Providing news and information while helping aspiring writers and journalists, http://thesop.org/index.php?bio=geoff http://thesop.org 118 67 http://thesop.org/images/thesop_118x67.jpg Fri, 19 Mar 2010 07:17:00 GMT Geoff considers the uproar about the reopening of a long-destroyed synagogue and calls for a little restraint all around. http://thesop.org/story/world/2010/03/17/controversial-synagogue-reopens-in-jerusalems-old-city.php http://thesop.org/story/world/2010/03/17/controversial-synagogue-reopens-in-jerusalems-old-city.php geoff@al-pha.com (Geoff Dean) Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:41:00 GMT Geoff is intrigued if a little disturbed by the plan of the red shirted Thaksin-backers to pour their own blood on the streets of Bangkok http://thesop.org/story/world/2010/03/16/thai-red-shirt-protestors-prepare-to-shed-blood.php http://thesop.org/story/world/2010/03/16/thai-red-shirt-protestors-prepare-to-shed-blood.php geoff@al-pha.com (Geoff Dean) Mon, 15 Mar 2010 07:08:00 GMT Geoff takes fellow Hoosier Evan Bayh to task for ditching congress because it lacks "bi-partisanship" http://thesop.org/story/opinion/2010/03/14/senator-evan-bayh-tells-congress-i-dont-love-you-any-more.php http://thesop.org/story/opinion/2010/03/14/senator-evan-bayh-tells-congress-i-dont-love-you-any-more.php geoff@al-pha.com (Geoff Dean) Sat, 13 Mar 2010 04:20:00 GMT Geoff considers using Ibaraki Airport if he has a strange desire to travel to Seoul, Korea in the least convenient way possible http://thesop.org/story/world/2010/03/12/japans-airport-to-nowhere.php http://thesop.org/story/world/2010/03/12/japans-airport-to-nowhere.php geoff@al-pha.com (Geoff Dean) Sat, 13 Mar 2010 00:26:00 GMT Geoff looks into sexual harassment claims at a Prada outlet in Tokyo http://thesop.org/story/crazyworld/2010/03/12/japan-and-the-devil-wears-and-works-for-prada.php http://thesop.org/story/crazyworld/2010/03/12/japan-and-the-devil-wears-and-works-for-prada.php geoff@al-pha.com (Geoff Dean) Thu, 11 Mar 2010 06:20:00 GMT Geoff answers the question of whether he has ever thought, with a resounding "occasionally" http://thesop.org/story/letters/2010/03/10/response-to-as-a-jew-did-you-ever-think.php http://thesop.org/story/letters/2010/03/10/response-to-as-a-jew-did-you-ever-think.php geoff@al-pha.com (Geoff Dean) Wed, 10 Mar 2010 05:34:00 GMT Geoff wishes he could file this one under "crazy world" as he learns that Yukihisa Fujita of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan "denies" 9/11 http://thesop.org/story/world/2010/03/09/leading-japanese-politician-says-911-a-hoax.php http://thesop.org/story/world/2010/03/09/leading-japanese-politician-says-911-a-hoax.php geoff@al-pha.com (Geoff Dean) Tue, 9 Mar 2010 19:01:00 GMT Geoff is disturbed to see more and more articles about more and more far right anti-Islam politicians gaining more and more success in Europe. http://thesop.org/story/world/2010/03/09/european-islambashing-the-new-antisemitism.php http://thesop.org/story/world/2010/03/09/european-islambashing-the-new-antisemitism.php geoff@al-pha.com (Geoff Dean) Wed, 3 Mar 2010 20:03:00 GMT Geoff wonders why the three parties of the ruling coalition in Japan can't just smile and get along with each other and whether "three is a crowd" applies here http://thesop.org/story/international/2010/03/03/japans-fractious-ruling-coalition.php http://thesop.org/story/international/2010/03/03/japans-fractious-ruling-coalition.php geoff@al-pha.com (Geoff Dean) Tue, 23 Feb 2010 22:04:00 GMT Geoff gets concerned about Tom Tancredo's call for some kind of literacy requirement for voting and not just becoz hiz spellig is not so gud http://thesop.org/story/politics/2010/02/23/tom-tancredos-tea-party-tantrum.php http://thesop.org/story/politics/2010/02/23/tom-tancredos-tea-party-tantrum.php geoff@al-pha.com (Geoff Dean) Mon, 22 Feb 2010 08:36:00 GMT Geoff takes a look at the proposed position of Swiss Animal Lawyer and considers applying for the job (probably beats teaching three year-olds) http://thesop.org/story/international/2010/02/21/swiss-plebiscitelawyers-for-fish.php http://thesop.org/story/international/2010/02/21/swiss-plebiscitelawyers-for-fish.php geoff@al-pha.com (Geoff Dean) Fri, 19 Feb 2010 07:34:00 GMT Geoff, once again, probes the latest developments in the thorny and convoluted issue of whether and where to move US Marine Base Futenma on Okinawa. http://thesop.org/story/international/2010/02/18/latest-updates-on-futenma-base-move-or-lack-thereof.php http://thesop.org/story/international/2010/02/18/latest-updates-on-futenma-base-move-or-lack-thereof.php geoff@al-pha.com (Geoff Dean) Wed, 17 Feb 2010 05:53:00 GMT Geoff tries to predict what will become of scandal-plagued ex-sumo grand champion, Asashoryu, while Geoff's wife thinks he'd better look at his own future, instead http://thesop.org/story/sports/2010/02/16/the-future-of-disgraced-sumo-grand-champion-asashoryu.php http://thesop.org/story/sports/2010/02/16/the-future-of-disgraced-sumo-grand-champion-asashoryu.php geoff@al-pha.com (Geoff Dean) Tue, 16 Feb 2010 22:16:00 GMT Geoff shows off his intelligence and skill at blackjack which, not surprisingly, has not resulted in major paydays http://thesop.org/story/gambling/2010/02/16/the-only-black-jack-system-youll-never-need.php http://thesop.org/story/gambling/2010/02/16/the-only-black-jack-system-youll-never-need.php geoff@al-pha.com (Geoff Dean) Fri, 12 Feb 2010 23:28:00 GMT Geoff tries to extend and expand the debate on prejudice and discrimination against Muslims http://thesop.org/story/international/2010/02/12/the-swiss-minaret-ban-and-the-french-burqa-ban.php http://thesop.org/story/international/2010/02/12/the-swiss-minaret-ban-and-the-french-burqa-ban.php geoff@al-pha.com (Geoff Dean)