I’m proud to announce that my new book, an annotated, fully explanatory edition of Cicero’s On Duties, is now available for pre-order. The Kindle version is available for pre-order now (with an actual release date of July 1), and the paperback version will be available on July 1 as well.
Year: 2016
How Did We Get To Be Where We Are Now? (Podcast)
A reader notes that the previous generations failed to prevent the corruption and decay afflicting the US in the modern era. How did this happen? The short answer is that wealth and ease breed laziness and corruption. Tune in for more details.
Sunday Film Roundup (6/19/2016)
Waltz With Bashir (2008)
Director: Ari Folman
This is an Israeli animated film about the remembrances of veterans of the so-called “First Lebanon War” of the 1980s. For those who don’t know or don’t remember, Israel invaded Lebanon in 1982. The reasons for this are outside the scope of this review, but we can rudely summarize them by pointing to two objectives: (1) installing a client regime in Beirut, and (2) destroying the PLO as an organization. At that time, the PLO had basically formed a state-within-a-state in south Lebanon.
The Details On My Upcoming Book “On Duties”
At the end of this month, I will be releasing On Duties: A Guide To Conduct, Obligations, And Decision-Making. It is an exhaustively annotated, indexed, and topically referenced translation of Cicero’s famous treatise, along with commentary and supplementary essays.
Australia’s Owen Gun: A Great Achievement
Australia’s Owen sub-machine gun is one of the little-known weapons stories of the Second World War. But the more we look at this story, the more we are amazed by its details. It was produced solely in Australia, and used solely by the Australian military. It was probably the best sub-machine gun of its era, and stayed in use until the Vietnam War.
Sunday Film Roundup (6/12/2016)
Fires On The Plain (1959)
Director: Kon Ichikawa
The year is 1945, and the setting is the (just barely) Japanese-occupied Philippines. Japan has been losing the war and its army has been reduced by lack of supplies and manpower. As things go from bad to worse, discipline breaks down too, and the army begins to resemble a gang of convicts more than a fighting force. Soon it becomes a brutish fight for survival.
Get Moving And Stay Moving (Podcast)
A young man from Australia writes that he feels a general malaise and depression, and finds it difficult to get motivated. I offer some blunt talk to put things in perspective. I also provide some specific guidance on how he can break out of his old patterns.
Intuition Or Deliberation? (Podcast)
A reader wants to know how reliable his intuition is. Should he rely on it, or should he instead fall back on his powers of rational analysis and deliberation? It’s a great question.
Why We Need To Restore The Military Draft
I’ve been thinking about this for some time, and have decided that the arguments in favor of it are far more compelling than those against it. These are the reasons.
Sunday Film Roundup (6/5/2016)
Yes, I’m aware that it’s not yet Sunday. But so what? Why wait a day? Here are some recommendations.
Quintus Curtius 
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