Loosely Speaking

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Saturday, October 18, 2008

AMERICA IS NOT A CHRISTIAN NATION part 2

America ’s European roots were the English Puritans in their austere black garb and the Holy Bible their shield against all misfortune and evil. Their definition of ‘evil’ was wide, encompassing just about everything beyond the confines of their own narrow world view. They were a self-righteous lot who burned witches and crowed with fierce gladness, “Thank God, today we have sent 600 heathen souls to Hell!” (Rev Increase Mather’s sermon following an unprovoked night raid on a sleeping Pequot... Sign in to see full entry.

Friday, October 17, 2008

Adam Smith's 'Invisible Hand'

Nautikos, in his comment to my previous post, mentioned this notion, and I did a little research to find out what it is. (My education, as my mom could tell you and occasionally has told me, lacks in anything comprehending economics: My dad showed me how to write a check, and left me to it.) Here it is:...every individual necessarily labours to render the annual revenue of the society as great as he can. He generally, indeed, neither intends to promote the public interest, nor knows how much he... Sign in to see full entry.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

When the Berlin Wall came down

and the Soviet Union fell apart, and Eastern Europe went through the tumult of revolution and re-ordering, it seemed as if the world was on the verge of a massive rebalancing, and I began to wonder if the events predicted in my college days, by those who were sure the end of the American Experiment was at hand, had finally arrived: the fall of the Establishment, of government as we knew it, of the American Dream as it had been dreamed for decades. I concluded then that while America is due for... Sign in to see full entry.

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Sitting at Denny's, looking around...

CROSSROADS From Texas and Japan they come for an All-American Breakfast-- some looking for something different; Some for something just the same... Eggs and pancakes, sausage, bacon, toast-- Hash browns! Exotic! Or completely not. Sign in to see full entry.

Friday, October 3, 2008

Do you plan to vote...

with your feelings or with your logic or with your common sense? All, of course, but where is the weight of your decision? What part of your perception do you rely on for making this choice? Campaigners count on most of us voting with our emotions, in reaction to how well they can play our feelings. Sound-bytes... Just a one-liner, a catchy slogan, a clever little zap to play on the emotions, to imply, to cast doubt and suspicion, to grab by the least-thoughtful, most reactive part of the... Sign in to see full entry.

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Doing what comes un-natural

A gay friend of mine who has lived in a stable partnership for some years now, and who is a retired social worker and counselor, says, "It's all about who you can love." The scientific evidence supports that homosexual attraction is a genetic pre-disposition, and in most cases, that is simply that. In other cases, there are psychological/environmental influences that challenge anyone's predispositions, and many people choose to live counter to their attractions--often for the sake of not hurting... Sign in to see full entry.

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

What kind of American are you, anyway?

There are two kinds of some significance today. There are the ones who, in crisis, panic and roar and blame the government, and demand their rights and entitlements: the Spoiled Rotten American. Then there are the ones who, in the same crisis, gird up their loins and take a good look at how they can make any part of it better: The Ingenious American. So we are in a financial crisis in this country, in the world, even. We are faced with a terribly polarizing presidential election. The prices of... Sign in to see full entry.

Monday, September 29, 2008

Don't bail out the banks, bail out the people!

How about this $700 billion being distributed to folks with foreclosures looming, which can be paid by the people into the banks, rather than from the government to the banks. Sure enough, I don't know all the details, don't know how it all works... though obviously, not so much... But this seems obvious. Why can't it work? I don't suggest handing out loose cash, but paying off the loans directly on behalf of small businesses and home owners, farmers--who ever needs the relief. Sign in to see full entry.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

What do you want me to read?

Here's an invitation for some blatant self-promotion! Things move along so fast here, each new post pushing back the previous-- so one that is overlooked, vanishes from the spot-light and fades into the wings. I've said before, it can be a most rewarding treasure hunt to choose a favorite blogger, and follow the trail back through their posts. What have you posted here on Blogit that you really think deserves more attention? Post a link here and say a few words about it. A post, a series of... Sign in to see full entry.

Monday, September 22, 2008

Autumnal slump on Blogit?

After a busy blogiting August, September seems to have sent everyone off to check their larders for winter stores, or their doors and windows for proper weather-stripping... Or maybe a huge number of Blogiteers are coping with hurricane and flood... Some have gone back to school and have stuff like classes to study for. And some of us, perhaps another Autumn thing, are simply in a bit of an inward-turning phase... Mental nesting for the coming winter? What do you think? Are you writing as much... Sign in to see full entry.

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