Brief Moments

    I can't decide if the movie producers of Atlas Shrugged are making the films because they subscribe to Ayn Rand's pure hatred of  humanity and God. I suppose it could be the venture capitalists making the series hope that visually showing that truth might help some part of society see how hateful and evil her philosophy is.   Lead producer John Aglialoro graduated from Temple University which was founded by a Philadelphia (my birth place) Minister Russel Conwell , a servant and mentor to many. The Hank Reardon trial lays out the new philosophy clearly.      " There was a time when men believed that ‘the good’ was         a concept to be defined by a code of moral values and         that no man had the right to seek his good through the         violation of the rights of another ."    The dialogue is of cou...

     Moving into this nicely brisk fall morning before sunrise I'm grateful for a faith which gives hope in these times of utter ignorance being paraded as something to be celebrated.  Wednesday while quoting rates to a home buyer I was told:      " I'm not interesting in locking an interest rate because defaulting on the Federal debt will be        the best thing that ever happened to this country and rates will drop." Exactly. As we all know historically when businesses or individuals go bankrupt, they immediately get higher credit scores and better interest rates on their next endeavors.  As someone who teaches economics (among other subjects) when I suggested that his vision wasn't going to be the result he stated " You watch too much CNN and obviously have no idea. I'll probably just pay cash anyway but good luck with your delusions."     Self-analysis says I actually watc...

     Filling in as the talk show hows on WSJM AM 1400 and FM 94.49 this morning I'm taking a shortcut in a hectic week.  I miss Sting.  Saw a concert documentary of a performance a couple of weeks ago that I came across on Directv and although his voice is showing some signs of age the Spirit was as beautiful as ever.  So was the music of course.  As mentioned before we don't hear this kind of quality on the radio anymore.  Now more than ever we certainly could use the depth of soul and purpose on what we feed our ears.      May your day be filled with purpose, hope, faith and peace.

     Most of us have felt rejected at one time or another.  By a potential mate, spouse, friends, jobs we've applied for, coworkers or bosses.  In my case certainly there were times over the decades where my thinking and behavior deserved being fired or turned away. Other occasions though the rejection doesn't have anything to do with us, but the paradigm of those dismissing our opinions or relationship.  Those who've struggled to find meaningful work during the last five years of the current recession know first hand, often applying for hundreds or thousands of jobs with no feedback or even "thank you but we're going in a different direction" after multiple interviews.           If one doesn't have both spiritual and internal fortitude rejection can easily become a self fulfilling prophecy as the attitude and posture exude "I'm not worthy" where we go. I've never met anyone who wasn't worthy as a human ...

     Wondering through the alphabet this week on K for the A-to-Z Challenge Kerygma caught my eye as not typical.  It's a derivation of the Greek relating to preaching the good news of Christ, and more specifically translated in the New Testament in  Luke 4:18-19, Romans 10:14, Matthew 3:1 .      My spirituality is not a hidden characteristic, having portrayed Jesus for the Berrien County Council of Churches as well as Paul, Moses, and others for drama ministries around the turn of the century.  My theology also doesn't fit neatly into the boxes many denominations prescribe after having taught every book in the bible for adult studies for many years, and leading seminars on prayer as well.  Some theoretical discussion is available at Losing Common Knowledge , a previous post.      This post isn't about converting anyone from what they believe to what I may believe, which continues to grow and change...

Wisdom from Mike Brown @Brainzooming below. http://brainzooming.com/being-thankful-for-the-blessings-in-the-challenging-parts-of-life/14816/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+brainzooming%2FZWKr+%28Brainzooming%29&utm_content=Yahoo!+Mail

     The last week of August this year I suddenly was asked to teach four graduate classes and three undergraduate classes on four different campuses.  So aside from an election night moment of hope and a couple of linked posts to worthwhile blogs or writings of associates there's been no time to share in this medium.      With a week to start before class the first question tends to be "What textbook are we using?"  Then given my abhorrence for texts that give lots of theory and outdated economic reality examples, while helping students relate concepts to the world they live and work in, becomes rather consuming.  Particularly while working on my own PhD in Industrial and Organizational Psychology; writing for the local paper; filling in as a talk show host on regional radio in the morning regularly; and working to help the engagement between the Tea Party and liberals in my region in solving What Matters Now in my communitie...

     I had the honor last night of attending the United Way Community Volunteer Celebration, an evening recognizing some of the many individuals from high school age to retirement who have given of themselves without seeking reward to build community.      State representative Al Pscholka spoke briefly and told the story of an 11 year old boy who's father left the house one day and essentially never came back though 35 years later they did have contact.  It's not hard for boys of that age to find trouble.  Particularly in single parent homes regardless of how amazing and wonderful the mother is.  The boy's mom had to go to training to become a housekeeper to provide for the family but then she got cancer.      While mom was in training however, an interesting thing happened. Those of us with faith would call it an intervention by God. A man, father to four children of his own who lived a few blocks away...

     The schedule this past week hasn't allowed opportunities to write here (lots of writing elsewhere).  I work better with Pandora playing in the background and understand the science behind that (a post for another day).  Sometimes, like during the Steely Dan story the other day I'll use the database of songs I have, but Pandora provides an interesting mix which gives me opportunities to hear things I don't already own regardless of age.      After a couple of weeks sans family while they're spread out around the country and in the Middle East it will be nice to have two of them back home next week.  The dogs certainly missed them as well.  So while it's an odd 50 degrees and raining here today as I create multiple PowerPoint lectures to turn into videos (all of which end up at Slideshare and YouTube for the lifelong learner); these two songs came up back to back and were perfect for missing my wife.  Always l...

     In our small part of the world with global impact the PGA recently ascended upon the community for the 73rd Senior PGA Championship Presented by KitchenAid at the Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Club at Harbor Shores .  You might say ascended?, but descended doesn't describe the opportunity.      Having discussed the very long, hard fought and expensive journey in Economic Growth, Vision and Reality , High Hopes , and The Art of Business recently, I don't mean to belabor the point. However two stories in the Herald Palladium since Friday show how visionary and innovative many individuals and organizations have been. In particular, two key community leaders are worth discussing.  It's unfortunate that the paper's ownership has a skewed vision of internet news, so if you read these stories two weeks after publishing, you'd have to pay to read them.  For that, I apologize. Graphic courtesy The Herald Palladium   ...

     On a regular basis with both my undergraduate and graduate students we'll discuss how there are three things in this life that determine one's level of success and or happiness (because achieving one doesn't necessarily require the other). Philosophy : What do we believe about the meaning and purpose of life and how does it then lead us to behave?  For me this includes one's theology regardless of logic as logic models can't solve every human problem. Psychology : How well do we understand ourselves as well as the behavior of others which allows us to interact productively, innovate and grow. Math: Can we live within our means and balance a checkbook, or at least save more than we spend if we don't use checking accounts.      If we don't know what we believe or even desire to understand ourselves, we lack a foundation to stand upon with which we build a case for activity or action.  We follow whatever seems "popular" at t...

     We may generally accept that human knowledge doubles at an unprecedented rate. In some fields that happens every six months. Some fields nearly every week. At times I despair for the knowledge that we've lost:  The library at Alexandria; Mayan writings destroyed by the church; for that matter written history (even with symbols) destroyed by conquering armies across the planet.   I'm not an archaeologist or anthropologist, but I do love studying their work.  Maybe that's another degree coming.  So you'll have to forgive me if the dating of the graphics posted here disagree with one field expert or another.  I'm just thinking with my fingers on the keyboard, and some of these symbols are probably more accurate if described in a range of years.       There is, at least to me, an amazing correlation and symmetry that crosses continents and cultures. Long before written language we humans communicated with symbols....

     By nature most of the time I am an optimist.  Which is probably why it doesn't bother to spend time watching the news as it does some I know.  "It's so depressing, can we watch something else?".  Having been in a variety of despairs over my near 50 years, as well as some extraordinary opportunities and heights, I know that whatever confronts me today is minimal in comparison to the plight of many on earth, our country, state and even in my community or neighborhood.      I have a poster in the office.  One of those "successories" kind of things.  It looks like a long par five with sand traps running the entire length of the fairway, water on the left and a dog-leg right.  It's got an Arthur C. Clarke underneath:  "The only way to know the limits of the possible is to go beyond them to the impossible."  I do believe he was right.   From deep within me is a predilection to push the boundaries,...

     The fact that yesterday was Good Friday, an odd name for remembering Christ's crucifixion is only coincidental.   I can still remember my years of living, if one could call it that, without faith and can't imagine getting through a day now without my firm foundation in God. I have seen to many miraculous events in my life and in many other lives not to believe.  Though to be fair, I also consider every morning I wake up with the ability to breath, walk, think and grow a miracle in itself.      Through the many turmoils and valleys of my near 50 years, always caused by my wanderings and occasionally by others who took advantage of my generous nature, there absolutely have been times where I wanted to just walk away.  To quit, the circumstances, the individuals, and many times the organizations, which I did either directly or by behaving in ways that got me that result.  For many years of worldly success as some would m...

This was an assignment for class last week (08/08/2009) to write for seven and nine year old children who has lost their parents.  These were my thoughts (earned an A).   Lisa and Brad; I know this is hard for you. There are a lot of people around right now that you don't really know.  They're here because they loved your mom and dad. Maybe . . . maybe almost as much as you did. And in their own way, each of them loves you very much as well, and would do almost anything to help that you asked them to. There isn't anyone you know, who can fully explain to you why your mom and dad are gone from this life. Some folks would tell you that things just happen to all of us whether we want them to or not. Some folks will tell you that God needed your mom and dad more than you did because He had a job for them in heaven to do. I know that for your mom and dad, you were the most important people in their lives. What I will tell you is that I, my family, and ...