Saturday, November 17, 2012

The greatest evil is not now done in those sordid "dens of crime" that Dickens loved to paint. It is not even in concentration camps and labour camps. In those we see its final result. But it is conceived and ordered (moved, seconded, carried, and minuted) in clean, carpeted, warmed, and well-lighted offices, by quiet men with white collars and cut fingernails and smooth shaven cheeks who do not need to raise their voice.

-C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters  

[Incidentally, a piece of interesting trivia: this quote was quoted in one of the most famous presidential speeches in history, Reagan's "evil empire" speech. In fact, it was this quote which led into his denouncing the Soviet Union as the "evil empire"]

http://youtu.be/do0x-Egc6oA?t=2m29s


Monday, November 5, 2012

If ever you have nothing to do, and looking to have some interesting reading, just google "Ye Olde Statistician" or "TheOFloinn", just to see author Mike Flynn's contributions to various discussions on diverse blogs on the Internet. Trust me, it will be worth it.
 

Mike Flynn is a science fiction writer (and a pretty good one apparently based on the reviews- indeed, one of the blurbs on his book Eifelheim was from Orson Scott Card, someone who even I, in my near complete ignorance of science fiction, have heard of. Card's blurb stated "Eifelheim...may turn out to be the best science fiction novel this year.")  However, I do not read science fiction, so admittedly I cannot comment much there. But from an apologetics and philosophical perspective, he is wonderful to read. 

Incidentally, his blog is tofspot.blogspot.com