Storm Clouds

I went to Walmart to conduct some business, and by the time I left storm clouds had rolled in, like a metaphor for Western culture itself.

Perhaps you remember the lyrics of a '70s pop song, "Your future dream is a shopping scheme"? For "shopping scheme" read "strip mall," and it looks as though those are about to get washed away in the flood of peak retail meets static and declining wages, monster debt and the voracious maw of Big Government. I guess they'll be replaced by Dollar Stores, tire shops and Quinceanera vendors.

But maybe that's OK, maybe a society that's lost touch with reality, to the extent that it thinks gender is a mental construct, can go on forever until it rests in a golden trans utopia of frolicking rainbow unicorns. Who knows, perhaps a culture that actively encourages and subsidizes killing children in the womb, to the tune of $1 million a day, won't somehow commit demographic suicide.

Then again, others believe that as it was in days of Belshazzar, the writing's on the wall.

Mene, Mene,

LSP

Snake Boots

Thanks to Tropical Storm Bill, Texas is underwater, so wearing the right kind of boots is important. Here's LL's advice, via Virtual Mirage:

LSP: All of those boots look pretty neat, but which ones are the most waterproof? Most of the state is underwater now, so it's worth considering.

LL: And snake proof. I'm sure that it's a water moccasin's and cottonmouth's picnic out there as they're swimming between the homes. Wear the sandal boots and roll the dice...

Typical Sandal Boots

One of the church people here shot 20 snakes the other day at one of his tanks. I do not know if he was wearing sandal boots or not.

Your Friend,

LSP

Tropical Storm Bill 2015

The War on Weather took a savage new twist, as Tropical Storm Bill blew into North Central Texas from the Gulf.  As much as 12" of rain are predicted to fall today on several already waterlogged communities in the Lone Star State, threatening to overwhelm local infrastructure  and the renowned Alamo spirit of the population.

Storm Chaser

Here in Hill County, situated between Dallas and Waco on what some call the "I35 corridor of desolation," resources are at breaking point, as streets flood and high winds rip through once prosperous farming communities.

Ruin

"If only we'd have gone and paid the Carbon Tax!" stated one devastated resident, as she surveyed her home, "I thought climate disruption was just a money grabbing scam, cooked up by New World Order shills in Big Government, and their transnational Illuminati puppet masters. Now everything I left outside is wet, because of rain. This is a war."

Typical Texas Storm

Will the Brazos overflow its banks and turn Waco into Little Venice? Will Dallas become a city of islands, clinging to high ground as the waters rise? Or will Texas finally come to its senses and confront the greatest threat this nation has ever faced, The Weather, and pay the tax.

Prepared. Note Fishing Rods

This, as with Bill itself, remains to be seen.

From the eye of the storm,

LSP

Steak Thief

I grilled up some steaks last night; they were very tasty. My dog thought so, too.

I wasn't very happy about that, unlike Blue Steak Thief, who was.

That is all.

LSP

Now We're Getting Serious

It was sunny yesterday afternoon, and Blue Metaphysic took the opportunity to roll about on the ground while reflecting on the evils of Bogomil Catharism. 

Catharism

Then clouds rolled in from the South and it began to rain, and thunder and lightning. Blue Epistemology took it all in his stride and fell asleep. I stood on the front porch and watched the rain.

Liturgist

It was a good moment, unlike Catharism and 1970s liturgical reform, which were bad moments.

God bless,

LSP

Dolezal Blackface

Rachel Dolezal was a white girl from Montana before she became an African American civil rights hero for the NAACP. Her brother says she's been living in "blackface," and thinks that's demeaning to real African Americans.

There's Blackface

But in fairness to Ms. Dolezal, there's a long tradition of white people pretending to be black. The Selous Scouts were keen on "blacking up" in the Rhodesian Bush War, for example. Like Dolezal, they infiltrated black communities with surprising success. The same goes for white irregulars in the Kenyan Mau Mau rebellion.

And There's Blackface

I've always been a bit baffled by the inability of the terrorists to detect the blackfaced imposters, but the ruse seems to have worked, and worked well.

Bush War

It did for Rachel Dolezal, up until recently. Rumors abound that the unfortunate trans race champion has hired lawyers. Surely she should be given an award for courage.

Your Pal,

LSP

The Mighty Brazos

After Mass this morning, I checked out the Brazos below lake Whitney. Normally the river is very low and quiet at this point, but today it was a mighty flood in full stream.

A large part of me thinks it'd be neat to take a kayak into the current and go for an adventure, but for that I'd need a kayak. Perhaps I should get one.

I guess we can blame our old enemy, Global Warming Climate Change, or The Weather, for the flooded river.

This put me in mind of fire and movement as I walked back to my truck. Where would you put your gun group, LSP? I asked myself, while considering various skirmishing options and cover. No easy task; after all, you never know when and where The Weather will strike.

I noticed a "no firearms allowed" sign as I weighed up potential tactical threats and opportunities. That made no sense to me at all.

Happy Flag Day,

LSP 

The Airplane, Hippies Are Thieves

You learn a lot at the St. Michael's Conference, and one of the things that I learned was that one of our faculty members had been a dancer for the Airplane at the Fillmore. She's a Franciscan now, but back then was in with Grace Slick and the gang.

She told me she'd been invited to join a commune, somewhere in San Francisco, but turned the offer down when she discovered that she would have been the only member with a car, a job, and a check book.

Grace Slick

This illustrates the old adage that Hippies are thieves, and when you run the numbers they don't add up.

Standing on the Runway Waiting for Takeoff

Speaking of the Airplane, the liturgy can be compared to a flight of planes that sets off on a mission. Sometimes one or more of the planes gets lost and starts to spiral out of control, who knows where they will end up. Perhaps they will disastrously make a wreckage of not only themselves, but the entire mission. 

Rescue the Mission

Then, when the craft lose altitude and threaten to bring the whole endeavor of the Mass to a groaning, grinding, inchoate crash, cool hands are needed and the mission needs to be brought back on track.

This can be done. 

As you were, carry on,

LSP

Liberation Theology

There's a lot of worship at the St. Michael's Conference, and there's a lot of teaching, too, with three classes on various subjects after Mass and breakfast. One of the courses is the Blessed Virgin Mary, and I taught the kids that she's the new Eve.

In the garden of Eden, Eve is seduced by an evil angel in the form of  serpent, and eats the forbidden fruit. Her faithless disobedience and pride leads to death. Mary reverses this; her humility and faithful obedience to God's will, as announced by the angel Gabriel, leads to the conception of Christ in her womb and the entry of life into the world.

I reminded the class that an angel, calling itself Gabriel, also appeared to Mohammed. The message of that spirit led, almost immediately, to death. 

One of these angelic messages is liberating and the others aren't. You decide which one is which.  

LSP

St. Michael's Conference 2015

I'm teaching at the St. Michael's Conference, Southwest, and get to be MC at the event's liturgy. We have a lot of that, daily Morning Prayer, Solemn High Mass, Solemn Evensong and Compline. Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament too, on Wednesday; so there's no shortage of worship.

We have 84 kids this year, and 26 counselors and clergy. It's a bit of an Anglo-Catholic "Basic", or boot camp, and very powerful.

But there's no trans naming ceremonies, no  Gaia goddess worship, no clown liturgies, no goofy nuns getting Wiccan around peace poles, no liturgical dance, or whatever.

There is the Faith, and I'll post more as I get the time.

God bless,

LSP

D Day Anniversary

Here's part of FDR's D Day prayer. 

And, O Lord, give us Faith. Give us Faith in Thee; Faith in our sons; Faith in each other; Faith in our united crusade. Let not the keenness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but fleeting moment let not these deter us in our unconquerable purpose.

With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogancies. Lead us to the saving of our country, and with our sister Nations into a world unity that will spell a sure peace a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men. And a peace that will let all of men live in freedom, reaping the just rewards of their honest toil.

Thy will be done, Almighty God.

Amen. 

Whatever you think of FDR, I'd say that it's almost inconceivable that a US President would make that kind of prayer today, in fact it might even be illegal.

Respect to those who gave their lives, may they rest in peace.

LSP

Go On, Walk The Dog

After Morning Prayer, I like to take my dog, Blue Aggressor, for a walk to the local Pick 'n Steal and get a coffee. I like the way the sun makes a shadow of the animal's ridiculously pointed ears.

I don't like standing in line while people in dirty pajama bottoms and slippers get lottery tickets, blunts and liters of soda. But whatever, it's all part of life's rich weave. Speaking of which, there was a weave lying in the gutter on the way to the coffee shop and I was going to take a picture. It lay there, abandoned, for a few days, but it disappeared; I guess someone salvaged it.

Then, coffee in hand, I walk back to the compound with Blue Eschaton. He's taken to trying to attack anything with a trailer, as well as the mail truck, which he hates. Good thing I have him on a leash.

He's a popular dog and I get a lot of compliments, "Good lookin' dog!" or, "I like your puppy!" That said, people tend to give him a wide berth.

Wisely.

LSP

Puppie Love, Baltimore

I drove out to visit the flock this morning. One of them had some puppies living in a horse trailer.

I thought that was pretty cute, unlike Baltimore, Detroit, St. Louis, Chicago, Buffalo, Atlanta, DC; go on, take your pick! where civilization has broken down and no one, for some reason, can work out why.

Some people are saying that Baltimore PD will stand down when the city riots again, and in  case any of you haven't read it, Marilyn Mosby is trying to prevent heroin dealer Freddy Gray's autopsy from being released.

Surely Mosby doesn't want to hide anything.

Good luck, Baltimore.

Your Old Pal,

LSP

Boot Review: Ariat Brown Bombers

I'm not a boot technologist, unlike some of my friends, but I do like Ariat Brown Bombers (Heritage Crepe Sole). They're a sturdy pair of boots and I'm on my second pair in 8 years. Why a second pair? Because I gave the first ones away to a needy cause and liked them, so I bought a duplicate set.

They're good boots for riding, with a sole that grips the stirrup, while it still has Ariat's proprietary Duratread, and a heel that's designed to accept spurs. The boots also feature special "ATS technology" that "includes a forked shank, Gel cushioned forefoot & heel strike zone," and "a moisture wicking sock liner." 

I'm not quite sure what all that means, but the Bombers seem to give good enough support. They're sturdy, too, with a double stitched welt and good leather. I also like the saddle vamp and feel it gives extra protection; perhaps it does.

I've worn the Bombers riding, hunting, fishing, walking around London's East End, visiting the flock, at the range and, well, just about everywhere. So what's the verdict?

The Ariat Brown Bomber Heritage Crepe Sole is a good all 'round boot. It's not a fancy pants, Ivy League hotshot boot but it doesn't pretend to be, it's more of a working boot than a Highland Park cocktail hour boot. 

How much do they cost? Around $160. Will they fall apart? Mine haven't. Are they waterproof? If you put a lot of mink oil on them, yes. What do you think of Ariat's ATS technology? If I knew what it was I'd tell you. Would you recommend them to a friend? Sure, if they liked crepe soled, working, cowboy boots with a saddle vamp and a roper toe. Are they tactical? I'd have thought that was obvious. Are they liturgical? Not especially.

Go ahead and get some Ariat Brown Bombers, if you're in the market for a working cowboy boot. I've had over three years use out of this pair and look forward to many more.

Boots on the ground,

LSP

Big Gay, Big State

"If you want a vision of the future Winston, imagine a rainbow wellie boot stamping on a human face forever."

Do you think there's a correlation between Big Gay and the Big State? This is what Brendan O'Neill, Editor of Spiked, has to say:

This goes some way to explaining why every single wing of the Irish state supported gay marriage, from the police, who proudly waved the rainbow flag, to all the political parties, the public sector, the health establishment and the cultural establishment. It’s because they recognise, at a gut level, that unlike pretty much every other demand for liberty or equality in modern times, the campaign for gay marriage does nothing to threaten their authority — on the contrary, it extends it, in a way that the most authoritarian among them could only have dreamt of.

You can read the whole thing here.

LSP