Ouch! The last few weeks have been rough on me and my little blog. I had a painful eye ailment that forced me to keep computer use to a minimum, which is not easy in my business – or in any business, come to think of it. Then there were a few days of jet…
I was talking yesterday to a friend about my concerns regarding assertions of absolute private “property rights” over stuff taken out of the public domain. My friend, an architect by training, is vehemently opposed to anything that remotely resembles a restraint on commerce and wealth accumulation. She describes herself as “nearly objectivist.” She says she…
Evening news, Monday, March 9, 2009 Something utterly generic about the global economy is being reported as the main story right now. I won’t remember it tomorrow. But I will remember the banner of summary headlines running at the bottom of the screen: Robert Mugabe speaks out against violence at the funeral of Morgan Tsvangirai’s…
Like most self-respecting adults, I don’t pay much attention to “American Idol.” But, I was channel surfing last night when I happened upon it, and, homesick for America (I’ve been away for two months now), I decided to watch. I think I’ve seen an episode or two of it before, but never watched it. It…
The world is on the brink of economic – and perhaps ecological – disaster. Instead of looking at the possibilities with some humility, there are people, with real power, raring to push their long-beloved ideologies harder than ever.I want to make a humble plea: stop being so certain about everything. About ten years ago I…
During my month-long visit to India, I have noticed the disturbing trend of “Hindu Fundamentalism,” which mirrors the same sort of culture war incited by all reactionary movements.In fact, there is only one Religious Fundamentalism in the world, designed to cultivate a shared sense of righteous rage at some perceived “enemy” among a certain historically…
Malcolm Gladwell takes an engaging and colorful stab at what may be one of the biggest hoaxes of all time: the myth of the self-made success. It’s so entrenched in the popular imagination that Jeb Bush can get away with claiming to be a “self-made man.” According to Gladwell, however, it’s a person’s circumstances –…
