My time in Uncle Sam’s colors was mostly at the end of the Cold War. I remember the purpose of the Army in those days very well, as it was hammered into us in training: “To close with and destroy the enemy by fire, maneuver and shock effect.” Now it seems the purpose of the Army is… well, something else.
The Army – no, scratch that, the military in general, all branches, must be mission-oriented. That means “to close with and destroy the enemy.” Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, all of us. That’s the job. If any policy or practice enhances the mission, it’s good. If it doesn’t, then it’s bad. It’s not complicated. But this turn of stupidity? Army Secretary Christine Wormuth needs to find a more suitable line of work. Maybe Berkeley needs another Underwater Gender-Fluid Dog-Polishing professor.
Now then…
On To the Links!
Fetterman is a fuckup. In other news, water is wet.
This is known as belaboring the obvious.
Maybe, but don’t expect it to change their vote.
A decent blueprint for education reform.
In Pennsylvania, it looks like Dr. Oz v. Uncle Fester is going to come right down to the wire.
Eel migrations. Yes, really.
Lithium price spiking. I wonder why?
More corruption. Geeze, these people may even be worse than the Clintons.
Let’s call this what it is: Bio-weapons research. I mean, what the fuck, BU? First you inflict AOC on us, now this?
This Week’s Idiots:
Robert Reich (Repeat Offender Alert) remains a sawed-off runt, and an idiot. And here he doubles down on stupid.
Washington Monthly’s David Atkins is an idiot.
Newsweek’s Nicholas Creel is an idiot.
Slate’s Lawrence Lessig is an idiot.
The Nation’s John Nichols (Repeat Offender Alert) is an idiot.
The New Republic’s Michael Tomasky is an idiot.
Juan Williams (Repeat Offender Alert) continues his descent into idiocy.
Seattle City Council member Kshama Sawant is an idiot.
The Nation’s Elie Mystal (Repeat Offender Alert) is an idiot.
This Week’s Cultural Edification:
Hat tip to regular reader Andrew Pearce for the suggestion on this week’s song.
Hailing from Louisiana, Tony Joe White, also known as ‘The Swamp Fox’, was one of the progenitors of what became known as Swamp Rock. He was a talented musician but also a better than average songwriter, producing such tunes as Old Man Willis and Rainy Night in Georgia.
As you will probably find unsurprising, I do have a favorite tune from among his work. White’s premiere 1969 album Black and White included his song that made the charts in that year, that being Poke Salad Annie. It’s an interesting tune, sort of the archetypal story of a poor girl from the Deep South in the mid-twentieth century.
So, without further ado, here it is. Enjoy.
