Fox News is reporting that Trumps' former VP Mike Pence is expected to launch a campaign bid next week.
I like Pence. He has always struck me as an honorable, moral and ethical man. Of course, I like Trump, and DeSantis, and Tim Scott. However, there is room for only one nominee.
It's going to be a crowded field. Trump seems to be the going-away favorite right now.
Fox News is reporting that the BIden administration is giving grants to study the rise of white supremacy and far-right extremism. Federal money. Your tax dollars.
The watchdog group who found this outrage has published a report, detailing how your tax money is being spent to study how such organizations as Fox News, the NRA, and the Republican party are radicalizing us all.
The Department of Homeland Security is using this pyramid to define what a terrorist looks like.
I was talking with a fried last week about motorcycles. I haven't ridden in fifteen years, but I told him that if I decided to start riding again, I'd probably trot down to the dealer and find a clean, used Harley.
This morning I got up to surf the internet with my coffee and find that Harley Davidson has teamed up with Budweiser to release a limited edition Budweiser can.
WTF?
This has to be one of the dumbest marketing moves since Dylan posted his picture on a can of Bud Light. It wasn't that long ago. Even the marketing guys at H-D surely could not have forgotten so soon.
So, the marketing execs at Harley Davidson watch Budweiser destroy its flagship brand and decide to hold hands with them as they jump off the cliff? I admit I am amused. And a bit baffled. WTF?
A new study finds that left-wing extremists have psychological issues.
Left-wing extremism is linked to toxic, psychopathic tendencies and narcissism, according to a new study published to the peer-reviewed journal Current Psychology.
In layman's terms: They're crazy.
I didn't start an engine today. Not a lawnmower, nor automotive. I piddled around in the shop for a while, but really didn't do anything of substance. I basically pissed away the day. But, I'm retired and I can get away with that occasionally.
Belle started playing with a recipe that she found on the interubes, and over the course of a couple of hours, came up with what she says is a really simple French bread recipe. She gave me a little taste when it came out of the oven, and OhmyGod. It's good. Buttery, with a nice crust, and very light on the inside.
Tomorrow, we're hosting the club for our Monthly Match, so I'll be busy for most of the day.
The Association is talking about different match formats, and we will try one out tomorrow. It caps the number of shots n an individual bout to 13 shots. Many matches are over in five shots, but sometimes they tend to go longer. We'll try it with the club tomorrow and see how everyone likes it.
I was trying to remember the last time I've been in a Target store. Maybe five years? Belle and I were traveling, and she was looking for something specific, and she thought Target would have it, so we swung through a Target store, and found what she was looking for. So, okay, I can't join the Target boycott.
Likewise, Bud Lte. I didn't drink it before they became a marketing course case study, (Marketing 2053 -How to Wreck a Brand with one ad)
Likewise the LA Dodgers. They are involved in a marketing kerfuffle, and have invited the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence to help them celebrate Pride Week. I did some basic research into this Order and don't think that they are recognized by the Vatican.
I don't go to Dodgers games, I don't shop at Target, and I don't drink Bud Lte. Not because I want to join the boycott, but because I didn't do those things before the boycott. I'm not a customer. But, as a guy whose degrees are in Business, I have to wonder what their marketing departments were thinking.
I hear that Ron DeSantis is going to throw his hat into the ring tonight. He'll be what? The sixth of seventh to announce for the Republican nomination? They are all following Trump, who holds a commanding lead in the polls right now.
I like DeSantis. And, I like Tim Scott. And some of the others. But Trump is the head gorilla in the band of wannabe presidents. I agree that lots can happen in the next year, but if the primaries were held today, Trump would be the guy.
I'm wondering why Scott and DeSantis are getting in now? They are both young enough to wait four years. Trump sucks all the oxygen out of the room, leaving no space for anyone else.
It's going to be an interesting primary.
The Congress is requesting a specific document from the FBI, The FBI doesn't want to turn it loose, citing "sources and methods", The document was origianally reported to Senator Grassley by a whistleblower. The House Oversight committee believes that the document details a criminal scheme by someone named Biden.
The FBI is basically flipping the bird to Congress. They believe that their document is more important than the responsibility that Congress has to supervise their activities. Perhaps they should be more concerned with "dollars and cents" rather than "sources and methods",
There will be, in the next several moths, an annual review of appropriation. Congress could easily slash the budget of the BFI, or any other federal agency who stonewalls the legitimate oversight. The House holds the power of the purse, and the various agencies should be reminded of that from time to time. I do recognize that we don't spend much money on the CCC or the WPA anymore. Perhaps in the near future, we will find that the services of the FBI are no longer needed.
The grandkids are getting older, and they don't use the pool as much as they used to, but it is still a hole in the backyard. With the cool spring we've had, the pool didn't start to "green" up until recently. Our pool is a salt pool and the device that turns salt to chlorine doesn't work until the water temp gets to a certain point, about 60F.
Belle doesn't like that florescent green color in her pool. She much prefers a blue tint to the water. So, yesterday, I shocked the pool with an addition of raw chlorine. This morning, I added afour bags of pool salt, or 200 lbs. That is normally the amount required to kick-start the maintenance. I'll wait a day or so, then start balancing pH.
I've heard it said that a boat is a hole in the water that you pour money into. LIkewise, a pool is a hole in the ground that you pour money into. Thankfully, as pools go, salt is fairly cheap. And, as our pool tends to go basic, muriatic acid is also fairly cheap.
Listening to the news this morning while running errands, I heard a report that the military has some small nuclear reactors under development. These are small enough to put in a shipping container and load on a flat bed truck.
We put these things in submarines, and I've often wondered why we don't have mobile nuclear power plants to use for far-flung military sites and for use during natural disasters. The only recent article I can find is here.
I know that there are a lot of technical hurdles to overcome, and the military would have to train folks to maintain and poerate these things, but this should not be a hurdle that is too high to vault.
Of course, I am almost totally ignorant about such things, so maybe I am way off base.
Both of these from Fox News.
Biden declares himself 'blameless,' demands GOP submit to his debt demandsu
Yeah, right, Joe. The House has a bill on the table that will get you our of this mess. Tell the Senate to pass it and then you can sign it. Problem solved. But you would rather grandstand.
Harris' ability to manage WH AI response in doubt after Musk comments, voters say
Yeah, Kamala has done such a great job with everything else she's been given. I'm sure she will be able to handle artificial intelligence. She probably thinks that AI stands for Artificial Insemination. I'm sure she will get right on that.
The weather is getting warm now in the afternoons, so we tend to hang out in the hop, where it is cool. We have a couple of old office chairs out there, and the dawg likes to lie in one while I'm surfing the intertubes.
The more I think about the FBI and their investigation into Hunter Biden, particularly the laptop, his influence-peddling and the weapons charge, the more I an convinced that they are actively stalling until the statute of limitations kicks in. I know that different charges have different age requirements, but at some point that statute kicks in, and the defendant is arrest-proof on that charge.
I'm not sure what the federal limitations are on corruption and weapons charges, but I bet that the President's advisors know what it is.
I'm sure that by now you have all heard the tragic tale of Jordan Neely, the homeless man that terrorized a subway train in New York until a stalwart former Marine put an end to his depredations. Neely died follwing his encounter with the Marine, who was protecting other passengers, assisted by other riders. Now the usual suspects are outraged and the Marine is facing manslaughter charges.
I care about Jordan Neely, just like the New York department of homeless cared about him. They had him on a list of the 50 top homeless in the city, but they didn't help him at all. They didn't give a shit about Jordan Neely, and that's about how much I care.
I care about Jordan Neely just like his lawyer. His lawyer didn't try to get him help, didn't care enough to make sure he was fed, didn't give a running crap about him until he was dead. Now, the lawyer is playing the social justice game, trying to make a profit over Neely's death. That's about how much I care about Jordan Neely, which is to say I don't give a crap.
I care about Jordan Neely just about like his family cared for him. Which is to say they didn't give a flying fuck that he was at large in the city, scaring people, making a nuisance of himself.
The death of Jordan Neely is an indictment of the social services in New York, an abject failure of the criminal justice system who failed to curtail his predations, and a stunning display of neglect from his family, who at this point seems to want to get some free money from his untimely death.
A month ago I had no clue who Jordan Neely was, didn't care to know. I still don't. If Neely needed help, his family, that ambulance chasing attorney, and the New York social services should have helped him. They let him fester on the good citizens of New York until he terrorized a train load of people and a stalwart ex-Marine stepped up and put an end to it. The folks who are crying over Jordan Neely should sit down and shut up. They didn't care a month ago, and there is no reason to believe that they care now.
It seems that there is a mini-scandal going on in Rapides Parish. Some elected officials benefit from abnormally low assessments on their personal property. As KALB reports, our elected sheriff, Mark Wood, lives in a nice house on an acre of land in a rural area. His house was assessed at $31,000. Under Louisiana's Homestead Exemption law, he paid no property taxes.
PawPaw, on the other hand, lives in a nice house on an acre of land in a rural area. PawPaw also has in in-ground pool. PawPaw's hovel is assessed at $135,000. PawPaw pays property taxes.
It turns out, our former sheriff, Willian Earl Hilton, also benefited from a likewise low assessment. Believe me, Hilton's house is at least as nice as mine He paid no property taxes on his residence.
There were also a number of Police Jurors (for those not in Louisiana, think County Commissioner) who enjoyed low assessments. Our Tax Assessor says he will look into it.
This morning I loaded the Skag on the trailer and towed it to the church. We have two events this weekend, and the arena needed a trim. Mainly, the bahia was jumping. The bahiagrass we have locally has a tough, woody seed-head that sprouts about a foot taller than the soft, grassy leaves. It's tough to mow. I've seen hay-bines choke down on those trough stems.
There wasn't much area to mow, so I took my time and tried to get it all. I was a the church for probably two hours. If anyone complains, I'll gently remind them that they got what they paid for.
One of the things I learned while doing volunteer work is that I am easy to fire. One of the tenets of good church management is to never fire a volunteer. Figure out a way to use them. Volunteers, like any other asset, are scarce. Whatever labor they do puts the church way ahead. Many organizations exist solely on the goodwill of volunteers. Whether it is the local flying club, the neighborhood church, or the American Red Cross, they couldn't exist without volunteer help.
Now that the Durham report is out, it doesn't bread well for the integrity of the FBI. But, those of us following the facts knew that. There is really nothing new here. Durham really didn't file any charges, and his record of prosecution during this probe is less than stellar. Two acquittals and one guilty plea doesn't speak strongly to his prosecutorial instincts.
For example, he admits that FBI folks lied to the FISA courts to obtain warrants. That is plainly against the law. When I was swearing out warrants as a young cop, I knew that lying to a Court was a prosecutable offense. But, Durhan says he can't find criminality. Bullshit.
However, one disgraced FBI agent is speaking out after having been named in the report. He claims that the probe never should have happened. And, I agree with him. The FBI should be so ethical, so honorable, so stringently apolitical that such a probe was never necessary. But, that isn't the case. The FBI so destroyed their credibility that no right-thinking person believes a thing they say, and the record is clear that if they want to build a case, they will, the facts and law be damned.
The FBI is soiled as a law enforcement agency, and won't be cleansed without a purging at the highest levels. I know, personally, that if I am ever confronted by an FBI agent, I am going to stand on my Miranda rights and tell then to either produce a valid warrant, or go away.
Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) says that the American people are going to revolt if the Supreme Court smacks down gun control. Really, Chris?
Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) claimed over the weekend that the American people would “revolt” if the United States Supreme Court continued to block new gun control laws.
So, Chris (you unbelievable moron), just exactly who is going to revolt? And with what?
Complaining that the courts had often halted any progress toward stricter gun control measures by interfering in anything legislators were able to get done, Murphy said, “If the Supreme Court eventually says that states or the Congress can’t pass universal background checks or can’t take these assault weapons off the streets, I think there’s going to be a popular revolt over that policy.”
It wouldn't be popular here in Louisiana, Chris. Or in Texas, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, ... I think you get the idea. And just exactly who is going to revolt? Are you going to lead the charge, Chris? Into the barricades? I doubt it.
And, you forget, Chris. There is that whole, unfortunate 2nd Amendment, which you despise.
As it turns out, CNN was "traumatized" during the Town Hall they hosted for President Trump last week. Anderson Cooper was in full apology mode.
So, lets look at what actually happened.
1. CNN invited President Trump.
2. Their viewership tripled during the Town Hall. Most of these folks were tourists, there specifically to see President Trump.
3. The studio audience was Thump supporters.
So, why is CNN traumatized? Their liberal audience (all dozen of them), thought that Trump would go on an apology tour. That wasn't likely to happen. Their ratings soared, but the liberal audience is outraged. That should tell them something. If they are willing to listen.
I am incredibly fortunate to still have my Mom with us. Today, I hosted a lunch. German roast beef, rice, gravy, carrot soufflé and dinner rolls. Assorted desserts. Two of my sisters were able to attend. It was quite nice.
Steve Sky asked in comments:
I'm guessing the hard labor wouldn't be at Angola?
I don't know, maybe. The standard language as a sentencing says something like this: "Sentenced to hard labor at such adult correctional facility as the Department of Corrections might specify."
Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola is one of several prisons the Department operates. Inmates are assigned to prisons based on bed space and the needs of the Department. It's been 20 years since I worked the Corrections side of the house, but Angola was generally full of life-term offenders. Life means life in Louisiana and many offenders die in prison.
When I was active on the prison side of the house, the prison with the hardest reputation was Dixon Correctional in Jackson, LA. Dixon had a reputation for hard-core guards and strict discipline. But, that was 20 years ago. Things may have changed.
Comer had his press conference this morning. You can see it on C-Span or YouTube. It wasn't as dramatic as the hype was, but they did give dates and named names. Financial crimes are often boring, and that's what the Democrats are counting on. Joe Biden is a crook, but his crimes are boring.
In that other matter of my past associate, he got sentenced today. Many of his other past associates thought that he might get a probation sentence, and I cautioned them that, at least in this state, Molestation of a Juvenile is still a very serious crime. So, this afternoon in a fit of curiosity, I called the Clerk of Court's office. The nice lady who answered the phone told me that he was sentenced to seven (7) years in the Department of Corrections at hard labor. The sentencing range in these cases is 5-10 years, so it looks like the judge split the difference.
A quick check with the Sheriff's inmate locator reveals that he was booked this afternoon, serving time on a DOC sentence. Justice was served today in Rapides Parish.
We're waiting. Waiting on a number of things to happen.
Title 42 dies the death it should have died months ago, but it dies on Thursday, and the border crisis shows no signs of abatement. Quite the contrary. Tens of thousands of migrants are poised to flow across Joe Biden's open border. The border is an unmitigated disaster, and Biden has no clue how to stanch the flow.
We're waiting until tomorrow for Comer's "show-and-tell" press conference, where he is going to lay out the criminals conspiracy headed up by Joe Biden. Comer intends to show that the FBI and DOJ have been sitting on compelling evidence that then-VP Biden sold himself to our adversaries. Comer's evidence needs to be so compelling, so crystal clear that Joe Biden immediately resigns and seeks a plea bargain. The evidence should be so compelling that no self-respecting defense attorney will touch the case. (I understand that "self-respecting defense attorney" in an oxymoron, but go with me on this one.) If the evidence is not that compelling, then it will just be another ho-hum political stunt.
In another, entirely unrelated matter, I have a past associate who is scheduled tomorrow to be sentenced on a charge of Molestation of a Juvenile in the local courts. Many in our local community are watching this case closely. This guy was considered a staunch Christian, a leader in his church, who had a dalliance with an underage teenage girl. It's a sordid tale, and we are told that he has pled guilty and will be sentenced tomorrow. Stay tuned.
It seems that Rep Comer is going to hold a press briefing on Wednesday morning to lay out his case that the Biden family has been running a criminal enterprise and is going to show that the FBI and Justice Dept has been sitting on it.
There are also rumors swirling about that Justice will announce an indictment on Hunter Biden before Wednesday morning, to take Comer's wind out of his sails. One of the things I learned during the Trump years and on which many legal scholars agreed, is that a sitting President cannot be indicted. The only legal recourse to try a sitting President is impeachment, which is not going to happen to Joe.
We do know that the Democratic National Convention will be held in Chicago next year, and that the Democrats can appoint anyone they like as their candidate. It's going to be interesting to see how that plays out.
I see that gunfire erupted at a Texas outlet mall. The responding police officer did just exactly the right thing. He closed with and engaged the shooter. He ended the threat. What dos surprise me is that there weren't more people there with guns.
I also see from this past week, some mentally-deranged asshole was creating a problem on New York subway train and an heroic former Marine subdued him until the police arrived. This deranged asshole was a frequent flyer in the New York criminals system, but somehow the libs are claiming that the Marine murdered him. To this I respond with a succinct and resounding Bullshit! This nutcase was threatening people inside the steel tubes. If he would have just sat down and shut up, he would have been fine. He brought this on himself.
In lighter news, I see that Bud Light has managed to piss off it's only remaining market. They fired the trans-critter that they earlier hired as a spokes-critter. Now, the trans community hates Bud Light, along with the rest of America. On a more personal note, I hosted a family gathering yesterday and saw no Bud Light in the various coolers. The family has moved to other brands. I'm sure that the distributors are in almost open revolt.
As I drink my morning coffee, I see my news feeds are proclaiming that the UK is crowning King Chuck today. Because our Brit cousins are seven hours ahead of us, they're probably doing ti as I type this. Good for them, and good for Chuck.
More locally, it's raining like a cow pissing on a flat rock outside. We have a family gathering today and it is good that Belle and I built this 2000 foot gathering place. We're dry, with plenty of room to spread out.
The church is supposed to rodeo tonight and I'm on the list to cook burgers. I'll have to check later today to see if the rain has rendered the arena into gumbo mud. That has ben known to happen. It's a rainy Saturday morning in central Louisiana.
The Biden Administration keeps trumpeting the lie that the US has never defaulted on it's debt obligations. Except for the four times it did.
Yeah, four times. 1862, 1933, 1968, and 1971. I still have some silver certificates that the government defaulted on in 1968.
Biden doesn't want to negotiate. The Republican Congress has passed a plan, but Biden doesn't like it. Perhaps it's time for him to sit down at the table and make a deal. It's on him.
But, don't liet them tell you that the US has never defaulted on a debt. I still have those silver certificates.
The Hotel Bentley, an historic, iconic landmark in downtown Alexandria, LA burned this morning.
A buddy asked me to run out to Camp Beauregard today to check on something. I did that, and coming out of the PX, heard cadence being called. I looked up and saw a platoon coming up the road in good order.
I admit, the sight took me back 50 years.
Discovery is a legal term that describes a legal requirement to give a defendant all the information that prosecutors hold so that the defendant can prepare a suitable defense. This normally comes after the arrest of a criminal defendant but before trial. Discovery is usually triggered by a defense motion during pretrial motions.
CBS News is reporting that Senator Chuck Grassley has a whistleblower with information that then Vice President Biden sold himself to a foreign national in a scheme involving a payoff in exchange for policy decisions.
In their letter to Wray and Attorney General Merrick Garland, Grassley and Comer said that it had come to their attention that "the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) possess an unclassified FD-1023 form that describes an alleged criminal scheme involving then-Vice President Biden and a foreign national relating to the exchange of money for policy decisions."
Why go public with this now? It seems to me, as a retired investigator, that you would want to get your hands on the document before you let people know that it even exists. Why give Discovery at this early stage? I admit that I am a bit baffled about why this news is coming out at this time.
The big story this weekend brings us to Cleveland, TX, a suburb of Houston. It seems that there was a Mexican national, here illegally after having been deported five times. He was cranking off rounds in his front yard, when a neighbor asked him to stoop, they had a baby asleep in the house.
That request drove him over the edge, so he went across the street and killed five people, the youngest only 8 years old. There is a manhunt now for this asshole. So far, he has eluded capture.
The full story, as of this writing, is on Fox News. This story highlights the abject, utter failure of BIden's border policy. This guy has been deported five times. If he's captured alive, he will never have to worry about being deported again. The Texas DOC will do a good job of housing, feeding, and working him for the rest of his natural life. We can only hope that the time he is incarcerated is short, to limit the amount of money that the good taxpayers of Texas will use to maintain his worthless ass.
