The idiom “fog of war” to describe the uncertainty and confusion generated by the chaos of battle was spawned by 19th century cannon and cavalry clashes. Vengefulness and historical ignorance are turning the fog of the high tech Iran war opaque.… Read the rest
In 1970, a Moody Blues song asked why we never get an answer “…/to a thousand millions questions/about hate and death and war.” In the case of the war in Iran, it’s because no one seems willing or able to articulate one.… Read the rest
On a philosophical level, crying havoc and letting slip the U.S. “armada” deployed against Iran would be the embodiment of Prussian General Carl von Clauswitz’ reflection that “War is a mere continuation of policy by other means.” On a realistic level, it is a continuation of policy based on ego and ignorance.… Read the rest
It has become a sad truth that headlines, shouts of “Breaking News” and screen crawls deliver just enough news to make it appear to all but the most curious that a story has been told, thereby leaving the bitter vetch they herald untasted.… Read the rest
In a week where excellence was defined by gold, silver and bronze, the race for the maintaining sanity podium was rage, merely quaking with righteous indignation, or taking refuge in a state of amusement.… Read the rest
“Shame may restrain what law does not prohibit.”
If the ancient Roman statesman and philosopher Seneca who wrote that had met Jeff Bezos and his ilk, he might have added the caveat. “but only in those decent enough to recognise, or care, when something is fundamentally wrong.”… Read the rest
It’s comforting to think that the ranks of those who worry that the idiom “The world is going to Hell in a handbasket” is true, are swelling by the day. The discomforting, and perforce ignored fact, is that an equally growing number are untroubled by the idiom “Do not accept fools gladly.”… Read the rest
In amateur theater, being rejected as not good enough for a bit part is a hurtful snub. On the world stage, Donald Trump just turned that into a starring role, once again proving that he’s in a class of his own — just not in the way he fantasizes.… Read the rest
As much as it grieves me to say it, while “the good old days” and “blame it on the media” are simplistic cliches, in the space of two weeks, they have combined as a succinct summation of the state of the news business.… Read the rest
Manners may “maketh the man”, but words distinguish leadership.
A few hours before the U.S. raid into Venezuela, I watched “The Darkest Hour”, which ends with Sir Winston Churchill’s speech, that Edward R. Murrow encapsulated as: “He mobilized the English language and sent it into battle.”… Read the rest