Lies, Lies, Lies ... and More Lies

Like you, the Schloss-Blog has noticed that the next time Donald Trump tells the truth will be the first time.

Suddenly, he likes Zohran Mamdani, New York City's Mayor-elect. He used to refer to him as a "100% Communist lunatic" and a "nut job."

Meanwhile, prices are going up, up, up. But Trump says they're going down, down, down. It's not even close, and if you've been to a gas station, a grocery store, you know.

You've likely traded down from dining out to quick-service take out; you've likely traded down to getting the car serviced at 5-Minute Oil Change instead of back at the dealership where you bought it.

Abigail Spansberger's gubernatorial win in Virginia and Mikie Sherrill's in New Jersey were driven by constantly reminding voters that prices are going up, up, up and they would fight for affordability.

Trump says he's got inflation under control. Say he's got prices under control.

The only thing he's got under control is the death of Venezuelan fisherman in the Caribbean who are supposedly carrying drugs, although there's never been any proof of that.

What Trump is really trying to do there is start a war with Venezuela, to oust its leader, instead of fighting a war with prices and inflation in the United States.

And he's losing.

Badly.

Hey Donald, "Quiet, piggy."

***

Buying an AI-powered toy for the kids, or the grandkids, this Christmas? Might want to rethink that.

"...a new report by a consumer advocacy group is raising concerns after they found that some toys shared instructions on how to light a match or find a knife, or offered sexually explicit content."

In other words, you could possibly be showing your kids how to burn the house down or how to seriously harm someone.

Or how and where to find porn, perhaps.

Comforting, huh?

Where's the Consumer Products Safety Commission when you need it? 

Well, it's having its budget cut by about 10% to $135 million and having its staff cut by 100, let alone being reassigned into the Department of Health and Human Services, which means under the jurisdiction of one Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Which means disaster.

***

Trump lost another battle last week, when, with the House and Senate passing the bills, he signed off on releasing the Epstein Files.

Yeah, he signed off on it. Even though he's all over it.

But when will they be released? Will they be released?

Pam Bondi has opened another investigation, which could delay the release, or forestall it altogether.

And, who knows, there could be as many Democrats' names in the files as Republicans'.

And Trump's. And Trump's. And Trump's. And Trump's.

***

Musical note: saw Bryan Adams in concert last week, at Phoenix's Mortgage Matchup Arena (see my Facebook, Instagram and TikTok pages for videos from the show). 

He does a show of shows. Non-stop energy. Tons of hit songs. A graphics bonanza displayed on the big screen behind him and the band. Audience knows the words to every song.

And he encourages singalong.

His "Roll With The Punches" Tour is a smash hit.

Opening act Pat Benatar, with husband Neil Giraldo on lead guitar, was sensational - does she ever still have her voice, at age 72.

Spectacular, and well worth the price of admission to the sold-out show.

***

Good night, Mrs. Calabash. Here's to you, Catherine Lucey.

More Sunday night on my Radio Free Phoenix rock 'n' roll show.

Oh, and Donald, "Quiet, piggy."