whereareroo

[whereareroo]

SWEET LOU KNOWS





WF THOUGHTS (6/25/25).

What do you know about Lou Piniella? He played Major League Baseball for 18 years. He spent his last ten years, from 1974 until 1984, with the New York Yankees. He was a very good player, and he was a big hit with the fans. They called him “Sweet Lou.” After his playing career, he was a Big League manager for more than 20 years.

Sweet Lou is 81 years old and he lives in Tampa, Florida. I hope he’s enjoying his golden years. In his baseball career, he brought joy to many people.

Like me, I’m confident that Lou is a dinosaur when it comes to technology. Also like me, I bet he’s a happy dinosaur. In many ways, life was better before the technology boom.

In the new world of technology, Microsoft can watch everything that we do. They see, and analyze, every keystroke.

Remember all the talk about how technology was going to shorten the workweek and create more leisure time for everybody? How did that work out? Microsoft just issued a report about the new “Inifinite Workday.” (That’s a quote from Microsoft.)

Here are some disturbing excerpts from the Microsoft report:

“By 6 a.m., many Microsoft 365 users are scanning overflowing inboxes in the hopes of getting ahead.”

“40% of people who are online at 6 a.m. are reviewing emails for the day’s priorities.”

“The average worker receives 117 emails daily.”

“The average worker receives 153 ‘team messages’ (a message on an internal messaging platform such as Microsoft Teams or Slack) daily.”

“Telemetry data shows that meetings after 8 pm are up 16% year over year.”

“Each day, the average employee now sends or receives more than 50 messages outside of core business hours.”

“By 10 p.m., nearly a third (29%) of active workers dive back into their inboxes, pointing to a steady rise in after-hours activity.”

“Our telemetry data shows a notable bump in weekend email usage. Nearly 20% of employees actively working on the weekend are checking their email before noon on Saturday and Sunday.”

Here are the big conclusions from Microsoft:

“Boundaries are eroding as 1 in 3 employees say the pace of work over the past five years makes it impossible to keep up.”

“This points to a larger truth: the modern workday has no clear start or finish.”

Microsoft is telling us why so many people are suffering from burnout. They’re overloaded. They’re exhausted. They never get time to rejuvenate and recharge. Wasn’t technology supposed to make life easier and less stressful?

What does all of this have to do with Sweet Lou Piniella? Good question. Unlike me, I doubt that he’s sitting around reading technology reports from Microsoft.

As I was reading the Microsoft report, I remembered a Lou Piniella interview that I heard on the radio about 15 years ago. At the time, Lou was managing a Big League team. The reporter asked about the fact that modern baseball players are injured all the time. The reporter reminded Lou that in the “old days” injuries in baseball were rare. Many old baseball players were full of wisdom. They had street smarts. They have common sense. Lou was one of the insightful old guys. His response to the reporter was something like this: “The new guys are abusing their bodies by working out too much. They work out all year. They do aggressive workouts. They’re all into weight lifting. They work out all year, year after year. Their bodies are so tight that it’s easy for things to snap. They’re overwound rubber bands. They never allow their bodies to rest and recuperate. In my day, the season ended in September or October and we all handed our gear to the equipment manager. We didn’t do anything physical until spring training started in February. We didn’t exercise. We didn’t touch a ball. We didn’t pick up a bat. We got back into shape during spring training. We didn’t do strange exercises to get back into shape. We played baseball. Playing baseball is the best way to get into shape to play baseball. And guess what? We didn’t get hurt. We knew how to play baseball without getting hurt. Most guys played all season without an injury. We had fun. When the season was over, we gave our gear to the equipment manager again.”

Our burnt out workforce should take a cue from Sweet Lou. Zip up your equipment bag at a reasonable hour every day. Don’t open it until a reasonable hour the next day. Don’t open your equipment bag on weekends or during vacations. Don’t abuse yourself. The season is long, and you want to have a long career. Ignore the way the other folks are playing the game. Just like modern baseball players, they’ll snap and suffer frequent injuries. Play the long game. Have some fun. Don’t listen to stupid gurus who say that you need to be at your desk by 5 a.m. to succeed. Listen to Lou Piniella. Sweet Lou knows the score.

Of course, Microsoft says that Artificial Intelligence will make life better for workers. I doubt it. They’ve lied to us before. Don’t listen to Microsoft. Listen to Lou Piniella. Lou knows how to play the game of life. Play ball!

[whereareroo]

GOOD NEWS/ BAD NEWS

WF THOUGHTS (6/23/25).

I’ll start with the bad news. Because I’m still on Special Assignment, I don’t have time to provide a lengthy analysis about the bombing of Iran.

Here’s the good news. Right now, you don’t need a lengthy analysis. You’ll do fine with a quick chat. It’ll be enough to enable you to formulate your own thoughts. Besides, all of the talk that we’re hearing right now is pure speculation. Nobody knows what will happen next. Nobody knows the effectiveness of the strikes. Nobody can trust any information from the White House. At a minimum, it will be months before anyone can thoughtfully analyze the impact of the bombings.

So why am I sharing some thoughts prematurely? One thing is clear at this point. The bombings will remain an important event in American history. I want you to carefully analyze the situation as the facts develop. I’m sharing my initial thoughts so you have a starting point. As time passes, we can all refine our thinking.

Here’s my initial reaction: HOORAY! Ever since Jimmy Carter, every American president has wanted to bomb Iran. A good opportunity never presented itself. As we waited for an opportunity to deal with Iran, it continued to be the biggest sponsor of terrorism in the world. Forces aligned with Iran have held American hostages, have attacked American troops, have caused endless problems in the Middle East, and have engaged in terrorism all over the globe. Doing damage to a terrorist organization is always a good thing.

I don’t care if Iran was two months away from having a nuclear weapon or two years away from having a nuclear weapon. It was clearly on the path towards building a nuclear weapon. Iran’s nuclear program had to be destroyed or derailed. Even if it wasn’t fully destroyed- -and it probably wasn’t- -derailing Iran’s nuclear program makes the world a safer place. It makes America a safer place. A weaker Iran is better for the world and for America.

Recent events created a golden opportunity to strike Iran:

A. The Assad regime in Syria was Iran’s biggest ally. Assad was toppled at the end of 2024. Syria has distanced itself from Iran.

B. Normally, Russia might come to the defense of Iran. Because it is fully engaged in the war with Ukraine, it’s unlikely that Russia will become involved right now.

C. Normally, China might come to the defense of Iran. Because its economy is struggling due to the ongoing tariff war, it’s unlikely that China will become involved right now.

D. The White House is occupied by folks who don’t spend much time worrying about long term consequences. They like to go for the Big Bang. Everything is a short term transaction. Sometimes the stars align and a leader who is thoughtless and brazen stumbles onto the right path at the right time. Even a blind squirrel occasionally finds a nut.

Please don’t misinterpret any of the above. This story is far from over. The situation has created a long list of actual or potential problems:

1. America has damaged its relationship with its allies. At the time of the bombing, our allies were actively engaged in diplomatic negotiations with Iran. We told our allies that they still had a short window for such negotiations. We lied to our allies. Without revealing our plan, we dropped the bombs as our allies were searching for a diplomatic solution. We’ve given our allies another reason to distrust America. That’s not good. Since WWII, we’ve been the most trusted player on the international stage. That’s gone. Because we’re no longer trusted, our allies will be less likely to share information with us. They’ll be more likely to disbelieve any information that we share with them. Distrust is dangerous.

2. It’s impossible to understand Trump’s foreign policy. Is he an isolationist or an interventionist? An incomprehensible American foreign policy is not good for the world.

3. Iran is more than twice the size of Texas. Most experts believe that Iran holds enriched uranium at hidden sites that are unknown to America or Israel. Have we poked the bear? Over the next year, will Iran now quickly work to build some small nuclear weapons to use in retaliatory strikes against America and Israel? It’s also possible that Iran will be able to repair the sites that we hit. Will the bombings prove to be only minimally valuable?

4. America has 40,000 troops in the Middle East. Those troops have become targets for retaliation. Iran has already launched a failed attack against our base in Qatar.

5. There are Iranian terrorist cells all over the world. An increase in terrorism is likely. There could be attacks inside America.

6. If Iran retaliates against America, a full scale war with Iran is likely. Full scale wars tend to be long and unpredictable.

7. If the Iranian government is toppled in a war or by an uprising, what happens next? Will a new government take over and pursue terrorism and nuclear weapons more vigorously? Will America be forced into maintaining some type of new government to manage the 90 million people in Iran? These are messy possibilities.

8. It’s relatively easy for Iran to wreak havoc in the Strait of Hormuz. That’s the passageway for 25% of the world’s oil and 35% of the liquid natural gas. The bombings could trigger a worldwide energy problem. Iran can also cause trouble in the nearby Red Sea.

9. What will the political fallout be in America? People have strong, and diverse, opinions about the bombings. Isn’t Congress supposed to declare War? Can we handle another divisive political issue?

10. The world is still in the middle of Trump’s tariff war? Can we handle another international crisis?

I could go on, but I’ll stop my list at ten. The point is clear. The bombings have opened a big can of worms. A really, really big can of worms. Which way will the worms turn?

So why am I OK with the bombings if the resulting problems are so numerous and so vexing? We had to make a choice between two evils. We could allow Iran to become nuclear, or we could face the boatload of problems that would arise from striking Iran now. In my humble opinion, now was the time to strike. We had a short widow to take advantage of an unusual opportunity to hit Iran. Iran’s nuclear program posed a serious threat to America and the world. We had to do what we could to destroy or derail that program. The bombing has made America, and the world, a safer place. If we have to deal with massive fallout that occurs because of the bombings, that’s the price we pay. I think we’d eventually pay a much higher price if we didn’t destroy or minimize Iran’s nuclear program. Feel free to disagree. Many people do.

So there’s a quick discussion to stimulate your thinking on this issue. Pay attention. Focus on the unfolding facts. Formulate your conclusions over time. This is a big deal. Let’s hope that the worms turn in the right direction.

[whereareroo]

HOT DOG!

WF THOUGHTS (6/22/25).

We just enjoyed the first weekend of summer. That’s why I’m thinking about hot dogs.

Before we get to the greatness of hot dogs, I have to mention another great product. The jogging stroller with big wheels is one of the best inventions in history. My first one lasted for 20 years. My second is now 15 years old. I’ve logged hundreds and hundreds of miles pushing kids. There always seems to be a kid that needs to be pushed. The stroller is great on the roads, and it’s the only stroller that can handle the beach. Being able to push a kid on the beach is life-changing.

Yesterday afternoon, I was walking on the beach and a jogging stroller came towards me. It was being pushed by a young grandmother. The occupant was a little boy. He was 3-ish. He had a HUGE smile on his face. Why such a big smile? He was eating a big hot dog. No bun. It’s scientifically proven that hot dogs make people smile.

In my brain, that scene immediately triggered the famous Armour Hot Dog jingle from 1967. Everybody from my era knows that jingle:

“Hot Dogs . . . Armour Hot Dogs; What kind of kid eats Armour Hot Dogs?

Fat kids, skinny kids, kids who climb on rocks; Tough kids, sissy kids; Even kids with chicken pox;

Love hot dogs, Armour Hot Dogs; The dog kids love to bite. The dog kids love to bite.”

I’m 100% certain that the world would immediately become a better place if everyone ate a hot dog today. Hot dogs have the power to change the world. If you prefer, go with a meatless hot dog or a vegan hot dog. We can all be world changers.

In addition to reminding us about the wonders of hot dogs, reflecting on the famous jingle teaches us a lesson. We’ve gone too far with political correctness.

They couldn’t run that commercial today. We’re not allowed to talk about fat kids or sissy kids. Let me tell you something. The jingle was played everywhere in the 1970s. Nobody had a mental breakdown because of the jingle. I was a very fat kid. The jingle didn’t bother me one bit. In fact, I thought it was cool that the jingle expressly included me.

We all know songs (e.g. “Short People”) and television shows (e.g. “All in the Family”) that couldn’t pass “politically correct” scrutiny today. Stuff like that never hurt anybody. We watched. We listened. We learned. We survived. When will the political correctness police learn that trying to mask issues doesn’t make the issue go away? Sometimes the masking amplifies the issue.

Don’t get me started on book bans instigated by the politically correct army. Have any of them ever read the Song of Solomon in the Bible? It’s pretty graphic. There’s other graphic stuff in the Bible too. Why aren’t the hypocrites talking about banning the Bible?

I’ll stop here. I’m out of time. It’s time for me to grab a hot dog. You should grab one too. Happy summer!

[whereareroo]

ENJOY

WF THOUGHTS (6/20/25).

Even though I’m hosting visitors at home during this phase of my current Special Assignment, you heard from me yesterday and we’re chatting again today. Why? Because the numbers have temporarily shifted in my favor. For a few days, we have six adults to handle one child. Those numbers enable me to grab some time for writing.

I’ve spent part of my free time chatting with two construction workers who are building a seawall at the house next door. Even though our house is only 300 yards from the ocean, we live on a lake. One guy is a military brat who was born in Gettysburg, spent his childhood all over America, settled on the Maryland shore, and recently relocated to South Carolina in search of warmer weather. The other guy is a Mexican who has worked all over the South.

Building a seawall is tough work. They’re doing most of the work by hand. They spend the day digging and lugging heavy timbers. Most of the time, they’re up to their knees in water. They’re always wet, and they’re covered with mud and sand. The temperatures have hovered around 90.

For some of their tasks, the guys work in bare feet. That tells you a lot about these guys.

Guess what? They’re the happiest guys on earth. They say that they have fun playing in the water every day, and they mean it. They’re always telling stories and goofing around. They’re happy that they have jobs. They take their time and they enjoy their day. What great attitudes! We need more people with great attitudes.

This morning, I had time for a solo walk on the beach. I covered four miles. About half of the walk was along a quiet stretch that is mostly empty. I have two funny things to report.

When I hit an area where nobody was on the beach, I saw a radio controlled car driving up and down the water line. It was one of those toys that kids drive. There wasn’t a kid in sight. I was confused. I stood there looking around. Finally, I spotted the driver. A man in his 80s was sitting on his elevated front deck and driving the car from there. When I looked up at him, he laughed and gave me a big wave. I like people who refuse to grow up.

Many lifeguards are people who refuse to grow up. I met two of them today. They were way down the beach, and there wasn’t a swimmer in sight. There was no reason for them to be down there. They went down there because they wanted to take their ATV (towing a jet ski) for a joy ride. Unfortunately, the joy turned into a problem. The ATV broke down. They had to call their boss for a rescue. He wasn’t happy that his lifeguards had taken a joy ride to a remote area. If you aggressively seek joy on your life, you’re going to hit some speed bumps. Seek joy anyway.

Have a good weekend. Do some stupid stuff. Seek joy. If you want to get into the seawall business, I can introduce you to some cool guys. Enjoy.

[whereareroo]

FOREIGN POLICY?

WF THOUGHTS (6/19/25).

Are you confused about American foreign policy? I am.

Ukraine is an ally. Ukraine fought by our side in Iraq and Afghanistan. Since 2014, Ukraine has been under attack from Russia. The full scale war began in 2022. Russia is a nuclear power. Russia’s goal is to wipe Ukraine off the map. We have not used our military to defend Ukraine. Our tepid assistance has been limited to financial aid and the provision of military supplies. Our presidents have stated that Ukraine must fight its own war. Our presidents have not used our military in the war because they wanted to avoid direct involvement in a foreign war. Ukraine is struggling to defend itself. The momentum in the war favors Russia, our enemy.

Israel is an ally. Israel did NOT fight by our side in Iraq or Afghanistan. For years, Israel has occasionally battled with Iran. Currently, Iran is not a nuclear power. Although Israel is fully capable of defending itself, largely due to decades of assistance from America, it feels threatened by the fact that Iran is developing nuclear weapons. Iran’s goal is to wipe Israel off the map. To protect itself, Israel has elected to launch a war against Iran. The momentum in this war favors Israel. President Trump says that he’s considering direct American involvement in Israel’s war. At a minimum, he’s considering the use of our Air Force to bomb nuclear sites in Iran. If America takes any direct action in the war, there will be retaliation from Iran. The population of Iran is 90 million. Germany has a smaller population. So does France. The Iranian population is double the population of Canada. If Iran is defeated, a new government will have to be put in place to govern the 90 million people. What are the odds of success with that task? How many years will it take? What role will America play? What problems will be caused by the upheaval?

It’s hard to reconcile our divergent approaches to Ukraine and Israel. We won’t use our troops to defend an ally that can’t defend itself from an attack by a nuclear power. It looks like we might be on the verge of using our troops to assist an ally that can defend itself in a battle that it has decided to launch against a foe that doesn’t have nuclear weapons. Why is the policy of America so contradictory? Shouldn’t we have a consistent foreign policy that applies to all allies?

Trump says that he’s actively considering an attack on Iran and that he’ll make the decision within two weeks. Insiders say that he’s inclined to help Israel. Will Trump ever make the decision to aggressively help Ukraine? Why isn’t that a “two week” issue too?

If you’re confused, join the club. The whole world is confused by our irrational foreign policy moves. The wars in Ukraine and Iran are very dangerous time bombs. The danger is amplified by the fact that the world doesn’t understand what America is doing. Trump’s supporters say that he has a “master plan” and that everything will be OK. The world doesn’t see any evidence that such a plan exists. Keep your fingers crossed. My gut tells me that we’re headed towards some very bad outcomes on the world stage.

[whereareroo]

ON ASSIGNMENT

WF THOUGHTS (6/17/25).

I’m at the halfway point of back-to-back “Special Assignments.” The whole gig will be 28 days. So far, so good. I haven’t had the time to write.

When I don’t have time for deep dives into the news, I pay more attention to sports. If I’m just skimming everything, I might as well skim the sports news too. I usually ignore sports.

My skimming has revealed that we’re in the midst of the National Hockey League championship. I don’t know why it’s called the “Stanley Cup,” and I don’t care.

I don’t know anybody who cares about the Stanley Cup. I’m not alone. Most Americans don’t give a hoot about hockey or the Stanley Cup.

I’m sure that the players on the teams care about the Stanley Cup. This year, one of the teams is extraordinarily focused on the outcome. If the players on that team don’t win, their lives could be dramatically changed forever. The stakes are high.

The 2025 championship is a battle between the Florida Panthers and the Edmonton Oilers. You probably guessed that the Florida Panthers are from Florida. If you’re geographically challenged, you might not know that the Oilers are from Canada.

On the world stage, tensions are high between America and Canada. Trump wants to make Canada the 51st state, and he hasn’t ruled out a military takeover. Trump is constantly looking for ways to minimize and marginalize Canada. He’s always insulting Canada. Trump believes that Canada is a weak and hopeless country. Canada has no interest in becoming part of America. Canada is sick of Trump’s stupidity and his antics.

Trump will be outraged if the team from Florida is defeated by the team from Canada. Trump detests “losers.” He’ll be really upset if America loses to the “weaklings” from Canada.

There are 23 players on an NHL team. Only 4 of the Florida players were born in America. The other 19 are foreign nationals or naturalized American citizens. All of them could be in big trouble if they lose to Canada.

Trump likes dictators. He follows the news about dictators. He gets “leadership” ideas by studying dictators.

Trump has certainly been following the dynamic between the Iranian World Cup soccer team and the dictator of Iran. The dictator believes that some of the players have disrespected Iran and brought dishonor to the country. Several players have been imprisoned and tortured. To keep other players in line, the dictator has threatened their families. The dictator has threatened harsh consequences if the team doesn’t perform honorably in the World Cup.

I wouldn’t want to be a hockey player on an American team that loses to Canada. Trump will go berserk. If the Panthers don’t win, Trump will clearly believe that the Florida players have dishonored America. He will believe that the players allowed Canada to humiliate America. Will Trump imprison the players? Will he deport them to El Salvador? Will he ban them from the country? Will he take action against the families of the players? Nothing is off the table with Trump. We must constantly expect the unexpected. The team from Florida will desperately fight for victory. Their lives could be on the line.

To win the Stanley Cup, a team must win 4 games in the championship series. As I write this, Florida is ahead 3-2. If you’re reading this on the morning of the 18th, Game 6 was last night. Even if you’re not a hockey fan, take a look to see if Florida won. If not, root for Florida in the 7th game. It will be awful if an American team is exposed to the wrath of Trump.

Remember when life was fun? I’m going back to the beach. I’m thankful for the mental decompression that occurs during Special Assignments.

[whereareroo]

PUTIN’S OPINIONS

WF THOUGHTS (5/30/25).

To give Trump a fair shake, I’ve promised to withhold my opinions about him until the 366th day of his new term. I’m sticking with my promise. You’ll hear from me in approximately 245 days.

My vow doesn’t stop me from telling you about the opinions of others. So, today let’s focus on the opinions of Vladimir Putin. What does Putin think of Trump?

Putin’s opinions are revealed by his actions. Since Trump has returned to office, Putin has escalated his vicious war against Ukraine. Trump, in an attempt to look like a hero and elevate himself, has been trying to stop the war. It’s been a mind game between Putin and Trump.

Keep in mind that Putin is an expert at mind games. He was a an officer in Russia’s secret police. He was taught how to psychologically evaluate people. He was taught how to intimidate and manipulate people. He knows how to exploit the weaknesses of others. Putin succeeded in Russia because he’s an expert at mind games.

Trump, on the other hand, is nothing more than a condominium salesman. He entered the real estate business by virtue of a large inheritance from his father. His poor judgement led to six bankruptcies. Putin never went bankrupt, and he’s worth approximately $120 billion. That irritates Trump. Trump is only worth $5 billion.

Putin thinks that Trump is silly. No serious person would say, over and over again, that he’d end a war in 24 hours. During his campaign, Trump constantly claimed that he’d end the war in 24 hours. Putin isn’t afraid of silly people.

Putin thinks that Trump is emotionally damaged. Trump wasn’t loved as a child. His father was abusive. Trump has always viewed himself as a victim. Trump constantly thinks that people treat him unfairly. Trump has no friends, and his love life has been a mess. To cope with his emotional damage, Trump is always trying to prove himself. Trump has never conquered his emotional damage. Putin likes to play mind games with emotionally damaged people.

Putin thinks that Trump is a poor leader. Putin knows that self-confidence is an essential part of leadership. Trump has no self-confidence. He spends most of his time trying to convince himself, and others, that he’s great. Real leaders don’t need to spend any time on self-confidence issues. They can spend all of their time on the achievement of their objectives. Putin isn’t afraid of weak leaders.

Putin thinks that Trump is a child. It’s easy to manipulate Trump. It’s easy to bribe Trump. It’s easy to intimidate Trump. It’s easy to ignore Trump. When Putin looks at Trump, he sees a child.

Because Putin holds these opinions, Trump has absolutely no influence over Putin. Putin views Trump as an inferior person and an inferior leader. He sees Trump as a reality TV star who tricked America into making him president. Putin hasn’t been tricked by Trump. Putin has no respect for Trump. Putin is 100% convinced that Trump doesn’t have the guts to stand up to anybody. That’s why Putin has escalated the war since Trump returned to office. Putin knows that Trump won’t take any serious action to stop the war.

I hate to say it, but our president is no match for Putin. Our president doesn’t know how to fight a war. He doesn’t know how to stop a war. Putin is winning the mind game because his opinions about Trump are accurate. Putin can easily outsmart, and outmaneuver, Trump.

My guess is that other world leaders share Putin’s opinions about Trump. Let’s hope that the other folks stand up to Putin. Somebody needs to save the world from Putin. The stakes are high.

I’m looking forward to sharing my own opinions about Trump. Let’s talk in about 8 months. In the meantime, I’ll try to keep you updated on the opinions of others. You’re welcome.

[whereareroo]

ROOKIE MISTAKE

WF THOUGHTS (5/29/25).

For many reasons, I’m happy that I’m not the Governor of North Dakota.

The job is currently held by a guy named Kelly Armstrong. He seems like a nice guy. He’s new at the job. He’s about 5 months into his first term. Before being elected Governor, he was a Congressman for 6 years.

Many states believe in extremely limited government. To keep the government small and powerless, the legislatures in those states are only permitted to sit for a very small number of days. The theory is that the legislature can’t run amuck if it’s hardly ever open for business.

North Dakota is a “limited government” state. Its legislature is only allowed to sit in odd-numbered years, and it is only allowed to conduct business for 80 days in those years. It has to move quickly during those 80 days. Its main job is to pass a budget. That takes up almost all of the time. By design, there’s no time for mischief.

The legislators recently sat for 74 days and completed a budget. Then, they all left Bismarck and went home. They have other jobs. The legislature gig only pays $592 per month.

Budgets only become law if the Governor signs the budget. In many state governments, including North Dakota, the Governor is able to exercise a “line-item veto” with respect to the budget passed by the legislature. If a Governor is unhappy with something in the budget, he doesn’t have to reject the whole budget. He can just reject specific “line items” and leave the balance of the budget intact. If the legislature disagrees with a line-item veto and still has time in the legislative session, it can try to override the veto by getting 67% of the members to reject the veto.

All of the above may be new to you. It was apparently new to Kelly Armstrong too. This was his first budget rodeo. He made an embarrassing mistake. Rookies make mistakes.

A segment of the proposed budget allocated $35 million for various housing programs. Governor Armstrong wanted to veto a single line item that allocated $150,000 to fund a homelessness coordinator for Native Americans. He goofed. By mistake, he vetoed the entire budget segment that dealt with housing. He vetoed the entire $35 million. Oops!

This is no laughing matter. Vetoes are permanent. There is no easy fix. At great expense, the legislature will have to return to Bismarck. The legislators won’t be happy. All of the housing programs have been eliminated. The $150,000 allocation for the Native Americans wasn’t put into the housing budget by accident. It was part of the complicated overall dealmaking that is necessary to get a budget approved by a bunch of legislators If you remove one card from the mix, the whole house crumbles. Recalling the legislators to rebuild the budget opens the door for everybody to take another shot at getting their favorite project funded. They have to do the whole jigsaw puzzle again. It’s a mess- -and they’ll only have 6 days to fix the problem. The whole dilemma would have been avoided if the Governor hadn’t made a foolish mistake with his veto.

Governor Armstrong has a mess on his hands and egg on his face. Ain’t it great to NOT be Governor of North Dakota?

[whereareroo]

MEMORIAL DAY

WF THOUGHTS (5/26/25).

I hope your Memorial Day included time for reflection and relaxation. Maybe a hot dog too.

When you were a kid, were you a hot dog family or a hamburger family? Don’t tell me that you were both. I won’t believe you. In my experience, all families had a clear preference.

We were a hot dog family. As I look back, I think I know why. My mother had six hungry kids, and she had a tight budget. Hot dogs are the cheaper choice. Hot dogs are easier to cook. When we had hamburgers, they tended to fall through the grill and burn in the charcoal. I never saw a hot dog fall through the grill.

Despite my vast experience with hot dogs, I’ve always been stumped by one issue. Hot dogs come in packs of 10. The buns come in packs of 8. Why? It makes no sense. I always ended up eating a dog without a bun.

Well, I have good news. At the ripe old age of 65, I’ve learned the answer to the hot dog mystery. It’s an idiotic explanation, but at least it’s an explanation.

Hot dogs have always been sold by the pound. Before the era of packaged meats, you asked the butcher for a specific number of dogs and you were charged by the pound. It turns out that the standard hot dog weighs 1.6 pounds. When manufacturers started to sell packs of hot dogs, they wanted to create a pack that weighed a pound. That’s 10 hot dogs. I guess that makes sense.

Big bakeries use massive machines to produce muffins and buns. The process is very rigid. The machines are designed to bake buns in pans that hold a cluster of four buns. It’s always been that way. Two clusters is 8 buns. Three clusters would be 12 buns. According to the bakers, nobody would buy a package of 12 buns. That’s too many. They decided that 8 buns, two clusters, is the right number. It’s always been that way, and nobody cares about the mismatch between the hot dogs and the buns.

I’m not going to lose sleep over this. Luckily, there are a million uses for a spare hot dog. When I was a kid, I never saw a spare hot dog go to waste. In addition to being a great finger food, spare hot dogs are great in scrambled eggs, cornbread, and baked beans. On camping trips, we always used spare dogs as fishing bait. Fish love ‘em.

God Bless America. God Bless Hot Dogs. May your summer be filled with hot dogs.

[whereareroo]

FROG WISDOM

WF THOUGHTS (5/25/25).

It’s graduation season. All over America, graduates are being assaulted by tedious commencement addresses. The speeches by celebrities are generally awful.

This year, the graduates at the University of Maryland were blessed with an exceptional celebrity speaker. They received words of wisdom from Kermit the Frog. Kermit was born at the University of Maryland, with the assistance of a student named Jim Henson, in 1955.

Kermit started by saying: “I am honored to share some words of wisdom about three things that are close to my heart: finding your people, taking the leap, and making connections.”

Kermit spoke of how Jim Henson “taught me about finding your people.” “He could always see the spark in someone. He saw the potential and he saw what was unique in each person. And he taught me what’s unique about you should always be shared.”

“Jim believed that everyone had a place. Jim thought that and he made us believe it. And so, my whole life I’ve tried to appreciate people for exactly who they are.”

Kermit spoke about the importance of sticking with your people. “Look, now there is no guarantee that the show is always good or that it’ll go off without a hitch or it doesn’t have its, uh, hecklers. Yeah. But the show must go on. And, if you’re with your people you won’t have to do it alone. Because, life is not a solo act. No, it’s not. It’s a big, messy, delightful ensemble piece, especially when you’re with your people.”

Once you’ve found your people, Kermit says that you’re ready to take the leap. “And leaping, uh, is kind of something we frogs know a thing or two about.”

“Yeah, you know, when I was, uh, just a little bit younger than all of you, I used to have fun in the swamp playing leapfrog. It was our favorite game. Or, kind of our only game. But we loved it. Except for my cousin, Albert. He never actually leapt. He just stepped on your back and used your head like a lily pad. Sure. He got ahead, but it was only by stepping on you. We’ve been told that’s how you succeed. And some choose to believe it. But I know they’re wrong. So, as you prepare to take this big leap into real life, here’s a little advice, if you’re willing to listen to a frog. Rather than jumping over someone to get what you want, consider reaching out your hand and taking the leap side by side. Because, life is better when we leap together.”

Kermit finished by talking about connections. He said: “. . .it’s important to stay connected to your loved ones, stay connected to your friends, and most of all stay connected to your dreams. No matter how big. No matter how impossible they seem. The truth is dreams are how we figure out where we want to go. And life is how we get there. . . .Life’s like a movie. Write your own ending. Keep believing.”

That thoughtful little green frog is full of wisdom. He’s classy too. He said nothing about the fact that the Trump Administration has slammed the University of Maryland with $12 million of funding cuts becauseit is too committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Kermit For President!

[whereareroo]

WHAT WOULD THE AMISH DO?

WF THOUGHTS (5/23/25).

I’ve previously written about my admiration for the Amish Community. They’re special people. Their faith runs deep. Their lifestyle is amazing and inspiring. In my next life, I’m going to be Amish.

Here’s a story that illustrates the wonderfulness of the Amish people.

In western North Carolina, there’s a small village called Chimney Rock. The population is less than 200. Because of its beautiful location in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the village is a popular vacation spot. The population increases substantially during the summer. The Rocky Broad River runs through the pretty village.

Catastrophe struck on September 27, 2024. Hurricane Helene dumped more than 20 inches of rain on Chimney Rock and the surrounding areas. The Broad River overflowed. The village was hit with a 30-foot wall of water. The damage was apocalyptic. The village was washed away.

The residents of Chimney Rock are mountain people. They’re brave. They’re tough. They weren’t going anywhere. Almost immediately, they started to rebuild their village.

Within days after the disaster, the news about Chimney Rock had travelled 570 miles to Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The beautiful Amish people sprung into action. They know how to build, and they were going to help with the rebuilding of Chimney Rock.

I just heard a radio interview with the mayor of Chimney Rock. For more than six months, a team of 50 Amish folks has arrived in Chimney Rock every Sunday night. They start work on Monday morning, and they go home after they finish their “shift” on Friday afternoon. A new team arrives for the following week. Isn’t that wonderful?

The Amish folks have plenty of work to do at home. It’s not their job to rebuild flattened villages. That’s normally the job of the local, state, and federal governments. Luckily for the people of Chimney Rock, the Amish folks look askance at governments and bureaucracy. They just roll up their sleeves and get to work. Thank God for the Amish Community.

Every American should be inspired by this story. We can all learn important lessons from the Amish. We’re all neighbors. We’re all in this together. When there’s a problem, we shouldn’t stand around and wait for the government to do something. When there’s a need in our community, we should roll up our sleeves and ask: What would the Amish do?

[whereareroo]

OOPSY

WF THOUGHTS (5/21/25).

It’s almost summer. I hope there’s a vacation in your future.

The worst part of vacations is the packing, especially if you’re going to a remote area. You don’t want to forget anything. Phone? Charger? Laptop? Tickets? Wallet? Money? The list goes on and on.

Sooner or later, almost everybody forgets something. Even very experienced travelers.

About two months ago, an extremely experienced traveler forgot a very important document. He left Los Angeles, bound for China, without his passport. OOPSIE!

The forgotten passport was a big problem for the 257 passengers on the plane. The forgetful traveler was the pilot! He realized his mistake when they were two hours into the flight. To his credit, the pilot immediately told his passengers about his forgotten passport.

What happens when the pilot forgets his passport? You turn the plane around. Three hours after the original departure, the plane landed in San Francisco. A new flight crew eventually boarded, and the plane ultimately arrived in China six hours late.

Don’t be upset if you forget something. It happens to everybody. But if you’re going overseas, “triple check” that you have your passport- -especially if you’re the pilot.

[whereareroo]

JD STANDS FOR?

WF THOUGHTS (5/20/25).

JD Vance is a deranged, despicable, deplorable, degenerate, disgusting piece of garbage.

I’m not supposed to be blogging this week. I’m supposed to be entertaining guests. I was going to burst if I didn’t take a few minutes to unload on Vance.

Please note that I’m not violating my pledge to withhold attacks on Trump until Day #366. I made no such pledge with respect to Vance.

One of Vance’s many problems is that he can’t keep his pie hole shut. Much of what he says is stuff that should be discharged out the other end.

Within 24 hours of Joe Biden’s cancer diagnosis, which sadly includes bone cancer, Vance had to start spouting bile. He spent five seconds wishing Biden well. Of course, he couldn’t stop there. He launched into a long attack on Biden. He said that Biden was a terrible president, that Biden had lied to the American people, and that Biden never had the mental capacity to be president.

What type of idiot attacks a guy who just announced that he has cancer? How sick is that?

Doesn’t Vance realize that his team won the election? They’re in the White House. The campaign is over. Show some grace. Show some compassion. No normal person would act like Vance. Vance is abnormal. There’s something wrong with him. Does JD stand for “Just Dumb”? Maybe “Just Deranged”?

There is a time for everything. Even if you disagree with Biden politically, and even if you think he wasn’t a good president, now isn’t the time to attack Joe Biden. Hasn’t the man suffered enough? He lost a wife and a daughter in a horrific car accident. He lost a son to brain cancer. His other son has been nothing but trouble. Now Joe will be facing his own battle with cancer. Despite his troubles, he was a distinguished public servant for 50 years. Any decent person would back off and give Biden the space that he needs to deal with his new burden. JD Vance isn’t a decent person. Because he isn’t a decent person, JD will never receive the type of public support that has been bestowed upon Biden and his family since the cancer announcement. Is JD’s derangement driven by jealousy?

I hope that karma finds a way to take a big bite out of JD. He’s mean. He’s nasty. He’s cruel. He’s classless. He’s full of hate and rage. I hope that the fickle finger of fate drops a rock on JD Vance. I hope that it’s a really, really big rock.

Hey, JD. At your next Bible study, take a look at Galatians 6:7. You reap what you sow.

[whereareroo]

POPE LEO HAS CALLED

WF THOUGHTS (5/15/25).

I just had my first phone call with Pope Leo. He seems like a nice guy.

When Leo sat down at the desk that was used by Pope Francis, he opened the computer and my blog was starred as a “favorite.” He found my phone number under a contact for “Saint William of South Carolina.” Pope Francis had such a great sense of humor.

I had a long discussion with Pope Leo. Here are some things that he is NOT going to do:

1. He’s not going to accept luxury planes or other bribes designed to coax him into changing the policies of the Church.

2. He’s not going to ban any books.

3. He’s not going to absorb Canada into the Vatican.

4. He’s not going to golf every weekend.

5. He’s not going to institute policies that make life tougher for poor people and hungry people.

6. He’s not going to put his face on a bitcoin.

7. He’s not going to deport migrants from Vatican City.

8. His brothers will not be making shady real estate or crypto deals in foreign countries.

9. He’s not going to conquer Greenland or Panama.

10. He’s not going to eliminate health insurance for anyone.

11. He’s not going to sell Bibles, sneakers, or silly hats.

12. He’s not going to impose tariffs on anyone.

Overall, it sounds like Pope Leo is off to a good start.

What will Pope Leo do? He’s still working on that. For now, he’s going to steer the ship along the course that was set by Pope Francis. That’s a good thing.

I look forward to more chats with Pope Leo. I’ll keep you in the loop.

[whereareroo]

WEDDING BELLS

WF THOUGHTS (5/14/25).

We’re entering wedding season. All over America, brides and grooms are nervous about their big day.

Almost all of the brides and grooms just want the day to be over. There’s such pressure. There are so many details. It’s so expensive. There are so many things that can go wrong.

I have a romantic thought for all of the brides and grooms. It could be worse.

How much worse? Let’s take a look at some wedding traditions from other countries.

In Congo, the couple cannot laugh or smile during the ceremony. Laughing or smiling is an insult to both families and suggests that the couple is not taking the wedding ritual seriously.

In Korea, they tie up the groom and smack his bare feet with fish or sticks. It is supposed to test his readiness for his wedding night.

In Kenya, the father of the bride spits on her face and breasts. It’s supposed to be a blessing.

In Germany, to prove that they’ll be able to work together, tradition dictates that the couple must saw a log in half at the reception.

Scotland observes the “Blackening of the Bride.” They tie her to a tree and dump dirty stuff on her. (Molasses, dirt, and coal ash are favorites.) This is supposed to get her ready for the hardships of married life.

In Russia, couples are encouraged to get married at the gravesite of a relative. Doesn’t that sound like fun? It’s supposed to bring good luck.

These traditions aren’t a laughing matter. Right now in South Africa, there’s a major divorce case pending that involves the Zulu King. A strange wedding tradition is playing a big role in the case.

Even though polygamy is very common in Zulu culture, the King is seeking a divorce from his first wife. His second marriage is also in trouble, and two women are already in the running to become the newest wife. The prior King, the current King’s father, had six wives and 28 children.

The King found the first wife when he was dining at a restaurant. She was the cabaret singer. They got married in 1921.

What’s the wrinkle in the divorce from the first wife? There’s a question about the validity of the wedding. The couple had a private modern marriage ceremony. It might not be a binding Zulu marriage. Zulu custom demands that marriage ceremonies be public, with specific ritualistic songs and dances. In one particular ritual, the bride must dance with a spear and then give the spear to the groom. That seals the marriage. So what happens if there’s no spear dance? That’s what the court will decide.

If you’re about to get married in America, be thankful that you’re not required to complete some strange ritual. It will be a difficult day, but it could be worse. Nobody has to dance with a spear.

[whereareroo]

BEWARE THE THUGS

WF THOUGHTS (5/13/25).

Very soon, I might need a lawyer.

If I suddenly disappear, call Andrew Weissmann. He’s a regular panelist on MSNBC. He’s the smartest lawyer on television. He’s a smart lawyer in real life too. He’ll know what to do if I suddenly vanish.

A blogger at George Mason University recently received a visit from Trump’s Secret Service folks. Allegedly based upon a tip from a reader, the Secret Service goons were concerned about the tone of the blog. The blogger had recently written: “If the present administration should cancel elections; if it should engage in fraud in the electoral process; if it should suppress the speech of its opponents, and jails its political adversaries; if it ignores the will of Congress; if it should directly spurn the orders of the court; all these are reasons for revolution.”

The blogger also argued that the Trump administration had “arbitrarily imprisoned its opponents, revoked the visas of thousands of students, imposed taxes upon us without our consent and seeks to destroy the institutions which oppose it.”

After harassing the blogger, the thugs from the Secret Service went away. It’s not surprising that Trump’s thugs are on the prowl. The counterterrorism director at the White House recently suggested that hostile bloggers should be arrested because they’re “aiding terrorists.”

Even though my blog is fair and balanced, I’m still at risk. If I’m approached by Trump’s thugs, it might get ugly and I might get “disappeared.” Keep Weissmanns’s phone number handy. Thanks.

[whereareroo]

RED

WF THOUGHTS (5/12/25).

Are you seeing red? If not, maybe you should expose yourself to more red.

More than 90% of the information that enters our brain is processed visually. That’s why more than 50% of our sensory neurons are devoted to vision. Vision rules our brains.

Color can amplify or diminish how our brains process visual information. Don’t underestimate the power of color.

If you’re like me, if you want to remember something you write it down. If you want to make sense out of a bunch of disjointed facts, you write them down. Many times, the writing doesn’t help. We end up forgetting or we get confused anyway.

I just read a scientific study that suggests a new way to improve focus and boost memory. Write with a red pen! The brain takes the color red very seriously. It associates red with important stuff. If you write something in red, the brain thinks that you’re writing something important. Once you’ve seen the stuff in red, you’re more likely to remember it. For memory and recall, red is 30% more powerful than any other color.

I’m off to buy some red pens. What have I got to lose? If I remember that I wrote this, I’ll let you know if it works.