Carlos and Chuck Caveman go way, way back; in fact they are two of the original Carlsbad Cavemen.Their life is simple: gathering food, fashioning clothes, crudely (by our standards) and protecting their families from animals who try to gather them for food. They don't know that the printing press hasn't been invented yet and won't be until the year 1440; hence no libraries, no books to read, no printed word to enjoy the thoughts of other humans for Carlos and Chuck. Luckily, they don't know all this because it is in their future. However, it is in our past so we do know.
I wonder what they are talking about above??
Aren't you glad that you weren't born in the pre-book, pre-library, pre-internet period?
I sure am.
One who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; one who does not ask a question remains a fool forever. Chinese Proverb
Wisdom Quotes.comWisdomQuote.com
The Assault on Reason by Al Gore (Carlsbad PL holdings 973.931--book format and Cd Audio format)
This is a troubling book about the last six years of American history. Former Vice-President and Senator Al Gore makes the case that at the upper levels of our government and at other levels as well America has lost the motivation and ability to reason about the issues that face this country--in Iraq, in environmental problems, attacks on our Constitution (denying people basic protected freedoms), social justice, economic justice, win-win relationships with other countries, nuclear weapon dangers etc. Moreover, many issues are being decided without examining facts or consulting experts. Literally, America and our democracy is being weakened by the directions our country has been taking of late, according to Gore.
The book cites many references to what our "Founding Fathers" wanted in setiing up the American democracy and how they expected that it would work. This is must reading for those interested in the challenges beseting America recently and the need for retooling how we create solutions in America and abroad with world allies. Most importantly it is about creating a climate where different ideas may be discussed locally, state-wide, and nationally and are not suppressed by the government or vested interests.
Gore also addresses the negative trend on Americans who have migrated from reading to getting information only from television--and how this unbalances who can access the free markertplace of ideas and who can't. In addition, political choices made based on solely viewing television tend to benefit the "haves" and disadvantages the "have-nots." Economic fairness suffers
Gore's analysis and documentation make this book captivating reading. I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to better understand political decision-making and its deficiencies in today's America.
NY Times Review of The Assault on Reason
Edgar Lee Masters, American poet, 1869
Nelson Demille, American novelist, 1943
It is my pleasure to point out a new Carlsbad Public Library link. My friend Beth maintains this site on MySpace. See her link in my link list to the right and check it out. She has great insights into books and the bookworld!!
You can have fun, but you also have to put on your thinking cap every day. Tommy Shaw American Musician, 1953 -
Tommy Shaw at BrainyQuote.com
© Bob Hoff, 2007
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