“Opinions have caused more ills than the plague or earthquakes on this little globe of ours.— Voltaire
Perry started at Indiana University in the Fall of 2019. Needless to say, we couldnt wai to go to a BIG TEN football game on paernts weekend! They had this pretty good quarterback-Michael Penix Jr.- so it figured to be fun. Sadly, Indiana in 2019 was NOT a football school, and the place was empty. Fast forward to now; an object lesson in the value of strong leadership.
Did not see this nugget coming:
In their 100-year history, the Globetrotters have drafted 10 honorary members, including Henry Kissinger, Bob Hope, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Whoopi Goldberg, Nelson Mandela, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Jesse Jackson, and Robin Roberts. Two others — Pope John Paul II and Pope Francis — added the title to what may already be the most famous job in the world.
The trouble these days (well, one of them) is that there is so much going on. News coming from every direction; lots of thoughts and reactions, but even keeping up with those has become overwhelming. I’m going to share some of my thoughts, but I apologize in advance for the anticipated incompleteness and stream-of-consciousness nature of the remarks.
One of the things I have been thinking about is
absolutism. All the parenting books discuss the intellectua ages of children; for example, they have a concrete stage, where they dont conceptualize but only understand and deal with actual phycial objects. It is there, or it isnt. In the last few years, we are all living through the adult version of this, commonly referred to as ‘absolutism’ There is no gray; its all white or black. Youre on our side 100% or else you’re considered on their side. The natural result of this is ‘whataboutism', which to me is an intellectually lazy and deflective way of dealing to challenging issues. I should be able to criticize some policies of the current Administration AND the policies of the previous one as well. Criticism of the Palestinian behavior is not dismissed by criticism of the Israeli policies. I can rage against the radical right AND the radical left!
Each is a stand-alone issue. Absolutism doesnt allow for that. I hear ‘yeah but…” as an opening response to over 80% of these conversation. Each side lists its grievances with the other camp’s missteps and real conversation never occurs.If we can have the conversation, there cannot be middle ground and understanding.When I graduated high school in 1978 I took an unplanned gap year before starting Princeton. Long story, but the result was I worked and took some courses at Brooklyn College. In one of them we focused on Hans Morgenthau and
*Realpolitik.*According to Claude,‘Realpolitik is a system of politics or principles based on practical considerations and the pursuit of national interest through power, rather than ideological, moral, or ethical premises. It treats international relations as a competitive arena where states act according to strategic calculations of advantage, viewing diplomacy and force as tools to secure concrete objectives rather than to advance abstract principles.’
In other words, it’s all about hard power and leverage. Soft power, ideology, ethic- all are subordinate. The result is ‘Spheres of Influence’ with competing powers carving out zones where they can dominate and exert control. It is a giant real-life game of Risk.
What is becoming increasingly clear, to me at least, is that the current Administration believes in this, both globally
anddomestically.Not one to acre about what people think, Stephen Miller: “We live in a world, in the real world, Jake, that is
These are the iron laws of the world since the beginning of time.” (italics mine)**governed by strength, that is governed by force, that is governed by power.**Greenland- Need I say more?
President Trump was clear in his interview with the NY Times that he doesnt believe in checks and balances if the y ‘get in the way’;
Domestic policy appears to be following the same script. Act first, back off later if the courts intervene. Congress has, so far, not been willing to intercede, with the most common course of action by republican lawmakers who oppose the policies is to announce they will not be running for re-election.
The goal of deporting illegal immigrants supercedes civil behavior or rule-following; Sources constantly reveal Miller is adamant that 3000 people a day need to be deported, a number far above current levels. Violence has occurred and will only get worse.
In a shining example of absolutism, wouldn’t it behoove both sides in this shooting in Minneapolis- an unspeakable tragedy- to recognize that there is plenty of blame to spread around?
For the love of god, not everyone who opposes you is a terrorist or a nazi!
I cannot recomcile all I know about capitalism and market economies with:
Iran and VenezuelaThe Iranian regime is
𝕏facing a severe crisis. Insurrection spread nationwide in recent days triggered by soaring inflation, a plummeting rial and a desperate quality of life. A nationwide internet blackout, dozens of deaths and nearly 1,000 arrests has done little to quell the protests. Most bloggers think Mossad and the CIA are involved. Rumors on Telegram that the supreme leader may seek refuge with Putin. Trump has alreasy publicly threatened to use force if the regime fires on its protestors, which is now happening. Iranwarned it could hit American basesin the Middle East if the U.S. hits firstI found this worth thinking about
Shanaka Anslem Perera on LinkdIn
“No carriers near Iran means strikes are too risky.”
This is the consensus take circulating right now.
It is catastrophically wrong.
The analysts fixating on USS Abraham Lincoln in the South China Sea are missing the surge happening in real time. OSINT accounts tracked dozens of KC-135 Stratotankers and KC-46A Pegasus refuelers leaving US and UK bases heading to Al Udeid, Qatar since January 5. C-17 Globemasters flowing through RAF Fairford to Saudi Arabia. 160th SOAR Night Stalkers, the same unit that extracted Maduro, spotted at UK bases. AC-130J gunships touched down nearby.
This exact pattern preceded Operation Midnight Hammer in June 2025 when B-2s dropped 30,000-pound bunker busters on Fordow and Natanz.
Diego Garcia is the actual launchpad. Not carriers.
As of mid-2025, that base hosted 6 B-2 Spirits representing half the operational stealth bomber fleet plus 4 B-52 Stratofortresses. F-15s deployed specifically for force protection. KC-135 tankers creating the air bridge. The bombers have rotated but the infrastructure is permanent.
Al Udeid hosts 10,000 US troops and 100+ aircraft. Prince Sultan has 53 F-16s and 22 KC-135s. These are not defensive postures.
The tanker surge is the tell.
When a dozen KC-135s cross the Atlantic simultaneously, you are not watching a drill. You are watching the logistics for long-range precision strikes being pre-positioned. B-2s can launch from Missouri, refuel over Europe, strike Iran, and recover at Diego Garcia in under 30 hours. They do not need to be stationed nearby.
Carriers provide sustained air campaigns over weeks. Land-based bombers provide punitive strikes in 24-48 hours.
Trump said if Iran kills protesters, “we will come to their rescue.”
Pentagon will not comment.
Iran is boosting air defenses nationwide.
The question is not whether America can strike without carriers.
The question is whether the tankers now converging on Qatar are routine.
They are not.
Who knew this would be precient: Jack Ryan explaining Venezuela
Not to be undone:
Cea Weaver: There’s a new, made-for-TGIF character on the scene—Cea Weaver, newly appointed director of the New York City Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants. It’s a real position of real political power. Here’s Cea:
• “There is no such thing as a ‘good’ gentrifier, only people who are actively working on projects to dismantle white supremacy and capitalism and people who aren’t.”
• “Rent control. . . is a perfect solution to everything.”
• “Private property including and kind of ESPECIALLY homeownership is a weapon of white supremacy masquerading as ‘wealth building’ public policy.”
• “Impoverish the white middle class. Homeownership is racist / failed public policy.”
Right ut of SNL:
’France delays G7 to avoid clash with White House cage fighting on Trump’s birthday’ (politico)
