Nikki Haley´s recent remarks about the Civil War has shown how tough shape the Republican Party is in. In 1861, there was not a single public school in the Confederacy. Thom Hartman wrote a commentary showing that life in the South was hard for all but the richest people. See this excerpt and then the commentary….
Blog
Environmentalists Appreciate Pope Francis – Ed O´Rourke
Environmentalists Appreciate Pope Francis – Ed O´Rourke Many environmentalists are Pope Francis fans. American Gaia, representing umpteen organizations wrote a thank you letter. See these excerpts and see the source at: https://americangaia.me/004-pope-francis/ Sincerely, Ed You also explain that humans depend on one another. Using the term “human ecology” (in contrast to the natural ecology that puts humans…
An Extensive Look at America´s Broken System Dealing with Addiction – Ed O´Rourke
Today´s NY Times offers a long article about efforts to deal with addiction in the US and suggested improvements. Here are some excerpts: “The entire system sets you up to fail,” she said, “and then blames you for failing, over and over, until you give up.” Part of the problem is certainly the reluctance of…
December 8 – A Religious and National Holiday in Colombia
December 7 evening is the time when people turn on their Christmas lights. There are family and neighborhood gatherings with many candles and decorations. The celebrations are usually in your front yard. It may be the happiest evening in the year. We had friends for dinner last night and I toured the neighborhood later to see the…
Pope Francis Tells Everybody that Global Warming Is Serious – Ed O´Rourke
In his latest statement, Laudate Deum, Pope Francis is asking everybody to take global warming as serious business. See excerpts and the link to his latest declaration. Sincerely, Ed The Global Climate Crisis 5. Despite all attempts to deny, conceal, gloss over or relativize the issue, the signs of climate change are here and increasingly…
A Look at the Area Sea, Now a Desert – Ed O´Rourke
When I was a child in the 1950s, the Aral Sea was the world´s fourth largest fresh water lake. Now it is a desert in all but name. Over the decades, Soviet authorities diverted rivers that flowed into the sea to irrigate cotton and other crops. The world’s fourth-largest inland body of water — which covered…
Robert Reich Looks at US Capitalism – Ed O´Rourke
Three men have as much wealth as 160 million Americans. The world´s richest 8 men have as much wealth as 3.6 billion people. You do not see any discussion on this. See Robert Reich´s commentary. Sincerely, Ed Beyond Trump: Why American capitalism is so rotten
Pope Francis Tells Everybody that Global Warming Is Serious – Ed O´Rourke
Pope Francis Tells Everybody that Global Warming Is Serious – Ed O´Rourke In his latest statement, Laudate Deum, Pope Francis is asking everybody to take global warming as serious business. See excerpts and the link to his latest declaration. Sincerely, Ed The Global Climate Crisis 5. Despite all attempts to deny, conceal, gloss over or…
Family Reunion Reflections – Ed O’Rourke
The weather was a major factor. We cancelled the Coleman Highlands walking tour. Sunday morning at the Our House restaurant is usually packed with people looking for a table. On Sunday, October 29, there was no competition. In every winter, there is a story about a 20 car smashup on an icy road. Those who stayed home made a…
President Biden’s Prosperity Is Missing Most People – Ed O’Rourke
See these excerpts from today’s NY Times: · The mortal enemy of Bidenomics isn’t Donald Trump; it’s a reliance on aggregate and average numbers that mask the nature of the economy Americans experience. Focusing on G.D.P. is a mistake, as it obscures the range of financial success and hardship in an economy as unequal as that…