It’s Saturday morning and here it’s supposed to be spectacular (and I thought yesterday was already pretty good). The coffee (still Seattle’s Best) is ready so with further slowdown, let’s get rolling with the Ramblings.

Earlier in the week we had Flash Flood warnings all over the place as the rains came and kept on coming. A few blocks from A & T’s home police dispatch alerted that a middle of the road storm-sewer lid on one of our main roadways had blown off and water was spouting 2.5’ to 3’ in the air. All is normal now – nothing to see.

With all the travel over the fourth (except those of us desperately wanting to open our camps in Canada – border is still closed) people are beginning to notice that inflation has begun to rise. Although our President made it clear that this year a Fourth of July backyard BBQ will save you $0.16 over the one last year:
Quotation:

”Inflation is when you pay fifteen dollars for the ten-dollar haircut you used to get for five dollars when you had hair.” ~ Sam Ewing, US Senator D-NC (described himself as a “country lawyer”) 1896 – 1974

I remember Senator Ewing somewhat, especially his storytelling done in his native southern drawl. What I didn’t realize was that he along with Senator Byrd (D-WV) were two very prominent Senators who were both staunch defenders of the horrid Jim Crow laws and racial segregation.

The Fourth of July – is more than just celebration of our nation’s Independence. It’s also Made in USA Day, I Forgot Day, Freedom from Fear of Speaking Day, National Anisette Day, and we can’t forget the old (favorite?) World UFO Day.

So whichever one you choose to celebrate – ENJOY!

I know no-one more patriotic than my old buddy, former Air Force officer, Walton Lee B. who I’ve known for over 50 years. Walton Lee grew up in small-town North Carolina and still, every time we talk, swears that: the “South will Rise Again.”

Yesterday on my walk I happened on a couple of guys doing some work on one of their homes in Norwood. Norwood is made up of hard working blue collar folk; for years all of the Pontiac Firebird muscle cars were made there. Our little chat moved around a bit which led to them opening the garage door to show off, hanging in the rafters, their prized Confederate battle flag. Question, is it now illegal to possess one of these? Anyway, it’s a prize since this one also has country singer Hank (Bocephus) Williams Jr on it. So, Walton Lee ole buddy, I took a picture of that scarred flag just for you!

Since this weekend is a celebratory one I couldn’t resist what follows. And since I mentioned blue collar hard-scrapping communities, here is something by the ’90s-ladies choir of Lima, OH (home of the Airstream trailers, and most of our military Tanks). The introduction is by the Right Reverend Jimmy B:

Thomas Sowell – is nothing but a ‘diamond’ on the American landscape. This week (B – June 30, 1930) he turned 91 and is still very active in his field of Economics, also as a social theorist and senior fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution. He is a brilliant thinker. Happy Birthday Professor Sowell.

He came into the national forefront when he was asked, as a Black man, to attend the hearings for Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork (1987). Sowell was given 10 minutes to make a case for Bork’s character. It was then Senator Biden who pushed Sowell on Sowell’s stance against Affirmative Action. If you read The Federalist notes on that hearing it’s quick to see that in response to the slander of being a racist, it was Sowell who brilliantly ran circles around Biden. The short Federalist read will be worth your while.

“Advice to the young. You don’t have to listen to anybody. You can learn everything from your own personal experience. Of course, you will be at least 50 years old by the time you know what you need to know at 25.” ~ Thomas Sowell

Pandemonium Corner? – Over time I’ve often referenced our little corner to the world, the corner I refer to as Chaos & Mayhem. It’s dawned on me that the ‘picture’ I have painted is one of cars laying askew, blown airbags, EMT units all lit up, and Fire equipment blocking the roadway. All this is true.

However there is a lot more. Like any great ‘painting’ it must present a balance. This corner also does just that. Yesterday, between the hubbub of traffic heading home to get ready for Independence Day weekend, it was the more mundane that caught my attention – tree trimming. Yup, here at Chaos & Mayhem we also see the Calm & Mundane.

Fini – and before I forget, this week it was wishing a Happy Birthday to Kellen and ‘sil’ Jolene. many, many more.

• School’s out. This row of student housing had the little dears head back to their Parental Unit’s home. It’s the landlords of the student housing who truly see what these kids (most first time ever out of the ‘nest’) accomplish living on their own for a whole year.

• Both nutty and absurd our government is about to add a third gender option to folk applying for a passport. That our government gets sucked into this kind of ‘playtime’ nonsense and then foists it off on us is beyond comprehension.

• It was one athlete, coming in third, who got all the media attention because of her disrespect to our nation in the Olympic pre-ups. The ladies who came in first and second were not even mentioned by name by most media. Let me correct this; DeAnna Price came in first in the Hammer Throw and Brooke Andersen came in second. DeAnna broke her own record with a throw of 80.31m. Previously it was unheard of for a woman to beat the 80m mark.

• Climate ‘experts’ were sure that the Maldive Islands would be underwater in 30 years due to melting ice caps and rising seas. I just want to point out to these alarmist scam artists that now, 32 years later, the Maldives are larger. And, from the electroverse.net comes this exposure of a bogus climate report which blames global cooling on warming. Now the trace gas’ CO2 emissions are responsible for everything. Perfect “doublethink’ as detailed by George Orwell years ago.

• Little mentioned in news on the Surfside condominium collapse disaster is that both Israel and Mexico had immediately sent their crack Search and Rescue teams to assist. Personally I think this would be Page-one stuff, but sadly it wasn’t.

• It had to happen. This week, after a year of riots and plunder a Target store in Baltimore is closing down for good. Now the NYT writes angrily that the store is showing a; lack of commitment to black communities. These propagandists are beyond belief.

• Vaioleti and Viliami both received year end grade honors at school and were given a pass to the Cincinnati Zoo for themselves and three guests for a special evening. Marcia and I joined in the fun. Sponsored by FC Cincinnati, this included a photo op with our new soccer team’s mascot – named “Gary”.

• And yes, the Zoo evening would not have been complete without the perfunctory rain shower.

• In France there is a field of perfectly good looking government vehicles – EVs. The only thing required for each is a new battery pack. However, there are two issues; 1st the battery pack replacement cost are more than double than the cost of a new vehicle. 2nd no landfill or disposal site in France will accept the batteries for disposal. Didn’t see that coming did we?

• Now I’m hearing a bunch about the Covid Delta variant. I spent a career in business and I recognize repackaging when I see it – I haven’t seen the words “new and improved” yet. Let it be known that my masks are long gone.

• It was July 1st 1997 and the first day of the beginnings of a new, brighter, and more glorious future for Hong Kong. Britain signed over their colony to China with ‘guaranteed’ freedoms, independence, and self-rule for the next 50 years. Oh those trustworthy Chinese Party members. How are they still able to suck in the western world’s politicians and their beneficiaries, day after day? Should we ask a lad named Hunter?

Make it great week people, keep the peace, be happy, stay safe, and head outdoors and for many, make it the best BBQ ever!

Dirk