Europa the Wary

Since the destruction of Europe by the Nazis and Fascists, and its rebuilding with help from the Americans, Europeans have become too accustomed to having Americans tell them what to do and then subsidize a large share of the cost. This may have been altruistic by the US but it was far from being a gift. The fully industrialized US economy in 1945 needed new … Continue reading Europa the Wary

Periclean Oration

I recently had the great pleasure of listening to an expert panel speak on the state of the Canadian Armed Forces within the context of the world geopolitical situation. It was both enlightening and a bit depressing, but exactly the sort of discussion that needs to occur. Canadians MUST be better informed in order to make the correct decisions. The panel was privileged to have … Continue reading Periclean Oration

Polymathic Changes

If the word polymathic is new to you, here is the definition: acquainted with many branches of learning. the adjective is now used frequently to refer to multiple things occurring together. Thus, polymathic changes. I recently watched an interview where the interviewee used this term repeatedly and especially in the context of the vast and simultaneous changes that were occurring in our current societies (pick … Continue reading Polymathic Changes

Caveat Emptor

No, I am not selling anything. I am paraphrasing the “buyer beware” admonition for readers to be careful when “consuming” news. In particular, when listening to pundits regarding the Russian War of Aggression. Perhaps a better catch phrase would be what I learned when I first began studying history: consider the source. The Internet Age has given voice to anyone with a phone or a … Continue reading Caveat Emptor

Götterdämmerung

Last week, I posted “Slowly, then all at once”, which wondered if we were seeing the end of the beginning for Putin’s Russia. I now wonder if we are entering a situation originating in Richard Wagner’s opera, the fourth and final part of his monumental cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung), which is inspired by Germanic and Norse mythology. Götterdämmerung is … Continue reading Götterdämmerung

Back to Ukraine

A Ukrainian military blogger, Yuriy Butusov, posted on Facebook that a major assault by N Korean troops had been repelled on Saturday. He posted that the attack was supported by “massive fire support” from Russian units, as well as electronic countermeasures again drones. This is the interesting bit: “Despite the losses, the enemy assault groups continued to advance, never stopping even under precision fire and … Continue reading Back to Ukraine