Music.

For the most part, folks seem to develop their tastes in music at a young age. Sadly, it appears that most people don't allow their musical tastes to evolve. I see far too many people from my generation reminiscing about the music that appealed to them during their teen years.

OK, I get it. It's nice to listen to those old Beatle songs, the beach music or the psychedelic music of the 1960's occasionally, but can't we give it a break? There is an overwhelming abundance of music out there from other times and places.



This is the great thing about Spotify. I have access to a universe of wonderful music, a good portion of it new to me. Traditional Japanese and Chinese music, Haydn string quartets, early Jazz and Blues, ....... you can even listen to Old Fart Music if you're so inclined.

My "new find" of the week is the hammer dulcimer work of Joshua Messick. It's not the sort of music you can dance to; it's unlikely it would have been rated highly on American Bandstand , but that's a positive,right?

Liberalism,explained.

Finally, Liberalism and the Democratic Party explained.

Study: Adolescent marijuana use leaves lasting mental deficits.

"Somebody who loses 8 IQ points as an adolescent may be disadvantaged compared to their same-age peers for years to come."

Ann Romney's Convention Speech.

The Unnecessary Professor.

In a piece for The New York Times [Men, Who Needs Them?] Greg Hampikian - a Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Boise State University - cheerfully tells his readers that men are not necessary for the survival of the species. As a matter a fact, he appears to believe that the elimination of males would actually be beneficial.

He writes,
"Ultimately the question is, does “mankind” really need men? With human cloning technology just around the corner and enough frozen sperm in the world to already populate many generations, perhaps we should perform a cost-benefit analysis."

Through a Google search, I was able to obtain a photo of the good professor. At the risk of appearing uncharitable, I'd say that many, if not all the women Hampikian has had contact with throughout his life have convinced him that men really aren't necessary.

Paul Ryan and Catholic Social Teaching: A Commentary by Fr. Barron .

Subsidiarity and Solidarity

Peggy Noonan: If Biden Were Republican.........

Is it true that some in the Obama camp are calling him "Joe Burden"?

Updates.

At the risk of stating the obvious, I haven't done much in the way of blogging lately. As a matter of fact, I haven't spent much time visiting other blogs that I had once considered necessary reads.

So, what have I been doing? Reading, mostly.

Currently, I'm in the middle of two books - each one is a sort of relief from the other when either gets a bit overwhelming - Tolstoy's Anna Karenina and Dead Man Walking by Sr. Helen Prejean.

The Tolstoy novel is on Kindle. I read the novel once before; back in 1979. I recall enjoying the novel then but it seems as if I've forgotten nearly every detail (just as I had forgotten those portions of Moby Dick that I had read years ago).

Not being able to download a free version of Dead Man Walking , I purchased a used hardcover edition from Amazon.com. This used copy was signed by Sr. Prejean in December, 1993 for someone named Mary Elizabeth. I'd call that bonus, since I only paid $4 for the book....including the cost of shipping.

Back in July, I wrote a post about having downloaded a book from Amazon.com that had been highly reviewed by The Curt Jester. Having read Danny Gospel on the recommendation of that review, I was greatly disappointed. Without going into detail, I'll just say that I do not recommend that book.

What else have I been doing?

This year, the Catholic school where my son is in the First Grade has managed to arrange a leasing agreement with the foreign language giant Rosetta Stone. Any student of the school - or parent of a student - can take an online course, for free, to study any language offered by the company. I've signed up for Tagalog .

I tell myself I should spend a little more effort on this blog. We'll see how that works out.

CatholicVote endorses Romney-Ryan.

From an email I received from CatholicVote.org/

"Dear Friend of CV, CatholicVote endorses Romney-Ryan!

Mitt Romney made his choice.

Today we are making ours.

CatholicVote.org is proud to announce that we are enthusiastically endorsing Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan in the 2012 presidential race!

The decision to endorse Romney for President was made after Governor Romney announced Saturday that he had selected Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan as his running mate.

Congressman Ryan is a superb choice. He is a committed Catholic and a candidate willing to engage in the much-needed debate about the role of government in our society - including the moral dimensions of our ballooning federal government. Paul Ryan actually uses the word 'subsidiarity' and can explain it!

Paul Ryan is also strongly pro-life. He has a 100% rating from the National Right to Life Committee. He voted for a constitutional amendment to protect marriage, and he supports school choice. Perhaps most importantly -- Paul Ryan also clearly understands the dangers posed by the HHS mandate, and he will fight as hard as anyone to make sure it is eliminated.

Now consider this....

Many people are heralding the selection of Ryan because of what he represents, and the seriousness that he will inject into the campaign. But the choice of Ryan also tells us something significant about Mitt Romney too: Paul Ryan is the man Mitt Romney believes is best suited to assume the responsibilities of President should that become necessary.

Of all the qualified choices available to him, Mitt Romney chose a dedicated pro-life Catholic to help him turn the country around.

While some predicted Romney would select a "safe" running mate, the former Massachusetts governor went bold. America cannot afford to tiptoe anymore around the critical issues facing our country. With entitlement programs set to go bankrupt, our economy floundering, and the moral fabric of our nation disintegrating, we need leaders willing to take bold risks to get us back on track.

And in his first major decision, Mitt Romney delivered. Big time.

Our Moment

What does the selection of Paul Ryan mean for Catholics? A lot in fact. At least when comes to politics, CatholicVote.org believes this could be a pivotal moment for the Catholic Church in America

Paul Ryan will be the first pro-life Catholic to appear on a Republican presidential ticket since Roe v. Wade. Paul Ryan understands his faith. He understands Catholic social teaching, and prays and works to apply his faith to the practice of politics, including his economic and budget proposals.

Paul Ryan is not your typical Catholic politician.

For decades Catholics came to the shores of America looking for freedom, economic opportunity, and a place to practice their faith and raise a family. For many American Catholics during the last century, the Democratic Party became their home. Whether fairly or not, Republicans were perceived as the party of big business, while the Democratic Party was considered the political ally of the common man.

Much has since changed.

This year the Democratic Party will place homosexual marriage into their party platform alongside their fierce commitment to protecting the legal right to destroy unborn children, including taxpayer support of this holocaust. Furthermore, in the past year, a Democratic president and its leadership in the Congress and Senate have endorsed a mandate that will force Catholics to violate our deeply held moral beliefs -- and may even shut down many Catholic institutions in the process.

Behind these "culture war" issues has been a debate about the size and role of government. Should the federal government provide universal health care? Should government decide what schools are best for our children? What about the role of government in our economy, and in "redistributing" wealth?

What does social justice mean? And how is it best achieved?

No, we are not saying that Catholics should simply vote Republican in every election. We must be proudly Catholic first, not partisan. Republicans who attack our Faith or endorse policies that destroy children and the family must be opposed with equal passion.

But the kind of vision for government and society proposed by Paul Ryan is a vision we heartily endorse. And what is his vision? It's the vision of our Founders, Alexis de Tocqueville, and the practice of much of American history. And contrary to some partisan Catholics, it is a vision for civil society that the Catholic Church has long defended as grounded in prudence and moral principles.

The vision of government proposed by Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan is a vision of limited government and the unlimited potential of human freedom. It is a vision based in reality; a vision that recognizes when government grows too large, it inevitably destroys the very structures of civil society that make freedom and human flourishing possible.

The vision for America proposed by Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan is a vision grounded, not in government mandates and coercion, but in the power of human creativity, innovation, the family, churches, and the intermediate institutions that make up civil society.

Their vision is a vision of ordered liberty.

It's a vision grounded in human dignity and freedom.

And it's a vision we believe is still possible in America.


Sincerely,

Brian "



For what it's worth, I endorse Romney-Ryan as well.

"Obama Get Out" Video.

Found this video at www.obamagetout.com via a link from this article on the Lifenews.com website.

Those Long, Long Lines.

As everyone knows, this past Wednesday was Chik-fil-a Appreciation Day. The only lines longer than the ones outside Chik-fil-a restaurants are the unemployment lines.

Sadly for Adam Smith, he left one line only to join the other.

Let's hope Obama and company are joining the unemployed after the November election.