A MINIMUM DEGREE OF NATIONALISM IS NEEDED, I THINK AS PROPHYLACTIC AGAINST CULTURAL DISSOLUTION AND OIKOPHOBIA:   Nationalism- Left or Right?  Is Nationalism inherently a bad thing? More specifically, does it fall on the left or the right side of the political spectrum? The answer may surprise you.

THEY ABSOLUTELY SHOULD:  Sanctions Should be Imposed.

REFORMING YOURSELF IS FINE. REFORMING OTHERS ALWAYS RUNS INTO TROUBLE:  The Second Great Awakening, Temperance, and The Reforming Urge.

Or as a friend reminds me (not about alcohol) “you can’t recover for someone else.”

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THREE YEARS I DID A SERIES OF CHRISTMAS SHORT STORIES ON MY BLOG:  They’re now a book of six, reasonably sized short stories, centering around Christmas and (in this case) time travel. I guess I’m working again, despite everything.

Christmas In Time: A Collection of Short Stories

LOOK, TIMES ARE STILL TOUGH FOR MOST PEOPLE:  But these people need heat. I don’t know why they don’t say it in the description, but their heat quit, and they’re at rock bottom and working as hard as they can. (And they’re decent people.)  Help the Gregorys with home repairs!

THIS CHRISTMAS, FOR ALL YOUR SHARP, POINTY AND RETRO-MEDIEVAL NEEDS: Morrigan’s Mercantile.

MEMES FOR A CHILLY DAY:  Meming in a Winter wonderland.

FROM MARY CATELLI:  The Princess Seeks Her Fortune.

In a land where ten thousand fairy tales come true, Alissandra knows she is in one when an encounter with a strange woman gives her magical gifts, and another gives her sisters a curse.

And she knows that despite the prospects of enchantments, cursed dances, marvelous birds, and work as a scullery maid, it is wise of her to set out, and seek her fortune.

REALISTIC DOESN’T MEAN DINGY DREARY AND EVIL:  Historical Perspective and Realism.

If joy and love aren’t part of your reality, you live a pretty miserable life.

‘USED TO’ BEING THE KEY PHRASE:  The US and Europe are at odds over the Western values they used to share.

ARE THE THINKING THEY HAVE JURISDICTION OVER FEDERAL LAW? CAN THEY DEFINE ‘INSURRECTION’?  Wisconsin Supreme Court Seeks to Defy Federal ICE Detainers. There’s Just One Problem.

THIS … IS CNN:  CNN Host: No Evidence That Trump’s Wannabe Assassin Was…Anti-Trump.

… It might be impossible to hate the MSM enough.

NO, SERIOUSLY, IT’S NOT WHAT YOU THINK:  J6 Pipe Bomb Suspect Had This Online Obsession. It’s Not What You Think.

SEEING THE BATTLE FIELD FROM THE ADVERSARY’S POINT OF VIEW:  Re-orient your map to understand China’s view of the world.

A SAD SEQUEL TO THE REPLICATION CRISIS:  Awww, damn. When Steven Pinker says Oliver Sacks was a fraud who made up shit, attention must be paid.

And for the Cancelled of the Realm of X.

INDEED:  A new Christmas fable. Courtesy of Raconteur Press.

ALLERGIES AND ANALOGIES:   Trouble In Between.

HUMANS ARE THE HEROES OF AVATAR. THE WRITER IS JUST TOO LEFTIST TO NOTICE IT:  Humanity Did Nothing Wrong – The Cultural Impact of Avatar. (Video)

THIS IS NOT THE STORY:  The feds are asking universities to provide lists of Jews. This is never a good thing.  

THE STORY IS ACTUALLY THIS:  Federal agency sues Penn, alleges Univ. withheld information in antisemitism investigation.

VERDICT: Not only do you not hate the MSM enough, it might be impossible to hate the MSM as much as it deserves.

HALL OF FAME AWARD FINALISTS ANNOUNCED:  2026 Prometheus Hall Of Fame Award Finalists announced: five novels by Blish, Huxley, Lewis, Roberts And Stross honored.

FROM GRAHAM BRADLEY:  Rebel Heart (Engines of Liberty Book 1).

For centuries the British Empire has ruled territories the world over, maintaining its grasp on its far-flung colonies by way of magic and brute force. Any successful attempt at rebellion is short-lived, as the rebels do not have the benefit of wizardy on their side.

The most recent attempt at secession happened in the New World in 1776, some two hundred years ago. General George Washington nearly succeeded at rallying his countrymen in a military revolt against the Crown. But disunity and infighting ultimately brought them down, and Washington was executed in a public spectacle.

Most people gave up. But not all.

The cleverest and most driven survivors went to ground. They learned from their mistakes. They planned, they plotted, they tinkered and they toiled. They began to develop new weapons and machines that would level the playing field. With technology at their fingertips, anyone could stand toe-to-toe with a British mage and come off conqueror.

The uprising has been a long time coming. The arsenal is as large as it’s going to get. Now all the “technomancer” army needs is soldiers, young patriots like Calvin Adler, who has had enough of the mages pushing him around.

Freedom beckons, if he will but pay the price in blood, sweat, and tears.

This is the New Revolution.

ADDRESSING THE IMPORTANT ISSUES:  Sydney Sweeney reveals truth about her breasts during lie detector test with Amanda Seyfried.

SHE WAS JUST REDISTRIBUTING THE WEALTH:  AOC splurged nearly $50K on pricey hotel stays, dining and renting Puerto Rico concert venue where Bad Bunny performed.

FOR ONE THING, THEY’LL KNIFE YOU IN THE BACK WHILE YOU’RE FACING DOWN THE RUSSKIES:  Violent migrants are a far greater threat than the Russians.

GIVEN THEIR SUPPORT FOR MURDERING CHILDREN IN UTERO THIS IS NO SURPRISE:  GOP Senator Levels Leftist Hack for Making Light of Child Suicide.