Let's take a break and talk about life in general...

The election is in 12 days and that is of course a big deal. A very big deal.  The outcome will in some way affect each and every one of our lives in some way. It will affect the future course of our nation and our standing in the global order. I've been posting about it on here for weeks, talking about things that many of us don't hear about in the mainstream media outlets. But today, I want to take a break from politics and talk about something else. I changed the name of my blog recently to include "Life in General." We all have things going on in our lives that are important, sometimes even critical. We actually spend most of our waking hours taking care of our own important personal issues, maintaining a system of order in our lives. Once we have all of the topics of our own lives attended to, then we can take a little time to ponder politics and or any of the other things that might deserve a little attention. Or not...

Now and then, though, things pop up. so to speak that were unexpected, not in anyone's plan and certainly not in your own. Sometimes such things are benign, they have to be dealt with but soon they once again disappear into obscurity, where they seemingly came from. Sometimes though, these 'things' appear, leave you in shock and reeling and you don't have a clue as to how to deal with it or even how you may feel about it at the moment. The only thing you know at the moment you become aware of their existence is, this is serious. Damn serious.  In your personal queue of important things to deal with, this one suddenly and quickly moves to the front of the line. Life has a habit of being unpredictable and those unforeseen moments can be anything from memorable and precious to shockingly frightful and even horrible. Some, so it seems, tend to come into your life gradually, they may even seem innocuous at first. But as they develop, and the more you learn about it, the more the risk of danger makes itself known. For circumstantial reasons you cant know just how serious they may be until things progress. Tests have to be performed, there may even be a period of let's just wait and see how this thing develops. All you know in the beginning is it could just be 'nothing' or it could be a matter of life and death. 

Such has happened to me as it has many others before me and certainly for will many more in the future. Let me get to the point. I recently went for an annual physical with our family doctor. I have learned through the years from these visits about my high cholesterol, high blood pressure and sleep apnea. Untreated, any of these conditions can lead to serious and dire consequences. But as I learned about them they were treated with medication or therapy of some sort. Fortunately, I have not had any serious consequences from them. I am now 70 years old and have been blessed with relatively good health as a result of regular check ups and preventive measures. Until this year. My annual blood tests routine revealed an elevated PSA. If you haven't heard that acronym before it stands for prostate specific antigen. It's a protein in the blood released by the prostate gland. Often in those with cancer cells growing in the prostate glad, the level of this protein in the blood begins to increase. Mine did, so my doctor recommended that I see a urologist for further tests. I did, and the urologist found that since the original blood test with my family doctor and the blood test he had performed two months later the PSA level had increased even more. He told me I have three options. 1) I could choose to do nothing. If you know something isn't right and your health is potentially at risk, why would anyone choose to do nothing. I dont know, to each his own. 2) I could do an MRI, a non-invasive procedure that is helpful but not conclusive or 3) do a biopsy. The biopsy is conclusive as far as revealing the presence of cancer. For me, if there is the possibility that I have cancer, I want to know as soon as possible. So I can do whatever I need to do to treat it. And survive it. 

It is known that prostate cancer is one of the slowest-growing types of cancers. It is also known that cancer (including all types) is notorious for being unpredictable. My mother, father, brother, grandfather, all died from cancer. For some it took years for the evil disease to claim them, for my older brother it took only a month. So, not doing whatever I can as soon as I can, and taking unnecessary risks isn't really an option for me. At the moment I'm in that period of waiting. I've had the biopsy, now I wait to hear. It's not easy but then at the same time I dont want to worry about something that hasn't happened and maybe isn't going to happen. It's an unknown. An unknown with a potentially unhappy ending...

I'm Proud of Black Journalists...The Latest Scandal

 First, a little background. I have been following the 2024 election and the stories surrounding the candidates very closely. I'm up to date. I know what's going on. Or well, I thought I did. We've all heard of Candace Owens, a bright, astute young black lady with a conservative bent who's very much on top of things. By that I mean she can figure out what's true and what's not... And Da Real ADogg, also a bright young black man who can think for himself. Has his own YouTube channel and discusses politics. Pretty impressive young fellow. I pretty much by accident stumbled upon his channel tonight and listened in. He was discussing an emerging scandal involving Kamala. 

Recently, Janet Jackson made a statement along the lines of 'I heard Kamala Harris wasn't really black.' Her publicist (or someone in her inner circle) issued a public statement that Janet meant to offend no one and is for peace and harmony blah, blah, blah. Then she promptly fired the publicist. Many of the well-known leftist mouths (CNN, MSNBC, Whoopie...) demanded an apology. She said I'm not apologizing for anything. Kamala recently said in public that she was of Indian heritage, now she is claiming to be black. I dont know what she is...

Candace, as she has been known to do, began researching the issue. She found, and showed on her YouTube channel copies of birth certificates. marriage certificates, photos, etc.. Some of the pictures she found showed Kamala with her paternal grandmother and grandfather. Let me start over; her 'alleged' paternal grandmother and grandfather. One of these photos in particular Kamala included in her recent autobiography The Truths We Hold. The photo is captioned as Kamala standing next to her grandmother Beril. Pretty common, most of us have photos of us with our grandmothers. However, Candace discovered from an official document that Harris' paternal grandmother passed in 1960, four years before Kamala Harris was born. So, that begs the question, who is this person standing next to Kamala Harris, if it's not her grandmother? We can speculate, but what we do know to be true is it is not her grandmother. And another question is why would she lie about this? And I guess while we're at it, if she would lie about this what else has she lied about?

There's no need to remind you that this person is running for President of the United States. We, the People have a fundamental right to expect and demand integrity from this person. Why would anyone, let alone this candidate need to lie about who their real grandparents are? And why haven't we heard about this anomaly in the news? Of course MSNBC, CNN, CBS, ABC, they're not going to mention it because it would create some foul-smelling questions that would need to be answered. Fat chance of that happening. But it was discovered and raised some by young, sagacious journalists who can think for themselves and aren't afraid to stand up for what they believe. Bravo Candace and Dogg. Bravo! 

If this doesn't convince you, then nothing will...

 Today, October 17, a little more than a year since Hamas invaded Israel with an army of terrorists as a barrage of rockets rained on Israeli territory, to massacre innocents, including children, to rape women, and burn homes to the ground, Yahya Sinwar has been killed. He was (please notice the past tense...) the 'mastermind' of the October 7 attacks. By the end of that infamous day, 1200 were dead and 251 were dragged into Gaza and held hostage. After a year of fighting, Sinwar has refused to surrender and release the hostages. Even as his own people suffered, he was determined to somehow turn world opinion against Israel. Arguably, and sadly, he had some success. 

Sinwar had previously been held in an Israeli prison where he suffered brain cancer. He miraculously survived owing to the treatment of Israeli doctors. In 2011, he was one of 1,000 prisoners released as part of a deal to secure the release of an abducted Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit. Once released he rose through the Hamas organization and became the defacto leader in Gaza. 

The killing of Sinwar is monumentally important. It not only caused an operational blow to Hamas but gives a new perspective on the war, notably for Israel. Sinwar's death follows a series of successes for Israel, the killing of Hama's political leader Ismail Haniyeh, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, and a plethora of other high ranking leaders of both terrorist groups. Israel has dealt a powerful blow to the proxies of Iran as it contemplates retaliation against Iran itself. And as it should. Our executive leaders sure don't have the balls to do it, in fact, we funded their irreverent, profane deeds...

This news also serves to shine some convincingly dark light on the judgment of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. For months this dynamic duo warned Israel against an invasion of Rafah, where Sinwar was killed. Biden made the statement that going into Rafah was a "red line" for him. Harris warned that there would be "consequences" because she "studied the maps." The fact that Sinwar was killed in Rafa vindicates the insistence of Israel that Rafah was where they would find Hamas' leadership. They found him there, and they killed him. 

Let us not overlook the courage of Bibi to do what he knew was the right thing to defend his country. In spite of the leaders of the United States telling him, "Do not do this." As the great Winston Churchill once said, "If you find yourself in hell, keep going." Bibi sure as hell kept going, inspite of being told to stop... 

Many, but not all of the Israeli hostages that were taken are still alive and captive in Gaza. Israel is still being pressured to stop the war. Can you imagine another country telling the United States after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, do not bomb Japan. Just calm down. Pretty preposterous notion, isn't it? Then why in the sam hell did our leaders tell Israel just that? 

God Bless you Mr. Netanyahu. Keep going. 

Obama lectures the brothers...

 I suppose that most election campaigns are pretty much like this one as goes the shenanigans and lying. It's just a part of the game, though that seems a sorry excuse for such behavior. These are the people who are clamoring for leadership positions, some very powerful positions, yet they can somehow reconcile with themselves that behaving like the miscreants they are so adept at locking up is acceptable. Some, a lot, of that behavior is in plain sight for all to see but believe me there is so very much that goes on that remains well-hidden... And trust me when I say, neither side is innocent. Politics is a vicious, bloody game and the higher the stakes the more vicious it becomes. And in this campaign the stakes are at an apex. So many news articles from all sources try to expound on the details of dirty deeds that the other side has done. They are endless. As if with each revelation we're going to be shocked. The newspeople (I refuse to call them 'journalists') have become very clever at using forceful and expressive words such as "bombshell." Somehow trying to imply 'you're not going to believe this...'. 

The problem is we DO believe it. It's become nigh impossible to shock the voters with their bad behavior. Not only are we rarely surprised we've come to expect it. This is a good, no, make that great example of 'it is what it is...' It's reality, it's happened before and it's will continue to happen. I'm mainly talking about the players in the game, the candidates. But the candidates aren't the only ones playing dirty pool. In fact there are countless background players, most of whom remain invisible. But not all. In politics endorsements are big. They're important and they often make a difference. The higher the profile of the endorser the more impact the endorsement carries. I know not why but for Democrats the endorsement of Barack Obama seems to be highly coveted. I know, he's a former president but being a former president doesn't necessarily mean you were a good president. All it means is you are a former president. Obama is on the campaign trail stumping for Kamala. 

At a recent rally for Harris in Pittsburgh, Obama spoke to a group of black Harris supporters. His speech turned into a blatant lecture to black men about their failure to support her. At the beginning of his speech he claimed the he was here to "speak some truths." That word 'truths' is now in the  same category into which Bill Clinton famously placed the word 'is.' I'm sure you recall the trope "It depends on what your definition of is, is... ." 'Truths' is so loosely used now that it would impossible to document all of its new definitions. Anyway, Barry was going to let loose with some truths. "I have received reports that we have not seen the same kind of energy and enthusiasm that we saw when I was running. Now, I also want to say that that seems to be more pronounced with the brothers. When you have a choice that is this clear, when you have someone who grew up like you, knows you, went to college with you, understands the struggles and pain and joy that comes from those experiences, who's able to put forth concrete proposals to correctly address the things that are vital in our neighborhoods and communities, from housing to making sure that our mothers and fathers and grandparents can afford medicine, and making sure that we are dealing with prices that are too high, and rents that are too high, and is committed to making sure we maintain the Affordable Care Act so everybody's got healthcare, and cares about things like education and entrepreneurship in our neighborhood. (OK, now from one run-on sentence to the next...)

"And on the other hand you have someone who has consistently shown disregard not just for communities but for you as a person. And you're thinking about sitting it out? And you're coming up with all kinds of reasons and excuses? I've got a problem with that. Because it makes me think that you're not "feeling" the idea of having a woman as president."

His rant goes on but I'm going to stop there. So, according to you Barry, we have someone who we grew up with, went to college with, and who knows us? Seriously? So, she's the big sister none of us knew about? And undoubtedly she's going to take care of all those horrible issues plaguing us and make them go away. Just like she's been doing the past 3 plus years? Oh, and thank God she's going to maintain the ACA so our grandmas and grandpas will have good quality affordable healthcare. Barry, do me one favor. Just one. Call up a person, just one person who has had to rely on insurance they got in the 'marketplace' and ask them how's that working for you? 

And then on the other hand you've got this jerk that has done nothing good for no one, ever. Really? I just read an article revealing that he sent shipments of food, water and fuel to Hurricane victims in Georgia. At his own expense. What has this girl we went to college with done, never mind paying for it out of her own pocket...

OK, now you get the picture, now my commentary. If I were a black man I would be insulted and PO'd. How dare you talk down to us like that. We didn't grow up with her, we didn't go to college with her and she hasn't talked about (at least not in any language we could understand) any concrete proposals for fixing anything. She hasn't even done a single, solitary press conference. And you have a problem with us? Guess what, there's millions of us out here that have a problem with you and her. You think we're not feeling the idea of having a woman as president? The fact that she's a woman has nothing to do with it, stupid. She's incompetent, non-communicative, dense, vapid... 

Barry, a little advice, stop talking down to people that are smarter than you are. They are the ones out here dealing with high prices, high rents, immigration, etc. You're not. Black men are perfectly capable of figuring it out for themselves and making decisions for themselves. I mean, after all, they went to college with Kackala. 

Madman at the Ports...

Recently, the International Longshoreman's Association (ILA) launched a strike in east coast ports from Maine to Texas. As is the typical M.O. for labor union strikes, higher wages and expanded benefits are the goal. The origin of labor unions is found in the past abuses of labor by management. Unions were created to increase bargaining power of workers with management. For perhaps nigh a century they played a pivotal and beneficial role in the advocacy of fair wages and benefits for workers. In recent decades labor unions have been besieged by corruption and the influence of organized crime. Have they outlived their purpose? Perhaps...

APM terminals at the Port of Mobile use semiautomated gates to process trucks, precluding the need for union labor. The resulting outrage from the loss of jobs resulting from this automated task is one of the reasons for the strike. It's worth mentioning that this automated gate has been in operation for years. As of today, the strike is off with a tentative deal on wages and benefits. However, the issue of automation at the ports is unresolved until the cooling off period expires January 15, 2025. 

The president of the local union in Mobile claimed, "Machines don't pay taxes." Neither do laptop computers and cellphones but it would be hard to imagine doing business in any industry without them. The productivity that both have brought is enormous. The savings resulting from the technology is inestimable. Harold Daggett has waged war on automation at the ports. This is somewhat akin to a caveman at seeing the prototype of a wheel and proclaiming "Wheel, huh, that's the stupidest thing I have ever seen..." Technology is an integral part of modern life and culture. Deal with it Harold.

A little history on Harold Daggett, and his progeny. Harold is the president of the union and makes nearly a million dollars a year. He lives in a mansion in New Jersey. He drives a Bentley and owns a 76 foot yacht. His son Dennis has been an ILA official since 2005. As of 2024 the younger Daggett was executive vice president of the ILA and head of the New Jersey local once led by his father. It's not clear whether there is any technology to be found in Harold's home, such as a washing machine, microwave oven, or dishwasher. Harold doesn't seem to understand that advances in and the adoption of technology is directly tied increased productivity and economic growth. To ban the benefits of automation technology at our ports means that whatever the level of productivity we have at our ports now, that's all we're ever going to get. Oh, and by the way, the wages for the un-automated manual labor doing the work unloading the ships needs to go way up. Your current 50% offer, that's not enough. Tripling the employer contribution to benefits, that's not enough. 

In the past  Daggett was accused of being an associate of the Genovese crime family. In 2005 George Barone, a former Genovese crime enforcer who turned states evidence testified that Daggett was controlled by the Mafia. In his own testimony Daggett depicted himself as a victim of the Mafia and said that Barone had threatened to kill him in 1980. Daggett and two codefendants in the trial were found not liable on civil RICO charges of extortion conspiracy and fraud. One of the codefendants, Lawrence Ricci disappeared during the trial; his body was found weeks later in a New Jersey diner in a decomposed state with multiple gunshot woulds. The murder remains unsolved. 

Interestingly, Daggett is a critic of the Biden administration. He recently threatened to "cripple the American economy" before the election via an ILA strike in ports on the Atlantic seaboard and Gulf coast. The ILA demanded a pay raise and a freeze to automation to East Coast and Gulf Coast ports. Longshoremen currently earn a starting wage of $39/hour (the average American hourly wage is $28.34) Under Daggett's proposed contract the wage would move to $69/hour with a 60% increase over 6 years. The ILA subsequently demanded a 77% increase over a 6 year contract. In a union produced video posted to the ILA's YouTube channel, Daggett said "I will cripple you, and you have no idea what that means. Nobody does." He goes on to expound on the details, including commodities and materials not being delivered leading to people losing their jobs, shopping malls closing,  etc... I deserve more money. Everybody's hating my guys now because they realize how important our jobs are." 

OK, we get it Harold. You and your 54,000 longshoremen are the ones who allow us the benefit of imported goods. You have the say-so. And if we want to continue receiving them we will have to pay you and your thugs more than most of us make to get them. I dont know but this kind of sounds like extortion to me. You know, walks like, sounds like, looks like a duck... And this happening 30 days before an election?.. This is starting to smell like that New Jersey diner with the body of a state's witness decomposing in it. 

Brilliant, just brilliant...

 It is but a strange opportunity when one is afforded the privilege of reading prose that is so obviously true and so very well said. I read an article today so powerful that I thought I could actually hear the Liberty Bell ringing loudly in Philadelphia in 1776. 

"Not all cultures are equally valid. Is there anyone currently enjoying the freedoms of the West who can refute this claim?" I can't recall reading such venerable words without thinking of Shakespeare or Steinbeck. The more I read that statement, the more I realize that there is not a soul who walks the earth who can offer a valid rebuttal. May as well carve that in granite for all of eternity to see. 

Such was spoken by Kemi Badenoch, a conservative British MP (Member of Parliament) at the Conservative Party's Annual Conference in Birmingham today. She dared to say aloud that which should be obvious to all. "I'm not talking about cuisines, I'm talking about customs." Among the cultures that Badenoch was suggesting as "less valid" are those in which women have fewer rights than men, those that celebrate child marriage, those that foster antisemitism, and those that persecute homosexuality. As one might expect there were countless blokes in the press who considered this scandalous. 'Sparked a row' as the British say. Ms. Badenoch went on to say "It's extraordinary that people think that it's an unusual or controversial thing to say." I could not agree more Madame. "I'm a black woman sitting here talking to you," her point being that the "values" that made Britain great remain superior to most of their alternatives. Is there anyone in the West who is surprised to hear this claim?" 

Most conservatives would agree with Badenoch's view, as, likely would most moderates. For us conservatives such a view is foundational. "Liberal democracy is superior to authoritarianism; capitalism is superior to socialism; equality under the law is superior to rigorous observation of caste; and protection of individual rights is the bedrock of civilized life." 

The 1619 Project is a basic indictment of America. It prefers emancipation over slavery, the Union over the Confederacy, and its prescribed policies over the status quo. When comparing the "Anglosphere" to everywhere else, the contemporary Left exhibits nothing but hypocrisy, myopia, and obfuscation of specifics. Like it or not, the criticisms of the Left advocate the "West not being Western enough." 

Badenoch's effrontery is so strong as to defy refutation. Her comments were spoken in a debate over immigration that exists only because the superior institutions of the Western world have made it a magnet for aspiring outsiders. Foreigners desire to move to free societies because of remarkable economic opportunities and the protections afforded by the rule of law. "Such are the product of historical choices that have borne luscious fruit." 

Badenoch aspires to the office of Prime Minister of the country that was instrumental in the abolition of slavery, the development of capitalism, the protection of free speech, the evolution of democracy, and the establishment of written law. The daughter of Nigerian immigrants has spoken, and she has done it so well...

Mark Cuban, listen up...

 I have never been and will never be a fan of celebrities giving their opinions, takes, op-eds, editorials or what have you on politics or anything else for that matter. However, for some reason (I'm being sarcastic, we all know what the reason is...) their opinions are omnipresent in the media. Whenever a celebrity says something, even if it's stupid (and it usually is...) it's in the news. Call me old fashioned but I tend to read and favor the opinions of learned people. Learned in the area of which they are giving an opinion. In the area of politics, ok, granted that's a difficult area to claim that one is learned in. But there are some who are able to understand what is happening and the background behind  such and communicate it effectively to others. In fact, there are some who were, or are remarkably good at it. The first who comes to mind is the late, revered Charles Krauthammer. This was a psychiatrist (by training) who became a political analyst later in life. His incisive interpretations of politics and analyses make him one of the brightest minds ever to objectively speak on the subject. Another is Karl Rove. A brilliant analyst who wasn't afraid to speak the truth. Alan Dershowitz, one of the brightest legal minds, ever. Jonathan Turley. And there are more... Something all of these people had in common, they were not partisan groupies. Their priorities were the rule of law and a strong moral compass. 

Amongst this list, you may notice there are no celebrities. Movie stars, rock stars, talk show hosts, business moguls, influencers, rappers, sorry, they don't make the cut. They don't have the background, training, education, life experience or common sense to give an informed opinion on political matters. What they DO have is a platform. Movies, songs, TV appearances, and media presence gives them a defacto voice that's heard by millions of people. Even if what they have to say is ill-informed and ignorant. 

Mark Cuban recently abused his platform with one of the most ignorant views ever heard from an allegedly intelligent citizen. Mark is a well known celebrity for his work as a financier, investor, and business mogul. He has done well financially, obviously an astute businessman. He has unfortunately and wrongly assumed that this qualifies him to publicly offer his misplaced opinions on politics. It's really an insult to those of us who can think for ourselves... 

Mark is a democrat. That's fine, we all have the right to choose what fits with our own personal world-view. Recently, Mark has ramped up his support of candidate Kackala Harris. That's fine, it's a free country, back the candidate of your choice. In some of his public appearances Mark has claimed that Trump is a 'socialist' and that the mainstream media "leans right." (Mark, you might want to lay off the sauce dude...) He went on to say that he would vote for Biden even if "Biden was being given his last rites." That's fine, back your candidate of choice, right up until the end, or last rites... But Trump is a socialist? Where exactly did you go to school Mark? Did you actually go to school? Do you understand what socialism is? Mark, how many fingers am I holding up?... You may be a savvy businessman but your basic knowledge of civics is seriously deficient. That you would make such a statement erodes any confidence in anything that comes resonates through your dentures.

Your claim that Harris is actually working toward a viable border solution is beyond risible. For three and a half years she has sat on her hands while making one charitable, photo-op trip to the border. For three and a half years this new centrist, gun-toting former McDonalds employee never thought to tell Papa Joe to just re-instate the remain in Mexico policy? And now we're supposed to believe that she can make an appearance at the border and pretend that she's the one who can make it all right? 

Mark, if I ever had any respect for you (I didn't) I no longer do. Your opinions are analogous to what gets flushed down toilets. Like most  of your celebrity friends, your opinion stinks. And most of us don't want to hear it. Stop insulting us Mark. Many of us out here are not stupid, as it appears you assume. We can think for ourselves. And if we had the platform you undeservingly have, we would tell you that...

What you see is not what you're going to get...

 With all the center-right babble coming out of Kamala Harris' pie-hole lately many voters are thinking, I like what I'm hearing and if all this is true she will be a wonderful alternative to electing Trump. She has backed off on many of her previous positions about certain issues that are important to conservatives. Immigration, the border wall, gun laws, restrictions and bans, fracking, etc.. Does she really mean this or is she just saying what a lot of voters want to hear so she can get elected then go back to being the way she has always been. She may be looking, quacking and walking like a conservative center right duck now, but don't fool yourself, she will go back to being the liberal lackey she has always been if elected. If you dont believe that, then hear me out. There are signs...

Harris has made it clear in a recent radio broadcast that she thinks the filibuster should be eliminated for Roe v Wade. Which means the only way to keep the filibuster is to have a Republican Senate. For some time the Democrats have wanted to do away with the filibuster because it has been a hindrance for progressives frustrated with the limits the current system places on their ability to enact sweeping changes. This idea has gained increasing support among Democrats but unfortunately Biden had reservations about eliminating it. For several years now two Democrats have stood in the way of getting it tossed, Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema. With Manchin and Sinema leaving the Senate it's not likely any Democrat would vote against having it eliminated. 

In the absence of the filibuster some very far left ideals could, and likely would become reality. Late stage abortion for one. Also things outside the abortion issue such as tax hikes, stricter gun laws, price controls, a single-payer health insurance system, maintaining the status quo on immigration laws, etc. Without the filibuster in place it will be much easier to get legislation through the Senate (which currently has a Democratic majority). Take it away and the country is on it's way the becoming a socialist society. What we're seeing and hearing now isn't necessarily what we'll get...

Is it really a duck?

 We've all been watching the news lately, and if you want to keep up with Harris' constantly changing platform you have to. It's no secret that she is constantly 'shifting'. The general voting population in America is center right and Harris is doing whatever it takes to appeal to the center right. Mandatory gun buy-backs, gone. She even told Oprah today that if anyone tries to break in her home they're going to "get shot". (Seriously, shot by whom, exactly...) Fracking, she's all for it, now. Immigration and the border, she's now supporting measures that will fund building the border wall. (Gasp!)  Taxes, I will sign a bill ending taxes on tips. (Thanks Donald...) The staunch progressive and liberal leftist that has become her hallmark signature, has it really changed? Is she really center right now? Are the yellow dog democrats ok with this step-change? If she is elected, is that how she is going to govern? Will she remain true to her word? Or is this a ruse to get elected? Is all this rhetoric a euphemism, an artifice? 

The best one can do to answer that question is to look back in history. There have certainly been instances where powerful influential politicians have changed party affiliation. Harris isn't changing parties, but she's changing her policies to more closely resemble the other side.  Odd thing is the mainstream democrats don't seem to mind. Not yet, anyway. If she were to be elected would they continue to go along with this center-right shift? 

Most likely, no. They would not. Would she herself continue to go along with it? Most likely, no. I believe the general democratic consensus is - get elected. Whatever it takes. We'll take it from there. So if you are a voter and undecided at this point, and you believe what she is saying are you going to be disappointed if she is elected? Most likely, yes. But that's for the voters to decide. Look at it this way. When cops apprehend someone who allegedly has committed a crime, what's the first thing they do? Check their criminal record. If the perp has a lengthy criminal record then there's a good chance they're just continuing their career path. When the judge is sentencing them does he consider their prior criminal record? Yes, not always but most of the time. What do lawyers always consider when evaluating a case? Precedence. Summarily, one's past seldom escapes them. Is Harris' past being cast to the wind? 

You tell me... If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, is it really a duck? 

#kamalaharris. #politics. #2024election. 

We all Need Diversions...

 Whether we realize it or not we all need diversions. Something that takes our mind off the prosaic nature of our lives, that is enjoyable in some way. Everyone has myriad things we must deal with all vying for and needing our attention. And they don't always come in succession, they tend to 'stack up'. Inevitably some are important and demand immediate attention. Some are worrisome, some require time to cogitate so we can figure out what to do. As mere mortals we have varying levels of tolerance, something like a teakettle. It can only get so hot before it has to blow off steam. Like the teakettle we all have our own boiling point. Only with us it's best to blow off a little steam periodically instead of waiting until we reach boiling temperature. To cast one's worries aside and have a little fun. Of course there are endless ways to do this. 

For me, I have a hobby I took up about nine months ago, flying drones.  On the surface this may sound like child's play, that drones are toys. And indeed, there is that niche, toy drones. But the king's portion of that niche is anything but child's play. Drones are a big part of modern life. Unfortunately, or fortunately (depending on what side you're on...) they are a critical part of modern warfare and national security. Drones, most commonly referred to UAS's (unmanned aerial systems) can carry ordnance (bombs) long distances while the pilot sits safely ensconced thousands of miles away. It's worth noting these vectors carry substantial destructive capability and operate with surgical precision. 

On a smaller more peaceful scale drones are providing tremendous opportunities at significant cost savings. In the engineering and architectural world, drones can take videos that can be transformed into 3D models used to optimize designs for just about any structural undertaking imaginable. Buildings, highways, cell towers, processing plants, the list is endless. And these 'flights' to obtain the videos cost but a fraction of launching a manned aircraft - at no risk to human life at all. Mapping remote terrain  is now a walk in the park. Drone photos and videos can produce photogrammetric representations of completely inaccessible areas. For construction projects estimates of earth to be removed can be calculated accurately from photogrammetries. 

In the world of public safety drones are used every day to assist law enforcement. Drones with thermal imaging capabilities can locate fugitives without putting officers lives in danger. Lost hikers and children can be located much faster than search parties ever could. 

Agriculture utilizes drones to apply fertilizers and seed. Drones allow this to be done at far less cost than crop dusters and diesel tractors. Crop yields can be estimated for more accurately using photogrammetry. 

And of course, let's not forget retail applications. Some of us at some point, if not already will be taking delivery of something via drone delivery. Some of the big box retailers are already rolling out drone deliveries. It saves money while putting fewer trucks on the road. 

On top of all these constructive ways drones are being used they can also provide a wonderful recreational distraction for someone needing one. If you just want to have fun, this is a great way to do it. Getting a private pilot's license is expensive and time consuming. But if you long to fly (safely and cheaply) then drones are for you. There are some caveats but there's no question it's safer and cheaper than flying an airplane. But just like an airplane taking off and flying a drone will get your adrenaline flowing just the same. And there's a guarantee that it will take your mind off whatever may be worrying you...

See for yourself... 

If you'd like to see more photos or videos, just let me know. Thanks

https://www.dropbox.com/home/Drone%20Vids?preview=DJI_0323.MP4https://www.dropbox.com/home/Drone%20Vids?https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/sxyyqai957dl1s2c65nnd/DJI_0290.JPG?rlkey=ifefirtqk8we035udlwx42zmk&st=30i7k2ij&dl=0

I dont disagree with the Pope...

 I read an article tonight about the Pope weighing in on the upcoming election. My reaction when reading the headline was somewhat akin to reading about a celebrity giving an opinion on the election. For the record, I detest the opinions of celebrities on politics. They're so uninformed... I was prepared to cast the Pope's opinion into the same intellectual wastebasket. But I read the article and I'm glad I did. Turns out the Pope and I have similar feelings about the candidates. He says to vote for the lesser of two evils. As far as I'm concerned he nailed it. We have two of the most unqualified, incompetent candidates for president in any election, ever. Whoever is elected, there are going to be problems. They're just going to be different problems depending on which person takes office. I have my feelings about which problems will be the most 'tolerable' but so does everyone else. Two topics of the many to consider that the Pope mentions are abortion and immigration. Obviously, the Pope is against the taking of any life no matter the stage of development that life may be in. I suppose abortion will always be a subject of contention. Sort of like the conflict in the Middle East, it's just not going to go away. Ever. We should stop expecting that it will go away. Instead, let's figure out a way to deal with it that will appeal to the majority. Honestly, is there any other way? Isn't that what democracy is about? Following the path that is the choice of the majority... I believe that is what Trump had in mind when he backed the path of turning the decision over to the individual states. That wasn't a choice of pro or anti abortion. It was let the states decide. The problem was the states are like 50 different people with 50 different opinions. Didn't actually solve anything. 

I have always revered and admired the Supreme Court. Not necessarily those selected to serve as jurists, but the concept of the court. However, just because the Supreme Court decides on something does not necessarily mean it was the best decision. They're just ordinary people who, like the rest of us screw up from time to time. Problem is, the concept of what is right and what is wrong varies from person to person. Even Supreme Court justices. Some are more learned and informed and can better determine what is right and wrong than others, but college degrees don't necessarily improve judgment. There are myriad things that come into play when it comes to good judgment, formal education is but one of them. Only one. Keep in mind, the president selects them, but he doesn't have the final say, congress does. It's a lot more convenient and convincing for politicians to claim the president did it, it's his fault. Congress did not have to agree with his choice. 

The Pope goes on to say it is ultimately up to each individual to decide, which is the lesser of the two evils. He also says the worst thing one can do is to not vote... Your Holiness, I agree with you. 

#presidentialelection.  #pope'sopinion.  #2024 election.  #Pope