Monthly Archives: February 2012

Separation of Church and State

Posted on February 29, 2012 by

When I was growing up, and following US Elections, I usually found that conservatives were well versed in the US Constitution when they wrote about politics. Now I notice Rick Santorum’s supporters, and indeed Rick Santorum himself when he said … Continue reading →

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War Statistics: Steven Pinker’s new book ‘The Better Angels of our Nature’

Posted on February 28, 2012 by

Steven Pinker’s new book ‘The Better Angels of our Nature: the Decline of Violence in History and Its Causes ‘ relies heavily on statistics from the following source: The Correlates of War Project at: http://www.correlatesofwar.org/ And Matthew White founder of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Ways to handle conflict, Conflict Book Reviews, Conflict History, Conflict Processes, Conflict Statistics, Rise of China | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Novels and the Decline in Violence: Steven Pinker’s (1954-) View

Posted on February 28, 2012 by

Some years ago, driving down to Big Sur in California, I heard an interview on National Public Radio with J.M. Coetzee (1940-), the great South African novelist. He told the story of how, after the South African peace process had … Continue reading →

Posted in Ways to handle conflict, Conflict Book Reviews, Conflict History, Conflict Processes, Creativity and Conflict, Neuro-science of conflict, PERSONAL CONFLICT RESOLUTION: CREATIVE STRATEGIES, Conflict Statistics, Academic Conflict | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Rick Santorum and the Ghosts of 1933

Posted on February 28, 2012 by

A number of my friends in Michigan have had calls from Democrats urging them to vote in the Republican Primary for Rick Santorum, because he would be a weaker candidate than Romney. Why is it that this reminds me of … Continue reading →

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Republican Manners and the Democrat Party

Posted on February 28, 2012 by

This blog though it has its enthusiasms and gets a bit carried away, also tries to be civil and polite to those it disagrees with, though it also mocks extremists in all forms. I liked this little piece in The … Continue reading →

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The Republican Candidates: The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

Posted on February 28, 2012 by

I got so many hits on this image in another posting that I am posting it in its own right: Four Republican Horsemen of the Apocalypse: Santorum, Gingrich, Romney, and Paul aka: Fundy, Sleazy, Shallow and Nutty:

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Anna Ahkmatova (1889-1966): Conflict Poem: To the Londoners (1940)

Posted on February 28, 2012 by

The twenty-fourth drama of Shakespeare Time’s writing with its indifferent hand. We, selves, the guests of the awful Feast here, Better would read Hamlet, Caesar, and Lear Over the river, in heavy lead clad; Better – to bear, with singing … Continue reading →

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Voltaire (1694-1778) on Atrocities

Posted on February 26, 2012 by

Why is it that the current political climate in at least one major US party makes me think of these lines from Voltaire: ‘Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities’ Francis-Marie Arouet aka Voltaire. See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voltaire

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Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) on the Causes of Conflict

Posted on February 26, 2012 by

I have come to think that it is time Thomas Hobbes is retrieved from conservatism and made more generally available as the first philosopher whose main aim was the preservation of peace. I found this interesting: ‘So that in the … Continue reading →

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US Auto Bailout: Mitt Romney (and the Rest of the GOP): Let Detroit Go Bankrupt!

Posted on February 26, 2012 by

Nowhere are Mitt Romney or any of the other Republican candidates further for reality than in their opposition to the 2008/9 bailout of the US Auto Industry. I worked in that industry for 32 years (and yes had a stake … Continue reading →

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