Category Archives: Civil Liberty

Not to Look Away

10/6/2011 – 2:43 pm

When I was in grade school, we learned the Nazis came to power in a time of economic dislocation, the worldwide Great Depression.  We learned Germany was a once-great nation in decline after the military defeat of World War I and the Nazis appealed simultaneously to the fears and the nationalism of the German people.  [...]

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Cowards, Every One of Them

9/23/2011 – 9:00 am

A week ago, I asked how bad political discourse can get in this country.   Discouraged as I was, I hadn’t seen this coming.  Perhaps – despite everything my family and friends tell me – I’m too optimistic.
Last week, Republicans who hope to be president stood silently by as their constituents cheered for the notion [...]

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“Pre-Positioned Weapons of Mass Destruction”

8/25/2011 – 2:44 pm

The tenth anniversary of the 9-11 attacks is a bit more than two weeks away.  People in DC and New York were viscerally reminded of this when an earthquake – unusually strong for the east coast – rattled them Tuesday.  Although human-induced climate change may affect hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, droughts and blizzards, earthquakes remain an [...]

By floegel | Also posted in Commentary, September 11th, Toxics | Tagged , , , , , | Comments (0)

Two Australians

7/28/2011 – 3:44 pm

Two Australians in England in trouble.  One’s all over the recent news, one was all over the news six months ago, now keeping a low profile.  Neither man’s issues have been resolved.
Guessing?  Rupert Murdoch, of course, and Julian Assange.  The Australians (Mr. Murdoch is now a US citizen) both left their homeland far behind to [...]

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Neighborhood Giant

7/7/2011 – 11:00 am

Last Friday was Canada Day, which commemorates the 1867 unification of three British colonies – Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and “Canada” (Quebec and Ontario) – into one kingdom, as part of the United Kingdom. Canada did not achieve full separation from the UK until 1982.
I was in Washington Friday and although I vaguely knew [...]

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There’s an App for That

6/30/2011 – 9:54 am

I’m a middle-aged man, with the characteristics of a middle-aged man. I accept this. In summer, I grill and I tend to make a fetish of it. I make my own barbecue sauce. I make out that it’s some big artisan deal, when it’s really not. Probably another ego thing.
I [...]

By floegel | Also posted in Commentary, Economy | Tagged | Comments (0)

500 Questions

6/23/2011 – 10:28 am

I have a friend, approaching middle age, who suddenly found himself single last year after 15 years of marriage. Recently he decided it’s time to re-enter the singles scene and after some fruitless flailing, surrendered to the 21st century inevitability of the computer dating service.
I find the whole thing fascinating, from a purely academic [...]

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