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May 23, 2005

To the moon and beyond

I was born on the seventh anniversary of Neil Armstrong’s historic moonwalk, which may or may not have something to do with my lifelong love of aviation. I have fond memories from my childhood of sitting in front of the television completely captivated by network news coverage of the launch of the Space Shuttle. Continue Reading...
May 23, 2005

The Public Square: On Ordered Liberty

From First Things, June/July 2005, No. 154, p. 69 The Public Square: A Survey of Religion and Public Life • Rome Diary, etc., Richard John Neuhaus • Of the thousands of books that deserve a review, relatively few get reviewed here or elsewhere. Continue Reading...
May 23, 2005

The Public Square: “Civic friendship”

From First Things, June/July 2005, No. 154, p. 68 The Public Square: A Survey of Religion and Public Life • Rome Diary, etc., Richard John Neuhaus • “Civic friendship.” What a beautiful idea, but in our rancorous political climate some might be excused for thinking it is a pipe dream. Continue Reading...
May 23, 2005

Technology imperialists at the forefront

This Wired News article examines the European outrage at Google’s announced plans to digitize the holdings of all the world’s libraries. “There is a growing awareness in continental Europe of the technology gap, even with some of the very good technologies they have had, of companies like Google, like Microsoft, like Apple … which are presented as almost technology imperialists at the forefront,” said Jonathan Fenby, a former Observer editor and author of France on the Brink. Continue Reading...
May 23, 2005

Capitalism and Catholic social teaching

Rev. Robert Sirico responded over the weekend in the Detroit News to a letter disputing one of his previous columns. In “Catholic social teaching embraces markets,” (May 21) Rev. Sirico writes that “the fact that the church has no economic models to propose is not the same as saying all economic models are the same. Continue Reading...
May 23, 2005

Prayer for all Christians in their vocation

Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of thy faithful people is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers, which we offer before thee for all members of thy holy Church, that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve thee; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the same Spirit, one God, now and forever. Continue Reading...
May 20, 2005

Museum of plastic cadavers

Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry is currently hosting the Body Worlds show, a display of plasticized cadavers and body parts. According to museum publicity, some 16 million people worldwide have seen the show, the creation of Gunther von Hagens, a German inventor who claims to have created the “plastination” technique. Continue Reading...
May 20, 2005

Book smarts vs. street smarts

Many may know that the season finale of The Apprentice was broadcast last night, with the conclusion being a victory for the “Book Smarts” team (college educated or higher) over the “Street Smarts” team (high school only). Continue Reading...
May 20, 2005

The art of movie piracy

I recently watched a rerun of Seinfeld, in which Jerry becomes entangled with a movie bootlegger, and finds out that he has a gift for movie piracy. Jerry’s talent would be the cure for what this Slashdot poster complains about: “I’ve yet to find a blockbuster movie that isn’t readily available on the net after it opens, but somehow this is still news. Continue Reading...