This diary was inspired by a random comment in one of the recent diaries.  There is a book, A Year Without "Made In China" by Sara Bongiorni, which I wasn't aware of until today, where she writes of her experiences trying to buy nothing made in China for a year.

This is exactly what I set out to do for the past year.  In my case I resolved to stop buying anything from countries known for sweatshop labor, not just China.  (Especially important in the case of clothing, where most of it is not made in China but is still made in sweatshops around the world).

What set me off last year about this was buying a new blender.  One of them, a KitchenAid, had a "proudly assembled in Ohio" label on the box; all the rest were made in China.  I paid a little more and bought the KitchenAid.  When I got home, on a hunch I started checking labels on things I owned.  "Made in China" on far too much stuff.  I decided enough is enough.  My experiences:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/...

Is Rudy Giuliani finished as a viable presidential candidate?  Today's Washington Post details how Giuliani parlayed his name recognition from 9/11 into a consulting business worth over $100 million.  Trouble is, this consulting business has extensive ties to controversial figures, not just clients but his own partners.

My first attempt at a diary.  Consider this a rough draft.  Critique this, hit the back button, or read on...

First, my points.  Theses if you will:

1.  At the heart of our societal problems is the systematic exclusion of many people from fulfillment, leading to a lack of self-esteem.  This can be economic security, social fulfillment, personal goals, or many other things.  Exclusion can be based on any number of things: race, gender, sexual orientation, introversion or extroversion, social cliques, financial status, and any number of things not usually considered.

2.  This lack of self-esteem leads to a variety of responses.  One is harboring pent-up anger which can eventually cause some individuals to snap.  Another is seeking out substitutes for lost fulfillment and missing self-esteem.  Another is people becoming susceptible to easy explanations, demagoguery, quick fixes, and scapegoating.

more after the cut...