71
- 0
How Immigration Unites Us
- 0
Bill Walton: The Luckiest Guy in the World?
- 0
Barbenheimer: The Movie(s)
- 0
A Couple Thoughts About "Everything Everywhere All at Once"
- 0
Challenging the Conventional Paradigms
- 0
Steven Spielberg's "The Fabelmans" (and Biographies in General)
- 0
Finding Joy in a Messed Up World
- 0
Losing Our Sense of Community
- 0
Dealing with Dumb Luck
- 0
A Blog About My Dog
- 0
Has Covid-19 Made American Society Even More Out of Balance?
- 0
A Quick Career Update: Surviving 20 Years (and 3 major crises) as a "Part-time" Community College History Professor
- 0
Billionaires Need Meaning Too
- 0
The Politics of covid-19 (and Basically Everything Else)
- 1
London's "White Fang" and "The Problem of Pain"
- 4
I Refuse to Accept the New Normal
- 0
A Few Questions for Trump Loyalists
- 0
Is our "Democracy" Under Threat?
- 0
A Few Observations Regarding the Pandemic (so far)
- 0
OJ Simpson, Rodney King, and Two Americas
- 0
Learning from the Japanese-American Internment Camps
- 0
Andrew Jackson and Those Damn Banks
- 4
Life is Like Pickleball, Part three (Why do We Care About Winning?)
- 0
Life is Like Pickleball, Part Two
- 0
Politics as Usual: The "Historic" Impeachment of Donald Trump
- 0
Life is Like Pickleball, Part One
- 2
Life Isn't Fair (So What Now?)
- 2
Be More Like the Animals
- 0
Theodore Roosevelt, the Bully Pulpit, and the Power of the Presidency
- 0
Can We Do it All Over Again? (And would we want to?)
- 0
Goodbye Dad, Part Five
- 1
Was Jimmy Carter All That Bad?
- 1
Why I Play Pickleball (And You Should Try It Too!)
Here's why I love playing pickleball and why you should take up the game.
- 1
Historical Psychology: A Personal Case Study
- 5
Hamilton Versus Jefferson (and the Survival of the United States)
- 7
Some Random Political Thoughts
- 3
The Serena Williams "Incident" (and Black American Athletes in General)
- 1
The Appeal of the Monastic Life
- 1
The Mexican War: A (sort of) Honest War
- 2
My Version of a Spiritual Retreat
- 2
Donald Trump, His Twitter Habit, and Lebron James
- 3
Enough With the Conspiracy Theories
Politicians, like everyone else, should get their day in court if accused of illegal behavior. If people keep trying to tear politicians down with conspiracy theories that have little basis in reality, we will not recognize the real conspiracies when they arise.
- 4
Happy Fourth of July, I Guess
- 4
Why We Take the Government for Granted
We tend to focus on the ways that our government falls short, rather than appreciating everything that they do. Let's examine why we only see the negative, and attempt to refocus on the positive.
- 1
Killing Rhinos (and Stupidity in General)
- 0
When Dreams Don't Come True
- 0
We Are All Animals
- 1
Why Do People Create Fake News? Why Do People Believe It? Why Does It Matter?
What is fake news? Why is it fake, who creates it for what purpose, and why do people believe it?
- 0
One White Man's Point of View on the Issue of Racial Discrimination
- 3
Practical Problems With Breaking Up the United States
What would happen if the US broke up into separate countries? Here's a discussion of the issues and problems this would entail.
- 0
The Difference Between History and Monuments
Should Confederate monuments in the South be removed? What purpose did they serve when they were installed, and what do they represent now? This article addresses these questions and more. Here's what you need to know.
- 0
Propose Some Real Deficit Reduction (or shut up)
- 0
Being in Teacher Shape
- 0
What are we Actually Celebrating on the Fourth of July?
- 0
Why do Some Republicans Oppose the Latest Health Care Proposals?
- 3
What Is President Trump's Health Care Plan?
- 0
President Trump and the Art of Pointless Controversy
- 2
A (Sort Of) Defense of President Trump's Travel Ban
- 0
Compromise in Politics: Is It Time for a Divorce?
Those involved in politics, whether civilian or politician, want their side to win. Any indication that a person is willing to compromise is seen as a sign of weakness. And the only time anyone seems to call for unity is when his or her side wins. What can be done?
- 2
My Brief Post-2016 Election Letter to the Rest of the World
- 5
President Trump: Seller's and Buyer's Remorse
- 3
Goodbye Dad, part four: A Theology of My Own
- 1
Why Not Trump?
- 1
Donald Trump and the Perfect Imperfect Campaign
Throughout this very strange presidential election season, political commentators have been criticizing how Donald Trump and his advisors have handled his campaign. In the past month or so in particular, there have been plenty of things to...
- 1
The 2016 Election: What the Heck is Going on?
Regardless of a person’s political beliefs, there is general agreement that the 2016 election has been surprising to say the least. Donald Trump, in spite of the fact that he is Donald Trump, is apparently going to be the Republican nominee....
- 0
Father's Day and the Circle of Life
I had a strange and mostly good Father’s Day weekend. My older niece got married on Saturday, and a good time was had by all. I once again taught my kids that you don’t have to dance well to have fun. One of the flower girls was the daughter of...
- 3
The Orlando Shooting: Here We Go Again
After mass shootings like the one in Orlando on Sunday, reactions from people on both sides of the political spectrum tend to follow a predictable pattern. Passionate arguments quickly ensue, nothing of any significance changes, and people move on...
- 2
President Obama's Trip to Hiroshima: Empathy Without Apology
Not surprisingly, President Obama has received some criticism for his recent visit to Hiroshima. Those on the right of the political spectrum have called it another stop on the President's apology tour. This criticism, like many that have come...
- 4
The Surprising Success of Bernie Sanders: A Historical Perspective
A couple of months ago, I made an attempt to explain the historical roots of the successful campaign of Donald Trump. (A link to this essay is on the right.) In this blog, I will attempt to do the same with Bernie Sanders. Because even though this...
- 0
7 Problems With Choosing Leaders Through Elections
It seems like an appropriate time to discuss the weaknesses of democracy. In the United States, it is sacrilegious to say anything negative about something as fundamentally American as democracy, but it is not a perfect system by any means.
- 0
What's so Bad About Cuba?
The Cuban embargo was established more than fifty years ago. In addition to being a protest against the communist political policies of Fidel Castro, it was designed to hasten the fall of his regime. So as a regime change plan, it has been one of...
- 10
Why Republicans Should Try to Lose the 2016 Presidential Election
I’m starting to think that the Republican Party wants to lose this year’s presidential election. When you look at the two men leading the delegate count, it seems that the voters are going out of their way to pick someone who can’t win. It’s...
- 1
Can Democracies be Established in the Muslim World?
When the United States invaded Iraq about thirteen years ago, various reasons were given for this action. Of all the official reasons, the most noble was the effort to bring democracy to Iraq and to establish a role model of freedom for the Middle...
- 0
Easter, Terrorism, and the Human Race in General
Whether you believe the story of Easter is literally true or not, you have to admit that the holiday commemorates a classic story of something good coming out of a tragedy. Jesus was brutally crucified, but when he rose again on that first Easter...
- 8
The Political Rise of Donald Trump: A Historical Perspective
Donald Trump, on many levels apparently, is a larger than life individual. To explain his remarkable and unexpected success thus far in the presidential campaign, it is therefore necessary to tell a big story. So in this larger than normal blog...
- 0
The Greatness (and Flaw) of Kobe Bryant
Almost three years ago, Kobe Bryant blew out his Achilles tendon in one of the last games of the season. Before that game, he had played about five or six games in a row without taking a minute of rest in a desperate attempt to drag the Lakers into...
- 1
Is Organic Always Better?
In recent years, a growing number of Americans have been looking to consume more local, organic, and/or natural foods. Many people believe that the mass produced, processed foods found in typical grocery stores contain all sorts of unhealthy...
- 0
What Would Martin Luther King Think of the United States Today?
Martin Luther King Jr. died almost fifty years ago. A few years before an assassin cut him down, he had helped push through major legislative achievements that began the process of tearing down institutionalized racial discrimination. He did not...
- 4
Some Brief Thoughts Concerning Donald Trump
There are plenty of reasons to find fault with Donald Trump. One can focus on his "policy" proposals: the Great Wall of Mexico, a ban on Muslim immigrants of any kind, bombing ISIS into the Stone Age, etc. His obnoxious personality and willingness...
- 2
Why does the United States Produce So Many New Religions?
In the early 1800s, a large number of new religious movements were born in the United States. As often happens, some of these movements came and went fairly quickly, dying out when a charismatic founder passed on to the next life. Others have...
- 11
What Christmas and Star Wars have in Common
It took me a while to get into the whole Christmas spirit thing this year. Since this is the first holiday season without my dad, things didn't quite feel the same as usual. Eventually, however, I got into it enough to get all of the standard...
- 2
Why I Don't Pray in the Face of Tragedy
We had another mass shooting a couple of days ago. (In the United States, we call this type of event, “Wednesday.”) This one hit home particularly for me since San Bernardino is about a forty-five minute drive from my house. At the moment, the...
- 0
The Blessing of Bad Geography
At its highpoint, the Spanish empire in the Americas was enormous, stretching from the southern tip of South America to much of what is today the southern United States. The heart of the empire, however, was in northern South America, Central...
- 1
Reflections on "House of Cards" (so far)
I recently finished watching the last episode (so far) of the Netflix series “House of Cards.” (And there better be another season.) The character Frank Underwood, played by Kevin Spacey, seems to be the epitome of the “man you love to...
- 1
The United States and the Middle East: With Friends (and Enemies) like these, who needs . . .?
I don’t know about you, but I find the Middle East to be pretty confusing. It’s not just the various religious extremists doing crazy stuff. I also find it very difficult to determine what exactly the relationship is between the United States...
- 1
Goodbye Dad (Part three)
Before I had kids, I wasn't particularly sympathetic toward parents with young children. If I heard parents complaining about how tired or frustrated they were, my first reaction was to think, "So why did you even have kids?" or "with all of the...
- 0
Goodbye Dad (part two)
One of my best friends from high school, the man who introduced me to my wife, ended up settling in Northern California about a six hour drive from where I live. He moved up north to go to medical school and has been there ever since. We have kept...
- 1
Goodbye Dad (Part One)
I am not what anyone in his or her right mind would ever call a handyman. My brain is pretty good at handling abstract concepts, but when it comes to any kind of practical mechanical matters, it is apparently not hardwired correctly. My dad,...
- 0
Manifest Destiny in Picture Form
In 1872, John Gast created the painting “American Progress,” (see above) which was essentially a visual representation of “Manifest Destiny,” a term first coined in the 1840s. According to many 19th century Americans, God had made it clear...
- 6
Can You Have Morality Without God?
A typical argument made by believers in some sort of a God is that true morality cannot exist unless a morally perfect God exists. Without this ethical God to provide a universal moral standard, morality is arbitrary, with no individual person able...
- 1
Problems with Massive Online Open Courses
A few weeks ago, I was listening to a podcast interview of Keven Carey, the author of The End of College: Creating the Future of Learning and the University of Everywhere. As the title indicates, Carey is convinced that the college experience as we...
- 2
What's the Big Deal About the Keystone xl Pipeline?
Although I do not find the topic particularly interesting, I have found myself unable to avoid stories about the Keystone xl pipeline. And the more that I hear about it, the less I understand what all of the fuss is about. As we often see in...
- 3
Can (and Should) Historians do Science and Engineering
“Many people who celebrate the arts and the humanities, who applaud vigorously the tributes to their importance in our schools, will proclaim without shame (and sometimes even joke) that they don’t understand math or physics. They extoll the...
- 0
The 2014 Midterm Elections: A Little Historical Perspective
For obvious reasons, Democrats are currently licking their wounds and Republicans are dancing for joy after Tuesday’s midterm elections. The general (and I think accurate) consensus is that this was more of a vote against the Democrats than a show...
- 1
The History and Meaning(s) of Halloween
Halloween is an ancient, often misunderstood holiday that has evolved and been altered in a wide variety of ways over the course of more than one thousand years. Today, some people apparently think that it is a satanic day when the devil and his...
- 2
How Should Roosevelt and Obama have Responded to Their Crises?
Franklin Roosevelt’s “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself” is one of the classic lines in the history of American political rhetoric. As a piece of advice, it is very difficult to follow. We are not supposed to fear anything but...
- 2
What are We College Teachers Selling?
As economic transactions go, a trip to the grocery store is pretty simple. I hand over three or four bucks for a box of Cheerios, and as roughly four decades of experience have taught me, I am guaranteed to get a box of Cheerios. That is the beauty...
- 3
My (Latest) New Grading System
For many reasons, I am not a huge fan of grades. They cause a great deal of stress, particularly with students who struggle with a subject. They also play a major role in turning a teacher into an adversary, making it difficult to create a healthy...
- 4
A Basic Problem with Religious Fundamentalism
President Obama recently made his case for military action against the Islamic State (or ISIS, ISIL, or whatever name you prefer for these lunatics). Needless to say, it is difficult to know whether or not his strategy will work. As we have learned...
- 1
Happy Labor Day (Whatever that Means)
It is Labor Day season once again. For most Americans, Labor Day represents the end of the summer, the last holiday before the three-month drought of school and/or work. Like most Monday holidays, it also represents a chance for us Americans to...
- 2
Am I a Successful Person? (Reflections on Self-Esteem)
This is more personal than the stuff that I usually post here on Hubpages. But this post has been lingering in my head for months now. So in addition to getting some things off of my chest, maybe some of you will be able to relate: A few months...
- 3
"Solutions" for the Israeli / Palestinian Conflict
In the hundreds of blog posts / essays that I have written over the last few years, I have never directly addressed the Israeli / Palestinian conflict. This is partly because I am ambivalent about the whole thing, having listened to strong (and...
- 2
A Simple Response to a Messed Up World
I downloaded the Flipboard app on my Ipad recently and I have enjoyed using it to keep up on current events. A couple of days ago, I was looking at the major PRI stories, and it was difficult to determine which was the most depressing: the ongoing...
- 5
How and Why History Can Matter
As the subtitle indicates, this is the opening essay of the new, second edition of my book, "Accessible American History: Connecting the Past to the Present." It describes what I am trying to accomplish with the book, along with my qualifications...
- 2
Possible Lessons from the Financial Crisis
When attempting to explain the financial crisis of 2008, many people turn to one of two competing narratives. If you know a person’s party affiliation or political ideology, you can generally predict the narrative that he or she prefers. Each...
- 2
Vacation is a State of Mind
One of the greatest blessings of the career path that I have chosen is free time. Even during a busy semester like the current one, I am in the classroom about twenty hours per week. I also have to spend a few hours a week driving around from...
- 1
A Problem with Socialism, Libertarianism, and other "isms."
Libertarians and socialists both envision worlds that I find somewhat appealing. Libertarians have a vision of America in which people are largely freed from the oppression of government and allowed to create their own destinies, and socialists...
- 9
Should History Teachers Express Their Political Opinions in Class?
About a week ago, we were talking about the writing of the Constitution in one of my Early American History classes. At the time, the government had finally come to an agreement to reopen the federal government and to raise the debt ceiling. So in...
- 4
Fixing the Doctor Shortage (and other Social Problems Caused by Liberals)
Much of the following hub is not meant to be taken seriously. If there was a way to communicate tone of voice through the written word, you would hear a steady stream of thinly veiled sarcasm. The idea, outside of releasing a little frustration, is...
- 4
Memorization vs. Learning
Yesterday, I was helping my daughter go through a study guide in preparation for a quiz on the Roman Empire. It was a fairly typical junior high school social science study guide. This little quiz was going to cover about five hundred years of...
- 2
The Jazz Age (and Other "Evil" Music)
Lately, I have enjoyed driving around with my MP3 player set on “play all,” shuffle mode. With the approximately 2,400 songs that I have stored on the thing, it’s like listening to the greatest radio station in the world. I often wonder what...
- 2
A Writing and Life Update
I have spent the last couple of days getting some peace and solitude in one of my favorite places on earth: our family cabin in the mountains. And among other things, I have gained a deeper understanding of two simple truths, both of which will...
- 13
The Legacy of Ronald Reagan: Caricatures vs. Reality
The name Ronald Reagan often provokes a strong reaction with Americans. Those who believe that he was one of the greatest presidents of all time claim that he inherited a country in decline and helped to turn it around. Critics argue that he pushed...
- 5
Harry Potter and the Salem Witch Trials
A few days ago, as I showed a clip from a movie about the Salem Witch Trials to my Early American History students, my thoughts drifted, strangely enough, to Harry Potter. I, like many parents, will always feel a certain debt of gratitude to J.K....
- 5
The Religions of the Founding Fathers
When it comes to the religious beliefs of the Founding Fathers, there are two generic, competing narratives. On one side of the spectrum, there are people who believe that the Founders were basically mainstream Christians, and because the Founders...
- 3
Why did God Allow Three Women to be Locked Up for Ten Years?
This hub started off as a response to a question asked on Hubpages. As the title indicates, it was just one more version of the classic theological question, "Why does God allow bad things to happen?" As you might expect, the question received a...
- 1
Defending Freedom Through Brute Force (Some Thoughts for Memorial Day)
“It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these...
- 0
Not Taking Political Disagreements so Personally
Lately, I haven’t been writing many political posts. This is partly because the election is over (although you wouldn’t know it with all of the standard partisan bickering in Washington). It’s also because I have refocused on writing about...
- 40
The Real Scandal in the IRS "Scandal"
I haven’t been writing many political posts lately. This is largely a reflection of my growing disdain for politics. But writing about politics for me is a bit like a drug addiction. Every now and then, I have to get my fix. So the upcoming rant,...
- 4
The Ultimate Generation Gap of the 1960s
Learn about the youth rebellion of the '60s and how young people experienced a "generation gap" between themselves and their parents—a much larger one than the one between parents and children today.
- 115
Why I'm Sick of Discussions About Guns
With the United States experiencing even more mass shootings than normal in recent years, gun control has been one of the dominant political topics lately. Personally, I have not found this topic to be particularly interesting, and I have not been...
- 4
The Rantings of an Ill-Equipped Parent: Reflections on Sending a Kid to Junior High School
If anyone reads this, please do not take it too seriously. This is one of those blog posts that is more about self-therapy than making any kind of a reasonable argument. Sometimes, I find writing to be a helpful form of emotional release, and...
- 3
Maintaining Infrastructure: The Curse of Success
In the modern world, we tend to take the basic infrastructure that makes our lives possible for granted. We tend to spend more on luxury items than on the systems that make our lives possible.
- 2
Native American Stereotypes: Both Positive and Negative
Ever since the (not-so-good) old days when I was a junior high school teacher, I have been giving my students a very simple assignment at the beginning of my Early American History courses. I simply ask students to draw what comes to mind when they...
- 5
Take My Dog, Please
When we had our first child many years ago, I had no clue what the hell I was doing. I had always found babies to be somewhat frightening. You just never knew when that little bundle of joy might break out into loud wailing or leave a little gift in...
- 3
Which Christmas Story Should We Believe?
When I was growing up, one of my favorite family traditions was the "tree trimming party" when we got to put up all of the Christmas decorations. An important part of this tradition was setting up the manger scene. Most Americans, Christians or not,...
- 8
I Think I Picked the Right Job
There are moments when I wonder if I have chosen the right profession. These moments can be particularly common as semesters draw to a close. Anyone who has ever taught a significant number of hours per week for any extended period of time knows how...
- 9
The Speech that President Obama Should Deliver
As the title indicates, the following is a “speech” that I think that President Obama should deliver now that he was won reelection. But since I am not a professional speechwriter, and I do not have the time to polish the language as much as...
- 7
Abraham Lincoln, the 13th Amendment, and the Game of Politics
In recent years, Abraham Lincoln has been getting even more attention than normal. In 2009, we celebrated the 200th anniversary of his birth. This year was the 150th anniversary of the issuing of the Emancipation Proclamation. Next month, shortly...
- 6
Daddy, What Happens to Babies if They Die?
Like many parents of “tween” girls, I have listened to more than my share of Taylor Swift lately. It could be worse. My girls could be hip-hop fans. If nothing else, pop songs can have catchy (actual) melodies, and in spite of my best efforts,...
- 21
A Response to Presidential Debate Number One: How do you Fight a Fantasy?
In my last post, I said that I would quit writing about politics for a while. But after watching the first presidential debate, I just couldn’t help myself. I anticipate this being a bit more of a rant than normal. This is partly just for the...
- 8
The Role that the Federal Government Should Play in the United States Economy
Since the 2012 election is drawing near, I have found myself writing a lot of political blog posts lately. I am, however, getting a bit tired of them, and I will be glad when this election is over. So in the future, if I manage to find the time to...
- 8
Have President Obama's Policies in the Muslim World Failed?
The widespread protest triggered by an anti-Muslim video, along with the death of the American ambassador to Libya, are strong evidence, according to some, that President Obama’s policies in the Muslim world have failed. They may be right. But if...
- 7
Some Advice for the Mitt Romney Campaign
If the Republican Party had a strong candidate, they would probably win the upcoming presidential election fairly easily. Unfortunately for them, they have Mitt Romney, a man that neither side views as particularly formidable. But this does not mean...
- 7
A Better Stimulus Package
The federal government of the United States today essentially provides two basic services. First, it defends the nation by paying contractors to produce weapons, directing our military forces, and running various intelligence agencies. Second, and...
- 12
A Response to Common Accusations Against President Obama
Some people choose a political party. For others, the political party chooses them. If you ask me, I am a political moderate. People on both extremes of the political spectrum frighten me. But depending on the historical era, I would find myself in...
- 9
Should I Vote With My Gut?
It’s hard to choose the most annoying aspect of each political party’s national convention: the endless parade of speeches filled with little more than political rhetoric, the repetitive chanting of inane catch phrases, or the pointless ceremony...
- 6
The Historical Value and Modern Relevance of "The Conspirator"
On July 7, 1865, Mary Surratt became the first woman to be executed by the federal government of the United States. She was convicted of being involved in a plot to kill President Abraham Lincoln, Secretary of State William Seward, and Vice...
- 7
Ideas for New Olympic Sports
I had a great time watching the Olympic Games this year. I will always remember it, in fact, as my first Olympic Games with a DVR. Since NBC showed everything on tape delay anyway, and I had no desire to watch commercials or sit through various...
- 4
The Olympic Games: Friendly Competition?
People often describe Olympic athletes as representatives of their countries, and when our countrymen/countrywomen perform their amazing athletic feats, they are supposedly doing it for all of us. On a purely rational level, I find this idea rather...
- 6
I Miss Ross Perot
In 1992, the United States presidential election was shook up when a wealthy businessman named Ross Perot decided to make a run for the White House. And in spite of the fact that he had never held political office before, he managed to win 19% of...
- 8
My Attempt to Vote Selfishly
The Founding Fathers were not thrilled with the idea of political parties. They feared that the existence of parties would lead to a permanent factionalism, with the various factions fighting more for their particular interests than for the country...
- 12
Reflections on the Latest Mass Murderer
About a year and a half ago, I wrote a hub in response to the mass shooting in Arizona where Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was shot. (See the link on the right.) Like that article, this hub is not about gun control. Over the years, I have learned...
- 4
Why Liberals Should Deport Illegal Immigrants
This hub is a follow-up to an essay that I wrote about a week ago called, “Why Conservatives Should Support Illegal Immigration.” (I figured that I should try to be fair and balanced, just like Fox News.) So the following hub might make more...
- 9
Why Conservatives Should Support Illegal Immigration
I have heard it argued on many occasions that the American economy is being held back by excessive government regulation. Due to burdensome regulations regarding work conditions, environmental protection, product safety, and other miscellaneous...
- 10
God in the Declaration of Independence
There are four references to God in the Declaration of Independence. Here are the first two, cited from the opening paragraph and the first sentence of the second: "When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve...
- 17
Online Education, pt.2: Is This the Future?
This hub is a response to the link on the right. If you click on the link, it will take you to a short article about an online course on artificial intelligence recently taught by two professors at Stanford. At this point, the course is still in its...
- 5
How Do You Compete With Free?
Apparently, Facebook, with its approximately 900 million users, may not be as valuable as some people previously believed; although you could make the case that its falling stock price after its recent IPO has been caused more by the decision to...
- 3
The Internet and the Future of the Mass Media
Through most of human history, the receiving of information and entertainment was a local thing. News from distant lands was hard to come by, and if it arrived at all, it was already weeks or months out of date. But since these distant lands seemed...
- 13
The Historical Value of "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" (1975)
Here is why I use "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" (1975) as a teaching tool in my history classes.
- 5
Why does President Obama Now Support Gay Marriage?
It is hard to be the president. First of all, you have to make important decisions regarding a host of complex issues that you must somehow juggle simultaneously. But even worse than that, virtually everything that you do or say is under constant...
- 3
The Hunger Games, pt. 3: What is Normal?
When trying to determine if a common human behavior or belief system makes any sense, I find it helpful to go with the alien test. So imagine that aliens from another solar system or galaxy have come to earth looking for intelligent life. I would...
- 11
The Book of Revelation Lives On
In her new book, “Revelations: Visions, Prophecy and Politics in the Book of Revelation”, Elaine Pagels presents what is in my mind the only plausible interpretation of the Book of Revelation. Instead of reading it as a description of the...
- 19
What Does it Mean to Love Your Country?
When Americans say that they love their country, what exactly do they mean? The answer is not as simple as it seems, and it largely depends on what people mean by the term "country." The most basic definition of our country would be the physical...
- 3
The Hunger Games, pt.2: Should Kids Read this Stuff?
Is “The Hunger Games” appropriate for children? It’s a valid question, raising an issue often faced by parents in a country whose media puts out a wide variety of violent, sexually explicit, and/or just plain scary entertainment. But what...
- 6
We Need More "Older" Students
A while ago, I was talking to a student in one of my community college courses who was in his late 40’s. In addition to taking my class, he told me that he had two jobs and was the father of three kids. This was why he was not very sympathetic...
- 4
The Hunger Games, pt.1: Could This Ever Happen?
I do not consider myself to be anything close to an expert on youth literature, but I know enough about pop culture to realize that young people are attracted to some pretty dark stuff. But in spite of this realization, I was a bit surprised when I...
- 7
Problems With Long Books
I have trouble resisting used book sales, the clearance rack at Barnes & Noble, or my personal favorite: book giveaways. I have a particular weakness for big books. It is difficult, after all, to resist a low cost-per-page rate. These big books,...
- 8
The Health Care Reform Case, and Legislating from the Bench
I am writing this the day after oral arguments were completed in the Supreme Court case regarding the health care reform bill. All indications are that this is going to be a close vote, with the four liberal and four conservative justices most...
- 5
Problems with Textbooks
Textbook companies have a very effective business model. Some might even call it a racket. They can charge much higher prices than virtually anyone would ever pay for conventional books, knowing that students are obligated to buy the books that...
- 5
Why I'm Not Another Burned Out Teacher.
I was looking at a blog a while back that was apparently a site set up for teachers to vent their frustrations, and the person who wrote the latest post had done some serious venting. He was talking about frustrating things that every teacher deals...
- 7
Why a Non-Christian Can Love Gospel Music
I’ve been hooked on a couple of great albums lately, neither of which bears any resemblance to the other. One is “El Camino” by The Black Keys, an album that sounds like it should have been recorded in the late 1960’s – early 1970’s,...
- 5
Measuring the Value of a Teacher's Work
The industrial revolution changed the nature of work for many Americans. Instead of having a large percentage of self-employed people working in small-scale farming, manufacturing, and business enterprises, we became a society of largely employees...
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President Obama's Legacy
President Obama has been in crisis mode ever since he entered office about three years ago. The financial system imploded shortly before the 2008 election, triggering the deepest recession in decades. Inflated home prices began to plummet,...
- 8
Does Our Salvation Depend on our Historical Skills?
Christianity is based on a strange premise. According to the Christian worldview, all people are sinners who deserve to be punished for their crimes when they die. And although descriptions of hell in the Bible are as vague and metaphorical as those...
- 16
Another Second Amendment Conspiracy Theory
This hub was originally derived from a comment that I wrote in response to an article here on Hubpages. And since gun rights is one of the few controversial issues that I have yet to address here on Hubpages, I decided to turn my comment into a hub....
- 11
When Recessions Come, Who is to Blame?
The modern economy of the United States is astronomically complex. Billions of financial transactions of countless types occur every day, and it is difficult to find an industry that is not tied in some way to our increasingly global trading...
- 10
Mitt Romney, Irony, and the Soul of the Republican Party
At the moment, it seems pretty clear that Mitt Romney is going to be the Republican nominee. It has also been clear for some time, however, that Romney is not a candidate who elicits a passionate reaction from much of the Republican faithful. On the...
- 6
Staring Death in the Face
About two and a half years ago, my wife’s father was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. When it was detected, there were already tumors in his brain and hip. His condition quickly deteriorated, and he died about six months later. There are a...
- 6
God's Limitations, part II: How to Communicate
Because I have not yet come across a spiritual philosophy that makes enough sense to me, I classify myself as an agnostic. Agnosticism, however, is not entirely satisfying either. We agnostics, after all, are left with a few flawed options. First,...
- 3
A Review of 2011 and Predictions for 2012
I am somewhat embarrassed to admit that about a year ago, I predicted some things that I thought would happen in 2011. But unlike the so-called experts who make predictions for a living, I said that I would look back a year later to see how I did....
- 22
I Published A Second Edition of my Book!
As the title indicates, I just published a revised, expanded, and updated second edition of my book “Accessible American History: Connecting the Past to the Present.” (See the end of this hub for links that will take you to where it can be...
- 7
Does Abortion Reduce Crime?
A while ago, I was watching the movie “Freakonomics” on Netflix, which is currently our family’s only means of watching television. As the title indicates, Freakonomics is a movie (based on a book) created by two guys who take an...
- 8
Why I started writing this stuff
As I am preparing to have my first book published in about a week or so, I was reminded of this first blog post that I wrote on the spur of the moment about two and a half years ago. In many ways, it still sums up many of my thoughts about this...
- 4
It's All in the Letter
A few days ago, I was completing my tri-annual task of compiling grades for students in the seven courses that I taught this past semester. It is one of the few times during the year that I question somewhat my choice of profession. Pouring over...
- 4
How I Became a Community College Teacher
During my college years, I went through an “idealistic phase.” In my freshman year, I changed from a “lukewarm” Catholic into a serious, committed “evangelical” Christian. As part of this conversion, I began thinking of ways to reconcile...
- 2
Dealing with Reality
“Wouldn’t you like to know for certain that you are going to heaven?” Of course I would. Who would not want to know the secret to eternal salvation? I find it strange, however, when evangelists pose this question as evidence for the truth of...
- 2
Adjusting My Expectations
As I get older – and particularly since I started this writing experiment – I find myself dealing with two sets of competing thoughts and emotions. On the one hand, I seem to get less tolerant of ideas that seem so obviously irrational and...
- 9
The Myth of Individualism
I always find it strange when people in the United States claim that they take care of themselves. I want to ask them if they have some crops growing and animals grazing in their backyards; various tools in their garages to manufacture and repair...
- 11
A Defense of (Some) Big Government
I am going to (eventually) start this article with a statement that will make me sound like a typical liberal, socialist, hippy, bleeding heart, class warrior who wishes that he was currently occupying Wall Street. But don’t worry. I recognize...
- 2
We Should Sometimes Hope to be Wrong
Rush Limbaugh famously said at the beginning of our current president’s term that he hoped that Obama would fail. But since I am not an avid listener of Rush or of any other radio host spewing ideological political opinions, I am not quite sure...
- 4
Should We Blame the Voters?
It’s presidential election season again, and the games are well underway. As we celebrate the “joys” of the democratic process over the next several months, Americans will respond in different ways. Many will stay busy with things that seem...
- 4
Facing Up to the Consequences of our History
When you are living in the midst of an ongoing crisis, a few years can seem like a long time. But decades later, when people look back to explain these events, a couple of years might be viewed as a small part of a larger historical era. And with...
- 7
Why President Obama (Probably) Can't Win
A couple of days ago, I was watching one of my two favorite sources for TV news: The Daily Show. (My other favorite is The Colbert Report.) I figure that if you are going to turn to TV news for information, then you might as well look to sources...
- 7
Can I Still Relate to Students?
I have almost reached a point in my life where I have been a teacher longer than I was ever a student. So soon, I will have given more tests than I ever took, delivered more lectures than I attended, and handed out more grades than I ever received....
- 4
The Problem of Bigness
It is rational to think that private industry is inherently more efficient than the public sector It’s largely a matter of incentives. If a private company runs itself efficiently and has a viable business model, it will be able to turn a profit....
- 4
What Kind of a Person Runs for President?
I have never even considered the idea of running for president. I am sure that about 99.9% of Americans could say the same thing. Most of us do not feel that we have the proper set of qualifications: political experience, connections to powerful...
- 10
September 11 (10 Years Later)
Looking back, I am embarassed by how much the September 11 attacks caught me off guard. I was aware of terrorist attacks against the United States in the past, and I knew that there were plenty of people in the world who did not think highly of my...
- 9
The Revolutionary War: Why the Underdog Can Win
When Great Britain decided to put down the revolt in its thirteen colonies, there were plenty of reasons to think that they would succeed. They were stronger than those troublemaking American colonists in every way. The British had a well-trained...
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What is the Least Unfair? (Thoughts on the Debt Ceiling "Crisis")
Life isn’t fair. This may be one of the few truths on which both liberals and conservatives can agree. The problem is that they define the term unfair differently, and they view the other side’s remedies for injustice as actually increasing the...
- 4
Abraham Lincoln: Man vs. Myth
I almost share a birthday with Abraham Lincoln. When I was young, this was very convenient because I often got a day off from school. For Lincoln, unlike myself, is one of the most beloved and mythologized men in American History. When you visit the...
- 3
Blessings/Curses of Television, Video Games, and the Internet
It finally happened. Our television, a relic from a time known as the 1990’s, finally died. My initial reaction was more joy than sadness. Now that the 27 inch, heavy, non-flat screen had died, I finally had an excuse to get a bigger,...
- 11
Political Apathy and "Fahrenheit 451"
As I watched events unfold in the “Arab Spring” a couple of years ago, I felt a little embarrassed about the situation in my home country. People in North Africa and the Middle East were risking their lives fighting for rights that we Americans...
- 9
Is Faith a Virtue? (Thoughts on the Latest Rapture)
As you have probably realized, the world did not end the other day. But at least this latest wave of rapture predictors has provided us with some always welcomed comic material. In my view, anyone who has mocked these people over the last few weeks...
- 10
Are All People "College Material"?
When I was a kid, I used to dream about growing up to be a famous NBA basketball player. During the basketball season, I would spend hours on my driveway dribbling and shooting away as I hit shot after shot in a game running in my head. To this day,...
- 4
How are Certain Foods and Drugs Discovered?
I remember reading somewhere that beaver testicles could be used as a pain reliever. (I cannot emphasize enough that this information was not acquired through personal experience.) In order to make sure that I was not completely senile, I searched...
- 2
If the Ten Commandements were a Legal Code
Every now and then, a controversy comes up regarding the erection of religious-oriented monuments on government land. Sometimes, this involves the display of the Ten Commandments in some sort of a court building. Supporters of these displays argue...
- 5
"The Big Thirst" (The Future of Fresh Water)
One of the greatest blessings of life in the modern world is easy access to fresh, drinkable water. Instead of going through the hard labor of gathering water from a well, river, or lake, all that we have to do is turn a faucet. But because it is so...
- 2
Personal Responsibility: A Moderate Perspective
Many of the controversial questions of our time come down to the issue of individual responsibility. Do people fail or succeed primarily as a result of their own personal efforts, or are we mostly victims (or benefactors) of circumstance? In other...
- 31
What does the Death of Osama Bin Laden Mean?
About fifteen minutes before I started to write this, I heard that Osama Bin Laden had reportedly been killed. This initially caught me completely off guard. Like many Americans, I had concluded some time ago that Bin Laden would someday die a...