Biden Pardons 5 Family Members

Shortly before being out of office, His Fraudulency Joe Biden pardoned five family members.

The last-minute pardons raised a lot of eyebrows as they have been suspected to have been involved in Biden family corruption activities.

Yahoo! News reported:

In his last official act before leaving the White House, president Joe Biden issued sweeping preemptive pardons to members of his family who’ve long been the target of attacks from President-elect Donald Trump and his allies and commuted the sentence of a Native American activist who has spent a half-century in prison for the death of an FBI agent.

In a statement released as Biden arrived at the US Capitol for the inauguration of his successor, Biden said he was commuting the life sentence of American Indian Movement activist Leonard Peltier and allowing him to live out the remainder of his sentence in home confinement under Department of Justice supervision.

To read more, go here. 

Trump and the UFO Question

Above, a Stars & Stripes article on the Roswell Incident of 1947.

Years ago, former President Jimmy Carter said while campaigning that he would look into UFOs and release the government's files on them. He never did.

Neither have his presidential successors.

Former President Donald Trump gave an interesting answer recently on UFOs.

According to Yahoo! News:

Donald Trump has revealed whether he believes in UFOs during an interview with social media personality Logan Paul released on Thursday.

While the former president said he doesn’t personally believe in UFOs, he acknowledged the growing contingent of people in- and outside of government who believe aliens exist might have a point.

Trump described meeting with military pilots who had strange encounters with unidentified anomalous phenomena, as the government refers to them.

“I met with pilots, like beautiful — Tom Cruise but taller — handsome perfect, people. ‘Sir, there was something there that was round in form and going like four times faster than my super jet fighter plane,’” Trump recalled being told. “And I looked at these guys and they really mean it.”

“Am I a believer? No,” Trump continued. “Probably I can’t say I am. But I have met with people that are serious people that say there’s some really strange things that they see flying around out there.”

Perhaps if he wins this election, Trump can release the government documents on UFOs that have been kept top secret for decades.

To read more, go here.

New Mexico UFO Incidents We Never Heard Of

Above, an alien and flying saucer display at the Roswell International UFO Museum. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Most everyone with just the slightest interest in Unidentified Flying Objects (UFO) are familiar with the Roswell Incident of July 1947.

The Roswell, New Mexico UFO crash is just one of many UFO incidents in the state. Most of which nobody has ever heard of.

Yahoo! News has posted an article from KRQE on these other incidents.

They begin it with:

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – You probably already know about the Roswell UFO incident, but New Mexico’s history of unidentified flying objects is far richer – and weirder – than just that one event.

To explore that history, KRQE News 13 spoke with David Marler, the executive director of the National UFO Historical Records Center. He has access to a massive collection of UFO reports from New Mexico and around the world. Here are a few incidents you might not have heard of.

To read more, go here.

Keep watching the skies!

Eclipse Weather Forecast

Above, the start of the "Diamond Ring Effect" in 2017. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When the 2017 Great American Eclipse took place, it was in the middle of summer and the weather was not an issue for me when I viewed it near Roberts, Idaho. 

Since we're in the early spring, clouds and storms may hinder viewing for some.

Yahoo! News reported:

The total solar eclipse is now just three days away, and local forecasts in 13 states along the so-called path of totality suggest that viewing the highly anticipated celestial event may be a problem for some but less so for others.

In Austin, Texas — which is expecting an influx of more than 1 million tourists for the eclipse — forecasters are calling for mostly cloudy skies during the morning hours, followed by thunderstorms in the afternoon. According to Yahoo Weather, there is a 54% chance of rain on Monday.

Similar conditions are expected in Dallas, though the chance of precipitation (64%) is significantly higher.

To read more, go here. 

California Billy Club Ban Struck Down

Above, a PR24 side handle police baton.

Somewhere in my garage is my old PR24 side handle police baton that I carried while on security armed patrol back in the day. I have a California permit for it which is still valid.

However, a crazy California law made it illegal for people to carry or even possess a "billy club" or police baton for self-defense if they don't have a security or police permit.

Until now.

From Yahoo! News:

A court in California has stricken down a state ban on billy clubs on Second Amendment grounds.

The lawsuit was brought by plaintiff Russell Fouts against California Attorney General Rob Bonta over the state law making it a crime to carry or even possess a billy club.

"This case is about a California law that makes it a crime to simply possess or carry a billy. This case is not about whether California can prohibit or restrict the use or possession of a billy for unlawful purposes," the verdict reads.

It continues, "Historically, the short wooden stick that police officers once carried on their beat was known as a billy or billy club. The term remains vague today and may encompass a metal baton, a little league bat, a wooden table leg, or a broken golf club shaft, all of which are weapons that could be used for self-defense but are less lethal than a firearm."

To read more, go here. 

New Mexico Governor Slammed For 'Anti-2nd Amendment' Push

New Mexico's lunatic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's outrageous anti-Second Amendment proposals are being widely covered in the national media.

Fox News, Yahoo! News, The Gateway Pundit and Associated Press are among others covering the story. It looks like "the fit has hit the shan" over this.

From Yahoo! News:

New Mexico Republicans are accusing Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham of undermining the Second Amendment after the Democrat introduced gun control proposals on Friday.

Lujan Grisham announced that a 30-day state legislative session slated to begin Tuesday that will include "the largest and most comprehensive public safety package in our state's history."

The gun control proposals include a 14-day background check waiting period on gun purchases, prohibiting guns in polling places and parks, and a minimum age requirement of 21 years on semiautomatic firearm purchases.

The package also includes the Firearm Industry Accountability Act, which would "amend the state statue [sic] to allow gun manufacturers to be held liable for deceptive trade practices."

"The constitutionality questions are beginning to be very complicated in the arena of gun violence," Lujan Grisham said at a press conference Friday. "We are going to continue this effort, following what is going on around the country.

"There will be others who will follow in our footsteps, creating their own public safety corridors, which in effect also make New Mexicans safer."

State Sen. Greg Baca, the Republican minority floor leader, accused the two-term governor of taking "a hyper-partisan turn."

"Senate Republicans are eager to join the governor in tackling New Mexico’s crime epidemic, and to that end, we have introduced a number of commonsense solutions," Baca said in a release.

To read more, go here. 

It is the same radical left-wing crap that comes from Gov. Gavin Newsom in California.

For additional reading:

The Gateway Pundit.

Fox News.

Piñon Post.

Where To Travel In Japan Besides Tokyo

Above, a restaurant at Osaka's Dotonbori district. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One of my eight trips to Japan was just confined to Tokyo. It was a short five-day trip, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

I have been as far north (or east) as Sendai and far south (or west) as Kumamoto along with points in-between.

Yahoo! News has posted a list of places to travel to besides Tokyo.

They begin with:

Every few years, certain destinations emerge as major travel hotspots for American tourists. HuffPost recently asked travel experts to predict the most popular choices for 2024, and while many shared a variety of countries, cities, islands and other locales, a lot of them gave the same answer: Japan.

“The destination that comes to mind first for me is Japan,” said Sarah Firshein, head of editorial at Tripadvisor. “With travelers increasingly eager to spend their discretionary income on experiences and activities, I’m fully expecting Japan’s ancient temples, diverse cultures and communities, next-level food scene, and extraordinary art and architecture to be a huge draw in 2024.”

Of course, Tokyo is likely the first city that comes to mind when you think of travel to Japan. But with the growing tourist crowds, you might want to set your sights beyond the capital as well. Below, experts share the other amazing Japanese destinations they recommend.

To read more, go here. 

Why Do Some National Parks Charge An Entrance Fee?

Above, Yellowstone National Park's South Entrance Gate. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Yahoo! News has posted an article on, "Why do some national parks charge an entrance fee?" 

Frankly, I think the better question would be, "Why do some national parks don't charge an entrance fee?"

Regardless, the article is informative as it explains where the money generated goes to and what for.

This has not been an issue for me, especially after I turned 62 and got the Senior Lifetime Pass. I got it for $10, before the cost went up to $80. Still, even at $80, it is well worth having. Visiting three national parks in one trip would essentially make the Pass pay for itself.

The article begins with:

(NEXSTAR) — There is no question that the more than 400 national parks, monuments, seashores, historic sites, recreation areas, and other sites overseen by the National Park Service are stunning.

But before you can visit some, you may have to pay.

Across the entire National Park Service, which includes 425 units, only 109 charge an entrance fee.

Nearly all have a park-specific annual pass, ranging from $35 to $70. Many also have fees per vehicle, person or motorcycle that vary from $5 to $35. If you’re a frequent visitor to many national parks or federal recreational lands, you may want the America The Beautiful annual pass worth $80.

At this point, you may have had a common realization: we pay federal taxes, which can be used to fund the National Park Service, so why do I need to pay to get into a national park at all?

To read more, go here.

Mistakes Tourists Make In Tokyo

Above, the Godzilla statue at Toho Studios in Setagaya. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Now that foreigners are allowed to vacation in Japan again, locals are noticing mistakes foreign tourists are making when visiting Tokyo.

Some of the mistakes are navigating around the city and not following cultural etiquette while dining and other Japanese ways.

Yahoo! News has posted an article on the 14 most glaring mistakes. 

They begin it with:

Locals have noticed many visitors to Tokyo making the same mistakes.

Since Japan reopened its borders to foreign tourists in October, many travelers have taken advantage of the opportunity to visit this bucket-list destination. Tokyo, the capital city of Japan, is especially popular, and for good reason ― the striking skyline, incredible food scene and treasure trove of unique cultural experiences are unforgettable.

But as tourists pour back into Tokyo, they inevitably make a few common mistakes. We asked locals and other experts to share some of the issues they’ve observed. From dining mishaps to problematic cultural assumptions, here are 14 mistakes tourists often make while visiting Tokyo ― and some advice for avoiding these errors during your travels.

To read more, go here. 

Millions Expected To Travel Over Thanksgiving

Above, Chicago O'Hare International Airport. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It's a good thing that I am sticking around home this coming Thanksgiving weekend. It appears that holiday traveling will be much more than last year's.

Instead of traveling, I'll be spending Thanksgiving with friends in Jamestown.

It is interesting to note that the airlines seem to have gotten their acts together. There's no mention of delays and cancelations.

According to Yahoo! News:

Millions are expected to fly during the Thanksgiving holiday and airlines say they're prepared for the travel rush.

Airlines this fall boasted the most full-time employees in 20 years, and industry leaders say airlines are well-positioned to handle the holiday uptick in passengers. 

On the roads, AAA predicts nearly 49 million people to travel by car over Thanksgiving -- up 0.4% from last year.

Travelers staying in the U.S for Thanksgiving are headed to big cities like New York, Orlando and Los Angeles, according to Hopper. For international travel, Dublin, Cancun and Doha, Qatar, are topping Hopper’s list of most-booked destinations.

To read more, go here. 

Support of Red Flag Laws Drops Once People Find Out The Details

There is no question that I am steadfastly opposed to red flag laws since I was subjected to California's six years ago. My outcome came out fine, but at some expense. I found out firsthand that red flag laws can and are abused by vengeful people.

Polls have been showing that the general public like the idea about red flag laws. But a new study shows that once people, who were favorable, find out the details, they change their minds. They see that rights of due process are violated.

Yahoo! News reported:

A new study shows that the attitude of Americans toward red flag laws, where guns are taken away from citizens by a judge who determines they are a danger to themselves or others, dramatically changes from support to opposition when more detail is provided in the poll question about the process of gun confiscation via the legal process.

The recently released study of 1,000 likely voters conducted by the Crime Prevention Research Center initially showed that 58% of people support red flag laws when told the "primary purpose is to allow judges to take away a person’s gun based on a single complaint when there is a concern about that individual committing suicide."

When respondents were told there are no hearings where a defendant presents their case to a judge before their gun rights are taken away and mental health experts are not involved in the process, the 58% support drops down to 30% with 47% opposing.

To read more, go here. 

Liz Cheney Will Support Democrats If Trump Wins Presidential Nomination In 2024

Above, Rep. Liz Cheney.

The true colors of Rep. Liz Cheney are out in their full "glory". 

The woman was never trustworthy and her latest statements only confirms that she's just a RINO (Republican In Name Only). And, a traitor to the Republican Party. She deserved to be booted out in her primary.

Yahoo! News reported:

Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., says she will leave the Republican party if former President Donald Trump is the 2024 GOP presidential nominee.

“If he is the nominee, I won’t be a Republican,” Cheney said in an appearance at the Texas Tribune Festival in Austin on Saturday.

Cheney, who lost her bid for reelection in the August primary against Trump-backed challenger Harriet Hageman, also said she would be willing to campaign for Democrats in 2022 and 2024.

Well, all I can say is if Trump becomes the 2024 GOP nominee, Don't let the door hit you in the ass, Lizzie Baby! 

To read more, go here.

RV Industry Is Still Booming

Above, new transported RVs stopped at the Jamestown, New Mexico Flying J. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Despite record gasoline and diesel prices, the RV industry is still having a boom in sales, incredible as it may seem.

People are still buying up RVs, when they can find them or they wait for their ordered RV is built. There is currently a backlog of ordered RVs waiting to be built and delivered.

Yahoo! News posted:

May 22—OXFORD — Interest rates are up, fuel and diesel prices are near record levels and inflation fears are real and growing. Yet, one sector of the economy is still booming — sales of new and used recreational vehicles, or RV's.

"People are still buying," was the unhesitant response from Rick Emmert, sales manager at Call of the Wild RV Center in Oxford

The March 2022 shipment report from the RV Industry Association shows 64,454 units were shipped, an increase of 18.7% over March 2021, when 54,291 units shipped. The association does not offer membership to RV dealers, instead, its focus is on manufacturers, suppliers and RV aftermarket companies. The forecast for RV sales for 2022 points to a second best year in the industry, according to the quarterly forecast prepared by ITR Economics for the RV Industry Association.

To read more, go here. 

Younger RV Buyers Pushing Makers Into Making Smaller RVs

Above, a Winnebago Revel Class B RV at the California RV Show. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The pandemic has changed a lot of ways Americans will travel.

The RV industry has been booming for years and the pandemic has made the boom even bigger. This has also made RV manufacturers take note on what they want and are scrambling to meet the demand of the kinds of RVs they're buying.

Yahoo! News reported:

•  Millennial and Generation Z interest in RVs has skyrocketed throughout 2021.
• At the same time, camper van production and sales have swelled.
• Jayco says the rise in younger buyers is one of the reasons it has seen a "spike" in smaller RVs.

RVing isn't just for retirees anymore: Millennials and Gen Zers are making life on the road cool again. And this rise in younger RVers is changing the industry.

Many new owners are now significantly younger than the stereotypical Baby Boomer driving a bulky RV. And now, RV makers are scrambling to cater to this younger demographic.

In general, RV ownership has been steadily rising. But the number of buyers in the 18 to 34-year-old age range has grown "significantly," and now makes up 22% of current RV owners, according to data from the RV Industry Association. And of the current millennial and Gen Z owners, 84% have said they want to purchase a new unit in the next five years, making this younger batch of road travelers — who often enjoy more tech and leisure add-ons — a prime target for RV makers.

To read more, go here. 

House Censures Gosar, Boebert Shreds Swalwell and Omar

Above, Rep. Paul Gosar at a Trump rally in Lake
Havasu in October 2020. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Arizona) was censured for posting an anime-type video about Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

According to Yahoo! News:

The House voted Wednesday to censure Rep. Paul Gosar after the Arizona Republican posted a violent cartoon video that depicted him killing Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and attacking President Biden.

The resolution passed 223-207, with just two Republicans — Reps. Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois — joining all 221 Democrats voting in favor of Gosar’s censure. Rep. Dave Joyce, R-Ohio, who sits on the House Ethics Committee, voted “present.” Three Republicans did not vote.

The measure stripped Gosar of his committee assignments, including a seat on the House Oversight Committee, a panel on which he had served alongside Ocasio-Cortez.

Last week the anime-style video that featured him slashing Ocasio-Cortez in the back of the neck and attacking the president was posted to Gosar’s social media accounts.

To read more, go here. 

The censuring of Gosar did not sit well with some members of congress. Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) skewered the move as an act of hypocrisy by the Democrats and took aim at a couple of them.

 

Alec Baldwin Shoots Two, Kills One On Movie Set

Above, actor Alec Baldwin.

Shades of Brandon Lee!

Yahoo! News reported:

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Authorities are investigating after confirming that a prop firearm discharged by actor Alec Baldwin, while producing and starring in a Western movie, killed the cinematographer and wounded the director.

Santa Fe County Sheriff’s officials said Halyna Hutchins, cinematographer on the movie “Rust,” and director Joel Souza were shot Thursday on the rustic film set in the desert on the southern outskirts of Santa Fe.

Hutchins, 42, was airlifted to the University of New Mexico Hospital, where she was pronounced dead by medical personnel, the sheriff's department said.

How in hell does one shoot the director and the cinematographer on a set with a gun loaded with blanks unless at very close range and fooling around? I can see one person getting accidentally killed or wounded, but two? I can't imagine any other scenario for this. It will be interesting to see what the investigation uncovers of the circumstances of this tragedy. 

To read more, go here.

Also from Yahoo! News:

The term “blank’ is a shorthand version of the full term, blank cartridge. Notice I said cartridge and not bullet. A cartridge is a unit of ammunition fed into the barrel of a gun comprised of several parts: The casing (sometimes called a shell); propellant material (gunpowder) inside the shell; a primer on the bottom of the cartridge; and at the tip of the cartridge, the actual projectile (bullet) itself.

When you pull the trigger, the firing pin strikes the primer, igniting the gunpowder, causing an explosion of superhot gasses that propels the bullet out of the barrel. The shell casing is then expelled from the gun as a new cartridge is loaded into the chamber,

A blank is a cartridge that has all of that except for the projectile at the tip. Instead the tip is crimped or otherwise sealed with paper wadding or wax to hold in the gunpowder. Which means, theoretically, when you pull the trigger, you’ll get the bang, recoil, muzzle flash, and an ejected shell, without the deadly supersonic bullet ending whatever you pointed the gun at.

But, remember when we mentioned muzzle flash and superheated gas? That is still very much being expelled from the gun. And bullet or no bullet, that means anything near the end of that barrel is in danger.

 To read more, go here.

Coroner Says Petito Death Caused By Strangulation

.Above, Gabrielle Petito in Moab, Utah in August

The coroner's finding on the cause of death of Gabby Petito is strangulation.

There is no way in hell that boyfriend Brian Laundrie could claim that her death was accidental. He is the "person of interest" in this case. By continuing to be a fugitive and not turning himself in to authorities is an indication of guilt, even though he has not yet been charged in Petito's murder.

According to Yahoo! News:

The Wyoming medical examiner who performed the autopsy on Gabby Petito said Tuesday that the 22-year-old’s death was caused by strangulation.

Teton County Coroner Dr. Brent Blue made the announcement during a virtual news conference.

“After a detailed investigation by our forensic pathologist, our anthropologist and local law enforcement, with assistance from the FBI, the Teton County Coroner Office is filing the following verdict: In the matter of the death of Gabrielle Venora Petito, we find the cause to be death by strangulation and manner is homicide,” he said.

Blue initially ruled Petito’s manner of death a homicide pending final autopsy results.

Above, Brian Laundrie, the person of interest. 

To read more, go here. 

Biden's COVID-19 "Action Plan" Doubles TSA Mask Fines

Above, a flight to Salt Lake City last year. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The authoritarian "action plan" of His Fraudulency Joe Biden announced yesterday includes several edicts.

Yahoo! News has listed them in an article posted yesterday. 

They start with:

• Biden's Covid plan released Thursday will double fines for travelers who violate TSA mask mandates.

• It raises the minimum fine to $500 and the maximum fine to $3000 for repeat offenders.

• Clashes over masks make up more than 75% of unruly passenger complaints during air travel.

President Biden's COVID-19 action plan released Thursday will double fines for travelers who violate the TSA mask mandates covering air travel and some modes of public transportation.

Passengers who do not comply with the mask-wearing policies currently face fines starting at $250 and increasing up to $1,500 for repeat offenders. The new guidelines will raise the minimum fine to $500 and the maximum fine to $3000.

To read more, go here. 

Mitch McConnell Burned His Bridges

Senator Mitch McConnell, R - KY burned his bridges today on the senate floor to 74 million Trump voters.

From Yahoo! News:

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday explicitly placed blame on President Donald Trump for the deadly riot at the Capitol, saying the mob was “fed lies” and that the president and others “provoked” those intent on overturning Democrat Joe Biden’s election.

McConnell's remarks as he opened the Senate were his most severe and public rebuke of outgoing President Donald Trump. The Republican leader vowed a “safe and successful” inauguration of Biden on Wednesday at the Capitol, which is under extremely tight security.

“The mob was fed lies," McConnell said. “They were provoked by the president and other powerful people, and they tried to use fear and violence to stop a specific proceeding of the first branch of the federal government which they did not like.”

That is utter and complete nonsense. The president did not provoke "the mob" and did not feed them lies. 75% of Republicans strongly believe the election was stolen.

As far as I am concerned, McConnell is dead meat politically and a traitor. I have donated to a number of Republican candidates during the last election, including those in the Georgia senate run-off election. Never again!

Screw McConnell and the establishment Republicans. They won't get another cent out of me. 

I get many beggar emails from the Senate Republicans. From now on, I will reply with words that Emily Post would not approve of.

McConnell burned his bridges to the GOP electorate.

To read more, go here.