End of a Very Hot Summer (8/31/26)
Feel like USC Fans for Home Opener
So little news to report, it's tempting to stay home.
Remember Venezuela?
Dictator Trump invaded and arrested their great leader, President Maduro.
Turns out it might be turning out pretty well for both countries. And much needed for the poor Venezuelans who suffered a massive earthquake in late June.
The US and Venezuela have struck a deal for US to invest in Venezuelan oil production creating significant revenues for the country and jobs.
Venezuelan interim President Delcy Rodriguez on Saturday touted a "historic" oil agreement with the United States. should generate more than $200 billion in revenue for Venezuela. The country will retain "ownership of and sovereignty" over its natural resources, "while leveraging capital, technology and operational expertise to support the recovery of a strategic industry that has been severely affected by sanctions." The deal will also bring nearly $100 billion in private investment to Venezuela, support thousands of high-paying jobs and help rebuild the country's economy.
It will also enable the US to double its oil reserves by securing majority control of 65 billion barrels of Venezuela's proven oil reserves, which are the largest in the world. The agreement was reached through Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Rodriguez and private businesses at no cost to the American Taxpayer.
Hear that Mullahs, IGRC? Not if you are listening to NBC, ABC, CNN, I'll bet.
Being a Single Sport Parent
I've recently read afew articles mocking parents who support and encourage their child to pursue excellence in a single sport. Doing so, critics allege deprives the child of diversified experiences and fosters a narrow-minded focus.
One New York magazine article highlights all the downsides that come with focusing on a single sport at an early age. “Children who are highly specialized in one sport report more fatigue and mood issues than those who play multiple sports. It creates anxiety for both parent and child, she because the stakes seem so high. Perhaps most importantly, plenty of parents by now have had it drilled into their minds that the hypercompetitive, highly specialized environment travel sports pushes isn’t developmentally appropriate for young children.”
For years, the American Academy of Pediatrics has warned that intensely playing one sport from a young age can lead to stress, burnout, and overuse injuries caused by performing a repetitive motion. The advice: Keep sports fun. Make them child centered. Focus on development, not results. Specialization is the enemy.
Based on my experience, focus on developing excellence in pretty much anything legit has genuine merit. It teaches discipline and sacrifice, except if the singular focus is on Tik Tok or Instagram.
First of all I think sports are great. For a litany of reasons I needn't itemize. Second, I do think it's wise to expose a young child, say age 5-7, to a variety of athletic experiences. While the age of the three-sport athlete has clearly passed, a diversity of early experiences will help fine tune interest, aptitudes and enjoyment.
True passion is rare. Once, a child decides he or she wants to focus and excel, roadblocks should be removed. True, guard rails should be placed and priorities must be set. But otherwise, unfettered encouragement should flow.
My son played three sports through his sophomore year in high school. Then he focused on one. Sure enough he was able to gain admission to the top notch university of his choice. Prowess in his chosen sport was a definite asset.
The drive to excel in any sport these days is arduous and highly competitive. It requires dedication, investment, countless hours of work and sacrifice. Not just from the child by any means. Parents soon find themselves up to their eyeballs in the commitment as well.
Still, when I look around at the many young men and women with whom my son grew up and who focused on a single sport at some point, I don't see much to worry about. I don't see any gang members, burnouts, unemployed or socially disenfranchised. I see young people with good jobs and the same dedication to success as they had with their single sport. Plus some have a "sheepskin" on the wall that wouldn't be there without sports.
Iran Update: Regime Change at the Bank
Aside from occasional drone and missile salvos, the conflict has moved from air and sea to the bank. Economic strangulation. The IRGC (No point including the Mullahs since we don't hear much from them these days) remains intransigent. Firing off far more proclamations about never giving in and barbs at Trump than missiles. Seems most ships are getting through, except Iran's.
The problem for Trump and the Administration is economic warfare takes lots more time than military. Clearly the IRGC's strategy is to hold the fort until the American people dethrone Trump or at least negate his power in November.
The biggest problem we face is just that...the patience of the American people and their willingness to sacrifice a bit at the pump in order to defenestrate a terrorist whose sworn ambition is death to us.
Status: Stalemate at least on the surface.
Useful Idiots
That's what Vladimir Lenin called westerners who fancy themselves as "compassionate progressives". He and all those who've followed him in modern day Russia and China are only too happy to exploit these useful idiots.
By convincing them of their nobility and, of course, lining their pockets, our enemies assemble and nurture a willing army of anti-American sycophants within our borders. From government to academia to the research labs of our biggest companies. Buy them a beach house, better yet, catch them in acts of infidelity and they will be "useful" forever.
Cali is Absolute Master
There is a saying "Never Let a Serious Crisis Go to Waste".
The Wildfire State makes this an art form. For example, a bill is under serious consideration that would impose universal rent control over California anytime officials determine that an overseas conflict is raising housing prices. Ipso facto...Iran is responsible for the cost and shortage of housing statewide.
Meanwhile, in SF's Mission District, it took 12 years to gain a permit to convert a dilapidated, ancient laundromat into a 75-residence condo unit. It took 12 years because activists declared it an historic laundromat. You see the laundromat is from our forefathers, where they washed their undies.
Anyway, this is a special moment for California. Those 75 units represent 100% of the housing built this year.
Hope You Got Your Tattoo
Florida is becoming the first state to block use of welfare cash assistance loaded onto EBT cards to purchase tattoos, theme park admissions, video games, vaping products and other items NOT considered basic needs.
Heartless bastards we are in the Sunshine State.
The Capitalism Debate Continues...
The Free Press has collaborated with Populace, an opinion research think tank, to better get at true American opinions. A conscious effort has been made to weed out biased questions and those too sensitive to evoke honest views. Great deliberation has been to invested to create fair and balanced since we all know polls have become a political tool beyond all other purposes.
The performance of Democratic Socialists in multiple primaries has placed capitalism under the microscope as never before. Recent poll results suggest that the public is feeling down about capitalism but still wary of full-blown socialism. Most are deciding whether a few socialist candidates might help shake up the system.
Here are some results:
Just 33% of Americans privately say they have a positive view of capitalism.
Less than 50% of Republicans privately express a positive view of capitalism, though two-thirds support it in public.
Almost 50% of women privately say they would consider voting for a socialist.
Nearly 33% of Gen Z publicly say that America would be better off as a socialist country.
But only 14% say so in private.
A majority of blacks publicly say capitalism is the cause of America’s social ills, but only 37% say so privately.
Of people earning more than $150,000 a year, 58% privately say they are open to voting for a socialist, though only 42% say so publicly.
Catastrophic? Maybe not yet. But most definitely concerning I'd say. I have to believe so much of this is attributable to the intense dislike and inherent mistrust that Trump's bombastic rhetoric provokes.
I Know Life Seems Depressing These Days...
But is it really that bad? Did a little digging and here's what I found.
Unemployment is 4.1%. That's full employment by anyone's definition.
Consumers expenditures surged 3.4% in the second quarter, the strongest increase since Q3 of 2025.
Productivity is improving. It rose 2.2% in the second quarter, well above the 1.5% rate from 2007 to 2019.
Companies are doing well. 90% of companies beaten expectations, the highest rate in five years.
Stocks are near record levels. And so are household income and net worth.
Entrepreneurship is rising. Young firms account for a wildly disproportionate share of net job creation.
Energy production is booming. The country produces more oil and more gas than any nation ever has.
Electricity generation is expanding again after roughly two decades of flat demand,
American life expectancy just hit a record, surpassing the pre-Covid peak. Death rates from heart disease down 39% since 2000. 62% since 1980. Cancer deaths down 31% since 2000.
Drug overdose deaths are now down 35% from the 2022 peak. Why? Borders secure.
Crime is collapsing. Violent crime down 9.3% from 2024 and murder down 18.1%. That's the largest single-year decline in either category since the FBI began producing these estimates in 1936. Robbery fell 18.5%, aggravated assault 7.2%, reported rapes 7.6%, and property crime 12.4%. Motor vehicle theft dropped 22.7% and burglary 15.8%.
The murder rate is back to Eisenhower-era levels.
To summarize:
UP: Stocks, consumer spending, company earnings, productivity, oil production, electricity generation & life expectancy
DOWN: Crime, murders, fatalities from heart disease, cancer & drugs.
I know it seems like not much is breaking America's way these days; but, could be worse, I suppose..
For a Laugh
4 beer company CEOs walk into a bar.
The CEO of Budweiser orders a Bud Light.
The CEO of Miller orders a Miller Light.
The CEO of Coors orders a Coors Light.
The CEO of Guinness orders a Coke.
The first three ask the CEO of Guinness why he didn't order a Guinness, to which he replied:
"I figured if you 3 weren't ordering beer it would be rude for me to."
James Bond walks into a bar, sits down next to an attractive lady and orders his martini - shaken not stirred, of course.
After a sip, Bond stares at his fancy watch. The lady, curious, asks, "Is your date late?" James says, "No, I just got this new watch and it's telepathic.
The lady asks, "Well, what is your telepathic watch telling you?"
Bond replies, "It says you have no pants on." The lady giggles, "Not the case. I definitely have pants on."
Bond says, "Damn watch. It's an hour fast.
Have a nice week. Talk soon.
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