Architecture, the Public Realm, and Small-Town America

Returning to North Judson typically leads to my resuming a favored pastime, to wit, engaging in crosstown perambulations that usually lead me to no destination other than, ultimately, home, the starting point of these jaunts. In such an eminently walkable small town where I know as many citizens as I do, these generally prove to [...]

The Catholic Capitulation: Blame the Leadership, Part II

At the heart of Catholic culture must be the parish. Here, members of the faithful, ideally, undergo instruction (The family, of course, ought to supplement this!), either, when possible, through the Catholic schools or, otherwise, through CCD programs. The should share in worship, in celebration, and in community. They should also be inspired — in [...]

Turning Up Earth, Urban — and Federal — Style

I have a rambling late-night post at Upturned Earth on New Urbanism, wherein I introduce it as something conservatives should embrace and immediately express my serious concern with the post-modern lack of (primarily architectural) context all too common in applied New Urbanist design. I’ve also offered my first post on federalism, here. Be on [...]

This is pretty nifty, too.

Vintage Color Photographs of American cities. A tip of the hat to A Welsh View, where Mr Sullivan found the wicked-cool lightning clip.

Post number one on Weyrich and Lind’s Next Conservatism

The American Conservative, in its 12 February 2007 issue, ran an article, titled, simply, “The Next Conservatism”, co-authored by Messrs. Weyrich and Lind, which argued that “By rejecting ideology and embracing “retroculture,” the Right can recover itself and perhaps reverse America’s decline.” I’ve mentioned before that I intend to comment on, at least, a couple [...]

“New houses are universally horrible, and eco-houses are the most horrible of the lot”

With regard to the British Guardian, I generally hold ambivalent, tending toward moderately disdainful, feelings. Via Arts & Letters Daily, though, I discovered a stupendously honest, spot-on piece, from Germaine Greer, lamenting the grotesqueness of the (European) homes that herald modern prosperity and “escape” from the drudgeries of Arcadia.
Vernacular building had the advantage that [...]