Argentine President Cristina Kirchner knows how to choose a sore subject: "The sovereign claim to the Malvinas Islands is inalienable," she said in a speech marking the 26th anniversary of Argentina's ill-fated invasion of the islands, located 480 kilometers (300 miles) off shore. The April 2, 1982 invasion prompted then British prime minister Margaret Thatcher …
Choose Life
This week's podcast takes us to inner city Chicago, where Peter Scholtes put together one of the most interesting (if not the most polished) productions of early post-Vatican II Catholic Music. The song featured is Choose Life, with a decidedly "African" sound. It comes from the album They'll Know We are Christians By Our Love, …
It Does Matter Where You Go to College
Bowdoin's admissions director hasn't figured out what's really happening out there: “I know why it matters so much, and I also don’t understand why it matters so much,” said William M. Shain, dean of admissions and financial aid at Bowdoin. “Where we went to college does not set us up for success or keep us …
Why People Shouldn’t Become Orthodox
Every now and then, I get inquires (especially from Anglicans) on whether they should become Orthodox. My usual response is to refer them to this, the Life of the Archpriest Avvakum by Himself. I've missed it on this one: the Mystificator from Romania has 275 reasons why one shouldn't become Orthodox. The remaining time, amounting …
It’s the “True Love” Thing Again
The trials of Harvard student Janie Fredell's ongoing--but at least no longer solo--battle to uphold the Christian sexual ethic in her own life are yet another example of something that has been going on for a long time. I've taken some heat on this subject before, but I'll say it again: this society, and especially …
Disturbing One’s Sleep
I've commented once on Jonathan Stone's my struggle with homosexuality. But some of the subsequent comments--and Tanya's last one in particular--beg some response. It's rather like the geotechical engineer and contractor Lazarus White's reaction to certain technical papers on pile driving: after reading them, "the result was that my sleep was very much disturbed." Let …
Hillary Clinton has Nothing to Lose by Ploughing On
All of the hue and cry for Hillary Clinton to quit is rubbish: Sen. Patrick Leahy, a Vermont senator who endorsed Obama in January, said she was never going to win enough delegates, and he suggested she should throw in the towel in "the interests of a Democratic victory in November." A number of Democrats …
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Latte Liberals, and Saving Starbucks
Some coffee musings: It used to be that high-income, left-wing people were referred to as "limousine liberals." Now they're referred to as "latte liberals," and Barack Obama wouldn't be where he is without them. The difference? Global warming perhaps? But part of the reason is the expense, and that leads us to... Starbucks is trying …
Reply to Jonathan Stone on the Possibility of Dialogue between Pentecostals and the LGBT Community
Jonathan Stone knows how to select a hot topic in his post my struggle with homosexuality. For you Anglicans that visit regularly, you know I deal with this on a regular basis, and many of the Anglican/Episcopal blogs and websites do so even more. The premier Anglican (IMHO) blog, Titusonenine, does so regularly, but will …
Houston: The Next Great World City?
Are they really surprised at this? Given these trends, it seems likely that the next great American city will emerge from the ranks of the opportunity cities. The ultimate winner will come from those that keep up with the infrastructure needed to accommodate their growth. They also will have to deal with issues of education, …
Positive Infinity 