http://mweinberg.gather.com Recent Articles on Gather by Mike W. en-us Copyright Gather Inc 2009 Tue, 05 Jan 2010 11:21:57 GMT 2010-01-05T11:21:57Z 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=281474977398390 (This article was inspired by my friend Zahir's recent post) "The conundrum of existence plays upon itself like an alley cat in heat To break upon the quiet of the rational . . . Tue, 15 Jul 2008 14:33:17 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977398390 Mike W. 2008-07-15T14:33:17Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977394440 We are, all of us, played by those more powerful than each individual, like pawns on a chessboard or puppets on a string. Dangling from the strings of the Puppeteer's right hand is the Elephant, . . . Thu, 10 Jul 2008 13:22:55 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977394440 Mike W. 2008-07-10T13:22:55Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977393623 Iran recently launched a long-range missile capable of reaching Israel and Europe. The Bush administration's reaction has been once again unfortunate yet predictable: saber-rattling with offers to . . . Wed, 09 Jul 2008 15:38:20 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977393623 Mike W. 2008-07-09T15:38:20Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977392633 I think it's a stretch to impeach Bush for murder as some would propose but I do believe there are many other viable articles of impeachment that could be brought against the president and others . . . Tue, 08 Jul 2008 14:21:00 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977392633 Mike W. 2008-07-08T14:21:00Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977392314 Patriotism is ACTION inspired by a profound sense of RESPONSIBILITY to one's country. American patriotism is a duty to act toward the creation of a more perfect union. Sometimes that duty means . . . Tue, 08 Jul 2008 01:48:20 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977392314 Mike W. 2008-07-08T01:48:20Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977390620 The conundrum of existence plays upon itself like an alley cat in heat To break upon the quiet of the rational mind To reset us, preoccupied in our inordinate passions Back to the here and now. . . . Sat, 05 Jul 2008 21:35:05 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977390620 Mike W. 2008-07-05T21:35:05Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977390545 I've played music for 42 of my 53 years on this beautiful blue ball. So many gigs, so many venues, so many folks that have shared in the experience. Music is a gift for those who lay it down as well . . . Sat, 05 Jul 2008 20:00:29 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977390545 Mike W. 2008-07-05T20:00:29Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977389860 This might sound strange but I often wish for the kind of divorce that my parents had when I was twenty-three. Talk about modern-day nostalgia. We've changed a lot since a generation ago, when . . . Fri, 04 Jul 2008 19:41:08 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977389860 Mike W. 2008-07-04T19:41:08Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977389681 I went through a terrible divorce when my children were 4, 7 and 10. Their mother found it necessary to designate me as the psychological punching bag for things that went wrong in her life. . . . Fri, 04 Jul 2008 15:27:07 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977389681 Mike W. 2008-07-04T15:27:07Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977388690 If there is only one God then there is only one religion. There are different forms of worship that are called "religion" and go by the various names we are familiar with: Christianity, Islam, . . . Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:48:36 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977388690 Mike W. 2008-07-03T13:48:36Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977387737 There are millions of undocumented workers in this country who came here for nothing more than an opportunity to work hard and find security for themselves and their families. American companies . . . Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:37:00 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977387737 Mike W. 2008-07-02T14:37:00Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977387140 After the September 11 terrorist attacks the reaction of our government was one of arrogance, ignorance and fear. Everyone, myself included, was subjected to intense domestic terror and manipulated by . . . Tue, 01 Jul 2008 20:50:19 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977387140 Mike W. 2008-07-01T20:50:19Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977386829 My Fellow Americans, We are all so played against each other by sophisticated political machinery. "Divide and Conquer" still appears to be working, and it richly rewards those who operate . . . Tue, 01 Jul 2008 14:56:59 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977386829 Mike W. 2008-07-01T14:56:59Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977384717 The most important issue facing America today is the counter-productive and divisive paradigm of our political discourse. I will refer to this as "image-based politics". Our democracy cannot . . . Sat, 28 Jun 2008 17:22:29 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977384717 Mike W. 2008-06-28T17:22:29Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977380537 I imagine humans have always felt an impending doom to their existence. Life is so nearly impossible, unlikely and tentative. Yet we have lived millions of years, becoming ever more successful as a species, . . . Mon, 23 Jun 2008 16:57:53 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977380537 Mike W. 2008-06-23T16:57:53Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977367434 I have read the first Star Tribune article referenced by Winston's post concerning the TIZA charter school. Here is a clip from the article: "Tarek ibn Ziyad Academy (TIZA), a K-8 charter . . . Tue, 10 Jun 2008 03:24:09 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977367434 Mike W. 2008-06-10T03:24:09Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977367408 My name is Michael, and the meaning of my name in Hebrew is actually a question: "Who is like God?" How can anyone even attempt an answer? To do so would be to say that one understands . . . Tue, 10 Jun 2008 03:00:14 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977367408 Mike W. 2008-06-10T03:00:14Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977367386 If I were to give a very concise answer to the question regarding the influences that shaped my political identity I would simply respond "1968". You may prefer this brief answer to the long . . . Tue, 10 Jun 2008 02:37:53 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977367386 Mike W. 2008-06-10T02:37:53Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977365052 It's official: Al Franken is the DFL-endorsed candidate for the US Senate seat currently occupied by Norm Coleman. This first-ballot endorsement has been a surprise to many, including MPR's Midday . . . Sat, 07 Jun 2008 23:45:42 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977365052 Mike W. 2008-06-07T23:45:42Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977359333 It has begun. Things are revving up on the politikal front. It is sad to say that it looks like we are in for more of the same. The GOP, or Grand Obfuscating Party, have begun their usual shenanigans. . . . Mon, 02 Jun 2008 08:05:08 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977359333 Mike W. 2008-06-02T08:05:08Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977358385 Dylan is, in my mind, foremost a poet. His words reflect a truly American ethos, and he not only embraces this ethos in his work, but also in the way he lives his life. This ethos still remains the . . . Sat, 31 May 2008 21:05:45 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977358385 Mike W. 2008-05-31T21:05:45Z