Saturday, June 13, 2026

Pitchmen - selling promise, new great things - but with the price performance chart currently omitted - a story told via two videos plus a few further links -- gamers not ignored

 Two key videos - here and here. Tech personalities readily recognized as having gravitas ++

Next, an MSN carry of a WSJ item, lead image of interest, likely a screen capture from the first of the two video items 

More of the story - new spiffy product launch set to either takeoff, or not 

Nvidia Newsroom 

Ars Tech 

Mediatech

Nvidia 

Nvidia 

PCWorld 

PCguide 

yahoo/tech 

extremetech.com 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0GwoILlWd4 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4nJo-oqAro 

There was a time when "wintel" was a term in regular use

Now, flooding the zone while you can check Microcenter or Best Buy, is it on shelves, priced out? Or, due soon, and can you wait?

Bottom line - a media hype/launch, with the pricing left to one's imagination

More better whiz-bang for more better bucks to buy? How progress moves, upwards trending of the graph? If it were commodity priced, you'd probably know that already.

But it's special. 

And it is not server centric. Rather it is local user focused. Make you more productive.

Nvidia, presently king of the AI server-center chips - and what focus on the big sell, and why? Search that question - why is Nvidia moving or cementing itself into this niche beyond its high priced plug-in graphics processor boards? Now?

____________UPDATE____________

Puget Systems current pricing, giving perhaps a hint of things? 

 

Friday, June 12, 2026

Woo woo! SpaceX is now something you can buy into. Own a piece. Paul Krugman might be considered a skeptic. A bear. A non-believer. The Antimusk?

 [ as an UPDATE, S-11spaceexplorationtechnologi.htmS-1  -- a text prospectus, for the IPO - what Musk's firm wrote and filed with the SEC -- 

the full filing: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1181412/000162828026036936/0001628280-26-036936-index.htm  ]

 ===============================

Today, apparently, SpaceX goes public. The Magical Musktory Tour is Coming to Take You Away. If you are amenable. Krugman writes:

So Musk, having bailed out X by rolling it into xAI, is now bailing out xAI by rolling it into SpaceX, which has a genuinely successful business in Starlink.

And today SpaceX is going public. Its initial public offering (IPO) debuts today on the Nasdaq at a price that implies a $1.77 trillion valuation for a company that had revenues of only $18.7 billion last year and lost money.

How can this, um, astronomical valuation be justified? The IPO is premised partly on the assumption that retail investors will buy in, not because they have made any rational assessment of SpaceX as a business, but because they believe that they are buying stakes in Elon Musk’s genius.

But the ranks of the faithful may not be enough to keep the shell game going. So Musk’s Wall Street allies are also rigging the game. Some of the major stock indexes, notably the Nasdaq 100 and FTSE Russell, have recently changed their rules in order to admit SpaceX almost immediately.

It’s important to understand that the inclusion of a company’s shares in a major stock index carries enormous financial rewards. A large share of stocks is held in “index funds,” mutual funds that hold portfolios designed to mimic the behavior of major indexes. Thus there is an immediate demand for the shares of a company when its shares are added to a major index because index funds must now add them to their portfolios.

Historically, the major indexes have waited at least a year after a company’s IPO before considering its inclusion in their market measures, to give the stock time to “mature”. The bending of the rules for SpaceX shows that Musk is again exerting his ability to co-opt and corrupt key institutions. (Notably, the S&P 500 has resisted the pressure and will wait a year before including SpaceX.)

Which brings me to my final point. The immense human Ponzi scheme that is Elon Musk will eventually collapse. But traditional Ponzi schemes only exploit investors who choose to participate. This time much of the money propping up Musk’s scam will come from ordinary Americans who have in effect been forced to buy in. Approximately 52% of mutual fund assets are now invested in index or index-based funds, and over 50% of American households are invested in mutual funds. Thanks to the collusion between Musk and Wall Street, enabled by the perception that the Trump administration has Musk’s back, many if not most of these small investors will be dragged, willy-nilly, into fueling the Musk juggernaut.

Should anyone in Trump’s America be surprised? 

With that degree of skepticism, Krugman should challenge Musk to a cage match on the White House lawn. 

Should you wonder, what's next, try -

search = anthropic openai s-1 filing with sec ipo plannng?

So Grok which can buy Cursor for chump change, is wrapped into rocket science IPO legend, or whatever. Link.

So, a search = high tech firms investing into anthropic before any anthropic ipo

 yields, a half-year old link -

Tech giants pour billions into Anthropic as circular AI investments roll on

ChatGPT competitor secures billions from Microsoft and Nvidia in deal to use cloud services and chips.

Benj Edwards

And now what? Cursor, Claude and Chat x.xx (the numbers grow) movement, SpaceX with its X.ai, all cashing in while AI booms? Is there a pattern? Is there a trend? Are the work-for-stock gamblers at the firms going to see a cash out, before any AI takeoff or splat? And speaking of ponzi schemes, how's the treasuries market doing? But -- what do I know?

Bet instead on oil futures with Iran holding onto Hormuz? For how long to hold that before trading out, with Trump saying a war's-end deal is practically done, and Iran not saying the same thing?

Seems as if market risk needs a hedge, so what's the latest at the CFTC commodities trading regulators, and their keeping us safe from flim-flam? Perhaps move Bill Pulte into a regulatory leadership post there, to quell market worry, to make investors feel secure again? And, confessing ignorance, who are the cage fighters on the White House lawn going to be, and is there yet a reliable betting line?

Do you think Krugman keeps his money in bills stuffed into a sock, kept under the mattress? Or invested in the Vancouver Stock Exchange? 

________________UPDATE________________

Are you surprised, Zerohedge gives the IPO a featured post? The IPO gets top billing there over hashing over intricacies of Iraq War settlement speculation.

____________FURTHER UPDATE___________

Shoes dropping. https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/politics/2026/06/11/oregon-treasurer-spacex-ipo/90515330007/

Oregon State Treasurer Elizabeth Steiner joined leaders from Illinois and Maryland in questioning stock market rule changes ahead of the highly-anticipated IPO of Elon Musk's SpaceX on June 12. The company went public with a stock price of $135 for each of its nearly 556 million shares.

Steiner, Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs and Maryland State Comptroller Brooke Lierman penned a letter to Nasdaq President and CEO Adena Friedman on June 10. In it, they asked Nasdaq, a major stock exchange, to justify changes to its rules and explain the analysis behind them.

A new "fast-entry" rule allows, among other things, companies that have been recently listed as public to be added to the Nasdaq-100 after being traded for 15 days.

In her own statement, Steiner argued the rule change lowers accountability and says she wants to protect against "unnecessary market volatility and disproportionate risk" to public employee pensions, as well as index funds everyday people invest in.

Steiner said "Oregon teachers, firefighters, nurses and other beneficiaries—who entrust their assets to us to invest responsibly—will own SpaceX shares, through Treasury’s participation in passive index funds."

Steiner, Frerichs and Lierman in their letter said they represent a combined 1.5 million people whose "retirement security depends on the long-term health of the U.S. public capital markets and stability of passive investment vehicles tracking indexes with reliable, tested inclusion methodologies."

A similar letter was sent to the London Stock Exchange Group and FTSE Russell by Frerichs, Lierman, New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli and New York City Comptroller Mark ​Levine, according to Reuters.

As in what is this shit? We pension funds do index trading and rely upon low risk. And you are stacking the deck with Elon as the AI boom may be waning. Stop!

Reuters. A month ago. 

  • Pension leaders warn SpaceX set-up gives Musk excessive control, limits shareholder rights
  • Concerns raised over Musk's multiple roles, regulatory history, and related-party deals
  • SpaceX urged to adopt independent board, one-share-one-vote, and end mandatory arbitration
BOSTON, May 13 (Reuters) - Leaders of three of the biggest U.S. public pension systems said they have major concerns over SpaceX's "extreme" ownership and control set-up in its upcoming public stock listing, ​urging founder and CEO Elon Musk to remove provisions that would curb shareholder protections
"We are writing to express our serious concerns with the reported novel and extreme governance structure ‌and provisions SpaceX is planning to disclose in its registration statement," New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, New York City Comptroller Mark Levine and California Public Employees' Retirement System CEO Marcie Frost said in a letter sent Wednesday to Musk that was reviewed by Reuters. 
The officials - representing three of the top four largest public pension plans in the U.S. - objected to the amount of power the board has given Musk over the company, including voting control over the stock, veto power over his ​own removal as CEO, and protections from litigation, including mandatory arbitration for SpaceX shareholder claims.
The SpaceX listing is expected to be the biggest initial public offering in history, with the company ​looking to raise $75 billion, with a $1.75 trillion valuation.

OBJECTIONS TO MANAGEMENT-FAVORABLE STRUCTURE

The IPO "would constitute the most management-favorable governance structure ever brought to the U.S. public markets at ⁠this scale," they wrote in the letter addressed to Musk, SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell, and SpaceX Chief Financial Officer Bret Johnsen, citing reporting by Reuters and other media organizations on the company's confidential registration statement ​filed with securities regulators.

Yeah. Elon keeps 85% of the voting stock, and that's raw. But, it's disclosed. You have notice. Stop bitching. Step right up. 

Yesterday -  

By ⁠Ross Kerber

June 11 (Reuters) - Investment leaders from four ⁠large states pressed Nasdaq and FTSE Russell for details about recent rule changes favoring SpaceX and ​other megacap IPOs, and suggested the index providers put the moves on pause unless they have reviewed risks to investors.

   Letters to both companies seen by ‌Reuters on Thursday raise concerns about the ‌impact Elon Musk's rocket and satellite communications company could have on other investors through its record-breaking $75 billion debut.

Once trading begins, SpaceX's huge valuation ⁠and tight governance ⁠structure creates risks such as high volatility and conflicts of interest between the index firms ​and users, the officials said.

Passive funds are poised to buy billions of dollars of SpaceX shares, depending on when it joins high-profile indexes. Both Nasdaq and FTSE relaxed their entry criteria such as by shortening trading-history requirements, while S&P Dow Jones stuck to tradition. 

"We respectfully urge the FTSE Russell Index Governance ​Board to reconsider its methodology changes and not place the interests of listing companies and their underwriters ahead of the ⁠interests of ⁠the passive fund assets that ⁠will bear the cost of ​any resulting mispricing" that may occur with SpaceX or other IPOs soon to follow like OpenAI and Anthropic, reads one ​of the letters, sent to FTSE ⁠Russell and its parent, London Stock Exchange Group, or LSEG.

It was signed by New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, New York City Comptroller Mark Levine, Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs, and Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman. All oversee state retirement assets, including passive funds that would become forced buyers of SpaceX based on the index actions. 

An LSEG representative declined to comment.

It is simplistic to say labor-capital at it again, but Elon hates unions and union pension funds have no reason to love, or even trust, Elon.

However, if your retirement funds are in any large measure invested in index funds, and this IPO is the start of something; it sure seems as if underwriters and traded asset vendors count more than whoever. Not right, but how it is. 

This reflects back to what Krugman wrote, citing NYT first publishing the hypothetical. It is called SpaceX, but there is that X.ai in there, disclosed. Of course if this SpaceX IPO strikes you as risky, there is always the Trump family to invest in. Truth Social, and the crypto. They take money in exchange for a part of the action. The American Way. 

MSN carrying a Barrons feed -

Space stocks are only part of the story; after all, SpaceX isn’t really a space company; it’s a wireless telecom and artificial intelligence company with rockets.

Shares of Verizon Communications, AT&T and T-Mobile US have all traded lower in recent days, partly on fears of disruption by SpaceX. The SpaceX IPO could have the reverse effect on them that it has on the space sector. Wireless shares could bounce, especially if the IPO doesn’t go well.

Defining not going well is important. Closing down on day one would qualify. That’s a risk for the entire market. SpaceX is the first money-losing AI company to go public. OpenAI and Anthropic are expected to come later this year.

The development of useful AI underpins the building boom that has supported everything from Nvidia, which sells the chips, to companies such as Alphabet that are monetizing AI tools, to companies such as Caterpillar, GE Vernova, and Vertiv that build, power, and operate AI data centers, not to mention all of the utilities that are up because electricity demand is rising.

A weak SpaceX IPO is a risk to the entire market. Eventually, a successful SpaceX IPO is a risk to many of those companies too. If AI data centers in space are a thing, the terrestrial data center builders will have less business than expected right now. That, however, is an issue for investors to weigh years from now, after the SpaceX IPO.

Then again, buying the IPO might be * * * 

FURTHER: If you want more confusion, Nvidia makes max money selling expensive specialized server chips for server farms, to house and communicate AI chatting with you and your PC. That's a fact. So what do you make of this? AI shops are looking at designing and using their own chips, bypassing Nvidia. So Nvidia looks back at the desktop - the retail market, beyond gpu boards for the gamers, and into a MS Windows thing, running on Nvidia hardware. Search it.



Monday, June 08, 2026

Fleshing out one dimension of why Crabgrass favors Doug Chapin over Tom Emmer for MN HD6 Representative. The direct comparison was featured in a past post. This has to do with Emmer being an enabler of Trump directly, Hegseth, indirectly. And Hegseth is scary.

 The earlier post: https://zaetsch.blogspot.com/2026/06/glitz-vs-substance-show-vs-wisdom.html

That post featured this video, with readers encouraged to again view it, and compare the depth of understanding Chapin has relative to Emmer - capability to do the job well, and for those not as wealthy as Elon or Jeff. Emmer - he goes along to get along.

Emmer the enabler.  He is in Trump's pocket. He is fine with all Trump entails; particularly, Hegseth, who is more the point of this post than Chapin, Emmer or Trump. In effect, Trump enables Hegseth with Emmer enabling Trump.

Hegseth is a major problem, and a loose cannon causing worry - 

Much can be written of the man's drinking or other aspects, but this is laser focused on who he is on the job running the largest most fearsome military in today's world.

MSN carries a post by TheIndependent - https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/mormons-outraged-after-pentagon-no-longer-counts-lds-as-christian/ar-AA253aQs 

Title -

Mormons outraged after Pentagon no longer counts LDS as Christian

Story by Josh Marcus

That is explicit here, because Crabgrass has no tie to the Mormons, Brigham Young, Joseph Smith, the Twelve Apostles, etc., etc. This is not about them.

The item begins with an embedded video which largely tells the story. Under two min long, so view it before reading the main part of the item. It reemphasizes who Hegseth is. And is  not about mormons, but rather a European speech Hegseth gave. Empty words, given with a demeanor that is puke worthy. The Hegseth style.

Item text -

“The Pentagon’s decision to list The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints apart from other Christian faiths is wrong and needs to be corrected,” Republican Rep. Mike Kennedy, of heavily Mormon Utah, wrote on X on Sunday.

“No one needs to wonder where members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stand,” he added. “We stand with Christ. We are Christians. On that ground, and on the much larger ground of shared faith, values, and purpose, Latter-day Saints stand alongside many Christians of every tradition in following the teachings of Christ. We only ask to be accurately portrayed. I strongly urge the Department to correct the record.”

In a separate X post, Sen. John Curtis of Utah said church members “are among the most patriotic, service-oriented individuals in our country.”

“They are also unequivocally Christian — just look at who is in the name of the Church,” he added. “It is unacceptable for a government entity to characterize a faith in a manner that contradicts the religion’s own foundational tenets. I am working now to ensure a correction is made.”

Enough of that. It is how the item starts, further along -  

The LDS Church declined to comment.

The Independent has requested comment from the Pentagon.

[...] The military argues the reorganization of its faith code list is meant to streamline data-gathering for chaplains, rather than boost or deny the legitimacy of any specific religion (Defense Department)

Pentagon’s list of recognized faith codes has been reduced from more than 200 to just 31, consolidating some religions into general categories such as Muslim or evangelical Christian, while eliminating numerous other faiths entirely from the list, lumping them into a general “other religions” category.

[...] The change, first described in a May memo and reported by Military.com, nonetheless angered a wide variety of critics and faith leaders.

[...] The Pentagon under the direction of Secretary Pete Hegseth is “elevating one narrow religious worldview from the top of the chain of command,” according to Rev. Paul Raushenbush, a Baptist minister and head of the progressive Interfaith Alliance.

“The First Amendment does not allow the government to create a hierarchy of faiths, and it certainly does not allow the Pentagon to decide which beliefs are worthy of recognition,” he told the Associated Press.

Hegseth has incorporated Christian prayer regularly into his official duties, alarming critics who see this as a violation of the military’s tradition of political and cultural neutrality (AFP/Getty)

Hegseth himself has spoken about his changes to the chaplain corps in political terms, describing the reforms as “making the Chaplain Corps Great Again,” a play on Trump’s MAGA campaign slogan.

“In an atmosphere of political correctness and secular humanism, chaplains have been minimized, viewed by many as therapists instead of ministers,” Hegseth said of religious leaders in the military in a December video.

Hegseth has incorporated his religion into his official actions unlike any defense secretary in modern American history.

An evangelical Christian, he has led Christian prayer services at the Pentagon and has suggested God is on the side of U.S. troops in the American war against Muslim-majority Iran, alarming religious freedom advocates.

Hegseth has spoken about the U.S.-Iran war in religious terms (Getty)

“This is completely, totally unprecedented,” Michael Weinstein, the president and founder of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, previously told The Independent.He's making it clear that this is Jesus versus Muhammad.”

Hegseth also has multiple tattoos featuring Crusader-era imagery and slogans.

In short, he is a dangerous extremist Christian nationalist, for all that entails. Continuing - 

In his 2020 book American Crusade, Hegseth rejected the separation of church and state as “leftist folklore.”

Since taking office, Hegseth has referred to the U.S. as a “Christian nation in our DNA.”

A belligerent nation, per Hegseth's DNA. A pariah nation, per Bibi's DNA. 

Leaving that theme as sufficiently examined earlier in blog posting, Hegseth seemingly being happy with war against Iran is a problem. It is costly, it wastes resources, it leaves our nation weaker, it threatens worldwide well being, and it is being a lost war with Iran strangling worldwide energy commerce and in no hurry to stop doing so. 

Stabler minds might have avoided it altogether.

Back now to Chapin and Emmer. Emmer is Trump's guy in the House. As such, if you are happy with Trump, you should stop reading. Chapin, alone, if defeating Emmer will not weigh heavy enough for a change. Chapin, as part of a Democratic Party sound midterm turnout and vote, can be an experienced leader among new House Democratic Party leadership. He has experience in DC. He is respected.

Emmer is a blowhard, not as bad a Jesus jockey as Michele Bachmann was, he is an upgrade in that aspect, but turning him back to the family lumber business, or whatever private sector future he has, is better now than later. He can enter the crypto trade. He's halfway there already.

BOTTOM LINE: Chapin is a very promising, credible candidate, and he would do well for Minnesota and the nation, if part of the house cleaning the midterm election appears to be.

Emmer is bleating about nine billion in fraud in Minnesota, which is a made-up number he cannot justify if pressed to do so. The whole "fraud" theme is being scripted and pushed out the White House door. Replete with Trump's racist divisionary rhetoric -

Section 1.  Purpose and Policy.  American taxpayers fund a vast benefits system for citizens in need that includes housing, food, medical care, cash assistance, and more.  States administer these federally funded programs, and some States have embraced loopholes that avoid individual eligibility validation, allow self-certification of eligibility, and expand eligibility far beyond what the Congress intended.  Worse, despite accepting Federal funds, some States have refused to institute basic fraud controls such as providing enrollee information to the Federal Government that would allow it to verify eligibility.  As a result, illegal aliens, criminals, foreign gangs, bureaucrats, State and local officials, non-governmental organizations, and ineligible providers exploit these programs ‑- which are intended to provide a safety net to lawfully eligible Americans — with ease.  This exploitation and lack of controls to prevent it have resulted in widespread fraud, waste, and abuse at the expense of the American taxpayers who pay for and utilize these programs, contributing substantially to the national debt.

Self-dealing political actors use such public benefits programs to solidify control over their communities and our political systems.  Due to lax immigration policy and immigration fraud, certain public officials admit into our country, and provide sanctuary from Federal immigration laws to, migrant populations who are likely to rely on means-tested, public assistance programs (welfare) and increase the political support and power of the public officials providing the benefits.  This increased support incentivizes public officials to maximize the flow of welfare to these communities and makes public officials who do so more powerful.  Many of these public officials then fail to police these programs — and in some cases, willfully turn a blind eye to fraud, waste, and abuse within them — to ensure that welfare flows to these migrants.  Due to insufficient election integrity measures, some migrants who are not eligible to vote do so anyway, with the same public officials permitting widespread ballot harvesting schemes that compromise our election integrity and help these public officials remain in power.  

The staggering fraud and waste in Minnesota alone is a case in point.  Federal prosecutors in the State estimate that Medicaid fraud in recent years could total in the billions.  Nearly 9 percent of the roughly $866 million spent on food stamps in Minnesota each year is estimated to be spent in error.  The non-profit Feeding our Future engineered a scam that stole nearly $250 million intended to feed needy children in Minnesota by opening fake meal sites and submitting fraudulent claims for millions of meals that were never served.

This from the biggest Fraud going around today, that bogus Trump v. IRS lawsuit where even Republican Senators are giantly pissed at Trump and Blanche and blisteed Blanche's ass in a closed session on the Hill (see, e.g., here and here). 

Thirty-five former federal judges have filed in that case, calling it a fraud on the court.

That is an unprecedented repudiation of the cozy groundless immunity deal Trump got, not for settling a claim of tax due by paying up, but for suing to claim damages, where immunity is not at issue as money due the government is not the point of the false filing. Setting up a situation where Trump and Blanche could fiddle around shamelessly was the whole point and plan - i.e., an unprecedented fraud on the court. Disrespectful of all that access to the judiciary is meant for in our Constitutional order of things.

So, Emmer takes marching orders from the White House on the "fraud" bullshit claim, where the Feed Our Future pack has been fully prosecuted with the white lady fronting for the thing getting a 41 year sentence amid ongoing clawback efforts in court still. 

And Emmer will scapegoat Minnesota's Somali community for political gain because his boss tells him to do exactly that, per the Executive Order quote above dwelling in  Immigrant hate which Trump could not leave out of the Presidential Executive Order, because Trump is inadequately self-restrained and is a lifelong racist dating back to when Fred Trump was alive and the Trumps were using Roy Cohn to fight a raciall discrimination rental housing New York state lawsuit. So Emmer will dutifully go with chapter and verse of his orange leader's hate fit. It's the easy way. Emmer takes it, willingly flogging the will to follow orders to try to divide the community.

Chapin, thankfully, is not like that. He will do the job and end the demonization of a part of USA society because it is wrong to divide in hopes of conquest, that being the Trump and Emmer way. Not Chapin's way.

  

Saturday, June 06, 2026

Rubio testifies, House Rep Stanton questions about pockets being enriched, while a dragged on war benefits the bottom line of oil interests who paid much to get Trump elected. Leaving the latter part stated in the headline, consider the interchange questioning and testimony.

 Witcoff and son-in-law Jarad. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbOsAsXJIbE

Is the phrase, "Watch all about it?"

They're making money, Stanton asks. They are selflessly giving their time Rubio says.

Give me a break! Witkoff even flies his own plane. At his expense. So Rubio says.

And ----- crypto? That relatively new aspect of how non-regime backed "money" is played today. Crypto a part of the questioning. And ----- Trump, part of the crypto dimension?

Oh, gee.

UPDATE: WWSBS? What would Smedley Butler say?



Friday, June 05, 2026

Glitz vs substance. Show vs wisdom. Money vs diligence. - Trump's man vs Doug Chapin.

 Tom Emmer  - when he walks into a room people notice. Big guy. Nice hair. 

When he heaps praise on fraudster Sam Bankman-Fried because for Emmer's own reasons he touts crypto, people should notice. That is a prelude to a better man standing to take the job

Start with Doug Chapin has a mind. And you actually can stop there. No bluster. Good common sense instead.

Substance. No House GOP Whip. Just someone with elections integrity experience, and the will to do the actual job better without being a Trump's man.

That's a lot. Much to like in not being tied by any bond to no-end-war failure. (Perhaps intentional failure, with Trump oil donors making out like bandits under today's crushing oil shortage and ultra high pump prices arising from a dragged out "four weeks" war). 

Thank Emmer for being a loyal man? No.

Fault Emmer for being a team player on the team tanking its chances, for whatever reasons, where whoever does okay from the war matters to Trump while the world suffers an unprecedented war related oil shortage. 

From the AJ homepage -

 

Neat news, eh? Courtesy of Mr. DJT

YES - Great news from the massive orange "free-world leader." Emmer's guy

One thing in Emmer's favor, he shows no Epstein contact pattern, unlike, say, DJT himself, or Biill Gates. Actually, a second thing about Emmer, he's not, himself, an unprecedented fraudster, just tight with one. One who thinks he can do a Roy Coen "lawsuit" job against the IRS, and have Todd Blanche lie to congress that an immunity grant is normal, where it was the IRS being sued, and not some tax delinquent being sued and settling. Where the IRS collects its due, Blanche may be correct, a no-audit closing of investigations IS considered normal and appropriate to those settlements.

But DJT and offspring, being Plaintiff, how often are such things given there? If Blanche were pressed on that question he'd have to fold his hand. Yes, a miscreant pays up to the IRS, that settles the past, but this fraud on the court is not that. There is no logical connection between Trump and offspring saying pay us ten billion in damages and then dismissing the suit in exchange for immunity from audit. The suit is not about taxes Trump and family may owe, so why give him immunity? He's squared no accounts he may owe. The immunity bonus is logical only if you presume Blanche and Trump are in cahoots; otherwise it makes no sense.

And with the overriding appearance they are in cahoots in attempted fraud on the court Crabgrass opinion is Blanche should be disbarred. But I digress. 

Cleaning house with Doug Chapin makes sense

Chapin's "agenda" differs from our sorry status quo. His campaign website (https://www.chapinforcongress.com/) spells out his three key aims in simple, short, and  unequivocating language -


There is an online chance to see Chapin's demeanor and his mind at work. Don't miss it. In fleshing the short goals statement out, Chapin's "Officially on the Ballot. Ready for Better." substack site one video delves into detail. An excellent example of who the man is and where he stands, in detail, this very major link.  

It is an hour long interview, where if you've a belief you lack the hour to inform yourself, you're who Tom Emmer dearly loves. No complications, just Trump and Emmer are linked names, gain and spend millions to stay seated in DC, and Trump's an effective individual, really he is. Trust me. I am Tom Emmer.

So trust the crypto tout, or listen to who Chapin is. It is worth your time.

====================================== 

Also - local news exists, the Elk River - Otsego - Zimmerman Star News


Doug Chapin won the DFL endorsement for Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District race last Saturday, April 25.

Chapin, a former lawyer from Hanover with an extensive background in election and ethics law, won over fellow DFL candidate Anson Amberson in the first ballot, earning 90% of the votes.

[...] The 6th Congressional District DFL Party leadership expressed optimism about a possible DFL wave this election — and their chances of finally flipping the district.

DFL Chair Chair [sic] Richard Carlbom told the [DFL Convention] crowd that 37,466 people participated in DFL precinct caucuses this year, the highest turnout in the party’s history.

CD6 DFL Chair Chantal Oechsle highlighted how they had 2,902 people participate in the district’s precincts caucuses back in February, more than four times the 670 turnout in 2024 and 757 turnout in 2022. She is hopeful the turnout will be reflected in the November elections.

She estimated first-time participants represented about 50% of the district’s caucus-goers this year, reflecting the party’s statewide trend and ranging from 30% of turnout in Sherburne County and the St. Cloud area to 70% of turnout in Carver County.

Additionally, 9% of the caucus-goers were Republican voters and 20% were Independent voters who switches parties this year.

“The energy here is insane....I think we may have a surprise in November,” Chantal said. “I think there are a lot of people who were Republican or more disengaged in the political process who, after the 2024 election, they are are very unhappy with what is happening...We’re just trying to make space for everyone to come in.”

DFL delegates selected 116 delegates and 54 alternates for the upcoming DFL state convention in Rochester on May 29 through May 31.

Endorsement

“I’m running for Congress because when something is broken, you need to find the right person to fix it,” Chapin said. “When your government is broken, you hire an election nerd. I am that nerd!”

Chapin claims to have founded the nation’s first online certification program for election administration during his decade working with the the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs. He also spent over a decade leading the The Pew Charitable Trusts’ elections team, focusing on improving voter registration systems and access to voting information.

He also served as elections counsel to Democrats on the U.S. Senate Rules Committee. Lastly, he founded electionline.org early in his career.

He cites Pres. Donald Trump’s pardon of individuals convicted in connection with the Jan. 6 insurrection as motivating him to run for elected office.

Expanding healthcare access, including implementing a single-payer healthcare system, and passing laws to protect protect Social Security, Medicare and reproductive rights are some of his campaign priorities. He also wants to force the federal government to comply with the U.S. Constitution.

He called the endorsement race a “long road.”

“I’m just excited to finally be at the starting line,” Chapin said.

He plans to focus on voter outreach to Republican voters and independent voters.

“We need to stress that there are a lot of pocket book issues that are not partisan. Republicans want affordable healthcare, Republicans want good jobs with good wages and Republicans farmers concerns about the cost of diesel and fertilizers...affected by the new tariffs,” Chapin said. “Right now, the record is pretty clear that the current administration is not doing what people that they would do....I think we can persuade them to cast a ballot for us.”

He criticized Emmer as being disconnected from his district and “too cozy in Washington.” He also criticized Emmer’s rhetoric against Somali residents and anti-ICE protesters.

“We’re going to make a big issue of the need to elect somebody that represents the whole district,” Chapin said. “I think the tailwind we’re seeing (in favor) of Democrats is a referendum on rule of law and the rule of Congress. And I think Mr. Emmer is particularly vulnerable.”

Chapin thinks his biggest challenge will be “persuading people that this race is very winnable” to encourage them to back the campaign.

Chapin noted his campaign has raised $239,000 already, the highest total raised by a DFL challenger since Emmer was first elected.

Emmer has raised $8.3 million for his main campaign fundraising account by leverage his position as House Majority Whip. He has also raised additional funds through his leadership PACs.

Following the endorsement going to Chapin, Amberson expressed his gratitude for all the people who supported his campaign. He doesn’t have any future plans yet and will be focusing on spending more time with his family.

“It has an honor to be part of this process. It was a wonderful opportunity see all the diversity in this district,” Amberson said.

HometownSource

Note those numbers. Chapin is raising record funds already for a DFL challenger to Emmer. But Emmer is relying on buying ongoing incumbency with an eight million dollar war chest, funded in part - to the tune of around a million over time - by representatives of a war-criminal-led nation which has been and could be better these days:  https://www.trackaipac.com/states/minnesota/?emmer

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 Chapin is making himself known while Emmer is dodging Town Halls. Chapin in comparison to Emmer has held a June 2 town hall session in Ramsey, MN - where I live - with about 25,000 to 30,000 people - not a metropolis. Yet Chapin shows up. He talks, he answers questions, he meets people. Like Emmer used to do (but no more). 

Emmer views it, what, as being too important to show up in a tiny town in district and answer hard questions, which under Trump abound beyond question levels in a normal administration. 

And Chapin's facebook page has more

The appearance - Trump and Emmer, each thinking himself indispensable. Each serving the other. with reform begging for both to be unseated.

The status quo? Trump has lame duck years to go - but Emmer can be deposed this year. Before Christmas. As a Christmas gift to good government.

Earlier exit for Emmer thus becomes a first goal, leading to the second. Your vote matters! 

Chapin welcomes voters young and old.


Thursday, June 04, 2026

Ramsey Ward 3 Council Seat is on the November ballot. Victor Jumah is running, with a belief, "Community First Leadership begins with listening to residents and ensuring their voices shape city decisions. We strengthen Ramsey by investing in families, youth programs, parks, and opportunities that build long-term community success." Divisiveness seems to have no place in his running. His approach is not one of partisan bias. He'll listen, to foster community cohesiveness.

The headline quote is from Jumah's campaign website, https://www.victorforramsey.com/

The Jumah website home page is telling us who he is, and why he'd improve the council, if winning. The headline quote is home page content. Partisan divisiveness would cut against community cohesiveness, and might indicate an agenda beyond "best for Ramsey." Jumah disavows that, up front.

Which brings to mind the three unfortunately partisan resolutions the mayor and others put, last minute, onto a council meeting agenda.  

 

Clicking images will enlarge them to read. The Minutes from May 12, 2026, (above) show three items removed from the agenda by a 4 - 3 vote. The mayor and Councilmember Specht were in the minority, wanting the flag scapegoatoing resolution, (put onto the agenda by the mayor and Specht),and the other two scapgoating Gov. Walz (put onto the agenda by the mayor and Olson) . Partisan stuff, well above the pay grade. Clearly so, both as to partisanship, and inappropriateness for city action. And, diverting from what city action can do, and should be. Simply complaints about somethings the mayor and his two confederates have no power to influence. There to gin up community division.

Specht is quick to point out his Republican partinship, to brag of it as defining in part who he is and how he sees himself as fit to represent Ward 3 of Ramsey:

Over the past few years, I have volunteered for the local winning campaigns of Abigail Whelan, John Heinrich and Jim Abeler.  We are members of The Edge Christian Fellowship church.

Specht has freedom of religion, but does he have to be so in your face about it? Whether that church, or a Buddhist, or Rastafarian, is irrelevant to what council business entails; roads, development proposals not overextending load on the aquifer Ramsey and other communities rely upon, taxing, spending. 

Crabgrass values freedom from religion, i.e., not considering it relevant to official duties of town councilmembers. Or to going beyond duties, to politics, as those three odious resolution proposals stand, wisely struck down by four correct minds on council. Minds of a type Jumah might join and help. 

Then, there is this, on Rumble - which is noteworthy, pushing again an in your face religious thing. Again, not city business, but futzing around the Capitol.

Crabgrass, in endorsing Jumah, hopes his mind is such that he would, as his website says, stick to city business, and help run the city competently. Again -

https://www.victorforramsey.com/

Crabgrass simply sees Jumah as level minded to stick to the city business, not selling a political party or a faith, but doing the actual job competently and without loading on inappropriate opinion; e.g., not being a part of divisive resolution mongering of no help whatsoever to cohesiveness of the Ramsey community. 

What is not real city business is for a place other than formal council meetings of record. Resolutions about road paving, fine, resolutions dumping a load on Governor Walz, well beyond decent, focused, town business. Pushing a flag thing when no subunit of Minnesota government is required to fly the actual official flag of the State of Minnesota, is overloading a meeting with idiocy beyond the call of duty.

Spect and the mayor and Olson had their bias handed back to them by four good souls.

Jamah would make a fifth. 

And in fairness, this is not saying the mayor, Olson or Specht are off base when doing city business, or grossly incompetent or untrustworthy, it is saying they err inexcusably when not keeping to city business while entrusted to sit at the council table as representatives of city mood and values and cohesion. They are not there for politicking, or faith instruction. They are there, ultimately, to both tax and spend, wisely, and without intentionally ginning up community unrest or division over things outside of city business. There are other places than the council dais while on QCTV broadcast, for other things not within the scope of cogent unencumbered management of the city.

____________UPDATE___________

Specht has a facebook page with a host of photos. None show the State of Minnesota flags, neither the current version, nor prior ones. An unexpected thing, from having, along with the mayor, put a flag resolution into a city agenda. Motive from that circumstance, together with Specht's political party preference and conduct in other jurisdictions suggesting the flag thing was more politics than heartfelt Angst.

Crabgrass has downloaded a full page screen capture of those facebook photos, as of the time of this posting. Perhaps some flag images may be added in the future. But none are there now. That said, without tedious image scrutiny. Just, did not see a single flag image, except for the federal flag, on at least four images.

Just, don't engender discord, from the council table. It's demeaning. Stick to business.

 

Saturday, May 30, 2026

Election choice, this November, two candidates for Minnesota House District 31A.

 It is where I live. Where I vote. Where a rep from here goes to the Minnesota legislature

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Brian Walker. To volunteer - https://www.walkerforward.com/volunteer 

Harry Niska. To volunteer - https://www.harryniska.com/jointeam

Donate Walker - https://www.walkerforward.com/donate

Donate Niska -  https://secure.winred.com/niska-for-minnesota-house/donate-today

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To Crabgrass, a key constituent issue is education. Public Schools

Walker

Public Schools

Our kids deserve fully funded public schools. Every child, not just those whose families can choose otherwise.

My opponent may not have the same opinion. We need someone to fight for stable and adequate funding of our public schools, not give up on them and pivot to privatization. We need competitive teacher pay and safe learning environments for every kid in the district.

Niska (bolding in orignnal)

 Education: Parental involvement should be celebrated, not demonized. I will fight for school choice, educational options including charter schools, and curriculum transparency.

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 Beyond that one major issue, the links to campaign websites above are there to be explored. 

Crabgrass has a favorite, but that defines one vote. Define your own vote, but be sure to vote early, or at your designated polling place on election day. Crabgrass votes early, getting a ballot at County Hall or at the Ramsey city hall reception desk within days of when early voting starts. Early voting escapes possibly long lines and bad weather. 

And if ICE or border agents  might lurk around polls on election day, with masks, handguns, tear gas canisters,  pepper spray and all, you don't have to look at them or suffer their looking at you if voting early. Some may like the Greg Bovino authoritarian body language and hostile demeanor; but that's for them, not me. 

I'd not want to be shot dead like Renee and Alex, who won't have a ballot and choice.

Primary voting: Of course the House 31A district lines appear drawn without any primary challenges. Or that is how it looks today, but with filing deadlines allowing for possible challengers to the two 31A people. 

In statewide contests, primary elections will most certainly matter. So, do not forget, vote both the primary, and the general election. Consider it a right and a duty.