Introduction

I have been on the internet since the 20th century and have been interested in matters of history, culture, politics and the Christian religion since my undergraduate education. Originally a mainstream American conservative, I quickly became disillusioned by what passes for rightism with George W. Bush's costly and fatal nation building escapades in Iraq and Afghanistan. Yet despite all the failures of the mainstream right I could never bring myself to align with the left, as earlier I considered leftism a form of political satanism (though I wouldn't have called it that at the time).

Some of my original political influences were Vox Day, Lawrence Auster (RIP), and the venerable stable of writers at What's Wrong With the World. Zippy Catholic (RIP) would later influence my views on Catholic social teaching, usury and metaphysical realism. A few years before Auster's repose, I found Bruce Charlton. 

The Internet Era had inaugurated a new medium, for I consider a weblog not just the web version of a writer's articles, but a dynamic organism that mixes both the author's input and that of his commenters. Lawrence Auster during the mid 00's was unique in that he would only permit comments that came via e-mail so that he could control what gets posted and set the tone for discourse in his own space. Many rightist bloggers at the time sneered at such a notion due to a sentimental attachment to freedom of speech... only to adopt such a posture once it became clear that unmoderated comboxes became virtual septic tanks. I have come to appreciate that sort of comment policy because some of the regulars had keen insights that bounced off the bloggers ideas well, or were themselves bloggers with worthwhile content. This is how I discovered Laura Wood (The Thinking Housewife) from Mr. Auster and Francis Berger and William Wildblood from Dr. Charlton. All of these personalities, save William Wildblood, have adopted the same comment policy as Mr. Auster.

Not to toot my own horn, but some of my contributions have appeared on the blogs of Auster, Laura Wood, and Dr. Charlton. The only thing I am missing is a blog of my own. (OK I do have another Blogger blog but the content is cringe-inspiring and you would have difficulty searching for it). I have not yet decided what the theme or the content of this blog, but for starters I can discuss (or rather, give a permanent home to) some of the topics I have brought up elsewhere.

And the Birdemic. Because opposition to it has been a crusade of mine.

This blog is named in honor of my confirmation saint, the Prince of the Apostles, who I have always had an affinity to even years before I became a Catholic.