Did Kamala Harris Ever Work At McDonalds?

 This came up as a chatter item this week.  In the past, Kam had said...around that last year of college....she some time at a McDonalds....flipping burgers and crisping up fries. 

Well....someone in the McDonalds world  went to the HR database, and looked....there is no Kamala Harris in that time period....who worked at McDonalds.  At least, that's the 'word'.

Was it a fake story?

Around 1980, I knew several Air Force folks who had burger or pizza jobs.  It was nothing they really were proud over, and none of them ever stayed more than six months.  If you asked any of them today....being near 60 to 70 years old....I have doubts that they'd admit the work.

Could it be that she worked there....under a fake name?  Well....I thought about this angle, and yeah....that is possible.

But here's the odd thing....would you crank up a story like this....simply to convince people you were 'one of them'?  It'd be like me running for governor and claiming to have been a deputy or firefighter in my youth.....but totally bogus.  

Will CNN go back and dig into the McDonalds story?  Hell no.  

Even if it was bogus....does it matter?  I can see President Harris meeting up with Putin and him asking if you still have the burger-flipper skills.  It's silly but that's real life drama.

Six Things

 1.  Interesting quote from Kevin Sorbo: "If the government cannot protect the vote, the border, or its citizens…..then why do we have a government?"

2.  I'm guessing Joe Biden watched the Thursday Kamala Harris interview.  I'm also guessing that Joe now regrets his 'quitting' and wished he could reclaim his rightful situation.

3.  Is there any legit reason to dwell on the Tim Walz chatter of him being an assistant football coach for some high school?  

4.  When my original relatives from the UK arrived around 1650 in the US.....there was no hotel deals, cash for food, or gov't guy to hand them airline tickets to Philly or Denver.  

5.  Various people now say that the CNN-Harris interview started out at 41 minutes in length.  For Harris questions....there are only 18 minutes existing.  Walz?  Maybe seven to eight minutes....so there's at least 15 minutes that 'disappeared'.

6.  At some point in early 2025.....I expect an all-out war to start up in the US  with Venezuelan gangs (probably in the 10,000 to 20,000 range at present).  It'll be bad enough that the FBI has 2,000 agents on full-time duty for at least half of 2025.  

Why Is RFK Jr Still Listed On The Ballots Of Ten States?

 Well.....my humble guess, some sort of vote ballot 'fraud' has been conceived, with five to ten million absentee ballots already created in the ten states, with RFK's name listed.   These are bought and paid for....already.  So you wouldn't want to suddenly unlist him and pay another bribe to some organization to create these from scratch.  

I know....it sounds crazy, but it's the only logical reason not to remove his name at this point.  

Five Predictions

 1.  Between 2025 and 2030....California will reach a status where incoming tax revenue will only cover about 75-percent of the yearly spending-bill.  Banks will refuse to provide relief, and the House will deny funds.  State and local gov't retirees will go into massive shock as 50-percent of their pensions are cut in a matter of days. 

2.  12,000 mortgage holders in the DC region will be in utter shock as their federal job is carved off in 2025, and no ability to cover the loan amount starts up.

The House will  create a six-month relief fund....telling the people to sell their property ASAP.

3.  By 2030, Over 5-million Americans will be identifying as 'thin'....when they exceed 250 pounds.

4.  By 2030....over 18,000 gender-transformed individuals, will be in such a chaotic situation....that they will require 90 days in a mental unit and be qualified via Social Security for disability.

5.  The term 'dude'...will be outlawed in three US states by 2035.  

Just An Observation

 People throw around the word 'METRICS' a great deal.

The problem is....in about 50-percent of society, if you utter it....they immediately think of the European measurement system, and they shut-down completely on comprehending the next 30 seconds of chatter. (Some reaction they developed in the 6th grade).

CNN Show

 I wasted 18 minutes trying to watch this CNN interview of Kam/Tim.  

First....I know CNN said it was live...but NO, it was taped and shown later.  I was expecting a minimum of 45 minutes....so I'm wondering what happened.

Second,  shockingly enough....Kam is for drilling for oil/natural gas on US soil. 

Third, she didn't have the blink-rate  problem that Joe Biden had.

Finally, it was just odd....once the Kam 'convoy' parked at the CNN building.....they were there for 6 hours....when they left....yet you only have 18 minutes of a interview? (Something ain't right)

Tim and Kam 'Show'

I sat this morning and watched a Kam-and-Tim 'talk' at some high school yesterday.

It gave me a pretty bad feeling.  Kam started talking like my 2nd grade teacher....explaining things.

That feeling that she was on anxiety medication?  Yeah....to the max.  It's bad when you have toss back a pill or two...because of fear of appearing in front of some 14-to-16 year old kids.

Tim's reaction behind her?  He was careful but he didn't seem to feel great over this talk that Kam was giving.

When I was in the Air Force in 1984....I was stationed at Ramstein Air Base, and I tended to watch the AFN News after hitting the chow-hall.  That summer, AFN got a new weather guy.....TSgt Randy.  

TSgt Randy.....I don't think he was asked about this assignment....he was simply pushed into the nightly 90-second weather chat.  From evening one....Randy had anxiety and panic.  The stick that they gave him to point out things on the map?  First night....he dropped it and spent about 40 seconds trying to pick it up....failing five or six times. 

I thought after a week...Randy would improve.  No....even by the 4th week....Randy was still in a panic.  Eventually, they moved Randy out and found some Airman who seemed ultra-chilled about the weather. 

For some reason, I feel the route is going this way with Kam.  Eventually, people will figure out her anxiety.

Four Humble Thoughts

 1.  What Kamala Harris reminds me of?  

When you have that major league baseball club that goes out and scouts/hires some player who had single decent year (out of five), and they offer up a $30-million-a-year contract....then you discover 3 months into next season...the person can't deliver, and you are stuck with them for four seasons.

2.  Newsweak published an article which suggested that Gen-Z people are quitting their jobs at a all-time record.  

No idea if this leads to a better 2nd, or 3rd, or 4th job.

3.  Newsmax published a piece on health....saying a study was done...where placebos were issued out....with medical folks  telling the 'taker'....this would fix your anxiety problems, stress attacks, and depression issues.  For majority of people....fake medication worked.

Legit study?  I read the piece.....yeah, I'd say it's legit.

4.  Interesting study done....lab guys found that mosquitos are drawn to you for three factors....heat, carbon dioxide and human odor.

Yeah, if you got a scent or odor.....they love it.

What If You Didn't Know Kam?

 I noticed a lesser-journalist who made stops and interviewed people over the past week....asking about their 'feelings' for Kamala Harris.

So this odd factor fell into play.

He probably talked to 200-odd people in this week....just regular people....not journalists, Wall Street types, or pro-NFL guys.  Around 20-percent made this odd comment....they don't really know Kamala  Harris.

What's that mean?  Well....over a 3.5-year period as VP....other than odd TV interviews (like 'The View' or Oprah)....they don't know her.  Some of the twenty-percent remember her being from California, and maybe the four years as Senator....but they don't remember anything else.

My own suspicion....if you cornered the other 80-percent.....maybe half of them would admit the same issue....they don't know Harris.

The six years as AG in California?  Well...if you lived in California, you might remember her....but if you were from the other 49 state, I doubt if people remember that fact.

The seven years as DA of SF?  Same story....if you lived in SF and are in your 50s....you remember her.

Remembering her by the husband (the way you remember Hillary Clinton)?  No....he's a nobody, so no one remembers that.

Books written?  Zero.

A major step down from Joe Biden?  Well....everyone knew Joe Biden....even if he was a bit 'lost' at times.

I'm not saying her campaign is 'lost'.  I'm just saying she needs a awful lot of recognition over the next 75 days.  She needs interviews and a remarkable amount of face-time.   

Problems with independents?  Yeah, that's really the bigger issue now.

The Card Lady

 This afternoon, I read a update on the Harris-Trump debate stuff....Harris wants 'notes' to be allowed during the debate.

I sat and contemplated that idea.

I took a single course on debate with Louisiana Tech....considering it one of the most wasted college classes that I took over a 6-year period.  

The end of the course came up and you had two choices.....a prepared speech (2x pages), or a full-up debate (you had to discuss your topic for at least three minutes).  It was a no-brainer for me....prepare a 2-page speech.  In the debate....the instructor wasn't going to allow notes.

So I pondered over this.....does Trump need notes?  NO.  

Harris?  I would imagine she needs to reference key points....because she can't remain on the subject (same problem Biden had).

How many 5 x 8 inch notes on the table?  Unknown....I'm guessing she wants a minimum of 12 cards.  Once you get past 12 cards....it becomes a problem to reference facts and keep the cards in order.

More of a hindrance?  Well.....for me, I'd say absolutely a crappy way of remembering things.

Trump accepting the debate rule on cards?  I doubt it.

A bad sign that she can't remember things?  Well....it's just something you wonder about....if she can stand there for an hour and actually talk facts.  To be honest....she might need forty cards to reference....in a real 4-star debate.

Single Way That The Electoral College May Fail

 My scenario.

You get to the day after the election...realizing that five states have not completed their count, and indications are....they are seriously in some delay pattern. The states?  Penn, AZ, Michigan, Georgia, and Wisconsin.

A week later....strong indicators are that fake ballots are falling into play.

Then 15 states go and do the 'damnest' thing...they refuse to certify their election results.  The EC meets on schedule, but there's not enough votes to carry it it's purpose.

So we go to January, and the alternate method....a state by state vote for President and VP.

VP in the Senate is easy and Vance easily wins.

House vote on President.....various tricks are being used by at least twenty states....to stall the vote.  

Inauguration day comes....the House Speaker says he'll push on to have Vance take the oath, and he (the House Speaker) will take the VP oath.

Immediately after Vance is sworn in....the entire top level of the Justice Department and FBI are laid-off.  Vance then suspends federal funding to the states in the delay tactics.  

The opposing states now say a form of civil war has started up....but they also admit that they are financially in a bind....with fed funding dried-up.

A month passes, and the states wise up....Vance won't budge.  Trump arrives and is given the oath.  The crisis ends.

Note, the FBI in it's present form....never comes back after this incident.  Half of the manpower is permanently removed. 

Trust By The Numbers

 

Over the weekend, I noted this graphic....which was a study done between 1997 and 2020 (so it's not UP to 2024 timeframe, a key point).

The question is....depending on your political feelings....how much trust do you put into the mass media (news print, TV news, etc).

Even in 1997....it wasn't great.  

In the 2004-2010 timeframe, you can tell.....if you were a Republican or Independent.....it slipped badly.  Same timeframe, for a Democratic-likely voter....it went and improved.

So by the numbers....in 2020....just 10-perent of Republicans trust the media.  I would imagine from the 10-percent trusting...if you laid out the questions in careful order....most folks would admit that they aren't that trusting.

Independents....same trend.

73-percent of Democrats trusting?  That's the story in 2020.

So my question....a lot of crap has happened since 2020....a lot of negative crap.  Does the trend line continue?

If a overwhelming number of the public doesn't believe what they see in the media....where does reality divide up?  

If you were some local TV station in Tulsa, and your viewer numbers were on the decline, with advertising paying less to keep the station operating.....what's the strategy going ahead?  Could you get viewers to come back?  Would the income levels be such that you give up on the 10 PM local news, and just air some half-an-hour episode of Barney Miller instead?

It's hard to find any episode in American history, or even world history....where so  many people lack a trust in news.  

Seven Thoughts Over The Impending Election

 1.  I can think of five better candidates than Harris....that would have a better standing since 2020 in terms of achievements.....so selling the 'Kam-image' is a pretty rough situation.  If you ask hard-core Democrats what she did from 2017 to 2021....they'd say Senator....but would be unable to cite any achievement in the job.

2.  The election is about 90-percent into detail of economic woes.  

3.  There's probably 10-percent of society excited that RFK Jr might end up as the chief of the CIA....go figure that group.

4. There's some kind of weird 'aura' over Trump since the assassination attempt.  He's got that image of 'I-ought-to-be-dead'.

5.  The effect of RFK Jr?  Look....a quarter of Democratic voters aren't that happy over the economy, the look of some oddball Communist agenda, or the Kam 'landscape'.  From this quarter group....I would imagine half of them were giving RFK a long-look. What they do now....is the great unknown.

6.  The effect of a free Twitter?  This is the weirdest thing to imagine.....I can turn CNN off and get decent news off Twitter....without any loss.  Selling Twitter to Elon....it broke the system designed.

7.  One has to wonder.....what if Joe Biden had stayed in the race now.

The Thing About Change

 

Back in the 1970s....I was led by Newsweak and Time to believe in Global Cooling. 

Around a decade later.....there was an attempt to lead me back over to Global Warming....which I didn't really buy into.

This week....I saw this via social media, and I believe it's the most rational and intellectual way of handling this whole discussion.

Whatever is going today.....is CHANGE, and if things evolve tomorrow or next week.....that's also CHANGE.  Just deal with it...toss back shot or two of some decent whiskey as each change occurs. 

Five Humble Thoughts

 1.  From the Trump assassination attempt.....at this point, I'd say that Crooks was not the ONLY person in the attempt, and by the FBI staying silent....there's more to the story.

This Maxwell Yearick guy, the buddy of Crooks?  Has not been seen since that day.  I think his original 'job' was to ensure pipe-bombs were set in various places to go off as the shooting started.  Pipe-bombs never occurred....I suspect because Yearick by that mid-day point....was 'disappeared' (dead or scared).  

2.  This Harris price-control gimmick on grocery stores?  I think it scares the crap out of most all grocery store chains.  

3. Maybe it's just me....but the 2016 atmosphere with Hillary Clinton as a candidate....was more charged-up than the present Kam-candidate landscape.  It's odd to say what few minutes of CNN I've watched in the past month....I'd say half of it was fairly neutral chatter.

4.  California readily admits....$24-billion that was supposed to be spent on the homeless....simply disappeared, and no one can cite how it  was spent.

In most states, it'd be a crime that the AG of the state would jump into, and there'd be five-star money-laundering involved.  Yet, you see nothing being done.

5.  Line up a thousand folks who say they will vote for Kam....then ask the thousand....to explain what makes her great.  Almost all will respond with silence....which is just odd.  

On Trump's thousand folks?  Almost all will say they had it better economically....before Biden came along. 

It's just odd.

Parody Of How Joe/Jill Got 'Even'

 As July opened up.....Joe and Jill got a few calls....over the idea that numbers aren't great, and he needed to start thinking of stepping aside.

Jill wrote down a couple of demands and mentioned them over and over.

As August came....the calls intensified.

Eventually.....Nancy Pelosi and Barak Obama called 3 or 4 times in one week, and Obama finally said the 'coded-phrase'......that VP Harris was about to talk over his mental state.

Joe and Jill were peeved....no promises of what they wanted.

So Joe asked Jill...what the fu*k is going on, and Jill said.....'this is screwed-up'.

Joe then asks.....if I'm pushed out....how can I fu*k everyone over?  Jill responds....you need to arrange the election with the worst possible candidate.  

Joe then asks.....Kam Harris?  Yep...says Jill.

Joe asks....isn't she all medicated up half the time?  Yes...says Jill

Joe asks.....doesn't she converse like a 12-year-old kid?  Yes....says Jill.

Joe asks....isn't she constantly talking about communist BS?  Yes....says Jill.

Joe asks...is there anything she actually did for three years in office?  No, not really....says Jill.

Marvelous...says Joe.

An hour later....Joe calls Kam with the wonderful news....he's supporting her.

Then the word gets out, and 300 various Democrats in DC...are a bit peeved...because they had things arranged to go differently.  

Joe and Jill?   Pretty happy.  They feel pretty sure Kam can't win and this will be talked about for decades.

The Big Question

 I saw this question posed today.....has any profession lost more credibility than journalism in the last 10 years?

After pausing for 10 minutes and pondering over it....yeah, if I go back to the 1990s, to consider 30 years....I'm generally skeptical if watching any news piece (from the BBC to CNN) or if reading WaPo or N Y Times.

I'm even this way if viewing some local TV news while traveling in the US.  

If you gave me a red-marker....I'd probably mark up half of a front-page....where I doubt the facts  told....if part of the story is missing....or if it was written by a reporter who seems to have not finished the 9th grade of school.

Can things improve?  How?

Even on sports news....I'm using the 'mute-button' a good bit.  

Am I giving the podcast folks more of a chance to fill the void?  Yeah.  I'd say in an average day....I'm watching a minimum of 90 minutes of pod-cast time.

So To The Rumor Of RFK Jr

 Rumor has it....tomorrow (Friday)....RFK Jr  will say his election is crapped-out and he will end his participation....shifting to supporting Donald Trump.  His VP....Nicole Shanahan?  Basically saying the same 'end-game'.

Where this leaves things?

I think both RFK and Shanahan have a 'deal'.  They will end up with jobs in Trump's group.

How I would use both? 

I'd give RFK a bus and a team....giving him  the state of California and Nevada....to deliver.  Yeah, I'd send into the heart of SF and LA.  Let him speak.

I'm not saying RFK can flip one-million-plus votes.  But he might be able to persuade a high number of unhappy moderate Democrats to either stay home or flip for Trump.

Shanahan?  I'd  give Chicago and NY City....same thing....let him speak to unhappy Democrats.   

Jobs later?  I'm thinking RFK for FBI director, with the instruction.....gut 3,000 employees in the first year.

Shanahan?  I'd put her on the team with  Elon to drill down into the government waste of effort....carving off one-third of the general budget by the end of the 2nd year.  

Will Be Curious To Watch Fail

 California is in the las bit of a legislative effort....where they will help launch a migrant effort to buy homes in the state....with ZERO down-payment and ZERO interest.  You can figure by early 2025....this will start up.

Now, if you were a mature adult....you'd ask, what is the typical cost of a house in California at present.  In non-urbanized California....it's in the $400k for a start-up home.  It's close to 500k to 600k in urbanized California.  And to be honest, to get anyone of a decent place....you need to figure $750k.

Naturally, you'd then add the numbers....nothing down....zero percent on interest....$400k house.  Your payment, with property insurance and property tax....is $1,440 per month for 30 years.

Salary required to make a $1,440 payment on the house.....per month?  Well....if you figure legit health insurance, current state income taxes, cost of living into this?  A minimum of combined income of $90,000.  If your language skills are near zero, and your job background for the past 20 years has been a fruit stand in Guatemala, or a taco stand in Peru?  You probably won't get past $40,000 in salary...meaning zero health insurance and marginally surviving three  years before your mortgage failure occurs.  

The question then becomes....what bank would be stupid enough to  get into this state plan?  And what would this bank do with 1,000 potential failed mortgage situations and the homes involved?

I'm not a financial wiz, but I don't see how a bank would walk into a mess like this and agree to a loan.  It'd be different if you offered 40-percent of the $400,000 and had a real job pulling in $90,000 in combined salary per year.  Maybe if this were Alabama  where you still might occasionally find a $100,000 'cabin/shack' or 1950s-built home.  But California?

So I give it three years to fail, and at least 1,000 homes are confiscated yearly under this scheme.  Total failure within five years?  Probably.  

Signs Of 2025 Being A Repeat Of 1929?

 I probably spend a minimum of 1.5 hours a day reading over finance, business and commerce news (across the globe).  I'm retired....so I can afford to 'waste' my time.

I've probably read four books over the 1920s since 2018, and it's fascinating to view how the 1920s formed a 'doomed-or-die' landscape for the end of 1929.

Between the insurance crisis existing currently (for cars and homes)....a condo crisis in Florida....companies letting people go.....restaurants in a state of collapse  because of pricing for dinners...crime....and at least thirty-other-odd problems...there's a banking crisis brewing.  

In some ways.....there's a staged 'delay' agenda in the mix....to get things past the election and likely to be a collapse of 1929-proportation coming in early 2025.  Yeah, I'd even go and say it'll be a epic moment where we downsize our lives, and go into a hibernation type reaction (maybe for a year or two).

The ability of the Treasury to sell US Treasury notes/bonds....to gift people money to climb out?  There's virtually no one left to buy the notes/bonds....unless the Vanguard, Blackrock people saw some incentive to waste their money on their act.

My general advice?  Three things: Plan your life on meager limits (the eat-beans-and-rice mentality)....for at least a year.  If there isn't a massive cut in government services/cost.....prepare for a 3-to-5 year depression.  Prepare for relatives/kin-folks to ask for sleeping space/help....and your patience to be drilled-down-upon to extremes.

The people with 'weak-guts'? They will be pushed to the extremes  and need 'coaching' daily.

The survivors?  They will be the ones who had limited debt to enter this period, and had a head-start on being frugal.

Modern Society In A Fit of Being Uniformed, Delusional, Or Evil?

Yesterday, I came to this moment of pondering....are a serious number of people walking around...in a state of being uninformed, delusional, or evil?

Some people are blissfully in a state of being uninformed, and happy in this state of mind.  They'd prefer you not drag up bad thoughts, or facts.

Some people are painfully aware of delusions going on, and would prefer you just not speak of the truth.

Then you have some folks who see things in a evil way, and don't want you to screw up the spiral going on.

It's an odd feeling to realize the landscape, and calculating the potential number of bad paths that people might lead.

Seven Things

 1. I've watched a couple of clips of the Democratic Convention.  I'll just say in blunt-talk....what you generally see missing is any chatter about economic success in America...that someone can BELIEVE in, for the past 3.5 years.

This election...is oddly about a tripped-up economy.  Biden should have hired a dozen 'Einsteins' on day one and told them...manage the economy for me and make it a total success story.  

2.  Just ODD...from AP.....the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says there is a link of some type with fluoridated drinking water giving a 2 to 5 point IQ drop in kids.

3.  Amusing.....the structure chosen for the Dem Convention....has private cabins/suites on the upper decks....normally for the VIP guests of sports events.  So to get one of these for the Convention....you had to pay $500k   So the industry/ultra-rich folks who were being written into the nightly scripts to be REGULATED....were likely sitting there and knowing no idiot is going to regulate them in the end....because they paid for a front-row seat.

4.  I watched a discussion this AM.....generally when you walk into a cafe for a coffee....the internet within the cafe was 'FREE'.  At some location in the US....the cafe folks established a 'fee' program for the Wi-Fi.  Even if you bought the coffee....it was not enough for the Wi-Fi.  Figured cost?  In the $2-range.  The business side figures you will pay.  I'm not that sure about the tactic.

5.  The downfall of Gov Newsom of California?  It's mostly about a crappy downfall over SF and LA.  Well....if you look at Gov Walz and Minneapolis's downfall....it's the same basic story.  There is no difference between Minneapolis and SF....if you really spend time looking over the two urban areas.

6.  I noticed that the DNC held some kind of training....to tell people how to recognize 'sneaky' Republicans who might try to infiltrate a Democratic meeting.  

It reminded me in a way of religious cults and how you work to keep the non-cultists 'out'.

7.  On this talk of Kam's idea for a new tax on unrealized gains...there was no suggestion on what to do in a massive slump/recession....when unrealized losses occurs (meaning the gov't is screwed big-time). 

Five Things

 1.  Does Kam have a drinking problem?

Over the past week....I've seen thirty references to this idea.

My answer?  NO.  She's likely taking anxiety medication, and this triggers the goofy chatter.

Does it bother folks with the goofy chatter?  Yeah....it's starting to be a daily thing where someone points to a talk she gives.

2.  Is President Biden 'finished'? 

From this day forward....I doubt that you see or hear Biden on any newscast except for once a week.  It'll be an odd feeling....like he was cast adrift on some raft, or sent off to a leper-colony.

3.  I'm up to the point where I think everyone should have three or four fake accents, and they should practice each at least one hour out of the day.

4.  It's just interesting...someone finally came up and said that all these 20-somethings and 30-something with college debt issues.....have home debt, credit card debt and car debt....that they can't handle.  It wasn't just one single debt issue...we now learn.

5.  I suspect at least five million Americans are fully onboard to shift over to a Soviet Union economic system.  It ought to bother people.  

A Undefined Problem

 

I read over this about an hour ago, and it's been on my mind.

The general problem here is the zero-business.  The minute you bring up zero in any math  problem...it's a trick situation.

In this case....zero is undefined.  If you had one cow, and you attempted to divide the cow by zero....there is still just one cow standing there.

You can use apples, peanuts, wasps, chunky whore-like ladies, a bull, a can of beer, and even a dead possum.  You still have one standing there.

What would bother me with the story?  You have a teacher with a problem, and a principal with a problem.  In this scenario....the kid can't remain in the public school....he or she has to leave.  

A What-If Story

 Lets say that you went out and bought a grocery (maybe a Whole Foods....maybe a Piggly Wiggly).  In the first five years.....you had a general profit of around $250,000 a year....after balancing the books and paying your taxes.  Then along came Covid, some changes in law, and you noted that weekly theft numbers went up.  

You had theft insurance but upon discussing the matter with the insurance folks....you came to realize that one single submission for one single month....would trigger a 75-percent increase in the yearly cost of insurance.  So you avoid triggering the insurance rate increase.

What you do?  Well....you go into the system and add 2-percent onto the cost of all products sold.  In the beginning...it's  not a big deal.

About a year into increased theft.....you notice that the weekly rate has doubled.

So you go in and rig up a 7-percent increase in the cost of groceries.

You go and add cameras. You add 7 security guys (adding more expense, so you trigger another 7-percent increase on goods).

More measures are taken.....you add another 1-percent to 3-percent onto the cost.

Then one day, you notice some person claiming intellect and wit....running for president....has said price-controls have to occur.  You add up the woes, weekly pressure, and increasing theft....wondering....how quick could I sell this 'load-of-crap'  grocery before price-controls arrive and destroy my model.

Your nephew 'Micky' comes up....business graduate of some stage university.   He wants to give you advice on how to properly run a grocery.  You eyeball his words....knowing that he has zero insider knowledge on how things work in today's world.  

What happens after November's election?

One of two things....you either keep running a theft-prone business with a ever-increasing pricing scheme, or you fold up because some idiots with no understanding will price-control you out-of-business.  

In the real world.....you opt for a 3rd option....making it a private operation that you can  only enter if you pay for a membership (with a active credit-card).....and agree to a full-up frisk at the end of the shopping experience....promising one-third off from what other groceries are offering.

What's This Election Really About?

 Well....it goes to the 2020 results....where Joe Biden got 81.3 million votes, and Donald Trump got 74.2 million votes. Can such a numbers game be reaccomplished...by Kam and Donald?

In this talk....I'll also point out via third-party activity....they took around 1.8 million votes.

The odd factor?  Combined with the three....there are around 157 million votes.  In the 2016 election...how many voted?  137 million.  Yeah.....there's an odd upswing.  Typically....every four years, you can figure there is a bump-up of five to seven percent.  It's about twice the normal bump-up.

People having left the Trump vote since 2020?  People claim this....but there's  no solid proof.

Switching out from Biden to Harris improving the numbers?  I would suggest that the economic program, current economic woes, migration/immigration problems, and the socialism chatter...are making her campaign less likely to achieve 81 million votes.  

Clean-up of the voting listings?  Well....that adds to lesser votes in general.

All of this chatter affecting the Senate races? That's now an issue as well.  I'd say Ohio, Montana, Nevada, and West Virginia will flip from Democrat to Republican....if the Trump vote stays near or more than 2020.  Arizona in the mix?  Based on polling, I'd say it's 50-50.

I just don't see 157 million votes being achieved in 2024.  A humble guess....at least 10 million votes will disappear, and people will ask....what happened?

Just Seven Observations

 1.  When you go back and look at 'crowds' gathering for Biden campaign stops....there weren't that many people.  

Same trend  holding up for Harris 'crowds' (except that one in Vegas).  But there's various indicators to say that some were 'hired' (meaning.....paid to show).

Selling her extreme version of socialism is tough.

2.  I'll just say it....I think at least three states will have a serious problem in counting and certifying their vote....that they will fail to send Electoral College voters to the mid-December event.  

This will in turn....create a massive lawsuit (into the billions for each state).  

Some discussion in the spring of 2025 will occur over this failure,  and the necessity to punish states in the future if they are unable to carry out their chief function.  

3.  What is this 'Kammunism' stuff?

Some kind of friendly socialism that seems to sell a nifty brand of Venezuela-like that 'might' work in the US.  

4.  If some guy has been talking for three minutes about a topic, and clearly to you....nothing really fits or makes sense...you might want to hit 'mute'.

5.  In case you failed to really watch all the Batman movies....his name comes from the fact that he has a fear of bats.  

6.  Just walking around each day....I have to admit I am now constantly assessing people's IQ levels, and it's now become an obsession. 

7.  Assembling all the war data with the Ukraine and Russia.....I'd say that presently....there will not be a winner in this episode....both lose two decades of economic growth. 

My Observations Over This Price Controls Promise By VP Harris

 1.  Well.....so in the statement, there is no end-point in the Harris plan....it'd just go on and on.

2.  A lot of people have noticed price controls were the way that Venezuela collapsed into crap.

3. Draw a circle within 20  miles....today, you probably have 20 grocery operations (if you are the average American). 

In 2 years, inventory the situation.....at least five to seven grocery units will have closed. Profit is likely to be cited.

4.  Would Costco get some kind of exemption because they aren't a regular grocery?

5. Will this only cover certain products?

6.  Who is the figure running the price controls?

7.  If price controls over groceries are effective....why not price controls over baseball tickets, airline trips, gas, electricity, hardware, whiskey/beer, and even income taxes?

The more I think about price controls....the less I trust the government to effectively run the program.

Capitalism

 I saw this graphic today, and it's been on my mind for a while.

Once about every decade, one will  hear about some guy or gal who escaped off to Cuba or North Korea....or hear some passionate talk how a guy spent six months in Venezuela.

Typically, when you hear some person get all weepy-eyed over the way things are in the US or Europe....they go off the grid....trying to live out in the boonies or in some cabin in Tennessee.  

In their heart, capitalism was the evil-of-evils.

What you tend to notice....these folks dump radio and TV....halt  reading except for Mother Jones material, and isolate themselves from 99-percent of society (talking  briefly to the mail-man).  

The trouble  with this mentality is that you WANT to believe in capitalism being evil and that controls/price-caps can be pushed down.  For example....a regular plain pencil should only be three cents under price-caps....even if it costs five cents to manufacture.  

The $5 shirt price-cap....well....if it costs $5.50 to manufacture....you probably won't make that many.

I bring all of this up because tomorrow....there's supposed to be VP Harris presentation where she insists that inflation will finally come under control when she's President, because there WILL BE price-caps.  Grocery stores will be limited on what they can charge.

How things will work?  In a price-cap world....if it cost $4 to manufacture a box of Cornflakes...with 10-cents to transport it....the typical grocery store sold it (with sales tax) for around $5.00.  Under the cap business....Harris could say the box can't be sold for more than $4.75.  The grocery, the truck-folks, and the maker of the Cornflakes will have a talk and probably cut back production/sales by 50-percent. 

If you weren't happy about this?  Well....you'd escape to Mexico and buy your groceries there....feeling happy about them having your product in full production. 

It is a crazy world we live in, and have to share space with other crazy folks.

The Adventure Game

 I often review the parody 'paper'....the Babylon Bee.  So the newest fake story listed? "Study Finds 100% Of Men Would Immediately Leave Their Desk Job If Asked To Embark Upon A Trans-Antarctic Expedition On A Big Wooden Ship."

The thing about this fake story....it's probably 98-percent true...in that you could engage with 100 guys (over the age of 18), and if you said we could haul up and leave on a wooden ship adventure....most all of us would sign up.

With women?  Fewer than 3-percent (my guess) would sign up for such an adventure.

Element of danger? Oh yeah.

Element of marginal planning?  Yep.

Element of severe consequences?  Yes.

It says a lot about how society has not really advanced in the past hundred years.

Four Things I've Come To Notice

1.  I seem to look around.

People just out of cash and can't pay their credit card bill....so $40,000 lingering there....gaining interest and maybe you make a $50 payment  (10-percent of what you should pay).

People just out of cash and can't pay their monthly mortgage payment.

People just out of cash and can't seem to pay their monthly car payment.

People just out of cash and can't pay on their $3,000 'buy-now-pay-later' situation with the new washer/dryer.  In fact, people might have five or six of these...covering a new freezer....a new TV....a new mega refrigerator. 

People just out of cash and can't seem to pay on their $75,000 student loan.

You lay all of these scenarios out and start trying to talk mortgage companies, financial companies and banks....realizing that there is some 4,000 pound 'guerrilla' in the room....ready to hurt you in a massive way.

All you folks that paid your bills?  Well....here's the problem, your friend with all the debt will just 'enough' and quit....leaving you the mess to clean.  Something big is going to occur in six months, and it'll be something you will remember for the rest of your life.

Yeah, a sort of 1929-like moment.  

2.  There's virtually no one ever given a IQ-test or a general test....for any job in America....to include Congressional or Senate or Presidential positions.

3.  The general first review of profitability for the Olympics met....what they say presently....probably $2-billion (more or less) is lost.  Consequences?  So far....no one says much.  I would imagine everything will be downsized for the next 'show'.

4.  We are probably at the lowest respect level ever....for the police.  Some of it....they did on their own.  Some of the lost respect came due because of stupid prosecutors/judges.  Some came because of stupid laws.

The Biggest BS of 2024 (So Far)

 For about three months, I've been seeing this continual suggestion (at a minor scale)...that there are TWO Joe Bidens.  

Biden #1 is the real Joe Biden and likely having mental issues and failing cognitive skills.

Biden #2 is suggested to exist....look like him....is probably 3-to-4 inches taller than Biden #1.  This Biden seems to function perfectly with cognitive skills.

Putting this BS story to 'rest'?  Well....I've wasted an hour examining the trend in the past month, and will say.....other than the pictures of a height difference....it seems bogus.  

Officially on the books....Joe Biden is 6-foot tall.  No more....no less.  Images of Joe Biden against other individuals who are noted 6-ft tall?  Various videos over the past three months....have show a Joe Biden who seems to be 6'3".  I'll admit the style of walk is just slightly off (not much to really value).

Where would Joe Biden #2 come from?  Unknown.  Maybe the aliens cranked him up out of some 'pod'?  Well....that's about the only way this BS story would make sense.

Joe Biden #2 not as goofy as Joe Biden #1?  Well...yeah, that is one of the issues in this discussion.

How many folks are onto this BS  story?  I would guess that more than a quarter-million folks have noticed this and have some interest.  It's not that folks believe it's true....just that it's odd how height comes and goes.

My best description of the mess?  It'd be like Nancy Pelosi appearing one day looking 16 years younger, with fewer wrinkles....then the next day resorting back to old Nancy Pelosi.  

My final take over this?  Look, if taller Joe Biden #2 seems normal....just stick with that guy, and make Joe Biden #1 (the original) disappear.

How DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) Will End

 Officially, I see it around for another decade...probably in some form until the mid-2030s.  But I'll lay out six things likely to happen...to hasten the disappearance:

1.  At some point, either via a Amtrak accident or a airline crash...the discovery team will eventually find that one single unqualified guy, with no real certifications in the work they did....triggered the accident, and was a DEI hiree.  

This will trigger a massive gov't review of how many people might fit into such a accident, and this lays out five to ten thousand unqualified folks in such jobs.  Overnight, fear of airline safety is drawn as a national problem, and cutting air-travel by 50-percent.

2.  Bob and Marge, parents of Timmy (a 5th grade graduate last month) and Becky (a 8th grade graduate last month) get worried that both appear to be stupid (they can't tell you what a noun or adverb is).   So they arrange a private testing of Timmy and Becky.  The results?  Both are two years behind in grammar, history and science. 

Bob and Marge ask for a principal and teacher meeting (actually the grammar, history and science teachers).  The principal reassures them...no, the kids are OK and normal...simply a bad test.  The three teachers?  They seem pretty marginal, low-IQish, and unqualified).  

Bob and Marge hire a lawyer...suing for $750,000 in damages for each kid.  The school lawyer reassures the board and school....the couple can't win. 

In court, it comes out that the three teachers for each kid.....are DEI-hirees and not that competent in cross-examination.  The judge agrees....handing the $1.5-million in damages to Bob an Marge.

So, here's the thing....in less than six weeks....more than 3,000 parents across this one single state...do the private testing and hire lawyers.  For more than 30 school boards....it basically is bankrupting them...causing an additional property tax to be discussed to keep the DEI folks on....while more people are suing for damages.  

The governor freaks out, and has a 'commission' appointed to figure out the problem....figuring 90 days will cool things off.

Well...the commission comes back and say one out of four teachers hired since 2018...are incompetent.  Then they say no one has the power to release them because of DEI rules.  This only speeds up the process where 50-percent of parents in this state cease participation in public schools, and opt to go private or home-school.  The teachers for the public system?  Several thousand are released because there's not enough students to hold school.

Sadly, the teacher's union can't pay off politicians anymore....because of a lack of funds.

This all triggers a nation-wide crisis.....where colleges start to admit....one-quarter of those in the system....aren't capable of first-year studies and they are recommending a whole year of college be geared to repeat high-school.....meaning you pay for what they didn't teach you.

3.  Department of Defense finally goes in the middle of 2025...asking why there is a manpower crisis for the Air Force, Navy and Army. 

The analysis leads to two issues.  Not enough recruits from high school/college.....present-day officers and enlisted are exiting quickly after the 4th to 6th year.  

Analysis then says....DEI was the BIG problem that most all cited.  

Within a year....virtually all of established DEI standards within the Pentagon....are tossed.

4.  More than 300 companies across the US by the end of 2025....discover that their products....from AC units to washers....aren't being pursued by consumers.  They prefer non-US made hardware.

Why?

Well....after a full year of study....standards of production show fallen quality, with DEI-hired people making substandard equipment.  

Several companies start to dismiss inferior personnel, and openly tag their products....made by NON-DEI personnel, which oddly enough catches on.

5.  An analysis of people with serious college debt problems....comes to show that people who fell behind and can't really pay....have a lot of connections to DEI.  The belief (whether true or not)...is that DEI personnel can't find success, even with a degree.

This triggers the federal gov't to opt out of all college loans.

6.  A private study examines the on-camera news people for CNN.....mostly appear to be DEI-hirees, and the study will show that people watching CNN....generally don't believe the stories told to them by the DEI people.  CNN goes to a new strategy.....to train viewers...'you-must-trust-us-even-with-DEI-people'.  This tactic fails miserably.

Around 2100....there's a national fascination over how DEI arrived, was carried out, and miserably failed.  No one can understand why you'd hire people unfit for the work required.  

Ten Things That Have Been On My Mind

 1.  The answer to government-created problems....is it best to create MORE gov't oversight/regulation?

2.  How much whoring-up did Kam Harris get into during the 1980s....or does it really not matter? (If she screwed around 500 guys....would it bother you)

3.  For all those idiots who say they just want to fix inflation or over-priced groceries....HOW exactly do they intend to do that?

4.  Does VP Harris have some southern drawl that comes up occasionally in speeches?

5.  You to notice these days....uttering 'freedom' starts to trigger some folks to think you are right-wing.  Even if you utter 'free-tea'.....just the word 'free' might be enough.

6.  People that utter 'they feel vibes' on something....might be a low IQ situation and it's really just gas from the taco they ate last night.

7.  Orwell quote from '1984': "It was always the women, and above all the young ones, who were the most bigoted adherents of the Party, the swallowers of slogans, the amateur spies and nosers−out of unorthodoxy.”

8.  The UK health system is so screwed up....that when a guy is supposed to have a x-ray done....the rules state that the nurse/doctor....has to ask if the guy is pregnant

9.  The 1970s biggest boy's school bathroom dilemma....trying to get them to wash their hands after using it.

The 2020s biggest boy's school bathroom dilemma....trying to convince them not to destroy the tampon dispenser in the boy's room.

10.  You ever noticed....you could ask a pretty simple question that a 10-year-old kid could answer in 3 sentences....while you pose the same question to Joe Biden or any of 100 DC politicians....it takes 12 sentences and makes no sense?  

What Is This Tim Walz National Guard Thing Really About?

 In a Nat'l Guard unit....you have x-number of billets with rank attached.  You don't move up in this unit....unless a empty billet of superior rank exists.  So you wait.

Walz had made it to E8.  

The one single E9 position in the unit?  It came open, and with time in rank/service and points...he was offered the rank. 

So here's the hard part....you can't clear the rank for retirement purposes, unless you have two years of service.  If you had 23 months of E9 service and opt'ed out?  You retire at E8 (probably a $4k a year difference).

So Tim took the rank...put the stripe on, and shortly after this point.....word came down to the unit....they would deploy in roughly a year.  

Tim had this odd goal....running for office, and with the previous situation....he'd have plenty of free time to run.  If he deployed with the unit....zero free time.

Tim prioritized things and said enough...turning the papers in and retiring at what he originally figured was E9 level.  

The Nat'l Guard unit filled the seat....deployed to the war-zone, and bitter feelings within the unit existed over how he did this.

As time passed....some Army audit occurred, and established the fact that the two-year phase had not been accomplished....so the rank-retired...reverted to E8.  

Perhaps an honest mistake, or a judgement error by the commander....anyone's guess.

If you asked around, I would suggest at least forty cases like this per year....where the Guard person has established some goal of running for office (maybe as a sheriff or as a governor), and they opt-out to enter the race because they can't go and pull a full-year somewhere.  

As for a morale case here?  For the most part, I'd say with judgement over his past behavior....the unit was pretty lucky in not having him there in the war-zone, and just leave the mess on the table....as is.

One last footnote.....such a full-year deployment would have ruined his yearly trips to China.  

'Ladies and Gentlemen'

 Delta Airlines came out this past week....saying in any announcement you might hear over the intercom or in the plane....the term 'ladies and gentlemen' will NOT be uttered.

I paused over this.

To be honest, it doesn't really bother me.

I mean....you could replace it with 80 different phrases.

You could just replace it with 'Citizens, listen' or 'People, listen'.

How far will this go?  Well....they didn't really say the full extent.

But then this question comes up in my mind.....this had to come from the Board, and I'm just wondering....is this the only matter brewing?  Or does the Board have more changes in its mind?

What Really Happened With the 'Crash' Business?

 Around 30 years ago....some Japanese folks discovered that you could go and borrow money for a very cheap rate (less than 1-percent for a year).  So they got this idea....you go and borrow $10,000 (in relationship of the Yen to the dollar).  It could be more, but I'm just showing an example.

Once the loan is approved....you take the Yen and buy dollars.  You then buy $10k of US Treasury Bonds for a year....getting roughly 5.5-percent gain.  You sell, transfer back the dollars to Yen, then pay for the cheap loan.  You basically clear 5-percent....on a 'free-deal'.  

I'm not saying this was a perfect deal...just that it was a cheap loan and easily made 5-percent.

You can imagine a guy taking $100,000 loan and making $5,000 profit.  Or taking a one-million dollar loan, and clearing $50,000 profit.

So last week....the problem occurred....the Yen to dollar rate rippled in a mess.  So when you sold the treasury bond and had the $500 profit (assuming $10k relationship)....you needed to find a minimum of $2000 to make up for the loss of value (dollar to Yen).  

The more you borrowed....the bigger the debt.  So some of these guys were looking for $100k to $200k of cash 'somewhere'.  

Where they took it from?  Well....their portfolio or their Bitcoin account (yeah that dropped harshly as well).

This cause a huge market collapse on stock prices.

Fixing this via a 3/4 fed point point deal?  Why.....it has nothing to do with the Wall Street guys.  But the fed appears to be headed this way.

Two drops in the Fed point rate?  Why?  

Did some people see this coming?  I'm not convinced they saw the Yen-Dollar rate problem.  Most expect a US bank problem, but later in the year.  

How many Japanese folks were screwing around with the cheap loans?  Unknown....that would be interesting to know.

Eight Things You Should Have Memorized By Age Ten

 1.  In a lightning storm....don't stand under a tree...find cover.

2.  If a teacher seems 'dimmer' than the dumbest kid in the class....mute everything the idiot says.

3.  If you've watched every episode of Bonanza....you probably have all the morals in life that you need. Hoss, Adam, Ben and Little Joe....taught you what you need to know.

4.  Never pay a premium price for crappy beer or food.

5.  Trailer-park life is a temporary stage....you shouldn't still be there at age 20.

6.  If your school buddy cheats weekly on tests....pretty good odds by age 20....he's a failure and lounging in dad's garage.

7.  There's no road-map for success in life.  

8.  You probably learned the bulk of your knowledge in life....somewhere between the 7th and 9th grade.  The last three years were just a chilling-out period.

Do I Think Much Of Crime In My Little Village Of Germany?

 I live about 5 km away from the Rhine River....in a quiet village of 4,000 resident on the outer-ring of the metro-city (285,000 residents).

So in the past ten years of living here:

1.  The ATM machine (two banks in the village) was blown up like at 3 AM.  Guys got away, but I doubt if they got more than 30,000 Euro in the effort.  The building?  Heavily damaged but repaired.  I'm guessing insurance paid near 200k Euro for the ATM machine and damages.  

2.  The Post Office robbed at 4:55 PM one day....right before they closed.  Armed guy.....he probably walked out with 5k Euro in cash.

3.  The village averaged one stolen car a decade....then around seven years ago....we had like eight cars stolen in a six-month period.  The renter's girl-friend in the house?  Her 8-year old Audi station was one of those stolen.  Since that period....we've gone back to the one car per decade.

4.  We had some village gal (in her 40s)....got up early on a week-day (2 years ago).  She intended to catch the 5:30 AM bus to work in the city.  Walks out the door, and 2 minutes later on the way to the bus-stop.....guy appears (young guy)....grabs the purse and intends to take it.  She fights him off.....struggle apparently going for 30 seconds, and she refuses to let go.  He finally runs off.

There's not a week that passes that I don't browse the Wiesbaden police blotter, and there's probably 20 lines of text over bad-boy situations for the week.

Over-hyped on this business?  Well....I had this mindset of the 1980s of old West Germany in my mind....where you could walk anywhere and feel 98-percent safe.  Today?  I'm a bit more mindful of the landscape and what's going on.  Yeah, I'm browsing and being more vigilant than I used to be.

Things That VP Harris Needs To Do If She Intends To Win

1.  Whatever anxiety-medication she is taking....dump it ASAP.  

2.  Set up a platform with a dozen clear agenda items, and have five lines of text memorized for each.  Don't......under ANY circumstances.....ad-lib.

3.  Just go ahead and admit....the whole decade after college....you 'whored-around'.  Admit you might have done 500 guys and it was just a wild era in the 1980s.

4.  Dump Bidenonomics.  Invent Kam-nomics.  Explain the whole concept in three minutes flat.  Doesn't matter if it's a total failure....you need to have something to replace Joe's program.

5.  If you marginally can carry a debate....don't debate, under any circumstances. 

This Odd Thing About Diversity, Equity And Inclusion

 In a lot of companies and educational organizations today....it's hyped-up about DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion).

Yet, when you say that so-and-so was hired under the 'umbrella' of diversity, equity and inclusion....folks seem to get disturbed and upset.

I paused over this dilemma.  It's just odd.

You go out and hire four new employees for the company, with stringent rules in place...forcing you to use DEI-thinking, and a month after you hire the four....you quietly say in some talk with management that they were DEI-hirees. 

People get disturbed.  Logic?

Well....it seems like you are saying that DEI-hirees are lesser people, and you wouldn't have hired them under normal non-DEI conditions.

This naturally triggers people into being defensive....that if you utter this guy or gal was a DEI-hiree....they just aren't as capable as others.

But the more you pause over this and think about it....that is true design of DEI....you brought a lesser candidate into the company.  Maybe they will eventually improve....maybe you wake up in six years to realize that the person was a zero-fit for the organization and you really screwed up. 

Would you use DEI to select a New York Yankees team?  Well....NO.  There's money and the fan-base...on the line.

Would you use DEI to select astronauts?  I kinda doubt it.

Would you use DEI to choose the head idiot of the Star Wars studio? Maybe, but I might end up some crappy story where Luke Skywalker's son is a transwoman, and some Wookie has taken up a relationship with the 'gal'.  In this storyline with DEI elements....you actually appreciate the clone of Darth Vader killing off a bunch of characters. 

Would you use DEI to select a President?  Well....maybe it'd work, but mostly because you have forty people around them who make up for all the weak points, and you (the President) just promote yourself as the acting-President....when it's six to ten folks who really carry out the function of the Presidency. 

Just something to think about.

Just A Humble View

 

I saw this story a couple of days ago and it's been on my mind. 

It's just odd....first counter-sniper deployment for a Trump event.  First time that CNN covers a Trump event live.  

I imagine if I sat down and wrote a full analytical report....there would be around seventy ODD-things connected to this 13 July event.

It'd be like baling hay....some lightning storm coming up....lightning striking the barn....having a drugged-up lady drive up to chat while hauling hay in a state of undress....a snake trying to strike you while picking up a bale....having a Jesus-is-my-savior guy stop to preach on this being judgement-day....and suddenly you have a heart-attack on the final bale moved into the barn.

Seven Observations

 1.  For the past couple of years, through various banks...there were short-term CD accounts (1-month, an 3-month).  Well...in the past two weeks....those have virtually disappeared, and if you were chatting to a bank over 6-month or 12-month deals....they've dropped about half-a-point....being just at 4.95 usually.

Indicator of something?  Just guessing....banks are sensing something will occur before the end of 2024.  And I don't think it's a happy or positive thing.

2.  This past week's effort...."White Dudes For Harris" zoom session? 

Listening to the chatter, and after hitting mute about 15 minutes into it....it just seemed to me to be some intellectual white KKK-like group.  Just seemed odd....they were in the past....all low-IQ working class guys.  

3.  Someone has decided that we need a movie about Brittney Spears.  Just shaking my head.

4.  The Green 'Power-Ranger'.....arrested this week for assault on some Idaho guy.

5.  If you really wanted to fix the Supreme Court....there ought to be 50 members....each from their own state, and appointed by the state system....leaving the President, the House, and Senate out of the selection process.  Each case that comes up....do a random selection process to haul in seven folks and one sub.  

6.  There is a time and place for drag shows, and if you want to pay $12 for a beer and one-hour of drag stuff at the VFW hall...fine.  Beyond that....thinking you'd want drag entertainment for a NFL half-time show, or some Olympics show, or a Presidential-share-a-chat show....no, it doesn't work.

7.  Just odd....Berkshire Hathaway has apparently dumped more shares this quarter than any other quarter in its entire history.  Something done with the cash?  Well....NO.  They seem to be sitting and waiting.

Yeah, there's a crash coming....probably in the last quarter of 2024.   

So Imagine You Were A SF Junkie Now

 The cops come up with some sanitation guy and they start to dismantle your tent.  You argue....'what-the-hell'.

The cop has a 12-line sheet as he reads off the mayor's order.  In simple terms, you have two choices....accept a city-run facility with drug-rehab or mental-health-mandated care...OR you accept a bus-ticket to any town in America.

Depending on the time of day and how drugged-up you were......you are trying to comprehend the 'deal' offered.

You figure.....well....they aren't serious.  So you back out on the street....beg off another tent and some gear from another fake charity operation, and pitch the tent 12 blocks away from the last location.

A week goes by, and the same cop comes up with another sanitation truck crew...confiscating this tent and gear.....offering you the same deal again.

You might be drugged-up enough to repeat the new tent strategy one more time.

So around the 3rd or 4th time....you finally figure out....you have to take deal one or deal two.

A true junkie would never consider drug-rehab.  So you opt for the ticket.  Where do you go?  Well...out of a hundred folks....I would make this guess.

Sixty-percent will go to LA.  Twenty-percent will select either Portland or Seattle (mostly because of the open-drug mentality or nice weather).  Ten-percent might just ask for a cab-ride over to Oakland and try to stay local.  The rest?  They might try to resettle back east....maybe DC, NY City, Philly, or Chicago.

In the old wrestling world....there was always a once-a-year event where Junkyard-Dog or Tommy Rich would agree to some 'loser-must-leave-town' script and disappeared for two or three months....then reappeared with a mask...pretending to be the 'Masked-Avenger'.  This SF gimmick reminds me of that era.

All of this being done too late to really fix/cure SF?  Well...that's my end-analysis.  I think this should have been done in 2010.  So the billions wasted in SF over 20 years....setting the city deep into a Detroit-path?  Yeah.    

Malapropism Chatter

 I had to look up the word 'malapropism' today....thought I'd share this insight.

So....malapropism is a word-problem. 

You sit there....watching TV, or listening to the radio, or watching some intellectual talk over something, and they utter some word, phrase, or term....that is unintentionally comic in nature.

It'd be like you uttering: "We need a escape-goat to blame."  The true phrase that you meant...."We need a scapegoat to blame."

What I've tended to notice....once this was laid out...there are just people walking around who are WIRED in some way to talk a lot, and misspeak often with malapropism in the middle of things.  

If you watch CNN or listen to NPR a good bit....you will pick up on this issue.  The people you notice....they do it over and over.  It doesn't make them stupid or less intelligent....just you (the listener) sit there and in the middle of some 'talk'.....you ask yourself....'what the hell did she mean'.  

In some cases, you probably even get your mind 'reset'....to mute the malapropism moments and just pretend it didn't occur.

Just an humble observation.

Just Something To Think About

 After Lee H. Oswald was arrested at the theater (suspicion of shooting the police officer, not JFK).....he was tested with the paraffin test....to see if he had traces gun-powder on himself.  

Hands?  Positive.

Cheeks?  Negative.

So he probably did fire the pistol at Officer Tippit.....killing him. 

And no, he didn't fire the rifle at the book depository.

Yeah, this one single fact remains conclusive....sixty years later.

The only thing you should wonder about?  Why Oswald didn't enter the car with Tippit, and why Tippit had to be eliminated.  

It's Not Really Trump Who Is The 'Threat'

 Once upon a time, Elon Musk came along, and toyed with the idea of buying Twitter.  Back and forth he went....eventually buying them.  Days later....he then resolved himself into a corner....that the majority of people working at Twitter had much of a function.  Couple of weeks later....Elon finally relieved 80-percent of the work-force.  

Relieve is a pleasant word.....you could just say that this 80-percent crowd (6,500 folks roughly)....really weren't doing anything productive, and he was doing a good thing in helping them find productive work (elsewhere).

In this once upon a time story....Elon and President Trump have apparently had a talk.  There's this element brewing.....Trump would like for Elon to come and be part of a 'commission'....to Twitter-rize the US federal government.  Basically....to help dismiss people and positions....that have no function.

Where before....it was mostly the Department of Education and FBI that had to worry about Trump winning and downsizing them.....every single agency now has something to worry about.

How big a mess could Elon create?  Well....it's possible that he might look at the US military and ask why the active duty Army needs x-number of troops....when you could shift 50-percent to the Reserves, and cut one-third of the total Army budget.

Elon might wander into the DEA building and the ATF building....grasping that they are both just plain law enforcement, and should be one single agency....gutting one-third of their total man-power.

State Department?  CIA?  National Park Service?  IRS?

Yeah, it would seem to me that they all might grasping now the true threat of Trump....really isn't Trump himself, but the act of hiring Elon for two years....to downsize the entire US government and cut the budget by a significant number. 

Senators and Congressmen standing in the way....to protect 'sacred-cows'?  Well....yeah, this might be an issue.  

For some reason, this might be interesting to watch unfold. 

Talk BS

 The Babylon Bee put up a parody story today: "As Kamala Campaigns, Nation Starting To Miss The Clarity And Coherence Of Joe Biden."

I was amused by the slant of the story.

To be honest....back in the summer of 2021...I came to view the speeches by President to be constructed in the way to influence mostly12-year-old 'kids'.  If you were an adult....you evolved over a six-month period to mostly tuning out or muting the speech by President Biden.

Around the same era, even these 'chats' by VP Harris were going the same way.  When she did have some one-on-one 'talk'....it just felt like you had two juveniles at a bus-stop....talking over a subject that was beyond the comprehension of both individuals.

A state of 'stupid'?  Well....it just begs the question....where are the people who can sit at the 'big-boy' table and have a college-level chat?  I don't want a talk over economics....where the lead person seems mostly like someone who huffed-up a good bit of glue, or they've consumed eights shots of whiskey.

The few times over 2023 and 2024 that Joe seemed competent?  It's like every 12th 'talk' or 'chat'....he had that lucid moment where he said stuff that made sense.

My final observation?  If you can't get competent chatter out of either Harris or Biden....the news media ought to cut 95-percent of the chatter, and just find some New York Yankees pitcher to interview over curveballs.  

Dennys Story

 NY Post put up an article...on Dennys.  So the regular breakfast platter....which I remember around 2012....being near $9....is priced at $18 (figure over $20 with tax).

I sat and looked at the image....some eggs, 2 x pancakes, and a sausage or two.  Coffee?  I think that's separate.

Back in the 1990s?  Well....it would have been around $6.50.

Where I expect the platter to be by 2030?  Probably up towards $30, with coffee and tax....probably $35.  

Priced out of my league?  Well...I'm probably still 'game' for once or twice a week.  But it's heading to the point where I'd have to limit myself.  

Just Things I Notice In My Older Age

 1.  About one-third of folks just shouldn't be public figures,  political types, or journalists....because they can't concentrate enough to say a very limited amount of words.  

2.  I think 70-percent of people between ages 18 and 30....aren't on a budget, and just accidentally still have money left at the end of the month.

3.  Sometimes....just two lines of text is enough to send a message.

4.  The median age of a Fox News viewer is 69.  Just begs the question.....is this the only channel at old-folks homes?

5.  It just seems like people are getting more into fragility....as they age.  I'm mostly the opposite....my hard-ass nature has doubled since age 60.

6.  The whole selling point to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI)?  Basically, you get 'programmed' in some way to accept lesser people (qualification-wise) in positions.

So you walk into a bank and find that the teller can't give you any competent feeling over your money.  Or you walk into a pharmacy and ask a technical question....with the bachelor-degree pharmacist unable to answer.  Or you go to a mechanic....who doesn't seem to know much about cars.  So the DEI  program is there to teach you to accept this fact and not challenge the fact that society is getting more stupid.

7. There is just nothing wrong in being arrogant or an ass-hole...after age 65.

8.  It just seems like a lot  of people want to talk about and share their distress.  I'd offer the advice....try to give them 60 seconds of free time to talk over this....then settle up the 'score' and tell them times were tough in the 1970s....people didn't seem to whine much in those years.

9.  There's about 500,000 man-hours being spent by political hacks, Senators, House members and their staffs....yearly....which leads you down of path of marginal accomplishments.  

Q-and-A

 1.  This chatter of the Fed bringing down the 'rate'?

Well....based on talk yesterday, I'd say in early October.....it's going down 1-full point (currently at 6.86-percent).  So the new rate in mid-Oct?  Around 5.6-percent is my bet.

Does it really change much of anything?  No.  If I were shopping for a home, and I did have 30-percent for the down-payment.....then maybe it's time to quickly move.  If I don't have 30-percent for the down-payment...then NO, just keep saving.

Oh, and what happens in January?  It'll go a full-point up (back to 6.8-percent, and another half-point by March.

2.  Did DA Harris, in her days as the SF prosecutor, rig up various deals for guy who beat their girlfriends or wives?

Well....yeah, there's a fair amount of history where she made deals.

3.  All these white-men and white-women groups for Kam?

I'll just say that it resembles junior-league KKK stuff, and leave it at that.

4.  Biden-team members likely leaving by the election?

I'm just speculating here, but I think every other week....one or two big-name folks announce that they are moving on.

5.  Boeing CEO gone?

Yeah.

6.  The border-crisis and migration moving down in terms of Presidential-race priorities?

NO.  By the time you add up chaos in Chicago, crime around the nation relating to migrants, assaults' by migrant, and drug activity....both President Biden and candidate Harris are in a mess.  Trying to say that abortion or anything else rates as the top priority for the election...simply doesn't work.