A Long View of History

A Short Break from US Politics to Think about Something a Bit Longer Term.

I seem to have run into a slew of reading and viewing of late about lost civilizations. I have “visited” these places before, but my recent engagements have left me with a new thought line that rather connects them all.

First, Let’s Review the Terrain

  • Peru, where an impressive civilization that left us Machu Pichu, once ruled a powerful empire.
  • Ancient Egypt, the remains of which some estimate we have uncovered only about 5%.
  • Angor Watt was the largest complex ever built at that time of history.

The Doppelgänger Effect – You, Meet You

Is That Me, You?

 

The idea of a doppelganger is an ancient concept that literature loves to this day. The term originated in German folklore. It meant a ghostly or paranormal phenomenon, usually as a harbinger of bad luck. Today it is more broadly defined to include a non-biologically related look-alike or double of a living person. 

 

It is a concept fiction writers have loved since its earliest days. I am not much of a fiction reader (unless you count anything Trump says). But I do feast often on science fiction and here, too, the doppelganger often finds a home.

We Are Witnessing BIG History. Take Notes.

Some of This Will Inspire Us. Much of This Will Not Be Pretty

The following post was one I drafted back in early March, but never posted. It was bumped by other news and forgotten. At the time, we were just starting to experience the pandemic that now dominates so much of our lives. Little did we know back then just how big an effect we were about to experience, and how long this fight was going to be. Looking back on this post, it seems both prophetic and a bit innocent, almost naive. I don’t know about you,

The Question of the Day: WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?!

In Case You Missed Them, a Few Indications This Week That Our Species Has a Bell Curve

What a Week That Was

I generally have the next 2-3 blogs outlined a few days ahead of time. On occasion, events cause me to bump the order of things, but for the most part, the system allows me to give some time and thought to what shows up in your inbox. That was the plan for today.

I have indeed given much thought to this posting, but it is not the one I started with originally.

Yes, I Hear What You are Saying, But…

There are Difficult but Promising Conversations Going on Now. Here, Some Help in Having Them

I have been fascinated, and often encouraged, by the conversations going on right now in our country about who we are and who we want to be as a nation. Some of these are really tough and awkward. Some of the toughest ones are in our own heads. People are asking themselves if they are as open minded as they thought. Am I as unbiased as I think I am? I sympathize with others, but have I really been listening? Do I have any grasp of what others are living and thinking?

READ THIS DOCUMENT

For the First Time in this Blog I am Linking a Single Document – Read It

I Have Something for You

Regular readers know that I often make reference to other articles, documents, and videos, encouraging you to read them to learn more about the topic at hand. Today we take that a step further.

I am going to say very little about this document, except to say that I think it is extraordinary and well worth your time to peruse.  We are in a time of great turmoil and challenge in our country.

Loose Odds and Ends

We Have Discussed Some Big Issues of Late – Let’s Revisit a Few with New Inputs                      

 

Let’s See – Where DID I Put that?

Almost everyone I know has “the drawer” in their home. You know, the one that seems to be the catch-all for everything that does not have a place to go. I regret to say I have 2-3 of these around my home. My whole garage may qualify for that status.

Writing a blog inevitably creates a digital drawer in this same tradition.

It’s Friday! How About Something a Little Lighter Today?

Take a Relook at Some Great Commercials

 

TV Commercials are a Part of American Life

They reflect our culture. Sometimes they shape our culture. This is true as well in other countries (we will do a blog on these soon), but the whole idea of a commercial becoming an icon started here.

It is not hard to come up with a Best Of list. The internet has hundreds of such lists. And I would agree with most of them. They are entertaining and memorable. We all have some permanently in our memory,

Last Time Out We Shared Some Laughs. Now the Other Side

Two Articles Broke My Heart but They Need to Be Read. Our Friends are Worried About Us.

On my last posting, earlier this week, I shared some editorial cartoons that, as I noted, gave me some laughs, made me angry, made me think. Exactly what such a thing should accomplish. And it seems you agreed. We got a few comments and lots of email about how much we all enjoyed the change and a bit of light heartedness. Goodness knows we could all use a bit of that.

Today, I regret to say I cannot be so lighthearted,

The Secret to Solving Big Problems? LOGISTICS

  • Hi Everyone Talks Tactics and Strategy. Making Things Actually Happen Requires Logisticians

 

Save Us from Armchair Experts

I learned a valuable lesson as a young Army officer, a lesson that time proved to be valid over and over again. The lesson is as follows. Everyone thinks of themselves as great armchair generals. Everyone thinks they know what is needed for tactics, strategy, and priorities. Darn few people have a clue about what it actually takes to make all those great plans happen on the ground. Master logistics or its all talk,