Astraea Redux

I am happy today!

Thank you, #1 Simonette, so very much na

Simon’s Letter to President Trump

Why Costa Rica?

A gentle reader asks why Costa Rica (CR) and why black pepper? With a follow on question concerning whether this was just an adventure or was there money to be made? There are no short answers to these and they are doggone good questions because almost 30 years later, I’m still asking myself what the … Continue reading Why Costa Rica? →

¡Baby Rosita’s First Time to a Doctor, Pura Vida!

I’ve been asked by a gentle reader to write something more cheery about my adventures in Costa Rica that do not involve killing snakes or slaying señoritas. Hope you will find this uplifting. What was that again about mad dogs and Englishmen in the midday sun? I’m dizzy again and on the verge of heat … Continue reading ¡Baby Rosita’s First Time to a Doctor, Pura Vida! →

Winning the Peace: Defined.

Our current “strategy” seems to be designed to make Iraq a vassal state of Iran while spending over a trillion dollars to improve the infrastructure in Afghanistan before turning it back over to the Taliban. I haven’t seen it written so succinctly anywhere but that is sorta kinda how it looks from my bunker here … Continue reading Winning the Peace: Defined. →

Winning the Peace (Ch. 5)

A feel good but secondary mission is to promote life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for the citizens of the various Partner Nations. Winning the Peace (WtP) Foreign Area Officers (FAOs) may support when feasible, freedom of religion with the end-state being that a Muslim could convert to Christianity and not face death for … Continue reading Winning the Peace (Ch. 5) →

Family friendly is a euphemism for boring. Am I right?

'Cause there ain't nothing family friendly about it.

Winning the Peace (Ch. 4)

Winning the Peace (WTP and/or WP – Willy Pete?), and the FAOs in the program are organized within each partner nation similarly to an infantry platoon reinforced. Platoon commander (O-5), platoon sergeant (E-8), corpsman, radio telephone operator (RTOs), squad leaders (O-4), fire team leaders (O-3), and grunts (enlisted advisors). The total number of individuals deployed … Continue reading Winning the Peace (Ch. 4) →

But Simon, why the border run to Burma? I thought you’d never ask.

Last Thursday I went to the immigration office in my adopted home town of Chiang Rai to make a 90-report as per Thai law. I presented my passport to the officer and looked away from him to organize some other documents (lease on my house, etc.) when the officer told me there was a problem. … Continue reading But Simon, why the border run to Burma? I thought you’d never ask. →