gathering last night, I cannot remember a time in my life where our government has been more flummoxed. Dazed and confused. Or is this just an act? Does our government really know exactly what is going on, but for reasons which escape me, won't tell? 

No more secrets, no more games, no more intrigue. We need answers, and we need them now. Is all of this a distraction so we won't notice something else? Or is it the anticipated disclosure? In any event, many citizens are unsettled right now, at a time in the year when they should not be unsettled about anything.    

The mystery continues!

"What are they? Where do they come from? This is a mystery for sure. Meanwhile, there are folks in the Jersey area which have up to 30 drones, flying in formation, buzzing their homes each and every night. My solution? Wait until they are over a clear field and use a Stinger missile on them."

This is not a game anymore. Not that it was a game in the beginning. If you live in the New York City, or the New Jersey area and points south, getting "buzzed" by large drones (and many of them) at night is unsettling at best. But here is the thing which is even more unsettling - every time you complain to someone in local, state or federal government, they are as stumped about these things as the citizens are. Our government does not know if these drones belong to pranksters, truculent nations such as China, or even "out there" creatures, like the greys from Zeta Reticula.

As the saying goes, there is much more going on here than meets the eye. For example, Picatinny Arsenal. Seems to be one of the most favorite visiting places for these drones. A point of clarity about Picatinny - in my younger days, I did some work there. The company I worked for was trying to get under contract to build an indoor gun range. Not for 9mm target practice - rather "big guns", using new types of technologies. Very secret stuff. But today, I have no clue as to what is going on at the arsenal. Whatever it is, it is of no business of anybody who is not cleared to work there. 

Besides military areas, drones have been seen by power plants, water treatment areas, transportation hubs, and so forth. And most always at night. Lit up like Christmas trees. Here is the most commonly ask question - why can't we either shoot one down, or at least send up a copter to get closer to them? For some reason unbeknown to most of us, the government is just fine to be sitting on their hands and do nothing. And why is that? The plot thickens. But the attack of the drones continues, even last night. 

Some have suggested that it is Amazon, getting a "grid" ready for drone shipments. Others think it might be Google Maps, trying to get even more accurate sizing. I think both of those are weak at best. If they did belong to a big tech company, we would have known about it weeks ago. 

One sleuth who has been following these things, believes they are foreign in nature, and are being launched from a ship just off the coast. Their goal is to collect information. Kind of like the weather balloon which we were chicken to shoot down until it traversed the entire country.

What are they? Where do they come from? This is a mystery for sure. Meanwhile, there are folks in the Jersey area which have up to 30 drones, flying in formation, buzzing their homes each and every night. My solution? Wait until they are over a clear field and use a Stinger missile on them. Once we have one (or the wreckage of one) in our possession, this mystery will not be as mysterious.  

A case for a 51st state

"BTW - it is estimated there might be quite a bit of Rare Earth resources under Canada's portion of the Artic. Since China is playing games with us right now on how much of their Rare Earth materials they will sell us and for what price, having an alternate friendly source would really help."

Not to sound like a colonialist or expansionist, I am firmly in Donald Trump's camp when it comes to making Canada our 51st state. The only thing I disagree on is who would be the governor. Trump joked that Justin Trudeau might make a good governor. Sorry President Trump - Justin can go back to Cuba as far as I am concerned. He has run his course in Canada and most of the loyalists up north have had their fill of him. Other than that, I am all in on accepting Canada into our union. 

Some might ask, what in the world does Canada have to offer, other than miles and miles of nothing. To that I respond (to quote Bob Dylan), the times they are a changing. Since the Earth is in a warming period right now, much of the Artic which has been frozen and not accessible to most shipping, is now showing more open water. As such, China is showing more interest in those shipping lanes. But here is the rub - 25% of all the global Artic is owned by Canada. About 40% of Canada's landmass is Artic. And besides the strategic importance of having more northern waterways, there is a whole lot of rich minerals and energy resources under that ice.

We have some ties to the Artic by the fact Alaska is part of our union. Our allies in Europe also own some of the Artic. But to keep the Artic free and open from international bullies, Canada might have a hard time with its meager defense forces. To have the full force and fury of the United States protecting the northern front for Canada, it would help to be a part of us - that is US. Canada is rich in resources, and poor in leadership. And one more thing which is important to note - people in the United States and people in Canada are very hard to tell apart. Other than the somewhat odd way Canadians speak some words; we could be like twins.

From a selfish position, I will admit to this - I love Canada. I have served in an exchange program with some folks from the Canadian Forces while I was in the Navy. As a civilian, I have negotiated two separate contracts with the Canadian Navy. It is a beautiful country, loaded with scenery and resources. But it is a vulnerable country. Without the aegis of the United States, Canada would be low fruit on the tree for an invading country. What am I saying? Canada needs us and we need Canada. Could life be better for both countries if we became one? I think so - but that is only me talking right now.

BTW - it is estimated there might be quite a bit of Rare Earth resources under Canada's portion of the Artic. Since China is playing games with us right now on how much of their Rare Earth materials they will sell us and for what price, having an alternate friendly source would really help. Oh, and there is more of the "liquid gold" up there that President Trump keeps talking about. Just saying...

 

   

When the Bear comes a calling...

"Bottom line? NATO needs to fix and fund itself. Trump will have his hands full just fixing the mess that Biden has left him at the Pentagon. It is great the world has a new sheriff in town - we just need to make sure he has enough bullets in his guns." 

Donald Trump is at it again. Chiding NATO for not paying their agreed to dues. Dues? What dues? The agreed to (at a minimum), 2% of GDP on military expenditures. Some in NATO (like Poland), are way, way over the 2% threshold. Others, like Canada, are woefully short. Why is this important? Just look at Russia right now. Pounding the country of Ukraine into dust. And because Russia is running short on troops, the call for help went out to North Korea. Now we have NORKs fighting in Ukraine. Soon to be many more.

Ukraine would give their eyeteeth to be in NATO right now. It would sure be a different war. Maybe a world war. But they are not. Some of the other countries in NATO have stood up and taken notice. This could also happen to them. Having a strong deterrence is step one in keeping the big bad bear away. But the US (aka "Uncle Sugar") is not in the mood to fund the underfunded countries in the alliance. Not with Donald Trump as president. In fact, Trump is once again saying "pay up, or we might leave NATO". A bluff? I don't think so.

Sweden just joined NATO. They are under the 2% mandate. Finland who also recently joined - is fine. They are over the 2%. Until Russia gets a new government, who really wants to be on the side of civilization, we need to keep one eye on the bear each and every day. Would Putin like to go into Poland? In a heartbeat. He hates Poland, and Poland knows it. But they are ready for Russia - and will be more ready each and every day. Germany is the same way. France, not as much. They are just under the 2% requirement.

Many news feeds have reported on this. Recent intercepts from the CCP have revealed that China will be ready to invade Taiwan in 2027. That is right around the corner. Putin knows if and when that happens, the US will be all tied up in knots in the western Pacific. What a perfect time to make a play on NATO. With the reduction in our military thanks to Obama and Biden, there is no way the US can fight two wars at the same time. And Trump will not have enough time, even with a friendly Congress, to make up our military deficit by 2027. 

Why is the 2% so critical today? Because if push comes to shove with China, the Euro nations will need to stand in the gap ahead of Russia. That is just reality. But here is more reality. Keeping the nuclear genie in its bottle might be next to impossible should war break out between Russia and NATO. And if the nukes start flying around, it will be game over - for everybody. Putin may think a nuclear exchange is winnable for Russia, but it is not. 

Bottom line? NATO needs to fix and fund itself. Trump will have his hands full just fixing the mess that Biden has left him at the Pentagon. It is great the world has a new sheriff in town - we just need to make sure he has enough bullets in his guns. 

Drones, and UAPs, and lights - oh my!

"Now to really make this mystery even more mysterious, worldwide there have been a significant uptick in the number of UAP and unexplained lights seen by many. What is up with that?" 

Don't look now, but we are in the middle of a worldwide mystery. Almost like the kind of mystery the X-Files were made out of. All of a sudden, over the past few weeks, we have had a proliferation of drone sightings, most of which were flying over areas they shouldn't have. Restricted areas. Trump's property. Military bases. It is happening overseas also. Plus, these drones come in all shapes and sizes. Some small, some the size of a car, and one even larger than that! What are they? Who do they belong to?

Okay - this is bad enough. Maybe they belong to an unfriendly nation, like China or Russia. Maybe they are like the infamous Chinese "weather balloon", which we allowed to float over the entire country before we shot it down. Is there any reason on this green Earth why we have not shot one of these drones down to see who or what they belong to? No, we just allow them, night after night, to fly wherever they want to.

Now to really make this mystery even more mysterious, worldwide there have been a significant uptick in the number of UAP and unexplained lights seen by many. What is up with that? Are these the famous "Tic Tac" UAP's that our Navy chased? What is going on? Are these the new 6th generation fighters that the US or others are testing? Or are they from someplace else? All I know is this - the internet is full of stories and pics of these UAPs and lights as of late.

Here is where the strange gets even stranger. The UAPs, the lights, the drones, all seem to have an interest in military bases and nuclear power stations. Why? No clue. Are they related, other than the frequency of appearances? Again - no clue. The only thing we know for sure, is the government has admitted that we are sharing our skies with "something" - and the story ends there. 

Are there things happening within our government which should be shared with the public? Absolutely. And this could be one of them. Come February of next year, I fully expect our government to "come clean" with many things which have been kept under wraps for years. As one who has seen some of these unexplained lights up close and personal, I want to know what they are. Time for disclosure. 

 

The pain and/or pleasure of change

"During the next four-year administration, just about everything will change. By the time Donald Trump's term is up, besides the massive changes made to how government works, humanoid robots loaded with AI will be common. That will take some getting used to!" 

One company I worked at many years ago was going through a culture change. The department I worked in was ground zero for many of the changes to be made. Was the company in trouble? Was it going out of business? No and no. But - change was in the air, and we all needed to take part in it.

The lady I worked for, called all her managers together in a conference room. "From now on, we will all of us be agents of change. Look at everything we do and come up with a better way to do it." I knew somethings needed to change, but maybe not everything. Like a fool, I spoke up - "Maybe some things we are doing right now are already optimal, and don't need to change." Silence hit the room, and my boss looked at me like I had just spoken blasphemy. With an icy tone she replied, "Everything will change."

Why bring this story up from decades ago? I learned much about change that year. The pain and agony of change, as well as the pleasure gained from some changes. In this country, we are on the verge of some great and powerful changes. Not just from our runaway technology, but also a new administration, who has vowed to turn things upside down and shake them a bit. 

Many of the changes on the horizon (starting in January) will be wanted and needed. Others, who like stoic and static, big changes will be mind blowing and maybe even painful. Immediate changes will be like picking the low fruit off the tree easy. Like, having tens of thousands of government workers dedicated to DEI implantation. They will soon be gone. Having over 50% of the government workforce working from home, leaving many vacant buildings. People will be canned, and buildings will be sold. Billions of tax dollars will be saved. 

During the next four-year administration, just about everything will change. By the time Donald Trump's term is up, besides the massive changes made to how government works, humanoid robots loaded with AI will be common. That will take some getting used to! Self-driving cars will not be looked at as an oddity anymore. Riding in one will no longer be news - it will be almost normal. Our failing schools will change how they teach, and colleges and universities will look much, much different. 

By the end of this decade (a mere five years from now), SpaceX will have put a base on the Moon, and sent supplies up to Mars, to get ready for the next step in colonizing the Red Planet. Many jobs will be gone and done with automation, and new jobs will be popping up all over. Most houses will be loaded with technology and information will be at everyone's fingertips, 24 x 7. 

The question which begs to be asked is this - starting next month, and going out through December of 2029, will these changes give us pain or pleasure? In other words, if you hate and resist change, what will life be like for you? And by the same token, if you love change, what will life be life for you? The reason I ask that, is change is coming, and will be here before we know it. It will be fast and furious.

In the words of my former boss at my former company from many years ago - "Everything will change". Government, education, society - everything. Are we ready for it? Am I ready for it? I sure hope so!  

A new country, some new norms

 "America - in January we will have a new type of America with new norms. But this 'new' will be all good. America will be great again. And greater again. And healthier again. And stronger again. Are you ready for it? I sure am!" 

Hang on to your britches during this strong political windstorm folks - things are about to change. Like what? The projected trifecta. The red team having the White House, the Senate and the House. The good news is I read an article which showed the chances of the Republicans having control of the Senate for years to come is very good. Why? More red states than blue states, and now most of the Democrat Senators in red states have been vanquished. Gone. Now the bad news - the control of the House might slip away (by one vote) to the Democrats. Ouch. Will that derail the Trump Train? No, but it will make things a whole lot tougher.

We now have 45 days until Donald Trump is sworn in. Less than a month until the new Congress is sworn in. Guess what is happening in the meanwhile? A whole lot of posturing and negotiating. Trump and his team are working hard with the new Senate to ensure his cabinet picks can get through the approval process and get through fast. But something else is going on. Back channels and social media. Even though the Trump Administration is not official as yet, America needs a president. And as most of us know, Joe Biden or Kamala are not up to the task. With the world walking on eggshells right now, there needs to be a voice of clarity to our friends and foes alike. 

We might as well face facts. With the White House being nothing more than a resume machine right now, with maybe some pardons on the horizon (at best), the real "White House" is located at Mar-a-Lago. That is where all the action is. That is where the new policies are being formulated. That is where our yet to be "official" president lives. This is where our allies are getting their new hope, and the world's bad guys are getting their last warning. For anyone who thinks there is not a new sheriff in town, better get their heads out of the sand. To quote Wyatt Earp from the movie Tombstone, the message the world's baddies need to understand is this - "I am coming and bringing hell with me!" This is especially true for anyone holding American hostages.

Last night was the Freedom Awards on Fox. This year they were different. There was joy in the air and a spring in everyone's step. Donald Trump won the "Patriot of the Year" award. Well-deserved in my opinion. This is a country bursting with patriotism right now. A MAGA infestation if you like. What was one of the deciding numbers in the past election? Donald Trump's base. 97% of his base (which makes up half the country), stood by him. Why? They knew things were better when he was POTUS. Most of the 97% that I have met are hard core patriots and citizens. Not RINOS, not tepid voters - these are the red, white and blue true believers.  

 America - in January we will have a new type of America with new norms. But this "new" will be all good. America will be great again. And greater again. And healthier again. And stronger again. Are you ready for it? I sure am! 

Out of step, out of style, out of touch

"If you are a former Trump hater, and are now seeing the light, hop on board! There will be no recriminations or hard feelings. The Trump Train is big enough for all Americans. Donald Trump is a gift not just to a few, but to the many. MAGA is as American as apple pie."    

Did you ever in your life wish for a Christmas present, and when you received it, it was even BETTER than you hoped for? This may sound a bit corny, but that is how I look at this past election. The Democrats had taken this country so far off course, so far into the wacky world of extremes, that this Donald Trump victory was like a breath of fresh air. And call it is conversion after his near-death experience, or just maturing into the job, his acceptance by the American people is off the charts good this time around. Dare I say this? There is a certain joy in the air, held by many people regardless of race, creed or political affiliation.

What about good old Joe? After the pardon of Hunter, which was about as popular as a case of herpes, Joe went silent. But not that silent. With the good people of western Tennessee and North Carolina still shivering from the lack of FEMA action and funding, Joe decided on his last trip to Africa, to give the Africans $1B that we don't have. How do I know we don't have it? Just ask the flood victims from Hurrican Helene. Joe is out of touch, out of step, and out of bounds with that unwarranted gift from the American taxpayers!

And Kamala - wither she? After going to Hawaii and sulking with the "almost" first man Doug, she is back and ready to lead the "resistance". Resistance to what? The changes Donald Trump promised and is getting a team together to implement, is what THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WANT! Good grief Kamala! Are you really that tone deaf? Can you not read the room? The American people don't want your brand of mumbo jumbo. You are yesterday's news. The American people are focused on tomorrow land. The hope and promise of MAGA.

Last but not least, the "ticket wrecker" from Minnesota - Taxing Timmy Walz. He is back in Minnesota now, keeping a low profile. For MNGOP, they are sensing that Walz might be political roadkill right now. Timmy has wrecked the state, and now the nation knows it. All his sins were made public and in bright lights during the campaign. Most normal folks in the nation are now wondering what is wrong with this state. How in the world could we elect morons like Mark Dayton and Tim Walz back-to-back. Join the crowd America - we too, are wondering the same thing.

The latest leftie to jump on the Trump Train is Jeff Bazos. He likes what he sees in the MAGA reforms that are being discussed. Bezos? Who has torched Trump for years? Yep - that Bezos. All of a sudden, Donald Trump has made Blue Dog Democrats out of people who at one time were MAGA haters. Why? Democrat Socialists are out of step, out of style, and out of touch.

If you are a former Trump hater, and are now seeing the light, hop on board! There will be no recriminations or hard feelings. The Trump Train is big enough for all Americans. Donald Trump is a gift not just to a few, but to the many. MAGA is as American as apple pie.    

Once upon a wish...

"What hangs in the balance? Just about everything. First off - making the Trump tax cuts permanent. Should that go down in flames, most all of us will be in for a jolt in 2026. This is a 'must have' to jumpstart the consumer confidence in our economy." 

With Christmas time being right around the corner, we all know how fast that time will fly. And then, as we are still open up some late presents and cleaning up the post-Christmas mess in the house, it will be New Years Eve. And then New Years Day, with all the football and fanfare. Usually in most years, once New Years is over, it is time to settle into what I call the "big three" - January, February and March. Not much to look forward to. That us - until this year. We have January 20th to look forward to. And boy, do we ever!

Do I believe that in the coming year that Donald Trump can deliver on all that he promised? Yes, with one caveat. The House. Having an almost evenly divided House gives Speaker Johnon a one or two seat majority. What does that mean? To get Trump's legislative promises passed, Speaker Johnson will need either/or every Republican to show up for work and vote the right way, or some conservative Democrats to buck their party monolithic voting practice and vote red. 

What hangs in the balance? Just about everything. First off - making the Trump tax cuts permanent. Should that go down in flames, most all of us will be in for a jolt in 2026. This is a "must have" to jumpstart the consumer confidence in our economy. Then comes our energy legislation, military reform and a slew of other necessities. Again, the House could swing the other way in an instant. Then the gridlock would start, and not much would get done. All our wishes and dreams could go up in smoke.

If history is any fortune teller for what is about to happen, we all know the House picks up a few seats for the opposite party in the 2028 midterms. Then the party will be over. Trump and Speaker Johnson need to keep the pedal to the metal in the first 100 days of Trump's new term for sure. It is time for the Republicans to take a lesson out of the Democrat's playbook. Voting in unison. Being a monolithic block. We don't need any crybabies or temper tantrums this time around. We need solid, 100% voting by the slim majority 100% of the time. That is my wish.

This is it folks. The last full month of Biden's term. The last month of the year. Next month right after the New Year, the new Congress gets sworn in. Hopefully, they can take those first few weeks to have good legislation ready for President Trump to sign. This is for real. Time is not our friend. We need to be ready to Make America Greater Again. 

 

Is Trump becoming Ronald Reagan?

"When do presidents make their way into history books as heroes? When they confront evil head on and defeat it. Hint: it is not from leading from behind or blowing up aspirin factories like Clinton, Obama and Biden did. Or doing nothing for 444 days like Carter did. It is using the United States military, the finest in the world, and setting them lose to break things and kill people."

Oh, my heart be still! Is one of my favorite presidents becoming like another one of my favorite presidents? Did he really lay some big-time threat on Hamas about releasing ALL of the hostages held in Gaza? He is taking a page right out of the Ronald Reagan playbook. When the mutts in Iran took our embassy folks captive for 444 days, the scoundrels who took them knew that when the easy-going Carter's term was up, and Ronald Reagan took the oath of office, all hell was going to break loose. But they released all the hostages just before Reagan took the helm. 

I guess that Trump did not think the remains of Hamas were sharp enough to get the hint. So, Trump went on Truth Social and told them the truth. If ALL hostages are not released by January 20, 2025, Hamas will be hit like they have never been hit before. And this is what so many of us love about Donald Trump (and Ronald Reagan). Not war mongers - but if you mess with the USA, you will feel our wrath. Or to put it in the common vernacular, their a** will be grass, and we will be the mower.

Now to replay just a small part of that horrible day on October 7th. Besides losing over 1,000 innocent Jews, America lost 30 citizens, and 10 were taken hostage. Right then, right there - the hammer should have come down. If Biden were not such a squish, he could have sent in the Marines. The ultimatum could have been given - release ALL hostages or the USMC will lay waste to much of Gaza. Remind Hamas how Trump took care of General Soleimani after we found out he was behind the killing of ONE American contractor. His remains now fit nicely in an ashtray.

When do presidents make their way into history books as heroes? When they confront evil head on and defeat it. Hint: it is not from leading from behind or blowing up aspirin factories like Clinton, Obama and Biden did. Or doing nothing for 444 days like Carter did. It is using the United States military, the finest in the world, and setting them lose to break things and kill people. Sadly, once in a while we need to unleash them to fight the evil in this broken world. Peace through strength baby! Works every time!

Time to quit wasting time on these mutts. Time to have the die-hard Hamas fighters get ready to meet their 72 virgins. There is a new sheriff in town, and this one is not up for any nonsense. My advice is simple - release the hostages and then run as far away from Gaza and Israel as you can get. Why? Both Israel and the US are excellent in bringing bad actors to justice. Dead or alive, we always get our man.  

 

 

AI, China, and guardrails

"Five years from now, as we are ready to exit the 2020's and start the 2030's, we will not be looking to see what part of our lives that AI exists in. Rather we will be wondering if there is any part of AI which is NOT part of our lives. Learning to live with AI is something we will all need to get used to. Learning how to develop and harness AI is where the really good paying jobs will be." 

For some reason, the theme this past Sunday (other than nail biting football), was AI. Why now? Why not wait until the start of the new year to discuss the pros and cons of this brand-new technology? Because AI is already starting to gallop like a prize-winning racehorse. It is felt by the experts, that if we don't get some "rules of the road" and/or guardrails set up soon, the "genie" will really be out of the bottle - for good.

What is the problem? Why not just slow down? I mean, if AI could indeed be a game changer for humanity (in either good or bad ways), just slow your roll a bit. Sounds good, except for one minor issue - China. China and the US are involved in a dead heat to see who will get to the big prize first with AI. And that big prize would be self-thinking machines. AGI to ASI technology. Is China setting up guardrails, or is it damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead? I think most of us know the answer to that one.

Do we slow down and err on the side of caution? Let China take the lead? Or maintain our slim lead in this race and go for broke? Here is the long and the short of this issue, based on an article I recently read. As far as AI is concerned, the genie is already out of the bottle. In many developed nations worldwide, AI has already been introduced. Developed and developing nations know the benefits that AI could bring to them. But do they also understand the dangers? Good question. But the allure of the benefits of AI are blinding many.

In the very near future, perhaps as early as next year, the first real effect of AI will be noticed by many. Jobs. Many lower level, unskilled jobs are low fruit on the tree for AI. You can already see AI taking effect in warehouses and factories. Some AI will be built into the machines that produce - other AI will be in the form of humanoids. Then the question will become, what to do with displaced workers with limited skills? That question will need to be answered sooner rather than later. 

Five years from now, as we are ready to exit the 2020's and start the 2030's, we will not be looking to see what part of our lives that AI exists in. Rather we will be wondering if there is any part of AI which is NOT part of our lives. Learning to live with AI is something we will all need to get used to. Learning how to develop and harness AI is where the really good paying jobs will be. 

Love it or hate it, AI is here to stay. The AI which is in your Siri or Alexa will soon look like the stone ages compared to the AI which is on the horizon. Some might think that even article such as this one might be penned by some variant of AI. To that I respond - NOT ON MY WATCH!

 

Another dumb idea for educating our young

 

"Are our kids more stupid today than kids of yesteryear? No, but they are more ignorant. This learning thing has become a real puzzle. The teacher unions have not helped - maybe even accelerated this downward spiral we are on. Losing one day in five of learning mystifies those of us who are trying to solve this vexing problem."

Okay - let's try and put some perspective on this one. The United States spends a total of 3/4 trillion dollars each year on education. For that astonishing amount of money, we are ranked 13th in the world in education. And our numbers are not going in the right direction. We have school districts which are going through massive budget cuts, as despite being smothered in money, that does not seem to help their sophomoric way of doing finances. Minnesota, who also struggles with education, has come up with yet another dumb idea how to fix things.

How about a four-day school week? That would certainly help districts who cannot budget their way out of a paper bag. Could that help and save some money? Maybe. But hold on! Are we going to a four-day work week also? Because if we are not, there is a huge problem waiting for us on the horizon. Like, are the kids going to be left all alone on the days they don't have school? And what will they do on those days? Independent study, or play Mario Bros. on their I Pads? I think we all know the answer to that one. 

Somehow, in the annals of history in this country, we at one time knew how to educate young people. My grandparents, back in the day, received only an 8th grade education. And yet, with only eight years of schooling, they knew stuff. How to do stuff. How to make a living. My parent's generation had mostly a high school education. Some were fortunate to go to college, but most had only a high school diploma. Again, they knew stuff, how to do stuff, and how to make a living. 

In my generation, getting a college degree was important to our parents. Some got worthwhile degrees, and others got "basket weaving" type degrees. Some graduated with some smarts, and others graduated as educated idiots. All of a sudden, our education system got turned upside down. More money, less results. In a world where information became available at the touch of a button, we graduated kids who did not know who we fought to gain our independence. Or who won the Civil War. Or how many branches of government we have. All that, for 3/4 of a trillion dollars a year.

Are our kids more stupid today than kids of yesteryear? No, but they are more ignorant. This learning thing has become a real puzzle. The teacher unions have not helped - maybe even accelerated this downward spiral we are on. Losing one day in five of learning mystifies those of us who are trying to solve this vexing problem.

Dumbing down the education system helps nobody - especially not the kids. Now, forget the four-day school week, and come up with a more cogent idea for success.