Here There and Everywhere

Expat wanderer

“You Watch, Gas Prices Will Drop Like a Rock!”

I filled my tank this morning with gas about 60 cents cheaper than last week.

I am very puzzled; gas prices fell “like a rock” the day after Trump said that as soon as peace was achieved, prices would drop like a rock. So quickly! I’ve seen prices go up onernight, but I have never seen prices go down so quickly!

We have a Memo of Understanding, not a peace treaty. We have identified areas of discussion (undisclosed) that the US will negociate with Iran over. We are in a poor position for negotiating.

From Wikipedia: Donald Trump announced the withdrawal of the United States from the Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), on May 8, 2018.

Which Iranians? Are they all on board? Are they the leaders of the country?

How will this treaty be any better than the Obama treaty Trump withdrew from in 2018?

How much will this cost the American taxpayers?

Who has made money off of this war? Who has been hurt?

How much has this war cost the world? How has it damaged our Trump-punched alliances?

I filled my tank because I know our strategic reserves are nearing depletion. I filled my tank because I don’t believe the truce will hold – it hasn’t held so far – and I filled my tank because I believe it is more wires and mirrors, trying to fool us into thinking things are better than they are.

June 16, 2026 Posted by | Crime, Financial Issues, fraud, Interconnected, Iran, Leadership, Lies, Marketing, Political Issues, Stranger in a Strange Land | , , , , | Leave a comment

Happy Anniversary, AdventureMan

Today I received this.

At first, I thought it was some friend reminding me and wondered who it was, but I think it is a WordPress function, giving me material to post.

Truly, it’s the whole reason I started this blog, twenty years ago. We are human. We forget. As I read, I was back in that earlier time, early COVID, and I forgot how restricting it was. I had a wonderful, brave real estate friend who showed us houses, and then my sweet daughter-in-law called and said “Are you still interested in THIS house?” It was the house we had sold to them ten years before, but now, with a growing family, they wanted something larger and were happy to sell the house back to us, with one condition – that they inherit the house when we move on. We happily agreed.

And here we are, 6 years later, doing what we love to do – travel, see new things and talk with people. We have had the most amazing adventure, back to Alaska. We love stories, we love to hear how people came here, how people live. Yesterday, we had the joy of finding ourselves on board a small ship with just four passengers, one of whom was a Jordanian man, almost our exact age, and we had so many friends in common, and we had so much fun together.

As he introduced himself to us, he said “You will notice I have an accent, I am from Jordan.”

AdventureMan, always quick, responded in Jordanian Arabic, asking which part of Jordan. The look on the doctor’s face cracked us all up, and from that moment, we were not fellow passengers, but family. We ended up having lunch together after the excursion; we couldn’t stop talking.


Tomorrow, we have dinner with a man I graduated from high school with, lo, those many years ago, and who is, in my eyes, a hero. He is a doctor with his own airplane, and he spent his career flying to outlying Alaskan villages and providing medical services to those who otherwise would not have access.

Life is sweet.

Once I get the photos organized and the trip written up, I will share with you. Meanwhile, thank you, WordPress, for the prompt.

June 7, 2026 Posted by | Adventure, Alaska, Biography, Character, Civility, ExPat Life, Interconnected, Marriage, Moving, Pensacola, Quality of Life Issues, Travel | | Leave a comment

When Lies Control the Narrative . . .

Truth disappears.

Today, National Pulic Radio reports the following:

The Trump administration has mass-deleted information regarding prosecutions related to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, including cases involving defendants who assaulted police officers. This move marks the latest attempt by Trump to alter the narrative surrounding the violent riot. Last week, Justice Department news releases that detailed guilty pleas, jury verdicts and prison sentences disappeared from government websites. An NPR review found that the deletions included information about some of the most serious assaults on law enforcement that happened that day.

We all watched the attack on the Capitol happen in real time, with our own eyes, and much of it filmed by the insurrectionists who had been told the election was stolen. Mike Pence didn’t believe it and did not do as he was instructed to do. He supported the truth of the 2020 election of Joe Biden,

And now, we have a Trumpian edict of “non-disclosure” for all Federal Employees.

We used to take pride in the transparency of our government – not even that long ago! Less than one presidential administration ago! What happened to oversight (DOGE’D out of existence) and whistleblowers calling out corruption?

Calling out corrution is inconvenient for this regime. Bringing corruption into full view should make the corrupt squirm, but this administration has no scruples, no embarrassment.

And now, we have a new corrupt senatorial candidate out of Texas, Ken Paxton. Paxton has been charged with scandal and corruption by his own fellow Republicans, and is a welcome addition to the shameless corruption of the Trump Administration, bellying up to the trough, feeding off the taxpayers.

Did you know that “Tromper” in French is to fool? Si je ne me trompe pas.

May 27, 2026 Posted by | Character, corruption, Crime, fraud, Free Speech, History, Interconnected, Law and Order, Lies, Political Issues, Stranger in a Strange Land | Leave a comment

Coming Home to Roost

There’s an old joke about Grand Juries being so suggestible that they will indict a ham sandwich in a paper bag.

Rarely does a Grand Jury presentation fail. Rarely, that is, when experienced prosecutors look at the evidence and decide a case is worthy of taking to trial, that the evidence supports the charges.

With changes to the Trump Department of Justice, however, grand jury cases are failing. Rules of presentation of evidence are broken. Private conversations with jurists take place. Claims are made which cannot be supported. Two things happen – some of the grand juries fail to bring back an indictment, and those that go forward are whacked in court, to the great embarrassment of those trying to follow Trumps instructions.

But don’t just listen to me – do a little educating yourself. Read the article in today’s New York Times by Alan Feuer called As Trump Politicizes Justice Dept., Prosecutors Struggle With Grand Juries

May 26, 2026 Posted by | Afghanistan, corruption, fraud, Law and Order, Leadership | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Crying Out Loud

May 24, 2026 Posted by | Bureaucracy, Character, Civility, corruption, Crime, fraud, Free Speech, Law and Order | Leave a comment

Quench the Flaming Arrows of the Evil One

From today’s Lectionary readings:

Ephesians 6:10-24

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. 11Put on the whole armour of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12For our* struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13Therefore take up the whole armour of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. 15As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. 16With all of these,* take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

18 Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints.19Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel,* 20for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak.

May 23, 2026 Posted by | Faith, Lectionary Readings | Leave a comment

“Mary Peltola Gets Us” – Alaskans

Listen to her wonderful new Senate ad HERE.

May 22, 2026 Posted by | Alaska, Cultural, Economic Issues, Education, Environment, Health Issues, Heritage, Political Issues, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Talking With My Mom in the Commissary

“Mom! Look at the price on that flank steak!” When she sent me off to college, one of the pieces of advice she shared with me was never to spend more than $1.25 per pound on flank steak, one of the leanest, thriftiest cuts of beef available. Even four years later, the butcher looked at me in amazement and said “your mother’s information is out of date.”

But when I saw these breathtaking prices – even marked down! – for flank steak, I couldn’t help taking a photo to share with Mom.

Yes, I still talk with my Mom, I can’t help it. She should not have died when she did, one of the earliest victims of COVID. I have so much admiration for the choice she made – she chose not to be intubated. Intubation machines were limited, and she wanted younger people to have priority on their usage. She was 96. Her mother lived to 104. She requested hospice, and went quietly and without pain. I still choke to think of it, but it was her choice, and a heroic choice.

“Can you believe this?” I ask my mother, incredulously. “Hershey’s chocolate FLAVOR! Not even real chocolate!” and Mom replies in my head, telling me not to buy it, it’s just chemicals.

As the oldest daughter, some of my earliest memories are Saturday trips to the supermarket, wheeling the basket while Mom filled it, stopping now and then to chat with shopping neighbors, or to show me a label and what it meant. It was excruciatingly boring. I learned a lot.

She also taughte me to cook. I’m not the greatest cook (neither was she), but, like her, I have a few great recipes that make me look better than I am. Some of them are hers 😊. Even better, when we were cleaning out her condo, I found this old set of measuring spoons, which I brought home and still use. They must be seventy or eighty years old; look how thin the aluminum is.

I talk to her in the kitchen, too. Yesterday, I made her Autumn Plum Cake (Pflaumekeuchen) (you can get the recipe by typing that into the search box, it’s a great, easy recipe for an Alsatian kind of torte) only I used fresh cherries, and it turned out really juicy. She just laughed (in my head) and told me not to try it with blueberries, that they are a real mess. But she never really liked blueberries.

I have some strange beliefs, including the veil between life and death being a lot thinner than we know. The last message my Mother left on my phone was about some masks I made and sent; she was excited for them to arrive, but that night she fell ill and went to the hospital. She never got to see the masks.

May 22, 2026 Posted by | Aging, Biography, Circle of Life and Death, Family Issues | Leave a comment

Politicized Weaponized Justice and Unintended Consequences

I laughed when I read about the end of the Trump IRS case. He was going to lose, so he pulled an appearant agreement with the Department of Justice, where attorneys are fleeing the use of the Department to go after Trump’s enemies. Trump doesn’t care that the evidence does not support a winning case. He wants his “enemies” charged, like he was. He was found guilty, by a jury of his peers.

A very smart attorney, someone say like James Comey, will be able to find a way to use this case, and the funds set aside, to charge the current Department of Injustice with discrimination, that these funds should be widely available to those who believe the Justice Department has gone after them for purposes of vengeance, rather that breaking the law. This gang of dunces have opened a loop of opportunity, just one more tragic comedy in a regime of careless, callous, destructive actions.

This is from the news service 1440:

Anti-Weaponization Fund’ 
The Justice Department yesterday announced a $1.776B taxpayer-funded program to compensate individuals who claim the DOJ politically targeted them. The figure appears to be a nod to America’s founding year. Payments would come from the Treasury’s Judgment Fund, an uncapped account used to settle federal cases. The “Anti-Weaponization Fund” is part of a settlement resolving President Donald Trump’s $10B lawsuit against the IRS over the leak of his tax returns, along with civil claims tied to the Russia probe and the search of his Mar-a-Lago residence. Trump and his family will receive a formal apology but no monetary damages. The tax case stems from disclosures by a former IRS contractor who was sentenced to prison for leaking high-profile figures’ tax data between 2018 and 2020.A five-member commission, appointed by the attorney general and removable by Trump, will oversee claims through December 2028. The fund is modeled after an Obama-era program that compensated Native American farmers for discrimination in federal lending programs (see DOJ explanation).

He who accuses, accuses himself.

May 19, 2026 Posted by | Character, Counter-terrorism, fraud, Law and Order, Leadership, Political Issues, Work Related Issues | Leave a comment

A Lawless, Authoritarian Regime

Today, Robert Reich puts into words the outrage that chokes me. When accusing only blue states of fraud, and withholding government funds, when accusing universities of discrimination, and withholding funds, the leaders overstep. We saw it coming from the first day – when you fire the watchmen, you can say anything. The watchmen are there to document and hold accountable those who violate the law. This regime excels in violating the law, making a joke of the law and demeaning the Department of Justice with vengeful, retaliatory cases instead of upholding the stated will of the people.

Robert Reich:

Friends,

Words matter. When describing a government, they inevitably carry moral weight.

Over the last 16 months, Trump and his appointees have so profoundly undermined the United States government that we should use different words to describe these people than we’ve used to describe all previous administrations.

To begin with, they shouldn’t be called an “administration” at all. They should be referred to as a regime.

The Trump regime has flagrantly defied court orders. In February 2026, a federal judge (appointed by President George W. Bush) identified approximately 200 orders from the District of Minnesota alone that ICE had ignored since the start of the year, concluding that ICE had “likely violated more court orders in January 2026 than some federal agencies have violated in their entire existence.” The regime has also vilified judges who rule against it and demanded their impeachment.

The regime has usurped Congress’s powers to declare war, issue tariffs, and appropriate public funds. It is using tariffs as cudgels for Trump’s political aims. The regime is seeking to stifle speech and silence criticism — in universities, law firms, and the media.

Secondly, this regime is not headed by a “president,” as the Constitution of the United States and our laws and history have designated the head of the executive branch of the U.S. government. To put the term “President” before Trump’s name defiles the Constitution. He is an authoritarian.

Trump has illegally fired more than 300,000 career civil servants. He has fired inspectors general who are charged with holding political appointees accountable. He punishes whistleblowers who protest abuses. He attacks marginalized groups and foments bigotry. He is openly persecuting political opponents. He has given out pardons to convicted felons who are political supporters or financial contributors — including nursing home fraudsters, a Honduran president who smuggled 400 tons of cocaine into the United States, and January 6 seditionists. He has sent federal troops into states and cities headed by Democratic officials.

Thirdly, Trump has no interest in governing. He wants only to impose his will and make money from his office. His regime’s disregard for law is so monumental that it negates what we have come to understand as a “government of laws.” A better word for it is lawless.

During the first 16 months of Trump’s lawless regime, immigration agents have shot or killed 16 people, including three U.S. citizens.More people died last year in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement — a total of 32 — than in the preceding 20 years. People only suspected of being in the U.S. illegally have been detained or deported by masked and armed immigration agents, without a hearing. People only suspected of smuggling drugs have been murdered by the U.S. military in international waters, in violation of international law.

Meanwhile, Trump is accepting gifts from foreign powers. He blatantly promotes his family’s crypto business and implements policies favorable to it. He has sued the Internal Revenue Service for $10 billion and is now in settlement negotiations with his own Justice Department, which reportedly has offered to drop any future IRS audits of Trump, his family, or his businesses.

Finally, the true test of a successful president of the United States and his (eventually her) administration is not how much power he accumulates or how much he gets done. The real test is how much better off are the American people and how much stronger is our democracy. By these measures, Trump and his regime are not just lawless. They are a catastrophe.

May 15, 2026 Posted by | Bureaucracy, Character, Civility, corruption, Crime, Financial Issues, Law and Order, Leadership, Living Conditions, News, Political Issues, Social Issues, Transparency, Values, Women's Issues, Work Related Issues | , , , , , | 2 Comments

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