The Revenge of the Anti-Drunks
We humans tend to oversimplify things; ergo there are only two kinds of people. The nerds embrace technology, and the Luddites oppose it. We are certain we understand the distinction, but we are wrong. The appellation nerd is so entwined with our culture that it is nearly impossible to pin down the exact origin or […]
Digital is Not Always the Answer
In my basement, I still have a box of vinyl records and another of cassette tapes. Nearby are some shoeboxes full of photos, and a stack of 35mm slide carousels. Next to these is a rack with some 3-ring binders stuffed with lecture notes which I used when I stood before a class of anxious […]
Just Build Something
The mention of Thomas Edison may provoke thoughts of creative energy and invention, but his real contribution to America’s emergence as a world superpower stems from manufacturing. In 1892, he founded General Electric, which today is the last of the original industrial firms to remain listed on the Dow Jones Index. During its storied history, […]
Jesus’s Wife
His biography is a bestseller, and often when a difficult decision arises, His name is in the conversation. Scholars pounce on every shred of news about His life, like the paparazzi on Brad Pitt. A few years back, the headlines involved a scrap of papyrus the size of a business card; on it, Jesus refers […]
The Good Grade Pill
“One pill makes you larger, and one pill makes you small. And the ones that mother gives you, don’t do anything at all.” (opening lines of “White Rabbit” by Jefferson Airplane). Just as physics teaches us that nature seeks the lowest possible energy state, so are humans wired to search for the “Easy Button”, or […]
