Brandeis University has announced reversal of its decision to award an honorary degree to Ayaan Hirsi Ali, following complaints from faculty, an online petition, and pressure from the Council on American-Islamic Relations. Hirsi Ali is a Somali-born American (formerly Dutch) … Continue reading
If you do what you’re told, you will celebrate Earth Hour on Saturday, March 29 from 8:30 pm – 9:30 pm (in your local time zone). Earth Hour advocates describe it as “a global movement uniting people to protect the … Continue reading
One of the expressions people use that concerns me is “do something.” It’s not that I’m against doing something. Quite the contrary: Following up rational, constructive thought with constructive action is crucial. Most people who feel stuck or depressed end … Continue reading
Regarding your article against government regulation of movie volume levels (3/9/14): You assume that a person will not be permanently damaged by an unexpected experience. I went to a restaurant once and was served food that was so hot that … Continue reading
CNN.com reports: Denying services to same-sex couples may soon become legal in Kansas. House Bill 2453 explicitly protects religious individuals, groups and businesses that refuse services to same-sex couples, particularly those looking to tie the knot. It passed the state’s … Continue reading
One of the greatest myths is the idea that more money equals power over others. If you honestly earn a lot of money — billions, even trillions — this does not give you power over others. It does give you … Continue reading
Candace Cameron Bure, a former child star on the ’80s/’90s television series Full House, recently set off a firestorm when she suggested while promoting her book that the secret to her marital happiness was the fact that she let her … Continue reading
A former education secretary for the state of Massachusetts recently defended federal control of education. “The children belong to all of us,” he stated. [Source: DailyCaller.com, 2/3/14, former Massachusetts education official Paul Reville.] Is this really true? If you have … Continue reading
The headlines on CNN and elsewhere proclaim: “This year’s State of the Union Address is a defining test for Obama.” Blah, blah, blah. For more substantive analysis, let’s consider the latest Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll. (Remember that these polls … Continue reading
“All rational action is in the first place individual action. Only the individual thinks. Only the individual reasons. Only the individual acts.” “Used to the conditions of a capitalistic environment, the average American takes it for granted that every year … Continue reading
A reader asks: Have you ever taken a look at conspiracy theories? Sometimes I have thoughts like, “Obama’s heart is not in America, but in dictatorships abroad,” or “9-11 happened because the US government wanted it to happen to give … Continue reading
U.S. Senator (and Senate Intelligence Committee Chairwoman) Dianne Feinstein recently complained about the proliferation of U.S. government drones [robots used as spies] and their impact upon the right to privacy. You really have to wonder if these politicians even hear … Continue reading