An open letter to Melinda Gates

but will she listen

A St. Rose Clerihew

                                 
St. Rose

was plagued by earthly beaus.

To discourage their thoughts of marriage

she used pepper to spice up her visage. 

The first rule of economics is scarcity. The first rule of politics is to ignore the first rule of economics.
Which is basically why Chesterton and Belloc are told to shut up. We need to keep talking anyway.
Just Saying

The First Shark Week

Bishop Nicholas Steno once again shows that religion hates science....no wait reverse that.

“Nicolas Steno was a Danish Renaissance man who believed in proving to himself long held beliefs and disgrading things shown to be false.  This strong drive for the truth led him to become the founder of geology and laid the ground work for the development of archaeology and paleontology.  His first major test was analyzing his Lutheran beliefs.  When Steno reasoned that Catholicism was more grounded in traditional Christianity than Lutheranism Steno converted.  He would study and follow his new faith all the way to becoming a bishop.

But geographers and other earth scientists better know Steno for his geological work.  Later on Steno discovered rock strata were actually layers of rock which formed on top of each other over time.  He stated the deeper one digs into the earth the older the material.  Before Steno this was too much a leap for scientists to realize due to the general scientific disinterest in anything below the Earth's surface unless it was for alchemy.  His discovery also ended the belief in an unchanging creationist Earth.  Since then all science has agreed the Earth is dynamic.

Steno's anatomical studies focused at first on the muscular system and the nature of muscle contraction -for example, he used geometry to show that a contracting muscle changes its shape but not its volume.
However, in October 1666, two fishermen caught a huge shark near the town of Livorno, and Duke Ferdinand ordered its head to be sent to Steno. Steno dissected it and published his findings in 1667.
The figure above shows the figure published by Steno of the shark's head and teeth. While examining the teeth of the shark, Steno was struck by their resemblance to certain stony objects, called glossopetrae or "tongue stones," that were found in certain rocks. Ancient authorities, such as the Roman author Pliny the Elder, had suggested that these stones fell from the sky or from the moon. Others were of the opinion, also going back to ancient times, that fossils naturally grew in the rocks. Steno's contemporary Athanasius Kircher, for example, attributed fossils to a "lapidifying virtue diffused through the whole body of the geocosm." Steno, however, argued that glossopetrae looked like shark teeth because they were shark teeth, that had come from the mouths of once-living sharks, and come to be buried in mud or sand that was now dry land. There were differences in composition between glossopetrae
and living sharks' teeth, but Steno used the "corpuscular theory of matter", a forerunner of atomic theory,
to argue that fossils could be altered in chemical composition without changing their form.”

Oh yea, he also sold his bishop's cross and ring to help the poor.

Pollock clerihew

Jackson Pollock
facing possible painter's block
discovered that what matters
to the critics were his splatters.

Visiting Gilbert

Why yes I did go to Gilbert's house- you may envy me now. Ok maybe not. Gilbert's house is privately owned so there was no walking around the grounds. London has a Chesterton society that schedule several trips (they call them pilgrimages) to his house and grave sight however they were doing these the weekend before and the weekend after I was there. So I had to find these sites on my own which was no easy task. I had to take two subways to the end of the line and then grab a bus. I then missed my stop by two towns. The driver was very kind and gave me a transfer ticket back to  Beaconsfield. I can understand how Gilbert would get lost coming and going.

Once there I wondered around trying to get directions to Gilbert's and Frances' house, I was ill prepared. I thought everyone would know but noooo. The first six people I asked had no idea who I was talking about. I then went into the parish hall of St Mary's Church and still all I got was, "Who?". I finally ran into a lady mopping the floor who knew. It was a short walk away.

As I took the corner of Grove Road I saw a sign, "Chesterton Gardens", it was a dentist office. The next building was his house. I did not stay there long because walking up and down the side walk staring at this house even made me feel creepy. 

I did have a beer at The Royal Standard Pub which I am sure was a place where Gilbert graced more than once.  I wish I had more time to wonder around the town but the buses do not run late.

Interesting that, aside from the circle plaque on GKC's house there is nothing in this town that says Chesterton was ever there. Even several of the web sites dedicated to Beconsfield don't mention him yet there is a larger than life statue of Sherlock Holms on Baker Street which draws more photo taking visitors than the Globe. Like the Rocky statue in Philly

One source of pride came from reading the London Chesterton Societies page where I came across this:

The American Chesterton Society
This must be the world’s most successful Chesterton organization, and is to no small extent responsible for the fact that Chesterton is taken very much more seriously in the U.S. than in the land of his birth. In its present form the society is the creation of Dale Ahlquist, whose larger than life personality is reflected by this extrovert all-singing all-dancing website.

Chicago values

“Catholic values are not Chicago values.” – Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

Okay, that’s not what he really said. But it is in effect what he said.

The actual quote is, “Chick-fil-A values are not Chicago values.”

What prompted the remark were comments by the president of Chick-fil-A, Dan Cathy, in an interview in which he said, in response to question, that he supports traditional marriage. He has made it clear in separate statements that he opposes homosexual marriage.

Immediately the hyperbolic knee-jerkers accused him of being homophobic, hating homosexuals, etc. Never mind that he was talking about just marriage. He did not condemn homosexuals. He did not call them monsters, or heterophobic, or haters. He did not call for them to be locked up, or executed, or driven out of town. He did not call for them to be denied the right to buy a home, or a car, or fast food. And his company does not refuse to serve homosexual customers. Indeed, it may have some homosexual employees.

But he dared to disagree with them on this particular issue.

And that led to Emanuel and others to stick their political feet into the furor, and to threaten to block the opening of Chick-fil-A restaurants in Chicago and Boston.

Now, Mr. Cathy’s stand on marriage also happens to be the Catholic Church’s stand. In saying that Cathy’s values are not Chicago values, Emanuel is in effect saying that the Church’s values are not Chicago values.

Given the values for which Chicago has a reputation, I’d be more worried if the Church did begin to share Chicago values.

No vote for Romney? Well ...

In the most recent Gilbert Magazine, Dale Ahlquist, he of seemingly infinite Chestertonian knowledge, wrote an editorial entitled, "Why I won't vote for Mitt Romney."

I was intrigued.

I can think of many reasons not to vote for Romney, and I was curious to see if his reasons jibed with ones that had occurred to me.

He threw a curve ball - sort of.

Ahlquist talked about his experience as a lobbyist in 1996 and witnessing the Republican machine in operation determining the 2000 nominee. He saw the same process in operation this time around.

So he views Romney as a product of the party machine, and not the real choice of the voters.

Okay, I can see that.

He also alluded to some of the reasons why I will not vote for Romney. The Republican Party tends to pay lip service to social values such as the pro-life position on abortion, but once it suckers in the social conservatives it fails to deliver. Even worse for folks in my neck of the woods (New York) many of our local Republican Party elected officials and candidates would be Democrats in most other states. Heck, I'm currently represented by a Catholic Republican Congressman who supports abortion!

The Republican Party is really about money, he contends, and I agree. Big Business, as he puts it. Of course, the alternative is Big Government (that other major party).

And, to be honest, given Romney's track record, I still don't know how sincere he is on the issues that are important to me - like the Right to Life.

Where I might stray from Ahlquist's position is that Romney is still slightly better that Obama on some significant issues, and if I had to chose, and if I lived in a state where my vote might actually count, I would reluctantly vote for him. Romney is more likely to change some policies, and to chose judges who might be more reasonable. I think. I hope. 

Of course, because of the Electoral College, my vote in New York doesn't matter. This state will give its Electoral votes to Obama no matter what happens in the next few months - unless they indict him, and even then he still might carry the state. 

So I don't have to vote for either of the machine-chosen major party candidates. I hear Santa Claus is running. Hmm.....

But if I lived in a state like Ohio, I'd consider voting for Romney - sorry Dale. I don't want to see four more years of anti-life, anti-faith policies.

Ahlquist says he will vote for neither Obama nor Romney, concluding: "I will not play this game anymore."

I understand where he's coming from.

I'm just not there yet.

Well Done

Back in May we, along with others, posted about an e-book project to help the seminarians in Africa. They needed to raise $4,000.00 dollars and thanks to all-you-all they raised $18,050. This is good. Very GOOD.

Let us bring a joyous ending to pie week as we sing



from the little band that could.

from the no crap column

"It's actually a pretty absurd policy," says James Liang, a leading businessman in Shanghai.

lets all pray they turn this boat around before it hits the rocks.

MEAT AMERICA

Add a tankard of beer and you have a holiday.

Any way I am headed off to London this weekend to visit my son and his family and want to take in some Chesterton sites. Any recommendations? I will also be doing some 'stand-up' when I am there in which i have found ways to use Chesterton quotes as punch lines for political humor - Beer and Bacon Party!

Amazed it even got published

If there is a WAR ON WOMEN there is a truth that there will be some women that will be seen as “traitors” like Anne-Marie Slaughter who says there is a difference between Feminism and Femininity. It does not matter that she is telling the truth that women are not the same as men and that they have a unique roll to fulfill in the world.

“What she is basically saying is what the Church has been saying for years: yes women deserve to be in the house and the senate so to speak but they also should not have to deny who they are as women namely their unique design as life bearers in order to get ahead. The articles are another example of how truth is truth and eventually, no matter how hard we try to suppress it, it does come to the surface."

Whether she is aware of it or not she continually restates the position the church has taken for oh um centuries. here is just one example LETTER OF POPE JOHN PAUL II to Woman.

Sarcasm aside I don't think this is a War on Women but there is a war its a Female Civil War.

I know this is the kind of Quote that gets Chesterton in trouble yet it explains the core of the War. “It [feminism] is mixed up with a muddled idea that women are free when they serve their employers but slaves when they help their husbands.”

and

"Well, to get this honest but unpleasant business over, the objection to the Suffragettes is not that they are Militant Suffragettes. On the contrary, it is that they are not militant enough. A revolution is a military thing; it has all the military virtues; one of which is that it comes to an end. Two parties fight with deadly weapons, but under certain rules of arbitrary honor; the party that wins becomes the government and proceeds to govern. The aim of civil war, like the aim of all war, is peace. Now the Suffragettes cannot raise civil war in this soldierly and decisive sense; first, because they are women; and, secondly, because they are very few women. But they can raise something else; which is altogether another pair of shoes. They do not create revolution; what they do create is anarchy; and the difference between these is not a question of violence, but a question of fruitfulness and finality. Revolution of its nature produces government; anarchy only produces more anarchy." read it here

It still amazes me that there is any honest discussion that anyone can 'have it all'. It is the kind of pursuit that will make you mad precisely because it is totally unattainable this side of the great divide.

Keep Calm and Carry On

True, "You cannot grow a beard in a moment of passion." but you can celebrate the thing.

Or you could make a study of the thing and learn such neat facts like:

"The most treacherous beard in history was that of Austrian Hans Steininger. It was more than two metres long and he kept it rolled and stowed in a leather pouch, but in 1567 he tripped over it while running from a fire, and perished.

One of the CIA's more insane attempts to destabilise Cuba was to put toxic thallium salts in the shoes of Fidel Castro to make his beard fall out."

‎"But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” Matthew 17:21
‎

Our God King to the Bishops

When asked about the HHS mandate that free contraception would lead to free abortion everyone poo-pood the idea “No one is talking about making that step.” I heard a talking head say.

I snickered then knowing abortion is sometimes called after sex contraception. Also when the Government offers something for “free” they expect you to take advantage of that service - by force if necessary. They have to protect their phony baloney jobs - It is for the public good after all and pregnancy IS the monster of our time so grab your torches!!

"In reality there is not that big of a leap between government deciding to subsidize a behavior and government deciding to enforce that behavior by law". In a previous life this was a common saying: “The first one is free the next one will cost you.” (90% percent of those came back with cash).

Note: My home state of Connecticut has made that step.

“The most unfathomable schools and sages have never attained to the gravity which dwells in the eyes of a baby” GKC

Well well CT. sure doesnt want any of that gravity.

In our current materialistic culture the self is God and pleasure is the source and summit of life. Consequently any slight to the self is a blasphemy and a denial of pleasure is a mortal sin.

So it is easy to see how many have lost their sense of humor.

“Humour is meant, in a literal sense, to make game of man; that is, to dethrone him from his official dignity and hunt him like game.” G.K. Chesterton.

If you make sport of me, a god, I will smite you.

a new documentary

I love the whole idea of this.

Learn more about it here release date is sometime in 2013 if they don't run out of money.

I am fairly sure this film won't be playing in a cinaplex near you, (or anyone for that matter), so keep an ear out maybe your local Knights of Columbus will host a screening.

Along with the poets song writers have also been curiously silent the subject of cheese -  tomatoes on the other hand...