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The New American Digest

For Followers of Gerard Van der Leun's Fine Work

  • About American Digest
  • About New American Digest
  • “The Name In The Stone”
  • Remembering Gerard Van der Leun
    • from the website: Through the Looking Glass
    • from the website: Barnhardt
    • from the website: Neo’s Blog
  • Articles
    • The Overland Stage
      • The Holladay Overland Stage: 1 – The Central Route
      • The Overland Stage – 2 Company Operations
      • The Overland Stage – 3 Exploring The Route – An Overview
      • The Overland Stage: 4 – South Platte/Julesburg/Ft Sedgwick
        • Jack Slade
      • The Overland Stage: 5 – Julesburg to Junction Station (aka Ft Morgan)
      • The Overland Stage: 6 – Junction Station to Latham
      • The Overland Stage: 7 – Latham Crossing to Fort Collins
      • The Overland Stage: 8 – LaPorte to Virginia Dale
      • The Overland Stage: 9 – Virginia Dale to Cooper Creek
      • The Overland Stage: 10 – Cooper Creek to Pass Creek
        • Fletcher Family
      • The Overland Stage: 11 – Pass Creek to Bridger Station
      • The Overland Stage: 12 – Bridger Pass to Duck Lake
      • The Overland Stage: 13 – Duck Lake to LaClede
      • The Overland Stage: 14 – LaClede to Almond
      • The Overland Stage: 15 – Almond to Rock Springs
      • The Overland Stage: 16 – Rock Springs to Fort Bridger
      • The Overland Stage: 17 – Fort Bridger to Weber Station

I find I don’t wish to explore new lands, but to explore again those I have already passed through, trying to see what I’d missed in the first hectic rush … Gerard Van der Leun

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Gerard’s “Into the Smoke of the World”

The New American Digest Posted on November 6, 2025 by DTFebruary 9, 2026

Stickied to top for awhile …

“I’m extremely pleased to announce that Gerard Van der Leun’s poetry book, Into the Smoke of the World and other poems, is ready for purchase. Poetry was very dear to Gerard’s heart, and this beautiful book features almost all of his poems that survived the Paradise fire, plus many full color photographs and cover artwork by wonderful pastel artist (and Van der Leun reader) Casey Klahn.
Please go to the Vanderleunbooks.com website and order.” Paperback only, price $21.95 + S&H

Posted in Uncategorized | 13 Replies

in its place…

The New American Digest Posted on February 21, 2026 by JeanFebruary 19, 2026

originally posted by Jean, Feb 5, 2026

I present myself
without any intention
of presenting myself
in any particular
recognizable way.
I want my words
to be in the light
 myself in shadow. 

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a reply

It’s Getting Near Time To Get Practical

The New American Digest Posted on February 20, 2026 by DTFebruary 20, 2026

Susan Rice: A once-was of the D persuasion:

“They’re going to be surprised. Democrats have had a belly full, and we’re not going to play by, you know, the old set of rules. When these guys are playing by a very different set of rules, we’re going to play by the law, but that’s, we’re not going to violate the law the way they do, but we’re not going to be suckers.“

Stolen quote from Larry Lambert at “Virtual Mirage“:

Like that? A live link …

“I once thought the greatest sin of war was violence. It isn’t. The greatest sin is that it requires good men to become practical.“

Posted in Uncategorized | 6 Replies

Thinking Back

The New American Digest Posted on February 20, 2026 by DTFebruary 19, 2026

I guess it might be in the nature of mankind to look back after certain events to try and find a “cause”; something that if changed, would have prevented or allowed certain events that did or did not happen.

Going back to kill Hitler early in his life is a common example.


So now in the apparent collapse of the US, we tend to look at some turning point: 9/11, Obama. Reagan, Kennedy’s assassination …

Has anyone ever thought that looking back, it was perhaps the admission of Alaska and Hawaii as states that led to the situation in which we now find ourselves?

Posted in Uncategorized | 9 Replies

Coal Mine, Colorado

The New American Digest Posted on February 20, 2026 by DTFebruary 19, 2026

This coal mine once straddled I-70 not far east of Grand Junction. The small town of Cameo was formed on the far side of the river in 1907; the post office closed in 1969 even though the mine was still active. When this photo was taken, the mine was on the south (physically east) side of the highway. The west side had the Colorado River, the Rio Grande & Western Railroad, and the town site all sharing the canyon.

There’s a railroad spur serving the mine head but no indication of such on the maps and no evidence of river crossing. However, my photo comes from circa 1981 and there’s been plenty of changes within the area in the meantime.

Since I’m into this kind of thing, this photo could serve as the basis for an interesting diorama.

Cameo region (Section 34) – 1884
Cameo, CO – 1957

I enjoy checking out the old maps; gives insight into changes – or no changes – over the years.
In 1884, surveying was accurate enough; there were already roads – of sorts on both sides of the river.

As the seams played out, the mine head was shifted to the town side of the river from the highway. Eventually, those seams played out, the mine closed down, the power plant was decommissioned, and the town disappeared.

For that matter, so did the mine site … and rock formations – someplace in that now remediated open area.

The town site across the river from the highway is near a new large shooting complex – the Cameo Shooting and Education Complex sponsored by the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Dept. Not much more than that fire hydrant remains of the town itself.

Posted in Uncategorized | 6 Replies

Sorry Joe

The New American Digest Posted on February 19, 2026 by DTFebruary 19, 2026

UPDATE AGAIN: Upon consideration and comments, I’ve put this back up.
OK, now come out fighting – no hitting below the belt.
I made the link live: www.anonymousconservative.com/news-briefs-02-15-2026/ for February 15, 2026.
You need to scroll down a bit.
There may be other locations but it did seem to disappear from some sites I had noticed it.

I still don’t post copyrighted material …
PS: It might have helped if I had put the proper site address up … 🙁

Kei Pritsker responded to a post by Cenk Uygur regarding the 9/11 story.
The closest I could come (albeit on short notice and limited search effort) I come up with this link to a site I’d never heard of.
https://piclur.com/profile/KeiPritsker/status/2022761835720774020

There are follow-on comments on this site.

Now I’ll note that both Kei Pritsker and Cenk Uyger are known as far-left writers. That puts them both on my “Verify before Trust” list … but then, the official side of the story comes from the Baby George administration – who ranks quite high on my “verify-first, then doubt anyway” list.

Kei/Cenk bring up some interesting tidbits to chew on …

I’ll mention I’ve doubted the official story since that day – too much just didn’t make sense. For one thing, given the time and place, it seems not enough people died. I suspect it was a planned “black flag” event with the sole purpose of implementing the so-called (Un)”Patriot Act”.

Here is a link from yesterday that discusses the article Joe suggested:
https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/so-pathetic-left-and-right-join-together-to-slam-cenk-uygur-going-full-9-11-truther/

I suspect we’d have to read history books from 2100 to find any semblance of what really happened.

Posted in Uncategorized | 35 Replies

PolyTicks

The New American Digest Posted on February 19, 2026 by DTFebruary 19, 2026

As I see it, one may predict political actions by:
– If DJT is against it, the Ds are for it
– If DJT is for it, the Ds are against it
Doesn’t matter what D positions have been in the past – or will be in the future.

And in either case, the Rs as a group don’t know what they stand for … except maybe to go to the bathroom – or stock broker.

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Replies

We three…

The New American Digest Posted on February 19, 2026 by DTFebruary 19, 2026

Originally posted by Jean on April 11, 2010
Seems timely for me …

sometimes it flows,
other times I’m
pulling teeth.
I prefer the flow, of course,
but when it’s done, I
look again to
make sure it’s me.
When it’s a struggle, I’m
disturbed at what I see.
Both sides speak true
and disagree. I am
the referee.

Posted in Uncategorized | 7 Replies

Time For A Poll

The New American Digest Posted on February 19, 2026 by DTFebruary 19, 2026

Middle of the night and I’ve already received a number of messages – both comments and email – regarding my pulling of “Sorry Joe“. Most questioned the “why” of pulling it. My answer is that some comments – some not published – were getting a bit nasty and personal over an event that happened long ago with little “truth” known and lots of opinions held.

But … it’s “our” site.
So – please express your desire in Comments: Repost “Sorry Joe” or let it lie.

Posted in Uncategorized | 8 Replies

Yerebatan Sarnıcı

The New American Digest Posted on February 19, 2026 by DTFebruary 18, 2026

gonna do something unheard of before – you asked for it, a live link on the main page.
We’ll see how this goes.

In English, the Basilica Cistern

In 1963, most of us probably saw James Bond and Kerim Bey taking a boat ride across this cistern.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_C4onQG3ViY

Supposedly underneath the Soviet Consulate in Istanbul. The movie plot adjusted some facts to fit the script.

Istanbul
the peninsula where the label “Istanbul” sits is the original Constantinople

Yerebatan Sarnıcı aka Basilica Cistern
41.00837185581115, 28.977889526764773

Largest of many cisterns under the city of Istanbul was built in the 6th century during the reign of Justinian, emperor of Byzantium. Before construction, this was the site of a large basilica (a Roman public building) which had been built around 300 AD. The cistern continued to provide water to the 1st hill of Constantinople and into the Ottoman era.

Restoration began in the 1980s with the removal of silt which uncovered the pillars with the head of Medusa. It is assumed those columns were from a demolished temple and reuse as support columns, some placed upside-down. The cistern was opened as a museum in the late 1980s. It is classified as a 1st-class World Heritage Site. The cistern measures 450ft x 215 ft, roughly the size of Hagia Sophia and capable of holding over 2.8 million cubic feet of water. There are 336 marble columns, each 30 ft high.

Soviet, now Russian, Consulate
41.029917304343606, 28.97553052274598
located across the Golden Horn from the Basilica Cistern

The Russian Embassy is located in Ankara, the capital of Turkey.

Diplomatic relations between Russia and Turkey date back to the late 1400s. Between the late 1500s and early 1900s, the relationship was mostly adversarial, with numerous wars between the two. However, by the 1920s, the relation ship warmed after the Russians gave assitance to the revolutionaries of the Turkish War of Independence. The relationship turned down again after WWII as the Soviet govt demanded concessions and territorial claims. Turkey joined NATO in 1952 at the low point of the relation but began to improve after renounceiation of territory claims upon Stalin’s death.

The relationship warmed further after the collapse of the Soviet Union and both became among the other’s largest trade partners. Russia provides much of Turkey’s energy; Turkey is a top tourist destination for Russian citizens. Turkey is the only NATO country not on Russia’s unfriendly country list.

Mrs DT is Turkish by birth. I was lucky enough to be able to visit western Turkey – Istanbul to Izmir – with locals over a 2-month period. Maybe never to be repeated, it was a fabulous visit. I’ll have much more to show and talk of later on.

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Reply

Sorry Again Joe

The New American Digest Posted on February 18, 2026 by DTFebruary 18, 2026

“Sorry Joe” caused too much dissension so I turned it back into a Draft copy. It still exists but is not visible. If y’all want it back, I’ll repost it.
But … Wow! … that wasn’t the intent … this should be a “friendly” site.

Posted in Uncategorized | 12 Replies

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Contact: dt@newamericandigest.org

Gerard Van der Leun
12/26/45 - 1/27/23


Gerard's Last Post
(posthumous): Feb 4, 2023
"So Long. See You All a Little Further Down the Road"

When my body won’t hold me anymore
And it finally lets me free
Where will I go?
Will the trade winds take me south through Georgia grain?
Or tropical rain?
Or snow from the heavens?
Will I join with the ocean blue?
Or run into a savior true?
And shake hands laughing
And walk through the night, straight to the light
Holding the love I’ve known in my life
And no hard feelings

Avett Brothers - No Hard Feelings

The following was posted along with the announcement of Gerard's passing.
Leonard Cohen - Going Home

For a 2005 interview with Gerard


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Most Recent Comments

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Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man,
play a song for me
I'm not sleepy
and there ain't no place I'm goin' to

Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man,
play a song for me
In the jingle jangle morning,
I'll come followin' you

Take me for a trip upon
your magic swirling ship
All my senses have been stripped
And my hands can't feel to grip
And my toes too numb to step
Wait only for my boot heels to be wanderin'

I'm ready to go anywhere,
I'm ready for to fade
Unto my own parade
Cast your dancing spell my way
I promise to go under it


Men who saw night coming down about them could somehow act as if they stood at the edge of dawn.


From Gerard's site. The picture always caught my eye.

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