Working for a Living

 My older brother and I were talking recently about how he's ready to retire. He's still a few years away but he's thinking about it with a welcome relief. Who could blame him? He worked long hours all his life after he left the Army and deserves a nice retirement.  But even as he tells me about the difficulties of retiring early, of how he needs to have some banker look over his numbers, I interrupt him.

"Wanna know my retirement plan? I work till I die."

He didn't even laugh, he knew it wasn't a joke. He knows plenty of people like me. People who live paycheck to paycheck and have no retirement fund, pension, no 401K, nothing but scraping together enough money for the bills and the groceries.

And last week? Last week I filed for unemployment. The small business I was working for finally shut down. The year has been rough, and my hours had been reduced for most of it. I usually could count on take home pay of $200 per week and I know that isn't much as it is. But I was only working 16 to 20 hours. This past year I was hard pressed to work even that. And part of it is the business itself; the prices for ingredients went up, sales went down and then tariffs hit and unpredictability became normal. 

So now I find myself on the unemployment line. Reality has set in. That reality is that 

1. I'm 55 years old.

2. I haven't been in the job market in ten years.

3. The education I list on a resume goes back to the 80's.

4. I have only one or two job references.

5. I live in a rural area where the largest employer is a hospital.

6. The longest jobs I've held involved retail sales which I don't really want to go back to.

7. I feel like I have no marketable strengths for the kind of job I would like.

What kind of job would I like? Jeez, I feel like I'm back at my Junior year in High School where I was expected to plan out my whole life, year by fucking year, so my guidance counselor could shoot me down a path I didn't like. What they don't tell you in High School or even College for that matter is that money makes the world go round. We don't want to admit it but that's reality.

For all the "find your happy place" drivel that the internet spouts or the "pursue your passions" BS that memes encourage, the fact of the matter; the bottom line, is that you can't do shit without money. That usually means a job. That job is probably one you don't really like. How often have you heard this: Live like you were dying. Guess what? You can't do that without a paycheck.

Am I being cynical? Sure. 

But where is the safety net? Where is the fall-back? Where is the support network for people who don't have one? For many folks, the philosophy has been, "pull yourself up by your bootstraps". What happens if you ain't got no boots?

Here's the dire situation of the poor in America: we work paycheck to paycheck and burn ourselves out on work that brings us no joy. It also brings us very little money, at least, as compared to the price of everything. So we have very little money saved. That means that THE JOB becomes our life because if we lose it, we're starting at ground zero for another one. That stress and anxiety leads to health issues, which we can't afford. See, you're thinking that shouldn't be an issue if we have a job that offers health insurance, right? Wrong. We, if we have the option, take the plan that takes the least amount out of our paycheck. See, we need the money now and can take our chances on the illnesses. If we do that, it means that the deductible for the health insurance is more than we can really afford. So just paying that puts us into credit card debt which just sinks us deeper and deeper into the hole. We are basically one accident away from being bankrupt and homeless.

Nowadays I think "Go Fund Me" is the poor man's healthcare. Church groups, charities, non-profit organizations, and community groups also step in and try to help out. Family and friends can step up. Care for your own, I guess.

Or maybe, just maybe, employers of large companies and corporations could pay their workers more. Maybe we could have a living wage rather than a minimum one. Maybe corporations could pay some taxes into the general fund and allow the poor to afford a pair of boots. Then, next time there's an accident, they can pull on those bootstraps. 

-Wy

PS:  I edited this post a million times! It started out very political and my title was "I lost my Job! Thanks, Republican Party!" but decided to just vent. The entire story is horribly long for a blog post. I've been unemployed for almost a month now and have received ONE unemployment check so far. My main source of income at the moment is Ebay. 

Who the Hell is Charlie Kirk?

 I'd never heard of him.

Was he in some cult film from the 70's? A part-time second banana on a late show? A minor league baseball pitcher? Maybe he was a NASA scientist?

None of it.

The guy was a podcaster and YouTube influencer who started Turning Point USA, the organization that brings right-wing politics to college campus' while downplaying the importance of a college education.

I think. See I had to google the guy. I admit that I found a lot of stuff that called him a man of faith and a great debater. That he was polite and intellectual. That his Prove Me Wrong TikToks were super popular and probably helped to make him a millionaire. Hey, no shade, that's the Capitalism and Free Markets he apparently loved to brag about as the thing that Made America Great. He was a loving husband and the father of 2 young children. Why would anyone want to shoot this guy?

And then...I saw he was MAGA. I read where he disparaged black Americans as being inferior. I began to watch some of his YouTube videos; cleverly edited on his own channel to show off "his debating skills". I saw videos where he said women needed to just get married and have babies. He didn't think most people felt safe on a plane flown by a black pilot. He thinks Trump's election was "stolen" and that the people of Gaza deserve to be starved to death because Isreal can't negotiate a hostage release. I read a professor's account of how she was placed on some "list" of his that made her the target of trolling on social media.

My head was spinning. So who was this guy, really? I mean, I saw so much outpouring of dismay and grief, and mourning. I hadn't seen this much crying over someone you'd never met since Betty White passed away. Surely, this guy hadn't really said all these horrible things written in these memes. This guy surely was taken out of context or something.

Nope.

I watched YouTube videos from this own account. He said that a certain number of deaths by gun violence was just an acceptable side-effect of the Second Amendment. Huh? I began to wonder where all the videos were of this "good guy". Was he polite when he debated? Pretty much. Until someone got under his skin or wouldn't be tripped up in his "whataboutism". Then, the guy could get downright rude. 

President Trump called for flags to go to half-staff. He said he's gonna give him the Medal of Freedom or something. Half of the country called him a white supremist and the other half is crying over the senseless violence of his death.

I NEVER heard of the guy. What am I supposed to believe? Where is the truth, the evidence?

Then, I reminded myself; he documented his beliefs on TikTok and YouTube. Those debates on his channel are curated to be what he wants his followers to believe. He is an Influencer. And his Turning Point USA is on college campuses to Influence the youth vote. When that kind of thing shows up from Russia or any Muslim, I believe we call it radicalization. I guess, if you're a Christian Nationalist, it's the American Way.

I don't need Memes or Democrats or Republicans to explain this guy to me. He's right there; on Youtube and his Podcast. In any number of videos from his Prove Me Wrong debates. So here's where the truth resides. I'll share my conclusions with you. But just a disclaimer: I don't think anybody should be murdered for expressing their opinion. Freedom of Speech is a coveted right around the world and there are plenty of places without it and they'd give anything to have it. Charlie Kirk had the RIGHT to express his opinion without fear of retribution or violence. 

Here's what I can conclude:

1. Charlie Kirk was a polite, even friendly, debater with people who weren't entirely sure of what they were debating or couldn't make a point. He debated well with those who really disliked him or really admired him. Those who admired him just asked for advice and seemed just happy to be in his presence while those who disliked him got tripped up on many of his "statistics" and "if you believe that then you HAVE to believe this, or you're full of BS". In both cases, he remained polite, calm, and even friendly. HOWEVER, I watched several videos out of the UK where he went to debate some college students over there and he was totally out of his element. Those students gouged him out. They stood their ground and called out his BS stats. They were well informed about the topic they brought to the table, so much so that Kirk just plain got frustrated at certain points and his voice would rise, he became a bit rude and seemed to be just another MAGA talking out of his ass. I have concluded that when up against educated individuals who are well informed of the news of the day, he basically pissed in the wind BECAUSE he only knows how to SOUND intellectual.

2. Charlie Kirk seemed to be a right-wing extremist, and a racist. All his basic and repeated viewpoints went back to the 1950's. Apparently to him, everything was better in the 50's. I mean, there wasn't any civil rights movement, feminism, or any of that DEI or CRT bullshit. I got the impression that that timeframe was his ultimate goal; that's when America was truly great. When white men could hold the power and everyone else could accept it. His arguments that African Americans and women were happier back then were grounded in the fact that they said they were. Or because the crime and suicide rates weren't as high back then as they are now. His argument was literally because there's more crime now, African Americans are less happy because they are the ones committing the crime and they wouldn't commit crimes if they were happy. Seriously? That's the most racist thing I've ever heard! And the fact that women are less happy these days because they're not having families, not having babies?! Say what? You have no idea how women feel and married women in the "old days" weren't always happy. They were trapped. It was too much of a stigma to get a divorce, no way to have her own money, and made to feel like a failure if you couldn't handle your own children. Women STILL make less money than men in the workplace despite Kirk saying exactly the opposite in one video I watched. The nation wasn't better in the 50's, it's just that all the little shadowy things that many people talk about on social media these days wasn't discussed in polite company back then. 

3. Charlie Kirk was a Christian Nationalist. Now here's where the fine line starts. Every religion is welcomed in the US. The Constitution and Declaration of Independence states it. America is built on it. To conclude that Christianity is the sole belief system of every American is UN-American. We have to be tolerant of all beliefs. The separation of Church and State is an important part of that. ALL peoples of all faiths should feel that they are equally represented or at the very minimum there is no partisanship for one faith over another. Kirk was very anti-Islam and vehemently defended the state of Israel against Gaza, in a very heated discussion he had posted to YouTube only 3 months ago. He would often use the choice of picking between the Bible and the Quran and only one being the "good" or "Truth" choice. Guess which one? See this zealousness of the Chirstian faith has no place in politics or the government. Church and State are separate things. The Christian Nationalist is an extreme end of the Christian faith and I do not frown upon Christians because of its existence. Nor should Muslims be judged by the actions of a few extremist groups. Nor should all Jewish peoples be lumped into the Zionist movement. The world is polarizing into extreme groups and if the strict "my way or the highway" mentality of these groups continue, this nation will never agree on anything ever again. Kirk fed these extremist views without apology. You are allowed to believe what you believe, you are allowed to practice it in public, you are allowed to speak about it in public, you are allowed. However, you are NOT allowed to bring it into governments or to foist it upon others and weaponize it against others. It's called Tolerance.

In conclusion, I cannot find any reason to cry over Charlie Kirk. His family will miss him, but the world will be better off without him spouting his extremist views. Should he have been murdered? Hell, no. All you had to do was "Prove Him Wrong" and he would have revealed his true nature. Do I understand why people are crying over him? Still, no. Perhaps I am missing something in my Google searches. 

All I can think to say is that a gun can't argue your point and it certainly won't make anything better. Charlie Kirk will be turned into some kind of martyr for the right, now. His name is now known to even those like me who didn't know who the f* he was. A gun has made him immortal.

He died I suppose with his beliefs proving his point. 

If you don't want gun reform because you believe it's an infringement of your Constitutional rights, you better remember that the Second Amendment ain't bulletproof when you hide behind it. 

-Wy

BTW: RELEASE THE EPSTEIN FILES!!!

Craft Industry Titanic

 I watched a video today from Spellbinders. Spellbinders is a small business that designs and sells craft supplies, mostly focused on paper crafts like scrapbooking, card making, and rubber stamping. They were discussing tariffs and the state of the industry in our recent US economic climate. It was very enlightening, not very surprising, and the comments were amazing. 

So here's what I got from it and thoughts that ran through my head as the video rolled on.

1. Tariffs aren't bad in and of themselves. Tariffs protect US production, supposedly, by raising the price on imported goods. Higher priced imported goods will therefore not be purchased as the consumer will buy the lower priced US goods. This is the theory. In reality, I don't know if it works so easily. Most things made in the US have components that are made in other countries and if those goods have an import tax (tariff) then the US can't produce the same item for less. And corporate greed won't allow said "comparable goods" to be sold for less. FICTIOUS EXAMPLE: If a die cutting machine is made overseas and imported, it would sell here for $200. A die cutting machine made here and not suffering the tariffs could be sold here for $140. However, the manufacturing companies that make the US die cutting machine may realize that NOW that the competition has a higher price, they can increase their price and still undersell them. So they can raise the price of the US die cutting machine to $180. SO, the consumer still deals with higher prices.

2. No country can make everything they need. The video was about the crafting industry which is a "non-essential" market. No one NEEDS to buy craft supplies to survive. But we live in a global market and if we don't manufacture things from the ground up, then we have to get raw materials from somewhere outside our borders. That means importing. I understand tariffs on finished goods but tariffs on raw materials are strange. Why make the manufacturers you want to succeed pay more for the raw materials they need to make goods?

3. We lack the infrastructure for manufacturing as well as skilled labor. There was one manufacturing facility in the US to make steel dies for die cutting machines used in many paper crafts. It closed up abruptly. For lack of business? Hell no. For a lack of skilled labor. It's all well and good to say "make it in the US", "invest in the US", "bring back manufacturing jobs", but the reality is that most people don't want to work those kinds of jobs. It's a tedious assembly line in sometimes hazardous conditions. And let's not forget, that corporations don't really want to pay their workers what they are worth. There are no guarantees that manufacturing jobs would pay any more than McDonalds. It would take tens of millions of dollars to construct new manufacturing infrastructure and tens of years to get it up and running. If the craft industry isn't making money (due to having to pay large tariffs and charging higher prices), where is this investment money going to come from?

4.  The Craft Industry is made up of mainly small businesses. Most of the "big names" in the crafting industry have less than a hundred workers. Spellbinders, which recently bought up Hero Arts, has about 60 employees. Many craft industry businesses are family owned and operated. Most source their designs to be manufactured elsewhere. Small businesses across the board are hurting due to economic uncertainty. It's not all about tariffs; its about the bouncing ball that makes predicting prices impossible. The craft industry is much like the chocolate business (that I know a little bit about). Chocolate products need to be thought out and manufactured BEFORE a season hits. Easter candy needs to be made at Christmas so that there is enough to meet demand (and turn a nice profit because no one wants Easter candy in July). Same with seasonal craft supplies. No one is thinking of making Christmas cards in February. Mostly. But designs need to be created and products thought out so there is time to have them made before consumers want them. And consumers of craft or DIY items want them earlier than most because they then have to make the said item themselves. EXAMPLE: If I'm making my Christmas cards, I need to start making them in November at the latest, so I have time to get them in the mail to people for Christmas. If those supplies don't become available until late October, I may not have time to make the cards at all. You crafting people know what I mean.

5. The Industry will raise prices or go under. Unfortunately, this is the reality of many small businesses. However, as bad as I feel about it, I also feel that the industry has a chance to shift. It may not be as profitable and it may cause a downsizing but it might be better than closing down for good. The craft industry is a bit to blame for the situation. Most companies release new products ALL the TIME. Gina K Designs puts out a new release of stamps, dies, stencils, and what all EVERY MONTH. Spellbinders has subscriptions that get sent EVERY MONTH of supplies. Tim Holtz and Ranger Ink release new products from 4 different designers at least 4 times a year. Other companies release items at least for every holiday or season. As consumers and crafters, we feel the compulsion to buy what's trending, what's new, what everybody else is using. We long-time crafters have rooms of hoarded supplies, some still unopened in our craft rooms, waiting to be used. We haven't used them because before we get the time to, the industry has shifted onto the next big thing. 

Maybe it's not about new items. Maybe for a little while, when times are tough, the industry could cut back a bit on the new stuff and invest in TEACHING. I certainly feel that learning new skills is more valuable than increasing my supplies. I would pay for knowledge as I wouldn't pay for "stuff". Maybe instead of a subscription box filled with things I won't ever use, I could buy a subscription to monthly learning live videos. Show us how to use the OLD stuff that we still have! And if we don't have the exact thing, show us how to adapt what we do have! Reassure us that we just need to sit down and make things, that they don't have to be perfect, they don't even have to be shared; they just need to bring joy in the making of it. 

See, the industry itself has been so product based that it has devalued the heart of the hobby. We papercraft to release stress, to find and share joy, to brighten someone's day with a card, to preserve memories with scrapbook pages. We have stashes of things like papers, and stamps, and dies, and inks. Produce content that encourages us to use it. 

In the comments section of this video, I saw many content creators voice that they were getting concerned over their jobs. If the companies didn't have money to make products, they wouldn't have any money to pay them or provide free products to them and their jobs would be cut. My gut feeling is that this is NOT the way to go. If you cut content creators at this point, you really will sink. Most crafters at this point watch their favorite creators via YouTube or FB for ideas and tips and tricks. I would say that their jobs are the most secure. Teaching how to use what you have is WHAT the CONSUMER wants. I can't tell you how many times I see that pop up in comments of videos. Show us some old, well loved stamp sets and tell us why you still use them or why not?

The industry has conditioned its consumers to want the newest things and only the newest things. The industry has been retiring items after a single production run, and you never see the item again. Especially in paper. So, if we consumers DON'T buy the newest thing, it's gone. We have become conditioned to buy it now, even if we don't have a plan for it because we may not be able to get it again. Now this industry is feeling the pinch of this anxiety inducing form of consumerism. 

Now obviously, I'm not an industry insider. I'm not an expert in the craft industry. Maybe only new items sell well. Maybe those many commenters I see in so many YouTube livestreams are the minority. Maybe we don't buy enough stuff to impact the bottom line. But we have been asking for the craft industry to SLOW DOWN for years now and no one has listened. We've wondered when you were going to notice the many of us who went on "no buy" weeks, months, and even years. We've begun to shift our focus from the newest thing to the most versatile things, to the "fill the gap in the collection" things. I am often left feeling guilty when I'm on my No Buy year because I hear that I should support these small businesses. I follow their socials and try to like their posts etc. But sometimes that is hard, too, because the posts are aimed at selling you something. 

Look, I. GET. IT.

I don't want these businesses to go under. I hope a happy medium can be found. I REALLY want to buy the new Spellbinders Cardstock in 12 X 12. It's hard to find thick cardstock in that size BUT I also need to pay my bills. My fear is that it will be gone or discontinued before I even get a chance to try it. THAT fear is built on years of the craft industry clearing out the old and making way for the new. The industry conditioned me to feel this anxiety (called FOMO, fear of missing out) and it takes a while to realize that when one thing goes away, something else will come in to replace it. 

I. GET. IT. 

I just don't think the industry gets it. 

I feel unheard and unseen by this industry. We, who have been hoarding craft supplies, who have inherited our mother's craft supplies, who are drowning in craft supplies, just want the industry to acknowledge that they once made THIS and here's an idea of how to use it NOW. We just want the industry to keep things around for longer than a season. Stop retiring things and let's not pretend like these old things don't exist.

Ok. I need to stop. I'm just going off on tangents of griping, now.

-Wy

Can Gen X Go Nuclear?

There's been something on my mind. I heard our Governor say something that I thought was insane and I'm wondering if it's because I'm Gen X. Let's review a bit about how Gen X was educated.

We grew up with Reaganomics, the Cold War, Acid Rain, and riding our bikes without helmets. There was nary a concern that kids were outside, by themselves, without an adult supervising because no one knew about child abductions until kids' faces started showing up on milk cartons. Yes, we even drank milk...real dairy stuff from cows. (Because you can't get milk from an almond, ok!)

We were taught about preserving our environment, and the need to use a condom. AIDS was a real thing, and it wasn't just a gay thing which led to us learning about homosexuality. We learned home economics and how to use a table saw in public school. We had 9 planets in our star system. A home computer was a luxury and used for playing games no matter how much you told your parents it was a valuable school necessity. 

We didn't put a man on the moon, but we did launch a space shuttle that returned to Earth to be used again. D&D was still scary to most people and was thought to lead to Satanic rituals. Nuclear anything was bad news always. Even our Saturday morning cartoons didn't use nuclear weapons, just those ACME bombs that never seemed to be able to hit a roadrunner. 

Here's where my dilemma starts: nuclear power.

See Gen X learned that nuclear power wasn't a great option for the future of energy because of one thing: radiation. I learned that uranium that fueled these reactors became highly radioactive. The rods and "waste" that nuclear power plants produced were radioactive and had half-lives of tens of thousands of years. So, what do you do with the nuclear waste? Bury it. See, that doesn't seem to be a smart idea to me. What happens to a landfill that has too much garbage? They plow over it and start a new one. How does that work with radioactive material? Do we just dig more caves under mountains to throw the stuff in? What happens if there's an earthquake, a volcano erupts, some dipshit thinks he can be a terrorist by holding the nuclear waste "hostage" and threaten to release it unless we comply with demands? 

Gen X was taught to fear nuclear catastrophe. And not just a nuclear bomb. There was Chernobyl. In 1986, we all heard about Chernobyl and to any Gen Xer, that's all that needs to be said. In the same way, you just say "pandemic" and everyone knows what you're talking about. Radiation poisoning is a horrible way to die, and the danger doesn't just lie in a disaster like Chernobyl. There's all that radioactive waste that we're sealing up in concrete BENEATH the power plants. Are you kidding me? That has been the safety solution after all these years for nuclear reactors?! Congress said we were going to build a huge storage facility out in the desert somewhere and truck all that radioactivity out of people's "backyards". Guess what? We never built it. We never approved the money for it. Say WHAT?

Let's not even factor in nuclear submarines. Really? Are these still a thing? We're not still building nuclear subs, are we? God DAMN!

I bring it up because I have heard that NY is now looking into building a new nuclear facility to help supply power needs for the state. HUH? WHY? Nuclear reactors are not "clean" "green" energy. They produce radioactive waste that takes THOUSANDS of years to decay and become non-lethal. It's like putting venomous snakes in the petting zoo because they'll only kill you if you don't have anti-venom. What the F is wrong with this?!

Why can't we build windmills? They kill birds and whales. BS. Non reflective buildings kill more birds. Whales are not affected by turbines in the ocean. Not one whale has died because of a wind turbine.

Why can't we build solar panels? They take up nutrient rich soil that could be used for farming. They don't have to be built there. They can be placed on the roofs of houses and buildings. They can be placed over parking lots. They can shade rivers or ponds. Have you seen the size of the parking lots at Disney World? Just build solar panels over them and they provide shade to the cars below and soak up the sun for energy production.

We have enough radioactive waste with the reactors the world already has and it's not just that. Radioactive waste is produced from medical tests, too. Can we please do something that won't lead us into the plot of a Godzilla movie?

Gen X has always figured that they're on their own. Safety wasn't a concern when we were kids. If you fell off your bike onto asphalt, no one raised the alarm that all bikes should be banned. But enough of us fell to make folks feel that maybe, just maybe, we needed helmets. Then, everything required a helmet; construction work, football, motorcycles, hockey. So maybe nuclear energy has improved its safety record. Maybe we learned something from Chernobyl. 

You're gonna have to prove that to Gen X. 

And until you can, we'll vote against it always. See, we're all grown up and our vote COUNTS now.

So stick that in your reactor and smoke it.

-Wy

The "Supreme" Court

 I'm confused about this recent Supreme Court ruling concerning birthright citizenship.

I kinda understand the ruling. The Supreme Court is basically dodging the question and saying that the lower courts need to just stay in their lane. That a federal court, other than the Supreme Court, doesn't have the authority to set a nationwide injunction, only a "local" one. Or one that pertains only to the plaintiffs that brought forward the case. Is this more or less what I'm reading?

So, a Federal Court cannot reverse or nullify an Executive Order for the nation. And if several states sue the government, then that ruling would only apply in those states because other states didn't jump in? It doesn't seem to make a lot of sense. I can't be understanding this correctly. Do I have to be a lawyer to understand what the Supreme Court has decided?

I ask because IT SEEMS LIKE THE SUPRREME COURT IS SIMPLY STALLING. 

Look, do I think a lower court should be able to set a nationwide injunction? I don't know, honestly. If a FEDERAL court couldn't, it seems like it would undermine the authority of the court. It also means that the only way the Judicial branch of government can "check" the Legislative or Executive branches is via the Supreme Court. If lower federal courts can't rule for the Nation, why have them? Don't they help with separating out less important cases for the Supreme Court? I mean, the Supreme Court can't work all the time. Geez, give the Justices a break, eh? Sitting around in a robe all day listening to lawyers expound on the interpretations of the Constitution can be horribly draining. They need some time off. 

Maybe I don't understand our Judicial system. Does anyone really, though?

What pisses me off is that this particular EO is so against the Constitution. It's obviously unconstitutional and in violation of the 14th Amendment that anyone that can READ understands. No EO can counter-act that. The Congress would have to repeal the 14th Amendment. The Supreme Court says that one federal judge shouldn't have the power to determine nationwide policy...yet they afford one man, a President, that very deference. If the Supreme Court is saying that one person can't make policy for the nation even if he is a judge, then Presidential Executive Orders shouldn't be legal either. And both of these interpretations weaken both the Judicial and Executive branches while strengthening the Legislative.

Maybe the problem is that the President is an elected position and Judges are appointed? So, theoretically, the President is a voice of the majority? Because that doesn't fly if a President doesn't require a majority of the Popular vote to be President. If he wins the Electoral College, it doesn't matter how many individual votes he got. 

Ugh, I'm giving myself a headache. 

I guess, I'll just give up on this and wait for the Supreme Court to rule on the actual EO. EVERYONE who reads the Constitution knows how this should turn out. 

I still feel the need to be prepared for a plot twist. 

Blah, blah, blah.

-Wy

The Chocolate Game

 Let's talk about something sweeter than my other blog posts of late.

Let's talk chocolate. But no guarantees that anything I want to discuss will make you feel better. Obviously if you really want to feel better, buy yourself a chocolate bar and let it melt on your tongue. That is, if you can afford one.

My primary source of income is my job as a chocolatier for a small business called Apothecary Chocolates. I am passionate about my work, and I find it very enjoyable and fulfilling. But lately business has been lagging. Even our Christmas "rush" seemed a bit lackluster. Since January, I've hardly been able to work my full hours as we have more than enough chocolate already made. 

Now many reasons may factor into this, and many are in our control like marketing, advertising, and developing new products. But many more aren't and it's starting to show.

The first may be the time of year. Artisan or gourmet chocolate is a luxury item, a gift item primarily. Consumers don't tend to buy it for themselves; they buy it to gift to others. They may indulge in it from time to time or even share it among family but let's just say, it's not usually on the grocery list with the flour and the milk. So, when there are no approaching holidays or occasions in which gifts are usually exchanged, chocolate sales decline. 

As well, when the weather begins to warm up in many parts of the world, chocolate sales decline. Chocolate is a perishable item and good quality chocolate will begin to melt at 75 F. It becomes soup at 85 F. And anyone who's ever tried it knows that you can't just stick it in the fridge and hope to have the same chocolate bar come out again. So once temps in an area start hitting the mid-seventies, consumers start looking for the ice cream not the chocolate bars. 

But this happens every year. As an industry, it's a noted fact that these two items will occur in the chocolate business. We have to prepare to counter them and take advantage of every opportunity to push sales when consumers are looking to buy. This is why I'm so busy at Christmas!

Let's talk about what's entirely beyond our control: the weather. That's right, the weather. Particularly, the weather in West Africa, and South America. Many consumers don't connect Chocolate as an agricultural product, but it is. Chocolate is made from the cocoa bean which grows on the trunks of the cocoa tree. If these trees don't produce pods, production is down. So, if there is a bad growing year, there are fewer cocoa beans and therefore, less supply for a growing demand. We all know what that means, higher prices.

Cocoa trees only grow is a small area of this planet, specifically a certain range of latitude near the equator. Rainforests are where you find cocoa trees and that's typically where the farms are that harvest cocoa pods. See, these trees are not very hardy. In fact, most cocoa trees are very susceptible to disease. So, if a virus spreads, like one that has been spreading around in West Africa for the 2023-2024 growing season, it can take out trees and decrease the supply. West Africa, particularly Ghana and Cote de Ivorie, produce 60% of the worlds cocoa and if they go down, prices go up. 

How much? Well, according to the numbers I've seen, the price for a KG of cocoa in Feb. 2024 was $5.50 and now in Feb. 2025 it's $10.75 almost double. That's in one year, one bad year of crops. During the pandemic, the cost of cocoa doubled because of supply chain issues as well as supply. The price per KG varies month to month but it has never been this high and this coming year is expected to continue to rise until late in the year and into 2026 when supply looks to stabilize. 

Now for those of us who don't know metric (I always have to look up conversions!), that current market rate is over $11.00 per pound. And that's not a finished product. That's the cocoa supply, the beans. The beans are sold to manufacturers that then process them into chocolate. The process for turning a cocoa bean into a completed chocolate bar that consumers recognize as a sweet treat is a time consuming, expensive process. So, the $11.00 price tag is just the base. The cost of the manufacturing has to be added in and then the packaging and the delivery. It all adds up to a base price of chocolate BEFORE it even gets to our kitchen.

That's the real zinger. We can't control the weather or the threat of disease to cocoa trees. We can't control the supply lines. We certainly can't control any kind of import fees as most cocoa beans MUST be imported. The only place in the US that can grow cocoa trees is Hawaii, and there's no way that can supply the entire country. The US is the largest consumer of chocolate in the world. Anyway, every chocolate tastes a bit different. It's hard to just up and substitute one for another in candy. Especially if you want to maintain its quality.

The price of chocolate is going up and it will continue, more than likely, into late 2025 and may stabilize next year. Dependent on the weather in West Africa. 

So, what does that mean for little chocolatiers and small businesses that are just trying to keep their cases full for seasonal holidays? It means increased prices. Profit margins are very thin when base costs rise so high. You can't maintain a margin just by cutting expenses or reducing product offerings. Prices for consumers will rise. You've already seen it with large scale manufacturing like Lindt. If you thought all those high prices for your Valentine's Day candies were just inflation, think again. 

Like many good tasting things, chocolate may become an item that only wealthy consumers can afford. That means that small businesses and chocolatiers will lose profits and will go under. The diversity of the offerings will disappear, and chocolate will become something people will only indulge in on very special occasions. Once a year, consumers may purchase chocolate. This is the way it was once. Chocolate wasn't affordable for most people before Hershey's made their "Great American chocolate bar". European chocolatiers made dark chocolate for the aristocracy and catered to kings. 

All this information to say, if you can support your local chocolatiers and your small businesses, do so. Even bakeries who make chocolate cakes or croissants or brownies are going to feel that pinch. Cocoa isn't just in candy. Those chocolate chip cookies may stop having so many chips or chips of a poorer quality. Maybe they won't even be real chocolate. Ever eaten "almond bark" or those little colored candy wafers that melt in the microwave? Yup, that's not chocolate but that might be what gets substituted to cut costs. 

Cocoa powder is chocolate. Chocolate cakes, cookies, puddings, even hot cocoa mix is all dependent on the cocoa supply. Even products that contain cocoa butter which is also used in cosmetics will increase in price or become harder to find. It doesn't matter if it comes from a large-scale manufacturer like Mars M&M, Lindt, or Ghiradelli, or from a small artisan shop that handcrafts their treats, we're all in the same boat with the same supply chains. We're all on the struggle bus right now.

Your local shops don't want to charge you more, but they also want to keep their employees paid a living wage and keep the lights on. And they might want to pay themselves, too. It's a tough road for everybody, and if you can't afford that higher price, just keep the positive word-of-mouth going round. It doesn't cost you anything to say something nice about a chocolate product that you like but can't buy regularly. Your positive review or recommendation might convince someone else with a little cash to spend to take a chance on something new.

Just do all of us small chocolatiers a favor and don't whine and bitch too much about the price increase. All chocolate across the board is going up. If you can't say something nice, just don't say anything at all. If you want to tell us that our price is too much, I assure you it isn't. 

Buckle up, buttercups. 

Eat it while you got it!

-Wy

American Pie

 I spend far too much of my time scrolling through the comments of various political posts and some posts that you wouldn't think would be political have a lot of politics in the comments. I know I should be doing other things, and I do quite well not to chime in, but after a while, I just feel the need to express myself. 

That's why you're here, right? You wanna see what's got my panties in a twist this time, right?

Those comments help me find my opinion and fully form it into words. It shows me a glimpse of what others think of the same issue. Of late, it shows me a whole lotta stupid. While most times it leaves me feeling better about myself (since I'm not THAT stupid, or mean, or disrespectful, or misinformed), lately, it's left me feeling disheartened and disappointed. I have joked with my sister that we should look into moving to another country. We aren't that far from the Canadian border, or I've seen ads that Scotland is looking to take in some disgruntled Americans. Even a small island in the Mediterranean will give you a home as long as you live in it for ten years. Oh, and I think you need to have kids. 

Anyway, twenty years ago, the thought of moving out of the US was unthinkable. I mean, where else in the world could possibly be any better than here. Land of the Free. Home of the Brave. What was better than fireworks on the 4th of July and a charcoal grill cooking Glazier hot dogs? No other country could match our freedoms and our dreams. 

Times have changed; my Gen X friends. I'm not just blaming Trump, the whole system broke down and allowed it to happen. A perfect storm of technology, wealth, selfishness, and greed. I've heard plenty of theories to "how we got here". I'm not interested. I'm interested in where we are right now. I'm interested in why this system of government, that I have believed was the best in the world, is an embarrassment. How did our Constitution become just an old piece of paper?

The Constitution is the foundation of this nation. It is the rule book by which we all agree to play. THOSE ARE THE RULES. You can't just throw out an Executive Order that redacts some part of it. Birthright citizenship is in THE RULES. You can't just accept a huge gift from a foreign power. IT'S IN THE RULEBOOK. (I will note here that I can't say I'm surprised that Trump doesn't see the Constitution that way. I've heard the man cheats at golf, so rules don't apply to him in any situation, apparently.) What is astounding is that our representatives in Congress just let it play out. In kindergarten, children are taught the importance of THE RULES. Didn't our Representatives go to kindergarten? How do you let a President run roughshod all over your powers? You'll never get them back. Fight for your power. Your people are telling you to fight for your power!

Some people don't seem to think that Trump accepting a jet from a foreign country is a big deal. They think he's saving us money. They say it's no different than the Statue of Liberty or perhaps, the Resolute Desk. (I put in the desk part, I don't know if many MAGA even know what it is.) But it is different. See the Statue of Liberty didn't end up in someone's backyard and the Resolute Desk isn't in someone's library all locked up. These are gifts that were turned over to the Nation. I can go visit the Statue of Liberty and anyone can go visit it. The Resolute Desk goes with the White House and nobody but the Nation owns it. 

Trump can have his gold-plated jet with nine bathrooms when everybody in this Nation can have a ride in it for free.

I can shrug off most of Trump's stupid shit. His need to be in the spotlight. His ideas about taking over Canada and Greenland. His renaming the Gulf of Mexico. Even his salesman demeanor of shucking Tesla cars and crypto. But what I cannot, and WILL NOT, forget is that this man, this President released rioters convicted in a court of law with sufficient evidence for a Capitol riot on January 6th, 2021. These rioters defaced OUR nation and harmed our guard/police. AND TRUMP PARDONED THEM ALL. 

I suppose I could blame Congress for being so wishy washy. They are letting the President do whatever he wants. The Democrats need to do more but I understand that it's a numbers game. Congress only gets things done with the right number of votes. So, at the bottom of it all, it's the Republican Congressmen that are to blame right now. You can't tell me that ALL of those Republican representatives were voted into office by MAGA voters. You can't tell me that all those Republicans support the BS that this administration spews forth. More people in this country DISAPPROVE of Trump's policies than approve of them. THAT means that your constituents, Congressmen, want you to do your job and exercise the power of the Congress. THE CONGRESS is the most voice that the people have. YOU are the leaders that get the nitty gritty job of making the dreams of the American People come to fruition. The power of the people lies in the Congress.

The President is just some pretty boy (always a boy, is that how it works? That's a different rant.) that shakes hands with foreign nationals, gives patriotic speeches, and inspires the respect of the public. The President enforces the will of the people. The WILL of the PEOPLE comes through CONGRESS. The President is a humble servant of the people. 

We don't have Kings. We don't want Kings. We don't need Kings.

My ancestors didn't fight and die in the American Revolution for us to fall apart now. We are going on 250 years of American Independence. We best not be losing it now. 

It's bad enough this Nation may celebrate its 250th birthday under Trump's watch, I dread having to listen to his long speech on Independence Day 2026 when he recites the whole history of this country and doesn't get one damn thing correct. (Do you remember that July 4th in his first term? Ugh!) Or worse we have a military parade just like this one he's planning for his birthday. (Seriously? Is this a done deal?)

All this to say, that I have never considered living in any other country...until now.

America was never great for everybody, but America was willing to change. America was willing to be educated and enlightened. America was willing to extend its greatness into all its little lost cracks and patch up all its failings. America was willing to lead without asking for anything in return. America was willing to help when and where it was needed because America understood that if people thought well of us overseas, they would support us when we needed it. 

"Bye, bye, Miss American Pie. Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry. Them good ole boys are drinking whiskey and rye, singing "this'll be the day that I die"

This'll be the day that I die."

I have hope that this America has not died an untimely death. I will choose to believe that this America will rise. 

But it's hard.

-Wy

UGH

 While Trump's speech before the Joint session of Congress was not the State Of the Union, I watched most of it just the same. The only parts I muted were the places where he inserted merit for the average joes of America who he was trying to thank or help out. Not that there's anything wrong with that since the last few Presidents have done the same. I zoned out of their "merit badge" hand outs, too. Glad you could help out ONE person in the country now how about the rest of us?

Before I start to vent on Trump and the Republican congress, I want to start by shaming the Democrats. Look, I know Trump makes us feel all prickly and anxious and spiteful and hateful inside. I know, we'd rather just stay home and not give him the time of day or the attention that he so desperately craves. But you need to do your job. Your job is to sit respectfully and listen to the President. Just doing so doesn't mean you agree with him or that you're going to support him, it means you respect the office. You can agree with some of the stuff he says; if he says anything that's true or meaningful. But don't just walk away. Voters put you in office and you need to do your job. Bernie Sanders doesn't agree with most anything Trump spouts but he was there. You should have been, too.

That being said, it was a hard pill to swallow. Like I said, I could barely stomach the rhetoric. He inflated numbers, repeated false information, gloated, insulted his predecessor, and doubled down on his Tariff policy that caused the stock market to drop over a thousand points. He continues to see a path of gold toward American Greatness where factories will reopen and build cars and computer processors and chips to provide jobs for workers who were born in the USA. He thinks we can just "Drill, Baby, Drill" to obtain all these raw materials that are necessary to build these things without importing it and avoid the tariffs that he's putting in place. 

He's all about deregulation. Because who needs rules? Nobody needs to be safe on the job. That's what insurance is for, I guess. Who needs clean water or air? It makes sense for him to deregulate because he's firing so many federal workers that there won't be enough employees to enforce the rules anyway. 

He's all about taking back the Panama Canal and offering a statehood to Greenland. I thought you were all about American First. So take care of the people within the walls you build BEFORE you start annexing more territory. See, Trump, there's people that comes with the territory and you'd have to take care of them, too. Well, unless it's Gaza because as you've stated previously, it's uninhabitable so nobody would be allowed to stay there until you turn it into a golf course.

sigh

Do we need all these government regulations? Probably not. But can we just chop them all down? No. If he deregulates the way DOGE is cutting workers and government departments, no one is safe. But we can trust large companies and corporations to keep the little guy in mind, right? They'll do what is right by their workers and the communities they build their factories in, right? Right? Tell that to the Akwesasne who lived downstream of Alcoa. Tell that to the people of Love Canal. Tell that to Hinkley, CA. Tell that to the dying lakes of the Adirondack Mountains when the acid rain starts up again from the deregulated smoke stacks. 

He wants to build ships?! What the fuck was that about?

I hate to tell you this, Trump, but we won't be able to build cars with the factories we've got let alone ships in factories/ports we don't got. Where do think a lot of parts for cars come from? Do you think we build them all from scratch? We import them. We assemble the parts into cars. So we are going to build all the parts here now? How much is a car gonna cost me next year? I can't afford a new car now. I can hardly afford a used car. Guess who supplies most of those car parts? Canada.

Guess what else we get from Canada? Uranium. The Northeast also gets a good deal of energy from Canada. You declared an energy emergency in this country but you're gonna piss off a country that supplies a lot of it to your voters. That sounds like good strategy. Let's tick off the neighbors and sink our biggest consumer and trade partner. Kinda sounds like our foreign policy is "we're just better than all of you so fuck off". 

That is certainly how we handled Ukraine. I almost cried as Trump read the note Zelenskyy had sent to the White House saying he was willing to sign the mineral agreement and to secure Trump's strong leadership in brokering a ceasefire and lasting peace with Russia. I want to believe that Zelenskyy has to do what he must for his people and if that means crawling back to Trump, he does it. In all honesty, I don't think Ukraine can trust us. I never thought I'd even think that but there it is. We are not the America of WW2. How sad. How sad that the Republican party demanded that the elected leader of another country, allied with the US, should grovel for the aid we could provide. How shameful.

I'm sure I'm some kind of hypocrite. I don't like to use our military to solve other countries problems. But I have a bad feeling about any peace agreement that Trump brokers. His administration has already implied that Ukraine would have to give up territory to Russia. So Ukraine loses land to Russia and valuable mineral wealth to the US for peace. Ukraine loses twice, or I should say, pays the US to keep Russia at bay. And when Trump leaves office, all bets are off with Russia and the US gets dragged into a war with Russia. That would be a great deal. I can maintain a small hope that Trump is, in fact, the Great Dealmaker that the Republicans claim he is, and he hasn't overlooked the future safety of Ukraine. 

But hey, it was just a speech before Congress. Trump is just testing the waters. Throw all the crazy out there and see what sticks. Time to refresh the sharpies, Mr. President, I feel another hundred Executive Orders coming down the pike.

-Wy

We are the Bad Guys

 Have you ever watched a movie where a couple groups of people are fighting and you wonder, "who are the bad guys?" Or maybe you've read a book that doesn't reveal who the villain is right away and you ask yourself, "is he the bad guy?" I'm having that moment right now. Perhaps, others are, too.

"We" are America. "Bad Guys" are usually immoral, selfish, tyrannical, dictators or terrorist groups that threaten innocent lives for no better reason than "they can". After watching the many videos of what transpired in the Oval Office today between our President, Vice President, and visiting dignitary, Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine, I have reason to believe my title is true. 

Aside from the fact that our President and Vice President assaulted Zelenskyy with false information, they weren't even polite. You invited him to come and discuss the war with you as well as a "deal" for mineral rights. You couldn't even be polite. You threatened him and basically bullied him. And JD Vance who could have been a better man simply sunk to Trump's level of bullying. You couldn't even treat him with the respect due of a GUEST in YOUR HOUSE. Patrons at Mar-A-Lago get treated better than that, I suspect.

But then, it's all for show, right? Trump admitted as much. He said, it's good for the American people to see this. I'm waiting to hear all the fall-out. I'm waiting to hear how the Republicans can spin this thing into a positive. I would have thought that Vance had been there to try to salvage something and instead he accused Zelenskyy of being ungrateful and disrespectful. In fact, you both couldn't shut your mouths long enough for him to even answer your concerns. I would think that if you want some resources (like grain, and rare earth minerals) you wouldn't want Ukraine to think you're just a couple of untrustworthy assholes.

See, we don't live in a vacuum. This is a GLOBAL economy. The land mass of the US has a lot of resources, but not everything. It's in our best interest to be courteous to countries that can provide resources that we require and can trade for. But I suppose it doesn't really matter as Trump intends to let Ukraine hang in the wind and when Russia overtakes her (possibly), he'll simply trade with Putin. Trump is like a dementia patient who lives in his own little world in the present time and anything that distorts that view is fake and not real and agitates him.

And to top it all off, Linday Graham makes a statement to the press about it that says Zelenskyy was disrespectful to the office. He totally backed Trump up and thought he did the right thing. What a lackey! He recited a narrative like the American public hadn't seen it for themselves in real time. 

I. just. can't.

Everyone seems to think that without the US, Ukraine is just gonna fall apart. But I don't think so. Europe can't afford that. The EU will rally everything it's got to defend Ukraine and Russia has already been failing at this war. If they weren't failing, they wouldn't have brought in North Korean troops. They would have finished this already. Russia is just trying to save face at this point. Trump accused Zelenskyy of wanting to start WW3 but in fact, it is Trump's own policies that are driving this. He's gung-ho about peace as long as he's got something to gain. Like Gaza, he wants a piece of the pie. He's not about peace to help people, he's got to make a profit on it. He'll own Gaza. He'll get a kick back from Putin on Ukraine.

Is that how we do things now? Is that our foreign policy? The same policies of Russia and North Korea? We do stuff to other countries to feather our nest?

There are people in this country that say we give too much to other countries. That we push too much money out there. That we stick our nose into other country's business, and it costs us money. And I used to feel the same. Why did America have to be the World Police? Why not let countries figure out their own shit since we had enough to deal with? But I've changed my mind in recent years. The aid and money we send overseas helps people. It gives them a positive impression of the US and that means maybe they won't join some terrorist group that's hell bent on blowing us up. We also have embassies and military bases around the world and how will any of them be safe if we just behave like assholes? All of the aid that goes overseas and beyond our borders IS national security. And it ends up being way cheaper than expanding our military. And it saves a lot of lives, including our own. Lastly, the amount of money given isn't even 5% of the TOTAL FEDERAL BUDGET. 

I think that this disaster was in fact carefully planned by Trump. Vice Presidents never show up to these things in front of the press. I think he's looking for a way to justify abandoning our support for Ukraine and this is it. He's gonna piss and moan about how disrespectful Zelenskyy was and he'll harp on how he never even said thank you. Then, he'll pull all support, and the Republican congress will follow suit. Or maybe Trump is hoping for a cease-fire to buy time for Russia to figure out how to finish off Ukraine. Then, when the Congress finally pulls the plug on the life support, Russia can move in, take over, and give the US whatever Trump asked for in his little dealings with Putin. If all the Republicans want to make a big deal out of Trump's Deal Making skills, then they better have a good explanation for the kind of deal he strikes.

I also think that this is why District 21 in NY is still not ready for a new representative. Elise Stefanik is our representative and she is supposed to be our new UN Ambassador as Trump has selected her for the post. She has neither been confirmed nor vacated her seat. NY can't set a date for a vote until she is officially confirmed and vacates the seat. If that seat flips along with the other 2 Florida seats, there is no majority in the House anymore. Which means that it'll be damn hard to push through a suggestion of pulling support back from Ukraine. 

Democratic party, get on the stick. Let's get District 21 on the ballot, huh?

All of this to say, "We are the Bad Guys."

And what happens to the Bad Guys at the end of all those action movies, those superhero movies, those sci-fi and fantasy movies...they LOSE.

-Wy

I Stand With Ukraine

Land of the "Free", Home of the Great

 My roaring return to blogging has not gone as planned. Since January, I have just been so stunned, tired, angry, and worried that just getting by day to day has been the extent of my energy. The winter has grown long, dark, and unstable. My February Blues arrived a month earlier and they have yet to diminish. Why?

Uncertainty. My future is just unstable. I'm pretty sure I'm not alone. 

I wish I could blame it all on Trump and his MAGA followers but that's only part of the problem. Where is Congress? Where are our representatives to stand up for what the voters want? Where is the media to expose the lies and half-truths that the Executive Branch is spewing? If we have a system of checks and balances, why is Trump running roughshod all over OUR CONSTITUTION!?

I find it depressingly funny that Trump's slogan of "Make America Great Again" is now tied to a sinking ship. We are now a laughingstock on the world stage, no longer a respected leader, but instead the fool who seeks to entertain the king. We were "great" because we were helpful to other nations that couldn't afford necessities for their people. We were "great" because we sought peace when there was war. We were "great" because when powerful countries began to bully their neighbors, we would bolster our allies and support them. We were "great" because we supported and believed in Democracy, in governments that were representative of the people they were designed to serve. 

Trump said that we had lost our Greatness. That America was no longer Great, and he would restore that glory. I find it depressing that what we have today is his idea of greatness. We have threatened our neighboring countries with Tariffs if they don't comply with demands. We have threatened to take over Greenland and the Panama Canal just Because. We have implied that we're gonna own Gaza and turn it into the next Riveira. We have sided with the Russians over the Ukrainians despite the fact that Russia brings nothing to the negotiating table except threats. 

Have we become the Bad Guys? Are we now the villains of this reality?

WTF is wrong with us? When did we stop seeing the world as a whole? A global economy? Send out a ripple and get back a tidal wave. Why do people think we live in a vacuum? 

I seem to have lots of questions and no answers. There are no answers. Everybody has their own idea of what is happening in our country. Some praise it, some downplay it, some are worried about it, some are downright fearful of it. They are all valid. 

All I know for sure is that this is not what Trump promised; he promised Greatness and that is not what this is. 

"You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."

-Wy

Pants on Fire or is it Just California Again?

 Look, I sympathize with all victims of a natural disaster. No one wants to lose their home, their property, their stuff, or their communities. It's horrifying to those of us who have never been close to such things. I haven't ridden out a hurricane or ducked into the basement when the tornado siren sounds. I don't live on the coast where potential tsunamis might wash ashore. I have weathered only a couple of frightening earthquakes but mostly they are small and few. I have survived an ice storm that knocked out our power for a week. Our house stood, cold and frosty, but it was never in danger. So, I can't say how I'd be feeling if I went to work one day and found out that I couldn't go home because it was no longer there. 

I understand that California has had so much trouble with wildfires that it's almost a joke to the rest of the country. I mean, I admit when I first heard the news, I wasn't surprised or even interested. California was on fire...again. But something about this fire grabbed the nation's attention and I think it was the fact that it was taking out communities of rich, famous people. California has had devasting wildfires for years now, but once million-dollar homes and affluent neighborhoods were burning to the ground, it has become a crisis. Now the blame game really sets in; now someone needs to be held accountable. NOW something has to change. 

California has had plenty of time and opportunity to get their shit together when it comes to land management. Natural spaces need protection, not just preservation. If we aren't going to do anything about climate change, then we better start doing something about what damage it brings.  Trees will grow and grow healthier when they aren't competing for resources. So thin them out. Let timber companies harvest responsibly. 

I'm not an expert on how to manage a forest so I'm not going any further than the last paragraph about how California should manage its resources. It's not the point I'm trying to make anyhow.

The point is that it doesn't matter if the state screwed up. It doesn't matter if the federal government fucked up. What matters is that many people have lost homes and belongings and even whole communities. Those people need assistance and aid. And they should have it as any other citizen of this country receives it when a natural disaster strikes. I would only say that those who have the funds to rebuild of their own accord should refrain from diverting funds from those who do not. The government funds to supplement people in times like those are not a bottomless well. Funds run out. Take only what you need and leave some for the rest. 

The rhetoric about withholding aid until California officials and the governor get their shit together is ludicrous. The only people to get screwed in that are the victims that have already lost their homes. No one brought this up when Hurricane Helene took out homes in several southern states. No one said, "hey North Carolina, get your shit together! Don't you have building codes? Aren't you prepared for Hurricanes? Maybe you need to make home insurance mandatory? No money for you until you figure out how to keep your houses from falling over when the breeze blows." A Hurricane's path is more predicable than a wildfire, but it's not 100% accurate. That's why you have a million "models" every time new wind readings trickle into the weather center. Wildfires can shift drastically when the winds change. So, if you're going to help Hurricane victims out, you better be helping with the wildfires. California didn't cause the fire (even if they certainly haven't helped litigate the risk) just as North Carolina didn't ask for a Hurricane to plow inland. Politicians need to shut their yaps and write some checks.

Especially if the fires wiped out wealthy affluent neighborhoods. It might be hard to raise campaign funds in a state that's been told by the Federal Government to suck it up. The politicians and pundits who jumped on this train better rethink this. You're basically saying that it's a waste of taxpayer money, and other states shouldn't have to foot the bill for California's bad management policies. When California stops paying into the Federal government more than it gets back, maybe you'd have an argument. Fact is what the F is taxpayer money for, if not for helping other citizens recover from a natural disaster?! That's one of the things I don't mind my taxes paying for. Just like infrastructure, maintenance of government buildings, and public green spaces. Ask one taxpayer if he minds that his tax money is helping a family rebuild their home after a wildfire. I wonder what they'd say.

-Wy