HELIOLITH

Just before Obama was elected, I recall being teased for idolizing him. At the time, I tried to downplay my huge admiration somewhat, admitting that he was only human, that he was not perfect, that it was silly for me to look up to someone with such intense admiration. I tried to act like a […]

The people of Iran were peacefully protesting Ahmadinejad’s coup over a week before CNN bothered to begin reporting on it.  Their outrage over this stolen election brings tears to my eyes, and their determination in taking to the streets to voice their opposition inspires me.  Particularly beautiful are the themes of martyrdom that run through […]

Much to my delight, I just discovered ProCon! This nonprofit provides clear arguments on both sides of a bunch of different controversial topics. They articulate their mission as “Promoting education, critical thinking, and informed citizenship by presenting controversial issues in a simple, nonpartisan primarily pro-con format.” I stumbled upon it after reading a footnote in […]

Dear Hu Jintao and Zhang Qingli,
I am writing to respectfully share my opinion with you on the situation in the Tibet Autonomous Region. While I understand that the official view is that no external persons or countries should meddle with the internal affairs of China, I request that you listen, for I speak not […]

Is burning property violence? Did Tibetan monks actually do it? Should the short term events of the last week, and possible crimes committed shape the dialogue around the movement to free Tibet? Did the Chinese use infiltrators to foment violence? There may currently be no proof, but there it seems very […]

A fellow in Canada just came up with the sweetest idea that dovetails two different websites I love: Found and Post Secret.  Matt collects and posts photographs from lost cameras that the finders send in to connect the orphaned pictures with their long lost owners.  Just a lovely idea.  Wedding photos, teenagers plastered at Lollapalooza, […]

It has always been interesting to me that the German word for ‘monument’ is ‘denkmal’, which simply means ‘Think!” in the imperative form.
In today’s New York Times online, Nicholas Kulish has written an article about modern Germany’s promotion of Holocaust memorials. Though this topic could easily be the work of a […]

Schwarzenegger wants to slice $4.8 Billion from CA Schools Mid-year.
So the governor wants to take away money that we had planned to receive - and in some cases have already spent… this while EdVoice.org reports that California (”CA”) was ranked 46th in per-pupil funding!
When I search the publication they referenced (Education Week), all I […]

I stumbled on this while reading last Thursday’s headlines from the Deutsche-Welle “Langsam Gesprochene Nachrichten” The article mentioned that, “Eine Sprecherin bezeichnete den Akt als eklatante Einmischung in die inneren Angelegenheiten des Landes.” or that, “a spokeswoman signaled that the act was blatant meddling in the internal affairs of their country.” Pretty pathetic […]

Josh Marshall sums up my own thoughts quite well on Gore’s winning of the Nobel Peace Prize.

There are several layers of irony and poetic justice wrapped into this honor. The first is that the greatest step for world peace would simply have been for Gore not to have had the presidency stolen from him in […]