Might I suggest a solution that conceivably might not cost one life. Convey a simple message to Iran. Shut down Kharg Island within 24 hours…or we will do it for you.

I am not so naive as to believe that they would shut it down for sure, but they might. If so, it just might rapidly bring the conflict to a quick end. It’s worth the effort. Furthermore, if they didn’t shut it down, I suspect we could easily interrupt the electric supply to the island. If nothing else, a total embargo would affect the same thing.

It would have a maximum effect with a minimum loss of life.

CBS reported what was likely a meteor, I suppose yesterday. It seemed newsworthy because it was quite large and made a loud noise. It was seen and heard from several vantage points. However, by the time it hit the ground, it had broken into small pieces. Despite its 7 ton size as it entered the atmosphere, the parts that actually hit the ground were too small to find.

The reporter said that meteors of this approximate size strike the earth about once a month. The reporter didn’t say as much, but I concluded that it means the earth must be growing at the rate of more than 7 tons a month. This has to affect the earth’s mass.

It begs the question: Does it change the rotation speed or orbit? Does this mean we are getting nearer to the sun or farther away? Is it changing how long a day is, what are the implications?

My wife has often said that I think too much. That is likely true. The thing is, I believe I should. No one else seems concerned about it. I know of no one else writing about it. Think about it. This planet grows every year by tons.

Has anyone ever gotten the calculator out and figured out how much ocean water is being displaced every minute, causing ocean levels to rise?

Of course, if the change in weight is causing a slower, lower orbit, it might just be causing the atmosphere to warm.

On the other hand, why think about it? It would profit no one. It doesn’t fit the narrative. Therefore, it can’t be important, right?

Well, one thing we all know for sure: The Earth just became seven tons heavier. I suspect very few people thought about it.

Frustrated with AT&T’s poor customer service, I tossed their glossy marketing mailer straight into the garbage. After multiple unsuccessful attempts to resolve my cable and internet issues, their slick advertisement felt like nothing more than an empty promise. The unsolicited mail served as a stark reminder of why I’ll likely never do business with this company again.

The promotional materials benefited only printing businesses and supported postal workers, though ultimately these materials are destined for the county waste disposal.

I discovered the Oscars had taken place last night, a fact I was unaware of until this morning. The news anchor presented the event with such dramatic importance, as if it were the most significant global occurrence. In my younger years, I might have shared his enthusiasm. However, with the wisdom of experience, I now view such spectacles through a more nuanced lens, recognizing the broader context of world events.

The spectacle reveals itself as a hollow performance, meticulously crafted to create an illusion of significance. Its creators invest considerable effort in manufacturing an artificial sense of importance, yet the underlying substance remains fundamentally trivial. Those who earnestly embrace and elevate such superficial narratives ultimately diminish their own credibility and relevance.

Let’s face it. Not only is it nothing more than a show, it is a show about shows, unimportant shows. If it ceased, I’m not sure anyone outside the world of movies would notice. Indeed, they have made it a world totally about themselves. What has the real world truly gained from them? If they ceased their efforts, would we lose anything?

The golden age of cinema, when filmmakers aspired to create meaningful art that reflected societal values, seems to have faded. As I grew up, humility was instilled in me, a stark contrast to the self-congratulatory attitude prevalent in today’s entertainment industry. Despite the decline of traditional movie theaters and dwindling audience engagement, the industry persists in celebrating mediocrity, producing increasingly uninspired content that fails to resonate with viewers.

Might they eventually awaken to the stark realization that their significance has faded, their influence diminished to a mere whisper in the vast landscape of relevance?

The constant narrative from media outlets and Democratic voices downplays the potential danger posed by Iran, repeatedly dismissing the possibility of an imminent threat while strategically omitting the critical word “yet” – a subtle linguistic hint that suggests the potential for future escalation. Indeed, they refuse to use the implications when speaking of Iran and nuclear bombs. They say they don’t have it, while strategically leaving out the word “yet.”

My understanding from this is that they have the preferences of waiting until they have the bomb and the missiles to deliver them. They want to wait until they are an imminent threat, when it is too late. What kind of a plan is that? What kind of a strategy is that?

Carter set this stage for this prolonged war of skirmishes and bombings and nerves. It would appear that Trump has decided to put a stop to it. More importantly, a message has been sent worldwide. Unfortunately, that message will only last as long as the American resolve to maintain it.

I admit it. I am horrible at procrastination. I never do today what I can put off until tomorrow. Moreover, if I put something off long enough, someone else might do it. For me, this has been pretty successful. However, if you’re a leader, it doesn’t work nearly so well. What we are seeing in the Middle East is a case study in what happens when leaders procrastinate.

The problem has reared its ugly head back in the day of Jimmy Carter. He permitted, even encouraged the takeover in Iran by the current regime. Ever since, the whole world regretted it. Each president since has had the problem called Iran. However, each chose to procrastinate in some way or form. Each was afraid to deal with it.

However, leaders don’t have that luxury. When a leader puts things off, invariably decreases the options. Such is what happened with the problem called Iran. Each time a president procrastinated this problem, it became worse. By the time President Trump was elected, Iran was a bomb with a hair trigger. By now, Trump has just almost ran out of options. Procrastination is no longer possible. If the problem is ignored again, the problem will no longer have a solution.

If I Could give the President one piece of advice, it would be, do not permit them within fifty miles of the straights. Keep them away from the shipping. That and make sure they don’t sell a drop of oil. Make sure it stays that way until Iran is no longer a problem.

During my high school years in the 1960s, I developed a passion for television repair. The technology was relatively simple then, with color television still in its early stages. Black and white TVs were straightforward to work on, though one had to exercise caution around the high-voltage components of the picture tubes, which carried a dangerous fifteen thousand volts.

Connecting the antenna lead wires to the television’s terminals often presented a challenging ergonomic puzzle. Manufacturers typically positioned these connection points at the rear of the device, necessitating an awkward physical contortion. With larger console models, users first had to wrestle the hefty unit away from the wall, then maneuver themselves into a precarious position—half-crouched and half-twisted—just to secure the delicate wiring with a standard screwdriver.

Then, one day, a genius came up with this wonderful idea. Well, maybe he wasn’t a genius, but it was a wonderful idea. It resembled a clothes pin with terminals on it, screws, if you will. The tech needed only to secure the lead in wires to the clothes pin and then clip the clothes pin onto the terminals on the back of the TV. This also had the advantage that the wires could be conveniently removed and reinstalled repeatedly as needed, usually quickly and easily. It was even conceivable that the big consoles did not have to be moved even an inch.

Since then, the device’s lead and connectors have been modified multiple times. Unfortunately, I and many others are once again experiencing significant challenges when attempting to establish connections, reminiscent of the original connectivity issues.

I really miss the clothes pen thing.