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Where Have You Gone “Joe” de Tocqueville?

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In 1831, the French Government commissioned Alexis de  Tocqueville and Gustave de Beaument to study the United States prison system.  Their journey resulted in de Tocqueville’s much broader treatise Democracy in American, an analysis of the religious, political and economic nature of American society.  The American experience became much clearer through the eyes of a foreigner. Last night, Trevor … Read more

Hollywood Abhors a Vacuum

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Or why multiplex theaters may be the death of quality cinema. When I was growing up in Richmond, Virginia there were four old-style, single-screen movie theaters (Byrd, Capitol, Lowe’s and Willow Lawn Shopping Center).  Although I cursed the fact that Sound of Music played for almost a year at the only one within walking distance, the … Read more

Walk of Shame Nominees

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At the end of Season V of “Game of Thrones,” former King’s Landing queen Cersei Lannister was subjected to the “walk of shame” for her transgressions against the religious cult which was positioning itself to turn the Seven Kingdoms into a theocracy.  The “walk” consisted of being paraded naked from the temple to the royal … Read more

Let’s Stop Calling Them Rifles

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I know what a rifle looks like.  I learned to shoot a bolt action 22 caliber rifle at summer camp.  My father had the rifle he carried in India in World War II.  The Sig Sauer SIG MCX used in the Orlando massacre is NOT a rifle. Just in case you don’t agree, ask Sig Sauer. … Read more

When You Hate Yourself

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When I started this blog, my stated purpose was to promote counter-intuitive thinking which forces us to challenge conventional wisdom. It encourages us to ask “what if,” opening our minds to new possibilities. Let me be clear. Contrarian approaches to events and issues does not necessarily lead you to truth, but it ensures you do … Read more