Author Archives: Anthony Chase Fountain

One of the greatest musical ensembles ever was the Budapest String Quartet, extant for 50 years, from 1917 to 1967. I was a tad too young to have heard them perform in person, but their many recordings give one an idea of their superlative playing. A wonderful quality of the Budapest was their astonishing ability toContinue reading “The excellent Budapestians”

From Newsweek‘s James Bickerton New York City’s Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani has said he wants to “shift the tax burden” to “richer and whiter neighborhoods” if he secures election in November. A housing policy document on Mamdani’s official website includes a pledge to “shift the tax burden from overtaxed homeowners in the outer boroughsContinue reading “Mamdani: There’s bad racism and good racism”

To the surprise of many, an upset took place in the recent New York mayoral primary, with the underdog Zohran Mamdani coming from behind and defeating the party favorite, Andrew Cuomo. Cuomo wasn’t much of a candidate, a tired, uninspired hack who rode on the coat tails of his well-known father. His record wasn’t atContinue reading “New York elite’s new boy wonder, Zoram Mamdani”

Pista ni San Juan, Basaan or Wattah Wattah Festival Your correspondent wrote in an earlier post that he had come to the conclusion he would never know all there is to know about the Holy Catholic Church, as he did not have enough time remaining. That said, though, he’s just learned of a lovely, ifContinue reading “A peculiar Catholic tradition in the Philippines.”

“The strict conditions for legitimate defense by military force require rigorous consideration. The gravity of such a decision makes it subject to rigorous conditions of moral legitimacy. At one and the same time: “damage inflicted by the aggressor on the nation or community of nations must be lasting, grave, and certain; “all other means ofContinue reading “What the Catechism says about the Iran bombings”

According to Don Surber, Democrats on Capitol Hill have a nickname for Donald Trump: TACO, Trump Always Chickens Out. The silly nickname came about because the president seemingly makes statements saying he will do this or that and then backs off. They don’t seem to understand that Trump is a deal maker, probably because theyContinue reading “Trump: Dems are clueless how he works”

From the Catholic News Agency: Widow, mother of 4 nuns and a priest, takes perpetual vows Sister Maria Zhang Yue Chun made her perpetual vows on May 13 at the convent of the Augustinian Recollects in Vitigudino, Salamanca province, Spain. Her prioress, Sister Berta, said she is “an example” for her community. Born in Shangqiu,Continue reading “Feel-good story from the from the Augustinian Recollects”

From the Free Press: Last Thursday, as Israel expanded its military campaign, Iranian authorities at the Fordow nuclear complex in the country’s northwest dispatched 16 cargo trucks to the underground site’s primary tunnel entrance. These vehicles proceeded, over the next 24 hours, to move unidentified equipment a kilometer away, while working to fortify the mountain-coveredContinue reading “Iran bombing: Some people are never satisfied.”

La Cappella e la Musica dei Papi, Massimo Polombella, Director, Deutsche Gramophone DG 479 6131 Many years ago, your Tatler, before being received into the Church, heard over the radio a short take of an Eastertide performance of the Sistine Chapel Choir. It was, (one could say) excruciating. The men’s vibrato was plain embarrassing, andContinue reading “A Catholic choir, once in dire need of improvement, has done just that.”

Encouraging words from Cardinal Raymond Burke. From the Catholic News Agency: Cardinal Raymond Burke said he has asked Pope Leo XIV to remove measures restricting the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM) in dioceses.  Burke spoke at a London conference organized by The Latin Mass Society of England and Wales, telling attendees that heContinue reading “Deus te benedicat, Emenentia”