https://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/mryan_author/This is a blog dealing with current events in the news and any other topic I feel inclined to deal with. It will only be updated on Wednesdays.hourly12000-01-01T12:00+00:00https://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/mryan_author/526226This is going to be my last entry on this blog for a while. Just a reminder that today is officially... okay, so maybe it's not official... it is the day I have decreed as "All Faiths' Day", February 29th. Light a candle to celebrate. We celebrate religious unity in a world divided.https://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/mryan_author/525239******************************************************************* Greetings Readers, First, I want to apologize for not informing you sooner. I've been so burnt out recently, I lacked the desire and energy to post anything new on this blog. So, I will take an extended vacation until some...https://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/mryan_author/521730I live in the United States of America, a country which claims to be the torch-bearer for freedom. That said, I believe the notion of freedom is a concept worth dissecting. In this essay, I will discuss two different kinds of freedom. Since the U.S.A. has a predominantly capitalist economy...https://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/mryan_author/520545The Internet is a powerful tool. And like any tool, it can be used for both good and evil (And I use those terms in a quasi-objective sense—unlike many today, I do not believe morality is entirely subjective—such a position has far too many undesirable consequences). There are five moral...https://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/mryan_author/520308I’m an Independent who leans toward the right. Depending on the issue, I usually have very conservative views (One exception to this is gay marriage, which I don’t think is important enough of an issue to really waste too much time thinking about). Anyway, for the longest time I shied away from...https://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/mryan_author/520047Religion is a topic of much debate in political circles these days. Mitt Romney, a presidential hopeful in the United States is a registered Mormon. And of course, the War on Terror has targeted radical Islam and global jihad as our enemy. To be sure, every religion seems to have its share of...https://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/mryan_author/518843I’ve never been a big fan of the politically correct movement. To me, it seems to be something straight out of 1984. As a rule, free speech and political correctness are at odds with each other. And I will come down on the side of free speech nearly all the time. At best, I think political...https://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/mryan_author/518577Last night I watched President Bush give his seventh and final State of the Union Address. He touched on a number of crucial issues facing our country today, ranging from the War on Terror, to taxes, to Social Security, and more. Those issues, although they are important, are not what interest me...https://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/mryan_author/518325For a long time (roughly twenty years now) I’ve been a supporter of the Flat Tax here in the United States. I’ve always been good at math and I’ve always been in a low income tax bracket, so I don’t dread tax time quite as much as other Americans might. And now, with all the computer programs...https://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/mryan_author/518320**************************************************************** Yeah! I'm back from vacation. ****************************************************************