This past Monday, I finished writing the first part of a Musing about the dilemma of the pro-life movement in dealing with Donald Trump. I am shelving it for the moment, because I must comment on this week’s Democrat convention, which is not going exactly according to plan. (I’m writing this Tuesday morning.)

The convention was supposed to show a contrast to a divided GOP by crowning Queen Hillary amidst adulation. Instead, boos and hisses are greeting mentions of her name. Outside the convention site, protesters are being held back behind fences, yet their jeers of, “Hell no DNC, we won’t vote for Hillary,” aren’t exactly what Clinton fans were hoping to see on TV. (more…)

Question:

Why would only men go up to Jerusalem? – Nancy B.

Answer:

I get it. I really understand why Ted Cruz doesn’t want to endorse Trump. Donald Trump didn’t simply defeat him; he insulted and demeaned him and his family with crudeness, gutter language and lies.

I understand why other politicians don’t want to endorse Trump. The nominee has given no reason for people to trust him not to make foolish and disgusting remarks. Whether it is an act or reality, his emotional maturity comes across as that of a ten year old. Trump may be able to walk past his words, but those associated with him will find it harder to remove the excrement. (more…)

Question:

This is a complex ethical question, at least for me. An acquaintance introduced me to an internet marketing business which offered ad-sharing that returned $5 for every share purchased once the share retired. When I bought a lot of packs and received 2% per day ($10,000 investment) it adds up and I reinvested every day which made my shares grow. I checked it out and it is not a Ponzi scheme. Since I do not have a business to promote, the traffic that I am buying with my shares are sent randomly to all the other businesses who are promoting their sites on this traffic exchange – Traffic Monsoon by name. I have to view 10 ads personally every day to be a part of the revenue share.

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Americans seem to have a strange relationship with business. We extol Mom and Pop stores, love stories of individuals who have an idea and turn it into a reality and treasure the idea of entrepreneurship. However, when an enterprise gets too successful, we decry it as we patronize it.

Starbucks is successful because people get coffee there. People may ‘tsk, tsk’ when a local coffee shop closes but they appreciate features of Starbucks that are only available in a large business. We like Wal-Mart prices and variety even as we feel bad when the family owned general store goes out of business. We feel warmly about our local bookstore, but we still buy books online from Amazon. (more…)

Question:

In Genesis God declares, “Let Us make man in Our Own Image.” Who is the Us?

∼ Ted M., MD

Answer:

The phrase, “Let us make man…” is the subject of volumes of ancient Jewish wisdom. So troubling is it on the surface, that when Jewish sages were forced to translate the Bible into Greek (an event whose ramifications are felt so deeply that until today that date is observed annually by fasting) seventy sages purposely mistranslated the verse, despite being in different rooms. Miraculously every one of them translated it as, “let me make man”.
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A few years ago, one of our neighbors was visited by her elderly mother. When this ‘Southern to the tip of her toes’ mother and I met one day at the mailboxes on the street, she expressed great indignation at a phone call she had just received.

“This man wanted to know which presidential candidate I would be voting for,” she sputtered. “I told him that in this country we have secret ballots and I would no more share my vote with him than answer the door in my slip.”
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Got a project that you’re proud of at work? Better hurry up and get it done because all work is soon coming to an end. Machines are taking over; it’s the end of work. Some greet the news with dismay, What will people do with all that leisure? Others eagerly anticipate a world of all play and no work. Some say humans will no longer have to work. Others say humans will no longer get to work. But all agree this major change is on the horizon.

For those of you eager to hear that you can sleep late this Monday morning, I have good news and bad news. The bad news is that work is not coming to an end. The good news is the same. This provocative and puerile prediction has been a staple of everyone from foolish social scientists to bogus futurists for a long time. (more…)

This election cycle has already moved out-of-the-box so many times, that there actually is no longer any box to be seen. I’m not going to enumerate the plethora of examples in both the Republican and Democrat race. Unless you not only have your head in the sand but you are also wearing a blindfold and earmuffs, you can identify them yourself.

However, there is one strange out-of-the-box way of which I am increasingly becoming aware. I have no idea how many of my friends will choose to cast their ballot. Without talking to them, I can’t predict what my friends are thinking, even those with whom I’ve politically walked in sync, sometimes for decades. (more…)