A few months ago, the U.S. military had a recruiting campaign called “The Calling.”  At the time, there were numerous comparisons between that “woke” campaign and typical Russian recruiting commercials. One was an idealized cartoon full of politically correct images while the other was a dark, at times brutal look at what exists at the core of the military. There is no indication if “The Calling” was a successful campaign, but it was a taste of things to come.

Women’s place in the military has been and is a thorny issue. It is the case that there are many skills and responsibilities that woman can fulfill while in service, but the sharp end of the bayonet is one area that raises numerous questions and difficulties. Physically speaking, are women up to the most brutal aspects of military service? We see in the civilian area where biological males who fail in competition against other biological males set new records when they become transgenders and compete against the best of biological females. Is the same true in the military?

The linked article looks at a real-world example and should be a warning to those who create and direct policy for the military. We tend to think of the responsibility of the military in terms of force, but it also has a responsibility to act in a manner to minimize the danger, when possible, to its own members. Soldiers are expensive and any action which can put them at risk involves clear thinking. Simply put, does the ideal of wokeness strengthen the chances of survival for those directly involved, or is it another danger factor which must be realized and countered.

https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2022/02/14/airman-eliminated-after-third-womens-skeleton-heat-at-beijing-olympics/

Never was the adage, “follow the money” better demonstrated than the change of course for the ACLU. With the huge increase in donations in response to the Presidency of Donald Trump, the ACLU has gone from a group which fought for the right of self-styled Nazis to march in a heavily Jewish suburb of Chicago, to one which supports those who which to harm the State of Israel through boycotts. This dramatic change was a fundamental change in its basic principles; the ACLU was more against Trump than for free speech.

Going further down the path, the ACLU has basically stated that subjects cannot be taught in schools unless the curriculum is kept a secret; parents are not to be included in those who are privileged to know. This is the same organization that fought for years for greater transparency of public institutions but that was before they became rich with newfound wealth.

Which leads one to ask; just who is supplying the ACLU with such substantial amounts of cash? What direct influence do they have over the policies and battles fought by the ACLU? And, when will the ACLU provide the names and financial donations of their contributors? Personally, I am against the efforts of the “progressives” in demanding that same information from conservative organizations, but I am also a great believer in leading by example, so I am sure the ACLU will wish to be the first to fully open its books. I am just not holding my breath for that to happen.

https://www.city-journal.org/progressives-against-school-transparency

From 1671 until the fall of the Raj and the independence of India, many thousands of English women would make a long and often dangerous journey to the Raj to find a husband. The voyage was known as “The Fishing Fleet” and those women who failed in their quest went back to England on a voyage called “The Empties.”  Most of the women were away from home for the first time and as the running of the Raj was a male endeavor, the women who landed at Madras, Calcutta and Bombay were outnumbered by English males who substituted sports for sex while they paid their dues in an attempt to create a successful career. Thrown into a whirlwind of parties, balls, and sightseeing, they were the center of attraction and could receive numerous proposals after speaking to a man for only a few minutes.

The process started while the English presence in India was the domain of the East India Company who would pay for the passage and a stipend for eligible women to make the long voyage. After the Mutiny, this type of arrangement fell off, but given that there was a surplus of eligible women in the U.K. (approximately 750,000 a year), well, what was a girl to do?

There are numerous black conservative writers of note, Thomas Sowell, Shelby Steele, Ken Blackwell, Jason Riley, etc. Those men are often the subjects of abuse from other blacks and whites who see their writing as traitorous to a viewpoint that that been the ideology of oppression and submission for generations. Now, added to this distinguished company can be added a black professor who must be admired for his courage as well as for his clear thinking and adherence to sometime uncomfortable facts which all too many black “leaders” ignore.

My first thought after reading this article was that I wanted to meet the author and offer him my hand for his bravery, clear thinking, and confidence in the future. His positive message is a real breath of fresh air! I hope you shall have the same feelings.

https://www.firstthings.com/article/2022/01/the-case-for-black-patriotism

Once known as the land of opportunity, the United States is facing challenges which are undermine the very ideals that made the U.S. the hope of the world. The concentration of wealth among the elite of the U.S., an elite unlike previous national elites is a danger to the ideal of America. That concentration is a danger because the new elite are not in the mold of Carnegie, Ford, Deere, Kaiser, etc., who were citizens of the nation more than anything else. Does anyone believe that men like Bezos, Zuckerberg, Gates, Ellison, etc. have the best interests of the U.S. as a key consideration of their ventures?

The link to the article below captures part of Victor Davis Hanson’s book, The Dying Citizen in that it points out the shrinking ability of the middle class to compete against the financial and technological power of the new elites. Gone are the days of the mid- to late twentieth century with its social mobility and the ability of the common man to have a real say in local and national politics. The technology oligarchs have managed to concentrate unchecked power in their hands as they routinely censor those who dare to question their holy grail. Unbelievable wealth, centralized control of technology, the financial strength of unions and fearful politicians make the average voter of less and less consequence.

https://www.firstthings.com/article/2022/01/our-neo-feudal-future

It may have seemed since 9/11 that the radical form of Islam was on a victorious march against all that the West has and does stand for in the world. Yet, as the linked article shows, in those countries where radical Islam has seized power, they have a wonderful record of failure. Blinded by ideology which has an answer for every problem and situation, they have managed time after time to fail.

This is a lengthy article, but if you make it to the end, you may just feel a bit more optimistic.  The only downside is that millions of citizens of the nations seized by radical Muslims must learn such a tough lesson the hard way. Too bad they cannot just read about the failures elsewhere and skip the experience

https://quillette.com/2022/01/21/in-the-muslim-world-islamism-is-going-out-of-vogue/

Victor Serge (1890-1947) was born Victor Lvovich Kibalchich to Russian anti-Tsarist exiles and grew up in Brussels where he mingled with socialist, anarchist, unionists, etc.  Leaving home while in his teens, he lived in a French mining village and then in Paris.  He became an anarchist and editor of a like-minded paper and after refusing to testify against comrades who participated in an anarchist action, was sentenced to five-years in prison.

When released in 1917, he traveled in 1919 to Russia then in the midst of a civil war.  From this point on, his description of the Civil War, bloody elimination of factions opposed to the Communists, the excesses of the Cheka, the Kronstadt Rebellion is one of the best descriptions of that period on record.  Still an anarchist, he is allowed to edit several papers (until the Communist close them down) and can participate in governmental conferences until the Communists begin to turn on their own.  Intra-party fighting pits Left Opportunists against Right Opportunist, Left and Right Deviationist against each other and of course, the anarchists against all the above.  Unlike John Reed’s classic (but dry and pro-Party book), Serge gives us a real feeling of the ever-changing forces and factions as the Communists attempt to solidify their hold on the world’s largest country.

The link below will take you to an article that points out the pros and cons, the errors, and positives of both sides in the environmental question. Fanatics on either side only hurt their own cause and are a major source of confusion and misinformation which can lead to greater than necessary expenses and be counterproductive.

People are beginning to see and question the cost of ill-prepared actions in facing questions on the environment. Rational individuals realize that moving boldly into the fourteenth century by pushing wind power will never be able to replace petroleum in powering airplanes, ships, trucks, cars, etc. They are also able to see the failure of solar in northern climates and the huge cost of going against nature, as in Germany and other nations which are not blessed with enough clear and sunny days. At the same time, there are technologies, mostly in the infant stage which can help to ease the dependence on fossil fuels, but development will take years and a huge investment.

Recently, the boogieman of nuclear power has begun to be faced by a few countries who simply are more inclined to face reality in this area than others. For a balanced and informative discussion of options for the future in facing whatever climate change we face, click on the link below.

https://quillette.com/2022/01/27/why-environmentalists-pose-a-bigger-obstacle-to-effective-climate-policy-than-denialists/

At the end of last November, I posted a review by Victor David Hanson of the new biography by Allen C. Guelzo. I purchased the book although I thought I was familiar with Lee’s life, but I was very pleasantly surprised by this book. Although the author considers Lee a traitor, he is very even handed and treat Lee as a man full of doubts, cares, and desires so that you feel a connection with Lee.

Lee had his own devils, including adoring his father, Henry Lee, a hero of the Revolutionary War, also known as “Light Horse Henry,” for his daring wartime actions. A failed land speculator, Henry left his son early to escape creditors and each time Lee looked at a business venture, he always saw the image of his failed father over his shoulders. Those land failures were also at the base of Lees’ constant concern about money and attempts to safeguard his families’ small holdings in Virginia. In turn, those concerns were part of his reason to side with the Confederacy during the war. He was devastated when Arlington, his father-in-laws property (todays Arlington Cemetery) was seized by Federal troops, and he realized after the war that the property would never be his in anything except a dream and a memory.

Although we tend to think of Lee as a military man, he had never commanded troops in battle until the outbreak of the war and he was at heart, an engineer. Several times he thought of leaving the military with its low pay, slow promotion, and postings which he disliked (including Superintendent of West Point Academy). Each time, he pulled back due to the security of the army and its steady paycheck.

Have you ever wondered why after worldwide spending of trillions of dollars for years, we don’t seem to see much progress on achieving the “green” agenda? Germany puts out more CO2 than ever before, the U.K. and much of western Europe is facing heating shortages, the cost of EVs has gone up and not down, etc., etc.

The link to the article below presents 41-inconvenient truths about the new energy economy with many uncomfortable technological facts including the incredible inefficiency of solar and wind power. The total cost of going green is just not in the cost of creating a new infrastructure but in the increased cost of storage, transportation, etc.

If you ever wonder why we never hear about how our costs of energy have gone down, or will be going down, then simply invest a few minutes but be prepared to be disillusioned and even disgusted. We have been sold a bill of goods by politicians and special interest groups who have vested monetary interests in the “green revolution.”  We have seen this before as every great movement has a life span of about ten years and then the next great crusade is discovered. When the ”green revolution” collapses under its own financial cost (much like the old Soviet Union), we will find many of the current “believers” installed in the offices of their new causes.

The good news is that when that happens, the market will develop at a reasonable cost, technologies that will answer many of the goals of the “green revolution.”  That type of progress has been seen in human history repeatedly. It is not big government and a hysterical movement that has led to ever higher standards of living, great leaps in food production, etc., but the natural human desire to move forward toward a better life.

https://fee.org/articles/41-inconvenient-truths-on-the-new-energy-economy/