PERSPECTIVE

Do you ever have trouble maintaining perspective? Sometimes it seems my life is the hardest, the most confusing...and then I talk to someone else.

Danny has been ordered to Corpus Christi, Texas and they will be moving. We will be following, although we will take some time to do some time in an RV. Plans keep changing, we are adjusting.

So, a neighbor stopped to talk. "Ya hear about the shooting? Twelve dead!" He was there. He was paying his real estate taxes. "Oh."  Whaddya say?

How ya doon? His mother-in-law had surgery that went bad, she died in a few weeks. His wife had a brain tumor. The litany went on. I failed to mention that I have had quite a bout of toenail fungus.

Do you ever think about how lucky you are? I should do that.

I should do that. Yep.

COLLEGE GRADUATION

We were invited to a graduation party this evening, a really nice affair for the daughter of our friends who happened to be from Nebraska!

A young person, starting out with an education from a stellar school, the University of Virginia. Surrounded by friends and family.

I remember the hot day in August, 1968, fifty-one years ago when we were invited to stand up; sit down; now you're a graduate. No parading across the stage for us.

The people who attended my graduation ceremony at Pershing Auditorium in Lincoln, Nebraska were few, and it dawned on me this evening that I am the only survivor of that bunch--my ex-wife and my parents are gone. My brother might have been there, too, but he's gone, too. I doubt that he was there, nor his wife, Carol, who is also gone, because it was August and farming needed to be done.

Things change over more than half a century. Here's to the next half century and a flourishing life for Allie, the young lady who just graduated.

CHINA

Last Friday, May 5, China sent a cable to Washington responding to a draft agreement between the two economic superpowers. That cable contained several key changes from earlier positions by the Chinese. The key change involves China's refusal to pass laws that enforce the provisions of the Agreement that would have put teeth into what has been weak promises over the last many years.

The changes required by the U.S.:

• Stop the theft of U.S. intellectual property and trade secrets
• Stop requiring forced technology transfers
• Change Chinese policy that essentially prohibits competition
• Provide access to financial services
• Stop currency manipulation

President Trump speculates that the Chinese are backtracking in hopes of negotiating with Joe Biden or one of the weak Democratic candidates. He, therefore, is instituting an increase in the tariffs from 10% to 25% on Chinese goods in the near future.

The trade war hurts our farmers, especially those hit hard by flooding. Congress must do something to assist those small businesses besides giving them loans that must be repaid with interest (don't get me started on what the government provides to illegal aliens). These boosts also hurt some U.S. companies, like Caterpillar, which in turn is a kick in the pants to Linda's retirement plan.

The estimates of what the Chinese have stolen from the U.S. on an annual basis is in the billions of dollars. Even Trump's provisions do not expect that anything will be "fair" or "even." But what the Chinese have done with alacrity over a long time is ridiculous.

Consider that any tough negotiations will be curtailed if any of the Democratic candidates are elected. The Chinese will be home free.

Oh, and BTW--if the Chinese find the F-35 that the Japanese crashed into the Sea of Japan a couple of weeks ago, they will not get the technology harvest that the press has anticipated. The military did not sell the highest level tech to the Japanese because they are not as stupid as...well, some others.

LIFE ON MUSCOVY POND

The Muscovy duck pair had another bunch of ducklings a couple of weeks ago. Eight at first, then seven, then a single baby left. This morning, the mom was in the yard multiple times, and made a noise that is sort of like “quacking” but not quite, they are known as “mute” ducks.

She was calling for her baby. Then across the lake she would fly. Then swim back; fly over; fly back.

She wasn’t looking for food, she was seeking her last baby. Sadly, gone.

Life on Muscovy Pond is sometimes cruel.

ANOTHER DESPOT BITES THE DUST

The dictator of Algeria has stepped down after months of demonstrations.

The world cheers another victory inspired by the "Arab Spring."

Take a look at the results, though. For instance, the Egyptian government is now so dysfunctional that the historically precious sites have been left unguarded. Looting is unchecked, and that history will soon be lost to future generations.

Go Arab Spring!

Maybe the solution isn't as good as the current situation?

Nebraska News

I went 80 stories deep on Yahoo! and found all kinds of drivel, but not a word about the floods in Nebraska. Flyover, ya ain’t nothin’.

I looked at the first 82 stories on ABC news, and found that there was a story about weather in Syria, but nothing on the floods in Nebraska.

On CBS News, there was a story out of Fond du Lac Wisconsin, about flooding, but no mention of Nebraska. Close enough, I guess.

CNN…well, you have to wade through stuff about how brilliant AOC is, and how Ilhan Omar is the best thing since canned beer…but you guessed it. No mention of the flooding in Nebraska. Whoops, there is a mention but not a lead. Below the story on who Cory Booker is dating.

They all carried lead stories on how gun laws need to change.

They all carried lead stories about the 737-MAX-8…which were all fundamentally wrong, you will see.

And we wonder why we should doubt these news sources??

Fox was no better.

If you haven't heard, the who eastern part of Nebraska is under water. The Union Pacific main line is stopped, bridges washed out. Roads are gone, bridges gone. Billions of dollars of damage, one would think. Then talk about the calves that perished, it is right at the beginning of calving season.

Let’s talk about the 737-MAX-8. Notice that the accidents were with third world airlines? Why, you ask? Well, the First Officer in the Ethiopian Airlines crash had about 200 hours. I have more hours than that, and I am not qualified to deal with an emergency on any airplane, let alone a sophisticated one like the MAX. My prediction, supported by some, is that they will figure out that all they had to do was turn off the autopilot. We can get into the anti-stall prevention software, but turn the auto pilot off and fly the airplane, guys. Save a lot of lives.

But the media says Boeing is at fault. We’ll see.

AWWWW, SHOOT...or worse

Just read that Bobby Knight is in declining health. Then the story intimated that he may have some form of dementia. Knight is 78, not much older than I am. Hits home.

I admit that, while I've not lost my marbles, the bag holding them has a hole and they are leaking away.

Crap.

I don't want another celeb to fade away.