Category Archives: History

The Human Factor: The Phenomenon of Espionage

Posted on June 3, 2022 by Harper

by W. Patrick Lang ­­June 2022 — The just released second edition of Col. Lang’s classic work on the art of human intelligence is now available to order from Amazon or iUniverse.  Publisher’s Weekly’s Booklife calls The Human Factor, “A … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Intelligence, My books | Tagged , , , | 13 Comments

Which does Comrade Joe think he is? Lenin or Trotsky?

Posted on May 25, 2022 by Pat Lang

Reagan thought it was “morning in America” or some such rubbish. Scranton Joe is revealed as the dimwitted front man for a group swept up in revolutionary dreams. I won’t bother to name the people, but the policies of the … Continue reading →

Posted in government, Gun Control, History | 17 Comments

OK Joe, where is the war? Show me the war.

Posted on February 20, 2022 by Pat Lang

“…  a National Security Council meeting on Ukraine on Sunday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement on Saturday.“President Biden continues to monitor the evolving situation in Ukraine, and is being updated regularly about events on the ground by his … Continue reading →

Posted in As The Borg Turns, Current Affairs, government, History, Russia | 86 Comments

“Like in 1914 or 1939, we may be sleepwalking towards a global war that nothing can stop”

Posted on December 31, 2021 by Pat Lang

” Russia is still powerful, but in decline. China until recently appeared to be in unstoppable ascent. But now its economy is stalling, its population ageing, and (like Germany before 1914) it has alarmed its rivals. Its rulers may be starting … Continue reading →

Posted in Current Affairs, government, History | 67 Comments

The “Daughter of Time” redux

Posted on December 30, 2021 by Pat Lang

Researchers claim to have found evidence that the older boy Edward may not have been murdered, but instead secretly allowed to live on his half-brother’s land under a false name. They have followed a trail of medieval documents to a … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Prose | 6 Comments

“News of the World”

Posted on November 23, 2021 by Pat Lang

Comment: We watched this film last night. Excellent. No, superb! I did not think films of this quality were made anymore. Another really great production is Ken Burns’ series “Country Music.” If you want to understand a certain kind of … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, History, Media | 10 Comments

“Nearly half of voters say Biden worse president than expected …”

Posted on November 8, 2021 by Pat Lang

“With exactly one year until the midterm elections, President Biden, Vice President Harris and Democrats in Congress face bleak ratings that indicate they could be in for a rout in 2022, according to a new USA Today/Suffolk University poll.  The survey, which was taken after the Tuesday … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Politics | 4 Comments

“The bridle, the bit and the stirrup …”

Posted on October 26, 2021 by Pat Lang

““Some military inventions had cascading effects on cultural and social evolution,” explains Turchin, who conducted the data analyses in this study. “The invention of bit and bridle, for instance, made it easier to control horses, which led to advances in … Continue reading →

Posted in History, The Military Art | 21 Comments

How far south and west did the Vikings fare?

Posted on October 22, 2021 by Pat Lang

“The Vikings sailed great distances in their iconic longships. To the west, they established settlements in Iceland, Greenland, and eventually a base at L’Anse aux Meadows, Newfoundland, Canada. However, it has remained unclear when this first transatlantic activity took place. … Continue reading →

Posted in History | 11 Comments

“… new instructions for Americans – lower your expectations.” TC

Posted on October 20, 2021 by Pat Lang

 ” … if you don’t like the fact the shelves are bare in your local store, don’t throw a fit. Don’t be an entitled little tool. Lower your expectations. What did you expect in America? Come on. Bread lines, we’ve … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Politics | 53 Comments