Updates

 I sat down at this computer at 4:30 to take care of a few things.  It told me that it needed to update, so I clicked the restart button and let it begin.  It's now 8:05 and I'm able to get to a browser.

Unbelievable. This is the newest of three computers I own, and the others can update in about fifteen minutes.  This one take three hours.  Wow. The others are ASUS Chromebooks and they are rally much faster than this dog that lives in the house.  For the record, it's an HP, about three years old.

I'd upgrade, but I honestly hate to spend the money.

Speculation

 I was horrified to hear of the Army helicopter that had a mid-air collision with an American Airlines flight.

I was nearly as horrified to hear our president speculate on what may or may not have been the cause of the accident. The speculation certainly does no good.  The blame will fall where it falls, and creating ripples in the pond of confusion certainly does no one any good. Somewhere between the controllers and the pilots, something went terribly wrong. We have to find out.

My thoughts and prayers to out to those affected.

F35 Crashes

 I saw this morning that yesterday an F35 fighter crashed at Eielson AFB in Alaska.  The pilot successfully ejected and the plane turned into a fireball.  Video clip here.

I'm glad that the pilot survived, but I bet this is going to cost the Air Force a few bucks.  I understand that the MSRP on an F35 is something north of $82 million and from what I saw in the clip, the frame is a total loss.  They'll be dragging what is left off the tarmac with skid loaders.

Just damn.

Authorized

 Karolyn Leavitt, the new White House press secretary, said in her first presser that the drones we say over the past couple of months were all authorized by the FAA for a variety of reasons.

That doesn't answer a lot of questions, but she did tell us that the flights were not enemy action.  That's good news, I guess.

I like this gal, she is a bit of a gangster.  Straight up, no nonsense, she doesn't suffer fools lightly.  I particularly liked her one answer about some "law-abiding" migrants being swept up with gang-bangers during the ICE raids.  She said that coming in to the US illegally is a crime, and she understands that this definition is a culture change from the past administration, but that is just the way it is.

What amazes me is the absolute ignorance of the press on the time it takes for economics to change.  They wanted to know why egg prices were not coming down after a week of Trump being in office.  Well, for starters, the egg producers have to get more laying hens in the hen house after Biden ordered a bunch of then killed, then feed prices have to moderate, and fuel prices have to come down.  That is going to take a couple of months to get done, but those over-credentialed idiots are totally ignorant on egg production.

I guess it is too much to expect a highly educated reporter to do a little research before they ask a question. Some say that there is no such thing as a stupid question, but I've heard a lot of stupid questions.

White Perch

 I went to the barber shop this morning, got there at 9:00 and was already 5th in line.  Adn, probably the youngest at age 71.  The topics of conversation were Donald Trump and white perch.

White perch, also known as white crappie, or sac-a-lait is a game fish common to Louisiana. They tend to spawn in late winter.  Fishermen tend to keep their honey-holes a secret, but the conversation this time of year inevitably turns to white perch.

The general consensus at the barber shop is that the white perch will be running soon, that Donald Trump is doing a good job, and that we are due for another winter storm. 

Deportation

 The news over the weekend was that Columbia refused to allow deportation flights from the US to land.  Their president got fairly bellicose, and Trump showed him how the cow eats the cabbage. Columbia is now accepting deportation flights.

The US has a fleet of cargo aircraft, mainly C17 and C130, and they are al rigged for parachute operations.  We also own a lot of parachutes.  If a nation wants to be reticent about accepting their own citizens, it would simply be a matter of proper rigging, use the static lines, and push then all out from about 1500 AGL.  At bayonet point if necessary.

I have heard that the US used this method at least once during the past century to return a person to their home country.  This may be urban legend, but it is a fascinating tale.  I'm just saying.

Hegseth Confirmed

 I see that Pete Hegseth has been confirmed by the Senate and sworn in as our new Secretary of Defense. This is great news for the country and the military.

I bet that in the Pentagon today, there are lots of folks who can see the light at the end of the tunnel and know that it is an oncoming train.  The supply room will have to lay on an inventory of empty boxes so that the top-heavy bloat can empty their desks and retire before they are fired.

This is good stuff.  Pete is going to do a great job.

Boot Hooks

 Couple of years ago, I realized that I was having trouble putting on  boots.  I don't wear lace-up, preferring the slip on Western boots.  It a boot had a soft upper, it was especially challenging.  The last time I was in Shepler's, I picked up a set of book hooks and put them in the van.

I took them out of the van this morning and used them to put o a pair of boots.  What?  I should have bought these years ago.  If you're like me, old and decrepit and not nearly as limb4r as you used to be, a set of boot hooks my be just the ticket.  If you don't have a Shepler's or a cowboy store nearby, Amazon will send you a set.  

You are welcome.

Ruger M77 PSA

I follow Mark Novak and his Anvil channel.  He talks today about a Ruger M77 that came into the shop.  The shooter had fired a .308 Win in a gun chambered for .270 Win. and demolished the rifle.  Headspace is out over 16 thousandths.  Which means that the over pressure either stretched the receiver or compressed the locking lugs on the bolt, or some combination thereof.

This particular rifle is toast, but it speaks volumes about the ruggedness of the M77 action.  The shooter was unharmed.  I'm boosting the signal here to remind us all to check that the ammo we use is compatible with the gun we're putting it in.

Let's all be careful out there.

Shut It Down

 Listening to Fox this morning, I hear that President Trump has directed that all DEI offices in federal agencies be shut down by 5:00 today.  All DEI contracts are cancelled. In short, no federal money for anything DEI related.

I was also listening yesterday to the National Prayer Service, when I heard a liberal female Bishop lecture trump about mercy and fairness. She said that some lesbian, gay, or transgendered people are fearful for their lives.  Why?  There is no evidence that anyone intends to hurt members of our LGBT community..  We're simply not going to spend money on it. That's quite the difference.  I also note that the Bishop quoted no scripture in support of her lecture.

I might recommend to the bishop that she study 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 for her future sermons.  But, that might throw a kink in her plans to give future sermons.  This scripture may not be fashionable these days, but it is scriptural.  And, it is New Testament.

Pretty Much Over

 We awoke this morning to 15F, but we took measures last night to keep the popes from freezing.  We're okay. Grandson Zach went to work this morning, which tells me that the bridges are open and the roads are passable.  Temps today will get up near 40 and most of the snow will be gone by late afternoon.

It was an historic storm, but it will be gone within 24 hours and we'll return to a more familiar weather pattern. I enjoyed the hysteria on the news channels and the absolute amazement that we here in the Deep South don't invest in snowplows that we would only use once in a decade.  Some areas got historic snow amounts, and that's cool.  Some people saw snow for the first time in their lives, and that is cool too.

It was interesting, but by the end of the day, it will be pretty much over.

Military Matters

 It seems that the top Coastie has been relieved by the Trump administration.

Fox News first reported Fagan’s termination, citing issues with recruitment, operations concerns and a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion as the reasons for her relief. An ALCOAST, which is a message to all members of the Coast Guard, announced the relief.

As a full admiral, this probably puts the swan-song on her career.  She should trot down to the DEERS office and put in her paperwork to retire.  She's done. 

In other matters, I see that Trup declared the border a national emergency and is sending troops down to patrol the border and assist the Border Patrol.  I wonder if the 1st Cavalry Division has gotten the warning order yet?  This seems like a great mission for First Horse.

Snow

 The weather-weenies were right.  At 4:00 a.m., it is snowing in central Louisiana.

We'll wait till daylight and see if it is sticking.

UPDATE** At 7:00, still snowing.  Beginning to accumulate. No wind, just light, fluffy snow.

The Big Freeze

 Along with the weather forecast for wintry precipitation across south Louisiana, the weather-weeniest are also predicting record low temps.  Between now and Thursday, we'll get down in the low teens.  While this is not shocking for most of the nation, it will take many of us by surprise, mainly in the form of broken pipes. And dead car batteries.

The weather guys are forecasting that we will get 2-4 inches of snow, but that we are on the north of the snow line and that coastal south Louisiana will get more than us.  One forecast I've seen today says that New Orleans will get 6-8 inches in blizzard-like conditions. That would be an unmitigated disaster. New Orleans has absolutely zero snow experience or equipment.

Belle and I are going to be okay.  This is not our first rodeo. We'll simply stay home and eat soup until itis over.  She and I, in pat lives, lived in the Frozen North.  We know how to do this.  We don't like the cold, which is why we live in sub-tropical Louisiana, 

This will be over in a few days.  They are predicting temps in the 60s by Sunday.

Besmirched

 It seems that Joe Biden has given a hearty "screw you" to faithful members of his administration.  For example, General Milley, the past chairman of the Joint Chiefs. While we may disagree with him, I don't believe that he did anything criminal. Except, maybe, when he called his Chinese counterpart.

The withdrawal from the Afghan adventure was a disaster, but I assume that Milley was under orders.  Certainly nothing that would sustain a conviction under the US Code or the UCMJ. Why would he need a pardon? Why besmirch the honor of a career officer without good cause?  Milley is now hopelessly besmirched. He has neither honor nor dignity.

While these pardons protect the crew criminally,  it also removes their 5th amendment protections.  They can still testify.

Inauguration

 Well, we made it.  Today marks the end of the long national nightmare of the Biden crime family. Fifty years of public corruption comes to an end, not with prison sentences, but with a demented old crony politician stripped of dignity and shuffling off the national stage.  No one is going to miss the old bastard.

He's not dead yet, but his family is in mourning.  They are basically unemployable.  They can no longer trade money for the favors that Dad can bestow.  The money dried up today. There is no more, and the family brad is so tainted that the stench of corruption can be smelled up-wind.

The nominal news today is that Donald J Trump will be inaugurated for his second term, and that is good news for the country.  The better news is that the Biden crime family becomes irrelevant.

When I look at the Biden family, I am struck by the history of the Old West.  The tales of a figure who escaped justice, the bad man who got away, but was found later dead a the base of a tree, or was found trampled in a stockyard.  Karma seems to replay itself like a scratched album.

TikTok

 I understand that TikTok is off line.  I don't know, I've never used it, but from what I hear, it went down this morning. I absolutely do not have a dog in this hunt.

Congress passes a law, and the president signed it, and it was challenged in court, and the Supremes said that when Congress passes a law and the president signs it, that's the way it is supposed to work, and unless something is terribly askew, they ain't getting involved.

So, if you want TikTok back online, it's time to apply some pressure. White your Congress-critter.  That's the way it works.

UPDATE**  That didn't last long.  I understand from my daughter that it is up and running again.

Storm Watch

 Termite reminded me this morning that the weather-weenies are updating their predictions for Monday-Tuesday with a winter storm watch.  It's going to be snow-mageddon in central Louisiana. They tell us that the low  will get down to 16F, which is 20 degrees colder than we like it this time of year.

For much of the country, that amount of snow wouldn't be much of a challenge, but we don't get snow down here in the Deep South.  I  have one grandkid who was born in 2002 and didn't see snow until 2010.  According to my archives, the next snowfall was in 2019.  That was a huge pain in the ass, because it was mostly an ice storm.

Louisiana has no snowplows, or ice removal equipment.  Weather like that comes once in a decade.  The highway guys will put sand on the bridges, and everyone else will stay home. In less than 24 hours, most of it will melt and we'll go back to running the roads.

We'll be okay.  I have food in the pantry and the propane bottles are all filled.  Extra gasoline in case we need the generator. We'll be fine.

I see that Trump has moved the inauguration indoors, and that seems like a smart move.

Timber

 Watching the wildfires in California and struck by the loss of property and lives.

Driving to town yesterday I followed a log truck.  Not unusual, we have lots of log trucks in Louisiana, but what struck me about this load was that there were only four logs on the truck. And, it was a full load. As I looked closer, the logs looked like hardwood, easily six feet at the base.  Someone is going to get some beautiful slabs out of those logs.

And I wondered.  California is going to need a lot of logs to rebuild, and the wildfires are in forests.  Why not cut the logs that are standing and use those to mill into lumber.  Institute good forestry practices and treat the forest as the renewable resource that it is?

As a young man, I had to know the native pine species in Louisiana Basically, long leaf, short leaf and loblolly's.  As the pines were cut down and reforested, the Southern White Pine replaced most of the native species, but I still see the native species.

There is no reason California can't manage its forests, except that it seems they can't manage water or power either.  We'll see what the next elections reveal about Los Angeles.  Has the disaster changed enough minds that forest management is no longer a foreign concept.

If you want to build houses, you gotta have lumber, and it's standing right there in the forest.

Don't Let The Door HIt You

 Lyin' Joe is giving his farewell speech tonight, and I can't wait until this national nightmare is over.

Everything that Joe has done has been despicable, misguided, or felonious.  The simple fact is that our elected president is a demented old fool who can't tell the difference between fact and fantasy.  If he were a simple old curmudgeon, it might be understandable, but he lies about everything.  

A week or so ago, President Trump took a page from Ronald Reegan's playbook and told Hamas to release the hostages before he takes office.  Or else. Today, Hamas wisely announced the release of the hostages.

As sure as God made little green apples, Joe is going to try and take credit for that tonight. The fact is that Hamas knew that Joe is an empty vessel, and they didn't want to find out what manner of hell Trump was about to rain on them. Joe had nothing to do with this.

The next few days will be about waiting for the calendar to run out, and Joe to leave the national stage.  He's over, done, kaput. And not a moment too soon.

Hey, Joe!  Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

Surgery

 After not going to the eye doc for about five years, I decided in December that I needed new glasses and made an appointment. He told me that I had cataracts and scheduled surgery.  We did the right eye two weeks ago and the left eye yesterday..  I have a follow-up today.

For the surgery I was mildly sedated, drifting in and out.  I talked to the doc during the surgery, but I was woozy.  In recovery, they told me not to drive for 24 hours, and Belle heard them say that.  She was a registered nurse for well over 40 years and won't let me drive until tomorrow.  So, she'll take me to the doc today.

I'm getting really good at putting eye drops in my eye, and skill I never wanted to acquire.  It's all part of getting older, which heats the alternative. In another week, I'll get a new glasses script and can go buy a new set.  I am amazed at how much better I'm seeing things now, but I'll still need lenses. Something about astigmatism that I have had since childhood.

From talking with friends and family, this is pretty common at my age.  Lots of folks have these problems, and the eye docs are pretty good at this kind of thing.  The reason I'm telling you about this is to boost the signal.  If any of you old farts have been putting it off, talk to your friends and go get an eye appointment.  It's not that big of a deal.  Just another pain in the ass and we know how to deal with those.

Oh, Why Not?

I've been busy today with doctors appointments, so why not listen to a little C.W. McCall?

Water Management

 Talking with my sons today about the California fires.  One son runs the water for a city of 50K, the other runs a small rural water district.

Both of them told me that in the event of a catastrophe, they had about three hours of water in the tanks available for use.  A large fire, for example, with multiple trucks pumping from hydrants, about three hours before supplies became critical.  If the electric power was lost that runs the well pumps or the booster pumps, that would cut into the supply because they couldn't refill the storage tanks that feed the pressure to the hydrants.

Elder son says that what scares him the most is a "freeze event", where a big freeze hits the area and many small 1/2" lines burst.  He said that if he had a couple of hundred small lines burst, the effect would be like losing a large line.  He told me that the water folks in Los Angeles have a particular problem because all those structures that have burned, all had water going into them.  As the turn the systems back on, someone is going to have to go around and close the valves at the individual meters.

It was interesting listening to the boys talk across the table today at lunch.  Today was meatloaf, potato salad and yeast rolls.  I learned a lot about water management and what the worker bees in California are going through right now.

But, just so you know, your water system, the one you use to wash dishes and take a shower, is always three hours from catastrophe

DEI Picks

 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.  The spawn of Affirmative Action from the '70s is the latest effort of the Democrat party to promote lesser people into positions of influence.  It had nothing to do with merit or ability, simply a checklist of grievance or mediocrity.  The clearest example I can think of is when Joe Biden promised to pick a black woman as his VP.  Not a capable person with a resume of excellence, just a black woman.  We got Kamala Harris, a failure at everything except self-promotion.

This may be unfair to hundreds or thousands of good people who were hired or promoted in the past four years, but when the stated objective of any organization is to promote DEI, then we can fairly assume that anyone hired or promoted filled the boxes of DEI.

It's not just government or private companies, it is the voters too.  The example of the people of Los Angeles voted for Karen Bass, probably the most inept mayor in office today. The very fact that the people of Los Angeles have not risen up and forcibly overthrown her is simply an example of good people being kind to the retarded.

The people that Bass hired are also shaded by the pall of DEI.  Fairly or not, her stated hiring practices were aligned with DEI.  We cannot assume that they were competent, only that competent people were passed over for the golden idol of diversity.

Don't blame us if we call it out when we see it.  For better or worse, DEI was a stated policy and we can only assume that the hiring practices were in line with it.

Thinking Out Loud

 Thinking about the fires in L.A., and I'm guessing that there are a whole lot more homeless people today than there was last Saturday.  With all those houses burned, lots of folks are sleeping in unfamiliar situations.

Many of these folks will recover.  They are not the kind of people who will remains homeless for long.  No sleeping in tents on the sidewalk or under a bridge. They have networks, family, friends, assets that they can use to start to recover.

Los Angeles still has the homeless that they had last week, but those folks are not so much homeless as helpless. No place to live, no place to go, they are simply a drain on the taxpayer.  When we subsidize something, we get more of it, and I'm not sure that Los Angeles can afford to subsidize them anymore.  Let then either move or starve, it's an easy choice.  

The fires are still raging, and L.A. simply will not have the revenue to solve everyone's problem.  Better that the available money be spent on taxpayers instead of those who bring nothing to the community.

Trump Sentenced

The kangaroos were bouncing all over the courthouse today as the derelict judge sentenced president-elect Donald Trump for a series of misdemeanors that were somehow elevated to felony status.  The judge sentenced Trump to "unconditional discharge" which seems to mean that there are no penalties, but the conviction stands.

The president is sure to appeal this travesty.  Surely, during the appeal process this thing will be tossed, both the trial, the verdict, and the sentence. In a world with accountability, both DA Bragg and the judge would be forced to forfeit their legal licenses and be charged with malfeasance.

I'm not an attorney, but I sat through a lot of court proceedings during my career, and some of the crap I saw in this case would not stand in any decent court with a principled judge.

But, the sentencing phase is done and the case can move forward to the appellate levels where certainly, more reasonable analysis will prevail.

Winter Storm

 We have a winter storm coming.  It looks like our friends in north Texas are catching it right now.

The weather-weenies are telling us that we will stay just south of the freeze line.  We will be okay.  SOme rain, but no ice predicted. The red beans are in the crock pot, and Belle will make corn bread closer to the noon meal.

California Burning

 Like many of you, I have been watching the fires in California move across the landscape.  Many of those people are left with nothing.  It's heart-rending, and our sympathy goes out to them. Some have no fire insurance because the insurance companies have been canalling coverage in fire-prone locations.

The fire departments are catching hell because budget cuts and political decisions have left them unable to respond to widespread catastrophe. Political decisions from years ago have culminated in dry fire hydrants.

The Santa-Anna winds are entirely predictable. The result of poor forest management policies and low humidity are entirely predictable. Political decisions that result in dry fire hydrants are entirely predictable.  It's no wonder that the insurance companies are loath to write fire insurance policies in some areas.

Louisiana has the same type of problem, but rather than fire, our problem is hurricane.  Many companies refuse to write policies south of I-10.  The risk is too high.  Or, they write a policy that covers everyting except hurricane.

The one saving grace for some of those Angelos is that if they have evacuated and have nothing left but the clothes on their backs and the vehicle they evacuated in, they have nothing to go back to. They can go anywhere.  Tuscon or Tennessee, Austin or Asheville. They are free to go and start over.

Starting over is the story of America.  It's part of our shared experience. I've done it twice, coming out of a bad experience with little more than the clothes on my back. It's do-able..  And, it makes us stronger.

This And That

 I went to see the eye doc this morning. I had cataract surgery in late December, and they've scheduled the other eye for early next week.  Everything is great, nothing to worry about, but there is this thing called the Medicare deductible.  I got whacked with that this morning.

The weather weenies are predicting another winter storm for tomorrow, and they are cautioning us that we might get some ice.  Oh, Joy!  I stopped at the grocers on the way back from the eye doc, and picked up some sausage and dried red beans.  Those will go into the crock pot before bedtime.

I'm not worried so much about the ice.  Hopefully it will be less than I use to ice the beer in the summertime.  It looks like it's going north of us, but it never hurts to be prepared, and it has been a couple of weeks since we did red beans and rice.

Boudin Shop

 BobF asked in comments about shipping boudin.  Something I had never thought about. But, with shipping these days, it's worth a try.

My local shop is Guillory's Specialty Meats.  I know they ship some things, but I don't know about boudin.

My younger son and son-in-law swear that Kartchner's in Scott has the best boudin. I've eaten it, and it's great.

Other maintain that The Best Stop has better boudin.  I don't know about that but sell a lot of it.  

Some folks say that Billy's has the best flavor.  Let's not argue about it.  It's all good.

My late father-in-law always maintained that Wilson and Campbells, near Turkey Creek had the world's best boudin.  He bought a lot of it, and I helped him eat it. They closed up a year or so before he died, and that might have been one of the causes.  Without good boudin, life loses some of its allure.

Laissez les bon temps rouler.

Carnival

 Mardi Gras season is officially here.  It started today, January 6th and concludes on March 4th, 2025.

Louisiana has a lot to celebrate, if for no other reason that we can't let the terrorists win. If we keep celebrating, they lose.

King Cake is a Mardi Gras tradition, and lots of bakers put their own twist on it.  Some are stuffing the cake with things you might not expect, like boudin.

Check out Gerald Gruening, who ordered a boudin King Cake topped with jalapenos, Steen's syrup, bacon bits, and spicy Blue Plate mayonnaise.  It's a thing, I tell you.

I've been jonesing for some boudin, lately, and a real good boudin ship is just down the road, so I have no one to blame but myself.

Laissez les bon temps rouler.

Winter Storm

 I'm watching the weather and I see that from Kansas to Virginia they are under a winter storm.  I feel sorry for those folks. We in the Deep South understand storm disaster, but at least in a hurricane we don't worry about freezing to death.

I recall my time at Fort Knox, the only time I really had to worry about thigs like blizzards.  The storm that hit in late January 1978 was a doozy.  I was a young Company Commander running a training company.  I had roughly 300 troops and a dozen cadre.  We lost heat and the water was freezing in the toilets. I was never so miserable, trying to keep the troops warm and fed.

AsI thik back, the blizzard that hit in Feb 79 was a problem too.

For all my friends in the Frozen North, I'm thinking about you.  Keep a fire lit, and stay warm. This too will pass, but you have to keep breathing until Spring.

Beef Stew

 The weather weenies told us that it is going to be cool and rainy today, so last night, I put some good beef chunks and some carrots into a crockpot, along with some brown gravy mix.  Put on on LOW and let it go all night. After church this morning, I peeled and chopped some nice potatoes and added them to the mix, the adjusted the spices.

While I was doing that, Belle started proofing some yeast rolls.

In another hour, those potatoes will be fork-tender and we'll make a pot of rice.

I know that my friends up north are suffering under a load of ice, snow, and other wintry conditions. Y'all stay warm and we'll be worrying about you.

Planning and Preparation

New Orleans has a lot going on in the next 60 days, with the Super Bowl on Feb 9th and Mardi Gras on March 4th.   The parades for Fat Tuesday will kick off shortly after Super Bowl, and the New Orleans Police Department has a huge role to play in each of those events.

The New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) has a troubled past, with was highlighted during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in August 2005.  Those problems led to multiple suits and court actions that resulted in a consent decree with DOJ that has cast an organizational pall on the department.

Those of us in law enforcement here in Louisiana used to quip that NOPD stood for Not Our Problem, Dude.  The current leadership of that department engenders no confidence that much has changed. When called out about obvious flaws in her execution and planning, she gets testy. She didn't know that New Orleans had barricades.  Why would she know these things?  Not Her Problem, Dude.

Don't get me started on that dimwitted Assistant Special Agent in Charge who flatly proclaimed that a ramming incident by a guy carrying an ISIS flag was not a terrorist event.  We'll let Kash Patel short her out in early February. She should be an object lesson for all the DEI folks in the FBI.

I am pleased at the street cops who ran towards gunfire.  Shamdude didn't make two steps from his wrecked truck before he was well and truly ventilated.

I will be neither at the Super Bowl, nor at Mardi Gras in NOLA.  I used to love going the Big Easy to take in the cuisine and the architecture, but since Katrina, the city has lost all allure for me.

Vegas Incident

 So, I'm wondering.  This Vegas incident.

This guy is reported to be an active-duty veteran with eighteen years, a senior enlisted soldier who is Special Forces qualified.  He wore the Green Beret.  And he shows up outside the Trump resort in a rented pickup truck filled with fireworks?

I'm not a demolitions guy, but I can build a better bomb than that.  Anyone can buy Tannerite at Academy Sports.  I've watched the videos several times and it doesn't look like an explosion. It looks more like a rapid conflagration.  If his intent was really to blow up the Trump building, he really did a poor job.

It looks like he lit the fuse, committed suicide, and what...?  Made a helluva mess in the valet parking?

I admit, I'm baffled.  If this was a terror attack, it was poorly executed.  If it was a common suicide, it was poorly executed. I feel like this may have been a mental health issue and this guy didn't get the help he needed.  And that's a damned shame.

Lagniappe

 The Cajuns have a word, lagniappe, (lan-yap) that means "a little something extra".  I found some lagniappe this week.

On Tuesday, Belle wanted a pizza, so I called our local pizza joint and made our usual order, large sweep, no anchovies. We enjoyed the pie and the next morning, breaking down the box, I found some lagniappe printed on the back of the box.  A target.

That is knowing your customers.  BJs Pizza serves Pineville and Ball, LA.  Most of their patrons are fond of the shooting sports, or simply need to sight-in a rifle occasionally. Putting a target o the back of the pizza box is a nice way to say thanks to their customers.

New Attack

 It seems that a CyberTrucl exploded in Las Vegas this afternoon, outside a property owned by Donald Trump.  From the New York Times:

At least seven people were injured, the authorities said. The authorities said they believed it to be “an isolated incident” but have not ruled out a connection to the attack in New Orleans.

Elon Musk says that there were explosives or a bomb in the bed of the truck.  The truck was a rental vehicle.

Is this related to New Orleans?  Lots of questions.

Bollards

 If you don't know what a bollard is, you have walked past them many ties.  Bollards are those pipes sticking up out of the ground to prevent vehicle traffic.  They can be fixed, or portable, or mechanical.  You might see them in front of a grocers or a bank.

The asshole in New Orleans who started all this bullshit, Shamedude from Jabar (not his real name), drove past the bollards on Bourbon Street by driving on the sidewalk. I was last on that corner ten years ago, and I don't remember bollards specifically on that corner.  But, I may not have noticed them because we were walking.

What we do know about Shamedude is that he is a US citizen, living in Texas.  He may have had accomplices and they may have been scattering pipe bombs around the area.

New Orleans was supposed to host the Sugar Bowl today, but that has been postponed.

NOLA

 What the hell is going o in New Orleans? Ten dead, thirty+ hurt, some are saying terrorist.

The FBI is taking the lead in the investigation, and reports are contradictory right now.