Author Archive: Austin Bay

SPRING TRAINING IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER: So check out Sports Illustrated’s 10 best players in major league baseball.

Mike Trout of the Angels is number 1, Jose Altuve of the Astros is number 2. Even though I’m an Astros fan, I’m good with that. The Diamondbacks’ Paul Goldschmidt is number 10 — good choice. The article includes a look a numbers 11 to 100 as well. 11 through 20 are darn good, too. But is Mariner great Nelson Cruz really number 46? Looks low to me, though he is 37. (SI admits its rating system is squishy. But this article is worth the read.)

ALL-AMERICAN DECOY: Slang for a guard posted in the open. (For more, see Embrace the Suck.)

ACROSS THE PERFUME RIVER: A South Vietnamese pontoon bridge in Hue, February 1968. From the Vietnam War Tet Offensive photo retrospective.

THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE ASSESSES THE COMPLEX THREAT ENVIRONMENT:

Coats identified five “functional” types of threats to the U.S.: Cyber spying, propaganda and attacks directed by nation states, non-state actors and criminal groups; WMD and WMD delivery systems; Terrorism; Technological threats from space and in space; Transnational crime.

My latest Creators Syndicate column.

THE THING IN HUE CITY: A Marine Corps M50A1 Ontos anti-tank vehicle in action during the Tet Offensive, February 1968. From StrategyPage’s 50th anniversary photo retrospective.

SPACEX FALCON HEAVY VIDEO: Start it around 29 minutes. Very cool. The link goes to the SpaceX website.

TET 1968 MILITARY PHOTO SERIES: Combat in Hue. Marines in action.

THE FISA MEMO: Read the whole thing.

KOREAN WAR RETROSPECTIVE: Scaling ladders at Inchon, September 15, 1950.

StrategyPage.com’s webmaster has been rummaging through the photo archives. The site is now running two military historical photo retrospectives. The new one is devoted to the Vietnam War’s 1968 Tet Offensive. I’ll start linking to some of those later in the week.

MOVING TO WOODFORD RESERVE, AS A TOAST: A toast to a superb speech that acknowledged America’s overwhelmingly wonderful reality and our promising opportunities.

The Prez took deserved shots at Russia and China. Thank you, sir. Nice take down factually and morally of North Korea.

Yet The Nancy and Slow Chuck sat on their gnarly fingers. Stupid. Very stupid. Totally stupid…ok, it’s Nancy and Chuck…

LINGUISTIC KILL SHOT IS A COOL TERM: But here’s another take, Glenn: Trump’s speech is a superb example of political creativity. He has created political space for productive change on immigration. He has used a form of political and media judo. He has employed Democrat media tactics –here, before you are the victims of your policies — to hammer obstructionist Democrat policies. “Get the job done.” Trump is about getting it done. No wonder the swamp hates him. The swamp is invested in perpetual grievance.

IT’S MANHATTANS HERE: Decent rye, Antica sweet vermouth and Luxardo cherries. Slice of orange. Dash of orange bitters. Thoroughly enjoying the President’s speech. Super to see Rep. Scalise recognized.

KOREAN WAR MEMORIES: Yonpo Airfield, December 1950. A USMC Corsair prepares for takeoff.

UNFORTUNATELY RELATED: U.S. Marines prepare to withdraw from Chosin Reservoir.