Happy twelvity birthday Professor Tolkien

Yes, it was the 120th anniversary of the birthday of J.R.R. Tolkien.  Not a big fantasy fan myself, and I admit I've read the Hobbit just to say I've read the Hobbit.  But his masterpiece, his magnum opus, his work considered by many one of the greatest contributions to literary fiction in the 20th century, still holds me in awe.  How a person can write in such a way, a way that makes you think if anyone else had done it that way, it would have been laughed out of the book stores, is beyond me.  He says it without saying it, and yet says it well. 

He was both deep and thoughtful, wise and intelligent, witty and whimsical, a lover of ancient languages and academic exercise as much as a good pint of beer and a pipe with friends in the neighborhood pub.  He suffered loss and heartache, experienced the horrors of industrialized warfare, and yet never lost his love for growing things, natural things, beautiful things.  And somehow, like all of the great ones, he combined it all in a mixture of unparalleled quality and impact.

The Beatles didn't make it all up, but they took the influences and combined them in a fresh and revolutionary way.  Orson Wells didn't pioneer everything on the set of Citizen Kane, but he took what was done and mixed it together in a way that changed cinema.  And Tolkien didn't invent fantasy, dragons, or even orcs, but the shadow he cast over the genre, and the influence he has had on a generation of authors, filmmakers, musicians, and readers, places him on the same plane as those others, and many more.  So for all the memories, all the fun, and all the pipeweed everywhere, thanks Professor Tolkien for the memories, and happy Twelvity, may there be many more who follow the joy of your creation while you take in that eternal evening rest from a troubled world.

Roads go ever ever on,
Over rock and under tree,
By caves where never sun has shone,
By streams that never find the sea;
Over snow by winter sown,
And through the merry flowers of June,
Over grass and over stone,
And under mountains in the moon.

Roads go ever ever on
Under cloud and under star,
Yet feet that wandering have gone
Turn at last to home afar.
Eyes that fire and sword have seen
And horror in the halls of stone
Look at last on meadows green
And trees and hills they long have known.

The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say.

The Road goes ever on and on
Out from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
Let others follow it who can!
Let them a journey new begin,
But I at last with weary feet
Will turn towards the lighted inn,
My evening-rest and sleep to meet.

Goodbye Luke Fickell

Ah well, the dream is over.  What can I say.  Ohio State lost today in an overall lackluster and uninspiring performance.  On the part of both teams really.  Had it not been for two out of the box plays by Florida's special teams, would the score have been anything to remember?  Sure, there was that last minute, last ditch drive by the Buckeyes, showcasing more what fans hope to see than what they've seen.  But in a season obliterated by about as many obstacles as a program can imagine, I'm shocked we did as good as we did.  It never failed that, on the eve of a major game or match-up, the NCAA would hit us with yet another bombshell.  Since last year, the Buckeyes greeted almost every major match with some head-spinning revelation.  Of course, that's what you get when you break the rules.  Now maybe the NCAA can spend its time examining some other programs that, so far, have gotten by with the equivalent of a smack on the wrist.

But for the Buckeyes, and for the long suffering Luke Fickell, the pain has ended.  The Juniors will not see another bowl game, and my oldest son will be a senior the next time we can root for the team in a BCS Bowl.  Fans, after all, must also be punished.  But from it, the one winner has been Fickell.  Really, has there been another coach more pitied and yet more admired for what he has done, the class he has shown, and the dignity with which he carried himself and his broken team?  It's nice to know he'll be back.  If only so he can taste once again the victories the Buckeyes have been known for.  And maybe this time it will be without the scandal, without the trade offs in lost opportunities, and without knowing no matter how good we were, we should have been much better.

Happy New Year!

And since the various TV networks are busy regaling us with shallow pop stars, musical tributes to the only city that matters, and renditions of the only hymn a generation of narcissists could ever venerate, I thought I would bring back some good old traditional New Years singing from days of yore. 

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne!

Chorus.-For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne.
We'll take a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.  

Here's the family

Without Dad of course.  He was certainly missed.  But the rest of us tried to carry on the tradition of endless fun and festivities during this Christmastide.  Here is everyone on the Grand Carousel at the Columbus Zoo.  It's not the best pic (no, my grand niece doesn't have demon eyes), but shows everyone getting on and having a blast. 



L to R, My Mom, the wife, our youngest, 13 year old, 16 year old, my Sister, my 11 year old, and my grand niece



And a Happy New Year

This and that  As the less than stellar 2011 comes to a close, I leave everyone with images of a fun wrap up and hopefully a sign of enjoyable things to come.  Our annual visit to the Columbus Zoo's lights spectacular.  Alas, the pictures I took of my Mom, Sister, and grand-niece didn't come out.  I will see if any others come out down the road.  For now, here's the gang wishing everyone a blessed and joyful New Year!

The boys, complete with picture of their adorable Mom

The boys and one proud Dad

I don't know, but he has to be thinking something

Never afraid to cheese it up for the camera

It's not easy looking cool at Zoo Lights, but by goodness they gave it a try

The totally awesome lights display at the ultra-awesome Zoo that Jack built



On the Feast of the Holy Family

The flight to Egypt

On this, the day in which we remember the Holy Family, Joseph included, I would like to offer up a prayer for my family.  It's been a long, difficult year.  My sister's family has been hit hard by troubles with her son, with the sudden onset of illness for her husband, and a disastrous financial collapse due to ill fortune and corrupt business partners.  In short, they went from owning several houses to being on the verge of homelessness, my sister forced to help raise her granddaughter.

Meanwhile, my Dad's Alzheimer's caused a downward spiral last year, one that eventually led to us putting him in a nursing home in March.  Within five weeks, he had died.  We still don't know what happened.  But we miss him.  It was the first death of a close relative that my children experienced.  At the same time, I was left without employment, any freelance and part time work having dried up despite rumors of an improving economy.

In Summer, we realized my Mom couldn't stay by herself any more and we invited her to live with us; with us, in a house meant as a starter for families with three to five people, already boasting a six member family.  Now, with her, we have seven living under the same roof.  At the same time, I began working for Aflac.  A great product I believe in, one that does what it says.  The problem?  By all honest accounts, it can take up to two years before you really see the money coming in (remember, this is as self-employment, so all the glorious expenses and taxes that come with being self-employed).  No problem, as my wife made enough and had good enough benefits for us to scratch out a living until I got my feet on the ground.

And then December 7, a date which will live in infamy.  Now for more than one reason.  My wife was asked to meet her supervisor at the human resources department of McGraw-Hill, where she was promptly told that her position had been eliminated by a computer program in New York.  There was no bargaining, no pleading, no begging.  It had been printed, and it was a done thing.  By 2012, she would join the throngs of the unemployed while I was scarcely bringing in enough money to pay the expenses it takes to make the money in the first place.

So coming into the holidays, realizing that for the second time since we became Catholic, we were both without steady incomes, this time with a total of seven people to keep, and a floundering economy, I can't help but admit things have looked better.  2011 was a bad year.  It just was.  We tried to make the best, to make lemonade where there were lemons, to put the best face on it we could, but it was just a bad year. 

So we're praying that 2012 will be better, that the Mayans were incorrect, and that our fortunes will turn and we will see God at work in our lives, have the faith to follow His will, and see by the end that it was all worth it. I would like to think finding our paths would happen because of the Church, not despite the Church.  And my prayer is that we will be able to declare a wonderful testimony about how 2011 was made in some ways better by the abundant blessings of 2012.  It's a prayer I have.  And I pray to the Holy Family, to Mary, to Joseph, who like me had his earthly family to tend, and to Jesus Christ my savior and lord, that by next year at this time, we will have been put into a situation where we can finally give, and from that it shall be given unto us; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, that our children may see the blessings we have received through our Faith in Christ through His Holy Church.  That is my prayer. 

Merry fifth day of Christmas

OK, so the best I could come up with today was a picture of five gold rings.  Still, it's great being Catholic for many reasons.  One is the realization that you are really the counter-cultural rebel.  While most of the world is back to normal, excepting that frenzy of parties and drunkenness and little smokies in barbecue sauce come New Years.  Politics is dominating the news.  Business is seeking new ways to cash in on cash strapped consumers.  Wall Street executives are filling their wallets with the money saved from slashing jobs, salaries, benefits, and exploiting third world workers.  All is getting back to normal.

But we Catholics buck the trend.  Not in the tired, predictable, stale, and boring 'rebellion' one sees on MTV, Bill Maher, or the latest 'dress like a slab of beef' pop star.  Snooze.  How dull and brain melt is that.  Really, does anyone see any of that and come away in shock?  But now, we followers of the historic Faith, we know that the Twelve Days of Christmas are more than a song about merrymakers and assorted fowl.  It's how the Church has done the holidays for centuries.  And it helps us keep the Spirit of the season alive when the spirit of this world has already resumed control of affairs in so many ways.  So Merry Fifth Day of Christmas!  May those five gold rings symbolize more than gold, and be a reminder of just how rich and deep is the Catholic tradition that is available to all!

Obligatory Fifth Day of Christmas image

Jay Mohr demonstrates that while it's difficult finding people who make Fred Phelps look intelligent

It can be done. For the record, I spent the first 45 years of my life oblivious to the fact that Jay Mohr exists. But apparently, wanting to get his name in the news, he decided to jump on the Bill Maher bandwagon and spew some good old Nazi-humor at Christians. By now, most have heard of Maher's Phelps-inspired rant against Tim Tebow. Nothing new, original, or different there. The earth's orbit around the sun is less predictable than Maher's tired old routine. But then Mr. Mohr jumps in and tries to add, well, something to the dialogue.  He - hold on for it - calls Christians 'idiots' for wanting to boycott HBO over Maher's comments:

"Yeah, that would be great Christians, except there’s nothing to boycott, there’s no commercials, you idiot," he chuckled. "‘Let me tell you something, HBO,’" he continued, as if he was someone boycotting the company, "‘I’m not buying any products you advertise. I’m not drinking Minute Maid orange juice, I’m not going to use the tricky ladder– the three-in-one ladder you advertise.’"
"There are no commercials you moron, it’s HBO Christians!" he yelled. "And I’m speaking as a Christian."

The funny part? Nobody is actually calling for a 'boycott' of HBO in that sense. They are simply calling on people to do like I do, and not subscribe to a cable network wishing for a return to pre-Christian barbarism. I never took a cable package that included HBO, and have no intention of doing so now. But so off the wall vacant was his rant, even the writer of the news article is left wondering:

"It’s unclear what boycott Mohr was specifically referencing or why he said Christians were going after HBO advertisers. The movement across Twitter and other places has referenced boycotting HBO in general, not necessarily a call for a movement against HBO sponsors."

But then, the general audience of shows like Maher's, and apparently Mohr's, doesn't exactly lend itself to sweating over such things as facts and reality. Some sex, drugs, and the ability to abort babies for better orgasms is about all they probably care to process.

FWIW, his little 'I'm speaking as a Christian' is about as worthless as anything can be worthless. Assuming it's true, and I'll take him at his word (being the only evidence I can imagine accepting for assuming it's true), it's more of an embarrassment than anything, and another reminder that it's not just the Fred Phelps of the world who make a mockery of religion in general, and Christianity in particular.  And not only that, but making it look like the domain of idiots when he goes off on a rant about something that isn't even happening. Sigh.

Well done Governor Kasich

On this, the Feast of the Holy Innocents, I thought I would send a kudos to Governor Kasich for having the guts to sign what will be an instantly obliterated bill into law.  They call it the heartbeat bill.  Basically, once an unborn baby's heart is detected, the woman cannot abort the baby.  Kill it, so to speak.  Nor can the doctor cash in the money from said dead baby.  Seems pretty Christian to me.  Alas, the ACLU and others, yearning for a return to pre-Christian barbarism (and doing a damn fine job I admit), have already promised their multi-zillion dollar bombing campaign that is almost guaranteed to place the fine and wonderful right of baby killing back into the hands of individuals where it belongs.  But, at least on this day, the day when Christians historically remembered Herod's heartless and brutal massacre of the innocents, it's a bright moment to think that maybe at least one or two lives might be spared, if only from pointing to the obvious of just what an unborn baby is in the first place.

"Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked o the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying,

In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not."

King James Version



Pieter Bruegel's "Massacre of the Holy Innocents"



HBO couldn't book Heinrich Himmler

So they had to settle for Bill Maher instead.  Unlike Himmler, who had the power to turn his hatred and contempt for others into a reign of unparalleled terror, Maher must limp along trying to sound funny by making Fred Phelps seem sane and compassionate by comparison (really, is there any objective difference between Phelps' hatred and Maher's hatred, except I hear Phelps can by funny every now and then?).  Naturally, it's probable that since Maher supports aborting babies for better orgasms and drugs (let's not forget the drugs), HBO gives him a blank check.  Like most media outlets, HBO seems quite happy with the lowest common denominator of hatred and bigotry as long as it's promoting narcissism, hedonism, debauchery, and mindless slavery to the altar of brain rot known as television.  Some think Maher may have gone too far this time.  I doubt it.  If it helps with the ratings, I believe HBO will keep him no matter what.  Not that I want HBO to cave to pressure.  But it's possibly another reason why they might not that bothers me.  Tebow is, of course, the Muhammad Ali of the post-modern secular era.  So I can't help but think HBO would likely support what they can to bring him down, even if it's using a mental pygmy like Maher to score the hits.

A single death is a tragedy, a million is a statistic with which to win arguments

On this, the Feast of St. John the Evangelist, it's a good thing to read Mike Flynn's take on Steven Pinker's book The Better Nature of Angels. This book is a new twist on the old message of post-religionism: religion bad, non-religion good. Now thinking people can't help but ask a few questions about that, not the least question is how the 20th century fits into this equation. After all, we know that few of the major events of the century were guided by religious doctrine. Sure, some folks motivated by religion did things good and bad, but most things, such as the Russian Revolution, the World Wars, the nuclear arms race, the Cultural Revolution, had nothing at all to do with religion. Even the holocaust had only shades of pseudo-religious thought behind it, resting heavier on the latest, hippest scientific theories and social speculations about human-as-animal and its ramifications. Therefore, the 20th century, dominated by non-religious - and sometimes outright anti-religious - ideals, mixed with the largest body count of any singular century in history, poses some problems for our intrepid New Atheists who insist getting rid of religion will lead to peace, joy, and the eternal chanting of John Lennon songs.

Enter Steven Pinker. His basic hope is to convince us that if you look at the number of people butchered vs. the number of people actually living in the 20th century, that it really isn't as bad as other times in history. He then goes on to site example after example of other horrible times in other places where the body bags were piling up at least as quickly, if not proportionally more so, than during the 20th.

There are troubles with this to be sure, and Mr. Flynn does a nice job unpacking the fly-over simplicity of much of Mr. Pinker's grasp of history. He also brings out some of the usual problems with using statistics in order to win arguments (hint: if you are dead set on A being true, chances are you're going to make sure the stats prove A is true).

Of course there is a danger in any rebuttal against Pinker's thesis. For decades, post-Westerners and post-Christianists have used the terrors of the 20th century, particularly of the West, to prove how utterly unique was the dire result of this Christian based civilization. In answer to this mode of attack, many have labored for years to show that while the horrors of Nazi Germany, the World Wars, and the worst aspects of European Imperialism were bad, they were not the only horrors of the 20th, or any other, century. So we don't want to dismiss the points Mr. Pinker offers outright. But we want to make sure that we remember the sad fact that the body count of the 20th century seems only to have been limited by the means necessary for killing that many people. It wasn't for a lack of anything else but time and resources that the numbers killed were kept at that rate. That idea alone should give us pause before going any further toward accepting Pinker's proportionally acceptable mass slaughter rates defense. Mr. Flynn's rebuttal should do the rest.
　

Prayers for our Nigerian brothers and sisters on this Feast of St. Stephen

All too fitting that today we mourn the deaths of Christians killed on Christmas in Nigeria.  As CNN pointed out, this is the second year where the celebration of Christ's birth has been met with violence and bloodshed against those who are celebrating.  Hopefully it will not become a tradition. May God grant peace to those who mourn, and embrace those who died on that holy day, whose sacrifice call to mind the first martyr's sacrifice.  St. Stephen pray for them!

Glory to the newborn king!

And with that, I wish everyone a peace filled and joyful Christmas celebration.  I'll be around for the next week or so, but tomorrow?  I'm with the family, feasting, celebrating, relaxing, and taking in the peace of Christ which surpasses all human understanding.  May that peace fill your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.  Merry Christmas everyone, Merry Christmas to my lovely wife and wonderful boys, to my family, and to you Dad - you're still with us in our hearts and memories.  Amen.

Yes, the wise still seek him.  And so do the humble.

"And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
 
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.  And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
 
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
 
       Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us."

King James Version

Christmas time is here

Happiness and cheer.  Therefore I can't account for how much time I'll have between now and the end of the year for blogging.  With my wife losing her job due to cutbacks and us going straight back to survival mode sans income once again, much will be happening over the next few weeks.  A shame, since readership has really taken off.  I appreciate everyone who stops by for a visit.  Still not many comments, but then perhaps once I've said my piece, there's nothing left to say!  Or it could be that folks can't figure out what the heck I'm saying in the first place.  Either way, thanks for stopping, and a blessed Christmas and merry holiday season to everyone.  I hope everyone will keep coming back, and I'll try to add things as they come by.  In the meantime, enjoy this picture taken at the Pontifical College Josephinum, just down the street from where we live, and an early location that helped stoke those embers of religious investigation in my later college days.



The reason for the season

I had to laugh

At this picture:

I found it on Mark Shea's blog dealing with this story in which we find out that our capital's December 25th Tree will not honor Jesus, but will in fact honor President Obama.  Laugh now.  We'll most certainly cry later. 

My Saint is more popular than yours!

Unless yours is more popular than St. Francis (how can any saint be more popular than St. Francis!).  According to Catholic Online at least.  Four of my family's saints are in the top 20!  Yeah, you go!  Anyway, interesting stuff.  Sometimes it's just fun being Catholic.

The Hobbit Trailer is here!

Yep, figured I would jump on the hype.  The clip is in the article.  As I've said many times, I'm OK with Jackson's LoTR films, but that's all.  They were no better than other attempts to bring Tolkien to the screen.  Most of the time they weren't worse.  Though Rankin/Bass's animated "The Hobbit" is more faithful to the source material than the various LoTR adaptations, so we'll have to see how this new version holds up in comparison.  So far, there's enough add on that I can't help but fear we'll see more surfing elves, elf warrior princesses, and orc butt kicking rangers where deep philosophical and moral reflections should be.  The Hobbit is a simpler book, of course, aimed at children.  Maybe this will feel more at home.  Anyway, here it is.

If you thought President Obama wasn't doing anything

You were wrong!  Just because he's been nowhere to be seen regarding our budget battles, nowhere to be seen on the international stage, nowhere to be seen at home except for campaigning for his reelection bid, some folks have mistakenly assumed he's only about getting reelected and isn't doing anything else he was elected to do.  Well fella, you'd be wrong to think it.  Here we see that he's taken time for the most important issue of the age.  He has sent a congratulations letter to two homosexuals who got married, even though he apparently doesn't support gay marriage.  Heck, you figure that one out.  The important thing is, he's making time for what really matters.  And in the 21st century post modern world, that is anything non-heterosexual. 

Save our Christmas traditions

Go Green! That's right.  Just when you thought Global Warming had threatened everything there is to threaten, we learn that the three kings of Orient Asia are going to lose their beloved frankincense in the upcoming years.  Why?  Global Warming of course.  I mean Global Climate Change.  No, that's Climate Disruption.  Oh heck, everything in the weather proves it's right, so we better worry.

I have three areas of history that I have studied

The revolutionary period of the late 18th/early 19th century.  The Middle Ages, with particular emphasis on northern Europe in the High Middle Ages.  And WWII.  The last is what got me into history in the first place.  Since I had so many relatives who served in that war, it was natural that I would be fascinated by that period.  I tended to focus on the Pacific more than Europe.  And of all battles, campaigns, and topics, my number one go-to-when-I-have-a-report-to-do subject was Pearl Harbor.  I don't mind saying, there's not much out there about the attack I haven't seen, studied, or read (until recent years, I must admit), and I can give an impromptu talk at a museum to fellow costumers with the  best of them.  That's also why I laugh at all the silly conspiracy theories, by the way.

So it came as a shock to see this article stating that a famous photo of Japanese women manning fire hoses after the attack was, in fact, not true.  It was a real photo, but apparently taken much later - or so the surviving woman in the photo believes.  Now, is that the shock?  No.  What shocked me was that the photo existed.  Again, I've studied, read, bought books, magazines, articles, and documents on the topic.  I've done reports, essays, and projects centered on the topic.  I've seen just about every photo I thought there was to see.  Yet the article says this:

"The photograph has had quite the run through the history books."

I don't know.  Never saw it before now.  Of course I pretty much ignore the [Non]History Channel at this point, so if it's there I wouldn't see it.  I'm just taken that the article assumes "why, this photo was everywhere" when, in truth, after the hundreds of books and articles I've read, and the endless lists of photos I've seen, this was the first.

It says something, that's for sure.  Maybe no matter how much we think we know, there's always something out there we've missed.  Or maybe the press has a tendency to over-inflate things in order to continually promote narratives and memes of its choosing.  Or a combination of both.  Makes me wonder, don't think I don't.