From the Hearts and Minds of Babes

I live a few blocks from a major city street. On this street is a Middle Eastern grocery, a “Muslim Community Center,” an “Islamic Reading Room,” and a couple of other businesses that cater to the Muslim community. When I’m walking along this particular street, I ususally make an attempt (usually not acknowledged or returned) [...]

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The Cyclic Nature of Incredulous Argument, er, Climate Change

This blog really is going to be about more than climate change. Really, I swear. But it was the BIG THING on my mind (before the missiles started flying between Israel and Lebanon, anyway) when I started it. I’m going to attempt to put this topic to rest for now (at least for myself), with an [...]

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Objectivity and the Science of Climate Change

On a July 28, 2003 senate floor speech, Senator John Inhofe suggested that global warming is ”[t]he greatest hoax perpetuated on the American people.” This became an assertion on his January 4, 2005 ”Climate Change Update” in which he relies partly on Michael Crichton’s fictional novel, State of Fear, in an attempt to debunk the reality of climate change. For critical analysis [...]

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It’s POUR-schah, not Porsch!

My dad is THE Porsche Lama – the sale of his 1956 356 was the down payment on my parents’ first house. I remember listening for the familiar tight, growly scream, which amateurs might confuse with a motorcycle, so that I could squeal, “Daddy’s home!!!” Then I’d dash out to the driveway, where he’d pull in slowly and [...]

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Where are we headed?

I spend a lot of time imagining what the future will bring. Being wholly convinced that we are facing major changes on at least two fronts (military conflict and environmental degradation, and the related consequences), I am naturally inclined to entertain nighmarish apocalyptic scenarios. However, I find the need to continually question my instincts and a fairly [...]

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Repositioning Patriotism

As a frequenter of conservative blogs, I’ve noticed a lot of flags and patriotic declarations. If you’re trying to convince others of your true-believing, die-hard, take-no-prisoners brand of patriotism, what would you do? WAVE LOTS OF FLAGS! It seems to me to be a reaction to a perceived threat, a brand of defiant nationalism that [...]

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Global Warming Skepticism

In my ongoing search for a logical explanation as to why some people continue to debate the reality of global warming, I found this at Nova’s website:
There is a third reason why people reject the idea of man-made climate change. It is my observation that on the whole people tend to believe what is convenient to [...]

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