Ice Age in NC

The last Ice Age ended around 10,000 BC but since 2010, we have had four major snowstorms in NC.  Granted, by Canadian or Pittsburgh standards, it is not much, but usually North Carolina does not have much when it comes to Winter weather.

People here still can't drive....LOL

I refuse to accept the "they are not used to this" argument, especially, as I just said, since we have had some severe weather since 2010. 

I am not sure if we are heading for another Ice Age but I don't blame you for thinking we are.  Ironically, the main effect of global warming would be an ice age.   Melting polar ice caps run off into the Atlantic, disrupting a current off of the East Coast called the Atlantic Conveyer. 

The Conveyer runs up from the tropics bringing moderate weather to the East Coast or at least taking the edge off Winter. Without it, cold weather from Canada, or possibly Siberia (!) comes in without anything to push it back.  The Applalachins provide a wall but if these storms climb over it, get the mammoth repellent ready!

At least it is good football weather!

Will Greece destroy the European Union?

New Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, of the leftist SYIRIZA party, has pledged to end the debt crisis Greece is suffering though.  He has basically flipped off the European Union and is demanding a restructure of debt.  He is ending austerity plans and threatening to leave the EU.

A Greek withdrawal seems the best option for everyone.  The EU can cut off a gangerious limb that has cost about $272 billion and Greece can go back to the drachma.  I still think they should pay that debt back though....eventually.

That leads to another question.  What happens if larger countries like Italy and Spain, all ready in trouble, run down the same path as Greece?  It would lead to a collapse of the EuroZone.

Will the fanatics in Brussels---and yes, they are fanatics, willing to watch the European Union contract?  It appears to be more dictatorial than it was a few years ago and trying to weld different countries together with coersive economic force is not going to work.

The European Union is looking more like the Soviet Union.  How did that work out?

Tell the EU to stay a free trade zone and work something out with Greece.

Or collapse.

Your call, Europe.

Here we are....2015!

2015 does not seem that different from 2014 yet but there will be things happening soon enough.  Based on what happened in Paris, some things are happening.  Hopefully, good things will take over the rest of the year.

Back in 1985, the film "Back to the Future" featured a quick trip to 2015.Actually, it was the sequal that spent time in 2015 but nonetheless, this year does not look all that different from thirty years ago. I am not sure if that is good or bad. As usual, it is a case of "hurry up and wait!"

Technology has gotten better but the brain behind it is still stuck in the Ice Age.  Technology in itself is neutral. How it is used, is how people, for better or worse, judge it.

Sit back and watch the show!

Charging into 2015

That is an AUSTRIAN tank!  The Habsburgs are back!

The year 2014 is just about in the books.  Now 2015 awaits with whatever is out there.

Have fun, keep it safe, and run into the New Year at full speed!

All over in Afghanistan?

After thirteen years, US forces are leaving Afghanistan.

Well, most are at any rate.

ISAR wrapped up its flag, held a ceremony, declared success and left.  About 13,000 soldiers (mostly American) remain in the country to Operation Resolute Success but this looks a lot like the Soviet withdrawal in 1989.

I guess we should be happy that it did not look like Saigon in 1975....

Declare victory and go home is usually an admission of failure.

Afghanistan is a place that simply does not work for anyone--Afghans included.  US and Soviet military forces proved impossible to defeat but if the people are not with you, then the opposition simply has to wait you out.  Afghanistan has nothing but time.

Will the Taliban sweep back into power?  If so, does the US go back in? If so, what is the objective?

The original plan back in 2001was to toss out the Taliban, set up a friendly government, and leave.  The only US forces there would be Special Forces running around at night hitting the Taliban, making sure it does not recollect.  It was kind of like stirring up pond water so mosquitoes don't lay eggs.

Somewhere along the line, "mission creep", as usual, showed up with 140,000 NATO troops (mostly American, as usual) determined to create Jeffersonian democracy in a place that was barely out of the seventh century.

Maybe it works.  It probably won't.  Hopefully, Afghanistan keeps its insanity to itself.

Good buy and good riddance to it.

If someone wants to order US forces back into that nuthouse, make sure they are on the leading edge.

I bet they will think twice.

US and Cuba establish relations

For the first time since JFK, the United States and Cuba will establish direct diplomatic relations.  If this is a good idea, time will tell but this moment was inevitable. The two countries are too close to continue ignoring each other.

Fidel Castro is no longer in office and the economic blockade we have had on the island nation basically had no effect.  Cuba does not export anything to the US and we have more than enough sugar.

This also will help improve relations with the rest of Latin America.  The Obama administration does not have a good track record there (or anywhere else it seems...) and this might help.  It might be too late for this administration but it might help the next.

George HW Bush once boasted that he wanted to be the first US president to set foot in a post-Communist Cuba.  He wasn't and I don't think Obama will have that honor.  \\

But somebody will and that day is getting closer.

Pearl Harbor

Yes,  it is the 73rd anniversary of Pearl Harbor but since in happened in 1941 on a Sunday morning, it is only appropriate to mention it on a Sunday morning in 2014. 

After the bloodiest war in history, America and Japan are now friends, so this means anything can be possible. 

Keep that in mind when someone tells you something cannot be done!