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I missed this 11 years ago, and just discovered it this week. Maybe it was better if I hadn't seen it!

My latest column for Military Trader: If I’d only bought it when… Military collectibles and Bitcoin share surprising similarities in value appreciation. A collector reflects on 40 years of missed opportunities. https://www.militarytrader.com/militaria-investment-value-appreciation

I didn't see that the first of helmets from Dave Powers' massive collection of helmets went to auction this month. Some rare and unique pieces. I'm kind of glad I didn't know about this in advance! https://grenadierauctions.hibid.com/catalog/728781/auction-xxxvii?q=helmet

My recent Military Trader column. I don't believe I'm alone... The stress of collecting… it’s real Being a militaria collector can come with a slew of problems including anxiety and stress. https://www.militarytrader.com/the-stress-of-collecting-its-rea

I heard this month that Chris Mills, author of "The Jaunty Hat," the study of Anglo-Indian sun helmets, passed away in November. He had devoted his time to the study of British and Indian tropical helmets. I believe he was also working on a book on the Enfield Pattern 1853 rifle. I don't know if...

IKEA no longer makes the Detolf display cabinet, but yesterday I bought the new BLÅLIDEN (seriously, where do they come up with these names!). Assembly was fairly simple, though it came with a few expected IKEA headaches. It is more flexible than the Detolf, as the glass shelves can be placed...

Well... not much to say...

One of my other SOS purchases. This was so cheap, I couldn't pass it up. I remember when a helmet like this would have cost three times as much. This is an Edwardian-era Home Service Helmet of the British Army's King's Regiment (Liverpool), one of the oldest line infantry regiments.

I bought this at SOS. It is an M1885 Portuguese infantry regiment helmet. The spike is incorrect, but the price was right.

OVMS updated the load-in info on their Facebook page. And I checked the weather. "Polar Vortex."🥶

For 70 Years, NORAD Has Been Tracking Santa Claus On Christmas Eve The holiday tradition began when Santa's phone number was misprinted in a local newspaper. Instead of the North Pole, it was for the Continental Air Defense Command...

I saw on social media today that New York City, which just elected its first Muslim mayor, will require that school children learn Arabic numerals! What is next? They'll have to learn the Latin alphabet, too?

Does anyone recognize the flash on this rimless Brodie?

Swiss Guard Debuted New 'Formal Uniform' While Keeping Renaissance-Era Attire https://www.forbes.com/sites/petersuciu/2025/10/02/swiss-guard-debuted-new-formal-uniform-while-keeping-renaissance-era-attire/

I don't play computer games as much these days, but I do plan to check this out. WWI: Gallipoli https://www.ign.com/articles/ww1-gallipoli-announced-as-next-game-in-realistic-world-war-1-multiplayer-fps-series

Today is Purple Heart Day Why August 7 Matters: The Powerful Legacy Behind the Purple Heart https://news.clearancejobs.com/2025/08/07/why-august-7-matters-the-powerful-legacy-behind-the-purple-heart/

Thank you to Gus and Mark for helping with this article on the Ottoman steel helmets of the First World War. Ottoman Steel: Turkish helmets from the first World War https://www.militarytrader.com/ottoman-steel-turkish-helmets-from-the-first-world-war

I bought this at an estate sale today. I know this includes two Russian Imperial Army officers, but any idea who they are? Is the man in the center a prince or Russian official?

The long range forecast for Louisville next week is saying rain/snow mix for Wednesday. High of 42. That sounds unpleasant, so let's hope it clears up a bit. 40s (4.4ish in Celsius terms) is the best we're going to get. Sorry for the bad news, but it is still February and still winter (damn...