Good news/Bad news!

First the BAD: This week Congress passed a bill, a part of which outlaws internet gambling. There is all sorts of empirical data damning gambling for social ills, as well as other information that refutes the notion that gambling decays our society. This is not the point. What has happened again, is that YOUR REPRESENTATIVES have voted against your personal freedom to spend your earned money as you see fit. In their relentless pursuit to make YOU accept THEIR values, they have once again reduced your rights to lead your life as you see fit and cause no harm. They will also make the banks their enforcers by causing payment systems to negate the transactions accomplished today on the net. U.S. law is not international law, I am sure the 20M US citizens that enjoy gaming on the net will find more receptive channels.

Now the GOOD: Grammen Bank and it's founder, Bengladeshi, Dr. Muhammad Yunus was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in a fitting recognition of the innovative banking concepts and the remarkable services rendered by him in alleviating poverty not only in Bangladesh but also in many other developing and developed countries. Grammen Bank has lent $4billion in micro loans, some as small as $20.00, with a 98% recovery rate. This is one man making a difference in the world! AMEN!

HAMILTON’S 1937 AESCHYLUS (Agamemnon 179-183)

Drop, drop– in our sleep, upon the heart sorrow falls, memory’s pain, and to us, though against our very will, even in our own despite, comes wisdom, by the awful grace of God.

In other words: Sometimes you simply have to "see" things through. Nothing is forever, it just feels like forever!

On Moral Judgement....

Justice is the virtue of judging men’s character and conduct objectively and of acting accordingly, granting to each man that which he deserves. Though the conventional view conceives of justice primarily as a negative – focusing on the punishment of evil – justice is a means of attaining and protecting one’s values. It guides one not only in warding off those who would do harm, but it also guides one toward those (potential lovers, friends, associates) who have values to offer one, whom one can admire and benefit from.

So, how does one judge men’s character and conduct objectively? As an aspect of rationality, justice demands that one be scrupulous in identifying all the relevant facts and in evaluating them according to a rational standard.

It is important to recognize that justice does not include “psychologizing,” which is condemning or excusing specific individuals on the grounds of their psychological problems, real or invented, in the absence of or contrary to factual evidence. The facts should be weighted within a man’s conscious control – his convictions, statements, actions.

shared by JAA