Renouncing the Treaty As the Japanese make their first hesitant step to deploy troops overseas, it is useful to place things in the context of the last century. It was 1934, a key date in the world’s slide into black chaos. Japan renounced the Naval treaties of Washington, signed in 1922, and the London accords […]

I think I could just start all these out by saying that “there was a rocket atack in Mosul today, and the ancient city of (fill in the blank) was destroyed in an earthqauke in (fill in the blank). Today the ancient city was named “Bam” and it was located in Iran. The world continues […]

The dog let me sleep until 6:30 this morning, my head slightly musty from the Christmas Eve Cheer on the fifth floor of the Big Pink building just north of Route 50t. It is interesting to live in a building that has a variety of distinct personalities. The Fifth Floor is very eclectic, and frankly […]

It is the second day of winter and it is going to be 60 degrees here in the District. I may put the top down on the car and pretend that there are not three more months of apprehension, looking up for snow. In 1823, the poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas” by Clement C. […]

There was a late night phone call. It was the President of the People’s Republic of China, Mr. Hu Jintao. He wanted to chat about Taiwanese independence. I’m glad he didn’t call me at that hour. I doubt if I could have fumbled for the briefing book and mouthed the words “Well, Hu, I reckon […]

It is two days to the Solstice, the start of Winter, and five to Christmas. I am a little blurry, not much, from the Coconut Rum and ginger ale cocktails that John had been serving at his party down the hall. He was half of a sweet young couple starting out bravely in the world. […]

It is Friday and it is cold. It is also nearing seven am, and I am, as usual, way behind. The sun is going to be up in twenty-two minutes and the day will be shortest on rthe 22nd. I like the symetry. I had intended to plug out a story this morning. All the […]

They tried to get the replica Wright Flyer to fly at Kitty Hawk yesterday, but it didn’t work. It was raining, which made the replica heavier, and the launch rail had more resistance, and although the front end pitched up briefly, they couldn’t get it airborne on two tries. There were over 35,000 people there […]

They flew a hundred years ago, just about the time this flew into your in-box. The stern brothers with their celluloid collars, sons of the Bishop, eager to get home for the holidays. They flew through the experiment, both the brothers getting two hops in. When the kite flipped over after Wilbur’s longest flight, they […]

The Wright Brothers flew this week a century ago, and we can forgive the Brazilians and the New Zelanders who phlegratically say that their native sons were actually the first to right a heavier-than-air machine into the heavens. Or a couple feet above the sands at Kitty Hawk, in the case of the Wrights. “Wind […]