My close associates know that I’m always eager to learn new things. My general tendency is to revisit philosophy, history, and religion, but times are changing, and new developments are evolving so rapidly that I need to look forward: I need to understand the world of artificial intelligence. This rabbit hole has taken me into…
Saint Francis of Assisi was born in 1181 AD and died 44 years later in 1226. St. Francis grew up in the lap of luxury. His father, a wealthy cloth merchant, indulged him. Francis, vain and charming, drank, partied, and caroused. His skills in archery and horsemanship fueled his desire to become a knight. He…
A variety of vitamins, hormones, and herbs can be combined with typical medications for dementia. B vitamins (B3, B6, B12, and folic acid): After 24 months, MRIs were conducted on the participants’ brains and compared with previous scans. Researchers noted that the group not taking B vitamins experienced a significantly greater loss of brain tissue…
Niels Bohr, the father of quantum physics — a science filled with paradox — wrote, Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727) invented calculus, developed the theory of light and color, formulated the law of gravitational attraction, and possessed one of the greatest minds in history. The three laws of motion were perhaps his most outstanding achievement: First…
10,000 BCE Jericho appears as a city-state, Stone Age (Neolithic)2000 BCE 2000 2000 BCE Abraham enters Canaan Great Sphinx 2500 BCE 1800 BCE Joseph is sold into slavery Bronze Age 1400 BCE Hebrews reenter Canaan Minos of Crete destroyed by fire 1162 BCE Gideon Destruction of Troy (1183) 1050 BC Saul first king of Israel Shang dynasty 959 BCE Solomon…
UCLA psychologist Jim Stigler gave American and Japanese elementary school students the same convoluted math problems to solve. The American kids struggled briefly with the problems and then gave up. In contrast, the Japanese kids kept trying so long that Stigler remembered thinking, “This is inhumane. I have to stop them. They’ll go on forever.”…
See if you are living the life you want to live by answering these questions. Note: This is a challenging exercise because you will need to think deeply to gain a genuine understanding of yourself. (Thanks to Tim McGraw for the inspiration.) What 3 activities are the most important to me? What 3 activities give…
George Washington served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led his forces to defeat the British Empire in the American Revolutionary War. He is known as the Father of his Country for his role in bringing American independence. Washington emphasized that the Constitution…
o answer the question, “What’s next?” we must look back and reflect on what happened. If we comprehend what occurred in the past and how we contributed to it, we can better prepare for what lies ahead. Here are some questions to ponder. What three activities give you the most enjoyment? Steve Martin is a…
Sadly, today we confuse opinion with truth. We can blame our muddled and disordered political discourse on Michel Foucault. He and other postmodernist philosophers argued that truth is contingent on social context rather than being absolute and universal. Postmodernists contend that truth is always limited rather than absolute and unquestionable. This absurd idea engenders thoughtless…
How do top performers succeed despite the odds? The answer: character. Success goes beyond achievement to encompass a life of excellence and purpose. Top performers exhibit the following characteristics: While successful people often have innate gifts, firmness of purpose, rather than genetic endowment, produces peak performance. Outstanding performance follows commitment and motivation, transforming adversity into…
Democratic backsliding—a transition toward autocracy occurs when political power becomes restrictive and repressive. The following attributes identify democratic erosion: The gradual progression toward autocracy fosters inaction until a specific moment when it becomes evident that autocracy has supplanted democracy—then, it is too late to resist. There are several ways an ordinary citizen can win the fight for…
Last Christmas, Vicki gave me a dozen handkerchiefs. Now they are gone. Disappeared. Not in the handkerchief drawer or the sock drawer. Not in the clothes hamper. I began to wonder,“ Do I have Alzheimer’s disease?” Probably not. The better explanation for the disappearance of my handkerchiefs—THE HIDERS. The hiders are sneaky. They put pencils…
The Tipping Point, a book by Malcolm Gladwell written 25 years ago, compares changes in social phenomena to the spread of infectious diseases. The moment a virus reaches a critical mass is called the tipping point. When this tipping point is reached, a graph illustrating the infection rate shows a sharp upward increase. Gladwell argued…
When considering how to manage life after retirement, you need to know what motivates you: What three activities are most important to you? What three activities give you the most enjoyment? What three things do you want written on your tombstone? What three things do you want to do for others? What three things would…
I’m not a big fan of Facebook because I often find myself going down rabbit holes, wasting time. But today, while posting an article I wrote, I discovered a fantastic site on English literature with some of the best material I’ve seen on the subject: Kami_Arts5, created by Syed Kamran from Leiah, Pakistan. I sent…
Helping others can provide hope during global crises and uncertainty. Instead of focusing on foolish, self-serving, and dangerous global events, we can improve the world around us. In 1970, I came across an excerpt from neurosurgeon Harvey Cushing’s two-volume biography of the esteemed physician Sir William Osler, published in the Journal of the American Medical…
The developing brain proceeds systematically and progressively. Those with an aging brain are increasing in number. In 2020, 55.6 million (17%) of individuals in the United States were older than 65 years of age; by 2040, 22% of the population will be 65 years of age or older. Although the normal brain is an aging…
An ancient legend tells of Damocles, a courtier in the service of Dionysius II, who coveted the pleasures of royalty. Saracen magic placed him at the king’s table eating sumptuous food, drinking the finest wine and enjoying more pleasures than his imagination could conceive. Reclining at the table in satisfaction, Damocles glanced upward. His eye…
Perspective can keep us alive or cause death. Psychiatrist Viktor Frankl, MD, an Auschwitz survivor and author of Man’s Search for Meaning, wrote about a fellow inmate rendered weak and ill from starvation and debilitating work who determined to live until Christmas because she had heard that the camp would be liberated then. When the…