laughingwolf_qh33q8 – The Laughing Wolf

SQT: Random

Okay, I would say sorry for not posting more but it is Lent, there is a lot going on in the important world, and the alleged “real” world has taken last place. Some posts I want to do, but things are going to be interesting between now and Pascha. Don’t expect to see much of me at all during Holy Week. Right now, looks like I will be chanting or otherwise occupied for about ten straight days, and I am reserving the Monday following for recovery.

First up, there were some sensational reports of one of Vladimir’s cars “blowing up” from some of the pundit (grifter) class on X. I couldn’t find any reputable sourcing for the claim. Which may be because apparently one of the fleet of cars available to Vladimir (and possibly others) caught fire and burned. It happens. In this case, everything seems to point to normal, not abnormal reasons.

Second up, there appears to be some interesting maneuvering going on behind the scenes in Moscow. I’ve noted before that the curtain is up as they try to keep things out of the public eye, but some signs still get through. As efforts to bring about peace in Ukraine advance, I suspect more will get seen in public. Really do need to do a full post as many seem to be missing some key points. Someone remind me please.

Third, it really doesn’t matter which scenario on the Signal leak was right (though some others have come out in support of it being deliberate) as the net result is that Jeffrey Goldberg (and quite likely The Atlantic) are toast. The move has already started on the left, which while somewhat endorsing him and what he did, the pull back has already begun. Distancing is a thing, and if you pay attention to the patterns, it is well underway on the left. I suspect it will get stronger. There will be a pretense of support, of membership/friendship, but the cooling that is underway will only turn colder over time. Add in the fact that sources are noting his actions, and his ability to get any form of inside scoops is going to take a hit. Is probably already taking a hit. My bet right now is that absent something major (and unexpected) he’s faded away in five years.

Fourth, note the attack shifts underway. On the Signal non-issue, it went from demanding to know who did it to attacking Pete as soon as possible. It’s not the only such change in targeting. Call it out, point it out, make it impossible to miss. Corporate media is all in on it, and such needs to be pointed out to the normies (if you will).

Fifth, same is being done in regards the deportations. The new cry is “due process” where no due process will be good enough. Media and politicians are gleefully lying in unison via leaving out key bits of information (for example, a judge had found the “innocent father” was a member of MS-13 years ago) in what they say and pitch. Again, this needs to be pointed out frequently, loudly, etc.

Sixth, same is being done in the Tesla terrorism. Saw one about ‘a life ruined for a piece of gum.’ No, it was ruined because the person made the choice to become a terrorist and the damage was above a certain dollar amount. It had nothing to do with free speech or gum chewing, everything to do with willful and deliberate actions. Again, point out, call out, mock, and shame.

Seventh, same is being done with Social Security. It has been stated directly and unequivocally that the Admin is going to protect (and strengthen) Social Security and Medicaid. No surprise at the politicians wasting no time in claiming that Trump, Musk, Bigfoot, and the Loch Ness Monster are all out to destroy both and put our elderly out into the cold. Again, call it out.

I could go on, but, you get the idea. Those online a good bit know, those who sanely and rationally are not terminally online do not. Help get the word out to them, as it does indeed make a difference. We are in a fight for our Freedoms and our Republic. Winning is far from guaranteed, and it takes fighting on many fronts. The information front is critical, be a part of the good fight.

I’m out of time this morning, so will skip a few other things. Imperial judges and an out-of-control judiciary (enabled by a rotten congress) are one topic. Lots of good science news out there too. Love the new polar-orbit manned mission from Space X. About time.

For those interested, I had my first session with a vocal coach yesterday as part of my efforts to re-learn how to sing (and read music) after the lightning strike. In fact, the coach took me on in part because of the issues as they found them fascinating. Quick takes from the first visit is that I am indeed a bass-baritone, lower range is quite good, going to have to do a lot of work to extend my range back up into tenor. Once we get that going, we will work other issues. Everything from posture to how I’m standing are being worked on. Frankly, it was fun and I had a great time singing in my good range.

Tomorrow is multiple services at Church, so not sure I will be posting. Thursday maybe. Friday no, as I have homework. If I didn’t mention it before, I’m learning how to plot out Vespers, Matins, and Liturgies. Right now, plotting out what is done, by whom, and when takes me a good bit of time. I need to get to the point where I can do it in right around an hour. Given that it involves multiple reference books, it is complex. If I haven’t told the larger story, remind me and I will do so for anyone interested. Saturday, well, who knows.

Oh, and for those who want to show off by having histrionics over typos or grammar issues, I simply will point out that we should see how well YOU do after you are hit by lightning. I will add that you are not covering yourself in glory or showing how smart you are, except in a very Fredo way.

More soon.

Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. There is also the Amazon Wish List in the Bard’s Jar. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

Thank You!

I just want to say thank you to two people who were very kind to me.

I really would like to try a lifestraw out on a hiking/camping trip. If some things work out, I’m looking at maybe trying something like that this summer. As for the book, I’ve enjoyed Gad Saad’s writings and commentary online and am looking forward to reading this one day soon. May not be immediate as my stack of unread books is getting a bit big and needs to be whittled down.

Thanks to both of you for doing this. It is very much appreciated!

Also, this may be my Friday post. The current plan is for me to be at Church most of Friday doing some liturgical homework. I’m in the process of learning how to figure some parts of the liturgy out and being sure that we are set for them. It’s been an adventure and what I thought would be a simple thing (it was a simple question that led to this) is anything but.

More soon I hope.

Kobal Wines

Years back, I used to do wine and spirit reviews at Blackfive and other outlets, as well as here on the blog. I have/had a good nose and sense of taste, though today (stupid lightning) I have trouble wrapping them around some of the scents and flavors. I know the scent or taste, but can’t name it. So, today’s post may not have the precision of some past, but I hope to hit in the ballpark and share some good wines with you.

This being Lent, I’m really not supposed to be drinking wine most days, but I was intrigued when the good people at Storied Company (they do have gift certificates, hint) offered me the chance to meet a winemaker from Slovenia and taste his wares. I don’t remember having wine from Slovenia before, though I have had some good wine from Serbia.

Bojan Kobal has taken his years of experience in wine making and put it to work in his own company, Kobal Wines. Located near the town of Ptuj, it is in the Styria wine region of Podravje, which features hilly terrain idea for wine making. Indeed, as we learned last night, wine making has been taking place in Slovenia for some 2,000 years having been brought in by the Romans. It is fascinating history and Styria is known for it’s white wines. In fact, our tasting was of four whites, one rose, and one red.

One of the interesting things at last night’s event was the passing around of the three types of rock that make up a good bit of the soil on the hillsides. Bojan put water on one of the rocks, and the scent and taste did indeed come through in a couple of the wines. The soil truly does matter.

First up was a 2024 Kobal Furmint (Šipon). This is a delightfully crisp wine, starting with a nose rich with tart green apple with a slight hint of white pepper. The mouthfeel is solid, rich with green fruits. Apple dominated the center, but other fruits snuck in around the edges with a nice touch of sweetness to emphasize the crispness. This is an excellent wine to enjoy on a summer day, and it should pair well with lighter chicken and fish dishes, or a nice cheeseboard.

Next up was a 2024 Kobal Sauvignon Blanc. This is not in the style of the typical American Sauvignon Blanc, rather a more old fashioned take that brings out the land and full flavor of the grapes. The nose is again crisp, but with a lot more mineral to it than with the Furmint. There is green fruit and herb with it, creating a unique presentation. The mouthfeel is again solid, full of fruit, green herbs, mineral, and even a bit of tropical fruit. It is a complex and rich taste. It should pair well with light chicken, fish, and even some vegetables. As I got reminded last night, it is easy to pair wine with proteins, but not so easy to pair them with vegetables.

Our third sample was a 2024 Kobal Pinot Grigio. This is NOT your normal grocery store pinot grigio. For all that it is a white grape, the skin is not light. The Kobal winery macerates the pinot grigio grapes for a time, which gives a pink tinge to the wine. It is not a rose, but the color and full flavor of the grape come out from their production. Again, a good nose with green fruits and herbs, and a nice mouthfeel full of green and even tropical fruits, with just a hint of red berries or plums. It is a unique entry to the American market, and I was quite taken with it. Would love to try it with some lamb.

Our fourth sample was another very different production. The 2022 Bajta Belo Skin-Contct White Wine is warm macerated for a month, giving it a striking amber color. It is a white wine made like a red, and as such it has the mouthfeel of a red. On the nose, I got candied fruits and nuts with a hint of white chocolate. The taste hit me as rich with walnuts and hazelnuts, candied fruit, herbs, and a hint of white truffle. It is a very well balanced and complex wine and I really want to try it with food. This may have been my favorite of the evening, and that’s saying a good bit.

Our fifth selection was a Pet Nat, which is a naturally bubbly style of wine. This 2024 Kobal Blaufrankish Rose Pet Nat was a refreshing break before sampling our single red wine of the evening. Again, this would be great simply to drink sitting on the porch or outside on a nice summer day. To me, the nose was slightly acidic, with chalk candy and fruit. The mouthfeel was light and crisp, with some light red fruit joining the core of green fruit.

Our final selection of the evening was a 2023 Kobal Blaufrankisch “Roots.” The nose was rich with leather and fruit, and had hits of spice. The mouthfeel was good, and the flavor rich with sour cherries, fruit, leather, and a hint of black pepper on the finish. It is a nice solid red in a style you would not normally find at a lower price point. As for me, I would love to try it with a good mushroom dish, and it can handle pairing with some solid proteins.

Locally, these wines are in the $20-$25 range, which is a bit above my regular but they are quite good values for the money. Especially given the very different approaches from typical mass produced wines. If you get a chance to try them, or any other products from this winery, you should do so.

About That Signal “Leak”

In part to play devil’s advocate, and in part because if one theory is right my hat is off to this administration as an op like this has not been pulled off in a decade or two. I have suspicions, but will note that I will wait to see what comes out — and will also note you need to pay close attention to phrasing then. For now, enjoy some thoughts sparked by an online discussion with Tony Katz (website) this morning. I may have to do a little tap dancing in spots, but…

Three scenarios came to mind when I first heard about this. Let’s take a look at those options.

First, that this was done as a deliberate effort to harm the administration. Given the amount of resistance, malicious compliance, and theatrical temper tantrums (and threats to sell info to our enemies) it is a valid concern. Mitigating it is that Michael Waltz (not to be confused with the other) is hand-picked by Trump, former Greenie Beanie, former Congrescritter, etc., etc., etc. Still needs to be investigated, but would be surprised if this was the case.

Second, that this was done accidentally. Plausible. Very plausible even. Stuff happens and it would not be the first time someone got added to an e-mail or other chain that proved embarrassing. It has happened a couple of times to me, and in one case I was glad for the confirmation of where I stood and what was happening in regards one situation. Embarrassing (and a potential liability) for them, good intel for me. I’m sure some of you can add some similar situations in the comments. If it was an accident, a whacking of knuckles or such is warranted.

The third option is where this gets fun. Let’s start with something almost everyone who has been around government knows, but also ignores to some extent.

The fact is, governments send each other messages by a variety of means. There are the official messages, couched in careful diplomatic niceties, that always accent the positive even when those governments hate each other’s guts. You play nice as that is expected and it’s usually a good way to keep tensions at a point just short of war. It’s a way to shore up relationships, or to strengthen them. I will caveat that smart people realize that governments do not have friends, they have allies — some good, some not so much.

However, official channels are limited and usually anything but frank. J.D. Vance’s comments to European leaders a few weeks ago were refreshingly frank for many of us, and considered a breach of proper manners by many officials. It is rare for such comments to be made in any official capacity. Which is why, for not years but even centuries, there have been unofficial channels.

Such activities have often been lumped in with the history of intelligence operations, which is not really where they belong (IMO) but if interested you can find some fascinating examples in European history. To be honest, if you look at Japanese history there are some good examples. It is also worth noting that when there wasn’t such, or something happened to that channel, bad things like unexpected wars or “accidental” battles took place. Net result, wise leaders (or those who served as éminence grise or consigliere) made sure such were in place.

The fact is, since it can’t be said in public that Government A thinks Government B (especially if they are ostensible allies) is a bunch of corrupt poopy-heads that are being stupid, you need a means to get that message to the other side unofficially. There are other such messages that often need to be sent, usually along the lines of “we see you” and “don’t do that again.” Then there’s a third level of highly unofficial when accidents happen that never happened. Governments rarely admit to losing people, aircraft, subs (or being responsible for same) in circumstances that never officially happened. Nor will we discuss the disappearance of agents, operatives, or others; nor the discovery of the bodies of such on doorsteps or in staged compromising circumstances.

Instead, for today, let’s focus on the need to get unofficial information between governments. If you want a number of examples, look at the information flow between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. There was quite a bit of unofficial flow, which ranged from carefully staged leaks (or, possibly, operations on par with The Man Who Wasn’t There in WWII) to using businessmen and journalists as conduits. During the Cuban Missile Crisis, a LOT of essential discussion was channeled through a journalist both sides trusted.

It is important to note that not all of these conduits were aware they were being used to send messages. Sometimes it was a one-time thing, sometimes it was done as a part of normal business operations so as to keep the person in the dark. And, sometimes, it is rumored, it was done to some poor sap that had PO’d one side or another and got used and was figuratively (and literally) disposed of afterwards.

Sometimes, using someone is made very easy by the person being used. They can be greedy, needy, of limited trustworthiness, or other flaws that make it easy to use them. You know them and their flaws, their triggers, etc. Some of the people used before have been, er, interesting, to be polite. They also have spanned the strata of society.

Which is why I find it believable that Jeffrey Goldberg may have been a “deliberate accident.” If you wanted to get the word to some allies that patience is running thin with them, that their freeloading needs to stop, that some potential major changes are heading their way, and do so in a way that made such clear without it being an official communication, you could count on him to get it out.

I’m willing to bet a donut or two that he had already contacted any number of European leaders or his contacts in their offices to share this information. The man hates Trump and his admin with a passion, and he would see this as a means to hurt them. Keeping quiet in this case is something I don’t think he literally do. So, get in touch, share, reeeeeee a bit, and probably let them know he was going to publish but give them some time so they were ready to pounce when the time came.

Now, he has gone public and if the message didn’t get sent before it sure has now. Everyone knows what the admin thinks of various governments and entities. I will note that I have not read every word; but, what I have read is not classified nor a war plan. It may have given Goldberg a couple hours notice of what was going to happen, but nothing that could have prevented it. In short, it is really a nothingburger operationally, and the only concern lies in which scenario is correct.

A final thought on this track is that by going public Goldberg has, IMO, AD’d himself as he jammed his pistol into his pants. He on some levels burned a source; he verified what a lot of people thought of him and his trustworthiness; and, he has verified that he will put politics ahead of national interest. This is going to burn him even with people who “officially” support him right now in the long term. In the twisty murky world of leaks and sources, burning a source for almost any reason puts people off on trusting you. If you know someone can’t keep a secret, you don’t share truly important things with them. If you show you are a partisan hack to the world, even those on your side are going to start treating you as such.

That what has happened is effectively a self-immolation, is just icing on the cake from an ops standpoint. When I said on social media yesterday that things fit, this is what I am talking about. You know the messages got out, you know some of the results, and in the process you let an avowed enemy do harm to themselves.

So, I tend to be a bit suspicious that this could have been a very deliberate accident. As for what it really is, we likely won’t know for a while. One of the things I have loved about the current Trump administration is the lack of leaks. They have been amazingly good at OPSEC, which again, is a tick in favor of the third option.

It is a point to consider, and I hope you will do so. We will find out the truth someday, and it will be interesting to find out for sure. I would be cautious accepting anything announced right now: it is custom to some extent to “obfuscate” or flat out lie immediately, especially if it can make an op work even better. Right now, my bet is this just doesn’t get mentioned and the comments made so far are all that are made. It would be the smart move, and so far Trump and company have been smart. We will see.

UPDATE I: Corrected a type, be to bet.

The Great Escape: Remembering All, And The 50 Murdered

This is a repost of a previous post. I try to do this every year on the 24th, and sometimes I even get it done. I will be raising a toast to them this evening.

Today, I take the time to remember the 50. On this night, in 1944, prisoners of war staged a daring large-scale escape from Stalag Luft III. The movie is good, but isn’t accurate since it was a Royal Air Force show. All but three of the prisoners who escaped were recaptured, and of those, Adolph Hitler personally ordered the deaths of 50 of them. Today, I raise a glass to them, and to all who dared and risked all to do so.

If you want to know more, go here, here, here, and here.

Take Care Of Yourselves

Non-political today, but a suggestion and a warning all the same.

You are your best and only true health advocate. Your health is up to you.

Writing this as I got the news this morning that a high school classmate had died, apparently dropping dead from an ‘unexpected’ heart attack. Hate to say this, but that rarely is the case as most often there were symptoms that either weren’t followed-up on or didn’t get a push from a doctor. Fact is, I know too many people that have had to push their doctors on heart issues, cancer, and more.

No, doctors don’t like being pushed but too bad. Push. It’s YOUR life that is at stake.

Even if you have to do it out-of-pocket, a lot of places offer a very inexpensive heart scan that can save your life. You can even get them for free quite often. Lot’s of places and organizations offer free or inexpensive cancer screenings of various types. Such can be a quick way to get the jump on things, as cancer is one of those where the earlier you start to deal with it the better the odds.

You need to be pro-active, aggressive even, on your health. Remember, you know your body far better than your regular doctor. If something seems off, it likely is. Get it checked out. Don’t let it get you checked out of life.

When I tell you to be careful out there, just remember that there are many threats to our lives, health, and safety. Heart disease, cancer, and other such delights are part of that. Be careful, be safe, and make sure your body truly is ready for anything.

SQT: Law, Strategy, Need

A quick follow-up on this post from yesterday. This really needs not full posts, but dissertations to fully cover but…

I’m seeing a lot of defeatism from people on X, and it’s coming from some people that I would least expect to throw in the towel. I think a good bit of it is that they are looking at things from a very narrow or specific viewpoint. So, let’s take a quick look at some high points of why we NEED to have some court cases even if the courts (as usual) would prefer to punt.

First, the use of autopens has never been before a court, nor has it been legislated as acceptable. The use of the autopen to sign documents, or even laws, is, therefore questionable. If I understand correctly, most modern usage from Obama on depends on a legal brief from the legal beagles of Bush I. Personally, I think it time to establish law via a court ruling (whether the court wants to or not) and put legislation in place.

Second, court cases on the issues surrounding the possibly forged signatures when the autopen was not used are needed to determine if those were legitimately signed or not. If the signatures were indeed forged, that should clearly invalidate the document. However, according to several legal types, there is no case law extant on what to do. Frankly, I think such is needed. It also leads to a can of worms.

If the signatures were not forged, it then raises questions on the competence of Joe Biden and if he was fit for office. This is a huge issue as there is no case law, no precedent, for what to do next.

For all the Founding Fathers could envision the Federal government getting too bit, usurping powers, etc., I really don’t think they foresaw one political party joining with/taking over a large unelected bureaucracy and the so-called fourth estate to run a candidate as a puppet, or propping up a candidate who became fully incapacitated while in office (take your pick on scenario). They prepared for many contingencies, but there is no way to prepare for all.

Which is why a lot of pundits and others out there are saying too bad, we just have to live with it, nothing that can be done, and all the other bend-over-and-take it we got in lesser amounts and form after 2020. While I’m trying to lean into my saint-in-training mode, I am going to have to use a swear word here: BULLSHIT!

If we don’t set law and precedent now, this is just going to continue and the Republic will be lost. This will get used by more than one side to fundamentally reshape (remember that phrase?) the government and usurp our natural rights. Remember, the government doesn’t grant us rights, as those come from God as natural law. The Bill of Rights, therefore, doesn’t grant us rights, it prohibits the government from infringing on them (but oh do they ever try to do so!).

All the more reason I’m thinking there are multiple reasons for the order and the administration seeming to encourage challenges. Again, it is a no-lose for the administration, and if pushed to the point that the Courts and Congress are forced to act to set law, scope, and precedent we all will be better off for it. It won’t be fun, it won’t be easy, and I suspect there will be a lot of pain. However, I think we need it. Ultimately, it will be a lot less pain than a continual path of bend-over-and-take-it.

This can’t be looked at as strictly a legal thing, strictly a Constitutional matter, or simply a procedural matter. It requires a more holistic look and push. I’m seeing several avenues of strategy playing out here, and we need to embrace them and the larger picture to prevent things like this from ever happening again with no recourse.

SQT: Muhammed Khalil

This story stinks worse than that which was rotten in Denmark. So, Some Quick Thoughts (SQT) on it.

This was and is a planned op. It clearly was expected that the new administration would try to deport him. Hence, his comment to his wife when getting picked up; the huge legal team including several $1,000/hr high-profile litigators; the PR teams at work; etc. They had things ready to go, and I think the only thing that caught them off guard was how fast he was taken to Louisiana.

Someone, and I don’t think it purely domestic, wanted to make him a focus and the first truly organized response to the policies of DJT and the new administration. In fact, I’m betting a lot of this is financed and being run from overseas. After all, there is a huge British component to this, and given previous Labor (and other) efforts to prevent Trump being re-elected, I’m a bit suspicious.

Brit intel is very anti-Trump (IMO) and here we have a Brit intel asset with clearances who comes to America, and in record time goes from nothing to a green card. Having dated someone here on a visa, it does not happen that fast without some serious grease. Lot of things here do not add up and are not how things normally go, even with marriage.

Now, do they have domestic help and/or partners? I say yes. It’s more than just groups and certain politicians who want to use this to keep the borders open and to prevent those brought in illegally from being deported. They see this as a means to an end. I really do think some near the top are in it up to their eyeballs.

Keep an eye on this one. You have paid protestors with professional graphics popping up (appears that ads were even placed to hire some of the protestors) in California and elsewhere; immediate organized and aggressive protests ready to go in NYC; and, lots of media already in the can and ready to go.

It’s an op and it stinks to high heaven. Keep an eye on who is involved, and start tracing the money. The people behind this are not friends to the Republic.

SQT: Pardon Invalidation

Just Some Quick Thoughts on Trump’s invalidation of the Biden Regency pardons on the basis they weren’t signed but done by autopen. There is some clutching of pearls going on, but it may well be a stroke of genius. At any rate, I don’t see any real significant downside from it.

The fact is, the use of the autopen for almost all of the Biden Regency is of concern and frankly a bit of dubious legality. There are legal reasons the President is supposed to sign documents in person, and in the past such events were documented and even turned into small events with people effected present. Pretty much what DJT has done since resuming office.

Now, there are already questions being asked about the legality and other considerations for various things, and there are implications that it could negate almost everything done by the Regency. Problem is, courts are going to be leery about touching same and once again “standing” is likely to be used as an excuse to avoid the issue and run out the clock.

By making his declaration, Trump just waved a red flag in front of the Deep State. Those holding pardons now are directly effected and five will get you ten that some are already with lawyers looking to both judge shop and challenge the declaration. Since they are directly effected, they have standing. What’s more, it will be them and the DNC who start the ball rolling in the courts.

Once it is rolling, the issues of the legitimacy of any and all actions taken by the Biden Rengency in which things were signed with the autopen becomes fair game, though I suspect strongly efforts will be made to try to firewall each section. Not sure it will stand up, though since I’m not a lawyer I don’t know all the tricks for trying to make such stick.

Thing is, once that ball is rolling, and even with the courts doing their best to avoid it, the lawsuits will eventually focus on the validity of all actions of the Biden Regency. If the DNC is smart, they will sacrifice those pardoned to avoid getting into that briar patch. Don’t think they are that smart, and even if so bet one of those pardoned will jump the gun and get the ball rolling.

So, worst case: courts find a way other than standing to avoid taking the case and doing anything if forced to do so. Standing and other issues for the obfuscation and avoidance.

Medium case: Courts take, tap dance, and use injunctive relief to prevent DJT from enforcing order. Expect to see a lot of foot dragging, particularly if the midterms are in any way not a disaster for the DNC, hoping to get to drop things in the next administration.

Moderate case: Court does take the case and rules on the use of the autopen based on Constitutional law and rules the pardons void. Guaranteed appeals. Guaranteed opening to challenge the legitimacy of all laws signed and all actions taken during the Regency.

Not-So-Moderate case: Court takes the case but overturns Constitutional law on signatures. In which case, expect a fight to the SC which will also be a referendum on the judiciary and role of same. Betting Roberts will try to punt and dice the baby, but… This would bring about a true crisis (and, no right now we do not have one or more Constitutional crises going on) and things could get interesting.

There are a couple of others, but the worst that can happen to the current administration is to be told “you can’t do that” on a temporary or permanent basis. Meantime, lot of Deep State types are going to be scrambling, off balance, and not focused on efforts to derail what DJT is doing. What do you want to bet that there is some new effort/policy that will hit in the middle of this while the DNC and players are off balance again?

Now, if we could only get our Congresscritters to make all these cuts and policies into law so they can’t be wiped out with the stroke of a pen… Sigh.

UPDATE: For those who didn’t get it, I’m not talking about this as a matter of law. That is peripheral to it being done as a matter of strategy. This is examining the strategy and strategic implications.

UPDATE II: Tuesday 18 March 25, over at PJ Media is this excellent article by Matt Margolis on possible forgery on those signatures not signed by auto pen. So, add to the mix the possibility of this being done to force court cases on at least three fronts (autopen legality, forgery of official documents, and the legitimacy of the Biden Regency), with the cases being brought by Democratic politicians. Right now, if Trump tried to bring these, probably a no go and easy cosmetic (short term) victory for the DNC. By forcing certain politicians and groups to file the court cases, it takes that off the table and forces the issues on the courts. Which is a whole nother kettle of fish (if the grammar nazi choir will allow such phrasing), but…

Random Thoughts On A Friday

Not sure I am up to a full post today, but did want to share a few thoughts while I could. More on the personal in a bit. For now…

I’m unsurprised at the rash of SWATtings going on right now. It has long been a favored tactic of progressives and is effective. Sadly, it has even resulted in deaths. Those behind these really do hope for that I fear, but also seem to think it will intimidate people. I think they are wrong about that, and they should stop to think that if there is a death the FBI may be the least of their worries.

It is interesting that so far, the majority of those being swatted are on various enemies lists coming out of Ukraine. This is not to suggest Ukraine is behind it, but that the lists do make a good “shopping list” for some of the more unstable on the progressive side. Sending the pizzas (again, it appears that all of those SWATted have had pizzas show up right after, that are ordered prior to the event) is a message.

Frankly, I’m surprised there hasn’t been more violence. People who are having their rice bowls kicked over seldom like it, and when you see the system that you and yours have spent generations (keep in mind, a lot of this started under Woodrow Wilson) building up, and achieved unprecedented growth in the last twenty years (astronomical during the past four), you tend to be a little upset. Particularly if you are not in the top tier. They are upset, but have fallbacks. The next tier down does not have those same levels of fall back as they were still building.

If you are midway (or further) down, it’s worse and that’s also usually where you find your true believers and less-stable people. They are in the worst shape and are going to be far more likely to do rash things. This is the group you see on social media calling for assassinations and actually taking part in attacking Tesla and Tesla owners. They make good cannon fodder and will be used as such. See my earlier post this week for some background.

I will say that the SWATting needs to be dealt with quickly and strongly. So do the many other instances of law breaking underway (building takeovers, movement blocks, etc.) but those are mostly dependent on local action. However, SWATting, as it uses interstate communications, can get Federal help and the FBI is now assisting. It also has the ability to prosecute on it’s own if needed. We will see. It needs to be prosecuted as the attempted pre-meditated murder it is. If that is done, you will see it drop to almost zero rapidly.

I’ve lost track of when Space X is going to try to launch the crew again, but glad they stopped the last launch. For all I loathe the perfect safety culture/no failures club, a manned launch is not something where you want or need to run risks. Hoping they continue to have an unblemished launch record and that they get the “stranded” astronauts home soon.

Going to look at a duplex today, and am following up on some other prospects. Not rushing, but not dwadling (too much) either. I may have to go for larger than I might like, so I can get everything out of storage and get rid of most of it (keeping books, cooking gear, and some Christmas stuff). I want to downsize (except for my books, I want more, more, more).

Looking at a vocal coach to help me with my relearning how to sing. I have sorta relearned to read sheet music, but as with the guitar I can’t tell you the notes I’m playing. Show me where my fingers go and I can play a song on the guitar. If someone hits the first note on a page, I can (mostly) sing the rest. I have problems staying on pitch, and in dealing with some range issues. I’ve actually been singing alto a bit to get by, but tenor/baritone and bass seem to be more my range. Our music director is working with myself and another gentlemen to help us get better, but some extra lessons and help won’t hurt a bit.

If I seem a little off the next few weeks, we are doing a rather significant diet change. I am going back to a keto variant and feeling it. However, given a number of digestive issues and other delights, it needs to be done. A number of foods seem to cause problems, most of which are carbs, so… I may share more of the diet as we work things out.

More soon I hope. Take care of yourselves, be safe, and be prepared. Keep your friends and family close, and your things where you can find them in the dark.