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Monthly Archives: February 2014
The Great Question of Religion: Who’s on First?
No, I’m not joking. True religion boils down to this one question. But before I demonstrate this, I’d like to point to something the literary critic Adam Kirsch recently wrote. He has been reading one page a day from the Talmud, … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged demonization, gandhi, God, idolatry, Jesus, love, peace, philosophy, psychology
2 Comments
The New Sexual Orientation Blindness: Michael Hannon Says It’s Time To Stop Seeing Individuals As “Heterosexual” Or “Homosexual”
In the latest volley between right and left over gay equality and civil rights, watch for this idea to catch fire among religious conservatives: sexual orientation blindness. That’s my phrase for the position of Michael Hannon. Writing in the Catholic … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged civil rights, equal rights, gay equality, philosophy, religion, women's rights
13 Comments
Critical Thinking: Roger Kimball Is Against It
Catholic conservative Roger Kimball is editor of The New Criterion, which is a great journal. I read it. I like it. But sometimes Kimball comes a little unhinged. He often seems, for example, to regret that the Enlightenment ever happened at … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged Catholicism, critical thinking, philosophy, Politics, reason, religion, Roger Kimball, the Enlightenment
5 Comments
Mean Rich
Are mean and rich synonyms? Maybe: __________ One thing I find interesting in this TED talk is that the research results (the wealthier you perceive yourself to be, the meaner you get) can be reversed with simple reminders that there … Continue reading
House Of Cards Becomes House Of Cardinals
This is a pretty amusing parody of Kevin Spacey’s Machiavellian character in House of Cards.
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged House of Cards, Kevin Spacey, Machiavelli, Politics, religion
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White Foam Board and a Single Projector
Pretty amazing video effects using white foam board and a single projector:
The Paleoconservative “Internationale”: Pat Buchanan Hearts Vladimir Putin
American conservatives have a curious relationship with Vladimir Putin: they recognize him as a macho and authoritarian traditionalist (which they like), yet he’s not an American, but a Russian (which they don’t like). And in a recent article, Pat Buchanan … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged conservatism, gay marriage, gay rights, high RWAs, Pat Buchanan, Pussy Riot, Russia, vladimir putin
3 Comments
Look Up from Your Cell Phone
It’s a Coke commercial, but excellent on so many levels. The Wagner music, the pet recovery collar. Really effective as social commentary and provocation. And it wouldn’t hurt to get processed sugar out of one’s life as well, but of … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged ads, cell phones, coke, hiding, life, plugged in, social media, texting
1 Comment
Whips Used to Break-Up Pussy Riot Protest of Vladimir Putin at Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics
Those wielding the whips are Cossack militia. These are some brave women activists: ___________
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged democracy, freedom, Olympics, Pussy Riot, Russia, Sochi
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In Light of Kiev, Will Vladimir Putin Be Tightening the Screws Even Further on Russian Dissidents?
Julia Ioffe, at The New Republic, thinks so: Moscow’s liberals are watching Kiev with a mix of horror, envy, and admiration: they’re just like us, but look at what they’ve been able to do against a president they didn’t like. … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged democracy, freedom, Kiev, Moscow, protest, Russia, Ukraine, vladimir putin, women's rights
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A Question for James Lovelock on His Predictions of Global Depopulation and the Desertification of Europe: What is Your Evidence That This is Coming?
James Lovelock is 88 and turning into an apocalyptic crank. In a recent interview with Decca Aitkenhead of The Guardian, he makes some rather extreme predictions supported by no evidence whatsoever: His latest book, The Revenge of Gaia, predicts that by … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged critical thinking, ecology, evidence, global warming, James Lovelock, journalism, science
5 Comments
Monet’s Waterlilies and Some Free Association
A nice image of Monet’s waterlilies, c. 1915, via Wikipedia Commons: __________ The feel of this image for me is not of tranquility and coolness, but of heat and melting. First there is the white flower echoing a fried egg; … Continue reading
For Gays, Jim Crow May Be Coming To Kansas
Jim Crow, Kansas style. In Kansas, Tea Party Republicans don’t just oppose gay marriage, they also favor a law that would allow business owners to discriminate against gay couples. The following bill is winding its way through the Kansas House … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged civil rights, gay, gay rights, Jim Crow, Kansas, lesbian, Millenials, women's rights
2 Comments
Gay Marriage: For It or Against It?
Law professor Andrew Koppelman of Northwestern is quoted this morning in The New York Times as saying the following: It is becoming increasingly clear to judges that if they rule against same-sex marriage their grandchildren will regard them as bigots. … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged America, gay, gay equality, gay marriage, justice, lesbian, life
10 Comments
If Emily Dickinson Wrote a Facebook Profile
Emily Dickinson (poem 288, c. 1861): I’m Nobody! Who are you? Are you–Nobody–Too? Then there’s a pair of us! Don’t tell! they’d advertise–you know! __ How dreary–to be–Somebody! How public–like a Frog– To tell one’s name–the livelong June– To an … Continue reading
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Tagged Emily Dickinson, facebook, life, peacocks, poetry, profiles, selfies
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Penguin Withdraws and Destroys Scholarly Work on Hinduism
A pretty disturbing incident of censorship is taking place right now in India. A retired school teacher has been campaigning for the banning of a book, and Penguin is relenting, pulping its remaining copies. You can read the whole sorry … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged book banning, censorship, Hinduism, India, Islam, Pakistan, religion
20 Comments
Some Pretty Good Reasons to Stay Away from Facebook
Via a reader at Andrew Sullivan’s blog, I think this is an astute observation of the Facebook experience: [Facebook] plays into some very unpleasant human social characteristics, foremost the temptation to evaluate one’s own worth based on a comparison with … Continue reading
Prometheus Unbound 