Articles written by Gideon MacLeish

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About me - Gideon MacLeish

I am a Libertarian writer hailing from the Texas Panhandle. Gideon MacLeish is my pen name, and can be found on various blog sites.

I am an activist and in 2006 ran for the Texas State House of Representatives, gaining 15% of the vote in my first time up with

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Politics, News & Issues > Politics, News & Issues (Other) Political propaganda and voter choice: 3 of 58
Political propaganda has always been a part of the landscape. While we may shake our heads at modern politicians, mudslinging is as old as politics itself. But how much does plitical propaganda affect voter choice?Sadly, more than it should. There are still people out there who believe that Al Gore claimed to have invented th... More..
Politics, News & Issues > US Elections (Other) Why you should vote in the next election and why it's worth it: 6 of 82
Whether you should vote in the next election depends on whether you care about the direction of your country, your state, or your community. If you don't care, do nothing. But you might want to limit your complaints. After all, you had a choice and you blew it.If you care about the issues, your vote is ALWAYS worth it. But do... More..
Politics, News & Issues > War in Iraq Saddam sentenced to death: Was it right to hang Hussein?: 2 of 24
Saddam Hussein's death sentence and execution brings anew the debate on the death penalty in the United States. But every single pundit I have read on the matter seems blissfully unaware that Saddam's sentence and execution did not take place in the United States, nor was it carried out by the United States.The majority of ou... More..
Computers & Technology > Computers & Technology (Other) Why computers are frustrating: 3 of 33
I work as a support technician for an Internet service provider. One of the most common elements of my job is dealing with people who are frustrated with their computers.Computers are frustrating because we expect them to work. Period. We live in a world of convenience where a pizza's as simple as a phone call or a stop at a ... More..
Politics, News & Issues > US Immigration Do immigrants really do the jobs Americans don't want?: 14 of 109
I believe the belief that illegal immigrants do the jobs Americans don't want is one of the biggest fallacies put forth by advocacy groups. While I support LEGAL immigration, I do not believe that illegals are simply performing the jobs that Americans won't do, and IF THEY ARE, then we need to get those Americans off their bu... More..
Computers & Technology > Internet Issues Why Napster failed: 1 of 7
Napster is the perfect example of why the dot com boom failed. They entered the market with no real idea of where they were going, or how they were going to make money in "real time", and because they didn't adapt when the recording industry came down on them.When Napster offered a pay service, people naturally jumped ship. T... More..
Education > Homeschooling Homeschooling: Knowing what subjects to teach: 2 of 12
One of the barriers that intimidates parents who are new to homeschooling is what to teach, and when. Because many states have loose reporting requirements, there are a lot of questions asked. Fortunately, those questions are just as easily answered.The first thing you need to know is what the laws are in your state. Check ou... More..
Education > College Search Is it worth it to go to college?: 8 of 43
Whether it is worth it or not to go to college depends on many factors. The answers can vary widely between individuals:1. Can you achieve in your field of interest without a degree? Look around. See what the salaries in your area are for jobs without degrees. Your local workforce office should help with this. In the computer... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Climate Change Predicting the end of the world from global warming: 6 of 29
There is very little I can predict, but I believe I can say with all certainty the world will NOT end from global warming.First and foremost, we must remember that most of the predictions are made using worst case scenarios. Worst case scenarios had us exhausting the world's oil supply by 2010 (the projection I got in grade s... More..
Arts & Humanities > The World Wars Efforts to deny the historical reality of the Holocaust: 10 of 47
Only little more than a generation removed from the Holocaust of World War Two, we encounter those who claim it was a myth. Like conspiracy theorists of many flavors, they base their claims on a bunch of disconnected and questionable evidence, but there's precious little fact in their claims.First of all, we need only look at... More..