Sparks Commentary
Part history, part politics, and part random other stuff.
Monday, September 28, 2026
A review of “Confucius, Lao Tzu, and Chinese Philosophy” (audiobook)
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In the West , Confucius may be the most admired of all of the Eastern philosophers . When Westerners are asked to give the name of a non-...
Wednesday, September 23, 2026
Why I’m glad to be a native speaker of English
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“… all Pleas which shall be pleaded in [any] Courts whatsoever, before any of his Justices whatsoever, or in his other Places, or before an...
Wednesday, September 16, 2026
Why I’m glad that I learned Spanish
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“ Se habla espaƱol. ” (“We speak Spanish.”) – A phrase used by businesses in parts of the United States (including here in the Southwest ) ...
Thursday, September 3, 2026
How the Seven Years’ War spilled over into Latin America
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The Seven Years’ War was fought on five different continents. Thus, it was a massive worldwide conflict (as I argue elsewhere ). It started...
Monday, August 24, 2026
Some medieval pros and cons: Striking a “middle” course with the Middle Ages
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Two possible extremes of the Middle Ages: romanticizing them, and demonizing them The Middle Ages remain a source of enduring interest today...
Sunday, August 23, 2026
Why does the Declaration of Independence list so many grievances?
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“Whereas many of our subjects in divers parts of our colonies and plantations in North America … have at length proceeded to open and avowed...
Saturday, August 15, 2026
Jainism and Sikhism: Two of the minority religions of India
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“The State shall not discriminate against any citizen on grounds only of religion , race, caste, sex, place of birth or any of them.” – Part...
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