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POPSState Sovereignty What freedom-loving American would ever advocate the idea that a group of freeborn persons in Sovereign States should be forced to be governed by a government that was initially created by the will and assent of those people in their sovereign and independent capacities, especially where that artificial creation (i.e., the federal government) has usurped the powers originally granted to it by the sovereigns of the States? Such a thought is repugnant to free society, free government, and American ideology, and mirrors more of the hereditary-right-to-rule notion argued by monarchs of yesteryear and forced upon its not-so-loyal subjects. That's just it...I get the feeling that a portion of Americans are not "freedom-loving" at all.
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POPSDark Ages 2.0 Scary scenario. It sure seems that things are going this way and can see how the author can get himself worked up about it. The rich get richer, widening the gap between the haves and the have-nots. The government keeps printing money to bail out corporations, that money does not go back into the economy to keep it running, the economy collapses and we may all depend on the rich to bail us out. I really do want to hang onto some amount of faith that this scenario is not going to come true. I could be wrong in doing so, but the alternative is too scary to contemplate.
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POPS Iran ----- 1, West ----- 0 . . . . . of the majority Sunni world – provide military and financial support to Iran’s former arch enemies – Sunnis – in the form of aiding Hamas in its attacks on Israel from Gaza. Iran has preyed on the grassroots sympathy that is growing in all sectors of the Muslim world. With growing unanimity, the “cause” of the Muslim civilians in Gaza, decimated by Israeli counter-attacks, is gathering a huge political anger in the local Arab citizenry, bolstered by footage and photographs of dead children, destroyed Mosques, hospitals and schools (even a United Nations facility) and rolling Israeli tanks, place and troops. The shameful fact that Hamas hides behind civilian targets to launch their rockets into Israel is regrettably lost in translation. Iran has managed to foment a wedge between local average Arabs and their leaders in major regional powers, particularly in Egypt.
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POPSThe Tang Dynasty Empress Wu-Advent of Feminine Domination She had a talent for manipulation & intrigue.Utterly shocking Confucian moralists.A keen feminist, designed a sexual custom aimed at elevating the female humbling the male.Disliked fellatio as male supremacy symbolism. She devised a means whereby "licking the lotus stamen" could be exalted into prime extracoital importance thus symbolizing advent of female domination.Wu insisted on that government officials ,dignitaries pay homage to her Imperial Highness by performing cunnilingus upon her.An old painting of her depicts her holding her robe open while a dignitary kneels grovelling before her to lick her genitals.Her regime was characterized by Machiavellian cleverness and brutal despotism.Since the 1950,s her rule has been seen in a better light for equality between sexes.
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POPSWho Cares about Size of Government? How about Competent Government? Don't be so scared of government that you serve it, instead of it serving you. Revolutions of the past did not protest how much governments were doing for their well-being. Fundamentally, if taxes had ever been used to actually deliver services to the people instead of funding monarchs and their wars, there might be less fear of taxes. Overcome your fears. Make your government serve you. Like the French providing household assistance services for free to all new moms a few hours a week until the mother feels ready to handle everything.
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POPSTruth vs Sincerity Quote from the 1961 Iris Murdoch essay, "Against Dryness," which is about varieties of fiction but includes this provocative philosophical assertion.
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POPSEnglish Kings not Gay?! Lionheart Straight?
In centuries past, a wider range of body parts might come into diplomatic play. Medieval rulers, for example, routinely greeted one another with a kiss (the biblically sanctioned "kiss of peace"). Richard's decision to share a mattress with Philip was the ultimate public demonstration of trust in an age when PR had to rely on word-of-mouth rather than the lenses of the international media. And it worked, in the context of a monarchy where privacy was relative and political life didn't stop at the bedroom door. The king held court in his bedchamber, and his favourite servants slept at the foot of his bed. World leaders don't, any more, feel the need to ratify a treaty by getting into bed with each other - though, interestingly, that's still the language we use when we talk of sealing a deal. Perhaps we should just be grateful that, these days, the "special relationship" between the UK and the US doesn't involve seeing Bush and Brown in their underpants. ...Guardian
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POPSInner clock may lead Monarch butterflies They know where they are, according to the position of the sun. Scientists are trying to understand how a butterfly has this sense of direction, with a brain the size of a pin. Plants can grow according to the length of the day. Perhaps one day we'll develop a gene that will mean we can do without GPS
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