The Ukraine and the battle of patience and the will of the few!

My favourite book on book binding in Colonial Williamsburg with a publication from 1770; notice the exposed string binding.

Looks a little bleak but there are ferns already poking up through the old leaf cover.

IS MODERN SOCIETY IN CANADA, READY TO DEAL WITH THE COLLATERAL STRESSES OF A WAR IN EUROPE?

WHAT WOULD WE DO AS PART OF THE HOME EFFORT?

     THIS HAS BEEN ONE OF THOSE CARNIVAL-TYPE DAYS, WE HAVE AT THE SHOP, MORE OFTEN THESE DAYS. ALL KINDS OF FOLKS HAVE BEEN DROPPING IN FOR A GANDER AT THE RECORDING STUDIO, AND STICKING AROUND TO CHAT WITH THE MAN IN THE CORNER, WITH THE LAPTOP. PEOPLE I HAVE ONLY JUST MET, SEEM QUITE INTERESTED TO KNOW WHETHER I AM THE COMPANY ACCOUNTANT, THE FELLOW WHO LOOKS AFTER ORDERING PARTS FOR THE MUSIC COMPONENT, OR THE CHAP WHO LOOKS AFTER THE BOYS' WEBSITE. WHEN I TELL THEM THAT I'M A WRITER, AND PUTTING TOGETHER THE DAILY BLOG, THEY IMMEDIATELY WANT TO KNOW IF I'M A FAMOUS AUTHOR, OR AT LEAST SOMEONE THEY WOULD RECOGNIZE FROM THE DAILY PRESS. WHEN I TELL THEM MY NAME, AND THE PUBLICATIONS I CURRENTLY WRITE FOR, THEY WILL OFFER COMMENTS LIKE, "SO YOU TRYING TO BE A WRITER THEN," OR "KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK, AND MAYBE SOMEDAY YOU'LL WRITE A BOOK, OR WIN A PRIZE OR SOMETHING." I THINK IF I SAID I WAS THE SHOP ACCOUNTANT, I MIGHT INSPIRE A MORE INTERESTING CONVERSATION, SAY FOR EXAMPLE, ABOUT THE STATE OF RETAIL AFFAIRS IN SMALL TOWN ONTARIO. NOT ONE OF THESE VISITORS, EVEN WANTS TO KNOW WHAT I'M WRITING ABOUT, OR ATTEMPTS TO LOOK OVER MY SHOULDER, IN CASE I'M TAPPING OUT SOMETHING EXCITING. I'VE ONLY HAD ONE PERSON ASK WHETHER I WAS WRITING PORNOGRAPHY, AND HE WAS A FRIEND. SO I SAID, "YES I AM. IT'S THE ONLY WAY TO MAKE A BUCK AS AN AUTHOR THESE DAYS." WE LAUGHED, SUZANNE BLUSHED, HE LEFT, AND SO DID SHE. I'M LEFT ALONE A LOT, WHICH HAS ITS POSITIVE SIDE.
     IT'S A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY AS A VOYEUR, THAT'S FOR SURE. IT'S NOT LIKE I WRITE EVERYTHING DOWN THAT I OVERHEAR, BECAUSE WE HAVE A PRETTY STRICT POLICY ABOUT CONFIDENTIALITY AROUND HERE. ON OCCASION, AND WITH PERMISSION, I MIGHT OFFER PUBLIC ACKNOWLEDGMENT, THAT A SPECIAL GUEST TOOK A FEW MINUTES OUT OF THEIR BUSY DAY, TO CHAT WITH THE WRITER IN RESIDENCE. AS FOLKS AROUND HERE KNOW, I AM ALWAYS READY FOR A SIX OR SEVEN HOUR CONVERSATION. THROW POLITICS INTO THE MIX, AND WE'RE GOING TO NEED THE FUZZ TO BREAK IT UP. I TALK TO ALL KINDS OF POLITICAL TYPES, AND IT CAN GET MESSY. I HAVEN'T BITTEN ANY OF THESE FOLKS YET, BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE WRONG. SO I BITE THEM A DIFFERENT WAY, THAT PROBABLY ONLY TICKLES THEM AT THE MOST.
      IT IS HARD TO WRITE ANYTHING SERIOUSLY, WITH ALL THE STRANGE INTRUSIONS AND ENCOUNTERS, AS I'M SURE YOU COULD IMAGINE. ONE MINUTE, ROBERT PUTS ON A RECORD THAT MAKES ME FEEL AS IF I'M BACK IN ELIZABETHAN TIMES, THEN MUSIC THAT MAKES ME WANT TO GET UP AND BOOGY, AND FIVE MINUTES AFTER THIS, A VINTAGE RECORD THAT REMINDS ME THAT I SHOULD BE SAD FOR AWHILE. RIGHT NOW, THERE IS A RECORD PLAYING THAT KEEPS MAKING MY EYES WATERING, AND NOT BECAUSE IT SMELLS LIKE ONIONS. SO ALL THE TIME I'M WORKING HERE, IN THIS WONDERFUL LITTLE CORNER OF THE STUDIO, I GO FROM FEELING MELANCHOLY TO ECSTATIC, TO A SUDDEN EMOTION OF RESTORATION AND REVIVAL, SAD, THEN BACK TO MY WOODSTOCK EXPERIENCE; ALL THE TIME TRYING TO WALK THE HIGH WIRE, OVER A GREAT CATARACT, WRITING THE DAILY BLOG FROM HERE TO YOU! SO OFTEN, YOU WILL NOTICE THE HIGHS AND LOWS, AND IN BETWEENS, AND PART OF THIS WILL BE THE DIRECT RESULT OF THE MUSIC GOING ON AROUND ME. SEEING AS I DON'T WRITE WHILE I'M TALKING TO GUESTS, THE OUTCOMES DON'T HAVE TO MUCH INFLUENCE ON THE SUBJECT MATERIAL, OR MY POINT OF VIEW. ROBERT TOLD ME I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO WELSH MUSICIAN, WIL MALONE, DATING BACK TO THE 1970'S. IT IS ONE OF THE RAREST PSYCH-ROCK RECORDS, WHICH IN ITS SHORT SUPPLY, CAN SELL FOR UPWARDS OF $4,000; AND ROBERT HAS JUST RECEIVED A NEW PRESSING THAT HE HAS BEEN LISTENING TO, WITH ME, AS A HARD TO MISS, SIDEBAR LISTENER. IT'S A WONDERFULLY CALMING AND GENTLY INSPIRING RECORD, THAT DIDN'T GET MUCH PLAY AT THE TIME OF ITS RELEASE, WHICH WAS LARGELY LIMITED TO THE SHOPS OF WALES. THE WORLD, HOWEVER, FOUND THAT WHAT WIL MALONE HAD, WHICH WAS LARGELY UNDER WRAPS, WAS WHAT THEY WANTED; AS IS MANIFESTING TODAY, WITH A NEW GENERATION OF MUSIC LOVERS, BUYING UP THIS NEW VINYL. ROBERT TOLD ME "IT'S VERY HAUNTING," AND I GET WHAT HE MEANS. SO IT'S WHAT I'M LISTENING TO NOW, FOR THE FIFTH TIME IN THE PAST TWO HOURS, AND SEEING AS I'M IN THE PROOF-READING PART OF THE DAY, WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS BY THE END....OF THE RECORD, AND THIS BLOG. RIGHT NOW, I'M FEELING VERY RETROSPECTIVE, AND I THINK THAT'S A GOOD THING.
     AFTER HEARING THE LATEST NEWS FROM THE UKRAINE, AND THE ESCALATING TENSIONS WITH NEIGHBOR RUSSIA, AND THE FACT SIX HUNDRED AMERICAN TROOPS HAVE JUST BEEN DEPLOYED TO THIS REGION OF EUROPE, SPECIFICALLY POLAND, I SAT STUNNED (MORE THAN USUAL), TRYING TO ENJOY THE REST OF MY BREAKFAST. AS I THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT THIS COULD MEAN FOR THE GOOD CITIZENS OF THE UKRAINE, NOW THAT FULL INVASION SEEMS ONLY A MATTER OF DAYS AWAY, I TURNED TO MY PARTNER, AND ASKED HER WHAT THE CURRIE FAMILY WOULD DO IF WAR DID BREAK OUT? "WHAT DO YOU MEAN," SHE ASKED, IN RESPONSE. "I MEAN, WHAT WOULD YOU AND I DO, TO HELP WITH THE WAR EFFORT, LIKE CANADIAN COMMUNITIES DID FOR THE RED CROSS AND CHURCH GROUPS, BACK IN THE FIRST AND SECOND WORLD WAR? YOU KNIT, AND SEW, SO WOULD YOU BE THE ONE WHO ORGANIZES THESE WAR-TIME SOCIALS? OR ARE YOU MORE OF A 'ROSIE THE RIVETER' TYPE." "HANG-ON," SHE ANSWERED BACK, PUSHING ONE OF OUR CATS OFF HER KNEE.  "WHAT WOULD MAKE YOU ASK THAT RIGHT NOW?" "I'M WORRIED DEAR, THAT ALL IS NOT WELL OUT THERE, AND THE RUSSIANS HAVE DECIDED TO CARRY OUT THEIR INVASION. SO IF NATO STEPS IN TO DEFEND THE UKRAINE, WON'T THAT BE THE COMMENCEMENT OF ARMED CONFLICT; WHICH TO ME, MEANS ANOTHER WAR IN EUROPE?' "I THINK YOU'RE OVER-REACTING TO THE NEWS RIGHT NOW," SHE SHOT BACK, MOPPING UP A BIT OF JAM THAT HAD FALLEN TO THE PLATE, OFF HER PIECE OF TOAST. WE'RE BOTH ON DIETS, SO WE DON'T LET ANY FOOD GET AWAY FROM US, THAT IS PART OF OUR DAILY RATION. AS FOR A CALMING INFLUENCE, LIKE THIS RECORD I'M LISTENING TO, SUZANNE IS LIKE THIS. THE ONLY TIME SHE'S ALARMIST, IS IF SHE FINDS I'VE STEPPED ON HER FLOWER BED, WHILE DOING YARD WORK. I'VE NEVER GIVEN SUZANNE MUCH CREDIT FOR BEING A POSITIVIST, AND IN FACT, IN MOST ARGUMENTS WE'VE EVER HAD, I AM QUICK TO ACCUSE HER OF BEING OVERLY NEGATIVE. SHE IS A CRITIC A LOT, AND MOSTLY OF ME. AND IN THE CASE OF MY MOST RECENT STATEMENT, ABOUT AN IMMINENT WAR IN EUROPE, SHE HAS BEEN CRITICAL OF MY ASSUMPTION, RUSSIA IS GOING TO START ITS MOVE INTO THE UKRAINE. "THERE'S JUST A LOT OF POSTURING RIGHT NOW, AND I DON'T THINK ANYTHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN."
     "OKAY, EVEN IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME," I SAID, "WHAT WOULD OUR LIVES BE LIKE HERE IN RURAL ONTARIO, RUNNING AN ANTIQUE BUSINESS, AND HAVING THE WORLD ECONOMY FALTER BECAUSE OF A WAR THOUSANDS OF MILES AWAY?" I OFFERED THE ASSUMPTION, BASED ON YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, THAT "CITIZENS WILL LIKELY FIND LITTLE IMMEDIATE NEED FOR ANTIQUES AND COLLECTABLES, WHEN THEIR MONEY WILL BE REQUIRED TO PAY FOR GAS, OIL AND FOOD." LAST EVENING, BY THE WAY, IT WAS $1.40 FOR A LITRE OF GAS, AND I'M A HAIR'S BREADTH FROM NEEDING A FILL-UP. AS FOR GROCERY PRICES. A WORLD CALAMITY WOULD CERTAINLY INFLUENCE PRICING OF OUR MOST BASIC NEEDS. "THE RUSSIANS AREN'T GOING TO RISK HAVING A WAR, WHICH WILL SERIOUSLY DAMAGE THEIR OWN ECONOMY," SHE RESPONDED. "COOLER HEADS WILL PREVAIL. YOU'LL SEE. THERE WILL BE A NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENT, I KNOW IT!" "I WISH I HAD YOUR CONFIDENCE," I ADD, "BECAUSE GATHERING 40,000 TROOPS AND MILITARY HARDWARE ALONG THE BORDER OF UKRAINE, WOULD SEEM TO BE AN EXPENSIVE EXERCISE FOR THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT; BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO BE GETTING PAID TO STAND AROUND WAITING FOR SOMETHING TO HAPPEN. RIGHT? THEY CAN'T ALL BE VOLUNTEER MILITIA." "YOU WORRY TOO MUCH," SHE QUIPPED. "IT'S OBVIOUS A WAR WOULD BE COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE FOR EVERYONE, AND THE FINANCIAL LOSSES WOULD BE ENORMOUS TO ALL THE COUNTRIES OF EUROPE. RUSSIA ISN'T GOING TO GAIN ANYTHING BY STARTING A WAR; SO THEY WON'T. MAYBE THE PLAN WAS TO STARTLE EUROPE, LIKE WHAT NORTH KOREA DOES, WHEN IT LAUNCHES MISSILES, TO RILE SOUTH KOREA." "DO YOU MEAN THAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR ATTENTION," I ASK. "IT HAS ALREADY COST LIVES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE CONFLICT. I THINK IT'S GONE PAST THE POINT OF ATTENTION-SEEKING, AND ESCALATED INTO SOMETHING FAR MORE DANGEROUS. IN NORTH KOREA, THE ONLY RISK TO LIFE, IS IF THE MISSILE MISFIRES, AND FALLS BACK TO EARTH ONTO SOMEONE'S HOUSE." I AM GETTING CAVALIER IN MY ELDER YEARS.
     WHEN IT COMES RIGHT DOWN TO IT, I AM LEFT WITH THIS QUESTION? IT IS A "WHAT IF," BUT I FEEL IT HAS TO BE ASKED, BASED ON THE HISTORY OF THE TWO WORLD WARS, OUR FAMILIES LIVED, WORKED AND FOUGHT THROUGH. THE COMMENCEMENT OF A MILITARY CONFLICT, FOLLOWING AN INVASION IS VERY LIKELY. THERE ARE CRITICS, AND MILITARY EXPERTS, WHO RECOGNIZE THE INVASION, IN ESSENCE, HAS ALREADY BEGUN. FIRST WITH THE RUSSIANS INVADING CRIMEA, AND NOW WITH EVIDENCE OF RUSSIAN SOLDIERS, SHOWING UP IN CERTAIN BORDER COMMUNITIES; GETTING INTO COMBAT SCENARIOS, DESPITE CLAIMS TO THE CONTRARY. SO WHAT WILL THE HOME-FRONT EFFORT BE LIKE IN THE COMMUNITIES OF CANADA. SEEING AS WE JUST CONTRIBUTED SIX FIGHTER JETS TO NATO COMMAND IN EUROPE, AND HAVE BEEN PARTICULARLY VOCAL AND ACTIVE, AT THE GOVERNMENT LEVEL, IN CONDEMNING THE RUSSIAN AGGRESSION. I DON'T THINK ITS PREMATURE WHATSOEVER, TO ASK ABOUT OUR ROLE. CONSIDERING I HAVE TWO MILITARY AGE LADS, BY GOD, IT DOES WORRY ME THIS WAY AS WELL. BUT WITH A WAR OF THIS MAGNITUDE, HOW WOULD THOSE OF US WHO ARE BEYOND SERVING IN A FIGHTING CAPACITY, WORK ON THE ALLIED'S BEHALF, TO KEEP THE HOME FIRES BURNING BRIGHTLY. WOULD WE KNIT SOCKS, SCARVES AND GLOVES (MITTS) LIKE WAS DONE DURING THE PREVIOUS WARS? IN THE SENSE OF A MODERN ERA, POTENTIAL NUCLEAR WAR, WHAT CAN CITIZENS DO TO ASSIST, NOT ONLY THOSE ON THE FRONT LINE, BUT TO MEET RESCUE AND PROVISION REQUIREMENTS, FOR THOSE MOST SERIOUSLY IMPACTED; FOR EXAMPLE IN COUNTRIES OF EUROPE? WOULD OUR PROVISIONS BE RATIONED, AS THEY WERE IN PREVIOUS WARS? DO CANADIANS UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS WOULD MEAN, TO OUR PRESENT WAY OF LIVING AND PLAYING? IMAGINE HAVING FUEL RATIONING, AND HOW MANY JOBS WOULD DISAPPEAR, IF TRAVELLING WAS RESTRICTED BECAUSE OF FUEL SHORTAGES?     WHILE WE DON'T WANT TO THINK ABOUT SITUATIONS LIKE THIS, AT THIS STATE OF ESCALATION, WE DON'T REALLY HAVE MUCH CHOICE BUT TO BE REALISTIC. THIS IS AS CLOSE AS YOU CAN COME, TO THE COMMENCEMENT OF WAR, WITHOUT FEELING THE CRUSHING IMPACT OF AN EXPLOSION. EFFORTS TO DE-ESCALATE THE CRISIS HAVE FAILED. NEGOTIATIONS, WHILE ONGOING, HAVE BROKERED DEALS THAT FALL-THROUGH WITHIN HOURS OF BEING INKED. THERE HAS BEEN NO SLOW DOWN, AS FAR AS INSTIGATIONS BETWEEN PRO-RUSSIANS AND PRO-UKRANIANS. THERE IS NO SIGN THAT RUSSIA IS PREPARING TO WITHDRAW ITS MILITARY PRESENCE, AND THERE IS NOTHING SHOWING, THAT WOULD SUGGEST NATO AND EUROPE GENERALLY, ARE PREPARED TO BACK DOWN. I'M NOT A MILITARY EXPERT, BUT I KNOW HOW TO DRAW PRECEDENTS FROM THE PAST. SOMEONE, SOME COUNTRY, HAS TO BLINK, AND UNLESS LAND IS SURRENDERED VOLUNTARILY, TO GIVE RUSSIA WHAT IT DESIRES, QUESTIONS LIKE MINE, WHILE A TAD EARLY IN THE CRISIS, HAVE SOME FOUNDATION. I'M A POSITIVE WRITER MOST OF THE TIME, SO I'M PRETTY POSITIVE THIS SITUATION ISN'T GOING TO END THE WAY WE WANT IT TO; MEANING THAT LIFE AND TIMES WON'T BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED. I THINK WE ARE ON THE CUSP OF MANY LIVING COMPROMISES YET TO COME. IF THIS MAKES ME A HARBINGER OF DOOM, I'M SORRY ABOUT THIS. BUT WHEN I BEGAN WRITING ABOUT THIS, SHORTLY AFTER THE OLYMPICS, I KNEW THEN THAT IT WAS GOING TO CARRY ON TO THIS TIPPING POINT. I'M NOT CLAREVOYANT. JUST AN HISTORIAN. TO MILLIONS OF CITIZENS IN THE REGION OF THE CONFLICT, THEY HAVE ALREADY BEEN NEGATIVELY IMPACTED. DO THEY BUY GREEN BANANAS? HOW UNCERTAIN ARE THEY, LIVING IN THE CONTESTED AREA? I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THESE CITIZENS ARE THINKING ABOUT, FOR OUR BENEFIT. I THINK THAT IF WE KNEW, I MEAN REALLY KNEW, WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THEIR MINDS, WE MIGHT HAVE AN INCREASED SENSITIVITY TO JUST HOW IMMINENT IT SEEMS TO PEOPLE OF THE UKRAINE. AND HOW WE SHOULD BE PREPARING OURSELVES FOR A FEW OF THE 'WHAT IFS' THAT MIGHT HELP US ADJUST, WHEN DOOM HITS GLOOM.
     I TOLD SUZANNE, IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS, JUST HOW PRO-ACTIVE IT WOULD BE, TO THINK ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO AS HOMETOWNERS, IF AND WHEN THE POOP HITS THE FAN. "YOU'RE JUST BEING DRAMATIC ABOUT THIS," SHE ANSWERED WITH A TWINKLE IN HER EYE, THE ONE SHE USES ON ME FOR THOSE OCCASIONS, WHEN I BECOME BURDENED BY OVER-THINKING, AND PROGNOSTICATION. "I'M AN OLD REPORTER; WHAT ELSE DOES AN OLD NEWSMAN DO BUT CARRY ON REPORTING UNTIL THAT LAST BIG STORY. YOU KNOW, THE ONE WHERE I FINALLY BITE THE BIG ONE? OR CATCH THE NUCLEAR WARHEAD IN MY ARMS." "AH, YOU OLD REPORTERS," SHE TRAILS OFF, AS SHE PACKS UP THE BAGS FOR OUR MORNING TRIP TO THE SHOP. "DIDN'T YOUR MOTHER EVER TELL YOU TO LOOK ON THE SUNNY SIDE?" "NO, BUT SHE DID TELL ME TO STOP IMAGINING THINGS, BUT BACK THEN IT WAS UFO'S AND GHOSTS; NOT RUSSIAN INVADERS."
     I THINK THE HARDEST THING IN WRITING, FOR ME, IS TO AVOID WHAT I BELIEVE ARE PRESSING ISSUES. I'VE SPENT YEARS IN THIS BLOG, TRYING TO DO WHAT THE LOCAL PRESS AVOIDS. I'VE TRIED TO SHAKE UP STATUS QUO, AMONGST THE CITIZENS OF THIS COMMUNITY, BECAUSE THEY ARE TOO PASSIVE; TOO COMPLACENT ABOUT THE HANDIWORK OF TOWN HALL. MUCH TOO FORGIVING. WHAT I HAVE FOUND OUT, ON THE FLIP SIDE, IS THAT VERY FEW, EVEN WHEN GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY, CARE ENOUGH TO MAKE OBJECTIONS PUBLIC, AND AS FAR AS RUNNING FOR LOCAL COUNCIL, WELL, IT'S DEPRESSING. NO ONE IS PARTICULAR INTERESTED IN LEADING THIS TOWN ANYWHERE. THIS IS THE STATUS QUO, THAT WILL GIVE US FOUR MORE YEARS OF THE SAME GOVERNMENT OUTLOOK, ON WHAT WE NEED AS A COMMUNITY. WHAT HASN'T WORKED IN FOUR YEARS, WILL PROBABLY BE EXTENDED ANOTHER FOUR YEARS, BECAUSE VERY FEW AMONGST US WANT TO COMMIT TO THIS LENGTHY TERM OF OFFICE. FEWER WANT TO ENTER INTO WHAT MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT IS ALL ABOUT; AND THAT HURTS US ALL. WE NEED A FIELD OF CANDIDATES HERE, AND MANY OF THEM SHOULD BE DECLARED NOW, SO THAT THEY CAN MEET THE PUBLIC FACE TO FACE; NOT JUST VIA NEWSPAPER ADVERTISING AND UNSIGHTLY SIGNAGE. I SHOULD RUN FOR OFFICE. I AM A HYPOCRITE OTHERWISE, AND I RECOGNIZE THIS. MAYBE I WILL CHANGE MY MIND. POSSIBLY MY WIFE WILL ALLOW ME TO RUN IN THIS OCTOBER'S MUNICIPAL ELECTION. THERE'S MORE LIKELIHOOD THAT SHE WILL ALLOW ME TO SUIT UP AND JOIN THE MILITARY, THAN RUN FOR COUNCIL. "YOU'RE INTENSE," SHE QUIPS. "EVER SINCE I FIRST MET YOU, I'VE HAD TO DEAL WITH YOUR INTENSE SIDE; AND THE WAY YOU ARE ALWAYS DEBATING PRO AND CON OF EVERYTHING. YOU NEVER GET TIRED OF TRYING TO FIGURE THINGS OUT, EVEN IF THERE'S NO WAY OF COMING TO AN AMICABLE ARRANGEMENT WITH YOUR VALUES." SHE DIDN'T SAY THAT TO ME THIS MORNING. IT WAS SOMETHING SHE SAID, DURING AN ARGUMENT A FEW YEARS AGO, WHEN I WAS IN A QUANDREY ABOUT SOME POLITICAL IMPASSE. I COULDN'T SAY ANYTHING IN RETURN, THAT DAY, OR EVER SINCE. I AM INTENSE. I COULD BURN A HOLE THROUGH A WALL WITH MY GLARE, AT TIMES, WHEN I'M TRYING TO SORT OUT WHAT CAN'T BE SORTED. IF THERE WAS EVER ANYONE WHO MIGHT SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUST, AND DISAPPEAR INTO ASH, SETTLING DOWN INTO HIS SHOES, IT WOULD BE ME. AND TODAY, IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY NOTICED THIS, I'M SMOKING HOT, ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN ANOTHER PART OF THE WORLD.
    I THINK TODAY, I COULD TOLERATE ALMOST ANY LOCAL POLITICAL DEBACLE, EVEN RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE SHOP, BECAUSE OF THIS PRE-OCCUPATION WITH THE INVASION SCENARIO. IT DOESN'T MEAN I'M WRONG, OR IRRATIONAL. SIMPLY STATED, IT SUGGESTS I'M FEELING POWERLESS, LIKE MILLIONS OF OTHER PEOPLE; AND THE CONSEQUENCE OF OUR INABILITY TO RIGHT THE WRONGS OF OUR WORLD, IS THAT INNOCENT PEOPLE WILL DIE AS A RESULT. THE POWER BROKERS WILL THUMP THEIR CHESTS, AND DECLARE SUPERIORITY. AND WE SHALL HAVE TO BURY THE DECEASED. I HAVE ONLY ONE OUTLET, OTHER THAN TO FILL THE AIR WITH MY DIATRIBES; AND THAT IS TO BEAT THE HELL OUT OF THIS LAPTOP KEYBOARD, IN HOPES YOU WILL UNDERSTAND WHY; AND THEN WHEN ALL IS QUIET, AND A SOOTHING RECORD PLAYS ON THE TURNTABLE, WELL SIR, I'LL PRAY FOR CALM ONCE AGAIN. I MIGHT EVEN SEEK GOD'S GUIDANCE, ON WHY WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS, TIME AND AGAIN, TO GET A SMIDGEON OF PEACE ON THIS GLORIOUS OLD EARTH.
     IS THERE A WAR ON THE HORIZON?