Rest In Peace, Blondie...

6/14/2005 - 6/27/2019

My little guy, my faithful friend, has now joined his Momma where all the grass is green (and short), and all the days are sunny...He was attentive to my every need and mood, always knowing whether I needed his cheerful attention, or just someone to lie quietly nearby...When there were still two of them they stood ready to guard our home against all threats...Being the bigger of the two, he accepted his role as Sergeant-At-Arms, while his Mom (although a lot smaller) was always in charge as Senior Guard Puppy...He always considered one of his primary responsibilities to be that of providing security for my breakfast...His effectiveness as a Breakfast Security Agent can be proven by the fact that I was never hijacked even once on my way from the kitchen to wherever I decided to eat...

Together they took on the additional duties of Federal Cheese Inspectors, announcing themselves in my kitchen one morning while I was preparing my breakfast...They flashed badges at me (which looked suspiciously like their rabies tags), saying they represented the Obama Cheese Administration (OCA) and were required to sample all cheese for purity before human consumption...Knowing that they were both Democrats, and therefore having mastered the art of welfare living, I accepted their story...Besides, I am naturally never one to question authority from two Peke-a-Poos, even when presented with an obviously concocted story like that, so I complied with their demands and submitted a cheese sample before each of my meals...

When she passed on, he took over the duties of both Senior Guard Puppy and Chief Cheddar Inspector...He was also the best bed buddy anyone could hope for, always being willing and able to help anyone take a nap at any time...He could probably sleep on top of a picket fence if necessary...He and his Mom helped me through some of the most trying times of my life...Although during one year, during the darkest of times, I was denied the comfort of their presence...

When I was betrayed and abandoned by my ex-wife she took both, obviously knowing how much they meant to me...She looked at them as mere property, something to own...When the divorce court demanded a division of property, she knew she couldn't keep both, and asked me which one I wanted...I told her then they were not property, they were family, that they had been together all Blondie's life and most of Bitesize's, and that I would be happy to care for both, but not just one if it meant further dividing a family...In her words she said I could have them both when Hell freezes over...But when the divorce dragged on for a year, and she was forced to move from her rented trailer house to a place which apparently did not consider all God's critters as respectable tenants, I got the call asking if I would take them both...I immediately accepted, and met at the designated place where they were unceremoniously dumped out of her patrol car, abandoning them as easily as she had abandoned me...

They were both scared, dirty, ungroomed and very happy to see me again...I first fed them, then took them to their doctor at Tender Paws Animal Hospital where I was informed they had not been seen in over a year...They both had complete check-ups, got their shots up to date and got stocked up on the recommended food...Their next stop was the groomer where they were bathed, hair and claws clipped and generally pampered...While at Pet Smart, they picked out new collars, bedding, stainless steel water and food dishes and of course new toys and treats...Naturally, being Democrats, when it came to time to settle the bill, they backed away from the cashier leaving me to produce my credit card...

Bitesize died at the age of 14 after succumbing to many of the infirmities which eventually claim us all...Blondie knew it, and although he was sad he knew I still needed him, and stood ready to accept whatever duties were presented to him...My only solace now is that the cancer that was consuming him can no longer cause him any pain, or discomfort...I can only hope that when I am gone somebody, somewhere might think my life had even a fraction of the value given by Bitesize and Blondie...I gave Bitesize her name just because I thought it fit her...Her only puppies were born in one litter...Due to their size, she had difficulty giving birth, and I transported her to the animal emergency clinic where they were born...I named them for the three main characters in one of my favorite westerns, "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly"...Blondie naturally got the name of the Clint Eastwood character because of his blond hair...His brother and sister, Tuco And Angel Eyes, found new homes shortly after weaning...

Both he and his Momma were fearless against any perceived threat, even when common sense should have brought caution, but they differed in one respect in that she was always scared of thunderstorms...Until she went deaf the slightest rumble of thunder at night sent her under the covers next to me to tremble and whine until it stopped...On the other hand, thunder and lightning didn't even faze Blondie...When she made a commotion about a storm at night, he always went to another corner of the bed to get away from her whining so he could get back to sleep...But that changed one night shortly after her death when a freak storm unleashed a bolt of lightning which struck a pine tree next door causing it to shatter the trunk with an explosive flash and roar...From that moment forward he was as fearful of thunder and lightning as his Momma had ever been...

It was obvious they loved each other, and I'm sure they loved me...Even so they were competitive...At times either one of them may not have been feeling well, but at feeding time they each kept their noses in their bowls simply out of concern that the other might get a nibble of unauthorized food...They had a large tub of chewy toys to play with, but naturally the one they wanted most was always the one the other already had...Many battles of good-natured tug-of-war took place, usually ending by the victor being chased all over the house by the second-place winner until each forgot who was the chaser and who was the chasee...They just liked to run...But at some point, as Blondie grew much bigger and stronger than Bitesize, she got tired of always losing the game, and began to just quietly chew her toy of choice, with a low warning growl to anyone who approached...After she passed away, Blondie did not show much interest in the toys, and toward the end of his own life, could no longer finish his own meals...

Blondie was born with a noticeable underbite which he always thought contributed to his appearance as a tough guy...It also gave him a smile that endeared him to every female he ever encountered, human or otherwise...They all loved him, and he knew it...He enjoyed his reputation as a ladies' man, although being permanently leashed to me always curtailed his chances at a more lasting relationship...However, he accepted attention when he got it, but always went home cheerfully with me...For that I am eternally grateful...

So long, little buddy...

He lived to celebrate his 14th birthday recently...Now his patrols are at an end...He was a good boy, and being told so always seem to be his proudest goal...

My eternal thanks go to his doctor, Dr. Joanie Ree, and all the caring professionals at Tender Paws Animal Hospital who all remain my friends...Also to Ellen Stanley who bathed, groomed and pampered both puppies the last few years of their lives, and all the neighbors and strangers who stopped to greet both of them when they were outdoors...

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Combat and defense in Middle-Eastern waters...

I am neither a naval, nor a maritime expert, but that never stopped me from drawing a few conclusions...Noting the recent attacks on commercial shipping in the Gulf of Oman in the area bounded by Oman, the UAE and Iran, the blame for which has been attributed to the increasingly belligerent state of Iran, I am reminded of events which occurred during WWII...Commercial shipping only exists to supply the business interests of entities ranging in scope from the largest multi-national corporations to the smallest, singly-owned convenience store on a street near you...As I have pointed out in previous publications, a basic tenet of business is stated that nothing anywhere ever happens until somebody, somewhere sells something...Accordingly the step immediately following that sale becomes the transport of the product to the desired recipient...The interruption, or prevention of that step becomes detriment to the chain of interests dependent on that movement...The resulting impairment, to whatever degree it ascends, must be ultimately absorbed by the end user, and thus increases costs which are never fully recovered...

The addition of war to this composite formula, whether declared or implied, only adds new layers of complexity, of which some generate new business opportunities, but all add to the cost of the final product...This fact was known and felt in the immediate time following the opening shots in the conflagration that became WWII...How it was addressed determined the eventual outcome as well as the length of time needed to bring peace to the world's waters once more...In this study, I will only present the basic observations which have formed my own, admittedly skeletal, conclusions, leaving readers to flesh them out with their own thoughts...

All government and military leaders are aware of the fragile network of commerce which keeps an economy moving...Maintaining that network becomes increasingly difficult when leadership must consider the political pressures brought about by concerns other than those of commerce...The Axis powers, being led from dictatorial standpoints, were less encumbered by restraints on their movements than the democracies which they sought to dominate...Initially this gave the Axis leadership an advantage in which they were free to move aggressively against their chosen enemies without regard to the long term difficulties they created, in their belief that such offensives would be shortly followed by the capitulation of those attacked...The actions and reactions of both Axis and Allied powers can be studied now with the distance of time for their positive as well as negative effects...

The German command, under the leadership of a single-minded, self-possessed man unwilling to consider the expertise in some matters of far more qualified minds, took the initiative in attacks on commercial shipping against their most immediate perceived enemy, Great Britain...The idea was correct in its goal of strangling the flow of goods toward the island nation, but flawed in its execution by not concentrating on its immediate strong suit, it's U-Boat fleet...Der Fuehrer's desire to build an impressive surface fleet could only have been successful if he had allowed his undersea fleet unfettered permission to attack other shipping on the surface...They were instead cautioned against attacking the US naval presence expanding into the mid-Atlantic...Using the limited German resources in building his surface fleet, then keeping them bottled up in protected North Sea harbors, was unwise when his more learned Kriegsmarine advisers urged increased production of the undersea fleet to replace losses due to attrition...Such decisions gave his immediate enemy, Britain, the opportunity to acquire the allegiance of US manufacturing prowess in the procurement of both military and cargo vessels...

President Roosevelt, being the leader of a democracy was fettered with having to balance preparation for the impending war against opposition from the large pacifist movement which joined forces with the isolationists, both of which wanted no part of a new naval war...Roosevelt knew the war was inevitable, yet was hamstrung by these groups in initiating new shipbuilding while still emerging from a worldwide depression...He found new ways to aid those he knew we would eventually ally with, but until the Japanese attacks in the Pacific, he could not release the full powers of the dogs of war...The lack of long-range planning for war also caused a long learning curve in the convoy system which ultimately saved England from capitulation...US Navy leaders were quick to see that severing commercial shipping lines on the open sea was effective warfare, and used this knowledge aggressively against Japanese powers...Shortening supply lines to the enemy, while reinforcing our own commercial shipping was instrumental in bring the war to an earlier close...

The dictatorial powers leading the Japanese government from their military standpoint did not understand, nor did they employ the means they had at hand against Allied commercial shipping...The Japanese also had a powerful undersea fleet just like their Axis partners Germany and Italy, but hesitated to use them against the ever-increasing Allied Maritime fleet, choosing instead to target only combat vessels...They failed to understand that a military force can only exist as long as it is supplied with the means to wage war and feed its own personnel...Their final realization of the truth of this axiom came far too late, and only at the expense of their own fighting forces as they starved on outpost islands unable to receive vitally needed rations, ammunition, medical supplies and replacement troops...American naval forces destroyed Japanese commercial and cargo transportation at every opportunity, choking off the enemies lifelines...

From the distance of history, those in the present leadership of politically and culturally opposed nations all understand the importance of world trade, and the implications of the effect on populations when the transportation of goods is curtailed by aggressive forces...The recent attacks on an importantly vital commodity such as crude oil and petroleum products in the Gulf of Oman is an obvious act of aggression  either ordered or permitted by those in command in Iran...The power to protect these shipments is possessed in large strength by the US Navy, and in the opinion of this writer should be deployed aggressively and immediately toward that end...The costs of such protection is already being paid on worldwide markets...Allowing valuable commodities and their means of transportation to be attacked only adds to those costs...Why else do we maintain a naval force in that area?...

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Damage Assessment...

A question was posed on a political forum where I participate on occasion by a member named AlpineRAM, and since I have allowed an unplanned dearth of my political opinion on this blog, I thought I might answer his query here instead...Paraphrasing his question concerning the current American economy and the source of its robust energy, he asked:

"Do the good stats only reflect that which is not influenced by Trump, or is it just inertia that keeps the numbers nice?"

In my opinion, his actions, and the results of those actions, are very hard to analyze by most because those analysts are accustomed to observing politicians who interact with other politicians in an attempt to arrive at a final destination favorable to those whom they represent...But the final product is never final...It is always and consistently a compromise because that is the nature of politics as practiced by politicians...It is bloated with side deals which are engineered to gain temporary support for a position which would normally receive none...

Trump was never a politician, and has admitted such on occasion prior to entering the political arena...He is instead a person who uses politicians to the benefit of himself and his own business interests...He was elected on that premise...He has said and continues to say things which are diametrically opposed to other things he has said...It's obfuscation, and it's intentional...It's also called lying...Stating that Trump is lying, or that all politicians lie is not a defense for any of them, or their lies...It is a reaffirmation that lying is part and parcel of gaining an advantage in politics, business, entertainment, even playing poker...The intentional absence of truth can also be defined as lying even if it's hidden as strategy, tactics, a script or a "poker face"...Those who practice the art of magic know it as illusion and misdirection...

Donald Trump knows that media pundits, and those who attempt political analysis will consistently concentrate their focus on the obvious, that is his barrage of statements many of which are contradictory by design...This only gives those who follow such attempts at assaying his statements for their real value reason to either agree or disagree with the scrutiny, and keep the interest alive with either outrage or accord...Meanwhile the economy responds just as Trump knew it would by those whose means of existence is tied to it: with buying and selling, losses and gains which are always accompanied by overstocks in one inventory and scrambling for product in another...Empty pockets in one area are balanced to some (but not necessarily equal) degree by cash looking for something to buy...I believe Trump understands that the nature of value in wealth is not merely in its acquisition, but by its constant movement...Money by itself means nothing unless it can flow in one direction or another...In that respect it is like water; unless it's in a current where it's constantly refreshed, it becomes stagnant as in a pond...

In another series of articles here, I pointed out the similarities between Mr. Trump and another independent entry into the world of politics who had tremendous, although detrimental, influence on world events in the 20th Century...That person led his country to disastrous results by the application of separate overlapping lies told to separate groups, each of which focused only on the illusions he presented, and not on the likely result...He even outlined his own plan without the lies in his book, easily seen in retrospect, but presented in such a random, scattershot manner as to be difficult to find his main target...Mr. Trump also authored a book which, if read carefully, outlines everything he has done and will do to find his target...It is believed by this writer that his aim is more toward a target based on the love of construction of a better nation, rather than the hatred and destruction of a particular, and essentially misidentified section of the world's population...

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