Lawrence Lease
Bio
Alaska born and bred, Washington DC is my home. I'm also a freelance writer. Love politics and history.
Stories (265)
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Don't Forget to Celebrate National Margarita Day
National Margarita Day doesn’t arrive with the gravity of a federal holiday or the chaos of a three-day weekend, but it holds a special kind of power anyway. It’s the rare celebration that asks very little of you—no gifts, no speeches, no complicated traditions. Just a glass, some ice, and permission to pause for a moment and enjoy something bright.
By Lawrence Leaseabout 13 hours ago in Proof
Europe Thinks it Can’t Deter Russia Without America. It’s Already Doing So
Europe is in trouble. For decades, the United States has been Europe’s primary security guarantor. That arrangement now looks increasingly fragile. Political crises are pulling the two sides of the Atlantic apart, placing at risk the security framework Europe has relied on since the end of the Second World War.
By Lawrence Leaseabout 14 hours ago in FYI
What’s the Deal with Pantalones Tequila?
If you’ve been anywhere near liquor store shelves, social media feeds, or celebrity-backed brand headlines lately, you’ve probably clocked the name Pantalones Tequila and thought… wait, what? It’s a name that’s impossible to ignore, a label that leans hard into irreverence, and a brand that seems determined to zig while every other celebrity tequila zags. But behind the cheeky branding and Hollywood association, Pantalones is actually doing something a little more interesting—and a little more intentional—than it might seem at first glance.
By Lawrence Lease4 days ago in Proof
Who Could Be The Next Leader of Iran
As the cameras roll and analysts sharpen their talking points, the United States appears to be quietly assembling the pieces for a major military move in the Middle East—one that, if carried through, could aim directly at the heart of Iran’s political system. Whether this buildup ultimately leads to the removal of Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader, remains uncertain. Even senior officials in Washington admit as much. But the harder question, and the one that matters most, isn’t how such a move would happen. It’s what comes after.
By Lawrence Lease4 days ago in FYI
The Vanishing of China’s Most Powerful General
The most powerful general in China has vanished from public life—and in Beijing, that usually means only one thing. After nearly a decade as the man overseeing China’s military rise, second only to Xi Jinping himself, General Zhang Youxia has been publicly removed from his post. The announcement was brief. The implications are anything but.
By Lawrence Lease5 days ago in The Swamp
HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY: WHY MEMORY MATTERS
Every year on January 27, the world pauses for Holocaust Remembrance Day—a moment carved into the global calendar to remember one of the darkest chapters in human history. The Holocaust was not an abstract tragedy or a distant myth. It was a systematic, industrialized campaign of persecution and murder carried out by Nazi Germany during World War II, resulting in the deaths of millions of innocent people.
By Lawrence Lease9 days ago in FYI
Venezuela Fiasco Could Mean the End of Russia
The U.S. capture of Nicolás Maduro didn’t just redraw Venezuela’s political future. It may have quietly detonated a much larger charge—one aimed straight at the foundations of Vladimir Putin’s Russia. What looked like a regional power play in Caracas has exposed a web of weaknesses that stretch from Russian arms exports to oil markets and global credibility. And once those threads started snapping, the world noticed.
By Lawrence Lease9 days ago in FYI
WWE: Unreal Season 2 Is the Most “Wait, Should I Be Watching This?” Wrestling Show Ever
When Netflix dropped WWE: Unreal, it didn’t just give wrestling fans extra content — it basically handed us the keys to the writer’s room and said, “Go ahead. Look around.” Season 2 (released Jan. 20, 2026) leans even harder into that vibe: fascinating, addictive… and occasionally weirdly intimate in a way wrestling hasn’t really done before.
By Lawrence Lease11 days ago in Geeks
On National Cheese Lover’s Day, Don’t Feel Bleu—Celebrate the Curds That Bind Us
January 20th rolls around every year with a simple but powerful message: don’t feel bleu, throw a feta, and absolutely act capriciously if cheese is involved. National Cheese Lover’s Day is the perfect excuse to lean into one of humanity’s oldest and most beloved foods. Whether you’re reaching for cheddar, asiago, fontina, or something that smells questionable but tastes incredible, this is a gouda day to celebrate it all.
By Lawrence Lease13 days ago in FYI
The Fall of the Iranian Regime Will Destroy Russia
A lot has been happening in the world of geopolitics lately. We’re not even three weeks into 2026, and we’ve already seen wars, bombings, regime changes, capitulations, and escalating unrest across multiple regions. The year has opened at full throttle, and one of the next countries that appears to be teetering on the edge is Iran.
By Lawrence Lease15 days ago in FYI
25 Years Ago The World Welcome Hobbits & Lord of The Rings into Theaters
Twenty-five years ago, a gamble reshaped cinema—and few people realized it in the moment. Where it all started! In December 2001, audiences stepped into Middle-earth with The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, and something quietly seismic happened. This wasn’t just another fantasy movie arriving for the holiday season. It wasn’t a niche genre experiment or a disposable blockbuster meant to fade once the credits rolled. It was the opening chapter of a cinematic undertaking so ambitious that, even now, it feels borderline impossible that it worked at all.
By Lawrence Lease16 days ago in Geeks
Freezing the War, Not Ending It. Why Trump’s Russo-Ukraine Peace Deal Will Break Down
Wars don’t end just because someone in a suit decides they should. The war in Ukraine is nearing its fourth year, and while diplomacy is accelerating, the battlefield is unmoved. Missiles still strike cities. The front line still grinds forward inch by inch. The war keeps its own tempo, no matter how fast envoys fly between Mar-a-Lago, Moscow, Paris, and Kyiv with draft agreements in hand.
By Lawrence Lease19 days ago in FYI
