Useful Skills for Winter

Good post on the skills needed to survive in Northern Winters, and how modern civilization does NOT appreciate the wisdom of previous generations.

I grew up in greater Cleveland (born in Cleveland, moved shortly after to nearby Lakewood, OH). Years later, I was talking to a group of kids in sunny Chester, SC, about not having snow days called very often - only ONE day that I remember, when I was in 9th grade. School wasn't cancelled, but it was delayed several hours, to give people time to clear out their driveways and sidewalks of the 3 or so feet of snow that had landed during the night.

I told them that I remembered walking to school in weather that was 18 degrees below zero. They said, "18 degrees below freezing? That's crazy!"

I wish I'd had a camera to record the look on their faces when I pointed out that freezing occurred at 32 degrees, and that the temperature was 50 degrees below freezing. They refused to believe it, until I pulled up the National Weather stats of that year (1963, I believe).

And, no, my parents didn't drive us, and no, there was no yellow bus.

My eldest daughter used her crocheting skills to make tightly crafted hats for the family. I used mine after Christmas, and found it to be excellent at keeping my head warm - and, very pretty.

Holiday Roundup 2022

It's hard to believe that it's nearly the end of another year. I had so many intentions to get more done, both in the house, and in my hobbies.

But, no. I did make SOME progress:

• I've improved my general physical condition. I now go up and down stairs with little difficulty, now being able to alternate legs in the process. Previously, I had to take a step, then put the other foot on the same step, just as a child does when first learning to navigate stairs. My knee issues were that great. I've also added to the distance I can walk with ease. For all that, I credit the re-homing of my daughter's dog, Chino. Having to walk him several times a day has forced me out in even marginal weather, and led to regular exercise.
• My house is in better shape. When my husband has breezed into town to drop off more 'stuff' from the other house, I've called over my grandkids to help me put things away in the attic storage area or basement. I've also managed to handle most of the chores and tasks involved with the house with little assistance.
• I made it through another AEP (Annual Enrollment Period) for Medicare and Marketplace/Obamacare plans, this time with no major health issues and in a way that allowed me to file and clear up the paperwork in a timely fashion.
• My dog and I survived his brutal attack by a pit bull. It took 2 operations, over a month of nursing by me and - when in town - my husband, but he is mended almost completely, and recently had an appointment to bring his shaggy, neglected coat into reasonable shape. His spirits are good, he is enjoying exploring the neighborhood, and he no longer jumps at loud sounds or nearby cars.
• We survived over 6 hours without power, in one of the most brutal cold snaps I've experienced in years (Temps in the single digits all day, wind chill around 50 below). The family even cancelled the birthday breakfast we'd planned for my grandson, as the weather service was warning people not to go out unless it was absolutely necessary. The dog kept his outside potty trips to a minimum, pulling to go back inside just as soon as he finished. Just as we were getting our stuff together to head over to my daughter's house to get access to heat, we experienced our own little Christmas Miracle - the lights flickered on!

And, catching up on news of the world:

• TPTB continue to agitate for us to throw in whole hog in the Ukrainian War with Russia. The ID10Ts in government are all-in for Yet Another Military Action (YAMA). Guess their cronies in the airline and other military providers industries need another cash infusion. Pelosi finally found a flag (other than BLM) that she didn't mind displaying. 
  
  
  
• The FBI continues to stonewall, evade, obfuscate, and otherwise keep the truth from the American public about their illegal activities in collusion with Twitter (the OLD Twitter - the new version appears to be making a good-faith effort to clean up the back channels that clamped down on the ability of dissidents to get their message out).
• We all know there is a recession/depression/complete meltdown of the economy coming, the only question is WHEN? Short answer: when the Entitled Elite have had sufficient time to shelter their wealth from the process. If you doubt that, I suggest you watch The Big Short, which centered on the chicanery associated with the mortgage collapse that finalized in 2008. It appears to be only available in DVD version. I have issues with this, as you could lose access to any digital media, should Big Brother decide to clamp down. But, I'd still get a copy - buy, not rent - and use a dedicated player for that purchase. As for the American Public? The unprepared will get hosed. The dependent will become MORE dependent. But, most of us, who are capable of learning from recent events, will come out of this less inclined to vote for either of the two big parties. Which, for me. is a Win-Win.
• The current Congress will long be known for several things:
• The ridiculously huge continuing resolution that they forced through the lame-duck Congress, that will leave the new Congress with fewer options for restoring the economy.
• The January 6 report from committee, which takes 845 pages to repeat just one thing - Donald Trump is a nasty, dirty traitor, and we will twist the truth into a pretzel to make that point. I'm linking to the full text, peruse it as you will.
• The more Stalinesque workers of NBC want lawmakers to have to explain just why they didn't clap enthusiastically enough for the Ukraine dictator. True. And, quite bizarre, which other, less doctrinaire Twits pointed out.
• I'm really getting to like Rand Paul. His 2021 annual Festivus Report, that lists some of the most egregious ways the Feds waste OUR money, is a hoot - linked here. Here is this year's.

And, a VERY Merry Christmas to all!

Hit 'Em From Multiple Directions

Certainly, DeSantis' tactics of enacting legislation to forbid grooming activity, taking away their special relationship with the state, and speaking out against the actions of the company are all good.

As is this action from a shareholder.

But, that's not all. Citizen journalists can appear at these rallies, take down car/bus numbers, and find out who is behind the 'protest'.

And, take the time to wander through the crowd, interviewing the protesters - and, focusing on those who are NOT leading the action. Ask them, what do you have against this law? How would you protect children from adults introducing sexual content in elementary schools? Do you have children? What school system do they attend.

All of the above in a friendly and warm manner. Don't just ask question, carry on a conversation - "Oh, I've heard that your kids' school is a good one! Do you think they are doing a good job?" "I'm afraid I don't know that much about this bill - my editor assigned this story to me today. Could you explain it?"

Your goal is to get a sense of how many of these protesters are actually aroused citizens, who work for schools or NGOs with some interest in the bill, and who are clueless individuals who were paid to hold a sign and shout slogans. And, along the way, you'll pick up names of those who might be willing to talk to you, along with other info that may lead to another part of the story.

Playing it clueless is a good start.

Another way to dislodge the privileged incumbents is to snoop around, looking for evidence of corruption or failure to follow the organization's mission (Project Veritas has done very well with this). Start with what is known, and work backwards to find a hook that the voters will care about.

The EU's recent shake-up of leadership in the Human Rights Offices is an example of good journalism, combined with relentless pressure on those who would be thrown to the wolves (My position is: NO member of the Elite is going to face charges - it's always the underlings that go to jail). The thing is, those who are made the fall guys have an enormous incentive to tell their side of the story.

Divide and Conquer - it's a strategy that works.

Why Cutting the Fire Alarm is a BAD Idea

The Left is doing its best to make it illegal to point out out problems with the current government. 

That’s what 1/6 was, at heart. A noisy and public way of bringing up systemic flaws in the voting system, that had come to make voting Democratic politicians out near-impossible. 

Naturally, this was a threat to long-entrenched Dems. Their manipulations of the election process had become more blatant and illegal.

So, TPTB collaborated with the pro-Dem Deep State to insert their people into the protests, get anonymous cronies to commit felonies on camera, and, with the cooperation of Capitol insiders, open the magnetic doors and entice innocents to wander the halls.

Then, BOOM!

Felony indictment, imprisonment without charges, and deliberate ruination of mildly culpable citizens of the non-Left.

The January 6 protesters - NOT Insurrectionists - were not trying to overthrow a legitimate government. They were trying to bring attention to legitimate grievances related to massive election fraud.

In short, they were functioning as a warning signal - a fire alarm.

Ignore alarms at your peril. 

I Agree. DeSantis Needs To Wait

And to focus on the fundamentals.

Social issues may be winning votes in the states. But the emphasis at the national level should be:

• Reduce the size of the federal government by HALF. 
• Agency by agency, root out the Deep State. Force resignations by threat of taking retirement and other benefits, should the employee get indicted. Then, indict them. 

At the state level:

• The SINGLE most important thing is to prevent Dems/Leftists from using mechanisms that virtually guarantee them success in elections:
• Ballot Harvesting - lobby the state legislators to outlaw it - for ANY reason. Make it clearly illegal for anyone to turn in a ballot that is not an immediate family member, or someone who they have a notarized and current Power of Attorney for.
• Extended voting - a MAX of ONE week. NO exceptions for ANY reason. If there is a weather emergency or massive civil unrest, bring in the state National Guard to collect ballots. Have the Guards rehearse the possibility in their annual training, BEFORE the next election.
• Legislation to force a paper trail of all changes to voter registration files. This would be a response to widespread complaints of tampering with the files to make many ballots "undeliverable", and thereby redirect them for use in creating phony Dem votes. Any government employee who participates in such shenanigans loses their job, pension rights, and is prosecuted. The ONLY way to avoid that is to inform on other people involved in the illegal acts.

I have NO idea why the GOP folds faster than a guy holding a pair of 2s.

I'll be watching this NC districting case - remember, it's not who votes, it's who draws the districts. Or, in this case, is permitted to overthrow the legally mandated legislature's choice of maps.

I'm from the Cleveland area, where the DEMOCRATS were responsible for one of the most ridiculously gerrymandered districts EVAH! It was drawn to ensure that OH wouldn't lose a Black representative.

Today's districts are no less ridiculous. They stretch across counties, and are drawn the way they are to satisfy racial and other considerations.

This is Just POPCORN Chompin' Time!

Oh, babe!

Elon's getting the story, and it's gettin' GOOD!

For that public service ALONE, the Twitter purchase was worth it. In fact, I may buy a few shares of their stock myself, in appreciation of that exposure of the Deep State/Media Plot.

Not Surprised About This

This being "the Nick Fuentes tag-along with Ye was a SET-UP".

What shoiuld be done now?

Nothing, other than Sharing this info as widely as possible on social media.

99% of these "horrifying incidents that PROVE Trump is unqualified to be President" are, indeed, Fake. Deliberately manufactured by the Not-Trump Media Industry to embed the 'story' into the minds of the gullible.

If Ron DeSantis is being pushed to run for President in 2023, there is a reason for it. And, that reason is because Trump scares the Hell out of them.

In the words of of a Babylon Bee Rod Sterling:

Imagine that there is a candidate that has shown evidence of the ability to govern without the assistance of the Dem/Leftist/Corporatist Alliance, for the actual benefit of the American People.

Imagine that he managed to sidestep attempts to remove him from the nominating process, get elected, and govern, despite frenzied and obvious efforts to take him out extra-judicially.

Imagine that his supporters ignored the manufactured stories that denigrated him.

Imagine that he was poised to return to that office, and had the votes to do so.

What would the opposition do?

What they DID was:

Rig the votes, make it near-impossible for voters to physically show up to vote, and use vote harvesting, refusal to clean up the voter registration rolls, and midnight dumps of "for real!" votes that - amazingly - contained sufficient Biden votes to propell him past President Obama's total votes - with the candidate campaigning from his basement.

Keep the National Guard from protecting the Capitol building. Salt the crowd with pro-Left provocateurs, conveniently wearing masks that concealed their identity, and arrange for the magnetically sealed doors to 'magically' open for the tourists (additionally, as some were hesitant to enter, place Capitol police near the entrances, waving the people into the place).

Then, once a sufficient crowd was around, direct the police to attack them, pushing, clubbing with batons, and using tear gas. Kill a few of them, but claim that the protesters killed police (since proven to be a false claim).

Arrest people for - dare I say it? - TRUMPED-UP reasons - Parading (last I heard, NOT a felony), conspiracy, et al. Use the Patriot Act (how cruelly named, as it tends to target, you know, actual Patriots) to keep them in jail without charges for extended periods of time.

Keep those imprisoned from accessing health care, beat them, threaten them, cut off all access to income, shut them in solitary confinement for extended periods of time, and prevent them from contacting family or meeting with their lawyers.

Pressure them to accept a plea deal (That system is one that needs to be abolished - if the prosecution can PROVE their charges, they need to do so in court. If they can't, they need to release the accused.)

Refuse to hold the trials other than in heavily majority Democratic DC. If the juries are deadlocked, try them again - harder.

The Ye/Fuentes 'scandal' was manufactured right after Trump announced he wasn't giving up. DeSantis is apparently being lured into serving as a Not-Trump candidate (My hope is that DeSantis and Trump are playing a Double-Reverse Sting on the Traitorous GOP. It's a thin hope.)

Just When You Think No One Else Has Noticed...

...you see THIS.

Nice to see that your perceptions aren't wrong.

Sign up for the Youtube channel. I've been following him since before he got into video, when he blogged. 

And, look for that OTHER perceptive person. We cannot continue to be isolated.

You NEED to Watch this Movie

I'm watching this movie - The Social Dilemma. It looks at the social impact of a world that is surrounded by social media, and how it skews/changes human experience.

WELL worth watching.

The film is spit into 2 parts:

• In the first part, the mechanics of the Social Media Technologies are explained in great detail. The methods by which kids (and many adults) are sucked into near-constant engagement with these platforms is chilling.
• In the second part, the film seems to lean towards the idea that the situation will be better if the technologies - somehow, it's not spelled out HOW - can get the public to agree on a common set of "facts". The film not-so subtly leans towards the idea that the  Wrong Propaganda is the media of the Right - or, as it should be called, the Not-Left. A young man is seen getting sucked into Extreme Politics (for the Left, a synonym for those who don't fall into line with their beliefs).

What solutions does the film come up with?

• Heavy-handed oversight/censorship of the platforms
• Taxing the advertisers (no sense that corporations will NEVER pay those taxes, but will find a way to offload the tax to the general public).

The Corporations are made the enemy in the conclusions. No mention is ever made of the use of social media by non-profits, political organizations, and activists. So, the film is not without flaws - a lot of them. But the earely part still makes the film worth viewing.

Walmart Estimate of Christmas Spending

I'm sitting here now, and, from what I'm seeing, either the Black Friday Sale depleted everyone of ready cash/credit, or this may be The Year That Santa Passed by a LOT of Homes.

What gifts are heading out in carts are leaning towards the practical/educational, not indulgent. And, the shoppers are stocking up on toilet paper, water, and other bulk purchases.

I never understood the rush to buy bottled water (other than to prep for a natural disaster). It makes a lot more sense to buy a water filter - either Brita (cheap, small footprint, and easy to use), Berkeley (for SERIOUS preppers), or LifeStraw (for those who might find themselves needing to bug out).

It's as though the buyers have never heard of refilling containers. I buy Frosh carbonated drinks, which have a heavy plastic bottle, and refill them 10-12 times before tossing the bottle into the Recycle bin. Heck, every resale shop or garage sale has oodles of plastic water bottles (usually with cheesy logos and ads on them), and the cost is usually $0.25 or less.

The TP makes some sense. I buy in quantity whan there is a sale, and store them in a spare closet. When there are a 1/2 dozen or so left, I start checking for sales.

A great app for the phone that helps you find the cheapest source is Flipp. Yeah, it probably tracks my purchases, but I save substantialy on staples.

My kids and grandkids are mostly practical. They occasionally add some off-the-wall indugence to the list, but most requests are sensible. Even the 17 year-old, heading to college in the fall, is asking for things he can use in his dorm room.

Did I mention that the combination of financial aid - grants and scholarships - will pay all but about $500 of his yearly costs? This is the kid whose combination of grades and grants made his selective private high school essentially free.

I'm so darned proud!

But, the outlook for this Christmas may make this a Slim Christmas. I know I plan to spend most of my gift budget on locally sources gifts.

I Feel Like Typhoid Mary

Nov. 20 - I'm coughing. That's an artifact of my asthma, aggravated by a recent cold.

I'm not contagious. The only damage is to my lungs, which have become irritated by this extended attack.

I'm currently on a round of steroids. That, along with consistent meds and lots of vitamins, should bring me through this mess.

However, a cough causes genuine fear in people today. They pull their masks up, back away, and look at me as though I was a serial killer looking for a new victim.

It's a cough, people! It is meant to clear my respiratory system of any remaining mucus and enable me to breathe freely. I can't control it, I can't stop it, and it will NOT send you to the hospital.

It's 2 years since this all started. When will it end?

Update: it’s the day after Thanksgiving, Nov. 25, and my respiratory issues appear to be about over.

I found this article on Front Page Magazine. It’s worth reading. I knew the rough outlines of he Pilgrim’s story, but had never heard of the Pilgrim-Wampanoag Peace Treaty that was signed on April 1, 1621, by Massasoit and leaders of the Plymouth colony.

It All Started With Horrific Videos of Chinese People Walking Down the Street…

 …groceries in hand, and basically stopping, and falling straight down, never to move again. I remember those, widely circulated during the first days of the Wuhan infections, but since hard to find online. 

Here’s one of them 

Now, I can hardly believe that we took the Chinese government’s word for the truthfulness of these rather obvious pieces of propaganda. The many lies that came out of that region, coupled with the lies of much of our own government, have changed the ways that citizens view official sources.

Where We Are Today:

• Masking is less common, but many will NOT give up the covering. Masked "Peaceful Protesters" are common, despite public safety concerns about not being able to identify those committing crimes.
• Kids are back in school, but too few school systems have been forced to back off on CRT and DIE education. This is despite both literacy and math scores hitting the lowest point in years. Too many teachers are more concerned about pushing their personal agenda, than in teaching the subjects/grades they are being paid to teach.
• Social Media is as awful as ever. Blatant bans/deplatforming/abuses are probably down, but the undercover squashing of 1st Amendment rights continues. Project Veritas is doing an extraordinary job in exposing abuses, but many more underhanded actions are escaping notice.
• The recent midterm elections were, in some states, a not-funny joke. The outright fraud was in-your-face, unapologetic, and unashamed. And that fraud was made possible by the massive increase in absentee ballots, 'justified' by COVID. If not for that, there would have been some other excuse, however, the fears of the American public made is easier.
• Welfare, EBT, housing subsidies, and other forms of government support of allegedly not working adults and their minor children have skyrocketed. What might have been expected - people flooding the job market to apply for jobs that were now available in abundance - did not happen. Those who were given money to sit on their a$$, continued to do so. A FEW took advantage of increased opportunities - kudos to them - but most did not.

And, Trump has announced he is running.

Eh. 

It's a long time until the next election, and I don't believe that his presence - or absence - will make the difference in the 2024 election.

What WILL make a difference is tightening up the election infrastructure:

• No more absentee ballots, without a doctor's note on file at the election board. That excuse is ONLY good for 1 year. After that, another note will be needed. The exception will be for serving military and their families. Other than that, a person who will be out of town on election day may vote - in person, with ID - at the election office, not more than 1 month early.
• Any resident in institutional care must have a DOCTOR willing to swear that person is mentally competent to vote. No votes may be collected from any person without that certification on file at the election office.
• Votes must be counted at the location they were cast. If there is a discrepancy between the voter book/ballots, votes from that precinct will not be counted without an audit, on site, in front of observers of any party that chooses to participate.
• No ballot may be scanned except at the local election site. Any absentee ballots must be scanned and counted before being moved to another location. All signatures must be verified before being scanned.
• If rejection rates exceed at certain percent, the ballots must be hand-counted before poll observers.
• No counting site may close down, or eject observers, before the final count is complete. No person may leave and return to the site. No vehicles may approach the site before the count is complete.

These are just a few ideas. The point is, this needs to be changed at the local level. No more transporting ballots before counting them/scanning them, or otherwise giving nefarious people access to them.

With the state-level GOP having made inroads into government, this should be a priority. Rather than enact "comprehensive" changes, it would be better to do it a few changes at a time. Better to get a few improvements through the legislative process than to make compromises that water down the effect of the changes.

It's a CON, Jake!

We have the ILLUSION of fair and open elections.

Not the reality.

This post at the Gates of Vienna says what I've been saying.

By the time I woke up this morning, the great Republican tsunami had turned into a little ripple in the bathtub.

The exception, of course, was Florida. But that was a planned exception.

Florida is allowed to be a dissident state, because Ron DeSantis is being set up by the power brokers in the Republican machine to be the alternative to Donald Trump in 2024, in order to make sure that the MAGA movement is effectively gelded. It’s a similar process to what was done to the Tea Party ten or twelve years ago.

It’s important to remember that the modern Republican Party, backed by Wall Street and global Capital, is not designed to be an alternative to Democrat rule. It’s intended to complement it, to provide voters with the illusion that they have a choice, and thus siphon off the votes of people who might otherwise coalesce into a force for true dissent.

It's a con. And we are the rubes on the fairgrounds. 

The Left has decided that they don't want to take a chance leaving in their escape pods to a foreign country. Too great a chance of falling victim to Ruthless 3rd World Bandits in Charge (see this story on Chinese billionaires taken out by their own government to understand).

Instead, Florida has been prepared as a place for the wealthy/influential/connected to land, after the rest of America has been turned into a hellhole. It will have all the comforts of a tropical paradise, with the addition of a fair judicial system, and protections the Entitled Elite need from the political hacks they installed.

Is Happiness the Answer to Tolerance of Fanatics?

It does seem as though the most fervent nutcases are also the most dissatisfied with their lives.

The fanatics do not appear to have fulfilled lives, it is true. It has been pointed out that the most committed of those in the Women's Movement of the 70s were those females who had experienced less joy in their personal lives, whether that disappointment was personal (Bettye Friedan) or professional (Gloria Steinem), to give just two examples.

The women - and it's largely women who work in high numbers in these organizations - are either unhappy with their personal lives, or miffed that they cannot break into the top tiers professionally. That last group includes those who, like Sheryl Sandberg, "achieved" their position through connections with powerful men. Lawrence Summers was an early mentor, and, later, Mark Zuckerberg took a personal interest in her career at Google.

Few of the fanatics have children. Children, by their inborn tendendency to soak up all their parents' free time and attention, generally preclude an intense involvement in time consuming activism. Worse, because they function as  course of amusement and joy, children can lead to outbreaks of happiness.

I'm on the sidelines this election season. I failed to get moving on my driver's license soon enough, and was not able to get my voter registration done in time. That's a first for me EVER.

I had to make a choice - either get my insurance certifications completed on time, or work on Driver's license and voting. I chose what would make me money. I have no regrets.

I have gradually come to realize that I can't do everything. I have to make the most of the important things in my life, and learn to walk past time-wasters. 

Frankly, I'm beginning to think OH is a lock. People may not be all that enthusiastic about JD Vance, but they really distrust Ryan. There are enough 'Normals' in OH - to use Kurt Schlichter's phrase - to tip the election, if they are motivated.

There are aspect to election that I have NO control over - for example, voter fraud and bloated registration lists. I'm willing to put SOME time into adding my influence to clean up the lists - write letters, sign petitions, support efforts that have the possibility of real change, such as this one.

Where is the Coverage?

Of the protests in Europe, against the soaring price of fuel?

Against the massive abuses against the Constitutional Rights of Americans?

Against Leftist Power Bumbles?

Not the Bee has it right - there SHOULD be coverage of the anti-Leftist protests.

Instead - crickets.

They are all over the protest in a London museum that had "Climate Protesters" throwing soup at a Van Gogh.

And, a protest that vandalized a luxury car.

But, SOMEHOW, the media just doesn't see the many citizens in the streets, furious that their Leftist leaders' international fumbling has led them to be facing freezing to death this winter? 

In the words of Rogers and Hammerstein's King of Siam, "It's a puzzlement!"

I Guarantee This Will Make You Cry...

...but it should also inspire you to LIVE while you can.

Is Anyone There?

I've been blogging for years (nearly 20!), although I've been less active during some of those years. At times, I've blogged with others (Right We Are!, Liberty's Torch).

But I've been noticing lately that a substantial chunk of the blogging world has quietly just - vanished.

The ones that stayed were:

• Group blogs - Instapundit, Townhall, Liberty's Torch. It helps to be able to take time off without worrying about losing readers.
• Transitioners - from blogs to podcasts and videos. Some stayed with their original blog, others transitioned to YouTube, Rumble, or Spotify.
• Authors and other Creators - their blog was always considered to be their 'side job'. They used their blogs to promote their other work (which got them PAID).
• Linkers - very little original content, mostly annotated links to other sites. Yes, most of us have some of our posts fitting this description, but some became like Lucianne, which mostly provides links to others.

So, is it worth my keeping up with this blog? I'm not sure, and will take some time over the next few months to think about it.

Missing the Obvious

Somehow, in this Breathless Love-the-City Piece from the Style section, the NYT has missed the obvious answer to the question:

Why are New Yorkers eating earlier now?

The NYT blames:

• Work from home enthusiasts eager to put a marker in the end of their work day
• Covid curfews that lead restaurants to close earlier
• Lack of grateful workers to serve their betters
• Prioritizing sleep over a social life
• And, my personal favorite excuse, 'rejection of corporate hegemony'.

So what reasons could there be that haven't been explored?

How about the desire to get back home, and behind a locked set of doors, before the 'Youths' hit the streets and raise havoc?

Nah. COULDN'T be that the sophisticated, urbane city-dwellers are avoiding contact with the - uh, more VIBRANT residents of the city, could it?

Silly me for even suggesting it.

Wonderful to Feel Better

After a LONG time of feeling sub-par, I'm nearly back to very good. The 'water pills' helped a lot. The doctor and I never did manage to nail down why I was retaining buckets of water for so long, but, once I did one cycle of meds, I was back to normal functioning.

So, I can bend my knees and ankles without pain, walk more than short distances, and generally function like someone without medical issues.

That's done a LOT to bring back my normally sunny disposition. Even a nasty cold last week barely dented my high spirits.

I've finished almost all of the re-certifications with the carriers and ACA Marketplace. I've started contacting people about updating their medical info, and getting ready to do a check on their plans, to make sure they are in the best possible plan for the coming year.

I'm walking more, and with little difficulty; I'm even managing stairs more easily. So, Win-Win.

SS, DD

If you're not sure of the meaning of today's post title, here is a link.

I still check into the news each day. Why, I'm beginning to wonder. It's an endless recap of the latest Attempt to Force the Peasants into Compliance with Endless Directives from Poorly Educated "Elites".

Here's the attempt that spurred me to blog yet again - the Thomas More Society has filed a complaint with the MI Board of Elections, for outsourcing the voter roll cleanup to Leftists.

Amazingly, the Leftist-controlled entity, ERIC (Election Registration Information Center), is considered an Independent and Impartial organization, dedicated to the noble task of making sure that citizens with the legal ability to vote are the only ones on the rolls.

I know, I know. We've heard it all before. Like Charlie Brown believing Lucy will hold the football for him, despite their history.

That's not what's meant by Keep the Faith.

Leftist Fight Against Reality

Leftists are on a - dare I say it? - CRUSADE Against Reality:

• They will Transform the Climate!
• They will Transform Genders!
• They will Transform the Economy!
• They will Transform Education!
• They will Transform the Culture!
• They will Transform the Way the Sexes Act and Interact!
• They will Transform Capitalism!
• They will Transform the Family!
• They will Transform the Church!
• They will Transform Work!
• They will Transform Childrearing!
• They will Transform International Relations!
• They will Transform Publishing, the Arts, and Music!
• They will Transform the Office!
• They will Transform the Home!
• They will Transform the Human Body!

So. How's that working for them? (To paraphrase Dr. Phil).

Do you see ANY aspect in that above list that has SUCCESSFULLY changed?

Me, neither.

That list, and my response to it, was created in answer to Bookwormroom's post of yesterday.

I like what she wrote. She used the situation of farmers, and how they exemplify the impossibility of the Leftist Philosophy. The cycles of weather, crops, the local ecosystem, and the skill of the farmer - and just plain luck - determine the harvest.

Not Central Planning.

Not Eco-Warriors.

Not Government.

Not Prayers to Gaia.

Experience, and the willingness to work.

Leftists want to change human existence; they envision the possibility of human beings deliberately setting a goal, and using the State to enforce the changes that would (in their view) be necessary to make that goal a reality.

When the goal is not reached, Leftists take that as a challenge, and make more rules, regulations, and laws to bend reality to their will.

When that doesn't work, and they finally accept that their solution will not work - with THAT group of people - why, they simply eliminate the human roadblock, and bring in more compliant people.

Again and again.

Leftism and Statism lead to genocide - with the 'intelligentsia', the Kulaks, the 'wreckers', the 'political enemies', the Jews, the peasants, the Uyghurs, the American native-born Whites, the Deplorables - all must be destroyed.

Nature, and Natural Law are the enemies. Human Nature, in the case of most people caring more about the well-being of their own biological families than strangers, is the enemy. Sexual Dimorphism, and the natural difference between the sexes, is the enemy.

Natural differences between people are declared to be the result of "systemic racism", and, therefore, the enemy.

Every facet of Human Life that will not bend to The Will of the Leftist People must be opposed, and, if not defeated, destroyed.

Taking Time for Me

I've been pushing myself to keep going (even though flat surfaces attracted me like a magnet), through a cold and accompanying asthma attack. I had a time constraint on finishing my prep for AEP (Annual Enrollment Period for Medicare). Fortunately, I managed to do so with my top 4 providers, and with the Marketplace, too (that's (Un)Affordable Care Act for the rest of you).

So, I was able to check into QSO Today's Virtual Conference, and learn how to build a kit for some ham radio components. I already have a transceiver (just have to get my husband to bring it up on the next trip).

I had a stellar time, and am looking forward to reviewing the video created, and finishing my new little toy. I got stalled with the project when we started winding a toroid, and my hands kept cramping. That, and my vision started getting too blurry to continue at that time. I put in drops, and will get back to it after a little down time.

There were other sessions, too - Setting up a long-distance antenna in a small space (even if you are burdened with an HOA, which I am not) was particularly interesting. We're on a lunch break for now.

That conference had been around for a while, but really took off when COVID hit. I'd attended before, but the numbers really soared when they were the only get-together in town. It's only $10 for the 2-day conference, which to me is a bargain.

I'm going to be checking into the conference tomorrow, as well. The NOARS (Northern Ohio Amateur Radio Society) has a meeting the next day. so I'll be refreshed and ready to tackle AEP prep after that.

What do any of you do for fun?

The Left Can't Find Nazis? They'll Provide Their OWN!

The bizarre sight of Biden going all Demagogue Hitler on a dark, red-light stage has to rank as one of the strangest events of the year. And, it's been a VERY strange year.

The Left is ready - nay, EAGER - to fight 'The Nazis/Fascists' among us. They don't let the fact that there are only a miniscule number of Americans who are even SLIGHTLY attracted to that philosophy stop them from smearing the entire group of American Dissidents.

So, they keep trying, harder and harder, to take out those Dissidents who they have chosen as Example Fascists, and throwing all the power of an overstuffed government on 'those people'.

To no avail.

What they don't realize is that the Dissidents are largely self-organized and use shared leadership structures that divide the power and responsibility among its members.

Ultimately, we - individually - are responsible for the continuance of the Constitutional Republic. We need to push back from within our communities, and stop the Power Overreach.

The 'Sleepers' Among Us

I'm referring to this new twist on RINOs - the people who are flat-out NOT a Republican, but is lying about their past - with the copious assistance of social media 'scrubbers'.

Now, I'd planned on putting this post on Liberty's Torch. However, difficulties with loading the dashboard led me to put this here. I'm hoping that the issues will be resolved soon.

But, back to the issue - what do we do about this takeover of the GOP apparatus?

Third party always SOUNDS good - but, as we've seen in the past, that's a high barrier to success. The rules for getting on the ballot in every state have deliberately made very unfriendly for those attempting to accomplish that goal.

We've TRIED to reform the GOP. A lot of good that's done us. With the timeline so short for the midterms, we're probably stuck with the GOP, for now.

But, there is time before 2024.

There are, to my knowledge, no third party organizations that appear on all 50 states - with the exception of the Libertarian party.

The actual votes for that party, in local, state, and national elections, is quite low. The hard-core members are NOT on board with the mainstream GOP. I expect that any attempt to do to them what the RINOs/sleepers have done to the GOP are doomed.

And, for me, that's OK.

I don't want to co-opt them.

I want to affiliate with them.

I want to establish a working relationship with them; we'll put up our most electable candidates under their umbrella, with their agreement, and, in return, we'll work out a platform that allows BOTH groups to get the top 5 of their most urgent concerns, RELATED TO NON-SOCIAL/CULTURAL ISSUES, addressed after 2024. This can be a time-limited affiliation.

I think it's likely that the hard-core GOP members for whom social/cultural issues are paramount will resist. I would expect getting their cooperation would be a hard-sell.

However, there are many unaffiliated voters Leaning Libertarian, who could be persuaded.

Do I think keeping the Dobbs status is worth fighting for? Sure. It's a workable decision that returns those laws to the states. And, to be fair, it would probably be worth it for Libertarians as well, as it allows local organizations to have a larger impact - although, for many of them, completely getting government out of the process is better.

I do believe that most of the LP would agree with that plan. In that, perhaps I'm optimistic, but I have to believe that working out a way to have a larger influence on national affairs would appeal to the members of the LP.

Whatever the answer, it's clear that the GOP is - or should be - dead to us. Their record is black with betrayal of principle.

How Do We Know Hillary is Lying?

Her lips are moving.

Look. I understand that many women are eager to see a woman president. Those who are boomers are especially concerned that it will not happen in their lifetime.

But, Hillary is NOT the woman to pin your hopes on. She is deeply amoral, lacking any conscience regarding her deliberate actions. She lies as readily as she breathes. That innocent people have DIED as a result of her failures in Benghazi doesn’t even rise to the level of mild embarrassment.

Support for such a morally flawed woman is akin to sticking by Tony Soprano; it warps and destroys all that do so.

Just Another Example of Carefully Chosen Words Obscuring the Situation

The science camp was contacted by parents concerned about a biological male occupying the same cabin as pre-teen girls.

The letter that was sent to parents contained this:

"Recently, a story about the practices and procedures here at Pali Institute were called into question by someone who inaccurately accused us of placing male staff members in cabins with our female students/campers.

This was based on unfounded assumptions by what we believe to be a concerned parent and their misunderstanding of the information we did provide."

But, as I understand it, a person who has begun the transitioning process is 'not a male', for legal purposes. Later in the letter, the camp clears up the situation:

"Please know that we will not place children in cabins with staff members that are not the same sex assigned at birth."

Look, the kids were concerned enough about the situation to question the 'staff member' about which sex 'they' were. My guess is that the person was a birth-female, in the process of transitioning to male. The carefully worded letter doesn't exclude that possibility, therefore, it's likely.

I'm getting tired of the 'not true, but, TECHNICALLY not false' statements that are so prevalent today. The releases are carefully crafted to be 'not false', yet convey a falsehood through dancing around the actual concern or facts.

I Just Threw Up in my Mouth

HILLARY R CLINTON is on The View, pontificating about the Mar-a-Lago Raid.

Complete with her 'viewpoint' - COMPLETELY nonpartisan and impartial, of course - that anyone committing the dangerous and illegal acts that she assumes Trump has should be "Locked Up".

I believe there is a God, and he is just as well as merciful.

I'd just like to see some of that justice applied soon.

[UPDATE]

The continual push to throttle any hint of dissent to the Official Progressive Message (OPM, for short) is gathering steam. So-called reputable journalists are solidly on board with the concept.

NO, I am Not in Favor of This

Report here - is your team listed? This is not about what a grown person does. This is about using carcinogenic drugs on minors, and performing surgery on people too young to make decisions about ear-piercing or getting a tat.

There Are None So Blind…

…as those who WILL not see.

Folks, we’re there - in fact, LONG past it. We’re past the point of logically making our points, linked to evidence, and waiting for them, after seeing the preponderance of it, to make even a SLIGHT acknowledge that there MIGHT be something there.

We KNOW “those people”. Hell, most of of are related to them, work with them, live in their neighborhood, and otherwise associate with them on a regular basis.

That’s what’s so painful - to see their obdurate refusal to face reality. To know that the reason they are playing “I can’t SEE that!” Is that they are terrified. They know the truth, underneath. It’s just that admitting it will leave them without their comfortable illusions. Naked in the light, stripped of their self-righteous certainty that THEY are the “Good Ones”.

They are like Confederates after the South fell to the Union, still bravely insisting on the glory of their Cause, and even organizing sub Rosa missions to thwart Yankee ‘oppression’.

They are Diehards. They will continue this unto the Third generation. Their bitterness will not wither away. About the best we can hope for is that the USA, through internal migration, sorts itself into geographically separate regions. That, and that the Diehards get defanged through reduction of federal money infusions.

But, it’s likely to be Avery long process. Longer than I’m likely to be around for.

That’s why the Battle for the Next Generation is crucial. Those who are creating stories and songs and video aimed at the YA and under-40 market are our Front Lines. We have to work to pass along the story of freedom.

The Left has already overreached itself. The parents became aware of the extent of the rot in schools, in great part, thanks to the Covid restrictions. And they are resisting, as well as building alternative routes to learning.

Remember, it’s always darkest before you find the light switch.

More Random Bits of News

I'd really like everyone who reads this to share the link - https://legalinsurrection.com/2022/08/the-alarming-ideological-capture-of-our-scientific-institutions/

Just one point makes it clear that the stats on how many so-called Intersex individuals there are. That percentage has been WAY overstated, according to Leonard Sax, writing his response in the National Institute for Health's website.

Anne Fausto-Sterling s suggestion that the prevalence of intersex might be as high as 1.7% has attracted wide attention in both the scholarly press and the popular media. Many reviewers are not aware that this figure includes conditions which most clinicians do not recognize as intersex, such as Klinefelter syndrome, Turner syndrome, and late-onset adrenal hyperplasia. If the term intersex is to retain any meaning, the term should be restricted to those conditions in which chromosomal sex is inconsistent with phenotypic sex, or in which the phenotype is not classifiable as either male or female. Applying this more precise definition, the true prevalence of intersex is seen to be about 0.018%, almost 100 times lower than Fausto-Sterling s estimate of 1.7%.

The MAL Raid story just gets weirder and weirder. Now that the affidavit has been released, it seems that the basis for the raid was, at the most charitable, not up to the level of "Probable Cause".

That's a nicer way to phrase it - Pure B$ is, however, closer to the truth.

Look. I'm not one that support everything former President Trump does. He can fail to live up to all of his promises, engage in bombastic self-praise, and be SLIGHTLY shading the truth. That's all in the nature of someone who is NOT a lawyer nor a politician, but, at heart, a salesman and promoter.

That's OK with me. I take what he says with a healthy dose of caution, and have learned not to expect hair-splitting, cautious statements from him. It doesn't make him a criminal, nor should his every word be parsed for exact meaning. Sometimes, he even jokes, and - if those words were taken literally, as the Left thinks they should - he might be prosecuted for a crime.

But, come ON!

I have, many times in my life, said "I'm going to kill ------". That doesn't mean that I should be arrested for 1st degree, premeditated murder.

It means that I'm mega-pi$$ed off at someone (whether for good reason, or because I got a hair up my hiney). I'm not actually planning to do it. And, no one other than an actual enemy of mine would ever take those words - or PRETEND to take those words - as indicating intent.

That's what so frustrating about interacting with the We Hate Trump crowd (WHT, for short). They leap on every report from the media as Gospel Truth, and begin the Let's-Take-Our-Torches-to-the-Castle March, eager to FINALLY bring down the Evil Orange Man (EOM).

Hey, Toots, I put up with 8 years of Obama without ONCE clamoring for his arrest, let alone his execution. That's despite his un-Constitutional 'Power of the Pen' Executive Orders, blatant use of the DOJ, FBI, and IRS to cow his opponents and destroy their sources of income, their reputations, and their entire lives, and planting of his Deep State operatives in the Civil Service caves.

So, I think 4 years of Trump, interspersed with lawsuits, weaponized government leaks, flat-out lying in government hearings, and judicial overreach by District Court judges, is something the WHT can live with.

Most of us have found family members and friends with whom it is impossible to have a conversation, without their fulminating about EOM, gloating about his imagined arrest - any minute, just any minute!, and feeling free to say anything they please about any topic, while ordering me and other Non-WHT people to Shut Up!

Now!

Not that such a determinedly 'non-political' mandate stops THEM from commentary - Oh, NO!

THEIR comments aren't political. Just Common Sense. You know, Middle of the Road, EVERYONE-Knows-the-Truth, and Anyone Who Disagrees is a H8r, a Nazi/Fascist, and an Insurrectionist.

What? How do they know that?

It's Obvious! So, don't ask for their reasoning, just let them fume.

So, that's why I blog. At least, it's why I've continued to do so. It's not about all the people I influence, or how many people follow me (few), or how much money I make (surely you jest!).

I do it because it's the only way I have to let off the pressure of being censored by the Karens of the Left, who have no clue about what constitutes an actual argument, how to debate a topic, or even how to answer simple questions. Questions such as:

• Is it censorship to object to elementary children being exposed to explicit graphic books in public libraries/school libraries, showing oral sex between a minor and another person (either another minor or an adult)?
• Is it unreasonable to object to the DOJ and local prosecutors having different standards for arrest/bail/conviction, depending on political inclination/race/immigration status?
• While I do agree that the student loan programs were abused - by the schools and lenders, as well as some students, I'm against yet another give-away program, that takes money from people who didn't take out the loan, and gives it to those that did. Why not, instead, reform the program by:
• For all those who had high-interest loans, and are paying on them, use of taxpayers' money to lower the interest rates for a defined period of time - NOT to be extended without further legislation. That, along with those debtors continuing the same payment, should clear up most of the loans in short order.
• The colleges should be liable for some of those loans, for those who did not graduate, but carry a heavy debt (heavily skewed towards minorities). If those students were admitted without the academic readiness to be able to graduate, the schools should have to pay for 1/2 the debt - and, have their current operating frozen/cut until they pay in full. If they have endowments, they must dip into those funds to pay the money back.
• Last, the whole program needs to be re-vamped. The emphasis needs to be on matching the students' interests AND academic skill levels. Much of the problem for those students not completing a degree is that they were often WAY underprepared for the rigor of the experience. Their foundational skills were under par. And, to be fair, more than a few weren't prepared to take the experience seriously enough. If parent(s) want to send their not-ready-for-college kid to a pricey school, THEY should pay for it with their OWN money - NOT loans.

If it's not clear, I do think that college is not for everyone. It's not meant to be a place to explore 'social or political activism', nor to search for True Love, nor to hang out and get wasted. College should be for mature students with clear goals AND the skills to benefit from it.

For the rest, there are choices:

• Work - it's not a dirty word. The jobs are, at present, plentiful. Pay is higher for the unskilled than it has ever been, although likely not possible to move out of the family home, unless they take a lot of roommates, or work more than 40-50 hours a week.
• Military - this is one that I don't recommend at present, due to changing culture of the services. But, there are kids scoring high enough on the ASVAB to benefit from the training in useful skills, on Uncle Sam's dime (and being paid to do so - Win-Win!).
• A combination of work and volunteer work in their desired field. Or, for some fields, paid work - day care, teacher's assistant, special ed aide, nursing assistant, hospital/nursing home cleaner. Generally, the more desirable the job/work, the less it pays. Sucks, doesn't it?
• Entrepreneurship - run a home day care, start up a lawn care business, moving company, or other idea. This is where parents can provide free housing for a specified time period, knowing that they will pay less than if their kid went to college, and will likely be less inclined to engage in debauchery.

Some Interesting Ideas That Caught My Eye

I've long believed that a standing military - one filled with careerists, REMFs, and Pentagon weenies - is not the best use of our defense dollars. Here is a link to a different organization of our current mlitary. And, I might add my own idea to the Guard units. There should only be a SMALL portion of them that can be called up nationally, without the EXPLICIT consent of the governor/legislators of the individual states. That might go a long way to stopping these endless "Not-Exactly-a-War-But-the-Carnage-Sure-Resembles-it" actions.

About rising energy costs:

We've been damn fortunate lately. In the North, we've had relatively mild winters since Doofus Biden took office. That, and the lessened traffic for the last couple of years has helped keep energy costs from breaking the bank.

That's not gonna continue. The price of energy - gasoline, heating fuels (oil, gas, and electric), and lighting and other electricity needs - will inevitably skyrocket. That's the plan. To both diminish savings, AND to accustom the public to rationing, a process that both forces people to use less energy, and also puts them in their place - no mouthing off for YOU, Peasant!

Bayou Renaissance Man has a long post on the Energy Crisis (well, it's a manmade crisis, but it IS a crisis). I have no solutions, other than to retrofit your living spaces to manage with using less energy (tightening up heat escaping, reducing the number of rooms you do use, having alternative ways to manage cooking, transportation, and use of electric appliances). It's likely to be an uncomfortable time period, before it's over. I've been through it before, early in my marriage. We were forced to resort to THESE.

And, finally, the New Campaign to Persuade Americans to Embrace Serfdom!

There were (unacknowledged) serfs in America before this:

• The miners who worked in Company Towns, and shopped at the Company Store
• Sharecroppers
• Many of the migrant workers of the 20th century

The ideal in America was to own your own home, car, and possessions. Many people, seduced by the lure of Payment Plans, descended into a quasi-serfdom of Debt Slave. Much of the Consumer Protection industry - Truth in Lending, national and state Consumer Agencies, and the fight to end Payday Loans - stems from concerns about people getting into debt that is not able to be paid back before the merchandise that was financed wears out.

It's actually worse today. We have many people who lease their cars. That's a choice that does make some sense - IF you own a business, and use those cars for business purposes. It makes no sense if you're an average person, and could pay off the car within 4-6 years. Most cars on the road today can easily be driven 10-15 years before needing to be replaced (a lot of that need is difficulty getting parts to fix those cars).

Other commonly rented items include furniture, computers, cellphones, and various TV/cable service equipment. Your streaming services - video, movies, games, music - all amount to a rental, not a purchase. The poor are more likely to get into these "deals", leading them to an unsustainable lifestyle level. One interruption to their income, or a sudden 3 or 4 figure bill, and the house of cards collapses.

Inflation cuts people off from being able to afford home ownership, due both to the rise in the price of housing, and the increased cost of mortgage intereest. Such a double whammy was the cause of our continued rental, well into our 30s. We finally managed to squeak out a home purchase thanks to a mortgage broker (he probably finagled with the paperwork to make it possible - I didn't care, we were buying a house that was well within our budget, and we were both working).

Down Time

I'm still working sporadically on my insurance recertifications. And, gradually reducing my heavy involvement in day to day family issues. My sister is healing - she can even put her foot on the ground - gingerly - and will be doing PT exercises for many weeks. My grandson FINALLY got enrolled and registered in his new school - Kindergarten. On his first day, he made some friends, so that's good. There will be ups and downs, but having friends by his side will help.

I've not been sleeping well lately, so am reading in bed at night. I've picked up some old books on Kindle - Helen MacInnes spy stories. Very entertaining, and they could have been ripped from the headlines today. We've been fighting the forces of We-Know-Better-Than-You-How-You-Should-Live, a group that is prepared to impose their rule by force - for Our Own Good.

MacInnes is mostly concerned about the Reds and the Anarchists, and her concern is Western Civilization. In her time, it was experiencing a considerable amount of stress.

Today's book is The Hidden Target, filled with young revolutionaries and bombings, and willingness to use others to achieve their nefarious goals. I'm less than 20% into the book, and I simply cannot put it down.

I have things to do, but really don't want to just now. I'm horribly spoiled about discipline just now.

In my spare time, I've been passing along memes. Here's one that caught my fancy.

Gloom, Despair, and Agony

 To quote from the song played on Hee-Haw. Below is a roundup of stories that have caught my eye.

Despite the persistent criticism of the GOP as being the party of The Rich, the Dems own that title.

The raid on Trump’s home, Mar-A-Lago, cannot be explained any way except as a blatant stunt to force prosecution on him, and thereby disqualify him from any elected office. At least, that’s the general consensus on the blogs.

From Legal Insurrection, an opinion that is backed by by legal expertise. Dark times, indeed.

Also from LI, this caution about not falling into a trap. Even if all convictions are overturned, the people involved will have lost years of their lives, and be in debt for a majority of their lives. They can never regain their reputation.

Hard to imagine that 30 years have passed since the Ruby Ridge executions - victims included an unarmed mother holding her infant, and a 14-year old boy. The Clinton callousness and defense of the incompetent Janet Reno are among the MANY failures of the last popular Democratic president.

Truth in the News Game - now you see it, now you don’t. Pity that an accidental commission of actual news reporting is wiped from the record.

This Trojan Horse, like the original, was brought in by feckless citizens. For the record, I do not trust China. They are relentless in their ambition to subjugate the USA.

If THIS Isn't Evidence of Fraud, NOTHING Is

The numbers (provided by the Secretary of State) are here - you can check them out. I'm just going to focus on the graphs, for now.

Now, I'm NOT a statistician. I'm just a regular person, but one that had long experience with stats, both as a working teacher who had to wade through more than one budget or communique from TPTB. I taught science, and had some realistic idea of the average person's familiarity with anything involving numbers.

Which is pretty much nil.

As an undergrad, I was a History major with an unofficial minor in Science. I gravitated towards focusing on the quantitative analysis of historical data. So, I think I can follow some basic numbers relating to the recent KS election.

And, the numbers stink. Like month's old, yards high piles of skunk and rotting corpses.

Massively unlikely, come-from-behind victories are rare. When it's OUR team, we believe - we WANT to believe.

I would feel like that, should this year's Cleveland Guardians team make the playoffs, and - by an eyelash and every decision just magically turning in their favor, get back to the World Series - WIN!!!!!

Games where the OTHER team made game-turning errors. Games where the opposing team's stars had an unexpectedly bad day, attributed to food poisoning or other happenstance. And, those events happened, again and again.

Until the Guardians were whooping it up on the field, and the fireworks were going off, and the fans were screaming, "Did you SEE that? I can't believe it!"

I would REALLY want to believe.

But, I'm a realist. No matter how much I would like them to take it all, before I die, given their performance record this year, I just can't. Should that unlikely scenario take place, I would be the first to cry, "Fix!".

[I'm having connections issues right now, so I'm posting when possible, and will update to keep from having to write this again and again].

Well, that's what the recent vote in KS was - a FIX from start to finish.

Look at the data (for those who are SURE that I ONLY get my news from Alex Jones and other conspiracy theorists, this is from the KS Sec. of State official website).

The first graph shows the relative numbers of voters in the 2020 primary election.

The numbers for the 2020 Primary were relatively normal - probably a little higher than they would be historically, but, considering the percent turnout, not out of line with what you might expect.

The 2020 General election was less in line with expectations - an almost 71% turnout would be unprecedented. In 2008, Obama's candidacy only managed to bring out 61%. Are we to believe that the bland and tepid support for Biden GALVANIZED the voters?

So, historically, there were reasons to suspect that KS had experienced some issues with the validity of their voting.

Primary for Governor (Dem party):         282,124

Primary for Governor (GOP party):         455,949

Total voting for candidate (Governor):    738,073

Total voting on Amendment:                    922,321

Almost 200,000 MORE voting for the Abortion Amendment? Is that even likely?

Folks, I understand wanting to win. But, to accept this as a FAIR COUNT makes the process a parody. A joke. To say that "You just have to accept the vote. To do otherwise makes you a conspiracy theorist and a traitor," is a move that will NOT quiet dissent. It will only increase mistrust of the government, AND those that would provide cover for their illegal activities by looking the other way on voter integrity.

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

The Good - I'm making good process this week on my AHIP Medicare Recertification course. I'm (crossing my fingers) planning to finish by mid-August. That will leave me time to individually certify for all the carriers I represent, order my materials, and get ready for the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP).

That's escpecially Good, because I'd been deflected from finishing earlier by life and family issues (and, to be honest, a little lethargy/depression).

The Bad - I'm still more than a little overwhelmed by work on the houses (both), physical rehab of my shoulder and knee, poor radio reception issues (the same issues have also affected over-the-air TV reception as well), and the fact that I haven't been able to shed the weight I've gained since injuring my shoulder.

The Ugly - I seem to be lurching from one family crisis/problem to another. My sister's ankle is still keeping her from putting weight on it. It was a VERY bad break, necessitating surgery, and the time she has spent relatively immobile is driving her nuts. 

I was helping out yesterday and allowing my brother-in-law to catch up on sleep - very important, as he has been carrying the load by himself for most of this time. We're all hoping that my sister gets the go-ahead to put some weight down on her ankle sometime in the next month or so. She needs to return to her normal levels of activity ASAP.

On the positive side, this accident has forced her to re-evaluate her current housing situation, and decide on a move to more senior-friendly housing as soon as she can put some weight on the ankle. That means, one floor plans, in a quieter neighborhood, with (hopefully) some yard space in the back, for her garden and her dog. I plan to provide some of the driving for that search.

I really need to have some of these issues settled by AEP. That's an intensive period of work, and I won't have a lot of time to run around the state on errands of mercy.

I'm going to have to make some time to exercise regularly - I really cannot afford to add physical issues to the rest of this.

The Smoking Gun

Well, if you ever wondered what would happen if evidence - HARD evidence - surfaced about Hunter Biden, and his associates connection to Ukraine corruption, wonder no more.

This was first released by Tucker Carlson on a national program. It makes the case, convincingly, for MANY of Hunter Biden's family and friends havng been hip deep into the scandal.

And, now, again, the Truth is OUT There. So, what do we get?

This is not an accident. This is intentional. It is a CONSPIRACY to bury news that is unfavorable to politically favored Leftists and their allies.

What The Elite Fears

What The Elite (who fervently believe that they, and ONLY they, should rule this country) Fears:

That the average person - non-Elite, might be White, or not, believes that earning a living, raising a family, and conducting oneself as though one had a brain is vital to national interests - might have a significant say in how this country is run, and how the money raised in taxes or borrowed to run the government is spent.

That's it.

No White Supremacy. No Hate the Gay. No explicit teaching of sectarian faith in public schools (that also includes the religion of Leftism). Everyone has a vote - ONE. Any vote has to have been cast by a LEGAL CITIZEN - a person, not a bot.

But, also reduction of ALL subsidies:

• Corporate/Industrial
• For "Cultural" activities
• For "Get Out the Vote" (GOTV) activities - that is a STATE responsibility.
• For grants to schools - public or private (the STATES can do whatever the hell they want - this is about FEDERAL money - money taken by force from taxpayers).
• Ag subsidies - which, mostly, end up in the hands of the Big Multinational Businesses. Direct loans to farmers experiencing UNUSUAL circumstances, no problem - low interest rates, too. But, that loan should also include someone looking into the books to see how the farm might get back on the pathway to solvency and become profitable and largely self-sustaining.
• Which might mean that both the food stamp/EBT and free lunches might have to be reduced. Well, okay. There's a lot of waste in those programs - in many schools, ALL children are deemed eligible for the programs, with no check on actual income. And, having worked in those schools, I also know - from personal experience - that there is a LOT of plate waste, AND a lot of fat kids being produced from the sale of snacks and pizza for cash. What, 'poor' kids have money? Yeah, that would be because a sizable percentage of them aren't actually poor.
• As for food stamps, the local stores - often run by people of foreign birth - are notorious for trading small amounts of cash (and, maybe a little not-eligible alcohol or tobacco) for the ability to run their card for non-existent amounts of groceries. Not helping those families; just putting ill-gotten gains into the hands of those businesses.
• And, a not-inconsiderable quantity of that WIC powdered formula - the formula that is in such shortage - is going to dealers to cut their drugs. That could be stopped tomorrow by making only liquid, condensed formula eligible for WIC. A quck, and effective fix.

ALL departments at the federal level should have to reduce their budgets by at least 10% the first year, and an equal amount (plus inflation) the next, until - we hope - that department is either gone, or reduced to the level that would be compatible with that of the early days of the Republic.

They could start with Waste, Abuse, and Fraud. At the national level, it's huge. ALL departments would have to identify the top 5 areas of WAF, and reach their target of 10% reduction, or face loss of funds in the next budget.

If the states think a non-essential program that is on the federal chopping block is such an important thing to do, they should apply for a Reverse Grant. State residents will have the Federal portion of their taxes reduced to pay for it, and that money sent directly to state government to run that program. The money never hits the federal coffers.

The Struggle Continues

This link is to a Breitbart News piece that details just how the "student visas" programs work - and it's not pretty.

This year, border chief Alejandro Mayorkas created a new J-1 work-permit program for tech companies without any approval from Congress. And the Congressional Wimps roll over and play dead.

Here's another link to the list of Senators (GOP AND Dem) who want MORE H-2B visas issued (a different program than that described above) - right up to the max allowed.

"The 17 Republicans who signed the letter are:

• Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
• Mike Rounds (R-SD)
• Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
• James Risch (R-ID)
• Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
• Roy Blunt (R-MO)
• Cynthia Lummis (R-WY)
• John Cornyn (R-TX)
• Mike Crapo (R-ID)
• John Thune (R-SD)
• Susan Collins (R-ME)
• Pat Toomey (R-PA)
• Roger Wicker (R-MS)
• Jerry Moran (R-KS)
• Rand Paul (R-KY)
• John Barrasso (R-WY)
• Tim Scott (R-SC)

Many of them are predictable, but Tim Scott and Rand Paul are disappointments.

The 17 Democrats who signed the letter are:

• Angus King (I-ME)
• Chris Coons (D-DE)
• Michael Bennet (D-CO)
• Robert Menendez (D-NJ)
• Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)
• Raphael Warnock (D-GA)
• Thomas Carper (D-DE)
• Joe Manchin (D-WV) - watch out for him - he is a stealth supporter of the Dem platform
• Mark Warner (D-VA)
• John Hickenlooper (D-CO)
• Tim Kaine (D-VA)
• Tina Smith (D-MN)
• Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
• Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ)
• Ron Wyden (D-OR)
• Mark Kelly (D-AZ)
• Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)

Fortunately, and rather surprisingly, there were no OH senators on the list. My guess is that they are in fear of what will happen in the 2022 Sentate race, between J. D. Vance and Tim Ryan. They don't want to give any easy opportunities for the GOP to score points.

Tim Ryan, from the Youngstown area, likes to position himself as a working-class supporter type of guy. After graduating from college, he worked for Jim Trafficant - so that might tell you just what his ethics are. Jim served a sentence involving TEN counts of bribery, false tax returns, racketeering, and forcing his staff to work on his farm and houseboat. He served 7 years.

From Wikipedia:

After his expulsion, Traficant ran as an independent candidate for another term in the House while incarcerated at the United States Penitentiary, Allenwood.^[21] He received 28,045 votes, or 15 percent, and became one of only a handful of individuals in the history of the United States to run for a federal office from prison. The election was won by one of his former aides, Tim Ryan.^[22]

Ryan's district, the 13th, is heavily Democrat. He has won, in the past, by large majorities - although, it must be said that he didn't face imposing GOP candidates.

This is different. He's facing a popular, and fairly well known businessman and author of the story of his redneck upbringing. That will go a long way for many who might otherwise be voting for him. This is also a statewide office, and he cannot count on his strong showing in elections that drew from a small, largely Rust Belt locale.

Keep an eye on the B@$t@rds, and keep vigilant. This could be as big an upset as has been seen in a long time.