On November 26, the night before we eat huge Thanksgiving Dinners, the Walk Thru History class will focus on the history of famines. Is it true that human population tends to outgrow resources, resulting in inevitable shortages and suffering? Hasn't mankind always grown too fast for the earth to support, until the limits of nature pull us back down? Aren't we doing that now with oil, water, and other resources? Aren't we growing so fast and ravaging the earth that overpopulation and global warming are leading to a hot, crowded future on malarial islands after the icecaps have melted?!

7pm in the Green Building, Wednesday the 26th. We'll walk through the history of the idea and the reality of the history. Questions? See you there!

This Wednesday night (November 12) at the Manna Green Building we'll have the next installment of the Walk Thru History class. This week's topic: The Beard Tax and the History of Social Control.

Societies and governments have always had an interest in shaping the behavior of their citizens. The Roman Empire allowed cultural and religious diversity in the provinces, but required everyone to make sacrifices to the emperor to maintain some cultural cohesion. 15th century Spain instituted the Inquisition to force loyalty to the crown and eliminate the Jewish banking class that held much of the country's capital. One 19th century government taxed anyone with a beard to force cultural change. And in the United States today we use the tax code to create all kinds of carrots and sticks to encourage desirable and discourage undesirable behavior.

This Wednesday (11/12/08) we'll talk about the history of individual freedom vs. the efforts of governments to create conformity throughout Western Civilization. We start in the Green Building at 7pm, usually wrap up the teaching around 8:30pm or so.

And just to wet your whistle, here's this tribute to George Orwell's 1984 (also author of Animal Farm, both of which I'll be mentioning Wednesday):

Hey everyone: even if you haven't been to a Walk Thru History class session before, be sure to come out to this one. If you've ever wondered about where Islam came from, the story of how it interacted with Europe and the West and how it became what it is today, be sure to come this Wednesday night at 7:00 PM to the Green Building.

As prep you can go read this earlier story on Walk Thru History: What do Tours, Rome and Vienna All Have in Common?

Linda will provide food. Of some sort. But there will be food, and I know how much you all like that. Me too, although it's awkward when I eat and talk at the same time. Doesn't stop me, just makes it awkward. See you Wednesday!

Hey everyone: I'm posting this with my Macbook from the Tokyo airport on my way home from Shanghai at 1 AM, Sunday morning, Holland, Michigan time.

It's a good example of this week's topic: "Our 24/7 World." Our civilization never sleeps, because within the 24 time zones somebody is always communicating, always traveling, always doing business.

How did our world get this way? Come Wednesday night to discuss it...

I'll post some more info on Monday morning after I land...

To everyone who's planning to come or thinking about coming the first class session, we'll START at 7:00pm on Wednesday night in the Green Building. I'll be there around 6:30 or so to set up, so come early and we can chat.

You don't need to bring anything, unless you want to take notes, etc.

We'll be finished by 8:30 and I'll hang around until 9pm for questions, etc.

This week's topic: The Church on the Edge of the World: Aesthetics vs. Ascetics

Here's a teaser photo of part of what we'll be talking about. Bonus points if you can show up to class and tell me what it is: