THE MIRACLE OF SHANK: I know I promised lots of substantive posting today, but my weekend kind of escaped me, and I just don’t have the time to do it. However, I am reading all your emails and whatnot, and there will be much blogly goodness here very soon. I apologize for the delay. Try me tomorrow. Meanwhile, Unqualified Offerings and The Agitator both have bucketloads of good stuff, so you should go read them. Also, The Old Oligarch and... Read more

“She had dressed for the occasion too, but her idea of a sex kitten looked like something the cat had dragged in.” —The Last Good Kiss , James Crumley Thanks to the reader who sent it in. Read more

(GRASS)ROOTS ROCK: The Cranky Professor writes: “Along with Catholic books for public libraries (an EXCELLENT idea), let me suggest gift subscriptions to Catholic magazines for school libraries both public and parochial. “Most public libraries aren’t thrilled with gift subscriptions because they are sure that then they’ll have to take it out of their limited budget once you stop giving (the solution — call the magazine and find out how cheap a perpetual endowment would be — I know that some... Read more

“CHRISTIANITY FROM THE OUTSIDE” is available online. There are terrific responses from Jack Balkin, Emmy Chang, Christopher Hitchens, David Kelley, James Morrow, Jacob Neusner, Jonathan Rauch, Ellen Willis, and Michael Yaeger. I was honored to work with them. Read more

COUPON CLIPPERS: I’m a creature of habit. Every time I go to the grocery, I buy the exact same nine things. I love cooking, but I hate washing dishes, so I’ve grown to love two yummy recipes that require virtually no cleanup. This means, among other things, that I get a lot of coupons I don’t use. I get ’em in the mailbox; I get ’em on my receipt; I get ’em here, I get ’em there, etc. There’s gotta... Read more

HERE’S THE LIST of people at the blogfest last night. Muchisimas gracias a Gene Healy. Read more

ARE YOU A LAY CATHOLIC? Are you seeking saints from your own walk of life? Do you want to learn more about the history of the Church and her saints? Do you need to exercise your arm muscles and build upper-body strength? You need this tome! (I’m borrowing it from The Old Oligarch.) Read more

My blogfest’s back and you’re gonna be sorry– Hey la, hey la, my blogfest’s back! (I will never again be able to hear that song without thinking of the “Sesame Street” parody with the Squirelles singing about the boyfriend’s back–and his front.) Boy were there a lot of people at the blogfest. I didn’t even meet half the people there. It was great to see folks from the first DC fest–Dave Tepper, Unqualified Offerings and Mrs. Offering, and Will Wilkinson... Read more

“How extravagant you are, throwing away women like that. Someday they may be scarce.” –Claude Rains, “Casablanca” Read more

COME, MUSE, LET US SING OF RATS: Another one rides the bus–The Rat has a blog. Right now there’s lots of St. Petersburg, SnarfQuest, and Dostoyevsky. Go, feel the bite of the Rat. Read more