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Religion
Why Don't People Go to Church Anymore?
Religion is not a priority as it was in previous generations. In a secular world, the movement has been away from the church. Some people have felt abused in a variety of ways, found it boring, not spiritually stimulating, or has too much emphasis on dogma, etc. A lot has to do with a person’s mindset. Do they reach out to others, or do they focus primarily on themselves...?
Public Policy
150 Years after Slavery
Systemic Racism is shorthand for discriminatory policies in education, employment, housing, politics, and the judicial system. We have less institutional racism in governing than we used to, but recent threats to the Voting Rights Act show that it is a continuing battle. The range of people of color now includes not only African Americans, but also Asian Americans, Latinos and Native Americans. Each of these groups has its own cultural identity that is suppressed by the majority Caucasians. White Supremacy has become a flag for bigots who fear a loss of power, who also respond with bitterness, anger, and violence....
Politics
Our Elections Are Not Rigged, but our Electoral System is Broken
In 2010 the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling reversing a 2002 law that had imposed restrictions on election spending by corporations, unions, and other public entities. The court reasoned that the 1st Amendment did not allow for any restrictions on free speech. Although these restrictions were limited to a narrow reach related to political speech by specific groups, the court ruled that no restrictions could be applied.... The immediate impact was the flood of money into federal election campaigns and then into state campaigns....
LGBTQ+
PrideLife Business Expo
Harmony NC - LGBT+ Allied Chamber of Commerce held its annual trade show, the PrideLife Expo, at the Raleigh Convention Center on Saturday, April 13th. Exhibitors included a variety of services: business, finance, professional, personal, health and healthcare. I think that healthcare was the largest category....
Travel
Spring is Here When the Tulips Bloom!
Towards the end of March or the first week in April, the tulips bloom on the terrace in the Sarah P. Duke Gardens in Durham NC. Located near the entrance and below the road leading to the Chapel at Duke University, the 55 acres and four gardens include a wide variety of landscape styles and plants. Although the camelias and azaleas are beautiful, the tulips steal the show. The gardens opened in 1939.... I’ve seen special displays of orchids, camelias, and mums.
General
Community Theater
Community Theater in the Triangle has rebounded following the pandemic that saw a lot of the smaller companies without university support go out of business. I have been surprised how many of the small suburban community companies have sprouted up in recent years. The exception is the Temple Theatre in Sanford which has been around for more than 40 years of high-quality productions. It is supported by patrons in Pinehurst, Southern Pines, and Aberdeen who travel by bus....