The New Year is Near!

Your joyful Peasant wishes all of you, my fantastic readers,

a beautiful, blessed, joyful, prosperous, unforgettable, great

and happy new year! May all your dreams and plans for the

coming year come true for you and your families! God bless!

Happy New Year! Let's all raise a toast to Auld Lang Syne!

MEM

Christmas Blessings to All!

Your Merry Peasant wishes you, my grand readers, 

a very Merry Christmas! Let us always bear in mind

that Jesus Christ is the reason for the season!

Jesus gave us the greatest gift that anyone has ever 

given anyone, or ever could; the gift of everlasting life 

in Heaven by conquering sin and death. This was the 

mission Jesus came into our world to fulfill.

May you all have the company of family and friends,

have wonderful Christmas dinners, exchange gifts,

watch lovely Christmas specials on TV, but always,

always, remember the only begotten son of our 

heavenly Father, who gave us this most special day 

by putting the Christ in Christmas. May we always

be worthy of His loving gift and His boundless,

unconditional love for us.

We shall reconvene here afterwards. God bless you all,

and as Tiny Tim joyfully proclaimed in Charles Dickens'

"A Christmas Carol", "God bless us everyone!"

MEM

Nuts! Must Postpone!

Sorry everyone, your favorite Peasant is short on time

while long on commitments. I'll make it up to you, my

fabulous readers, when I return in what hopefully will

be just a week or two!

Thank you for your forgiveness and understanding!

We'll have an extra-wonderful visit when I return!

MEM  

One in the Eye for Urban Democrats

Eric Johnson, mayor of Dallas, Texas, was elected to office

as a Democrat. He has now become a Republican. This is 

worth noting because Mayor Johnson is without scandal or

any other major blemish, and is very popular; winning by 

a whisker for his first term, he won unopposed for his second

and current term. The secret of his success, and the reason for

his switching parties? Unlike many of his big city counterparts 

he is pro-law and order while they are pro-crime and criminal.

And Dallas has benefitted from Johnson's stance by having

lower crime rates making for a safer city.

Mayors of New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington D.C.,

etc., are you paying attention?

MEM 

A Happy and Joyful Thanksgiving to You All!

Friends, it has been a most challenging year which we are 

getting through. But despite what we are facing on so many

fronts, we here in the United States still have much to be

thankful for; and we can and shall hold on to it all if we 

remain strong and determined to maintain our country 

the way it was meant and made to be. Yes, we can speak 

our minds on any subject at all. Yes, we can have the 

education to prepare ourselves for the careers we want.

Yes, we can have those very careers and the lives they 

make possible for us to have. And yes, we can have those 

lives and the lifestyles we want to have; to live where 

we want, to wear the clothes we want to wear, to drive

the cars we want to drive, to raise our children the way 

we want, instilling our values and our faith, our work ethic 

and our enthusiasm, our love for our country and for being 

citizens of this great and good place that we call the 

United States of America. 

And best of all, no one can take away any of these things 

without our permission. Did any of you, my great and grand

readers, give anyone your permission? Neither did your

thankful Peasant nor his family. So we shall continue on as

we've been with what we have and enjoy, and our enemies 

from without and from within are out of luck. Bleep 'em!

Therefore, we are so greatly blessed in our lives by the grace

of God, who has given us this magnificent country and all of

its benefits and they are ours to keep, to cherish, to enjoy, 

and to pass down through our coming generations. In the 

meantime, let us be thankful for all of these blessings 

which we have received by a good, loving, and generous 

god, the Source of all our providence, the Fountain of all

wisdom, and the Father of us all. 

Happy Thanksgiving. 

MEM

How Important is Winning to Republicans?

Another election, another overall defeat for the Republicans.

Like so many elections in recent years, be they state-

wide or national, the GOP has managed to snatch 

defeat from the jaws of victory, losing elections which

were not only winnable but slam-dunks! Remember the

Red Tsunami of '20? If you don't, it was an eminently 

forgettable non-event, so don't feel so bad. It seems that

no matter how badly the Dems screw up or are caught

doing something against our Constitutional law, the more 

the Republican Party is unable to successfully message

the minuses of the Democrats and the Republicans'

own positives to create a clear contrast between the 

two parties and their candidates.

To begin, there's Virginia. The Republicans were forecasted

to keep the House of Delegates and win the state Senate.

They lost the former and failed to take the latter. 

Congressional Democrats in 2022 carried all seven of the 

state's swing districts. Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin,

who won the state's governorship in an upset over then-incumbent

Terry McAuliffe (D) in 2021, deserves praise for investing his political

capital to try to turn Virginia from blue to red, even though the overall 

effort was not successful. Here are some of the reasons:

National Democrats contributed millions of dollars to cast Gov.

Youngkin in an unfavorable light, and jabbed at down-ballot 

GOP candidates on abortion, trying to convince Virginia voters

that the Republicans would try to outlaw all abortions in the

state, never mind the fact that Youngkin got Virginia Republicans

to rally around a 15-week limit with exceptions. 

The Dems won a Loudon County seat in a district which Gov. 

Youngkin carried by just a fraction of a point in 2021. 

A Democrat candidate there ran as a champion of abortion rights.

In these recent years Northern Virginia has become downright 

friendly to Democrats and the left in general while turning hard 

from the Republicans and anyone who smacks of the right-of-

center. The rest of Virginia is somewhat better on the whole but

is very wary of the GOP.

Kentucky was a disaster, where abortion also had a significant

role in the re-election of the lefty-but-feints-to-the-center Gov.

Andy Beshear. Keep in mind that President Donald Trump 

carried the state by more than 25 points in 2020. The secret of

Beshear's success? In his campaign he ran ads that lied about

the GOP being amenable to forcing rape survivors to give birth

to their rapists' children. More abortion hair-'em scare-'em. It 

didn't help any that Republican Daniel Cameron was inconsistent

regarding the abortion exceptions he would support, trying in vain

to appeal to as many voters of varied views on abortion as at all

possible. That's what happens when one tries to be all things to 

all people, especially in politics.

Pennsylvania saw a pro-abortion candidate, Daniel McCafferty 

run for a seat on the state Supreme Court and win with this plank.

Ohio was especially heartbreaking with the voters there 

approving a ballot measure making the right to an abortion ---

at all stages of pregnancy --- an iron-clad part of Ohio's 

constitution, with a winning margin of 56% - 43% (!), in a state

which has just a few years ago went from being a swing-state 

to a red state (!!). 

Republicans are losing these races due to poor messaging and 

trying to go for the home run when a bunt would be more prudent.

They should, therefore, seek to make gradual gains, compromising

on what can be gained at the moment rather than going for the whole

prize at once. They should be satisfied with a slice of the beef from 

the bull and enjoy the dinner one helping at a time instead of coming

up to the bull and start digging in, trying to feast upon its meat all

at once; the Republicans should instead go for incremental gains.

All or nothing is a poor goal to strive for, as it often leaves one 

with not all but nothing.

All of this is happening while President Joe Biden, the Dems' ageing 

and faltering leader, has been consistently stuck with an approval

rating of around 40%, facing criticism from many quarters for 

incompetence and corruption, the worst inflation in over forty years,

poor foreign policy and military decisions, promoting "wokeness",

trying to gaslight the electorate about it all, and the Democrats 

not at all serious about replacing Biden at the heard of the ticket 

next year and sending him off to pasture. 

This can change, fear not. However, it will take a change in the 

Republicans' outlook about themselves and how they campaign,

which will require a long, hard look in the mirror, and decide for 

themselves that they are sick and tired of constant defeat. 

Simply and succinctly, they have to want to change.

MEM

Gratitude For Our Veterans

Veterans Day, November 11, is coming upon us so very soon.

Although it is good to thank a veteran on any day at all, let us

certainly thank a veteran on this day which has been set aside 

for honoring all our veterans who are still bound with us in this

mortal coil, for if not for them we would also be bound up in

chains by a totalitarian enemy.

Do you enjoy your freedom? Thank a vet!

MEM

A Happy Halloween Season to You All!

Halloween greetings to you, my wonderful readers!

I do apologize for not getting this message to you 

yesterday; I had to deal with the ramifications of a

snowstorm; Mother Nature played a trick on our

town! The Peasant gives you his sincere apologies 

and hopes that you are enjoying All Saints Day

(which is today) and that you'll enjoy All Souls Day

tomorrow.

I hope that you all are having better weather where 

you are than your favorite Peasant is having here in

southeastern Wisconsin!

MEM

Truth is Always the First Casualty of War

News out of Gaza in recent days has announced two things:

500 deaths outside a Gaza hospital and that it was caused  

by an Israeli strike. The source of this news item was Hamas's

propaganda campaign, trying very hard to make the Israeli

forces look like bloodthirsty beasts, and much of the inter-

national media, with its widespread anti-Israel bias,

unquestioningly took Hamas at its word. Thus, truth is always

the first casualty of war, as one side begins to fight on a 

second front --- the battle to persuade people as to who 

are the good guys and who are the villains; the latter always

try to dress up as sheep while covering their wolfish tendencies.

Surprisingly (to say the least), President Biden said in a speech

during his recent visit to Israel that proof emerged that the 

cause of the attack was a Palestinian rocket, not an Israeli

one. In so doing he kept the focus on Hamas's egregious 

violations of the laws of war, which have of late been used 

to hamstring Israel and its capability to defend itself and to

gain support from western nations. The BBC said --- on air

--- that the Israelis "said they are investigating, but it is hard 

to see what else this could be, really, given the size of the 

explosion, other than an Israeli airstrike, or several airstrikes."

Really? Do you Beeb boobs believe that the Palestinians would

never, ever, fire at a hospital, trying to take out doctors, nurses,

children, and patients while the Israelis would do it in a 

heartbeat?

Headlines have since shifted, but now political lefties around

the world are holding protests asking Israel to initiate a cease-

fire. Hamas would like it a lot if Israel were to do this, of course.

Meanwhile, a White House National Security Council spokesman

averred that "(Our) current assessment, based on analysis of 

overhead imagery, intercepts and open source information,

is that Israel is not responsible for the explosion at the hospital

in Gaza." An intercept of a call between Hamas members 

along with Israeli drone film bolster the already accumulated 

evidence. 

So what actually happened? Either of two things: Possibility one,

the Palestinians launched a rocket which malfunctioned and never

got near its intended (Israeli) target; Possibility two: the Palestinians

deliberately struck the area just outside one of their hospitals and

tried to pin the blame on Israeli forces. The hospital still stands,

but the parking lot outside the hospital had been hit, with lots of 

evidence of fire damage but not the impact crater one usually sees

with Israeli air strikes. 

Now, regarding the rules of warfare which civilized nations developed 

through the centuries, there are two iron-clad rules right off: One,

you can't target civilians. Two, incidental casualties must be balanced

against the aims of war; in other words, proportionality is to be 

sustained. This is acknowledging that in any war some innocent 

bystanders, if you will, are going to get killed, but these deaths must

be related to the goals of self-defense. While zero casualties is, sadly,

an impossible goal, the more realistic goal is then to minimize these

deaths with the count consistent with defeating the enemy.

Hamas and their allies blow it on Rule One; every rocket attack they 

made and continue to make on Israel is a war crime according to this

rule. But journos in the West, government officials in many western 

nations and politicians in and out of office hold Israel to casualty 

totals extremely close to zero while turning a blind eye to the totals

piled up by the Palestinians, and are quick to believe all accounts of 

alleged Israeli atrocities while excusing actual Palestinian atrocities,

blithely lying that they are just defending themselves, or that they 

are getting justice for their own having been killed by the Israelis.

Note: The Israelis DO NOT (emphasis The Peasant's) bomb hospitals,

schools, orphanages, or shoot at civilian women and children.

The Palestinians hide behind children to avoid being shot at, especially

children taken hostage. 

Israel is now getting much deserved support from the United States,

with President Biden seeming to start to understand the truth behind

how the war in Israel is being waged by the Israelis, fighting valiantly

to defend their land and their people. Let's hope that this is the pivotal

point in the war, and that Israel is on the road to victory. And let's 

hope that the rest of the West, especially our allies, are starting to have

this understanding as well.

MEM

Singapore Sings Praises for The Peasant

Something remarkable has happened in recent weeks 

and months; Singapore, located in the Pacific Rim region

of the world, a tiny but bustling nation, has taken a big 

bright shine to The Peasant. As of September, PWAP has 

been attracting a record (for this blog) number of readers

in each of the past four months, reaching a peak of 15,455

for September! Along the way, Singaporean readership 

has surpassed all of the other countries where PWAP 

is read in terms of total views online; even the 

United States has been passed by! The Peasant's home

country! The U.S. presently trails Singapore in total 

views to date: 28,534 to 23,305. Singapore leads 

the world in readership of PWAP, with the U.S. now

in second place.

To my readers in Singapore, it's wonderful to have you

all aboard! I know that you favor limited government,

low (and few) taxes, unnecessary regulation, and 

a harmonious social order for a harmonious society;

the very things that The Peasant likes! In this world,

in these trying times, it is so important and reassuring 

to be united with like-minded people who share one's 

hopes, concerns, aspirations, and a unquenchable thirst 

for freedom, and with that a passion to preserve that 

freedom for not only our generation but for those to come.

Because if we lose that precious commodity, it would be

nearly impossible to regain it. 

In closing, please feel free to leave comments on this blog

telling me what you liked about the pieces The Peasant

has posted and how they resonated with you. Let me know

what you most enjoyed in each article. And also feel free

to tell me a bit about yourselves. In the meantime, thank

you for your most enthusiastic readership! Your humble 

Peasant is most grateful!

MEM

Israel Under Siege

On October 6, Israel was swiftly attacked by Hamas, one of 

the radical Islamic groups in the Middle East, backed by 

Iranian money and supplies. A full-on, all-out jihad was 

launched against Israel by combined forces who have

long wanted to eradicate Israel and her people from 

the face of the earth. Israel has fought wars in defense 

of their country so many, many times throughout their 

3,000 year history. and now they must fight yet another

such war.

Israel was first attacked by an aerial force, followed by 

a land attack. How can this have happened, Israelis have 

started to ask. And how can it be that Israel allowed a 

bloodthirsty terrorist group to rule for as long as it had in 

Gaza, just next door? Hamas's intentions were always 

obvious. To get Hamas out of there, Israel might have had 

to forcefully remove them and take over the governance 

of Gaza itself, and the magpies of the democracies in the 

West, all safe, comfy and cozy would have yelled "Foul!"

and "Bloody murder!" in response. They just plain don't

get it in regards to what Israel faces, and has faced every 

day for many years, nay, generations, centuries; some of 

them don't even care.

Gaza was given up by Israel in 2005 under pressure from 

said Western democracies, including --- quite sadly ---

the United States, and the Gaza is still called "Israeli-

occupied" (!) by the U.N. The Western media journos 

and their higher-ups have fallen in line with this false

bit of narrative. They don't care that the Gaza's dictatorial

rulers are sworn to obliterate Israel; these U.N. and media

elites don't care about Israel, period. 

Israel was even castigated for forcefully stopping Hamas's 

previous attempts to rush the border. The Western media 

called the Hamas border-rushers "protesters". a' la the 

"peaceful protesters" that have been rioting, burning, and

looting in several U.S. cities a few summers ago (!!).

Meanwhile, reports have been coming in from Israel telling

of people dragged off the streets and tossed into vehicles,

taken off by Hamas to who-knows-where, and families 

murdered in their homes, some even in their beds.

Men, women, and children have been thus killed. There 

has been a report of an elderly woman too infirmed to be

taken off by the Hamas invaders, so the latter killed her 

in her home by dousing her with gas and lighting her afire.

Further reports of babies' and toddlers' bodies having been

discovered mutilated, some even having been decapitated.

Anti-Israel politicians and journos around the world, 

including in the U.S., claimed that the grisly fate of those

innocent children was just a lie, and that the adults that

were killed was justifiable, given what Israel allegedly did 

to Palestinians in Israel for so long. 

Israel will do what it has to do in order to defeat their invading

enemies, regardless of what Anti-Israel figures want and say.

It would, of  course, help Israel if the U.S. would make it

clear to all in the Middle East, especially Hamas and Iran,

that they support Israel and will assist Israel as much as it

can just short of direct military involvement; they can move

a battleship or two and a maybe a few aircraft carriers to

the Eastern Mediterranean to demonstrate their willingness

to place themselves in a position to make such involvement

if circumstances call for it. And it was such a great surprise 

to hear our heretofore feckless president Joe Biden denounce

the invasion of Israel and the ensuing slaughter of innocent

civilians, calling it "Sheer evil" (!!!). Let's hope and pray that

Biden will have the resoluteness to have the appropriate 

actions accompany his words! These actions should reflect 

that American power need only be demonstrated in order to 

deter another war in that region. Another benefit of such action

would be that it would shut down Hamas and their allies,

as well as to shut up anti-Israel loudmouths in the West.

MEM

The Social Club for Hustlers, Rogues, and Their Apologists

Founded on the heels of WWII, the United Nations was billed

as the world's best hope for preventing any further world wars

and many smaller ones, as well as a place where discussion,

negotiation, and diplomacy would resolve disputes between 

various groups of people including large nations. In the years

since its founding the U.N.'s record in regards to the afore-

mentioned has been spotty at best. 

How's the U.N. doing of late? With an emerging world order led

by rogue regimes and their equally repulsive friends and allies,

one wonders what is the use of having the U.N. at all? 

Recently the U.N. hosted a gathering of dignitaries, functionaries,

and a few heads of state for the United Nations General Assembly,

and our (heaven help us) President Biden was among the throng.

Biden made his annual speech to those assembled, the Presidents

of Russia, China, and France didn't bother to attend, nor did the 
U.K.'s Prime Minister, and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi gave a 

speech dedicated to taking a pot shot at the United States. 

By the by, Raisi gave his squalid little presentation just one day

after Iran expelled the U.N.'s top nuclear weapons inspectors.

In addition, the U.N. has stood cravenly by as North Korea

ignores Security Council resolutions and sanctions to expand its

nuclear program. On the Ukranian conflict with Russia? 

The U.N. has been even more pitiful. Russia's veto in the Security 

Council coupled with China's backing had blocked any meaningful

response to Russia's mayhem. Ukrainian President Volodymyr 

Zelensky made a rare visit to the U.N. to state the case for support

against Russia's invasion. The U.S. and its allies will determine 

whether Ukraine ultimately defeats the Russians in their war.

U.N.-style multilateralism is flimsy and ineffective as China and 

their fellow rogues show off their power, with no one to rein them

in. The left-wing internationalists in Biden's State Department 

fantasize about groups of nations meeting at the U.N. to settle 

their spats in peace, but all they are doing is dreaming pipe dreams

while the present wars grind on, grinding people and their 

countries into rubble, leaving Biden's ivory-tower dwellers 

wondering why. 

MEM

Shooting the Second Amendment

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) came up 

with an idea for greatly reducing gun violence in the city

of Albuquerque and its entire county: Suspend the Second 

Amendment to the Constitution, oh, just for thirty days,

to see if her action will drive down the number of shootings

in that part of her state. Just an emergency order to promote

and preserve public safety, no need to get your BVDs in a 

twist.

Gov. Grisham claims that as governor, she has the power to 

suspend the right, guaranteed by the 2nd Amendment no less,

to carry firearms in public across both city and state for 30 

days, and to see how that works out. If it doesn't significantly

cut down on gun-related crimes, then Grisham would give it

some more time to bring about her sought-after results.

The gov says that she expects legal challenges to her action

(Gee, Gov, ya think?) but claims that she simply had to do

something because, well, an 11-year-old boy was a recent 

victim of said shooting. So why not punish the law-abiding

gun owners by suspending the 2nd Amendment? Brilliant!

Never mind that the criminals won't put away or turn in 

THEIR guns; this was never about them anyway! Raw

power is the name of the game here!

Strong opposition to Gov. Grisham and her putting 2A on the 

shelf is already brewing. The Albuquerque Police Chief,

Harold Medina, has publicly stated that he won't enforce 

the governor's order because it is unconstitutional (and he's 

right). This is what fascism looks like. When someone in 

government just goes ahead with issuing an emergency order,

violating precious constitutional rights in the process, that is,

indeed, fascism. Furthermore, this measure will tie the hands of 

law-abiding gun owners, making it difficult for them to defend

themselves, their families, their homes, businesses, vehicles,

and such. Hey, Governor, FYI; they aren't the ones running 

around shooting people! Therefore, Gov. Grisham is either 

1) horribly naive regarding the effectiveness of gun control measures 

or, 2) Grisham knows that her temporary suspension of the 

2nd Amendment will not reduce the total of gun crimes 

one iota, it's just that she wants to grab and wield power which

she has no legal right to possess in the first place. To sum it up,

Gov. Grisham is either dumb or diabolical. She should at the very 

least know that the Constitution cannot be suspended or dispensed 

with by anyone in government --- especially by anyone at the 

state level. Apparently she neither knows nor cares. So Grisham

does some virtue signaling by suspending the Constitution's

Second Amendment. 

Gun rights groups are getting involved as we speak, joining forces

with Police Chief Medina. So are lawmakers and sheriffs from 

both political parties (!). Count on this battle to wind up in court

pretty soon. And then? Stay tuned ... 

MEM

A Joyous Anniversary!

Today we mark fourteen years together online! 

14 years since I first put words to blog and established

my place in cyberspace. And all of you, my wonderful 

readers, came along to join me! 

In recent years there has been a plethora of news stories

about a plethora of events affecting our country. Many of

these events are the likes of which your astounded Peasant

never thought he'd see in our United States! But to be 

forewarned is to be forearmed, and with our knowledge of

these disturbing and shocking things we can create ways

to counter them and conquer our enemies from within,

restoring our nation to what it was and was always meant 

to be, namely the beacon of hope and freedom to the world.

That we should remain a free, sovereign, and prosperous

people, not having to bow and curtsey to any dictator here

on our home ground nor from afar in another country. 

To have the rule of law as established in our Constitution,

and be governed accordingly so as to remain a country of laws

rather than a country of people who make laws. And, most

certainly, to have a government of, by, and for the people;

not of, by, and for a small but oppressive elite class.

And, all the while, to studiously ingest the political and economic

news each week to separate the chaff from the wheat; to identify

and praise the heroes as well as to identify and castigate the 

heels among us --- and to have loads of fun doing all this!

Thank you all for readership and encouragement. 

Thank you for coming along on this quest. 

God bless you all, and God bless America.

MEM

A People With Two Opposing Views on Which Way to Go

For years there has been friction between liberal and 

conservative black people regarding the political 

direction that the country --- especially black people 

themselves --- should move in.  The former think that

improvement of their lives and their outlook on same 

will be best provided by left-of-center politics and 

politicians, with emphasis on an ever-present helping

hand, while the latter preferring limited government and 

a limited role in their lives, allowing for them to find

or make their own path to their personal success.

Former President Barack Obama, the United State's 

one and only black president to date, has weighed in 

on a related matter: Republican presidential candidate  

Sen. Tim Scott, who is black himself.  Obama has 

shown disdain for the South Carolinian, inveighing 

against Sen. Scott's positivity about the United States:
"There's a long history of African-American or other 

minority candidates within the Republican Party who

will validate America and say, 'Everything's great, 

and we can make it,' ". 

For one thing, Obama gets it wrong about Scott's 

view on our country. Scott does not claim "everything's 

great," but Sen. Scott does argue that his family history 

has been a story about going "from cotton to Congress"

in the period of his grandfather's lifetime, demonstrating 

while America certainly has long had its obstacles,

they are not insurmountable and that the country is 

fundamentally good. Obama carped that Scott's rhetoric

isn't sufficiently "undergirded with an honest accounting

of our past and our present." Obama is one of the last 

people who should criticize Sen. Scott, nor anyone else 

for that matter, for a lack of honesty, given his track record 

regarding his own honesty and his relationship with the truth

while in the White House ("If you like your health care plan,

you'll be able to keep your health care plan!" for one example).

If Sen. Tim Scott's words are troublesome to the former 

president, then that's on him, not on Sen. Scott. 

MEM  

James Buckley, R.I.P.

Just earlier this year your beloved Peasant congratulated

James Buckley, older brother to William F. Buckley Jr. and 

the fourth of the ten renown Buckley children of William Sr.

and Aloise Buckley on reaching his 100th birthday --- 

the great centennial in age! Now, I sadly inform you, my grand 

readers, of his passing. His final day of his long and amazing

life was August 18.

What more can I say about this man and his accomplishments 

in the service of our country? And he was a member of a 

distinguished family which he and his siblings made even

more distinguished through their careers with their work

to make our United States an even greater, more liberty-

oriented, and with a more politically aware people seeking

a more reasonable, less mendacious, constitutionally 

restrained federal government, making for a more just

and harmonious life for the citizenry. 

We now salute and give a hearty farewell to the last living

member of the remarkable and renown brood of the Buckley

family. James has now followed his nine siblings to their

last homing and their well-earned final rewards. The Buckleys

made our country all the better for their having lived in it

and worked diligently in its service.

Requiescat in pace.

MEM

Charter Schools Win a Huge Victory

In Manhattan, a recent development regarding the nationwide

battle for charter schools as a choice for parents who want 

their children to receive better educations than they would 

in the usual public schools occurred.

A Manhattan judge rejected a last-minute attempt by the 

United Federation of Teachers to obtain a court-ordered

block to prevent two Success Academy schools from

opening as planned. The union was challenging the city's

decision to grant Success Academy space for its schools

on grounds the approval did not take into account a new 

law requiring that public schools reduce class sizes.

In June the charters were placed under a temporary 

restraining order limiting repairs they could do to their 

allocated spaces to ready them for the coming school

year. 

The UFT's filing came rather late, mere days before 

the schools' opening, claiming the "myriad harms and

safety concerns" made by building improvements 

Success was already carrying out had become "urgent."  

Gee, how "urgent" was the need to act upon taking steps

to ensure the safety of the both the students and teachers

in the already existing public schools in New York?

What, pray, has been done to cut down on violent behavior

and general thuggery? By the by, one can also make this 

inquiry about the public schools in other U.S. cities, 

also certainly in my nearest big city of Milwaukee,

and the answer to these questions would be the same.

Judge Lyle Frank deserves to be commended for his wise

rulings, slamming the door on this effort by the UFT.

Judge Frank stopped the latest example of the never-ending

harassment the teachers unions toss at whatever might,

just might make some pesky competition for the unions' 

inept, corrupt, failing schools. The war is far from over but

a key battle was won.

As of this writing the NYC Department of Education reported

that the 2022 K-12 enrollment in regular public schools was

906,977 --- down almost 10% from 2019-2020. During this 

same time period charter schools increased to 141,091 

students from 129,523, much to the consternation of, along with

the grinding and gnashing of teachers union teeth.

Success Academy is one of the best charter school networks 

in the country. It offers better options for children who are 

languishing in the traditional public schools. And the more 

that the teachers unions drag them into court the more that they

are demonstrating two things: their fight for the substandard 

status quo in education in their wretched schools for children 

from kindergarten up to and including 12th grade, and their 

contempt, disdain, and unbridled arrogance toward these 

students, their parents, and the taxpayers.

MEM

Biden's Next Noxious Nominee

President Biden picked a nominee for the office of 

Secretary of Labor, and from the looks of her, Julie Su

is every bit as radical, anti-business, and anti-worker

(esp. if the workers in question are not in any union) as 

one can imagine coming from the Democrat Party and 

landing a cabinet position in the Biden Administration.  

At present the deputy secretary, Su has tended to place

union interests above those of individual workers and  

flexible business models which workers support but   

unions strongly oppose. While not that long ago while 

being California Labor Secretary she was the driving 

force behind implementation of the state's AB5 law, 

which turned independent contractors into employees,

thus making them vulnerable to union campaigns to 

unionize them. This ploy was aimed at the participants    

in the "gig economy", i.e. Uber drivers and other workers

who have the freedom to negotiate their own individual 

wages and general terms of employment with clientele,    

freedom they would lose if their jobs became unionized

jobs, with the unions deciding what they should earn and   

negotiating for them on their terms.. However, the law

wound up adversely affecting other workers seeking  

flexible hours in various industries, such as (but not

limited to) stand-up comedians, personal fitness trainers,   

hairdressers, landscapers, and personal chefs. Su followed

this up with statewide investigations and audits to enforce

compliance. 

The state's voters then passed an initiative exempting many 

gig workers from the AB5, while the state government on its

own exempted numerous professions from the statute. 

One would think that Su would re-think AB5, to the point

of not trying to get such regulation enacted at the federal level.

But guess what? She is forging ahead with plans to do just that!

Su also is no fan of the franchise industry, a path for many to 

become small-business owners. While in her former position she

supported California's Fast Act, which empowers an unelected 

board (naturally!) to impose work rules and a minimum wage

($22 per hour!!). California's Department of Finance, itself a

bastion of liberal leadership and staff, opposed the law giving

resulting raised labor costs as their reason (!). This law has not

been implemented yet, as California voters collected enough

signatures to put the measure on the ballot in 2024.

Additionally, Su wants to get rid of the "tip credit", which allows

workers to earn a lower minimum wage provided that their 

overall tips provide compensation at least equal to the statutory

minimum wage. Most workers, especially waiters and bartenders 

make much more in tips, and are therefore not supportive of 

dumping the tip credit. They have demonstrated their dislike of 

this maneuver in defeating an initiative in very lefty Portland, 

Maine last year.

Despite Julie Su's record the Senate confirmed her as deputy 

secretary, and now she is bucking for a promotion with the

president's blessings. The country needs a fair and credible

arbiter, not a stooge for the unions. The Senate must turn down

President Biden's choice to head the Department of Labor and

make him choose a more sensible candidate.

MEM    

 

Leon Gautier, R.I.P.

It didn't seem likely that Leon Gautier would live to see

his 100th birthday; he was a French commando on D-Day,

storming the beaches of Normandy with his comrades. But 

though many allied soldiers had died that day, June 6, 1944,

Gautier was not one of them. In fact, he was the 

last surviving French commando from that day.

Having enlisted in the French Navy when just 17, he took part 

in the defense of the port of Cherbourg and the mouth of the 

Vire in Normandy as a gunner on the battleship Courbet. 

Gautier fled to Great Britain just before the Nazi occupation

of France. Once he learned about Free France he decided to 

join Charles de Gaulle and participated in the July 14 parade

in London, marching with the Free French Naval Forces.

Gautier also served on the merchant vessel Gallois as well

as being a marine rifleman on board the submarine Surcouf ,

which operated in the Middle East and in Africa. 

Next, Gautier fought with the 1st Bataillon de Fusiliers Marins

(Marines) Commandos, with whom he had fought on D-Day

in the invasion of Normandy. Over half of his unit died    

in combat there. 

After the war Gautier became the president of the French branch 

of the Association of Commandos. He married Dorothy Banks, 

an Englishwoman whom he met when he was stationed in the

United Kingdom in 1943, and they were married until her passing

in 2016 and had two daughters. In addition, Gautier became 

a peace advocate, stating that war is a "misery" which 

"ends with widows and orphans." He even befriended a former 

German soldier, Johannes Borner, with their unlikely friendship

being the subject of a book by Jean-Charles Stasi. 

Finally, Gautier was awarded the OBE: Order of the British Empire.

On 2017, to Gautier was born a great-great-grandson. 

The little baby's birthday? June 6. 

On July 3 of this year, the old commando went to rejoin his 

comrades. God bless and thank you, Monsieur Gautier, 

for your service! 

Requiescat in pace.

MEM

The Peasant is Off to the Milwaukee Irish Fest!

There will be no blog post today folks, but your 

favorite Peasant shall be back with you next week 

with a new topic to post bout, talk about, and kick

around about. I do treasure my annual Irish holiday;

four wonderful days to celebrate Irish culture and

my (part) Irish heritage!

May the road rise to meet you, and may the wind

always be at your back!

MEM

A Sorrowful Epilogue

We now have more information regarding the fate of the Titan, the tiny

submersible craft built by Stockton Rush, the CEO of OceanGate, the

company he founded to enable oceanic exploration. Interviews and 

e-mails with employees revealed how OceanGate ignored repeated,

dire, desperate warnings from both inside and outside the company.

Some said it was a death trap; one said it was "a lemon". 

CEO Rush has been described as arrogant, and had paid no heed to 

the many warnings he received as to the safety of his craft, so much

so that crew member Brian Weed was reportedly greatly disturbed by

Rush's response to emergency protocols which suggested death would

be inevitable if  the craft was not found, that the entire crew would be 

lost. Rush refused to have his untested designs inspected, let alone

certified. His dismissive remark toward it all was, "You're dead 

anyway". 

The Titan imploded, killing all five crew aboard --- Rush and his

crewmates. An implosion is, of course, the opposite of an explosion,

with the object collapsing in on itself in a matter of milliseconds. 

The submersible craft suffered a catastrophic implosion, which likely

happened with unbelievable force and speed given the crushing water

pressure of the ocean floor, even being just two-thirds of the way down 

to where the Titanic rests. The amount of pressure is estimated by 

scientists to be approximately 250 - 280 times the surface pressure

at sea level; an implosion at this depth would prove extremely quick.

Although it will not be of much comfort to the families and friends 

of the dead crew members, it is highly unlikely that they suffered 

much or at all when the craft imploded, according to scientific and

medical experts. 

The "Potential Failure Points" of the Titan were these: The carbon  

fiber hull was made of composite material which was "fundamentally 

flawed". OceanGate's CEO Rush even admitted that his company broke 

the design "rule". The safety monitoring system would only detect 

anything amiss "milliseconds before an implosion". 

Titan's acrylic viewport was certified only to a depth of approximately

4,300 feet; the Titanic is at a depth of 12,500 feet. OceanGate could 

have had the craft's manufacturer meet the required depth but  

"refused to pay" for this safety measure. Rush has also made 

negative remarks regarding regulations of design for the safety of such

crafts, questioning the necessity of many of them. The Peasant is   

no fan of "red tape"; I am a fan, though, of common sense regulations

which promote the protection of lives. The hubris exhibited by  

Stockton Rush he paid for with his life, and the terrible cost of 

his hubris was imposed upon the other four crew members aboard  

the Titan.

There is a bitter lesson to be learned from this tragedy. Failure to 

do so will cost more lives. Boundless arrogance and hubris are 

certainly two things to be eschewed and avoided at all costs.

The Peasant wishes to thank Dr. Chris Raynor, Orthopedic Surgeon 

and expert on the effects that ocean subsurface pressure have on the 

human body who explained in detail the way in which the crew of the

Titan had perished. He produced an explanatory video breaking down 

what had happened aboard the craft. It can be seen on YouTube.

MEM

Peggy (Dicey) Reilly, R.I.P.

A wonderful friend and fellow American of Irish ancestry

passed away just over a week ago. I mention her and her 

passing because one of her sons is the mayor of Waukesha

(Republican), my county's seat as well as a town with

which I have some ties: my high school, Catholic Memorial,

is there, my mother moved there shortly after her divorce 

from my father and lived out her life in Waukesha,

and there was an Irish pub there where I have spent many a 

joyful evening with friends and have stepped up onstage to 

sing with a band whose members are all friends as well.

It was at this pub, the 5 Points Pub, so named for its location 

at a corner of a 5-way intersection (!) that I met Peggy Reilly,

mother of Mayor Paul Reilly and a proud Irishwoman ---

born in America with Irish blood, and a devout Catholic.

Peggy loved Irish culture, especially the music and the dancing.

Already in her eighties when I met her and dependent on a

walker, Peggy Reilly, whose nickname was Dicey for the 

character in an Irish pub song, "Dicey Reilly", we became 

fast friends and I would join our friends in the pub in serenading

her with that very song: "Poor ol' Dicey Reilly she has taken to 

the sup! Poor ol' Dicey Reilly she could never give it up ... "

Peggy would laugh as we sang, and sometimes sang along.

Peggy even got up to dance, holding on to her walker and

moving to the beat of the band as they played Irish songs that

were as good for dancing to as for singing. 

And Peggy was a great conversationalist. She could speak with

great knowledge and clarity of the issues of the day and of many

other topics. Peggy honed her conversational skills as a dinner

hostess in her home, breaking bread with family and friends of

family, and personal friends --- many of which were varied in

their backgrounds, educations, politics, ancestry, careers, and 

other categories; Peggy loved the variety of people and cultivated 

friendships with so many varied people! Her dinners were as 

famous for her conversations as for her cooking, so I'm told

(I never dined at Peggy's home, we got together only at the 

5 Points). 

Peggy was an expert genealogist, and a seasoned traveler. She made 

many trips to her ancestral country. Peggy also enjoyed an occasional

Old Fashioned Jameson or an Irish Mist. A mother of nine, she also

had 25 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. 

Her husband of 52 years, Bill Reilly, preceded Peggy in death in 2007,

a sister and a grandchild had also preceded her. Peggy is now getting 

caught up on family news and other items with them, and those of us

who were her family and friends were left a legacy of friendship, 

craic, and love. Our beloved Dicey was 89 years young. 

Requiescat in pace. 

MEM 

Hating a Group in Order to Designate it as a Hate Group

Back in the days of the struggle for civil rights in the south,

the SPLC (Southern Poverty Law Center) was prominent in 

aiding impoverished black Americans to overcome their 

poverty and the racially biased laws and general treatment

emanating from those laws in the southern states. The SPLC

was an honorable organization with a noble purpose. 

Fast forward to today, and one can see that this outfit has had

its mission, its core values, and whatever noble purpose it 

once possessed turned upside down and inside out by radical

elements that entered its ranks over time, turning it into a 

far-left wing pack of bullies.

One example of this sad state of affairs is the recent releasing 

by the SPLC of its annual "hate map", which lists organizations

not just in the south but throughout the United States that are 

a mix of conservative groups along with extremist groups 

such as neo-Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan. Among the former 

are Moms for Liberty, Parents Defending Education, Parents

Involved in Education, and the Alliance Defending Freedom

to name but a few. All this is an example of the maxim stating

that all looks yellow to the jaundiced eye.

Their "evidence" of these organizations' supposed bigotry was 

their protesting drag shows aimed at very young audiences (try

pre-teen all the way down to kindergarten age!). SPLC's 

president Margaret Huang explained that her organization's 

decision to include these aforementioned groups claimed 

Moms for Liberty has "anti-government principles" and acted 

on them by attempts to "censor school discussions around 

race, discrimination, and LGBTQ+ identities." All that the 

Moms and these other groups have done and are doing is 

dissenting against the decisions by some schools and school 

districts to impose a curriculum unsuited for classes of students 

too young and impressionable to safely process the subject 

material of these classes. Besides, one of the many rights we 

have as Americans, as guaranteed by the Constitution, is 

the right to dissent, especially to do so against the government

at any level, and any function (in this case, education). And 

this includes parents who want to be "at the table", so to speak,

when decisions concerning curriculum for their school-age 

children are made and their impact on the values that the parents

want to imbue their children with, as part of raising them 

according to the parents' wishes. Children do, after all,

belong to their parents, despite catchy slogans created by the 

far left-wingers ("It takes a village to raise a child!"). 

But the SPLC, being I suppose an indispensable cog in the 

Liberal Establishment machine, can't countenance this at all.

They, like much of the establishment, want the peasants to

sit down, shut up, and obediently acquiesce to whatever  

it wants to force upon the peasantry. And the latter better vote

for more of it at election time too, because it won't do them a 

bit of good to vote for conservative things and candidates; 

electoral chicanery will shut them down and disenfranchise 

them. It reminds me of the old saying "You can't beat City Hall";

it is an elitist maxim whose message is that the occupants of the 

halls of power are in charge, not the people. And that is not how

our government, including our school boards, are supposed to 

function! SPLC, take note and take heed. And tell your pals 

in the education wing of the establishment to do likewise.

For to ignore these facts will be at your and their political peril.

And one thing more for the SPLC: Just because you hate 

a group of people who stand for something different than

what you stand for does not make them a hate group; it simply

makes you the hate group, for you are the ones doing the hating.

MEM

Update on Daniel Penny, or The Worth of Justice

On May 17 your favorite Peasant wrote about the unusual case

of Daniel Penny, the good Samaritan who stopped a black, 

mentally ill vagrant with multiple prior arrests who was 

indisputably behaving in a threatening manner toward train 

passengers in New York City. Penny has been made out to be

the bad guy in the story by the left-wing media and now has

been charged with manslaughter. The DA bringing about the 

charges is a progressive, super-far-left-wing official, one

Alvin Bragg, who has a distaste and therefore a disinclination

to bring criminals to court, especially if they are black, and if 

he must, make details like bail and criminal charges as light 

as possible; the hallmarks of a progressive prosecutor these days.

To refresh your memory, my grand readers, Penny put the 

deranged man, Jordan Neely, into a choke hold in order to stop

Neely from menacing anyone else. Penny has appeared to have 

taken action in lawful self-defense, assisted by a fellow passenger

who happened to be black. This, however, meant nothing to those 

who believe that Penny is guilty of racially motivated "murder"

and want to see him receive the maximum sentence. It also, one

surmises, that this means nothing to District Attorney Alvin Bragg.

It will be determined by a jury of twelve as to whether or not Penny

used excessive force to subdue and restrain Neely. The twelve jurors 

are Manhattanites, and politically Manhattanites are a strongly 

left-of-center lot, and DA Bragg knows this well. Bragg thus has

achieved what he set out to do: bringing about a case which will 

strengthen his ties with his political base. Bragg has given his base

red meat to chew on, and this will endear him to his base greatly

come election time. At the time of this posting by your dedicated 

Peasant, Penny has been released on bail. Next, the grand jury will

decide whether formal charges will be filed. The Peasant's bet is that,

given the information in this paragraph, the charges will be 

forthcoming.

The worth of justice these days. Sigh.  

MEM

Nigel Lawson, R.I.P.

Nigel Lawson was a strong, tough, unapologetic conservative

in British politics at a time when Great Britain's Conservative

Party had soft-spined compromisers and Nervous Nellies in

great numbers among its members in Parliament. As Prime

Minister Margaret Thatcher's Chancellor of the Exchequer 

(and in earlier roles in government) he shared Thatcher's 

concern that Britain was hurt by the post-war social-demo-

cratic political preference by the British people and those

serving in Parliament, and that the Tories (Conservatives)

needed to return to free market, small-government principles.

The systemic economic crisis Britain faced in the 1970s 

convinced enough Conservative MPs to embrace these ideas

and implement them. In 1979 the electorate, tired of economic

malaise, back then led by Thatcher, the nod to try them out.

Lawson was a tireless advocate for the proposed deregulation,

tax-cutting, and the repair and restoration of public finances,

all of which made possible an enterprise culture for Britain.

Compare Lawson's record to that of nearly any Tory MP

in government today!

Lawson was a champion of limited government and a foe of 

consensus, which he saw as the key factor in the making of

Great Britain's wimpy governance and resultant wimpy 

economy. Throughout the rest of his years he fought for

Brexit and against Climate Policy and its attendant 

pitfalls, always touting the Tories and conservatism, Thatcher

& Lawson style. On April 3, Nigel Lawson went to join 

the Iron Lady at the age of 91. Good job, Mr. Lawson.

Requiescat in Pace.

MEM  

Life (and Crime) in the Big City

The urban landscape has seen a multitude of crimes of many kinds

proliferate beyond historical highs and historical ranges in recent

years. This negative phenomenon is due to many factors, including

DAs who won't prosecute certain crimes nor certain criminals,

slashing police budgets, and spineless mayors. Retail theft may not  

be as juicy a crime as, say, murder, rioting, and car theft complete

with police squad cars chasing the stolen cars, but it has had a 

devastating impact on cities and their economies. This type of crime 

has sucked much of the economic vitality out of Los Angeles and 

San Francisco, and is now doing the same in the Midwest and on

the East Coast, especially New York. Drugstores in the Big Apple 

now lock small items behind plastic shields so that they can be seen 

but not touched. Business owners hoped for positive changes coming 

about from plans from New York's still-new Mayor Eric Adams;

the best among them is a proposal to establish a registry of repeat 

offenders, for last year 327 committed over 6,000 thefts (!).

This table of information will shine light on the likeliest suspects

are, which will be the first step toward catching the perps. 

A silly idea was also in the mayor's mix; a proposal to have kiosks 

in stores which would allow would-be first-time thieves to contact 

social services whenever they feel the urge to pilfer something.

Isn't that lovely? A tempted would-be thief could just get word to

a social worker to say that he is deciding whether or not to make off

with some merchandise. What would happen next, will someone or

something talk him out of the theft? 

But what would make a positive difference is the New York State 

Legislature allowing judges to set bail on repeat offenders. Those 

disposed to stealing more than once from a store would have reason

to think twice before acting on their urge to steal, and those that don't 

would certainly end up in a jail cell, made to stay there before their 

trials unless they scraped together bail. 

Meanwhile, many retailers are picking up, packing up, and moving out.

Even major department stores are leaving these theft-ridden cities; 

Nordstrom's is leaving San Francisco. Walgreens is shuttering lots of

stores in San Francisco and Los Angeles. The Peasant has recently 

heard that they are soon to close many of their stores in New York

as well.

This is the way to handle prolific pilferers. What excuses would a city

have for not instituting this common-sensical practice? Let the judges 

set bail! Let's clamp down on the continuation of crimes committed by

repeat criminals! This will start to make many city streets markedly

safer.

MEM 

Independence Day Joy to Everyone!

Your patriotic Peasant wishes you, my fantastic readers 

a grand Independence Day, our nation's birthday the 4th 

of July! May you all enjoy cookouts with family and friends,

perhaps enjoy some live entertainment, and of course lots of

fireworks! 

We shall be celebrating our wonderful country's 247th birthday.

May she be around for 247 more and many more besides!

Let our great and magnificent country forever be a testament to

what a free and independent people can create to form a place

where they can live free with independence and autonomy, 

not having to serve nor answer to any royal, any dictator, 

any potentate, any totalitarian or totalitarians, or any corrupt

plutocrat! A place where one can become all that one has the 

imagination, the energy, and the drive to be! A place where

one can speak one's mind without fear of reprisals from a

bully, a group of bullies, or the state! A place with free minds

and free markets! A place where one can worship as one 

pleases! A place where one can live free and unfettered, so long

as one does not interfere with one's neighbors' right and ability 

to do likewise!

And a place where we know how to celebrate a holiday such as

our Independence Day, the Fourth of July! And boy, do we!

Happy Independence Day!

MEM

A Most Tragic Fate Wrapped in a Shroud of Mystery

Your mournful Peasant is very sorry to say that the crew

of five on board the Titan were not rescued. Furthermore,

some very strange things came to light regarding their 

fate:

The crew were reportedly alive as of last Wednesday,

when your faithful Peasant went to press with my blog

piece about the five adventurers going far under the sea 

to get a close-up view of the wreckage of the Titanic.

Now it turns out that the U.S. Navy has announced their

deaths as having took place on Sunday of the week, 

and that the Navy was ordered not to reveal what happened

to the crew right away (?). The craft had an implosion in 

which all aboard died instantly, and an investigation is 

taking place to discover what went tragically wrong 

on board the submersible. That is all that has been 

revealed thus far in regards to this terrible tragedy.

When your Peasant learns anything more, so will you,

my hearty readers. In the meantime, let us keep the doomed

crew and their families in our prayers.

MEM

A Titanic Lifesaving Effort

What began as a mission to view the Titanic shipwreck 

became a race against the clock and the dwindling 

oxygen supply on board a submersible vessel to rescue

five people aboard the small submarine. 

This special tour, one which cost $250,000 per person, was

one that appealed to adventure seekers, world travelers not

interested in the run-of-the-mill touristy places and activities

but rather places presenting the unusual, the rare, and the 

challenging, experts at maritime dives, and anyone else with

a thirst for adventure, danger, and having significant monetary

wherewithal to quench said thirst. This story has put a niche 

and generally unregulated tourism industry sector, and the 

little-known company OceanGate Expeditions, a company 

founded in 2009 for the purpose of enabling deep-sea 

exploration using robotics and submersibles, such as the 

Titan, the missing vessel on which the five adventurers are 

aboard. 

The U.S. Coast Guard and Canadian aircraft are conducting 

sonar searches, while a remotely operated vehicle was diving

toward the Titanic. The total area searched thus far was 10,000

square miles, according to the Coast Guard in a statement 

yesterday, in which they also admitted that their search efforts 

have not been successful. 

The people on board are Hamish Harding, chairman of the aircraft

service company Action Aviation which he founded in 2004. Harding

is an adventurer of quite some adventurous trips that he made, 

including being a member of a crew which gained a Guinness World

Record for the fastest circumnavigation of the Earth via the North 

and South poles, with a time of 46 hours, 40 minutes and 22 seconds

accomplished in a Gulfstream G650ER jet.

Paul-Henry Nargeolet, a man in his 70s, is regarded a leading authority

on the most famous shipwreck in history. He has completed over three

dozen dives to the wreckage site, and supervised the recovery of 

many artifacts from the debris field around the ship. Nargeolet was 

in the French navy, attaining the rank of commander before retiring.

Shahzada and Suleman Dawood are father and son, as well as members

of one of Pakistan's wealthiest families. Suleman, 19, is a university

student in Scotland. Although undeniably wealthy, the 48-year-old 

Shahzada has long led a low-key, down-to-Earth lifestyle in a London

suburb. The Dawood family has many and varied business interests,

and have long been active philanthropists in Pakistan.

Stockton Rush, OceanGate's founder and chief executive, is a longtime,

seasoned adventure seeker, having become a certified scuba diver at 14

and at 19 became the world's youngest jet transport rated pilot. Rush

flew around the world under a subcontract from Saudi Arabian 

Airlines. He founded OceanGate because he wanted to expand

deep-sea exploration, and has traveled to the Titanic shipwreck 

several times.

And as your faithful Peasant writes this post, these five brave souls are

down to about a half-day of oxygen.  Please let us pray for the safe 

rescue and return of this adventurous team of five to their families!

MEM