MAY 16 DUNER'S BLOG 500TH POST IS THE LAST

After ten years of weekly blogs, the DUNER BLOG is officially retiring.
No, it has nothing to do with the COVID19 Pandemic!
This is our 500th post, and we had previously decided this landmark would be our last.

THANK YOU READERS! Here are the statistics from the DUNER BLOG from Blogspot:

All time Pageviews:  303,219. On the average, 606 people read each post.

Most popular blog:  Moose Deaths Soar in Alaska. 43,765 views. We were a link on the Alaska State Troopers website.

Global Audience: United States. 149,891 pageviews. Americans account for 49% of readers. Only four nations (N. Korea, Sierra Leone, Togo and Equatorial Guinea) have not posted a visit.

WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU! Leave a comment below and the DUNER BLOG staff will get back to you.

MAY 9 NEOM: SAUDI ARABIA'S CITY OF THE FUTURE

MAY 9  NEOM: SAUDI ARABIA'S CITY OF THE FUTURE

Uh-oh! The Saudis are accused of murdering another activist. This time it's Omar bin Abdulaziz al-Howitat. He's a lesser royal in the former Howitat Kingdom. They famously assisted T.E. Lawrence during World War I. For the last 100 years, they've been largely ignored by the House of Saud. That was before Crown Prince bin Salman decided he wanted to build his dream city on their land. When Omar refused, he was unexpectedly killed. We've posted many angry blogs about Saudi rights, so this time let's investigate NEOM.

THE NAME. You know the prefix. 'Neo' is Greek for new in Arabic as well. The 'M' stands for Mostaqbal, which translates as 'future.' Doesn't the Middle East already have a city of the future? True. For decades, Riyadh has jealously watched Dubai morph into a modern metropolis. The conservative kingdom wants to mirror Dubai, but not with all the immorality. NOTE: NEOM is always capitalized.

THE LOCATION. NEOM is found on the westernmost point of Saudi Arabia. It's close to the border: Jordan, Egypt and Israel are only 40 miles away. It's on the coast of the Red Sea, not the populous Persian Gulf. The region has amazing potential as a tourist destination. Ten miles across the sea is Egypt's Sharm El-Sheikh. This popular resort attracts millions of visitors to its pretty beaches and awesome snorkeling.

THE COST. Are you sitting down? It will cost $500 BILLION DOLLARS to construct a metropolis in a remote corner of the Arabian Desert. Even the Crown Prince bin Salman agrees, calling it "the world's most ambitious project." Fortunately for him, he has direct access to the Public Investment Fund, which has trillions dollars from oil revenue to invest.

THE TECH. Fasten your seat belts! To power NEOM, the world's largest solar and wind plants are being built. To light NEOM at night, scientists are creating a giant artificial moon. To provide water for NEOM, meteorologists will employ cloud seeding to make it rain. To entertain guests, sand on NEOM beaches will glow in the dark. Yes, we saved the best for last. To get around NEOM, people will drive flying cars.

THE UPDATE. Construction on Phase One is nearing the third year. The first project is...logically...the airport. It's only got one runway and only serves commercial flights from the capital. But it has an official code: NUM. Otherwise, development is centered on NEOM BAY. It's a futuristic seaside city modeled after Singapore. The biggest obstacle doesn't involve construction: It involves negative press from murdering opposition. This thwarts foreign investment.

MAY 2 LIST OF VICE PRESIDENTS WHO TOOK OVER MIDTERM

MAY 2  LIST OF VICE PRESIDENTS WHO TOOK OVER MIDTERM

Earlier this week, presumed Democratic Party nominee Joe Biden presented his new Vice-President Selection Committee. Don't laugh: This group could very well shape US History. At 77 years old, Biden would be the oldest US President ever. It's entirely conceivable that Joe will not complete his term. Knowing this, they'll choose the most capable person, right? Wrong. They'll select someone who can get Joe elected in November. Let's examine the ten VP's who took over mid-term and you'll see this repeating trend:

THE WORST: Andrew Johnson. Not mentioned in many history books is how insanely unpopular Lincoln was during his presidency. Although the Union eventually won, his first two years were grim. Over 30,000 Union soldiers had died...yet the Mason/Dixon still held. To gain popularity nationwide for his re-election, he made a bold move. Lincoln dumped New Yorker Hannibal Hamlin and ran with Tennessee Governor Andrew Johnson instead. Everyone knows what happened next. When suddenly thrust into the Oval Office, Johnson proved to be the wrong man to heal our nation. His questionable policies towards re-admitting the Confederate States netted himself America's first impeachment trial.

THE DO-NOTHINGS: Fillmore, Arthur, Coolidge. Each time, these VP's were chosen to balance the ticket for election day...Not for their leadership. New Yorker Millard Fillmore was needed to balance Zachary Taylor's Louisiana slaveholder image. It happened again in 1880, when cosmopolitan Chester A. Arthur was needed to offset the Midwest farmer Garfield. Governor Calvin Coolidge was popular in Boston, where Ohio governor Harding was not. What happened when forced to take over? Not much. Fillmore failed to add Cuba. Arthur slept while Robber Barons took over. Finally, "Silent" Cal's nickname says it all.

THE BUMBLERS: John Tyler, Gerald Ford. Tyler became US President after the death of William Henry Harrison. It was the first time this had happened in American History. Unsure of how to treat the first chief-of-staff who wasn't actually elected, the press nicknamed Tyler "The Accidental President." Gerald Ford had the added distinction of being the only president who wasn't even on the ballot. Both men stumbled through many speeches and press conferences.

THE WINNERS: Teddy Roosevelt, Truman, LBJ. Not surprisngly, when the above seven men finished their terms, none were re-elected. There are the three midterm VP's who succeeded. When eccentric showman Roosevelt was paired with popular incumbent Bill McKinley, the press warned that Crazy Ted was "one heartbeat away" from leading our nation. They were correct, but he proved to be a great leader. Missourian Harry Truman and Texan Lyndon Johnson were also chosen to balance tickets, yet they too became worthy presidents.