Francis W. Porretto

Mount Sinai, NY USA

Author's posts

Meaning What?

     It’s time for another tirade on clarity in expression. Let’s start with a little George Orwell:      [O]ne ought to recognize that the present political chaos is connected with the decay of language, and that one can probably bring about some improvement by starting at the verbal end.… Political language — and with variations …

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The Triad, The Dyad, And The Monad

     If you’re aware that there is a school of philosophy that rigidly separates “real” things from men’s experiences of them, you’re a rare individual, and I commend you. If you’re aware that the promotion of that dichotomy has engendered some of the fiercest disputes in the history of philosophy, you’re an even rarer individual, …

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The Fish Rots From The Head

     …but in time the decay will reach the whole of the corpus:      [Wil] Wilkins has called Montana home for more than 40 years. He bought his property, just over nine acres adjacent to the Bitterroot National Forest, in 2004. When he bought the property, surrounded by pine trees and with plentiful birds and …

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A Direct Hit On The Jugular

     Dan Gelernter’s column of today is a must-read. The Sunday punch:      We—individuals, local governments, state governments—need to get off the drug of government money. Ultimately, it’s just our money but with all the freedom filtered out: We’re actually paying to be enslaved.      I’d like to start a petition declaring a national federal …

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Perhaps The Truth Really Will Set Us Free

The Twitter Files on free speech suppression soon to be published on Twitter itself. The public deserves to know what really happened … — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 28, 2022      Initially, I was dubious about the relative importance of Elon Musk’s purchase of Twitter. However, the above suggests that Twitter and its deliberate suppression …

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Perspectives

One of my favorite Catholic writers is the late Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen:      Venerable Fulton John Sheen (born Peter John Sheen, May 8, 1895 – December 9, 1979) was an American bishop (later archbishop) of the Catholic Church known for his preaching and especially his work on television and radio. His cause for …

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The Adventure Of Love

     A number of my fiction readers have commented that the romances I write are “different.” Well, I should hope so. Why write what everyone else is writing? Why not follow a unique path that persons bored with “the same old thing” can use for their refreshment? All the same, it raises the question of …

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Conversations

     From the “Questions No One Is Asking” division: FWP: What do you think would happen if a jug band were to appear for a scheduled concert without its jug? Say if it was broken in an accident on the way over? CSO: Horror of horrors! FWP: Well, yes, but would the show go on? …

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A Thought-Provoking Observation

     Equality before the law only extends as far as does the law itself. In matters not subject to the purview of the law, we are entirely unequal. We are unequal in status, in general approbation, in intelligence, in ability, in social standing, in wealth, and in many other ways. There’s no getting around this; …

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Don’t Push It, Friends

     Though I’m a Catholic Christian, I have often been extremely vocal in support and defense of our Jewish cousins. They are demonstrably the most persecuted identifiable demographic cohort over the two millennia behind us. When I encounter anti-Semitism on the Web, I slap it down hard.      But then, every so often, I encounter …

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The Bullet-Proof Umbrella

     Say, remember those scenes in Kingsman where Colin Firth’s character Harry Hart uses his umbrella to deflect incoming bullets? An umbrella like that would be a handy thing to have, wouldn’t it? But just imagine an even more advanced umbrella: one that would deflect accurate criticism of oneself? Wait no longer, Gentle Reader: the …

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Gee, Where Did This Idea Come From?

     I can’t help but wonder:      VANCOUVER, British Columbia (LifeSiteNews) — A civil liberty group is sounding the alarm after British Columbia’s New Democratic Party (NDP) Premier David Eby announced a forthcoming new law that would permit the government to take away one’s property or goods prior to being charged with a crime.      …

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WTF Department

     As one of my favorite lapel buttons says, some days there’s no point in chewing through the restraints.      I was musing over a subject that’s been on my mind from time to time –specifically, the downside of setting aside a particular day to be thankful, or patriotic, or worshipful, or what-have-you – when …

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The Secret To Happiness: A Thanksgiving Tale

     [I’ve told this one before on a less conspicuous occasion, at Liberty’s Torch V1.0. Nevertheless, it is especially appropriate for Thanksgiving Day: a commemoration that was once much differently centered than it is today. If you are truly grateful for your life and station, turn aside from the food, the family, and the football …

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Two BIG Promotions!

     Yes, Gentle Reader: the time of marketing and promotions is upon us once again. And as I’m fairly sure that you, like me, have had your fill of excessively clever electronic gadgets and ridiculous use-it-once kitchen appliances, you might find these promotions to be more to your taste. 1. Cheap Ammo!      My friend …

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Teaser Time

     Remember what I said about too many projects? It’s one of the reasons 2022 is likely to be the year I don’t release a new novel. Anyway, here’s the opening of a new Onteora County Romance. Working title: Doors. (This makes five separate novel-sized projects on the anvil. Is there a twelve-step group for …

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Day Off

     Today is being used for fiction. Back tomorrow.

Enemies: A Love Story

     (Yes, there was a movie by that name. Pretty good movie too, though a trifle bleak. No, this piece won’t be about it.)      The polarization of America has reached a level that endangers every man, woman, and child in this country. We no longer “do politics;” we make war, and others make war …

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When Another Writer Hits the Bull’s-Eye

     …he deserves to be acknowledged and applauded:      The RNC is not focused on winning elections. The RNC corporation is focused on retaining control.      The RNC want to give the illusion of support for MAGA conservatism because they need the base voter, and they need to maintain the illusion of choice. However, every …

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Temptations And Kings

     The liturgical year concludes today, with the Feast of Christ the King. This is one of my favorite liturgical commemorations. Its spirit deeply infused the five Realm of Essences novels and continues to provide inspiration and ideas to everything I write.      Kings aren’t born in rude stables far from home; their entry to …

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