Thank you, Senator Bernie Sanders!

This man has courage. It's about time someone spoke the truth.

Sad Decline in Picture Book Sales

The New York Times reports a sad trend, the decline in picture book sales. Click here for the article.

Picture books can be wonderful, complex and full of terrific vocabulary that early chapter books can't use; how terrific the illustrations can be, showing children a wide range of art and teaching them to look for details and "read" the story in the art as well. I saw parents pushing their kids to reach chapter books too young. Too many teachers and parents teach their kids to hate reading that way.

Why are so many gay teens dying?

Why are so many gay teens dying?

It is so inexpressibly sad that young teens are so humiliated by others that they take their lives. How inexpressibly sad that they die in misery and loneliness. How inexpressibly sad that their families are left with such grief. My heart goes out to them.

When is our society going to realize that bullying and humiliating others is wrong, sinful, hateful?

We need to protect our children.

We need to realize that we cannot force everyone into the same mold and that love is precious wherever it is found.

Bravo to those that started and are participating in the "It Gets Better" project.

Are you smarter than a Christian?

Are you smarter than a Christian?

I don't like the title of this article, but I found the report and the reasoning interesting and worth reading. Here is a link to a modified version of the test given by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life.

America's True History of Religious Tolerance

America's True History of Religious Tolerance

How fortunate we are that we had Jefferson and Madison framing the religious freedom in America. How different our country might be, otherwise. This is an outstanding article about the true history of religion in America, by an imminent historian.

Justice Scalia Mouths Off on Sex Discrimination

Justice Scalia Mouths Off on Sex Discrimination
Click in this link.

In 2010, I find it thoroughly shocking and even frightening that an American Supreme Court justice would say or believe this. I guess women don't have "inalienable rights," according to him. No equal protection under the. Law unless legislatures VOTE for it? The way OUR legislatures function, that will never happen. No Equal Rights Amendment has been passed. What does that tell you?

National Space Society Endorses Ground-Breaking Policy Work on Space-Based Solar Power

In a press release on September 13, 2010, the National Space Society endorsed Peter A. Garretson's groundbreaking policy study on the possibility of the United States and India cooperating on developing space-based solar power. Find the press release here.

India-US space-based solar power programme urged

India-US space-based solar power programme urged

Click the title text link above for an article at IndiaTalkies about Peter A. Garretson's study concerning the potential cooperation between the United States and India on space based solar power.

Christopher Hitchens and Rabbi David Wolpe: The Great God Debate

Christopher Hitchens and Rabbi David Wolpe: The Great God Debate, fascinating video of the debate hosted by Tom Ashbrook on PBS Forum Network. From the page accompanying the video:

The polemic "anti-theist" writer Christopher Hitchens engages in "The Great God Debate" with Conservative Jewish leader Rabbi David J. Wolpe. Does God exist? Is religion a force for good or evil in the world? Can ancient texts be squared with modern science? Can morality be divorced from religion? How important is God to Jewish identity?

Christopher Hitchens is one of the most prominent and controversial writers in the media today and the author of the best-selling book 'God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything.' David Wolpe, Rabbi of Temple Sinai in Los Angeles, was named the #1 Pulpit Rabbi in America by Newsweek. He is the author of seven books, including Why Faith Matters, a response to the ideas of Hitchens and other atheist thinkers. Tom Ashbrook, host of NPR's On Point moderates the debate.

Asteroid Discovery From 1980 - 2010

This video will show you why we need to develop a defense for planet earth.

News Media Gone Nuts

The news media in this country have sacrificed real news and reporting to stories of the crackpot of the day. Why else would they be giving so much time to the nutty pastor of a tiny church in Gainesville, Florida, who threatened to burn the Koran? This is major news? Not until they MADE it so. Not until they gave this misguided man a national, nay international, platform and exposure, and helped him create a backlash, which they also glory in reporting.

It's a field day for the ratings-seeking networks, a bonanza of scandalous threats endangering our troops and making America look foolish around the globe.

And Jason Linkins at the Huffington Post agrees.

As Walt Kelly, author of Pogo, wrote, "We Have Met The Enemy and He Is Us."

They need to drop it. Or else investigate the man. Who knows what they might find?

Sky’s No Limit: Space-based solar power, the next major step in the Indo-US strategic partnership? | Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses

Sky’s No Limit: Space-based solar power, the next major step in the Indo-US strategic partnership? | Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses

Click on the link above for an innovative look at the possibility of India and the USA cooperating on developing space-based solar power.

The Violation of Creation

It is utterly beyond my comprehension how anyone on this earth, of any religion, can possibly think that a loving Creator who created the universe and all that is in it, could possibly want one of his creations to kill another, especially in His name, especially thinking they are doing his will.

The Plight of Afghan Women: A Disturbing Picture

The Plight of Afghan Women: A Disturbing Picture

It's a shocking photo and a horrifying story, and I have a lot of sympathy for women all over the world who are in abusive and dangerous circumstances.

But the fact also remains that while we are staying there, we are dooming our soldiers to death and crippling injuries and mental disorders like PTSD and suicide. Are their lives worth any less?

More Birther Nonsense - Obama's 1981 Pakistan Trip

More Birther Nonsense - Obama's 1981 Pakistan Trip

I am sick of being sent garbage about Obama's supposedly refusing to produce a birth certificate and other nonsense. Factcheck.org is a very reputable source that documents these matters . . . and many others . . . on both sides of the political spectrum. You can dislike Obama and disagree with his politics, but at least base that on reality, please.

Introducing the Oprah of Afghanistan: Mozhdah!

Introducing the Oprah of Afghanistan: Mozhdah!Bravo to this brave and committed young woman. I hope she continues in her quest and her popularity without some offended fundamentalist doing her harm.

Recipe for Longevity: No Smoking, Lots of Friends

Recipe for Longevity: No Smoking, Lots of FriendsThis is fascinating. We all know that we are happier and feel better when we are in contact with people we care about, but this study takes that even farther . . we are healthier, too. What interesting creatures we humans are!

Deep Underground, Miles of Hidden Wildfires Rage

Deep Underground, Miles of Hidden Wildfires RageNot only an environmental catastrophy but a horrible waste, yet no one seems to have a clue how to stop it. We hear about oil spills, but this? I knew there were coal fires but I had no idea they were this bad, this prevalent, lasted so many years, or had so many environmental effects.

In the "Damned if you do, damned if you don't" department

It struck me today after seeing more critical complaining on the "news" about various politicians, and reading the Newsweek article about Charlie Crist, that neither the news media or the public can quite make up their minds about how politicians should behave.

If they change their policies based on polls, they are accused of doing or saying anything people want just to get elected, but if the DON'T change to go along with the polls, they are accused of not listening to the voters.

Hmmmmmmm

Charlie Crist has been liberated

The rise of Charlie Crist as an independent politician is exciting and reassuring. It's a healthy sign that people in Florida (and probably in the rest of our country) are more interested in reality than ideology, more interested in practicality than dogma. Go Charlie! Here's the Newsweek article about his "resurrection" after the Republicans dumped him.

Sarah Palin in '12? Why She's for Real

Sarah Palin in '12? Why She's for RealShe's attractive; she knows how to manipulate people with emotion; she knows how to play to the media. . . . but for President? That's a scary thought. Let's hope it's not true that a country gets the government it deserves if we vote her in.

Washington's Revolving Door: How Oil Oversight Failed

Washington's Revolving Door: How Oil Oversight FailedSo what else is new? So much of our government and regulation is really buy corporate influence, not voter choice. It's a money and experience game. Who else knows enough about the oil industry but those IN it??? As usual, it's like asking the fox to guard the chicken house.

Are Liberal Judges Really 'Judicial Activists'?

Are Liberal Judges Really 'Judicial Activists'?Important and timely article on why all judicial decisions, particularly Supreme Court decisions, require interpreting the law.

Bob Herbert writes "An Absence of Class"

Bob Herbert in the The New York Times writes on Republican Party tactics in "An Absence of Class."

Truth in Advertising

How is it that a purported "news" organization that calls itself "fair and balanced" can get away with spending so much of it's time openly CAMPAIGNING politically? The way I learned it, journalism isn't supposed to be a 24-hour a day campaign for a particular point of view or against a particular party. It's supposed to REPORT, and make an attempt to be unbiased.

There have always been political commentators, but they were open about their partisanship and didn't insist that they were "fair and balanced."

Fox has freedom of speech, but they should be registered as a political organization, not a news channel, and they should be subject of the rules of truth in advertising. "Fair and balanced" should be abolished from their vocabulary. That's rather like a tobacco company advertising it's cigarettes as "air purifying and healthful."

Beautiful Sky

One of the things that I love is a beautiful sky.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

The Heart of the Matter: Paper Earthworks and Digital Tides

The Heart of the Matter: Paper Earthworks and Digital Tides

Very interestsing post on the future of print and digital books.

Thoroughly Disgusted With Our Political Parties

I've taken to saying, "The Republicans ruin the government and the Democrats can't govern." They both spend their time demonizing and pointing fingers, tactical maneuvering and planning to stay in power, not working together to govern the country. They talk a lot about bipartisan values and then do their best to destroy and possibility of it. Power is more important than our future to them.

I applaud President Obama's State of the Union Address, his efforts to get beyond the uncompromising and bullheaded and insulting dialogue in Washington but I fear his efforts will go nowhere.

There are more and more independent voters like me, disgusted with the lot of them.

Our country and its citizens don't seem to realize that we are heading for bankruptcy, and loss of power in the world, and a lessened standard of living for most of us if we don't get it together and stop the failures to govern. We will be the losers, all of us that aren't rich. Most Americans still seem to think we can throw our weight around the the world, have unlimited resources and military power and troops, but we don't have that, either. People don't want to see the truth and do something about it.

Can you imagine a parent so bullheaded that if his family were starving and he needed a whole loaf of bread would refuse half a loaf because it didn't fit his full specifications?

Or perhaps the family across the street might offer a whole loaf, but the starving family is so bullheaded they refuse it because it isn't the "right" kind of bread.

That seems to be the way our politicians are operating. If they don't get their way (or a big bribe in the legislation), they won't play, won't support anything, and would rather defeat everything.

History teaches us that men and nations behave wisely once they have exhausted all other alternatives.
~Abba Eban

America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter, and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.
~Abraham Lincoln

The very essence of a free government consists in considering offices as public trusts, 1 bestowed for the good of the country, and not for the benefit of an individual or a party. - John C. Calhoun, Speech, Feb. 13, 1835.

Women Pay More Than Men For The Same Products

"Why It Costs More to be a Woman," by MP Dunleavey, from MSN Money. This is an eye-opening and disgusting article about how women get ripped off by companies who charge them more than they charge men for the same products. Well worth reading. One more way women are discriminated against.