Political Certainty

I have in my wallet a blue-gray plastic card that, when viewed at an angle, sparkles brightly. At the very top the word Mensa certifies to the entire universe that I am able to chew gum and walk at the same time. I am not so sure.

My children and grandchildren have induced my doubts by introducing me to Words with Friends, an on-line scrabble game which I invariably lose. Actually, better phrases would be humiliated, destroyed or whupped

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Posted By: Jim Stillman - Category: No Category

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NOW, I hear from Orble!

May 9th 2013 14:30

I have, over the past several months, tried repeatedly to reach out to the Orble folks, all without success. This mirrors the experience of many writers on Orble sites.

Finally, I commented

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Can anyone help?

March 14th 2013 16:34

I have been unable to get a response to a question posed to Jon and perhaps someone could tell me what to do. This is probably poorly framed but this is what I want to do.

I want to add Facebook and Twitter buttons at the bottom of articles so that readers can post them to their own FB and/or Twitter page. I have the HTML code for both sites but do not know how or where to past them on my blog. This is probably a very simple issue but I confess I need very basic help!
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The fiscal crisis and why it will not be fixed soon.

March 4th 2013 00:59

: Following the prior post on preaching to the choir

Who is at fault? Is it the President or Congressional Republicans or we voters?

Yes

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Preaching to the Choir

February 23rd 2013 15:28

A major frustration arising from writing and posting politically-oriented points of view is that one is usually preaching to the choir. I write mostly from the Left of the political spectrum, at least as it is in the United States. With the exception of readers of the local Mensa magazine, few on the Right are exposed to my opinions. This is their choice, because I usually share that which I write on Facebook and Twitter. I use as news sources The Nation, The New Republic, and a variety of newspapers published in the United States, Great Britain and Israel; among others. I also read Red State and National Review for rational discussions on the Right, positions which I, personally, find unacceptable.

I acknowledge that I am a political junkie and spend far too much time on the computer. I do not suggest that everyone act accordingly but all of us should travel outside of our political comfort zone once in a while. From my personal perspective, were I to look exclusively to those television programs that offer a liberal or progressive slant, MSNBC, The New Republic or The Nation, my opinions would be reinforced; the validity of those opinions, however, would not be tested

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A serious disconnect

February 13th 2013 21:28

There appears to be a serious disconnect in many minds about government spending, keeping or raising tax revenue and the creation of jobs in the private sector. Most will agree that greater employment or less unemployment is a worthwhile end. As an abstract idea, it would be nice if government spending were reduced and all can object to instances of fraud, but reduction of public spending will not create jobs. It does just the opposite.

Every penny of government spending, every one, is paid to businesses and individuals in the private sector; the money paid out by the government is returned to the government, something like the Lion King Circle of Life

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We are a Representative Republic

February 10th 2013 02:58

: A request that elected officials do their job

We are a Representative Republic; is it too much to require a Representative to do his or her job?

A series of comments on the Facebook page of a local official relate to the duties of an elected official in our society. The basic inquiry regarded that which I considered his primary job, to exercise his or her best judgment on current issues without requiring a referendum by the voters. I posited that we lived with a representative as opposed to a direct democracy

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Arousal from killing?

February 4th 2013 20:07

: The joy of killing?

I, personally, have no problem with hunters but am bothered by those who get their pleasure by the act of killing. In an essay from October in 2006, I quoted Tom Lehrer and his classic song.

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Refuge for the paranoid

February 3rd 2013 17:51

: If at first you do not succeed, secede

A good friend and former co-worker was fond of explaining paranoia: it is a heightened sense of reality. I retorted that even paranoids have enemies. Both statements are probably true; on the other hand, it may mean that you are nuttier than a fruitcake.

As I have noted in a previous post, there are people who, unhappy over the election and re-election of a Kenyan, Muslim, and socialist black man as president and other threats to their enjoyment of life, have submitted petitions seeking the secession of a state from the nation. Although secession is clearly not going to happen and each petition has been rejected by the White House, the movement continues

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The empty threat of secession

January 30th 2013 02:58

: Want to leave us? Bye.

Many who are unhappy over the election and re-election of a Kenyan, Muslim, and socialist black man as president have submitted petitions seeking the secession of a state from the nation. Each petition has been rejected by the White House, but the movement continues and the numbers are not insignificant. According to Public Policy Poling, over 25% of Republicans would like their state to secede from the union!

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May 2013

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