Strike the Syrians, Strike the Ants

Good Wednesday Stroock's Books people. 

We awake groggy and foggy after a questionable decision to have a glass of Johnny Walker blue last night. We didn't even know we had a bottle of Johnny Walker Blue in the liquor cabinet. Which shows reader(s) just how little we drink anymore. Just a few fingers of scotch were left. After we polished off the Blue, we felt like another drink and thought, why not have a glass of Johnny Walker Red? Twenty-five years ago, we'd have polished off the Red too. There's a reason why we don't drink much anymore. 

The cat's vet visit went just fine. Scratching minimal and the vet reports they're the picture of good health, but a touch on the heavy side. Those damn things are expensive though. 

Ant War update: found multiple columns crawling up exterior of house and hit them from the air. Found a fresh target at the base of the garage door. Heavy strikes followed. Enemy is both tenacious and clever. 

In the Middle East: bla-bla negotiations, bla-bla Gaza...We're bored. We're actually bored with the war. Meanwhile the Israelis are whacking the Syrians around in defense of Syria's Druze population. We've no idea what it all means. Related...Israel Hayom reports that Iranian missile barrages became more effective as the 12 Day War went on. Which makes sense. This also shows why Israel must be aggressive. No more relying on deterrence. Don't deter. Act.

MAGA hats are going on about the Jeffrey Epstein imbroglio. Which is fine. Meanwhile The Hill reports: 'Senate poised to hand Trump $9B in cuts.' This includes billions slashed from NPR and PBS. Don't get sick of winning. By the way, Vice President Vance cast tie breaking procedural votes. Good. Vance '28.

Andrew Cuomo is going to stick it out in New York [Phrasing-Ed]. Maybe Adams and Sliwa drop out of the race and the anti Mamdani vote rallies behind Killer Andy C. We shrug.  No. Nope. Ney. Nyet. Nein. Under no circumstances would we support....that man. Andy has none of his father's humility. We shake our head in anger and sorrow, as the man's hubris is going to elect a race-communist. 

As previously mentioned we've been listening through Black Sabbath's albums. We discussed the band with a high school friend of ours, himself a musician.  Sabbath started Metal more or less. But to modern ears they come off as dull with slow, plodding beats and boring chord progressions. That stuff was innovative in 1968 though, scary too.  By the way, here's our friend's heavy metal band. 

DOGE report: We read through the Thatcher's War Armagh chapter. It's fine, and even interesting. But we do wonder if the chapter is even necessary. To ask the question is to answer it. Still..

We slug on through the Managua Campaign's Battle of Los Banos chapter, making things make sense, and making sure the things that make things make sense themselves make sense. 

In a month the Stroock family will sojourn to the glorious Jersey Shore. Last summer at the shore we read books on Ireland and the infernal Troubles. This summer at the shore we'll read books about Ireland and the infernal troubles. This depresses us. Finish it, already.