A selection of favorites from the editors of Ordinary Times
Blade Runner, Robocop, and What it Means to be Human( 2 )
Blade Runner is one of my favorite movies. Still, I believe that a movie could absolutely do a better job addressing the way technology can dehumanize us. I believe that because there is at least one movie that does do a better job of it: RoboCop.
Houston’s Police Department Has A Problem( 0 )
Joe Gamaldi knew exactly who to blame for a shooting in which five Houston police officers ended up getting injured: police reform advocates. As it turns out, his accusations were just a bit off the mark.
Feminism, Lost in Space( 15 )
Lost in Space is an enjoyable watch your whole family can enjoy and I felt represented by it in a way that I oftentimes don’t.
My Favorite Little Brick House( 19 )
LEGO had an anniversary, so I felt I should write about them.
Ashes in the Wind( 84 )
Can two people set aside their differences and under the influences of hormones and hearts, live happily ever after?
Fearing The Faithful: Catholic Sex Abuse Summit Is Rorschach Test For Pope( 27 )
The overwhelming evidence against the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ incessant, and intentional, deception is a compelling indictment against the church. Clearly, if Pope Francis is sincere in rebuilding trust among the lay faithful, he must gut the hierarchy after the summit. Maniscalco’s comments from 2002, tarnishes Blessed John Paul II’s legacy as pope, and casts a black cloud over Francis’ papacy. When did the pope know and when did he know it?
Visiting Disney World in the New Gilded Age( 25 )
Disney is all frayed cultural glories.
Familiar in a Strange Land( 117 )
“Outlander” and The Husband Problem
The State of Book Publishing Part II( 5 )
Part II: To the future and beyond!
No Shades of Grey( 80 )
People should not read “50 Shades of Grey”. I’m taking a firm stance on that.
Fyre and the Age of Humbug( 55 )
It is, perhaps, the supreme irony of our time that when we have access to all the information in the world literally in the palm of our hand, humbug has become more powerful than ever.
Dynamism and Its Discontents( 157 )
The free market is a good thing. But it isn’t the only thing.
The State of Book Publishing Part I( 26 )
Part I: The publishing industry today
How Artificial Wombs Could Transform the Abortion Debate( 39 )
The debate surrounding the definition of personhood isn’t new, but it also hasn’t proven to be very consequential in terms of its impact on the modern abortion debate. The introduction of artificial wombs could change all of that
Getting Through The Wall( 51 )
If there’s a better way out of this, I’m sure Nancy Pelosi will go with it. She is nothing if not very good at her job. But here’s what I’ve got.
The Twilight Zone( 52 )
Everything you ever wanted to know about women, you can learn from reading “Twilight”.
The Journalists Have Been Hacked( 22 )
Journalism’s current standards for determining what is publishable are brittle and subject to manipulation by malicious actors.
Elizabeth Warren Best Not Think of an Elephant( 15 )
Elizabeth Warren’s missed opportunity.
The Deliberative Society and the Paradox of Political Engagement( 6 )
We have arrived at a paradoxical position: our democratic institutions require our participation for their continued legitimacy and health, but a sudden surge of political engagement is currently driving their instability and stress-testing them to breaking point.
What’s The Matter With Hillary Clinton?( 177 )
Her public image is the worst of any losing presidential candidate since at least Gerald Ford.
A Higher American Minimum Wage Is Something We Shouldn’t Even Be Debating( 286 )
If you’re “too successful” or “too important” to pay your workers a living wage, you don’t deserve to be a business owner, and your business doesn’t deserve to survive.
Threading the Needle Between Fat Shaming and Fat Acceptance( 63 )
We all know that being overweight isn’t good for our bodies. And yes, the obesity epidemic is out of control. Fat shaming is not the right response to the problem, though. In fact, it’s making the problem even worse than otherwise would be.
The Meyerowitz Stories( 18 )
Even if your arms aren’t full of parental baggage, Noah Baumbach’s “The Meyerowitz Stories” is a must see.
Fangirling for “F is for Family”( 11 )
Watching Bill Burr’s “F is for Family” is like revisiting childhood 25 minutes at a time.
An Historic Parallel For the Wall and Opioids( 14 )
Seen in that light, the President’s comments become much more sinister. He’s trying to leverage the ongoing opioid epidemic into support for his his wall. It almost certainly won’t help. But once the problem gets better he’ll claim credit for it.
