Archives for March 2024

Sunday, March 31, 2024

When people ask me if I’m scared to go to this place or that I reply, “No, they aren’t shooting their children in schools like we are.” That seems to end the conversation. I don’t know why.

The other wonderful thing about being out of the country is the level of noise about certain people in the U.S. lime light is greatly reduced. 

Today we returned to The Valley of The Kings. There are two branches: East and West. Most of the tombs are located in the east branch. Few go to the west branch. There is only one tomb open, Ay. It is stunning. But the other thing the west branch is known for is its silence. My guide book said that it is so quiet you can hear a raptor’s wings beat. Our group stood in silence for five minutes and it is impressive. The only bird I heard sounded like a pigeon. Of course, come for the silence and get a New York pigeon.

When I got back to my room I spent some time trying to catch up on news. Yes, I know about the ship. 

There was an article about our Virginia governor. He was touted as an up and coming Republican star. He was part of the Carlyle group. They’re the kind of folks Richard Gere played in Pretty Woman. Rob, rape, and pillage companies. I’m sorry. I mean – make deals, like Mitt Romney did. You know buy the company on the cheap when it’s in trouble, sell off it’s assets load it up with debt and then do the Pontus Pilot thing and wash your hands of it.

Well, Glenn was going to revitalize Virginia’s economy, just like he did for Carlyle. Blah, blah, blah. He was going to move the sports teams out of Washington and bring them to Alexandria. How this was going to re-vitalize anything is beyond me, but Glenn’s the man, right? Well, the deal fell through. Turns out the legislature wouldn’t go for a two billion dollar something to re-vitalize Alexandria into a football and hockey town. They didn’t like it. The legislature didn’t like it. No one liked it. Glenn did the “Aw Shucks, all I can do is present options” jive.

A person who has studied Virginia governors for decades said, “He has shown tremendous political inexperience.” That’s being polite. I always found him to be a two faced toady. He’s got that Brett Kavanaugh shiny scrubbed face look. Just not a lot going on inside. Apparently, he had no idea how you sell such an idea. But first you’ve got to have a good idea, which this clearly wasn’t. Then you have to go around the state convincing people, which he didn’t do, because – gosh – that’d be a lot of work, wouldn’t it?

The two Democratic governors before him knew how to do this and they earned Virginia a reputation as being good for business. Under wonder boy that status has dropped. Aw shucks.

Monday, March 25, 2024

I read a piece last night that said Jared Kushner spoke at Harvard. Wow. Harvard? Really? Oh well.

He didn’t disappoint. I mean he did, but what did anyone expect? When he was in The White House reporters spoke of how “transactional” he was. Even more so than his father-in-law. I’m not really sure what transactional means. I take it to mean they’d sell their grandmother for a nickel.

Jared was given the whole portfolio, maybe a little was left out, but Donald didn’t want to deal with anything and his mental capacity was limited so JK got the whole ball of tar. While he had it a Washington Post reporter was dismembered by the Saudis. Thirty of our Chinese assets were found out and murdered. That was about the time his wife got several patents from the Chinese. The Israelies under Netanyahu continued their occupation and settlement of the West Bank and divided Gaza and the West Bank into a situation that Jimmy Carter called the worst case of aparthied he had ever known.

The Saudis were struck by how transactional he was. I guess they were surprised for the price of grandma. Let’s remember that when Netanyahu used to come to the U.S. (before Trump was President) he would visit the Kushners and sleep in Jared’s bed. Jared slept on the couch in the basement. Some wondered if Jared was doing the work of the U.S. or Isreal. The slant was towards Israel (Slant? More like a cliff.) Jared also tried to set up a back channel to Putin and Russia, avoiding CIA and FBI surveillance. 

So it was quite a trick to get two billion from the Saudis. Especially, because he has no background in finance and investing. Even the royal Bank of Saud tried to stop it. But then when you are worth $1.3T (that’s trillion) $2B ain’t much.

So his comments at Harvard included the mind blowing statement that Gaza is a valuable waterfront property. It rivaled his father-in-law’s comment about North Korea, that the waterfront would make a great place for condos. I mean you’d have to ignore the people in cages nearby, but … Eh.

However, I think the Maga folks should get behind Jared. Trump Tower Gaza! Yes sir, a new gleaming glass structure born out of the rubble. Maybe – Trump Tower Phoenix at Gaza? Hopefully, Bebe won’t bomb it. I think Jared can slip him the good word and it will be taken care of. They’ll need concertina wire around it to keep the riff-raff out. But the view! And the beach should be spectacular. Naturally, there will be no windows facing east, or north, or south. Only glorious large glass windows facing west – set deep, that to prevent shrapnel from hitting them, or at least lowering the odds of it happening. And to keep the guests focused on the important things – the glorious view! Perhaps, noise cancelling speakers to drown out the bombing runs and laments?

It’s hard to imagine how f’ing stupid this guy is, but he got two BIG ONES from the Saudis. I wonder if Dad-in-Law has made the call. “Jared, All I want is …”

I’m betting on a Russian billionaire bailing out Donnie. Why not? 

Saturday, March 16, 2024

I have returned from yet another trip with David Stuart. It was not an easy trip. The access to some sites was rough. The days hot. The walks were exhausting for me, and my back hurt. It was rough. But was worth it. For me, probably not for a lot of you. Every time I go with David a bit more sinks in. We were walking together at the site of Holmul when he said that we were in the golden age of Mayan decipherment. Actually, we are reaching the end of that period as most of the major pieces have been put in place. The tour I was on looked at a new aspect to all this. There are glyphs associated with places. However, those glyphs sometimes appear at other sites. This has led to the idea that they are more related to a family line or dynasty than a place. True, many times that family can stay in one place, but there are examples of them moving. The investigation now is piecing together the inter-relationships between sites. What we are now learning is that there are intermarriages between sites, and that these sites are sometimes at odds with each other. The allegiances change. This decade’s ally is next decade’s enemy. It is still being put together. Much is missing. There are holes in the narrative, but new discoveries are emerging. It’s an exciting time to stare at these rocks with someone like David who can make out things that moments before were unseen by me.

Moving on. I got back to discover that one network is pushing a new crappy show that is the conglomeration of two mediocre shows: “Deal or No Deal Island.” don’t hold your breath but I’m betting soon we’ll see “Deal or No Deal Island – Celebrity Edition.” I was wondering about the models that hold the briefcases. Fifty years from now will one of them be surrounded by their grandkids and they’ll tell them they were the third row second from the right model whose claim to fame was opening their briefcase to reveal that their briefcase was not the one and they opened their mouth wide in extreme disappointment? 

Of course, I always have ideas for these shows and variants. Usually, they involve more violence and blood, plus deranged psychopaths. Survivor with armed contestants. Things like that.

Also, when I got back the pundits were talking the same stuff with slight movement. On every trial of the orange one he has managed to have the trials delayed. It’s amazing. What really strikes me is the reticence to actually go after this guy. He could have been charged with insurrection right after January 6th, and we’d be done with him. But no, let’s pussy foot around.

Ah me.

More later. Getting ready for Egypt next week.