The Curmudgeon Seeks A Safe Space In History: Part 2

When King Henry died, his successor King Richard I felt bad about the situation and sent orders to release Eleanor from supervision. Her custodians had already released her! I assume she was found sitting on a pile of gold next to the dead body of her jailer; possibly twirling a dagger between her fingers and drawing up plans for a Death Star. Empowered? How about Supervillian!

After a couple more daring escapes, kidnappings, and betrayals, Eleanor died. It was 1204. They chained the crypt shut to keep her from coming back from the dead with another plan to seize power.

Bwhahahaha! I’ll never be able to discuss Eleanor of Aquitaine again without chuckling over her ‘huge tracts of land’. Then there’s this gem:

Giving Lindsay Lohan a tiara and then turning her loose in a room filled with cocaine would cause fewer problems.

Source: The Curmudgeon Seeks A Safe Space In History: Part 2

Is There a Cure for the Modern University?

The reasons for the precipitous decline in academic rigor, standards, and outcomes are many and have been thoroughly canvassed.  It may be worth bulleting some of them here to suggest the scope of the problem: …

  • the transformation of a reading culture into a visual and digital culture, rendering students progressively incapable of mastering the nuances, complexities, and semantic rules of written language as well as the habit of, like, coherent, like, conversation.  Like, I kid you not, dude!

Source: Is There a Cure for the Modern University?

The Communist Conspiracy to Destroy America Was Real, and Continues

The vast majority of Americans do not spend their days brooding about race and gender, or arguing about “social justice.” Most Americans don’t care about politics except at election time, and still less do they view their lives in “intersectional” terms of oppression and privilege. In other words, ordinary Americans just live their lives — working to pay their bills, raising their kids, watching TV — without giving any thought to racism or sexism or anything else that concerns the “educated left wing elite,” to use Sarah Jeong’s description of herself. There would be no real racial conflict in America, were it not for activists who foment division among us. These activists want to destroy America.

Source: The Communist Conspiracy to Destroy America Was Real, and Continues

Kurt Schlichter – It Is the Sacred Duty of All Conservatives to Own the Libs

Ambassador Haley (who we cons like) wonders, “I know that it’s fun and that it can feel good, but step back and think about what you’re accomplishing when you do this – are you persuading anyone?” Except this is not about persuasion anymore. The left has rejected reason in favor of hatred. Only pain will teach them, and if it doesn’t teach them at least it might deter them from messing with us. That’s why all 21st century conservatives have a duty to kick pinko booty.

Source: Kurt Schlichter – It Is the Sacred Duty of All Conservatives to Own the Libs

San Francisco Bans Everything

Why ban straws? Because straws, according to the San Francisco ordinance, “may threaten public health” and are bad for the environment? Piles of human waste in the street are great for public health and the environment. But a Chicago medical association disagreed and cancelled its planned conference.

When Chicago thinks your city is dirty and dangerous hellhole, you really have a problem.

Source: San Francisco Bans Everything

Justin Welby reimagines a poorer and less free Britain

Economic mistakes permeate Welby’s ideas, but they stem from a deeper philosophical omission: Forced actions do not have the same moral value as actions which are freely chosen. It is more valuable for an individual to freely decide to pay for healthcare for someone who cannot afford it than for that same individual to be forced by the government to provide that care.

Exactly.

The United States Constitution was adopted to “…provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty…”. Note it is Liberty, not force, that is to be established. Force is evil and is to be used sparingly.

Source: Justin Welby reimagines a poorer and less free Britain

3 Characteristics of an Educated Person | The Art of Manliness

The reason that children are perennially bored is not that there aren’t entertainment options available—they’re often surrounded by toys and games—but that they have such short attention spans. They play with one thing for a little bit and then another, and then don’t know what else to do. The educated man is able to lose himself in a task, a hobby, a conversation, or a book because he has developed his powers of focus and concentration.

I remember one summer when a teenager was going door-to-door soliciting funds for some program (that I’d never heard of) so he wouldn’t be bored and turn to a life of crime. His words. I started listing all the stuff I already paid taxes for to ensure he’s not bored: libraries, parks, museums, summer classes at the parks like golf. I listed some local church summer activities I knew of. How he could have been bored escaped me. I asked about his hobbies (he had none). Pitiful.

Later I looked up this program… it was under investigation by the state attorney general for fraud.

Source: 3 Characteristics of an Educated Person | The Art of Manliness