The (Daily) Vent 2

(No Laughing Matter) The White House Correspondence Dinner was held last night and besides a few representatives from Fox News, the balance of the audience could be described as the creme of the liberal media. In other words, a friendly crowd for the President who had to make an attempt at humor. Countless of comedians are of work and here is the President trying to be funny. A recent poll posed the question as to who people might prefer, Biden or Trump. It has been chronicled how the former has the infrastructure to return him to office, However, that will not mean that the process will be without question. As originally planned, the Biden Administration was to have the President stand as a figurehead. The one chosen as Vice President, however, Ms. Harris, was to be even less. The Vice President was chosen not for any political ability but Kamala Harris did have two things that went for her. She is a woman and she is black. And she is Joe's heartbeat away from becoming President h

(Siege Mentality) What might say when retail institutions like Target or Wal Mart have to secure their merchandise for fear of chronic shop-lifting ?  Why is there a rejection of reality on the state of the border or the economy ? The Inflation Reduction Act that does not reduce inflation / And. why is there a President who forgets his trip to Ireland even though he has been given study aids ? It is an interesting question to ask what happened to the average Citizen of Rome on September 5th, A.D. 476, the day after the end of the Roman Empire in the West. What had been Roman cities in Gaul and Hispania, suddenly finding themselves occupied by barbarian hordes of one type or another with no further guidance from the "Eternal City." One can say that a similar situation is being played out in this country. What is lacking today is the same thing that ended Rome. A loss of centralized control. One used to point to law enforcement to deal with crime. The images of a San Francisco

(Dual Tracks) Of all the programming on the Smithsonian Channel, Air Disasters has been one of the more popular. As the name suggests, famous aircraft incidents are re-created using computer generated imagery. There is a cast, and assessments of why the mishap occurred. A few weeks ago, an episode of "Air Disasters" went to ground level and described the collision of two trains. One had been a freight haul, and the other had been an AMTRAC. The two "conductors" on the freight train. one in the engine and the other in the caboose, were both asleep. The engineer might have had a debilitating episode but, in any event, a switching was missed and no one was able to prevent the disaster. There were casualties. As of last night, the Republican-led House passed, but without the unanimity of the entire Conference, the "Limit, Save, and Grow Act "passed" out of the Chamber 217-215. Four Republicans joined all Democrats in opposing the measure. Their reasons a

(Biggest Participation Trophy) Being not much of a surprise. President Biden made his seeking a second term official. It is also true. however that this effort is lacking wide-spread acclaim. As previously discussed, some 70% of Americans, including many Democrats, are not wishing Biden run again. That being said, the choice is either 70% against a Biden re-run, or, a 100% aversion to Donald Trump returning to the White House. All that Joe Biden had to do was simply formally declare and the same machinery that had proved so effective almost three years ago can be put back into action. Mr. Biden can go back to his basement and the entire Democratic electoral infrastructure can be mobilized. The target will be Donald Trump and the broader GOP tickets and it is likely that the former President will be out-maneuvered in 2024 the same he had been in 2020. There is one individual, however, that could save Republicans from this fate. Former New Jersey Governor, Chris Christie (R), had been on

(Anchors Away !) On air talent can be hard to find, especially if one is a newscaster. In the past, there were institutions. Brokaw. Chancellor. Cronkite. Men who sat at their desks for decades. With the advent of cable 24 hour news. In 1980, the Cable News Network. first went on air followed by MsNBC and Fox News. The national media at this point includes print publications like the Washington POST, the New York TIMES, among others, and the three main broadcast networks. With the exception of Fox, all media has a well known leftist bias. However, there have been personnel changes both at Fox News and also at CNN. Fox has just terminated prime time host Tucker Carlson of Tucker Carlson Tonight , Dan Bongino of his weekend Unfiltered, and at Cable News Network, Anchor Don Lemon has also been terminated. Now, there is apparently some question as to why Carlson was allowed to leave. The host has been always opinionated and not one to shy away from controversary. He had been one to questi

(Anthems For Doomed Youth) What Passing Bells for those who die as cattle ? Only the monstrous anger of the guns . Only the stuttering rifles ' rapid rattle Can patter out hasty orisons ." Wilfred Owen 1893=1918 Wilfred Owen served on the Western Front during the First World War and could see first hand the waste. He composed Anthems For Doomed Youth because he was witness to the absolute futility of attacking into prepared positions. Owens himself fell in the last year of the War. In any event, on both sides of the front, commanders largely considered their troops expendable. There were recurrent episodes of leadership malice that occurred throughout the War. One of the more egregious was the Gallipoli Campaign. Before he was British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill was First Lord of the Admiralty, equivalent to the Secretary of the Navy. As the stalemate persisted in France, and Ottoman Turkey having just joined the Central powers, Churchill had the idea that Turkey could

(Acceptable Risk. . . ) Tomorrow, President Bidem is set to announce he is seeking a Second Term. Most of those being polled, Democrats included, are against the effort.  Biden is in excessive years now and the clear evidence of his cognitive detonation is manifesting itself daily. The record the President has to run on is not impressive and indeed, all his green requirements have done nothing for the American people. But that was never the point. Biden was told he could be a transformative figure. That he could be a critical part in a re-shaping of the country that would harken back to LBJ and his Great Society or FDR and the New Deal. Biden was told he could things further by being the first "woke" President where equity, diversity and inclusion, and all sorts of green measures, like his war on fossil fuels and American energy in general. The latest idea would be the plan to eliminate most power plants. The question must be asked, however, if not Biden, than whom ? Democrat

(Two To Tango) Negotiations are by definition including two parties. Each side has their own conditions and has the limits on what they can accept. However, if only one side actually participates, and is able to unilaterally set terms, then the party that eschewed its portion, has to necessarily adapt to what was previously released. Except, apparently if one is President Biden. The Republican House, due in large part to Speaker McCarthy, has developed a plan to raise the debt ceiling while at the same time, cut spending and limit federal budget growth to one percent annually. Covid funds would be re-directed.  A work requirement is added. The debt ceiling itself would be increased by $1.7 trillion but that is now in the context of the cuts the Bill is contemplating. So, what is the President's plan ? For his part, Biden has not even met with the Speaker since last February much less offer any counter proposals. In true Biden fashion, he is railing against what he is calling "

(Mission Creep) Sometimes one is presented with a fresh jar of cookies. Chocolate chip or some other flavor. The temptation is there to consume the confections and possibly more than one. However, that might one full before dinner. But a craving is a craving so one can just as easily say to Hell with supper and just pig out on the cookies. Mission creep can be defined as eating too many chocolate chip or whatever, where the smarter course would be to wait for dinner. And, if one likes spaghetti and one likes spaghetti as much as the cookies, well, what is one to do ? World War I started with eating cookies before realizing broader implications. Same thing with the follow-on. Korea. Vietnam, and so on. Problems arose when there is the collective realization that something benign like raiding a cookie jar becomes serious like a war that gets out of control. Now, there are varying reports of the extent to American involvement in the Ukraine. To date. that support has been fiduciary as wel

( Insurance Policy) It has been remarked before of how certain Baltic Germans took military service for the Tsar of Russia, not because of any specific military ability, and God knows there was never any grand tactical brilliance, the Tsar was their patron. Indeed, the entire Russian Imperial regime in Saint Petersburg was largely based on the His Majesty's good graces. President Biden is like a Tsar of Russia with his own program of patronage. And, Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken is the equivalent to one of Baltic Germans in the service of the Tsar. President Biden. in this case. It was Blanken, as a member of the Biden Campaign at the time, took steps that had effectively neutralized the Hunter Biden lap-top story. It was Blinken that had masterminded the 50+ intelligence officials that claimed the computer was an example of Russian dis-information and so-called Big Tech was only too happy to confirm. So, when topic came up in a debate between Biden and Trump, Biden was prepa

(Standing On Principle) Republicans are now the Majority Party in the House because its voters b y and large agreed with its principles. These standards include classic conservative ideas such as lower taxes a secure border and so on, That being said, Republicans hold certain ideals that, if they were not so believed, then one could not call themselves Republican. Two issues that are defining the modern GOP as a specific repudiation of the left. One is obviously abortion. The other is the issue of "biological men" participating is women's sports. Abortion has been decried by conservatives since the Roe decision in 1973. Throughout succeeding decades and alternating Democrat and Republican Administrations, meaning configuring the Supreme Court in one ideological direction or the other, until lightning struck, Then Senate Republican Majority Leader McConnell demurred in President Obama's own pick for the High Bench, current Attorney General Merritt Garland, gambling th

(Old Soldiers. . .) On April 19th, 1951, General of the Army, Douglas MacArthur delivered his farewell address to a Joint Session of Congress where he uttered what has become his epitaph: "Old Soldiers never die. They just fade away." Now this liberator of the Philippines, where he had triumphantly announced his "Return," and had been the one to accept the formal Japanese surrender, had been dismissed by President Truman after exceeding his authority as Supreme Allied Commander in the Korean War. California Senator Diane Feinstein (D) can be considered another "Old Soldier" as she has been representing the Golden State for decades. And, like President Biden, there has been some evidence of her own cognitive decline and is recuperating from shingles. Feinstein has not been on the Senate Floor since February. That is presenting a problem with the rest of the Senate Democrat Caucus, To an extent, Diane Feinstein is like Jon Fetterman whose only role is to &qu

(Acceptable Risks. . .) Aoril 18th, 1942 and April 18th, 1943 are two important dates in the history of the Pacific War. In 1942, Lt Colonel James Doolittle launched sixteen B-25 Mitchel 's from the deck of the aircraft carrier. USS Hornet  for that infamous raid on Tokyo. The reason Doolittle and his crews would need to bomb the Japanese Capitol had been set in motion almost a year and a half earlier. Newly appointed Commander in Chief of the Combined Fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, began to conceptualize a plan that would ultimately lead to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Admiral Yamamoto as a senior naval officer was well adhered to the Mahanic doctrine of a "naval battle of annihilation." The Battle of Tsushima between Russian and Japanese fleets fought off the coast of Korea in May, 1905, where the former was all but wiped out, Japan emerged as a world naval power in its own right but its ambitions had been thwarted by the larger p

(Hostile Takeovers) In the corporate world, a hostile takeover takes place when one concern makes an effort to buy out another and, if the former acquires a controlling interest in the latter stock, even if the buyout is neither sought nor desired by current management, if the voting power in the acquiring company is sufficient, then, assuming that the rest of the board approves the transfer, then what emerged is a new concern that been assumed in a hostile takeover. The Peoples' Republic of China is looking to take over the Republic of China probably by hostile means. It clearly is in possession of the required stock and will defiantly demand a change in management if the transaction goes through. The "board," in this case, is Germany and it is Beijing's admonition to Berlin to "support" whatever Big China has planned for (Big Trouble) n Little China. Paris has also indicated it will stand on its own where Intra-Chinese relations are involved. Now no one be

(Stupid Things Said On Televison) Is this thing on ? There is always the possibility that one could make some inane comment that makes no sense. The so-called "green movement "is buying a lot of air time, promoting their agenda. One of the more ridiculous spots was some PSA that proclaims in enthusiastic fashion that "America is about to become the world's green superpower. And instead of oil, one should buy silver." Now, one would assume that one could tell the difference between oil and silver and how one is an energy source while the other could go into gramma's fine silver ware. On the surface one can see that statement is lacking any semblance of common sense. But the President, among others, still believe that the environmental standards being force fed to the American people, all the regulations and appliance banning coming from the White House and, if there is any idea that any of this stuff will survive the next Republican Administration is simply

( Breaking Winston's "Eggs") When it was first introduced, the German Enigma machine seemed to be the most secure encryption device yet developed. However, on the eve of the Secomd World War, a group of Polish cryptographers determined the mathematical basis for the Enigma cypher. The information was passed to both France and Great Britain. After France fell in June 1940, Britain continued the work and in time, with the team of code breakers at Bletchley Park, Enigma began to be "read" on a regular basis. As all Enigma intelligence would by definition be confined to only the highest levels of Allied political and military leaders and the product had been termed ULTRA . For British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, his ULTRA information had been referred to as "Winston's Eggs." It would go without saying that had ULTRA been  compromised, the damage to the Allied cause could have proved in-calculable to the War's prosecution. If ULTRA were

( Down Payment On That Edsel ) There have been numerous examples throughout history of spectacular failures, The Hindenburg. New Coke. The Ford Edsel . The latter had been a production model that could not roll of the lot if they were free. In the Kathleen Turner movie Peggy Sue Got Married , "Peggy Sue" was re-living her life and remarked that her father had been one of the few that bought one. But the reason the Edsel did no sell was because no one wanted it. Now, it would seem that President Biden is forcing the country into buying the equivalent of a bunch of electric Edsel' s, whether people want it or not. A lot of people don't like vegetables. Others would kill for chocolate. But these are personal choices. America was built by the car. All those sports cars, sedans, and SUV's are by the tens of millions and are reflective of a desire to embrace the open road on their own unique terms. There is an inherent im-practicability with converting some American m

(Kids In America. . .) Kim Wilde was a British pop star that had a charting single called "Kids in America." And, it happens to be the topic today. Youth have been used throughout history as supporting elements to many regimes. The Hitler Youth comes to mind, During the Great Terror in the Soviet Union, children were encouraged to inform on their parents should the latter express anti-state sentiments. In the Peoples' Republic, during the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution, the Chinese Red Guards had been composed of juveniles, whose Revolutionary fervor was seldom matched by the elders. The same thing can now be said about kids in America. The so-called Generation Z has been exhibiting its own revolutionary fervor. These are a new generation of activists mostly on the Left that are adherents to the George Soros school of Public Policy. Thay are more willing to accept government intervention. They are generally pro-choice. They support the Ukraine War. The thi

(Faulty Intelligence. . .) There was a TV show developed by Stephen J. Cannell ( The A - Team , et al) called Bah, Bah, Bleck Sheep that starred Robert Conrad and a few other. A very young John Larroquette had been originally cast. In any event, the show was a fictionalized version of Marine Corps fighter squadron VMS-214 and its flamboyant Commander, Gregory "Pappy" Boyington. The show flew F4U Corsairs and was never short on combat scenes. In one episode, James Darren was a guest star and was attached to Two-Fourteen as a publicity stunt. The public relations officer made Darren to be a hero, claiming daily "kills" on Japanese aircraft, making the guest star an "ace (five or more kills)" several times over. But he was a fraud and when he took up his F$U for real, he got shot down. The public relations hero had been made a martyr and that was worth a few in war bonds. Like James Darren making a guest appearance on Bah ,  Bah , Black Sheep , a publicity

( In-Decision 2024 ?) In days past, Comedy Central organized its own series of political analysis starring Al Frankin as lead pundit. Those had been the days when the SNL alum was still funny and before he got so political and conned his way to a Minnesota Senate seat, before he was forced to give it up. Anyhow, there was a time when politics could be amusing and perfect grist for the comedic mill. Things seem more serious now and what happened to Al Franklin can be instructive. President Biden "has said he intends to run," but he will be 80 soon and there is less than universal expectation by Democrats that Biden should not seek a second term. The one thing that could persuade the President in one direction or another is the increasing likelihood that Donald Trump will be made the GOP Nominee. However, this kind of vacillation is being ill timed. The Biden family is under investigation. China is war gaming conflict with Taiwan. There continues to be resistance to the Presid

(Delivered. . .) Happy Easter. For all the young ones go and find your easter egg, or potato as the case might be. And for all the Civil War buffs, today, April 9th, commemorates the end of the American Civil War. From Fort Sumpter to Appomattox, the southern slave states that broke from the "Union" and formed the Confederacy engaged in a conflict lasting over four years that, in the end killed some 650,000 Americans. From 1861 to 1865, Antietam to  Vicksburg, Federal and Rebel armies ranged from Tennessee to Virginia. On April 9th, 1865, General Roert E. Lee surrendered what had been left of the Army of Northern Virginia to Commander in Chief. General Ulisses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House. In the four years of War, there had been four Easters and numerous battles that took place in either March or April, traditional months where Easter would be celebrated. And, Faith was abundant, on both sides. There are no atheists in combat. How many clergy donned a uniform and went

(Little Boots. . .) Caligula, whose full name was Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, was the third Emperor of the Roman Empire, the "adopted" son of the Emperor Tiberius. The name "Caligula" was one assigned to him by Roman legionnaires he had been associated with. The Emperor's nickname mean "little boot" and the name struck. Caligula was a tortious sovereign given to extreme excesses in  depravity. In time, the Pretorian Guard lost its patience and assassinated what had been the Third Emperor of Rome. It is also quite possible that Caligula was not wholly sane to begin with. In one of his more bizarre episodes, the Emperor had several thousand Roman troops. pick up all sea shells on one particular beach. Not that the exercise had any particular merit, but because Roman emperors were all powerful with absolute authority, if Caligula tells a Centurian to gather sea shells, one gathers sea shells. President Joe Biden is playing his own role as Emperor Ca

( Sham Trials. . .) Believe it. One tires easily when it is all Trump, all the time. The reasons for this have been described. The former President proved un-manageable. That his background in business, specifically Big Apple commercial real estate, his approach as Chief Executive was alien to more establishment types in the government. Therefore, the powers that be deemed that Trump should he replaced. It was that "big three" combination between Wall Street, the Media, and Big Tech that elevated Joe Biden to the Presidency. Consequences be damned. That being said, Donald Trump failed to take a cue of past one-term Presidents and fade into the sunset. The ego is too big for that, And, in his mind at least, 2020 had been decided in his favor to begin with and it was only the Democrat conspiracy that placed Biden in the White House. But Donald Trump thinks he could replicate President Grover Cleveland (R) from the 19th Century. Cleveland won, lost, then won again, the only Pres

(Chinese Checkers) Leve it to the Chinese to take a wonderfully simple game like checkers and increase its complication. Triangles ? What the hell is that about ? But, regular versions or Chinese, how relations are playing out with Beijing but in this case also Taipei. And try as it might, the Peoples' Republic of China cannot keep the Republic of China from receiving undue attention. This time it is a bi-partisan delegation led by House Republicans and Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Then a similar delegation returned to Taiwan. Needless to say that the Chinese Communist Party is not amused by this Anglo-Formosan interaction. Taiwan is where most of computer chips needed in American electronics and auto-motive industries. Therefore, the relationship between the U.S. and Taiwan is one of the more important. It is also interesting to note that while the Speaker has actively engaged the Taiwanese government, hosting Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-Wen, and Congressman McCaul (R-TX) and another

(Winter Wars) The so-called "Winter War" was fought between Finland and the Soviet Union that was fought between November, 1939 to February. 1940. In the wake of the start of World War II and the German invasion of Poland, to which the U.S.S.R. took Poland's eastern half. Stalin wanted to expand Soviet territory and some of that proposed real estate was in Finland. Helinski refused and the Red Army invaded in short order. The Soviet host was impressive. As many as 600,000 Soviet troops were committed but the Finns proved formidable, inflicting considerable  casualties on the invaders, Soviet leadership, namely the senior cadre of officers, had been eviscerated in Stalin's purges. So, when combat commenced in that November, in bad weather for that time of year and in Finland, that has an effect. If one wants to know where the "Molotov Cocktail," the gas in a bottle with a fuse.  came from and named for the duplicitous Soviet Minister, V. Molotov, Finnish troo

(Socio-Pathic Precision) Most people are aware of The Tale of Brer Rabbit. As the story goes, Brer Rabbit is pleading with a wolf to not eat him and definitely not throw him into a briar patch. The bunny gets tossed regardless but it revealed that Brer Rabbit had been born in the briar patch, Exactly where he needed to be. In a sense, President Biden has just been thrown into a briar patch of his own. And, it is all a consequence of Trump's ongoing legal problems. Now, no gag order from the judge has been issued. One does not need to be. Ostensibly the Republican front-runner will be consumed by this process and while he is meeting his legal "obligations" he will not be campaigning. The fiduciary obligations will eclipse even the $10 million that had been raised in short order after the indictment was announced. There has been a patten whenever the former President is a target. Unmasking General Flynn forced Trump to fire him. The dismissal of then FBI Director triggered

(Where Silance Would Be Golden) The arraignment of former President Trump is about complete at this moment. If things are on schedule, Trump will depart the Courthouse and either head back to his residence in Trump Tower for a departure back to Florida or he could proceed back to La Guardia this afternoon. In any event, Trump will not be carrying any "bag of swag," such as that much anticipated mug shot, which had been deferred. Or the President could face a gag order. The practical effect of all of this is that will not be receiving the exposure he otherwise would have enjoyed, That mug shot was to be put on everything from t-shirts to coffee mugs, pun intended. If no photograph is taken, none of the merchandising potential could be realized. But it is a deliberate attempt to limit Trumps exposure and prevent him from effectively communicating with the public. The Trump Campaign will rise or fall on how is able to address the American people/ If the President gets muzzled, h

  (Gettin' Had. Gettin' Took. Tell Ya Boys. Harder Than It Looks !) 'It's a Long Way to the top, if you wanna rock and roll." Former President Trump landed at La Guardia a little while ago. And this prolonged affair is having the effect of masking the other news that was released today. Most importantly news has come that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia along with Russia, announced a cut of over a million barrels. That is a demonstration of how President Biden is compromised and how events such as this would not have happened in the previous Administration. And, the solution open to the current President is obvious but the idea that it is the one he patently will not use and that would seek to restore American energy independence. But that is what Trump did. He is New York in the process of being put out to pasture, it is also a fact that the Ukraine would not have been invaded had Trump remained. Trump would not have abandoned Afghanistan. Had his Administration conti

( Flight Risk) Former President Donald Trump is set to be arraigned next Tuesday. While he will not be in hand-cuffs, he will nonetheless be fingerprinted and have his mug-shot. Subsequently, he could be released on his "own recognisites." Normally, one in Trump's position would have his passport seized and his accounts frozen. However, Trump has the means to evade court proceedings and go on the run. The former President is a flight risk and he could disappear. He has a golf club in Scotland so one hears. One has seen the Trump 757. When he lost the use of Air Force One, the Trump jet, the one he used when he was still the New York real estate developer. Trump would also have access to any number of hotels with his name to them. He could check in, anomalously and wait for things to settle down. One could hope that the District Attorney's Office in New York City are aware of these facts. The alternative would be that Trump be incarcerated. As it will not be a "fr

(Of All The Dim Ideas !) It has not escaped notice that today is April 1st, April Fools' Day. In years past, one could discuss the invasion of Okinawa today. Oe one could reminisce on the various April Fools' jokes one has played over the years. Sadly, something is in the news that one would hope was an April Fools' gag but as this is the Biden Administration and Energy Secretary Granholm, has targeted the humble incandescent light bulb. Now, the incandescent bulb is cheap and reliable but not as green. Compact fluorescents and LED's are more expensive and have environmental issues of their own but in regulating incandescent bulbs. the government has displayed its determination to decrease the convenience of the population. With this new set of regulations, along with the washer and dryer, air conditioners, gas stoves and so on. It is like there is a dart board hanging somewhere and the Secretary throws arrows and whatever is hit, that is the new something or other that

(The Jungle STILL Wants Him Dead !) In the aftermath of the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor, recriminations abounded. Beyond the commanders in Hawaii, there were those in the War and Navy Departments that also had a share in what happened that December 7th. Among these was Admiral Richmond Kelly Turner, who proved a brilliant amphibious commander, in charge of numerous American landings in the Pacific War. Before that, however, Turner had been Chief of War Plans and, zealously guarding his position, found himself in a turf war with then Office of Naval Intelligence. Turner was insisting that all such information should be confined to Ware Plans and as a consequence, when Japanese intentions began to reveal themselves, the analytical mechanisms were not allowed to be present. After the raid, however, Turner was able to take steps to ensure his survival and his career because he proved pliant to higher authorities. He would not implicate them, so they need nor implicate him. Donald Trump