The Bishop and the Butterfly: Murder, Politics, and the End of the Jazz Age

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This is not America - View from across the pond.

By cmaukonen on Mon, 01/10/2011 - 4:04pm |

I like to read what others are saying about events here. Other publications and sites from around the world. It gives one a better perspective or at least a different one. Here is something that has been put on the DW World site out of Germany. A review of some of the European Press.

The shooting of Democratic Representative Gabrielle Giffords has reignited a debate in the US over the dangers of extremist political rhetoric. The discussion is no less heated in the European press.

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Perpetual Insanity - Growth with out limit is abusive at best.

By cmaukonen on Sun, 01/09/2011 - 8:43pm |

We constantly here from the government and the economic wizards how great it is for our economy to have growth. Not just ours, the the whole world as well. However we live on a finite planet. How then can we sustain growth forever ?

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Those Were the Days...or were they ?

By cmaukonen on Sat, 01/01/2011 - 8:50pm |

There is a lot of back and forth on the blogs these days about what should or should or be done about the economy, jobs, the financial industry and what not. Some pointing to the president others to congress but most to each other. The problem with all of this is that most of the arguments are based on a premise that assumes a few fundamental myths but ignores some basic facts.

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The Ghost of the Free Market Economy Myth

By cmaukonen on Wed, 12/29/2010 - 9:27pm |
"Mercy!" he said.  "Dreadful apparition, why do you trouble me?"

"Man of the worldly mind!" replied the Ghost, "do you believe in me or not?"

"I do," said Scrooge.  "I must.  But why do spirits walk the earth, and why do they come to me?"
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How the technocrats get it wrong on education...and everything else.

By cmaukonen on Tue, 12/28/2010 - 12:33pm |

Scanning the Huffungton post I came across this little item.  Not a particularly  new sentiment in and of it self but the total jest of it does hit home quite well. Having to attend school after my father died, the family was quite impoverished. Little in the way of breakfast and for me, generally no lunch for the first year after this occurred.  The next year I was able to work in the lunch room and get lunch that way. And our finances improved. I was able to get a job in a local TV repair store.

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A few Random Acts of Culcha...

By cmaukonen on Tue, 12/28/2010 - 12:20am |

There is a rather new - in the last few years - phenomena taking place in various places around the country, and even in Europe. Where singers and musicians and artists appear out of no where and start performing what is called Random Acts of Culture.  Usually, but not necessarily, classical works. Here are a few examples.

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A Democratic Approach to Education

By cmaukonen on Mon, 12/27/2010 - 3:20pm |

They are doing it in Denmark and other places in Europe. An approach we should also think about.


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Christmas Pulla

By cmaukonen on Fri, 12/24/2010 - 3:37pm |

I have been making a traditional Finnish sweet bread know as Pulla for the last couple of years. It is made with cardamom seed, ground and lots of egg and milk and butter. As well as time. Here is the recipe I follow. Well mostly follow.  Swedish Finns call it Nissu.

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WAR Stories

By cmaukonen on Tue, 12/21/2010 - 2:40pm |

Death...destruction, disease, horror...that's what war is all about, Anan.
That's what makes it a thing to be avoided. You've made it neat and painless.
So neat and painless, you've had no reason to stop it.
And you've had it for 500 years. Since it's the only way I can save my crew and my ship,
I'm going to end it for you one way or another.

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The truth can have consequences.

By cmaukonen on Sun, 12/19/2010 - 9:37pm |

"Meanwhile, the poor Babel fish, by effectively removing all barriers to communication between different races and cultures, has caused more and bloodier wars than anything else in the history of creation."   

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"Today the tyrant rules not by club or fist, but, disguised as a market researcher, he shepherds his flocks in the ways of utility and comfort." Marshall Mcluhan

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