On writing: what we read is just a tip of an iceberg. It is easy to miss how much work goes into being consistent and how much discipline writing requires.
I'm super excited about James Webb. Thanks for the thread from 10K diver, I somehow missed it. Newsletters are sort of like restaurants. Easy to get into but few succeed. And even fewer are superstars.
With respect to military spending, as impressive as the US's annual spending is vs competitor nations, I often think of it in cumulative terms over this period. If you think about it this way, the US lead is, IMHO, insurmountable (even if some military spending is wasted and a lot of it goes to annual payroll for current armed forces).
The other factor to consider is that the United States is protected by two oceans and friendly neighbours to its north and south. Consequently, all of its military spending is offensive (rather than defensive like patrolling borders or maintaining domestic security).
This is not the case with countries like China. Roughly 45% of its active-duty military force is deployed towards internal security and border defense. China's relations with countries along its land borders (India, Russia, Vietnam) or nearby across its access to the Ocean (Japan, Taiwan, etc) have historically been conflict-ridden and so much of its military posture is defense of the homeland.
I hate war - but I rest easy knowing the US military power is unmatched. Hopefully that might is used wisely and to maintain peace through strength (a famous Ronald Reagan saying).
On writing: what we read is just a tip of an iceberg. It is easy to miss how much work goes into being consistent and how much discipline writing requires.
Probably it is because *it just appears*.
I'm super excited about James Webb. Thanks for the thread from 10K diver, I somehow missed it. Newsletters are sort of like restaurants. Easy to get into but few succeed. And even fewer are superstars.
With respect to military spending, as impressive as the US's annual spending is vs competitor nations, I often think of it in cumulative terms over this period. If you think about it this way, the US lead is, IMHO, insurmountable (even if some military spending is wasted and a lot of it goes to annual payroll for current armed forces).
The other factor to consider is that the United States is protected by two oceans and friendly neighbours to its north and south. Consequently, all of its military spending is offensive (rather than defensive like patrolling borders or maintaining domestic security).
This is not the case with countries like China. Roughly 45% of its active-duty military force is deployed towards internal security and border defense. China's relations with countries along its land borders (India, Russia, Vietnam) or nearby across its access to the Ocean (Japan, Taiwan, etc) have historically been conflict-ridden and so much of its military posture is defense of the homeland.
I hate war - but I rest easy knowing the US military power is unmatched. Hopefully that might is used wisely and to maintain peace through strength (a famous Ronald Reagan saying).
Bill