Epistemophiliac

The X-Files episode, “Beyond the Sea” made me anti-death penalty. Brad Dourif plays a mass murderer on death row who claims to have visions that could save two missing girls. The show doesn’t go for the easy out - he’s guilty of horrible things and he’s trying to cut a deal. Scully’s skepticism and faith collide - she thinks he’s playing a cruel game, but if she doesn’t go along, he will be put to death, which is against her Catholic beliefs. One of Gillian Anderson’s best (and favorite) episodes.

The end result is a surprisingly profound meditation on the value of life, the difference between justice and revenge, and the depravity 9f state-sanctioned murder.

Grostesques are mythical or fantastical creatures carved into the sides of building. If they have been designed to drain water away from the building, they are called gargoyles .

For 27 years I have been singing this as “at least it settles in a _fun_location”, like “you guys may get the sun rise but of course it wants to settle down in California” and I thought that was such a clever line.

Now I don’t know how to feel.