Welcome to everyone who came from the very kind link on How Appealing. I must say we're not nearly so interesting as that wonderful site, and much of what we ramble about hear is more to keep in touch with each other than to be interesting to a random audience. However, hopefully you can find something you find interesting. I'd provide a few links to some archived entries of interest to How Appealing's readers, but blogger archives are being screwy. So instead I'll just copy one of them:

Also, what do you folks think of the Pledge of Allegiance decision? This reminds me of the Confederate Flag controversy (albeit not as ugly or offensive) in the sense that this is a symbol that wasn't a part of the original pledge but which people are now clinging to as some vital part of their being. I agree with the reasoning that religious symbolism in official government oaths and whatnot are a problem if we really want a separation of church and state, and furthermore I think that "under god" screws up the rhythm of the pledge anyway.
--Nat Chakeres, 7/4/2002 (link which works now)