This little video addresses mold on cigars; it is short, helpful and to the point. Everyone who has had a humidor has experienced mold and if you are not prepared, the first time you see it can be a jolt. Not to worry! Watch the video and another secret of the universe shall be exposed to you.

This is an interesting environmental book in that you do not want to slit your own throat after reading four pages; in fact, you can come away feeling that we are not on the eve of destruction, that progress is being made and that we have the ability to continue on a positive path.  For this alone, Shellenberger will be shunned by the majority of environmentalist.  That however, would be a mistake for his CV is excellent; he was a Time magazine “Hero of the Environment”, winner of the Green Book Award from the Stevens Institute of Technology’s Center for Science Writings in 2008  and an invited expert to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.  More than that, he has traveled extensively, lived, and worked in some of the poorest part of the globe, attempting to balance the environment and the material progress of the poor.  Finally, he is, (be prepared), pro-nuclear and has managed to set up his office in the heart of Berkeley!

This excellent article, written by a young man of immigrant parents from India brings to light certain facts that should make those who blame White Privilege for the sins of the world to stop just for a moment and perhaps do a bit of critical thinking (but I doubt they shall). As you read the article you will find that whites actually underachieve vs. several minority groups in several key categories. The underlying thread to success lies in growing up with two parents. Yes, success can be achieve with only one parent, but the odds rapidly change and put the young person at a sever disadvantage. A two parent household is one of the inconvenient truths that is so often ignored or mocked, but those who ignore it do so at their children’s peril. https://nypost.com/2020/07/11/the-fallacy-of-white-privilege-and-how-its-corroding-society/

For a week in late May 1941, the eyes and attention of the British Admiralty and the German Kriegsmarine were focused on the North Sea as the German battleship Bismarck, was attempting to break out on a raiding mission in the Atlantic.  After sinking the pride of the British nave, HMS Hood, Bismarck turned its attention of the Prince of Wales and swiftly caused such damage that the British ship had to run for its life.  Unfortunately for the Bismarck, she was also hit and was badly leaking oil and taking on water.  What followed for the next three days has been the subject of books and movies for over fifty years.  The author was a gunnery officer on the Bismarck and was one of 115 survivors (out of a crew of 2,200).  His story is a firsthand description from “the other side” about a battle that was almost preordained-in my opinion- to failure.

This book was the only one written by Boleslaw (as he was known) and covers the time when he served in a Polish cavalry unit, fighting for the Russians during WWI.  Based on his experiences covers a short time from the beginning of the Russian Revolution when the Russian army began to break up through the forces of defeat, starvation, useless slaughter and Communist propaganda.  His unit (there were similar units fighting for the Germans and Austrians), then decided that their oath to the Czar was null and void and they attempted to reach fellow Polish units across the front lines. 

A look at racial and ethnic quotas from around the world show that they are either counter productive, used to lower standards, destroy meritocracy or lead to corruption. What positives have we seen after decades of quotas here in the United States? Will quotas ever end and with the changing demographics of the nation, how can they be justified when the minority becomes the majority? This is a thoughtful article which provides examples of failed quotas from around the world.https://quillette.com/2020/07/03/affirmative-action-in-a-multiethnic-nation/

BLM has in the past few weeks become a power to watch; most people are ignorant of their leaders, goals, underlying philosophy, etc. Their ability to mobilize is impressive and their funding is opaque at best. The following article provides videos of some of their leaders as well as documentation of their goals, philosophy and leadership. BE ADVISED! Previous postings of this article elsewhere has lead to serious verbal and written attacks of the producer of the article as well as whoever posts it, BUT I have seen no documented proof that any of the information in the article is inaccurate or that it has distorted or taken out of context statements, interviews, etc. It is up to you to decide the validity or worth of the article. I would suggest that before you read the article, you read about the author at soerenkern.com/about https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/16181/black-lives-matter

About every ten years or so I go on a Civil War binge and this binge has started with this excellent book by two fine military historians.  Murray is professor emeritus of history at Ohio State University and his many books closely examine the changes in military thinking and tactics as well as the culture of both the military and their society in which they exist.  Hsieh is associate professor of history at the United State Naval Academy.  Together they have created a fine work that not only gives the details on the various campaigns, but the strengths and weaknesses of commanders down to the regimental level as well as how both the North and the South responded to the size, scope and technology of the Civil War battlefield.

General Longstreet served as Robert E. Lee’s solid right hand, commanding the First Corps. of the Confederate Army during most of the Civil war.  A strong believer in states rights (but not necessarily slavery) before the war, afterwards he was a strong Republican, believing that having been defeated during the war, the Southern states needed to work to be fully accepted back into the Union.  His post war political beliefs earned him the scorn of many Southerners, especially the old ruling class which hoped (and succeed) to place themselves back in power.

Amity Shlaes in her excellent history of the Depression, The Forgotten Man, outlines how FDR in his admitted goal of “unimagined power”, begin the process of cutting the American electorate like a sausage and appealing to each groups individual interests. No longer was the public asked to support what was good for the country as a whole, but the interests of labor, senior citizens, farmers and union workers were systematically offered rewards for their support.