Well, Musk has done it! We now have astronauts hovering around the moon for the first time in decades. I must admit that I’m impressed! One thing puzzles me though. Both genders are participating in extremely close quarters and one would think that personal hygiene such as washing and using the toilet would be an issue. They’ll be up there for days. With no gravity, does poop hover in the air?
Trump’s war objectives continue to be somewhat productive although Iran ignores deadlines continually. We’ll see if the latest receives the same attention which would result in the loss of its infrastructure. You would think that, at some point, the Iranian people would finally rise up and overthrow the current radicals. I’m extremely disappointed that our European allies are hiding in the closet and I would definitely support a divorce from NATO.
Meanwhile, the legacy media continues to thwart the president’s agenda with falsehoods regarding his health and ability to perform his duties despite the fact that he outpaces those around him on four hours of sleep a night. The 25th Amendment is often brought up as a solution to the “problem”. His efforts at humor are dismissed as dementia or worse. He has accomplished more in a single year than any previous individual in that capacity has in an entire term and he is still ridiculed by the left.
While consuming the news, a couple of stories have concerned me. Hundreds of retail outlets are closing including many very well-known brands. Estimates indicate that the number could reach 1500 outlets before the year ends. Many are fast food outlets; however, major retail brands are also trimming down. Among them are: Starbucks 627 locations, Walgreens 450, Family Dollar 370. Macys 66, Kroger 60 and Kohls 27.
There are a multitude of reasons why this is occurring. On-line shopping is a major reason, but there are others. Delivery services have increased and commercial real estate rental fees have skyrocketed. Staffing in many areas is also a problem. Foot traffic has diminished, leaving malls struggling.
My other concern is far more troubling. Violence against children. Children are our most valuable asset and I have difficulty accepting the suffering many endure at the hands of adults . . . some their own parents! I recently read an article concerning the arrest of parents for the murder of their two-year-old daughter.
Our children have been victimized by society for the past several decades. Their education has been divisive to say the least, in many cases separating parent from child, as with the gender issue. Children are and should be asexual and not questioned as to whether they are male or female. “Readin’, Writin’ and Rithmatic” have taken a back seat to DUI.
A related concern is the dropping fertility rate in the country. Currently, it is about 53 births per thousand women of reproductive age, a drop of twenty percent (20%) from just two decades ago! For one reason or another, women are not choosing to reproduce. Those who do are waiting until age thirty to do so. One of the more obscure concerns is social security. Fewer young Americans will be available to pay into a system which supports seventy million retirees and others.
As I compose this masterpiece, a two week cease fire agreement has taken place in the Iran war. One of the conditions is the free passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz. Candidly, I don’t have very high hopes that the attempt will be successful. The Iranian people have no access to free press and must depend upon Iranian propaganda which is deceiving. They are being told that Iran is winning.
The 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence is just a few months away. Several of my ancestors participated and some lost their lives. I’m afraid that the current political divisiveness will affect the celebration in a negative way and hope that I am wrong.
We are indeed the greatest country on earth.
Paco
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