Writing

Language Poverty The cold weather is coming back. That means it's time to beat the "fuel poverty" drum. According to the mainstream press, a person lives in fuel poverty if he must spend 10 per cent of his annual income to keep his home acceptably warm.

Catholic Arts and Letters Weekly Are you "flipping hamburgers" or "making magic"? It depends on where you work. At Disney, all the modern day indentured servants ("interns") are making magic. . . . more>> [http://www.guernicamag.com/features/2620/perlin_5_1_11/] South

Catholic Arts and Letters Weekly Aristotle said metaphors are the mark of genius. Others today argue that figurative speech is dangerous. A new book explores. . . . more>> [http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704150104576122702684086310.html] Rikers juvenile detention: Where toothbrushes are weapons and pop tarts the plunder. But it pales

Catholic Arts and Letters Weekly Pedophiles. Abusers secretly moved to other posts. Rampant cover-up. Dang Catholics! Oh wait. They're talking about the public schools. . . . more>> [http://www.americanthinker.com/2011/01/a_priest_and_an_altar_boy_hah.html] A giant in his time, bigger even

Flannery “Do you really think Flannery O'Connor was a great writer? She's such a Roman Catholic.” A moron actually asked that moronic question back in 1972 when O'Connor posthumously received the National Book Award. But she has weathered the decades and her popularity is

On Clichés Language has its limits: Great philosophers have struggled to articulate the truths they've discerned. Mystics have been rendered dumb by the beauty they've seen. The everyday person has been reduced to exasperation when his neighbor doesn't understand why something is humorous.