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Editor’s Notebook

© by John Arkelian

The best of writing, photography, art, and argument – on everything from film to foreign policy.

“Ever dreamed of subscribing to a cultural magazine that doesn’t seem to be eating out of the hand of half a dozen media magnates? Something pluricultural and unassuming but nonetheless covering everything worth seeing, reading, doing or listening to for a season? Well, it exists, and in Canada to boot!”

“There is no on-line version or web site, which either makes John a dinosaur or a man of character. (I opt for the second, since the editorial team occasionally has a kind word for me.)”

John Howe — Canadian artist and co-conceptual designer on all three “The Lord of the Rings” motion pictures.

* Editor’s Note: The age of the dinosaurs has at last come to an end — with the arrival of this website!

The Imperative of Defeating Aggression in Ukraine

On January 20, 2023

© By John Arkelian

“Let it not be said that the dedication of those who love freedom is less than the determination of those who would destroy it.” (Margaret Thatcher)

There are a myriad of compelling reasons why we must defend freedom and defeat aggression in Ukraine. The moral imperative to […]

The Shirtless Czar Who Became a Naked Aggressor and Cowed the West

On February 25, 2022

© By John Arkelian

On February 24, 2022, the unthinkable happened: Vladimir Putin launched a full-

Ukraine peace — Illustration © 2022 by Linda Arkelian

scale invasion of Ukraine by land, air, and sea…. Europe is at war — and not just any war, but a war of premeditated […]

No Hill to Die On: The Dos and Don’ts of Public Protests

On February 20, 2022

© By John Arkelian

No wonder many of are losing confidence in the judgment of our elected leaders, the efficacy of our public institutions, and the inclination of those with opposing points of view to engage in civil discourse. For their part, protesters took over downtown of the national capital for […]

The Trouble with China

On October 25, 2021

© By John Arkelian

The trouble with China is that it is an autocratic one-party state with a world-view that is inimical to our core values. It is hostile to human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. It freely violates treaties, international law, and the shared precepts of the rules-based […]

With “Friends” Like These…

On October 31, 2021

© By John Arkelian

The Free World needs to be far more discriminating about whom we call allies, let alone friends. During the Cold War, we supported any number of repugnant regimes throughout the Third World. If they were hostile to communism and pliable to our economic interests, it mattered not […]

The Ignominious Debacle in Afghanistan

On August 25, 2021

© By John Arkelian

Abject failure is a hard thing to face; yet that is precisely what has been unfolding before our eyes on a daily basis as the 20th anniversary of 9/11 draws near. The complete and ignominious collapse of our long mission in Afghanistan has manifested itself with a […]