This is Muffin Turf!

I don't tend to encourage spray painting on public property, but this MLP graffiti from Argentina is pretty cool and preferable to the typical bleak gang-related stuff we see (HT: Nate Winchester):

Derpy Hooves: One Happy Muffin

Twilight Sparkle & Rainbow Dash

Check out more here & here.

The Great and Apologetic Trixie

I'll have more on Trixie and "Magic Duel," but for now, enjoy this epic sad face:

Twilight, Y U NO forgive me?

Say Yes to Radi-Aid! (Africa for Norway)

This funny video of Africans uniting We Are the World-style to spread warmth by donating radiators to Norway has been making the rounds lately around the Catholic Blogosphere (HT: Brandon):

The "Africa for Norway" group does have a serious message about common Western perceptions of Africa, as well as suggestions for current aid to Africa based on real needs rather than "good" intentions. Be sure to check out their page.

Another Sign of the Impending Zombie Apocalypse...

Hostess, maker of Twinkies, is going out of business due to a failure to reach an agreement on pay and benefit cuts with the employee union.

The Zombieland movie is looking more and more prophetic with its prediction of a Twinkie-less future:

Get ready for the walking dead, my friends, and be sure to study carefully the rules for survival...

Twilight: Breaking Wind

This is probably the only post I'll do that mentions the word "Twilight" and doesn't refer to Twilight Sparkle, the egghead unicorn from MLP: FiM:

Twilight wants her 8 bits back...

Anyway, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part Two, the finale of the movie series, is releasing tomorrow. I won't watch/review the film. Instead, I think I'll link to Lucy Knisley's superb comic-strip summary of the entire plot of the Twilight books. (HT: Brandon)

Fine, I'm guilty! I watched the first three Twilight movies...

...But I certainly didn't enjoy the sparkly vampires, muppet running and angst-ridden romance...

St. Thomas on Friendship with Horses

St. Thomas and Rainbow Dash: Pony Friends Forever!

According to the Philosopher (Ethic. viii, 2,3) not every love has the character of friendship, but that love which is together with benevolence, when, to wit, we love someone so as to wish good to him. If, however, we do not wish good to what we love, but wish its good for ourselves, (thus we are said to love wine, or a horse, or the like), it is love not of friendship, but of a kind of concupiscence. For it would be absurd to speak of having friendship for wine or for a horse. -- Summa Theologiae, 2.2.23


I think Aquinas is right here that one cannot be friends with horses, since the usual equines we find lack the rationality humans have.  As creatures of reason, we can will the good of one another, as we can know what is good for us through the intellect. If others reciprocate this good will, what we have is friendship, mutual love. Nevertheless, one can indeed have affection for a horse, as one loves other faithful animal companions, like dogs.

However, St. Thomas never knew about the anthropomorphic ponies of Equestria from the My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic show, for whom friendship, that is, willing the good of another, is sort of a big deal...

Another Kind of Strong Female Character...

While reading Rebecca Bratten Weiss and Regina Doman's "Catholic Philosopher Chick Makes her Debut," I can't fail to notice that Catelyn constantly walks around Dominican University with her old, beaten single volume (!) copy of the Summa Theologiae. Unless this is some kind of fantasy story, I suspect she has an abridged version, since a modern-day complete Summa comprises 5 large volumes and 3000 pages!

Anyhow, I highly recommend the book (especially the $5 Kindle version), since you don't exactly get many chances to read the exciting exploits of female Thomist philosophers (or She-Thomists). Here's a review by First Things. I might post more as I make it further in, so stay tuned...

Yet Another MLP: FiM Season 3 Crystal Ponies Sneak Preview!

HUB just released a new preview spot for the My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Season 3 premiere episode on November 10. But enough chit-chat, time is candy:

A King Sombra sighting!

MLP: Horses and Bayonets

If you seek a thorough analysis of today's Romney/Obama debate from a Catholic perspective, you should probably look elsewhere (like Catholicvote.org), but if you're looking for MLP memes inspired by the debate, you came to the right place:

According to my friend Drew, the horn of a unicorn is a kind of bayonet, so you can see that the "Horses and Bayonets" line applies to MLP.

RPG Catholic Presidential Voting Guide II

On the eve of the third debate between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney, I'd like to point out two more alternative write-in candidates for president. Don't forget my previous endorsement of Stubbs the cat and Princess Luna.

- St. Thomas Aquinas (along with running mate, Aristotle):

- Mr. Darwin and his friend Matthew Grady are also in the running.

IL Triello (The Trio) Adrian, Alfredo, and Eric at UCLA

After stopping by the Richard Dawkins UCLA lecture, we head off for the bus stop. I make a few jokes at Alfredo's expense, Adrian shows off his new Dawkins swag, and I give a shout-out to the guys from the Facebook Thomism Discussion Group, the Christian Bronies page, and Octavia the pony cellist.

Get your Octavia shirts today!


Some pictures:

The RPG Catholic with Richard Dawkins in the background

The Analytic Scholastic (aka "The Alfredo") with RD

Adrian with RD

Adrian and Alfredo finally meet Richard Dawkins face-to-face. Dawkins looks very pleased...

Are there Unicorns in the Bible?

Taylor Marshall and Jimmy Akin both chime in.

This is Pretty Cool

The Ohio State University marching band plays a medley of video game music from Super Mario, Zelda, Halo, Tetris, and other games during the halftime show of last Saturday's OSU-Nebraska football game.

At the Convention

If any y'all are in Las Pegasus, I mean, the Los Angeles area, be sure to check out the 'Equestria LA' convention on November 3-4. There are still some badges available. From the news section of the web site, I hear that the voice actors for Fluttershy/Pinkie Pie and Zecora will appear, along with one of the show writers, M. Larson, who penned the script for the episode "Luna Eclipsed." I really wish I could make it to the event, but unfortunately, I already have plans for those two days...

Speaking of plans, if any of my philosophy and theology friends are reading this, don't forget to register for the American Catholic Philosophical Association (ACPA) conference on November 2-4. All your favorites from the Catholic philosophical world will be there, like Ariaga and Ariaga II, Bariaga, Aruglia, and Pizzoza.

Be there!

The RPG Catholic Presidential Voting Guide

Now, this isn't normally a political blog, but I can't quite pass up the opportunity to offer some guidance to my readers with the important presidential election coming up in less than two months.

Of course, there are already good guides in the Catholic blogosphere. Catholicvote.org advises Catholics to vote for Mitt Romney over Barack Obama via a flyer comparing policy stances and Brandon considers an oft-overlooked but crucial criterion for assessing party platforms, namely which party has the coolest looking webpage.

However, since, as Mark Shea and Thomas McDonald both reminds us, neither candidate (nor their respective Republican and Democratic party platform) is palatable for the Catholic voter, I hereby present two third-party/write-in candidates to consider instead.

First up, Stubbs the cat, current "mayor" of Talkeetna, Alaska:

Shea lists his qualifications:


For Republicans: He’s got the whole Palinesque charting our own course on the frontier, small government vibe.

For Dems: He’s got the whole back to nature, Obama cool vibe.

For the Religious  Right:  He is literally without sin.

Plus he has a solid track record of 15 years of government service!


In short, Stubbs appeals to all voters, except maybe for dogs.

If you don't like the idea of a cat president, another good choice, in fact, my preferred option, is the alicorn Princess Luna:

As co-ruler of the Pony Kingdom of Equestria, Luna ensured the moon followed its natural cycle with her magic. She possesses many admirable qualities that make her a good candidate: she has deafening oratorical skill that commands attention, she's fun loving, and she's good with kids. Let's check out excerpts from her New Lunar Republic platform:


Citizens of Ponyville! We have graced your tiny village with our presence, so that you might behold the real princess of the night! A creature of nightmare no longer, but instead a pony who desires your love and admiration! Together we shall change this dreadful celebration into a bright and glorious feast!
...

Remember this day, little ponies, for it was your last. From this moment forth, the night will last forever!
...

Citizens of Ponyville, you have been wise to bring this candy to me! I am pleased with your offering! So pleased, I may eat it instead of eating you!

Well, the prospect of facing eternal darkness and possibly having your backside gobbled still beats the outrageous Democratic platform that supports the HHS mandate, abortion, and same-sex marriage and the Republican platform, which errs in its libertarian economic policy.

Before I go, I should note that my buddy Nate Winchester supports the pegasus pony Fluttershy, the element of kindness, who is very persuasive:

So, my friends, this November make the right choice...

Some Advice on Chivalry

Jordan, Josh, and Kelli of Blimey Cow offer another "Messy Monday" video worth a peek, this time on 5 tips for living a more chivalrous life (HT: Aggie Catholics):

Jordan, I appreciate the advice you give at the end about a chivalrous man needing armor and a pony to save damsels in distress, but I'm already way ahead of ya, buddy:

Aquinas: Music Video Super Star!

Are you just a beginning, peeping Thomist? Bought Ed Feser's book but haven't yet found the time to sit down and read it? Well, never fear, the singing trio of Bambi, Vicki, and Angelica will teach you the basics of St. Thomas Aquinas's thought (HT: Angelicum Newsletter):

Alvin Plantinga: One Cool Cat

One of the most prominent living Christian philosophers, Alvin Plantinga, appeared in an interview last year on local television news, talking about his broken air conditioner (HT: Amtheomusings):

I wish I was as cool as Dr. Plantinga is, as I don't own an AC unit at all and it's gotten over 100 degrees here in Southern California the past week.

Philosophy: Perhaps Not So Impractical After All

No longer will philosophy majors be the butt of jokes...

Link

Of course, it's another story whether we philosophy majors will be able to translate these results into a paying job. (HT: Martin Cothran)

                                       
Philosophers are still a long way, however, from receiving the kind of just rewards and benefits that Socrates half-jokingly demands in Plato's Apology:

What would be a reward suitable to a poor man who is your benefactor, who desires leisure that he may instruct you? There can be no more fitting reward than maintenance in the Prytaneum, O men of Athens, a reward which he deserves far more than the citizen who has won the prize at Olympia in the horse or chariot race, whether the chariots were drawn by two horses or by many. For I am in want, and he has enough; and he only gives you the appearance of happiness, and I give you the reality. And if I am to estimate the penalty justly, I say that maintenance in the Prytaneum is the just return (36a-38c).

Free food and housing for philosophers for life? Socrates for president!

Just another Lazy Saturday: 80's Cartoon Nostalgia Edition

What content does a blogger offer while trying to finish his more substantive posts? Well, if you're a nerd like me, one good way to provide amusement is to look back at the intros of some of my favorite cartoons from the 80's:

                                                                Transformers

                                         
Before Michael Bay and Shia Labeouf, the animated Autobots and Decepticons conspired together in the mid-80s to make us buy toys with their sheer awesomeness. What young boy, after all, can say 'no' to transformable robots that kick ass?

                                                                 G.I. Joe

Only in a kid's cartoon can two sides wage total war with zero causalities.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

I heard that Michael Bay planned to give TMNT the "Transformers treatment" until Paramount mercifully shut down the reboot.

He-Man

Even more than 20 years later, He-Man still has the power.

In honor of my friends Brandon and DGD, I include these two intros:

Care Bears

Besides the friendly ponies of Equestria, what other virtue ethicists do you know of that can drive cloud cars and shoot rainbows from their tummies? Alasdair MacIntyre? Speaking of ponies...

My Little Pony G1 (aka My Little Pony n' Friends)

I wonder why there weren't many Bronies back in the 80s...