Stop Pulling the Wagon

Former Vice President Al Gore

Scientists tell us that some 10,000 years ago the earth was largely a kind of round ice and snowball and early mankind, if the phrase is still allowed, wandered around up to their butts in ice and snow, eating their muskox raw from the bone with little as a side dish other than a few snowberries.

Then, these early folks discovered fire and that muskox tasted better as a tasty burger cooked over the fire than it did raw.  These were the true perpetrators of the beginning of “man made global warming and climate change”.  This is science fact at work.

Since then politicians with an agenda have been providing bags of taxpayer cash to “researchers” at colleges and universities to provide statistics that prove that man is causing global warming with our modern technology.  The understanding is that these bags of research cash will only continue if the politicians get the statistical evidence they want so they can write laws telling all of us citizens what we can and cannot do.  

These politicians and “researchers” never mention that “mankind” actually occupies a small percentage of 1% of the 30% of our earth that is land, the other 70% of the earth being covered by oceans.  Except on a very localized basis, we feeble humans do not have the ability, even with all of our supposed technology, to change the earths average temperature by more than a miniscule fraction of 1 degree.  Our sun goes through long periods of greater and lesser outputs of energy and that along with other natural phenomena, like volcanoes, are the real contributors to the cycles of warming and cooling of our planet. 

Over the years we have been blessed, or plagued with pseudo wannabe scientists and politicians predicting everything from global freezing to global warming as well as other end of civilization catastrophes unless their “solutions” were followed immediately and to the letter.  They have all been wrong but some few have made themselves wealthy by creating a following of “kool-aid” drinkers of their teaching.

Perhaps one of the biggest “hucksters” of all is former Vice President Al Gore who has made a fortune with his book, “An Inconvenient Truth” – 2006, and his following exploitation and “marketing” of his conjecture, all of which was supposed to happen many years ago.  Let’s look at some of his “predictions” and “science” while on his way to the bank:

1. Rising Sea Levels – inaccurate and misleading. Both Al Gore and former President Barack Obama have since bought Beachfront Mansions

2. New Ice Age in Europe – they’ve been spared; it never happened.

3. South Sahara Drying Up – completely untrue.

4. Massive Flooding in China and India – again, didn’t happen.

5. Polar Bear Extinction – The Polar Bear population is increasing.

6. The Earth would be in a “True Planetary Emergency Within a Decade Unless Drastic Action was Taken to Reduce Greenhouse Gasses” – never happened.

Al Gore made many other predictions. Wrong, wrong, wrong. Still he has created a huge following of “true believers” and a near panic in some quarters.

It’s all largely “Junk Science” though there are many well meaning and sincere believers.

For more on the subject read Junk Science Ala Carte which I published back in November of 2019 (use Search box). 

Keep in mind that our Al Gore is predicting the oceans will soon engulf much of our most beautiful shorelines with rising water levels due to melting of the polar icecaps.  Maybe that is why he bought himself that ocean front mansion with the dollars he has extracted from all his followers.

I will close with a quote from Patrick Moore: 

Patrick Moore – Former President of Greenpeace has stated it well: “There is no definitive scientific proof through real-world observation that carbon dioxide is responsible for any of the slight warming of global climate which has occurred during the past 300 years.” He rejects the “science is settled” and “the debate is over” statements so popular in worldwide media.

Bob Bandy  –  July 2022

This one is too easy.  Listening this morning to statistics on migration from states like, California, New York, Illinois etc. to states like Texas, Utah, Montana, Florida.  Florida for example is getting 3,000 new residents a day from places like California, New York, Illinois etc.. 

You can call it Blue State to Red State migration or as one commentator called it:  “The U-Haul syndrome”.  For example, renting U-hauls to move out of California is very expensive.  Renting a U-Haul to move to California is real cheap.  

Remineded me of something I wrote nearly 10 years ago as a “take off” from an Aesop Fable.  

Worth repeating and it follows:

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KINGDOM OF THE LOCUST

with an apology to Aesop

Once upon a time there was a pleasant meadow in a lovely valley.

A colony of ants came to the meadow and saw that the land was good and with work would provide for a lovely place to live for them and their children.

They worked hard and put away food for the winter and cared for the land.

From a neighboring valley a tribe of locusts came to the land of the ants and decided to stay because the meadow was so pleasant and fertile.

The ants welcomed them in as neighbors and soon they all decided that they should form a government and each ant and locust would get an equal vote in the affairs of the meadow.

Some of the  locusts came to the ants and said they were poor and in need.  Being of kind heart the ants voted to share the fruits of their hard work with the locusts.

Being locusts, they did what locusts are prone to do, that is create lots of little locusts and sit in their burrows eating the food produced by the ants and watching their flat screen televisions paid for by the ants.

In time they discovered, as the little locusts grew up to vote, that they now outnumbered the ants and could vote themselves more and more of what the ants were working so hard to produce.

More and more locusts had baby locusts and invited their relatives and kin in from neighboring meadows.

One by one the ants figured out that they were doing all the work and the locusts were doing all the eating and loafing and watching television.

The ants decided that they did not want to continue to provide for an ever increasing number of locusts who did little to provide for themselves.

The ants packed up and left the now ravaged meadow and moved away to another meadow in another valley.

Winter came to the meadow of the abandoned locusts.  The locusts starved and froze because there was no longer any ants to provide for them what they refused to provide for themselves.

And the shadow of darkness fell over the formerly  pleasant meadow in the formerly lovely valley.

End of story.  If you are an ant you know the moral of the story.  If you are a locust you don’t care if there is a moral; you just want to know where the ants went.

Bob Bandy – July 2022

(originally published November 2012)

California Governor Gavin Newsom

Solar Powered Climate Change Solution Vehicle

California Governor Gavin Newsom has declared war on energy production in his fight against Global Climate Change.  It appears to be his belief that California can affect the natural progression of worldwide cooling and warming all by itself.  Never mind that the two most populous nations on earth, China & India, have only made vague promises to get on the climate change bandwagon at some time in the future while paying lip service to it now.

Back to the Governor.  He wants no new hydro-electric dams, no nuclear power, no natural gas production for power generating plants.  What he demands is dependence on Solar and Wind power.  The problem is that they are not reliable or sufficient to meet California’s energy demands.  At least not for another 10 – 20 years minimum.

This does not stop our intrepid Governor so he continues to “demand” conversion to electric automobiles, trucks, buses etc.

This conversion presents a challenge.  On really hot days California’s electric grid struggles to keep from having rolling “blackouts” because of the ever increasing demand for air conditioning leading the State to make Public Service Announcements instructing we citizens to curtail use of electrical appliances between 4 pm and 9 pm daily, the hottest part of the day, to “minimize the need for those rolling “blackouts”.  They also offer you a “money saving” household thermostat that lets them control the use of your air conditioning.  How helpful.

I have a question and solution for our “Progressive” Governor.

Question: “Governor Newsom, if your dreams come true and maybe 5 or 10 million California citizens convert to all electric vehicles, Tesla, Volt etc..  What is your plan when all of these climate change conscious folks get off work and go home and plug their electric vehicle in for a recharge? How is that going to work on an already overloaded electric grid in July and August with the thermometer reading 105 degrees throughout California?

Now for the solution to the Governor’s problem.  Actually not a new solution.  I wrote about this little beauty (pictured above) back in 2019 (and again in 2020) under the original title: Survival in an Idiocracy.  It described a “Turn Texas Green” cross country race.  It occurs to me that this is the perfect “off the grid” transportation solution to the Governor’s “problem”.

Why not put half of California’s drivers in one of these “mighty might power savers” for commuting to/from work instead of a Tesla or Volt?  Does not need to be plugged in.  Has its own solar panel.  Speeding tickets won’t be a problem with a top speed on a fully charged battery of less than 10 miles an hour.  A little cramped for dating or family outings but, so what, you are saving the planet.  Get a good warm jacket for winter driving.

Another option would be for the citizenry to hop on  California’s High Speed Rail System.  Oooops.  Sorry.  I forgot.  That’s our “Woke” Governor’s other fantasy.

I like to help out our governor whenever possible with non-polluting, climate saving solutions and this one offers an alternative built in pedaling system for non-sunny days (slight additional charge).  I feel better already.

Bob Bandy – July 2022

YOU CAN’T MAKE THIS STUFF UP

MANY will read this and believe I am either making this all up or that I was intoxicated while visiting the bank.  I assure you that neither of the above is true  and furthermore will declare that the bank teller I dealt with was at all times professional and courteous.

Last month (April) I received in the mail from Wells Fargo a Cashiers Check in the amount of $5 for refund of some error they had discovered in their accounting on one of my accounts.  I endorsed it for deposit and left it on my desk for a convenient time when I would be visiting one of their ATM’s.

Yesterday, May 4th, I needed to go to the bank for a friend who is disabled and in a convalescent home.  He had received cash from sale of furniture in his home that  he is in the process of selling.  The cash was in the amount of $1,639.  I told him I would be happy to deposit it for him, took the cash and one of his checking account deposit slips and went to the Wells Fargo Branch in Gold River, California.  On my way into the bank, I deposited the Wells Fargo $5 Cashier Check through the ATM outside only to have it rejected with the electronic window telling me the check could not be deposited and should be returned to where it was issued.  Keep in mind this is a Wells Fargo Cashiers Check and I am at Wells Fargo.  I thought that was odd but probably some kind of “glitch” and took the check into the bank and got into the waiting line.

My turn came and I went up to the bank tellers window.  I explained about the check being rejected by the ATM and she apologized and tried to run it through her machine and spent some time looking at her monitor and then said that she could not accept it because it showed as deposited and then rejected.  I asked her if it was a “real” check and she assured me it was.  She made several phone calls and then apologized but said they could not deposit it.  At this time I was more amused than anything and just told her I would keep the check and have some fun with it.  Consider this “fun”.

I then took out my friends cash and deposit slip and she told me the bank was no longer allowing cash deposits into personal checking accounts.  She said it was a relatively new policy but she could not accept the cash and deposit it into my friends account. I am thinking but…. but…. this is a bank and this cash is legal tender.  She then said that she could accept cash deposits into a business checking account and since I had a business account she could accept the cash into my account.  I asked her if we could do that and then transfer the funds to my friends account and she said no but she could accept the funds for a cashiers check issued in my name and made payable to my friend and then deposit the cashiers check into his account.  Huh?  I finally said okay and this is what she did. 

At some point I was starting to look around and see if this was some kind of “Candid Camera” or “Reality Show” gag.  

Let’s see, Wells Fargo won’t cash their own “Cashiers Check” for $5 and will not allow a “Legal Tender” cash deposit into the personal checking account of one of their own bank customers.  Are these folks a real bank?  I am beginning to remember the old Saturday Night Live skit about the “Change Bank” that would only make change (4 Fives for a $20 – 4 Quarters for a $1 etc.) but no checking or savings accounts, no loans and no other “Bank” functions.

I left the bank actually laughing and more amused than angry.

On a more serious note:

Later I remembered all the businesses and fast food places that no longer accept cash.  Only debit and credit card purchases.  I also remembered some articles I have read and things I have heard in the media on how our government is trying to move away from a “cash” society. 

Perhaps to more easily monitor how we spend every dollar and document it for ways to control us?  Can you spell “meta-data” and the “harvesting” of such data for the governments own purposes and agenda.  Just a question.  Are you scared yet?

Bob Bandy – May 2022

P.S. For a related article you might want to read “Mark of the Beast” – something I wrote some 10 years ago.  Use “Search For Articles” box in the left column.

“President Joe Biden was in for a surprise when his comments to people at the White House’s Easter egg roll were interrupted on Monday by none other than the Easter Bunny itself.”

“The president, 79, started to answer Afghan reporter Nazira Karimi’s question and was heard saying: ‘Pakistan should not and Afghanistan should be — people should be free…'”

“But Meghan Hays, a White House press official and director of message planning who was dressed as the Easter Bunny, then quickly interrupted him and ushered him away in a desperate bid to avoid another gaffe.”  New York Post 18 April 2022

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I first wrote the following piece in August 2021 as a humor and satire article during the 8th month of the Biden Presidency.  I am almost sad to say now that the article was too close to actual truth and even somewhat prophetic when compared to the current chaos and failure of our President and whomever is guiding and directing him from behind the scenes.

Joe Biden began his Presidency as nothing more than an empty suit doing the bidding of those directing him and at this point he has deteriorated from that into a rather pathetic figure who often seems confused, lost and even forlorn.  Like one of those poor souls in the “Visiting Angles” commercials who can no longer care for themselves.

The original article is repeated below………

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Some Times We Can’t Decide Whether To

Laugh or Cry or Scream in Frustration

Every time we think things could not get worse

in our nations Capitol, They get worse.

Poor Joe Biden.  Members of our Presidents own Political Party are beginning to view him as “well past his best if used by date”.  Sort of like that dish of tuna and noodle casserole you left in the back of the refrigerator……  two months ago.

President Biden began his career as a Political Prodigy at a prestigious college where, many believe, he earned a Masters Degree in Plagiarism  and a Doctors Degree in Prevarication  before launching his career as a Senator who became a Vice President and now President. 

Along the way he tamed the town bully with his steely eyed glare.  In fairness it must be remembered that Corn Pop had been warned that Young Joe was a Third Degree Black Belt Plagiarist.

Tough as nails Joe also was at Teddy Roosevelts side as they charged up San Juan Hill during the Spanish American War.

Working man Joe also managed to make time for careers in, among other things, Long Haul 18 Wheel Truck Driving and working deep beneath the earth as a “Hard Rock” Coal Miner.  Truly a man of many talents.

Building his reputation for inter-racial relations, Joe studied at the knee of his long time friend and idealogical soul mate, Democratic Senator Robert Byrd from West Virginia, a confidant and counselor with a long history in public and private service, including serving as a Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan.  From his friend Senator Byrd, then Senator Biden seems to have gotten his foundational knowledge in Critical Race Theory.

Serving with our President is his Vice President Kamala Harris who has become nearly invisible and being kept out of the public eye.

Her “Goodwill” trip to Central America was a political and media disaster with large crowds telling her to “Go Home”.  Poor Joe, not much help here. The mainstream media has shown one photo of  Kamala & her husband kissing.  Both wearing a mask.  Take that where you will.  But as Joe would say “Come on man!”

Other players in the White House Team include Anthony J. Blinken playing the part of Secretary of State.  I was always of the belief that the Secretary of States job was to be a Cheerleader for the United States, making sure our interests were protected worldwide and spokesman for all that is good about the United States.  Secretary Blinken seems to be carrying on the Obama worldwide apology tour and going “hat in hand” to the United Nations begging for forgiveness for our (non-existent) Systemic Racism. 

Other members of the Biden “team” include Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Army General Mark A. Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.  A sort of “Frick & Frack” twosome of  Critical Race Theory “Kool-Aid” drinkers.  Both bent on turning the best fighting force in the world into a band of “hand-wringing” apologists for America’s greatness.  If I were still in the military (see closing comments), I would be ashamed  to serve under either of them.   

Closing Comments

On a more serious note and in closing I will share my own experience while in the Military.  I spent ten years total in the Army National Guard.  Six of those years in a Combat Infantry Unit and four years in a Medical Brigade.  In all of those years I do not remember there ever being a single instance of anything resembling a “racial” issue.  I served with members of all colors and all races.  We were soldiers.  Not white soldiers or black soldiers or brown  soldiers or oriental soldiers.  Just soldiers.  We served together, slept together, ate together and had each others back.  When we were called into a riot situation we stood shoulder to shoulder, color did not matter, in our minds we were all “green”.   To this day if I visit a military hospital or other place of service, I feel a kinship, comradery and spirit of belonging. 

In my world if I have a problem with someone, it is personal, race is never an issue.

Bob Bandy – August 2021/April 2022

LIVING IN AN IDIOCRACY

First, and in full disclosure, I must admit that I was once a smoker.  I gave up smoking  many years ago when my daughter who was some eight years old, looked up at me with those beautiful, big brown eyes she inherited from her mother, and said:  “Daddy, will you quit smoking for me”.  I did.

So, I don’t come to this discussion with perfectly clean hands, but, the United States Army disciplined into me that a smoker does not throw their cigarette butts on the ground.  If no ash tray is available you “field strip” them and put them in your pocket till a proper waste receptacle is at hand.

Having said these things, I heard on the news yesterday that California is in the process of prohibiting the discarding of filtered cigarette butts.  Just the filtered kind.  The proposed fine for doing so would be $500 per incident.  It seems that the genius’s in charge of this scheme have figured out that used cigarette filters are a health hazard. 

But, not to worry, if you are homeless or live in one of California’s homeless encampments it will still be legal to urinate in merchants doorways,  defecate on/in the public sidewalks and gutters, dispose of used narcotics needles and all manner of other trash anywhere, at will,  with no penalty or fine. 

It will also be permissible to pilfer and  steal from nearby stores (as long as you keep the theft on any one trip to below $950) with only the possibility of a misdemeanor ticket.  And, by the way, their shopping carts are free.

In addition, rioting, looting, burning and destruction of public and private property will still be ignored legally as long as you do it in the name of a “Progressive” or “Liberal” cause as championed by the main stream media. 

Under our current leadership, California is becoming a trash ridden, Insane Asylum without the usual rules, order and discipline you find in such a place.  It is like we have put the residents of such an establishment in charge of maintaining public law and order.

I am of the opinion that if America really wants to defeat whatever enemies it has, all we need do is export to those enemies California’s brain dead Legislature and Governor, Gavin Newsome.  Then somehow put California’s leaders in charge of our enemies economies and legal system.  That ought to do them in. 

Bob Bandy – January 2022