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Showing posts with the label politics

Snowflake: a Safe Substitute Symbol, I Hope

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Text characters, the ones used online at any rate, include symbols that aren't letters of the alphabet, punctuation, or numbers. So far, so obvious. I was replying to comments this afternoon, and figured I'd use the emoji/dingbat/whatever "okay" hand sign. It seemed like a good idea at the time. But I also figured that, since folks who don't live in my part of the world read this, I'd better do a little research.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (An unexpectedly naughty gesture &mdash or &mdash why I used a snowflake symbol.)

Free to Agree With Me: Cancel Culture and Freedom of Expression

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I'll be talking about a cartoon, a bishop, and brittle bigwigs. But first, an explanation or three may be in order. Politics, Pigeonholes, and Me Conservative? Liberal? Republican? Democrat? No: Catholic Out of Step: a Half-Century-Plus and Counting Protecting Americans From Unsanctioned Ideas Caricature and Sensitivity "...War Rages as Outcry Grows...." Self-Appointed Guardians of Freedom and Decency: Then and Now American and Catholic He Said WHAT? Resources: Political Life From a Catholic Perspective Irks, Ilks, Ethics, and Being Catholic Cancel Culture: New Phrase, Old Habit (Only) Free to Agree With Me is Not Freedom "Leaves of Grass", Underground Comix, and "Banned in Boston" More at A Catholic Citizen in America . How I see a cartoon, a bishop, and brittle bigwigs. Also politics, pigeonholes and me; caricature and unsanctioned ideas; and McCarthyism as cancel culture.

Veterans Day, 2023: A Few Minutes' Worth

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105 years ago, a bunch of VIPs signed off on stopping the debacle we call World War I. The November 11, 1918, armistice was a very big deal at the time; and still is. Although for different reasons. Here in the United states, we called November 11 Armistice Day until 1954. Then it was re-named Veterans Day. It's related to Remembrance/Poppy Day and Volkstrauertag. 1 Veterans Day was and is a time to remember and honor all who have served in my country's armed forces. That strikes me as a good idea.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (This is a day when we honor those who have served in the armed forces. I look at current events, why armed force can be necessary, and a Pogo comic strip.)

Hamas, Harvard, Ukraine and Alaska Air: Looking for a Bright Side

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All is not right with the world. But all is not wrong, either. Take Sunday night's air disaster that didn't happen, for example. Alaska Air 2059 Underground (Literally) Schools in Ukraine Hey, Everybody! See What We're Doing! — Improv by Hamas Meanwhile, Back in the States Civilian Homes, a Little Extra Shielding — Tomayto, Tomahto. Loving Neighbors: Not Easy, But I Must Bogeymen, Assumptions, and Attitudes: Past and Present Politics, Religion, and Not Missing 'the Good Old Days' "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion" — Article 32 and "Protocols" — "Several Experts" and the Reptilians Spears, Pruning Hooks, and Making Sense in the Meantime Double Effect: It's Complicated "This is Not Us" "Yeh Hum Naheen" Academic Freedom and Responsibility A Civilization of Love: Something to Work Towards A "...Competent and Sufficiently Powerful Authority...." Poetry, Future Generations,

Labor Day Weekend: Staying Home

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These days, the first Monday in September is Labor Day. Officially, it's when we "honor the energy and innovation of working Americans": and, maybe, unions.... ...Unofficially, it's the last day of summer: when many Americans take vacations and/or pull out of their lake places. I expect to see a familiar boat or two parked in back yards next week.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Why I am staying home Labor Day weekend. Plus a quick look at official and unofficial reasons for celebrating, and a very little history.)

Commercial Space Services and Changing Times

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This week I’ll talk about the SpaceX Starship and ispace test flights. Whether or not they were successful depends on who’s talking. I’ll also look at the usual hand-wringing over threats to the status quo. News and Views “We Will Keep Moving Forward” Fireball After Four Minutes: Starship’s Orbital Test Flight Starship Planned Mission Timelines: April 17 and 20, 2023 Changing the Game, and Why That’s a Good Thing Neocolonization, Environmental Racism and Gentrification: EEK! Villainy Runs Rampant as Chaos Stalks the Streets! Defending the Status Quo: A Cautionary Tale “My End of the Boat”, Obligations and Being Catholic More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (The SpaceX Starship and ispace test flights, how SpaceX is changing the game, and hand-wringing over threats to the status quo.)

Pax Romana, Caligula: Fiend, Monster, or Baddie?

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Caligula is currently famous, or infamous, for being a stark-raving-mad monster with no redeeming qualities. Although scholars have been acknowledging that we don't actually know much about him. I'm not about to try rehabilitating Caligula's image. But I've got suspicions about what the third Roman emperor was really like. I'll get back to that. But first, I'll take a brisk slog through some of what Tacitus and Suetonius had to say about Caligula; followed by a bit about statues, art and post-Renaissance preferences. And finally, what folks like Caligula and Nero were doing in the Pax Romana. That's the idea, at any rate. Caligula: Little Boots and Rumors Ancient Sculptures: In Living Color Analysis of a Caligula Bust Scrubbing Statues, Chromophobia, Beeldenstorm Tiberius Gracchus and Caligula: Enemies of the Status Quo Julius Caesar, Caligula and Nero: a Possible Pattern Good Intentions: Julius Caesar and Caligula Pax Romana: A Durable

Pax Romana: Augustus to Nero

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"The Fire of Rome," July 64 A.D., by Hubert Rober. (1785) The Pax Romana had been in progress for eight decades on July 19, A.D. 64. A fire started in a retail district near Rome's Circus Maximus. It was a windy night. The fire spread. Fast. More at A Catholic Citizen in America . The Great Fire of Rome and a public relations problem. The Roman Republic, Nero, Caligula and a golden age of Rome. Emperors, politics and nostalgia.

Queen Elizabeth II of England: Historical Perspective

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(From British Ministry of Information, via Chicago History Museum and Wikimedia Commons, used w/o permission.) (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, in the Auxiliary Territorial Service. (April 1945)) My news feed has been full of the usual stuff: war and rumors of war, looming doom on the economic and climate fronts, and assorted political perturbations. But ever since September 8, there's been at least one item involving Elizabeth II of England each day. Like this sampling from Monday's news:... I'll be looking at the British Empire, how assorted Englishmen saw themselves and their country, and — briefly, for me — Elizabeth II's seven-decade reign. More at A Catholic Citizen in America . From 19th century England to 21st century Hong Kong, remembering Elizabeth II of England and her world. Attitudes, wars, and a changing world.

History, Viewpoints, Narratives and Ancient Rome

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(From Giovanni Paolo Panini, via Staatsgalerie, Stutgard/Wikimedia Commons, used w/o permission.) (Giovanni Paolo Panini's "Ancient Rome" — an 18th century view. (1754-1757)) "...Naiad airs have brought me home To the glory that was Greece, And the grandeur that was Rome...." (" To Helen ," Edgar Allen Poe (1845) via Wikipedia) I've split this week's post into three sections: History 101 and Humanity's Continuing Story About History: Definitions, Documents, and Narratives Will the Real Ancient Rome Please Stand Up? More at A Catholic Citizen in America . Impressions of ancient Rome: morals, Cicero, Sallust and Gibbon. An almost-forgotten King, a president and a thought experiment. Historical narratives.

Wagner, Servant of Faustus: What's He Doing in the Play?

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I'd like to say that my 'Marlowe's Faustus' series follows some grand scheme, marching down a well-organized path toward a profound conclusion. But it doesn't, so I won't. I started re-reading Christopher Marlowe's "The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus," a little bit at a time, a year and a half ago. My idea was to polish and re-post a "Faustus" series I'd done back in 2012. That's not what happened.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . This week: an Elizabethan era entertainment district, attitudes and values. Faustian fascination. And Wagner, who may be like Palaestrio, Jeeves and Haroud Hazi.

Learning From History: It's an Option

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(From Wikipedia, used w/o permission.) From 1803 to 1806, Napoleon Bonaparte was defending France from the United Kingdom, the Holy Roman Empire, the Russian Empire, Naples, Sicily and Sweden. Or being thwarted in his dreams of conquest. At any rate, tens of thousands of dead bodies later, European politics had changed a tad. But not, arguably, all that much. Wars of the Coalition got up to at least number six. And a century after that, what we call World War I started. More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (The Channel Tunnel: imagined by a mining engineer, feared by some Englishmen, and finally built. And how I see history.)

Appearance, Ancestry, and Me at the Grand Canyon

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(From Erin Whittaker, U.S. National Park Service; via Wikimedia Commons, used w/o permission.) I stopped for several hours at the Grand Canyon on my way back from San Francisco. This was about five decades back. The massive gulch wasn't on the the most direct route, but I'd decided that seeing the Grand Canyon and Meteor Crater on the way was a good idea. I haven't been back since then, which suggests that I was right. I'd bought a big topographic map of the Grand Canyon while living in San Francisco, and had it with me when I was there. At the Grand Canyon, that is. Near where the South Rim Visitor Center is now, probably.... ...I was flattered, and surprised, when two tourists from Thailand asked me if I was Jewish. I explained that I'm a gentile — although I don't remember my exact words.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Faustus: Good Angel, Bad Angel, Parma and Politics

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(From Ken Eckert, via Wikimedia Commons, used w/o permission.) A year and three weeks ago, I started writing about Marlowe's "Faustus" play: "The Tragical History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus." Three months later, I'd finished three more. Then in May, 2021, "Faustus" moved to my mind's back burner; before falling off the metaphorical stove.... ...Last April, I said I'd probably look at Faust’s GOOD ANGEL and EVIL ANGEL," the prince of parma," and maybe grapes next time; so that's where I'll pick up. Taking those items in reverse order —... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

COVID-19 and People Who Need People, Another Year

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It's been a year and a day since I talked about socializing, the pandemic and individual differences. "...I can sympathize with folks who really do need people: people who are physically close, not 'close' only in a virtual sense. I'm also willing to accept that not everyone is like me. For which we should all be thankful. And that's another topic. "That said, COVID-19 pandemic restrictions haven't cut into my social life all that much. "Before 'social distancing' — a poorly-chosen phrase, and that's yet another topic — started becoming a cliche, most of my social life was online...." (" People Who Need People — and the COVID-19 Pandemic " (January 24, 2021)) Somewhere during the last year, I noticed that I'd been enjoying my research and writing routines less. And had let some projects drop off the back burner. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Old St. Peter's, Visigoths and a Henry

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St. Peter's Basilica in Rome isn't nearly as old as it looks. Architects in ancient Rome often covered large interior spaces with barrel vaults and semicircular arches, although they hadn't invented either.... ...Today I'll be taking a quick look at a famous Roman architect, Vitruvius, and then recap what happened during the half-dozen centuries after Emperor Constantine signed off on building the first St. Peter's basilica.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

The Athenian Golden Age: Pericles, Aspasia, and All That

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Ah! The Golden Age of Athens! "Golden age" arguably sounds classier than "the good old days." But either way, it's a bygone era that nostalgia says was so very much better than today. Folks living in a golden age may or may not know what they've got. Or they do, and don't like it. Take the Athenian Golden Age, for example.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . Good times in Athens: Pericles, politics, perspectives and an unsolved murder. First in a Golden Ages series, looking back at not-quite-utopias.

Evolution: Science, Religion, Opinions and Me

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The University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research has learned that more than half of all Americans think evolution is real. Seems that 2016 was the tipping point. That's when my country, on average, decided to step into the late 19th century. Or stopped listening to Bible-thumpers. Or started learning about science. At any rate: More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Marlowe's Faustus: Chorus, Soliloquies and Film Noir

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"Doctor Faustus..." starts with a 194-word soliloquy. Sort of. It's delivered by Chorus, named last in Marlowe's "Dramatis Personae." Ancient Greek tragedies had a chorus, acting like today's narrators. Again, sort of. Aristotle said that chorus was a character, so maybe Marlowe saw it that way, too. Make that probably did, since his "Dramtis Personae" lists Chorus. Anyway, here's Marlowe's first whacking great chunk of soliloquy, whittled down considerably, in "Dr. Faustus." Assuming that what Chorus says is soliloquy.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Christopher Marlowe and His World

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I'd started writing about soliloquies in Marlowe's "Dr. Faustus...." That reminded me of film noir and the Gunpowder Plot. So today I'll be discussing Christopher Marlowe, but mostly his era: Elizabethan England. Along with European politics and whatever else comes to mind.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .