This is the 700th anniversary of Alnwick Castle, the second largest inhabited castle in England. The Northumberland Earls and Dukes have lived here since 1309. This is also the location for some of the filming of the Harry Potter movies.
All posts by Phil
The State of English, or There Stands a Nave Without, Sire
I heard of this book recently, and it appears you can read it online. If not, you can at least read several pages of John McWhorter’s Doing our own thing: the degradation of language and music and why we should, like, care. I think the media-saturated world has given great influence to people who care more about being cool and comfortable than being eloquent, educated, or edifying. How did valley girl slang spread throughout the country? Because the pretty, young hedonists live near one of the media-centers of the world.
Loving the Unlovely
Amy Henry has a post on the new book, Same Kind of Different as Me. I doubt this kind of Christian unselfishness can be taught in sermons. It has to be modeled, challenged, and inspired by those around us.
Top 10 Marine Corp Movies
Kurt Schlichter, an Army guy, of Big Hollywood gives us a list of recommendable movies staring characters in the U.S. Marines.
Socialism: Perpetual Civil War
Wednesday is Veteran’s Day, first observed as Armistice Day because on that day World War I ended. “World War I, then normally referred to simply as The Great War (no one could imagine any war being greater!), ended with the implementation of an armistice [temporary cessation of hostilities in this case until the final peace treaty, the infamous Treaty of Versailles, was signed in 1919] between the Allies and Germany at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of November, 1918,” according to a history page on the U.S. Army’s website.
Continue reading Socialism: Perpetual Civil War
WWI Reading
Here’s a link to an archive of World War I poetry.
And here’s what soldiers in trenches were reading.
Artwork Remembering the Victims of Communism
On this day, the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall:
(via The Heritage Foundation)
Disney to Refund “Baby Einstein” Buyers
The buyers of “Baby Einstein” videos were told their children would get a leg up on brain development by watching the DVDs, but no one has seen the benefits yet. Disney is now offering a refund spanning the last five years. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises against allowing two year olds watch TV, and research has shown that reading with your child helps the child develop language skills quite a bit. Texting with your baby is even better!
Ok, I made the last part up. But I’m sure listening to Mozart in the drivethru at McDonald’s or while going to sleep builds the brain. I mean, if it worked for Mozart . . .
Also on that post from the School Library Journal is a link to a list of ten good kid-lit bloggers.
That’s Not an Argument!
And now for something completely different.