Salt Air and Mountain Ranges

After more than 30 years of exhaustive research, I'm here to tell you it's the salt air and mountain ranges.  

If you've noticed, most of the people and nearly all of the crime is located in those 3 states west of the Rockies, and those 15 states and a Federal Enclave located east of the Appalatians.

Which caused me, Fellow Patriots, to look for a common denominator.  And I think I've found it.  The easterly winds blow salt air all over the 47,000,000 people who live in Washington, Oregon and California.  And that salt air bumps up against the Rockies and stagnates.  Meaning the 16% of our population who live in those states are stewing in salt.  And we know that too much salt can cause severe health problems.  But what's little known is that it also causes LIBERALISM!* 

And the proof, Fellow Patriots, is our 13 original colonies, Virginia and Washington, D.C.  The wind being blown in from Africa swells up the Eastern Seaboard.  It turns a sharp right when it hits the coast, because the Appalatians keep it from continuing on.  So like those poor souls in the far west, they're doomed to LIBERALISM.  No choice.  Like the pod people in that black and white '50's movie, they're doomed.

So my suggestion to avoid another civil war is for us to do some creative swaps with our friends up north.  We know those provinces in the middle of Canada just hate that their dog is being wagged by Victoria's and Toronto's tail.  

Once again, salt air.   

And they might look favorably on taking CA, OR and WA, plus MN, and the Eastern Seaboard states, for Saskatchewan, Alberta and Calgary.  They'd wind up with like-wired citizens, and be rid of those constantly complaining Provinces.  

We'd suffer a yuuuuge population decrease, but with that decrease crime would virtually disappear.    Making the 10% or so of our entire Gross Domestic Product we spend on crime go down precipitously.  Sort of like having your in-laws finally move out after a protracted stay.

Trump has his wall-making crew operating overtime.  They might want to keep going when they hit San Diego.  Just turn right and build another 1,050 miles straight north to the Canadian border.  

Oh yeah.  We'd require a passport to visit the sane part of New America...

*   Personal opinion.  And we know that opinions are like assholes.  Everybody's got one...

Buh Bye!

1,800 companies left Taxifornia last year.  More than 300 of those companies found a new home in Texas.

And more than 13,000 corporations bailed since 2013.  Taking with them more than 275,000 well-paying jobs.*

Firms like Toyota, and Oxidental Petroleum.  And Kubota Tractor Corporation.  And Tesla.  And SpaceX.  Plus Charles Schwab.  And even Jamba Juice.  All left within the past 3 years.

They left because California is ranked last out of our 50 states in terms of its overall business climate.  Hostility to business, plus high utility and labor costs, coupled with punitive laws and regulations, and worrisome housing affordability, means living and working in CA is no longer doable.  California is plagued by the highest state taxes, and sales taxes, and gasoline and energy costs, making new business formation and operation nearly impossible.

That's why more than 500,000 citizens leave California every year, among the highest outmigration in the Nation.

Just recently Sprekles Sugar Cooperative in Brawley closed, taking with it more than 700 jobs.  There will be no more sugar beet processing in California for the first time in more than 78 years.  

Blue Diamond Growers of Sacramento is closing, taking 600 jobs with it.  Growing almonds is no longer profitable here.  The Foster Farms turkey processing plant in Turlock also closed, saying goodbye to 500 jobs.

Hearthside Foods of Anaheim is closing as well, meaning the end for 175 jobs.

The Gallo Wine processing facility in San Miguel is closing, taking 47 jobs along with it.  When you can't make money making wine, something is seriously wrong!

And I'm sure you've heard that In 'n Out is moving its HQ from Baldwin Park, the city of its birth, to Nashville.  Almost as far as it can get from Taxifornia.  It says CA is no longer compatible with profitable business operations.  

And if that wasn't enough, Marcus Lemonis, famed entrepreneur, just brought Bed, Bath and Beyond back to life.  California killed it once, and he's breathing new life into it.  He called a press conference to announce he will open no stores in California.  He excoriated our BoyGuv Newsom for making our largest State incompatible with profitable business operation.

Maybe having 47 of our 52 counties owned and controlled by Democrats, plus a supermajority in both houses of our Legislature also controlled by them, has everything to do with it.  

When your income tax rate is the highest in the Nation, and you sit on the board or in the CEO's office, you run like a bandit for one of the no-tax states.  Like Texas, or Florida, or Oklahoma, or Tennessee.  These states feature no corporate tax or sales tax.  Leaving them with the money it takes to grow.  And profit.   

What a concept!

Is there a solution for this problem?  Yes.  U-Haul.  

*   Dallas Business Journal, 2025.

Loose Cannons?

It takes somewhere between 26 and 28 weeks to become a police officer in America.

You're then issued a badge, a police cruiser, and turned loose on the citizens of your town or city or state.  26 weeks.  Half a year.  I'm thinking that's not enough time to learn all one needs to learn to be able to arrest and charge someone.  Or even shoot someone...

And it turns out I was right.  As an old guy with time on his hands, I'm able to research the heck out of a topic I find interesting.  And I find this topic verrrry interesting.  And then I homogenize it down into one of my signature postings.  More than 1,500 so far.  And God willing, many more to come.

Let's look at what others countries do:

     Becoming a police officer in Germany (the Politzei) takes more than 3 years.  156 weeks.

     If you'd like to be a cop in Italy (Caribinieri), be ready to spend 2 years of your life.

     It takes 2 years to become a cop in France (Gendarmerei).

     Becoming a cop in China requires 4 years of your life.  And they've never "defunded their police."

     How about Israel?  Look to spend 2 years to get that badge.

     South Korea?  Three years.

     The country of Columbia requires you to spend a year of your life in training if you wish to become a cop there.

     North Korea makes you spend 6 years to become a cop.  And I emphasize the word "makes."  And that's two years shorter than the Army requires, and you must do one or the other so they have no shortage of police.

     Even that super nice country up north, Canada, makes its would-be police officers spend a year in intense training.  Another two years after that if you'd like to be a Mountie (RCMP). 

In fact, I couldn't find another country whose time and training was as little as ours.  We have some 900,000 sworn police, highway troopers, constables, sheriffs and their deputies, U. S. Marshals, and other various and sundry badge wearers roaming around out there, waiting to right us a ticket.  Or arrest us and stick us in a cell.  

And we equip them with handcuffs, batons, pepper spray, tasers and guns after only half a year of classroom study.  Most of which is on the legal aspects of speeding and DUI's.  Both big money generators.  For that's what they most often are; revenue creators. 

Think I exaggerate?  You'll often be caught in a DUI checkpoint.  Or a DL checkpoint.  Which our own Supreme Court has said is legal.  Have you ever been caught in a expired registration sticker checkpoint?  Where the penalty is an infraction?  And no fine?    

And not a day goes by that one of more of these cops are sued for violating a citizens' rights.  Which the taxpayers who hired him are forced to pay.  As most often these police are shielded by "qualified immunity."  In other words, if they thought they were doing the right thing, but weren't, then they're personally covered against financial responsibility.  But their cities aren't.  Many smart cities are doing away with such coverage.  And wouldn't you know it, most often those rights violations they're forced to cover, take a sharp drop after they do.

I suggest we invest a whole lot more time, effort and energy in the recruitment, selection and training of our sworn officers.  Because we can either pay it now, or pay much more later...  

Foregoing Immediate Pleasures.

There are 15,828 Starbucks in the U. S., Canada and Mexico.

Of these, 842 are located in Meheeeeko, with 243 of those in Meheeeeko Citeee.  1,423 of them are located in Canada, with the largest, at 4,000 sq. ft., located in Vancouver.  Most are located in Vancouver and Toronto.  The rest of the country has figured out how to make it at home or the office.  

And speaking of Vancouver, there's an intersection on Main Street with all four corners inhabited by a Starbucks.  And yes, Vancouver's main street is actually named "Main Street."  Given that the average Mexican makes only about $1,030 a month, it's no surprise they're hard-pressed to pay 200 of those 17,899 pesos for a cup of joe.

So here's my point:  Any group of folks who continually bitch, moan and complain about the economy, and their jobs, and life in America, while wondering why the rich don't pay "their fair share, and yet still pay upwards of $9.00 for a friggin' cup of coffee, are flat-out vacuous, poorly-educated losers.

Starbucks does more than $2 Billion Dollars a Year.  And a legion of folks who cannot get their heart started on any given day without a trip through Starbucks drive-thru, and an order for a Double Mocha Carmel Brulee Frappachino Cookie Crumble, at $8.59, plus Taxifornia's usurous 10.5% sales tax, and a mandatory 30% tip, are ignorant fools.  

These are the folks who cannot afford a house.  And let us know it's our fault, somehow.  It isn't. It's theirs.  Foregoing immediate pleasures to fund future desires is the American Way.  When I grew up you didn't buy a TV until you could afford to pay cash.  Even a car.  You do not need that pricey cup of coffee.  Make some at home and take it with you.  Same with a sandwich for lunch.  Buy some bologna and cheese, a loaf of bread and some mustard and save that $15.00 you continually spend at MickeyD's.  While complaining loudly that their prices have gone through the roof.  Save money while others waste it.  And then wind up at some time in the future with the Big House on the Hill.    

While the Starbucks crowd is still living in a drafty, expensive apartment... 

My Prescription.

40 countries currently have mandatory military service.

That means their youth will be drafted for a determinate period of time to defend their country's interests. 

That list includes Brazil, Mexico, Israel, Holland, Switzerland, Egypt, Iran, Thailand and South Korea.  Russia drafts their young until Ukraine kills them.

Most conscript their young people for a period of two years.  Some countries, like Israel, will draft for up to 40 months.  Both men and women.  But since Israel only has some 9 million citizens, that's to be expected.  North Korea is the extreme, drafting men for 8 - 10 years, and women for four.  They could object, but for some reason they don't.  

We used to conscript our youth as well.  For all our 112 wars, including the very first.  And ending with the Viet Nam "police action."  (Apparently calling a war something else makes it more palatable.)

But then we ended the draft and created an all-volunteer military.  All six branches.  And our military volunteers are now older, better educated, smarter, more lethal and more motivated.  But they tend to stay and make it a career.  Lessening the opportunities for a guy, like me, to experience it.  Because it's a life-changing experience.

I was a loudmouth smartass pool player, car racer, poker playing, girl chaser before they got me.  And it turned me into a man.  Fully growed me up, it did.  And in addition to defending our Nation, conscripting young people tends to grow them up as well.  A representative sampling of all our youth should defend us.  And that's what I recommend:

     -  I suggest we revert back the draft.  We continue to force our young to sign up for the draft when they turn 18 right now.  We should use that data and go back in time to 1974.  The last year we drafted.

     -  I suggest we draft our youth for a period of 2 years.  Just like 29 of the 40 countries that utilize the draft.  They can stay longer, of course, but not necessarily.  If they are anti-war zealots, let them paint stripes down the middle of the road.

     -  After they come back, 2 years older and 2 years more adultified, I suggest our Great Country should cover the bulk of their higher education efforts.  College or a trade school, their choice.  But only those colleges and universities that justify their fees.  $90k a year don't get it.  Neither does $30k a year.

     -  I suggest the Gubmint stop covering student loans.  Let the banks do what banks do.  Make loans and demand repayment.  Considering we've got more than $1.6 TRILLION DOLLARS IN SKETCHY STUDENT LOANS OUTSTANDING, I suggest we bail.  And fast.

     -  And even if your son or daughter wishes to graduate from a high zoot college, I suggest they be made to attend their first two years at a community college.  Cheap credits.  They're already there and ready to serve, why not use them?  And give the finger to Haaaavid in the process?  How'd it get $50 Billion Dollars in the bank?  Because we started guaranteeing student loans.

When it's all over your 18 year-old kid who doesn't know what he wants to do in life, like me, will come back home a young man or woman.  Ready to learn and ready to  serve.  Ready to become a patriotic citizen and valued member of their communities.  It's our job to grow up our young.  And make them self-sufficient ASAP.  And not spend the family fortune in securing them a diploma.  And to hopefully not bankrupt either our students' parents or the Country in the process.

My Prescription should work.  What do you think?

 

  

   

"...and Lead to Death."

 Regular readers of this unassuming little blog will remember that I was hired by Pfizer Pharmaceuticals for my first post-college job.

They thought it was a good idea to have me travel the plains of Kansas and Nebraska calling on old country doctors.  And try to convince them to prescribe Pfizer's drugs.  Me, a guy with two weeks of training in New York City.  Training I'd need to talk these old boys into doing things my way.

Fortunately, they provided me with tons of samples or the doctors wouldn't give me the time of day.  And most didn't anyway.

That was the way it was done back then.  "Detail men," we were called, traveling around, cooling our heels in the doctors waiting room, ready for the 2 or 3 minutes with our meal ticket.  I drove an average of 55,000 miles a year doing this.  From little towns to little towns.  Dodging tornadoes.  Hoping for a way out of this quagmire.

They're doing it differently now.  The FCC and the FTC decided back in the 2010's that it was okay for the drug companies to avertise their medications on TV.  They could do so as long as they also advertised the side effects and prescribing limitations of their drugs.  And now they're all putting their money in TV ads.  No more guys wearing out cars while getting berated by physicians.  

But my psychology training has alerted me to a simple fact; those suffering from disease states a drug might help, listen only to those benefits.  And then go to their primary care docs and demand he/she/it prescribe it for them.  They tend to pay no attention to the side effects.  And some of them are ferocious!  Here's an example of one popular drug, advertised all over TV, which I believe proves my point. 

Keytruda is a drug manufactured by Merck Pharmaceuticals.  It's specialized for the treatment of cancers.  Some 18 kinds of cancer, Merck says.  And they tell cancer sufferers that at the beginning of the ads.  And then go on to list the copious reasons why you might not want to take it.  They even say, "It's not right for everyone."  Well, duh!  Here they are:

     -  Keytruda can attack your immune system, and cause your immune system to attack healthy parts of your body, either during treatment, or after, or both.

     -  Such side effects may be severe, "...and lead to death."

     -  It may cause coughing, shortness of breath, chest pain, diarrhea, severe stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, headaches and photosensitivity.

     -  It can cause eye problems, irregular heartbeat, extreme tiredness, constipation, dizzyness, fainting, confusion, changes in appetite, thirst or urine output. 

     -  Keytruda may cause memory problems, persistent and severe muscle pain or weakness, muscle cramps, fever, rash, itching or flushing.

     -  It can also harm your unborn babies and lead to infertility.  

     -  And most interestingly, there may be other unlisted side effects.  

Others?  What other side effects are there?       

  

It's Sorta' Like Disneyland...

Or perhaps like Disneyworld, since it has more rides and attractions and entertainment.

I'm talking about 'Murica, folks!  The biggest and best attraction among all the world's 195 countries!  In fact, we make up more than 29.5% of all the world's economic activity.  Nearly a quarter of every dollar (or yen, or DMark, or peso) used to buy or sell in the entire world is us!  And up to now we've permitted the world to walk into "Disneyworld" (America) and enjoy its offerings without paying an entry fee.  How friggin' stupid! 

And that, my Fellow Patriots, has now come to a screeching halt...  

POTUS D. J. Trump decided that America being upside down in international trade to the tune of more than $One Trillion Dollars, each and every year, was almost criminal.  And I agree.  We lost $525,000,000,000 to China in terms of trade equity last year.  That's because China imposes tarrifs upon us.  Tarrifs on wheat, and corn, and other grains, and computer chips, and rare earths, which we must have.  

And perhaps most of all, automobiles.  There are no Cadillacs cruising up and down Shanghai's main street.  Because China charges us a 50% tariff on cars.  And we've chosen to either pay it, and stop trying to sell Caddies.  Neither of which is a good choice.

So Trump decided we should charge other countries a fee to do business here.  And he believes they'll pay it.  Because we're the Biggest Game in the World.  They can't not do whatever we say.  Because their very livelyhood depends on it.  

Can you imagine the peasant uprising if there was nothing to make in those sweatshops?

Nearly everyone said it was a dumb idea.  And that it would cause a recession.  And make the price of everything double.  The Trump-haters were the loudest, and even usually calm Wall Streeters came down on the idea.  But Trump persisted.  He knew that it's the answer to our nearly $40 TRILLION DOLLAR national debt.  He knows that our failure to demand equal trading rules is the reason for our huge debt.  So he issued an E.O. making April 2nd our Day of Liberty.  

Being a Keynesian, I say, Finally.

I happen to be one of the few trained and certified economists around.  That means I possess something that is usually quite worthless.  But in this case I know whereof I speak.  Tariffs are designed to correct inequities in trading arrangements between countries.  And to protect national insterests.  And defend our industries against illegal attempts by foreign countries to endanger our businesses.  Our very first Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton used our first tariff to defend our whiskey distillers against the Scots and the Canadians.  Both of which were trying to put our distilleries out of business.  He was successful.  

So I say if Alex used them, Trump can too.

In the four months since Trump pulled the trigger, he's reached new trade deals with more than 40 countries.  Switzerland now pays 39%.  To sell in America, the Swiss cough up nearly 40% of the price of those pricey watches to get to sell them to us.

And South Africa's now at 35%.  Laos is at 40%.  Syria pays 41%.  Canada's at 35%.  Although Trump may bump it up a bit to slap them for advocating for Palestinian statehood.  The dummies.

Iraq's at 35%, too.  The United Kingdom is at 25%, and so is the European Union of 27 countries.  Which is huge, because it's the first time they'll be able to buy our cars.  Before now the "Mehrvertsteur," or Value Added Tax, made a $60,000 American car cost $96,000 in Germany, and France, and Italy.  Etc.  England protects Jaguar and Landrover with excessive import duties.  Another word for tariff.  

Trump smacked Canada with a 25% tariff on aluminum and steel.  To protect U. S. Steel.  A corporation nearly out of business due to foreign predatory pricing.  No more.

They also have agreed to invest $775 Billion Dollars in a fund to be managed by Trump and his people.  To invest in our industries.  And we get to keep 90% of the profits.  Sound pretty good?  I wonder why the "Corporate Media" hasn't told you that?

We are now taking in more than $27.5 Billion Dollars a month in tariff income.  More than $150 Billion so far this year.  Trump is even talking about a direct payment to us Taxpayers from the tariff loot.  Like Alaska has been paying its residents annually from their oil and gas revenues.  Half to pay down the debt, and half back to us Taxpayers.  What's not to like?

I asked those of my readers who don't support Trump or tariffs, or both, to simply buy a pole and some luers and go fishing.  For a few months.  like 6 months.  And then look at the results.  I predicted a record stock market and a bunch of tariff earnings.  No recession, I said.  Countries would have to knuckle under, I said.  And four months in, I was right.

I'll comment again when to get to six months.  The Debbie Downers should be tired of fishing by then...

The "Golden Age" of Air Travel

I was appointed International Sales Manager for a medical device manufacturer back in the '70's.  They handed me an "Air Travel Card," with which I could charge any flight, to anywhere, and told me the world was my territory.  And that I was to go anywhere to find business.  "Good luck," they said, as I headed off to the airport.

During the period 1975 through 1980 I average more than $6,000 a month in air travel charges.  Or about $30k a month in today's dollars.  I travelled on airplanes more than 1,000 times during that period, and racked up more than 1,000,000 miles in the air.  

That included 49 states and 38 foreign countries.  I averaged a plane a day during this entire period.  On one particular day I took 5 separate flights.  From Cinncinatti to Cleveland, on to Chicago, then to London, Ontario, Canada.  Later, after teaching an 8-hour class to a room full of PharmD candidates, on the "Theories, Principles and Practical Applications of Sorbent Dialysis Science," I flew back to Chicago.  And on to first Louisville, KY, and then, through a tornado, to Lexington.  

All in one 24-hour period.  

So take it on faith that I knew flying back then.  This was long before "hub and spoke."  Most all flights were direct and we had an "Air Travel Guide" with us which listed every flight to everywhere.  And we all booked our own travel.  Planes and rental cars and hotels.  And the air travel system we grew to know and love back then...is now history.  It's no more.  And we all now suffer that loss as a result.

Whether you know it or not.

Think of it this way; if you're under 50 you didn't experience it, so you don't know what you missed.  You just take what they dish out without knowing how awful the experience has become.

The mid-seventies were a time of exciting growth.  The Viet Nam conflict was over and all those guys came home.  And many of our fighter pilots took jobs in the cockpits of our 100-or-so airlines.  They were deregulated, meaning you could start and operate an airline without asking anybody.  You could tell a lot about where the airline flew by its name.  Such as "Northwest Orient Airlines."  It flew to the Northwest and on to the Far East.  And "Eastern Airlines."  Up and down I-95 from NYC to Miami.  And "Pacific Southwestern Airways."  Flying from LAX to SFO and back.  With hot young stews in hot pants.  Who we all coveted.    

The Gubmint wasn't involved.  So our airlines staked out their territories, decided on fares, and then flew what they wanted, to where and when they wanted.  Example:  I lived and worked in Los Angeles.  But I flew to NYCity often.  Many times a month, in fact.  And my fare was $405.00.  Every airline that flew that route offered that same fare.  Doesn't seem too outrageous, right?  But $405 back then is about $2,406 now!  

Each way.

So yes, flying was the province of the well-to-do.  And businessmen like me.  All the planes were new and the stewardesses (what they called themselves at the time) were young and pretty.  There's was a profession.  They were looked up to.  Paid crappy, but the job was exciting and fun.  And a good way to find a husband.  

Oh yeah, there were some guy stews back then, and yes, most of them were gay.

They were carving a round of beef up there in First Class.  Or a turkey or ham.  And pouring nice Napa varietals.  There was no business class, but the rest of us had trays with china.  And crystal stemware.  And a choice of steak, chicken or pasta.  With two sides, and a salad, and a roll and some butter.  Oh yeah, and your choice of drink, including champagne sometimes.  Depending on the route, many of the airlines threw in cocktails at no additional fee! 

Smoking?  Oh yes.  It started with smoking anywhere on the plane.  They were even giving away free cigarettes in first class.  Later the smokers were moved to the back half of the planes.  But the cabin was full of smoke anyway.  Sort of like reserving the shallow end of the pool to pee in.  But strangely, few if any complained.  Maybe because half the population smoked.  And also that the far-Left scolds had yet to become a "thing."  Before smokers were shamed and mistreated.  Before cigarettes went from $0.25 a pack to $10.00 now.  

And then the "Airline Deregulation Act" of 1975 was passed.  It forced the airlines to compete with each other not on quality of service, or their amenities, but on price alone.  And we now have Continental Trailways in the sky.  Or Greyhound, if you prefer.

Flying was a delight back then.  Now it's like taking the subway.  Every seat is smaller than it was, and there are more of them.  The planes take off completely full now.  They learned when you compete on price a seat in an airplane is a depreciating commodity.  Once the plane leaves the ground you can no longer sell an empty seat.

And not a day goes by without our flyers' inhumanity to other flyers being on full display.  My formal training to become a psychologist taught me that around 3% of our populace is as crazy as a bedbug.  They're drunk, or stoned, or uncontrolably high, or certifiably nuts.  They are to be avoided.  But how does one avoid the 400 pound transgender shepherd seated next to you?

With a comfort chicken on his lap.

Yes, Fellow Patriots, that was the "Golden Age" of air travel.  But no longer.  The Gubmint-forced pursuit of profit has wrecked that industry.  And you'll notice of late, many of its airplanes.  It got so bad for me that I swore off flying a decade ago.  I've decided if God wanted us to fly He'd have given us wings.  And the airlines treat us like prison inmates.   At any one time there's more than 25,000 jet airliners in the air above us.  All being hot-lapped 20 hours a day until they fall apart.  

And they're all full of mistreated captives.  Who would prefer to be anywhere else, but can't get to Aunt Margie's for Christmas without taking a plane.  But my ass isn't going to be in one of those seats ever again.  I for sure will never die in a plane crash.  I've decided if I can't get there by car, or train, or bus, or subway, I'm not going.  

And you shouldn't either.