Friday, July 12, 2024

TDR Turns 22!

That's right, I've been a solo blogger now for twenty-two years. What was I thinking?

What can I say? It seemed like a good idea back in 2022. James Lileks inspired me. The media sucked and clearly didn't understand military matters. I could help, I thought! I'd say nothing changed, but the media got worse. I like to think I got better.

I miss the Golden Age of blogging that social media killed. Those were the days of Instalanches and cites in traditional media. Hell, The New York Times--of all places--would note TDR posts that linked one of their articles. And double Hell, I once got an email from a Marine officer in Anbar province who appreciated that I got the Marine role in the "surge" offensive right. In triple Hell territory, in the first two years of the Obama administration, someone in the Office of the White House--I'm sure in some sub-basement office across town--read me regularly. Didn't do any apparent good. But at least it wasn't for the purpose of compiling a permanent record!

Although that might explain the series of unpleasant border encounters I had with our people on the US-Canada border.

But I digress.

Anyway, it remains fun for me. Or at least satisfying to some degree. And useful as research for writing purposes. It keeps me off the streets, at least. Thanks for reading!

But I will try that Substack thing with The Dignified Rant: Evolved. We'll see how it goes.

Oh, I suppose I should highlight a post from the last year of blogging. Try "Proportionality in the Use of Force in War."

I'll keep writing here, of course. It would be a shame to break the streak at this point.

NOTE: TDR Winter War of 2022 coverage continues here.

NOTE: I'm adding updates on the Last Hamas War in this post.