Why would Donald Trump, Elon Musk and DOGE want to know if federal workers are working?

Internal data from inside the Department of Veterans Affairs Building Portfolio:

- VA Central Office 810 Vermont Avenue is a 618,000 square foot building - It has 2,483 seats, meaning that's how many staff they can fit - The monthly rent is $27.2 million - Their average logins is 387 people, that’s people logging in every month to work - That building is sitting at 16% occupancy rate (So we're paying $27.2 million a month for that building with 16% occupancy rate) More Leased Government Buildings Stats: 811 Vermont Avenue: - 266,000 square feet - 1294 seats - $14 million dollars a month rent - 124 average logins - This is a 10% occupancy rate 18000 G Street - 207,000 square feet - 1243 seats - $11.3 million dollars a month rent - 146 average logins - This is a 11% occupancy rate 1100 First Street - 48,000 square feet - 190 seats - $2.4 million dollars a month rent - 55 average logins - This is a 20% occupancy rate 428 I Street - 175,000 square feet - 583 seats - $12.7 million dollars a month rent - 60 average logins - This is a 10% occupancy rate 801 I Street - 18,000 square feet - 86 seats - $1.1 million dollars a month rent - 8 average logins - This is a 9% occupancy rate That’s from the Department of Veterans Affairs Building portfolio.

 

Well, fuck.

In an effort to get a handle on things, I just did a budget and reviewed spending over the last year.   Well, fuck.  THERE'S my problem. An average of $500 a month more going OUT than comes IN.   I am not a government funded asshole, so that is NOT sustainable.  I foresee a LOT of capitol letters in the near future.  A LOT.

2-25-25 Bear ona Bicycle Tuesday

W: 313.8                BS: 145

Hey Mo!

• Pay bills
• Medical testing
• Chickens
• Laundry
• Vacuum
• Wuuuud
• ?

The Med-tech seems impressed the squishy thing is still going whompa whompa.

Cool.

LOLOLOLOL.....

 

The 60 year old Gubner on the right says the 71 year old guy on the left is dangerous to people's health.

Egg rolls... for a given value of egg roll.

 

My first ever attempt at home made egg rolls.  

What was in them:

• Green cabbage
• Onion
• Carrot
• Jalapeno pepper
• Yellow pepper
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Bacon
• Shrimp
• Calabrian chili sauce
• Soy sauce
• Fish sauce

What was NOT in them:

• Egg
• Rice vermicelli

OOPS!   They turned out okay, but would have been better had I actually put in everything I planned to.  I found them a little harder to roll than I had thought they would be, and the wraps more tender than I thought.  I'll study up on that bit for next time.

I have some leftover egg roll filling, and I'm thinking maybe I'll cook it up with eggs in the morning and put it all in Burrito wrappers with cheese and salsa, and then toast them in a hot pan.

2-24-25

W: 309.8                BS: 181

Dooies:

• Taxi 1
• Taxi 2
• Trash
• Dishes
• Laundry
• Vacuum
• Egg rolls
• Clean up out front
• Limoncello
• Get car out of mud
• Wood pile?
• ?

Chuckles via Peter:

(Lemon peels + Vodka + 6-months) + simple syrup = Limoncello.

This freed up the mason jar, so another bag of discount lemons got skinned and put down in Vodka for another 6 months.

The remains were juiced, and will go towards lemon-ricotta pancakes.

2-23-25

W: 313.0  309.8              BS: 184

Done fuqued up yesterday with food, meds, and everything.  Back on track today.

In recognition of the Trumpies demand that all federal employees identify at least 5 things they got accomplished last week... I will show the looters how it is done.

Being a fat old retired school teacher with a bum heart, my list might seem slim to some.  On the other hand, I expect it would be 1200% adequate for a fed-staff, if they even come close.

Last week, I:

• Did at least 8 loads of dishes
• Washed 4 loads of laundry
• Cooked at least 12 family meals
• Vacuumed 3 times
• Delivered and retrieved young ones to school 6 times
• Ordered, picked up, carried in, put away groceries
• Made dairy and drug store runs
• Made yogurt and clotted cream for the family
• Carried in roughly 1/4 ton of firewood
• Maintained woodstove heat 16 hours a day, every day

It was a slack week since I was under the weather (family had plague).  Almost an entire day just sleeping under blankets. 

 

I'm not nice before coffee...

Med harpy:  "Did you fill out the on-line information?"

Me: "Nope"

Med harpy "We need that information.  You should fill those out every time".

Me: "If you wanted it filled out, then your IT zombies should not have changed it to be so aggravating and difficult".

Med harpy: "What do you mean?"

Me: "Last visit the online stuff was fast and easy.  This time its 3 times longer and requires detailed  insurance info that I am 100% sure you already have in your system. On top of that, I KNOW you are about to ask me to verify every bit line by line. Let me ask you... does your group track the effectiveness of your on-line forms?"

Med harpy: "I..I... don't think so?"

Me:  "Well, that is one way to avoid blame for blatant administrative failures.  No metrics equals no responsibility, huh?"

Med harpy:  (sputter sputter sputter)....

2-21-25 Sixth day

W: 312.0                BS: 84

4am. Fire, coffee, toast.  

To Do:

• Taxi 1
• Dairy store
• Taxi 2
• Grocery order
• Laundry
• Dishes
• Vacuum
• Check oil
• Fire & Wood  (Brrr)
• Carry in wood
• Cable cabinet?
• ?

Mongolian beef last night.  First time for me to make that.  Interesting, not hard, Fam left NOTHING behind.

[Redacted litany of all the ways I feel like shit this morning.]

I ended up sleeping the best part of the day.  Haven't done that in... 20 or 30 years?

Sometimes, an image needs no explanation

 

Clotted cream....

Have you ever made clotted cream?

Have you ever even tried clotted cream?

This stuff is a gift from our friends in The Once Great Britain.  I have no idea how they came upon it, but I'm told it's a common treat there.  Here in the US?  Not so much, which is a real shame.

It's so darned tasty, and once it's tasted there will always be just a little craving hiding in the background of ones palate.  Spread on (American) biscuits, toast, pancakes, muffins, etc... just amazingly rich and good.

I think I, probably like most Americans, had never tasted clotted cream.  At least, not till I made my own.  "You Can DO That?!"   Yup, sure can, and it's dead easy.  Might be the easiest thing ever 'cooked'!

There is one ingredient.  Real cream.  There is only one method.  Pour the cream into a shallow but wide baking dish, and put that in a 200 degree oven.  Come back in 12 hours, and set the dish to cool.  Once cool, put it in the fridge overnight.  In the morning, spoon the clotted cream off the top and put it in a container to keep in the fridge.  BAM, that is it!

It can be frozen, and I am told it will keep in the fridge up to a week.  We've never had it last more than a day till the container was licked clean.  I made this batch over the last couple days and now we have enough to freeze AND eat.  There will be scones, or biscuits, or something like that in our very near future, just to spread the clotted cream on.

A basic human question...

Is there a point where people do something so heinous and evil, they can't be considered human any longer?

2-20-25 Feels like turdsday....

W: 313.8  UGH                BS: 105

Allergies off the hook. Everything leaks.  Blech.

To Do?

• I got that To Do
• Right here
• Bite me

The border security issue...

Since The Trump took office, illegal border crossings have gone from an average 11,000 a day under Biden to less than 300 a day.  In one month.  Border patrol agents say they have never seen the numbers of illegals this low, ever.

Yeah, eggs prices have not dropped, but the 1/3 of all layer chickens in the US which the Bidenistas slaughtered will take time to come back.   Illegal aliens?  They change as quickly any other intelligent human. Fast. They are not stupid and they can follow what is happening as well as anyone else.  The Biden team bent over backwards to increase unlawful migration in order to boost voters for their team, at massive taxpayer cost.  That backfired, and the LEGAL immigrants went for Trump in a big way, while everyone saw the corruption in the Dem plan.  Lets face it, actual bad and evil people really are rarer than decent folks who want the best for everyone.

Not only did Legal immigrants go for Trump, but so did a surprisingly large swath of other minorities, the FOP, and the Teamsters.  Those folks, and many others, all joined by a common theme it seems.  They are all hard working Americans with families they care about.  Seeing their jobs vanish, their communities go bad, and their kids school turn ugly... that made it clear to them like nothing else ever did.  Enough that more than half the voters in the nation went Trump, or at least decided Harris/Waltz was a bad enough idea to vote against them.  The border issue was leading that drive.

How will border security play out in the coming years?  Changes, my friends, BIG changes.

DOGE....

DOGE only has the power to investigate financial issues and make them public, and only at the direction of the executive. They cannot fire people. They can't change funding. They can't touch an account. They have zero spending authority. They can't DO anything but look at the books and make them transparent.

Now ask yourself why all the lies, the false reporting, and the desperate fighting to stop DOGE from doing the only thing they can do.... look at the books and make them public?

***********************************************************

GROK.... 'What authority does DOGE have?"

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) does not have formal statutory authority as it is not an official government department or agency. Instead, its influence and ability to effect change are derived from the following:

Advisory Role: DOGE functions as an advisory body, providing recommendations to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and other parts of the executive branch. It was established to advise on cutting costs, reducing regulations, and restructuring federal agencies, but it lacks the power to directly implement its recommendations.

Executive Orders: President Donald Trump issued an executive order on January 20, 2025, restructuring the former United States Digital Service into the United States DOGE Service, giving it a mandate to modernize federal technology and software for efficiency. However, this does not grant DOGE legal authority over federal agencies; it can only suggest changes.

Political Influence: Led by high-profile figures like Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, DOGE's influence largely depends on their ability to leverage political capital and maintain support from the President. Their effectiveness in publicizing examples of waste, fraud, and inefficiency can also indirectly pressure agencies to reform.

Legal Constraints: DOGE operates outside the traditional federal regulatory framework, meaning it cannot enforce its recommendations without legislative or executive action. There have been legal challenges regarding its activities, suggesting that its actions, like accessing federal systems or attempting to manage federal expenditures, might exceed what is legally permissible for an advisory group.

Public and Congressional Perception: While DOGE can suggest changes, any real restructuring or budget cuts would require congressional approval. Its recommendations might influence lawmakers, but it has no direct authority to make or enforce policy changes.

In summary, DOGE has the authority to advise, recommend, and influence through public and political channels but lacks the formal power to enact changes without further governmental action. Its impact is more about highlighting inefficiencies and advocating for change rather than having direct control over federal operations.

Why we stopped using our local Rite Aid.... nose rubbed in it.

Herself hit the doc's today, and came home needing some necessary ingredients. One was a prescription thing, and since she needs it NOW NOW RIGHT NOW, the script was sent to our local Rite Aid instead of our usual Amazon pharmacy.

Hitting doctor interwebs, I found two other OTC meds she should have, and she agreed, as long as she got them NOW NOW RIGHT NOW.  On my bicycle and off I go!

Walking into Rite Aid, I was immediately shocked at the state of the OTC med shelves.  Roughly, all of them were 80% empty.  Half the whole large store.

The two OTC meds I wanted were not in attendance.  What WAS on the shelf was the one med the wife had a script for.  Huh.  I looked it over but went to the pharmacy counter for the prescription version.  Had to be better, right?

The clerk laid down a couple meds I had forgotten about some time back, and a bottle of the magic juice Herself needed.  While this was all rung up, I examined the bottle. By the time the clerk was announcing how much money she would be pleased to accept, I was peeling the pharmacy label off the bottle, only to reveal it was the OTC version.

I pointed that out, and she said "Oh yes, we just took it off the shelf".

Yeah, took it off the shelf and JACKED UP THE PRICE till my co-pay was higher than the shelf price!  Unbelievable.

I told her to put it back on the shelf herself and grabbed three bottles from OTC to go.

Oh, and also this:  The Rite Aid said our FSA card (dated 2027 and newly loaded for the year) was expired.  We had just used it, and knew that to be bushwa.  I paid cash.

Before someone suggests they just had a hard time getting OTC meds, let me explain that I walked into the grocery store next door and found this:

One half the grocery store OTC aisle had more stock than the entire large Rite Aid store altogether. 

The grocery not only had what I wanted, they had NINE versions of it so I could get Herself a full selection for the NOW NOW RIGHT NOW problem.

UPDATE:  Numerous friends have advised, Rite Aid declared bankruptcy.  Wholesalers won't give them credit and no point stocking stores that will sell at pennies on the dollar.

WTAF? You will NOT believe this, so look it up yourself.

When I was teaching public school, our three campus's had roughly 80 instructors and almost the same in admin and support roles.  To my knowledge, there were SIX institutional credit cards spread through the system.  (The director also had a copy of each card, but that is another story).  So roughly one card per twenty six employees, and NO ONE under department head level had one.

So, here is a really fun little comparison, and by fun I mean infuriating and stunning.

The US government has around 3 MILLION employees on any given day.

The US government has around 4.6 MILLION active credit cards. Right at 1.5 credit cards for every person who works for the government.

To make it even MORE really fun (See above), they don't know exactly who has them, or what they are used for.

Bishops sue to keep their sweet sweet money flowing

News today is that Catholic bishops (The wealthiest church on Earth) are suing Trump to keep that sweet sweet refuge aimed cash flowing into their accounts.  I'll point out the average directors salary at Catholic Charities is roughly $900,000 plus bennies.  In addition, Catholic Charities siphons off about 35% of donations (65% of which is taxpayer cash) for 'administrative' costs.

I once had a pastor who was injured in a car accident.  While visiting him during recovery, he told me a colleague had reminded him that suing the person who hit him would cost him the ministry position by church law.  Asked to explain, we went in a very wordy lesson about the supremacy of God's Will and.... well.... stuff like that.  Sorry, my brain shut down at that point.

I guess the Catholic Bishops don't worry about God's Will and that pesky 'render unto Caesar' stuff.   It doesn't make the pile of gold one piece deeper.

2-19-25 Pile

W: 312.2                BS: 81

12 degrees.  That's not many degrees.  I best stay in to conserve the outside degrees.

Half the house is down with 'I don't feel so good' and I'm avoiding them like walking plague, because they are.  I wonder how much Vit B,C,D it takes to overdose?

And... now Herself is maybe ER, maybe home with drugs, depending on an X-ray result.

Facere:

• Fire & wood
• Laundry?
• Vacuum
• Clotted cream
• Fix yogurt
• Manually operate the drug and grocery stores.
• ?

Did I mention 12 degrees?

It has reached a balmy 19 degrees, and going outside makes my face hurt.

A perfect dinner for this day..

 

It's a cold and breezy Winter day, which makes this rich and hearty beef stew a perfect family dinner.

We had roast beef, roast veg, and gravy last night for dinner.  That, of course, folds neatly into this big pot of beef stew, since it's all of last nights dinner in one pot, 'Plus' a bit more.

The beef roast of course, along with carrot, potato, onion, shallot, green onion, Daikon radish, wine, chicken stock, and several seasonings, herbs, and spices to include my own tomato powder.  30 minutes before serving I'll install some frozen peas, which makes the Wife quite happy.

Cream biscuits to accompany, of course.

Yesterdays dinner cooked for 3 hours, and today's beef stew will be in the oven for 8 hours.  Can you imagine what our home smells like right now?

AND..... This recipe made THESE biscuits.  Easiest I've tried, and best I have ever made.

A glimpse into what is driving some politicians in fear right now....

 

Cory Booker, a truly perfect representative of slimy self-serving politicians everywhere, has admitted he's sucked in over $2 million in 'speaking fees' in the last couple years.

One.... YUGE..... problem for Booker:

"Federal law (5 U.S.C. § 7351) reinforces that congressional members cannot profit from outside speaking gigs while in office. The maximum outside income for 2025 is set at 15% of their base salary ($174,000), or about $26,100 annually, but this applies to earned income like consulting—not honoraria, which are outright banned". (Mila Joy on X)

Looking at the egregious and blatant actions of the Tribes politicians and priests these last 4 years has led me to only one conclusion. They were not concerned with obviously breaking myriad laws because they never expected to lose another election.  They never expected anyone to be a position to make them pay for their crimes.  Losing to Trump (along with both houses) and seeing him surge into office like a tsunami of righteous retribution has really put the fear to them.  So many politicians are seeing themselves in prison before this is over.  I could see a whole new Federal prison being built just to house corrupt politicians.

I sure hope they do public tours. 

Foodie Vs. Normie

I was asked "What the heck is a Foodie?".

Maybe I'd best explain with an example.

A simple question. "What did you have for breakfast?"

Normie, "Eggs and toast. Nothing special".

Foodie, "Man, I had three eggs so fresh the chickens were still complaining.  I had them scrambled, with a dash of heavy creamy to kick it up.  They were cooked slow, with crumbled peppered bacon and shredded sharp yellow Cheddar.  Lot's of fresh ground black pepper on top too.  I just left them in the pan and cooked it like a Frittata till it firmed up. Then, I had two slices of Italian bread, toasted to perfection.  Just a little too much good butter on the toast, but is there really ever too much butter?  I thought about doing the salsa thing on the eggs, but that would have overpowered the lovely taste of the bacon.  Next time I'll do plain eggs in maybe an omelet, and do the salsa on top".

There, in a nutshell, is the difference between a normie and a foodie.

A glimpse into my tiny brain....

 

I look at this image while someone asks how they wipe their butt.  The strange creature inside my skull immediately jumps to think of possible answers, mostly because the alternative is hideous.

Maybe vampires don't poop?

I mean, if all they consume is blood, then what do they make a poop out of?  Also, if they DO poop, wouldn't that massively iron-rich diet give them the universes worst constipation?

Then I wonder if I could craft a short story around vampires pooping.

2-18-24 Log pile

W: 313.0    311.8                BS: 140

Good morning!

Today's thought is: When one lights a wood stove, the first fire is for the stove and chimney. They need to warm up before they can do their jobs. The next fire is to warm the home. There is a life lesson in that. Maybe after coffee

Ugh. After coffee. Teens and twenties every night this week. Moove De Wuud.

• Fire & Wood
• Carry in many much lots wood
• Stack wood out front
• Beef stew
• Cream biscuits
• Dishes
• Laundry
• Taxi 1
• Taxi 2
• Vacuum
• Start clotted cream before bed
• ?

Mr. Weather guesser says 'Coooold weather coming soon!'.

Mr. Wood stove says 'Nya Nya'.

Mr. Old man body says.....'ouch'.

Is this a typical thing, or a rare bit of special insanity?

Prediction time....

(Putting on the tall wizard hat)

I Predict!

Germany, in order to protect Democracy, will invalidate their next election after the socialists lose badly. The EU will help them pull it off.

(Taking off the tall wizard hat)

If anyone needs me, I'll be over there behind that curtain.

Vista Print... an odd coincidence.

 

Vista Print, the nations #1 supplier of printed protest signs, has lost 20% of it's company value since the end of January.

Now, I'm not saying the cutting off of USAID fraud money the last week of January had anything to do with the number one supplier of Democrat party protest signs nosediving financially, along with most of the protesters seemingly vanishing.

Oh hell.... yes, I am saying exactly that.

Breakfast hash Noms...

This morning, a breakfast hash happened.  Like all the best Hash's, it used up a bunch of leftovers and needed-used things.   In a medium hot pan with a knob of butter, went:

• 1 leftover hot sausage, chopped
• One shallot, chopped
• 4 baby potatoes, chopped
• 1 daikon radish, chopped
• 4 green onions, diced
• 1 cup of chicken stock
• Seasoning to taste

This was left to simmer until all the stock cooked away.  Why the simmering stock?  So all the chopped up goodies can get soft and flavorful together.  It's the secret to making great hash from raw scratch.

This morning something else happened.  Once the stock cooked away and left behind a yummy soft hash, it was removed to a bowl and corn starch was added and mixed in.

Can anyone tell the class why?  Yes!  Because now it goes back in the pan and will cook up as crispy-crunchy hash patties!  Perfect to hold up a sunny side egg, with a dash of Calabrian Chili sauce to make it lively.

2-17-24 Daily load. Eggcubator day 1.

W: 313.2                BS: 150

The Wind!  The Wind!   It howls!

Gooie Dooies...

• Taxi 1
• Taxi 2
• Dishes
• Trash
• Laundry
• Vacuum
• Fire & Wood
• Stack wood
• Carry wood in
• ?

The memories that pop into an old man's head.

At one point, my family lived on Devil's Hill Rd in Cresco Pennsylvania. We may have been the poorest people in that area at the time. It would have been close, anyway. I think I would have been 5 or 6 maybe.

I recall my dad in a small bar, and yes kids were welcome in bars in those days, and a snippet of conversation.

My Dad, to another guy at the bar "This is fascinating".

Guy at bar "What is fascinating?"

My dad "Well, it appears you think that I care what you think, and I can't imagine what gave you that idea".

I have 100% turned into my dad.

We SAID any new chicks or ducks we get this Spring will be store bought so we can get the females we want. We SAID that. But.... I still had to put some eggs into the eggcubator, just to see if they hatch and what we might get. Baby chicks are a hoot.

2-16-24

W: 312.8                BS: 120

Fire lit lit, coffee brewed, meat roasting.  Gonna be a good day!

A 400% increase in Google searches for criminal attorneys in the DC area. THAT is what I voted for. Thousands of overpriced taxpayer funded McMansions coming for sale near DC on the same week. THAT is what I voted for. To hear the wailing of parasites... THAT IS MUSIC TO MY EARS!

Google searches, a true revealer of the peoples interest at that time. So, what Google searches are trending in the DC area? Criminal attorneys, RICO law, Offshore banks, Wiping computer memory, Statute of limitations,...... I LOVE THIS!!! Flee Criminals, FLEE!

What is good in this world?

To drive the criminals before you. To hear the wailing of parasites. To see the cell doors close behind them.

(Waves sword and grunts in barbarian).

2-15-24

 W: 313.2  :-(  312.8                  BS: 103

Doctory and test stuff yesterday.  Blood numbers mostly came back good or better.  More tests scheduled.   I asked the heart doc to go back and see where I'm at now.  Just want to know.

Snewww. rain, sleet, and small ferrets all due to fall on our heads today and tonight.

Do's:

• Fire & Wood
• Carry in many many lots wood
• Dishes
• Laundry
• Groceries?
• Taxi 
• ?

2-13-25 House elf chronicles

W: 311.8                BS: 118

• Do things
• Do stuff
• Cook bacon