1/6 Scale Presidential Meeting - Oval Office Circus

Here’s something fun. A year ago today, I set out on an unusual and completely unforeseen project. I decided to construct a 1/6 scale model of the Oval Office to memorialize the hilarious event that occurred on this day, exactly one year ago. I hadn’t worked with wood since Pinewood Derby days when I was a Boy Scout, (my cars always won). I have a bunch of files, saws and blades, so I started with the main table. That took longer than expected so I got a Dremel work station and lathe to build the fireplace and other furniture pieces. Procuring the 1/6 scale Zelensky head was its own challenge. I had a difficult time finding that evasive little thespian. Trump was easy as pie. Pumpkin pie. So, here it is, the big reveal. 

Today marks the one year anniversary of President Zelensky’s hilarious meeting with President Trump, a day that will live in comedic infamy lol. Let’s set the scene back on February 28, 2025. Trump was already annoyed with Zelensky’s flip-flopping on signing a “rare earths” agreement and Zelensky was coming to DC with the promise to sign the deal. 

Before arriving, Zelensky was advised to wear a proper suit if he expected to be taken seriously. But much to Trump’s chagrin, Zelensky showed up wearing his little black jumper. Uh oh! When the time came to sign the rare earths deal in front of media, Zelensky decided to use the occasion to beg for security guarantees. More graveling was the wrong move. This was the moment all hell broke loose. 

“You don’t have any cards Zelensky, you don’t have any cards. Zelensky fired back, I do too have cards, see!!!

Oh boy! What a wonderful world we live in. Looks like Putin has the cards that matter lol laughing not laughing 

Playing With My Dictators #1 - Kim goes to California

Kim has been doing his research and determined that late September is the best time to travel to California. The tourists have gone home, and the kids are beginning their school year. That means fewer people on the roads, restaurants etc. 

To get to America, Kim first made his way to China where he mailed himself to a town in Utah, near the world famous Bonneville Salt Flats; a mysterious place that Kim has always wanted to visit. 

Kim loved the Salt Flats and was impressed by the vastness of the salt desert. He claimed that he could see the curvature of the Earth. Kim’s schedule was tight, so he took one last lick of the salty playa and hit the road. Next stop, Lunar Crater in Nevada. 

Located in the middle of Nevada, this ancient volcano has a diameter of 3,600 feet, 430 feet deep and only part of an enormous volcanic field of craters, cinder cones, basalt flows and ancient lava beds that don't appear to be cozy at all. Kim didn't want to sleep in a lava bed, so was off to nearby Tonapah where he knew he would find a cozy bed at the Clown Motel. 

Twas a lovely morning in Tonopah, and Kim had the opportunity to meet up with his old friend, Ronald McDonald who volunteers as a greeter at the Clown Motel Gift Shop. They exchanged contact information and Ronald promised to visit Kim next time he's in North Korea. Friends forever! Although it was sad to say goodbye to RMcD, California was on Kim's mind, and he was anxious to get on the road again.  

First stop in California was the mysterious Mono Lake, a unique body of water located on the eastern edge of the Sierras. Mono is a terminal lake therefore all local watersheds terminate there, building up high levels of minerals that give rise to amazing Turfa formations, "Wish you were here" Kim laughed, (Kim is a big Pink Floyd fan and the only reason he wanted to see Mono Lake is that is the shooting location for Hypgnosis' famous Wish You Were Here postcard included with the classic Pink Floyd LP of the same name).   

Kim loves to ski and is no doubt the best skier in North Korea, but he arrived at Kirkwood in the off-season and didn't have the opportunity to show America how it's done.  

With the mighty Sierras behind him, Kim found himself in the vast farms and town of California's Central valley where he stopped for a soda at Dean's Shoppe. 

When Kim arrived in the extra-Bay Area, he dropped in on his old eyeball buddies, The Residents. It had been decades, and the boys had lots to talk about, so they headed out to Zeni, Randy's favorite Ethopian Restaurant where they dined on Injera, Miser Wot, Kik Alitcha, Gomet Wot, etc. and chatted into the wee hours.  

Next day, Kim found himself at his intended destination, Santa Cruz, CA. Kim's favorite place in the whole world. 

Kim stayed at a little beach house at Twin Lakes Beach and spent the next few days exploring his favorite beaches and eating at his favorite restaurants. 

Kim strolled out to Santa Cruz' newest lighthouse at the mouth of the Santa Cruz Harbor. Walton Lighthouse was dedicated in 2002 making Santa Cruz the only California city with two lighthouses. 

Kim loves skateboarding and stopped by the Ken Wormhoudt Skate Park, which was designed by world premier skate park designer, Ken Wormhoudt. The skatepark marks a significant place in scooter history. This is where the iconic pop star, and scooter legend, Oliver Tree, became the first person to ride a scooter at a skate park. Everyone laughed. Tree a local Santa Cruzan revolutionized scooter culture and pop fashion, had the last laugh, and as Kim says, "He who laughs last is the last laugher" 

 

Kim loves fresh, California grown, produce and attended two farmers markets while in Santa Cruz. Kim was surprised to discover that a vendor at the farmers market was selling magic mushrooms. Knowing that magic mushrooms are illegal, Kim asked the young man behind the counter how they are able to sell them without fear of arrest. The young man said that Santa Cruz has decriminalized their use and consider mushrooms a low priority for the police. Kim was curious but didn't buy any mushrooms from the friendly and informative vendor. Kim knows an undercover FBI agent when he sees one.

Kim's Central California Coast vacation was over, and it was time to head to a secret rendezvous location somewhere in the Nevada desert. Singing, California Uber Alles, Kim boarded his personal saucer and returned home to North Korea, the happiest dictator on Earth.

NATO’s Project Ukraine - From Fervor to Fever Dream

It’s been two years since Russia announced its special military operation (SMO) in Ukraine. Hindsight has revealed that the SMO would have ended in spring of 2022. Negotiations were taking place and  preliminary agreements were reached and initialed. But western puppeteers didn’t want peace and thwarted further discussion with Russia. NATO made a most unfortunate blunder assuming that a proxy-war against Russia would be a slam dunk. Decades of isolating sanctions and maligning propaganda against Russia only served to insulate it and propel its industrial growth and military capabilities. Russia’s economy is better now, even after two years of war, than it was pre-covid 2019. A stark contrast with that of Europe and the US. 

The actions of NATO have backfired in an embarrassing display of perpetual failure. Ukraine is running out of arms and soldiers. NATO’s arms stockpiles have been depleted and have done little more than provide targets on the battlefield, with embarrassing results for the arms manufacturers. It’s difficult to market an inferior product. Western tactics, training and weaponry have proven to be inferior in the current theater of operation. Support for this failed “project” has destroyed an entire nation, about a half million of its troops, crashed Europe’s economy and set America on the slippery slope to recession. The arms dealers are still the only winners, but the US and European manufacturers can never match the industrial output of Russia, or China for that matter. Now, thanks to NATO’s meddling, China and Russia have entered into a new age of economic and military cooperation. The collective west now plays “second fiddle” in the greater global economy.  “The world isn’t going to take our shit anymore and if we continue to meddle in global affairs, then our demise is sure as Ukraine’s”

“What’s Ten-million Dead if It’s Keeping Out The RUSSIANS?” Or But, It’s Worth It… Right?

I’m not obsessed! It’s more like an intrigue or fascination I guess. And I’m surprised how uninformed and uninterested the majority of Americans are concerning the topic that has consumed me for the past couple of years. I’m referring to Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine. Most days I will spend two to four hours pouring over updates on troop movements, casualties, geolocations of drone  & missile strikes etc. The technology and tactics have evolved so much on the battlefield. Both sides have adopted unprecedented means of warfare, but Russia has maintained dominance throughout its campaign of attrition against the Ukraine military, which at this point, has been completely decimated. NATO has underestimated Russia, and has been continuously outsmarted and outmaneuvered by Putin, both on the battlefield and geopolitically. Now the west is admitting Ukraine’s defeat, but in crafty newspeak manner, is redefining Russia’s success by proclaiming that, NATO/Ukraine actually won because Russia only got 20% of the country… which ironically is and always has been Russia’s goal in their special military operation. So, NATO and apologists for war, was it worth killing a half million Ukrainians and laying much of their country to waste? Was it worth destroying Europe’s economy and sending America spiraling into recession? What’s saddest to me is that a peace deal had been negotiated back in April of 2022 but Boris Johnson immediately flew to Kiev, thwarted the signed agreement, and restored military operations. The rest is tragic history. Billions of taxpayer dollars, tens of thousands dead, abandoned on the battlefield by retreating Ukrainian troops. Thanks for voting!