The "Great Siege", is the Siege of Malta in 1565, as the Turkish Ottoman Empire tried to expand further into the Mediterranean and up to Italy. The Ottomans had already conquered most of Eastern Europe. The book, by a British historian named Ernle Bradford, is great! But unfortunately extremely difficult to get. It’s not stocked … Read more
This is interesting – and amusing. It’s short, so read the whole thing, not just my excerpt! The Death of Blogs | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction As weblogs proliferated earlier this decade, Andy Warhol’s famous aphorism was modified to read, "In the future, everyone will be famous to 15 people." Now … Read more
After a lifetime of illness, at the age of 47. He died suddenly and quickly. But with his medical history, it was not a surprise. As my brother Jim said at the time “He lead a noble life.” For more about my brother, go here Tom Faranda’s Folly: Paul Faranda, 1958-2005 and here Tom Faranda’s … Read more
Sort of. A great editorial. Other People’s Politics OpinionJournal – Featured Article … it’s always other people’s influence that’s a threat to democracy. DailyKos’s misadventure was resolved with a Federal Election Commission ruling that allowed it (quite properly) to escape the rules it wants foisted on everybody else. And we certainly defend the Times’s right … Read more
Mark Gabriel, my brother Phil and his wife Ann’s fourth child (third son) was baptized this past Sunday. Here are some photos of the clan. Mark and Godmother Lisa Tom, Jim and Philip Grandma, and Phil, with the Godfather Jim and his wife Melissa sitting behind… Ann and her Aunt Maria to her right Brigid … Read more
The author is former director of development research at the World Bank and advisor to the British government’s Commission on Africa. A really interesting interview. TCS Daily – The Bottom Billion No More? Schulz: As bad as things are for the bottom billion, you believe it’s possible that the statistics we have to describe what … Read more
It’s very difficult to get yourself excommunicated from the Catholic Church, but here’s a group that managed it! Excommunicated « Charlotte was Both In a judgment delivered to the group on Monday, and announced yesterday, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith ruled that the ordinations of six priests in the Army of Mary … Read more
We are living longer. It’s best if you’re a caucasian woman. U.S. Life Expectancy Hits New High – washingtonpost.com Hoyert also noted that women continue to outlive men. "The difference in 2005 was 5.2 years. This is the same as in 2004," she said. "But it’s at the lowest level it has been at since … Read more
Althouse: On the evening of September 10th, there is a mournful glow in lower Manhattan. Actually, Ann Althouse is allowing people to post it, so here it is –
Here’s a transcript of the whole, boring rant released today as an online video. I excerpted some good bits to show the probable influence of the above. It would be funny if the guy wasn’t a mass-murdering, homicidal maniac. I’m worried about my sons being incinerated by Islamic-terrorist nukes in 20 years. Late night talk … Read more