...With a title that doesn't really match the point. I didn't want so much to make a simple 'abortion kills more people than guns' argument, but to point out how fundamentally different the two positions - pro-life and pro-gun control - really are. Oh, well: go check it out for yourself Sample: Of course the … Continue reading New Federalist Article
Another Thought
There is a popular idea, particularly in feminist circles, that men generally want women with pretty faces, empty heads, and closed mouths. Jane Austen thought this idea was stupid back in 1815. Emma: "I am very much mistaken if your sex in general would not think such beauty, and such temper, the highest claims a … Continue reading Another Thought
Thought
An Aristocracy is only an old Meritocracy.
What’s Wrong with ‘Victoria’
As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve been watching Masterpiece’s Victoria. I really love the Victorian era as a historical period, so I ought to love this. But I don’t. It’s not…bad, but it’s not very good either. The actors are good and very well-cast in general, the characters are mostly fairly enjoyable (I especially like the … Continue reading What’s Wrong with ‘Victoria’
Our Lady of Perpetual Grievance
So, some friends linked to this article the other day and I had some thoughts. Fair warning, if you liked this article, you probably won’t like my response, because quite frankly, this article was repulsive. On Facebook yesterday, a number of Catholic friends were sharing around an image of Mary the Mother of Jesus, modeled … Continue reading Our Lady of Perpetual Grievance
Another Quick 1950s Thought
I'm a little amazed that no one seems to remember that the most popular and influential television show of the 1950s centered around an interracial couple: Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. Or does that not count? If so, are Cubans considered 'white' now? Then I guess Hispanics don't count for 'diversity' purposes, right? You know, … Continue reading Another Quick 1950s Thought
Brief Thoughts on ‘Duck and Cover’
Being the 1950s aficionado that I am, I can't help noticing some, to me, odd things about our subsequent perspective on the era. Briefly, there's a strange, vitriolic hatred for the time period that leads people to characterize it in a way that really doesn't fit what I see myself in relics from the era. … Continue reading Brief Thoughts on ‘Duck and Cover’
Establishing Morality
In addition to establishing setting, character, and plot, it is important, when writing a story, to establish morality. That is, to make sure the audience will consider your protagonists to be on the right side and your antagonists on the wrong. It needs to feel that the protagonists deserve to win. Obviously, this is not … Continue reading Establishing Morality
YouTube Recommendation
I'm not often seriously impressed by YouTube channels. They can be fun, but apart from Ross's Game Dungeon, they tend not to strike me as very interesting. Certainly very few are worth writing about. Now, though, I want to draw your attention to MauLer; a British gentleman who gives incredibly thorough critiques and dissections, mostly of video … Continue reading YouTube Recommendation
Multilevel Motivation:
Today I want to talk about a characterization trick I’m going to call multilevel motivation. This is where a character’s actions are driven by several different and often conflicting motives at the same time, creating a more psychologically complex and realistic storyline. Let me explain with an easily understood, but very well done example: the … Continue reading Multilevel Motivation:
Serpent's Den 