FUN: hóngbāo aka “lucky money”

Monday, February 16, 2026

2026-02Feb-16

Year of the Fire Horse

Lunar New Year celebrations kick off tomorrow, ushering in the Year of the Fire Horse in the Chinese zodiac. The 15-day festivities, observed by billions worldwide, start with the new moon and end with the Lantern Festival. China anticipates a record 9.5 billion trips during the 40-day travel rush around the holiday, the world’s largest annual human migration.

The horse is the seventh animal in the 12-year zodiac cycle and symbolizes energy, independence, and ambition. Those born in horse years are seen as dynamic, courageous, and charismatic. Many see the Year of the Fire Horse as a time to take bold steps, embrace change, and pursue new opportunities. The last Fire Horse year occurred in 1966; notable births include Adam Sandler, Gordon Ramsay, Halle Berry, and Helena Bonham Carter. See your zodiac animal here.

Traditions focus on family and fortune (see our overview), including gifting lai see or hóngbāo to children—red envelopes filled with “lucky money.” See a guide to the holiday, closely associated with the Spring Festival and Chinese New Year, here.

# – # – # – # – #

We can all use some “lucky money”!

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VETERANS: We are not the world’s police

Monday, February 16, 2026

https://www.stripes.com/branches/marine_corps/2026-02-09/okinawa-guam-marines-relocation-20676544.html

Think tank calls for keeping Guam-bound Marines on Okinawa to counter China
By Brian McElhiney Stars and Stripes • February 9, 2026

*** begin quote ***

The report, released Feb. 3 by the Atlantic Council, recommends keeping about 5,000 Marines on Okinawa rather than relocating them to Guam and retaining the Corps’ airfield in densely populated central Okinawa along with a replacement runaway under construction farther north.

*** end quote ***

Sorry, but they should come home to the USA.

“A veteran is someone who at one point in his life wrote a blank check made payable to the ‘United States of America’ for an amount of ‘up to and including my life.'” -Anonymous

Time for the “American Empire” to shrink back to its Constitutional size.

“Older men start wars, but younger men fight them.” ~ Albert Einstein

Let’s bring all the girls, boys, women, and men home now! We have so many politicians and bureaucrats to send in their place if it’s really needed!

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DISCOURAGING: Any wonder why crime is rampant in the USA?

Sunday, February 15, 2026

https://nypost.com/2026/02/07/us-news/five-robbers-three-wanted-by-ice-held-up-couple-in-nyc/

Armed migrant robbery crew busted after NYC hold-up— immediately released without bail
By Tina Moore
Published Feb. 7, 2026, 2:55 p.m. ET

*** begin quote ***

Wilson Eduardo, 18; Emerson Valenzuela, 20; Christopher Serrano, 18, and Edwin Ramos, 18, were arrested and charged with robbery, criminal possession of a weapon, criminal possession of stolen property and menacing, police said.

They all pleaded not guilty and were released on non-monetary conditions, online court records show.

*** end quote ***

Any wonder why crime is rampant in the USA?

Sorry, but criminals get back out on the street before the cops get the paperwork done.

“Victim disarmament is the view that it is somehow better to see a woman raped in an alley and strangled with her own pantyhose, than see her with a gun in her hand.” — T.D. Melrose

The cash cows of the Pepuls Republik of Nu Jerk can’t even defend themselves.

But politicians and bureaucrats get armed security?

Argh!

And, three of the CRIMINALS has ICE “detainers” on them.  Lot of good that does.

Sorry, but the gang called Gooferment is failing in its “raison d’être”, reason for existence.

Time to start impeaching judges!

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APPLE: 26.3 upgrade to MAC OSX killed my Mac Book Air (Rose)

Saturday, February 14, 2026

Barfed during boot up and now I have circle ?

About all I can do is take it in for support. 

Argh!

Warning —  don’t upgrade.

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RANT: Venezuela’s Oil Fantasy?

Saturday, February 14, 2026

https://internationalman.com/articles/venezuelas-oil-fantasy-meets-physical-reality/

Venezuela’s Oil Fantasy Meets Physical Reality
by Chris MacIntosh

My friend Tracy Schuchart makes the point well:

“Canada exports 4.3M bpd to the US. Venezuela’s entire production is 23% of what Canada already ships.

The rebuild timeline is a decade minimum, likely longer. Rice University’s Monaldi says at least 10 years and $100+ billion in investment to get back to 4 million bpd. PDVSA itself says $58 billion just for pipelines that haven’t been updated in 50 years. That’s before you drill a single new well.

Here’s the part markets are missing: Trump doesn’t control the oil. The VP who hates the US is in charge. No stable pro-Western government means no foreign investment. Nobody’s pouring $100 billion into a country run by someone hostile to them. The whole supply increase story requires political stability that doesn’t exist.

Canadian infrastructure is already built and connected. Alberta to US Gulf Coast and Midwest refineries through established pipelines. Those refineries are configured for Canadian heavy crude after decades of optimization.

Even if Venezuela eventually gets production up in the 2030s, it’s the same heavy sour crude Canada produces. More heavy crude globally just validates continued investment in heavy crude refining infrastructure, which benefits Canada.”

# – # – # – # – #

So all this posturing about “Venezuela’s Oil” is decades away from benefitting JoeSixPacK.  So why are we even involved.  

DJT47 is distracted from the real problems of the USA — debt, deficits, fraud, and the deep state.

I remember when James Carville and Bill Clinton papered the White House offices with: “It’s the ECONOMY, stupid”.  And low and behold, with a Republican controlled House and Senate, the economy improved.

Maybe there’s a lesson for DJT47, politicians, and bureaucrats!

“ … … debt, deficits, fraud, and the deep state … … “

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RANT: Costco Citibank credit card troubles

Friday, February 13, 2026

COSTCO CITIBANK

couldn’t logon;

couldn’t retrieve id;

couldn’t register;

1-855-378-6467 unhelpful;

Told I had a secret word; dammed if I knew it.

Told no such account —  reregister.

Couldn’t reregister.

Used mobile app. No problem. Wasted almost an hour.  Guess I do have an account there.

What a <synonym for the act of procreation in real time> mess.

Was going to document and submit to both “Customer Care” but figured why waste more of my limited time on this earth getting frustrated.

‘If a battle can’t be won, don’t fight it,’ cautioned Sun Tzu, the revered Chinese warrior from 544-496 BC ”The Art of War’

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ConspiracyTheories: Pushback on Conspiracy Theory overall

Friday, February 13, 2026

*** begin quote ***
Re: (2) Kevin – WE THE PEOPLE🦁 on X: “🚨🚨🚨 Former FBI director, Ted Gunderson👇 : “Look what’s happened in the last 20 years…. Oklahoma City bombing = Huge cover up Jack Kennedy assassination = Huge cover up Bobby Kennedy assassination = Huge cover up World Trade Center = HUGEEE cover up
*** end quote ***

FROM LUDDITE:

*** begin quote ***

I’m sorry but a vast majority of Americans do not believe in any of those hoaxes. You are way out on the fringe my friend, but I luv ya anyway!

Sent from my iPad

*** end quote ***

Respectfully agree to disagree. These conspiracy theories have legs because the government hides and lies. 

“You’re entitled to your own opinion but you’re not entitled to your own facts.” —Daniel Patrick Moynihan 

“It is merely the etherealization of common sense. …when you can measure what you are speaking about, and express it in numbers, you know something about it;…” William Thomson (June 26, 1824–December 17, 1907), 1st Baron Kelvin, often referred to simply as Lord Kelvin, was an Irish mathematical physicist.

ConspiracyTheories: I have a “thermometer” for measuring these

Checking the Conspiracy Theorist “thermometer” (i.e., Conspiracy Theory Taxonomy and Ruler Type and Veracity) says: it is

  • Governmental
  • Political
  • Historical
  • Commercial
  • Miscellaneous
  • Health

 

  • Generally Accepted As True
  • More likely than not
  • More likely than not
  • Plausible
  • Possible
  • Less likely than not
  • Unlikely
  • Generally Accepted As False

Note to Self: I have to add “Proven True”!

  • JFK is moving up from “more likely” to “likely”.
  • RFK is still “Possible”
  • OKC is still “More likely than not”
  • AND THE BIG ONE911 is “LIKELY” based on WTC7 records and PENTEGON audits were destroyed.

And, on and on and on.

In other NEWS, the GROUNDHOGS DAY, Tooth Fairy, and Easter Bunny remain at “Generally Accepted As False” with JUMBOSHRIMP, HEALTHYCHOICE, and HONESTPOLITICIAN.

While SANTACLAUS remains at “Possible”. 

Seriously, the litany of Gooferment Coverups is growning:  Wacco, Ruby Ridge, Elian Gonsales,  … …  WUHAN, PLANDEMIC, “Vaccines”, CLOTSHOT, “politicians and bureaucrats getting saline”, BigPharma bribing docs … …  I’ll have to start keeping that list for you!

“There are none so blind as those who will not see” resembles Matthew 13:13, which is about people who have eyes but do not perceive the truth. 

Sigh!
 

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DISCOURAGING: The ongoing NY Archdiocese scandal is just sad

Thursday, February 12, 2026

https://nypost.com/2026/02/05/us-news/ny-archdiocese-accuses-chubb-insurer-of-double-dealing-on-sex-abuse-cases/

NY Archdiocese accuses insurance company of double dealing on sex abuse cases, posing as victims’ rights group
By Carl Campanile
Published Feb. 5, 2026, 6:55 a.m. ET

*** begin quote ***

“Knowing the insureds face more than 1,500 Underlying claims involving allegations of the gravest magnitude, Chubb reassured them to their face while secretly stabbing them in the back for years,” church lawyers said in the filing. “Such fraud and sabotage easily meet the threshold for moral culpability necessary for punitive damages.”

*** end quote ***

If you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas, or in Latin, qui cum canibus concumbunt cum pulicibus surgent. “He that lieth down with dogs shall rise up with fleas” has been attributed to Benjamin Franklin ‘s Poor Richard’s Almanack

It saddens me that this moral disaster keeps coming back up again and again.

An “insurance company” subverting the interests of its insured to avoid paying off?  I’m shocked.  Shocked I say.

“I’m shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!” Captain Renault in Casablanca

It’s a total disgrace that the Catholic Church has not purged itself of everyone connected to this scandal.  

And, to make it about money, just seems to amplify it and make it worse.

Argh!

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POLITICAL: Disney reveals enormous $38M pay package … … 

Wednesday, February 11, 2026

https://nypost.com/2026/02/03/business/disney-reveals-enormous-38m-pay-package-for-new-ceo-josh-damaro/?lctg=6080ba40747925275a09dcd3

Disney reveals enormous $38M pay package for new CEO Josh D’Amaro
By Ariel Zilber
Published Feb. 3, 2026, 10:32 a.m. ET

*** begin quote ***

D’Amaro, the head of Disney theme parks, will earn an annual base salary of $2.5 million as well as a one-time bonus of $9.75 million once he takes over the helm, according to SEC filings.

Each year that D’Amaro serves as CEO, he will receive a long-term stock incentive of $26.2 million as well as an annual bonus of 250% of his base salary on the condition that he meets certain performance goals.

*** end quote ***

Sorry, but I don’t believe that ANY C level of anything should be paid more than the President.

It’s “unseemly” and well as an insult to any wage slave.

AT BEST, the CEO should receive any “excessive compensation” (i.e., more than the President of the USA) in the form on non-transferable corporate bonds or corporate shares laddered over say 50 years.  Gone are the days when we should allow the “managerial class” to rob the corporation and shareholders of their wealth by pursuing short-range plans to jack up the stock price and leave with tremendous windfalls while the corporation spirals into bankruptcy!  Leaving the stockholders and stakeholders (i.e., employees; suppliers; related businesses) holding the “bag” of the corporation’s losses.  Thinking specifically of GM that got a Gooferment bailout and everyone else involved get screwed.

So, since “corporations” are a creation of the Gooferment, and sometimes treated like real people, it seems reasonable that there should be some ground rules about what they can and can not do.  In addition to compensation restrictions, I don’t think that they should be able to contribute money to anything but dividend to their shareholders.  

I’m tired of playing in a rigged game.

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INTERESTING: Prototaxites ruled Earth before trees?

Tuesday, February 10, 2026

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/mystery-prototaxites-tower-fossils-may-represent-a-newly-discovered-kind-of/?_bhlid=b28c50ad6772e1dca2572e0b334b3909d5119e8a

January 21, 2026
Mystery tower fossils may come from a newly discovered kind of life

  • Towering Prototaxites ruled Earth before trees—and they may have been a form of life entirely new to science

By Cody Cottier edited by Sarah Lewin Frasier

*** begin quote ***

Now, after comparing fossils from these cryptic organisms with fossil fungi from the same rock deposit, the authors of the new study, published today in Science Advances, conclude that Prototaxites was likely a distinct lineage. That would place it on an equal footing with the six currently recognized kingdoms of life: those of plants, animals, fungi, protists, bacteria and archaea.

*** end quote ***

I was familiar with plants and animals.  Didn’t realize that fungi was another branch. And, frankly, never heard of protists (a diverse group of mostly unicellular, eukaryotic organisms that do not fit into the animal, plant, or fungi kingdoms).  Also, never got the memo that bacteria and archaea were promoted; kind like the reverse of Pluto being demoted?

Referring to the Johari window http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johari_window, there seems no end to my personal Pane Two (what I can’t see) and an equally large Pane Four (what we both can’t see).

Hopefully something in Pane Four won’t wipe out the human race?

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