Stress and Stupid

It appears that we may be leaving early for Tucson, we've been defeated by the awfulness of medical care in Spokane.  Jim's hip has gotten very painful and shows no signs of improving.  This is really a pisser, at 79 he really does not need another three month recovery period from something.  Washington is an enlightened state, particularly the Insurance Commissioner.  We currently have a high deductible G medicare supplement which has low premiums.  But if you go in the hospital, however, there is a $2200 deductible.  However, due to enlightenment, one can change to a low deductible G at any time and use the new policy the following month.  Then there is a very low deductible, but high premium.  So, there is that to keep in mind.  There is also open enrollment for Medicare starting October 15, and we are leaving October 17 unless things change.  No pressure there.  I hate the thought of permanent residence in Tucson because AZ is not an enlightened state. They also charge up the wazoo for car registration and they have state income tax.  So all of this is occupying my neurotransmitters and draining my serotonin.  This is all a long winded prelude to me saying posting may be light.

Yesterday I cut back the hydrangeas.  I hate doing that, I feel like I'm cutting their arms off.  They had a banner summer and put out much foliage as well as flowers.  All gone now.  I think if I left them alone, they would become huge plants.

We're not moving around much, so photos of anything interesting are hard to come by.  

The government continues on its way to hell in a hand basket.  Yesterday's address to the Generals was just pathetic.  Pete Hegseth was particularly pathetic.  By using grooming standards, he's getting rid of Black men who can't shave closely.  He declared that all military would be held to "male standards" with physical fitness tests twice a year.  This is an attempt to get rid of the women.  

Much was made of being "war fighters" and ultimate lethality.  During his 1 hour address to the troops, 47 said that the focus of the military would transition to  fighting "the enemy within."  That would be us.  He went further to say that cities should be used as military training grounds.

The fact that wars have evolved past hand to hand combat and into autonomous drones has completely escaped Hegsth's notice.  Russia, unfortunately, has developed a Shaheed drone that can hit moving objects in the dark.  They hit a Ukrainian locomotive which derailed and stopped the whole train.  Ukraine will copy this, but it will take time.  Meanwhile, Ukraine is developing underwater drones that are big and fast.  People will always be required, but not like before.  

The government is shut down.  Things will be different when it starts back up.  Brian Allen posted this, "The shutdown wasn’t a glitch—it was the plan. As soon as the government shuts down, Trump’s allies like Russ Vought gain extraordinary power to terminate, restructure, and defund entire agencies without going through Congress. That’s why they wanted it. They’re not “negotiating,” they’re executing a purge."  So, stand by to be amazed.

Secretary of the Treasury Bessent orchestrated a $20B bail out of Argentina, and in return, the Argentines  removed their export tariffs on grains, reducing their price, and sold a bunch of soybeans to China, at a time when the US would normally be selling to China. Soy prices  are dropping further because of it. This gives China more leverage on us.  What master manipulators are the cabinet members.

There's more, there's always more.  

I know everybody hates the sound of 47's voice, so do I.  However, watch a little bit of toddlers lip syncing part of  47's terrible UN speech.  It's just adorable.  It's not very long, mute if you can't stand it, but watch until the end when they throw bottles of milk at him. 

That's it, that's all I've got. 

This is from Truth Social today (10/2).