The eagle has landed. Back to Tellus soon.

Journalism 101 - except at the Washington Post

Ombudsman states the obvious. Reporters everywhere puzzled as he has to explain the phrase "self-censorship" to them.

Allegedly Edward R. Murrow spins. All of your elites have failed.

Of course they are

"A course on "The Conservative Intellectual Tradition in America" at the Citadel, a public military college in South Carolina, features Newt Gingrich, Donald Rumsfeld, Phyllis Schlafly, and the heads of the National Rifle Association and the Ayn Rand Institute. Are they the best that contemporary conservatism has to offer?"

Russell Jacoby in  "Dreaming of a World With No Intellectuals" in the Chronicle of Higher Education.

those are the folks who spelled the beans about Appstate's attempt to dump Prof. Jammie Price.

My retirement garden...

Without Comment

And a good Catholic's reply in a time of trouble

Many people in light of various problems afflicting the American Catholic community (and many others, especially the Irish) have noted that the Catholic Church in this country is shrinking (by 5% since 2000). Those who are sympathetic urge the troubled to find a new home outside the church where they will be more comfortable and welcomed, those inside who feel vindicated by the stance of the hierarchy on virtually all things (except perhaps that anti-war, anti-capital punishment, pro-poor stuff) demand that those unhappy simply get the hell out, the Church does not need them. Smaller but better.

Here is a thoughtful explanation by one of those outraged by the pedophile cover up, the attack on nuns and sexuality and the increasingly political role bishops want to play, as to why he won't leave the faith. He will stay, and fight for its true meaning.

Good luck.

Via media

The Episcopal Church as part of the Anglican community honors the via media - the middle way. Originally it meant the middle way between Catholicism and the Reformed (something the Puritans did not take kindly to) but has become a search for the moderate way, the middle way, as the Greeks might say the Golden Mean.

Here is an explanation of one Episcopalian's understanding of that. It is an increasingly touchy topic but I have to admit that I have little sympathy for the Catholic hierarchy's stand on much of anything these days.

And it is always fun to get in touch with my inner Anglican.