War, Politics, and Life by Bruce Maulden
Some of the righteous posturing: “…utterly deplorable…” — U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta “…wholly inconsistent with the high standards of conduct and warrior ethos that we have demonstrated throughout our history…” — Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James Amos “…deplorable, reprehensible and unacceptable…” — White House spokesman Jay Carney “…absolutely inconsistent with American values…” — Secretary…
On occasion being ‘under the weather’ can cut some of life’s tangled problems loose as when one is sick, nothing else matters but being sick. So, I paid scant attention to the two neurotic GOP debates over the weekend — these guys are after blood, and they don’t care whose blood, just so long as…
As the new year grinds on, politics has taken the edge off the nearly unnoticed pullout of US troops from Iraq, ending a segment in one of the most-horrible of episodes. And the most lied about military adventure in US history. “In making the case for war, the Administration repeatedly presented intelligence as fact when…
In case you didn’t know already, this is the last evening of 2011. And if you didn’t have your collective head up your collective ass, you know the past 12 months have been shitsville. “There are a lot of reasons not to elect me.” — Mitt Romney, last September Beyond tomorrow, the Iowa caucus crap-shoot…
A few days ago, I put another $20 worth of gas in the old Jeep, and this time the pump price had dropped six cents since the last gas-station visit, down to $3.83 a gallon for regular. Although prices here in northern California have dipped a bit, it’s still freakin’ high compared nationwide — the…
Books and movies are two completely different countries. In one you read by yourself (unless you’re in a group-grope book club), the other you see and hear — and the two supposedly connect when the book is made into a movie. Rare, though, when the movie comes direct off the page. Movies can also alter…
Climate change is corrupting Bangladesh tea — the low-lying nation has a great tea growing industry, but the warming temperatures with less rain not only stumps growth, but can alter the flavor. From Aljazeera English and a tea harvester: “There is less clouds in the sky than before. Too much sun, which isn’t good for…
Modern life isn’t what we figured a generation ago. The world is way-more high-strung, more anxiety-filled and dangerous. Just yesterday a couple of horrible tragedies — in Texas seven people were found shot to death in an apartment: The seven, believed to be related, were apparently in the process of opening Christmas gifts or had…
Tis the season for the big lie. Infamous fabricator Stephen Glass is now after a lawyer’s job — off ‘Shattered Glass‘ fame, he made up stories at the New Republic during the late 1990s and was fired, displaying a major-tendency to lie at the drop of a vowel. Adam Penenberg, who outed Glass as a…
Last night on CBS News, an interview with US Defense head Leon Panetta took place on what’s called “the doomsday plane,” a modified Boeing 747, termed an E-4B by the miltary, and tricked out with a shitload of science-fiction-sounding gear to aid in evading a Judgment-Day scenario. Panetta’s blubberings as usual were nonsensical, but the…