After yesterday's boffo performance by James Clapper and Leon Panetta, conservatives are justifiably upset at our intelligence community. But there's nothing new about this, as this wrap on the CIA's (in particular) uninspiring performance in the Cold War, from Derek Leebaert’s The Fifty Year Wound: The True Price of America’s Cold War Victory should remind …
Clarifying the French Rejection of Same Sex Civil Marriage
Bill Muehlenberg is absolutely beside himself at the French Court of Cassation's (their plus ou moins equivalent of our SCOTUS) rejection of same sex civil marriage: But the real story here is about all those places which have not legalised it, and/or have fought against it. The media tends not to play up these stories. …
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The Downside to David Cameron's Attack on Multiculturism
The right is very pleased with British PM David Cameron's attack on multiculturalism: 'Multiculturalism has failed," said British Prime Minister David Cameron last weekend in Munich. If anybody thought they had read those words before, it is because they have. Many times. Last October German Chancellor Angela Merkel (sitting onstage with Mr. Cameron when he …
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Sister Juliana Garza: Mixed Expressions and Communion Muse
Today a great deal of Roman Catholic "folk" music used in parishes tends towards the bland and trite. Much of the blame for this can be laid at OCP's feet, and that fact has been an impetus towards the restoration of more "traditional" music in Masses, an impetus that has come from the Holy See …
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The Ten Weeks: Week Nine (7-13 February): A Little Corporal Punishment for the Road
The setting of the novel The Ten Weeks was exactly forty years ago. This is one of a series of excerpts from the novel, one for each week (except for Weeks Two and Three, which were combined). Click here for more information on the book, including the new e-book version. Coleman reviewed the police file …
Hymn for the Fifth Sunday in Epiphany
The Epistle for the Fifth Sunday in Epiphany (which we don't always get to, but this year Easter is very late) is as follows: Therefore, as God’s People, consecrated and dear to him, clothe yourselves with tenderness of heart, kindliness, humility, gentleness, forbearance; Bearing with one another, and, when there is any ground for complaint, …
Michelle Obama: "Great Barbecue" is a Relative Term
Michelle Obama is catching heat for referring to Charlotte, NC's, great barbecue: In listing Charlotte's many virtues, Obama named southern charm, hospitality, diversity — "And of course, great barbecue." That was news to residents, who know that North Carolina's best barbecue lies farther afield. "We appreciate the compliments, and they're all spot-on until that last …
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Schumer and His Three Branches of Government
Liberals didn't like the idea of reading the Constitution in the House. What they didn't realise is that the wrong "branch of government" did the reading: No wonder people don't like civics classes...if our legislators don't understand how this system works, why should they?
The Ten Weeks: Week Eight (31 January-6 February): Before Texting, We Actually Had to Talk on the Phone
The setting of the novel The Ten Weeks was exactly forty years ago. This is one of a series of excerpts from the novel, one for each week (except for Weeks Two and Three, which were combined). Click here for more information on the book, including the new e-book version. Alemara Academy was a little …
Gays and Muslims: The Collision Course Finally Collides
In the UK, we have this: And when that Independent article was written, just two Muslims had been charged with stirring up 'hatred' for handing out leaflets outside a mosque suggesting that gay people should be executed. Razwan Javed, 30, and Kabir Ahmed, 27, were accused of handing out a leaflet entitled 'The Death Penalty?', …
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Positive Infinity 