Category Archives: History

Quote for the Day

Posted on December 13, 2011 by

ShareThe world has actually been wired together by digital communications systems for a century and a half. Nothing that has happened during that time compares in its impact to the first exchange of messages between Queen Victoria and President Buchanan … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, History, Science, Technology | Leave a comment

Legends vs. Realities

Posted on December 7, 2011 by

ShareBoth the Crusades and the Spanish Inquisition deserve criticism. Unfortunately, much of the criticism winds up being constructed of legends and incomplete information. It would be better if they were criticized on the basis of the cold hard facts, rather … Continue reading →

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Quote for the Day

Posted on December 1, 2011 by

ShareWestern civilization, it seems to me, stands by two great heritages. One is the scientific spirit of adventure — the adventure into the unknown, an unknown which must be recognized as being unknown in order to be explored; the demand … Continue reading →

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Night Thoughts

Posted on November 30, 2011 by

ShareEdward Young’s ten thousand line blank verse poem, The Complaint: Night Thoughts, was first published in 1742. It is divided into nine “nights” of the author’s reflections on the question of suffering and tragedy. It was written in reaction to … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Theology | Leave a comment

Peace and War

Posted on November 7, 2011 by

ShareA couple of years ago my wife traveled in Europe with People to People International and enjoyed herself immensely. Along the way, she had interesting conversations with people that she otherwise would never have met. But one of the things … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Quote for the Day

Posted on October 8, 2011 by

ShareAny strategy that involves crossing a valley—accepting short-term losses to reach a higher hill in the distance—will soon be brought to a halt by the demands of a system that celebrates short-term gains and tolerates stagnation, but condemns anything else … Continue reading →

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The Perseus Collection from Logos Bible Software

Posted on September 28, 2011 by

ShareThe wonderful folks at Logos, the Bible software people, have given me early access to their new Perseus Collection, over 3000 volumes of material. The Perseus Collection includes Greek and Latin classics such as Aristotle, Plato, and Cicero, in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Culture, History | 1 Comment

Quote for the Day

Posted on September 10, 2011 by

ShareBut the great security against a gradual concentration of the several powers in the same department, consists in giving to those who administer each department the necessary constitutional means and personal motives to resist encroachments of the others. The provision … Continue reading →

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Quote for the Day

Posted on August 31, 2011 by

ShareThe Solution by Bertolt Brecht After the uprising of the 17th June The Secretary of the Writer’s Union Had leaflets distributed in the Stalinallee Stating that the people Had forfeited the confidence of the government And could win it back … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Humor, Quotes | Leave a comment

Bananas

Posted on August 22, 2011 by

Share Many years ago, between my Freshman and Sophomore years of college, I spent two summers working and living on a kibbutz in Israel near the Sea of Galilee—what the Israelis now call Lake Kinneret (meaning “harp”). A kibbutz is … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Science | Leave a comment