Friday Flotsam: Habemus Papam, Herzog’s Mindset, and Woodstock

1. Habemus Papam! Short hours ago, I would have taken it as axiomatic than an American Cardinal will never be elected Pope. We exert so much power and influence over the rest of the world that I took it for granted the Cardinals would never willingly give them the Papacy as well. I have no … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: Habemus Papam, Herzog’s Mindset, and Woodstock

Sunday Flotsam

1. I seem to be doing a lot of Sunday flotsams these days. 2. The first requirement for intelligent political discourse is to distinguish political thought from political rhetoric. That is, we have to set aside the buzzwords and loaded language ('racist', 'imperialist', 'exploitative', 'equality', and, especially, 'liberty') and make it clear what concrete realities … Continue reading Sunday Flotsam

250 Years On

By the rude bridge that arched the flood,Their flag to April's breeze unfurled,Here once the embattled farmers stoodAnd fired the shot heard round the world-Ralph Waldo Emerson Exactly two hundred and fifty years ago today, British soldiers under Lt. Col. Francis Smith were sent by governor Thomas Gage to seize a stockpile of weapons which … Continue reading 250 Years On

Friday Flotsam: Corporal Punishment and Anne Shirley

1. One of the great, underappreciated benefits of having clearly defined roles for men and women is that they prevent direct competition between the sexes. Less competition means less resentment and less animosity 2. Equality naturally creates resentment, because one who values equality will always be on the look out for signs that someone somewhere … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: Corporal Punishment and Anne Shirley