Bill's Notes

Do you have a theory of history? Not me. I have no theoretical model of how things will turn out. The closest thing I have is:

1. The future is unpredictable, but human nature has no history.

2. Often historical events will appear, in retrospect, ironic.

3. In all likelihood, the more complex and definitive your theory of history is, the less likely I am to believe it.

4. It's all a great mystery.

I don't believe in historical forces controlling human destiny. Yes, I believe the past is prologue, and that future events can change how the past is perceived, so in that sense, the past is changeable, too. I think God's running the show, but His methods often seem inscrutable in the macro, historical sense (not in the individual sense of what He wants from us). On one hand, He seems willing to allow us to destroy the world, muddle through, or build decent societies. On the other, He just may permit us get close to the edge. I dunno.

YMMV.

1. Something about the recent atheism conference in Minneapolis. But Joe Bob Briggs has it covered.


2. Something about an essay I read (and ordered the book) called Revenge of Conscience. It basically says all of us know that God exists, and right from wrong, and can't not know. It's here.

3. Something about the Phillies being in first place.

4. Font humor. Cool, eh?

5. What if there were no stop signs? A look at how a corporation would handle it. Remember, stop signs are geared at women, with men as a secondary group, but not everybody.

6. An update on the old man. (He's gonna be fine.)

7. Make fun of several other bloggers, but that's not nice. So I won't.

8. Explain the causes of happiness and why I am, in fact, am happy.

9. Something political. But this campaign's been going on for a year or something now -- I've never seen a campaign so long. All I know is I give John McCain money every time he calls. They haven't noticed that I haven't turned them down yet. Why don't they just call every hour?

10. Ken Griffey, Jr., got traded to the White Sox. Yet, I don't care. How did I lose my lose my love for the Reds? Oh yeah, must've been in 1997 when the GM explained to me in a press conference that the Reds would likely never be competitive again in my lifetime. This was one year after the Reds made the NLCS, and only seven years after they'd won it all. Sure enough, except for a fine 1999 year, they've pretty much stunk up the joint. Like the Pirates, it ain't gonna change.

There it is.