On Cynical Manipulation, Self-Sufficiency and the Value of Human Death
If nothing else, I hope that this essay reveals the immense power that a single Calvin and Hobbes comic strip can hav...
Monday, December 8, 2014
Saturday, December 6, 2014
The Illusion of Progress
One can only imagine what Henry David Thoreau would think of modern society. He would see a world of superhighways connecting suburbs to the cities, on which people drove their gasoline powered cars from home to work and vice versa. He would see a world of industrialized agriculture, of tractors and trucks, of hydrocarbon based fertilizers and pesticides....
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Some Comments on the Election Results
Man, what a disaster. Turnout was the story, hands down. In New York, less than a third of registered voters actually voted. The reason may be quite simple: the man at the top of the Democratic ticket, Andrew Cuomo. He drew no enthusiasm from his base, so they didn't bother to show up. Cuomo's victory was underwhelming, to put it mildly. In the Capital...
Saturday, September 20, 2014
How to Transform Society
The world is in a state of crisis. Warfare, epidemic, economic disaster, and impending climate catastrophe pose existential threats to societies around the globe. Something must be done. For too long, the people of this planet have waited for our political leaders to solve our problems for us. Now is the time for us to take matters into our own hands,...
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
A New York State of Politics
Today's revelations by the New York Times regarding Governor Andrew Cuomo's interference with the Moreland Commission is not exactly surprising, but it has the potential to shake up the campaign for his reelection. As of now, this report can only strengthen the candidacies of Cuomo's three main challengers: Zephyr Teachout, who is running against Cuomo...
Monday, May 19, 2014
'No Love Lost' Between Greens, WFP
A source with knowledge of the situation does not believe that the Working Families' Party will cross-endorse Howie Hawkins, the Green Party nominee for governor this year.
The source states that there is "no love lost" between the two parties.
Many on the left in New York, including the Greens, view the Working Families' Party as having 'sold...
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Dystopia in the the Present Tense
A state of perpetual warfare. Armed forces occupying foreign territory for over seventy years. Active combat ongoing for more than thirteen.An ubiquitous surveillance state. Continuous monitoring of communications using advanced technology. Exposers of the truth persistently pursued and prosecuted.A police state. Local units equipped with military...
Friday, May 16, 2014
Political Trends and Party Polarization in the United States
The following is a brief exploration of the major political trends in the United States from the 1960s to the present day. This commentary will explore the changing political coalitions within American society. It will also explore the role this process has had in the “re-polarization” of the American political proces...
Monday, May 5, 2014
People of Albany United for Safe Energy
PAUSE is a grassroots group of individuals who have come together to promote safe, sustainable energy and fight for environmental justice. We engage the greater public to stop the fossil fuel industry’s assault on the people of Albany and our environment. Our work reaches out to people and groups around the globe who strive for an end to the...
Friday, March 14, 2014
Albany School Budget Crunch Reflective of Statewide Crisis
The City School District of Albany is currently crafting its budget for the 2014-2015 fiscal year. As of this writing, the district faces a projected deficit of $5,829,454. This is the product of the combination of expiring grant funding and a sixth consecutive year of insufficient state aid. That is largely due to the “Gap Elimination Adjustment”,...
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
The Legend of Lemonardo
His name was Lemonardo di Caprio. He was the ugliest fruit in Lemontropolis. When Lemonardo was in Juicing School, all the other fruits and vegetables said he would never make a good lemonade. One day he met a magic golfer named Arnold Palmer, who would...
Sunday, January 26, 2014
On the Origins of the Cold War
When examining the causes behind the onset of the Cold War, several themes become evident in terms of the considerations of the two major parties of the conflict, the United States and the Soviet Union. The United States was increasingly enamored with anti-Communist sentiments, a fact particularly evident when looking at the campaigns of Senator Joseph...
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Linking Alex Trebek to Andrew Johnson
Alex Trebek hosts Jeopardy!...
...on which Richard Cordray once appeared...
...who clerked for Robert Bork...
...who fired Archibald Cox...
...who was the great-grandson of William M. Evarts...
...who defended Andrew Johnson during his impeachment heari...
Thursday, January 2, 2014
"If", Part 2: Towards a Post-Labor Society
All too often we take an overly micro view of the world. We fail to see the long-term big picture, the light at the end of the tunnel. As I have already described, the ultimate goal of humanity is to achieve sustainable happiness. Technology allows us to do this. The world of the future could be a dramatically different place.
The resources we...