A CNN poll this week has just revealed that 69% of Americans think that waterboarding is torture and 58% say the US shouldn’t use it. But a huge 40% of Americans said that the US government should be allowed to use the procedure to get information from terrorist suspects. In theory that’s 120 million people, …
Is anyone out there concerned about constant software upgrades? Almost every day there up pops a notice on the screen announcing an upgrade to some piece of software on my computer. Fortunately, most of these upgrades go on in the background and do not unduly interfere with work. But one does wonder how necessary they …
This morning on the C-Span call-in program (I don’t normally listen – it is un-Epicurean to do so, although it is a good program) I heard a caller say that the policies pursued by the current President were without exception good, because “Bush prays” before making a decision. When the moderator, quite correctly, pointed out …
A day or two ago I commented that seriousness seems to go with Epicureanism, and wondered whether some people were influenced by the grim visage of the philosopher himself. Why is it that mention the word “philosophy” and everyone immediately settles into pseudo-intellectual mode? I think it must have something to do with the sort …
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Do the following rate as torture? Sleep deprivation, being kept in a cell in extremely low temperatures, being made to stand up with your hands tied to the ceiling, being slapped around the head, water-boarding, extra-bright lights and blaring “music” all day and all night? Is it o.k if we do it, but not if …
