Even in the Catholic world, a dangerous conviction is making inroads in the sense that legal recognition of homosexual unions would be the only way to counter the advance of “gay marriage.” “No to gay marriage, yes to recognition of the rights of de factocouples and homosexuals,” is the watchword spread by … Read more
Of all the great problems of European Civilization that historians and commentators of current complexities like to study for similarities and possible solutions, few if any ranks as more important than the “Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.” It went from its greatest territorial expansion under the emperor Trajan at the … Read more
One local farmer from Akron, Ohio, seventy year-old Donald Bessemer, has stopped farming lettuce, corn, squash and peppers and will now only produce soybeans. His long time farm stand is now permanently closed and with it, thirty employees are out of a job. In addition to this, his locally grown produce has … Read more
A magistrate has a dignity that is proper to him that a servant does not have. Dignity and mutual respect in dealing with men make social life bearable and even agreeable. Because of the sad consequences of Original Sin coupled the vulgarity of our times, human convivium becomes impossible or at least … Read more
For more than thirty years, manufacturing trends have favored the developing world and worked against the interests of the United States. Punitive federal and state laws and soaring labor costs coupled with unrealistic union demands made U.S. manufacturing increasingly difficult and foreign production more appealing. But did every company make a sound … Read more
Almost everyone knows those who used marijuana at some point in their lives, and few claim that they have observed profound or lasting effects from the drug. So it cannot be that bad. After all, we live in a society that frowns upon cigarette smoking and has strict laws governing alcohol, so … Read more
The course of history, contrary to the claims of so many philosophers and sociologists, is not traced exclusively or preponderantly by the dictates of matter over men. Without a doubt these have their influence in human action but the direction of history belongs to men, endowed as they are with free and … Read more
The tragic deaths of nineteen firefighters at a runaway fire in Arizona has led all Americans to rightly honor these brave men as heroes. These fine individuals were a part of a group of firefighters known as the Interagency Hotshot Crew (IHC) or simply, the Hotshot Crew. Similar to our military’s special … Read more
A review of The Audacity of Hops: The History of America’s Craft Beer Revolution by Tom Acitelli (Chicago: Chicago Review Press, 2013) * * * In the world of mass standardization, the American beer industry stands out. Its gigantic breweries have dominated market share and undiscerning palates for decades. In 1975, some 50 … Read more
The cloudy day set the mood for the Fourth of July barbeque. It was a family get-together but there was not much family to get together. Several members were too far away to come; others were on cruises. There were a few absent because they were no longer family since some marriages … Read more