Month: August 2005

Gorgeous:

Salisbury is one of the finest medieval cathedrals in Britain. It is the mother church of the Salisbury Diocese, an area which covers most of the counties of Wiltshire and Dorset.

Started in 1220 it was completed by 1258, with the Spire, the tallest in England (123m/404ft) added a generation later. Built to reflect the glory of God in stone and glass, it has always been a setting for great occasions, for huge colourful processions, a majestic and awe-inspiring church – as it has done for over 775 years.

Link. … Read the rest

To persuade hipster fools to spend $200 on a pair of jeans, Levi’s has enlisted the help of Andy Warhol, the granddaddy of all things hip. Called “Warhol Factory X Levi’s,” the jeans are priced between $150 and $250 and will be available next Spring.

Link.

… Read the rest

Americans are divided over whether humans and other living things evolved over time or have existed in their present form since the beginning of time, according to a new poll.

People on both sides of that argument think students should hear about various theories, however.

Nearly two-thirds of those in a Pew Research Center poll, 64 percent, say they believe “creationism” should be taught alongside “evolution” — a finding likely to spark more controversy about what is taught in the schools.

Link. … Read the rest

An economist takes a detailed look at Hawaii’s gasoline price-fixing plan. Link. Excerpt:

Like the federal government’s disastrous central planning of 30 years ago, the Hawaiian government has attempted to build in some alleged market mechanisms into its scheme. As noted earlier, wholesalers will be permitted to charge administered “prices” based upon average prices elsewhere. Of course, with this scheme, prices no longer serve their function, but are just data points. Any adjustments that wholesalers would naturally make when the market so dictates are verboten. Instead, they must wait for the government’s permission, or be guilty of committing “economic crimes.”

As long as the market remains relatively calm, Hawaii won’t have any real glitches, just as during most of the 1970s, there were no long gas lines. However, as soon as there is a disturbance in the market, whether it be a crude oil price shock, wars, rumor of wars, bad weather, or trouble at the refineries, the government “pricing” scheme quickly will fall apart.

If gasoline shortages develop at the wholesale level, then it is almost certain that pump prices will shoot up quickly. Thus, it is very possible that Hawaii’s wholesale pricing policies will cause retail prices to be higher than they would be in a free market. When this happens — and it almost certainly will — then we surely can expect the Hawaiian government to come down hard on retailers and blame them for the troubles. At that point, the legislature will slap price controls at the pump, and the shortages will continue, accompanied by gas lines and angry motorists demanding that the government “do something.”

. . . join a club, have spousal relations, or talk to anyone again!

The multiple-channel screen, known in the television industry as a “mosaic,” is about to show up on millions of TVs throughout the country. It’s another sign that satellite and cable systems are beginning to embrace interactive television after years of hype about the concept.

Link.

… Read the rest

Eric Scheske used his Wednesday column at Catholic Exchange to poke jabs at the NCAA’s Indian name policy. Link. Excerpt:

It’s also worth noting that the NCAA’s actions aren’t charitable in any way. Charity must be voluntary and self-giving. If it lacks either of those components, it’s not charity. If it’s self-giving on your part but not voluntary, it’s a type of taxation against you. If it’s voluntary on your part but not self-giving, it means someone else must do your good works. Either way, there is force or coercion involved, which is the antithesis of charity.

That’s one of the reasons that the Catholic Church has always opposed socialism. Socialism’s idea of everyone sharing everything drips of charity, but if not done voluntarily, such sharing is not charitable at all. Indeed, because such sharing always requires coercion, it will result in tyranny, as we witnessed firsthand from 1917 to 1991.

And this brings us back to the NCAA, a governing body that has been acting with increasing arbitrariness and caprice. It would be gross melodramatics to refer to the NCAA as a Communist dictatorship, but in its arbitrary and capricious actions, it is displaying tyrannical pretensions.

And good Christians always oppose tyranny and pretension.