Open Forum

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Larry-Lambert

 

 

Caption Photo: Near the house

 

Housekeeping: As you may or may not be aware, this blog has suffered a few interruptions lately from different sources. When one problem is solved, another arrives. If I can get the blog running again, you’ll see this open forum post pop up. At the moment, Wednesday, July 24, 1600 PST, it’s down. My Phoenix-based ISP shut me down (not because of funds), and I’m unclear whether I’m in hack because of political pressure or another reason.

 

Summer Reading Suggestion: Spy Novel Genre – The Peacock and the Sparrow. I. S. Berry

During the Arab Spring, an American spy’s final mission goes dangerously awry in this “crackling debut thriller” (The New Yorker) from a former CIA officer that Joseph Weisberg, creator of The Americans, calls “the most realistic espionage story I’ve read.”

A world-weary CIA spy, Shane Collins is ready to come in from the cold. Stationed in Bahrain off the coast of Saudi Arabia for his final tour, he has little use for his mission—uncovering Iranian support for the insurgency against the monarchy. Then Collins meets Almaisa, a beautiful and enigmatic artist, and his eyes are opened to a side of Bahrain most expats never experience, to questions he never thought to ask.

When his trusted informant inside the opposition becomes embroiled in a murder, Collins finds himself drawn deep into the conflict. His budding romance with Almaisa—and his loyalties—are upended; in an instant, he’s caught in the crosswinds of a revolution. Drawing on all his skills as a spymaster, he sets out to learn the truth behind the Arab Spring, win Almaisa’s love, and uncover the murky border where Bahrain’s secrets end and America’s begin.

I give the book high marks for realism, plot, character development, and other aspects, such as the settings in Cambodia, Bahrain, and Switzerland. My few criticisms are irrelevant. This author did a good job. I’d buy her next book without a second thought.

 

Politics: What a rollercoaster with me on the beach, like a rotting whale carcass that floated in on the tide. Please comment below as you are moved.

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80 thoughts on “Open Forum”

    1. It’s good to be seen, Surly. I don’t know how long I’ll be up and running, but for the moment, I’m almost live…

  4. Thanks for the summer reading suggestion. It’s now on my “to do” list.
    *
    Have a coffee and donut now that the blog is working. Well done.

  8. Since the site has been down…
    -Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada and Joaquin Guzman Lopez were arrested in El Paso, Texas. (Smooth move on their part.)
    -Pedo Joe was overthrown by an internal coup d’état that has left the Ho in the driver’s seat. “Welcome to Kamalastan.”
    -The Secret Service Director has resigned in disgrace. (As she should have.)
    -Director Ray blew smoke out of his ass on the Hill to the Congress about the assassination attempt on President Trump.
    -Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu gave an epic speech to congress which led to Soro’s deploying his Kentucky Fried Chicken commandos to destroy Union Station in D.C.
    -Chinese and Russian bombers, ships and operatives are circling the waters.
    -Gavin Newscum signed a bill to evict the homeless from California.
    – And Surly is missing in action!
    Does anyone else feel like a storm is coming? The next 15 weeks should be quiet a ride. I hope all my fellow VM contributors are doing well. Thanks goes to LL for always getting the site back up.

    -STA Healthy

      1. X2…But according to The Husk Memory Care Patient Who Somehow is STILL propped behind The Resolute Desk (that was so taped), his Mophead Mouthpiece, and Harris et al saying “his” was the greatest Presidency evaah…all is good in the world.
        –
        Just once I would……nah, wouldn’t be worth confronting these dooshbags as I’d get some of their venomous acid on me.

      2. I would include V.M. being down in the summary. Delighted you’re back. Never doubted, but was beginning to worry.

        Some sharp eyed folks elsewhere have noted that potatohead’s watch did not match real time. A clue? Or is his watch only right twice a day?

        Yes, there is a storm coming.

        1. I wonder how many takes they did on that sound stage before he was able to blurt out ten minutes of bullshit?

        2. I’ve seen the comments about the watch too. But why would anyone expect that idiot to have the correct time on his watch? It’s not as if he’s getting or doing anything else right either. If anything, it lends verisimilitude.

          1. …and the height, Biden is 6ft (supposedly, but we’ll concede on that), Jill is 5’6″…so 6″ differential, not 8″ or 10″ as those WH veranda pictures show. Brother speculated that Jim Carrey should get an Oscar for his fake Biden portrayal. This is the movie Dave come to life…only ethically worse and proves life imitates art.
            –
            But hey, we have Kam-Allah on record saying “Ukraine is a country in Europe.It exists next to another country called Russia.” Genius that one. God help us if The Marxist in Keds gets anywhere near The Resolute Desk.

          2. Just heard The Kam-A-Lo’s post Netanyahu podium “chat”, she’s acting as President because I swear Joe is dead but they are not saying as much. How is this Constitutional? Levin, if he’s on today, will be blowing a gasket.

  9. HEY!!! “We can see you! We can see you! The rest of the world sees you! “And the people who knocked this Blog down down will hear all of us soon.”
    –
    Couldn’t help myself, first thing that came to mind…because despite being a daily distraction of truth and information and fun, your blog is very much appreciated. A few days off the radar as it were is like missing my pants or something. (yeah, weird humor, but that’s all I can come up with at this time of the morning.) If it was a hack they had to leave footprints…heck, they do it in the movies all the time, like the last Bourne…took all of 3 seconds to find the hacker (Nicky) from Iceland. (hated they killed her off, Jason/David needed a life partner)
    *
    That’s a nice overlook, and close to The Blog-Central Compound.
    –
    Good to have you back, I know it was a PITA….but know we’re grateful for the reconstruction effort. Besides, I was running out of preferred places to bloviate.

    1. The constant barrage from the mainstream media of Ho’s virtue makes me want to hurl PaulM. With her foolish banter and cackling, she’s one of the more unlikable people on the planet, and trying to turn that into something desirable in a human being takes a lot of lying.

      1. I made the collossal mistake of tuning into Beck this morning when he played the total fake call between The Gay Kenyan & Big Mike and Kah-Mah-Lah/Kam-EE-Lah/Kam-Allah, aka. the installed Democrat Presidential “nominee” – with phone to her ear with speakerphone on so all could hear the exchange. Almost tossed my [very good] Dewayne from Dry Creek Wrangler School egg scramble. About hurled. Switched to High Kings Radio on Pandora…needed me some Irish shanty music to clear the gummed up gears in the machine.

        1. Big Mike should have kept his self-identification as male (the same as Juicy Smolette) He makes a really ugly woman. He could still be Barack’s husband – and he wouldn’t have to play dress-up and pretend. Joan Rivers knew and outed him before she suddenly died.

          1. That requires honesty, something they are in short supply…sorta like MV Compound chefs who die while kayaking 50ft off the dock. “No foodie special plating for you tonight” says they.

  10. Seeing VM back on line this morning was almost as comforting as the smell of burning blueberry juniper (aka Ashe Juniper or “cedar”) here in Central Texas. For those who aren’t aware, “cedar” is a moisture sucking plant, destroyer of pastureland and some wildlife habitat, although revered by bird lovers of the Cedar Waxwing.

    1. The cedars here around the White Wolf Mine come in varieties – red heart juniper, alligator juniper, sort of basic juniper – Ashe Juniper?, etc. They’re all fine except when they’re pollinating, and then the rusty pollen dust is — well past annoying. However, when you think about it, when humans pollinate, they tend to get a little crazy, too.

      1. We have red berry juniper that starts mixing in with blue berry juniper within about 35 miles west. There are small differences in the two, but in my experience the main characteristics mentioned are present in both. When they pollinate, which is around Christmas, you can think an entire bush has spontaneously ignited due to the pollen being expelled at one time. During that time the valleys have a layer of pollen suspended in the air and slightly reduced visibility till the wind disperses it. Cedar pollen causes significant discomfort for many over several months. Thankfully my crew aren’t affected.

    2. I have, at times, called many things but never been described as a “moisture sucking plant” My Scandinavian heritage, I try to emulate a large, majestic wood that has a pleasant aromatic quality.

      Glad you have returned from the Twilight Zone! I truly needed my Surly and Hogsbreath AI fix… Able to identify in a single bound, much faster than a speeding quark. I am hoping that you are on a learning curve and take to heart these severe lesson you have had to endure and strengthened your blog. Adversary is the best teacher.

    1. I won’t lie, tworesqu7, it was a pain in the neck, but it’s good to have the blog up – stroking, poking and provoking.

    1. Welcome back mon frére!

      I appreciate the sweat, toil, perseverance you expend for all of us.

      May I inquire:
      is there some sooper sekret password/secret handshake Plan B site for backup comms?

      Asking for all here (wait. maybe they already know, and I am not supposed to. hmmm)

      Seriously, thanks for all you do (and don’t do as you tend your flock).

      Juan

      1. I have hired people. Let’s see how it all comes together. There is a plan, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

  13. Happy to see Virtual Mirage up and running again. Many thanks for your perseverance. Have you ever thought about substack as an alternative venue?

    1. I opened a substack account about six months ago and paid my $ but I never posted anything there.

  14. Two good things happened:
    The kids finally got here for their visit (Air Force, based in Japan.)
    And VM is back up. 👍🏻

    1. My oldest daughter and her family are due in tomorrow for a visit, SP RN. It’s a great day when kids and grandkids show up. The weather on the rim runs between 65 and 80 during the day, depending on the monsoon activity.

    1. I hope that old Banner is feeling better. As an aside to those who have not been aware of back-channel activity, Banner wasn’t feeling well. I suggested that WSF cook a nice ribeye for him. WSF said that Banner’s fangs were too blunted to eat it. I suggested that he pre-chew the steak for his loyal and faithful hound before feeding him, but WSF refused. He REFUSED! All I wanted him to do was to chew that steak for the dog like a squaw softening rawhide for mocassins, and he didn’t do it.

      1. LL, if WSF needs DrMrsPaulM to review or answer any veterinary questions please forward my email.

        1. Correction. You recommended a porterhouse. Yesterday he had ten different people pet him and six people give him treats. On a bright spot, he seems fully mobile when chasing tidbits tossed down the hall with no evidence of a limp.

          1. That’s right, it was a porterhouse…my rebuke still stands. Though—–it does appear that he may be playing you since he does not limp when chasing snacks. He may be turning into the Hulk.

  19. Glad you are back. I felt lost , at least unenlightened. Looking forward to your comments on “El Mayo” and Chapo’s son in El Paso.

  20. whew! just in time, i was having withdrawal symptoms…..watching them whitewash kamelface is sickening indeed. today they are touting low numbers at the border, like we don’t know they’re flying them in directly now. meanwhile the rest of the world is on fire. keep up the fight LL.

  22. Good to see you back. Very early Saturday morning here.

    There is a new gun, archery, spearfishing etc shop opening today in the city. By their advertising it looks like they are going to be a bit like Australian version of Cabellas.

    Debating do I drive for a few hours to look or work on the round the property list. Cabellas was one of my wife and I favourite shops in USA when we were frequent travelers.

    1. If I were you, I’d put off work around the property, drive to AusCabellas, and go shopping, stopping for a nice, relaxing lunch…but that’s me, a slacker.

      1. Me too…work can wait (as I just spent the day doing “stuff”…. now where did I leave my half eaten sandwich? Garage? Shop? Tractor seat?)

  23. Phoenix-based ISP = SWAMP WEST! watch your 6! You must have hit close to the PTB!? RE THE Garand with AP: I have a special place in my heart for all of my training opportunities; M-1 Carbine, M-1 Garand, M-14, M-16, M-2 Browning .50, FN-FAL, HK G-3 (all in my collection).

  24. I can hear you saying repeatedly “I’m not dead yet!”. Good to see you conquering the demons (daemons?), your blog is one of my daily reads.
    Now, on to the “not-a-coup” and “not-subversion-of-our-democracy” going on. It’s worrisome.
    Heads-down in Northern Nevada.
    Wandering Neurons

    1. How could it be a coup. The Ho says that it isn’t – not that she can articulate anything clearly, but that’s the general gist of the word salad.

      1. PS, I hope that the Ho is not in control of the nuclear launch codes – ever.

        1. “Hi Vlad, it’s Kah-Mullah, you need to leave Ukraine…which is next to a big country called Russia…oh, that’s your country…or…hehehehahahahahcacklecackle…the bombing, which is made up of bombs…starts in five minutes…hehehahahahcackle. So Vlad, you feel my not-a-black equity?”
          –
          Geez, we’re done for if that one gets past August.

          1. “The only sure way to win is not to play. How about a nice game of chess?”
            If she does not hold the keys because of 25th Amendment, and he’s not fully there, who can unlock the Football and execute SIOP? Isn’t that a coup of sorts, or just some feverish James Bond movie?

          2. How many people in the Biden Regime are cleared YANKEE WHITE/SIOP-ESI? I’d be surprised if Joe could rub the football and get it to open for him. Maybe Tony (Blinky) Blinkin and Jake Sullivan acting in concert? I honestly don’t know, which is spooky all on its own.

  26. I would not like to have my daily double Gimlet and go walking (c̅/s̅ my walker) near your place: muy arriesgado.
    The second reason for a more permanent residence on the west side of the limp excresence was the proximity to excellent med facilities; Orygun, (our area), when we fled from a more horizontal sand bar, was a bit more (politically and otherwise) reasonable.
    My AM kawphy will now go down much more smoothly
    Thank you

  27. Celebrated your reemergence by checking my sights on my .308 at 300 yards. Just because. Maybe the next time you are targeted, you can give a short update on Lone Star Parsons page so we won’t be concerned about your health and safety. Enjoy your daughter and grandkids visit. Times like that are precious.

  28. Welcome back, LL. Was getting worried, but SO glad you’ve managed to outmanuever the skullduggery again.
    Hope the “hired guns” can find a lasting solution.
    Would definitely subscribe to a Substack.

    CJS

    1. I have no idea what a “substack” is, unless sandwiches are involved, but I’m in if that’s what it takes.

      I knew you’d fight it out eventually, L-L. Giving up is for sure not in your DNA.

  29. Happy to see you back. Here in Tokyo.
    Hope the hired help keep the wolves from the door.

    And understandably but still wish there was a way to check in/ping… I even tried FaceBook and found old posts.

    again good to see you again
    chas.t

  31. Wake up, and you’re back. Now…if only eating biscuits and gravy would help you loose weight “)

    1. It’s a cruel trick of fate. It’d be like calling the Waffle House a weight loss center/fat farm.

  35. I was about *this close* to emailing you, but I figured you had things under control.
    .
    Enjoy the family time!

  36. Holly Carp, Dude, so glad to see you survived. Beginning to wonder if THEY got to you as people were reporting you down but nobody was reporting email contact with you so…

    Seriously, who at the FBI did you piss off?

  38. Thank god. I type this with withdrawal symptoms finally starting to subside. Good to see you up and running.

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