Sun Burnt Memories

I cannot remember which is correct: 'No sane mane would take a baby camping' or is it 'Only a sane man could take a baby camping'. Needless to say we took babies on this trip and they were wonderful to have along. We knew they would limit the activities we could all do together so we worked out an adult tag team method so we all could do stuff.

However the heat wave blitz swept down upon us the morning of the first day and fried our plans of highly physical activities. So our schedule was changed to this - breakfast and go to the lake - lunch and go to the lake - dinner and sit in the shade till the sun went down or go to the lake.

We would all move around in a clump in cool lake water floating the babies between us broken only by short breaks of naps in the shade. My toes are still wrinkled.

We had a great time.

Smuggling in Chesterton

I've been hired to teach English at a local Catholic high school.

One of the classes I'll be teaching writing one - as in creative writing. My department head said it was up to me how I wanted to structure the course, and what works I wanted to include.

I'm adding a personal essay component - and one of the essays I intend to look at (before sending the students off to write) is Chesterton's "A Piece of Chalk."

Who knows what else I can sneak in! Maybe a Fr. Brown story ... or "Lepanto?"

To The Woods!

“I’m bored.”, a phrase uttered by every child at least once a day during the summer. How many of us teachers out there have not heard the phrase, “This is so booooring. Why do I have to learn this stuff.”

“The universal, or approximately universal, opinion in these days is that the unpardonable sin is to be a bore. This is a profound error. If this awful phraseology is to be used at all, it may be safely said that the unpardonable sin is being bored. “– G.K. Chesterton, “A Defense of Bores”

According to the Etymology Dictionary the word boredom, in its current usage, started in 1852. The date corresponds with the fiery start of the second industrial revolution.

Interesting that man became bored when things were happening to make his life easier and 'more free'. Now with all our blinking, singing, dinging and whirling toys we are more bored than ever.

My children, grand children and I are headed for our annual summer camping trip-away from the plug in toys. No one is ever bored kicking a stone, baiting a hook or sitting around a campfire.

Scientists have finally demonstrated that sex is useful. I can't tell you how relieved I am.

Move Along. There Is Nothing To See Here.

At the conclusion of Tom Wolfe’s book THE PAINTED WORD he summarized his theory and made a prediction:

"Hilton Kramer, lets slip the admission: “Frankly, these days, without a theory to go with it, I can’t see a painting”.

“LETS SLIP,” AS I SAY. WE NOW KNOW, OF COURSE, that his words describe the actual state of affairs for tout le monde in Cultureburg; but it is not the sort of thing that one states openly. Any orthodox critic, such as Kramer, is bound to defend the idea that a work of art can speak for itself. Thus in December 1974 he attacked the curators of the Metropolitan Museum’s exhibition “The Impressionist Epoch” for putting big historical notes up on the wall beside the great masterworks of the Impressionists. But why? What an opportunity he missed! If only he could have drawn upon the wisdom of his unconscious! Have the courage of your secret heart, Hilton! Tell them they should have made the copy blocks bigger!—and reduced all those Manets, Monets, and Renoirs to the size of wildlife stamps!

"Twenty-five years from now, that will not seem like such a facetious idea. I am willing (now that so much has been revealed!) to predict that in the year 2000, when the Metropolitan or the Museum of Modern Art puts on the great retrospective exhibition of American Art 1945-75, the three artists who will be featured, the three seminal figures of the era, will be not Pollock, de Kooning, and Johns—but Greenberg, Rosenberg, and Steinberg. Up on the walls will be huge copy blocks, eight and a half by eleven feet each, presenting the protean passages of the period . . . a little “fuliginous flatness” here . . . a little “action painting” there . . . and some of that “all great art is about art” just beyond. Beside them will be small reproductions of the work of leading illustrators of the Word from that period, such as Johns, Louis, Noland, Stella, and Olitski. (Pollock and de Kooning will have a somewhat higher status, although by no means a major one, because of the more symbiotic relationship they were fortunate enough to enjoy with the great Artists of the Word.)"

He was close. It took thirty years for this to reach full fruition. Where words are not only larger than the works of art they explain they completely replace the art. Please don’t be confused, this is not “word art” the words still just describe the art it is just that the art does not REALLY exist.

The Museum of Non-Visible Art, or MONA, is a joint collaboration between art collective Praxis and actor James Franco. The museum, which doesn’t actually exist, features invisible art pieces, which also don’t exist, that can nevertheless be purchased with cash - which does exist. MONA art pieces currently on “exhibit” include imaginary sculptures, invisible garments and even a hypothetical Franco short film.

Yes, they are serious.

Corinth anyone?

The International Planned Parenthood Federation released two new publications on abortion and sexual rights for youth. The new documents are the latest part of the organization’s larger campaign targeted at teenagers and older children.

'The sexual rights guide “Exclaim!” calls for a cornucopia of sexuality and gender protections and entitlements under the guise of international law. “Governments must respect, protect and fulfill all sexual rights for young people,” the publication states.' It says protect and fulfill sexual rights. Sexual rights mean the right to have sex so if the government is to fulfill that right will it have to get into the prostitution buisness? The report does not say.

As Chesterton said, "Once abolish the God and the government becomes the God." so think if this “plan” goes through we will have to set up a new cabinet seat - “The Department of Aphrodite Pleasure”. As every town now has postal service will they have to have ‘temple prostitutes’ as well?

Movie finds an answer through Chesterton

The director of Bruce Almighty, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, and more had a serious accident that set him off exploring the question, "What's wrong with our world?" The title of the resulting documentary (and the answer) come from Chesterton: "I am."

I'm going to look for it. I hope is comes to my town.

Funny place to find Uncle Gilbert

A recent donation to the library of congress puts a new spin on an issue considered long settled - a Flat Earth Map. In 1893 Orlando Ferguson created a map of the Earth that, he claimed, reconciled biblical (note the angel reference from Revelation 7:1) and scientific knowledge.

The map depicts the Earth as a giant square slab with a dimpled upper surface - an inverse torpoid for you math majors out there.

This is great news for the Flat Earth Society cause no one really liked their map.

The Society aims are simple:

1. To restore humanity’s faith in Common Sense. Seeing is believing. For hundreds of years humankind has been blinded by metaphysics, brainwashed by popular fallacies and bullied into denying the evidence of one’s own sense. The Flat Earth Society stands for a renewed faith in the basic truth of sense experience.

2. To combat the fallacious deification of the sphere which, ever since the sly deception of Pythagoras, has warped western thought.

3. To spearhead humankind’s escape from his/her metaphysical and geometrical prison by asserting that science, like philosophy and religion, is ultimately metaphorical and therefore that reality as we verbalize it isultimately metaphorical, and therefore that realtiy as we verbalize it is essentially mystical and poetical.

George Bernard Shaw was a member of the group (really?) they also infer that G. K. Chesterton was a member by quoting him on their membership application:

G.K. Chesterton: “A man should always question the strongest convictions of his age, for those convictions are invariably too strong.”

If it is good enough for uncle Gilbert you can count be in. I would love to see Dale Ahlquist's response to this. I think he should devote a show on it.

Oh yea, people don't fall off the Earth because of Intelligent Pulling, not gravity.

Small thoughts on the 4th

"The Declaration of Independence dogmatically bases all rights on the fact that God created all men equal; and it is right; for if they were not created equal, they were certainly evolved unequal. There is no basis for democracy except in a dogma about the divine origin of man." - G. K. Chesterton

The Mayflower compact is a small document that no longer appears in school history text books maybe it is because it mentions God a whole bunch or it advocates small government is anyone's guess. In case you have never seen it here it is:

"In the name of God, Amen. We, whose names are underwritten, the Loyal Subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord, King James, by the Grace of God, of England, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, e&. Having undertaken for the Glory of God, and Advancement of the Christian Faith, and the Honour of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia; do by these presents, solemnly and mutually in the Presence of God and one of another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil Body Politick, for our better Ordering and Preservation, and Furtherance of the Ends aforesaid; And by Virtue hereof to enact, constitute, and frame, such just and equal Laws, Ordinances, Acts, Constitutions and Offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the General good of the Colony; unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In Witness whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names at Cape Cod the eleventh of November, in the Reign of our Sovereign Lord, King James of England, France and Ireland, the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth. Anno Domini, 1620."

A little document that set the ball rolling for the Declaration Of Independence. Both documents base our government on a Christian ideal. Today we are working to erase that original ideal to a secular one. But if we are not governed within by God we must therefore be Governed without by Government.

As Robert Winthrop said in 1849, "All societies of men must be governed in some way or other. The less they may have of stringent State Government, the more they must have of individual self-government. The less they rely on public law or physical force, the more they must rely on private moral restraint. Men, in a word, must necessarily be controlled, either by a power within them, or by a power without them; either by the Word of God, or by the strong arm of man; either by the Bible, or by the bayonet. It may do for other countries and other governments to talk about the State supporting religion. Here, under our own free institutions, it is Religion which must support the State.

Benjamin Rush, Signer of the Declaration of Independence said. "[T]he only foundation for a useful education in a republic is to be aid in religion. Without this there can be no virtue, and without virtue there can be no liberty, and liberty is the object and life of all republican governments. Without religion, I believe that learning does real mischief to the morals and principles of mankind."

Benedictus XVI makes a TWEET.

Launching a new web page: news.va where you can get the latest news from the Vatican.

Oh yea, he also celebrates his 60th anniversary as priest today.

Daily meditations by Pope Benidict XVI in english.

Very Cool.

Go Ask Alice

On Yahoo news you might have seen the blurb called ‘No 'him' or 'her'; preschool fights gender bias’. A little story about a preschool in Stockholm that does not use gender specific language or toys or I suppose bathrooms.

All this is done, of course, in the name of equality. I know many of you are shaking your heads thinking those crazy Swedes and you might even be afraid to read the article knowing that with each step in you will get closer to having your head explode from the onslaught of absurdity. However there was line in the story where the loony grenade went off in their hands. To show how right thinking they are they mentioned a book where you do not need a mommy and daddy just two caring adults, "From a bookcase she pulls out a story about two male giraffes who are sad to be childless — until they come across an abandoned crocodile egg."

I do not know this book but all I could think of was when that crocodile grows up it will eat its parents.

Maybe I'm just projecting reality on to the situation which will always get you twisted up.

"When logic and proportion
Have fallen sloppy dead
And the White Knight is talking backwards
And the Red Queen's "off with her head!"
Remember what the dormouse said;
'Keep YOUR HEAD'."

Another note on Fr Corapi

When I first heard about the problems Fr. Corapi was having I was shocked but not surprised. I had heard several of his talks about the possibility of this kind of thing happening to him as it has to other priests. Is it possible that the allegations are true - yes it is possible. However there was one allegation that did not ring true to me and that was his "occasional" drug use.

In his own story Fr Corapi admits of his previous drug use. He was an addict spending everything he had for a fix. In my work with junkies there are a few things that are always true. The first is the habit can be beaten but they are always and forever a junkie. It is impossible to go back to occasional use and when they do fall off the wagon it is always back to the drug of choice. Just like an alcoholic can never become a social drinker nor switch to crack, a crack junkie can not do an occasional line nor swith to whiskey.

There is another thing about junkies and that is the personality trait that made them addicts in the first place does not go away. So they do sometimes trade a hard drug for a hard philosophy. The field of social work and counseling is filled with ex-junkies. Some make the trade to bodybuilding, or drive harder back into their pervious profession or become Jesus freaks.

Fr Corapi had traded his drug habit for the priesthood and he had become a fame junkie so it did not take long for Fr. Corapi to go into full withdrawal when the scandal broke. After the attack all of his media outlets, except his website, were cut off to him. In one of his talks he had mentioned that if this kind of allegation happened to him he would just spend more time with his dogs and do a lot more fishing. His addictive personality could not let him do that.

His withdrawal first manifested itself in an attack on his accuser all over his web site. "Not my fault!" - "I was framed" - "She is unbalanced." This at first,for me, seemed way out of character until I remembered that for junkies it is never their fault and everyone is out to get them. And I knew then he was in deep spiritual trouble.

Then there was silence from him and I thought he was going to work through the process. Yes, the process is deeply flawed and one that fully states you are guilty until proven innocent and in time it will correct itself until then we just have to suck it up.

This past week Fr. Corapi has said he is leaving the priesthood. He said it in a whining-burn your bridges sort of way. Now not only is his accuser unbalanced his Bishop seems to be too. Here I was both shocked and surprised. In his many talks about Spiritual Warfare he has stated correctly that the devil attacks the priesthood because if there is no priest there is no Eucharist and no Eucharist no power. Yes, in some of his talks he made stuff up or exaggerated events of his past I forgave him those because they were stories used to high light a theological truth. The substance of those talks were true then and are true forever what he is doing now does not change that. He has just been overpowered and beaten by Satan and it is for that reason I pray for Fr. John Corapi.

There are two many examples from the saints that have gone through a beat down that Fr. should have modeled but no... he turned and walked away. Again that's what junkies do.

He now says that through his new Black Sheep Dog program he will be able to reach more people with his message, (note: it is now his message not Jesus'). I do not know how this will happen since EWTN gave him a world stage. Maybe he will become a radio talk show host or FOX news will make him a commentator all I know is that fame junkies do not end well. Maybe he needs to go through that fall again to get back on the right path.

"But for the Grace of God there go I."

lets play

Table Gype can now be played for free online at BoardGameArena.com!

Clerihews in Gilbert Magazine

The March/April issue of Gilbert Magazine just arrived (never mind that it's now June!), and it contained several of my clerihews.

Perhaps the editors have lowered their standards!

Lot's wife
ended her life
when she came to a halt
and proved her salt.

In his early life Thomas Merton
was often uncertain.
He ended his consternation
through contemplation.

Vladimir Kosma Zworykin
helped to make possible television.
His contribution to that form of mass media
is why he's one of the last entries in our encyclopedia

e (cummings) e
tYpog(plays)raphy
(poet)surpri(ic)sinG imagery,paren
theses—(games)w or d sb ro k en

Anne Rice
found a pearl of great price.
But she had to make money first
dwelling on an unnatural thirst.

Prolific Stephen King
can make horror out of anything.
His wife fears what he'd do
if he tried to barbecue.

Ah, fame.

Of course, payment consists of the satisfaction of seeing my name in print and being part of that fine publication (subscribe if you don't already!).

I won't quit my day job.

Israel Gow on radio?

A local (Rochester NY) radio production of "The Honour of Israel Gow" may be in the works.

The script is currently being developed - in conjustion with the head of the local Chesterton Society and local Catholic radio.

As I get mdore details, I'll post more information. But it is exciting to learn of a chance for GKC's writing to reach a new and wider audience.

Breaking News

I have been trying to get deep into lent and especially Holy Week but this news was worth lifting my head for and sharing with all you Chesterton nuts.

Paul Novak’s Table Gype won the MENSA Select award for 2011!
And in the second edition the packaging has been improved as well as wooded game pieces – no longer will “some assembly be required”

If you have yet to get yours now is the time.

Pope Clerihew

When Alexander Pope
slipped on a bar of soap
the couplet he muttered was neither stoic
nor heroic.

Philosophy matters

John Paul II sums up the inventible out come of the European existential world view:

"At the root of this loss of hope is an attempt to promote a vision of man apart from God and apart from Christ. This sort of thinking has led to man being considered as 'the absolute center of reality which makes him occupy — falsely — the place of God and which forgets that it is not man who creates God, but rather God who creates man. Forgetfulness of God led to the abandonment of man.' It is therefore no wonder that in this context a vast field has opened for the unrestrained development of nihilism in philosophy, of relativism in values and morality, and of pragmatism — and even cynical hedonism — in daily life. European culture gives the impression of 'silent apostasy' on the part of people who have all that they need and who live as if God does not exist."

But then JP2 is a phenomenologist so he concludes

"Be confident! In the Gospel which is Jesus, you will find the sure and lasting hope to which you aspire. This hope is grounded in the victory of Christ over sin and death. He wishes this victory to be your own, for your salvation and your joy.
"Be certain! The Gospel of hope does not disappoint! Throughout the vicissitudes of your history, yesterday and today, it is the light which illumines and directs your way; it is the strength which sustains you in trials; it is the prophecy of a new world; it is the sign of a new beginning; it is the invitation to everyone to blaze new trails in order to make the continent a true common home filled with the joy of life."

Mussolini clerihew

We don't know if Benito Mussolini
ever wore a bikini,
but there are reports he once sang a song
while wearing a thong.