The Chosen Few
I am a wee bit distracted this week. We’ll get into it more soon, likely next week, but I made a semi-major purchase over the weekend. Which, of course, demands that I share a lot of words about the research that went into said purchase and how the purchase is working out. But that’s a few more days away. In…
Turkey Day Tradition
This is better suited for a Friday Links post, but since I just saw it today and it’s relevant to tomorrow’s holiday, I thought I would go ahead and share it today. I think I had heard of this before, but never read the details. In 1939, President Roosevelt decided to change the date of Thanksgiving to add another week…
When Logic Gets Cast Aside
Most of us have thought, at some point, that we could sway someone with different political views to our side if we just presented them with cold, hard facts showing that our view was correct. Turns out even when the numbers support your argument, you are unlikely to change the opinion of someone from the other side. Presented with this…
On Waco And Different Beliefs
Trying to get caught up on some links I need to share before we take a mini-vacation early next week. Malcolm Gladwell has a piece in the New Yorker about Clive Doyle, a survivor of the Waco, TX Branch Dividian compound, and the lessons that are still emerging, 20 years later, from that disaster. It’s a really interesting read. What…
11/6/12
Despite my moratorium on political postings, it is a bit of a tradition for me to wrap up the general election. So here are some observations, thoughts, musings, and what-have-yous. In 2004 I watched the results in our basement, scribbling down thoughts in a notebook and occasionally running upstairs to check things on the computer or send IMs to friend…
Obstructing Democracy
Normally when I vote, I head to the polls, wait my turn, and then cast my ballot. This year, though, I’m going to mix things up. I keep hearing about voter intimidation in some states, and it sounds like something I’d like to learn more about. So today I plan on the following forms of intimidation: Standing extremely close to…
Stuffing The Mailbox
OK, I take it back. One more political post, although I think this one isn’t likely to annoy anyone. We’ve got a ton of political mailings this year, more than any year I can remember. That’s been fueled by a tight race for Dick Lugar’s US Senate seat and a battle for our state senate seat that is very tough…
They Get Them Young
What follows is, I hope, my only political post of the season. I belong to no organized party. I am a Democrat. Will Rogers I’ve always thought Republicans were better at coming together as a single party than Democrats. Sure, Republicans have plenty of problems within their party, but come Election Day, the anti-tax millionaires from the big cities and…
Convenient Historical Perspectives
Tuesday was primary election day in Indiana. The state continued its shift to the far right, selecting several candidates for the general election who have narrow views of both US history and how our nation should be governed going forward. I’m fascinated by how many politicians run around saying that they want to return our government to the ideals that…
R.I.P. Facts
Perhaps the column I’m linking to here is elitist and out-of-touch. But given the state of political discourse in this country, I think intelligent people of all political perspectives will find both truth and humor in this brilliant little piece of commentary/satire. Through the 19th and 20th centuries, Facts reached adulthood as the world underwent a shift toward proving things…