Wednesday, February 17, 2021
Who 's Gonna Pay The Troops?
Dies Irae
This seems appropriate, right about now. Dies Irae? Day of wrath and doom impending. David's word with Sibyl's blending, Heaven and earth in ashes ending.
Note "Sibyl's blending." Classicism aside (you've read the Sibyline Oracles, right? Trick question, they were burned in the 5thC A.D., thanks Stilicho, dammit), it ends:
Low I kneel, with heart's submission, See, like ashes, my contrition, Help me in my last condition. Ah! that day of tears and mourning, From the dust of earth returning Man for judgement must prepare him, Spare, O God, in mercy spare him.
Kyrie Eleison. That's us, in Lent.
God Bless,
LSP
Ash Wednesday
From the Prayer Book:
Dear People of God: The first Christians observed with great devotion the days of our Lord’s passion and resurrection, and it became the custom of the Church to prepare for them by a season of penitence and fasting. This season of Lent provided a time in which converts to the faith were prepared for Holy Baptism. It was also a time when those who, because of notorious sins, had been separated from the body of the faithful were reconciled by penitence and forgiveness, and restored to the fellowship of the Church. Thereby, the whole congregation was put in mind of the message of pardon and absolution set forth in the Gospel of our Savior, and of the need which all Christians continually have to renew their repentance and faith. I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God's holy Word.
Memento, homo, quia pulvis es, et in pulverem reverteris. Remember, O man, that thou art dust, and unto dust thou shalt return.
Remember too that the dust is cruciform, and therein lies victory over the grave.
God bless,
LSP
Tuesday, February 16, 2021
Who Are You?
A Bit Chilly
It's a bit chilly in Texas right now and that's too bad, because Global Warming froze all the wind turbines and broke them, causing rolling power blackouts. Who became richer than they already were through that green chicanery?
Green energy crooks aside, I went for a stroll down the glacier after Evening Prayer, in search of adventure. There wasn't much, apart from a snowman opposite the iced over Meth Shack, but what am I saying? The whole thing is an adventure - Texas, magically transmuted into Alberta thanks to the mystic alchemy of climate change.
But maybe you think I'm exaggerating in that typical Lone Star way. No, not at all. Here's a photo of one of the crew relaxing after breaking ice on the stock tank. Looks like Alberta, right? No, Texas, here and now.
So be careful out there, and if the power goes out light massive fires to stay warm and keep the torch of freedom burning as we face off, resolute, against our old enemy, The Weather.
Glacies,
LSP
Monday, February 15, 2021
Monday Night Jukebox
Here we are, watching the snow fall as our wind turbines seize up in a fit of green new deal genius. So what to do? Fire up the jukebox and shoot a few games of pinball while the power lasts. And hey, we play requests. Here they are:
Check out Montana, for the solo. Nice work, Mr. Zappa.
And what's wrong with Junior Brown? Nothing at all. Thanks, WSF. But Adrienne wants Janis. Who can blame her? On she goes.
And a great call from Jim, the Dead South. I like that song, spin it up.
Wild Wild West wants some Little Feat. Hey, gets my vote.
And I'll close out this selection of jukebox greatness with Waylon. Because it's awesome.
Have a great night and keep 'em coming. But when the power goes out? Easy, throw last year's broken furniture on the fire.
Cheers,
LSP
Texas Snowstorm
Yesterday's gentle dusting of global warming turned into a full on, no holds barred storm. Maybe a once in a lifetime event in this part of Texas.
Sunday, February 14, 2021
Happy Valentine's From The Ice
Global Warming slammed North Central Texas this morning like a T34 opening fire on the Unter Den Linden or maybe the Tiergarten. Not that it looked like much to start with, just a light dusting of snow; Calgary in April sort of thing. But not so fast, scorners. Beneath the snow lay ice.
Blue Kodiak was eager to get out and off we stepped, skidding across the frozen tundra that was once a furnacelike temperate Texan town. Undaunted by biting, subzero wind we made it to the Shamrock, an Irish filling station owned by Nepalese and staffed by Mexicans. I like it because it's near, has an owl deity idol and good coffee, perhaps the best of its kind in town.
Shamrock complete, back into the icy blast and deserted streets of a farming settlement blasted by the scourge of Climate Change. It was colder, if that were possible, on the way back to the Compound, but we powered through, thank Gaia.
After Morning Prayer I called on an elderly member of the flock to see if she needed anything. Yes, ground beef, beef broth, an onion and a bottle of wine. She was fixing to make soup. A short and very slow drive to the supermarket later, she had her supplies. Without charity, you see, everything else is but a noisy gong and a clanging cymbal.
Priests, and everyone else, take note. It's very easy and very enjoyable to get behind a cause, to pick up Martel's warhammer and lay waste to heretics, malfeasants and apostates. And quite right too, it's a target rich environment and the Faith needs defending. But the exercise becomes a hollow, white-washed sepulcher of a pharisaical sham unless grounded in divine love.
Don't get me wrong, I'm all for the warhammer, especially against the Bolshevik devil. But remember, the substance of the Faith is God Himself, and He is love. Evil cannot withstand its, His, inexhaustible fire, I am that I am. Of course I preach to myself.
Happy Valentines!
LSP
Saturday, February 13, 2021
Ethnomath - Dismantling Racism in Maths Instruction
That's right, racism, which is why the Beaver State's teachers are being encouraged to take a course entitled, "A Pathway to Equitable Math Instruction: Dismantling Racism in Mathematics Instruction." Yes indeed, no wonder our kids' test scores are almost on a par with Zimbabwe's, it's all because of "white supremacy." But don't take my word for it, here's the course description:
"White supremacy culture infiltrates math classrooms in everyday teacher actions. Coupled with the beliefs that underlie these actions, they perpetuate educational harm on Black, Latinx, and multilingual students, denying them full access to the world of mathematics."
Leaving aside "Latinx," which no one south of the border actually uses, the defenders of "ethnomath" continue. Thanks to "white supremacy" educators fallaciously impose objective standards of right and wrong on their oppressed charges:
"This reinforces the idea that there is only one right way to do math. The history of mathematics, its colonization, and what is deemed as 'acceptable' knowledge is rich and complex, therefore, the way that mathematics is taught in the United States needs to be interrogated because it currently centers Western, Eurocentric ways of processing and knowing information."
Only one right way to do math? Thanks a lot, Cecil "Rhodes." No, there is no such thing as objective truth in mathematics, such racism:
"The concept of mathematics being purely objective is unequivocally false, and teaching it is even much less so... Upholding the idea that there are always right and wrong answers perpetuate objectivity as well as fear of open conflict."
Objectivity's unequivocally false, says the subjectivist making an incoherent universal truth claim. No matter, we make the rules now and you'd better buckle under or taste the stainless steel blade of liberal Fascism, or would that be Bolshevik tyranny? Regardless, as our man on the ground in Georgia comments, "Hopefully they'll use ethnomathematics for bridge building and such."
You'll note that Satan is the Father of Lies and a murderer from the beginning. Not least of our children's education.
This post is dedicated to ZZ, a fearless teacher in the face of tumbleweave adversity.
Your Constant Pal,
LSP
Friday, February 12, 2021
Texas Goes Ice Age
It's not easy living in North Central Texas. Why? Because it's now an ice sheet with more to come. Look, here's the weather report:
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGENational Weather Service Fort Worth TX249 PM CST Fri Feb 12 2021...HISTORIC WINTER STORM POISED TO IMPACT THE REGION SUNDAY ANDMONDAY...freezing drizzle developing late tonight into Saturday morning,Impacts will begin as early as Saturday morning with patchybrief break in precipitation on Saturday, conditions will beginwhich will lead to a light glaze of ice in some locations. After a to deteriorate late Saturday evening, with precipitationSunday. The heaviest snow can be expected on Sunday and Monday.transitioning from a sleet and freezing rain mix to all snow by High winds will lead to blowing and drifting snow with wind chillsduration of extremely cold temperatures will likely lead to majorfalling to below zero by late Sunday. Snow will come to an end during the day Monday, but extremely cold temperatures will persist through mid-week. The heavy snow and forecast longfor several days... stress on the region`s infrastructure as well as crippling travel
Lake Whitney
And while you're at it, get two shots of the vaccine because Pfizer obviously doesn't want to double its profits. Because it's a charity, just like the government Thursday, February 11, 2021
Juke Box Requests
Yes, we play requests. Like the awesome Headless Thompson Gunner or "Wanna Rock 'n Roll" by Ray Wylie Hubbard. He may be an appalling old hippy, but he's our hippy.
Ice Age
No sooner had we rejoined the Paris Climate Accords than the climate changed. Yes, it became much colder, with freezing mist and drizzle.
This quickly turned to ice, and I wasn't surprised, we hadn't paid our weather tax. So, as ye reap, so shall ye sow. Still, tax logic and our rainbow IRS notwithstanding, it was chilly.
It is now, as Blue heads out into the frozen tundra of what was once Texas, and I thank God for a down vest. Yes, it's not easy, but remember, diamonds are created under pressure.
Your Frozen Pal,
LSP