The Old Blog in the Desert

“I doubt anyone remembers,” I murmured. “Except maybe that faithful dog of yours, the one you found tucked away behind the old filling station. She was a digger, that one.”

“When was that?” you asked, furrowing your brow. “Must’ve been back in 2024 –– no, the War hadn’t started yet. And you were driving that sleek Tesla, so it must’ve been ’28, now that I think about it.”

“You can’t dig much in these hills,” I chuckled. “But that hound sure gave it her all.”

“She didn’t dig a hole, per se. Just a deep divot, more like a bowl. But if we’d had a drop of rain, we’d have had ourselves a proper swimming spot. Probably would’ve attracted a few rattlesnakes, too.”

“You spent most of that summer in that pit, moving dirt and rocks. Then you started bringing tools –– a spade at first, then a pick and auger.”

“I had no idea what you were searching for. Silver? Buried treasure? Never in my wildest dreams did I think you’d find what you did.”

“You used to talk about building a fortress against Hell’s fires. Thought you were just being poetic, talking about survival. Never imagined a literal underground refuge, though.”

“Whether you were preparing for Lucifer’s army or some other catastrophe, who knows? But when Washington DC melted in a blinding flash, your foresight seemed eerily prescient.”

“I still don’t know how that dog knew where to dig. Maybe it was just luck. But she saved us. And you, too, for finding that hatch.”

“I try not to dwell on it. We had a good life down here, away from the chaos above.”

“It feels like a lifetime ago,” I said softly, pulling the sheet over your face.

He pushed down on the recorder’s stop button and considered redoing the soliloquy following the loud rumble that echoed through the bunker. Instead, he left it as it was.

He was nearly eighty and couldn’t wait for death any longer. With a sigh, he rose from his weathered rocking chair, gathering his strength.

It was time to face the world above one last time, even if it meant confronting some desolate battlefield. But the hatch wouldn’t budge. A century’s worth of dirt and rock had sealed it shut.

“From the looks of that old foundation there, it looks like a house sat here once,” the surveyor remarked.

Nevada Health Link has successfully integrated Artificial Intelligence (AI) into its State-Based Marketplace (SBM) platform in collaboration with GetInsured.

The purpose-built interactive virtual agent (IVA) marks Nevada Health Link as the first marketplace to receive the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service’s (CMS) approval for AI-based Interactive Virtual Agents. The state worked closely with CMS and GetInsured security teams to ensure compliance with federal privacy and security requirements.

The AI-driven innovation offers callers natural language interactions, providing instant assistance round-the-clock for common inquiries and tasks such as password resets and enrollment assistance. The augmentation of the call center’s capabilities increases efficiency and reduces wait times.

During the recent Open Enrollment Period for Plan Year 2024, the virtual agent successfully handled calls, freeing frontline workers to focus on more complex queries. Nevada Health Link concluded its recent Open Enrollment Period with an increase in enrollments compared to the previous year.

For more information about Nevada Health Link and available health insurance options, visit NevadaHealthLink.com or contact a licensed enrollment professional at 1-800-547-2927.

Turn off U.S. 101 onto Redwood Drive in Klamath and follow to its end, and there you will find the Methodist Church. Under its shadow lay a large expanse of graying asphalt, a parking lot for Sunday service and shoppers and mail-getters visiting the Bazard’s Building.

The Bazard’s Building would lead me the long way around to the Methodist Church, a church I did not attend as I was Catholic. The redwood structure and its dominating size intrigued me, as did the steel-built Bazard’s Building.

Sometimes, I would find quarters or perhaps a dollar bill on the floor, usually on my dad’s side of the bed, where he took off his pants before bed. Other times, I could find a quarter or two, maybe pennies, nickels, and dimes, too, in his pants pockets that he left on the floor and did not bother to pick up when he changed into clean britches.

At nine, it was my job to vacuum the carpets and gather the dirty clothes. My parents believed we kids had to earn our living and that we should make good husbands and wives when we were old enough to move out.

Chores completed for that Saturday, I rushed down to the Bazard’s Building and straight for the bakery. Inside, I would pick out two German chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting and pay for them using my ill-gotten bounty.

From there, I’d slip out and over to the church, and the back door, where if you knew how to do it, you could lift the door by its knob, rattle it slightly, and it would pop open. Once inside, I sit on the floor by the altar and eat myself into a sugar high.

Being Catholic, I did not see this as a sin, as I always gave thanks for the two delicious cupcakes before devouring them. Suddenly, I heard voices at the front door and quickly scrambled to hide. 

Hugging my knees up to my chin, I sat in the recess of the altar, listening to the voices as they moved from one side of the sanctuary to the other and back again. Then, like that, I heard them leave.

Not wanting to chance again being caught, I crawled out of the sanctuary to the side room of the church and the back door. I listened intently for voices before I opened the door and sneaked outside.

Pulling the door closed, I swung my legs over the wooden porch and started to peel the paper cup from the cake. I realized then I had left the other cupcake under the altar.

As I was getting ready for my second entry, I was interrupted by my brother, two sisters, and one of their friends. Instantly, they saw my cupcake and wanted some.

Knowing I had one still stashed in the church, it was with a heavy sigh of resignation that I divided it into four pieces and gave one to each of the little beggars. They gobbled the treats down and then wouldn’t leave my side, so I wandered west, up the street to home with the four in tow.

Because I could never shake them, I was stuck at the house and never made it to the church again that day. That night, I lay awake thinking, wondering, and worrying about my treasured delight hiding under the altar.

I fell asleep, having promised myself to recover it after services, which we did not attend. No, we attended Saints Robert’s and Anne’s at the far southern end of Del Norte County.

After church and breakfast at the Beehive Cafe, we returned home. I quickly changed into my play clothes and went outside.

It was nearly two in the afternoon when the last churchgoers got in their car and drove away. Another 15 minutes passed before the Reverend and his missus began their short walk around the corner, past Jeff Morgan’s house, and to their congregation-provided home.

Trying to act nonchalant, I walked up the sidewalk to the now-empty parking lot, up the path to the ranger road, before climbing down the embankment behind the church. Quickly, quietly, and stealthfully, I jimmied the door, entering, rushing to the altar, only to find my cupcake gone.

Feeling sad and sorry for myself, I raced to the back door. As I started to go outside, I looked down into the trash can only to see my cupcake in the bottom, covered in dead and dying ants, aside from an empty can of Raid.

Later that day, my mom got a visit from the Reverend, and I got an ass-whipping. And as if that wasn’t the worst of it, the Bazard’s Building, having sold to Simpson’s timber company, closed the following Wednesday and never opened again, leaving only the post office operating.

The Fernley Art & Culture Event Squad (ACES) is bringing fun and creative events to Fernley, showcasing local talent and providing entertainment for the community.

They started the month with a professional comedy night on Friday, April 5, featuring comedians Brian Lee, Dave Mencarelli, and Herman Cruz. Their next event is Saturday, April 27, when ACES will host a speed dating/singles night at the Fernley Art Center.

Then, on Saturday, April 13, there will be a special music-only Open Mic event at McHopper’s Brewery’s Crafts & Drafts, with around 100 vendors and a performance by The Teacher Band. Following this, on Friday, April 19, the Fernley ACES regular monthly 21+ open mic night will happen at McHopper’s, inviting everything from spoken word to live music, providing a platform for local artists to showcase their skills.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the Fernley ACES website at acestix.com.

The Nevada Department of Corrections (NDOC) is facing financial challenges in covering its utility bills, prompting the agency to seek assistance from NV Energy to maintain electricity in the state’s prisons.

Kristina Shea, assistant director of NDOC, revealed that the department has experienced significant increases in utility costs. With utility costs surging by approximately 20 percent to 25 percent compared to budgets set two years ago, NDOC finds its allocated funds insufficient to cover expenses.

NDOC budgeted approximately $11.3 million for utility costs for the 2024-2025 biennium. However, the escalating costs have left the agency with shortfalls.

In response to the financial strain, NDOC has engaged with NV Energy to negotiate solutions to the predicament. Shea emphasized that NV Energy has been accommodating, ensuring no late fees and maintaining its power supply as the department addresses the situation.

Shea emphasized that NDOC is actively addressing the shortfall internally and exploring potential transfers between accounts to bridge the gap. She also indicated plans to seek additional funding from the Legislature’s Interim Finance Committee in June.

As the long-awaited solar eclipse of Monday, April 8, cast its shadow over the land, a tale of extraordinary proportions unfolded, leaving witnesses in awe and speculation rife with wonder. Not once did I feel as if I were in the process of communion, nor did the Antichrist whisper a temptation in my left ear.

Amidst the subdued murmurs that accompanied the celestial event, several observers seeking a glimpse of the extraordinary found themselves privy to a sight beyond the ordinary. A video surfaced depicting what can only be described as a dragon, appearing fleetingly amidst the clouds above an undisclosed locale in Texas.

“What is that?” ask several people in the video, and then “aliens” is said loudly.

“Something is flying through the air,” another spectator can be heard.

The creature’s majestic form, a mere flicker in the vast expanse of the sky, left those who beheld it with a sense of awe and fascination. Yet, in the vast expanse of the Texas sky, who’s to say what creatures may dance among the clouds?

The encounter comes as NASA launched three rockets into the cosmos. Dubbed the APEP project, the endeavor bore a name steeped in ancient lore, evoking the serpentine deity of chaos from Egyptian mythology. The synchronicity of these events, both the dragon’s appearance and the cosmic ventures of humanity, has left many pondering the interconnectedness of science and legend.

Accounts of the dragon’s manifestation vary, with some skeptics dismissing it as a trick of the light while others fervently insist on the authenticity of the sighting. Yet, regardless of one’s interpretation, the dragon’s appearance has ignited speculation, prompting debates on the nature of reality and the mysteries that lie beyond our comprehension.

As the echoes of the eclipse fade and the dragon’s fleeting presence becomes the subject of folklore, one cannot help but wonder about the significance of these celestial events. Are they merely chance occurrences, fleeting spectacles in the grand theater of the universe? Or do they hold a deeper meaning, hinting at realms of existence beyond our understanding?

The implications of such sightings extend beyond mere curiosity, delving into the very fabric of human understanding and our relationship with the cosmos. In an age marked by scientific discovery and technological advancement, the allure of the mystical and the unknown remains as potent as ever, transcending the boundaries of rational thought.

As we navigate the ever-changing landscape of the modern world, moments like these remind us of the enduring power of wonder and the importance of embracing the mysteries around us. For in the enigmatic dance of the dragon amidst the clouds and the audacious endeavors of humanity to explore the cosmos, we find echoes of our quest for meaning and understanding in the vast expanse of the universe.

No one fainted, passed out, or otherwise raptured into the firmaments at its sight.

Washoe County School District (WCSD) Trustee Jeff Church levied serious accusations against Board President Beth Smith on Tuesday, April 9.

Church alleges that Smith, along with two undisclosed women, conspired against him, leading to unsubstantiated claims of sexual harassment following a school board meeting last fall. He vehemently denies the allegations, asserting that video evidence supports his innocence, placing him away from the alleged incident.

However, despite his calls for transparency, the District has refused to review the footage or make it available to the public. Additionally, there has been no initiative from the District to conduct an internal or external investigation to validate the women’s claims.

During the meeting, Church revealed the existence of a whistleblower willing to step forward and undergo investigation, alleging that Smith and the unidentified women conspired to frame him with baseless accusations. He submitted a comprehensive 19-page document in support of his claims.

The development comes after Church filed a Writ of Mandamus on Friday, March 1, seeking to compel the District to adhere to established sexual harassment policies and Nevada law. Church asserts that there is a systematic effort within WCSD to silence his critiques of district policies.

Despite the absence of substantiated claims, the District approved a $500,000 budget increase on Tuesday, March 12, to defend against Church’s anticipated legal actions. WCSD General Counsel Neil Rombardo cited the women’s harassment complaints as the basis for the expenditure, labeling the lawsuit as intimidation.

In response, Church’s attorney, Luke Busby, accused Rombardo of inflating costs and mishandling responses, particularly regarding the disclosure of public records. Church emphasizes that his legal action is to ensure procedural integrity and transparency within WCSD rather than seeking financial compensation.

American Battery Technology Co. (ABTC) has secured a taxpayer-funded award of $20 million through the Qualifying Advanced Energy Project Credit program (48C), administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury Internal Revenue Service, involving evaluation by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), focusing on the feasibility of advancing critical material recycling infrastructure in the U.S.

The funds will facilitate the acceleration of ABTC’s commercial-scale hydrometallurgy-based recycled battery materials processing and refinement systems, aiming to enhance domestic critical mineral manufacturing capacity. The company’s recycling process integrates strategic demanufacturing and chemical extraction to recover battery materials efficiently, cost-effectively, and with minimal environmental impact.

The $20 million award will support capital expenditures and infrastructure enhancements at ABTC’s battery recycling facility in the Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center (TRIC) in Storey County. Combined with previous DOE taxpayer-funded grants totaling over $70 million, the monies will contribute to building a domestically sourced circular supply chain for battery metals.

In other news, Susan Yun Lee, a financial industry veteran, joined ABTC’s board of directors on Monday, April 1, while Julie Blunden stepped down in March.

For over three years, I have been sitting on a single-paragraph, six-sentence thread found while sneaking around the Internet’s dark web, Chan. 4.

“Joseph Robinette Biden Jr., known for his decades-long career in American politics, was executed on an unknown date in 2020 at Guantánamo, Cuba. He was born on November 20, 1942, in Scranton, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, and buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia, USA. Memorial #267327344. After being executed under Executive Order #13818 (human trafficking, crimes against humanity) and Executive Order #13848 (election theft) on Wednesday, January 20, 2021, they buried him. However, his granddaughter, Naomi Biden, claims he passed away in 2018. The current appearance of the Biden administration is a creation of Executive Order #13961 as a continuity of the federal government.”

And yes, I looked up the Executive Order numbers, and they are bogus, so why I saved them, I have no idea. Maybe, I was thinking at the time, if it were true, I’d use it somehow in my blog.

With the thread, there were two photographs of Hillary Clinton, eyes swollen and puff, as if she had not slept in days, pushed down in the back seat of a van, looking frightened, and another in which she appeared to be lying on an autopsy table and a Find A Grave notification of Biden’s burial place, and since removed from the website. Since my computer crashed in 2021, I have been unable to locate either one.

In separate searches, I found pictures where the Oval Office walls did not match up, overhead stage lights were in the frame, the exterior through the window behind the Resolute Desk was not the Rose Garden, and the White House Press Room had windows when it does not have them. Finally, I have never seen a Secret Service officer walking behind Biden, carrying the “football,” the briefcase with the nuclear codes.

Looking back and knowing it was someone else’s wishful thinking, I am slightly embarrassed knowing I saved these things. But seeing the many oddities surrounding Biden, the thread does make a person think.

We have seen Joe morph over time, with traces of video showing moments where he appears to be wearing a mask, has differently shaped earlobes from years earlier, or the shape of his head showing differences. Sometimes, he has a cleft chin, sometimes not, or his skin appears smooth, then at other points, it seems to be what one would expect for an 81-year-old man.

Then there are the interviews and rally speeches where former President Donald Trump has said that Joe was “shot” and did not “know he’s alive” and similar statements. Does Trump know more than he is letting on, or could he be part of this elaborate Cabal?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has released its latest report, indicating a persistent surge in consumer prices, defying expectations, and challenging assertions of transitory inflation.

Despite the Federal Reserve’s prior assurances, the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, and partisan claims of economic progress, consumer prices have climbed by 3.5 percent in March compared to a year ago. Core inflation, excluding energy and housing, remains stubbornly high at 3.8 percent. Furthermore, the Fed’s Funds rate remains at 5.25 percent to 5.5 percent, marking its highest level in 23 years.

While the Fed had previously signaled intentions for three interest rate cuts this year, it is now approaching the decisions cautiously, given the sustained inflationary pressures. More than half of the increase in monthly prices has been attributed to a sharp rise in housing and energy costs, exacerbating concerns over the prolonged economic recovery.

Additionally, the Fed has acknowledged that the recent “better than expected” jobs report was primarily fueled by an increase in part-time employment, underscoring the fragility of labor market dynamics.

Since President Joe Biden assumed office, consumer prices have surged by over 19 percent, further complicating the economic landscape.

The latest data from the Joint Economic Committee (JEC) reveals inflation in Nevada has skyrocketed to 21.6 percent, marking a one percent increase from the previous month. Residents now face an additional financial burden of $1,168 per month, or $27,782 annually, for basic household expenses compared to January 2021.

Despite claims of rising wages, the reality for many Americans paints a different picture. Wages have stagnated or declined since Biden’s inauguration. Statista’s data underscores this trend, revealing a decrease in the median hourly wage rate in the United States in 2022 compared to the previous year.