My Buyout Offer...

Not wishing to be outdone by an African-American immigrant, who was so bold as to offer to buy Twitter the other day, I, The Chuckmeister, have issued a rather bold buyout offer of my own.

I hereby offer to buy all of CNN, sometimes known as the "Clinton News Network," for the princely sum of, ready?  

                                  $54.20! 

Yes, I know I'll be overpaying.  Assuming the Warner-Bros./Discovery Media folks accept it, that is.  And they just might, presuming they're looking to ditch this loser.  And I haven't noticed any other interested parties bellying up the bar and making an offer of their own lately, have you?  No, you haven't!  So, my offer just might be accepted and their reign of journalistic terror over the less well educated portion of our populace might soon be over.

In furtherance of my offer, I remind my tens and tens of rabid followers that CNN was nothing more than Turner Network Television before be bought a little time on one of those new-fangled satellites back in 1980 and became America's first 24-hour, all news channel.  Available anywhere you could find a TV. 

And then he popularized it by beaming professional wrestling to his audience night and day.  And weather.  Giving the folks what they wanted, I guess.

But then Ted Turner, the guy who put this together, changed its name to CNN and went public.  And then went on a buying spree.  He bought up hundreds of thousands of acres of Wyoming real estate, for instance.  And then the world's largest herd of bison, and proceeded to try and sell us all bison burgers.  He also picked up a new bride while he was at it.  Jane Fonda, the actress.  And anti-war activist.  Who was, and is, universally hated by every Vietnam-era man in the entire United States.  She worked hard to earn the enmity of us (I include myself), and God-willing, we'll all get the chance to piss on her grave before we die.

Just sayin'

But back to Turner and CNN.  This cable channel has "turned" far-Left over the past couple of decades.  Verrrry. Far. Left.  So much so that when Donald Trump came around, CNN's Liberal management saw a chance to turn America against him.  They tried.  Hard.  And saw some success, until the day he left office.  And then their viewership crashed and burned.  No more Big Bad Orange Man to kick around, I guess.

They've lost more than 73% of their viewers over the past year.  And while that was happening its parent company was bought by Discovery.  And its CEO decided that CNN's CEO should make himself scarce.  And that guy was shown the door.

Oh yeah, and BTW, while all of this was happening Fox News Corp. was consolidating its lead over CNN and all other cable channels.  So much so in fact that it's led CNN in all areas of viewership for more than 20 years.

So I say, what the Hell's it worth?  The only people who watch it are the relatives and friends of the on-air "talent" reading from their TelePrompTer.  Which probably numbers in the hundreds, at best.  And all those airports around the world that they pay an average of $100,000 a year EACH to beam CNN around the clock.  

So my all-cash offer of $54.20 (Musk offered $54.20 Billion for Twitter, get it?) is likely more than its worth.  But my plan is to try and increase viewership by showing all those hard-Left anchors the door.  And replacing them with folks who'll just deliver you the news, and that's all.  And I predict we would attract some new viewers.

The ones who aren't watching Fox, that is...

""CARB"

This particular posting goes out to all of you extremely bright folks who've decided to live someplace else besides California.

Or as I affectionately call it, "Taxifornia."  Because it has the very highest taxes, of all forms, in the Nation.  

So I, The Chuckmeister, wish to both recognize and honor you who either were here and decided to flee, or could have moved here...and didn't.  I metaphorically bow in your digital presence.

Anyway, that stated, I think you know I'm sort of like a mini-Drudge.  The Drudge folks comb a thousand stories each day to choose 100 or so to feature.  I, on the other hand, comb through a hundred or so stories a day and choose to comment on perhaps one.  Here's that one...

You likely didn't read about the California Air Resources Board's recent decision to outlaw the sale of automobiles utilizing internal combustion engines here in CA by the year 2035.  No, I'm not kidding.  "CARB," as it's known, is a bureaucratic agency filled to the brim with leftoids who fear greenhouse gases more than naked homeless, knife-wielding zealots.  I add that last bit because CARB is all comfy like in their own 14 story green glass building in (once) beautiful San Francystco.   

Life was breathed into CARB back in 1976 by then-Gov. Ronnie Reagan.  You'll recall nearly everybody was worried about CA pollution back then, most of all him.  He wanted CARB to help solve problems.

It's done nothing but to create them.

CARB is now operated by a Board of 16 unelected members.  It now has 1,381 employees.  It has a budget - get this - of $581 Million Dollars a Year!  And it's decided that the way to "fix" CA's "air resources" problems is to ban to sale of cars that right now more than 92% of its citizens are choosing to purchase and drive.  And it's mandating this titanic change be made in only 13 years from now.  

BTW, this is a little note to all those no doubt brilliant CARB Board members who each now earn $125,000 a year:

The climate is not confined to a single state.  The Earth revolves on its axis.  Left to right, to make it very simple.  And "climate," most of us call it the weather, moves up there in the atmosphere Right to Left.  So the "climate" that's in Shanghai today...will be in San Franpoopco next week.

But hey.  I'm just an aging blogger with a bad back, who can often manage to ferret out reality from a whole big basket full of obfuscation...

Last Time I Looked...

...crossing our borders by anyone other than a U. S. Citizen is a misdemeanor.

That's one step above infraction, BTW, like a speeding ticket, shoplifting or disorderly conduct, and one step below a felony, like a DUI, an assault and battery, or a domestic disturbance.

And crossing our border without The People's permission, that's our elected representatives, is a misdemeanor according to existing Federal law.  Violations of this law are punishable by up to a year in jail, or a $1,000 fine, or both.  

Or, if we have a Democrat in the White House, neither, it seems.

Our Homeland Security Department just released statistics informing us that 1,065,000 illegal aliens illegally crossed our southern border since the first of the New Year.  That's like an extra Kansas City, Missouri, landing on our doorstep, without permission, since we celebrated 2022's arrival!  We "welcomed" 231,000 in March alone!  That's another Springfield, Missouri if you need a comparison.  Sprinkled liberally all around America, brought to those unsuspecting communities by Air Biden, it seems.  That's a charter airline with arrivals only after midnight, paid for by us dummies, the taxpayers.  

So, let's summarize, shall we?  2+ Million Illegal Aliens who crossed our southern border last year, while our Border Patrol was ordered by O'Biden to watch.  And it seems to me that those who gave those orders are guilty of being an accessory before, during and after the fact.  Making them, and O'Biden, potentially guilty of even RICO violations.  That's the "Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations" Act.  That means more than two persons conspired to commit an ongoing felony, across State lines.  As a reminder, four states over a 1,710 mile border are intimately involved.  

And God knows O'Biden and his gang of sycophants are dedicated to insuring this violation against the sanctity of America's borders continues.  Unabated.  Which is against the law!  And somebody, anybody ought to call him on it!

Oh yeah, I almost forgot.  We also know that each of these predominantly young men will have to get a Social Security card in order to work.  And in order to get that card they'll have to lie that they're a citizen.  We know that in order to work, each of these illegal aliens* who illegally waded into our once-sovereign country, needs a Social Security Number in order to work.  And even applying for one is a felony, much less having one provided.  

So we've got your misdemeanors here, and we've got your felonies, and bless their little hearts, we even have the O'Biden Administration abetting this illegal activity by conspiring (RICO) to violate the Federal Laws of our Borders on a continuing and ongoing basis. 

The Fedrull Gubmint employs more than 40,000 lawyers in Washington, D. C. alone.  You would think one of them would find time to do their jobs and bring charges against this Corrupt Enterprise.

Wouldn't you?

*   Our Constitution calls any individual who crosses our borders without permission an "alien."  That' makes them an "illegal alien."  Don't like it?  Tough nuggies... 

"Something Bit Me"

 There's a TV program on NATGEO on Sunday nights called "Something Bit Me."

It's the story of one schlub after another, relating their never-expected, harrowing and much-painful stories about having somehow ventured into the wild, and having the wild cloud up and rain all over them.

This posting follows close on the heels of my most recent "Look Ahead" admonition.  The primary focus of that bit of "Listen up, Grasshopper" was to get folks to "be prepared."  To think ahead a little and presuppose the events and circumstances that may befall them in the coming minutes, hours and days.  And then to prepare for them.   Unlike the people on this TV program who willing expose the degree of their past foolhardiness.  Their past failure to "prepare."  In other words, just what a dumbass they'd been.

Duh!

What are we talking about here?  In just two episodes of this show, the protagonists are, a) taking a stroll up above L. A. in the Angeles Crest Forest, not bothering nobody, all by herself, pony tail bobbing in the wind, earbuds firmly planted in place, completely oblivious to her surroundings, no doubt, and a mountain lion attacks.  It tries to eat her.  Don't want to spoil it for you if you want to look it up.  

And then there's b), a couple takes a sideline tour from a cruise ship up the Zambeze River.  That's in Zababwe.  Each couple take a two-man, inflatable canoe, and leisurely follow their native guides up River.  By, between, and all around a plethora of crocodiles and hippos.  The latter being the single most dangerous animal in Africa, killing some 550 folks each year.  Of course, a hippo overturns a canoe, latches it's enormous tusks on a nice lady's leg, and tries to drown her.  Again, see for yourself, if interested.

And then c).  A lady takes another early-morning dip in the surf off Santa Clara before heading off to her job.  Predictably, she's gobbled by a shark of unknown tribe.  It takes her right leg just below the knee (oh crap!  i ruined it for you!).  A shark.  In the ocean.  Only in the ocean.  Never, ever on Main Street.

And d)?  Of course.  A nice graduate-student couple takes a hike in the woods, wearing their Nikes, knowing nothing about the Great Outdoors.  Or what to do...or not to do...when venturing therein.  So a Southwestern Rattlesnake bites the guy on his toe.  Not knowing to sit down, elevate his leg, and wait to be evacuated.  No, no.  He runs down the trail, as fast as he can, trying to find somebody to help him!  Can you say, overeducated fool? 

I guess that graduate degree in Medieval Lesbian Transgender Poetry didn't help much in that instance, now did it Boobie?   

Oh yeah, and e), another very bright couple takes a walk on the beach, holding hands, and just soaking in the glorious sunshine.  And then he sees something curious.  It's purple.  And all icky looking.  So he kicks it.  And it bites him.  It was a Man o' War.  The single most dangerous aquatic animal you can come across on dry land.  It bit him.  Long story, fellow Patriots, but the anguish and agony he underwent in the ensuing weeks was awful.  

Not awful enough to learn a little bit about his environment, and what he might encounter, and what to look out for, beforehand, I guess.  Hindsight's a great trainer, yes?

I'll close with a nice, fat f).  A guy and his friends all take a swim in a canal in South Louisiana in which alligators were known to hang out.  (!)  One of them, a particularly nasty 11' long fellow, decided to do just that.  He made a beeline for the guy and latched on to his right arm.  I won't ruin the outcome for you, except he had to learn to pitch southpaw after that.

That's just two episodes in a series that one would assume goes on all season.  With another bunch of dumbasses, each week.  Fools who make the "Darwin Awards" so richly meaningful.  I would offer up all six of these folks as nominees.  People who faced a predictable fate, if they had the sense God gave a goose, yet chose to avoid considering and preparing for it.

I'm glad I was involved in Scouting.  An organization who's motto is "Be Prepared."  I try to be.  These folks didn't have a clue.  Some of them are paying for it with body parts.  Don't you do the same.  Be prepared.  In all things, in all ways.  You do that and pretty much everything else will take care of itself...  

"Look Ahead"

My wife Elaine and I were fortunate enough to be invited to fly out to the aircraft carrier John C. Stennis for a few days back in 2009.

We flew from San Diego's North Island out about 125 miles into the Pacific and did that whole "trap landing" thing and all.  Kinda' wakes you up to catch a retaining wire at 150 mph and slow to a stop in 50 feet.  

The Captain of the boat, CPT Johanssen, served as the tour guide for our small group of purportedly "influential" civilians.  I was happy about that, regardless of our personal lack of influence.  It was a glorious visit for a yuuge military buff!  As a military vet, I could not believe the extreme dedication of the more than 6,000 sailors and pilots on the Stennis.  This ship is 1,184 feet and 94,000 tons and 4 and 1/2 acres of BADASS!  It's 6 squadrons of 84 planes can rain down death on anyone or anything, anywhere!  The whole purpose of an aircraft carrier is to project our power to virtually anywhere on Earth.  My patriotism got a "B-12 shot" from that trip, as if I needed it.  I've written about our visit before, but for all you newfers, I promise to do so again in the near future, okay?

Until then, the subject for today's lesson, fellow Patriots, is:  We should all "Look ahead."  That was the motto of our fleet, given it by our long-serving and now departed Senator John C. Stennis of Alabama.  He was almost singularly responsible for forcing our Navy to adopt strategies and tactics enabling it to see "over the horizon."  Well over it, as a matter of fact.  The technology thus produced by our mil/indus complex was superb.  Our aircraft carrier groups now possess the capability of "seeing" as much as 120 miles distant.  The flying AWACS support provides a net overhead, the subs provide protection under the water.  And the cruisers and destroyers and tenders flush out the 11-ship Carrier Group.

That visit to the Stennis was one of the great moments of my life.  To those of you who understand, no need to explain further.  To those who don't, I won't bother trying...

The Stennis' having forced us to "look ahead" militarily, I suggest we do so personally.  The U. S. Army worked hard to teach me how to "look ahead."  And then to develop strategies and tactics to exploit any advantages thus gained.  We, fellow Patriots, can do the same, I say.

For instance, a little search will inform us that fully three-quarters of all the neon gas produced in the entire world is made in Ukraine.  In Mariupul, in fact, the city beat to s**t by Putin's warships.  And the factory that produced it was forced to shutter on the first day of the war.  Why should we care about a gas only used in beer signs in roadhouse bars?  Well, Pilgrim, because this insert gas is the fuel in the lasers that produce microchips!  Those little buggers that are in nearly every damn thing we touch these days!  Including cars!  That's why there are now acres and acres and acres of brand-spanking new automobiles, just sitting out in the altogether.  Awaiting their very own microchips.  So they can be sent to a dealer near you.

Now, pay attention all you naysayers: the immutable laws of supply and demand are still in effect.  So, a reduced supply of cars at your dealer will increase their price.  And the price bump is not limited to the new ones.  Your old car is now appreciating faster than your house.  

What should you do about it?  Recognize that you can either sit on the situation, as is, knowing what's causing the kerfuffle, or you can run out and buy a new car or truck, using your old beater as a trade-in, at mucho more than it's worth.  Yes, you'll have to pay more for the new car, but you'll be paying for it using tomorrow's deflated dollars.  Dollars that O'Biden's inflation made worth less.  

And hopefully not worthless!

Another "look ahead?"  Sure, Grasshopper.  Did you know that Ukraine produces more than 20% of all the wheat in the world?  They were the folks who supplied most of the wheat to Eastern Europe.  And they have not planted so far this year.  What do you think will happen?  

And did you know that their 2021 wheat harvest is still sitting in warehouses in Mariupol?  They cannot get it out.  All 30 tons of it.  Putin's warships keep on shelling the harbor.  It sits, potentially moldering, feeding no one, taking with it much of Ukraine's national wealth.

Proof that Putin is using food as a weapon.  

And did you know that Russia is responsible for producing 30% of the world's wheat?  And they've promised to use food as a weapon going forward, selling only for rubles, and only to "friendly" countries?   And did you know that Ukraine and Russia together produce some 24% of the world's fertilizer, and Ukraine has not been shipping any fertilizer since Putin attacked?  Robbing Italian dairies of nearly 50% of their fertilizer, and thus playing hell with milk production?  And prices?  Oh yeah, and WE import upwards of 30% of all our fertilizer.  Without it, we're likely going to forego at least one growing season a year for some crops, and possibly two.  Possibly bankrupting some smaller farms.  And reducing our food supply alarmingly.  

What all this can portend is a sudden, rapid-onset, and long-lasting, world-wide famine.  This whole rapid run-up in the price of food is not going to abate any time soon.  It will affect us.  It will also affect Europe, the Middle-East and Africa the most, but it will quite likely force a recession there.  And perhaps a depression.

And possibly one right here at home.

What can you do for your family?  Buy food that will last.  Not necessarily "prepper" food, mind you, but food you can use to make a meal with in the event of shortages.  Learn to bake.  Learn to make much of your own food, if you can.  Stock up.  Six weeks' worth would be good, I'd say.

And keep a few $Thousand on hand.  Just in case.  Not predicting a run on your local BofA, of course, but "looking ahead" couldn't hurt.

BTW, I'm also an Explorer Eagle Scout, and thus a firm believer in "Being Prepared."  Always have been.  Always will be.  I was like that before the Army tried to beat in into my head.  I was more so upon my departure.  Everyone in the past 35 years has lived with what's come to be an artificial sense of security.  That security is now over.  We're back to a New Cold War.  One I fear will be involve us much more here at home than did the last one.  

So, I'd suggest some of that "being prepared" is a good idea.  It requires a whole new outlook on life, to be sure.  A whole new way of thinking.  You might want to try it.  Couldn't hurt...

An Eye-Opening Statistic...

I know of no other statistic that more fully epitomizes the deep-seated cultural, moral, educational, occasionally religious, and always enormous legal issues that divides our society than the number of "Constitutional Carry" states.

That means adhering to the very words of the 2nd Amendment, "the Right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."  That means screwed with.  

That was 24 as of yesterday, by the way.  24 as in, the number of states that "permit" (cough, cough) their otherwise-eligible* citizens to purchase and own firearms, and then secrete them without a special permit of any kind.  As in, walk in to the gun store, pick out your firearm, undergo the requisite** FBI National Instant Criminal (NICS) Background Check, pay your bill and walk out the door.  With the firearm. 

In your pocket.

They are:

     -  AB, AL, AR, AK, ID, IN, IA, KS, KT, MA, MI, MO, MT, NH, ND, OH, OK, SD, TN, TX UT, VT, WV and WY.

Annnnnd, please let me be advised Gov. Brian Kemp of Georgia signed his very own "Constitutional Carry" legislation yesterday.  Thus making Georgia the 25th State in our Union that understands its citizens have a Right, guaranteed by God, to buy and own and carry and use and store a firearm, of their choosing, so long as they can pass the necessary Federal background checks to do so.

That's half, BTW.

Yettttt, were you to find yourself across the border from several of these states, and attempt to do the very same thing, you'd be arrested, handcuffed, booked, and jailed.  And be charged with a felony; that of carrying one of them there "deadly weapons" in your pocket without their exalted permission.

Well, screw them, I say!  Maybe it's the best for the folks in Georgia not go visit those backward dweebs in Virginia!  Maybe the residents of Vermont should stay away from New York State!  Maybe those concealed-carriers in Ohio need to keep a safe distance from the Sheriff Hogg's in Connetticcuttucutt.  The ones who would just luuuvvv to put them in jail!  

In fact, maybe we believers in the 2nd Amendment need to start voting with our dollars and our feet!  There are MILLIONS of us, more than 100+ MILLION, in fact, and we need to let those "other" 25 states know it's time to get on board.  Lest they be left behind...

Imagine if a one or two nice, gun-toting, highly-trained, God-fearing citizens just happened to be on that subway car yesterday?  And able to thwart the killer's attack?

Imagine if the killer had thought twice about launching his attack because there just might be one or two nice, gun-toting, highly-trained, God-fearing citizens on that subway car yesterday?

And while you're at it, imagine if everybody chose to go to Disney World instead of gun-hating California's Disneyland?  

(Of course, you could also imagine what would happen if everybody who believes Disney should stay out of politics just chose to avoid Disney altogether...)

*     Citizens in good standing over the age of 21, who are not under warrant and are free of felonies, are Constitutionally guaranteed the Right to buy a firearm.

**   The "NICS" National Instant Background Check System has been in effect since 1996.  Everyone must pass this Check in order to gain approval to purchase a firearm.  The "Left" rails incessantly for us to approve "Universal Background Checks."  Hey dummies!  We already have them!

8 Justices, and an *Asterisk...

Miss me?

Yeah, I took a couple of well-deserved days off from gathering and sifting and reporting the news.  Just absorbing it all as it washes over me like so much flotsam and jetsam.  

Like a mini-Drudge.

His staff of thousands sifts through thousands of stories from around the world each day, and settles on 100 or so to feature on its much-visited website.  I, on the other hand, sift through the hundred or so stories each day and settle upon one I believe worthy of further investigation.  And then, perhaps, reportage to my tens and tens of Patriot readers.  And the story I'm featuring today seems to meet that criteria.  I trust you'll agree...

                                    ///////  ++++  \\\\\\\

I hope you'll join me in congratulating our newest Supreme Court Justice-to-Be.  This one was chosen not for his or her judicial temperament, and legal acumen, and studied pleadings and decisions over decades of legal practice.  No, none of those things.  Our newest Justice-in-Waiting was chosen for the number of her chromosomes and the quantity of her melatonin.

POTUS Joe O'Biden promised all of us while he was on the campaign trail that if we'd just elect him, he'd be sure to nominate a Black female to be our next member of the SCOTUS.  And this promise, I'm sorry to say, is among the  very few he's kept.  His handlers looked high and low and found the person with the right number of chromosomes and the Blackness of skin to qualify; Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson.

(BTW, what's with these women who choose to keep their maiden name, without even the benefit of a hyphen?  Do they think the marriage might not work out?  And they might have to go back to their maiden name?  She married Constitutional lawyer Pat Jackson back in 1996.  Seems like it's working out just fine.  Bunch of kids and all that.  When is it time to go ahead and just go with "Jackson?") 

I keep thinking of my own situation.  What if my wife had chosen to become "woke" like these "touched" folks?  Can you see the name tag?  Elaine Adele Fabiszewski Cassity, R.N.  It would have wrapped around under her armpit...

Anyway, back to my subject for today.  "KBJ," we'll call her, along with everybody else, was chosen not just for her sex and color primarily, but only!  Solely!  Singularly!  So, I hope it works out for her, having received only Democrat and 3 RINO votes.  But I predict she'll always have an "asterisk" next to her name.  And to her decisions.  She'll be our first Justice chosen by a political Party with the goal of turning the Supreme Court into a "Super Legislature."  A third body of Government.  One they hope to someday control.  We already know they've discovered their "woke" policies don't fly with the voters, so they try and use the courts to legislate.  So replacing a reliable Liberal vote with a raging "woke" Liberal vote on the Big Court will prove to be the template for all future selections. 

Let's see; the next Republican appointee might just be a Caucasian, Texan, thrice-divorced, recovering alcoholic cattle rancher, oil driller and Cadillac dealer, who thinks "Climate Change" is so much crap, that we should heap money on our military, and teaching six year-olds they can choose their sex is ridiculous.  And ought to be illegal.  How would that work out for them, I wonder?   

So, in conclusion, might I remind the O'Biden Administration that I, The Chuckmeister, have already stated that I proudly identify as both Black, and gay.  And just in case we ever have a Gypsy President, and he states we need to have Justices that "look like America," I shall also identify as Gypsy.  But I forgot to also mention that I also identify as transgender, especially when it benefits me politically.  

Annnnnd, did you know the Constitution specifically states you don't have to be a lawyer to be a Supreme Court Justice!  I guess our Founding Fathers didn't trust lawyers even way back then!  Did you hear that Joe?  So, Mr. Joe, I'm your picture postcard next Justice.  Please pick me.  If Mitch McConnell and the Gang ever decide answer another of your phone calls, that is...

The "Magic" is Gone...

Unless you've been residing in a dumpster behind the local Wal-Mart, you've heard of the kerfuffle unfolding between Gov. Ron De Santis of Florida, and its biggest employer, the Walt Disney Company.

It seems that in addition to providing us with fantasy and hilarity and escapism for some 7 decades, the Disney Co. has now decided to involve itself in what our four and five year-olds should be taught.  Specifically the new Florida law, HB-1557, labeled, "The Parental Rights in Education Act."  It simply states that it's forbidden to teach kindergarten through third grade students about other than age-appropriate sexuality.  And it passed handily through their legislature, and is favored by a majority of its voters.  Including more than 55% of Democrats. 

That's it.  It's a simple, seven-page bill that mentions the word "gay" not one time.  Regardless of what the so-called "MainSteamMedia" has been telling you.  And what Hollywood has been telling you.  And what the Democrat Party has been telling you.  And what GLAAD and all the loud little trans-rights organizations have been telling you.

Let me state that again:  It's a 7-page bill.  It has nothing to do with "gayness" or "trans-ness."  It simply states that if our little kids need to learn about sex, it's their parents who should be telling them.  Not some biased, sexually-repressed, rabble-rousing trans-rights advocate masquerading as a public school teacher.  

And yet, it seems that Bob Chapek, Disney's CEO, is dedicated to bringing down this new law.  He's sorry, he says, that he couldn't stop it.  But he says he's dedicated to having it repealed.  That means, we must deduce, that Disney is for grooming our three and four-year olds for sex without either their parents' consent, or involvement.  Their can be no other assumption.  And I'm guessing it's a good time to short Disney shares... 

So, on the way out the Digital Door, let me add, I sent Gov. De Santis an email recommending he send each registered Florida voter an email with a copy of HB-1557 legislation attached.  Then FL citizens can learn for themselves that the MSMedia, Hollywood, the DNC and Walt Disney's CEO have been lying to them.  Oh yeah, and Joe O'Biden and his entire White House full of sycophants..

"Sniper" Football...

I just read that one Mr. Colin Kaepernick, famed civil rights crusader, has stated to NFL League owners that they need to give him another tryout as he, "...can help them win."

That caused me to recall exactly why I enlisted in the U. S. Army to become a sniper way back when.  What does one have to do with the other, you might ask?  Read on, faithful Patriot...

I've long thought that today's professional football is strangled by myriad rules and regulations that prevent the athletes they pay $Tens of Million of Dollars a year to do...from doing.  A bunch of folks in striped shirts are paid to interpret a rule book the size of Manhattan for a play unfolding in real time, in a tenth of a second, while the world looks on.  And they frequently screw the pooch.    

And when THAT call is questionable, they refer the whole thing to their New York Headquarters so they can ruminate on it.  While the whole world looks on...

Any wonder why pro football viewership has been tanking of late?

So what's my solution to this problem, as a retired professional problem solver?  Here 'tis...

"Sniper" Football.

What's that you say, Mr. Chuckmeister?  I noticed that there's only about 1,700 pro football players, in total.  That doesn't seem like a lot, now does it?  I think we should sort of open up pro football so more up and coming players can play, don't you!  And how we do that is we place a sniper at each end of the stadia, high up in the stands, with the very latest in hi-tech rifles and scopes.  And read up now, each sniper gets one shot, per half.  He can choose to take out any of the opposing players, except the quarterbacks.  They're protected, until overtime at least.

After conferring with the coaches and staff, the sniper pops a player, and they drag his lifeless body off the field.  And voila!  They bring up a player from the minor league to replace him!  Think of it!  Byron Donald, L. A. Ram's No. 99, is being paid $80 Million Dollars to destroy the opposing quarterback.  I'm guessing he'd be toast by the end of the first half!  Imagine how many other folks could play that spot if Donald would just, ahem, "move aside."  By my reconning, another couple of thousand young, bright, capable football players could enter the ranks of the exalted!  The Pro League!

And Kaepernick?  Ahhh, Kaepernick.  If a team chooses to draft this miserable, elitist, entitled commie prick, after his having pocketed $50 Million San Franpoopco 49'er Dollars, and then soiled his knees while our National Anthem played, it should do so knowing all the other teams in the League will get an extra shot per half whenever Kaepernick takes the field.  Courtesy of the United States of America.

I mean, let's get back a little closer to what made ancient Rome and their Colosseum so very entertaining.  And "Sniper" Football could go a long way.  Do you think viewership would improve?  Think more folks would tune in?  

I do...

Escapism...

The Dictionary defines "escapism" as:

     "The tendency to seek distraction from complex conditions or situations, especially by seeking entertainment or engaging in fantasy." 

Remember when you took the kids to the Saturday afternoon matinee?  To see a cartoon or two, and then the main feature?  Usually a rip-roaring, Indiana Jones-styles adventure than left you glued to your seat?  Or a Jurassic Park sequel?  Or maybe Goodfellas, perchance?

Yeah, when was the last time they made a movie that caused you to have that reaction?   Most of the stuff they pump out today, in The Chuckmeister's humble opinion (What?  you didn't know I'm a movie critic?), is pure dreck.  I get the opinion most of the movies today are made to make the Chinese happy.  I cannot remember when a movie caused me to lift my admittedly-porky nether regions out of my Barcalounger and drive on down to the Bijou.  And pay $16.00 to get in.  And pay another $20.00 for some popcorn and a Coke.  For a couple of hours in a big, dark theater where I can forget who and what I am, and all of my manifold problems, and lose them in the Big Screen.  I can pretend to be James Bond for just a little bit.  I can even remember the night I stood in line to see the original "Star Wars" release.  Now that was Hollywood of yore... 

And then last Sunday night came and went.  

Like so many other Americans, I wasn't tuned in to last Sunday's academy Awards.

That's become a trend; not watching the Oscars, that is.  From a time long ago when the Nation stopped in its tracks so everyone could watch their favorite movie stars get a little golden statue from one of their peers.  50 Million of us sometimes.  When 50 million was a lot bigger percentage of our population than it is today.

But Oscar has shat in his nest as of late.  Last year the telecast drew an all-time low of just over 9 million viewers.  It was on track to do even worse this year until Will Smith rescued it; he "smacked the sh*t" out of Chris Rock, as he said.  Per his own description.  And then the entire world tuned in.  The viewership raced upward to more than 15 million in just over a minute.  "Rescuing" the telecast, if you want to look at it that way.    

Apparently Will Smith's wife has been cuckolding him all over Hollywierd for the past decade or so.  She has an "open marriage," she says.  I'm not so sure he does, but she does.  Chris Rock decided to pick on Jada Pinckett, Will's wife.  He made a joke about her baldness.  He's a comedian.  He tells jokes.  That's what he does.  That's why they hired him as the host.  And that's why people chose to attend.  But I guess he didn't know she contracted a relatively mild autoimmune disease called "alopecia," which causes one's hair to fall out.  You'll excuse me if I barf.  No biggie.  Not fatal.  Not even painful.  Except to your psyche, if you're a "B-List" movie star.  Like Jada Pinckett.*  

Or her husband, Mr. Will Smith.  Who took umbrage at the joke, walked up on the stage and assaulted Chris Rock.  As in, committed a felony.  In front of 15 million viewers.  Where wer the cops?

All this caused me to take a closer look at this here Academy that hands out the little golden statues.  Turns out there are more than 160,000 members!!!  Dues-paying members!!!  And from what we're told by those who know, less than 2% of all those "actors" make a living acting.  

Actually, we're told the number is closer to 2,400.  And thank God for the explosion in cable channels, or that number would be less than one-fourth of what it is.  Just those few folks are earning enough to keep the wolf from the door.  The others?  The dues-paying others?  They're all working at the local Beverly Hills restaurant.  Or building houses.  Or toiling at a theme park.  

But up to now we've held these few "stars" up as somehow special.  We've imbued them with our hopes and dreams, and dote on their every podcast.  We've believed they could do no wrong; that they were somehow sacrosanct.  Well, fellow Patriot, no longer.

The final stake in the heart of Hollywood Escapism occurred last Sunday night.  The Death of Escapism, I'm calling it.  That's the day that Will Smith "smacked the sh*t" out of America.  He poked a hole in the Hollywood balloon.  We now know who and what they are.  And we don't like it... 

*  Will Smith was offended over a joke about alopecia, an autoimmune disease.  A disease for which the only side effect is hair loss.  My wife of 37 years died of an autoimmune disease called "Aplastic Anemia."  Her side effect was far, far worse...