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Here's an article about a farmer in Montana who has worked tirelessly for years to effect changes to a dam that allows fish to swim up stream to spawn. Here's…

In my judgment, military action against Syria would be both a moral and political failing - which means, of course, it is likely to happen. I'll be surprised if we…

Caleb Stegall has been nominated for a seat on the Kansas Court of Appeals.  The Kansas City Star calls Stegall "conservative and crunchy." Excerpts: Conservation, a commitment to local communities…

My review of Stephen Greenblatt's The Swerve: How the World Became Modern, is now available at Humanitas. In case you're interested.  

Here is the program for our upcoming conference titled "City People, Country People: Being a Localist in the Megalopolis." It will be held at Pomona College in Claremont, California. We'll start…

Now a company called Mindflash has a new technology to make sure you pay attention to your computer screen. It is marketed to companies who have on-line training programs. The…

When St. Thomas reflected on charity, and in particular alms-giving, he stressed the immediacy and locality of it: charity requires intimate knowledge of its recipient, the proper selection of means,…

Hillsdale, Michigan. Sports is not one of the topics that regularly comes up on the Front Porch. Human flourishing, whatever that possibly could be this side of the Garden of…

Here's a piece encouraging people and companies to resist encroachments by the NSA. Consider these examples: Already companies are taking their data and communications out of the US. The extreme…

I am pleased to announce that The Violent and the Fallen, the second book of poems by James Matthew Wilson, is now available for advance sale.  You can order simply…

Wendell Berry has written about the salutary effects of living and working in the same place, but I'm not sure this is what he had in mind.... The Wall Street…

Three principles. The first is Stein's Law: if something can't go on forever, it won't. The second is that governing is ruled by the law of unintended consequences. The third…

I recently heard of a guy who was getting nasty letters from his HOA because he was, shall we say, less than dutiful in keeping his large lawn mowed. Rather…

Apropos this year's FPR Conference comes this Times story from Robert Putnam, who laments the decline of his hometown of Port Clinton, OH. The weakening of unions, vacating of the manufacturing…

Now scientists are working to create meat in a laboratory. To produce the patty, researchers will mix lab-grown beef muscle cells with salt, egg powder and bread crumbs. Beet juice…

George Will argues that Detriot was killed by democracy. Detroit, which boomed during World War II when industrial America was “the arsenal of democracy,” died of democracy. Today, among the…

I've recently written about the travails of the UCC in Canada. From Rod Dreher's blog comes this video of a service down the street from Kilsyth in the city of…

The inimitable Onion once again shows how satire should be done. Title: "Unambitious Loser with Happy, Fulfilling Life Still Lives in Hometown." There is much to pity. Longtime acquaintances confirmed…

Here's a piece in the WSJ describing the evolution of police tactics and equipment that has resulted in a blurring of lines between policeman and soldier. Excerpt: On Jan. 4…

My oldest daughter recently graduated from college, where she has long considered a career in law. I have (at least) two persons I know well who have pursued legal careers:…

Jay Walljasper--citizen of Minneapolis, former editor of Utne Reader, and among America's most insightful and humane observers of urban places--is sharing via free e-book his latest, How to Design Our…

Berwyn, PA.  Randy Boyagoda, my old neighbor from the Catholic ghetto that grew up around the Studebaker mansion in South Bend, writes about the dearth of Catholic writers and artists…

The WSJ has a piece by Lee Siegel arguing that studying literature in college is a harmful activity and the decline in students majoring in the humanities (especially English) should…

Register here. You will also find a list of speakers and a run-down of the events. It's going to be a great time. I hope to see you there.