ICE agents going to 40 states

According to a USA Today article in the Columbus Dispatch the millions of illegal aliens who crossed the border and were not removed were "people who entered during the Biden administration." Because of tying the hands of ICE less than 1% were removed.

 
"Between January 20, 2021, and September 30, 2023, the Biden Administration removed from the United States only 10,522 illegal aliens who were encountered at the southwest border and who were placed in removal proceedings before an immigration judge during that time. In other words, of the at least 3.3 million illegal aliens released into the United States since January 20, 2021, the Biden Administration failed to remove, through immigration court removal proceedings, roughly 99.7 percent of those illegal aliens." GOVPUB-Y4_J89_1-PURL-gpo222127.pdf

The article goes on to say although Trump promised to remove 1 million in a year, he only deported 477,277 from Jan, 20, 2025 to April 4, 2026. Trump has stopped illegal immigration. But USA Today complains that the ICE agents were too extreme and half of all Americans object. (using far left Politico figures) because some weren't "worst of the worst," Biden allowed /encouraged 4 years of open borders, Trump fixes it. Blue cities violated the laws, and USA Today features 2 mentions of 2 people killed in riots in Minnesota. Riots and protests, but no mention of those killed or injured or displaced by the illegals, Thanks for nothing, USA Today/Columbus Dispatch. New wave of ICE deployments to impact 40 or more states  by Trevor Hughes

Why so few babies?

There's an opinion piece in the NYT about "Why so few people are having kids" by Anna Louie Sussman. She writes on gender, economics and reproduction. No shock here, but she doesn't answer the headline question. Low fertility rates are global, and she has one anecdotal example (a well educated financially secure Mexican American citizen who wants to buy a nice home in Minneapolis but is afraid of Trump). Most of her examples are academic research (no citations) on economic insecurity although they don't prove her point as it shows high education, good salaries in countries (mainly Nordic) with pronatalist government social policies don't increase fertility.

One of her claims is that economic insecurity causes a rise in radical-right parties and that anxiety causes infertility. Then comes a great line. People of faith aren't having the problem. She describes people who are not anxious (i.e. who are not wild-eyed rioters in the streets) as tradwife, homeschooling 10 kids. This gal has really swallowed the Kool-aid.

Even with her far leftist education that probably cost her parents $100,000 she has no reference, remembrance or research before 2008 and the "Great Recession." She has no knowledge of how families and marriage have been demonized since the 1960s. Remember "Population Explosion" by Paul Erlich? It had Americans afraid to have babies because the world could end in a decade and it was evil to increase the population. AOC probably used it to create the climate hoax. Although she now has a new enemy--THE RICH. And the pill, and abortion? The War on Poverty which chased men out of the home? Those don't only reduce fertility they demonize it. Remember the women's movement and the rush out of the home and into the government and corporate workplace so more women could pay more taxes? Remember the huge inflation of the 70s so no time to cook? Hire a sitter and go to work and then to the restaurant or carry out. Even the entertainment which the little ones consumed with the TV sitter featured divorced or single moms. No shock to me that maybe women like this writer got the message.

It was the culture, lady.

Read those annual reports of your stocks

I tossed out my stockholders ballot before I read the proxy statement and notice of annual meeting for Netflix. First, but least important, was the salaries. The two co-CEOs earn $53 million each. The so-called "median employee" earns $211,201, a ratio of 255 to 1.

Second, and most important, the shareholders wanted changes and those proposals were all opposed by the leadership. Proposal 5 was on politicized brand misalignment, i.e. gender ideology in children's programming. I was horrified reading through the titles of the garbage being aimed at children. "This promotion of sexualized content, particularly to Netflix' youngest viewers, has alienated customers, employees, and shareholders, and exposed Netflix to litigation and regulatory scrutiny . . . exposed Netflix to significant contingent liability and material legal risk." A $500 billion market value company with CEOs who make $53 million is trafficking children, in my opinion. I'll need to call our broker today. Netflix opposing statement was jibberish.

Mary Jane Zipse, member of MMHS 1957

 I received word today that a classmate of mine from high school, Mary Jane Floto Zipse has passed away. Mary Jane Zipse Obituary May 1, 2026 - Finch Funeral & Crematory

Honoring the church volunteers

Our church, UALC, is having a “combined” service today—the 9 o'clock (traditional) and 11 (modern) are meeting at 10 a.m. and then having a lunch— to honor volunteers, which is really just about everyone. We no longer do anything specifically, but we ran the arts ministry for years, taught Bible school, led a small group for years, and back when we had a church board system, I recall that Bob was on that (one pastor discontinued that system but I think it has been reinstated). In the early 80s before I returned to work I used to run the church library—which was fun because I had a budget and at that time there was a Lutheran Book store downtown. I would take the bus, walk a few blocks, browse and buy books and walk with a heavy bag back to the bus stop which dropped me off about 2 blocks from home. A bag of books with the new book smell—what a treat. Today with those tiny motor bikes people use (to save the planet) and drop off at their destination that wouldn’t be possible. Some things were better in the good old days. Also our friend Edie Cole who lives in Florida is in town. She is part of our current small group--widowed a few years ago, and now joins us by Zoom.  She'll also be with us in church and we plan to all sit together at the volunteer lunch.

80 for Brady, watching football can be fun

Inspired by a true story, this film shown at The Estates (a rom com?) tonight tells of four lifelong friends in their 80s (played by Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Rita Moreno, and Sally Field) who travel to Houston to watch Tom Brady and his New England Patriots play in Super Bowl LI in 2017. Seventeen years before the 4 had gathered to help Lily get through her cancer treatment and had a tradition of watching him together. They win tickets (they think) and have hilarious adventures on the trip and at the game. 

Obama's quagmire?

Obama ran on the Iraq war issue--specifically getting out. He said it was a distraction from more important issues. Yet all 8 years of his terms we were at war with him in charge. So now Democrats call this 2 month war a quagmire? Hegseth fires back at 'quagmire' label, tells Garamendi 'shame on you' in House hearing.   And if Obama hadn't given Iraq the money to create this mess, we wouldn't even be having this conversation.