What’s the Hurry?
All across the United States, especially in cities and suburbs, and in business, everyone’s in a hurry. The mad rush is everywhere. Seemingly everything has to be done faster. Amazon Prime is...
View ArticleDemotic or Not?
Originally, and still to linguists and historians, the word “demotic” referred to the day-to-day, or common, script used by ancient Egyptians for business transactions, records, and, most likely, what...
View ArticleIs It the Economy…? Or Partisanship? Or Something Else?
The Clinton Presidential Campaign of 1992 [yes, that one] was highlighted by various iterations and permutations of the phrase, “It’s the Economy, Stupid.” And from then until sometime during the Obama...
View ArticleHow Detailed Is Enough?
Many, many years ago, I wrote occasional reviews for a semi-noted SF&SF magazine… until I got into an argument with one of the editors about some details in a book. Two of those details stand out...
View ArticleThe “Race” Problem
Recently, I came across an article in New Scientist dealing with genetics and race, which pointed out that there is no single gene or even a group of genes that could define “race.” Then someone called...
View ArticleTaxes and Income
Over the past two years, there’s been an incredible furor over income and wealth inequality, which has been compounded by the fact that the U.S. government has been running huge deficits, because...
View ArticleHard Choices
In any society, some individuals will succeed… and some will fail… and some, for various reasons, will only make a minimal effort, if that. In the so-called natural state, which never completely...
View ArticleNEW COMMENT POLICY
IN THE INTERESTS OF BREVITY, I WILL NOW BE EDITING ALL COMMENTS THAT EXCEED ROUGHLY 250 WORDS. I WILL ALSO REMOVE SUBSEQUENT POSTS THAT APPEAR TO BE AN EFFORT TO GET AROUND THAT LIMIT. COMMENTS ARE...
View ArticleAssumptions
A great many problems facing the United States today are the result of the unthinking acceptance of various mantras or beliefs by large groups of people. For example: College is good for everyone. No,...
View ArticleIdeals, the Communications Revolution, and Consumerism
Once I’d spent time as a political staffer and then as an administration appointee in the federal government, it became more than clear to me that, for the most part, what passes for leadership in the...
View ArticleThe Dragon Illusion
Recently, I think I’ve seen a resurgence or perhaps a continuation of “dragon books.” I couch it that way because I’m not keeping a tally on how many dragon books are being written and sold. Certainly,...
View ArticleCheap Congratulations
The other day, I discovered that one “professional” social media site was sending out messages along the line of “congratulate [fill in the name] on [two or five] successful years with [whatever...
View ArticleAccident?
This past weekend, I was shopping at one of the local grocery emporiums and had paused my cart to obtain an item, when I was rear-ended by another cart enthusiastically pushed by a young male of...
View ArticleBook Blurbs
A while ago, I read a blog by another author who complained about the blurbs placed on hardcover book jackets or on the back of mass-market paperbacks, blurbs which are supposed to intrigue would-be...
View ArticleBudget Busting & Taxes
The Democrats and Republicans have apparently come to a compromise over federal spending in the next two years, compromise meaning lifting the debt ceiling and incurring an even larger deficit, by an...
View ArticleQuit Bitching
For the last fifteen years, I’ve heard nothing but complaints from retailers, large and small, about how the internet is taking away their business. And, as an author, I’ve suffered as well from the...
View ArticleObservations on Military Flying
It’s been almost fifty years since I stopped flying helicopters for the U.S. Navy, although I do maintain an interest in military aircraft. My first military trainer [in primary] was a T-34, not the...
View ArticleOne Big Fix?
Two mass shootings over the weekend, and more than 250 since the beginning of the year… and people are demanding a solution. Then there are racism and misogyny, poverty, and inadequate education, not...
View ArticleTrump’s a Liar and a Crook? So?
For some time, I’ve wondered how a man who’s defrauded his investors, lied every time he’s opened his mouth, and most likely obstructed justice isn’t called to task by a greater percentage of the...
View ArticleSo Much for The Great “Recovery”
A recent news article caught my attention, largely because it confirmed a number of trends that I’ve mentioned over the past few years, that an increasing percentage of U.S. workers experience lagging...
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