Monday Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

It’s been reported that 2.1 million social Security numbers were issued to non-US citizens in 2024, That number should be zero. This is a very troubling and if true reason enough why proof of citizenship should be required to vote… The Final Four is set with Auburn, Florida, Duke, and Houston. Should make for some interesting games next weekend. Good luck to all… Matt Ridley has said that the Wuhan lab leak was the greatest industrial accident in history and it's hard to argue that he's wrong. So many people cannot admit that they were wrong not to see it... Elon Musk and DOGE were supposedly invited to CIA HQ by Director Radcliffe today to discuss ways to make the agency more efficient. I wait with bated breath for the results. I’m also curious where the phrase “bated breath” came from and how the phrase “baited breath” would mean something completely different… Recently read Built from Scratch by Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank on how they built The Home Depot into a powerhouse. Enjoyed the book but it was more out my own curiosity to know the story than anything else. Your milage may vary just remember the book came out in 2001 so it’s not completely up to date... President Trump expected to announce tariffs on pharmaceutical products soon. Why should some medicines cost much more in the US than their country of origin? Honest question but if some companies are gouging prices on US consumers - whether the medicine is made here or abroad - should they lose the patent to manufacture that medicine?... Many of the protesters at Tesla dealerships seem to be on a set schedule and all knock off at the same time. This is a big indication the protesters were paid employees. Follow the money... Saddened to hear about the passing of actor Richard Chamberlain aged 90. He was the king of the mini-series in my youth (Shogun and The Thorn Birds) but I was always confusing him with Michael York (one of the stars of The Three Musketeers)… Not arguing that President Trump’s campaign against law firms that engaged in lawfare against him on behest of the Biden Administration and the Democrats is right but puzzled by the argument of some that “Two wrongs don’t make a right.” Isn’t that an admission both that lawfare happened and that it was wrong? Where were these people decrying the wrong when it was happening? Or now for that matter?… Think one of the surest bets going is that Baltimore picks a kicker in the upcoming NFL draft to maybe replace scandal strewn Justin Tucker…

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