This Thanksgiving Proclamation by Abraham Lincoln is the origin of our modern-day holiday orgy of meals, shopping, and football. This was posted at Global Affairs (Thanks, Sarge), and as I read it, I was struck by the tone of the proclamation. Can you imagine the uproar today if a president wrote such piece? And...
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Don’t Believe Everything You See

By Bob

9 August, 2006

There’s a saying about only believing half of what you hear, and none of what you read. In relation, Robert Orben said “Smart is when you believe half of what you hear. Brilliant is when you know which half.” In support of both of those comments, I give you this explanation of photography, editing,...
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Outsourcing Of A Different Color

By Bob

31 July, 2006

So, who owns the road you’re driving on? (That’s a sort of rhetorical question. I hope you’re not driving while you’re reading this.) Most of the time, you’d think it was the state or municipality where you’re driving. If you’re on the Indiana Toll Road, also known as I-80/I-90, well, you’d be wrong. An...
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One Way To Get Out The Vote

By Bob

16 July, 2006

Mark Osterloh believes a chance to win $1,000,000 will get Arizona residents out to the polls. In 2004, voter turnout was about 77% of all registered voters in Arizona. In 2002, when Osterloh ran for governor, it was 56%. Osterloh thinks the shot at a million bucks will get more people out to vote....
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Issue 31- SWCS Levy

By Bob

20 April, 2005

Issue 31 is the proposed property tax levy for the South Western City School District. It’s a touchy issue around here. It’s a 9.7 mil proposal, which will add $297 per $100,000 of value. For me, that’s almost $1800. I can’t afford it. Add to it that this is the 3rd time in 7...
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The Chicken or the Egg?

By Bob

13 April, 2005

Which came first? Jobs that don’t pay enough to live on, or the workers to do them? Open immigration proponents say that illegal aliens do the jobs that most Americans donâ€™t want to do, because of the low wages attached to those jobs. They claim that if the illegal aliens werenâ€™t doing those jobs,...
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Red Lake and Gun Control

By Bob

25 March, 2005

Philadelphia Daily News columnist John Baer (bugmenot login: bgates@hotmail.com/password) weighs in on gun violence, complaining that the PA State Legislature isn’t going to do anything about gun violence in the state. He cites, among other things, over 80 homicides in Philadelphia already this year, and then points to the recent shootings at Red Lake...
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