Welcome to Belbury.

Last night, I dreamed that the world was coming to an end.

I was living in the Northeastern United States in some sort of monastic community located near a small university town. Wifeofdadwithnoisykids was no longer in the picture for some reason - and not explained in the dream. I was living a celibate life in this dream, although I did express concern for my grown-up children.

This dream had a lot in common with A Canticle for Leibowitz. I was the monk who joined the monastery after his wife died, I guess. I even started thinking that I would die like the abbot did, crushed by the walls of the chapel. I even searched for a good place to lie down so a wall could fall on me.

I was walking around the city, trying to prepare myself for the end. At 6 p.m., I gathered all the people standing near me and led them in the Angelus. I figured that the world would end after prayers were said. It didn't happen, and I slowly became aware that all of the organizations that we rely on to maintain our comfortable lives were gone forever.

In the vacuum left behind was nothing but anarchy. I began to look about for means of protection, even though I owned nothing and had taken a vow of poverty, chastity, and obedience. A sense of doom and fear far greater than one would expect in a religious brother took hold of me.

I awoke knowing it was time to bring Belbury to this blog.

Welcome to Belbury

After weeks of delay, I am pleased to welcome you to the first of (hopefully not) many entries on the subject of live in the United States under the Obama Administration.

For the purpose of this blog, the Obama Administration will be referred to as Belbury.

Welcome to Belbury!

Belbury comes from the name of the headquarters of the organization called N.I.C.E. - National Institute of Coordinated Experiments - described in the book That Hideous Strength, by C.S. Lewis.

The plans that have come out of Belbury have some similarities with those of the fictional Belbury. In brief, personal freedom will be replaced by a large centralized government which will determine what one can and cannot do. What I propose is to make occasional entries connecting our present-day Belbury and those many Belburys which can be found in literature.

But first, a little housekeeping.

I have already started a Facebook group called Welcome to Belbury, so for those of you who prefer FB to blogs are welcome to join that version of it. Membership is open.

A good group needs a theme song, or maybe an anthem to start all of the functions of the group. I have selected Living Colour's song Cult of Personality as the anthem for this group. I am only putting a link to the song, because I can't find a better version of it. Someone did a great job splicing the song with commentary by various conservatives and Obama supporters, but it has been removed from YouTube. The best parts of the video are where Obama supporters are asked to name ANY accomplishments by Obama. The silence is telling.

There is even a folk song I wrote, for those of you who prefer that kind of music. Find it at this link.

Finally, I want to give you all an assignment. I want you to read the Space Trilogy by C.S. Lewis, starting with the book Out of the Silent Planet, then Perelandra, and finally That Hideous Strength, where N.I.C.E. rears its ugly head. I shall write a brief review of the books soon.

So long for now, and stay tuned as Belbury keeps grinding along.