To Resign or Not To Resign- That is the Question

Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb

  

    Well, now, Chaos-in-Chief in the Oval Office has put an offer in front of 2 million Federal workers: tender your resignation by Feb. 6, 2025 and we will pay you your salary through September, 2025. All that one needs to do is put the word 'resign' in an email in your personal account to OPM.  And you can go home and play pickle ball all day; go to the race track; build a hot rod; take a lesson in bon sai; or sit on the porch and read Camus, or Kafka, or Hemingway. Hmmmm. Sounds almost too good to be true.

      Well, perhaps it IS too good to be true. Congressional opinion runs to: 1) there is no legal basis for the offer; 2) Congress holds the purse strings by law; 3) Trumpie would take any opportunity to change his hare-brained mind midstream; 4) resulting chaos would put millions of American families in financial jeopardy; 5) court challenges could tie things up for a very long time,w/o paychecks for those who submitted the word resign in an email.

      Hare brained Musk, the premier Anti-American foreign-born alchemist, lauded the move on X platform, telling his simpleton followers that this would help the country. Hah.

Dear Leader, Mr. Trump

    

  How did other actions keep computer chips from DeepDeek? Hmmmm. Vaunted export controls of Ai-necessary chips didn't work. The Chinese startup foound a way around those controls to build a new, simpler AI program at a much smaller cost apparently, the results which cratered the tech values of American companies that thought it would be years before the PLA/Beijing techies would catch up. Oh, you Nvidia stock owners, stop whining. Oh, LArry Ellison and all the "Stargate" billionaires, just stop it. trumpie & Co. only  fooled all.

     And the chaos: does he care a wit about workers no matter where they are found? NO, NO, and NO.

Is a Fence Going in the Darien Gap?

    Sec. of State MArco Rubio will talk with the President of Panama this week. The topic-the Panama Canal. A side light will be the Darien Gap-that jungle covered extension of Colombia that occupies the southern edge of Panama, and is the passage way to the north and America of migrants looking for work in America. Trumpie wants to plug the  "Gap" or at least put in a "wall" that will keep out undocumented migrants, killers, rapists and criminal elements among them.

     By Monday, we'll know what was said during conversations overlooking the Canal.

Sec. of State Marco Rubio is going to Panama

    Newly appointed Sec. of State, Marco Rubio, will head to Central America to talk for his boss, Trumpie, about the Canal. You know, as in Panama Canal that we built. Yes, somehow someone in Trumpie's world mentioned it. Now he feels he has to own it. Next he'll tell ship owners to boycott the Canal passage and go the long way around Cape Horn to get to the Pacific Ocean, soon to be the American Ocean.

     Or maybe, Elon will build a new canal through Nicaragua to reduce the price tag for a ship's passage across the isthmus. A million dollars for a one way ticket? Hmmmm. Sounds reasonable, but I'm not buying a ticket. Recently, while in Panama, the Mayor was able to witness ships passing through the canal. Looking closely, a sailing yacht was observed   joining a large container ship in the lock. The yacht probably paid less than a million $$.

     What will Marco Rubio say to the president of Panama? "Well, Mr. President, President trump is concerned about the Chinese Government taking control of the canal. This will not stand. Have you heard of the Monroe Doctrine.? Yes, Marilyn Monroe did not like Chinese either; so we have to preserve our rights in the Western hemisphere and protect you and me from the Peoples Liberation Army and its Communist leaders. We are not afraid of Communists wherever they appear. So, let's agree: we'll take back our property and you can keep your sovereignty. Deal?"

Released HAMAS Hostages Speakout

        SO, the pirates of Gaza released a few hostages as part of the cease fire agreement. Israeli families whose loved one were returned, rejoiced in the experience. UN investigators spoke with the released captives to learn details of their individual and collective experiences while in captivity. The information reveals a group of depraved Palestinians bent on revenge and retribution for alleged past behaviors. All the released captives had been subjected to various forms of torture. The women were especially targeted for violence by the Palestinians. Many were subjected to inhuman sexual violence, physical abuse in all its forms.

       None of this information is surprising given the past of HAMAS and its soldiers. The IDF will not forget-ever. The world cannot be stunned by this news; the world has only recently faced the fact that HAMAS is a terrorist organization run by depraved individuals who rule by terror and fear, the same as its chief sponsor, Iran. That Iran has been able to continue its campaign against Israel with its proxies clearly indicates the depth of the Middle East world and its vexatious cultural divide: Arabs v. Jews.

    On the 80th Anniversary of the opening of Auschwitz Concentration Camp at the end of WW II yesterday, the Israelis are more aware of the ongoing efforts to erase the facts of the Holocaust by modern revisionists. This week, oligarch Elon Musk, the American billionaire, told a German audience to move on from the past history of the country. This did not go over well, even in Germany. 

      The IDF has allowed Palestinians to return to the northern Gaza area, now mostly ruins. What will become of them is an open question, even as Trump asks that nearby countries accept palestinian refugees as permanent residents. This is a non-starter for most of them: who wants resident terrorists in their midst? None, thank you.

     Now, about housing in Gaza. Hmmmmmm. will the Saudis help out their neighbor? Don't hold your breath.

Chiefs Win: Again-32 to 29 Over the Bills

    It was close and the Buffalo Bills did their best, and it was just not enough.  Wth his legs, his arms and a bit of luck, Bills QB, Josh Allen, had a good game.  They were behind some; they were ahead some, and they were tied some. Patrick Mahomes had a great game: with his legs and his throwing arm, he was ahead some; he was behind some, and he was tied some. But...... at the end of 4 quarters of play, the Chiefs won the game by a late field goal margin of 3 points.

     The home town crowd was very enthusiastic about their team and its prospects of winning another Suoer Bowl or 3 in a row. No other team has accomplished this feat. It will be a game worth watching.

How Are Things Going in Latin America

       Our Minister of Latin American Affairs has notified the Mayor's office in Tahoma that there are changes in the immediate future. Such as: repatriation flights from the USA carrying deported individuals from many countries south of the US border will not be accepted in certain nations on the continent. Hmmmm.

     How will Trumpie react to this "affront"? He'll tell his taodies to fix it or they'll be 'FIRED". Business as usual for a dictator.

DOGE Loses a Partner

    Vivek Rahmaswamy has been cut loose. Who ordered that? Hmmmm. Bye Bye; nice knowing you. Not.

      Where will he resurface: unknown at this time. Look for comments on XYZ media.

Inspector Generals Sent Packing

      Hmmmm. Inspector Generals are a fact of life among bureaucracies ; they are the overseers of policies, budgets, and mission(s). They are the onboard responsible parties who ask the questions of the members tasked with carrying out the assignments of the bureau.

      Trumpie ordered a large number to be fired. Like he did on TV all those years ago. Maybe Vice President Musk sent him a message on X to do same. They'll be looking for jobs on Wall St., Hedge Funds(no, not there), big banks, big Pharma, big oil, big anything. While the cats away, the mice will PLAY.

Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

Dealing With Pirates; II

       So, HAMAS scum signed an agreement. Included was the decision to free an Israeli woman captured during the terrorist incursion on Oct. 7th a long time ago. The Israeli woman was specifically named in the agreement as a person who would be immediately released when the Palestinian prisoners were simultaneously released. Ms. Arbel Yehoud was not among the 4 women soldiers released. Hmmmmm. And now the HAMAS scum say that the IDF is dragging its feet on the agreement terms.

       Clearly, dealing with pirates is akin to having wisdom teeth slowly-and painfully- extracted, over and over. Palestinians are never to be trusted. Ever. The IDF knows this but negotiators of the ceasefire deal are apparently new to the business of dealing with PIRATES. Perhaps some lessons are slow than others in the game of thrones.

      So, now the worls watches as things are, again, in limbo(that oft -sited location of never-neverland). The IDF will hold out on this 1 issue: HAMAS agreed to release the woman. She has not been released. We all will wait, as will the thousands of Palestinian subjects of the terrorist organization they support.

Good luck, Israel.

Dealing With Pirates

         HAMAS released 4 women soldiers from Israel that were captured on October 7 during the invasion of a kibbutz. They have been held hostage since. Fortunately, they appear from the agreement to be alive, unlike the 1200 victims of murder when Palestinian terrorists of HAMAS descended on the unprotected region of Israel. Meanwhile, the Isralei army general in charge of defense and security, resigned under pressure because of his failure to prevent the attacks.

        Media outlets have highlighted the return of HAMAS control in the GAZA strip which underscores Israeli  security problems. Yes, the IDF has leveled 70% of Gaza structures; yes, they have killed tens of thousands of Palestinians; yes, the job will not be finished until there is no more HAMAS fighters to squeeze a trigger on a Chinese-made AK-47.

       The IDF is using this pause to identify locations of HAMAS fighters and positions of arms caches that remain. This externally framed agreement will lastmaybe 6 weeks. However, the IDF will return to the attack phase instantly upon the termination of conditions agreed to by negotiators. At the same time, in the West Bank area adjacent to GAZA, the armed Israeli settlers will continue to harass and disrupt residents there in sharpdisagreement with the Israeli government. This in itself is a significant problem down the line.

      As long as HAMAS holds hostages and continues to use them as bargaining chips at the table, the IDF will remain in force throughout GAZA. New HAMAS leaders? Great. You will be terminated asap. 

LA Fires: Too Little, Too Late

       Did you look at some of the photos of firefighters on the line in LA? Did you see the equipment/hoses they had employed?  A PISS STREAM AGAINST THE INFERNO. Hardly effective at all. These urban efforts against wind-driven conflagrations proved inadequate by every measure. Certainly, fire of this magnitude needed heavy streams to contain and control the advance. The efforts lacked volume, water volume pumped from remote sources through small nozzles. What is needed is a complete revision of the tactics employed by these departments.

      Cal Fire and the large counties need a re do of their customary fire fighting plans. The current plans and tactics don't work. The wind is too strong, the manpower insufficient, and the leadership lacking. Gov. Newsom should resign immediately. He's out galavanting around the country while the state is foundering under his governance. Time to go, Gavin, back to Marin County where you belong. Not Sacramento.

     As the insurance companies and the insured address their issues, the evidence is plain to see: poorly planned warning systems; inadequate evacuation plans and routes; overall complacency by residents in the "It can't happen here" communities; and an aversion to put in place systems that could utilize unlimited salt water found next to the fire storm that enveloped the coast cities and towns.

    Salt water is good for extinguishing fire: use it next time you go camping at the beach(many campgrounds exist along the California coast). Salt water is cheap and in many cases/areas, easily made available.

Try it, Gavin.

Law in Russya: There is no Law

    So, Alexei Navalny is dead. Died in prison at age 47, a symbol of political opposition to Mad Vlad(Vova) and his Kremlin enablers. Now we have the fallout from some kangaroo court(Russyan 'court') that held a "trial" for 3 lawyers who represented Navalny in defense. The 3 lawyers were sentenced to prison for being involved with Navalny for up to 5 years. 

   Ahhh, Russya-it just can't move into the modern era. It prefers the 19th century and all it brought to the czar. Mad Vlad thinks he can move the Rus back to the glory days that only existed in the minds of the rich.

     Navalny's widow, Yulia, commented that there are no surprises here: the fake legal system is nothing more than an extension of the reach of the Kremlin. The FSS will ensure that there is no organized opposition to Mad Vlad's international reach at this moment in history.

     The 3 lawyers, Vadim Kobzev, Igor Sergunin and Aleksei Liptser were arrested quite awhile ago-October 2023. mr. Kobsev got 5 1/2 years, Mr. Liptser to 5 years,  and Igor Sergunin 3 1/2 years.

     Two other lawyers for Navalny, Olga Mikhailova and Aleandr Fedulov  were charged in absentia since they had enough smarts to flee that rathole country, the largest country in the world(mostly uninhabiable wasteland in Siberia and the Arctic where the taiga precludes any useful area that could be made available for human occupation. Old Fat Josef used the Arctic as a punishment for most opponents he didn't murder, including those Russyans who didn't like his politics(of murder).

HAMAS Releases 3 Israeli Hostages Taken on Oct. 7

      Terrorists operatives of HAMAS in Gaza released 3 Israeli hostages as part of the cease fire agreement signed this past week. What about the rest of the hostages? Where are they? The IDF is standing bye and will be ready to continue the eradication of HAMAS from Gaza should the terrorists fail to abide by the signed cease fire. The IDF is not ready to stand down and they won't. HAMAS scum are known to violate any prior agreement(s) on a whim.

     These Palestinian pirates still have some life left but their days are numbered. They know, instinctively that when the final hostages are given up they will be eradicated once and for all. You can takle that to the bank, any bank, even in Switzerland.

PLA Computers Go Dark

       Shocking news out of Beijing: TikTok monitors who focus on the USA reported to their superiors that the internet feeds to them have gone dark. Admin types who are responsible for oversight gathered to discuss the situation. They in turn reported up the chain of command that something was very very wrong. Not wishing to run afoul of leadership, the techies soon descended on the electrical systems to find the root of the problem.

     They worked non stop through the night Sunday/Monday(it's Monday in Beijing). All systems appeared to be in good order. No failures detected. Superiors ordered more testing. Alternative power sources were brought in; generators backing things up were turned on and switches were activated to alternative sources. Still: only darkness from the USA.

    One brilliant monitor techie mentioned "Trump". He was immediately honored as the smartest man in the room. His supervisor put his name in for recognition. Then another mentioned Christie Noem as a new cabinet  member. He was named as second most brilliant monitor and given several Starbuck's gift cards. A third techie mentioned the TikTok COO as the leader of the effort to keep the feed up and running as he did under the last threat under #45. He was recognized and given a new EV Made in China. Free charging for 5 years.

      Then just before the sun came up this morning, the custodian came in and mentioned that #47 would take over today and the SCOTUS declared that Congress could pull the plug on the app for the entire USA(joining several European nations). He was given a promotion immediately that included a new apartment with a deck overlooking Shanghai, an EV(new), a vacation voucher to Hainan Island beachfront hotel, a gift card to Starbucks for the year, a new laptop and an iphone(or equivalent), and the names of several young local women looking for husbands who want to start a family and have 3+ children right away.

      So, the American market and influencers there in will have to watch football today. Some will talk with their parents for the first time in years. Some will remember they have children they haven't talked with for 5 years. Some will get depressed and go to dating sites to find a lonely ex-TikTok-er. Some will go to church. Some will see the sun rise and set. Some will play chess. Some will learn to play the piano. Some will read a book(just kidding: they don't know what books are for anyway).

    Some will realize that Biden left the White House after 4 years of living in the dreamtime. Some may remember they are illegally present in the USA and pack their bags before ICE descends on their apartment. Hmmmm. Changes are coming, children. Don't forget to go to class tomorrow. And stop the crying. There's no crying in baseball or the internet app(s).

Good Bye TikTok

       SCOTUS rules against Chinese web app designed for the American market. The ban on the app in the USA takes effect this Sunday. The sitting panel of judges listened to lawyers representing the company and decided to let the ban stand. CEO of the company is no doubt wandering around Washington, D.C. at this moment as he looks forward to the celebration parties after Trump jumps into the whiye House on Monday.

     Millions of users of the app will jump their business to Instagram and What's App and other apps for their work efforts. 

       Now the PLA will have to come up with a different method to subvert the citizens of the USA. See what Trumpie does on Tuesday.

TikTok Ha Ha.

    Oh, let's not overlook the inauguration where the CEO of TikTok will be on the dais in a seat of honor. More humor than not.

Gaza Cease Fire: Release of Palestinian Killers

      So, media orgs are tripping over each other to grab a few nuggets of the Gaza Deal between HAMAS and Israel.  A very sad cease fire it is: serious players-eg. USA, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iran, Russya, are calling the deal great. The Israeli Cabinet has not approved the deal-yet. Why would they at this point; seems like not much will change and the murderers who attacked the kibbutz on Oct. 7th, killing innocent civilians, will not be held accountable. So, we should cheer a deal with PIRATES?

     HAMAS is nothing more than an organized criminal enterprise, holding Palestinian citizens hostage while they hold on to power in an isolated desert environment. Iran and the crazies who run that rat hole think the West and Israel will settle for anything  hail the deal. However, Bibi is not ready to push the stop button. he's lived through all the Arab/Islamist BS and sees no future by riding the same camel around and around on the merry-go-round of Arab lies, deceptions and bedouin double crossing business.

       The West wants peace so that business can be conducted uninterrupted. Israelis want the Arab world to stop lobbing missiles into their homes. Simple. But when the Big Boys push, things can happen, but often the outcome is not to everyone's liking. 6 weeks-the length of the agreement, will pass in a flash. A few hostages will be sent home, and gangs of Palestinian murderers will also return to Gaza to fight another day. Great. Who loses? How about the remaining hostages? What about them? Enough of the Pirate's BS.

      Time to wipe the Gaza desert clean of HAMAS. Oh, and what about Yawya Sinwha's brother, Mohammed, stirring the ashes of his brother's body, hoping to gain a little power that had rubbed off the relative's remains? Hmmmm. Won't be long before the Mossad puts Mohammed where he belongs: in the ash heap of Gaza.

      Oh, the media  types use related ink to fill their columns with: hope? Doesn't help. Actions speak louder than words. Remember this in 6 weeks.

Have a nice day; get ready for the Trump Go Round.

Putin Confers with Iran's Wizzened Leaders

     The old reprobate leaders of Iran are in a bind: Israel is on the march and is about to ink a cease fire agreement with Iran's proxy HAMAS. Israel will reaim its arsenal at Iranian targets as the IDF appears ready to give some payback to the source of most of the weaponry unleashed on the Jewish population during the Gaza conflict. 

      The mullahs are squirming in their seats as their world has been upended by a rebel force in Syria that has reconfigured the playbook in the whole Middle East.  Seems the mullahs didn't count on the IDF to wreck Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria after the HAMAS onslaught into Israel. Bad advice, again. Sure Bibi has been under pressure, but he's still there and Bashar and his family of murderers are in Moskva, under Putin's wing.

      So, Putin will listen to the pleas from the people that he has made partners. But Mad Vlad has issues at home, too. He's been waging a big loser battle in his own backyard, aka Ukraine. The Zelensky -led government has not given up and the Great Satan has donated billions of dollars in modern weapons to cause nothing but grief to Putin. Now he has to use North Korean soldiers, untrained and unwilling, to fight on his behalf.   Hmmm. What could go wrong this time?  So, Putin will want some cash, good old American dollars as his oil market keeps shrinking, and who knows what will happen when the new American Mad Man takes over in a week.

       It is way past time for a Middle East shake out and shake up. That Iran's proxy idiots from Palestine was the instrument makes it a great game to watch. While Americans are watching football come to the finale, Western Europe is focused on the Middle east, whether it's Israel, Turkey, Syria, or Egypt, the continent is watching closely.

Elon Sued by Government.

       Who maintains Elon's file on court cases? Must be a regiment of lawyers; but then, when you're the richest man on the planet with a company that publishes all your mental whims, it's not a big deal, even when it's the Federal Government going after you. In this case, the S>E>C> wants some of Elon's butt for violating reporting rules on stock purchases ahead of the pack. When he decided he wanted Twitter, he began buying the stock. At a certain date, he exceeded the 5% rule which requires an announcement to the public sphere of your purchases. He was late, taking advantage of the market's ignorance of his position which exceeded 5%.

      Let's assume that Gary Gensler is out in a week. Will the new S.E.C. chief follow up on the charges? Hmmm. A Trump appointee. What will Trumpie tell him to do-pursue of forget it? Money says we'll never hear another word by January 22, 2025.

Dharma Rain Needed in SoCal

         So, the insurance companies and Sacramento are bracing for the numbers related to the conflagration in southern California: they will be bracing. The pictures we have seen tell everything: block after block of rubble piles with maybe a chimney or two. History repeats itself. Gavin Gruesom, governor, has signed a law suspending the CEQA environment review  necessary to build anything in the State from an outhouse to a high rise. His advisors tell him to get ahead of the curve/wave.

     Sorry Gavin; you've got 2 more years in office and most of that time will be spent parrying Trump's arrows flung across the country in an attempt to quash any of your ideas about going to Washington in 2028. Who will suffer: homeowners who lost their homes to fire. For starters new homes built since 2001 have had to have fire sprinkler system installed during construction, including garages. Not cheap but cheaper than insurance premiums are sure to be. And Ricardo Lara, erstwhile State Insurance Commissioner, will be arguing mightily with insurers to keep rates under control. Good luck, Ricardo-ain't happening in your lifetime or Gavin's. These rate hikes will drive even more high earners to Florida and Texas where they will spend their dollars on real estate in Austin and Dallas. So long tax dollars, hello deficits.

     And on top of it all, insurers will do their usual scrutiny of all claims as the homeowners cast about for help. This charade in Sonoma and Napa counties 5 years ago led to extreme discord among Sacramento politicians whose phone were deluged with complaints about settlements that in some cases didn't happen. Even the revered company USAA was ordered to pay claims they denied in their largest market outside of home base Texas.  The company got reams of bad press, well deserved. State Farm and others had cancelled many policies in LA county BEFORE the fires began. How many homeowners were forced to go to the outrageous state FAIR Plan? Unknown at this time.

     Get ready for California political shenanigans, AGAIN.

What is "dharma" rain? It's a defensive system of sprinklers that is installed on roof tops to thwart the spread of fire that is wind driven into built up neighborhoods. Works great and is cheap to install, even cheaper than indoor systems which require permits and skilled plumbers. Been around for a long time.

Congress Holding Hearings on Trump Appointments

        Pete Hegspeth, nominee for Sec. of Defense, was questioned today by Congressional members as part of the approval process. The Army veteran and Fox news analyst deflected many of the questions asked about his past performance and his business dealings in companies that he worked for when a civilian.

     Will he get approved or will he bounce back to the airwaves to spill discord and lies associated with Fox news.

      6 more days until trumpie takes over. Wheeeeeeeeee.

HAMAS and Israel Close to A Ceasefire

    Ongoing negotiations indicate that a decision may be close regarding the Palestinian War initiated by HAMAS when they murdered innocent civilians to goad Israel into an armed conflict. The Palestinians have suffered mightily as the IDF retaliated with overwhelming forces to snuff out the rats who started this war. The pirates of Palestine kidnapped over 200 hostages which they have used as barter in the negotiations.

     The IDF and PM Netanyahu have not fallen for this ruse. Yes, they are involved in the talks about a cease fire, but they will keep their powder dry as time goes on. The HAMAS scum will still have to be rooted out of GAZA as quickly as possible before they have a chance to rebuild their forces. The IDF will not let this happen. Already Syria has fallen to rebels. Lebanon has been declared a haven for terrorists and has reeled under IDF invasion. Hezbollah leadership is under threat. A ceasefire has taken hold as Lebanese army forces have pulled back from the border areas. While the IDF has been restrained in pursuit of terrorists in the border area, Hezbollah militiamen continue to position rocket artillery aimed at Israel. This will not do; and the Israeli citizens will push for a wide neutral zone empty of Hezbollah.

      BiBi is recovering from major surgery and will respond to any and all provocations from Hezbollah, HAMAS, Houthis, or Iranian mullahs looking for trouble.

California Fire: Where are the National Guardsmen

      Why Gov. Newson/gruesom sent them to-------TaDa-Iraq and the Middle East. Over 12,000 men and women of all ages and specialties deployed last summer when a National Guard composite unit joined the US Army division being sent to the Middle East to replace a deployed unit as it rotated home.

     Hmmm. And this is at a time of full employment. Who is replacing all these workers?  Imiigrants? No, they don't have skills or education needed in the jobs now vacant. case in point: a municipal police officer is activated by the Guard to deploy. He's on duty for 50+ plus hours a week as a state certified (P.O.S,T.) police officer. How long does it take to find a replacement? Months or more than a year given the necessary background checks required. So, over time will be mandatory for those on duty, putting added stress on all members of the force and the civilians who support the uniformed force.

    So Gavin and his cronies played with the budget by having the Guard signed up to join the Army. All those soldiers thought they would support the State Emergency Services only to find out they are on call to deploy at anytime. And they have. welcome to the "New" US Army-a professional force, instead of a citizen army, we have mercenaries. No, wait, that's a word we can't use here. That's for "those" people over there.

    So Congress uses subterfuge to maintain a standing army. It's really a fake army made up of unskilled workers who need a job with meals and a bed. many are ill-equipped for the tech economy and find a different skill set in the military: marching, hiking, camping, driving tanks, driving trucks, driving artillery caissons, or learning how to load ammo into a rifle. Hmmmm. Not much can transfer to the real world. But Gavin says it's a "good" deal" for California as he balances the budget using his super majority in the Legislature populated with Democratic toadies who fall in line with the Gov's dictate as he plods a path to Washington, D.C.

    It ain't happening, Gav. You'll end up just another californ ia wine salesman in 2 years. Meanwhile, the few Guardsmen called to fight the SoCAl blazes are limited in numbers and skills. But they look good.

Messaage to Putin: Don't

      After several explosive packages were found on cargo aircraft, it was announced that foreign actors were involved. Hmmmm. Who could it be this time?  North Korea? No, they're in Ukraine getting their lunch handed to them. Iraq? No, they're at home picking up the pieces of their Syrian forays. Hmmmm. Raul Castro & Co.? no, they're trying to get the lights turned back on. 

     Who is left? Our old fave: Mad Vlad of Kremlin fame. So, US Homeland Security chief sent a message: stop now or else. Seems to have worked. The shrimp put a hold on the project in an attempt to move the maker closer to USA. This is after several ships carrying Rus oil were found to have sragged anchors cutting internet cables from Sweden to Estonia. Bad, Vlad. very bad. So, the dictator of Moskva is scrambling around the halls of the Kremlin shouting about trump, qElon, Joe Biden, and BiBi, and Bashar. What a scene around Red Square. It's winter there, and cold.

       So what's next for Vova? Just wait. The inauguration is in a week. Then the fun begins, again. Oh, can't wait. Bring in the Clowns and get the circus rolling. Wheeeeee.

Xi Jin Ping Doesn't like Economists

       Hmmmmmm. Who said that? Who said what? Who said we can't trust the economic data put out by the Chinese government? It was an economist. Not just any economist, but a respected Chinese economist who mentioned at an international meeting that the numbers put out by Beijing didn't add up or make sense. Something was not quite right. The date was not only confusing, but also contradicted other recorde mdata sets. Hmmmm.

Then what happened? well the economist was then subjected to discipline. He was detained. He is now regretting what and where he spoke. He will have to answer for making that error in judgement. Oh, to be able to speak freely. Not in Chhina sir. Speak only when told to speak and only say what Beijing wants you to say. Whatever, don't speak the truth if it contradicts Communist Party "truths". Don't make dictator Xi look like a fool.

      Spread the word: top economist speaks bad words. Now disciplined. Numbers will add up or else. Don't doubt the Party numbers. If you do, bad things will happen.

Ahhh, China. So much potential but the country can't shake the aParty, yet.

Orange Bowl: Winner Goes to Big Game

       It was close: Penn State V. Notre Dame. Even matchup. It would come down to 1 mistake with less than a minute to go. After posting 10 points, Penn St. looked like they were ready to advance. The running game was working and the Irish couldn't figure out the right defensive posture to hold the Lions. With seconds to go in the 1st half, ND scored 3 points on a field goal to get on the board. 10-3 at the halfway mark.

       A revitalized team came out of the Irish locker room and put a quick 7 spot on the board to tie the score. 10-10. It didn't take long before thery added another TD to go ahead 17-10. Then the lions came roaring back, adding another TD to tie, 17-17. Then another TD to take a commanding 24-17 lead. But the Irish were not finished either. They found the end zone to make it another tie at 24-24. But, they copuldn't get into field goal range and they had to punt with under 2 minutes to play. Penn State had the advantage: time was on their side and they started to move. And then DISASTER: the Nittany Lion QB threw an interception, a remarkable catch in Lion territory. After a review, it was ND ball on the Lion 45 with 3 time outs and excellent field position. As the clock ticked away, Notre Dame moved the ball to within easy field goal range. With 8 seconds left, kicker jeter put a kick through the uprights to lead 27-24.   8 seconds remained.

       Penn State threw one pass incomplete. Then a lateral or two and the game ended. A good game for all involved. Noter Dame team has a new school record of 14 wins. See you in the National Vhampionship game against the winner of the Cotton Bowl next week.

California on Fire

    The pictures of the raging wildland fires in Los Angeles County tell a grim story: Santa Ana winds carry embers a long way in a very short time.  Whole neighborhoods were affected by the flames in Malibu, Pacific Palisades, and in several other locations including Pasadena, Altadena, and Sylmar.These citiesare not in the middle of a forest, they are suburban communities: low rise ranch-style homes, separated by side and back yards. Some vegetation obviously existed in the various locations and all were served by fire protection services with fire hydrants well placed.

      Nobody seemed to envision this situation despite other fire that roared down the canyons with similar results. A rethinking of fire protection efforts is necessary and with it, the expenses that go along with those improvements.

    Over 100 years ago, the San Francisco earthquake which spawned the fire that destroyed the downtown section of the City, gave rise to efforts to protect the inhabitants and their property. A well designed and engineered water system was the result. The key to the system was the design of a separate firefighting water system that served the high value district(downtown) with high pressure pipes fed by static reservoirs and tanks strategically placed so gravity could provide the pressure. The entire system was inter-connected and available only for fire department usage. Almost 2 million gallons of fresh water is available. Additionally, two standby pump house were constructed to make SF bay water available. These 2 stations are on the edge of SF Bay and can provided unlimited amounts of salt water which works as well as fresh.

      Looking at the scenes in SoCAl, one wonders why nobody wanted to provide access to the Pacific Ocean, the obvious source of unlimited supply that could have thwarted the worst fires. Next time.

 Sad to think that it could have been different if only. If only politicians looked ahead as this situation was easily foreseen.

Mar-A-Wacko Hotel

      President -Elect DJT gave a speech in Florida at his home at Mar-A-Lago, aka Mar-A-Wacko. As he talked randomly about all kinds of weird and wacky topics, his equally weird son, Donald Jr., appeared in video on the coast of GREENLAND.

     Can you imagine? Even Elon wouldn't show up for that Foto OP. Too cold for X-Man. Meanwhile, at Mar-A-Wacko, DJT expounds on crazy stuff, again. This is a prelude to what's coming in a couple of weeks. In Congress, Kamala Harris certified the election results of 2024 making them official. No problems were in evidence: no rioting mobs with buffalo horned helmets or MAGA sweatshirts and outfits. The `1000+ felons sentenced for their criminal acts in 2021 are now awaiting pardons which may or may not happen.

     On the legal front, Judge Juan Merchan will impose a sentence on DJT this Friday, but indicated he will not impose jail time for the incoming president, especially in light of the inauguration day.  DJT will most likely to have continued legal issues throughout his 2nd term in office. For Trump businesses, they will continue as always.

Former Mayor Held in Contempt

      The former mayor of New York City, Rudy Giuliani, was held in contempt of court by a federal judge for repeated obstruction and failure to provide personal property details necessary to pay the $148 millions owded to two poll workers that he defamed after thge results of the 2020 election when DJT claimed he won and Joe Biden lost. Judge Liman stated that he will decide the appropriate action which could include jail time unless the 80 year old former chief executive of NYC.

      There are few mfolks who have any sympathy for this former federal prosecutor who knows the law. He has gone "rogue' in his attempt to curry favor with president elect DJT. As his former legal counsel, Mr. Giuliani has felt that he is untouchable. However, the courts have not agreed. His world is crashing down around him but the poor sap won't acknowledge the situation in any manner that makes good sense. He is obviously deranged; he lives in a fantasy world of his own creation that he cannot escape from on hios own. Sad. ? No, not really; he is the same as he has always been: sleaze bag extraordinaire; lawyer who thinks the law and its mandates is for chumps, not him. Get ready for a 10'X 10' cell, Rudy. Maybe it won't be as cold as Siberia, but it won't be Florida.

   Too bad for you, Rudy. At 80 years old, a very sad case indeed.

2024 Election to be Certified Today

    And who  will do the certifying: the 2nd best candidate for the presidency: Kamala Harris, Vice President of the United States. This time, as opposed to last time, will not be the same: there will not be a mob in place ready to prevent the certification of the Electoral College voting results. The Biden Administration will pass the baton to the incoming Clown and his circus of wackos who were elected in November 2024 by a very slim margin which was provided by the $250 million dollars of donations by Elon Musk who could safely claim he owns the White House along with X and a few other properties.

What a country. High jinx, low jinx, get ready for the jinx administration. How about chief anti-vaxxer: Robert F. Kennedy(why does he continue to apply junior after his name?) MOst juniors drop off the Jr. when the senior dies. The poor old sap struggled all his life trying to live up to that famous senior without success. The pathetic candidate found a following as a crank funded by money he didn't have but others were willing to provide to support his far out positions.

       How about Kash Patel? Head of the FBI? Ha, ha,ha,ha,ha. First thing he'll do is fire all the agents and hire trump's family members. Maybe Barron will want to be an agent. Or, better yet, Melania will want to carry a badge and carry a 9mm in her underware. HHmmmm.

     Tulsi Gabbard. Really?

Mt. Lutnick? Come on, you must be joking.

Steve Bannon? Oh, please. My sides are already aching with laughter. 

Detroit Lions Win Over the Minnesota Vikings

      The last regular season contest pitted two teams with equal records:14-and 3. It was expected to be a good one despite not really affecting the playoffs. The winner would have home field advantage and the loser would be playing on the road to start.

    Veteran QB for the Lions, Jared Goff of California, would face Sam Darnald, the rookie. The first half was tied after 30 minutes and neither team dominated the other. Dropped passes, fumbles, sacks, and missed opportunities characterized the play. The Lions defensive unit showed some success in the red zone, thwarting the Vikes efforts to score a TD. QB Darnald missed open receivers several times. Field goals seemed to be each team's answer to failure to score. 

     The second half seemed to indicate more of the same: fumbles, dropped passes, missed opportunities. Then, things changed: the Lions started to run the ball successfully against the Vikes spread defense. Goff now had an advantage: sure I can pass against the blitz and aggressive rushers, but I can challenge the Norsemen and keep them honest with a running game. With a mix of runs and passes, the most successful strategy, worked quite well as the Vikes fumbled and stumbled as the clock wound down. The Lions completed the most successful season in their history with 15 regular season games in the win column. The home town crowd were duly impressed and expressed satisfaction following a nice victory at Ford Field.

Inflation Racks /Rocks Putin's Economy

       The Western reaches of the largest country in the world is in the grip of winter, 2025. History records the various difficulties faced by the Rus peoples when winter descends on the Steppes: Baby, it's cold outside. Frigid temperatures not only drive the locals indoors, but also drives them to drink-as in vodka. Rus peoples like their vodka, in varying amounts depending on ones personal feelings of safety and security.

    Meanwhile, down south, in Ukraine where the "Special Operation" continues after more than 1000 days, the drain on the Rus economy continues unabated. Moskva and the Kremlin continue to pump more worthless rubles into the economy. They pay a death bonus to families who have lost loved ones in the war. There are lots of them and the numbers continue to go up. recently, North Korean mercenaries have added their bodies to the count. Is Kim Il eligible for a death bonus for each of the North Koreans who die on Ukrainian soil? Probably, since Kim Il knows that some foreign exchange helps his economy and his bank account. Will the families see any of it, if paid? Hardly, they are North Koreans.

     So, what is to be done? Putin's answer: raise the interest rates. That will nullify the effect of sending more worthless rubles into the marketplace. How about 21% interest rates? Sounds like Paul Volcker in the '80's: when in doubt, raise interest rates. How about a mortgage of 18 1/2%, as was common in the US in '80's.  Hmmmm, Mad Vlad has  his hands full; and those hands include the Murderous Bashar al-Assad and his family, now living in Moskva. The Old Syrian dentist arrived at the end of the road just before Christmas when rebels took over the country and all support for Bashar the Bastard evaporated even before he fled.

      So, Bashar will now have to pay rent to the Kremlin. His Swiss bank accounts will suffer withdrawals and few if any deposits. MAd Vlad will probably raise his rent soon, especially if he wants a dacha in a nice 'hood. What's a guy to do?

     21%-it's not fair; the poor Rus who makes about $800/month will hardly have enough left to pay for state-controlled vodka. The Rus like their vodka neat, right out of the freezer when it has the consistency of syrup-ahhhhhhh vodka, nectar of the gods or soon to be dead Rus.

Rep. Mike Johnson(R-Louisiana) was Voted as House Speaker today

    In a close call for his survival, Mike Johnson overcame opposition to his Speakership by convincing 2 party members to change their votes as a second ballot appeared necessary. The 2 conferred separately with other party members who made the decision to vote for his election. DJT had offered support and it appears that was all that was needed.

Mike Johnson: Speaker of the House of Representatives-2025. Sad but true.

US Surgeon General Speaks of Alcohol Consumption

   In a long awaited declaration the US Surgeon General spoke out to the public realm about the health effects of consuming alcohol. He declared that ALL alcohol consumption has significant health risks and is responsible for over 100,000 cases of cancer diagnoses from all types. He asks that Congress overcome the considerable efforts of the industrial production of familiar products that contain alcohol, including but not limited to beer, wine, whiskey, and white spirits(vodka, rums, gins, etc.).

      She suggests at minimum: warning labels attached to all products to at least advise consumers that there are health effects when consumed, not unlike those on cigarettes that have warned smokers for years. This will be a major effort to reduce alcohol-related deaths in Us.