Screw Tesla Day

Tesla facilities worldwide have been the target of protests objecting to Tesla CEO Elon Musk's influential role in the Trump administration. This weekend, organizers who have been leading peaceful protests in recent weeks are staging what they hope to be their biggest day yet.

As part of the "Tesla Takedown" campaign, hundreds of nonviolent demonstrations are planned to take place across the U.S. on Saturday. Organizers are calling it a "global day of action" with a goal of 500 protests worldwide.

 

Freak Wednesday Blizzard

A freak March blizzard blew through Nebraska on Wednesday with wind gusts of 70 mph.  It was a complete white out all day.  Power lines were snapped to the ground and damage was extensive and widespread.

DOWNED POWER LINES

Here on the farm we lost power at 6:00 AM Wednesday morning and it was not restored until 10:00 PM Friday night.  Several rural communities around us are still without power.  Fortunately for us we have a pto generator that is powered by our tractor which provides enough power for our entire house.

Many farms around us were without power in freezing night time temperatures the entire time. Likely others will now be considering generators for such future events, both winter and summer storms. Even an RV style portable generator would be better than nothing.

Day time temperatures in the 40's has melted most all of the snow and the clean up of downed trees branches will be on our "to do" list this week.

Johannestal, Beresan, Odessa, Ukraine

In the previous post I mentioned I grew up in North Dakota and there is a history to that.  I am a direct descendant of Germans from Russia.

I am empathetic to the plight of the Ukrainian people, especially because my paternal great grandparents where Germans from Johannestal, Beresan, Odessa, South Russia which is now part of the Odessa region of Ukraine.  

My paternal grandfather was born there and immigrated to America as a child with his parents and 5 siblings via the Port of Bremen, Germany on May 20, 1902 aboard the SS Kronprinz Wilhelm and arrived at Ellis Island,  New York on May 28, 1902.  The family ultimately settled near New Liepzig, North Dakota.

Germans were originally recruited and welcomed to the Russian Empire in the 18th century, when they were promised to be allowed to practice own language and religions and to be exempted from compulsory military service.

In the late 19th century, both changing political conditions and growing hostilities towards Germans from Russia caused many Black Sea Germans, as well as Volga Germans, among other Germans from Russian communities, to begin migrating to the United States.

The first Black Sea German settlements in the United States were established in 1873 near the town of Lesterville, South Dakota, but they soon spread throughout both Dakotas. By 1920, an estimated 70,000 Germans from Russia lived in North Dakota, most of them were Black Sea Germans, in addition to Volga Germans. Currently, it is estimated that 30-40% of North Dakota's population is of German from Russia descent, primarily Black Sea German.

And that brings us to today. For 3 years Ukraine has been in a fight for their independence since being attacked by Putin's Russia.  Since seizing Crimea in 2014 Putin has continued his unprovoked aggression.  With the support of the United States and ally nations Ukraine has been able to fight back. Until now.

Ukraine's sovereignty is being chipped away by convicted felon Trump's regime, aligning more with Putin than Zelensky.  Any peace talks are going to take away more of Ukraine's territory and resources, deny Ukraine membership in NATO and deny them complete independence, all the while disregarding that Putin has target bombed innocent Ukraine civilians.  Shame on America for backing away from supporting Ukraine. 

  

Apologies To Canada

The American shit show continues as our convicted felon president continues to alienate us from the rest of the world with talk of invading the Panama Canal and taking it by force, "buying" Greenland and making Canada the 51st state.

Growing up in North Dakota I was fortunate to travel Canada on numerous occasions and found Canadians to be gracious neighbors.  In recent RV travel my wife and I met Canadians who were just as gracious.  It is sad that many Canadian RV'ers are deciding to not travel in the United States because of our moron president's actions.  

As convicted felon Trump slaps idiotic tariffs on Canada a wedge has been created between our countries, leaving Canadians no choice in response, as in the case of Ontario Premier Doug Ford who has canceled the $100 million contract with Musk's Starlink.

Rather than bash Canada, America should follow their example in many instances.

America is no longer respected and can no longer be trusted.  Our Canadian neighbors to the north have every right to resist America's unhinged convicted felon president.  I for one dug into my closet and pulled out my Canada jacket purchased as a tourist years ago.  It is in good shape and still fits.  I will wear it proudly as a statement of support for Canada and our Canadian friends.

We Resist

Living under a dictatorship means we must look out for ourselves.  As quasi-president Musk goes about exposing the personal data of everyone in the nation we have made sure to freeze our accounts with the three national credit bureaus of Equifax, TransUnion and Experian.  

And then there is the Blue Dot.

Two states are unique in the Electoral College. Maine and Nebraska appoint individual electors based on the winner of the popular vote within each Congressional district and then 2 "at-large" electors based on the winner of the overall state-wide popular vote.  

While this method of awarding electors is better than a “winner take all” method it still isn’t representative, vis-à-vis election by popular vote. The Electoral College, enacted to placate Southern slave states, is inherently unfair.

This became newsworthy in the 2024 election and Nebraska’s 2nd congressional district, which is predominately Democrat, as it could have been crucial in a close appointment of electors.  So much so that it was called “the blue dot” with homemade blue dot yard signs placed all over the district.  It was a show of solidarity in the district.

 

Consistent with voter restrictions the Republicans are known for, the Nebraska legislation is attempting to do away with this and go to “winner take all”, contrary to the preference of voters.

There isn’t much we can do when a Republican controlled legislation ramrods their way.  Here on the farm we’ve decided to stage our own “blue dot” resistance movement of sorts.  We have replaced standard light bulbs in our yard lights with blue LED light bulbs. 

 

It is an inexpensive way of saying we resist the tyranny of the convict felon Trump and his administration of boobs and oligarchs. When anyone drives in our yard it says we are the resistance.  We are a blue dot in a sea of cult red.