Military Story

 I noticed this in Air Force news today....they were extending max years for enlisted, because of the manpower shortage.

What this this means?  If you were a E-4/Senior Airman, you were now allowed to stay (without promotion) to 12 years.  

E-5/Staff Sergeant?  22 years.

E-6/Tech Sergeant?  24 years.

E-7/Master Sergeant? 26 years.

E-8/Senior Master Sergeant?  28 years.

An awful long time to be just a SSgt?  Yeah.  In the early 1980s, I worked in a civil engineering squadron with a air conditioning SSgt who was up to 18 years.  His IQ a problem?  Yeah....he knew just enough about AC systems to get by.  

The AF thinking this will help?  They claim....2,000 folks are affected by the rule, with no idea if the folks will stay anyway.  

Based on a few chats I've had in the past three years with enlisted guys....most had now a plan to exit the military upon 20 years.  The woke-stuff, deployments, and amusing pronoun players....were enough to convince them to exit.  

Gut Feeling Of Colorado Removing Trump From The Ballot?

 1860, Lincoln was removed from 10 state ballots, yet still won the election in the end.  

If you brought up this fact....99-percent of people are unaware of this fact.

The Supreme  Court?  They will issue a 'pause'.....telling Colorado that it can't progress until a review occurs....meaning that the primary to be held on 5 March 2024...likely will occur, with Trump's name on the primary ballot.

I have two observations over this.

First, if you use the 14th Amendment for this action....logic would follow that the Republican Party itself is a problem in the insurrection business, and you'd have to remove all candidates in the state of Colorado who identity as Republicans. 

Second, if Trump's name is tossed back at them and forces them into a corner, will the state of Colorado do the right thing and exit the union?

Yeah....it would sound like a Civil War strategy.  Just the odd factor....the Democrats of the south in 1860....went this way and badly lost.  

Quote Story

 I looked over this news story: "Trump says he never read ‘Mein Kampf’ after ‘poisoning the blood’ comment linked to Hitler."

The quote?  Hitler did make a 'poisoned blood'  speech, and to be honest from 1920s Nazi Party and into the 1930s....a fair number of Germans were angry that the coalition government was not doing enough to prevent migration.  That big of a deal?  Well....a lot of German men went off to the war and didn't return....so industry (trying to recover in the 1925 to 1930 era) were accepting non-Germans for employment.

But as for the use of Mein Kampf?  I've attempted to read it (once in 1978) and found it crappy enough to drop after an hour.  About a decade later, I'd make a second attempt and marginally got through  it.  

Anyone who says they've read it....probably read through the first ten pages, and then dropped the book.  The emphasis of the book is to sell you on a nationalistic political focus....involving socialism as the landscape.  

As for anyone believing that migration in the US presently can be resolved by Trump or anyone (including Newsom or Biden)?  I think if you asked the blunt question...the majority of Americans would say it's permanently screwed-up.  

Women Happier?

 

I sat and read through a piece off Twitter today and the emphasis is that a report was concluded after asking women some questions, and the outcome of the study is that women seem to be happier without a permanent guy/husband and kids.  

No one asked guys much over this but I would imagine that guys would mostly respond that 50-percent of women probably should be 'black-listed' in some way....because of emotional issues, high expectations on finances and home sanitation practices.  

The real issue?  About every six seconds in America....some PhD guy/gal  is wrapping up another study, and publishing a 50-50 report....either lacking in facts, or full of BS.  

So you, as the reader....go and read through five to twenty pages, and eventually (with 15 to 30 minutes wasted)....you stop yourself and admit that half of what they wrote is pure BS.  You don't even need a PhD to write this sort of garbage.  

As for the real question here....are women happier?  To be honest, if most women just had a dog or cat, and 'Friends' were still being produced....life would be simpler in nature.  

Name Grifting?

 It's a curious Biden-story.

So this trustee is in charge of a Chapter 11 bankruptcy company (health-related).  At some point several years ago....they sought out new business, and this 'deal' came up.  For a sum of $600,000....arranged as sort of a loan deal....James Biden (the brother of Joe Biden) said the family name was worth X, and that he could arrange more business from the Middle East.  So the health company loaned out money to James....but no business ever came.

Somewhere in this business....where the money 'moved'....James Biden wrote out a check for $200,000 to Joe Biden.  No one says much except it would appear that the $200k was a cut of something.

So this brings to the oddball situation of James, Hunter and Joe....that they've all sold something, but you really can't find where the government did some service in return for the three getting cash.  

Just selling a name, but no return on it?  Well....yeah.  A crime?  No.

Looking at all the Chinese connections and Ukraine business....it brings me to the old subject on Hunter Biden....that people seemed to think they were getting something but the reality (the non-illegal part of this)....is a name had value. 

It's like saying the name 'Pinkerton' (detective agency), or 'Brando' (acting), or Aaron (baseball).  

Can you impeach on selling a name?  Not really....unless you skipped on taxes.  

It is sorta comical to say this...but all this wasted chatter really revolves around the name 'Biden'.  Seems like the answer in life for people in poverty....just mount a name change....saying you are a 'Biden' and some money will fall out of the sky.  

Five Humble Thoughts

 1.  After reviewing this Congressional staff guy who got wild and crazy in some sexual act (with another guy)....I came to ask the critical question.  Was this his first time use of the Congressional hearing room?  I sorta doubt it.  It would not shock me if he'd been there a dozen times.  

A big deal?  No...there's probably four-hundred folks who can claim some sort of sexual status in the room (like the mile-high club).

2.  If someone has done something to convince you of their 'woke' status.....are you likely to turn around and leave?  Like in a church, a bar, a baseball game?  

3.   To be honest, if I was a Fortune-500 company 'boss' (CEO).....I probably would have a hard rule on not hiring Harvard graduates....knowing I'm overpaying a salary for a guy who probably got mostly inflated grades and isn't capable of doing 'honest' work.

4.  Someone made a comment that they were self-partnered.....so I had to look it up.  Basically, they were in single-status, and considered their partner to be themselves.  Permanently single?  Yeah.  Conflicting signals?  Well....you could skip over dating them....as far as I can see.

5.  Just noted....this court business for Hunter Biden....it's in California.  To start on 11 January 2024.  Odds of a deal before then?  I'd give it a 90-percent chance.  

Cost Story

 Just something to ponder. 

I noticed this guy's story on Twitter....he'd gone to a place in Manhattan.....sharing a cocktail situation with someone and having small platter of cheese sticks.  Pricey?  With tax....just over $50.

The wife and I had a scene like this back in the summer....just two drinks and no snacks....totaling out near $30.  Course, it wasn't Manhattan.  

By the time you figure inflation, the cost of employees, heating or cooling these establishments....things have escalated over the past five years.

The big deal is that city/state sales tax....escalated with this.  So you wake up and think over this past habit....then reach a point where you avoid moments like this.  Yes, it slows down the commerce path, and establishes a new problem for city/state tax revenue folks.  

I should note....all of this talk takes place before you get to the 'tip'.  And what would you tip for two drinks and a cheese plate at $50?  Old guys like me won't go past $5.  My wife, the German?  She might not go past $3 if she's controlling the situation.