Well waddaya know? I'm tempted to do a straight news story here but, honestly, everyone including a can of Chef Boyardee canned ravioli on the shelf at Safeway knows what's going on here. Unless it's just a coincidence that, as the New York Times now reports, Russians have hacked the Ukrainian Gas Company at the center of impeachment. You know, the one that Hunter Biden … [Read more...] about It’s Deja Vu Time: Russians Hacked Ukrainian Gas Company at Center of Impeachment
Great Music – Chapter 59
His week we are going to take a trip into the world of hard core rock. The band is Foreigner and the song is “I want To Know What Love is”. The song was written by band members Mick Jones and Lou Gramm. As a musician, I have always been fascinated by emotion. A song is nothing more than a collection of sound frequencies of variable duration. Why do certain collections of … [Read more...] about Great Music – Chapter 59
Trump has an exceptional opportunity in Iran for regime change
An exceptional opportunity has opened to weaken Iran’s blood-stained regime because of the outrage of many Iranians at the downing of a Ukrainian passenger aircraft killing all 176 people aboard. To take advantage of the opportunity, President Donald Trump should start pulling American troops out of Iraq and Syria as soon as possible. That could help him win the November … [Read more...] about Trump has an exceptional opportunity in Iran for regime change
Is political tribalism leading to more political hypocrisy?
Is political tribalism is leading to more political hypocrisy? The Christian Science Monitor has an article that strikes a nerve with me. I almost want to quite watching news or reading Twitter (which I have concluded even though I do it is a waste of my time on this earth). Hypocrisy in politics is a time-honored tradition. Republicans slam Democrats for doing and … [Read more...] about Is political tribalism leading to more political hypocrisy?
MICHAEL CORLEONE COULD TEACH TRUMP A LESSON ABOUT IRAN
Before Donald Trump began to slur his words and concoct fake verbs like “tolerize,” he declared on Wednesday that “as long as I’m president of the United States, Iran will never be allowed to have a nuclear weapon…Their pursuit of nuclear weapons threatens the civilized world. We’ll never let that happen.” Great. If that’s what he wants, perhaps he’d take a deal that among … [Read more...] about MICHAEL CORLEONE COULD TEACH TRUMP A LESSON ABOUT IRAN
YOU CAN’T ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WANT
Three Democratic candidates for president walk into a bar. The first one says, “I’m going to beat Donald Trump by re-starting the Bolshevik Revolution”. The second one says, “I’m going to beat Donald Trump by breaking up the big banks and sticking it to the man.” The third one says, “I’ll be in my trailer. Call me on the horn when they’re ready for my cameo in The Way … [Read more...] about YOU CAN’T ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WANT
Killing of Soleimani evokes dark history of political assassinations in the formative days of Shiite Islam
Iranians publicly mourn the death of Gen. Qassem Soleimani four days after he was killed in a US drone strike, Jan 7., 2020. Babek Jeddi/SOPA Images via Getty Deina Abdelkader, University of Massachusetts Lowell Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who promoted the religious and political influence of the Iranian regime across the Middle East with covert military … [Read more...] about Killing of Soleimani evokes dark history of political assassinations in the formative days of Shiite Islam
Michael Bloomberg Wants to be Your Pre$ident. Maybe.
Michael Bloomberg, former three-time mayor of the City of New York, has launched his campaign with a TV blitz costing $150 million. That’s a lot of Simoleans, double the amount spent by Tom Steyer, the only other bona fide billionaire in the race. Steyer's spending laps the amounts spent by the conventional candidates. Unlike Bloomberg, Steyer has been running in traffic, … [Read more...] about Michael Bloomberg Wants to be Your Pre$ident. Maybe.
The Mediterranean Sea was once dried out.
The Mediterranean Sea was once dried out, leaving behind a mile-high layer of salt all across the sea floor. This ancient phenomenon is know as the Messinian Salinity Crisis. Here is an explanation by University of Maryland professor Daniel Kirk-Davidoff: "In 1970, an undersea drilling project began taking samples of the Mediterranean’s ocean floor. They discovered an … [Read more...] about The Mediterranean Sea was once dried out.
A General’s Letter Creates Mass Confusion (UPDATES)
Quick, brief summary/update: On Sunday, the Iraqi Parliament, in a politically significant move, voted to request that the U.S. withdraw its troops from Iraq. Almost immediately, Trump threatened Iraq with serious repercussions On Monday, a letter drafted by Marine Corps Brig. Gen. William H. Seely to Iraqi military officials stated: “In due deference to the … [Read more...] about A General’s Letter Creates Mass Confusion (UPDATES)
What to make of the standoff with Iran
What to make of the standoff with Iran after Iranian ballistic missiles hit two bases in Iraq without casualties and Trump did not return fire? Best way to think of it is by considering short, medium and long term goals of Iran and the United States in the region. Then we can see where this recent standoff leaves things. For Iran, the short term goal after the killing of … [Read more...] about What to make of the standoff with Iran
Trump and Advisors: Coming or Going?
Does Trump and his coterie of brilliant advisors led by Mike Pompeo know whether they are coming or going in terms of dealing with Iran? Since the assassination of General Suliemani, the administration has given conflicting signals of what we can expect in the future. First we were told the killing of Suliemani was to abort an imminent threat against American personnel in the … [Read more...] about Trump and Advisors: Coming or Going?
The REAL true meaning of Christmas (Full article)
It all started innocently enough. Our local grocery story was offering a deal, spend $500 in December and get a free ham. No way I was going to turn that down. So the groceries were delivered and so was this strange looking hunk of meat, in a long sack about 4 feet long. Inside was my ham but it looked like the entire pig, minus the head and feet. When I called the grocery … [Read more...] about The REAL true meaning of Christmas (Full article)
CONGRESS HAS TO RECLAIM ITS WAR-MAKING AUTHORITY
by John L. Micek It didn’t take long for “World War III” to become a trending topic on Twitter in the hours after news broke that a drone strike by U.S. forces resulted in the death of a top Iranian military commander. Almost simultaneously, those who’d never heard of the now-late Qasem Soleimani until cable news and social media blared his name began debating whether the … [Read more...] about CONGRESS HAS TO RECLAIM ITS WAR-MAKING AUTHORITY
‘Strike of Choice’: US Lawmakers Decry ‘Utterly Unconvincing’ Trump Briefing on Soleimani Assassination
Not just Democrats, Sen. Mike Lee of Utah said what Trump officials presented was "the worst briefing I've had on a military issue in my nine years" serving in the Senate. by Jon Queally COMMON DREAMS Congressional Democrats emerged from a classified briefing presented by Trump administration officials on Wednesday afternoon and decried the "sophomoric and utterly … [Read more...] about ‘Strike of Choice’: US Lawmakers Decry ‘Utterly Unconvincing’ Trump Briefing on Soleimani Assassination
IMMINENT ATTACK (Cartoon, Column and Video)
John Bolton, Trump’s former National Security Adviser, now says he’ll testify during Trump’s impeachment trial if the Senate subpoenas him. Keep in mind, the Senate is controlled by Republicans who don’t want anything that even slightly resembles a fair trial. And what would happen if the Senate did send Bolton a subpoena? Bolton was in the room and is a direct witness of … [Read more...] about IMMINENT ATTACK (Cartoon, Column and Video)
Congressional Republicans abandon constitutional heritage and Watergate precedents in defense of Trump
Republican lawmakers are seen as Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) oversees a vote on the second article of impeachment against President Donald Trump in the House of Representatives, Dec. 18, 2019. Matt McClain/The Washington Post via Getty Images Ken Hughes, University of Virginia Once, not so long ago, congressional Republicans were … [Read more...] about Congressional Republicans abandon constitutional heritage and Watergate precedents in defense of Trump
Trump asks NATO allies for help with Iran after years of bashing the alliance
President Donald Trump speaks from the White House on January 08, 2020 in Washington, DC. Win McNamee/Getty Images Klaus W. Larres, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill U.S. President Donald Trump took a tough line in his address to the nation Jan. 8 in response to the Iranian airstrikes on two U.S. bases in Iraq. Trump announced that he … [Read more...] about Trump asks NATO allies for help with Iran after years of bashing the alliance
Strategy
The US national security bench is thin
When a national leader flirts with war, citizens need assurance that decision makers are knowledgable, competent and experienced. And that positions aren't full of acting heads or, worse yet, empty. In the case of President Donald Trump's two-step with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, that is not the case. Perhaps that's why Pompeo has such influence with Trump. Who was … [Read more...] about The US national security bench is thin