OCT-DEC, 2011

“Homage to Luxenben” now available as an e-book   NEW  
23 January 2012

Word count: 493
New novel by the writer of the “Writer’s Notebook” is situated on a utopian planet on which religious, economic, political, and social institutions obey a coherent set of nature-inspired rules–all accruing, of course, to the enormous benefit of the planet’s population.

Painless Solution to Greek Crisis 
24 October 2011

Word count: 451
Raising the possibility of a dual currency.

Man Bites Dog: Obama Bashes Teachers 
24 October 2011

Word count: 5070

The 800-pound gorilla in the classroom is the teachers union.

Occupying Terra Incognita 
24 October 2011

Word count: 1213
The education of Hiram Stolz, protester.

Winning the War on Terrorism 
24 October 2011

Word count: 2286
Our dilemma is that we must defend ourselves against terrorism yet, at the same time, the cost of doing so is unsustainable under the rules we have set for ourselves.

Forecast: Moderate Chance for Rockslides 
24 October 2011

Word count: 433
Be prepared to flee indoors.

Barach Obama and the Cherry Tree 
24 October 2011

Word count: 118
Father, I cannot tell the truth.

Czechmate 
24 October 2011

Word count: 1691
Drinking bout results in Czechered mindset

International

Painless Solution to Greek Crisis 
24 October 2011

Word count: 451
Raising the possibility of a dual currency.

Winning the War on Terrorism 
24 October 2011

Word count: 2286
Our dilemma is that we must defend ourselves against terrorism yet, at the same time, the cost of doing so is unsustainable under the rules we have set for ourselves.

Forecast: Moderate Chance for Rockslides 
24 October 2011

Word count: 433
Be prepared to flee indoors.

Academy Awards Night in Tehran 
1 April 2011

Word count: 867
The Tehran Telegraph covers a highpoint in the cultural life of this enlightened metropolis.

The Path to World Government, Part I 
1 April 2011

word count: 1333
Unprecedented challenges call for unprecendented action.

The Path to World Government, Part II 
1 April 2011

Word Count 2151
Needed: a universal, democratic (minus legislators) constitution capable of withstanding the storms that have brought down nations in the past

The Path to World Government, Part III 
1 April 2011

Word count: 2175

Constitution must be protected by an International Costabulary acting within a jurisdiction like that of a local police force.

The Path to World Government, Part IV 
1 April 2011

Word count: 1642
A world government will gradually emerge as nations enjoy success under the constitution’s umbrella.

U.S. Politics

Man Bites Dog: Obama Bashes Teachers 
24 October 2011

Word count: 5070

The 800-pound gorilla in the classroom is the teachers union.

Occupying Terra Incognita 
24 October 2011

Word count: 1213
The education of Hiram Stolz, protester.

Winning the War on Terrorism 
24 October 2011

Word count: 2286
Our dilemma is that we must defend ourselves against terrorism yet, at the same time, the cost of doing so is unsustainable under the rules we have set for ourselves.

The Path to World Government, Part I 
1 April 2011

word count: 1333
Unprecedented challenges call for unprecendented action.

Trouble Down Below 
1 January 2011

Word count: 4154
The President can call for more jobs until he is blue in the face but his words will ring hollow if the factory floor is empty

Confidential Poll Reveals Top Ten Wishes for 2011 
1 January 2011

Word Count 2005
Exclusive report on what the country needs now

A Gang of Four of Our Very Own 
30 September 2010

Word count: 253
A nostalgic look back at the four groups that were most responsible for the Great Recession.

Freeing Americans to be American 
30 September 2010

`Word count: 1495

What it will take, in my opinion, to rescue the country from its perilous economic state.

U.S. Economics

Forecast: Moderate Chance for Rockslides 
24 October 2011

Word count: 433
Be prepared to flee indoors.

Rich Man, Poor Man 
1 January 2011

Word Count: 4867
A few modest suggestions designed to eliminate income disparity, class envy, street violence, revolutions and other disagreeable features of our economic system.

Trouble Down Below 
1 January 2011

Word count: 4154
The President can call for more jobs until he is blue in the face but his words will ring hollow if the factory floor is empty

Confidential Poll Reveals Top Ten Wishes for 2011 
1 January 2011

Word Count 2005
Exclusive report on what the country needs now

Freeing Americans to be American 
30 September 2010

`Word count: 1495

What it will take, in my opinion, to rescue the country from its perilous economic state.

In support of the Securities & Exchange Dismission 
17 June 2010

Word count: 3924
The Security and Exchange Commission has failed miserably to meet its own mission-statement objectives.

Money Redefined, Part I 
30 September 2009

Word count: 1968
The reasons fissures keep occurring in the economy is the same reason cracks keep appearing in the walls of some houses. The problem in both cases is that they’re sitting on a shaky foundation. Plastering over the cracks doesn’t help for long; the next tremors from below dislocate things all over again.

The question “what’s wrong with our economic system?” thus ineluctably leads to the question, “what’s wrong with money?”

Money Redefined, Part II 
30 September 2009

Word count: 1404
All citizens are issued an account at birth through which all their transactions flow–deposits and deductions. There is no paper currency, no coinage.

U.S. Social Issues

Man Bites Dog: Obama Bashes Teachers 
24 October 2011

Word count: 5070

The 800-pound gorilla in the classroom is the teachers union.

Occupying Terra Incognita 
24 October 2011

Word count: 1213
The education of Hiram Stolz, protester.

The Church of St. Ayn Deconsecrated 
10 April 2011

word count: 2,116
For those viewers of the “Atlas Shrugged” movie in need of an antidote.

Rich Man, Poor Man 
1 January 2011

Word Count: 4867
A few modest suggestions designed to eliminate income disparity, class envy, street violence, revolutions and other disagreeable features of our economic system.

Obamacare Makes Me Sick 
30 September 2010

Word count: 371

No need to repeat the criticisms of Obama’s health care reform bill. What disturbs me even more is what the bill leaves out.

Money Redefined, Part IV 
30 September 2009

Word count: 2244
The food voucher system is virtually cost free to the government. It is, in reality, a form of income redistribution in which the rich, on a voluntary basis, subsidize the poor.

A Quick Fix for Dysedutopia 
17 July 2009

Word count: 2202

Public schools in the United States are too fargone for cosmetic reforms. A more radical renovation is called for starting with the National Education Association.

Telunacy and How to Combat It 
14 July 2009

Word count: 1156

Television plus luncacy equals telunacy.

Fiction

“Homage to Luxenben” now available as an e-book   NEW  
23 January 2012

Word count: 493
New novel by the writer of the “Writer’s Notebook” is situated on a utopian planet on which religious, economic, political, and social institutions obey a coherent set of nature-inspired rules–all accruing, of course, to the enormous benefit of the planet’s population.

Barach Obama and the Cherry Tree 
24 October 2011

Word count: 118
Father, I cannot tell the truth.

Czechmate 
24 October 2011

Word count: 1691
Drinking bout results in Czechered mindset

Episode 11, “Homage to Luxenben” 
24 October 2011

Word count: 3078
Eddie relates the sad fate of Herculus and SVI’s declining fortunes

Episode 10 of “Homage to Luxenben” 
2 July 2011

Stelzer and Matilda are joined by Eddie on their walk back to the dorm from the Pageant

The Church of St. Ayn Deconsecrated 
10 April 2011

word count: 2,116
For those viewers of the “Atlas Shrugged” movie in need of an antidote.

Academy Awards Night in Tehran 
1 April 2011

Word count: 867
The Tehran Telegraph covers a highpoint in the cultural life of this enlightened metropolis.

Episode 9 of “Homage to Luxenben” 
1 April 2011

Word count: 4645
From Stelzer’s standpoint, the intermissions were as action-filled as were the events depicted in the pageant itself.

Religion

Is Islam a Religion? 
30 September 2010

Word count: 950
Before Islam can be considered a legitimate religion, it has to act like one.

Creationism-plus 
16 July 2009

Word count: 1867
Creationism has enjoyed considerable success in its confrontation with various branches of science. Physics next?

word count: 1754

Open Letter to China 
15 July 2009

word count: 2653

How about another cultural revolution? Not necessarily as fervid as the first and certainly not as violent. But one that might have as great an impact over an even longer period.

Religious Differences, Act I 
29 April 2009

Word count: 6284
I originally intended to describe a viable contemporary religion in essay form. However, the more I tried to anticipate expected criticism, the more a dialogue format asserted itself.

Religious Differences, Act II 
29 April 2009

Word count: 8568

Minister McIntyre of the Church of Scientific Guidance instructs the couple in his religion’s system of beliefs. The two lovers become devotees and are happily reconciled.

Commentary

Forecast: Moderate Chance for Rockslides 
24 October 2011

Word count: 433
Be prepared to flee indoors.

Barach Obama and the Cherry Tree 
24 October 2011

Word count: 118
Father, I cannot tell the truth.

The Church of St. Ayn Deconsecrated 
10 April 2011

word count: 2,116
For those viewers of the “Atlas Shrugged” movie in need of an antidote.

Confidential Poll Reveals Top Ten Wishes for 2011 
1 January 2011

Word Count 2005
Exclusive report on what the country needs now

Ideas from Abroad 
30 September 2010

Word count: 1118

Politics aside, the fact is that some nations do some things better than we do in the U.S. I’ve listed a few that come to mind. Perhaps you can contribute others via comments.

A Few Brief Observations 
30 September 2010

Word count: 532

Random ideas that would never see the light of day but for the Internet. More proof that it is indeed a mixed blessing.

Snapshots of the Orient 
17 June 2010

Word count: 2302
A few scattered impressions from a recent trip to the Orient.

Thank you, Dr. Root-Sistemci 
30 December 2009

word count: 142
A note of appreciation to the hacker who dove deep into the very bowels of the Internet to grace my humble, obscure site.