Cat and mouse game - on steroids!

 

"In this new and brazen world of hyper speed technology, staying on top is no longer just as aspiration - it is a matter of survival. How so? If you are not able to counter what the bad guys are doing to steel your stuff or your ideas, you will soon be on the outside looking in." 

I think I might have mentioned this before. Back in the day when I served in the Navy, I did a few different things. But the thing which took most of my time and effort, was I was a Cold Warrior. Because of the field I was in, I was told in the beginning that many times it would feel like I was playing in a game of cat and mouse. How so? Trying to outsmart and figure out the other guy's moves while protecting ours. Over and over and over - day after day. It was a cat and mouse game, played by both sides so the cold war never got hot.

But then the Cold War ended, and there were still other things to do. After I retired from the Navy, I assumed that things just went on as they had before. And on my part, that was very shallow thinking - especially these days. Why is that? The game of cat and mouse went from checkers to chess to hyper speed. The entire world of cryptography was changing quickly. But that was then, and this is now. With the advent of AI and quantum computing - what used to be impossible - has become very possible indeed.

It is not just the murky and spooky world of spy vs. spy which is affected by the changes that AI and quantum computing is heralding. It is banking. It is investing. It is IP issues. Everything which could at one time be considered safe from hacking and intrusion, now is vulnerable. That is (according to the CEO of Google), vulnerable until AI is also used to protect what is yours in this new and very fast game of cat and mouse.

In this brand new and brazen world of hyper speed changes in technology, staying on top is no longer just as aspiration - it is a matter of survival. How so? If you are not able to counter what the bad guys are doing to steel your stuff or your ideas, you will soon be on the outside looking in. Thank goodness that Donald Trump, almost from day one of his term, got the money and the brainy people together to launch Project Stargate. And now with Project Genisis also recently launched, we are set up nicely for the future. But there is no time to look in the mirror and preen - China is right on our heels and would love us to stumble so they could take the lead.

What does all this mean? As I have penned a few times before, 2025 is the year things are staged and positioned for the next four years of hyper changes. Those who have dreaded the upcoming years of very rapid and constant change, need to hold on tight. And, those who relish the idea of things changing almost daily, will soon get their wish. But love it or not, rapid change is coming. Coming to cyber security, financial security, heck, even your home security. Yes, anything and everything will be subject to change. Get ready - it is coming.  

 

  

Are we feeling Luckey today?

 

"In any event, keep an eye on this young man and his company Anduril. They are going places quickly. More importantly, they will help keep this nation safer. What does the future hold for Palmer Luckey? Good question. It would like to ask the same question of Elon Musk. Both Musk and Luckey are brilliant innovators."

One of my favorite Clint Eastwood lines came from a Dirty Harry movie. When he had a punk on the ground, laying by his weapon, Clint kind of challenged him to go for it. He asked him if he was "Feeling lucky, Well, are you punk?" I don't know about the rest of us feeling lucky, but the more I learn about the founder of Anduril Industries, the more I like Palmer Luckey. This young man, this former gamer, is cut from the same cloth that Elon Musk is.

Some might be uttering a collective "so what?" if they have not heard of Anduril Industries as yet. When I say Luckey is cut from the same fabric as Musk is, I mean it. While some of our defense industry struggles to get product out on time and within budget, Luckey has figured out a different way to fill this nation's needs. Using his knowledge and skills he learned in the gaming business, he is making autonomous weapon systems.

What does Anduril Industries make out in California, with over 3,000 employees? First off, they make all kinds of different aerial drones. All different shapes and sizes. Some are reusable, other are not. He can make stuff that other companies cannot. And he can make quality products on the cheap. 

If you go on the Anduril Industries product offering sheet, it is voluminous and very impressive. For a company which has only been around for eight years, that is incredible! This guy Palmer Luckey is no spaced-out gamer - he is smarter than a whip and pays attention to what the bad guys are doing. He has come up with an underwater autonomous drone which he wants to manufacture by the hundreds. Why? Swarms. He thinks that swarms of both airborne and underwater drones is the best way to blunt the Chinese numerical naval advantage in the Indo-Pacific theater. And the Pentagon agrees with him! 

In any event, keep an eye on this young man and his company Anduril. They are going places quickly. More importantly, they will help keep this nation safer. What does the future hold for Palmer Luckey? Good question. It would like to ask the same question of Elon Musk. Both Musk and Luckey are brilliant innovators.

Are we lucky to have Palmer Luckey on our team? Just like with Elon Musk, not only lucky, but very blessed indeed!

 

  

I guess we just suck at shipbuilding these days

 

"Every ship we are still building is over budget and behind schedule. Fact of life. Whatever recipe we had during the Cold War on how to build good ships at a reasonable price was lost in the wind. My advice to Secretary Hegseth is to offshore this task to some of our allies who are good at shipbuilding."

Back in the day, the United States could build frigates fast and furious. I spend a few days on a frigate (USS McCandles) doing some training back in the 1980's. It was an old and "no frills" type of ship. By 2020, all the frigates had aged out and been retired, so the smart thinkers at the Pentagon decided to make a new and better class of frigates. Thus, was born the Constellation class of frigates. How did that go? Not well. With two under construction (USS Constellation and the USS Congress), and the program over budget and behind schedule, the axe came down. Program terminated. Seems naming a ship after Congress was the kiss of death. 

Not the first time the Navy has fumbled the ball. The Zumwalt Class of destroyers was going to be the best of class. The world was going to sit up and take notice of these Star Wars looking ships. Thirty-two of these bad boys were going to be built. However, with the program way, way over budget and behind schedule, the building was stopped at three. The destroyer, which was to replace the Arleigh Burke destroyers, never got a chance. Now we have aging Burke destroyers, with not much in the wings to replace them.

Subs are not much better. The company I worked for in the 1980s got the contract to build this top-secret propeller for the new Seawolf submarine. This sub (again) was going to be best of class, and replace the aging Los Angeles class of attack subs. After three very expensive and problematic subs, the plug was pulled. Now we have a bunch of old Los Angeles class subs and shipyards building the new Virginia class sub as fast as they can go. But at the end of the day, this was another mess.

Finally, the Littoral Class Ship (LSC) was another futurist looking craft to fill an unmet need. Fifty-two were planned with two variants. Then the fifty-two became forty. In 2020, the plug was finally pulled with four very expensive and problematic ships floating around. Some folks wanted to decommission the four, others wanted one more swing for the fences. In any event, the entire ship class was a typical Navy SNAFU. 

Every ship we are still building is over budget and behind schedule. Fact of life. Whatever recipe we had during the Cold War on how to build good ships at a reasonable price was lost in the wind. My advice to Secretary Hegseth is to offshore this task to some of our allies who are good at shipbuilding. There are many things this country does very well, and we should stick to our knitting. Shipbuilding is no longer one of those things.

Meanwhile, China is turning out new ships left and right. Time to send out the SOS signal - we are taking on water and starting to list.     

Protest aerobics

"Here is the bottom line. So long as we have a law-and-order administration, law breakers are not welcome here. Until Congress changes our laws (and hopefully, they never will), ICE and Border Patrol, with an assist at times from local LEOs, will enforce those laws. The latter-day hippies can bitch and moan all they want, but the bottom line is this - as of today, illegal immigration is still illegal. It really is that simple."

I am not going to address the National Guard shooting which happened yesterday in Washington DC. I am going to wait for a while to see what else develops on that story first. But I am going to talk about the constant, non-stop protesting which takes place every single time ICE or Border Patrol agents attempt to take an illegal alien into custody. And most of the time, the latter-day hippies which are protesting need to be gassed.

I am missing the math here on why this is so complicated. It really is simple. You live in another country and want to immigrate here. Cool - there is a LEGAL process on how to do it. However, should you decide to ditch the LEGAL process and come here illegally, that breaks laws which our CONGRESS has passed. And badge carrying law enforcement officers of ICE and the Border Patrol, have the LEGAL jurisdiction and responsibility to arrest you and deport you. Period.

Yesterday, St. Paul Police had to lend an assist to the Feds who were going into a St. Paul neighborhood. Soon (as usual), the protest turned into an obstruction of justice issue with many of the latter-day hippies. Thus, some were gassed. Now, after exhibiting bad behavior (again), the latter-day hippies want the St. Paul Police investigated for excessive use of force to the hippies. Give me a flipping break!  

Here is the bottom line. So long as we have a law-and-order administration, law breakers are not welcome here. Until Congress changes our laws (and hopefully, they never will), ICE and Border Patrol, with an assist at times from local LEOs, will enforce those laws. The latter-day hippies can bitch and moan all they want, but the bottom line is this - as of today, illegal immigration is still illegal. It really is that simple.

As much as the latter-day hippies would like to pull this country off the cliff and into some kind of armed insurrection, our brave law enforcement, at times backed up with our brave National Guard members, will put themselves in harm's way to uphold our immigration laws. All the protest aerobics in the world that the wacky left want to do every time there is an enforcement action, will not deter or dissuade law enforcement from doing their sworn duty. Full stop, and end of story.

   

An act of mercy, maybe a change in trajectory

"Amelioration of suffering, either by hydration for the thirsty, food for the hungry or comfort for the hurting is just as important. This is a once in a lifetime chance to do the right thing. Change history. Show our true colors. The time is now."  

I know many have already heard about this. Iran is going through a mega-drought. That coupled with the fact that Iran has mis-managed their water resources for years, has left parts of the country high and dry. How dry? Not conservation dry - turning on the faucet and having nothing come out dry. And the city at the epicenter of this calamity is their capital - Tehran.

How bad is it in Tehran right now? Besides not having any drinking water coming into people's homes, there is not enough water to run the hydro-electric power stations. Thus, very little electricity either. Even if there was water to get into the city, without power, the pumps will not work. In other words, the entire ten million people who live in Tehran are about five minutes away from a mandatory evacuation.

Here is the thought which has gone through my mind. The two countries Iran's government hates the worst are Israel and the United States. That being said, the two countries who could come to the rescue of Iran and help them through this water crisis are the same two countries they hate so much. Israel, who is also an arid country, has done wonders with water management. Sending in teams from Israel and the United States might, just might, tone down the hatred, and build a new bridge of friendship.

We always talk about the difference between Iran's government and the people of Iran. We think the people, just like in the old days, could be our friends. Helping them get the most basic of all needs - water - could be the catalyst to that change. It is the right thing to do. The people in Tehran are suffering. To evacuate the city solves nothing. They need water there, in their homes, and they need it now. Not having a hostile Iran in the future would be wonderful for just about everyone.

Donald Trump wants his legacy to be a merchant of peace. One who can craft peace agreements between waring countries. To me, this is just as good as a peace agreement. Amelioration of suffering, either by hydration for the thirsty, food for the hungry or comfort for the hurting is just as important. This is a once in a lifetime chance to do the right thing. Change history. Show our true colors. The time is now.  

  

Spaced Out?

"This is going to play out. For Mark Kelly, the conclusion will probably not be honorable. Even if exonerated, he will still get muddied up in the process. Too bad - even though I have never been a fan of this guy, I hate to see anybody get injured by a self-inflicted wound." 

I am starting to think one of these immutable facts of life is once somebody becomes a Democrat they lose touch with reality. At first, I was going to suggest that Mark Kelly had spent too much time in space, but I was off base. That was his twin brother Scott who spent a year in space. Mark only spent fifty days in space - which is still fifty more days than most of us will ever spend. That being said, Mark Kelly really has no good reason for going off the reservation and calling for an insurrection against the Commander in Chief. And now he is in some real hot water.

As a Democrat, Mark Kelly has been schooled not to give Pete Hegseth the time of day at 12 noon. As a Democrat, Mark Kelly has allowed himself to be infected with Stage Four TDS. But as a fellow vet, Kelly should be sharing some love and respect with Pete Hegseth. Instead, he treats Hegseth and Trump like they are Taliban rather than links in the DOD (DOW) command structure.

Where does this go from here? A court martial? Military punishment of some kind? Reduction in rank? Pension punishment? This case is rare, but not unprecedented. Why is this case rare? Most vets know how to behave themselves once their service is done. Especially those who are retired and have obtained the rank of O-6. But what if our service men and women were asked to follow illegal orders? Moot point, as there have not been any illegal orders given. The only people who believe that are a handful of Democrats.

This is going to play out. For Mark Kelly, the conclusion will probably not be honorable. Even if exonerated, he will still get muddied up in the process. Too bad - even though I have never been a fan of this guy, I hate to see anybody get injured by a self-inflicted wound. Slotkin is another story. She is toxic, and if she gets deep in trouble with the DOJ, I am good with that. My vote would be to have here get expelled from Congress. Period. Full stop.

The Democrats will eat themselves alive with the raging TDS they have. TDS not only hurts the haters, but it is also toxic for our country. As far as Kelly is concerned, everything good he might have done for the Navy and NASA has been eclipsed by this bone headed and misguided insurrection crapola. Not well played at all Capt. Kelly, not well played at all.

   

The Age of Disclosure? So far, a meh -

 

"Other people think the aliens (should they exist), are warm and welcoming. They want to share some of their technology with us. Like clean and unlimited energy. Better and faster space travel." 

Well, it came and it went. What was being hyped for months before release, hit the theaters and PFV last Friday. Thirty-four notable and credible experts were being interviewed and give testimony on how they know we are not alone in the universe. It hit Friday, and by Sunday, people were searching for their snooze alarms. Why? Nothing new under the sun here. Until a spaceship lands on the White House lawn, and ET gets out and shakes hands with Donald Trump (or Elon Musk), the evidence of life outside of Earth - remains anecdotal.

Just because the premiere hit like a thud instead of a bang does not mean the producers have quit trying. I have heard one person interviewed who said that Richard Nixon had been briefed, and because of the incursion over the Capitol in 1952, he was very close to holding a national press conference on the validity of UFOs. Then I also heard somebody else say that G.W. Bush also knew the hidden truth and wanted to disclose it to the American public. Allegedly, he had two days of meetings in the Oval to discuss the ramifications. At the end of the second day, it was decided to keep the status quo - no disclosure.

Me? I like the "Dark Forest" theory. That is where we live our lives without telling the stars who and where we are. Many scientists agree with this. Why? The "what if" issue. Like, what if there are marauders who go from planet to planet to kill and plunder. Not everybody thinks that ET will be warm and cuddly. Some think that aliens are truculent and hungry for human flesh. I mean, if I get invited to an alien's spaceship for dinner, I don't want to be the main dish!

Other people think the aliens (should they exist), are warm and welcoming. They want to share some of their technology with us. Like clean and unlimited energy. Better and faster space travel. Some think we already have some of it. Like, what will be the anchor in our 7th generation aircraft. Anti- gravity propulsion. Is that real? Might be. I am starting to see and hear more about this new propulsion more and more these days. If it is real, it changes everything.

I any event, those who thought this new disclosure movie would hit like a bang, might be a bit let down. Who knows? Maybe President Trump will be the "Disclosure President". Or not. 

Future sacking

"My guess is even with the help of the federal government in creating jobs for the unemployable, the number of unemployed will continue to grow. And still, to this day, our education system is stumbling along, fat, dumb and happy." 

Now that we are on the precipice of 2026, some dire predictions are starting to come forward. Not that we have never heard some of this before, it is just more reputable sources are starting to predict the economic future due to AI. Again, if somebody has a tech heavy background and is nimble and flexible, there is a good chance that person will be employable in the age of AI. However, many without the proper pedigree will not be. And tough days are coming, sooner rather than later.

How many people will become unemployable, or lose their jobs (sacked, as they say in the UK), is up for debate. Goldman Sacks recently had an article stating the US could lose 6 to 7 percent of our workers once AI starts to really take hold. But it gets worse than that. The World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report (published this year), stated by 2030 (four years away), we could lose 92 million people (worldwide) out of the workforce. All thanks to AI, robotics and other automation.

Reading these articles caused me to go into a deep think. What if that is true? Will our government allow millions to just sit idle? Will the employed (or could they) be retrained? Or would the government be forced to create some non-value-added jobs like they did coming out of the Great Depression. 

Many futurists believe the decade we are in right now will be the one of rapid change. Starting next year, the changes will start coming faster and with more impact. But that does not mean that by 2030 this change tsunami will be over - it will continue on. My guess is even with the help of the federal government in creating jobs for the unemployable, the number of unemployed will continue to grow. And still, to this day, our education system is stumbling along, fat, dumb and happy. We have been warned about what is coming and have ignored those warnings.

Even today, in this year of 2025, I have heard that finding employment is not easy. Why? Many employers are reticent about the future. Unsure. Many are playing the wait and see game. How long will that uncertainty last? Great question. In fact, that could be the most valid question of the decade.      

Setting the example for Europe

"Immigration is THE issue for 2026. It will remain the issue here, and for sure will be the issue in Europe. Letting people into your country when you have open borders is easy - we are finding out that getting them out is very hard. Especially when the hard left has become insurrectionists in fighting against law enforcement."

To say that many countries in Europe are a mess right now is an understatement. Why? The same reason that Joe Biden almost sunk our country. Unfettered illegal immigration. Fortunately, we had a guy like Donald Trump take office after Biden, who could stem the tide. Leaders like Trump in Europe right now are very far and very in between. And once the borders are left open, getting them shut, and then getting the illegals out of the country is very, very hard work. Especially when the hard left sides against law enforcement.

Here we are, 250 days into the Trump Administration, and we have reached a good milestone. We have now relieved ourselves of 2,000,000 illegal immigrants. Of the 2,000,000, the program of voluntary deportation worked very well. How well? 1,600,000 were voluntary. The other 400,000 were the hard ones. The involuntary deportations. The ones that the mutts on the left fight tooth and nail to keep here. Why? Beats me.

The UK is really a mess right now with immigration. Starmer is a wuss, and the King knows it. The King wants the Prime Minister to take control of this situation - kind of like Trump did in the US. But Starmer is afraid of his left flank in Parliament (sound familiar?), and therefore progress is at a snail's pace. Meanwhile, London with a Muslim Mayor, is hardly recognizable. The question many Londoners are now asking is this - "Is London lost?" Right now, it probably is. 

Here is the issue. Immigration in Europe, like it was in the US under Biden, went from a drip, drip, drip to a flood. All of a sudden, people started arriving in Euro countries who did not look like the locals, eat like them, worship like them, or dress like them. And many newcomers did not assimilate. The newcomers became insular and tribal. Now many of the citizens in Euro countries are wondering what their government has done to their countries. I know we did under Biden.

Immigration is THE issue for 2026. It will remain the issue here, and for sure will be the issue in Europe. Letting people into your country when you have open borders is easy - we are finding out that getting them out is very hard. Especially when the hard left has become insurrectionists in fighting against law enforcement. But Donald Trump is committed to keep this going until he is out of office. No matter the headwinds, he will keep it going.

The next time there is an election of any type, ask the candidate what his or her views are on immigration. Both legal and illegal. The answer you receive will tell you volumes about what the candidate is all about. Trust me - it will.       

In the spotlight - for all the wrong reasons

 

"We suck in education now also. At one time, we were the bell of the ball (so to speak). But the greedy teacher unions, in cahoots with the Democrats, decided to put kids last - especially in the inner city. We have become a high tax, low value (corrupt) state with a crappy education system."

I think I have told this story before. When I was in the Navy, and serving outside the state of Minnesota, I would often time brag about how good this state was. And Minneapolis? To me, that city was the cat's pajamas. I loved it. But that was then, and this is now. Now this state has a national reputation similar to Chernobyl. In other words, it is toxic. And how and when did all of this change? Stand by - it was the "boiling frog" syndrome.

For those who can't remember this analogy, a "boiling frog" syndrome is to put some frogs in a pan, put it on the oven, and slowly increase the temperature. By the time the frogs realize what is happening to them, they are cooked. That is what happened in Minnesota. Slowly, the Democrats took over more of the levers of state and city government. The City Council in Minneapolis became socialist and nutty. Then came the Floyd debacle, and the slow change of Minneapolis went into hyperdrive. 

Now we have a patsy Governor, owned by the "newcomers" who reside in Minneapolis. Graft is not just somewhere - it is everywhere. Walz either does not have the brains nor the balls to do anything about it, except blame it all on Trump. Huh? It is so bad, that Trump stated last night he was going to give rid of any protective status for the "newcomers". Why? Graft. Gangs. Mayhem. You name it.

We suck in education now also. At one time, we were the bell of the ball (so to speak). But the greedy teacher unions, in cahoots with the Democrats, decided to put kids last - especially in the inner city. We have become a high tax, low value (corrupt) state with a crappy education system.

And truthfully, Tim Walz should be a dead man walking (politically) if he should run again. We could run Bozo the Clown against Walz and win. But this is Minnesota. Walz will have the graft infested "newcomers" in his corner, as well as zillions of ne'er-do-well later day hippies who live in Minneapolis and St Paul. In other words, as bad as things are right now, Walz could waltz into another term.

Sorry Minnesota - the love affair is over. Now I only live here because of family. And Minneapolis? It is a nice place to be from - far, far from. And I rest my case. 

 

There is gold in the Duluth Complex!

 

"Come on Minnesota! Let's be known for something other than the epicenter of graft and corruption. Forget Walz! For get our socialists! Forget billions of our tax dollars ending up (illegally) in Northern Africa! Think what our unmined minerals could do for our MAGA nation!"   

Oh my! I know I will get some blowback from my friend Gary on this article, but it needs to be said. The very fragile relationship we have with China (on trade), seems to be fraying a bit. Like, they want to renege on the rare earth mineral deal we had. And maybe also the soybeans they were going to buy. I may be tainted by the number of years I had to deal with the Chicoms during my Navy days, but I am ready to tell them to pound sand (and worse). Especially, since we have unmined rare earth minerals in our own country. In our own state.

The Duluth Complex. It contains a cornucopia of mineral riches. All there, lying in the ground, unmined as yet. Wait! With all the needs we have for rare earths, why in the world do we need to grovel at the feet of Xi to trade with us? Because the greenies are scared to death our mining companies do not have the know how nor the wisdom on how to extract these minerals without sullying the land. Sad but true.

Pete Stauber, our Congressional rep from the north country in MN, is an adamant supporter of mining in MN. Pete lives there, so he does not want the BWCA and surrounding area ruined. But Pete also thinks we are nuts for not tapping into this valuable and needed resource. I agree with the Congressman on this issue. 100% agree with him. 

Until we have the technology to mine asteroids of rare and valuable minerals, and then bring that booty to Earth, we are stuck with what is on terra firma. And China knows we will use some of their rare earth minerals for our weapons. Weapons which could be used against China should push ever come to shove. 

What other elements besides rare earth minerals does the Duluth Complex hold? The granddaddy is 4.4 billion tons of copper. Next there is a huge amount of nickel. Then add in zinc, cobalt, iron, titanium, palladium, and finally - silver and gold, and you have a treasure trove, right in our backyard.

Minnesota could really be a champion for our nation going forward. Right now, we are just a thorn in the saddle of progress. I want drill, baby drill to be additive to mine, baby mine! Draw the mining contracts up with the stiffest of all penalties for environmental damages. Be creative. The mining companies know they can walk and chew gum at the same time. 

Come on Minnesota! Let's be known for something other than the epicenter of graft and corruption. Forget Walz! For get our socialists! Forget billions of our tax dollars ending up (illegally) in Northern Africa! Think what our unmined minerals could do for our MAGA nation!   

Is this the new Democrat "moderate"?

 

"The Democrats? Even the ones who are not yet socialists, have endless vacuous ideas. Their party platform continues to be monolithic - hate Trump."

Here she is folks. The new face of the "moderate" side of the Democrat Party. How do I know she is moderate? Her words - not mine. And this woman's name is Ellise Slotkin. This fairly new senator from the fickle state of Michigan, seems to be everywhere. That is - everywhere a camera is. Here claim to fame is she was a CIA analyst. As a former NSA guy, I am not that impressed. But she is. Her rest of her background is not that impressive, and maybe why she is involved in the latest bonehead idea the "moderates" have come up with. Their plan for insurrection.

Wait - what plan of insurrection? Are these the guys who have been accusing Trump of insurrection? Yep - but here is the irony. If Liz Cheney had not destroyed all the evidence at the end of the J6 hearings, the entire charade could have been proven to be faux. But the Democrats support of groups like Antifa, how they burned down Minneapolis as well as some other urban cities - now that is a true insurrection.

However, Ellise Slotkin, along with a few other misguided Democrats, have even a better idea than supporting Antifa and BLM. Encourage the military to mutiny. By mutiny, I mean to disobey direct orders. Orders that can be construed to be "unlawful". In the universe of dumb ideas, this might be the dumbest yet. Using the National Guard to enforce the law in cities which are in mayhem right now, is not unlawful. Using our military to sink "go fast boats" loaded with deadly drugs headed up to America, is not unlawful. We are at war with drugs. Drugs kill our people.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump is scoring victory after victory. Our tally now is up to just over 18 trillion dollars of new investments in America. That is YUGE! Trump continues to be a fountainhead of new ideas, all primed and ready to Make America Great Again (MAGA). The Democrats? Even the ones who are not yet socialists, have endless vacuous ideas. Their party platform continues to be monolithic - hate Trump.

Even if we have a setback in the midterms, the amount of ground being covered right now by POTUS 47 is nothing short of amazing. America is being rejuvenated, right before our eyes. All the Democrats can do, is look on from the sidelines and hate. And at the end of the day, all that hate will only add up to one thing - a nothing burger. Sad but true.     

  

4th generation jets which just won't die

 

"When it comes to aircraft, the United States of America has an embarrassment of riches. We have awesome fourth generation planes, state of the art fifth generation planes, and are starting development on the new sixth generation planes. All very good, all state of the art. If you are an aviation buff like I am, stay tuned. The best is yet to come."  

Why can't they just die a dignified death, and make room for the next two generations of fighter jets? I mean, they have all of them, served our nation well. Time for the latest and greatest stuff. But here is the problem. Many of our fourth-generation jets were very well made. And because of that, the manufacturers have been tinkering around with putting some new and more modern capabilities into them and then relaunching them. Really? Like what?

The F-18 Hornet, which is the backbone of the fleet, has evolved into the F-18 Super Hornet. This is an old jet. I worked on the Standard Navy Airborne Computer which when into the f-18 Hornets when I was much, much younger (in the 1980's). But the Super Hornet has some newer punch to it. It fits in well next to the F-35 Lightning II stealthy fighter jets on a carrier. When will the Super Hornets be retired out to the desert? Maybe once the newer F-47 Navy variant enters service after passing flight tests. Until then, get used to seeing the Super Hornets on carriers.

The F-15 Eagle is another success story. No stealth with this bad boy, so why keep it around? Because it has a new variant. The F-15EX Eagle II. This old jet is still fast - faster than greased lightening. It can fight at speeds up to Mach 2.5 and sometimes approach Mach 3.0. But here is the real secret. It is like a flying tank with how many missiles and bombs it can carry. And with the standoff ability of today's missiles, one F-15EX Eagle II has enough fire power and range to take out an entire wing of Russian Backfire bombers. Take them out before they even knew what hit them. Thus, the F-15 still has a place at the table.

And then we have the age-old lighter companion to the Eagle - the F-16 Falcon. Single engine and nimble, it has served this nation well. Now it is time to go bye-bye. But hold the phone! The powers that be thought there might be some life left in this old bird. The F-16 Falcon has been remade, upgraded and updated to become the new F-16V Viper. And what makes this Viper so special? What it has inside. Almost Star Wars type of avionics with a radar which can see and track just about everything in the sky. The difference between the Falcon and Viper are like night and day. Meaning? Until the F-47 sixth generation jet is ready to go, the Viper will hang around and keep being very deadly.

Finally, I have to say a word about the butt-ugly (yet very deadly) Warthogs. Those would be the A-10 tank killers. Maybe the most survivable jet ever made. The pilot sits in a titanium "bathtub" with a tank killing gatling gun in the nose of the jet. And why are not these Cold War relics retired to the desert as of yet? Because some bright thinkers at the Pentagon thought it would be wise to sell these to NATO. And why is that? The Warthogs are still the best Russian tank killers around - hands down. So, some of them get to stay out of the desert - at least for a while.

When it comes to aircraft, the United States of America has an embarrassment of riches. We have awesome fourth generation planes, state of the art fifth generation planes, and are starting development on the new sixth generation planes. All very good, all state of the art. If you are an aviation buff like I am, stay tuned. The best is yet to come.  

Is disclosure finally coming?

 

I guess that this entire issue will remain unresolved until a UAP lands on the White House lawn and a "non-human" asks to be taken to our leader. Hopefully that leader would be Donald J. Trump. And hopefully the first thing out of Trump's mouth would not be asking them if they are "illegal" or had the proper paperwork to visit here. JK, JK.     

On November 21st, (three days away), there is a documentary film being released worldwide. It is called The Age of Disclosure, and it is purported to be a real "tell all". Why is this getting so much splash ahead of its release? It has 34 reputable people from the government, military and intelligence agencies testifying about their experiences with either being briefed on or witnessing UFOs (or now called UAPs).

One of the people in the trailer I saw was Marco Rubio. Seems in his former life on the Senate Intelligence Committee, he had access to some real spooky stuff. How much so? He declares that our skies have been visited by things which are "not human". Wait - what? If UAPs are being piloted by things which are "not human", what are they? Little green men? Interdimensional beings? Fallen Angels? What then?

Over the years I have talked to people (many of whom are reputable) who have seen things unexplainable. My former son-in-law and I saw a "something" around Anoka, MN in late November just over ten years ago. It was credible enough for both of us to be interviewed by MUFON. Just talking to this MUFON man was interesting all by itself. Oh, the tales he had to tell. By wait - how in the world can this many people see things which defy explanation? What gives?

The rumor mill is really buzzing this week around Washington. Forget the Epstein Files - those are nothing more than a canard. The real buzz is "Disclosure". Like will Donald Trump be the president who tells the nation that we are not alone? Maybe. Or maybe he has not even been briefed. The true believers say the following - we have not only been visited for over 80 years, but we also have alien technology. Ben Rich (of Lockheed Skunk Works) said before he died, that we have the means to travel among the stars.

I guess that this entire issue will remain unresolved until a UAP lands on the White House lawn and a "non-human" asks to be taken to our leader. Hopefully that leader would be Donald J. Trump. And hopefully the first thing out of Trump's mouth would not be asking them if they are "illegal" or had the proper paperwork to visit here. JK, JK.     

 

Portnoy's Complaint?

 

"But to win elections, the Democrats need to win back former loyal voters. If the Democrats cannot win back disenfranchised Jewish voters, Black voters, Hispanic voters, and so forth, get ready to inaugurate President Elect Vance in January 2029."

Sorry - this is not about the famous book by Phillip Roth (Portnoy's Complaint). That being said, Dave Portnoy does have a complaint. A former (heavy on the word former) lifelong New York Democrat, Mr. Portnoy has left the party. Why? For many reasons, one of which he found out that "being white" in today's Democrat Party is not a plus-up. In fact, he found it to be a negative. Why? He has no clue. All he knows is of the many white guys he pals with; none are evil to the extent they are being type cast by the Democrats. That was the last straw.

Another thing (for those who do not know this) - Dave Portnoy is Jewish. He did some good things for the bar and restaurant owners in New York City during the pandemic. Helped keep many of them afloat. But not too long ago, Dave was at an event, and some race bating leftie came up to him and unleashed a bunch of racial slurs and threw some change at him. Huh? Why? Nobody really knows, but what we found out last season, Jewish people were becoming persona non grata in the party of blue.

So now Dave Portnoy is no longer a Democrat. Too bad for the Democrats, as Portnoy has a wide sphere of influence. He, like many others in the 2024 election, has found friendlier confines in the Big Tent Party. Actually, after seeing how loyal Jewish voters were treated by the Ivy League schools during the Free Palestine debacle, I am amazed there is one Jewish voter left in the Democrat Party. The Republicans would welcome any Jewish voter with open arms, seven days a week.

Some folks are starting to grumble about the state of the economy. Maybe they made a mistake voting for Trump and not Kamala. Here is the long and the short of it. 2025 was a year to start turning the ship around. The Big Beautiful Bill, which was passed this year, does not take effect until 2026. And when it does, the change will be profound. Also, Trump wants to give many in the middle class a "dividend" of $2,000. That will also come in the first part of 2026. If at the end of 2026, many still feel they are worse off, then I will listen to them.

But to win elections, the Democrats need to win back former loyal voters. If the Democrats cannot win back disenfranchised Jewish voters, Black voters, Hispanic voters, and so forth, get ready to inaugurate President Elect Vance in January 2029. When that happens, there will be no complaints here. 

  

Mexico - Nation state or narco state?

"Donald Trump has a vision and a plan for not only the United States, but also our neighbors. But that plan does not include drugs nor human trafficking. It is a plan of unity and working together. Prosperity. Peace. Everything we don't have now in North America."

Oh, my goodness, do we ever have problems in our neighborhood. Our neighbor to the north, is on the verge of splitting in two. Why? People in the west in Canada are citizens and patriots. People and leaders in the east are tyrants. Yes, Canada really has some problems right now, and it does not help that Justin Trudeau was followed by the very clueless Mark Carney. Wither will the Canucks go. Unity or splits-vile? Time will tell.

But Mexico, that country is a real mess. And the current leader, Claudia Sheinbaum is in way, way over her head. In fact, riots are breaking out in Mexico City, protesting her. Why? Giving the cartels love taps instead of the iron fist. Just this month, another two mayors were killed in front of their families. One was beheaded, and his head was mounted on the front of his car. By whom? By a group of thugs and terrorists who like Mexico wild and untamed. Where drugs are king and laws are passe.

Don't look now, but Mexico is no longer the free-range country it has been for some time now. To their north, President Trump has decreed that cartels are now a public enemy of the US. No more unfettered drug shipments into the United States. No more unfettered illegal immigration into the United States. The squeeze is on. What is happening in Venezuela might soon be happening in Mexico.

But here is the odd thing about Mexico. If Mexico could ever get its drug cartels under control, get law and order restored, Mexico has everything needed to be a nation state instead of a narco state. Cold hard fact. The United States is willing and able to help Mexico out. But first, Mexico needs to be willing to accept some military and paramilitary help. We have the technology and the will to bust up the cartels. Make them obsolete. But without the help of President Sheinbaum, it will all be for naught.

This is the new reality. Both Mexico and Canada better come to grips with it. The United States is the big kid on the block once again. No more Sleepy Joe at the wheel. Donald Trump has a vision and a plan for not only the United States, but also our neighbors. But that plan does not include drugs nor human trafficking. It is a plan of unity and working together. Prosperity. Peace. Everything we don't have now in North America.

Mexico, we need you. You need us. It is time for law and order once again. It is time to rejoin the league of nations. Become a nation state. It is time. It is long past time. 

     

 

Critical Thinkers

"We need a reclama, a major 'do-over' for the way we are teaching kids. Our current method might have worked just okay years ago but falls far short of what is needed today."

In the movie "The Wizard of Oz", Dorothy became friends with a scarecrow. The scarecrow wanted to see the Wizard of Oz to ask for a brain? Why? In his words, he wanted people to "think more of me when you hear the splendid thoughts my new brain is going to turn out." Bingo! That is what we should want from all of us. Not to be brain numbed robot, who has been indoctrinated by socialists in our government school system. Like the scarecrow with his new brain, we need critical thinkers going forward.

I don't know how many times I have heard this in the recent past. Tomorrow's jobs (like in just a few years from now) will be different than today's jobs. Many of the jobs which exist today will no longer exist, and the newer ones are not yet created. Huh? How in the world can you prepare yourself for a future which is still undefined? What do we teach our young ones? Quite simply this - teach them to be critical thinkers. Have hungry minds. If they can do that, the future will find them.

 

 

Okay - so what are critical thinking skills? A common definition follows: " Critical thinking is the disciplined process of making informed decisions and judgements, essential for effective problem solving and reasoning." Why is that important? The lay of the land in the near future is just starting to take shape. In order to be employable, be of use in the new economy, our young people need to be nimble and sharp. Be interested and interesting. Be engaged and engageable.

How are we doing so far? The first step towards critical thinking is being able to read and absorb. 40% of all American 4th graders cannot read at their grade level. That is terrible. And with kids in poverty, the story gets worse. 70% of them cannot read at grade level. Even if a kid does not know much about math or science, the skill of reading and absorbing what was read is a critical success factor. Without that skill, the opportunities in the future will be greatly diminished.

Our schools, our universities, are not prepping our kids the right way for the future. It has gotten so bad, that even the Ivy Leage colleges need to have remedial reading and math courses for incoming freshmen. Why? So, they have a fighting chance once they get to "real" college courses. We need a reclama, a major "do-over" for the way we are teaching kids. Our current method might have worked "just okay" years ago but falls far short of what is needed today.

One final thought - is "screen time" bad for kids? It depends on what the screen is showing. If it is some kind of banality or time-wasting activity, screen time is bad. But if it is something which will take the thinking process deeper and wider and be enriching, screen time can be a plus up. It is up to the parents and grandparents to figure out which is which. Trust me, it is not that hard to do.     

 

Not everything today is unaffordable

"In other words, we all need to navigate the path which makes sense to us. Not 100% of the government's fault, not at all. When the tax cuts take effect next year, things will be better. Let's give Trump some credit for that."

I would gamble to say that everyone who reads this today, has struggled with affordability issues. Like, what is affordable today, and what is not. There are some major things which are unaffordable that have nothing to do with the Trump Administration. Like interest rates. That is all on the Fed. Trump was right when he has called out Jerome Powell for being "late to the party" in lowering our rates. But as I have reported before, the price of coffee? That is almost 100% on Trump. He could (and should) fix that in a New York minute.

As far as food items, what is affordable? Chicken is still a good value. Often, I will see legs and thighs on sale for 99 cents a pound. Eggs are common now for less than two dollars a dozen. Turkeys if you search, can be found for under two dollars a pound. Milk, less than three dollars a gallon. What am I trying to say? Some food items have yet to come down in the affordability range. By the same token, other items are like prices we once paid. Good prices for good food.

During the pandemic, when supply chains were broken and many items were unavailable, my wife and I would often say, "We will get what we can, where we can, how we can, and if we can." In other words, if we really needed an item (toilet paper or disinfectant wipes), getting them, no matter the price, was a win. Today, with Covid being over, most if not all items are available. That is a VERY GOOD thing. And most are for sale at a price which many can afford.

But here is the rub. The new narrative is EVEYTHING is unaffordable. And the Democrats will use this like a cudgel in the next election. Trump is on a path right now, trying to either explain that most items are either affordable or will be shortly, or what he will do to fix the unfixable. What else can Trump do? Not to repeat myself, fix the price of coffee. Get rid of the 50% tariff in Brazil. And beef? Tell the Secretary of Agriculture, that getting MORE beef produced in America is a HIGH priority. Whatever it takes, even if calling in the four major beef producers for a "chat", get quantity of beef up, and prices down.

Here comes the tough love part. Finding the post affordable path today or tomorrow, is an individual responsibility. Until the price of beef comes down, we are not buying as much beef. We are more judicious in how much coffee we drink. When we do buy coffee, we buy it at Sam's or Costco to save a few bucks. In other words, we all need to navigate the path which makes sense to us. Not 100% of the government's fault, not at all. When the tax cuts take effect next year, things will be better. Let's give Trump some credit for that. 

p.s. During my five quarters of Econ at the Carlson School of Management, I heard over and over again that prices go up like a rocket and come down like a feather. The Biden 20% increase in prices will take some time to mollify. Just saying... 

 

 

The man who has changed, is changing - America

"Even though Macrohard is still in the development stage, the entire IT/AI industry has taken notice of this event. Why? If Musk is successful, it will change everything for ever more in IT/AI. Software which writes itself, fixes itself, improves itself - with nary a human close by."

Some love him, some can't stand him. Some think he might be "on the spectrum". Others (including myself), think that Elon Musk is a very rare talent which only comes along once in a blue moon. Here is my take on Elon - he is the world's greatest innovator. Hands down. And it is not just in one field. He is changing the landscape of America. Of some of the world. He is a visionary whose vision sees way beyond the fog of human doubt. Is America lucky to have this guy? Oh, is so many ways.

He has grasped onto this AI thing like crazy. That is besides his dabbling in SpaceX, Tesla, Starlink, Boring Company, Neuralink, just to name a few. He has the ability to see opportunities which others have walked away from (because they were hard or impossible) and turning them into gold. Maybe that is why he is on track to become the world's first trillionaire. 

His latest gig is really amazing. He has already launched Grok, and Grokopedia (Elon's new search engine), and has built an AI supercomputer named Colossus - but that was not enough for Elon. He has an itch which needs to be scratched, and he has now set the wheels moving in doing so. He is after Microsoft. His new product will be call Macrohard (just to poke Microsoft in the eye a bit), and if successful, it will change the world of IT - forever.

Why dabble in Microsoft's back yard? I mean, Microsoft employees over 200,000 people and is in many different countries. Why not just stick to space and Tesla? Because Elon is one of those rare birds who is always looking to build a better mousetrap. It is because of the 200,000 employees at Microsoft, Musk thinks he can do better. How so? Maybe, which just AI doing everything at Macrohard. Better, quicker, cheaper. And he is convinced he can do it.

Even though Macrohard is still in the development stage, the entire IT/AI industry has taken notice of this event. Why? If Musk is successful, it will change everything for ever more in IT/AI. Software which writes itself, fixes itself, improves itself - with nary a human close by. Why isn't the IT/AI industry just laughing at Musk and wishing him "good luck"? Why not? Because Musk has shown the world, again and again, he loves doing hard or impossible things.

With Elon Musk, I am reminded of that old saying - "Some men look at things which are and ask why? Others look at what could have been and ask why not." Elon is the "why not" type of guy. I would love it if more young people in our country would imitate or emulate Elon Musk. As for me, an old guy, I am just going to sit back and watch the show. And what a show it is!  

 

 

Is Obamacare fixable? Should it be?

"First things first, however. We need to all agree that Obamacare is dead. It was a bust - a bad idea. Let's move forward with some fresh ideas on how to pay for our excellent healthcare in this country. That every legal citizen has access to it. Let's make sure this is never again a wedge issue which would cause us to shut down our government. It really is that simple. Now let us all get to work, as a nation, to fix it."   

Oh, how I remember those days well. The master fix for our healthcare woes. Obamacare, named after the grand wizard of sophism and deceit. It was the "too good to be true" fix. I remember the old adage that if something is too good to be true, it usually is not true. That is Obamacare. Why was it a bust? Smoke and mirrors. Only the most gullible of all sheeple believed the average American family would get a $2,500 reduction in healthcare costs. Still waiting for mine. 

Obamacare was really the age-old Robin Hood scheme. Take from the rich and give to the poor. In other words, raise the rates sky high of young healthy folks, so the lower middle class would pay little or nothing. The problem is the young healthy folks. They were raised on the notion that if you presented yourself as less of a health risk, your insurance rates should be lower. Sorry - not in the days of Obama. Net result? Many young folks opted out of the system. That left Uncle Sugar to pick up the tab.

Can we all just get together, sing Kumbaya, and agree that Obamacare was a bust? There is no fixing the unfixable. It needs to be taken out to the garbage can and dumped. But then what? What should replace this mess? Trump has an idea that the health insurance companies have taken advantage of this situation. Gorged themselves. Maybe that is true. If so, they need to be regulated better. But there are some immutable facts which first need to be addressed.

Our healthcare system is the finest in the world. It has been very good for many, many years, and the forecast is for it to become even better. We are on the verge of curing many different cancers. Full stop for a minute on that one. Not just treating cancers - curing cancers. Some cancer vaccines have just entered human trials. Putting cancers aside, other nasty diseases which have plagued mankind forever and a day might be nearing their end. But all this good stuff does not come cheap. Good medical care is expensive. As a country, both Republicans and Democrats, need to make a huge decision. Who pays for it? The beneficiaries or the government?

If it is the beneficiaries, stand by for a realignment in your finances. Healthcare cost will now eclipse your house payment as your biggest expense. But what is more important than having good health? If we allow the government to pay for it, stand by for a higher national debt. Or - much higher federal taxes to pay for it. This is the discussion to be had. The fact we have excellent healthcare in this country is not up for debate - we do. How we pay for it is what we need consensus on. Maybe tariffs?

First things first, however. We need to all agree that Obamacare is dead. It was a bust - a bad idea. Let's move forward with some fresh ideas on how to pay for our excellent healthcare in this country. That every legal citizen has access to it. Let's make sure this is never again a wedge issue which would cause us to shut down our government. It really is that simple. Now let us all get to work, as a nation, to fix it.   

 

    

One vet's journey

"Be it Cold War, or in a hot war, it all mattered. And that means something. Actually, it means everything. Be proud and stand tall vets - you have earned what recognition you get today."        

I decided to pen this article today, just because things are so different now than they were when I was young. The year was 1967, and I was in my last year of high school. Every night on the news, there were stories of this war going on in Viet Nam. It seemed so distant, so far away. After all, Robbinsdale High School was nestled in the heartland. We thought about football, sock hops and having fun. But that was about to change once we graduated. All of a sudden, this war overseas, the selective service draft, was about to become very real for many of my classmates. 

I made it through almost a year of college after high school before my 2S student deferment went away. All of a sudden when I transferred up to St. Cloud State from the junior college I went to, many of my credits did not make it. I was now IA, ready to be drafted. I was living in a dorm on the campus, and it seemed as if ever day somebody would "disappear". In other words, the draft got them, and they were gone. I knew my time was running out, so as my grandpa would say, "I better do it to myself before somebody else does it to me." I went down to the St. Cloud Federal Building and enlisted in the United States Navy.

Why tell this story? Because we are a generation who is aging out. Some are dying out. What the service was, what the draft was, what the Viet Nam War was, is something which younger people today will never experience. And that is a good thing. The war and the draft were the kick in the pants I needed back then. I have said many times that going in the Navy was one of the best things I have ever done. Why? For so many reasons - the first of which it transitioned me from being a boy to being a man. I learned responsibility. Commitment. Honor. Duty. The list goes on and on, but other vets know of which I speak. 

The funny thing is, when I joined the Navy, my wish list was to be on an aircraft carrier. Go to sea. Be part of the war effort from a "bird farm" (aircraft carrier). It never happened. I was picked to go into some field which back then, they could not even tell me what it was. The bottom line was this - I never did get a chance to go to sea. I was a "spook", so shore duty was my entire career. That was the bad news. The good news is it opened some opportunities to me which were exciting and unique. Do I regret the path which was given to me? Not a bit.

My journey really did start at Robbinsdale High School. Trying to see my future when I graduated, the draft and the war were like two fog banks which obscured my vision forward. I was not ready for college, and I knew my path would intersect the service in one way or another. And it did. Today, there is no draft. No war. Kids can go into the service and learn a trade. Learn responsibility. Serve their country. What am I trying to say? A vet is a vet, throughout the years. My experience in my era was much different than my dad's. He was a WWII vet. And my era's experience was very different from today's era. The common denominator is a vet is still a vet. Honor, courage and commitment.

For those who are still with us who have served in Korea, Viet Nam, Iraq, and Afghanistan - the nation salutes you on this day. No matter your experience, no matter how unique it was, it matters. We are the home of the free because of the brave. Every time you take the oath, you commit to something greater than what you are individually. You become a part of the great cadre of warriors who keep and kept this great nation free. Be it Cold War, or in a hot war, it all mattered. And that means something. Actually, it means everything. Be proud and stand tall vets - you have earned what recognition you get today.        

Was the shutdown only a s**t show?

"Where do we go from here? Another shut down and s**t show in February? With the military and ATC folks not getting paid? Is this what we are paying good money for with our representatives? Is this the best there is? The fact that everybody hates each other in Washington does not help matters. But even when people got along slightly better that visceral hatred, we still could not agree on a healthcare fix. Meanwhile, the beat goes on."

The government shutdown, "It was a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing." Okay - I will start out quoting Macbeth. It has been said that Shakespeare used this line to show his sense of nihilism. I think in this case, it can be used to show the stupidity, the lack of caring, the absence of proper stewardship, shown by the morons we elect to serve us.

One of the cornerstones of this "agreement" which was reached this weekend, was it would fund the government until the end of January. Guess what? Between all the time off the House and Senate will take in both November and December, the end of January will be here before you know it. What will get done between now and the end of January? Not much. How about the vote to keep Obamacare limping along? No chance of that going forward. A new healthcare plan then? By the end of January? Anybody who thinks that is possible, has had one too many gummies this morning.

Here are the facts of life. I remember this well. During the days of Obamacare, which passed by a whisker (thanks, Al Franken), EVERY Republican shouted from the mountain tops that this healthcare plan was a canard. A faux idea. It was a false plan, named after a false president. And now, years later, this plan is imploding. For those who voted against this plan when it was being voted on - thank you. For those who voted for this POS - thanks for nothing.

Not to let the Republicans off the burner on this issue, they have had years to put forward a better plan. But they have not. Why? Here is the cold, hard truth. To have a good, really good and sustainable healthcare plan for every citizen, it would cost a mint. And how would we pay for this? Either by charging every citizen what it really costs (a non-starter), raising taxes to pay for this very expensive plan (again, a non-starter), or keep adding to our national debt (the usual way we do things). 

Where do we go from here? Another shut down and s**t show in February? With the military and ATC folks not getting paid? Is this what we are paying good money for with our representatives? Is this the best there is? The fact that everybody hates each other in Washington does not help matters. But even when people got along slightly better that visceral hatred, we still could not agree on a healthcare fix. Meanwhile, the beat goes on.

Want a complicating factor? Our population is aging out. With age, comes more medical expenses. Some are in the seven-figure range. As some of the older curmudgeons would tell us young whippersnappers back in the day, "If you think the cost of living is outrageous, just wait until you see the cost of dying". One more thing to put into the mix before we can find a fix.