In the Appendixes to The Lord of the Rings, we learn that the Rohanians came from the north at a critical point to assist Gondor in one of its wars. Out of gratitude, Gondor gave them a stretch of its territory […]
Romans 14 and the Political Divisions of the Church
We live in a time when the classical Protestant church [and, less openly, the Catholics and Orthodox] is often divided over political issues – especially over the character of the current President of the United States. We have Trumpite churches […]
What Umlaut Really Is, And How English Has It
Most people think an umlaut is the two dots over a letter that you often see in German and some other languages. A number of Anglophone rock bands have decorated their names with ‘metal umlauts’, not affecting the pronunciation, in […]
A Hipper and Cooler Name for ‘Czechia’
Since Czechoslovakia divided into two countries in 1992, the western part has internationally been called the Czech Republic. More recently it has tried to call itself Czechia. I can think of a better alternative. For one thing, Czechia is hard […]
Thoughts About Safe Encampments for the Homeless
Sometimes we are inclined to overlook the economically homeless who actually have, or could have, jobs. We may not be able to afford to get them all under a roof, but I think at the very least they deserve encampments […]
Proposition 47 and the $950 Get-Out-of-Jail-Free Card
Proposition 47, which was adopted by Californians in 2014, has been described as a ballot initiative with ‘unintended results galore‘. It was based on a laudable desire to reduce the number of people in California’s overcrowded prisons who don’t necessarily, […]
Trump’s One Moral Conviction: The Deal
It’s often said that our President, Donald Trump, is a man of no moral convictions – except for those related to his own power and ego. I would quite agree that he seems to have no religion or philosophy. But […]
Another Way of Bypassing the Restrictions on Criminal Law
I have written about the increasing use of civil law to bypass the limitations and ‘rights’ attached to criminal law. But yet another tactic has recently been discovered, and maybe not all that recently. The law and concept of rape has […]
A Response to Philip Hamburger on the “Administrative Threat”
As a paddleboarder, I have supported an organization called FREESUP socal; it is, frankly, an advocacy organization. We advocate for an open, data-driven process at the local, state, and federal level on regulation of life jacket wear for stand up paddleboarding […]
A Conference Held to Honor my Father, Howard F. Ahmanson Sr.: “WWHD — What Would Howard Do?”
The “WWHD Conference — What Would Howard Ahmanson, Sr., Do?” — was held August 1, 2018, the year marking the 50th anniversary of my father’s death. I decided I wanted to sponsor it, mostly to honor him. In the tumultuous year […]