Saturday Open Thread - 2/8/25: Odds and Ends

Good morning, good people!

Hope everyone is in fine fettle and handling the current events in some positive way.

I had a visit with the county building permit official today. She casually mentioned illegals get permits to build, and there are numerous developments permitting in my county. Then, my secretary gossiped with a district court clerk, seems notices to show up for jury duty is based on residence, not mailing address. Stacks of notices for county residents are sent to their Mexico address.

Illegal crossings over the Rio Grand, and the hell raising people do about it, is characterized as "racist", but I think of it strictly in terms of the illegal act. I can't live in Austria without documentation. I am white. Austrians are predominately white. They aren't racists. They have laws. I have studied it as an ex-pat country.

So, a client of mine has been an ICE agent for maybe 2 decades. He explained to me how cells of cartel members typically work. 12 gang members come and some local bilingual agent gets them a home mortgage, bank account, etc...Typically, the property seller does an owner finance.

But, recently an agent got cross ways with a gang member, told him if he kept getting drunk and shooting off his semi-automatic weapon while her kids were outside, she would call the law.

In short order, she and her entire family were shot and killed by the gang member she threatened. No doubt, he was told by the Top Guy to kill them all, send a message that nobody fucks with the cartel.

I watched the sentencing, life in prison with no parole, and watched that murdering fuckers eyes.

Every person killed was illegal. Every family and friend in support and presenting the impact statement were illegals.

You have to wonder if all of them would be alive and free if they had not crossed the Rio Grande illegally.

Some of my best clients and friends are legals for generations. If I were a racist, wouldn't I hate them? Huh?

Maybe if the cartels keep coming here, I will ex-pat to Mexico!

The song below was introduced to me by Hispanic attorney from San Antonio. I was his local counsel. We were such good friends!

My last tour of Mexico featured a Mariachi band hat accepted my request to play it. Fist time I heard it live was on the River Walk in San Antonio.

Well, as I write this on Friday evening prior to posting, I am sitting on the 40% built new room on the back my home. Dear One's idea. I am poised to watch beautiful sunsets, birds, experience quiet, observe wildlife, and actually enjoy the beauty of nature. There is not much beauty to be had in town, let's face it.

I play this composition, used to play it often to put my parents to sleep at night. The Debussy tribute to nature's beauty. I was ways the last one to head to bed. I played it quietly, soft pedal pressed down.

My beautiful land is mine until the annual ad valorem taxes don't get paid.

I hope y'all are not listening daily to drills, saws, hammers, and the like, or media lies, or the cries of any living creature in need. We all know the horrors taking place everywhere.

I wish you all good health and peace.

Whatever is on your mind or in your heart, tell us. This Open thread is the place for you to share such things.

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I hope your weekend will be wonderful at best, pleasant, at the least.
All of us want to hear whatever you have on your mind.
Let 'er rip!

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

QMS's picture

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that cucu word is quite a mouthful.
Hope the cartel pestilence subsides
with the new administration's efforts.
What in hell was Biden thinking? Oops,
he wasn't. Damage done can sometimes
be repaired.

Good luck with the addition and thanks for the OT!

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question everything

@QMS My friend was a fence builder. He specifically hired illegals to avoid payroll issues, unemployment, and to avoid labor laws about hours of work, minimum wage, worker's comp,and so on. In other words, slave labor. The crew stayed home in Mexico between jobs, then would come over in a work van loaded with tools and equipment. They were caught and deported, had to sneak back over. Everything the friend was doing was illegal, and I stopped having any contact with him. he was in no danger of being prosecuted. That showed me who is really responsible for this. Nobody would come without a job expectation. The government turning a blind eye to corporate employers who are political donors results in the illegal immigration and all the massive unemployment figures in the latest jobs report. If you visit the Biltmore Estate and their winery, the fence was built by my friend.
A second crew is here repairing wood siding and painting the house. I expect the addition and paint job to be finished within the next two weeks, weather permitting.
I wish you smooth sailing, dear friend.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

Lookout's picture

Cloudy but warm today. Headed toward 70F. Trade day was thin this morning, but I saw and visited with several friends.

Our project this week is not as ambitious as yours. We've finally finished a new firepit. We put in two air feeds that act almost like low blowers...very little smoke and what smoke there is goes straight up. Of course things are never done. There's a new wood rack to build, and a grill to move closer to the pit to make for easy feeding of coals. The camphouse has become our music party site spring - fall.

Fortunately the cartels haven't impacted us here...yet. Our crime issue revolves around meth addiction (which may be cartel related). Evidently it is more addictive than heroin and cocaine. Are you seeing any feds in your area targeting the cartel members?

I hope everyone has a good weekend. Thanks for the OT, and good luck with the construction project!

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

bondibox's picture

If you know who these two assclowns are, you'll be rooting for Jackson even if you don't like him.
https://twitter.com/jacksonhinklle/status/1888005605593346296

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“He may not have gotten the words out but the thoughts were great.”

@bondibox two ass clowns. Hinkle obviously went against the grain, didn't he? Pretty funny.
Enjoy your weekend, friend!

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

Pluto's Republic's picture

@bondibox
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Jackson Hinkle's opinions have evolved since the last time I saw him. Real world experience can do that. Sample his current show, below. It's interesting and very current..

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Carry a flame and share the light.

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@Pluto's Republic I am glad that Ukies demanding Youtube take down channels of people they dislike is now revealed.
Hinkle says Zelenski is too crazy to negotiate. True. But this raises the question: Who does negotiate with Russia? Crazy Z, even if same, is not the legit government leader. My next question is how does the US have proper standing and authority to get some deal? The peope of Ukraine didn't vote for Trump, iirc.
Have a great weekend, chica!

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

@#It is just everywhere. Once a person starts shooting up, that's it. They never get clean. They die from its' side effects. Or a drug deal gone wrong. I have never seen anyone hooked on meth that wasn't white.
Someone in the area ods on fentanyl occasionally. Mostly young folks.
The best way to enjoy yourself and let the world go by is to absorb yourself in music. Sprucing up the camp would be my top work project, for sure!!! Kudos, dear friend!

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

QMS's picture

@on the cusp
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next door -- not so secret
already busted 3x
didn't know the drug is taken IV

No wonder so many die
what might be mixed with that shit?

If provided by some strange types
in the NGO, CIA, NED ETC. Transactions
are trackable with space X tech. The rivers
may be exposed?

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question everything

@QMS I HOPE THERE IS SOME SPACE BETWEEN YOU AND THE COOKS' KITCHEN.
If the police know it is functioning, and it is functioning nonetheless, they are in on it. Past clients on probation or parole would inject into veins between their big and second toe so he needle marks couldn't be detected by their probation or parole officer. Peeing in a cup does not detect meth after a couple of days. Seeing needle marks on their arms would lead to hair sample test. Oopsies, off to jail you go!
The high is much more intense when injected. It has been described to me as having an orgasm that is out of this world and lasts for several hours. Sort of gives sex a bad rap, imho.
Stay safe, friend.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

snoopydawg's picture

https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/clean-gaza-why-trumps-transfer-pro...

Rather than advocating for the illegal expulsion of Palestinians, the US president should urge allies to accept displaced Israelis, thousands of whom are fleeing the country

If Trump truly wanted people to 'live in peace for a change', he could further push Israel to 'build housing' for Palestinians on their original lands.

However, if Israel were to abide by international law and UN resolutions, and if Trump were to "get involved" with Israel - rather than with Arab nations - and force it to repatriate all Palestinian refugees it expelled since 1948, returning them to the homes Israel now illegally occupies with Jewish settlers, then a genuine, lasting peace could be achieved.

Seems reasonable. Israeli settlers had to leave their homes in occupied Palestine in 2005 so why not do that again?

Netanyahu’s message to the Saudis is instead of making Palestine a legitimate state the Saudis should offer them asylum and build homes for them there.

Hopefully the rumors of Netanyahu’s health are true and he is not long for this world.

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Scientists are concerned that conspiracy theories may die out if they keep coming true at the current alarming rate.

QMS's picture

@snoopydawg
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Tensions in the mid-east would cease.
Give the lands back to the natives.
End of war.

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question everything

snoopydawg's picture

@QMS

Tensions in the Middle East would end if Israel ceased to exist. Palestinians, Jews and Christians used to live in harmony in the holy lands before the Zionists laid claim to Palestine.

Iran hosts the largest Jewish community, but Zionists say they want to destroy the Jews. BS. They want Israel to start minding its own business and leave other countries alone.

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Scientists are concerned that conspiracy theories may die out if they keep coming true at the current alarming rate.

@snoopydawg getting them moved, whereas physichal removal of the Palestinians will cause mass killings.
Pepe' will be accused of antisemitism forever for posting that.
Obvious questions and simple solutions concerning Israeli citizens and the State of Israel can't be discussed. I think Israel will not exist in my lifetime. Saudi Arabia and Jordan will, if they stand steadfast.
What a shit show, snoops!
I am reading the comments as time permits.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

@on the cusp the nti-Semetic slur, to being supportive of the idea as bringing peace.
I checked out Scheerpost and found this:

:

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

earthling1's picture

Cool low 30s this morning. Rain/snow mix today cooling down thru next week to high teens overnight.
Mountain snowpack well over 100% of yearly average.
Should have plenty of water riverwise this summer. Ditto for the watertable/wells.
I guess we are to far north from Mexico to see an abundance of illegals or cartels. Our problem is the homeless. They're everywhere. Interstate cloverleafs are packed with tents and hovels. A local transit center with an oversize parking area has been cordoned off to accommodate the homeless with trailers, vans, and motorhomes.
Here, they've set up portable showers/bathrooms, large dumpsters for trash, and a security check-in gate. The Vancouver PD have brought in a cherry picker type surveillance machine to watch over the entire site 24/7.
Seems like a good temporary solution.
Across the river, in Oregon, they're going with small 8 x 10 modular cabinetts in clusters around the city.
There's just not enough of either. Both cities are experimenting with multiple solutions, all are overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of people.
And from what I hear, southern metropolises like Los Angeles are even worse.
Hope your project gets done soon and thanks for the OT.

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Neither Russia nor China is our enemy.
Neither Iran nor Venezuela are threatening America.
Cuba is a dead horse, stop beating it.

@earthling1 but the abundant water sounds great for farming come spring.
My tiny town has had one known homeless woman, and she was given help to go to a neighboring town.
A city 18 miles away is full of homeless, and a city 12 miles away is, too. Houston and Austin are hideously dotted with homeless people under freeway overpasses. In Austin, they are camped within sight of the Capitol building. There are no social services available for them. The pods of homeless in the 2 nearby cities do not appear to be families. I have seen no children.At a glance, all of them appear to be heavy meth users.
I hope you and your family and friends never run across these violent illegals.
The school stocks 18 miles away a medicine to administer for fentanyl overdoses. Young gang members who are here illegally, of course, bring it to the schools' bathrooms. Fentanyl is more prominent in kids than adults in these parts.
This is just no way to live. It has to change.
Enjoy your weekend, dear friend!

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

enhydra lutris's picture

thirties in the morning, but no rain and the sun is shining. Farmers' market was a bit reduced in size, but I was there early, so who knows. Got all of the weekends errands done by 10-ish, all the birds fed and all like that.

Speaking of birds, I ddn't mean to be contentious, and I really like and now and then play the song, but NONE of my Palomas have ever vocalized cucurrucucu. Beyond that, I've traveled pretty far afield and seen many non-local species of paloma and none of them have made that sound either. Just sayin'.

Here's a no surprise and not really news article from Sputnik about USAID in its role as Soros' other checkbook:

USAID or SorosAid? How US Tax Dollars Fund Chaos Worldwide

https://sputnikglobe.com/20250207/usaid-or-sorosaid-how-us-tax-dollars-f...

be well and have a good one

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

Am I a sucker? Dagnabbit, El, I am so pissed!
The last true libs were the hippie peacenicks that took no money from anybody, unless they sold them a flower. If Soros is a liberal promoting viollent and undemocratic revolution, using LGBTQ+ agendas that result in quashing and hating LGBTQ+ people, I will kiss someone's ass.
You finished your chores before I got out of bed this morning! Kudos, dear friend!
Have a great weekend!

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981