January 2012
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I've always been greatly annoyed by the attempt to limit or twist the use of a common word by reference to its etymology. I've probably done it myself here and there, but that doesn't make it any less annoying. So here is xkcd doing his part to stamp out the practice. Language changes, people; get…
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Microfascism Several weeks ago, in a comment on my post about David Bentley Hart's essay on American religion in The New Criterion , Rob G mentioned another TNC piece, this one by William Gairdner, called "Getting Used to the F-Word," saying it was "even better" than Hart's. I had read it when it came out, and…
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"They just thought it would be cool." And they were so right. Approximately 24km (15 miles) is still well within the earth's atmosphere, but very roughly double typical airliner cruising altitudes (9 to 12km or 6 to 8 miles, also very roughly). Depending on who's making the judgment and by what criteria, outer space begins…
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Weekend Music This old hymn has been playing in my head off and on for several days. There are a number of versions on YouTube but most of them are big elaborate idiosyncrathc rock arrangements, and I just want a straightforward rendition. This was the best I could find.
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Patrick Deneen, whose name you know if you read Front Porch Republic, is leaving Georgetown for Notre Dame. His reasons will interest anyone interested in Catholic higher education.
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These astonishing structures are described as "ice sculptures," but that hardly does them justice. Click on the picture for many more, and information about the Harbin International Ice and Snow festival where they're created. (Harbin is a city in China.)
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Upstairs Downstairs 2 and Downton Abbey This is sort of a follow-up to that post a few weeks about Upstairs Downstairs. I don't think I mentioned in that one that the reason we were watching the original series was that we had seen the new one which first aired last year. I'd noticed the ads for it…
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Weekend Music You may have noticed that this sometimes-regular feature disappeared some weeks ago, I'm not sure exactly when. I hardly listened to any music at all, or opened a book, between Thanksgiving and Epiphany. After the latter, though, really feeling the lack of music, I began playing music in the car on my daily…
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My great-aunt Ann was a diehard Democrat who believed that in the realm of politics FDR was the Creator and JFK the Messiah. I don't think she lived to see the JFK myth put pretty thoroughly to rest (as much as it can ever be–the true believers seem to be pretty committed still). But she…
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I suspect that anyone who is at all on the rightward side of the political spectrum is feeling very much like this. (Who is "Reince Preibus"?!?)
Light On Dark Water 