Texans Face a New Political Reality

       So, Sen. John Cornyn will retire after losing the primary to another CChump candidate. Despite voting for Chump's Oval Agenda, vindictiveness came through when the Oval supported the heavily weighted Ag of Texas, the epitome of a loser. Now the Chump must spend big if Kenny Boy has any chance of defeating Democrat James Talarico.

      Talarico is a formidable fund raiser; his opponent Paxton, is the worst. Paxton barely raised $7 millions so far. Talarico is soaring paast $40 millions and counting. Nobody really wants the baggage- laden AG to win anything. He's certainly a loser despite his win over John Cornyn.

   Texans should be embarrassed by Paxton's win; but that is not part of the Texan vocabulary. Take away the oil and gas industry and what do you have? A dry, scrubby cattle grazing state prone to tornadoes, hurricanes, illegal immigrants, gun-toting rednecks, close-minded hillbillies, high humidity, terrible summer heat, and winters that invade with impunity when given a chance. And utility shutdowns: the locals can't understand why they lose heat and AC at inappropriate times, like during a heat wave or an Arctic blast from the north prairies.

   So, Texans will go to the polls and elect a Democrat in November and the jobless idiot Paxton will go home to stew in his own juices, bitter, angry and alone. How sad. Not. He deserves nothing less as he made his own bed numerous times. Be alone in a Lone Star State.

   How much will the Republican PAC spend to elect this loser? The GOP will flood the state but it won't be enough to elect the Chief Loser. He's dead in the water, as they say down south, north of the Rio Grande.   

Texas: Ken Paxton Will Face Off With Democrat

    So, the Chump's candidate sweeps the table in the primary down in Lone Star State of texas.  Ken Paxton, the creepiest Senate candidate in decades has been a favorite of the Fraudster -in-Chief in the Oval. The formerly impeached Ag fromAustin, TX, will now have a chance to move from the slums of the South to the Slums of Washington, D.C.: the Capitol building.

    The Chump is lolling about the Oval today after his 3rd medical physical in a year. Pundits have noticed the Chump's swollen extremities and the bruises on his hands, (a subcutaneous bleed, a common condition among 80-year olds.)

     His doctors say he is amazing "for his age". That's the operative phrase-for his age.  Yes, we know what decrepit 80-year olds look and act like, the country just gor rid of Sleepy Jow before he could cause any more damage to the country. Historians will not treat Biden, his wife and family kindly, nor should they treat them kindly after what scam they put over on everybody outside the Oval. Oh, well.

     Maybe the Chump will look over the prmary season  and change his position on Iran , and maybe he'll open up the Strait. MAybe not.  

     It appears to be a long hot summer coming, globally. Heat records were set and broken  in the UK. 94 degrees-that's hot anywhere in the UK.

      Texas might get a chance to set records ,too. 

Rus Bombard Kyiv With over 300 Rockets

   The Rus military avised citizens of Kyiv to leave town as a bombardment was coming yesterday. Hmmmm. This is a good thing? The Kremlin is obviously trying to make some points in a losing battle for real estate. They leveled cultural sites and civilain structures including apartment houses in the capitol.

    How are the peace talks going? What peace talks?  The Rus army has no more recruits to send south. They can only send missiles and drones: cheaper and easier to procure from China, etc. So, Ukraine is gearing up for retaliation: a massive attack on Moskva and its infrastructure , to include oil terminals, refineries, pipe lines, and oil ports. My, my, my. When will the Little KGB colonel yell "Uncle"? 

    Sorry. Won't happen. Mental illness is like that.  Will Zelensky warn the Rus to leave Moskva? Not a chance in hell. 

Ken Paxton: Why Does Texas Support this Boob

    This man, a candidate for the US Senate, has more baggage than a 20 camel caravan. He's a despicable charactyer in all respects: just ask his former wife. But, he's a top notch MAGA supporter of the OVal Office Occupant-the former Orange -Haired TV personality turned self-promoting money grabbing wannabe King.

     So Ken PAxton is kicking the slats out of his Texas "crib" because he thinks by going to the Senate, he'll help his cause to support the KIng. Hmmm. Where do folks get these thoughts? The internet? The mail box? The dream machine? Fortune cookies at a local Asian rice bowl? 

    I like how the AG of Texas has shopped around various legal trials to make the case best for Ken Paxton and his supporterss.  So, the Ag finds a small town Republican judge without lots of trial experience depending on the case involved. So, against prevailing laws that have tried to stop such "shopping" around for venues of choice, Old Ken picks his locales he thinks works best for -----KEN.(Not Kenny Boy of the old Enron collapse).  The late Ken Lay).

    So the Senate composition is hanging in the balance with a real possibility that it will be flipped dur to the fall in support for all things Oval. Chump's ratings are in the ToTo, less than 37% support the Oval at this time and the June elections are around the corner. Then November will loom large as the Chump tries to extricate the entire West from Iran and the Straits.

   The sitting Senator from Texas, John Cornyn must be beside himself, as is the Republican Party as it tries futilely to figure out how Paxton's elcetion would play out in the near term, given the seniority system used for committee selection. Junior men have to wait for influence. In Paxton'e case, he'd probably tripover his own feet and get impeached in the Senate. 

The GOP is in big trouble. 

Any Ships Moving in Strait of Hormuz?

 No

What's New In Iran Talks

   Nothing

When Will Raul Castro Arrive in America

    So, the 94 -year old Old Commie Cubano, Raul Castro, has been indicted for murder. Strong indictment. They have the recorded conversation that has Raul ordering the shoot down of small American aircraft(non-military) by Cuban air force jet fighters in 1996 when Raul was head of military ops.

    So, now, the Oval is turning up the heat on the island. The GAESA, the controlling secretive group that manages the economy and everything else in Cuba, has become exposed and will now have to negotiate with the Oval , the C.I.A., and the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, a Cubano who hates the Communists that took his island home away in 1959-60.

     In Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro was arrested at home in Caracas and brought to the US where he has been held since. Will Raul be next? Probably, he'll be sacrificed by the regime who figures that the US won't waste any resources on a 94 year old Commie despite his past criminal acts or murder, etc. The pndits arten't sure, but the Oval may do it, may not do it. Time will tell, depending on further develoopments on the island. The oil embargo has brought new economic stress to the isolated island and its residents.  Finding food has become a problem. Fuel for transportation is about gone.

What next? Ask the Oval.  

Do Russyans Fear an Invasion

       Igor and Olga awoke to a new reality: Ukrainian drones have found the suburbs of Moskva, you know, the capitol of the Rus.

     Drones landed on an apartment buildi ng rooftop, creating a blasted out unit. Reports indicated thewre were deaths among occupants. Hmmm. Sound familiar. Yes, it sounds like the casualty reports coming from Ukraine for over 4 years after the 'Special "FAKE"Operation began down south. Like all single-focused dictators, Mad Vlad can't change his mind. He just keeps rolling along, supported by toadies, sycophants, boot lickers, ass-kissers, oligarchs, and other dictators.

     Soon, the Ukrainian industrial complex will be turning out its own advanced weaponry that will reach most of the largest country in the world, a country so large nobody has seen it all. The Chinese have earmarked eastern Russya as a land of opportunity and millions of Chinese call eastern Russya home, while they farm the Amur River regions in an attempt to feed the hungry nation.

    But Rus civilians are taking notice. The calls for more "volunteers" to fight down south are becoming more strident. The prisons are being emptied in the efforts to feed the "meat grinder" ij Ukraine that causes millions of casualties.

     The EU awaits results of the population of Russya that will soon respond to the rsain of drones thast will fall soon enough. 

Get ready Alexsei and Alexandra, springtime in Ukraine will bring war to Moskva. 

Greeks Release Convicted Murderer From Prison

     So, the wheels of Justice have hit another speed bump in Greece. The Supreme Court after a lengthy  review of the matter, ordered the release of a Greek man convicted in an old case of terrorist activities going back decades. The November 17 gang was found responsible for numerous murders, assassinations, and bombings that killed many victims including a C.I.A. officer from the USA. The group also killed numerous Greek politicians and many innocent civilians caught up in the events.

    The 82 year old convict was released because of his age and other factors, including his good prison behavior over the last 25 years of incarceration. He had received consecutive life sentences. He still claims not to have led the terrorists in their work.

Alexandros Giotopoulos will have to report to nearby police station once every month and identify himself to authorities. The actions of the court caused dismay among victims' families. The Turkish Foreign Ministry noted that two victims were Turkish Embassy employees. Giotopoulos was arrested after 25 years on the run on the island of Lipsi where the convicted murderer was hiding, using an assumed name to hide his true identity as a  terrorist. 14 other memberds of the terrorist gang were also convicted and 3 aare still in prison, including the groups main assassin, Dimitris Koufodinas.

Time for another review of the Greek Legal codes. 

Republican Slush Fund

      well, now. What more can the Chump do to break the political will of the opposition? Pardoning was one thing; now, he wants to reward Jan. 6th attackers by giving them a portion of the $1.8 billion  fund for those who were victims of the "weaponization" of the Justice Department by Joe Biden and others of that ilk. The trump family, widely pardoned and left out of the 'vicitim' loop, won't be eligible. However, after dropping his lawsuit against the IRS and the Justice Department, he'll be content to have $1.8 billions to throw around to his boot lickers, toadies, yes-men, and sycophants.

     Even his former personal lawyer, Todd Blanche, is on board as acting AG. What a wonderful world of politics by wackos.  Seems like only yesterday, Sleepy JOw was "in charge" and the Dems had a future, somewhere. Then, not enough voters showed up, and the Chump won the count.

     His vindictiveness continues as he singles out those who didn't provide a high enough level of support when he needed it most. He has thrown a few bones to his old buddy Steve Bannon, former Naval Officer and one time advissor. So, others will benefit, even the Capitol invaders who wanted to stop Congress during the Electoral College confirmation of the vote.

    The courts may look this over; or they may not look it over. The Chump is trying to boost the economy that he has tipped into a possible recession. Only the next few months will see what he has really done to upend the country.  

Knicks V. CAvs

    Like the game the day before, it was well worth the effort to watch these two opponenets go at it. Easy pickings thought the CAvs. Up by 22 points-it was a waalkover. And then..........

    Something happened. MAybe it was the announcement that the LIRR strike ended and all that pentup energy was released in time to save the day. Maybe Zohran made an announcement that the City-owned grocery outlet will feature must haves like milk and bread at super low prices for the masses of NYers.

   The knicks in the GArden came back from the dead and soared to a tie at the end of regulation. Then the CAvs unraveled and went down to defeat by 10 points. If  you were a Knicks believer , you went home happy. More fun to follow.

Texas Roils Politics

    Ken Paxton: the Texan everyone loves to hate, excepting the Oval Chump.  The Oval likes Paxton despite the train load of heavy baggage he pulls along the tracks. This notorious scum bucket has been endorsed by the Chump because Paxton is one of those climbers and grovelers who knows he must grovel to rise higher on the ladder of power.

      His notoriety in Texas illustrates the depth of the War-MAker -in-Chief's efforts to pad the Congress with MAGA lemmings, such as Paxton. He'll serve the Oval King quite wqell if he m akes it to Washington, D.C., home of the Lemmings and Pigeons of Congress.

   As the bond market implodes as we speak, the Oval blissfully focuses on the price of a barrel of West Texas Crude and Iranian port traffic. Never mind that his buddy, VOVA is walking the same red (how apropos )carpet in Beijing when the Chump was there to talk about TAiwan and defense munitions he will sell to the island govvernment. Red Dicks together is the current theme in Beijjing: a Commie who arrests Christians willy-nilly and puts them in prison and a wannabe dictator who invades neighbors and kidnaps their children for fun and games in the MotherLand of Broken Rus Dreams. 

    Putie will grovel to Xi and promise unlimited support against the West(and North, and South, and east, too). The Little MAn and the Asian Sphinx will discuss the flow of Rus Oil to Beijing  needs to feed the shrinking population for a few more decades before the greying of China becomes an overwhelming factor of Chinese life. and the real estate deals in the Amur River Basin cement the farming community there.

Viva Texas 

Interest Rates Change

   The Oval Chump is aware of high yeilds on 30-year Treasury notes.  The Great Economic Oval is setting the world on fire with his amazing Economic Policies and Trump's War against the WOrld.

What a way to run a country; Republicans might as well enjoy the ride straight in the dumpster.

Let's not forget the 77 millin MAGA followers who voted for this Buffoon of Buffoons. 

Where's Jimmy LAi?

    Well, did Chump bring up the name: Jimmy LAi? What do you think?

OKC V. SPurs: DOUble Overtime

       The first game of the Western NBA Finals was amazing. Yes, over used description, but allowed in this case.  It was a seesaw contest the entire game. Regulation time  ended in a tie.  The Spurs had a shot, but it was blocked. Then the first Over Time period. Again, back and forth. Seemed like the Spurs were going to turn this to a victory, but OKC's Caruso put in a timely 3-pointer and got back into it.

      But, as fate would have it, the first OT period ended in a second tie. This was the 6th period of play and time on the floor for both teams started to add up. Soon, San Antonio began to pull away, and then it became evident that with the help of Victor Wambanyama, they cemented the victory.

     This young star player impressed all who were watching wherever they sat. His skills are impressive. His age makes him stand out- he will get better with time; we know this. His teammates accept his role as the anchor of the defense, and the playmaker on the offense.

     The Thunder will now face the facts: it's not the same team they faced during the regular season. Victor is much better than he was 4 months ago. His teammates have adjusted as well, seeing this amazing talent in their midst. 

Amazing. Watch 'em. 

How is the Embargo Of Iran Going

   What is going on in the Persian Gulf? TBD. 

Where's Jimmy LAi?

   Did the Chump even mention Jimmy LAi? Or did he cower in front of the Leader?  How's Jimmy doing in solitary confinement? Is he given his meds? Is he able to see the sun during the day? Can he be visited by other dissidents who want to converse with him before he croaks?

    Does Xi give a rat's aass about Jimmy or is he just sending messages to others in Hong Kong?

Have a nice Chinese Year of the Horse DAy, Jimmy. 

Xi TRumps the Chump

    So, the Chump of the Oval has returned from Asia where he met up with Xi JP. How'd it go, Stumpie? A  win/win? Hmmm. First reports seem to say that you were proven inept, again. You gave away the store and got nothing in return. WHat of "The Art of the Deal"? Did you give Xi a signed copy of your book of the samer name? Xi probably read it and put it to good use when he did the "deal". He stopped you from selling armaments to Taiwan and he promised he'd think about reducing industrial production in his country, and maybe in a few decades he'd stop burning coal after he produced enough energy resources to be completely electrified. 

     And then he chuckles to himself when he understands that the Chump of the Oval has cut back electrification and promoted fossil fuels -oil and gas. Oh, the Strait of Hormuz? Xi will just let the Gut Decision MAker continue to dig deeper into the swamp of the Middle East wherte there asre no winners, just a long string nof losers, no matter Arab or other.

Have a nice Chinese Day of Horses 

Whiskey, Whiskey, and More Whiskey

      The Deputy MAYor of Tahoma returned from a tour of Kentucky.  Whiskey was the subject of various inspections. There is a possibility that a distillery could be founded in Tahoma, soon.  However, all is not roses in Kentucky bourbon world.  Drinkers have stopped drinking the brown. who wants a "Brown" cocktail? Nobody we know.

  The Chump in the Oval imposed a tariff on Canadian goods of all types. The brain dead Chump thought in his demented mind that this would be good- the feeling came from his "gut", where most of his thinking noriginates, like a child's thinking. So, Kentucky's number 1 customer stopped buying brown, all brown goods/spirits from Kentucky. This decision rippled through the Blue Grass like a flurry of tornadoes, hitting all the distillers right where it hurts: in the pocket.  

     First, lay off all the workers; then start storing all the product that can't/won't be sold; then tell the sales forces to offer steep discounts; then tell the barrel makers/coopers to sell their barrels at 'fire' sale prices. Then tell the bankers that loans will have to be renegotiated right away. Then tell the governor the tax base has disintegrated-no new taxes will be paid this year and the state budget will have to be redrawn. Case close. Welcome to Chump's World of Gut-Led Government.

       Canadians will soon have their own bourbon production and Kentucky can go fly a kite. Well done Republican voters; another win for the GOP. The Party of Lincoln. Who?

Please buy/drink Whiskey on Memorial Day. In fact, celebrate Memorial Day(the Dead Heroes) with a tall glass of bourbon-it's American, from Kentuckey.  Ha,ha,ha,ha. Now we know what vodka producers in Russya felt after the Kremlin invaded Ukraine 4 years ago.

    Maybe a thoroughbred horse could learn to drink bourbon instead of water. 

Who Kidnaps Defenseless Children

     Why Chump's friends in the Kremlin. Yes, it is now well known that Rus invaders rounded up defenseless children after they invaded Ukraine over 4 years ago. The armed forces had teams looking for orphanages where there would be poor if any security. Also, schools were also targeted by these teams of kidnappers who soought defenseless kids who were abandoned by Ukrainians as they fled for their lives to the western parts of Ukraine. Soon a chorus of voices descended on Kyiv asking the same question(s): where are the children? Who kidnapped my child? Where were they taken?

      Investigations revealed the scheme hatched by the Kremlin: bring the children to Russyan families; they will be taught the language of the Rus, and they will be converted into Russyan citizens, given Russyan passports, and ordered to forget their old roots in Ukraine. So, now we have 20,000+ children being hel;d captive by the Russyans in various locations. Their parents in Ukraine keep asking questions and they keep the pressure on international authorities who have offered help to return these kidnapped babies and children.

     What sick minds hatched this scheme? Which perverted individual constructed this operation to bolster the sinking birth rate in the largest country in the world which will soon run out of people to populate its vastness, from the Pacific Ocean to the North Atlantic and the Arctic Oceans.  Even the Chinese are looking at vast stretches of Siberia as the future lands to grow food for its own sinking numbers. When a country can no longer feed itself, it must die or grab other territories to exploit those areas to grow food for its peoples. China does not have enough land for agriculture, and the Amur River Basin is the perfect solution. So, 5 million Chinese have moved into Russya to grow squash, beans, sugar beets, carrots, and other veggies.

     So, where are the kids, Vladimir?  You will stand trial for these heinous crimes against humanity. You will be held in jail forever: the jail of the guilty no matter the refuge you find to hide your withered corpus when the UN comes calling in Moskva. You cannot hide. Your own former subjects will rat you out for a crust of black bread. That's right: and it won't be long before the coup grabs you and your lackies and carts you off to the Hague to stand strial for kidnapping/stealingf defenseless babiwes and children. You will pay, Pervert.

    And then the world can close this miserable chapter of Russyan history; a  history marked by patheic invasions; mass murders, kidnappings, and grievous abuse of civilians that were positively targeted as they were defenseless and acutely vulnerable to armed invasion.  The world will remember as you claim you did after the Nazi invades were vanquished 80 years ago at the end of WW II.  You were the descendant of survivors but they forgot to tell you the story. You will soon experience what the Nazis experienced: DEFEAT.

Have a nice Moskva Red Square DAy 

Russya Sends in the Drones

    The Kremlin sent another barrage into Ukraine yesterday, destroying an apartment house, killing 12 civilians, including a 12 year old child.  The entire building  was destroyed an additional victims are believed to be buried in the rubble. No doubt, Mad Vlad wants to raise the ante for defenders of Ukraine.

   Meanwhile, drone production in Ukraine continues to improve and daily numbers could soon reach 400 drones per day.  This translate into increased attacks on the Russyan front lines and also the support in the rear areas which are most vulnerable and the least protected by defensive maneuvers.

   So, the Rus military machine, totally dependent on conscripts from the lowest segments of society is operating in survival mode, unable and unwilling to press the attacks .  Agents from  Kyiv told stories of indiscriminate targeting of civilian residences.

   What next, VOVA? 

Xi Disguises China

   The Oval Chump is waltzing around Beijing as Xi tries to negotiate deals. The Art of the Deal author is content to talk about deals. Make deals? Who me?

     Xi hopes that the Chump doesn't ask too many questions, such as: Is China in recession? How many poor people are waiting to join the "new " China weaalth?

   Maybe the Chump mis really playing Xi for the chump he is.  Really, Xi has his back to the great Wall. No matter what happens, the aging diminishing population won't change in Xi' s lifetime. Result: a broken, weak country beset byb economic problems related to population characteristics, ie. an old, old population without a future.  Also, the country can't feed those they already have. They must import food and lots of it. Where to get the food? Why the USA which produces enormous surpluses every year. China doesn't have enough arable land(land that grows stuff). One solution that has made a difference: lease some land from the largest country in the world: next door friendly Russya where over 5 million Chinese liuve and work in the vicinity of the Amur River Basin.  

  What next? Technology is not edible. EV's aren't edible. Rice-edible; wheat-edible; corn-edible. Nuclear weapons-not edible.  So, Xi will have to talki with the Chump who wants to free Jimmy Lai, the prisoner billionaire.

Woe to China. 

NBA Tournament: Cavs Beat Pistons in OT

    It came down to OT. After tying at 123, both teams realized it was going to take extra effort to notch a W. James Harden would play a role. The veteran "beard" scored 30 points to help the team pull out a win. Initially, it seemed that Detroit would walk away with a win, running up a 16 point lead early on. The the Cavs weren't about to give up. Steady defense kept the Pistons frozen at times as the Cvas pressured the defense with aggressive inside moves and the occasional 3-pointer.

    At the end of regulation, the Cavs had the last shot but lost the ball and forced overtime.  In no time, the Cavs took the lead, and Detroit played catchup for the last few minutes, never able to overcome a tight defense. 

   The Cavs now have a 3-2 lead and need just one more victory to go on. 

Homewood Resort Activities

      Well, winter '25-'26 was a bust for the local resort. Too little snow, too late. Closed. But, activity is ongoing. Crews are working daily but it is hard to discern what is being done. Steel rebar cages are in evidence being assembled in the parking lot, but for what? Hmmm. They appear to be extra large foundation elements, perhaps more ski lift pylons. Perhaps owners are expanding downhill runs for snow boarders, etc. 

TBD. 

The Chump Meets the Xi

      So, the eyes of the world, that is all the eyes of all the world, are focused on Beijing where Pres. Chump of the US is meeting his counter part from China, Xi Jin Ping, for a face -to-face to discuss..........

•    Pundits are speculating that the two will talk about:
• tariffs
• AI
• Strait of Hormuz
• strategic metals
• electric vehicles
• trade balance
• Jimmy Lai(prisoner from Hoong Kong dying in terrible Chinese prison on fake conviction for speaking out against repression of Hong Kongers)
• South China Sea expansion on Mischief reef
• Harassment of Philippine Is. fishermen
• Chinese Coast Guard vessels in international waters
•  Spying on Americans in America
• Harassment of citizens in the US who speak out against Beijing's opponents
• Hacking operations in China
• Stealing technology from US Corporations
• Buying Russyan oil/energy products
• Support of Iran and Other Middle East trouble makers(Russya)
• Buying Russyan energy products
• Over fishing globally
• Harassment of students abroad
• Sending Chinese Women to America to Seduce Billionaires
• Establishing a fake police station/prison to harass Chinese dissidents in NYC .
• Copying products with copyrights
• Taiwan
• Taiwan Independence
• Taiwan Chinese
• Taiwan Technology
• Taiwan Tech Chips
• Taiwan Leadership
• Taiwan Military Capability
• Taiwan Defense
• Taiwan Shore Defenses
• Taiwan Tourism
• Taiwan Flag

Taiwan History

So, a full plate of material to chit/chat together. Oh, the head of Nvidia is among the guests, and Mr. Gad About, Elon the Mush Rat will also be hobnobbing around looking wealthy. 

Downtown Tahoma Perks UP

      So, Memorial Day is fast approaching; it's early this year: May 23. The space juggling among tenants has started. The Bagel Shop is gone now to be replaced by "The Cult Burger shop which hibernates during the winter months for obvious reasons: no demand. Liz' "Where We Met" Espresso bar will reopen later this week serving her various coffee drinks and gelato offerings. Her summer staff will soon arrive as soon as school lets out. They are all locals, too.  The Dog & Bear resto will offer longer hours and another day to their schedule to ensure pizzas are ready to fly out the door.

      The USPS office will continue its regular schedule. The realty office is uncertain as to its occupants. Mariani Co. is probably negotiating with a prospect right now.

    See you there for coffee.  Meanwhile, the Norfork Inn across Pine St. continues to stagnate, and the religious group owners have not announced any plans to open anything except maybe a prayer weekend. Oh, well. 

Mackinaw Trout Times Two

       The Mayor and his deputy went kayaking Tuesday morning, putting in at Meeks Bay resort beach. There were but two other parties on the beach at 10:00am.(and a few ducks-Mallards).  There was a slight breeze, onshore, but not too much velocity. We stroked out toward Rubicon and soon realized going any further would be a challenge  as white caps appeared beyond the point.

      We were content to reverse course, turn around and cruise past the few lake front homes on the south shore of the bay.  As we approached the beach, two kayakers came around from the Sugar Point side of the bay. Their fishing gear was in evidence and some chatter indicated success.

    All four boats hauled out together and the fishermen were happy about their success: 4 fish on, two landed. They opened the cooler and raised two Macks, about 2lbs each, very nice fish. They were taken offshore about 350 yards, at a depth between 60'-70'.  They used plunger lures that work well at these depths. Seems that this depth is not as deep as later in the summer when the fish descend to 120' plus. Probably cooler as the sun's rays reach deeper during the summer months.

     The winds on the lake were kicking up to 15-20mph , creating unfavorable conditions and no wwatercraft were observed on the lake. A nice quiet day at Meeks. 

Fanny Bridge Update

      So, West Shore folks, after a year of road closures at the dam, Highway 89 into and out of Tahoe City is now open. Yes, you can. Go directly into the super market across Tahoe Blvd, or to the bank, or to the hardwar store for tools & paint and roller brushes. Even a plastic owl or hawk figure to scare the woodpeckers away.

     The county of Placer and Tahoe City officials , good and bad, will officiate at a ceremony with ribbon cutting on MAy 17th, 2026. free fanny packs(how apropos ) will be given away to the first 500 arriving guests.  Oh, joy!

     The Mayor walked across the bridge and absorbed the feeling: it works, success. A finished civic project in record time.  Of course we know it's not a "golden Gate" bridge, but a well used addition to the Truckee River crossing at the famous dam: the Lake Tahoe outlet, where the Truckee r. begins its long journey to Nevada. Recently, a heat dome has settled over Reno and its environs and the locals are enjoying the cool clear waters of the river as it traverses the urban core of the biggest little city in ?????.

     5 gates of the dam are now open to relieve lake water levels as snow continues to quickly melt fromthe surrounding high peaks of the northern Sierra Nevada.  There's a bit left above 7000' , mostly on the north sides of the peaks. At Rubicon Peak on the West Shore, the last remnants of winter's poor snow is rapidly flowing downhill into the pristine waters.

     So, if one is available for some civic performance, visit Fanny Bridge on May 17.        

Washington ,D.C. Reflecting Pool

    It will soon be: Blue, like many of the states on both coasts. So, the Oval wants a nice "blue" appearance  when he sees the pool.  This will serve to remind the Oval of his enemies-those who inhgabit the Blue states of the realm.

     Blue is bad, except when it comes to reflecting pools. The Oval like the idea of a blue pool-very restful and calming, just what a chief executive needs to stay calm and cool while governing the most powerful country in the world.

Love it. What does Tucker say about the blue pool? What  does MArjorie Taylor Green say about a blue pool?  Or Lindsay Graham: blue pool?  Hmmm.

    What does VOVA think of a blue pool?  What does Xi think iof a blue pool?   Maybe he prefers tundra green, or taiga brown.   

Norway: Looking Good

     How about those Norwegians? They are living the good life thanks to their oil production.  Yes, Norway: a oil exporter, better than most. Their oil is offshore in the North Sea. It doesn't go through the Strait of Hormuz, that sad bit of geography now contested by a few maniacs in Iran which has harbored more than a few maniacs sinselling fossil fuels ton support this national fund is a moral and social dila the revolution turned the kingdom into a theocracy run by religious fanatics and their lackies and supporters.

     So, the Norwegians invest in Norway and the citizenry: government provided health care; government provided education; government provided retirement, and best of all: Norway has a sovereign fund of over 2 trillin dollars.  One must love this situation. Oh, some locals think that  sellin fossil fuels is a dilemma: is it a good to pollute the environment?  Hmmm. The debate goes on.

     But, until suitable alternatives to fossil fuels become more common place and more affordable, the world will continue to depend on fossil fuels for basic energy needs.

The sovereign fund has about $356,000 for each member of the country-nice. 

Pussy Riot on the March

       So, Old Mad Vlad has a new headache: his old nemesis the Pussy Riot Rock Group. They've been out of his reach and out of the FSB's reach for several years, but, on occasion they resurface to stick a finger in VOVA's eye, just to let him know that they are still watching his dictatorial moves over the Russyan peoples.

        So, way down south in Venice, Italia, the annual art show the Biennale in Venice attracts lots of artists, lots of collectors and dealers, and more than a few tourists, art patrons, curious types, and even a few Italians, wouldn't you know it.

       So our girls, the Pussy Rioteers, descended on the Russyan Pavilion in the Giardini, the scene od most pavilions celebrating an artist chosen for the country hosting the pavilion. In this case, the Rus pavilion. Pussy Riot wants the world to know that after 4 years of war that cost the Russyan peoples over 350,000 dead soldiers. Think about it: that's enoough to populate a modern city somewhere in Ruusya.  Then count the wounded: maybe a  million more suffering every type of disabling wounds.  Thousands upon thousands will suffer the effects of those wounds for the rest of their lives with little support from Moskva and the insiders who run the government while VOVA runs around calling Zelensky a puppet.

     Many think that Putin likes to harass Pussy Riot because they are well known and whenever they perform he likes ton criticize their music.  Maybe he'll invite them to perform for his wife and daughters who like rock music.  recently, Patriots Day was celebrated on the low down in Red Square because it was thought that Kyiv would order drones to attack participants in the parade and wreak havoc on spectators inflictking a publicity blow to the Rus Army on parade. They just don't appreciate what thenKremlin's fool does for the country: killing 350,000 Rus for prestige and empty patriotism.  Some Rus never change, and VOVA is one of those pathetic humans who can't overcome his inferiority complex.  

Strait of Hormuz Not a Problem

    So, tankers are lined up near Iran and the Strait of Hormuz.  Lots of issues surround the location; lots of media coverage worldwide. Lots of verbal chatter over the opening, closing, re-opening, re-closing. Naval vessels shooting at each other; ships' crews going hungry, and on and on and on. But:

Not For Everybody

   And not for Alexey Mordashov nor his "super yacht"- The Nord. The ship, at 465' long, is said to be worth about $500 millions with space for 36 guests, has its own helipad. While not in Mordashov's name, but his wife's name, the Super Yacht Times says Alexey controls the ship. 

   Mr. Mordashov is owner of Severstal, the Rus steelmaker(majority shareholder) and is a sanctioned billionaire. He is the epitome of the definition of oligarch, or is simpler terms; a friend of VOVA, aka Mad Vlad Putin, dictator of all Rus.  His net worth is north of $30 billions. In America, he'd be looked down upon as a pretender billionaire.  When Russya invaded Ukraine, the U.S. , U.K., and the European Union sanctioned Mordashov because of his connections  to the Kremlin.

    The Russyan military developed relations with the Iranian government and imported Shahed drones which the Rus then conveerted into their own variant known as the Geran. So, there is some speculatkion that Mordashov paid a small passage fee to Iran to be allowed to pass through the Starit of Hormuz and head to the open seas, somewhere more quiet, less prone to bombs and artillery and naval gunfire. Money 'always' talks, Igor.

    Despite the passage of one ship, more than 1600 other ships are starnded in the vicinity with more than 20,000 crew and servicing staff.  The International Maritime Organization has reported that logistics of servicing agents has become a problem for stranded crew members.   And all of these individuals are stuck because the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is in charge of Iran, which seized 2 ships in the Starit last week.

Welcome to the Middle East. 

New Casualty Figures Expose Rus to Truth

     Well, now, 350,000 combat deaths suffered by-------Russyan Army in Ukraine.  The Rus people are having to reconcile this figure with their own perceptions of Mad Vlad's "Special Operation". The outside world knows about the debacle, but inside Russya, those locals don't have much of a clue. They sit and stare at their smart phones, hoping for something, anything that will transport them to a world a separate world, a world away from reality.

        As the war drags on and kills more Russyans everyday, the fantasy created in the brain of the Kremlin's own dixtator persists as not only a headache for the Rus, but also a headache for the  Ras-Putin. His generals convinced him that the powerful army of Russya would steamroll Ukraine in weeks. After 4 + years of war, the "steamroll" has deteriorated into the "slug roll", inching along, battered by ice and snow, and the ever present effect of swarms of Ukrainian drones.

       So, modern warfare looks different than the war in the old army textbooks.  A few years ago, a frontal assault could happen. Not anymore. That tactic is long over. Mass troops? Look out from above, the swarms are on their way to blanket any and all concentrations of forces: they are being tracked, targeted, and destroyed before they even begin.  The generals are scrambling; the Kremlin is scrambling, the recruiters are scrambling.  Who wants to join the army? Nobody with a brain.  Maybe a North Korean. (Where are they now?). All that information is available online, but nobody in the Kremlin wants to read it. Oh, Patriots DAy celebrations?  Ha, ha, ha, ha, : another concentration to be targeted. Some wiseass in the Kremlin thought it would be cute to ask for a temporary ceasefire during the parade. Laughable, really. More missiles, more drones is Ukraines's response, as it should be. Step up the costs on the Old Dictator and perhaps his advisors will show some spine and assassinate the old bastard. 

Patriots Day in Russya

   Well, now, are aall the tickets sold for good seats for Mad Vlad's parade of failed dreams? Who will show up to the Onion Top's favorite day when all the fat oligarchs crowd together in their fur hats and pathetic half smiles hoping the FSB is not taking their pictures to show Puttin who's on board and who's stashing money in Dubai and Zurich.

     Also in the mix will be the threat(s) from down south: has Kyiv attained enough power to reach Red Square? Will a drone or drones swarm the parade observers with clouds of armed suicide drones that will cripple the government? No doubt Kyiv is thinking ahead and has target makers zeroing in on the rparade route that could provide the best targets.

    Putin will probably observe the parade from an unknown location, maybe in the Urals or Vladivostok on the Pacific Coast.  Good place to hide but not good enough. The Israelis know where he is at all times. hey have paid informants throughout the country, including the East Coast.

Have a nice day. 

     

World Cup: What

   FIFA is concerned-all the tickets have not been sold. What is going on? Hmmm. MAybe not enough folks want to pay for high air faes. Gasoline prices are through the roof. Bad timing FIFA.  Ha,ha, ha, haaaaaaaa.

    Take your World Cup to Russya. 

NBA Playoffs:

     Some surprises in the first week: more than a few blowout games among the teams vying for status.

   It's always interesting to watch the NBA plyoffs because it appears that the teams/refs are operating at a different lecel of play. There's DEFENCE . Ok, that's good. Oh, and they are aggressive in the 'paint'. Oh, the refs missed an obvious foul, oh, now they see it on replay. FLAGRANT, 2 shots. It's different now. Some fouls are overlooked and the teams/coaches/refs are in on the fix.

      The fans are sort of on board.  

Lula Meets the Oval

    So, Brazil's president wants to patch things up with the Oval.  He visits Washngton,DC to try a "face-toFace w/ the Oval. Now they can speak in 'body language'-the language of political leaders around the world. We've all become used to its gestures, postures, subtle movements, eye rolls, head tilts, smiles and grimaces, all of which speak to crowds and audiences, and ubiquitous cameras(we are all camera toters).

      What does Lula want from Big Brother? He must need some boosting at home , so he heads 'norte' to get some press and maybe a loan or two. Perhaps it's about tariffs, perhaps not. What tariffs affect Brazil? Beef tariff? No, no beef gfrom Brazil: hoof & mouth disease is still there. Hmmm. Immigrants from Brazil? no, too far, too much water to cross.

    Amazon rain forest destruction? Climate change? Illegal gold mining: that's it. Lula is worried about gold being shipped w/o export duties. Wait. Is there sufficient gold in Brazil? NObody knows because most of it is mined illegally under the rain forest umbrella. Or something else. The press is somewhere in the Oval so t will bereported across all media platforms today. 

  Watch it. 

Kremlin Conducts Shadow War Against Ukraine

         The Kremlin likes to deny involvement in the "Special Operation" down south. Since 2014 when the Special Operation" began in Crimea, the GRU has conducted  surveillance ops against Ukraine and her supporters wherever they are.  The evidence continues to mount as the clandestine operations move ever onward not only against Ukraine support, but also opposition voices against Putin and his Kremlin lackies.

     This past week, authorities in Lithuania arrested 9 suspects who where involved in acts conducted at the behest of the Kremlin. They included setting remote operated bombs, murder plots against ndividuals in various locations, and continued efforts to thwart assistance to Ukraine against the invading forces of the Rus.

     Among the acts were various plots to sabotage railroad terminals, warehouses, cargo planes, shipping facilities, and transport hubs. Many of those recently arrested were recruited online by the GRU. Or by the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, the official name of it.  Since Viktor Orban of Hungary was given the heave ho by voters, the Kremlin has had to regroup in Eastern Europe as the Kremln continues efforts to undermine the E.U. and NATO specifically. Additionally, Bulgaria now becomes the focus of efforts to infiltrate that state on its border.

      Some Rus dissidents from Bashkortostan, a mostly muslim region in central Russya, have been targeted by the Kremlin. Those opponents of Moskva from the region have had to flee for their lives to escape the reach of GRU assassins/murderers who have pursued them. 

     Meanwhile, the Kremlin has limited locals' access to the internet as they attempt to control all media and media reports on the ongoing war in Ukraine.