Saturday 8 February 2025 19:24:55 PM CDT

I was listening to Clay and Buck and one of them commented that President Trump is like Gandalf the White returning after vanquishing the Balrog. That may top Paul Atreides but it's different universes so I can go with it. Clay and Buck are both married and I am insanely jealous of their wives -- just kidding. They seem like real nice people and I am happy for them - they seem latter-day Cleaver family types if that translates. The idea that Cleaver families can exist in this age does seem rather strange but they do and I know some. Sadly mine was not quite one but I won't go into that. The past is the past and I know people whose pasts were worse than mine and I consider myself one of the luckier ones.

I suspect that somewhere there is an analog - is that the right word? - between Paul Atreides and Gandalf but it would probably be a tenuous one. Gandalf was a servant of a Higher Power while Paul was the product of.... what? Attempts by humans to create a Higher Power? I was a bit surprised to see so many others making the comparison - most of them favorably. I asked Google's experimental AI about it:

The enemy was already in disarray and doesn't seem to be improving. If they were a junior high borderline special needs before I'm not sure that they are now. At the DNC affair they elected a pretty standard Minnesota lefty as chair but then elected David Hogg as vice chair. If they were looking for a way to be even more odious than they already are they found one. Their one chance to do some damage to the Trump administration is to gain control of one house of Congress next year and even that will be of little use. They can impeach President Trump a few more times and have some investigations but without control of the executive branch they can't use the Justice Department to punish witnesses who thumb their noses at them. That would be enjoyable to watch but I hope that the Republicans can hold both houses and even increase their margins. A popular President Trump and economic recovery will help.

Meanwhile the hysteria is epic. Calls for riots haven't had much response and those foolish enough to act up in the red states have been promptly cuffed and hauled away while the ones in the blue states didn't look like much. Maybe they're saving their money for something bigger. I just noticed in one of my feeds that a Democrat representative named Al Green announced his intention to initiate impeachment. All I can say is please do. Because of President Trump's joke about making Gaza a resort.

For the moment the seizure of USAID is generating most of the anxiety - actually more like abject panic. The first revelations were so damning that one can only wonder where it will end. Most of us found this rather amusing:

"DOGE was in the building. We started -- we took down our Pride flags, we took down -- I took out any books I felt would be incriminating," said Kristina Drye, a speechwriter for USAID. "No one was talking. We heard they started taking transcripts automatically of all of our Google Meets."

New York Post 2025-02-05
It would seem they weren't so proud of the Pride flags. I suspect they never expected to be a target like the FBI or CIA - a rather obscure under-the-radar part of the regime. Perhaps they expected to left alone as with past administrations of either party. Big mistake. Especially amusing was at least one regime organ finding itself unable to make payroll. One wonders just how big that can worms is and how much fun awaits elsewhere.

I confess to being nervous - risky as it might be to try to assassinate the president again there may be some who think they have more to lose if they don't. Worse they might go after Elon - I hope he has good security. How to dissuade them I don't know but the one thing the president will not do is the one thing that would be most effective:

Democrat regimes casually kill people to instill fear - whether Waco or the brazen FBI hits we witnessed. If widespread riots or acts of terrorism occur there should be consequences - instant and permanent consequences. In this case they would entirely justified and it would only take a few.

MAGAHurtz@MyndCryme

I suspect Jeff was joking about Ho Chi Minh City and LA. I googled it and Wickedpedia didn't have it and I suppose on such things they are probably factual.















































Los Angeles and Ho Chi Minh City have declared themselves sister cities. It makes sense: they are both Third World metropolises formerly occupied by Americans. Jeff Cooper
A true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him but because he loves what is behind him. G.K. Chesterton
AI Overview Paul Atreides and Gandalf are both characters with messianic undertones, and both are central figures in their respective stories. ¢ Paul Atreides The main character in Dune (2021) and its sequel, Dune: Part Two. Paul is the son of Duke Leto Atreides and Lady Jessica. He is trained in the ways of the Bene Gesserit by his mother. # Gandalf Awizard and bearer of one of the Three Rings in The Lord of the Rings. Gandalf's mission is to destroy the One Ring and counter the Dark Lord Sauron. # Similarities: 2 * Both Paul and Gandalf are reluctant heroes « Both are central figures in their respective stories * Both have religious undertones Differences: * Paul is the heir to the House Atreides and has a long feud with House Harkonnen. # Gandalf is a wizard who works mostly by encouraging and persuading.» Portrayal: * Timothée Chalamet portrays Paul Atreides in the 2021 film Dune # + Elijah Wood portrays Frodo in The Lord of the Rings Generative Al is experimental. Export = QO Save ita] a