That train has left the station...

"Wait - where is all the fun of being president? Where is the legacy? Maybe it would have been better to run a shadow campaign so Trump could have won. Let Trump have this mess, because Kamala sure does not like it - not one bit. I guess the old saying that sometime Hawaii is not like the brochure is still accurate. Again, where is the fun? That train has left the station."   

Since Halloween is in about a month, I will take the liberty of doing another scary story this morning. Once more, please bear with me as I get into the real scary (yet fictional) stuff. The election is over, and somehow Kamala has snatched victory away from us. She takes office, and true to her word, she has a ton of very expensive government plans she wants to burden us with. I mean - why not? Biden did it, once he took the office. And we let Biden do it. Why? We were foolish. And now Kamala thinks she can repeat what Biden did. But hold on for a minute.

Kamala may not know this as yet, but her win might turn into nothing more than a pyrrhic victory. In other words, as the old saying goes, "be careful of what you wish for". She will find out the Congress will be very stingy in piling a bunch more dollars onto our national debt. Why? People are still smarting out there from the mess Biden left us with. Too much inflation. Plus, if the Senate swings the other way and becomes red, Kamala will not even get permission to use the little girl's room. She will find out her victory was sterile and vacuous.

Plus, even though this fact has been shrouded in gaslighting and misinformation, international gangs are starting to proliferate from all over the world now, into all corners of our great country. Instead of Kamala muttering that tired old cliche "pathway to citizenship" for illegals, even the most brainwashed of her minions have started to clamor for a pathway to deportation instead. Yes, the major invasion of illegals that Biden let loose on this country, has now come home to roost on Kamala's doorstep.

Now with Iran declaring war on Israel during the middle of October, what is she to do? First off, her "peeps", the anarchists on campus', want her to denounce and defund Israel. But hold on - Congress wants to support Israel. Now what Kamala? First you can't spend the money you want, then you find out more and more people want this illegal immigrant mess cleaned up, and now this war by Israel against an DNC ally like Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran. 

Wait - where is all the fun of being president? Where is the legacy? Maybe it would have been better to run a shadow campaign so Trump could have won. Let Trump have this mess, because Kamala sure does not like it - not one bit. I guess the old saying that sometime Hawaii is not like the brochure is still accurate. Again, where is the fun? That train has left the station.   

Peeking around the corner

"What keeps me awake at night, other than the fact that Biden has taken us to the threshold of World War III? I will tell you what keeps me awake - the fact that even though this country is over 90% red (by territory), there are enough nitwits who will vote for Harris, who do not give a tinker's dam that she is not qualified for the job."

We are about a month away now from the election. The gaslighting has not stopped; the lying and half-truths have not stopped; and revisionist history is in full swing. The world is on fire right now, with a full-blown regional war in the Middle East just a stone's throw away. Ukraine is a mess, and China might be ready to make a move on Taiwan. 

The Longshoremen have gone on strike, which means pandemic like supply chain issues are right around the corner. The table is set for a "tighter than a tick" election, with the aftermath looking like our nation stuffed full of Hatfield's and McCoys. 

Someone asked me the other day, if I could imagine a Kalama Harris as president. Not in a million years, I responded. But the thing I could imagine even less, would be a Vice President Walz. People may hate Donald Trump because of his mannerisms, but we all know how he performed at president. Anybody who thinks things were worse when Trump was president, is either a fool, or a victim of the left's revisionist history.

What keeps me awake at night, other than the fact that Biden has taken us to the threshold of World War III? I will tell you what keeps me awake - the fact that even though this country is over 90% red (by territory), there are enough nitwits who will vote for Harris, who do not give a tinker's dam that she is not qualified for the job. She just is not Trump - and that is all the matters with many mind numbed voters. And because of that, Harris might actually win. We will elect someone who will be worse than Biden. 

One thing I will correct Trump on, because it is important. Trump said he will bring down prices. The only way prices will come down, is if we go into a deflationary period, and that is a no-no. The 20% increase we got from Biden and Harris are here forever. What Trump WILL do (and Harris won't do), is bring the RATE of inflation down. Harris will be chasing boggy men, the price gougers in the food industry. Plus, she wants to spend a zillion more dollars (we don't have), and that will continue to juice up inflation.

One more thing. Half the country is unsure we will have a clean election this time. The desire to cheat is strong with the other side. If the election is going to be razor thin, and if there is a stink in the air once the ballots are counted, we could be in for some real trouble. Even the fact some states are letting illegals vote is more than bothersome. How bad could it be? Speaker Johnson has recently been quoted as saying, "There are a number of states who have shown they have non-citizens on their voter rolls. That is enough to create chaos in the election." 

When November rolls around, get ready to buckle up. We might not be in for a soft landing once this election is over. And that is bad, very bad, for our republic.   

♪♪ Where have all the bad guys gone, long time passing...♪♪

"Both Hamas and Hezbollah have developed the very sick skill of blending in with the innocent people. Hiding missiles and arms in houses, mosques and hospitals. Fire a missile into Israel, and then blend back in with the civilian population. Very cleaver, and very cold."

Whoops there they go. Whoops there they go. Did Hezbollah really think they could every day for almost a year, send missiles into northern Israel, and not get some payback? Have so many missiles rain down on Israel, that tens of thousands of citizens have driven out of their houses? This group of hoodlums, who look like they came out of the 12th century, have kicked sand in the wrong direction, and in the wrong faces. Israel is a modern country, with a kick butt military, and an intelligence branch which is the best in the world.

The entire top three levels of Hezbollah are now gone. Israel has laid down the gauntlet. Bibi said as much at the UN yesterday. "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!" The two or three cups of grace that Israel has given Hezbollah and Lebanon are now empty. Hezbollah fires a missile into Israel, and Israel will let loose with a couple of its F-35's to pay Hezbollah back. 

Both Hamas and Hezbollah have developed the very sick skill of blending in with the innocent people. Hiding missiles and arms in houses, mosques and hospitals. Fire a missile into Israel, and then blend back in with the civilian population. Very cleaver, and very cold. Hiding behind women and children is not really the mark of heroes - that is instead the mark of cowards. But the days of grace are over. Israel has instructed the good folks Lebanon who live in the populated areas where Hezbollah hides - to flee. Bad times are coming.

What would I like to see the United States do? Use our assets in the area to pound the Houthis into dust. Enough is enough to what they are doing to the Red Sea shipping. Enough is enough when they fire long range missiles into Israel. This is the least we can do to help our friends in Israel. A salvo of maybe 50 Tomahawk missiles, followed up by some visits from our F-18 Super Hornets could fix that problem pronto visto.

Good guys and bad guys. The game never changes. So long as evil stalks our land, we will have bad guys. And we saw on October 7th in Israel, just how evil some bad guys can be. Time to take care of family business. Time to clean house. Enough is enough. Pay attention Iran - you might be next.  

And what if???

"What if? Those are two words I don't even want to think about. But what really happened in PA as well as FL with the two attempts? I want Congress to really peel back the onion and find the truth. What, why, how and when. Right now, we only have a big box of nothing."   

I watched some of the investigations into the "what happened" from the near assassination attempt of Donald Trump in PA. It was sobering to watch - and also amazing. Either the Secret Service is that screwed up right now, or there was something else at play. All I can say in this to start out - I thought there was only one miracle in what happened that day. That Donald Trump unexpectedly turned his head at just the right second. But there was another miracle. The force protecting Donald Trump was so inept, so clumsy, Donald Trump was a sitting duck. It was a miracle this attempt did not succeed. 

BTW - the plot by the Iranians is still in play. They want Trump dead for two reasons: First, paybacks for the death of Soleimani. Second, the absolute chaos this would cause in our country right now. That second thought gave me pause to consider one important question - what if?

If Donald Trump had been killed, the journey to the White House for Kamala Harris would be unimpeded. That would not sit well with the 80+ million or so who back Donald Trump. In fact, they would not accept it. Then what? Delay the election? Have a REAL insurrection? Take it to the streets? The Iranians would have succeeded in one thing for sure - the country would have been tipped upside down. 

Here is another astonishing fact. Donald Trump was going to have a huge rally in Wisconsin (held outside). However, it needs to held inside instead of outside. Why? Not enough Secret Service agents available. Many agents have been assigned to guard the Marxists who are visiting the UN. This is outrageous. Tell those globalists at the UN they can find their own protection! After two attempts on his life, we are now telling Trump he is not as important as foreigners - many of whom hate this country.

What if? Those are two words I don't even want to think about. But what really happened in PA as well as FL with the two attempts? I want Congress to really peel back the onion and find the truth. What, why, how and when. Right now, we only have a big box of nothing.   

Is Russia trying to bait us? Or NATO?

"On final thought. Many did not like the tough talk that Trump used while president against our NATO allies. This talk was primarily aimed at 'deadbeat' countries. But guess what? It worked. Many who were below the 2% threshold, are now above it. NATO is stronger because of it. And you can take that to the bank."      

One of the Senators from Alaska was on the news yesterday. Many topics were discussed, but the one which caught me a bit flat footed was Russia incursions. This senator said there have recently been five Russian incursions in Alaska. That caused me to stop and ponder - why? I know that Russia has been playing this cat and mouse game with Japan for a while now, but why us? One would think their plate was full of what is happening in Ukraine. So, I decided to dig a bit deeper.

Forget for a moment about what is happening in Alaska. That might only be a feint. The real action might be in the Baltic states - Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Want to get Putin's blood boiling? Just mention these states and the term NATO in the same sentence. Even though starved for seasoned troops, Russia has positioned more troops closer to the border of these three Baltic states. In fact, some think the rhetoric concerning the Baltics, is eerily similar to the talk he used right before making a play for Ukraine.

Then of course, there is the Suwalki Gap. This is the land corridor which just might be the most dangerous spot on the planet right now. It is vital to Russia, as it connects Belarus with Kaliningrad. But more importantly than that, it is the border between Poland and the Baltic States. The easiest way for Russia to deal with this would be to take a run at the almost defenseless Baltics. But to do so, would trigger Article 5 of the NATO agreement. You see, unlike Ukraine, the Baltics have the aegis of NATO protecting them.

One more thing. Should it ever come to pass that Russia does try to control the Suwalki Gap as well as the Baltic States, Poland is right there. For those paying attention to how Europe has responded to Ukraine, Poland has the best answer. The United States spends about 3.5% of its GDP on defense. Very good. But Poland spends 5%, and their goal is to double the size of their Army. Why? They don't trust Russia as far as they can throw them. If push ever came to shove, the Russians would find out that Poland is no shrinking violet. They are as tough as nails. 

Some might wonder if Putin is crazy for even considering a run at the Baltic States. Experts estimate that Russia has lost over 100,000 troops in the Ukraine war, and a good portion of their tanks and armored vehicles. They are not in very good shape to take on NATO right now. But Putin is either dingy as a bat or crazy like a fox. War is in his nature, and he could care less on what it costs Russia in blood and treasure. 

On final thought. Many did not like the tough talk that Trump used while president against our NATO allies. This talk was primarily aimed at "deadbeat" countries. But guess what? It worked. Many who were below the 2% threshold, are now above it. NATO is stronger because of it. And you can take that to the bank.      

Never a great notion

"How could we get so mired in the muck so fast on this issue? Remember the saying, 'I am from the government and here to help'? This is typical of how the government operates. Enough said. Full stop."  

Has anybody else heard the deep dark secret? The one about our Navy? Specifically, the one about our attack submarines? This is a huge problem, and I am amazed it is not getting more press. Right now, our Virginia class submarines, which are a techno marvel, are way, way short of the numbers we should have. Why is that? Lack of focus by the administration. 

Our path to this conundrum is a bit circuitous. Since we have had "boomers" (subs that carry nuclear missiles), we have also had attack submarines. Some refer to them as "hunter-killers". For years, we had the Los Angles class of attack subs. Tom Clancy wrote about them in The Hunt for Red October. But as time marched on, the Los Angles class started to age out. And in today's environment, they became too noisy. So, the Virginia class was developed to replace the Los Angles class of subs.

I should mention however, the Seawolf class of subs. That WAS going to be the replacement for the Los Angles class, but the cost per sub became a real deal breaker. Instead of building dozens of these marvelous boats, we built only three. To date, the Seawolf is still the best and quietest sub in the world - hands down.

The Navy now had a problem. Instead of a Rolls Royce type of sub, they needed to build a Cadilac instead. The Virginia class, a very good submarine, but not as good as the Seawolf, came into being. THAT would be the replacement for the Los Angles class. So, what then, is the problem? To fit the Navy's needs, as well as any FMS (foreign military sales), we needed the capacity to build two subs a year. And that - is not happening.

This more cost-effective program, to save the high costs of building the Seawolf, is $17B overbudget and three years behind. Additionally, the industrial capacity to build two subs a year is absent. Instead of building two a year, the administration is only funding one per year. Since we don't have the capacity to build two a year, that might make sense. However, the Chinese are building subs like crazy right now. With everything going on in the world, we need to catch up - and catch up fast! 

This could have been a great notion, but it was not. Now we are left in a pickle. We need to increase our capacity to build subs. Some estimates are we need an additional 10,000 trained workers, as well as additional plant capacity.

How could we get so mired in the muck so fast on this issue? Remember the saying, "I am from the government and here to help"? This is typical of how the government operates. Enough said. Full stop.  

A day in a life...

"If it is an empty suit who does nothing but babble and cackle the sheeple want, that is what they will get. To the foolish and Swifties who will vote for her - good luck. You were warned. But sometimes young ones don't listen that the stove is hot - they need to stick their finger in the flame to find out. But then it is too late. The damage is done."  

Waiting for the October surprise? No? Me neither. We might as well have the election today (we can to an extent, due to early voting). The big news for this week is Kamala might actually (gasp!) visit the southern border. Big flipping deal. And what is she going to say when she gets there? "I did this, and I am sorry", or more probably, "I was raised in a middle-class neighborhood". See what I mean? No news here. Nothing to see here. Move along, and let's vote this week.

Yesterday I penned an article about how uninformed and clueless many of America's voters are. They are trendy and gullible. They have seen the facts, heard the facts, and it does not matter. All that matters is they have an itch which can be scratched. Every day it seems, Donald Trump is answering questions from the press about his platform. By the same token, every day, Kamala and her "team" also do the same thing. Not the same thing Trump does - the same thing over and over and over again. Dodge, obfuscate, and gaslight. Tell nothing and say nothing. Keep it up, as that just might be the superhighway to the White House.

What bewilders me the most, is the lack of urgency from many of American voters. The lack of clarity by Harris leads to a giant "ho-hum" from the sheeple. Harris has not done anything. They don't care. Harris has flip-flopped on fracking. They don't care. Harris will raise everyone's taxes. They don't care. Harris will continue the same inflation generating policies that Biden had. They don't care. Harris might bring us into WW III, which could mean the end of all of us. They don't care.

As I reported yesterday, many of today's sheeple who are voting for this empty suit named Kamala, are doing it for one reason, and one reason only. She is not Trump. When asked what it is about Trump presidency they detested so much, all they could say was he "ruined" the economy and "he was mean". Of course, they have no facts to back up how Trump ruined the economy. Real economists gave Trump high marks. And how mean was Trump? Just ask the people he helped. He was anything but mean. 

One more thing. Biden and Harris have taken us to the edge of war. How much so? Putin almost daily threatens to nuke us. Have not seen that script since early in the Cold War. What did Trump bring us? The Abraham Accord. What was always a pipedream, turned into reality under Donald Trump. He should have received the Nobel Peace Prize. Instead, he received scorn from the other side of the aisle.

If it is an empty suit who does nothing but babble and cackle the sheeple want, that is what they will get. To the foolish and Swifties who will vote for her - good luck. You were warned. But sometimes young ones don't listen that the stove is hot - they need to stick their finger in the flame to find out. But then it is too late. The damage is done.  

The odyssey and oddity of the American voter

"Remember this. If Kamala Harris wins this election, it is not because she deserves it. She will be a horrible president - worse than Joe Biden. Will Donald Trump lose? Nope - he has already been president and did a fine job at it."

I have said this before, but it bears repeating. America is full of uniformed and underinformed voters who vote for the craziest reasons. In 2020, Trump had more votes than he did in 2016. But enough voters on the other side couldn't stand him, that they voted for a guy who was ready for Cozy Acres Nursing Home instead of the White House. Even though we were at peace, the economy was humming, inflation was low, and the border secure - the voters still picked Grandpa Biden instead of Donald Trump. The rest is history.

Yesterday on the news I heard something totally amazing. After four years of Biden/Harris, with prices up 20% on many items, with the world being on the edge of WW III, and a zillion or so illegal aliens running all over the place, many uninformed voters will vote for Harris over Trump. They will vote for more of the same, rather than some guy who can fix many of the broken things in this country. But here is the most interesting thing.

Kamala stands for nothing except words and word salad. Her platforms? "I was born middle class" or "I was a prosecutor". What will her programs look like? No idea. She refuses to do a presser with some real Q +A from real reporters. Man, oh man! If she can just keep that up for 40 days or so, she could actually win! 

Do I blame Kamala Harris for being so inept? Not a bit. She is what she is. I do, however, blame the legions of Yellow Dogs, and voters who should not be allowed to vote. Voting is a privilege in this country. It always has been. To vote for somebody just because "he or she is not the other guy", beyond voter malpractice. It is madness. 

Remember this. If Kamala Harris wins this election, it is not because she deserves it. She will be a horrible president - worse than Joe Biden. Will Donald Trump lose? Nope - he has already been president and did a fine job at it. Who then, will the losers be should Kamala win? The normal folks, who are stuck in a country with countless idiots who vote. Who vote for all the wrong reasons. That - is the odyssey and oddity of the American voter.

The war for northern Israel

"This coming war has been a long-time brewing. It is now time. Sometimes to bring a lasting peace, some armed conflict is necessary. Otherwise, peace never comes. And this part of the world cannot afford to have a nut with a nuke. Trust me - Israel is doing the hard work and the right thing."   

Imagine for a minute, that the next president of the United States declared war on the Mexican drug cartels. We were going to "take the fight to them", so to speak. But to do so, the United States would have to take the war over the border and into Mexico. We would need to do so to get to the cartel strongholds. And suppose just for a minute, after we declared war on them, every day 70 to 100 drones and missiles would be fired from Mexico, over the border, and into our country. How long would we put up with that? Any guesses? My guess is one and done.

Some might look at this scenario and think it was preposterous. I mean, come on man! In real life that does not happen! Really? Check out Israel. They have a large part of their population displaced right now, as the daily attacks by Hezbollah's missiles and drones make it unsafe to live in northern Israel. Thus, Israel has informed Hezbollah that this undeclared war on the northern border has "entered a new phase". Exploding pagers and daily visits from the ISF's F-35 jets are just the start. 

Some of the brainwashed kids on campuses will be protesting against Israel as not being justified in bombing Hezbollah. Would these same kids be protesting America if we went after the Mexican cartels? We have lost thousands of young people to drug poisoning, brought to us by cartels, sneaking this crap over the border. My view is we should have taken on the cartels years ago. Lives would have been saved in America. Just like in Israel - the sooner Hezbollah and Hamas are eradicated, the better. Israeli lives would be saved. 

Some fear that this adventure into Lebanon will only be a precursor into an all-out war with Iran. Netanyahu has said more than once that Iran developing a nuclear bomb would be his red line. Well, that time is finally here. We should have said the same thing about Iran. But that would go against the Obama/Biden/Kerry/Harris/Blinken "soft on Iran" policy. Thus, it will be up to Israel to clean up the neighborhood.

This coming war has been a long-time brewing. It is now time. Sometimes to bring a lasting peace, some armed conflict is necessary. Otherwise, peace never comes. And this part of the world cannot afford to have a nut with a nuke. Trust me - Israel is doing the hard work and the right thing.   

 

Empty houses and empty cars

I am going to step out boldly and address something I have been pondering as of late. For those who are not in the faith nor want to be, it is okay to pass this article by. However if you do believe in the God of the Bible and the truthfulness of His Word, you might find this worth pondering.

The Rapture. The Bible does not mention it by name but alludes to it more than once. The Rapture of Christ's church will happen either right before the Tribulation or maybe at the start of the Tribulation. As a believer, I know the Rapture is true. I also know the Tribulation will be true, as the Word talks about it in depth. The Tribulation, where God pours out His wrath on a corrupt world, will be the worst seven years in human history. It will be horrible beyond what horrible has ever been before.

But those who believe and follow Christ, will be taken up to Heaven and spared the horrors of the Tribulation. Even though Matthew talks about the "wide gates and the narrow gates", I would like to see as many souls as possible be Raptured when the time comes. In other words, after the Rapture, I would like to see lots and lots of empty houses and empty cars. Meaning - whomever lived in those houses or drove those cars would now be in Heaven.

The Rapture is not a fairy tale nor fantasy. It is true. If your faith life has been dormant or tepid, now is the time to rediscover the love and redemption of Jesus. Time may not be our friend right now, as end times may be right around the corner.

When will the Rapture happen? Nobody, not even Jesus knows. Only the Father knows. And when it happens, it will happen in the blink of an eye. If you have never prayed the Salvation Prayer, now would be a good time to pray it. 

    

Price gouging? I think not!

"Sorry Kamala - you are barking, or cackling, up the wrong tree. If you want to see the real reason for inflation, just look in the mirror."   

A bit of writer's privilege if it is okay. I need to tell a bit of my story first. Don't worry - it is germane to the article I am going to produce this morning. 

When I left the defense industry after 25 years, I needed a break. I also needed a new path in my life. So, I had saved some money and decided to build the inside of my new detached garage from the ground up. It was a great experience, lots of fun, and I will never forget it. But as the saying goes - when the money is gone, so is the fun. It was time to go back to work.

I was hired by a company called Nash Finch. They were a smallish player in the wholesale food industry. After all those years in defense, what did I know about the food industry? Nada. I was a blank slate. But I worked for a good guy who spent his life working with food. He taught me quite a bit. 

The first thing he taught me was the razor thin margin that most wholesalers and food retailers work with. A percent to maybe three was common for margin. I was quite shocked. How in the world could any organization operate with margins that tight? Very frugally.

The pic above is something very rare. Since I was in charge of buying all the electronics for the company, Nash dug deep and found some pennies to send me to a downtown electronics event. It was fun, I learned quite a bit, and even took on a Darth Vader interloper!

But here is my point of this article. Kamala Harris wants to go after the grocery stores for "price gouging" the consumers in this time of inflation. I have worked in the food industry. I know how frugal they are. Raising the price for a can of peaches a penny or two may make the store uncompetitive for that product. Yes, some shoppers watch prices that closely. I can only imagine it is worse today.

Inflation is caused by government spending too much money and needing to print more of it. Period. Too much money chasing too few goods. This has nothing to do with anybody "gouging" Sorry Kamala - you are barking, or cackling, up the wrong tree. If you want to see the real reason for inflation, just look in the mirror.   

The most brazen attack ever?

"It will be an interesting autumn. Maybe an historic autumn." 

Good morning, Hezbollah. Welcome to the world of the Mossad. Did you really think that you could almost daily lob 50 to 70 missiles into Israel and not garner the attention of the most deadly and dark organization in the Middle East, maybe the world? Well Mr. and Mrs. Hezbollah, you have now opened Pandora's Box. And the Mossad has repaid you with the magic pagers and walkie talkies which at any time can go "BOOM". But don't worry - there are probably more tricks up their sleeves. 

I know, I know. Both Hamas and Hezbollah are straight out of the 10th century. As we saw from the October 7th attack, Hamas can be as barbaric as any tribe in history was. Truthfully - we can put Iran's ruling Mullahs, Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis all in the same tub of evil. After years of threats, missiles and bloody incursions, it might be time for (as said in the Godfather movie) for Israel to "take care of family business. 

If it is war they want, I just might be war they will get. Wait a minute - will it pull us into this fray? If it is true that Hezbollah has over 100,000 missiles and drones, and if Iran calls on all of its proxies to mount a coordinated attack on Israel to defeat the Iron Dome, then yes - it will involve us. And probably Jordan. But know this - should this devolve into a shooting war; Israel will not be satisfied with giving Iran a "pin prick". They will want to "fix the problem". Maybe even go after the almost finished bomb factory before a nuke enters the picture. 

What then was the purpose of the exploding pagers and walkie talkies? That was Mossad telling the bad guys "We know who you are and where you are." Some wearing the pagers were injured, some were even killed. But the message was simply this - we can reach out and get you, any time we want to.

"Wars and rumors of wars". For those in the faith, we know what the Bible states about Israel. If war comes to that part of the world, it is much better to stand with Israel than not to. And as far as Iran is concerned? I have had it with them since they took our embassy staff hostage in the 1970's. Time for a little payback? Maybe. It will be an interesting autumn. Maybe an historic autumn. 

Two stories: Teamsters and Longshoremen

This is the story of two unions. Story one will be about the Teamsters Union. Story two will be about the Longshoremen Union.

Story One - I am old enough to remember when if you mentioned a Republican's name around a union member, it was like uttering a four-letter word. So, what in the world is happening to the rank and file these days? The union leadership remains corrupt and in the pocket of the DNC, but not the workers. Many have seen the light. Especially with a man like Donald Trump. They know the Democrat Party is all foam and no beer. But the "Don"? He can really help union families.

The union where Donald Trump's support is the strongest is the Teamsters Union. A poll was taken earlier this week for presidential preference. Guess what? Trump got a shade under 60% approval! That is HUGE! But it was a bit too much for the union president, Sean O'Brien. He just could not pull the lever to have a formal endorsement for Trump. Even after being invited to speak at the RNC convention! Never mind most of his union faithful love Trump. I guess O'Brien has not purged the last few drops of "union boss" out of his bloodstream.

Story Two - For the first time in years, the Longshoremen Union has gone out on strike. First strike in decades. What - what? I thought the Longshoremen were some of the highest paid union workers. They are. Currently, a longshoreman makes $81,000/year as a base salary. BUT - many make a whale of a lot of overtime. With the overtime rules, is not unusual for a longshoreman to make as much as $200,000/year! Hint: This strike is not about money, although they are looking for a bit more.

As discussed yesterday on Fox Business channel, these guys have been doing their homework. They know this might be their last negotiation. Why? Automation. Humanoid robots. Many of their jobs will be some of the first to go when the "age of the robot" starts. When that happens, the bargaining power of a union worker goes down to about zero. So, this is it. The last shebang. They need language in the contract which will stem the growth of automation.

There you have it. The story of two iconic and strong unions. But soon every union will be affected by automation. This is a cold hard fact. When will that happen? Sooner rather than later. All unions are going to change. From the UAW to the Teamsters to the Teacher's Union. The change will start during this upcoming presidential term. Hearing much about those changes from the campaign trail? No? Neither am I.     

Trying to understand a bad choice

"Supposedly Kamala has nudged ahead of Trump in the polls right now. Really? How? Why? Because Trump has had two attempts on his life? Because Trump has promised to take the federal tax off of tips, social security and overtime? Because Trump has promised to take us back to energy dominance?"

Maybe I spend too much time thinking about this. But I can't seem to stop doing it. It perplexes me. Befuddles me. I had similar thoughts when Barack Obama ran for president. A paper-thin resume and a slogan. "Hope and change baby, hope and change." But he was "historic", if that means anything. And now we have another "historic" person running for president, who has the same type of resume. Just not the pervasive slogan that Obama had.

Somehow, Kamala Harris has managed to cast a spell on many of the sheeple, convincing them that she will "fix things". That the past almost four years did not really happen - it was just an extension of the Donald Trump's "mess". But here is my conundrum - love him or hate him, Donald Trump's metrics while president don't lie. Neither do the Biden/Harris metrics. Even knowing that prices are 20% higher than when taking office, we have millions of illegal immigrants all over the country, we are on the precipice of a major war - sheeple have either forgotten all of that, or they just don't care. They love the cackle. 

One of my RINO FB friends said he does not like Trump because Trump is too "authoritarian". Excuse me - what? Trump never mandated the type of cars we would drive. Trump never weaponized the DOJ to be a "lawfare" agency. Trump never dragged this country into numerous wars. Biden and Harris were the authoritarians. And that is just the start of what I could say about them. Of course, the list of their offenses while being the president and Veep would end up with tyranny. Maybe treason. 

Kamala is younger than Trump. That is a fact. Trump has more energy than Kalama - you can see that in how much he can get done compared to Kamala. Kamala has a big mouth with lots of teeth - you can see it when she smiles and laughs. Trump grins more than he smiles - that is his affect. But let's put looks aside and talk only about results.

Let's assume for a minute that we did not vote. That elections were decided only on the resume. Only on past performance. Not on the promise of "two chickens in every pot" - that never comes to pass. But when one candidate promises "more of the same" and the "same" was pretty darn good, why is that not enough for the sheeple? It sure is for me!

Supposedly Kamala has nudged ahead of Trump in the polls right now. Really? How? Why? Because Trump has had two attempts on his life? Because Trump has promised to take the federal tax off of tips, social security and overtime? Because Trump has promised to take us back to energy dominance? By the way, as this country also travels down the road to AI dominance, we will need MASSIVE amounts of energy. Far more than our windmills and solar panels can offer.

Okay sheeple. You don't like Trump - I get it. You don't like the fact he would mean tweet during his first term. You don't like his mannerisms. You don't like he counter punches. But you can't in good faith tell me his metrics were worse than Biden's. If you think so, prove it. I know - you can't prove it, because Biden was terrible. And Kalama will be worse. 

Will the term "teacher" start to sunset?

"They will be able to cook, clean, garden, converse and - teach. Teach and tutor. And according to Musk, these humanoids will know your child's learning style and adapt the teaching to fit it. In fact, teachers might very soon become a thing of the past. No more teacher unions, no more schoolteachers."

The couple who camps next to us at the RV park is a nice young couple. When we met them, the woman told us she was a teacher by trade. My wife responded by saying she was a retired teacher. Her response? "We have to talk sometime soon. I would like to know what teaching was like before it became a total s**t show". I thought wow! She has at least 25 years to go before retirement. Is it really that bad now? 

Maybe it is. We know other teachers who are still working who give similar stories. But many don't know the worst of it as yet. I saw an interview with Elon Musk the other day, and he was talking about his new Optimus humanoid robot. He was almost giddy. He said this humanoid would do just about everything around the house and yard. And when is the Optimus Gen 3 going to be available for private purchase? 2026, as the humanoids in 2025 will be used by Tesla Musk's factories.

Musk's dream is to have millions of these humanoids (priced no more than $20,000/each) on the market and in houses by the end of the decade. They will be able to cook, clean, garden, converse and - teach. Teach and tutor. And according to Musk, these humanoids will know your child's learning style and adapt the teaching to fit it. In fact, teachers might very soon become a thing of the past. No more teacher unions, no more schoolteachers.

Why is Elon talking so much about this humanoid which is set to hit the market sooner rather than later? Two reasons. First, the Chinese are also close to a "go to market" humanoid robot. They are aware of Musk's Optimus humanoid and want theirs out first. And have it be less expensive. Like maybe $12,000. Musk is aware of this and trying to figure out how to get Optimus down to about $10,000.

The other reason is pragmatic. Over 90% of the public has no clue as to what is coming. When these humanoids hit the market, they will hit like a bomb. People who thought Tesla was only an EV car maker, will soon find out there is so much more. It will be a shock to the marketplace unlike we have seen before.

I read an article recently penned by a lesser-known technologist. When asked how much is going to change this decade, he responded with only on word. "Everything". By the end of the decade the real question will be what has not changed. Education and learning for sure will change. Grab on to something - 2025 is just over three months away.   

Providence? I think so...

"The Providence of God. It is real. The messages are right out in the open now for all to see. Donald Trump has been spared for a reason. Twice now spared."

It happened again. Never in my lifetime, not in this country's history, has that happened before. Twice, in two months, an attempt on a former president's life. Not just a former president, but the man who could (or should) be president again. When I first heard this as breaking news yesterday, I thought I was a stupid joke from either the Onion or Babylon Bee. But it was not.

The fact this attempt on Trump's life was foiled was almost as miraculous as the first attempt being foiled. Why? This shooter was holed up quite well right next to a fence and hidden in the bushes. He had the Russian version of an AR-15 and some back packs full of ceramic to keep him as "bulletproof" as possible. It was almost a perfect "sniper's nest". To me, seeing a dark barrel of a long gun barely sticking out of the bushes and through a chain linked fence would have been very hard to see. But one sharp Secret Service guy did see it. And immediately opened fire. 

All I could think of after I let this latest attempt sink in, was this - everything happens for a reason. Donald Trump's life has been spared twice now. Some on the other side might read this and scoff. That is okay - scoff away. But here is the truth as I see it. God Almighty does not like the hard left turn this country has made. How we have become almost like the ancient Romans with our human secularisms. How we have turned from God. The Holy Bible is replete with stories on how God has used men, many less than perfect, to do the right thing. To do what God would like to have done.

The Providence of God. It is real. The messages are right out in the open now for all to see. Donald Trump has been spared for a reason. Twice now spared. Just to refresh for a second about the first time he was spared. The graphic he turned to look at is one he usually always saves until the end of his speech. For unknown (to us) reasons, he turned to look at it early. That saved his life. Accident? Maybe. Providence? Absolutely.

To get this country back on track, we need Trump in the White House. To end these endless wars, and to move us back from the brink of WW III, we need Trump in the White House. To keep God in the middle of our country, as the Founders did when they constructed our founding documents, we need Trump back in the White House. 

Time is running out. Only Trump can fix what has been broken. That's it. No more and no less.     

Hit by a truck, going 100mph

"The changes coming are going to hit many of us like a truck going 100mph. Can't stop this change; can't hide from it either. All we can do is get smart on what is coming. Prepare for it. Accept it. Will this be Frankenstein's monster? Maybe. Or it could take us to a brave new world."  

Many decades ago, I was selected by my local YMCA to represent them at a statewide youth conference in downtown Minneapolis (when it was safe to go there). It was an honor, and all of us high school kids were on our best behavior. In one small group I was in, the subject of "What is the biggest concern of the future" came up. War, pollution, overcrowding, were some of the topics brought up. But then some geeky kid from Edina brought up something from left field. "I think the biggest problem we will have in the future will be too much leisure time." That gave everybody a few chuckles but not much else.

By the end of this decade, a scant five years from now - history will prove that young man from Edina to be correct. Correct in spades. Ray Kurzweil, Sam Altman, Elon Musk and others, have been telling us this for the past few years. AI is coming and coming faster than anyone could predict - or could imagine. We are on a superhighway which will take us from AI to AGI to ASI at almost light speed. The changes coming will be massive, rapid and pervasive. Those who are not prepared for these changes, will be on the outside looking in.

One of the smartest people I listen to on YouTube is a young lady named Julia McCoy. She is the CEO of a software firm who uses AI. She is wicked smart on this technology and is sounding the alarm bell for all to hear. As most know, we are living in the world of AI right now. Big deal, right? Most have Siri, Alexia, or something similar. Well guess what? We are about at the end of that stage. The next stage (who some think that Google has already figured out, but not yet released as yet - is AGI (Artificial General Intelligence). When that becomes commonplace in the next few years, that is when change really starts to happen fast.

Meanwhile, most of us still have blinders on. Especially our schools. We are educating most of our kids to be unemployed when AGI starts taking over the workplace. Pie in the sky? Not according to the futurists and experts. This is coming and coming fast. If your kid is schooled in robotics or AI programing - there is a future. If, however, you kid is majoring in gender studies or art history - he or she will be riding the bench for a long, long time.

Julie McCoy thinks by 2030 (five years from now), billions worldwide will be without employment. Leisure time become the norm, just as the kid from Edina predicted many decades ago. Humanoid robots will be commonplace, and their numbers will be legions. The convergence of AI, quantum computing, and robotics will rule the day. Gargantuan data centers, powered by smallish yet efficient and clean nuclear power stations, will dot the landscape. Every home will be "smart", and self-driving cars will be as common as cars which need to be driven by humans. 

One more thing which Julia said in her last podcast. This election we are having in November, might be the last election which looks anything like previous elections. AGI will be so invasive by that the time the next election comes about, who knows what the landscape will look like. BTW - anybody hear one peep about the coming and changes AGI will bring during the last debate. No? Me neither. 

The changes coming are going to hit many of us like a truck going 100mph. Can't stop this change; can't hide from it either. All we can do is get smart on what is coming. Prepare for it. Accept it. Will this be Frankenstein's monster? Maybe. Or it could take us to a brave new world.  

 

Does he have the stones?

"The question then remains - does Putin have the stones to bump this war up a notch? Many in the world, including myself, are very nervous on how this could turn out. One wrong move, one misstep, could put us in a boxed canyon with no escape."  

Just when you think things could not get any more tense on our world, Ukraine has become the mouse that roared. Ukraine went from being an argi-business country, whose location just happened to be tucked in by the belly of Mother Russia. And then when big, tough Russia decided to attack this bunch of farmers and accountants, Russia soon figured out they did not have a mouse - they had a tiger by the tail. And now after almost three years of fighting a war of attrition, Ukraine has done the unthinkable. They have attacked Russia - and taken territory.

Truthfully, if not for the help of NATO supplying much needed weapons, this war would have been over a long time ago, with the Russian flag flying over Kyiv. Many times, over the past 2 1/2 years, Putin has threatened the west with death and destruction should these weapon deliveries continue. Even though Joe Biden had to stiffen his spine more than once, they did continue. But now we are at a different fork in the road. Where longer range Storm Chaser and ATACMS missiles might tip the battle over to Ukraine. And Putin does not like that - not a bit.

With these two game changing missiles going to Ukraine, there are two types of thinking right now. First way of thinking is this - Putin has shown his best stuff, and it is not good enough. Allowing Ukraine to hit deep inside of Russia, especially their military bases, could bring this dreadful war to a conclusion sooner rather than later. 

The second way of thinking is much grimmer. Like it or not, Russia still has more nukes than any other country. Poking this bear once too often might lead Putin to do something very foolish - declare war on NATO. Putin could unleash a barrage of conventional missiles towards many soft targets all over Europe. Or (God forbid), he could unleash a nuke or two.

The question remains on the table - does Putin have the stones to take on NATO after this slugfest with Ukraine? If he does, it will be the start of World War III. It will be the start of a war which could change everything for everyone for evermore. 

But if Putin puts up with Storm Chaser and ATACMS missile destroying parts of Russia, it will probably be the end of Putin. Because this war has not gone well for Russia, Putin is living on borrowed time. To have this bunch of farmers and accountants best the mighty Russian war machine - would probably spell the end of the story for Putin.

The question then remains - does Putin have the stones to bump this war up a notch? Many in the world, including myself, are very nervous on how this could turn out. One wrong move, one misstep, could put us in a boxed canyon with no escape.  

Four more years with sautéed cat on the side, please...

"No, this is not a joke. Maybe eating a cat is a joke. The rest is as serious as a heart attack. Or, one of Taylor Swift's love affairs gone bad. Beam me up Scottie - I have seen it all."  

Wahoo! I heard the big news as it broke! Taylor Swift, the woman phenom singer and socialite, decided right after the debate (better known as the 3 on 1 fight), that she was going to support (and endorse) Kamala. Shocked I was! No - not really. In fact, not only was I not shocked, I also could have given a rip. Big fluffy deal. "But Bird - she is an influencer! Now many of her Swifties are going to sign up to vote for Kamala". My reaction? As we would say in the Navy - DILLIGAF! 

Okay - here is the deal folks. If people in this country are THAT STUPID, they will vote for this fraud after suffering through almost four years of Biden, knowing that Kamala will only give us more of the same - then I quit. How this is possible, how this election could be this close, is a great mystery to me. Do you mean that some young Swifties and others with the same intellect could actually elect Kamala? You Betcha! Four more years with some sautéed cat on the side.

Come on Bird! Are you really buying into that whole cat thing? That illegals are eating stray (or family) cats in Ohio? Hey - could be true! There are people in the world who do eat cats and dogs to stay alive. Could they be here? Who knows? That to the Biden/Harris wrecking ball called border security, we have NO IDEA who is in this country. But that is okay. Since Taylor Swift said we should vote for more of the same, (as Pete the cat would say) - LET'S DO IT!

Now I will talk to those who don't give a flying flip about Swift. With Trump, besides giving us the same economy we had pre-Biden, Trump also wants to take the tax off of tips, Social Security, and overtime. WOW! What does Kamala want to give us? More abortion and more of the same stagflation. But wait - doesn't that suck? Yep - but don't worry about it. Taylor Swift said it will all be fine. 

Friends, we live in a world gone mad. Right now, thanks in large part to Biden and Harris, we are on the tipping point of World War III. Things cost at least 20% more than they did 3 years ago. Tim Walz's Democrats in Minnesota wants abortion legal up to full term. No, this is not a joke. Maybe eating a cat is a joke. The rest is as serious as a heart attack. Or, one of Taylor Swift's love affairs gone bad. Beam me up Scottie - I have seen it all.  

Alphabet Soup

"I have said this many times before - for us 70 plus folks, we have lived the good life in America. If kamala is elected, she can hurt us, but nothing compared to how she can hurt our kids and grandkids. We have seen the economic good times under Reagan and Trump. We have also seen the economic bad times under Carter, Obama and Biden." 

Which news show do you watch? If you are watching any one of the alphabet network news shows, it is just picking your poison. They are all the same. No, I did not watch the debate. I did not have to. I could have written the script for how it turned out weeks ago. When you have a (dare I use this term?) news organization, who when fact checked, had 89% favorable reporting on Kamala during the last year, and 91% unfavorable reporting on Trump - how would you imagine it would turn out?

This morning, Harold Ford (the Democrat), said we needed one more debate. On Fox. Why? Believe it or else, compared to the alphabets, FOX IS FAIR AND BALANCED. Ford said that having Brett Bair and Martha MacCallum as moderators would give the voters a clear picture of BOTH candidates. What we had last night was (as they say in football), a pile on. It was three against one all night long.

The question the pundits are asking this morning is "who won?" The answer to that question will mostly depend on which side of the street you live on. Me? I don't think anyone won - but I know who lost. ABC lost. Any shred of credibility which ABC had remaining is now gone. And not only ABC lost - I think this was the end for debates on any of the alphabet news shows. Last night might have been it - forever.

Actually, I felt pretty good about only popping in to watch every once in a while. But here is the problem. Kamala could have won the debate 99 to 1, and nothing would change. Her "policies", which are nothing more than Biden policies warmed over, will be in effect should she win the election. The good days of how Trump ran the country will be gone forever. Why? This is probably it for Donald Trump. If he does not make it this year, it (his political career) will be over. And the country will be over. Kamala, like Hillary, will drag us into World War III. Don't believe it? Just look around. If the man who hates war (Donald Trump) is defeated, war will be in our offing.

I have said this many times before - for us 70 plus folks, we have lived the good life in America. If Kamala is elected, she can hurt us, but nothing compared to how she can hurt our kids and grandkids. We have seen the economic good times under Reagan and Trump. We have also seen the economic bad times under Carter, Obama and Biden. 

I will agree with Harold Ford on this issue. One more debate on Fox. The voters deserve it. Trump's base does not need it, thank you. We are fine. But the squishy middle needs it. Otherwise, they will be like Swifties, and all vote for Kamala, even though she is a wrecking ball. And for ABC, let me finish this way. You can stuff it. 

♪♪ I've got you, under my skin...♪♪

"Will Kamala get under Trump's skin tonight? I hope not. I don't expect so. But - will Trump get under Kamala's skin tonight? Bet the house on that one. She will come back at Trump with lies, dam lies and statistics. No truth, just fiction." 

Tonight is the night. Probably the one and only debate between the sitting vice president and the former president. There will be no surprises coming from Donald Trump. He has been clear on the campaign trail on which direction he wants to lead the nation. Spoiler alert - it will look much like the same direction he had us on before. The one where most all of us did better. So, no surprises there. But there will be one question which will lead to maybe some real drama tonight.

And that question is -who is going to get under whose skin? Oh, the bait from Kamala will be on the water, just waiting for Donald Trump to take it. But this is a different Donald Trump than we saw in 2016 or 2020. He is much more disciplined. We saw that in the Biden debate this year where he dismantled Biden by letting Biden do all the work. Trump's supporters are relying on that same discipline tonight. Let Kamala talk. Let her word salads get her lost in box canyons.

Why will this be hard for Donald Trump? First off, Trump can't stand stupid people. Especially stupid people who are vying for the most important job in the country. Second, it is in Trump's nature to be a counter puncher. He is just the opposite of G.W. Bush. Whereas Bush would let most unkind things slide, Trump will let very little slide. Tonight, he needs to keep that side of himself locked up. Let Kamala do it to herself. 

Donald Trump has so many things to talk about which are winners tonight. I HOPE he talks about getting rid of the federal tax on Social Security. Now that - is a winner. And should be bipartisan. Just like "no tax on tips" is. That was Trump's idea - not Kamala's. Truthfully, many of the topics that Trump could bring up tonight, Kamala has no response to. That is, other than a side order of word salad. 

Will Kamala get under Trump's skin tonight? I hope not. I don't expect so. But - will Trump get under Kamala's skin tonight? Bet the house on that one. She will come back at Trump with lies, dam lies and statistics. No truth, just fiction. 

Where have all the choo-choo trains gone?

"The idea of having a Amtrac train station for trains going to Fargo is just as bad as the idea of the North Star being extended up to Duluth. The Duluth idea has gone nowhere, and it seems the Fargo idea might follow suit. What then, to do with the unused train stations? Maybe make drive through Starbucks out of them. Or something like that." 

Interesting article in the morning news. Seems the pro-train crowd wants an extension of the Amtrac line up to Fargo-Morehead. Really? Why? Ever been to Fargo in the wintertime? It is kind of like the movie. As the saying goes about North Dakota in the winter, "You are not at the North Pole, but you can see it from there". Not to besmirch the fine state of Northern Dakota. I actually kind of like it there (in the summertime). But to run ANOTHER expensive train which only a few will take - what a waste of taxpayer money.

By the way, most responsible taxpayers cringe when they drive by one of our abandoned North Star train stations. These stations were going to be statists dream. Walk to the station from your close by apartment, get on the North Star, ride to downtown in comfort, and then catch an LRT to where you work. When work is over, just do the reverse. That is the la-la land vision. The reality of course, is Democrat rule has turned Minneapolis into a lawless "no-go" zone. Thus, the North Star stations sit and gather dust. 

The dollars which went into constructing these stations are legion. Even though the North Star was a money pit, it still ran (for a while). Then the Floyd riots happened. And the pandemic. And the "defund the police" movement. All of a sudden, the adventure of going downtown became drudgery. Dangerous at times. Many folks just wanted to work from home, where it was MUCH cheaper and MUCH safer. Then - the very expensive ramps and train stations became relics from the past. Testaments to a foolish taxpayer WASTE of money.

The good people of Anoka have volunteered their unused station to be used as an Amtrac station for the long sought after train to nowhere (Fargo). If that comes to pass, after spending even more taxpayer money, it will be interesting to see how many cars will end up parking in the vacant ramp. My guess is very few. It will also be a drop off station for some of the fine folks from South Chicago who are looking for new territory. 

The idea of having a Amtrac train station for trains going to Fargo is just as bad as the idea of the North Star being extended up to Duluth. The Duluth idea has gone nowhere, and it seems the Fargo idea might follow suit. What then, to do with the unused train stations? Maybe make drive through Starbucks out of them. Or something like that. 

ps. A point of truthful disclosure. My wife and I did get tickets for the inaugural run of the North Star many years ago. That was back before I saw the light.  

Living in tubes - way up or way down

"To explore the stars, to explore the vast amount of ocean which is still unexplored - we need to live in a tube. Like, to journey to Mars, we would need to live in a tube for a very long time."

By now, most have heard of the huge cluster at the ISS. Boeing and NASA (who should know better), sent two astronauts up to the ISS for routine (and short) visit. One the way up there, some problems were noted. The capsule did make it to docking, and the astronauts made it into the ISS just fine. But the powers that be deemed the Starliner capsule "unfit" and unsafe to ferry humans back to Earth. Thus, after much consternation, the sick Starliner capsule was sent back to Earth unmanned. And the two astronauts are "stuck" in space until maybe February.

Some might read this story and think "so what". Big deal. Here is the big deal. This is NASA, for crying in the beer. NASA sent people to the Moon and back 50 years ago. Boeing has been around forever. And we don't know how to get two people back from the International Space Station? I thought today, all eyes were on how to get to Mars and back. Oh - that is right. That is Elon Musk. Elon Musk will and can do it. Elon Musk who might also have to save the day to get these two astronauts back home. By the way - February is a long way away when you are living in a tube, and only packed for a weekend visit.

Here is another "living in a tube" story which was much less publicized. The USS Florida (SSGS-728) set a record that they really did not mean to set. For a variety of reasons, this nuclear sub (which at one time was a "boomer"), set off on a routine cruise. Many times in the past, nuclear subs (which can stay underwater for just about forever), would be gone for six months at a time to undisclosed locations. Sailors knew in advance, that was part of the deal. I don't know about anyone else, but I would have a tough time living in a tube underwater for six months. Being in the submarine business was not for everyone. 

For a variety of reasons, most of which I don't know (other than the fact the Navy is spread a bit too thin right now), the USS Florida ended up being gone not for six months - rather it set a record for the longest deployment. It was gone just a shade under two years. True, it had to come up for replenishment, but the vast majority of the time it was underwater. Two years under water. Hats off to our sailors.

Exploring the oceans or traveling to the stars means living in a container which will keep people alive. I remember reading an article a while back comparing how stout a submarine is compared to how stout a space vehicle is. The premise of the article was that should a submarine suddenly find itself in space, it could survive (for a while). I know - hard to believe. 

In any event, here is the point. We can explore most places on Earth which are not covered in water. Even though most places have been explored to date, some are left unexplored. But we can explore those places without living in a tube. To explore the stars, to explore the vast amount of ocean which is still unexplored - we need to live in a tube. Like, to journey to Mars, we would need to live in a tube for a very long time.

How many people have the mental toughness to live in a tube either way up or way down? People who do, all I can say is this - hats off to you! I don't think I could. Not today, not fifty years ago. I will stay on terra firma, thank you!