In 2021, I read 50 books. Three of those are children's books, which I wouldn't normally log, but I'm trying to read every published work of Ursula Le Guin, so I need to log them all. I wish I'd started reading Toni Morrison sooner. more »

Written in 1951 by Hannah Arendt who fled Germany after being imprisoned by Hitler’s Gestapo: A mixture of gullibility and cynicism had been an outstanding characteristic of mob mentality before it became an everyday phenomenon of masses. In an… more »

A new study shows that a Republican anti-abortion policy has led to a 40% increase in abortions. In 1984, Ronald Reagan put a policy in place relating to foreign aid. The rule says that when an overseas aid organization accepts funding from the US… more »

I have an exciting opportunity for you! Wait, wait, come back! I just mean an opportunity to avoid being ripped off. I'm seeing more and more of my friends and family clogging up my social media feeds with pitches for diet pills, essential oils,… more »

This little book is hilarious, but it's not about Shakespeare. Oh sure, on the surface it's an investigation into who authored the Plays and Poems, but if you only read it on the surface then you'll find it a puzzling and frustrating book. In the very… more »

Under current law in Adrian, Missouri, it is completely legal for someone to be fired, evicted, or refused service just because they’re gay. When I proposed a nondiscrimination ordinance to the Adrian City Council, one objection opponents raised was “If… more »

Happy Veteran's Day. Happy Armistice Day. Happy birthday to Kurt Vonnegut, the writer who taught me the difference between the two, and a big happy birthday to my friend Matt Sears, who first put Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five into my hands. In this p… more »

The solar panels on City Hall are an investment that will show an impressive return. After the rebate from Kansas City Power & Light, this will only cost the city $14,500. Over the lifetime of the panels they will generate more than $100,000 worth o… more »

After an impressive mission, one of humanity's most amazing machines appears to be in trouble. The Kepler space telescope has found over 2,700 planets since it was launched four years ago. It stares at the stars in one patch of the sky (near constellati… more »

We must guard against being fooled by false slogans, such as ‘right to work.’ It is a law to rob us of our civil rights and job rights. Its purpose is to destroy labor unions and the freedom of collective bargaining by which unions have improved wages… more »