The US is a government of the people, by the people, and for the people, which is probably why the people hate it so much. It calls upon the electorate to be responsible for the government and to hold our leaders accountable for their decisions. Most people don't like to think that much. The problem … Continue reading The Evil of Two Lessers
Month: June 2016
Bad Credit
At one time, charging exorbitant interest on loans was called loan-sharking and was illegal in this country. Now, it's standard business practice among the credit card companies. When I got my first credit card in the early-80s, it was possible for consumers to write off credit card interest on their taxes. One of the enduring … Continue reading Bad Credit
Worthy, Part 8
After the the party, Abigail helps the band load out. She and Neil are the last to leave. As they're packing up, Neil approaches Abigail with a tentative posture. She prepares herself for what she knows is coming. "Hey, listen, I don't know what it is, but I feel this connection to you," Neil says. … Continue reading Worthy, Part 8
Worthy, Part 7
Neil's band calls itself The Storefront Ninjas. They have four to six members, usually guitars and drums, though Neil can do a passable job on keyboards if needed. When performing on their own, they play a rough hybrid of Funk, Jazz, and Rock with a few other genres tossed in depending on the mood of … Continue reading Worthy, Part 7
Worthy, Part 6
On her first day at Oregon Health & Sciences University, Abigail notes that one of her classmates is Neil Hawkins. He also takes note of her, but is accosted by friends on his way out of class, allowing Abigail to make a clean get away before he can approach her. A similar incident occurs in … Continue reading Worthy, Part 6
A Form of Autobiography
The common advice to writers just starting out is to write what one knows, and often, this is good advice. What better starting point can an individual have than his or her own experiences and memories? To this end, many writers, such as Hemingway and Jack London have led adventurous lives — Hemingway drove an … Continue reading A Form of Autobiography
Shadow Selves
Can you see the real me? --The Who, Quadrophenia We all have secret sides to our personalities that we keep hidden from those around us — thoughts we never share, opinions we never state, fantasies we never reveal. Each individual carries around multiple perspectives inside his or her mind, a unique vision that no one … Continue reading Shadow Selves
Intelligent Design
Despite the claims of fundamentalists and the "creation science" they've been touting for decades, evolution is a scientifically documented fact that can be observed both in the lab and in nature. Through evolution, animals and plants adapt to their environment and those that can't run the risk of extinction. This is true regardless of whether … Continue reading Intelligent Design
Thought Crime
Beware the savage jaw of 1984. --David Bowie In his novel, Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell presents readers with a society so repressive that even the mere thought of dissent is outlawed. Every citizen has a 24-hour monitoring device, the telescreen, installed in his or her home, and even the English vernacular has been altered to … Continue reading Thought Crime
Cosmic Hubris
There's a hedge that believers frequently cite when discussing the existence of a supreme being. It's better to believe in God regardless of whether or not God exists, because the consequences of believing in a God that doesn't exist are less than for not believing in a God that does. The same argument can be … Continue reading Cosmic Hubris