Category: Society

Being Clear about “Religious Freedom” and “Freedom of Speech”

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These Terms Have Very Specific Meanings. Let’s Call It Out When They are Misused

Two Common Complaints

You may have noticed that it is the political season. Unlike other seasons that run for 3-4 months, political seasons tend to run at least a year or two. Lucky us.

Because it is political season, we are sure to hear (we already are, in fact) two complaints with frequency. Those on the Left have their snivels to be sure. But on these two subjects, it tends to be the Right that complains the loudest.

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Celebrating the Small Joys of Life

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Sometimes It Is the Smallest Pleasures That Count the Most

Earlier this week, we engaged in a bit of “Curmudgeonology” (No, this probably is not a real word, but if you can bluff your way into using it, that Scrabble game is yours for the taking). I don’t know about you, but I thought our curmudgeon list was fun to build. It’s good to blow off a little steam now and then. Based on your emails and comments, we share a lot of the same irritants.

As promised, we will end the week with the flip side.

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Have You Ever Noticed…?

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A Short List of Life’s Small Irritants

Let’s take a break from politics this week (Control yourselves. Stop all that cheering out loud!) This week, we are looking elsewhere for musings, reflections, and surprises.

BUT FIRST – ONE BIT of ELECTIONS RELATED NEWS

In most of the country, people are swamped with ads and news about elections. Court rulings or legislative changes make even the familiar unfamiliar in some places.

This week, a friend (Thanks, Jerry) put me onto something good. It comes from an organization we both know and trust (Hello there,

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What’s the Difference Between a Zombie and the Republican Party?

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Not much, as a Matter of Fact

Consider the Zombie

The zombie. Certainly a popular fellow in mass entertainment these days. We seem to see them everywhere. Consider what makes them different from human beings.

A zombie, at first glance, looks like a human being. But, of course, it is not. It was a human being, but now it is the undead – not really dead or alive, but somewhere in-between. There is no heart. No soul is evident. It has no purpose other than sustaining itself by eating the occasional brain. This, of course,

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Now It Begins – Keep Your Eye on the Prize

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This Week the Iowa Caucuses Start the Election Season. Let’s Keep Some Factors in Mind

 

And So, It Begins

About the time you read this, the Iowa caucuses will be history. In the matter of a few hours some campaigns will be exuberant, some will be relieved, some will face hard reality. So, too, is it for we who are supporters and voters. Things will happen quickly from here on out. New Hampshire is only days away, followed by South Carolina and Nevada. The last five rounds of debates will come just as Super Tuesday is upon us.

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Elizabeth Warren? We Have Good News and Bad News

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The Senator from Massachusetts Brings a Lot to the Table – Not All of It Good

A Good Early Start in Washington

I confess to having been something of an Elizabeth Warren fan for quite a while. Her performance in bringing the Consumer Protection Agency into being was nothing short of heroic. She clearly knew her stuff. She would have been a great first Director and should have been. Those about to be regulated were in mortal terror of her. When she decided to run for the US Senate, it seemed a long shot at best,

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Compartmentalization vs Free Range Worries

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No stereotypes here, but boy, men and women DO seem to ponder things differently.

 

How Do We Think?

Well, why not start the New Year off with something bound to stir up some arguments? All this end of the year/end of the decade list making has encouraged a lot of us to make similar lists on a personal level. In talking with friends, and reading about other people’s thoughts, I am reminded of an old truism: men and women really do seem to think about a lot of things in different ways. Not a surprise,

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Think You Know the Difference Between Art and Science?

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Not So Fast, There. Allow Me to Blur the Lines for You.

Drawing Boxes and Coloring Inside the Lines. Maybe Not.

Human beings have a tendency to divide things up into black and white. Real life often does not operate in that manner. Making hard divisions where they do not really exist deprives us of one of the joys of having a brain. To see how ideas and capacities cross over is one of life’s great joys. Let’s look at a few examples and celebrate the mélange.

Science, Anyone?

For much of my life,

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What Did We Find Useful Last Year? Where are We Headed Next Year?

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It’s the End of One Year, the Beginning of Another. What Do We See in Each Direction?

I have bad news and good news. The bad news, of a sort, is that this is a pretty long post. BUT WAIT. The good news is that it is made up of a lot of very short snippets and links. Trust me – it’s an easy read from which you can pick and choose where you may wish to linger. It’s my hope you will find some nooks and crannies you would like to revisit or think about anew.

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Taking Time to Think About Time

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  1. Few Things So Influence Our Lives as Much as Time. Yet How Little We Reflect Upon It.

 

I mentioned in an earlier post that we might want to take a look at time. A recent birthday and the impending end of the calendar year both put me in a frame of mind to think about time. So, today is that day.

What Is Time?

Time itself may not influence much in our lives, but it certainly provides the benchmarks along the way,

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