Life is not linear

Most people are familiar with the expression that life is a journey. Some expect the journey to be like a hike on a well-maintained trail with planned destinations, scheduled stops, and bubbling water fountains along the way. On that journey everything is predictable, but that philosophy inevitably leads to disappointment. No trip can be planned … More Life is not linear

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When a narcissist contracts COVID-19: “If I had only known…”

I abhor those five words– “If I had only known.” It signals that the person saying them has been unaware of readily available knowledge. In some cases that can be benign as in the case of a person not knowing that there no eggs in the refrigerator. In some cases, it’s more serious – “Honest … More When a narcissist contracts COVID-19: “If I had only known…”

Victoria Spartz: The curious case of a $1M personal loan in the Indiana 5th Congressional Election

As strange as it may sound, I find it fascinating to peruse the Federal Election Commission (FEC) campaign finance database. It’s both fascinating and depressing to realize how money drives our election system. Big money donations know no party affiliation, but sometimes there’s a story in the numbers worth telling. In this case it’s the … More Victoria Spartz: The curious case of a $1M personal loan in the Indiana 5th Congressional Election

Exploring the minds of pedestrians and the choices they make

I don’t know why, but I seem to be drawn to this topic. It’s no longer a question of what side of the road a pedestrian should walk on. We know the answer to that. No, I’m more interested in what causes some people to choose the wrong side. It’s been 14 years since I … More Exploring the minds of pedestrians and the choices they make

Entertainment withdrawal due to COVID-19

COVID-19 has ripped the band-aid off our peculiar dependence on losing ourselves in superficial entertainment as well as our compulsion to dine out. It’s common to hear plaintive, exasperated people say that after three months of COVID-19 distancing they are going “stir crazy” because they haven’t been able to eat a restaurant. To be sure, … More Entertainment withdrawal due to COVID-19

During a pandemic, we need a president who speaks in paragraphs.

Clips of President Obama’s speech to the NIH in December 2014 have been circulating on social media. Those clips tend to be of short duration and focus on his prediction of a global pandemic and the preparation for it. In contrast to Trump who cut the budgets of the NIH and CDC [1] [2], President … More During a pandemic, we need a president who speaks in paragraphs.

A pandemic is not the time for a Potemkin President

In a sea of absurdity, narcissism, and incompetence, it’s almost impossible to pick one topic to write about. Almost. The SARS-CoV-2 virus [1] that’s engulfing the globe is a pandemic with consequences not yet fully appreciated by many. I understand that. Not everyone is an epidemiologist or works for the CDC. What is incomprehensible is … More A pandemic is not the time for a Potemkin President

The novel coronavirus, COVID-19: A case study of the social amplification of risk

In these times, one of the best ways to ensure a post isn’t read is to write about the COVID-19 coronavirus. The story is dominating all channels of communication and marginalizing almost any other story. And that relentless, ubiquitous communication is part of the broader societal story. The intensive coverage and discussion of COVID-19 creates … More The novel coronavirus, COVID-19: A case study of the social amplification of risk

The fog of life

It’s interesting how humans are the only animal that indulges in counterfactual thinking. At times, our memories of events can haunt us because we believe we could have, should have, made a different and better decision about something. The problem arises when we judge our past actions through the lens of our present knowledge. It’s … More The fog of life