The post Cello Sweets, Old and Very New appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

Por Adam Cancryn, CNN

El presidente Donald Trump insiste en que está dispuesto a librar una guerra con Irán “para siempre”.

Pero apenas unos días después de iniciados los combates, muchos de quienes lo rodean ya están ansiosos por terminar el conflicto.

El ataque de Estados Unidos a Irán ha avivado temores entre los colaboradores y asesores de Trump sobre las consecuencias políticas de verse arrastrados a una guerra prolongada sin un desenlace claro y con poco respaldo de la opinión pública, según varias personas familiarizadas con el asunto.

El conflicto ya se ha cobrado la vida de seis estadounidenses, y las autoridades se preparan para que la cifra aumente en los próximos días. El mercado bursátil atraviesa turbulencias y los precios de la gasolina están subiendo, lo que pone en riesgo pilares clave del mensaje de Trump de cara a las elecciones de mitad de término. Y dentro del Gobierno, los colaboradores aún intentan explicar por qué el país fue a la guerra y qué es lo que viene después.

“Es un riesgo político, sin peros ni excusas”, dijo un asesor de Trump sobre la guerra que el presidente ha pronosticado que podría continuar durante semanas. “Esperemos que no salga nada muy mal. Porque si eso ocurre, va a ser un problema”.

Trump ha presentado los ataques iniciales como un éxito abrumador y los ha descrito como una prueba del poderío militar de Estados Unidos y una justificación de su decisión de abandonar la diplomacia en favor de una demostración de fuerza.

Se ha mostrado particularmente enérgico ante la muerte del líder supremo de Irán, el ayatola Alí Jamenei, así como con la destrucción de objetivos clave destinados a diezmar las ambiciones nucleares del país y abrir la puerta a un cambio de régimen.

Aun así, mientras Trump ha interpretado ese progreso inicial como una señal de que el público podría respaldar una ofensiva continuada, algunos asesores y aliados cercanos sostienen en privado lo contrario, mientras lo presionan para acelerar los plazos y declarar la victoria tan pronto como pueda hacerlo de manera creíble.

La guerra con Irán es ampliamente impopular en las primeras encuestas que salieron al respecto, ya que los votantes desconfían de otro enredo en Medio Oriente y no tienen claros los objetivos del Gobierno.

También ha provocado una división entre figuras destacadas del movimiento MAGA, construido en parte sobre la promesa de Trump en 2016 de “abandonar la fallida política de construcción de naciones y cambio de régimen”, lo que alimenta temores de que el rechazo pueda extenderse eventualmente a la base más amplia de Trump.

Esas tendencias preocupantes probablemente empeoren a medida que aumente el número de muertos y el riesgo de una guerra regional más amplia permanezca en primer plano, han advertido aliados y asesores, lo que pone aún más en peligro las ya escasas posibilidades de Trump y del Partido Republicano de evitar una debacle en las elecciones de mitad de mandato de noviembre.

“Nadie cree que esta guerra sea popular”, dijo Matthew Bartlett, estratega republicano y exfuncionario del Departamento de Estado durante el Gobierno de Trump. “En el mejor de los casos, esto es una distracción de la prioridad de la economía. Pero en el peor, podría ser un desastre político y podría ser un desastre por generaciones en Irán y

By Harmeet Kaur, CNN

(CNN) — On February 28, about an hour after President Donald Trump announced that the US had launched attacks against Iran, the Department of Defense — which now calls itself the “Department of War” — dubbed the hostilities “Operation Epic Fury.”

The word “epic” is rooted in high art and classical antiquity. But to 21st century American ears, its use as an intensifier had rather different overtones: calling the military operation “epic” put it in the realm of bro-speak, the sort of thing one might hear from a frat boy or a video game developer. Late-night comedians likened “Epic Fury” to “a Jackie Chan movie released directly to streaming,” “a new Mountain Dew” or “another energy drink” from Jake and Logan Paul. Others wondered whether it was a coincidence that “Epic Fury” bore the same initials as “Epstein Files.” (Adding to the air of unseriousness, an early press release from a GOP congressman contained the unfortunate typo “Operation Epic Furry.”)

“Epic” comes via Latin from the Greek epos meaning word, story or song, and it was first used in the late 1500s to describe long poems about heroes doing heroic things. Initially a term for orally recited poems such as the “Iliad” and the “Odyssey,” over time it came to refer to any large or sweeping work. From there, “epic” evolved into an adjective denoting the grandiose characteristics of that kind of literature.

In the ’80s, “epic” became slang for “cool” or “excellent,” in the same way earlier or later generations might have used “boss,” “groovy” or “banging,” says Grant Barrett, a linguist and lexicographer who hosts the public radio show “A Way With Words.” Like “awesome,” it shed its original sense of profundity in the process. Today, the Oxford English Dictionary also defines “epic” in a colloquial sense as “particularly impressive or remarkable.”

The operation’s name, then, continues the Pentagon’s practice, under Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, of veering rhetorically between military jargon like “kinetic” and internet-brawler aggression like “FAFO.” If “epic fury” is meant to convey a great magnitude of aggression, Barrett says it also evokes the internet-era expression for when someone crashes and burns spectacularly: “I think for most people, it calls to mind ‘epic fail.’”

Operation Epic Fury is “classic Hegseth,” says Mark Cancian, a retired Marine colonel and a senior adviser for the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “He’s all about warrior ethos. He’s about lethality. He’s about … trying to instill fear in adversaries,” he adds.

Military operation names can be designed to shape public perception at home and abroad, though they didn’t originate for that purpose. The Germans are thought to have introduced code names for operations during World War I, and the US military adopted the practice for security in World War II, using more random words that remained classified until after the war’s end, Lt. Col. Gregory C. Sieminski wrote in a 1995 article titled “Read more

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) - While the City of Santa Barbara and its partners in economic development work on future plans for the heart of downtown, locals will find the sidewalks and streets cleaner now than they have been in years.

The newly formed Downtown Santa Barbara Improvement District (DSBID) has made that a priority. A new report backs it up.

The latest numbers from September 2025 to January 2026 shows, with the work of daily crews, 5,135 trash bags have been filled, 103,786 pounds of trash has been picked up, 382 blocks have been pressure washed and there's been 113 service calls.

The daily job includes picking up trash, cleaning landscaping, painting over graffiti and wiping down benches and trash cans along with numerous other tasks.

About 66 percent of the funds coming in for the special business district tax has gone to making the area clean and safe.

More lighting has been added and efforts are underway for security cameras.

The focus area is between the underpass and Sola St., and from Chapala St. to Anacapa St.

Most recently vacant window fronts have been improved with art work at four locations to reduce the look of blight.

The area continues to have First Thursday events at galleries, open spaces and with restaurant specials. This week more than 25 activities will be going on at once.

In addition to economic vitality from the businesses, the DSBID is adding input into the conversation to create new housing in the area.

40 new businesses opened in 2025. Five have opened so far in 2026.

(More details, video and photos will be added here later today.)

The Latest Breaking News, Weather Alerts, Sports and More Anytime On Our Mobile Apps. Keep Up With the Latest Articles by Signing Up for the News Channel 3-12 Newsletter.

The post A Cleaner Look & Economic Goals Happening in Downtown Santa Barbara appeared first on News Channel 3-12.

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) - While the City of Santa Barbara and its partners in economic development work on future plans for the heart of downtown, locals will find the sidewalks and streets cleaner now than they have been in years.

The newly formed Downtown Santa Barbara Improvement District (DSBID) has made that a priority. A new report backs it up.

The latest numbers from September 2025 to January 2026 shows, with the work of daily crews, 5,135 trash bags have been filled, 103,786 pounds of trash has been picked up, 382 blocks have been pressure washed and there's been 113 service calls.

The daily job includes picking up trash, cleaning landscaping, painting over graffiti and wiping down benches and trash cans along with numerous other tasks.

About 66 percent of the funds coming in for the special business district tax has gone to making the area clean and safe.

More lighting has been added and efforts are underway for security cameras.

The focus area is between the underpass and Sola St., and from Chapala St. to Anacapa St.

Most recently vacant window fronts have been improved with art work at four locations to reduce the look of blight.

The area continues to have First Thursday events at galleries, open spaces and with restaurant specials. This week more than 25 activities will be going on at once.

In addition to economic vitality from the businesses, the DSBID is adding input into the conversation to create new housing in the area.

40 new businesses opened in 2025. Five have opened so far in 2026.

(More details, video and photos will be added here later today.)

The Latest Breaking News, Weather Alerts, Sports and More Anytime On Our Mobile Apps. Keep Up With the Latest Articles by Signing Up for the News Channel 3-12 Newsletter.

The post A Cleaner Look & Economic Goals Happening in Downtown Santa Barbara appeared first on News Channel 3-12.