Life in Beverly Hills

Caught part of the premiere of the new Beverly Hills 90210 on the CW last week, mostly to see Jennie Garth. She still looks the same on the show--due to the makeup job?

I didn't see any of Shannen Doherty, though.

Undoubtedly the new show, just like the original, will portray some of the problems that the families in Beverly Hills face. One might think that such a town would be free from America's social problems because of its great wealth. But the failure of parenting, neglect, physical abuse, drug use, rape, and drop-outs from school may be worse in reality. How well do neighbors know each other, when they are living in large houses, walled or fenced off from one another? It is easy for kids to slip through the cracks as a result; who is going to know if abuse is going on, or worse?

Does ethnicity play a role in posing an obstacle to help? Perhaps a little. And maybe rich white families are less likely than Korean families to employ physical discipline on their children (much less teenagers, or to use excessive and unreasonable force).

This is assuming that the stories I've heard about a particular family are true...

What a wretched world. Having been deprived of good parenting, are we not worse off than orphans? And once anyone with some measure of right reason has been exposed to communal life and the wisdom of tradition, how could he not lament their loss?

Edit. Watching the first 10 minutes, which I missed. It is 'noteworthy' that the family decides to moves to BH to be closer to family, the grandmother. Bah. There is a hint at casual oral sex. What is wrong with the producers of the show and the CW? Yes there were hints at fornication on the original, but apparently the creator and producers believe that they need to keep up with the times.

And Kelly is an unmarried mom. Bleh.

During my stroll through Walmart in Mountain View yesterday, I came across the Spanish DVD section, and saw copies of this movie: The Other Conquest. (Myspace, Amazon)

Revisionist? Pro-Aztec/Aztlán?

Press Kit
YouTube - The Other Conquest - Trailer
The Other Conquest review
Yahoo Movies

Cantemus Domino has a new look?

The altar @ St. John the Baptist:



I do prefer (genuine) Eastern altars still...

Abbot Joseph on the Byzantine altar.

Fr. David Bird: MONKS by Abbot Joseph of Mt Tabor Monastery (originally published in "Gladsome Light" 2003. Another recent post by Fr. Bird: Fraternite Monastique de Jerusalem.

Russian Orthodox Choir, Sacred Russian singing Chesnokov's "Gabriel Appeared"


A russian song
www.russianfolk.com

Valaam Choir, We Magnify Thee, Serbian Chant

We went to St. John the Baptist Russian Orthodox Cathedral in Washington, DC once, back when it was ROCOR. (I'm remembering that correctly, am I not? Yes, there are photos of the community celebrating unification.) After liturgy, one of the deacons gave us 'Latins' a tour and explanation of the church. (Iconostasis and altar.) Check out the parish chapel.

Random: Russian song

Russian Basso Profondo: The Lowest Voices


I have this cd... somewhere...

Orthodox Singers Male Choir - Basso Profondo

amanda shaw 12/25.07 tipitina's new orleans



Can she really fiddle when she's so busy dancing around the stage?!?

Amanda Shaw (Should I Stay or Should I Go)


Being a teenager. Oh well, at least she has the excuse of being one. (Unlike some members of the audience.)

Over at Chronicles, someone in response to my query about books on etiquette and civility wrote:

I’ve dabbled around a good bit in books on manners, etiquette, and the like, hoping to find some good treatments of the subjects for my young daughter (my mother–the epitome of everything that is good in the Southern lady, and from whom I had hoped my daughter would imbibe these things first-hand–having tragically died while my daughter was quite young, thus depriving us of the best possible source of learning these things). I have not been terribly interested in the Post/Baldridge/ et al. cyclopedia approaches (how to set the table and arrange your guests ,and which forks and spoons to use when and how, which glasses for the reds, whites, burgundies, etc., is pretty ubiquitously available, in as little or much detail as one might desire) but rather in deeper treatments of the underlying elements of gentlemanly and gentlewomanly character and conduct. Here are a few items I’ve run across that I think are good treatments in various respects, that I think you or anyone might find of interest more broadly as well:

A Book of Couretsy, by Sister Mary Mercedes;

Social Graces, by Platz and Wales;

Better Than Beauty: A Guide to Charm;

Choosing Civility, by PM Forni;

The Rise and Fall of the Plantation South, by Raimondo Luraghi;

Recollections and Letters of Robert E. Lee (several different editions available);

Lanterns on the Levee, by William Percy;

“Manners for Men” and “Manners for Women”, by “Mrs. Humphrey”

A Book of Courtesy is by a Dominican nun. (I think I'll look for an original edition first.) Choosing Civility was mentioned in this post.

AN: Police and thousands of students clash in Henan over sport grounds

09/08/2008 CHINA
Police and thousands of students clash in Henan over sport grounds
Students take to the streets to stop construction on their sport grounds. When police injures two girls anti-government protest turns very violent. After hours of urban unrest, the government pledges to “talk” to developer. Social malaise is growing in China.

Patrick Deneen on small towns.

EWTN schedule for the Holy Father's visit to France

source:

MEETING WITH AUTHORITIES OF STATE 60 mins
Fri 9/12/08 7 AM ET & 4 AM PT LIVE
Fri 9/12/08 4:30 PM ET & 1:30 PM PT ENCORE

HOLY MASS 2 hrs.
Sat 9/13/08 4:00 AM ET & 1:00 AM PT LIVE
Sat 9/13/08 7:00 PM ET & 4 PM PT ENCORE

CONCLUSION OF THE MARIAN PROCESSION 60 mins.
Sat 09/13/08 3:00 PM ET & 12 PM PT LIVE
Sat 09/13/08 9:30 PM ET & 6:30 PM ENCORE

HOLY MASS 2 hrs.
Sun 9/14/08 3:00 AM ET & 12:00 AM PT LIVE
Sun 9/14/08 3:00 PM ET & 12 PM PT ENCORE


HOLY MASS WITH ANOINTING OF THE SICK 2 hrs.
Mon 9/15/08 3:30 AM ET & 12:30 AM PT LIVE
Mon 9/15/08 2:00 PM ET & 11 AM PT ENCORE
Tue09/16/08 12:00 AM ET & 9 PM PT (Mon) ENCORE

More from Dr. Fleming on voting

In the comments to Tom Piatak's contribution to the Editors' Round Table:

Voting for the GOP is a vote that dooms any hope of a conservative resurgence. Voting for any of the current Third Parties is a waste of time except as a protest vote that will not be counted or noticed. Not voting has at least the merit of showing your indifference. (Anyone want a bumper sticker, Don’t blame me: I didn’t vote for anybody”?) The only hope would be in a conservative coalition, not a party, that could work with the GOP when necessary and agree on a set of core principles. But who would be in it? Not, certainly, the homicidal maniacs who watch John Hagee, Pat Robertson, and company. Certainly not the Ultra-trad Catholics who say they hate their country. Certainly not the libertarians who repudiate loyalty to anything from family to party to nation. The tent just keeps shrinking. What I would like to see is a few hundred thousand people with the clarity of purpose and courage to begin to act together on principles that are Christian and conservative, and, no, they would not admit people like Ms Palin into the tent. This is not going to happen because, I fear, because otherwise intelligent conservatives cling to a hope that is really a form of despair, the hope that some flawed leader will ride in on a White Horse to save the republic. That is why Palin’s nomination was enough to enlist their support for a man they have always despised.

I remember years ago, fighting some of these battles with Rothbard and his followers, working in tandem with some disgruntled leftists and with Old Right political intellectuals like Paul Gottfried. Many things conspired to teach me how futile these efforts must be, not least of which was the statement, made repeatedly by Gottfried, that we had to measure our success by access to the NY Times, Washington Post, NPR. In other words, we had to let our acknowledged enemies define us. So now, conservative “success” means signing on to the campaign of a leftist Republican who wanted Holy Joe Lieberman as his running mate. To quote the late great beatnik poet Kenneth Patchen, “And the thing is, they never get wise.” This from his poem, “I don’t want to startle you, but they’re going to kill all of us.” Indeed, they are.

Blessed Frederic Ozanam

American Catholic
Blessed Frederic Ozanam
CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Antoine-Frederic Ozanam
Blessed Frederic Ozanam: 1813-1853
wiki
Blessed Frederic Ozanam
A Prayer to Blessed Frederic Ozanam

In the September 8, 2008 issue of The American Conservative: Appetite for Destruction,
By Andrew J. Bacevich
America externalizes the price of its profligacy by redefining freedom as the right to consume.

The current issue and archives are now available to subscribers only.

Edit. Looks like I was wrong about articles being restricted? Dr. Bacevich's article is now available. (Thanks to the Western Confucian.)

Silouan the Athonite on Love

Source of the following:

Saint Silouan on Love

The soul cannot know peace unless she prays for her enemies. The soul that has learned of God's grace to pray, feels love and compassion for every created thing, and in particular for mankind, for whom the Lord suffered on the Cross, and His soul was heavy for every one of us.

The Lord taught me to love my enemies. Without the grace of God we cannot love our enemies. Only the Holy Spirit teaches love, and then even devils arouse our pity because they have fallen from good, and lost humility in God.

I beseech you, put this to the test. When a man affronts you or brings dishonor on your head, or takes what is yours, or persecutes the Church, pray to the Lord, saying: "O Lord, we are all Thy creatures. Have pity on Thy servants and turn their hearts to repentance," and you will be aware of grace in your soul. To begin with, constrain your heart to love enemies, and the Lord, seeing your good will, will help you in all things, and experience itself will shoe you the way. But the man who thinks with malice of his enemies has not God's love within him, and does not know God.

If you will pray for your enemies, peace will come to you; but when you can love your enemies - know that a great measure of the grace of God dwells in you, though I do not say perfect grace as yet, but sufficient for salvation. Whereas if you revile your enemies, it means there is an evil spirit living in you and bringing evil thoughts into your heart, for, in the words of the Lord, out of the heart proceed evil thoughts - or good thoughts.

The good man thinks to himself in this wise: Every one who has strayed from the truth brings destruction on himself and is therefore to be pitied. But of course the man who has not learned the love of the Holy Spirit will not pray for his enemies. The man who has learned love from the Holy Spirit sorrows all his life over those who are not saved, and sheds abundant tears for the people, and the grace of God gives him strength to love his enemies.

Understand me. It is so simple. People who do not know God, or who go against Him, are to be pitied; the heart sorrows for them and the eye weeps. Both paradise and torment are clearly visible to us: We know this through the Holy Spirit. And did not the Lord Himself say, "The kingdom of God is within you"? Thus eternal life has its beginning here in this life; and it is here that we sow the seeds of eternal torment.

Where there is pride there cannot be grace, and if we lose grace we also lose both love of God and assurance in prayer. The soul is then tormented by evil thoughts and does not understand that she must humble herself and love her enemies, for there is no other way to please God.

What shall I render unto Thee, O Lord,
for that Thou hast poured such great mercy on my soul?
Grant, I beg Thee, that I may see my iniquities,
and ever weep before Thee,
for Thou art filled with love for humble souls,
and dost give them the grace of the Holy Spirit.

O merciful God, forgive me.
Thou seest how my soul is drawn to Thee, her Creator.
Thou hast wounded my soul with Thy love,
and she thirsts for Thee, and wearies without end,
and day and night, insatiable, reaches toward Thee,
and has no wish to look upon this world, though I do love it,
but above all I love Thee, my Creator,
and my soul longs after Thee.

O my Creator, why have I, Thy little creature,
grieved Thee so often? Yet Thou hast not remembered my sins.

Glory be to the Lord God that He gave us His Only-begotten
Son for the sake of our salvation.
Glory be to the Only-begotten Son that He deigned to be
born of the Most Holy Virgin, and suffered for our salvation,
and gave us His Most Pure Body and Blood to eternal life,
and sent His Holy Spirit on the earth.

O Lord, grant me tears to shed for myself,
and for the whole universe,
that the nations may know Thee and live eternally with Thee,
O Lord, vouchsafe us the gift of Thy humble Holy Spirit,
that we may apprehend Thy glory.

The Life and Teachings of Elder Siluan - by Bishop Alexander and Natalia Bufius
St. Silouan on Humility « Glory to God for All Things
St. Silouan and Love for Enemies « Glory to God for All Things
Google Books: The Monk of Mount Athos: Staretz Silouan, 1866-1938

Archimandrite Sophrony (Sakharov)
Photos of Fr. Sophrony Sakharov
On prayer by Archimandrite Sophrony
SVS Press
MOUNT THABOR PUBLISHING - Books by Elder Sophrony
Google Books: His Life Is Mine

More links can be found here.

Priest Matthew Jackson: The Hidden Man of the Heart
Archimandrite Sophrony « A vow of conversation

Natalie MacMaster

Natalie MacMaster/Leahy - Natalie's Medley


Leahy - Wedding Day Jig


Leahy

Mitch MacDonald And Guest Natalie MacMaster - Oh Atlanta

"Mary has chosen the better part"

Traditionally taken to indicate the superiority of the contemplative over the active life, or the contemplative part of the Christian life over the active part.

Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange reminds us that all are called to become saints, and that while certain extraordinary graces are reserved to certain of God's saints, progress in the union with God, through growth in charity and sanctifying grace and the gift of infused prayer or contemplation, is possible for all of the baptized. (This teaching is repeated by Fr. Aumann: Perfection of the Christian Life and Christian Perfection and Mystical Experience.)

Aspiring philosophers and theologians who are prone to pride should remember this. The contemplative life and infused prayer are superior to the acquisition and use of any human science or wisdom because of their object, God Himself. Because of the nobility of the object, these acts of the Christian contemplative life are [objectively] superior to the acts proper to a purely human knowledge or wisdom. The latter are limited to a few, because of the lack of native ability or formation or opportunity, but anyone who cooperates with the grace of God can have access to something infinitely greater for the soul.

We can also see why the enemies of God would seek to make growth in the contemplative life more difficult, by destroying leisure and putting up obstacles to recollection. Social injustice has an impact on the promotion of the life of prayer.

Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange does have something to say about liturgical prayer as well:

XXXIV. LITURGICAL PRAYER
A. Deformed Psalmody
B. Contemplative Chant

Dishonor and suicide as a solution

While I was at Kinokuniya I saw that the bookstore carried the Dark Horse translations of 3 of the works by Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima. I was intrigued by Samurai Executioner (wiki), which I have not yet read.

Suicide is often perceived to be a [cowardly?] escape from the evils that are besetting one. Death is preferable to a life in which one continues to suffer from some evil. Given the basic or foundational value of life, it can be difficult for us to comprehend how someone could take his life; often we must rationalize this 'choice' by looking for something that diminishes culpability, being dominated by one's emotions and so on.

I was struck by the thought that perhaps committing suicide in order to make up for dishonor might be different from this. But then, isn't suicide not just a means of reclaiming honor or making up for one's failure, but also a way to escape a life of dishonor?

But if a samurai could regain one's honor and continue living, would he not chose that means instead? Only the taking one's life can make up for the dishonor that one has suffered. Why is dishonor reckoned to be so grave an evil? And how can killing one's self cleanse him of the stain of dishonor?

Failure is not necessarily the same as doing evil or sin. If one fails to observe one's duties because one has been negligent or culpable in some other way, then one may be liable to punishment. In this case the proscription of ritual suicide is a form of punishment, even if it appeals to honor so that the one who is to die carries out the act himself. But if one fails to attain some goal because of circumstances, or because one's opponent is better or stronger--then what should one be ashamed? Is that not a mask for pride? Why should there be dishonor or a decrease of dignity of worth if one has "done one's best"?

Often 'Western' revulsion at this type of suicide is dismissed by relativists as a failure to understand Japanese concepts of shame and honor. But can a 'sufficient' rationale really be given for it? The more I think about it, the more confused it seems. (Maybe it's because it's late.) What are other sources of shame for the samurai, which can be purged only through suicide?

The moral problem with suicide remains with respect to this practice--one does not have complete or absolute ownership of one's own life, so that one can simply put an end to it. (And in the case of suicide as punishment, it could be argued that one should not cooperate in putting an end to one's life, since that goes against the love of self.)

wiki: seppuku
Seppuku - artelino
Suicide and culture in Japan
Contemplating Suicide: The Language and Ethics of Self-harm
Japanese ethics: Beyond good and evil
Japanese Bushido

Fr. Z: Speaker Pelosi accepts Archbp. Niederauer’s invitation to “converse”

Macross Frontier, ep 21 and 22

Macross Frontier - 21 | Random Curiosity
Macross Frontier 21 | Sea Slugs! Anime Blog
Star Crossed Anime Blog :: Macross Frontier - 21 :: August :: 2008
Macross Frontier 21 Azure Ether « Calamitous Intent
THAT Animeblog - Macross Frontier 21: Elopement with Brera
AstroNerdBoy's Anime and Manga Blog: Macross Frontier 21


Macross Frontier - 22 | Random Curiosity
Star Crossed Anime Blog :: Macross Frontier - 22 :: September :: 2008
Macross Frontier 22 | Sea Slugs! Anime Blog
THAT Animeblog - Macross Frontier 22
Anime Blog ga Arimasu » Blog Archive » Macross Frontier 22

Code Geass

Heard anything about this series, Pete Takeshi? I believe its second season was one of the ratings competitor to Macross Frontier over in Japan. Better, or at least less cringeworthy than Le Chevalier D'Eon? That's what I first thought of when I saw some of the costumes. The character designs are a bit disturbing--even taller and thinner than the characters of Evangelion. (More elongated?) For that reason alone I don't think I would watch it. I'd rather have the shorter (and hence more real) characters of Rumiko Takahashi. Is the long, thin ideal of Japanese manga and anime artists (and also of fashion designers?) derived from self-esteem issues pertaining to height? I don't think these proportions match the classical Greek ideal or any ideal of beauty up to the 20th century.

Still, the alternative universe it presents is somewhat intriguing -- the rise of an empire governed by an 'aristocracy' using mecha? (How does it compare in that regards to The Five Star Stories?) Undoubtedly religion will have very little role to play in all of this. I don't find the mecha designs as attractive as the designs of FSS, or those of recent animated military sci-fi series that you would probably prefer over this.

I was at Kinokuniya today and I was browsing the current issue of Newtype. When will the pronouncement that the anime industry in Japan is dead after a long decline finally come true? Probably not until the demographic implosion reaches a critical point. Sky Crawlers I suppose will become at least a minor classic among fans, and Hayao Miyazaki has an international audience. But is anything new really being done? Miyazaki has something akin to Shinto spirituality in his work--is it an accurate generalization to say that religion is either neglected or put in a bad light in most manga/anime? Some version of secular humanism, especially in 'sci-fi' works, appears to be dominant in Japanese manga and anime for adult consumers. (Just one example: Ghost in the Shell.)

I don't know of any alternate-history novels in the United States take religion seriously. (Harry Turtledove doesn't? What do Southrons think of his potrayal of the Confederacy?)

I remember reading some of the Deryni novels by Katherine Kurtz when I was in junior high... I haven't read any since... Deryni Destination.

I'll admit that I wouldn't mind seeing more of Crest of the Stars. Hmm... according to the wiki entry Banner of the Stars III was done as an ova in Japan, and was released in 2005. I don't think it was released here. Tokyo Pop has put out a translation of the first arc. But there isn't really much out there that is of interest. Though I'll repeat it again--if Dune were to be animated by the Japanese, I think it would do well.

Links:
official Japanese site
Code Geass
Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion (TV) - Anime News Network
CODE GEASS | Random Curiosity
SELF DESTRUCTION - A Code Geass Fansite

Five Star Stories - GEARS Online
THEM Anime Reviews 4.0 - Five Star Stories

Crest of the Stars (TV) - Anime News Network

ALAN JACKSON, If Dallas Was In Tennessee

Really, what's so special about Dallas? (Isn't it a symbol of how the South [and Texas!] has been corrupted?)

Some more Rhonda Vincent videos

Rhythm of Wheels




The Rage
The Bluegrass Blog » Hunter Berry - Wow Baby: bluegrass music news (review)

rhonda vincent mix up
Rhonda Vincent and the Rage Medley and Silliness
Rhonda Vincent and the Rage Acappella
Roll On Buddy Rhonda Vincent and Mickey Harris and darrell Webb

Bluegrass in California:
The Official California Bluegrass Association Web Site!
Northern California Bluegrass Society
Bluegrass Festival Guide
Bluegrasser

Yearly festivals in California:
California Bluegrass Association - Father's Day Festival

Hobbs Grove Bluegrass Festival
September 26-28, 2008 -- Sanger is near Fresno.

Julian Bluegrass Festival - September 20th-21st, 2008 - Home
Where is Julian, CA? All the way down south...
Blythe Bluegrass Festival

22nd Annual Event
January 16, 17, & 18, 2009

Featuring...
Rhonda Vincent & The Rage
- Dailey and Vincent -
- Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass -
- Cedar Hill -
- IIIrd Generation Bluegrass Band -
- The Martins -
- Sawmill Road -
- The Burnett Family -
- Just For Fun -

Rhonda Vincent and the Rage in California!!! Blythe is probably too far... But she will be in Chico on 1/14 and Berkeley (Freight and Salvage Theater) on 1/15... let's see how much tickets are...

Rhonda Vincent and her daughter Sally sing Pardon Me

Dr. Fleming on voting for the lesser of two evils:

Pragmatically, one has to decide how much less evil the lesser is, but surely there is a point at which one can truly say, “I will not vote in an election in which my vote will only reinforce the lie that elections are free and fair and that the candidates present a real choice. Does anyone remember the episode of the Prisoner in which Patrick McGoohan is lured into running in the phony election for the #2 spot? That was clearly McGoohan’s take on the politics of 30 years ago, and things are much much worse than they were then. I am not saying that it is necessarily wrong to vote for a major party candidate, but I do think that those who refuse to vote have a point in refusing to collaborate with a system they regard as oppressive.

Whom one chooses to vote depends upon, in part, what one thinks of voting and authority. Is a ruler merely an instrument of the people (even if he disappoints the electorate and turn out to have his own plans)? Or is he supposed to rule in accordance with the natural law and the common good, even if this goes against what the electorate desires? (There are also the questions of what the Federal Government is empowered to do and what can be down to limit its power through choosing people for office.)