On religious tolerance and anti-violence

One reason that I maintain a blog is that it helps me to clarify my own thoughts on various issues. Actually putting something into writing helps my head to process information–particularly on more complicated issues. One of those issues is what I’ll call pacifism and anti-violence. This topic has been drifting through my head for a bit now, but was brought to mind most recently by the violent forced eviction of Zen monks and nuns in Vietnam. I’ll be delivering some thoughts on violence and religious tolerance at an event …

Healthcare in the US: solved!

OK–just kidding. Earlier today, I took one of those silly Facebook polls asking “Are you in favor of a Government run healthcare system.” My yes vote apparently struck a chord since it has been generating a bunch of replies, so I thought I’d expound a bit on the blog. I am completely in favor of the discussion of a single-payer, publicly funded healthcare system. Unfortunately, such a discussion is impossible in the current US congress. The arguments I’ve seen against a single-payer system boil down to two points, both of …

mmmmm… cookies.

Last night I made chocolate chip cookies. This may not sound like a huge acheivement (except that having a 9-month old in the house makes everything an acheivement), but these were special: I made them with homemade butter. A couple of weeks ago a colleague mentioned something about making butter. I knew the process, but had never tried it before–and I have to say, this will probably become a regular occurance. I made it while sitting on the couch, using a 1-quart glass jar and a pint of heavy cream. …

Hooray for… millenialism?

Friends may know that I occasionally spend time thinking about peak oil, global climate change, and the like. I feel the change a-comin’–but I do try to avoid saying that doomsday is right around the corner. My personal thought is that the the current system will fade away rather than burning out (sorry Neil). Occasionally, I also listen to conservative talk radio–not because I agree with the hosts, but because I feel like I should be aware of the message that the Right is broadcasting to the faithful hordes. The …

Help! I’ve been Disneyfied.

Ok, it isn’t just me. Let me back up and start from the beginning. This morning, I went out to the local Supermarket to get eggs and bacon. Now, there are places where I can probably get locally produced eggs and bacon*, but the convenience of the Supermarket seemed important at the time since I had houseguests who were hungry for breakfast. I wandered through the isles looking for eggs, and eventually found them anchoring the corner of the Dairy section. I’m not sure what type of historical contingency has …

How did I get here?

And you may find yourself living in a shotgun shack And you may find yourself in another part of the world And you may find yourself behind the wheel of a large automobile And you may find yourself in a beautiful house, with a beautiful Wife And you may ask yourself-well…how did I get here?  -Talking Heads, Once in a Lifetime If you are reading this, you have either stumbled across this blog, are reading archives sometime in the future, or are one of the people helping with beta testing. Or, …