1. My judgment is that the American Revolution was one of the stupidest, most asinine and unnecessary revolts in history. And yet, the figure of Washington gilds this absurdity with such sublime heroism that it nearly outweighs every other consideration. I think that might be a good summation of the American character: objective absurdity overlaid … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: Washington, ‘Dorian Gray’ and ‘The Odyssey’
Books
Sunday Sundry: A Little Politics and The Little Prince
1. This year was my first time reading The Little Prince, at least in full (I'd read sections of it before). That has already become one of my Golden Books; one of the most beautiful, dream-like descriptions of love and innocence that I've ever read. It's short, but as dense as solid gold. 2. "And … Continue reading Sunday Sundry: A Little Politics and The Little Prince
Sunday Sundry: Evolutionary Mindset, Wodehouse, and Leadership
1. Something to get clear in your mind is that a religious dogma is no less of a dogma because it is materialist. Evolution is, for most people, a religious dogma. Therefore, the narrative that teaching Evolution makes students more critical or rational thinkers, as opposed to teaching religious dogma, is nonsense because evolution is … Continue reading Sunday Sundry: Evolutionary Mindset, Wodehouse, and Leadership
A Few “War of the Worlds” Thoughts
As it's on my curriculum, I recently re-read The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells. Being by Wells, it is full of brilliantly realized, prescient ideas and characters who are either variations on Wells himself or caricatures of people he didn't like (Wells, so far as I have read him, only ever created one … Continue reading A Few “War of the Worlds” Thoughts
Saturday Sundry: Kill a Mockingbird and Stop Killing Games
1. I somehow escaped reading To Kill a Mockingbird during my school career. But since the 'sequel' (which, as I understand it, is actually a rough draft that Harper Lee's estate found in her papers and published with minimal involvement from her, but that's another story) is on my reading list this year, so I … Continue reading Saturday Sundry: Kill a Mockingbird and Stop Killing Games
Saturday Sundry: ‘Lusitania’, ‘Dorian Gray’, and ‘Starship Troopers’
1. A YouTube channel I've discovered recently is Oceanliner Designs, which provides extremely detailed documentaries on famous ships and disasters at sea, illustrated with some very pretty animation. Of course Titanic is a regular feature, but the host also examines other famous liners, including Titanic's two sisters, Olympic (the one survivor) and Britannic (which was … Continue reading Saturday Sundry: ‘Lusitania’, ‘Dorian Gray’, and ‘Starship Troopers’
Friday Flotsam: ‘Frankenstein’, ‘City in the Sky’, and ‘Animal Farm’
1. Western commentators see Africa as nothing but a really big Alabama. And most forget the 'really big' part. 2. I'm reading Frankenstein for school. It's not my first time reading it, but it is my first time in a while. This time through is confirming my past assessment, which is that the film is … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: ‘Frankenstein’, ‘City in the Sky’, and ‘Animal Farm’
Friday Flotsam: ‘A Separate Peace’ of ‘Lilo and Stitch’
1. I re-watched Lilo and Stitch the other night (since the abomination of a remake recently came out) and was reminded of just how a good a film that really is. It's one of those odd, ultra-creative, personal-seeming projects that blends elements that really don't seem like they would work together, but through skillful handling … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: ‘A Separate Peace’ of ‘Lilo and Stitch’
‘Discarded Image’ Commentary – Part Three
Part Three of my commentary on C.S. Lewis's The Discarded Image is finally up at my Substack. Parts One and Two can be found Here and Here. Chapters three and four of The Discarded Image deal with some of the chief sources of the Medieval Model. Lewis starts off by stating that a thorough examination … Continue reading ‘Discarded Image’ Commentary – Part Three
Friday Flotsam: Christmas
1. When God comes among men, He comes not as a figure of awe and terror, but as an infant sleeping in His mother's arms. 2. I'm home in Michigan for Christmas; going back to Arizona for New Years'. It's nice to see rain again, though I wish it were snow (meanwhile, my sister in … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: Christmas
Serpent's Den 