NB: If you are interested in the Chartres Pilgrimage, there is a webinar you can sign up for. HERE It’s held by the great REGINA Magazine. The editor wrote to me: “This trip fills up fast, so hurry!” Free information webinar on Thursday, Feb. 20 at 8:00 pm ET. Sign up. There will be time available for Q&A.
Welcome Registrant:
Dr.
Once again, thanks to donors for help with my upcoming Roman Sojourn for the end of January and beginning of February. It’s a fast one. Here’s an updated list:
JL, SAS, JL, JK, MH, GF, KM, VD, DLS, HL, TB, DvdH, LD, KK, AC, GW, DM, T&MLG, DH, DM, AN, JC, SB, SP, MM, AR, KC, RG (restricted to favorite drinks), GG, JA, DC, SU
I’ve recorded your names and I’ll keep you in my particular prayers during my time in the Eternal City as always. I hope I didn’t miss anyone. My main expenses are covered for this trip. I will have some “practical” expenses and I have to compensate people who worked on spiffing up my place. There’s “wavy flag” and, my preference, Zelle. I’ll have another drive before returning to Rome for Holy Week in April and beyond into May.
Please remember me when shopping online and use my affiliate links. US HERE – UK HERE WHY? This helps to pay for health insurance (massively hiked for this new year of surprises), utilities, groceries, etc.. At no extra cost, you provide help for which I am grateful.
I’ve been saying all along that people build religious buildings according to what they believe. Makes sense, right? In recent decades we’ve seen churches built that look like municipal airports, with virtually no element that might raise thought to the transcendent. I think this is changing, slowly.
German poet Heinrich Heine was once asked why men no longer build great cathedrals.
He replied: “People in those old times had convictions; we moderns only have opinions. And it needs more than a mere opinion to erect a Gothic cathedral.” pic.twitter.com/B2oiyH9qS3
— Humble Flow (@HumbleFlow) January 18, 2025
This is great… and appropriate for today…
German poet Heinrich Heine was once asked why men no longer build great cathedrals.
He replied: “People in those old times had convictions; we moderns only have opinions. And it needs more than a mere opinion to erect a Gothic cathedral.” pic.twitter.com/B2oiyH9qS3
— Humble Flow (@HumbleFlow) January 18, 2025
This is too cool not to share…
When you’re on a plane and accidentally catch a Falcon 9 lifoff.
[? chefpinkpr]pic.twitter.com/YJUb1xdIK9
— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) January 17, 2025
In chessy news… HERE
White to move and mate in 4.
Interested in learning? Try THIS.
The Tata Steel Chess Tournament is on in Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands. This is the first big tournament of the year. Magnus and Nepo and Wesley are not there. Quite a few big names are missing, but the field is strong. It ends on Feb 2. 14 rounds of classical. Yesterday I saw a bot of a game between Gukesh and Anish. Whew.
White to move and mate in 4.
[NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.]
Priestly chess players, drop me a line. HERE
I have to add this…
White mates in 4 (the order is important):
1. Re8+ Bc8
2. RxB+ KxR
3. Ne7+ Kb8
4. Rd8 mate
Your second diagram shows an inspired move. Whatever Black responds, he loses. If he captures the Queen, White plays BxP+, followed by Bh6 mate. And if he tries b5b4, the same mate ensues. If he plays Nb4, White exchanges Queens and a Rook, followed by RxP+, and Black loses either his Knight or his Bishop, or possibly both (same if he plays Bb4).
Re8+, Bc8
Rxc8+, Kxc8
Ne7+, Kb8
Rd8#
In the second game, if Black takes the Queen,
Qa4, Pxa4
Bxc4+, Kf8 (or Kg7)
Bh6#
But if Black doesn’t take the bait, he can escape, at least for a while.
Qa4, Nc5
Bxc4+, Ne6
Bxe6+, Kxe6
Qb3+, Kd6 (or d7)
Qd1+, Kc7
…