(Tolkien Geek alert!)

The country is 'Valinor'

The sons of Illuvatar are the Valar, which is the plural of Vala.
hilary | Homepage | 04.20.05 - 3:33 pm | #

D'oh! I knew that! Forgive me. I was up at 5:00 AM.
Mark Shea | 04.20.05 - 3:54 pm | #

Or the Ainur, for those of you who aren't restricted to languages of the Children.
Ed | 04.20.05 - 4:00 pm | #

Why are you nicer to people on their website than on your own?

I personally thought that the comment that you wrote on his website was thoughtful enough and ended what you'd both agree is a trivial matter, but you are now continuing the discussion here in a more belligerent tone. One thing: if you write "some guy like X" or "some guy like Y" that seems to me to be deliberately dismissive in attitude and also indicative of laziness - if you don't know who "some guy" is, before blogging about them you have a duty to research that person's credentials and provide it as information to your readership (i.e. us)so that we know why he was considered worth being on the same panel as yourself.

But I'm sure many of us are having a hard time finding out what you find so offensive about the word "triumphal" unless you consider it to be part of some sort of trilogy: "I am celebrating, you are trumphal, he is gloating"?
Glyn | 04.20.05 - 4:40 pm | #

No. "Triumphalist" (not the word employed here, necessarily), is the attitude or belief that one religious creed is superior to others. It can have a negative connotation in describing the approroach of some Catholics to other creeds and faiths. Why not just say some Catholics were "happy" at the election of Benedict XVI? Why load the comment with the connotation, unless intentionally? What was proven by that?
Hal McCard | 04.20.05 - 5:18 pm | #

We aren't triumphal, unless we're a procession or monument or piece of music made in celebration of some great victory. We're triumphant. I am, anyway.
Elinor | Homepage | 04.20.05 - 5:31 pm | #

B16 - sounds like a military aircraft or a stiff drink.
c matt | 04.21.05 - 12:35 pm | #

No, it's a vitamin!
atheling2 | Homepage | 04.30.05 - 2:23 am | #

Sounds to me like Jeff was doing some quick "kissing up". Although I have know idea who he would be kissing up to.
Lucy | 06.17.05 - 11:27 pm | #