Gene Edward Veith Jr.'s Blog, page 286
December 2, 2014
Professional trolls
Trolls–those who make harsh and nasty comments just to take over and disrupt discussions–are the bane of the internet. It turns out, some trolls are paid for their work. From Anne Applebaum, Another reason to avoid reading the comments – The Washington Post: If you are reading this article on the Internet, stop afterward and [Read More...]
The Pope and the Koch brothers
Philanthropists John and Carol Saeman explain why they support both Pope Francis’s concern for the poor and the Koch brothers’ crusade for free market economics and limited government. From John and Carol Saeman, Pope Francis, the Kochs and how the wealthy can help the poor – The Washington Post: Known in the church as “social [Read More...]
December 1, 2014
The War On Advent
Mollie Hemingway has written (way back in October) a piece in the Federalist about what she calls “The War on Advent.” Besides having the makings of a holiday classic, it makes a fine introduction to this all-but-forgotten season. From Mollie Hemingway, Forget The War On Christmas, The War On Advent Is Worse, in The Federalist: [Read More...]
Young people are getting better
We old fogies are always complaining about “the younger generation.” But today’s teenagers and young adults actually have a much better record than their peers from the past (including when we old fogies were young fogies). Crime rates, promiscuity, substance abuse, bullying, and suicide rates among young people are way, way down. (Any ideas why [Read More...]
Death comes to a mystery writer
The British mystery writer P. D. James has died at age 94. She took a popular conventional genre, the mystery story, and brought to it her gifts as a serious literary novelist. Drawing on her work in a police forensics unit, she perfected the “police procedural” in novels of gritty realism and psychological depth. She [Read More...]
November 29, 2014
The new Star Wars trailer
It won’t be released until about this time next year–December 15, 2015–but a trailer has been released for Star Wars Episode 7: The Force Returns. The movie will pick up the story of the galaxy far, far away beginning 30 years AFTER Return of the Jedi. It will feature some of the same actors, 30 [Read More...]
November 28, 2014
Party riots
An essay in the Washington Post about the non-spontaneous riots in Ferguson, Missouri, included a digression on another kind of uprising: the “party riot,” what some college students do when they lose or win a big game or what breaks out at Mardi Gras or other festivals when revellers just want to have a good [Read More...]
Eco-imperialism
Japan, where people enjoy a good cut of whale, is pushing back against international anti-whaling rules, which are allegedly nothing more than “eco-imperialism.” According to the Japanese, it would be as if people in India who believe cattle are sacred would impose punishments on nations that eat beef. Notice how the various sensitivities we are [Read More...]
Carly Fiorina for president?
Former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carla Fiorina is starting a run for the Republican presidential nomination. She is pro-life, fiscally-conservative, and of the female persuasion. Then again, she has never held public office and her tenure at Hewlett-Packard was not completely successful. Still, maybe she could give Hillary Clinton a run for the money. What do you [Read More...]
November 27, 2014
A holiday for adults
Folklorist Jack Santino observes that Thanksgiving is pretty much the only national holiday that hasn’t shifted its focus to children. In fact, they are often shunted off to the “kids’ table.” The emphasis instead is on grandparents, patriarchs and matriarchs, family traditions going back for generations, and blessings that adults are in the best position [Read More...]
