Francis W. Porretto
Mount Sinai, NY USA
Author's posts
Apr 01 2021
Two From Bookworm
Our favorite Bookworm has one of her illustrated editions posted this morning. I snagged two items as particularly relevant to a phenomenon I’ve known about for some time, but which other people have a hard time digesting. Here they are: Let’s overlook, just for the moment, that any Gentle Reader of Liberty’s Torch …
Mar 31 2021
On Writing As An Avocation
avocation n: something a person does in addition to a principal occupation, especially for pleasure; hobby: “The doctor’s avocation is painting.” Writing is not necessarily something to be ashamed of…but do it in private and wash your hands afterward. – Robert A. Heinlein I retired from engineering in 2015, which freed me …
Mar 30 2021
The Experts, The Politicians, And The Wuhan Virus
Karl Denninger has produced a compendium of “expert” errors and lies about the Chinese Coronavirus and its social and political outcroppings. It’s an exceptionally useful item that everyone should read. If you’ve harbored suspicions that the Kung Flu has little to do with public health and a lot more to do with the aspirations …
Mar 28 2021
Have We Witnessed America’s Racial Fort Sumter?
Some time ago, I wrote a series of essays about what I saw as a race war in progress. I’ve added those essays to the ones ported here from Liberty’s Torch V1.0 (i.e., the Blogger edition). Here are the links: It’s On It’s On: What Now? It’s On: Where Explanation Remains Required It’s On: …
Mar 27 2021
Insight And Humor…
…are an unbeatable combination: With applause to the indispensable Brock Townsend. Mark Steyn’s insight, delivered toward the end of that little clip, should resound throughout this land. The Biden Usurpation is the proof: The Deep State holds the levers of power. Presidents are no longer needed nor wanted. Steyn’s gift of …
Mar 26 2021
The Good Patriot: Part 2, the Army
Here’s the second video: This video continues the central theme of successful resistance to the encroaching totalitarianism of the Left expressed in the previous one: If you don’t need them, They can’t control you. However, rather than analyze the Left’s control strategy and the social and economic conditions upon which it’s founded, …
Mar 26 2021
The Good Patriot: Part 1, the Shield
With thanks and applause to Irish, I’ve downloaded two videos I think eminently worth the time of the Gentle Readers of Liberty’s Torch. Here’s the first of them: This is excellent, wholly consistent advice. Our innermost line of defense against the seductions of evil must be our own skulls. We must refuse to …
Mar 25 2021
Assorted 2021-03-25
Things are rather difficult at the Fortress just now. We’re having a patio of sorts built in the back yard, which has had a curious consequence: Joy, our one-year-old Newfoundland puppy – here she is: …is absolutely terrified of going outside. We think it’s because of the Bobcat the workmen have been using …
Mar 24 2021
Occupational Grooves
(Not to say ruts.) It’s an appropriate time for some humor – I could frame a fair argument that it’s always an appropriate time for humor, but that’s a subject for another day – so have an old chestnut I first spotted about twenty years ago, when general access to the Internet was …
Mar 23 2021
Culture, Context, And Criticism
Forgive me, Gentle Reader: I’ve lost the link, but a few days ago I read an article that sticks in my mind for reasons you will soon grasp without prompting. It was a critical article about The Who, the great British rock group that blew through pop music in the late Sixties and early …
Mar 21 2021
Deciding To Believe
Many Christians never face a moment when they must decide: “Can I accept this set of propositions called Christianity as credible…plausible…true, and worth committing my life to them?” In part, that’s because many of us who were “raised in the Faith” never get an opportunity to question its soundness. In equal part, it’s because …
Mar 20 2021
Beware!
Someone has been sending out emails that purport to come from me. I have not been emailing the Gentle Readers of Liberty’s Torch. Someone is trying to “phish” you. Do not click any links in any email that bears my name, or a Liberty’s Torch address. An email originated by me will …
Mar 20 2021
“Domestic Terrorism” (UPDATED)
I pay almost no attention to the mainstream media. While I’ll occasionally take note of one of their distortions or deceptions, normally I ignore them. They’ve fouled their own nests so thoroughly as to have forfeited all credibility as sources of verifiable information. Nevertheless, the media are important: not because they convey important …
Mar 19 2021
Conditions For Tolerance
Sane persons in a sane society appreciate the value of a degree of conformity: not smothering, “everyone must be and think and do exactly alike” conformity, but a concession to important norms of conduct pertinent to public places and public events. It’s why we have “blue laws” about acceptable degrees of personal exposure on …
Mar 19 2021
Your Morning Giggle
A morning that starts with a belly laugh presages a day that will be all right – and The Feral Irishman has provided us with one. Sadly, I can’t figure out how to copy or embed it, so head on over to Irish’s place and enjoy it there. Laughter isn’t just the best …
Mar 18 2021
America’s Gate
I was once in favor of an immigration regime equivalent to open borders. Then I did some thinking, along the lines of this famous G. K. Chesterton quote: There exists… a certain institution or law; let us say, for the sake of simplicity, a fence or gate erected across a road. The more …
Mar 17 2021
Faith Gives You Power…
…and power is required to do this: Bravo, young Americans. We need more of you.
Mar 17 2021
The Antidote Is Practical Anarchism (UPDATED)
The evidence has mounted to a conclusive level: the federal government is in the hands of persons who are utterly consumed by hatred of America. Any number of people would look at that statement and say “Yes, but what can we do about it?” Bookworm asks that question this very morning: So …
Mar 16 2021
Some Audible Fiction
For those who prefer listening to reading, I’ve recorded my short story “Norms.” If you like this sort of presentation, let me know and I’ll record some of my other short pieces.
Fran’s Recent Novels
Margaret’s Recent Novels
