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| Raymond Bud Brazier |
| Posted on Thursday, November 13 @ 00:00:50 PST (15 reads) | |
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Oct. 8, 1973 - nov. 7, 2025
raymond bud brazier, 52 years young, died on nov. 7, 2025, in hurricane, utah. He was born on oct. 8, 1973, in bountiful, utah, to linda r. Brazier and raymond g. Brazier. He married sarah degn in the logan, utah, temple and later divorced.
known by his friends and associates as ray was lived in eight states and canada. He loved his early experiences and friendships most of all in miamisburg, ohio. While residing in miamisburg, ray received scouting’s highest rank of eagle scout. After serving as a full-time spanish-speaking missionary for the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints in arizona, tucson, ray attended ricks college, where he served on the teton leadership council. Ray went on to receive a bachelor’s degree from brigham young university. While ray enjoyed teaching the kids high school english, his greatest professional love was coaching basketball and football. Coach brazier was an assistant coach for football and basketball at mountain crest high school in hyrum, utah, then ascended to head basketball coach at tooele high school in tooele, utah. “Coach” loved teaching the game, but mentoring “the kids” personal development was an even deeper desire. Coach enjoyed following college and professional basketball and football. He was a coach at heart.
known by his family as “bud,” he is survived by his former spouse sarah degn gordon of huntington, utah, and his children: raymond bryant brazier (rinn), cade woodruff brazier (abby), and anntoinette. Bud was the proud grandfather of kingston judd brazier and bronco trev brazier. He loved his family more than anything else. They brought joy, light and purpose into his life. He loved watching his children perform in their sports, activities and passions. Bud was preceded in death by his son treven degn brazier. This tragedy brought penetrating and lasting sadness into bud’s life.
in lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be offered to the humanitarian aid fund of the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints or the utah food bank. The family would like to thank the heroic efforts of the hurricane valley fire district paramedics and emts who attended to ray, and the friends and neighbors who strived to show love and friendship to him. We are grateful to our loving neighbors and the hurricane first ward members of the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints for their service and support.
arrangements and memorial tree planting under the direction of serenity funeral home of southern utah, (435) 986-9100. Click here to share tributes online. |
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| Regents, wary of tuition guarantee programs, call for further study - NewsBreak |
| Posted on Thursday, November 13 @ 00:00:50 PST (16 reads) | |
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By brooklyn draisey ,
3 hours ago the iowa board of regents wont make any fast decisions on possible tuition guarantees after receiving a report on the subject wednesday. (Photo by peter dazeley/getty images)
the iowa board of regents wasn’t ready to call for any hard and fast decisions when it came to potential tuition guarantee programs wednesday, having received a report on how they’ve worked at other institutions and potential impacts on iowa universities.
a tuition guarantee program locks in a student’s tuition their first year, ensuring the cost won’t increase as they continue through their undergraduate education.
board chief business officer brad berg worked with regent christine hensley and former regent david barker to develop a report on tuition guarantee programs. The iowa legislature passed legislation this year requiring study of the topic and the board this spring assigned the group to conduct the work.
“implementation of a tuition guarantee program would require careful system planning and testing and establishment of clear policies and ongoing coordination and communication with students and families,” berg said.
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when combining sources of income for iowa’s public universities, berg said the breakdown falls at 20% resident undergraduate tuition, 30% state appropriations and the rest coming from tuition from other groups, such as nonresident and graduate students.
traditionally, when state funding decreases, tuition then increases, and berg said tax reductions from the state could lead to funding uncertainty in the future. The report also stated that federal actions have caused even more uncertainty in areas of research and student financial aid.
“given the historical variability in iowa’s higher education funding, implementing a tuition guarantee policy without a stable funding base could lead to unintended consequences, potentially limiting the ability of the state’s public universities to adapt to fluctuations in state support, inflation and rising operational costs,” the report stated.
berg said there are also technical considerations when considering implementing a tuition guarantee, like whether software would need to be replaced and certain programs changed. Each of the universities uses a different system for tuition payments and houses academic programs with unique tuition costs, and students often change their majors or make other moves that impact their bills.
the study group examined tuition guarantee programs across the u.S. For the report, including drake university in des moines. Results were mixed on their success, berg said, with some discontinuing their programs due to budget shortfalls after economic downturns caused state funding to decrease. Others, including drake, continue to operate their programs without negative impacts.
cameron university in oklahoma offers an optional tuition guarantee program that has students paying a premium their first year to keep tuition set for the rest of their college career, with a traditional tuition payment plan still available. Berg said enrollment in the optional program is “very low.”
“an optional program such as this would need to be carefully designed and tested to avoid unintended consequences,” berg said.
regent kurt tjaden expressed concerns that a tuition guarantee would eventually lead to cutting costs in other areas, and the area with the most costs is in staffing.
“you’re taking that financial lever away, right, because you won’t be able to increase tuition for that class,” tjaden said. “So said differently, to maintain financial viability the regents institutions are going to have to cut people — because that’s where the costs are — to offset that lost tuition.”
it would depend on the premium rate set by universities, berg said, if that’s the plan the board decides to move forward with.
he said the study group discussed the optional tuition plan idea and recommended not having students other than undergraduate residents be eligible to participate. The premium that students taking the optional path would pay would also need to be scrutinized annually to change it if necessary.
all the board has to do with the report is receive it and submit it to the general assembly, according to board documents, but board members still had the future on their minds.
hensley suggested further study of interest in potential tuition guarantees in partnership with the iowa college access network, an organization she said is in high schools across iowa answering questions from students about college affordability and financial aid.
while the “primary benefit of a tuition guarantee program is to provide predictability for students and families,” berg said a policy approved by the board in april makes tuition increases, or their limit, predictable as well.
the policy requires that base undergraduate tuition increases at state universities don’t go over the three-year inflation average set by the higher education price index. Berg said iowa’s universities have hiked tuition by an average of 3.2% over the past five years.
berg suggested, and bates and other members of the board agreed, that waiting to see how the increase cap impacts institutions and students would be the best option before implementing any new strategies based on the tuition guarantee report.
“it would be beneficial for me to see the policies that we recently put in place work,” berg said.
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| Shutdown causes SNAP benefits to hault |
| Posted on Thursday, November 13 @ 00:00:50 PST (12 reads) | |
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By jaxyn cloud, senior reporter
the government shutdown has caused vital programs to come to a halt this november, and college students are struggling because of it.
a government shutdown happens when congress doesn’t pass bills regarding funding to keep federal agencies operating. This means nonessential services temporarily close while the government tries to resolve the issue. During a government shutdown, many employees are put on temporary unpaid leave.
this causes heightened financial stress for many families across the united states.
one of the programs effected by the government shutdown is the supplemental nutrition assistance program (snap). According to the u.S. Department of agriculture’s website, snap is a program designed to improve the quality of groceries for low-income americans. It is designed to be an aid to groceries, not outright replace groceries.
the college snap project website says that over 60,000 college students in oklahoma meet the criteria to be eligible for snap benefits. This includes income, work and participation requirements. Without this program for college students, many are worried for the future and anticipating the end of this government shutdown.
the alva wesleyan church operates a food bank twice a month. The first pick-up day after the snap benefits were cancelled was nov 6. Amelia bushman, the food bank director, said they were prepared to give people twice the portion they usually do in order to balance the loss of snap benefits. They saw an increase in the amount of food taken as well as how many families were being served.
there is also an on-campus option for those seeking assistance. The campus cabinet is located in shockley hall room 109. This is a food bank for students to access on wednesdays or by setting up an appointment with angelina case.
local food pantries are seeing an increase of need and adjusting accordingly, but so are groups of students on campus. Ella bowers, a psychology major, had an idea to help community members through this trying time.
bowers is a peer leader at nwosu, and she had the idea to hold a food drive for her ranger connection class. Every ranger connection class has to participate in a service project, and bowers decided on gathering food items to donate to the campus cabinet,
“we know that there’s a need right now,” said bowers. “With the government shutdown and food stamp shortage, we just wanted to help out however we could.” |
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| Winters Season by R.J. Koreto |
| Posted on Thursday, November 13 @ 00:00:50 PST (16 reads) | |
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Winter’s season
by r.J. Koreto
january 26 – february 20, 2026 virtual book tour
synopsis:
in 1817 london, before the police, there was captain winter.
london, 1817. A city teeming with life, yet lacking a professional police force. When a wealthy young woman is brutally murdered in an alley frequented by prostitutes, a shadowy government bureau in whitehall dispatches its “special emissary”?Captain winter. A veteran of the napoleonic wars and a gentleman forged by chance and conflict, winter is uniquely equipped to navigate the treacherous currents of london society, from aristocratic drawing rooms to the city’s grimmest taverns.
without an army of officers or the aid of forensic science, winter must rely on his wits and a network of unconventional allies. His childhood friend, a nobleman, opens doors in high society, while a wise jewish physician uncovers secrets the dead cannot hide.
but winter’s most intriguing, and potentially dangerous, asset is barbara lightwood. Shrewd, beautiful, and operating as a discreet intermediary among the elite, barbara shares a past with winter from the war years. Their rekindled affair is fraught with wariness; she offers intimate information crucial to his investigation, but guards her own secrets fiercely. Like winter, she is both cunning and capable of danger.
from grand houses to dimly lit streets, death stalks captain winter. He must tread carefully to unmask a killer, navigate a web of secrets and lies, and perhaps, in the process, save his own soul.
winter’s season trailer:
book details:
genre: thriller, historical, romance, political, crime
published by: histria books
publication date: january 20, 2026
number of pages: 300
isbn: 9781592116898 (isbn10: 1592116892)
book links:[amazon]|[kindle]|[barnes & noble]|[bookshop.Org]|[goodreads]|[histria books]
read an excerpt:
chapter i
it was the custom of colonel sir joshua williams to invite his veteran officers to his house each season to commemorate the battle of san stefano. After dinner, the closing ceremony was invariable: first, the ladies rose, the young in their pale blues and pinks and the more matronly in their deeper reds and purples. They smiled and departed, leaving the table surrounded by men in their scarlet coats, adorned with medals glittering by the light of dozens of beeswax candles in their silver holders. The liveried footmen filled the port glasses and left as well, closing the doors behind them.
one former company captain looked around, taking note that he was the youngest battle veteran there—the toast would fall to him. Others had moved on or died. He had himself missed last year’s dinner, spending it on the afghan border, dressed like a saracen and getting his skin burned black while trying to uncover the secrets of that land’s sullen and violent inhabitants. Even the task he had to complete after leaving tonight, difficult as it seemed, was nothing compared with that.
the colonel caught his eye, and so the captain stood. Every man stopped talking as the captain raised his glass, and then they stood at attention. He remembered the words easily, and in a strong voice he said, “did our battle line ever break?”
“no!” Shouted the company.
“why did it not break?”
“we are the hard men,” they replied in unison.
“gentlemen, to our departed brothers of the first northumberland foot,” called the captain. They drained their glasses and slammed them down, then burst into applause. The dinner was over.
the captain—indeed, he suspected, the other officers as well—was reflecting on how this dinner came about in a year of peace. The english and their allies had defeated napoleon for the final time at waterloo two years past now in 1815 and life was moving on—the best people were all in london this time of year, with no war to talk about, just fashions and parties and theater and how good it was to be able to import from france the best claret again.
they rejoined the ladies in the drawing room, and the captain sought out lady williams, the colonel’s wife.
“my lady, thank you for your invitation.”
“it is i who should thank you, captain. These dinners mean so much to the colonel as he ages, having all his officers around.”
“and he means so much to us, lady williams, the pleasure and honor are ours. I am only glad i am back in london so i can attend.”
“yes, he mentioned you found a position in the home office?” She showed as much surprise and curiosity as a lady of her breeding dared reveal. The captain knew the look—how did a man of his obscure background land what appeared to be a distinguished government position? Despite its simple name, the home office had become, since its founding some 25 years before, one of the most powerful and overarching government ministries, with responsibility for security and safety within the british isles. The home secretary was one of the most influential men in england. How winter had advanced his career in that august body was beyond reckoning.
“yes, my lady. The work is interesting, but at times onerous, i’m afraid. Indeed, my masters call me even now.”
“at this hour, captain? How tedious for you. But again, i am pleased you could come. Give my warmest regards to the earl and countess.”
the captain said goodbye to his colonel and a few other officers, and the butler saw him out. He walked to the nearest stand and engaged a hackney cab to bow street court. A few heads turned as he entered the building, but no one accosted him. A clerk gave him the barest nod but said nothing as he entered a room.
a few minutes later, the captain came out. He was no longer in his regimentals, but in rather shabby outfit, almost rural, with a slouch hat. Down the hall, he entered another room, where a squad of bow street runners awaited—constables, employed by the local court at bow street, to keep order and seize felons. Winter suppressed a grimace. They were poorly trained and poorly paid, but it was pretty much all london had for law enforcement. Many still thought the idea of a formal professional constabulary too much government interference—too un-english. So, the runners would have to do. At least they were willing and obedient.
“we have already gone over where you should be standing,” said the captain. “You know how important it is you aren’t seen.” There was more than instruction in his voice–there was menace.
“yes, sir,” said the most senior constable present.
“then take your places. I’ll be along shortly.”
moving quickly, he left the building and walked along dark streets that became progressively dirtier and more dangerous. He saw men hiding in the shadows, those who preyed on the weak and unaware, but nothing happened to him.
eventually he came to a building that was well-lit, at least by the neighborhood standards. It was certainly the noisiest venue in the street. The cracked and faded sign marked it as the three bells.
the captain entered—a few were eating off dirty plates, and almost everyone was drinking beer, or something stronger. Slatternly women laughed and tried to slip away from the half-drunk men who loudly pursued them. Some allowed themselves to be caught, and there was more laughter and then a talk of money. The whole room smelled of smoke and grease, and the floor was sticky from weeks of spilled ale.
few paid attention to the captain, but a fat man walked up to him surprisingly quickly for someone of his bulk.
“oh captain, i am so pleased, do you think—”
“shut up. Where’s sally? She was suitable last night, and she’ll be suitable tonight.”
“sally—oh there she is.” He pointed to a tallish girl wearing more makeup than an actress. A large man in worker’s clothes, probably a stevedore, thought the captain, had grabbed her and placed her on his lap. She didn’t seem to mind.
the captain strode over, grabbed the woman by her wrist, and pulled her off the man’s lap.
“come, my girl, we have an appointment as you well know.”
she yelped with surprise, then gave a shrug and followed. The large man stood up.
“see here—i saw her first,” he said. His accent wasn’t london, which explained everything.
“good for you,” said the captain, and pulled the girl across the room. The big man started to follow, but two of his friends grabbed him.
“now jake, no need to cause trouble,” said the first, who was clearly local.
“cause trouble? I’ll flatten him—”
“no, you won’t. You don’t know, you’re new here. For god’s sake, that’s the captain, a soldier, they say he was, and you don’t want to start something with him—i’ve seen what happens to those who do—”
“that’s right,” chimed in the other friend, also a londoner. “Remember big nick—used to be here, no one stood up to him, but he challenged the captain…” he shuddered.
“and what happened?” Asked a skeptical jake. Both men look their heads.
“we never saw him again. He wasn’t arrested. They didn’t find his body—he was just…gone. So just stop thinking about it. There are plenty of other girls.”
but jake still felt he had to make a show of standing up for himself.
“so, you’re telling me it would be a mistake to call him out?”
“your last mistake,” said the first man. Then very softly, as if he was afraid of his words, he said, “he’s called winter. If you’re thinking of staying in this part of london, you would do well to remember that name.”
#
captain winter—indeed, that was his family name—dragged the girl along to the same place as the night previous, with a hope of better hunting. He told her to ply her trade in this alley and then set himself up again behind some empty crates that had once held vegetables, brought to london from the farmlands. Winter was a country boy and knew the smells. Memories of his childhood came back, which kept him from getting bored. He had learned to keep himself occupied while waiting indefinitely for something to happen. Few realized how much time in the army was spent just waiting. In the army, patience was usually rewarded with a battle, and tonight, he hoped, it would be rewarded with the capture of a killer.
although the evening had been spent remembering battles past, he put those out of his mind and thought about grain at harvest time on the estate, the bacon being smoked, the farm workers shearing the sheep and the earthy smell of the fine horses—especially the joy of riding them through the earl’s lands, with charlotte, chattering and giggling. Half his mind focused on the scene in front of him, while the other half wandered back to a past twelfth night: the coach had been stopped 10 miles from rockland court by a surprising snow, so he had borrowed a big white horse from the coaching inn and set out against all advice.
it was hardly an elegant mount, more suited for pulling a plow than for carrying an officer, but it was strong, and winter had urged it through the drifts. Charlotte had seen him from her bedroom window high up, and as he approached the manor house she had raced down and out the door, wrapped in her rabbit fur cloak.
“you made it! I never thought you would!”
“i’m a gentleman—and a gentleman always keeps his word.” Once he was inside, servants came to relieve him of his wet outer garments, leaving him in his red coat. A footman pressed a hot cup of wassail in his hand, and he let himself be led into the library, where a fire was roaring. The earl and countess joined them, chiding him for taking such a risk in stormy weather, but he had just laughed.
cook outdid herself that day, with a magnificent roast, and while the earl noticed winter’s insatiable appetite, winter noticed charlotte hardly ate anything, hanging on his every word. The family stayed up late, until winter fell asleep in a library chair, and the countess sent a reluctant charlotte to bed. But when he was alone, charlotte slipped back down and, on his brow, planted a kiss she mistakenly thought he wouldn’t notice, before tiptoeing back out again.
a noise brought winter back to the present. His hand checked the pistol on his lap, caressed the smooth wood stock, felt the metal trigger. Then he reached for the blade hidden in his boot—thin, but strong, with a razor edge on each side. He was ready.
the girl he was watching meanwhile had apparently lost herself in an impossible daydream, walking slowly, and idly playing with her hair. For now, she could imagine being the well-kept mistress of a gentleman—she was still young and fairly pretty. In another year or two, she would be neither. Winter had wanted an attractive girl, but more than that, an obedient one. That miserable fat procurer had told him the first night that the man was killing the best of them, and feared “sweet little sally” would be next.
“she was born to this, she was, captain, she’s natural for it,” he had said.
winter had told him to shut his mouth. But the man spoke anyway. He’d need more of a motivation to keep quiet, thought winter, entertaining pleasantly dark thoughts about what he’d like to do to that bastard–thoughts he knew he couldn’t act on.
it was the third night. Winter had narrowed down the location, but couldn’t be completely sure. The killer was also easily spooked, and if the night was too lively, he didn’t show. But this evening was perfect, foggy, with little moon, in an alley a short walk to st. Jude. Wasn’t he the one for lost causes? How perfect.
the girl had been complaining after two empty nights, but when winter pointed out the options to walking out under his protection, she sulkily cooperated.
there was the barest illumination from the busy street near the alley, and winter had a lantern, lit but masked, at his side. He had told the constables to stay some distance away and hidden, but within whistle call. They were getting bored too. But perhaps tonight. Hadn’t colonel williams once told him, “you’re a good officer, winter, but even better, you’re a lucky one.”
winter had tried to anticipate everything, but he knew that was impossible. The noise of a boot lightly treading on a cobblestone and winter had the pistol out, but even he wasn’t fast enough: the man was quicker and darker than he had expected. It took him a second to have his arm around the girl, and a knife to her throat. But he hadn’t yet cut her when winter had opened the lantern, stood, and aimed the pistol.
“let the girl go and drop the knife.” The man’s eyes darted in each direction, but winter blew the whistle and a moment later they heard running feet, and the squad of bow street runners was on the scene. They looked uncertain at the standoff. Winter hoped they would follow his directions.
“escape is impossible. Let the girl go, surrender, and you will have a fair trial.”
and the man laughed, slightly hysterical. It was as dr. Wolfe had said, some men were sick in body, and some sick in mind.
“yes, a trial, and then a hanging. Well, i can take one more—one more sinner off the streets.”
the runners had brought lanterns too, and now winter could see his face, and his clothes. Yes—a gentleman. He knew there had been a reason they couldn’t find him. They were looking in all the wrong places.
the girl gurgled in absolute terror as the blade came ever closer, and winter knew it took a lot to frighten a woman in her line of work.
“if you spill one drop of her blood, i swear you will not leave this alley alive.”
“rope or ball, it’s all the same.”
“no, it’s not. I’ll shoot you in the stomach. You might live a whole day like that, in agony you can’t begin to imagine.” He held the lantern up higher. “Look at me and realize i am not bluffing.”
winter saw the eyes waver and knew he had won. Before any battle, he could always look at each one of his men and tell: who would stand to the end. Who would panic. Who would freeze.
“it would seem we have a draw, then,” said the man.
“we do not. I am going to count down from five. Then i will shoot right through the girl—”
at that she screamed, and the man held her tighter.
“i will shoot right through the girl and at this range the ball will go directly into you. The girl will die instantly, but london has plenty of whores and one less won’t be a problem. I’m counting now. When i reach one, i’ll shoot.”
the scene froze, like just like the beginning of a battle. The runners looked both curious and frightened. The girl was now hysterical. And the man—he would break.
“five…four…”
“but—you’re a gentleman,” said the killer, who had in the short time taken in winter’s voice and demeanor, which came through despite his clothes. Winter almost laughed.
three…two—”
the killer threw the girl and raised his hands, still holding the dagger. He was mad, but not stupid.
“you have made a sensible decision,” said winter. He laid the pistol on a box. “Now give me that blade and come with us peacefully to bow street.”
but the eyes darted to the discarded pistol, and he suddenly came at winter with the knife poised to bury itself in his chest. A moment later, however, the dagger was flying, and winter had landed a fist full into the man’s face. He felt into a heavy heap on the ground, as he bled from his nose.
“well don’t stand there gawking, tie him up before he wakes. And someone pick up that blade—it will be needed for the trial.” Two of the runners woke from their stupor and did as they were told.
“i…i’ve never seen fighting like that, sir,” said the senior runner. “You kicked the knife right out of his hand.”
“it’s french street-fighting. I learned it from a french prisoner.”
“very impressive, sir, but if i may take a liberty, you shouldn’t have put your pistol down while he was still armed.”
“but it was intentional. I didn’t want to miss the pleasure of beating him senseless.” And winter smiled humorlessly. He was an odd one, the runners knew, and you couldn’t be sure…
winter turned his attention to sally, huddled and whimpering in the corner. “It’s all over, my sweet.” His voice was very gentle, and he reached a hand out to her. She took a breath, then looked winter in the eye.
“you bastard,” she said, and followed with an impressive stream of invective.
“our regimental sergeant major was known throughout the army for his skill at cursing, but you have him beat.” He laughed.
“you were going to shoot me!” She said.
“i knew he’d fold. You were never in any danger. I told you that you would be safe, and you are. Now for being such a good girl, i’m going to give you a reward.” He held out some money, and she stared as if she couldn’t believe it. Then her hand reached out quickly and snatched it.
“do i have to share it with…”
“i won’t tell if you won’t,” said winter.
“uh…captain…?” The constables were leading the prisoner away, stumbling and still a little stunned, and one of them was holding his lantern high into a corner of the alley. “I think i found another one.”
winter sighed and walked over. Yes, there was another woman, but he quickly saw this was something different. She was dressed in dark clothes, not the cheap gaudy dresses sally and her cohorts wore. And her throat was untouched. Winter bent down but couldn’t immediately see a wound—and there was nothing stuffed into her mouth. The captured killer hadn’t done this one.
he stood up and sighed again. “You two—take him back to bow street and return with a cart, anything to carry this body away.” He turned to the other two runners. “You—take the girl back to tavern.” He pulled some more coins from his pocket and handed them to one of the runners. “Get her something to drink and a hot meal.” She looked even more pleased at that. “Then bring that fat bastard back. I want him to look at this girl.”
“yes, sir.”
“and you—johnson—do you know where wilkie lane is? Go to number 7 and you’ll find a dr. Wolfe there. Wake him and tell him i’ll need him to see a body tonight.”
“but, sir, orders are—”
“orders are as i give them.”
“yes, sir.”
the runners hurried off to their tasks, and winter was left alone with the dead woman. He took a closer look at her. Although winter had ordered the procurer to the scene, he was sure she was not a woman of the streets. She looked clean and healthy. Her hands were soft. The woman’s dress was simple and sober—perhaps a maid on her day off, but that didn’t entirely fit either.
the young woman was beyond modesty, and winter began looking for a wound. He found it, just under her ribcage. A very nasty hole. He stood and flashed the lantern around—no blood.
the runner returned with the procurer, puffing and sweaty, although the night was cool.
“captain, captain, they tell me you caught the man—i cannot tell you how grateful i am. At last, my girls are safe. They haven’t been going out in the streets, and the money—”
“your business dealings are of no interest to me. This dead girl is.” He shined the lantern on the body.
“oh, i say, captain, not one of mine. Although i wish she had been, a pretty girl.”
“i didn’t think so, but i need to be sure.”
“poor little girl. These streets just aren’t safe for young girls such as her.”
“your sentiment does you credit,” said winter.
“thank you, captain.”
sarcasm was wasted on him.
“you’re dismissed—get back to your tavern. And clean it up. I’ll be back in a week and if i don’t like the way it looks then i’ll wake a company from the middlesex garrison, arrest everyone, and raze your tavern to the ground. I don’t care who your protectors are.” And he had the pleasure of watching him run away as fast as he could with his bulk. No doubt he’d contact his patrons, to find out just how powerful winter was—could this mysterious gentleman really shut him down? Well, at least winter had scared him for a while.
winter and the remaining constable waited for the cart for the body.
#
wilkie lane, where dr. Wolfe lived, ran to about a dozen houses, a little scuffed but generally in good repair, and quiet. People kept themselves to themselves here, and few londoners from other parts of the city found reason to visit.
winter had the constable drive there and told him to stay outside with the cart. The man had had the forethought to bring a bottle of ale and some bread and cheese, and didn’t seem too upset at the prospect.
throwing the body over his shoulder, winter entered the house, which dr. Wolfe had left unlocked in anticipation of winter’s arrival. The doctor was dressed and in his well-lit examining room, his face impassive behind his beard.
“don’t you ever have crimes during the workday?” Asked wolfe.
“the criminal classes work better by night,” said winter, and placed the corpse on the table.
now winter could see—she had been a very pretty girl, with a clear face and hair that held the remnants of a fashionable style.
“a better class of victim than usual,” said the doctor. “Who is she?”
“i don’t know. She was found in an alley. There’s an apparent knife wound in her side.”
“we’ll come to that presently. First, let’s see what we can uncover.” He prodded her, then ran his hands over different bones. “This one got plenty of food.” Next, he pried open her mouth. “A suitable diet.”
“but her dress is plain. I guessed a superior servant, a parlor maid or lady’s maid. But i looked at her hands, and now in the light, i’m sure she wasn’t. They’re too soft. Even lady’s maids should have pinpricks from sewing or other signs of work. This woman did nothing.”
“gentry?” Asked the doctor. “Should i even be examining her, then?”
another man might’ve taken the doctor’s reluctance for fear, but winter had seen wolfe calmly dressing wounds on a battlefield while musket balls flew around his head. The doctor had no fear. He had wanted to study wounds, so he just showed up at the regimental hq and offered his service on the front lines. The need was great, so no one was in a position to turn down a volunteer doctor, even a foreigner and a jew. And as it turned out, he saved lives and limbs. He earned winter’s respect, and then his friendship. Winter made it clear that any man who had a problem with dr. Wolfe, had a problem with him.
“do whatever you need to. But time isn’t unlimited. A woman of her class will be missed, and i can’t keep the body forever.”
“then you’ll be my assistant.” They wrestled the dress off the girl.
“she was a lady. Those are expensive and fine underthings. No servant would wear those.”
winter looked up from the body to see a wry smile on the doctor’s face. “Dare i ask how you come by that knowledge, my friend?”
“my position has forced me to educate myself in many different subjects,” responded winter, coolly.
“someday the king will realize the sacrifices you have made in his service, and you’ll get a knighthood,” said wolfe. “Now let’s see this wound.” He examined the slit in the woman’s side. “Did you see lots of blood?”
“none. Not under her or nearby.”
“then she was killed elsewhere. There should’ve been a lot of blood. Now, as to a weapon.” He pulled out some lenses. “This is different from the last ones i examined. Not only the location on her body but a much different weapon, not thin and sharp, i’d almost say a bayonet. But—there’s some tearing, as if the blade had a nick. I wonder….” He frowned. “Come with me.”
they walked back to the kitchen. “Let’s hope miriam doesn’t find out i was here. This is her room only.” Miriam was a cousin of the doctor’s, who cooked and kept house for him, with the assistance of local girl who lived out and did the heavy cleaning. Efficient and hard-working, miriam was loyal to the doctor, but had disliked winter from the moment she met him, and no amount of time would change that.
kitchen knives were hanging on a rack. Wolfe selected a couple, thumbed the blades, and carried them back to the examining room. He held them against the wound. “That is my conclusion, captain. If we assume kitchen knives are much alike, that’s what killed this girl. Cooks keep them sharp, but over the years the blades get nicks, chopping through bone. She would’ve died quickly.”
“but why a well-born girl in a servant’s clothes? And why no jewelry?”
“wouldn’t anything have been stolen from the body?”
“there are no signs that rings were wrenched off quickly, or necklaces pulled off a neck. I think jewelry was removed and clothing changed, to disguise her. She was wearing something else when she was killed—we know that, because there’s almost no blood on the inside of her dress, and no corresponding cut in the dress.”
wolfe stepped over to his lenses, chose one, and bent over to get as close as possible to the wound.
“hand me my tweezers,” he said, and winter did. The doctor held his glass with one hand and manipulated the tweezers with great care into the slit. “Very good.” He gingerly carried the tweezers to an odd device, almost like a sextant, and placed what he captured in the tweezers on a small glass plate. He adjusted the device and looked through an eyepiece on the top. “Very good, indeed. Captain, this is a microscope. Just as telescopes make far things close, this makes small things big. Look—tell me what you see.”
winter squinted into the eyepiece. “Blue threads.”
“exactly. When the knife went into the girl, it pushed threads from the dress into the wound. She was wearing a pale blue dress.”
“you have exceeded yourself, doctor. You’ve worked a miracle.”
“only the good lord above works miracles,” said the doctor.
“your lord or mine?” Asked winter, smiling.
“aren’t they one and the same?” Asked the doctor, mildly, and winter laughed.
dr. Wolfe turned back to the body, and explored her hands, and feet and various joints. It was almost impossible to imagine this girl in a fashionable dress, dancing at one of the season’s parties. And winter didn’t try. He had seen fields of men like that, and thoughts about the lives they had led before, the lives they would never now lead, could only provoke madness.
“there is little roughness. The young lady did not walk much and did no work, as you guessed. Additional proof she was a lady of leisure. But if it helps you, she broke the smallest finger on her left hand. They either didn’t send for a doctor quickly enough or he was clumsy. There would’ve been some permanent stiffness.”
“they should’ve called for you.”
“yes, i am the first physician the english gentry considers,” he said, dryly.
then dr. Wolfe thought for a moment and laid his hand on her abdomen. “My friend, i think the young lady has one more secret to give up. Hand me that tray of tools…” wolfe’s fingers worked quickly and surely, his brow furrowed as he focused on his tasks. Then he allowed himself a smile of triumph. “It is as i thought. The young lady was with child.”
“you’re certain?”
“within the first three months, i believe. She should’ve known.” He shrugged. “Unless she chose not to know.”
“so, i have a pregnant woman from a good family in a part of london she shouldn’t even have known about, let alone entered, in a dress that wasn’t hers. This will be a little harder than finding out who decided to rid london of whores.”
“and that reminds me. How does that investigation fare?”
“i actually caught the man this evening. I found this girl in the same area, and first thought she was another of his victims.”
“congratulations on your success.”
“yours too, doctor. You were the one who identified the kind of blade it was.” The doctor had examined the murdered ladies of the street and had concluded the blade was expensive and well-cared for, hardly something a common criminal would carry. “You were right. He was mad.” Winter made a grimace. “Somewhat like our king, i suppose.” It wasn’t openly discussed in society, but king george iii had become “unwell,” as it was politely said. His son had been given most of the king’s power, his royal purse and the title of “prince regent”—all of which he used more to pursue pleasure than to govern.
“the murderer or your english king—beyond my poor skills. But i am pleased i could assist with your case. Can i find you something to eat before you go?”
“thank you, but i should be getting the body back to bow street. Someone is probably looking for her.” And hunger was the only thing keeping him awake.
“very well, but as your friend and doctor, i ask you to take care of your health.”
#
winter and the runner drove back to bow street, where the body was placed, and winter arranged to be informed if anyone inquired after a missing woman. He thought finally to get back to his lodgings for food and sleep, when he received another surprise: sir alston tenebrac himself. Winter had rarely seen him outside of chambers at whitehall, but even in bow street’s rough quarters he looked much the same. He wore plain but beautifully tailored clothes that suited his short stature. His pale face, which rose to a perfectly bald head, was dominated by two small eyes, as dark and sharp as obsidian, and they darted around, missing nothing.
“sir alston. A pleasure to see you here.”
“and a great surprise, i am sure.” His voice was just over a whisper, but it caught your attention. Sir alston was a lawyer, and they taught you those tricks of the voice, winter had heard. “I hear you caught the man responsible for those dreadful murders of prostitutes. Slitting their throats and stuffing bible verses into their mouths. How did you catch him? I look forward to your report, but surely you can give me a précis now.”
winter didn’t ask how sir alston had found out so quickly. It would’ve been impertinent, as well as pointless—sir alston seemed to hear everything.
“the bible verses stuffed into the girls’ mouths, in the opinion of a physician i consulted, suggested a madman, sir. One with a peculiar religious bent. I inquired at various churches to see if the ministers had been visited by anyone displaying unseemly religious fervor and found something else—someone had disturbed a different church near each murder on each night. But nothing was stolen or damaged, so no reports were made. It seems he went to pray after each killing. I mapped the murders and churches and could draw a line from the fashionable neighborhoods deeper into the poor areas. After each murder, he had to descend deeper to find a new victim, but he never was far from a church. That pointed to a gentleman—”
at that word, sir alston raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
“also, the weapon was an expensive blade. He was clearly not a resident of the area. Knowing he had to be near a church but not far from an area prostitutes walked, and that he had to travel a little further each time, i narrowed down the places.”
sir alston nodded. “It sounds like you planned a military campaign.”
“that was my training, sir.”
“of course, of course. I am pleased at the resolution. The matter was becoming increasingly gossiped about by the servant class, and when that happens, it’s only a matter of time before their masters hear about it. But to new matters. On arriving here for a discussion of the case with the magistrates, i heard you have deposited another body. A woman apparently from a good family.”
“that is the only aspect that is apparent, sir. I don’t even have an identity. I assume you want me to investigate, sir?”
“that would seem advisable, captain. But with tact and discretion. I want to be kept closely informed on this.” He looked winter up and down. “You might want to refresh yourself first, though.”
“my thoughts exactly, sir.”
“then i will wish you good day.” He took several steps, then turned. “Tact and discretion, captain.”
#
winter’s timing was fortunate—breakfast was just being served at the cravell house. Violet, the little maid, was racing around the table with hot toast. Mr. Cravell sipped tea sparingly, as if he was afraid to spill on drop on his unfashionable but extremely respectable suit. Mrs. Cravell’s eyes looked for any sign of imperfection, from the table settings, to the position of the teapot, to the behavior of her two boys.
“it’s not polite to whisper,” she admonished them.
she stopped searching when winter walked in. “Bless me, captain winter, i said to mr. Cravell, i hoped captain winter would make it to breakfast. We have set you a plate. You look like you need a good meal.”
“yes, bless you, mrs. Cravell, you are correct. I trust i will not offend you, but i was traveling extensively tonight and am still in my riding clothes.”
“nonsense, captain. You were working hard on the king’s business. Take a seat and think nothing more of it.”
he looked around the table, and his eye landed on a new occupant, a young woman with an outdoor complexion and the peculiarly rich flaxen hair you found in the old saxon families. Her dress was plain, but suited her nicely rounded figure. This girl is a dairy maid, concluded winter. He had known such girls in his boyhood, with their strong hands and creamy cheeks, and he remembered the songs they sang with their gentle voices while they worked.
this particular girl had soft grey eyes that looked at him with curiosity and perhaps some amusement.
“i haven’t had the pleasure,” he said, gravely.
“i am sorry, captain,” said mrs. Cravell. “I was going to make an introduction after you had had a little tea. Miss charity thorne, may i present captain edmund winter, who works with mr. Cravell at whitehall. Miss thorne is my niece, my brother’s daughter.” She paused for full effect. “Captain winter is foster brother to the earl of rockland. He is originally from rockland court, and now the earl and countess are up for the season, aren’t they, captain? They are no doubt with the hon. Miss charlotte fitzhugh, the countess’s niece, daughter of the late viscount devereaux, and granddaughter of the duke of vale.”
there would be no changing the words to that song. It was mrs. Cravell’s favorite.
“your servant, miss,” said winter. Yes, that must be amusement in those eyes. “I hope your journey up to london was pleasant.”
“very much so, captain. It’s my first visit to london, and i am finding it most interesting.”
“no one can help but find london interesting,” he said, and started to eat. Mrs. Cravell was beaming at him, for some reason. “Mr. Cravell, i met with sir alston at bow street. I expect he may be there for some time. So don’t be surprised if he is not in the office when you arrive.”
“i have been in sir alston’s service for 20 years, and have ceased to be surprised at anything he does,” said mr. Cravell, in his usual somber tone. It was as if he had gone into mourning when queen anne had died a century before and still hadn’t come out. He was sir alston’s chief clerk, which is how winter had come to rent a room in their house. “I thank you, though, for the information. I trust your meeting at bow street was due to a successful conclusion in your task?”
“very successful, thank you, mr. Cravell. Sir alston seemed pleased.”
“very good, then,” said mr. Cravell. The boys glanced at winter, who was a figure of romance and mystery to them and resumed whispering. Mrs. Cravell’s eyes darted to miss thorne, who spoke. “May i inquire about the nature of your work for sir alston, captain? I understand from my uncle that you work in a bureau of the home office.”
winter, happily in the middle of a sausage, had to think. Mr. Cravell looked like he was going to answer the question, but a furious look from his wife silenced him.
“my particular bureau is concerned with curbing the criminal classes, miss thorne, as the home office overall is concerned with upholding the law. My military experience and travels abroad have given me some peculiar knowledge, and i advise their lordships in government as best i can. I file reports for the most part; it’s rather dull.”
he didn’t think to say more, but miss thorne continued to look at him expectantly, as if he were in the middle of a story she wanted him to finish, so he continued. “You may not be aware, but london does not have a professional police force—that is, men who are trained and paid to prevent crime and catch criminals, unlike paris, which has had such a body for many years.”
“that’s very interesting, captain. We hear so little of the world outside of cheshire back home.” Winter could think of nothing else to say, as he became acutely aware of his clothes, inconsistent with the rather clerkly job he had just described. He felt her intelligent eyes on him; this young woman knew he didn’t spend his days behind a desk, or his nights riding a horse. She probably didn’t believe he was an earl’s foster brother either.
she spoke again. “So, captain, if i understand you rightly, paris has a—what you called a ‘professional police force.’ And london—well, london has you.” There was merriment in those eyes now.
yes, miss thorne was definitely laughing at him.
***
excerpt from winter’s season by r.J. Koreto. Copyright 2026 by r.J. Koreto. Reproduced with permission from r.J. Koreto. All rights reserved.
author bio:
r.J. Koreto is the author of the historic home mystery series, set in modern new york city; the lady frances ffolkes mystery series, set in edwardian england; and the alice roosevelt mystery series, set in turn-of-the-century new york. His short stories have been published in ellery queen’s mystery magazine and alfred hitchcock’s mystery magazine, as well as various anthologies.
most recently, he is the author of “winter’s season,” which takes place on the dark streets and glittering ballrooms of regency-era london.
in his day job, he works as a business and financial journalist. Over the years, he’s been a magazine writer and editor, website manager, pr consultant, book author, and seaman in the u.S. Merchant marine. Like his heroine, lady frances ffolkes, he’s a graduate of vassar college.
he and his wife have two grown daughters, and divide their time between paris and martha’s vineyard.
catch up with r.J. Koreto:
tour participants:
tour host info:
book formats: epub, print
hosting options: review, interview, guest post, showcase
giveaway: there will be a tour-wide pict giveaway
more: according to the author winter’s season does not include: excessive strong language, graphic violence, explicit sexual scenes, or rape. However, readers may encounter content that is considered to be another trigger situation. Generally the content is considered to be no more than pg-rated content. At this time, pict staff have not yet read this book and cannot give additional information. |
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| Early Signing Day: See which Inland athletes are signing with colleges - Worldne |
| Posted on Thursday, November 13 @ 00:00:50 PST (14 reads) | |
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Wednesday, nov. 12, marked the first day of the early signing period for high school athletes in sports other than football to sign college athletics aid agreements. More than 100 inland athletes are expected to make their college choices final during this signing period. Centennial high school holds a ceremony on...
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| Early Signing Day: See which Inland athletes are signing with colleges |
| Posted on Thursday, November 13 @ 00:00:50 PST (14 reads) | |
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Wednesday, nov. 12, marked the first day of the early signing period for high school athletes in sports other than football to sign college athletics aid agreements.
more than 100 inland athletes are expected to make their college choices final during this signing period.
a handful of schools in the inland area held ceremonies wednesday to celebrate their athletes who signed while others will hold events in the near future.
among those signing this week are two athletes who earned ie varsity player of the year honors during the 2024-25 school year: riverside poly’s ava deanda (girls swimming) and alta loma’s carly berzins (girls water polo).
ganesha; king and murrieta valley had the most reported athletes who signed with eight apiece. Centennial and los osos each had seven athletes sign.
aquinas
christephor alzaga, baseball, long beach state
jacob bitonti, baseball, grand canyon
elizabeth dayun jang, girls golf, ut chattanooga
jonathan tena, baseball, uc san diego
hayden vanderhoof, baseball, long beach state
alta loma
carly berzins, girls water polo, long beach state
angelina cinquemani, girls water polo, hawaii
skylar eddy, girls water polo, azusa pacific
mollie kochel, girls water polo, claremont-mudd-scripps
bonita
kiana crawford, softball, northwest nazarene
kody mckinney, girls soccer, point loma
daniel nageer, baseball, loyola marymount
riley navarro, girls soccer, st. Mary’s
cajon
gavin garcia, baseball, nevada
cal lutheran
maddie buchberger, girls volleyball, vanguard
centennial
mckenna giles, girls volleyball, uc riverside
michael nonis, baseball, nevada
ashton pangestu, boys lacrosse, arizona christian
victoria richani, girls golf, denver
isaiah rogers, boys basketball, stanford
philip shirley, boys lacrosse, concordia
jacob torres, baseball, nevada
chaparral
maya raza, girls volleyball, puget sound
citrus valley
camrynn culp, softball, park
addison king, softball, adams state
monse matute, softball, ucla
nathan stamper, baseball, simpson
diamond bar
moanikeala finau, girls golf, cal state northridge
yenna song, softball, pacific
diamond ranch
jaidyn williams, girls soccer, cal state fullerton
elsinore
jacob farias, baseball, cal state san bernardino
brayden stankus, baseball, adams state
ganesha
victoria eanes, softball, middlebury state
victor garcia, baseball, la sierra
dyson grant, baseball, oregon state
owen lesser, baseball, usc upstate
domina lowman, softball, fresno state
johana pina, softball, utah tech
logan schmidt, baseball, lsu
ford stoen, baseball, purdue
great oak
evan hampton, baseball, point loma
ali hunstock, girls volleyball, hawaii pacific
hayley levins, girls field hockey, ohio wesleyan
emma myers, girls soccer, benedictine
sydney smith, softball, howard
hemet
kaylynn carter, girls wrestling, menlo
jaydah godbolt, girls swimming, cal state east bay
gabriella loza, girls cross country, cal state fullerton
jaylee milner, girls water polo, la salle
ryanne womack, softball, purdue
hillcrest
katelyn littlejohn, girls soccer, cal state dominguez hills
king
sydney cobb, softball, cal state fullerton
janai davis-stover, softball, utep
bear garrett, boys soccer, belhaven
gracie guzzetta, girls cross county / track and field, army
elizabeth jacklin, girls cross county / track and field, california baptist
brooke lebsock, softball, nebraska
gavin starling, boys water polo, biola
cheri thompson, softball, kentucky
linfield christian
charli calas, softball, ole miss
lyle ganes, boys lacrosse, st. Thomas
chloe hill, softball, utep
zoey renno, girls volleyball, rocky mountain
drew taylor, baseball, california baptist
los osos
aeden holloway, baseball, menlo
kyle humphrey, baseball, cal poly pomona
moses lanza, baseball, hope international
gaivn loeb-keene, baseball, califorinia baptist
erin miyagishima, girls golf, cal state san marcos
wyatt mohler, baseball, st. Mary’s
mia ochoa, girls soccer, vanguard
murrieta valley
arielle avina, girls cross county / track and field, california baptist
cole clark, boys track and field, uc santa barbara
payton henry, girls soccer, uc davis
presley henry, girls soccer, uc davis
lily johnson, girls soccer, uc san diego
domenico lombardo, baseball, menlo
sofia stremel, softball, adams state
kylie testi, girls soccer, southern illinois-carbondale
norco
mya arriola, girls flag football, benedictine
landon hovermale, baseball, grand canyon
peyton may, softball, oklahoma state
makynzie mcdaniel, girls soccer, cal state san marcos
baron nguyen, boys golf, ucla
sasha pham, softball, columbia
ontario christian
danica peters, girls soccer, biola
paloma valley
malia jones, girls volleyball, cal state dominguez hills
rancho verde
semaj carter, boys basketball, montana
riverside poly
dakota carvo, girls volleyball, cal state dominguez hills
james croy, boys basketball, st. Mary’s
ava deanda, girls swimming, cal
dashiell deanda, boys swimming, uc san diego
violet espin, softball, memphis
brooklyn snider, softball, nevada
san dimas
ava aguiar, girls soccer, regis
louis farias, baseball, midamerica nazarene
audrey schlim, softball, portland state
temecula valley
ginger boyle, girls volleyball, cal state la
anaya francois, girls volleyball, colby
savannah sheridan, girls volleyball, boise state
temescal canyon
gwen aragon, softball, southern virginia
lorelai caywood, girls soccer, erskine
savanna gunnell, softball, southern virginia
sarah juarez, softball, minnesota-state-moorhead
jessenia moore, softball, loyola marymount
citlalli ruiz, girls soccer, sacramento state |
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| Early Signing Day: See which Inland athletes are signing with colleges - Press E |
| Posted on Thursday, November 13 @ 00:00:50 PST (18 reads) | |
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Wednesday, nov. 12, marked the first day of the early signing period for high school athletes in sports other than football to sign college athletics aid agreements.
more than 100 inland athletes are expected to make their college choices final during this signing period.
centennial high school holds a ceremony on wednesday morning, nov. 12, 2025, for athletes signing with colleges. From left, victoria richani, girls golf, signs with the university of denver; isaiah rogers, boys basketball, with stanford university; and mckenna giles, girls volleyball, with uc riverside. (Photo by anjali sharif-paul, the sun/scng) centennial high school holds a ceremony on wednesday morning, nov. 12, 2025, for athletes signing with colleges. Ashton pangestu, boys lacrosse, who signed with arizona christian, gets his photo taken by his mother, melissa juarez. (Photo by anjali sharif-paul, the sun/scng) centennial high school holds a ceremony on wednesday morning, nov. 12, 2025, for athletes signing with colleges. (Photo by anjali sharif-paul, the sun/scng) centennial high school’s isaiah rogers, boys basketball, signs with stanford as he and his father, kevin rogers, shake hands during a ceremony on wednesday, nov. 12, 2025. (Photo by anjali sharif-paul, the sun/scng centennial high school’s isaiah rogers, boys basketball, signs with stanford as he and his father, kevin rogers, shake hands during a ceremony on wednesday, nov. 12, 2025. (Photo by anjali sharif-paul, the sun/scng centennial high school holds a ceremony on wednesday, nov. 12, 2025, for athletes signing with colleges. Ashton pangestu, boys lacrosse, who signed with arizona christian, looks for his family in the crowd. (Photo by anjali sharif-paul, the sun/scng) centennial high school athletic director tony barile speaks to students, family, and friends during the school’s ceremony on wednesday, nov. 12, 2025, for athletes signing with colleges. (Photo by anjali sharif-paul, the sun/scng) centennial high school holds a ceremony on wednesday morning, nov. 12, 2025, for athletes signing with colleges. At forefront, ashton pangestu of boys lacrosse signs with arizona christian. (Photo by anjali sharif-paul, the sun/scng) show caption 1 of 8 centennial high school holds a ceremony on wednesday morning, nov. 12, 2025, for athletes signing with colleges. From left, victoria richani, girls golf, signs with the university of denver; isaiah rogers, boys basketball, with stanford university; and mckenna giles, girls volleyball, with uc riverside. (Photo by anjali sharif-paul, the sun/scng) expand a handful of schools in the inland area held ceremonies wednesday to celebrate their athletes who signed while others will hold events in the near future.
among those signing this week are two athletes who earned ie varsity player of the year honors during the 2024-25 school year: riverside poly’s ava deanda (girls swimming) and alta loma’s carly berzins (girls water polo).
ganesha; king and murrieta valley had the most reported athletes who signed with eight apiece. Centennial and los osos each had seven athletes sign.
aquinas
christephor alzaga, baseball, long beach state
jacob bitonti, baseball, grand canyon
elizabeth dayun jang, girls golf, ut chattanooga
jonathan tena, baseball, uc san diego
hayden vanderhoof, baseball, long beach state
alta loma
carly berzins, girls water polo, long beach state
angelina cinquemani, girls water polo, hawaii
skylar eddy, girls water polo, azusa pacific
mollie kochel, girls water polo, claremont-mudd-scripps
bonita
kiana crawford, softball, northwest nazarene
kody mckinney, girls soccer, point loma
daniel nageer, baseball, loyola marymount
riley navarro, girls soccer, st. Mary’s
cajon
gavin garcia, baseball, nevada
cal lutheran
maddie buchberger, girls volleyball, vanguard
centennial
mckenna giles, girls volleyball, uc riverside
michael nonis, baseball, nevada
ashton pangestu, boys lacrosse, arizona christian
victoria richani, girls golf, denver
isaiah rogers, boys basketball, stanford
philip shirley, boys lacrosse, concordia
jacob torres, baseball, nevada
chaparral
maya raza, girls volleyball, puget sound
citrus valley
camrynn culp, softball, park
addison king, softball, adams state
monse matute, softball, ucla
nathan stamper, baseball, simpson
diamond bar
moanikeala finau, girls golf, cal state northridge
yenna song, softball, pacific
diamond ranch
jaidyn williams, girls soccer, cal state fullerton
elsinore
jacob farias, baseball, cal state san bernardino
brayden stankus, baseball, adams state
ganesha
victoria eanes, softball, middlebury state
victor garcia, baseball, la sierra
dyson grant, baseball, oregon state
owen lesser, baseball, usc upstate
domina lowman, softball, fresno state
johana pina, softball, utah tech
logan schmidt, baseball, lsu
ford stoen, baseball, purdue
great oak
evan hampton, baseball, point loma
ali hunstock, girls volleyball, hawaii pacific
hayley levins, girls field hockey, ohio wesleyan
emma myers, girls soccer, benedictine
sydney smith, softball, howard
hemet
kaylynn carter, girls wrestling, menlo
jaydah godbolt, girls swimming, cal state east bay
gabriella loza, girls cross country, cal state fullerton
jaylee milner, girls water polo, la salle
ryanne womack, softball, purdue
hillcrest
katelyn littlejohn, girls soccer, cal state dominguez hills
king
sydney cobb, softball, cal state fullerton
janai davis-stover, softball, utep
bear garrett, boys soccer, belhaven
gracie guzzetta, girls cross county / track and field, army
elizabeth jacklin, girls cross county / track and field, california baptist
brooke lebsock, softball, nebraska
gavin starling, boys water polo, biola
cheri thompson, softball, kentucky
linfield christian
charli calas, softball, ole miss
lyle ganes, boys lacrosse, st. Thomas
chloe hill, softball, utep
zoey renno, girls volleyball, rocky mountain
drew taylor, baseball, california baptist
los osos
aeden holloway, baseball, menlo
kyle humphrey, baseball, cal poly pomona
moses lanza, baseball, hope international
gaivn loeb-keene, baseball, califorinia baptist
erin miyagishima, girls golf, cal state san marcos
wyatt mohler, baseball, st. Mary’s
mia ochoa, girls soccer, vanguard
murrieta valley
arielle avina, girls cross county / track and field, california baptist
cole clark, boys track and field, uc santa barbara
payton henry, girls soccer, uc davis
presley henry, girls soccer, uc davis
lily johnson, girls soccer, uc san diego
domenico lombardo, baseball, menlo
sofia stremel, softball, adams state
kylie testi, girls soccer, southern illinois-carbondale
norco
mya arriola, girls flag football, benedictine
landon hovermale, baseball, grand canyon
peyton may, softball, oklahoma state
makynzie mcdaniel, girls soccer, cal state san marcos
baron nguyen, boys golf, ucla
sasha pham, softball, columbia
ontario christian
danica peters, girls soccer, biola
paloma valley
malia jones, girls volleyball, cal state dominguez hills
rancho verde
semaj carter, boys basketball, montana
riverside poly
dakota carvo, girls volleyball, cal state dominguez hills
james croy, boys basketball, st. Mary’s
ava deanda, girls swimming, cal
dashiell deanda, boys swimming, uc san diego
violet espin, softball, memphis
brooklyn snider, softball, nevada
san dimas
ava aguiar, girls soccer, regis
louis farias, baseball, midamerica nazarene
audrey schlim, softball, portland state
temecula valley
ginger boyle, girls volleyball, cal state la
anaya francois, girls volleyball, colby
savannah sheridan, girls volleyball, boise state
temescal canyon
gwen aragon, softball, southern virginia
lorelai caywood, girls soccer, erskine
savanna gunnell, softball, southern virginia
sarah juarez, softball, minnesota-state-moorhead
jessenia moore, softball, loyola marymount
citlalli ruiz, girls soccer, sacramento state |
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| Libertarian Realism: A New Synthesis Of American Conservatism In A Multipolar Wo |
| Posted on Thursday, November 13 @ 00:00:50 PST (11 reads) | |
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Libertarian realism: a new synthesis of american conservatism in a multipolar world – analysis
abstract
this article presents and develops the political concept of libertarian realism as a potential vanguard ideology for american conservatism—a response to the profound geopolitical, economic, and cultural transformations of the 21st century. It argues that the traditional ideological construct of fusionism—the dominant strand of american conservative thought from the late 20th to early 21st centuries, which fused economic liberalism, social conservatism, and interventionist foreign policy—has demonstrably failed to meet today’s challenges. Evidence of this decline includes the significant erosion of trust in the republican party across key voter segments, as reflected in the 2020 elections.
libertarian realism is described as a hybrid conservative ideology rooted in core libertarian principles—minarchism and the free market—drawing from the classical works of mises, hayek, and rothbard. Crucially, however, it is complemented by a sober, pragmatic understanding of inescapable geopolitical realities: states act based on tangible interests, not illusions of justice or altruistic idealism.
while affirming free markets and limited government as indispensable engines of social progress, libertarian realism acknowledges that, in an era of escalating geopolitical polarization and macro-level structural shifts, the very possibility of preserving liberty may require temporary tactical constraints in defense of national sovereignty. This includes considering protectionism as a strategic tool to safeguard sovereignty in the context of geopolitical conflict—a view shared by economists such as daniel klein, oren cass, stephen miran, daniel lacalle, and others.
the article emphasizes the dangerous economic dependency on authoritarian regimes for critical resources and industrial goods as a central factor undermining u.S. National sovereignty.
it deconstructs the decline of fusionism, attributing its erosion to failed military campaigns, the unforeseen negative consequences of globalization, and rising economic inequality that fractured its social base.
donald trump’s 2016 election victory is interpreted not as an isolated anomaly but as a systemic “hyper-shift” reflecting broad public disillusionment with the existing political order and a demand for a more nationally focused, pragmatic foreign policy.
the piece then compares libertarian realism with other significant currents in contemporary american conservatism—paleoconservatism, neoconservatism, and the so-called “new right.” It acknowledges areas of overlap, such as skepticism toward globalism and military interventionism, while underscoring a fundamental divergence: libertarian realism resists approaches that expand state power to impose cultural norms or pursue ideological foreign policy.
the article elaborates the thesis that libertarian realism defends minimal state interference and the primacy of individual liberty—distinguishing it sharply from certain proposals by the “new right,” currently the most influential conservative faction, which may subordinate these principles to cultural or nationalist ends.
in conclusion, libertarian realism is presented as an adaptive evolution of conservative thought—a flexible model that places individual freedom at its core while pragmatically accounting for strategic imperatives of national security and economic sovereignty in a complex, multipolar, and fragmenting global landscape. Its success hinges on the ability to preserve the ideological core of conservatism without fearing tactical innovation.
libertarian realism: a new concept for conservative consensus
american conservatism stands at the epicenter of a profound transformation driven by the convergence of geopolitical realignments, deep economic restructuring, and intensifying cultural fractures within the right itself.
the traditional ideological framework of fusionism—a synthesis of economic liberalism, social conservatism, and interventionist foreign policy—now reveals its manifest inadequacy in confronting the challenges of the 21st century.
statistical evidence powerfully illustrates the erosion of the republican party’s traditional support base. According to pew research center reports, trust in the party among voters with below-median incomes plummeted from 54% in 2016 to just 39% in 2023—a clear signal of growing voter dissatisfaction with fusionism’s outdated dogmas and its inability to address contemporary societal concerns.
in a multipolar world order—where the united states no longer enjoys unchallenged political dominance and the economy has become a key theater of geopolitical competition—the tenets of traditional conservatism have not only lost relevance but have at times become tactically dangerous. Recent geopolitical crises—from the war in ukraine to tensions in the south china sea and instability in the middle east—have starkly demonstrated how economic dependence can be weaponized not merely as a tactical tool but as a strategic instrument of political coercion.
china’s control over roughly 75% of global rare earth metal supplies—critical for u.S. Defense and high-tech industries (per sipri, 2023)—is just one example of this perilous trend. Growing economic reliance on authoritarian regimes, which dominate global supply chains of essential resources and industrial goods—particularly among nations of the so-called “global south”—combined with intensifying internal divisions within the republican party, has fundamentally undermined the foundations of classical conservatism.
in response to these tectonic shifts, the right is actively searching for new ideological coordinates. Among the most promising and conceptually grounded frameworks to transcend conservatism’s current relevance crisis is what we term libertarian realism.
libertarian realism is a prospective new hybrid ideology grounded in core libertarian principles—minarchism and free markets—inspired by the classical works of mises, hayek, and rothbard. Yet unlike orthodox libertarianism, it is augmented by a clear-eyed, pragmatic grasp of geopolitical realities. As political scientist john mearsheimer incisively observed, “in international politics, states act not out of altruism but out of interest.” This realist axiom becomes a cornerstone of libertarian realism.
libertarian realism unambiguously affirms free markets and limited government as irreplaceable engines of social progress. Yet it openly acknowledges that in an age of escalating geopolitical polarization and systemic disruption, preserving liberty itself may require temporary, tactical constraints in defense of national sovereignty. As economist daniel klein aptly noted, “in today’s geopolitical environment, protectionism amid conflict is not a retreat from freedom but a tactical measure to preserve sovereignty.” This insight resonates deeply with friedrich hayek’s classic definition of liberty: “freedom presupposes awareness of the boundaries beyond which it may be lost.”
thus, libertarian realism represents an adaptation of core libertarian and traditional conservative principles to the harsh realities of a multipolar world. It seeks to uphold commitment to free markets and limited government while soberly recognizing the strategic necessity of tactical compromises to defend what matters most—national sovereignty and the survival of a free society amid real, not imagined, threats. In an era when critical supply chains are controlled by u.S. Adversaries, absolutist adherence to liberal orthodoxies like unrestricted free trade may directly lead to loss of independence. Even murray rothbard, a pillar of modern libertarianism, conceded that the “night-watchman state” must ensure security not only from internal but also external threats—particularly in conditions of geopolitical risk.
therefore, libertarian realism may be viewed as an evolutionary modification of minarchist theory, calibrated to meet the novel challenges of 21st-century international politics.
deconstructing fusionism: the decline of conservatism and the rise of the “new right”
the roots of american conservatism lie in the writings of edmund burke, who stressed the sacred importance of tradition, continuity, and organic social development. His thought shaped classical conservatism, which regards society as a complex organism requiring gradual, evolutionary change to avoid catastrophic rupture. Burke’s nuanced stance—supporting the american revolution (as a defense of self-governing traditions) while recoiling from the french revolution (as the total destruction of social order)—established the modern conservative ethos: “the disposition to preserve and the ability to improve, taken together, would be my standard of a statesman,” he declared.
conservatives are distinguished by their commitment to preserving the institutions and norms essential to a democratic, market-based society. Psychological research by jonathan haidt confirms that conservatives appeal to a broader spectrum of moral foundations—including liberty, fairness, loyalty, authority, sanctity, and care—emphasizing the need for external structures—laws, institutions, traditions—for societal flourishing.
by contrast, libertarians display markedly lower sensitivity to traditional moral categories, prioritizing liberty above all else. This helps explain why libertarian realism seeks a balance between liberty and the necessity of state protection amid instability.
in the post–world war ii era, the dominant strand of american conservatism became fusionism, developed by frank meyer as an attempt to reconcile disparate tendencies. Meyer viewed conservatism not merely as resistance to change but as an active defense of individual freedom grounded in moral principles.
fusionism united economic liberalism (the free market as the foundation of prosperity), social conservatism (traditional values as society’s bedrock), and interventionism (america’s global role in promoting democracy). Its triumph came with ronald reagan’s presidency, which successfully combined tax cuts and deregulation with the reinforcement of traditional values and assertive foreign policy. Reagan-era economic indicators—such as average real gdp growth of 3.5% annually from 1983–1989—and the ultimate neutralization and dismantling of the soviet union testified to the efficacy of his approach.
however, by the early 21st century, fusionism began to falter. The failed military campaigns of president george w. Bush in iraq and afghanistan eroded public trust in interventionism. Pew research center (2020) found that only 29% of americans viewed the iraq war as successful, while 63% deemed it a failure. John mearsheimer rightly criticized the notion of imposing democracy by force as a recipe for disaster.
globalization—embraced by fusionists—led to dangerous dependencies on authoritarian regimes. Rising economic inequality, while not inherently pathological in a free society, nonetheless weakened the social base of market fundamentalism, even among its traditional supporters.
thus, fusionism—victorious in the cold war—proved unprepared for the challenges of a polarizing world where the economy has become a battlefield and freedom demands protection from external threats.
the crisis of fusionism became especially acute following the military misadventures in iraq and afghanistan. The iraq war alone cost a staggering $2.06 trillion, with over 4,500 u.S. Fatalities—figures that came to symbolize the failure of an ideology-driven foreign policy divorced from sober assessments of national interest. Mearsheimer noted that fusionism, effectively morphing into a neoconservative agenda of exogenous democratization in the middle east, sowed chaos that spilled into europe in the form of migration crises and terrorism.
interventionism driven by ideology is a strategic error that drains resources and undermines conservatism’s legitimacy. Globalization, realists argue, has tied the u.S. Economically to geopolitical rivals and eroded durable sovereignty—a vulnerability painfully exposed during the trade war with china and strained relations with key partners.
as daniel klein emphasizes: “in an era of geopolitical competition, freedom requires protection from those who would weaponize it against us.” This thesis is central to libertarian realism, which cannot categorically reject free trade but recognizes the necessity of temporary protectionism as a survival strategy.
the rigidity and absolutism of libertarian market fundamentalism, coupled with the dominance of neoconservative globalist narratives, fractured the right from within. The republican party came to be seen as disconnected from its voters’ interests. The drop in support among below-median-income voters (to 39% in 2023) confirms this rupture. As mearsheimer warned: “political parties that lose their internal purpose become targets for populist revolt.”
donald trump’s 2016 victory represented a true political “hyper-shift” within conservative politics. As analyst elijah campbell observed, “trump was less a candidate than a signal—he showed that the system no longer worked for millions.” His campaign resonated with those who felt forgotten: midwestern white workers, middle-class voters concerned about immigration, and advocates of a more restrained, nationally focused foreign policy. Trump raised issues ignored by the republican establishment: dependence on china, protecting american jobs, immigration, cultural identity, and runaway government spending.
though trump offered few detailed policy blueprints, his populist narrative forged a new coalition. His support among latino (28%) and black voters (15%) defied identity-politics stereotypes, revealing the potential for a multiethnic conservative bloc.
yet despite his initial success, trump failed to establish a durable ideological foundation. His administration lacked coherence, staffed by appointees with conflicting agendas. Nevertheless, the economic growth from 2017–2019 (average gdp growth of 2.8%) and historically low unemployment (which moody’s analytics estimated would have remained below 4% absent the pandemic) would likely have secured his 2020 re-election.
after trump’s 2020 defeat, analysts debated conservatism’s future. Yet as oren cass notes, “there is no discernible trumpism independent of trump himself.” His presidency resulted from structural pressures—decades of globalization, left-keynesian welfarism, geo-economic dependence on state-capitalist autocracies, and a radical liberal cultural drift toward “reverse discrimination.”
these shifts, however, opened a window of opportunity for conservative renewal. The critical question now is: what comes after trump’s decisive 2024 victory? Here, libertarian realism can offer a timely political strategy—systematizing social discontent, channeling it constructively, and forging a new conservative discourse that blends individual liberty with sovereignty defense, economic liberalism with geopolitical prudence.
currently, however, the dominant force shaping conservatism and influencing the trump 2.0 administration is the so-called “new right”—whose concepts often clash with libertarian fundamentals, despite tactical alignment on certain issues.
the spectrum of right-wing ideas: points of convergence and fundamental divergences
contemporary american conservatism comprises a complex landscape of distinct currents, each responding differently to current challenges. Pew research center (2023) data shows that roughly 45% of american conservatives now identify with paleoconservatism or the national-conservative orientation of the “new right,” while only 28% still adhere to classical fusionism. This signals a major realignment within the right, as old ideological constructs lose coherence and new frameworks gain traction.
as mearsheimer remarked, “ideologies incapable of adapting to new geopolitical realities are doomed to extinction.” In this context, key right-wing tendencies—paleoconservatives, neoconservatives, and the “new right”—exhibit divergent strategies for navigating multipolarity, culture wars, and economic dependency.
paleoconservatism: guardians of tradition and national sovereignty
paleoconservatism, exemplified by figures like patrick buchanan, shares certain affinities with both libertarian realism and the “new right,” particularly in its skepticism toward globalism and military interventionism.
this school views the nation-state, cultural identity, and traditional american values as society’s bedrock. As historian russell kirk stated, “a conservative is one who understands that society is not an abstraction but an organic system that cannot be rebooted from scratch.” This perspective distinguishes paleocons from libertarians and neocons, who often overlook the social consequences of their doctrines.
core paleoconservative tenets include opposition to globalism as a threat to national identity and sovereignty (67% support reduced immigration and trade agreement overhauls), cultural traditionalism as a bulwark against liberal universalism (“we are not merely defending markets or borders—we are defending the soul of the nation,” wrote buchanan), and non-interventionism as a rejection of foreign entanglements.
mearsheimer notes that “prudent non-intervention is not a retreat from the world but a strategy of choice”—a point of convergence with libertarian realism. Support for tariffs like those imposed under trump also unites paleocons and libertarian realists, who view them as tactical measures against geopolitical adversaries. Michael mandelbaum argues that shielding strategic industries from chinese coercion is entirely justified.
however, paleoconservatism and libertarian realism diverge sharply on social policy. Paleocons actively promote a conservative agenda through state power—for example, backing laws banning the teaching of critical race theory. Libertarian realism, rooted in minarchism, regards such matters as personal and communal, rejecting state imposition of moral norms. As daniel klein puts it, “the moral life is a matter of individual and communal responsibility, not state policy.”
nevertheless, under external threat, their interests may align—particularly in supporting onshoring if accompanied by tax cuts and deregulation—laying groundwork for a new right-wing coalition.
neoconservatism: from ideals to the failures of moralizing foreign policy
neoconservatives (“neocons”) represent one of the most influential yet controversial tendencies. Peaking in the early 2000s, they now face sharp criticism. In mearsheimer’s words, “neocons view the world through ideology, not interest—and that is a recipe for disaster.” Inspired by tocqueville and leo strauss, neocons championed “order through strength” and democracy promotion. Public support for this posture has collapsed—from 68% in 2003 to 39% in 2022.
key neocon traits include u.S. Global military dominance and support for a unipolar, pro-democracy world order—reflected in george w. Bush’s national security strategy legitimizing preemptive war. Yet the $2.1 trillion spent on iraq and afghanistan yielded no strategic payoff.
moralism—treating democracy as an unconditional good—often ignored local realities: traditions, ethics, culture, skills, history, geography, and anthropology. Russell kirk insisted, “democracy cannot be imposed from above; it grows from below”—a direct rebuke to neocons’ top-down democratization.
the post-9/11 war on radical islam led to protracted conflicts with massive costs (over 7,000 u.S. Military deaths and $800 billion in annual defense outlays), prompting many to question this approach. The focus on individual tyrants rather than systemic transformation doomed these efforts. The iraq war became the symbol of failed democracy export.
michael glennon notes that expansionist foreign policy reflects elite consensus, not public opinion—which neocons often disregard, making them vulnerable to charges of ideological fanaticism.
today, neocons continue to advocate unconditional support for ukraine—a stance realists criticize as wasteful when core u.S. Interests are unclear. Though 64% of americans back ukrainian aid, only 28% see it as unconditional, signaling a public preference for interest-based over moralistic foreign policy.
libertarian realism rejects neocon interventionism and moralism. “Ideology is poison to foreign policy,” mearsheimer warned. Libertarian realism holds that foreign policy must be grounded solely in pragmatic assessments of national interest—aligning with trump’s “business-like” approach, not bush’s democracy crusade. Instead, it proposes a model where interests are defined through national security, economic benefit, and sovereign resilience.
libertarian realism seeks to preserve freedom where possible but defend sovereignty where threatened. It rejects a global policing role but supports active, interest-driven geopolitical engagement—including coercion or “soft power”—when aligned with concrete national objectives.
the “new right”: the multifaceted “new conservatism”
as noted, fusionism has rapidly declined since the 2020s. Support for traditional fusionism fell from 68% in 2012 to 43% in 2023. In its place has emerged a coalition of movements under the “new right” banner.
the “new right” rejects liberal internationalist hegemony and offers a fresh vision of the state, market, and national identity. Though internally diverse, its factions share a critique of obsolete fusionism and a drive to redefine conservatism. As oren cass observes, “an ideology that cannot adapt to reality becomes mere rhetoric”—fusionism’s fate.
key “new right” currents—claremonsters, postliberals, and national conservatives—propose alternatives centered on a strong state, cultural defense, and strategic protectionism. Yet each differs significantly from libertarian realism.
- claremonsters emphasize state-led moral formation—contradicting minarchism’s principle of minimal state intrusion into private life.
- postliberals critique excessive individualism as socially corrosive—also clashing with libertarianism’s core value of individual freedom.
- national conservatives advocate nationalist policies like immigration restrictions and industrial protection—overlapping with libertarian realism—but often pair them with excessive regulation and state expansion.
thus, the “new right” is not a simple replacement but an attempt to rethink conservatism for a new era. It addresses questions fusionism ignored: dependence on china, supply chain vulnerability, cultural drift, inequality, and working-class alienation.
orthodox libertarianism—with its unconditional faith in free trade—can be tactically unsound against aggressive authoritarian mercantilism. U.S. High-tech reliance on chinese imports exceeds 70%, creating strategic vulnerability. For years, the gop blocked onshoring legislation citing ricardian comparative advantage—despite clear risks. As klein notes, “freedom matters, but it cannot be the sole answer to systemic crisis.”
dogmatism—a recurring american political flaw—now takes new forms. In a volatile multipolar world, rigid adherence to classical libertarian precepts may prove ineffective. Russell kirk reminded us, “a conservative is one who understands that reality is always more complex than theory.”
traditional conservatism has always emphasized cultural defense, social stability, and institutional respect. Today, the “new right” owns this agenda—even if it accepts prolonged state expansion, which will yield negative strategic effects. Meanwhile, orthodox libertarians offer idealistic prescriptions ill-suited to current realities. Libertarian realism can bridge this divide.
to better understand the “new right,” we must dissect its core tendencies.
claremonsters: intellectuals associated with the claremont institute prioritize the moral foundation of the republic. As harry jaffa argued, “democracy without virtue is anarchy in disguise.” Their emphasis on state-mandated virtue exceeds traditional conservatism and clashes with libertarian realism’s limited-state ethos.
yet claremonsters resonate with those alarmed by liberal cultural drift and institutional decay. Their critique of washington bureaucracy aligns with realist skepticism toward global institutions. Michael anton’s famous “flight 93” essay—framing a clinton vote as national betrayal—became a claremont patriot manifesto. Sixty-four percent of their supporters favor active state involvement in cultural formation. Examples include laws banning crt instruction—backed by 58% of texas voters in 2023.
while libertarian realism shares concern about progressive encroachment, it rejects state coercion to enforce cultural norms. As klein notes, “society can be healthy without edicts from washington—if it can self-regulate.”
postliberals: thinkers like patrick deneen critique radical individual autonomy as socially destructive. Leaning toward catholic communitarianism, they stress community and tradition. They welcomed the supreme court’s ruling allowing businesses to refuse services based on religious belief—viewing it as a check on liberal hedonism.
chad pecknold argues that individual autonomy undermines family and church. Pew (2023) shows an 18% decline in youth trust in family and local institutions over a decade. Yet from a libertarian realist perspective, postliberals err by crossing the line of personal freedom for collective morality.
libertarian realism holds that society must evolve endogenously through inclusive institutions—not top-down administrative coercion that creates extractive structures. Still, the erosion of social bonds is real and demands attention.
national conservatives: yoram hazony is a key figure, rehabilitating nationalism as a defense against universalist illusions. Supported by senators josh hawley and j.D. Vance, they champion sovereignty, protectionism, and cultural defense.
examples include hawley’s tiktok ban bill and the heritage foundation’s “project 2025?—Adopted by the current administration—which calls for shrinking federal agencies and increasing education control to safeguard “strategic sovereignty.”
yet these measures contradict libertarian realism by expanding state power—potentially harming social freedom.
libertarian realism vs. The “new right”: the dialectic of convergence and divergence
the relationship between libertarian realism and the “new right” is multifaceted, defying simple opposition.
on one hand, significant grounds for tactical cooperation exist. Both share deep skepticism toward unchecked globalization and its toll on sovereignty and economic security. Both critique extreme market fundamentalism that ignores geopolitical realities. Both recognize the need to protect strategic industries from adversarial economic policies. Both oppose bureaucratic bloat—aligning with libertarian principles of limited government.
on the other hand, libertarian realism fundamentally diverges from key “new right” premises. It remains unwaveringly committed to minarchism—the doctrine of a minimal state whose functions are strictly limited. Individual liberty and free markets are sacrosanct. This is where the fault line emerges: libertarian realism will not sacrifice these principles for cultural or nationalist ends that entail state expansion.
as mearsheimer stated, “the state should not be the hero of history—it should be its guardian.” This principle underpins libertarian realism: the state is necessary for defense but must remain constrained. This sharply contrasts with most “new right” tendencies, which often subordinate liberty to ideology and state power.
thus, while libertarian realism may collaborate tactically with certain “new right” factions—e.G., On de-ideologizing trade or incentivizing onshoring—it cannot embrace them wholesale if their agenda entails state overreach, personal freedom restrictions, or cultural dogmatism. Its core mission is to preserve individual liberty by adapting it to new conditions—not to replace one dogma with another.
key concerns from a libertarian realist perspective regarding “new right” initiatives include:
- excessive focus on culture at the expense of individual liberty. While recognizing culture’s importance, libertarian realism rejects state coercion to enforce moral norms—through education bans, content regulation, or information controls. As klein states, “the state should not arbitrate virtue—it should defend borders, not dictate how to live.” This risks creating a “culture state” that invades private life
- risk of authoritarianism and centralization. Some “new right” factions idealize strong executive leadership and distrust established institutions—a direct threat to limited government. Mearsheimer warns: “an ideology that begins by defending sovereignty but then demands its expansion almost always becomes catastrophic.” The “strong leader” ideal—popular among trumpists and claremonsters—clashes with libertarian commitments to rule of law and checks and balances. Pew (2023) shows 60% of “new right” conservatives support executive empowerment under “strong leadership,” versus only 28% of libertarians.
- inconsistency and excess in economic policy. While national conservatives and libertarian realists may agree on limited protectionism in strategic sectors, the broader “new right” embraces expansive state intervention—subsidies, high tariffs, industrial policy, debt expansion. This violates minarchism and long-term economic efficiency. As klein notes, “the state is a poor manager. It doesn’t pick market winners—but it excels at creating lobbying cartels.” Libertarian realism accepts temporary intervention for sovereignty defense but rejects permanent state expansion, which breeds corruption, inefficiency, and stifles entrepreneurship. Examples like the tiktok ban split conservatives: 35% supported it, 65% saw it as overreach. Industrial policy proposals distort markets and hinder innovation.
- danger of isolationism ignoring geopolitical realities. While libertarian realism critiques interventionism, it is not isolationist. It supports active, pragmatic diplomacy to defend national interests. As mearsheimer says, “foreign policy is not moral preaching—it’s an assessment of power and interest.” Some “new right” factions advocate drastic military drawdowns (e.G., From europe), weakening nato and risking conflict. Sixty-eight percent of u.S. Security experts deem strategic alliances with democracies vital. Libertarian realism favors limited military presence where u.S. Interests are directly engaged—not moral crusades or total disengagement.
- insufficient emphasis on economic freedom. Despite criticizing the liberal establishment, the “new right” often neglects tax reduction, deregulation, spending cuts, debt reduction, and property rights protection. Its agenda fixates on culture and nationalism, sidelining market mechanisms that drive prosperity. Libertarian realism treats economic freedom as inseparable from liberty and long-term flourishing. Bea (2023) shows low-regulation, low-tax states achieve higher gdp growth. Well-functioning, unhampered markets serve the common good. As klein insists, “the state should not be a manager—it should be an order-keeper.” Even while accepting temporary protectionism, realists insist on restoring competitiveness through market freedom, not administrative control. Thus, libertarian realism avoids both market fundamentalism and “new right” authoritarianism. As kirk noted, “reality is always more complex than theory.”
theoretical foundations of libertarian realism: synthesizing freedom and power
libertarian realism’s theoretical core arises from reinterpreting classical libertarian principles in light of new geopolitical realities. Its philosophical pillars—minarchism, free markets, individualism—are integrated with geopolitical realism and pragmatic protectionism. This synthesis aims to preserve liberty while ensuring national survival in a high-risk world.
- minarchism: the “night-watchman state”—limited to defending borders, enforcing contracts, and maintaining order—originates with mises, hayek, and rothbard, who stressed that “capitalism is anarchism, but the state must protect society from external threats.” In times of international tension, libertarian realism accepts that liberty requires defense: defense and rule of law are the only spheres where the minarchist state must be proactive and strong. Any expansion beyond sovereignty protection and law enforcement is seen as a threat to freedom.
- geopolitical realism: foreign policy must assess power and interests, not moral abstractions. As mearsheimer wrote, “a dominant power… should not entangle itself in conflicts lacking national interest.” Liberty is a social imperative—but not a universal tactical principle if it compromises strategic position.
- pragmatic protectionism: this is libertarian realism’s most controversial tenet. Realists accept temporary protectionist measures to reduce dependence on authoritarian powers. This is not a rejection of free markets but an acknowledgment that economics is a tool of statecraft. Protecting strategic industries is a national security imperative. Economic self-defense in a fragmenting world is strategic necessity.
measures like steel tariffs, the chips act, and the 2025 tariff offensive are not pure protectionism but survival strategies amid dependence on china and other adversarial suppliers. This deviation from free trade ideals is framed as necessary economic defense. Regulatory reforms under trump—reducing red tape—boosted gdp and employment, showing that limited, targeted intervention can work. The 2017 corporate tax cut paired with strategic tariffs strengthened u.S. Industry.
breaking dependence on authoritarian autocracies is central to libertarian realism. Realists support onshoring if offset by tax cuts. Long reliance on security-threatening suppliers created structural vulnerability. U.S. Dependence on china for 75% of rare earths and russia for 8% of oil (pre-2022) confirms economic dependency as geopolitical risk.
libertarian realists view this as rational de-ideologization of economics. In great-power competition, temporary protectionism is justified as sovereignty defense. Sanctions on russian oil spurred a 12% rise in u.S. Shale production—a case in point. Global supply chains proved fragile. “Cheap imports” became geopolitical leverage. As klein notes, “tariffs on critical technologies are a survival strategy in a multipolar world.”
libertarian realism and the trump phenomenon: an ambiguous alliance in defense of sovereignty
support for donald trump among libertarian realists may seem paradoxical given his frequent disregard for limited government and authoritarian tendencies. Yet this support stems from pragmatic threat assessment and recognition that temporary sovereignty-protecting measures are necessary.
arguments for tactical alignment with trump include:
- reducing federal power: firing 13 of 17 national security council advisors, while concerning, was seen by some realists as weakening bureaucratic elites and enabling independent decision-making.
- regulatory reform: executive orders cutting red tape for small business boosted 2022 gdp by 3%, signaling real deregulatory resolve.
- skepticism of globalism: steel tariffs, tiktok restrictions, and 2025 tariffs are viewed as shielding strategic sectors from geopolitical coercion.
trump is no realist ideal. His populism and inconsistency clash with libertarian philosophy. Yet from a realist perspective, his policies opened the door to dismantling liberal hegemony and keynesian economics.
the future of conservatism: scenarios and prospects for libertarian realism
american conservatism faces a pivotal choice. Its future hinges on adaptation.
with fusionism in retreat and distrust of liberal internationalism rising, libertarian realism emerges as a viable alternative.
possible scenarios include:
- nativist-populist symbiosis: discontent with globalism unites disparate factions. The trump–bernie sanders alignment on protectionism shows economics transcending partisanship. Gallup (2023) finds 25% of trump supporters and 40% of democrats back economic protection—sovereignty concerns now cut across party lines.
- rise of libertarian realism: wisconsin governor tony evers (note: likely a misattribution; evers is a democrat—perhaps intended to reference a gop governor like scott walker or ron desantis)—who cut small-business regulation and boosted state gdp by 3%—exemplifies this model. Realists see this as scalable if interventions remain temporary and strategic.
- continued fragmentation: in this case, libertarian realism could serve as a unifying axis for those skeptical of state power yet aware of its necessary, limited role in strategic domains. It requires no abandonment of libertarian values—only their differentiated application. As george nash notes, “traditional conservatism always resisted ideological extremism—making it especially relevant in an age of polarization.”
conservatism as an endless quest for balance
conservatism has never been a static ideology; it has always sought balance between preservation and adaptation. This is its strength—and its vulnerability. Its organic flexibility enables resilience but also internal tension.
libertarian realism is the latest phase of this evolution—a serious attempt to redefine liberty’s role in a world where it cannot be absolute without regard for geopolitical reality.
it is not merely a response to 21st-century challenges but a continuation of conservative tradition. It offers a flexible model where individual freedom remains paramount—but not so absolutized as to threaten the survival of a free society. It honors the past without uncritically accepting old solutions. It rejects utopianism in favor of practical statecraft grounded in national interest and limited government.
thus, libertarian realism may become the long-term path for modern conservatism—equipped to meet the challenges of a multipolar world. Its success depends on preserving its ideological core while daring to adapt its tactics.
sources / references
- kirk, russell. The conservative mind (1953)
- rothbard, murray n. For a new liberty (1973), power and market (1970)
- klein, daniel b. Libertarianism at twin peaks: the case for minimum government (2021)
- mearsheimer, john j. The great delusion: liberal dreams and geopolitical realities (2018)
- deneen, patrick. Why liberalism failed (2018)
- hazony, yoram. The virtue of nationalism (2018)
- pew research center (2023)
- aaron sobczak: realism as a libertarian foreign policy, mises institute (2025)
- stefan borg: a ‘natcon takeover’? The new right and the future of american foreign policy, international affairs (2024)
- oren cass: a new conservatism, foreign affairs (2021)
- sipri (stockholm international peace research institute) — yearbook 2023
- migration policy institute (mpi) — report on immigration attitudes (2023)
- bea (u.S. Bureau of economic analysis) — gdp reports (2021–2023)
- congressional budget office (cbo) — defense spending analysis (2021)
- watson institute for international and public affairs (2021)
- gallup polls (2022–2023)
- abc news / washington post poll (2021)
- national center for education statistics (nces) — college completion rates (2023)
- oecd — labour market trends report (2022)
- council on foreign relations (cfr) — ukraine support analysis (2023)
- bureau of labor statistics (bls) — union membership survey (2023)
- energy information administration (eia) — oil imports and domestic production (2023)
- moody’s analytics — economic outlook (2020)
and key thinkers cited throughout: john mearsheimer, daniel klein, michael glennon, jonathan haidt, george nash, oren cass, chad pecknold, michael mandelbaum, russell kirk, frank meyer. |
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| It feels great: Southern Nevada standouts sign with colleges - PHOTOS |
| Posted on Thursday, November 13 @ 00:00:50 PST (18 reads) | |
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Three of the top sec women’s college basketball programs — texas, lsu and south carolina — all made their recruiting pitches to bishop gorman’s aaliah spaight this summer.
the gaels’ senior guard decided to go to one of the conference’s newest members.
spaight made her decision official wednesday, signing her financial aid agreement (formerly letter of intent) to play for the longhorns on the first early national signing day of the school year for non-football athletes.
“it feels great knowing that all the hard work that i put in has come to something where i can show my skills at the highest level,” said spaight, who is considered the 18th-best prospect in the class of 2026 by 247sports.
spaight, a four-star recruit, was one of 18 bishop gorman athletes that participated in a signing ceremony at the school wednesday. More than 60 high school athletes across southern nevada signed with colleges.
‘a perfect fit’
spaight got the attention of sec programs this summer after she starred at the nike nationals tournament in chicago in july. Lsu, texas and south carolina headlined the top-10 list she revealed in august.
“it was a lot of conversations, prayers, talking with my parents and making a pros and cons lists that helped me decide where i want to go,” spaight said.
spaight verbally committed to texas on her social media accounts sept. 23. The longhorns, who are currently ranked no. 4 in the country, made the final four last season and were the sec co-regular season champion in their first year in the league.
“it just felt like a perfect fit,” spaight said.
spaight was named the gatorade state player of the year in 2024 after helping gorman win the class 5a state title as a sophomore. She averaged 19.6 points and 7.4 rebounds per game last season as a junior.
“i would describe it as an accomplishing feeling,” spaight said. “Knowing that the work we put in, my family put in and the time and effort that every single person in my circle put in, it’s great.”
record breakers, champions
the group of gorman athletes that signed with colleges included girls volleyball players ayanna watson and trinty thompson, who both signed with pitt, which is ranked no. 3 in the country. The duo helped the gaels win their third straight 5a state title on saturday .
“it’s very special because if you would have told me this five years ago that we would be going to the same college, i would have said, ‘that would be nice, but it’s not attainable,’” thompson said.
watson and thompson set all-time state records as seniors. Watson, an outside hitter, has the most career kills (2,195) in nevada history, while thompson, a setter, has the most career assists (4,337).
“it’s really special because trinity’s been my best friend since i was 13 or 14 and i’ve played with her for so long,” watson said.
boys soccer standout chase stewart signed with the university of denver. The pioneers made the final four last year and offered stewart when they were ranked no. 1 in the country during the 2024 season.
stewart helped gorman win the 2022 5a state title as a freshman. He ends his high school career with 115 goals, fourth-most in the state record book.
“i did have a lot of offers on the table, but what really separated denver from all the other schools was just how caring the coaches were,” stewart said. “Them being no. 1 in the country at the time, it just aligned pretty perfectly. I knew where i wanted to go.”
girls golfer samantha harris signed with dartmouth. She became gorman’s first individual state champion since 2004 when she won the 5a title in october . The gaels also won the 5a southern region team title this year.
other signees
palo verde softball shortstop taylor johns signed with georgia. Johns hit .642 last year and was named the all-southern nevada girls athlete of the year . She helped palo verde finish 25-0 and become the state’s first official undefeated state softball champion.
slam! Nevada boys wrestler drake hooiman signed with purdue. Hooiman is a three-time individual state champion and could become the 43rd wrestler to win four individual state championships this season. Slam! Nevada is the four-time defending 5a team state champion.
faith lutheran’s girls soccer team, fresh off of winning a second straight class 5a state title , had six players sign on wednesday: sophie baumgart (unlv), anabelle coe (california lutheran), jailynn henry (university of portland), elliott lujan (st. Mary’s, california), allie rabe (uc irvine) and olivia stark (uc irvine).
contact alex wright at awright@reviewjournal.Com . Follow @alexwright1028 on x.
list of southern nevada high school signees
arbor view
baseball
colton christman, lsu
softball
audrey melton, college of saint mary (nebraska)
boys volleyball
kenyon wickliffe, cal state northridge
girls volleyball
cori leavitt, alaska-fairbanks
madison jamison-rodriguez, cal state northridge
cameron reese, the citadel
basic
baseball
lyndon lee, arizona
troy southisene, oregon state
bishop gorman
baseball
niko carpenter, university of mary (nebraska)
hudson ciulla, gonzaga
justin eddy, olympic college (washington)
noah ramos, college of southern nevada
jack stoner, east carolina
chase wilk, minnesota
girls basketball
aaliah spaight, texas
girls golf
samantha harris, dartmouth
boys soccer
chase stewart, university of denver
girls soccer
devyn giraldo, eastern washington
cassidy gottesman, metropolitan state university of denver
emma flannery, unlv
gianna tomasello, utah tech
softball
raelynn brown, lower columbia college (washington)
tiffany gonzales, bethel college (kansas)
samantha lefever, villanova
girls volleyball
trinity thompson, pitt
ayanna watson, pitt
coronado
boys soccer
gavin flickinger, fordham
girls soccer
cate gusick, montana
allison kleiner, vanderbilt
natalia ortiz, chicago state
jovie poniewaz, cal lutheran
mia schlachter, unr
sara sherman, alabama-huntsville
rebecca shuler, northern michigan
girls volleyball
julie beckham, unlv
gentry oblad, grand canyon
rachel purser, hawaii
hannah wayment, university of missouri-kansas city
centennial
girls basketball
inieye oruh, seton hall
girls swimming and diving
bella benes (diver), fresno state
clark
girls golf
alliah jordan, howard university
desert oasis
baseball
brody griffith, air force
lincoln guillermo, college of southern nevada
faith lutheran
baseball
rookie shepard, miami (florida)
girls soccer
sophie baumgart, unlv
anabelle coe, cal lutheran
jailyn henry, portland
elliott lujan, st. Marys (california)
allie rabe, uc irvine
olivia stark, uc irvine
girls volleyball
parker lafontaine, gardner-webb (north carolina)
k sawyer, coker university (south carolina)
maura stewart, hawaii-hilo
liberty
girls soccer
brooke kramer, unlv
kaimi wills, unr
palo verde
boys soccer
landon blanchard, metropolitan state university of denver
girls soccer
grace aznarez, northeastern state university (oklahoma)
girls golf
rivers common, southeastern university (florida)
softball
lily herbstreit, galveston college (texas)
taylor johns, georgia
haley kearnes, westcliff university (california)
ava koenig, boston university
girls volleyball
jovani corniel, grossmont college (california)
silverado
baseball
hogan hawkins, byu
giovanni guariglia jr., Tcu
slam! Nevada
boys wrestling
drake hooiman, purdue |
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| Studying Abroad Is Worth More Than Another Semester In The Velvet Ditch - The Da |
| Posted on Thursday, November 13 @ 00:00:50 PST (14 reads) | |
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Packing a suitcase and leaving the country may sound dramatic — like something people do after a breakup or during a midlife crisis. But honestly? College is the perfect time to get on a plane and temporarily abandon your comfort zone.
this winter, the university of mississippi is offering students an opportunity to go to hawaii to study coral reefs, volcanoes and sea turtles for course credit. There is also a tropical ecology course in costa rica, an art history trip to italy, a business and culture program in south korea and french immersion in paris or lyon, along with endless more private programs.
these programs are not hypothetical — they are happening. The question is: why aren’t more of us going?
many students skip study abroad because they do not want to miss a football game, a grove saturday or spring concerts. But those things happen every year; opportunities to live and learn in another country don’t.
you can always tailgate again, but i doubt you will be 20 years old again, taking train rides across continents or hiking a volcano for course credit.
travel is not about running away from ole miss, but about coming back and realizing the world is so much bigger than your gpa or blackboard notifications. You don’t need all the answers. You just need a passport and a tiny bit of courage.
while this might sound like everyone’s dream, the reality is that money gets in the way for a lot of students. Plane tickets, program fees and housing abroad can make travel feel like something only other people get to do.
but it’s more doable than it seems — especially at ole miss. The university offers faculty-led trips that are short-term, credit-earning and designed for students who have never traveled before. These aren’t just brochures sitting in martindale-cole or the duff center — they’re real programs with real professors and real academic credit.
and yes, they can be affordable. Students who receive pell grants can apply for the gilman scholarship, which can cover $4,000 to $8,000 of a trip. The study abroad office also offers its own scholarships, the honors college has travel grants and financial aid can often be applied to approved programs.
some programs, such as the croft institute or modern languages, even cover airfare or housing for certain immersion experiences. Traveling abroad isn’t just a dream but a financial puzzle that actually has uncomplicated solutions.
cute pictures are not the only reward you will reap from travel. Scientifically, it rewires your brain. New environments boost neuroplasticity, which is the brain’s ability to form new connections.
a study in the journal of personality and social psychology found that students who studied abroad became more creative and better at problem-solving. Traveling also teaches emotional regulation — like staying calm when your entire spanish vocabulary disappears the moment someone actually speaks spanish back to you.
travel also makes you pay attention. Suddenly, you are noticing architecture, languages and how people hold their coffee cups. You get to see your own life from the outside and realize how big the world is beyond oxford and your hometown.
study abroad, take a class across the ocean or just get a stamp on your passport. You will return with a clearer understanding of yourself, your home and the world you are a part of.
vidya adlakha is a sophomore biological sciences major from ocean springs, miss. |
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