The Idea Of A Gov't Run Grocery

 I sat and listened to a US Senator observe that the federal gov't already runs a grocery system, and it's very efficient.  The operation?  DoD's commissary system....on all US military posts/bases.

I sat and pondered over the success...having used it for forty-odd years.

First, each building was constructed with fed-funds....not privately financed.

Second, there's no problem in theft.  You can ask any commissary manager.....they will note that there might be a minor amount stolen, but it's like 1-percent of what a typical US privately-run grocery would have.

Third, the utility bill?  Well...heat and electricity....are paid by the post/base.   That bill is not passed onto the consumer.

Fourth, as for the consumer getting a good deal....well, it's not like you'd think.  You can walk onto the Tacoma privately-run grocery situation, then onto McChord AFB....to find obvious similarities.  There's probably a 5-to-8 percent price difference...at best....with the obvious savings at the Commissary.  

I used to be the snacko of our shop at Ramstein...running the soda fund. As I quickly discovered....if you get the on-sale discount schedule....shopping heavily on certain weeks of the month, you would find the BIG savings. Example?  A case of Coke at least once a month would drop to 60-percent of the normal cost.  So I'd go in and buy ten to twelve cases.  Same story for Pop-Tarts.....you'd find them about every six weeks....with 25-percent off.  

My blunt view?  If you were fairly consumed to show up on a schedule, and avoid normal pricing...yeah, you might be able to buy $150 of groceries for $100.

The sales  tax thing?  Well...that's also a part of this story.  You don't pay taxes at the commissary.  So there's that savings....but you do pay a 5-percent operations 'fee'  to over employees.

I'm not saying the Senator is wrong....but the Commissary is only successful because of certain built-in features.  

My Three Ideas Over Migration

 1.  We need to lay out three 'paths'. First, if you are a resident alien/migrant (with or without a Green Card)....with a ID problem (fake ID, or unwilling to show any past history)....you get isolated and put on a deportation list. If you have a criminal history in the old country, or the US....you go to the deportation list.  

Second path, you show you are unregistered and undocumented....but having worked, and no criminal behavior....we put you onto a Green Card-Lite program.  You can work...pay taxes, and contribute to Social Security.  After five years of displayed 'good-character' and no criminal stuff.....you go to the permanent Green Card.  If you want to convert that to citizenship....show a ten-year period of good-character.

Third path, Develop a short-work (six-month) visa.  No Social Security contribution, and the hiring authority has to pay you minimum wage.  No federal/state taxes.  At the end of six months.....you return to your country voluntary.  You stay there six months, and then can reapply for another short-work visa.

2.  Mandate a TB test, and IQ test when entering on a visa.  Whatever the American standard is for IQ.....you have to test within 10 points of that.

3.  States will have the right to limit migration.

One Day, What AI Will Tell You

 You will be scheduled to see a doctor, and your AI-System ('Randy')....will alert you that Randy has had seven lawsuits started against him in the last year....over 'screw-ups'.  'Randy' will ask if you want to cancel.

You will get a note from 'Randy' that rain is forecasted for Thursday and Friday....you should tonight (Wednesday) after you get off work.

'Randy' will call you at the office saying this lady-gal you met at the bar last night....has two felony warrants, and it's best to drop her.

'Randy' will note your present weight, and suggest a diet plan to lose eight pounds over the next six weeks.  

'Randy' announces as you get up one morning...that he's been talking to your work-place AI system, and for 2 weeks....all 16 members of HR have been meeting quietly after work....building a list of 60 people to let-go, and your name is on the list.  'Randy' has taken your resume and forwarded it to another company overnight.....presenting it to their AI system, and you have a job-interview at 1 PM today.

'Randy' listened to your 20-minute 'rant' last night....that you need a new vehicle....preferably a 2014 Ford F-150, with 16 conditions required.  Overnight, 'Randy' has searched a 4-state area.....found the one and only truck matching your conditions, and chatted with the Ford truck AI system....getting a 'deal' within $200 of your desired amount.

You seemed confused about this Newsom presidency effort.  Overnight, 'Randy' has built a 300-item list listing various Newsom situations found to be confusing.  'Randy' says you can do 'better'.

'Randy' has found that you want to do a true beach vacation, but without all the tourism 'traps'.  'Randy' says he's found this Costa Rican beach resort, that meets the 30-odd conditions you desired, and arranged for airline reservations.

'Randy' has analyzed your rash, and has a specialist to recommend.

'Randy' has reviewed all of the electrical devices in the house, and nominated four to be replaced....giving you the best replacement model, and the savings with your electrical bill....if you say 'go'.

'Randy' has reviewed baseball ticket combinations, and found after chatting with the Dodger's AI....you can get fourteen tickets (dual seating) at 25-percent off....noting these are all Tuesday night games.

'Randy' has analyzed the homework and test scores of your two kids  (ages 8 and 12) and noted that neither is gifted and to stop wasting effort about college....get them ASAP into heating-repair, or AC-repair.

'Randy' has found a butcher 700 miles away who will give you 40-percent off 300 pounds of beef....if you drive over and buy in bulk.  To make this work, 'Randy' has also found a freezer unit on sale that would hold the beef, and figured added-cost of electricity for five years.

'Randy' is giving you nightly warnings about the local news from Channel 12....that it's biased.  'Randy' would like to block the channel from your TV options.

'Randy', upon hearing you having a moral dilemma....has invented 'Minister-Bob'....a AI-character to help you refocus your logic.  

'Randy' has taken control of the front door....monitors visitors, and turns away anyone that he cannot vouch for.  

After a while, you can't imagine living without 'Randy'.

Census Chatter

Using 2024 information, I looked up the top ten states with illegals population.  Lately, the administration is discussing the idea of a 'new' Census....disqualifying illegals to be counted.  The effect? 

California: 2,600,000 is the rough number for the state (I  suspect it's closer to 3.5-million).  But if you didn't count 2.6-million....that would lead to 7 (minimum) less districts.

Texas: 2,100,000 is the rough number for the state (I also suspect it's higher....around 3-million).  District loss?  At least 6 districts.

Florida: 590,000 is the rough number given (I suspect here....it's higher (around 750k).  Their district loss?  2 districts.

New Jersey: 490,000 is the rough number given (I suspect here....it's near 600k).  Their loss?  Probably near 2 districts.

Illinois: 420,000 is the rough number given (I suspect here....especially around Chicago....it's near 600,000.  Figure a loss of 2 districts.

New York: 410,000 is the rough number given (I suspect here.....it's closer to 700k).  Figure 2 districts lost.

North Carolina: 360,000.  Figure one district lost.

Georgia: 340,000.  Figure one district lost.

Washington: 340,000.  Figure one district lost.

Arizona: 290,000.  Figure one district lost.

The real pain here?  Well....lets say you did the Census in March/April/May 2026, and gave the results after the mid-term.  How big of a state-fight do you have in redrawing 50-odd states?  

Adding to this....in November 2028....if you knocked 2-million illegals listed as 'voters' off the list....how wild will things get?  

Five Predictions

 1.  Out of the 16k structures burnt to the ground in 2025 (12k were homes)....50-percent of owners by 1 Jan 2026 will have given up and leave the state.  From the remaining folks....the majority won't see their home complete until 2030.  

2.  As LA tries to  fill the gap with new residents....they will discover by 2027.....because of cost of living locally....no one much wants to move to the LA region.

3.  Gov Newsom will find that none of the early states benefit his 'run' in 2028, and drops his plans.

4.  The WNBA will collapse within 2 years, and find that Caitlan Clark won't play in the league anymore (going to Europe).  

5.  Some fraudulent home-purchase paperwork pops up by the end of 2025....involving at least 3 US Senators...dragging each into a scandal.

Two Things

 1.  I just can't watch interviews of Governor Newsom anymore.  It's like having some 11-year-old kid  who tossed back a bottle of cold medication, and consumed a couple of Mountain Dews over five minutes.

Nothing makes sense.  There's no logic.  Over one single topic....you can label five different versions or positions since 2020.  

2.  If you had 1-million migrants hired up to do a job....illegally in the country...the odds are that they are doing it  for about 70-percent of what you would pay a normal American-guy.  So all that 'savings' that exists today....goes into someone's pocket.  It just begs the question....are these guys even reporting the 'profit' to the state and IRS

Numbers and Homelessness

 I watched a podcast last week....detailing questions posed to a homeless guy in LA....who'd been told that in inner-city...via the city, state, federal and private donations....per homeless person, there was around $120,000 flowing to each person.

So the homeless (Vet, from what I could determine)...analyzed this, and asked how this was possible.  He just didn't see between food, shelter and 'care' (clothing, meds)....he didn't think he was getting more than $30k a year himself.

I pondered upon this.

I asked Qrok how many charity operations in LA...exist....just for homeless folks.  It's around 200 total.

So each one has a design, a purpose, and a CEO-like person (getting paid probably in the $100k minimum range).  

All of this brings into play...a complicated mess, and each having some mission-statement....how they are saving x-thousand people, but they are sharing among themselves....x-thousand.  It's like a grocery store group (a dozen) who each say they have 20,000 consumers a week coming in, but for each of the dozen....it's the same 20,000 folks.

Same story in SF, Seattle, and NY City?  Yeah, I would imagine.