One adjective often, and correctly, used for Putin’s invasion is “delusional.” Even if he manages to pound Ukraine into scorched rubble, he’ll still be further than when he began from anything resembling victory.
On Monday, the Pentagon announced the US will soon begin training the Ukrainian military in using howitzer artillery in an unnamed country. Presumably this will be in a NATO member state. If Russian intelligence found out where, might it attack to stop the howitzers from being deployed against Russian forces in Ukraine? Almost assuredly not, as that would trigger a wider war, invoking NATO’s self-defense provision, which would be catastrophic for Russia.
Natural disasters will continue to happen. Prepare yourself during the 2022 Emergency Preparation Supplies Sales Tax Holiday for emergencies that can cause physical damage like hurricanes, flash floods and wildfires.
All across America's heartland, farmers' phones are lighting up with alerts and messages -- from their cattle. The nation's 94 million cattle didn't suddenly grow thumbs and start texting, of course.
Normally, taxes are due on April 15. This year, filers got a few more days to submit their returns. Because Emancipation Day, a Washington, D.C. holiday, was observed this year on April 15, tax filers got until April 18 to get their returns completed.
As the promise of summer inches ever closer, many Texans are eagerly planning their summer travel adventures with friends and family. According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the 16-week period between Memorial Day and Labor Day weekend has historically been one of the busiest for traveling domestically in the U.S., with 657 million long-distance trips made during this time in 2001.
When COVID first hit two years ago, I wrote in several columns which predicted that the pandemic could eventually cause up to 2 million Americans to lose their lives ... unless we acted quickly to address it. We clearly did not, due both to political and bureaucratic bumbling.
And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover. And in the evening he cometh with the twelve. And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, One of you which eateth with me shall betray me. And they began to be sorrowful, and to say unto him one by one, Is it I? and another said, Is it I? And he answered and said unto them, It is one of the twelve, that dippeth with me in the dish. The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born/ And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many. Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of Gold. And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives. And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered. But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee. But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I. And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. But he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all.
My doctorate in Political Science ought to have included a section on gaslighting. Currently Russian leader Vladimir Putin is demonstrating one version of this; he is calling his invasion of Ukraine, massacre of civilians, and wanton disregard for human rights (that some are calling genocide) a “special operation.” His ability to control Russian propagandizing media and punish truth-telling are weapons every bit as dangerous as the munitions exploding in civilian apartments, children’s schools, and community hospitals.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the release of the first “Godfather” movie. Celebratory retrospectives are ubiquitous. The film is lauded for its surpassing cinematic artfulness, unforgettable performances, snippets of dialog that have become iconic, and its depiction of the architecture of the acquisition and sustenance of power. About this, like Machiavelli’s “The Prince,” it is almost a manual.