Matt Gaetz Withdraws

 

Matt Gaetz, the controversial Florida Congressman nominated by President-Elect Trump as his Attorney General, has withdrawn his name from consideration. He issued the following statement:

I had excellent meetings with Senators yesterday. I appreciate their thoughtful feedback – and the incredible support of so many. While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition. There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I’ll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General. Trump’s DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1.

Dunder Mifflin Storms the Capitol

 

The 2024 election has not been a good one for Democrats in Scranton, Pennsylvania.  First, the city’s favorite son, Joe Biden, was pushed out of the presidential race after having a ninety-minute senior moment during the debate.  In the election, Trump took back Pennsylvania and Republican Rob Bresnahan unseated U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright in the area’s congressional race.  To top it off, although it was close enough for a recount, Republican Dave McCormick has apparently upset the scion of the city’s most famous political dynasty, Bob Casey Jr., in the U.S. Senate race.  

Outside of politics, Scranton is probably best known as the location of the American version of “The Office.”  So, if Scranton Democrats decide the election was rigged against them and pull off a January 6 of their own, which cast members are at risk of joining them?  

Ukraine-Russia: Is it Cracking?

 

Missiles from the UK and US are now escalating matters, including the use of condemned anti-personnel mines. Turns out that there are no real red lines in war.  The US/UK change in posture is going to change things, one way or another. The US has abandoned its embassy in Kiev.

At the same time, on the ground, Russia is winning ground – though it is slow going, and the casualties are crazy-high. And back home the economy may be reaching a tipping point: I include quotes from the Tweet below. What they are saying, out loud, is shocking. I doubt that ALL of these people will fall out of windows.

Marty Makary MD, “Blind Spots,” Part 2

 

One week ago, I wrote a post about the mind-blowing discoveries of Marty Makary, M.D. concerning the medical field and its reliance on alleviating its own cognitive dissonance, to the detriment of the public and medicine. I promised, however, that I would write a more comprehensive book review of Blind Spots, because I want every person who hasn’t read the book to learn some life-changing information — and maybe even be motivated to read his book. It has changed my life, and will certainly change the life of many people.

I don’t plan to even try to cover everything in the book, but I’ve chosen to focus on key subjects: those that may lead potentially to serious illness or death. I’m not trying to be overly dramatic, but some of the decisions that have been made in the past because of a lack of good information are frightening. There are doctors who still follow these faulty guidelines.

The Trump Presidency: Taking “Yes” For An Answer

 

I wanted Ron DeSantis, not Trump, to be our Republican candidate for president. It was simply because his record of achievement as governor of Florida was everything that conservatives had been begging for in a leader for decades. And presumably, it would transfer to a presidency as well.  But it didn’t happen, and before DeSantis wisely dropped out early, Trump said things about him that made me so mad I couldn’t see straight.

So, when DeSantis bowed out, my reaction quite naturally was . . . what?  To go away mad and become a never-Trumper?  To rage against the conservatives I perceived as fools for not supporting the right guy?  To move to DeSantis’ Florida to live free while I watched the rest of the country go to hell, possibly under Trump, but more likely under Biden or whoever replaced him?

Faith, Reason, and Beyond Reason

 

One can judge the character of an author by his self-deprecation. Immediately, in the introduction to Faith, Reason and Beyond Reason, Mark Boone [@saintaugustine] makes clear he does not know it all. Knowledge (epistemology) is the framework for Boone’s book, yet his first paragraph admits how much he learned from a student. Were I a screenwriter, the phrase, “You had me at humility,” would be in the script. One learns a great deal about a person when there is an obvious focus on others. Indeed, the whole book is an exercise in the question, “How much can others teach me?” Scholars from Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, and Christianity all receive a fair hearing. What’s more, an openness to nuance helps the biblical interpreter better understand God’s Word by listening to others. Neither accommodation nor compromise are concerns. What is clear is that however much we may think we have a corner on proper interpretive approaches, humility settles us.

Dr. Boone is thoroughly orthodox, evangelical, biblical, and hermeneutically sound in any way that conservative thinkers would be, but it is his broadmindedness that maintains his intellectual modesty. “I still have much to learn” (xv) is a Godsend to anyone who believes that research has a chance at being unbiased. The table of contents tells the reader the work will not be doctrinaire. On the contrary, hearing that the views of Augustine and William James, for instance, might be synthesized makes the reader’s eyes go wide. Drawing from the works of Islamic scholar Iqbal or the postmodernist Jean-Luc Marion, Boone shows over and over that pieces of Truth exist in places we would not consider, all the while being dedicated to Scripture’s reliability, authority, inerrancy, and reasonableness. “Uses of this book” (xiv-xv) gives a path for any philosopher or theologian to follow for further study and application.

So many helpful segments give a practicality to the book. Twelve commonsense principles about knowledge, distinct from skepticism, begin the argument for Christianity that “belief is rational” (8), which does not require evidence (9), but is defensible (14), concluding “no other worldview is consistent with such a criterion for rationality, warrant, or proper basicality” (in contradistinction to skepticism, 22-23). A philosopher’s mind is at work in chapters one and two defining such words as “warrant” and “function” while demonstrating the benefits of Alvin Plantinga’s work, including “natural theology” (42).

Join Robert Chernin and Ericka Redic as they welcome special guests Chris Widener and Andy Mangione. Learn about how faith was an integral piece of the puzzle to help Donald Trump be re-elected as our 47th president.

Brash, irreverent, and mostly peaceful!  Stay in contact with us!

This week on The Learning Curve, co-hosts Alisha Searcy of DFER and U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng interview Carl Rollyson, CUNY professor, and acclaimed biographer of William Faulkner. Prof. Rollyson offers an in-depth exploration of Faulkner’s life, work, and enduring legacy. He discusses Faulkner’s formative years in early 20th-century Mississippi a region still grappling with its post-Civil War identity, and his early literary influences, including mentorship by Phil Stone and encounters with literary greats like Sherwood Anderson. Rollyson delves into Faulkner’s tumultuous personal life, his complex marriage to his wife Estelle, and his writing routine at his Oxford, Mississippi, home, Rowan Oak. Rollyson examines Faulkner’s creation of Yoknapatawpha County, the setting for masterpieces such as The Sound and the Fury and Absalom, Absalom!, as well as his Hollywood years and their impact on his craft. He also explores Faulkner’s views on race and civil rights, his Nobel Prize-winning novels, and his influence on Southern literature and writers like Flannery O’Connor and Ralph Ellison. In closing, Prof. Rollyson reads a passage from his two-volume biography, The Life of William Faulkner.

This is Why We Should Be Happy That Patriots Shot a Lot of Redcoats

 

A former soldier who served in Afghanistan and Iraq has been sentenced to two years in prison for incendiary social media posts.  “We are already in a civil war” might be interpreted by some as an accurate description of the generalized anti-Western attack by immigrants who wish to impose the same failed culture of their old country on Britain. It is utterly bizarre that violence done while shouting “Allahu Akbar” should be considered far less serious than verbal condemnations of the ideology that inspires such violence.

Even noticing that an anti-Western cult is a problem and that it poses an actual threat to British people, their law and culture is now a thought crime in the UK.

Comparing Pete Hegseth and Matt Gaetz is Not Fair

 

The Left wants to investigate the Cabinet candidates with a fine-tooth comb, and lumping together these two candidates, Pete Hegseth and Matt Gaetz, is totally inappropriate. I may be biased in my view, since I’ve followed Hegseth for years on Fox News, but that has allowed me to see aspects of him that those who are not Fox fans may miss.

But let’s look at both candidates—

How bad is our military recruiting crisis? Why are our armed services having sustained problems bringing in and retaining members? And what does this say about our strategic readiness, and what that means for our national security? Jeff is joined by Will Thibeau, former Army Ranger and defense policy authority to discuss this troubling, important issue.

Read “The Soldier and the State” – https://a.co/d/afvwsrY

Reproduction Ends as the Sexes Merge

 

After decades of fear-mongering about overpopulation, the world is very belatedly coming to the realization that the wealthy world has stopped having children. And it poses an existential risk for civilization: No children = no future.

There are many reasons offered for this: economic (kids are no longer a net asset, but a net liability), birth control (trivial to limit now, but even Adam Smith in the 18th Century pointed out that the fertility rate among the rich was much lower than the fertility rate among the poor!), hedonistic narcissism, etc. I have even written on the need for purpose and meaning (i.e. Hamas and anti-semitism are the reason Israel is the only wealthy country where secular women have 3+ children).

Apocalypse Now? Peter Thiel on Ancient Prophecies and Modern Tech

 

Peter Thiel—the prominent tech entrepreneur and thinker—returns to Uncommon Knowledge with Peter Robinson to discuss his views on the end times, technology, and societal progress. Thiel delves into the historical and philosophical context of apocalyptic thinking, referencing biblical texts and the work of René Girard. He argues that modern technological advancements, such as nuclear weapons and AI, have apocalyptic potential and should be taken seriously. Be sure to come back for part two of this conversation in which Thiel discusses the concept of the Antichrist.

Jaguar Drives Its Brand Off A Cliff

 

The management and marketing geniuses at Jaguar, the iconic car manufacturer, apparently under the impression that the transgender and LGBTQ+ market is enormous, have just released a commercial that they feel will bring thousands if not millions of new buyers to their brand. Perhaps these marketing geniuses were impressed with the self-immolation marketing effort of Bud Light linking their brand to Dylan Mulvaney. They could have also been influenced by any number of other advertisers like Gillette, Target, and others who have embraced the LGBTQ+ community in hopes of increasing sales and market share.

Did Biden Light the Fuse to World War III?

 

You need to ask yourself, why did Biden approve US missiles being fired into the Russian heartland? If we were fighting Cuba and, say, Russia staged missiles in Cuba, then launched them into the United States, how long would it be before we attack Russia directly? Seconds or minutes?

This is a reckless abuse of power and exceeds the level of impeachment. Supplying defensive weapons and intelligence is one thing, but actively fighting Russians with our intelligence, in their home, with our own weapons, is asking for World War III.

Russian Mystery Deaths Continue

 

The mini-epidemic of clumsiness, accidental ingestion of toxic substances, and vehicular disasters is still ongoing in Russia.  The latest prominent victim of an accidental fall from a window was world-class ballet dancer Vladimir Shklyarov. Of course, ballet dancers are notoriously clumsy and uncoordinated, so this was probably not a big surprise.  Like this death, a number (all) of the other somewhat surprising deaths all coincidentally involved persons known to be critical of Putin. But one would certainly need to be careful about speculating about a causal relationship that accrues a mere 100% of the time, lest one be called a Putinphobe.

In general, gravity appears to be more dangerous in Communist nations. If you recall, the Chinese researcher at the Wuhan lab who was and then was totally not patient zero of COVID-19 (which disease absolutely emerged in a wet market five miles away and then promptly disappeared before it could be detected in any of the hundreds of dead animals subsequently tested) died from a fall (?) from the roof of the Wuhan lab building itself.  Someone whose very existence and loose lips could simultaneously embarrass the CCP and threaten Tony Fauci’s funding empire had about as much chance of survival as a flaming drag queen on the roof of an Iranian police station.

Trump, a la Carte

 

November 5 was a watershed day in more ways than one. It marked the election of Donald Trump by a solid majority of the American public, who were on balance more pleased with his campaign’s platform and promises than they were with those of Kamala Harris. A large number of key issues ranging from energy and the environment to securities regulation, foreign policy, military readiness, and antitrust law were among the areas where voters saw clear differences and responded accordingly.

Now, however, the election is over, and for Trump supporters and detractors alike, it is an entirely different game. No longer is it necessary to compare two bundles, choosing the better one as a whole, even if you disagreed with some of its content. Now it is possible, and indeed, necessary, to examine each stick in the winning bundle on its own merits. There is no duty to accept all of Trump’s proposals. Indeed, it is imperative to speak out on matters where the victorious candidate has gone astray, setting aside those features you might find attractive.

McCormick gets a Supreme Court Win

 

Positive recent news for the Dave McCormick campaign in the ongoing PA Senate race against Bob Casey Jr.:

The PA Supreme Court ruled today that mail-in-ballots without a date cannot be counted. A definite boost to McCormick chances of holding on. His lead reportedly has shrunk again to 17,000. It is also more of a boost to the credibility of the PA Supreme Court in having a consistent ruling. The actual court document will have to be read for additional details.

Why I Am Not a Calvinist

 

I was a Calvinist for a few years.  Maybe 2004 to 2009–give or take. I was never a supralapsarian–Heaven forbid! I was an infralapsarian. That means I thought we don’t have the ability–after the Fall described in Genesis 3–either to sin or not to sin, or for that matter either to place our faith in Jesus the Messiah or not.

Why did I believe this? Nothing fancy.  I’ve heard disturbing things on Soteriology 101 about most Calvinists thinking the very idea of G-d’s sovereignty or omnipotence means G-d has to control every single event, leaving no room at all for any man or angel to have any ability either to do or not do anything.

That’s what we call “philosophy,” ladies and gentlemen.  And it’s not very good philosophy.  Like Soteriology 101 says, an omnipotent G-d ought to be able to make beings with free will.  And a sovereign G-d can control an overall, ultimate outcome regardless of our decisions.

National Review is Already Tired of Winning

 

After just over a week of pretending to be pleased about a Republican election victory, National Review sank back, with an almost audible sigh of relief, into the warm embrace of the Deep State.

Mark Antonio Wright, the executive editor at NR, dropped a piece in “The Corner” entitled “If the Senate Wants to Help Trump, It Should Be Ready to Tell Him ‘No’.” Of course, the tactical advice is that “by rejecting Matt Gaetz … and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. … the Senate would be doing Donald Trump a major favor.” Why? Essentially, because Mr. Wright wishes the world was other than it really is. Whether he actually denies reality, too… Well, let’s see.

Yugga Bugga

 

I just made that title up.  This post is a rough draft of a letter to the editor I want to send to our local newspaper about the activities of our local school board, of which I am a member, regarding the “transgender issue.”  Y’all can help me make sure it’s clear and cogent.

As always, I preface my comments with the statement that my opinions are my own, and I’m speaking as an individual board member, and not on behalf of the entire school board.  My opinions do not necessarily reflect those of individual board members, nor the district itself.

Let’s Celebrate Masculinity!

 

I couldn’t help grinning as I watched Donald Trump enter the arena in New York for the UFC competition last night. The crowd roaring at his entrance and his retinue of Donald Trump, Jr., Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Tulsi Gabbard, Elon Musk and others was fascinating. You could smell the power and masculinity, and Trump grinned and waved to everyone. It was great fun to watch the joy and enthusiasm as he entered the room.

But after watching this wave of masculinity, I made the mistake of looking into the Left’s insistence on the dominance of toxic masculinity. I was enraged, especially at how they blame Trump for exacerbating the problem. I hadn’t investigated toxic masculinity in the past, and now that I have, I am heartbroken at how we have denigrated both men and boys in our times.

Another Lowbrow Tribute to the King…Larry.

 

Until the beginning of autumn, the only things falling from the sky here in Gyeonggi Province were North Korean trash balloons. And sure, stuffing balloons with poo might be funny in Pyongyang, but they’re going to wonder what happened to all the fertilizer when it comes time to plant next year.

Coincidentally, many streets in South Korea are lined with ginkgo trees, which turn a beautiful bright yellow in the fall. Unfortunately, they also drop fruit onto the sidewalk, and that fruit smells EXACTLY like…dog poo.