Yesterday the family drove to SF Chinatown to have dinner at Enjoy, a Chinese vegetarian restaurant. I had gone to a Chinese vegetarian restaurant before, I believe it was with Hsin-Nan and her bf and the restaurant was in Berkeley. I hope it is the last time I have to go to a Chinese vegetarian restaurant. The imitation meat didn't taste like meat (and much of it was made from soy!); the meal was not as satisfying as lunch or dinner at Sweet Tomatoes, and the prices were rather outrageous -- as much as, or even more than meat dishes at the other Chinese restaurants in the area. And it was Chinese food, which generally is not appetizing to me, because of the vegetable oil or the sauces.

On the restaurant window? and in some of the literature it was written, "All life is precious." Is all life equally precious? Apparently not, since we can eat plants and fungi. Are animals less precious than humans? Or are they equally precious? If animal life is so precious, why isn't don't humans intervene to prevent animals from killing each other, just as they would prevent other human beings from injuring or killing each other? Is this such a simple-minded retort?

Peter Hitchens on the Royal Wedding

They wouldn't have thought much of this wedding back in 1953

The MD and her family are here this weekend, so I probably won't have time to write my reflections until tomorrow.

As I was driving on the off-"ramp" on 280 to Wolfe, 4 or 5 cars blew by me and changed lanes at the last minute--they drove to Vallco and then made a right at the tunnel. Going to AMC for Fast Five? Not sure, but I was upset with their driving. Of course, no sheriff's deputies around to catch them.

Alison Krauss on Ellen D.

link

Josh Groban, "Galileo"

More Galileo worship? I'm a bit baffled by the song, if it is indeed referring to Galileo, since as a believing Christian he knew the answer to the questions posed in the song.

Martina McBride's Blackbird Studio Chat 4/28

Livechat

martinamcbride on livestream.com. Broadcast Live Free

Radical Homemaking: It’s Not a Competition by Shannon Hayes
When it comes to ecological living, there’s always someone who’s doing it better. So what?

We need better food for the poor

Why being a foodie isn’t ‘elitist’ By Eric Schlosser

A report on Joel Salatin's speech at the Small Farm Summit in NY

United We Farm, Locally We Eat

The Sixteen now have a blog

Here it is.

The Sixteen sing "Verbum caro factum est" by John Sheppard

A video from 2010: Fr. Reginald Foster

While I may be a supporter of classical education, I can hardly claim to be a worthy exponent. I miss the days of practicing my Latin...

Items of Interest, 29 April 2011

I enjoyed the following:
Jason Peters, Let's Build a Dumber Planet

Other links:
Ray McGovern, Petraeus at CIA
G. I. Wilson, USMC Ret., Careerism and Psychopathy in the US Military
Norman Solomon, Time to Close California's Nuclear Plants
Charles Davis, Is Ron Paul More Progressive Than Obama?
Gareth Porter, The Torture Mill
Ralph Nader, Chernobyl 25 Years Later

Time to wake up: Days of abundant resources and falling prices are over forever
Jeremy Grantham, The Oil Drum

The Oil Crunch
by Catalyst Online Edition (updated with interview excerpts) (EB)

Cornerstones of a Rooted Economy by Robin Broad, John Cavanagh

Economic Resilience #4. Resilience-building businesses and industries
Joanne Poyourow, Transition US

Live webchat with Asher Miller, Bart Anderson and Richard Heinberg - transcript
by Staff

Archeology not agriculture teaches good farming
Gene Logsdon, The Contrary Farmer Blog

What Exactly Does Fair Trade Mean? by Leah Douglas

School teachers might have been a safe bet for men looking for wives in the past, but these days, I think teaching makes the vices of Uhmerican women even worse. Some still seem sweet and feminine, but others seemed to be worn down and coarsened by the experience. The consequences of enforcing a certain kind of discipline? Is there something to contemporary mass education that is counter to being a kind, loving mother? (Or wife?) Does it only get worse if they remain single into their 30s?

The Royal Wedding will take place in a few hours

Not many have been talking about it on Facebook; maybe they just don't care. I had some things to write, but I won't be able to put them down in electronic form before the pomp and ceremony starts. You can watch it on Youtube or BBC.

The official programme
The role of the Armed Forces in the Royal Wedding
MC receives new insignia for Royal Wedding
The Official British Army Blog: The night before the big day.

Fr. Francis Wang, S.J. RIP

Learned today that Fr. Francis Wang, S.J. passed away last Saturday; his funeral Mass was today - if I had known, I would have tried to attend. I didn't really talk to him when I was at St. Clare's. Then again, I didn't really see him all that often, and I wouldn't have much to say. I would have liked to hear him talk about his experiences in China. He suffered much for the Faith there. May our Lord bring him to his everlasting reward. I have not seen his sister for a while -- she used to work in the bookstore at OLP.

Earlier this week I was at a school that advertises itself as being "back-to-basics"; it has open-enrollment and most of the students are Indian. There were only a few East Asians. How is it back-to-basics, in comparison with other schools in the district? I did not see any noticeable differences in the curriculum. Perhaps it is the emphasis on "old-school" discipline. Students were supposed to be quiet during instruction, but isn't that usually the case? I was encouraged by the principal to be strict with the students. Green, yellow, and red cards were used to maintain discipline -- I had seen this before in another district, but not in this particular district of which the school is a part. The principal was present for 10 to 15 minutes on both days. I was somewhat paranoid about her being there, but she was just monitoring an autistic girl (or so I was told). Since I was new to the school, I didn't want to come down too hard on the kids, though that may be a part of the job "requirements." The effectiveness of a teacher in mass education depends upon the children being silent during the lessons; instruction is not catered to individual students. My heart is not really into the work; mass education is not for me.

Who's Betraying Tradition. The Grand Dispute

The discussion is becoming heated over how to interpret the innovations of Vatican Council II, above all on freedom of religion. The traditionalists against Benedict XVI. An essay by philosopher Martin Rhonheimer in support of the pope

by Sandro Magister

Impossible shots with Ted Gundy

Had to make an appointment to see the doctor today--this skin infection on my neck isn't going away, and I'm worried that it will scar. Sigh. Was trying to avoid going to the hospital. I'll ask about the toe while I'm there too.

Schooling the World

website

Schooling the World: The White Man's Last Burden trailer from lost people films on Vimeo.

I think Ivan Illich would approve of this movie? If the filmmakers looked at E. Asian or European countries, would they be able to make as strong an argument?

Industrial mass education isn't good for other peoples -- it isn't good for Americans, either.

Too much time on his hands?

Audi A7 Papercraft Model


As a diversion it's comparatively harmless...

Hugh Walters, O.P., The Thomist Inheritance and the Household Economy of Father Vincent McNabb

Tiger Print: Dating 2011: ABG Maturity

As I finished the last page, I began to see a pattern that was repeated in all three books. After much flicking back through all three novels, I gave my theory a name- ‘ABG Maturity.’

This stands for ‘Austen, Bronte, and Gaskell Maturity.’ These three writers have done more for true women’s liberation than any less elegant feminist of today. The principle of my theory is simple- in the novels of Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, and Elizabeth Gaskell, their heroines possess a quality some women in today’s world just don’t have.

They’ve Grown Up.

They are all portrayed in their enchanting novels as women of independence, purpose, and intelligent opinion. They may not be highflying career queens, but they stand out in the circles of their society as individuals who are mature enough to make their own decisions and accept responsibility for them.

Too often girls are now relying on their boyfriend to make up the missing part of their identity. These girls are often young and inexperienced, swaying with the pressures of peers, fashion, and a focus on things that really aren’t important.

There are young women who rely on a relationship to provide self-esteem and identity, but is this the problem that affects most Western womyn today? I think their identity as an autonomous individual, seeking self-fulfillment through the exercise of autonomy and proving that they are the same as men, is rather solid.

Our Human Nature by David Korten
People often justify greed as simply human nature. Why our economic policies need to reward our caring, cooperative sides instead.

He's a materialist with respect to psychology and may rely too much on "good feelings" to promote right action, but he's right, as usual, about economics being subordinate to moral concerns.

Orion: Charles C. Mann discusses the birth of globalization

Seems to me that globalization goes a bit beyond trade and empires built upon trade...