Contact: thurmanhubbardATyahooDOTcom
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By Thurman, on December 26th, 20092009-12-27T00:15:09ZF jS, Y%
I ran across a recent Gallop Poll this morning, indicating that organized religion is losing ground in America. Nearly thirty percent of Americans today find religion in general to be old fashioned and impotent to address many issues we face today. With this in mind and the holiday season now officially past peak, perhaps now is a good time to reflect on the Christmas season and the relevance of organized religion in our society.
I could go on and on about the tragic commercialization of Christmas, and how we in the modern world have abandoned the ways of our ancestors for the new church of the Consumer Economy, but you already know these things.
Many people who celebrate Christmas seem to have lost sight of the true meaning of the holiday. Both theists and humanists alike seem to forget that the true spirit of this season is one of peace and reflection on our brotherhood with all humankind, and not just an excuse to over indulge in unhealthy eating and drinking habits for several days while participating in the collective national potlatch that’s become retail America’s seasonal wet dream. Continue reading Christmas Week Reflections
By Thurman, on December 20th, 20092009-12-20T21:54:38ZF jS, Y%
“Every now and then I get down to the end of the day and I have to stop and ask myself why I’ve done it.
It just seems so useless to have to work so hard and nothin’ ever really seems to come from it. ”
~ Tom Petty
Its turning out to be a tough year to be a progressive isn’t it?
Sure seems that way to me. Looks like we’re not going to get any kind of meaningful health care reform, unless you call being forced to do business with criminals meaningful. Meaningful in the sense that it means our government is still firmly in the hands of the corporate masters of the universe.
The Copenhagen talks turned out to be just that – a bunch of meaningless babble, spin, and photo opportunities where leaders of the world gathered to stroke their egos and scoff at the little people making so much noise down in the streets.
How quaint of us to think our leaders would ever do anything that might adversely affect corporate profit margins just to save the planet. Meanwhile, Rome, and the rest of the world, burns. Continue reading Where’s My Change?
By Thurman, on December 15th, 20092009-12-16T01:23:41ZF jS, Y%
The following post originally appeared on my other blog, Unorthodox Homestead Journal. With the Copenhagen talks in full swing, I thought perhaps it might be appropriate to re-post it here. After all, one of the keys to reducing your carbon footprint is basic conservation. Turn off the lights on your way out.
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In the summer of 2008 our electric bill went through the roof! It was double what we normally expect to pay during that time of year for several months. Our house, by most standards a tiny 1000 square feet, is cooled by three window air conditioners: a small unit in each bedroom and a large one in the living room / kitchen. Continue reading Conservation: Easier Than You Think
By Thurman, on December 12th, 20092009-12-13T03:40:09ZF jS, Y%
It’s that time of year again – holidays. Time for gatherings of families and friends, for socializing and general good cheer.
Most people wait until after Christmas for the the post holiday let down to set in, but not this one. Always one to march to a different cadence, while everyone else is getting up for the down beat, I’m on a different time signature altogether. While the world sings in the key of C, I’m busy wallowing around in B minor.
If you haven’t guessed it by now, this post has something to do with music. I love music. One could even say I live for music. While I may not be a very good player (lack of discipline, etc.), I’m the biggest fan any player could ever have. Continue reading Now For Something Completely Different
By Thurman, on December 5th, 20092009-12-06T02:21:39ZF jS, Y%
“Civil government, so far as it is instituted for the security of property, is, in reality, instituted for the defense of the rich against the poor, or of those who have property against those who have none at all.” ~ Adam Smith, Wealth of Nations
Last fall, as the worst recession in eighty years got into full swing, many employers, including one I worked for, began laying off workers. The reason given was almost universally, “to keep the company profitable.” Got that? Not to keep the business from going bankrupt, not because demand for services suddenly dropped into the basement (though I’m sure that was the case in some industries), not for any reason other than greed. Millions of people lost their jobs over the last year just so many companies could remain profitable.
I’m not sure if I posted my thoughts about this greed motivated move at the time, but I wondered then what I know now: it seemed mighty suspect for so many people to be laid off, in my industry at least, while actual work loads hadn’t dropped by much at all. Many of the layoffs since last fall were layoffs of convenience. Corporate America took advantage of a bad situation in a few sectors of the economy and used those conditions to shore up bottom lines and rake in larger profits for shareholders. Continue reading Economic Depression: The New Corporate Profit Model
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Soul Searching
All this time we’re talking and sharing our rational view
A billion other voices are spreading other news
All this time we’re hoping and praying we all might learn
While a billion other teachers are teaching them how to burn
~”Peaceable Kingdom”
I’m having a crisis.
Seems I’ve burned myself out reading and writing about all the troubles in the world and searching for the answers. Perhaps the answer is to burn it to the ground and start over. Continue reading Soul Searching