Meanwhile on the International front....

Hold that thought the next time you fill up.

Oil and gas prices surge as BP stops Red Sea shipments following Houthi attacks | CNN Business

Fears of higher oil, gas prices rise as shippers avoid Red Sea due to Houthi attacks

 

As a younger me manning a Browning, the thought of some rat eaters coming toward us in a small boat was pure euphoria.
In my 20s on active duty, it was straight blue steel hard on. In my 50s sitting on my couch, it's just a chubby.

 

Lights out for Poland's version of Faux Fascist Teevee

https://www.reuters.com/world/europ...d-news-channel-stops-broadcasting-2023-12-20/

 

Yep. That's pretty much of job of every navy throughout history... protect your nation's interest at sea.

 

Why don’t you tell me what’s going on, Donald Tusk? Why won’t you tell me who’s on the phone?

 

Operation Prosperity Guardian

US announces naval coalition to defend Red Sea shipping from Houthi attacks


The US has announced the creation of an enhanced naval protection force operating in the southern Red Sea in an attempt to ward off mounting attacks from Yemen’s rebel Houthis on merchant shipping.

Britain said it would be among the countries participating but notable absentees were Arab nations Egypt and Saudi Arabia, while analysts speculated that shipping would continue to be disrupted and attacks continue.

Lloyd Austin, the US defence secretary, said the new effort would be called Operation Prosperity Guardian and was necessary to tackle the “recent escalation in reckless Houthi attacks originating from Yemen”.

Other participants in the effort, Austin said, included Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain.

But it was not clear it had any immediate impact on securing the strategic waterway, through which an estimated 50 merchant ships normally pass each day, heading to and from the Suez canal, often transiting between Asia and Europe.

 

Macron.

Fighting terrorism did not mean Israel had to ‘flatten Gaza’, says Emmanuel Macron

Emmanuel Macron has said that Israel’s goal of fighting terrorism did not mean it had to “flatten Gaza”, referring to its response to Hamas’s attack on 7 October.

“We cannot let the idea take root that an efficient fight against terrorism implies to flatten Gaza or attack civilian populations indiscriminately,” Macron told the France 5 broadcaster.

The French president called on Israel “to stop this response because it is not appropriate, because all lives are worth the same and we defend them”.

While acknowledging “Israel’s right to defend itself and fight terror”, Macron said France called for the protection of civilians and “a truce leading to a humanitarian ceasefire”.

 

I never knew that "Macron" was French for "strawman."

 

Me? I'd add the 'a' and make a pretty cookie if I had my druthers.



but it's also a diacritical for the long vowel.

 

Who says jacking around on sportsjournalists.com doesn't build one's intellect?