In the wake of the horrific killing of six innocent people at Covenant School in Nashville, there was a large demonstration at the State Capitol that spilled into the House Chamber.  Three representatives, one with a bullhorn, commandeered the podium and led the raucous crowd as they made demands to enact gun control legislation.  Repeated attempts by the chairman and other leaders to restore order and get on with business were shouted down, until state troopers had to be called in to escort the 3 out and clear the galleries.  As they were being led out, one asked “Are we … Continue reading I Walk the Line – Or Not

Before battle, the Viking warriors known as “berserkers” would work themselves into an inhuman rage with superhuman strength.  Quite literally seeking death, they would lead the way into battle, inspiring their comrades to victory or a demise worthy of Valhalla.  The berserkers terrified their enemies; not that the Franks, Anglo-Saxons and other opponents of the Vikings were afraid of a little skull-bashing and gut-spilling.  It was the berserkers’ madness that was terrifying, the eagerness to die and take as many with them as they could, all in search of glory in an afterlife which could only be attained through bravery … Continue reading The Art of War in the Age of Trump

A last word on the 2022 elections Pity Pennsylvania and Georgia.  Like so much of the country, their citizens’ political views are deeply polarized, split right down the middle.  Aided and abetted by the outrage machine that just is modern media (including and especially the internet), people at the extremes have been pushed to the forefront rather than being consigned to shout epithets and obscenities from the fringes; the better to attract eyeballs, ears and clicks, don’t you know. So Pennsylvania was faced with the choice of Mehmet Oz or John Fetterman for an open Senate seat, and Georgia got … Continue reading None of the Above Redux

Dear people of Russia, Russian history is a litany of tears.  You have been governed so badly for so long – your czars and dictators having ranged from bad to evil, with only a few mediocre rulers to relieve the tragedy – that it is a credit to your spirit that a Russian people even exists.  Your ability to withstand almost any hardship – World War II comes quickly to mind – is a demonstration of your greatness.  But yet… The United States came about because there is a wide streak of rebelliousness and tradition of freedom in Western culture, … Continue reading Dear Russian People – You Are Not The Enemy

Watched a great movie the other night, A Christmas Story, with Ralphie yearning for a Daisy air rifle in spite of the warnings that he would shoot his eye out, and all the travails and adventures of a kid growing up in post-World War II America.  Including the dreaded double-dog dare, which no self-respecting boy could dodge, and which is how one of Ralphie’s classmates, on a very cold winter day, wound up with his tongue stuck to the school’s flag pole. Which reminds me very much of the way that Joe Biden has allowed his minions to govern.  First, … Continue reading The Double-Dog Dare

Republicans came up lemons in the recent election.  Time to make lemonade. In Pennsylvania, a brain-damaged, far-left Democrat (that’s not disparagement, but an accurate assessment, I hope, and no offense intended) beat a TV celebrity carpetbagger whose only qualification was an endorsement from Donald Trump.  At least one commentator on the MAGA right looked at the results and decided that the reason is that Pennsylvania voters are idiots.  That’s idiotic, of course.  We can safely assume that some voters in Pennsylvania are idiots, and not all of them voted for Fetterman.  Some are geniuses, too, and not all of them … Continue reading Random Thoughts, Making Lemonade Edition

Dear former President Trump, Let’s not beat around the bush.  Please butt out.  For at least the 2nd straight election, your interference has snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. I’m a conservative who (almost always) votes Republican for lack of a better alternative, so I’m at least open to hearing you out.  But last night is confirmation and proof positive of what conservatives have been saying since 2016: You are toxic to the conservative cause.  Hatred of you drives committed leftists to the polls.  Concern and distaste for you convinces those in the middle to vote against you and … Continue reading Dear Donald Trump – Butt Out