Dear Readers:

Sorry about the lack of posts. It's the end of the second grading period, so I have huge stacks of tests, quizzes, and essays to grade and average and add comments to by Monday. I've also been pondering whether I need to change the focus of this weblog, or rather give it some kind of focus. In the long run, that may mean fewer, and less frequent, but longer and more elaborate posts. To get ready for that, I've deleted the clickable calendar in the right-hand column, which tended to push me to try to post something every day whether I had anything to say or not. In the short run, as I avoid grading for a few more hours, I will have a few posts on various subjects up later tonight. After that, not much is likely until Monday afternoon, unless something important happens in the world. (Not all that unlikely this weekend, of course.)

I've also inadvertently deleted all 1,397 e-mail messages in my inbox, so if you're waiting for a reply, like (e.g.) someone from First Things whose name I've forgotten who wrote a few weeks ago, please try again.