Articles written by Gary Betts

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About me - Gary Betts

I'm a Canadian living in London, Ontario. I have written several short stories and two novelettes, but never tried to publish them. I have had letters-to-the-editor published in The Londoner, the London Free Press, the Toronto Sun, the New York Times, the

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Sciences > Sciences (Other) Top ten greatest inventions of all time: 1 of 35
This is my list of the top-ten greatest inventions of all time:1) Agriculture would be my number-one pick. It enabled mankind to settle in one place to grow crops and domesticate animals. Farming led to the formation of settlements and eventually cities. 2) The plow has to be one of the greatest inventions ever. Agriculture w... More..
Relationships & Family > Siblings The relationship between brothers and sisters: 2 of 58
Parents must be very careful of how they raise their children. A seemingly innocent decision could have repercussions lasting a lifetime for the children. My family had four children; three boys and a girl. The oldest was my brother and he was treated very well by my parents because he was the first born. The youngest was als... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Political Issues Racial inequality or oppression: Do they truly exist in today's society?: 2 of 50
Racial inequality in the United States is alive and well. White people, whether they believe it or not, still think of themselves as superior to the blacks. This started early in American history with black slaves and has carried on to this day as if it were a genetic flaw. And this notion is only reinforced with todays news.... More..
Politics, News & Issues > War & Peace Reasons for wars: 2 of 37
Giving the reasons for war covering several centuries in our world is a daunting and unrealistic task. I would like to, instead, focus on the United States in its relatively short history. And instead of detailing the many reasons for American war, I would like to simply point out if these wars were necessary (N) or unnecessa... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Racism Getting it right about Islam today: Jihadists vs. peaceful Muslims: 2 of 29
I have just finished reading an article under this title which paints Islam as a violent religion. I quote its last line, "The true Islam is not peaceful, nor is the true Muslim." This is totally wrong, but I think it is the prevailing view about Islam by many Westerners. It is a belief not founded on Islam itself, but by the... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Personal Morals & Values Wearing fur is not immoral: 2 of 27
I have read a few of the articles written under this title. Most of the writers seem to think that the wearing of fur is immoral because the animals that are bred on fur farms are treated in a cruel fashion. So, those who wear fur must be completely immoral. If that's the case, what about the people that eat those tender veal... More..
Sports & Recreation > Hockey Reflections on being a Toronto Maple Leafs fan: 1 of 12
I have been a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs since the late 1950's as a young lad living in Toronto's east end near the Scarborough Bluffs. I can remember watching them on black and white TV. During the 1960's, the Leafs were a thrill to watch; season after season. The game started at 8pm, but they weren't on TV until 9pm. I ... More..
Politics, News & Issues > War in Iraq Should the United States pull troops out of Iraq and surrounding countries?: 4 of 47
In the last 50 years, the United States has made a practice of cutting-and-running when the fighting gets too tough. And, I fear, the war in Iraq will be no different.Just look at the Bay of Pigs invasion in Cuba in 1961 by U.S. backed and financed Cuban exiles. It failed because the U.S. cut-and-ran. They did not follow thro... More..
Politics, News & Issues > War & Peace The US owes Japan an apology for WW II bombing: 1 of 11
Just as Japan owes China and Korea an apology for atrocities it committed during World War II, the United States also owes an apology to Japan for atrocities it committed during the same war.The U.S. bombing raids on Japanese homeland civilian targets during the last nine months of the Pacific war, were so relentless and unme... More..
Politics, News & Issues > US Economy What the US is doing to help with rising gas prices: 1 of 11
The United States is doing nothing to help with the rising gas prices. They could help by reducing gasoline taxes or getting serious about alternative fuels. But none of that is going to happen. The real villain in the rise of gas prices is the world price of crude oil. When oil goes up in price, gas also goes up. When oil dr... More..