February 1st, 2025
“ Dobroho ranku”, or “Good Morning!” in Ukrainian, is an Eastern Slavic language spoken mainly in Ukraine. I have decided that the UJT will remain focused on Ukraine until we can all rejoice at the end of hostilities. It has been 1,089 days since Russia invaded Ukraine.
This week, I learned some stuff:
-
- We have a new challenge in our house. The shower door installed when they had to replace our shower from the last plumbing leak has decided it’s going to fall off. We did nothing unusual with the door. We opened and closed it when we took showers that was it, but suddenly it’s decided it can no longer tolerate this treatment so now begins to task of trying to get the contractor to live up to fixing the things that he installed. Oh boy, this should be fun!
- If you’re elderly and depending upon social Security and Medicare to enjoy your retirement. I think you’re in big trouble. The new administration has decided to remove $2 trillion from the United States budget without reducing any taxation for corporations in ultra wealthy people. I agree we need to reduce spending but I can think of several areas that could be reduced with impacting so many people. The wealthy is nation in the world can afford to reduce its budget by $2 trillion without impacting anyone they have to be have the desire and discipline to look for areas that do not add value to the citizenry. We spend too much on defense, we spend too much on taxation. We spend too much in a lot of areas, but the list always seems to start with taking money away from those people who contributed to Social Security for their entire working life. This is because it’s the largest puddle of money that hasn’t been stolen yet, but the fact of the matter is no matter what they do there’s nothing any of us can do about it now.
- How about those food prices! it’s an economic perfect storm! For example, 22 million chickens got bird flu last year and reduced the output of eggs significantly. Eggs are used in many products. A dozen eggs that cost $1.50 or $2 a year ago is now running between $8 and $10 in California. A bag of Doritos now goes for almost$6 at Walmart. I’m afraid we’re heading to a situation where we really need to tighten our belts like our grandparents did in the depression Hold onto your hats!
- One last topic for thought. I am not sure that many Americans truly understand the concepts of tariffs. On the face of it, they look like a viable economic tool, and if used judiciously, it can support the startup of a new industry inside a nation by making the alternative a but harder to get. But it is a very, very risky business. A common response to increasing tariffs is a price war. Country A will increase the import tariffs on a product from country B by a certain percentage. Country B then retaliates by making their own increases in terrace for products from country A and so it goes… What most people fail to consider about tariffs is that it’s “pebble in a pond” effect. When country A is unable to get the products from country B it uses in its business the cost of those products increases. Further as price is increased, demand diminishes followed by unemployment. When unemployment increases there is less available income, compounding the problem. As production decreases demand increases as does pricing making common items too expensive for people in some cases. Last Saturday, somewhere between the 8th and 10th holes the president decided he was angry with Mexico because their new president made a disparaging comment during her speech. In retaliation, he tweeted his intent to increase tariffs on products from Mexico and Canada by 25%. This is a devastating change in our economy. Not to be a doomsday kind of person, but if this trend continues, we will have rioting in the streets, martial law and all the other sundry negative effects on our country by summertime. I hope 2 things: 1) It’s all talk, bullshit and lies. Or 2) I am terribly wrong about the consequences of such stupidity. unfortunately we can do nothing but watch and see.
- The best news we got this week was that I managed to loose 2 more pounds! Whoohooo! We slacked off of our trips to the gym during the fires (air quality was very poor with the smoke from the fires). Speaking of fires our Border 2 fire is
- You can find out all about today’s history here.
This week’s Website Update:
-
- No new recipes this week.
- The Home Page this week is from John Ruskin ( A singly interesting Englishman 18 19-1900): “One can’t be angry when one looks at a penguin.”.
- I have begun to make the improvements on the website I spoke of last week. The UJT Archive page has been updated to include dates for 2025. All the 2025UJT’s have been stored. More changes are coming.
Bonsai Tree and Stained Glass, Update:
-
- I failed to come up with any adequate excuses to refrain from my stained glass project any longer,
Weird-Stuff-O-Meter:
-
- Regret is right up there on the top of the Useless Emotions List (UEL). neither emotion benefits anyone. Regret indicates that you’re spending too much time thinking about yesterday. Worry indicates that you are spending too much time worrying about tomorrow. All this is at the expense of thinking about how good a day you can have today I recommend you remove both of these emotions from your options list go ahead give it a try you won’t regret it.
Music Update:
This week, I am continuing to play by artists whose first name begins with “L”. Yes, I know that this is random and arbitrary but also fun. At least I hope so. There are a lot of great players on that list so they will b enraptured for a couple of weeks.
This week’s UJT Radio Program:
-
- Leopold Stokowski & The Philadelphia Orchestra — The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” Like kids pretty much everywhere I fell in love with Disney Characters. “Fantasia” was my favorite movie for what seemed like a long time. That movie and its sound track were released in 1940. I hope this one brings back good memories for you too.
- Les Paul and Joss Stone — Love Sneaking Up on You – I got to see Les Paul play one rainy night in a small NYC bar. It wa a regular gig for him and I think he wa in his 70s by then. This song is from a record called, “Les Paul & Friends” and features just about every great guitarist still alive plus some other folks. This happens to be the first song I heard with Joss Stone. I have been a great fan ever since.
- Lionel Richie —Can’t Slow Down— this is the title cut from his 1983 release. It’s such a tight song and it’s such a really great album. Been a long time since I heard it. I hope you enjoyed it as well.
- Loggins & Messina —Long Tail Cat — Kenny and Jim filled my life with great music in the 1970s. This one was released in 1972. This a deep cut that didn’t get on the radio too much but I always loved it.
- Los Lonely Boys — Heaven — my friend randy turned me onto these guys. The first time they just blew me away. This is from their self titled album released in 2005. I think it’s a couple brothers and a friend but it’s well done. I hope you like it.
- Louis Armstrong — What a Wonderful World — This is the title song from his album released in 1968. He was one of my Mom’s favorites. Most of the world got to hear it for the first time as part of the “Good Morning Vietnam” with Robin Williams teaching us his nickname “Satchmo”. I can’t help it every time I hear it. I think of both those great men and their contributions to our world and smile.
That’s it… Do the best you can; Laugh every chance you get; Always remember… The best is yet to come! As always, thank you for being my friend!