Year: 2017

Arrias on Politics: Whither Syria? Whither the US?

Since 2015 Senators McCain and Graham have called for more US troops in Syria. First they called for 10,000 troops, then 20,000 and then 50,000. Now, the numbers have climbed to 150,000. To be clear, this isn’t about the additional troops Secretary Mattis sent into Iraq and Syria (or into Afghanistan); Secretary Mattis has clear, […]

Life & Island Times: Failure to Communicate

Editor’s Note: Yep. it is getting this nuts. – Vic Failure to Communicate Author’s note: I was bemused yesterday when I heard the former DHS Director remark in an aside that the FBI Director (and those of National Intelligence, the CIA and the NSA) didn’t share with him or his intelligence folks for months during […]

Postcard From the Swamp #3

It is hot, muggy and finally it is really Summer. That happened shortly after midnight, concluding the longest day of the year, which Jim Champagne at Willow’s famed Amen Corner always maintained was exactly the same length as every other day- some just have more daylight than others. I have always been a bit of […]

Midway Commemoration on Midway

Gentle Readers, You noted our commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of the great conflict off Midway Atoll 75 years ago. It was at the beginning of the month of June, on the actual days that defined history. Today, the last remnants of the battle were being resolved though the memories will never fade. The Japanese […]

Arrias on Politics: Bumper Stickers and the Constitution

I saw a sign the other day that said something along the lines of: “I don’t know where you came from, but I’m glad you’re my neighbor.” ‘Glad’ means happy, delighted. It is more than simply neutral, it’s a positive thing; in this case it would be that: “it’s good (for me) that you’re my […]

Living in UFR-Land

I don’t do these hybrid tales very well. I used to think these “inside baseball” accounts were useful excursions for those who can mostly ignore the daily follies of the central government, but it occurs to me that it is not quite worth the time. I do have to remark at this juncture that things […]

Rubicon

So, the morning messages included an insightful essay from an old shipmate that analyzed the decision that Great Caesar made about crossing the Rubicon River, heading south and ending the Republic of Rome. It had lasted a half a thousand years, so it was a significant one. He decided to trade the Republic for an […]

Birthday

It was epic, even if the events of the day swept over me and meant I never left the property at Big Pink. It was worth it. Epic. Among he other things that happened while I wasn’t looking in the course of the day, I think I won the Front Page bar pool on the […]

Playlist

So, my best friend called this morning to start it all, and it went well, or at least as well as it could have been since I had hoped to be in the Friendly Islands and avoid the whole thing. Oh well, didn’t work out that way. But the cancelled trip gave me some un-programmed […]