The greatest opera ever! Continue reading
Category Archives: Culture
Is the decimal system best?
2
Earlier, when discussing the (lack of) inherent advantage of the metric Continue reading
Agrarianism and shopping cheap
Eliza asked for a practical discussion of agrarianism Continue reading
Berlin
Berlin was the city that anchored the start and end of my trip.
Now before getting to the question that is at the forefront of everyone’s thinking, namely: what were the women like? (and rightly so: Continue reading
Thoughts on Halloween
First, let’s lay out the landscape of the phenomenology of Halloween as it is experienced in America. Then, let’s analyze its propriety. There are two axes of analysis that I will highlight. Continue reading
Berlin Musical Instruments
The Musical Instrument Museum would be easy to miss on a first trip to Berlin. But all that are interested in classical music (especially keyboard) or fine cabinetmaking should consider making a stop here. Continue reading
When I hear the word “anti-Semitism,” I reach for my revolver
but for a reason opposite to that of the Semite-worshippers that are also seen to be grabbing their pistols.
My thesis is very simple: the term anti-semitism exploits an equivocation between race and religion that sets up the discourse for fallacious inferences. Moreover, the privileged status that this term has over others in its genre is itself an indication of the racism of those that recklessly purvey it. Continue reading
Wittgenstein: the Agrarian Philosopher
Perhaps the title is something of a stretch, but Wittgenstein does make numerous comments that fit within an agrarian outlook. Along with his distrust of science, his attitude towards culture, aesthetics, tradition, religion and life share much in common with Virgil, the Old South, the Inklings, the Vanderbilt agrarians, and to a certain extent, Jefferson. Continue reading
Stereotypes
Cretians are always liars, evil beasts, slow bellies
One of the few benefits of living in an era of insanity is that it makes the peddlers of the most prosaic and obvious truths appear like sages. The banality I will defend here is that almost every stereotype you have ever heard is true. Continue reading
Jena the Battlefield
The British were willing to negotiate with Napoleon, and in August 1806 made generous concessions, only asking for unmolested control of Hannover; Talleyrand favored the agreement, but Napoleon nixed it. Continue reading
Augustinian Conspiracy Theory
The view of man and of history presented by Augustine in the City of God is glorious and awe-inspiring. In this vision, all men are active and loyal citizens of one or the other of two invisible Cities: the City of God, or the City of Man. Continue reading
Two clichés on immigration
Two statements are often heard, to justify ongoing massive immigration. One hears them spoken by everyone from talking heads to politicians to folks chatting at backyard barbecues. They are meant to “end the argument.” But I submit, they are not valid. Continue reading
Wicked piosity
This article by Gresham Machen is must-read; as timely today as it was in 1936. I have seen almost all these same tricks used at every level, including congregational meetings.
There is nothing more wicked than cloaking power-religion with the form of godliness.
Francke and Halle
The return from Lutheran bare orthodoxy to inward change, known as Pietism, was begun by Jakob Spener, though anticipated in the earlier writings of Johann Arndt. It grew wings, however, as a result of the life of August Hermann Francke (1663-1727), and transformed the city of Halle in remarkable ways. This is a brief rehearsal of this amazing story. Continue reading
Wotan vs Mormonism’s god
My point in this endeavor is not to give a full exposition of either Mormonism or Wagner’s Ring cycle, but simply to compare and contrast Mormonism’s Jehove and Wagner’s Wotan for the purpose of reflecting on whether love for the story of Wotan is rational. Continue reading
Ethnic Epithets: an Introduction
There is a scene in Godfather where the chief counsel for the Don goes to meet the “Hollywood bigshot†Woltz, who has cheated godson Johnny. When Tom explains the (somewhat shady) things he could do in exchange for “one small favor,” Woltz hits the ceiling: “I don’t care how many dago guinea wop greaseball goombahs come outta the woodwork.” Continue reading
Movie. Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, 1967. (HIx: 0)
In each generation, it appears that Hollywood produces one centerpiece sermon-movie to instruct the goyim on their most serious besetting sin of the time, including an “application” section on how to make progress in sanctification. This movie was the chosen vehicle for the 60s generation, presumably to make sure the free speech/sexual revolution did not stop short of full consistency. The denounced sin appears to be resistance to miscegenation. To ensure an impact, heavyweight Hollywood legends Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy were marshaled for service as the parents of the gushing bride-to-be. Continue reading
Jena the town
Jena (pron. YAY nuh) is a quiet little town on the Saale River. The Saale forms the left segment that, with the Elbe, defines the triangle in which the Saxons finally Continue reading
Long live the Ephor!
Some of our correspondents seem to depart from the legacy of Christendom on the subject of the magistrate. They think the magistrate is beyond criticism by men. Continue reading
Global Warming Denial
In a The Boston Globe op-ed piece, an hysteric woman named Ellen Goodman makes a remarkable assertion: Continue reading
(DVD) Al Gore: An Inconvenient Truth
Everyone talks about the weather but no one does anything about it. Continue reading
Berlin’s Park to Honor the Soviets
In the east-end district of Berlin called Treptow, the Soviet masters constructed a park to their own glory: the Sowjetisches Continue reading
Dresden today
When I arrived in Dresden, I had a sense of urgency, both due to a mental tic by which I was under the impression that Tristan and Isolde was to be performed that very night (whereas it proved to be the next night, so I really had plenty of time, but didn’t know it), and due to the usual WC need: all of which caused me to think I lost my parking ticket, and on top of that it was snowing, and there were no typical tourist signs pointing things out, so I went jigging around in the snow, fretting about the parking ticket, freezing, and not knowing north from left. Continue reading
Conspiracy Theories
Like a few recent commentators, I too believe that there is a good deal more to history than what the court historians report. Like the poor, conspirators will always be with us. Augustine reminds us that history is to understood as a battle between two cities. One uses the power of the Word and Spirit to advance its kingdom, the other is apt to cheat, steal, rape, kill and blunder. But the City of Man’s main method of warfare is not force, but dissimulation and secrecy. Christendom seems to have forgotten that our enemy is the deceiver of the nations. Continue reading
Try the Met this Saturday
This Saturday (Feb 10) the Met broadcast will be Continue reading
Leipzig
In the later twelfth century, Leipzig Continue reading
Musetta gets the prize today
Today’s NY Met matinee broadcast of La Bohème had mixed Continue reading
Naumburg
Naumburg is a town on the Saale River roughly in Continue reading
I’ll take mine rare
It’s official. Hillary Clinton has announced that she will be running for the Office of President of the United States of America. Her handlers are already packaging her as Thatcher redivivus. Continue reading
The Ring: A brief survey of performances and works
For those interested, I have put together a brief Continue reading