Conversation continues about interpretation of Dan Savage’s sexual ethics. Savage himself responds to Lindsay Beyerstein thusly: Terry and I wouldn’t describe ourselves as monogamous-apart-from-an-occassional because we wouldn’t—couldn’t—feel comfortable using the word “monogamous” in reference to ourselves, not even monogamous-with-an-asterisks, because technically we’re, you know, not. But we kindasorta hate the term […]
Read MoreThe problem with “Jesus chicken”
Those familiar with the Chik-Fil-A restaurant chain have known for quite a long time that the ownership is explicitly conservative Christian, which hasn’t meant much for people who like to eat there except that they must remember it’s closed on Sundays. But recently it has come out (pardon the expression) […]
Read MoreSome random musings on “forever”
When I lived in Denmark, a friend told me that no one there receives a prison sentence longer than fourteen years, regardless of their crime. I’ve since learned that that’s not true, but the idea still baffles and appeals to me, and that has nothing to do with the specific […]
Read MoreEquality worth working for
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.” The true meaning, mind you– not merely what is reflected in the law, but in how […]
Read MoreWow
That’s all I can say at the moment– just, wow. From Casaubon’s Book, an excerpt from a post entitled “On Sentiment…And Against Sentimentality“: Sentiment officially has no place in agriculture, but I’ve met precious few smaller farmers who don’t have a spot of it. Indeed, I’ve come to suspect that […]
Read MoreSome thoughts on “opting out.”
To return to a Michael Pollen note for a bit (sorry), I came across a section of Omnivore’s Dilemma today that devoted some discussion to “opting out.” The context was home-schooling parents who also decide to buy their food from local farmers rather than from the grocery store, and Pollan […]
Read MoreDog botherers
Quoth Tucker Carlson on Tuesday: “I’m Christian. I’ve made mistakes. I believe fervently in second chances. Michael Vick killed dogs in a heartless and cruel way. I think, personally, he should have been executed for that. The idea the president of the United States would be getting behind someone who […]
Read MoreWho do you admire?
At The Daily Dish, Conor Friedersdorf contemplates the results of a recent Gallup poll asking Americans which men and women they most admire. Barack Obama won out for men, whereas Hillary Clinton came out on top for women. Friedersdorf thinks the fact that politicians make up the majority of people […]
Read More“Survival and reproduction are in fact most definitely amoral.”
This was a remark made in the breeder comment thread. An odd one, I thought. It sounds sensical at first– surviving is something we all need to do individually, and reproducing is something we at least need to do as a species, so how can someone apply “right and wrong” […]
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