“Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.” — Ecclesiastes 7:29, KJV “Ay, roar well,” said Bagheera [the panther], under his whiskers, “for the time comes when this naked thing will make thee roar to another tune, or I know nothing of man.” – … Continue reading Rise of the Machines
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Significance
“My friends were little men—like the Führer himself. These ten men were not men of distinction. They were not men of influence. They were not opinion-makers. Nobody ever gave them a free sample of anything on the ground that what they thought of it would increase the sales of the product. Their importance lay in … Continue reading Significance
Yoh…
My great grandmother was from “the old county.” What that country was has been a matter of some conjecture. Family tradition at one time said it might be Ukraine, or somewhere between there and Russia, because great grandma spoke a Russian dialect and went to a Russian Orthodox church. And many people who lived in … Continue reading Yoh…
Imagine
“Imagine there's no heaven / It's easy if you try / No hell below us / Above us, only sky // Imagine all the people / Livin' for today… Imagine there's no countries / It isn't hard to do / Nothing to kill or die for / And no religion, too // Imagine all the … Continue reading Imagine
Incantations
One segment of my course, “Music, the Arts, and Culture,” consisted of an overview of film scores – their composers, history, techniques, etc. In the process, teams of two or three students were assigned to give class presentations. We chose films “out of a hat,” literally, so no one would feel they were unfairly assigned … Continue reading Incantations
220: The Way Home
If you travel to Montoursville, Pennsylvania, chances are you will drive on US 220. For me, this was the way “home.” Travelling east on Interstate 80 from western Pennsylvania, take the exit near Mackeyville, and pass by Mill Hall, Lock Haven, Avis, Jersey Shore, Linden, Duboistown, and Williamsport, then arrive in Montoursville, the town I … Continue reading 220: The Way Home
Metrics
“Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.” – William Bruce Cameron (often attributed to Albert Einstein) Long ago, I served on a university strategic planning committee. One of our tasks was to assess the “quality” of the faculty. The problem was how to quantify quality. We decided … Continue reading Metrics
Wisdom Revisited
While I’m recuperating from a medical procedure, here are some thoughts I posted on my office door many years ago. This is an edited version. The “Wisdom” of the World contrasted with Christ’s Wisdom: Never apologize. Saying “I’m sorry” is a sign of weakness. “First, be reconciled with your brother.” It takes strength to admit … Continue reading Wisdom Revisited
The Corinthians
Once upon a time, there was a Corinthian King who said he loved his country. He said, “I love the poorly educated.” He also said, “When somebody’s nice to me, I love that person. Even if they’re bad people, I couldn’t care less. I’ll fight to the end for them.” Perhaps he thought, “nobody knows … Continue reading The Corinthians
Mercy
An Easter Meditation Some of us like to pray for justice. Amos 5:24 is often quoted. “But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” Yet, if the Lord decides to give us what we truly deserve, perhaps we should be happy to receive mercy instead. In the Easter season, we … Continue reading Mercy
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