I see that Senator Leahy required further surgery for his broken hip; I wish him well. Even though a broken hip is unusual for an elderly man, it does happen, and is a very serious injury for anyone.
I always hope that a person will retire with enough health to enjoy some real "time off" ~ especially our public servants. May Senator Leahy heal well and enjoy some real retirement next year! "He gave all he had."
I was reading about inflation in the UK, combined with brainless politicians [cue Brexit] and recession. That got me to thinking about how incredibly stable the pound sterling was during Victoria’s reign— prices stayed stable while the US dollar suffered from terrible inflation during the Civil War, followed by decades of intentional and horrible deflation. But in those years Britain had an empire and a navy that bestrode the world. The US has an economic empire that bestrides the world, but hasn’t wanted it and doesn’t yet know how to manage it. One of the techniques Victorian Britain used to manage its empire without impoverishing itself was to have locals take care of most of the war-making rather than committing its armed forces. US engagement in Putin’s War seems to be a step in that direction.
We save our chicken bones for them. The young ones can be really cute. It seems they were purposely introduced to California more than once (twice? three times?) by parties unknown as a source of food in the early 20th Century.
Via Talking Points Memo: Truly stunning numbers [Click] “Over just the last 22 months public approval for the US Supreme Court has fallen from 66% to 38%. Almost wilder, in just the last four months approval among Democrats has fallen from 52% to 15%. That’s what a fatal loss of institutional legitimacy looks like.”
At the risk of repeating myself, it has been time out of mind since we had a major political party (the Whigs) implode; the parallels between that and the current GOP are very striking. By the way, I really do suggest George Friedman's The Storm Before The Calm to provide perspective (and hope). You can get it as a "freebie" with an audible.com subscription, or as a Kindle download, but I think it is heavy enough reading to benefit from a printed copy (I got mine from alibris.com). I think it comes with a few new chapters if ordered from geopoliticalfutures.com
Analena Baerbock interview [Click] Leader of the German Green Party, their candidate for Chancellor and current Foreign Minister. I don’t recall having heard her speak at length in English, but WOW—is she assertive! Not demonstrative, but very firm and self-assured. She simply projects “You don’t want to mess with me.” Germany’s current “traffic signal” coalition really impresses me.
The GOP’s Grassroots Money Problem [Click]
ReplyDeleteI see that Senator Leahy required further surgery for his broken hip; I wish him well. Even though a broken hip is unusual for an elderly man, it does happen, and is a very serious injury for anyone.
ReplyDeleteI always hope that a person will retire with enough health to enjoy some real "time off" ~ especially our public servants. May Senator Leahy heal well and enjoy some real retirement next year! "He gave all he had."
Delete
ReplyDeleteI was reading about inflation in the UK, combined with brainless politicians [cue Brexit] and recession. That got me to thinking about how incredibly stable the pound sterling was during Victoria’s reign— prices stayed stable while the US dollar suffered from terrible inflation during the Civil War, followed by decades of intentional and horrible deflation. But in those years Britain had an empire and a navy that bestrode the world. The US has an economic empire that bestrides the world, but hasn’t wanted it and doesn’t yet know how to manage it. One of the techniques Victorian Britain used to manage its empire without impoverishing itself was to have locals take care of most of the war-making rather than committing its armed forces. US engagement in Putin’s War seems to be a step in that direction.
JWST Shows There Is a Planet With Clouds Made of Sand [Click] I never suspected such a Hell-planet.
ReplyDeleteAmerica’s Most Misunderstood Marsupial [Click]
ReplyDelete“The opossum might be snarly and a little bit scraggly, but she deserves our admiration.”
I love opossums! They are tick vacuums!
DeleteWe save our chicken bones for them. The young ones can be really cute. It seems they were purposely introduced to California more than once (twice? three times?) by parties unknown as a source of food in the early 20th Century.
DeleteVia Talking Points Memo: Truly stunning numbers [Click] “Over just the last 22 months public approval for the US Supreme Court has fallen from 66% to 38%. Almost wilder, in just the last four months approval among Democrats has fallen from 52% to 15%. That’s what a fatal loss of institutional legitimacy looks like.”
ReplyDeleteOhhhh deeeaaarrr. It sounds like we are in for 4-8 years of Republicans gone wild. May all the gods help us!
DeleteAt the risk of repeating myself, it has been time out of mind since we had a major political party (the Whigs) implode; the parallels between that and the current GOP are very striking. By the way, I really do suggest George Friedman's The Storm Before The Calm to provide perspective (and hope). You can get it as a "freebie" with an audible.com subscription, or as a Kindle download, but I think it is heavy enough reading to benefit from a printed copy (I got mine from alibris.com). I think it comes with a few new chapters if ordered from geopoliticalfutures.com
Delete👍 I will see about getting a hard copy. Thanks, Alan.
DeleteAnalena Baerbock interview [Click] Leader of the German Green Party, their candidate for Chancellor and current Foreign Minister. I don’t recall having heard her speak at length in English, but WOW—is she assertive! Not demonstrative, but very firm and self-assured. She simply projects “You don’t want to mess with me.” Germany’s current “traffic signal” coalition really impresses me.
ReplyDeleteUkraine: The New Satellite War [Click] An NHK special in English
ReplyDelete