The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

Thank You, Tip-Jar Hitters!

Thinking back on the history of our family’s pyrotechnical celebrations of American independence, the 2020 show was probably the apogee, the zenith, the ne plus ultra. We had 35 cases worth of fireworks that year, and the grand finale was nearly a minute of extreme intensity.   That was the conclusion of an 11-minute show […]

Of Declarations and Independence

Today is the 249th anniversary of the publication of the Declaration of Independence. The Fourth of July is celebrated as Independence Day because it was on this date in 1776 that printers in Philadelphia issued the first public copies of the declaration. The Second Continental Congress had voted for independence two days earlier, but took […]

In The Mailbox: 07.03.25

— compiled by Wombat-socho For every Southern boy fourteen years old, not once but whenever he wants it, there is the instant when it’s still not yet two o’clock on that July afternoon in 1863, the brigades are in position behind the rail fence, the guns are laid and ready in the woods and the […]

Big Win for President Trump as House Votes to Pass the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’

This is the kind of blogging I very seldom do, because the legislative process is generally boring, when it’s not painful. Grant that sometimes, the process is both boring and painful, but only the ultra-nerdy policy wonks ever get excited about this stuff, and I’ve never been one of those. Both House Speaker Mike Johnson […]

In The Mailbox: 07.02.25

— compiled by Wombat-socho Hopefully today’s note on Gettysburg won’t accidentally enrage the boss like yesterday’s…anyway, just about everyone knows about Joshua Chamberlain and the 20th Maine’s stand at Little Round Top. Less well known is the suicidal charge of the 1st Minnesota into the teeth of Wilcox’s brigades attacking Cemetery Ridge, ordered by General […]

The Hills Are Alive … With Rachel Zegler?

First, let’s get the actual “news”: Rachel Zegler is reportedly in talks to play the main role in The Sound of Music. Zegler is known as a skilled actor on both the stage and screen. On the film side of things, she got her start playing the role of Maria in Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of […]

In The Mailbox: 07.01.25

— compiled by Wombat-socho Thanks to those of you who bought stuff through my Amazon links in May. Both of you. (I kid, I kid.) It’s the 15th anniversary of awesome space news site Beyond the Black. Go throw money at him.  Silicon Valley et Hamas delenda sunt. OVER THE TRANSOM 357 Magnum: Media Finally Notices […]

In The Mailbox: 06.30.25

— compiled by Wombat-socho Silicon Valley et Hamas delenda sunt. OVER THE TRANSOM 357 Magnum: The Environmental Impact of Electric Vehicles EBL: Chuck Schumer Melts Down Over The Big Beautiful Bill, Firefighters ambushed by shooter, 2 deaths confirmed in Idaho, Becoming a Gettysburg Battlefield Guide, SALT, and Turbot Twitchy: Megyn Kelly Says Preferred Pronouns Are An […]

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