The saga/mystery of our missing or dead scientists

"In any event, this issue seems to have legs right now, and the news cycle is not even close to giving up on it. It might be like the Nancy Guthrie case where it seems like it would never be solved. Or it could be a blockbuster. Whatever, this is a good one to stay tuned in on."

We have a real "who done it" on our hands. Some of our best and brightest scientists, many of whom have NASA or (dare I say it) UAP connections have gone missing or are dead. And because of those UAP connections, when this issue first came up, there was a lack of seriousness about it. Almost frivolity. But as time went on, the seriousness came back into the picture. Why? Because many of the eleven who are dead or missing were working on some real cutting-edge stuff. And now it has the attention of the FBI and President Trump himself.

This got my attention when I heard what one of the scientists was working on when she died or went missing. It was straight out of science fiction. She was working on something to manipulate gravity. I will bet that had Issac Newton turning over in his grave! I mean, how in the world can you manipulate gravity? That is one of those absolute laws of physics (so I was taught). Is this something other scientists are working on? If it is, that is a big WOW!

In all seriousness, if you want to dissuade some young folks from going into advanced research on the sciences, knowing that you could die or be disappeared would lead you to do something else with your life. However, to stay competitive and cutting edge, we need to have as many of our sharp young folks as possible be in the game. Doing research. Leading the pack. 

Some have speculated that since we started to bomb Iran and killed many of their nuclear scientists, this might be retribution by the same. If that is the case, I am sure Kash Patel and his FBI agents will get to the bottom of this. Knowing that under Joe Biden we had four years of unfettered entry by anyone and everyone from wherever, we could have some very bad apples in our mix. Like, sleeper cells from Iran. 

In any event, this issue seems to have legs right now, and the news cycle is not even close to giving up on it. It might be like the Nancy Guthrie case where it seems like it would never be solved. Or it could be a blockbuster. Whatever, this is a good one to stay tuned in on.

 

Buy American, be American, love America

"I thought one of Donald Trump's better ideas was to practice reciprocal tariffs. That would make so, so very much sense. Nobody gets ripped off. Fair and square. The way we have done trading in the past has not worked out well for us. Globalism. We save money but end up losing jobs and national security." 

So many things which plague our society today are really not that hard to fix. Many people have accused Donald Trump of searching for simple solutions to complex problems, but in reality, President Trump might practice Occam's Razor type of thinking. I get it. Years ago, this type of thinking used to be called the KISS method - Keep It Simple Stupid (or Silly).

Long before Donald Trump came on the scene, I thought MAGA type thoughts. I have bought American whenever I could. I support Americans making stuff for Americans - even though the differential in wages might make the product(s) cost more. I have loved this country ever since I can remember. Served it in the United States Navy for 21 years. I was proud to do it. 

Regardless of what SCOTUS has ruled, I am with the president on his tariff policy to balance out our imbalanced trade issue. Trump was right - we have been getting ripped off for years. It is sad to note that some of the countries which have ripped us off the most have been fellow NATO countries. Canada has been particularly bad at it. But neither Trudeau nor Carney have been fair traders with us. And Starmer from the UK? Please - don't get me started.

I thought one of Donald Trump's better ideas was to practice reciprocal tariffs. That would make so, so very much sense. Nobody gets ripped off. Fair and square. The way we have done trading in the past has not worked out well for us. Globalism. We save money but end up losing jobs and national security. No, Americans making stuff for America. Reciprocal tariffs. If a foreign country wants to make product in America - no tariffs of that product. Every American who loves this country should support these commonsense ideas. But many have not.

One other idea which (as an American) I really like. Denaturization. For people who come here from different places, get naturalized, and then do bad things. They should lose their citizenship and be deported. Be gone. Out of here. Living in this country is a privilege, not a right. It really is as simple as that.

  

How to skin a snake

 

"Here is the bottom line - Iran is a defeated country. They have no military, and no money. The play they are making right now is doing nothing but angering the US. As bad as we have whipped these guys already, we have more bullets left in our guns."

Those who have been around government for a while, and have not been drinking their bathwater, know all about Iran. They are snakes - not the people, but the IRGC goons who are running the joint. Not to be trusted needs to be repeated a hundred times or so in this post. Why do I say that? They lie like rugs - Persian rugs. This is why Donald Trump has chosen to keep the blockade of Iran going until they PTSOP (put this s**t on paper). It is fine and all that, that some of the "dealmakers" having their heads going north and south in agreement talks. But until those agreements are memorialized in legal documents, it is just all talk.

One of the things that Iran agreed to do was to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, NEVER to close it again. That empty promise lasted a day or two. Now it is closed again, and Europe is in a panic as they are running out of jet fuel. Why did Iran close the Strait? Because we still have the ports in Iran closed down. We could open them tomorrow, if Iran would sign an agreement listing all of our demands. Short of that, instead of taking two steps forward. we have taken one step backwards instead.

These guys in Iran really are snakes. Almost impossible to get nailed down. They talk out of both sides of their mouths and lie constantly. Here is a piece of unsolicited advice I would like to offer up to them. Donald Trump is not one to screw with. Nor is Rubo, Hegseth, or "Raising" Cain. If Iran keeps up with the FAFO, we will take out Kharg Island and do it before dinner. No regrets, no hesitation. Right now, the future of Iran going forward is in the hands of these snakes. The smart money would be to pay attention, and get the work done. Failure to do so will usher in some very, very bad days.

This entire episode has been interesting to watch. I am always fascinated to see where the chips are on the table in any confrontation. Here is the bottom line - Iran is a defeated country. They have no military, and no money. The play they are making right now is doing nothing but angering the US. As bad as we have whipped these guys already, we have more bullets left in our guns. Keep screwing around and they will see more shock and awe.

One of my political fantasies...

"Liberals will continue to trip through life, unhappy, uneducated, and sometimes, uncivilized. I remember years ago, somebody I worked with giving me this nugget - 'Conservatives are mostly happy, joyful and usually content, whereas liberals are most always unhappy and never content.'"

Sometimes I might have too much time on my hands. I have fantasies - political fantasies. One of my favorites goes as follows: Democrats have taken over the Congress and White House in 2028 (okay, now it is a nightmare). A very unpopular (with normal people) bill was passed and signed into law. Some liberal Karen came up to me and said, "See! It is our turn now! What do you think about that?" My response was simple - "I don't understand. I did not vote for that bill." The Karen then about blows a gasket, "You (blank), (blank) idiot! You could not vote for it as you are not in Congress!" My response was calm and measured. "Sure, I could vote for it. You have told me many times we live in a democracy. And in a democracy, everybody votes for everything." With that, the Karen screamed at me, pulled out some of her pink hair, and called me a flurry of unmentionable names. 

Why is that a fantasy? Why not money, trips, or anything else? Because this is Exhibit "A" on why this country is so divided. Even though most were educated in the same manner, using the same textbooks, for some reason, progressives think we live in a democracy. Not just a few of them - most all of them. When I remind folks on the left, we do not live in a democracy, but rather a federal constitutional republic, their eyes glaze over, and they either walk away or change the subject.

Once in a while, somebody will ask me to prove it. That in itself, is a weird question. We are federal, as we have a separation of powers between the federal government and the states. We are constitutional as we have a constitution which defines who has what powers and the limitations thereof. And we are a republic, as we elect people to vote on issues as they represent the folks who voted them into office. In other words, our form of government looks NOTHING like a democracy. 

Then I had this odd and disturbing thought - do we even teach civics in schools anymore? And if it is taught, is it taught by a Karen with pink hair who has his or her own opinion on how things should be instead of how they are? Every time I hear a younger person talk about our democracy, it is like nails on the chalkboard. I gave up trying to correct them years ago, as it was like pouring water into a pail full of holes. I think of that old saying - "Stupid is as stupid does." Or that old Ron White adage - "You can't cure stupid."

Liberals will continue to trip through life, unhappy, uneducated, and sometimes, uncivilized. I remember years ago, somebody I worked with giving me this nugget - "Conservatives are mostly happy, joyful and usually content, whereas liberals are most always unhappy and never content." My impression over the years, is that statement is more truth than fiction. If some unhappy liberal would like to take umbrage with what I just penned, the floor is yours. 

  

   

Is Europe playing with fire?

"We can only hope and pray that cooler heads prevail in Russia. This war was a huge mistake as Russia underestimated the tenacity and ingenuity of the Ukrainian people. But they did, and this war is going nowhere. But so long as Russia has nukes and the will to use them, the world is in danger. How much danger? Ten thousand times worse than an asteroid."  

I know, I know. Right now, it is all eyes on Iran. But what about the Ukraine War? Some think that war was so yesterday. And by the way, this war over the country of Ukraine, which was supposed to only take a few weeks with very few casualties, has turned out to be anything but. For some reason, that few can understand, Putin has decided to "pour good money after bad" by throwing everything possible at the war in order to pull out some kind of victory. But Putin does have his limits. He has said so much in the past. He has vowed not to use his nuclear weapons - unless Russia is losing the war.

Some countries in Europe have decided to poke the bear. In other words, they are supplying some state-of-the-art weaponry to Ukraine which is tilting the war even more in Ukraine's favor. Rather than just calling it a day and withdrawing his troops out of Ukraine, Putin is still sacrificing tens of thousands of young men into this meat grinder in eastern Ukraine. Now Europe is supplying weapons which can strike deep into Russia - so deep, they can take out Russia's air defenses.

Even though Russia is getting "their butts handed to them" by staunch Ukrainian fighters, we all need to remember one immutable fact. There is no country in the world which has more nukes than Russia. Here is the problem - Putin knows if he stops the war and withdraws, he is cooked. The powers that be in Russia will "disappear him". But if he keeps on going, he further degrades his once powerful army. Right now, this is an unwinnable war for Russia. Will Putin lash out with tactical nukes in Ukraine, and maybe some more powerful nukes towards offending countries in Europe? We all hope not. What about us? Could we be a target also?

I have zero concern over the war in Iran. It will turn out fine for us as well as the innocent folks who live under this brutal theocracy. But this war over Ukraine could still be the match which lights the world on fire. Putin is like a cornered animal right now, and this cornered animal has teeth and fangs. One nuke, going off anywhere in the Euro zone, changes everything. 

We can only hope and pray that cooler heads prevail in Russia. This war was a huge mistake as Russia underestimated the tenacity and ingenuity of the Ukrainian people. But they did, and this war is going nowhere. But so long as Russia has nukes and the will to use them, the world is in danger. How much danger? Ten thousand times worse than an asteroid.  

A better solution about Iran

"A better solution for Iran? Only one in my book - they can unconditionally surrender. Short of that, I like what the president is doing. If you have something better, I am all ears."

Okay. That was a teaser for this article. I have no better solution for fixing Iran. But neither does anyone else. Am I wrong on that? Please, if I am wrong, enlighten me. Tell me what the better solution is for Iran. Where Iran would no longer enrich uranium to make nuclear weapons. Where Iran would no longer try and destroy Israel. Where Iran would no longer recruit and fund proxies in the Middle East and surrounding area.

Under Barack Obama, John Kerry, and Joe Biden, we did nothing about Iran - other than signed a JCPOA and send them pallets full of cash. The motto from Mr. "Lead from Behind" Obama, was simply this - ignore the problem and it will go away. Well, it did not. Biden thought maybe we should double down on that faux agreement and send them more money. Same result. Nada for peace, glory for Iran's proxy wars.

We have let Iran box us around the ears for decades now. It was now or never to keep them from getting the bomb. Israel could not do it by themselves, but the team of USA and Israel could. So, we did it. Now the lefties are calling this "Trump's War". Us poor Americans (who are not getting bombed like Israel and the Arab countries are) are suffering from temporarily higher gas prices. Wah, Wah, Wah - cry me a river! We are so spoiled sometimes, it is embarrassing.

Our military, who has been called on to do a very tough assignment, has once again shown its true colors. And those colors are excellence. Even though up to 40,000 innocent Iranians have been slaughtered in the streets of Iran by their own government, help is on the way. Israel and the US are doing whatever they can to rid Iran from this bloodthirsty and brutal regime. All without killing innocent Iranians. But the regime has also shown its true colors. When Trump threatened to attack Iran's power stations, the regime made women and children act as human shields around each plant. That is a war crime. A page taken from Hamas during the Gaza war.

This Iran war will come to an end. Iran is just about finished militarily. They only have hidden missiles and drones left to use. The other day Pete Hegseth was asked by a reporter about the status of the Iranian Navy. Hegseth quipped, "We decided to share the Persian Gulf with the Iranian Navy. They get the bottom half, and we get the top half." Great response Pete! And very true!

A better solution for Iran? Only one in my book - they can unconditionally surrender. Short of that, I like what the president is doing. If you have something better, I am all ears.

    

Unsettled land; unsettled issues

"What is my point this morning? To fix our land, to fix our culture, to settle the unsettled, we first need to fix ourselves. We do all of us, have a moral compass. We know right from wrong. We must listen to our better angels and ignore the dark voices. We know how to be a better people. We know how to live better. Godlier." 

Good morning. Today I am reporting from the dystopian state of Minnesota. But wait - Minnesota is not the only dystopian state I could be in right now. But while doing some deep think, this one haunting thought kept coming to mind. We are an unsettled people, living in unsettled land, having many unsettled issues. We have gone from being tribal and insular to united in purpose, and now back to tribal and insular once again. Why? As the old saying goes, that is the $64,000 question.

In our church right now, we are in a study about the enemy behind the enemy. What does that mean? Spiritual warfare. Plain and simple. The unseen, yet real force who tempts good people to do evil things. And when the Father of Lies shows us lies, he will shine those lies up so they look like truth. And if we don't have our spiritual bearing down pat, we will fall for those lies just about every time.

Yesterday, it was announced that Eric Swalwell and Tony Gonzales would resign from Congress. Both accused of conduct unbecoming. I have always thought that Swalwell was a bit slimy, and maybe strayed way beyond where he should have, but Tony Gonzales is a different story to me. Why? Representative Gonzales came out of the same group that I did. 

Let me explain. Tony Gonzales is (was) a very high achiever. He served in the United States Navy for 20 years, as a CTI (Cryptologic Technician Interpretive). First off, that is a very tough rate to do well in. Very difficult. But Tony Gonzales not only did well, but he also went all the way up the ranks to retire as CRICM - the highest you can go in the enlisted world. Just a whisper that he was acting unbecoming while in the Navy, and his career would have been over. In other words, Tony looked rock solid to me. A great choice to serve Texas in the Congress. But then Tony fell and fell hard.

What is my point this morning? To fix our land, to fix our culture, to settle the unsettled, we first need to fix ourselves. We do all of us, have a moral compass. We know right from wrong. We must listen to our better angels and ignore the dark voices. We know how to be a better people. We know how to live better. Godlier. 

Or - we can continue to spin out of control. Satisfy our carnal urges. Hate on each other. If we can't turn this around, America may make its 250th, but not a chance to make 300. Ben Franklin said we have a republic if we can keep it. Maybe we can't. Maybe we no longer deserve it.

 

Playing the odds with NASA

 

Will this be Elon to the rescue? Maybe - if it is, we should be getting used to it. Elon Musk is a national treasure and should be used as such. He can see what others don't see. And he can innovate where others dare not tread. Now that the cat is really out of the bag about the heat shield on Artemis, it will be all eyes on NASA. Time to fix this issue NASA - we don't need another national tragedy.   

Last week, the long (and I mean long) awaited re-entry of Artemis II safely splashed down off the coast of San Diego. Okay - I used the word "safely". Maybe not the correct word to use. Wait - this is NASA. The most cautious and careful organization in the world. That is, up until the Artemis II flight. Few know this right now, but it will become more well known in the near future. The decision was made to launch Artemis II, even though it had a sketchy heat shield. But why then, take the chance? China. We have to beat China to the Moon. Even though we already landed there fifty years ago.

When the uncrewed Artemis I came back to Earth in late 2022, we saw there was a huge problem. The heat shield had deep cracks and some chunks missing. It was by a wing and a prayer that Artemis I did not burn up on re-entry. The brainy ones at NASA set out to fix this near catastrophic event by doing some fixes on the heat shield before Artemis II launched. One minor problem - the fixes did not work well. For the second time in the Artemis program, we sent a mission towards Mars by a wing and a prayer. Only this time, it had four humans on board.

Why is this different from the re-entries we have had since Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and numerous space shuttle missions? They all had heat shields. Did we lose the recipe? Is it that Artemis is coming in so much faster (Mach 30+)? Whatever the reason, we better button this thing up before Artemis III. The fact we got Artemis II back safely, might have been more providence than luck or good planning.

Elon Musk and his SpaceX team have also been working on the heat shield issue. Elon might have a better solution than the lemon we have used in the first two Artemis flights. Instead of using some super ablative, Musk is experimenting with using a specially manufactured metal heat shield. Will it be better than what Artemis is currently using? It sure can't be much worse. 

As a citizen, as a fan of space exploration, I want NASA to succeed. This heat shield issue should be the last of our worries instead of the first of our concerns. Putting the heat shield aside, I was hoping that NASA could be focusing on better shielding of the capsule was when it leaves low Earth orbit, it is bombarded with harsh solar radiation. That problem needs to be fixed long before we attempt a flight to Mars or lengthy visits to the Moon's surface.

Will this be Elon to the rescue? Maybe - if it is, we should be getting used to it. Elon Musk is a national treasure and should be used as such. He can see what others don't see. And he can innovate where others dare not tread. Now that the cat is really out of the bag about the heat shield on Artemis, it will be all eyes on NASA. Time to fix this issue NASA - we don't need another national tragedy.   

Why so many hate this flag

 

"This flag was just one of the bitter items which came out of the cauldron of evil during the legislative session of 2023. That is the final thing I think of when I see this flag. It is endemic of what happened during that most evil and vile session."

Why is it, so many normal people detest this new Minnesota flag? I am one of them. Now to set the record straight, I love our national flag. I have been a fan of the stars and bars since I was a kid. As a sailor, I had it stitched on the shoulder of my working jacket. As a homeowner, I had it flying from our flagpole for years. I still have it proudly displayed on my truck. Why do I love our national flag? Because of what it stands for. Why do I hate this new state flag? Because of what it stands for.

First off, nobody asked me if I wanted a new flag. A bunch of PC minded legislatures thought our real state flag was racist. Huh? I never once thought that. So, without the voter's consent, this new rag called a flag was imposed upon us. But the thing which really sticks in my craw, is it looks like another nation's flag. The other nation whose people have been robbing us blind. When I look at that flag (and I try not to), that is all I can see. Fraud, graft and theft.

The next thing I see when I look at this new flag, is Tim Walz. I am reminded of the man who allowed half of Minneapolis to burn down in the summer of 2020. I am reminded of his wife who wanted her windows down, so she could enjoy the smell of a burning city. I am reminded of the goofball who for some reason, was selected to be Kamala's Veep choice. And how he (and the state he represented) soon became the laughingstock of the nation. And I am reminded of how Tim Walz, called "tampon Timmy" by many in the national media, became the poster child Minnesota fraud. Walz and his "learing center", became one in the same. 

Many of the Republicans running to be the next governor have vowed to replace this rage with our real state flag. Get rid of this faux flag for once and for all. Many of the cities and towns in outstate Minnesota refuse to fly this fake flag. Seems it does not represent their values. Good on them. 

This flag was just one of the bitter items which came out of the cauldron of evil during the legislative session of 2023. That is the final thing I think of when I see this flag. It is endemic of what happened during that most evil and vile session. On the other hand, once the real flag is restored to us, maybe we should keep this faux flag locked away in a drawer someplace. Why? So, we can remember just want the Democrats did to us during the session of evil in 2023. 

Living in the land of make believe

 

"What has happened to us? Where is our national concern for what is right? We have gone from e pluribus unum to being bifurcated and tribal. Visceral hatred has replaced love and compassion. Wrong has replace right. Godlessness has replaced Godly."

I have said this many times before. As much as I miss my folks and my wife's folks, I am very glad they are not with us right now, to see what a mockery we have made of the country they loved and help build. The word I keep hearing to describe many of our current lawmakers, is "unserious". As are the people who elected these lawmakers. Fits things to a tee. Do I think that things will get better? Back to normal? Or is this our new normal?

Our President, Donald Trump, is hated by the left. Has been for years, will be until he is no longer with us. He is fighting to free Iran from its brutal theocracy. Trying to keep Iran from trying to destroy the land of God's chosen people (read you Bible it you don't believe me). Iran is trying to not only build nuclear missiles, which could poison many lands if used, but also control world commerce by controlling an INTERNATIONAL passage called the Strait of Hormuz. For trying to right this wrong, Donald Trump is vilified.

In this country right now, we honor law breakers. Sometimes lionize them. And the victims of those lawbreakers? Tough toenails. Never used to be this way. The national concern was with the victims of any crime. Not today - it is politics over compassion. After Joe Biden let in millions of unvetted illegal aliens, the federal government is now trying to get them out of the country. Why? Law breakers. And yet, the left honors them. Lionizes them. The law enforcement agencies who are trying to follow the law? They are despised. Hated. Not too many years ago, it would have been just the opposite.

The City of Minneapolis is considering opening up gay bathhouses once again for recreational sex. Wait - what? Is that not how the AIDS epidemic got started in the 1980's? Why would we do such a foolish thing? Because for those who are paying attention, the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul have become modern day sin cities - like Sodom and Gomorrah. This issue just typifies what has happened to these once beautiful cities. Once a source of great pride for this state. Now they are sewers.

What has happened to us? Where is our national concern for what is right? We have gone from e pluribus unum to being bifurcated and tribal. Visceral hatred has replaced love and compassion. Wrong has replace right. Godlessness has replaced Godly. Is this just us having it too good for too long, or is it something else? Like spiritual warfare? For those in the faith, spiritual warfare is the answer which keep popping up. The remedy? Prayer, and lots of it.      

Spaced Out

 

I suppose if the Chinese beat us and try to claim the Moon as theirs, we could pull out our trump card. Sorry China - we have been on the Moon since July of 1969, and the Moon is ours. BTW China - you are now trespassing. Now, put that in your pipe and smoke it~ 

Color me shocked. I was certainly not a believer in NASA and their Artemis II Moon fly-by. SpaceX on the other hand, I am all in for. Why? The tales of success are long and impressive with Elon Musk's rocket company. The tales of success for NASA recently? Not good. However, this new guy running the joint, Jared Isaacman, is a real go-getter. A former astronaut himself, he knows his way around the block (so to speak). As far as reaching the Moon for a landing (again), beating the Chinese is the be all, end all. Second place is no good. 

Tonight, the Good Lord willing, Artemis II will splash down right off the coast of San Diego. Hopefully, all four of the astronauts pop out of that capsule hale and hearty. How good has this mission been so far? Way beyond expectations. The pics which have been taken and transmitted back to Earth have been jaw dropping good. More to come once they land.

Has Artemis II pushed SpaceX out of the space race? Knocked them out of the Moon landing? Not a chance. Elon still wants to put a base on the Moon. Knowing how Elon works - he will. But Elon (as most know), is the champion of walking and chewing gum at the same time. His gaze is still fixed on Mars, but the Moon might come first. Plus - Elon's Tesla Giga-plant is about to get a whole lot bigger. Not to worry - Elon can do it all. He has in the past, and he will in the future.

In any event, I have confidence in young Mr. Isaacson. Due to his pedigree, many of the astronauts feel very comfortable with him. But, as the old saying goes, success breeds success. After safe landing, and if it is very close to the bullseye, we can chalk this one up as a win. Now it is on to the bigger and better Artemis III. This one will be for all the marbles - a crewed landing on the Moon. We want to land this thing on a stretch of land we have not been to before - the South Pole area. But what if China gets to the Moon before we do? Then things will get interesting.

I suppose if the Chinese beat us and try to claim the Moon as theirs, we could pull out our trump card. Sorry China - we have been on the Moon since July of 1969, and the Moon is ours. BTW China - you are now trespassing. Now, put that in your pipe and smoke it~ 

Tyrant, TACO, or Trumpeter?

"Tyrant, TACO or trumpeter? I would pick trumpeter every day of the week and twice on Sunday. Why? Trumpeter means someone who praises or advocates. Nobody praises or advocates for America like Donald Trump does." 

What a week for our POTUS! He has been called just about every name in the book by the left. In fact, in one day, the day of the cease fire, Donald Trump went from unhinged tyrant to a TACO in about fifteen minutes. How so? A while back I penned an article about what could have happened in an alternate reality. Where Donald Trump did nothing about Iran. And then, when the next president took the oath, and he was confronted with a nuclear Iran with long range ballistic missiles. Everybody blamed Donald Trump for not taking care if Iran when he was president. And so, it goes.

The folks on the left (including 90% of our so-called media) that refer to Donald Trump a "TACO" puzzle me. For those who don't know, "TACO" stands for "Trump always chickens out". Guess what? He doesn't. His strong preference is for peace through some kind of deal. But when dealing with zealots in Iran, sometimes Trump needs to use stronger language to get their attention. Sometimes hyperbolic language. 

If the two-week hiatus for a cease fire fails in any way, then this "TACO" will act anything but chicken. He will not leave our troops in harm's way much longer. In other words, all hell will rain down on the IRGC, and it will not be pretty. Trump will protect the citizens of Iran as much as possible, but this blood thirsty regime has to go! And we need to get our hands on their uranium. 

The metrics of this conflict have stayed pretty much the same. Destroy their military and their missiles, get their uranium, and "unclog the drain" in the Strait. Why is it our business to do so? Trust me, Donald Trump would have loved it if the Arab states and NATO had done it instead. But they did not, and every day, Iran was inching closed to having a viable nuclear tipped missile. And it Iran did launch a nuclear missile towards Israel, Europe, or even Diego Garca - just like that we would be in World War III.

Meanwhile, back home, did you know that we have between 10 and 15 trillion dollars of new infrastructure building going on right now? That is all thanks to Donald Trump. THIS is the kind of stuff he would rather be focusing on right now - not another Middle Eastern war. But it is what it is. Iran is a constant threat which needs to be dealt with. Iran has been an issue for 47 years, so it is up to POTUS 47 to end it. 

Tyrant, TACO or trumpeter? I would pick trumpeter every day of the week and twice on Sunday. Why? Trumpeter means someone who praises or advocates. Nobody praises or advocates for America like Donald Trump does. As far as the left goes, especially those dying from stage four TDS, they should open up their eyes. We have a once in a generation president, and he is doing some very good things for America, and the world. 

A two-week nothing burger

"By the way, our enemy within (the Democrats), are so upset that Trump is winning this war, they want him impeached or removed from office via Article 25. Huh? The Democrats don't like Trump's 'tone'. Or his threats (which are just hyperbole). And they sure don't like Trump committing war crimes (which he has not done - only Iran has committed war crimes to date). Sometimes I really do wonder if the Democrats are really sleeper cells instead of Americans. Just wondering..."

Well - it happened again. Just when it looked like the team of Israel and the US were going to finish the job in Iran, something stopped it. This time it was Pakistan. They think the pump is now primed to get a meaningful cease fire in the hostilities. Really? What has changed? Iran promises to reopen the Strait if the US and Israel stop bombing them. Plus, during this two-week hiatus, "peace talks", between the warring factions, will continue.

By the way, this morning the missiles continue to fly out of Iran. This morning, the targets were friendly Gulf States. And Israel's war with Hezbollah continues in Lebanon. I guess that will be a subject for another day. 

Where this really gets interesting is looking at the growing list of demands that Iran has to stop the war. Somebody should whisper in their ears that they are losing and losing badly. Therefore, their demands are meaningless. Nevertheless, one of the demands (I love this one), is for Iran to control the Strait, and have the authority to charge $2M per ship to transit. That $2M will be split with Oman. I guess somebody close to Iran needs to remind them that the Strait has been determined to be an international passageway and is controlled by nobody. But who cares about the facts? 

Iran also wants to retain the ability to enrich uranium for "peaceful" purposes. That one was enough to clog my BS filter. Also, neither the US nor Israel will EVER agree to that one. Iran also want reparations from the US from the bombing damage. Is Iran going to pay for the damages they caused to Israel and the Gulf States? No? I didn't think so.

What will be settled during this two-week break in the action? If anything, more than 2% of the disagreements are agreed to, you could color me shocked and amazed. But I think even that 2% might be a stretch. Until Iran hands over its uranium to the United States, until the IRGC gives up control of Iran and agrees to free and fair elections, until the Strait is fully open and free, the war will continue.

By the way, our enemy within (the Democrats), are so upset that Trump is winning this war, they want him impeached or removed from office via Article 25. Huh? The Democrats don't like Trump's "tone". Or his threats (which are just hyperbole). And they sure don't like Trump committing war crimes (which he has not done - only Iran has committed war crimes to date). Sometimes I really do wonder if the Democrats are really sleeper cells instead of Americans. Just wondering...

 

 

It is "D Day" - (again)

"What will happen tonight in Iran? I shudder to think. War is a terrible business, and tonight it might get a whole lot worse. Could this spin out of control so much it would result in a world war? Maybe. Biblical? Also, maybe. Stay tuned and buckle up - the worst of this conflict might be just ahead."

Today is the 6th time that Donald Trump has given Iran the "open the f*****g Strait, or else" message. Odds are it will not happen. And if this is the time, that Trump makes good on his threat, "D Day", which could stand for "Destroy Day", could happen this evening. According to President Trump, he will take out every bridge and ever power plant in Iran. And, according to the baddies who are now in control of Iran, if we do that, Iran will hit us where it hurts. Israel's power plants and United States interests in Saudi and the UAE.

I will agree with President Trump on this issue - the "leaders" in Iran right now are bat poop crazy. They will sacrifice a good part of the infrastructure in Iran in lieu of getting rid of their enriched uranium, missiles, and having legal and normal elections. The Strait of Hormuz is yet another issue. That SHOULD be a thorn in the side for most of the civilized world. But somehow, keeping the Strait open falls on our plate. Why? I have no idea.

This war with Iran reminds me a bit of Israel's war on Gaza (Hamas). Because Hamas would not cooperate or capitulate, each day, every day, the IDF ground more and more of Gaza into dust. Today, Gaza looks like a no-man's land. Nothing like a livable city. And guess what? Hamas is still around. Reduced for sure, but still here. I can see the IRGC acting the same way. They will hide in their bunkers as the United States and Israel lays waste to their country. And for what? Like I said - this people are bat poop crazy.

Having the Strait of Hormuz corked up by Iran should set off a five-alarm fire with the nations who depend on a free and open Strait to get their goods on time. The tepid response that most of the world has had on this issue puzzles and perplexes me. Also, this has not made much news but is still important. It will take many months, maybe years, to repair the damage to oil and gas facilities that Iran has caused with their missiles and drones. Because of that, the price of gas (worldwide) could remain high for quite a while. 

BTW - has there been any kind of uproar over the 30,000 to 45,000 innocent civilians who have been murdered in the streets of Iran by their own government? It has been very silent. Crickets. I don't even know if the Pope mentioned it in his Easter address. Those thousands of innocent Iranians have become like the thousands of innocent Christians murdered and martyred in Nigeria. If nobody talks about it, maybe the awfulness of each travesty will just go away.

What will happen tonight in Iran? I shudder to think. War is a terrible business, and tonight it might get a whole lot worse. Could this spin out of control so much it would result in a world war? Maybe. Biblical? Also, maybe. Stay tuned and buckle up - the worst of this conflict might be just ahead.

 

Our new and true friends going forward

"That is it. The world is changing, and America is growing stronger all the time. As such, we need strong and loyal friends. We have them - Poland in Europe and Japan in the Pacific. We are happy to share the Golden Age of America with loyal friends. Those who are not loyal will not get to take part in our Golden Age - they will only get the tarnish." 

Is NATO dead? Or just of life support? For many in this country right now, we are feeling like a jilted lover. NATO, whose bacon we have saved more than once, has been treating us like a former mother-in-law whom they hate. Why is that? Because Donald Trump has called some of the NATO countries out on their nonsense? Their non-payments or short payments of NATO dues? Or is it the Muslim thing? That out-of-control immigration has led to huge Muslim populations in Europe. Whatever it is, our friends from yesteryear might not be our friends tomorrow. They certainly are not our friends today.

Our best friend right now in Europe, a part of NATO, is Poland. They are strong, they have paid their dues, and they stand ready to kick Russia in the groin whenever needed. They are like the NATO of yesterday. Rough and tough, anything but Namby-Pamby's like much of NATO is today. President Trump and former President Duda forged a strong friendship which is still present today. If push ever came to shove in Europe, and if Poland asked for help, we would come running. Besides all of which, we share four bases in Poland with Polish forces. It is a marriage made in Heaven (so to speak).

What about the rest of NATO? The UK? Canada? France? Germany? Spain? The Nordic countries? As far as common defense is concerned, those good old days are over. Today, for common defense, much of NATO is about as useless as a screen door on a submarine. Either NATO needs to find their big boy pants once again, or it might just be time to part ways. Do we hate those weak sisters of NATO? No - but we don't love them like we used to. Their lack of support in this Iranian war was telling and shameful. That will not be forgotten.

The Western Pacific is a different story. I wish we could have ten more countries just like Japan to have our back. This new Prime Minister of Japan (Sanae Takaishi) is a force to be reckoned with. She has zero fear of either Russia or China and has proudly put her growing and fearsome military in harm's way. This island nation whom we fought so hard almost 90 years ago, is now a staunch ally. We have other close friends in the Pacific arena, but none right now as close as Japan. 

That is it. The world is changing, and America is growing stronger all the time. As such, we need strong and loyal friends. We have them - Poland in Europe and Japan in the Pacific. We are happy to share the Golden Age of America with loyal friends. Those who are not loyal will not get to take part in our Golden Age - they will only get the tarnish. 

Beware of the faux job reports!

"Is there a golden fleece out there, or is it all gloom and doom? I believe those who are cleaver, nimble and ambitious will find that pot of gold. Those who are not, will need to learn how to get by on some kind of GNI (Guaranteed National Income)." 

Last month's job report is out, and the corks are popping all over (with some folks)! But what does these new jobs report really tell us? That we added more jobs than expected, so our unemployment rate ticked down a bit. Or - did it? The U6 unemployment rate (boy, it has been a while since I have addressed the U6!), showed the actual unemployment rate went up to 8%. Why does this matter? Because if you get frustrated with finding a job, and just drop out, nobody counts you for anything. That is, except for the U6 unemployment rate. 8% of the people in this country who could work and are not working - is a big number.

Did you hear about Oracle? Larry Ellison, one of the richest people of the world and owner of Oracle, just axed 30,000 via an email this past week. Right before Easter. Why does this matter? Microsoft also just laid off 6,000 employees. And Alphabet, parent company of Google is in the process of laying off 2,500 employees. These are companies which have always had huge growth potential. And they will keep growing - only with less human employees and more AI infusion.

As we continue through this decade, buckle up. Many jobs are going to become more tenuous and temporary. Jobs which were once believed to be unreplaceable, will be replaced by automation. Sorry - this is the brave new world. This is going to become a much bigger problem as we slide into 2030. Will there be jobs out there? Some, yes - and good paying ones at that. But they will be niche jobs that require a certain type of expertise and training. The kind of jobs we are not educating our young folks for.

Anybody who has either owned a business or did the financials for a business, knows this immutable fact - human employees are expensive and messy. Messy? They need time off for maternity. Time off for military. Time off for being sick. Vacation. They only work between 40 - 50 hours per week. The list goes on and on. Automated jobs on the other hand, don't take lunch breaks. No vacations. No sick leave. No raises needed. Bottom line? To stay competitive in our brave new world, will cut as much expense as possible out of the workforce, while still being more effective and efficient every quarter. That will be the key to success. 

We need to stop preparing and training for yesterday's jobs. We need to break out the crystal ball and really focus on where the human jobs will be tomorrow. Next year. Five years from now. We need to think long term and short term at the same time. Is there a golden fleece out there, or is it all gloom and doom? I believe those who are cleaver, nimble and ambitious will find that pot of gold. Those who are not, will need to learn how to get by on some kind of GNI (Guaranteed National Income). 

 

Could this be - a new forever war?

"If this is all true, what are our options? Call it a day in two weeks and head for home? Call in Marine tunnel rats and Army door kickers to settle in for a prolonged boots on the ground mission? Set up shop with our Navy on station and continue looking for high value targets? More and better bunker busters in the offing?" 

What I am going to put forward is not yet 100% verified. But the signs are pointing towards that it might just be true. In March, Iran released a video of its massive underground Missile City. Somes areas of this multi-cave underground city are decoys. Others are still works in progress. But the Iranians have been working on this underground city for decades. Why? For a time such as this. When they can take a hit and still come out fighting.

The story has it, that Iran still has in its possession, tens of thousands of missiles and drones. All buried in tunnels hundreds of meters below granite mountains. Beyond our best bunker busters? Maybe. If that is the case, what is our remedy? Israel's remedy? Anybody? If they have their infrastructure set up to fight for decades, does this mean the Iranian war could develop into a (gasp!) - forever war? If so, were does that leave us? We have after all, vowed NEVER to get involved in another forever war.

This reminds me of the Gazan tunnels, only on steroids. We had no idea in the labyrinth of tunnels under Gaza where the hostages were being kept. In Iran, the Zagro Mountains were used as cover. Some of the Missile City tunnels are buried deep under those mountains. Like over 400 meters deep. Deeper than our bunker busters can reach.

Some think that Iran has been planning for this war for years - maybe decades. They lured the US and Isreal into a conflict which Iran knew, could not be won by the infidels. They would wear them out - use missiles against their Middle East allies. Maybe sink a carrier. They knew the Americans did not have the stomach for a multi-year war. They could outlast any enemy. They have enough missiles and drones to last just about forever.

If this is all true, what are our options? Call it a day in two weeks and head for home? Call in Marine tunnel rats and Army door kickers to settle in for a prolonged boots on the ground mission? Set up shop with our Navy on station and continue looking for high value targets? More and better bunker busters in the offing? 

The future in Iran has gone from somewhat clear to very cloudy. None of our options look good right now. We might just have lit the match for an all-out Middle East war, involving just about everyone. Our intentions have been honorable, our execution has been next to flawless, but our intel seems to have had a Missile City size hole in it. And the beat goes on.  

Meanwhile, in another reality...

"For a short period of time, gas will be over $4/gal. Bid deal. Fertilizer will be more expensive for a while. But to "de-nuke" Iran, this is all worth it. Trump's numbers are down because of this needed war, but he does not care. Why not? He cares more about America than his numbers. It has been, still is, and always will be America first for Donald Trump. This war is only part of it."   

Go with me just for a while. I am going to pretend we are in another universe, another reality. Here we go!

Donald Trump has just won the election. He is now the 47th POTUS. He won by promising America first, all the time. The world was a mess, thanks to the narcoleptic Joe Biden. But that was then and this now. One of the first calls that Trump received to congratulate him was from Bibi Netanyahu. "Mr. President, we need to address this issue in Iran and do it fast. They are months, maybe weeks away from having a nuclear weapon. I have talked to President Biden until blue in the face, but he thought he could just buy the regime off. That is not working."

Donald Trump listened politely. He had known Bibi for years and liked him. But he promised America first, and he was sticking to it. "Sorry Bibi. No more wars. We are not getting involved in sending more weapons to Ukraine, and we are not getting involved with Iran. Que sera sera Bibi, whatever will be will be. Now have a nice day and say hi to your wife."

Four years passed, and Iran is stronger and more truculent than ever. But Trump stuck to America first, and no more wars. The new president was about to be sworn in. Gavin Newsom from California. The Strait of Hormuz had been closed down for two years now, and Iran was choosing which ships to let through and how much of a fee those ships would pay. No country (except the United States) had enough military muscle to stop Iran from doing this. Finally, France had enough. If the United States was not going to open up the Strait, France would.

France sent in their prized aircraft carrier, the Charles De Gaull. As soon as the De Gaull entered the Red Sea, a bright flash erupted. Just like that, the De Gaull was gone. A nuclear missile from Iran had hit the De Gaull and destroyed her. Almost at the same time, another flash went off over Paris. Then came the warning from Iran. We have more nukes and are not afraid to use them.

President Elect Newsom immediately blamed Donald Trump. "You had four years to stop these guys, and you did nothing! Now we have a rogue nuclear power in the Middle East. It is like having another North Korea. You will go down in history Donald Trump, as the president who allowed this to happen."

Now - back to reality. Donald Trump still does believe in America first, but he is also a realist. He knew that if the Iranian threat was not addressed, bad things would happen in the near future. Maybe to Israel, maybe to Europe, maybe to us. Trump saw Iran as an existential threat to everybody. Only the US had the military muscle and the acumen to take Iran's regime out. The team of the US and Israel was just what was needed.

For a short period of time, gas will be over $4/gal. Bid deal. Fertilizer will be more expensive for a while. But to "de-nuke" Iran, this is all worth it. Trump's numbers are down because of this needed war, but he does not care. Why not? He cares more about America than his numbers. It has been, still is, and always will be America first for Donald Trump. This war is only part of it.   

    

Water woes...

"If you live in Denver, Las Vegas, Tucson or Pheonix, you might need to think about moving - soon. When 'Day Zero' happens, you could not give houses away in cities which have no water. Think about that chip manufacturer who just built a huge plant in Phoenix. Chip manufacturing takes lots of water. What were they thinking? They were not thinking at all."  

News flash! Our world is awash in water. Over 70% of the planet is full of water. Now the bad news. Most of that 70% is non-potable water. Good for saltwater fishes, and that is about it. Our nation has had water since the get-go. But now we have some challenges which have been ignored for years. In particular, we have some of our larger cities which are starting to run out of drinking water. And when that happens, those cities will have to migrate to "Plan B". The only problem is - there is no "Plan B".

Four of the harder hit cities are Las Vegas, Denver, Tucson, and Pheonix. Western cities, who are in the middle of a serious multi-decade drought. Here is the issue - those cities continue to grow, and the available water continues to shrink. Snowpacks, which are the lifeblood of the west, are not what they once were. Lake Powell and Lake Meade are close to "dead pool" status. The once mighty Colorado River has way too many straws coming out of it, and it too is shrinking. 

Most Americans use about 80 gallons of water per day. Oh yes - we use water for just about everything. The last gasp before the taps run dry, is when cities go on a mandatory rationing program. That is where only 8 to 10 gallons per person per day will be allowed. That would be a huge problem for many. However, when "Day Zero" comes, there will be no water to use. Zip. Taps run dry. Mexico City has flirted with that day for years. Pheonix might only be five years away from "Day Zero". And then what?

When I say there is no "Plan B" for these cities, there really is no plan should "Day Zero" come. We have been warned about this situation for years. We have done nothing. For example, the number of desalination plants we have built in the last couple of decades is peanuts. With almost 100,000 miles of shoreline (including Alaska and Hawaii), a few dozen well placed desalination plants could be a lifeline to thirsty cities. But these plants take time to build. Permitting is required. NIMBY needs to be overcome. With Phoenix only being five years from "Day Zero", we really need to start on these plants yesterday.

MIT is developing something known as Atmospheric Water Generation (AWG). It would be taking water out of the air, even in low humidity. That is the good news. The bad news - it is only in the development phase. Years away, maybe many decades away from having it scaled where it could be used for cities. For a current crisis like we have right now, it is too little, too late.

If you live in Denver, Las Vegas, Tucson or Pheonix, you might need to think about moving - soon. When "Day Zero" happens, you could not give houses away in cities which have no water. Think about that chip manufacturer who just built a huge plant in Phoenix. Chip manufacturing takes lots of water. What were they thinking? They were not thinking at all.