tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6557458849091969678.post7732810809787280878..comments2023-06-15T09:13:45.467-04:00Comments on Liberty's Torch: The Perils Of Op-Ed: An End-Of-Year ReflectionFrancis W. Porrettohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05862584203772592282noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6557458849091969678.post-21962234530636672792015-01-03T15:58:25.958-05:002015-01-03T15:58:25.958-05:00If we are using reference from film, perhaps "...If we are using reference from film, perhaps "This...is...Sparta!" would be most apropos. I visit BoL daily, or nearly so; because at my age it is a wonderful way to get the synapses firing - without making myself angry enough to spit nails. It is also conviction and reminder that at some point in time; I can again return to my own intardnet musing and enlightenment; once "actual retirement" begins, and "working retirement" ceases - thus freeing up time that is now spent pursuing food, ammo, and etc.; in order to best safeguard kith and kin as I can. Brother Fran, thank you for continuing to write and share; my prayer for you remains that you have a brave new year...<br />all anguish, pain, and sadness; leave your heart and let your road be clear. Blessings in the new year... Grandpastormfriendnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6557458849091969678.post-37550126281278964572014-12-31T07:10:21.046-05:002014-12-31T07:10:21.046-05:00Fran
I too am one of your 300. (Mark beat me to th...Fran<br />I too am one of your 300. (Mark beat me to the Spartan reference). Your writing is a always thought-provoking, never dull. Thank you.Differhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15581662615586346808noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6557458849091969678.post-12552056135078990472014-12-30T18:55:52.400-05:002014-12-30T18:55:52.400-05:00If we are among the 300, that would make you Leoni...If we are among the 300, that would make you Leonidas.<br /><br />I always enjoy your musings and look forward to your blog as part of my daily routine. Your fiction works are equally enjoyable... I like to see characters who are truly heroic as your creations are. <br /><br />I have to second Tim's statements above... I hope to continue seeing your works over the coming year.<br /><br />Happy New Year to you, the C.S.O., and the menagerie. <br /><br />Marknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6557458849091969678.post-58684933594964913762014-12-30T18:42:41.965-05:002014-12-30T18:42:41.965-05:00Hi Fran - I am one of those daily readers as well....Hi Fran - I am one of those daily readers as well. I live in Old Tappan, just across the border from your childhood home. I hope retirement leaves you plenty of time to do what brings you pleasure, even if it is not necessarily blogging.Jersey Jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11597174312174079203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6557458849091969678.post-84521775512164311532014-12-30T18:34:32.127-05:002014-12-30T18:34:32.127-05:00As one of the 300 I thank you. I thoroughly enjoy ... As one of the 300 I thank you. I thoroughly enjoy reading your posts whether I agree with you or not. Mostly I do. Very well written, often informative and always a pleasure to read. As a lapsed Catholic you've caused me to rethink my faith. For that alone I would thank you. I wish you a healthy, happy and prosperous new year.Gromanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12736363554830728055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6557458849091969678.post-90525819101353549782014-12-30T17:19:20.683-05:002014-12-30T17:19:20.683-05:00"In our time you cannot avoid telling some wh..."In our time you cannot avoid telling some what they want to hear..."<br /><br />I think I just had a flashback to H.I.'s parole interview in Raising Arizona.<br /><br />Op-ed on, Fran!Weetabixhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06106614092497408546noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6557458849091969678.post-81414169521257571132014-12-30T17:12:19.248-05:002014-12-30T17:12:19.248-05:00I detect no empty arguments here. Continue standi...I detect no empty arguments here. Continue standing in the gate, Continue the ministry in the truth, Francis. <br /><br />Stay alert. Stay alive. RichJhttp://fishpuppy.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6557458849091969678.post-59377616870588701872014-12-30T17:07:20.935-05:002014-12-30T17:07:20.935-05:00I am also one of those 300. In fact, Liberty'...I am also one of those 300. In fact, Liberty's Torch is just below Drudge Report on my daily reading list. Liberty's Torch has introduced me to an interesting phenomenon. It's hard to describe. Of the things I read with which I agree, I often find that the writings touch on concepts that I have previously conceived of on my own. With Liberty's Torch, quite often I will read something I agree with, but which is written in such a way as to have never previously occurred to me. As a relatively deep thinker myself, it's exciting to be blindsided with agreeable novel concepts. Don't let it go to your head, Fran, and Happy New Year!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6557458849091969678.post-71290819577693932272014-12-30T15:40:55.222-05:002014-12-30T15:40:55.222-05:00If memory serves (And with only 5 active brain cel...If memory serves (And with only 5 active brain cells at any given time, it don't serve much!), gold Kryptonite was the deal breaker...the one version that would, if Supes was exposed to it, remove his powers from him forever more. Fortunately, it was supposed to be the rarest of all Kryptonites. Green could weaken and kill him, Red did strange things to him (you never knew what from exposure to exposure), and I think White was like a version of viagra...or at least it slowed him down so he wasn't "as fast as a speeding bullet"...but I can't be sure about the last one.<br /><br />And from our house to yours...may the coming New Year be considerably better than this one was. May you have increased good fortunes, good times with family and friends, and never suffer from the dreaded writers block!<br />Guy Shttp://navvet55.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6557458849091969678.post-47842530618032089162014-12-30T14:18:45.183-05:002014-12-30T14:18:45.183-05:00Frankly I enjoy the articles where we don't ag...Frankly I enjoy the articles where we don't agree most because they are as always very insightful, logical and well written. In this time of so much deceit and deception by the MSM, gov't, religious leaders, educators, law enforcement, etc stopping to examine one's beliefs is an outstanding practice. As a reformed Neo-Con I appreciate your time and efforts. Drewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11410760001317154919noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6557458849091969678.post-71383241964311300862014-12-30T13:18:31.190-05:002014-12-30T13:18:31.190-05:00I was in my mid-20s when I came across an article ...I was in my mid-20s when I came across an article in Rolling Stone that talked about Paul McCartney's bass playing and how critical it was to the Beatles' "sound."<br /><br />I was a Beatlemaniac in the early 60s. Of course they were John, Paul, George and Ringo. But to listen to "She Loves you," or "I Want to Hold Your Hand," or "That Boy," or "Please Please Me," was to listen to the BEATLES - not to figure out who wrote what or who was the "leader" of the group.<br /><br />Whatever their individual merits, the Beatles for a couple of years were THE BEATLES, not 4 individuals. And it wasn't just hype. Listen to the first couple of albums.<br /><br />That's a round-about (probably inebriated) way of saying that you aren't just an op-ed blogger anymore, Fran. Your body of work, from your fictional heroes to your advice to writers, to your musings on technology to your political and social commentary has become more than just your point of view.<br /><br />It's a way of thinking. A dialogue between something within you and the sensibilities of your readers. You can't discuss race, faith or many of the other issues you've dealt with without ruffling everyone's feathers at one point or another. So it's not "just" entertainment or standing on a soap box and haranguing.<br /><br />But an honest dialogue - even though you're the one doing most of the writing - benefits both parties.<br /><br />I guess what I'm saying is that you aren't just an op-ed writer (or blogger) to me, anymore. You certainly aren't just a physicist Catholic programmer. In a way, you aren't even "just" a point of view. Rather, you've become sort of a "way of thinking." A way of expressing. A window into the paradoxes of rationality that somehow remains pretty darned consistent on several levels.<br /><br />Happy New Year and all the best wishes to you and yours.Tim Turnernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6557458849091969678.post-68078234288241606372014-12-30T12:01:42.656-05:002014-12-30T12:01:42.656-05:00Curmudgeon Emeritus wrote this? With all that use ...Curmudgeon Emeritus wrote this? With all that use of the 1st personal singular? <br /><br />OK: What have you done with him? >:)<br /><br />Thank you Fran. You've reinforced my own often difficult efforts. I'll continue to call attention to the brazen advances of the Malthusian moralizing death cult and its Soviet-Style Media eunuchs no matter how many readers find it unpleasant.<br /><br />Here's to a new year where live and let live begins to retake its rightful place.Pascalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00303025432356543062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6557458849091969678.post-47472100980107335022014-12-30T11:25:54.176-05:002014-12-30T11:25:54.176-05:00OK: you got me with the gold kryptonite. In the di...OK: you got me with the gold kryptonite. In the dim recesses of my mind, I remember that there many colors, and that they all did different things to the various survivors of Krypton, but, ever since my mother threw away my comics ~50 years ago, I forget. So: what does (or what did it do in the comics) gold kyrptonite do?<br /><br />By the way, even though you can read this comment, I really AM a robot; you need to get a better robot-detector.igorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14485690142676607096noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6557458849091969678.post-45755886275301725472014-12-30T10:03:23.615-05:002014-12-30T10:03:23.615-05:00I appreciate your honesty. I'm one of the 300...I appreciate your honesty. I'm one of the 300 and I'll keep reading. And maybe, just maybe, I might be lured into reading some S/F. Might have to broaden my horizon with the deaths of two of my favorites (Tom Clancy and Vince Flynn). Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com