Three Things

 1.  I watched a video today....some young gal (probably 24)....college-degree....coming to a 'freak-out' over the college loan (she was showing the spreadsheet....$119,000 of debt presently). 

Based off salary....she was pulling near $70,000 a year, but she had a nice apartment, and a relatively new $70,000 car (figure around $1,200 a month).

I got the impression that she had no financial advice given around age 18, and just kept thinking things would work out.  Are they really that stupid?

Surviving through 20 years of paying this off?  She'll be in some mental rehab by age 30, and probably half-way suicidal from that point on.

2.  Ghislaine Maxwell said that she never saw Donald Trump do anything that would cause concern.  

What's odd to me....all this hyped-up isle-sex stuff, and neither Joe Biden or  Hunter....ever got involved?

3.  Someone asked Grok (AI for Twitter) to assign a possible IQ-level on someone.  Grok responded....kindly....'no',  that was not possible.

Generally, you can ask me about folks...and I have no problem in assigning a IQ-level.  

Three Humble Thoughts

 1.  Some discussion started up with President Trump yesterday.....that 14-year-old 'bad-boys' are detained, then released (after a vicious assault).  Trump says....jail them with the adult 'bad-boys'.

It'll be fought but I think a majority of voters want some type of action done, and it's going to be a massive shock on first thousand bad-boys told by a judge.....'we are locking you in real jail for a month'.  

2.  This is a map of the 4th District of Illinois.  Yeah, it's gerrymandered to the extreme.

There's probably over 60 points.

There's a case brewing at the Supreme Court....where they may decide that you can't design districts based on race.  If it goes that way....gerrymandering will be more difficult.  

3.  More chatter today....that the Federal Government may take over 'operations' of DC.  What it means?  Not clear.

At the end of 1973....Nixon signed the act to allow 'home-rule'....meaning it could have a mayor, city council, and run local  affairs.

Before that point, Congress would approve a 'Commissioner'.

If you asked me where things are going?  They might lean toward sub-dividing DC....saying x-space is city-run, and y-space is controlled by a Commissioner. I might also suggest that they are ready to give 'back' property to Maryland (I'd suggest 40-percent of DC could be handed over).

Quebec, Alberta, and This 51st and So-On State Chatter

 Over the weekend.....some political officials from the province of Quebec....finally said that they are also looking at exiting Canada.

So what are the numbers here?

Quebec: 8.7-million, Alberta: 4.5-million.  British Columbia: 5.3-million, Manitoba: 1,409,223, and Saskatchewan: 1,194,803.

If you agree that there's to be five states (figure 10 more Senators, and at least 25 House members split up).

At the point that Quebec goes....will the rest say 'enough', and walk away?  I would imagine it'll take a year or two....but yeah....all will go this way.

The Senate design having to change?  I would go and suggest that the Senate chamber will max out.....around 110 seats, and then you have to survey the idea of a whole new structure for daily business.   More House problems? Just basic  math.....I'd say the new states would need in the range of 85-to-90 House seats.

The Yukon being part of Alaska in the end?  It's possible.....same story for the Northwest Territories.  

An odd historical era about to unfold? Yeah, remarkable and shocking at the same time.

Four Humble Observations

 1.  By the end of 2026....I expect a grocery store trend to start up....where you have to swipe a credit card to enter a store, and the cart will be taken by the door to scan, and deduct from your credit card.  By the end of 2027, I expect most all stores (including Wal-Mart) to have started the trend to prevent shop-lifting.

2.  Either in 2026 or 2030....a Census will occur, and I predict it'll lessen the US population by 30-million (mostly illegals). The exit of population in California will carve massively into the districts allocated...taking away 10 districts minimum.  

3.  I suspect if you did a complete audit of all homeless funds handed out by state and federal groups.....more than 50-percent went into a money-pit with no value for homeless folks.  

4.  I think all of the networks (NBC, CBS, and ABC) are adding up the losses.  If you run a show, and it's a no-profit/no-loss situation....you probably will survive.  Everyone else?  It's probably the moment that everyone has waited for....for  30-odd year.

Saturday Night Live To End?

 I read through some stuff today, and NBC is having a talk.....losses of $100-million a year are now 'average'.  So the question is...do you just terminate the show completely, or fire the production-bosses?

So five observations:

First, probably from the start (Oct 1975) to around the late 1980s.....it was funny.  At some point around 1992/1993....after viewing an episode....I considered not that funny.  It'd peaked.

Second, there's an era of a dozen years (late 90s to 2009) that I didn't watch it at all. When I started to watch again....I'd generally say that just one or two skits in the show were funny....the rest were marginally worth worth watching.

Third, the slant since 2008 being anti-Republican/pro-Democrat?  Yeah, that's oblivious. 

Fourth, just laying off the production team?  Then what?  

Fifth and final....if you ended the show.....the network would just say it's free-and-open for stations to find their own 'show'.  I'm not sure of what would happen.  Maybe some science-fiction hour?  Maybe roller-derby?  Maybe a whole hour of one single-skit....just comedians allowed to go as far as they want?

My three most favorite skits from SNL:  Washington's Dream (2023), anything with the Californians, and 1976's Samurai Stockbroker with John Belushi (yeah, that was a real Samurai blade used).  

Time Covers

 

I actually remember the Time issue from December 1973....bought it, and read the entire global cooling piece.  

As the mid-80s came around and global warming was hyped?  I stayed true to the global cooling position.

When climate change came in the 2004 era?  I stayed true to the global cooling position.

As the carbon BS started....I stayed true to the global  cooling position.

Interesting Idea

 The State Department is looking over this idea to connect to tourist and student visas....a $15,000 'bond'.  

If you over-stay....they keep the bond, and upon arrest....you get sent out (deported) and can't  re-enter for a decade.

How many people violate the student/tourist situation?  Unknown.  I would be guessing....in the past....maybe in the 20,000 range (per  year).

If so....that's $300-Million a year that they would generate.  

How much would the bond cost?  No one says much about this, but I would imagine that bond-companies would want a minimum of $1k  (probably off a credit card) to cover the bond, and the cost factor is a $100 fee. 

Would this lessen tourism?   Yeah, I'm of the mind that a German, or Italian....would say no to visiting the US.