Articles written by Bill Stafford

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About me - Bill Stafford

A very long time ago, I arrived in this world at an extremely young age. The location was Miami, Florida.

Since I lived in the tropics, I reached the age of 30 before discovering there were people in other places who did not work up a sweat drying themselves

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Politics, News & Issues > Politics in the Middle & Near East Ending the conflict in the Middle East: 3 of 34
The conflict in the Middle East? The word "conflict" is singular. The implication being there is only one, when in fact there are many. So many that they overlap in many instances. In Iraq for example, we (the US and allies) are contesting primarily with insurgent representatives of Al'Queda. At the same time Shia and Sunni ... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Politics in the Middle & Near East Are the Palestinians or Israelis causing most of the unrest in Gaza?: 6 of 17
There is no question in this writer's mind as to the source of continuing conflict in Gaza. The simple fact is that so long as a single Jew draws the breath of life into his lungs; so long as one descendant of Abraham through Isaac and Jacob remains in the land given to them by God more than three-thousand-five-hundred years... More..
Autos > Cars Best-quality cars: 3 of 6
When it comes to motor vehicles, safety is an excellent synonym for quality. Certainly, reliability is also a key factor, however, with proper maintenance, the reliability factor of most any vehicle can be improved. I recently had a first hand demonstration of how important the strength of construction can be. My daughter, S... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Spiritual Insights The misinterpreted symbolism of the Da Vinci Code: 1 of 1
Dan Brown must be the happiest fiction writer in America, if not the entire world. With the possible exception of Salmon Rushdie, no other author has ever received so much free publicity as did Brown for The Da Vinci Code. Rushdie's free plugs, like Brown's came from the religious community. However, Brown got the better dea... More..
Autos > SUVs Should we still be buying SUVs?: 11 of 21
I am a fan of SUV's. I drive one, an Oldsmobile Bravada. That is one nice vehicle. Lots of bells and whistles, traditional Oldsmobile comfort and handling. Typical also of the brand, the gas mileage leaves a bit to be desired. Does it fall short of perfection? Sure. Hey, I'm certainly not perfect, why should I expect perfect... More..
Celebrations & Holidays > Celebrations & Holidays (Other) Memorable pranks for April Fools Day: 30 of 55
My most memorable April Fool's Day prank was one in which I was the target. I don't recall the year, but April 1st fell on a Sunday that year. My daughter, Shannon, was in the seventh or eighth grade. She was the perpetrator. I have never learned how she came up with the idea or when. All I know is I was completely taken in.... More..
Politics, News & Issues > US Politics (Other) Is the Internet good or bad for democracy?: 2 of 2
The simple answer to the posed question is, simply stated, the Internet is bad for democracy. A simple statement, of course, demands a complex answer. Democracy, in its purest form, necessitates the equal exchange of ideas; the balance of equal time or equal space for both sides of a position. This give and take is essential... More..