We have some interesting developments in the world we all call temporary home. We are not sure exactly how to characterize them. There have been some video clips of all sorts of them. Our Secretary of Homeland Security, a Cabinet Officer, was grilled pretty hard about the border for which he is- at least theoretically- responsible. Then there was news of another school shooting. A girl who was under some sort delusion about something perfectly obvious had been under psychiatric care for some time. People with credentials were aware of her problems, but nothing was done to keep her safe. Or, as it turned out, anyone else.

Look at the sweep of events! Apparently there will be new military bases constructed in the Republic of the Philippines, a nice country many of us recall fondly. That led immediately to a discussion about whether there will be conflict, which barely got started before someone asked about whether, technically, we already were. No answers on that, although it certainly appears there are those who believe that we are. They are just uncertain about where it might be, since the matter revolves around who “we” are.

There is much more, of course, but it all seems a little complicated. We used to think Russia and China were pals, since they shared governmental systems based on the maunderings of a guy named Marx. As it turns out, they still are. Pals, that is. But the nature of that friendship is about as odd as our former pals the Iranians are providing high-tech weapons to the Russians, which is the opposite of how things worked in the old days. Or at least the ones after we stopped providing them.

See? There is something askew about almost everything in the forecast. Nothing is quite the same. Russia’s system of governance fell apart more than thirty years ago, so this time the Chinese are taking the lead on trying to make a go of the old Marxian rhetoric. We suspect this try will fail as all the other attempts have. But there are likely to be some spectacular events as the world sorts out a new social order.

One of the stories was typical about the changes coming. The conflict in Ukraine is just one. We (no scare quotes) have stopped calling it “The.” Here is an example: “we” are running out of popular ammunition types to give them. We used to like the stuff that came in 155mm rounds. Apparently so much of that flavor of munitions has been used that there is an international shortage. Normally, we would consider that a sort of disarmament. Instead, it seems that the old Great Powers are simply using it up to disarm.

Like everything else in the forecast, it seems a little cock-eyed. Like American taxpayers subsidizing Ukrainian government pensions. We aren’t necessarily opposed to the idea, since there could be justification for such a practice. Of course, you would normally want to chat about it for a moment before shipping it off. We don’t seem to do that anymore. There is something pretty special about the Boomer generation. We are so well off that we are happy to bill this extravagance to the grandkids. Without discussion.

That is the way we roll. Or the way we used to roll, anyway. It was easier when the wheels were round, you know?

Copyright 2023 Vic Socotra
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