View From Here

Not certain this is a good title for today’s post, but I wish to comment on recent attacks on universities concerning accusations of antisemitism. Higher education is mostly open minded about many historical facts, and what then ensues as value statements. In point of fact, universities have been the common denominator in researching and educating society at large about factual findings in history, political thought, science and many other areas. They encourage free speech and open dialogue on all these matters. Free discussion is a primary means to pose questions, state what is on your mind, then compare the varied ideas and opinions for what appears to make the most sense. Do these opinions and statements fit the facts, research and logic? This discussion often formalizes research. Identifying first the question or variable in need of more understanding and facts, research projects form and pursue new findings that will advance our knowledge of the topical area. Little by little ...

Or a glass ball. Or any other tool of forecasting the future. No one can do this. Not even a genie if such were real. No. the future will be what it will be. Yes, we can affect the future’s shape and speed of change, but not much else. We cannot foretell the future. We can consider what will happen if we do or do not do something; some action that would be good or bad, and what effect it would involve if we did one or the other option. Even then, we are not foretelling the future. We are only estimating what might affect future events. Those estimations are valuable. They inform us of what affects we are capable of. Not control. Only wiggle some change or other. Examples of this include our belief in the effect of public education. Our investment in the future through our young people is based on the belief that a good grounding in thinking, facts and social conditioning will produce a public that will manage its collective life better. Much research has proved this true. Some re...

These are a few random stories about my SCORE clients. The information is confidential so no identifying data will be shared. I just want to share with you what many of the clients think about, and what they do. I specialize in nonprofit organizations. That is pretty much the primary business sector I worked in for most of 55 years. That sector not only produces more than 15% of all economic activity in the country, but it also represents a major market for other for-profit businesses. The two work together to produce some stunning economic results. Of more importance, however, are the missions of these entities. They are not about earning money or building vast net incomes. This is not about wealth of the organization, either. It is all about improving living conditions for specific groups of people. Many of my clients address problems experienced by single mothers, children from broken or dysfunctional homes. One client addresses the problems of kids in the foster home system a...

I never know whether to spell the title ageing or aging? I suspect both are correct. So I’ll use the one I prefer with the ‘e’. I started writing this blog many years ago, perhaps 13. I forget and am too lazy to research the exact date. At any rate, the purpose of this blog is to provide a place where an ageing person could offer comments of perspective on a host of topics. Most of those topics would be current in the news or public discussion. All would be logical – of course! – but also with a tinge of what life experiences mean to an ageing person. Please, do not read this as an old man’s blog about yesterday. Nothing could be further from my truth. No, I need a platform on which I can offer opinions on topics that are capturing my attention at any given time. This platform provides me an outlet for all kinds of pressures. It also helps me focus on other issues without the distraction of current events. You have images of old grumpy men. I just know you do! Well, the grumpines...

Late 2022 and early 2023 I was targeted by thieves to defraud my online internet transactions via my debit card. I had to replace my card three times. So far so good. Last week, however, an attack on my online access to my checking account was attempted. They appeared to have taken $5000 but that turned out to be an attempt only. They failed. However, this transaction begged correction and the real fraud was in the contact with the ‘helper’ people. They were the criminals. To correct the fraud, I inadvertently worked with the perpetrators themselves, posing as problem solvers. They transferred $3000 out of my savings and into my checking without my knowledge. They then wanted those funds to be credited to them via a fake transaction. That action would have required me to go to a store and buy a gift card for $3000 which, of course, would be to their benefit. I smelled the rat finally and hung up. I then called my financial institution (my credit union). They killed my account, reve...

Today’s post is in the now. Posting right after writing it. Usually, I write the piece a day or two in advance. That gives me time to edit and proof the item before publishing to the internet. Topics normally pop to mind, and I write about that in the present. Today, this did not happen. So many topics rummaged through my mind that I could not decide on which to cover. My thinking covers these current subjects: political division in the USA over conservative and liberal; China’s role in the future of world history; American elections in 2024 and their likely outcome; weather extremes and how we adapt to them; making sense out of myriad topics as they impact our day to day lives; and many others. Each of these is good for several posts, at any time, but today the focus isn’t right. So, what to do? Well, I have chosen to just ponder the former paragraph. Notice how complicated life is. Rarely do we manage one topic without a context of many others. Each fight for attention. Some ar...

As alike as we humans are to one another, we are quite different and unique. We spend a lot of time figuring out how we are better than the other person, or why our way of thinking is better than another group’s, or even how one nationality is beneath that of another. Turn this attention to religion and watch out! Each religion, denomination or sect, asserts its creed in general and specificity. It’s the latter that loses luster in discussions. Specific application of denominational theology to life’s experiences is a tough thing to do, especially while keeping propriety, and good manners. So many denominations have chosen to tackle big issues and then suffer the reactions of many. Abortion pro or con? Does church and denomination survive divorce? How about political creed or ideology? If those topics are managed well, then add to the mix a discussion on homosexuality. It seems God’s love has strings attached in the mind of many men and women. It seems religions have a lot of tro...

Mild clime so far this season. Flurries early, but too warm to stick. Then some chilly days but still no winter weather. We got through November untouched. We got through most of December untouched. January, though, is another story. With little weather of note – other than warmer than normal – forecasters appear to be overstating every forecast for precipitation. A snow flurry is upped to minor accumulations; minor accumulations are touted as possible 5 to 6 inches. Warmer than usual temperatures means that snow and rain will often be mixed. When temps are forecasted for much lower digits, the chance of snow escalates. The last few days have been nonconsequential conditions. Snow was expected, however, just not much of it. Meanwhile, the 28-to-32-degree temperature spread suggested that we probably would receive a slush storm. And that’s exactly what we got early in the week. Some areas were hit with heavier falls at faster rates. Under such conditions, accumulations mount and dri...

Have you always, or nearly always, worked at understanding what is happening? Or did happen? Or, what a word means, especially in the context of its sentence? I have. All my life. If someone said something – in person, group or on the radio, TV or movie – and mumbled it, I wondered what they said. What I missed. Was it important? Did it help make sense of the current action? “What did he say?” That was a frequent question of mine to others surrounding me. I’m sure it was more irritating to them than I, but being at a loss for missing pieces, I was unnerved by not knowing. This personal characteristic has made me annoying and inquisitive. I plainly ask questions. I piece the answers into my puzzles and hopefully gain understanding of each of them. My test has always been, if I can easily explain the complexity to someone else, then I know and understand what I am speaking about. Or writing.  The logic, you see, takes over the communication transaction. It becomes a simple matt...

Our recently completed trip to Massachusetts left me with an unnamed sensation. It continued to puzzle me for several weeks. The comfort of my trip ‘home’ was very real. I was prepared for a huge letdown, you know, expectations unrealized. That did not happen. The trip proved to be every bit what I had hoped for it. Seeing the old house, neighborhood and region, was somehow very comforting. Revisiting old haunts recalled many memories. Those memories were varied, of early years, developing personhood, education and adolescent experiences. Intellectual blossoming was included. The arts and culture were very much a part of my upbringing. And yet, this sense of meaning kept niggling me. Something was meant by all this. Weeks later, through the holidays and all, it finally came to me. A sense of completion was a real part of the trip. Completion? Yes, somehow the wonder and openness of the years growing up, were eventually answered by adult experiences over many decades. I returned t...

A clear view of our nation’s health would provide a conclusion of troubles. But when we go into the details, we see primarily two ideologies at work: small government and large government. It is easy to side with either of these two if further details are ignored. I think the truth of the matter is ignorance by many of the what and why government in America works. Or doesn’t. To wit, the economy is not minutely managed, but it is pushed and prodded by federal policies judiciously applied. For the most part, our economy is healthy and growing. It is also inventive and creating new opportunities as old ones disappear. The process is not always gracious, but then people aren’t either. People are the common denominator of all things governmental; imperfect human beings usually will cause some problems but not all. No, the rest of our difficulties are caused by intentional manipulation by ideologues. And that’s the theme of today’s blog. Ours is a nation of laws and justice. Ours is a...

A new beginning. Yet again. Year after year a new one begins. New chance to experience new things. Mostly, though, they are old things wrapped in glittery paper. Peat and repeat. Do it again. And again. Cycles of life lived through many intersecting lives take on routine soon enough. Do we see each thing as new? Do we realize the fresh opportunity to change outcome? Do we dare to treat it that way? Doing the familiar is comfortable. We may regret the old outcomes and expect them to repeat endlessly. Breaking from comfort is not easy, but it may just yield different results. Try it. At least a little bit. Make this year something different from past expectations. Dare to be adventurous. Watch for the results. Can I be something else that I prefer? Do I have what it takes to succeed at this else? Only one way to find out. Push the envelope, do something different and observe results. Do it again. And again. Notice the changes taking place? Large or small they are different resu...