Engaging Life with Courage and Intelligence
A post with a historical reference
How has America become so divided? Social media is a key element. Greedy social media executives lust for our clicks and attention, so they calibrate their algorithms to reward anger, resentment, and excitement. Coupled with the power of media algorithms is rage farming. What is rage farming, you ask? Well, it is a lot like…
Neural networks…that sounds pretty geeky! It may sound geeky, but it is at the heart of how the universe works, particularly for all humans. Around 1984, a physics professor at Brooklyn College told me I should study “neural networks.” I was then an associate vice president responsible for academic and administrative computing, and I thought…
In honor of the memory of one of the world’s greatest primatologists, Jane Goodall, we examine the creatures that have been watching us for hundreds of thousands of years. Dr. Goodall devoted her entire adult life to studying and promoting the preservation of life on this planet. Her particular expertise was in the study of…
It is impossible to imagine a US administration that makes so many blunders. It would be polite to say that they are rookie mistakes. However, after a decade of ruling over the Republican Party, they can no longer use that excuse. To summarize one of the biggest economic blunders in American history, please listen to…
For the first time, colleges can now pay athletes directly—up to roughly $20.5 million per school annually, with future increases expected. This is a historic shift allowing athletes not only to profit from endorsements and sponsorships but also to receive revenue-sharing from their institutions. If you have tired eyes, you may listen to this web…
Most of us thought conservatives wanted to keep or conserve the world more or less as it is. The dictionary definition is “Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values.” Until recently, conservatives had the reputation for being somewhat dull but reliable,…
Russia invaded Polish airspace the night of September 10, 2025. Russia attacked Poland with Iranian Shahed drones, and Poland promptly shot down most of them. President Trump’s tepid response to the incursion was, “What’s with Russia violating Poland’s airspace with drones? Here we go!“ Less than a month ago, President Trump warmly embraced Russian dictator…
There is a strong tendency for Americans to ignore the realities of the past and the present. Many Americans ignore how and why our country was founded, slavery, periods when the scales of justice were tipped in favor of the ultra-wealthy, and unwise foreign policies. Americans typically revere the totems and symbols of past glory,…
The Surgeon General of Florida announced the end of laws that require children to receive mandatory vaccinations. The Nigerian doctor, Joseph Ladapo, was selected by Governor DeSantis because of his vaccine skepticism. The end of compulsory vaccinations in Florida is also consistent with RFK Jr’s “Make America Healthy Again” movement. Florida’s Surgeon General compared mandatory…
No one is quite sure of the motivation for Trump’s preemptive attack on India. Was he punishing India for unfair trade practices, India’s purchases of Russian oil, or for some other reason? The tariff on India’s products was 25% and it was raised to 50% effective August 27, 2025. The net effect of Trump’s “get…