thoughts in and out of season
James Kalb Here’s my new weblog, which expands my old Metanoia log and folds in entries from View from the Right (which will continue its separate existence).
As the description states, it’s a place for exploring culture, politics, tradition and Catholicism. The point of view I’ll be presenting is that there’s something wrong with politics and culture … More ...
I was received into the Church and confirmed this morning at St. Patrick’s in New York.
Only 5 days to go until I am received and confirmed. Naturally, I don’t feel ready for it—it’s not the sort of thing one can feel up to. Still, I can’t imagine doing otherwise.
After I’m received Metanoia will change somewhat. Up to now it’s been thoughts about conversion to Catholicism. After I’m received I’ll … More ...
New hope (of a sort) for EU sufferers: European Commission chief accountant canned after complaining about fraud and abuse, and Oxbridge threatened with financial penalties for merit standards (they make state schools look bad.)
Corruption and incompetence are going to be endemic to the New Europe, because the transnational multicultural managerial order they have there … More ...
Did you hear the one about the UN bureaucrat, the feminist and the Canadian? Here it is, from the Toronto Star: U.N. report says Canada failing its women. In fact the story’s no joke, however absurd it may be. Because Canada signed the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against … More ...
What’s the difference between the red and blue states? Here are some answers: Our Secularist Democratic Party (from The Public Interest), and The “morality gap” is becoming the key variable in American politics (from The Atlantic Monthly).
The Public Interest piece documents the obvious truth that the story of the “culture wars” is … More ...
More on the Eloi Union (EU): Eurotalk vs. Ameritalk. Why do anything now when you can keep on going through process forever?
Is it torture time? Afghan detainees’ deaths ruled homicides. According to their death certificates, two enemy combatants who died in U.S. custody at Bagram air base in Afghanistan died from blunt-force homicide. In general, the U.S. admits to a policy of using “stress and duress” during interrogation, including deprivation of sleep, various disorienting tactics, … More ...
Amnesty International made its name working for “prisoners of conscience,” defined as “people imprisoned solely because of their political or religious beliefs, gender, or their racial or ethnic origin, who have neither used nor advocated violence.” Like most bureaucratic and public policy organizations they’ve suffered mission creep, and most recently have hired a full-time lobbyist… More ...
Italian political posters are much more stylishly designed than in America, and when you combine the high style with the habitual cynicism about government it’s hard to believe any of it should be taken seriously. So when I was in Venice recently I was inclined to view the rainbow-colored peace banners fluttering from windows as … More ...