What does empire look like?

Like this:

And this:

This, too:

But there are no empires anymore today, right? That all ended after WWII and the fall of the Soviet Union.

Oops!

The official statistics:
The U.S. maintains 716 operational military bases in 110 countries. There are 250,000 military personnel, men and women, employed on those bases. The annual cost of the US military presence is in the billions.

In this 2011 report by the Department of Defense on restructuring of military bases, the vast network of US Military holdings overseas can be seen, especially on pages 84-101. It's stunning and mind-numbing at the same time.

Here's what it looks like on a map. Pretty hard to miss the resemblance to the previous maps, even if we don't like to admit it.

The reach of the US Military is truly staggering. Not to mention unconscionably expensive.

Personally, I would like to get all that money back which is spent on maintaining our military installations overseas. Imagine what could be done with it here at home. I would speculate that our "dependence on foreign oil", so oft assailed by presidents and candidates, could be obliterated with a hundred billion dollars or so every year re-focused in the direction of either nuclear or natural energy.

Eisenhower was right.

"Until the latest of our world conflicts, the United States had no armaments industry. American makers of plowshares could, with time and as required, make swords as well. But now we can no longer risk emergency improvisation of national defense; we have been compelled to create a permanent armaments industry of vast proportions. Added to this, three and a half million men and women are directly engaged in the defense establishment. We annually spend on military security more than the net income of all United States corporations.

"This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence -- economic, political, even spiritual -- is felt in every city, every State house, every office of the Federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society.

"In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the militaryindustrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.

"We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together."

----- Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1961

Stop the Insanity

Found this being shared and reshared on Facebook.

As I think about the candidates for President (including the incumbent), only one takes this issue seriously.

Praisin' Jesus a'la Carlos Santana

Well, sort of.

The church we visited today had a rockin' worship time that was populated largely with guys my age on brass (a'la Blood Sweat & Tears), women of roughly the same age or a bit younger on background vocals (think the Raylettes behind Ray Charles)

And guys laying down guitar licks and percussion that channelled Santana or Rare Earth. Man, it was like 1971 all over again, except with more Jesus in the lyrics. :)

And the Lead Pastor also was the lead singer. Ooh, a man after my own heart! And throughout the congregation were a bunch of men who looked roughly like me, such that during the greeting time I felt pretty.. normal. :) I'll save you the description of what they looked like. Those of you who know me can picture that "type" quite well.

There and back again

... an actuary's tale.

Okay, so, not quite the same ring to it as Bilbo Baggins' story, and I didn't run into either dwarves nor dragons, but... there were a few things on which to report from my 5 day run to California and back.

First, I thought I was leaving the cold and snow for warmer climes.

Instead it turned out to be dark and foggy and cold and no JetWay!

Seeing as how it is winter and Sacramento is in the Central Valley, that means only one thing: Tule Fog. The impenetrable and interminable kind that socks in the tarmac. Since the Bay Area was also in full Winter drip, only on my two layovers in Denver was it at all pleasant (as in 60 and clear). And me locked in the terminal...

But at least the airport in Sacramento had interesting decor. This falls under the heading of installation art, I believe...

And Sacramento also had marvelous local cuisine! :) The local gentry seemed content with juicy burgers, as was I.

Over the weekend, I made a dash to Oakland to see the sights, including homeless ...

dogs!

But one particular ex-homeless animal has found shelter and contentment in the lap of one of my favorite people. :)

Nice seeing you again, Kitten. (and you, too, kitten...)

Spending the weekend at Frank's

... hotel in Mason City. Frank Lloyd Wright's hotel, I mean. In its fully restored glory. Just a stunning destination in a lovely little town barely 2 hours away. Mmmm.

Not only is it a famous place for its architecture, but it's notable for another reason (at least to me). Look who stayed there on December 9th!


(hint: I ran his campaign in my precinct...)





Style details abound both inside and out.

I think I'll just let the pictures speak for awhile...

Authentically restored to its 1910 glory as it was, the developers couldn't resist inserting a little 21st century technology in the 100 year old lobby washroom.

This quaint little burg happens to also be the boyhood home of Meredith Wilson, the writer of "The Music Man". And as small towns do, they capitalized on the tourism potential of that connection.

Guess they caught another couple of willing tourists willing to take advantage of the situation...

Is that legal?

... the way he plays that guitar?

We drove to Ames last night to catch Andy McKee live at DG's Tap House. For any of you who have seen him on YouTube, he is even more amazing in person. It's ridiculous the way he gets sounds from his guitar with that unorthodox style. It looks like a combination of hammering a dulcimer, playing the neck like a piano, and banging out beats flamenco-style on the body. Crazy, but so good.

The smallish room above the huge pool hall

was pretty packed out when we got there, so no decent place to sit. As a result we left after his first set, but that was enough of a "wow" experience to make the trip worthwhile. While there I grabbed a spot by the sound board

and leaned against the rail, sipping my pint of Crispin hard cider. Not only an acoustic evening, but an organic one, too...

As we left it was funny to hear the guys talk out on the street while clustering up for smokes. The guitar players among them (and there were many in the crowd) were rehashing his licks the way football fans at halftime rehash plays they just watched. His show was dumbfounding to some and awe-insipring to others.

To me, it's just really good study music. :)