He makes

some seriously politically incorrect comments...

BMX Aboriginals

...but you know, despite my usual knee-jerk response to any conservative political incorrectness (hey, I can do it, but you can't!), there's two things: first, he has his right to say these things (though the political correctness police claim otherwise) and second, sometimes these things need to be said. If questions aren't asked then new wrongs can take place.

I like his idea about the casino claim. It might be something to try...

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Nothing good

comes out of the post-Vatican II Catholic Church, apparently...

Papal visit: official booklet launched, and it's an embarrassment

From what I've read of his column, Mr. Thompson isn't so much a Catholic as a Pre-Vatican II Catholic. Seemingly somewhat right of Archbishop Lefebvre, I get the feeling that he'd only be happy if the Church returned to all the 'bells and smells' of the 1940s.

It's interesting that most of the vigorously traditional Catholics seem to be young people, those who never experienced the pre-Vatican I Church. It's all about a church that they only know of by their idealistic dreams. Ah, well. Those dreams will help the Church move forward, too...

(Sorry, but I've just read too much 'Trad-Cath' stuff lately, and Mr. Thompson never seems to have anything good to say...)

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Church news

A columnist on 'The Ship of Fools' has an opinion on things 'churchy'...

And the winner is...

And interesting news it is, too...

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As a culture

we're way too superficial...

Tiger Woods' terrifying lack of humor

Somehow, this article is appropriate for my apology of yesterday. No, wait. The only people I apologized to are those who mean something to me. And there's certainly no celebrity worship on their part. And I don't have a brand.

Who wants wine?

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Want to feel happy?

You can give to my widescreen TV fund. (Joke!)

Our Basic Human Pleasures: Food, Sex and Giving

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Without getting into the debate

about abortion itself, I've just read three different articles (from major publications and not necessarily 'religious' ones) that have commented on this interview...

Opinion: Chris Matthews should be fired for his Offensive Interview of Bishop Tobin

"Matthews showed how inept he is as an interviewer, how misinformed he is as a Catholic, how rude he is as a person and how threatened he is by the Moral truth."

I didn't see the interview, but from what I've read of the criticism of it (ignoring the actual subject of the discussion) it appears that Mr. Matthews is just being the usual 'attack dog' interviewer so favoured by the Right. Like all the major commentators from the drug-addled Rush Limbaugh on down, this is what they're paid to do - create controversy. It brings in the viewers and, hence, increases the ratings. The fact that most of them seem to behave like spoiled, arrogant little children is secondary. They achieve their goal...

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'A shroud of political correctness...'

The Rush to Therapy

There's nothing that political correctness for its own sake, and taken to the extreme in that truth can't be told, won't make worse...

(But that's a very politically incorrect thing to say...)

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A bit U.S.-centric,

but true, none-the-less. It's not just Americans, though...

Pain Management in the U.S.

...but this is a great thing to see a commentator writing about. It's difficult in Canada to get proper treatment, too, and one has to be persistent, and keep trying until they find the right person. They're out there, perhaps a bit easier to find in Canada than in the U.S., but then it depends on the location. There are far too many people out there suffering from unnecessary pain, and serious pain at that!

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A good article

about a tragic event...

Mocking a Religion

Everything is fair game to the New Age practitioners...

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Conceptual art

Has Conceptual Art Jumped the Shark Tank?

Is this what makes the limited edition prints of various wildlife artists 'art', do you think? It was their concept, but not their work. At least the reproductions aren't. The original art still is, in their case. In the case of Mr. Hirst and others, well...

"Somewhere out there in collectorland is the unlucky guy who will be the last one holding the vacuum cleaner, and wondering why."

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"Willful ignorance, thy name is America."


Spank me, then let's do lunch

"How many hypocritical Republicans can dance on the head of a sex scandal?"

A very good op-ed piece. A must-read for anyone jaded about the whole political system (and particularly the right-wing, family values politicians), in order to fan the flames of their discontent...

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A thoughtful editorial

Is Anyone Ready?

I obviously won't be voting for anyone in the U.S. presidential election. What I can't understand is why everyone points to Bill Clinton as the epitome of evil and a terrible, terrible president. Sure, he had an affair that he lied about. I think that's disgusting behaviour on anyone's part. History is showing that he wasn't the first to do this. A number of the presidents through history have done the same. At least he didn't lie about the reasons for dragging a country into a war that wasn't necessary and which has brought death to so many young Americans. At least he didn't help his business friends profit off the pain and suffering of others, in New Orleans and other places.

Like Jimmy Carter, who continues to be reviled as a terrible president, Bill Clinton is trying to help the poor and suffering in the world. When the others, the presidential 'heroes' (read Republicans), retire from office it seems all they do is bask in the glory of their past and continue to deal with their business cronies. I don't know about anyone else, but I'll take the people who try to do something good for the world over the other ones any day...

A good editorial...

...about everyone's favourite cult.

Intergalactic tyrants beware: the boys in blue are after you

She even writes "Sweet suffering Xenu!" at one point. Good on you, Marina Hyde!

For more information on Scientology, visit:
The Secrets of Scientology
and www.xenu.net

And, as an unexpected side-effect

it also helps others.

Why Giving Makes You Happy

I hope that this doesn't mean that all the people who do good only do it because it feeds their addiction! (It is only an op-ed piece, at least...)

A rapier-like wit or a humour club?

Dale Price takes on James Carroll's latest column with a sharp wit and more than a touch of derision. The link is Remember how Morgoth made the orcs? and Mr. Carroll's Op-Ed column is Pope Benedict's mistake. They're both biased, of course, and the Boston Globe still has major axes to grind with the Catholic Church. At least Mr. Price's blog post contains more than one chuckle.

The Darwin Fish

Living with the Darwin Fish

An interesting editorial from Christianity Today

A Dutch Bible Belt

Dutch turn to bible belt

Even the bank machines are religious.

George Weigel does it again!

Lessons from an Archbishop’s Fall

Hits the nail on the head, that is. About the Polish church's situation.