Cease This

Former national security advisor and secretary of state Henry Kissinger has finally died. We won't opine on his legacy or even his opinions. Who can say, at this point? For a long time he was a giant of American statesmanship, a fixture on TV.  Kissinger became the kind of foreign policy grandee and jetsetter that we've come to loath, opining and advising on every international topic. Kissinger was unable to simply go away. We never liked his World Restored, about the Congress of Vienna, and much preferred Harold Nicholson's work on same. We admit to having always been baffled by the left's blind hatred of the man. It ain't pretty today. 

Moving on to deaths we're interested in, our sister sent along this clip of Jason Carter, eulogizing his grandmother, the late First Lady Roslyn Carter. 'All southern grandmothers are the same,' our sister said, referencing our own Mississippi born, Louisianna raised paternal grandmother. Why yes, yes they are. She totally would have done the thing with the pimento cheese. 

In Gaza the ceasefire has been extended by one day, so far. The Israelis have suffered a couple of seemingly random terror attacks this morning. Four dead. Welcome to the status quo.  Once again, Stroock's Book's believes Israel is driving events and Hamas is extending the ceasefire to play for time. 

There's also renewed skirmishing in the north with Hezbollah. Israel Radar links to a report stating that a Hezbollah invasion of the Galilee is possible and imminent. 'Nonetheless, it is our assessment that even today, at any given time, if it so desires, Hezbollah can implement its operational plan to invade Israeli territory with a smaller Radwan unit force [an elite force trained to invade Israel] and into a more limited area.' The report goes on to call for a preemptive strike. 

California Governor Gavin Newsom is debating Florida Governor Ron DeSantis tonight. This is the election America should have, two governors of two large states with two different visions. But America deserves, do we ever deserve, Trump vs Joe. Whatever. We'll be watching Thursday night football.

We have a short story for War Night. A Canadian farmer, maybe a rancher, possibly a loner, near the Coutts border crossing in Alberta. He knows vaguely something is going on but doesn't much care. One evening he see's missile contrails going north. Half an hour later he see's missile contrails heading south. Soon after the far Montana horizon glows. 

We have received the interior proof and cover for World War 1990: The Final Storm. We'll make and order the physical proof today for final editing. We have a proofer standing by. Though we are pleased with the colour scheme, the cover needs changes, and we won't be posting it. We whistle, 309 pages.