Happy Greek Independence Day!

 

HAPPY GREEK INDEPENDENCE DAY!

China moving onto center stage...

 

Shortly after helping relieve tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran, China seems to be moving to solve the Russian-Ukrainian war.  Chinese president Xi is visiting Moscow to show full support for Russia and then is scheduled to talk to Ukraine's Zelensky. 

There is hope that this might be the beginning of the peace process.

Most likely, China will insist on Russia retaining a land bridge to Crimea, neutrality for Ukraine, and a generous rebuilding program, 

This seems to be pushing the United States off the diplomatic stage while there seems to be little comment from Washington.  The US is clearly upset with Chinese support for Russia, but seems to be unaware of Chinese dislike of US support for Ukraine.  Definitely some myopia involved here. 

Given Washington's obsession with Ukraine's border while ignoring its own, this does not come as a surprise.  Billions of dollars thrown away and Ukraine reports that it is low on ammo.  Time for an audit?

No, time for the war to end.

Sadly the path to peace seems to run through Beijing. 

Chicago has a chance!!!

 

Lori Lightfoot came in third in the Chicago mayoral runoff, so she is outta there in a few weeks!

Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson will battle for City Hall and the hope of bringing the Windy City out of the Dark Ages.  

Despite the Greek name, Vallas does not have a great record.  He was CEO of the public schools of Chicago, Philadelphia, and New Orleans, all of which are disasters.  Brandon Johnson is the Cook County commissioner and sees like a leftist who would pursue the same sort of Lightfoot-era policies that plunged Chicago even deeper into the abyss.

Nonetheless, at least failure was not rewarded.

Is this the beginning of a renaissance for Chicago?

Only time will tell, but at least there seems to have been some sort of a course correction.

Going to be an interesting show!

America Chernobyl

 

A train with a ton of chemicals, especially vinyl chloride, derailed in East Palestine, Ohio.  After a lack of reporting, the incident, sending chemicals into the sky after the National Guard attempted to shoot holes in the cargo carriers, seemed to gather an interesting lack of attention.  It was too big to cover up.

The Ohio authorities tried to say all was well when it clearly was not. The US federal government, so "concerned" about about your health, could not be bothered with this.  The EPA, finally arrived after a few days and the EPA administrator, after claiming the water was fine, declined to take a public drink.

Ohio governor Mike DeWine, never visiting the site, initially stated help was not needed and did not declare a state of emergency.  He did ask for FEMA help, which, was actually declined!

Then former President Trump announced he was visiting the area and suddenly FEMA aid arrived!

This seems very similar to the Soviet response and level of incompetence shown in the Chernobyl disaster in 1986. There were lies and denials and finally some sort of aid arrived.

At the very least, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg needs to resign and the Environmental Protection Agency clearly needs to be overhauled and maybe eliminated.  If they cannot even attempt to try to handle this sort of disaster, why do we have it? 

I don't see Greta or Al Gore on site either?

Must not be any money in this for them to show up. 

The Great Balloon War of 2023

 

For $850 billion, we have a military that has shot down four Chinese (probably) balloons that have penetrated North American airspace before finally being dealt with in a most severe manner. These balloons, costing a few thousand dollars, have attracted the attention of the entire NORAD network, million dollar planes, and half million dollar missiles.

China is probing US defenses and reactions.

If it had not been for a civilian in Montana, we would have not known anything about it to begin with.  After it drifted across the entire country, a F-22 downed if off the South Carolina coast.  Now, three others have been shot down over Alaska, the Yukon, and the Great Lakes. 

How are these low-tech instruments getting so far into US airspace?

Probably a distraction from any number of things, such as Washington's obsession with guarding Ukraine's border while our southern border is undefended. 

Minimal investment for maximum chaos.

Asymmetrical warfare and misdirection at its finest.

Something is brewing somewhere else...

Novak vindicated!

 

A year after being deported from Australia for refusing to take an experimental, untested vaccine, Novak Djokovic won the Australian Open.  Unfortunately, he had to beat someone from Greece, but shoving such a win in the face of the Australian government was something I could live with!

A year after the public deportation, the Most Dangerous Disease In The History Of The Universe was suddenly gone!

The US still requires a COVID vaccine for non-citizens to enter, so Djokovic can play in any American tournaments.  Meanwhile, thousands of illegal immigrants come over the border carrying any number of diseases. 

If he walks over the border, he should be OK.

Let the COVID delusion go, it's over.

New Zealand is free!

 

Jacinda Ardern resigned as Prime Minister of New Zealand this week, bringing the island nation a little closer to freedom.  After the draconian lockdowns, her popularity dropped and according to recent polls, her re-election was in serious doubt.

Don't think that had anything to do with the resignation, do you?

Hopefully Trudeau is next.

New Zealanders went with the COVID lockdowns for as long as they could before the intrinsic human need for freedom and the demand for human and natural rights exploded into protests.  Like Prime Minister Black Face of Canada, she ran and refused to meet with anyone.

She was recently caught on a hot-mic moment using an expletive to denigrate a member of Parliament that disagreed with her.  Dictators don't like dissent.  

She said she had "nothing left in the tank", so I will give her a point for honestly at least.

New Zealand has a chance to move past this shameful era of discrimination and dictatorship as long as they hit her Liberal Party with a couple of defeats.  Then it can be the Liberal Party is is supposed to be.

If New Zealand's voters ever bring her back in some way, shape, or form (probably as a member of Parliament), it is one them. 

Good bye and good riddance Jacinda.