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.
Another Sunday edition of the follies … the world seen through the perspective of an old news editor. Hope you find these stimulating, provocative … and downright thought provoking. If not, I am sorry, but I found them to be so.
Personal side note: In the 25 year look back, on this day (which was a Friday) I reported to the National Guard Armory in Raleigh to be mustered into federal service for at least 180 days. My unit, the 382d Public Affairs Detachment (at least my unit since Wednesday) was being mobilized for Operation Desert Shield. We were hurried through mobilization briefings, equipment issue, and official alignment with the unit’s table of organization. My military occupational specialty designator went from 11C40 to 46R40 (Indirect fire infantry crewman to public affairs broadcaster – even though I was a print journalist) in a stroke of a pen. Hey, what ever was necessary was my thought on the matter. We were told we could go home for the night, but it would be our last night at home, so we should bring our families the next day for briefings and to be able to say good bye.
Considering the source of this article, it is easy to dismiss it ... but that would be wrong. Do not underestimate the capabilities of ISIS and its Jihadis. It could be fatal.
Welcome to the real world, Mr. Christopher Rants. CNN gets to decide who is a "major candidate" and who isn't ... and that shapes the dialogue ... it always has been thus, with the broadcast media - given the narrowness of its stage and wanting to be able to determine who will be the next president, always limiting access to candidates who do not fall in their favor. It was such with the print media, which a historian easily recognizes as always having been at least somewhat partisan.
Bad news for those who think climate change is ending the world ... ah ... forests are getting larger. I know from personal knowledge that in the Southeast part of the United States in the early 2000s the forest cover was approaching that when the Europeans first landed ... four centuries ago ... hmm. ... maybe the earth is not going to hell in a hand basket after all.
Interesting Commentary piece on how force and restraint play roles in diplomacy ... and how President Obama has given away most of the advantages of having force available while trusting merely on diplomacy to change world behaviors. I am not sure the President is correct and this author is wrong.
ISIS and its fellow travelers is an evil I think that most of us have yet to come to grips with. It is beyond our frame of reference and despite seeing all the U-Tube videos and hearing all the reports, we retain a suspension of belief. It is, like most every thing else we view on the internet, an intellectual distraction. It is not real. It is merely like a movie or a video game where people don't really die and die gruesomely and horribly.
Interesting question about two proposals to change the constitution ... I guess it all depends on whose ox is being gored.
I kinda laughed when I read this headline. With all due respect, Mr. President, you not representative of a "normal" African-American in the US. Your life has been one of living in other countries, going to private schools in Hawaii and then to elite Eastern private colleges. With respect, Mr. President, that is nothing compared to growing up in Fayette County, Georgia, or the south side of Chicago or a rural town in South Carolina. No, sir, your life experience gives you nothing to relate to what it really is like being African-American in the US.
I love guilt by association ... but then, what is not to love about Donald Trump?
This has all the trappings of a bad spy novel ... if it wasn't for real ... and with overtones of compromised former presidents
I really would like to see the statistics that back up Sen. Sanders' rhetoric … Otherwise he is part of the problem.
Somehow, I am not sure I believe Presidential Candidate Sanders on this ... but then, it may just be rhetoric
Oh, this discovery is not going to make the fossil fuel haters and the climate change is all due to use of fossil fuels people happy ... of course it may improve the lives of how many millions of people in the Middle East, but that is not important. According to adherents to anthropomorphic climate change, we need to roll back civilization to pre-Industrial Age levels.
Let's see how to twist this in to a ban-guns argument ... sorry, but I am tired of that paradigm
Gee, wilikers, Tulare is out in what is near a desert. I think some people have the right plan though: Form a water district/co-op and dig deeper wells.
More Orwellian efforts to erase history ... you know something, I am really getting sick of this latest craze of political correctness by progressives.
I personally think that Assange has lost his marbles ... but then, I am not surprised to see Jesse Jackson show up there
My point to this person: More power to you. Work hard and see what it gets you. I won't be supporting you, but you will have to realize, as you said, your campaign is a marathon and will take a lot of time ... I hope forever
Gov. Jindal makes an interesting point here ... although I am not sure whether he is massaging the statistics or not. If he isn't, it makes a compelling argument ... that progressives and liberals will trash all the way to the ballot box.
This strikes me as propaganda. Now, I don't know why the person in the IDF uniform is trying to subdue the kid, but he sure gets the poop beat out of him by the women. Which leads me to ask, where are the other members of his squad?
Bring back the BBs? Well, new ones, maybe. I think the Navy needs to be doing more to build survivability into its warships and armor has its place. Plus, bigger ships allow for bigger power plants which means more power available for railguns, lasers, etc., and more room for missile magazines and launchers.
Medicare Part B premiums to rise dramatically ... I wonder if is this part of the Affordable Care Act or just the law of unintended consequences hammering its point home.
Assuming the North Koreans were this stupid - they would go out in a blaze of glory and leave chaos, destruction and all sorts of devastation in South Korea in their wake. Not to mention that they possibly could strike the US mainland in different ways.
Speaking of laser weapons, they are here folks ... just waiting for the finishing touches to be sent in to the field
Trump's deportation plan is not unprecedented ... except in scale ... however, the problem remains that (at least the adults) are here illegally. How do you punish that illegality without rewarding it ... just a question. Otherwise, what is the law, but something to be ignored
Well, it looks like President Obama will get his Iran deal ... not that I ever expected the Democrats really to threaten it.
This effort is unrelated to the Mars One effort ... and will be in the normal glacier like fashion that has become the US way in space
Interesting that an avowedly Christian movie came in second this week.
More Orwellian politically correct efforts to erase open examples of memorials to the Confederacy
Rocker Hynde comes under fire for stating the obvious. If you dress like you think you are a sex object, you probably will get treated as one ... which doesn't excuse the rapists, but it is a valid point.
I spent some time in Saudi buildings like these ... both in Khobar and in Riyadh
I am not sure this was the best thing for Gov. Walker to say to win friends in our northern neighbor ... but he is right to say it is not something we should ignore or refuse to discuss.
Not that people like the Roanoke shooter are listening ... but it is points they should ponder before heading out
Interesting notes on Sanders, gun control and the shooting in Roanoke
Sometimes, Miss Taylor Swift strikes me as a pretty level-headed young woman with her priorities right and a good head on her shoulders.
There is a lesson here ... in this interesting response by this woman to her rapist.
This story is another one of those that ranks up there with the others in the "Give Me A Break" department.
This person lost me when he started on about how the individual is wrong and capitalism is wrong and the community must rule. Sorry, but that is where progressives and I part company.
I know there are those who think gun control is a panacea to all violence ... but it ain't ... so get over it.
Well, he said he wanted to transform the country and he is doing his best to do that ... even if it destroys it. What bothers me is hearing about climate change alarmists saying they want to roll back the Industrial Age ... with all due respect Mr. President, do you even have a clue how many people your policies probably are going to condemn to die ... and a lot sooner than if your feared climate changes come to pass.
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