I know that my Victorian compadres are on vacation and I am technically the one to be holding down the fort, but unfortunately I have been overwhelmed by the current project I am dealing with this week which has resulted in a lack of posts. Sorry about that. Although I am personally stuck in the 2015-2030 timeframe until tomorrow afternoon, here are a couple of contemporary newspieces that you might find interesting/worth discussing in my absence.

First is a Slate article entitled Army for Hire which reviews two books on private security companies (formerly known as PMCs) including the latest from our other Bob, RYP.

Second is a piece on a Muslim leader in Zanzibar who says a party in the honour of Zanzibar-born singer Freddie Mercury must be stopped because he was gay and “violated Islam with his flamboyant lifestyle.” The leader went on to say that’s “why he was branded a Queen.”

Now you’re just taking credit for other people’s work, man!

PS. Today is Blog Day!

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