In a book called “The Verneys“* by Adrian Tinniswood (highly recommended) he quotes the following entertaining story from the 17th Century: Thomas Sydenham, a Parliamentary cavalry officer and also a prominent doctor, had an aristocratic patient with deep depression, which nothing seemed to cure. The good doctor interviewed the patient in London and referred him …
Five tips for a woman…. 1. It is important that a man helps you around the house and has a job. 2. It is important that a man makes you laugh. 3. It is important to find a man you can count on! and doesn’t lie to you. 4. It is important that a man …
An inherent contradiction exists in the the liberal world economy. The current globalization of the capitalist market system is transforming the world economic structure and diffusing wealth to a score of countries other than the previously dominant West.  This is having the inevitable effect of undermining the hegemony of thwe United States at so rapid …
The more Democrats know about global warming, the more concerned they are. But Republicans who consider themselves well informed on the topic are no more worried than those who profess ignorance. This is because conservative news sources are highly sceptical of climate science, say a pair of political psychologists at Stanford University. (New Scientist, 31 …
Continue reading ‘Conservatives and global climate change’ »
Seeking luxuries (extravagant food, excessive drink or sex) creates anxiety in our minds and disturbance in our bodies.
The US Supreme Court recently affirmed a fundamental constitutional right — in this case, the right of a detainee to challenge the government’s grounds for confining him. Senator McCain responded by saying: “The United States Supreme Court yesterday rendered a decision which I think is one of the worst decisions in the history of this …
If you are not ready to ask the question you are not not ready for the answer. We all from time to time ignore problems and issues and when confronted with those who have indeed thought about them and have some answers, however ill-thought-out, we are unable to engage and we brush the matter aside. …
Epicurus told us not to be afraid of the gods: they do not concern themselves with human problems; nor do they reward or punish you in this world or when you die. There is neither a Heaven nor a Hell, except in the minds, hearts and vivid imaginations of individuals. This is fighting talk, of …
Welcome back, Steve.
Epicurus told us that anxiety is worse than bodily pain. Present suffering soon passes; anxiety lasts a long time and undermines an otherwise happy life. He was right, and pharmaceuticals are not the answer; they only mask the problem. Many of them become less effective with time and I can think of one positively dangerous …
Epicurus, who likely lived with young boys like all his male contemporaries did, had the right idea it seems. Scientists now say that humans live longer if they have more social interactions. Studying fruit flies Chun-Fang Wu and Honyu Ruan at Iowa University found that mutant fruit flies, sharing a home with young fruit flies …
The British generate a little less than ten tons of carbon per person each year; in the United States the number is about twice that.* It is heartening to know that even in the smallest Cotswold villages people are expected to recycle and to segregate different sorts of waste. Epicurus, of course, had to dispose …
British registrations of 4 x 4s (SUVs) fell more than 18 per cent last month, part of a Europe-wide collapse. Were Epicurus alive today he would be appalled that these monsters were ever designed in the first place in an era of climate change.  Where I live they are overwhelmingly used by young women who …
During an interview with Sen. John McCain on Monday’s NBC Nightly News, Brian Williams noted that “the videotape clip of your comment about being in Iraq 100 years if need be, of course, is still kicking around,” and then asked, “[G]iven your support for the surge and where you believe this nation is in Iraq …
Jewish and Arab religious leaders against Gay Pride Rabbis, Arab-Israeli sheiks object to holding Gay Pride Parade in Jerusalem; ‘if gays will dare approach Temple Mount during parade – they will do so over our dead bodies,‘ Arab MK Sarsur says. Leading American Rabbi Yehuda Levin organized a Jerusalem conference attended by both Jewish and …
