We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.
Technically, the term "dog days of summer" came to mean the 20 days before and 20 days after the alignment of Sirius with the sun -- July 3 to August 11 each year. The phrase is actually a reference to the fact that, during this time, the Sun occupies the same region of the sky as Sirius, the brightest star visible from any part of Earth and part of the constellation Canis Major, the Greater Dog.
Today I signed an offer letter, so after 9 months I will finally be going back to work. The role is a step below where I was, but after pursuing lateral and better positions, only to find myself making final rounds and going no further (for obvious reasons that shall not be discussed), I felt just getting back on the playing field was important as long as I wasn't going bankrupt. I have always been realistic about just wanting to get back in the office, so the fact it's a step back isn't bothering me. It's a challenging role that suits my talents well and I'm appreciative of the people who recognized I could provide a value to their organization.
Employment opens up other opportunities for me which I'd been reticent about pursuing while I wasn't working. One was to attend a memorial service in Florida to scatter the ashes of a close friend who died during Covid (not from Covid, or even 'with' Covid). With my financial situation sorted out somewhat, I let friends know that I would be attending. One promptly replied they would not be attending due to "Gov DeathSantis" and the "disaster" he "created" down there. I chose not to argue. The statistics are readily available, and this association can't be further from the truth. It is just an example of the truly annoying politicization of the virus. I don't understand anyone who really believes there is a political solution to this. There isn't. New Zealand is unique in attempting to achieve a zero case situation. As an island nation, they have some unique qualities that should allow them to achieve this, at lease in theory. Even they are learning it's not possible in real life.
Afghanistan. I never thought I'd see a repeat of Vietnam in my lifetime. You'd think we learned a valuable lesson there. Apparently, we didn't. Or I should say certain members of our government didn't. It's shocking and must be infuriating for allies of ours to see what is happening and wonder "can this happen to me?" The likelihood is no, our relationship with Afghanistan was not typical or standard. However, to see Biden abandoning tens of thousands who the US did have a legitimate and standard relationship with in such callous fashion is concerning. As a result, it does raise one's eyebrows as to the state of affairs in the White House. I know the 'credible' media spent 4 years telling me that Trump (who I certainly was no fan of) had no policies, was erratic, and unreliable. I think that assessment is more applicable today.
Finally, Cuomo. I recently read a piece by a person who got their first job from Cuomo. He had glowing things to say about Cuomo. Not to rationalize what occurred, but to point out that even those we admire have flaws. I agreed and acknowledged his comments as justifiable. After all, I remarked, I worked for Roger Ailes twice and I won't spend any time trying to rationalize his personal flaws. But I, too, have many stories of his great treatment of employees, his loyalty and promotion of them, and how he really did run a great shop. As leaders go, Ailes was top-notch. However, since he was a Republican, his behavior is demonized while Cuomo got the kid gloves. I doubt one, let alone two, movies will be made about Cuomo's sexualizing of women.
The West’s post-9/11 bluster was continually undermined by the West’s broader descent into moral relativism. How can you assert the civilisational authority of Western values when your entire educational and university system is devoted to questioning and demeaning Western civilisation? You cannot partake in a clash of civilisations if you loathe your own civilisation.
Anyone who thinks the Taliban did not pick up on all of this, on the Potemkin nature not only of the Afghan government but also of Western civilisation itself, is kidding themselves.
Avoids the excuses spins by Biden and minions, or of defenders of earlier presidents. For me, who proudly served in USMC in Vietnam, the incompetence and timidity of our supposed leaders is despicable.
We Once Waltzed in Kabul: The U.S. abandoned my friends. Now they are trapped in Afghanistan and hiding from the Taliban.
Please Don’t Feed the Businesses: Ending crony capitalism requires understanding the difference between a pragmatic, pro-market dispensation and a dogmatically pro-business one.
It only needed several thousand air and logistic support personnel from the US and other countries for the Afghan army to keep the Taliban at bay. Without that, the US-NATO molded Afghan army, which relied on that, crumbled, its troops knowing they couldn't survive without it. Trump and Biden, despite military advice to the contrary, wanted to pander to politics of war-wearied voters by saying a complete withdrawal. The result is a sanctuary for terrorists, energized Al Quada and ISIS, encouraged Russia and China (look out Taiwan), Israel's strategic reliance on its alliance with the US undermined, and other countries reluctant to depend on the US. Not to mention the slaughter of allied or innocent Afghanis, subjugation and rape of Afghani women, and children raised to hate and fight the West. All that for the political pandering removal of several thousand US and NATO troops!
As I opined here many times over the years, Afghanistan is not a nation. It's a place on a map. It is run by warlords and poppy-growers. There has not been any central government with any power.
The Russians pulled out of there decades ago, rightly realizing it was hopeless to mold that place into any sort of modern nation with any outside allies or help.
Behind the scenes America’s senior leaders have known, almost from the beginning, that the war was unwinnable, that the Afghan government was fatally corrupt, and that the Afghan security forces would never be up to the task. Instead of acknowledging reality, instead of coming clean to the American people, they hid the truth or outright lied about it. The result?
America's (and NATO's) longest war accomplished exactly nothing. I'll give Trump and Biden credit for publicly recognizing the sad reality.
Technically, the term "dog days of summer" came to mean the 20 days before and 20 days after the alignment of Sirius with the sun -- July 3 to August 11 each year. The phrase is actually a reference to the fact that, during this time, the Sun occupies the same region of the sky as Sirius, the brightest star visible from any part of Earth and part of the constellation Canis Major, the Greater Dog.
Works even better with Sarsaparilla if you have some around your cabin.
For the Love of Music -