Putin Orders Thugs To Arrest Permitted Reporter

        Ras Putin, President of Pariah State of Steppe Peoples, gave the arrest order to his Security Thugs to round up another political pawn to enhance his reputation as the world's most ignorant dictator. Wall Street Journal reporter, Evan Gershkovich was apprehended and taken to jail where he was charged with spying for the US government. Now the world has another reason to focus on the Kremlin's Littleist Man. He remembers what happened when he arrested and tried Brittney Griner, the professional basketball player arrested, tried and convicted of carrying a vape appliance in her luggage as she was ready to board an aircraft to leave the Steppe Country: international story because she is;1) woman; 2) Black; 3) lesbian,4) 6'4"tall w/ braids, oh, an American.

      Mr. Gershkovich is : not  6' tall, 2) white, 3) not a pro ball player,4) American,;5) works for a respected media outlet,6) is registered to work in Steppe Country, 6) published an article under his byline that criticized Kremlin idiots. Hmmmmm. Similarities? Why, yes, there are.

Welcome to the Steppes, Home of the Bewildered Peoples of Russya, aka Rus Peoples.

Alvin Bragg Hits Home Run

        Aaron Judge hit a home run today. The Yankees won. He may have hit the first pitch that he saw. Maybe not. On another playing field, with fewer players, but a larger audience, Slugger Alvin Bragg, former Federal prosecutor, launched a bomb louder than any that Aaron will ever hit. The Grand Jury in New York indicted former President Donald Trump for numerous crimes. The indictment remains sealed, but observers know that the indictment certainly is concentrated on his paying hush money to a former actor who alleged Mr. Trump paid her to be quiet about his liaison with her years ago. Hmmmmm. And how will this play out with a man who is a presidential candidate for the White House in 2024?

     The pundits have their story lines ready. Editors are poised to spread the information in a  manner certainly to enrage the MAGA community that has remained solidly behind this boob. Let's wait until we read the articles and paragraphs of this precedent-setting indictment. No former president has ever been indicted in American history. This is a first. Thank you, Alvin Bragg. Well done. Cy Vance, not so well done.

Oil Giants Face California Law

      Gov. Gavin Newsom and his Democratic legislature with a super majority has passed a law creating an oversight board to hold oil companies to account for their gasoline pricing system which, as drivers in the state know first hand, is subject only to the whims of a few oligarchs who run the refineries in the country. The State will now have tools to examine pricing data up close. When statements are made as to price increases, the board will want the data used in the scheme. Really, it's not much more than a profit-enhancing scheme at the expense of drivers. This comes on the heels of serious attempts by the government to eliminate carbon-producing products and carbon -producing machines, eg. autos.

       When some international event occurs, gasoline prices go up. Hmmmmm. Why does this happen? We'll find out. Thank you, Gov. Newsom.

Russya's FSB Arrests Wall Street Reporter

         The Kremlin is getting desperate, again. So, when it does, they/it do the usual thing: capture a pawn(that's a common chess move to gain a little tactical advantage). In geopolitics, giving up or capturing a pawn is a small part of the larger game to capture/mate the king.  Today, in the city of Yakertinaburg, the F.S.B., the government security service, spawn of the KGB, arrested Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershovich, 31 years old. He was charged with espionage for the United States. Ridiculous on its face, the accredited  reporter had been in Russya for over a year and had permission to report inside the country. Now, he's in jail. He has made a plea of 'not guilty'. His pretrial detention could last months before any formal trial.

      As we saw recently with US athlete, Brittney Griner, the Russyan legal system is not a legal system, but merely a Kremlin facade for political gamesmanship, international gamesmanship in this instance. It is tiresome, really. Russya desperately wants to be considered a legitimate state, but fails miserably in every attempt as such. For many, many years, the Kremlin resorts to the tired old playbook used by countless predecessors: czars, kings, queens, Commies, etc. All tried, all failed. A parade of ugly losers. The stain of continued failure as conditioned the citizenry to accept the "losers" role as a cultural trait, and inescapable. "We are a nation of losers", say the Ivans and Tatianas.  "So, we drink vodka by the barrel to calm our nerves and fog our depression."

       Sergei Peskov, the pathetic Kremlin spokesman, continues his puppet's role and spews more drivel that is quoted in the international media. "We must have to wait this out as things develop", he says when questioned by other approved reporting staff. Laughable, again. This sad figure must sleep in a dreamlike state that he carries through everyday. His own dream-like reality that he has created helps him perform as the puppet master Putin jerks the strings attached to the flapping jaws of a little mannequin.

      Anthony Blinken, US Secretary of State, will have his aides put forth the usual replies, and the White House staff will announce the usual plans along with the usual rebukes of Mad Vlad's Kremlin. Meanwhile, Mr. Gershkovich will mentally prepare for fun and games in Russyan state prisons. Stateside reporters will interview Ms. Griner and ask for comment. The Federal prison system will shake out a convicted Russyan criminal and see what he's worth on a scale of weight versus a reporter for WSJ.

    The details will be reported on page 1 of the WSJ, and page 7 of the NYT. Watch for it.

Long Live Ukraine

Japan: East Asian Power House

       It's been awhile since the Mayor visited the democratic nation on Asia's eastern border. This island nation has been at peace since they entered the fateful conflict with the United States on Dec.7, 1941. Here we are 78 years later and Japan is an example of what can be achieved by a resolute culture after suffering through almost 10 years of total war.

A Snow-Covered Mount Fuji-Japan's Dormant Volcano Winter March 2023

     While visiting this beautiful country at the end of the winter season, we were hoping for an early exhibition of cherry blossoms, only to be disappointed as the trees waited for warmer temperatures. But snow lingered at the higher elevations which we saw in person near the city of Kanazawa on the west coast. We visited a small mountain town nearby, Gokayama, which was a center of paper making using old techniques that continue to this day. The locals make a paper called washi which is highly prized by artists from all over the world. Visitors to the cultural center can take a turn making postcard-sized examples of the paper.

Ivan In Bali

        Way, way down south, somewhere in the Southern Hemisphere, lies an island paradise called Bali. Often touted as the place we all want to visit, it is located among islands scattered along an arc of islands called Indonesia, which is home to the largest Muslim population on the globe. Bali hosts millions of international visitors annually; sun seekers who desire tropical breezes, warm waters, friendly locals, and complete separation from the world's trouble spots.

     Recently, Bali has hosted a relatively new group of visitors: citizens of Russya. Yes, those same inhabitants of the Steppes of Siberia and Europe west of the Ural Mountains. These "tourists" left a country run by a madman who decided the invasion of Ukraine was justified in his mind and now has promulgated was across the land in eastern and northern Ukraine, killing innocent civilians with abandon, kidnapping children, and murdering Ukrainians on sudden whims. How are things going for these "tourists"? Not well.

       The mayor of Bali has declared no more Russyans will be allowed to visit the island until further notice. The reports of the various behavioral missteps among local rules and ordinances indicates a complete lack of ethics among those people of the Steppe. No surprises here: one can remove a Russyan from Russya but one can't remove the Russya. Sad, but true; another lesson learned in a remote part of the globe of the Russyan culture.

Go Home, Ivan. Now.

Stanford University: Again

         Folks in and about Palo Alto and Silicon Valley continue to be rocked by unpleasant news. The collapse of SVB- Silicon Valley Bank, the go-to institution for startups and tech businesses, imploded despite herculean efforts by the FDIC; and the Interpol arrest of Do Kwon in Montenegro on charges of fraud,among others, as he attempted to flee with falsified passports; and Stanford Law being excoriated for its students shouting down an invited speaker, Judge Kyle Duncan.

       The associate dean of Stanford Law's Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion section, acknowledged the students' disruptive behavior and berated Judge Duncan, siding with the students. Following criticisms from most corners of the populace, Ms. Tirien Steinbach apologized, hoping to keep her job, writing in the WSJ. Meanwhile, Ms. Jenny Martinez, Law School Dean, said " The cycle of degenerating discourse won't stop if we insist that people we disagree with must first behave the way we want them to".  Well put, Ms. Martinez.

      Now we can, if paying attention, add to the ongoing local issue of having law professors Mr.Blankman and Ms. Fried host their son, Sammy Blankman-Fried while out of jail on bail and confined to his parents' home which is owned by---Stanford University!

(Full disclosure: Mayor worked for many years in San Francisco in a building owned by Stanford University Trustees).

       In recent decades, the Stanford U. athletic department has assumed a less prominent role on campus. In days gone by, the football and baseball teams were followed closely and admired widely for their success. The women's program(s) were similarly treated by national media: respected and followed through the sports' seasons. Not so much anymore. Now, the teams play indifferently, accorded little respect across the leagues. Gone is the era of an ascendant athletic department. Has scholarship money gone to the darkside- the academic side?

       So this is where progressives have landed: at our most venerable institutions, generating unseemly headlines that force many graduates to turn their diplomas to the wall and leaving their retired jerseys in the recesses of dark closets.

      Gordon Moore has died, and among other things has left Silicon Valley adrift.

March Madness: Sweet 16

      In the West regional semi-final, two old rivals faced off: Gonzaga v. UCLA. UCLA was the under dog, and the Bulldogs wanted a big win to advance to the Elite 8 segment. It was way back in another time when Gonzaga beat the  Bruins with a last second 3-pointer. Tonight: it was different. Early on, it looked like UCLA had the game under their control. At one point,  the team held a 13-point lead and Gonzaga was not getting shots or rebounds. In the second half, fortunes changed and Zags took control, pacing a turnaround that gave them a 7 point lead with less than 2 minutes in the game. UCLA hit a serious drought spell, going over 12 minutes without a basket from the field. When it looked like Gonzaga would waltz to victory, things changed again and UCLA regained a 1 point lead with under a minute to go. The usual fouls were called and Gonzaga could not make a free throw when needed. Then, UCLA lost the handle on the ball and Gonzaga made a final play that put 3 points on the board with less than 1.2 seconds left to play. Game over.

 Gonzaga goes on, UCLA goes home, again.

Banking Crisis: Ho-Hum

        As a long time member of the human race, the Mayor has been witness to more than a few financial crises.  Real estate bubbles, asset bubbles, savings & loan failures, inflation, stagflation, bank runs, Greenspan, Dodd-Frank, trickle down theory, creation of the Euro, central banks, regional banks, bailouts, and on and on and on. Ho hum. 

      Of late, the citizenry has been witness to 'another' bank 'failure' and its rescue by the gov'mint. SVB, or Silicon Valley Bank(great name, probably came from a web site purchase in '82), was taken over by F.D.I.C., or U.S. Bank Rescue Arm of the White House/Congress to avoid the fallout of little depositors being photographed in waiting lines ala the Great Depression. Too scary; too Much. So, our benevolent politicians do what "they" believe will sell well in the media/press. "Look, Mom, the gov'mint is saving us from another disaster today. Oh, joy, Johnny, we're saved. We won't have to stand in a bread line, again."

      The banking gamblers got caught, again, doing what comes naturally to bankers: taking on excessive risk with other peoples(depositors) money. Only in this instance, the money wasn't from George and Betty, but from tech startups and their investors looking for a big payday when the startup goes public and the shareholders cash in/ cash out. That's the real story: Congress bailed out their friends, again.

    Ho hum.And then: a Swiss banking crisis-again. UBS(United Bank of Switzerland) will absorb Credit Suisse, the other financial nightmare of Europe. One has to laugh about the Swiss and their "banking": really their "banking" is MONEY Laundering under a different name. Swiss bankers are really money launderers. Seems the Credit Swiss launderers could not save themselves for all their ineptitude. Try as they might, nothing could fix its broken finances. The end result: adios to another Swiss institution(money laundering operation.). Now the miniature country's population will collectively look in the mirror, again, and ask, "Where did we go wrong?" The Swiss franc will soften some against the dollar/Yen/yuan, but with all those gold bars under the streets of Zurich, it won't soften much. Thanks, again, for saving the world.

International Criminal Court Indicts Russya's Putin

      The I.C.C. issued an indictment this week for crimes against humanity by Russyan president Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin(aka Vova). The Ras Putin of the Steppe will not have to face the music as the Court cannot force him to be extradited to The Hague to face the charge. No surprise here. However, the Kremlin will have to acknowledge their leader is trapped at home forever, or the rest of his life(maybe 7 years if lucky).

      Meanwhile the architect of the invasion of Ukraine is holding a summit in Moskva for China's Premier, Xi Jin Ping. They are discussing their mutual association to outline a future in which they hope to out manuever the West(Europe/America/Israel/United Kingdom/ Africa/Australia). They discussion sounds benign, a show of solidarity with out specifics. Russya needs a friend, China needs some markets and some space. Hence, China's focus on Eastern Siberia where for years China has had millions of agricultural workers laboring to produce enough crops to offset the domestic production limits. 

     The I.C.C. specifically noted the kidnapping of Ukrainian children and taking them to Russyan territory where the barren Russyan population(women) long for children their drunken husbands cannot provide due to alcohol poisoning by drinking state-issued vodka. The immorality of these kidnappings is not lost on the I.C.C. These takings are not the spoils of war; these takings amount to genocide as the Kremlin makes the all out effort to eradicate Ukrainian culture and its population. Mad Vlad may never stand trial for his crimes, but the world will hold ALL Russyans responsible for these crimes. The world will never forget. Ever.

World Baseball Classic: It's Over

       Here we have two classic teams: USA v. Japan in the final. We know that post-war Japan adopted the national pastime of the US with the help of Lefty O'Doul of San Francisco who served as official ambassador of baseball. The Japanese took to the game better than any other nation. In time, amateur leagues sprouted like so many lotus flowers. Eventually, a professional level was formed with great results. Stars appeared among the players and soon top players were recruited to play in the USA on professiona; teams around the country.

       Most recently, a young Japanese phenom,  Shohei Ohtani appeared on the scene as both a hitter and a pitcher, almost unheard of these days of specialists. He also hits home runs. He was selected to the Japanese national team for the World Baseball Classic in 2023 and he appeared on the mound in the 9th inning to close out the game. Japan led 3-2 despite being out hit by the USA side, 9-5. With 2 outs and Japan leading by 1 run, Ohtani had to face slugger Mike Trout(his professional teammate on LA). He started off with high heat that missed at 100mph. Then a called strike @100mph. Then another ball, low and away. He kept hitting the catcher's targets on the outside of the plate. Another ball, then a swinging strike 2. Now 3-2, and he finished Trout with an 87mph changeup, for out number 3 and the victory for Japan. Another notch for Ohtani and another chapter in his growing legend sure to expand as the 2023 season approaches here in the US, 1 week from today, March 23,'23. 

Ras Putin Visits Mariopol

    In a surprise(ha) visit, Mad Vlad Putin was escorted by Russyan troop leaders and his Kremlin body guards when he helicoptered in to the city devastated by Russyan artillery last May when the Special Operation of the Kremlin turned its guns on the civilian city that stood in the path of Little Green Men from across the border in Russya. The Little Man from the Steppe surveyed the damages and the ruin and said it was too bad that they had to do this to rid the city of terrorists. Hmmmmm. Like calling residents of Paris terrorists.

        Incidentally. Ras Putin is meeting with Premier Xi, Head Commie from down south to discuss Ukraine and also border issues in the Far East of Siberia where Chinese farmers and workers are continuing to establish afirm base on------Russyan territory! No problem, says The Little Man From the Steppe.(No choice, really, when one needs ammunition).

     Can't wait to read the minutes of their meeting.