The Crowhill Journal

I never listened to Rush that much, mostly because I had a job, and he was on air in the middle of the day.

When I did get a chance to listen, I was always impressed by a few things.

• He was, of course, nothing like the caricature of him you hear from his detractors.
• He almost always had an interesting, insightful take on an issue. Something you didn’t hear from anybody else.
• He was extraordinarily smart, and pulled his insights from a very deep well of knowledge.
• He was simultaneously pompous / arrogant and very humble. It was an odd and likeable quirk.
• He was enormously talented. Not only did he create the talk radio industry single-handedly, he was able to keep a huge audience engaged while he talked for three hours — almost always with no guests. That is simply incredible.

Rush had an enormous impact on conservatism, and on America.

I haven’t listened yet, but I understand Ben Shapiro’s show yesterday was dedicated to all the ghoulish delight from the left over Rush’s parting. (Evil cretins.)

Rest in peace, Rush. It will be a long time before we see your equal.

I used to think I would like to live in England, but after a couple weeks of soggy, wet, gray and cold (but not cold enough for serious snow), I think probably not.

I realize not all England is like that, but I don’t know how I’d do living through months of this.

I heard the story of rolling power outages as I was driving past a field of solar panels, which were covered with snow.

New York Times issues correction of story about death of Capitol police officer. He wasn’t killed as a result of a blow to the head with a fire extinguisher. He had a stroke. Possibly as a result of something that happened that day, but it wasn’t the way the media reported it.

You count on the fact that initial reports from major news stories will be wrong. It’s a rule of the universe — like the rule that whenever I fix something of any significance, I end up bleeding.

Freddie Gray, George Floyd, the Capitol riots, alleged election irregularities, Bubba Wallace and the “noose,” … it doesn’t matter what it is. If it’s sensational, the first reports are almost always wrong.

In Conspiracy Theory, Jerry Fletcher, played by Mel Gibson, is compelled to read The Catcher in the Rye. He doesn’t know exactly why. (It’s a good movie, by the way.)

I can relate, a little. From time to time I have to re-read That Hideous Strength, by C.S. Lewis. Mostly, I think, because I happen to be looking around for a book to read, and there it is. My copy is old, yellowed and somewhat battered. If I get the urge again, I think I’ll have to get a new copy.

This time I jotted down a few notes, as they occurred to me. Things I find interesting, compelling, or worth mention.

• There’s a lot to learn in the resentments we feel towards others — especially spouses. At first I labeled this as “feminism causes resentment,” which I think is partly true, but Lewis is an equal opportunity critic here, and he criticizes Mark and Jane for their resentments.
• Ambiguity is a tool of oppression.
• The so-called educated people are the ones who are most deceived by propaganda.
• There are interesting social dynamics and inner motivations to consider in being in or out of the select group. E.g., trying to be in the “in” crowd can be a big temptation for some.
• Importing non-native workmen — especially those of a particular disposition — is a fairly reliable way to cause trouble in a town.
• Crises are sometimes manufactured to justify emergency actions and regulations.
• Obedience is related to love.
• It can be insufferable when a person thinks of himself as educated.
• It’s important to have a skeptic around.
• Modern education does not induce or teach nobility, and modern man lacks noble thoughts.

THS is decently good at diagnosing many of the ills in modern society, but it doesn’t offer much guidance or hope in fighting against it — except to pray and hope for a miracle. So in that respect it’s somewhat disappointing.

Does that mean I’m channeling McPhee?