First Blog

In the olden days, like only twenty years ago, there was organic chemistry - the study of the chemistry of living organisms.   Biology was the quintessential organic science.   These days, the term “organic” is applied to almost everything.   We have ·        Organic crops – promised vegetables grown with only approved pesticides and fertilizers, and “certified.” ·        Organic growth in business – meaning a business is grown from within as a dynamical organizational process; mergers and acquisitions are considered inorganic. ·        Organic organization – referring to a flexible management style readily adaptable to changes, as opposed to the mechanistic , or top-down management system. ·        Organic military – often meaning a n  organic  (military) unit that is a permanent part of a larger unit with a specialized capability to that parent unit. ·        Organic education – basically meaning that children are born to learn and they want to learn, and educators must f

Martin Luther King viewed racism as a problem to be addressed, repaired, and fixed. He was correct. It is or was a problem.  In all too many cases, modern black and other American leaders see  racism  as a  solution  to be exploited to personal advantage.  The problem therefore defines a stance, not to be solved but to be used.  This dissembles the remarkable achievements of the Rev. King. It is important to realize King was able to see beyond political or personal advantage, understanding the humanity of his goals. His place could be put almost as a prophet of our modern times.  When any problem is interpreted as the solution, the portends a permanent decline of knowledge, advance, civility, or even science.  

The stock market is going up and up both in the USA and the world, despite impeachment, Iran, climate, swine flu, nuclear bomb production, taxes, and everything else you might think should mitigate the market.   With so much negativity you must have thoughts of impending doom. I do. Yet economic data are encouraging. People are spending money like crazy. Housing starts are up 16%.   The 10-year rate is strong. Unemployment is down. The new NAFTA and China deals are set. So, what do we fear besides fear itself? (Homage to FDR.)   Maybe Dengue fever?   Well, scientists have genetically modified mosquitos to fix that.   Is all this fear washed away?   Not quite.   The national barometer of fiscal confidence is the NYSE, the New York Stock Exchange. Here’s the latest assessment from that group of money grubbers The greatest fear on the floor of the stock market exchange is the fear of no bad news. This is singularly remarkable, that of discussing the fear of fear. So, what fear d

One problem with wisdom is that it compels you to make decisions you'd rather not make. On the other hand, without wisdom, you have more freedom to choose and therefore more free will. ---------------------- The same can be said about education and knowledge. The more you have the better you are able to solve problems, the less choices you have to select solutions even though more solutions can be offered, the less free will you have to make choices.  So, education works against free will.   -------------------- The seeds of knowledge combined together with with the seeds of experience, when cold-pressed, render droplets of wisdom. The residue is called textbooks.

"Hate is not a good political advisor." Generals are advised not to plan battles while angry. CEOs are advised not to face competition through hate. Lawyers are advised not to argue from the passion of hatred. Married folks are advised not to exude hate in family disputes. Professional fighters are advised to keep their cool. So, why are so many politicians fueled by hatred?  

Happy New Year, 2020, to all.  Make one easy resolution.  Do at least one good deed. Save a bunch of money. Appreciate yourself. Love your family. Make a friend. Make some memories. Write a letter to your future self.  

All of life is political. • Tribalism is the local form of politics. • Dictatorship is the smelly form of politics. • Kingship is the absolute form of politics. • Communism is the destructive form of politics. • Socialism is the nosiy form of politics. • Capitalism is the economic form of politics. • Democracy is the messy* form of politics. *You may like it; I may like it. Yet is is so difficult, so messy, and so easy to attack.

Sometimes rebellion, revolution, and resistance lead to unintended restrictions, restructure, and restraints. ------------ If seems journalism no longer attracts students wanting to investigate the truth of a matter, but students desiring to stand themselves on the podium to make news. Journalism students no longer wish to sit in the backseat reporting news but to sit in the front seat to make news or at least cheerleading for the news. Wisdom is knowledge about knowledge and knowing what knowledge applies.

Announcing the 2019 update to our short essay about truth in its various forms, its ambiguity, and its debasement toward multifaceted forms.   Now at the end of 2019, four additional forms are included or introduced, negotiated truth (actually now in the literature), prayerful truth (a classic in religion but now in the service of politics), false truth – yes indeed, and mathematical truth . You might think mathematical truths are the cleanest, clearest, and unquestionable, but this is not so. With so many conflicted forms, and so many variations, truth has become the bane of itself. To most, it is a shame that such a revered term has become so confusing.  Yet, truth is a work product of civilization. Link here  https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/truth-2019-g-donald-allen

It may be Star Wars, as a film group, may be ending.  Yet, the most significant things are the films are excellent adventure/action types, with terrific special effects, positing a battle between good and evil, and the characters are well defined. There is another.  It is this universal appeal to a mythical "force." It transcends science. It rises above simply kill the bad guys.  It does appeal to this mystical force in a secular manner.  It seems millions of viewers, worldwide, need to believe in a force, and a force pitting good against evil. This is downright primitive, spiritual, and transcendental. Do you understand it?

A big term these days is “Uncertainty.” This means people are not sure of what’s happening. Another big word is “Manipulation.” This means some quantity is altered on command. Adding one and one, we have “Manipulated Uncertainty.” And this means some agency is manipulating the uncertainty.   It applies to trade, to stock prices, to war, to politics, to materialism, and even to climate. Massive gains are available, as are massive losses. Causes: Too much money, too much polarization, too much hate, too much emotion, too much greed, too much profit, too much power, and too darn easy. Think it new?  Nope. Ancient.

You may not have ESP, but you do have some equally important extra senses . All of us have special senses unavailable to machines or other living things. Not reading the future, or moving objects by pure thought, these senses are more important to you in almost every way. They are not called senses in normal parlay but without them, you’d have an empty existence. Far beyond taste, smell, touch, sight, and hearing, they carry you through the most difficult times and propel you to excellence and achievements amazing even yourself. They lift you from despair. They heal your broken heart. They enlighten your life's journey. The Paranormal Suppose you’ve just heard that a computer can “perceive” the cards of the standard paranormal deck.   You know squares, wavy lines, circles, stars, and the like.   You would say nonsense and say it quickly. Because if it could, you could.   And this is because the computer functions on algorithms and algorithms are written by peop