Usually, on this day of love, I post information about how you can name a rat or a gerbil for your ex and have it fed to a python in your honor. A few places in the country always handle this for the formerly love-struck. Today, I’m kinder and gentler and won’t offer that as a blog service. You’ll have to ferret out those online opportunities for yourself.
(right) Taylor Swift has been offered a leading role in a new feature film where she’ll go up against a rebel alliance composed of all of her former boyfriends and will be singing all her hits on the soundtrack. Is love in the air in a galaxy far away? Apparently, it is.
Bullet Points:
** Elon Musk was granted a top-secret security clearance by the Biden Regime in 2022. He still has it.
** USAID used our tax dollars to send celebrities to Ukraine to increase Zelensky’s popularity.
** It’s difficult for you to understand. It reminds me of when Jules drank her first rootbeer float and ate her first chicken fried steak. There are things that the British can’t comprehend. Sad really.
** More Winning—Today, Isuzu North America Corporation announced its selection of Greenville County as its new production base in the United States. The commercial vehicle supplier is investing $280 million in its one-million-square-foot production facility on Augusta Road in Greenville County. This investment will create over 700 jobs for South Carolinians in the Upstate and beyond.
** Special Valentine’s Greetings to the Persian Empire.
** A home for the Palestinians!
** A thought for the Pope of Rome on Valentine’s Day (Saint’s Day).
** While we’re on the subject of ‘love’ today (>GRAPHIC WARNING<), the US Government is…well, check it out for yourselves. Congressional testimony.
** Is the pretty lady right about trade and the EU?
Is MAN still Toxic?
The distinguished congresswoMAN made the startling observation: In a Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade subcommittee hearing on Wednesday, Representative Jan Schakowsky of Illinois (D) suggested (out loud, in front of people) that perhaps fewer women pursue manufacturing jobs because “manufacturing” has the word “man” in it.“Yesterday, I met with a manufacturing company, and they are also engaged in getting young people more engaged in manufacturing. So, I asked them how many students are signing up and want to do this. How many are women?”
She was reportedly told it was 13%.
It was a low number. I’m wondering if the name manufacturing sounds like a guy. If it was “tranufacturing” would the woke sign up to do heavy, dirty manual labor that left you crippled and old before your time?
In Ukraine
Ukraine was a huge loss to the former Soviet Union when it dissolved in that it was a Treasure Chest of arable land and underground natural resources. The core of this geopolitical proxy conflict in Ukraine is a struggle for long-term control of these strategically located resources by opposing global power blocks.
President Trump recently explicitly referenced these resources and indicated that the US should benefit from them in any settlement scenario, seemingly reinforcing my supposition.
It is also possibly a signal to Russia from the President that while negotiations may “freeze the puck” and the US cede territory gained by Putin’s invasion, the US will not walk away empty-handed. At this point, that may be enough of an off-ramp for Putin.
No matter what one believes about the origins and nature of the conflict, Russia has paid a heavy price in Blood and Treasure for the territory gained—a far higher price than the Russian President anticipated at the outset.
The reputation of the Russian Conventional military hasn’t been enhanced by its performance in this now three-year protracted war of brutal attrition after the initial attempt to “Blitzkrieg,” Kiev stalled. Russia was already a shrinking/aging nation that couldn’t afford to burn young lives.
Russia’s actions and the West’s response to them reflect a strategic intent to secure valuable assets in eastern and southern Ukraine. As President Trump has emphasized in the last few days, Ukraine has large deposits of crucial minerals.
Coal: Among the world’s largest reserves, vital for energy and industry.
Metals: Iron ore, manganese, titanium – key components in steel production.
Rare Earths: Lithium, beryllium, etc., essential for modern tech.
Natural Gas: Significant reserves
Ukraine’s proximity to EU markets ensures lower transportation costs for its resources, making them potentially more attractive to investors and governments than alternatives from Africa or Asia.
Control over Ukraine’s resources amplifies Russia’s ability to dominate or influence global supply chains.
The geographic focus of Russia’s occupation efforts aligns with resource-rich regions:
The Dnieper-Donetsk region accounts for 80% of known conventional oil, gas, and coal production and reserves. Most identified critical minerals are concentrated in Donetsk, Dobra, and Kruta Balka.
Within months of invading Ukraine in 2022, Russia controlled over $12.5 trillion worth of Ukrainian mineral and gas resources. Russia now controls between 50% and 100% of Ukraine’s lithium, tantalum, cesium, and strontium reserves, critical for energy technologies and defense industries. The conflict’s underlying cause is not merely territorial expansion or political influence but a calculated attempt to secure and exploit Ukraine’s vast mineral, energy, and agricultural wealth. The strategic importance of these resources in shaping global power dynamics and economic futures underscores the true nature of this geopolitical confrontation.
***
Your Up-Chuck Moment
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., faced widespread mockery after launching a tipline to “expose corruption, abuses of power, and threats to public safety.”
On Monday, Schumer shared a link calling “whistleblowers” to report violations, arguing they “are a vital part of Congressional oversight to hold the administration accountable.” The categories whistleblowers can report include “retaliation,” “wasteful spending,” “fraud,” “criminal activity,” and “other.”
“Today, I’m calling on our brave public servants,” the Senate Minority Leader wrote as he shared the tipline form on X. “I’m launching a new portal for anyone who wants to expose corruption, abuses of power, and threats to public safety with the legal protections of being a whistleblower.”
I recall when Obama set up the rat website. I remember immediately reporting WSF’s dog – Banner, LSP, Bayou Renaissance Man, Donald J. Trump, Old NFO, Vladimir Putin, and EdB – but who wouldn’t? Obama never sent me the promised check from the USAID slush fund. I’ll bet they never short-sheeted Chelsea Clinton like that.
Identify the Aircraft
1
Be precise
As a note, I’m still having difficulty with my blog software. I was only able to upload one photo, so I’m sorry. It’s a struggle. The other graphics featured on the blog today are from the archive that has been uploaded previously.
Parting Shot
You look like you could use a little advice.
Plane is Lockheed P-38M Lightning Night Fighter with AN/APS-4 radar
Yes!
Nice work RCC.
I think the “vast quantities of mineral wealth” in Ukraine may be over hyped, especially the REE. Tim Worstall demolishes it here.
https://thecritic.co.uk/the-ukrainian-minerals-myth/
They do have a lot of natural gas and oil. Can we get our money back in terms of value? Yes. Eventually.
Man-ufacturing. Have heard gals that wanted to change hurricane to him-acane. Guys would probably accept that if those same gals would accept the new name for her-aroids?
You’re so bad, Frank.
Hahaha…brilliant! (They can’t spell either, likely having been thru the public school indoctrination centers, ‘hur’ is not ‘her’, but we classically educated without an agenda types knew that. Guess they don’t have a problem with His-story, considering all the problems ev-vah have been due to white male toxic masculinity.)
Identify the Aircraft:
1. Lockheed P-38M known as Night Fighter or Night Lightning
RE: The Pope. Punchline to old joke. “He no play-a da game, he no make-a da rules.”
Brits, love’s or hate’m they have the proper accent of our language. No it’s their’s, we evolved out from the Crown into a multifaceted culture(s). I lived 61 yrs of my life here before I visited and experienced a slider. We’re living winters here in the wide open ” big country” now. The drive through beer barn is only 2 blocks away where I get my fix of Brisket and Ocra. We were introduced to grits and sorghum ” honey” 40+ yrs ago. Need to get’m back on the menu.
P.S. Will Jules appreciation for cowboy/ girl hats and boots become the newest fashion in the United Kingdom? Where else in the whole wide world is the cowboy culture integrated like it is in our younger generation? Mexican and Brazilian vaqueros? I can’t stand the norteño y ranchero music. I grew up on the farm in Nebraska. German Lutherans and Baverian Catholics came under the same roof for polka dances. The only music ( not actually music) worse is the hate and arrogant rap. I appreciate all the other genres.
Altho…I do like this one, apropos for today: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vgV_dVkXN4
I recall trying to explain biscuits and gravy to a Brit. She just couldn’t comprehend it. Of course in the UK a biscuit is a cookie.
They’re not great with finger foods like sloppy joes or tostadas either.
The fingers are eaten separately.
You guys just made me blow out my coffee…..!
Did Jules find the sweat tea and BBQ yet? Of course that means a journey across the South. Yankees have no idea about the making of said tea. Or BBQ
Sweet tea with breakfast…that was new one for me while at The Moose Restaurant (or some such amazing fare establishment) with my North Carolina born and bred pal…the ham slice, biscuits and gravy, hashbrowns, and omelet…all came out on their own plates…and not those standard plates but those large oval platter sized ones. (that’s when I found out about proper red-eyed gravy…yeah, never knew) Amazing meal…good for a few hours fer sher.
“Sweat tea”? Please, no one try to introduce Jules (nor anyone else) to this revolting drink!
Disney…yeah, they really let themselves go. Oy!
***
Seriously, can’t these reporter-ette’s (h/t Rush) ever read the room? It’s almost like they are so indoctrinated they can’t hear themselves, wading into the Homan fray thinking they are immune. Messing with him attempting to trip him up is like going toe to toe with a cobra…the dude is so quick and direct they have no idea he just filleted them stem to stern.
***
Schumer…the same dolt who is fighting the audit of (besiudes everything)…wait for it…the Internal Rectalexam Service, the PREMIER audit shop in the USofA. Huh. Wow, Chucky Cheeseball, it’s okay for the IRS to scare the crap out of every taxpaying American with an audit (save for Congress-critters of course) trying to slam us for not having a gas or hotdog receipt from 1968…but – horrors! – We The People can’t demand an audit of those [used to be] unconstitutional crooks (now with firearms)? Or – as Schumer shouts bloody murder that DOGE will have access to taxpayers SSN’s? Uh, Chuck, like the IRS does! What a maroon (being nice there).
– Beck – reading from DOGE Receipts website (all due out today) says it indicates under “workforce” there are 2,252162 million employees IN THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH ALONE, at a cost to taxpayers of $211Billion dollars every year. ONE BRANCH.
– Yeah…clean house can’t happen fast enough [as I look over at the Tax Return stack, procrastinating…grrr].
– That’s enough, otherwise I’ll breach Levin-Blow a gasket-Land. Not good for the Mind, Body, Spirit. But holy cow, this is galactically worse than anyone of us Peon Subclass 2’s could have imagined. God help the thieves and cheats…I have no sympathy to give.
***
The Motherland: Brisket? You betcha…plus anything and everything we call uniquely American fare. Then again, Etta James is playing on Pandora V-Day Radio (loudly…’cause it’s great). Think about it, “At Last” in Britain would be titled “About Bloody Time”. Yeah, doesn’t have the same panache.
Ps…LL it used to be a guy could have a star named after his gal, which was kinda cool for a 20-something to do, then spend a romantic evening with a [usually newly purchased] telescope. Guessing things have changed…a lot. Geez.
That line about “man-ufacturing” just might be the dumbest thing I’ve heard in… well, at least the dumbest thing this morning.
It’s hard to pick the dumbest thing these people have said because they seem to be constantly trying to come up with something even dumber.
Don’t hurt your brain by listening to the dumbest among us and their Anti-DOGE “folk” song. That’s right up there with fingers on the chalkboard…maybe worse.
“MAN-ufacturing”: Was reminded of MrsPaulM’s foray into the male world of manufacturing/production…fresh off a Summer stint at John Deere as a Kelly Girl (when they were girls, now probable Kelly NonBi-Nary 2-Spirit, or some such nonsense). Anyway, while in college as a yungin’ she takes a 2nd shift job in a large semi-gritty unionized print shop running a Linotype. Only gal, blonde no less, etc..unafraid. Didn’t care, ranch chic’s don’t care of such things. First night on the job she’s typing away at her learned 120wpm when she’s called up to “the booth” thinking she’s doing great. Floor manager asks her what’s she’s doing typing so fast? She was floored. He says “You need to slow down, you’re making the veteran employees look bad.”
–
Yeah…not only do corporations hate star players, especially gals who aren’t trying to be one of the boys, union shops hate being made to look bad by a gal, especially a 20 yo. The upside is she learned the printing business from the bottom up then parlayed that into a consulting business in the early 80’s computing/printing tech world (said Paul Allen was a nice guy but Steve Jobs was an —…well, you get the picture).
–
My how far have we morphed as a society with all this enrichment enlightenment by the weak-minded among us who operate on feelings. But please sing along with those getting exposed by DOGE-Tech, it’ll make you feel better about yourself without really solving anything.
Today, Isuzu North America Corporation announced its selection of Greenville County……Next door to Spartanburg County and a BMW plant. Trey Gowdy once represented the area in Congress. The politicians in the Rust Belt have their heads up……… when companies forgo former center of USA manufacturing. Hyundai in Montgomery. KIA in West Point, GA.
You snitched on Banner? No wonder our parking lot is full of black Tahoes. My ego is crushed; I thought they were after me.
More winning at every level.
Debbie Dingell, former GM lobbyist who inherited hubby’s seat in congress is just sooo with it. Like governor Gretchen
My congress critter 😡
https://youtu.be/5qljYPadb_c?si=1cmODB5GsFW3qrrJ
Incredible no one was hurt…great report.
VDH’s slow motion suicide podcast was a great segway into VP Vance’s speech this morning at the UN security conference.
Having served un the USN albeit the sub service not a skimmer puke how in the world is this even possible? Inquiring minds want to know.
https://news.usni.org/2025/02/14/carrier-uss-harry-s-truman-hull-pierced-in-collision-heading-to-port-for-repairs
First they said there was no hull damage.
The big issue right now is damage assessment and operational impact specifically; did that elevator sustain damage and is it operable? Moreover, was there damage further aft, maybe to the engineering spaces, auxiliary gear or any aviation equipment, like the arrested landing system? The article didn’t specify whether this happened at night or during the day. The Suez is a pretty tight space and merchant ships are usually poorly manned. Interesting timing considering the Truman was headed to the Red Sea.
Heard on Dana Loesch: “Tom Homan’s Valentine’s Day Card”:
-Roses are red
-Violets are blue
-Come here illegally
-And we’ll deport you too.
About spit out my lunch…
“”I’m launching a new portal for anyone who wants to expose corruption, abuses of power, and threats to public safety with the legal protections of being a whistleblower.””
Last week I interviewed a USAID whistleblower (one of the directors!) who was drummed out for his efforts.
And the IG was in on it.
Thus Trump trashing the IGs.
https://x.com/JohnKennedyLA/status/1890446829570990564?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1890446829570990564%7Ctwgr%5E113ef595ca6670f035d33f45c334a12fff7cb3ba%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Flegalinsurrection.com%2F2025%2F02%2Fpolitical-valentines-day-posts-come-here-illegally-and-well-deport-you%2F
Heh, love Kennedy, every time he says something to some person thinking they are the smartest in the room his response is always epic…and hilarious.
:)
So glad VM’s back, and back in force.
Per Paul:
-Roses are red
-Violets are blue
-Come here illegally
-And we’ll deport you too.
Cheers.