Editor's Note To All Readers. If Someone Uses A VIP's Name Falsely In The Comments Thread .... It Will Be Deleted

WNU Editor: Here is an edited version of a comment that I posted about an hour ago ....

I am always careful on what I post .... but I never worry about what I post. The reason why is simple. I have no interest in stirring up people's emotions .... I post what I find interesting in the news, I treat the news and people's opinions with respect and consideration .... and when I disagree with what I am reading .... I also make that very clear .... and I do so in a very professional matter. As long time readers of this blog .... I have never used foul language nor have I ever insulted any of my readers when I am in disagreement with him or her .... that is just not my character. I am also always open on what are my sources of information as well as respecting copyright laws. That is why I never worry about WNU's content .... I follow "the rules". The problem is the comments thread. Since the U.S. election the web traffic for WNU has tripled, as well as the comments thread. Before it was easy to read all the comments .... now .... it is getting harder .... and this traffic is increasing every week.

I can live with readers of this blog arguing amongst themselves .... but in the past few days I have noticed some readers using names from VIPs to post comments .... which is something I have never seen before. I have had VIPs post comments before .... but I always knew that it was them because it is easy to confirm who they are if they are open about their identity on Google (which all of them are).

Should I change my policy on who and what people can post .... for me that is a tough one. In all the years that I have been doing this blog .... I have only deleted 4 - 6 comments .... and that was because they were incredibly vulgar and filled with hate. I grew up in a world where censorship was the rule .... and I hated it. But we do live in a different world .... and I guess I must change.

So my minds made up .... from now on if someone uses a VIP's name falsely in the comments thread .... it will be deleted.

Tonight's Presidential Election

WNU Editor: The girlfriend and I decided to go out tonight .... to skip the U.S. election coverage. So we drove to a subway station not far from where I live, and from there we made our way to our favourite french restaurant in Old Montreal with the expectation that we would probably be the only ones there.  We were right. In a place that is always packed, it was only 1/5 occupied. Naturally .... the service was great, the food and wine was superb .... and we had no idea on what was happening tonight (we left our cell phones at home on purpose). After our meal we then took a walk through Old Montreal .... oblivious to everything .... just enjoying our company.

I would say that this evening was one the best evenings I have had in years. No politics. No focus on the news and what is happening in the world. Just two people focused on each other, the present .... and the future.

But going back home this evening I could tell on the subway that Trump was winning. My GF noticed it too. Montreal is a very liberal city .... it would make places like Manhattan or the Bay Area in California extreme Attila the Hun conservatives in comparison. The face on everyone in the subway ... glued to their phones ... reading whatever they were reading .... said it all. Gloom and doom.

I just got home, and the New York Times is now giving Donald Trump a 95% chance of winning the Presidency with 306 electoral votes .... Presidential Election Results (New York Times).

As you can imagine I am just bursting with commentary and opinion. Everyone in the news media  who made a prediction on what was going to happen tonight has been proven wrong. The polls were wrong. The news analysis was wrong. The pundits and commentators were mostly wrong. Everyone and everything .... wrong, wrong, and wrong.

But I must confess that there is someone who I know who predicted what was going to happen tonight a year ago .... and she is not even political .... just someone who listens to the news and keeps her comments to herself. Yup .... that person is my girl friend.

I am going to bed now. But expect a long analysis and commentary when I wake up.

Editor's Note

WNU Editor: Blogging will return later this evening. But in the interim, enjoy the Best 2016 Super Bowl commercials (before tomorrow's Super Bowl) at the following link .... Best 2016 Super Bowl Commercials. I love the video above .... the Super Bowl Babies!!!!!

The End Of One Of My Favourite Blogs

WNU Editor: One of my favourite blogs closed up shop yesterday .... Naval Open Source INTelligence. I have been reading it for years, and while I know that everything does not last forever .... it a sad moment when something that you like does. Take care Kobus, may your journey be a good one. As for this blog .... as long as I am healthy I will keep on posting. I do it not for fame for fortune .... I do it to feed my need as an info/intel junkie who wants to know what is happening out there .... and to share it with those who have the same interests as mine ... and once in a while I will throw in my own opinion.

Update: Yup .... I am becoming a dinosaur in this field. I just did a quick check, and all of the blogs that I first started reading a decade ago are now gone .... sighhh ..... time to update my blogroll on the left side ....something that I have been promising to do for the past year.

WNU Editor's Note: Expect Better Pictures On This Blog

Getty Makes 35 Million Images Free, Embeddable -- CBC

Photo giant Getty Images has launched a controversial new feature that allows more than 35 million images from its vast library to be freely shared via blogs and social media.

The world's largest photo agency unveiled its new embedded viewer feature on Wednesday.

It allows for the legal, non-commercial use of millions of its news, sports, entertainment, archive and stock images — a vast array of photos that range from significant figures (from Barack Obama to Marilyn Monroe) to shots from popular annual events such as last weekend's Oscars and other star-studded award shows.

Read more ....

Update: Getty gives away 35 million images for free -- Christian Science Monitor

My Comment: As a blogger .... I am overjoyed with this new change of policy. I always like putting pictures/videos on each of my blog posts, but because of copyright issues I have always been very careful on what pictures are posted, and what I do post .... it is always with the proper credit. For example .... I do not post AP pictures (even with the proper credit) .... they will complain/threaten me if I do not remove it. Government pictures/Reuters with the proper credit/Wikipedia - public domain/ etc. .... these pictures are do.

The link to Getty's database is here.

God Speed Neptunus Lex

A Remarkable Man Has Stepped Into the Clearing; Captain Carroll LeFon USN (Ret.) 1960-2012 -- USNI

As the sun’s rays broke over the top of the eastern hills this morning, the military blogging community was coming to grips with the loss of a truly remarkable man. Retired Navy Captain Carroll LeFon, who was known to thousands of his “nom de blog” of Neptunus Lex, died when his Israeli-built F-21 Kfir single-seat fighter aircraft crashed at NAS Fallon at around 0915 yesterday morning.

Read more ....

My Comment: I must confess that I am at a loss for words on the passing of Captain Carroll LeFon USN (Ret.) .... or known to thousands of his readers as Neptunus Lex .... and as a result I have been thinking and reflecting for much of this evening. We exchanged emails a year or two ago .... giving praise and encouragement for what we do in the mil-blogging community .... and finding out that we had much in common .... including our age (I was also born in 1960). And while I do not know if he was a regular reader of my blog, over the years I definitely became a regular reader of his.

And now he is gone.

And yes .... he will be sorely missed.

Our prayers are with his family and friends.

His website is here, and the comments thread is where you can leave a thought and/or your condolences.

xbradtc has a touching post on Captain Carroll LeFon. That link is here.

WNU Editor

Traveling today. World News Briefs, Afghanistan War News Updates, etc., will return tomorrow. Regular blogging will return later this evening.

Update 22:00: Being stuck for 6 hours at an airport between interconnecting flights because of a screw-up is one of the things that I hate .... doubly so when I am not carrying my computer so that I can blog.

On a positive note, when we walked in I turned on TV and I just say fellow Canadian Christopher Plummer win a long-overdue Oscar.

Merry Christmas

Hat Tip: To Theo Spark for the above pic.

WNU Editor: Regular blogging will return late tonight.

WNU Editor

Postings will be light for this weekend. I will post when I have time and when I am ....cough .... cough .... sober. So .... in the event that I stumble and crash later tonight .... I just want to wish to all of my readers a very Merry Christmas, and a very special Christmas to all those who serve in the military .... whether at home or abroad.

Editor's Note

Blogging will be light today .... and for the next 2 Sundays. Too much shopping and getting ready for Christmas is cramping my free time on Sunday's .... but blogging will be regular on all other days. As for today, regular blogging will return late tonight.

Editor's Note

Taking some time off to have fun with family and friends (it's Thanksgiving Weekend in Canada). Regular blogging will return later tonight.

Editor's Note

Out for the evening. Regular blogging will return late tonight.

1,000,000 Unique Visitors

WNU Editor: This is actually not an accurate number. I only put a counter on this blog a few years after I had started blogging, so I probably reached this milestone two or three years ago. Still .... it is good to see the over one million mark (1.5 million page views) .... a milestone that I originally thought was never going to be reached.

The reason why is simple .... I only started this blog to (1) work on my English, and (2) to keep current on international news and events that had a military angle. What I never expected was to be exposed to a community that is exciting, interesting, informative, and making a difference on issues that range from national security, international politics, and to the future of our armed forces.

If I have had a regret, it is that I do not have the time to research and write on topics and stories that no one else is covering. I am involved in other projects .... and juggling everything is sometimes very difficult. But I love what I do on this blog .... and every morning when I wake up I am eager and hungry to learn more, and to post what I discover on War News Updates.

I have many individuals and web sites to thank in making this a successful blog in the milblog community .... too many to list and waaaayyyyy too many too acknowledge. Suffice it to say that you know who you are .... and trust me .... I am always surprised, humbled, and honored to receive your attention.

In closing .... a special mention to the men and women who serve in the military. I am now a Canadian living in Canada, but I grew up in a Soviet/Russian military family .... a background and experience that is different from what most of this blog's readership comes from. But even with this 'different upbringing', a professional soldier is a professional soldier .... regardless of what military he serves.

As a result .... everyday .... I am amazed by what our soldiers are doing in Iraq, Afghanistan ... and God only knows where else. This blog has opened the door for me to see not only the worse in mankind ..... but more importantly .... what is the best. And for those who pay the ultimate price .... I bow my head .... for they truly represent the best of who we are, and a symbol of sacrifice that should never be forgotten.

Hello Instapundit Readers

I have been a regular reader of Instapundit since .... it has been years now .... even before Pajamas Media.

Imagine my surprise to see a link to this blog from Glenn Reynolds early this morning.

I had to rub my eyes twice to believe what I was seeing.

Thanks.

On a side note, info to new readers.

War News Updates is a blog that covers wars and conflicts, as well as military/intelligence/political/economic trends. A new post is updated every hour.