curbside gift: a physical object or an act of kindness that you give, often anonymously, without expecting anything in return I spent 27 years as Continue Reading
Aristotle’s Warning About a Life Spent Working: What It Means for Veterans
Work, and a Life Diminished There is a quiet but persistent assumption embedded in modern American life: that work is not only necessary, but also Continue Reading
Urbs Aeterna: No City Stands Forever
For centuries, Rome called itself Urbs Aeterna—the Eternal City. The phrase was not merely poetic. It reflected a genuine belief that Rome occupied Continue Reading
War Just Got a Whole Lot Easier, so Expect More of It
The Changing Character of War The character of war has always evolved alongside technology, but its underlying logic has remained remarkably Continue Reading
“The Money Listens…” To Your Self-Discipline
I came across a short video the other day—one of those algorithm-fed clips that shows up whether you asked for it or not. In this case, it was Continue Reading
Democracy Does Not Pick the Best Leader—It Picks the Best Liar
Democracy is often framed as a meritocratic system of governance—one in which the most capable, disciplined, and strategically minded individuals rise Continue Reading
Emperor Norton and the Republic of Absurdity
In September of 1859, a man walked into the offices of the San Francisco Bulletin and declared himself “Norton I, Emperor of the United States.” Continue Reading
In The Military and In Business: You Are What You Do, Not What You Say You’ll Do
Here is a simple truth that cuts through nearly every profession, every institution, and every claim of leadership: you are what you do, not what you Continue Reading
The Danger of Being “Normal”: Carl Jung and the Illusion of Stability
In military culture, “normal” is often treated as a benchmark. A soldier is expected to behave normally under pressure, to react normally to stress, Continue Reading
A Country That Hates Its Past Will Surrender Its Future
“I was ashamed of myself when I realized life was a costume party, and I attended with my real face.” The line is widely attributed to Franz Kafka, Continue Reading
Waste No More Time Arguing About What a Good Man Should Be. Just Be One.
“Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one.” — Marcus Aurelius There’s a certain kind of man everyone in the military has Continue Reading
Explaining What a Pied-à-Terre Tax Is, and Why It’s a Bad Idea for New York
In April 2026, New York Governor Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani revived one of the most controversial ideas in modern urban tax Continue Reading