Bacon-Wrapped Freak Show

We went to see the Guy Fieri Road Show last night (at the Orpheum in Sioux City). He's a celebrity cook hawking a new cookbook so I assumed it would be a cooking show … … well, not exactly. It was more along the line of a rock-n-roll freak show, served with bacon, mirepoix, bacon, …

Liberty, Virtue, and Tyranny

Patrick Deneen, Georgetown Univ. political philosopher, quoting Aristotle, says, in a speech given at the Ignatianum Academy in Krakow, Poland, that to "live as one likes," is the very definition of tyranny. "However, realizing that no one of us can achieve the condition of all-powerful tyrant, we agree instead to the second-best option of living …

The Opposite of Doing the Right Thing

What's the opposite of "doing the right thing?" I watched Harry Potter on-and-off yesterday on t.v. and Dumbledore said something rather profound to Harry. (I don't remember if this line is in the book or not.) Dark and difficult days lie ahead. Soon we must face the choice between what is right and what is …

Ordinary and Exotic Plants

There are certain trees and bushes in my yard which are a mystery to me. There's "a red one" (red bark and red leaves all season) and another one which has a nasty vine/weed trying to take it over, so it's very high maintenance. I just added "a spindly one" which I replanted because it …

Alexander Hamilton on the Necessary Extent of Federal Authority

Here's another interesting tidbit from the Federalist Papers (in this case, Federalist No. 23 by Alexander Hamilton): The question at hand is whether the proposed federal government (that is, the proposed constitution which was subsequently ratified) should be "intrusted [sic] with the care of the common defense." Hamilton answers in the affirmative. The common defense …

A Foretaste of Summer

It's been a cold spring. Temperatures have mostly been in the 60s with an occasionally foray into the 70s. It was early May and we had not had one day in the 80s. And then finally, the warm weather came with highs skipping the 80s altogether and shooting straight into the 90s. Indeed! It was …

Another Word on the Federalist Papers: What about Virtue?

After a highly critical essay on the Federalist Papers, I do want to say something more about them, but in a more positive light, focusing on Federalist Papers No. 18 & 19. Written by Madison with the assistance from Hamilton, these two essays offer an historical perspective and critique on European politics in the decades …

Expanded Federal Power … That Would be too much Bother (according to Hamilton)

One of my current reading projects is the Federalist Papers. I became seriously aware of their significance when I taught U.S. History, and what I learned about them disturbed me a great deal. I downloaded a copy (available at Project Gutenberg) and finally have made the time to read them. I know many conservatives adore …

Spare Change

Now this is totally unrelated to the previous post, unless you, dear reader, make the stretch to connect them. But Van Simmons, who works for David Hall Rare Coins, passed this little gem along. As you probably know, the value of the base metals in pennies and nickels far exceeds the face value of the …

Hurrah! (But no Dancing in the Streets)

I ran across an interesting coincidence this morning. After the news that bin Laden had been killed last night, followed by pictures of New Yorkers dancing in the streets, I read this morning's canticle from Daily Prayer, which includes the following strophes: Come to our aid, O God of the universe / and put all …