To my regular readers: Not too long ago, I (and thousands of others) stumbled across an article titled Atheists and Anger, an articulate, well-thought-out piece which I highly recommend. It had the welcome side effect of introducing me to the wonderful writing of Greta Christina. (Whose themes range far beyond atheism and are not for… Continue reading The Humanist Symposium
Category: opinion
The Lawsuit Society
Americans seem to have a very legalistic approach to life – the polar opposite of Italians’ very relaxed attitudes towards the actual law, let alone life in general. Boarding the CalTrain to go back to San Francisco, I had no idea where to put my big suitcase. On the way down I had put it… Continue reading The Lawsuit Society
Religious Belief vs. Health Care – Tolerating the Intolerable in Italy
Britain’s Telegraph carries an opinion piece titled If Muslim doctors are intolerant, let them go, according to which a few young Muslim medical trainees have been allowed to refuse to see female bodies or to treat alcohol-related problems, on religious grounds. Sainsbury’s, a UK grocery chain, allows its checkout staff to refuse to scan alcohol… Continue reading Religious Belief vs. Health Care – Tolerating the Intolerable in Italy
My Potter Predictions
^ Hari Potter aur Paras Patthar – Harry Potter in Hindi Like most of the reading world, I await with bated breath the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the seventh and final Harry Potter book. In a moment of pure self-indulgence during my last US trip, I bought Mugglenet.Com’s What Will Happen… Continue reading My Potter Predictions
Shut Up or Go Home – No Culture Likes a Kibitzer
I was recently interviewed for an article about third-culture kids, to be published in the Christian Science Monitor. In an hour,s taped phone conversation, Erik Olsen asked many questions, including: “Being an outsider in all cultures, how does that make you feel?” I thought for a moment, and said: “Superior.” No doubt that statement will… Continue reading Shut Up or Go Home – No Culture Likes a Kibitzer