Almost 40 degrees in Virginia’s Piedmont. Sunny skies tracked with passing jets and thin cirrus clouds. One has the feeling that the earth is preparing for some seasonal change. Not ready, not yet, but the mood fits with what is going on overseas.

Some say it is a ‘wag the dog’ quotation from an old film plot to divert attention from a variety of public policy issues which seem to have outlived their utility. Splash was the first. He had a cup of coffee down and a couple cigarettes burned in brilliant sunshine. “It is six or seven hours into Ukraine’s day at our dawn. It would appear that the war we have been talking about isn’t going to happen today.”

DeMille took the input with his customary gravity. “We no longer have access to the special material we used to work with, thank goodness. Storage is a problem with that stuff, as you can see from all the stories about bathrooms involving everybody. But the lack of sources and methods means we are applying old thinking to new events.”

Loma grunted. Then he stirred a bit, which is the process of watching hm slowly come awake. “But that Durham guy filed something on the 11th we haven’t heard much about in the Mainstream press. It was kind of amazing to see all those conspiracy theories just laid out as being true. Is that part of what is contributing to the general chaos?”

“That is the ‘wag the dog’ theory. I don’t think this is all part of some strategy about the coming mid-term elections. There is a real event unfolding that has nothing to do with partisan politics. At least not ours. And once the alleged due-date for a Russian invasion passed, we are entitled to feel a little relieved.”

“That is one way to look at it. But there are some internals to this crisis that are still moving. Putin talked to the Germans, who need the Russian gas and oil to get through the rest of the winter. There are press reports…(groans around the circle by the stove)…that some medical units are still moving up. And the rapidly mobile parts- the aircraft and ships- have not gone anywhere yet.”

“Understood. And the Russian Duma just passed a resolution supporting the two Russian-dominated enclaves in East Ukraine were in danger. And that the Ukrainians were committing genocide against them.”

“That sounds like a set-up for something else, and reports about large-scale cyber attacks that started yesterday.”

There was an uneasy silence around the stove. “I think I can summarize our opinion here. The original H-hour for an invasion was compromised. So now we are into plan B, and it may involve an alleged ‘rescue’ mission for oppressed Russians trapped in a militarist Ukraine. And remember, the pandemic Olympic games are continuing through Sunday.”

“So, you are saying we still might want to stock up on consumable products from Belmont Farms.”

“That is the only thing that seems to make sense at the moment. But remember the big event last week?”

“You mean the Presidential visit to the tech center down the road?”

“Yep. Congresswoman Spanberger asked him to come down and help her campaign. It seemed to go pretty well, except for all the BBB signs in the auditorium.”

“And the fact that he forgot her name during the speech. That didn’t come out for a couple days.”

“I think that calls for something to go along with lunch,” said Splash. Even our attorney nodded in agreement.

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