Fake Protests?

 There's supposed to be a anti-Elon and anti-DOGE protest in DC this week, and it came out yesterday.....they could not get enough unpaid protesters to show....so they are paying them.

Going rate in DC?  Forty dollars an hour.  I assume....four to five hours a day....so you could collect $250 per day. 

Who has the cash?  Unknown.  I watched one interview....journalist asking pay-scale, and the response.  (Here)

Three days of pay?  Yeah....by Friday....the guy will have cleared in the range of $750 to $1000.  Reported  to IRS? I doubt it.

Could you make this a profession? Well....you'd have to line up weekly protests.  I guess you could clear $8k a year....if you were hooked up to five or six organizations.

The problem here...CBS,  NPR, and CNN have film-footage from the protest, and act like the fifty-odd folks there  are true-blue protest folks....when really....they were paid.  News value?  Well....I'd say zero.

Five Conspiracy Theories That I'm Starting To Wonder About

 1.Is Epstein dead?  This was the biggest 'help' in decades for Mossad, and they would not allow him to pass on.....so  I suspect a made-up fake-Epstein died in the cell.

2.  Is the real Ghislane Maxwell in a federal pen?  I'm starting to question that she'd be stupid enough to be found in Bradford, NH.  

3.  Tren de Aragua gang members.....I'm beginning to wonder if political donations to various prosecutors/sheriffs....are allowing them to freely 'operate'

4.  I'm beginning to wonder....if 99-percent of Joe Biden's signatures were done by auto-pen....starting from day ONE.  If true....nothing is legit.

5.   I suspect this Crooks-kid (the first Trump shooter)....will eventually lead back to a Ukrainian operative.  Just a wild-crazy thought.

How A NGO Works

 You wake up and decide that you want to make  fantastic sums of money, with no risks.

So you write down a plan to have a sanctuary for elephants...quantity of five (Marcel, Woody,  Helga, Pinky and Wanda).  You write the paperwork to show they are residing in South Africa.   You get a picture of five regular elephants, with some helper-guys.

Then you create a name for the 'charity' ('Greater-Good' is a decent name).  You bundle up $5k as a political donation to some House Democrat.  You tell him that you need a USAID package....mostly for $3-Million in 'loot'. 

In clear conversation....you let him/her know that of the $3-Million.....at least 10-percent of the 'loot' will funnel back to him in Act-Blue donations over the next year.  

You set up a bank account in South Africa.  You put some 'elephant-helper' down as as the chief....paying them for a side-hustle. 

You apply to USAID with the paperwork, and the $3-Million arrives.  You slide $300k toward Act-Blue for your 'sponsor', and you convert the remaining $2.7-Million and turn it into BitCoin....then fly into the Bahamas....converting it into cash.  

If anyone ever asks....just say your five elephants were kidnapped by some tribe, and you spent the money on a elephant-detective.  

A Fraud Story

 This AM....I was going through at least 300-odd stories, and this popped-up.

DOGE says....the found this bundle of loans....adding up to $312 million, from the US loans during the COVID pandemic....involving 'kids'.

What did they mean by kids?  Well....11 years old or younger (when the issuance was done).

Who approved this crap?  The Small Business Association (SBA).

How many total?  They figure around 5,600 loans (2020/2021).

Lacking These loans, distributed in 2020 and 2021 amid the global COVID-19 crisis, lacking documentation.

What happens?  I'm guessing 'dad' ('Uncle Elon) will send out some folks, and 'Wanda', 'George', and 'Micky' will end up with a fed guy at the front door.

Kid's age now?  All of  these were 11 or younger......so it's possible that they might only be 12 or 13 years old at this point.

The average here?  Well....'Micky' probably borrowed around $55,000....assuming each was in the same level.

What may have happened?  I would suggest one of three scenarios:

1.  'Micky' has no idea what happened, and his dad submitted the paperwork under 'Micky's' name. In that case.....dad has to cough up the $55k or go off for a year of fed-prison time.

2.  Wanda saw what dad did....to get $200,000 for his business....got up at 2AM, and filled out the same paperwork, and got a check from 'Daddy-Joe' then spent the $55k on Barbie stuff.

3.  Hector (from Nicaragua) got some data....did a fake request, and got the check himself for $55k.  

The worst scenario?  You discover that a whole class of 10-year old kids (twenty-four of them) had this as a class project to just learn how to fill  out forms, and then actually submitted them....each getting $55,000 two months later.

You might want to note.....this is ONLY for people under the age of eleven.  There's a second Elon group....12-to-18....which they are working on, and it could be a bigger deal.

The 20-Percent Story

Over the weekend, I read through a US Army story.....where they did the analysis, and agree....over 2024....they have an issue where 20-percent of recruits signed up and in the Army....end-up leaving/exiting by the  2-year point (way ahead of the contract).

Reason?  They avoided discussing this part of the story....it's  purely a numbers issue and story.

If  I were to speculate?  Since 2020....the Army had to lighten  the standards....to get people to sign up.  So they changed the dynamics.

You could have past drug issues....saying you were cleaned up.  You could have a lesser IQ, and they'd accept that.  You could have fitness issues or serious weight issues....they'd waiver that. 

I read a 'rant' about a year ago....from some Army NCO....where he'd had to paperwork two individuals for release.  One had behavioral issues....not able to work as a team-member (questioning authority).....the other had IQ-type issues (reading and comprehension was below what the Army could handle). The 'rant' touched on the man-hours involved, and that the Army had wasted hundreds of man-hours to get them through boot-camp and some type of occupational training. 

A trend that could harm the Army in the end?  Well....you would think they'd learn from the trend, and go back to recruitment....adding a test or two....to avoid problems.

But this brings me to the non-Army world....where you run a grocery, or handle HR for Wal-Mart, or hire young folks for a tire-shop.  Are you likely getting 20-percent of potential failures as well? 

And if the national trend is to produce 20-percent 'losers'....what does it say about the future of the US, and it's work-force? 

List of Things

 1.  The last Canadian thing I bought?

Some Canadian-produced maple syrup in 2017.  It was overly expensive, and I still have the bottle on the shelf (half-full)....used for only special waffles.

2.  Three movies I can watch over and over?

Along Came Jones, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad World, and North By Northwest.

3.  The amount of patience I have to sit in a Baptist church sermon?

About eight minutes worth, 

4.  My trust in watching/believing Fox News?

Over a one-hour period....I probably will hit mute at least five times (minimum of two minutes at a whack).

5.  Times in 2024 that I drunk a Coke-Cola?

Three. Back in 1979.....it would have been in the 400-range.  

6.  My immediate reaction when some political figure turns on a fake southern accent? 

I mute the rest of their talk, and generally distrust the person on a permanent basis.

7.  If I were in charge of day-light savings-time?

I'd end it.  If you have some hankering to keep it....add it to LGTBQ-DLS and let people know that you not only need special pronoun 'help'....but time 'help' as well.

8.  Minutes of Alex Jones prior to 2020 yearly?

Maybe 60 total, per year.  In the past month....maybe 100 minutes per week.

9.  Number of episodes of SWAT I've watched since 2017 (8 seasons)?

One.  Also the number for Baywatch.

10.  My interest in watching NFL games?  

Zero....it's been that way since 2012.

11.  My philosophy over UFOs with flashing lights?

No stupid alien would add disco-lights to his craft.....just more things to break.  So it's a fake UFO.

Something I Noticed

 Wall Street Journal piece....brief, but their 'fact'....somehow, the Biden folks running the FHA mortgage program added a regulation of some type....which gave you as a bad-off home-owner with a loan situation you couldn't pay....'relief'.

So the Trump folks stumbled into this in the past month.

Number of people who should have defaulted and failed?  One-million roughly from day one, to the general end of Covid..

This went on as Covid-help, and as Covid ended....the 'help' continued on.  The figure presently discussed (2025)?  300,000 (more or less).

Broken down state-by-state?  No....and that was something that I think would help people better understand.  I suspect (no evidence)....that it's mostly larger metro-areas where this is noted.

Fixing this?  No one has interviewed the Trump folks on how this is going to evolve now.

Things I Now Believe Will Occur

 1.  November 2026....Minimum of 20 seats in the House flip to Republicans.  

2.  California....will find for the rest of 2025....no effort to cover fire losses with fed-money.  Trump will deny them funds until they agree to clean up voting registration and agree to some ID requirement to vote.

3.  We eventually learn that the total manpower (civilians and military) for Ukraine, lost in the war.....total over 600,000.  We will also learn that one-million Ukrainians living outside of the country.....have no desire to return..

4.  China will pursue 'selling' over 100 freighters to a Panama company....to avoid additional fees established by Trump for 'docking' at US ports.  We will eventually learn that while the CEO is an existing person....the seven board members are all non-existent.

5.  At  the end of twelve months of 'duty'....Marco Rubio is noted as the second most accomplished Secretary of State....in US history.

6.  Hunter Biden is arrested and charged-up (fresh and different charges).  The Biden-pardon goes to the Supreme Court....where by the summer of 2026...it's determined that it's non-functional.  At the conclusion of Hunter's case.....he's given a two-year prison sentence.  Trump pardons Hunter on the 30th day....if he admits all the cash flow to rest of the Bidens.

7.  This DOGE check that is often mentioned in the news?  Talked about at $5,000 a adult?  In the end....toward November (Xmas-season)....the check will end up being around $4,000.  It's more of a gift toward the Christmas season.

8.  Some California grocery stores start limiting customer entry by the end of 2025....to only customers with a active credit card. If you shop-lift....they will stop you at the door....charge your card, and add a $100 handling fee for 'lifting'. 

9.  At least 3,000 products will be identified as 'made in Mexico'....when in reality....they are made in China, and shipped with the 'M-I-M' stamp on the product.  

10.  The number two Trump-assassination guy will be shown to have made almost 100-percent of his income over a 4-year period....from Ukraine.  The organization paying him? I predict it will be related in some fashion as a USAID organization (charity-based).  None of this will make sense, unless you regard USAID as a friendly-criminal-front.  

Something To Ponder Upon

Columbia University went and did a pretty serious study....coming to this conclusion: ONE-HUNDRED-PERCENT of all teenage school shooters in 52 years were on an SSRI antidepressant medication.

Not 99-percent or 95-percent, or 90-percent.....ALL were on prescribed medication.

Path to violent behavior?  Yeah.  Homicidal thoughts?  Yeah.

Anything to occur now?   I doubt it.

Could Alberta (Canada) Become a 51st State?

 Well....there's a delegation of Alberta folks (non-governmental) who are visiting DC today, and talking over things.

To size up Alberta?  It's 2.7 times the size of Oregon, with a population of 3.6-million people.

Better positioned Canada province in terms of the economy?  Yeah.

Some US rule to allow entry?  No.  You'd have to have a Alberta vote....probably more than 70-percent of people....to get this even openly discussed.  Canadian gov't allowing them to leave?  I doubt that. 

But it's simply another sign that folks are fed up.

The 'Audio-Visual-Club' Story

 So....there in the late 1960s...at Bitburg Air Base (Germany).....someone noted that it was nearly impossible to get color TVs at the BX (AAFES).  To be honest, there were a lot of electronic gear that simply wasn't sold by the BX.

So....someone approached the Wing Commander and suggested that he allow the base recreational folks run a 'club'....audio-visual in design....to sell new gadgets.  He signed off, and in a matter of weeks....they had a demo-area set up and a couple of civilian spouses were sales-people.

Based on who is telling the story....in a matter of a couple of months....the BX  'boss' felt it was unfair competition (the base recreational fund was getting the profits....not the BX).  The wing commander didn't care....folks were happy, and consumers were getting what they wanted. 

The BX empire in Europe then went to the Air Force Headquarters and the four-star.   Again....it was unfair competition.  The general.....as the story goes....asked the BX why they couldn't sell the same gear....at  the same competitive price.  

By this point....most all air bases in Europe had a audio-visual club going on.

The BX  folks?  Well....they went into competition and tried to match wits.  It was almost like you had a bunch of 50-year old guys in management who could not recognize the era developing.   

So by mid-1970s....if you walked into a Ramstein, or Rhein Main....audio-visual  shop....you noted that they had a real LP section....a camera section....tons of stereo gear.  The BX folks....always 3 or 4 steps behind.

In 1978, as I arrived....I found the audio-visual shop at Rhein Main to be an interesting place.  Over a two-year period....I probably bought fifty albums. 

By the mid-1990s....the BX finally reached a point where they had the right people and the trend was in their favor.  The audio-visual clubs began to fade.

It reached a point in the mid-90s....in the vault I worked....that we engaged for about an hour about the competition fall-out, basic economics, and how the BX lagged so badly.

As long as you exist as a sole-source 'player'.....you don't care about competition, or developing new trends.  In the 30 years that the audio-visual clubs  existed....I don't think they had a real 'big-guy' strategy on trends....whatever came next, was simply accepted (they moved on).  The BX folks?  They couldn't maneuver that way.  If they did see a trend....it took a full-year to re-think the strategy....get orders in, and reach a new stage of competition.

As the BX maturity level evolved, and they erased the competition situation with audio-visual....another new era evolved....internet purchasing (Wal-Mart, Pennys, Amazon, etc).  

Around the 2008 era....you could guess that 50-percent of Germany-bound GI's were ordering and picking up via the post-office.  The BX had lost another competition battle.  

Retread TV Show Chatter

 I read today....Netflix intends to do 'remakes' of 3 1960s shows: 'Time Tunnel', 'Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea', and 'Land of the Giants'.

By early 2026....all three will start to show up.

So....from 'TT'....I've seen all thirty episodes.....one time only....from 1966, and I was addicted.  

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea....of the 110 episodes....I've probably watched forty of them.

Land of the Giants?  Of the 51 episodes....I've probably seen half of them.

Why bring these back?  I suspect they are running short of ideas.

My thoughts?  Well....I could see all three brought back....maybe eight episodes each, and maybe even lasting a 2nd season.  If you asked on my hokey-index....Land of the Giants never made  sense.

But I'd like to see Dark Shadows, and Planet of the Apes (the TV show) brought back.  

The 'Show'

 As a kid...I grew up in a time when local pro-wrestling on the TV every Saturday afternoon, and I tended to watch.  

In my later years (the Air Force era of 1981-1984)....I got cable TV in the barracks, and would watch Texas/Louisiana-based wrestling.  

It was always a simple theme....good guys versus bad guys.  

You needed a theatrical show....as realistic as possible.  The weirder the character (like the Great Kubaki, Andre the Giant, or Junk Yard Dog)......the more charged-up you got.

I look at the Trump era....as bringing in all these weird elements,  and  turning it into a evening show.....where you walk in....get through supper....open a beer, and turn on the TV to find out what Rubio has done today, or what Vance dumped on some poor CNN journalist, or what Kash said to the dimwitted MSNBC moderator.   Trump?   He's got a white board in the back of the 'stage' and  writing a whole week's worth of attention-items.....to keep you thrilled.

The Democrats?  Well....they've never encountered something like this.  There was the eight years of Obama, but they were mostly attempting this at one-quarter speed....throwing two or three highlights out each week.  Trump's crew?  They have probably sixteen highlights a day going on.

Appealing to black voters?  I can guarantee you....each evening....they are curious about what Elon has done....if Trump bashed Senator 'Pocahontas'.....if Vance has whooped Ukraine's Zelensky once again,  or if that Kash-guy has laid out the JFK-killing.

Democrats trying to get another theme or message?  It might take five years to figure out a strategy and counter this mess.  

Humble View of Trump's State Of The Union Speech

Five observations:

1.   If you were a media 'unit' (a news guy, a podcaster, a newspaper)....the speech wasn't for you.

2.  The content/theme?  It was for the farmer who'd lost respect Washington DC politics.  It was for the lumber sales guy who needed some dose optimism.  It was for the nurse who'd pulled a 16-hour shift and heavily disgruntled about bureaucracy in America.   It was for the hotel clerk who needed some morale-booster.  

3.  For the Democratic machine.....you need to find a theme/message/brand to deliver into the public that has nothing to do with anti-Trump-chatter.  You need to clear your agenda of present-day, and start preparing for a massive vote-problem in November of 2026.

4. At this point....no one remembers Joe Biden....he's ancient history.

5.  Social Security needs to confirm the dead people problem, and if 100,000 non-existent people are getting a check from them. Hint, there's a national ID card coming in six months....via Social Security, and you will have to present some real evidence of your ID.

My Snacko Era

 In my final couple of years in the Air Force....I volunteered to be the vault 'snacko'...meaning a duty to stock a refrigerator and sell sodas/snacks.  This was a group of 40 folks who were my 'customers'.

I developed this tactic of knowing the commissary system...where discounted items (sometimes one-third off) were offered. By the sixth month of operation....I was easily making $180 to $200 in profit on a monthly basis. At the end of each month...I'd run a free burger grill operation..

So one day at the base quickie-mart....at Ramstein...I turned the corner and here was a pallet of 'Michael Jackson Mystery Drink'.  

Basically....a heavy caffeine tea 'juice' was the wording on the BX card.

They were offering a case for 32-cents a can. I figured....what the hell, and bought a case for the snacko operation.

 Thirty days into the mystery drink episode....zero had been bought.

I decided one day to open a can...taste....and walk around with the can in my hand.  Taste? Just a crappy ultra-sweet tea.

The case sat there for most of a year.   I sold a total of two cans out of that experience.  

The end came....expiration date on the cans.  I popped the top of the remaining cans and dumped all of them....for a loss. 

Humble View of the Zelensky 'Visit'/Screw-Up

 Five observations:

1.  All of this  was talked over back on Monday (Rubio comment).  It was clear then....you arrive....friendly chat....sign the rare minerals understanding...no US participation in the ground situation or peace force....no entry into NATO.  

Zelensky flies in....has breakfast with some Senators,  and seems pepped-up to get a  alternate deal at the White House.  Takes about 15 minutes for Rubio to realize  the guy has a totally different plan.

2.  I don't think Trump will meet face-to-face with the guy again.

3.  Lot of chatter in Ukraine....impeachment chatter.  I kinda doubt that Zelensky is President by the end of March.

4.  Europe worried?  Well....they have no cards to play anymore.

5.  The war is over....it may require a month to clear out the fronts....but it's got no more possible thrills.

Three Things That Don't Make Sense To Me

 1.  I was sitting and reading on car purchases this week, and the 96-month car loan came up.

Yeah, a car loan arranged to cover eight years.

You are basically talking about a guy buying a $80,000 car....probably with no more than $2,000 as a down-payment.

In my mind, I'd ask....what car would last eight years? Along about the fifth year....I'd have trust issues.   Along about the sixth year....I'd probably be spending $4k to $6k on repairs each year. 

It makes no sense.

2.  Lets imagine that 1,500 guys went off to Epstein's isle, and 500 of them were drugged-up at some point....knocked-out.....with photos taken  of them with some 13-year old girl....in a compromising situation.

So you (Epstein) later show the guy the pictures and say....you know x-amount of information on 'something', and my 'people' (the Mossad folks) want that information.  You will provide it.

So in the end....Mossad knew something of value that they used to trade or use for themselves.

If this is the end-story of the Epstein stuff....who exactly is the real 'bad-guy' here, and what exactly are you going do about it?

3.  The more that this Epstein discussion continues....it makes me think that the FBI 'wandered' into this mess at some  point....brought Epstein around to their 'side'....making him a double-agent.

Who they cared about?  Not Hollywood folks, or scientists.....they wanted political figures.

So there might be two 'Doctor-Evils' in this scripted situation. 

The Thing About the Hundred-Odd CIA Guys/Gals Dismissed

 As you read through the material.....they were actively (probably spending two hours a day) on some internal server area....chatting about sex.  Might have been various levels of stuff....that were fairly weird or kinky.

So you get the call....dismissed....last day of work.

You go home...making calls...only to discover that no one in the DC area is hiring. By the weekend, you call your parents....letting them know that you might be coming home for a while.

What you figure out by the 30th day....virtually no one is hiring.  The $30,000 in credit card debt?  A problem now.  That $75,000 in college loans?  That's a problem too.

By day 75....your parents are trying to help you get a pharmacy-clerk job....which you refuse.

The ten CIA folks who were your 'chat-buddies'?  Same boat....none employed.

Your dad comes up around day 104....saying he can get you on with the 'plant'....$22 an hour.  You accept the deal...just shaking your head.  This is a straight 40-man-hours a week, and occasionally they ask you to work an extra eight over the weekend.  

Thirty years will pass....you will still live in the parent's house, and still working at the plant...remembering how great that CIA job was.

What Really Happens When The Full Epstein Client List Is Released?

 Well....you get a list of about 2,500 names (my humble guess), and about 80-percent of the names....you will recognize.  I expect it to be 95-percent male....5-percent female.

Over the course of the next seven days....these folks will be quizzed, and 99.9-percent will say they just spent three days on the isle...drinking and conversing.  A couple will admit they had physical relations with some Hollywood actress, or some  4-star singer.

Then some guy will admit....he was drugged-up, and woke up....not remembering anything, but later was shown a picture/video....of him with a 13-year old girl or boy.

Then this guy will admit he was blackmailed by Epstein, and that it led back to some Mossad people. So he provided insider info to that group.

So about three months will pass, and it'll be apparent....the Mossad folks....using Epstein....arranged a lot events.

The one odd name that might show up on the listing?  Larry Silverstein.  If you see his name....then you might want to ask more questions.

Ten Things I Believe

 1.  Before the end of 2025....members of the House J6 Commission....will be before a grand jury, and explaining their version of things.  Some 'facts' won't match up.  At least three members will resign.

2.  MSNBC will re-invent itself....mostly as a news service, with zero political propaganda.

3.  The US and Russia will have various trade deals worked out by the end of 2025.

4.  The Epstein island business will lead back to rogue Mossad ex-agents....begging the question how close they were with the Israeli gov't.

5.  At least 100 CIA employees will be charged with soliciting deals with Chinese agents....because of their unemployment situation.

6.  I suspect that if you lined up 100 government service workers,  and asked them for 5 minutes to write three accomplishments for  last week....only about sixty of them could do it.  From the remaining forty....a quarter would spend an hour arguing with you that it's not their job to  respond to such a request...a quarter would respond they don't remember  last week (indicating alcohol drug issues), a quarter would have to ask co-workers what they did, and a quarter would start an effort but get side-tracked and waste two days writing the response.

7.  I'll predict by the end of 2025....more  than 12,000 former gov't employees (let-go)....will be hired as private security for grocery stores across the nation.

8.   We will discover that  4,000 NSA employees were sex-chatting on gov't man-hours....on a gov't internal (secure) computer system.

9.  At some  point, the DOGE folks will determine that over 1,600 abortions were performed....on trans-women, and the federal government in some way....paid for them.

10.  When the Diddy list comes out.....we will find that forty NBA players were among those 'guests'. 

The White House 'Bug' Story

 So what is said....a different type electronic 'sweep' occurred. The comments lead me to think it's not the Secret Service....maybe it's a commercial company.  They picked up a different type of frequency near the desk (oversized).  So  it's been removed and it'll be analyzed.

My humble guess?

First, it's  likely a bug that was embedded.  They will drill out the suspect area.

Who? Well....once you have the bug....the brand/model will come into play.  Probably a customized bug....leading you to no company.

CIA?  FBI?  Mossad?  FSB?   Chinese?  Brits?  Former Biden crew?   CNN?  I might have a list of forty-odd folks.

Then I'd suspect whoever did this bug....probably has another dozen bugs around the entire White House....so there's going to be a massive 'drill' to take place.  And it'll be repeated every single week.

But I'll add this one suspicion.....that this was a low-frequency bug, and it probably needed a bug-dump to someone who walks into the room.  Figure here....it's someone 'trusted' on the Trump-staff, or the cleaning-crew.  

Crazy crap?  Yeah....planned out.  Once they knew he wanted the over-sized desk....they went to work to design a special bug.

Humble Thoughts

 1.  What's to be found in Fort Knox when Trump and Elon arrive?

All of the gold on the inventory sheet is there. But folks will be talking about it for a week.

2. USAID had around $4.4-billion spent on houses for Haiti.

So far, the audit can determine six houses finished. Beyond that....nothing.  Where the bulk of money went?  Unknown..

3. Trump-team is laying out conditions for California to get fire-money ($40-billion range). 

Some chatter says the California Costal Authority.....has to be dissolved....as one of the conditions.

4.   Some House member is pushing for drug-tests on all House/Senate members.

Anyone's guess how many would fail in one year.  The rule should be.....30 days of rehab mandated, and no voting ability in that 30-day period.

5. I have this odd feeling.....ATF will not exist by the end of 2025....Alcohol-Tobacco-Firearms?  Folded into US Marshalls....my bet.

In Case You Were Wondering About Wealth

 You can only gain wealth through eight methods:

1.  Busting your balls for forty-odd years.

2.  Start a monopoly.

3.  Get into insider-trading or futures-trading.

4.  Politically pay off people to get special access.

5.  Plain-old-fashion-fraud.

6.  Invent something unique.

7.  Inherit it.

8. Become a professional wrestler.

9.  Run a circus-like MEGA-Church.  

10.  Open an island, invite stupid people to visit, and blackmail them.

My Advice To The 500 FBI Agents 'Deploying' To Huntsville?

 Late Friday, the new boss of the FBI gave the order....1,000 of the DC FBI-centered agents....must leave the shadow of DC.  Of this 500 are heading to the science-lab center in Huntsville, Ala, and the rest will be dispersed around the US.

So my advice....if you made it to the 500-list for Huntsville.....your position is safe.  You shouldn't grumble, or say any criticism whatsoever.  

You shouldn't complain about summer heat.

You shouldn't hype any criticism of Bama football.

You might have a case to grumble about the limited airport facilities, but you can always use Nashville....only two hours away.

You will be able sell your DC property, and find a equal or better property....for half the DC price.

This tornado warning business?  Lets be honest....maybe in a three-year period....there's one single warning that puts you within 5-miles of a track. 

Lets put things in prospective....you will find the science of crime being developed in Huntsville's center more interesting than what goes on in DC.

Life just got a boost up....if you ask me.

Five Things I'm Not Understanding

 1. President Joe Biden went off almost every Friday to the Delaware beach house. He stumbles along along to the chopper...then half the times on Sunday evening....he arrives back with an entirely different walking style.  You notice over that next couple of days...he's mostly coherent.  The  Friday comes....he walks in a reasonable fashion to the chopper....leaves....returns on Sunday....with the weird walking style, and is fairly incoherent for a week.  It's like there were two Joes existing and being occasionally swapped out.

2.  The rumor is...President Trump is going to pursue some kind of audit over three Senators.  I doubt that they will be cooperative, but lets say in the end....all three for a decade have twenty-five-odd futures 'betting' (on the stock market) and they were highly successful in ALL 25 situations, each.

To have a perfect record in futures trading?  Nearly impossible.  So the honest thing for Trump to  then do....send the SEC investigators in, and legally challenge the three to explain how they reached their strategy.  

Each would then profess lobbyists 'helping' them, and this would turn into a bigger mess (likely leading to  Black Rock).

3.  Epstein Island.  Over the past two months....I've viewed twenty-odd podcasts and they all basically weave the story that Epstein was totally connected to Mossad, and this was an intelligence-gathering and 'manipulation' operation.

So the question to me.....was this real Mossad-Mossad connections (operated by the Israeli gov't).....OR was it outsider-Mossad (faked-up) and just convincing Epstein that they were Mossad when they weren't.

Then I start to wonder....everything gathered in this manipulation....was it data sold in some internal market?

Or does this just lead back to the Israeli gov't, who invested in their own 'game'?

4.  With all this LA fire business....we seem to get daily reports of massive incompetency built into city and state leadership....like it's a collection  of 5th-grade kids who run things.

Is it intentionally designed to be a Micky-Mouse-operation?

5. Finally, some polling has indicated that the front-runner for President in 2028 for the Democrats....is former VP Harris.  Mayor-Pete was in 2nd place.

How is this possible?

This Approaching Era

 I was watching a podcast last week....discussing gov't workers being laid off...housing explosion being noticed in DC-region with homes being listed for sale, and the question....what comes to the bulk of these workers?

If you were a non-DC worker....you were probably making $30k range for a GS-4, and in the GS-11 level of $60k.  Manager?  GS-12/13?  $72k to $88k (starting out).

If you were a DC worker at GS-12/13? $94k to $116k (starting out).

Where you can find a job in that range today? Well....if the economy were booming....you could find work in places like Texas (some degree).  

In the downward economy of today?  About 95-percent of folks  are looking at a 30-percent pay-cut minimum....maybe even 50-percent.

Can you sell that Arlington or Fairfax home for $850,000?  NO.  You probably will take a 30-percent cut in that 2024 value.

If you were at the tail-end of a 30-year mortgage (the final 5 years)?  Well....you are screwed.

Banks in the Maryland/Virginia region...likely to collapse by the end of 2025?  I'd start to wonder about that problem.  Lets say you assumed ownership because of defaults....where could you market a $800,000 home of 2024 value, but find no one really interested in that value?

Job-hunting?  Those in their 50s and needing another ten years to reach retirement?  They probably will end up accepting $50k jobs.  Some will end up in RV trailers living on the coast of North Carolina...in  some early retirement scheme, and pulling 40 hours a week at some Wal-Mart to get basic health-care coverage. 

Some falling apart....in suicidal thoughts?  I could see that developing rather quickly.  

People arguing with potential HR folks....they want a work-at-home situation and are being told zero-chance of that.  

The folks who have marginal debt and lived already in a owned-home situation?  They will survive and find new work...accepting a 25-percent pay-cut and proceeding on in life.

Depopulation in both Virginia and Maryland?  I would suggest by 2030 (next Census)....that both lose around 10-percent of their base population.  That population being  upper-middle-class?  Well....yeah, that will be noticed by both states in terms of taxes collected. Both will  have budget problems and being drawn into the California/NY state  'trap'.

So here's my ultimate thought on this era....a whole bunch of college-educated folks will proclaim by 2035....there's just not ample work for the degree they 'earned', and a fair number end up in craftsman  or industry jobs...paying back college loans and grumbling the mess they got themselves into.

If Trump Assumes 'Control' Over Washington D.C?

 First, it'll be legally challenged by the mayor/city council.....however, the text of the original understanding says that the federal government has ultimate control (funding) and that they are allowing local management.

So I would go and suggest three things very likely to unfold quickly: (1) everything east of the Anacostia River (roughly one-quarter of DC) reverting to Maryland, (2) everything west of Rock Creek and Potomic Parkway (the far western one-third of the whole district, to include Georgetown)....also goes back to Maryland, (3) Trump likes to renames things....so I think the District of Columbia would be renamed 'New Columbia'.  

For what remains?  Trump might offer up a Constitutional Amendment....saying that one electoral vote will be added for the region (minus the farwest, and the Anacostia region).  

As for daily management?  I think he will agree to a commissioner with a two-year term, with a 2-star general to head police and fire protection (under the Corps of Engineers).  

Locals shocked?  Oh yeah.....this will  turn into a massive legal fight.

Humble Observations

 1.  All this Trump-Elon chatter about a 'tour/audit' of Fort Knox.  They seem pretty determined now, and it begs the question....do they know of some missing gold?  

Just getting pretty weird now.

2.  Curious, Delta is saying it'll pay out $30,000 a passenger....in that Toronto crash....if you agree not to tangle with them in court.  Just makes you curious.

3.  We are living in an era when you get halfway into a news article, then you halt to realize....it's fabricated (faked-up).  

4.  Crazy talk.....IRS to lay-off 6,000 folks by Friday?

How Social Security Screwed Up

 The chart to the right...is Elon's listing of people getting Social Security.  So for the first 8 rows...it's probably 95-percent 'correct'.  Then you get to around the 100-to-109 age group, with 4.7-million.  At best....there might be about 500 folks....so  you know  it's  off.

The 120-129?  You can be sure....it's zero, but they are obviously paying 3.5-million folks a check.

So how?  

It comes down to two things.....death announcement/certificates, and the people at Social Security failing their job.

Re-use of numbers?  Well....NO.....their policy is not to re-use them.

The two folks between 240-369 years old?   I suspect it's purely a typo. I don't think the age is correct, period.

These listed for 150 years old?  I'd suggest from the first month of existence (August 1935)....there were some 70-year old folks working, and paying into the system.  A  year or two later.....they passed on, and the death was never noted.   Check was mailed out....the postal guy noted 'Gus' was deceased...check returned.  At the Social Security return office....they just never updated the system.

The development of automatic deposits?  That occurred around 1975.  I would imagine for at least 20-million dead folks....they had a second account that the family knew nothing about....the death was missed, and sitting in that bank account today...is a three-quarters-million (if it started  in 1975).

Can they get the money back?  Well...one-by-one, yes.  But you'd need at least three-thousand folks  working on this, and figure at least three years of time to finish. 

This amounting to a couple billion?  Yeah.

Weekend Chatter

 I watched a Sunday morning talk-show clip....Marco Rubio....being interviewed by CBS's Margaret Brennan....where in the middle....she (Brennan) asserts that assertion that free speech in Germany in the 1930s caused the arrival of the Nazis, and the Holocaust.

Rubio pauses in the answer, and then blasts Brennan.  'Made-up' history crap.

You know....in the past 20-odd years....there were so many idiots who were hired by Presidents....that half of them would readily agreed with Brennan.  Rubio is ultra smart and more than capable to answer questions.

As for the arrival of the Nazis?  If you look back at treaty signed by Germany, the UK, France and the US....the reparations demanded by the victors....is the entry-door for the Nazis to be in position in 1929....to  benefit from chaos of Wall Street. 

Free Speech? By the mid-1930s....after the arrival of the Nazis...it was gone.  

How a Fraudulent Scam Using Gov't Funds Would Work

 Lobbyist group 'X' comes to exist, and has twenty companies supporting them.  Figure around $700-million in faked-up costs and the federal gov't  pays the 'bill'.

So the lobbyist group is paid $400-million.

Out of this, 10-percent ($40-million) is the cost of running the lobby organization in DC (building, operations, salary,  leased cars, paid lunches, booze, etc).

Another 10-percent ($40-million) goes to the Senate/House support staff.  This is to ensure the Senator or Representative goes by the script.  So you might funnel a $20,000 weekend trip to Vegas, pay a private golf membership club deal, pay for the staff-members daughter to attend Duke University, etc.  

Another 10-percent ($40-million) probably goes to the government agent who funneled the contract to the right company.  He might get a bag of forty gold-coins, a cash-card loaded with $10,000, or an exceptional low-interest house loan via a friendly bank. Maybe there's a private jet trip to the Bahamas for the agent and his wife every August.  

Another 10-percent ($40-million)would funnel off to the Representative/Senator himself.   Maybe you'd arrange for their wife to get a charity-operation executive job (say $150k a year), or arrange for the Senator's girlfriend to have an apartment in the DC area.

Finally, you have the big-pot to handle campaign donations.   You pay some TV station to ensure super-positive comment.  You pay a PAC to help.  You rig donations.  At the end of the campaign....if the Congressman has a $150k debt.....you arrange for special friends to pay the debt.

The funny thing....is that it's the gov't money funding all of this crap.  You can figure that almost all of the House and Senate members are tangled-up in this, and getting some type of 'gift'.  

My One Trip To The Kennedy Center

 This week, the Kennedy Center (in DC) got into the news.  Basically, President Trump dumped the 'manager', and brought in a new guy.

The new guy asked the budget-folks what's in the pot, and they responded 'nothing'.  Even in the maintenance pot....there's zero.  What they can show....the top-level  of the crew....for the past couple of years....had a fantastic salary, but could not make the Kennedy Center profitable.

I've been  to the Kennedy Center once in my life....back around 2012.

I went to a musical showing of Madam Butterfly.  

The Pentagon recreation folks had these discount tickets.....I still ended up paying around $75 for what I consider a nose-bleed seat in the top balcony.

I got there early and being from 'Bama'....I surveyed the facility (meaning I checked out the bathroom and it was 5-star).

Around the halfway point of the show....they paused for a break.   As I tried to exit the  balcony area, and this hefty older gal...probably in a tight evening dress....did some kind of fainting spell.  Some other gal....about 10 feet away....then seemed to sway a bit and seemed ready to collapse. At that point....I felt 'faintish'.  

To be honest, the story-line of Madam Butterfly didn't seem to thrill me, and the faint-business was starting to worry me.  

I decided....enough.   I left at the half-way point.  I took the DC subway home.

What's going to happen to the Kennedy Center?  I'm going to predict that the culture crowd....all bothered by Trump taking over....will refuse to offer crappy musicals, or leftist fits of rage, and the Kennedy Center by the end of 2025....is mostly closed down.  

To be honest, if you consider the local feeling for culture....you are better off with NFL football, or professional wrestling.

The Weirdest Angle Of Revealing?

 With Trump saying he's going to put the truth out....what's the weirdest angle that we might expect on:

1.  UFOs

- We discover there's only one single race of aliens, and they are marginally brighter than humans.   Over 70 years....we've only taken one single craft of theirs apart, and figured out the technology....mostly in the last five years....due to some guy coming in on weekends...named 'Elon'.

2.  9-11:

- We discover that Bin Laden was not the chief source of 9-11....that it was a CIA-group and a Saudi-prince who developed the attack, blamed it off to Afghanistan.

3.  JFK shooting

- We discover that JFK was on the verge of firing almost all of the top-level  of the CIA.   

4.  Covid agenda

- We discover that the plan  to develop  it occurred around 2008-2010, and it had more to do with getting a large segment of society inserted with nano-probs/bio-engineering than anything else.

5.  Epstein agenda and guests

- A Mossad operation from day-one, and over 500 guests compromised in some way. It was mostly to get financial information to bet on the future's market at Wall Street.

6.  Expenditures/Musk/Big Balls

- We discover that since 2008 and the increasing-factor of spending....relates to massive use of cash in the Fed for fraudulent lending, and fraudulent 'grants' to benefit only Democratic projects. In the end, we add up the numbers, and half of almost every single budget...was wasted.

Just a Story I Will Admit

 After I retired from the military, I spent around twelve years as a contractor....working hand-in-hand for the same military organization I retired from.  I worked for Company-X.

Things were fine with Company-X, for about six months, then the new contract had to be worked up. By the end, our company took a lesser contract.  It was a 'win', but on yearly salary/benefits....we all took a 3-percet 'cut'.  At that point, I lost respect for the contractor situation.

Five years would pass, and we'd re-compete once again....this time, Company-Y won.  Company-Y was fuc*ed-up to the maximum and they anticipated that all of people (currently in Company-X) would slip over.  

Well....no, once they laid out the pay-scale/benefits....maybe 10-percent of the people stayed.  

Me?  I ended up staying, and taking a 15-percent pay-cut.  The single-plus-up?  Well....they gave me seven days of sick-leave each year.  The sick-leave disappeared twelve months later.

So in my vault area....there were just two of us from the old team....with 12 empty positions.  

Company-Y had forty resumes.  They passed them to my military boss (a GS).  He came to me and said....pick.

I sat there mostly amazed.  He didn't want to waste an afternoon doing this.

So I  sat there with the one remaining Company-X employee....a female, and we discussed the 're-build'.  

Typically, the old company was pro-guy...meaning if they had four positions open, they hired one single female. That was the HR-tech side of things.

I eventually went and did something 'crazy'....I racked up the resumes (forty of them), and found 15 of them were female.  Of the 12 positions....I filled two guys and ten women.  

I figured my GS boss would catch this and say something.  No....he didn't.  

About six weeks later......they began to arrive, and the rest of the vault came to notice....an overwhelming female presence.  

Yeah, I rigged it....but no one from HR or the hiring authority grasped my prioritization. 

Three Crystal Ball Predictions

 1.  In about two to three weeks....someone is going to call the Mayor of LA (Bass) and simply say that Elon Musk's plane is landing in LA in about an hour.  She will call out her secret 'spies' to follow Musk.

So about two hours pass, and the 'spies' report back.  Musk is in the burned-out part of LA, and talking to locals....a lot of locals.  They will note that he's brought five or six of his 'get-it-done' young prodigy people (the Big-Balls crowd).

Six hours pass, and the 'spies' report Elon has departed.  

A day later, Trump will announce that the mayor and  governor are failing.....the federal gov't is stepping in, and a team of Big-Balls geeky guys are putting the fix-it operation in place, with federal marshals protecting them.

2.  Governor Newsom will approach Trump in late March to say that all the Latin American construction workers have disappeared because of ICE.....so he (Newsom) wants Trump to approve entry/work-papers for 30,000 Chinese  construction workers to enter the US....to get the job done.  Trump refuses, and instead offers Mexico 10,000 permanent work-permits.

3.  Finally, an audit will be done over the California high-speed rail....showing it has no real study done prove it would ever be used.  The project will quickly die-off. 

The Kiseki Man

 This past week....Japan's Prime Minister showed up in the US, and pledged $1-trillion for US investment purposes. 

Yeah, it's an awful lot.

So I pondered over this.

Japan has this term they use in describing a battle or assassination attempt.....where a massive effort was made....lives lost, and yet it was a failed attempt.  

In their mind....if you tried to kill someone and it failed....the person (surviving)...has some type of unforeseen destiny now attached.  They are no longer a mortal man.  The term?  Kiseki.  

This would be the description attached to Trump.  

Japanese folks attached to  the term 'immortal'?  They have a word which loosely translates to immortal....but it also means 'undying' and 'imperishable'.

I won't suggest that they are a bit crazy over traditions or legends, but they do attach a status to things....which goes beyond the norm.

The trillion-dollar gamble?  They seem pretty sure.

This Trump - Afrikaner - South Africa 'Solution'?

 Well....for those who haven't followed South Africa....in the past month or two, the country finally signed off on on the Expropriation Bill [B23-2020].  It basically says when the gov't  feels like it....it can take (without payment) farmland, orchards, vineyards, and 'redistribute' to locals.  How the locals are determined?  Unknown.

So...Trump came out and said this agenda is unfair, and that if you intend to expropriate....you have to pay off the 'hurt-party'.  South Africa probably freaked out when they read that comment.

Trump's next reaction?  Treat the Afrikaner folks (the whites) as refugees, and ease them into the US.

Who are the Afrikaners.  They are a Southern African ethnic group....descended down from predominantly Dutch settlers....who came to the Cape of Good Hope in 1652. 

Population?  2.7-million were listed from a decade ago.

Would I divide them into three or more status groups?  Yeah....you have the farmers who are still doing well financially, and haven't seen their farms taken.

At the bottom, there's probably around 300,000 in a welfare class and having trouble.  

So if they are granted refugee status?  My humble view?  I think he will sign off  on 300,000 being resettled into the US (in 2025)....with at least six to ten jumbo 747 (400 pax) per week.  

As for where they end up in bulk?  Well....I'm guessing districts that are marginally 'owned' by Democrats today, and in four years...would be less 'owned' by Democrats (like eastern Oregon, eastern Washington,  upstate Michigan, and southern Georgia).

Crazy scenario?  Absolutely, and only by South Africa reversing it's take-property concept...would it stop.  

Just plain white (Dutch) refugees?  Yeah, that's the amazing part of the story.   Their loyalty to Trump?  It would be awful intense.

A problem for CNN to explain why it's racist to deny Afrikaners?  Maybe.  

Humble Thoughts

 1.  It kinda hit me yesterday....back in November....I voted for the felon-guy, the hillbilly-ex-Marine, the mad-scientist-turned-rocket-geek, and this kid named 'Big Balls'.  

It was a overwhelming feeling....like I'd assembled the Avengers to go off and save something.

2.  Amazing....paper straw mandate gone.  Plastic straws back in fashion.

3.  Crazy stuff out of NY City.  Apparently, with all the ICE business going on and illegals evaporating....suddenly, the 'rich'  have a problem....their marginally paid maids/nannies are gone.  I get the impression....the 'rich'  weren't really that rich to start with.

4. Some report came up.....over a interview with a US government employee....he had some 19-year-old DOGE guy engage him in a 15 minute interview....basically to “justify their existence.” After that....there was a fire/no-fire 'X' written down.

Personally, I think the story is BS.

However, if you are a US gov't employee, and you really don't have more than a 3 inch by 5 inch card of information about what you do....you probably don't have a real job.

5.  On taxable income and refunds for 2026?  At this point....whatever your tax bill is for spring of 2025....I would imagine Elon's crew will cut around 30-to-50 percent of governmental spending.  So if  your fed-tax bill was $7k....next year....you might want to expect this to be in the range of $3.5k to $4k.

But here's the thing....all this Elon magic going on...is aimed at the fed-level.

What if Trump sends the audit team to states/cities, and says....your fed-funding ends unless you agree to allow Elon's audit crew to view your cash flow?

Well....that $10k you pay for property tax,  state income tax, and crazy local fees?   That's likely to dissolve by 50-percent.

So, I'll predict....Elon's audit folks get deeper into the mess in 2026.  

Five Things I Kinda Noticed

 1.  If you were a business or farmer, and had a dozen illegals as your main manpower....for ten years, and never paying them legit wages, or covering state/federal taxes....you might not want to admit this in public, as to explaining why your operation is in failure mode.

2.  If you follow Chicago news....the backers/donor folks have kinda started to exit the Obama Presidential Center project.  

3.  This week....reading through the WaPo business section....I'm rather shocked to learn the economy is in a spiral, and appears awful fragile.  Just odd...four years of signals and never any questions, and now they'd like to lay out problems.

4.  Just odd....in Nevada this week....the state admitted more Republicans now registered to vote....than Democrats.  It's been over 20 years when that last occurred.

5.  Trump signed off on giving Israel the 'ultimate' bunker-buster bomb.  This is the type that you'd drop on a target that will bust a 20-ft concrete wall at 100 ft in the dirt.  Begs the question  what exactly they will be engaging.

This Trump-Chatter About Term-Limits

Trump said yesterday....he'd like to push for a term-limit situation.  It wasn't detailed and you have to  wonder what would be included.

Wondering how to deliver an amendment to the Constitution?  The system says that an amendment may be proposed either by the Congress....with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate,  or by a constitutional convention called for by two-thirds of the State legislatures. 

I should note here...by the second method....none of the 27 amendments to the Constitution have been proposed by constitutional convention.  It's highly unlikely.

What I see as the tactic?  All of 2026 will be consumed by Trump chatter....pushing for a massive GOP-win  in November 2026, and forcing out of any Republican who won't sign and pledge to the amendment.

The enticement?  I think he'll include the Supreme Court, and all of the federal judges in the situation as well.  For some Democrats....they probably would  be pleased.

How this might be worded?  Simple text.....12 total consecutive years as a House/Senate member.  You leave for a minimum of 4 years, and you could run again. 

For the Supreme Court....once in place....you are limited to ten years.  

I'm also of the mind....an age text inserted....to say you have to resign/retire by age 70....as a judge, House member, or Senator.  

Odds of passing?  Unknown....but it won't come up until January of 2027. 

Do I Believe Most Gov't Workers Taking Trump Buy-Out Will Retire?

 The number mentioned at this point (nationally) is 40,000.  Some people believe by the end (say mid-March)....it'll be near the 80k to 100k level.

So, I will suggest this....the bulk of them are in the age 50 or above....so they are mostly looking at the use of their TSP (gov't IRA) age use (55 or above), and they will market their house....going for some cheaper lifestyle. 

If they live California....they will up and leave.  If they live in the DC area.....the property will  be up for sale in March.  

The folks who are in their 30s to age 54?  Well....they will test the market, and I imagine that they will think there's jobs out there....still in their price-range.  Most, after 6 months....will grasp that this idea is crazy, and they will have to accept a 30-percent pay-cut.  Some FBI folks are probably finished....and will be looking at a teacher's job.

Some mental syndrome developing?  I would take a guess that 5-percent will be seeking some mental stress help by mid-summer.  

Time-Blindness?

I watched a piece off social media today...where a 20-something year old gal....noted that she was interviewing for a job, and had asked the HR-'Boss' if they understood that she had time-blindness.

What she meant?  Well....she didn't really obligate herself to a clock. If they expected her to be at the desk at 8 AM....her time-blindness might prevent that, and she might be there at 8:11 AM, or 8:30  AM, or possibly even 8:45 AM.

What she wanted....was compassion from the  'boss' (some understanding).

She didn't say what the reaction was.  It sounded like this job-interview didn't go well.

It sounded like she had a disability situation....or at least she wanted you to respect her time-blindness.

Punctually-impaired?  Yeah.

I don't have a problem with a person who is tardy once a month (say 15 to 20 minutes), and their story is reasonable. When it's a 3-time a week event, and the story is a simple 'I-woke-up-late' saga....it doesn't work.

As for the employment future of this gal?  Over the next forty years....I don't think she will move up much, or be considered for management positions. 

Three Observations

 1.  Yesterday, I watched the 54-minute CBS-interview of VP Harris (in the entirety). This is the one where 60-Minutes cut-and-pasted their way to limit crappy moments.

I'll just say....either she had three or four shots of something prior to this....or she has some mental disability.

So I'll just say it....when Joe Biden selected her....he had to know that she had 'problems', and this fell into his game plan.

2. ALL of the CIA's  work-force were offered exit deals.  Whether or not they all take it?  Unknown.  

3.  Somewhere in all this money-trail stuff going on....Elon's crew discovered that around $8-million was spent on research....to determine the effect of flavored cigarettes on bisexuals and lesbians.  

Yeah, it must be important....but I've yet to figure why.

Finance Chatter

 Good  financial report by Ric Bender.....talking about reality (finally) in the job market (crap, and probably was crap for a year or two).  Worth watching (9-min).  One obvious thing....if you were a gov't employee...hoping to leave and find new non-gov't work...2025 is not your year.

Bank Stability Discussion

 First, I'd recommend the three video-reports to view:

https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2025/why-some-of-americas-banks-are-at-risk-of-failing-cnbc-marathon/

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/list-failed-banks-2009-2023-170005906.html

https://www.americanbanker.com/list/4-banks-that-will-be-in-regulators-hot-seat-in-2025

Second, one of the better podcast folks who daily does a piece, and discusses banking problems...is Dan over at:

https://www.youtube.com/@IAllegedly/videos

Third, the commercial property issue (malls, stores, restaurants)...where no one seems willing to take them on (or buy from the banks)....STILL exists.  Banks hold the keys to the properties since owners gave up on leasing them out or selling (even if the pricing was half of the normal value).

Fourth, I noticed in the last day or two....Canadian banks are randomingly coming up and just telling folks....your account is to be closed.   No mention of reasoning.  Maybe there's too much debt?  Unknown.

Fifth, first bank failure of 2025....little discussed....but it was Pulaski Savings  Bank of Illinois.  FDIC says they had to pay out around $28-million to cover individual accounts.  Buyer for the bank?  No problem.....after FDIC covered the accounts.

Sixth, what barely got mentioned in the news....FDIC is taking around 17 executives of the Silicon Valley Bank (remember the first BIG failure).....to court.  They say the folks were fairly incompetent, and want to seizure funds that the folks have in their accounts.  Wishing them luck, but I suspect all will claim they were being deceived by 'someone'.  

Seventh, about a month ago....Franklin Street CEO Andrew Wright....did a talk and basically said....the big banks 'have no more runway to extend and delay the massive amount of real estate loan maturities'.  He didn't say a month or quarter....but that bank real estate crisis has to come and be dealt with.

Eight, I noticed two weeks ago....ALL-TIME high level of people paying just-minimum level on credit-card debt.  People are carrying around an enormous burden (car loans, credit card, insurance, home loan, student-loans, etc).   

Ninth, I'll point this out....the 4th largest bank in the US in 2008...was Lehmen Brothers.  At some point, the Bush folks made a decision that some banks could be saved....and Lehmens was too far gone to save.

I see this attitude likely to repeat....with at least one or two big banks (with connections in a large way to commercial real estate on their books)....being sliced up and sold to lesser banks.  The commercial property situation?  Wouldn't shock me if the US gov't takes possession and offers some public sale.

You might see mall with a 2020 value of $30-million....going to half-a-million.  Course....you'd be stupid to buy something with huge property tax issues, and limited ways to lease out the property or maintain it.

In the end, my general advice to 'survive' this mess?  Two things, remember the FDIC insurance is limited to $250,000 per bank. If you are exceeding that amount....go to some credit union, and move the excess to some savings or CD account.  

Second thing...for  the most part....credit unions seem relatively safe.  

Finally, if your knowledge over the 1929 crash is marginal....one book I recommend is 'The Great Crash' by Selwyn Parker.....written in 2008.  Prices at $2.99 on Kindle Amazon.  

There's also a excellent book that talks over the Florida  'land-boom'  of the 1920s....that led up to  the banking collapse....entitled: Florida Land-Boom of the 1920s, by Gregg Turner.  It is pricey on Kindle (around $20).  If you weren't aware....a lot of individuals went out and speculated....OVER and OVER.....getting hyped up during the build-up. 

The Thing About Bank-Runs

 I spent a fair amount of time in 2019/2020....reading various books over the 1920s, the Wall Street collapse in Oct 1929, the bank-run, and the depression-era of the 1930s.

What I had zero knowledge  over....was the bank-runs.  It made no sense.

So after reviewing a fair amount of data....I came to three observations.

1.  Banks up to this point (say 1929) had  zero oversight, So if the bank books said $400,000 existed in the vault.....they assumed the books were correct.

Over the years (decades)....various people (from the clerks to the bank Presidents)....took liberties to 'grab'  a twenty, or perhaps even a thousand....to pay a personal debt, or engage in the land speculation business of the early 1920s.

So you might have a bank with only 80-percent of the book amount existing.  Some banks were exceptionally bad.....some were marginally bad.  

Once the 'wave' started in 1929....banks saw the bank-run business as a problem....they couldn't square things up with both private members and business members.

2.  So we come to the limit business.

Banks figured that if you  told them new rules....folks would feel happy that you denied them their  life savings (say $2,000)....if you agreed they could take out $40 a month.  

The problem is....if you were a bicycle manufacturing plant, or a brewery....you needed to meet your payroll once a month....say in the range of $5,000.

It only took one or two months....for the banks to realize that no one was bringing fresh new cash flow into the bank.  It was strictly out-going.

3.  The Fed coming to save the banks?  No.   There are various reasons given to why the Fed was marginally helpful....but in the end, they were assuming that the banks weren't in that bad of shape.  

The bank-run laying out the path to the entire 1930s?  Once you established the fact that the banks could not be trusted....you prioritized things to acquire a safe for your company/business, and cash-flow to banks dwindled.  

Why I say all of this?  Well....at some point this year....you will see a bank-run in Russia.  Trust will dissolve over a couple of weeks, and people will put themselves into a cash-only situation....refusing to deposit any cash-flow.  You being a Russian company and trying to pay workers?  Things will rapidly dissolve into a mess.

Putin's value to commerce or working-class people?  If a grocery store won't accept anything but cash...trust will dissolve pretty quick.

The Intellectual Deficient Comment

 Is intellectually deficient....the same thing as retarded?

I sat and listened to a Trump Q-and-A, and  he said the intellectually deficient comment....avoiding 'retard'.

Typically, intellectually deficient means you have a serious learning issue, lack of problem solving ability and marginal ability to conduct judgement.

Based off all my years in school, and my military period....I can readily say that if you are intellectually deficient....it's not fixable or curable. If you are lucky....people around you will help along the way, and sometimes guide you make better judgement calls, or improve your results on problem solving.

Your identifiable IQ?  Typically LESS than 80.  

My general issues in terms of dealing  with such people?  It's hard to get these types into a focused vision.  They also make for the worst planners....always waiting till the damage is severe....before stepping in to resolve and plan your way out of a mess.

Putting such people into a job where decision-making is important?  No....you have to draw the line and just say that we need you....but we don't need you to be a manager or 'boss'.

It's just funny....after four years of President Biden....this topic now comes up.

Humble Views

 1.  I spent about 90 minutes yesterday....trying to watch MSNBC, CNN, Fox, and an assortment of news coverage over Elon and the Democrats shaking in fear.

It feels like some National Lampoon comedy movie.  

At the end of this Elon-adventure....I expect two things to occur. First, a bunch of lobbyists will begin telling Senators and House members....that the campaign-bucket is empty for 2026.....Elon 'swiped' the cash-flow.  Second, a bunch of people will appear on CNN and admit they were duped....some  kind of  attempt to say while they were robbing the gov't.....someone was robbing them.

2.  Google came out yesterday and offered up an 'exit-bonus'....for those who aren't committed.  

In a nice way....they are saying if you just showing up and marginally contributing....you might want to take the bonus and find real work.

The question is....are you smart enough to  grasp that for the past three years while you worked at Google....there's less than 100 man-hours that you really put into honest-work?

Then the last question is....once you take the bonus, and actually exit....then what?

3. Finally, you remember the TV show.....'Buffy, The Vampire Slayer' (1997-2001, 140-odd episodes)? 

Well....there's talk....it'll be coming  back.  

Somewhere out there.....there's probably even plans to bring Gunsmoke and Rockford Files back.

Three Obervations

 1.  I watch a number of podcast folks who cover the Russian economy.  One brought up the state of Russian banks....which have been a lot in the news since late 2024.

It appears that  for at least a year....Russian banks have been 'forced' to loan out money to munition-dealers and military-hardware companies.  These loans carried a 20-percentage rate.   

Well....as you might expect...the companies aren't being readily paid by the Russian gov't for their assets provided.

So....2025 is a dwindling situation.....the bank vaults are getting closer to a point where they would fail, and a 'bank-run' would occur.  How the gov't might act then?  I would assume they'd  print Rubles like hell....with the inflation jumping week-by-week.

A financial disaster?  It'd normally turn into a mess, and the World Bank would walk in and give them 'free-money' to rebuild their stability.  But I kinda doubt that Trump and associates would agree to that.

How long did this banking expert give the Russian banks?  He figured late-summer....the collapse would be obvious, and  printing/inflation would follow by the end of 2025.

What happens in 2026?  I'd say that financially....they will rate below Albania.

2.  This idea of shipping certain US prison 'members' off to El Salvador?  

I'm rather shocked that it's openly discussed now.  But I can't see them shipping more than 300.....just to test the 'waters'.

3.  I looked at CNN numbers this AM.....even worse since Christmas.  Some folks say another round of terminations have to occur.

I think they are trying to cheapen the situation enough....that you end up with a sell-off.

Just Pondering

 This week, I probably watched twenty-different video-reports....where stores, cafes, and restaurants were non-operational....because the illegal employees had gone to 'hide-out'.

I pondered over this.

If the guy/gal was illegal (meaning no paperwork)....that meant they should not have had a social security number...yet by the images, the store/restaurant is telling me they hired in a illegal fashion, and thus weren't  paying state taxes, fed taxes,  or social security.

If true?  Well...the managers need a month or two of jail.

So I'm waiting....has to be more to the story.

Observations

 1.  For roughly a decade, there's been a decline in the NBA audience....attributed to a dozen-odd things (high scores is one of them).

So I read this week....the NBA is discussing the idea of  running a 10-minute quarter...rather than 12-minutes.  Their belief....8 less minutes would mean some less scores (I would assume 8 to 15 points less for each team).

2.  There's not a single day that passes....where I don't see the term 'Nazi' uttered.   Oddly, even though they are socialists.....the term is applied to right-wing radical bad socialists (at least that's the pretend-game I'm watching).

3.  I watched Hillbilly Elegy this week (basic story of JD Vance, VP).  I'll just say....'Grandma' is the only reason why the kid succeeded in life.

4.  At some point shortly, I expect  the LGB-community to have a meeting, and escort the T/Q folks out...telling them to start their own 'club'.

5.  H.R. 899 is on the draft-board of the House of Representatives...reads: one sentence bill to TERMINATE the federal department of education.  Will pass the House....Senate, I'm not sure about.

Observations Over The Hearing Business

 Prior to 2017....I probably put a single hour into watching highlights of  cabinet secretaries being reviewed by the Senate every four years. 2017, I probably put in 6 hours.  2021?  I probably watched six to eight hours.  

Over the past two weeks?  I probably watched about 20 hours of watching hearings.  So, some observations:

1.  This crap/BS is mostly a theatrical show.

2.  About half of the Democrats are child-actors at best, or have a IQ-level around 90 (meaning less than average).

3.  RFK? Once he dumped the big-pharma donation business back on Bernie Sanders.....I lost all respect for Bernie.  

4.  The Senate needs reform....no committee should have more than 7 total members.

5.  If you are a Senate member and asking  question.....it has to be no more 20 words.  If you go past that point....some AI-monitoring system should 'red-light' the comment as unanswerable.

To be blunt....it felt like a reality show...not democracy at work.

Netflix Redo of 'Little House On The Prairie'?

I sat yesterday and read through the story.....yeah, there seems to be willing nature to bring up a updated LHotP.  My view of what is to come?

1.  Indian Chief Blue Cloud has kidnapped 'Ma', and found that she's a pain-in-the-ass...releasing her two days later.

2.  Mrs Olsen is screwing around with 'Barney' (the stable-hand).  

3.  There's a small tribe of six Indians living north of Walnut Groove....oddly....all guys, no women.

4.  Halfway through the first season....the school-teacher is found to be an idiot....who can't read/spell, and hallucinates a good bit.

5.  Some local trader comes through and sells some bottles of high-content cocaine-like stuff...that drives Walnut Groove people crazy for  24 hours.

6.  Mr Olsen opens up a saloon.

7.  Mr Olsen leaves his wife at the end of season one, but returns to  her by end of season two....admitting he needs to be controlled. 

This Trump-Guantanamo-EO

 Yesterday, Trump indicated that there will be a situation where the bad-boy illegal guys (with serious charges), will be picked up....taken to a plane, flown into Guantanamo Bay's military facility, face charges/conviction there, an probably spend their sentence there (unless their home-country takes them back).

How many?  Well....no one says, but there's some indication that several thousand will end up there.

A shock for the bad-boys?  Oh, I'd say once the guy lands in Guantanamo and figures out the whole landscape ahead of him (maybe the rest of his life there)....it might be pretty dramatic.

What I think will develop here?  Trump will eventually offer countries like Libya or Chad....some deal.  If you take thirty of the convicted bad-boys....here's 30-million dollars.  

People getting bothered by this?  Oh yeah, but basically....these weren't like 99-percent of the other folks who are trying hard to make it.

Trump 'Deal'

 What President Donald Trump has laid out....if you work for the federal gov't....you can get a buy-out....worth seven months’ salary....if you opt-out to leave the job by Feb. 6. 

So you have a week a week....more or less...to take the deal.

If you remain past 6 Feb, and get terminated.....your deal will be a lot less than seven months of salary.

I would imagine at least 100k folks are sitting at the table and talking to their spouse about the deal.

If you were on a GS salary of $110k a year? You were making $9100 a month (before taxes/social security).  Trump's deal would get you $64k roughly.  

A plan?  Well....you are probably existing in a job-situation  that begs  questions. If you were around 62....you'd take the cash...retire early and sell the Maryland/Virginia house....escaping off to Tennessee or Iowa.

If  you were age 55?  This would scare the crap out of you....you need five to seven more years to reach a safe point.

If you were in your 30s? Absolute fear.

My humble guess? I'll suggest that 10,000 take the deal....with another 30,000 waking up in June....grasping their job is gone and they can't get a 7-month  deal. 

The Reverse On Kicked-Out Military Folks?

 President Trump issued an E/O....which basically says....if you were kicked out of the military (2022/2023) because you refused the Covid vax....you will be offered a chance to re-enter, and paid all lost wages.

I sat and contemplated the wage stuff.  For an E-6 (figure 12 to 16 years in)....with housing figured....three years minimum to be paid....so in the $120k-plus paid out. 

A smart guy will take the re-enter deal....put the $120k into a IRA/stock, and work three to six additional years...then retire (collecting his pension).

How many folks?  Well...for active duty folks....up around 8k to 9k.

Some bad blood lingering?  If you were one of these folks and come across the commander who pushed you out....it's not going to be a friendly matter. 

The smart guy here?  If you were approaching age forty....ready to clear out and retire with 22 years of service by 2030....that $120k invested wisely....by age fifty....could put you into a terrific early retirement position.  

Four Observations

 1.  If you are a California resident....owning property, and paying taxes yearly....you kinda figure that the money will go your safety and security (the fire department and police).  So when the money ends up in homeless 'free-money-pits' or going toward migration programs....you lose trust.

2.  Various social media sources in Washington report that psychologists are being invited in to explain how to handle Trump-stress....within political figure groups. I would imagine therapy and shots of whiskey are being offered.

3.  Senate seats flipping to Republican in 2026?  Georgia, Michigan.  Republican  Senators likely forced out by primary action....Cornyn of Texas, Graham of SC, Tillis of NC, and McConnell of KY.

4.  There's some statistical data showing car accidents rate increases....if you have sleep apnea.

Reading Level Story

 I read a piece today....saying from across America...that 54-percent of Americans read at the sixth-grade level OR BELOW.

I paused over this.  

Lets be honest....if you lined up 100 kids who graduated high school in the last year.....probably half of them are in the 6th-grade level.  

This making them risky at grasping instructions?  Well....yeah.

Easily BSing them, giving them fake stories?  Well...yeah.

One of My Military Stories

 It was a ironclad rule of the  Air Force....you show up for a military-contracted passenger flight....you had to be in dress-uniform (Army, Air Force, Navy)....it didn't matter. 

I showed up in St Louis, for one of these passenger flights....early 1990s.  Military folks doing tickets/boarding.

Air Force couple shows up in uniform, and gets their boarding pass....boards....then goes to the plane toilet.....changing out of the uniform in jogging pants/t-shirts.

Around a dozen passengers (mostly junior officers) go berserk....'you-can't-do-that'.

The couple refuse to comply (they were both E-6's from what I could figure).

Contracted stewardesses refuse to get into this....telling the whiners to shut up.

Within a year....the regulation had changed so on these military-contracted flights....you could wearing civilian clothing.

21 Podcast Folks I Will Occasionally Listen To

 1.  Joe Rogan. Out of every ten  he does (at least in 2024)....I probably caught around six of them.

2. Ian Carroll. The king of conspiracy chatter. He researches these, and lays out the pieces.

3.'I Allegedly' (Dan).  Find it off YouTube.   If you have interest in business/commerce or financial news....he does a 15-minute piece each day.  Blunt talk....often critical. 

4.  Robert Sepehr. Find it via YouTube.  PhD-level thinker. He does one 'talk' about every two weeks....diving deep a topic.

5. Valuetainment, off Youtube.  30 minute piece at  least twice a week. Lean right. Commerce and analysis chatter. 

6. Danny Jones, off YouTube.  Half of what he doe....you can disregard in 10 minutes.  But he brings on guests and  about half  of these interviews are  really far out on science/history.....worth an hour of your time.

7.  Sabbatical, off  YouTube.  This guy travels constantly, to historical locations (even dangerous places)....giving you a 5-star history lesson.  

8.  Joe Blogs, off YouTube. Business and commerce analysis....lot of Russian finance views. Ton of graphs/charts.  Might be the 5-star master economist.

9. Paul in the Philippines, off YouTube.  Retired guy living in the Philippines. Interesting interviews with mostly guys who left the US, and living their life-dream there. 

10. Metal Leo, off YouTube.  Does video-walking tours of SF.  Highly critical of SF decay.

11.  Lex Fridman, off YouTube.  Half of his talks are science-related. High IQ  analysis.  

12.  Chris Williamson, off YouTube. Does 5 interviews a week....I'd say 3 of them are usually worth  listening.   I'd call him Joe-Rogan-lite.

13.  Uneducated Economist, off  YouTube.  Self-taught economist....working out of a lumber yard.  Takes complicated topics finance/economics...makes it simple.

14.  News For Reasonable People. Off YouTube. Real estate guy.....covers news affecting public.  Blunt criticism.

15. Ric Bender. Off YouTube.  Daily economy news.  Simple format....easy to follow.

16. Triggernometry. Off YouTube.  2 Brit comedians who actually do serious interviews. 

17.  Whats Going On With Shipping. Off YouTube.  Literally...ONLY stuff about ships/freight.  If you see some stuff about a freighter lost....tune over to this to find the whole story. 

18.  Dr Todd Grande.  Off YouTube.  Weird, weird, weird.  He examines the mental side of crazy nutcases.  

19.  1420.  Off YouTube.  Russian guy who does interviews of Russians on the street.  You might be surprised  how Russians relate things.

20.  Liz Wheeler.  Off YouTube.  Daily news analysis. Interesting pieces.

21.  Katie Hopkins.  Off YouTube.   Brit comedian.  

Political Chatter

 1.  At this point (spring of 2024)....CNN, CBS, and MSNBC look to be in serious shape.  A help in the summer build-up for mid-term elections?  Zero.

2.  President Trump has put tremendous pressure on California to build a voter-ID-requirement....if they want federal help to rebuild LA.  They need cash-flow by mid-summer, and this requirement....if accomplished.....would likely wipe out more than 100,000 fake voters.

3.  What does Florida's Governor de Santis do after November 2026's election?  Just betting....he's brought to DC to be the unelected House Speaker for a year.  (It is legal for the Speaker to be a non-member).

4. I will predict at least 20 Democratic-held House Seats and 5 Senate seats....go  to the Republicans. 

5.  Prediction: Greenland does not become a US state/territory...but they vote for independence and sign a major treaty with the US.

6. My prediction: the US quietly removes most  US troops from Europe by the end of 2026.  EUCOM headquarters is the only element left.

7.  I would put $100 up on a bet: Hunter Biden gets brought up on fresh new money-laundering charges.  

Dress Code While Traveling?

 Spirit  Airlines came out this week and said.....while you are boarding....if you are noticed as being inappropriately dressed...they won't board you.  They were limited on saying what inappropriate might might, and even said that tattoo choices....might figure into this.

The first flight I ever took....was the Nashville to San Antonio flight....for boot-camp, and I would suggest that 60-percent of folks were wearing 'going-to-church' clothing.  This was the summer of 1979.

It was along the late 1980s....when I first noticed inappropriate clothing styles (a flight from Miami to Orlando).....where several young women wore string-bakini tops.  

Over the next 15-odd years....it progressed.  

2010, I took a flight from Montreal to Frankfurt....with two women wearing pajamas (top and bottom), with flip-flops.

2013, I took a flight from Frankfurt to Dulles....where an  older woman wore a tube-top with marginal shorts on.

If you  asked me...is this mostly a gal thing?  I'd say guys I've seen on flights have pushed the limit just as much....wearing purely basketball shirts and trunks.

I was reading some commentary by a guy who noted that the recent  years have been this game by teenage girls...say age 13 to 15....who are attempting to 'out-tramp' their friends on the flights.

The sad thing here? Over the next six months....there's probably 300 folks who will reach the gate...ONLY to be halted and told...either change your clothing or miss the flight.

Necessary act?  Yeah.

Crystal Ball Gazing

 Ten things I see unfolding:

1.  On a wide-range....I see all of President Biden pre-emptive pardons being challenged (not just one at a time).  I think the Supreme Court will be shaking their heads because there's mechanism to cover imaginary crimes, if you have no court case or conviction existing.   

2.  I'll go ahead and predict that General Miley's court-martial situation advances, and that before it starts....he is likely to commit suicide.

3.  I'll predict before the end of 2025....Greenland has a national vote to advance the idea of being independent (not connected to Denmark or the US).  The vote will be something like 55-to-60 percent in favor.  Within a month, the US has a trade-agreement in place with Greenland given exceptional status (better than Canada/Mexico).

4.  Trump releases the JFK report, and it's leading back to the CIA and Mafia.  Oswald completely innocent.  Trump, by the end of 2025, will  identify the Warren Commission Report as a 100-percent fabrication. Oswald family?  Given a personal apology for what occurred.

5.  I think House Speaker Johnson's new J6 investigation....ends up with Pelosi being  identified as the cause of the original mess.  She resigns, and Trump pardons her....ONLY for the J6 mess.  Later, she's charged on insider stock trading....Trump won't pardon her for that.

6.  In order to help save around 100 banks from collapse....they are bundled up, and  these commercial properties triggering the mess....become gov't property.  Several gov't agencies in DC...are given orders to relocate (to  survive) into these commercial excess properties.

7. ActBlue will be declared a money-laundering operation, and a LOT of Democratic politicians will have a problem in paying fines...while knowing it was a money-laundering operation.

8.  Cocaine and various drugs....will have price escalation (doubling in a matter of two months) after Trump declares war on the cartels in Mexico.  By Xmas, the price will have tripled from  average in December of 2024.

9.  As a peace-treaty is worked out between Russia and Ukraine....the Ukraine expects NATO to provide 200,000  troops as the 'peace-patrol'.  Trump volunteers a maximum of 1,000.

10.  Barak Obama is divorced by the end of 2025.   

An Example Of Where This AI 'Path' Will Go Under Trump

 After hearing the whole Artificial Intelligence (AI) discussion....let me give you one example.....healthcare.

So you wake up in 2035....you feel ill.

You go to your smart-phone and apply via a App for a appointment.  You get directed to a 16-question test....where AI is determining your issue.  

Within 5 minutes, it has reviewed your records, your DNA background, and statistical averages.  You are sent to one of four paths: (1) report to a 'station' to have blood/urine/saliva tested, (2) given low-grade drug with a prescription issued by AI, (3) told it's not a big deal, and (4) actually given an appointment to doctor.

You can figure more than 60-percent of folks today....under this system....won't see a doctor.

Emergency room situations will continue on (fully staffed), but AI will be there guiding them to fully assess care required.

Your sugar balance, smoking habits, blood pressure and alcohol consumption will be monitored by AI daily.  If  you have serious bad habits....it's going to continually remind you, and at some point....lessen healthcare options....noting that you don't give a damn.

People who are in a mental-breakdown situation? AI will chat and converse with you....eventually reaching a stage where it's called for your 'pick-up' and mandated time in a facility.

By 2045....at  least 50-percent of Americans will admit they've not seen a real doctor in ten years.

In the case of drug overdoses.....AI will eventually inject after the first overdose, it's reckless and wasteful to assist on a 2nd overdose....telling the emergency crew to halt efforts.

AI will put itself into health-insurance situations, and start to report improper health decisions.

Some segment of American society (probably around  10-percent) will identify as anti-health-AI....demanding full access to real doctor/nurses.

Strokes will  be more predicted.

At least 500 pages of personal health-data will exist by age 25....some detailing how much coffee you consume....poor exercise habits....poor safety habits, and even mental issues.   

AI is coming....whether you like it or not.

This Home-Office Gov't Employee 'Problem'

 I worked in the DC area (actually at the Pentagon) for 3.5 years, and came to hear daily of the woes for people traveling into work.  For the record, I lived in a apartment about two miles west of the Pentagon, and my 'battle' took about 15 minutes to reach the front-door of the Pentagon (so I never whined).  I rode a bus.

Some folks spent around 70 minutes in traffic (one-way).  

So when Covid came around and folks  got home-office expansion (from one day a week....to five days a week)....they got used to it.

They also got used to not engaging with other co-workers.  

Staff meetings? They went to zoom-meetings.

So as Trump engages upon this and forces them back....I'll go and predict a PTSD-like illness starting up....where folks can't handle the 70-minute commute or hour-long staff meetings in one office, or having to deal with idiot-co-workers.

By March....I'll predict more than 10,000 gov't folks are in some mental crisis.  The 'cure'?  Well....some might get hospitalization (two weeks in some mental clinic).  Most will end on paroxetine, sertraline, and venlafaxine (anxiety medication).  Some will mix alcohol with these, and get harsh problems.  Some will slip over to use cannabis.

At some point, some will start to talk about problems of nightmares, memory loss, confusion, and avoiding  certain people.  False memories will start to be reported.

A term will be created....Trump-delusions....identify these people.

Eventually, as they are let go (the gov't discovers it doesn't need them)....the delusions will continue on.....being a life-long problem. 

All being connected to Covid?  Well...yeah....this will be the public perception.

What Trump Walked Into

 I sat and watched the  piece of Trump/Vance (with wives) at the National Cathedral and getting some dose of political charged-up sermon 'talk'.  The blunt side of this sermon?  You (meaning Trump) need to show compassion to migrants (I guess meaning legal an illegal), and toward the LGTBQ folks.

I'm not much on church attendance....if you asked me since 2010....I've stepped in on two occasions.  Both had mostly normal sermon 'chatter', with a mini-sized 2-minute piece of political slant. 

I'm actually 'entertained' when you keep on Bible-topics and Jesus-moments.  The politicization BS?  From that moment on....I'm on mute and thinking about the 1969 Braves team, the best way to mix gin, Stargate stories, where Star Wars failed, bad movies (the Blue Lagoon for example), the Bizarro Jerry episode from Seinfeld,  and the fakeness of pro-wrestling.  

 All of this politicization....spiraling an end to most churches?  Yeah....I'd say if this is your 'script'....you have some design in mind to end your church membership.

As for Trump ever stepping into a church again?  I'd say that's it. The Bishop got her one last moment/chance.

The Alien Dilemma

 I was reading  through social media yesterday, and this odd comment came up. 

The construct? Well....one eventually has to assign a IQ level to aliens, and the idea came up....what if their average level is 500 (most Earth engineers can claim 120 on IQ level....and the general average is 100).

So conversation between an average guy (100) and a alien (500)....isn't going to go  far.

You can imagine a conversation between a dimwit (say in the 50 to 70 range) and a engineer (120) happening today.  They might be able to discuss NFL football for 2 minutes, or perhaps discuss snowstorms for a couple of minutes.  But it will be awful short.

I would imagine the aliens don't see much reason to waste talking or conversing....unless you found an awful marginal dimwitted alien, who was in the 150-to-200 level of IQ status.  So if you were dragged into some 'ship' and 'Marvin-the-alien' starts talking you  in a makes-sense sorta way.....you might want to assume he's not brightest guy on the staff.  

My View of the Biden Preemptive Pardons

 There are 3 problems:

1.  Typically, you have court paperwork (usually a conviction)....saying charges x, y and z.  In this case, Biden signs a paper that says 'anything' that you did....is covered by this pardon....even  if no  judge was involved or conviction existing.

2.  All of these pardons come from a guy with some pattern of dementia.  If someone with a pardon goes into court, and this dementia-chatter comes up....the judge is going to ask questions...probably demanding Biden to appear, and answer.  If Biden shows up and act goofy?  At that point, the value of the pardon might go down to zero.

3.  If you end up with a truth-commission and sworn testimony is required....you don't get a free-pass with the pardon....you have to show up....do the oath, and answer questions (admitting guilt along the way).  If you try to avoid the questions, or lie?  The pardon goes away.  In some ways, it's made life tougher for Hunter Biden, if you ask me.  

Before the end of 2025....I suspect this pardon stuff will become a major problem.