One Fell Swoop

Let us start with the proposition that since the end of the Second World War, America's allies, trading partners, and competitors have all taken advantage of the United States through unbalanced trade and through having the US bear the cost burden of collective defense (meaning America's taxpayers footing the bill to protect countries that should have had to pay the full load for defending themselves), and even building up former enemies like Japan and Germany and current foes like Red China because our trade negotiators were idiots until Trump was initially elected and international bodies that regulate trade were and are intensely anti-American. The best and perhaps only tool the President had to redress this was his use of or threat of tariffs to affect change. Six blacked-robed dolts on the nation's highest court just stripped Trump of that, to the detriment of our nation and the liberty around the world that a robust America upholds. 

Prince of Wails

It has been a long time since any significant member of the Royal Family of the United Kingdom has faced serious legal jeopardy before recent events involving besieged Andrew. In a way, the King's brother is lucky as he is not facing the headsman or being drowned in a barrel of wine, as back in those dark days, the administration of punishment was downright awful. Anyway, Andrew is more fortunate than Epstein victims as he has lived the majority of his life without nightmares of what was done to him. 

Mouse Really Roaring

Norway has a tiny population (less folks than in my home state of Tennessee), but when it comes to winter sports, these Norwegians really dominate. They are cleaning up in the Olympic Games despite there being less than six million of them. Praise on them for being athletic marvels- these sons and daughters of Vikings are a force that heats the cold in Scandinavian splendor. 

Europe Really Shocked

Bill Clinton listened to Europe. Barack Obama apologized to the world for America. It is Trump and by extension Rubio who are laying down the law to ingrates who have abdicated their security needs and the many billions in expense that entailed to the United States since World War II. It is about time we finally put our so-called "allies" in their place. 

On the Ascendancy

America is back baby! We are on the rise, but that upsurge can't be tied to one man. A single leader eventually leaves, but a movement must continue! Long live Trump, but more importantly, viva MAGA! 

Israel Declare Sovereignty

There should not be any "disputed territories" within the Holy Land. Do you want the perpetrators of 9/11 and October 7 to hold a knife to the heart of the Jewish State?

Arizona Law Enforcement

The sleuths out West have some interesting ideas about solving crime. I think the way they are trying to resolve the disappearance of the journalist's mother is to detain everyone who is alive in or has visited Arizona. Ultimately, they may catch the culprit this way, if they have a couple of decades or more. 

Suggested By Daughter

My eleven year old told me I should write about our animal rescue efforts. We save Keeshonden. The Keeshond is an admixture of smart dog (usually) and stubborn mule. I have placed many and kept eight as our own so far, although after more than thirty years, we only have a solitary female at the moment. Some Kees are friendly to everyone, but a couple of ours have been purely family dogs, eager to bite anybody outside the pack. When they are young, these pups have Border Collie energy. If you want a Velcro dog, that sticks to you like glue, find a Keeshond. 

A Bizarre Case

There thankfully are not many abductions committed by strangers, and those there are are typically committed against children. Have you ever seen an elderly person "kidnapped" in America before this recent horror befalling the journalist's mother? This is crazy! And to have it linger so long without it being solved. I pray she is returned alive but with each passing day, the prospect of that lessens. 

America for Americans

If you want a Balkanized United States, promote a language that less than a third of the people speak and understand at major events. The mother tongue of this nation is English, and sharing it has been a unifying force. Do you expect Mexicans would tolerate a performance at a significant event entirely in English? 

Interpreting Bunny's Words

According to reports about the halftime show I refused to watch, Bad Bunny unleashed a cascade of obscenity in Spanish over the air of the broadcast. I have no interest in ever hearing or seeing the performance, and if I did, I am not sure I would understand much of it, although I did make it through Spanish III in high school so many decades back. If the allegedly sexual language was indeed transmitted, NBC should face fines and sanctions, as this was not late night cable but distributed to families with children, some of whom would obviously be capable of comprehending the offensive verbiage. I have never knowingly listened to Mr. Bunny and never will, but he has no license to pollute the airways with filth, and the broadcaster had an affirmative obligation to ensure that he did not. 

A Lame Game

The New England quarterback looked like a deer in the headlights as the championship game proved too big for him. The Seattle defense was outstanding as it had been most of the season, perhaps rivaling the 1985 Bears for dominance. The contest itself was a long way from entertaining, unless you are a Seahawks die-hard. The commercial with Tom Brady was indecipherable and certainly did NOT make me want to go buy a doughnut. I would have enjoyed watching a Bob Ross painting class more than this not-so-super bore.

Bowl or Bore

More often than not the Super Bowl has not been an especially competitive game. Some seasons, the advertisements are much more entertaining than the action on the field. I do not know whether Seattle or the Patriots will prevail, nor if it will be a close contest, but I am certain they can take the divisive "Black National Anthem" and their halftime show with the Trump-hater featured and shove them where the light will never shine. 

Pavia Versus Manziel

Diego Pavia and Johnny Manziel are both relatively short for the quarterback position in the NFL, but so are Kyler Murray and Russell Wilson, who both proved successful to varying degrees in the pro ranks. Pavia and Manziel could both sustain plays with their legs and were good downfield runners. Johnny had better talent and depth at Texas A & M than Diego ever did at Vandy. Without Manziel, the Aggies would have still had a winning record, but without Pavia, I doubt the Commodores would have prevailed in five games. In the right circumstance, I believe Pavia can be a winning professional quarterback, at least in the short term, while Manziel was not able to pull that off. 

Devil in Details

The devil might not be running around your neighborhood, but he does seem to have plenty of local representatives. I am not saying they are Satan incarnate or even always evil, but at the crucial moments, count on these folks to let you down. They are the ones who are fair-weather friends, but in the clutch, they look for an angle to exploit you. They may be strangers who come to help you after an ice storm has felled your tree and want to charge you $1,800 for a four hundred dollar job. There may be good people that come to the fore in crisis but do not count on it. 

Brain Back On

After ten days in the deep freeze with no electricity, the power thankfully is back on at our primary residence where the temperature inside had fallen to twenty-eight degrees (28!). Without the electric, my blogs went offline for several days, and it has become difficult to resume the habit of three separate posts (at least) being published on three different venues. My main despotinwaiting.blogspot.com, my americanlaststand.blogspot.com, and my substack fell by the wayside, and it is not easy to rev back into the former swing of publishing. I imagine at some point I will regain the rhythm from before the ice storm but am not there yet. 

Lights Back On!

It took ten days at our primary residence, but we finally rejoined the Age of Electricity yesterday. I think I learned what it is to an extent to live Amish, and I am not up to it. I like my HVAC, and my electric blanket, and the delicacies in my refrigerator not spoiling. I am spoiled for my hot showers and my dark roast coffee in the morning. I would not have done well as a Spartan because the creature comforts are for me. Praise the Lord though that power is finally restored. 

Weather Altering Tactics

Could a foreign adversary be affecting America's weather? Could our unusual ice storm be something other than entirely natural? Cloud seeding is reputed to work, but could other world powers deliberately be changing climate patterns to hurt America? 

Not Much Warmer

February started with bitter cold and fluffy snow that thankfully was easy to brush off the SUV. The day was not ultimately as cold as the days that ended January, but it was not exactly a good time to tan. I managed to do a good portion of my daily five mile walk in the mall and found a hitherto unknown portion of Macy's by pressing the wrong button on the elevator. The mysterious 1-M, which obviously was not meant for public access, with some boxes of "inventory", and some closed doors, at least one of which was likely the loss protection office. So I found a two floor retailer that actually had effectively four levels, with 1 and 2 open for shopping, I-M that obviously is not meant for the public, and three, listed as "offices and restrooms". At least the store was nice and toasty. 

A Warmer February?

It would be hard to imagine the weather in the new month being as awful as the previous month's, but it is not starting off with promise. It is sixteen degrees and snowing, just what we did not want or need. Of course, one day does not a month make, but it is not an auspicious start.