Wanted: National Motto

The US has “In God We Trust,” the French have “Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité,” but the British don’t have anything. And they seem to like it that way. Recently the Times of London sponsored a motto-writing contest, the winner . . . . Continue Reading »

Canon Fire

I’ve been following the somewhat acrimonious debate over the extent of the biblical canon and the place of the Apocrypha in it that has been taking place between some Reformed (James White, William Webster, and James Swan) and Catholic folk (Gary Michuta and Steven K. Ray) on their respective . . . . Continue Reading »

Q and A Interview With Yours Truly

Focus on the Family’s on-line magazine did an interview with me for a feature on “pro life heroes.” I am certainly no hero. All I do is write and speak, emitting hot air and particulate matter as I go, hence the name of this blog. And as for being pro life, my thesis is human . . . . Continue Reading »

Adult Stem Cells Found in Pancreas in Mice

This could be great news aways down the road for diabetics. From the story: An international team of researchers has finally managed to locate stem cells in the pancreas—in mice, at least.If the findings are confirmed in humans, they could pave the way for dramatic new therapies for diabetes, . . . . Continue Reading »

Notes on Cloverfield

? So I was expecting The Blair Witch Project Meets Godzilla vs. Mothra with a fairly decent (read: lousy) “undead slasher chases teens in their underwear” flick thrown in for good measure. Another way of saying, something not so good. ? But Cloverfield wasn’t half bad. It was . . . . Continue Reading »

Southwell Institute

Our friend William Baer writes to remind us that it’s that time of year again: The St. Robert Southwell Institute is taking applications for this summer’s installment of its annual creative writing workshop. This year, it’s from June 1 to June 11 at the Carmel Retreat House in . . . . Continue Reading »

Aquinas: Forerunner of Khatami?

Reuel Marc Gerecht, formerly an Iran specialist for the CIA and now a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, now thinks that Islam deserves serious study as a subject of strategic interest. “God may be kaput in most of the West, but he has hardly been reduced to the status of . . . . Continue Reading »