Lessons Learned?

Trump seems to have selected Trump loyalists for his cabinet. Many are Israel first people. There's plenty of China and Iran war mongers in the group as well. No doubt we'll have to wait and see, first if they make it through the senate after McConnell installed Thune as a poison pill, and secondly if they live up to their claims of challenging the system. Did Trump learn from his first term of disastrous appointments?

Hope, Despair, Ambivalence?

Thankfully the election is over with results so overwhelming that no one seems to be challenging the outcome. That was my hope. Prior to the election there were all kinds of predictions of violence, riots, and protests which fortunately didn't come to fruition. So now we wait to see how the administration evolves. Many are hopeful. Some are in despair. Others are simply ambivalent. Is it possible for the nation to heal the divide? Vivek thinks we can? (1.2 min)

The Tit for Tat Trap

The Israel/Iran war seems to operate in a tit for tat status. Israel blows up Iran's Damascus embassy, Iran floods Israel with old drones and missiles (probably to map their defenses). Israel murders the primary Hamas negotiator in Tehran the day Iran inaugurated its new president, Iran targets and hits Israeli military facilities. In response Israel mounts an aerial attack on Iran's air defense system. So now we're waiting for the response. Is there no way out of this tit for tat trap?

Regenerate!

Regenerative agriculture is a common topic in this column, but I've been thinking this week that it might refer to other things which are being regenerated. For example, perhaps the BRICS+ summit this week in Kazan is regenerating the world order and economy? Is there even a chance we could regenerate the nature of the US and use the Constitution as our guide? Maybe we should go even farther and totally re-invent the US...perhaps involving more direct democracy. A republic like ours is easily corrupted/purchased as we can clearly see. We certainly need to regenerate our health system, in part through regenerative agriculture providing nutrient rich foods. So let's dive in and regenerate some of our assumptions.

War IS the US Business Model

War with Russia in the Ukraine Proxy war, a likely War in SW Asia with Iran, War with China over Taiwan, War on US citizens using a variety of techniques, an economic War on the EU, countless coups and conflicts in Latin America, Africa, and Asia, Sanction wars with any country which refuses to submit to US dictats ...here a war, there a war, everywhere a war,war. I heard Lockhead-Martin stock is up 58% this year alone. This country has come a long way down the road from the initial goal of being an agricultural and trading nation. We morphed into authoritarian warmongering bullies somewhere along the way.

For the Birds

Today, let's once again minimize the news this week and focus on our bird banding trip last week. There is a bit of news at the end of the column if you have no interest in the Eastern bird migration. Birds are important for a number of reasons. For one thing they are the canary in the coal mine. Bird populations are down 30% since 1970. Insect populations have decreased by 70% in the same period. We drove all the way to SW Alabama for the banding with hardly a bug on our windshield. Bird banding is a way to track and assess the decline.

On the Beach

For the last week we've been on the gulf coast to enjoy the beautiful beaches and to do a bit of birding. Last week was a bird banding to inventory the migration, and this weekend is a birding festival. I hope I'll return home with some great photos which I will share. In the meantime, I've reposted a visit to the to the Gulf from a few years ago in March.

We are attracted to the shore. Some say it hearkens back to the womb...our mother's heartbeat and sounds of amniotic fluid. One thing is for sure. We are loving our beaches to death...at least here on the Gulf Coast. Last week we made it to the river delta. Join me as we continue our journey along Alabama's small strip of beaches and into the wilds of the Mississippi coast.

Short and Sweet

I'm out of town and pocket today. I put this together Friday, so there may be more recent stories which I hope you'll describe below. The big stories this week include 'elensky's trip to the US and UN, hat in hand. The Israel and Hezbollah conflict continues to escalate, and Russia sits in the catbird seat of the Ukraine/NATO proxy war. Drama over these conflicts took place at the UN this week. Censorship is on steroids at YouTube, and the UK is a censorship and scandal center. All this and more below the fold.

Welcome to the Fall!

The equinox occurred this morning at 7:44 AM CT, marking the transition to Autumn. The Wheel of the Year keeps turning, bringing ... Mabon, celebrated on the autumn equinox, marks a moment of perfect equilibrium in the year, with day and night of equal length. Occurring in September, it signifies the second harvest, a time when the abundance of summer begins to wane and preparations for the coming winter months get underway. Perhaps this fall will see the fall of Ukraine and NATO, the fall of Israel, the fall of the hegemon and it's dollar, the fall of Kamala and the demoncrats? We'll stay tuned and watch the unfolding of the season.

The Political Kabuki Theater

Another busy week in the news cycle. It was the debate which prompted this week's theme. Almost all the commentary I heard about the variety of stories we'll look at today mention the theatrical aspects of what is presented to the people. Censor what the TPTB don't want you to hear, and promote the propaganda with theatrical stories to reinforce the narrative....you know Ukraine is winning, Hamas raped Israelis, Putin plans to conquer the EU, and China's economy is in collapse, as a few examples. Let's start with a great example as Thomas Massie explains the congressional economic policy play.