http://bilhelm.gather.com Recent Articles on Gather by Bill Lawrence en-us Copyright Gather Inc 2009 Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:26:10 GMT 2010-01-05T00:26:10Z en-us Copyright Gather Inc 2009 http://www.gather.com/images/header/logo_gather.gif http://www.gather.com/ http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977508731 The following is based, a tad loosely, on an article in November’s “The Atlantic Monthly,” titled “First Person Plural,” by Yale psychology professor Paul Bloom (his interview is at www.theatlantic.com/pleasure . . . Mon, 17 Nov 2008 03:26:57 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977508731 Bill Lawrence 2008-11-17T03:26:57Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977498624 The way the hard-working, dedicated McCain people were handled as they gathered to watch the results of the elections seemed eerily familiar:  as the results came in they were sheltered from the "bad . . . Wed, 05 Nov 2008 16:48:27 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977498624 Bill Lawrence 2008-11-05T16:48:27Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977493763 Time to wrap up these campaigns and get to the voting booth.  But I can't resist jotting down a few of the things that have alternately amused and irritated me about the McCain-Palin campaign, . . . Fri, 31 Oct 2008 12:55:15 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977493763 Bill Lawrence 2008-10-31T12:55:15Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977489860 Things aren't going well for John McCain.  Independent voters are realizing that his choice of a running mate is irresponsible; that his policies continue to echo those of George Bush; that he . . . Mon, 27 Oct 2008 13:13:05 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977489860 Bill Lawrence 2008-10-27T13:13:05Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977483325 We've heard a great deal about ACORN and Obama's connection to it lately.  Republicans are outraged when they hear McCain's campaign talking about voter fraud; Democrats are outraged because . . . Mon, 20 Oct 2008 14:43:22 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977483325 Bill Lawrence 2008-10-20T14:43:22Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977477673 One of the many hoary myths that has become a part of the American political narrative is that Republicans are fiscal conservatives, hence good for your pocketbook, while Democrats are "tax and spend . . . Tue, 14 Oct 2008 21:05:09 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977477673 Bill Lawrence 2008-10-14T21:05:09Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977465154 FactCheck.org has taken both MoveOn.org and the McCain-Palin campaign to task for each blaming the other side for the current economic crisis.   MoveOn says it was Phil Gramm and the Republicans, . . . Thu, 02 Oct 2008 01:45:14 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977465154 Bill Lawrence 2008-10-02T01:45:14Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977464941 I've been a proponent of some form of effective government action to get the credit market up and running -- not a popular position (good thing I'm not running for anything).   But I'm . . . Wed, 01 Oct 2008 21:23:53 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977464941 Bill Lawrence 2008-10-01T21:23:53Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977462726 The House Republicans failed this afternoon to muster enough support to join Democrats in passing the rescue package that would, it is hoped, boost confidence in the viability of the financial system, . . . Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:47:10 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977462726 Bill Lawrence 2008-09-29T19:47:10Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977461470 I don't usually do this, but there is an excellent analysis of the surge by veteran diplomat Peter Galbraith that actually gives an accurate portrayal of the surge and the situation in Iraq.   . . . Sun, 28 Sep 2008 11:40:03 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977461470 Bill Lawrence 2008-09-28T11:40:03Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977459835 It seems the more doctrinaire elements on the Right and Left are united in indignation over the prospect of the bailout.  On the Right the objection is that the market created the problem and the . . . Fri, 26 Sep 2008 13:53:20 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977459835 Bill Lawrence 2008-09-26T13:53:20Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977454262 A lot of accusations are flying over who is to blame for the our financial mess, but I think you can make a good case that the root of the problem lies in the long struggle to deregulate the financial . . . Sat, 20 Sep 2008 17:57:19 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977454262 Bill Lawrence 2008-09-20T17:57:19Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977453427 I've been trying to set the record straight on lies and distortions by posting FactCheck articles, but I have to give it up because the stream of lies coming almost exclusively from the McCain-Palin . . . Fri, 19 Sep 2008 17:06:52 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977453427 Bill Lawrence 2008-09-19T17:06:52Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977448171 See, I told you I'd try to be even-handed -- I don't like distortions and lies no matter where they come from.  So here's one from the Obama/Biden camp.  The subject is a bit more . . . Sat, 13 Sep 2008 21:38:20 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977448171 Bill Lawrence 2008-09-13T21:38:20Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977447095 I noticed a post having to do with the Lipstick remark Obama made, which brought to mind a recent FactCheck.Org finding about a McCain ad accusing him of belittling Palin.  Having heard the lipstick . . . Fri, 12 Sep 2008 16:38:31 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977447095 Bill Lawrence 2008-09-12T16:38:31Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977445480 What follows is a letter written by a university professor in Alaska to a good friend of mine in which he gives my friend his evaluation of Ms Palin.  Don't worry -- this isn't a list of . . . Wed, 10 Sep 2008 20:37:24 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977445480 Bill Lawrence 2008-09-10T20:37:24Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977444065 In the interest of fairness (a rare commodity in our political climate!), here is a FactCheck.org take on some of the claims being made about Palin.  Much as I disapprove of many of her positions, . . . Tue, 09 Sep 2008 12:22:01 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977444065 Bill Lawrence 2008-09-09T12:22:01Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977441345 Watching the GOP Convention last night I came away wondering if the American people would be fooled by the spectacle of enthusiastic Republicans running as much against themselves as Obama. Let me . . . Sat, 06 Sep 2008 03:08:07 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977441345 Bill Lawrence 2008-09-06T03:08:07Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977439632 Political conventions are supposed to be fun for the party that holds them.  They energize the base.  They attempt to persuade independents and members of the opposing party that they should . . . Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:32:02 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977439632 Bill Lawrence 2008-09-04T19:32:02Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977421680 In an effort to get beyond personal opinion, I've been posting FactCheck.Org summaries (full articles with sources are on the website) calling Obama and McCain to task for misrepresentations.  . . . Thu, 14 Aug 2008 20:39:30 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977421680 Bill Lawrence 2008-08-14T20:39:30Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977419912 My favorite corrective website, FactCheck.Org, has analyzed a recent Obama ad critical of McCain and finds that he's gotten the figures wrong and has distorted McCain's tax break proposal: . . . Tue, 12 Aug 2008 19:01:39 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977419912 Bill Lawrence 2008-08-12T19:01:39Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977417254 I'm repeating here a summary of an analysis of McCain's recent misrepresentations  of Obama's record on taxes.  Note, please, that the  www.factcheck.org people  are strictly . . . Sat, 09 Aug 2008 02:37:24 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977417254 Bill Lawrence 2008-08-09T02:37:24Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977417166 Just came off a thread in which people got very riled up over the energy plans trumpeted by the two Prez candidates.  I thought it might be useful to see where they agree and disagree, since there . . . Fri, 08 Aug 2008 23:36:12 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977417166 Bill Lawrence 2008-08-08T23:36:12Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977169673 For those who are interested in the war in Iraq and Afghanistan in general, and how our military chaplains are supporting our servicemen and women fighting that ill-conceived war, I'd like to draw . . . Wed, 07 Nov 2007 01:05:59 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977169673 Bill Lawrence 2007-11-07T01:05:59Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977142347 This just in from Truthout.Org:  Joby Warrick, reporting for the Washington Post, writes that a small private intelligence company that monitors Islamic terrorist groups obtained a new Osama bin Laden . . . Tue, 09 Oct 2007 19:17:37 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977142347 Bill Lawrence 2007-10-09T19:17:37Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977125094 The President went on the air last week to explain why he intends to veto a bill extending and expanding the ten-year-old SCHIP program intended to provide health care to children in low income families.  . . . Sat, 22 Sep 2007 19:06:02 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977125094 Bill Lawrence 2007-09-22T19:06:02Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977117214 On those very rare occasions when I get into a discussion with a Bush admirer (not easy to do these days), I sometimes like to shock by asserting that historians will date the beginning of America's . . . Fri, 14 Sep 2007 20:13:37 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977117214 Bill Lawrence 2007-09-14T20:13:37Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977105664 I just saw a report on CNN which talked about declining real income for the middle class (not the executive "class") and the fact that 45 million people are without health insurance, including . . . Mon, 03 Sep 2007 22:45:47 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977105664 Bill Lawrence 2007-09-03T22:45:47Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977099868 Has anyone seen or read the Reagan diaries?  The excerpt below has been making the rounds, and I'm repeating it here.  But I have no idea whether this is true...although given the nature . . . Tue, 28 Aug 2007 17:21:34 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977099868 Bill Lawrence 2007-08-28T17:21:34Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977098859  Having cleared customs and passport kontrol at Sofia airport (see Slouching I), we were ready to begin our Bulgarian adventure.  We didn't know that storm clouds were gathering over Prague: . . . Mon, 27 Aug 2007 17:45:12 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977098859 Bill Lawrence 2007-08-27T17:45:12Z