by Isaac Cubillos | Jan 24, 2026 | Journal
I didn’t put the story on A-2 of the local paper I worked at by accident. It was a Canadian soldier, killed in Afghanistan. A young man. I put it where readers would see it — because Canadians are our neighbors for half the year. When the snowbirds are in town, they...
by Isaac Cubillos | Jan 1, 2026 | Journal
A New Year’s look at how journalism changed, who paid the price, and what readers should watch next. I started in newspapers in 1987, at a daily in California, back when journalism was a physical activity. My first assignment was writing obituaries, which is about as...
by Isaac Cubillos | Dec 27, 2025 | Journal
On Christmas Day, the President ordered U.S. missiles fired from a Navy destroyer into Nigeria. The explanation came pre-loaded for television: protecting Christians from terrorists. It sounds moral.It sounds simple. It feeds his base. And it gets the war wrong....
by Isaac Cubillos | Dec 24, 2025 | Journal
The image says it all: a U.S. Navy jet firing a missile at Santa’s sleigh, because apparently Christmas failed a compliance review. According to officials, Santa was flagged for carrying contraband toys, dodging tariffs, and operating an unregistered international...
by Isaac Cubillos | Dec 16, 2025 | Journal
Every few years, Washington rediscovers the same stunt: if you can’t fix the border, pose next to it in uniform. This week’s version comes with a historical flourish. The administration has expanded use of the 1907 Roosevelt Reservation — a 60-foot strip of federal...
by Isaac Cubillos | Dec 12, 2025 | Journal
Updated Jan. 18, 2026 In 2010, I wrote a book called Military Reporters: Stylebook and Reference Guide. It’s out of print now, which I once took as progress. I figured the chapters on protective gear — helmets, eye protection, body armor — would stay where they...
