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It's Earth Day (yawn)
Earth Day: The Official Site | EARTHDAY.ORG
It's Earth Day and I really don't care. Sure, I want our planet to be clean and "sustainable" but Earth Day long ago turned into enviro-radical nonsense and anti-energy propaganda. Turning on all my lights, my former Earth Day habit, seems a little less fun now with all the LED bulbs but in a way they prove my point that we shouldn't assume that things are constantly getting worse.
Also, check out the reference to "elephant dung" here as a renewable fuel: Earth Day (National Geographic Kids)
One of the greatest sources of harm to people living in poverty in developing countries is the burning of dung (or other natural and "renewable" materials) to heat their homes and cook their food (especially when done inside a dwelling. I mean, literally everybody who has to use elephant dung as an energy source would prefer any fossil-fuel energy source (with the possible exception of burning coal inside your hut.)
Which leads to the main thing you need to read on Earth Day: Environment improves as more nations prosper — the greatest polluter is poverty
Photo: Paula Bronstein / Getty Images News / Getty Images
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Just One Thing: What process is due?
It shouldn't be surprising that so many of the same people who rightly complained about the "pen and phone" lawlessness of the Obama and Biden administrations seem quite happy with whatever lawlessness the Trump administration wants to engage in. But I'm not. I want them all to follow the law. And just because one didn't doesn't mean another one shouldn't.
Whether bigshot politicians or no-name MAGA folks on Twitter/X, so many people are simply lying about due process in the context of immigration law. Rather than offer more of my own opinion, I encourage you to read this great piece by Andy McCarthy. I have used one of my limited "gift links" so you don't need a subscription: JD Vance’s Anti-Due Process Rant: A Constitutional Crisis in the Making | National Review
An instructive quote from Andy's great article:
Turns out the Trump administration and its political base don’t want roll back the excesses of Obama and Biden, they want to be Obama and Biden, just in the pursuit of their contrary objectives. That, inevitably, will ensure that the next Democratic president, probably in 2029 at the rate things are going, will be Obama and Biden cubed.
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Today's Guests
Brian Wesbury is the chief economist at First Trust where they have something like $250 billion (not million) of assets under management, including in their own ETFs. We'll talk about the economy, trade, the Fed, and more. I note that while Brian has been quite bullish on stocks for most of the 30 years that I've known him, in the past few months he changed his tune and turned bearish...and was obviously correct, maybe more so than he expected to be.
First Trust - www.FTPortfolios.com
First Trust Economics Blog - The Antidote to Conventional Wisdom
Interesting to see gold rally...foreign investors are NOT seeking safety in US bonds as they usually do during tumultuous times. Instead they're buying gold and seem to be selling US bonds and selling dollars. VERY dangerous stuff for the United States: Gold extends record run, breaks above $3,400/oz on safe-haven rush | Reuters
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Chris DeArmitt is the founder of Phantom Plastics. Not only is he a leading expert on the science of plastics but he's one of the few whose income isn't dependent on working for a plastics company which, I think, makes him even more credible.
Chris's new book, released today, is Shattering the Plastics Illusion | Exposing Environmental Myths
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Other Stuff
I understand that President Trump is pandering to his social conservative base on all the anti-trans stuff. (I agree with keeping biological men out of women's sports but that's about the extent of my agreement with him on these policies.) When it comes to this particular change, I think it's a mistake because if implemented it will cause unneeded confusion at passport control in the US and elsewhere, and for no legitimate governmental purpose. Again, I'm not looking to debate your view of transgender folks, but imagine someone shows up looking like a man but the passport says female, or vice-versa? Imagine the waste of time, the taking of a passport control officer out of service for a while (thus slowing down the process for everybody else getting off of planes or trains or boats), and, again, for what purpose?
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What did you expect when they picked Hegseth? Stability and competence? Puhleeze… That said, "Signalgate 2.0" is more a sign of something than it is a big scandal in itself. I note that Hegseth himself attacks the media and fired former employees but does not actually deny that he shared military attack plans with his wife and brother. (His brother works for the Dept of Defense but it's very unlikely that he had any need to know the info.) Turmoil engulfs Pentagon as fresh Signal reports hit Hegseth
Hegseth hunkers down as White House accuses Pentagon of sabotage
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The passing of Pope Francis.
Pope Francis' funeral to be held Saturday, with public viewing starting Wednesday | AP News
I have to say I was never a fan. Yes, he did a couple of good things but mostly he was a rather far-left near-socialist and mindless radical environmentalist so this note is on track with my view of him: The Legacy of Pope Francis, 1936-2025 - WSJ
Papal politics: Who will be the next pope? Francis’s death leaves no clear front-runner
Papal betting markets put their money on the next Pope: https://www.axios.com/2025/04/22/pope-francis-death-market-bets?utm_term=emshare
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Who carries this much cash? Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s bag, including $3,000 in cash, is stolen from DC restaurant | CNN Politics
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The local impacts of a national story: More than 30 international students in CO now reportedly losing their visas
One more: Trump to reverse Public Lands Act, threatening conservation on BLM land - The Colorado Sun
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The first look at the redevelopment of the area around Ball Arena: Kroenke Sports & Entertainment unveils Ball Arena redevelopment concept plans - Denver Business Journal (may require subscription)
If you can't read the article due to paywall, I think you may be able to look at this picture to give you a sense of the first version of the first submitted plans: kse-arena-development-phase-1a.png (1024×906)
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Remember what I tell you frequently: When it comes to Dems in the state legislature there is no amount of your money that will satisfy them. Sports betting may see new tax for water
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If you can get past the firewall, this is a great read: Trade Wars Are Easy to Lose: Beijing Has Escalation Dominance in the U.S.-China Tariff Fight
Pull quote: "The Trump administration is embarking on an economic equivalent of the Vietnam War—a war of choice that will soon result in a quagmire, undermining faith at home and abroad in both the trustworthiness and the competence of the United States—and we all know how that turned out."
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It’s about time.
Education Department to begin garnishing wages on defaulted student loan borrowers - POLITICO
Student loan borrowers in default face garnished wages, Education Department says - CBS News
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On the one hand, I don't like higher taxes and at some point they'll get high enough to discourage tourists. BUT, if cities and towns can impose a 6% lodging tax, it's silly that unincorporated areas can't. Legislature passes bill letting Colorado counties ask voters to triple lodging tax to 6% - The Colorado Sun
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I'm no fan of Harvard or of any of the woke "elite" universities, but I think they should win this lawsuit: Harvard sues Trump administration over threats to cut funding if demands go unmet - ABC News
And going back a couple of days...Seriously? White House says Harvard letter was 'unauthorized': NYT
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Is it constitutional to say that someone can’t buy ammo for a firearm that they can legally possess? In 2026, Coloradans will need a retailer's help to access ammunition in stores
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More trade chaos: DHL to suspend global shipments of over $800 to US consumers | CNN Business
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Today's Video
This is a 50-year old plane (maybe a bit more) and probably wasn't particularly good even when it was new but this is still nuts. I mean, I was thinking that must be one of the world's best pilots and that was before he even got off the ground. Watch the taxi-ing!
UPDATE: A listener says he believes this is from a flight simulator game and not a real plane or takeoff.
Start your day (and end your blog reading) with a smile