Charles P. Pierce

4 days ago | esquire.com | Charles P. Pierce

(Permanent Musical Accompaniment To The Last Post Of The Week From The Blog's Favourite Living Canadian)There always was something of a hermit about Justice David Souter. His presence on the bench existed mainly in the decisions, and concurrences and dissents he wrote. In many ways, he existed only on paper. When he stepped down in 2009, it was something of a surprise. But he left one lasting legacy on the institution.

5 days ago | esquire.com | Charles P. Pierce

New Pope, Day Two. It seems that the MAGA hordes, and their Catholic auxiliaries, are dissatisfied with the Holy Spirit's work in the recent conclave. (Laura Loomer Xweeted, "WOKE MARXIST POPE," thereby exhausting her vocabulary.) There has been some serious social media spelunking and, let's just say, many members of the cult over here in Leo's native land are birthing bovines over the whole business. From The New Republic:Well, MAGA is not happy about any of it.

5 days ago | esquire.com | Charles P. Pierce

Full Disclosure: Damien Lehfeldt, board chairman of USA Fencing, is a friend, and was my son's college teammate. I fenced against him when he was coming up, and he regularly kicked my ass up and down the strip. Often, during open fencing periods at the Boston Fencing Club, he and I fenced against women and, occasionally, girls. Some of them kicked my ass, too, It simply is the way fencing works for an overwhelming number of the people who enjoy the sport in the country's fencing clubs.

6 days ago | esquire.com | Charles P. Pierce

(Optional Musical Accompaniment To This Post)The last Leo, the 13th of that name, was pope for 25 years, the fourth longest papacy in history, if you count St. Peter himself. He died in 1903 having spent his papacy wrestling the church into the brand-new century. He worked to reconcile science and religion. He opened the Vatican archives to researchers and reopened the Vatican observatory.

1 week ago | esquire.com | Charles P. Pierce

It's Opening Day for the Cardinals!From the AP:At 4:30 p.m. local time the cardinals walked solemnly into the frescoed Sistine Chapel, chanting the meditative “Litany of the Saints” and the Latin hymn “Veni Creator.” After the cardinals take their oaths, a senior cardinal delivers a meditation, but the conclave won’t officially begin until the master of papal liturgical ceremonies calls out “Extra omnes,” Latin for “all out” and the doors are closed.