(The Chelyabinsk meteor as it detonates above the Russian city in February of 2013). Early this morning, an asteroid with the colorful designation of “2012 TC4” passed the earth close enough to endanger the constellation of geostationary satellites on which we depend for communications, both civil and military. If you are keeping track, the asteroid […]

We are getting some sprinkles from the remnants of what was Hurricane Nate. For a change, this storm passed without major drama, and the Eastern Seaboard needed the rain. The storm has brought muggy temperatures in the 80s to the Virginia Piedmont, though once the last of Nate has passed off shore, we should get […]

Our young Lt. was estimating how much he would have to fork out for the braid and expensive bespoke tailored dinner dress uniforms that he would need when he was subsequently invited to soirees in the salons of DC’s national security power brokers, when his division boss’s deputy, an ex-Army intel guy, stopped by. In […]

Unresolved Issues From WW-II Defeat = Brake On Revising Constitution? 22 October election for Japan’s powerful Diet Lower House —- Lots of attention on whether Japanese politics will thereafter be postured to amend the Constitution —- A key goal of PM Abe and the conservatives will be to amend Article 9 and allow the Japan […]

The world suffers from an acute case of attention deficit/obsessive compulsive disorder. When the Media is onto something- Russia, storms, crazed gunmen and mass murder, it is impossible to get them to focus on anything else. Goodness knows there is a lot to go around. The shooter himself- won’t use his name- remains an enigma. […]

I will try to cover it unemotionally in the Swamp Postcard tomorrow- short words, bullet points. Take away the urge to rail about the madness of men and the complete absence of conscience and compassion. I love the way the sun comes up down in Culpeper. The fields illuminate first, and then the golden light […]

Hello from Yokosuka, and welcome to the “retired gaijin” version of Japan-gazer, which I think will continue to morph over time, but just wanted to get it started and see where things go through what’s ahead. This short “Update” version, I hope to send once in a while, using Japanese internet news blurbs/sources to follow […]

I am going to step away from the crises de jour this morning. There are reports that Pyongyang is moving some rockets around, and China and Russia are starting to actually get serious. Who knows? Perhaps this will work out. But I recall that pinching the Japanese with sanctions on oil, steel and rubber exports […]

I had two separate conversations over the last few days that summed up a lot about what is going on and how people are reacting to it. I was working on the astonishing litany of events that have occurred over the last week for the Swamp Postcard feature I have fun with each Wednesday and […]

The hits just keep on coming. The Eastern Seaboard breathed a sigh of relief as Hurricane Maria arced to the northeast, sparing us the wind and rain. Unfortunately, Maria has linked up with Hurricane Lee and is intensifying again. Great Britain may be directly in its path. The power of nature is a poignant reminder […]