Riddle me this...

 

"One more thing. Nigeria. The killing of Christians. By Muslims. Do you know that in the past six years, 30,000 Christians have been killed by Muslims in Nigeria alone? Churches burned, and men, women and children killed. I know Trump is really ticked off about this. How about showing the murdering Muslims in Nigeria how effectively our Delta Force or Seal Team Six operates? Riddle me this - why do we put up with this carnage?"

Did you see the blatant travesty which happened at some Somali week celebrations in MN? It was bad enough that these immigrants were flying their version of the new Minnesota flag, but to fly our national flag, the flag so many had fought for and died for - upside down? Riddle me this - why in the world do we put up with this ingratitude? They come here, many on some kind of government assistance, and then thank us by flying our flag upside down? If this is really the way they feel, it is time to leave. Like, now.

Now that I am on this rant, riddle me this one also. Why in the world are we still messing around with Iran? Over the last 47 years, they have chanted "Death to America" about 8 billion times. How do you negotiate with somebody who wants you and your family dead? And now, Israel has uncovered a real time plot to kill our President. Why do we put up with these people? Time to show them what real shock and awe is like.

Okay - put all the chanting aside. Sticks and stones. What about all the Marines who were killed in the barracks bombing as well as the Khobar Towers bombing years ago? We know that was Iran being the puppet master. And even more modern day - what about the 30 or so Americans who were killed or captured during the terror attack on Israel? How about some payback? Every one of these IRGC thugs in Iran have blood on their hands. Directly, of through their proxies.

One more thing. Nigeria. The killing of Christians. By Muslims. Do you know that in the past six years, 30,000 Christians have been killed by Muslims in Nigeria alone? Churches burned, and men, women and children killed. I know Trump is really ticked off about this. How about showing the murdering Muslims in Nigeria how effectively our Delta Force or Seal Team Six operates? Riddle me this - why do we put up with this carnage? 

There is an old saying in the Navy. Time to kick ass and take names. Maybe we as a nation need to do that also. I am tired of seeing all of this injustice. Time to square this circle. 

 

The Minnesota Primary - any surprises expected?

"Meanwhile, more of the normals will leave this state for the freer confines of Texas, Florida, Tennessee and beyond. Wait - are you telling us that our votes will not count this year? They will - sort of. All part of living in this gulag."   

One month and one day away. The Minnesota Primary. Will there be hard feelings once it is over? Count on it. Why? This might be the final breathing of an endorsement system whose time has come and gone. Now please don't get me wrong - I would be happy with any of the fine folks who were endorsed by MNGOP. But - can any of them win in a general election? In this state? Where blue has been the fashionable color for decades now?

I recently have read some Las Vegas type betting polls. They were endorsed candidate vs. endorsed candidate. In other words, Peggy Flanigan for Senate and Famous Amy for Governor. Kendall did horrible against Amy. Adam did horrible against Peggy. Now factor in the polling which has been done in the state. It is a real horse race between Flanigan and Craig for the DFL nod for the open senate seat. And on the republican side, Adam is way, way behind Michelle Tafoya. And on the MNGOP side for governor, Qualls is in third place behind Demuth and Mr. Pillow.

There may be a war in the Democrat Party between the Socialists and regular Democrats, but in MNGOP the war is between the purists and those who want to win. Guess what? The number of folks on the "I really want to win" side of the ledger keeps growing. That is the good news. The bad news is going up against the Minnesota Monolith (The DFL) - might be bridge too far this year.

Wait - what? After this trainwreck of a year or two the DFL has had with all this unanswered fraud stuff? They should be roadkill, laying in the ditch, just waiting for MNGOP to dispose of the carcass. Here is the long and the short of it. Who really cares about all this reported fraud? MNGOP and the normals care. Many of the Democrats look at the fraud issue as an inconvenience, and not a killer. Bottom line? The Democrats will keep voting for the same clown car over and over and over again. Get ready for Governor Amy and Senator Craig.

The primary will come and go and then will start the big hubbub of the general election. Once that is over, the zombies in Minnesota will get more horrible legislation - and just take it. I guess that is the cost of doing business in this authoritarian state.

Meanwhile, more of the normals will leave this state for the freer confines of Texas, Florida, Tennessee and beyond. Wait - are you telling us that our votes will not count this year? They will - sort of. All part of living in this gulag.   

The uncertain future for many of our youth

"Where is a good place to start? Reading skills. I know - hard to believe that in this day of age, only about one out of three fourth graders are proficient in reading. Why? Screen time for one. Also, the reading and writing thing should go hand in hand. Content, style, comprehension - everything. And speech communication is important. Small group communication. I could go on and on. And all this is important BEFORE the technical skills needed to fit into this workplace with has dizzying new skills and technologies developing before our very eyes."

Here is the good news, bad news thing again. And for the young ones - please pay attention. I have addressed this issue before. I continue to do research on it, as I don't want to be labeled as a "panic merchant". But please hear me out. By the end of this decade (and that is about 3 1/2 years from now), many, many of the lower skilled jobs which we know of will be gone. Not gone as is evaporated - gone as far as being available for humans to do. And how many "knowledge" jobs will be gone? Estimates are about 15% of them. And that number is expected to grow as we enter the 2030's.

With Generative AI coming onto the scene (quickly, I may add), part of the jobs being offered will vanish into the land of automation. Work will start to look a whole lot different than anything we have seen before. With the paucity of lower skilled jobs existing in the upcoming marketplace, many futurists are holding onto a wish and a prayer that new "human type" jobs will also be in the offing. But what will these jobs look like? How can our youth train for them when they are currently undefined?

Now I am really going to set off the alarm for dark days ahead for some. In the next 1,000 days or so, our education system needs to redefine itself as teaching the future, and not the past. I know what is being taught these days and how it is being taught. Hint: Not good enough. Generative AI is being developed to "think" as good as, if not better than humans. And then there is also this. With all things being equal, a humanoid robot (and there will be millions by the end of this decade) loaded with AI can work better, longer, cheaper, and more error free than most humans. It will be hard for a young person right out of high school, tech school or college to compete with that. 

We are coming up to a Future Shock which would make Alvin Toffler turn over in his grave. Whereas Toffler was most concerned with the stress of over selection and information overload, today's stressors will be as basic as "how do I fit into this brave new world of automation and AI"? Are we late to the party in prepping our kids for this once uncertain future which is now looking very certain? Years late. We are preparing our kids and grandkids for yesterday's world, when our new world is changing almost daily. 

Where is a good place to start? Reading skills. I know - hard to believe that in this day of age, only about one out of three fourth graders are proficient in reading. Why? Screen time for one. Also, the reading and writing thing should go hand in hand. Teach more and better content, style, comprehension - everything. And speech communication is also important. Small group communication is a must. I could go on and on. And all these are important BEFORE the technical skills needed to fit into this workplace with has dizzying new skills and technologies developing before our very eyes.

Final thought. Each day, every day for the next thousand days, our kids need to be taught the right stuff in schools. No matter the grade. For crying in the beer school districts, please at least teach the basics! When my kids were in school, at dinner time (the nights I was home), I would quiz them on some basic facts (mostly stuff I remembered from high school). The correct answer got them a desert as a prize. They hated it when I did that.

But that is what our schools need to do today. Teach the right stuff and then push and challenge. The "desert" today will not be a bowl of ice cream. It will be getting a job in a new type of market which is still being defined. 

The time is now. The future is very, very close. We have no days to waste.    

No longer defeat them - now it is time to conquer them!

"The IRGC have done this to themselves. I have not even an ounce of sympathy for them. Bear them until they no longer wiggle. At the end of the day, we will have a peaceful Iran, with a non-theocratic government. We will have a team on site to ensure there will NEVER again be one fraction of an ounce of uranium on site. The Strait will operate and be as free as a bird. When that happens, the price of a gallon of gasoline should drop back to under $3/gal. Halleluiah!" 

You have to hand it to the Iranians. They are a brazen bunch. A dishonest, lying sack of (as the president would say) - scum. This is the part which still has my head spinning. They wanted an absolute cessation of hostilities, so they could honor dead IRGC members and Mullahs who were eliminated on day one of the war. We agreed. No hostilities, and not even any negotiations on the final deal. Everything went very quiet and still out of respect for the ones who never show any respect to anybody else.

And then, just like the scorpion who killed the turtle (who was trying to save the scorpion), the IRGC could behave no longer. In the midst of their "grief", they hit three innocent oil tankers with drones. Color me shocked. That was just about enough for President Trump. He unleashed his dogs of war last night. Hit over 80 targets. Tonight, there will be more. As the old football chant goes, "Hit them again - harder, harder".

Here are the facts on the ground:

1) They will NEVER give up their quest for nuclear weapons. They see having them as their key to upward mobility in the region.

2) They don't give a tinker's dam that the Strait of Hormuz is an international waterway. To the Iranians, this is their "lake" and should be treated as such. Their constant harassment of shipping will NEVER go away. Not so long as the IRGC exists. 

3) This is a big one. They don't give a wit about their Iranian people. For those who are not true believers in the power of the Mullahs or Islam in general, they will shoot, hang or imprison them. Period. End of story.

4) They look at negotiations as a sign of weakness. All they recognize as true power is the power which is on the battlefield. They need to be not only defeated but also conquered.

As much as our president has longed for peace with this group of savages, peace will never happen. Only conquest. And it is time, Mr. President. Take off all the rules of engagement and let our military professionals go into battle to go quick and go harsh. Beat them so bad, that when they cry "uncle", there will be no negotiations. They will sign a surrender letter. 

The IRGC have done this to themselves. I have not even an ounce of sympathy for them. Bear them until they no longer wiggle. At the end of the day, we will have a peaceful Iran, with a non-theocratic government. We will have a team on site to ensure there will NEVER again be one fraction of an ounce of uranium on site. The Strait will operate and be as free as a bird. When that happens, the price of a gallon of gasoline should drop back to under $3/gal. Halleluiah! 

 

  

Looking down from 30,000 feet...

"What is my solution? More taxes, or more tariffs? We have tried the tax thing for decades and it sucks. It stunts growth. Maybe we should have Congress authorize tariffs for a period of ten years. If managed correctly, just imagine how much money we could have in our coffers. Just imagine how much of our debt could be paid off. Or - we could do nothing and await the level of $50T in our national debt. Knowing us - we will do the later."

Every now and again, it is very helpful to get in that imaginary airplane, fly very high, and take a 30,000-foot snapshot of our country. Things would probably look pretty good, until you looked into our underpinnings. Like - our debt. With everything else going on, looking at our debt has not been a hot topic for many of us. I know it has not for me. But holy cow! We are creeping up on $40T in national debt! If that does not give any citizen pause for concern, I don't know what would.

I remember not too long ago addressing our national debt when it reached an astounding $33T. I had no clue on how we would be able to service a debt that high. But now we are on the verge of having a debt which is $7T higher than that previous post. And many economists think we might be on the way towards a $50T debt. That could sink our ship.

I decided to do some deeper thinking on this issue. Like - why is it, no matter who is in office, the debt goes up. I did buy into the Trump tariff plan, where we could garner more funds from an external revenue service (tariffs), than internal revenue service (taxes). But, due to the bifurcation of financial viewpoints in our sharply divided Congress, Congress had SCOTUS remind POTUS that the issue of tariffs was up to Congress, and not the President. Then all those dollars raised in tariffs, some of which to be used in culling part of our national debt, went "poof" - gone. And then our national debt resumed its manic assent.

Here is my take on this very sore subject. Our biggest cause for our sky-high debt in this country is changing administrations. Look at the crap that Biden spent money on which no longer exists. Just like when Biden took over, he killed many of the things that Trump had been working on, when Trump once again took office, he killed just about everything that Biden had been working on.

And look at all the national defense items Biden DID NOT spend money on, which he should have. Like what? Look at our Navy. We are way, way under on many of our ship classes. China now has the largest navy. Thus, the Trump Administration needed to spend gobs of cash just to get us caught up. And raising taxes to pay for it, was a non-starter. It would crash the economy.

I remember when Reagan took office after Jimmy Carter. Same issue. Carter wanted to be a man of peace instead of war. Thus, he cut back on defense. When Reagan took office, our DOD was a mess. The Soviets had gone to town under Carter, and Reagan needed to jump start our military procurement. By the time Reagan's second term was done, so were the Soviets. But our debt was much higher. 

Every time this nation zigzags the economy due to a new administration, our debt goes up. Fact of life. When Trump is done, and if we get another Biden in office, it will happen all over again. Our nation jumps around way too much on priorities. And yet, we need to face the reality in the world in which we live. If America goes weak due to lack of defense spending, aggressive nations will try and fill that void. Just look back on history, how weak the US was before WWII. 

What is my solution? More taxes, or more tariffs? We have tried the tax thing for decades and it sucks. It stunts growth. Maybe we should have Congress authorize tariffs for a period of ten years. If managed correctly, just imagine how much money we could have in our coffers. Just imagine how much of our debt could be paid off. Or - we could do nothing and await the level of $50T in our national debt. Knowing us - we will do the later.     

   

It's over - now where do we go from here?

 

"It is nice to know that many of the guests who have come here from other countries to watch the World Cup have gone home with a large dose of 'American Nice'. No matter if their team had won or lost, many have been impressed with not only the greatness of this country, but also the welcoming nature of many of the Americans they have met while visiting here."

Even with the spotty weather, it was a grand and glorious 250th birthday party! Sunday was a recouperation day, and now that it is Monday, the question which should be asked is this - where do we go from here? How do we continue to make this land into a "more perfect union"? Or have we been at the apex, and the only direction left to go is down? Well - most of us don't think that will happen. And with the FIFA entertainment still going on, maybe we should defer some of the heavy thinking and introspection until that is over.

It would we be nice to get this mess in Iran taken care of, sooner rather than later. Now we are in another "pause" as the IRGC hold a weeklong funeral for the Mullah who was killed in the first moments of the war. How have things changed in Iran since we took him out? Not much. The IRGC still has the minions chanting "death to Israel" and "death to America" and "kill Trump and Netanyahu". It is still a boiling caldron over there, and we are far from over with them. This Middle East "forever war" that we tried to avoid, might have come home to roost after all.

Putting the Middle East war in Iran aside, our biggest problem at home is the rise of the DSA - Democratic Socialists of America Party. Or as President Trump calls them - Communists. Somehow, as we continue to strive to make a more perfect union, the idea of taking this country down the ruinous path to socialism does not make any sense at all. Why? Socialism and Communism have been tried many times in many places and landed with a thud. Freedom and liberty, which we cherish in this land, have NO PLACE is lands which have devolved into the chains of Socialism or Communism.

Meanwhile, despite of a do nothing Congress, the wheels of progress continue to roll on in America. Good things are happening all over this land. Just the other night I saw a YouTube on how agriculture is changing due to AI and robotics. That with a dose of new chemical technology is making sure that America continues to not only feed its people, but also many other people worldwide. And that is just one of the many things which are changing for the better this decade.

It is nice to know that many of the guests who have come here from other countries to watch the World Cup have gone home with a large dose of "American Nice". No matter if their team had won or lost, many have been impressed with not only the greatness of this country, but also the welcoming nature of many of the Americans they have met while visiting here. My feelings on that point? Well done fellow citizens! That is just a small yet very important part of making us a more perfect union.

 

Everything but the weather...

"This was not the first 4th of July which was a bust due to the weather. Not just with us, but also with many other events nationwide. But good weather or bad weather, fireworks or no fireworks, the significance of the day still stood out bravely against the weather. 250 years young. We are a great nation with a great heritage. That is something to celebrate, rain or shine, light or dark."  

When our kids were small(er), and we were going to do some fun family outdoor event, my wife and I could make sure all the random variables were under control to ensure a smooth and fun time. That is - everything except the weather. Many times, I would have to tell both daughters that dad can control many things, but not the weather. Did that help mollify the masses? Not much.

The main event, the frosting on the cake (so to speak) for our 250th birthday, was the big show on the mall, a speech by POTUS, and then the final fireworks event. Months and months in the planning, many dollars spent, and then - nada. Why? There was an unwelcomed visitor who showed up at the event. Who? Mother Nature, bringing storms, winds, lightening, and so forth. The event was postponed and then cancelled. Why? Everything was controllable - except the weather.

As for my family, the air started going out of the holiday tire in the very early hours of the fourth. I had checked the radar before we retired the evening of the 3rd, and even with that, my wife was concerned. Why? Everything, and I mean just about everything we usually keep covered and tarped was left out, unprotected. It was such a drop-dead gorgeous evening, I thought - why not? We went to bed, and everything was fine. Then it happened. Out of a sound sleep, it sounded like somebody was spraying the trailer with machine gun fire. At 2am, for a bit over an hour, it rained so hard, all other noise was blotted out.

I was the first one up in the morning. I looked outside. Everything was soaked. The other guests were coming in at 10am, so I had my work cut out. I did have some dry chairs in the shed, but still - it was a mess. But the day happened, and we made the most out of it. The kids? They always have fun, so that part was fine. But then in late afternoon, the skies got dark again. We had a quick taco meal, and my daughter, husband, kids and dog were going to get while the getting was good. They left, and no more than five minutes later the skies once again opened up. All those parties and events scheduled for the evening of the Fourth? Kaput. Why? Everything is controllable, except the weather. 

We were going to stay the night on the Fourth and come home sometime during the next day. But the rain was pounding (again), and the radar was all lit up. We saw a small opening in the storms, decided to pack up and get out of Dodge (so to speak). We loaded a few essentials in the truck and hit the road. About ten minutes into our trip, the skies once again opened up. I was once again reminded of that old Bob Dylan hit; A hard rains a going to fall. And it did - all the way home.

This was not the first 4th of July which was a bust due to the weather. Not just with us, but also with many other events nationwide. But good weather or bad weather, fireworks or no fireworks, the significance of the day still stood out bravely against the weather. 250 years young. We are a great nation with a great heritage. That is something to celebrate, rain or shine, light or dark.  

A red, white and blue type of day, to celebrate a wonderful country!

 

"Tomorrow, our national party will be in full swing. East, west, north or south - that is where the celebrations will be. Those who do not care to indulge in our national celebration, because living here is no longer what they want - I have some excellent news for them. In this bastion of freedom and liberty, the door out is always open for those who want to leave."

Wow! At long last, tomorrow, it will finally be here. But from a historical point of view, this time 250 years ago, our Declaration of Independence (DOI) was all over but the signing. The votes were taken, and mutual oaths were pledged. In the next couple of days, on the fourth of July 1976, all of these agreements were to me memorialized into a formal document called the Declaration of Independence. For many who signed it, it could have been their death wish. For if the colonies quest for independence fell flat, many would have either hung as traitors - or been shot. 

But we did win the war - our Revolutionary War. Instead of the signatories on the DOI being traitors, our first national heroes were made. But now that we won the war, and had this new country, how do we make it work? How do we keep from falling short and failing as a young nation? For the next eleven years, the young upstarts in this new country worked hard, negotiated with each other, and finally agreed with each other on a set of principles. Our Constitution was ratified in September of 1787. An agreement fitting of a more perfect union. 

During the past 250 years, this country has not had an easy ride. Thinking back, we have had many "but what if" type moments. I already mentioned what would have happened if we had not prevailed against the British in our Revolutionary War. What if we had lost the War of 1812? What if we had lost World War I? Or if we had lost World War II? How about our bloodiest war, our Civil War? What if we never really recovered from that war, and the entire nation devolved into something tribal? 

Our entire history is replete with ordinary men and women who did some extraordinary things at just the right time. Some died while serving this great nation, and others lived to go on to accomplish even greater things for the greater good. Is it over now? Can we sit back and relax? Like is the worst part over? Absolutely not! Our vigilance must be absolute, as threats to our freedom and liberty will never be over. 

We are always only one generation away from losing our Republic. And based on some of the new upstarts coming up today who eschew our way of life and want to change it to socialism - our battle for freedom and our way of life is not yet over. As Bono once said, if we lose America, there is no place left to go. In other words, this is it folks. Not just love it or leave it - but protect it or lose it.

Tomorrow, our national party will be in full swing. East, west, north or south - that is where the celebrations will be. Those who do not care to indulge in our national celebration, because living here is no longer what they want - I have some excellent news for them. In this bastion of freedom and liberty, the door out is always open for those who want to leave.

In other words, for reasons which I will never understand, some may hate it here. Good news for them - there is an old saying - "Don't let the door hit you where nature has split you". But don't worry - your place here will be taken by future lovers of liberty. And that is what makes this great nation - great.

   

Wait - what? A civil war in the Democrat Party?

 

"As the political system continues, and the Democrats duke it out with the DSA useful idiots, what should the Republicans do? Nothing. Zip. Nada. Find a comfortable chair, pop up some popcorn, and enjoy the show. The Democrat Party is going to rip itself to shreds and we had nothing to do with it." 

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls! Don't look now, but the worm is starting to turn. The long awaited (and sometimes feared) civil war in America might be happening right now. Only instead of red verses blue (or something like that), it is "traditional" Democrats against the new and upstart DSA (Democrat Socialist of America). And so far, this new DNC has been like a magnet, sucking up all the fruits and nuts who want to take a wrecking ball to America. I think these are the folks who Lenin referred to as "useful idiots".

Last night, I had a real juxtaposition experience. Having just watched the news earlier and seeing a couple more of these useful idiots who won primaries for a Democrat (now maybe a DSA) nomination, I watched some of the very patriotic folks at the soccer match. Trying to square that circle was very hard for me. On one hand, we have all kinds of America lovers watching the World Cup we are hosting, coupled with the wonderful 250th anniversary of our country. On the other hand, we have useful idiots bellyaching that our country is unfair and basically sucks. It is a head scratcher for sure.

But back to the brewing civil war in the Democrat party. Many of the long-term Democrats are not going to go quietly into the night. They may have swung a bit far to the left, but they are still coloring within the lines of traditional Democrats. But this new batch of "socialists" (or as the president often says - Communists), they color way outside the lines. What do they want? They want what you have. If they think you have too much, they are coming for you and your wealth. And for the recent (legal) immigrants who came here to escape socialist countries? Suprise! We now have part of the electorate who wants us to become socialists - or worse. 

How do the Republicans feel about this civil war on the other side of the fence? Many feel this may be the end of the Democrat Party and what is left on the floor will be unelectable. That would be good for our side. Here is the ray of hope for America to continue on for the normal folks. We are a nation of "mouse trap builders". Meaning, the American dream has always been to "build a better mousetrap". That is why Elon Musk, and others lead the world in innovation. And with risk, can come reward. Or failure, if you guess wrong or don't work hard enough. But our system of capitalism allows ALL the opportunity to take a risk to get a reward. The DSA offers none of that - only to confiscate what you have.

As the political system continues, and the Democrats duke it out with the DSA useful idiots, what should the Republicans do? Nothing. Zip. Nada. Find a comfortable chair, pop up some popcorn, and enjoy the show. The Democrat Party is going to rip itself to shreds and we had nothing to do with it. 

Can the SAVE Act be saved?

"For is voters out here in the hinter lands - all we can do is look eastward in disgust and shake our heads. The clown car is alive and well in Washington DC. What can fix Washington? I don't know - maybe an asteroid?"

If the question were asked, "How well does Washington DC work these days?", the answer for most folks would be very simple - it does not. The most glaring example of this clown car in action, is the SAVE Act. A very simple piece of legislation which only does one thing - requires a valid ID (which shows proof of citizenship) prior to voting. Since it is illegal for people who are not citizens to vote in our national elections, this bill should be a real "duh!".

Some say this is an 80/20 issue. Others say it is much higher than that, maybe even a 90/10 issue. It cuts across both parties as well as many of the demographics. So, what then, is the problem? This should have been "falling off the log" easy. But it is not. It has become so hard to get one or maybe two Senate Democrats to vote for this simple bill, that Trump even threatened to hold up another simple bill (the easy of mortgage bill) until this one was signed. Even that did not work.

Is there fraud in our election system? I don't know - is there fraud in any government system? Trick question, as we ALL know the system is ripe with fraud. To give people confidence that our voting system is pure, it would not hurt to have some additional guard rails in it, such as the SAVE Act. Otherwise, the specter of possible cheating will be present every two years. The SAVE Act could diminish any unfounded charges of illegal voting. Not totally stop it but diminish those charges.

What I don't understand is the allegations that some on the left is using on why the SAVE Act is unfair. Things like - 30 million women, who are too clueless to get a valid ID, would be "disenfranchised". What - really? That is worse than a canard. Worse than gaslighting. It is a lie. Plus, it is insulting to American women. I have not heard one person of merit agree with that crap. They have said this argument is nothing but hogwash (or worse).

Rather than work on some tougher issues, Donald Trump has used a lot of time and energy to get this thing through the Senate. It has basically killed the career of Leader Thune. It has made the Senate look so inept, that the House Republicans are calling for the repeal of the 17th Amendment. 

For is voters out here in the hinter lands - all we can do is look eastward in disgust and shake our heads. The clown car is alive and well in Washington DC. What can fix Washington? I don't know - maybe an asteroid?

 

Somewhere, between night and day...

"Some think this might be Trump's Waterloo. The box canyon that he wanted to avoid. Whatever it is, it is not good. It is a place that most normal people hate to be at. That place between night and day. No winners here - just losers. And this Iran thing is looking more like a loser every day."

One might ask, are we ever going to "get there" in the Middle East? We have managed to take care of the bad man in Libia; we have managed to take care of the bad man in Iraq; we have even managed to take care of the bad man in Iran. But to what end? New bad men in Iran just keep popping up. Civilians keep getting murdered in Iran by their own government, and neighboring Arab states keep getting attacked. Short of launching a thirty-day blitzkrieg on Iran, and bombing everything that moves - to what end are we doing there?

And because Iran plays dirty, now they have threatened to take out neighboring countries desalination plants. Hint: when the water goes in those desert kingdoms - everything goes. Rather than act like good neighbors, fellow travelers in this thing called life, they only want to burn, destroy, kill and maim. How do you deal with people like that? How do you negotiate when they smile at you while trying to cut your throat at the same time?

Where are we right now? Is peace at hand? War yet to come? We are somewhere between night and day. We are nowhere good. Do I trust these guys? Not an inch. Do I believe them? Not for a minute. We all know what Trumps wants - he wants the deal of deals. He wants to reshape the Middle East and neuter Iran from any nuclear ambitions. But this might be a bridge too far. For even the best negotiation team on this beautiful blue planet, this might be beyond reach.

If we cut and run, this is not over. Not by a long shot. Iran will continue to use proxies to harass Israel and someday, the Iranian dream of having a nuke which could reach the US - would come true. Trump does not want that nightmare in our future. Then do we stay and fight it out? The American people have about had it with Middle Eastern wars. Enough already. Or do we continue on with this stork dance of tit for tat in negotiations. No movement, just infractions to what has already been agreed to.

Some think this might be Trump's Waterloo. The box canyon that he wanted to avoid. Whatever it is, it is not good. It is a place that most normal people hate to be at. That place between night and day. No winners here - just losers. And this Iran thing is looking more like a loser every day.

"You can't govern if you don't win"

"To the MNGOP loyalists who love purity tests and then lose elections, don't be too hard on your brothers and sisters who vote to win in the upcoming primary. Like me, many are tired, so tired of always losing. Vote to win this time, even if our candidate(s) might have a tinge of purple mixed in with their red."

There is an old saying in politics - "You can't govern if you don't win." One of the things which would drive me crazy about MNGOP when I was a delegate was the tepid effort to win by some of the candidates. Sometimes it was lack of money; sometimes it was lack of name recognition; sometimes it was being "too nice" so they would not hit their opponent where it hurts (although, they would do it to us). We have put good people up, with so-so campaign managers, very little money, and a soft sell. Bottom line? We have been on the losing end for about two decades now.

Who is ahead in the polls right now for the GOP? For Governor, it is the unendorsed Mike Lindell. He has money, guts, and name recognition. He will be tough to beat in the upcoming primary. Lisa Demuth is also running a strong campaign. She was not endorsed either. Right now, the governor's race looks like a foot race between Lisa and Mike. 

And for the open senate seat, Michelle Tayofa who skipped the endorsing convention, is running a very strong campaign. And her lead over the endorsed candidate is huge. Why? Mostly name recognition. And the persona people see of Michele in the media is good. She is likeable. Oh - and she has money.

I have said MNGOP could run lifelong criminals against the DFL and do well this year. Why? The DFL is corrupt beyond measure, and everybody now knows it. But we don't have lifelong criminals - we have another crop of some very good people running. Some MNGOP loyalists are bellyaching that we should not support those running who are not endorsed. Truthfully - I felt the same way at times. But now I don't care. I just want to "win baby, win!"

To the MNGOP loyalists who love purity tests and then lose elections, don't be too hard on your brothers and sisters who vote to win in the upcoming primary. Like me, many are tired, so tired of always losing. Vote to win this time, even if our candidate(s) might have a tinge of purple mixed in with their red. Remember the old football saying - "Winning isn't everything; it is the only thing." 

 

Summer weather? Strange weather? No problem!

 

"Because to celebrate our great country. Our beacon of liberty is not going to be waylaid by some silly weather. We are better than that, to let some weather get us down. We are the sons and daughters of liberty, and proud of it. Plus - this Saturday is a party we will not miss."    

It is nice that summer is finally here, and we can sit in the shade of the old Elm tree and sip on some iced tea. Wait - what? That is from an old Normal Rockwell painting? That is not how summer is this year? But it is summer - the time of year we yearn for when for months the only colors we see outside are white, grey and black. Summer Solstice is now past, and Independence Day has not yet arrived. We should be in our "sweet spot" of weather. But are we?

For those who have not yet heard, Montana, Idaho and parts of Wyoming are getting a rare dose of summer winter. Try that on for an oxymoron! Yes, if you really miss winter, just venture out west to Yellowstone. Now I can see why the Dutton family moved down to Texas! But if you want dry, really dry, just go to the neighboring state of Utah. They are having their worst fire season in years, and towns have been evacuated to get to safety.

Here is the upper Midwest and spreading south and east, we have a good old-fashioned heatwave. Not only heat, but in Minnesota, the temps could hit the "feel like" level of 105 degrees or even hotter. Then to make matters worse, we have some major instability aloft, whereas should an evening thunderstorm manage to "break the cap", the storm could go from ordinary to extraordinary in just about two shakes. No, the weather is not only going to be strange this week in the heartland - it will also be ugly.

Now mix in all of this weather nonsense with Independence Day coming up this Saturday. And let us not forget, this will be a big one - 250 years young! But the ranchers in Montana will find their winter's shovels and dig out a path to freedom. Utah will try their hardest to get their fires under control. And the heartland of this great country will fight this heatwave by trying to stay cool and safe. Why is all of this true?

Because to celebrate our great country. Our beacon of liberty is not going to be waylaid by some silly weather. We are better than that, to let some weather get us down. We are the sons and daughters of liberty, and proud of it. Plus - this Saturday is a party we will not miss. 

  

 

"In time of peace, prepare for war"

 

"A time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war and a time for peace"

Ecclesiastes 3:8

"We tried war with these guys, and it worked very well for us. Then we tried peace, and it did not work so well. Now we need to do the war thing again until the job is done. Finish the job Mr. President - please, finish the job!" 

Sometimes I wonder if the GSRC (who are in Iran) have a death wish, or if they are just that BS crazy. What they did the other day by firing a drone at a civilian ship, for no reason at all, defies reason. Here we are in the beginning stages of negotiations to draw up a map to a lasting peace in the Middle East, and some dumb cluck decides to fire on a civilian ship. Trump was livid, but not as livid as I thought he would be. We warned Iran that a "measured" response would be forthcoming from our forces. And it was.

Do you think Iran would have offered us a Mea culpa and then promised to do better after we gave them our "measured" attack? Nope. They attacked Bahrain with drones. Some of which did big time damage to their airport. And now what? Are we going to pause negotiations and do tit for tat during the month of July? Or is it now time to take General Jack Keane's advice and "finish the job". I vote with the general on this issue.

Here is my way of thinking on this issue. If Iran really wants peace, we will see it in their behavior. So far, it has not been there. Iran's reputation is that of snakes and vipers. They have been that way now for almost 50 years. Will they change over time without some form of force? Highly doubtful. Could we "finish the job" by the end of July? I think we could. Hegseth would probably need another infusion of cash from the Congress (and their blessing), but we sure have enough fire power in the theater right now to do some real damage to Iran.

Here is one advantage of going in hard right now against Iran. Especially if we beat the IRGC into dust. First off, we might be able to get the people back in charge of their country, rather than the barbarians. Next, we would not need to diddle with a "cease fire" agreement where the IRGC only plays for time. They would need to surrender, and the terms would be all ours. The aftermath is what a true peace could really look like.

Our war efforts have gone from the remarkable Midnight Hammer, to what we have now, which is more like "noontime blather". Our troops are locked and loaded and ready to go. Enough of talking to these guys - the time for peace is over, and now we need a "shock and awe" military event to finish the job. I mean, why have a military like ours if we don't use it when we need it? Iran will NEVER allow the Strait to be free and open unless we force the issue.

We tried war with these guys, and it worked very well for us. Then we tried peace, and it did not work so well. Now we need to do the war thing again until the job is done. Finish the job Mr. President - please, finish the job! 

  

The age of Zohran Mamdani - the "anti" John Galt

 

"But who is John Galt? I don't want to imitate nor emulate all of Galt's beliefs or traits. But I do side with John Galt and John Adams when it comes to the natural right of private property. That is my red line. When socialists try to cross that line, that is when we part ways." 

There is a saying going around for the few sane people who still live in New York - "If you think AOC is bad, just wait until you find out about Zohran Mamdani." This guy, who is the new mayor of New York City, has gone from "poser" to a real "kingmaker". How so? Mamdani "wannabes" are popping up all over the country - and winning. In fact, three more just appeared on the scene in NY, and with the blessing of Zohran, they all won.

If this trend continues, Atlas in not only going to shrug, but he will also tip over. With all the virtues that John Galt had in Ayn Rand's famous book Atlas Shrugged, Zohran Mamdani is the antithesis of John Galt. Whereas Galt had believed in the moral right to live for oneself, Mamdani is all about the collective. That is - with one exception. If you have been successful in your business dealings, and have made some serious money, you are the new enemy of the state.

And we can't forget John Adams, on what he thought about private property. What has been earned by the sweat of one's own brow, having one's own private property - that is a sacred right. It is worth fighting for, and sometimes worth dying for. Mamdani on the other hand, believes having "too much" should be determined by the collective, and that "excess" should be taken away from the individual who owned it.

How in the world did we get here? Hold on, because the ride might get a bit rough. Like many of us have, I have worked for companies or organizations with a CEO. I have seen published the compensation packages that many CEOs receive. Some make more money in a year than us ordinary folks make in a lifetime. I often wondered, what would somebody do with all that money? Where would you spend it? Doing what? 

But here is the difference between me and Mamdani type socialists. Where I can look at a statistic about how rich some CEOs are, and wonder what they do with all that money, socialists look at that same metric and believe part (or most) of that money should be theirs. Then what? Confiscation, and then maybe revolution. In short, nothing good happens once the loony left starts to lust after somebody's money and wealth. That truly, is when Atlas shrugs, and then tips over, and finally kicked to the curb.

By now, we know who Mamdani and his little socialist buddies are. They are the trendy posers who think (maybe they don't think) that up is down and down is up. Other people's money is bad, taking it for the collective is good. But who is John Galt? I don't want to imitate nor emulate all of Galt's beliefs or traits. But I do side with John Galt and John Adams when it comes to the natural right of private property. That is my red line. When socialists try to cross that line, that is when we part ways. 

 

 

How safe are we today? Really safe?

"What did I learn from this rather unique assignment from decades ago? We are only as safe as our protection allows. If we are naive about bad guys trying to ruin a day, that is when they could strike. The question then remains - how safe are we today? Are we really safe? Or are we just naive? Interesting questions to ponder."

This sting that the FBI conducted to nab some real baddies who wanted to perpetrate a terror attack on the MMA fight by the White House a week or so ago, is a tale which might be only half told to date. Some things have been leaked out on the internet which might either be true or false. If they are false, it is typical for the internet to spin yarns instead of fact. However, if there is a modicum of truth in what has been leaked, we came very close to a real 9/11 type of Armageddon.

The FBI is trying to keep a tight lid on this thing, as according to rumors, there are still dozens of co-conspirators left to find and detain. But here is the thing which is the scariest to me - the aftermath of the drone attack. In other words, this group of treasonous anarchists were going to let loose with drones with explosives on them. Once the explosives started going off, besides the bedlam and carnage they would have caused, terrified people would have tried to escape into makeshift "killing fields". There, snipers would have tried to pick some of the guests off with long guns. Where is the world does ideas like this come from?

The old saying in the intel or law enforcement agencies still rings true today. We need to get it right 100% of the time, whereas the baddies only need to get it right just once. For the MMA event, we got it right again. If we had gotten it wrong, it would have been just like a 9/11 all over again.

But think about this just for a minute. This was a hard target. We were prepared for some kind of malice to occur. And yet with all that preparation, the plan came close to working. Most of us live in the land of soft targets. Schools, churches, community events. If somebody, or some group with evil malice in their hearts decides to take a run at a soft target, what is there to stop them. 

Years ago, as a young Lieutenant in the Navy Reserve, I did a two-week assignment up at a crypto base in northern Maine. I was asked to think like a terrorist and come up with as many ways possible to attack or dismantle the base. It is a very interesting assignment as I got to work with some local LEOs as well as some of the "alphabet agencies" who has assets in the area. The only problem I had with this assignment was keeping it short. Some of the possible ways to cause havoc never made it into my final report.

What did I learn from this rather unique assignment from decades ago? We are only as safe as our protection allows. If we are naive about bad guys trying to ruin a day, that is when they could strike. The question then remains - how safe are we today? Are we really safe? Or are we just naive? Interesting questions to ponder.  

Beware of the rising socialist army in America!

 

"Even though NYC seems like the land of wine and roses right now, the hard times are coming. The bad times are coming. The poorer times are coming. Why? Money is fungible and people are mobile. Enough said."  

For those of you who love NYC, get ready to kiss it good-bye. The financial capital of the United States (some would say the world), is slowly becoming morphed into another coastal "la-la land". How? Why? What??? Yes, the home turf of one of the companies I worked at (IBM) is becoming bluer than IBM itself. And if you are following Goldman Sacs, you will see a trickle of employees and money which is relocating to Texas, Florida and beyond. Why? They heeded Lady Thatcher's words about socialism.

The only good thing (in my book) which came out of yesterday's NY primary, was Dan Goldman lost his seat. In my book, Goldman was not one of the good guys. He was a thorn in the side of getting the president's agenda done. But as wacked out as Goodman is, the guy who replaced him (Brad Lander) is really nutso. How much so? He was highly supported by fellow nut balls like Mamdani, Sanders and others. Net result? If you hated New York before, if you thought New York had gone off the rails with previous mayors, you have not seen anything yet.

Then we have a real oddity. Darializa Avila Chevalier. This is a woman who says when she gets her hands dirty, she likes to wipe the dirt off of them with an American flag. Just as a point of clarification, this woman will now be running to the US Congress in November's general election. So, between her, Brad Lander, and Claire Valdez are going to try and change the landscape in New York and beyond. Did I mention these three are anti-Israel? And did I mention that New York has the second highest concentration of Jewish folks right behind Israel? How is this all going to work out?

People thought this were strange when so many supported a former New Yorker named Bernie Sanders. And so many more in the Big Apple supported the biggest poser in the region named Zohran Mamdani. NYC had come a long way since Bill de Blasio - a long way down. Some might ask when there are so many sharp people on Wall Street, how in the world could NYC keep electing nitwits. Beats me.

Even though NYC seems like the land of wine and roses right now, the hard times are coming. The bad times are coming. The poorer times are coming. Why? Money is fungible and people are mobile. Enough said.  

Are unelected lower court judges the problem?

"The next time you vote, and on the back side of the ballot are dozens of judges listed. Many are running unopposed. Most of us just check a box to be done with it. But it is many of these judges which are the problem. I know, I know - what is the alternative? Not voting at all. Then all it would take is one vote for a judge and he, she or they are in."

How in the world can we elect a president, who wins the popular vote as well as the electoral vote, and then have some unelected activist judge derail his wishes? I have never in my adult life seen so many things stopped or derailed as I have seen with this president. As much as this frustrates the president, it really is getting very old very fast with his base. An because they are unelected, and the Democrats would NEVER thing of impeaching one of these imposters, we are stuck with their goofball decisions.

This ruling the other day really took the cake. If anybody needs to have a judicial scrubbing down, it is Walz and Ellison. But for this woman from Trinidad to kill the investigations by the DOJ because of politics? What about the rule of law woman? Now the DOJ will need to escalate (again). What a waste of time and money. And for what? Some left wing rant? 

I am more convinced than ever that our lower courts are the real problem in our country. They have way, way too much power. And many times, that is power unchecked. The only recourse is to go up the escalation ladder. Again, that wastes time and money. Meanwhile in Minnesota, the arsonists who lit the match escape justice. In fact, the mutts who were protesting to the point of rioting, were lauded by some left-wing organization. They even had hats made up which said, "Make America like Minneapolis". You have got to be kidding me!

The next time you vote, and on the back side of the ballot are dozens of judges listed. Many are running unopposed. Most of us just check a box to be done with it. But it is many of these judges which are the problem. I know, I know - what is the alternative? Not voting at all. Then all it would take is one vote for a judge and he, she or they are in.

Some are saying that these lower court judges are the real enemy of the state. I am not there as yet, but I might be getting there. They certainly don't do the state any good. Now that is for sure.

And a fond good-bye to a not so good PM

 

"Who will be the next PM of the UK? I sure hope that person is from the Conservative Party. I suppose there is no way to re-animate Lady Thatcher. Now THAT is the kind of leader the UK needs."

Keir Starmer. Gone as of today. He was the British form of a United States Democrat. In other words, not really in control of the UK. In the short time he was in charge, the percentage of Muslims in the UK exceeded 6%. But the percentage of Muslims in London, the once very proper and lily-white capital of England - grew to 15%. And London now has a Muslim mayor. Huh? I have been to London years ago - I can't even believe that fact.

England, like most of Europe is changing. No more steady hands on the ship of state. To start with, more secular. Keir Starmer himself is avowed atheist. The entire UK is more socialist. Perhaps that is the reason why Trump and Starmer have had their moments - and not good moments at that. And how does the Mayor of London and Donald Trump get along? Not well - not well, indeed.

Did every member or the UK Labour Party become a problem for the US to work with? Absolutely not. The ten-year term of Tony Blair led to a wonderful relationship between Blair and G.W. Bush. Life was much different back then. Muslim immigration was not the issue it is today, trade issues were minimal, and the military bond between the US and the UK was very strong. Well then, what happened with Starmer? Donald Trump called him out for what was happening to the UK. That was all it took. Was Trump right to do so? Have you seen the UK as of late? It is a mess.

Why didn't the British help us with Iran? Ready for this one? Britian has no operational Navy right now. The once great British fleet now has only 62 ships, and of that total, only 19% are seaworthy. That is terrible. They can do very little to help us do anything. And then to pour salt in the wound, Starmer would not let us use the landing strip at Diego Garca for our bombers. Our best and longest friend in Europe. Stabbed us in the back. It is good that Starmer resigned. Trump said he would remember that snub for a long time to come.

Who will be the next PM of the UK? I sure hope that person is from the Conservative Party. I suppose there is no way to re-animate Lady Thatcher. Now THAT is the kind of leader the UK needs. Get their defense posture back in shape, make peace with Trump on trade, and fix the growing Muslim problem. But we will see. Maybe that train has left the station (so to speak), and we will be stuck with Keir Starmer imitators from now on. 

Just an afterthought. I love the UK. Love London. The good folks of the UK need to elect a new leader who will take back London the way that Trump took back Washington. You know - "make the UK great again" type of person. Or at the least, "make London livable again." Now there is a good start. 

Our future is coming, good or bad it is almost here

 

"Will the future be exciting? Probably, yes. Will we have newer and better products available? Should have. Will we have some people that will be "left in the ditch" as the some of the newer technologies replaces them? That will be our challenge. How to make these new technologies a plus up and not a negative."

Many think that Elon Musk is the only "kingmaker" we have for the direction of our future tech in this country. He is not, but he is certainly the person who seems to be in the lead of a great many things. As far as innovators are concerned, this country seems to be doing quite well right now. Palmer Lucky (co-founder of Anduril Industries) has caught the eye of many people. His vision of an autonomous defense shield for America is awesome and smart. And Palmer is really still a kid - kind of like Elon Musk was just a few short years ago.

The thing which fascinates so many about Elon Musk, is his ability to turn his dreams into reality. He is a shining example of an innovator who constantly searches to the "better mousetrap". For example, one of his dreams is to have factories making products using better cost-effective methods and near perfect automation. His "Guinea Pig" (so to speak) to develop this dream? Using his own factories. And most of his new automation will be a combination of his AI and humanoid robots (Optimus, Gen III).

Besides the way his Optimus humanoid robots will turn factory life around, Elon also wants them affordable enough so that people, should they want one in the house, can make life simpler. How so? Many of the routine and mundane jobs can be done by Optimus instead of us. But there is a cost to us with having a machine which can do many of the things we can do. It will be nice at home to have a machine ready to weed the garden or do the dishes. But it will not be as nice when that machine can do everything we can do at our job. Since humans are a big part of the cost of goods sold, having something cheaper, more dependable, and using near perfect precision will be tough for us to compete with.

As we sit at the midpoint of 2026, many futurists are saying that 2027 is the year we will really start seeing this change to more workplace and domestic automation. But are we ready for it? By the end of this decade (only 4 1/2 years to go), some are saying that much of our world will look and act nothing like we have seen before. In fact, some of the changes will be so fast and so stark, they will be dizzying to many. The allure of these shiny new pennies (as to speak) might be replaced with a new type of depression. Like - what is my worth now, and how to I fit into this brave new world?

Will the future be exciting? Probably, yes. Will we have newer and better products available? Should have. Will we have some people that will be "left in the ditch" as the some of the newer technologies replaces them? That will be our challenge. How to make these new technologies a plus up and not a negative.

How will be know how to do that? We will need to know soon enough, as the future is coming faster than most can imagine. As fast as the speed of change.  

  

No peace - ever - in the caldron of Iran

"Just like with the scorpion, war and death are in the nature of people like the IRGC, Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis. Remember - they still refer to us as the Great Satan and Israel as the Little Satan. Enough said. Finish the job, Mr. President."

How is the cease fire going? Better question is how long did it last? Maybe not even a day. As much as Donald Trump would love to see peace in that very troubled area of the world, the lure of peace might live in the land of "never happen". And anybody who thinks that Iran is innocent with the crapola that Hezbollah is doing to Israel right now, needs to be drug tested. No - Iran continues to be the puppet master, and Iran's proxies continue to do their Iran's bidding.

Another thing which is driving me crazy about this "deal" is the amnesia that the Iranian negotiators seem to have about the constructs of the agreement. Might I just say this is a harbinger of things to come? Already we are hearing overtures that after the sixty days of negotiations, Iran wants to charge a toll for going through the Strait. Along with Oman. And where in the world did that come? We would never agree to that! Never!

When my dad was still alive, he would often tell me that trying to find peace in the Middle East was a fool's errand. They have been fighting for centuries and will continue to do so for centuries yet to come. What then, is the solution? Victory. Total and absolute victory. Finish the job Mr. President. You are dealing with a den of vipers right now. Let Israel finish off Hezbollah. They need to, as Hezbollah will NEVER stop attacking Israel. Then we need to finish off the IRGC. Finish them in the same manner we finished off the Nazis in WWII. 

Any while the United States and Israel are finishing the unfinished business, we need our partners to keep the Strait open. There are many countries who rely on an open Strait more than we do, so get in the game. We have everything in place right now to finish this job. Maybe even send in the Marines to take Kharg Island. I think even the strictest skeptic can now see that Iran is just toying with us. Stalling for time.

I am reminded of that fable about the turtle and the scorpion. One day there was a violent rainstorm and the rainwater soon turned into floodwater. The turtle saw the scorpion, who was about to drown, and offered the scorpion a ride to safety by climbing on his back. The turtle told the scorpion, "I know we are not friends, and you could kill me, but working together we can both get to safety". About halfway across the swollen floodwater, the scorpion stung the turtle. As the turtle started to die, he asked the scorpion why he did that. Now they both were going to die. The scorpion responded, "I can't help it. It is in my nature to do so."

Just like with the scorpion, war and death are in the nature of people like the IRGC, Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis. Remember - they still refer to us as the Great Satan and Israel as the Little Satan. Enough said. Finish the job, Mr. President.