Pope Francis has generated a great deal of enthusiasm among Catholics and non-Catholics alike, perhaps especially among lapsed or ex-Catholics. Pope Francis seems to be tolerant and open. When responding to accusations coming from the American right that he is a Marxist, he said that he isn’t, of course, but added that he was not … More Reflections on Pope Francis
“We also know that religion, as the Marxists have always insisted, has, too often, like an opiate, tended to put people to sleep to the reality and the need for the present struggle for peace and justice.”–Dorothy Day
“You wouldn’t believe the kind of hate mail I get about my work on irregular verbs.”–Steven Pinker
“Jewish tradition teaches us that for the next ten days, the Book of Life is open. As millions of Jews ask God to inscribe their names in that book, we recognize how much lies beyond our control. Yet during these days of awe, we recognize our tremendous power to make a difference in our lives … More Quote of the Day
Erv got into the pizza business before it really took off, at least in Denver. Supposedly, the 1952 song “That’s Amore” with the line “When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that’s amore” really gave pizza a boost. But in 1956, when Erv opened his little hole-in-the-wall take-out pizzeria in West … More Incompetent Crooks
“Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on or by imbeciles who really mean it.” ― Laurence J. Peter
Years ago, before we bought our own house in Edmonton only a couple of kilometers from the University of Alberta, where I worked as a librarian, I had to take a bus to work. We had lived in Edmonton for about three years, long enough to know all the vicissitudes of the long winter. … More The Thaw
“Don’t you believe in flying saucers, they ask me? Don’t you believe in telepathy? — in ancient astronauts? — in the Bermuda triangle? — in life after death? No, I reply. No, no, no, no, and again no. One person recently, goaded into desperation by the litany of unrelieved negation, burst out ‘Don’t you believe … More Quote of the Day
My mother was the daughter of Italian immigrants, who died when she was quite young, and she was raised by a cruel, possibly psychopathic, foster mother. She claimed that her foster mother poisoned three of her husbands, and she had to help her mix the poison. Some of my siblings doubt the veracity of that … More Memories of a Catholic Childhood
“Everybody does have a book in them, but in most cases that’s where it should stay.” ― Christopher Hitchens
No Harm Spilt 