Blog: If I understand this

Useless fact for today:  Grand Canyon National Park Is Bigger Than Rhode Island – and that includes Narragansett Bay.

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CBS NEWS:  Russia’s Minister of Transport reportedly killed himself just hours after being fired by President Vladimir Putin, according to the country’s state-run news agency, which cited the national Investigative Committee. A second senior Transport Ministry official reportedly died soon after, for reasons which remain unclear.  – Gee, they didn’t fall out windows, like the others?

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ABC NEWS:  It’s estimated about one in every four dollars paid in personal income taxes goes toward interest on the national debt. – I thought Republicans cared about the debt? Oh, wait, they say that.

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In 1932, the Dow reached its lowest point of the Great Depression, closing at 41.22—down almost 90 percent since 1929. It did not return to pre-1929 levels until 1954 – 22 years later. – Still want to give your social security money to Wall Street?  If you do, you gotta hope there is never another long drop, like right when you want to retire.

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Jimmy: “Hello…Jimmy Jones is sick, and won’t be at school today.”

Office: “And who is this, please?”

Jimmy: “This is my mom.”

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Donald Trump was asked about his 90 trade deals in 90 days, since the 90 days are up.  Part of his response:

“Oh, we’ve spoken to everybody. We know every. It’s all done. I told you. I told you we’ll make some deals, but for the most part we’re gonna send a letter. We’re gonna say, ‘Welcome to the United States. If you’d like to participate in the greatest, most successful country ever.’ I mean, we’re doing better than ever. We have. I don’t think. And you’re gonna see these numbers soon. We’ve never had numbers like this. We’ve never had investment like this. Uh, we have more than 90. We’re gonna have much more than 90. But most of those are gonna be sent a letter . . .” – you figure it out.  This is the president of the United States talking!

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On a tee shirt you can buy:

Men’s Four Stages of Life:

1. You believe in Santa Claus
2. You don’t believe in Santa Claus
3. You are Santa Claus
4. You look like Santa Claus

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The dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development by the Trump administration is estimated to result in over 14 million excess, preventable deaths by 2030, according to a new study by The Lancet medical journal published online Monday. – This pub is a well-respected journal in the U.K. – Gee, no Republican is talking about that.

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And this, Trump’s third attempt at selling perfume:  President Donald Trump debuted a fragrance that he calls Victory 45-47. Trump made the announcement on Truth Social, where he urged Americans to go buy it: “Get yourself a bottle, and don’t forget to get one for your loved ones too. Enjoy, have fun, and keep winning!”

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A lot more will come out about various aspects of the Texas fatal flooding, including about this:  Federal regulators repeatedly granted appeals to remove Camp Mystic’s buildings from their 100-year flood map, loosening oversight as the camp operated and expanded in a dangerous flood plain in the years before rushing waters swept away children and counselors, a review by The Associated Press found. – Gee, too many gov’mint regulashuns down dere in Texas?

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A performer wears a glowing dress made from bioluminescent algae during an Iris Van Herpen fashion show in Paris on Monday, July 7

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From MSNBC: “One truism of modern American politics is that politicians and voters love to trash the federal government … until they need the resources and expertise of the federal government.” – maybe it’s like lawyers and dentists – nobody likes them until you need one.

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I still say that Trump’s up/down tariff announcements are meant to drive the stock market; and he and his family are making money off of knowing which way it will go.  And don’t get me started on their crypto currency business.

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Good News:  A 1998 study found evidence that humans could generate new cells in the brain’s hippocampus, an area associated with learning and memory. – Figure out how to control that, like to prevent memory loss, and you are rich . . . and well-respected.

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From Huffpost:  Trump Guts State Department and Staff Warns People Should Be ‘Scared’

“Donald Trump likes to say he’s about America first. What we’re witnessing here is America in retreat,” Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen told HuffPost at a rally for 1,353 dismissed diplomats.

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Didja Know?  That you have many more than five senses?  The sense of balance, for example, is “another one.”

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Useless fact of the Day:  Like humans and apes, elephants can pass the mirror test, which means they can recognize themselves in a mirror. Provided by FactRetriever.com – Wonder how they know that?

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Word I wonder if it is in the Scabble Dictionary Dept.:  Zarf

It is.  (Noun) The cardboard sleeve used to carry a hot beverage.  Used to be metal.  I want to go to our Starbucks and say, “I’ll have a small mocha with whipped cream, in a zarf, please.”

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Having trouble getting help from Social Security? – this:  Trump administration’s DOGE operation enacted “the largest staffing cut in SSA’s history,” which involved “indiscriminately pushing out 7,000 workers to hit an arbitrary staffing reduction target.” The Trump administration has also ousted dozens of officials with expertise in running SSA’s benefits and information technology systems.

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You all know that I read several comic strips; usually in the LA Times.  One of them today:

Dad is sitting at a small table, set for a tea party hosted by his young daughter.

Neighbor visiting; “That’s great of your husband to deal with that for so long.”

Wife: “I put beer in his teacup.”

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Washington Post: Camp Mystic director received flood warning about an hour before he started evacuating kids – raises obvious questions.

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Swinging doors in Western saloons?  The ubiquitous saloon-style doors were mostly a myth, as nearly all watering holes in the West had normal doors to keep out chilly winds. – From interestingfacts.com

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Remember the Clone War in Star Wars?  Not so unrealistic:  In Ukraine, the invading Russian Army has been battled to a standstill by its much smaller enemy, largely through Ukraine’s mass deployment of drones, which, since 2024, have accounted for eighty per cent of Russian losses in men and matériel.

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Spell check tip:  If you type “abut” when you mean “about,” your spell check will not likely catch the mistake, as “abut” is a word too.  And yes, it happened to me.

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That’s it for now.  I am trying to go back to two blogs a week, but we’ll see.  I intend to make it Sunday afternoons as usual, though, as I have been doing that for over a year!

All take care,

Kevin