This Time as Farce

in re: the avoidable absurdity of our present moment

Somewhere towards the beginning of (this year of our lord?) 2025, something not-so-academically changed inside me. Emotions? We’ll see.

At first, it was kind of funny. Here I was testifying before Congress about China and the Panama Canal after President Trump turned the subject into catfood on TV during his second weird-shit inaugural! Right there on that very same Hill, only a few long weeks before my hearing?! Good luck, little Marco!

But in my modest case? Training and tradition made me mindlessly marshal facts and figures for the submitted testimony. I offered cautious analysis to make a fine but, I thought, useful point: Panama controls the Panama Canal (at least for now).

And it was fine enough — but it was also obviously useless under the circumstances (noted above, with words from Washington stirring the pot before any ingredients are in it). For the first time, this February, farce felt like the right fit.

To adapt to this disorienting political and intellectual moment, I’m planning to write more on this platform as a creative canvas and sounding board. Aiming to stay mostly over the target (maritime China) — but also welcoming trade winds and new ideas.

Anyhow, that was then and this is now. Stay tuned for more, and be forewarned of more probably professionally inadvisable content. Whatever!

Please tell your friend(s)!