Where Was My $2,000? Now He's Talking $5,000

I wasn't planning on writing about politics today, but here we are. I guess I'll just start.

I haven't watched the news myself, but from what I'm hearing, the President has floated a new promise: if Republicans hold Congress in the midterms, everyone gets a $5,000 check. Turns out that's roughly right — Trump announced a $5,000 "dividend" tied to tariff revenue, contingent on a GOP win in November. It's already drawing bipartisan pushback and could face legal challenges, for what it's worth.

Funny thing is, I'm still waiting on the $2,000 tariff dividend he promised almost a year ago. According to ABC News, that one still hasn't shown up either. So forgive me if I'm not holding my breath on this new number.

Anyway, here's how I ended up down this road: I was on the phone with my father — we don't talk much these days, and he's been trying to "rekindle things" lately — and he brought it up.

Whenever he gets going on politics, I ask him a few questions he usually can't answer. It's become our routine at this point. He was a DFLer back when we lived in Minnesota. Once we moved to Kansas, he became a Republican. Now? I think he's drifting left again. That's fine by me — everyone's entitled to change their mind.

The conversation always starts the same way: "I wonder what that idiot in Washington has done today." When I push him to explain why he calls the man an idiot, it usually comes down to wondering what he's shot his mouth off about now.

I remind him the guy isn't a career politician — he's a billionaire businessman who says what's on a lot of people's minds already. He just doesn't have a filter.

Do I agree with everything Trump says? No. But I respect that he says what's on his mine, out loud, with his name attached — unlike some people these days, who'll say anything from behind a keyboard or a camera and never own it. Looking at you, social media influencers.

The alternative, I guess, is someone polished and politically correct who has no idea what they're doing. And honestly — whatever happened to common sense anyway?

Anyway, that's my rant for the moment.

Until next time,
Stay Old, Bold, and Bald and may be a bit Grumpy too!

Movie Review

 I'll just say it right now, I don't usually suggest movies to others. Why? Because everyone has different tastes. I like Action and Horror movies; my wife likes rom-coms and "chick flick" stuff; my daughter enjoys Anime and the like; and I have no idea what my son likes.

I'm not sure how to classify this one other than maybe a "feel-good" movie? I think that I have seen it about 6 times already. Heck, I had to look for it one day because it wasn't in the top 10 for the day.

Ok, I've seen this movie in just a couple of places: YouTube and Amazon Prime. Since I don't watch much traditional TV, I don't know if it was in theatres or not.

Now, enough of the background and to the reveal.

The movie: Project Hail Mary.

I don't know what it is about that movie, but I seem to go from one end of the emotional spectrum to the other. One moment, I'm laughing. Not a belly laugh, but enough of one to put a smile on my face. Then, I'm bawling like a baby, followed by another chuckle.

With about 1 hour left, it is over 2.5 hours so it's kinda long, my favorite scene pops up. Something about that little alien is magical. Somehow, through it all, they manage to save each other.

I may be a bit "friend" challenged but these guys seemed to get it right.

Anyway, that's enough of my blabbering.

Until next time,
Stay Old, Bold, and Bald and maybe a little Grumpy too!

Judging from the Bench

What has happened to our country?

I grew up in Minnesota until the mid-1980s, and I posted on another Social Media platform that I was embarrassed by how Minnesota went from Minnesota Nice to Minnesota Ain't So Nice. There was no civility; they were blowing whistles at people just to warn someone they'd never met that the authorities were in the area and to get out. And I was getting kinda tired of hearing that I was a Fascist Nazi because I didn't share their beliefs. The very people that I used to call "friends" became someone that I didn't want to associate with. I unfriended some and then just completely deactivated my account. I was done!

Now, I read in the news that another judge is governing from the bench. This is ridiculous. It is not the job of a trial court to dictate any policy, left or right, from the bench. For some reason, this judge decided to throw out all confessions for a captured 9/11 plotter because the confession, obtained in 2007, wasn't valid and was coerced. Huh?

I'm not sure what evidence he pulled this from, and it is not for me to "judge", but what?

Now, I'm reading about a person that holds a public office told a group of people to put Humanity above this group's Safety? What is with people? What ever happened to common sense?

I know there was a time where our politicians would argue during the day and go out for drinks after. Not any more. The deviciveness that is out there won't even allow for family members to talk because people on one side think that their "kind" should be steadfast. I don't get it.

When did breaking the law become okay? Look at SF where anyone can basically shoplift whatever they want? Immigration being such a hot topic? If they broke the US law to get in, why should they be allowed to stay? I don't get santuary cities at all. 

I guess that Rodney King has it right when he said, ",,,can we all get along? Can we get along?"

And, for goodness sake, stop with the idological BS and just do your job!