Edgar McGregor is the Real Deal

If you've spent any amount of time checking out this blog, you know what a hard-core tree hugger I am. Among family and friends, I'm notorious for diverting from a trail or a walkway in a park to pick up litter and debris. 

I've always known I'm not the only overly-responsible Nature Lover who does such things. And I just read an article about one such person who's gone way above and beyond the call of duty.

That young man is Edgar McGregor and his commitment to coming to the Planet's aid when thoughtless or malevolent humans sully and pollute her is truly inspiring.

For 589 days, Edgar ranged all over Eaton Canyon, one of the most popular hiking trails near Los Angeles, picking up litter, trash and debris of all kinds in order to atone for the sins of his fellow humans and get the canyon as clean as is humanly possible. 

And finally, the day came when he walked the park and couldn't find anything to bag up and carry away.

Reading of Edgar's untiring effort has inspired me. I can hardly tell you how much. Suffice to say, he and I are cut from the same cloth, but his efforts have, of course, easily out-stripped mine. I commend him for his nearly-superhuman work and devotion to Mother Earth.

If you'd like to read more about the Eaton Canyon Trail or what this indefatigable eco warrior did on its behalf, these two links will take you where you want to go.

"Bulldog Ben" Basile

© 2021 Ben Lawrence Basile 

DNI Report lays out Russian plan in 2020

A report released Monday from the office of Avril Haines, the Director of National Intelligence, shines a bright light on a Russian campaign to -- once again -- influence an American Presidential Election.

The campaign -- designed to help keep then-President Donald trump in office -- could be called old school, relying, as it did, on the tried-and-true methods of person to person contacts to put together and execute plans, contrasting with the 2016 approach of polluting the internet and social media platforms with targeted disinformation and lies.

And who do you suppose was the primary American contact who had been targeted to help carry out the Kremlin's campaign to intervene on trump's behalf?

Well, if your guess was Rudy Giuliani, you're 100% correct.

The DNI has authorized the release of the unclassified version of the report. The classified version was put in the hands of President Biden and others authorized to receive such information last week.

You can read the report here if you're feeling up to it. If you'd prefer to read an article summarizing the most important points about this week's timely and headline-generating report, follow this link.

"Bulldog Ben" Basile

© 2021 Ben Lawrence Basile 

The Army's Investigation into Mike Flynn Reopens

There's a new twist in the seemingly-endless story about disgraced former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn. About Flynn and consequences.

The retired 2-Star General was being investigated for multiple misdeeds by the Army -- relating to his activities as a foreign agent for the Turkish Government, among other things -- before the investigation was shelved pending the resolution of the criminal charges against Flynn.

Those charges became moot when trump pardoned his sycophantic flunky for his crimes -- crimes to which he had already plead guilty, in case you had forgotten.

Well, now that the criminal part of this story has been resolved, the Army is restarting its investigation into Flynn's multiple manglings of Army regulations. Regulations which prohibit -- among other things -- accepting payments from foreign governments if you're a recently-retired Flag-Rank Officer. 

There's an urgent need for the Pentagon to go balls-to-the-wall with this investigation and take the appropriate action once it's completed.

My urgent need is far simpler. I really need to restock my pantry. Popcorn. More popcorn.

"Bulldog Ben" Basile

© 2021 Ben Lawrence Basile