Tomorrow, Sunday,, March 11, is the first anniversary of one the most devastating disasters in recent times, the Great Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami of 2011.

The broadcast, internet and print media have already started reminding us of the incredible dimensions of the tragedy t/… Read full post »

 

 

 

The last time I interrupted your week (or weekend) to share with you the sad statistics on the mounting number of U.S. military casualties in Afghanistan was exactly two months ago. 

In “The Human Side of our Afghanistan Casualties,” I tried to point ou… Read full post »

 

 

 

In an opinion piece at the beginning of the weekend, Petula Dvorak at the Washington Post takes us back to 2002, “a year after the Sept. 11 attacks, with the horror and disbelief of that terrible day still very fresh in our minds,”… Read full post »

 

 

As the last combat troops pull out of Iraq, that great little “military” newspaper, the Stars and Stripes, has published a series of articles examining and attempting to answer the questions:

After “[s]even years, $748 billion, 4,414 American servicemembers… Read full post »

 

 

 

I just read an excellent article at The Moderate Voice  titled “Burning The Qur’an, Literally and Figuratively.”

The article made me reflect quite a bit on the disturbing increase in anti-Muslim, anti-Islam sentiments and rhetoric in our country, b… Read full post »

 

These days there are numerous important issues competing for our attention. 

As we pour more troops and treasure into Afghanistan, that war certainly demands our attention and deserves our questions.

However, as we wind down another war, as we finally begin to bring our troops hom… Read full post »

 

A major U.S. newspaper has asked immigrant readers to relate their immigration stories and experiences and, in particular, how they have been affected by illegal immigration---in 250 words or fewer.

As one of those immigrants--with a story to tell--I have responded.

However, 250 words are… Read full post »

 

 

 

I just heard that the list of those invited to Chelsea Clinton’s wedding contains about 400 names.

It would be fascinating to learn what considerations and criteria Bill and Hillary Clinton had when they were making up the list and what emotions they experienced.… Read full post »

 

 

 

I was going to start out with “this is just outrageous.”

However, in the spirit set by Laura Ingraham’s new book--which shall remain nameless--let me say that this is “informative and hugely entertaining” and it is meant to “inspire bo… Read full post »

 

 

 

A few days ago, I wrote a piece of satire describing what I believed would be the conservative reaction to the First Lady’s latest initiative to assist parents in improving their kids’ health by doing something about one of our nation’s biggest… Read full post »

 

 

It is not that the psychic German octopus has been turned into a recipe, or that he has met some other tragic fate.

No, according to the New York Times, the famous cephalopod who correctly predicted “the outcome of as many World Cup matches as he has legs/… Read full post »

 

As one can imagine, those who predict, and place odds and bets on the World Cup semifinals and final winners are extremely busy these days.

Serious fans and serious gamblers anxiously seek and mull and use the predictions and odds provided by reputable and not-so-reputable… Read full post »

 

 For a fleeting moment–as we entered into the World Cup quarter finals–it looked as if a South American combination would rule the day.

Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay all made it into the quarter finals, clearly outnumbering a three-team European combination… Read full post »

 

 

On this Independence Day, our country is once again sharply divided as it copes with two wars, as it struggles over how to recover from an economic recession and how to reform health care, and as it wrangles over how to deal with what

… Read full post »

 

 

 

I have just received two notes from a lady.

One ended with the words, “Without the freedom of this nation and top leaders to take care of us, I would not be here today to enjoy the freedom that I have today.”

The other… Read full post »

 

Most of the reports I have seen on yesterday's Senate confirmation hearings for General David H. Petraeus’ nomination to Commander, ISAF/US Forces–Afghanistan, focused on what the senators and the general had to say, ask and answer about our political and military obj… Read full post »

 

 

 

To be frank with you, I never thought about it, but now that the question has been raised—and the answer given—I feel very naïve for not having been more inquisitive.

Apparently, Alan Poindexter, a NASA commander, was asked during a visit to Tokyo, whe… Read full post »

 

 

 

The hometown newspapers of the heroes who continue to make the ultimate sacrifice in our “hostile action” areas generally provide adequate coverage of those sad deaths. However, in the national news media, the names and the numbers of our fallen heroes are… Read full post »

 

 

 

Many of you will remember the 2002 movie “Windtalkers.”

It is a World War II movie about the use of Native Americans, such as the Navajos, in the Pacific Theater by the U.S. intelligence services to transmit secret messages using “codes” built ar… Read full post »

Over at The Moderate Voice, Michael Winship has posted a nice, touching article, “Miley, We Hardly Knew Ye.”

The article is about how some of our young celebrities, such as Miley Cyrus, step through their childhood just way too fast.

I am sure the words and thoughts struck a… Read full post »

 

 

 

We have been writing about those “newly discovered” mineral riches in Afghanistan ad nauseam.

We have been asking—and hypothesizing about—how this find will affect Afghanistan, its people, the war…

We have been speculating as to whether t… Read full post »

 

 

 

As a native of Latin America and after having lived in Europe during my “formative years,” fútbol of course became my favorite team sport.

But after many years of having been “brainwashed” in America—especially at Texas A&M when… Read full post »

 

A second source—this time a Colombian newspaper—alleges today that the “Dutch psychopath might have murdered two women in Bogotá.”

Yesterday, we reported on a similar story by the Peruvian newspaper, El Comercio.

Today, The Colombian newspaper El Espac… Read full post »

I have been browsing the Peruvian press for breaking news about Joran van der Sloot and, as I have posted here and here, found some interesting bits and pieces.

Then, realizing the nationality of van der Sloot, I decided to check the Dutch press and I believe… Read full post »