On reading the following article—which was New Orleans’ informal public “introduction” to NOSHA—written by the now-retired Times-Picayune columnist Bruce Nolan one Saturday morning, I remember thinking to myself something like “hmm, very interesting..” followed by a quick rejection of the idea of getting involved, using the standard rationalizations that everyone has for not joining a group—”too busy…not enough spare time…I really wouldn’t like it….too much other stuff I need to do”. Twelve years later all those excuses had somehow disappeared…

It’s that time of year again. Although the  formation of NOSHA  has been marked as August, 1999, other birthday commemorations have been scheduled in September, or later.  Somewhere around this time each year though, we recognize the resolve of the dozen or so dedicated freethinkers that saw the importance of establishing a forum for their contemporaries—in a city where a group openly touting religious heresies mixed with social and individual freedoms would have been unthinkable, or short lived at best.  David…

Review by Daniel Meden. August 2024   Create Your Own Religion: A How-To Guide for Believers, Doers, and Seekers by Italian professor and martial artist, Daniele Bolelli, explores personal spirituality and belief systems across all corners of the globe. Bolelli encourages a critical examination of traditional religions and asks readers to consider creating their own belief systems based on unique needs and values. He argues that many conventional religions are outdated and fail to address the complexities of modern life….

Dr. Martyn Thompson (pictured left with NOSHA member Lucy Wells Tierney, the author) described Machiavelli at NOSHA in May. My take: The end justifies the means; it’s in a cycle. Here are my rough and ignorant notes, only for you few: Machiavelli on the Use and Purpose of Political Violence   M (Machiavelli) told his readers he travels a road no one has travelled before me, abandoning commonplace morality for the truth about political reality. What does he mean by…

Dean Bedekar joined the NOSHA board of directors and soon took on the position of treasurer. His education and work background were more than adequate for our not-too-complicated financial affairs. His business savvy soon became apparent when he suggested that from time to time we should organize fundraising campaigns to give us the wherewithal to attract well-known speakers, along with buying advertising, which in turn would increase interest in our programs, attract more members, and perpetuate and grow the organization….

Hugo Dart, NOSHA’s longtime friend in Rio de Janeiro, has just published the book Making Connections: A Practical Guide to Online Intercultural Exchanges, based on an ongoing project he coordinates. Here’s a short description: Online collaboration can be a powerful means of encouraging language learners to make connections between their local community and people from other cultural backgrounds. In doing so, learners develop their language skills while exploring different attitudes, values and beliefs. The authors of this book draw on…