Unitarian Fellowship of Houston

UNITARIAN FELLOWSHIP OF HOUSTON 1504 Wirt Road Houston, Texas 77055 • Telephone: 713.686.5876 • E-mail: ufhouston@comcast.net • Fax:713.686.7664

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ADULT FORUM

The Adult Forum meets on Sunday at 10:00 am. A formatted discussion of a topic chosen by and known only to the leader for that Sunday.
Visitors are always welcome!

November 2^nd: Consequences of the Election. The group had a wide-ranging general dis-cussion. Several felt that despite the desire for chance, changes would be limited because of deficit problems and a very tight budget. Opinions were mixed on the need for term limits. The majority was not opposed to changing to voting by mail, which would be expected to increase voter turnout, but several thought that the chances for fraud might increase. (Topic Presenter: Jimmy Dunne; Number Present: 12)

October 26^th: Open discussion on the election—There was a wide ranging discussion of the upcoming election with a lot of varying opinions! (Topic Presenter: open; Number Present: 17)
October 19^th: Abortion- Policies and Problems—The group felt that contraception should be emphasized to reduce the need for abortion. The group supported Roe vs.Wade and felt that it was unlikely that any Supreme court would overthrow this important decision. Members felt strongly about the importance of the welfare of children, including prenatal care, good nutrition, loving surroundings, and access to education. (Topic Presenter: Wayne Derrick; Number Present: 10)
October 12^th: The Financial Crisis—The group was concerned about the current economic crisis. Helpful steps which were generally accepted included having the government buy stock in banks to in-crease the availability of credit and to set a legal maximum rate on mortgage interest. Most of the group would also support extending the duration of mortgages as a further step to lower monthly payments. (Topic Presenter: David Oxman; Number Present: 11)
October 5^th: After the hurricane--new building requirements? More protection for electric power and internet services? The group generally agreed that people should be permitted to rebuild except for areas which have become public beaches because of shoreline loss. However, there was a consensus that shoreline areas exposed to hurricane risks should have insurance costs raised to cover the risks--costs should not revert to the public! (Topic Presenter: David Oxman; Number Present: 12)

September 28^th: Our economic crisis and the bailout of bankers. (Topic Pre-senter: Doug Coleman; Number Present: 11)
September 21^st: Gene Holland brought in a political advertisement titled "Seven crises that won't wait", coupling the indicated crises with a plea for meaningful debate between presidential candidates Obama and McCain. Members generally supported the desire for debate, but noted the complexity of the issues. All agreed in the importance of selecting government officials by competence and qualifications rather than appointing political supporters without regard to qualifications. (Topic Presenter: Doug Coleman; Number Present: 12)
September 14^th - No Meeting
September 7^th: Because of the interest in the election, the group had agrees that the discussion would focus on the political campaign and the Republican convention. It was a wide-ranging discussion with lots of strong opinions! (Topic Presenter: Open; Number Present: 9)
August 31^st: The group had a far-ranging discussion of the current news. There was a general expression of concern for New Orleans, with several members feeling that the lower portions of New Orleans would eventually be abandoned. Regarding vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin, there was concern that should something happen to McCain, she was not a strong or desirable replacement. (Topic Presenter: Doug Coleman; Number Present: 12)
August 24^th: Wasting medical care on dying people? The US Preventative Services task force has recommended against prostate screenings for men over seventy-five, as they generally die of something else first. Meanwhile, end of life care is taking an increasingly large portion of our medical resources and finances. The group discussed ethical and practical considerations, (Topic Presenter: Jimmy Dunne; Number Present: 8)
August 17^th: Has a new cold war started? The group agreed that Georgia, now tightly aligned with the West, thought it was a propitious time to bring its semi-autonomous province of South Ossetia under full Georgian control. The group felt that the Russian reaction was acceptable initially, but that extending the attack into Georgia proper had been a mistake and that the most promising solution to the crisis would involve giving South Ossetia either full autonomy or independence. (Topic Presenter: Roger Ryman; Number Present: 9)
August 10^th: Two Topics: Marital Affairs and Offshore Drilling. 1) The group agreed that there seems to be an excessive amount of out-of-control testosterone in a number of our leaders. 2) Regarding offshore drill-ing, members generally supported offshore drilling in federal waters, but several opposed drilling in the Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge. (Topic Presenter: Jimmy Dunne; Number Present: 8)
August 3^rd: How to strengthen and grow our Fellowship. June pointed out that the Fellowship has experienced the loss of many valuable members by death, moving away, and illness. The loss of these members is difficult and comes at a time when we need to grow. It’s important to find tools to grow and strengthen the Fellowship. (Topic Presenter: June Godwin; Number Present: 9)
July 27^th: Measure of America. A new study “The Measure of America”, reports signs of social decay of the United States—US ranks 42nd in life expectancy. The disquieting result shows a serious decline in many measures of social health. Members agreed that t6he US was experiencing serious problems which would provide challenges and opportunities for the next administration. (Topic Presenter: Bert Golding; Number Present: 7)
July 20^th: The golden years of the senior citizens. The group discussed the lifestyles of senior citizens, with particular reference to retirement communities and other communities segregated for adults. (Topic Presenter: Karen Dunne; Number Present: 9)
July 13^th - 10 Things to Like about $4 Gas.
The group agreed that some of the consequences of more expensive gasoline were beneficial, but were also in agreement that fundamental changes are needed to expedite development of alternative sources. Some also noted that there was not yet a willingness to invest in research and to subsidize such key alternatives as solar power. (Topic Presenter: Roger Ryman; Number Present: 8)
July 6th - BIOFUEL-FOOD PRICE BOMBSHELL.
The group felt that the diversion of food production, particularly coal; cuts sources for fuel had become unacceptable. There was a consensus that the current law which moderates a large increase in ethanol production for bleeding into gasoline should be cancelled. (Topic Presenter: Wayne Derrick; Number Present: 8)

June 22^nd : Gun Control: The Supreme Court this week declared unconstitutional the controls imposed by Washington D.C. on selling and ownership of guns. Those present generally supported the right to own handguns, but agreed that there should be restricted procedures in regard to carrying a handgun. All agreed that there would be an enormous amount of litigation to clarify what restrictions are permissible. (Topic Presenter: Roger Ryman; Number Present: 8)
June 15^th : Increasing Slander of Political Candidates: Members exchanged fasci-nating stories of misleading and flat wrong attacks of candidates that they have received via the internet. For example, there are many attacks claiming that Barack Obama is a Muslim and/or working for Muslim extremists. (Topic Presenter: Wayne Derrick; Number Present: 8)
June 8^th : Coping with the effects of increasing energy costs. Gene presented reports from a number of industries which were being forced to raise prices, and were reacting by cutting employment and reducing services as well as raising prices. Members generally accepted that oil and energy prices would remain high. There was also consensus that both government and individuals need to take aggressive steps to reduce energy usage. Several members felt that the price of gasoline should be maintained at a high level, by taxes if necessary. (Topic Presenter: Gene Holland; Number Present: 9)
June 1^st: Big Pharma Buddies: The group had a wide-ranging discussion in which there was a general agreement that enormously large penalty awards to individuals were not acceptable. However, there was also a general opinion that drug safety and monitoring need more attention.
Some members were concerned about excessive influences of pharmaceutical companies on governmental regulation. (Topic Presenter: Jimmy Dunne; Number Present: 9)

May 25th - : Malthusians vs Cornucopians--Which are you and why? The group had one Malthusian (economic pessimist), two Cornucopians (economic optimists) with the rest having mixed opinions on our economic future. Members expressed special concerns in regards to future availability of potable water. (Topic Presenter: Sam Pratt; Number Present: 8)
May 18th Ų : The Oil Economy: There was a ranging general discussion, with a number of members stating that new leadership is greatly needed, especially to provide a meaningful energy policy and to reduce military expenditures. Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than
does knowledge; it is those who know little, not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science. Presenter: Doug Coleman; Number Present: 12)
May 11th - The group exchanged stories about their families and family relationships--it was interesting and informative to learn about each other's backgrounds. (Topic Presenter: David; Number Present: 10)
May 4th - The Quality of our Presidential Candidates. The group had an energetic discussion. An equal number of people were willing to vote for Obama and Clinton, but there was a strong minority who favored McCain over either Democrat. (Topic Presenter: Ryan Heath; Number Present: 14)

April 27^th: Travel - Jimmy Dunne reported on the Grand Circle Travel Tour that he and Karen Weaver recently took to Eastern Europe, visiting four famous cities and nearby historic sites: Warsaw, Krakow, Prague and Budapest. Jimmy and Karen both stressed the great vitality and liveliness of these historic areas and that tourism is a major industry for the Eastern European economy. (Topic Presenter: Jimmy Dunne; Number Present: 9)
April 20^th : The Food Shortage. The group discussed the enormous variety of factors contributing to the worldwide increases in food prices--such as the use of corn for alcohol; the increasing cost of oil which raises costs of fertilizer and transportation; increasing prosperity in countries like China and India which increases their consumption of food, especially their demand for meat; the long-term drought in Australia, normally a major food exporter; new viruses which are reducing yields, especially threatening in regard to wheat; and all this combined with globalization and trade treaties such as NAFTA which have eliminated tariffs and trade protection for small local farmers. (Topic Presenter: Wayne Derrick; Number Present: 10)
April 20th: - China, Tibet and the Olympics. Will there be an Olympic boycott? Should there be? The group expressed frustration at the conflicting objective in on the one side wanting to show displeasure with the Chinese repression in Tibet and on the other side wanting to keep the Olympics free of politics. The general opinion was that the Olympics should proceed with full support for the athletes - some members felt that some would express displeasure by not attending the opening ceremonies. Topic Presenter:
Roger Ryman; Number Present:13)

March 30^th: - Democrat’s Dilemma. The group had a wide-ranging discussion on US politics, with a large variety of opinions ex-pressed. (Topic Presenter: Roger Ryman; Number Present: 12)
March 23^rd: - Public Pulpit Pronouncements. Reaction to the re-marks of Barack Obama’s minister, Jeremiah Wright. Majority felt exces-sive and offensive. It was also the ma-jority opinion that Obama’s recent speech was excellent and helped his candidacy. (Topic Presenter: John Haberman; Number Present:10)
March 16^th: - Should Harris County create a Harris County public defender. All present felt that Harris county needed to create a public defender office. Members noted that this was particularly important in Harris County because the county has a reputation for aggressive prosecution and for not adequately attempting to verify defendant’s alibis. (Topic Presenter: Jimmy Dunne; Number Present: 8)
March 9^th: - Does the U.S. keep too many people in Prison. There was a general agreement that punishment for marijuana possession was to severe. It was also noted that Harris County is notorious for its exceptionally hassle law enforcement. (Topic Presenter: Wayne Derrick; Number Present:8)
March 3^rd: - How is Religious Affiliation Changing? Members of the group described their own religious experience and the beliefs, and church affiliations of their parents. The group was in agreement that our country was becoming more secular. (Topic Presenter: John Haberman; Number Present: 11)

February 24^th: - DIVORCE— Religious Tribunal Style. Comments about incorporating Shariah law into the English legal system, by none other than the Archbishop of Canterbury, recently caused a international uproar. The discussion covered aspects of Church and State interaction regarding marriage, noting that religious exclusion and excommunication to enforce their rules will not be enforced by the state. (Topic Presenter: John Haberman; Number Present: 11)
February 10th: - What were your NEW YEAR’S resolutions and how are you doing with them? No member of the group had actually gone forward with any New Year’s resolutions, but all had objectives they hoped to accomplish. The general consensus on these objectives were, lose some weight, reduce time watching TV and use time more efficiently and reduce procrastination. (Topic Presenter: Wayne Derrick; Number Present: 10)

January 27^th -TAX STIMULUS PACKAGE as passed by the House. The group was in accord that the government’s plan to distribute small cash payments to stimulate the economy, is not effective and will not be an effective long-range tool. There was also a concern that remedies were focused more at protecting investors and speculators than working people who were not aware of the risk they had been induced to take. (Topic Presenter: Wayne Derrick; Number Present: 10)
January 20^th - : What should the next administration do? Gene’s write-up re-ferred to the end of the Bush Administration as the “light at the end of the tunnel,” which some felt was unduly partisan. Among the many changes which were dis-cussed; ending the Cuban embargo had the general support.
January 13_th - : 2007 Scientific Breakthroughs and Major Problems facing 2008. The group had a large variety of opinions on scientific advances and a long list of problems for 2008. (Topic Presenter: Syd George; Number Present: 6)
January 6^th - : The Election. A vigorous discussion on the presidential race occurred. (Topic Presenter: Bert Golding; Number Present: 10)

December 30th - : Assassination of Benazir Bhutto: What should the U.S. do now? Different opinions and theories were discussed. (Topic Presenter: Bert Golding; Number Present: 9)
December 23^rd- The Consequences of the Nomination of Hillary Clinton. The group had a wide range discussion on the elections with a great variety of opinions! (Topic Presenter: Sid George; Number Present: 11)
December 16^th- Our Government Acts Contrary to the Public Good There was general concurrence in the group that money and lobbyists had become too important in influencing leg-islation. There was also agreement on the importance of an informed and involved public, which is lacking a present. (Topic Presenter: John Miller; Number Present: 12)
December 9^th- Meltdown of the Mortgage Market, The Banks and USA Economy. Key comments specified the housing fable, where rising house values eliminated mortgage risks and individuals being able to accept loans that exceed their financial abilities. (Topic Presenter: Dave Oxman; Number Present: 13)
December 2^nd - Violent Video Games. There was a wide-range discussion, considering whether violent video games for children should be banned or controlled. A number of members felt it could be worthwhile to send a let-ter to our congressional representatives urging the establishment of some federal standards on limiting violence in video games sold to children. John Haberman said he would work on drafting a letter for consideration. (Topic Presenter: Jimmy Dunne; Number Present: 12)

November 25^th - Are You Getting Enough Vitamin D? Wayne Derrick gave all a warning that new scientific reports indicated that many Americans were not getting enough Vitamin D, partially because people avoid exposure to the sun, thus not getting the Vitamin D normally created by sunlight. Wayne suggested a normal target of 1,0000 mg daily. (Topic Presenter: Wayne Derrick; Number Present: 13)
November 18^th - War on Muslim Fundamentalists. the speaker was former Governor Patan (friend of Sid's) from the province of Ghazi, Afghanistan. He briefed us on the current war on Muslim fundamentalists and asked us to write our congressmen to ask them to discourage so many of our US government personnel from visiting and assisting the major heroin dealers in Afghanistan. (Includes military and civilian officials known to be corrupt.) ..♦ ♦ (Topic Presenter: Jimmy Dunne; Number Present: 12)
November 11^th - Standard of Living. The group generally felt that time was tightening and that the middle and lower classes were not maintaining their living standards. There were remarks on the debilitating effects of our increasing national debt and the worldwide decline in the value of the dollar.♦ ♦ (Topic Presenter: John Haberman; Number Present: 14)
November 4^th - What is our ideal retirement? Group members described their own situations and plans, as well as other retirement options they have investigated or are interested in. ♦ ♦ (Topic Presenter: Jimmy Dunne; Number Present: 12)

October 28^th - Tuesday November 6th is election day with 16 propositions and various bond proposals in addition to a slate of city council and mayoral races. The discussion was largely composed of pro and con arguments to the various propositions. (Topic Presenter: Wayne Derrick;
Number Present: 12)
October 21^st - : The International Image of the US. How has the current White House affected our image with the world? There was a general consensus that America and Americans as a whole have remained popular world-wide. However, the present administration is perceived as arrogant and uninterested in seeking to cooperate with others. (Topic Presenter: Gene Holland; Number Present:13)
October 14^th - Economics 101 The group had a wide-ranging discussion on various types of taxation and the extent to which they should be applied. A lot of discussion focused on Syd George's suggestion of a wealth tax of, for ex-ample, one percent of assets over a fixed amount such as two million dollars. (Topic Presenter: John Haberman; Number Present: 11)
October 7^th - The Economy. The group had varying opinions on the economy, but there was a majority belief that there were not seri-ous problems in the short range but that there were bad omens requiring serious attention for the longer term.. (Topic Presenter: Doug Coleman; Number Present:15)

September 30^th - Mahmoud Ahmadinejad- The group had different opinions about the Ahmadinejad talk and how it was handled by Columbia University. The group agreed that while it was desirable to discourage Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, there should not be a military attack on Iran by either the US or Israel. ♦ ♦ (Topic Presenter: Jimmy Dunne; Number Present: 11)
September 23^rd - Jimmy Dunne and Wayne Derrick gave details about their just completed trip to China. A number of Fellowship members participated in this trip, which was guided and organized by artist Willie Wang, who formerly taught art classes using Fellowship facilities. The found mostly excellent tourist hotels in their trip which went near the Pakistan border and along the ancient Silk Road. ♦ ♦ (Topic Presenter: Jimmy Dunne & Wayne Derrick; Number Present:12)
Sept. 16^th - "Love your neighbor as yourself" Mark 12:31. The group had a discussion covering Christian history and activities, generally concluding that loving one's neighbor was cherished as an ideal but that there were universal failures in actually applying such policy. ♦ ♦ (Topic Presenter: Syd George; Number Present: 9)
Sept. 9^th - Several topics were discussed. Some members felt that blacks, gays and women could be elected but they would start with a definite handicap. It was agreed that it would be impossible at this time to elect an atheist. On the topic of voting criteria, the group thought an important factor was better basic education in topics such as history and government and more public information on issues. ♦ ♦ (Topic Presenter: All participated; Number Present:11)
September 2^nd - What does the term Family Values mean to you? Members stressed the importance of love and mutual support. Providing education, moral training and encouragement for expression and talents was seen as important as was concern and care for older family members. The political use of "family values" as an anti-gay or anti-abortion slogan was deplored by one member. Presenter: Wayne Derrick, 10 present.

August 26^th - Open Discussion on Current Events — The group focused on a number of topics involving religion such as religious discrimination and penalties. One topic was on exactly what belief characterize evangelists and distinguish them from fundamentalists. One member felt that our fellowship members were usually hostile to evangelistic beliefs. Presenter: Open, 9 present.
August 19^th - Age of Majority”: In Texas, at age 16, you can drive a car without supervision; at 17, consent to sexual activity; at 18 you can vote & join the military and at 21, purchase & consume alcohol.
The general consensus was that some of these rules are immaterial. There was agreement that setting age 21 for alcohol consumption was ridiculous for people who can join the military at age 18. Similarly setting an age of 17 for sexual activity may be useful for rape cases but simply creates contempt for the law, as does the drinking age, among many young people. Presenter: Emily Untermeyer, 10 present.
August 12^th - Mandatory arrest for domestic violence actually increases murder rate! — The discussion expanded from the area of preventing domestic violence to a general discussion on how severe penalties can produce negative results. Some members supported the current mandatory sentence while others felt that police should have more discretion, but there was general support for compulsory counseling when domestic abuse is observed. Presenter: Jimmy Dunne, 12 present.
August 5^th - “Big Oil”: Support or Penalize it? There was a far-ranging discussion with members favoring the support of all forms of alternative energy, but noting that economic progress in areas like China and Russia, plus increasing population made it about impossible to restrict CO2 production. It was noted that a substantial tax in gasoline would be beneficial but was currently not possible politically. Presenter: Roger Ryman, 10 present.

July 29^th - Impeachment and Contempt Citations— The discussion covered the basic ability of Congress to limit the power of the President with particular reference to the current situation. Most felt that impeachment would be unsuccessful, but several thought that it would e worthwhile to get disagreements on record. Presenter: Bert Golding, 13 present.
July 22^nd - The Texas Prison Systems - Too big with Problems. The discussion noted the apparent excessive number of prisoners in Texas. The need for alternative punishment, drug treatment, and rehabilitation rather than prison was emphasized, plus a greater effort on supporting prisoners upon release. Presenter: David Oxman, 11 present.
July 15^th - Specific Tax in the Koran- The group was asked to respond to the imposition of a tax as specified in the Koran for non-believers. All felt that this tax is clearly unacceptable but most also felt that this portion of the Koran was not relevant to modern democracies. Presenter: Syd George, 10 present.
July 8^th - General discussion on current topics: Scooter Libby’s sentence, the new oil law under discussion by the Iraqi Parliament, the murder of Iraqi’s in a truck bomb explosion, etc. Presenter: Bert Golding, 10 present.
July 1^st - Flawed Judgment - Supreme Court majority’s blindness to school segregation will undercut efforts to fix it. This was general agreement that this particular decision prohibiting school districts from using discrimination by race to achieve diversity would have little practical effect. Presenter: Jimmy Dunne, 12 present.

June 24^th - Should High School graduates, 18 years of age, have a requirement of 2 years service to our Society? There was general agreement of the concept of some type of required public service, but a wide variety of views on the details an d concern about how a program would be enforced and administered. Presenter: Patricia Ballinger, 12 present
June 17^th - WORK: Work Ethic - belief in the value of work as a moral good. The group members described work histories and experiences. There were more than a few humorous anecdotes. Presenter: John Troncale, 10 present.
une 10^th - Texas Legislature Scorecard - There was a general discussion on the key measures that were passed and that failed. Almost all members were not satisfied with the performance of the legislature. Presenter Roger Ryman, 13 present.
June 3^rd - Mental Health Problems - Iraq Veterans. There was general concurrences that mental health and post-traumatic stress problems are not being adequately addressed by the government. Presenter: Wayne Derrick, 12 present.

May 27^th - The general discussion was about naming significant events that effected the world for the good or the bad. Presenter Syd George, 11 present.
May 20^th - The group was asked which three people, dead or alive, they admired and why. Presenter Jimmy Dunne, 12 present.
May 13^th - General discussions about the enormous expenditures of the US Security establishment and the problem in providing the large forces required by our present policies. Presenter Wayne Derrick, 13 present.
May 6^th - The group had varying opinions a to whether they would want to be tested for an incurable disease which might be transmitted to their children. Huntington’s Disease was the example. The disease can now be identified genetically before it strikes. Presenter Gordon Cave, 13 present.

April 29^th - Presidential candidates, Bush, and the War in Iraq--where is it headed? (There was a general discussion with the overall consensus that the US lacked a good option for ending the strife in Iraq.) Presenter Dave Bauman, 13 present..
April 22^nd - How can we combat gun violence? How do you feel about concealed gun license laws? Should people be allowed to carry guns on college campuses? (The group had a wide-ranging discus- sion, primarily on improved ways of combating gun violence.) Presenter Jimmy Dunne, 16 present.
April 15^th- The forum discussed "Give your opinion about the Don Imus case." (Topic Presenter: Bert Golding. Number Present 12).
April 8^th - The forum discussed: "Should people be paid for donating kidneys?" - (Topic Presenter: Jimmy Dunne: Number Present: 11).
April 1^st - The Forum discussed: Global Warming: Danger or “Great Global Warming Swindle?” - (Topic Presenter: Wayne Derrick; Number Present: 17)March 25^th - The Forum discussed: The Reagan Policies: have they been betrayed by the Right? Are they still valid in today's political campaigns? - (Topic Presenter: Doug Coleman; Number Present:16)

March 18^th - There was a wide-ranging discussion about the immoral behavior by our government, such as Gen. Peter Pace opposing gays to serve openly in the military. ♦ ♦ (Topic Presenter: Jimmy Dunne; Number Present: 13)
March 11^th - The Forum discussed the long list of rejected and violated treaties. ♦ ♦ (Topic Presenter: John Green; Number Present:16)
March 4^th - Texas Electric— The main topic was about the article in the Chronicle, “Texas state law mandating the sale of only compact fluorescent bulbs in Texas”. ♦ ♦ (Topic Presenter: John Haberman; Number Present: 13)

February 18^th - Are you good to your heart? Descriptions of medicines taken for heart problems, effects from treatments, drinking too much coffee and what preventatives can be taken, were discussed. ♦ ♦ (Topic Presenter: Ed Pokora; Number Present: 17)
February 11^th - Should Gov. Rick Perry mandate on the vaccine that blocks two strains of human papillomarvirus (HPV)? ♦ ♦ (Topic Presenter: Jimmy Dunne; Number Present:12)
February 4^th - We watched the second half of the video, "The Iron Wall," and discussed the wall and the settlements causing a great deal of distress among the Palestinians who are cut off from their jobs and in some cases their farms. (Topic Presenter: Waybe Derrick, Number Present: 12)

January 28^th - The discussion started with the first half of a video, "The Iron Wall," concerning settlements by Israel in Palestine territories, particularly in the West Bank. (Topic Presenter: Wayne Derrick: Number Present 17)
January 21^st- Open discussion about several articles from the Chronicle. (Number Present: 12)
January 14^th - "The Wars of Perception" The discussion was about the way our perceptions were manipulated, particularly with regard to the Iraq War. (Topic Presenter: John Haberman; Number Present:16)
January 7^th - General discussion - "The Spirituality of Daily Life." How have you encountered spirituality in daily life? How has your perception of this daily spiritual experience grown during your life? (Topic Presenter: John Troncale, Number Present: 13)

December 31^st - Open discussion on topics relating to the past year and the coming year. Topics varied from the elections, loss of privacy to the growth of the Chinese economy. (Topic Presenter: Bert Golding, Mumber Present: 18)
December 24^th- The Adult Forum did not meet.
December 17^th - "Seven Stages of Maturity", was the topic of this Sunday's discussion. (Topic Presenter: George Kinder; Number Present:17)
December 10^th - Topic of discussion was, “New Iraq Strategy - Do we Stay the Course?” (Topic Presenter: Bert Golding; Number Present: 9)
December 3^rd - "Ways to a Wonderful Marriage", was the topic of this Sunday's discussion. (Topic Presenter: Jimmy Dunne; Number Present:10)

November 26^th - Topic of discussion was, “What would happen if a few decades from now all the religious leaders said that there is no god, no heaven and no hell?" (Topic Presenter: John Haberman; Number Present: 10)
November 19^th - The general discussion started with President Bush's visit to Vietnam and reviewed the history of the Vietnam War and ended on "Cuba: After Castro Dies". (Topic Presenter: Open; Number Present: 8)
November 12^th - Afghanistan was the major topic of this open discussion... (Topic Presenter: Sid George; Number Present: 12)
November 5^th- The open discussion was about Gubernatorial power, appointment of judges adadministrative heads. (Topic Presenter: Judith Emerson; Number Present: 14)

October 29^th – There was a discussion of the upcoming general election that included what people think are the most important issues, which candidate they preferred, and who they think will win. Education topped the list of issues with the Trans Texas Tollway also high on the list. Opinions were diverse and often diametrically opposed. (Topic Presenter, Doug Coleman, 11 present)
October 22^nd – The forum discussed the Mark Foley Scandal. All agreed that pages were highly motivated to be successful and were thus very vulnerable to congressional predators. A revision of the page system is needed to provide greater protection. (Topic Presenter, David Bauman, 11 present)
October 15th - We discussed many of the problems facing our schools and some of the solutions that can be found to improve our education system. (Topic Presenter: Roger Ryman; Number Present: 13)
October 8th - We discussed several issues on the November election ballot, and looked at the myriad of public and private polls in the gubernatorial election. (Topic Presenter: Wayne Derrick; Number Present: 12)
October 1^st - We discussed Ten Reasons Why the Free World, with the Leadership of America, Must Boycott the 2008 Olympic Games in Communist China (by Demetrius Klitou). Presenter: Jimmy Dunne; Number Present: 13)

September 24^th - "Venezuela and Iran." We considered several questions raised by the visits of
Chavez and Ahmadinejad. What are their ambitions? What should we do about Iran’s nuclear ambitions?
(Topic Presenter: David Bauman; Number Present: 9)
September 17^th - This was a general discussion on a great number of current topics, including the President’s suggestion of relaxing the Geneva Convention for CIA interrogations, follow-up on 9/11, the Pope’s comments which have offended Muslems, and more…. (Topic Presenter: Bert Golding; Number Present: 15)
On September 10^th - "Funding Texas Public Education." Tax schemes and formulas were open for
suggestions, along with, how could Texas afford to fund a superb education for all Texas’ students. (Topic Presenter: Gary Putnam; Number Present: 12)
On September 3^rd - Two subjects for discussion: 1) The Supreme Court ruling that police who have obtained a court order do not have to knock on a residence's door before forcibly entering. 2) The arrest of seven alleged terrorists, all black males.
On (1), members were concerned about the possibility of abuse, some stating that the absolute right of citizens to be treated with respect had been violated. It was noted that, especially in Houston, there have been a number of violent home entries by criminals who identified themselves as police, and one case in which police broke into the wrong house and killed a young man who had grabbed a gun. Since many people own guns and have a right to self defense, members felt that there would inevitably be more tragedies. One member stressed the necessity for the police to use common sense and minimize possible conflict.
On (2), members were concerned that the group members. poor blacks dedicated to bible study and fighting evils in society, were provoked and entrapped by an FBI representative who informed them about al-Qaida and led them through a ceremony to join Al-Qaida. This agent also promised boots, uniforms, and explosive materials. Since there had only been discussion, without action. Some members felt that the FBI was premature, and should have waited until the group possibly would establish contact and provide leads to arms salesman or other dangerous individuals. One member argued that the primary purpose of the FBI action was to inflame public opinion with fear of a terrorism plot prior to the election. Topic Presenter: David Oxman, number present, 13. The following members are scheduled to select future topics: In sequence, Gary Putnam, Jimmy Dunne, and Gordon Cave.

On August 27^th - "Drugs in America." There was general concern that Marijuana should be legalized
in some way, relating with medical marijuana. Medical heroin was also mentioned as a benefit. Members mentioned the problems associated with legalization, such as providing adults with support and medical treatment. There was considerable related discussions on the many legal drugs which are actually dangerous and can be taken in excessive amounts. Ritalin, in particular, was noted that it was useful and effective when needed, but easy to over-prescribe. (Topic Presenter: Susanna Donnelly; Number Present: 13)
On August 13^th - "MEXICO, HEAL THYSELF BY JASON LEE STEORTS, NAITONAL REVIEW/JULY 17, 2006?" Discussion focused on corruption, which was felt to be pervasive. The inability of local people to challenge corruption, fear of being killed or beaten. The drug problem was also discussed, noting that drug lords essentially controlled much of the country, especially the borders around the U.S. ØØ SOLUTIONS: End the state monopolies, desocialize ariculture, simplify tax and labor laws, decentralize and improve the education system. ØØ (Topic Presenter: Jimmy Dunne; Number Present: 14) Report submitted by Bert Golding
On August 6^th – Two topics were selected from a choice of five.
Venezuela Topic: "Hugo Chavez is very belligerent towards the United States. He addressed Condoleezza Rice in a public speech saying, 'Don't mess with me, girl'. He is supplying Cuba with below market price oil which they can resell at a profit. He has signed a cooperation agreement with Iran. How should we deal with him?" Comments: Chavez has achieved popularity among the poor by spending oil profits on social services such as medical clinics. Venezuela has enormous Heavy Oil reserves, more total reserves than Saudi Arabia, and these are profitable at current oil prices. Despite spending money for populist causes in neighboring nations, he is popular only in Venezuela, and those politicians he supports have been defeated. He is currently buying arms from Russia and reported to be setting up some arms manufacturing in Venezuela, which is a concern for US foreign policy.

Southern Lebanon Topic: An immediate cease-fire with Israeli withdrawal and Hezbollah replacement by an International force was generally favored. It was noted that the long-range situation would remain unstable until there was a Palestinian-Israeli settlement involving an end of Israeli occupation and the determination of final boundaries in a manner perceived as fair. (Topic Presenter: Dave Bauman; Number Participating: 13) Report submitted by Bert Golding

On July 30^th - "What Could We Do Personally to Reduce Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide?”
We favor energy conservation and production from non-fossil fuels. Transportation is a key
problem area. What are the most promising practical solutions for Reducing CO2? Ø Require higher MPG performance standards (achievable via present technologies) — including requiring SUVs to meet the standards imposed on private passenger vehicles. Ø Establish subsidies and/or tax benefits for electric and hybrid cars and for additional public transportation. Ø Increasing our reliance on solar, wind and nuclear energy (long-term cleanup costs need to be better defined and considered). Ø Eliminate incandescent lighting, replacing bulbs with long-life, more efficient alternatives, such as fluorescent bulbs. Ø Increase recycling requirements. Establish higher efficiency requirements for electrical devices such as air conditioners and refrigerators. Reduce the use of gas-powered lawnmowers, edgers, and air-blowers and/or develop less polluting alternatives. ØWhat is the single most effective approach to reducing CO2?" Take personal, voluntary responsibility (rather than relying on enforced compliance). (Topic Presenter: John Haberman; Number Present: 12) Report submitted by Gary Putnam

On July 23^rd - Israel, Lebanon and Hezbollah: What Now? We noted that Hezbollah had never carried out any terrorist action within Israel proper; its main objective has been to drive the Israelis out of Lebanon. When Hez-bollah acts against Israel, it’s been in retaliation for Israeli incursions into Lebanon and Israeli’s ongoing arrests, kid-nappings and assignations of Lebanese citizens (within Lebanon’s borders). (Following Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, Hezbollah has not engaged in attacks with Israel since 2000 — nor has it killed Israeli civilians.) Considering the destruction of the fragile Lebanese infrastructure and the loss of civilian lives, many members feel that Israel’s re-sponse is highly disproportionate. We also noted that U.S. (most especially our present administration) shows blatant favoritism towards Israeli. Our bi-ased support may well be a factor feeding the Middle East conflicts (and further encouraging Israel’s aggression). Topic Presenter: Bill Frick
On July 16^th - Middle Eastern “Situation:” Israel, Lebanon and Hezbollah Lebanon asks U.N to broker cease-fire. Is this the best choice? U.N. is probably the best choice (but NATO may have the where-with-all to make it happen); U.S. is seen as too biased towards Israel. What is the short-term solution? A cease fire would be the best short-term solution. Stop the destruction of Lebanon and the loss of life. About ten Lebanese are being killed for every one person in Israel. What is the long-term solution? Hezbollah and Hamas need to stop the suicidal missile attacks on Israel and accept the fact that Israel is going to continue as a neighboring country. They need to seek their goals by peaceful means such as those used by Gandhi and Martin Luther King. Israel should get out of the West Bank and allow commerce to flow freely in Gaza and West Bank. They should stop going into Gaza & West Bank to kidnap/arrest leaders of the resistance. Israel should free the Palestinian prisoners they are holding. What would be an appropriate response by Israel to the missiles and attacks from Gaza and Lebanon? Israel should have a measured response, attacking the locations and supply line for the missiles. Their current response is much too strong as they are destroying southern Lebanon and killing innocent civilians. What should the U.S. do to bring a peaceful settlement now and in the future? The U.S. should use our influence to have both sides denounce the use of military force and resolve to bring their differences and goals to the U.N. and other mediators. Topic Presenter: Jimmy Dunne
On July 9^th. Ø What are the probable societal benefits and/or downsides of privatization? Is government intervention in the process appropriate and/or desirable? As per our June 4th 2006 discussion (Is Government the Problem, Not the Solution?), it all depends. Government and the private sector have demonstrated that society is best served when strong, unbiased/nonpartisan oversight is in place. Governmental intervention is required when essential products/ services yield zero-profit (the Fine/Performing Arts, Education, Educational Research, Medical-Pharmaceutical Research, Zero-Profit Drugs, etc.) Ø Topic Presenter: Gary Putnam
On July 2^nd. Ø The Supreme Court rules that police do not have to knock on the door before entering premises with a court order. How do you feel about it? How does it affect the families with sudden break in? How much harm will it do? Ø

On June 25th. “What Is the Future of Gay Rights in the U.S.A.?” The Houston Chronicle notes that the Gay Pride Parade is good for Houston in that it reveals Houston to be a tolerant city of diversity. What do you think it does for Houston. How has gay pride or gay liberation evolved in the last 60 years or so? Has the gay liberation movement had an overall positive effect on the lives of gay people? What impact has it had in the national consciousness? Do gay rights and the survival of the gay liberation movement depend on gay people having their own people in political office?
On June 18th. “The Vote.” Our vote is what validates the concept of a representative constitutional
democracy. What can be done to insure election integrity at all levels? It sounds simple. What can we do to make it happen?
On June 11th, "An Inconvenient Truth: Carbon Dioxide and Global Warming." For the last 500,000 years, there has been a highly consistent relationship between atmospheric levels of CO2 (Carbon Dioxide, expressed as parts/million) and Global Atmospheric Temperatures (GAT). Simply stated, the greater the level of CO2, the higher the GAT (and vice versa). Climate Modeling (based on the data) strongly suggest that the relationship between GAT and CO2 is not linear and that we are on the brink of a Tipping Point. Modeling suggests that significantly reducing our CO2 contribution can/will make a difference. We believe (with near consensus) that we must take immediate steps to significantly reduce our CO2 output – while preparing for the consequences of climate changes already set in place. What can we do? Significantly reduce our global fossil fuels consumption although ethanol (and other alcohols) may be futile because of the CO2 output during their production. Of special concern is the growing emergence of Coal-burning power plants in China and India. What can we do Now? We can make Public Transportation, Fluorescent Lighting and Recyling an American Norm. We can take active steps to re-grow (and increase) our forests (and other CO2 consuming plant life). Though we Americans constitute 5% of the global population, we output 25% of global CO2. Taking active steps to significantly reduce our CO2 output can make a significant global difference (and possibly, a moral difference as well). Bert Golding presented.
On June 4th, "Is Government the Problem, Not the Solution?. We are living in an era of increasing privatization of what was largely the domain of government. Is this wise? If so, to what extent? There is a real danger to blindly buying into an Either/Or position/ideology. Privatization is not a “magic bullet” consistently resulting in long-term efficiency and/or cost reductions. We largely view the ideology: “government is the problem not the solution" as philosophical support for policies we oppose. We are alarmed/dismayed by the tendency to increasingly reduce public funding for education and social services. As the costs of higher education continue to (unreasonably) escalate, the availability of government-backed financial aid is dramatically shrinking – students of average (or less) financial means are increasingly being forced into excessive, crippling, long-term debt (or are forced to forego higher education). We are effectively dismantling Public Television/Radio and Privatizing our Public Roads/Freeways, the U.S. is in debt up to its gills, yet we are seemingly determined to absolve wealthy Americans of any reasonable tax responsibilities. Not a pretty picture! Gordon Cave presented.

On May 28^th, Ø Should George Bush Be Impeached? Ø Our consensus: while George Bush may have committed impeachable offenses, attempting to impeach him would be highly disruptive. It is likely more prudent to pursue various legal options once he leaves office. David Bauman presented.
On May 21^th. Ø How to Increase Energy Conservation? Ø AF Members are of the opinion that we are not likely to run out of oil in the foreseeable future. Focusing our discussion on vehicle fuels, we generally agreed that higher prices, such as current prices, greatly increase available reserves by making production of sources such as heavy oil, oil sands, and even oil shale and coal economically attractive. We largely agree that alternate energy sources, including future developments, may reduce, but not replace oil as our prime energy source. Our proposed solutions to assuring the availability of energy reflect a preference for a free-market approach. A heavyhanded governmental approach was not favored, although steps to limit fossil fuel consumption because of global warming may be needed. We are divided as to appropriate, effective approaches to encouraging energy conservation: Reward or Penalize? If we reward for actions favoring energy conservation: Which actions? How? How much? If we penalize, we largely favor some sort of consumption tax. Either approach requires criteria for determining probable energy consumption; we brainstormed several: MPG (miles/gallon) Ø Vehicle weight Ø Hybrid (dual energy) vehicle technologies Ø PMG (number of people transported, times miles driven, divided by gallons of fuel) Ø Some other yet to be determined measures of efficient vehicle usage Ø Some combination of the above. Wayne Derrick presented.
On May 14^th, “What is Common Sense? Our definition: Common Sense (CS) is “Sound, Prudent, Innate (partially inborn), Unsophisticated Judgment (no specialized knowledge required).” Is it Genetic, Learned or Both? BOTH. Can it be learned/taught? MAYBE. Does it improve with increasing maturity? YES. Ø Common Sense, defined as “Street Smarts” it supported by well-accepted theories of Intelligence and Human Development: Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence Theory; Lev Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory (learning is strongly influenced by cultural and social factors) and Jean Piaget’s Stage-Development Theory (genetic components are environmentally enhanced/nurtured — or not — most especially when the time is “developmentally right.” Topic Presenter: Gary Putnam.
On May 7^th, “Adult Forum Interests/Favorites?” Our interests run the gamut, but are more consistent than not. We seek objectivity in our: News Sources (NY Times, CNN, Time and Newsweek Magazines, Christian Science Monitor), Commentators (Molly Ivins, Paul Krugman, Thomas Friedman). We favor readings that inform and challenge: Authors (John Steinbeck, Patrick O’Brien, Wayne Dyer). Houston is rich with cultural offerings; we frequently indulge: The Symphony, Opera and Ballet; Alley and Miller Theaters, Country Playhouse, TUTS and Theatre Southwest; IMAX, Holocaust, Natural History and Science Museums. When we need to lighten up we indulge in the: Japanese Gardens, Houston Zoo, Astros, Eating Out, Great Decisions Discussion Groups, Tracy Gee Community Center. Topic Presenter: Jimmy Dunne.

On April 30th, Immigration Debate: Illegal immigrants taking away jobs? Not jobs that pay a fair/living wage! Who benefits (most) from illegal immigration? Business! Is new legislation needed to deal with the problem? No — we only need to apply/enforce present (decades-old) legislation! Is it in our best interest to lower the standards (including spoken/written English fluency) and simply (and shorten) the processes required to become a U.S. citizen? What are we saying to ourselves and the world about the value of American Citizenship when we set two different standards; one lower, quicker and easier for illegal entry and a 2nd higher, faster, and much more rigorous/demanding for those who enter the U.S. legally?
On April 23rd, China, an American Threat? As China moves ever-more rapidly to becoming a consumer driven/empowered society, the United States will find itself increasingly challenged. Militarily? Maybe. Politically? Yes. Economically? Most definitely! (Example: as China’s material standard of living continues to rise, so will her demand for oil/gas.) Our global economic policies and diplomatic approaches require sophisticated thinking, flexibility and adaptation — not short-sighted/rigid ideology. Our very future depends upon it.
On April 16^th, Gary Putnam led the Forum with the topic, “Education is not preparation for life. Education is life itself” ...John Dewey.
On April 9^th, the Forum discussed “Dropout Remedy: Relevant Courses”, led by Wayne Derrick.
On April 2^nd, the discussion centered around the current immigration issues.

On March 26^th the Forum watched the UUSC video, "La Marcha" about the successful fight for a Living Wage initiative in Santa Fe. Per the initiative, the minimum wage is $8.50 per hour and is slated to rise to $9.00.
On March 19^th, the Forum discussed the subject, “Civil Rights - Who is Right?” “How about Civil Liberties in Texas?” We are a death penalty state with the highest percentage of people in jail. We also have the smallest amount of money allotted for state appointed lawyers.
On March 12^th the discussion centered around the issues raised by Dr. Lawrence Smith in his March 9th workshop at the Fellowship: Global Implications of Rapid Population Growth: Effects on Water and Other Resources:

World population in 1987 was 5 billion, it is now 6.5 billion.
78 million are added each year now.
U.S. population is 298 million, will pass 300 million in Oct.
Dust from the Gobi desert in China crosses the Pacific and lands on northern California.
97% of Earth's water is salt water.
There are 840 million malnourished people on Earth.

Among Dr. Smith's suggested solutions are:

Elimination of discrimination against women. There are 600 million women with almost no education.
Full employment for women with equal pay. Women do 2/3 of world's work, earn 10% of world's income and own only 1% of world's property.
Reduce infant mortality, 11 million infants die every year from diarrhea and other diseases.
Universal access to family planning. 350 million women did not want their last pregnancy.

Dr. Lawrence Smith President of the Population Institute
(http://www.populationinstitute.org/).

All members and visitors are invited to attend the Forum for an always lively discussion. The topic is not known until the session begins; everyone has a chance to speak out, and new volunteers to bring next week’s topic are always sought. Paul Donoho/Bert Golding

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