Poetry – “Aspecta Medusa”
Andromeda, by Perseus sav'd and wed,Hanker'd each day to see the Gorgon's head:Till o'er a fount he held it, bade her lean,And mirror'd in the wave was safely seenThat death she liv'd by. Let not thine eyes knowAny forbidden thing itself, althoughIt once should save as well as kill: but beIts shadow upon life … Continue reading Poetry – “Aspecta Medusa”
Sunday Thoughts
J.R.R. Tolkien, in (I think) On Fairy Stories made the point that children are not a special class of people (akin to women, men, Englishmen, Americans, etc.), but just people at a particular stage of development. Which is to say, it's misleading to say "children like this" or "children do that" just as it's misleading … Continue reading Sunday Thoughts
Low-Effort Blogging: Thomas Sowell on African Geography
In all the various and sundry talking points that touch upon Africa to a greater or lesser degree, it often seems to me that the place itself tends to be neglected. Africa is just 'the poor place', or the place where atrocities are happening, or the place where slaves came from. The victim continent, if … Continue reading Low-Effort Blogging: Thomas Sowell on African Geography
The End of the Beginning
So...this happened today. On the Feast of the Sacred Heart. And the Feast of St. John the Baptist (who, you may recall, testified to Christ from his mother's womb), since we have a rare situation where the two fall on the same day. Interesting that. Anyway, current events aren't really my forte, but this is … Continue reading The End of the Beginning
Friday Flotsam: Sacred Heart and Jurassic Park
1. Today, of course, is the Feast of the Sacred Heart. This year it is also (coincidentally) the Feast of St. John the Baptist.The heart is the core and “noblest part of the human person” (as Pope Pius XII puts it), the seat of the soul and the passions and the innermost self. Thus the … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: Sacred Heart and Jurassic Park
‘Lovely People’
A friend put me onto this graphic novel / webcomic, all about the workings of a social credit system as experienced by a trio of bunnies. It's really quite well done and an excellent dissection of, well, just how horribly abusive such a system is or would be, and the power and dangers of horizontal … Continue reading ‘Lovely People’
Jurassic World: A Losing Premise
Sometimes a film or book will come along where the premise itself strikes me as simply so stupid and unbelievable that it loses me completely without my having to even see it. Jurassic World: Dominion is one such film. I haven't seen it and don't plan to, but I understand that part of the premise … Continue reading Jurassic World: A Losing Premise
Low Effort Blogging: Saint Aloysius Gonzaga
I’m hopped up on cold medicine right now and trying to conserve what energy I do have into not falling completely behind in current projects, so here’s a saint of the day copied directly from Catholic Encyclopedia: Born in the castle of Castiglione, 9 March, 1568; died 21 June, 1591. At eight he was placed … Continue reading Low Effort Blogging: Saint Aloysius Gonzaga
Poetry – “Ode to Duty”
Stern Daughter of the Voice of God!O Duty! if that name thou loveWho art a Light to guide, a RodTo check the erring, and reprove;Thou who art victory and lawWhen empty terrors overawe;From vain temptations dost set free;And calm'st the weary strife of frail humanity! There are who ask not if thine eyeBe on them; … Continue reading Poetry – “Ode to Duty”