Functionally Illiterate?

 Someone did a survey of the Philadelphia area....over functional literacy.  Fifty-two percent of residents are functional illiterate. 

Then they went to the second listing....saying that 62-percent of residents function at the 6th-grade level or less.

I paused over the numbers.

It kinda means that of a hundred people finishing high school....the majority are probably only able to handle to the 6th or 7th grade level of comprehension.  Yeah, I'm suggesting near three-quarters of society.

The question to ask....can these people even handle voting?

Across the US....like this?  I wonder about that.

My question would go to the next level....of college-graduates...how many function as marginally literate (say the 9th grade level)?

Q-and-A

 1.  Can you use plural pronouns for strictly one person?

Yes, in English, you can use plural pronouns like "they," "them," "their," and "theirs" to refer to a single person. This is known as the singular "they," and it's been part of the language for centuries (dating back to at least the 14th century in works like Chaucer's Canterbury Tales). 

2.  What kind of person leaves their house in Minnesota....in the midst of winter....to campaign/demonstrate....again ICE....for 6 to 8 hours per day?

Consumed person, without any life or hobbies,  or interests....other than fighting 'evil'.

3.  What I think Trump gets out of the Greenland 'deal'?

Basically....a submarine 'base' (with a US Navy presence), and some kind of economic understanding that China can't be in the Greenland economy (ever).

4.  Isn't it just odd....narco-fast-boat deliveries have gone to near zero near both Columbia  and Venezuela?

Yeah....no one really wants to take up the profession. I expect within 30 days....a cocaine crisis in the US....where prices double.

51st State Chatter

 Yesterday, I woke up to the new scenario....that Greenland, as part of the Trump deal....might be offered statehood.  Essentially, getting to be the 51st state.

Then I kinda noticed...there are a number of folks now suggesting that Venezuela might fit better into being a 51st state.

Then I noticed that Cuba is on the tipping point....where in 30 to 60 days....the gov't may fall apart, and some were suggesting they would be a better fit for the 51st state.

Then I went back to the 2025 chatter....Alberta,  and Saskatchewan....going to independence in 2026....becoming the 51st, and 52nd states.

Then I remembered the other two Canadian provinces discussing this idea....Manitoba  and  British Columbia....wanting 51st and 52nd status.

Then I remembered the Guam suggestion....that they should get 51st state status.

Then I remembered the Puerto Rico suggestion....51st state status.

Then I remembered the 2017 American Samoa idea....51st state status.

Then I remembered the discussed idea of a Navajo Nation (parts of Utah, New Mexico and Arizona)....getting 51st state status.

Then  I remembered the ongoing discussion of Guyana (next to Venezuela) getting US state status.....getting 51st state status.

Yeah....potentially 12 states.

The growing spiral theory?  Well...once you get 'X' state as 51....the path to 52, 53, and so on....is a faster pace.  So I'm of the mind....if we arrive at Greenland as 51....the  path to Alberta as 52 is probably only six months away, and the path to Guam and Manitoba is probably 12 months away. 

A plus-side?  Transforming Cuba into a advanced nation?  It requires dependable power (nuke-energy), and it offers a 5-star hotel/tourism opportunity.  Guyana? It's about to be a major energy producer (for decades ahead).  

Being realistic?   I can probably see three new states by the end of the Trump era, and another four to six in the Vance era. 

Drones?

 For the record....President Donald Trump has directed his Chief of Staff, Susie Wiles, to “immediately” determine the cause of the “drone scare” in New Jersey so he could inform the public. 

So a year into his administration....he White House has still not identified who or what was responsible for the unidentified drones.

My take?  There's only two likely scenarios.

First....the Chinese wanted to display their advanced 'tech'.

Second....several US companies have advanced 'tech' drones, and oddly...around the same time period....tested their stuff in front of the public.

Alien invasion crap?  No.

What Is With All This Fed Investigation Stuff?

 First, if you just wanted to renovate  a single bathroom in a DC fed building....by the time you finish with the simple project....you probably would have spent near $200,000.  So with the one  single Fed building....you can  figure any upgrade/improvement....would have been $500-million.

Second, at the end of 2024.....at the one-third point of  the project....they'd spent near $700-M.  

By the end of 2025, they'd spent near $500-M.  

At present, the end-total will be in the range of $2.5-B.  

Third, none of the money is congressional-given funds....it's  Fed-profits.  

You can figure that the project....probably still 30-to-40 percent to be done....will go past the $2.5-B. 

So Powell probably didn't grasp the full details of what was going on, and some investigation will reveal crappy planning.  Worth jail-time?  I doubt it....but some kind of change has to occur to prevent this from repeating.

Five Observations:

1.  The greatest human inventions that has saved more lives than vaccines?

Soap, and sanitation.

2.  I'd say it's pretty good odds.....Cuba-style gov't is likely to end in the next 100 days.  

3. I watched a NY City clip this AM....new mayor says he's got a public-toilet program....that he'll push.  Doesn't  say how many or where....just that toilets are coming.  My bet....they build three or four....for $2.5-million each, and stop right there.

4.  Russia has completed 1,417 days of war.....going now longer than the Soviet-Germany war of 1941-1945.  

5.  There are now 2,000 German companies....based in India....rather than Germany (figure cost as a factor).

Protest BS

 Over the past month, I've probably viewed a dozen hours of anti-ICE protests and journalists on some hype against ICE.

I've come to three observations:

1.  People don't fear confrontation or consequences with the police/LE/ICE or legal-system.

It seems like they are willing to detained/arrested....charged-up....go through court, and do a year in some state or fed jail.

I don't remember this attitude in the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, or 1990s....growing up and spending 20-odd years in the military.

2. People don't seem to have a fear of passing on, or being shot by the police.

Some seem like on a Power-Rangers adventure....fighting the forces of darkness/evil.

3.  If you do halt some protester and alert them that the guy they seem thrilled to protest over or protect....has actual assault/murder charges existing.....the protest guy/gal seems in a daze for 30 seconds.....like they weren't expecting that as  part of the thrill.

I might add...it seems out of every ten protest folks....seven are women, and from the three males....they seem to be in the age group of 18 to 25.  You don't see many 45-year-old male engineers or farmers.