In Case You've Wondered

My blog is where my wandering thoughts are interspersed with stuff I made up. So, if while reading you find yourself confused about the context, don't feel alone. I get confused, too.

If you're here for the stories, I started another blog: scratchingforchange.blogspot.com

One other thing: sometimes I write words you refuse to use in front of children, or polite company, unless you have a flat tire, or hit your thumb with a hammer.

I don't use them to offend; I use them to embellish.

jescordwaineratgmail.com

Thursday, December 29, 2022

Questioning the Science

After the years of political manipulation, lies about AGW, corruption, huge undeserving profits by unscrupulous pharmaceutical giants, and collusion by the ignorant media, questioning the science is more important than ever before. That takes a willingness by people to become more informed. Unfortunately, the opinions of social media are more important, and too many "educators" are more ignorant than society should allow. 

Monday, December 26, 2022

The New Normal

 Reading about the contraindications of vaccines for Covid is disturbing. Heart problems seem to be the worst, since it's hard to ignore young, active people suddenly dying of heart attacks. Still, it appears the attempt to hide this problem is still in full force, and other results of the injections are easier to hide. 

I read one report from a doctor that discussed the effects on the brains of those injected. To summarize the report, the doctor didn't really know, but the effects will appear over time. The doctor was sure there will be some effects, but how devastating they would be will take time to discover. 

Everyone that was injected,  according to one report, has been damaged. Otherwise, a tremendous number of the population of the world is either having, or will have, negative physical reactions to an unproven vaccine pushed by unscrupulous officials and "experts". Time will expose the overall damage, but as they become known, the proponents of the practices should be severely punished. 

Sunday, December 25, 2022

Christmas 2022

Merry Christmas to all that visit my blog. May you find peace today, and can share the day with those you love.

Saturday, December 24, 2022

Incompetence Rewarded

 The judge ruled against Kari Lake's bid to overturn the election results. The reason? There is no direct evidence of intent. That's special. It opens up an entire defense for anyone wanting to defend their actions. 

"Your honor, I wasn't intending to speed."

"No problem. Your charges are dropped, and those pesky children in the school zone must learn how to watch traffic."

See how it works? No more liabilities for anything. Incompetence is the complete answer and from what I've been seeing in the news, that includes everything from treason to murder.

Monday, December 19, 2022

Christmas Will Be Cold

Weather wizards are forecasting temperature below freezing for most of the Christmas weekend. My corner of the world will be clear, and no freezing precipitation in the forecast. That means a lot, and if the power stays on, we'll stay cozy in the house - if we don't build a fire in the fire pit for visual excitement while sipping adult beverages. 

They read the electric meter on the 28th, so I'm thinking I'll be complaining about the cost of energy before the new year arrives.

Friday, December 16, 2022

So, I Have Tennis Elbow

After waiting nearly a month to see the doctor, he diagnosed my elbow problem in about thirty seconds. I have tennis elbow, a new brace that really makes a difference, and some peace of mind. If it cures the problem over time, I won't need a return visit, or any other procedure. If I had known a month ago what I now know, I would have bought one of the braces, skipped the doctor visit, and be ahead of the game.

Thursday, December 15, 2022

I Was Reminiscing


As I was drinking coffee this morning, I was thinking of how bureaucrats need a special type of punishment for their actions. While thinking, this post I made years ago came to mind. 

So, here it is again.


                                                                 ***


God: Hmmmm. From my records, I see you hounded innocent individuals for months, ruined them financially and had no regrets, yet you took care of your family with your good salary and perks. This brings me to a quandary.

Bureaucrat: "I was doing my job as best as I could."

God: "Well, I need to do something. You'll spend the next few decades suffering the same anguish you caused. You'll suffer every night of lost sleep, deprivation to survive the financial disaster and feel every moment of dread of every individual. When this is done, I'll still have a quandary."

Bureaucrat: "You mean on when you'll let me into Heaven?"

God: "No, whether I'll have lunch before, or after I turn you over to Satan."

Sunday, December 11, 2022

Maybe One Day

There needs to be a great reckoning.  Those that promoted, profited from, and destroyed many, should be exposed, and punished, for their actions. This includes those that promoted AGW, racial divide, corruption of children, participated in human trafficking, and the worst of all: those that injected a known pathogen in millions with the knowledge they were doing so while completely ignoring the dangers.  

For most of these, the correct punishment should be terrible and painful. Their actions were, and are, the most heinous of atrocities. Waiting for God to decide their judgement is too long to wait, and continuing to allow their actions is a crime against humanity.  

Saturday, December 10, 2022

Stupidity in Trade

Russia traded a low rated athlete (with a patriot problem) for an arms dealer that cares less who is injured with what he sells. The current clown administration is patting itself on the back for the trade, and Russia is laughing. 

To put it in perspective: Russia needs money, and now they have one of the most successful arms dealers at their beck and call. They get to sell arms, and if he gets out of line, they quietly take care of their problem forever. 

The United States gets an athlete that not only despises her country, she is vocal about her displeasure. She has no use to anyone, except the media, which will pay the big bucks to sell her story. That, and the publishing houses that will clamor for her to sign a book deal. 

There are patriots in jail in Russia, that will remain for now. They are of no importance to the current group of traitors in the capitol, since they're working to destroy the United States. May they suffer tremendously for their actions, and may they televise their misery. 


Friday, December 9, 2022

When I Push Too Hard

About a month ago, while helping move a bed for in-laws, I managed to injure my elbow. At first, it just felt like a strain, so I didn't pay much attention to it, until it lasted. It finally reached the point where the pain is either like a toothache, or sharp, when I grab something the wrong way.  

I go to a specialist next Friday for a consultation. Whatever it is, I have a feeling some rest and a few over the counter pain meds are not going to be the solution. 

Getting old isn't for sissies. 

Thursday, December 1, 2022

Fruit of Their Labors

 From what I've been reading, Apple has become a tool of the CCP, and with all their devices in the United States, there's no doubt in my mind the Chinese are not only spying on citizens, they're manipulating with lies and propaganda. Maybe we should outlaw all Apple products and see how many patriots exist.

Thursday, November 24, 2022

A Day of Thanksgiving

I've celebrated over sixty Thanksgivings. At this age, I'm now the old relative that children are polite to, but mostly have other thoughts than a conversation with someone that they really don't understand. I accept this, since it's part of the progression of a family, and the graces of age. They are not yet curious enough, or wanting to document the experiences of someone that will one day only pass their thoughts. Their questions will remain unanswered, and the memories of me will fade over generations. 

Happy Thanksgiving to all that pass this wide spot in the road. May you have many more, and they all be wonderful experiences.

Wednesday, November 23, 2022

Bait and Switch

 I wonder how many gullible people voted for Democrats in the mid-terms because they wanted their student debt relief? I'm guessing many, but this article about a court ruling, and the history of the Fifth Court of Appeals, guarantees the notes will still be due for a long time. It's the old bait-and-switch swindle, except the size of the con is enormous, with votes being the trade for something that doesn't exist.

Regardless of what anyone thinks, the power of the purse rests strictly with Congress, and the President can't spend money by decree with impunity. Biden only acted by advise, since his mental acuity is gone. His handlers really blew it with this one, and those in Congress that pushed it are soon to be under the microscope. Whether anything happens is to be seen, but considering how the courts have had enough, and how the Supreme Court is under attack by the current administration, the next two years should reveal some decisions that are in the right direction.

Tuesday, November 22, 2022

As The Worm Turns

 The Supreme Court has allowed Trumps tax returns to be released to a Congressional committee. At this time, any committee is just about guaranteed to be abolished by the new Congress, and the point will basically be moot. Unfortunately for the Dems, this set precedence for the next Congress to do the same for Biden. I have a feeling it won't be pretty, and all the attempts to upset the Supreme Court will be  punished by those they impugned. It serves them right, and may their punishment fit the crimes.

As Thanksgiving Approaches

 We've had rain for the last few days. It was never heavy, so the rain gauge only has a thin line of water at the bottom. The showers were light, but almost continuous. The leaden skies would allow a break for a few minutes, but the approach of darker clouds would signal the lack of rain would be brief, and the showers would soon start again. 

This afternoon, a thin band of blue slowly advanced from the West, and within time, the skies were almost clear. The changing trees were brilliant with the last of their leaves. Dull oranges, a few reds, and one tree was a brilliant yellow. It was something to see, and the sunshine was a welcome relief. 

This evening foretells what is to happen. Rafts of clouds drift by, and the dull lead colored bottoms are accented by the brilliant oranges at their tops. This will continue through tomorrow evening, and the forecast is for a gray Thanksgiving, warmer temperatures, and more of the steady light rain. 

The family is collecting the things required. We're furnishing the turkey, others the ham, pies are planned, and all the separate dishes of a feast are now in the plans. We'll gather at my nieces home, and about two dozen will partake in the gathering of family. 

I don't know about you, but few moments in the year are as grand as what is about to come. I'm blessed, and thank God for my blessings. I know it want last but a few hours, but those hours are priceless moment to be cherished forever.

Sunday, November 20, 2022

Reading Comprehension and Politicians

I'm guessing Mike Pence hasn't read the Constitution, or understand the latest Supreme Court ruling on abortion. Federal politicians, and other chuckleheads, can vomit rhetoric all day, but it doesn't change they are to leave the states to what isn't specifically addressed in the Constitution. 

All in all, the biggest dumbasses in this show are those that think there's anything worth noticing about the likes of Pence. He's a traitorous loser and needs to go away. That will happen when the media ignores him like they should.

Saturday, November 19, 2022

Investing in Corruption

Apparently, Sam Bankman-Fried has managed to cause economic woes to those willing to invest in nothing but promises. It looked good, I assume, to those wanting to not only beat inflation, they wanted to cheat the odds and make uncommon profit, when such things are beyond being considered risky. Considering how Fried managed to pay off close scrutiny by buying politicians, it's going to take some time before any real punishment will happen. Meanwhile, he's in the Bahamas, where the U.S. government coming to find you might be a life saving action.

Time will tell how this all works out, but to me, it's just more of the same illegal political money laundering so rampant in politics today. Those that really need to be punished are probably those that will investigate and prosecute  exonerate. It is what it is, and ignoring obvious crime seems to be the current theme of politics.

Friday, November 18, 2022

You Pay for What You Get

The weather in many parts of the United States is brutally cold, getting covered with snow, and the holidays are here. With the price of heating doubled for many, before Christmas, the money needed for presents will not be available. 

I don't care what anyone thinks. Election fraud is rampant, politicians know this, and the subterfuge is rampant down to the local level. For those that voted Democratic, your prices should be raised enough to offset the increases to those that didn't. You deserve it, and may you suffer.

Wednesday, November 16, 2022

Winning and Losing

From my vantage point, the Democrats play as a team, regardless of how many rules are broken. Republicans play like ballet dancers. Too many want to be the prima-donna, trip those that appear to be in their way, back-bite to the point of distraction, and then complain when the linebacker busts their ass.

Tuesday, November 15, 2022

Root Cause

From my perspective, attorneys are winning every election. Regardless of the party, regardless of the event, attorneys insure their existence by creating legislation (attorneys as elected legislators), enforcing the laws (attorneys in high law enforcement positions), and arbitrating the mess created (attorneys as judges). Somewhere is a solution. Maybe I should call an attorney to ask what can be done.

Tuesday, November 8, 2022

Blood Red Moon

I guess I've been caught at not paying attention. There's full-blown lunar eclipse outside, and I had to find out by going outside and looking up. At least I didn't do something foolish, like staying up most of the night to watch it. 

Yesterday, I discovered new restrictions. After mixing, placing, and finishing six bags of concrete mix, sweating like a whore in church, feeling like I ran a marathon, and having no energy left to do anything, I realized basically doing nothing for long periods of time, and then expecting the resilience of youth to appear, is really not a good approach to the older years in life. There is a solution, but it requires more cooperation on my part. 

Today we go to the polls and hope for good results. To me, a good result would be finding a few dozen badly beaten reprobates swearing they weren't trying to cheat with the election. That, and not watching the networks bemoan the end of the world. We'll see how this works out, but attorneys will be the real winners. 

Meanwhile, a family member is in the early stages of ending a marriage to a bat-shit crazy spouse. It's something that should have happened a long time ago, but it proves procrastination has long term effects. 

So, I now have my day planned. I will do nothing that requires burning more energy than available from a single M&M, vote, and nap when necessary. Contemplating anything more serious than counting how many cardinals are at the feeder is out, and allowing my brain to relax mandatory.

Sunday, November 6, 2022

My Opinion

There's a push for forgiveness of the tyranny of the Covid debacle. Law doesn't allow this. Punishment is due for those that misused their power, corrupted science, caused great harm to society, and in some instance, directly lead to the death of thousands. I can see many are now realizing their error, but they must be punished. 

Sunday, October 30, 2022

Just Observing

Let's see: Pelosi's husband has taken on a hammer-wielding gay prostitute, and the result is a disaster, Joe Biden thinks he's president of all 54 states (I know, there are only 52, which a lucid president would know), Twitter is now in the hands of Elon Musk (Liberal fleshy-headed mutants are outraged), the dollar is heading toward toilet paper status, the vax is still killing people, and the mid-terms are a comedy show. 

As much as the brain-dead members of the media want to believe they can obfuscate without anyone noticing, they're not, and are appearing to be completely deranged. Their treatment is the steady decline of revenue for their outlets, and the looming condition of being unemployed. 

Personally, much of this gives me joy. I like seeing reprobates being exposed, and possibly being punished. That, and just knowing they're in panic is a wonderful feeling. They deserve much worse, but I'll take what I can get.

Friday, October 21, 2022

Meteor Shower Madness

 Tonight, October 21 2022, is the peak of the Orionid meteor shower. The best time to view is after midnight, with a clear night sky away from a city. As usual, I'll go outside after midnight, find a comfortable place to watch the sky toward the constellation Orion, and be severely disappointed.

Tuesday, October 18, 2022

Question Nobody is Asking

With all the hype about the Ukraine problem, why isn't anybody asking why the United States is so involved? Throw away the crap about how it's a bright, shining example of a good society that demands our protection. The corruption is deep, and the Bidens have much to hide with their former, and probably current, business dealings. Such things demand caution before sending aid, and current projects involving the government of the United States need close scrutiny. 

Are there good people in Ukraine? Sure there are, but like the good people in the U.S., the corruption of the government is a dangerous environment for those not in power. They are basically cannon fodder, so the powers to be can suck up the money, and supplies, given by the U.S. with the rest of the world. If I had to guess, the black market in Ukraine is flourishing, and many of the weapons given are now appearing all over the world for nefarious purposes. 

From my vantage point, the entire thing boils down to N.A.T.O. screwing with Russia, Russia perceiving their threats as actions in the working, and Putin acting to protect Russia from what is a threat to their sovereignty. Meanwhile, some parties that never make the news are accumulating great wealth, creating an environment to secure more power, and the innocent people that don't have a clue will be murdered by the millions.

How will this end? Badly. The entire world teased a powerful nation, and looking back at history, will undertake tremendous sacrifices to protect their borders.

Monday, October 17, 2022

It's Fraud, and Theft

Congress, officials not elected, agencies, and judges make a good amount of money while in their position. They have many ways of justifying how the receive the money, but the best explanation is it's by fraud, and theft. A less polite society would have strung a few of them up by now.

Sunday, October 9, 2022

After a Year of Suspicion

Two nursing home employees were arrested for abusing an older man. According to the article, the family became suspicious a year ago, and installed a camara that subsequently showed the abuse. It's good they discovered the criminals involved, but it makes me wonder why the family left the man in the nursing home. Meanwhile, this goes on all the time, and expecting a nursing home to care for elderly family members is foolish. It takes a constant effort to visit, question, and becoming proactive with their care, which can't be accomplished long distance, or as an afterthought. 

Another One Gone

 I've been reading The Grouchy Old Cripple for a long, long time. He's passed, and the internet lost someone that added to everything important.

Tuesday, October 4, 2022

They Were Lucky

 These looters  just happened to be found by law enforcement and the media. From my experience in the past, and from those that would deny knowing, most looters become part of the death statistics. Questions aren't asked, and those so foolish are not granted any leniency. 


* I updated the link to a different site. Maybe this one will work. If not, the link is below.

https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/gov-desantis-warns-against-looting-in-florida-after-ian-were-a-second-amendment-state

Sunday, October 2, 2022

I Was Expecting This

Hurricane Ian was similar to Ike in many ways. It was much lager than other storms, was slow moving, and the surge built to levels unanticipated by many. While other storms swept the same areas, both Ike, and Ian, caused damage much more severe than was expected. 

Ike washed away a substantial part of the Bolivar Peninsula in Galveston County, Texas. Many of the structures had survived numerous tropical cyclones, but the unique nature of Ike led to almost total devastation. Where in the past a few structures would have damage that could be repaired, large areas were left with nothing but a few piers standing in large areas of sand. Entire sections of highway were washed away, and the bridge at Rollover Pass required substantial repairs. 

I have a feeling the final toll of Ian will be similar to Ike. Those that have the resources to rebuild may make the effort, but if it's like the aftermath of Ike, many have had enough. Rebuilding is a terrible experience. And if there is no money to accomplish the task, walking a away is the only option. Those with the resources may just take the insurance money and apply it toward another property far from the coast. 

One good thing about the aftermath of Hurricane Ike was the demand for more substantial structures, and the awareness that regardless of the cost, the insurance required is necessary. Unfortunately, such things are expensive, and beach property becomes something only the wealthy can afford.



Monday, September 26, 2022

I Call It Madness

A local county, with the help of some citizens, while ignoring the advice of good engineers, decided to rebuild two swing bridges, due to their historic nature. Regardless of the inconvenience, traffic problems, maintenance problems, and probably most citizens, the bridges were rebuilt as they were originally. 

So what kind of problems have already developed? Control problems, burned out motors, and the fact a hurricane storm surge will cover many of the electrical components of the bridges. One is closed too often due to problems, and the other is on a state highway, which if the bridge malfunction during a rare opening, will create a traffic problems that will involve tens of thousands of vehicles. 

I call this madness. To make things worse, I doubt there will be funds to correct these mistakes in the near future. The problems will continue, age will cause damage, and in the end: they will have to replaced with fixed span bridges higher than the infrequent river traffic requiring access. 

Dumbasses! Tax dollars being pissed away.

Saturday, September 24, 2022

Still Around

I haven't been writing much. I've dealt with a persistent sinus infection/cold/creeping crud and conjunctivitis in my left eye for about a week. I blame it on getting  down by doing to much in our local oppressive heat and the ravages of age. I'm better, but resting is more important at this time. That, and avoiding getting totally pissed at the group of imbeciles in all facets of government. How so many pieces of human excrement ever survived childhood is beyond my comprehension.

Monday, September 12, 2022

Bandwidth and Cost

I've deliberately avoided the internet for the last week. Bandwidth on my plan is 50 gigs per month, and exceeding that amount is pricey. I usually don't use all my data, but since updates, and bloated software, are using more data, I'm beginning to wonder if I need to change plans to keep costs down. Unfortunately, since I'm in the boonies, I have no access to DSL, or fiber. The options are undependable, squirrel ravaged cable, satellite (Been there. It sucks) and mobile. I have mobile data, which is a cell phone that isn't a cell phone. I do have a cell phone, but it's the lowest plan, and it only has 4 gigs of data. If I don't use the data, it accumulates.

Trying to figure out how my wife has unlimited data on her phone, for a lower price, and doesn't gouge  for large amounts of data, is something that doesn't seem to have an answer. What little research I've done leads to contracts, carrier greed, excessive taxes and a lot of opinions. I'll do some more research, but if someone has a site, or the time, that elaborates on how this all works, I'll sure appreciate the help.

Thursday, September 1, 2022

I Have the Answer

 I was reading an article on how quiet this hurricane season has been. To summarize the article, the weather wizards are scratching their heads and don't have an answer. I do. It's because they foolishly don't realize all their computers, historical data, education, and experience mean nothing if the Sun doesn't cooperate with their predictions. That, and throwing in a few volcano eruptions makes their predictions become basically garbage.

Wednesday, August 31, 2022

Regaining Credibility

Some Federal agencies have only one way to regain their credibility. The way? Those that believe in the system of laws, are willing to serve their country, and have the courage to stand up need to become whistleblowers, expose the subterfuge, investigate members of the D.O.J. that are abusing the law, and help in the prosecution of the violators that broke state laws. Federal authorities have this mistaken belief they're immune from law, while not realizing most states can prosecute for sedition and traitorous acts. That, and regardless of position, nobody is above the rights of the people. Enough are mad, enough are willing to stop the nonsense, and with Biden calling Conservatives terrorists, the gauntlet has been thrown down. 

Monday, August 29, 2022

They Won't Be Happy

 It doesn't take a lot of intelligence to realize there are many in power that won't be happy until they kill off enough people to reach their subjective idea of sustainability. That, and they want the majority of people to be too ignorant to know they're just slaves to their current whims. They have a huge amount of money to corrupt politics, create jackboots to stomp out protests, and destroy an economy that allows the peons to progress beyond poverty. 

Friday, August 26, 2022

A Short Summary

 Things that are happening:

- The F.B.I. meddled in the last Federal election. 

- The military is sending equipment needed to protect the United States to countries known for criminal corruption.

- Student loans are planned to be partially forgiven, regardless of the illegal method and strain on the U.S. economy.

- The I.R.S. is hiring 87,000 new employees, while revenue receipts are at record highs. 

- Inflation is destroying the budgets of citizens at a time when many are still trying to regain financial control of the damage caused by the illegal Covid isolation.

- People are dying for unknown reasons, but they have no known reason for their deaths except they were vaccinated with a poorly tested antigen.

- Poor water practices has led to massive drought conditions. 

- Interest rate hikes have removed the ability of many to buy a home. Rent increases have removed the ability of many to have a roof over their heads. 

- Energy policies are causing reliance on a source of electricity that is not only unsustainable, it is more harmful to the environment than any fossil fuel.

- Most all forms of government are completely run by bureaucrats without any oversight by elected officials.

- All money in the United States is controlled by a private corporation, with absolutely nothing of tangible value to back it up.

- Foreign powers are buying land in the United States which gives them resources to spy, cause financial harm, and control the food supply of U.S. citizens. 

- Election fraud has been proven to be rampant, and the last election was determined by illegal votes. 

- The President is barely able to complete a sentence, and Congress sits on its hands. 

The list goes on, but the biggest evil is the collusion by much of the media to hide illegal activities and promote practices that will destroy the United States. Well indoctrinated by years of corrupt education at publicly funded school, they are not only ignorant, they're the first to be eliminated if it all goes to crap.


Wednesday, August 24, 2022

About Those Student Loans

Biden is supposedly going to forgive up to $10,000 of student loans for certain people. Some call it necessary, but for those that really understand, it's vote buying, which is illegal. That's a big problem, and when you think of what student loans pay for, how many would be even more angry if they knew how much was spent for partying, luxurious room and board, dropped classes, incomplete degrees, and various other things that were paid for by the money of others. Of course, there would be no accounting of how the money was spent in the first place, and poor working stiffs like me, would have their hard earned tax dollars sent to those unwilling to take on the responsibility of paying their debts. 

I'm sure those that lent the money will be happy about getting some taxpayer money. That gives them more to loan to homes that will have underwater mortgages in the coming years.

While We're Rummaging

From what I've read, many think it was a good thing to go rummaging in Donald Trumps home for documents that at one time were at the perusal of the President of the United States for any reason. Otherwise, regardless of classification, he could obtain the documents for any arbitrary reason. With that in mind, we need the F.B.I. to raid the homes of Jimmy Carter, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. They need to bring plenty of armed jackboots, an army of reporters, and boiler house search warrants. 

Friday, August 19, 2022

Unexpected Weather

The weather wizards predicted big thunderstorms yesterday, which I could see as I cut the yard. One in particular appeared to be moving away, which considering how it looked, made me glad...but I was wrong. 

I had just put up the mower, was in the house, and looking out the kitchen window, when a huge gust hit the house. My wife was standing at the glass door, and commented the rain was blowing sideways. I looked, and watched my sister-in-laws Kawasaki Mule roll out into the driveway. It poured rain for about thirty minutes, and over the next few hours, we accumulated four inches of rain. 

After it all passed, I went to visit my sister-in-law. She reported her porch chairs, with her grill blew across the yard and hit the fence. The grill had a full propane bottle attached, so it wasn't a normal gust of wind that hit our area. 

The nearest thing I can find to describe the event is a microburst. I saw a video of one, and the best way to describe it like a large bucket of water being poured out over an area. The gust of wind is ferocious, and can reach the speed of an F1 tornado.

Beside what we originally found, a small tree snapped and fell, the martin house fell with a bent pole (it's been through three hurricanes), and lots of limbs were blown from the trees. The area of damage doesn't extend beyond a few thousand square feet, and there is no sign of the path of a tornado. 

I live, and learn, and learned microbursts are probably something I never want to see again.

Tuesday, August 16, 2022

Mower Deck Madness

With some help for the two handed requirements, a good set of extra eyes, some elbow grease, select curse words, and good old sweat, I added some of my blood to the grime removed to change the spindles on a riding mower deck. It was about a three hour task, which means a well trained mechanic could accomplish the task in about an hour. It was an interesting experience, and made me aware of some things I didn't know. 

The mower is a Cub Cadet ZT 1 zero turn mower, with a 54 inch deck. It has three blades, so there are three spindles, two idler pulleys, one tensioning pully, and a really long drive belt. That's pretty standard, but what I really found to be odd are the spindles. 

My earlier experience with mower decks was with spindles that could be rebuilt, if you had a good press. The housing were steel, the bearings were greased once a season, and the assembly was held on the deck with 1/4 inch bolts. The pulleys were easily replaced, if needed, and reused during a change. 

This deck is different. The bearing housings are some type of lightweight alloy, the bearings are sealed, and the spindles are mounted with self-tapping screws. Rebuilding the spindles could probably be done, but realistically, it would requires more than I have available. Small mistakes could ruin the fragile housings, and remounting the spindle would require drilling out the mounting holes, and replacing the self-tapping screws with bolts. That, and removing the pulley would probably guarantee disaster. 

It went well for a first time effort, and will probably need to be done in about three years. According to the experts, that's about the life of a mower spindle with amount of grass that's is cut during our season. I was satisfied, and the whine, with the uneven cut disappeared. 

From my research, I determined the mower is one step below a commercial mower. That's understandable, since a commercial mower is around twice the price. I was impressed with the deck, since it's a welded deck, the condition is excellent, and will probably last the life of the mower. I've had to change stamped decks, which don't ever seem to last the life of a mower. 

So, I have some new knowledge of mower deck repair, and old fart's remorse. Moving around under a mower deck is not nearly as easy as it once was, and muscle cramps lead to strange contortions, which spectators find disconcerting. 

Sunday, August 14, 2022

The Big Question

There are many things about the current administration that unsettle people, and it's obvious why:

- Laws are obviously broken, evidence is available to the general public, yet nothing is done to those with favor of the current administration's agenda.

- Inflation is out of control, but a chosen member of a private corporation (Federal Reserve) and its board, have free reign over all of the banking of the United States. Their reassurance, without any real transparency, can hide monetary actions that don't have the United States' best interests in mind. 

- The three people at the top of the government include someone that is clinically demented, an incompetent creation of failed EEO policies, and an aging alcoholic that avoids criminal prosecution by their position. 

- The military is run by officers that not only ignore their prime duty, they broke their allegiance to the United States by ignoring the oath that took.

- Federal agencies are running amok with criminal activities that rival the worst of organized crime syndicates. 

- Money is being sent to foreign countries, yet domestic citizen's needs are ignored. 

- The Southern Border is basically open, and nothing is being done to prevent the influx of illegal aliens from causing great harm to the United State. 

The list goes on, but the big question is: With all that is known about the condition of the United States, who is really pulling the strings:

- Is it a concerted effort of a few traitors? 

- Is it the culmination of an out-of-control system of agencies without any oversight?

- Is it foreign influence?

- Is it all of the above?

One thing is for sure, and that is we know honest elections are compromised, much of the media is complicit in subterfuge, the economy is being destroyed by inflation, crime is out of control an illegal methods of control are rampant with agencies, which causes physical harm to citizens. 

Donald Trump is being targeted, and the only reason I see is that he exposed an effort to  destroy the rules of law demanded in the Constitution. He's a huge threat, since he has the majority of honest people backing him. Whoever that's pulling the strings know this, and have a foolish belief that destroying Trump will destroy what placed him as President. Continuing the harassment only galvanizes the majority of voters, and increases what they perceive as a threat. Increasing the threat can only lead to anger, civil disobedience, and eventually: outright rebellion.

Regardless of what powers are involved with the destruction of the United States as designed, causing civil unrest will cause great harm to the nation, and if logically analyzed, is the work of foreign powers. Whether they are acting with domestic agents isn't as important as knowing what is happening; and for those that swore to uphold the Constitution, their duty is to stop the actions of those trying to destroy the United States.

Friday, August 12, 2022

Setting a Trap

With all the hoopla about the FBI raid on Trump's property, it makes me wonder if it was an elaborate trap to catch those that think they're smarter than they are. Anger, greed, and incompetence can lead to mistakes, and leading those so willing to think they have the information they need can be fruitful to those that create the information to unveil the efforts of enemies. Time will tell.

Tuesday, August 9, 2022

It Really Doesn't Matter

They raided Trump's home. Regardless of anything they found, everyone that supports Trump will automatically assume it was planted. The feds, and their ignorant minions, made a mistake that will bring only rotten fruit to their efforts. May they pay dearly for their mistake, and those involved find long days in prison for treason.

Saturday, August 6, 2022

As Things Start to Change

We had a long spell of extra hot weather.  To add to this unpleasantness, we had very little rain. Burning bans were enacted, plants took a beating, and I was wondering how long it would last. 

Over the last few days, we've had about four inches of rain. The large thunderstorms brew early, some sit in one place for a long time, and the lingering clouds drop the temperature. Where we were around 100 every evening, the highs have been in the low nineties, and my a/c hasn't run constantly all afternoon. 

We're approaching the middle of August, and I've seen early fronts at the end of August that dropped the temperature into the sixties. Regardless of whether that happens, the shorter days, longer nights, and decrease in sunlight will bring the cooler weather. Ours will be what those up North call Summer. Pleasant mornings, cool afternoons, and brilliant, clear azure skies will be welcomed after the passage of a front. 

I'm ready. Summer was a little harder on me this year, and I wondered how I could stay in the heat all day, when I worked. I'm guessing I was tougher then, but with the boxcar years coming soon, the wear will only show more.

I do have some projects to do, but cooler weather is demanded for the tasks. It won't be long for that to happen, and for those that will soon find snow in their forecast, you have my sympathy. Your cold is as brutal as our heat, and maybe less forgiving.

Thursday, August 4, 2022

A New Pariah

 Joe Manchin, in an act of complete stupidity, managed to destroy his political career, is now completely untrustworthy by both parties, and is the newest pariah. He's the epitome of politicians. You can't trust any of them, they're usually worthless in any other endeavor, and a less polite society would have many hanging from trees. 

The Old Ways

When I was young, any amount of marijuana was a felony. Five years in prison could be the sentence, and I worked with a man that suffered that fate after being busted with a joint. Whether it works, or not, the longer sentence sure was a wake-up call for him, and I doubt he ever messed with it again. 

The Russians must have the same narrow opinion of the stuff. She claims she doesn't know how her vaping supply arrived into her luggage, but apparently it doesn't matter. Regardless, she'll have a long time to think about it.

Monday, August 1, 2022

The Perils of Administrating

 Administrating is a good thing, but administrators are rarely proficient in anything but administration. That's the peril of the position, and the peril increases, when those being administered have no respect for the administrator, or decide they can take advantage of their ignorance. There has to be knowledge of what is being administered, and my former profession weeded out the incompetent faster than most other professions. 

Regardless of how many degrees you have, how many people you know, how many accolades you received, how tough you are, how much money you have,  or how much initiative you have, if you don't understand that all the money in the world can't drive one nail without a willing participant, you'll fail and the failure will destroy you. 

That's where the United States now is. Administrators are puss-gut, incompetent yes-people that couldn't find their ass with a map. Their only skills are sucking up, illicit sex, thievery, lying, subterfuge, and outright treason. The entire nation is run by lazy, ignorant, and immoral people that shouldn't be trusted with as much as one dollar. They say we have what we elected, but after the last large-scale election, it's obvious a vote is another thing they managed to destroy. May God have mercy on their souls, since the citizens of the United States won't show any mercy. 

Saturday, July 30, 2022

It's The Little Things

I have a very old weed trimmer. It's a Stihl FS 74, and it hasn't been manufactured in a long time. I heard it didn't meet the California emission standards, so it bit the dust. Personally, I think sales dropped off tremendously over time due to how good of a trimmer it is. Mine was purchased in the early nineties, and has been my weed trimmer since. 

Over time, I've had to do change some things, including the plug and the carburetor, but those I considered minor problems. One thing I did before, and hadn't for a long time, required me to step back, think about it, and take action. 

The last time I used it, the engine wouldn't rev up. I thought about it, thought about it some more, and my thoughts turned to the exhaust. Years ago, I pulled the spark arrestor screen, and cleaned it up. It wasn't clogged, but it was dirty. I decided to take a look. 

The screen was clogged. Not just a little clogged; completely covered with baked on carbon that wouldn't come off with brake cleaner. It took a wire brush, a lot of elbow grease, and some time to remove all the carbon, but it finally was without any clogging debris. 

I started it, pulled the throttle, and it was like brand new. Now, after the sun is much lower, the air cools, and I get off my butt, I'll go trim what needs to be trimmed. 

It's the little things that stop progress, and I'm glad I've been blessed with solving some of these problems.

Friday, July 29, 2022

Perspective

Washington D.C. is having a problem dealing with a few thousand illegal aliens and wanting some help. Meanwhile, border states are dealing with what is now millions of illegal aliens and getting ignored. Placing it in perspective is comparing a sink overflow to a hurricane storm surge 15 feet above sea level. I have a feeling the vast majority of actual voting citizens have no sympathy for the Capitol, the ignorant dumbasses that roam the government halls, and won't be happy, until the Capitol is as affected by the invasion as the border states. 

Tuesday, July 26, 2022

The Old West

Laws in the old West were sometimes capricious and arbitrary. What was advantageous to the corrupt was either created, or abused, to acquire, or to keep, power to those with wealth, or criminal organizations. Local law enforcement was sometimes far outnumbered, and it was not unusual to change officials with violence. 

That's where we are as a nation. Large cities have crippled law enforcement, and even if the officers perform their job, ruthless thugs are quickly released to continue their mayhem. The poorer sections of the city can only be described as anarchial societies. Criminals control, people fear retaliation if they try to stop the crime. Law enforcement will only arrive to document events, and to file the paperwork as prescribed by rules. 

The smaller cities, and rural counties, have people that know their security is never guaranteed by those hired to enforce laws, so they're armed, prepared, and will react to crime with what is sometimes described as "extreme prejudice". They know this is their only choice, and failure to be prepared can lead to becoming a victim. 

So, here we are, 150 years past the Wild West, and things are back as they were. Corruption and violence are prevalent in the large cities, smaller cities can be overwhelmed with the same problem, and those that live in rural areas are safe, as long as they have plenty of ammunition, with a network of neighbors for support. 

I've read many places where those with measured thought warn of getting out of the larger cities. It's good advice these days, and necessary for those that want to have more control of their lives.

Monday, July 25, 2022

Pure B.S.

 Yellen says that two quarters of economic contraction is not a recession.  Isn't that a handy comment by someone full of more crap than a Christmas turkey. Change the definition, and you can change anything. A dog can become a cat, a car can become a train, and a recession can turn into economic prosperity. 

*spit*

Sunday, July 24, 2022

Excavating the Median

Years ago, TxDot, which was known as the Texas Highway Department at the time, would build curbed medians, with turning lanes  in the cities. It was a good idea at the time, but heavier traffic demanded a continuous left turn lane. It was our job to remove the curb, excavate the medians, place rebar, and fill the areas with concrete. 

I worked with the heavy equipment as they excavated the fill to grade. I kept the grade with two heavy pipes and a string. I'd roll the pipes until the string was taught, and check the depth with a lathe I marked. It was a crude way to measure, but dummy proof. If any other hands were available to help trim with a shovel, I didn't have to wonder if they could read a tape measure. I did have to watch if they had the lathe upside down, even though it was obvious which end was correct.

The best way to describe the embankment used for fill was that it was crap. It was a conglomeration of just about everything, including topsoil, an unstable clay locally called "gumbo", pieces of lumber, bottles, automobile trim pieces, bricks and pieces of concrete. A local church had an enormous fill needed for an expansion, and the basically worthless embankment would work for fill around the building. A little topsoil, some grass, and the new building would be beautiful. It was free, so they had one less expenditure for their project.

One afternoon, when excavating a small median, a truckload of the purest, perfect fill sand was what was being excavated. My mind raced, I thought of my father, and waved to my boss as he pulled up a few minutes after the truck left. I explained my father needed some good fill for his yard, the price was right, and I would ride with the next truck to his house. It was the perfect opportunity, since it was rare for me to be working close to his house, and all the pieces had fallen into place.

The boss agreed, I spotted the next truck in line, and explained to the driver the plan. As the excavator worked, the first two buckets were more of the sand, but that was it. The remaining buckets from the median were more of the garbage fill we'd found since the beginning of the project. Hoping for more was a futile effort, so I told the driver to keep hauling to the church, and thought about how I should have stopped the first truck, and expedited my plan. If I had, it wouldn't have worked, since I would have held up a truck, and the boss not have been pleased to find a truck sitting by the side of the road.

So, in the long run, it was a good thought, but fate was against me. I like to think of the good side of the event, since my luck would have had the truck taking out some limbs, breaking the curb, and cracking my father's driveway. It was what is was, and in the end, it worked out.

Saturday, July 23, 2022

Something Different

 Last year, during late Spring, I put away the hummingbird feeders until Fall. This year, after doing I little research, I discovered some will stay, even during the hot months. I left one up, and watched. 

In June, it first appeared there were no hummingbirds to be found. Eventually, I noticed one feeding one morning. While the feeder was not showing but little signs of the level going down, it was slowly becoming empty. The attrition was too slow, so I changed the sugar water when I felt it was needed. 

Over the last few weeks, two or more hummingbirds would come to the feeder, and one day, one came that had no brilliant colors. Solid brown, and a little smaller, I'm sure it was a fledgling. Close observation revealed one male, one female, and the fledgling at the feeder. 

Over the last two days, it became apparent there are more coming to the feeder, and one male will constantly chase away those it feels shouldn't be feeding at the feeder. He'll chase one away, and while he's gone, another will slip in to feed.

I don't know if the lack of flowers, and the late Summer heat, have led more hummingbirds to the feeder, or if the great migration is in its early stage. Regardless, I hung another feeder, and will wait to see. During the middle of the migration, dozens will congregate for their turn to feed, and the buzz of their wings will fill the air.

Thursday, July 21, 2022

I Don't Believe It

Reports state Biden has Covid. I don't believe the reports. Now, if they stated Biden crapped his pants, forgot where he was, burned his face after trying to read the stove, shook hands with a raccoon and was bitten, is lost somewhere in the White House, tried to go out without his pants, or refused to take his daily dementia meds, I would believe those reports. Reality shows regardless of the reason, his absence makes absolutely no difference. 

Tuesday, July 19, 2022

Think About This

According to the news readers, Elon Musk, and Twitter, are important items that everyone should be concerned about. When you really think about it, Musk's electric car company is one of the biggest government money pits ever created. Twitter is one of the biggest propaganda machines ever invented. Reality says it's a much better world if both disappear during their court battle. So, what's so important about either?

Monday, July 18, 2022

Speaker of the Thieves

 Pelosi's husband is about to make a killing on the stock market with insider information provided by his wife. I know this is illegal, she knows this is illegal, the entire Congress knows it's illegal and absolutely nothing will be done about it. To everyday folks like me, the only way to envision the entire Congress is that of a congregation of criminals. Until the likes of Pelosi are thrown under the jail, there is no other way to look at them.

Sunday, July 17, 2022

Wasted Time

 I've had to deal with people during my life that can best be described as short-circuited. They were either mentally challenged, or fighting addiction. While they were intelligent, they were far from self-sufficient and all efforts to help were refused. Some managed to overcome their addiction, but those that defied logic, or refused to understand their actions were destructive, basically became flotsam of society. Regardless of professional help, constructive conversation, and loving family, they failed to understand their predicament, and all efforts to help were wasted time. 

That's what the healthy part of the United State's society now deal with. Bizarre sexual deviations are demanded to be accepted, invasion at the borders is to be tolerated, illegal voting is to be ignored, terrible fiscal decisions destroy the economy, supposedly elected officials line their pockets with legislative power, key officials are obviously unfit for office, educators ignore parents, criminals are released without punishment, children are being groomed for sex, foreign influence is unchecked, and the list goes on. It's the result of allowing mentally unfit people to run amok in society.

The cold, hard fact is that unless elections are made tamper proof, politicians are held accountable, powerful officials are prosecuted for their crimes, the Constitution is followed as written, foreign influence is ended, the borders are closed, and the madness of deficit spending is ended, nothing will change. Arguing about what's necessary is arguing with those that are either criminals, or have a mental problem that removes their ability to logically repair a problem. The solutions are simple, and it's wasting time discussing the problems with those that are the major parts of the problems.

Wednesday, July 13, 2022

Living in a Large City...

 ...is dangerous, criminals have more rights than victims, and the biggest cities in Texas are some of the worst. Arming yourself may help, but with the criminal AG's, corrupt politicians, and hand-tied law enforcement, protecting yourself may be one of the worst things you ever did. 

Piling it Deep

The economy sucks, yet the current administration of ass-clowns says it's doing great. That, and billions are being sent to the Ukraine, even after the insurmountable evidence they are willing to sell their souls for some money. The military is losing good people, and their only next option is to start looking for recruits in prisons, or rehab houses. The President is a "lying dog-faced pony soldier", and his son is a criminal addict.  The Vice-President has a record any cheap whore would be proud of. The Department of Justice is run by career criminals, and the highest law enforcement agencies are on the take. Congress is as useless as training wheel on an airplane, and the Supreme Court has too many Communists as justices.

Meanwhile, it's too hot for my lazy butt, and it's almost impossible to work outside. 

Bleh!

Saturday, July 9, 2022

A Trip to the Pecos River

 Last week, my wife, and I, went on a trip to the southwest. She traveled through that area years ago, and would talk about the Pecos River Bridge. I'd been wanting to see it, so off we went. 

I've been to the Laredo area. There, and down in the valley. Neither appealed to me, and neither warranted a return visit. Both areas are more of an extension of Mexico, and it doesn't take much clarity of thought to realize white folks are more like an oddity. The Del Rio area was different. 

The entire area around Del Rio is in a drought. From the look of the Lake Amistad, it's been that way a long time. A little research showed the lake is being used for Lake Falcon, which is a key resource for agriculture further down the Rio Grande. The water is more important down there, so Lake Amistad is slowly being drained. 

The illegal alien problem is obviously a problem A store in Bracketville had a sign stating anyone being dropped off would result in them being reloaded, and sent on. The people there are friendly, and the community is a reminder of times past. The surrounding land is straight from an old Western, and can only be described as near desert. How the ranchers survived in the past is a testament of the tenacious spirit of people. The area around the Hill Country is an oasis in comparison. 

There are no words to describe the grandeur of the Pecos River Gorge. It appears after driving for miles down an almost desolate section of U.S. 90. One second you're driving over rolling hills, and the next second reveals a mind boggling drop-off. The highway bridge that crosses is an engineering marvel, and standing on the observation deck will take your breath away. The Pecos, over millenniums, gouged out the stone to a depth around 300 feet below the surrounding land. The layers of history are obvious on the rock faces, and the surrounding desert receives no benefit from the water. 

The pictures don't begin to portray the grandeur, but here are some to view. 






Watching Twitter

Elon Musk is backing out of his Twitter deal. Twitter is threatening to sue. Investors can sell for a possible loss. Waiting may mean a bankruptcy, which will render the investment basically worthless. Maybe that was the plan. Either way, Twitter is in a precarious position, and the investors may find they made a bad investment. 

Thursday, June 30, 2022

Some Things Don't Change

 When I started driving, my grandfather (who was an independent insurance agent) told me about the worst company he had to deal with with claims. I looked up the worst paying insurance companies on the web, and behold, it's still on the top ten. That's half a century of being  the worst paying insurance company. What really amazed me was that in the top ten, the companies that advertise the most are the worst. It makes sense, they don't pay their customers so they can pay to deceive with advertising.

Growing Into Oblivion

A local city, with a diversified choice for mayor, was rewarded with a comment the mayor would "like to see the city grow". Unless they're willing to cut taxes, get rid of the bloated employee burden, stop making ridiculous decisions with the infrastructure, become more business friendly, and do something about the growing crime, the city will be landlocked by adjacent communities with more to offer their citizens. Like my hometown, it's a cesspool compared to its former self. Like my hometown,  anyone that can is fleeing, saying goodbye to the money pit called public education, and trying to increase their income by removing the confiscatory taxes that only fund corruption. Growth requires a willingness for business to move to an area. This city is chasing it away, wondering why, and wallowing in ignorance.

Tuesday, June 28, 2022

Mid-Summer Musings

After a few weeks of triple digit afternoons, we finally received a quarter inch of rain yesterday at sunset. It was a pleasant change, and cooled things down to tolerable. It wasn't enough, but that could change.

According to the weather wizards, there's a tropical disturbance developing. The forecast track is to somewhere around Corpus Christi, and onward through the Hill Country. Those over there sure can use the rain. They've been suffering unusual dry weather for the last few weeks, and any crops planted in that area will die without some water. Unfortunately, those along the rivers may find low water crossings impassable, and the unwary find the twenty feet difference in water elevations will ruin vacations. 

Today, the thunderstorms stayed in the Gulf. This left a sunset with high cirrus slowly turning from brilliant white, to a pastel pink accentuated with light blue patches of clear sky. Beautiful is the only way to describe it, and the fledgling cardinals gathering at the feeder added to a fine evening. 

The next few days will determine how much rain we'll receive, but since the forecast places us on the east side of the disturbance,  there's the possibility of torrential rains lasting for a long period time. We're ready if the road floods, and a generator will supply enough power for a window unit if the power goes off.

Until then, I'll enjoy some coffee on the porch. The frogs are starting to sing, and a light breeze is keeping some of the heat away.

Sunday, June 26, 2022

I'd Like To See This

Texas has laws on sedition. More than likely, most states have the same laws. Theoretically, the blowhard dumbasses that call for insurrection are guilty of sedition, whether they're local or at the Federal level. It's time state AG's prosecute these dimwits to the full extent, and show ignoring laws is what is causing the most problems.

Saturday, June 25, 2022

Farther Into The Drought

Yards are dying, ponds are shrinking, and the triple digit heat is constantly making it worse. Fortunately, the high pressure blocking the formation of rain is forecast to weaken and the possibility of some tropical moisture is a possibility. We need the rain. We're double digits behind in rain, and it will take a lot over days to even alleviate the drought.

Criminal Solicitation

Texas has a law on criminal solicitation. In a perfect world, those that call for violence -whether they're a federal officials, or not - would be charged, arraigned, and prosecuted for their act. That includes any member of Congress. This, to me, would send a clear message to those that seditiously make bold, dangerous statements to the media that influence crowds and individuals willing to commit criminal acts to make a political statement.

There Are Other States

The decision by the Supreme Court to return all lawmaking on abortion to the individual states is probably one of the most important decisions by the court in a long time. The strength of the U.S. is in the individual states, and the meddling of the ignorant dimwits that thrive in the nation's capitol are best left to matters they're able to handle, such as cleaning their navels, or staring at their computer screens. It's bad enough each state has too many of these dumbasses, and giving power at the federal level usually ends in disaster. 

Those that disagree with the laws of their state can attempt to sway politicians to their viewpoint, or leave. There are state that embrace madness, and they welcome those that share in their brand of insanity. Go with a blessing and never return. You're not needed, and those that produce will welcome your absence.

Friday, June 24, 2022

I Wonder How This Will Influence Licensing

Abortion will become a felony in many states. That makes me wonder if the doctors in those states will be faced with licensing problems if they are from another state, want to be licensed in a state with strict abortion laws, and performed abortions during their practice. 

Time will tell.

Thursday, June 23, 2022

Regardless of Opinion

 The ruling by the Supreme Court on the restrictive, unconstitutional law of New York that prevented law abiding citizens of their right to have firearms for personal protection was more than just a ruling against the law. It was a ruling against the legislators of New York too. Regardless of their opinions, legislation, tooth gnashing and tyranny, they can't create any law that violates the Constitution mandates. That was the agreement signed by the creators of the United States, and the newest ruling is a warning shot. 

If the legislators were honest, law abiding citizens, the law would have never made it past committee. Instead, they cost the taxpayers a tremendous amount of money in an attempt to perpetuate the tyranny. A less polite society would be gathering feathers for a party.

Wednesday, June 22, 2022

Ten Degrees Makes a Big Difference

Yesterday, and today, the temperature reached the low to mid nineties. That took a huge strain off my a/c and electric bill. Instead of running constantly, it's cycling, which not only helps on energy, it extends the life of the unit. 

The forecast is for some hotter temperatures over the next few days, but by Monday, the high pressure that has kept rain chances to nearly zero is forecast to weaken, or disappear. That's about right, since the first of July is usually wet, and the relief more than welcome. Unfortunately, without a blocking high, tropical systems can have a larger impact, which may mean a tropical storm, or hurricane.

Ponderous Recovery

The oil industry in the U.S. is something to see, when it's in full swing. When it's not, the hundreds of thousands that make it happen filter into society, and many skills are lost. To add insult to the injury, those with the skills to build the processing equipment, and infrastructure, do the same. 

Regardless of if the oil industry gets back up to full swing, the process of reaching that momentum is a ponderous process. Considering how this point was reached, those making the strong effort to destroy the life blood of the United States can only be described as traitors. May history curse them. I already do.

Tuesday, June 21, 2022

Twitter Back Into Flutter

 According to the newest reports, Musk's offer is approved, and Twitter will be his personal social media site. The accolades are many, as well as the gnashing of teeth by detractors. Realistically, Musk has an electronic business, which is as secure as a wisp of smoke. That, and with modern technology, may be a facade without only enough structure to keep appearances. 

Will stocks rebound? Sure, since those that play the stock market are in panic on what to do with their money. Will the stocks stay good? Maybe, but counting on something so whimsical for security is foolish. 

Monday, June 20, 2022

If You Really Think About It

The current state of the U.S. ( when you really think about it) is the culmination of apathy of parents, stupid diversity quotas, fraudulent elections, ignorant politicians, and monetary policy controlled by people that have no accountability. It's tragic, but when it comes right down to it, will not last. When the incompetent are in charge, the competent find ways to work around the problems. 

Regardless of the opinion of those that don't produce anything but words and promises, people in the United States are tenacious when it comes to their liberty, economic security, and ability to protect themselves. All the doom, and gloom, doesn't control the actions of those with abilities to adapt and thrive. To add to their determination is the fact U.S. citizens are well armed, can bring all large cities to their knees in days, and all the tooth gnashing in the world won't stop them from their goal of autonomy. 

I can envision some economic hardship in the future, but I can also envision a day of reckoning for those that foolishly believe the stupidity spouted by the talking heads. The current events are very similar to the Carter Years, and people today are much better informed. The goal to transform the United States is a foolish dream, and millions are determined to never let it happen.

Sunday, June 19, 2022

A Little Rain

We just had a passing shower, which is needed, but from looking at the rain gauge, can only be called a trace. It did drop the temperature below 100 and the temperature will stay down until tomorrow. 

We have a rain deficit, and the near future forecasts don't call for any, except a really small chance on Tuesday. If I had to describe the weather the last few weeks, I'd describe it as typical August. What's on store for the rest of the summer will be interesting to watch.

Saturday, June 18, 2022

We Need More Prayers

 We need more prayers. My suggestion is to pray for God to smite the enemies of the United States. He doesn't have to smite them too hard, but enough to ring their bells, make them realize their errors, and to stop what they're doing.

It Reminds Me of the Early Eighties

The early eighties were terrible for my effort to start a small business with a friend. We were in construction, and we had customers liking our bids, but interest rates were beyond their finances. Business dried up, and I had to go back to working for larger construction companies taking advantage of the grants for municipal projects. 

This report  indicates it's deja vu all over again. While it pinpoints the problem of affordable homes disappearing, those that build these homes will find business terrible, as well as the suppliers. The economy will shrink to a level that can sustain what people can afford, and it won't be what is now considered the median cost of a new home. To make things worse, appraised value of land is unreasonably high, and getting taxing entities to lower their appraisals is just about impossible, without stern persuasion. 

So, here we are again. A Democrat President, with a Democrat House of Representatives are causing havoc, and will probably remain unaccountable. Personally, I think some should be prosecuted for sedition, and if convicted, punished with the longest sentence allowed by law....and a few years longer.

As for the Republican "leaders" that have the backbones of jellyfish, there should be a harsh response, and they should be removed from office. They've played T-ball for years, while the Democrats played hardball, which led to this fiasco of public policy. They're just as culpable in the destruction of the economy, and the media is just as guilty.

Wednesday, June 15, 2022

Semantics and Reality

The media is full of speculation about a looming recession. According to the definition of a recession, we've been in a recession since the Covid hostage crises. When you really examine the economy, depression is a better description. This isn't a small blip in the economy. The damage is huge, people are taking a terrible financial beating, and the royalty in D.C. is playing government. A less polite society would have a few of them hanging from a lamp post to discourage future endeavors by the criminals elected by rigged elections.

Saturday, June 11, 2022

Infringed Doesn't Mean Maybe

 The Second Amendment states the right to keep, and bear, firearms shall not be infringed. If you look up the word "infringed", you will see the amendment states regardless of opinion, keeping, and bearing, firearms is a right without any leeway for politics, or any reason at all. What's amazing is there are judges willing to ignore a basic law of the United States with impunity. 

The reason for the Second Amendment is clear. Those so willing to ignore, or change, this amendment can only be described as seditious, or traitorous. 

Friday, June 10, 2022

This One Needs to Go

Michael Moore wants the government to confiscate the firearms of every U.S. citizen by repealing the Second Amendment. In my part of the world, that's talk of treason. Maybe he's so determined because he knows he's one of the first in line if it all hits the fan. Regardless, he needs to go. Send him to Somalia, and let them adjust his attitude. If the link doesn't work, it's down below.

https://www.foxnews.com/media/michael-moore-second-amendment-repealed

Thursday, June 9, 2022

...and Good Riddance

 Disney is losing revenue, and the stock is losing value. I predict this summer will be a disaster for the parks, and with the affront to families, most of their other revenue sources will be damaged. Good riddance is all I can write. Disney is a cesspool of evil intentions and needs to go.

Wednesday, June 8, 2022

It's Too Early For This

 It's 5:19 pm, the temperature outside is 99, and the relative humidity is 53%. Plugging those numbers into a calculator brings the heat index to 118 degrees. This is way too early for this, and I'm not looking forward to the next week of this forecast by the weather wizards. 

Tuesday, June 7, 2022

Hot For the Near Future

It's June here, so with dry weather normally the forecast, the heat increases. We've been around 95 every afternoon, but the temperature is supposed to rise a little over the next five days. Heat indices will be in the 103 to 107 range, so early mornings, and late afternoons, are the time to do anything outside. 

I used to work in these temperatures. I didn't care much for it, but with bills to pay, I really didn't have much choice. I suppose I could have followed a different career, but it is what it is, and that was how I spent my working years. 

Last week, I took a short trip with my wife to the Hill Country. It was a spur of the moment thing, so we didn't have plans. We didn't leave until after noon, so the first night was spent in Gonzales, Texas, which is best described as a huge piece of Texas history. After that, we wandered through various areas that skirt the cesspools of Austin and San Antonio. No disrespect for those in these areas that have fallen off the cliff, but liking to live there must be some indication of a mental disorder.

 Around the cities, you can find some of the people that make Texas great. Time hasn't destroyed the ethics created by hard work, and with water being more of a precious resources, only those with large sums of money are migrating, and ruining local economies. Property value increases really hurt those that are not in the same income bracket of those that can afford the extreme costs of a water well. That, and land near rivers is too costly for middle income earners. Over time, the rivers will only be the luxury of the rich, and the common folks can go suck eggs. 

Anyway, after three days, we took our time going home, and spent a night in Brenham to enjoy one more evening on the road. It wasn't an expensive trip, and with our small vehicle, gas wasn't a huge expense. We enjoyed the back roads, and marveled at the scenery. 

Tuesday, May 31, 2022

RICO and the Politicians

Organized crime is hard to prosecute, when those pulling the strings are influential. People can be paid to turn their head, courts can be corrupted, police can be corrupted, and the minions at the lower levels are  expendable. The RICO act was passed to help in prosecuting these type of people, but in my opinion, is most needed at this point to prosecute elected officials, former elected officials, members of the media, law enforcement officials, and members of the judicial system corrupting courts. The entire Russia Gate fiasco was organized crime, and the members of the media refusing to investigate the lies are culpable in the criminal activities. 

Will Durham drop the hammer and start pounding on all involved with the subterfuge? I doubt it, unless he scores some convictions on the minions. He could, if he wanted, but the Capitol is full of the criminals that the officials are supposed to protect us from. The rotten criminals have strong influence, and Durham probably knows they'll do anything to stop him, including murder.

Sunday, May 29, 2022

No Leaders

We have no good leaders in most of our government. If we did, the 2020 election would be decertified, those involved with the steal prosecuted as traitors, the current administration prosecuted for their criminal acts against the sovereignty of the United States, and a multitude of corporate officials prosecuted for sedition. Maybe the mid-terms will bring some leaders to Congress and we'll see a huge turnaround in the direction of the United States. They will have the power to make things right, and only one chance.

Friday, May 27, 2022

Ass Clown Syndrome

 Psychiatry has tons of syndromes to describe unexplained behavior, but one I think needs to be added is "Ass Clown Syndrome" (ACS). What is this? It's the illogical belief someone that is exceedingly stupid will make a fine leader. How they arrive at this belief is unexplainable, but it's real. 

In Texas we have a man named Robert Francis O'Rourke that goes by the name Beto. He's stupid...exceedingly stupid, and has few (if any) redeeming qualities. He makes stupid statements, backtracks on the statement, reinstates his belief in the statement, and in brazing stupidity, doesn't remove himself from the public eye even when there are pictures of his drunken self proudly showing he pissed his pants. Nevertheless, people voted for him, which is unexplainable except those that did are suffering from ACS.  

I have relatives with a good education, can only be described as very bright, were raised by respectable parents, and still voted for Beto. They love him, which made me scratch my head, until I realized they were suffering from ACS.  It's a terrible thing, and as far as I can tell, it's untreatable. It's a modern tragedy, but maybe a cure will be found in the future. We can only hope.

Wednesday, May 25, 2022

School Safety and a Corrupt Media

Texas allows school districts to train teachers, establish protocols, and prevent armed attacks from ever happening. Even if a gunman manages to breach security, there are teachers trained to use deadly force to prevent mass shootings. Law enforcement helps with the training and possible response procedures. 

Uvalde has me scratching my head, but considering how the event progressed, the shooter managed to gain access to only one room, where they shot young students, and teachers, with impunity. How that happened won't be determined until an investigation is complete, although considering how information is swept up by the Feds, the entire story will probably never be known. One fact known is the shooter had a very expensive rifle, an expensive sighting system, and was supposedly dirt poor. 

Gun control advocates are screaming about stricter gun laws, while ignoring the fact the number of students murdered is a small amount compared to the youngsters placed in the slave trade by criminals who are probably sanctioned by authorities. That, and the larger cities run by Democrats have deplorable statistics on children killed by criminals. Their numbers far exceed the number of students killed in Uvalde.

Those criminals have absolutely no respect for law, and use their ill-gotten money to buy whatever they want on the black market. Outlawing firearms has done nothing to lower gun crimes in major cities. The media failing to point this out is far more dangerous than any madman with a gun. Their collusion in destroying second amendment rights is the work of traitors, and they should be punished accordingly.

Sunday, May 22, 2022

Catching Up

Early this morning, a line of showers arrived, gave a spectacular light show, and we received 4 inches of much needed rain. The ground has pretty well soaked it all up, and we're still in a deficit. 

The rest of our week calls for a wet pattern. How much rain we get is yet to be seen, but one thing is for sure: the grass will need cutting before it stops. I'll take it. The brown spots in the yard might finally recover.

Saturday, May 21, 2022

A Better Way

There shouldn't be any Federal courts within 100 miles of the capitol. With the degenerate parasites that accumulate around such places, unionized Federal workers that shouldn't be allowed to collective bargain, lobbyists, and lawmaker assistants, there is no such thing as a fair and impartial jury. It would be even better if the courts are removed from the states bordering the capitol.

Some might say this removes the rights of those that live there, but considering what a piss-poor job of justice has come from that area, they should celebrate a less corrupt justice system. The extremely small percentage of the U.S. population that lives there should never have the power of the court to influence court decisions that affect the rest of the country. 

Tuesday, May 17, 2022

Wheeling and Dealing

Years ago, a local refinery was up for sale. One buyer offered a price, and the owners jumped on the offer, but one stipulation was demanded before the final deal: The buyer wanted a tour of the facility.

The tour was set, the buyer's specialists looked the refinery over, and found on large refining unit included as part of the facility had been mothballed for years. For those that are unfamiliar with petrochemical processing, restarting a unit isn't just the matter of flipping a switch. Many times the long period of not being used leads to expenses that can't justify making the effort, which was the situation. The unit was eventually demolished to allow space for a new one.

The offer was lowered accordingly, and the refinery was sold. After working in the facility, my opinion was it must have been a good deal, because much of the facility was old, needing some repairs, and would be exposed to newer regulations that demanded upgrades.

The new owner eventually sold the refinery, and it was sold again since then. The current owner appears to be in it for the long haul, since many upgrades were completed, and new units constructed. The long term employees are probably still not happy, since the original sale affected their pensions in a negative way. 

What inspired this post is the current haggling between Musk, and Twitter. Musk wants Twitter to prove less than 5% of their accounts are fake, and the deal is hinging on this demand, if not others. The original offer was $44 a share, but considering how things are going, that was the hook, and Twitter swallowed the bait. Twitter is not currently valued at $44 a share, and trading around the $37 mark. With the lack of a firm deal, those that wanted to make some big bucks might sell, and Musk will have leverage to lower his offer. 

Time will tell how this works out, but Musk is in the driver's seat. Unless someone else comes along to buy Twitter, he has the leverage, looking at the operation will give him knowledge of the cards, and Twitter can only go all in.

Saturday, May 14, 2022

Deep in a Drought

It's unusual occurrence in my neck of the woods, but we're in a moderate drought. Rain has been sparse, and none is forecast for the next week. That will bring more stress to the trees, and anything needing to be saved will have to be watered. 

The vegetable plants are requiring some water daily, since there are few clouds, the humidity is lower than normal, and the hot sun is drying everything more during the 93 degree afternoons. The grass is starting to stress, and it won't be long before a burning ban is declared. 

Back in the nineties, we had a brutally hot summer. Afternoon temperatures were in the triple digits, and for one week, the temperature on our project site was around 108 degrees. We'd start at 6:00 am, if not earlier, and by 2:00 pm, everyone had enough, so we'd stop by 2:30. A few of our hands had to take a few hours in air conditioning to ward off the effects of heat exhaustion. Electrolytes were mandatory to survive, and I'd know when someone needed to take a break by their inability to get enough water. Too much only leads to vomiting and more heat exhaustion. 

Earlier than usual, we were rewarded with a real cold front in early September. It broke the heat, morning were comfortably cool, and the afternoons were pleasant. We needed it, and were glad for the change. 

Hopefully this summer won't be a repeat. If so, I have a huge amount of empathy for those that have to work outside.

Tuesday, May 10, 2022

A Sure Fire Response

 Apparently, those that want to keep abortion in all states decided that would interrupt church services to shout and disturb the service. That's not good, so I recommend church goers keep a cattle prod handy and show the protesters the door. It's much more humane than shooting them, although that would solve the problem for a long, long time.

Secret of the Court

The Supreme Court had an important draft of an opinion leaked. The big question is who? Some believe it's a clerk. Other's believe it was on of the justices, including Roberts. Me? I believe we'll never know because D.C. is such a rotten den of criminals, even those supposedly handling criminal justice are just as big of criminals.

 I find it hard to believe every draft isn't tracked completely, those that handle it are easily investigated, and the reporter that accepted the story can't be forced to turn over who committed such an egregious violation of law. 

Monday, May 9, 2022

Treat Her as a Terrorist and Punish Her

 This reporter decided it's no holds barred against those that don't support her opinion. That's a bad thing to do, and with a demand of violence to death, her terroristic threat demands a trip to the hoosegow for preventing her from her crimes again. 

The link doesn't work now. The following text link can be copied and pasted


https://www.foxnews.com/media/reporter-violence-pro-lifers-peace-safety-dead

Friday, May 6, 2022

Going Neanderthal?

 Since the news, and propagandists, are avoiding facts, it's hard to determine what is really happening in Ukraine, but it's apparent Russia isn't having a walk in the park. This makes me wonder how long Russia will play nice and avoid the same reaction it had with the Germans in the second world war. Some believe they won't go that far, and others are just waiting for it to happen. Me? It's sure looking like the dumbasses in the capitol are doing things that will just aggravate the situation and lead to meddling in something we need to not meddle with. 

If I had to guess, I'd guess the U.S. is partially behind the entire mess, and those involved are getting paid well to keep things stirred.

Thursday, May 5, 2022

Despicable Minions

 I received my property tax assessment today. Again, the whores of the bureaucracy raised the appraised value of my property. Again, I will appeal, cuss the worthless bastards, and stay pissed off for months.

I have to add how much I despise those fleeing the rotten communities in rotten states that pay too much for property. I don't care what you paid for your property in the past, or how much you were taxed. You ran from your problems and we have to sacrifice with increased costs due to your actions. 

As far as real estate agents, I've seen this before, and if you are smart, you haven't blown your money on stupid crap you'll have to sale for pennies on the dollar. This won't last forever, and when the bubble bursts, it will be ugly.

Wednesday, May 4, 2022

Idiots in a Pile

If the idiots in D.C. were firewood, there would be enough to create a bonfire that would last for weeks.  

It's Not Biden

I read a lot of angry responses about how Biden is destroying the United States.  It's not Biden. Biden couldn't create a good fart with a dozen pickled eggs. That's where the problem lies. Put Biden out to pasture, and see who comes to mend the fence when it looks like he's about to wander away.

Saturday, April 30, 2022

Finishing a Series

 My wife bought the series "Breaking Bad" on DVD. We started watching it about a week ago, and finished it last night. I can see how it many became engrossed with the series, but with me, I also could see why I've never cared for such things. It took way too long for the end, and too much boring dialog was infuriating. That, and  the railroad hijacking put my critical thinking in gear. All I could do was critique how the tracks were not the right weight, ties needed replacing, the ballast was full of weeds, the string of cars was way too short for a main line train, and there is no way any railroad would have a place where there is no communication with the engineer. Still it was an interesting, and entertaining, series.

All in all, almost all the cast played characters with flexible morals, and the money laundering was astronomical. While it was fiction, it didn't take a huge leap in logic to understand such things are common and widespread. 

Tuesday, April 26, 2022

Cynical

 Elon Musk now owns Twitter. Supposedly, the platform will now be run by free speech promoting rational people. Call me cynical, since the owner has licked up billions of wasted tax dollars to fund a ridiculous vehicle that would fail in a market untainted by government meddling. I don't trust such people. They operate a criminal enterprise with the help of officials that have no morals.

Thursday, April 21, 2022

Watching the Red Heads

Over the last few years, I've watched the red-headed woodpeckers, and still can't determine their society. It's complicated, and how to tell the sexes is beyond my knowledge. 

This morning, two were on the power pole. As I watched, the one on the very top would tap, and the one further down the pole would tap back. It was as though they were enticing each other like two bar patrons flirting at the bar. The one on top would tap, and the other would inch up closer after an answering tap. It went on for a few minutes...but trouble soon arrived. 

Two others arrived, and fought on an adjacent power pole. One chased the other away, but another soon arrived to join the brawl. They all left, but one came back to land on the pole with the two at the "bar". That didn't set well with the one lower on the power pole, and it soon attacked the interloper. Both left, but one soon returned. I think it was the original one, since it started the tapping game. 

The one on top, which I'm thinking is the female, soon resumed tapping, but the interchange was soon interrupted by the return of the other two, and an additional one. Now there was a total of three red-headed woodpeckers, and four were soon fighting and chasing each other. The pole was now empty, except the one on the top. Soon, it too flew away, but returned in a few minutes to start tapping. 

One flew to land near the top, but that wasn't acceptable. The one on the top chased it away, and returned to sit and tap. The others flew around; fussing and chasing each other. Within a minute, one returned to the lower position on the pole, and answered the taps of the one on top. It left, and the one on top remained.

Eventually, one flew to the top of the pole, and the two there stared at each other for long moments. One flew away, and the other followed in about thirty seconds. 

Past experience says mating will soon happen, and the proud parents will bring their young children in a few months. The young will be carbon-copies of the parents, but not have the red head. Eventually they will, and their acceptance at the feeder will be over. The parents will "break their plate" and force them to go out an seek their place in the woods. 

Not seen were the red-bellied woodpecker. We have a few, and they defer to the red-headed woodpeckers. They'll avoid the feeder when the red-headed woodpeckers are there. Also, they'll steal the peanuts the red-headed woodpeckers place in the cracks on the power pole. The power struggle will last until early summer. After that, all the woodpeckers will disappear from the feeder and will only be seen flitting between the trees in the distance.

I've read that the red-headed woodpecker's range is threatened by the red-bellied woodpecker. Maybe so, but in my neck of the woods, the red-headed woodpecker calls the shots.

Friday, April 15, 2022

Twitter Atwitter

 Elon Musk wants to buy all of Twitter. Twitter said no, and took measures to prevent a takeover. Musk is stirring the pot, and if I have to guess, Twitter stock is about to tank, shareholders will be pissed, and the board will find going out is not a good thing. 

Since I don't do Twitter, it doesn't matter to me. It's all a big game, and regardless of opinion, is a huge treasure trove for those that spy. 

Thursday, April 14, 2022

Possible Choices

 Biden wants to go to Ukraine, but is considering sending a top official instead. Who will it be? Bozo? Ronald? Maybe Zippy? Surely not anyone in his cabinet. They make clowns look bad, and couldn't be nearly as entertaining.

Tuesday, April 12, 2022

Watching Spring

I made a walk to the ramp given to us for the front door. It was being stored,  would have been there for a long, long time, and kept me from building one. It's not a necessity at this time, but my wife's knees, and mine too, won't last forever. The ramp will be more than helpful in the future. 

The walk is the simple 12 inch square concrete pads available at most box stores. Placing them requires some fine grading, a little dirt for needed fill, and for me: kneepads. It only took 100 of them, but I can see more to be purchased in the future for additions to the walk. That, and some borders for planned beds. It tedious work, and made me realize how what once was the work of one morning takes a few days. Still, it's satisfying work, and with some help from family, made it a labor of love. 

Spring has been relatively dry. The huge thunderstorms have skirted to the north, and what rain we've received is  in quick heavy showers that leave less than one half inch. It's been enough, and the heavy greenery is proof. Wildflowers on the highways is abundant, and our roses are starting to bloom. 

The wind has been ferocious. Steady wind at 20 mph with gusts above 30 have become annoying. On the cooler mornings, it chills. On the warmer afternoons, it hides the work of the sun. I'm complaining now, but will miss it during the hotter days soon to arrive. 

The hummingbirds are arriving. The few trying to feed must contend with the one that thinks they are all his. He'll chase them away for now, but when the main group arrives, he will be overwhelmed. Most will go on, but we have had a few stay all summer to raise a family. Their tiny nests are something to behold when found. 

Purple martins are skimming the pond for the flying insects. They find the swarms of biting insects, feast, and skim the top of the pond for water. A few will land, chatter with their strange language,  and only stay for a few minutes. Soon, they're off again to feast on the spring bounty.

We hung some heavier curtains on the front porch. Adding some grommets at the bottom, placing some eyebolts for securing small bungee cords, and now having secure curtains leads to afternoons without constantly dealing with the curtains. That, and the shade keeps that part of the house from the evening sun. The benefit is a comfortable place to sit, and reduced cooling bills. 

I could write for hours about the rotten politics, but haven't felt like reiterating what is obvious. All the talk, all the anger, and all the frustrations don't change the fact the changes will only come from a few people being severely punished; regardless of their authority, or position. I don't see that happening within the confines of laws being ignored. The options are there, but will mean some terrible times. Most politicians know what's right, and honest, but ignore their responsibilities. There's wealth to accumulate, people to manipulate, and the suffering of the constituents is not of their concern.

Thursday, April 7, 2022

Just Say Nope

There's talk about making pot legal in the United States. It was at one time, but mass hysteria led to laws against it. Right, wrong or indifferent, it's what it is. 

I don't have a dog in this hunt, so it really doesn't matter to me, but my personal experience shows pot heads are just as ornery as alcoholics in refusing to believe they're not charming, or more intelligent, when they constantly get high. That, and pot heads don't need to be driving, or working, under the influence. How they can prevent this is beyond me, but necessary. 

I'm sure the government will want to get their taxes off the stuff, and will pursue them diligently. Unfortunately, pot can be grown in any back yard, and like home brewing, will lead to many just cultivating their favorite blend. Taxes for sales will not be collected, and to make things worse, the black market - with all its nasty problems - will still exist.  

I don't know how this will turn out, but there is supposedly medicinal benefits from the plant. I don't know, don't trust anyone that researches medical products, and would warn anyone that decides to become an imbiber of the herb. Like my doctor said: "Anything you put into your body will have some effect, and it might not be good.".  

Monday, April 4, 2022

Distractions

 I remember the Vietnam war. Lots of military contractors made tons of money, the military was infiltrated with worthless pukes, Johnson signed off to the biggest theft of taxpayer dollars since Roosevelt, Nixon started playing footsy with those that murdered our troops in Vietnam, Nixon turned loose OSHA, they finally removed any intrinsic value to coins by removing silver, Cronkite fooled too many in believing he wasn't a mouth foaming lunatic Communist, and the entire U.S. basically slept as they were raped. The war was the distraction, and thousands of good soldiers died in a country eventually given back to the Chinese, who had good lap dogs to protect part of their border.

Things really don't change. Same shit, different flies, and the entire world is the playground of those that profit from the misery of the common folk.

Tuesday, March 29, 2022

It Makes Me Wonder

We had a corrupt election, Biden is in deep to crime with his son, Congress is spending like drunk sailors, the media is lying as usual, inflation is shrinking our money like a wool sweater in boiling water, federal law enforcement makes the Mafia look like amateurs, and there is no end in sight to the corruption. It makes me wonder when enough is enough.

Monday, March 28, 2022

Local Fair

 We have a local fair. At one time, it was a Fall event, but after a move to a lower crime area, and a few hurricanes, they moved it to the Spring. I haven't been since it was in the old location, and haven't heard much good about it since. There are multiple reasons, and with the current date for the fair, the local livestock auction can't be as good as it was.

A local news report states the price for the food has reached a point people are not buying. Dozens of dollars for a burger is beyond the budget of a family, and it's now a matter of choosing the rides, or one of the foods that once made many go to the fair. The vendors will be hurt, many will never return, and the Biden administration has struck again. Regardless of reports, people perceive much more than they are credited with.  This will not go unnoticed, but the big question is whether enough will respond in a way that corrects the problem. 

Friday, March 25, 2022

Is It Worth It?

The current 30 year fixed mortgage rate is about 4.5%. That's a note of $1266 per month, and a final interest payment - if paid over the complete 30 years - of $206,000. That's a tremendous sum, and at current home values, that's not a huge price to pay for a home. 

How this works out is to be seen, but with mortgage interest rates rising, and the mumbling of the Fed rates will rise to slow inflation, home buyers might find the market is too expensive to participate. I have a feeling the bubble is bursting, real estate agents will find far less revenue, those wanting to sell will have to sit on their real estate, and the crunch of inflation will lead to too many defaults. I hope I'm wrong, but from my perspective, it's unavoidable.

Precedent and Ignorance

Stare decisis is important in law, but embracing it without understanding the Constitution is ignorant. According to the newest poster child for failed EEO policies:

..."I do agree with both Justice Kavanaugh and Justice Barrett on this issue,” Judge Jackson said in her response. “Roe and Casey are the settled law of the Supreme Court concerning the right to terminate a woman's pregnancy.”...

The Constitution doesn't grant the right of abortion. Regardless of stare decisis, the Supreme Court has no power to grant special rights. Any justice that thinks so shouldn't be on the court, and treads into the territory of sedition by any action that interjects their personal opinion, instead of following the Constitution. 

Like the abolition of slavery, amending the Constitution is the only way to change the law. Until that happens, abortion - regardless of opinion - is not protected by stare decisis, nor should any justice attempt to protect it by ignoring the law that mandates the processes of all laws in the United States.