People from the U.S. sometimes ask, “What’s life like in South Korea?” This is my standard response. Korea is: a.) densely packed and teeming with human activity; and b.) the government is deeply, intimately involved in the citizens’ lives. The… Read More ›
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The hajj & freedom for religion
Today is Friday, Aug. 24, 2018, and pilgrimage season once again comes to a close. So it’s time to reconsider a serious possibility. The case could be made that Mecca, Medina and perhaps other locations should be their own country…. Read More ›
“The Handmaid’s Tale” (1985) by Margaret Atwood
The Puritans in Massachusetts in 1630. The Mormons in Utah in 1847. The Bolsheviks in Russia in November 1917. The Communists in the USSR in April 1922. The Blackshirts in Italy in October 1922. The Wahabis in Saudi Arabia in… Read More ›
The Mongols
There are at least 20 different ways in which the Mongolians are unique. The agricultural revolution. It’s hard to build cities based on grass and pasture-fed animals, except for the Mongols. Indus Valley Civilization. It’s hard to… Read More ›
Dialogue 2
“Shhht! Keep your voice down!” He waved his hand at her sharply. “Why? Why should I keep my voice down? You always go about doing whatever you want, writing posts here and there as if you’re a real writer,… Read More ›
Dialogue 1
“Shhht! Keep your voice down!” “Why? Why should I keep my voice down? You always go about doing whatever you want, writing posts here and there as if you’re a real writer, throwing ink on any old page that… Read More ›
Point of View 5
I take the master key from the kid at the front desk and walk down to #103. #101, #102… #103. Here we are. I try the door. Locked. Hmm. Not surprising. Most hotel doors lock themselves. Insert… twist… and…… Read More ›
