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.      

Hey time! Please slow down a bit!

 

"What is the lesson I try to remember every summer? Live each day, every day, like it is special. Don't waste one minute of any summer day. Sounds good, but it never happens. Why? Life takes over. The highways and byways of life always seem to trump our plans and speed up our days."

Yesterday was June 1st. Or was it Memorial Day weekend? Seems that way, does it not? Now here we are, getting ready for Summer Solstice on June 21st. And then what? In the words of an old talk radio show - summer is over. Why? The days start to get shorter. The days start to get shorter and begin their march to December 21st - Winter Solstice. You know - cold, snow, ice and ick.

What is my point? Time. As the old joke goes, time is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer you get to the end, the faster it goes. Today, my wife and I have a meeting to go to. And then to the grocery store for some provisions. Wait - we were just at the grocery store - I remember it like it was yesterday. But it was not yesterday - it was a week ago. What happened during this past week? I don't remember, as now it seems like it was a blur. 

I am reminded of that old saying - what is the shortest distance between two points - a Minnesota summer. Boy, it that is not the truth! And don't look now, but in a couple of weeks it will be our big 250th national birthday party. That will be fun, and up at the RV part will be a favorite for the kiddos - the golf cart parade. We get to deck out our trusty old golf cart in all kinds of patriotic stuff. Weather permitting, that should be a good day.

What else is happening this weekend? Father's Day for one thing. The day we honor or dads, alive or gone. And for the first time in a long time, Father's Day lands on our anniversary. A real two-for day. Speaking of time flying by, I remember our wedding day quite clearly. A mega-storm had torn up the town on the 20th of June 1974. Power out all over the place. But the show must go on. We got married the next day, on June 21st, 52 years ago. Where has the time gone? Two kids, then two grandies, and our two careers done. All in a blur of time going by. 

What is the lesson I try to remember every summer? Live each day, every day, like it is special. Don't waste one minute of any summer day. Sounds good, but it never happens. Why? Life takes over. The highways and byways of life always seem to trump our plans and speed up the days. Next thing we know, it is the state fair, followed by schools starting. And then summer is basically over. The RV Park starts to shut down, and the first hint of fall is in the air. 

Jim Croce sang a song many years ago called Time in a bottle. I would love to have some of this June weather trapped in a bottle so I could open it in December or January. But we can't. We just need to live every day for what it is. And most every day has some kind of blessing in it, no matter what the weather is.

 

If it is so bad, why did he sign?

"Now for the last question. What about the final agreement which will take all of sixty days to complete? We have seen the way Iran negotiates. We have seen the way Iran lies. We have seen the way Iran cheats. Is it possible to still catch lightening in a bottle during these final negotiations? Maybe - or are we seeing another North Korea all over again."    

The MOU. The Memorandum of Understanding between Iran and the United States. It has been a while since such an important document had been under such scrutiny. Everybody seems to have some kind of "take" or opinion on this document and what it stands for. Not surprising I guess, I also have an opinion. And my opinion goes back some years.

Here is the question - did Donald Trump, Mr. "Art of the Deal", catch lightening in a bottle, or did he "TACO" out? I have an opinion it might not be either of those two. Why? I can see similarities between how he handled the North Korean issue with Kim Jong Um during his first term, and he is now dealing with Iran. Part of being a "man of peace" is having a better vision for the future - be it with North Korea or Iran. 

With North Korea, a country who has hated us for decades, Trump tried to show Kim that his "Hermit Kingdom" did not need to be so. They have everything they needed to be a vibrant country just like South Korea. The nukes that Kim had would do him no good - only possibly lead to the destruction of his country. As much as Trump tried to turn this ship around, show Kim a better tomorrow, the "Hermit Kingdom" wanted none of that, and thus remains as it has been since the 1950's.

With Iran, as much as Trump wanted regime change, it was not in the cards. However, for Israel it was. The IRGC is like a cancer, has been since the 1970's. It is similar to what the Nazis were to Germany. Whereas the allies went into Europe to capture or kill any Nazi they could find (to ensure with the exception of Operation Paperclip, the Nazi cancer was eliminated), Trump has made the decision to let the IRGC remain in power. Why? Getting rid of them, like we did with the Nazis during World War II, would cost way too much of our blood and treasure. However, if we had been able to rid Iran of the IRGC, and have normal Iranians govern their country, Iran might have changed. Peace might have really and truly come back to the shire.

But here is the rub in my book. So long as we are dealing with the IRGC, we are dealing with snakes. Remember? To them, we are nothing than the "Great Satan". And our friend and ally Israel? In the eyes of the IRGC, Israel has no right to exist. None. And by the way - where is the agreement between Israel and Iran? Isreal continues to live at ground zero, well within missile range Iran, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the Houthis.

Why did the man who always looks for the best deal, sign a document which (on the surface), appears to be lacking? (My opinion) - It is because of us and the rest of the civilized world. We did not understand what a choke hold it would be should the Strait of Hormuz be shut down. Gasoline, fertilizer for the farmers, and products which take oil to manufacture - all more expensive. Iran put their boot on the Strait, and we cried uncle. Having expensive gasoline in the summertime was a "first world problem" which we (and Europe) could stand no longer.

Now for the last question. What about the final agreement which will take all of sixty days to complete? We have seen the way Iran negotiates. We have seen the way Iran lies. We have seen the way Iran cheats. Is it possible to still catch lightening in a bottle during these final negotiations? Maybe - or are we seeing another North Korea all over again. I guess we will know in about sixty days.    

 

Minnesota blues

"As a lifelong Minnesotan, I have seen the good, the bad and the ugly. When this state was good, it was really good. When it was bad (like during the Floyd incident), it was REALLY bad. And now that it is ugly, it is unbearable. The state I once loved, I can barely stand anymore." 

The hyper red meat conservative rag, WCCO (that was a joke), did a deep dive on how our beloved state of Minnesota is doing. Coming from WCCO anything, one would expect every metric would have come up covered with wine and roses. But no - it was a rare moment of truth. WCCO laid bare just how crappy this state has been doing since 2020. I got a copy of this from a friend, so of course I had to copy and paste to my FB account.

Oh, but the story gets worse. Taxing Timmy (now known also as "Tampon Timmy") just found out his approval rating in MN is in the toilet. For the first time in his long (overstayed) visit to the governor's house, his approval is under 40%. In a state loaded with Democrats! In fact, WCCO blamed the failure of MN not only on the Commies which were elected in 2023, but also Walz, who was part of the doomsday "trifecta". 

Then to make matters worse, the Somali fraud flag which the DFL has been parading around, is as popular as a root canal with many Minnesotans. And that number includes some Democrats. Wait what? The trifecta was unpopular, Walz is unpopular, and now that wonderful, beautiful fraud flag is also unpopular? Oh, what a world!

BTW - one of the metrics that WCCO talked about was the drop in our population of 48,000 folks since 2020. Could that possibly be a harbinger of the crappy tax situation, and the dangerous place the TC have turned out to be? Why else would be have a drop that big from "the best place in the world to live". Maybe it is not the best place. Maybe it is not even average anymore.

As a lifelong Minnesotan, I have seen the good, the bad and the ugly. When this state was good, it was really good. When it was bad (like during the Floyd incident), it was REALLY bad. And now that it is ugly, it is unbearable. The state I once loved, I can barely stand anymore. This state, which at one time, was loaded with my kind of folks, is now that way no longer. How bad is it now? I feel like a stranger in a strange land - a very strange land.

  

 

Is the G7 still of any value to anybody?

 

If Mark Carney were smart (and that is questionable), he would do a Mea culpa to Donald Trump and get the Canada/USA relationship back on track. Right now, Canada is an orphan. And a lonely one at that. Carney needs to start running Canada the way Alberta is being run. That would fix things in a hurry. 

Today starts the three days of talks with the G7 crowd. Any why? It depends on who you ask. Some wanted Zelenskyy there so the four-year-old Ukrainian war could be discussed. Like maybe peace talks with Russia? Sorry - Putin is not a peacenik. Even though he has been getting his butt handed to him in the eastern part of Ukraine, he still wants war. And because he cannot beat the Ukrainian Army, he is unleashing his wrath on civilians. And the liberals in this country think that Bebe Netanyahu is the international criminal. Putin is a thousand times worse, and the left never mentions his name.

Most of the G7 members are also members of NATO. Even the host country (France). Trump has already made his feeling known about the non-support he recently received from this Euro band of reloaders. What did they do to help vanquish this international criminal (Iran)? Zip. Nada. In fact, Starmer would not even allow us to use Diego Garca for our bombers. But they so want to keep supplying Ukraine with weapons to prolong that war. Trump got a peace deal with Iran. How about a peace deal in Ukraine, European leaders? The carnage in that war has been appalling. 

When I look at who is at this summit, here are my favorites - Sanae Takaichi of Japan, and Giorgia Meloni of Italy. Starmer of the UK, Carney of Canada, Marcron of France, and Merz of Germany are only so-so (or worse). The odd thing is that most of the attendees want to get a better understanding of the peace deal with Iran. Why? They showed little to no interest or support when the fighting was tough. All they could do is bitch and moan. We took Iran out as a favor to EVERYBODY - not just us and Israel.

In any event, most of Europe still has a huge refugee and illegal immigration problem they are trying to work through. We have addressed ours, and it is currently being remedied by our Homeland Security folks.

And by the way, now that the world has seen what a monster that Putin is, let's get those Greenland talks going again. That would be a good topic of discussion. Why? Having our Golden Dome of protection in Greenland, would help Europe as much as us. The Euro portion of the G7 as well as NATO, need to wake up and smell the coffee. This is still and dangerous world with dangerous men trying to spread death and destruction. Japan is doing their part (times 10), and we need Europe to come out of their slumber and get ready. Really ready. Our ask for Greenland is small potatoes in the scheme of things. 

If Mark Carney were smart (and that is questionable), he would do a Mea culpa to Donald Trump and get the Canada/USA relationship back on track. Right now, Canada is an orphan. And a lonely one at that. Carney needs to start running Canada the way Alberta is being run. That would fix things in a hurry. 

    

Sometimes, we are SOOO stoopid!

"If you have friends or relatives who live in Las Vegas, Pheonix or Tucson, don't be afraid to ask them some tough questions. Why? If they don't see the brick wall ahead when they are driving 100mph, maybe you should tell them. Tell them not to believe all the BS about data centers, tell them to learn the facts."

Much has been said and printed as of late about the unprecedented proliferation of data centers. All to stay ahead of the Chinese in the race for AI supremacy. The good news is these data centers are going up fast, and with little scrutiny. The bad news is many are going up where there is a dearth of power and/or water. Rather than approach this problem with eyes wide open, we have decided to race forward with eyes wide shut. And the most egregious example of this lack of planning, has been to make Pheonix, AZ the next super hub for water thirsty and energy hungry data centers.

Wait - since we are in a foot race against China, they must have the save issues. And they do. But rather than tripping along the path to major problems, they have come up with a clever idea. They want to submerge data centers off their coast. Why? Unlimited water for cooling. Energy to run the data centers would still be an issue, but at least they could cross water for cooling off the problem list.

In fact, it is not just Pheonix which has a water problem. The entire desert southwest has a huge problem which is not getting any better. What are we doing about that severe shortage of water for this growing area of the country? Not much, not much at all. What should we have done years ago? Desalination plants for a starter. With the Colorado River going dry, and the aquafers also running out of water, there really is no plan "B" right now. If Lake Meade recedes to a level called "dead pool", property values in many of the larger cities in the desert southwest will be worth pennies on the dollar. And the hundreds of billions of dollars to build all those data centers there? Gone with the wind.

Here is the bottom line - data centers are not new. We have been building them and using them for years. But now with the advent of AI, and the application of AI chips to just about everything, everywhere - we can't build data centers big enough nor fast enough. But without proper planning on how to inject a huge data center into a community without causing brown outs, black outs, or sky-high energy costs, data center(s) will become very unpopular very quickly.

If you have friends or relatives who live in Las Vegas, Pheonix or Tucson, don't be afraid to ask them some tough questions. Why? If they don't see the brick wall ahead when they are driving 100mph, maybe you should tell them. Tell them not to believe all the BS about data centers, tell them to learn the facts. And the first fact to learn, is sustainability. Why? Without sustainability, we have nothing. And as the old west settlers learned over 100 years ago, water is life. Without water, there is no life.

 

His signature achievement(s)

"I know that Donald Trump wanted this agreement signed on his birthday today. It would be a great present for a great president. But knowing Iran, just to stick it to him, they will drag their feet into later on in the week. But once the MOU is signed, we can bring our boys and girls home, out of harm's way in the Persian Gulf. And that - will be present to all of us."  

Don't look now, but our birthday boy president (Happy 80th birthday, Mr. President!) is on the cusp of cementing his second term signature achievement. Okay, okay - I know. He has done quite a bit, so why is this Iran agreement a signature achievement? Because of the magnitude of the agreement, it is my opinion that this accomplishment will stand head and shoulders above all the rest. 

I have said this since Donald Trump's first term. When he was POTUS 45, I though the most impactful thing he did was the Abraham Accord. That along with moving our Israeli embassy to Jerusalem and recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel - was huge. But the Abraham Accord was the first brick in the foundation that the rest of a new Middle East peace agreement could be built on.

Part of the overall agreement in the Iran deal is to further solidify friendly Arab nations into the Abraham Accord. I believe this was the plan all along, but once Iran started to lob missiles at neighboring nations for no reason what-so-ever, the path to more signatures on the Abraham Agreement got quite a bit smoother. The world should probably thank the IRGC of Iran for showing what kind of backstabbing cowards they really are. Not the kind of folks who should ever get their hands on a nuclear bomb.

Even though this massive deal with Iran is now inches away from a signature, Iran still is playing with us. Until the deal is signed, the Strait remains (technically) closed. Once the MOU is signed, then the sixty-day clock starts. That is when all the fine points of getting the uranium out of Iran is memorialized. Once that happens, we life many of the economy chocking sanctions we have had on Iran. But what if Iran cheats as they always have done before? Then as Wyatt Earp once said, "I am coming back, and bringing hell with me". 

I know that Donald Trump wanted this agreement signed on his birthday today. It would be a great present for a great president. But knowing Iran, just to stick it to him, they will drag their feet into later on in the week. But once the MOU is signed, we can bring our boys and girls home, out of harm's way in the Persian Gulf. And that - will be present to all of us.  

 

Hating on billionaires? What about our first trillionaire?

If you are a billionaire hater, you might need to sharpen up your game. Why? Now that we have the world's first trillionaire, the next one might be right around the corner. But rather than hate Musk, let us try to learn from him. Like I said, Elon did not get to be this wealthy by accident. So, keep your hate in your pocket, and try to go out and learn something new by watching Elon Musk operate. 

As predicted, SpaceX, the little company started in a garage in El Segundo, CA - went public this week. Or a lot of people of ordinary means, became rich. And the head guy at SpaceX, who was already rich, became the world's first trillionaire. Oh boy - are the haters ever going to start hating on this one! Why? It is unfair that so many became wealthy just because the most reliable space company in the world finally went public. So please - cry me a river some other time.  

Some (like Liz Warren) are about coming unglued that Elon has tasted success yet again. So why him? Why is it always him that may fail a few times but always learns from his failures and comes back swinging. I read up on his businesses quite often. I am amazed and stunned on how many things Elon is into, and how many are taking the "road less traveled" to being successful. Then it dawned on me. Elon may be bit odd, but he can smell a deal a mile away. And once he gains control of a company, he usually guides it on a path that only Elon can see. Then through vision casting, the company adopts Elon's vision. Next thing you know, Elon (in that industry), is at the top of his game.

Did Elon get rich by having it handed to him? Not a bit. He got rich by his unique thinking, hard work, and learning from his failures. Why do people like Liz Warren hate Elon for this skill? You tell me. As far as I am concerned, Elon Musk is a national treasure. Coming from South Africa, Elon could have gone anyplace - but he chose America. And I am so very grateful that he did.

Many analysts thing that Elon's biggest gold mine is in Grok - his AI tool. Meanwhile, while few were looking, Elon has set up quite the data farm for making AI chips. And these chips will have a common purpose just by being a common design. They will be going in EVERYTHING that Elon makes. Cars, robots, spaceships - everything. But that is just the way Elon thinks. KISS (keep it simple, silly) and make stuff that works. Make stuff the country needs and wants.

If you are a billionaire hater, you might need to sharpen up your game. Why? Now that we have the world's first trillionaire, the next one might be right around the corner. But rather than hate Musk, let us try to learn from him. Like I said, Elon did not get to be this wealthy by accident. So, keep your hate in your pocket, and try to go out and learn something new by watching Elon Musk operate. 

A sign of our times...

"How valuable is freedom? People who have had to live without it can answer that question. It is worth living for, and as we remember every Memorial Day weekend, sometimes worth dying for. Happy birthday America - we love you more and more every year." 

In less than a month, we will have hit our milestone. Our national birthday. 250 years young. Now I am feeling old. Shortly after my wife and I were married, we went up to a friend's cabin with others, to celebrate our nation's 200th birthday. Since we were young and foolish, somebody had the bright idea that between all of us, we needed to drink 200 beers on that weekend. We played cards, did other games, talked and shot off fireworks. We had beer for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Did we make it? Nope - but had fun trying to.

This year, fifty years after that 200th anniversary beer bust, my family will celebrate a different way. We will gather up at our RV (in the park where it is located), and have a fun, yet much more sober yet not more of a somber time. There will be grilling, golf cart rides, mini golf to be played, and maybe even some pool time. But at the bottom of all that fun comes once immutable fact - why we can do all of that. Why is that? Because we live in the freest, most liberty loving nation on Earth. And on the 4th of July next month, we will enjoy that fact which defines being an American - freedom.

250 years old. That is a quarter of a millennium. In other words, a long time. But compared to other great countries from the past, as well as some which exist today, 250 years is nothing. We are still young. Still trying to understand the how and why of this freedom thing. And in our journey to understanding, we have picked up some nicks and cuts along the way. Yes, we still have bumps and bruises from doing the wrong thing when we should have been doing the right thing. And hopefully, we learned a thing or two along that path.

But one thing we learned from the four years between POTUS 45 and POTUS 47. We learned a lesson when the doors to our nation were left wide open. We did not have millions trying to leave because living here was untenable. On the contrary, we had people from all over the world trying to get into our country. Why? For many, it was the sweet smell of freedom. For that, many risked life and limb to get here. For many who did get here, they found out the hard way that cutting line did not work. We have legal process in how to get to America. In fact, legal immigration is how many of our great grandparents got here in the first place.

I wonder what our Framers would think, if they could see us now. Big and brash and covered with the vivid colors of red, white and blue. Most of us are proud to be Americans. It is an honor and a privilege to be living in this great land. Wearing the uniform of this great country was even more of an honor. It is an honor I will never forget.

The great celebration is coming and coming soon. Years in the planning, it is really going to be something. What is the sign of our times? What it has been since 1776. Freedom. Pure and simple freedom. How valuable is freedom? People who have had to live without freedom can answer that question. But we do know this much. It is worth living for, and as we remember on every Memorial Day weekend, sometimes worth dying for.

Happy birthday America - we love you more and more every year. 

 

A good man; a fine man - but is he electable?

 

Coming up in the primary, MNGOP will have a black man with zero government experience (yet great military and business experience), going up against a black woman with very good government experience (Speaker of the House in MN), and a white guy who through his business (My Pillow) has a ton of name recognition. That is it. Unless somebody drops out, the stage is set.

I pen this article this morning will malice towards none - it is just my observation from my perch at 30,000 feet. Kendall Qualls is the endorsed candidate of MNGOP to run for governor. If he makes it past the primary (and there are some seeds of doubt which have been sown about that outcome), Mr. Qualls will meet Hot Dish Amy in the general election. And based on recent history, the chances of ANYBODY winning a state office in this twisted state - is nebulous at best. 

I have never met Kendall Qualls. Never talked to him on the phone. So, most of what I am posting this morning is either anecdotal or my observations from afar. One of the wraps I have heard from some about Kendall is his toughness. Is he tough enough to enter this arena. We know he is physically tough as he served as a Field Artillery Officer (holding a TS clearance) for some years in the United States Army. We know he is intellectually tough enough, as in business he worked in the healthcare industry and rose through the ranks to become a global vice president of a business unit. But the question remains - is he tough enough to survive the rigors and slings of a primary (with fellow Republicans no less), and then on to the real arena, a cage match with Amy Klobuchar in the general election.

Then comes the real bug-a-boo. I have addressed this before. Amy has been around for just short of forever. Her dad was around even longer. Klobuchar is a well-known (maybe not respected but well known) name. And because of that, not only the legions of Yellow Dog Democrats will come out to vote, as well as scores of uninformed and underinformed voters that turn out to vote every other year, and you have a tough hill for Kendall Qualls to climb. That is why some in the primary are leaning towards a vote for Lisa Demuth, endorsed or not.

If I were on Kendall's campaign team (I was on Jeff Johnson's team twice), I would advise him to go on a blizzard of radio and TV appearances. BE SPECIFIC on how or what he will do to make things better in this state. Amy has already been out there not only promising two chickens in every pot, but also to build 100,000 new houses in Minnesota. Where is the money coming from to do that? Maybe some claw back money from Somalia.

Coming up in the primary, MNGOP will have a black man with zero government experience (yet great military and business experience), going up against a black woman with very good government experience (Speaker of the House in MN), and a white guy who through his business (My Pillow) has a ton of name recognition. That is it. Unless somebody drops out, the stage is set.

If I were a betting man, I would say if the primary were held tomorrow, Lisa might have the edge. Why? It is about time we had a woman (and a strong one at that) run for governor on the red side. And many of the 2A folks love her for standing strong against the gun grabbers during the last session. As far as Kendall is concerned, he needs to get known and show some true grit before August. And as most of us Minnesotans know, time goes fast, as summer does fly by. 

     

Graham Platner - the "me too" iconoclast

"But wait - didn't you hear Platner say he did not know it was a Nazi tattoo because he got it one night when he was drunk? Yes, I did. And I also believe that pigs fly."

Well, he did it. Graham Platner won the Maine primary by a sizable margin. Now for a moment of truthful disclosure. I lived up in northern Maine in 1971-1972. Why? I was stationed up there, at an outpost station called Winter Harbor. I lived off base in a very rural town called Steuben. Since I was living in the community, I got to know many of the "Mainers" (please don't call them "Maniacs" - they hate that nickname).

Living in the community in my off hours, I got to know the locals quite well. Socialized with them, played cards with them, shot guns with them. Good folks. Many were in the timber trade, lobstermen, blood worm diggers and so forth. Not a well to do area of Maine, but the folks were rock solid. Why bring this up? I NEVER met ANYBODY even one percent similar to Graham Platner. If anything, they were the polar opposite of Platner.

How in the world, in this day in age, did a guy with a very checkered past, carry the entire state of Maine for the Democrats? And here is the strangest part. The way he treats (or treated) women. Wait - what? Where is the Democrat "me too" movement? Remember Brett Kavanaugh? Hello? "Always believe the woman" has morphed into NEVER believe the woman - that is, with Maine Democrats. 

I loved watching certain feminist Democrats being questioned about why (or how) they could support a guy like Platner. Oh - did I mention his Nazi tattoo? I guess that kills all the jargon the left uses against the MAGA crowd. Can't call them Nazis of Gestapo anymore since their senate candidate has a now concealed Nazi tattoo on his chest. But wait - didn't you hear Platner say he did not know it was a Nazi tattoo because he got it one night when he was drunk? Yes, I did. And I also believe that pigs fly.

Many thought Susan Collins was a "dead senator walking" coming into this election. Even though she is a very unreliable vote for many Republican bills, she is at least kind of red. In any event, now that Platner is running against her, and even though the Democrats love his chances of beating her, the odds are that Collins will stomp on him in the general. Why? Not all "Mainers" are crazy. Only the ones who vote blue. 

Living on the edge of tomorrow...

"Is tomorrow going to be better? Or are we going to stumble into 2027 in worse shape than ever? Oh yes - 2027 is the year many Pentagon planners think that China is going to invade Taiwan. That will be thing one for the day AFTER tomorrow's musings."

"When tomorrow comes, things will look better." Will they? Really? How many times have we heard that old saying when we were growing up? Especially when we are having a bad day. "When tomorrow comes" - really? Here we are, living on the edge of tomorrow. I mean, we can see part of tomorrow already. We have messed up today, so maybe we should look to see how the table is set for tomorrow:

Disclosure Day - The long-awaited film by the semi-retired Steven Spielberg. Spielberg thinks that when his truth is told in this story, it will shake the foundations of many of the world's religions - even Christianity. However, those deep in the Christian faith know that this film might be part of the "great deception". In other words - beware. In any event, the film breaks to the public this week, so buckle up and hold on tight.

Iran - "Another two weeks, another two weeks, another two weeks - the deal is almost done!" More and more people think that Iran is playing us like a fiddle. Even General Jack Keane thinks we should unleash our dogs of war on them again. Finish the job. Meanwhile, the Strait remains closed, and now the Houthis have announced they will start to control entry and exit to the Red Sea. Israel keeps getting hit by Hezbollah with rockets out of Lebanon, and when Israel hits Lebanon back, the US and Israel bicker about it. Where are we? Nowhere.

Fraud - On my - where to start on this one. The DOJ has announced that they are going after Walz and Ellison for failure to act on the well-known fraud which has been plaguing MN for at least six years. But it is not just Minnesota - the fraud bug is all over the country. In California, their elections are highly suspect of voter fraud. Just look at the recent vote count in LA - more votes than people. In fact, many states are seeing symptoms of voter fraud. Whereas the Save America Act would help fix this issue, the Senate can't seem to get this commonsense act over the finish line. Bottom line? This Fraud-O-Rama will continue into the midterms as well as many of the federal and state programs. Maybe we do need the aliens to land and help us fix this. We sure can't.

National Discourse - Our motto, which many of us grew up with, was "I am my brother's keeper." That has been replaced with STFU or worse. For reasons which escape me, we (collectively) have so much pent-up anger, we can't even celebrate a sports victory without acting like hooligans. And where does this anger really manifest itself? Politics. The art of getting along has been supplanted by the ugliest of all language and behavior. Whereas hate was once considered toxic and rare, it is now part of our culture, and our language towards others is filled with vile slurs and invectives. 

Is tomorrow going to be better? Or are we going to stumble into 2027 in worse shape than ever? Oh yes - 2027 is the year many Pentagon planners think that China is going to invade Taiwan. That will be thing one for the day AFTER tomorrow's musings. Until then, may we all do better and be better. Why? We are better than how we are now. Trust me, we are.