"Staying Alive" in a World of Challenges

                           If you're a brother or whether you're a mother

You're staying alive, staying alive

Feel the city breakin' and everybody shakin'

And we're stayin' alive, stayin' alive

Ah, ha,ha,ha, stayin' alive."

The Bee Gees

We are living in the worst of times with wars abroad and at home. 

With a dictator in charge, we're losing our rights and freedoms daily. Doublespeak is the order of the day as Trump tries to tell us everything is okay.

But we're staying alive as the maelstrom of lies assaults us as we go on our way. Every day we try to live our lives the right way and not get caught up in the hate that comes our way from a regime that just won't go away.

We know what's true and what's not despite everything they do. Our eyes don't lie no matter what they try. We can plainly see the Trump regime is a catastrophe.

Every day the lies grow like unwanted weeds as the regime's misdeeds increase by degrees. 

But Americans have heart and we're not going to let this evil regime tear us apart. Alas! We have cult members throughout the land who happily follow dear leader's hateful brand.

Despite the regime's many lies we can still see the truth with our own eyes. We don't like what we see happening in our country - the Land of the Free.

As it Stands, I hope you're stayin' alive and managing to thrive.

Patriotic Propaganda Versus the Reality in the Middle East

According to the "Patriotic Press," defined as right-wing outlets, here's what's currently happening in the world:

Trump says Iran war is over and we're just mopping up now.  Cleaning house as it were.

Pete Hegseth says Iran's leadership is destroyed and the remnants are hiding underground.

Trump tells countries not to worry about the dangers in the Straits of Hormuz. 

Reality is telling us a different story.

The Straits of Hormuz is controlled by Iran, and 16 ships have been attacked since Trump told other countries to "get some guts" and still go through those dangerous waters. 

Talking points on the Iran war have been a moving target. Officials keep giving conflicting takes of the operation's goals. Despite claiming he won the war Trump says the U.S. needs to finish the job, and we may need to go "further."

Today the Pentagon deployed a Marine Expeditionary Unit (with 2,200 ground troops) and additional warships to the Middle East. That doesn't sound like the war is over to me.

What is the so-called Secretary of War Hegseth doing during this deadly phase of Trump's illegal war?

He's attacking the Pentagon press (which is as right-wing as you can get) over unflattering photos they're taking of him when he's speaking. New rules. All photos have to be vetted by Hegseth minions.

And this is in the middle of a hot war caused by Trump who "had a good feeling" about attacking and conquering Iran.

Nothing is too petty or stupid for Hegseth who bragged during one recent press conference about "wounding and disfiguring" Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei. He even hinted that he might not be alive.

The next day Khamenei appeared at a pro-regime rally in Tehran urging his disciples to kill the American invaders. Proof that Hegseth doesn't know what he's talking about.

When Hegseth claimed there is "no clear evidence" Iran has placed mines in the Straits of Hormuz despite international concerns about how dangerous the Strait is.

So, what happened? Over 16 ships have been attacked, and the contested Strait has burning hulks of oil cargo ships lighting up the night skies.

The farce continues as Trump told G7 leaders on a conference call that Iran is about to surrender. You can imagine what they thought about that statement.

The world knows Trump is crazy and desperate because his "little excursion" got out of hand and is plunging the U.S. and the world into a chaos he can't control.

As it Stands, our economy weeps as Trump's alternate reality wreaks havoc on the homeland and the world.

Americans see Trump Has Only One Endgame - and it Doesn't Involve the War Against Iran

In Trump's rapidly dimishing brain there is only one thing he's sure of; he wants to make the Epstein files disappear. He wants the infamous documentation of his relationship with Epstein to be struck from the minds of Americans forever.

That's not going to happen. Trump secretly realizes that and it's the reason for the chaos here and around the world. 

The war on Iran is a multilayered grift where Trump and his tech boys get richer, but its top priority was to distract Americans from the steady drip of incriminating information leading towards a possible impeachment and a felony trial thereafter.

The Trump regime has waged a domestic war against immigrants and American citizens that was designed to be so cruel it would make the Epstein files fade from our minds. By creating his own private army - aka ICE - Trump was able to point his fingers at democratic cities and states and cause pure havoc in communities nationwide.

Every time some information about the Epstein files made the news Trump pointed at a city and let his attack dogs create chaos there. 

The tactic grabbed headlines pretty effectively for a while but even the atrocities committed by ICE couldn't prevent more damaging Epstein evidence from surfacing.

Despite horrific news on the war front about the U.S. bombing a girl's school there were headlines about the Zorro Ranch, one of Epstein's many properties, that is now being examined by local authorities to see what criminal activities occurred there while Epstein owned it.

Note: The Zorro Ranch was almost investigated in 2019, but Trump shut down the DOJ's efforts at the time.

I wonder if journalists and lawmakers are really so naive that they think Trump has an endgame for his illegal "excursion" in the middle east? 

The messages out of the Pentagon are pure propaganda designed to keep Americans in the dark about how badly things are going over there.

With a regime that routinely lies most Americans are realizing how devasting the lies have been and how many Americans were sacrificed here and abroad. But they also want to know what Trump is concealing about his friendship to Epstein.

As it Stands, Trump is playing a long game of chaos hoping to avoid justice for his crimes.

When a War Comes Home: Drone Threats in the Homeland

Despite our First Felon's claim the war with Iran is almost over we're hearing about increased terror threats here at home. 

Talk about Iranian "sleeper cells" being activated has made Americans uncomfortable, but they didn't see that as a major threat to the homeland. No bombs were dropping on American soil, so the war wasn't that serious a threat to the civilian population. Or that was the general assumption.

Buckle up because the FBI warned police departments in California in recent days that Iran could retaliate for American attacks by launching drones on the West Coast, according to an alert reviewed by ABC News.

It's nervous time plus ten. The alert explained "We recently acquired information that as of early February 2026, Iran allegedly aspired to conduct a surprise attack using unmanned aerial vehicles from an unspecified vessel off the coast of the United States Homeland, specifically against unspecified targets in California, in the event that the US conducted strikes against Iran."

A spokeswoman for the FBI office in LA declined to comment on the alert. 

The White House is silent about this latest threat to civilians in America.

Just the idea that Americans are actually being targeted here at home, concerns me.

This shocking news comes on the back of another growing concern among U.S. Intelligence officials about the expansion of drone use by Mexican drug cartels and the chance the technology could be used to attack American forces and personnel near the Mexican border.

Are we feeling safe yet? The Trump regime is blithely downplaying the threats and telling us not to worry because the war is almost complete, and we've actually already won it.

The so-called Peace President has been exposed for a warmongering capitalist whose getting richer, along with his family, every day.

The longer Congress stays idle about this war that's expanded to our homeland, the worse it's going to get. They need to pass a War Powers Resolution (which they've stubbornly avoided thus far with the help of MAGA lawmakers) to rein in Trump's madness.

GOP lawmakers need to grow spines and stand up to our power-mad dictator who's determined to destroy our democracy at the cost of American lives in the military and here at home.

As it Stands, while Trump wages an illegal war, he also wants to trademark his name with America's 250th birthday. Think about that for a moment.

Here's Some Oscar Selections That Americans Will Love

The 98th Academy Awards are being held on Sunday, March 15th, 2026, at 4:00 pm eastern time and 7:00 in the west. 

Conan O'Brian will be the host for a second consecutive time.

That gives me time to submit my candidates for Oscar performances. Don't worry, I'm not listing entries for all 24 categories. I'm just picking the most popular ones.

BEST ACTOR in a Leading Role

J.D. Vance for his riveting performance of an American vice president who is secretly in love with his couch. 

BEST ACTRESS in a Leading Role

Pam Bondi for her dramatic performance as an Attorney General willing to lie for Trump and help conceal the Epstein files to make America Great Again despite pressure from evil democrats.

BEST ACTOR in a Supporting Role

Marco Rubio. He's been supporting everything Trump utters and has been willing to be insulted by him in public gatherings.

BEST ACTRESS in a Supporting Role

Lauren Boebert's impromptu performance at the musical Beetlejuice qualifies her because she was vaping, taking selfies, and singing along with the musical as she jacked-off her boyfriend. 

BEST ANIMATED Feature Film

Trump's AI Video of dropping poop on protestors during the last NO KINGs Day event was sickening but the graphics were extraordinary.

BEST PICTURE

Trump and Epstein's private island adventure documentary featuring underage girls.

BEST DIRECTOR

Stephen Miller directs immigration and a slew of other shady suggestions that his boss eagerly eats up daily. He's been called the shadow president because of the influence he exerts on Trump.

BEST MAKEUP and HAIRSTYLING

A tie between Trump and J.D. Vance. Trump's flamboyant "squirrel's nest" hairdo and foundation makeup on his hands and neck were striking. Vance's use of dark Maybelline eyeliner and mascara set off his soulless eyes.

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

Kristi Noem was still eligible to enter despite being fired from her job. Her $220 million dollar ad campaign featured her in several costumes, from cowgirl to ICE agent.

Academy Honorary Awards

Mike Johnson for being the biggest coward and liar in The House of Representatives while pretending to be a Christian.

John Ratcliff. As CIA Director he's managed to scuttle around the White House without disturbing the big baby in the Oval Office while accomplishing nothing. One of the judges also thought Ratcliff should have extra recognition for being a mime.

As it Stands, I hope you enjoyed this moment of levity. 

It's Deja vu: Life in 1972 America Compared to 2026

I've got a case of Deja vu.

It feels like 1972.

Remember the great oil crisis where Americans were rationing gas and there were long lines at the pump? 

There were odd-even days for license plates to try and manage those long lines.

Then there was the draft. Americans were still getting drafted to fight in the illegal war in Vietnam. Nixon ended the draft in June but by then over 58,000 (and still counting) Americans were killed in Vietnam.

Flash forward. 2026.

We are in another illegal war. The price of oil is skyrocketing and prices at the pump are climbing daily. We haven't started rationing... yet.

As for the draft, Trump is considering bringing it back as things continue to get out of control in the middle east and here at home. Like the draft in 1972, wealthy Americans will dodge it with fake deferments if it comes to pass this year.

Memes like #Draft Barron Trump are popping up on the internet in increasing numbers as rattled Americans confront the idea of sending ground troops to the cauldron in the middle east.

So, who really profits from this illegal war?

Just like the illegal war in Vietnam, defense contractors are literally making a killing. Take the Trump boys, Eric and Don Jr., for example. They're both heavily invested in producing drones with fat government contracts thanks to daddy.

In 1972 Richard Nixon was re-elected president.

In 2025 Donald Trump was re-elected.

The biggest scandal to ever hit the presidency happened in June of 1972 when there was a break in at the DNC headquarters. Later the incident became known as the Watergate scandal.

That scandal paled beside Trump's ongoing coverup of the Epstein files. A president protecting a pedophile buddy has done everything he could to make the scandal go away (including arbitrarily starting a war in the middle east) but it continues to haunt him.

In 1972 actress Jane Fonda toured North Vietnam, during which she was photographed sitting on a North Vietnamese anti-aircraft gun.

In 2026 Trump's granddaughter Kai was taken selfies in Egypt while the middle east was engulfed in a hot illegal war.

As it Stands, I've heard that history often repeats itself when we don't learn our lesson the first time. It looks like that's a fact today.

Trump Stops Report Warning of Increased Homeland Terror Threat

The last thing Trump wants is for the public to know just how serious his war is and how its threatening us at home.

What other reason was there for blocking the FBI, Homeland Security, and the National Counterterrorism Center from releasing a joint intelligence warning to state and local officials alerting them to the threat that Iran poses to the entire country?

The bulletin detailed "elevated threats" by the government of Iran to US military and government personnel and facilities, Jewish and Israeli institutions and their perceived supporters, and Iranian dissidents and other anti-regime activists in the United States.

The five-page bulletin even provided specific details on how Iranian proxies may carry out attacks across the country. One section explains how local law enforcement can respond to this type of violence.

What happened is Homeland Security broke protocol and gave the White House a heads-up about the nationwide bulletin hours before it was set to be released. Trump put it on hold. Period. 

Any information about the war has to be vetted by Trump. It doesn't matter what agency; they have to get Donnie's special seal of approval.

This lock on information extends to casualty reports. Only six servicemen have been listed as KIA thus far. 

Information from the international press has indicated that many more Americans were killed in the missile and drone attack on the U.S. Navy Base in Manama, Bahrain. Photos show before the attack and afterwards. It was clearly obliterated.

Figures ranging from zero to over 200 deaths have surfaced but the U.S. Command says it's not true, despite the massive damage to the 5th Fleet headquarters.

Trump thinks the American people are stupid. He believes that if he hides the truth about the war Americans will support him. 

The stupid one is Trump. Leaks about what's really happening in the Middle East keep trickling in from foreign sources and Democratic congress members who are trying to stop the madness before it goes nuclear.

Try as he might Trump can't conceal the reality that the war he started "after having a good feeling about it" is out of control and his lies can't change the fact.

As it Stands, Trump is the least transparent president in American history and a convicted felon who has an advanced case of dementia.

The Next Phase: Army Prepares to Send Ground Troops to the Middle East

              Six American soldiers killed in Iran.

              It was inevitable.

The next phase of Trump's illegal war is just around the corner. While no deployment orders have been issued as of Friday, officials said, speaking like some others on the condition of anonymity to discuss the situation.

They noted that the Army is expected to announce soon a previously scheduled Middle East deployment for a helicopter unit with the 82nd Airborne, but that won't happen until the spring they suggested.

The unit had an unexpected change of plans for headquarters staff and was told to stay put in Noth Carolina instead of joining a training event at Fort Polk in Louisiana.

The 82nd's high profile role on past conflicts has heightened expectations that the division's Immediate Response Force could be called on any day now.

That's interesting because Trump claimed that U.S. ground troops "probably" would not be needed. Playing cagey as usual Karoline Leavitt told reporters Wednesday that sending American ground troops into Iran was "not part of the current plan, but I'm not going to remove an option for the president that is on the table." 

The reason why the Pentagon won't come right out and say we need troops on the ground there is because the whole operation is a cluster fuck that's rapidly getting out of hand.

Last week General Dan Caine, the chairman of the joint Chiefs of Staff, warned the White House that munitions shortfalls and a lack of broad support from the U.S. allies is adding a considerable risk to the operation in Iran and to the personnel put in hams way. 

While everyone in the Trump regime is acting like there's no problems there's plenty of shit going down against the U.S.

New satellite images from several key military bases in the Arabian Peninsula suggest that Iran is seeking to degrade air defenses by destroying US-made radars that detect incoming missiles and drones. Thus far Iran has managed to destroy an American THAAD missile battery in Jordan. Nearby buildings were also damaged.

Thus far more than 50,000 troops are involved in the operation, and six US soldiers have been killed. The worst part is there's no timeline to ending this stupid war. Trump has claimed it would only last for 4-5 weeks but "...we have the capacity to go far longer than that," he bragged.

Isn't that nice? No one knows how long this illegal war will last because it wasn't a thoroughly planned out operation. Trump said he had a "good feeling" about the invasion of Iran.

It's not very comforting that the Pentagon is freezing out the mainstream press and just has a gaggle of far-right operatives echoing every lie laid out to them.

A recent poll taken last Sunday found that 12 percent of respondents favor sending ground troops to Iran, while 60 percent oppose it and 28 percent are unsure.

As it Stands, as a combat Vietnam veteran my heart goes out to those soldiers who have already died in this illegal war and the one's that surely will when we send more ground troops to Iran.

When is a War, not a War?

As the families of the six dead service members who were killed by Iranian drones and bombs are mourning their loss Republicans are claiming we're not at war.

By extension that means they died fighting in a combat operation, like the illegal wars in Iraq and Vietnam. MAGA Sen. Markwayne Mullin told reporters today that, "We're not at war. We haven't declared war. They declared war on us." 

Known for making asinine comments and outright lying," Mullin made a fool of himself trying to convince reporters that we're not at war, despite the obvious situation.

Why you may be wondering are Republicans trying to tell everyone "There's nothing here to see here, just move on." 

The sneaky party of Trump is gearing up to defeat the war powers resolutions being backed by Democrats this week that would limit Trump's ability to conduct military operations in Iran.

For the record, only Congress has the power to greenlight a war. Trump has unconstitutionally and illegally launched a war and is claiming it's a limited combat operation. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?

A twisted excuse for not calling the invasion of Iran a war was forwarded by MAGA Rep. Anna Paulina Luna who told reporters, "Targeted, strategic military strikes and invasions are two totally different things," she asserted, adding "We did not invade. Are you seeing boots on the ground there? Because I have not."

I guess that doesn't count all the service members who are stationed at bases throughout the Middle East. Their boots are on the ground, and they are being attacked by Iranian forces. And they are being killed.

When is a war not a war?

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Trump are speaking openly of a war with Iran. "We didn't start this war, but under President Trump, we are finishing it," Hegseth boasted to confused reporters. Trump said "the lives of courageous American heroes may be lost, and we may have causalities. That often happens in war."

Which is it? 

A messaging memo from the White House sent to Capitol Hill Republicans on Monday appeared to discourage framing the actions as a war.

They were told to avoid the war word. Which of course just adds to the confusion. Senator Ron Johnson probably echoed what other MAGA members thought about the controversy when he said, "Who cares what you call it? I don't."

It's all about following the dear leader regardless of the truth.

Behind closed doors with MAGA officials Speaker Mike Johnson said he doesn't think Congress should declare war on Iran. He's counting on the invasion to only last for a few weeks and then sweeping it under the table like left over scraps from a dinner in hell.

No one knows how long the fighting is going to last. Hundreds of Americans are stranded in the Middle East because the Trump regime didn't consider the ramifications of suddenly (and for no apparent reason) bombing the hell out of Iran.

We are witnessing the results of Trump's latest diversion from the Epstein files. Countless lives will be taken. The entire Middle East is now a war zone, and the Trump regime has injected more chaos into our lives. 

As it Stands, Americans are being asked to risk their lives in an illegal war while Trump shares his plans for his Ballroom on the nightly news.

Proud Puppy Killer Noem Defiantly Faces Senators

As expected, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem lied numerous times under oath during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing today over her handling of the Trump regimes immigration agenda.

To my surprise she faced harsh criticisms from a couple of GOP senators, along with all of the Democratic senators. 

Republican Sen. Thom Tillis tore into Noem like a hawk hunting a slow field mouse. He said, among other things, her leadership was a "disaster." He also vowed to block the administration's nominees and bring Senate business to a halt until Noem answers his questions and addresses.

Here's the part that really startled me when to make a point about bad decision making, Tillis brought up a now infamous passage from Noem's 2024 book in which she describes killing a young dog and goat back home in South Dakota.

In the book Noem said she had to kill the young dog, Cricket, because he misbehaved. After shooting Cricket in a gravel pit, she also bragged about killing a "nasty and mean" goat. She defended her actions by claiming the episode showed she was willing to do "difficult, messy, and ugly" things.

Finally, a fired-up Tillis called for Noem to resign. He's the first Republican on record to ask for her resignation.

GOP Sen. John Kennedy didn't go as far as telling her to resign, but he did hold her ass to the fire. "How do you square my concern for waste; with the fact you have spent $220 million running television advertisements that featured you prominently," he asked.

Noem basically replied that Trump was all for her ads and that she thought they were "extremely effective." A cagy Kennedy also questioned who Noem got to produce the ads.

"And the people that you ended up picking were people who had formerly done your political work back in South Dakota, is that right?" he asked. Noem quickly retorted "No! That's not correct sir."

"They were effective in your name recognition," Kennedy taunted her.

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse showed Noem an image of a bedroom inside a plane that the DHS is reportedly seeking to purchase. NBC News recently reported that the department has been leasing the Boeing 737 MAX8, which has been described as a "luxury jet."

"Those photos are not accurate," Noem blurted out despite the evidence. Then she claimed the jet was going to be refurbished and used for ...wait for it...deportations of illegal immigrants. She grudgingly admitted the same plane would also carry executive air travel.

In my wildest imagination I can't see that jet carrying two such diverse parties. Call me a skeptic if you like. Trying to claim that the $70 million dollar luxury jet would save money for the taxpayer is the most ridiculous thing she said today.

In summary senators brought up her mishandling of numerous cases, including her attempted coverup of the ICE agents who murdered Alex Pretti and Renee Good, calling them "domestic terrorists" immediately after they were illegally shot to death.  

As it Stands, I don't have the space to cover all the crimes she's been accused of in this hearing. If you're wondering what else was brought up, I recommend going to YouTube where you can view the entire hearing.

'We Didn't Start this War' Hegseth Openly Lies About the Epstein/Trump War

One thing is for certain... Iran didn't start the war.

But Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth told Americans today that "We didn't start the war." Really? Who did then?

The fact of the matter is a five-time draft dodger and convicted felon started the war. Trump has set the Middle East on fire to distract from the Epstein files which follow him around like Honey Badgers.

The Pentagon press corps (now all far-right influencers) who agreed to Hegseth's restrictions asked pre-determined questions and Hegseth used a list on who to call on. 

The few legitimate reporters were ignored with one exception; an NBC reporter interrupted between questions and asked if the war was going to be over in four weeks like Trump said?

Hegseth rudely called the reporter out and called NBC fake news. 

Boozehound Hegseth who gets off on talking tough, claimed Iran started the war and now the U.S. is going to finish it. "We are going to hurt you with no apology and without hesitation and we will kill you," he said during a press conference today.

If anyone was listening to Trump during his re-election campaign, they clearly believed Trump would end all foreign wars and be a Peace President. Yet here we are with his lapdog Hegseth claiming this war is different than the others because the operation had a "clear devastating, decisive mission."

It sure did. Distract the public from the ever-encroaching Epstein files.

Let's take a quick look at Hegseth. Trump nominated him to be the Secretary of Defense despite the fact that he secretly paid a financial settlement to a woman who had accused him of raping her in 2017.

The man heading the world's largest and most lethal military force on the planet was a host for FOX News prior to his current position. 

A trail of documents, corroborated by the accounts of former colleagues, indicates that Hegseth was forced to stand down by both of the two non-profit groups that he ran - Veterans for Freedom and Concerned Veterans for America - in the face of serious allegations of financial mismanagement, sexual impropriety, and personal misconduct.

To make things even worse Hegseth is an alcoholic and admitted to it during his confirmation, adding that he's cured now.

Senator Richard Blumenthal, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, described the report of Hegseth's drinking as alarming and disqualifying. Everyone knew the fix was in when Hegseth got the job.

Oh! By the way... once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic. Staying clean is a lifelong battle for those addicted to booze.

So that leaves us with an alcoholic in charge of destroying Iran. Hegseth, a known womanizer, likes to project power by calling his position, Secretary of War. He manages to tie the word war into every other sentence regardless of the topic.

As it Stands, an inexperienced secretary of defense sends a signal of weakness to our enemies and makes us feel less safe at home and abroad.