Dearest Colleague,
You are my one and only, highly prized, priceless confederate. An ally and joint-operator of a like mind; we are a mutual find with both of us to credit. Your scientific prowess, keen wit, and intellectual bravery are reinforced with enduring friendship. Your the best confederate a kooky scientist like me could idealize. We’re both Yankees but we sure know how to confide in a confederation. And your a sign I’m not insane, or at least not the only one. For that: I kindly thank you.
In confidence and gratitude,
Your Confederate in Life and Science
The Broad Spectrum Life 
Nicely written
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Ironically, I was just reading about Camp Douglas, the Confederate POW camp http://www.ncgenweb.us/transylvania/Camp-Douglas-Civil-War-Prison,-Chicago.html when I saw your post title. So I had to check it out. Your blog that is.
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Yeah, that’s why I had to and the Yankee joke to distinguish what meaning of confederate I intended. At least in psychology research, a confederate is someone secretly in on a study to held subtlety guide a participant for the goal of the experiment. I’m using it as some sort of hybrid, like a “friend and confidant, with shared inside-knowledge”.
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Beautiful dedication.
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