Perpetual Growth is Impossible

Chessboard diagram: exponential growth

PERPETUAL GROWTH IS IMPOSSIBLE: We’ve all heard the story of the clever merchant who asked the King to pay him with grains of wheat placed on a chessboard. On the first square he was to receive one grain; on the second, two grains; on the third, four grains — doubling with every square up to the 64th. The King readily agreed to pay such a small sum; How much could it add up to in just 63 doublings, after all? … Read the rest of this article

New and Rare Images of Edgar and Virginia Poe

by Kevin Alfred Strom

THIS YEAR marks the 200th birthday of the great poet and thinker Edgar Allan Poe. Today, October 7th, is the day of his mysterious death 160 years ago in Baltimore. And last month marked the 174th anniversary of his marriage to his beloved Virginia.

Not too long after Poe’s birthday in January of this year, someone very dear to me gave me a surprise present: two gift boxes from the Poe Museum in Richmond, one … Read the rest of this article

Revilo Oliver Recognized

Revilo P. Oliver in 1969

REVILO OLIVER RECOGNIZED: The well-known commentator for the Spectator newspaper in Britain, Taki Theodoracopulos, has just published an essay in his online magazine which, at least tentatively and partially, attempts to restore the place of the great and Menckenesque writer Revilo P. Oliver in the pantheon of 20th century thinkers. Interestingly, the article is published over the byline “Nesta Bevan,” an obvious nom de guerre, since it is the maiden name of the late writer and partisan of … Read the rest of this article

Gandhi, Obama, and Race

by Kevin Alfred Strom

THIS WEEK Google replaced their normal search page graphic with one depicting Mohandas K. Gandhi, also known as Mahatma (Sanskrit for “Great Soul”) Gandhi, in recognition of his birthday, which is now celebrated as the International Day of Non-Violence. Gandhi’s movement of civil disobedience was a significant factor in India’s successful quest for self-determination and the ultimate withdrawal of Britain from the Indian subcontinent.

Barack Obama praised Gandhi on Friday, saying “Gandhi’s teachings and ideals, shared … Read the rest of this article

Art Site Updated

Abbott Thayer - Winged Figure, detail

ART SITE UPDATED: My online art gallery has been updated recently, with newly-added paintings by Paul Delaroche, Angelica Kauffmann, Louis Janmot, Sophie Anderson, John Everett Millais, Abbott Handerson Thayer, Alexandre Cabanel, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir. Also added were portraits of Edgar and Virginia Poe, T.E. Lawrence, William Butler Yeats, Nikolai Gogol, Robert Louis Stevenson, Pedro Del Valle, and many more; along with new photographs and digital art pieces.… Read the rest of this article

Anthrax Attacks Amazing Search Results

The Anthrax Mystery logo

ANTHRAX ATTACKS AMAZING SEARCH RESULTS: Even though it was only recently restored from a hacker attack, Robert Pate’s The Anthrax Mystery: Solved Web site is garnering top results on Google, indicating a high degree of interest and relevance. A simple search on the words ANTHRAX ATTACKS gives anthraxattacks.net the number five position out of over 600,000 results. A search on the words ANTHRAX MYSTERY gives Mr. Pate’s site the number five position out of almost 400,000.… Read the rest of this article

Goodbye Analogue TV

by Kevin Alfred Strom

THE LOGO IMAGE I’m using this month on kevinalfredstrom.com is my little tribute to the end of analogue TV broadcasting. Though most of my work has been in the radio and print media, I have produced or appeared in videos, including Richmond, Virginia’s Race and Reason program, the Revilo P. Oliver memorial film, and others.

As we mark the end of analogue television broadcasting in the United States, it’s good to remember its beginning — and … Read the rest of this article

Pat Buchanan’s Double Mind

by Kevin Alfred Strom

PATRICK BUCHANAN utters truths that no one else in the  mediasphere dares utter. For that I admire and like him.

But Buchanan has one foot inside establishment “conservatism,” and, whether due to a desire to placate that segment of his following or because of the wishful and anachronistic thinking that old men are sometimes prey to, he will at times speak as though America was still the old American Republic — as though “conservatives” like … Read the rest of this article

Logical Economics

by Kevin Alfred Strom

THE FACT THAT the fetid “economic stimulus” nonsense that continuously emanates from the professional plunderers in Washington is accepted by intelligent people is disturbing to me.

The idea that politicians can actually give us “free” anything — especially “free money” — is a perennial fallacy that would be laughed out of elementary school if real economics were taught to our children, as it should be. The acceptance of that fallacy by the manipulated and ignorant mob … Read the rest of this article

Writings and Resources