It's all quiet in North Korea. Really?

The nation's top military officer said Tuesday (Sept 26, 2017), that he's not seen any shifts in North Korea's military posture despite the reclusive nation's threats to shoot down U.S. warplanes amid the "charged political environment" between Washington and Pyongyang. In other words, even amid all the threats coming out of Kim's mouth, General Joseph Dunford who is the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was quoted as stating... "we haven't seen military activity that would be reflective of the charged political environment that we're seeing."

So, what's going on here? Well, here's a lightening bolt! Kim Jong-un is merely stalling for time. I think he firmly believes that once they (NK) have proven that they can deliver a nuke tipped ICBM onto some poor country, that the rest of the world will then kowtow to him as an equal leader of the world. Insane thinking? Well, duh! Ya think?

What is key, however, is my thinking that Kim will explode a nuclear weapon over someone's head. The only questions that remain are when and where. And after that, it will be up to the US, our allies and perhaps the UN to come to a determination on just how total will be the devastation of all of North Korea.This will the likely and very sad ending to a failed and utterly insane regime.

Violent crime continues to rise!

The violent crime rate is on the rise throughout the United States, with statistics showing that 2016 had the largest single-year increase in over 25 years, according to FBI data released Monday, September the 25th.

The bureau’s annual Crime in the United States report said the violent crime rate increased in 2016 by 3.4%, a slight tick up from 2015’s 3.3% year-over-year increase.

“For the sake of all Americans, we must confront and turn back the rising tide of violent crime. And we must do it together,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a statement. “The Department of Justice is committed to working with our state, local, and tribal partners across the country to deter violent crime, dismantle criminal organizations and gangs, stop the scourge of drug trafficking, and send a strong message to criminals that we will not surrender our communities to lawlessness and violence.”

The report says increases in violent crime were happening in suburban areas and cities of all sizes, ranging from those with populations below 10,000 to those with populations of more than 250,000. It added that rapes, robberies and aggravated assaults all showed an uptick in 2016.

Across the U.S., the homicide rate also increased by 7.9% in 2016, marking an overall jump of more than 20% since 2014, the report said.
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Ri Yong Ho looked like an ass at UN speech!

North Korea's Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho did everything but call President Trunk a new Hitler in his address to the United Nations, in New York on September the 23^rd, and I think he may have been sweating a little bit as he did so.

In a fiery speech at the United Nations General Assembly in New York Saturday, Ri responded to a string of threats from Mr. Trump throughout the week -- particularly Mr. Trump's threat to "totally destroy" North Korea if the U.S. is "forced to defend itself or its allies." Mr. Trump has said "rocket man" Kim Jong-un, North Korea's leader, is on a "suicide mission," but Ri said "none other than Trump himself is on a suicide mission."

"Due to his lacking of basic common knowledge and proper sentiment, he tried to insult the supreme dignity of my country by referring it to a rocket," Ri said. "By doing so however, he committed an irreversible mistake of making our rocket's visit to the entire U.S. mainland inevitable all the more."
Pretty strong stuff coming from an impoverished country whose missiles often go off course.

My guess is that the Minister was under the threat of instant death were he to deviate even slightly from the insane dialog handed to him by Kim Jong-un.

Trump's addresses the UN in a very bold manner!

New York City - Leaders from around the globe were taking the lectern at the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday. And, it was a particularly big moment for President Trump, who addressed the world gathering for the first time. Right off the bat, the President left little room for doubt as to the intentions of the US versus the Dictatorship of North Korea!

If the United States is forced to defend itself or its allies, “we will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea,” President Trump said in his address to the General Assembly.
He also denounced North Korea and its leader, Kim Jong-un, saying the nation “threatens the entire world with unthinkable loss of life” as a result of its nuclear weapons program.

I can remember back over the years, when Obama stood at that same podium and profusely apologized for the evil deeds of the American people in past years. Even as he spoke, he would seem to attempt a near impossible feat; making a speech while bowing so low he could have kissed the floor!

I cannot remember the feeling of pride I experienced as I listened to him tell that crowd, that they could stand with America or we would take care of the mess on our own....

Potential for collapse at NK nuclear test site!

North Korea – It's just keeps on getting better for Kin Jong-un. After exploding a sixth nuclear bomb in the same mountain, Chinese experts are now beginning to fear it is at risk of collapsing! And here's the kicker. Wang Naiyan, a former chairman of the China Nuclear Society and a researcher on China's own nuclear weapons program, said another test underneath the mountain can cause an “environmental disaster” if the site caves in on itself, allowing radiation to escape and “drift across the region,” including into China. “We call it ‘taking the roof off.’ If the mountain collapses and the hole is exposed, it will let out many bad things.” Wang told the South China Morning Post.

Should that ugly scenario come to pass, relations between China and North Korea would become much more strained to say the least. Fully 90% of Kim's trade is with that country and any change could easily lead to even more enhanced levels of starvation among its citizens.

Kim Jong-un's destiny!

'OK, so explain option 5 to me again'!

North Korea's complete leadership failure is coming more into focus, as the fall of 2017 approaches. Kim, and his buddies in power, will very likely face the following fates:

Option 5  -  Kim will flee the country, leaving his leadership to fend for themselves...

Option 4 - Kim will order a ICBM strike against a US protected country, at which point Pyongyang will be leveled... utterly.

Option 3 - Kim will launch an attack against South Korea, at which point most of his entire country will be destroyed...utterly...

Option 2 - Kim will be assassinated by his leadership, at which point the unification of Korea will begin...

Option 1 - Kim and his leadership will be deposed in a coup by the rank and file citizens who are starving, at which point, unification of Korea will commence, with Kim's head displayed on a stick...

Note that only one option, for Kim's realistic survival is currently open to Kim the Dim - !

The clock is ticking in North Korea!

North Korea said on Sunday it detonated a hydrogen bomb, possibly triggering an artificial earthquake and prompting immediate condemnation from its neighbors -- despite the rogue regime calling the test a "perfect success."

North Korea is working at a frantic pace to enable a nuclear tipped ICBM. The target of which will be open to question. My best guess... Japan could be a likely recipient, in addition to the US as neither side would never back down from a nut job leader who is now also exhibiting sociopathic* tendencies....

I'd also guess that any bombs place on their heads, by Allied forces, will also be a 'perfect success'!

[Definition of Sociopath - A sociopath can be defined as a person who has Antisocial Personality Disorder. This disorder is characterized by a disregard for the feelings of others, a lack of remorse or shame, manipulative behavior, unchecked egocentricity, and the ability to lie in order to achieve one's goals.]

Footnote: Were an enemy of the US to be really sly - they would not go for strikes at the cities, but rather for high altitude bursts that would generate destructive electromagnetic pulses that could bring our power grid down for months.! See this article for more information.

Oh yes! Those gas prices are on the rise!

As America scrambles towards true energy independence, there may be a fly in the ointment before reaching that state of nirvana! Recent spikes in gas prices all over the Nation, (due to hurricane Harvey) currently serve as a reminder that we may not be out of the woods quite yet!

September 1 - Just how high up and for how long pump prices will persist, is unknown as of this post. What is definitely known is that energy uncertainty hangs like a cloud over all the world. Harvey not only affected gas princes at home but elsewhere as well.

Uncertain weather, simmering problems in the Middle East, a psychotic North Korean and even Chinese or Russian instability all could play a hand in the direction the US will be taking! Yes, life is uncertain...

Even more problematic would be the potential for a synergistic effect that could result if a string of 'misfortunes' were to occur close together in time. For instance, were the latest hurricane named Irma to slam somewhere into the East Coast as a category 4 and a war with Iran or North Korea to break out - The physical devastation along the Coast along with a significant loss of oil shipments could prove catastrophic for the US over the short term... Oil, and its availability, has often been the Achilles tendon of many developed countries and is even more true for the United States!

[Can wacky things really happen? Sure. Take a look at the path the 2004 Hurricane called Ivan took when it made landfall in the Gulf twice! Talk about weird]!

Be sure to visit www.taneyweather.com for the latest weather info for Taney County Missouri!