Caption: Tomorrow is Tax Day in the USA
Bullet Points:
** Anticipated data center power demands (within five years). Not quite the quantum level speeds hoped for from a quantum machine, but they’ll turn SkyNet sentient if anything will.
** The State Department confirmed Thursday that U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink plans to leave her post early. She was appointed to the role by former President Joe Biden in April 2022, shortly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine started. She has not yet confirmed her resignation. However, a senior U.S. official told CBS News it stemmed from a “mix of personal and policy concerns,” including the Trump administration’s layoffs at the U.S. Agency for International Development.
** President Donald Trump has pledged to counter what he described as Beijing’s “malign influence” in Latin America. During a high-profile visit to Panama, Secretary Hegseth characterized the canal as “key terrain that Panama must secure with America, not China.” He noted that current operations involve two U.S. Navy cruisers, a Coast Guard cutter, four F-18s, and over 1,000 U.S. military personnel, including a Marine infantry company, participating in exercises with Panamanian forces.
Hegseth and Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino jointly announced the upcoming deployment of the USNS Comfort, a naval hospital ship, to deliver medical services and further solidify bilateral ties. The MOU also calls for reviving joint jungle operations and reestablishing the PANAMAX defense exercise in 2026. A separate agreement signed between Minister Abrego and Admiral Holsey outlines increased cooperation in professional military education and capacity-building initiatives.
** I still take issue with referring to Social Security as an “entitlement”, considering how much I’ve paid into it my entire working life. I remember being taught that it was an “investment” that you won’t know how much you’ll be able to draw from before inevitable death. One question for the blogosphere: If Nuralink can turn me into a computer (left) and house my consciousness in an Optimus robot, can I still collect Social Security payments even though I’m 250? There is a solid precedent for people of that age drawing benefits.
** According to an X post by the department, in one case, a person whose birthday was listed in the year 2154 claimed $41,000.
** Did you ever notice that drag queens never go to rest homes and read to the elderly shut-ins? Or is it transphobic to mention that?
** Senator John Kennedy discusses AOC, leader of the democrat party.
** Trish Regan discusses Italy defecting from the EU…and other stuff.
** ULSD Diesel has five parts per million of sulfur. That’s what you find at the pumps for automotive and trucking use. Before ultra-low sulfur diesel, there were over 500 PPM in standard diesel. ULSD Diesel is more refined than high octane gasoline, so you pay more. Farm diesel and standard ULSD Diesel are the same chemically. Farm diesel contains red dye and is tax-free.
** Pick your friends wisely. Washington has criticized Spain’s outreach to China, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent saying cosying up to Beijing is like ‘cutting your own throat.’
Is it too Early in April to name an Idiot of the Month?
Chase Strangio She’s the “trans man” – “trans” being Greek for “not,” as far as you know – who argued at SCOTUS in December against the Tennessee law banning “trans” surgery for minors. You’ll recognize her if you see her, on account of her sad little beard and mustache combination, which you usually only see on barely pubescent boys who are trying too hard or confused girls who take testosterone shots. (I call it “the David Hogg.”) Strangio appeared on CNN on the last day of March, where dozens of viewers saw her say the following, in her female voice, “The president is lying when he says that there are men impersonating women and participating in women’s sports. There are no men impersonating women that I’m aware of.” Said the woman impersonating a man.
Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), whom we should never stop mocking because of that time he called himself “Spartacus” with a straight face, and non-ironically. That guy is a well-known moron already. But when he started speaking in March and finished on April 1st, he took stupid to a new level. Not just because it’s hard to talk for 25 hours straight, but because it’s tough to speak for that long and say absolutely nothing of any substance! Dim-bulb Dems praised Booker for his stirring “filibuster.” But a filibuster is a purposefully long political speech to forestall or prevent a legislative action.
Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) attended an expensive private high school and college but pretends that their curricula never covered “how to conjugate the verb ‘to be correctly. ’” Previous low-lights of hers include calling wheelchair-bound Greg Abbott “Governor Hot Wheels,” and calling black GOP congressman Byron Donald a race traitor because he married a white woman. (Of course, she doesn’t mention that her favorite presidential candidate last time around – part black, part Indian, and all inarticulate – also married a white woman, Doug Emhoff. But never mind that.)
Crockett was dumb enough to admit on camera that she was a DEI hire. (Sidebar: Sweet pea, everyone knew when you opened your mouth.) She said, “When I first became a public defender, I had no criminal defense experience. And I walked in and I told my boss Charlie and said, ‘You should hire me.” And he said, ‘Why?’ And I said, ‘Because I’m black.’” And when Charlie (rumors that his last name was either “Brown” or “Manson” have not been confirmed) didn’t immediately say, “Get your no-experience-having black behind out of my office, you racist beeyotch!” he proved that he shouldn’t have his job either.
In a speech that desecrated the Grace Baptist Church in Waterbury, Connecticut, she said that she “had to go around the country and educate people” (HA!) about how we need illegals because no Americans will farm anymore. Or, as the expensively “educated” imbecile put it, “The fact is ain’t none a y’all tryin’ to go and farm right now…. We done pickin’ cotton.” In addition to making anyone within earshot dumber after hearing that, Crockett said the quiet part – the incredibly evil, quiet part – out loud, arguing that we need illegal immigrants, so that… wait for it… they can be our slaves!
***
Tours
The painting explained: A hoard of fast-moving Muslim raiders collided with a phalanx of Frankish heavy infantry under Charles “the Hammer” Martel at Tours in AD 732. It was the highwater mark of the Islamic tide in Europe.
The point has to be re-made to the beards in Iran.
***
Eight Dimensional Space
Maryna Viazovska (40) from Kyiv, who solved the mathematical problem of packing balls in eight-dimensional space, received the Fields Medal, one of the world’s highest awards in mathematics. She is a full professor and Chair of Number Theory at the Institute of Mathematics of the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland.
In geometry, sphere packing refers to many problems that try to arrange spheres in space. The spheres are often all the same size, and the space used is usually three-dimensional Euclidean space. When generalised, not all the spheres need to be the same size, and spaces can be n-dimensional Euclidean or hyperbolic space.
It should be added that only a three-dimensional space problem had been solved before, and the solution took three hundred pages. Marina proved hers in twenty-three pages, and she did it exquisitely.
She is also the second woman in the world to win the Fields Prize.
***
Explaination
Pictured: DRJIM tweaks the controls of his new land yacht.
It’s not a 1929 Replay.
The situation is different regarding the stock market and what happened with the Smoot- Hawley Act tariffs. In 1930, when Congress passed the Smoot-Hawley Act, America was a creditor nation (that is, it was selling to Europe, which World War I had seriously damaged). This time around, in 2025, America is a debtor nation (that is, it’s buying from everyone else):
When the United States raised the Smoot-Hawley tariffs, the U.S. was the world’s greatest creditor, and by raising the tariffs, we prevented others from selling us things so they could make money and pay us back. When they didn’t pay us back, it collapsed the global financial system and helped usher in the Great Depression. Obviously, today the circumstances are reversed. The United States is now the world’s largest debtor. If we can’t pay back our debts, the global financial system will collapse, which would be disastrous for the entire world.
Put another way, the world depends on our business. To the foreign countries’ chagrin, though, because they’ve put barriers between our products and their markets, Trump threatened to and then did put a barrier between their products and our market.
The stock market situation is very different now than it was in 1929. Our stock market has been pumped up beyond reason thanks to Biden’s money-printing schemes. It’s not a bubble, as bubbles have been understood historically. In history, bubbles saw unbelievable frenzies as people frantically bid up essentially valueless goods, whether tulips or worthless (at the time) land in the South Seas or Florida. In those cases, the market was essentially a Ponzi scheme, and when it collapsed, thousands of investors lost everything instantly.
It’s different now when companies are overrated because of Bidenflation and a stagnant Biden economy that left investors without another place to park all the cash floating around. In today’s situations, people’s unrealized capital gains shrink. While that can be bad for people on the verge of drawing on those gains, whether through retirement or by selling shares they hold personally, for the most part, it just means rich people and rich funds are temporarily worth less.
Identify the Armor
1
2
3
Hint: This tank was based on the T-44 chassis. The casemate was positioned at the rear of the hull instead of the front, significantly reducing the enormous gun overhang on its sister tank. It used the same 100 mm gun as the T-54 and had armor up to 120 mm thick, sloped at 55 degrees. Not many were produced, which is why you have this hint.
Parting Shot
End
Identify the Armor:
1. CV9035
2. SU-100
3. SU-101
Panama. Haven’t heard a peep about the little former US. Navy base (Rodman) that sits at a wide spot in the Panama Canal . It was given back to Panama I think . Big enough to berth a CG and a couple of more. I wonder if that will be returned , bought back , leased , whatever . They had a enlisted barracks with a coin laundry , and a coin Coke machine full of beer , amazing discovery made by myself and a shipmate .That secret lasted about half hour . We pounded about four beers each at peace before it was found out and put “off limits” i.e. the jr. officers took it over . Just a little spot in the jungle , it once was home for the rickety intellgathering USS Sphinx , among other purposes . We should get it back , it would be a useful spot .
It’s called Vasco Nuñez de Balboa Naval Base today. And if it doesn’t have ice-cold beer in the Coke machine, it should.
In 1978 in the barracks at CGAS San Francisco they had a soda machine that had beer, what a fine idea!
Temporary Airman’s Quarters at Sheppard AFB, TX, used to have beer machines in the dorm until around 1984. Rumor was that during a fit of drunken revelry, one was stuffed out of a third-floor barracks window, thus ending the machine and thence-forth, forcing the walk to the BX Annex on base for said alcoholic beverages.
Blasphemers!!
“Brink is one of the highest-ranking career diplomats to leave the State Department since President Donald Trump took office on January 20. She joins other departing veteran officials with decades of experience, such as the agency’s No. 3 official John Bass, who stepped aside in January.”
.
They say that like it’s a bad thing.
Draining the swamp is a critical part of Trump 47.
Gettin’ while the hot breath of this Administration is on her money-laundering neck. The IRS should something good for a change and audit her finances with the colonoscope they use on hard working taxpayers, see how well she did compared to the market geniuses…came in worth half a mil, walking away worth 10 mil.
What’s DOGE gonna do with 85,000 IRS agents?
Option: Go to Panama or retire, altho didn’t think they got hired yet under Biden.
They’re trained for combat. Send them to Iran as cannon fodder.
Assignments to the Roosevelt reservation? USA needs a immigration checkout system. So many here on a student or tourist visa. Over stay and work under the table. In 2008 the are was laid to the roots and employers were being ” visited ” in AZ. The only other thing I can think of is more cement. I know it’s a morbid joke for lawyers, and there are some good attorneys, true? The joke asks what ya got if there’s one in a pool up to his neck in a swimming pool. What do have? Not enough…
Idiot of the month: Is that International Idiot of the Month or just American Idiot of the Month? So many to choose from…..
American Idiot of the month. You can add to the list. There is no set number of idiots that can be admitted to the Hall of Shame.
As differentiated from Congress, which has a set limit.
Smoot Hawley was a law and by definition inflexible. The flexibility we’ve seen in Trump’s Tariffs recently is a far different cry.
Yes, the flexibility bothers many people who don’t understand “negotiation.” I prefer a 1000% tariff on all goods coming from China.
It is a critical component to success, something totally lost on most in government.
Social Security IS an entitlement. An entitlement is something you have earned, or rightly deserve; you have ‘title’ to it. OTOH, welfare, food stamps,public housing, etc., although referred to as an entitlement, is no such thing.
Yes. The term “entitlement” has taken on a dirty aspect in its use in society because with everyone claiming victim status, they also claim that they’re entitled to whatever they demand (See Kipling: The City of Brass). The Swamp has extended Social Security and Medicare to people who never contributed to the system. So it’s bankrupt. Who would have guessed that would have happened? Pension systems are also entitlements for those who contributed (as a matter of contract law).
.
I, too, have contributed to several pension systems and receive annuity payments from them. In each case, I was required to contribute by law. I don’t want Medicare now, but the government forces me to make monthly payments into the system. I have other private health insurance, but it doesn’t matter. Calling that entitled is somewhat of a joke.
A friend in high school drove a new car. Bought it with SS money from the death of his dad
His mom had remarried a very well to do guy.
Over 65 the Federal Bureaucracy demands you sign up for Medicare, then sends a 4# instruction tome in large print in case you want to know every idiotic procedural detail, your rights (huh?), and what constitutes a messy instructional nebula. But it’s for a-l-l you doncha know, the benevolent masters have spoken. Then, like clockwork, this time period also includes the weekly consultant mailings all saying “We can help you with your Medicare signing up to avoid “benefit” mistakes”. You may ask why the hay does this system need consultation from outside sources? Because it is stupidly complicated for something they demand you have – – Part A, Part B, etc. Wanted to call them up and tell them to give back my stolen money then leave the hay alone…luckily MrsPaulM had a corporate resource that helped navigate a portion of the idiocy…but she is the rare one to do it mostly on her own…as I have discovered.
Meloni’s solo talks with figures like Trump reflect strategic bilateralism, not an exit plan. Italy’s EU membership remains a core interest, though it often pushes for more flexibility within the bloc.
-STA Lethal
The tariff issue is dividing the EU, which is supposed to act as a block on matters of trade. Meloni would like to make Italy great again. Other members of the EU don’t care whether Italy is great or not, and it’s causing some strain.
“…are temporarily worth less”
it’s the second word I find of some concern
Yes, it should.
I’ve wondered if all members of Congress were required by law to take part in a lottery like the draft lottery. Those with the birthday matching the number that is picked will be tarred and feathered on live television. Considering some members now in Congress, the proportion of those dumb enough to still want to be in Congress would guarantee entertainment. Charge ten dollars to view, and the money would drastically reduce the deficit.
I’m in for twenty. Or more, and depending on the congress-critter selected, perhaps a lot more. I’m thinking raise Jerry Lewis from the dead and have an Independence Day Telethon would work.
Optimus Robot; wouldn’t that be organ harvesting rebranded? Oh the shame and shock the founding fathers would have if they walked among us today. Recreating definitions of “gay” and “welfare” as entitlement. The Optimus could be operating with your hard drive, but wouldn’t it have its own n ESG, social score, carbon credit account and i.d. #? Oh, sorry, just a slip, s.s # was promised to never be used for public i.d. purposes. True?
–
To give respectful reflection on Borons bravado and chuzpa yesterday; Could 10,000 word essays could be accessed behind a pay wall? Those willing to invest in the sound wisdom and choose to use it as inve$tment advice may cherish the opportunity.
–
If the time investment of acting editor on v.m. is beneficial; this student is certainly learning as much from the intellectual and aware comments, almost as much as the author and re-publisher of news and interesting insights.
–
Like a moth to the flame, and even though I’ll never be able to snatch the pepples from the hands of the likes of y’all, I won’t relent from learning and gaining courage to face the overwhelming odds, even if it means loosing my life for such a noble cause.
If I may toss in my tarnished 2 cents…
I honestly do not know how LL does this everyday, it’s time invested on top of all the other endeavors he has going. Serious time management skills…or AI driven (heh). While I appreciate Boron’s sentiment to glean imparted wisdom by our host in longer “semonettes”, the approach has been to create the platform the the rest of us get to spout off (me especially). This has helped me codify my thoughts on a multitude of subject matter otherwise blind or offset to my wheelhouse, especially the military material, including historical elements. Not an easy task to run content every day…and sometimes more is just…more. But I’d take whatever LL decides on any given day…it’s clean fun (for me anyway).
Your two sense, or “last 2 mites”, which ever they may be are duly noted Paul.
If I’m correct, v.m. May be a by-product of the real research and hopefully profitable advisory endeavors. Am I expressing Stockholm syndrome or survivor’s guilt, or just plain gratefulness?
How people live past 80 was a YouTube clickbait title. Since I qualify, and am gullible,
five points were stressed. One was to remain curious and engaged. Reading blogs, especially this one, fills that requirement.
I have a day job and find it hard to keep up.
I’m in
Dems Recruiting Poster: “Give us your worst, big mouth, arrogant, most likely to get stuffed in a lock in Junior High, and we’ll snow everyone to get you elected.” Walz’ own family doesn’t even like him and calls him a liar and cheat…and he’s governor! Elected by the Minn/St Paul and What’sHerFace’s illegal alien Somali refugee enclave.
***
SSA…as I have spouted off more recently having run into that brick wall of cheat, is proof positive it is a theft tax and government sanctioned Ponzi scheme. Relying on it for retirement in your more seasoned years is not smart…whereas this money could have been long-term invested and [minimally] quadrupled the monthly dividend…which…of course…the Federal Thieves would tax to the hilt. Can’t win when the thieves and cheats are running things with impunity.
***
Senator Kennedy is funny brilliant, a Suthun’ Boy Velvet Hammer. The rub is Silver Spoon Sandy Cortez, aka The Dancing Bartender turned multimillionaire Senator in a few short years, isn’t the only one when laundry detergent manufacturers put a large warning label on the package “Do not eat the pods”.
***
8D space huh…I’m having a hard enough time with 3D some days…but a mind that can wrap itself around that problem is astoundingly focused.
You may indeed be able to collect Social Security 250 years , Though you will not receive the Money .
And you will Vote as a Democrat.
😒
Someone suggested countering the Not-Spartacus monologue(moronlogue?) with the War Turtle Blank Stare.
The blank stare, the quivering, slack jaw with a line of spit running down over his chin, the new War Turtle, who has always hated President Trump. He’s fit for a nursing home and nothing more.
Tim Walz is my favorite punching bag.
It’s like smacking a pig pinada with a baseball bat.
Social Security funds were raided during ole Lyndon’s tenure. They have continued to be raided ever since.
The thieves are those in DC.
On my OSHA approved lunch (aka MrsPaulM, who insists I have lunch or will wilt by 4, which may be a slave labor ruse…not sure).
As for the Matrix, I’ve unplugged myself to avoid further assimilation, and have become duly enlightened to the noise being broadcast by a few slobbering fools. The problem with unplugging, as it were, is I completely missed going to the ever popular ‘not to be missed’ Coachella in LA this past weekend, headlined by The Bern and Sandy. The drugs were probably prevalent, another reason to miss it as I prefer a clear mind (well, as best as feasible these days). Regardless, I will endeavor to “DIGHT THE OLIGARCHY!” whenever possible as suggested by B&S (pun intended) …but the oligarchy isn’t the one they suggest…because it doesn’t exist in our side of the chasm.
Ahh…iPad typing coupled to no reading glasses is not for the feint of heart…”FIGHT THE OLIGARCHY”…might need a t-short with that on it for my next trip to town…might get interesting.
Someone in the administration has said the government should sell the IRS guns and ammo to retire the debt. Got a better idea. Instead of sending a check for your overpayment ,,,,interest free lone to, the government ,,, send an AR or two and 100 rounds or so to round up the overpayment and call it even.
I confess I overpaid this year .,, but I’d take a loss to get an IRS AR.
We need those guns and ammo sold. MilSurp like.