I missed a significant anniversary last month, on December 7. No, not Pearl Harbor Day, December 7 1941, when a deadly Japanese surprise attack on American bases in Hawaii pulled the U. S. into World War II. Nor was it December 7, 1973, my son’s birthday.
[NOTE: I use Wikipedia almost every day. It’s perhaps the finest flower of the rapidly-disappearing era of the free (as in built for honest public service rather than profit or propaganda) internet. But the Saudi rulers know how to deal with such unwelcome ideas & their advocates: if bribery doesn’t suffice (as in golf), jail, … Continue reading Breaking: Is Nothing Sacred? Saudis Jail Two Wikipedia Editors
It was tempting to open with a passage from Volodimir Zelensky’s memorable address to Congress. But that is everywhere today. Instead, here’s a bit from a tribute by columnist David Ignatius: Gen. Mark A. Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, likes to quote a comment attributed to Napoleon: “In war, the moral is … Continue reading Quotes for the Day
[NOTE: Some readers might wonder: why does this Quaker blogger post so often about Catholic church issues & development? Is it just because I was raised RC? No doubt that upbringing left its marks. [If you’re interested, this background is explored in my memoir, Meetings.] But there are broader reasons. Here are a few: — … Continue reading After Buying the Supreme Court for Rightwing Catholicism — Why not Add a Few Universities? Deal!
Even after all these years, I find it a somehow appealing story: 491 years ago, in December 1531 near Mexico City, a humble peasant named Juan Diego told the archbishop of Mexico City he had been visited while climbing a hill by a heavenly woman, now known as Our Lady of Guadalupe. The lady told … Continue reading Considering My Marian Pilgrimages, on Guadalupe Pilgrimage Day in Mexico