Monthly Archives: October 2023

On The Fragmented State

Posted on October 24, 2023 by nathanalbright

One of the complaints that many progressives consistently have against the United States constitution, and have had for more than a century now, is that the United States government, as conceived in the Constitution, is too fragmented to work “decisively” … Continue reading →

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Book Review: The Scorpion’s Sting

Posted on October 23, 2023 by nathanalbright

The Scorpion’ Sting; Antislavery And The Coming Of The Civil War, by James Oakes One of the realities of the Civil War, and something that many students of the war have not come to grips with, is the way that … Continue reading →

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His Own Vine And Fig Tree: Part One

Posted on October 22, 2023 by nathanalbright

[Note: These is the prepared text of a split sermon given to the Portland congregation of the United Church of God on the Sabbath of October 21, 2023.] Good afternoon brethren. I hope that most of us have returned from … Continue reading →

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Book Review: The Devil In The White City

Posted on October 21, 2023 by nathanalbright

The Devil In The White City, by Erik Larson When one is loaned a book to read by someone, what is the intent in mind behind it? To this question another one must be added, what is the author trying … Continue reading →

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Deletions And The Barbra Streisand Rule

Posted on October 19, 2023 by nathanalbright

Once upon a time, the famous singer Barbra Streisand wanted to hide her home from view. Like many celebrities, she had at best an ambivalent to hostile relationship to the sort of prying behavior of cameramen and wanted to keep … Continue reading →

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The Quests Of Others’ Existences

Posted on October 17, 2023 by nathanalbright

I have long written about my own quests for what should have been mundane items, of the sort that people shop for every day yet because of supply chain shortages end up being a serious chore to find. It is … Continue reading →

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The Eternal Quest For Plugs

Posted on October 15, 2023 by nathanalbright

As I sit here, having finished lunch at the Seattle International Airport in the terminal for the flight that will take me back to Portland, I find myself in a comfortable sort of place. I enjoyed a tasty meal of … Continue reading →

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No Pressure

Posted on October 15, 2023 by nathanalbright

I have long found myself having awkward relationships with other people in my life. While it might be an easy thing to consider one or two awkward relationships to be the fault of other people–if fault is to be laid … Continue reading →

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Take No Prisoners, Only Kill

Posted on October 14, 2023 by nathanalbright

The 2003 single “Peacekeeper” by Fleetwood Mac is, to date, their most recent entry on the Billboard Hot 100. The song, written by Lindsey Buckingham, was widely considered to be an anti-war song somewhat critical of the American efforts against … Continue reading →

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On The Tyranny Of The Majority

Posted on October 12, 2023 by nathanalbright

One of the characteristic problems of democracy as a form of government, and one that is frequently experienced by people all over the world in the blind quest to make democracy more common is the problem of the tyranny of … Continue reading →

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