Words have meaning. And we should mean what we say. And honor what we say we will do. And at the same time, we need to let others say what they mean. That can present a bit of a conundrum sometimes. Ronald Reagan used to tell the joke about the American and the Soviet talking […]

Another winter day, gray and cold, Much like any other, Yet things are stirring round the globe, Could a nation – or two – soon be smothered? Troop ships move, trains roll out, Heated words exchanged, Would be allies acquiesce, Might one leader be deranged? Could incompetence and senility Combine as we have seen before? […]

Consider the state of the world: Over the next several weeks President Putin of Russia is going to be granted some sort of substantive geopolitical concessions by the Ukraine government, or NATO, or both, or he will initiate some sort of combat operations and attempt to force the concessions, or he will be so politically […]

Editor’s Note: Snow visited the Dismal Swamp with a sweep of moist tropical air. colliding with Canada’s frozen gusts. It caused the Muse to visit Arrias. Higher in the Piedmont, what was snow has been transformed by a dagger of adamant chill into adamant ice. The enforced solitude of the elements has produced activity from […]

We greet the day under a lapis sky, full moon slowly sets, Pale gold line in the east, around me trees – looming silhouettes. Frozen grass crunches underfoot, the dogs search for a scent, But nary a smell, nary a sound to disturb the firmament. The Sun now rising, above, the stars begin to fade, […]

“What now?” Adolph Hitler asked this to his foreign minister, late morning, September 3rd, 1939, in response to the British government statement that a state of war would exist as of 11AM if the Germans hadn’t begun to withdraw from Poland. His bluff had failed, World War II had begun. Hitler was not pleased. Sometimes […]

Author’s Note: My Muse has some thoughts… – Arrias Oaths ’Tis a plague upon all our houses, Comes dissent, then murder most foul, Words stand on their heads, In their graves the Founders growl. Oaths are given then broken, But just who is doing the breaking? Are they patriots or hypocrites? Freedom is attacked, Lady […]

If you’ve been following the news, you know that Russia sent some 2,500 troops into Almaty, Kazakstan last week to restore order. They also brought with them a smaller number of Kyrgyz troops – which perhaps hints at the level of Russian influence in Bishkek. It’s also of note that Russia has recently sold additional […]

Tony loves Maria, but the Sharks hate the Jets. Romeo and Juliet, Hero and Leander, Qays ibn Mulawah and Layal al Amiriya, Abelard and Heloise, Princess Orihime and Hikoboshi; the list goes on. What do they have in common? They are all star-crossed lovers. Some are myth, some are fiction, two are very, painfully, real […]

Editor’s Note: There was some mild controversy at the Fire Ring this morning. Splash was up and agitated, waving his arms and gesturing with all his digits. He was talking about the apparent collapse of the trial against the Michigan militia group that had plotted to kidnap the Governor of Michigan. It turned out the […]