To Hell - and back

Should October 12 be a religious holiday?

2026-10-11T16:02:27.653-07:00

I have the day off on October 12 because there are no classes.

Officially, the reason that teachers are given the day off is that it is designated as a “professional learning” day, and most states in the country have variations of the day.

Across the country many other states are also closed for the day.

Some states call it a holiday, but it is not always a paid holiday,

In some states, it is called the Columbus Day holiday.

In other states, it is called Indigenous People’s Day.

https://www.officeholidays.com/holidays/usa/columbus-day-state-guide

Alabama celebrates Fraternal Day, but it is the only one that does.

18 states celebrate Indigenous People’s Day

I state celebrates Italian Heritage Day

8 states have no holiday at all

I state celebrates Discovery Day

I state celebrates Native American Day

8 states celebrate Columbus Day

The celebration of Columbus Day goes all the way back to 1792, the 300^th anniversary of the day that Columbus landed in North America.

Since then, there have been many other variations.

· First Celebration (1792): The (Columbian Order of New York) held the first recorded U.S. event to mark the 300th anniversary of the landing. [1, 2]

· National Proclamation (1892): President Benjamin Harrison declared a one-time national celebration for the 400th anniversary. This followed a mass lynching of Italian immigrants in New Orleans in 1891, which prompted Italian Americans to push for greater recognition and respect. [1, 2]

· Federal Holiday Status (1934–1971): The Knights of Columbus lobbied for a national day, leading to a proclamation by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1937. Congress later moved it to the second Monday in October under the 1971 Uniform Monday Holiday Act. [1, 2, 3]

· Modern Evolution: Because Columbus's arrival triggered centuries of

· colonization, violence, and displacement of Indigenous peoples, many cities and states now observe Indigenous People’s Day instead of or alongside Columbus Day. [1, 2]

Due to the efforts of the Knights of Columbus, it would not be a stretch to call it a religious holiday.

More than a decade ago, I wrote about the notional holidays.

Included in that story was one about Columbus Day.

https://tohell-andback.blogspot.com/2009/10/dont-shoot-messenger.html

What a lot of people do not realize is that Christopher was not Catholic – but the king and queen of Spain were.

Although he never wrote in what was said to be his native language (a Genoese version of Ligurian) he later learned Latin, Portuguese, and (most importantly) Castilian, the language spoken in Spain. He was said to have a keen interest in the Bible, and he used that knowledge in order to convince the Catholic monarchy in Spain to lend him money for his voyages.

In 1485 and 1488, he appealed (unsuccessfully) for money from King John II of Portugal. Undaunted, he then applied for assistance from Genoa, Venice, and England. All of those appeals also proved to be futile. He finally found a benefactor in 1489, when the Catholic monarchs of Spain gave him a modest annual allowance, which later was increased to full support in January of 1492. On August 3, 1492, he finally set sail on the first of his four voyages to the New World, and land was finally sited on the morning of October 12.

The irony of the entire expedition if that Columbus was probably not a Catholic. In fact, he was a Jew, and most of the money for his journey actually came from Jewish lenders.

The story below goes into more detail on why Columbus was essentially a “marked man”, and may not have survived if he had stayed in Europe.

The reason is something called the Alhambra Decree, and its details can be found in the link below:

https://tohell-andback.blogspot.com/2018/04/was-christopher-columbus-jew.html

The Alhambra Decree was issued just a few years after the start of the Spanish Inquisition, and it was a sad chapter in the history of the Catholic church.

For that matter, so were the Crusades.

https://tohell-andback.blogspot.com/2009/06/book-of-signs.html

History is often messy, and the story of Christopher Columbus is one example of that fact.

I am not advocating that October 12 should be a religious holiday, but I AM suggesting that more people should explore the FULL story of his journey – and why Judaism should be part of the discussion.

immigration and the Bible

2026-09-21T08:32:04.616-07:00

The U.S. diplomat arrived in West Africa in mid-June with little fanfare, hopscotching along the Atlantic coastline for scheduled visits with senior government officials in the Ivory Coast, Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Togo and Gabon, whose president greeted him inside an opulent seaside palace.

The American, a career State Department official named Christian Ehrhardt, was an unlikely diplomatic VIP. For nearly two decades, he served as an officer in the agency’s security branch, focusing on embassy protection, before being summoned to Washington last year to lead a new initiative — the Office of Remigration.

Since then, Ehrhardt, 41, has crisscrossed Africa, trying to persuade the continent’s leaders to accept flights full of people deported from the United States even though the migrants are not their own citizens. These “third country” deportation deals, a controversial innovation of the second Trump administration, have become a central part of the president’s hard-line approach to immigration, and they’re negotiated by the office Ehrhardt now oversees.

He has been making rapid progress. The Trump administration has authorized or pledged at least $410 million to facilitate agreements with 31 countries, mostly in Africa and Latin America, as of the end of June, according to internal government records reviewed by The Washington Post. The documents, which have not been previously reported, provide the most comprehensive picture to date of the Trump administration’s fast-growing third-country network.

Under the arrangements, the U.S. has expelled migrants to countries across the globe where they have no previous connection. Early deals included flights to Costa Rica carrying migrants from China, Russia, Iran and Afghanistan and a flight to the tiny African kingdom of Eswatini with migrants from Vietnam, Laos, Cuba and Jamaica.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/interactive/2026/09/21/how-trump-turned-refugee-bureau-into-410-million-deportation-operation/

In recent weeks, the Trump administration and the Supreme Court ended Temporary Protected Status for roughly 350,000 Haitians nationals. Due to severe gang violence and ongoing security risks, the FAA bans U.S. aircraft from landing in Port-au-Prince, forcing returnees to navigate gang-controlled routes to reach other parts of the country.

The U.S. Department of State has issued a level 4 – Do Not Travel advisory for Haiti due to extreme safety risks.

The agreements have been secured under the orders of Stephen Miller, a long-standing aide to the president who now serves as White House deputy chief of staff. Current and former officials say that Miller, known for his relentless anti-immigration focus, has been able to push key appointments at the State Department that have allowed him to overrule other foreign policy objectives in his goal of achieving more deportations.

Ehrhardt is “considered a White House envoy” when he meets with foreign leaders, said a U.S. official familiar with his meetings. “The messaging is not just that he is a deputy assistant secretary of state. He’s really part of the White House, so they roll out the red carpet.” This official, like many others in this article, spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal State Department operations.

The Office of Remigration — a division of about 15 employees in the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM) — marks an extraordinary break in U.S. foreign policy, inverting the nation’s long-standing commitment to resettling refugees in need into an intensive focus on expelling them from the country. The office’s name itself is a point of contention, as the term “remigration” has been popularized by white nationalists in Europe who seek the expulsion of racial minorities and immigrants.

The administration also has pledged grants totaling $179 million to the International Organization for Migration and $124 million to the U.N. Refugee Agency for refugee- and infrastructure-related projects in the third countries. Those organizations are not directly party to the deals, but that money has been negotiated by the foreign governments in connection to their deportation agreements, according to the government documents and people familiar with the deals. These payments have largely replaced voluntary contributions the U.S. government traditionally made to the global aid organizations and are used as “sweeteners” to get foreign countries to accept the third-country deportees, people familiar with the deals said.

So, what does the Bible say about immigrants?

https://sojo.net/22-bible-verses-welcoming-immigrants

Welcoming others, regardless of their background or nationality, is a central theme in scripture. This collection of verses urges us to embrace those who are different and extend kindness to the marginalized. Whether through love, acceptance, or advocacy, these verses show us the importance of caring for the immigrants in our communities.

There are 22 Bible verses on welcoming immigrants.

Here are some of them:

‘I am a stranger and an alien residing among you; give me property among you for a burying place, so that I may bury my dead out of my sight.’
Genesis 23:4

“You shall not oppress a sojourner. You know the heart of a sojourner, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt."
Exodus 23:9 (ESV)

You shall also love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.
Deuteronomy 10:19

“When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. 34 You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God."
Leviticus 19:33-34 (ESV)

‘Cursed is anyone who withholds justice from the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow.’ Then all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’
Deuteronomy 27:19 (NIV)

Stephen Miller is an evil man, and the country will be better off as soon as he is gone from government service.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Miller

Stephen N. Miller (born August 23, 1985) is an American political advisor serving as White House deputy chief of staff for policy and homeland security advisor since 2025. He previously served as senior advisor to the president and director of speechwriting from 2017 to 2021 during the first Trump administration.

Considered one of the most influential figures of the Trump administrations and Trumpism movement, his politics have been described as far-right, anti-immigration, and white nationalist.

Miller grew up in Santa Monica, California, and attended Duke University, where he was a columnist for The Chronicle and president of the Duke chapter of Students for Academic Freedom. After graduating in 2007, he worked as press secretary for US representatives Michele Bachmann and John Shadegg. In 2009, he joined the staff of Alabama senator Jeff Sessions, where he worked on immigration policy and helped defeat the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013. As an aide to Sessions, Miller influenced the direction of Breitbart News. He advised both of Trump's presidential campaigns. After Trump's loss in the 2020 election, Miller founded America First Legal, a conservative legal advocacy organization, in 2021.

Miller has been a central figure in the Trump administration's immigration policy, including the family separation policy and Executive Order 13769, which restricted travel from several Muslim-majority countries. As director of speechwriting, he supervised the writing of Trump's inaugural and State of the Union addresses. Miller is on the Southern Poverty Law Center's list of extremists. His influence and views are the subject of both traditional and independent media, as well as of both domestic and international.

Stephen N. Miller was born on August 23, 1985, in the affluent North of Montana neighborhood in Santa Monica, California, the second of three children^[of Miriam (née Glosser) and Michael Miller. Miller is of Ashkenazi Jewish descent

His family's lineage escaped Russian pogroms and the Holocaust.

In view of the horrors his ancestors endured, Stephen Miller’s hard-line approach on immigration makes absolutely no sense at all.

This is what the plaque on the Statute of Liberty says:

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!

in a galaxy far, far away.....

2026-09-15T14:49:48.894-07:00

In 1967, the United States and 117 other counties signed the Outer Space Treaty.

Star Wars Main Theme (Full)

The Outer Space Treaty, formally called the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, is a multilateral treaty that forms the basis of international space law.

Negotiated and drafted under the auspices of the United Nations, it was opened for signature in the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union on 27 January 1967, entering into force on 10 October 1967. As of October 2025, 118 countries are parties to the treaty—including all major spacefaring nations—and another 20 are signatories.

Key provisions of the treaty include prohibiting nuclear weapons in space; limiting the use of the Moon and all other celestial bodies to peaceful purposes; establishing that space shall be freely explored and used by all nations; and precluding any country from claiming sovereignty over outer space or any celestial body. Although it forbids establishing military bases, testing weapons and conducting military maneuvers on celestial bodies, the treaty does not expressly ban all military activities in space, nor the establishment of military space forces or the placement of conventional weapons in space.

The OST also declares that space is an area for free use and exploration by all and "shall be the province of all mankind". Drawing heavily from the Antarctic Treaty of 1961, the Outer Space Treaty likewise focuses on regulating certain activities and preventing unrestricted competition that were thought might lead to conflict at that time.^[9] Consequently, it is largely silent or ambiguous on newly developed space activities such as lunar and asteroid mining.

OST was at the heart of a 'network' of inter-state treaties and strategic power negotiations to achieve the best available conditions for nuclear weapons world security.

OST was the most important link in the chain of international legal arrangements for space from the late 1950s to the mid-1980s. The OST was followed by four additional agreements, with varied levels of accession: the safe return of astronauts who land in a foreign country (1967); liability for damages caused by spacecraft (1972); the registration of space vehicles (1976); and rules for activities on the Moon (1979). As the first and most foundational legal instrument of space law,^[14] the Outer Space Treaty and its broader principles of promoting the civil and peaceful use of space continue to underpin multilateral initiatives in space, such as the International Space Station and the Artemis Program.

History

The Outer Space Treaty was spurred by the development of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) in the 1950s, which could reach targets through outer space. The Soviet Union's launch of Sputnik, the first artificial satellite, in October 1957, followed by a subsequent arms race with the United States, hastened proposals to prohibit the use of outer space for military purposes. On 17 October 1963, the U.N. General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution prohibiting the introduction of weapons of mass destruction in outer space. Various proposals for an arms control treaty governing outer space were debated during a General Assembly session in December 1966, culminating in the drafting and adoption of the Outer Space Treaty the following January.

Houston, we have a problem.

News broke this morning that the United States has stationed weapons in Earth’s orbit.

The United States has stationed weapons in Earth’s orbit, Air Force Secretary Troy E. Meink said on Monday, the first such public acknowledgment by a Pentagon official after years of preparations to counter potential deployments by Russia and China.

“We are increasing readiness against existing threats, and the United States has on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the Joint Force against hostile adversary action,” he said at a convention in Maryland, according to a news release published on the Air Force’s website.

Mr. Meink did not provide details about the type of weapons or say when they had been deployed. He made his remarks in a keynote speech at the Air, Space and Cyber Conference in National Harbor, Md., an annual forum hosted by the Air and Space Forces Association, a nonprofit organization for members of both services.

The Space Force did not immediately respond to a request for comment late Monday.

If you are paying attention, you may notice that the space force patch looks a lot like the patch for the Enterprise spaceship.

The Pentagon has long feared that China and Russia are making advances in space operations that could threaten U.S. ground forces as well as American satellites.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/15/us/politics/space-weapon-air-force-secretary.html

Neither Pete Hegseth or Donald Trump can be trusted to make responsible actions related to weapons in space, so it is up to congress to protect us, which is all the more reason that the midterm elections are so important.

The United States, Russia and China began testing weapons capable of destroying satellites decades ago, but the United States has since disavowed such arms because they leave destructive debris fields in orbit.

In recent years, the Air Force started developing “low-debris-causing weapons” capable of disrupting or disabling enemy satellites, Frank Kendall, who served as Air Force secretary under President Joe Biden, told The Times in a 2024 interview.

Gen. Chance Saltzman, who served as the Space Force’s chief of space operations during the Biden and second Trump administrations until his retirement last month, told a Senate committee in 2023 that the new space weapons systems would be fully operational by 2026.

Neither Mr. Kendall nor Gen. Saltzman specified how the systems would work. Other former Pentagon officials have said they likely would include lasers, high-powered microwave systems or even U.S. satellites that can grab or move enemy satellites.

Mr. Kendall said in 2024 that it was prudent to recognize that space “is a place that can be used for military advantage.”

With luck, we’ll avoid warfare in space, but it will take vigilance by congress to keep us safe – so be sure to vote in November.

Chicago ain't ready for reform

2026-09-11T06:32:47.814-07:00

Chicago ranks as the most corrupt city in the United States, according to long-term reports by the analyzing Department of Justice data.

Key Findings on Chicago Corruption

Federal Convictions: The Northern District of Illinois (which covers the Chicago metro area) recorded nearly 1,800 public corruption convictions between 1976 and 2019.
Top Rankings: Chicago consistently leads the nation in total federal corruption convictions, staying ahead of major metropolitan areas like Los Angeles (second) and New York City (third).
Contributing Factors: Studies attribute the city's high rates to historical machine politics, localized aldermanic privilege, and misuse of public funds

In the early 1900’s, corruption was rampant in Chicago, and the Everleigh club played a prominent role

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everleigh_Club

Reform of the political system was attempted during its early years, but a noted Chicago politician famously said “Chicago ain’t ready for reform.

During the reign of Al Capone, the corruption in Chicago spread west to Cicero.

https://www.bettergov.org/2013/10/27/cicero-capones-long-gone-but-not-corruption/

One of the entertaining subplots on “Boardwalk Empire” this season is the fact-based depiction of infamous mob boss Al Capone’s reign of terror in west suburban Cicero, where “Scarface” set up temporary headquarters in the mid-20s to escape the heat of Chicago’s one-term reform mayor.

Bottom of Form

The highly acclaimed HBO series reminds us that Al and his brother Frank hijacked Cicero’s 1924 municipal election with enough threats, intimidation and actual violence to make sure their candidate won, which guaranteed them a safe haven as they expanded their organized crimes.

Bottom of Form

Capone went to prison for tax evasion in 1931, but the mob continued to exert influence on Cicero and its wanton politics for decades after that.

One recent town president, Betty Loren-Maltese, widow of mid-level mobster and municipal official Frank Maltese, went to jail for her role in a mobbed-up multi-million-dollar insurance scam.

Her successor, Ramiro Gonzalez, promised reform and then put a dozen relatives on the payroll.

And his successor, current President Larry Dominick, made the same pledge and then one-upped Gonzalez by hiring 20 relatives, angering the town’s large Latino population with ethnic slurs, paying out several hundred thousand tax dollars to settle sexual-harassment lawsuits, and hiring a corrupt ex-Chicago alderman to manage the town’s special events.

The hiring of Ambrosio Medrano, who may be Chicago’s most corrupt alderman, with three felony convictions in three separate scams, made me wonder why the residents of Cicero put up with this nonsense — why, for instance, Dominick’s been elected three times by comfortable margins.

I asked Betty Loren-Maltese, who’s out of prison and still maintaining her innocence as she watches Cicero, talks to old political friends and blogs on the goings-on.

Here’s her explanation, via email:

“I believe the system of expanded services, perks and employment rewards isn’t a government function but a government-funded voter bribery system designed to keep 10 percent of the population under control.

“Cicero has about 90,000 residents, but with low voter turnout it only takes about 6,000 votes to win, which is generally 3,000 families.

“Between the town, high school, college, park district and grammar school there are approximately 2,000 jobs and tens of millions in government contracts.

The bribery that was found in Cicero has now spread to national elections.

Trump, hoping to salvage midterms, makes a dubious pledge to give every US adult $5,000 if GOP wins

President Donald Trump may have opened himself up to a “legitimate” legal issue Wednesday night after promising Americans $5,000 dividend checks, a number of experts warned.

Speaking at the RNC midterm convention in Dallas, Texas, Trump pledged to award Americans with $5,000 if Republicans end up performing well in the midterms and maintain their congressional majority. And, while he’s promised Americans cash in the past — none of which ever materialized — Trump’s explicit promise to award Americans for electing Republicans, some critics said, may run afoul of federal law.

The primary legal threat is 18 U.S.C. § 600, which criminalizes promising government benefits made possible by Congress as a reward for supporting a political party,” wrote Thomas Logan, a U.S.-Asia relations specialist and strategist, in a social media post on X.

“Tying the money to GOP control fits § 600 far more closely than a standard tax-cut pledge. Vote-buying statutes like 18 U.S.C. § 597 and 52 U.S.C. § 10307(c) also apply. While defenders would argue this is a policy platform rather than a bribe, the explicit transaction creates real legal risk.”

Political writer Mona Burns called Trump’s promise an outright “bribe,” noting that violation of 18 U.S. Code § 597 is “punishable by fine or imprisonment of not more than one year,” and political scientist Danny Krikorian argued that the president’s pledge opened a “legitimate” legal question.

President Donald Trump pledged Wednesday to send every American adult $5,000 if Republicans retain control of the House and Senate in the midterm elections, an extraordinary gambit to reverse his party's sagging fortunes in November.

The dubious promise would most likely cost more than $1 trillion and require congressional approval, and would further exacerbate the country’s nearly $1.8 trillion annual budget deficit and concerns about inflation.

“Trump explicitly tied a massive cash benefit to Republican electoral victory. That creates a legitimate §600 question,” Krikorian wrote Thursday in a social media post on X.

“Trump’s wording pushes unusually close to the conceptual boundary of vote buying. Current Supreme Court precedent makes a criminal vote-buying case difficult but not impossible. The legal line becomes much clearer if payment is conditioned on voting Republican, voting at all, proving how someone voted, or otherwise providing partisan support.”

https://www.bettergov.org/2013/10/27/cicero-capones-long-gone-but-not-corruption/

The $5000 payment is not the first time that Trump has promised to send money to voters. None of those promises, naturally, have not been kept – and nether will this one.

Unlike Chicago, the United States IS ready for reform, but it won’t happen until after the midterms.

As it stands now, though, Trump is the MOST corrupt president our country has ever had.

https://history.howstuffworks.com/historical-figures/most-corrupt-presidents.htm

Some ethics watchdogs describe the Trump presidency as one of the most corrupt presidencies in American history. Analysts frequently point to thousands of documented conflicts of interest connected to Trump businesses while he held the White House.

During his time in office, Donald Trump continued to benefit financially from outside income tied to the Trump Organization. Estimates suggest more than $1.6 billion in revenue flowed through those business interests during the years of the administration.

Critics argued these relationships raised potential concerns about the Constitution's emoluments clause and whether foreign governments or special interests could influence policy. The administration was also marked by nepotism and unusually close ties between public office and private business.

As of 2026, Trump is the only U.S. president ever criminally indicted, facing dozens of felony charges tied to activities during and between his presidential terms. Many scholars place the Trump administration alongside other historically notorious cases of presidential corruption.

Although it is unlikely that the Republicans will win in the midterms, none of us are going to get $5000 checks – and that is a good thing.

The Mormons

2026-09-05T09:11:09.554-07:00

Shortly after we moved to Farmington, we found out where the library was.

Since both of us are avid readers, having a library within 5 miles of our home was a requirement.

On the way back from the library one day, we drove past a beautiful church, but did not notice any signs out front telling us what it was.

Less than two weeks later, we got the answer when a couple of young ladies came to our front door. As is turned out, they were Mormons, and they told us that the building we had passed was the local Mormon temple.

Like most people, we do not know much about the Mormon religion, but it IS a popular religion in New Mexico.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has approximately 68,700 members across 137 congregations in New Mexico.

1830 (April 6): The church was officially established organized in Fayette, New York by Joseph Smith.

History and Demographics

Early Presence: The Mormon Battalion passed through Santa Fe and Wagon Mound in 1846 during the Mexican-American War, and permanent roots grew in the region starting in the 1860s and 1895.
Refugees: Many local settlements absorbed Latter-day Saint refugees fleeing the Mexican Revolution in 1912.
Population Share: Members make up roughly 3.3% of the state's recorded church membership populace, ranking as the third-largest denomination in New Mexico. Most users on Reddit agree that while areas near Kirtland and Farmington have a noticeable presence, it is far less dominant than in neighboring Utah.

Although the Mormons have been in New Mexico for over 100 years, the first Mormon temple was not built until March 5, 2020, and it was built in Albuquerque.

The second temple was built in Farmington.

The Farmington temple was dedicated on August 17, 2025, so it is a very recent addition to the town. It serves the Four Corners region, which includes parts of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and the Navajo Nation.

https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/farmington-new-mexico-temple/

Throughout America, there are 208 temples in operation.

Approximately 106,000 to 108,000 Navajo people live in New Mexico, making it the state with the second-largest Navajo population after Arizona.

Population Details

Total in New Mexico: About 108,300 individuals, according to census data and tribal estimates.
Proportion: Roughly one-third of the total Navajo population resides in New Mexico.
The Reservation: A large portion of these residents live in the eastern section of the Navajo Nation reservation, which extends across northwestern New Mexico, northeastern Arizona, and southeastern Utah

I am a firm believer in the value of living in a country that has a diversity of religion and cultures, so the Republican anxiety about DEI is absolute hogwash.

After we moved to Evanston, Illinois, I discovered that the town had nearly 100 churches, so I decide to visit as many of them as I could.

I made it to roughly 65 before I finally ran out of steam.

Every Thanksgiving, the town has a celebration that brings together people from a variety of faiths, and I attended one of those meetings the last year that we lived in Evanston.

https://tohell-andback.blogspot.com/2010/11/thanksgiving-with-enemy.html

Thera are far too many people in America who believe that America is a Christian country.

It’s not.

If you are an educated individual, you also are aware of the dangers of Christian nationalism:

https://tohell-andback.blogspot.com/2022/08/christian-nationalism.html

Further, there is no such thing as the one true religion

https://tohell-andback.blogspot.com/2024/03/the-one-true-religion.html

We attended a church service in Minnesota a few years back to celebrate a family event.

Rather than talking about the value of marriage, the priest went into a diatribe that said that if you did not believe the things he believed in, you were wrong.

After listening to that nonsense for nearly an hour, my wife and I vowed to never set foot in a Catholic church again - and we haven’t.

Some of my friends in China were Muslims, and I worked with people in Evanston who also followed the faith.

I am one of the few people you may know that has actually read the Koran, and I have two copies on one of our bookshelves.

https://tohell-andback.blogspot.com/2009/06/book-of-signs.html

I also wrote a book report about the manuscript, book, which turned into an article that was more than 4000 words long.

https://tohell-andback.blogspot.com/2021/08/what-vietnam-can-teach-us-about-koran.html

After he retired, my cousin Jim and his wife attended mass every single day, which is exactly what his father had done. Today, we also know other people who do the same thing.

We also have friends and relatives who are atheists - and we also know some folks who are homosexuals.

Those differences in religion and sexuality do not bother me at all.

If you want to start an argument with somebody, all you have to do is to bring up religion or politics.

The best thing you can do is to try to respect everyone’s opinion, because no one’s opinion is ever wrong.

It is simply their opinion – so don’t waste time trying to convince them of the errors of their way.

Although Sharon and I COULD actually attend a service at the local Mormon temple, we are not likely to do so.

For now, it is enough for me to know that Farmington has a variety of places that people can attend to satisfy their religious needs – and that is enough for me.

something to chew on

2026-08-27T13:25:43.448-07:00

It’s no secret that food prices have gone up in the last year, and it also is no secret WHY they went up.

Here is a quick summary:

Overall food prices in the United States are up about 3.8% in mid-2026 compared to last year, driven by rising transportation costs, weather impacts, and tight beef supplies.

Price Trends

Groceries (Food-at-Home): Up roughly 2.9% to 3.0% over the past year.
Restaurants (Food-Away-from-Home): Up about 3.4% to 3.6% compared to last year, continuing to outpace grocery inflation.
Overall Forecast: Overall, full-year food price inflation will be around 3% to 3.4%.

Hardest-Hit Items

Beef and Veal: Prices remain high due to historic lows in U.S. cattle herds combined with strong demand.
Sugar and Sweets: Projected to see some of the highest increases at over 6%.
Beverages: Non-alcoholic drinks and coffee face steeper price tags due to global weather challenges and supply pressures.
Produce: Specific fruits and vegetables are seeing localized jumps tied to weather extremes and transit costs.
One source projects full-year food price inflation to land around 3% to 3.4%.

Driving Factors

Fuel and Energy: Spikes in regional fuel costs have made shipping and logistics more expensive.

Weather & Climate: Droughts, shifting weather patterns, and crop issues globally affect harvests.

Labor Costs: Higher wages and ongoing labor shortages in farming and processing add to retail costs.

The national average for regular gasoline sits at $4.09 per gallon, up significantly from the start of the year due to geopolitical tensions and disruptions.

Key Price Changes in 2026

Spring Peak: Prices surged in the spring, peaking at $4.56 per gallon on May 21 following conflicts in the Middle East and tightening crude oil supplies.
Summer Trend: After a brief dip in early summer, prices rebounded and stayed above $4.00 per gallon through August for the first time on record.
Overall Increase: Prices remain up roughly 35% to 45% compared to the start of the year, driven by crude oil holding in the $80 to $90 per barrel range.

Labor shortages were caused by stricter enforcement of laws by the Department of Homeland Security.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is currently averaging about 2,000 arrests per day.

Current Arrest Numbers

Daily Average: Federal immigration officials recently doubled their pace to hit a target of roughly 2,000 arrests per day.
Recent Totals: Reports show that ICE detained more than 10,000 people over a single five-day period.
July Trends: Before this latest surge, ICE averaged over 1,580 daily arrests in July, which included a high rate of individuals without criminal records.
Recent Operations:

Operation Safe Community: A recent two-week sweep in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., led by the Department of Homeland Security resulted in 1,328 arrests.

Criminal vs. Non-Criminal: DHS reported that nearly 400 of the individuals arrested in the D.C. regional sweep had prior criminal charges or convictions. However, national data indicates that a large portion of overall detainees across the country do not have a criminal record.

Enforcement Goals

 White House Targets: The administration established a daily arrest target floor of 1,800 to 2,000 enforcement actions.

 Independent Operations: ICE is largely conducting these operations independently with increased street personnel rather than relying heavily on joint task

Like our parents, both my sister and I do not dine out a lot, preferring home cooked meals because they are healthier and cheaper. Like our kids, Sharon and I use coupons whenever we can, and we are not averse to buying at least some of our groceries at Walmart.

Over the course of the first 7 months of the year, we averaged slightly more than $600 a month on groceries, which seems like a lot just for 2 people.

Our household income, even with a retired wife, is high enough that we can afford to pay that amount of money for food – but there are a LOT of people who can’t, so they need to rely on public assistance for their food.

https://www.cbpp.org/research/food-assistance/a-closer-look-at-who-benefits-from-snap-state-by-state-fact-sheets#Arizona

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps) is the nation’s most important anti-hunger program, reaching some 41 million people nationwide in 2024. These fact sheets provide state-by-state data on who participates in the SNAP program, the benefits they receive, and SNAP’s role in strengthening the economy.

The link shown above shows how the benefits vary by state.

Here are the facts for Arizona:

Whom Does SNAP Reach?

In federal fiscal year 2024, it helped:

923,400 Arizona residents, or 12% of the state population (1 in 8)
41,697,500 participants in the United States, or 12% of the total population (1 in 8)

Arizona

more than 68% of SNAP participants are in families with children

almost 29% are in families with members who are older adults or are disabled

more than 40% are in working families

Nationally

more than 62% of SNAP participants are in families with children

more than 37% are in families with members who are older adults or are disabled

more than 38% are in working families

Source: CBPP analysis of data from USDA Food and Nutrition Service

Most SNAP Participants in Arizona Have Incomes Below the Poverty Line

Share of participants by household income, fiscal year 2022

Source: CBPP analysis of data from USDA Food and Nutrition Service.

Many Arizona households struggle to put food on the table. The most recent data show in 2023:

11.8% of households were “food insecure,” meaning that their access to adequate food is limited by a lack of money and other resources

The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that in a weak economy, $1 in SNAP benefits generates $1.50 in economic activity. Households receive SNAP benefits on electronic benefit transfer cards, which can be used only to purchase food at one of about 261,400 authorized retail locations around the country, including some 4,600 in Arizona.

Notes: In addition to SNAP, in FY 2024 an average of about 5,000 individuals in Arizona received benefits through the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), which is a federal program that provides commodity foods to low-income households, including the elderly, living on Indian reservations, and to Native American families residing in designated areas near reservations and in the State of Oklahoma.

If my wife and I were eligible for SNAP benefits, we would receive a monthly benefit of $376, roughly half what we currently spend. The benefits for each of us would be slightly less than $6 day, which would be enough to buy a Big Mac, if your skipped the fries and a drink.

Unlike tax cuts. SNAP benefits provide the biggest “bang for the bucket”, which I detailed in the article below:

https://tohell-andback.blogspot.com/2013/05/food-for-thought.html

Although today’s Republic party has not been generous with benefits, the program actually started during the Nixon administration.

The Nixon administration also passed the Clean Air Act of 1970, the Clean Water Act of 1970, established the Environmental Protection Agency, and passed OSHA. From 1970 to 1975, spending on human resource programs exceeded spending for defense for the first time since the Second World War.

Sadly, the people who rely on SNAP benefits are going to see their lived get much harder, largely due to the actions of the people in Congress.

In July of 2025, congress passed The One Big Beautiful Bill act, which is definitely a misnomer, since there is anything beautiful about it.

Like all laws the are good parts, bad parts, and ugly parts, and the link listed blow goes into detail on all of those:

https://taxfoundation.org/blog/one-big-beautiful-bill-pros-cons/

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) cuts federal funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by $186 billion to $187 billion over 10 years. This represents an approximate 20% decrease in total funding, making it the largest reduction in the history of the program. [1, 2]

Data from organizations like the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) shows that between the bill's passage in July 2025 and mid-2026, SNAP participation fell nationwide by about 12%, resulting in around 5 million people losing their benefits.

The primary policy mechanisms causing these reductions include:

Expanded Work Requirements: The age limit for able-bodied adults without dependents required to work at least 80 hours per month to keep benefits was raised from 54 to 64 years old. Stricter 20-hour-per-week work rules were also introduced for parents whose youngest dependent child is 14 or older.
Reduced Benefit Sizes: Individual benefit adequacy is reduced by restrictions placed on future cost adjustments to the Thrifty Food Plan (the model used to calculate SNAP allotments). The average recipient is projected to lose about $286 per year by 2034 relative to rising food costs.
Cost Shifting to States: The law requires states to assume a higher share of administrative costs (increasing from 50% to 75%) and forces states to pay up to 15% of direct benefit costs based on their administrative "payment error rates," leading many states to tighten local eligibility rules.
Exemption Eliminations: Automatic work-requirement exemptions were removed for veterans, unhoused individuals, and youth aging out of foster care.

Congress passed the largely along party lines in early July 2025.

Senate Vote

Date: July 1, 2025
Vote: 51–50
Details: Vice President J.D. Vance cast the tie-breaking vote. Three Republicans voted against the bill alongside the unified Democratic caucus.

House Vote

Date: July 3, 2025
Vote: 218–214
Details: The House recorded the final passage. Two Republicans (Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania) voted with all voting Democrats against the measure.

President Donald Trump signed the reconciliation package into law on July 4, 2025.

Due to the fact that many of the provisions in the bill are unpopular, some of the changes to not become effective until January of 2027, which conveniently is AFTER the 2026 midterms.

If the “adults in the room” regains control of congress in November, a good first step would be to repeal the One big Beautiful Bill, in large part because it will greatly increase the national debt.

The national debt of the United States is the total amount of money borrowed by the federal government over time to cover budget shortfalls, which recently surpassed $40 trillion.

Key Facts

Total Amount: Gross U.S. debt officially topped $40 trillion in August 2026 according to reports.
Per Person Share: This total equals roughly $116,800 for every individual living in the U.S.
Causes: The government spends more money on public programs and services than it collects in taxes, creating a yearly deficit. Borrowing to pay for these shortfalls drives up the total debt.
Types of Debt: It includes debt held by the public (investors, foreign governments, the Federal Reserve) and intragovernmental debt (money owed to federal accounts like trust funds).
Interest Costs: Servicing the interest on this accumulated debt now costs over a trillion dollars annually.

The other reason why it is necessary to repeal the OBBB is “the elephant in the room”, which is the war in Iran.

https://www.americanprogress.org/article/fact-sheet-costs-of-the-trump-administrations-war-in-iran/

Defense costs

· According to the Department of Defense (DOD), 14 American service members have been killed and at least another 414 were wounded in the war as of July 14.

· The DOD has neither provided adequate estimates of the costs of operations to date nor has provided enough clarity and detail around the nature of operations to allow for precise independent accounting. Nevertheless, reliable, independent estimates from the Center for Strategic and International Studies place the total costs at between $34 billion and $42 billion as of June 23, accounting for the costs of personnel deployments, munitions, equipment loss and damage, fuel, security, and other costs. Other estimates, which assume a broader range of costs and higher burn rate for munitions, suggest the cost of Operation Epic Fury could have reached more than $100 billion by late June.

· None of this necessitates immediate supplemental funding. The best course of action for Congress is to provide additional general transfer authority for the current fiscal year and to ensure the DOD budget for the coming year reflects actual needs.

o The DOD has already requested $114 billion in its FY 2027 appropriations request to replenish critical, high-demand munitions stockpiles—nearly five times the enacted funds for these munitions for FY 2026—as well as an additional $60 billion for other munitions development and procurement.

o Congress should work with the DOD to ensure that the FY 2027 budget includes appropriate funding for the necessary magazine depth rather than seek to provide any additional funding through supplemental assistance.

Domestic economic costs

· Prices for fuel remain higher than before the Trump administration’s attacks on Iran. As of July 14, Americans had paid more than $68 billion in extra costs for gas and diesel since the Iran war began, according to the Brown University Iran War Energy Cost Tracker. That amounts to more than $500 per household in higher costs.

· Gas and diesel prices are about 30 percent higher than before the war. The national average price for regular gasoline was $3.86 per gallon as of July 14, compared with $2.98 on February 27, according to AAA.

o As of July 14, nine states (Alaska, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Washington) and Washington, D.C., had regular gas prices above $4 per gallon. The states with the highest percentage increases (40 percent or more) relative to prices before the war were Montana, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.

Our country is facing numerous challenges right now, and there is little than any of us can do to fix those problems – exempt for one VERY important tool, and that is to VOTE

The first amendment

2026-08-18T10:22:01.609-07:00

The First Amendment (Amendment I) to the United States Constitution prevents Congress from making laws respecting an establishment of religion; prohibiting the free exercise of religion; or abridging the freedom of speech, the freedom of the press, the freedom of peaceable assembly and the right to petition the government for redress of grievances.

It was adopted on December 15, 1791, as one of the ten amendments that constitute the Bill of Rights. In the original draft of the Bill of Rights, what is now the First Amendment occupied third place. The first two articles were not ratified by the states, so the article on disestablishment and free speech ended up being first.

The first amendment is under attack right now – and the attacks need to be stopped because they are unconstitutional.

The article below was in the New York Times this morning:

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/18/business/media/abc-fcc-lawsuit-broadcast-licenses.html

ABC on Tuesday sued the Federal Communications Commission, accusing the agency of infringing on its First Amendment rights. It asked a federal court to stop the F.C.C. from pursuing aggressive regulatory moves that the network said posed an “existential threat” to its operations.

The lawsuit was unusual, a rare example of a major media organization suing the Trump administration over its unrelenting campaign to punish the national press through regulation and lawsuits.

The suit, filed in federal court in Washington, is meant to halt a series of F.C.C. moves that placed the network’s ability to operate in doubt. In the most extreme case, the agency was threatening to strip several ABC stations of their broadcast licenses, which would force them off the air.

ABC owns and operates eight local stations that carry its programming across the country, including in major markets like New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. Like all local stations, they can only operate with licenses controlled by the F.C.C.

The F.C.C., led by its chairman, Brendan Carr, called for an unusual, early review of the broadcast licenses last spring, citing ABC’s internal diversity and inclusion practices. None of the ABC licenses, which have terms of eight years, were up for renewal yet. Mr. Carr’s decision came after the ABC late-night host, Jimmy Kimmel, angered President Trump with a monologue joke.

The F.C.C. did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

We are now living in a fascist society. In case you doubt that, consider “the 14 characteristics of a fascist society:

chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://osbcontent.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/PC-00466.pdf

1. Powerful and Continuing Nationalism Fascist regimes tend to make constant use of patriotic mottos, slogans, symbols, songs, and other paraphernalia. Flags are seen everywhere, as are flag symbols on clothing and in public displays. Make America Great Again

2. Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights Because of fear of enemies and the need for security, the people in fascist regimes are persuaded that human rights can be ignored in certain cases because of "need." The people tend to look the other way or even approve of torture, summary executions, assassinations, long incarcerations of prisoners, etc. ICE raids

3. Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause The people are rallied into a unifying patriotic frenzy over the need to eliminate a perceived common threat or foe: racial, ethnic or religious minorities; liberals; communists; socialists, terrorists, etc. Muslim bans

4. Supremacy of the Military Even when there are widespread domestic problems, the military is given a disproportionate amount of government funding, and the domestic agenda is neglected. Soldiers and military service are glamorized. Next year’s budget for our military is $1.5 trillion – and testosterone levels may be checked

5. Rampant Sexism The governments of fascist nations tend to be almost exclusively male-dominated. Under fascist regimes, traditional gender roles are made more rigid. Opposition to abortion is high, as is homophobia and anti-gay legislation and national policy. Epstein files

6. Controlled Mass Media Sometimes to media is directly controlled by the government, but in other cases, the media is indirectly controlled by government regulation, or sympathetic media spokespeople and executives. Censorship, especially in war time, is very common. ABC’s license is being threatened

7. Obsession with National Security Fear is used as a motivational tool by the government over the masses. “If we don’t fight like hell, we won’t have a country anymore”

8. Religion and Government are Intertwined Governments in fascist nations tend to use the most common religion in the nation as a tool to manipulate public opinion. Religious rhetoric and terminology is common from government leaders, even when the major tenets of the religion are diametrically opposed to the government's policies or actions. Christian Nationalism

9. Corporate Power is Protected The industrial and business aristocracy of a fascist nation often are the ones who put the government leaders into power, creating a mutually beneficial business/government relationship and power elite. Trump’s cabinet

10. Labor Power is Suppressed Because the organizing power of labor is the only real threat to a fascist government, labor unions are either eliminated entirely, or are severely suppressed. Trump is the biggest union buster in history. https://www.epi.org/blog/trump-is-the-biggest-union-buster-in-u-s-history-more-than-1-million-federal-workers-collective-bargaining-rights-are-at-risk/

11. Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts Fascist nations tend to promote and tolerate open hostility to higher education, and academia. It is not uncommon for professors and other academics to be censored or even arrested. Free expression in the arts is openly attacked, and governments often refuse to fund the arts. Trump has sued Harvard and other universities

12. Obsession with Crime and Punishment Under fascist regimes, the police are given almost limitless power to enforce laws. The people are often willing to overlook police abuses and even forego civil liberties in the name of patriotism. There is often a national police force with virtually unlimited power in fascist nations. ICE raids

13. Rampant Cronyism and Corruption Fascist regimes almost always are governed by groups of friends and associates who appoint each other to government positions and use governmental power and authority to protect their friends from accountability. It is not uncommon in fascist regimes for national resources and even treasures to be appropriated or even outright stolen by government leaders. Trump’s cabinet

14. Fraudulent Elections Sometimes elections in fascist nations are a complete sham. Other times elections are manipulated by smear campaigns against or even assassination of opposition candidates, use of legislation to control voting numbers or political district boundaries, and manipulation of the media. Fascist nations also typically “The 2020 election was rigged”

Throughout our country’s history, brave journalists have protected us from harm.

Both Walter Cronkite and Edward R. Morrow worked for CBS.

For a number of years, Cronkite was the most trusted man in America, and was one of the first people to give us the facts about the war in Vietnam.

Morrow’s 1954 broadcast put an end to McCarthyism.

Sadly, CBS is no longer the beacon of truth that it once was.

CBS' new corporate owner has taken a series of concrete steps to address the concerns of the news division's sharpest critics — particularly President Trump and his allies.

In recent days, the network selected a new ombudsman for CBS News with strong conservative credentials. It promised to run full, unedited interviews on a key public affairs show after receiving blowback from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. And it's in talks to bring on a top news executive who believes the mainstream press is reflexively biased. Her name is Bari Weiss.

All of these decisions have come from top officials at Paramount under the new ownership of Skydance Media. And they represent a grand accommodation to Trump by CBS, known for its rich legacy of journalistic touchstones spanning back to the dawn of television news, including Edward R. Murrow, Walter Cronkite and 60 Minutes.

Up until recently, a guy named Stephen Colbewrt worked for CBS

On July 17, 2025, CBS announced that it would end The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and retire The Late Show franchise altogether in May 2026 after 33 years. The network, noting that the show has been No. 1 in late night for nine straight seasons, said: "Our admiration, affection, and respect for the talents of Stephen Colbert and his incredible team made this agonizing decision even more difficult. With much gratitude, we look forward to honoring Stephen and celebrating the show over the next 10 months alongside its millions of fans and viewers."

The show's cancellation, stated to be due to high production costs and declining advertising revenue, had been subject to speculation that it was tied to a settlement agreement reached two weeks earlier between Donald Trump and network parent Paramount Global in the former's lawsuit against CBS—filed in December 2024—alleging deceptive editing of a 60 Minutes broadcast featuring then-Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, which occurred as the company sought FCC approval (regarding the transfer of its broadcast station licenses) for its merger with Skydance Media (which was completed on August 7, when the merged company was reincorporated as Paramount Skydance) Fellow talk show host Kimmel defended Colbert, calling Paramount's cited reasons "nonsensical", while Trump cheered it and said he "absolutely loves" that CBS canceled Colbert's show. On May 23, 2026, Trump posted an AI generated video on Truth Social depicting him throwing Colbert into a dumpster.^[Letterman said about the stated financial rather than political reason for the cancellation "I'm just going to go on record as saying: They're lying ... They're lying weasels.

Brave journalists in this country still exist, as evidenced by Trump’s interview with NBC’s Kristin Welker in June of 2026:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-abruptly-ends-interview-nbc-news-kristen-welker-election-fraud/

President Trump walked out of an interview with NBC News in Wisconsin after he was challenged on his claims of election fraud and struggled to provide evidence for those claims.

In an interview with NBC News' Kristen Welker that was taped Friday and aired Sunday, Welker pressed the president for evidence on his claims of election fraud in the 2020 election and claims that election fraud is currently happening in the California primaries. California, which allows for last-minute mail-in ballots, is taking days to finish counting ballots in close primary contests. California's gubernatorial primary and Los Angeles mayoral race are still undecided nearly a week later. State officials say it's common to take days and even weeks to count the millions of mail-in ballots due to California laws and processes.

The president, however, claimed it's taking California days to count the ballots "because they're cheating on the election," and Welker asked, "Do you have evidence to support that?" The president retorted, "All I have to do is look," without citing support for his claims, aside from the length of time. "But that's not evidence," Welker responded.

After the president accused Welker of being "crooked or stupid," he insisted that there's "more evidence than ever presented" that the 2020 election was rigged. When Welker pointed out that the president and his allies went to court to litigate those election claims — and only prevailed in one minor case out of 62 cases total — the president again called Welker and NBC "crooked," adding that he thinks the same thing about ABC, CBS and CNN.

"You're a one-sided crooked network," Mr. Trump said. "Sorry. Let's call it quits because I've had enough. Thank you, darling. Have a good time."

After another moment of exchanges in which Welker urged him to stay, the president walked off camera.

The California election system is famously slow, and experts have warned it could take days or weeks to finish counting votes. Experts and California Gov. Gavin Newsom knew the vote counting would be slow even before it began. Last month, Newsom sent an open letter to county election officials, urging them to speed up the counting process to fight off unsubstantiated conspiracy theories about election security.

None of us can predict the final outcome of the lawsuit filed by ABC against the FCC, but we all know how it SHOULD turn out.

Edward R. Morrow would agree.

that's about the size of it

2026-08-14T10:36:15.489-07:00

The White House is owned by the federal government of the United States and belongs to the American people. The sitting president does not own the property, but acts only as a temporary resident and steward,

The White House is 168 feet long, 152 feet wide, and 70 feet tall on the South side. In total, it covers 55,000 square feet across 6 floors. There are 132 rooms, 35 bathrooms, and 3 kitchens.

The East Wing of the White House was originally built in 1902, and expanded in 1942, when an underground bunker was added. Since WWII was being fought, it was necessary to add The Presidential Emergency Center Operations Center to provide additional security.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Wing#:~:text=The%20East%20Wing%20was%20a,1942%2C%20and%20demolished%20in%202025.

In July 2025, the White House released renderings of the planned White House State Ballroom. Initially, the venue was expected to be able to host up to 650 people for events, but that capacity was later revised to 999 people. Clark Construction was awarded the $200 million contract, with work planned to begin in September 2025.

In case you are wondering, Clark Construction was founded in 1906, and is one of the largest building and infrastructure companies in the United States.

About Us | Clark Construction

On July 31, President Donald Trump had said the new ballroom "won't interfere with the current building", wouldn't be "touching it", and would pay "total respect to the existing building, which I'm the biggest fan of." A year later (2026), at a press conference, he said the White House had been "a shit house" in disrepair but, due to his improvements, was "tippy top now.

(Regardless of what happens to the ballroom, it will pale in comparison to what happened when Truman was in office.

https://tohell-andback.blogspot.com/2026/05/bulldozers-at-white-house.html

The demolition of the East Wing began on October 20, without review by the National Capital Planning Commission, which oversees federal construction. On October 21, with unannounced demolition already underway, the National Trust for Historic Preservation objected that a 90,000-square-foot (8,400 m²) ballroom would "overwhelm" the 55,000-square-foot (5,100 m²) White House and "permanently disrupt the carefully balanced classical design of the White House with its two smaller, and lower, East and West Wings."

The White House curator and her staff removed, catalogued, and stored the East Wing's art and furnishings and worked with the White House Historical Association to document the demolition and to use 3D scanning technology to capture the East Wing in detail prior to the demolition

On October 22, a White House official told NBC that the "entirety" of the East Wing would eventually be "modernized and rebuilt". The official claimed that the construction plan had never been firm: "The scope and the size of the ballroom project have always been expected to vary as the process develops."

Later that same day, Trump told reporters during an Oval Office event, "We determined that after really a tremendous amount of study with some of the best architects in the world, we determined that really knocking it down, trying to use a little section, you know, the East Wing was not much. It was not much left from the original". "In order to do it properly, we had to take down the existing structure."

The next day, on October 23, photos from the Associated Press showed that the entire East Wing, including the East Colonnade and the White House Family Theater, had been demolished.

https://apnews.com/article/trump-ballroom-court-ruling-1528247275ec6103da892d271d4ee883

On August 7, a divided federal appeals court ruled Friday that President Donald Trump’s administration must stop construction of the $400 million White House ballroom because Congress has not approved the project, a decision he blasted as “unjust” while vowing to appeal it to the nation’s highest court.

Trump doesn’t have the unilateral authority to build a 90,000-square-foot (8,400-square-meter) ballroom where the White House’s East Wing stood before he ordered its demolition last fall, according to the decision by a three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

The Republican president said on social media that the administration will immediately appeal what he called an “unjust decision” to the U.S. Supreme Court.

On August 14, the Trump administration is asking the Supreme Court to allow construction of President Donald Trump's White House ballroom to continue after a lower court put it on pause.

The administration on Friday asked the high court for an emergency stay of the injunction, which would halt substantial portions of the above-ground construction of the White House East Wing and ballroom while litigation plays out over its legality.

The injunction is set to take effect on Aug. 21 unless the Supreme Court acts.

The district court order would still allow below-ground construction or any other measures necessary to protect national security and the president's safety.

Solicitor General John Sauer called the injunction "extraordinary and unlawful," arguing that it would put the security of the president and his family at risk and override the advice of the nation's top military, intelligence and law enforcement officials.

If you’ve been paying attention, you may remember that FDR had an underground bunker built in 1942, so additional security should not be needed.

In the addition, the events of 9/11 prove that the last place the president should be is at the White House, which would be a tempting target for adversaries.

Although the Supreme Court has made a lot of bad decisions in recent years, we can only hope that the court will tell Trump to permanently stop his latest ego project.

The tallest structure on Washington D.C. is the Washington monument, which is 555 feet tall. The Heights of Buildings Act of 1910 limits typical D.C. commercial buildings to a maximum of 130 feet (plus exceptions for wide streets) to keep the skyline low. Building a 250-foot arch would be a clear violation of the intent of that act.

Remember that $200 million budget for Trump’s ballroom?

The latest estimate has now risen to nearly $900 million dollars.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2026/08/12/trump-administration-set-spend-least-900-million-white-house-construction/

None of us know how the Supreme court will rule on Trump’s ballroom.

Even if the monstrosity gets approved, it is critical that it cannot be larger than 55,000 square feet, since that would make it larger than “the people’s house” – and that would not be a good thing.

a book worth reading

2026-08-07T07:10:18.251-07:00

In 2024, Dr. Anthony Fauci released a book titled, “On call: A Doctor’s Journey in Public Service”. I read it shortly after it came out, and found it to be very inspirational.

Here are some reviews of the book:

“The memoir by the doctor who became a beacon of hope for millions through the COVID pandemic, and whose six-decade career in high-level public service put him in the room with seven presidents”

“An eventful autobiography [and] a classic American story…Gripping.”—The Washington Post

“One of the most consequential and most prominent [careers] in American medicine in the past fifty years.”—Jerome Groopman, The New Yorker

Dr. Fauci has had an impressive career, which is detailed in the Wikipedia article about him:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Fauci

Anthony Stephen Fauci^[a] (born December 24, 1940) is an American physician-scientist and immunologist who served as the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) from 1984 to 2022 and as Chief Medical Advisor to the President from 2021 to 2022. He was one of the world's most frequently cited scientists across all scientific journals from 1983 to 2002.^[6]^[7]

Fauci graduated from the College of the Holy Cross, where he studied classics, and earned his Doctor of Medicine from Cornell University. As a physician with the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Fauci served in the American public health sector for more than fifty years and has acted as an advisor to every U.S. president since Ronald Reagan.^[8] During his time as director of the NIAID, he made contributions to HIV/AIDS research and other immunodeficiency diseases, both as a research scientist and as the head of the NIAID.^[6] In 2008, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his work on PEPFAR, an AIDS relief program, by President George W. Bush.^[9]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Fauci served under President Donald Trump as one of the lead members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force. His advice was frequently contradicted by Trump, and Trump's supporters alleged that Fauci was trying to politically undermine Trump's run for re-election in 2020. As part of the Biden administration, Fauci served as one of the lead members of the White House COVID-19 Response Team and as Biden's chief medical advisor, during which time his advice was generally supported.^[10][11] On Biden's last day in office, Fauci was issued a preemptive pardon covering potential federal offenses between January 1, 2014, and January 19, 2025.

As you are aware, Dr. Fauci has been in the news again this week:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2026/08/06/anthony-fauci-is-not-contempt/

The headline in today’s Washington Post tells us why:

The contempt vote against Fauci was a stunt

A Senate committee voted Thursday along party lines to approve a resolution holding Fauci in contempt of Congress for invoking his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination 111 times. It would be an abuse of prosecutorial power if the Trump administration were to use this stunt to pursue criminal charges against the 85-year-old.

Fauci explained that he would not cooperate with the committee because its chair, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky), had an “obvious obsession” with trying to engineer his prosecution.

Paul has argued that Fauci’s refusal to testify amounted to an obstruction of Congress’s investigative authorities. “A subpoena with no consequence is not a subpoena,” Paul said on Thursday. “It’s a suggestion.”

But Fauci did comply with the subpoena. Unlike Peter Navarro and Stephen K. Bannon, who were convicted of contempt of Congress after refusing to appear before the House’s special committee to investigate the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol, Fauci endured hours of public humiliation from Republican lawmakers as he repeatedly claimed the Fifth.

The more complicated legal question is whether Fauci had a right to invoke that right after President Joe Biden granted him a preemptive pardon before leaving office. But that does not stop prosecution at the state level. Three Republican state attorneys general have opened a probe into him.

Given the repeated statements by Paul and other leading Republicans that Fauci deserves to be behind bars, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases had reasonable fears that anything he said would be used against him.

If you are of the opinion that Rand Paul’s committee was correct in issuing a subpoena against Fauci, consider this fact:

Donald Trump pleaded the Fifth Amendment on August 10, 2022, during a four-hour deposition for a civil fraud investigation led by New York Attorney General Letitia James. [1, 2, 3]

Deposition Details

Location: New York, New York (at the New York Attorney General Office).
Case: Civil investigation into the Trump Organization's business practices and asset valuations.
Frequency: Trump invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination more than 440 times during the questioning. [1, 2, 3, 4]

Background & Statements

Prior Stance: Trump had previously criticized others for using the constitutional protection, famously stating that "if you're innocent, you're not taking the 5th" and comparing it to the mob. [1, 2]
Explanation: In a statement released during the deposition, Trump explained his change in perspective, stating that he had no choice because his family, company, and people in his orbit were targeted in an "unfounded, politically motivated witch hunt". [1]

Watching political news can be exhausting, so here is my advice:

Turn off the television, and read a book, starting with Dr. Fauci’s.

You’ll have a better appreciation for the experts in our society who protect us from harm – even when they are long past retirement age.

NASA

2026-07-29T09:41:30.925-07:00

On this day in 1958, the U.S. Congress passed legislation establishing the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), a civilian agency responsible for coordinating America’s activities in space, on July 29, 1958.

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/july-29/nasa-created

NASA has since sponsored space expeditions, both human and mechanical, that have yielded vital information about the solar system and universe. It has also launched numerous earth-orbiting satellites that have been instrumental in everything from weather forecasting to navigation to global communications.

NASA was created in response to the Soviet Union’s October 4, 1957 launch of its first satellite, Sputnik I. The 183-pound, basketball-sized satellite orbited the earth in 98 minutes. The Sputnik launch caught Americans by surprise and sparked fears that the Soviets might also be capable of sending missiles with nuclear weapons from Europe to America. The United States prided itself on being at the forefront of technology, and, embarrassed, immediately began developing a response, signaling the start of the U.S.-Soviet space race.

On November 3, 1957, the Soviets launched Sputnik II, which carried a dog named Laika. In December, America attempted to launch a satellite of its own, called Vanguard, but it exploded shortly after takeoff. On January 31, 1958, things went better with Explorer I, the first U.S. satellite to successfully orbit the earth.

In July of that year, Congress passed legislation officially establishing NASA from the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics and other government agencies, and confirming the country’s commitment to winning the space race. In May 1961, President John F. Kennedy declared that America should put a man on the moon by the end of the decade. On July 20, 1969, NASA’s Apollo 11 mission achieved that goal and made history when astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first person to set foot on the moon, famously declaring “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."

WATCH: Footage from the 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing

NASA has continued to make great advances in space exploration since the first moonwalk, including playing a major part in the construction of the International Space Station. The agency has also suffered tragic setbacks, however, such as the disasters that killed the crews of the Challenger space shuttle in 1986 and the Columbia space shuttle in 2003.

Here are some surprising facts about NASA:

1) Vodka had a lot to do with the launching of SPUTNIK, and the link below provides the details:

https://tohell-andback.blogspot.com/2009/11/vodka-and-internet.html

2) Roughly 7% of the American public still believes that the moon landing was faked.

https://news.gallup.com/poll/3712/landing-man-moon-publics-view.aspx

3) The moon landing was made possible due to the efforts of three black women in the early 1960’s. One of them is Katherine Johnson – a fact that people like Stephen Miller will never accept.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katherine_Johnson

Creola Katherine Johnson (née Coleman, previously Goble; August 26, 1918 – February 24, 2020) was an American mathematician and human computer whose calculations of orbital mechanics as a NASA employee were critical to the success of the first and subsequent U.S. crewed spaceflights During her 33-year career at NASA and its predecessor, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, she earned a reputation for mastering complex manual calculations and helped pioneer the use of computers to perform tasks previously requiring humans. The space agency noted her "historical role as one of the first African-American women to work as a NASA scientist".

Johnson's work included calculating trajectories, launch windows, and emergency return paths for Project Mercury spaceflights, including those for astronauts Alan Shepard (the first American in space) and John Glenn (the first American in orbit), and rendezvous paths for the Apollo Lunar Module and command module on flights to the Moon. Her calculations were also essential to the beginning of the Space Shuttle program, and she worked on plans for a human mission to Mars.

In 2015 President Barack Obama awarded Johnson the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 2016, she received the Silver Snoopy Award from NASA astronaut Leland D. Melvin and a NASA Group Achievement Award. She was portrayed by Taraji P. Henson in the 2016 film Hidden Figures. In 2019, the United States Congress awarded Johnson the Congressional Gold Medal and NASA announced the establishment of the Katherine Johnson Independent Verification and Validation Facility in her home state of West Virginia In 2021, she was posthumously inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame

There are some events in our history that we will never forget.

When (and where) we were when we got married.

We all know exactly where we were when we heard that JFK had been shot.

We all know exactly where we were when Neil Armstrong took his first step on the moon.

To give you an idea who remarkable the moon landing was, consider these facts:

A modern iPhone is millions of times more powerful than the technology NASA used during the 1969 moon landing, possessing vastly superior processor speeds, RAM, and storage capacity.

Apollo 11 Guidance Computer (1969)

Processor Speed: Operated at roughly 0.043 MHz.
RAM / Memory: Had about 4 KB to 64 KB of total memory (with magnetic core RAM around 2 KB to 4 KB).
Storage: Limited read-only core memory equivalent to roughly 32 KB to 72 KB. [1,
Modern iPhone (Today)

Processor Speed: Runs well over 2,400 MHz (2.4+ GHz) across multiple cores, making it over 100,000 times faster in raw processing.
RAM / Memory: Features 6 GB to 8 GB+ of RAM—millions of times larger than the Apollo system.

Storage: Offers storage capacities up to 1 TB (1,000,000,000 KB), millions of times more capacity than the historic guidance hardware.

A word about tariffs

2026-07-26T06:44:21.634-07:00

I was an Economics major in college, so I know more about tariffs than a lot of people. You can learn a little more about tariffs by revisiting the Smoot-Hawley tariffs of the 1930’s, but the truth is that they simply do not work as intended.

Here is the short version of the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoot%E2%80%93Hawley_Tariff_Act

The Tariff Act of 1930, also known as the Smoot–Hawley Tariff Act, was a protectionist trade measure signed into law in the United States by President Herbert Hoover on June 17, 1930. Named after its chief congressional sponsors, Senator Reed Smoot and Representative Willis C. Hawley, the act raised tariffs on over 20,000 imported goods in an effort to shield American industries from foreign competition during the onset of the Great Depression, which had started in October 1929.

Hoover signed the bill against the advice of many senior economists, yielding to pressure from his party and business leaders. Intended to bolster domestic employment and manufacturing, the tariffs instead deepened the Depression because the U.S.'s trading partners retaliated with tariffs of their own, leading to U.S. exports and global trade plummeting. Economists and historians widely regard the act as a policy misstep, and it remains a cautionary example of protectionist policy in modern economic debates. It was followed by more liberal trade agreements, such as the Reciprocal Trade Agreements Act of 1934.

Naturally, our trading partners retaliated, and their reaction made the Depression worse than it would have been otherwise.

Both Smoot and Hawley lost their re-election, and FDR got elected in 1932.

The 1932 Democratic campaign platform pledged to lower tariffs. After winning the election, President Franklin D. Roosevelt and the now-Democratic Congress passed the Reciprocal Trade Agreements Act of 1934. This act allowed the president to negotiate tariff reductions on a bilateral basis and treated such a tariff agreement as regular legislation, requiring only a majority, rather than as a treaty requiring a two-thirds vote. This was one of the core components of the global economy that developed after World War II.

After World War II, that understanding supported a push toward multilateral trading agreements that would prevent similar situations in the future. While the Bretton Woods Agreement of 1944 focused on foreign exchange and did not directly address tariffs, those involved wanted a similar framework for international trade. President Harry S. Truman launched this process in November 1945 with negotiations for the creation of a proposed International Trade Organization (ITO).

As it happened, separate negotiations on the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) moved more quickly, with an agreement signed in October 1947. In the end, the United States never signed the ITO agreement. Adding a multilateral "most-favored-nation" component to that of reciprocity, the GATT served as a framework for the gradual reduction of tariffs over the subsequent half century.

Postwar changes to the Smoot–Hawley tariffs reflected a general tendency of the United States to reduce its tariff levels unilaterally while its trading partners retained their high levels. The American Tariff League Study of 1951 compared the free and dutiable tariff rates of 43 countries. It found that only seven nations had a lower tariff level than the United States (5.1%), and eleven nations had free and dutiable tariff rates higher than the Smoot–Hawley peak of 19.8%, including the United Kingdom with 25.6%. The 43-country average was 14.4%, which was 0.9% higher than the U.S. level of 1929, demonstrating that few nations were reciprocating in reducing their levels, as the United States reduced its own

By now, you are aware of the fact that history often repeats itself.

In 1993, in discussion leading up to the passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), then-Vice President Al Gore mentioned the Smoot–Hawley Tariff as a response to NAFTA objections voiced by Ross Perot during a debate they had on The Larry King Show. He gave Perot a framed photograph of Smoot and Hawley shaking hands after passage of the act.

In April 2009, then-Representative Michele Bachmann made news when, during a speech, she referred incorrectly to the Smoot–Hawley Tariff as "the Hoot–Smalley Act", misattributed its signing to Franklin D. Roosevelt, and blamed him for the Great Depression. The act has been compared to the 2010 Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), with Andrew Quinlan from the Center for Freedom and Prosperity calling FATCA "the worst economic idea to come out of Congress since Smoot–Hawley".

As soon as he was sworn in to his second term of office, Trump imposed a series of tariffs, which were called “Liberation Day tariffs, and many of them were later ruled illegal by the Supreme court.

The link below goes into a LOT more detail.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tariffs_in_the_second_Trump_administration

In its annual forecast supplement for the global economy that was published in November 2024 ('Year Ahead' for 2025), The Economist observed that [in the wake of the Tariff Act] "... global trade fell by two-thirds. It was so catastrophic for growth in America and around the world that legislators have not touched the issue since. 'Smoot-Hawley' became synonymous with disastrous policy making"

The tariffs announced on April 2, 2025, which could raise tariff levels higher than the rates during the Smoot–Hawley Tariffs, brought renewed attention to the Smoot–Hawley Act.

In July 2026, the Trump administration invoked section 338 of the Tariff Act for the first time in its history (96 years after its passage). This section allows the president to apply a tariff up to 50% to nations which "discriminate" against American trade. On July 20, Trump invoked this section with a 50% tariff against multiple industries from Canada effective August 19. This was partially precipitated by recent Canadian wildfire smoke that caused negative air-quality across many cities in the Northern United States

The official position of the White House puts a more positive spin on the tariffs.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2026/07/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-imposes-additional-tariffs-on-canada/

Although the latest round of tariffs is primarily aimed at Canada, Canada will not be paying them.

We will.

They will be paid by American consumers – and that truth was summed up by Bill Bramhall this morning.

Bramhall cartoon

I smell a red herring

2026-07-23T08:19:45.689-07:00

A red herring is a deliberate or inadvertent distraction intended to divert attention away from a central issue or mislead someone onto a false trail. The term is commonly used as a rhetorical device, a logical fallacy, or a literary plot point.

Donald Trump made over $2.2 billion during the first year of his second term.

A comprehensive analysis by Forbes estimates his total 2025 operating revenue and asset sales at $2.4 billion, which is over 6,000 times the current $400,000 presidential salary.

The vast majority of this income stemmed from his family's cryptocurrency ventures, with over $1.4 billion derived from meme coin royalties and related assets.

He also saw significant revenue streams from his real estate portfolio, generating $122 million from Trump National Doral and $77 million from Mar-a-Lago.

************************************************

The federal government estimates that Medicaid improper payments—which encompass fraud, waste, and administrative abuse—amounted to $31.1 billion in 2024. When combined with Medicare, overall healthcare fraud and waste in the United States is estimated by federal officials and research bodies to cost taxpayers between $100 billion and $300 billion annually.

(Georgetown University)

The Financial Scale of Medicaid Fraud

Improper Payment Rates: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) pegged the national Medicaid improper payment rate at 5.09%, representing $31.1 billion in erroneous federal outlays.
Broader Estimates: Independent research organizations, such as the Paragon Health Institute, argue that the true loss is much higher. They estimate that improper federal Medicaid payments reached nearly $1.2 trillion over the past decade, suggesting an actual improper payment rate closer to 25%.

(Paragon Institute)

Enforcement Recoveries: State-level Medicaid Fraud Control Units (MFCUs), monitored by the HHS Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), successfully recovered $1.4 billion from criminal convictions and civil settlements in FY 2024.

Recent Major Takedowns and Enforcement (2026)

Federal agencies have heavily scaled up "prevention" strategies alongside traditional prosecutions to curb these losses:

· The 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown: In June 2026, the

U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a historic, coordinated enforcement action that charged 455 defendants. The operation targeted schemes responsible for more than $6.5 billion in false claims submitted to Medicare and Medicaid.

· State Funding Freezes: In July 2026, CMS and the White House Anti-Fraud Task Force froze over $1 billion in federal Medicaid funds to California ($867 million) and Minnesota ($199 million). The funding was deferred due to systemic fraud vulnerabilities involving in-home care services, hospice programs, and billing for deceased enrollees.

· Pre-Payment Savings: The shift toward blocking suspicious billing before payments go out resulted in $4.1 billion in direct Medicaid savings last year alone.

What were the largest cases of Medicare/Medicaid fraud in this country?

Miami healthcare executive Philip Esformes was convicted of orchestrating what the U.S. Department of Justice Philip Esformes touted as the largest individual health care fraud scheme ever prosecuted.

Esformes was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Esformes used a network of assisted-living and nursing facilities to bill Medicare and Medicaid for services that were either medically unnecessary or never provided.

For context, this individual record is separate from corporate fraud operations, such as the hospital giant Columbia/HCA, which was penalized a record Rick Scott, who ran a company involved in the nation's largest Medicare fraud ($1.7 billion).

Scott was pressured to resign as chief executive of Columbia/HCA in 1997, after the company pleaded guilty to defrauding Medicare, Medicaid, and other federal programs in what was at the time the largest healthcare fraud settlement in U.S. history at $1.7 billion. Following his departure from Columbia/HCA, Scott became a venture capitalist and pursued other business interests.

Scott ran for governor of Florida in 2010, defeating Bill McCollum in a vigorously contested Republican primary election and Democratic nominee Alex Sink by just over one point in the general election.

Scott was reelected in 2014, again by just over one point, against former governor Charlie Crist. He was barred by term limits from running for reelection in 2018 and instead ran for the U.S. Senate.

Scott won the 2018 U.S. Senate election, defeating incumbent Democrat Bill Nelson in a close election that triggered a mandatory recount. He was reelected in 2024, defeating Democratic nominee Debbie Mucarsel-Powell by over 12 points. He became Florida's senior senator in 2025, when Marco Rubio resigned from the Senate to become Secretary of State.

Let’s compare notes:

Philip Esformes was convicted of orchestrating what the U.S. Department of Justice Philip Esformes touted as the largest individual health care fraud scheme ever prosecuted.

He was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Rick Scott committed the largest corporate Medicare fraud in our country’s history.

Scott was elected to be Florida’s governor in 2010 – and was re-elected in 2014.

He is currently serving as Florida's SENIOR senator.

Want more examples?

****************************

After being impeached for the first time in 2019, Trump ran for office again in 2020 – and was DEFEATED by Joseph Biden. He lost by a total of 7,000,000 votes. Even today, he still will not admit defeat.

Trump was convicted of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in New York on May 30, 2024.

He was re-elected in the 2024 presidential election. He got less than 50% of the popular vote (49.8%), but got enough electoral votes (312) to win. His margin in the popular vote was 2,000,000 votes.

If you are wondering how a convicted felon got elected< here is the answer:

https://tohell-andback.blogspot.com/2024/11/how-americas-worst-president-got-re.html

*************************************

Let’s talk about the emolument clauses.

The Constitution’s Emoluments Clauses are among the oldest federal anticorruption safeguards. Both clauses apply to the president, who is exempt from many other government ethics rules.

The Foreign Emoluments Clause bars the president and other federal officials from accepting “any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State” without the consent of Congress. It reflects the framers’ desire to prevent federal officials from succumbing to foreign influence.

The Domestic Emoluments Clause provides for the president to receive a fixed salary and bars him from receiving “any other Emolument from the United States, or any of them.” It was designed to insulate the president against undue pressure from Congress or any individual state.

********************************************

President Donald Trump officially accepted the luxury Boeing 747-8 jet from the Qatari government on May 21, 2025. After undergoing a series of security upgrades and interior retrofitting, the aircraft was unveiled at Joint Base Andrews on June 19, 2026, and made its maiden flight with Trump on July 1, 2026.

The plane was valued at $400 million.

Estimated Upgrade Cost: The Air Force estimates the security and communications retrofitting for this interim luxury 747-8 (gifted to the U.S. by the Qatari government) will cost less than $400 million. However, defense and political critics estimate the modifications could ultimately cost closer to $1 billion.

The Next-Generation VC-25B Fleet (Purpose-Built Boeing 747-8s)

Contract and Overruns: The long-term Air Force One replacement program—which consists of two brand new, heavily modified jets—was originally awarded to Boeing in 2018 under a $3.9 billion fixed-price contract.
Total Program Cost: Years of delays, engineering challenges, and supply chain issues have driven Boeing's cost overruns to more than $2.8 billion, pushing the total expected cost of the program to over $5 billion. Despite these overruns, the Air Force maintains its fixed contract limit protects taxpayers from taking on the burden of the extra costs.

***********************************

According to the Presidential Greatness Project, Trump is the worst president that we have ever had, so I don’t need to tell you how to vote in future elections.

https://presidentialgreatnessproject.com/

Setting aside all the political nonsense, though, I have one basic truth for you.

You can learn a lot from cartoons.

Lessons learned from ice cream

2026-07-15T09:54:46.045-07:00

Lessons learned from ice cream

In May of 2010, I published an article that explained how lessons learned from ice cream can help us get what we want from life.

https://tohell-andback.blogspot.com/2010/05/

That story came to mind this morning when I read that the founders of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream had endorsed a political candidate named Kai.

Ben and Jerry’s is a notable example of a “rags to riches” story, since they formed the company after learning how to make ice cream online.

Ben & Jerry's Homemade Holdings Inc. is an American company that manufactures ice cream, frozen yogurt, and sorbet. Founded in 1978 in Burlington, Vermont, the company went from a single ice cream parlor to a multinational brand over the course of a few decades. The company was sold in 2000 to the British multinational conglomerate Unilever but operates as an independent subsidiary. Its present-day headquarters is in South Burlington, Vermont, with its factory in Waterbury, Vermont.

Ben & Jerry's is known for their original flavors, many of which incorporate foods and desserts mixed with ice cream. Some of these flavors have been themed after musicians, comedians, and public figures, such as Jerry Garcia, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Colin Kaepernick, and Phish. The company and its two founders have also been noted for their political activism and advocacy for social justice. This includes the way their products have been manufactured, marketed, and distributed.

The company was founded by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, who had been friends since their childhood in Merrick, New York. Although Greenfield finished college, he was unable to get into medical school. Cohen dropped out of school.

In 1977, Cohen and Greenfield incorporated a business, planning to open a bagel shop, but found the requisite equipment was too expensive. They instead completed a correspondence course on ice cream making from Pennsylvania State University's creamery. Cohen has severe anosmia, a lack of a sense of smell, so he relies on mouthfeel and texture to provide variety in his diet. This led to the company's trademark chunks being mixed in with their ice cream. On May 5, 1978, with a $12,000 investment (equivalent to $59,000 in 2025), Cohen and Greenfield opened an ice cream parlor in a renovated gas station in downtown Burlington, Vermont. In 1979, they marked their anniversary by holding the first "free cone day", now an annual event at every Ben & Jerry's store, from that year to 2019, and resuming in 2023

In April 2000, Ben & Jerry's sold itself to British multinational food giant Unilever for $326 million ($607 million in 2025 accounting for inflation). In the acquisition agreement, Unilever agreed to carry on the company's tradition of engaging "in these critical, global economic and social missions". Following the acquisition, both founders remained employed at the company, though not in a position of operational or managerial responsibility, although Cohen remained on the governing board of directors.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_%26_Jerry%27s

It’s a well-known fact that Ben and Jerry have long been politically active, which can be costly, since boycotts by various groups can be costly. However, because they wanted to maintain their core values, they left the company in September of 2025.

https://abcnews.com/GMA/Food/ben-jerrys-resign-ice-cream-co-founder-values-unilever/story?id=125659735

Jerry Greenfield, the co-founder of the Ben & Jerry's ice cream brand, has officially quit the business after he said he concluded that his core values of spreading love and fighting for equity and justice are "no longer possible" at the company.

Ben Cohen, his co-founder, first shared the news Tuesday in a post on social media. “I never thought I would have to write this, but after 47 years Jerry has made the difficult decision to stand down from the company we built together," Cohen stated in the caption. "I am sharing his own words as he resigns from Ben & Jerry’s."

"His legacy deserves to be true to the values we founded this company on, not silenced by @magnum," Cohen said addressing the ice cream company owned by Unilever.

Ben Cohen, his co-founder, first shared the news Tuesday in a post on social media stating his longtime business partner would be resigning.

It's with a broken heart that I've decided I can no longer, in good conscience, and after 47 years, remain an employee of Ben & Jerry's. I am resigning from the company Ben and I started back in 1978. This is one of the hardest and most painful decisions I've ever made," the statement from Greenfield began. "This isn't because I've lost my love for the people at Ben & Jerry's. Quite the opposite."

Greenfield went on to explain that what made their business "more than just an ice cream company, was the independence to pursue our values, which was guaranteed when Unilever bought the company."

In 2000, Unilever purchased the iconic Vermont-based ice cream brand that built a reputation on advocacy around social missions that seek to eliminate injustices in communities.

Under its ownership, Greenfield said Ben & Jerry's maintained their independence "in no small part because of the unique merger agreement Ben and I negotiated with Unilever, one that enshrined our social mission and values in the company's governance structure in perpetuity. It's profoundly disappointing to come to the conclusion that that independence, the very basis of our sale to Unilever, is gone."

Citing the current Trump administration, which he accused of "attacking civil rights, voting rights, the rights of immigrants, women, and the LGBTQ community," Greenfield emphasized that "standing up for the values of justice, equity, and our shared humanity has never been more important."

"Ben & Jerry's has been silenced, sidelined for fear of upsetting those in power. It's easy to stand up and speak out when there's nothing at risk. The real test of values is when times are challenging and you have something to lose," Greenfield said.

A representative for the Trump Administration did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment.

"It was always about more than just ice cream; it was a way to spread love and invite others into the fight for equity, justice and a better world. Coming to the conclusion that this is no longer possible at Ben & Jerry's means I can no longer remain part of Ben & Jerry's," Greenfield said. "If I can't carry those values forward inside the company today, then I will carry them forward outside, with all the love and conviction I can."

A spokesperson for the Magnum Ice Cream Company said in a statement to ABC News on Wednesday: "We will be forever grateful to Jerry for his role in co-founding such an amazing ice cream company, turning his passion for delicious ice cream and addressing social causes into a remarkable success story. We thank him for his service and support over many decades and wish him well in his next chapter."

The Magnum spokesperson added, "We disagree with his perspective and have sought to engage both co-founders in a constructive conversation on how to strengthen Ben & Jerry's powerful values-based position in the world. We remain committed to Ben & Jerry's unique three-part mission – product, economic and social – and remain focused on carrying forward the legacy of peace, love, and ice cream of this iconic, much-loved brand. Ben & Jerry's is a proud and thriving part of The Magnum Ice Cream Company and we look forward to further building on its success."

Earlier this month, Unilever’s President of Ice Cream Peter Kulve, who oversees Magnum, dismissed talks of selling Ben & Jerry's, Reuters first reported.

In March, Ben & Jerry's filed a lawsuit against Unilever, accusing the parent company of improperly removing the ice cream brand's CEO David Stever in an alleged long-running campaign of censorship over the brand's support of political causes. The lawsuit is ongoing.

A representative for Unilever told ABC News at the time that the parent company made "repeated attempts" to engage Ben & Jerry's independent board and follow "the correct process."

In today’s environment, far too many medica companies, law firms, and educational institutions have capitulated to the whims of a madman, so it is refreshing that people like Ben and Jerry will continue to “fight the good fight.

Since I am a diabetic, I have largely sworn off eating ice cream, but the next time I go to the story, I’m going to buy a pint of Ben and Jerry's ice cream.

It's the least I can do.

sing us a song, you're the piano man

2026-07-10T10:44:40.405-07:00

Piano Man" is a fictionalized retelling of Billy Joel’s own struggles in 1972–73.

While hiding out in Los Angeles to escape a bad record contract, he worked as a lounge pianist at a bar called The Executive Room.

(1860) Billy Joel - Piano Man (Original Video) - YouTube

Going by the alias "Bill Martin", he observed and wrote about the real, everyday bar patrons, transforming their broken dreams and quiet routines into a classic vignette of American loneliness.

The Real-Life Characters

Almost every lyric in the song was inspired by someone Joel met while playing his gig. According to interviews and breakdowns, the real-life counterparts include:

The "Old Man": A regular named Mr. Brady who always ordered a "tonic and gin"

John the Bartender: The employee who provided free drinks, lights, and a lot of jokes, but dreamed of being a movie star.

Paul: A real estate broker by day who would drunkenly rant about writing the "Great American Novel".

Davy: A regular who served in the Navy.
The Waitress: Joel's first wife, Elizabeth, who was working at the bar and whom Joel affectionately described in the lyrics as "practicing politics."

When I wore a “younger man’s clothes”, the place my Catholic youth group went to on a Friday nights was a place called Hafner’s in Roseville, Minnesota.

It started as a basement bowling alley in 1959, and eventually grew to include bowling allies in both the basement and the main floor, and it also included a restaurant called the Lord Aldon Inn - as well as a piano bar.

Ultimately, Hafner's became a victim of urban sprawl, and the entire block was razed in 2002. The last mention in the Minneapolis Star Tribune of the address is in March 2003, in an RFP looking for development of the block for market rate housing. As of May 2019, no construction has occurred.

The following article appeared in the East Side Review on August 9, 2015, written by Patrick Larkin.

Hafner lot, long empty, on market: NENDC hoping flea market, food trucks will draw attention to the spot

Just south of the border with Maplewood, a bare and disheveled piece of pavement has sat empty for over a decade at 1590 White Bear Ave.

The lot once held a bustling shopping center emblematic of the strip mall format of the 1950’s, called Hafner’s. Hafner’s was a pillar of the Hillcrest shopping area along White Bear Avenue, just south of Larpenteur Avenue and St. Paul’s border with Maplewood.

Hafner’s held a bowling alley, restaurant and lounge along with several other commercial entities including a barber and a chiropractor. It was a booming mall with parking and a gas station. But slowly, business faded, in part due to changing times, suburban shopping centers, freeways, and the like. It changed owners multiple times, and the building slowly fell into disrepair.

By the time St. Paul’s Housing and Redevelopment Authority acquired the land in 2002, it was on its last legs. The city bought and demolished the place, and shored up the 2.18 acre lot for redevelopment.

Now for the first time since it was razed, the North East Neighborhood Development Company, which now manages the lot through its real estate brokerage, Capitol Brokerage, put it on the market this spring, hoping to draw in a developer to the blank spot on White Bear Avenue.

It was first listed on March 17, and according to NENDC’s Chuck Repke, it has attracted some modest amount of interest from developers, although nothing’s solidified.

To keep the site active, NENDC is allowing it to be used by two food trucks — a taco truck and a deli truck — as well as a church, which will use the lot to hold flea markets.

Mixed use possibilities

Dave Gontarek, project manager in St. Paul’s Planning and Economic Development department, said the place has been informally on the market since the HRA acquired the property more than a decade ago.

Through those years, he said they’ve heard some interest in the parcel, including a church group looking to build a restaurant, but the proposed uses didn’t add up to enough density to satisfy Hillcrest’s small area plan.

The price tag for the empty concrete lot is $1.3 million, and the purchase and development of the lot is subject to the St. Paul Housing and Redevelopment Authority’s approval.

“With that,” Repke noted, “the price becomes flexible based on how enthused the city is.

“The more positive the benefit to the neighborhood, the more likely the city is to come down on the price.”

Repke said he’s pulling for a mixed use or commercial development — a smaller grocery store like Trader Joe’s, or an apartment building with storefront retail on the main level.

However, for residential uses to be approved, the site would need significant cleanup — there used to be a Clark gas station in the front portion of the lot, which had leaky gas tanks. Those old wells would need to be removed, and soil remediation would likely be needed.

‘Heck of an enterprise’

Repke said that bringing in an anchor building to the dated shopping district would be a good way to keep the place viable.

Though vacancy rates in the commercial buildings along the corridor are low, it takes a significant amount of time to find new tenants when one moves out, he said.

The goal would be to have a store with some draw, that would make the whole corridor more active, so prospective tenants were approaching the building owners, rather than the other way around.

“I want people to see it as a retail site,” Repke said. “I figured over the course of the summer we would fill it up with things happening and draw a little attention to it.”

“There’s 19,000 cars going past that property every day,” he added. “That ought to be enough customers for almost anybody to figure out how to make a buck.”

Gary Unger, who lives just a few blocks from the site, used to pump gas at the gas station in front of Hafner’s, and also used to set pins at the lanes.

He can recall Hafner’s in it’s full glory.

“It was a heck of an enterprise,” he said, adding that the place was spick and span.

“It was the cleanest place you’ve ever seen in your life… the sanitation around there, it was second to none.”

With the idea of a new development coming to the spot, he said he’d like to see a destination store go in.

While White Bear Avenue was once a happening commercial strip; it’s now a bit more off the beaten path, he said. He pointed out that as the suburbs flared out, White Bear Avenue connected to the Maplewood Mall, as well as the high-speed roadways Minnesota 36 and Interstate 694, which connect to various suburban shopping facilities, leaving the once bustling commercial corridor as just a connector.

Alcohol consumption has declined significantly In America since 1976. The percentage of U.S. adults who report drinking alcohol dropped to 54%. This is a sharp decrease from the record high of 71% recorded consistently between 1976 and 1978, representing the lowest drinking rate in nearly 90 years.

This historical shift away from alcohol is documented by several overarching trends:

Shifting Demographics: The decline is especially pronounced among women and young adults. For instance, between 2023 and 2025, the rate of women who reported drinking alcohol dropped by 11 percentage points.
Reduced Volume: Among those who still drink, the average number of drinks consumed per week has fallen to 2.8—the lowest figure recorded since 1996
Driving Factors: Experts attribute this drop to an increased public awareness of the health risks associated with even moderate drinking, as well as a growing preference for alcohol alternatives like cannabis and low-ABV options.

Billy Joel himself struggled with alcohol for decades, which is why has been married 4 times.

He went to rehab twice (in 2002 and 2005), and his heavy drinking contributed to the breakdowns of his first three marriages. His second wife, Christie Brinkley, has referred to alcohol as "the other woman" in their relationship, while his third wife, Katie Lee, gave him an ultimatum to go to treatment.

Joel has historically used alcohol to self-medicate through deep depression. He has struggled with mental health and trauma from an early age, including surviving the abandonment of his father, two suicide attempts in his early twenties, and a deep mental fog following the September 11 attacks.

Hafner’s no longer exists, but if still wanted to go to a piano bar, they still exist, and the best ones in the country are listed below:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g191-Activities-c20-t106-United_States.html

If you find a place you like, find the piano player, and put some bread in his jar.

Billy Joel would understand.

2026-07-07T15:29:17.875-07:00

Dick and Jane

We are still in the processing of unpacking boxes after our move to New Mexico.

Prior to the long drive from Tucson, we spent roughly six months wrapping and boxing all of our possessions. Even though we made numerous trips to Goodwill, we still have a lot of boxes to go through. In addition, we still have a LOT of books, even though we donated 10 boxes of books to Friends of the Library .

As we unpacked another box today, we discovered that we had a copy of a “Dick and Jane” book from 2004, even though we have a few copies that are much older.

Most of the kids in America learned how to read because of the Dick and Jane series, which first started publishing in the 1930’s.

Dick and Jane are the two protagonists created by Zerna Sharp for a series of basal readers written by William S. Gray to teach children to read. The characters first appeared in the Elson-Gray Readers in 1930 and continued in a subsequent series of books through the final version in 1965. On January 1st, 2026, the first book entered the public domain in the USA. These readers were used in classrooms in the United States and in other English-speaking countries for nearly four decades, reaching the height of their popularity in the 1950s, when 80 percent of first-grade students in the United States used them. Although the Dick and Jane series of primers continued to be sold until 1973 and remained in use in some classrooms throughout the 1970s, they were replaced with other reading texts by the 1980s and gradually disappeared from school curricula.

The Dick and Jane series were known for their simple narrative text and watercolor illustrations. For a generation of middle-class Americans, the characters of "Dick", "Jane", and their younger sister "Sally" became household words. The Dick and Jane primers have become icons of mid-century American culture and collector's items.

Despite criticisms of the stereotypical content that depicted white, middle-class Americans and the "whole-word" or "sight word" (look-say) method of teaching reading on which these readers are based, they retain cultural significance for their impact on literacy education in the mid-twentieth century.

I have been a teacher, off and on, for roughly 20 years of my life, and will likely continue to work in a school district for a few more years.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_and_Jane#Collectibles_and_reprint_editions

Despite the advances our educational system has made in the last 50 years, we are still far behind many other countries – despite the fact that we used to have the best educational system in the world.

https://tohell-andback.blogspot.com/2015/01/why-finns-are-smarter-than-us.html

Only about 31% to 35% of American students read at or above a proficient level, depending on their grade. According to data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), often called the Nation's Report Card, roughly two-thirds of U.S. students do not meet grade-level reading proficiency expectations. [

Reading Proficiency Breakdown

The most recent comprehensive data from the NAEP highlights the percentage of students reaching or exceeding the "Proficient" level (which equates to solid grade-level performance and mastery over challenging subject matter):

4th Graders: Only 31% score at or above proficient.
8th Graders: Only 30% score at or above proficient.
12th Graders: Only 35% score at or above proficient.

We are also lagging in math proficiency, and I detailed the reasons for that decline in January, after my experience when buying a couple of boxes of Girl Scout cookies.

https://tohell-andback.blogspot.com/2026/01/its-simple-math-version-2.html

To be perfectly blunt, our education system is a mess, and I outlined some of the reasons for that in April of this year:

https://tohell-andback.blogspot.com/2026/01/its-simple-math-version-2.html

I have written numerous articles about our education system.

Despite the fact that it will needs improvement, I am still convinced that we can, and will, do better.

I grew up in a period of time when a typical grade school classroom had 50 students and one teacher, who was usually a nun.

Her only tools were a pointer and Father John Vincent Ryan - and we learned how to read by reading books about Dick and Jane.

Somehow, most of us turned out OK, years before we had Google and Tik Tok.

If you yearn for those golden days of yesteryear, you can still find copies of “Dick and Jane for sale if you look hard enough.

As Archie and Edith used to sing, those were the days, my friend.

adventures in moving

2026-06-20T09:50:29.144-07:00

Adventures in moving

The average American moves about 11 to 12 times in their lifetime. Breaking this down mathematically over an average lifespan, households change residences approximately every 5 to 7 years.

However, moving frequency varies drastically based on life stages and circumstances:

Young Adults: People in their 20s and 30s are the most mobile, frequently moving for college, career changes, or renting.

Families with Children: Families tend to settle down for longer intervals, particularly when kids are in school, to maintain stability.
Retirees & Older Adults: Mobility significantly drops as people age, with many staying in the same home for decades

Since we got married in 1972, we have moved a total of 14 times, including our first move as a married couple.

We lived in our first house (in St. Paul) from 1974 to 1978, but moved to our second house (in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota) after our first child was born, and we needed a bigger house.

We moved to our third house (In Waukesha, Wisconsin) in 1981 after I was promoted and made a manager in the Milwaukee office of Fireman’s Fund.

We moved to our fourth house (in Aurora, Illinois) after a new job in a different state became a better way forward.

The longest that we lived as a couple together was in Aurora, where we lived from December of 1986 until the spring of 2003.

Each move is unique, and some were easier than others.

Our first house nearly doubled in value in the 4 years we owned it, and selling it was easy because the company I worked for bought it from us before we moved.

When we moved into our second house, inflation was raging, and the best mortgage I could find was at 15 and ¾. (I refinanced a year later at 12%)

Since our move to Wisconsin was a corporate move, it did not cost us any money because the company paid for it.

Our move to Illinois was also a corporate move, so was another easy move.

This move was a little harder due to the fact that our BRAND-NEW house was not finished after we moved, which meant that we had to rent an apartment for about 6 months before we finally got settled.

Toward the end of my stay in that house, I moved to China, where I taught college for about a year. The rest of the family wound up moving to an apartment in Chicago.

When I returned to America, all of us moved (briefly) to an apartment in Logan Square.

Sharon lived there for about 3 years, while I moved to an apartment in Evanston to be closer to my new job. Three years later, we both moved into the bottom unit of a four plex in Evanston.

The kids, meanwhile, wound up moving in with friends.

In the fall of 2011, our niece got married in California. Since I was planning on retiring anyway, we decided that Arizona would be a good place to live. Although we thought of moving to Prescott, we switched to Flagstaff because Kelly decided to pursue her nursing degree at NAU. We moved there just before our niece’s wedding.

Here is lesson number 1:

No matter how carefully you plan - things can go wrong.

The moving company quoted us a price of $8000 to move from Chicago to Flagstaff. When the moving truck arrived, they realized that they had mis-calculated, and the new price was $11,000.

Although most of my 401-K covered the $8,000, I could not afford another $3,000.

Fortunately, we were able to borrow the difference from one of our relatives, which we paid back a few years later.

Lesson number 2

Never forget that we sometimes get lucky.

None of us had jobs lined up when we moved to Flagstaff.

Kelly initially worked at a temp agency until she got a job at a local dealership. Sharon worked a couple of temporary jobs, until she got hired by the local school district. I sold cars for about a year, ana they got a job with the school district.

Meanwhile, Brian moved from his new location in Chicago to a new location in Tucson, where Kelly and he friend Chris had moved so that she could work on her master’s degree, and she eventually graduated from the University of Arizona with that degree.

(In the spring of 2014, Kelly and Chris bought their first home on the east side of Tucson. In the spring of 2020, they sold the house in Tucson, and bought another one near Durango, Colorado.)

When both of our kids lived in Tucson, we decided that it made sense for the tow of us to also move to Tucson.

We moved there in July of 2011, and the temperature hit a high of 115 a week after we arrived.

Rule number 3:

Not everyone can be counted on to act responsibly.

A week before our moved to Tucson, the management company told us that the occupant of the home we had planned to moved into did not move out on July 1, so we had to rent a storage unit for a week to store our belongings until he moved out.

We were able to stay with Brian at his new apartment for the week, but it cost me another $1000 for the second set of movers – and we had paid $4000 to move from Flagstaff of Tucson.

Rule number 4:

There can be unexpected surprises.

The Kelly and Chris moving company managed to move all of our stuff to our new location in New Mexico. On June 8, it took a 26-foot truck, a Ford F-150, and my car to transport all of our stuff.

Two days later, I was attempting to leave the local Albertsons, but took a wrong turn and hit a tall curb, and utterly destroyed my front bumper. Although my collision claim has been approved, the total damages are $1600, and my deductible is $500.

Rule number 5

Sometimes things work out for you.

We are gradually cleaning out our moving boxes and learning our way around town. We also now have new library cards, and will get new licensees. In the near future, I will be meeting with the local school district so that I can continue to teach again. In addition to the fact that it will increase my income, it also will allow me more time to read.

No matter how you do it, moving is a very difficult thing to do, and it gets harder as you get older.

It’s always hard to leave family and friends, and find new doctors, but it made perfect sense for another reason:

WE ARE GETTING OLDER.

Kelly is a nurse, and her home in Colorado is only an hour away. Since I was recently diagnosed with some heart issues, having a medical person close by is important.

She and Chris are young enough that they can handle the maintenance of our new home, and close enough that they can help us with all those pesky electronic problems that always crop up.

Every time that we have moved, we have always vowed to never do it again. That is still true today, but since we now live in “the land of enchantment, we finally be able to fulfill our promise.

lessons learned from Dyersville

2026-05-31T10:11:41.795-07:00

On one of our trips between Minnesota and Illinois, we stopped in a town called Dyersville, Iowa, which was the setting for the 1989 movie, “Field of Dreams”.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Field_of_Dreams

I thought of the movie today as I finished reading my 50^th book of the year, which is Cory Booker’s latest book, “Stand”, and here is why:

In the movie, James Earl Ray, in character of Terrance Mann, has a few words for Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner) that are worth listening to again.

https://www.americanrhetoric.com/MovieSpeeches/moviespeechfieldofdreams.html

How does a movie about baseball relate to a book from a senator from New Jersey?

Easy.

Both are inspirational.

At a time in our history when a wrestling match will soon be held on the front lawn of the White House, we all need a break from the utter stupidity that we are exposed to a nearly a daily basis, so reading a short book is a good start

Democrats upset at Trump's White House UFC event—are taxpayers paying?c

I wrote about the Field of Dreams roughly 5 years ago:

https://tohell-andback.blogspot.com/2021/08/been-there-done-that-bought-t-shirt.html

You already know that Major League Baseball has held profession baseball games at the Field of Dreams. What you may now know is the ANOTHER game is scheduled for August 13 of 2026.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MLB_at_Field_of_Dreams

Since I will be nearly 79 years old when the game will be played, and since I will be living 1234 miles to the north, there is no way in world that I will be at the game, but I will always remember a time when America was great, and can be again – and Cory Booker tells us how it can be done.

bulldozers at the White House

2026-05-26T13:01:12.842-07:00

The East Wing was a portion of the White House complex in Washington, D.C. that was built in 1902, significantly expanded in 1942, and demolished in 2025. In the month prior to the demolition, site preparation began for a larger, replacement wing to include the proposed White House State Ballroom.

Situated on the east side of the Executive Residence, the building served as office space for the first lady and her staff, including the White House Social Secretary, correspondence staff, and the White House Graphics and Calligraphy Office, all of which have been relocated until the new East Wing is completed.

The East Wing was connected to the Executive Residence through the East Colonnade, a corridor with windows facing the South Lawn that housed the White House Family Theater and connected to the ground floor of the Executive Residence.

In 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt oversaw an expansion and remodeling of the East Wing, which included the construction of the Presidential Emergency Operations Center beneath the building

President Thomas Jefferson added colonnaded terraces to the east and west sides of the White House, but no actual wings. Under President Andrew Jackson in 1834, running water was piped in from a spring and pumped up into the east terrace in metal pipes. These ran through the walls and protruded into the rooms, controlled by spigots. Initially, the water was for washing items, but soon the first bathing rooms were created, in the ground-level east colonnade. President Martin Van Buren had shower baths installed here.

The East Terrace was removed in 1866. For many years, a greenhouse occupied the east grounds of the White House.

The first small East Wing (and the West Wing) was designed by Charles Follen McKim and built in 1902 during the Theodore Roosevelt renovations, as an entrance for formal and public visitors. This served mainly as an entrance for guests during large social gatherings, when it was necessary to accommodate many cars and carriages. Its primary feature was the long cloak room with spots for coats and hats of the ladies and gentlemen.

An expansion and remodeling of the East Wing was instituted in 1942, during Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidency. The two-story East Wing was designed by White House architect Lorenzo Winslow and added to the White House primarily to cover the construction of an underground bunker, the Presidential Emergency Operations Center (PEOC). Around the same time, Theodore Roosevelt's coatroom was integrated into the new building and became the White House Family Theater.

Trump’s illegal destruction of the East Wing faces significant legal challenges, which are detailed in the link below.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Wing#:~:text=The%20East%20Wing%20was%20a,1942%2C%20and%20demolished%20in%202025.

However, the destruction was not the first time that bulldozers were used to destroy part of the White House.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_House_Reconstruction

The White House Reconstruction, also known as the Truman Reconstruction, was a comprehensive dismantling and rebuilding of the interior of the White House from 1949 to 1952. In 1948, after nearly a century and a half of wartime destruction and rebuilding, hurried renovations, additions of new services, technologies, the expanded third floor, and inadequate foundations, architectural and engineering investigations found that the Executive Residence portion of the White House Complex was facing near-imminent collapse, and it was deemed unsafe for occupancy. President Harry S. Truman, his family, and the entire residence staff were relocated across the street to Blair House, and over the next three years, the White House was gutted, expanded, and rebuilt.

When the Trumans moved into the executive mansion in 1945, they found it badly in need of repair after twelve years of neglect during the Great Depression and World War II. In 1946, Congress authorized $780,000 (equal to $12,877,986 today) for repairs. The mansion's heaving floors and mysterious sounds had been known by staff and first families for many years. For the first two years of his presidency, according to White House photographer Abbie Rowe, President Truman heard "ghosts" roaming the halls of the second-floor residence. Government agencies had expressed concern about the condition of the building, including a 1941 report from the Army Corps of Engineers warning of failing wood structure, crumbling masonry, and major fire hazards. The report was dismissed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

In early 1946, during a formal reception in the Blue Room, the First Lady noticed the very large crystal chandelier overhead swaying and its crystals tinkling. The floor of the Oval Study above moved noticeably when walked on, and a valet was then attending the president while he was taking a bath. Truman described a potential scenario of him in his bathtub falling through the floor into the midst of a Daughters of the American Revolution tea "wearing nothing more than his reading glasses." In early 1947, a "stretching" chandelier in the East Room and another swaying in the Oval Study caused further alarm. "Floors no longer merely creaked; they swayed."

The Public Buildings Administration was asked to investigate the condition of the White House, but no action was taken until January 1948. After the commissioner of the Public Buildings Administration, which had responsibility for the White House, noticed the Blue Room chandelier swaying overhead during another crowded reception, he and the White House architect conducted their own on-site investigation the next day. They discovered split and gouged-out beams supporting the ceiling and second floor above. He reported "that the beams are staying up there from force of habit only." The number of occupants in the second floor was restricted, temporary fixes were made to some of the beams, and scaffolding-type supports were erected throughout the first family's second floor living quarters.

On January 30, 1948, the president received a confidential report from the Commissioner of Public Buildings warning of the "imminent collapse" of the second floor of the mansion. In February, the president invited the president of the American Institute of Architects, Douglas Orr, and the president of the American Society of Civil Engineers, Richard E. Dougherty, to "make a structural survey of the safety of the White House". Their one-day investigation concluded with a report issued that same day which said the second-floor structure was a fire hazard and was in danger of collapse.

They recommended that the second floor should be reconstructed as soon as possible, electricity use be cut to a minimum, and that further investigations be undertaken. Congress provided $50,000 for a more thorough investigation. Additional engineers and other professionals were engaged from the private sector. Walls, ceilings, and floors were opened up to provide access to the investigators.

The scope of the project involved the complete removal of the interior of the White House, except for the third floor, and included salvage and storage of critical interior elements, excavation of new basement levels, and construction of new foundations, steel and concrete structure, masonry interior walls with plaster finish and wood paneling, custom plaster moldings, refurbished and replacement windows, and new heating, ventilation, air conditioning, plumbing, electrical, and communications systems.

The bulk of the work was to be accomplished within the exterior stone walls which were to be kept in place and repainted. Landscaping around the house was to be replaced. All workers were subjected to security clearance by the Secret Service. The West Wing was to be kept fully operational and occupied by the president and his staff. All work was to be completed for a total cost of $5.4 million and completed by late 1951, in 660 days, approximately 22 months.

This morning’s Washington Post provide more details on the issues that will either delay Trump’s ballroom, and possibly eliminate it altogether. Since an underground bunker was added during the 1942 renovation, there really is no compelling reason to build another one.

Truth be told, the entire project is nothing more than another vanity project for Trump, as was the renaming of the Kennedy Center and the proposed 250 foot tall arch just outside Arlington National cemetery.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/05/26/courts-congress-have-so-far-created-barriers-trump-ballroom/

Trump has no appreciation or respect for history, which is why he had the Bonwit Teller frieze destroyed when Trump Tower was built.

Donald Trump’s relationship to the Metropolitan Museum of Art was permanently damaged early on. He refused to donate artworks that he had promised to the museum and instead had them destroyed, along with a venerable building that had played an important role in American art history.

At that site, the intersection of Fifth Avenue and 56th Street in Manhattan at which Trump constructed his prestige project Trump Tower between 1980 and 1982, the flagship store of the luxury department store chain Bonwit Teller and Co. had earlier stood. The 1929 building was the work of the same architects who had designed Grand Central Terminal, Whitney Warren and Charles Wetmore. It was intended originally to house the women’s department store Stewart. Bonwit Teller, who took over the building in 1930 and opened it anew, soon worked with world-famous artists. Starting in 1936, the Spanish surrealist artist Salvador Dalí regularly decorated the windows with spectacular installations, for example in 1939, working with the theme “night and day.” In the 1950s, Jasper Johns and Robert Rauschenberg worked for the company on the side as window dressers, using the pseudonym “Matson Jones.” Among other things, Johns displayed his now iconic painting Flag on Orange Field behind a mannequin in the windows in 1957. That same year in the same place, Rauschenberg showed his Red Combine Painting along with others. Two years earlier, the large photographic work Blue Ceiling Matson Jones could be seen in the background of the Bonwit Teller windows.

Donald Trump Has a History of Pulverizing Historic Buildings

Congress has finally awakened to the fact that it is supposed to be a check on presidential power, which is why it is unlikely that the $1.776 billion "slush fund" will pass.

As for the final status of the ballroom?

Your guess is as good as mine.

How to start an argument

2026-05-19T08:24:41.817-07:00

One of the first rules I learned when I joined Toastmasters International in the 1980’s was to try to avoid discussing religion or politics.

The reason is simple.

Nobody’s opinion is wrong.

It is simply their opinion.

It may not be based on facts, but there is always SOME reason why a person thinks the way they do.

There is no end to which topics we can disagree one, but let’s keep it simple and just pick one.

How about if we tried to determine who are best president is/was.

There have been numerous studies done to determine the proper ranking, but they do not always measure the same thing.

Here is where it gets complicated:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_rankings_of_presidents_of_the_United_States

In political studies, since the mid-20th-century, surveys have been conducted in order to construct historical rankings of the success of the presidents of the United States. Ranking systems are usually based on surveys of academic historians and political scientists, or popular opinion. The scholarly rankings focus on presidential achievements, leadership qualities, failures, and faults. Among such scholarly rankings, Abraham Lincoln is most often ranked as the best, while his predecessor James Buchanan is most often ranked as the worst. Popular-opinion polls typically focus on recent or well-known presidents.

A 1948 poll was conducted by historian Arthur M. Schlesinger Sr. of Harvard University. A 1962 survey was also conducted by Schlesinger, who surveyed 75 historians. Schlesinger's son, Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr., conducted another poll in 1996. The Chicago Tribune surveyed 49 historians in 1982.

The Siena College Research Institute (SCRI) began conducting surveys in 1982 and continued in 1990, 1994, 2002, 2010, 2018, and 2022 during the second year of the first term of each president since Ronald Reagan These surveys collect presidential rankings from historians, political scientists, and presidential scholars in a range of attributes, abilities, and accomplishments.^[9] The 1994 survey placed only two presidents (Abraham Lincoln and Franklin D. Roosevelt) above 80 points and two presidents (Andrew Johnson and Warren G. Harding) below 50 points.

In 1996, William J. Ridings Jr. and Stuart B. McIver conducted and published a poll and in 1997, an accompanying book on the poll results. 719 people took part in the poll, primarily academic historians and political scientists, although some politicians and celebrities also took part. Participants from every state were included and emphasis was placed upon getting input from female historians and "specialists in African American studies" as well as a few non-American historians. Poll respondents rated the presidents in five categories (leadership qualities, accomplishments, crisis management, political skill, appointments, and character and integrity) and the results were tabulated to create the overall ranking.

2000–2017

A 2005 presidential poll was conducted by James Lindgren for the Federalist Society and The Wall Street Journal. As in the 2000 survey, the editors sought to balance the opinions of liberals and conservatives, adjusting the results "to give Democratic- and Republican-leaning scholars equal weight". Although Franklin D. Roosevelt still ranked in the top three, editor James Taranto observed that Democratic-leaning scholars rated George W. Bush the sixth-worst president of all time while Republican scholars rated him the sixth-best, giving him a split-decision rating of "average" In 2008, The Times daily newspaper of London asked eight of its own "top international and political commentators" to rank all 42 presidents "in order of greatness".

The C-SPAN Survey of Presidential Leadership consists of rankings from a group of presidential historians and biographers. The C-SPAN Survey of Presidential Leadership has taken place four times: in 2000, 2009,^[2017, and 2021. The 2021 survey was of 142 presidential historians, surveyed by C-SPAN's Academic Advisor Team, made up of Douglas G. Brinkley, Edna Greene Medford, Richard Norton Smith, and Amity Shlaes. In the survey, each historian rates each president on a scale of one ("not effective") to 10 ("very effective") on presidential leadership in ten categories: Public Persuasion, Crisis Leadership, Economic Management, Moral Authority, International Relations, Administrative Skills, Relations with Congress, Vision/Setting An Agenda, Pursued Equal Justice for All, and Performance Within the Context of His Times—with each category equally weighed The results of all four C-SPAN surveys have been fairly consistent. Abraham Lincoln has taken the highest ranking in each survey and George Washington, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Theodore Roosevelt have always ranked in the top five while James Buchanan, Andrew Johnson, and Franklin Pierce have been ranked at the bottom of all four surveys.

The 2011 survey, the first poll asking UK academics to rate American presidents, was conducted by the United States Presidency Centre (USPC) at the Institute for the Study of the Americas (located in the University of London's School of Advanced Study). This polled the opinion of British specialists in American history and politics to assess presidential performance. They also gave an interim assessment of Barack Obama, but his unfinished presidency was not included in the survey (had he been included, he would have attained eighth place overall).

In 2012, Newsweek asked a panel of historians to rank the ten best presidents since 1900. The results showed that historians had ranked Franklin D. Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt, Lyndon B. Johnson, Woodrow Wilson, Harry S. Truman, John F. Kennedy, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan, and Obama as the best since that year. A 2015 poll administered by the American Political Science Association (APSA) among political scientists specializing in the American presidency had Abraham Lincoln in the top spot, with Washington, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt, Thomas Jefferson, Truman, Eisenhower, Clinton, Andrew Jackson, and Wilson making the top 10. 2016 survey of 71 British specialists by the Presidential History Network produced similar results to the 2011 USPC survey, with Obama placed in the top quartile.

Since 2018

A second Presidential Greatness Project Expert Survey was sent to members of the Presidents and Executive Politics section of the APSA in 2018. It ranked Donald Trump for the first time, putting him in the last position. In the 2024 edition, Trump scored 10.92 out of 100, easily the worst, while self-identified Republican historians rated Trump in the bottom five. The study organizers observed a drop in recent Republican presidents' scores by speculating that respondents valued presidents that respected political and institutional norms. The first version of this poll was conducted in 2015

The 2018 Siena poll of 157 presidential scholars reported George Washington, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, and Thomas Jefferson as the top five U.S. presidents, with SCRI director Don Levy stating, "The top five, Mount Rushmore plus FDR, is carved in granite with presidential historians."^[9] Trump—entering the SCRI survey for the first time—joined Andrew Johnson and James Buchanan among the bottom three U.S. presidents. George W. Bush, whom presidential scholars had rated fifth lowest in the previous 2010 survey, improved in position to 12th lowest. The 2022 Siena poll had Franklin D. Roosevelt first, Lincoln second, and Washington third, with the bottom three as Trump, Buchanan, and Johnson.

The 2021 C-SPAN poll showed a continued recent rehabilitation of Ulysses S. Grant, showed George W. Bush improving, Barack Obama remaining high, and Trump with the fourth lowest ranking. After Trump's election to a non-consecutive second term, C-SPAN postponed its planned 2025 survey, explaining that "with a former president returning to office, conducting the survey now would turn it from historical analysis to punditry.

Scholar survey summary

2010 Siena College

Abbreviations

Bg = Background

PL = Party leadership

CAb = Communication ability

RC = Relations with Congress

CAp = Court appointments

HE = Handling of economy

L = Luck

AC = Ability to compromise

WR = Willing to take risks

EAp = Executive appointments

OA = Overall ability

Im = Imagination

DA = Domestic accomplishments

Int = Integrity

EAb = Executive ability

FPA = Foreign policy accomplishments

LA = Leadership ability

IQ = Intelligence

AM = Avoiding crucial mistakes

EV = Experts' view

O = Overall

2011 USPC

In September/October 2010, the United States Presidency Centre (USPC) of the Institute for the Study of the Americas at the University of London surveyed 47 British specialists on American history and politics. Presidents were rated from 1 to 10 in five categories:

1. Vision/agenda-setting: "did the president have the clarity of vision to establish overarching goals for his administration and shape the terms of policy discourse?"

2. Domestic leadership: "did the president display the political skill needed to achieve his domestic objectives and respond effectively to unforeseen developments?"

Foreign policy leadership: "was the president an effective leader in In 2016, the Presidential History Network surveyed 71 named British and Irish specialists. The questions were the same as in the USPC survey, which was directed by some of the same people. Some respondents did not rate presidents that they were not familiar with. The minimum number of responses (62) were for the rather obscure and inconsequential presidents Rutherford B. Hayes, Chester A. Arthur, Grover Cleveland, and Benjamin Harrison. 69–70 rated all recent presidents, from Franklin D. Roosevelt on.

Abbreviations

VSA = Vision/Setting an agenda

DL = Domestic leadership

FPL = Foreign-policy leadership

MA = Moral authority

HL = Historical legacy (positive significance of)

O = Overall

3. promoting US foreign policy interests and national security?"

4. Moral authority: "did the president uphold the moral authority of his office through his character, values, and conduct?"

5. Positive historical significance of legacy: "did the president's legacy have positive benefits for America's development over time?"

2017 C-SPAN

Abbreviations

PP = Public persuasion

CL = Crisis leadership

EM = Economic management

MA = Moral authority

IR = International relations

AS = Administrative skills

RC = Relations with Congress

VSA = Vision/Setting an agenda

PEJ = Pursued equal justice for all

PCT = Performance within context of times

O = Overall

2018 Siena College

On February 13, 2019, Siena released its sixth presidential poll. The poll was initiated in 1982 and occurs one year into the term of each new president. It is currently a survey of 157 presidential scholars across a range of leadership parameters. The ranking awarded the top five spots to George Washington, Franklin Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, and Thomas Jefferson, in keeping with prior surveys. Washington had been ranked fourth in all previous surveys, and Franklin Roosevelt first.

Note

· The numbers below do not match the source where there are ties in the rankings. They have instead been counted as ties are in other polls (e.g. 26, 27, 27, 27, 30 rather than 26, 27, 27, 27, 28), so that all categories span the range 1–44.

Abbreviations

Bg = Background

Im = Imagination

Int = Integrity

IQ = Intelligence

L = Luck

WR = Willing to take risks

AC = Ability to compromise

EAb = Executive ability

LA = Leadership ability

CAb = Communication ability

OA = Overall ability

PL = Party leadership

RC = Relations with Congress

CAp = Court appointments

HE = Handling of economy

EAp = Executive appointments

DA = Domestic accomplishments

FPA = Foreign policy accomplishments

AM = Avoiding crucial mistakes

EV = Experts' view

O = Overall

2021 C-SPAN

Abbreviations

PP = Public persuasion

CL = Crisis leadership

EM = Economic management

MA = Moral authority

IR = International relations

AS = Administrative skills

RC = Relations with Congress

VSA = Vision/Setting an agenda

PEJ = Pursued equal justice for all

PCT = Performance within context of times

O = Overall

2022 Siena College

The Siena College Research Institute released their seventh poll results on June 22, 2022. The best 10% and worst 10% remain unchanged from their 2018 poll (top five: F. D. Roosevelt, Lincoln, Washington, T. Roosevelt, Jefferson; bottom five: A. Johnson, Buchanan, Trump, Harding, Pierce). 41% of the scholars polled said that if a president were to be added to Mount Rushmore, it should be FDR. 63% believed that the president should be elected by a national popular vote; whereas, 17% supported the Electoral College

A year into his term, Joe Biden entered the ranking in the second quartile, at nineteenth place out of 45. Among recent presidents, George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama moved up in the rankings, while George W. Bush and Donald Trump moved down, though part of the downward shift was due to the addition of a new president to the poll. Counting from the other direction, Trump remained unchanged at third place from last. The changes were relatively small (one or two places), apart from Obama, who moved up six places (14%) to eleventh place, in the first quartile. Notable shifts among earlier presidents included the continuing rehabilitation of Lyndon Johnson, up 8 places into the first quartile, and of Ulysses Grant, up 3 places (up 8 in the individual evaluations) into the second quartile; and the lessening appreciation of Andrew Jackson, down 4 places to the median (down 7, into the third quartile, in the individual evaluations); Ronald Reagan, down 5 places, remaining in the second quartile; and Zachary Taylor, down 6 places into the fourth quartile.^[43]

Abbreviations

Bg = Background (family, education, experience)

Im = Imagination

Int = Integrity

IQ = Intelligence

L = Luck

WR = Willing to take risks

AC = Ability to compromise

EAb = Executive ability

LA = Leadership ability

CAb = Communication ability (speak, write)

OA = Overall ability

PL = Party leadership

RC = Relationship with Congress

CAp = Court appointments

HE = Handling of U.S. economy

EAp = Executive appointments

DA = Domestic accomplishments

FPA = Foreign policy accomplishments

AM = Avoiding crucial mistakes

PV = Present overall view [the average ranking of the polled experts]^[i]

O = Overall rank [the average of the individual parameters]^[j]

2019 Tillery–Greer

In May 2019, Alvin Tillery of the Center for the Study of Diversity and Democracy at Northwestern University and Christina Greer of Fordham University "conducted a poll of 113 academic researchers and asked them to rate the 14 modern presidents on both their overall leadership and rhetoric on diversity and inclusion using a scale ranging from 0 to 100. Survey respondents were significantly more liberal than the national average, "with only 13 percent of the respondents describing themselves as either moderate, slightly conservative, or conservative."^[

2010 Gallup poll

A Gallup poll taken on November 19–21, 2010, asked 1,037 Americans to say, based on what they know or remember about the nine most recent former presidents, whether they approve or disapprove of how each handled his job in office.

1. John F. Kennedy (85% approval/10% disapproval)

2. Ronald Reagan (74% approval/24% disapproval)

3. Bill Clinton (69% approval/30% disapproval)

4. George H. W. Bush (64% approval/34% disapproval)

5. Gerald Ford (61% approval/26% disapproval)

6. Jimmy Carter (52% approval/42% disapproval)

7. Lyndon B. Johnson (49% approval/36% disapproval)

8. George W. Bush (47% approval/51% disapproval)

9. Richard Nixon (29% approval/65% disapproval)

2011 Vision Critical/Angus Reid Public Opinion poll

A Vision Critical/Angus Reid Public Opinion poll taken on February 18–19, 2011, asked 1,010 respondents about 11 former presidents plus the current president and whether each was a good or bad president.

1. John F. Kennedy (80% approval/6% disapproval)

2. Ronald Reagan (72% approval/16% disapproval)

3. Bill Clinton (65% approval/24% disapproval)

4. Dwight D. Eisenhower (61% approval/6% disapproval)

5. Harry S. Truman (57% approval/7% disapproval)

6. Jimmy Carter (47% approval/28% disapproval)

7. George H. W. Bush (44% approval/38% disapproval)

8. Barack Obama (41% approval/33% disapproval)

9. Gerald Ford (37% approval/25% disapproval)

10. Lyndon B. Johnson (33% approval/27% disapproval)

11. George W. Bush (30% approval/55% disapproval)

12. Richard Nixon (24% approval/54% disapproval)

2011 Public Policy Polling poll

A Public Policy Polling poll taken between September 8–11, 2011, asked 665 American voters whether they held favorable or unfavorable views of how each of the nine most recent former presidents performed their job

John F. Kennedy (74% favorability/15% unfavorability)

1. Ronald Reagan (60% favorability/30% unfavorability)

2. Bill Clinton (62% favorability/34% unfavorability)

3. George H. W. Bush (53% favorability/35% unfavorability)

4. Gerald Ford (45% favorability/26% unfavorability)

5. Jimmy Carter (45% favorability/43% unfavorability)

6. Lyndon B. Johnson (36% favorability/39% unfavorability)

7. George W. Bush (41% favorability/51% unfavorability)

8. Richard Nixon (19% favorability/62% unfavorability)

2014 Quinnipiac poll

A Quinnipiac University poll taken June 24–30, 2014, asked 1,446 American registered voters who they believed were the best and worst presidents since World War II.

Best president since World War II:

1. Ronald Reagan (35%)

2. Bill Clinton (18%)

3. John F. Kennedy (15%)

4. Barack Obama (8%)

5. Dwight Eisenhower (5%)

6. Harry S. Truman (4%)

7. Lyndon B. Johnson (tie) (3%)

7. George H. W. Bush (tie) (3%)

9. Jimmy Carter (2%)

10. Richard Nixon (tie) (1%)

10. Gerald Ford (tie) (1%)

10. George W. Bush (tie) (1%)

Worst president since World War II:

1. Barack Obama (33%)

2. George W. Bush (28%)

3. Richard Nixon (13%)

4. Jimmy Carter (8%)

5. Lyndon B. Johnson (tie) (3%)

5. Ronald Reagan (tie) (3%)

5. Bill Clinton (tie) (3%)

8. Gerald Ford (tie) (2%)

8. George H. W. Bush (tie) (2%)

10. Dwight Eisenhower (1%)

11. Harry S. Truman (tie) (<1%)

11. John F. Kennedy (tie) (<1%)

Sadly, that is not even the complete list of surveys, but here is my suggestion:

The Presidential Greatness Project, a partnership of Jusin Vaughn and Brandon Rottinghhaus.

It was mentioned in the first presidential debate of 2024.

https://presidentialgreatnessproject.com/

Justin Vaughn, Ph.D., is a professor of political science at Coastal Carolina University. A scholar of American politics and culture, particularly the American presidency, he has published several books, including "Czars in the White House" (University of Michigan Press, 2015) and "Women & the White House" (University of Kentucky Press, 2012), which received the Popular Culture Association’s Susan Koppelman Award and the SWPACA’s Peter Rollins Award. He is also the founder and co-director of the Presidential Greatness Project and co-editor of the Journal of Political Science. His work on Presidential Greatness has been mentioned by sitting presidents and covered internationally, including by the New York Times, BBC, NPR, CNN, CBS, Politico, and Newsweek. He earned his Ph.D. in political science at Texas A&M University.

Brandon Rottinghaus is a Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Houston. He holds a Ph.D. in political science from Northwestern University. His teaching and research interests include the presidency, political scandals, public opinion, and Texas politics. He is the author of the books Inside Texas Politics, Current Debates in the Lone Star State, Inside American Government (all Oxford University Press), Rick Perry: A Political Life (University of Texas Press), and Scandal: How Politicians Survive Controversy in a Polarized Era (Columbia University Press). He is the co-director of the Presidential Greatness Project. He is the co-host of Party Politics, a PBS TV8 program, radio show, and podcast on Houston Public Media, a political analyst for KHOU 11 in Houston, and the creator and host of Texperts, a political primer podcast and radio segment on Hello Houston on Houston Public Media.

Education

Ph.D., Northwestern University
M.A., Northwestern University
B.A., Purdue University

To save you time, skip the mechanics of the survey, and just look at the final results.

Like many surveys, it ranks Lincoln at the top, closely followed by FDR.

If you just look at the presidents who were elected after the year I was born (1947) , here is the summary:

Truman - #5

Obama - #6

Ike - #7

LBJ - #8

JFK - #9

Clinton - # 11

Biden - # 14

Reagan - #16

Bush 1 - #19

Carter - #22

Ford - #27

Bush 2 - #30

Nixon - #33

Trump - #45

I’m not saying that my opinion is right, but at least it is an informed opinion.

I normally read 4 newspapers a day, I read about 50 books a year, I have read roughly 25 books about Trump, and the only thing we watch on Fox is sporting events.

Our new neighbor in New Mexico has a Trump flag in his garage, but he is actually a pretty decent guy.

Even though it is hard sometimes, It is best to simply accept the fact that he has the right to his opinion – and I have the right to mine.

James Dean

2026-05-13T08:34:49.819-07:00

The classroom that I was in the other day has a number of movie posters on the wall.

One of them was one of James Dean, as he appeared in his third (and last) movie.

You are already aware of the fact that James Dean has some connections to Paul Newman, which I wrote about in September of 2009

https://tohell-andback.blogspot.com/2009/09/

However, it you review Dean's bio, a few over interesting facts pop out.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Dean

James Byron Dean (February 8, 1931 – September 30, 1955) was an American actor. He became one of the most influential figures in Hollywood in the 1950s, and his impact on cinema and popular culture was profound, although his career lasted only five years. He appeared in just three major films: Rebel Without a Cause (1955), in which he portrayed a disillusioned and rebellious teenager; East of Eden (1955), which showcased his intense emotional range; and Giant (1956), a sprawling drama. These have been preserved in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for their "cultural, historical, or aesthetic significance". He was killed in a car accident at the age of 24 in 1955, leaving him a lasting symbol of rebellion, youthful defiance, and the restless spirit.

For his role in East of Eden, Dean became the first actor to receive a posthumous Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.^[The following year, he earned a second nomination for his performance in Giant, making him the only actor to receive two posthumous acting nominations. In 1999, he was honored by the American Film Institute, being ranked as the 18th greatest male film star from Golden Age Hollywood on their "AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars" list. Time magazine recognized Dean in 2012 as one of the "All-Time Most Influential Fashion Icons".

Dean's film roles and style had a strong impact on Hollywood, capturing the spirit of 1950s youth and creating an enduring legacy that helped shape American pop culture and define rebellious, countercultural attitudes for generations.

Dean’s last movie, “Giant” was a commercial and financial success.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_(1956_film)

Giant is a 1956 American epic drama film directed by George Stevens, from a screenplay adapted by Fred Guiol and Ivan Moffat from Edna Ferber's 1952 novel. The film stars Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, and James Dean; and features Carroll Baker, Jane Withers, Chill Wills, Mercedes McCambridge, Dennis Hopper, Sal Mineo, Rod Taylor, Elsa Cárdenas, and Earl Holliman.

Giant was the last of Dean's three films as a leading actor, and earned him his second and final Academy Award nomination – he was killed in a car crash before the film was released. His friend Nick Adams was called in to do some voice dubbing for Dean's role.

In 2005, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant"

“Giant” was nominated for 9 Academy Awards, but won only one (Best Director).

Giant was a huge box-office success. The film earned $35 million in ticket sales during its original studio release in 1956, a record for a Warner Brothers film until that time. This record was not surpassed until the Warner film Superman in the late 1970s.

The movie earned $12 million in rentals in the United States and Canada during its initial release. It did not perform as well in other markets where it made around half as much,^[but it was one of the biggest hits of the year in France, with admissions of 3,723,209.

If you want to see James Dean in action, here is a trailer for the movie:

Giant (1956) Official Trailer - Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson Movie HD

As of 2025-2026, the estate of James Dean, which is managed by the James Dean Foundation Trust, continues to generate significant income, often cited in the range of $5 million to over $10 million annually. Despite his death in 1955, his estate remains highly profitable through licensing, merchandising, and the use of his image in fashion and advertising.

Consistent Earnings: Reports indicate the estate has maintained a steady income stream, often ranking him among the top highest-earning deceased celebrities.
Revenue Sources: The income primarily comes from licensing his name and likeness, with previous years having reported figures of $8.5 million (2015) and consistently around $5 million more recently.
Estate Management: The estate was originally inherited by his father, who established the trust to maximize the commercial value of his likeness.
Future Projects: The estate has explored using CGI for film roles, such as the proposed project "Finding Jack".

The estate's consistent earning power is remarkable given that Dean only starred in three major films during his lifetime

During his adolescence, Dean sought guidance and companionship from a local Methodist pastor, the Rev. James DeWeerd, who appears to have influenced his later interests in bullfighting, car racing, and philosophy. Hollywood columnist and Dean biographer Joe Hyams alleged that Dean was molested as a teenager by DeWeerd, writing that "It was the beginning of a homosexual relationship that would endure over many years".

Being gay in the 1950’s could have prevented him from a movie career.

Ironically, one of Deam’s co-stars in “Giant” was also a homosexual which did not became apparent until much later. He died of AIDS in 1985.

There have a number of songs written about James Dean.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Songs_about_James_Dean

My favorite, though, is “Rock On” David Essex:

JAMES DEAN ... ROCK ON ...tsrgp

All of us are exposed to so much disturbing news every day (especially political news) that it is important go back to a time when one man (James Dean) was one of the most influential men in the world, even though his time with all of us was tragically brief.

We'll always have Paris - part 2

2026-05-09T16:14:00.011-07:00

We'll always have Paris - part 2

We'll always have Paris" is a famous, nostalgic line from the 1942 film Casablanca, spoken by Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) to Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman). It signifies that despite their forced separation; their cherished memories and shared past cannot be taken away.

Casablanca 70th Anniversary Edition | We'll Always Have Paris | Warner Bros. Entertainment

I am rapidly approaching 80 years, and I also have relatives and friends who have crossed that milestone, or will do so in the near future.

All of us have cherished memories that help us to appreciate the fact that we have experienced a lot more good things than bad things in our life – and we need to be grateful for that.

I marvel at the fact that most of us can remember people and events from decades in the past.

I’m nor sure why I can remember people from grade school and high school – but I can.

The best memories are the ones that we share with other people, which includes most of our family vacations and trips to places best described as “hither and yon”

If you really want to travel down memory lane, Barbara Streisand can help.

Memories is a compilation album by American singer Barbra Streisand, released in 1981. It is primarily a compilation of previously released material, but includes three newly recorded songs. First released on Columbia, it was re-released under the CBS imprint in 1981 with four additional tracks.

Two brand new recordings "Memory" and "Comin' In and Out of Your Life" were included and both released as singles. "Comin' In and Out of Your Life" was the most successful of the new singles, peaking at No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US. The album also included a previously unreleased solo version of "Lost Inside of You" which had appeared on her 1976 soundtrack album A Star Is Born as a duet with Kris Kristofferson

The album was certified 5× Platinum by the RIAA, reaching number 10 on the US Billboard 200.

In the UK, where it was released as Love Songs, it reached number 1 on the UK Albums Chart for nine weeks (seven of them consecutively and it became the best-selling album of 1982 there, the first album by a female performer to achieve it). The album was certified platinum in the UK (prior to multi-platinum awards being given), and 6× platinum in Australia.

According to the liner notes of Streisand's retrospective box set, Just for the Record, the album also received a record certification in the Netherlands and in Switzerland.

The album won Brit Award for British Album of the Year as Best-Selling Album at the 1983 Brit Awards. It sold over 10 million copies worldwide

Here are a few songs from that album:

Neil Diamond & Barbra Streisand - You Don't Bring Me Flowers Anymore

Memory -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWoQW-b6Ph8

Evergreen-

“Evergreen” from A Star Is Born” (1976)

The way we were -

Bing Videos

Barbara Streisand was born on April 24, 1942, which means that she is now 84 years old.

She likely remembers the way she was a long time ago, and those memories are treasures to be cherished

Tomorrow is Mother’s Day. If you know someone who is a mother, help them celebrate the day.

That memory will linger for years to come.

the year that I stopped being a kid

2026-04-29T15:37:00.005-07:00

My 18^th birthday was on August 28, 1965, which meant that I was now officially (and legally) an adult, even though I did not feel any different.

Apart from the fact that my relatives and friends helped me to celebrate the day, the world as a whole did nothing to commemorate the date, even though the local draft board may have noticed that I was now old enough to join the Army and save the world. (Fortunately, I had been accepted at the University of Minnesota, which allowed me to get a student deferment (2S)

However, 1965 turned out to be a year that saw a lot of significant events.

For starters, a march that started in Selma, Alabama on March 7 quickly led to some very significant civil rights legislation.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voting_Rights_Act_of_1965

Closer to home, the Mississippi river over flowed, which flooded downtown St. Paul, and gave some of my classmates a chance to earn some extra money filling sandbags.

In addition to the troubles at home, turmoil overseas was starting to heat up.

In 1965, the number of troops sent to Vietnam was 184,330, and eventually reached a peak of 536, 100 in 1968.

The passage of the Voting Rights Act did not improve the lives of black people overnight, which led to an event that started in August of 1965.

On August 11, 1965, a white California Highway Patrol officer pulled over a black man named Marquette Frye, 21, for suspected drunk driving.
An altercation broke out after a crowd gathered, escalating into a confrontation between residents and police.
Rumors spread and police brutality rumors escalated tensions, triggering widespread rioting, looting, and arson that lasted for six days.

Britannica +4

The riots, which resulted in 34 deaths and over $40 million in damages, highlighted the desperate need for social reform in urban American cities.

The six-day uprising in Los Angeles was driven by long-standing issues, including police brutality, high unemployment, sub-standard housing, and entrenched segregation.

Britannica +4

Key Underlying Causes:

Police Brutality & Tension: Deep-seated animosity existed between the Black community and the LAPD, which was seen as an occupying, abusive force.
Economic Deprivation: High unemployment rates and lack of economic opportunity created a feeling of hopelessness among residents.
Systemic Neglect: Residents faced substandard housing, poor education, and systemic racial discrimination.
Geographic/Social Isolation: The Watts community was largely segregated and neglected by city services.

Civil Rights Digital Library +4

1965 also happened to be the year that a man named Rodney King was born.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodney_King

Although the Watts riots led to an attempt to improve the relations between the police and the black community, it was not enough – which led to the arrest of Rodney King on March 3, 1991.

On March 3, 1991, he was severely beaten by officers of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) during his arrest after a high-speed pursuit for driving while intoxicated on Interstate 210. An uninvolved resident, George Holliday, saw and filmed the incident from his nearby balcony and sent the footage, which showed King on the ground being beaten, to a local news station, KTLA. The station broadcast the film, which was rebroadcast by other stations, with this exposure precipitating riots.

When a jury in Simi Valley acquitted charges against 3 of the 4 police involved, riots started.

Though few people at first considered race an essential factor in the case, including Rodney King's attorney, Steven Lerman,^[he Holliday videotape was at the time stirring deep resentment among black people in Los Angeles and other major cities in the United States, where they had often complained of police abuse against their communities. The officers' jury consisted of Ventura County residents: ten white, one mestizo or aboriginal, one Asian. Lead prosecutor Terry White was black. On April 29, 1992, the jury acquitted three of the officers but could not agree on one of the charges against Powell.

Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley said, "The jury's verdict will not blind us to what we saw on that videotape. The men who beat Rodney King do not deserve to wear the uniform of the LAPD."^] President George H. W. Bush said, "Viewed from outside the trial, it was hard to understand how the verdict could possibly square with the video. Those civil rights leaders with whom I met were stunned. And so was I, and so was Barbara, and so were my kids."

Within hours of the acquittals, the 1992 Los Angeles riots began, lasting six days. Black Americans were outraged by the verdicts and began rioting in the streets. By the time law enforcement, the California Army National Guard, the United States Army, and the United States Marine Corps restored order, the riots had resulted in 63 deaths, 2,383 injuries, more than 7,000 fires, damage to 3,100 businesses, and nearly $1 billion in financial losses. Smaller riots occurred in other U.S. cities such as San Francisco, Las Vegas, Seattle, and as far east as Atlanta and New York City. A civil disturbance occurred on Yonge Street in Toronto, Canada when Canadians gathered to protest the acquittal in Los Angeles as well as local police killing of a black man in Toronto two days prior.^[

Eventually, of course, even Rodney King realized that things were out of control:

https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?q=rodney%20king%20-%20wh%20cant%20we%20all%20get%20along%20&mid=9D814ADA6A3C76AF09ED9D814ADA6A3C76AF09ED&ajaxhist=0

I thought of the Watts riots today after I finished reading a book titled “The Hate U Give”. By Angie Thomas.

The book was assigned reading for an English class that I monitored a week ago. After a brief review of the book, I decided to put it on hold at our local library.

I started reading it yesterday morning, and finished reading it this afternoon.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hate_U_Give

The Hate U Give is a 2017 young adult novel by Angie Thomas. It is Thomas's debut novel, expanded from a short story she wrote in college in reaction to the police shooting of Oscar Grant. The book is narrated by Starr Carter, a 16-year-old African-American girl from a poor neighborhood who attends an elite private school in a predominantly white, affluent part of the city. Starr becomes entangled in a national news story after she witnesses a white police officer shoot and kill her childhood friend, Khalil. She speaks up about the shooting in increasingly public ways, and social tensions culminate in a riot after a grand jury decides not to indict the police officer for the shooting.

The Hate U Give was published on February 28, 2017, by HarperCollins imprint Balzer + Bray, which had won a bidding war for the rights to the novel. The book was a commercial success, debuting at number one on The New York Times young adult best-seller list, where it remained for 50 weeks. It won several awards and received critical praise for Thomas's writing and timely subject matter. In writing the novel, Thomas attempted to expand readers' understanding of the Black Lives Matter movement as well as difficulties faced by black Americans who employ code switching. These themes, as well as the vulgar language, attracted some controversy and caused the book to be one of the most challenged books of 2017, 2018, 2020 and 2021 according to the American Library Association.

The book was adapted into a film by 20th Century Fox in October 2018, which received positive reviews. The novel was also adapted into an audiobook, which won several awards and earned praise for its narrator, Bahni Turpin

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angie_Thomas

Angie Thomas was born on September 20, 1988, in Jackson, Mississippi, where she was raised.

Thomas was subject to multiple instances of gun violence at a young age. She grew up near the home of assassinated civil rights activist, Medgar Evers, stating that her mother heard the gunshot that had killed him. When she was 6 years old, Thomas witnessed a shootout between gangs.

In an interview with The Guardian, she recounted how her mother took her to the library the following day to show her that, "There was more to the world than what [Thomas] saw that day." This inspired her to take up writing.

In her adolescence, Thomas shared her skills as a rapper, although her career in music was short-lived. She was, however, the subject of an article in Right On! Magazine, and went on to obtain a Bachelor of Fine Arts ^] from Belhaven University.^]She was the first Black teenager to graduate from her creative writing course.

Your mood while reading this book will fluctuate from rage to joy to sorrow – and back to joy again.

You already know that police brutality in this country is still far too common – even though the vast majority of policemen in this country are decent people.

Sadly, that is NOT true of too many people employed by ICE.

I would recommend reading this book, even if it makes you uncomfortable.

After all, that is the only way that our society can become better.

Thoughts on Mother's Day

2026-04-26T07:34:00.002-07:00

Mother’s Day 2026 will be celebrated on May 10.

I was reminded this morning how significant the day is when I watched on old video this morning.

Here’s a little background

During the 19th century, women's peace groups in the United States tried establishing holidays and regular activities in favor of peace and against war. A common early activity was the meeting of groups of mothers whose sons had fought or died on opposite sides of the American Civil War.

In 1868, Ann Jarvis, Anna Jarvis's mother, organized a committee to establish a "Mother's Friendship Day", the purpose of which was "to reunite families that had been divided during the Civil War." Ann Jarvis, who had previously organized Mother's Day Work Clubs to improve sanitation and health for both Union and Confederate encampments undergoing a typhoid outbreak, wanted to expand these into an annual memorial for mothers, but she died in 1905 before the annual celebration was established. Her daughter would continue her mother's efforts.

On May 10, 1913, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution calling on all federal government officials (from the president down) to wear a white carnation the following day in observance of Mother's Day. May 8, 1914, the U.S. Congress passed a law designating the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day and requesting a proclamation. The next day, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation declaring the first national Mother's Day as a day for American citizens to show the flag in honor of those mothers whose sons had died in war.^[] In 1934, President Franklin D. Roosevelt approved a stamp commemorating the holiday.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother%27s_Day_(United_States)

Here is how the old video came up this morning:

As of this morning, I have published 765 log posts, and I normally check every morning to see which ones were read by somebody the day before (even though I could also go back further in time).

Yesterday, 4 people read the story titled “I want to be a rock star”.

https://tohell-andback.blogspot.com/2019/01/i-want-to-be-rock-star.html

It’s a fun video to watch, and it is the most popular single release by the group Nickelback.

The same group also released a video titled “Lullaby”, and it has a much more somber tone. It will likely to bring a tear to your eye.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OjiOn5s8s8

Childbirth today is much safer than it was 100 years ago, when the maternal death rate was 64.6 deaths per 10,000 births, or 646 per 100,000 births.

Today, maternity death rates vary significantly by state., with higher rates concentrated in the South and lower rates in the Northeast and West. Data from 2019-2023 shows Tennessee (42.1), Louisiana (40.7), and Mississippi (39.7) have the highest rates, while California (10.1) and Minnesota (14.1) have the lowest, per 100,000 live births.

The link below goes into a LOT more detail:

Commonwealth Fund +3

Highest Maternal Mortality Rates (approx. 2019–2023)

These states often have higher rates due to limited access to reproductive care and high rates of underlying health conditions.

Tennessee: ~42.1 per 100,000 live births
Louisiana:

~40.7 per 100,000

Mississippi: ~39.7 per 100,000
Alabama: ~38.6 per 100,000 (2018-2022 data)
Arkansas: ~38.3 per 100,000 (2018-2022 data)

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC (.gov) +1

Lowest Maternal Mortality Rates (approx. 2019–2023)

These states often have higher investment in health coverage, reproductive care, and social support.

Becker's Hospital Review +2

California: ~10.1 per 100,000
Minnesota: ~14.1 per 100,000
Massachusetts: ~16.4 per 100,000 (2018-2022 data)

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC (.gov)

Regional Differences: The South has higher rates, often more than double those in other regions.
Impact of COVID-19: Maternal deaths peaked in 2021 across most states due to COVID-19 complications, with some decline in 2022-2023.
Data Limitations: The CDC often suppresses data for states with nine or fewer deaths to maintain confidentiality.

Sadly, maternal death rates in this country are going to go up, and here is why:

Medicaid is the largest single payer for pregnancy-related services in the U.S., financing roughly 41% of all births annually. This represents more than 4 in 10 births, with the program covering over 50% of births in several states, such as Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, and Oklahoma.

KFF +1

Key Facts on Medicaid Birth Coverage:

National Coverage: Approximately 41% of U.S. births are covered by Medicaid, making it crucial for maternity care.
Rural Impact: Medicaid pays for nearly half (47%) of all births in rural, nonmetro areas.
Postpartum Extension: As of January 2025, 48 states and D.C. have extended postpartum coverage to 12 months, according to the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families.
Continuous Coverage: Newborns whose deliveries are financed by Medicaid receive automatic coverage for their first year of life.

Remember the One Big Beautiful Bill?

On July 4, 2025, President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) into law. To partially offset the cost of trillions of dollars in tax cuts, the legislation includes nearly $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid.

Medicaid generally covers children younger than 18 from families with low and moderate incomes, pregnant women with low and moderate incomes, parents with very low incomes, and individuals with disabilities. In the 40 states that chose to expand Medicaid to adults with low incomes (at or below 138 percent of federal poverty guidelines) under the Affordable Care Act, young adults can qualify based on income alone. Otherwise, they must qualify in other ways, such as being pregnant or disabled.

Extensive research shows Medicaid covers lifesaving care for enrollees. It reduces mortality, can help establish healthy habits, and can lead to higher lifetime earnings. These benefits extend far beyond individuals.

But OBBBA leaves the roughly 3 in 10 young adults ages 18 to 24 insured through Medicaid vulnerable to losing coverage.

https://www.urban.org/urban-wire/medicaid-cuts-one-big-beautiful-bill-act-leave-3-10-young-adults-vulnerable-losing

Eventually, of course, the damage caused by the OBBBA can be reversed, but it will be a long process, and it can only come when the balance of power in this country shifts to the political party than has the correct priorities.

As tragic as maternal death rates in this country are they are far better than they are in other countries.

As of 2023–2024, the highest maternal mortality rates are concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa, with South Sudan (approx. 1,223 per 100,000 live births), Chad (1,063), and Nigeria (1,047) having the highest rates globally. These nations suffer from limited access to skilled care and emergency obstetric services, with 70% of global maternal deaths occurring in this region.

UNICEF Data +2

Countries with Highest Maternal Mortality Ratios (2020-2023 data):

South Sudan: Frequently cited as having the highest rate, with estimates around 1,223 deaths per 100,000 live births.
Chad: High mortality rate of 1,063 per 100,000 births.
Nigeria: Extremely high rate (1,047 per 100,000) and accounts for a significant portion of global maternal deaths.
Central African Republic: Reported with 1,296 deaths per 100,000 in certain 2020 estimates.
Somalia: Data indicates a very high lifetime risk of maternal death (1 in 30).

African Health Observatory +2

Key Regional Concentration
Sub-Saharan Africa bears the highest burden, with 454 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. Other nations with elevated rates, though often lower than the top African countries, include Afghanistan.

Wikipedia +1

Key Factors Driving Mortality

Limited Healthcare Access: Lack of skilled attendants, antenatal care, and emergency obstetric care.
Conflict and Instability: High-risk areas like South Sudan and Somalia have broken healthcare systems.
Economic Factors: Poverty restricts access to necessary health services.

UNICEF Data +3

The maternal death rate in South Sudan is roughly twice what it was in America 100 years ago – and that should give you pause.

Admittedly, the statistics about maternal death rates make for some dreary reading, so here’s a thought:

If you know anyone who is a mother, treat them like a queen, because they deserve it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_for_a_Day

The tragedy of the American education system

2026-04-18T13:29:00.002-07:00

American schools generally led the world in educational attainment, particularly in high school completion rates, from the early 1900s through the mid-1950s, with a high point for, particularly in math, during the 1990s. By 1940, over 50% of U.S. youths had high school diplomas, a major global lead at the time.

Early 20th Century (1910–1940): The U.S. led the world in secondary schooling expansion, far outpacing other nations in educating 14 to 17-year-olds.

Post-WWII (1950s-1960s): The G.I. Bill fueled a boom in higher education, producing top-tier, globally recognized college-educated workers.
Mid- to Late-1990s: Often cited as the heyday of American education regarding student cohort growth and academic achievement, with trends starting to decline afterward.
1970s Peak: Some indicators, including the formation of the Department of Education, suggest that the U.S. peaked in comparative student achievement around 1979 before falling in international rankings by the 2000s.

From the peak in the 1970’s. American has not kept pace with other countries - and we are now #17. As the article below explains, we have not gotten worse, but other countries have gotten better:

https://tohell-andback.blogspot.com/2015/01/why-finns-are-smarter-than-us.html

We have tried a variety of ways since the 1970’s to maintain our edge in education, and one of those steps was to establish the Department of Education in 1979.

The like below explains why the department was created:

https://tohell-andback.blogspot.com/2025/07/the-department-of-education.html

Keep in mind that the article above has a LOT on information, so do not get discouraged by its length.

This week, I monitored a class at University High School, which is one of the best high schools in the country.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_High_School_(Tucson)

University High School (UHS) is an accelerated public high school located in Tucson, Arizona. Originally known as Special Projects High School (SPHS), University High School is in the Tucson Unified School District (TUSD). The mission statement of UHS identifies it as "a special function high school which serves students who are academically focused and intellectually gifted and provides curriculum and social support not offered in the comprehensive high school." Since 1985, it has shared a campus with Rincon High School, a separate high school. Courses from each school can be combined, and athletics and fine arts are combined under the Rincon/University (RUHS) name.

Special Projects High School was inaugurated in 1976–77 on the campus of Tucson High Magnet School. The goal was to provide advanced courses for the district's students and explore interest in a variety of careers. The program also was a cost saver by acting as the only place to take Advanced Placement classes rather than at each campus. Admission at this time required an I.Q. of 130 or higher.

In 2005 and 2016, it was honored as a Blue Ribbon school.

You are probably wondering what a Blue Ribbon School is, so here is your answer:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Blue_Ribbon_Schools_Program

The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program was a United States Department of Education award program that recognized exemplary public and non-public schools on a yearly basis. Using standards of excellence evidenced by student achievement measures, the Department honored high-performing schools and schools that were making great strides in closing any achievement gaps between students. The program was discontinued by the second presidency of Donald Trump on August 29, 2025. A spokesperson from the Department of Education said this was an effort to "returning education to the states".

The U.S. Department of Education was responsible for administering the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program, which was supported through ongoing collaboration with the National Association of Elementary School Principals, Association for Middle Level Education, and the National Association of Secondary School Principals. Since the program's founding in 1982 under the presidency of Ronald Reagan, the award has been presented to more than 9,000 schools.

National Blue Ribbon Schools represent the full diversity of American schools: public schools including Title I schools, charter schools, magnet schools, and non-public schools including parochial and independent schools. The schools are urban, suburban, and rural, large and small, traditional and innovative, and serve students of every social, economic, and ethnic background

University High is one of the best high schools in Tucson, and is one of the best in the country.

The link below will show you the rest of them:

https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-public-high-schools/t/tucson-pima-az/

Basis in Tucson North is rated as the best high school in the country, but University High School is not far behind.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_High_School_(Tucson)

Here are a few key details:

In 1982, the TUSD governing board renamed Special Projects High School to its current name University High School. The name represents the AP classes offered at the school.

Because Tucson is close to Mexico, it is not surprising that there are a lot of Hispanic students. In fact, there are 3 high schools that are more than 80% Hispanic. There is only ONE school where the Caucasian population is more than 50%

What distinguished University High school is that there are a fair number of Chinese or Vietnamese students- and that could help explain its success.

The link below shows the most diverse schools in the city, and I have taught at some of them:

https://www.niche.com/k12/search/most-diverse-public-high-schools/m/tucson-area/

There are some people who are opposed to DEI programs, which is utterly absurd.

Diversity makes our country BETTER, not worse.

Like most of Trump’s cabinet members, Linda McMahon is totally unqualified to lead the Department of Education.

Ever since he was sworn in, Trump has threated to eliminate the Department of Education – which he cannot do without the consent of congress.

So far, though, Linda McMahon has done a lot of damage:

On March 11 the department announced the layoff of half of its workforce. The actions were challenged in court, with a coalition of groups led by Democracy Forward arguing that the changes to the department would require action by Congress. Lower courts enjoined the action, but in July 2025, the Supreme Court permitted the layoffs to proceed.

McMahon has oversight over the America 250 Civics Education Coalition, a partnership of conservative organizations who are creating civics programming around the 250th anniversary of the United States. The coalition is led by the America First Policy Institute, which formerly employed McMahon. McMahon signed an ethics waiver allowing her to participate, acknowledging her conflict of interest as a former AFPI employee.^[

You’ll notice that she has a connection of the American First Policy Institute.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linda_McMahon

According to New York Times reporter Ken Bensinger, key policy proposals from the AFPI's policy book, The America First Agenda, include eliminating most civil service protections for federal employees, allowing summary dismissals without appeal; expanding domestic oil and gas production by opening up new federal lands for fast-tracked petroleum exploration and drilling, and resumed construction of the Keystone pipeline; imposing supervised ultrasound requirements and mandatory waiting periods before abortions, as well as ending federal funding for organizations like Planned Parenthood; opposing red flag laws that restrict gun ownership for high-risk individuals; and supporting nationwide reciprocity for concealed carry permits, enabling a permit from any state to authorize concealed carry across all 50 states. Other policy proposals include imposing tariffs on imports, reducing corporate taxes, rolling back climate change initiatives and getting out of the Paris climate agreement, opposing transgender rights, adding work requirements for Medicaid and limiting U.S. involvement in global conflicts. It proposes restricting immigration by completing the U.S.-Mexico border wall, boosting funding for border agents, and ending legal immigration programs such as family-based visas and the visa lottery.

You know who else has a connection of America First?

Stephen Miller, the Nazi in the White House.

https://aflegal.org/

Stephen Miller is the Co-Founder of America First Legal. Before launching the organization, Miller served in the West Wing as Senior Advisor to the President for the entirety of the first Trump Administration. Earlier in his career, he was a senior aide to lawmakers and committees in the United States Congress. Following President Trump's return to office, Miller joined the administration on January 20, 2025, and now serves as Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy as well as Homeland Security Advisor, placing him at the center of the White House's domestic and national security agenda.

Linda McMahon does not have a degree in education, nor has she ever worked as teacher. Her only exposure to education is a brief stint on a local school board.

How did she get her position?

She contributed $10 million to help Trump get elected in 2024,

https://wrestlenomics.com/articles/2024/linda-mcmahon-contributed-more-than-10-million-to-help-elect-donald-trump-in-2024-a-breakdown-of-her-political-donations/

Our education system is not perfect, and improvements can still be made.

Diane Ravitz provides a few ideas in her book, “Reign of Error”:

Reign of Error by Diane Ravitch argues that the narrative of failing public schools is a "hoax" used to justify a privatization movement that threatens American public education, despite data showing rising test scores and graduation rates. The book critiques corporate-backed reform efforts like charter schools and high-stakes testing, advocating instead for policies that address root causes of inequality, such as smaller class sizes, better teacher training, and comprehensive social services, to preserve public schools as a cornerstone of democracy.

We’ll eventually recover from the mistakes being made by Linda McMahon and the Trump administration, but it will not happen overnight.

Be patient.

Change WILL come, and we will be better off as long as we don’t give up hoop.

D-Day, 2026 edition

2026-04-10T16:43:00.002-07:00

June 6, 1944, was the day that Allied forces landed on the beaches of Normandy in order to force the retreat of the German forces and the eventual defeat of the Nazis.

June 6 is also a significant date for us, since it is the day that we will be starting to load all of our moving boxes into the moving truck for the trip north.

So far in our 50+ years of marriage, we have moved 12 times. The move to New Mexico will be #13, and almost certainly will be our last.

Moving is never easy, and it seems like each one has presented its own unique challenges.

Our neighbors down the street moved to New Mexico last year, and we though they were crazy, since they were both well into their 70’s. Their main reason for the move was to be closer to family, which is one of the most common reasons for moving. Now that they are settled in, their move is starting to make more sense.

There was a time in the not-too-distant past that we had vowed to never move again. We like the Tucson area (in part because both of our children had moved here), and I really enjoy working for the local school district, which provided a nice supplemental income. Most importantly, we had established connections to a number of medical professionals.

Our daughter now lives just outside Durango, Colorado. Since she is a nurse, she was well aware of the problems that people encounter as they got older – and she is right. Although she is now a 10-hour drive from Tucson, she will be less than an hour away after we move to Farmington, New Mexico.

The town that we are moving to is large enough (just under 50,000 people) that it has all the restaurants and grocery stores that we need, and it is also the home of the San Juan medical center, which is an excellent medical facility,

Last year, Sharon went through 2 major surgeries just a few months apart, and I recently discovered that I may be needing some heart surgery sometime in the next year.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farmington,_New_Mexico

By a happy coincidence, Farmington is just a short drive to Aztec, which has one of the few remaining A and W root beer stands in the country.

I had always been under the impression that New Mexico was a “red” state, but that is no longer true.

New Mexico has a total of three legislative districts – and all three are Democratic.

I plan to continue working for a few more years, but plan to retire for good when I hit 80. The local school district has 4 high schools, 4 middle schools, and 11 elementary schools.

Surprisingly, there are some million-dollar homes in Farmington, so it is more affluent than you might think. The home we are moving into is very similar to our current home, and our monthly housing expenses will be very similar to what we are paying now.

We started the packing process in December. Although both of us have done our share, Sharon has done the majority of the work, and we are now almost done with the process. Since we will no longer be under any deadline after we move, the unboxing process can be much more leisurely.

The hard part of moving is that we will be leaving family and friends behind, and we will need to find new doctors all over again.

On the positive side, we will less than 5 miles from the local library, an important consideration for a couple who are avid readers. There is also a senior center in town

Farmington rarely gets over 90 degrees, a nice change from Tucson, where temperatures can hit 115 degrees during June and July.

Moving is both terrifying and exciting, but it is a smart move for a couple who are not getting any younger.

Arizona has many positive traits, and so does Tucson.

However, New Mexico is now the “land of enchantment”.

How can you beat that?

(New Mexico is called the "Land of Enchantment" due to its stunning scenic beauty, vivid landscapes, and rich cultural history. The nickname highlights the state’s blend of mountains, deserts, and artistic, multicultural atmosphere—featuring Native American, Spanish, and Mexican influences. It was first used for tourism in 1935 and officially adopted in 1999.)