Why This Blog?

Why begin a new blog now? The election is over. Life without polls is beginning again. Hope is in the air. What is there to get worked up enough about to generate semi-regular blog posts?

Well, for weeks before the election I found myself yelling at the radio, several times a day. In fact, it got so bad that my husband, Steve, and I had to declare alternate weeks in which we were allowed to dispute with the broadcasts; one week for me, the next for him. We were never at a loss for topics about which to argue with either the hosts or their guests, or both.

The airwaves and the Internet were filled with voices, many of them screaming at the top of their lungs. Not only did I not wish to compete in that atmosphere, which I detest, but I saw no purpose to adding, even incrementally, to the noise level. Instead, I (maybe we) wish to discuss on this blog topics of concern to citizens of the 21st century, using rational argument instead of drowning out opposing voices by superior noise level. I know this is not the mode of discourse currently in vogue, but it is the one I prefer.

Topics discussed here will range widely, involving issues of science and society, politics and government, economic woes, the media and society, and many others that will arise. I have not yet decided whether to turn on comments. Certainly any comments will be moderated, but that takes time, perhaps a lot of time. It was very discouraging to read many of the comments on sites such as Politico. They seemed never to be moderated, although abuse could be reported. It was clear that there were people who spent a great amount of time posting to comment sections just to be disruptive. And Comment sections invite spam. This decision can be revisited if some way is found to conduct civil discussions.