Putin's War has begun

Just as so many have predicted, Putin has launched his war to conquer the Ukraine. It must be done, you see, to de-Nazify his neighbor.

Pretty pitiful cover story, but it's the best Daddy Vladdy could do.

It's going to get ugly. Very ugly. In ways that no one could have predicted.

God help the Ukraine. Europe will never be the same.

"Bulldog Ben" Basile

© 2022 Ben Lawrence Basile

Ready to Pounce

In 1939, Hitler needed a little Lebensraum. Today, Russia's cutthroat despot just needs another chunk of the Ukraine. 

The op to create a pretext for the invasion got underway this week. The die is cast; The men and machines of war are in place. 

Putin is ready to pounce.

"Bulldog Ben" Basile

© 2022 Ben Lawrence Basile

The Ukraine and Putin's Endgame

If you haven't been living under a rock in the last two months or so, you've no doubt noticed that Russia has amassed about 130,000 troops and a massive amount of material on her border with the Ukraine.

Those who're saying that Putin's objective is to steamroll the Ukraine and set up a Russian puppet stare are correct. But bear in mind that Putin -- the former Soviet KGB operative that he is -- has always believed that the break up of the USSR was a singular tragedy, the greatest to befall Russia in the 20th Century. The Baltic States will be next, as his true end game is a restoration of the USSR.

This is no less true because a complete restoration of the Soviet Union would almost certainly be a bridge too far. He'll gladly risk a war of apocalyptic proportions to achieve as much of that objective as he can.

The Baltic States -- Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia -- are now NATO member States but long-time constituent countries of the former USSR. I believe Comrade Vlad will soon have them in the crosshairs.

The United States and, especially, her NATO Allies will soon be entering full-freak out mode and it's for good reason. It's a grim situation on its face and is actually far worse than most people think.

If NATO appeases Putin about his plans for the Ukraine, it will only be the beginning.

"Bulldog Ben" Basile

© 2022 Benjamin Lawrence Basile

Yes, the Oceans are Warming

When the subject of climate change comes up, it’s natural to begin thinking about the places where you live, the places you know and whether they’re heating up, whether they’re changing. Or whether they’re experiencing unusual, bad or problematic weather.

This is a normal thing to do when we sift through the mountains of articles, studies and data focusing on the environment and the changes we see all around us.

Well, here’s something you may not have thought about: The changes in sea temperature are really a more accurate way to track the ways in which the Planet is warming. And how much she’s warming.

The Conversation is an Australia-based academic journal and it ran an article this week that helps to explain how this works. It can be a big help when laypeople like you or me are trying to wrap our minds around this phenomenon and what some of the consequences of rising sea temperatures are likely to be.

I recommend the informative and well-documented article highly; we are long-past the time when we can afford to ignore or downplay the signs of the catastrophic change happening all over the planet.


“Bulldog Ben” Basile

© 2022 Benjamin Lawrence Basile

2022 has arrived and...

Well, this New Year, 2022, has arrived. The year we just escorted out was a considerable improvement over 2020 in many ways. Even so, it was still a tough year, truth be told.

None of us can say with any certainly what 2022 will be like. I’m expecting that it will bring our Country a lot of challenges and setbacks. And that some of them will be very daunting.

The fact that the first anniversary of the January 6th insurrection is less than a week away looms large for me. And for millions of other democracy-loving Americans.

While I quite frankly don’t see a lot of reason for optimism, I’m certain of this: 2022 will be a better year if we can recover a sense of community, of being in this together.

Most of the signs are not pointing in that hoped-for direction as I write these words this morning. If we find a way to begin to heal our differences and work together to solve our corporate problems, we will all be the better for it.

I'm hoping that we will. If we fail in that task, this nascent year may be a dark one, indeed.



"Bulldog Ben" Basile

© 2022 Benjamin Lawrence Basile

Christmas Day is here and...

The Day has finally arrived! It's Christmas morning and I'm feeling the Joy of the Season now as I put together these thoughts.

Throughout the Fall months we can see the whole Holiday Tableau laid out before us; We know that the crowning jewel of the Winter Holidays for so many -- Christmas -- is not so far away, but are still somehow taken by surprise once it's actually here!

And it is here. And I'm delighted and just a tiny bit surprised that it's here. Here in all its delightful splendor!

It's true that I don't go to a ton of trouble over Christmas these days. I think that there are so many of us who fall into that category. Haven't put up a tree in a good many years. And presents... Well, gift cards are a godsend! And it's not a very long list for this guy at this stage.

But I truly do love the season: the music, the Peace on Earth and Goodwill toward Men part, the Stars and Angels adorning the downtown light poles, all of it. Even the gaudy, over-sized tree in every mall and store from Sea to Shining Sea, all of it!

And when I say I love the music, I mean the whole spectrum. Doesn't matter if it's Burl Ives and the Ray Coniff Singers or Andrea Bocelli and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. I love all of it and have sung most of it with assorted Choruses and Choirs over the many years.

I don't know what the Christmas Season means to you. But whether it's a highlight of each year for you or something you would like to opt out of, I hope that this auspicious Day finds you well, surrounded by family and friends and filled with some measure of Serenity and Joy!

Ben Lawrence Basile

© 2021 Benjamin Lawrence Basile 

About Wings and Unionized Starbucks

There never seems to be any shortage of jokes about Buffalo, New York. The folks who live there mostly take the teasing good-naturedly. 

Well, now this oft-maligned city -- heretofore best known as the place that originated Buffalo Wings -- has come up with another first: it's the location of the first unionized Starbucks.

The nascent organization is called Starbucks Workers United and was birthed under the auspices of the Service Employees International Union.

As as proud Union member -- and a frequent Starbucks patron -- I'm happy to welcome this first. And I sincerely hope it's the first of many.

"Bulldog Ben" Basile

Bulldog is a member of UFCW Local no. 1625

© 2021 Ben Lawrence Basile