Steven L. Myers’s “The New Tsar: The Rise And Reign Of Vladimir Putin” (Book Review)

Quintus Curtius Biography, Politics ,

For many years in the West there has been a lack of understanding of Vladimir Putin and his policies.  His personality, motivations, and objectives have been clouded in obscurity by the Western press, which almost always reverts to its simplistic “black and white” view of the world.  Not all of the fault for this lies with the West, of course.  The Russian president’s own media apparatus has little interest in encouraging critical analysis or speculation that falls outside the range of permissible opinion.  But leadership is as much about perception as anything else, and every leader in the modern age must take care to cultivate his image.  In this regard, Russia is no different from the United States, France, or England.  In the media age, it cannot be otherwise.

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How To Deal With The “Dirtbag Shuffle” (Podcast)

Quintus Curtius Podcast ,

Our society seems to be producing more dirtbags than ever before. They’re everywhere, and they love to seek out people to take advantage of. We discuss how to spot a dirtbag, and how to deal with the common games (the “dirtbag shuffle”) that dirtbags love to play. The only person who cares about you is you, and knowing a few key points will help you protect yourself from their connivance and trickery.

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Some Wise Sayings Of The Philosopher Al-Turtushi

Quintus Curtius Biography, Literature , , ,

Abu Bakr Al Turtushi (ابو بكر محمد بن الوليد الطرطوشي‎‎‎) was a political philosopher and doctor of the Malikite sect.  He was but one of that avalanche of philosophers, poets, writers, scientists, and theologians produced by the energy and brilliance of Andalusian Spain in the medieval period.  Many–probably most–of these Andalusian writers are completely unknown today in the West, a fact that I have made efforts to change in previous articles here.

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Observations On Some Myths About War

Quintus Curtius Politics, Thought , ,

The Army Times recently published a post discussing some comments by Army Chief of Staff Mark Milley on current popular myths about war.  I liked his comments very much, and I take them as my starting point in this article.  More than anything else, we should see his remarks as a warning.  The United States has not faced a military adversary worthy of the name since Vietnam, perhaps not even since China and North Korea in the early 1950s.

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We Should Seize The Present Hour For Action

Quintus Curtius Thought , ,

At the beginning of this month I bought the special director’s cut of the Michael Mann film Collateral.  I don’t usually buy movies, having learned from past experience that it makes more sense to rent them.  But every rule should have exceptions; and it is a good thing to collect those movies that transport you to a specific place or mood.  And when you recall the mood, you revisit certain pleasurable sensations.  There is just something about the way Collateral is shot, the way it glimmers, that gives it a cool but intense patina.

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A Few Traditional Irish Recipes

Quintus Curtius Travel & Exploration, Uncategorized

I recently picked up an interesting cookbook at a used book sale:  George L. Thomson’s Traditional Irish Recipes.  Thomson apparently traveled all over the country to select the most traditional representations of the nation’s cuisine.  Hearty and relatively straightforward in preparation, many of these recipes make great additions to your kitchen arsenal.  I’ve decided to present a few of them here.  The average person may find it difficult to obtain traditional Irish ingredients like eel, cockles, nettle tops, and carragheen moss, so I’ve made an effort to pick recipes that are likely to be more practical.  I’ve prepared each of these dishes and can tell you that they are very good.

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Never Sleep On Your Rights (Podcast)

Quintus Curtius Podcast , ,

When you are faced with a serious problem or issue, you need to spring into action to deal with it. Anyone who “sleeps on his rights,” and thinks the problem will go away by ignoring it, is in for a rude awakening. The “dirtbag shuffle” never works in the real world. Legal rights, once constructively waived, can be very difficult to reassert later. This is the basis of the legal theory of laches.

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Theodore Roosevelt Brings Big Business To Heel

Quintus Curtius History , , ,

A central tenet of Theodore Roosevelt’s leadership was the idea that no one should be above the law.  He was deeply troubled by excessive concentrations of wealth in the hands of a few; such a situation was, he knew, inimical to the interests of a democratic republic.  He did not begrudge a man his wealth fairly earned, but he believed that the accumulation of vast treasure should not come at the expense of the public good.  The super-rich could not plunder at will and, at the same time, expect the public to operate under a different set of rules.  What especially galled Roosevelt was the arrogant way that the “captains of industry” of his day expected to reap all the benefits of the American economic system while feeling bound by no reciprocal duties to it.

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On The Remaking Of Character

Quintus Curtius Thought , ,

One of the apparent corollaries of the maxim that “character determines fate” is that character is static and unchangeable.  In the majority of cases this is undoubtedly true; but this truth should not be used as a license for us to lie supinely on our backs and let the swerve of the atoms in the void determine our future.  As volitional beings, we must act.  Forward movement is one of the imperatives of masculine virtue.  The negative personality takes refuge in the apparent indifference of the universe; but the active man, the healthy man, is too busy with his own affairs to fret over such exculpatory abstractions.  Each of us is responsible for his own fate.  Having accepted this, we will now ask how character can be modified to suit the will.

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