In a survey of worst fears, public speaking was second only to death. Many years ago, Dr. Ralph C. Smedley recognized the need to overcome this fear. In October 1924, a group of men led by Dr. Smedley met in the basement of the YMCA in Santa Ana, California. Their purpose? To form an […]
Mohabat Khan Mosque:An elegant but neglected legacy
By Shaheen Buneri Mohabat Khan, the governor of Peshawar under Mughal Emperors Shah Jehan and Aurangzeb might have not thought that the elegant mosque that he built in the heart of Peshawar city in 1670 AD would be so brazenly neglected by the succeeding rulers of this region that it would lose its […]
What I would like to tell the Peace Corps.
Why do I want to join the peace corps? I have a number of reasons. As I sit on my inflatable mattress (which I have been sleeping on for almost three months) and look at my perpetual messy room I feel that sleeping on a grass mat in the middle of Zambia can’t that different. […]
Heard by a Bird
"All slang is addictive." – Rollo May Did you see the cloud over Mount Tremper resembling Oliver Wendell Holmes with an elephant trunk last Tuesday? Bumper sticker: IT TAKES A CHILD TO RAZE A VILLAGE A Letter Dear Sparrow: I’m sure you’re following the High Street nomenclature debacle, in Phoenicia. For many years, the succinct […]
A Tangled Web of Jurisdiction and Partisan Politics
Dobbs Ferry, New York 10522. February 27, 2007. When the Dobbs Ferry Party (“DFP”) learned on Friday afternoon that the referendum to move the election date had been nullified, they should not have been surprised. The ruling by Westchester County Commissioner LaFayette that an impetuous Village Clerk had grossly overstepped her jurisdiction by filing and […]
New Jersey’s legislative eggshells: Tiptoeing around property tax and school funding reform
During New Jersey’s legislative debate on property tax reform, politicians have avoided mentioning certain subjects. I hope they aren’t afraid to inform voters and taxpayers. We aren’t delicate, we can handle the truth, and we shouldn’t be shielded. Involving the public openly and broadly will make reform more achievable. These "top ten" underreported issues are […]