http://julius.gather.com Recent Articles on Gather by Michael A. en-us Copyright Gather Inc 2009 Tue, 29 Dec 2009 17:30:17 GMT 2009-12-29T17:30:17Z 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=281474977677352 We may all know this famous quote (meme)--popularized by Carl Sagan--better than we know our own language and logic.  It is in fact an erroneous claim at best--meaningless at worst.  It is a . . . Fri, 08 May 2009 16:20:27 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977677352 Michael A. 2009-05-08T16:20:27Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977653042 Rove: "I hate to say it, but he's a serial exaggerator. If I was being unkind, I'd say he's a liar. But it is a habit he ought to drop. You'll notice every one of these incidents . . . Sat, 11 Apr 2009 14:43:11 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977653042 Michael A. 2009-04-11T14:43:11Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977643138 Some people will probably think I am utterly insane in making this proposition:  The set of all summits, groups, etc., {G-N | for all N in the natural numbers} are entirely irrelevant . . . Wed, 01 Apr 2009 02:07:08 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977643138 Michael A. 2009-04-01T02:07:08Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977639600 As those defined by dreams and trouble To hasten demise in their cruel rubble I, indeed, as form and thought Become most weary--in pain I wrought And in our cares lay forces we may  . . . Sat, 28 Mar 2009 07:23:16 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977639600 Michael A. 2009-03-28T07:23:16Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977635795 Please watch the video: PERM Fake Job Ads defraud Americans This video was posted by www.programmersguild.org Here's a write-up I found on dailykos.com There's more . . . Tue, 24 Mar 2009 18:00:35 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977635795 Michael A. 2009-03-24T18:00:35Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977627448 They call it the great unbounded infinite absolute Substance  Also called the unmoved mover The unsourced source of all being and power in the universe They call it everything--or nothing  . . . Tue, 17 Mar 2009 01:07:11 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977627448 Michael A. 2009-03-17T01:07:11Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977624693 Lets start with our own experience of consciousness.  We begin by looking at the simple idea of being aware of something.   But this being aware  begins in us  as a lacuna . . . Sat, 14 Mar 2009 20:10:26 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977624693 Michael A. 2009-03-14T20:10:26Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977624511 After spending some time thinking about what most would consider "unrelated" to this subject, i.e. the necessary figure/ground basis of consciousness, I decided to switch gears and play around . . . Sat, 14 Mar 2009 17:39:16 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977624511 Michael A. 2009-03-14T17:39:16Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977620888 When Gather Deletes A Member... I find some of my articles feature myself talking to a void.  I can't say that I understand why everything has to be deleted. And when the offending members . . . Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:10:31 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977620888 Michael A. 2009-03-11T19:10:31Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977618391 The author of this post doesn't like opinions that contradict his own. See down at the bottom of the article--i.e. as of March 9, there are 24 posts (only 9 remain). First of all, the Dow . . . Mon, 09 Mar 2009 16:05:30 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977618391 Michael A. 2009-03-09T16:05:30Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977614389 Most of the translations of the Emerald Tablet contain two essential keys of interpretation for the tablet. These two statements occur at the first and last lines   Verum, sine Mendacio, certum . . . Wed, 04 Mar 2009 20:32:49 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977614389 Michael A. 2009-03-04T20:32:49Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977614187 Dennis Turner, introducing Terry Eagleton, in his 2008 lecture Faith and Reason-- He summarizes previous Eagleton lectures in response to the "Ditchkins" critique of Christianity and religion . . . Wed, 04 Mar 2009 16:34:04 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977614187 Michael A. 2009-03-04T16:34:04Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977613688 1.1 In reading older texts embedded in a time-linear development of a particular tradition, it is widely (and rather uncritically) accepted that the meaning of the text is wholly dependent on the . . . Wed, 04 Mar 2009 02:35:25 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977613688 Michael A. 2009-03-04T02:35:25Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977468037 Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin on Saturday slammed Sen. Barack Obama's political relationship with a former anti-war radical, accusing him of associating "with terrorists who targeted their own . . . Sun, 05 Oct 2008 00:12:07 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977468037 Michael A. 2008-10-05T00:12:07Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977466138 Read through these carefully--when I first read this, I thought someone hacked the GOP site.  This is incredible--with spending programs like these, Obama is a shoe-in!  Source:  . . . Thu, 02 Oct 2008 22:48:27 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977466138 Michael A. 2008-10-02T22:48:27Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977372804 "When the Tao is lost, there is goodness. When goodness is lost, there is morality. When morality is lost, there is ritual. Ritual is the husk of true faith, the beginning of chaos." . . . Sat, 14 Jun 2008 02:10:15 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977372804 Michael A. 2008-06-14T02:10:15Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977360019 Investigation often requires extremely honest and sincere questions.  Sometimes (I quickly admit guilt on this one) I begin with harsh declaratives, generalizations (as in my last diary) and . . . Tue, 03 Jun 2008 03:49:45 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977360019 Michael A. 2008-06-03T03:49:45Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977167707 Disclaimer:  I lost a bet...hence this article.  “ I will always praise my maker I will always return to my taker I will never be a faker I will never be a forsaker. . .” . . . Mon, 05 Nov 2007 03:17:48 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977167707 Michael A. 2007-11-05T03:17:48Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977136723 In past discussions in here at gather.com and elsewhere, I have cited examples of human conduct in times of peace and war.  The ongoing debate almost always gravitates to the topic of human ethics, . . . Thu, 04 Oct 2007 03:21:55 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977136723 Michael A. 2007-10-04T03:21:55Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976958796   A religion is an iron cast applied to the immediate phenomenal forms of consciousness.  An image, in its attempt to anchor the echoes of the mind in relation to the world, dissolves itself . . . Sat, 14 Apr 2007 21:16:25 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976958796 Michael A. 2007-04-14T21:16:25Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976956801   Link to Larger Image  [CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE ALBUM]      Link to Larger Image  Thu, 12 Apr 2007 19:09:12 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976956801 Michael A. 2007-04-12T19:09:12Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976951606 Faith is an internal desire motivating a person to accept certain propositions independent of the evidence supporting or denying the same.  As a “basis or motive for action, decision, or conviction,” . . . Fri, 06 Apr 2007 17:40:46 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976951606 Michael A. 2007-04-06T17:40:46Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976950865 Question:  Is Jesus a complete representation of divine perfection with respect to God the Father?  Commonly accepted premise in Christendom: human beings cannot "stand" in the presence . . . Thu, 05 Apr 2007 18:36:00 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976950865 Michael A. 2007-04-05T18:36:00Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976920407 Proposition: "Reason (the faculty which identifies and integrates the material provided by man's senses) is man's only means of perceiving reality, his only source of knowledge, his only guide . . . Wed, 28 Feb 2007 17:48:23 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976920407 Michael A. 2007-02-28T17:48:23Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976915170 The current national security apparatus has seemingly evicted the classical notions of defense in favor of the doctrine of preemptive warfare against rogue states supplying weapons and arms to terrorists.   . . . Wed, 21 Feb 2007 10:08:46 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976915170 Michael A. 2007-02-21T10:08:46Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976913926 Policy question: Does democratic freedom provide the sufficient infrastructure for the communication links between terrorist cells?  Many proponents of the Bush Doctrine have rightfully criticized . . . Mon, 19 Feb 2007 20:49:38 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976913926 Michael A. 2007-02-19T20:49:38Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976912701 In the past few days I have tried to take advantage of the weakest communication links between the anti-war and pro-war camps in political discourse.  Although it may seem non-intuitive to some here . . . Sat, 17 Feb 2007 22:14:09 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976912701 Michael A. 2007-02-17T22:14:09Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976911347 Here are the claims: "A stable Iraq is a crucial strategic victory in the War on Terror" (1)  U.S. withdrawal will leave Iraq a safe-haven for terrorists who plan to attack the U.S. . . . Thu, 15 Feb 2007 18:50:07 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976911347 Michael A. 2007-02-15T18:50:07Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976910211 This is a short refutation to the House minority claiming that our presence in Iraq is vital in the "war on terror."  Their argument is that our withdrawal will weaken the U.S. severely . . . Wed, 14 Feb 2007 07:02:42 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976910211 Michael A. 2007-02-14T07:02:42Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976910131 Here it is in all its glory:   Dear Collegue, We are writing to urge you not to debate the Democratic Iraq resolution on their terms, but rather on ours.  Democrats want to force us to focus . . . Wed, 14 Feb 2007 04:48:52 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976910131 Michael A. 2007-02-14T04:48:52Z