Noteable Quoteable

Greenland is a territory of Denmark; it does not seem really reasonable that the United States would attack and occupy a friendly nation.

 - Vatican Senior Cleric and Archbishop of U.S. Military Services, Timothy P. Broglio

Aurora Watching

A little more than 24 hours ago our sun unleashed a powerful X-Class solar flare along with a fast Earth-directed coronal mass ejection (CME).  It arrived overnight and, expecting it, I snapped some average photos* of the arrival of the northern lights.

The first couple of photos were snapped before bedtime at 10.06 PM the evening of January 19, 2026.  They were OK - yet not what I expected.

For any of the following photos click on the image for a closer look. 

 

Twice more I arose to check on the progress of the lights (thank you bladder) and peering from the bathroom window to the north only once did my naked eye perceive any action.  With wind chills -20F I wasn't inclined to take an actual photo sampling.  

Finally I arose before 6 AM (permanently) and took a peek outdoors.

Yowza!  The aurora borealis had gathered in strength with the night and as darkness began to wane was dancing in the pre-dawn skies. Here is a sampling of the shots I took; January 20, 2027 at 5:58 AM.

 

And, in-case you needed a guide to decipher the lights, here you go... 

*iPhone 14 Pro

I use a Snapseed App to manipulate the aperture and ISO. My device uses a stabilizer setting for extended exposures.

 

 

What's For Dinner?

As a general rule I do the cooking around this joint.  And it's usually just the two of us. So it's not like I'm up to my elbows in pots and pans.  

I was chatting with someone on a private FB page last week about how our dietary choice fit (or didn't fit) with HHS's new inverted food pyramid.  We eat red meat with venison at the top of the list followed by chicken, pork and fish (typically salmon) as proteins.  Beef is at the very bottom and is usually a ground chuck burger sourced from our butcher.  We eat a  pile of veggies and this time of year I eat Irish porridge (with blueberries) nearly daily.  I also can and freeze produce from our garden, fresh-caught fish, venison in all forms and plenty of homemade soups. 

We drink milk, use butter and cheese and have incorporated duck fat in frying potatoes for as long as I can remember.  Having gotten air popper for making popcorn I picked-up some coconut oil to flavor the product with a little fat along with salt.  I'm told it's a movie theater hack.  I'll report on results later.  

This time of year the weather conditions can be so unpredictable or inhumane that grilling outdoors or firing-up the brick oven isn't worth the trouble.  Consequently, the new GE range with an expansive cook top, traditional oven/broiler and a second oven/broiler with convection and air frying settings allows for quite a bit of versatility. 

In any event here's a few dinners from the last month in case you're nosy.  And because we keep our own schedules for outside interests and activities we're not averse to leftovers in case someone needs to pack a meal or is eating alone.

It all works out in terms of variety and division of labor.

And for a couple of old farts our metabolic labs are in good working order.

You are what you eat.

Pork chop plate

Pan-seared salmon

Cheese and mushroom omelet - breakfast for dinner

Winner, winner, chicken dinner   

Aurora Alert

09.14.25 View North

The sun woke-up on the flare side of the bed overnight, unleashing a powerful X-class solar flare along with a fast Earth-directed coronal mass ejection (CME), which is currently forecast to hit our home planet within the next 24 hours.

If the CME arrives as expected and has the correct magnetic orientation to be "geoeffective," we could witness strong (G3) or even severe (G4) geomagnetic storm conditions tonight, according to the U.K. Met Office. If these conditions are reached, the northern lights might be visible as far south as Northern California and Alabama

Space weather forecasters are busy analyzing data and running models to narrow down the CME's arrival window.

Fingers-crossed for clear night skies..... 

Style Counts for Something

One of the redeeming features of Face Book is that it has facilitated the reunification of any number of us who grew-up together and came of age in the 60s and 70s.  I suppose we can thank COVID for more free time and screen time.  Add to this a milestone High School reunion only a couple of years ago.  After roughly 50 years of separation for some of us the reconnection has been a good thing.  

Plenty has changed for many of us; nevertheless, becoming reacquainted is A-OK by my standards.  FB has become our Town Square and gathering spot to share thoughts and opinions and remain in-touch. And while the pace of new friends and acquaintances may have slowed the list continues to grow.  In any event, one of those pals from the old neighborhood posted this photo on his FB page including his own words (italics) preceding it:

The Democrats saw Obama as their chosen one that would lead them into their socialistic utopia. When Trump was elected those same people realized that their utopic dreams were not going to be realized. They then started hating and attacking anything and anyone that threatened the " progress" they believed they had made politically and culturally in transfirming/destroying the USA.

 

So, their protesting and at times violence is the continuation of their deranged hatred of President Trump. If Kamala or some other person adored by their Party was directing these deportations there would be no issue no protests, no threats to Law enforcement personnel. Hypocritical in their thoughts and actions. Sad, real sad.

 

I commented with this:   

I was actually studying-up on this phenomenon this afternoon.  Under Obama, interdiction and deportation was hardly ever public and rarely involved any drama. Not even background noise. Interestingly, very close to same in the early years of the first Trump administration. I absolutely know what changed (because I took old fashioned notes).  10 guesses anyone?

 

The discussion that followed included defenses of President Trump considering everything from Trump Derangement Syndrome, generalized media bias, to perceived Face Book and iPhone (Apple) algorithm biases.   My childhood pal shared this:  I respect your research and notes Tom. Please share.  

 

So I did.  I had to cut and paste my notes from my laptop resulting in poor formatting; nevertheless editable.  They are as follows:  

Here’s a brief summary of deportations under Barack Obama (2009–2017) and Donald Trump - (both terms, including his second term starting in 2025) - focused on ICE/DHS removals/deportations by the numbers.  Note: The Trump second term is incomplete and stats both reflect that and are annotated.

 

Over the eight years (2009 - 2017) of Obama’s presidency, ICE and DHS reported approximately 3.1 million immigration removals/deportations. Highlights - FY 2012: ~409,849 deportations — one of the highest annual totals.  FY 2013: ~438,421 deportations — often cited as the highest year. 

 

Observations:

 

Deportations were high early in his tenure and declined later — partly due to changes in enforcement priorities and declining border apprehensions. Later years saw lower totals: ~235,413 in FY 2015 and ~240,255 in FY 2016

 

Obama’s approach focused more on recent border crossers and noncitizens with criminal convictions, rather than broad interior enforcement.

 

Trump Administration (2017 - 2021 & 2025 - ?)

 

First Trump term (2017–2021): DHS/ICE data shows fewer overall removals than under Obama, with around 932,000 deportations reported over those four years.

 

Second Trump administration (2025 onward): Data is less centralized, but multiple sources provide partial figures:  ICE deported nearly 200,000 people in the first seven months of 2025 alone. Some government estimates suggest combined deportations + other removals could reach ~300,000+ in FY 2025 under Trump’s enforcement surge. Public reports cite overall removals including border expulsions and voluntary departures in the hundreds of thousands by the end of 2025.

 

Observations:

 

Trump’s highest annual ICE deportation figures (e.g., ~267,000–300,000+) clearly have not surpassed Obama’s peak year totals (which were ~438,000 in 2013). 

 

The Trump administration’s enforcement in 2025 increased interior ICE arrests and targeted broader categories of unauthorized immigrants including many without criminal records. 

 

Data releases from DHS/ICE have been inconsistent, making comprehensive year-by-year comparisons harder than with historical Obama data.

 

COMPARE AND CONTRAST

 

1. Enforcement Priorities: Targeted Arrests vs. Universal Arrests

 

Obama:

Focused on enforcement priorities aimed at public safety: Serious criminals, national security threats and recent border crossers. ICE was supposed to emphasize these groups before acting on others; this constrained the agency’s interior enforcement focus.

 

Trump:

Early executive orders broadly expanded enforcement priorities to include all undocumented non-citizens as targets for arrest and removal. This resulted in enforcement shifting from a targeted, risk-based approach to a wide net aiming to arrest anyone removable under immigration law.

 

2. Criminal History Composition of Arrests

 

Obama:

A larger share of ICE interior arrests historically involved people with criminal convictions. ICE largely confined interior enforcement to those with broader public safety concerns.

 

Trump:

Recent data show a dramatic rise in arrests of people with no criminal records. Nearly 1/3 of those arrested in 2025 by ICE had no criminal history. Another report suggests tens of thousands without criminal convictions were picked up, contradicting official focus on criminals. Independent data also show a sharp shift in arrest composition, with non-criminal individuals making up a much higher share of total ICE detentions under Trump.

 

3. At-Large vs. Custodial Arrests

 

Obama:

ICE largely arrested individuals already in jail/prison (custodial arrests) via information sharing with local jails and prisons; use of at-large arrests (sweeps in communities) was more limited.

 

Trump:

ICE dramatically increased at-large arrests — apprehending people in homes, workplaces, and communities rather than primarily from jails. This shift meant broader, more public operations compared with the historically jail-linked approach.

 

4. Collaboration with Local Law Enforcement

 

Obama:

ICE cooperation with local police/jails — such as through Secure Communities — was significant but tempered by enforcement priorities and some jurisdictions’ non-cooperation.

 

Trump:

Expansion of programs like 287(g) dramatically increased the role of local police in immigration enforcement, allowing them to question and detain immigrants for ICE — a tactic scaled back or de-emphasized under Obama.

 

5. Detention Policy and Public Operations

 

Obama:

Fewer large-scale, publicized raids; enforcement often occurred in less visible ways (custodial transfers from local jails, routine immigration check-ins).

 

Trump:

Enforcement has included public raids, frequent at-large operations, and actions in “sensitive locations” that were avoided under prior internal DHS policies — including immigration court check-ins, workplaces, and neighborhoods. ICE has also faced criticism for increased detention populations and facility deaths tied to expanded enforcement.

 

6. Policy Framing and Quotas

 

Obama:

Restored a degree of prioritization to manage enforcement resources and judicial backlogs, focusing removal on higher-risk individuals in many years.

 

Trump:

Reports indicate daily arrest “quotas” and political mandates for mass enforcement, with leadership pushing ICE to meet broad arrest targets rather than focusing solely on prioritized categories.

 

Summary:

Obama’s ICE tactics centered more on defined enforcement priorities and collaboration with the criminal justice system; whereas, Trump’s approach expanded who could be targeted, expanded community arrests, and integrated local law enforcement more deeply, resulting in broader sweeps and more arrests of people without criminal records.

*Note:  The notion that I had burned about three hours time (time I will never get back) that same afternoon was a consequence of a FB post - including an eight year-old YouTube "Ride With ICE" video - from another neighborhood pal of mine.  It was thought-provoking and encouraged me to initiate some background as it didn't get anyone's interest on FB other than me and maybe one additional individual.    

 

Inasmuch as things went silent on my pal's FB page following posting my notes I added an additional comment for purposes of background (see asterisk above) on Sunday morning.  That comment, including the YouTube video, are as follows:

 

As a follow-up to my notes I posted yesterday I want to share that the inspiration for my inquiry into this subject was a post that (name redacted) put out there four days ago. 

 

In it he asked: "8+yrs ago Obama's Ice agent's were well respected heroes, just doing their job. wonder what changed?"  (Note: Video is dated August 25, 2017 making these Trump's ICE agents.  Typo?) 

 

The video is from 8 years ago and taken during the first year of the first Trump term. It's not very long so watch it to the end and then afterwards ask yourself  "what changed between Trump 1.0 and 2.0 with respect to ICE protocols and reflecting on the differences between the two Presidents and their approach to interdiction and deportation.

 

Not stirring things-up as I happen to think (name redacted) has raised an excellent point and asked a thought-provoking question.

 

 

Have you ever wondered what it's like during the life of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent?  Phil Shuman of Fox 11, Los Angeles, takes you along for a ride on August 25, 2017.

At the time of this post's publication that thread has gone silent.  No further discussion.  The point I was attempting to make (perhaps not very clearly) was we have the same President today as eight years ago.  Almost at the same point in time of each presidential term. 

 

The clip is from the first year of the first Trump term in 2017.  Contrast that with ICE operational procedures today - the first year of the second Trump term in 2025. 

 

Are there objective differences between ICE agents and their protocol between then and now?

 

If any, what may they be?  What, if anything, changed?

 

I have some working theories about how, and why, ICE evolved between Trump 1.0 and Trump 2.0 

 

You?

Space Race

Just last week, SpaceX received federal approval to dramatically increase the size of its Starlink constellation, clearing the way for the launch of an additional 7,500 satellites into low-Earth orbit. 

While this would have seemed impossible a decade ago, the space industry hardly bats an eye today, as mega-constellations like Starlink have become an increasingly familiar component of modern infrastructure.

Pardon me; is there a space race going on?  

If so, it isn't even a contest. 

For more insights on the rapid advances in spaceflight technology click on the image for a closer look.  

 

 

Get Bent

Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, recently stated that Americans should be prepared to be stopped and prove their citizenship.  Yup, she said that. 

Noem was asked by reporters on Thursday (January 15, 2026) about reports that ICE agents have stopped people in several Minnesota locales and demanded they produce proof of citizenship during immigration enforcement activities.  Many of these individuals were bonafide citizens; the Real McCoy. 

Noem described these encounters as part of targeted enforcement operations and said that officers may ask people nearby who they are and have them validate their identity.  When pressed on whether Americans should carry proof of citizenship, she indicated that U.S. citizens should be prepared to provide evidence of their status if contacted during such operations. 

  

Legal analysts note there is no general requirement for U.S. citizens to carry proof of citizenship in everyday life.  Furthermore, the Fourth Amendment limits when police can demand ID without reasonable suspicion or actual evidence of wrongdoing.   

Secretary Noem's remarks have drawn strong reactions from lawmakers and civil liberties advocates who argue such guidance risks turning routine enforcement into encounters solely for purposes of demanding ordinary citizens to produce their papers.    

I wasn't born here, yet I've led the entirety of my adult life in the country I am a citizen-of without being stopped and required to produce evidence of my citizenship status.

Arguably, it is a very low probability of an older white guy, speaking without an accent, of actually facing that possibility.  Nevertheless, if one or more masked ICE agents, without any visible identification, no body camera and carrying a sidearm along with an automatic assault rifle pull me over, stop, interrupt and in the absence of a warrant, evidence or even a whiff of suspicion of my commission of a crime and demand my papers my inclination is to tell them to get bent.

If any of you MAGA devotees reading this care to explain to me how this great nation hasn't got one foot in the grave of a police state I'm all ears.

I'm waiting... 

Friday Music

Written by Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio this song was originally recorded by the US band the Four Seasons and released in 1964 on the flip side of US number one single Rag Doll (also composed by Crewe and Gaudio).

The British band The Tremeloes recorded their version in 1967.  Their cover reached number one on the UK Singles Chart and rose to 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 becoming one of the top performing songs of 1967.  I was 12 years old that year and five and a half decades later it's still gold.

Silence is Golden.....

Billboard Twist

Messages on the side of the road have ranged from the historical humor of Burma-Shave, to modern safety warnings to Buckle-Up, Don't Text and Drive and Hands-Free Phone Use Only in Construction Zones.  There has even been spiritual guidance drawing on scripture to be attentive and show kindness to others on their journey.

Nowadays a trip on any stretch of Highway 29 is dominated by a couple of personal injury lawyers.  You know who. 

On the trip home from a South Dakota pheasant hunting trip there was this breath of fresh air....

State Highway 29 just east of Thorp; That's between the Wisconsin cities of Chippewa Falls and Wausau.

Happy Motoring.... 

The Red Rocket

Yesterday I shared my conviction that my dog came to our household factory-equipped with an on-off switch.

When the switch is in the OFF position she's at rest.

When the switch is in the ON position she's tearing around the landscape at full-tilt whether on the hunt or at play.

As a matter of fact, on the subject of an object happens to be in motion, she has raised Newton's Law of Inertia to art form.... 

 

Inflation Steady as Fed Considers Rate Path

 

In the event you were interested the numbers are in today  

Inflation ended the year on a subdued note, as the administration's 2025 import taxes (tariffs) worked their way through to sticker prices.

Consumer prices were 2.7 percent higher than a year ago, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed on Tuesday, or 2.6 percent when stripping out volatile food and energy prices.

That was about in line with the number for November, which was artificially depressed by irregularities arising from a lapse in data collection during the government shutdown. And it was only slightly slower than the pace at the beginning of 2025, before the prices of durable goods like cars and toys began rising as President Trump imposed steep tariffs on most countries.

The report is the last of its kind before the Federal Reserve meets again in two weeks. With the employment report for December showing the unemployment rate sinking back to a relatively healthy 4.4 percent, officials are expected to hold interest rates steady after cutting them three times since September.

The Consumer Price Index was pulled down by the cost of used cars and trucks, which fell 1.1 percent over the month, and have risen only 1.6 percent over the past year. Yearly growth in that category peaked at 45 percent in June 2021, before turning negative in 2023 and 2024. Airline fares, on the other hand, unexpectedly jumped 5.2 percent, potentially reflecting record travel during the holidays. And the price of groceries also came in hot, at 0.7 percent over the month and 2.4 percent since this time a year ago. That was the fastest one-month gain in grocery prices since 2022, driven by higher prices for items such as meats, dairy and coffee.

Inflation has been pulled down over the past year by apartment rents, which have been sinking from pandemic-era highs after cities like Denver, Phoenix and Austin, Texas, saw a boom of new supply. In December, rents rose 3.1 percent over the year, while the cost of owning a home has risen 3.4 percent.

Energy prices overall have risen 2.3 percent over the year, but that masks big differences between sources: the price of gasoline was down 3.4 percent, while electricity prices rose by 6.7 percent.

Jerome H. Powell, the Fed chair, last month said he expected the peak impact of tariffs on price pressures to materialize in the first quarter of the year, meaning that the next couple of inflation reports will be even more closely scrutinized.  Of course, that was before the DOJ locked horns with the Fed with a probe that the Fed chair attributed to political retribution over its approach to monetary policy.

President Trump seized on the inflation report to demand that the Federal Reserve lower interest rates swiftly, as he renewed his public attacks on Jerome H. Powell, the chair of the central bank.

Yesterday, and overnight the Senate, former Fed Chairs and the business community started circling their wagons around the Powell with the admonition that meddling  with the independence of the Federal Reserve will likely increase inflation expectations and probably increase rates over time.*

Watch the bond markets, folks.

Meanwhile, any wagers on who blinks first?______________________________________________________________ 

*The New York Times Breaking news: Inflation holds steady as Fed considers rate path

 

 

 

Chill'n

I am convinced my dog came to our household factory-equipped with an on-off switch.

When the switch is in the ON position she's tearing around the landscape at full-tilt whether on the hunt or at play.

When the switch is in the OFF position she's at rest.

As a matter of fact, on the subject of an object at rest, she has raised Newton's Law of Inertia to art form.... 

 

Marks and Spencer

This roll-on deodorant has been living in my travel backpack since I returned from our family vacation last year in the UK.  

I purchased it at an M&S Simply Foods grocery within walking distance of our digs at the Royal Horseguards Hotel.  As a near lifetime user of Old Spice (original stick formula) deodorant this was a pleasant change of pace.  Not the roll-on feature - the scent.  A very pleasing scent.

Anyway, it's all used-up from traveling since then and I got to wondering if it was available for sale anywhere locally.  Nada.  Not Walgreens, CVS, Walmart, Pick & Save or Tadych's.  I didn't find it online at Costco either. 

I did find it for sale (and denominated in USD) at Amazon UK.  Unfortunately, the UK website in typical polite British form regrets to inform me: This item cannot be dispatched to your selected delivery location.  Please choose a different delivery location.

Obviously, somewhere on their side of the pond.

I did find something similar to the UK product available via our Prime account at Amazon.

But I'll give it a rest for the present and return to the comfort of my familiar Old Spice.

Besides, you never know when a travel opportunity might pop-up that results in a return to the UK. 

I can scratch that itch then. 

Meanwhile, if you're traveling to the UK and surrounding environs keep your eye peeled for Marks and Spencer and their smaller M&S Simply Foods.  You have my personal assurance you will find everything thing you need at regular pricing - even in midtown London.  Same for Monoprix in France.

Happy traveling.... 

Let There Be Soup

If you’re looking for a hearty wintertime soup this is a winner.  

 

This recipe brings just enough heat from the smoked Spanish paprika and chili powder tempered by heavy cream at the finish. I exercised restraint at a single cup of dairy; I added more to leftovers the next day.  The truth of the matter is next time I'll add the entire pint of cream with the first round.  Seeing as about half of the soup is pureed with an immersion stick blender that cream simply disappears into the rich goodness of it all.

 

Top with shredded sharp cheddar, bacon bits from the front-end prep and diced scallion tops. Toasted, salad croutons work too.

 

Recipe from the NYT Cooking section. Link is below and there's no paywall because if you’re reading this you’re a friend who appreciates homemade soup. 

 

Serve with crusty sourdough bread or sliced baguette for sopping-up and dipping.  Go ahead.  Do it!

 

Pretty good chow if you can get it…..

 

Recipe link here:  Potato Soup by Naz Deravian 

 

Between you and me I wouldn't mess with this recipe by much; if at all.  If you want to amp this-up with some added protein I'd consider something neutral like shrimp or chicken.  If you're inclined to incorporate smoked sausage like a kielbasa, andouille, or something similar you may want to ditch the smoked paprika and chili powder.  

 

For what it's worth I am told that Aldi carries Alabama Conecuh smoked sausage on a seasonal basis.  Hubba Hubba!  I'll have to check next time I'm in Green Bay.