tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28673416448103878332012-01-14T11:53:09.128-05:00Social and political commentary toward a brighter futuresoothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.comBlogger461100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-18018298939029003942010-10-06T20:44:00.001-05:002010-10-06T20:46:43.458-05:00

This is a funny forward of unknown origin:FW: Euro-English News FlashThe European Commission has just announced an agreement whereby English will be the official language of the European Union rather than German, which was the other possibility.As part of the negotiations, the British Government conceded that English spelling had some room for improvement and has accepted a 5- year phase-in plan

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-71087103255810270842010-03-19T23:04:00.001-05:002010-03-19T23:07:08.782-05:00

I heard a conversation on Talk of the Nation on NPR the other day (March 12, 2010) about whether or not genetically modified crops are living up to their billing as a solution for starvation in impoverished countries. The upshot was that mostly they aren’t, but apparently one of the “successful” GMOs is the high-vitamin cassava or yucca. The expert guest had the temerity to say that cassava, in

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-3839904526069039092010-02-21T23:06:00.003-05:002010-02-21T23:13:12.523-05:00

It snowed 3 feet in Washington D.C. a few weeks ago and for some Americans that’s an excuse to give up on the hard work it will take to make our society sustainable. (Never mind that climate scientists have long predicted that more powerful storms would be one more symptom of what’s ailing planet Earth.) Is it me, or is this easy-way-out attitude completely un-American? Did our forbears found

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-16139268979278135892009-02-05T22:59:00.001-05:002009-02-05T23:04:26.571-05:00

I was hoping the silver lining in this recession would be the resetting of the value of property and education and maybe even of an hour’s work. But some people seem to think it’s reasonable to use it to perpetuate the status quo—which benefits some people tremendously and costs others their dreams, their time with family and their very sanity.President Obama wants to cap executive pay at

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-81465897888729966632008-09-30T11:43:00.003-05:002008-09-30T14:29:17.705-05:00

Several months ago, I began thinking about writing a post on the dangers of credit and how it has allowed the values of homes and tuition to get so out of whack. Well, I’ve been busy and haven’t gotten around to it, but now it must be said. Yesterday the Dow fell more than 700 points and I just know we are living several dismal paragraphs in my grandson’s history text book. Aces and Kings are

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-85233743309746193652008-09-05T19:38:00.005-05:002008-09-06T23:42:38.291-05:00

The other night, instead of telling us what their candidate plans to do in office, Republicans Rudy Giuliani and Sarah Palin chose to mock the significant life experience of Barack Obama.They seem to have contempt for community organizing. What is it they find so contemptible? The people of our national community? The fact that, with the skilled guidance of organizers, those people are more

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-12455486792912846482008-06-18T22:55:00.006-05:002008-06-18T23:06:42.558-05:00

On June 7th, martial law came to America. Police in Washington, D.C. set up checkpoints on a one way street leading into the city’s Trinidad neighborhood. Anyone attempting to enter the area is asked for ID and a “legitimate reason” for going into the so-called "Neighborhood Safety Zone". Since when does an American innocent of any crime need to justify his or her travels around our free

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-32442552856750948802008-06-03T20:54:00.009-05:002008-06-03T22:09:15.561-05:00

It’s a bizarre irony that in this age of political correctness, tolerance and supposed acceptance, the latest excuse for why we can’t have a black president is that the candidate is a member of the elite. They used to tell us that black people were too dumb or backward to even vote, never mind run for office. Black people were portrayed as dirty, poorly dressed, slang-spewing monkeys. Now we’

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-558267059411632572008-05-31T21:21:00.002-05:002008-05-31T21:33:32.579-05:00

Every once in a while, sitting in traffic or looking out the window of a tall building, I have a moment where I involuntarily step back and look at the world and see it literally swarming with cars. It’s at these moments that I become pessimistic and I say to myself and whoever will listen, “we’re doomed.” And though I think we probably are, I believe we owe it to the Earth that has sustained

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-26730112030021100652008-05-23T22:42:00.001-05:002008-05-23T22:47:31.677-05:00

I was driving down American Legion Highway in Boston a few months ago when I was suddenly assaulted by the sun where it hadn’t shone before. I knew immediately something was different and it wasn’t long before I realized that some of the venerable old trees that made that highway a parkway were gone. The road had been under construction for some time (one of those blue pet projects signs

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-90928794861450103702008-05-15T22:52:00.004-05:002008-05-15T23:06:06.355-05:00

This week, Bush is in Israel to celebrate Israel’s 60 years of existence and, without irony, America’s 60 years (minus 11 minutes) as its unwavering champion.How is it consistent with our—or at least Bush’s-- value of promoting liberty throughout the world to support unconditionally the state of Israel, despite human rights abuses as egregious as bulldozing houses, checkpoints and walls to

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-44565187964278525392007-12-12T23:00:00.001-05:002007-12-12T23:00:19.995-05:00

There's not much more to say. See my previous posts: On throwing it all away and On how our stuff owns us and check out www.storyofstuff.com.

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-38669504360022394462007-12-08T21:49:00.000-05:002007-12-08T21:53:19.005-05:00

I came across an article in Time recently: “Why Breast Cancer is spreading Around the World,” by Kathleen Kingsbury (Time, October 15, 2007) “Plus: A Guide to the Latest Treatments,” the cover package promised.From the data presented in the article, it is clear that breast cancer rates have risen along with the adoption of western lifestyles and diets in developing countries, yet with a

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-20307706762085090952007-11-20T23:12:00.000-05:002007-11-20T23:17:51.123-05:00

In a world where the U.S. mail is now compared to a snail rather than a pony, a dial up modem-- which can bring information from all over the world in a matter of minutes-- is considered intolerably slow, and where slow is defined unflatteringly as:apathetic, crawling, creeping, dawdling, delaying, deliberate, dilatory, disinclined, dreamy, drowsy, easy, gradual, heavy, idle, imperceptible,

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-51549293864469201452007-11-06T23:32:00.000-05:002007-11-11T20:48:21.869-05:00

It was quiet at my polling place tonight. No, city council elections aren’t all that sexy, but we Americans need to start exercising that voting muscle before it atrophies completely.According to Naomi Wolf (The End of America) and some other non-crazy students of society, it’s entirely possible that our rights are being chipped away, so this is no time to stop using them. Our founding fathers,

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-66715601111910034942007-11-04T21:10:00.000-05:002007-11-11T20:49:15.031-05:00

I’m looking for an apartment for myself and my 3 year-old son. In the great state of Massachusetts, we have a lead law that says if a landlord rents to a family with a child under 6 years old, s/he must delead the apartment. This seems like it can only be a good thing but turns out to be a double-edged sword. It’s expensive to delead, so landlords—being in business to make money, or at least

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-16484050604715668562007-10-13T23:25:00.001-05:002012-01-14T11:53:09.135-05:00

Today is Blog Action Day! Thousands of bloggers around the world will blog today about the environment. Here’s my contribution:The elevation of Al Gore to demigod status has got me thinking about the enormity of the global climate change problem. It’s so difficult, in large part, because by developing as we have with far flung suburbs dependent on urban jobs (and with the proliferation of

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-25452097087080781612007-10-10T22:21:00.001-05:002008-10-03T16:51:36.761-05:00

I’ve been too busy to blog lately (though not too busy to fume silently!) so this will have to go under the heading of better late than never.A few weeks back, Iran’s President Ahmadinejad visited the U.S. and requested that he be allowed to pay his respects at Ground Zero. He was refused by U.S. officials and for the life of me, I cannot figure out why.As a human being, the man deserved the

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-7201627831070124822007-09-17T21:22:00.000-05:002007-09-20T23:43:43.797-05:00

I think most of my readers know me but even if you don’t, all you have to do is read my blog to know I have an opinion on just about everything. So it’s been uncomfortable and strange not feeling like I could form an opinion about whether or not the U.S. should pull out of Iraq. I’m clear on whether we should have invaded in the first place; I have been since way back in 2003 when I hung a “No

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-87888643792857343672007-08-30T22:54:00.001-05:002007-08-31T21:29:50.745-05:00

Water is simple and abundant, but somehow we’ve managed to complicate it. We chlorinate it, fluoridate it, pipe it through copper, lead, steel and PVC. At this point, most tap water tastes so bad and has such a bad rep, many of us have taken to drinking it out of bottles instead. It comes from a spring or is filtered and “purified.” It costs $1.50, $2, $3 or even $4 a bottle, so it must be

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-41287911284107406082007-08-26T21:45:00.000-05:002007-08-27T21:09:14.354-05:00

The USDA now recommends that people eat whole grains. The same government mandates that refined white flour (and white rice, corn grits, cereal and pasta) be enriched with synthetic B vitamins, folic acid and iron. But why reinvent the wheel? Mother Nature, or God or whoever you credit for this sort of thing, has provided an abundance of foods that meet our needs perfectly. We humans feel it

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-78345090433178701652007-08-17T21:43:00.000-05:002007-08-17T21:46:37.183-05:00

“I have to work.” I hear that from moms all the time. I say it myself. But is it strictly true?I am not taking issue with individual moms or families and the choices they make within the societal context. We all do the best we can. I’m taking issue with the context. Somehow, the end result of women’s quest for the freedom to make choices about our lives is that we’re locked in to the

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-87433204985542111642007-08-11T01:03:00.000-05:002007-08-12T22:08:37.236-05:00

I flew in from DC today. Flying, with its attendant security routines and prohibitions, has become an unwelcome chore for many, but for the most part we put up, shut up and shed our shoes because we want to get there in one piece. Today I’m feeling a little less willing to accept that this is our only option, thanks to a colleague and travelling companion who’s not quite as docile as most—I’ll

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-29316762021093574682007-07-27T20:49:00.000-05:002007-07-29T21:33:17.816-05:00

The English language probably has more words than any other language on earth.* So why is it that, lately, people feel the need to replace perfectly serviceable verbs with nouns masquerading as verbs?A dictionary is perfect for gifting.You can keep it on the mantle in your fireplaced living room.Take it out when you liaise with friends.Outreach to those who’ve developed the jargon habit.I’m

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-50722514813572652782007-07-21T21:45:00.000-05:002007-07-29T21:34:24.844-05:00

Little things you can do about global warming…Walk when you canRide your bike when you canHypermile when you drive (see 6/23/2007 post)Combine errands to cut down on car tripsPark once at shopping centers and walk between storesCarpoolGet a stainless steel water bottle (www.gaiam.com, www.klean canteen.com) and a filter; filter your own water and carry it in your bottle (stainless doesn’t wear

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-92164781129624917162007-07-03T23:20:00.000-05:002007-07-29T21:33:17.818-05:00

I’ve never been what most people think of as patriotic. I’m not much into waving flags or decorating my house red, white & blue for the 4th. But I love my country and what it used to represent. I love that when America is at its best, if there’s a reasonable doubt, the accused isn’t guilty. I love that in the age of technology that can make Big Brother a reality, I have a right to privacy

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-53293272173815199952007-07-02T21:00:00.000-05:002007-07-29T21:33:17.819-05:00

Alli, the next big over the counter diet drug, works by preventing the body from absorbing 25% of the fat it takes in. It garnered an article in Newsweek (The Word is ‘Leakage’ by Raina Kelley, Newsweek, June 25, 2007) focused on what most people will consider its major side effect—“anal leakage.” I’m going to predict, like Newsweek, that this messy little problem will encourage a lot of

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-73862103610004619122007-06-23T20:54:00.000-05:002007-07-29T21:34:24.845-05:00

A few months ago, I came across an article in Mother Jones about people who use all sorts of techniques to increase the mileage (and thereby decrease the emissions) of their cars. They’re known as "hypermilers," and the best of them get 50 miles to the gallon in a conventional vehicle and 100 mpg in a hybrid! We were frustrated with the less- than-stellar mileage our new car was getting, so we

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-14296865641527436622007-06-04T22:34:00.000-05:002007-07-29T21:33:17.820-05:00

That’s democrats with a small “d.” (A brilliant college professor of mine named James Morone used the size of the d to distinguish between citizens of a democracy and members of one of the two major parties in our political system.)There was an article in the Globe yesterday morning (“Despite Challenges, N.H. Primary Thrives,” by Lisa Wangsness and James W. Pindell, The Boston Globe, June 3,

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-25550766372479401022007-06-01T22:55:00.000-05:002007-07-29T21:33:17.821-05:00

I hesitate to admit that I’ve watched American Idol or So You Think You Can Dance but if you’re going to comment on social phenomena, you’ve got to keep your finger on the pulse of society. If the number of votes for Taylor Hicks last season-- more votes than any president has received-- is any indication, American Idol has captured a lot of hearts. (I’ve also got a small child, which tends to

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-61429083463721737852007-05-26T20:35:00.000-05:002007-07-29T21:33:17.822-05:00

I was listening to the news yesterday and I heard that the citizens of very wealthy Milton, Massachusetts have declined to pass an override that would increase their taxes in order to balance the town’s school budget. The alternative may be shutting down all sports programs or raising the fee for participation in a sport to over $700! They may have to excess 30-some teachers and make other cuts

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-59811211149057862372007-05-10T13:46:00.000-05:002007-07-29T21:33:17.823-05:00

Most of the opposition to the extension of the basic civil right to marry to all people comes from so-called Christians. I hate to rain on the religious right’s parade, but their stance in these matters isn’t remotely Christian. Not in my interpretation-- and I’m a Christian too. God made everything. God doesn’t make mistakes so he must have made the boundless diversity of living things

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-30250504612078475262007-04-17T00:09:00.000-05:002007-07-29T21:33:17.824-05:00

What Don Imus said is inexcusable and it is probably appropriate that he was fired, if only because access to a national radio audience is not something that should be awarded someone who repeatedly uses the platform to utter rude remarks. (I probably would have said the same thing about Imus even before the “nappy-headed hos” comment.)Firing Don Imus may allow the media storm to blow over and

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-75206664747527403032007-04-09T00:09:00.000-05:002007-07-29T21:34:24.847-05:00

At a time when we are facing what is perhaps the worst crisis in human history--man-made global climate change-- why are we adding more throw away items to the pantheon of consumer products? Do we need disposable everything? Is a little convenience worth the demise of our planet—our only home?I’m talking about throw-away mop heads, toilet brushes, bibs, food storage containers, dusting cloths,

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-59777254356234992392007-04-07T23:37:00.000-05:002007-07-29T21:33:17.827-05:00

Why is it that because one or a few cases of e. coli, salmonella or listeria have occurred in a food, we have to either avoid it altogether or cook the hell out of it or mandate pasteurization for everyone all the time? Many foods are more nutritious and safer in their raw state because they have enzymes that help our bodies use the foods, and beneficial bacteria that actually protect against

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-36462861759542247122007-04-03T23:06:00.000-05:002007-07-29T21:33:17.828-05:00

Why is it so deadly to change your mind in politics? Don’t we want our public figures to have the ability to learn and grow and for their ideas to evolve with that new knowledge?Bush is very proud of the fact that he never changes his mind, no matter what the evidence that he’s got it all wrong. Is that something we want to encourage? According to conservative pundits and the media John Kerry

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-47859006260066388612007-03-21T22:44:00.001-05:002007-07-29T21:34:24.849-05:00

I went to the New England Aquarium the other day. I thought I was just taking my son to see the fish and the penguins but I got another reminder of our impending doom instead. Right now there is a special exhibit on jellies, so we checked it out. I’ve never liked running into them at the beach, but they are kinda pretty. Problem is, they are taking over the oceans! Apparently jellies are

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-2837733939026208632007-03-17T16:21:00.000-05:002007-07-29T21:33:17.830-05:00

In Turkey, in many ways a more truly secular society than the U.S., marriage is a civil ceremony for everyone. The legal ceremony-- which is very brief and to the point, consists of: the couple stating their intention to be joined legally; the entering of the event into the record books of the municipality with the signatures of the couple, the official and 2 witnesses; and, occasionally, a

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-69332734844517599312007-02-25T00:20:00.000-05:002007-07-29T21:33:17.831-05:00

I wrote this letter to my Massachusetts state senator asking her to prevent the establishment of NAIS in Massachusetts. I am posting it here in hopes of spreading the word about the problems with this nascent program. For more information, click on the link to the Weston A. Price Foundation below. I am a mother and it is very important to me to feed my family whole, local, organic foods. That

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-5904604408641575322007-02-22T20:36:00.000-05:002007-07-29T21:33:17.832-05:00

I know it’s scary: long time enemy, Muslim theocracy, "crazy" people potentially will hold nukes. I hate to say it but it’s only fair. Now before you start freaking out, know that I’m basically a pacifist and I can’t think of many situations in which I’d consider the use of force to be just. Saving people from genocide or slavery maybe. I don’t want any country to hold or, God forbid, use

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-35256970691087695292007-02-02T16:49:00.000-05:002007-07-29T21:33:17.834-05:00

I am so sick of armchair experts passing judgement on teachers. I’m sick of the low pay and little respect accorded teachers in this society. I wouldn’t think of going into a software firm or a nuclear power plant and telling those folks how to do their jobs. But look at the No Child Left Behind law. It is Big Brother for teachers, designed by politicians-- many of whom have no experience in

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-61984290478417690362007-02-01T22:45:00.000-05:002007-07-29T21:33:17.835-05:00

Every time you get in your car, you take your life in your hands. Not because of all the giant SUVs on the road-- well at least that’s not the primary reason. It’s because people either don’t remember what the driver’s manual says or they just don’t care to follow the rules. In Boston, at least, we are literally at the point of automotive anarchy. It is so common for people to run red lights in

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-58833025856905566362007-01-24T23:30:00.000-05:002007-07-29T21:33:17.836-05:00

I believe we are witnessing the decline of civil society. I have quite a few reasons for thinking this way, but what’s on my mind today is the modern job search. Once-- not so long ago-- if you submitted a resume to a prospective employer, you had to have it printed on fancy paper and send it, along with a tailored cover letter, via the mail to a “sir “or “madam” and follow up with a phone call.

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-26023162111097882912007-01-23T21:34:00.000-05:002007-07-29T21:33:17.837-05:00

My husband and I wrote this letter to NBC and the Boston Globe soon after the West Wing episode "King Corn" aired in January 2005. The West Wing is not the only program that has misrepresented Turks and other muslims. I'm posting this now because I think the information and opinions here are still relevant and may be new to some writers, producers, TV viewers and blogwatchers.You can rent Season

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-50178637741429986082007-01-23T00:39:00.000-05:002007-07-29T21:33:17.838-05:00

My dad was an avid writer of letters to the editor rife with $10 words. Of course, he got published-- often. I, on the other hand, am a many time reject. In honor of my dad and as part of a series I'm calling "Letters Never Printed," I'm posting letters to the editor that should see the light of day since I bothered to open my dictionary... The links to the Brown Alumni Monthly and the Boston

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2867341644810387833.post-33484500272313361862007-01-21T23:56:00.000-05:002007-07-29T21:33:17.840-05:00

Recently there was a story on WBUR's Here and Now about schools in Massachusetts banning tag at recess because it caused so much conflict among students.Click on the link below to listen to the story.Tag has been around for as long as anyone can remember and never had to be banned before. I think the problem today lies not with the game but with the schools and parents who provide only organized,

soothsayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05225924177350572422noreply@blogger.com0