Author Archives: Bruce

About Bruce

Work for sustainable development of small islands; ex-Peace Corps (Volunteer and staff) in LA & Caribbean; cruised Caribbean on S/Y Meander for three years; like small tropical islands, French canals, Umbria, Tasmania, and NZ. Married 52 years to the late Kincey Burdett Potter. President of Island Resources Foundation.

Government 101 — Now and Then

Posted on September 16, 2018

Professor Werner Moss, the patrician head of the Government Department at William & Mary in 1960, didn’t teach it exactly the same way to both Kincey and I, but as an observation, I think he would agree with Rat. But … Continue reading →

Posted in Fun

Political Analysis that Seems to Make Sense

Posted on September 14, 2018

From recent Washington Post posts Raw tensions over race and gender shape midterms, reflecting schism in Trump era The National Republican Congressional Committee released an ad on Sept. 12 about Democratic congressional candidate Antonio Delgado. (National Republican Congressional Committee) By … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized

Plain Talk About How We Think About Our Largest Island Colony

Posted on September 14, 2018

I’m posting this in PottersWeal.com rather than Wake Me When We’re Great Again because Yarimar Bonilla’s op-ed in the Washington Post really addresses the issue of how the USA treats its colonies (and, to a lesser extent, how some US … Continue reading →

Posted in Disaster Management, Governance, politics, Small Island

Washington Post: Central American Security Conference Scrapped amid U.S. Tensions with Guatemala, El Salvador

Posted on September 9, 2018

Another triumph of American diplomacy. Thanks Secretary Pompeo — https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/central-american-security-conference-scrapped-amid-tensions-with-guatemala-el-salvador/2018/09/07/03571c6c-b2fd-11e8-a810-4d6b627c3d5d_story.html National Security Central American security conference scrapped amid U.S. tensions with Guatemala, El Salvador Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales, center, places a sash on Gen. Manuel Pineda Saravia, right, during the … Continue reading →

Posted in Governance, politics

Ellie Mannette — THE Steel Pan Man — 1927-2018

Posted on September 3, 2018

On this, the date of the annual Carnival in Brooklyn, an appropriate time to celebrate the accomplishments of the great steel pan designer and promoter, Ellie Mannette, and his Mannette Musical Instruments. of Morgantown, West Virginia. Ellie of course was … Continue reading →

Posted in Fun

Reviews of Two Hard-Headed Critiques of Modern American Society

Posted on August 27, 2018

This first from the Sunday — NY Times Book Review: Nonfiction Meet the ‘Change Agents’ Who Are Enabling Inequality Inside view at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, last year.CreditCreditMichel Euler/Associated Press Review by Joseph E. Stiglitz                                                                 Aug. 20, … Continue reading →

Posted in Fun

When I Wasn’t Paying Attention . . . .

Posted on August 21, 2018

This Associated Press dispatch by Ellen Knickmeyer (from the National Post) discusses another major underlying government-wide policy change that the Trump Administration thinks it will get away with. This policy says that energy efficiency, and specifically limiting petroleum product use … Continue reading →

Posted in Fun