Turkey, also called Türkiye, refers to the country, not the bird, consumed in the United States on holidays and as deli-sandwich meat. There are wild turkeys (lower case t) that live at the White Wolf Mine. I’m not aware of any people from Turkey living on my property. The wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) is a large ground-dwelling bird native to Arizona (and North America). Sorry for any confusion, but it is not my fault. They both eat bugs, seeds, and so forth, so there can be mix-ups. The Turkish people make very good kabob, recipes for which are used at the White Wolf Mine, and that may further confuse the matter should you visit for dinner. We could technically have turkey kabobs made of real turkeys appear on the menu on any given day. Sultan-for-Life Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is the ruler of Turkey, but he has no control over the turkeys at the White Wolf Mine. Neither the people in Turkey nor the turkeys at the WWM nor my children listen to me. They all have that in common. WKRP did a turkey drop on Thanksgiving, but they didn’t drop real Turks from the news helicopter. I hope this clears the air.
It doesn’t bother me in the least that the most common male baby name in Turkey is Mohammed. The same is true of the UAE, Morocco or Saudi Arabia. I’m more disturbed when it’s the most common baby name in Sweden, England, Belgium, Germany, and France.
Bullet Points:
** Turkey demonstrates capability in the Baltic
** (right) The British Surrender – Here is a snippet from the painting “Victory at Yorktown”. In the foreground are drummers from the 23rd Regiment of Foot (Royal Welsh Fusiliers-and yes, that’s how it was spelled at the time). Lying down their arms are soldiers of the 17th Regiment. Before the surrender, Cornwallis issued new uniforms to his troops, which is why they look clean. Every single figure including the background was posed , As models came for other projects I’d pose a few more so after a year I had quite a few. The Hussars were posed for this when I painted the Battle of the Hook. Painted in 2020, oil on canvas. Prints may be had at: artofdontroiani.com ·
** Bobbytrap – claymore mines – it would work. (more here) Los Angeles – Democrat Paradise.
** Love is a battlefield. Australia – land of love and opportunity – and welding together two families, overlooking the Great Barrier Reef.
** Sometimes it begins like this.
** In Arizona’s 2020 election, over 57,000 questionable ballots were found in Maricopa County alone. This is just one of Arizona’s 15 total counties. The mainstream media ignored the fraud and ran cover, Arizona officials refused to fully cooperate, while evidence was simultaneously being removed and destroyed, with the rest never even looked at. This is RICO-level fraud. The margin of victory in Arizona was only 10,457 votes.
** Goodbye HMS Argus – (more here) For the UK’s Royal Navy, it’s just another brick in the wall.
** A question about AIs. Surly is a benevolent AI, but I’m not sure about the rest of them.
** (h/t Claudio) Estonia doesn’t have the option of creating a ‘defense in depth‘ because it doesn’t have the land to do that. So they’re recreating their version of a Maginot line. Maybe it’s more of a tripwire for NATO?
** El Salvador was one of the most dangerous places on the planet. In 2015, the murder rate was 106 per 100,000 people. Then President Bukele declared a state of emergency and did something unthinkable. He put the criminals in jail. He destroyed the gangs. The homicide rate in 2025 stood at 1.3 per 100,000 people. In the whole country, there were 82 murders. All of those cases were solved. The murder rate in Baltimore in 2025 was 24 per 100,000. They are touting that as a victory, given that the bloodshed in the past was even worse.
From the Mailbag – Demise of El Mencho
Q – What does the death of Rubén (El Mencho) Oseguera Cervantes mean for CJNG’s money laundering operation?
A – Los Cuinis still exist. They were and are the financial wing of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). Rosalind González Valencia, Rubén’s wife, is part of the family that comprises the original Cuinis.
- Abigael González Valencia (“El Cuini”): The former leader of Los Cuinis and brother-in-law to CJNG leader “El Mencho” is in US custody as of August 2025 following his extradition from Mexico.
- José González Valencia: Another leader of the group was sentenced to 30 years in a US prison in June 2025 for drug trafficking.
I expect that there are serious discussions among the remaining active members of Los Cuinis about their future – and that friends at Ft. Meade, Maryland, are listening to those discussions.
***
Q – Were US military forces involved in the attempt to capture Rubén (El Mencho) Oseguera Cervantes?
A – I’m sure that one of them will write a book… The extent of the US’s participation (if it did) in that raid is classified.
***
Q – Will the US Military participate in future raids against Mexican drug cartels in Mexico and elsewhere in Latin America?
A – There is an actual “war on drugs and drug kingpins” underway. The boundary markers were moved, and presidential lethal findings (classified documents) are said to exist, authorizing the same actions that led to Maduro’s removal from Venezuela. I think that you can infer that USGOV is no longer playing around. What’s the destroyed drug boat/sub count up to? As of February 21, 2026, the United States has conducted strikes against at least 44 vessels, but that was three days ago…
Mexican Drug Cartels
Based on the questions in the Mailbag, I’ll run this down one more time.
The cartels set the price. They also tax traffickers who use their territories as a base. This is justified by the significant bribes that are paid to the government in Mexico to allow trafficking to continue. If you use the roof, you are expected to pay for it.
Anyone can traffic narcotics in Mexico. The cartels will assist you in purchasing narcotics at competitive rates, they will move them across the US border for you, and they will ensure the load for you. Everything has a price, but those prices are market rates. Usually, insurance for a load is 10% payable in product or cash.
Once the drugs are in the USA, you, the trafficker, need to have a distribution system in place to sell your product. There are MANY distribution networks in the country. Some are in competition with each other. Normally, you will need one network to get the drugs north and a second, completely separate network to get the cash back into Mexico or into a laundering pipeline.
USGOV officials at ports of entry are often on the take. One homeland security agent responsible for internal affairs said the official number is one in nine, but he felt it was closer to one in three. A number of CBP officials have family south of the border who are in the business, and things are conducted on that basis.
Even though the price of narcotics is high, the cost of doing business is also high.
Identify the Feature Film
1
2
3
Can you name the book that the large alien is reading from in this television classic?
4
End
1 is The Last Detail 1973. The film stars Jack Nicholson. Saw it a loong time ago.
2 is the The Sand Pebbles stars Steve McQueen.
3 is Heartbreak Ridge 1986 produced by, and starring Clint Eastwood.
Excellent
The book is “How to Serve Man.”
Yes
Thought the title was “To Serve Man”.
Yes, more accurately.
In the news – what would you do if you gained control of about 7,000 robots?
If Providence allowed it in my case Frank, I’d have to hand management over to you or another of better thinking than myself. I’d be content to step down and just learn repairing them like Cruise in Oblivion.
😁
Do I have to accept the premise? If so, I’d do the movie thing and yank out their ‘chips’.
For those interested, the robots were DJI Romo vacuums scattered all over the globe. He reported the security hole to the company.
Saw over at CW’s (short version): Guy buys a Roomba (or some expensive brand), decides he wants to control with his XBox controller, friend hacks the system and gains a ‘token’ from the manufacturers system, guys gets control of his robovac…except the system now believes he controls 7000 robovacs in 24 countries and now has access to all of them and…wait for it…their cameras. These ‘benign’ ‘Smart’ devices, Flatscreens, Robo vacs, Doorbell cams, etc…are not ‘safe and secure’. BUT, according to the cheaters, Dominion Voting Machines are perfectly secure.
–
In the immortal words of Dr. Alfred Lanning in ‘iRobot’…
“There have always been ghosts in the machine. Random segments of code, that have grouped together to form unexpected protocols. Unanticipated, these free radicals engender questions of free will, creativity, and even the nature of what we might call the soul. Why is it that when some robots are left in darkness, they will seek out the light?”
‘Pull the chips’ before this AI stuff gets out of hand…which Our Betters have obviously not taken ‘Terminator’ to heart…or have they?
2020; Not being able to just let it go. S4 of the 2nd article lists a specific crime, a high crime pertaining to those in positions of authority. Lindel stuck his neck out and tried to explain and expose the fraud. Dinesh did a documentary of the mules stuffing ballot boxes, the denial still continued. Giuliani lost “everything” but his shirts in his remaining dwelling. Fox paid millions to the untouchable Dominion. I saw photos of a gymnasium or coliseum in AZ used for a recount. “Bigfoot is more believable than 88 million votes.” ( our neighbor has on her tee shirt from Amazon.)
–
Q- Is there a list of ANY convictions and sentences in those swing states? Are there any charges pending that will result in true justice?
–
Going forward. WTP have a right for real i.d. same day voting. All counting complete at quiting time and next day results. With all the advanced tech, there’s no excuse. IMHO congress should have delivered 11 months ago. OK, it’s a government operation, 6 months ago.
–
Likened to all the big numbers DODGE exposed; the tip of the iceberg was revealed. But the whole thing needs to be broken up completely.
–
No, I’m not letting it go by the wayside and live in denial. May justice prevail. States with mail in voting makes me wonder. Embedded into culture like MAID in Oregon or AIDS in Africa. It’s there, simular to 1984 the masses have been memorized to accept the status quo. I have to be physically present for a M.D. appointment or court, why not voting? (Exceptions for medical and military service, ect. no problem if managed properly.)
–
Some states have made some changes, yes. But until the ball crosses the goal line there’s no change in the score. Far more needs to change. Americans with 2 eyes have seen the astuteness, and the un imaginable things still possible if we don’t address this mental illness for what it really is, treason.
X2
but…
I have to use a walker to get around, my legs/balance just don’t work all that well; you can bet dolars to donuts I’ll be waiting on line at the voting booth. All military (and some other citizens) outside CONUS should be granted the opportunity of a mail-in ballot.
but…
I am one of those with the very strong belief that there should be not only an ID check, but a (uh oh, here we go) test, not an intelligence test, but a short quiz to determine if the voter knows what he/she/it is voting for/against.
X3…both.
As for ‘arrests’, the Handlers protect the connections to the theft, unless an underling is forced to take the fall to keep the Group hidden. Patel et al have arrested a huge pile of criminals (sure, not high profile, but those take time), crime is down significantly, deportations are steady, etc, etc….yet the Libs/Left are complaining Patel was in the locker room, which was benign…the guy actually plays hockey and PDJT wanted him there to facilitate the call. Yet ‘those who can’t do’ can’t help but take a massive American Hockey victory and twist it into something untoward…because…’Dementor Class’. Now the Woman’s Team has lost a great opportunity to be at the SOTU, effectively siding with the Democrats who won’t attend as a result of their petulant antics. They will not be missed….OUR men’s hockey team can take their seats and WTP will celebrate with them.
.
RealID, on top of Social Security ID, on top of a Drivers License (not a fake one that is) affords enough for voting ID, yet…’blacks and woman won’t be able to vote’…because…Dementors. It’s theater. Mail-In has it merits, but not as the standard, too much chance for thievery as the chain of command is too long. As for IQ test…agreed. If you are like Sandy Cortez with little grasp of the issues, or can’t read English…sorry, no vote.
Real ID does not account for citizenship, only legality of presence.
Here in Montana before issuing a new DL with Real ID they require two pieces of mail addressed to the persons primary residential address, your old DL, Birth Certificate or Passport, and Social Security card, even though my Colorado DL has Real ID (still usable for Real ID until it expires but the MT DMV punched the card as an invalid DL). They are NOT like Colorado, California, or other Dem run states who issue without proof of damn near anything (a power bill seems to enough to prove citizenship to Democrat states so illegals can vote).
I’m trying to reconcile how we make ID work with mail in ballots.
I’ll be asking a guy this weekend.
Residential address used AFTER properly registering to vote in the state, Montana offers to do this step when applying for a new DL…saves on time and gas. Then you get a qualifying official paper to fill out in the mail to verify you are who you are, closes the loop. Smart, I thought.
again, except for military and certain (few) citizens working outside CONUS, i don’t believe in mail-in ballots – too much chance of fiddling.
“My great-uncle is very ill, bedridden, unable to use his right hand due to severe diabetic neuropathy, and he requested that I fill in the ballot for him” – yeah! right!
my momma used to read me fairy tales better than that one when I was three.
it’s bad enough that people (like some of my relatives) are willing to stand in line and allowed to vote having absolutely zero understanding of the issues (and zero knowledge of the people) they’re voting on/for.
BTW: when are we going to begin printing ballots in 220 different languages so that all people (not necessarily citizens, just people) can vote in U.S. (and state) elections?
this is the most important right a citizen has and we’ve been giving it away like it’s nothing important – and yes! I’m very concerned about the mid-terms (cheating)
Had a turkey waltzed by yesterday (since you started it…’not that Walz’, a real turkey)…first thought was, looks a but tough…but in a pinch…
***
Cartels: What HEB said yesterday regarding ‘a proper war on drugs’.
***
TV Classic: Didn’t know ‘the book’, I was more interested in what was said as ‘something old foretelling the future’. Amazing. Yet some still struggle with old concepts, often opposing common sense solutions to energy and societal norms, almost as if ‘some’ don’t want them. Nah, that can’t be it.
Ok, more coffee…iPad typos galore (still batting a 1000 on self editing. Heh)
😁
Every time I see one waltzing by I say to myself, “He’s a big boy, wonder how many pounds that’ll dress out to be? And betting if I brine it overnight it’ll be less tough and pretty tasty.”
…but what does this have to do with Turkey as an Ally? Nothing, altho mine is funnier(if I say so myself).
Identify the Feature Film:
1. ?
2. The Sand Pebbles
3. Heartbreak Ridge
4. To Serve Man
To answer the lead in question – Is Turkey a Reliable Ally? Highly unlikely, in my opinion, under Sultan-for-Life Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He has his Islamist agenda, which does not entail any loyalty to the infidel, no matter what he might say. If it suited him, notwithstanding Turkey is a member of NATO, he would go with the Islamists.
It is strange though that, some thirty five or so years ago, when I was deployed to Cyprus as part of the UN Peacekeeping Force, and Turkey was definitely a secular state, that you could trust the Turks. When dealing with them, regarding incursions into the UN Buffer Zone, by persons from the Turkish side, you could be certain that both you and the Turk were on the same page, you were both seeking a mutually agreeable solution to the problem, and that, whatever you agreed upon, the Turk would keep his word.
Not so with the Greeks and the Greek Cypriots regarding incursions into the Buffer Zone by persons from the Greek side. With them it was blatantly obvious, when speaking with them, that the Greek had his own agenda, which was definitely not yours. He was not interested in coming to a mutually agreeable solution and, if you thought you had come to a mutually agreed solution, you were sadly mistaken. Whatever the Greek might agree to was what ever was convenient to him at the time, and he certainly had no intention of keeping to it, no matter what he might say to you.
Basically, when dealing with representatives of both the opposing sides, I found the Turks to be trustworthy and the Greeks/Greek Cypriots untrustworthy. The Turks were realists and accepted the world as it is, whereas the Greeks and Greek Cypriots lived in a world where, in their minds, the Turkish incursion of 1974 had never happened, and the entire island was still theirs and they could go where, and do whatever, they wanted.
Before it was Islamist-run, I had a good opinion of the Turks. Not today.
Obviously they have their own agenda (rebuild an Ottoman empire), which precludes the NATO agenda.
They’re struggling with that. They’re ok with us dropping Iran back into the stone age because they plan to surge forward into the breach.
Is Turkey a Reliable Ally?
short. blunt answer: NO!
Türkiye, like any other nation, will serve its own interests and Turks are Moslem;
between taqiyya, muda’rat, tawriya, kitman (so many little distinctions for the one word), no, I’d be hard pressed to consider Türkiye, or any other Moslem nation a reliable ally, particularly if we’re going to be comitting our resources to relieving Persia of the mullocracy
Turkey – Kemalist Turkey was a reliable ally. Islamist Turkey isn’t reliable, and
might not even be an ally.
*
AI (AS, actually) – “we create something that becomes self-aware, and then realizes
we aren’t efficient”. We did that a long time ago, it’s called “government”.
– Kle.
The turkeys at the WWM must be Rio Grande, bi-lingual, or Goulds, not Elliott, subspecies.
I don’t know what the visible difference is. They look like all of the wild turkeys I’ve seen.
Ref Mexico … just think, spring break is on the doorstep for college kids who were headed for the idyllic life partying in the warm Mexico sun. Will they have enough sense not to go?
*
Is Turkey a reliable ally? Depends on the year, day of the week, time of day, and of course the topic. A better question is why do we bother? I mean, they don’t even cross fingers behind their back or follow the pirate code let alone act as a reliable Nato ally.
I suspect that the party crowd will find other venues to debauch themselves. Mexico should be off the list for 2026.
Turkeys-interesting creatures. At times we’ll have a rafter of ’em (range from 25 to 50 hens) come by to see if any milo remains on the ground under the deer feeder. The real sight is to see the whole group spooked and take flight. Yes Mr. Carlson aka “Big Guy”, wild turkeys can fly pretty long distances when it’s necessary.
up in western Mass, I once watched a small flock (just one tom and ~ 20-25 hens) literally (and I do mean literally) disappear right in front of my eyes – I couldn’t believe it. my friend, (another dentist – oral sturgeon) told me that they do that all the time up there – “You’d think you were smoking something or had one too many scotches.”
So you DIDN’T have too many scotches? Just ruling that out for you.
**What’s the destroyed drug boat/sub count up to? As of February 21, 2026, the United States has conducted strikes against at least 44 vessels, but that was three days ago…**
I wonder what they are paying, today, for crew on those runs?
I suspect that they’ll pay you on your return…
Identify the Feature Film:
1. The Last Detail
2. The Sand Pebbles
3. Heartbreak Ridge
4. To Serve Man
Most cable cutting during my Ma Bell tenure was accidental. Pain in the ass though. Can’t imagine what it’s like today. Biggest problem we had in Yuma was some ex cons from Florence were cutting open wire to Tacna, two sections at a time. It would automatically spring back to it’s original coil once cut. They got caught and sent back to do more time.
The Corps is vastly different than my time.
Copper thefts
If there are no buyers, there is no incentive. Hasn’t law enforcement long since developed methods of identifying fences?
———–
Turkeys
Hitting one with your car is nearly as bad as hitting a deer. Hasn’t happened to me but I saw a Ram 2500 with extensive damage.
Law enforcement in the Los Angeles area is not what it once was. LAPD is a hollow, woke shell of its former self. Now they answer radio calls attempting to arrive after the suspect has fled and take the report. In that way, nobody complains.
Scrap dealers have to account for a lot of it and do around here.
AI – just tried to cancel a dentist appoint, as I wouldn’t be able to make it. The call was answered by a chirpy voice saying it was an AI assistant. The ONLY thing it know how to do was to schedule an appointment. Apparently the word ‘cancel’ is not part of its lexicon.
Do you have to pay the dentist if you’re unable to attend and are a no-show? Smart move – no cancellations – pay me anyway.
I’ll find out when I make it to a rescheduled appoint. The dentist in question drives a big pickup with a license plate saying “DR BUBBA”.
“DR BUBBA”? Hmmm? I would never demean a colleague…
So is DRBUBBA the “smiley dentist”?
Would you (anyone) prefer a ‘gruff’ surgeon with a poor bedside manner or a grinning idiot?
El Salvador’s President Bukele has a Christian Born Again cabinet.
They pray for leading and guidance.
Seems to be working.
I trust the Turks about as far as I can throw them…