Ramblings of an Old fart. -

Is our mail In Ballot System As Safe and Accurate as They Say It Is

This last week When I checked my Mail, I have a PO Box, which I have had for 12-15 years. I was expecting some mail in ballots for me and my wife, Because Utah mails them out to everyone on the voter roles. There was on e ballot in my box, I thought that’s weird they always show up together. On closer inspection I find that the ballot had the correct address info. But it was not us and we live in a small town, I didn’t recognize the name. As if that wasn’t enough to get me thinking about this, I heard on the news that Toole County here in Utah had some serious screw ups with mail in ballots. You see in a primary election you have 3 separate ballots you know Dems Republicans and unaffiliated. Well the printing company who also mails them apparently got wrong info or they screwed up, you had dems getting republican ballots and vice/versa and then unaffiliated were getting party ballots. So now they are working hard to get right ballots to the right places. Los Angeles County, California (Just Days Ago): On June 2, 2026, election officials launched an investigation after an outdoor ballot drop box at a Department of Public Social Services building in downtown Los Angeles was set on fire.Because it happened between scheduled pickups, only a "limited number" of ballots sustained fire damage, and the county is currently using security logs and tracking data to contact affected voters and issue replacements. CBS News

What Happens When Patriotism falls and People Stop Loving or Respecting Their Country

When a majority of people no longer love or respect their country, the consequences can be both social and political, often leading to instability, weakened institutions, and long-term decline. 1. Erosion of National Identity and Unity Patriotism has historically been a unifying force, but when it declines, national identity can fragment. Gallup data show that national pride is dropping sharply, especially among Democrats and Gen Z, with only about 36% of Democrats now “extremely” or “very” proud to be American AP News [https://apnews.com/article/patriotism-america-national-pride-decline-poll-gallup-0411dd2f28329a6b640d404db8626d3f]. This erosion can make it harder to rally around shared values, weakening social cohesion. Over the last couple of days I have heard about all of the celebrities dropping out of the 250th celebration. I thought how un-patriotic of them. I decided to look into the details and I was surprised by what I found out. I don’t watch the nightly news much because it’s usually not accurate and it’s always partisan. So it is my own fault that I wasn’t aware of two celebrations being planned. Congress Planned the America 250 Celebration and Trump group planned the Freedom 250 Celebration. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, I mean our congress can’t agree on anything but, they actually agreed on a nonpartisan basis for the America 250, good for them. But then as the case is these days the President had to do his own thing. Turns out that the presidents celebration is a lot about money and donations and the Presidents ego. I was very upset with the celebrities when I first heard about this, but now I can understand why. Understanding doesn’t really help that hurt I feel in my heart though. If we can’t even

Dark Money, Big Corporations and Unacountable Governments are doing it Again.

Kevin O Leary accuses Utah Organizers, trying to stop his Huge data Center Project, of colluding with the Chinese and taking money from Them. When O’Leary went on Fox News claiming he had IRS 990 forms proving a Chinese conspiracy, he was making a massive rhetorical leap. What his auditors actually found is completely standard, domestic political "dark money." Just days after O’Leary’s television appearance, the CEO of O’Leary Digital, Paul Palandjian, publicly stepped back from the "China" allegations. He admitted to local media that they had no specific evidence linking the Utah groups to China. Instead, he shifted the focus to demanding "donor transparency" * Senator Jerry Stevenson (Vice Chair of MIDA): Stevenson is a powerful state senator who sits right next to Stuart Adams on the MIDA Executive Board. In legislative hearings, Stevenson defended MIDA’s staggering reach by stating plainly, "Anything that a city can do, MIDA could do." Except, as you know, nobody can vote a MIDA board member out of office. * MAID (Military Installation Development Authority) Basically bypassed the peoples right to public debate and also bypassed our own legislature. They are a Quasi Governmental Agency Accountable to no-one, at least that is the way it appears.

Maybe Honor And Integrity Aren't Dead After all !!!!

'It was unreal': When he sold his business, this founder shared $240 million with his 540 employees to thank them for their loyalty. The most impactful acts of kindness rarely make the evening news. They happen in the quiet moments between a shop foreman and an apprentice, or a business owner and a struggling neighbor. True integrity isn't found in a campaign speech or a corporate mission statement; it’s found in the follow-through. It’s the handshake that doesn't need a lawyer, the repair done right the first time because your name is on it, and the decision to share the "spoils" with the people who actually did the heavy lifting. In a world that often feels like it's "following the money" down a dark hole, these individuals are the light. They prove that you can be successful without losing your soul, and that being a "tough" leader doesn't mean you have to have a cold heart. "Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching." — C.S. Lewis

Is Our Governments and Courts forcing People into Nonconsensual Servitude - Modern Day Slavery?

The case of Marquita Johnson is perhaps the most gut-wrenching "poster child" for the damage this system causes. It highlights how a minor administrative issue (parking tickets) can be used to legally dismantle a family. Reuters In 2012, Judge Les Hayes sentenced Marquita Johnson to 496 days in jail. Her 3 children were taken by the state and put in foster care. * The Offense: Failure to pay parking and traffic tickets. * The Comparison: That sentence was longer than the average sentence for negligent homicide in some jurisdictions at that time. * The Financial Trap: She was placed on "private probation" through a company called Judicial Correction Services (JCS). They added their own fees to her existing fines. When she couldn't pay the company their "monthly fee," they reported her to the judge, who then jailed her. Here is the loop hole. Because now it is considered an administrative issue (Contempt of Court) instead of criminal she is not provided an attorney. This is not accidental, it is intentional to raise money on the backs of poor people. Regardless of the destruction it causes. Government Hostility? The "Double Punishment": Marquita later remarked that Judge Hayes didn't just sentence her; he sentenced her children. Even after she was released, she had to fight a secondary legal battle with the Department of Human Services to get her children back.