Singapore and Katrina

This was originally printed in the New York Times. I am illegally reproducing it here so that folks will be able to read it without having to register on the NYT site. Its a good read that gives a different perspective on all this stuff from the government's point of view.

September 14, 2005
Singapore and Katrina
By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN

Singapore

There is something troublingly self-indulgent and slothful about America today - something that Katrina highlighted and that people who live in countries where the laws of gravity still apply really noticed. It has rattled them - like watching a parent melt down.

( Read more... )

Humanism

One of the great religious humanist pioneers, John H. Dietrich, pointed out:

For centuries the idea of God has been the very heart of religion; it has been said "no God, no religion." But humanism thinks of religion as something very different and far deeper than any belief in God. To it, religion is not the attempt to establish right relations with a supernatural being, but rather the upreaching and aspiring impulse in a human life. It is life striving for its completest fulfillment, and anything which contributes to this fulfillment is religious, whether it be associated with the idea of God or not.

Read more about Humanism here.

boobies

I'm thinking about getting together a group shot of guys and gals to submit a picture here. If you are interested then send me an email to vernard@livejournal.com
Don't worry, no faces will be visible in the final submitted shot.