Algorithms Rule!

I have just posted a new entry on my OpenSalon Blog concerning our coming almost unrecognizable economy:

 
http://open.salon.com/blog/johnmac13/2012/09/30/algorithms_rule

 

Algorithms Rule! - johnmac13 - Open Salon

As we watch so many jobs at every level disappear asrobotsand“bots”(software robots) replace humans, we must wonder“where will all the new jobs come from?”For years, we have been told that the“industrial revolution”has been replaced by the“information revolution”and, while we no longer“make”things, ...

Elections and the Internet

I have a new article on Open Salon, dealing with the amount of influence that Internet postings, Facebook ramblings, and "Tweets" have on the electorate.

Comments are welcome.

http://open.salon.com/blog/johnmac13/2012/08/16/elections_and_the_internet

Elections and the Internet - johnmac13 - Open Salon

open.salon.com

From the very moment that Paul Ryan was chosen as Mitt Romney’s Vice Presidential running-mate on the Republican ticket, the Internet in general and Facebook in particular began to be filled with information on Ryan – mainly negative with a lot dealing with his stated reverence for novelist / philos...

Who Are We? Will We Wake Up?

The following column shows some of my frustration in our political process. In the 2004 election, we spent the majority of the campaign focused on whether GWB had shirked his Air National Guard Duty, effectively dodging the draft, and whether John Kerry really deserved his medals -- things that had happened (or not happened) over 30 years before! What about the issues of 2004?

It's easy to blame the media -- but we tolerated it -- because those things were easier to get excited about than the nuances of health care or theories of educational improvement. We have become a "sound byte electorate" and 2012 does not seem to promise a sea change in our mindset -- and we really need one!

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I have a new column on Open Salon --
http://open.salon.com/blog/johnmac13/2012/08/11/who_are_we

Who Are We? - johnmac13 - Open Salon

open.salon.com

We have heard many times, usually from Republicans, that we must not put "further burdens on our grandchildren" or "mortgage the future of our greatgrandchildren". That sounds fine -- except I would not protect their future by scrimping on quality health care for this generation, letting our infrast...

Sister Simone Campbell

In the last few weeks, after hearing her on a number of platforms, I have become a big fan of Sister Simone Campbell and, since she has both had a meeting with Congressman / VP Nominee Paul Ryan and come out strongly against his budget, expect her to get a good deal of media coverage as the campaign progresses. While disagreeing with his budget, she has been respectful of him as a person (and says that he has reciprocated), saying "We both love America; we just disagree on what is best for the country."

The following links further provide background on her:

Sister Simone Campbell and the Ryan Budget --
http://billmoyers.com/2012/06/27/sister-simone-campbell-on-what-drives-nuns-on-the-bus/

Sister Simone Campbell on What Drives 'Nuns on the Bus' | Nuns on the Bus | BillMoyers.com

billmoyers.com

Sister Simone Campbell talks about their mission and its connection to Catholicism.

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  Therese Craine Bertsch, Nancy Herzig and 3 others like this.
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    John F. McMullen On the Leonard Lopate Show (audio) --http://audio.wnyc.org/

lopate/lopate080212apod.mp3

Lopate080212apod

audio.wnyc.org

John F. McMullen Article on Health Care -- http://

www.huffingtonpost.com/
sr-simone-campbell/health-care-law-is-prolif_b_1636444.html

Health Care Law Is Pro-Life And I Will Work Hard To Protect It

www.huffingtonpost.com

The health care law is too vital to be cast aside. With our thousands of member ...See More

John F. McMullen On the Colbert Report -- http://

www.colbertnation.com/
the-colbert-report-videos/415112/june-11-2012/radical-feminist-nuns---simone-campbell?redirect=true

http://www.colbertnation.com/

the-colbert-report-videos/

415112/june-11-2012/
radical-feminist-nuns---s www.colbertnation.com

John F. McMullen Bio and Blog -- http://

www.huffingtonpost.com/
sr-simone-campbell/

Sr. Simone Campbell

www.huffingtonpost.com

Sister Simone Campbell, Executive Director of NETWORK, A National Catholic Socia...See More

The Start of the Campaign

I have a new Open Salon posting (on the forthcoming election):
http://open.salon.com/blog/johnmac13/2012/08/11/the_campaign_really_begins_lets_make_it_meaningful

The Campaign Really Begins! Let's Make It Meaningful. - johnmac13 - Open Salon

open.salon.com

(johnmac -- The following is not the Open Salon posting -- you will have to go there to read it)

We must demand that candidates treat us with respect and debate important issues. We must demand that the political parties deal with issues, rather than personalities and slurs -- and, we, the electorate, must prove ourselves worthy of such an approach.

I disagree with Paul Ryan on most of his platform and budget -- but he brings an articulate and energetic presence to the election and the opportunity to debate the conflicting visions of President Obama and him.

The only clear dissent from Ryan's approach that I have heard has come from "Nuns on the Bus" leader Sister Simone Campbell -- there have been attacks from various Democrats but only on specific points or through blanket platitudes. Sister Campbell's appearance on the Bill Moyers' show went further.

I will do my best during the campaign to keep my comments on a high level and I hope that others will too.

For Profit Colleges

This morning's The New York Times contains a news story on the report by the Harkin Committee on For-Profit Colleges:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/30/education/harkin-report-condemns-for-profit-colleges.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20120730

Harkin Report Condemns For-Profit Colleges

www.nytimes.com

An investigation led by Senator Tom Harkin said students and taxpayers were paying for an industry’s excesses. A trade group called the report unfair.

Nuns, Vatican, & Melinda Gates

I have put a number on links on my Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/johnmac13) to current articles from the National Catholic Reporter  (http://ncronline.org/) relating to the Vatican's "War on the American Nuns" as well as the recent public comments on Melinda Gates.  Those links follow a link to what I thought was an outstanding interview on the role of nuns in the US on WNYC (NY) today:
Sister Simone Campbell, the Executive Director of Network, a National Catholic Social Justice Lobby, talks about being a progressive voice in the Catholic community, this summer’s nine-state Nuns on the Bus tour, and what the Vatican’s recent rebuke of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious means for the mission of nuns in this country.
http://www.wnyc.org/shows/lopate/2012/aug/02/nuns-and-social-justice/
(this is the audio -- )

Now to the NCR stories:

http://ncronline.org/news/women-religious/lcwr-determine-course-next-weeks-annual-meeting

LCWR to determine course at next week's annual meeting | National Catholic Reporter

ncronline.org

Nearly four months after a harsh Vatican critique, the leaders of the organization that represents 80 percent of U.S. women religious are due to gather Aug. 7-10 in St. Louis for their annual meeting.

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    John F. McMullen http://ncronline.org/news/women-religious/vatican-showdown-latest-chapter-sr-pat-farrells-life
    

    
    

    Vatican showdown the latest chapter in Sr. Pat Farrell's life | National Catholic Reporter

    ncronline.org
    

    Although she is at the center of one of the biggest crises in the Catholic churc
    

    h today, Sr. Pat Farrell is loath to talk about herself, and certainly not in any way that would make her a focus of the looming showdown between the Vatican and American nuns.

    
    

    
    

    
    

    http://ncronline.org/news/women/vatican-newspaper-says-melinda-gates-mark-contraception

    
    

    

    Vatican newspaper says Melinda Gates 'off the mark' on contraception | National Catholic Reporter

    ncronline.org

    VATICAN CITY -- Under the headline "birth control and disinformation," 

    
    

    
    

Mountain Lion

I have installed it -- so far no problems

Apple Introduces "Mountain Lion"

Some Reviews (From My Facebook Page -- www.facebook.com/johnmac13):


Edward C. Baig:

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/edwardbaig/story/2012-07-25/apple-mountain-lion-review/56474032/1

Apple's new Mountain Lion for Macs roars

www.usatoday.com

While not as dramatic as Microsoft's coming Windows 8, Apple's upgrade for the Mac moves closer to its iOS mobile operating system.

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    John F. McMullen David Pogue:
    http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/26/technology/placing-a-dollar-value-on-apples-mountain-lion-software-state-of-the-art.html

    

    Placing a Dollar Value on Apple’s Mountain Lion Software — State of the Art

    www.nytimes.com

    Apple offers Mountain Lion, a new version of its OS X software for the Mac. With “over 200 new features,” it costs $20, but is it worth it?

    
    
  • 

    John F. McMullen Katherine Boehret:
    http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390443295404577547142486430570.html

    

    Apple Unleashes Its New Mountain Lion System

    online.wsj.com

    With new functions and features, Apple's new operating system further blurs theline between personal computers and mobile devices. It offers seamless sharing with third-party networks. But Twitter notifications were limited.

    
    

Dispatches From the World of Creative Disruption

I have just posted some links on Open Salon

http://open.salon.com/blog/johnmac13

Dispatches from the World of Creative Disruption

More examples of improved efficiency, reduced cost (to the business), and ....job loss.

An Inwood Tale: Ellen Mulderrig

I just put another article up on Open Salon --
http://open.salon.com/blog/johnmac13/2012/07/22/an_inwood_tale_ellen_mulderrig

An Inwood Tale: Ellen Mulderrig - johnmac13 - Open Salon

open.salon.com

Ellen Mulderrig was the mother of my friend-since-the-first-grade, Frank (then “Fran” and always to his mother “Francis”) Mulderrig. She was also my favorite mother of my male friends (I had two favorite mothers of my female friends, Mary Shea, mother of the Shea tribe of which Anne Marie was the ol...

My Roman Catholic Church and My Episcopal Catholic Church

I've been going to both my Roman Catholic Parish, "St. Elizabeth Ann Seton", and my local Episcopal Church, "St. Mary's", for a few months. The liturgies are very similar and both pastors are extremely welcoming. Services at St. Mary's are attended by about 1/15 the crowd at Seton -- so one gets a different sense of community at each. Both parishes have active laity and they work together in a local "Food Pantry" and "Midnight Run" operation, distributing food to the poor.

The homilies at St. Mary's are universally exceptional as they, during most of the year, are all delivered by one person, the Rector and only Clergy staff. During her vacation, her place was taken by another terrific homilist (and another woman) -- the homilies at Seton vary in interest to me as there is a staff of three priests, each with a different presentation style and focus. I went to both this weekend and found the Seton homily very good -- and the St. Mary's one better.

I now have strong ties to both -- my poetry has appeared in the St. Mary's Journal and I'm active in fundraising at Seton. The Roman Church is the church of my upbringing and, despite many differences with various teachings, I have regularly attended services since childhood. The Episcopal Church, on the other hand, is usually a more peaceful environment for me -- I can concentrate on the Christian message without the distraction of all the things in the Catholic Church that I'm greatly annoyed by -- the coverups, the lawsuit about contraception, the vociferous opposition to she sex marriage, the absence of female and married priests, etc., etc., etc.

.. and my spiritual journey goes on

An Inwood Tale: "Chickie" Goes To War

I have just published a new article on Open Salon:
http://open.salon.com/blog/johnmac13/2012/07/22/an_inwood_tale_chickie_goes_to_war

An Inwood Tale: â Chickieâ Goes To War - johnmac13 - Open Salon

open.salon.com

John Charles “Chickie” (aka “Chick”) Donohue was (and is) one of the great characters to come out of Inwood. Over the years that I have known him, he has been a “parkie” (the local name for employees of New York City’s Department of Parks), a Marine, a merchant seaman, a bar owner (“Doc Fiddler’s”)...

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