Latest Posts

Pope’s Encyclical: Eschew Air Conditioning?

I know why Victorian women fainted so much. They were too hot – literally. Wearing layers and layers of clothes, corseted to the point of not being able to breath, attempting to make merry in rooms draped and swathed and festooned with velvet furniture and bric-a-brac. Continue Reading...

What About Naomi?

In my lifetime I’ve witnessed some odd pairings – Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga being among the most recent – but none so bizarre as Pope Francis and Naomi Klein. The Pope needs no explanation, but Ms. Continue Reading...

5 Facts About Independence Day

July 4, 2015 will be America’s 239th Independence Day, the day Americans celebrate our Declaration of Independence from Great Britain. Here are five facts you should know about America’s founding document and the day set aside for its commemoration. Continue Reading...

Réflexion sur l’encyclique « Laudato Si »

A French translation of Samuel Gregg’s The American Spectator article on Pope Francis’s eco-encyclical was published earlier this week in Nouvelles de France. Gregg is the Acton Institute’s director of research, and the article, titled “Laudato Si’: Well Intentioned, Economically Flawed,” was translated by Emmanuel d’Hoop de Synghem. Continue Reading...

Coolidge: The Best President You Don’t Know

This weekend marks the 143rd birthday of the best president you (probably) don’t know: Calvin Coolidge. Most presidents are judged by what they do in office. For instance, they are expected to “do something” about the economy even if their actions are counterproductive and detrimental. Continue Reading...

Africans Fight Media Stereotypes

We’ve all seen the pictures: a little African boy wearing nothing but an dirty, over-sized t-shirt emblazoned with the logo of a U.S. sports team, or a little African girl, dressed in rags and pitifully surrounded by flies. Continue Reading...