Look, I don’t care anymore who wins the governor or attorney general election in NY State in November. I have basically given up hope that people will rationally look through the bullshit and open their eyes at what is happening in the once great state of NY. The only voting for rational people that matters is the one with their feet, their moving vans etc. The smart people are leaving if they are able and that folks is the reality. Our current beloved governor last night blamed NY affordability on Trump. Yes, gas has gone up and it is the Iran war that is the cause (not poor Ukraine bombing Russian refineries) but the fact is we have enough natural gas 50 miles south of Rochester NY that can fuel power plants and heat homes cheaply for at least 100 years. No, it will not ruin the ground water etc (they frack with CO2 now folks). So rationally explain that one to me!

WHY NOT FRACK NATURAL GAS IN SOUTHERN NY? I have been trying to understand the whole blanket ban of fracking in the southern tier. It’s a mix, but politics and ideology play a bigger role than pure environmental science. New York banned high-volume hydraulic fracking in 2014 under Cuomo, citing a state Health Department review that flagged significant public health risks and uncertainties around water, air, and health impacts. That ban got codified into law in 2020, and they’ve since extended it—banning CO2-based fracking in 2024 when a company tried using captured carbon dioxide instead of water. The Cuomo-era studies weren’t a clean bill of health; critics on both sides have poked holes in them. Some research the administration relied on had methodological issues, and Pennsylvania’s experience next door shows fracking can be done with far fewer disasters than the worst-case fears suggested. New York still imports most of its natural gas from fracked wells in Pennsylvania and West Virginia anyway, which undercuts the we can’t risk it argument—if the gas is coming from next door, the environmental hit is happening, just without the local jobs or royalties. Economically, the Southern Tier has clearly lost out. Studies comparing the border counties show Pennsylvania’s side gained jobs, income, and GDP growth from the Marcellus Shale boom, while New York’s side stagnated—estimates put the gap around $11,000 per person in lost economic output over time. The region is rural, economically struggling, and sits on the same geology. Allowing it could have brought real money to those communities. I believe the issue is more political than environmental. The Southern Tier leans more conservative than downstate New York. Resource booms in other states have shifted local politics rightward—more Republican support, changes in voting patterns. Keeping the area economically dependent on state aid and downstate subsidies, rather than letting it develop its own energy wealth, helps maintain Albany’s influence. Plus, the state’s aggressive climate goals and powerful environmental groups treat any new fossil fuel infrastructure as a non-starter, even if it displaces dirtier coal or provides dispatchable power for the grid. The not in my backyard pressure from activists was intense, and Cuomo faced heavy lobbying from both sides. The environmental concerns aren’t fake—methane leaks, water risks, and industrial footprint are real issues that need managing. But the blanket ban, while happily importing fracked gas and blocking even CO2 recapture experiments, suggests the policy is locked in by a mix of ideology, activist power, and political self-interest more than a nuanced risk assessment. If safety and carbon recapture were the only priorities, you’d expect pilot projects with strict rules, not a total prohibition that hurts the exact region that needs the economic lift. The state’s defending the ban in court right now against landowners arguing it’s an uncompensated taking of their mineral rights.

Democrats Confused Why Venezuelans Cheering Downfall Of Nice, Warm Collectivism babylonbee.com/news/democrat… via @TheBabylonBee

Look, I understand the allure of staying out of world flashpoints in light of the problems we have at home, but what are the future consequences of this policy? Historically, US’s isolationism of the 1920s and 1930s led to and contributed to the 2nd world war. Like it or not we are the #1 power in the world. If we abandon Europe which has been our number one trading partner what will be the ramifications? We should not abandon and take the Russian side on the Ukraine conflict. It will destabilize Europe in the long term, it sends the wrong message to other potential destabilizing nations like China. “Might makes right” should never be acceptable. Yes, Europe should spend more money on defense but the US should not let Russia get what it wants in Europe including and especially Ukraine.

Last month a headline from the Wall Street Journal highlighted the lead in polls of right wing parties across England, France and Germany. Historically the rise in right wing extremism is a result of a reaction to left wing policies thrust upon the political center. Well look at what happened today. Charlie Kirk a 31 year old husband and father of 2 young children is assassinated on the first day of a tour of colleges. Over the years he has debated with left wing students on college campuses and has won over some students. Freedom of speech and debate is the bedrock of our nation. You would think that it would be more important in University settings. Now after being murdered, the reaction and statements of some on the left are horrible. An MSNBC commentator basically said he was the cause of it (the President of MSNBC has since made a statement condemning him). A moment of silence called for in the House of Representatives was shouted down by Democrats. If a horrible crime like this cannot be universally condemned by people who may not agree with the victim’s views, where are we to go next? Do we want real right wing brown shirts and black shirts to riot? Believe me when I say this, ICE agents and police are nothing like the black shirts and brown shirts of old. How do I know this? Not only from the books I read, but the stories from my grandparents who dealt with the real McCoys.

DELTA AIRLINES SUCKS! A flight 6:00 am flight gets cancelled and all departing flights to NYC are booked. You have to book on another airline and they only refund you $33. The whole trip which started at $310 now costs you $475 and Delta will not reimburse you.

So I just saw on CNN that most people are afraid of the economy because of Tariffs. Most people I speak to and know don’t even care about tariffs. So what say you?

Remember the rallying cry, “no one is above the law!”. Unless of course you are related to President Biden.

Fear Over Trump Tariffs Sending Americans Into Debt, Study Shows! What a stupid article. People are going in debt to stock up on toilet paper because they are afraid of tariffs? bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

So it is being reported that Biden pardoned his son, is anyone surprised?

Harris paid Oprah $1 million in failed bid to help campaign: report foxnews.com/politics/harris-… #FoxNews She had to pay them for appearing with her! They must have really wanted to support her campaign.

Democrats Run a Bait-and-Switch in the 2024 Senate Elections How many times are voters going to be fooled? wsj.com/opinion/democrats-ru…

Folks a word of advice, if you are in your late 50s and early 60’s better have your retirement in at least 50% bonds or you will be in a world of hurt. The economy and market are not looking so good.

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Erdogan Defends Hamas Amid US Concerns Over Turkey’s Support . This guy is nothing but one big pain. What would he be saying if Kurds entered Turkey and killed and injured Turkish citizens? But wait, don’t the Kurds deserve a homeland? bloomberg.com/news/articles/…