Nice tutorial

Jerry Bowyer is doing better and here is his latest interview on radio. Quote: One of history's great cheats!

Always a treat to hear Jerry Bowyer talk about economics.

http://kftk.emmis.acsitefactory.com/media/podcasts/randy-tobler-show-podcast-hour-3-march-21st-2015

Talking about the ruling class, welfare state, buying votes.

Recent Interview with the BBC. Podcast-like from Pittsburgh, about a swimmer I coached 30+ years ago, Randy Paul

Listen to the 13-minute podcast from across the pond. Be sure to stay tuned all the way to the end as the closing statement come from me too.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04n23wz

Browser plug-in that tells readers about campaign donations when seeing the name of a Congress Critter

Great idea and use of technology from a youngster.

http://www.vice.com/read/greenhouse-app-hannah-ewens-nick-rubin-201

Change!

What a rant!

Post by Don't Tread On Me.

Fwd: Separation of Church & State, Being Threatened Here in Allegheny Count y

-------- Forwarded message ----------
From: A. N. Glickman <flybylight@netzero.net>

Subject: Separation of Church & State, Being Threatened Here in Allegheny County

Dear Colleagues, Friends, and Relatives who live in Allegheny County,

Some of you heard from me the other day on this matter, others not yet.

I am asking all of you  (a) to find it within you to agree with me, and  (b) to speak out on this matter now!

Allegheny County Council on July 1^st took on a resolution (and sent it to the Governmental Reform Committee):

Bill 8376-14

A Resolution of the County of Allegheny, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, supporting the display of the National Motto, "In God We Trust" to be displayed above a replication of the Bill of Rights and to be hung in a prominent location in the Gold Room of the Allegheny County Courthouse.

Sponsors: Council Member Means, Council Member Martoni, Council Member Palmiere, Council Member Kress and Council Member Heidelbaugh

I am ardently opposed to this resolution, for numerous reasons, all of which boil down to separation of church and state, elimination of prejudice and bullying, and fiscal prudence.  I spoke in Public Comment at this past Tuesday's meeting, and am planning to speak again at next Tuesday's meeting.  (After that the Council is in recess for six weeks, so we do not know when they will act upon this.)

Please join me in speaking against this!  You will find more information and talking points below.

One must register to speak more than 24 hours before a meeting, which would be by 5:00 p.m. Monday.  To register on line, go to http://www.alleghenycounty.us/council/meetings/comment.aspx .  (You must register to speak at the end of the meeting.)  There are also provisions for County citizens to submit written testimony, which also has rules.    

Additionally, here is a set of email addresses for copying the Councilpersons on your testimony:

bdanko@alleghenycounty.us, agreen@alleghenycounty.us, jdefazio@alleghenycounty.us, hheidelbaugh@alleghenycounty.us,  thomas.baker@alleghenycounty.us, jrea@alleghenycounty.us, edward.kress@alleghenycounty.us, mfinnerty@alleghenycounty.us, sue.means@alleghenycounty.us,  jpalmiere@alleghenycounty.us,  nfutules@alleghenycounty.us, cmartoni@alleghenycounty.us, rmacey@alleghenycounty.us, wrobinson@alleghenycounty.us,  jellenbogen@alleghenycounty.us,

The Supreme Court has ruled that corporations have religions, and that religious zealots must be able to get into the faces of folks over whom they feel morally superior.  It all begins when we give tacit approval to bring G-d into our public buildings and proceedings.  

I'll add more information below, and a copy of what I said to the Council on Tuesday.  Again, please plan to speak, or at least submit testimony.  http://alleghenycounty.us/council/meetings/comment.aspx 

Thank you for joining me.  Please spread the word.

- Audrey N. Glickman

Some Notes on "In G-d We Trust" and the County's Legislation.

Following are some notes, items, and talking points regarding dissuading the County Council from establishing a County religion.  And they intend to post it above the Bill of Rights!

Here is the full bill, and following are several "Items," points and notes from which to derive talking points.

Bill 8376-14

A Resolution of the County of Allegheny, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, supporting the display of the National Motto, "In God We Trust" to be displayed above a replication of the Bill of Rights and to be hung in a prominent location in the Gold Room of the Allegheny County Courthouse.

Sponsors: Council Member Means, Council Member Martoni, Council Member Palmiere, Council Member Kress and Council Member Heidelbaugh

A Resolution of the County of Allegheny, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, supporting the display of the National Motto, "In God We Trust" to be displayed above a replication of the Bill of Rights and to be hung in a prominent location in the Gold Room of the Allegheny County Courthouse.

WHEREAS, April 2014 marked the  150th anniversary of our national motto "In God We Trust" on our coins which was first introduced to the nation by Francis Scott Key in 1814 as words to be included in our national anthem; and

WHEREAS, IN GOD WE TRUST became the United States national motto on July 30, 1956, shortly after our nation led the world through the trauma of World War II; and

WHEREAS, the words have been used on U.S. currency since 1864 having been placed there by a native Pennsylvanian, James Pollock who served as the 13^th Governor of Pennsylvania and was appointed as the Director of the U.S. Mint by Abraham Lincoln; and

      

WHEREAS, the same inspiring slogan is engraved above the entrance to the United States Senate Chamber as well as above the Speaker's dais in the U.S. House of Representatives; and

WHEREAS, in both war and peace, these words have been a profound source of strength and guidance to many generations of Americans serving as part of the history and heritage of the United States; and

 WHEREAS, On July 24, 2000, the United States House of Representatives, along with the concurrence of the Senate, unanimously resolved to encourage the display of the national motto of the United States in public buildings throughout the nation; and

WHEREAS, the General Assembly enacted House Bill 1728 of 2013 which is known as the National Motto Display Act which attempts to increase understanding of and familiarity with American historical documents and requests that important excerpts of the documents be prominently displayed in public buildings; and

WHEREAS, the national motto originated in Pennsylvania and is a true PA history story; and

WHEREAS, in following the recommendation of the Commonwealth, the County desires to display this patriotic motto in the Council Chambers of the Gold Room as a way to solemnize public occasions and celebrate our history as a state and nation;

The Council of the County of Allegheny hereby resolves as follows:

SECTION 1.            

Council determines that the historic and patriotic words of our national motto, "In God We Trust," shall be permanently and prominently displayed above a replication of the Bill of Rights in the Gold Room of the County Courthouse of Allegheny.

SECTION 2.  Severability.  If any provision of this Ordinance shall be determined to be unlawful, invalid, void or unenforceable, then that provision shall be considered severable from the remaining provisions of this Ordinance which shall be in full force and effect.

SECTION 3.        Repealer.  Any Resolution or Ordinance or part thereof conflicting with the provisions of this Ordinance is hereby repealed so far as the same affects this Ordinance.

Item 1. Recent State Bill.

The State earlier this year passed its legislation advocating placing "In G-d We Trust" on public buildings, including public schools. Before passage, the bill was amended to "authorize" schools to post it, rather than to mandate them doing so, and included charter schools in the mix.

The legislation was brought by Representative Rick Saccone, Republican, from Allegheny County.

Item 2. Saccone's History Claim is Repeated in the Recital Clauses of this Bill.

Saccone claims the reason for bringing it forth is that the phrase is "closely" connected to Pennsylvania history. That is flimsy at best. The actual history is that President Lincoln in 1861 appointed reported religious zealot and NRA member James W. Pollock (also former Governor of Pennsylvania, from Northumberland County, raised a Presbyterian) as Director of the Mint. As near as I can discern, in November of that same year, Rev. Mark Richard Watkinson, a pastor in a Baptist church in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, wrote a letter to the Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase, noting that we didn't have a deity on our coins. Rev. Watkinson wrote, "One fact touching our currency has hitherto been seriously overlooked. I mean the recognition of the Almighty God on some form of our coins. What if our republic were now shattered beyond reconstruction? Would not the antiquaries of succeeding centuries rightly reason from our past that we were a heathen nation?"

So Salmon Chase, who had been raised by his uncle Philader Chase, an Episcopalian religious leader (and was from Cornish, New Hampshire, not Pennsylvania), thought this a good idea, wrote the slogan (or stole it from the fourth stanza of the "Star Spangled Banner," history is not clear, as his first draft was "In G-d is our trust"), and put the idea to James Pollock to make it happen.

The slogan was placed on 2-cent coins in April 1864 while the Civil War was turning everyone religious. (The founding of Tree of Life Congregation in Pittsburgh happened in the same year.)

So the Pennsylvania connection is quite tenuous.

Item 3. Further History.

The Coinage Act of 1864 did not specify the wording to be placed on the coins, and this fact opened the door to further shenanigans – the Secretary of the Treasury, under the advice of the Director of the Mint, could change the wording at any time. In 1901, Theodore Roosevelt became President, and also was a great admirer of the sculptor Saint-Gaudens. So Roosevelt got his Treasury Secretary to commission Saint-Gaudens to do some new coin designs. The sculptor didn't like using "In G-d We Trust" reportedly for aesthetic reasons, and when that came to light it was fortuitous because Teddy Roosevelt didn't like using it either, for religious reasons. Roosevelt reportedly thought that having the motto on common coins that were abused in all sorts of manners was close to sacrilege. [This from the Rochester Chapter of the Americans United for the Separation of Church and State.]

According to the NY Times, http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9406E2D8103EE033A25757C1A9679D946697D6CF , Roosevelt wrote within his letter:

My own feeling in the matter is due to my very firm conviction that to put such a motto on coins, or to use it in any kindred manner, not only does no good, but does positive harm, and is in effect irreverence, which comes dangerously close to sacrilege. A beautiful and solemn sentence such as the one in question should be treated and uttered only with that fine reverence which necessarily implies a certain exaltation of spirit.

Public outcry from the religious quarters was fierce!* So Roosevelt caved, telling the Congress that he would not veto a bill placing the motto on our money. Therefore on May 18, 1908, Congress did indeed pass a mandate for the motto to appear on all of our money.

Talk about a backlash in the wrong direction!

*Small footnote – Roosevelt did seem to think the solemnity for using it on courthouses was appropriate. He found money the most crass. So we cannot say whether he would have objected to the current proposition.

Item 4. Why?

What is the purpose of passing this legislation? What is the purpose of posting this motto? Does it serve the public good to spend the public's money in this manner? Even thinking broadly, does it do no harm?

I certainly find harm in it. I find it to be a form of bullying – the only possible G-d that could be implied is a Christian G-d. Other religions use other terms to name their G-d, and Jews don't write out His/Her name on non-religious documents. Those who have no religion, or who practice a religion without a G-d, are surely disfranchised by such posting, which implies that all who come forth in this public venue have such a belief in that same G-d.

Item 5. Jews and the Ten Commandments.

The third Commandment of the ten as Jews read them refers to not taking G-d's name in vain. Jews put major barriers around this commandment (and around the others), such that we do not write out G‑d's name. We don't even write out "G‑d." Therefore, the practice of inscribing His/Her name on a non-religious, civil place is offensive. It is courting – as Teddy Roosevelt also felt – taking His/Her name in vain.

Of course, additionally, we would go to our deaths under yet another commandment (of the 613 in the Bible) to keep G-d's name from being defamed.  Hence the extra-prudent use of a dash in the middle of "G-d."

Item 6. Which G-d?

Which G-d is it whom we trust so much? What do we trust Him/Her for? Are we being derelict in our duties in carrying forth the public's business, such that we have to trust Someone Else to oversee it?

Item 7. What the Hell Is Patriotic About It?

I see nothing patriotic about the slogan "In G-d We Trust," where "E Pluribus Unum" serves everything patriotic about our country. And it came first. When adopted in 1956, "In G-d We Trust" was considered an alternative or replacement. "E Pluribus Unum" dates to the creation and adoption in 1782 of the Great Seal of the United States.  1956 is hardly "historic," even though it's the year I was born.  :-)

Additionally, the vague reference to this slogan being a profound source of inspiration in war and peace is ridiculous.  I can say with some certainty that my father fought in WW2 for freedom, equality, and The Flag.  I can pretty much say he did not fight for that slogan.

Item 8. Get Off It Already.

As someone who has been told numerous times to "get off it already" concerning our need for recountable voting systems,** I can say that it is time for County Council (and Rep. Saccone) to be told the same. We don't need religion in our public discourse. When doing the people's business, there is no place for religion.

**Please feel free to speak about the need for new voting systems, too.  Another day.

Item 9. Separation of Church and State.

CornellUniversity's site says, concisely:

The First Amendment's Establishment Clause prohibits the government from making any law "respecting an establishment of religion." This clause not only forbids the government from establishing an official religion, but also prohibits government actions that unduly favor one religion over another. It also prohibits the government from unduly preferring religion over non-religion, or non-religion over religion.

http://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/establishment_clause

Not to be dramatic about it, but how was the Spanish Inquisition begun? By Spain deciding that only one religion was for Spain, and the clerics letting the power go to their heads (to be way too concise).

Item 10. More Separation of Church and State.

The State will not pay for any lawsuits brought because of the posting of "In G-d We Trust" pursuant to their new piece of legislation. The ACLU has reportedly already promised to look into filing suit concerning the State legislation. Why leave the County open to suit?

Item 11. Wasting Time. Wasting Money.

County Council and County employees should better use the time and money to research (maybe create) and buy new secure, accessible, recountable voting systems with paper ballots for audits and recounts.

Instead of following the chauvinistic and prejudiced lead of other counties who believe their G-d is the only one, we in Allegheny County should take the lead in being welcoming to all.  "E Pluribus Unum" has been our country's motto since 1782, and it includes everyone.

Here is what Audrey Glickman said on Tuesday in Public Comment, except for the blue items:

Audrey N. Glickman, 3548 Beechwood Boulevard, Greenfield.

Regarding Bill 8376-14, In G-d We Trust.

Why do we need this legislation?  What public good is served?  Does it do no harm?

I see only one intention behind it:  An attempt to impose some citizens' religion on others.  Representative Saccone pushed his bill through the State, and now all the counties are jumping on the bandwagon.  Can't AlleghenyCounty be a leader rather than sailing headlong to join the retrograde? 

As a Jew, I am offended.  Many Jews interpret the commandment against "taking G-d's name in vain" to include prohibiting writing G‑d's name except in use for prayer and other religious applications.  We don't even write out the word "G-d," we generally put a dash instead of an "o," as a part of the mandate for reverence.

Writing that motto on the wall is a distinct affront to Jews – and others – who believe that G-d has no place in civic ephemera. 

One's beliefs must remain separate from one's civic engagement if we are to retain a civil society.

If we are believers, we honor G-d by doing the people's business in an honest and civil manner.  We honor each other the same.  We could well write "We are trusting in each other"!

Our national motto is E Pluribus Unum.  Dating to 1782 rather than 1956, it's a much more appro­pri­ate motto, and it's still on the books.  It reflects our multicultural society coming together to do good works. 

This other thing is an alternate motto which did NOT "originate in Pennsylvania," it was Salmon Chase from New Hampshire who wrote the line and ordered it for coins.  A former Pennsylvania governor happened to be Director of the Mint.  Teddy Roosevelt, by the way, later notably objected to its use on coins.

And you are considering placing it ABOVE the BILL OF RIGHTS!  The very document which says that government shall not establish a religion!

This is in NO regard a "patriotic motto."  [And veterans generally say they fought for the Flag, not this slogan.  G-d has little place in war.  G-d knows there are enough countries in this world emphasizing G-d for war.]

When doing the people's business, there is no place for religion.

So many came to this country for freedom of and from religion.  Plastering one religion on our public spaces is a form of bullying that cannot be tolerated.

And it is just ONE religion, Christianity.  Maybe you all are Christians.  I can respect and honor your beliefs, whatever they are.  I expect the same in return.

The real American thing to do is to welcome everyone.  The majority of your constituents is American.

In religion, majority gets no priority.  In religion, majority gets no priority.  That would be oppression.  Look at it this way – what if a certain other majority asked us to write on the wall "Women Rule"!

Water, South Africa, Movie, Freedom

Cool Libertarian video with tune

Video from New York.

http://youtu.be/GJ7XVJqkQgw

Dave Powell, Libertarian, got the endorsement from the Trib in his race for Pittsburgh City Council

Way to go Dave Powell.

http://triblive.com/opinion/editorials/4948280-74/council-powell-treblow#axzz2jRqf4FDL

Nice to see the Trib jump into the fray and offer endorsements to the challenger candidates.

Dave is a long time political friend of mine. He is well reasoned and principled. He'd offer plenty of different ideas in the discussions.

The nation, at the time of spy issues, NSA troubles, wiki leaks, Homeland Security creep, and more police state actions at every turn, putting a Libertarian on city council would be fantastic.

Samuel Hurst, Republican, also a candidate for city council, has been working his tail off too by going to meetings and staying active on social media. He is worthy of all the protest votes he can muster as well.

Thanks gentlemen for all you have done and are doing for the political landscape of Pittsburgh. My tip: Don't burn out. Keep plugging.

NSA Rap

Parable of the river bottom creatures

Once there lived a village of creatures along the bottom of a great crystal river. Each creature in its own manner clung tightly to the twigs and rocks of the river bottom, for clinging was their way of life, and resistng the current what each had learned from birth. 

But one creature said at last, "I trust that the current knows where it is going. I shall let go, and let it take me where it will. Clinging, I shall die of boredom."

The other creatures laughed and said, "Fool! Let go, and that current you worship will throw you tumbled and smashed across the rocks, and you will die quicker than boredom!"

But the one heeded them not, and taking a breath did let go, and at once was tumbled and smashed by the current across the rocks. Yet, in time, as the creature refused to cling again, the current lifted him free from the bottom, and he was bruised and hurt no more.

And the creatures downstream, to whom he was a stranger, cried, "See a miracle! A creature like ourselves, yet he flies! See the Messiah, come to save us all!" 

And the one carried in the current said, "I am no more Messiah than you. The river delights to lift us free, if only we dare let go. Our true work is this voyage, this adventure."

But they cried the more, "Saviour!" all the while clinging to the rocks making legends of a Savior.

(Source unknown.) 

This story was told a few times by myself in 2000 when I was a R candidate for mayor.

Rand Paul to Veterans of Foreign Wars

Guard.CLOH.org is updated

http://Guard.CLOH.org

Code named, Guard_Input, this service helps Lifeguards, swim coaches, camp coordinators and others involved with the Swim & Water Polo activities to communicate about health insights of students in our programs.

This process puts information to the coaches within the programs and not in a file box deep within the school's office behind the nurse's desk.

This is not a secure process, but rather a practical one. Communicate only the information that you feel is important to the coaches and lifeguards, not pharmacy specifics, please.

Links:

• Dropbox for the various Guard applications. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/s9a4y2v64redtdj/MIRw81ooi0
1. Android download. This is the .apk file for Android smart phones and tablets. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/s9a4y2v64redtdj/o264gdf6Rn/Guard.CLOH.Org/Guard.CLOH.Org.apk
   
2. Windows application. This is the .exe file to get for Windows computers. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/s9a4y2v64redtdj/PuueZcJr0P/Guard.CLOH.Org1/Windows/Guard.CLOH.Org.exe
   
3. Macintosh application. This is the OSX for those running Mac computers. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/s9a4y2v64redtdj/RyEwEjRkNd/Guard.CLOH.Org1/MacOSX/Guard.CLOH.Org.app
   
4. The the LiveCode file for programmers running LiveCode Community is in the DropBox directory too.
• http://aforathlete.wikia.com/wiki/Guard.cloh.org Wiki page for Guard.CLOH.Org. This is where suggestions for the software applications can be posted.
• Articles within the South Pittsburgh Reporter's Summer 2013 supplement that tells the back story about Guard.CLOH.Org:
1. Technology is our friend at Swim & Water Polo Camp, article. Google Document.
2. How Are You? Health Information Communication, article. Google Document.
3. Safety. Some tips from Cassy, article. Google Document.
• http://Guard.CLOH.org This page!

Rand's talk at Howard University, to race and Republicans

This has all the Q&A portions:

Lesson #1: Freelancing and the Law

Looks like an interesting event.

Lesson #1: Freelancing and the Law
with Eric Davis of Elliot & Davis, PC
Thursday, April 25th, 6:30 PM—8 PM
Assemble, 5125 Penn Avenue

You’re up and running. Projects are coming in and clients are spreading the word about your good work. There’s not much time for sorting through legal mumbo-jumbo. Does it matter anyway?

Yes. Pittsburgh attorney Eric Davis has worked with start-ups, entrepreneurs, creatives and social businesses for much of his career. He’s seen it all. Let Eric answer your legal questions: incorporation, contracts, and the ins and outs of small-claims court are some of the lions that will be tamed at our first Lesson from the 6% Place on April 25th.

No RSVP is required and seating at Assemble will be first-come, first-served.

Lessons from the 6% Place is a free series that aims to make the business part of running one’s own creative business less scary with spirited workshops led by subject experts with an affinity for the creative community.

Good bye Steven Adams, an ex-Pitt basketball player departing after his freshman season

My Facebook posting in the wake of the news that Adams is departing Pitt.

There is more than one professional basketball league in this world. Perhaps he is not ready for the NBA. But, it sounds as if he is ready for a pay check. That money for student athletes is something that the NCAA does not allow -- yet -- still. And just getting to campus from New Zealand has got to be very costly. Good Luck Kiwi! Send us some others. Now let's get these players some pocket change from those NCAA TV contracts so that they are not slaves to million dollar coaches and spoiled ADs (Athletic Directors) who are known to pitch a fit against young kids.

That last mention goes to the situation at Rutgers University, a soon to be Big 10 program in New Jersey that tolerated a men's basketball coach until the video was leaked. The AD there should be fired too.

In other news, Ware gets a t-shirt.

Swim PHOTOGRAPHY/VIDEOGRAPHY STATEMENT seems harsh.

AMS PHOTOGRAPHY/VIDEOGRAPHY STATEMENT

THE FOLLOWING REVISIONS TO THE AMS PHOTOGRAPHY/VIDEOGRAPHY STATEMENT ARE EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY.... AMS PHOTOGRAPHY/VIDEOGRAPHY STATEMENT In compliance with USA Swimming Rules and Regulations; Use of audio or visual recording devices, including a cell phone, is not permitted in changing areas, rest rooms or locker rooms. Additionally, the use of equipment capable of taking pictures  or videos (i.e. cell phones, cameras, PDA's, etc) are banned from behind the starting blocks during the entire meet, including warm up, competition and warm down periods.  Unless approved in advance by the AMS Board and stated in the meet announcement, photographers /videographers are not permitted on deck at any time.  As an approved exception, USA Swimming-registered and credentialed coaches are permitted to utilize visual recording devices to record their swimmers in the pool for the sole purpose of stroke training subject to the location restrictions of this statement so long as they do not interfere with meet operations.  In the event of any disputes regarding video recording, the Referee's decision shall be final and binding.  In no case shall coaches be permitted to delegate this role to athletes.

Makers. Computer Programming.

What most schools don't teach. Computer programming.

Can you spare $10 or $25?

Exciting!



Crunch time is here.

This is worthy.

Pay if forward.

Program at the Mt. Lebanon Library: The History and Impact of Financial Power – 1868 to 2008

Free Program Series at the Mt. Lebanon Library

A facilitated program series planned and moderated by John Hemington, on The History and Impact of Financial Power –1868 to 2008, will be held at the Mt. Lebanon Library. It will examine, evaluate and draw conclusions from the historical, political and economic roots of both the Great Depression and the Great Financial Crisis of 2008 (GFC). We will try to determine whether the same processes, problems and ideas which led to the Great Depression are related to the events which triggered the GFC. We will also critique the contribution of mainstream economic ideas, models and policies and whether they may have contributed to the ongoing turmoil in the world’s economies today and what this bodes for the future?

The group will meet twice a month to discuss readings from the three books and the cumulative issues raised by these readings. The program will last for a year, beginning on the first Tuesday of March, the 5th, from 7:00 p.m. until 8:45 p.m. and subsequent 1st Tuesdays (except for July which will be the 9th). The 2nd monthly meeting day will be determined at the initial meeting. The program is free but will involve a commitment of time and a willingness to read the three books over the course of the year – listed below – on which the program is based. Clearly, not everyone will be able to attend every session, but a good faith effort should be made to attend as many as possible and to read the material assigned.

Even for those with a good background in history this should be a fresh and revealing experience. Our goal is to demonstrate conclusively that there is not just one history connecting events over time, but perhaps as many different histories as there are historians; and that critical study and evaluation is required to come to meaningful conclusions. Participants will be encouraged to carefully evaluate the facts behind issues before arriving at judgments about the nature of current events. There is no interest in furthering any particular political agenda, view or ideology in this program, therefore, three non-mainstream – but highly credible – authors have been selected for the core reading material. Because the material is primarily historical and minimally technical any reasonable literate individual should be able to participate fully. The discussions will be moderated to minimize argumentative speeches and debates. The idea is for conclusions to be focused on the factual substance covered in the materials – not on personal political or cultural prejudices. An extensive list of optional readings will be provided.

Carroll Quigley, whose book Tragedy and Hope is central to this project, is one of the very few historians whose studies focused on the activities and operations of the world’s “power elite” in the twentieth century and is reputed to have been the only historian ever given unfettered access to the Archives of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Rockefeller Archives. Prior to his death in 1977 Quigley taught at the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University, where one of his students was Bill Clinton. Earlier in his career he taught at both Princeton and Harvard.

Reading Material

Tragedy and Hope – A History of the World in Our Time (1966), by Carroll Quigley (through page 1083)
The Gods of Money – Wall Street and the Death of the American Century (2009), by F. William Engdahl
Debunking Economics – The Naked Emperor Dethroned (Revised Edition, 2011), by Prof. Steve Keen

If Interested Contact John Hemington at: jehemington -at- verizon -dot- net or show up at the initial meeting.

“We were taught by Dr. Quigley that mankind's greatest tragedies were the consequence of man’s adherence to mistaken or outmoded ideas. The most pernicious of these false ideas are the belief in the perfection of knowledge and that the truth is ours to possess. The belief in the infallibility of human knowledge destroyed classical civilization and threatens to destroy our own. It was faith in the false god of perfect knowledge that led to the silencing of Galileo by the Inquisition, the Reign of Terror in France, the slaughter of a whole generation at the River Somme and the burning of Wilhelm Reich’s books by the U.S. government. It was this same sort of intellectual intransigence that deluded our leaders into believing that strategic bombing could crush the Vietnamese Revolution and has led our civilization closer and closer to ecological disaster.”

William Erickson (Georgetown SFS ‘75)