is under discussion over at the Register. In the comboxes, it turns out the Catechism was only published in March 2000, so people had no way of knowing, before then, that it is wrong to deliberately incinerate children in their beds. You learn something every day. Read more

In which we discuss what it means to say that Christ comes to us in the disguise of our neighbor. A very difficult thing to remember when your neighbor is a jerk. Read more

Color footage from the 1939 World’s Fair: the era when smoking was cool. No gorillas, space princesses, exploding planets or form fitting super suits though. But still, Electro is clearly the progenitor of both Gort and Robby the Robot. Read more

informs me of two happy bits of news. First, yesterday, September 6, 2010, a date which will live in infancy, Lucy the Cuteness was suddenly and deliberately attacked by a spasm of actual walking. She took three steps on her own, and then later gained the confidence to take several more. The universe has just changed. Second, Luke writes me the following: Here’s a trailer for Wordplay, the documentary about the world crossword puzzle championships. I actually, literally, factually cried... Read more

I saw your posting on the letter from the woman who has heart trouble and no way to pay for medical care. What an awful situation. I’ve already prayed for her but have no other way to help her. I read you regularly, have several books from you and have contributed to your tin cup rattles – we even spoke on the phone once. I really find you a breath of fresh air in our culture. When I could find... Read more

“The Church is intolerant in principle because she believes; she is tolerant in practice because she loves. The enemies of the Church are tolerant in principle because they do not believe; they are intolerant in practice because they do not love.” — Fr. Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange, O.P. Read more

Here are some excerpts from James Lee’s manifesto, written before he took hostages at the Discovery Channel: Focus must be given on how people can live WITHOUT giving birth to more filthy human children … All programs on Discovery Health-TLC must stop encouraging the birth of any more parasitic human infants and the false heroics behind those actions. In those programs’ places, programs encouraging human sterilization and infertility must be pushed. All former pro-birth programs must now push in the... Read more

A reader sends this along: Dear Dr. Boli: After watching some old movie serials over the past week, I’ve decided that Emperor of the Universe sounds like the job for me. But how should I go about getting it? —Sincerely, Winthrop M. Sallow, a.k.a. Ming II. Dear Sir: The universe is quite a responsibility for a young man to deal with. Are you positively certain that you are ready to take it on? Remember that the costs associated with maintaining... Read more

The guy is more on his game when he tired and it’s late at night than I am when it’s morning and I am well-rested. Here he is, subjecting the silliness of Victor Stenger to a far more searching treatment than I could be bothered with–and having a rollicking time doing it. A classic example of the destructon (and creation) that can happen when a Catholic who uses the intellect meets an atheist who merely worships it. Read more

A reader asks for prayer for his father who has cancer and for difficulties with his job situation. Another reader writes: If I could ask for a prayer… My dad has been terribly ill – hosp’d 3 times in the last 2 weeks and was very close to dying – my three sons and I are road tripping from Kentucky to Washington State (halfway there now)…I could sure use an Ave for a safe and holy trip. Another reader writes:... Read more