Monthly Archives: June 2015

Country songs and the Southern inferiority complex

Posted on June 30, 2015 by a1skeptic

A few years ago I was playing in a band, and we got a new lead singer who was especially adept at country music. Now, I don’t listen to country music — I actually mostly play jazz-funk — but I … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Politics | Tagged | 3 Comments

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves with this Supreme Court

Posted on June 29, 2015 by a1skeptic

It’s tempting, in the wake of last week’s two Supreme Court decisions, to think of the Roberts court as a reasonable court. When we do that we overlook some of the absolutely terrible decisions that have come out of that … Continue reading →

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And now the debate is over: Gay Marriage is the law of the land.

Posted on June 26, 2015 by a1skeptic

We’ve traveled a long way legally in the last 12 years when it comes to the question of gay marriage. It was just a dozen years ago that the Supreme Judicial Court decided the case of Goodridge v. Dept. of … Continue reading →

Posted in Law, Politics | Tagged | 2 Comments

The Pope is in front of Republicans on Climate Change

Posted on June 25, 2015 by a1skeptic

Here’s how we know that we’re living in a topsy turvy world: the Pope is out in front of Republicans on climate change. In case you weren’t paying attention, the Pope has recently released an Encyclical in which he blames … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Religion | Tagged , | 1 Comment

The problem with taking Religious Texts too literally

Posted on June 21, 2015 by a1skeptic

Muslims, according to the traditions of Ramadan, are supposed to fast from sunup until sundown, neither eating or drinking during daylight. Not that big a problem in Mecca. Big problem in Reykjavik, where there’s currently daylight 21 hours per day. … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Religion | Tagged | 2 Comments

Will South Carolina fly its Confederate flag at half-staff?

Posted on June 18, 2015 by a1skeptic

The following interesting question was posed, most recently on the DailyKos website: will South Carolina fly its Confederate flag at half-staff? In the wake of the shooting of nine worshippers at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston South … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | Tagged | 1 Comment

Waiting to hear about how people should come to Church packing.

Posted on June 18, 2015 by a1skeptic

You know what I’m waiting for, in the wake of the shooting of nine worshippers at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in South Carolina last night? I’m waiting to hear Wayne LaPierre of the National Rifle Association explain how … Continue reading →

Posted in Law, Politics | Tagged | 1 Comment

I Wished we Lived in a Country where Bernie could be President

Posted on June 18, 2015 by a1skeptic

I wished we lived in a country where Bernie Sanders could be President of the United States. We don’t live in that country. I don’t know that there’s anything else to say.

Posted in Politics | Tagged | 4 Comments

The first and only time I will agree with Karl Rove

Posted on June 17, 2015 by a1skeptic

If you know me at all, you will know that this may be the first and only time that I will agree with Karl Rove.  He called Donald Trump “a complete moron.” And the feeding fest was on. Cracked.com weighed … Continue reading →

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We Should Say About This, “Never Again.”

Posted on June 16, 2015 by a1skeptic

I heard a story in the news today that the U.S. Senate was considering a bill to outlaw torture. They should most definitely do so. I’ve weighed in on the torture debate several times, and my feelings are unequivocal: the … Continue reading →

Posted in Law, Politics | Tagged | 3 Comments