Is Armageddon here?

For a proper perspective on the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the intolerable violence and terrorism that keeps erupting all around us, we need to understand that many Muslims, perhaps because of some legitimately defensible reasons, regard the West as an unrelenting and predatory foe. Not surprisingly, some extremists among them have become unalterably persuaded that the West has been engaged in a remorseless "Crusade" against Islam for many centuries. And now, rightly or wrongly, they feel justified in mounting a Jihad against us.

As things stand, it is impossible to be anything but fatalistically pessimistic about how this will end. But what makes it worse, is our growing apprehension that God has abandoned us. Perhaps, as He once told Job, running the Cosmos is so mind and time consuming it leaves Him little room for any concerns about humanity, a species He probably regrets having created, anyway. Look how He afflicts us with floods, plagues, quakes, tsunamis and now even Aids.

But to keep this devastating conflict from becoming Armageddon itself, every opposing side must hasten to send sagacious and determined representatives to a common negotiating table. The first item on that table's agenda must be the removal of all those obstructive walls of religious dogma which keep people imprisoned in venomous certitude. We are in unremitting mortal peril and time is about to expire. If we procrastinate, we are all doomed; East, West, North and South alike !!!!

How tall is that Pyramid?

Look back on all of your years of formal education and you are bound to recall some vivid learning experiences. For me, it was this story, related to us by my high school teacher as he introduced us to trigonometry.

Ancient Egyptians used a simple method to measure the height of their pyramids. They would drive a stake into the ground and using its height as the radius they drew a circle around it in the sand. Then, with an observer following the advancing shadow of the pyramid, a marker was placed in the sand at the tip of the pyramid's shadow at the exact moment when the shadow of the stake touched the edge of the circle that had been drawn around it. At that instant, it was obvious that the length of the pyramid's shadow plus half the length of one side of its square base was exactly equal to the height of the pyramid.

The concision and lucidity with which a relatively complex principle could be so simply and so dramatically demonstrated, made a profound impression on me. Not before and never since, have I experienced anything like it.

Giveaway time

Can you use this chair?

We purchased this chair from Stickley’s, in White Plains, on January 31,2003. It was on sale at that time for $1,019. It is a beautifully upholstered, swivel-tilt chair that most people find quite comfortable. We have used it in our den where it has been Lenore’s favorite TV viewing chair.

However, although she is recovering rapidly from the hip fracture she sustained three months ago, Lenore finds it difficult now, to rise from this chair without pain and effort. It is a bit too low for her. In order to accommodate her, we just purchased an office type chair with an automatic height adjuster. Thankfully, this one suits her to a tee.

So, since we no longer need the illustrated chair, we are making it available, free of charge, to any of our readers, friend or family, who may want it. Let us know if you are interested: comment, e-mail, phone call, whatever. We'll make a random decision. A speedy response will be appreciated.