[BUMPED UP: and for more on the philosophical and theological underpinnings of the film, please see this and this.] Today is Groundhog Day, and I think it very appropriate—very—to repeat an older post on the subject of the movie of … Continue reading →
I suppose there have always been conspiracists who believe everything is a plot, perpetrated either by the government or a shadowy band of powerful schemers bent on manipulating us for their own nefarious purposes (are those two groups redundant?). I’ve … Continue reading →
Medical euthanasia is legal in Belgium “if those making the decision [to die] can make their wishes clear and are suffering unbearable pain, according to a doctor’s judgement.” It’s no surprise that those categories are starting to slip and blur, … Continue reading →
Several years ago I read the first third of Allan Bloom’s great work The Closing of the American Mind. The other day I picked it up where I had left off, and was struck simultaneously by how relevant it still … Continue reading →
…in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy: The Milky Way contains at least 100 billion planets, or enough to have one for each of its stars, and many of them are likely to be capable … Continue reading →
I’ve long been a fan of John Updike’s short stories, although his novels—which are probably much more widely read—don’t do all that much for me. He was one of the most prolific writers of the last century, so there’s plenty … Continue reading →
Who would have thought that yesterday’s bagelhead thread would generate some pretty deep reflections? But here are some from commenter “Wolla Dalbo”: This brings up the issue of just how do you motivate various groups of people, nations, races – … Continue reading →
Commenter “Harold” alerted me to a type of photography I’d never even heard of before, although I’d probably seen it and not known what I was looking at—HDR photography: High dynamic range imaging (HDRI or HDR) is a set of … Continue reading →
A while back commenter “steve” wrote: …seems to me the question is what is behind Romney’s unusual generosity. Is it altruism or is it enlightened self-interest or is it also a bit of a compulsion?…Motivation matters. Right there is fodder … Continue reading →
Vincent Van Gogh on his relationship to posterity: As a painter, I will never amount to anything important. I am absolutely sure of it.
Continue reading →Five guys at the lake decide to recreate a photograph of themselves over and over, showing the passage of time [hat tip: Althouse].
Continue reading →This post probably won’t mean much to newcomers to this blog. But I bet most of the oldtimers remember, and still acutely miss FredHJr, one of the most memorable and prolific commenters here. It hardly seems possible that three years … Continue reading →