Articles written by Wayne Mclaughlin

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About me - Wayne Mclaughlin

My perspective is one of a 73 year old who remembers the depression and world war II. I completed my degree in civil engineering following a two year stint in the army. From the time I was a youngster, I have been curious about everything that affects me

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Entertainment > Entertainment (Other) Best non-television watching ways to pass time: 18 of 82
Since I did not see my first television picture until I was 15 and TV did not come to our small town until several years latter, I am an expert in non-TV time passing. Weather permitting, my childhood friends and I were outdoors from dawn to dusk playing the seasonal sport or tag or hide and seek. If anyone had used the term... More..
Politics, News & Issues > US Elections (Other) Should there be limits on contributions to political campaigns by individuals?: 1 of 4
THE CURRENCY OF "POLITICAL COMPROMISE" The dictionary defines COMPROMISE as "a settlement of differences by mutual concessions; an agreement reached by the adjustment of conflicting or opposing claims, principles, etc., by reciprocal modification of demands". Our legislative structure defined by the US constitution was broug... More..
Autos > Buying Cars (Other) A woman's car buying guide: 9 of 30
Car buying, like root canals is an equal opportunity experience. After retiring from 40 years of industrial sales, I sold cars for a year at two Ford dealerships and I can tell you that the grind is the same for men and women. In fact, women hold up better than men. A salesman will greet you at the door and take your keys to... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Bible Study Searching for truth in the Bible: 24 of 63
"It's as if the act of mapping the land was forcing me to remap my own internal geography, suddenly taking into account a broader range of feelings than I had ever previously explored - deeper canyons of confidence, perhaps, but also wider expanses of uncertainty and higher elevations of need." This is a quote by author Bruc... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Social Values & Norms Our next generation: Are things getting better or worse?: 79 of 202
Will the next generation be able to pay for enjoyment of all the benefits of this generation's progress? Today's (March 24, 2007) New York Times carried a story about the cost of childhood vaccination, a regimen in 1980 encompassing seven shots and three oral doses costing 59 of today's dollars. The current process requires ... More..
Home & Garden > Architecture The difference between an architect and a structural engineer: 2 of 5
An architect addresses the aesthetic aspects of a project - style, materials, harmony with the surroundings etc. Architecture draws on an individual's artistic talent. For example, during construction of St. Peters basilica in Rome which lasted over 200 years, chief architects were Michelangelo and Raphael among others. They... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Social Values & Norms Elderly people in modern society: 29 of 58
I am 73, take no medications and am in far better health than I deserve. My wife and I both quit smoking as our current new year's resolution because the local DOHWASL's (Deciders Of How We All Shall Live) convinced pols in a cluster of communities to ban it everywhere except in the middle of well ventilated vacant lots. But... More..
Entertainment > TV Genres & Trends Favorite sitcoms: 19 of 38
FUNNY IT'S NOT When I was in high school and college in the fifties, a favorite discussion or debate topic was about pay TV. Television as a popular medium was less than ten years old and in the small town where I grew up, we had two channels and sometimes three depending on the weather. It was strictly a broadcast medium wh... More..
Arts & Humanities > Ethics Elements of an environmentalist ethic for a consumer age: 5 of 10
A professional environmentalist is someone who is employed in the planning and/or execution of a product or scheme to abate/prevent contamination of our environment. An environmentalist may also be a lay advocate for causes that have been labeled as environmentally correct. This is a vineyard I labored in for over thirty yea... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Christianity (Other) The difference between being religious and being Christian: 74 of 127
The difference between being religious and being Christian is a strange question. If you are not religious, how can you count yourself Christian? Likewise if you are Muslim, Jew, Hindu or worship through some other faith, does that mean you can't be religious? Christian and religious, Muslim and religious etc, you can't have... More..