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MY BLOGS
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The Rational Optimist
http://www.rationaloptimist.wordpress.com/
Commentary of Life, Society, Politics, and Philosophy
LATEST ARTICLES ( 1469 )
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Ebola: God’s Punishment for Homosexuality?
Recently the Liberian Council of Churches met, with over 100 participants, to discuss Ebola. They unanimously resolved “That God is angry with Liberia, and... Read more
Posted on 16 December 2014 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
Torturing America
Some things are just wrong. Absolutely, and always. Surely torture is one of them. That it’s even necessary to say this, in America, in the 21st century, seems... Read more
Posted on 12 December 2014 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
Building Trust Between Police and the Policed
The non-indictment of Officer Wilson, in Ferguson, for Michael Brown’s death, was justifiable. Brown had just committed a robbery and was being violent. Read more
Posted on 08 December 2014 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
Campus Rape and “Affirmative Consent” – Feminism Off the Rails?
One in five college women is sexually assaulted – we’re told. I have a daughter in college (see her comments, below). But I’m skeptical about that statistic;... Read more
Posted on 04 December 2014 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
The Real North Korea, by Andrei Lankov
I’ve written before about North Korea. This 2013 book changed my view. (Ideologues take note.) I previously felt that the policies of the international communit... Read more
Posted on 01 December 2014 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
How Not to Save the Planet – Naomi Klein’s “This Changes Everything”
Globalization. Trade. Market Economics. Capitalism. Corporations. Economic growth. Writer Naomi Klein hates it all. Her book, This Changes Everything, argues... Read more
Posted on 27 November 2014 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
My Unconscious Racial Bias
I bridle when I hear talk of persistent American racism. Sure, there is some. And, yes, after-effects of past racial injustice. But real racists today are... Read more
Posted on 22 November 2014 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
Boy, Was I Wrong – Nonvoters Rule!
Before the election, I said “Obama might be forced to get serious about accommodation with Republicans, on such urgent issues as tax reform and immigration, to... Read more
Posted on 18 November 2014 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
“Edge of Tomorrow” – Groundhog Day All Over Again
The space invaders have already conquered Europe. Humans hope to stop them with a reprise of the D-Day landings – complete with paratroopers (though using bunge... Read more
Posted on 14 November 2014 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
When I Was a Kid America Was Like Africa
Waiting for the TV news, I caught the end of “Homework Hotline.” A little girl called in; She said she’d come from Africa. So the host asked her: “How does... Read more
Posted on 11 November 2014 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
November 9 – 25 Years Later – Save The Wall
1962I was a kid when I went by myself one time to the 1964 New York World’s Fair – I lived nearby – and wandered into the West German pavilion. There was a... Read more
Posted on 09 November 2014 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
The Earth Moves
Early peoples might be forgiven had they viewed the stars as just a kind of wallpaper, without significance. Yet we always sensed something important out... Read more
Posted on 06 November 2014 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
Midterms, Obamasis, and Cuomosis
Tomorrow is Election Day. Republicans may well take the Senate, mainly because President Obama is so unpopular. That unpopularity, unfortunately, is justified. Read more
Posted on 03 November 2014 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
Americanah — Please Smack This Woman
AdichieIfemelu didn’t know she was black – until, as a teenager, she came to America from Nigeria. She’s the focus of Nigerian/American Chimamanda Ngozi... Read more
Posted on 31 October 2014 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
Used Book Sale Review
I love used book sales. Locally, the Schenectady and East Greenbush libraries have great ones. Both are (to quote a local car dealer’s ads) huuuge. Read more
Posted on 28 October 2014 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
Who Gets to Sit in First Class Airline Seats?
This was a question exercising Richard Wolff, a self-styled Marxist economics professor, in a recent talk on Alternative Radio. Its programs monotonously... Read more
Posted on 25 October 2014 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
Sarah Vowell’s “The Wordy Shipmates” – Puritan History
As this 2008 book’s title suggests, Sarah Vowell is a funny writer. Yet also a serious one. She writes serious books in a funny way. Read more
Posted on 22 October 2014 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
China: The Arrogance of Unchecked Power
When I visited Russia in 1994, and a traveling companion asked, “Can we do such-and-such?” I replied, “Why not, it’s a free country.” Being able to say so felt... Read more
Posted on 18 October 2014 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
Our Jordan Adventure
Elizabeth, going nativeThis seemed a good time to visit the Middle East. So we went to Philadelphia. That was the ancient Greek name. Before that, Rabboth-Ammon... Read more
Posted on 14 October 2014 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY -
Transcendence – Another AI Movie
Since I believe Artificial Intelligence (AI) looms hugely in our future – I had to see Transcendence, the latest AI movie. It’s a lot darker than the last one,... Read more
Posted on 11 October 2014 CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY
