Check out today’s insane YouTube clip, which comes with a bit of a backstory: The genesis of the sport, which has acquired the catchy (though perhaps a tad unwieldy) name of “Liquid Mounaineering,” is described by its practitioners over at the Liquid Mountaineering blog: There are some historical statements that suggest that this sport was created … Read more
It’s a day for a little Wendell Berry. These two excerpt come from “Solving for Pattern,” found in Berry’s collection of agrarian essays, The Art of The Commonplace, where he proposes 14 solutions — more like guidelines — to current problems in food production and farming: 6. A good solution embodies a clear distinction between … Read more
So MLB commish Bud Selig isn’t going to overturn that call and give Armando Galarraga his perfect game. What do we think of this decision? Sports media opinions are varied, both from pundits and fans. Me? As a baseball fan, political conservative, and reflexive traditionalist… I’m torn right down the middle. Conservative arguments in favor … Read more
Time for your Friday morning link round-up: Psychological exams for prospective priests have become more complicated in the wake of the sex-abuse scandal. For those who have trouble comprehending the current size of the oil spill, this will help put things in perspective. Top 25 conservative TV shows, and top 50 Catholic-themed movies. Plenty here … Read more
Checking out at the grocery store the other day, I paid for my sack of rolls. The checkout person handed me my bag. “Thank you,” I said. “You’re welcome,” she said. I walked away with a sense that something was wrong. Do checkout people usually say “you’re welcome” and nothing else? Not usually. Usually they … Read more
Gallons and gallons of ink (both real and electronic) have been spilled in the aftermath of last night’s Detroit-Cleveland baseball game, and the botched call that ruined Armando Galarraga’s shot at the 21st perfect game in baseball history. Emotions are running high, to say the least. Countless commentators — everyone from former players to former umpires to politicians — have … Read more
I know it’s not medically sound, but I find a nice summer tan appealing. We are the type of New Englanders who celebrate winter by staying as close to bed as possible from November to March, and when we emerge in the spring, we look like ICU patients freshly pried out of a full-body cast: … Read more
Steve Schroeder parks in front of Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Salt Lake City, Utah. As he climbs up the front steps, his pin-striped suit flows comfortably over him as though he were shaped to it. From polished shoes to teeth, his appearance is sharp, meticulous. So it’s jarring when the first person … Read more
I know it’s not medically sound, but I find a nice summer tan appealing. We are the type of New Englanders who celebrate winter by staying as close to bed as possible from November to March, and when we emerge in the spring, we look like ICU patients freshly pried out of a full-body cast: … Read more
Horrible news out of Turkey today: The president of the Turkish Catholic bishops’ conference has been murdered. Bishop Luigi Padovese of Anatolia was stabbed to death on Thursday, June 3. The crime occurred in the port city of Iskenderun, where the bishop was preparing to leave for Cyprus to join Pope Benedict XVI on his … Read more
Free market capitalism gets blamed for everything from the financial collapse to salmonella-contaminated meat to the BP oil spill, and this is primarily due to a misunderstanding of the term. The economic system we have in the United States is not free market capitalism, but corporatism. Free market capitalism allows two parties to exchange goods … Read more
Pope Benedict yesterday lamented the renewed violence in Gaza. At the end of his weekly audience, he said his “heart was heavy” for the victims of this latest round of unnecessary violence: With great trepidation I followed the tragic events that occurred near the Gaza Strip. I feel the need to express my heartfelt condolences … Read more
My plans for you are peace and not disaster. When you call to me, I will answer you. I will bring you back to the place from which I have exiled you. — Jeremiah 29:10-13 This year marks my fifth anniversary in the Victim Assistance Program of the Diocese of Arlington. I approached Pat … Read more
I’m in the midst of a retreat with Father Groeschel at the Trinity Retreat Center in Larchmont, New York. The rose garden in the back is spectacular, as is the entire setting of the water-front estate given to Fr. Groeschel to run as a retreat for priests by Cardinal Cooke in 1974. “And all I … Read more
I’m in the midst of a retreat with Father Groeschel at the Trinity Retreat Center in Larchmont, New York. The rose garden in the back is spectacular, as is the entire setting of the water-front estate given to Fr. Groeschel to run as a retreat for priests by Cardinal Cooke in 1974. “And all I … Read more
In the “laughing to keep from crying” category, today’s xkcd comic takes a tongue-in-cheek look at ways we might find for making the oil spill more exciting. Only it’s not as “tongue-in-cheek” as one might expect (or want): The Gulf is drowning in oil; a “titanic” solution is needed. Enter director James Cameron. As the government … Read more
Faithful Catholics have been so worn down by fighting fundamental heresies taught by bishops that we sometimes shun intrareligious dialogue — that is, talking to sincere but confused fellow Catholics with whom we don’t agree. And that’s a mistake, since many issues really are complex, and we might in fact be confused ourselves. Let’s take … Read more
Although we’re back to ordinary time in the liturgical calendar, there’s never a time — liturgically speaking — when it the life of the faithful is dull, much less ordinary. As if to remind us of this, ordinary time is frequently punctuated by celebrations, something that breaks up the daily routine. This week, to mark … Read more
Science reports that a new study on mice shows that acupuncture activates pain-suppressing receptors. This is no surprise to the millions of people around the world who use acupuncture, but it’s always interesting when science discovers how things actually work. Researchers have developed two hypotheses for how acupuncture relieves pain. One holds that the needle … Read more
This sort of thing is usually Brian’s department, but I stumbled across this Youtube video, part of a long series from businessman and pop-economist Chris Martenson, and just had to share. First because it gives a little taste of how macroeconomics is darn near alchemy in its almost fanciful complexity. And secondly because of its … Read more