From the category archives:

IN THE NEWS

UNEMPLOYED: without work and unable to secure new job

October 17, 2011

My Pittsburgh daughter related the story of a friend who is in the business of hiring security people at entry-level positions in Western Pennsylvania.  He has about 100 jobs available at the $10-$12 per hour level, with full benefits available after 60 days.  His problem: he can’t find people willing to take the jobs!  They [...]

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LETHAL INJECTION: the execution of a prisoner by use of drugs

September 22, 2011

Last night there were a number of violent deaths in communities throughout the United States.  In cities it is a common thing to check the papers in the morning to see how many people were shot, stabbed, strangled, or otherwise relieved of their lives in a criminal way. One of the violent deaths that occurred [...]

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“…IN SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH….”: wedding vow too familiar to be taken seriously?

September 18, 2011

Pat Robertson, the aging TV evangelist-political candidate for President, has never been one of my favorite people.  His simplistic theology seems to take delight in trampling on people who live in the margins of belief and life, particularly if those margins are far from his own comfortable location.  This past week he not only stepped [...]

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“ALL THE COMPANY OF HEAVEN”: a euphemism for all those who have died

September 12, 2011

In the liturgy of  The Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church in the United States there is a phrase used when the Priest who is celebrating the liturgy of Holy Communion says, “…and so, with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of Heaven….” It is meant to indicate that what is [...]

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NOTE TO BUSINESSES: hire!

September 10, 2011

Dear Business Owners, I just read the lead article in the September 10 New York Times which begins, “The dismal state of the economy is the main reason many companies are reluctant to hire workers, and few executives are saying that President Obama’s jobs plan–while welcome–will change their minds any time soon.” I’m not surprised [...]

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SOCIAL SECURITY: a social insurance program funded through payroll taxes

September 8, 2011

A potential candidate for the Republican Presidential nomination, Governor Rick Perry of Texas, has enjoyed labeling Social Security as a Ponzi Scheme. He has a right to do that, and there appear to be a number of people who agree with him.  I don’t. First of all, labeling Social Security as a scheme implies that [...]

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CONFIDENCE: trust

September 6, 2011

The word confidence has played a major role in the editorials and op-ed pieces for the past several months.   It is usually coupled with the words consumer, voter, or investor to report that: consumer confidence is at an all-time low, with purchasing of goods being a very fragile marker voter confidence in the President and [...]

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LABOR DAY, 2011: Now it all begins

September 5, 2011

Today, September 5, 2011, is Labor Day. All over the country, in large cities and small towns, schools are empty, some stores are closed, non-essential government offices are dark, many industries are closed, and people will gather for picnics, family gatherings, and … the annual Labor Day Parade.  It all began in 1894 when President [...]

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BULLY PULPIT: a highly visible political position from which a person can present an opinion

August 17, 2011

There’s been a lot of talk in the news lately about the bully pulpit various candidates have from which they can profess their views. Not surprisingly, the term was coined by President Theodore Roosevelt, for whom the term bully was a positive.  It meant strong, forceful, and aggressive, terms that would naturally apply to the [...]

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CATALYST: something that inspires a change in direction

August 16, 2011

It only takes a word, a speech, a performance,  a brave action, or a stupid action to trip the wire and get something started.  The shooting death of an Austrian leader started a war.  The arrival of the Beatles on the scene started a paradigm change in popular music.  A key hanging on a kite’s [...]

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