Monthly Archives: July 2011

Debt Ceiling Debate and the Trolley Problem

Posted on July 30, 2011 by Lex

The debt ceiling debate boils down to the trolley problem which states: A trolley is running out of control down a track. In its path are five people who have been tied to the track by a mad philosopher. Fortunately, … Continue reading →

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A Climate of Urgency Makes Drastic Decisions Seem Justified

Posted on July 24, 2011 by Lex

I’m starting to see a trend in the way our government operates: Step 1: Do nothing for a few months. Step 2: Recognize a looming problem. Sell it as a crisis that is the biggest threat to our well-being ever. Step 3: … Continue reading →

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Murdoch is Usually Evil but Not So Much This Time

Posted on July 24, 2011 by Lex

The outrage in response to The News of the World hacking scandal confuses me. Reporters were caught stealing data in cyberspace. They crossed ethical and legal lines. It’s wrong, and they should be punished, but I believe the goal was … Continue reading →

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Staring at the Wall for Inspiration and Innovation

Posted on July 18, 2011 by Lex

The world is full of distractions. We try to deal with it by designing productivity systems (e.g. Getting Things Done), when for many people (or at least myself) what is missing is not a good system but some quality wall-starin’ … Continue reading →

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Morality by Consensus

Posted on July 15, 2011 by Lex

I’ve been listening to a lot of lectures and debates recently on questions of religion. It’s quite remarkable that scholars representing the theist worldview are willing to engage in debate on scientific grounds. In other words, they argue for the … Continue reading →

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The Importance of Being on Time

Posted on July 10, 2011 by Lex

I’ve had a complex relationship with punctuality over the years. The United States is a tolerant culture when it comes to people that arrive late, but nevertheless, for many people (especially in the business world) tardiness is a cardinal sin … Continue reading →

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It’s Only Rock ‘n Roll (But I Like It)

Posted on July 8, 2011 by Lex

I finally got around to finishing Keith Richard’s autobiography Life, whose title joins the likes of Bill Clinton’s “My Life” and Ricky Martin’s “Me” to be the most unimaginative and egotistical titles for an autobiography. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed … Continue reading →

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Secular Jews and Humanists

Posted on July 6, 2011 by Lex

The concept of humanistic judaism, or religious humanism in general, has always highlighted to me of what is good about religion: culture, history, tradition. What does it mean to be a secular Jew? It’s when you keep the tradition and practices … Continue reading →

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The Palin Guide to the Founding Documents for Tea Party Candidates

Posted on July 3, 2011 by Lex

If you’re running as a tea party candidate, you’re most likely selling yourself as someone who values the constitution and by extension the historical foundation of our government. The problem with doing that is you actually have to learn some history. Here … Continue reading →

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