Biden Hosts Island Nation Leaders

       In the first ever meeting among Pacific allies, President Biden hosted a tripartite meeting in Washington, DC. His goal: to indicate solidarity among the 3 nations as a message to Xi JP and his Communists in Beijing who like to think of the Pacific Ocean as the "Chinese Sea".

     After years of aggressive moves in the western Pacific, to include the build up of advanced military bases on rocky outcrop islands, Pres. Biden finally set the stage for high profile talks to assure these nations that we are well aware of the efforts of Beijing to intimidate these small countries: Japan and the Philippine Islands. Since the end of World War II, these countries have been vital to US interests and to the strategic plans for US in the Pacific region especially during the Cold War that followed. Japan has been home to large US military bases in Tokyo, Sasebo, Okinawa, Iwakuni, Yokosuka, and Tachikawa. During the Vietnam war, Japan was well placed to handle massive logistical efforts to support American forces in South East Asia.

      Additionally, the Philippines were home to large US naval installations in Subic Bay and Manila Bay. South Korea is also a keystone element of US strategic planning, and economic efforts. So, Xi JP is on notice: move carefully. The situation in Hong Kong provides a blueprint for Beijing strategy: believe what you see, not what we say. Ha. Hong Kong will be run as it was for the next 50 years. Not. The hell with that said Beijing. We changed the rules because we are China.

     Thank you very much, Xi Jin Ping. Have a nice day.

Iran Military Seizes Container Ship in Strait of Hormuz

        In a child-like method of aggression, an Iranian military unit took control of a large container ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz, a well known ship traffic choke point. This pathetic action clearly demonstrates the overall incompetence of the rulers of the country: a group of religious fanatics trying to act like politicians who know what they are doing. 

      Recently, after training terrorists in murder and mayhem, the Iran backed HAMAS terrorists invaded Israel and murdered defenseless civilians at a music concert. This event, supported by Iran, indicates the lack of leadership in Tehran. In one response the Israeli military attacked the Iranian embassy in Syria, killing 6 leaders of the Iranian military which used the embassy as its headquarters for operations in and from Syria run by the old dentist, Bashar el Assad, another murderer.

      The Iranian people suffer endless indignation as they are constantly pummeled by world reactions to  their international activities, including providing support for rebels in Yemen and Gaza.

     So, now they have a ship: cool says the Ayatollah! Now they know we are competent enough to take ship(s). Wow, says Aljezeera media: Iran should be feared by all. Hmmmm. What are they smoking? The usual huka pipe?

   As a result, insurance carriers, shipping companies, and various other players on the scene will be inconvenienced for a week or two. Tehran meanwhile holds funerals at home for the  military leaders sent to their netherworld afterlife by well-aimed missiles from down south. 

Ramadan is over, have a nice lunch.

How High is Your Utility Bill?

    Really, nobody knows in Northern California where Pacific Gas and Electric rules the roost. The utility has a stranglehold over the CPUC and its collaborators there who raise rates consistently based on ????????????????. And while we're at it: have you looked into the benefits realized after you installed a raft of solar panels? The benefits continue to sink while the costs continue to rise. Large corporate installers(you know who you are) continue to cloud benefits with mumbo jumbo, cloudy contracts and other devilishly contrived promises and programs. The State CPUC rolls right along with them by rubber stamping the demands of PG&E by reducing the amount of payments for an household's electricity production via the Very Expensive installed solar panels. Recall the touted benefits: reduce monthly bills, save, save, and save some more.

     And what do we have: some of the highest, if not the highest energy bills in the country and the world. Why is that? Governor Gavin Gruesom, chief architect of the assault on the middle class taxpayer, the few of us who still live in the former Golden State, now shadow state. In his zeal to appear progressive, as if this will propel him to new heights of political success, our man in Sacramento is presiding over the slow and steady decline of a once prosperous population now beholden to outrageous corporate greed across the landscape. There's no end in sight as the Super majority of dems in the legislature pursue strategic goals of limiting voter control over budget and spending plans rolling out of the Governor's off. Woe the taxpayers of California-you will be paying a lot more for the privilege of living with an ocean view.

Meeks Bay Plan Selected by TRPA

    West Shore residents of Lake Tahoe got a first glance of the new plan approved initially for review by TRPA yesterday. This is the 4th option of 4 proposals put up for review. A period of examination will noe begin for locals to comment on this plan before final adoption. Check it out on the TRPA website.

Darien Gap

    The Darien Gap

     Where is the Darien Gap? And why does it matter?  Well, now, the Mayor visited the Panama area last week to observe the situation relative to the geographic location. The Darien Gap is the assigned place name given to the area north of Columbia and south of the Panama Canal. Formerly, the area was part of Colombia, now part of Panama. This area is the main transit area for migrants from all over the world who seek a path to the United States in an attempt to enter without permission and without legal entry status.

     The Immigration laws are in place but have not been adjusted or altered since 1986 in the US. Changes are not any closer now than they have been since 1986. The southern border of the US is hardly an obstacle to any who arrive there seeking entry. many people from around the world now know this entry area is the easiest place to gain access.

      We took a tour of the Canal and the surrounding area: jungle, thick, impenetrable jungle. We saw crocodiles basking in the sun; we saw monkeys climbing in the trees, and we saw the vines, trees, bamboos, and other green growth that made it look impossible to walk through. This is the Darien Gap and it strategic position across the isthmus that must be traversed for those going north. However, the path does not cross the canal itself. Migrants are ferried across the ocean on a brief transition as they continue through Nicaragua onto Mexico and the next thousand plus miles, with maybe a train ride included depending on funds.

   Recent articles in the press describe the hazards, especially for young women who are victimized by           "coyotes" who charge for escorting migrants across the Gap. These women are subject to harassment and worse by these predators who take control of these seekers attempting to improve their lives instead of staying in Venezuela, Ecuador, Brazil, China, Russya, India, and many others who have been represented among those arrested at the US border by I.C.E.

Have a nice day.

Governor Newsom's California

     So, Gov. Gruesom is having some issues. Business folks are actively rebelling against the Sacramento Solons, that super -majority group of outrageous Democratic spenders who are upset that the citizenry is yelling: ENOUGH, Enough. We can't take it anymore. We pay more taxes than almost every state in the union excepting those spendthrift New England states.

      California is facing a deficit, a large deficit to the tune of $70 billions of dollars. No rainy day fund will plug the gap. New taxes will not plug the gap unless every man, woman and child coughs up more-hard earned dollars. How did this happen? The usual way: out spending dollars that the state wrongly expected based on faulty budgeting.

     So, businesses are going on the ballot with a measure to change the method of approving local taxes, a method cities and counties were using to add local taxes. Now Newsom is asking the State Supreme Court to withdraw a ballot measure that would alter the amount of votes needed to add a tax. This confrontation was almost inevitable as the Super Majority Legislature knows no bounds in raising taxes in any and every way. Californians pay, and pay, and pay some more.  As recently as Monday of this week, a minimum wage increase raised the hourly wage in fast food restaurants to $20./hour. This will force many small businesses to compete for workers with national chains required to pay this rate. It was a labor issue that was poorly thought out by the aides in Sacarmento.

     Income taxes will be paid shortly and along with the IRS, the State Franchise Tax Board, the state tax agency, will be sharply watching the returns as they arrive in the capitol city. Woe the middle class worker who thought he was "middle class"-now, they are the targeted payers as the rich evade all taxes everywhere, including California. Add to this the state gasoline sales tax-$.58/gal, and the sales tax 8-9%, and the income tax +12-13%. Now more people are leaving the state, especially retirees.

    Is there hope for California? No, not as long as Governor Greusom is in the seat as leader of the former "golden" state.

Have a nice day.

Janet Yellen in China

     U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has visited China to talk about trade and economics.  Hmmmm. This is not her first trip to the "Middle Kingdom".   Why is she back so soon?   Well, now, China has been experiencing some economic headwinds: its economy is slowing and has been slowing over the last few years. Beijing has not come up with the right path to reverse the trend. There are problems in the financial sector; there are problems in Hong Kong and its administration; there are problems in in the over built real estate sector; and there are problems with neighbors in Japan and the Philippine Islands. Oh, and with South Korea. 

      Ms. Yellen is aware of all these issues and is aware of China's support of Putin's invasion of Ukraine and the ongoing war that China supports. China is evading sanctions against Russyaand Ms. Yellen is aware of this. Now China is flooding world markets with cheap goods, upending fair trade practices as China tries to manufacture its way out of economic difficulties. Let's not mention the continuing cyber warfare efforts carried out by the Peoples Liberation Army, the military arm of the ruling Communist Party of China.

     Can China recover by making cheap goods to export? The world thinks not and Ms. Yellen is there to explain why not. Good luck, Janet. Xi JP is listening in his cunning, diffident style while smiling. Tell them all like  it is: enough  already. Covid was bad enough.