Culture, High & Low

Of “That Great Furnace, the Heart of Dickens”

A perennial question in this season: which version of Dickens’ Christmas Carol to watch? Somehow I can’t seem to muster much interest in any of...

Science and the Decline of the Liberal Arts

The hidden connection between our two academic orthodoxies - post-modernism and scientific research.

I Have a Right to be Unlimited

Hidden Springs Lane, VA. Sprint is running a new ad pushing the merits of its data plan. While it might be a mistake to...

Why I Won’t Participate in the Ice-Bucket Challenge

Holland, MI I can’t say I’m overly conversant with the history of charitable giving in America, but I can’t recall something taking off quite like...

Life Under Compulsion: Contemplation

I am looking at another painting by Norman Rockwell, a part of his Four Seasons Calendar: Grandpa and Me in Summer.  I know that...

Crass Christmas

The celebration of Jesus Christ's birth gives us an opportunity not only to act upon the principles of peace, sharing, and selflessness, but also to pass them onto our children in the form of Christmas presents.

A Brief History of Time Wasted.

The Ninth Anniversary of 9/11/01; Three Squared Equals Zero in the New American Math.

The 100 Years vs. The 100 Days Standard

Erie, PA. Americans were reminded last month that since the time of the New Deal, it has become customary for presidents and...

How Beauty Fits

The most fashionable and defensible position on aesthetics is to maintain that beauty is entirely subjective. Beauty doesn't exist, we are assured, at least...

Patmore: Prophetic Political Pessimist (and Localist?)

“Nations die of softening of the brain, which, for a long time, passes for softening of the heart.” “Democracy is only a continually shifting aristocracy...