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December 31, 2025

Cambridge Spy

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Will Humans Become History’s Losers? By Al Sikes

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Is intuition obsolete? What about our accumulated layers of information and feelings or what we might call seasoning? Including, of course, the lessons from failures and the information-laden seams of character? Or, the fruits of relationships—the improvisational values of collaboration?

It was 1959. One of the greatest jazz pieces ever composed, “Take Five”, was performed by the Dave Brubeck Quartet. The melody was written by Paul Desmond, but the band collaborated on the final fusion of ideas and musical notes. Brubeck created the harmonic foundation and Joe Morello the famous drum pattern.

“Take Five” is both Desmond’s composition and a Brubeck Quartet creation. A collaboration for the ages.

Are the coders with their artificial intelligence (AI) tools going to upstage fertile minds? Minds shaped and reshaped by life? Can they turn the generative algorithms  into 21st-century creators without pirating previous works? Can AI models take humans out of the equation?

At the risk of mixing up input and outcomes, here are some recent experiences—the complex and simple kind. When I got my knees replaced, I offhandedly referred to the surgery as robotic chainsawing. Thank goodness for the strides in pain management. My research and subsequent experience suggest that doctors working with robotic tools are a generation or two more effective in the removal of the old and integrating the new.

But then how much do we want tools to get in the middle? For example, in a recent trip back from New York, I came face-to-face with both a person and a screen at the same service area on the New Jersey Turnpike. As required by New Jersey law, a human pumped gas and cleaned the car window while my wife had to figure out the tablet interface at a ShakeShack. Best in show: the gas attendant, not the interface,

Whether we are dealing with a medical breakthrough or ordering sandwiches, humans can be either crucial or welcome. I am afraid that when they are just welcome they will disappear. Too bad, variations on the default format go missing, and hospitality is nonexistent.

As one friend of mine often quips, “Here’s the thing.” I started with a slide rule, welcomed the electronic spreadsheet, and then the calculator, followed quickly by the computerization of most things.

Technology attracts investment. And, return on investment will require volume—a robust demand side. The capital investment in AI is without precedent and that will help to assure the ultimate flipped script. Will we flip from humanics to mechanics? If so what will be lost, a civilization?

A recent headline in the Wall Street Journal proclaimed “The College Students Who Can’t Do Elementary Math.” The underlying story verified that many students at the University of California, San Diego can’t round numbers or add fractions. If you cannot tally up numbers, trouble will follow.

Regardless, as momentum flips the script, the depth of human creativity will remain crucial to progress and humanity. But, if AI becomes a substitute for thinking, the incurious will need to muscle up.

Al Sikes is the former Chair of the Federal Communications Commission under George H.W. Bush. Al writes on themes from his book, Culture Leads Leaders Follow published by Koehler Books. 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

The Hegseth “Kill Them All” Order is Trump’s—and America’s—Nightmare By J.E. Dean

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Just as the Epstein scandal was temporarily disappearing from the daily news, The Washington Post reported a more horrific story. Self-dubbed Secretary of War Pete Hegseth is reported to have ordered a second strike on an already-destroyed suspected drug smuggling boat to kill two survivors. If the story is accurate, the United States may have committed a war crime.

Those of us familiar with the history of the Vietnam War will remember the Mai Lai Massacre, where between 347 and 504 unarmed Vietnamese adults and children were killed. The Hegseth incident is, of course, much smaller, but the legal issue is the same. An illegal order was given resulting in unarmed people being killed.

Much is being written about who gave what order. Donald Trump, unsurprisingly, says he knew nothing about it and that Pete Hegseth denies giving the order. No surprises here, but if Trump and Hegseth are lying, it may not protect them from accountability. The bipartisan leadership of both the House and Senate Armed Services Committees have announced investigations. 

A phrase featured on The X-Files television series comes to mind: The truth is out there.

Legal pundits are pouring over details of the attack that killed the two survivors. The issues are complex, but, assuming that the account is true, the answer is simple: Murder.

Among the issues involved is the legitimacy of characterizing Venezuelan boats suspected of smuggling dangerous narcotics as an attack on the United States. Another issue is why; after releasing video footage of the first attack on the suspected drug boat, the Department of Defense did not release the second or report that a second strike had been carried out. Was there a coverup? If there was a coverup, does that prove that whoever ordered it knew an illegal order had been given and executed?

Also, if Hegseth did not give the order, who did? And are Hegseth, Trump, or others responsible or was someone else insubordinate? Is someone going to be thrown under the bus? (As of this writing, the betting is on US Special Operations Command commander Admiral Frank “Mitch” Bradley.) 

I won’t review the Law of War or the U.S. Code of Military Justice, but the law is clear that killing civilians who pose no threat to U.S. military members, even in a war zone, is murder. Read 18 U.S.C. § 2441-War Crimes and judge for yourself.

In coming weeks, articles of Impeachment will likely be filed in the U.S. House of Representatives against President Trump, Secretary Hegseth, and others. The coming House and Senate Committee investigations, which the President is unlikely to be able to stop, could not only assign responsibility for what appears to be a horrific war crime, but also document a coverup likely to put Watergate to shame.

When I started work on this week’s column, I was going to write about accountability and the absence of it in the age of Trump. If the Post reporting is accurate, and many in Congress, including Republicans, believe it is, accountability may finally come to Donald J. Trump.

J.E. Dean writes on politics, government, goldendoodles, and other subjects. A former counsel on Capitol Hill and public affairs consultant, Dean is an advocate for democracy and the rule of law.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Why Can’t We All Get Along Anymore? By Maria Grant

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During the holiday season, when I’m particularly thankful for family and friends, I sometimes reflect on how many family members, friends, colleagues, and former couples no longer speak to one another. It seems as though it’s getting more difficult for us to get along. Or maybe it’s always been that way. Or maybe the world is simply less forgiving, crueler, crasser, and less kind.

Consider just a few of the “celebrity” relationships that have somehow dissolved: Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban, Ben and Jerry, Dennis and Randy Quaid, Simon and Garfunkel, Hall and Oates, Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom, Macaulay Culkin and his dad, Meghan Markle and her dad, Brooke Shields and her mom; Donald Trump and Marjorie Taylor Greene, Mike Pence, Bill Barr, James Mattis, General Mark Milley, Chris Christie, Michael Cohen, H.R. McMaster, Omarosa, Anthony Scaramucci. (I could keep going.) 

Such rifts can be caused by incompatible values, jealousy, and lack of respect. Friendships can end because two people no longer share core values. Co-workers may have professional rivalries that lead to tensions and avoidance. Business partners relationships may sour over the direction of the company, politics, or personal conduct. 

Research suggests there are top 10 reasons marriages break up: Family (not being able to get along with the spouse’s family); lack of communication; stress; technology (not unplugging from it); selfishness; inability to forgive; loose boundaries; the past (not getting past it); dishonesty; and pride. 

Dr Gottman of the Gottman Institute identified four key behaviors which he labeled the four horsemen that indicate a relationship is in trouble: Criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and stonewalling. (I remember a therapist friend once told me that when she is doing couples therapy and senses contempt from one of the partners, she knows the relationship is doomed.)

Some friends have shared that they have broken off relationships because of substance abuse issues, cheating, boredom, financial issues, or just plain apathy. 

So, what’s the secret to getting along? Experts say it’s a combination of empathy and respect achieved through active listening, open-mindedness, and effective communication. Key practices include seeking to understand others, finding common ground, and showing general appreciation. 

Here are a few quotes that emphasize why getting along is worth the effort.

“The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people.” Theodore Roosevelt

“Without friends, no one would choose to live, though he had all other goods.” Aristotle

“A day without a friend is like a pot without a single drop of honey left inside.” A. A. Milne Winnie-the-Pooh

“The longer I live, the more deeply I learn that love—whether we call it friendship or family or romance—is the work of mirroring and magnifying each other’s light.” James Baldwin

Something to think about. 

Maria Grant, a former principal-in-charge of the federal human capital practice of an international consulting firm, now focuses on writing, reading, music, bicycling, and nature.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

My Newest Word By Jamie Kirkpatrick

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I love words! If I were King Midas, I would turn all the world’s words to gold. If I were a miser, I would horde every word in the dictionary. If I were an architect, I would build skyscrapers out of words. If I were Warren Buffett, I would invest in words and make millions. And if I were Johnny Appleseed, I would plant words and watch fragrant orchards grow. But I’m just a writer so I celebrate words; they are the precious coins of my realm.

I make it a point to do three or four crossword puzzles every day. My wife thinks I’m just fooling around, but I believe crossword puzzles keep my mind sharp, but every once in a while, I trip over a new word. When that happens, I feel like I’ve run a marathon—giddy, energized, sky-high on endorphins. OK, so I’m a word nerd and proud of it!

Case in point: yesterday, I discovered my newest word—“echt.” It essentially means “authentic.” Apparently, we have George Bernard Shaw to thank for bringing “echt” to America. He used the word in an article he wrote in 1916, and it has been around ever since. As the current saying goes, I appreciate you, GBS!

“Echt” has it etymologic roots in both German and Yiddish. That’s hardly surprising since both languages share the same Middle German source. In both languages, the word is spelled “ekht,” but it still means “true to form.” As German words go, “ekht” is a lot easier to say than “kraftfahrzeughaftpflichtversicherung” (motor vehicle liability insurance), “streichholzschachtel (box of matches), or even one of my personal favorite words, “eichhörnchen!” (Squirrel!). Infatuated as I am with words, I don’t plan on using any of those words anytime soon, but “echt” in English has staying power. It’s true-blue, the genuine article, the Real McCoy. Literally!

Once I’ve discovered a new word, I can’t wait to pop it into speech or incorporate it into my writing as soon as I can. A new word weighs in my pocket like a gold coin waiting to be spent and I don’t want to disappoint it. I look for opportunities to drop the word into conversation. For example, “My friend Allen hails from New Orleans and he sure knows how to make some echt gumbo!” Or this: “Trump doesn’t have an echt bone in his body—no true north, no underlying principles, no overarching philosophy. He’s just an erratic, impulsive brat.” That’s true enough, but “echt” just makes it so much more true. 

Now that we’ve entered the territory of December, I’ll be looking for more timely occasions to drop my new favorite word into the conversation. Please don’t judge me. It’s just that one of my missions in life is to up the English-speaking world’s vocabulary, and there’s no better time than the holidays to introduce friends and family to a new word or two. So, in that spirit, I hope you all had an echt Thanksgiving, and that the days ahead will be filled with all manner of echt cheer and joy.

I’ll be right back.

Jamie Kirkpatrick is a writer and photographer who lives on both sides of the Chesapeake Bay. His editorials and reviews have appeared in the Washington Post, the Baltimore Sun, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Washington College Alumni Magazine, and American Cowboy Magazine. His most recent novel, “The Tales of Bismuth; Dispatches from Palestine, 1945-1948” explores the origins of the Arab-Israeli conflict. It is available on Amazon and in local bookstores. His newest novel, “The People Game,” hits the market in February, 2026. His website is musingjamie.net.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Crossing to Safety By Laura J. Oliver

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Our brain’s predilection for storytelling may be why, even now, every time I cross the Bay Bridge, that 4.4-mile-long arc spanning the Chesapeake, I imagine my car breaking through the safety rails, going over the side, or the pavement giving way beneath my tires. 

When the kids were little, they would voice their own ideas about surviving a plunge from the bridge and speak loudly of the brave and clever things they would do to save themselves.

My son, at age five, would escape from the car as it sank and hang onto floating debris—although he mulls over for quite a while whether he would hang onto a dead shark if it were the only thing available. 

My daughter, eight, would float on her back when tired and do the sidestroke to the nearest beach. There, she would build a small fire and arrange shells in pretty patterns. 

I remained quiet as they played this game, intent on formulating my own plan—a strategy similar to my daughter’s, amended by swimming with two awkward burdens. 

It was a silly exercise, but we seemed compelled to do it, and I found myself pinioned in the grip of my own imagination on each crossing. Could I break the windows as we sank? Get seatbelts unbuckled in time? And it was always my heart that broke instead, knowing I could not save us all. 

My son discards his shark dilemma and thinks he will meet the water in a perfect dive. But sometimes we fall too hard to be rescued, which is why I still seek a contingency plan.

It was a sweltering, humid July afternoon, and friends and I were swimming off the Magothy River’s north shore near two small landmasses —Dutch Ship Island and a smaller island, nearer to shore, we called Little Dutch. We could swim to Little Dutch, but usually skied around it instead, as it was privately owned, and we were intimidated by the fact that there was a house on it. 

This particular afternoon, we decided to ski. I can’t say for sure who was driving the Whaler, but the older, better skiers went first, kids 15, 16, and a couple of grades ahead. After refueling at Gray’s Creek, it was my turn to give it a try. 

I rose from the water on my second attempt, having only learned to ski that summer and the Whaler swung wide, out toward the island. The air that had been so oppressive on the beach was soft and sweet on the water, an offshore breeze that carried with it the smell of honeysuckle at its peak and the pungent counterpart of dried seaweed lacing the shore. I was aware of every detail: the towrope in my hands, the drone of the motor, the cliffs of Big Dutch, where shadows moved in the underbrush. 

We had circled the island once when the driver of the boat motioned toward the beach. It was clear he wanted to change course. Nervous, I knew I would have to cross the wake if he turned. He gestured again, and I suddenly saw myself as I must appear to my friends, inexpertly trailing the boat, a boring and inexpert 14-year-old. At that exact moment, the Whaler entered a tight turn.

My skis bumped over the first two ripples of wake streaming back from the stern without incident, but I was skimming over the water sideways much faster than when I had been directly behind the boat. Glancing down, I saw the river beneath my skis had become the blur of solid pavement, and I was accelerating way beyond my ability to stay upright. Doomed by my own panic, falling was as inevitable as the compulsion to touch a knife, to test the sharpness of the blade.

It was a spectacular fall, even witnessed from the beach. I slammed into the water so hard my body bounced off without breaking the surface several times, carried forward by unstoppable momentum. I knew I was hurt, but the ski belt kept me afloat in the murky river water until I was picked up, and it was several days before I saw a doctor. My injuries were minor by medical standards, healing in a few weeks, but it cost me a week in Ocean City with my best friend. 

Now, when I cross the bridge untested, I look back and see the high cliffs of Dutch Ship where the river meets the bay before the suspension cables fade like Camelot in the haze behind me. The cars streaming over it, briefly visible in the back window, look like the die-cast matchbox variety I tossed into the toybox in the years I made myself prepare for the worst possible loss. In the years I believed in contingency plans.

No one is dependent on me now. I take quick glimpses at the massive, sparkling expanse beneath me. At the I glory, the immensity of all that water and all that sky. At the grandeur that whispers surely there is something more.

I decide that just for today, I will trust that if the bridge ever collapses, I will be caught, carried, and delivered safely to the opposite shore. 

Laura J. Oliver is an award-winning developmental book editor and writing coach, who has taught writing at the University of Maryland and St. John’s College. She is the author of The Story Within (Penguin Random House). Co-creator of The Writing Intensive at St. John’s College, she is the recipient of a Maryland State Arts Council Individual Artist Award in Fiction, an Anne Arundel County Arts Council Literary Arts Award winner, a two-time Glimmer Train Short Fiction finalist, and her work has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. Her website can be found here.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Thanksgiving By Angela Rieck

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Thanksgiving is the most popular holiday in the United States. Since it is not tied to a particular religion, people of all religions and ethnic groups celebrate it. Thanksgiving may also be the most tradition-rich holiday. Its traditions are typically centered around gratitude, giving back, family and friends, food, and football.

Despite historical stories about the feast between Pilgrims and Native Americans, it is actually a holiday that was initiated during the Civil War. In 1863, President Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday to boost soldier’s morale. President Lincoln assigned the holiday to the last Thursday in November, perhaps to coincide with the date the Pilgrims first landed the Mayflower in New England. In 1941, FDR signed a bill making the fourth Thursday in November its official date, regardless of whether it’s the last Thursday of the month or not.

Our traditional meal is different from the original feast. Although there are few records detailing the original menu, it is believed that the Pilgrims brought local fowl and the Wampanoag brought deer. Pumpkin, lobster, and seal were probably also included in the feast. It is not known if the pumpkins were in pie form, but we know that people have been baking pumpkin pies since the 1600s. 

There is a fun fact associated with Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving leftovers led to the invention of TV dinners. In 1953, apparently Swanson overestimated how much turkey would be consumed on Thanksgiving. So, using 5,000 aluminum trays and an assembly line of hand-packers they created a Thanksgiving-inspired meal with turkey, cornbread dressing, gravy, peas, and sweet potatoes. In the first full year of production, they sold ten million trays.

Thanksgiving is known for its customs and traditions. First and foremost, it is a gathering of friends and family to a feast, often turkey, with sides of yams, mashed potatoes and gravy, rolls, stuffing, cranberry, and pumpkin and apple pies.

The theme of Thanksgiving is gratitude. Some participate in Turkey Trots for charity, others volunteer at a soup kitchen, or simply reflect on what they are grateful for. Football and parades provide entertainment.

I am grateful for Thanksgiving. It is a welcoming event because I come from a large family. Our Thanksgiving meal is hosted by my sister who accommodates as many as 45 people. Thanksgiving, for us, begins on Wednesday when we commence baking. Our houses are festive and the air is filled with spices as we bake sides and desserts for the turkey and ham feast. On Thanksgiving day, my sister’s house is a din of laughter and happy conversation as we catch up and share our blessings. The house is warm and inviting, strewn with flowers and smells of turkey and spices. The side table is laden with pies and desserts and all around are appetizers. The feast lasts all day as some of us watch football and others just catch up at the dinner table.

I love our Thanksgivings, but I am also wary that each celebration may be the last. Our children who live far away may soon wish to start their own. At some point, we will become too old to do the cooking and host. It makes each celebration more valuable.

I wrote a column about traditions a couple of weeks ago. Thanksgiving is full of traditions, but…what happens when the children can no longer come or we move away from them, or our family dwindles down due to death and divorce? Many people reminisce about how wonderful traditional memories are, but memories bring me sadness rather than joy. Memories make me miss what used to be. 

When this happens, many create new traditions. Some people have a Friendsgiving. Friendsgiving is a combination of “friends” and “Thanksgiving” that refers to a large meal shared with friends on Thanksgiving Day. 

For those who are lucky enough to have their spouses, the two can start a tradition of preparing a special meal together and visiting with friends and family remotely.

My philosophy is to move forward. This year my daughter and son-in-law can’t be there for Christmas, another holiday with our own traditions. They will be on a special trip to Egypt, so it is my responsibility to create my own tradition. Our friends in Key West have established a tradition on Christmas Eve where we bicycle to see the Christmas lights. I haven’t decided what Christmas day will be. It may be just a celebration with my dogs…but I will create a tradition which keeps me moving forward.

This column is scheduled to appear on Thanksgiving, so I hope that this finds you enjoying old or building new traditions. 

Angela Rieck, a Caroline County native, received her PhD in Mathematical Psychology from the University of Maryland and worked as a scientist at Bell Labs, and other high-tech companies in New Jersey before retiring as a corporate executive. Angela and her dogs divide their time between St Michaels and Key West Florida. Her daughter lives and works in New York City.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Thanksgiving: Our Choice By Al Sikes

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Thanksgiving is one of those holidays that is quite understandable. We give thanks for many things in our lives and beyond. And it is universal; it doesn’t, for example, depend on a particular religious faith. But, I am going to get started with a religious allusion.

The bible said, in relationship to the crucification of Jesus Christ, that religious leaders at the crucification mocked him saying, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one.” Luke: 23:35. The faithful say God’s plan resulted in him returning on the “third day.”

“Save himself”—how about our saving ourselves? I am in my eighth decade and have rarely seen America more fragmented. I have lived through wars and assassinations and can put today’s lack of a unifying thread in context. It’s worse. Do we need to be attacked to be more unified?

Thanksgiving, the word, invites for me a summing up. Have there been unwelcome moments in 2025? Most certainly. Topping the list would be the death of friends. More later. A close second would be our political distemper.

Most unfortunately: the person who leads one of our aspirations—united states— has chosen division. On the side of hope, I believe his stance will turn out to be a hinge moment—an increased appreciation for the hope that is the hinge of unity. If unity is ineffectual, we are left with what one writer called, “the Serengeti”, it’s prey/predator reality.  I hope that this Thanksgiving we will see the beginning of a revival.

The America we know evolved from an aspirational revolution. In a sense, one of hope. The immigrants that first came to America were looking for opportunity. Many  were fleeing division among classes. They didn’t want to be penalized because they were not “well bred” and ultimately their generational offspring fought a war and then composed the words: “all men are created equal”. They meant should have equal opportunity.

But, as we know, equal opportunity is not easy. Often political division results from a sense that American law and commerce is weighted toward favored groups who emerge and lock in their advantage. Elon Musk holds out for a trillion dollar pay package. Homes sell for tens of millions while many have to work overtime to afford to pay rent. Or, as inflation bites, the privileged pay thousands to buy white truffles by the pound.

I wonder, what if sitting around the Thanksgiving table somebody asked, “have we abandoned unifying principles and realities that held us together?”

To this question I would turn to a universal principle: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”—it is one of the most widely shared moral principles across human civilizations. It appears in some form in nearly every major religious and philosophical tradition. Right now it is a revolutionary principle and we need a revolution—a revolution that must be led outside the corridors of power.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Betsi Shays

Betsi Shays died recently. She and her husband Chris were good friends and my wife and I have shared the family’s grief. As I think about Thanksgiving, I want to share this column about Betsi from the Greenwich Sentinel. Chris had been a Member of Congress from Connecticut.

https://www.greenwichsentinel.com/2025/11/14/editorial-remembering-betsi-shays/

Al Sikes is the former Chair of the Federal Communications Commission under George H.W. Bush. Al writes on themes from his book, Culture Leads Leaders Follow published by Koehler Books. 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Thanksgiving 2025 By J.E. Dean

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Happy Thanksgiving and thank you for reading The Spy today.

We live in troubled times, but there is much to be thankful for, especially on the Eastern Shore. 

I am grateful for my wonderful wife, Maria, who learned how to run a boat this year. I can hardly wait until Spring.

I’m also fortunate to have many friends, near and far. I’m sending them notes thanking them for being good friends. 

Music. Talbot County is blessed with rich opportunities to hear music live. I am grateful for Chesapeake Music’s fantastic June chamber music festival, for the Avalon Theater, and for the Gabriela Montero exceptional concerts held at the Ebenezer Theater. I love the Mid-Shore Atlantic Symphony. When Maria and I moved to the Eastern Shore many years ago, we didn’t realize we had arrived at a cultural mecca.

Speaking of friends, I must mention the birds. They’re magical. The Eastern Shore is blessed with herons, egrets, osprey, eagles, ducks, and, of course, Canada geese. 

Lucca. A 15-year-old goldendoodle–the best goldendoodle on the planet

Genuine Chesapeake Bay Blue Crabs. There is no substitute. I’d like to see the “Maryland-Style” crabcakes peddled in Florida banned.

Rockfish. Don’t tell my friends, but I prefer it over grouper, Chilean sea bass, salmon, and walleye.

 No catastrophic hurricane damage on the Eastern Shore this year. Tropical Storm Chantal visited in July and Hurricane Erin passed offshore in August, but there were no direct hits. My fingers are already crossed for 2026.

The reopening of the federal government. The federal government should never have been closed. Now, with a little luck, families and friends travelling this Thanksgiving will be spared the nightmare of cancelled flights. And, more importantly, federal workers may be able to salvage the holidays. 

A short note to Congress and the President:  Please don’t close the government down again in January. Please. It’s harmful and it’s counterproductive.

Democracy. Given our political divide and the events of the past year, I’m more grateful than ever for Democracy. 

The Spy. I look forward to the Spy Daily Intelligencer arriving in my email box at 3 p.m. There is always something interesting to read. Thank you, Spy, for being our spy. Your insights and information about the Eastern Shore help make us a thriving community.

One last thing. Thank you for those of you who read my editorials, even those of you who disagree with my points of view. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to share my perspective on politics with you this past year.

That’s it. Happy Thanksgiving!

J.E. Dean writes on politics, government, goldendoodles, and other subjects. A former counsel on Capitol Hill and public affairs consultant, Dean is an advocate for democracy and the rule of law.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Of. By. For. By Jamie Kirkpatrick

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Eight score and two years ago—almost to the day—President Abraham Lincoln soothed America’s soul on a blood-soaked field near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. His speech was only 272 words long, and many who were present that day didn’t even realize he was speaking. The President reminded those who were listening that the United States had once been “a new nation, conceived in Liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.” A few minutes later, he ended his speech with these words: “and that this nation—under God—shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

Words matter. They not only convey literal meaning, but they also have the power to lift our spirits and show us more clearly not just what is, but what could be. In that sense, they are timeless; they are our enduring legacy.

Fast forward:

Finger jabbing: “Quiet; quiet, piggy.” (3 words that matter)

Shoulders shrugging: “Things happen.” (2 words that matter)

Angry scowl: “You are a terrible reporter.” (5 words that matter)

Mr. Trump has once again defiled the Presidency and demeaned us a nation. He is incapable of any soaring rhetoric, refuses to create dialogue, never makes a responsible or empathetic connection. Just dissembling, ranting, and erratic behavior. Even Mr. Trump’s most ardent supporters must wonder what his words and actions mean. MBS is feted at the White House? Zohran Mamdani is now a “really great mayor” after being labeled a “100% Communist lunatic?” Listening to Mr. Trump, I bottom-out, or think I do, only to discover that he can go lower still. The world watches in disbelief: what has happened to America?

For the first three and a half score of my life, there were a million things I took for granted. Simple kinetic movements, like bending over or pulling on my socks or tying my shoes. In those years, I could still get up from the floor or rise from a chair without all the squawking sound effects that now come from my bones and joints. Back then, I could sleep soundly through the night and dream about America’s inherent goodness. But now, let’s just say that what was once easy is difficult, and what was once difficult is now almost impossible.

I took other things for granted, too: kindness; respect; empathy. All those lessons we were supposed to have learned in kindergarten, like playing nicely, speaking kindly, saying please and  thank you. Practicing common courtesies like giving up one’s seat on the bus, or allowing a pedestrian to use the crosswalk—all the small grace notes that make a big difference in the quality of our lives. But now all those norms are quivering. Pandora’s box is open and all the harpies it contained are loosed upon us.

I took these things for granted, too: belief in Democracy; in the Constitution; in the rule of law; in a free press and free speech. The separation of church and state. Civil rights. Working across the political aisle for the common good. All these things still matter, but they are fading fast, if they’re not already gone, all because of one man and the minions who enable him. How utterly sad.

In another two days, we will assemble— families, friends, and communities—to give thanks for what remains of the American dream. We will pray and hope that we still live under a government that is “of the people, by the people, and for the people, and that it shall not perish from the earth.” 

Of. By. For. These three little words still matter. Now more than ever.

I’ll be right back.

Jamie Kirkpatrick is a writer and photographer who lives on both sides of the Chesapeake Bay. His editorials and reviews have appeared in the Washington Post, the Baltimore Sun, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Washington College Alumni Magazine, and American Cowboy Magazine. His most recent novel, “The Tales of Bismuth; Dispatches from Palestine, 1945-1948” explores the origins of the Arab-Israeli conflict. It is available on Amazon and in local bookstores. His newest novel, “The People Game,” hits the market in February, 2026. His website is musingjamie.net.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

A Thank You to Former U.S. First Ladies by Maria Grant

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I’ve often thought about what a privilege and opportunity it would be to be the First Lady of the United States. What an amazing platform for championing causes through various initiatives and advocacy groups and for inspiring and motivating others to support those efforts. 

Here are some examples of how such First Lady advocacy movements have had an impact.

Dolley Madison saved national treasures, including a portrait of George Washington, and held social events to unite political opponents.

Abigail Adams was a vocal advocate for women’s rights and the abolition of slavery.

Eleanor Roosevelt championed civil rights, women’s rights, and human rights.

Jackie Kennedy spearheaded the historic restoration of the White House and founded the White House Historical Association to preserve its artifacts and history.

Lady Bird Johnson advocated for environmental protection and conservation, successfully championing the Highway Beautification Act. 

Betty Ford raised national awareness for breast cancer and was an open advocate for women’s rights and substance abuse treatment.

Rosalyn Carter was a prominent advocate for mental health reform and co-founded The Carter Center to advance human rights and alleviate suffering worldwide. 

Nancy Reagan led the “Just Say No” drug awareness and prevention campaign.

Barbara Bush and Laura Bush both championed literacy and educational initiatives.

Hillary Clinton led the task force on National Health Care Reform. 

Michelle Obama focused on fighting childhood obesity through her Let’s Move campaign and promoted healthy eating.

Jill Biden revitalized the Joining Forces initiative to support military families.

Each of these former First Ladies, with sincerity and credibility, focused on issues and causes that were near and dear to their hearts. 

In contrast, during her first term as First Lady, Melania Trump rolled out an anti-bullying campaign called “Be Best” which pretty much went nowhere, especially after she wore the “I Don’t Care Do U” jacket on a visit to child detention camps at the U.S.-Mexico border. I doubt that the irony was lost on many that bullying was her cause of choice given her husband’s proclivity to do exactly that.

During her second term, Melania wrote a letter to Putin asking him to protect the innocence of children. I’m not sure Putin is listening in that it is estimated that more than 660 Ukrainian children have been killed and more than 19,000 children have been kidnapped since Russia’s full-scale invasion. (Melania should have also considered writing a letter to her husband about the innocence of children given his slashing of SNAP benefits, Head Start funding, pediatric cancer research funding, and rolling back of environmental regulations that promote cleaner air and water.)

Last week, Melania spoke to soldiers at a military base in North Carolina and explained to them that thanks to artificial intelligence soldiers would soon be replaced by robots. I am sure the soldiers welcomed that piece of dystopian wisdom. 

The New York Times has reported that during the first 108 days of Trump’s second term, Melania spent 14 days at the White House, instead flying at considerable expense, between Mar-a-Lago and Trump Tower. (Each of these flights—and remember there are several each month—are estimated to cost taxpayers approximately $65,000 between flight costs and Secret Service protection.)

Amazon is paying Melania $40 million for a documentary on her life. It is estimated that she will receive 70 percent of those funds. 

Many First Ladies have authored books after their time in office was over. None other than Melania have profited in such fashion while in office.

It’s difficult to understand why someone with such a compelling and powerful platform would essentially choose to go radio silent. There is much to be done to make this country a better place. It’s a sad day when a person in the catbird’s seat chooses to look the other way. 

While I am disappointed in Melania’s meager contributions to worthy causes, on this Thanksgiving week, I am grateful to so many former First Ladies for their advocacy and efforts to improve our country. It’s a reminder to all of us that we too can invest in worthy causes to make the world a better place. 

Maria Grant, formerly principal-in-charge of the federal human capital practice of an international consulting firm, now focuses on writing, reading, music, bicycling, and nature. 

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