Will my application under the Freedom of Information Act reveal any records for Paul Sheldon? Pointless – if records existed, they would likely be classified as “blackballed” (exempt). (more…)
March 10, 2012
What is the responsibility of a member of the military?
Fran and I were at Swarthmore College recently for a gathering entitled “Reflections on the Occupy Movement.” I spoke my mind on some things. Afterwards, I spoke with a student who is a senior at West Point. (more…)
February 24, 2012
A hopefully-PC post relating to a complex and imprecise (but important) subject – Race
The following is copied from my response to a friend’s blog about the topic of political correctness. I decided to re-post my comment on my own blog, although I recognize that my treatment here is rather superficial. Maybe best I can say for it is that it can get conversation going: (more…)
November 19, 2011
Occupy Philly — revolution in the making (how far can it go?)
Fran and I have been to Occupy Philly a number of times and have attended the general assemblies and participated in various actions by Philly Occupy. Demonstrating with (more…)
August 6, 2011
Arrested at Lockheed Martin (world’s largest military profiteer) on Hiroshima Day.
Today I walked onto the grounds of Lockheed Martin, the world’s largest war profiteer, to ask employees to reconsider their working on nuclear-related systems that, instead of obliterating whole cities and killing 100,000 people at a time as in August 1945, could potentially obliterate the whole world and kill billions. I was arrested in the process. (more…)
July 13, 2011
Vocationalism, Academic Freedom and Tenure (NYTimes by Stanley Fish)
My Comment on this article was the following:
The admiral notion of self-improvement and the perhaps more-realistic notion of occupational survival have resulted in great growth and concomitant change in so-called “higher” education. My concern with tenure is not with its principles but with its misuse.
July 4, 2011
Moral Patriotism — is it an oxymoron?
It is natural to form a special attachment to family, friends and surroundings, whether we are Americans, Chinese, Bangladeshi, whatever. But must our individual welfare come at the expense of those (more…)
June 25, 2011
“Dieu le veult!” (“God wills it!”)
“Dieu le veult! Dieu le veult!” was the crowd’s response to the orchestrated call of Pope Urban II for a Holy Crusade. He goes on to say (more…)
June 22, 2011
Pierre Curie’s letter (1894) to his future wife Marie Curie.
I found this letter of Pierre Curie to Marie Sklodowska, (1894) in Eve Curie’s bio of her mother. How little have things changed, except that in those days, even scientists still had a conscience. (more…)
June 19, 2011
“Give me your tired, your poor. Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…” – NOT!
I have acquaintances who ask why the United States is accepting refugees from the Burma struggle, particularly when we are in a recession Why do we give them our jobs? I explain (more…)