Not Much Cooking Despite the Heat (8/21/26)

Fraud Updates:

Gopher State - Outstanding Refugee

Salman Ahmed Elmi, an immigrant in Minnesota once received an "outstanding refugee" award from the state government.

In 2021, the Minnesota Department of Human Services, an agency deeply involved in the massive fraud scheme that has unfolded across the state in recent years, honored Elmi with the title "outstanding refugee" along with an Entrepreneurship Award.

Elmi has now been charged with Medicaid fraud. He is facing three counts of aiding and abetting by swindle and five counts of aiding and abetting by false representation as part of an alleged scam to bill Medicaid for over $1 million in fraudulent services. The charges also allege that two other members involved in the fraud scheme are tied to a sex-trafficking ring involving brothels.

I'll Say He Stands Out.

Bay State - No Hablo Ingles.

The mayor of Lawrence, Massachusetts went viral on social media recently after his lawyer told reporters the mayor doesn’t speak English when they pressed him about being arrested for COVID-19 pandemic relief fraud.

Mayor Brian DePeña, 61, was arrested Friday morning for misuse of more than $1.5 million of Economic Injury Disaster Loans, a program administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration under the CARES Act to assist struggling businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"He doesn’t speak English. No comment," DePeña's lawyer said in the clip as DePeña repeatedly smiled and repeated, "God bless you," to reporters.

No Longer the Golden Boy

Just watched the Brett Favre documentary. Turns out the God of Green Bay is a kind of a scumbag and definitely a fraud. After showing d_ck pix to a sideline reporter and stalking her while with the NY Jets and still married, he went on to try his hand at Medicaid fraud.

Engineered a $ million plus in Medicaid funds in Mississippi (where he is also a God). Used the money to pay for a new volleyball arena at Southern Miss University where he played football and where his daughter is on the volleyball team. Use the rest to prop up some pharma start up of which he was majority owner.

No rules when you can sling it like #4.

Group Homes for Homeless

I have long thought and oft espoused group homes for the homeless. Housing complexes paid for by taxpayers where those living on the streets because they are unable to work, suffering from mental illness or addiction would receive shelter, food, healthcare and counseling.

Some facilities like this now exist, but there are two problems. First there are not enough and second they are voluntary. My idea was that persons suffering from these conditions would be given two choices. Participate check in willingly to group housing or go to prison. Either or.

Of course this would cost money, but does it not cost money to render whole neighborhoods uninhabitable because they are overrun?

Turns out the Trump administration seems to be considering a similar solution.

When Education Became Indoctrination

We no longer have an education system. We have an indoctrination system, which I am convinced is the birthplace of the divisiveness and dissatisfaction that overruns our nation.

In the beginning... the purpose of education was to help people develop the knowledge, skills, values, and critical thinking they need to live meaningful, productive, and responsible lives.

In short, the purpose of education was to develop individuals intellectually, morally, socially, and practically so they can improve their own lives and contribute positively to society. An appropriate and noble aspiration for sure.

In the 1960s the seeds were planted that would change everything about education. From its mission to its practice. From middle school to graduate.

Activism began to flourish in 60's. Spurred by two causes. Racial discrimination and the Vietnam war. By the end of the 60's college campuses were overrun with protests. Classes were interrupted. In many cases violence resulted. I know. I was there.

When the activists of the 60's graduated from college many went on to become teaching assistants then assistant professors and finally full professors by the late '70s. By the late 80s they were gaining tenure and with it came real power. They were in a position to, not only decide course content, but speech codes, campus rules and disciplinary protocols.

As older professors, the ones dedicated to the original purpose of education, retired or were squeezed out, the mission of education shifted. It was no longer important to learn about history, logic, scientifically proven facts or what great people taught. It was no longer about learning to think critically or to weigh and debate disparate points of view. And it was certainly no longer about free speech.

No. Education became political. Its purpose was no longer to teach student how to think, but rather what to think. Indoctrination became so important there was no time to waste on dialog, pros and cons, conscientious fact gathering or objective analysis. Truth no longer mattered. By the 90's, the mission of education had become indoctrination.

Worst of all, at the core of this indoctrination and the activism it fosters is the relentless misrepresentation and denigration of western civilization. Especially the United States, which is portrayed as a greedy, rapacious marauder intent on subduing minorities and entire nations.

Unfortunately there is no easy cure. Overhauling the teacher's unions and a tenured leftwing professorate is more than a daunting task. As Machiavelli observed, "Early on, disease is hard to diagnose but easy to cure. Later, it's easy to diagnose but hard to cure."

That Damned Ole Missile Shortage...

keeps raising its ugly head. More than a few onlookers suggest Trump's hesitancy to finish the job once and for all is predicated on this issue...despite what he and Hegseth claim. And it's not just the Iran front that is at stake.

More and more Russian missiles are getting through to Kyiv because interceptors are running out. America’s allies are alarmed. Switzerland expects its order of Patriots to be delayed by up to seven years. Taiwan worries that 102 ordered years ago will not arrive this year as scheduled. Lockheed Martin, which makes the most advanced version, the PAC-3 MSE, says it cannot guarantee delivery times to any foreign client, given the Pentagon’s power to divert them.

This is no longer a hypothetical problem. It is here. It is now. This didn't just happen because of Iran. It reflects years of neglect under Obama and Biden. Nonetheless, Congress better turn on the funding.

$40 Trillion This Week

On a related front, namely spending, US Debt will hit $40 trillion this week. Isn't this just dandy?

Ain't Comin Up Roses for Chicoms Either.

No matter how much Xi Jinping promotes “positive energy” – his catchphrase for relentless optimism – the chickens of CCP economic policy have come home to roost. The limits of productive, state-directed investment have been reached.

The real estate sector is moribund whereas it once contributed 25% to China's GDP. Unemployment for those 24 and under hit 18% before the CCP stopped publishing statistics.

GDP growth, which the government said was 4.7% earlier this year, is more likely 1-2%. Population is declining as the one-child policy comes home to roost. And getting older with working age members shrinking.

All of which adds up to a real problem for Xi.

When Putin faced a disintegrating economy, he invaded Ukraine. If Xi comes under pressure at home will he deflect by invading Taiwan? For sure he'll continue pushing hard on AI and robotics superiority. The AI solution, however, seems a double edged sword. While it will supplants some of the need for human labor, it also means fewer jobs for Chinese workers.

Hold on. Before we gloat and see this as start of the CCP downfall...remember they have the guns.

Do Your Part

The share of Americans who drink alcohol remains at a record-low 54% for the second consecutive year, the lowest reading in Gallup’s trend dating back to 1939. Self-reported drinking fell over the previous three years, from 62% in 2023 to 58% in 2024 and 54% in 2025, before holding steady this year.

Two Decades of Leftwing Activism Catches Up.

Nike has been an outspoken leftwing activist since 2006. Quick to jump on the bandwagon for Colin Kaepernick, BLM, Transgenderism, Dylan Mulvaney and other so-called "social justice" causes, it looks like it's catching up. Stock is mired at a 12-year low. What can you expect when Oregon is home base?

Anything to say, McKinsey?

If Not Now, When?

While back we reported that the California Board of Regents was coming to its senses and bringing back SATs as a prerequisite for admission to state run universities. This after years of students being admitted to state universities with 4.0 GPAs then couldn't do the work.

Well, not so fast. Appears they've taken a pause to consider further. With predictable results.

Doubling Down!

The Democratic Socialist Caucus just lambasted AOC for being a wimp.

The Democratic Socialist of America (DSA) Liberation Caucus is rejecting Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., as a potential candidate for Democrats in the 2028 presidential election, arguing she is too far removed from the socialist agenda.

"Liberation condemns Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's continued retreat from socialist politics and rejects any effort to present her as the future presidential standard-bearer for DSA, or for the broader socialist movement."

DSA slammed Ocasio-Cortez as an "opportunist" and condemned her vote to defend Israel’s right to exist and not holding firm as an anti-Zionist.

Were it not for the damage they would do to the country and my portfolio, I'd love to see the DSA get in power for four years. Then maybe we could shut the door on Socialism forever...or at least until the next election cycle.

Laughs

"Have any children?" The man answered, "Yes, a daughter, my baby. She's just like her mother. Our little passive, aggressive psycho turns 5 next week."

Alcohol may not solve your problems, but neither will water.

A man was dating three woman and trying to decide which one to marry. He decided to run a test. He gave each $5,000 and waited to see what they did with the money.

The first had a complete make over. Nails, hair, the whole 9 yards. Then she bought a new outfit. She told the man, "I love you so much I want to be as beautiful as I can for you." The man was impressed.

The second bought the man gifts. A new watch, new golf clubs and some gizmos for his computer. She presented the gifts and said, "I just wanted to show you how much I love you." Again the man was impressed.

The third invested the money in the stock market where it soon multiplied. She put all the money into a joint account. When she showed the man, she told him, "I wanted to save for our future because I love you so much." Here too the man was very impressed.

Then he married the one with the biggest boobs.