Happy National Missouri Day!

Travel 2 Minutes

Missouri, the Show Me state, is also known as the Gateway to the West.  Here are some of the best attractions to enjoy when you visit!

Silver Dollar City

Branson’s #1 attraction for over 50 years, Silver Dollar City features six world-class festivals, 30 thrilling rides & attractions, 40 live shows daily, 60 unique shops, a dozen family restaurants and over 100 demonstrating craftsmen.

City Museum

Don’t take the name so literally. We’re about fun. Not your white walls, walk around, and be quiet museum. If you want to climb around, get active with your kids or are a big kid at heart, we’re the place. If you get freaked out easily, you might not want to come. We’re four floors filled with miles of tunnels, a full cave system, over 30 slides, a circus, an arts area, a large outdoor climbing space, Architectural Museum, a Cabin that serves adult beverages, a Museum of Mayhem, Mirth and Mystery, and a ton more. Also, there’s the roof with a Ferris Wheel and a bus hanging off its edge.

Titanic Museum

Everyone knows the name Titanic! Everyone knows Titanic struck an iceberg! And everyone knows Titanic was lost! She sat at the bottom of the ocean for 75 years before they found her in 1985. A second expedition to the wreck site went out in 1986 and that expedition was co-led by the owner of this museum. The artifacts you see throughout the ship are REAL and valued at over $4 million dollars. You’ll be able to touch a growing iceberg, experience the 28 degree water, try and steer the ship and pay tribute to the 2,208 passengers and crew that were on the Titanic. You will enter as a guest and leave as a Titanic Passenger!

Fantastic Caverns

Discover the timeless beauty of Fantastic Caverns, one of the earth’s rarest treasures. There are only four of its’ kind in the entire world, and only one in North America. Here, you’ll discover one of the world’s most beautiful natural wonders; giant columns stretching from floor to ceiling, delicate soda straws glistening with minerals, tiny cave pearls hidden in crystal-clear water. And best of all, you’ll see it close-up from the comfort of a Jeep-drawn tram!

Dogwood Canyon Nature Park

Dogwood Canyon Nature Park is a one-of-a-kind experience for nature lovers and adventure seekers of all ages. Covering 10,000 acres of pristine Ozark Mountain landscape, the park has miles of crystal-clear trout streams, dozens of cascading waterfalls, ancient burial caves, unique hand-built bridges and bottomless, blue-green pools.

The Gateway Arch

From the thrilling views to the amazing stories, a visit to the Gateway Arch is an experience that never fails to inspire. Whether you have a few hours or a full day, you’ll find activities to please every member of your party. Attractions include the Tram Ride to the Top of the Gateway Arch, the Museum at the Gateway Arch (opened July 3, 2018), a documentary film about the construction of the Arch, shopping at The Arch Store, a new Arch Cafe, and cruises aboard the Riverboats at the Gateway Arch. Tickets sell out early and often – advance purchase strongly recommended. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

SOURCE: TRIPADVISOR.COM

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Published by pat frederick

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79 thoughts on “Happy National Missouri Day!”

  1. Morning All!

    when I went to bed last night, there was a gorgeous full moon out! When i got up, that same moon was shining brightly, so i figured we didn’t get any snow overnight…I was wrong. sometime in the middle of the night, we got another 2 inches of snow. sigh.

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    1. Bummer! Good morning, Pat! I’ve got cloudy skies, high humidity, and wind w/temp of 32. Forecast for today calls for a high of 54 with sunshine later after a foggy morning. No Wheezer yet this morning – he still has dry food left. I’ll give him some tuna when he shows up.

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    1. I wonder…..was this judge selected at random or appointed? If appointed, by whom????

      “As of January 4, 2026, U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein has been assigned to preside over the federal case against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who was captured in a U.S. military operation and brought to New York to face drug-trafficking and weapons charges. The case is being handled in the Southern District of New York, where Judge Hellerstein, an appointee of President Bill Clinton, has served for nearly three decades.”

      Did a little research and found this but IDK if she would have done the appointing…..

      “Colleen McMahon is a senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, having assumed senior status on April 10, 2021. She previously served as Chief Judge from June 1, 2016, to April 10, 2021. McMahon was nominated to the court by President Bill Clinton in 1998 and confirmed by the Senate in October of that year. She is one of several senior judges on the court, which includes notable figures such as Denise Cote, Kevin Castel, and Louis Stanton.”

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  9. if you cannot salute the flag, you do not belong in NYPD…kick his ass out. There does NOT need to be an exemption for this mooselime. he can find another job. period.

    Bubby

    January 4, 2026 7:17 am

    https://rairfoundation.com/nypd-muslim-recruit-demands-exemption-saluting-american-flag/

    FTA “An NYPD recruit currently training at the police academy has reportedly requested a religious exemption from saluting the American flag—asserting that his Islamic beliefs prohibit him from doing so because he may only praise Allah.
    According to retired NYPD Lieutenant John Macari Jr., an anonymous law-enforcement source confirmed that the recruit submitted a formal “reasonable accommodation” request seeking exemption from a mandatory requirement for uniformed officers. NYPD policy is explicit: saluting the American flag is a required civic act and a condition of service for all officers. It is not religious worship. It is not optional. The request raises a fundamental issue for law enforcement in the United States: whether Islamic doctrine is now being allowed to override core symbols, standards, and obligations of American service.

    This incident is not isolated. It is the latest manifestation of a long-running institutional shift within the NYPD, one that has steadily elevated Islamic visibility, religious accommodation, and identity-based programming inside a department once defined by secular authority and equal standards. Over the past several years, the NYPD has hosted foreign national heritage events, promoted Islamic religious observances, and granted a growing list of Islamic-specific accommodations, all while memorializing 9/11 has become increasingly symbolic rather than substantive.”

    So it begins the camel has its head inside the tent! Accommodating muslim requests and exemptions to American culture and history is the beginning of implementing Shria law via capitulation by weak kneed Democrats and leftists!!! The only way to stop it is to denaturalize and deport muslims allowed in the country under legal immigration!! Stop all immigration of muslims! All terrorists are muslims and all muslims have the potential to be radicalized and become terrorists!!! Better for the country to do it now!!! JMO

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    1. OK, all terrorists are not Muslims nor are all Muslims terrorists. However, until Islam officially announces that Islam is, indeed, subject to our Constitution and civil laws, it should definitely not be allowed within our country in any form!

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      1. according to the requirements to be an NYPD member you HAVE to salute the flag. it is a civil thing and up until these privileged asswipes, non negotiable! They are not requiring them to say the pledge of alliance, merely salute the flag of the country they live in. if they can’t do the barest of minimums for this country–get the hell out!

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      2. it’s like wanting to be a football player and while at training camp, they tell you to run laps around the stadium and you refuse.

        can’t meet the requirements? FIND ANOTHER OCCUPATION.

        or i wanna be a doctor, but i can’t stand blood…

        they always are looking to CHANGE us, rather than them assimilating to us.

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  10. how about this theory?

    Charlotte99

    January 4, 2026 7:10 am

    Oh my God. I just realized something. Trump went after Maduro FIRST to make sure Khamenei & the terrorist Islamic Republic occupying Iran can’t escape to Venezuela when the Islamic Regime falls & Iran is freed.

    All of the IRGC’S assets, drone factories and military bases in Venezuela are now in the hands of the United States. God bless America and President Trump

    https://nitter.poast.org/gghamari/status/2007483686975926720#m

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  11. First direct reports that I’ve read:

    Just The News: “After U.S. military forces captured dictator Nicolás Maduro, Venezuelans went to grocery stores and onto the streets facing uncertainties from food to political succession. ADN América visited several areas of Caracas and found long lines at different establishments. The outlet also spoke with various consumers to learn how they experienced the military intervention during the early morning hours Saturday.

    “I’ve been in line for an hour trying to buy food. I know many people went out in the middle of the night for the same reason, but I didn’t want to leave because I kept hearing planes flying nearby. I still hope I can get something—at least enough for two weeks,” one customer who asked to remain anonymous told an ADN América correspondent. 

    Another shopper described in detail what he felt at the time of the U.S. intervention. “I was sleeping with my wife when we heard a very loud noise and saw the roof and doors of the house shake around 2:00 a.m.” one man recalled. “I thought it was an earthquake until a neighbor shouted that they were attacking the La Carlota air base. From that moment on, there were explosion after explosion until everything calmed down at 4:00 a.m.”

    “Everything was going on like a normal day when the first bombs fell around 2:00 a.m. The Santa María (metal doors with roll-down locking systems) and the windows started shaking, and I thought they were lifting the Santa María to rob the place,” said an employee at a Farmatodo pharmacy in Caracas. “When I looked out through the sales window, I saw the trail of the falling bombs. By 4:00 a.m., people began buying in massive numbers.”

    Attacks were also reported in other parts of Venezuela, such as La Guaira, near Caracas — especially in areas close to the port — as well as at the Higuerote airport in Miranda state, and in Maracay, the capital of Aragua state.

    One resident of Higuerote, a tourist region two hours from Caracas, said there were approximately seven explosions throughout the night. “I don’t know how the windows of my house didn’t break. I live near the airport, and the first explosion at 2:00 a.m. was very strong—everything shook.”

    ADN América also spoke with two Venezuelans in Caracas about what they believe will happen in the country following Maduro’s capture. “There’s a lot of uncertainty. I just hope they do the same with Diosdado,” one of them replied. The second interviewee said, “They’ll surely take them one by one, but I don’t know what might happen or when.”

    Diosdado Cabello, who holds the role of minister of interior, justice and peace, is widely believed to be as powerful as Maduro.

    Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were detained in a lightning operation by U.S. special forces, and the dictator was flown to New York to face federal narcoterrorism charges.”

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  12. “Making the Americas Great Again: The Trump Effect Takes Hold of Latin America”

    Roger Stone, Jan 04, 2026

    ENTIRE ARTICLE: “2025 was a banner year for right-wing populism in the Americas. The prospect of a better, more prosperous life where cultural traditionalism can be celebrated has envigored Latinos throughout the region, and leftist demagogues are getting booted from power regularly as a result.

    In Honduras, conservative National Party candidate Nasry Asfura won a narrow presidential election after a last-minute endorsement by President Donald Trump put him over the top. Chile elected right-wing stalwart José Antonio Kast to be their next president, trouncing his Communist Party challenger with 58 percent of the vote. Earlier in the year, Daniel Nobog won election for a full term as President in Ecuador on a strict law and order platform, representing a massive departure from leftist government that had dominated the country for decades.

    And during Argentina’s midterm elections, libertarian President Javier Milei’s party, La Libertad Avanza (LLA), scored a decisive legislative victory that reshaped the composition of Congress. Voters gave LLA more than 40 percent of the national vote, significantly increasing their representation in both the Argentinian Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. This firmed Milei’s mandate to institute his radical vision against the government throughout the country.

    The underlying basis for this Latin American renaissance is hope. After living in abject destitution for generations and being victims of learned hopelessness pushed by socialists to keep power, there have been sparks throughout the region that have shown Latinos that they do not need handouts from corrupt bureaucrats for their countries to thrive.

    One of these sparks was the election of El Salvador President Nayib Bukele, who has emerged as perhaps the world’s most forward-thinking leader at a time when a new vision was desperately needed.

    Bukele inherited El Salvador as a country plagued by gang violence with violent MS-13 members running the streets, having capitalized from the aftermath of a brutal civil war to seize power. Bukele took drastic measures to clean up the streets. He suspended the constitution and made mass arrests of gang members. He built the largest, state-of-the-art prison facility in CECOT to house the many criminals who needed to be removed from society. Bukele overcame the threats from the gangs to proceed boldly on behalf of his people.

    As a result, El Salvador has gone from a crime haven to being the safest nation in the hemisphere. Bukele was called undemocratic and a dictator by liberal Western NGOs for doing what it took to clean up crime in his country. Even though the globalists wagged their finger at Bukele, the people of Latin America took notice. They did not care about the bourgeois notion of democracy promoted by ivory tower outsiders. They wanted peace in their streets and the ability to keep their families safe, all else be damned.

    Bukele’s policies regarding the adoption of Bitcoin have also made him stand out among world leaders. He was the first worldwide leader to put his country on a Bitcoin standard of sorts, creating a national Bitcoin reserve. El Salvador’s goal to gain one more Bitcoin per day on a national basis has been extremely successful as their investment has skyrocketed since adopting the policy. President Trump has since called for a strategic Bitcoin reserve in the United States similar to what El Salvador has pioneered.

    As a result of his immense successes, Bukele-ism has spread throughout the continent. The aforementioned Milei has added to the right-wing momentum. However, Milei is starkly different from Bukele. Milei was elected as a radical libertarian vowing to take a chainsaw to taxes, spending and regulations. Milei has fulfilled his mandate, and although it has been a rocky road at times, he was able to secure the full support of President Trump, getting a $40 billion injection of capital at an opportune time, and dominate the most recent elections.

    But the man who deserves the most credit of all for the Latin American renaissance is President Donald Trump. It was the rise of Trump that showed the people of the world that they did not have to settle for the trash shoveled to them from establishment political parties each election cycle. The people wanted someone who would fight for them. They are now willing to settle for nothing less.

    President Trump has also shown more interest in Latin America than previous Presidents, understanding that strong conservative governments in Latin America will mean less drugs and fewer migrants crossing the border. The stars are aligning to Make the Americas Great Again, and together, no foreign coalition of nations will be able to stop our collective economic, cultural and social dominance.”

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  24. “Sunday Strip: More King’s Rallies – in progress: While others celebrate V-day”

    Dr. Robert W. Malone, Jan 04, 2026

    It all depends on whose ox is being gored.

    Estimates of widespread weight loss (around 25 pounds per person) are tied to the prolonged economic and food crisis during Maduro’s illegal reign.

    Liberals took to the streets of New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington, and other “blue zones” around the USA as well as the world, to protest the capture of Maduro.

    The Democratic Party is defending a ruthless narco dictator, whose reign is known for its massive oppression and starvation. These liberals are protesting for his return to power.

    Make it make sense. One day, the Democrats hold “No Kings” rallies; the next, they hold “More Kings” rallies.

    The Democratic Party is approaching national political irrelevance.”

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  25. In the meantime, millions of Venezuelan migrants in the USA and around the world are celebrating in the streets because of the removal of Nicolás Maduro from power. They’re here…

    Personally, I am more than a little disappointed in the statements from Rep. Massie and Rep. MTG regarding the capture of Maduro.

    Lots can still go wrong with President Trump’s strategy. But here is the thing about Trump. He is a master negotiator, and Marco Rubio has turned into one of the best statesmen we have. Together, they can turn the decades-long disaster that is Venezuela into another success story.

    Don’t forget, Maduro has given three of our biggest enemies a stronghold in South America. But don’t take my word for it:

    China, Russia, and Iran each play distinct but complementary roles in sustaining Venezuela. China has been the regime’s financial backbone, providing tens of billions of dollars in loans repaid with oil, along with telecommunications and surveillance systems that help maintain internal control; today, its role is more cautious and transactional, focused on recovering value rather than ideology.

    Russia serves as the key political and military guarantor, offering security cooperation, intelligence support, and diplomatic shielding that helps keep Nicolás Maduro in power during moments of acute legitimacy crisis.

    Iran, meanwhile, functions as a sanctions-evasion and operational partner, supplying fuel, refinery expertise, and illicit trade networks that allow Venezuela to keep its energy system running despite international restrictions.

    Together, China keeps the state solvent, Russia keeps the regime standing, and Iran keeps the system functioning under sanctions.

    Chat-GPT

    The thought of China, Russia, and Iran having a stronghold on our southern doorstep should make anyone pause…

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  28. Just The News: “Secretary of State Marco Rubio pushed back on criticism from Democrats about the military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, specifically the argument that the administration should have sought approval from Congress.

    “You can’t risk it being disclosed,” Rubio said Sunday on “Meet the Press.” He described it as a “trigger-based” operation.

    “It couldn’t require congressional approval because this was not an invasion. This was not an extended military operation. This was a very precise operation that involved a couple of hours of action. It was a very delicate operation too. It was one that required all these conditions to be in place at the right time and the right place. You couldn’t afford leaks,” Rubio said. 

    “We couldn’t afford anything out there that would have endangered the mission and gotten people killed or killed off the mission and the optionality. We didn’t even know if the mission was going to happen and how can you notify something you’re not even sure if it can happen? Because in order for it to happen, you needed to have weather conditions in place. He needed to be at the right place at the right time. We needed to have forces prepared to go. There were a lot of factors in place. It was a trigger-based operation,” he added.

    House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., on Sunday called the operation an “act of war,” which Rubio rejected.

    “But this was not an attack on Venezuela. This was a law enforcement function to capture an indicted drug trafficker. And of course we needed the Department of War to support it because they do have anti-aircraft missiles that could shoot down those helicopters,” Rubio said. “We had to take down radars. We had to take down those anti-air elements on the way in and on the way out. And that’s what this was limited to,” he added.”

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  31. Mark Twain peers out the window of his study during his final visit to Quarry Farm in 1903. Cool little snippet of history.

    Susan and Theodore Crane surprised their brother-in-law Samuel L. Clemens with this study in 1874. It was placed about 100 yards from the main house at Quarry Farm on a knoll overlooking the Chemung River Valley. In this octagonal building, Mark Twain wrote major portions of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Life on the Mississippi, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, The Prince and the Pauper, A Tramp Abroad, and many short pieces.

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  32. Filigree, delicacy and beauty of the rose window of the south transept of the Abbey of Saint-Ouen in Rouen, France.

    Leading the Charmed Life

    Hobbity Entrance

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  34. Just The News: “Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino officially left the bureau as of Sunday to return to “civilian life.” He served for under one year.

    “It’s been an incredible year thanks to the leadership and decisiveness of President Trump. It was the honor of a lifetime to work with Director Patel, and to serve you, the American people. See you on the other side,” he wrote on social media.”

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  35. Liked by 1 person

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  36. (Video)

    “The US MIL are Building Trust with the Public”

    Clandestine, Jan 04, 2026

    “Something very important is happening. The public are beginning to trust the US Military again. They just witnessed the two most surgical military operations of all time in Venezuela and Iran, with zero US MIL and zero civilian casualties.

    Building trust with the public is necessary for what comes later, when Trump invokes the Insurrection Act and sends US MIL to cities nationwide. If the US MIL are going to conduct mass arrests, the public will need to trust them and trust Trump.

    So for those asking why Trump is arresting Maduro before arresting treasonous actors in the US, I think there is method to the madness. The high-profile US arrests will likely be towards the end, after more of the public are fully bought in on the operation to dismantle the Deep State.

    Arresting people is the easy part. Convincing billions of people that high-profile individuals, including former heads of state, need to be arrested… that’s the tricky part.”

    https://bioclandestine.substack.com/p/the-us-mil-are-building-trust-with

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  38. Whoa! Blast from the past!

    High tech rowing boat lost at sea three years ago found off the coast of France, still floating along with the current. A custom, racing rowing boat lost at sea in the Atlantic Ocean was finally found three years later in France.

    The Mobile-based vessel capsized in 2022 with four military veterans on-board. They were racing in the ‘World’s Toughest Row’ competition. The weather capsized their boat, forcing them onto the spare life boat until they could be rescued. The four-man, Air Force veteran crew rowing for the nonprofit based Fight Oar Die saw their journey cut short because of a winter storm in the Atlantic.

    Looks a mess with all those barnacles!  But it didn’t sink. Now, nearly three years to the date the vessel went missing, it has turned up. “We got the call that they had found Woobie off the coast of France. So she’s currently off the port of La Rochelle. I’ll be the first one to head over there and lay eyes other and collect some personal items,” Knight said.”

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          2. “Barnacles are marine crustaceans belonging to the subclass Cirripedia within the subphylum Crustacea, making them closely related to crabs, lobsters, and shrimp. 

            They are exclusively marine and typically live in shallow, tidal waters, though some species inhabit depths up to 600 meters. 

            Most barnacles are sessile, attaching permanently to hard surfaces such as rocks, boat hulls, pilings, and even other marine animals like whales and turtles using a powerful, waterproof cement secreted by glands in their first pair of antennae. 

            This cement is so strong that the base of the shell often remains attached long after the organism dies, and scientists are studying it for potential adhesive applications.”

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  39. Just The News: “Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores are scheduled to appear in federal court in Manhattan on Monday. The hearing is set for 12pm, according to a court spokesperson.

    Maduro and his wife were captured in Venezuela on Saturday after U.S. strikes in the country.”

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