DC and Robo-Taxis?

 It came up this week in DC....that some company is asking for permission to run robo-taxi service.

Naturally, there is a pro-robo group and anti-rob group.

My bet?  The city council will assign some commission and try to delay it....maybe for several years.  

Odd factor?  Well....they are only asking for DC permission....not Virginia or Maryland.  So if you tasked robo to serve you....it's only to get from one part of DC....to another part.

People entering....having to show a credit card?  Yeah, that's probably part of the story....NO cash.

Gen-Z Folks Exiting California?

Well....yes.  I read through several items this week, and the key one....Census-based data....show California Gen-Zers are exiting the state.

This goes to a LendingTree analysis of 2024 American Community Survey data....saying around 58,109 Gen Z adults (roughly ages 18–27 that year)....left.  Most going to Texas.

Trigger?  Affordability....they can't afford housing in California.

Then taxes got brought up.

Finally....job opportunities.

This brings me to a odd pondering....would there be a need to have a Gen-Z category (Westies for California Zers) and Tex-ers (for Texas Zers)?  I have this odd feeling that the two groups will not be of the same Z-mentality.

I Voted This Past Week

 Absentee......of course.  Things worked as advertised....Alabama has a pretty simple method.  

So toward the end....came ballot measures, and it got pretty crazy.  There are two odd measures listed.

First being....if you vote 'yes'....the state gives each board (of each county) the power to require the Pledge of Allegiance to start the school-day.  

The second being....if you vote 'yes'....the state gives each board (of each county) to 'sing' the National Anthem. 

I paused over both.

Probably up to the fifth grade (1960s)....my rural Alabama school had a prayer and the Pledge.  That kinda went away by the 6th grade.

If you went up to individual adults (over the age of 40)....probably two-thirds of Alabama folks would say the Pledge should be mandated.  Oddly, if you ask about NPR-listening or CNN-viewing....probably 90-percent of folks are likely anti-Pledge and anti-Anthem.

I'm mostly anti-singing (in-general).....not against the Anthem itself.  It'd be the same if you asked me to sing some Johnny Cash tune, or Achy Breaky Heart.  If someone has a voice....fine.  But the majority of folks....even at age 12....can't sing.

Where this is going to lead onto?  I think the Pledge agenda will pass (maybe 60-40)....but most school boards will simply require it cited once a week.  The Anthem business?  I don't think it will pass (45-55).

Five Observations

 1.  Part of this buy-Russian-diesel story....relates to massive negativity about US refinery operations (lessening numbers), and Russia doesn't have this problem.  

2.  Anthropic (the AI folks) have said rogue AI agents tried to gain access to US government sites.  Access?  Meaning they tried to fill out a page?

3.  My thoughts on the Fort Hood shooter execution being public?  If you meant just you could be at the site and watch....no problem.  Televised?  I'm not sure it accomplishes much of anything.  You end up with some nutcase-Muslim-guy in a wheel-chair....uttering 'Allah-Akbar' over and over....then shot dead.  To be honest....he should have been executed at least ten years ago....delaying it was crap.

4. This week....Warren Buffett gave a talk....he believes we’re living in a golden age, even if many people don’t grasp it.  Everything, from travel to food....to banking and clothing....all better than it was 150 years ago.  

Then Buffett spoke up.....that human nature makes us focus on what’s wrong, and politics often amplifies that dissatisfaction.  He has a valid point.

5.  I watch about 30 min of Caleb Hammer's podcast per week....financial wiz who takes apart people's screw-up's.  In most cases....I'd say the IQ level of folks on his podcast....are 80 to 90, and some bank or financial institution was stupid enough to loan them $100,000.  

My Talarico-Missing Theory

 I think the Texas candidate got stressed out, and some buddy/doctor....gave him some anxiety medication...which reacted a fairly negative way.  A day or two passed....getting him cleaned-up, and offered up a different medication....which went badly as well.

Hurting his campaign to 'disappear'?  Hardcore Dem's will say no way.

Five Observations

 1.  You starting to notice 14,000 models of hurricane movement?  It seems like every single weather guy has his/her own modeling crap.  

2.  Iran says....they have super-secret voice recordings of Trump....begging for peace.  AI-productions?  Probably.  But this would only get Trump hyped-up....to produce AI-productions of the Mullahs on drugs, talking BS, or chatty over gay-stuff.

3.  Single day admission to Disney-World?  $229....per adult....per day.  Toss in food/beverages....probably another $150 for the day.  What couple would go and spend that kind of money?

4.  If the Ala-Geo football game is played on Saturday?  Based on wind....it's a runner's game.

5.  There's roughly 1.1 residents in America....listed under ObamaCare programs....without social security numbers.  The gov't here in 2026....eliminated the group deal.

Poverty-Enthusiasts

 Over the past ten years, I've come to notice a fair number of politicians/activists/propagandists....who openly brag in some way of having grown up in poverty (sometimes trying to give you the impression of ultra-poverty (if there was such a thing)).  

My German wife reached a point last year...where she suggested I was overly-chatty on growing up in Alabama (1960s/1970s) poverty.

Popular hype now?  I would imagine that thirty-percent of Americans...over the age of fifty....claim some type of poverty.  Some elements might be true.....but it's about half-way fraudulent in nature.

People who bought coffee in the 1970s...probably paid a quarter at best....while today, they stop at some premium shop to pay $4.75 for a XXL-cup of marginal premium coffee.  

Some people will relate how they used to go to the theater....with $7 to get a ticket, medium-Coke, and small pop-corn....while today, they pay around $25 for the same experience.

Some former military folks will openly brag of the days at the enlisted club....$1-pitchers-of-beer on Friday after work....while the same pitcher today....would be $5.99. 

This all brings me to wonder.....the folks who grew in the 1920s/1930s....were they ultra-ultra poverty enthusiasts?