The way Apple manufactures needs (e.g., compelling millions of people to buy new cell phones every two years) is an abomination. (“Forget 500-page books, people don’t even read 500-word articles anymore,” The iPINIONS Journal, July 17, 2014) Not that this is a source of any corporate shame, mind you. After all, I was stupefied when… Read more.
Archives for 2014
Scotland Votes Resounding “No” to Independence
Scotland spurned independence in a historic referendum that threatened to rip the United Kingdom apart, sow financial turmoil and diminish Britain’s remaining global clout… Unionists won 55 percent of the vote while separatists won 45 percent with 31 of 32 constituencies declared. (Reuters, September 19, 2014) Why? Well, with due respect to all of the… Read more.
Should Scotland Become an Independent Country? ‘No Thanks’
Not only is Catalonia presenting an equally compelling case for independence as Kosovo; it is doing so in a non-violent way that stands in commendable and instructive contrast to the violence that attended Kosovo independence. Alas, such is the vested (European) interest in holding Spain together (economically and politically) that, even if Catalonia were to… Read more.
Facebook: UPDATE YOUR NAME
I disabled the comments feature on this site years ago because far too many visitors were using it to either publish comments that had nothing to do with my commentaries or hurl insults at other readers (you know, the ignorant and juvenile snark that seems standard fare on Twitter and Facebook). Not to mention those… Read more.
Janay Made Informed and Liberated Choice to Stand by Her Man, Ray. Okay?
No doubt you’ve seen the video of Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice knocking out his then-fiancée, Janay Palmer, that went viral a week ago today, inciting unprecedented public outrage. But I waited until today to comment for two reasons: My first reason for waiting is that I did not want to join the visceral,… Read more.
England warning Scotland about independence is like mother warning child about fire. Each must burn to learn.
Oscar Pistorius Gets Off on Murder. Manslaughter Looms…
The judge in the Oscar Pistorius trial has ruled out all murder charges, but says he may still be guilty of culpable homicide (manslaughter). Judge Thokozile Masipa said the prosecution had failed to prove the Olympic athlete killed his girlfriend deliberately in the toilet after a row, prompting tears from Mr Pistorius. He cannot have… Read more.
Demystifying ISIS: Case against Obama’s Bush-lite War on Terrorism
This is a very complicated and convoluted issue; therefore, I shall begin with a few clarifying points: Despite the media inciting hysterical calls for war against them, the jihadists rampaging across the Middle East, who call themselves ISIS/ISIL (hereinafter ISIS), pose no security threat to the United States. They represent little more than the latest surge… Read more.
‘Shocked, Shocked!” Another NBA Owner Caught Making Racist Remarks
To quote Yogi Berra, “it’s deja vu all over again:” For the second time this year, the owner of a professional basketball team will sell his controlling interest of a franchise after his racially insensitive views were made public. Bruce Levenson, who has led the ownership group of the Atlanta Hawks since 2004, informed N.B.A.… Read more.
Hail, Serena! U.S. Open Champion … Again
Serena Williams is making me eat my words … again. Here’s why: I fully expected Venus and Serena to do to the records in women’s tennis what Tiger Woods has done (and is doing) to the records in golf. Alas, they have not. In fact, of the 43 Grand Slam titles that have been up for… Read more.