something I’ve never understood

“Pope Benedict XVI has tackled one of the most controversial and critical issues in Christianity in a new book, making a sweeping exoneration of the Jewish people in the death of Jesus Christ.”

Remind me… what was the ethnic background of Jesus, again?

Not to be harsh, because it’s too easy to take cheap shots at the Catholic Church, but “Wehrmacht veteran exonerates Jews for killing a Jew” comes off a bit out-of-tune.

2011 is also probably a bit late to be offering “sweeping exonerations” of this sort.

two online articles moved

Two articles of mine that used to be online at Indieoma have been moved to the hypnotically black pages of Dialogica Fantastica, now that Indieoma has regrettably shut its doors.

“In Praise of the Spooky”

“A Larger Sense of Beauty”

Libyan civil war

It now has more the rhythm of a civil war, not a simple overthrow:

“Gaddafi loyalists advance to east”

Assuming we agree that it’s simply intolerable to leave the Colonel in charge of the country, this means there may soon be a decision for Western countries to make. I’ve wavered a bit about this in the past two weeks, but at present, I think the West should be willing to do just about anything, but not do a bit more than the Libyan rebels clearly want.

My best guess is that what they will want is weapons, not airstrikes.

This could go on for awhile, and it’s going to be ugly. But if Qaddafi starts taking back large swathes of territory, it will be important to help prevent that from going too far.

another assassination in Pakistan, for the same reason as before

In January, it was Salman Tasser, Governor of Punjab state, who was assassinated for suggesting reforms to the blasphemy law.

This time, Minorities Minister Shahbaz Bhatti WAS SHOT AND KILLED en route to work, at 42 years old.

four large explosions heard in Tripoli

HERE. The cause of the explosions is still unclear.

[ADDENDUM: A fuel tanker overturned. That was the cause of the explosions, but no one is sure why it overturned.]

Dark Chemistry on Keele’s Ockham introduction

I already recommended this book, but now Dark Chemistry SECONDS THE RECOMMENDATION for Rondo Keele’s Ockham Explained.

It’s the most enjoyable introduction to a philosopher I’ve read in a long time. Even if you don’t feel especially moved to think about Ockham in particular at the moment, it’s a nice book if you’re feeling rusty on medieval philosophy or even on Aristotle. The biographical parts of the book are also nicely dramatic. Ockham did experience a huge life change in his early 40’s, from successful Franciscan theologian in England to anti-papal action hero fleeing from Avignon to Munich.

Anyway, nice book. It will pep up your enthusiasm level for philosophy if you’re feeling drained or tired about the field lately.

streets to be renamed after the dead

The various governors of Egypt have been ORDERED TO RENAME STREETS after the dead of the revolution who lived on those streets.

My only concern is who’s ordering it.