Indeed it is hot here in New England, all the more oppressive because we completely skipped over spring. It rained and rained and rained March to June, and then rather suddenly popped up to 90 degrees around June 23. But after a winter of extraordinary snowiness, I will take it.

By the way, I am back after yet another hiatus and appreciate my comrades for their "picking up the slack."

I think this is a fabulously brave and "spot on" article by John Derbyshire on homosexuality in the Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches. I worked four years in an American seminary, watching and digesting many disturbing things, and Derbyshire's comments hit home. Oh the things I saw; oh the things I could relate! But since that particular religious society was darn good to me, and I am as loyal as a dog, any exposes will have to wait. Suffice to say, JD is on to something here.

A book review by Roger Scruton, lamenting excessive democratism and pleading for the necessity of (and the inevitability of) elites. We like Scruton.

I may put this book on my summer list, an academic thriller based upon the disputed authorship of William Shakespeare. And the prevailing current in DC today may be Wilsonian (a tide I often happily ride upon), but being positive about Woodrow Wilson is still hard for me. He gave us the income tax and he maligned a foreign policy based on national interest. I'd have voted for Taft.

And check out the latest Books & Culture website for several interesting articles on the Civil War, thinking ahead to next week's 140th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. Hmmm, this being true I do believe I will begin posting some Civil War thoughts seeing as this is one of my specialities and research interests (especially the causes thereof 1820-1860).