The Only Orthodoxy is Reason

A 53 year-old man has liver failure. His liver is bad mostly because he drank heavily for 20+ years, and now he needs a new liver. His liver function has become poor enough that he now has hepatic encephalopathy, a condition where cognitive function declines because of poor clearance of toxic substances (from the blood […]

I recently (re)read Bram Stoker’s classic “Dracula.” Much has been written, and will not be here repeated, concerning the infernal Count’s symbolic nature, and I agree with the literary consensus that he stands for unrestrained sexual desire. It’s nearly impossible to read Dracula and miss the symbolism, unless you are one of […]

I’ve lived long enough to have learned
The closer you get to the fire the more you get burned
But that won’t happen to us
‘Cause it’s always been a matter of trust
– Billy Joel, “A Matter of Trust”
About a year ago, I and some fellow English teachers were at the local foreigner bar (appropriately named The Western), […]