The allure of The Hawaiian Islands lies in its rare, naturally occurring flora and fauna. Species live on islands so isolated from the rest of the world that they have not developed their natural defense mechanisms as thoroughly as species that exist elsewhere. When Hawaiian plants and animals have to compete against foreign pests they do not fare well. In order to save their ecosystem, the Hawaiian government has made
We often claim that our way of life is a symbol of decency. We tell ourselves our intentions are honorable. We assume our society has been cultivated by a comparatively humane system that deserves trust. And we quietly worry that we don’t have the time, energy, or power to think things through a little more carefully. For all we know, two hundred years from now, our descendants might consider our
For me, the machinations of the machine we call “American politics” seemed like nothing so much as an overrated reality television show starring criminals and people fully indoctrinated into a failing two-party system. I really didn’t see how I could make a difference with my vote, and I didn’t think it was even worth voting. Then I discovered a really amazing aspect of our political system. The local governments in
All too often, superstitious thinkers have stood in the way of meaningful scientific innovation, and they still do. This is terrible given the serious theoretical and technical challenges we face. Fortunately, history shows that most major scientific discoveries that promised to serve humanity especially well were adopted despite fierce resistance from despotic religious interests. Ironically, now an unsettling number of materialists have become scientific Puritans. They assume that anything beyond
Most people think they’ve hit a milestone when they are able to afford a new car. Buying a new car is part of the American Dream. Or so it appears. Here are ten reasons instead to buy a used car. A brand new vehicle is nice to have and there are many compelling reasons to purchase one, not the least of which is low maintenance for the first several years
Bathroom, Restroom, Lavatory, The Facilities, The John, The Loo, Little Girl’s Room, The Latrine, The Crapper…Why are there so many different names for this common place that all humans go to regularly? At some time in the past a bathroom was just that – a room that contained a bathtub, which was the centerpiece, the dominant structure, maybe the only structure. The process of bathing was long and laborious. Water
