Just Observations

 1.  On the $40-billion to Ukraine deal?

Here's the thing....that basically pays for an offensive against Russia, which probably carries the marginalized Russia to a end-point.....where they aren't much of a threat to anyone....for one entire generation (40 years).

Imagine a sick Putin who probably has 12 months of life left....this dismantling of Russia might be good thing (I'd give it a 7-in-10 chance of occurring).  With no trades likely to occur with Russia and anyone from the west....their GDP will drop like a rock.  They will be unable to replace depleted military equipment and demand of the Oligarch folks for Russians to sacrifice to rebuild the infrastructure.....will trigger an internal civil conflict.

While this is going on, with nothing much to sell in Russia.....I see China in a world of economic hurt.  

So, in three years.....we could probably cut 30-percent of our military budget because both of our 'enemies' are NOT capable of conducting military operations.  

So for me....it's not a waste of money.  It's a remarkable moment where you dissolve a fake super-power....down to the status of....well...Belgium.     

Now.....will Hunter or a bunch of DC lobbyists get $300 million of the $40-billion?  The odds are yes, unless you build an audit into the deal, which is what Senator Paul is suggesting.  

2.  This chatter about fake accounts on Twitter harming the Elon deal?

Well....Twitter admits it's around five percent or less of total accounts which are fake.  Elon says....what?  

Stock price at $45 but there's some rumor of a drop coming out of this situation (figure $3 minimum).  If anything....Elon might say, you know.....I'm cutting my offer by $3-billion.  

The key thing is....how long have they known the fake accounts existed in this number.

3.  My gut feeling on all this trans surgical stuff for kids under 18?

Any day now.....some kid is going to demand the right to enter a school with a ninja-sword, or wearing a Nazi-SS officer uniform, or wearing barbwire around his head.  

Reaction by the 'lets-do-it' crowd?  Nothing wrong.....let them do it.

A month or two will pass, and the next round occurs....some 13-year old kid who wants to marry two other 13-year-old kids (legally), or kids eating raw liver as a snack in class, or kids refusing to use the school toilet---just doing their thing in the parking lot, or kids having demon-fits in the middle of class.

The question is....just where will you finally draw a line.