Category: Everything Else

The Republican Budget is Crystal Clear

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Image by Dee from Pixabay

This Has Nothing To Do With Traditional Conservative/Liberal Arguments

Remember the Old Days?

Once upon a time, our political debates pretty much revolved around two sets of priorities/belief systems, both seeking a better America for all, but choosing different paths.

Republicans were generally thought to be pro-business, but that included small business. They sought smaller government where feasible, sought to minimize taxes, and expected America to be a leader on the world stage. Republicans abhorred deficit spending at any level. They emphasized a moral code of traditional values.

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Cities With Personality

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I Really Like A Lot Of Places

Traveling America

I have had the good fortune over the years of seeing a lot of America firsthand and up close.

Where we currently live is our 26th relocation, so we have lived in many places. We have taken two cross country drives, each about a month long, over the years, exploring the out of the way and the well-known parts of this country. I also had several years of business travel domestically that ranged from Alaska to Florida and about every state in between. I think we have missed only 1-2 states so far.

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Where Do These Clowns Come From?

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Quite a Cabinet, This Administration

It Looked Grim at First

When Trump nominated his cabinet, the reaction outside MAGA world was pretty universal – this looked like the worst cabinet in modern history, by any measure. But the Republican Senate said “Yes, Sir,” approving all but one whose nomination was pulled at the last minute.

That was over 100 days ago. Perhaps things have settled in a bit? Let’s take a look at a few of these folks and see how they are doing. Spoiler alert – It’s even worse than expected.

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A Dozen “Guideposts” to a Better Life

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Life Has Its Challenges. Here Is My List For Making It Better

What?! No Politics?

Yeah, I thought it might be a good thing to talk about something other than political and social justice issues for a change, even if only once in a while. So today, let’s talk about something besides what passes for our national government – at least for today.

I hesitated to print this list. It sounds a bit arrogant to be saying something along the lines of “I have figured out life. Follow my guidelines.” That, of course,

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There Is A Champagne Shortage

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No, Not Here. In Moscow and Beijing

“I Can’t Believe Our Good Luck”

That must be the phrase being repeated daily in the capitals of Russia and China. In just the first couple of weeks, the Republican administration has gone to a European security conference and first offered up everything the Russians could hope for out of Ukraine, with nothing demanded in turn. Our new not ready for prime time Defense Secretary was a one man disaster at the conference. He was clueless as to what the situation demanded. So much for American leadership.

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Odds and Ends

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Notes on Assorted Topics- Mostly Politics, But Not All

The Gutting Of Government is Well Underway

As expected, the taking of hatchets to government is under way at full throttle. As one would expect from a Trump initiative, it is being done with zero thought to impacts or smooth execution. Just ripping things and people apart. It is worth noting that this is being done for several reasons, and those reasons tell you who is driving the processes and why.

There are the Plan 2025 people, led by the nominated Director of OMB,

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What If History Was Changed?

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How Might a Few Changes Affect the World?

Not a New Idea

The idea of history coming out differently at some key point, and the changes that could happen as a result, are not exactly new ideas. This play on variants has a long history among historians and among fiction writers. Still, always a fun and perhaps useful line of thought to pursue.

Looking at such scenarios makes one think about how things, people, and events are so intricately involved in real life. Any change, even a small one or a single incident, could have monumental effects.

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You Really Do Need to Read That Fine Print

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A Lot of Contracts, Log-Ons, and Subscriptions Have Sneaky Content

Buyer Beware

It is an old truism that when entering into a contract or any sort of transaction, the guiding principle for the person making the purchase is “buyer beware.” The individual has a responsibility to understand what is being offered (and not offered) in any transaction and to act with that knowledge in hand.As we all know, that is often a hard standard to meet in the real world. Such documents increasingly have a mountain of legalese, usually presented in very long paragraphs written in small fonts.

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A Little of This, a Little of That

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A Mix of Things Rise to Commentary This Week

What Next in the Middle East?

The death of Hamas leader Sinwar is about a big a thing as one could imagine. Will it lead to a change of fortune for Palestinians and Israelis? It should, but the truth is no one knows at this point. It seems the Biden team has been working the possibilities hard already, not only with the principle players but with other countries as well, Middle Eastern and European.

Tom Friedman of the NY Times, a guy with deep roots in the region,

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Lessons Learned from a Once in 1000 Years Disaster

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We Know What Works In Such Situations

Hurricane Helene in the Mountains

We in the Great Smoky Mountains have all experienced (and many still are very much experiencing) a unique disaster. The force of one of the largest hurricanes to hit the US in many decades coming inland and up through the Appalachian Mountains. The mountains are full of steep terrain, deep valleys, and large trees. When that environment meets a hurricane, the damage is almost beyond comprehension, over a very large area. Some communities no longer exist, others took various levels of damage, just about everywhere took some damage..

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