PinnedMy stories on MediumAs I’ve seen some other writers doing this — here is an archive of the stories I’ve published on Medium, which I will attempt to keep updated (newest on top). This list contains only stories I originated, with the exception of a few substantive replies to others. Prior to September…LGBTQ12 min readLGBTQ12 min read
2 days agoMember-onlyThoughts on the Death of KissingerMourning, celebration, and legacy — Whenever a controversial public figure dies, debate ensues over whether it is appropriate for people to openly celebrate their demise. Yesterday’s death of former secretary of state Henry Kissinger at the age of 100 is no exception. Speaking only for myself, I neither mourn nor celebrate the death of Kissinger…Henry Kissinger3 min readHenry Kissinger3 min read
4 days agoMember-onlyOn Ad Blockers, Paywalls, and EntitlementQuestioning the demand for unlimited free content — Since the dawn of intrusive advertisements, consumers have sought to avoid these interruptions to their viewing. This practice did not begin with the Internet. Many television viewers have left the room or muted the sound during commercial breaks. When VCRs became widely available, viewers fast-forwarded through recorded commercials. Then VCRs…Advertising4 min readAdvertising4 min read
Oct 27Member-onlyHouse Speaker Election Continues America’s Slide Into TheocracyMike Johnson encapsulates the Christian bigotry of today’s Republican Party — As my regular readers know, I am an independent voter and no fan of the Democratic Party. But I’m putting this one squarely on the Republicans. The new Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson of Louisiana, was elected this week with no opposition from voting Republicans. This man that 220…LGBTQ3 min readLGBTQ3 min read
Oct 22Member-onlyChildren and War CrimesA pacifist view on international conflict — Like many people around the world, I have read about the ongoing carnage in the Israel-Hamas war with horror and dismay. I am of half-Jewish ancestry, but I have no allegiance to Israel; I am a pacifist, and opposed to all use of firearms and all intentional killing of human…War2 min readWar2 min read
Oct 20Member-onlyIn Praise of Plain FoodAn ode to oatmeal and other outcasts — Growing up in the 1970s, the children’s show Sesame Street was a staple of my television diet. One of the muppet characters, Bert, is portrayed as square and boring compared with his fun-loving roommate, Ernie. …Food4 min readFood4 min read
Aug 31Member-onlyBleeding Cows for ProfitA vegan objection to “cultivated meat” — As most of my regular readers know, I am vegan for ethical reasons. I am convinced that my fellow animals are sentient beings who feel pain and fear, and cannot consent to being exploited for human use. I therefore avoid consuming or otherwise using animal products to the best of…Vegan4 min readVegan4 min read
Aug 23Member-onlyTen Years in Transition: Living Up to My NameStriving to embody my values of peace and nonviolence — This Wednesday, August 23 is a special day for me: The tenth anniversary of my Nameday. Ten years ago, I announced my new name and non-binary gender identity to the world. Legal and medical milestones in my transition would come later, but from that day forward, I was Pax Ahimsa…Transgender4 min readTransgender4 min read
Aug 18Member-onlyVisibility and Resistance on Wikipedia in Fifteen PhotosRepresenting marginalized communities with my contributions to Wikimedia Commons — This week, I was honored to be named by the Wikimedia Foundation as the 2023 Media Contributor of…Equality9 min readEquality9 min read
Aug 13Partner Program Updates, Part II: Stats Edition20K506Nouf AljowaysirI mentioned this during a Medium Day session yesterday, and I'll say it again here: No one writing…I mentioned this during a Medium Day session yesterday, and I'll say it again here: No one writing "on spec" should expect to make their entire living from a single source, whether that source is Medium or anywhere else. Seeing people comment that they used to make thousands of dollars…1 min read1 min read
