4 days agoMember-onlyYou, Too, Can Laugh and Joke While Getting a VasectomyOn a particular March 14th in Honolulu back in the 1990's, my wife gave birth to our youngest son. He was a preemie, and weighed three pounds, fourteen ounces at birth. Look at the numbers: 3'14" on 3/14. …Men5 min read
Jul 23Member-onlyWhy America Should Support and Aid Xi Jinping’s “Belt and Road” InitiativeLiving the cognitive-dissonant life — that of combining hard-bitten cynicism with altruistic starry-eyed idealism— is not easy. For my part, Exhibit A is China. I’ve said many times that I’m no fan of the Chinese government, and especially of what it is doing to the Uighur and Tibetan cultures. …China10 min read
Jun 29Member-onlyIn Putin’s Own Words, Why Russia Invaded UkraineThere’s a Chinese nationalist that I communicate with, and he steadfastly defends the view that the Russia/Ukraine war is mostly America’s fault. This article is an attempt to show him that no, this is a war of aggression and conquest initiated by Russia at Putin’s command. …War12 min read
Jun 29Member-onlyThe 38 Year-Old Reason the GOP Will Never Abandon TrumpIn the days immediately following the 1/6 insurrection, there seemed to be reason to hope for a return to a semblance of sanity by the Republican Party. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said, “The Democrats are going to take care of the son of a bitch for us…. If this…Trump5 min read
Jun 21Member-onlyThe Texas GOP Party Platform: A Blueprint For FascismOnce upon a time, a bunch of politicians got together and told each other, “Let’s tell everybody what we believe, a short list of bullet points of what our party is all about!” So they started making a list of everything they wanted to support, and the list became longer…Republican Party8 min read
Jun 13Member-onlyProvincetown: New England’s LGBTQ MeccaNever heard of Provincetown? That means you’re probably heterosexual and don’t live anywhere near eastern Massachusetts. But I’ve found that many in the LGBTQ community know of the place, and for good reason. On Wednesday, June 1st — the first day of Pride Month, as it happens — my wife…LGBTQ6 min read
Jun 8Member-onlyNo, Don’t Ban Or Tax Guns. There’s A Better, More Effective Way.A Democratic representative in Virginia says, “Let’s put a 1000% tax on gun purchases!” He says it can be done because the Constitution allows the government to impose taxes on purchases, and it can be passed with a simple majority of Congress. Yeah, no. Not gonna happen. Why? Even in…Guns3 min read
Jun 1Member-onlyChina’s Invasion of Taiwan Would Be A Success. Its Occupation, A Failure.“‘140,000 Soldiers and 953 Ships’: Leaked Audio Clip Reveals China’s Plan To Invade Taiwan” reads the title of the story about a leaked recording of China’s military brass discussing a planned invasion of Taiwan on the International Business Times (IBTimes) website. Despite claims of authenticity by The Times of India…China7 min read
May 28Member-onlyQuo Vadis, America? Beyond the Map’s Edge, and Back Again“You’re off the edge of the map, mate. Here there be monsters.” said Captain Barbarossa during his swordfight with Captain Jack Sparrow. A few days ago, one particular monster took his AR-15-style rifles — purchased without license, registration, or background check — and slaughtered a classroom full of children. America…Racism5 min read
May 5Member-onlyArmed Drone Swarms: The Newest Weapon of Mass Destruction“Airpower may give us the decisive edge, but ground troops remain the foundation of military victory.” From “Boots on the Ground” by Ralph Peters, LTC, USA (Ret.) Since Russia’s invasion began, the Ukrainians have resisted with incredible courage and fortitude, their success becoming but the latest reminder of that most…Drones5 min read
