Prairie Blooms

Doggo and I ran the trail camera trap line yesterday and discovered a date/time hiccup that we returned to fix today.

 

It was also a good opportunity to checkout the seasonal changes occurring in our prairie habitat. 

 

Prairie isn’t universally native to Door County. Prior to European settlement the landscape was mostly boreal forest. 

 

Cleared for agriculture nowadays you can find previously-farmed acreage repurposed as native prairie. Technically, non-native it’s terrific pollinator and ground nesting bird habitat.

 

For us the autumn species are beginning to come online. 

 

Click on images for a closer look.... 

 

 

Stiff goldenrod (Solidago rigida)

  

 

Canada Goldenrod (Solidago canadensis)

 

 

Compass plant (Silphium laciniatum).  At seven feet it’s as ‘high as an elephant’s eye'

 

 

Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans).  It’s flowering this time of year as part of its reproductive cycle.  Yes, grass flowers for pollination.  Four to five feet tall.

 

 

Big Blue stem (Andropogon gerardii).  Commonly known as known as turkeyfoot.  The tiny yellow structures visible dangling from the spikes are its anthers shedding pollen.  

 

 

More turkeyfoot.   The King of the Prairie around here generally grows four to eight feet tall.

 

Check-in periodically for updates as the seasons progress.  

How To Build A Deer Stand

I've built a lot of deer stands over the decades; all most too many to count.  In the early years it was a simple matter to pick-out an appropriate tree that could accommodate a home-built platform with a railing or a manufactured stand you could hang from the tree trunk.  If you chose to construct something out of lumber that was harder and required near constant attention to repairs as trees move with the wind and those platforms eventually become unstable or dangerous without inspection and repair.

All of that ended with the arrival of the ash borer.  Because mature ash trees, with their straight, strong and tall trunks are near ideal for mounting a deer stand; everything around here is dead or dying and not longer suitable for use.

So about ten years ago I commenced-upon a plan to gradually construct free-standing towers fashioned from pressure-treated lumber to replace those that had been in trees and to supplement four additional metal factory-built stands.   

At last count, and including this stand, there have been added eight wooden towers supplementing three metal stands.  The oldest metal stand was replaced by the newest wooden tower a couple weeks ago. 

This location is a really hot spot as the existing stand enjoys views south and west of several hundred yards in length.  So effective is the deer hunting here that this stand is named The Stand of Death.  Lately, dark humor extends that term to anyone bold enough to hunt from a slowly deteriorating stand.  Hunt from it at your own peril. 

I purchased that metal tower 30 + years ago from Fleet Farm.  It's rusty, corroded and pretty rickety.  It is basically unsafe.  Furthermore when you look at it you can see that it's difficult to enter and egress, especially in cold weather when you have to wear bulkier outerwear and heavy boots.  And there's no space to stand-up (safely) and stretch.  The replacement is gonna be luxurious.

 

Having performed most of the preassembly work myself there is a certain amount of muscle memory and record-keeping to guide the purchase of hardware and lumber for the project.  Nevertheless, every time we embark on this there is always a return trip to town for something that we missed or additional needed hardware.  If you've ever constructed a deck you would understand the process.  With the exception of concrete footings it's similar.

Most of the work begins under the lean-to on the barn; a handy place as it's protected from the elements, has power, storage space and a deck that allows sawdust and debris to disappear.

The latest iteration of tower stands features a 4X4 foot footprint fitted with rails bolted to the perimeter joists and the attachment of manufactured brackets that allow fitting the platform to four legs.

Most everything is preassembled along with additional parts cut, numbered and lettered for final assembly in the field.  Ladder, legs and additional lumber in the pick-up truck.  Base and tools in the mule.

 

That's Nick installing lag screws while everyone else is chatting about the recent release of another season of Ted Lasso.  Don’t get the impression that this is one guy doing all the work while the other four pick their noses. This was sweaty labor and a real group effort.

The tower is then slowly winched into an upright position, positioned and leveled by hand by means of human muscle.

And then further braced, blocked, a ladder and additional guards against fall added to the upper deck.

This stand presently is furnished with a camo-painted cafeteria chair; however, a swiveling pedestal boat seat will eventually be permanently installed. 

The following video starts at the eastern portal of what we call the quarter mile long ‘Tunnel of Doom’.  At the opener you can see a couple of flag tapes on the left and right side of the frame. 

 

As I shared at the top, the new Stand of Death (SOD 2.0) enjoys a magnificent view of two shooting lanes. 

 

 

The Middle Guard Tower is similarly endowed to include a new 100 yard-plus shooting lane to the east; further enhancing the original north-south lane. 

 

Thanks to those that were able to join-in on short notice to help assemble this and clear offending branches and other obstacles. I cannot express my gratitude enough.

 

There’s still work to be to be completed before the bow opener so check-in with me about your availability.

 

The food around here is pretty good. 

 

Cheers people; and eat more deer!

Sean Duffy Reprise

Yesterday I featured Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and the Administration's skillful use of sleight of hand to take credit for transportation improvements and gains for which they didn't have any skin in the game.  They're good at it.  Same goes for this this...

The Great American Road Trip was unveiled earlier this year as part and parcel of the further celebration of America's Semiquincentennial by inspiring the people to hit the road and travel America to join in the celebration.  Previous administrations and Secretaries have produced similar puff pieces and on paper I would not disagree with this conceptually.  Who doesn't like a good road trip and fun celebration?

Filmed beforehand and announced after Mr. Trump made his unilateral decision to go to war the timing was somewhat fraught.  Considering the impulsive nature of the president, the lack of planning and poor timing shouldn't come as any surprise.  With gasoline and diesel north of $4 and $5 a gallon the notion of a road trip was stunningly inopportune and tone deaf.  Working-class middle America was priced out of the road trip market.

So the administration held it back.  Planned for release three months ago it was put on ice ostensibly for additional editing to comply with government ethics rules.  Which is the second problematic issue; Road Trip was underwritten through the generous support of sponsors.  Namely the corporate entities that Duffy's Department is supposed to regulate - including $1 Million Platinum Level sponsors including names like Boeing, Toyota, Royal Caribbean,United Airlines and Shell.

Naturally, considering the Trump administration has its hand out for any opportunity to take money from any any well-heeled contributor that might have business before the federal government; with the exception of Presidential Pardons I'm unwilling to characterize this a bribery.  All previous administrations have done this at some level; however, considering the level of Trump's personal level of fiscal self-aggrandizement and the brazenness of the Trump organization's efforts this is nothing less than art form. But I digress.

I'll likely catch some flack because I'm a cultural philistine and not a fan of 1990's-style saccharine reality television programming.  Even so, if your viewing tastes match the target audience you might want to give it a look.  Its family friendly and the advertising is muted; and because it never rose to the interest of network or cable television you can find it over on YouTube.  And it can use the viewership.

Happy motoring.

You can learn more about the production here. 

Claim Jumping

I have observed the advancement of a homegrown Wisconsin boy, Sean Duffy, from afar.  With some admiration too.  What's not to like about a lumberjack from Hayward, WI?

Indeed, Duffy was a professional lumberjack having competed in Hayward's Lumberjack World Championship on several occasions and winning multiple titles in speed climbing.  He graduated from St. Mary's College of Minnesota with a marketing degree and from William Mitchell College of Law in 1999.  In 2002 governor Scott McCallum appointed Duffy as Ashland County District Attorney where he served until 2010.

In 2010 he defeated state senator Julie Lassa for Wisconsin's 7th Congressional district; formerly held by retiring representative David Obey.  Duffy was re-elected four more times before resigning from Congress in 2019 on account of a newborn child's health complications. After leaving Congress Duffy worked for a consulting group and began co-hosting Fox Business's The Bottom Line in 2023.  

In November 2024, President-elect Donald Trump nominated Duffy to serve as his Secretary of Transportation.  Duffy was confirmed by the Senate on January 28, 2025 and immediately sworn-in.

As cabinet Secretary Duffy isn't generally associated with much of the drama and intrigue that ordinarily follows other cabinet officials.  Much of this is a consequence of a department not generally bedeviled by the culture wars, there is institutional inherited momentum in the pipeline (pardon the pun), ribbon cuttings are positive events and any project delays can be chalked-up to government bureaucracy.  Because bricks and mortar are basically boring background noise Transportation is likely the quietly safest cabinet post on the planet.  Which leads me to this:  Scuttlebutt that Secretary Duffy is taking credit for infrastructure grants signed into law by former president Biden. 

Say it isn't so.

With a modicum of digging it is quite so.

Seems Duffy is touting BUILD grants (Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development) as rebranded RAISE grants (Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity) created and funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law signed by President Biden in 2021.  

Critics note that the Trump administration has been resurrecting previously-passed legislation with new names while not always acknowledging their origin under the former guy.

Official messaging from Duffy and the Department frequently describe moving or approving grants emphasizing that the Trump administration is clearing a backlog or getting America building again of previously announced projects.  Such messaging frames the work as a fresh accomplishment by the current administration - omitting any reference to funding under Biden. 

Representative O'Brien meets with Transportation Secretary Duffy to discuss the I-69 Ohio River Crossing.  The ORX bridge involves a mix of federal, state (Kentucky and Indiana) and toll authority funding for the estimated $933 million project.  The states are pursuing $632.3 million in major federal grants, including the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funds. 

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act) signed in 2021 was huge; authorizing roughly $1.2 trillion in infrastructure funding much of which continues to be allocated and spent as you read this.

In the year since Trump took office not a single stand-alone infrastructure law has been passed.  Major federal infrastructure authorizations all stem from laws passed before Joe Biden left office.  

Noteworthy, is the administration has focused on regulation and permitting; pushing changes intended to speed-up infrastructure approvals by means of revising matters such as environmental permitting.  Recent rollbacks of long-standing environmental review requirements aim to reduce delays on large projects which supporters suggest accelerates infrastructure work without creating entirely new federal infrastructure spending authorizations.

Nevertheless, the current administration has not passed into law any large scale infrastructure spending of its own.  Major funding still originates from earlier bipartisan legislation enacted under former President Biden or other existing statutory authority.

It's not exactly like plagiarizing a term paper as much as it is more like stealing someone else's thunder.  Or maybe their lunch from the office break room fridge.  And much like never accepting responsibility for anything that goes awry; the administration is quick to message another's work as their own and take credit and recognition for someone else's efforts.  All in the name of benefiting from unearned achievements passed-off as their own.  

Nothing new under the sun; we've all been to this rodeo before..... 

August Astronomy

As we come upon the end of August it is worthy of note that Saturn begins rising in the east-southeast signalling the official kickoff of a season of Saturn viewing.

Heretofore, as summer commenced, Saturn was a predawn event.  Now it is rising at a time to make late-evening viewing convenient.  Saturn is now found in the southeast sky by 10 PM and is visible to the naked eye.  If you have a telescope you will have an opportunity to view the planet's rings. 

As a consequence of Saturn rising approximately four minutes earlier each night these later-evening viewing hours will only get better and earlier in September leading up to its peak opposition in October.

 

Friday Music

Trio II was recorded in 1994 but not released until 1999, when Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, and Linda Ronstadt appeared on Late Show to perform Neil Young's "After the Gold Rush." 

The Glass Harmonica (or Armonica) was played by Dennis James, who remembers the performance in an interview with Rich Bailey in 2002.

Rich Bailey: 

I remember when you appeared with her on Letterman and you discussed the Armonica a bit. How was that? 

Dennis James: 

Well, it was a great surprise. A sort of unspoken message in the air to me before the broadcast was "Do not say anything on the air!”. After all, these things are Linda's appearances. When David L. leaned over his desk and directed a question to me I simply froze - on playback of the dub I can see myself caught and unable to speak. I received a glance from Linda that said to me it was OK and so when he tried again I called back a flip one liner and on things went from there. 

This song has an ethereal quality to it - the voices of angels.

Everyone should be more like Dolly; God speed.... 

Cognitive Dissonance

Free speech is a vital American value, until it’s exercised by drag queens (or Jimmy Kimmel). 

Socialism is a threat to American freedom, until the Trump administration takes ownership stakes in multiple major American corporations. 

Religious liberty is a cornerstone of the American experiment, unless Muslims want to open a mosque or have equal access to religious schools.

August Night Sky

The Full Moon appearing this month is named after North America's largest fish - the sturgeon. Other names for this Full Moon include Green Corn Moon, Grain Moon, Barley Moon and Fruit Moon. 

The Sturgeon Moon has its origins in the great number of sturgeon that were once found in the lakes and rivers in North America.  It’s likely that with the arrival of European settlement the name was borrowed from native-American usage.  

I live close to Sturgeon Bay - named for the large number of sturgeon found here when settlers arrived.  Nowadays, over-fishing has just about eliminated this species from the Great Lakes.  Sigh.  The largest population of sturgeon in the world can be found in the Lake Winnebago waterway system not too far away.

August's full moon is special - as it features a partial lunar eclipse.  This occurs when the earth passes between the sun and the moon.  If you live in the norther hemisphere the earth's shadow is going to creep-across most (but not all) of the lunar surface beginning tomorrow night and into early Friday morning.  

During this event, the moon moves through the earth's umbra, the dark center of its shadow.  As the Sturgeon moon rises, later in the evening - 11:12 PM CST - the moon will dim and as the partial eclipse reaches its peak it will appear reddish-orange.  It will not technically be a full blood moon as there isn't totality; nevertheless, it should be worth staying-up to check it out.  It will last about 5 and a half hours.  Because you are not looking at the sun no special safety precautions are needed.

This will be the best lunar eclipse anywhere on earth until New Year's Eve 2028! 

Fingers-crossed for good viewing conditions for the next couple of evenings.

Trade Policy Trump Style

 

Just about the time you thought we had this wrapped-up, last Friday trade talks with Canada collapsed.

This is fascinating to me inasmuch as just like the decision to go to war with Iran; this administration leaves each and every last decision on all matters of trade and war, including right down to each and every last country, including terms, to the whims of one sole individual. 

Mr. Trump.

And just like Groundhog Day, every day can be a repeat of the prior or maybe something different; all dependent-upon Trump's mercurial personality, his feelings of self-aggrandizement in the moment and generalized impulsiveness.  Some days are predictable, most are tolerable; while the worst ones are like dealing with a whining toddler tossing toys out of his crib.

Mr. Trump's obsessive trade war with Canada is based-upon an imbalance of trade with the United States that is driven entirely by globally-needed oil. They don't like to talk about; but I'll make it simple enough for a layperson to understand.

An interesting factoid is that the US merchandise trade deficit with Canada is essentially an energy story.  In 2024 the US ran a $64 billion goods deficit with Canada, but that deficit disappeared and became a $34 billion US surplus when energy was excluded.  The US also ran a roughly $24 billion surplus specifically in manufactured goods.  Canadian energy exports, namely crude oil, account for the bilateral deficit.

In other words, Canada isn't beating American manufacturers in some broad-based flood of manufactured goods.  Canada supplies the United States with enormous quantities of energy that the US economy needs, while the United States sells Canada more manufactured goods than it buys from Canada.    

That doesn't mean every Trump tariff policy toward Canada is necessarily motivated by the headline trade deficit; Washington has cited border security, fentanyl, autos, steel and other issues.  

In 2025, the United States ran a $46 billion goods deficit with Canada, but it also ran an approximately $85 billion net deficit in energy trade. The implication is that the United States' overall goods deficit with Canada was not the result of a generalized Canadian advantage in manufactured goods; again it was overwhelmingly an energy phenomenon, offset by U.S. surpluses in other categories.

Nevertheless, if the argument is that America is being economically victimized by a one-sided Canadian trading relationship, the numbers don't stack-up.      

This time, and perhaps because the world needs North American oil; and possibly as a consequence of Mr. Trump's ill-advised unilateral war, it looks like Canada has its sights on our looming midterm elections and is digging-in for a protracted standoff with Trump.  I suspect with hopes for a change of venue in their on-again, off-again trade talks with the administration.   Other countries around the world are watching too; following how tit-for-tat retaliation works with Trump's personal negotiation style.  My sense is that Canada is willing to wait this out as post-election the ground may shift enough giving Democrats the upper hand in the House and providing some breathing room and space for normally trade-minded Republicans to find their balls.  Perhaps the Senate is in play too?  Who knows?  Time will tell.

Canada's retaliatory tariffs won't go into effect until after Labor Day and are likely to focus on things like appliances, agricultural equipment, minerals, steel, dairy, pulp and paper.  If Mark Carney were to take a page out of Ontario Premier Doug Ford's playbook, Canada will focus on taking a shot at Trump's base in both key swing states with significant trade ties to Canada (Michigan and other Midwest and Great Lakes states come to mind) along with critical red states such as Texas and Florida.  I can sense Canada's growing outrage and frustration.  After-all, Mr. Trump commenced his second term with demands that Canada become the 51st state.  

Brilliant.  

If Canada's first impression was that Trump is simply a garden variety asshole; I suppose given everything that has transpired since, he's gonna always be an asshole.   

Remember the guy who claimed that the tiny island nation of Madagascar was picking on us?  Yup, Howard Lutnick.  Whispered Palace Intrigue would suggest that the recent deal fell apart when Mr. Lutnick got bent out of shape over his impression that US Trade Representative Jamison Greer's dealmaking strayed onto Lutnick's turf; namely automobiles, steel and aluminum.  Imagine that; infighting among administration supplicants and sycophants.  In the mean time, the relationship with our single largest trade partner on the planet suffers and US consumers pay the price.

I cannot predict where this ends as I no longer have my crystal ball.  That said, and because we're only a couple of months from the mid-terms, I'll go out on a limb and predict Canada imposes more pain on American consumers who are already restless and grumpy about Mr. Trump's sloppy war and haphazard trade policy.  Between now and the election there will be an abundance of overblown reality television drama-style nonsense before we learn how this ends.

Meanwhile, as far as negotiation tactics go, Trump’s tariff threat hurts US automakers and consumers more than anyone else.  If anybody is under the impression that all Canadian auto and parts production will be re-shored in the US in the next four months; they are certifiably delusional.  That is a MAGA fever dream.

In closing there is this.  Further evidence that import taxes (tariffs) are ultimately paid by consumers; Mr. Trump is ostensibly and temporarily lifting them on imported beef.  And if you think temporary antics like this are a substitute for intellectually-solid trade dynamics or that the price of a Whopper is going to go down I have a bridge to sell you.

Such is the result of leaving decision-making on trade entirely in the hands of an impulsive and incurious individual.  Just like like a war in the Middle East that has gone south; you're gonna get sketchy results.... 

 

Mighty Oak

While working last weekend on the construction of a deer stand on the lean-to of the barn (granary) I spied this.

A tiny oak seedling seeking freedom thru the crack in the deck.

Imagine that.

An acorn likely gathered and secreted by a critter in its lair beneath the porch decking.

Against the foundation, middle of the deck, the acorn germinates in near darkness.

Miraculously, it seeks and follows the smallest amount of sunlight filtering through the crack.

And emerges triumphantly into daylight.

Astonishingly, this happens to be the little oak that beat nature's odds.

I'm not betting on it's long term plans for survival or its options; but I'm gonna leave it be for the present.

Some things in nature never cease to amaze me....

  

Built To Last

Located at the southwest corner of Third Avenue and Kentucky is one of Sturgeon Bay's more prominent lat 19th-century commercial buildings; the Hay Hardware Building.  I paid a call last week for an annual eye exam at Door County Eye Associates and always enjoy the tasteful blend of old architecture and a new professional suite replete with modern technology.

Hardware merchants Charles Tifft and John Hay expanded their business in Ahnapee (Algoma) to Sturgeon Bay in the 1880s.   Hay moved to Sturgeon Bay to manage the store.  The business grew in popularity with Door County farmers supplying everything from heavy agricultural supplies, nails, paint and fencing.  As the business grew, Tifft and Hay built the brick building at what was then the primary business corner of downtown at the intersection of Cedar and St. John Streets.  It opened in September of 1889.

During the economic depression of 1894 the two men parted company and John Hay assumed full ownership of the Sturgeon Bay business as Hay Hardware.  Around the turn of the century a matching brick addition as built at the rear to house a tin shop for the hardware business.  Prior to the opening of the Michigan Street Bridge in 1931 this building was downtown Sturgeon Bay's business anchor.  It operated continuously as a hardware store for ninety years before closing in 1979.   

Constructed of local stone and cream-colored brick the structure is a classic commercial design featuring an ornate corbelled brick cornice. decorative brick pilasters, six bay facade with limestone sills and lintels.  The building retains its original storefront and layout and showcases the original interior structural old-growth white pine timbers tied-together with iron rods and bolts.

                           When was the last time you saw square nuts that large?

Nowadays, the building persists as a contributor to the Third Avenue Historic District and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

And following my cataract surgery It has become brighter, clearer and more colorful  to behold.

The Changing Face Of Warfare

The other day I was sitting in my armchair thinking about lessons being learned by the grinding and ever-evolving war between Ukraine and Russia and the more recent war between the U.S. and Iran.  Armchair general stuff was swirling-about in my civilian brain.  Mostly about the asymmetric nature of the conflicts as it pertains to large, global powers going-up against smaller powers and the cost-asymmetry observed in the use of costly exquisite weapons to defeat numerous unsophisticated and cheap weapons.

Just as armor, gunpowder, artillery, naval power, the machine gun, poison gas, communications, mechanization, aircraft and mutually assured destruction changed the face of warfare; we are witness to another.    

Only last month an advanced AH-64 Apache attack chopper was downed by a loitering Iranian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).  A $30 million aircraft defeated by an unmanned drone that costs $20,000.  The pilots survived and were pulled from the waters the the Strait of Hormuz by an unmanned drone watercraft.  Lots of technology packaged in this single incident and a huge disparity in the price of weapon systems.  

China currently produces UAVs and similar loitering drones at a scale  that is stunning.  And if we found ourselves in a shooting war over Taiwan all we got is an ever-dwindling supply of Patriot missiles to shoot them down.  At $4 million a copy.

Shooting million-dollar missiles at twenty-thousand-dollar drones is unsustainable. 

Say hello to the new face of modern warfare. 

Ukraine has embraced drone warfare in earnest; including the deployment of autonomous UAVs capable of  delivering a warhead over vast distances; all the while stalling and reversing Russian advances into their territory at a terrifying cost in Russian and North Korean lives.

    

Assembling a single modern Patriot Advanced Capability-3 interceptor takes about a couple of years.  A solid rocket motor requires up to thirty months.  Setting-up a new assembly facility for Patriot missiles can presently take three to four years.

Ukraine assembles and delivers small FPV (First Person View) reconnaissance and kamikaze drones in a matter of hours to a couple of days.  Supply chain and procurement move an order from workshop to combat deployment in 24 to 48 hours.  Larger strategic strike UAVs and maritime drone boats requires only weeks.

Finally, there is the application of artificial intelligence to facilitate modern warfare. AI software processes real-time intelligence feeds to coordinate operations and advise targeting in single minutes and seconds.

Unmanned drones use onboard computer vision to lock-onto and strike targets independently; thereby defeating electronic jamming.  AI-enabled hardware permits inexpensive weapons systems to defeat high-value targets like tanks, missiles and ships.

Machine learning can sort thru overwhelming amounts of geospatial and signal intelligence that previously would require thousands of human analysts.  

Sadly, modern conflicts have become a test bed for rapid evolution in warfare and tactics as we've known it. 

Meanwhile, the administration has phased-out the Army's cutting edge drone warfare unit.   

And the U.S. is hesitant to allow Ukraine to manufacture Patriot missiles locally, partially to protect U.S. military intellectual property, but more so because it doesn't want Ukraine to do it better.  

Shortsighted?  Or brilliant strategy?  Judging from how the war with Iran is playing-out only time will tell.  Watch the Peter Zeihan video short to the end.  Better yet read the comments.... 

Wassup With The Fellas

If the weather holds the fellas and I plan to deploy a replacement deer stand today to replace the oldest of the factory-built steel tower stands dating-back to the early years.  If all goes according to plan I'll post photos and the backstory when I have time.

Meanwhile, there have been some other fellas showing-up on the trail cameras from time to time; those with the velvet antlers..... 

 

 

Friday Food Fun

Nick Offerman shows how easy it is to provide kids with healthy, farm-fresh snacks like pizza, taquitos, and fish sticks harvested straight off the vine. 

 Remember kids - if it comes from a plant it is healthy....

Don't Pay Attention To That Man Behind The Curtain

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent moved to calm the bond markets yesterday after a recent selloff made mortgages and other consumer loans more expensive.

Bessent's move to increase repurchases of long-term government notes and bonds (increasing demand for them) is largely symbolic but could still help bring those costs down.

Wall Street is skeptical the relief will stick, given that the Treasury Department's purchases are quite tiny compared with the roughly $30 trillion market for government debt.

The reason any of this matters is that the bond market impacts how much it costs everyone — the government, consumers, and companies — to borrow money.  The bond market is getting squeezed from multiple directions.  It sure looks like we’re in for a spell of rising interest rates.  

Meanwhile, Mr. Trump’s unilateral war in the Middle East and de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz is feeding inflation all the while destabilizing global security and the world’s economy.  So much winning.

Yet we have gilded statuary, a ballroom, an airborne Qatari palace, reflecting pool and a triumphal arch.

Squirrel!