Note: Each block of text actually is a link to a story or a web page that I am commenting on. Click on that text and it will take you to the page being referred to.
Well, it seems that the world is just having a wonderful time out there with everybody vying for attention. Keep your eyes and ears open because life potentially is going to get very interesting. I hope you find the following articles and links interesting, and food for cogitation. I found them so.
A very excellent analysis and review of the situation on the Korean Peninsula. This is the outcome I expect.
Another view/analysis of the situation on the Korean Peninsula ... albeit from a more Occidental point of view.
However, the North-South talks in Korea seem to be continuing ... which augurs well for those who don't want to see a full-scale battle develop. The more jaw-jaw time there is, the less likely there will be war-war time
Another story offers its perspective on the talks in Korea.
This AP analysis of the Korean situation offers some salient points ... but it truly is a fool's errand to try to predict what Kim will do.
Yesterday, it was Israel and Hezbollah, today it is Pakistan and India ... it seems the rumblings of conflicts never cease.
Speaking of Israel ... here a thought provoking rant by a progressive. I could argue several points with him, but in his black and white world, anybody who opposes the progressives and the Obama Administration is a dolt. Ironically, there always was a third option with the Iran Deal ... continuation of the status quo.
Mr. Snowcroft has valid points to consider, but I would say the sanctions regime already has collapsed ... just as it would have done and was doing a dozen years ago against Iraq. I am not drawing any parallels, other than to say such is the fate of sanctions regimes when various nations see an economic benefit from watching them dissolve. Such is the fate of all sanctions regimes. The Russians, the Chinese, the French and probably the Germans, as well as the EU at large, all stand to gain economically from the agreement. The Brits probably will be hard pressed to gain, given decades old animosity toward England, and there is no way the US will gain anything, if the Ayatollah has anything to say about it. As to whether the inspections regime will be as rigorous as Mr. Snowcroft believes, I believe the jury is still out on that issue. In my humble opinion, there are too many secret protocols that place any reliance those assurances in doubt.
And this commentary provides a counterpoint to Mr. Snowcroft. It too offers many valid points to consider.
If this report surprises anyone - it sure didn't surprise me - then people just have not been paying attention. I guess what has surprised me is that the Israelis haven't done anything up to now.
Interesting question when considering the bakers-v-same-sex -marriage debate ... it is an issue that has bothered me some time ... and has impact in many different levels of American society today. Selective enforcement of the law is wrong, no matter who is involved.
More on the good young Americans on that train in France ... now identified as a Soldier, an Airman and a college student. America's best.
More on the French train story ... this one I find extremely humorous. "Give me back my gun!" I think he did by whopping the would-be jihadi shooter up alongside the head with a the muzzle a few times. Way to go guys.
I know those who are devotees of the climate change crisis being totally the fault of humans using fossil fuels will not accept a word of the article, but I hope that fairer minded people will at least read and consider its points. ... and yes, it does raise question that are valid, even if it is a bit of rant.
This seems a rather radical solution to addressing the activities of the Russians with Mr. Putin at the helm. And no, it does not involve US bombers, missiles, drones or troops.
You know, I have got a real problem with this story. Understand, I think the group is despicable and I hate to be put in the position of defending them, but what the hotel did was wrong. If it is supposedly wrong and illegal for a bakery run by a Christian couple to decline to bake a wedding cake for a same-sex couple, then the same standard should apply to this hotel. In reality, it is no different than refusing service to a person because of the color of their skin, or any of the myriad of other things that can get you slammed by progressives for being discriminatory. I am sorry, but the First Amendment applies to everybody, or it applies to none at all, and when we start letting certain groups be banned or denied service because we find their views objectionable, then we really are going down a very slippery slope. Of course, I personally don't fault the hotel management for not wanting to provide accommodations, and if it could be done without offending anti-discrimination laws and the First Amendment, I probably would bar the door myself. However, that is not the case here.
More trouble on the Hillary and the saga of her e-mails front ... this really is beginning to read like a bad novel
I love it when billionaires get in cat fights ... just reminds us that they are just as petty and mundane as the rest of us.
Mr. Greenberg makes a very valid point about service in this look back at what the World War II generation went through 70 years ago. I have an alternative solution for him, rather than to dilute the all-volunteer active duty force, and that is to enlarge the reserve components exponentially and make part of a national service requirement. Sort of like the old militia-concept before 1903, when every community was expected (for a long time) to muster its own self-defense unit. These modern militias could be overseen either by the federal or state governments and have to meet certain basic military training standards (like the Marine standard that every Marine is a rifleman, first, last and always) with opportunities for all sorts of support and alternative services ... which could provide training and opportunity for many people who might never get it. Everybody (no exclusions or exceptions) enters the program upon their 18th birthday, gets run through the basic training and then a choice of reserve duty whether it is as a police officer, firefighter, medic, municipal trash collector or soldier, sailor or airman. Nah, not going to happen in today’s self-absorbed environment.
I agree with this article whole heartedly ... of course, the people on Capitol Hill won't because ... well, now that is a good question. I guess it is because the American people aren't yelling and screaming to pay for our own space taxi and are willing to just keep shelling out money to the Russians. Now, is that being stupid, or what ... especially when the taxis probably could go into service practically tomorrow.
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